Two Days Later...
Team RWBY's Dorm Room...
3rd Person POV
Ryoma: She's been gone all weekend...
A few days has passed by since the disappearance of their friend. In their dorm room, the remaining three members of team RWBY, alongside the Tenno, discussed about Blake's absence. The latter, leaning against the very window his friend jumped out of into the night.
Weiss: Blake's a big girl, I'm sure she can handle herself!
Ryoma: Miss Schnee, please...
Weiss: What?
Ryoma: She's our teammate.
Weiss: She's a member of the White Fang!
Growing a bit irritated by her behavior, the Tenno continued, taking a deep breath to relax himself with each response.
Ryoma: Was.
Weiss: And how would you know that!?
Ryoma: Did you not see her reaction to her own statement?
Weiss: After spilling the beans, finally? Yes! She messed up!
He turned his body towards her as she lied in her bed, his frustration showing like a beacon.
Ryoma: If she were to be as extreme as you make her out to be, she'd have killed us all in her sleep!
Weiss: Perhaps that's the plan all along!
Ryoma: Do you really not hear yourself, right now!?
Getting up from her bed, she marched towards the Tenno, her finger poking at his chest.
Weiss: I do hear myself!
His hands tightened into a fist as his arms shook subtly.
Weiss: Why are you suddenly so caring about that faunus!?
Ryoma: She just ran away from the Academy! Ran away from her future! That's why I'm suddenly so caring, you-!
Her eyes widened in horror as she noticed his arms beginning to move towards her neck. Stopping himself halfway, at her chest, the Tenno too, froze in horror by his own response. A thought in the back of his mind to silence her altogether. To suddenly justify the offense of the one he loved by death. An action he immediately regretted.
Ryoma: I... She...
Lowering his arms slowly, the Tenno, embarrassed by his own actions, walked by an horrified Weiss towards the door.
Ryoma: I'm heading out for a while... to find our friend.
Passing through the doorway, the Tenno transfered himself into his Warframe. Turning around to speak one last time before heading out.
Ryoma: Please... do not follow. I wish to do this alone
Watching the Tenno leave the room, Weiss sat back down onto her bed, her expression changing from fear to regret. In all this, Yang and Ruby did not utter a sound, only watching listening to the chaos that had unfolded... till now.
Yang: Congratulations, Weiss. You've somehow managed to break the most humble person in Beacon Academy.
Getting down from the top bunk of their makeshift bunk bed, Ruby headed out as well.
Ruby: I'm gonna go look for her as well... alone. Unless... anyone wants to join me.
Yang: Yeah... I'll join ya, sis.
After a few minutes, when everyone else had left her to herself in the dorm room, Weiss looked down at herself in sadness. Thoughts whirling in her mind from Blake to Ryoma to self harm. As these thoughts spun, her eyes watered up as teardrops slid down from the bottom of her eyes towards her white dress.
Weiss: I... Do I really deserve it? If he had actually committed to it, would anyone had stopped him? Would I have stopped him?
Weiss: No... I wouldn't. From their view, I.... I deserve it. Need it even.
*BOOOOOOOOoooooooooom!*
A Few Minutes Later...
Remnant's Atmosphere...
Orbiter...
*TSSSSSSSSSSSCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHTTTTTTTT!*
A shower of sparks as Orokin steel grinds against Orokin steel. That is the way of the Tenno as he reaches the docking bay of his Orbiter from his Archwing. His heavy Warframe serving as the brakes as he slid across the hangar, his Archwing taken off and put away by the Cephalon in charge of the vessel. Coming to a complete stop, the Tenno then exited the docking bay into the navigation deck of the Orbiter. There, he was greeted by a personal friend as he made adjustments to his arsenal.
Cephalon Alita: Welcome back, Operator.-at long last.-
Ryoma: Hello, Alita.
Cephalon Alita: Have you made any more progress on the mission, yet? The Lotus has sent you three messages about it.
Ryoma: No.
Putting away Cernos Prime and Pyrana Prime, the Tenno changed up to a more classic ninja approach: One that involved the shurikens of Hikou Prime and a bow with an usually devastating explosive power, Lenz.
Ryoma: I have not.
Cephalon Alita: -Awesome-. I'm sorry to hear that.
