RWBY: Bonds Between Hearts
Chapter 49: Blood in the Water
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^
The Saint sat elegantly in the chair as she, Oscar/Ozma, Qrow were in Ironwood's office. Doors tightened shut, electronic bugs not detected especially from the likes of Lily. However it was a private discussion between all four. Er, five including Oscar regrettably. The crowned inheritor had told them of the situation and believe her when she says this, not happy or greatly disturbed.
"You mean to tell me dragonbreath has uncles who are that psycho alien's brothers?!" Qrow exclaimed.
"Yes. Which one? Not sure but this reeks of the Blood Tribe." Lily answered.
"Ugh.. just great! The moment I finally go sober, we have four more Blood Tribesmen in our world!" Qrow groaned out with annoyance. He remembered watching the tale as Vernage sealed four others aside from Evol.
"So the war against the Blood Tribe isn't over.." Ironwood grimaced bitterly. "But why control people?"
"They devour worlds from what Evol said to mother millennia ago. He only wanted to set a stage. My best assumption is to study."
"To know thy enemy one must understand them." Ozma quoted.
"Precisely. We are in a protected region but even the mightiest defense can have gaps. Evol is smart to not have any in Eden but here? A serpent must lie in wait before we are at the most vulnerable. Otherwise? We merely get tangled in the web of destruction." The saint looked at her hand. "I invented a device meant to kill those like Evol. They are black holes whereas I solely have its opposite. They will face a mighty opposition from this bottle as long as I wield it."
"But why Cody?"
"Because he is still the son of the snake I killed."
"So either they see him as just a threat… or trying to get him to join their cause." Ironwood frowned.
"Thus Bound by blood..."
"Then I believe it would be best to keep him here in the Academy. We can-"
"No." Lily rejected. "If whichever lifeform turned a whole village and squad to their bidding then it can be the same to a whole academy. James, never sacrifice soldiers when the cause has risks."
"Plus, the kid hasn't forgiven you or the Ace Ops for the kidnapping thing last year. So, trying to do it again will just make things worse." Qrow chimed in.
"If we're compromised already, then they can just destroy everything I've worked up!" Ironwood said, his hair slightly matted and a look of fear behind his eyes.
The saint raised her hand after standing before flicking a metal talon against the general's forehead. "Are you a child or a general, James?" Her voice was cold.
"Wha-"
"Answer my question."
"A general."
"Look at me: one who leads machines I create as they don't know fear because I don't. A general leads their people. If he showed fear so does his soldiers. You are leading a nation, act like it with a better mind than that pitiful state."
"Damn." Qrow whistled.
Ironwood lowered his head. Taking in a breath before he fixed his hair with a swift slick back before opening his eyes, the fear diminished… for now. "What do you suggest?"
"I will keep watchful eyes on any genomes within people. Genealogy is something mother taught me. My units will detect any who hold the unknown Blood gene."
"Will you be able to make a device to detect it? I honestly would like to know how many of my men on the inside are compromised…" The general requested.
"Technosis will see it." She tapped her blindfold. "As I will. Yes I am one soul but this brain of mine had invented a counter against Evol. I can invent a cure no matter how long it takes."
"Well… you are the magic tech genius here." Qrow snorted. He earned a head slap after a metal claw appeared behind him. Courtesy of Lily.
"Will not tolerate the teasing little bird," she frowned.
"Hmp." The general was tickled with amusement. He cleared his throat and said, "Thank you for telling us this."
"We are working together to save our world. It is natural to band together." She stood up. "But remember if you break it, you will expect much from me and your technology."
"I said that my duty is for not only Atlas, but Remnant as well…. And I meant it." Ironwood reminded.
Lily stared before adjusting her blindfold, massaging the faint scars beneath it with magic to soothe the dull feeling. "Let's hope you abide your words." She turned around and exited. His precious creation bowed to her and followed into the elevator.
"… has the discussion ended?"
Lily nodded, removing her blindfold and casted a ice spell over the scarring of her eyes. She elicited a breath of relief.
"The nanomachines of the blindfold still making its repairs, my queen?"
"Its nothing but some numbness to my nerves." The blindfold may enable her to see but her scars still tingle with a burning feeling. Not painful, just numbing to her gaze.
"Also, Miss Belladonna called. She wished to go on a… 'date' with you whenever you're free." Technosis informed.
"…" Lily glanced at her creation, her mind replaying her conversation with Pietro.
