W H I T E // Naruto X Rwby

Outside Haven Academy, Watts' Ship

Watts piloted his ship, its camouflage mode rendering it nearly invisible as it hovered silently above the forest.

His eyes darted across the console, scanning for any sign of Hazel or the relic.

Frustration etched deep lines into his face as he repeatedly tapped at the communication interface.

"Come on… why won't Torchwick respond?" Watts growled, slamming his fist against the console. "Damn it! Answer me, you insufferable fool!"

The tense silence was broken by a quiet voice from behind him. "They won't be coming here anytime soon," Selene said, her tone calm and detached.

Watts spun around, startled, his hand instinctively reaching for the charged gun embedded in his suit.

He leveled it at the intruder—a maid standing calmly in the dim light of the cabin, her presence cold and unyielding.

"Who are you?! How did you get on my ship?!" Watts barked, his voice tinged with fear.

Selene took a slow step forward, her expression unchanging. "Does it really matter?" she asked, her tone almost mocking.

Watts didn't wait for a response. With a flicker of energy, he fired a shot straight at Selene.

To his horror, she caught the charged round mid-air with her bare hand, dissipating the energy with a simple squeeze.

"Don't be afraid," Selene said, her voice eerily gentle. "I'm not here to kill you. Or hurt you. Or crush you… unless Master Rinko's wishes aren't met." She leaned forward slightly, her icy gaze piercing into Watts. "I'm simply here under orders from Master Rinko."

Watts' mind raced as he watched her approach, every instinct screaming that he was hopelessly outmatched. He swallowed hard, gripping his weapon tightly. "Why… why are you here?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Selene stopped just short of him, tilting her head slightly. "I have a simple demand," she said, extending her hand toward him. "Give me your logs—your recent plans for Salem—and I'll allow you to live another day."

Watts stiffened, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew she wasn't bluffing. "You're mad if you think I'll give you anything!" he spat, defiance flickering in his eyes.

Selene's calm demeanor didn't waver. "Do you think you have a choice?" she asked, her voice laced with quiet menace.

Suddenly, an automated security droid emerged from the shadows behind her, its weapons aimed at Selene. Watts smirked, confidence returning. "You're strong, but let's see how you handle—"

Before he could finish, the droid's movements froze.

Selene raised her hand, and the machine's glowing eyes dimmed, its servos whining in protest as it became motionless.

With a flick of her wrist, the droid turned toward Watts, now fully under her control.

"W-what?!" Watts stammered, frantically pressing buttons on his console in a futile attempt to override her control.

Selene chuckled softly. "You may be brilliant with machines, Doctor," she said, her voice calm but cutting. "But this? Electronics? They are my domain. In my world, you're nothing but an insect scrambling for survival."

Watts' fingers trembled as he realized the extent of her power. Beads of sweat formed on his brow, his desperation mounting. "You won't… you won't get away with this!" he shouted, slamming the ship's controls into a nosedive.

The ship plummeted, crashing through the canopy of trees surrounding Haven Academy before slamming into the ground with a deafening crash.

Smoke billowed from the wreckage as the ship lay in ruins, sparks flickering from broken panels.

Hazel (Powered down), Mercury, and Emerald sprinted toward the wreckage, their faces a mix of confusion and urgency.

"What the hell just happened?" Mercury shouted, skidding to a stop as he surveyed the downed ship.

Before anyone could answer, the shattered front window of the ship exploded outward.

Watts was thrown through it, tumbling across the ground until he came to a stop at Hazel's feet, groaning in pain.

"Ugh—Hazel!" Watts wheezed, clutching his ribs as he looked up. "You're here! Thank the gods!"

Hazel frowned, his imposing frame looming over Watts. "Doctor, what happened? Why is the ship—"

"THERE'S A WOMAN!" Watts shouted, his voice frantic. "SHE ATTACKED ME! SHE'S STILL IN THERE!"

Hazel's eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze toward the smoldering wreckage.

