RWBY 1. Chapter 1 - Noir Chevalier

**The Black Knight**

**Chapter 1 - Noir Chevalier**

A figure wearing pitch black clothing was sitting at the back of a room staring at the oddly shaped weapons fixed to a rack on the opposite side. There was also a dresser next to him and a bed next to the rack on the opposite side of the room. The figure wore a black trench coat alongside a black padded gilet with the collar hiding his neck from view whilst his hair extended all the way around his head, except towards the back where a pony tail trailed down to around midway down his back. His eyes were an eclipse black whilst his face had keen figures with high cheekbones and a single bandage seemingly glued to his face across his nose.

He stood up, revealing that he was just above the average height, a sense of anticipation taking hold of him as he strode across the room. 'Maybe this'll be the day I've been waiting for... the day that I need.' The man finally reached the rack of weapons, parting his trench coat to reveal two weapon holsters (Detective style) and taking two pitch black pistols from the rack. The cold steel welcomed his gloved finger trips and the feeling of familiarity spread throughout his body. The pistols appeared to be similar in model to the M1911 model whist having a gleaming bayonet fixed beneath both which appeared to be a part of the model of the pistols themselves. The clip of the weapons appeared to be extended slightly and bulkier whilst the barrel of them also appeared to be wider. Whilst one of the pistols had a carved image of a dog's head at the tip of the barrel the other had the engraved image of a woman with her back turned, glancing over her shoulder. He tightened his grip around the pistols. "Pitch Beauty... Minuit... we'll do well together-"

"NOIR! What are you doing?!" The light bulb suddenly blinked into life and the room was lit up with as a woman peeked her head through the open gap between the door and the wall whilst she stared at the still figure that now turned to look at her. "The airships to beacon are leaving in an hour! You're gonna be late!"

Noir stared at his mother for a few moments before looking over at the clock on his wall, his face going pale for a moment before quickly slotting his pistols into their holsters, grabbing a loaded backpack from his bed and yanking the door open from his mother's grip and sprinting past her. "Bye Mum!"

"Wait, NOIR! What were you-" But he had already sprinted down the stairs and pushed his way through the door and breaking out of the house and into a sprint, leaving a trail of kicked up dust behind him. 'Praise Dust I got out of there quickly, that would have been awkward to explain...' Noir sweat dropped alongside the sweat which had now begun to pour down his face as he pushed his body and sprinted down another street. He had graduated from Signal academy and had applied and been accepted into Beacon, the happiest moment for him and his mother. Such a prestigious academy accepting her own son had his mother swell in pride whenever people asked her about her son since she could now say that she had two children that had attended Beacon.

Finally in sight of the air station Noir came to a slow jog, passing through a ticket mission by sliding his student identification through the machine before striding forward along the platform with sweat pouring down his face, causing his hair to stick to his face and he noticed that only a few people were getting onto the airship. His mind was racing as he made his way up the ramp and became pale as he heard it closing behind him; realizing how close he had actually cut it and spending an hour sprinting through town was worth it but now he had attracted a few looks from people, but each one turning away as he met their gaze. It was his pitch black clothes matched with his black eyes or that he looked like a much bulkier figure then he was. But Noir shrugged it off, 'People can think what they want of me, not like any of them would be worth knowing anyway...' and he simply moved to the side and taken a seat on a fixed chair just to the left of the exit ramp and in the corner and leaning back, pulling out a crumpled ash coloured fedora and placing it on his head but slightly tilted down. Time to get a little nap...

Unknown to the now sleeping Noir, a girl with long black hair had approached, with strands of it fading to purple which cascaded down her back like a waterfall whilst her clothing also reflected this. She wore a short sleeved shirt below a purple embossed panel blazer whilst a combat skirt that stretched down her legs to just below her knees. The shirt itself was black whilst the combat skirt was light purple with black streaks. Her skin was fair and her face figure was small next to the bulky image of the man beside her and her indigo coloured eyes surveyed the sleeping figure. The girl had pouches scattered on a purple belt with an onyx belt buckle, filled with who knows what and she had already set a white backpack down between her legs, the only possession of her's which wasn't associated with purple or black.

She was about to poke the sleeping figure before it adjusted itself, sighing and the fedora tilting itself revealing a single black eye now open and staring at her. "What's up?" asked the man. They were the same age, or probably were, and yet he was much larger and bulkier but his voice was akin to that of a nicer man with a touch of gruffness to it; similar to a dog's growl.

"Uh... nothing. I was just curious to see if you were awake." She replied. Her voice was full of cheer and happiness.

Neither of them talked for a few moments, the man sitting up and removing his fedora from his face and setting it onto his lap revealing his hair and pony tail. "The name's Noir Chevalier, you?"

"Indigo Althea, nice to meet you Noir. So why are you sitting alone, Noir?" Indigo brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face as she stared into the pitch black eyes of Noir whilst he stared back into her indigo coloured eyes.

"No idea, nobody likes to sit next to a man in a big black coat I guess." Noir replied, turning his eyes down to his gloved hand and clenching it slightly. He knew full well why people avoided him and he didn't mind at all. It was just his appearance and the fact he was very straight forward with people, his mouth having gotten him in trouble when he was younger with the bigger kids until he became one of the taller kids than they just tended to avoid him. Back of the class, in the corner he would sit next to a nice enough guy and they'd help each other out. He'd been called a mixture of names ranging from 'Blacky' to 'Lanky bastard', the latter wearing off pretty quickly as his body built his alongside his training and his appetite. Or that was what he thought or liked to think.

"Well I like it... it suits you. Gives you the theme of black." Noir turned back to Indigo to see her smiling at him with a gracious smile, her eyes revealing honesty and a blush began to creep onto his cheeks. He was about to respond but his voice was cut off as a voice rang out over the speakers.

"Hello and welcome to Beacon."

"Who's that?" Indigo asked, at the same time as a certain blonde.

"My name is Glynda Goodwitch."

"Oh."

"You are among the privileged few who have received the honour of being selected to attend this prestigious academy. Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace and, as future Huntsman and Huntresses; it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world."

There was a few moments of silence before the two heard the sound of someone retching and they both looked down the ship to see a blonde haired boy in white armour and blue jeans staggering towards the bin opposite them and throwing up into it.

The two just watched before exchanging a look and shrugged at each other.

* * *

It was less than a minute before they arrived at Beacon, the ramp lowering and releasing the new students onto Beacon. Noir and Indigo stayed together as they descended the ramp, the two making an odd sight.

Noir had placed his fedora on his head again making him look more sinister than he actually was in Indigo's opinion. But then again, it was quite useful. As they walked she noticed that people seemed to give Noir a wide berth and avoided getting too close to him like he was the carrier of some dreadful illness. They walked into the grand hall, Indigo stopping a moment to take in the sight of the massive room with the stage taking up the other side. Indigo could only absorb the magnificent sight for a few moments as she felt a rough hand grab her and pull her out-of-the-way of a rough-looking tall teen with brown hair and armour with a bird emblazoned on the chest plate. She glanced to see Noir already standing to the side and shooting the tall teen a dark look from under his fedora.

"You alright?" He asked, pulling her further to the side as the tsunami of people poured into the room, unrelenting to anyone who got caught in the tide.

"Yea... what a prat." Indigo replied, glancing at Noir's eyes and seeing the black eyes glinting dangerously and she lowered her eyes to his trench coat as it rustled from the movement of his parting it with one of his hand as he moved the other slowly, and she saw the butt of a weapon. "Don't worry, Noir. He'll get what's coming to him eventually." The two now stood at the back as the tsunami of students filled up the great hall a mixture of colours ranging from lightish red to white being seen as shouts were being exchanged between friends meeting up. Indigo spotted the teen that had thrown up on the airship but noticed he had company already in the form of a smaller girl wearing a red cloak and black corset. However then an odd sound began to invade her eardrums and she turned to see Noir's lips moving and words coming out in a sing-song voice and she spotted the edges of larger than normal canines protruding out.

"Prepare for your greatest moments, prepare for your greatest hour..." But he stopped as another voice rang out through the hall, projected by a microphone and the two turned to look at the stage to see two people standing there. One was a man in a dark green outfit holding a cane with grey hair and spectacles sitting on his nose. The other was a woman with pale blonde hair tied back in a bun with a single curl hanging down the right side of her face. Her eyes are an emerald-green. Her clothing consists of a white long-sleeved suit that exposes a part of her chest and puffy sleeves that tighten near the wrist. Her lower half is covered back a black business skirt accompanied by black boots with brown heels and wears a torn cape that is purple on the inside and black on the outside.

"I'll... keep this brief. You have travelled here today in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills and when you have finished you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you... and all I see is wasted energy. In need of purpose. Direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

The man stepped away from the microphone, moving away before the woman stepped up and spoke, "You will gather in the barn tonight. Tomorrow your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."

Indigo stared curiously at their headmaster as he strode off the stage, opening her mouth and turning to her silent companion and seeing him already moving away slowly and out through the exit and heading towards 'The barn'.

"Hey! Wait up!" She shouted and hurried after him. She'd rather keep the first friend she made and someone who kept people away was even better.

Noir stopped a moment, glancing around before guiding the way through the corridors of the academy, all of which were quite large, before they reached 'The barn' and they saw that a lot of sleeping bags were stretched across the floor. The barn was a very large room and Indigo blushed as she noticed...

"Where's the divider? Surely we aren't all sleeping in the same room... boys and girls..." Indigo glanced at her hulking companion, and noticed him shoot her an amused look before striding off through the sea of empty sleeping bags and heading to the corner farthest from the entrance. Indigo hesitated a moment, glancing around the empty room before hurrying after Noir 'Well it'd be better to sleep next to a boy I know then a boy I don't... plus he keeps people away. I wonder why...'

Indigo broke out of her thoughts as she saw Noir shrug off his backpack, setting it against the wall next to the sleeping bag and almost collapsing onto the sleeping back. Indigo hesitated a moment, the rush of thoughts ranging from 'It'll be fine' to 'I'm going to die', before she set her own backpack down against the wall next to his and lying down on the bag next to him. She paused a moment before turning around, reaching into her pack and pulling out a pitch black book titled 'Icha Icha Paradise' and sitting down to read it.

A blush began to creep across Indigo's face, a hand covering the title from curious eyes. Needless to say, the 'Noir' effect had taken place and she looked up, what felt like moments later but was really a few hours, to see there was a wide space of empty floor around them where people had dragged sleeping bags away from the duo to avoid them. Indigo turned to look at Noir and saw that he hadn't changed his clothing what so ever except that his fedora was now by his side again. However he seemed to feel her gaze, turning to look at her when before he had been staring at people around the room. "What's up?" He asked, flashing her his wolf like grin and she blushed in response... how could she put this without sounding weird?

"Uh... Noir... do you think you could um... block me from view whilst I get changed?" Indigo asked, a deep, red blush taking hold of her face and a similar blush took hold of Noir before he nodded in response and standing up, turning to her. "Whenever you're ready..."

Indigo continued to blush whilst reaching into her backpack and pulling out a set of pyjamas which consisted of a purple tank top accompanied by light purple bottoms. She nodded to Noir... and almost fainting as he did one swift movement, pulling his coat to hide her from view from everyone, turning his head whilst closing his eyes with the blush still on his face.

Indigo paused for a few moments before beginning to remove her clothing and she hesitated as she reached her underwear... "Open your eyes... and I'll kill you." She stated coldly, causing Noir to shudder in response; nodding. Indigo removed her underwear, which consisted of an indigo bra and pants before quickly sliding on her pyjamas. Indigo took a few moments to examine Noir's clothing and saw his gilet and the holsters and noticing the thick sideburns on either side of his face looking like they had been roughly trimmed. She smelt a mixture of sweat and a thick scent of blackberries (Basically, a sweet smell but you know those weird shower products) mixed with sweat. He definitely was obsessed with black. "Ok... you can open your eyes now."

Noir opened his eyes, turning back to look at her and lowering his coat, allowing it to fall back into place. She noticed his cheeks die down slightly in colour and he offered another wolfish grin before he sat back down on his sleeping bag and leaned back against his backpack.

"Thanks Noir, um..." Indigo's blush returned, before edging her sleeping bag closer to his with the tip of her toe and staring at it like it was the most interesting thing in the entire world before she saw the sleeping bag almost disappear from vision and she looked up to see Noir who had placed the sleeping bag directly next to his with no room in between.