Ryoma: In fact, I may cancel the mission in its entirety. I'm not too sure, yet...
Cephalon Alita: ...What!?
Ryoma: I-.
Cephalon Alita: Cancel the mission!? But why!?
Ryoma: I said "I might". I'm still not sure about it.
Cephalon Alita: We've done all this work, all this research, and you're thinking about abruptly tossing it aside?
Ryoma: This research could do more harm than good for the planet... For us.
Cephalon Alita: How so?
Ryoma: Remnant itself is somewhat of a chaotic mess, much like our Origin System. Yet unlike the Origin System, it's a beautiful kind of mess; One that has not been given the touch of death by Orokin hands. It has a problem with divisions between races, petty crimes, monstrous creatures... what it doesn't have, and doesn't need, is a war.
After a few seconds of silence, the Cephalon responded with a sense of understanding.
Cephalon Alita: I see...
As she spoke, the large red and white Kubrow that resided in the Tenno's personal quarters peeked out from the sliding doors.
Cephalon Alita: There's a personal reason for it.
Ryoma: Something like that.
Walking out of the personal quarters towards the Tenno, the Kubrow wagged it's puffy snowball tail as it approached it's master.
Cephalon Alita: So if you're not here for the mission, then why are you here? Arsenal change?
Ryoma: Actually...
Feeling the Kubrow's nose nudging the side of him, the Tenno in his Warframe looked down at the bear-like animal and began petting it's head. The Kubrow, sticking it's tongue out in response.
Ryoma: I came for Piper.
Cephalon Alita: -Finally-. I'm sorry, Operator. Did the headmaster approve of the Kubrow?
Ryoma: Nothing quite...
Cephalon Alita: !
Ryoma: But right now, I'm suffering from a-.
Stopping himself for a second, he rephrased the sentence.
Ryoma: There's a bit of a personal problem. One that requires the nose of an animal.
Ryoma: And some alone time.
Cephalon Alita: ....riiiiight...
Ryoma: Do you mind if I-?
Cephalon Alita: -Take it.-
Three Hours Later...
Streets of Vale...
Ryoma: No one's out and about tonight.
Roaming the streets of Vale at night, the Tenno, in his Warframe, walked the streetlight filled sidewalks, his Kubrow out in front of him sniffing the ground for any scent.
Ryoma: That's probably for the best.
Passing by the vandalized dust shop, the Tenno stopped in front of it, inspecting it with as much detail as he could admist the darkened sky. In the beginning of reconstruction, much was still left out from the incident that had occured prior. Much of the evidence left out by both Vale Police and the detectives at the scene.
Ryoma: They either didn't do that good of a job surveying the scene, or they didn't bother taking the evidence away from public view.
Noticing several small crumbs of fire dust, the Tenno carefully picked the pieces up and held them in a small pile on his right hand.
Ryoma: Then again, what do I know about this kind of work? Holographic shows aren't exactly realistic...
Whistling softly, the Tenno called his Kubrow over to him, only to discover another chip bag around its nose and it's mouth filled with corn chips.
Ryoma: Where are you even finding these things, Piper?
Taking off the bag from its nose and holding out the dust in his hands, the Kubrow began to sniff the pile. The end result being a sneeze of fire that ignited the pile, thus combusting into flames in his hand. Feeling the heat, the Tenno swatted away the dust from his hands.
Piper: *AH-CHOO!*
*THOOOM!*
Ryoma: Ow!
Ryoka: Hot! Hot! That was hot! Bad idea...
Wiggling his fingers, the Tenno was coping with the pain that had came from his poor decision. In doing so, two shadows passed by him from above.
Ryoma: Hmm?
As he looked up, he noticed nothing more than the night sky, shining stars above various buildings old and new.
Ryoma: Something passed by... but what?
Ryoma: Bird? Grimm? Thief?
Seeing his Kubrow jump from rooftop to rooftop above him, on the same path as the two shadows, the Tenno slouched his shoulders forward in dismay.
Ryoma: Annnnd, I need to buy a leash. Piper!
From the sidewalk to a trash bin, from a streetlight to the nearest rooftop, the Tenno gave chase to his Kubrow companion, who in turn gave chase to the shadows.
Ryoma: Piper!
Vale Harborside...