Behind him, Mercury and Emerald exchanged uneasy glances, their postures tense.

From the shadows of the broken ship, a figure emerged.

Selene stepped through the smoke, her expression unbothered as she dusted off her pristine uniform. She locked eyes with the group, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to Watts' frantic panic.

"Ah, there you are," she said smoothly, her voice carrying an air of menace. "I was wondering when the rest of you would arrive."

Hazel clenched his fists, stepping forward. "Who are you?" he demanded.

Selene smiled faintly, tilting her head. "Greetings, pardon my intrusion. I am just a simple maid of the Schnee Family."

"A simple maid? You attacked us. You're no mere maid." Hazel spoke, hands clenched.

"Perhaps, but does it really matter?" Selene's voice was low but kind.

"She's alone! We can take her!" Emerald shouted, desperation lacing her voice. 

Mercury gritted his teeth and dashed toward Selene, aiming for a high kick. But Selene caught his mechanical leg mid-strike with ease, her grip firm and unyielding. 

"Interesting... Cybernetic leg?" she mused with a smirk. In one fluid motion, she slammed her fist into Mercury's gut, sending him flying back toward Hazel and the others. 

Mercury groaned as he picked himself up, only to realize something was off. His balance was wrong. He glanced down—his other leg was gone. 

"What the hell?!" he muttered, looking back at Selene, who stood casually holding his detached cybernetic limb. 

"Damn it..." Mercury growled, wobbling unsteadily as Emerald rushed to his side, helping him stand. 

Selene studied the two of them for a moment, her cold smile unwavering.

Then, as if remembering something, she turned to the robot she had commanded earlier.

It emerged from the shipwreck, carrying a small USB drive in its metallic grasp. 

"I suppose taking the information by force was the only option left," Selene said calmly, retrieving the drive. "Since you didn't want to cooperate." 

Watts's eyes narrowed. 

'This girl controls electronics? That's a very troublesome ability.'

Selene's focus shifted as she walked toward the downed ship. With shocking ease, she ripped off part of the wing, hoisting it like a massive club. 

Hazel's gaze hardened. He couldn't ignore her unnatural strength any longer. 

Selene's expression remained unreadable as she dashed forward. Emerald pulled Mercury back while Hazel charged to intercept her. Their clash was immediate and deafening. 

PANG! 

Hazel managed to block the improvised club, their strength sending shockwaves through the battlefield. The force made Selene drop her weapon, but she didn't falter. Instead, she launched a devastating hook at Hazel's jaw. 

Hazel caught her fist, but even with his aura, he felt the impact reverberate through his arm. He countered with a punch of his own, but Selene deflected it with a raised arm, their blows exchanging at a furious pace. 

The ground beneath them cracked from the sheer power of their strikes, and nearby trees quivered with each impact. 

"Holy crap... She's holding her own!" Mercury muttered, eyes wide. 

"She's... strong," Emerald admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. 

"She's a huge problem," Watts added under his breath, watching the fight with increasing unease. Selene's abilities rendered him useless in this confrontation. 

Selene ducked under a massive swing from Hazel and retaliated with a sharp punch to his gut. Hazel tanked the blow, barely flinching, before slamming his forehead into hers in a brutal headbutt. 

Selene staggered back, her expression flickering with a momentary flash of anger. 

Without hesitation, she grabbed a massive boulder nearby and hurled it at Hazel. He countered with a powerful punch, shattering the rock into pieces. 

The debris obscured his vision just long enough for Selene to close the gap.

She landed a swift, brutal front kick to Hazel's chest, sending him crashing into a tree with a thunderous bam!

Hazel groaned as he rose to his feet, unfazed by the damage. "Impressive strength for someone so small." 

Selene didn't respond, her icy demeanor unchanged. 

Watts took a step back, evaluating the situation. "Emerald, use your Semblance. We need to retreat." 