"Assuming you wanted to get close, there ya go. Otherwise, sorry. But look on the Brightside, now you'll be warm in the night."

She just continued to blush for a few moments before nodding at him and climbing into her sleeping bag whilst he just sat on top of his placing his fedora on top of his head and tilting it down and yet... removing his right glove and taking one of her's Indigo was taken a back for a few moments by his direct attitude to this, and felt the warmth from the touch spread through her fingers and into the rest of her body and snuggling into her bag with his hand in her's.

Slowly, Indigo Althea began to drift off to sleep.

* * *

Noir's senses seem to receive a shock from the surprising softness of Indigo's hand and he glanced down to see her eyes closed and the lids fluttering. It felt odd to be so close to someone on his first day but she felt like a good person and she smelt of lavender. Her scent had entered his nostrils and overwhelmed his senses for a few moments making it impossible for him to feel anything else except the smell of lavender which wasn't a bad thing but even the slightest of touches would have sent him towards the floor.

Noir tilted his fedora up slightly as he heard the softest sound of feet against the floorboards and he noticed four boys approaching, all of them were from Signal... and all of them were the head of his 'fan club'.

"How's it going Dogbreath?" The boy at the front asked, wearing grey Pyjama bottoms and brown hair with a muscular chest.

Noir didn't respond, tilting his fedora up slightly and catching the eyes of the one who had spoken. "No worse than how your face is doing."

The boy glared back in response, taking a few strides towards Noir before stopping and noticing the sleeping figure next to him. "Has the dog got himself a bitch?"

The boys laughed whilst the boy who had talked was taking the last stride towards Noir to be within arm's range and reaching down to touch Indigo's shoulder. Noir threw his fedora up into the air, his trench coat rustling against the floor as he almost glided to his feet, letting go of Indigo's hand as he reached into his coat and drew his pistol: pressing it against the boy's head in a matter of moments as his hand hovered just over Indigo's shoulder.

The bayonet was poking into the boy's forehead with a small trickle of blood running down his face, falling past his eye and looking like the boy had cried a tear of blood. Noir's face was calm, collected yet his eyes were full of anger. "Try and touch her and your brain goes splat." He stated.

The boy staggered back away from the pistol, falling back to his friends and staring at Noir with a mixture of fear and anger in his eyes. "You'll pay for that, Dog! You just wait, I'll make sure you don't pass the initiation tomorrow!"

Noir glared at the boy, storing the pistol back into its holster again and taking his place back next to Indigo and sighing heavily just as his fedora dropped back down on top of his head in a lopsided position... they'd be a problem but as long as she didn't know about his true 'race' then he'd be fine because of course...

Who'd want to love an animal?

* * *

**Hello everyone and thanks for reading the first chapter of The Black Knight! I hope you enjoyed it and remember to give me some reviews! Love you all**

**Also, the Lost Souls will be continued soon. I just needed to work around a bit of lore to do with Gilneas and the fact it was blighted to hell!**

**I do not own Roosterteeth or RWBY.**

**SPOT THE REFERENCES!**

**- Update. I've done another proof read and found some mistakes, it had been updated accordingly.**

**EDIT: So, this is when I am nine chapters into the futureeee ooooooo, Noiirrrr bad things shall happen! But on a serious note, if you spot any mistakes or something that could be improved upon please review or PM me!**

**EDIT EDIT: This is my confirmation to say I have edited this chapter for the Pre-21 look up!**

**EDIT EDIT EDIT: This is from the distant future! Of Chapter 25. Just gone through and corrected some spelling errors.**


	2. Chapter 2 - Initiation

**The Black Knight**

**Chapter 2 - Initiation**

"Two, four, one, ten... Am I translating, is anyone listening? Contacccttt."

Indigo yawned widely as she awoke to the sound of singing...

"Two, four, one, ten... two, four, one, ten... Am I translating, is anyone listening? Connntaccctt."

The voice sounded slightly cheerful, perhaps a bit gruff... oh no, was she back at home and her brother was doing what he always did to wake her up. But she opened her eyes to see an empty sleeping bag next to her and a man standing next to it singing cheerfully as he inspected his weapons. Black trench coat, black hair... black weapons...

"Morning Noir," Indigo said through a yawn, pulling herself up and out of her sleeping back, scratching her head.

"Morning Indigo, sleep well?" Noir replied. He seemed happy as he inspected his pistols and Indigo watched as he slotted one of the pistols into its holster and began spit polishing the other as he sung cheerfully. Indigo stared at her happy companion for a few more moments, before looking around the hall and noticing that already quite a few people were up and moving but there was, of course, the others who just wanted to get those last few moments of sleep.

"Yea... I did. Hey, think you could uh... block me from view again so I can get changed?"

Noir hands fumbled for a moment, dropping the pistol onto his foot. The pointy end. Luckily though, it landed point down on the steel part of his steel toe capped boots making the pistol just bounce off of his boots and onto the sleeping bag. After a few moments of collecting himself, he nodded and they repeated the same process of yesterday with him holding out his trench coat to hide her from view whilst she got changed into her day clothing.

However this time Indigo noticed a slight change in Noir's body as she got closer to hide herself - He became very rigid with his nostrils twitching the moment she got close and she paused after she slid her skirt up her legs. "Noir, are you alright?" she asked, concern for her new friend overwhelming the sense of curiosity that had appeared and a thought was added to a few overs at the back of her mind 'Why would he be so affected by smell?'.

Noir just nodded hastily in response, his cheeks going a deep red. Indigo continued to look at her friend for a few more moments before shrugging, and finishing dressing herself.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now, Noir,"

And he did, letting go of his coat and letting it drop back into position before giving Indigo a wolfish grin, "I think we should go take our stuff to the lockers, they came around earlier with locker numbers for each of us. We're right next to one another so shall we get going?"

Indigo nodded, looking around to check she hadn't left anything before picking up her backpack and following Noir out of the barn. They weaved their way through the corridors of the school, encountering little to no people who were either lost or hurrying in the opposite direction probably because they forgot something. And, yet again, the 'Noir' effect was taking place... people would be giving Noir a wide berth in the corridor even trying to stick to the edges. Indigo stared at the back of her new friend wondering what would cause people to be so anti-social towards him but shrugged it off as they reached the locker room. Locker room was a nice way to put it when in reality it was a very long, very wide room filled with lockers. The two made their way past rows of lockers, occasionally spotting the odd person and hearing snippets of conversation.

"So! You seem awfully chipper this morning!"

"Humph, yep! No more awkward small talk or getting to know you stuff. Today I let my sweetheart do the talking."

They walked past the yellow haired, big breasted teen talking to her younger sister and just continued down the room, reaching their lockers and both of them typing in their student identification number into the keypad and shoving their packs into their lockers.

The two exchanged looks for a few moments, "Let's try and be on the same team, right?"

"We'll try, and Indigo-" But Noir was cut off as a voice rang out over the speakers,

"Would all first year students please report to Beacon cliff for initiation, again, all first year students report to Beacon cliff. Immediately."

The two exchanged a small smile before turning to walk back down the room, being caught behind the blonde haired boy and the red girl, Indigo looking between the two as she appeared to be supporting him but quickly hurried past as Noir walked around them and out towards the cliff.

The wind whipped their faces as they looked at the line of platforms along the cliff and they watched as students took positions on the platforms. There were two empty platforms towards the farthest end but they'd be separated by a girl with golden hair and golden clothing similar to the one they saw earlier but her hair wasn't so long and it was tied back in a braid whilst her clothing consisted of a golden yellow high neck ribbed crop top accompanied by a pair of shorts which looked tight on her legs whilst her feet were clad in bright yellow combat boots. She also carried a massive claymore on her back in a scabbard and her eyes were a very clear yellow. Noir took the position at the very end of the line, on one side of the golden girl whilst Indigo took the other side, her insides feeling twisted as they began to form the worst possible scenarios for the day with death being among them.

Indigo glanced to her right and saw another girl with long blue hair that stretched down to her waist. This one was wearing a blue long sleeve wrap top accompanied by a blue quiver on her back filled to the brim with arrows and next to it was a longbow - strung and ready. The girl also wore a blue embossed smart 'skort' with dark blue tights. Her feet were clad in aqua combat boots - not looking pretty but looking good enough. Indigo scanned the girls figure, finally staring into her deep, blue eyes... wait, deep blue? The girl stared back at Indigo with a small smile on her face and offered her hand,

"I'm Rhea Ravenscroft, you?" The girl's voice sounded silky and similar to flowing water whilst her face seemed to look like it was carved by angels.

"Indigo Althea, nice to meet yo-" But she was cut off as a voice rang out over the cliff,

"For years you have trained to become warriors and today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald forest."

There was a short pause before another voice rang out over the Cliff side,

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumours about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given team-mates. Today."

"These team-mates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well. That being said the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

There were a few murmurs down the line, and Indigo heard a girl go 'WHAT!' but the Headmaster continued after taking a sip from his coffee,

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the Northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die."

A few people gulped, whilst a girl smiled widely.

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will guard that item, as well as your standing and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"

The blonde boy from earlier raised his hand, "Yea um... Sir?"

But the headmaster shouted out, interrupting the boy, "Good. Now, take your position."

Noir had hardly a moment to register what was said before his platform propelled him forward into the sky, the wind pressing into his face and whipping up his hair whilst his coat seemed to slow him down slightly. He reached into his coat, swearing quietly and pulling out Pitch Beauty and Minuit as he descended at high speeds towards one of the branches of a larger tree. He aimed himself just below the branch, stretching out Pitch Beauty and Minuit and they caught him on the branch, swinging him around it like a Ferris wheel for a moment before he straightened out and flew towards the ground and landing with an almighty THUD in a kneeling position.

His heart was thumping heavily, and he glanced up just to see a streak of yellow go over his head, followed by a streak of purple before he heard a rustling behind him and he turned around with the twins still drawn and pointing at the bushes only to see a pair of red eyes staring back at him.

Noir opened his mouth, revealing his canines and he growled at the red eyed creature and watched as an Ursa emerged from behind the bushes. The large bear like Grimm creature stared at Noir who simply stared back and, clicking a button on the sides of the barrels of both Pitch Beauty and Minuit and flung them up in the air. The pistols began to transform, the barrel splitting down the middle and allowing the 'bayonet' to take its position. The trigger of the guns also retracted back into the weapons.

Pitch Beauty and Minuit now dropped back to Noir, and he slotted his thumb into the area where previously he would have had his trigger finger. Minuit and Pitch Beauty now resembled something similar to a Karambit knives but larger. The magazines for both of them seemed to have moved with the transformation and Noir now stood with Pitch Beauty and Minuit in hands, staring down the Ursa.

It was a few moments of wait, Noir waiting for the aggressive creature to make the first move before he darted forwards instead, bringing to the blade up to slash the creature across the face with the Karambit in his right however the Ursa took the blow, the blade screeching over the hard white mask and scratching through the blood trail design and Noir swore loudly whilst the Ursa appeared to have a wicked animal style grin on its face as it head-butted Noir back and all Noir could do was take the blow by pressing both of Minuit and Pitch Beauty against the mask.

The pair skidded across the clearing, Noir losing ground before he was finally pushed back into a tree. Noir stared into the eyes of the Ursa and two simply stared at one another for a few moments before the Ursa raised itself onto its hind legs, roaring out in pain and Noir could only see a few blue feathers but he took his chance. Letting out a roar of his own, he brought the twins around and slashed two deep gouges across the Ursa's exposed chest leaving two deep gouges before he brought them back around again and jumped onto the Ursa, slashing repeatedly at its chest and leaving deep cuts after deep cuts.

Noir fell back with the Ursa, still slashing repeatedly and mangling its exposed chest and exposing its now motionless organs. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned his head slightly, exposing his canines at the girl with clear light blue eyes who had a bow in her other hand.

She stared calmly into his pitch black eyes, "Hey... are you alright?"

Noir slid off the side of the now mangled corpse of the Ursa, the girl moving to stand next to him whilst resting a hand on his shoulder. His normal pitch black outfit was now splattered with the blood of the Ursa as all Noir could do was brush a few of the loose droplets off and smearing his coat with blood.

"Yes. I was handling it." He replied gruffly, wiping the blades clean on his coat.