After about five minutes of chasing, on the rooftops of a hangar in the city's harbor, the large snow white Kubrow screeched to an immediate stop. Upon catching up to the Kubrow, the Tenno caught a glimpse of the operation that was going down within the confides of the harbor.
Ryoma: Piper! I told you to.... wait.... up?
Below him, large shipping containers of various colored dust lied scattered around the harbor as men and women in metallic ganged masks moved to transport the containers from the ground into a few airships that sat on the property.
Ryoma: In the name of the Orokin Empire... what is this!?
Torchwick: Oh for fu-!
Blake: Brothers and sisters of the White Fang!
Ryoma: !
Across the way, in the spotlight admist darkness, stood Blake Belladonna, without the disguise of her bow, holding Roman Torchwick hostage in front of the men and women.
Blake: Why are you aiding this scum!? This criminal!?
Like the Tenno himself, the men and women of the White Fang stood by, somewhat confused by what was going on.
Blake: This act of defiance will only make it worse for every Faunus!
Roman: Oh, kid. You didn't get the memo, did you?
Ryoma: ?
Blake: What are you talking about?
Roman: The White Fang and I are going in on a joint business venture together!
Blake: Tell me what it is, or I'll put an end to your little operation.
Hearing that, the White Fang gripped their pistols and clubs, anything they had on them with a sharp edge. In response, the Tenno took to placing a shurikens each hand, in between the index and middle finger.
Roman: I wouldn't exactly call it a little operation...
As he said that, a large airship turned on every light it had, blinding both the Tenno and Blake as a massive explosion took place.
Ryoma What the-!?
*Boom!*
Ryoma: Blake!
Several more explosion's followed as the airship's lights dimmed down. Able to look back, the Tenno saw many of the containers destroyed, as well as the criminal and the White Fang on patrol.
Roman: Here, kitty, kitty, kitty...
Flicking his fingers as fast as he could, the Tenno threw several shurikens towards Roman. Upon hearing the sound of metal hitting the ground, Roman began frantically searching around before recieving a lightning imbued shurikens of the wrist, puncturing through his right hand as he let go of his cane.
Roman: Hmm?
*Thunk!*
*Thunk!*
*Thunk!*
*Thunk!*
*Thunk!*
*Thunk!*
*Thiip!*
Roman: OW! Son of a-! Who threw that!?
Ryoma: Yatta.
[I did.]
Looking onward at the rooftop of the harbor, Roman then noticed the Tenno's presence.
Roman: Greeeeat! This freak again!
Ryoma: Sore ni mondai wa arimasu ka?
[Is there a problem with that?]
Grabbing the cane with his left hand, he spoke to the Tenno, blood dripping down from his right.
Roman: As we've discussed before, sir. I'm not understanding a word you say.
Ryoma: Either surrender... Or perish.
Blake: No!
Everyone: !?
Ryoma: Hmm?
Leaping out from behind one of the few shipping containers that hadn't been blown up, Blake charged towards Roman without regard to the environment around her.
Blake: He's mine!
Roman: Am I?
As the two collided in battle, cane and hilt, the Tenno looked on further downward to find pistols aimed at him. Putting away the Hikou, the Tenno lept forward towards as they fired, plummeting... like a missile as his shields absorbed the bullets. Vaulting himself forward, the Tenno's Warframe landed with a thunderous boom, sending a small shockwave around his immediate vicinity.
*Boom!*
Standing up, the Tenno unsheathed the Sentient nodachi as many of the White Fang began reloading their guns. Others charged forth with whatever they had at the moment.
Ryoma: Horobiru.
[Perish.]
Taking three steps forth, the Tenno slid towards the charging White Fang, pulling his arms back before spinning his body past them. The chaotic blade slicing through sheet metal and flesh as each severed in two across.
Ryoma: Two.
Sliding past, the Tenno grinded the blade against the concrete ground as he raised it upward vertically, releasing the two souls from the sword to home in on and paralyze another two. Standing up from a slide, the Tenno stood motionless as a White Fang member charged at him from behind. In hearing this, the Tenno bent down to one knee and thrusted his sword beside him towards the back, impaling the White Fang member as another charged forward.