Emerald nodded, focusing her semblance. Selene's vision suddenly went dark, replaced by an all-encompassing void. 

Selene paused, closing her eyes and shifting her focus to the robot she had controlled earlier. Through its optics, she scanned the area, but her enemies were gone. 

When the darkness faded from her real vision, Selene lowered her head with a sigh. The battle wasn't won, but her mission was complete. 

"Hmph," she muttered, turning her attention to the USB drive. That was all that mattered.

Haven Academy, Lobby

Blake stood frozen as the rest of Team RWBY and Rinko wrapped her in a tight embrace.

The warmth of their hold made the tears she had tried to hold back spill freely. She sobbed uncontrollably, her ears drooping as she clung to them.

"I... I don't understand," Blake choked out between sobs. "I left. I abandoned you. Shouldn't you all hate me for that?"

Ruby pulled back slightly, her hands still resting on Blake's shoulders. "Hate you? Blake, you came back to us. That's all that matters!"

Yang nodded, her expression softer than usual. "We all make mistakes, Blake. But you're here now, and that's what's important. I'm just glad you're safe."

"But... I hurt all of you," Blake whispered, her voice cracking. "I ran away when you needed me most. I don't deserve this."

Weiss, standing beside her, crossed her arms with a sigh, but her eyes were kind. "Deserve or not, you're part of this team, Blake. You always have been. Running away doesn't change that."

Blake's lip quivered as she looked at them. "You mean it?"

Yang placed a hand on her hip, smirking just a little. "Come on, do you think I'd let my best friend get away that easily?"

"Best friend?" Blake's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Yeah," Yang said, her tone growing softer.

Blake's tears flowed freely again as she buried her face in Ruby's shoulder. Ruby stroked her back soothingly. "We missed you, Blake."

"More than you know," Rinko added, his expression uncharacteristically gentle.

As Team JNPR looked on from the sidelines, Ren spoke quietly. "It's good to see them together again."

Nora nodded. "It's like they're whole now."

Pyrrha made a faint smile on her face. "They deserve this moment."

Jaune nodded in agreement, he reached for her as they held hands.

Oscar and Qrow, meanwhile, were tending to the injured Lendy and Yamon nearby.

"Where's King?" Oscar asked quietly, his gaze flickering toward the doors.

"I don't know," Qrow replied, frowning. "But I don't like this. Something's not right."

Leo's Office

"I don't want to die—I don't want to die—I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" Leo Lionheart's panicked voice echoed through the room as he scrambled through the drawers of his desk, knocking over papers and trinkets in his frantic search.

Standing in the doorway, King watched helplessly, his heart sinking. His once-proud and honorable friend had been reduced to this.

"Leo… What are you doing?" King asked, his voice low but steady.

Leo turned, his eyes wild with fear as he grabbed King by the collar. "She's coming, King! She's coming for me! I failed her—I failed Salem! She's going to kill me!"

King's grip on Leo's arm tightened as he steadied his friend. "Salem?"

"Yes!" Leo shrieked, his voice cracking. "She knows! I betrayed her expectations—I didn't do enough! She's going to kill me! I can feel it!"

Before King could respond, Leo gasped sharply, his body jolting in pain.

His eyes widened as he looked down to see a black, writhing tentacle piercing through his chest.

"Leo!" King yelled, catching his friend as he collapsed.

Leo gripped King's shoulder weakly, blood seeping from his lips. "I... I'm sorry," he rasped. "For what I've done… to Mistral… and to you..." His breath hitched. "I… I'm sor…"

Leo's voice trailed off as his hand fell limp. His body went still in King's arms, leaving the room in heavy silence.

"No…" King muttered, his voice trembling as he held his fallen friend. "Leo… no…"

King's gaze shot up toward the source of the attack—a Seer Grimm hovering just outside the shattered window. Its red eye glowed menacingly, the black tendril that ended Leo's life slowly retracting.

