RWBY: Bonds Between Hearts
Chapter 16: Calamity of Pandora
WARNING: I own none of these characters sides from my OC(s). All rights go to their respective owners and properties.
This is nothing more than, well a fanfic, a story made up by a fan for entertainment and knowledge.
Everything in this fic is not canon and is only meant to give the audience a new idea of the works of each of the franchises in this story.
So please support me, my work and have some fun. Now enjoy the story. ^w^
Within the airship that Ironwood was in, his fist slammed through his desk and threw several things in frustration. That international broadcast made him very upset, not only for the fact that his most trusted soldier was captured, but his entire plan to take that box from that has backfired as he had to return it, or not only would they lose Winter, but the SDC would be destroyed, robbing everyone of their most vital resource ever, Dust.
Faust had the capability to do all of it in days.
They have 3 days or the world will burn.
Not only were they now on a short timeframe, they also had no choice but to rely on the person that they captured not even two months ago.
His desk glimmered, making him slowly tap the screen to display Ozpin. "James."
"Oz…"
"Hope you are happy. Not only did you incur Evol's wrath but we have learned he found what he needed which was the belt his right hand holds. That very right hand who holds magic."
"I can fix this. My men and I shall-"
"No James. First with Cody and now this. You have lost good men and are risking the life of one of your own. Return Evol his box." Ozpin stated grimly.
Once the feed was cut off. Ironwood lowered his head, while his rage was peaking for him. He could only agree with one thing.
He truly did mess up.
XXX
Weiss scrambled for her belongings, her mind trying to process what she witnessed earlier. The condition of her sister. The way Mad Rogue was publicly torturing her to talk.
"Weiss, calm down." Blake spoke to the heiress, knowing how scared and worried she is after the broadcast.
"Calm down…? You want me… to CALM DOWN?!" Weiss snapped somberly. "My sister is in Faust's hands! You saw what that… that… that bitch of a monster was doing to her!" Weiss snapped.
"We know… But we have to let Cody handle this…" Blake reminded, "After all, only he can stop Faust's actions. You said so yourself."
"But he- I-I-!" Weiss fell to her knees and cried.
"Weiss…" Cody spoke up, walking up to her as he placed his hand on her. "I promise… I'll lay down my life to make sure I bring your sister back in one piece…."
The heiress shoved her arm. "How can I believe you?! It was because of that girl who was someone you know! It was because of you she attacked Winter!" She pushed him. "You were the reason Night Rogue is an insane woman!" She pushed him again. "You were the reason for everything they did to us!"
"I know…. And I do regret dragging you into it… But if you can't trust me now? Then there's no hope for anyone in Remnant who won't be targeted next…" Cody stated to her, knowing she wasn't wrong about her words. "So please… have some faith in me…. Rest assure one thing… I'll… most likely leave Vale so they can follow me and away from others…"
The heiress sniffled.
"But… how exactly are you going to deliver it? The general has it." Ruby asked nervously.
"That's… a good question…" Cody grimaced.
"Cody." He looked at Yang. "Just… Just who is 932? How does she even… have something that is… supposed to be in fairy tales?"
"You… girls want to know who she was?"
"We need to know Cody. We… want to know why she is so fixated on killing you."
Cody collapsed onto his bed, looking at the floor bitterly. "I… never thought to talk about it until now…" he murmured. "Where to start…" He raised his head, seeing the fan slowly turn.
XXX
12 years ago…
The metal fans slowly turned as 931 was being dragged after he was given his gray garbs. He whimpered after experiencing the loss of his mother. The robots only took him away the moment she slept forever. His eyes glanced to see the big steel doors, the echoes of crying and whimpers heard in his ears. Then his eyes drift up to a spectacled woman in a lab coat. The way she looked at him like he was nothing to her.
What made things difficult was some unknown power he had, unleashed upon his mother's death. Several of the robots were constantly destroyed as he lashed out, only to finally be overwhelmed and brought in.
Tears were still racing down his face as the only person in his life was gone. He couldn't even mourn her properly as they took him away. He wasn't sure who these people were who wanted him captured, nor what they wanted. But he was all alone now… and it pained him to be like this.
"M-Mommy…" He whimpered as he hugged himself tightly, missing her embrace.
His sorrow was cut short as a robot and that mean woman came up to the cell.
"Experiment 931 - You have been given a cellmate as per regulations to the Group Act." The door slid open and a girl who was a year or so older than him was shoved to the floor by the robot beside the spectacled woman.
Cody looked at the other girl, feeling worried as he crawled over to her, hoping she was okay. The doors slid shut and he gently shook her. There was nothing at first which worried him until lilac eyes snapped open. Both colors met each other before they yelped and crawled away in opposite directions.
"W-Where am I? W-Who are you!?" The girl frantically asked.
"I… don't know where we are… And I'm Co-" He was about to finish before he felt the collar around him light up, shocking him as he cried in pain. After a bit he looked up at her, "I'm… 931…."
"I'm 932…." She didn't want to make the mistake 931 made. "Are you… okay?"
Cody sniffled. "I want my mommy…"
The girl flinched as she heard that, her head lowered. She understood what that meant, as she too lost her mother in the past. All she did was survive in the streets before the saint took care of her until her death. Both of them needed help and support… Yet without their family or someone to trust, they can't hope to survive.
932 soon crawled over to the crying boy, as she then took hold of him, only to bring him into a hug. This made him flinch as he looked up to her as she had concerning eyes.
"I'm sorry to hear… But don't fret… At least… we have each other… right?" she said, trying to put on a smile and brave face for the boy.
Cody sniffed.
He soon returned the hug, crying into the girls arms as her words did reach him. She was right, they could only rely on each other to survive in this odd place. Only hoping they may one day see freedom too.
XXX
"Day after day I was there… she cared about me."
