RWBYKNIGHTS 2.0: Volume 1

Chapter 25: Resolution of the First Week

"Ruby!" Yang rushed forward, running past the still Free as she caught her collapsing sister, having spent the last of her energy just to hold the stance til the bell rang, "Thank the Brothers you're alright!"

"It's... It's fine Sis... I'm fine..." Ruby muttered, her hands shaking as she wrapped her arms around the older girl to complete the hug, with Blake approaching to also hug the young girl.

"You didn't hold back." To the side, Yelena slowed as she rested a hand on the still-kneeling Free, who was facing away from Ruby.

"Why'd I ever hold back? I fought her at my strongest, using a pair of prosthetics I've trusted in years." Free chuckled, "She won fair and square."

"You could've dodged that attack," Cardin grumbled as he stood on the opposite side of Free.

"Nah, what would I be if I just ran? There's no fun in that, even if I ended up losing, I lost to someone who proved herself." The boy chuckled as he slowly got up, wincing in pain from his overexertion. Looking up, Free couldn't help but sigh at his aura gauge compared to Ruby's.

[Ruby: 20%]

[Free: 2%]

She had almost shattered his aura in that final attack, an attack powerful enough to tear through his armoured prosthetics. Cardin may have been right, he could have probably dodged, but that was not how he fought.

"Where's Weiss?" Ruby muttered as she slowly regained her footing, noticing Weiss not present. Yet, the others seemingly did not notice, or did not care.

"Whatever, you won the bet! You're still the leader!" Yang suddenly raised her younger sister up as if she was as light as a feather, only to promptly start spinning around.

"W-wait Yang y-you're making me dizzy-" Ruby yelped as Yelena walked right besides Blake, the two watching the sisters, or just Yang, celebrate.

"So... I guess you guys won?" Yelena muttered, unsure why they were even keeping a score to begin with.

"Yeah, I guess, want to go grab a snack?"

~~~

The locker room was silent as Free entered, leaving behind the celebration of Ruby winning to replace his damaged arms. Sparks erupted off the exposed steel plates, on his hand was his severe other arm, twitching, convulsing in place, the stump that supposedly connected arm to body more torn than actually cut cleanly. 

Truth be told, he had wished for the fight to continue on, to feel the sheer intensity of Ruby swinging around her massive scythe as compared to his mechanical arms. In all the fights in his life, it was the first time in a long time that a fight to him felt so... necessary. A monumental hurdle for Ruby to climb over, and he was that hurdle. 

By no means did he despise unnecessary fights, he was more than welcome to start one if the opportunity was there, such as the case of meeting Yang, but necessary ones just simply tasted better, like comparing junk food to a gourmet. As much as he had an addiction, he also had taste.

For a moment, Free stopped in place, letting his body embrace the pain. The stinging pain of Ruby's blades, the bullets that pressed onto his skin, or even that one final attack, just the anticipation of taking the strongest attack head-on. He felt truly alive.

That is until he realized that he was not alone in the room. Weiss Schnee was there, waiting for him.

"What do you want?" Free sighed as he moved to his locker, not paying attention as the girl glued her sights to him.