Chapter 6: A Village Under Attack?Unleash your Power!

"Thank you, Ms. Goodwitch. I'll look through these papers," Ozpin smiles at the teacher before immediately getting to work.

"If I may..." Ozpin looks up at her again, giving her permission. "A few of my fellow teachers have shared a concern for one of our students."

"I presume you're speaking of young (Y/N)?"

"Indeed. Aside from Herbology and Combat, he's failing every class. We can all recognize his amazing combat prowess but he's lacking in every other regard. You've dismissed students for less than him in the past. With all due respect, why haven't you expelled him?"

Ozpin taps his papers on his desk before standing up. "Indeed, he's an utter failure in most academic ways but... in his case that's not what matters. One could say it's a gamble, but I believe he has intelligence, charisma, and maturity that will make a true Huntsman..."

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You toss your clothes onto the bed to have your morning shower. Once you walk into the bathroom you spot the shampoo bottle fallen on its side, cap open. You cross your arms and frown.

"Hm... empty... maybe Yang has some? There's four girls so they probably have some extra."

You leave your dorm room and walk down the hallway. It's fairly empty since everyone is either just waking up or in the early stages of getting ready. You nonchalantly approach RWBY's door and knock on the door.

"Who's knocking so early in the morning?"

"Maybe it's (Y/N)?"

"Or that guy whose notes you stole."

"He doesn't know it was me!"

"Could be a teacher."

"We shouldn't keep them waiting."

"Yang's closest!"

"What?"

"All who vote Yang opens say I!"

"I!"

"Oh, I'll remember this," Yang moans as she opens the door.

She's still in her sleepwear, hair slightly messy and eyes somewhat droopy. The latter changes instantaneously when she sees you. Shock consumes her resulting in an inability to save her teammates.

"Who was it?" Ruby inquires, leaning over with the other two girls.

They all adopt a deep red tone when spotting you without any clothes or shame. You keep your innocent smile and wave.

"Morning, girls. Do you have any shampoo? I'm out."

The four blink no less than eight times before Ruby shrieks, running back and diving on Weiss' bed. She hides under the covers and rolls around to try and forget the grand presentation you put on.

Weiss and Blake continue to stare while Yang tries her absolute best to keep her eyes up. You look past Yang, leaning on one leg to give the other two more of a show. "Heya!" You wave. "Up bright and early! Are you all okay? You're red... and Ruby's acting weird."

The door behind you opens for team JNPR.

"Is everything alright?" Pyrrha starts. "We heard Ruby..."

You turn around to face the team and smile. "You're up too! I guess getting early training isn't special."

Pyrrha turns away, cheeks flustered at your surprise package. Ren and Jaune spin around and head back to their beds, unwilling to participate in whatever is going on. Nora, on the other hand, starts laughing.

"Oh boy, now you know what you're doing!"

"Well... yeah! I just want some shampoo. But everyone's going red..." You turn back to Yang. "Is there a reason?"

"You're not wearing clothes!" Weiss shrieks, quickly covering her mouth but persists in looking.

"So this is what the books are like," she mumbles to herself.

"What?" You look down at your exposed genitals then back at Weiss. "I didn't think it mattered. Yang was cool with it last time."

Yang's body shakes as if she received a jolt of lightning.

"You've seen that before?" Nora cheers, bouncing to her side.

"I..."

"Oh, am I supposed to be wearing clothes all the time? Sorry, hehe, Yang made me think it was fine," you rub the back of your head. "Crystal always yelled at me for this. She was red too, come to think of it," you place your hand at your chin.

Weiss scurries to the bathroom only to throw a bottle at the door, which knocks Yang in the back of the head.

"Ow, hey!" She looks back at the Heiress.

"I'm sorry! I was... distracted. J-Just take the bottle!" Weiss shakily offers.

You take a step past Yang and kneel down to grab the plastic bottle. "Hey, thanks!" You raise the bottle at her. "I'll return it soon. Sorry for disturbing you all," you bow. "I'll see you in class."

You run down the hall and back to your room, leaving the six girls with mixed emotions. Yang isn't as distraught as the others since, like you said, it's the second time she's seen your precious jewels. That doesn't make it less awkward, however, if anything this means she's seen your King Taijitu more than any other man... which also means you're the first one her sister has seen too.

"Do we talk about this again?" Blake breaks the silence.

"Yes!" Nora shouts.

"No! Come on, Nora," Pyrrha drags her partner back into her dorm and closes it behind her.

"I... really don't feel like it was intentional," Weiss comments.

"No, he doesn't find it strange," Yang adds. "I guess we just forget about it."

"Hard to forget that," Blake mumbles.

"Blake!"

"I'm not the only one thinking it!" She defends herself.

Yang passes by Weiss and Blake to sit with her sister, still hiding from the trauma.

"You gonna make it?"

Ruby shivers under the blankets.

"You'll be fine," she pats Ruby's head. "If anything, you might've been spoiled. I know I am," she ends with a chuckle.

"You're thinking like Blake!" Weiss points at her.

"Coming from the girl who's blushing more than all of us," Blake smirks.