Cody slid across the cold floor, shuddering to his recent experience of being put into the pod. 932 gently brought him up, reached into her pocket, and presented a loaf of bread. She pressed a finger to her lips.
He nodded softly with a weak smile, taking the loaf of bread to eat and recover his strength.
The doors' lock began to shift which made Cody swallow the loaf and nearly choke but hid the rest of the bread. The Guardians picked up 932 and took her away for her next test.
When night came, Cody quivered in his sleep, reeling from his arm being broken after he threw food at a machine in a fit. They took him to the medical wing but they just put a cast and tossed him into his cell.
He suddenly felt warmth enveloped him and noticed 932 hugging him to sleep.
It came to the point…. That we saw each other not just as friends, but as family from then on. Always just wanting to survive and gain our freedom.
XXX
"So you and 'Lily' were very close…" Ruby realized.
"Yeah… practically siblings at that point as we'd be there for each other. Comforting and helping one another." Cody nodded softly.
"…." Yang was oddly silent.
"She helped me get through things… the only other person who cared about me." He smiled slightly at the brief recollection. "Practically took care of me better than Faust did."
"And that must've continued to grow over the years you two were trapped there." Blake pointed out as Cody nodded.
"While we all wanted to be free, there were times with her that made things easier for us. If not for her, I would've probably ended up the same way as she is now…" Cody frowned softly at that last addition. "Which… led to that day…"
XXX
Flashback resumed…
931, now 12 years old, shook 932 who was 13 years old awake. "931…? It's still night time… go back to sleep…"
"I-I found a way out, 932!" 931 revealed.
932 turned over and sat up. "What…? But no one ever done so, 931."
"But I found it! A way for us to be free! We… We can find a home together! Be safe from Faust! To live!"
"931… You remember what happened to the 950's? They said the same thing… and now they're gone."
"But I did! I found a way…" He said, before he reached into his outfit and brought out something… It was one of the items that was recently made… It was blue with a dragon design on it. A Fullbottle. "And this is the key…"
932 quickly covered 931's hand. "931, where did you get this?!"
"When they were dragging me, I-I snuck it from their pocket!" He explained. "Please 932! I don't want to be here anymore… I want to go outside! The real outside!"
"But… if we try to do this… We could fall into the same fate and the 950's…" she grimaced, not wanting to take a chance.
"Please! Don't you miss the outside! Don't you want to see how much has changed?!"
932's lilac eyes softened, her heart yearning for that glimmer of hope.
"No one is coming to save us… but we can save ourselves!"
932 lowered her head before she pursed her lips and nodded. "Okay. But the doors?"
Cody quickly walked over and pushed it open, raising the fork that was wedged. 932 immediately followed him and exited, allowing the door to fully close before the alert could be sent.
The duo peeked from the railing, seeing the control room waaaaay above.
XXX
The drones continued to monitor the cameras, watching for any suspicious activity from the experiments. So far there had been no incidents of any activity during the Sleep Hour. Suddenly it felt a jolt of electricity, disrupting its functioning as did the other before both fell off the chairs. 932 and 931 turned off the batons they took and looked at the buttons and cameras.
"We can try to open the door for the others now, too!" 931 said with hope filling his heart.
"But if we do that… they'll know…" 932 grimaced.
"This is all of our only chances to finally leave… I don't want them to be left behind either!"
"Okay…" Both gripped the keys and turned them at the same time.
[WARNING CELLS 900-949, 960-999 OPENED]
Door after door they opened, seeing young teens their age peeking out with murmurs. Cody and Lily rushed back down. "Everyone!" 932 called. "We found our chance! Let's get out of here to the outside!"
They all looked shocked, looking at one another yet they wanted to believe. So they soon began to charge ahead, soon following 932 to where 931 said to meet her.
Speaking of, as they figured, the alarms rang off, sounding the other Faust members to the escape breach. But there was still one last thing he needed before he reunited with 932. The young experiment began to move through the halls before he was brought back to the last experimentation cell. Within it, other than the recovered panels and Fullbottles that were made from it, laid two other items. One that looked to be a belt, with gears and cranks on it, and another being a robotic dragon.
He looked left and right before snatching them. He turned but bumped into a robot. He crawled back in fright as its head opened, about to alert the others. However a voltage shocked it and it collapsed, revealing 932 who panted from running.
"Can't leave you behind, right?" She smiled.
"Y-Yeah…" He smiled happily, taking her hand as the two ran alongside the other children to the spot that 931 had found to use as their escape.
"931, I'm tired…" one of the young experiments whined.
"We're almost there, just hold on." 931 pleaded to one of the others.
"Escapees located." All the children and young teens saw Faust robots with their shields and stun batons that activated. "Prisoners are to return to their cells or electrical force will be authorized."
"RUN!" 932 ordered.
Everyone soon ran as fast as they could from the Faust robots. Darts and shock blasts raining out to try and tag the escapees so that they would remain within the walls of Faust.
"We gotta keep going, 931!"
931 nodded as everyone kept running, only to soon find themselves out in the danger field. The test field where they have to counter obstacles, traps and drones. 931 soon took the lead to bring them to the cavern field as they reached what appeared to be a dead end.
"We're trapped!"
"You brought us here to die, didn't you?!"
931 said nothing to their shouts and cries as he soon made his way over to the dead end, but what made them stop yelling at him was when he held up the belt.
Instinctively, he placed the belt on him, strapping it around the young boy before he took up the Fullbottle and the robot dragon before he combined and slotted them in. "Um…" he looked puzzled.
"You don't know what to do next with it?!"
"It's my first time doing this!"
932 stared before her lilac eyes laid on the crank. She reached down, startling 931 before she began to turn the knob for him. In moments, pipes began to form and shape around the boy as it made armor, startling everyone as nobody knew what to do.
