"The Catalyst" : A Yang Xiao Long AU! #RWBYWATTYS

Chapter 15 : "His Choice"

Rei glanced back at Yang.

"So by touching this shield...." Rei started.

"Your power will be absorbed, thus saving her life. It's your choice, Schnee." The voice proclaimed. He could tell that, from just the way the voice sounded, she was female.

"Don't do it, Rei. It's a trap." Yang's weak voice broke through the barrier. Rei clenched his hand into a fist, anger rising within him.

"I'm guess you're a friend of Roman's?" Rei asked before he raised his hand, about to trade his powers for Yang's life.

"He is merely my minion, a puppet doing my bidding." The female responded.

"That's great." Rei suddenly lashed out, drawing his blade and unleashing a wave of white energy that nearly cut the female figure in half. The female was lucky to dodge, but she never expected what would happen next: Rei placed both of his hands onto the force field, then shoved wth all of his might. The force field broke, shattering into a million tiny pieces.

The shadowed female stood above the now-shattered force field, watching the Rei. She almost allowed fear into her mind, but then she saw his body twitch and fall forward. He was unconscious, but how long she didn't know.

"Rei!" Yang screamed, finally breaking her restraints and quickly running to his body. She shook him, thinking that maybe it would wake him, that it would clear her thoughts.

It didn't.

He merely laid on the floor, unconscious and unmoving. His hair was dampened slightly by his sweat.

"My job here, is done." The female figure stated before disappearing into the shadows.

----

"Y-Yang?" Rei breathed quietly. His eyes opened, revealing that he was back in their dorm. Had it all been a dream? The mysterious figure, Yang in the force field, losing his abilities?

"Losing my abilities!?" Rei lifted his hand, pointing his palm to the ceiling above him. He was merely going to cast Frozen Global Winds to freeze the ceiling slightly, then he'd deactivate the ability.

Nothing happened. His semblance and aura were both gone.

But at least Yang was still alive, right?

---

"Rei?" Yang quietly called his name as she walked into the dorm. She was surprised to see that he had disappeared. She was about to panic, about to contact Ruby and Weiss when she heard the sound of the personal bathroom flushing.

"Oh, he's using the bathroom."

Yang heard the locked door click, then the slight hitch of the door opening.

"Yang? What are you doing here?" Ruby asked as she exited the bathroom.

"Ruby!? Where's Rei?" Yang exclaimed, a shocked and surprised expression covering her features.

"What? You mean Rei didn't find you?" Ruby asked, a bewildered expression on her face.

"Find me?" Yang asked, even more confused.

"Yeah, he said he was leaving to find you." Ruby nodded her head as she spoke, something she did a lot.

"When was this?" Ruby placed her hand on her chin, thinking about the time that had went by as she was in the bathroom.

"About 30 minutes ago." Ruby replied after almost an eternity.

----

Rei walked into Ozpin's office, the circular room atop the tower of Beacon.

"Rei. I understand that you have lost your powers." Ozpin stated blatantly. Glynda Goodwitch stood behind him, and upon hearing his blatancy, raised her right hand and smacked Ozpin's head.

"Yeah....." Rei said, quietly. He had said it so quietly that both Glynda and Ozpin almost didn't hear him.

"So, why have you called to meet me?" Ozpin asked, clearly interested.

"I was hoping to transfer." Rei replied.

"Transfer? As in transfer out of Beacon? Or Transfer teams?" Glynda broke in, a worried expression spreading across her face for an unknown reason.

"Beacon." Came the response.

"You do realize that, in order to transfer, you'll have to choose a replacement from-" Ozpin began before Rei broke in.

"I've already chosen." Rei said, handing Ozpin the file of the chosen student.

"Blake Belladona."

----

Rei walked away from Beacon, a sober expression covering his face.

"I'm sorry, Yang. Ruby. Weiss. But this is something I have to do...." Rei said as he walked away.

----

"What do you mean, 'Rei has left Beacon!?'" Yang shouted, slamming her palms down onto Ozpin's desk.

"I mean what I said. Rei came to me this morning, telling me that he didn't want to shame Beacon just because he had lost his powers." Ozpin responded.

"But-"

"Yang. Come on. There's nothing we can do, it's Rei's choice." Weiss said while pulling on Yang's shoulder.

"Come on, Yang! Instead of getting mad at Professor Ozpin, why don't we try to find Rei?" Ruby said, pulling Yang's other shoulder.

----

"Why didn't you tell them?" Glynda asked after the remaining members of team WRRY left the office.

"That Rei is on a mission to obtain new powers? Well, that would only give them more reason to leave Beacon and follow him, the exact opposite of what Rei wanted us to do." Ozpin replied. Glynda nodded her head in response.

"He wanted us to watch over them and keep them safe." Glynda repeated Rei's words.

"He'll be back. I don't know if it will be soon, but he'll be back. If he chooses so."

END OF VOLUME ONE
(Not in the series. Just Volume One of the first book. Volume Two will be in this book and will be the next update)