"Why... I... I would never think in such a wa-"

You knock on the open door, this time wearing some briefs. Your body is shining for the girls thanks to the water and sunshine. Your hair is also flatter than normal thanks to the water, covering your face somewhat to give you somewhat of a mysterious persona. Now that your bells and whistles are covered, all they can focus on is the body you've trained for years. You approach Weiss in near slow motion as all four girls watch you. Stopping in front of the white-haired girl you speak to her but your words are muffled for everyone except Ruby. They've been placed under a situational spell thanks to the entire scenario before them. To Weiss, Blake, and Yang, you're talking with a deep voice, effortlessly flaunting your toned body. To Ruby, you're offering Weiss her shampoo which she fails to take.

You look over at Ruby, eyebrow raised. "Are they okay?"

"You know..." Ruby starts chuckling. "I think you're funny."

"Oh... uh... thank you? Actually, you were freaking out earlier too. Ho-"

Ruby's mind returns to the horrors of a few moments ago... she hides back under her blankets, rolling around while the others remain stationary. You have no idea what's happening or how to deal with the situation... so you place the shampoo bottle at the foot of Weiss' bed and walk out the door. To your surprise, JNPR's door is open again but nobody can leave. Nora is attempting to run out of the room while Jaune and Pyrrha hold her by the waist and shoulders.

"Let me at him! LET ME AT HIM!" She chants as you walk down the hallway.

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"...And so, his presence may be beneficial to Beacon. Besides, Glynda, is it not our job to educate?" Ozpin ends with a smile.

Glynda huffs. "Whatever you think is best. May I ask another thing?"

"Of course."

"Is he... different? Like Ms. Rose?"

Ozpin chuckles. "In a way, yes. In time you will see what I see, Glynda. I know it."

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You tap your pencil on the table as Oobleck rambles on about the Great War. As interesting as combat should be to you the way he describes it is less than ideal. Rather than talking about the techniques and fights it's more about the overall strategy and history of each battle. While that could be interesting for some...

"Mr. (Y/N) you have been staring at the ceiling for TWENTY MINUTES!" Oobleck shouts, throwing you off balance.

"Ah, uh, sorry. This is just not my thing," you answer honestly.

Students around you start mumbling about your response. Your friends, despite the scene earlier, watch with concern.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"Well... I don't really care," you shrug. "It wasn't my battle or my problem. They all just sound dumb – fighting over things that don't matter."

"Hm... there is a difference between ignorance and blatant disregard for the past. People fought for your race, the Faunus, and for freedom for all men and women."

You shrug. "That doesn't matter to me. Focus on the future, that's what I think! Besides, only that one guy was really tough. I wish he was around..." You leaned back and smile. "I would have loved to face him..."

Oobleck sighs, holding his disappointment and frustration at your dismissiveness.

"This... is not how a Huntsman should act."

"Well, to be honest, I'm not really a Huntsman. I just wanna fight!"

Yang buries her head in her hands, releasing tension in her own way. Your friends react in a similar way. They all know you're not the smartest or sensitive to other's opinions... but the way you're talking to the teacher is something that won't pass.

"Then why are you here?" Oobleck bluntly asks. "You clearly have no desire to be a Huntsman, you dismiss our lessons, and you care little for the world's history. Everything a Huntsman is you don't care about. Perhaps you need to reflect on yourself to figure out what you truly want," Oobleck turns his back on you. "You're dismissed from my class."

Without a word or even annoyance, you leave your desk and head for the door. The entire class watches silently as you leave, different thoughts circling each head.

"What was he thinking?" Weiss whispers.

"I'm... not surprised. He does seem to have a one-track mind," Blake responds. "Perhaps we should speak with him later?"

"When did you start caring," Yang teases, nudging her. "I'll handle it. I've talked to him the most."

"Have you?" Ruby protests.

"Silence!" Oobleck shouts, shutting everyone up. "Do not allow this to distract you... and do not think like him. People who do not learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them..."

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"Heeya!" You throw your fist forward, cutting through the air like butter. "Well... I guess that was fun enough. Sheesh, never thought I'd get kicked out of a class before," you cross your arms and tap the muscles. "I wonder if I said something wrong... Eh... this is way harder than anything," you violently start rubbing your head. "I feel like I'm supposed to care about something but I don't. I'm trying to pay attention but..." You fall onto your back and stare up at the sky. "Maybe I'm missing something. I thought a Huntsman was about saving people... I did that! Now it's about history and boring people and stuff I already forgot... was it the King of Vale or Vacuo? That was the side that won, right?"

"Vale, yes," a familiar voice answers.

You raise your head and spot Yang in her school uniform. She's standing at your feet, arms crossed and smiling wide.

"Oh, hey Yang! Is class over already?"

Yang nods. "It is. You made quite the scene. It was kinda funny seeing you talk to Professor Oobleck like that."

Yang walks to your side and lays down, mirroring your position.

"I guess... I didn't think I said anything wrong but... well, I've never been one be good with people. Lucent and Crystal were the only ones who could really put up with me."

"I can tell... well, I don't think you're so bad," she nudges you. "Just remember to... well, keep your pants on."

"Ha, right," you readjust, uncomfortable in the uniform. "I'll try to keep that in mind. To be honest I kinda forgot. I just needed shampoo."

Some other students pass by, some from your class and some not. It's lunchtime so nobody really has anywhere in particular to go, but it still baffles some why Yang would spend her time with you.