ARE YOU READY?
"H-Huh?" 931 blinked before the the armor collapsed onto him, soon combining the armor pieces into one.
WAKE UP BURNING! GET CROSS-Z DRAGON!
YEAH!
"He got taller!"
"Woooooow!"
The newly armored preteen looked at himself in wonder. He took a deep breath as he walked over to the crack, soon raising his fist as he punched it, causing a powerful shake to be felt and the crack to grow substantially. His strength had increased beyond what even a Smash could do.
"Okay… I can do this… Hiyah!" He punched again, letting the metal dall but all they got was the wall.
"Ok, that part was a wall… maybe… er…" Looking up slightly he used the crate as support before he punched the upper portion. It dented in which Cody did it again and revealed the moon and its light.
"O-Our way out! We can get out of here!"
Lights flashed and the children and teens looked behind them to notice the oncoming mob of machines. 931 hopped slightly but grunted until 932 helped push him up. The blonde's feet scraped across the wall but moved more until his fingers felt grass. The cool grass finally felt in his hands. With one more pull, he crawled onto the greenery he never thought to feel.
The young bluenette trembled when the lights were drawing closer. Her lilac eyes darted up to 931.
"Pull me up! Please 931!"
931 tried to reach for 932 but the flashing lights from the hall displayed the incoming machines. But the numbers ranged to the dozens. His whole body froze to the incoming mob. His body quivered, recalling everything they did to him. The pain. Separating him from his deceased mother.
His arm trembled as he began to hyperventilate.
He didn't want to go back. He didn't want to endure everything again. With his unfiltered fear, he scrambled away, shocking 932.
"9-931? Wait! What are you doing!?"
"Prisoners located. Initiate detainment." The Guardians spoke.
932 could only watch in horror as while 931's body began to grow darker from the shadows of the tunnel, the children were screaming as they were being dragged away, either by force or through painful means.
"Don't leave us!" 932 cried out. "931! COME BACK PLEASE!"
Cody quivered as he held his ears in an attempt to mute the pleas out of his gnawing fear. He didn't want to be back there again.
"931!"
XXX
"And that… was how it all started… the reason she has been like this. The reason she hates me." His fingers curled and looked up at Weiss. "Yeah, blame me for what I did. Blame me for making Lily become who she is now. I've been doing my best. My damn best to help save her but all I earn is her hatred for what I did - fleeing like the coward I once was. To not save her on that day, only to hide due to my own fears for what those bastards did to me for nearly a decade."
Team RWBY were completely stunned with utter shock and horror from the tale they just heard. It was truly something unimaginable to comprehend to them. A near decade within such a horrific lab, constant experiments, torture and more only to believe freedom was there only for it to be snuffed out like that? They couldn't comprehend how that felt to him, let alone even being there.
"How… old were you when you were in the lab?"
"…" Cody's eyes dimmed. "I… don't know much."
"What do you mean by that?"
"When I was born, all I recall was my mom raising me but that was only for a short time… she passed away when I was five. The second she died, Faust came in and took me away as if they had waited for that moment. Not sure if I was born behind steel walls or somewhere in Remnant where it was quiet."
"My gods…." Weiss uttered with terror.
"I'm not like you four. Or anyone else. I never was. You guys had lives. Families. Yeah there may be discontent within but you didn't grow up in a lab treated like crap." He hissed. He pushed himself from the bed. "I need to get that box so I can give it to Lily."
"Cody didn't you just hear what she wants? She wants you dead!" Yang reminded him.
"What else you want me to do?!" He finally snapped. "Let Faust ruin everyone by taking the one thing you rely on to survive?! Kill Weiss' sister?! I ran away before I am not running anymore since the start I got my new Sclash Driver and life. This is Faust's business and you girls know it. If you do anything they will take away the one thing I have wanted for years! My freedom… I can't… I can't let them take it away."
"Cody…" Yang frowned softly, as she wanted to help the boy as she promised him he wasn't alone anymore.
"So please I'm begging you four, stay out of what I'm about to do." He begged.
"We…"
Ruby's scroll suddenly rang, making her reach in her pocket. She looked at her team, "It's Professor Ozpin!"
"Oh boy…" Weiss grimaced.
"W-What do I do? Do I pick it up?" Ruby asked, worried that Ozpin was calling them to inform the girls of their expulsion.
"Just answer it in the normal manner." Weiss then pointed at Cody. "Which means you are to keep silent for this."
Cody made a zipping motion across his lips.
Ruby tapped the answer call and placed it to her ear. "U-Um, hey Professor! Did we do something wrong?" She asked nervously. "Huh? H-Have we seen 931? Um…" her silver eyes lingered at the blonde. "Nope!"
An awkward silence washed over before Ruby's face faltered. "O-Oh… um… yeah. Sure." She ended the call.
"Well?"
"Um… well… he is kinda aware we are here with Cody." Ruby replied sheepishly. "But he asked us to bring him to a place comfortable for Cody to talk with him."
"Wait so we aren't expelled?" Ruby shook her head. "Thank Brothers!"
"Well, might as well get going then." The experiment sighed as he made his way to the door. "I'd rather get this over with… I can talk to him here. I rather not take chances of Faust, knowing them to listen in."
"Okay." Ruby sent the message.
"After that, keep your Scrolls off because you know why."
"Aw… but my schedule for cookies…" Ruby whined.
XXX
Cody waited in the living room, the clock ticking softly. The eerie silence that lingered whereas the girls left earlier to get Ozpin. The blonde's mind flashed back to the moments of his fights against Lily. The anguish and pain she had…
He pressed his knuckles against his forehead and elicited a shuddering breath. The more he had his freedom, the longer Lily became more dangerous. Furthermore the memories of his mother continuously return to his brain.
