RWBY x OC fanfiction: The (not so) lonely boy

Chapter 43- I don't even know how I got here

"Wait...are you saying," Ruby looked over towards Zakai. His knees were to his chest and his hands were over his ears.
The screams of innocent lives echoed in his head. A scene of blood covered his vision, and the smell of death filled his nostrils.
Who was this person he was seeing? And why were they killing so many people? What was wrong with them?
"Yes," Maria answered Ruby. "This all happened to him. It is his story. His pain."
Everyone looked over at him. Tears falling down his face.
Whywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhy!?!?!?!?!?!?!
"Kai," Ruby got on her knees and wrapped him in a hug. "It's okay," she whispered sadly as she squeezed him tight.
Zakai didn't reply. His mind was stuck. Stuck watching someone else murder thousands of people.
"K-Kai?" Ruby began to panic as she shook him. "What's happening to him?" She panicked as his fingers slowly began to turn black. Darkness seemed to mist off from his fingers, and the darkness began to spread up his arm.
"Kai!" She shook him.
"What the hell!" Qrow came over to see what was happening. "Maria!"
"Ren," she said. "Use your semblance on him. Calm him down. He's loosing control!"
Calmness swept over him. And the screams began to fade. The blood soon vanished and the smell of death slowly aired out.
Whatever had started happening to Zakai had stopped. But what progress it made didn't not retreat. His right hand up to his forearm was black as night. White claws stuck out where his fingernails use to be.
He looked at his arm and his eyes widened.
"Cool," he said. Everyone all made sounds of bafflement and confusion.
"Are you okay?" Jaune asked.
"What happened to your arm?" Blake asked.
"Hey! We're twins now. See!" Yang put her robotic arm up. Zakai simply smiled and raised his Grimm like arm. The claws retracted inside and he just had normal hands.
"You can already control it that well?" Yang asked. "It took me some getting use to my arm."
"Yeah, I don't know. It just feels...normal...." He muttered.
It was weird. He felt different. He felt like he knew more than he actually knew. Like he had learned something.
Was it because of what he had just saw? Whoever he had seen...they had the same power as him, only they used it for evil purposes. But that still doesn't explain the arm.
He decided to leave it be for now.
  "Well...other than that strange transformation," Qrow began. "Were here."
  "Atlas..." Weiss muttered.

  Manta airships patroled the skies around the City of Atlas, keeping in communication with each other over radio.
  As Maria piloted the stolen Manta toward the city, they received radio contact.
"Manta 5-1. Welcome home. Please continue your approach to Atlas docking bay Omega-12. A security team will meet you there. Over." The woman's voice spoke through the radio.
"What's going on?" Zakai asked as he noticed the fleet that was surrounding the cities capital.
"I don't understand either. What's happening here?" Ruby asked worriedly.
"I don't know," Qrow answered.
"But we are here. We got the lamp to Atlas, so I guess we land and get some answers." Jaune stated.
"I'm not so sure," Weiss began. "I've never seen our forces deployed so aggressively before. If we land in a stolen ship, there's no way the security team will let us anywhere near Ironwood. They might even take me back to my father." She seemed to shiver at that thought.
Blake gains a saddened look, while Ruby and Yang look at each other, uncertain of what to do.
"So...," Blake started.
"Winter!" Weiss suddenly bursted out of nowhere.
She then got out her Scroll.
  "Put some distance between us and the fleet," she said to Maria.
  "You don't have to tell me twice." She replied as Weiss walked to the back of the ship.
  "Huh," Zakai said to himself as he watched the people below. He got a bad feeling about this place. Like the atmosphere was different. And not because they were high in altitude.
  All of a sudden, Ironwood's voice came from the screen in the buildings, catching his attention.
"...cannot express our appreciation enough." He began. "Many describe these as uncertain times, and while that may be the case for the rest of the world, I can tell you what is certain. The Kingdom of Atlas will remain strong, and it will remain safe. That is my promise."
Ruby and Yang looked at each other. Zakai snacked his lips to himself.
"General Ironwood. He looks..."
"Tired," Ruby finished.
"James, what have you been doing?" Qrow said.
Four robots are seen walking down a street in Mantle. Zakai watched the people below and read their lips.