"Did you hear what he did last class?"

"No, Magenta mentioned it but, you know her, always head over heels for some new boy."

"I heard the teachers don't think he'll be a good Huntsman."

"But didn't he save some people the other day?"

"Yeah, my mother was there! She said he was there and stopped a bomb but also got people killed."

"Some student he is."

"He doesn't even like fighting Grimm, from what I've heard."

The constant voices, both male and female, reach Yang's ears. She glares at some of the people whispering and watching, quickly shooing them away without a word.

"I don't think I can forgive you showing your junk to my sister," she mentions in a more playful way.

"What? Oh, yeah... hehe, you know, I used to think men and women had the same parts."

"What? Really?" Yang giggles, covering her mouth.

You push yourself onto your elbow and nod. "Yeah, when I first met Crystal I thought she was some sort of mutant or something. Hehe, she smacked me so hard when I touched her."

Yang snorts then laughs. "No way! You really did that? How are you two still friends?"

"I'm not sure," you lie back down. "She always said I was a piece of work but she still put up with me. Maybe it was because there was no one else our age in the village. She couldn't fight like you, though. Speaking of!" You flip to your feet and pull Yang to hers. "You still haven't fought me yet!"

You let go of Yang's hand and eagerly stare at her. She brushes some of the grass off her skirt then leans on her hip.

"You know... most guys hunt me for something else."

"What? Do you cook too?"

"I... ah..." She sighs, following it up with a chuckle. "I guess you don't think like that, do you?"

"Hm? Think like what?"

"Oh, nothing," she waves you off. "Why don't we eat first? I'm sure you're hungry."

"Oh, that's a good idea! I like that one!"

"Of course you do. Come on, hotshot," she pats your shoulder. "We'll find our friends there, I bet."

You smile at Yang, jogging to her side and matching her pace. "You know, for a fighter you have really soft hands."

"Heh... you do too, surprisingly."

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As usual, the airship docks to release any returning Beacon students or visitors. The second the door opens a young girl bursts out, almost tripping over herself.

"(Y/N)... (Y/N)... where are you?" She mumbles to herself as she sprints towards Beacon.

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The moment you enter the building Yang b-lines to her friends while you make your way to the food. The line is small considering how much time has passed since lunch began. You wait behind three people, joyfully looking at the good being stored behind the counter. When it comes your time the lunch lady doesn't even ask. She grabs a platter and puts one serving of everything. You smile at her and bow your head before turning away. Instead of keeping along the sides, you weave through the tables with no issues... until a leg purposefully extends in front of your ankles. Instead of falling over, you unintentionally kick the leg and spin the owner around, causing him to fall behind you.

His friends at the table laugh at the misfortune which only fuels his frustration. His red hair could be mistaken for flames of anger.

"Hey, you knocked me over, monkey!"

"I'm pretty sure you put your leg in my way. It's not my fault. Or did you think I didn't notice?" You end with a wink.

"Come on, Doh, leave it," a slightly bulkier man with lime green hair commands.

"You're no fun, Fah. At least Reh and Mih can laugh," he gestures to his orange haired and yellow-haired friends.

You take this time to walk away but something happens to your foot. It connects with a wall... but there's no wall ahead of you. The three watch with a cocky smirk as confusion surges. You move the tray to one hand and start tapping on the invisible wall. One... two... and on the third you put more force into it, shattering whatever was there.

"Wha- you shattered... tsk," he squints his eyes and forms a few more walls that block your path.

"Come on, guys, let the monkey eat. It's hard for him to work without his mountain of food," another girl chuckles.

You slide your right leg back and extend your left hand, palm facing the door at the opposite end of the room. In a flash of yellow, you release a condensed beam that shatters all of Doh's walls and destroys the cafeteria door. Screams erupt from the room as realization sets in on what happened. The door is gone, people are scared, and you're standing with a smile on your face.

"Hey, those are pretty strong," you turn to the table. "But I just wanna eat. We can spar after, if you want."

"No, he's fine."

"Who'd wanna fight a freak like you?"

"Thought he was a monkey."

"What's the difference?"

"Wouldn't a freak mean there's some sort of weird thing about me?" You counter. "I'm pretty sure I'm just a regular Faunus."

"Don't get smart with us."

"Okay, boys, let's calm down," Yang joins in, stopping beside you. "We'll agree to disagree. No need to ruin the cafeteria anymore."

"He did it!"

"Come on, (Y/N)," she pulls you for a few steps towards her table. "Jeez, you get in trouble wherever you go."

"I didn't mean it," you shrug.

"I know," she chuckles. "We were all watching. The look on their faces was priceless when you blasted through everything. Really shattered expectation," she ends with a laugh at her own joke.

"I thought most people knew I could fire Ki... but I guess it would be a surprise."

"No, I, ah..." Yang slouches. "Nevermind..."

Ruby curiously watches you two walk as she munches on some crackers she got as a side snack. You sit beside each other and greet your friends with a smile.

"You get into more trouble than I do," Jaune attempts a joke before remembering what Cardin does to him. "Or maybe not..."

"I think Nora's offer is still valid, Jaune," Pyrrha speaks.