If he could put a stop to this by sacrificing himself to save Lily from her hate? He'll take it. He deserves to avenge the others he left behind through his own life. It was the only way to redeem everything he has done. And hopefully with it, Faust and especially Evol, will cease their attacks.
The doorbell rang, promoting him to answer the door. Opening it he saw Team RWBY alongside Ozpin and- "Why is he here?" Cody hissed upon seeing the familiar man.
It was General Ironwood.
"Because my second in command is in danger. That is why I'm here." Ironwood noted with arms crossed.
"Ugh… if you just ignored him from the start you'd be fine, tinman…" Cody shook his head. "But nope! Karma decided to bite you in the ass, twice."
"May we enter?" Ozpin requested.
"Sure." The blonde moved aside, allowing the gathering to enter his apartment. Taking his seat, Cody stared at the two adults. "So what do you want from me? I take it this involves the Box, Ironwood's Aces taken from Blood Stark?"
"It is, among much more as well." Ozpin nodded.
"Eh?" Even the girls were confused.
"Well? What is it? Asking me to carry some bomb or something to trick them again?" Cody rolled his eyes, expecting something like that from the general.
Ozpin took a deep breath. "Girls, I am sure you have seen what 'Lily' has done." The four nodded uncomfortably. "Whatever Evol told you of her… 'gift', is not wrong. Magic… is indeed real."
"Wait so Evol… was not lying?!" Weiss exclaimed. "H-How?! Magic is supposed to be fairy tales! We all read the stories!"
"That is something we cannot tell you four just yet." Ironwoods informed, "Just know that it was made sure to keep such knowledge out of the wrong hands…"
"Seems like you did a really good job at that." Cody said, sarcastically.
"As the same applied to Evol. Ms. Belladonna, Ms. Xiao Long, I am sure you two know what I mean." Blake and Yang recalled the Fire Smash incident and slowly nodded. Ozpin looked at Cody but kept that question at bay for now. "Cody, what can you tell me about Lily?"
"She was my cellmate." He replied bluntly.
"So then, you had intel about her having magic?" Ironwood frowned.
"I did not… If you think I'm hiding everything just for myself, General. Then maybe you should redefine what it means to hide things and not know…" Cody glared at the general for the outburst.
"James…" Ozpin scolded the man, knowing that he shouldn't speak any more.
"Lily and I were the only two to not become Smash upon heavy ingestion of their so-called Nebula."
"Nebula?" Blake repeated..
"Some kind of new element… Always a gas. But when introduced to the system, it can change one's physiology. In small dosages, it can be stronger than steroids without trouble…. In higher dosages can either turn one into a Smash or die…" Cody revealed.
"Except for you two…" Yang realized.
"And that is why I'm so prioritized… Nobody else but us survived it. So who wouldn't want to study us and try to repeat it again?" The experiment grimaced.
Ironwood remained silent.
"And that is all about Lily?"
"… There… was one thing." The experiment murmured. "When we first met, I tried to talk to her but… it was like she was still… dead until she opened her eyes." Now that he looked back on it, he remembered seeing a brief shade of green before it vanished. "I… could have sworn they were green."
"Hm? Did you say something?" Ruby asked, as nobody heard what was muttered.
"N-Nothing…" he looked at the two adults. "I know I have to answer Lily's demand so… where is the box?"
"James."
The general grimaced and tapped his wrist. "Bring it in."
The group soon heard quick footsteps before Ironwood went to the door as standing there was Harriet with the box in hand shrouded in the Hardlight energy to keep its unstable energy within, as she handed it to the general.
"Woooaaahhhh…." Ruby was not just amazed by the speedster but the box. "That's… the box?"
"Pandora's Box." Cody revealed. "… Evol's most prized treasure. And it looks larger than it was last time."
"It was smaller?"
"Like the size of my fist but… it looks larger and… incomplete." He saw the square gap on its side. "He has been assembling the box…"
"Which means we have no idea what its complete state will be like…" Blake grimaced at the thought of what it could do when completed.
Cody's eyes stared at the box, his mind muting his surroundings. There was something about the box. A part of him felt like… he was connected to it.
"Cody? Are you still with us?" The said teen raised his head.
"H-Huh..? Sorry, did you say something?" Cody asked, snapping out of whatever was happening.
"We were hoping you can ensure the safety of Winter Schnee to be brought back and… the box returned."
"Yeah… I can with Weiss's sister… But unsure about the box… Or even myself…" He reached for his Scroll and swallowed. His thumb hovered over the holo key and pressed it. The line began to go through until it shifted to a familiar armored face. "Lily, it's me."
"So you finally grew a set. Did you get Lord Evol's box?"
"Yeah… Where am I meeting you?"
"In Vale's Shopping District. I will be bringing some… insurance to make sure no one interferes. That includes those two adults and four wenches. I know they are there, Cody. I am not stupid." Mad Rogue sneered. "How is it general? That you lost so many good people to send to their deaths? To realize your own specialist was defeated like child's play?"
Ironwood wanted to let his anger out, to make them understand to fear him. Yet he now has learned his lesson and has remained quiet from her tauntings.
"Let's not forget the fact two girls are daughters to groupies. Blake Belladonna, a former member of the White Fang. Last I heard you didn't like seeing so much bloodshed."
Blake flinched as Ozpin and Ironwoods turned to the Faunus, now knowing the truth.
"And of course good old Yang Xiao Long. Wasn't your uncle Qrow Brawen? Oh and his sister being your mother?" Mad Rogue pressed on.
"If I could, I'd smack you so hard…" Yang glared from the tauntings.
"Yeah right. Tell that to your uncle and mother being people of the Brawen bandit tribe in Mistral." Yang and Ruby tensed in shock. "Your poor uncle never told you? Ha! Guess even families hide secrets from you!"
"Lily, that's enough." Cody attempted to stop her tauntings of the others.