Flashback…
"Lily about your creation Technosis…"
The Saint raised a brow underneath her blindfold. "What of him?"
The Atlesian coughed slightly but moved. "Well you see, during the battle test with Penny, there was audio and I… er… ask is your creations capable of becoming more than machine? More than… human?"
"Clarify."
Pietro moved to his armrest and connected to the screen beside them. Lily turned as the duo watched the spar between androids.
Penny was trying to take aim at Technosis but his speed outpaced her. She used her swords to shield her just as three chainsaw tails clashed. She grimaced.
"Are you just a machine taking orders or fighting for a purpose?" The audio picked up Technosis whispering to Penny.
"I'm.. the protector of Mantle… I want to be a hero like Cody… but also there for others like Ruby." Penny responded.
"You speak it as a machine. Not as something more."
"No! I speak from my heart!"
The clash broke off as Technosis' wings erupted from his back. "Say it as you look at me. I who was made as you were. Do I take orders? Yes because I care for my creator. We all do."
"We?" Lily furrowed her brows slightly in soft gaze.
"What do you mean we?" Penny asked.
"Asura. Me. Everyone my lady made. The Four sacrificed their program because they wanted to protect her." The silver haired android looked at the claws that manifested over his arms. "One machine who once had these claws was friend to Rose. Do I fear death? No. We are willing to die to protect my queen's smile. Can you?"
"Of course I can. It happened once before, and I'd gladly die if it meant protecting all who I love in this world I love."
"Then your purpose?"
Penny opened her mouth but her vocal processors had no words.
Technosis suddenly appeared before Penny and punched her, sending her crashing into the wall. "Then you are only a Pinocchio trying to pretend to be real as a human."
The feed ended as Lily sat down.
"Did you expect any of that?" Pietro asked her.
"All my creations learn as they go… I was aware Cyclops was learning to be himself… as was Technosis. But of my other designs… did Cyclops wish for them to understand me?" She murmured. For all of them be willing to give up their very program to make sure she is happy and safe…
Her Semblance's evolution was also evolving her creations. It would explain much of this.
"Are you concerned?"
"… No. if they want freedom as Technosis does, they will have it. I learn to let go. Cyclops reminded me of it… they will always live free."
Flashback over…
"To live free…"
"My lady?"
"Tell Blake I will. And I want you to remind me to start Project Sentinel… and HAZARD when I return."
"My… lady…?" Technosis was surprised to hear this. "You said HAZARD is thin water to be on."
"I know but if the Tribe is coiling near the borders, we need as many cards in hand as they do. I don't like it either… have everything ready for me in my workshop."
"As… you wish." He felt her hand rub his silver hair. His artificial eyes closed, nestling against the headpats. To fight for his creator and help her stay happy. That is his drive. As is all of his fellow kin. To protect the queen.
XXX
Team RWBY plus Cody recently arrived after resupplying ammo for their weapons alongside Dust in Atlas. They were still reeling from what happened at the summit. To know the other remaining Tribesmen were around and finally joined the stage.
"Ugh… I don't know about you all. But I think I'm done with today." Yang groaned out, as today was more exhausting than it was meant to be.
"I know what you mean… I feel like I need a long bath." Weiss shivered. "Just when we thought Evol was gone… we have four others to deal with… one literal black hole I understand but four more?! Our planet is going to be ripped apart into four pieces from this!"
"We still have Lily though. With what she did? We have a chance to fight back." Blake pointed out, "We should focus on what we can do for now instead of tackling such foes again."
"That is when she fought Evol one v one, this is one v four Blake! Shouldn't we all be concerned on the fact there are four more aliens?! Aliens who, in case you haven't forget, are possibly related to Cody's alien father?!"
Yang slowed her steps. "We get it Weiss. Evol is dead but not the rest of his family/tribe. Evol is not Cody's dad for all we care." Just because Cody's late mother accidentally took a piece of Evol when she touched the box, that was it. Evol may be Cody's father by DNA, the bastard was not one to call a father. It was the same way with Raven who wasn't one to call her mother.
"Plus I'm a beacon now." Cody spoke up. "They want me dead or run the whole tribe or whatever since I have Evol's genes. If I were part of the family, wouldn't I have been able to make a black hole like them?"
Weiss raised a finger but stopped herself. Cody was right. With Evol capable of becoming a black hole, Cody should have done the same but instead he couldn't. All he had was his human feats from his mother.