"Looks like we're team-mates," The girl stated, looking Noir up and down, "You okay with that, Faunus?"

Noir raised his upper lips, baring his teeth at the girl for a moment before sighing and replacing his snarl with a wolfish grin, "Sure. I'm Noir Chevalier,"

"I'm Rhea Ravenscroft, shall we get moving?"

"Sure."

The two nodded once before setting off at a brisk pace through the forest. The two walked through the forest for a while, hearing the sounds of distant fights and at one point spotting a burst of flame in the distance. The two were so distracted by the burst of flame that they ran head-first into a clearing with two people already standing there. Noir came to a halt with Rhea stopping beside him and stared at the two they were facing.

Two of the boys from yesterday, the one who had tried to touch Indigo and one of his 'friends' also stared back at Noir with evil smiles flashing across their faces.

"Funny we should find you here, mutt,"

Noir clenched his jaw, his fist clenching whilst Rhea looked between the two boys and Noir trying to figure out the connection. As much as Noir valued having a team-mate and the possibility for combo attacks he didn't like the idea of getting his partner into trouble over a couple of racists. However, as he opened his mouth to speak Rhea held out a hand to him and he caught her eyes. She was smiling but the smile slowly turned into a frown as she turned to face the boys,

"You try and do anything here; I guarantee that he'll be the least of your worries..." Her frown slowly becoming a sinister grin as she spotted something behind the boys - the shadows of two figures slowly approaching them.

"Oh really? You let us have the mutt and we'll let ya walk free… unless you're one of his bitches?"

A loud crack echoed throughout the clearing and Noir and Rhea looked on as a girl with golden yellow hair and another with black hair, fading to purple in some places, as they both smashed the two boy's faces into the dirt with one of their hands each planted firmly in the backs of their skulls.

"Orian-Althea KNOCKOUT!" The girls yelled with glee, falling onto the backs of the boys with their knees digging un-forgivably into their backs. The boys didn't get back up, and only twitched violently against the floor as the girls added an extra kick to their sides with another loud CRACK echoing across the clearing causing Noir and Rhea to wince.

The girls now looked up at Noir and Rhea with smiles on their faces before practically blinking across the clearing to them... or more specifically: Noir.

"Hey Noir! You alright?" Indigo asked; beaming at him as the girl next to her was almost fighting to get a good look at Noir. Poor Noir... he was just confused why he wouldn't be alright with all this blood splattering his coat.

However before he could answer the other girl broke in, finally getting a good look at his face,

"So this is the handsome guy you were telling me about? He does look good and strong... mmmmm..."

Noir's face went a bright red in response, stuttering out for a few moments before Indigo slapped the other girl around the back of the head and the two started to bicker. It was Rhea, sighing heavily, who pulled them apart by their hair,

"Play nice... Uh, who are you two?"

The two stopped bickering, turning to look at Rhea with massive smiles on their faces,

"Indigo Althea and..."

"... the beautiful, Orlaith Orian! Who are you?"

"Rhea Ravenscroft," Rhea replied, glancing at Noir who had finally manage to compose himself,

"Noir Chevalier," He added in, still staring at the two girls with a mixture of amusement and shock etched into his features. The two were about to start speaking again but a loud explosion in the distance caught their attention,

"That's in the direction of the ruins!" Indigo shouted, glancing at Orlaith who nodded in return,

"Probably those eight who were having problems... Oh! We need to go get some relics!" Orlaith said, looking at Rhea and Noir for a second before they both nodded in response and the four began sprinting in the direction of the explosion - and the ruins.

They arrived to find quite a few of the pieces already missing, Noir walked up to one of the pedestals and took the Black Knight piece whilst Orlaith was holding the Black queen in one hand and the Black Knight in another... before settling on the Black Knight to match Noir.

Rhea and Noir sweat dropped at this but the four made their way out of the ruin and headed towards the cliff... and just came out of the edge of the forest to see a Nevermore beheaded with a flourish of rose petals by a small red figure. The four just watched for a few moments before hearing a few collective growls behind them and they all turned together to see a pack of Beowolves emerging from the tree line behind them.

*Que the start of From Shadows*

Noir clicked the button the twins, throwing them up in the air and letting them transform back into the pistols before they dropped back down again into his ready hands. Orlaith drew her claymore, which was covered in some very strange patterns ranging from fiery patterns to ones of lightning. Indigo reached her hand into one of her pouches, drawing out three senbon needles whilst she drew a shortsword with her other hand. Finally, Rhea drew out her longbow and reached a hand back to her quiver, pulling at an arrow but not before pressing a button on top of the quiver and there was a soft click as the arrow was fixed with a broad arrow tip.

The four exchanged looks, Noir grinning as he looked at Orlaith, "Orlaith!"

Orlaith nodded, rushing in and swinging her claymore in a wide arc around her. The patterns of lightning on the blade began to glow and bolts of lightning short out at the Beowolves, causing them to scatter for a moment before gathering together and charging but not before Noir had shouted another order, whilst his mind was slowly formulating ideas and plans,

"Indigo, stop them!"

Indigo only nodded once before darting forward as Orlaith ducked in one fluid movement as Indigo launched the senbon needles at the closest Beowolves. They made impact for a moment, bouncing off the 'masks' of the Beowolves before each needle exploded. The result: three headless Beowolves. As this was happening, Indigo had slid in next to Orlaith, as she stood up, and blocked a claw from another member of the pack which snarled at her only to see a flash of yellow as the claymore travelled smoothly through its neck and flung its dismembered head with all of the others.

Noir watched for a second, exchanging a look with Rhea as she picked off two Beowolves, one on either side of the two fighting girls who were currently dealing with a slightly larger member of the pack.

'The average pack size is around ten... let's see, Rhea just took out two, Indigo took out three and then Orlaith took out three... their fighting that one so...'

Noir smelt it before he heard it, pointing both of his pistols to the ground and jumping up whilst firing once or twice to give himself a bit of extra height as the Alpha Beowolf made a swipe for his old position. He would have been ripped to shreds but now he dropped onto its head, curling his legs around its head and shoving both of the pistols onto the back of its head and firing. Blood, bone and brains splattered out through the entry and exit hole as Noir was covered in it. He kept firing until both Minuit and Pitch Beauty had empty clips and only then did he stop... finding himself riding a large Beowolf that had a spinal cord sticking out with no head left.

He looked up; blood bumping and the sweet, metallic smell of blood filling his nostrils. The girls were staring at him as Orlaith scratched the back of her head awkwardly... "Well... that was cool."

The four of them were standing in a line on the stage in the main hall in front of the senior students and other people from their year. There were two large screens seemingly hovering above them showing their images and standing in front of them was Professor Ozpin who was eyeing each of them with a slight smile. Noir had little time to clean and still had flecks of blood smeared into his coat. The four of them were standing next to their partners, and all stood rigid. Noir had taken the time to put his fedora back on to hide a slight grin as he thought about the possibilities.

"Indigo Althea, Noir Chevalier, Orlaith Orian and Rhea Ravenscroft. The four of you retrieved the Black Knight pieces. From this day forward you will work together as Team NOIR. Lead by... Noir Chevalier."

Applause was heard throughout the hall, polite applause that would be repeated throughout the ceremony but it felt good all the same that he'd finally be in a team and... Wait... "Lead by?"

"Congratulations do your sister proud." Ozpin inclined his head to Noir with a slight grin.

* * *

**Hi guys! Hope you enjoyed chapter 2 of 'The Black Knight'!**

**The response I recieved from starting the story was AMAZING and i want to thank all of you for reading, favouriting and following!**

**If any of you have an OC that you'd think would fit in or have an idea please don't hesitate to either PM me or offer it in a review.**

**And as always, thanks for reading.**

**EDIT: Confirmation of Pre-21 check up for this chapter!**

**EDIT EDIT: Pre 26 Edit. Minor spelling mistakes fixed.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Team NOIR

**Chapter 3 - Team NOIR**

Beacon was relatively silent in the early hours of the morning except for the sounds of the birds chirping. The four members of the new Team NOIR were now sleeping soundly in beds spaced evenly across the dorm room. Each member was wearing their pyjamas, even their stalwart leader... his pyjamas turned out to be simply taking off his trench coat and hiding himself underneath the covers. Rhea slept in a light blue nightgown whilst Orlaith slept in a pair of loose golden shorts whilst the only thing covering her chest was a bra.

Noir, the poor sod, was very unsettled by the fact that Orlaith wore so little to bed and it felt like she was even trying to catch his eyes before climbing into bed the previous night. Noir however had pushed his bed up against the corner and slept like a rock throughout the entire night... that was until there was the loud sound of a whistle coming from down the hallway and he was jerked from his sleep along with the others members of the team; who all shot him deadly looks,

"Why are you waking us up so early?!" Shouted Orlaith; jumping to the assumption that Noir, with his new found leader capabilities, had taken it upon himself to wake them up early.

However she soon flinched away as she saw the state of their leader as he slowly turned to look at them... Noir looked dead. Almost like a corpse with pale skin and his hair seemed to cling to his face like it was trying to hide the fact he looked more like a ghoul then a human. 'This is the definition of not a morning person' all of the girls thought. They continued to stare at their 'dead' leader for a few moments before Noir yawned widely, exposing his larger-then-normal canines and shooting them all a look of great irritation at being awoken at such a time and Rhea, who's bed was the one closest to his, felt a wave of killing intent hit her which was soon felt by the other girls in the room.

Noir felt like he looked. Dead. The last person who woke him up at such an early hour ended up the same way but for a completely different reason... he sighed heavily. May as well make the most of it, "Right you lot, let's get up and at 'em... unpack your stuff and we'll head to class." The others simply nodded, reaching for their backpacks and briefcases and beginning to unpack. The girls decided that they'd share a dresser and wardrobe whilst Noir would get one to himself not because he was their leader but because they didn't like the idea of their leader seeing what they wore underneath their clothing. Noir just shrugged and unpacked what little he had brought with him - A toothbrush and a spare set of clothing which was identical to the ones he was wearing now alongside a more casual outfit for the times they wouldn't be training or in classes. He had also brought a book along with him, slotting it into the almost filled bookshelf alongside Rhea and Indigo's library of books that they'd brought with them. Whilst their books ranged from training books, (Archery and Dust, A dummies guide) to 'romance' (Icha Icha Paradise) Noir's book appeared out of place among them all. The book itself was large, bound in leather and bore the title 'The Beast within' with a black bookmark poking out around the beginning of the book.

It wasn't long before the room had a homey touch to it. A full bookshelf, beds that now had pillows corresponding to the colour of its occupant. Noir had also hooked a line between the space next to his bed and the wall and attached a curtain to it, giving himself some privacy. 'They might not mind, but i'd rather keep Orlaith's eyes away from my naked body...'

Noir sighed to himself, before reaching into the dresser and pulling out the school uniform and laying it on his bed as he peeled away at his own clothes before replacing it with the school uniform. A black coloured suit lined with gold with a blue vest and white shirt with a red tie... it felt weird. Noir pulled slightly at the collar feeling like it as trying to crush his neck before shrugging, making his way over to the curtain but pausing as he saw his trench coat lying on his bed alongside the holsters... sighing before grabbing the holsters and sliding them over his arms and loading them with Pitch Beauty and Minuit. He also took a moment to slide on his now clean trench coat and grabbing his fedora from the top of his dresser and placing it onto his head.

Noir took his newly acquired 'scroll', sliding it open and seeing that they have a class today at 9:00... it was 8:30. They had enough time to get there at their own pace. It was at that moment that he noticed... his heart rate had sped up and he could hear his heart pounding in his ears. It took a few moments to calm himself down before he pushed past the curtain, sliding the scroll shut and storing it within his coat.

The girls were also changed and all of them wearing the same red plaid skirt with a brown jacket and a tan vest with white shirt. Rhea and Indigo were also wearing long stockings whilst Orlaith's legs were bare. They all turned to look at him, the team taking a moment to exchange a smile and an odd feeling being sent through Noir reaching his heart first... an odd warmth. Strange, he only felt that around his sister... a sense of security, protection... trust.

"Beacon to Noir, come in Noir."

He snapped out of his thoughts, his eyes re-adjusting and realized that they had been trained on the girls who were all blushing; except Orlaith who just flashed him a cheeky wink. "Hmph... I'm alright. We have a lesson today at 9:00 with Professor Port then another lesson with Professor Peach at 12:00."