"You better shut up. Nearly 10 years you ran from us. You left us with more pain than you ever could! I want you to know your so-called friends are just spawns of such dangerous people. Who is the real monster and who is not?"
Ruby couldn't stand the insults anymore, not after knowing Cody's story and what he went through.
"At least he's trying to change!" Ruby spoke up with distraught.
"Say that one more time you little brat."
"He told us everything… What happened from the moment you two met… to him fleeing…." Ruby responded, "Everything he could remember from those times and how he was thankful to you…. But he clearly knew he was scared and acted on it. Yet he has shown to regret not helping you back then and it wanting to change."
"SHUT UP!" The footage showed a brief burst of lightning and fire. "You know what?! You have one hour to bring it! Not three days!"
"That wasn't the deal!" Cody snapped.
"Tell that to the brat who spoke! Good job Rosey, you too get to feel what it's like for blood to be on your hands. Cody, you better hurry or Winter's head will be on the stake!" The call ended.
Ruby was in shock, looking to the others, "I… I just…" She was quickly silenced as Weiss hugged her.
"I know… you were just saying what was on our minds…." Weiss reassured that the heiress didn't blame Ruby for that.
"I have to go." Cody gritted, hefting the box up.
"Cody?" Yang spoke up, earning the blonde's attention.
"She gave an hour now, what else am I to do?"
"I know… Just… please be careful… and come back in one piece?" Yang pleaded to him.
"… I can't make any promises… not this time." He quickly rushed out the apartment.
Yang could only watch as her friend ventured out, as she prayed to someone out there, to please help her friend out and protect him as that was all they could do for now. Pray and hope for the best….
XXX
The plaza had been kept away as people were being forced out by the Guardians. Lily waited impatiently, whereas a Lost Smash stood beside her. The bluenette's grip was tightened and a wince was earned from the beaten Schnee who was on her knees. Winter's hair was still undone but the girl never gave her an opportunity to let the Aura heal the bruises nor the cuts she had. Her specialist uniform was replaced with worn fatigues Faust uses for their personnel.
Lily was tapping her foot with impatience. She wanted him here to see what he had caused. She wanted him to suffer like she did, to hurt like she did. She will make him pay for every second he leaves them until she is ready to kill him. She won't let anyone take this from her, not even Lord Evol.
She looked at Winter, pulling her up by the dirtied snow white hair. "Let's hope your savior gets here, otherwise I will enjoy putting your head on a stake, Schnee." The Rider sneered.
"You…. won't find relief from this…. You'll just remain… as their toy…" Winter shivered from the pain she was still recovering from. She coughed when Lily punched her in the stomach. The Atlesian felt spittle leave her lips and nearly vomited.
"Look at you, a proud Atlesian now reduced to a dirty prisoner of war." The experiment kicked her again. "You are nothing now!" She kicked her again. "Your military! Your pride! Every. Single. Bit. Is. Sick. To. My. STOMACH!" Each word was a kick to Winter's body. "You are not strong now, Winter! Not anymore!"
"LILY!" A voice echoed out, as the one that they were waiting for has finally arrived.
"Oh if it isn't Cody! And here I thought you would be late!"
"Let her go Lily… this is just between us." Cody frowned at the sight of the fallen friend.
"Do you have the box?!"
Cody raised it. "You know the deal, let Winter go!"
"Yeah, yeah, keep it up your pants." Lily kicked Winter to Cody, causing the blonde to throw the shielded box to her and catch the Schnee. The young man placed his fingers against her neck but felt the pulse much to his relief. Alas that didn't hamper the sight of the bruises, blood, burns, and brief cuts.
"I'm sorry for this…" Cody apologized to the older woman, as he was blaming himself for every pain she received.
"Don't… blame… yourself…" Winter panted out from the pain, "We… should've listened to the warnings."
Cody tapped his Scroll as his new bike raced by as he placed her on the added sidecar as he tapped it once more for it to drive off to take her to safety. "I'm still here, Lily. And seeing that Lost Smash, I am assuming I have to kill him or her."
"Correct as usual… But who's to say if you'll survive long enough to do that." Lily shrugged, the coat she wore slipping off her shoulders slightly. "I told you, I am going to show you how much pain I suffered because of you."
"Doesn't matter if I do or don't… Today, I'm ending this cycle…" Cody frowned, placing the Sclash Driver on him.
"You really think you can win this time?" Lily chuckled then cackled in laughter. "Tough news, I am much stronger than you now with this belt!"
"Like I said before… I don't care if I am or not…" Cody frowned, not impressed by the power he could already feel from her.
KŌMORI!
HATSUDŌKI!
EVOL MATCH!
Lily gripped the crank and started to churn it.
ARE YOU READY?!
"HENSHIN!" Lily yelled, cranking the knob.
Lily screamed to the heavens, looking up at the sky as the pipes began to envelope her. Her eye could barely be seen again as it was trembling and dilating to the power coursing into her body.
BATENGINE!
FUHAHAHAHA!
The pipes finally burst, revealing Lily's Mad Rogue. Unlike her armor as Night Rogue, the armor she had now was a complete upgrade.
"Well, guess this is it then… Henshin." Cody said calmly as he slammed the Jelly Bottle into the driver and pushed the crank down.
DRAGON IN CROSS-Z CHARGE!
BURRRRRRRAAAAA!
As how armored formed as well, the boy remained silent as he stared down at the new Kamen Rider Mad Rogue, ready to end this feud even with his own death.
Mad Rogue cackled in madness. "Let's kill him!"
"As you wish." 801 nodded to her.
The Lost Owl Smash released its orbs from her wings, creating the turrets that blasted Cody. The teen grunted but not before feeling a much more powerful punch from Mad Rouge, hurling him to a car.
