Rage & Hope: A RWBY Story

Chapter One Hundred Twenty Four - A Duel In The Tree

As NeoCat attacked the group, Jaune blocks the Cat with his shield.

Jaune: This whole time....I thought Alyx made it back home and lied about everything that happened here! But you were the one that killed...! Who lied!

NeoCat: You were never the brave knight either! Just more fairytale nonsense!

Jaune manages to knock the Cat back, but as he prepares to finish them off, the Cat uses Neo's Semblance to transform into Penny. Jaune hesitates, and is caught off guard by a Neo clone of Pyrrha striking him from behind. The Cat kicks Jaune near the edge of the Tree platform. As Weiss saves Jaune, he falls over the edge in multicolored smoke.

Weiss: Jaune!

As NeoCat relishes in this, Aya begins blasting Neocat with Green Energy Blasts. Before NeoCat could get back on their feet, Saint Walker grips NeoCat with a Blue Energy Construct. 

NeoCat: Is that the best you can do?! Time to see what this Ring can do!

NeoCat attempts to use Neo's Red Lantern Ring, but nothing happens. 

NeoCat: What?! Why isn't this working?!

Saint Walker: Because a Red Lantern Ring is powerless against a Blue Lantern Ring. 

NeoCat: Then I should take you out of the picture!

NeoCat breaks free of Saint Walker's grip and attacks him. Aya steps in and fires a barrage of Green Energy Blasts. The rest of Team RWBY take the opportunity to attack NeoCat.

NeoCat: You have always been pathetic, Walker! Pathetic and boring! Always following the will of destiny! Well what has destiny done for you except make you old!

Saint Walker: My path has led me to this point, Cat. Just as your path has led you here. 

NeoCat lunges at Saint Walker, but Aya grabs NeoCat. 

Aya: You will not hurt him!

NeoCat: Cry me a river, you bucket of bolts!

Aya then blasts NeoCat away. Weiss stabs Myrtenaster into the ground blanketing it in ice, and Yang follows up with a ground smash, the two doing their Freezerburn combo attack. NeoCat leaps back and the combatants charge towards each other again, but suddenly, a tree branch drops in front of them. Jaune soon arrives cutting off the branches.

Jaune: The leaves! Burn the leaves!

Following his instructions, Yang fires some rounds from Ember Celica setting the leaves on fire, with Blake using a fire clone from her Semblance, and Weiss uses her glyph to blow the smoke towards NeoCat's way along with Saint Walker and Aya.

Jaune jumps and lands on the ground, regrouping with Team RWBY.

NeoCat: Taking a page out of the caterpillar's book, hm? The leaves have no effect on me.

Jaune: Maybe not, but that's not the case for Neo.

As NeoCat inhales some of the smoke, Aya speaks. 

Aya: The smoke may not have an effect on you, but you host is a different story. 

NeoCat feels a sudden reaction and begins to cough, collapsing on their knees. Hallucinations of Ruby, Cinder Fall, Neo's parents, and Roman Torchwick appear within the smoke.

NeoCat: No! These cracks, these feelings! I can't....I can't!!!

The Cat is exorcized from Neo's body as Jaune and Team RWBY look on in shock. Neo, now freed from the Cat's control, runs out from the smoke and collapses on her knees. Team RWBY and Jaune look back at the smoke, and see the Cat has now taken on a much more monstrous form than before, becoming the Furious Cat. They leap forward and slam into the ground, knocking Aya, Jaune, Weiss, Blake, and Yang back. Saint Walker remained standing.

Curious Cat: Maybe I don't need Ruby and the Red Lantern. You'll do nicely. 

Saint Walker: I wouldn't do that if I were you. 

Curious Cat: With your body, you'll take me to Remnant and I'll get the answers I seek!

The Curious Cat then charges at Saint Walker. The Blue Lantern stands still as the Curious Cat forces himself inside Saint Walker. As the group looked in horror, Saint Walker's body began to convulse violently. After a moment, Saint Walker opened his eyes, sharing the Cat's eyes.

Saint WalkerCat: Yes! YES! This power.....I've won! I....

Suddenly, Saint WalkerCat began to feel a growing pain. Saint WalkerCat dropped to their knees as they groaned in pain.

Saint WalkerCat: What....what is happening?! This pain...what is it?! What did you do to me?!

Saint WalkerCat began seeing flashes of the past. They saw when Saint Walker lost his family and the pain he felt from it. 

Saint WalkerCat: Make it stop....MAKE IT STOP!

The group watched as Saint Walker began to fight back against the Cat's influence. Suddenly, Saint Walker's Ring began to glow. 

Saint Walker: In fearful day.....in raging night....with strong hearts full, our souls ignite......when all seems lost in the War of Light, look to the stars......For hope burns bright!

As Saint Walker recites the Blue Lantern Oath, a shockwave of Blue Energy expels from Saint Walker's Ring and echoes across all of the Ever After, inspiring hope among all it's people. Unable to bear the pain any longer, the Curious Cat attempts to leave Saint Walker's body, but Saint Walker refused to let them go.

Saint WalkerCat: What....what are you doing?! Let...me....go!

Saint Walker: All....will be well.....

As Saint Walker prevented the Cat from escaping his body, the Curious Cat takes control of Saint Walker's body. Using what little control they had left on the Blue Lantern, the Curious Cat leaps out of Saint Walker's body. As Saint Walker drops to his knees, the Curious Cat takes a moment, still feeling the backlash of the pain they felt inside Saint Walker's body. Even as they escaped Saint Walker's body, they felt weakened. At the same time, Walker stood up.

Curious Cat: That's...that's not possible. You...you stole some of essence....you stole...me...

Saint Walker: No...I merely gave what you stole back to the people of the Ever After. Now they know that all will be well. 

As the Curious Cat said this, Aya and the rest of the group joined Saint Walker's side. In that moment, the battle between the group and the Curious Cat was about to reach it's climax.