"Legs?" Nora peeks around Ren who's between her and Jaune.

Blake's ears slightly shake as she hears something interesting. Past the conversation at her table, beyond the walls of the cafeteria, she picks up on an unfamiliar voice shouting for a familiar name.

"(Y/N)..."

"Hm? What's up?"

"Oh," Blake shakes her head as you bring her back to reality. "I think someone's calling for you."

"You can hear that?" Ruby blinks.

"Of course I can. But... I don't know the-"

"(Y/N)!" The woman shouts, stopping at the front of the cafeteria.

The majority of students look over at the girl, including you. Your eyes instantly light up at the girl – one with mousey blonde hair and shimmering blue eyes.

"Crystal!" You happily shout, instantly flying out of your seat, over some students, and land at the entrance. "You came! I'm so happy!" You wrap your arms around her for a warm hug... but she doesn't really return it.

"Crystal... I remember him mentioning her," Yang mumbles. "Anyone else see that look in her eye?"

"She's sad," Ruby comments.

"Yeah... come on, let's see what's up," Yang pats Ruby's back as she gets out of her seat.

"Can I... I just... you have to come with me, (Y/N)," she looks up at you, tears forming in her eyes.

"Whoa, whoa, Crystal, what's wrong? What happened?"

"Dad... he's... everyone, (Y/N), everyone's in trouble and I don't know who to go to! He said he'd kill them so I can and-"

"What's wrong?" Ruby shouts, her team stopping just before you.

"Who're you?"

"These are my friends, Crystal," you smile. "They... hey, can I ask a favour?" You say to the girls. "Watch Crystal for me. Tell them what happened! I gotta change clothes!"

You sprint away for a few steps before bursting off in a flash of energy. Crystal rests her hands on her chest and quietly sobs.

"So... what happened?" Yang starts.

"I... I'll wait..." Crystal wipes the tears away before turning to the girls, a weak smile present. "I-I wanna hear about (Y/N)'s new friends!"

"You... really don't look like you want to," Weiss comments.

Crystal smiles for half a second then proceeds to lower her head. "I do... I really do... I've been thinking about him this whole time... I really have..."

"So what happened?" Blake bluntly requests. "We need to know."

Crystal sighs. "My dad... he's a Huntsman. He found out a wave of Grimm was approaching so he hid us all in a bunker," she scratches her neck. "In short, when we got back someone ambushed us. They wanted to kill my father for... something. They mentioned his school but I couldn't hear all of it. I found a time to run and... I ran... I left everyone and ran and ran," Crystal's voice shakes as she tells her tale. "Oh my god, what if my dad's dead," she whines.

"Hey, hey," Ruby rushes to her side. "It's okay... we can help. We're fighters too."

"You'd... you'd help?" She looks up at the other four, all showing their intention to aid with confident faces.

"Of course," Yang slams her fists together. "Anyone who picks on a village deserves a butt kicking by yours truly!"

"Yeah!" Ruby throws her fist in the air. "Team RWBY's got your back!"

"Indeed," Weiss regally nods.

"I guess that means I'll help too," Blake nods.

You speed back, leaving a trail of dust behind you whilst slowing down on one leg. Your hurried nature takes over, causing you to fall on your side before all four girls.

"Ow, ow, ow," you moan, getting to your feet and rubbing your head. "Sheesh... well, I'm ready! Let's go, Crystal!"

"Not yet!" Yang interjects. "We gotta get ready too.

"Huh?"

"They're coming with us, (Y/N)! They're gonna help!"

You look to the four girls, confidence on all their faces... less on Blake's, though.

"Well... alright, then. I'll call Nimbus. We'll meet you at the docks!"

"Right!"

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The six of you soar through the sky. Yang and Ruby are on the Nimbus while you carry Crystal, Weiss, and Blake on your back. It's not heavy by any means, just a little uncomfortable. Well, that's also because Crystal is smacking your back.

"How could you not wear clothes? I've told you over and over!"

The girls laugh as you whine. "I forgot! I'm sorry," you snicker.

Crystal huffs. "Well... at least I know you haven't been getting into too much trouble on your own."

"I wouldn't say that," Blake replies. "But he's alright."

Crystal looks to the four girls with a bright smile. "You know... I was really worried about (Y/N) going off on his own. He's not a people person, and being a Faunus... I thought he might not make any friends."

"Hey, I'm a nice guy!" You cut in.

"Yes, you are, but you're also very silly," Rogue giggles. "But you four... I'm glad he's met you. You're all really nice people. Thank you for looking after him."

"I actually saved Blake once, you kn- OW!"

"Was that me?" Blake smirks, her fingers pinching your leg.

"I'm surprised you've put up with him for so long," Yang remarks. "He's been a handful since school started."

"I take care of myself! I haven't lost a battle yet!"

"I didn't mean that..."

"He's always thinking of battle," Crystal giggles.

"And food," you and Yang respond.

This causes all the girls to laugh at your expense, but thankfully not for long. The girls can't see it since you're flying above the clouds but you can sense the village residents below.

"We're going down. Hold on!"

You and Nimbus circle around as you break through the clouds. Beautiful green trees and blue lakes come into view for the girls, along with the target area.

"They're all in the open... three people surrounding the crowd in the middle," you speak aloud. "You're dad's okay, Crystal!"