'Ngh! That really is a power boost!' He gritted in pain from the hit as he was beginning to realize how much stronger she had been. But he won't lose like this so easily either. He had to make his stand. He used the wrist weapon to strike the Smash and block Mad Rogue's Steamblade. The bluenette repeatedly bashed her blade against the wrist weapon, laughing in joy.
"Who is stronger now, Cody?! Who is stronger NOW?!"
The rider didn't respond to her taunts, taking each hit from her as he was more focused on the Smash than her rage. He managed to kick her away before he punched the Smash before it could summon its turrets again.
"801. You really want this too? To just harm others?" Cody questioned her. Seeing what she wanted instead.
"I am already bound and embraced my given fate. If it's to complete the Panel for a changed world."
"Even though we could try to find a way to save you all from that fate? You're just going to accept it?"
"There is no turning back once we are marked." Owl ducked to allow Mad Rogue to jump over and strike his armor wildly.
"Aw, getting cold feet already, Cody? Trying to get her to your side just so… you can throw her away like me?!" She caught his punch and twisted his arm. Then she punched his torso three times before gripping the collar of his armor and threw him into the fountain. The object shattered as the sprinkling water became a geyser.
"She has her duty for the Black Panel just as is my goal towards you!" Mad Rogue yelled.
"Like my friend said… I am trying to change…" Cody said, stopping her next punch with his hand, "I want to try and redeem for what I've done and see how to save everyone…."
"Like you can be forgiven for what you done to me, and the other 900s you have killed who were Smash!"
"That's why I'm doing this… To make amends…. Even if it costs me my life…"
Mad Rogue yelled, striking Cross-Z left and right. Cody screamed in pain to the harsh strikes. "You threw away our promise!" She grabbed his helmet and slammed it into a window. "You threw away my hand to save yourself!" She gripped his ankle and threw him.
She couldn't hold it back anymore as she gripped the crank and began to turn it, slowly building up her power to deliver a powerful enough attack to him.
"YOU THREW AWAY EVERYTHING FOR YOUR OWN FREEDOM!"
EVOL-TEC ATTACK!
The finisher activated allowing her to jump, startling Cross-Z before the violet kick slammed into his armor. The attack itself causing brief ripple of red to pulse.
Cody cried out in agony from the hit, shattering his armor as he was flung to the ground, bloody and severely injured as he couldn't move.
Mad Rogue panted, standing up and slowly walked over to the teen. She pulled him by the collar and punched him.
Again. And again. And again. Blood began to spill onto her fist, her mind replaying the joyous memories she had of Cody. The memory of that day replayed over and over in her head. "Fight back! Try and fight back!" She demanded.
Cody grunted and whimpered from each hit as his Aura wasn't able to protect or heal him as he was being reduced to a bloody pulp. She grabbed his arm and twisted it, eliciting a painful pop of dislocation.
"I said… FIGHT BACK!"
"I… I'm… sorry… Lily…" Cody whimpered, his free hand reaching up to cup her cheek, "I'm… sorry… my sister…" He said to her weakly.
Mad Rogue growled and raised her arm, now infusing it with magic.
'Lilly…'
'I am not letting that voice distract me!' She raised the fist higher as the clouds above responded to her gift. She yelled in rage, ready to kill him as the young boy closed his eyes to accept his fate.
Mad Rogue suddenly felt a prick to the back of her helmet, one of such imminent danger that if she didn't react, she could lose her head. Hauntingly she turned her head to notice Yang with her eyes burning with tears.
"Leave him alone…" Yang glared, slamming her fist as not only an explosion erupted from the impact but sent the mad rider flying through the air.
Mad Rogue shook her head. "You… You want your family to die?!" She snapped.
"I don't want anything bad to happen to them…. But I no longer can sit by with that threat lingering over me. I promised Cody I wouldn't let him be alone anymore… And if that means I'm an enemy of Faust now? So be it…" Yang declared as she took a stance to fight.
Mad Rogue's hands ignited in the elements. "Owl, assist, now!"
It nodded and activated the orbs from its wings to unleash its turrets. Yang rolled aside, firing a few shotgun rounds but gasped to the incoming hand cackling with lightning that was Mad Rogue. She raised her arms but the strike was a feint. Instead it slammed into her stomach, a bolt of lightning erupting.
"Then I will just have to kill your sister, your father and rip you into shreds!" Mad Rogue yelled.
"Who said I was here alone?" Yang gritted with a smirk.
The mad rider flinched as she quickly turned to be greeted with a flurry of ice shards, striking her as she blocked from the hit. But soon shots from a rifle came before Blake dropped down and swung her swords to slash and strike her before she backed off from the hit as Yang came in with another hit.
Mad Rogue staggered albeit slightly before grabbing Yang's leg. Her lilac eyes darted down before wind spun around and Mad Rogue tightened her grip before a burst of wind was released.
Yang crashed into a fire hydrant and whimpered, clutching her now broken leg.
"You brats… You think you can help him too? He deserves every single moment of this!" Mad Rogue hissed in anger, "Why should he be forgiven? Why does he deserve new friends and a life?! When I don't have one for what he did!?" Her hands sparked, drawing close. Weiss and Blake lunged but instead of the water, she directed it at the duo, stunning them. "I am stronger and you know it! That Schnee couldn't defeat me!"
"Yet even being this 'strong' you're still empty…." Yang stated, "At least with Cody, he has learned to try and forgive himself and his mistakes… You're just clinging to that feeling like a child…"
Mad Rogue stared before her hand ignited and used the electricity to shock Yang. Adding with water, it was more deadly. Yet before she could, Cody tackled the rider, letting the shock send out but miss her target.
"Lily please… stop this…" Cody pleaded to her, trying to hold her down with whatever strength he has left.
"I will kill you! It was you! It was always because of you! You are responsible for EVERYTHING!" Her magic began to surge again.