The girls all nodded in response, raising their hands together and yelling, "Banzai!" and following Noir out of the room at a brisk pace.

They arrived at the classroom, finding it close to empty with only the Professor at the front going through his notes and pinning different images of Grimm to the front. "Ah! My good fellows, welcome to your first lesson at Beacon! You all must have been eager to arrive so early, I can guarantee that your eagerness shall be rewarded!"

The four nodded in response, Noir leading the way to the corner of the classroom and taking a seat in the very corner and sitting in initial order.  
(In other words, Noir, Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea).

Noir took out a pen and paper from seemingly nowhere before offering some more sheets down the row. The girls accepted the sheets and waited for the lesson to begin.

"Monsters. Deeeemons. Prowlers of the Night. Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names but I merely refer to them as prey. Haha!"

The classroom was silent except for the sound of a girl on the front row waking up from a 'Mid-lesson nap'. *Cricket noise*

"Ahaha... And you shall too upon graduating from this prestigious academy. Now as I was saying: Vale, as well as the other three kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world. Our planet is absolutely teeming with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces. And that's where we come in - Huntsmen! Huntresses," The Professor took a moment to click at the blonde haired, purple eyed girl at the front as she rolled her eyes awkwardly in response and looked to her left.

"Individuals that have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves. From what you ask? Why... from the very world!"

"Eyyyy yea!" Came the call of a boy sitting on the second to last row, on the other side to NOIR.

"That is what you're training to become! But first... a story... A tale of a young handsome man. me. When I was a boy... Blaahh.. blah..."

The words began to melt together and Noir felt his head droop forwards from lack of sleep, causing his fedora to nearly fall off of his head.

"Despite smelling of cabbages my grandfather was a wise man. Peter he told me... Blah.. blah... blah blah blah..."

Noir glanced at his team-mates, Rhea was only half-heartily making notes whilst Indigo was only doodling pictures of possible new additions to her senbon arsenal. Orlaith had given up entirely and had her head on her arms and was just staring into space and sparing glances for the girls on the front row,  
two of whom were sniggering at something the girl on the left was showing the others...

The Professor cleared his throat, catching all of their attention before he continued, "But in the end, the Beowolf was no match for my sheer tenacity and I returned to my village with the beast in captivity and my head held high. Celebrated as a hero." The Professor then took a bow before adding, "The moral of the story... a true Huntsman must be honourable. A true Huntsman must be dependable. A true Huntsman must be strategic, well-educated and wise. So who among you believes them self to be the embodiment of these traits?"

The only girl on the front row who hadn't been laughing earlier stood up with her hand raised high, pale white hair tied back in a ponytail and a scar over  
her eye, "I do, Sir!"

"Well then... step forward and face your opponent." The Professor said, gesturing to a cage on his right that that contained a pair of glowing red  
eyes.

However, there was a soft thud and Noir's head hit the table. He had fallen asleep.

* * *

Noir was standing in a street walking down it with his team-mates... his friends. The three girls were chatting away about their most recent training exercise,

"I still say that the Ruby girl is a bit too young to be attending Beacon," Rhea was saying.

"Well, Professor Ozpin must have had his reasons. After all, some people are ready sooner than others after all she's only two years younger. Hey, Noir! What's your opinion on her?" Indigo asked, poking him in the back between the shoulder blades.

Noir chuckled lightly as they all walked casually down the endless street passing different shops as they did, "She's small, cute and has is a good fighter from what's we've heard. I wouldn't put it past her to surprise everyone further down the line. Plus their team has good chemistry," They passed a book-store and Noir spared a glance for the empty covers on display before continuing on down the road,

"Yea... so what about the girl with your 'style'?" Orlaith asked, grinning evilly whilst Noir stopped and let out a hacking cough like he had something caught in  
his throat whilst a slight blush appeared on his cheeks.

"She has her own style... besides, it's not like black is -my- colour. That and she has a symbol whilst I don't - yet."

But then all of the girls opened their mouths at once and began yelling at him, "Noir! Wake up Noir!"

Noir slowly opened his eyes, glancing around and noticing the class had ended. The girl in white from earlier was practically storming out of the classroom and the rest of her team sat in silence whilst everyone else soon began to pack away. Glancing now to his left he saw Orlaith and the other two already with their stuff assembled and ready to go, "Come on, we've got a few hours until Professor Peach's lesson and we're heading back to the room so we can do some weapon maintenance," Rhea told him, offering him a sympathetic smile. Noir just grunted, grabbing the pen and paper he had used for a makeshift pillow and storing them in his trench coat before pulling himself to his feet and following the girls out of the classroom... sparing a glance for the flash of red that almost barrelled into them in pursuit of the other girl.

Noir paused a moment as they entered the dorm building, spotting the other two members of Team RWBY leaving the building. The one in black smelt... odd. Kind of natural. But he shrugged it off, glancing at her bow... 'No ears' he thought to himself.

"Hey! Noir! We're waiting for you!" Noir looked forward again as two different hands reached out from within the dorm building and clenched the sides of his trench coat: pulling him in.

* * *

"Mr Chevalier vs Miss Rose."

It was a week later; Noir's sleeping habits were giving the girls plenty of sleep with the downside of being late for some of their classes. Whilst on the flip side the girls would wake him up at a 'reasonable' time in the calmest way possible however that didn't stop him from sleeping with Minuit and Pitch Beauty under his pillow. And now they were in Miss Goodwitch's class, practising... they'd already been watching a few fights and they'd been pretty interesting so far. After Noir's fight would be Jaune vs Cardin, however his thoughts digressed as he ascended to the stage with the small girl already waiting on the other side practically bouncing in anticipation.

Noir finally made it to his position, reaching into his coat and drawing out Minuit and Pitch Beauty. Ruby's eyes widened and she took on her chibi form, gasping loudly and pointing her finger at the twins, "OOOOOOOH! Those are collapsible Karambits! They're designed to be able to switch between close quarter and short to medium range combat with the push of a button whilst the only downside being you have to throw them up in the air to let them change or the moving parts would surely cut off a finger!"

Noir's mouth was open, as were a few other people as Ruby stood their shyly drawing out what appeared to be a collapsible sniper rifle... that was until a massive scythe blade came out of the end and the weapon revealed its true size and scope, "I'm kind of a dork when it comes to weapons, this is Crescent Rose! What do you call yours?"

Noir's mouth was still hanging open, managing to clear his throat before another voice interrupted, "If you two don't mind, can we get this match under way?" It was Professor Goodwitch.

Noir nodded once, does as Ruby said and clicking the button on the sides of each pistol before throwing them up into the air. However, just as he caught them he was forced to bring them around to his front as the blade of a scythe almost caught him the midriff. The screeching of his blades against the scythe blade caught people around the room to have shivers running down his spine. He managed to push away a moment, hoping backwards to the very back of the stage and assuming fighting style where both of his legs were spaced apart whilst his blades were positioned in front of him with one above the other.

Noir however soon felt the rush of wind and smelt her before he saw her, sticking out his karambits at a random angle and only just catching the very edge of the scythe as it was aimed for his legs. 'She doesn't play fair...' he thought, pushing back against the blade and finding something quite interesting. Ruby was attacking a high speed - that was her semblance, however she had enough strength to carry that scythe but not treat it like a weapon to stay in a battle with. All of her attacks are 'charge' attacks.

There was a lapse in pressure before an increase and Ruby used Noir to propel herself backwards before darting back in a shower of rose petals bringing her scythe down aimed at his head. Noir brought up Minuit and Black Beauty against, catching the middle of the scythe blade whilst the very tip hovered dangerously over his head before bumping against his aura. Letting out a soft growl, Noir moved one of his blades from the scythe and brought it around to slash against Ruby's chest. Naturally Ruby threw herself out of the way of the blow, pulling her scythe with her... and Noir. The two toppled to the floor whilst Noir was too busy trying to avoid hitting Ruby with the twins as they fell.

There a few moments silence and Noir blinked a few times, his head full of possible scenarios of losing the match or being found in a ridiculous position... the latter was correct. He looked down onto the closed eye lids of Ruby Rose, and realized they were on the floor... together... on the floor. There was silence throughout the room even as Noir blushed heavily and stood up. Lucky for Ruby, she hadn't opened her eyes yet or else she'd have spotted an embarrassed Noir who was now receiving death glares from Yang and the other members of Team NOIR.

"This match is a tie and I must say, if you are to resort to such things on the battlefield, Mr Chevalier... you obviously aren't doing enough of it in other places. Next match, Mr Arc vs Mr Winchester."

He quickly made his way off the stage, heading for the back where the three girls waited for him... and were staring dagger into him. Their stares looked like that each of them were trying to stab him repeatedly with blunt knives. He took his position on the end of the row.

Noir watched the match, not hearing the words exchanged between the two as the sounds of weapons clashing echoed throughout the hall as everyone watched. However his three female team-mates were staring daggers at him and it was hard to concentrate on watching how Cardin was pummelling Arc into the ground when you had three trained and deadly girls staring intently at you.

By the time the match ended, Noir had tilted his fedora down to cover his eyes so he could at least pretend they weren't staring daggers at him. He lead the way out of the building, through the gardens and to the dorm whilst avoiding their stares and by the time they entered the room and Noir had hid behind the curtain the girls were finally chatting normally. That was until there was a knock at the door and it opened to reveal a girl standing there with peach coloured hair whilst her outfit was the school uniform. She had a good natured face and was smiling at Rhea, who had answered the door.

"Hey there, is this Team NOIR's room?" She asked, smiling at Rhea.

"Indeed it is... who's asking?" Rhea replied cautiously before being pulled back by Indigo who almost threw her into her bed,

"Come on in Miss, Rhea don't be so rude!" Indigo almost shouted, smiling at the girl warmly. The girl smiled at them, her pink eyes glinting in the light coming in through the window. Her hair was short and only just managed to cover her ears and made her head look like a peach with only the front side of her head visible and there were a few freckles scattered around her face.

"Hello, my name's Peach. I'm the leader of Team PURE," Peach inclined her head to the three, who smiled in return before Peach continued; looking around the room and spotting the curtain. "Is Noir here?"

Immediately Indigo and Orlaith leaned forward, eyeing her suspiciously whilst Rhea simply nodded in answer, "He's behind the curtain."

"No. He's behind you." Rhea jumped forward into Peach's arms, looking back and seeing Noir wearing his combat clothing. His coat was slightly parted down the centre making his gilet clearer and their gruff leader removed his fedora as he inclined his head to Peach.

"Noir Chevalier, leader of Team NOIR... if this lot don't kill me first." He added the last part as an afterthought, Indigo and Orlaith rolling their eyes whilst Rhea climbed out of Peach's arms and blushing.

"So, what do ya need, Peach?" Noir asked, eyeing the tall girl with curiosity. She was just as tall as him... hmph.

"I just came over to introduce myself and the rest of my Team. We're just of the other side of the hall however... the others like to use nicknames. So.. Ehem... The one who likes green stuff - he's 'Lucifer'. The girl who looks like a Raspberry is called 'Moss' and Endive likes to think he's an Angel." Peach replied, tilting her head and smiling at Noir whilst he simply nodded and registered the nicknames.

"So, what's 'Lucifer's' real name?" Noir asked casually, raising an eyebrow curiously.

Peach blushed heavily, sighing and looking at the floor silently cursing Grimm for drawing the short straw... "His real name is... Ugli. Ugli Virgil."

There was silence in the room in response, Noir eyeing Peach like she had just stated a normal name and he noticed her eyes filled with hope for a moment before she turned to look at the others who all had pillows shoved in their faces and the odd sounds of choked laughter coming from them.

Peach shook her head, sighing again, "That's why they prefer to use nicknames... they don't like the idea of using their real names,"

"Berry-good" Indigo stated, a smile creeping onto her lips.

"At least she got right to the core of that," Orlaith added, the two girls pressing their heads back into their pillows and the muffled sounds of laughter could be heard.

"You two, stop. I'm having 'nana that." Rhea added, and the girls had their heads pushed back into their pillows by an embarrassed Noir who grabbed all three girls in a tight arm lock whilst smiling reassuringly at Peach.