"Oh, thank goodness. Please, (Y/N), make sure he's okay."

"I will. Everyone will be fine, I promise."

You and the Nimbus land outside of the village, just outside of a dirt path. The girls hop off you and the cloud before stretching.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Yang says as she finishes her warm-up.

"We'll have to see who we're dealing with," Ruby responds. "(Y/N), you're the toughest of us all. You can test the waters."

"Yeah, no problem," you roll your shoulders. "Crystal, you and me'll head in first. You four watch from a distance."

"That's... actually a good plan," Weiss comments.

"Hey, fighting is my thing," you shrug. "Besides, I wanna do it all myself anyway," you end with a smirk.

"Of course. Well, get going, hotshot," Yang starts walking deeper into the forest. "We'll have your back."

You and Crystal approach the village through the main road. You can spot the people gathered in the middle.

"Should we sneak in? Wait, I see my dad!" She shouts, pointing at Lucent and a mystery man.

"Wait, Crystal!" You try to grab her but miss. "Damn... I didn't want to run right in."

You sprint in behind Crystal, dust spreading with each step.

"Crystal? Wait, (Y/N)? N-"

The other man slams his fist into Lucent's skull, knocking him out on contact.

"Dad!"

"You... I'm glad you finally showed up. We weren't sure if you'd come," the man smirks.

Crystal, without thinking, runs right to her father and beside the strange man. You focus on the assailant who... looks oddly familiar. His entire head, save his nose and mouth, are covered by a blue, metal helmet with a grey line around the cranium and across the top of his head. His ears, or where they would be, are extended out a bit while his eyes are a red glass. His nose is prominent, sitting above the thin moustache. He dons a pink long coat accompanied by grey sleeves and pants. His hands are grey as well, but the shine to them makes you think they're metallic.

"You... look familiar," you cross your arms. "Have we met befor-" You look to the right where a man you certainly remember stands. "Shen? What're you doing here?" You growl.

The snake of the Crane School stands with his hands behind his back, wearing an outfit which resembles Roshi's in style. This one, however, has green with yellow sleeves along with purple pants. He wears glasses too, though a bit slimmer than your master's. Finally, he hosts a hat which has a crane's head sprouting from the top, covering whatever hair he has aside from the two, grey wings behind his ears. His face is skinny and smug as always, though you enjoy changing it to panic.

"You think you could get away from us after stealing our students and nearly killing Tao?"

"I didn't mean- wait, Tao?" You look back to the robotic man. "You're... that? Huh... I didn't think my Kamehameha would do that much damage. You deserved it, though. You tried to kill me... twice."

"This time we'll succeed," Tao smirks. "And will you shut up!" He shouts, backhanding Crystal.

Your eyes shrink at the sight. "Don't touch her!" You scream, bursting forward.

As hit the middle of the crossroads, flying over the residents, another body attacks you from the left. You turn and block at the last second, redirecting the assault into a nearby building.

Unable to see your opponent, you gauge their position with your mind. With their fist lodged into your forearm, you slip your other hand under it and release a yellow blast. This forces the other to retreat and give you breathing room. You jump out of the building and face your opponents. Shen, Tao, and now this new man stands across from the fearful citizens.

This final man wears the same outfit as Shen, save for the hat. His head is completely bald and resembles an oval in shape more than anyone you've ever met. Despite his somewhat goofy looks, his eyes are sharp and serious. One other thing you notice is a giant lump on his back, under his coat.

"Three of you makes no difference," you crack your knuckles. "I won't let you get away with any of this."

RWBY slips around from the side of the village, entering through the tree line. They dash from building to building, keeping themselves hidden.

"We'll wait and see if (Y/N) needs help. But get ready to get the people outta there," Ruby whispers.

"Got it," the other three answer.

"Well, Gamra," Shen looks to his student. "Why don't you deal with this Turtle School filth?"

"As you command, master," his lifeless voice responds.

Knowing he's going to attack, you immediately fly to the sky so the battle can take place away from the villagers. Gamra follows swiftly, launching from his position to strike you mid-air. You start spinning just before he reaches you to kick his fist away then follow up with a second kick to his head. Instead of hitting, he lowers his neck right into his shirt.

"Ew, what?" You shiver.

As your foot passes over his head he pushes out again, knocking you off balance and following up with a Ki-charged punch to the stomach. It explodes on contact, sending you twirling through the air. Recovering quickly, you block an elbow only to grab it and throw Gamra over you then spin around and lodge your foot into his stomach. With him temporarily stunned by the attack, you pull your foot back and charge him knee first. It buries itself in the same spot your foot previously occupied. You bring you both higher into the air as it delves deeper and deeper into his stomach, then you quickly flip around and slam your other foot into his back, sending the Crane School member tumbling to the forest. You reorient yourself and watch as he falls.

His back... that wasn't skin – it was too hard.

You land on the forest's edge and await your opponent. You look over your shoulder at the two Crane Mentors watching. They aren't shaking in their boots yet so it's clear the battle isn't over. As much as you'd love to have fun with this fight there's too much on the line to mess around... at least that's your initial goal. Who knows what'll happen as the fight goes on.