They were complaining about all the robots. They're seemed to be children throwing rocks at drones that patrolled the area. Zakai watched as the citizens seemed to retaliate in their own way against the robots.
"This isn't right. None of this is right," Weiss said apprehensively
Once again they were reached out to over the radio.
"Manta 5-1, we've noticed a detour in your route. You are to make your way to docking bay Omega 12 immediately. Do you copy? Over."
"We're kind of running out of time here, kids," Maria said to everyone.
"We need to ditch the ship," Yang suggested.
"Agreed. Get lost in Mantle and buy ourselves some time." Qrow stated.
"I'm telling you, my sister can take us to Ironwood." Weiss retaliated.
"Uh, Weiss?" Blake, who had been quite until now spoke up. Weiss walkedover to Blake's side and looked out the window with her as a voice plays from a giant screen.
"A reminder," it began.
"Huh" Weiss seemed confused.
"Failure to cooperate with Atlas military personnel is a punishable offense. If your sector is under lockdown..."
"Winter?" Weiss was shocked.
"No offense, Weiss. I'm not sure that's a good idea anymore." Qrow stated the obvious.
"Yeah. I think we should just surrender," Zakai said. "It'll be a lot easier. Plus if we get arrested we'll have to see Ironwood, right?"
Weiss seemed to have tensed her shoulders and turned towards the two, fists clenched.
"There's obviously something very wrong. If we can just talk to her, then we--"
"Don't be stupid, you idiot woman," Zakai interrupted her. His face serious. "If you really think she could help us, wouldn't you have called her already?" He frowned. "Cause I see you pulling your scroll out, but I don't see you dialing any numbers."
"But--"
"Everyone, calm down," Maria sighed. "I know someone who can help with both."
"Manta 5-1, you are to make your--" The radio was turned off by Maria.
"Geez, lady, take a hint!"
After landing the stolen shop, they all sneakily made their way through some ally's
"It landed over there, let's go!" The soldiers ran to where they had parked the ship.
The group begins walking through Mantle together. Trucks drive past, and the robots stand on various sidewalks.
Zakai made sure to watch them, giving them dirty looks. He hadn't forgotten what had happened at Beacon. He didn't trust machines. Or anyone who makes them.
The group walks past a garage with graffiti art reading "Show Your Teeth"
"Come on now, hurry! It shouldn't be much of a walk." Maria continued on.
"Is this many soldiers normal?" Jaune asked.
"No. At least, I didn't think so." Weiss replied.
Meanwhile in the back, a drone was flying around Zakai and Yang. They both looked at it in confusion. It just seemed to stare at them.
Zakai swatted it away with his Grimm like arm, which he had covered with his long jacket and a now black glove to hide the fingers.
They continued walking, until the drone followed.
"Tsk, what's with this thing," Zakai asked. Out of no where a flash blinded him. The drone had taken a picture of him and Yang.
Surprised and annoyed, Yang hit it, sending it flying to the streets, which beefed up getting it hit by a car.
"Ohh...." Yang looks over at everyone, who was no staring at the both of them. They both smiled sheepishly.
"Maybe we should pick up the pace," Yang suggested.
Everyone resumed walking.
  "You have to remember, the Kingdom had just lost the Great War. The people of Mantle needed a sign of a brighter future, and that sign was Atlas. After all, a home in the clouds is as bright as it gets." Maria started.
Everyone looked up at the City of Atlas, while the earlier broadcast from Winter played once again. A pair of trucks drive by with miners, covered in black material, sitting in the beds. Posters depicting a white-haired woman are plastered across one of the buildings that the trucks pass, with the text "PROTECT MANTLE" printed on them.
  "We are here for your safety. Thank you for your cooperation." Winters voice echoed in Zakais ears. They made his blood boil.
  He'd heard this type of talk before. But he can't remember from where. People pretending to protect others at the cost of they're freedom and happiness.
  "Hey I know we just meet up again and everything," Zakai started. "But I want to go look around. So y'all just go in without me, yeah?"
  "But....how long will you be gone?" Ruby asked. He smiled softly and kissed her forehead.
  "Not long. I promise." She smiled and nodded.
  He then took his leave. Exploring the city.

  "This looks like a war zone," he spoke softly to himself as he walked past all the people on the streets and saw them. They seemed miserable.
  "Excuse me sir," a little girl tugged his sleeve.