In response, the Tenno let go of Tatsu for a moment to pull out and draw back the explosive bow, Lenz. With each holographic ring, more pull was drawn. When the White Fang member reached the Tenno, makeshift knife raised in the air, the Tenno let go, watching as the arrow pierced through the metallic mask and into their skull, sending the head off with the arrow towards another group of them. Upon sticking to the ground in between them, those in the immediate area felt a sudden rush of cold air hit their bodies, freezing them before detonating the high grade explosives within.
*Beep! Beep! Be-BOOM!*
Wukong: Woah! What the-!? What kind of arrows are those!?
Looking back at the bloody, gut filled scene he had created, the Tenno noticed a familiar face... this time, with a different copy of the same white shirt.
Wukong: You... may want to clean up.
Ryoma: You again?
*BOOM!*
An explosion had gone off on the supports of a nearby crane. Said crane held a shipping container loaded with dust just above where Roman and Blake were fighting at. Hearing this, Roman knocked Blake away from him onto the ground before running back from the falling crane.
Blake: Crap!
Wukong: Blake!
Seeing this, the Tenno sprinted across the harbor towards her, sliding as he quickly curled himself around her, shielding her as he summoned the Warframe's most used and infamous ability: Iron Skin.
*CLING!*
*CLONG!*
*BOOOOOOOM!*
During the brief invulnerability phase of Iron Skin, the crane had fallen on top of both of them. With it, the shipping container and the dust within had exploded in a violent rainbow cloud. Though fatal to most, to the Tenno, it was nothing... beneficial in fact. Among the wreckage, upon taking a glance at the number value of his Iron Skin, the Tenno's eyes widened in disbelief as he stood. Blake in a bridal position and his dark armor now shmmering gold.
Ryoma: ...half a mill-wait, WHAT THE-!?
Wukong: That, was pretty scary...
Blake: Tell me about it.
Noticing the Tenno, the two stared in wonder at him as they asked.
Blake: Why are you here? And is there a reason you're holding one of my clones?
Ryoma: !?
Ryoma: I was- wait, what?
Looking back down at his arms, what he thought was Blake had vanished. The person he had tried to rescue was nothing more than a clone.
Ryoma: How the-?
Wukong: I have another question... Where's Roman?
Blake, Ryoma: ?
From the other side of the harbor, a large airship lifted itself up and away from the site. As police sirens whirled all over the city of Vale, the man inside the ship muttered before making his escape.
Roman: The good ones just get weirder by the day...
30 Minutes Later...
*WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!*
At the harbor, the Tenno and his Kubrow sat alongside Blake and her new friend on wooden boxes in silence, watching as police sirens and squad cars flooded the scene. His Warframe a bloodstained mess, he transcended out of it, leaving it hidden in a dark corner of the harbor. No questions, no comments, no answers, just... silence.... until....
Blake: Weiss...
Ryoma: ?
Looking back, he had seen that Ruby, Weiss, and Yang had all came together, with Weiss standing out in front of them, expressing discomfort.
Yang: There you two are!
Ruby: Cat ears.... how cute...
Weiss: ....
Discomfortable herself, Blake once more to explain.
Blake: Weiss, I want you to know that I'm no longer associated with the White Fang. Back when I was with them, I-.
She was interrupted by Weiss' raised one hand towards her, the latter saying nothing for a few seconds before speaking softly.
Weiss: I've had time to think about this.... Twelve lonesome hours, I've had. The White Fang has done some horrendous things... not just to my family, but to humanity itself. Despite that, Blake... I don't care.
Everyone: ?
Blake: You... don't care?
Weiss: You said you're not one of them anymore, right?
Blake: No, I-I haven't been since I was younger.
Weiss: What happened in the past is that, the past. Now, we must look onward towards our future, and make amends to prevent the past from haunting us. But from now on, all I want to know is that the next time something this big comes up, you'll come to your teammates. And not some...
Seeing the same individual behind her, Weiss corrected herself.
Weiss: ...someone else.
Blake: Of course...
Approaching the Tenno, Weiss spoke even more softly then usual, making amends with him for her actions.
Weiss: And to you, Ryoma, I.... I want to apologize.
With a small smile, the Tenno responded by wrapping his arms around her body, catching her off guard. His eyes closed and his body temperature heating up as he spoke with sincerity.
Ryoma: Me too... I'm sorry.