"I can sense you, ya know," you shout and cross your arms. "You won't catch me by surprise. But giving up would be best for everyone. I want to get these people to safety. If I remember correctly, their fear will attract the Grimm."

"When did he become so calculated?" Weiss whispers.

"He really does seem different when fighting," Blake responds.

"The two guys are moving away. We can move up," Ruby commands.

You tap your shoulder as you wait for your opponent.

"You know, Tien wasn't quite as-" You hop up, dodging the hands that burst from the ground. "Fearful!" You shout, blasting a wave of Ki at the ground.

It collides with his hands and swirls to the center of his palms like a twister. You catch this development but are unable to react when an even more powerful blast erupts from his palms. You're blasted far into the air, arms crossed in a meager attempt to defend yourself. Gamra halts the flow of Ki then burst out of the ground to follow you. He circles around and kicks you out of the ki, then follows below and kicks you higher into the clouds. You recover just before hitting the lowest cloud and dash towards him. Your fists collide, releasing a shockwave that pushes all the white fluff away. You push forward with all your might, keeping a confident smirk as you slowly overpower him. His expression is still bland, if a little stressed from being overwhelmed.

You throw your punch to the left, throwing him off guard for your other hand to connect with his face. You follow up with a knee to the stomach and three punches to the face. Gamra catches the third and slams his foot into your stomach. You grab his foot, slide it along to your side and drive your fist into his cheek. He bounces back and slams his head against yours. At that moment you see colours swirl around the impact area.

An Aura? I remember seeing those on the others. So this guy has both Aura and Ki. Interesting... but his fists are light... something is right with him. His heart isn't in this.

You pull your head back and slam it into his, repaying the favour. He attempts to do the same thing but as he throws his head forward you lean back and cut him off with a knee to the chin. Your leg further kicks him over you but he's no longer stunned. As he moves above you he throws a Ki blast at you which you spin around and punch his cheek. He retaliates, leading to a blur of fist and foot as you both descend to the forest.

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"Hm... you think this would look good on me?" Mercury remarks as he holds up a magazine for Emerald to see.

"Yeah, sure..." She halfheartedly answered.

"Wow, you really are out of it," he replies before getting to his feet. "I showed you a picture of a dress. Thought you'd jump right on that."

"Eh, sorry," the green haired woman shakes her head. "Just been thinking about what Cinder said."

"What? About that kid? Who cares," Mercury shrugs. "It's not like he'll be a problem. Why not ask her about it when she comes back?"

"No, it's not that. The way she spoke about him to... whoever's on the other side of her calls. They spoke as if they knew him."

"Obviously they'd have to if she recognized him."

"More than that," she groans with annoyance. "Like they've known him for a long time... or at least of him. Doesn't that weird you out?"

"Nah," he waves off. "Why would I be? If we can't do something then Cinder will. If she can't then the other boss guy will. Just relax, Em. You'll get wrinkles or something," he ends with a smirk.

Emerald rolls her eyes. "Whatever. Clearly, you're not the person to talk to."

"You're right, it's Cinder," he says again. "Anyway, I'm hungry. Want anything?"

"No."

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"Why're you doing this? What do you have to gain?" You sneer.

"I follow my orders," Gamra blandly responds, throwing two high kicks.

You block the first and grab hold of the second one, then hauling him over yourself and slamming him into the ground. You bring back your hands and connect your palms.

"Kamehameha!" You unleash the blue beam upon the grounded man, destroying the small area and surrounding it with dust.

You pull back your hands a bit but keep them connected. You're caught off guard when a pair of feet collide with your face. You crash through a few trees before spinning around and stopping yourself against a lucky one. Gamra immediately catches up and throws his fist at you which you manage to catch at the cost of the tree. You throw him to the right and follow up, dodging a kick and punch before kicking his leg, ribs, then missing his head and receiving a blow to the gut. His punch is laced with Ki once more and is far heavier than it was before.

It's like he took no damage from my Kamehameha. Wait... early, when I fired at him...

"You can absorb Ki, huh?" You remark, dodging and throwing punches.

"Hm... Aura at first... Ki came later."

"Evolving your Aura, huh?" You duck under two kicks then jump out of the way to dodge a blast. "That's impressive. I didn't know you could do that!" You collide forearms and continue your battle.

"My Masters taught me. They've been good to me."

"So you're fighting just because they told you to? Don't you have any goals of your own?"

"My life is theirs. I gave it up long ago."

"I don't think you know how life works, buddy."

You flow through the trees as your fists and feet are constantly thrown at one another. You collide fists once more, appearing just above the village. Suddenly a bright light erupts from the sky, catching everyone off guard. You and Gamra dash back and land on opposite ends of the street as you stare up at the strange, glowing ball.

"Who did that?" Shen shouts. "I didn't see anyone throw anything."

"A ball made of Ki... why?" Tao mumbles to himself.

"It's so bright! What is it?" Ruby says, looking up at the ball with her eyes slightly covered.

"Do you think this is a signal from (Y/N)?" Yang speaks.

"No, he looks just as surprised as the others," Blake remarks.

"Hm... we can use this to get some people out. Come on," Weiss says, creeping closer to the group.