"Don't ya worry about these three, sometimes they get a little thick in the head and loose on the lips,"

Peach nodded, her eyes glinting again as she appeared to have a small tear gathering on the side of her eye. Noir noticed this, squeezing the girls in his lock tighter before adding hurriedly,

"Why don't we all sit together at meals from now on? I'm sure you won't mind getting closer to these THREEEEE," Noir tightening his grip even further on the girls with the 'three', and Rhea's face was the first one to start turning blue from lack of oxygen.

Noir's eyes pleaded with Peach and she just smiled at him, the single tear almost vanishing after a moment and she nodded before turning on her heels and giving a parting wave before leaving the room whilst closing the door behind her.

Noir let go of the three girls, staring daggers into each of them like they had been staring at him earlier. They did the decency of shrinking away from the sight before he sighed, scratching the back of his head and turning around to the curtain again, "We're free for the rest of the day... try to stay out of trouble. If any of you want a spar, I'll be in alone time..."

"What's alone time?" Indigo asked as Noir disappeared behind the curtain.

"Hey, Indigo... what happens in alone time. Stays in alone time."

Behind the curtain in 'alone time' Noir had already brought out his scroll and begun to go through the list of students apart of Team PURE.

Four pictures popped up, showing him the identities of PURE. Peach's picture was there however with her lower face masked by a thick pink scarf whilst her upper body only showed a pink two toned padded gilet with the lower part being a very light yellow. Ugli on the other hand was wearing a green cloak that stretched all the way around his body whilst his face showed he had green hair with strands fading to orange. Indeed... he did look Ugli. Not his face, however, he looked fit and like he had taken a beating. Raspberry's image popped up and Noir had to give it to Peach... she looked like a Raspberry. Her hair was a deep, blood red with the ends a very dim purple. It went all of the way around her head, shrouding her eyes from the picture whilst the top of her clothing revealed a simple red tank-top which looked tight on her. The last image popped up and Noir was immediately disgusted... this man... he was too clean. Everything about Endive 'Angel' Cob's image was clean. He wore armour which was more a kin to plate armour then anything Noir had ever seen even thicker and bulkier then Jaune's armour. What was worse... it was pale white with edges fading to yellow.

Noir sighed heavily, setting down the scroll on the corner of his bed whilst hearing the muffled sounds of the girls chatting beyond the curtain. He was tempted to go back to sleep, the black pillow beckoning for him to relax but they had dinner later and it would be best to attend with Team PURE. It'd be interesting, that was for sure.

A few hours later, Noir was sat with the rest of his team in the corner of the dining hall on 'their' table. They were all dressed in their school uniforms seeing as they were attending dinner and didn't have a combat class next Noir determined it'd be best and then he spotted her. Peach entered the dining hall, looking to the corners of the hall before spotting Noir and offering him a small wave before making her way over to him. She and her squad-mates were all wearing the academy uniform whilst Peach however wore her scarf around her neck not quite covering her lower lip.. He returned the wave and watched as three people trailed behind him... Ugli... the green had a certain flare to it... Raspberry looked like she belonged in a bloody salad and 'Angel' had his head held high with a pompous air about him. Waves of 'I'm better then you' radiated from him and the waves intensified as they reached the table, Peach taking the empty seat opposite Noir and the others following suit. Orlaith eyed Ugli whilst Indigo offered Raspberry a wide smile and the two became fast friends... at the end of the lines though the sparks were already flying.

"Oh, greetings Mi-lady. It is an honour to make the acquaintance of such a beautiful young woman, such as you," Angel said, doing a small bow to Rhea who looked like she was either going to blush or start gagging and she waved it off half-heartedly...

"Oh please uh... good man. It's not that big of an honour,"

"Indeed, it must be an even bigger honour for you to meet such a well-known individual such as myself - perhaps you'd like an autograph?"

Silence. Rhea stared at Angel with her eyes burning with something far greater than anger and it took a soothing pat on the shoulder... and that pat to become a headlock to stop her from lunging over the table and throttling 'Angel'. Whilst Indigo was holding back a seething Rhea, Noir had turned to Peach and offered her a smile, "So... what piece did you guys get?"

"The black pawn, it was good enough at the time... hey, how old are you guys?" Peach asked in return, eyeing each of them curiously.

"We're all seventeen, why?"

"Well I've heard a few rumours about the head of team RWBY that she's 15. Surely the Professor wouldn't let someone like that into Beacon?" Peach drew her eyes away from Noir, searching the hall and spotting the table with Teams RWBY and JNPR sat at it... they appeared to be 'interrogating' Jaune about something. Noir also followed her gaze, spotting something else which caused his fist to clench.

"Well, she's the real deal alright. I did a spar against her and bloody hell was she fast-" But Noir's voice faded away as his eyes fixed on something in the hall, Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea catching his sudden silence and following his gaze; each of them becoming silent.

"What?" Peach asked, turning around and following the same direction and spotting the edge of an ear disappear around the door... a brown bunny ear? Turning back Noir she only hear the scrapping of the bench and felt the whip of air conjured up as Noir practically teleported across the hall and after the figure. "What's up with him?" Peach asked, looking between the different members of Noir who exchanged their own looks between one another before collectively sighing. Even the irritated Rhea cooled down at the sight, choosing to respond,

"Noir Chevalier is a Faunus. His characteristics are hidden well because they are subtle differences. If any of you have noticed he has thick black hair, thick sideburns and canines which resemble fangs more than normal teeth,"

Silence claimed the table before Peach shrugged, "So? Doesn't make him any less him. But that doesn't explain why he..."

"Didn't you see it? Cardin Winchester was bullying that Faunus again," Indigo piped in as well,

"But what does that have to do with..."

"Noir takes matters to do with... his 'own' kind seriously. Previously he did go after Miss Scarlatina but never found her. Discrimination against another Faunus... he takes it very seriously." The group was silent, even the pompous and upstart Angel had shut his mouth after a warning look from Raspberry.

They all wondered what the Black Knight must have been doing.

Noir's legs moved before he even registered it and had already brought him to the door and almost throwing himself out of it, looking out of the door peeking right then left seeing a glimpse of a brown ear before chasing after it. This continued down a few corridors until finally they reached the garden and he finally caught up to her... sitting on a bench and sobbing quietly into her hands.

Noir's mind was rushed with sympathy, then anger for Cardin wanting nothing more than to slam Pitch Beauty so far up his ass he'd be able to work him like a puppet. But now his thoughts returned to the quietly sobbing Faunus before him, so he decided to slowly choose his steps and walk towards her,

"Miss Scarlatina?"

Velvet brought her face out of her hands, tears rolling down her face and fear evident in her eyes already but Noir rose his hands whilst also raising his 'hackles' and showing his pointed teeth,

"You've got nothing to be afraid of from me, Miss Scarlatina... I'm just like you,"

Velvet's eyes continued to moisten and glisten with tears but she nodded once, scooting to the very corner of the bench as Noir came level with her and offered her a gloved hand, his mind was racing with thoughts of trying to help her or soothing the pain but instead all he could do was gently take her hand and squeeze,

"You're not alone. I'm Noir Chevalier,"

Velvet stared into his pitch black eyes for a few moments just as he reached a hand up, opening his eyes as wide as possible before removing two black contact lenses revealing black eyes beneath with an even darker shade of the night towards the centre... his eyes looked like that of a dog.

"Velvet Scarlatina..." she managed to squeak out, dropping her gaze again but Noir leaned in with a smile and took one of her hands and squeezing gently before standing up and letting go... she had soft hands. Feeling a part of the softness through his fingertips was enough for him to know that she must be soft... fragile. But effective all the same.

"If you ever need me, Velvet. Or if you ever want anyone to talk to... come to team NOIR's room or come sit with us at lunch."

And with that, Noir Chevalier gave her a small bow before turning on his heels and walking towards the dorm building... Velvet stared after him, her eyes still moist yet with no more tears coming out. 'You're not alone.'

Alone. Were any of them truly alone? Or was everyone locked in their own versions of reality where they were the hero and others were the beasts...

* * *

**Phewww, spending my free periods typing this up and I feel like I've accomplished something today! Here it is folks, Chapter 3 of the Black Knight. Now next chapter I plan to continue along the given path (Skipping Jaundeice Part II) and Forever Fall (I thought it'd be a bit Overpowering to have my characters know about the whole 'Jaune' incident SO! Therefore I'm going to get straight into my own part which takes place at the same time. You'll enjoy this surprise my readers and thank you all for your support, OCs and Love... Mostly the love though!**

**Also, send me a PM with ideas for Team NOIRs 'Semblances' the first vote for shall be the tragic leader... Noir! Vote, recommend or add in your review what you think the Black Knight's Semblance should be!**

**Love you all!**

**- xxAristotlexxx**

**REMINDER - I DON'T OWN RWBY or ROOSTERTEETH. However I claim my OCs because I mean... who doesn't want these sexy devils?**

**EDIT: Confirmation of Pre-21 check up for this chapter!**

**EDIT EDIT: 25 edit. Minor spelling mistakes.**


	4. Chapter 4 - Ravens and Wolves

**Chapter 4 - Ravens and Wolves**

It was another day at Beacon academy and team Noir awoke to the sounds of their leader... something had to be wrong. Noir stood already clothed and ready in his combat uniform whilst humming a pleasant tune, (The tune, if you're curious is 'No one' By Trocadero). The girls all moaned, pulling back at the covers before realizing -who- was waking them up,

"I thought we had an arrangement, Noir... we don't wake you up until nine and you let us sleep for as long as we want," Orlaith replied, pulling the covers back over herself and moaning into her pillow as Noir just tugged back.

"Come on you lot, I'm expecting someone to come calling today and I want her to see my frien- Ahem... I mean... my team at its best." That instantly caught all of their attention, even Rhea's brow twitched... if Noir was getting up early for a girl then she must be pretty important. Naturally though, Indigo and Orlaith practically pounced on the topic,

"Who's this girl?" Orlaith asked, turning her head slightly so her voice wasn't muffled by the pillow yet still refusing to get out of bed. Rhea was slowly climbing out of bed and stretching whilst Indigo was slowly pushing back the duvet.

"She's a woman. And, as a matter of fact, she's the most important woman in my entire life," Noir replied, eyeing his three team-mates for a moment before shooting them all a playful wink which only Rhea saw but then he continued, "Whilst you three are the most important girls in my life so come on! Up and at em! I'll get down to the dining hall and save you lot some breakfast!" And with that, Noir walked out of the room and they could hear him as he strode down the corridor singing the words of the song,

"Her name is no-one, no-one..." But his voice slowly died away the further he got... however unbeknownst to them he paused in his stride as he heard the yelling of Orlaith who had checked her scroll...

"BY RHEA'S PETITE BREASTS! IT'S SIX O'CLOCK IN THE BLESSED AM!" the sound of a fist connecting with a jaw then echoed throughout the dorm but Noir just chuckled quietly, passing the door of Team RWBY but pausing as the door slowly crept open and a dishevelled looking Ruby poked her head through,

"Is everything," She paused, yawning into her hand, "... alright?"

Noir just nodded, smiling at Ruby and even going as far to give her a good morning hug, "Yep! Everything's fine, have a good field trip today, Ruby!" And with that, he practically skipped down the corridor. Now, even the young Huntress in training was worried... but she shrugged it off, 'Must be a boy thing... hold on a moment, he touched me... ewwww...'

Noir himself was full of joy from his toes to his head and it reflected in his overall appearance. He wasn't wearing his fedora or lens, revealing his real eyes and indeed he looked more handsome for it... but then again today anything could have happened and he wouldn't have cared. Anything ranging from a fifty page assignment on Human racism to Indigo falling down a well and he even chuckled quietly at the latter.

His quickened stride brought him to the dining hall to find it empty. Devoid of life. With only a few of the cooks scattered around the room laying out the breakfast dishes for the day. The food was laid out early but preserved using Dust, the use of it being complicated and even Noir couldn't understand completely how it worked but... it worked. He didn't question it.