Rage flared in King's chest, banishing his grief. Gently laying Leo down, King stood, his hand gripping his spear with white-knuckled fury.

"You'll pay for this," the old man growled, his voice a low rumble.

Without hesitation, King dashed forward, leaping through the broken window. Glass shards sparkled in the air as he plunged his spear straight into the Seer Grimm's core. The creature let out a distorted, guttural screech as both plummeted to the ground below.

They landed with a deafening crash. King rose from the rubble, his spear still embedded in the Grimm, which dissolved into black smoke. Breathing heavily, he looked back up at the shattered window of Leo's office.

His heart clenched.

"For Leo…" King vowed, his voice filled with determination.

Lobby

As the team comforted Blake, Yang's attention shifted to Rinko.

A mischievous grin spread across Yang's face as she crept behind him and wrapped her arms around him in a sudden hug, lifting him effortlessly.

"Gotcha!" she exclaimed, squeezing him tightly.

"Ouh—Yang…" Rinko muttered, caught off guard but letting out a resigned sigh.

Yang beamed, pulling back just slightly. "What? You deserve a hug from big ol' Yang for being Yang-mazing on the battlefield!" she declared, punctuating her statement with a wink.

Rinko smirked, shaking his head slightly but clearly amused as Yang lowered Rinko. "You really don't hold back, do you?"

"Seriously? Another pun?" Weiss raised an eyebrow, her tone unimpressed. But a faint smirk betrayed her true feelings.

Yang gasped dramatically, pointing at Weiss. "For once, you smiled at one of my puns! You like it, huh? Admit it~!" she teased, leaning toward Weiss with a playful grin.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Weiss retorted, her cheeks flushing ever so slightly as she crossed her arms and turned away.

"Ice Queen loves it!" Yang declared triumphantly, raising a fist in victory.

The room filled with laughter, even Weiss letting out a soft chuckle despite herself.

Blake wiped the lingering tears from her eyes, a small smile forming as Ruby rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. Her gaze flickered to Rinko, who was watching the banter unfold with an easy smile on his face.

"Thank you," Blake said softly, drawing everyone's attention.

Rinko's expression shifted, his playful smirk fading into a more serious demeanor. He nodded. "For what?"

"For keeping everyone safe," Blake replied, her voice steady now. She glanced at the rest of Team RWBY before meeting Rinko's gaze. "They told me about everything you've done—how you planned all of this ahead. Even the police force in Menagerie mentioned you."

Rinko's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Menagerie? So that's where you went after Beacon?"

Blake nodded, lowering her head slightly. "Y-yeah… It's where I live."

Rinko studied her for a moment, then stepped closer and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. His tone softened. "Well, at least you're back now. That's what matters. Your team is always ready to welcome you, right, Team RWBY?" He turned his gaze to Ruby, Weiss, and Yang.

Ruby practically leapt forward, wrapping her arms around Blake in a tight hug from behind. "Of course! Don't feel bad, Blake! We're just happy you're here!"

Blake stiffened for a moment at Ruby's sudden embrace, but then her shoulders relaxed. She closed her eyes as a faint smile graced her lips. "Ruby… Everyone…"

Yang grinned and crossed her arms. "Told you, you can't get rid of us that easily. We're a team, Blake. You're stuck with us."

Weiss, standing to the side, folded her arms but gave a small nod. "Yang's right, for once. You belong here, Blake. Don't forget that."

Blake's amber eyes glimmered as she looked at each of them. "I… I don't deserve this kindness after I left, but… thank you."

Rinko smiled warmly, stepping back to give them their moment.

'What a lively bunch.' Rinko—Kakashi thought.

Yang smirked, "Now that that's settled, maybe we can focus on the real task at hand: sticking together and kicking some bad guys' butts!"

Blake chuckled softly, wiping the last of her tears. "Agreed."

Ruby grinned and tightened her hug. "See? This feels like Team RWBY again."

"Yeah," Blake said, her voice stronger now. "It does."

[End]