The rest of RWBY follows, two on each side of the street. The girls wave, getting the attention of some of the scared villagers. A light of hope sparks in their eyes as they whisper to their friends. Shen and Tao return their gaze to the battle and notice you're almost hypnotized by the strange development.

"Garma, attack while he's distracted. Use the Tri-Beam! Finish him!" Shen shouts.

Garma looks to his master and nods. You don't pay him any mind as you stare blankly at the ball. Your eyes are completely wide and your breathing is heavy. You can almost feel your heart beating against your chest. Garma reaches the proper altitude and slams his hands together. He takes a deep breath and concentrates to balance the amount of energy he needs to use. If not used properly, the technique could kill him. His hands start to glow a dim yellow before he slowly pulls them apart. Small bits of lightning travel between his hands from the pressure. He sets them in the proper position, making you his primary target. Sweat drips down his face, falling to the ground far below.

"You spoke to me... I don't know why. But I will follow my Master's orders... with this extra Ki, I'll end your life! Tri-Beam..." The entire village is suddenly covered in a deep orange glow that confused the villagers and RWBY alike.

"What's happening?" Ruby whispers.

"It might be (Y/N)... I'm going to check on him!" Yang decides, leaving Ruby's side to sprint through an alleyway.

"HA!" The shine grows every brighter as his energy crashes into you.

Yang falls on her butt upon the pressure of the technique. Everyone who isn't part of the Crane School screams as dust flies everywhere. Villagers tumble over each other, gripping at the dirt for any sort of stability. Lucent and Crystal, still unconscious, roll a few feet too.

Garma huffs and puffs as he hovers over the village. He lets his hands fall to his side in a minor attempt to relax.

"I did it... wait..."

As the dust settles there's barely anything left. A large, square hole is the result of his blast... but you're still in the exact same position. Your clothes are somewhat torn but your eyes are glued to the ball.

"His arms... no, his body is bigger. What's happening to him?"

Yang coughs and waves the dust out of her face. "(Y/N)? (Y/N)!" She shouts, crawling forward.

"There's more of them," Tao remarks, spotting the other members of RWBY on the ground.

"It's of no consequence. We'll have our revenge on the Turtle School!"

"Yang! Yang!" Ruby calls out. "Are you okay? What's happening?"

Garma's eyes widen as he's given a show unparalleled. Your eyes shift from black to red as your body begins to swell. Your muscles grow to an extent that tears apart your remaining clothes. Your fangs sharpen whilst your mouth completely changes into a snout. Brown hair takes over your entire body as you grow past the buildings. The terrain shakes at this ungodly transformation.

"He's changing... into an ape? No... this is something else," Garma remarks.

"What is that?" Tao points at the growing monster. "I didn't know he could change!"

"Faunus can't do that... what is he?" Shen says as he slowly starts backing away. "His power is incredible... I... we can't beat him..."

RWBY looks in terror as their friend mutates into a monster they've never seen before. You're bigger than any Grimm they've ever read about or witnessed. Your being towers over everyone, casting a shadow over the village. The non-fighters begin to panic and flee, not caring about the two men who held them hostage. After a horrendous transformation, you finally stop... your new, ape-like form sits still for a moment. Gamra, for the first time in years, breaks a sweat as his eyes meet your pure red ones. With speeds unnatural for a being your size, you slap Gamra into the trees, shattering his Aura and, upon contact with the trunk, breaking his neck.

You immediately start beating your chest like an animal as you let out an earth-shattering roar. Without wasting time, you turn around and spot more people running away. Your mouth fills with yellow Ki and, with an exhale, you release a devastating beam right along the street. Save for the Crane School men, nobody is able to move out of the way. Nearly all of the villagers, including Crystal and Lucent, are disintegrated in mere moments. The explosion sends shockwaves barreling through the village, shattering nearly every building and grounding all standing humans.

Yang slides across the dirt and buried under a collapsing building. She covers her face the best she can as chunks of cement and wood crash down on her.

"What's happening?" Ruby shouts as she desperately holds onto Crescent Rose which is lodged in the ground.

Weiss' glyphs are set below the three girls to give them some extra friction. "He changed... it's clear he's not himself."

"What gave you that idea?" Blake sarcastically yells.

The shockwaves soon end, letting everyone take a moment to breathe. Tao and Shen pant as they hide behind the debris of a building.

"This is insane! He'll kill us!" Tao whispers.

"We best flee for now. We won't lose our lives in such a pathetic manner."

You walk over the hole, howling with each step. These sounds scare away any and all animals in the area – Grimm included.

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"Well, well, well," Cinder recites from a distance. "Looks like I was right after all. Now that my test is done I best make my leave," she quickly turns away, avoiding the shine of the ball. "I'd be surprised if he went unnoticed for much longer."

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You release another three blasts with no rhyme or reason. They devastate the forest and kill anything unfortunate enough to be around. Shen and Tao wait for you to pass by before sprinting towards the forest. This catches your attention, giving you reason to unleash a blast at them. The two elders dash forward, barely evading the lethal attack.

"Quick, while he's distracted!" Ruby commands.

The three girls follow Yang's path to try and find the lost teammate. The ground shakes each time you step and blast but the girls keep steady. This works in Yang's favour – making it easier to push off the debris atop her. She brings her hand to her mouth and coughs as she crawls away from the fallen building.