Moving past the empty tables and finding a seat at the usual corner table, he pulled a plate of bacon closer towards him and began to munch on the pieces slowly. The bacon wasn't crispy bacon, ohhh no... It was soft yet with certain strength to it making it incredibly satisfying to bite into even as the bacon began to dance across his taste buds before he decided to mix things up a little. Grabbing a scrambled egg from the side and wrapping it in some slices of bacon he practically wolfed the Egg-bacon roll down faster than a flock of vultures peck clean a carcass. Taking a few moments to savour the mixed tastes, Noir began to think about preparations for the happiest day of the year - for every year. Every year, his sister would come to him where ever he was and wish him a happy birthday in advance knowing that she wouldn't be there due to her occupation as a Huntress. His sister... she was beautiful. Eyes like a cat, hair just as long as his but looking like each strand could cure any illness whilst also holding up the world. She always took time away to see him, no matter what and last year she had promised to see him WHEN he got into Beacon. 'Have no fear, my little Puppy' she had said, ruffling his hair affectionately, 'I'll always come and see you, even if it kills me. You could have been taken into death's house and I'd still bang on the door until they let me see you.'

The words had stuck in his mind and continued to throughout his final year at Signal, even acting a so called 'Beacon' for him to follow. He pulled out his 'scroll', bringing it apart and pressing a few buttons until he was connected to the members of Team NOIR, "Ladies: the food's fresh. Anytime you'd like to come down... within the next twenty minutes. Chop chop." Sliding it shut again and storing it in his trench coat he paused a moment to imagine the look on his sister's face when she saw him with his own team full of girls. Full of girls. Full of friends. Friends. The word echoed around his mind like a fog horn for a few moments causing him to shake his head to regain his senses, 'I like all of them, they're like... well... they are people I'd die for.' However Noir was wrenched un-kindly from his thoughts as the realization struck him, "Maybe they'll want to celebrate my -Birthday-"

"Who's birthday?" A voice asked from behind him and a few seconds later Indigo appeared at his side whilst Rhea and Orlaith took positions on the other side of the table whilst staring tiredly at him. Honestly, if you could kill someone just by glaring at them Noir would be hung, drawn and quartered by now.

"Nobody's," Noir replied quickly, winking at Indigo who simply smiled kindly in response. The girls immediately all reached for the coffee which was already hot and boiled, each of them taking an extra-extra-large mug and adding three lumps of sugar each. All of them seemed to take a sip at the same time, sighing happily.

"So, our revered leader... what made you think it was a good idea to wake us up at Rhea's breast size O'clock?" Orlaith asked, Rhea shooting Orlaith a death glare worthy of Noir's death glare in the morning.

"Well, I have a special visitor coming - My sister. I wanted you all to know and... Well... just be ready overall,"

Orlaith spat out some of the coffee she had just taken a large gulp from, ignoring the heat. The coffee sprayed into the air with flecks of it landing on Noir's face and coat which he just wiped off with his gloved hand. Orlaith wiped her mouth clean, setting the mug down and staring at Noir, "You have a sister? A living, breathing person who can honestly say that they're related to you?"

"Yes Orlaith... why?"

Orlaith blushed slightly but Rhea piped in, a devious grin planted on her face, "Orlaith was under the impression that your 'Emo' attire was due to your lack of family or some tragic back-story. She completely ignored our insistence that you weren't some prat who put on black nail polish and went around talking about suicide,"

Noir just stared at Orlaith for a few moments before shrugging, "That's another thing, do you think black would look good on my nails?"

Rhea and Indigo both laughed, both being wise enough to not take a mouthful after Orlaith had sprayed her's over Noir. Coffee was like gold but drinkable and worth more too sleepy person then water was to a man dying of dehydration. The sound of the laughter echoed around the empty hall but it soon died down as Orlaith asked another question, "So why this time of year?"

Rhea and Indigo both looked at Noir questioningly, the same question had in fact been manifesting in both of their minds. Noir hesitated a moment before just shrugging, "Lucky week."

"Wait, wait... if your sister IS coming then why are we waking up around the time Rh- I mean..." Orlaith slowly broke off towards the end, looking at Rhea who had a dark look on her face as she cracked her knuckles.

"My sister comes early since she works every day of the year. That's just how we managed to work it so she'll probably be here around nine and luckily we have no lessons today since the lesson with Professor Goodwitch was cancelled since she's taking Professor Peach's class into the Forest of Forever fall. Luckily we have that trip tomorrow with Team PURE and SEDA," They all exchanged a few looks and chose to eat in silence for a few minutes.

After about thirty minutes all three of the girls had finished drinking their extra-extra-large coffee mugs Noir insisted that all of them head back to the room and wait.

They walked back at a relatively slow pace with Noir taking the lead but even he understood that it was too early in the morning to expect a high degree of life out of the girls and the moment they reached their room again and entered all three of them took to doing something to occupy the time. Indigo took her 'romance' book from the shelf, sat down and started reading it on her bed whilst her cheeks slowly grew redder. Rhea took her book on Archery and Dust, opening it up to the section, 'How not to miss and blow off an arm' and beginning to read. Finally Orlaith simply just threw herself back into bed and fell back asleep.

Noir went behind the curtain, drawing out Pitch Beauty and began spit polishing her with the safety on. One hour... two hours... time seemed to drag along this early but it already hit nine o'clock and they could hear the other squads in nearby rooms slowly awakening. Noir could only spit on Pitch Beauty so many times before sighing, drawing out Minuit and beginning the same process.

He felt a breath of air tickle the back of his neck but paid it no mind. That was until he felt someone poke his shoulder... but he was sitting on his bed who could... he glanced around to see a woman with long black hair wearing almost the same outfit as him right down to the combat boots except she wore goggles, "Hey Puppy,"

Noir took a deep breath, setting Minuit down on the bed before he literally threw himself at his sister; right into her waiting arms. Her cat like eyes softened at the sight and she caught her brother, the feeling of warmth and security knowing he was safe and well returning to her and she pulled him in even tighter. The two just hugged for a minute only the sounds of rugged breathing filled the curtained off area before Noir removed his head from his sister's bust, "How'd you get past them?"

His sister just grinned, scratching the back of her head awkwardly, "Your team-mates were about as alert as a sloth when I climbed in through the window. Which one's the leader? Blue? She looks like the type..."

His sister trailed off as Noir blushed slightly, "Actually... I'm the leader,"

Noir watched the expression on his sister's face soften and she smiled widely at him displaying two sharp canines like his own, "Oooo, I'm so proud of my little brother,"

He just blushed in response but stopped blushing as she rubbed his head affectionately, "So ya gonna introduce me to them?"

Noir nodded once, finally releasing his sister and parting the curtain to see Rhea and Indigo still reading their books. Indigo now resembled a deep shade of maroon probably from what she had been reading. Orlaith was showing signs of life as Noir cleared his throat and catching their attention, "Ladies... meet Raven Chevalier. My sister."

Rhea and Indigo stared at the beautiful woman standing next to Noir... they looked like carbon copies of one another except notable sexual differences and whilst Noir wore no emblem anywhere his sister had an emblem in circles on her shoulders of a raven chasing another raven as that raven chased it in a circle. Whilst his sister's face was visually feminine with soft looking skin but with the odd scar Noir had the bandage practically glued to his face whilst he wasn't wearing a pair of black goggles. In fact, the goggles his sister was wearing now... he had given them to her at a young age on one of the days she returned and wasn't too happy with herself for something.

"Nice to meet you Raven! Noir didn't mention any family until earlier so we didn't have a long time to prepare," Indigo replied, giving one of her natural bright smiles to Raven who just returned with the same.

"It's quite alright, my little brother can have moments when he forgets to tell people thing so if you need to find anything out from him always ask directly. Best way to get an answer from him," Raven smiled down at her little brother, rubbing his head affectionately again and Noir just grinned wolfishly.

"I'm Indigo Althea, this is Rhea Ravenscroft and the sleepy head over there is Orlaith Orian." Indigo pointed to each of them in turn whilst Raven digested the names, shooting Rhea a small wink probably due to their familiar names.

"So how long will you be staying?" Rhea asked, eyeing Raven up and down and spotting the edge of a pommel sticking out from beneath her coat.

"Not long, just came here to say hi give my little bro birthday wishes for two days ti-" But Raven was cut off as a hand flew over her mouth. Noir's. Noir had a serious look on his face whilst shooting his sister a pleading look but she grinned evilly at him from behind the hand, moving it away, "- birthday wishes for two days' time. I take it he hasn't told you?"

The room fell silent as all of the girls, including Orlaith who had finally manage to bring herself out of bed, as all of their gazes slowly moved to stare at Noir before mischievous grins took hold of their faces. "Oh reallllyy?" They all said together.

Noir sighed heavily as he received a playful punch from his sister, "Now... I've gotta be off Pup, be good and make sure you're ready for me next time?"

Noir glanced at his sister nodding before he was enveloped in a tight hug, staying like that for a few minutes before Raven let go with a sad smile planted on her lips, "Remember you aren't alone, Noir." And with those last few words she brought her cloak up and made it flourish around her and as it did she seemed to disappear within a flock of ravens which flew out the window.

The room was silent for a few moments before Orlaith turned to look at Noir, "So... your birthday."

"Don't even think about it." Noir replied, shooting them all a sadistic look before retreating back behind the curtain. The moment it dropped back behind him he immediately dived at his bed landing on the soft sheets and a large bump in his stomach. Lifting himself up slightly he spotted a folded pitch black trench coat with a note on top. Lazily reaching down he took the note from the top and reading it,

'It's time for the puppy to become a wolf or dog or whatever you think you are! You aren't alone, and you have something for people to recognise you by now...'

Pulling out the trench coat, unfolding it and hanging it in front of himself and seeing it. On each of the shoulder pads was the image of a silver moon behind a white shield... and on the shield was a dire wolf howling. Glancing back at the bed he spotted a belt with the same emblem as the buckle accompanied a pair of gloves with the emblems emblazoned on their palms.

The door to their room banged open, Noir raising his head as he heard Peach's voice, "Hey! Angel's stuck in the Emerald forest after he made a bet with one of those SEDA nut-jobs! He's surrounded and holding out!"

Noir paused, pulling off his trench coat and listening to Peach's laboured breaths and the smell of sweat infiltrated Noir's nostrils like a spy infiltrating a fortress. Pulling on his new trench coat, which was quickly followed by pulling the belt on and then the gloves...

He pushed back the curtains, eyeing Peach for a few moments as she stared at him with pleading eyes whilst Rhea, Orlaith and Indigo all exchanged looks before nodding to Noir, "Let's go." He stated, nodding to his team-mates and then to Peach proceeding to follow her out of the room, through the dorm and out of the main door before sprinting towards the edge of the cliff which propelled students going through initiation into the Emerald Forest. But now, each of them rushed past the platforms which had launched them into the forest and jumped off the edge of the cliff with Professor Ozpin's words ringing in their minds, 'You'll be using your own landing strategy'.

Noir dropped first, his coat only blowing back slightly but now held in place by the belt buckle he wasn't slowed down on descent and fell towards the edge of the forest. Drawing out the twins from inside his coat and swinging around to catch them on a branch like last time and catching himself on the branch, swinging around like a Ferris wheel and being thrown towards the ground. Impacting with a loud THUD closely followed by other thuds Noir found himself kneeling next to Orlaith, behind them was Peach whilst Rhea and Indigo kept up the rear. "Keep this formation, keep it tight. Peach, where is he?"

Peach pulled out her scroll, going to the map section and finding the blip representing the location of Angel's scroll. "He's ahead, about a hundred metres... his aura reads yellow. We need to get there quickly!"

Peach exchanged a look with Noir before he nodded in return... Angel wasn't a pleasant person but he didn't want to see him die. Or worse. "Peach where's Lucifer and Moss?"

"They went ahead to keep him alive whilst I came to get you guys. I made that decision so can we hurry up!" Peach practically yelled the last sentence and gave the girls a look that told them all they needed to know... and they dashed off in Angel's direction.

As they approached, the sound of combat became louder and louder with a few roars exchanged and they broke through a bush and emerged into a large glade to find Angel lying face down in the dirt whilst a weakened Lucifer and Moss stood on either side of him with weapons drawn. Ugli had a spear in hand and looked more like a dancer as he spun around the glade, stabbing his spear where ever he found an opening. Raspberry wielded a quarterstaff and blocked blows with ease, smashing anything on the head that go too close whilst the end of each side of the quarterstaff had a gun barrel running down the centre and the weapon occasionally blew out an explosive canister.

The sight before them was extraordinary... Ursa and Beowolves. Five Ursa to be precise and about twenty Beowolves.

Noir exchanged glances with the other members of Team NOIR, a cold shiver running down his spine before he clicked out the magazine checking it for bullets before loading it back in; repeating this for both Minuit and Black Beauty. He grinned, revealing his wolfish fangs before firing Minuit up into the air.