"I know… and I'm sorry…."
"Sorry?!" She grabbed him by the neck. "It doesn't come close for what happened 5 years ago!"
Mad Rogue began to squeeze down on his neck, the boy struggling to breath as Yang and the others tried to stop her, only for her to force them away with wind. She was going to have her revenge, right here and right now.
"After him, I am going to kill everyone you four brats know! Everything!"
"Yare yare… Seems even your madness is getting the better of you… Bat-chan."
Everyone tensed and slowly noticed Blood Stark drinking through a straw of a soda and a popcorn on the ledge of the roof he sat on.
"Lord Evol… Don't stop me…. I will not let this chance slide by me again…" Mad Rogue glared at the leader, something that surprised even him for a bit.
Blood Stark stared before he snapped his fingers. A lightning bolt struck the girl from above, causing a separation between her and Cody with indescribable pain.
He tossed the soda and popcorn aside and hauntingly looked down at Mad Rogue. He knelt down, pressing a finger against her forehead. "May I remind you who gave you that belt? Who taught you to harness your magic gift?" He warned. "I said you can injure him anytime. Not kill him." Mad Rogue screamed at the bolt of lightning that came down again.
"H-He… doesn't… deserve to live…" She shivered in pain, slowly standing up.
"He is needed to complete the Black Panel."
"Not anymore! I can be better than that! Better than him! And I'm not going to let him get away again…" Mad Rogue seethed, glaring at the boy, ready to strike him down. Seems the power was too much for her to manage her sanity and mind.
Blood Stark rubbed his neck before popping joint. His center glimmered and two cobras coiled around her. She struggled whereas he strided over and ripped the buckle off her waist as she was reverted back to normal, shocking the girl.
"My belt!"
"You'll get it back when I make a copy of it. It is my belt after all. Besides…" He chuckled and dismissed the armor. "It can be quite scary. Isn't that right… kiddo?"
"M-M-Mr… Soichi…?"
"To be frank, I'm surprised those gals kept silence on it. Thought they'd crack the moment the blonde told the others." The older man chuckled.
"Wha-What…?" His eyes looked at the injured Yang.
"We… I… just wanted to protect you… Worried what would happen if you found out…" Yang responded with her head lowered.
"And by that, you did a good job, girly." Soichi clapped with approval. He spun the Full Bottle in his hand. "That said, it is a good thing Bat-chan brought the Guardians here."
"Why.. is that?" Weiss gritted.
"Didn't you see one of them?" He jabbed his thumb and they noticed it was holding a Scroll but it was blinking a red light. "This area is right for me… To light the fireworks for your upcoming festival."
XXX
"Hey my Scroll is ringing?" Jaune noticed.
"Mine too!"
"Same here…"
They tapped the screens and noticed it showed the old man who gives terrible coffee but also saw a coiled Lily and Team RWBY who were injured alongside a shocked Cody.
XXX
"The coffee owner… was Blood Stark?" Ozpin uttered.
"Ozpin…" Glynda grimaced, pointing to the school yard as they see all the students were watching it as well. Everyone was watching this.
XXX
"We are on camera right?" Soichi asked the guardian. It nodded. "Good! Now ladies and gentlemen! I am sure you wonder who I am, and my goal!"
XXX
Cinder stared at the broadcast, her eyes briefly seeing the evil grins on the Twins who were watching the broadcast.
"As you may know, I am Soichi Crimson. Of course that is the name of the man who I inhabit." Soichi explained. "I have been around… for quite some time you see. Seen how much the world has changed. Seeing you suckers celebrating your festivals after the Great War. I applaud you for your dedication."
XXX
General Ironwood's fingers clenched as he watched the ongoing broadcast. Winter who was recently received and recovered, was still weak and tired and was barely able to watch.
"Gen..eral…" Winter called out, worried over how he'll react to this broadcast.
"The world… has been quite dull to be honest. I've seen your wars. Your battles amongst each other. The flames of war forever ignited until 80 years ago when you all settled it like the gentlemen you are." Soichi continued. "But! That is why with your upcoming festival I want to make things interesting!"
"What does this madman mean by that…?" Ironwoods muttered.
"My true name is Evol the Devourer, brother of Overlord Killbus who ruled our tribe, the Blood Tribe." The man bowed. "For we are the cosmos your world is in. We are the eaters of worlds near and fear. We…" he raised the buckle. "Are bound by blood for eternity."
XXX
Cody and the others were in shock from this reveal, surprised that Soichi-no… 'Evol' would take center stage to tell the world about himself and what he is. It just begged the question… what is he planning right now?
The belt was placed onto his waist and Lily swallowed heavily. "He's doing it…" she hoarsely uttered.
Evol raised two bottles, but much different from the ones Cody and Lily had, as they were more artificially made, with no inner 'liquid' as one was that of a crimson cobra and the other some kind of pump as he placed them into the driver.
COBRA! RIDER SYSTEM!
EVOLUTION!
As he cranked it, like before with Cody, pipes began to form and shape but instead of armor, it was red smoke in the shape of armor, with three rings around him. Evol smirked as he held his arms together.
ARE YOU READY?
"Hen…shin." Evol grinned as the armor and circle collapsed onto him, the rings now becoming like a sphere as they spun around him to form his true form.
COBRA…. COBRA….
EVOL COBRA!
Huehehehee…..
Standing there was no longer Blood Stark or Soichi Crimson…. But Evol. A crimson-esc rider with blood red snakes on the visor, shoulder replicating a turbine with what looked to be constellations on his forehead 'gem'.
Evol PHASE 1
XXX
"It can't be…" Ozpin uttered.
"By gods…." Glyda gasped as even from here they could feel the terror and power he was now producing. This truly was a monster that devoured all.
