Reader x Cinder Fall x Summer Rose / The One You Feed: A RWBY Fanfiction

Chapter V: Team STTRQ (Junior Year)

6 Years Ago:

Junior Year: October

Reader's POV:

Another school year starting, not much has changed in the team's dynamic. You're still completely in love with Summer Rose, and she is still completely in love with your best friend Tai. Tai on the other hand continued with his playboy lifestyle, having dated half of your class at this point, even dating some of the lower classmen, innocent and unaware of his flirtatious manner.

You were sitting in Grimm Studies, taught by Professor Vorpal and TA Port. Qrow was late as usual. Sitting next to Tai, Summer, and Raven taking notes, you lean over to your best friend.

"Hey, Tai?" You whisper. "Any idea where Qrow is? I mean, I know he has a habit of showing up late, but still, it's been thirty minutes."

To your surprise, Tai is snickering, red in the face. You're about to ask him what's up when Qrow bursts into the room, kicking open the door. You look over at Qrow framed in the doorway, stunned at his appearance. Instead of his usual untucked white shirt and black pants, he's wearing the school uniform. This alone is strange enough as he never wears the uniform. What makes it even stranger is the fact that it's the women's outfit.

The entire class bursts out into loud raucous laughter at the sight of your teammate. TA Port steps out of the classroom. You look at your best friend to see him crying with laughter while Raven simply drops her face into her hands, embarrassed to be related to the idiot wearing a skirt.

Junior Year: February

You're sitting with a crying Summer once again. Another Valentine's Day had come and gone, and she had once again failed to catch Tai's attention. Instead, he had started a relationship with one of the sophomores, and the two were currently out on a romantic evening date. For the past year you had acted as the shoulder for Summer to cry on whenever Tai picked up a new girl. You secretly held hope that one day Summer would realize that that's just the way Tai is, and that he wasn't the right guy for her. Until then, you were there to provide comfort and support, enjoying the feeling of holding her in your arms, even if it wasn't in the sense that you would like.

Junior Year: Late March

Your third year at Beacon was coming to a close, and as a final project for the year, your teachers had assigned everyone a partner to complete a large paper integrating all the subjects concerning the field of being a Huntsmen. Summer had been assigned to be your partner, and the two of you were a bit behind. You and Summer had agreed to divide the work evenly between the two of you, you taking Grimm Studies, Combat and Semblance training, and Biology, while Summer was to finish the sections on Weapons, World History, and Additional Enemies (Bandits, Cults, etc.).

The paper required a minimum of 30,000 words and was due in less than a week. You had successfully completed all your requirement but Summer was behind, her sections on Weapons being the only section of quality, and the section of World History completely absent. As it stood, your paper was still 7,000 words short. Normally you wouldn't be so worried, but this paper was a shared grade, meaning that Summer's failure to complete her assigned sections would result in a low grade for both of you. As much as you hated being the bad guy, you felt the need to talk to Summer.

"Hey Summer." You say one evening. "How's the paper coming?"

"Umm." She says, rubbing her neck. "Well, I was gonna finish it last night, but Tai broke up with Jen and he really needed me."

"Summer," you sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose, "you gotta get this done. This paper determines whether or not we move up to senior year."

"Yeah, I know." She says guiltily.

"And it's due in three days."

"I know, but, Tai really needs me right now. I think that this may finally be my chance to be with him."

"But the paper..."

"Look, if it's so important, why don't you just finish it? You're a better writer than me anyways."

"That's not..."

"Sorry, I have to go. I'm taking Tai to the movies to get his mind of Jen. Thanks (F/N), bye!"

Letting out an exasperated sigh, you kick Summer's bed and go to finish the paper by yourself. Completely rewriting all of her work, you manage to get an A-, successfully passing into senior year.

Summer Between Junior and Senior Year:

You had been finding it more and more difficult to control your semblance recently. You had noticed it happening midway through last school year. You were having difficulty summoning the light. It had started with feeling a greater sense of exhaustion after summoning it, but now you had to physically strain yourself to get the light to appear. You figured it was because of the issues surrounding Summer, in fact you were sure of it. Still, knowing the cause didn't help to quash your fears. You were scared that you might not be able to summon the light after very long.

One warm evening you found yourself standing on the edge of a precipice watching the sunset. You were trying to create any amount of light but were having great difficulty. You were just about to give up and head home when you noticed a shadow on the ground next to you. Quickly turning you saw a tall mysterious woman standing before you. Her skin was pale white, and her eyes were black as night. Red veins crept along her face and exposed arms. She gave off an eerie aura, one that screamed evil. Using your semblance, you sent dark tendrils flying her way, but they all shattered before making contact with her.

"How did you..."

"The darkness knows who truly commands it." She says.

"Who are you?" You growl.

"An interested party." She says simply. "I've been observing you for a long time (F/N) (L/N)."

You raise your hands ready for a fight, but she simply laughs and waves her hand.

"Relax." She commands. "I mean you no harm."

Without dropping your hands, you ask, "What do you want?"

"You're asking the wrong question." She says. "What you should be asking, is what do you want?"

"I don't understand."

"As I said, I have been watching you for a long time. You are an extremely powerful individual, (F/N). You could have anything you wanted, money, power, and yet you long for a woman who fails to see you for the extraordinary person you are."

Her words cut you and cause you to drop your guard.

"Poor thing." She says empathetically. "Suffering for your use of the darkness, struggling to find the light inside. And then the woman who made you see the light leaves you in a darkness deeper than ever before."

"It isn't like that." You say.

"Perhaps." She nods. "Or perhaps you just haven't seen it yet." She pauses and walks closer to you, inspecting you. "Such a noble individual. With your level of power, you could be ruling the world, but instead you seek to protect it. Why?"

"Because it's the right thing to do."

"Is it?" She laughs. "Do you truly believe that?"

You nod.

"You see the world in black and white, I can admire that. But the truth is, reality is so much more complicated than that. Perhaps in a fair world the concepts of good and evil would apply, but in a fair world, you would be with the woman who you've given so much for."

"What do you want?" You repeat.

"Simple. I want you to join me." She says, surprising you. "By my side, you could unlock your full potential. Join me and I can give you everything you desire. Power, control, a woman perhaps."

"My shadows may be black, but my heart is not." You tell her.

"Very well." She says. "Just know, the offer still stands. All you have to do is follow the darkness, and you'll find me."

With that, she disappears in a puff of black smoke, leaving you with your conflicting thoughts.