"As far as we know, they have great power… but not enough to cause a black hole. At least with what we know of now… Hopefully they're not as strong as Evol was." Cody pointed out. "Evol lost most of his power because of Vernage. The same surely must have applied to the others."
"He's right," Ruby agreed. "Doesn't that give us some relief to know that? Evol was able to regain it because he left pieces of himself but the others didn't."
"I… guess…" Weiss murmured. She took a deep breath. "Maybe you have a point… but I just can't stand the fact we may have to kill the people who are controlled by one of the aliens."
Yang massaged her knuckles in unease. "You're not the only one Weiss. If we do fight in Mantle… people will get the wrong ideas about us. I don't want to kill them."
"Same…" Ruby second the notion. "I…" She gripped her skirt. "Lily and Technosis made it look easy…"
"Sis never had a choice back then, Ruby." Cody rested a hand on her head. "Unlike me, she had to in order to survive that hellhole. Yeah I put down people because they were turned into Smash. Lily's…" he held his tongue. To be frank, his sworn sister had a higher body count because of what Evol carved her to be. She was still willing to kill but to ensure people are safe.
"To live or die… pick your poison." Weiss grimaced. "How can we look at people if there is the possibility any one can be manipulated by the blood?"
"Anyone…" emphasis on the people they walked past. Any soul they saw could be mind controlled. That was the grim reality. To look over their shoulders, wondering if someone they saw was controlled by an alien.
"As troubling as it is… much like Grimm? We have to try and move onward…" Cody conceded, "Even if we're faced to defend ourselves against the manipulated people? It would be better to fight back… they don't deserve to be turned into puppets."
He stretched slightly and relaxed after he felt a few joints pop beneath his skin. "Look, we all had a long day. Let's just use this time to relax and continue what we were doing tomorrow."
"I guess…" Weiss sighed, "Maybe you're right and worrying about it, is something we shouldn't focus on…"
Upon hearing the suggestion, Blake texted Lily to request a date with her. She wanted to have this time to just be together with the one she loves.
"Asking Lily for time off?" The Faunus jumped to notice Yang's teasing grin.
"I-I'm just seeing if she's free for a date…" Blake blushed, "W-What about you? You have someone who loves you too!" She retaliated, trying to tease and fluster Yang back.
"Nice try Blake."
"A-At least I tried…" Blake pouted from the teasing.
"Badly."
"Your puns are bad."
"That is one thing I am good at—Hey wait a minute!"
Cody chuckled in response, before pulling Yang closer to him, "Hey now, lets just enjoy this time off, okay? Hopefully we get a full day's worth unlike last time where it was cut short due to some lousy Grimm."
The brawler elicited a disgruntled sigh, "That is if we all don't get called up again." They could be called for a task at any given moment.
"Agreed… I'm exhausted already…" Weiss sighed with a nod in agreement.
"We can only try and hope this time. For now, let's just do what we can." Ruby spoke up. "We can resume with the orb for Mr. Pietro tomorrow."
"Sounds good to me." Yang nodded in agreement.
"Better than nothing, I suppose." Weiss sighed but nodded. With all in agreement for tomorrow, they respectively chose their own brief activity. Weiss decided to go see her sister, Ruby with Penny, Blake swiftly heading back to the dorm to change, and finally Cody alongside Yang heading out together for a nice date for once.
Suffice to say, this rest was needed for them all. But it had only caused blood to stir in the uncharted waters.
XXX
Ruby was hanging out with Penny as the two were walking around the museum exhibit that Atlas had, showing off many of the antiques that held a history in Remnant and weren't destroyed by the Grimm or by time.
"So many things that our past had… yet we still don't know much else." Ruby noted, though in truth she did know how some went as Jinn showed them the previous timeline. It made her still wonder how the world truly was back then and to live in it. Vernage would mention her days growing up but often tight lipped about her reincarnations.
'Despite being the strongest magician of Remnant she is still only human.' Jinn's voice echoed, reminding Ruby of how Vernage felt all those years. Repeatedly losing everything- family, friends. To be reborn with a new name each time, chasing the snake who murdered her knight. To live so many times but die so many times in so many ways. Old and young ages.
"Ruby? Is everything okay?" Penny asked, snapping the huntress and her attention.
"H-Huh? Uh yeah. These things are really really old aren't they?"
"Oh they are! By calculations it is approximately 500 years old for this one!"
"500… huh…" Ruby noted with a sorrowful look, "Sounds pretty old."