"Yang!" Ruby slides to her sister's side. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. But what about him?" She looks up at the giant Ape hounding the Cranes. "How do we get him back to normal?"

"I... don't know," Ruby shakes her head.

"Faunus don't change like that," Blake speaks. "Whatever happened to him... it's not normal."

"I've never heard of anyone changing like that in our history books," Weiss adds. "We have nothing to go on."

Another thunderous roar forces the girls to cover their ears. You smash trees out of your way to try and find your prey, but alas they have evaded you amongst the trees. With no clear target, you release a barrage of blasts from your mouth in any and all directions.

"What about that ball?" Weiss points to the shining object. "He changed after that thing appeared."

"Got it," Ruby nods, grabbing her sniper and firing five shots at the ball.

The four watch as their bullets do nothing to the ball. They do, however, get your attention. Your hulking form stomps its way back to the village.

"Oh no..."

"Move, now!" Weiss screams, summoning a large speed glyph.

The four run in different directions, barely evading the blast you spit at them. Ruby, however, tumbles and skids across the ground. A shadow slowly looms over the young girl. She slowly and shakily looks up at the giant Ape before her. Fear grips her – immobilizes her. Eyes shaking, lip quivering, she can't do a thing as you raise your fist and prepare to slam it down on the young girl.

"RUBY! MOVE NOW!" Yang screams, running towards her sister.

Weiss points her sword towards the event, both putting a speed glyph under Yang and multiple halting glyphs in the way of your fist. This gives Yang the time and speed to get to Ruby and drag her out of the way of your fist. Seconds later Ruby's prior position is crushed beneath your grand fist.

Your red eyes look over at the white-haired woman. Even she's shaken by the threatening glare you give. You open your mouth and shoot a beam at Weiss. She tries to flee but she's nowhere near fast enough. She barely avoids the brunt of the attack but it still shatters her Aura. She crashes into a collapsed building, splinters and sharp cement cutting into her skin and tearing her clothes. Her weapon is lost in the wreckage and her body shakes.

"I... ah, I..."

"Weiss!" Blake leaps to her side. "Are you okay?"

Gunfire erupts from the background as Ruby and Yang fire at you. Ruby speeds around as fast as she can, firing every so often. Yang does the same, if not as fluid.

"Yeah..." Weiss feigns a smile. "No..." Her head falls. "My arm... I can't feel it."

"Hold on, I'll get you out of here," Blake says as she wraps Weiss' arm over her shoulder. "Come on... stay awake."

The two stagger their way across the debris and towards the forest. Blake moves as quickly as she can to place Weiss in a safer position. Once reaching the edge of the forest Blake sets Weiss down and immediately runs towards the battle.

"Stay safe, Weiss!" She shouts.

Ruby fires her sniper towards the ground to recoil herself higher in the air then hurries away with her Semblance. She goes around behind you but doesn't notice the tail coming right down on her. It cuts her off completely, shattering her Aura on impact and slamming her to the ground. The girls coughs up blood as she bounces off the ground. Once still, her eyes close and she falls unconscious.

"Ruby! NO!" Yang's eyes flare red as she sprints towards you. "HYAAAA!" She jumps towards you, arm cocked back to attack.

"Yang!"

Blake's shouts don't change the outcome. You swiftly grab the blonde girl and begin crushing her in your left arm. She screams as her Aura barely prevents her bones from shattering. The Faunus jumps onto your left arm and runs along it, swinging with both her weapons. Once reaching your bicep, she jumps towards your faces and slashes along your eyes. You drop Yang and swipe at Blake, only missing thanks to her Semblance. Blake catches her partner midair and lands in front of you, quickly running through your legs to get away. She throws Yang to the left and slips her hands around Ruby's waist.

Blake runs as fast as her feet will take her, but it's not enough. You turn around and spot the black and red figure sprinting down the dirt road. You pull back your fist and slam it down on the two...

Blake keeps running, feeling the fist nearly crush her. She looks back momentarily to see Yang holding you back with a shine of yellow around her. Even with the boost she received from her Semblance, her Aura is far too low to actually fight you. But it makes no difference as you bring your fist back up and slam it down on her once more. She barely manages to hold it back but this destroys her Aura. You pick the defenseless girl up and throw it at Blake. She can't get out of the way in time thus takes the hit. Yang's head connects with Blake's, knocking both girls out in an instant. The three bodies topple over one another and become motionless.

Weiss, who's left the hiding place, sees her team falter. You beat your chest and roar, letting out more blast in random locations.

"No... (Y/N)! STOP IT!"

Your giant form turns around to face the small girl. You open your mouth and fire a blast at Weiss. With no Aura and limited mobility, Weiss just watches as the blast comes closer. Her clothes whip in the wind, hair waving back as her death inches closer.

And just like that... everything goes black.

Haha, this was fun... I wrote this in two days... I'm so ashamed of myself. Jesus Christ... but, hey, I'm happy about it. I love this story and what it will become so writing more and more of it will be awesome! Plus, people tend to like stories with more chapters (unless it's a goddamn one-shot) so, hey, maybe this won't be overshadowed by Crimson Shadow for much longer. Probably not, but still.

Anyway, not much to say this time around. I'll see you next time!

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