XXX
James shot up from his seat upon the sight of the change in the lifeform. Evol had shedded his first skin to reveal his power as the monster he declared to be. "Get me in contact with Ace Ops… now!"
XXX
"Woohoo!" 899 cheered. "Our boss is leading to the rise of the Day!"
"So this is the one you serve?" Cinder's voice raised, earning the brother's attention and panic.
"You idiot!" 898 had his brother on a chokehold.
Yet Cinder could only grin as she leaned down to cup their cheeks, "Well… do you mind if I have a talk with him? I'm very interested in his power…" She grinned softly, eager to see what she could learn from it.
The twins glanced at each other.
XXX
Evol hummed, stretching slightly. "Aaaahhhh, it's been so long since I wore this! Was it always this stuffy in this skin?" He popped a few joints in his neck. Lily shuddered to the sight of his grand debut.
"L-Lord… Evol…" Lily gulped in fear.
Evol tapped her cheek gently before grabbing it forcefully, almost crushing her cheek and jaw bones. "Now do you understand, Bat-chan? Your mistakes?"
Lily shivered and shook with fear, trying to pry away from his grasp as she was now too scared to fight, yet she couldn't even move an inch before nodding to him as he grinned from her response.
"Good… Now! Time for the next step!" Evol said, soon walking over to the Guardian who was holding the Scroll in hand, closing onto the camera and broadcast. "Have you heard of fairy tales?"
"What… about them?" Yang spoke up, earning his attention and interest.
"Surely you kiddos read the Crimson Boogeyman. Have you ever put two and two to my last name? Sheesh." He sighed. "You see everyone, your fairy tales… are also the truth to the world. The Crimson Boogeyman. Yadayadayada."
"And your point to all of this?"
"Oh simple really. Have you heard of a tale regarding the Saint and the Cobra?"
"…. Y-You can't be…" Weiss uttered in fear.
"Hahahaha… that tale is all but true. After all… I was the one who wrote it."
This shocked the girls heavily, though for the young rider, he was only confused by the tale.
"The Saint was a princess of ages past. Magic that was from beginning of mankind. A snake dressed as man approached and offered her kingdom a method to advance their life. But oh, she was blind to the truth in the snake's tongue. He wanted war and war he was granted." Evol started. "The Saint saw his deceit and wanted nothing more than to smite him to bring back peace and ceasefire. She couldn't fathom the dangers of the shapeshifting serpent 'ere he unleashes the potential of the cursed box. A barrier that is said to cut off the world, forever separating each other."
He stepped around. "A wall that is said to reach the heavens. No man or beast could cross it. She fought the Cobra to the death in hopes to stall such a calamity and she only neared death. Yeah that is kinda depressing in a tale but not all end happily so you know. Anyways! She thought, she pondered on ways to stop the serpent who consumes worlds. Alas like a serpent, it brought more in its wake. It had a family. A serpent who was a mighty lord of its kind that if you get caught in his web, you perish. Three underlings who squabble with each other wanting nothing more than to ruin the world. Seeing the dangerous serpents who hail from the dark reaches of the heavens, she casted a spell. A spell so powerful it had sealed the serpent and separated the box into flat pieces all over the world… forever lost in time. Thus the saint did what she had to do to protect her kingdom and the world from being swallowed by the serpent's fangs."
Evol walked around the group, telling them the tale of his origin upon living on this planet. But it only made things more dreadful as to what else was he planning to tell them as well as what this'll conclude with.
"However she knew that one day… should any find the box, they will only become the serpent's new home. Thus the tale of the Saint and the Cobra." He concluded.
"And… what was the point of telling us this?" Cody questioned.
"Think for a second. What was it she stopped me from doing?"
"… The Wall that reaches the heavens…" Cody's brows were raised.
"We have a winner!"
"B-But… you will be cutting the kingdoms off from resources, communications!" Weiss uttered. "T-That can cause inner turmoil within kingdoms a-and…"
"For the world to burn as a result."
"I… won't let that happen…" Cody groaned, slowly trying to get back up to stop him.
"Boyo, where I see it?" He raised his hand, magic coursing in his fingers and made Cody hover off the pavement. "You just aren't and will never be at my level." With the spell, Cody was thrown aside. "There are some things I know about you. Things you wish you were dead because of it. Hehe."
He walked ahead and turned around one last time.
"For blood… is my oath. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the start of your festival!" The golden-crimson snake raised his arms, laughing in delight. "For your world… will be plunged into destruction with the Sky Wall's grand debut soon enough… I give it… three weeks! So go on, enjoy your days before the festival begins! I am Remnant's Boogeyman. I am your nightmares you all feared as children for eons! I am… KAMEN RIDER EVOL!"
But before he could fully conclude his grand speech, several Atlas ships flew overhead, dropping several drones to attack the mad monster.
He patted the guardians forward who began to protect their creator, turning around and grabbed Lily. He hoisted her over his shoulder. "Your mother really was a smart woman, boyo." He gave a salute.
"My… mother…?"
"Like I said you will know soon enough." Evol laughed, snakes swirling around him like a cyclone. "Have fun boyo because this world will not be united for long when I make my mark. Be sure you kill my eight other Lost Smash for me, ne?"
Evol chuckled but turned his attention to the four girls as he smirked, "Also, I'm growing to like you four as well. Maybe I'll make someone you know into a Smash for you four to fight?" The snakes began to obscure any sight of him before vanishing like the wind.
This day was known as 'The Serpent's Shedding'. Forever to be known in history for when the boogeyman revealed himself to the world and to drown it in blood.
For Evol has made his grand debut.
A/n: And with this, Evol is now revealed! Yes, this is a bit of a sad chap with the brutal beat down, but its needed for him to wake up and realize what he needs to do now. Hope you all enjoyed the chap?
Until next time, later minna!