"Mhm! Very old! Hard to say what this kind of civilization was like since not many records were found about it." Penny nodded. "As years go by, places change. Especially kingdoms. Just as we advance culture and technology."
"To live." The scythe wielder stared at the antique.
"Ruby… you know you can talk to me anytime. I'm your friend after all, much like I am with Cody." Penny smiled, "Though at this point, he's now a brother thanks to dad placing him as his guardian." She reminded herself with a giggle.
"I…"
"You know whatever it is, it won't make me see you any less than I do. I treasure you, Ruby Rose. And I want you to rely on me like you do with your team." Penny said, hugging the huntress to give her comfort and relief.
Ruby lowered her head but the lights of the exhibit suddenly went out. Murmurs amongst the visitors echoed upon the power outage.
"A power outage?" Penny looked around. It was odd as from her optics, there was power in the other buildings outside. Activating her night vision sensors, she was able to see as easily as a Faunus would in the dark. She saw Ruby of course and several people who were puzzled by the outage. Okay, there's that. And of course there were several people who looked to be the guards of the museum trudging with their firearms in hand…
Okay they protect for a reason in the museum so that's a given- Her optics widened when one of them raised it towards the unsuspected civilians.
"Stop!" She threw one of her blades, the weapon misfiring towards the ceiling. The echo of the gunshot caused the people to run, screaming. Her optics wandered frantically.
"Penny!? What's happening?" Ruby exclaimed. She squeezed through the fleeing crowd. "Penny!" She grunted upon the shove, sent to the ground. She cradled herself and held her head. Her Aura fluctuated to the feet hitting her amidst the fleeing. She could hear the occasional gunshot.
When the small stampede ended, her head was ringing and her body was sore. If she hadn't tapped into her Aura, she would have been in worse condition. She could barely see anything in the dark but she could see Penny defending herself against what is to be the guards of the museum. Grabbing her Scroll, she flashed the light upward to provide some form of light and saw the faint red hue in their colored eyes.
Her pale skin turned another shade white in realization.
'Those who hold the Blood genome is bound to be the puppet of whoever the Blood Tribesman is.' Those were the words Lily told them. "Penny don't hurt them! They aren't themselves!"
"What?"
"They are being manipulated! You can't do anything b-because…" She bit her lip.
"Ruby, I am the protector of Mantle… I must do what I can to protect the people." Penny reminded her, "I will try my best to contain them."
The android dashed as she tried to grab them but when she rendered one of the guards with a fractured arm, it didn't stop them. "Please cease your aggressions!"
"Bound… by blood…"
The words kept being repeated like a mantra.
Penny gasped as another whose leg she pinned by the legwear grabbed her leg. She tugged but another glomped onto her, nearly forcing her to the floor.
"Penny!" Ruby gripped Crescent Rose but stopped herself. Her grip trembled, trying to comprehend the situation. She had to stop them but the only way…
"JUST STOP!" She aimed. "Just leave Penny alone!"
The guard aimlessly looked at her with no expression. Just dull eyes that held no control of themselves. She saw the man raise the gun, intending to execute Penny. "Stop!"
The finger was moving close to the trigger.
"S-Stop!" Ruby quivered her lips before she quickly pulled the trigger before they could.
A loud bang echoed and the guard was the one to fall back.
Lights came back on, giving a full view of the dead puppet as Atlas soldiers and Ace Ops barged into the museum. Several quickly apprehended the mind-controlled guards but Ruby's gaze was fixated on the one she killed. Her handle on the weapon trembled.
She… She killed someone. She legitimately killed someone…
"Ruby!" Penny called, looking to her with worry. "Ruby, talk to me!"
"I-I…" Penny slowly pushed Crescent Rose down, having it point to the floor. "D-Did I… kill someone…?" Her voice was above a whisper.
The Atlesian android rested her hands on the Huntress' shoulders. "You had no other choice, Ruby… Don't blame yourself."
Ruby could only lower her head.
XXX
The museum was closed off, local authorities ensuring people were kept away while ensuring the panic didn't draw in Grimm to the city alongside Mantle. Yang squeezed through as did Cody.
"Ma'am, stay behind the line."
"I'm a Huntress!" Yang raised her Scroll. "Just let me through! My sister was here!"
"It's okay, let 'em through." The duo saw Clover wave them over. The barrier was moved, granting the couple to rush to the leader of Ace Ops.
