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

Vol.3 / Chapter 5 : "Aroma"

I'm sorry about that last chapter. I was rushed. If I ever upload a short chapter, it is due to me being low on time. I'm sorry guys!

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The Vytal Festival was today, and as such team RWBY was training hard: Yang was brushing her hair while humming to a song no one else could hear, an action that was normal to see but not when Yang had been doing it for hours. Ruby was stuffing her face with cookies, Weiss had locked herself in the bathroom "freshening" herself up for the tournament and Blake was sound asleep in their small apartment. Regular class days would soon start again, much to the girl's dilemma.

Rei was the only one who was actually trying his hardest to train. He'd left the safe walls of Vale and found a mountain far away from civilization. He began striking the mountain's cliff side with his bare fists, the very rock itself shaking with his strikes. Any huntsman/huntress above the rank of 40 could do this but it would take a huntsman of over rank 60 to break the mountain. He moved almost as if he was listening to a rhythm, striking every second while retaining certain moves and postures. As Rei continuously assaulted the mountain, his conversation with Winter from earlier came running back to him.

"You do know that your father's semblance is a dangerous one, not just for your enemies but for yourself as well. Rumor had it that the longer he was in his dragonic state, the more his mind became corrupt." Winter suddenly leaned forward and pulled him into an embrace that spoke volumes.

"I don't want to lose you again, little brother."

Rei suddenly stepped back before kneeing the wall, creating large cracks that went up and down the mountain from the small plateau he was on. He continued to move in a rhythmic pattern, repaying the same few powerful and titanic strikes that could be heard from miles away.

"I heard about Carla." Winter said suddenly, touching on a topic that Rei refused to talk about. Said male was silent, his eyes suddenly drifting away from Winter.

"It must have been hard, her dying in front of you. I'm sorry about that." Winter continued, releasing Rei and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything." Rei replied solemnly.

"That does not matter now." Winter replied, losing her smile.

"I see you've made some new friends." Winter said, smiling mischievously again.

"Yeah, I have." Rei replied.

"So, which one of them are you in love with?" Winter asked again, looking I the direction of their apartment.

"What?" Rei asked, shocked.

"I can clearly see it. Which one is it? The little red?" Winter suggested. The disgusted expression on his face was his answer, causing a slight chuckle.

"The blonde?" Rei shook his head, his lips forming a straight line.

"The cat Faunus?"

"Noooo. Not that I have anything against Faunus." Rei said, shaking his heads.

"It must be the blonde, then." Winter deduced.

"You didn't react as harshly to her."

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Rei finally ended the thought, his final fist crashing into the mountain, creating an enormous crater into the side of the mountain. Blood was dotting the walls, signaling that he was once again pushing himself too far. His arms suddenly fell to his sides, exhausted.

"What? I'm tired?" Rei thought to himself. He usually would continue training harder than what he had just done.

But then his eyes widened at the sweet aroma.

"Poison..." Rei thought as he lost consciousness.