"Oi!" He shouted, his voice ringing across the battlefield and everything seemed to stop. All of the creatures of Grimm turned to stare at him whilst Ugli and Raspberry moved closer to the prone figure of Endive. Noir bared his teeth at the creatures of Grimm, raising his pistols and pointing them into the crowd, "Alright. Who's first?"

*Cue beginning of full version of From Shadows*

The Ursa immediately began barrelling towards Noir and whilst his heart was racing his mind was already telling him what he should do. Firing off a single bullet from each twin he ducked down, "Rhea!"

"Done!" She yelled, pulling out one her arrows. The tip of this arrow appeared to have a head with red dust etched into it... explosives. Firing one of the arrows at the oncoming Ursa, causing it to thud into one of their thick skulls penetrating about a centimetre before the Dust ignited and the charging Ursa stopped in their tracks as they saw that the one who had been hit... was now slumped on the floor with blood pouring from the massive hole which was where it head had been whilst the corpse itself appeared to start to hiss and burn slowly. The others looked back at Rhea with anger in their eyes and met with the tip of a senbon needle glistening in the light.

The needles hit their eyes, passing straight through them and into their heads and after about a second a blood squirting their heads exploded from the inside out with pieces of Ursa brain and bone falling everywhere around them. Three were now dead, the final two injured by Noir's earlier barrage and there was one last demonstration... Orlaith pulled her claymore from its sheath and in a matter of seconds appeared to have 'flashed' across the grounds and was 'sword-to-face' with the Ursa and swinging her claymore around in a wide arc caught both of the Ursa's heads and slicing off both of their lower jaws. The Ursas yelled out in pain, the nearby Beowolves backing off slightly at the sight of the powerful creatures being injured. Orlaith flashed a grin, bringing her claymore around again and swinging it directly onto one of the heads of the Ursa sending herself slightly into the air from the impact but the claymore made short work of the creature's skull. The final Ursa stared at its 'companion' with something odd in its eyes and it heard the sound of its death before it saw it.

The bullets made contact with the creature's exposed mouth, the lower jaw not being present any-more, piercing cleaning through the exposed tissue and making contact with its brains. The Beowolves backed off further as they saw the final Ursa slump to the ground, staring at Team NOIR as the team itself took up positions together with Noir taking the lead with Orlaith flanking his left, Rhea behind him and Indigo to his right. Peach however had sprinted over to her team-mates, coming skidding to a halt and checking them for injuries. Team NOIR now took up positions between the wounded PURE and the Beowolves. Noir held pointed the twins at the Beowolves, grinning as he glanced to his left and right. "NOIR... let's show them how to danc-,"

"We're coming too!" Team NOIR glanced around to see all the members of PURE on their feet with weapons drawn and moving to stand next to them. Angel moved to stand besides Rhea, limping slightly and offering her a small nod. Raspberry and Indigo both smiled at one another before also standing together. Orlaith winked at 'Lucifer' who just grinned back.

Peach moved to stand beside Noir, drawing out what looked like a pistol... until the pieces began extending out revealing it to be a rifle with a large bayonet pointing out. The weapon itself was the colour peach whilst Peach herself just smiled at Noir and the combined teams stood together facing the Beowolves.

"If we take out the Alpha then the rest should flee... anyone see him?" Rhea said, scanning the crowd of shifting Beowolves for the Alpha but not seeing anything that stood out. Noir stepped forward a moment, his eyes scanning the crowd once... then twice before laying his eyes on a Beowolf which had slightly different patterns to the rest and just looked overly more... buff.

After a moment's contemplation, Noir loosened his grip on Minuit and Pitch Beauty, pressing the buttons on their sides and flinging them up into the air. The twins began to adjust in mid-air and after a few seconds they dropped back into Noir's waiting hands as karambits.

"Orlaith, you're with me. Rhea and Indigo give us some cover..."

"Angel, you'll go in with Lucifer whilst me and Moss give you some covering fire."

They all nodded, Noir and Orlaith taking up positions next to one another whilst Angel and Lucifer did the same next to them. Angel stood next to Noir, shooting him a look, "So, what are we doing?"

"Not dying." Noir responded simply, before lowering himself down to the position for a sprint start...

"Ready..."

"Set..." He raised himself up, his karambits rising up with him.

"Go!" The four of them disappeared in a whirlwind of kicked up dust as they headed straight towards the Beowolves. The pack had been on the verge of withdrawing but the sudden approaching meal tickets were too good to pass up and they prepared themselves.

The Alpha had taken up a position just behind the few at the front, wanting to get in on the meal without having to work too much for it. It was surprised when the Beowolf in front of it was practically ripped to shreds and Noir stood there with blood drenching his karambits and his fangs bore at the Alpha.

The two jumped at each other at the same time, all versions of organised combat leaving them as the two slashed and tore at one another brutally. Noir's karambits were as good as claws in this situation and the two continued their mauling.

*Jaune and the Ursa OST start*

The other Beowolves were ripped to shreds from the combination of explosives, bullets and large weapons headed their way and all they could do was try and retreat whilst their Alpha was caught in a bloody mess with the Faunus. A few tried to remain but were quickly cut down and when there were only four remaining they decided to flee running into the forest and howling at the tops of their lungs as the Alpha finally managed to knock those stupid excuse for claws out of Noir's hands.

Noir's face paled for a moment as the Alpha knocked the karambits from his hands, breaking at least three of his fingers and dislocating another two in the process and he was caught between the ground and a bloody thirsty beast... The Alpha lunged,

Time seemed to slow down as the claw got ever closer to Noir's head, as the motion of him moving his hand up to block was more of an innate reaction then the belief he'd be able to block...

It was inches away now, the long, dagger likes claws gleaming with blood from the cuts it had inflicted across Noir's body...

There was the sound of breaking bone and the Alpha roared as he watched Noir grab one of the claws and break it off like it was nothing. Noir's black aura now gleamed into life, making his entire body look even blacker then before and even his own face was shrouded by it. However he took the opportunity, bringing the claw around like one of his karambits and shoving it straight into the Alpha's chest and letting go just to bring his other hand in and use his aura to force the claw through the Alpha's chest.

The Alpha that once stood tall and proud over the Beowolves now collapsed backwards to the floor with one of its own claws through its chest and a Hunter in training standing over him.

The New Alpha was born.

* * *

**Hello everyone and thanks for waiting for the new chapter of The Black Knight!**

**I hope you all enjoyed the new chapter, as much as I did writing it during my frees! The poll for Noir's semblance is still going with the most interesting still being the recommended Semblance but in this chapter I decided to let you all have a look at his 'Aura'. The physical manifestation of his soul.**

**Love you all. Review or PM me if you have ideas!**

**Thanks also to all of my lovely Followers/Favourite...rs!**

**EDIT: Confirmation of Pre-21 check up for this chapter!**

**EDIT EDIT: 25 check-up. Minor spelling mistakes.**


	5. Chapter 5 - Black like the night

**Chapter 5 - Black like the night, Blue like the sky, Yellow like the sunflower and Indigo blowing in the wind**

'Hello ladies and gentlemen and I'm your DJ on this fine Vale morning, I hope you all don't mind but I decided to put on a favourite of mine so ladies and gentlemen I give you... Red Like Roses by The Williams.'

'Oooh! it's my song!'

'Shhh! He's sleeping!'

The muffled voices broke through and infiltrated his ears, his brain still registering aching from every limb of his body.

'Red likes Roses brings me to the place you rest... White is cold and always yearning, burdened by a royaaal test. Black, the beast, descends from Shadows. Yellow beauty burnsssss... Gold.'

Noir recognised the song, deciding that now would be a good time to open his eyes. However his eye lids refused wanting to cram in some more recuperation and it took nearly all of his might to force the lids open. As they opened, Noir saw he was almost face to face with...

"NOIR!" Ruby yelped, falling backwards off the bed as the name was repeated a few times around the room and three girls rushed to the bedside whilst two others hung back. Rhea, Orlaith and Indigo pulled Noir into a crushing hug and Noir felt an ominous feeling coming from his newly mended bones.

After a few moments of pressure, Noir let out a gasp of air and a girl with long, wavy black hair and amber eyes with light purple eye shadow flaring backwards whilst a bow poked out from the back of her head. She was wearing black low-heeled boots and stockings that start off black closer to her waist before becoming purple when they reach her feet. Her chest was covered by a black buttoned vest with coattails and a white sleeveless under-shirt that exposes her midriff with white shorts that appeared to be connected to her shirt. The girl, overall, looked like she could emerge from shadows.

They caught each others eyes, "You three... you're crushing him."

The three girls released Noir, hovering around either side of his bed whilst Ruby gave Noir a big smile whilst offering him a cookie from a plate next to his bedside table. Taking the cookie with a smile, Noir glanced around the room to find it was Team NOIR's room and he was in his bed. A now empty plate sat beside his bed accompanied by an empty glass of milk.

As Noir began munching on the cookie he savoured the flavour, the taste and the feeling it made as the crumbs of cookie fell down onto his bandaged ar- Wait? Bandage? He stared long and hard at his totally visible arms... or they would have been were they not bandaged heavily and, glancing down, he saw that he was in fact mostly nude were it not for the fact that every inch of his body was wrapped in bandages until his neck.

"You had a hard time against that Alpha... we had to bring you back here and do what we could. You were cut all over," Rhea answered his unasked question, staring at Noir. Noir, however, was already past the bandages whilst his heart surged with a certain anger for his lack of ability to stop himself from even being hit a certain curiosity flickered in his eyes as he glanced towards Ruby and... her.

'That was a great song, right Ladies and gentlemen? Now how about another favourite... this is Gold by the Williams.'

"We encountered Ruby when we were trying to get some food out of the dining hall for you and she agreed to help in exchange for some of the cookies. Blake also brought some fish but had to resort to eating them... since that was two days ago," Rhea continued, gesturing towards Ruby and Blake. Whilst Ruby offered a thumbs up to Noir Blake simply leant against the wall with a large book in hands with a familiar title but with a different cover.

"Thank you.. thank you all," Noir murmured, finishing off the cookie. He then felt a sharp pain on top of his head as Indigo brought her fist down on it,

"Now what the hell were you thinking?!"

Noir cowered in the bed, bringing up the bedsheets as far as he could whilst his head pounded away like a heavy metal group.

"Taking on an Alpha by yourself, what in the world was going through your thick skull?" Indigo smacked him on the head again but took a step back, her face visibly red from anger whilst Noir just took a moment to think and register what he had felt. The Beowolf.. The Alpha. He couldn't explain it but it felt like the creature was encroaching on his territory and it was more of a primal urge then actual thought which lead him to strike the beast.

"No idea. Seemed like a good idea at the time." Noir responded. Orlaith quickly stepped in, grabbing Indigo's raised fist and dragging her back behind the curtain as Noir slumped back onto the pillows and clutching his head with his spare hand.

Ruby glanced between Noir and Rhea for a few moments looking excited even going as far to let out a little squeal of excitement. Noir turned his gaze to Ruby, who drew out Minuit and Pitch Beauty from behind her, "They were uh... slightly damaged and I wanted to take a look so I ended up changing up the design slightly... you can now change them from pistol to karambit without having to throw them up in the air." She set out the twins on his bedside table, smiling widely and adding, "Happy birthday!"

Noir eyed Ruby curiously for a few moments before he realized... "Oh... it is, isn't it?"

Ruby nodded happily whilst Rhea let out a small smile as Orlaith and Indigo came back holding a plate of cookies each, "Sorry we couldn't get you a cake but we managed to hoard these cookies so..." But Rhea broke off as she noticed Noir had a smile creeping onto his face whilst his eyes began to moisten slightly,

"Awww, are you crying?" Orlaith asked, moving around the table and putting her full plate of cookies on top of the empty one.

"No... I'm just sweating through my eyes. That's all." Noir replied, wiping his eyes and giving everyone in the room one of his wolfish grins. All of them smiled back, even Blake who just happened to glance up to see one being sent her way, "And I thought all Humans were thick in the skull, but you lot... you're okay,"

"Don't push it, Noir. We fixed you up and we can just so easily throw you back into the forest," Rhea warned but giving him a slight grin as the others laughed. The sound was good on Noir's ears whilst his head pounding had diminished to just a classical orchestra.