"I was told Ruby and Penny were here!" Yang paused to a gurney being moved. "P-Please don't tell me-"
"They are alright." Clover pointed to the opened armored vehicle Ruby sat on.
"Ruby!" Yang said with cheer and relief as she hugged her sister before turning to Clover, "Just what even happened here?"
"The guards of the museum cut the power in the building before they nearly committed a massacre." He explained. "Penny provided time but she was nearly ripped apart and executed."
"What?!" Cody yelled in disbelief. "Why would they do that?!"
"Infected…" Was the only word Ruby said. Her voice earned their attention. "… they were controlled by the same alien who controlled that patrol team at the summit…"
"Then…" Cody grimaced. "Why Penny? Why target so many people in the museum? Myself, I get it because of being that bastard's son."
"Your guess is as good as mine. The general had already contacted your sworn sister to look into it. She is the expert in this."
"Still… it doesn't make sense… I can understand all of us and you, Cody. But Penny? Even more so, this looked more like a planned attack. They couldn't be that smart, right?" Yang questioned, unsure what this was all about.
"I wish I knew…" Cody lowered his head slightly. He paused to a minor tingle in the back of his mind, making him raise his head.
"Cody?"
His blue eyes wandered and noticed a woman and man in the crowd. They held oriental features like Ren and both wore dark-colored clothes professionally. He stared longingly and saw the red glow in their eyes. For a second his brain reacted and swore there were two monsters in their place before it shifted back.
"Hey…" He called but they began to retreat in the crowd. "Hey stop!" He called. He looked at Clover. "I saw two people in dark clothes in the crowd!" then chased after them.
"Cody, hold on!" Yang went after him. Ruby peered up slightly but look at the covered gurney.
Cody jogged until he saw the two individuals again. "Hey who are you two?!" They ignored him as they walked away. "… Are you two Tribesmen!?" That alone made them stop their steps. His demand was right.
"Ara? Looks like we got what we needed…" the woman on his left hummed.
"Did you work for Evol?!"
The woman laughed while the man kept his calm yet stern gaze.
"That annoying family member of his? Good guess but no." She laughed.
"So sis was right…" Cody gritted. Evol's brother or cousin was involved but who exactly is the question.
"Matters not. We did what we set out… Observe you humans." The man said, turning back around to face Cody.
"Observe? For what?" He questioned the two, "If you plan to pick up what Evol left out on, you'd have better luck dying easier than him." He glared, ready to transform and fight them.
"Ara? Are you willing to hurt unarmed people in such a guarded city?" Cody stopped.
"You're Tribesmen… That along is enough proof for me." He glared at the two. "After what Evol did and what you guys did to your own people? To your whole home planet? That adds more to it. Vernage had the right to seal you all those years ago."
The name made the man twitch as did the woman. The mention of the homosapien who had the gall to manipulate the Pandora's Box still sent bitterness to this day.
"You definitely took in the taunting that Evol does, boy."
"I am nothing like that son of a bitch!"
"Yet you're his son, no?" The woman smirked, "Making you a 'son of a bastard'. Or is it bastard son?"
"Oh that does it!" Cody growled, taking up the Magma Knuckle and charged at the two. He reared his fist but a heavy sensation pressed him to the ground. He turned his head to notice Lily who glared at the two lifeforms. Her hand was glowing purple.
"Cody, stop." She ordered, striding towards them.
"Sis! They're Tribesmen! Why can't you-"
"To kill unarmed 'humans' in front of a crowd isn't good."
"Crowd?" He blinked, as he was for sure in an alleyway but as he turned his head, he saw everything changed as the two people were sitting in seats within an outside cafe as bystanders looked with concern. People were inside the building too.
She yanked him back, tightening her grip on his jacket. Her glimmering emerald eyes stared at the duo. "Just because you are safe within Atlas, doesn't mean shit when you take a single step out of it." Lily warned.
"Maybe so… but that just makes destroying you all the more satisfying…" The woman grinned, stirring a drink. Stopping the spoon, her grip on it bent the metal and a slight scowl marred her face. "Considering what your mother did to us."
"And I would be glad to do what I did to Evol apply to you bloody lifeforms."
Tense silence washed over.
"There you are!" Yang called out as she walked over to the two, "Just what even happened?"
Cody stared at the two Blood Tribesmen who idly drank their beverages.
"This isn't over, you monsters…" Cody threatened before walking off with Lily and then Yang in tow, leaving the area as the two Tribesmen waved casually.
One thing is certain…
There is blood in the waters of Atlas.