  "Huh?" He looked at her.
  "C-can you help me find mommy?"
  "Uh...sure," he said. "I don't know this place but we can look. I'm sure she's looking for you too." The little girl just sniffled and wiped her nose.
  He began walking, leading the little girl around. The girl was calling out for her mom, but no one ever called back.
  "Strange," he mumbled. They had walked around everywhere. And no one was replying to her or even recognized her.
  "Hey," he looked at the girl and squatted down. "What's your mommy's name? It'll help me find her."
  "Umm...I think her name was Yue? I remember daddy saying her name a lot."
  His eyes widened and his heart skipped a few beats. He blinked and when his eyes opened the girl was gone.
  "H-hey. Little one!" He called out. The streets were quiet and empty. A bad feeling washed over Zakai.
  He blinked once more and the streets were gone. He was in a strange land he'd never been to before.
  "You!" A voice from behind him made him jump. He turned to see a strange looking woman starring at him. She was alone and was sitting on a chair of sorts. It looked more like a throne.
  "You!" He said back, not knowing who she actually was.
"What are you doing at my castle? And how'd you get in?!"
"No idea," he replied. He just looked at her. And his stomach twisted and he began to feel sick. Like something was wrong.
"Do you know who I am?" She demanded.
"Nope. I don't even know how I got here. I was just some where else. I blinked and now I'm here. It's strange really?" He ranted on.
"I don't care for your stories, boy." She walked over to him. He just stood there and watched. "Hmmm." She looked him over when a smile came across her face.
"I sense despair on you. Fear and anger. And....hmmm? The relic?" She looked at him, her eyes serious.
  "Relic?" He tilted his head.
  "Don't pretend," she went to grab him, but she phased right though. "Tsk! You're not here?"
  "I guess not," he scratched his cheek in confusion. He didn't even know what was going on at this point.
  "Well, there must be a reason you are here. So...what it is?"
  "...I don't know how many times I have to tell you. I don't even know what's going on. So what would I want?"
  She seemed to narrow her eyes as she sat back on her throne and crossed her legs.
  "Hmmm. You travel with this, Ruby, am I right?" She asked.
  "Yeah." He replied. "Why?"
  "Well. Do you have any questions? I may have the answers to them. After all," she smiled. "I am immortal. I've lived many many years. "
  "Hmm. Questions?" He tilted his head. Many visions went through his mind.
  A purple dragon. A strange being. A girl that drowned. An immortal man...
  What were those visions? He didn't know any of them. Yet all of them seemed familiar. But out of all of them, one stuck with him. Made him shake to his core. Like he had to know about it.
  "Yeah...I have one question...." he started as he looked her in the eyes. "Have you ever seen a purple dragon? Or a strange being that was purple as well?"
  Her eyes widened and her pupils seemed to shrink. Almost as if he had triggered a nerve.
  "You know the God of Darkness?" She asked.
  "God of Darkness?" He muttered. "So that's who that was...."
"How do you know of him?!" She demanded.
"Hey! Don't raise your voice at me." He frowned. "I don't know how I know of him. Or what he looks like. It's strange."
"Are you like Ozpin?" She asked. Her eyes wide.
"You mean immortal? Pfft. No. I don't die and reincarnate into someone else."
"Have you made any kind of deal?" She asked.
"Deal? N-"
'I shall give you my power and in turn, I shall take yours.' The voice echoed in his head.
"Well...if I'm being honest," he scratched the back of his head. "I don't know if it's a deal, as much as it was a game...."
"Oh?" She tilted her head. "Explain."
"Well...recently I started getting visions of another persons life. Which in turn led to this." He took his glove off and showed his Grimm like hand.
"Grimmificafion?" She sat up in astonishment.
"Is that what is is?" He asked.
"Yes," she answered. "But that's impossible...unless....it's part of your deal you made with the God of Darkness."
"See. But that's the thing. I didn't. It was....," he put his hand to his head. "What...what was his name?" His ears began ringing as he tried to remember. The ringing got louder until he couldn't bear it.
He put both hands over his ears and began to scream. Silence followed. And his screaming stopped.
"...ai....kai....Zakai!" Ruby's voice broke through the silence.
"Hu-" before he even got to look at her something wrapped around him. "Tsk! What!"
"Well well. What do we have hear?" A voice asked from behind.