"We all managed to go into Vale and get you stuff! Go on! Show him!" Indigo was now practically as excited as Ruby was when she showed Noir the upgraded twins.

Orlaith stepped forward first, handing Noir a small wrapped box. The wrapping paper was simple but he didn't mind and within the box he found... a picture. One of those pictures the girls would occasionally take. The image was framed in a decent sized picture frame whilst the picture itself was an image of them all dressed in their uniform whilst Noir was in his trench coat standing next to the statue. They were all hugging each other and even the normal picture-shy Noir had joined in on the picture. The scene captured was one to remember with Noir in the centre and the three girls all surrounding him. Orlaith was hugging from his left, Indigo from his right whilst Rhea was just knelt down in front of him and smiling.

He remembered that day like it yesterday when in fact it was last week... By Grimm, he wasn't going to get emotional now.

Noir smiled at the picture, running a bandaged finger along its surface before taking the frame out of the box and setting it on his bedside table. Next, Rhea stepped forward drawing out a small package. She offered it to Noir with a slight grin on her face as he opened it to find ten small red Dust crystals.

"You can use them like explosives - throw, point and shoot. We had to trek all the way across Vale looking for a Dust store that hadn't been robbed but we found one,"

Noir gave Rhea a wide smile, putting the lid back on the box and setting it next to the twins on his bedside table whilst taking the last cookie from the plate... the others on this plate, and Indigo's had mysteriously disappeared. Indigo stepped forward, holding what appeared to be brown box and offering it to Noir.

Noir nodded thankfully at Indigo, taking the box and opening it... before dropping it onto his lap whilst letting out a small gasp. Inside was his trench coat... or more over, a new one. With the same emblem that his sister has put on it but this one was brand new and the emblem was now also on the centre chest where the coat was meant to open. Beside the new one was the one his sister gave him but with hard to see lines of stitching to show it had needed a lot of mending... he stared into the box for a good long while, taking in the sight of the massive emblem.

He heard some rustling and, looking up, he saw that his three team-mates who had previously been wearing their standard uniform had also brought out their chest pieces and showed him their emblems. All of which were in different places... Rhea's was on the top left hand-side of her chest and it was a blue bow loaded with a arrow with a lighter blue background. Orlaith's was set smack over where her right breast would lay and it was an image of a yellow sword in front of a love heart whilst the circle 'holding' the emblem was a darker yellow.

Finally, Indigo's emblem was set just over her where her stomach would be and the emblem was split in two like Noir's. Her emblem though was different... A pair of crossed lavender coloured senbon needles with an indigo background.

You could say that Team NOIR was now complete, emblems and all. Noir was happy... happier then he'd been in years (excluding visits from his sister of course) and as he glanced down again, staring at the new coat he felt a tap on the shoulder. Looking back up again he saw Blake standing there, offering him a small smile and holding out a small, wrapped package, "We may not really know each other but from what the others tell me, you're nice." Noir smiled gratefully at Blake,

"Thank you Blake. I can't say I've heard anything about you but... you like books. I think I can trust you," Noir added a wink, slowly taking the wrapped package and opening it to find a book. The book had a big, red title on it entitled 'Ninjas of Love' whilst the rest of the book's cover was black. He had to quickly cover the title from the others as he blushed heavily, "Ehem... I'll be reading this one later, looks like a good book."

Noir was stuck in bed for another few days but in no way was it un-eventful. To avoid questions being asked the girls decided to pretend he was feeling ill and keep him out of class and being seen outside of the room and yet when a few people came calling to check if he was alright they'd just be hurried away except a few. Team PURE were all grateful for NOIR's help and visited him regularly, Angel the uptight ass hole was becoming a likeable person. He no longer was an upstart gentleman he was now just a gentleman but with a friendlier air about him. Once or twice Ruby visited, mostly because she smelt cookies from down the hall and decided to 'visit' to check up on him. Admittedly she was good company and Noir couldn't deny that she was funny, cheerful and someone who'd make a good friend. Blake visited twice, both times to find a quieter place to read. She was good company and they both were reading Ninjas of Love a good plot, good story and uh... good scenes.

The two would sit in the room together, occasionally coughing or making a remark about one character or another.

But now, the girls watched in anticipation as Noir stood up slowly from his bed. He still had his arms wrapped in bandages along with his legs and chest with a murmur of 'my own style' and even his neck still had the bandages. Noir stood up from the bed slowly, his limbs aching now from lack of use and his muscles felt eager to be used again. Standing up slowly, Noir flexed his arms once or twice before doing the same with his legs. They all smiled before a blush crept onto Rhea and Indigo's faces whilst Orlaith seemed to be enjoying the view. Glancing down Noir saw the source of their looks and blushes... quickly diving back behind the covers and pulling on his trousers whilst his face was practically one big red smudge.

After a few minutes of frenzied changing, Noir was changed and in his battle gear. His trousers hadn't received as much of a beating as his coat yet they still showed signs of minor repair. Luckily though they were hidden by the coat... most of them.

NOIR now stepped out of the dorm building and made their way to the dining hall. Passing through the gardens felt very relaxing for Noir and it even felt good as they entered the dining hall and made their way over to the table in the corner. As they walked around the tables, they passed the table where RWBY and JNPR sat and Noir managed to exchange a smile with Ruby and a small nod with Blake before moving past them towards their table in the corner. PURE was already sat there, leaving NOIR space for the corner seats if they chose to come down.

Peach didn't look too happy at something but her expression brightened as she spotted the girls and a wide smile broke out of her face when she saw Noir approaching in all of his rugged glory. Ugli and Orlaith exchanged smiles which Angel bowed his head to Rhea and offered her a seat next to him. Indigo and Raspberry beamed at each other, almost becoming magnetised and flying into each other's arms but instead they had to settle with sitting on opposite sides of the table and talking about... girl stuff. Noir on the other hand took his seat at the corner of the table in the very corner and was pleased to see Peach take the seat opposite him, sliding him a plate full of bacon.

"Thanks Noir. How're you feeling?"

Noir took one of the pieces of bacon in hand, his gloves on yet his finger were wrapped in the bandages. The warmth of the bacon spread through his fingers but the heat intensified as he rolled up the piece and he slid it into his mouth for a quick munch before swallowing with a satisfied sigh, "Good, with no strings attached. How's PURE handling?"

Peach grinned at Noir, scratching the back of her head before glancing down at her team-mates, "They're good... you might even say better. Angel's finally become a likeable person and our team chemistry is now reacting well. You could say we're combat ready now. Speaking of combat ready..." Peach trailed off, flitting her eyes between Noir and the other girls at the table before leaning in and whispering to him, "That was your eighteenth birthday... if we hear noises down the hall of moans and groans-"

Peach was cut off as a hand flew and clamped across her mouth as Noir leaned in with a blush on his face, "I am not thinking of doing any of -that-... yet."

Peach grinned at him but her face turned from one of amusement to one of irritation as she heard the beeping coming from her scroll, pulling it out and hearing the message,

'Miss Wynne, would you grace me with your presence this evening for dinner? It's Seda.'

Noir raised an eyebrow with an amused expression whilst Peach sighed... "And that's the nicest person in Team SEDA..."

* * *

Hey guys! This chapter is shorter because it felt right! This is one of the more fluffy chapters but have no fear, the time line will soon catch up with the RWBY one but be aware that the story won't have much to do with Blake being a Faunus until Team RWBY found out. They may not even find out but whoooo knows?

I hope you all enjoyed this fluffy chapter and by the end of tomorrow the 'recommendations' for Noir's Semblance will be in and i'll be making a chapter with his semblance as the main plot driver.

EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.


	6. Chapter 6 - Fills my heart

**Chapter 6 - Fills my heart and steals my soul,**

***WARNING. THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER MAY DISTURB SOME VIEWERS MORE THEN CRUELTY TO THE CREATURES OF GRIMM. FAUNUS ABUSE INCOMING. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.***

* * *

"Come on Noir! We should all totally have nicknames!"

"No."

"Commmeeee on!"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"Yes,"

"Really?!"

"No,"

"But I said pretty please!"

"The presence of the pretty doesn't change my answer,"

"You can be... Alpha! Or... the Black Knight!"

Noir sighed heavily, falling back onto his bed. Orlaith stood on the other side of the curtain, throwing her voice so it was clear... and loud. Particularly loud.

Noir, with his recent change in 'style' finally decided to remove his clothes before going to bed and he had to admit it was slightly more comfortable however he had experienced a moment where he had forgotten about his clothing, or lack thereof, and brushed past the curtain only to be punched back with a loud scream of 'Pervert!'

From that moment on he had gone to sleep wearing trousers but the moments of idiocy hadn't stopped there. It was one of those days where he had walked into the bathroom to have a shower and realised, too late, that there was already someone using it. Someone of the opposite sex. The last thing he remembered was suffering significant blood loss as blood practically flowed out of his nose, passing out and only catching a glimpse of the beauty. He had awoken to find his mid-section wrapped in a towel but he was still lying on the bathroom floor. Naturally, he had then gotten into the habit of checking if people were in the shower before entering from then on.

But, back to the present, Noir had currently been enduring Orlaith's insistence that they all get nicknames like PURE. And he had been refusing for the entire day... the day before that, the day before that... he sighed again but Orlaith had yet to relent. His mind immediately began to jump to the possibilities of shutting her up some of them being too creative for his liking but all optional.

"Orlaith. If you start calling me 'The Black Knight I will personally throw you into an Ursa's stomach." The Black Knight... what was he? Some comedy sketch.

"Alright, alright... but you got to admit if you started to get a reputation then 'The Black Knight' sounds a hell of a lot better than 'The Moody Emo'. Right?" But the sound of Orlaith's voice was cut off by the sound of a hand hitting the back of her skull.

"Orlaith, as nice as it is that you want us to have nicknames... we're fine with the names we have," It was Rhea's voice and Noir was quite pleased to see that she, at least, had some sense. Well... they'd been team-mates for... Noir paused in his thoughts, 'How long has it been? Feels like it was just yesterday when I was on the airship to Beacon and I met Indigo... where is she?'

However his question was answered as Rhea pulled back the curtain, poking her head through and looking Noir dead in the eyes as she spoke to avoid her eyes travelling down across his bandaged chest. Though the bandages hid his skin his body was still outlined pretty and for some reason, Rhea and Indigo would get a nose bleed the one time they saw him whilst Orlaith just... was Orlaith and took it in her stride, "Indigo is in PURE's room, talking with Raspberry. RWBY aren't in their room, just in case you wanted to have another reading session with Blake." And with that, Rhea withdrew her head from the curtain with the slightest trickle of blood running out of her nose.

Noir lied back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as his thoughts strayed to his different friends and recalling each of them in different ways. Rhea was a nice enough person, clearly a thinker and she was someone who preferred to admire a situation thoroughly before making any brash actions. Orlaith was... well... a party girl but with the spirit of a fighter; she wasn't one to leave her friends to fight whilst she cowered in a corner. Indigo... well, from what he had learned, she was the person that was the friend maker, the glue that helped keep them together. But without one of them, they wouldn't be NOIR. Noir.

Someone from the depths of his memories called out to him,_ 'Noir! Noiiirrrr, we're gonna be late for class!'_

He shook his head a few times, clearing his mind of the young girl's voice before a more immediate voice caught his attention, "Noir, ladies love nicknames. Why don't you want one?"

It was Orlaith again, peeking her ahead around the curtain and staring at him. Noir stared back, a tick mark appearing on his forehead as his face darkened, "Drop it, Orlaith,"

"Come on Noir, you aren't going to attract the ladies if you don't get a nickname-" But Orlaith was cut off by the small gust of wind which was conjured up as Noir seemed to glide out of his bed, pull his trench coat from the corner and leave the room whilst practically forcing his way past the suprised girl, "Noir!"

He didn't hear her. He didn't want to. Those words... she.

His breath caught in his throat. No. Not here, need some where private. He moved quickly, passing a few startled students as they saw him practically flash past out into the gardens, moving through them and eventually finding his way to the cliff and sitting himself down trying to calm himself by slowing his breathing but it was too late, his memories began to flood his vision and before long he was lying on his back, his eyes seemingly blank and in the distance the sun was setting...

* * *

'10 YEARS AGO'

"Hey Noir!" The small girl with black hair waved at him as he rushed towards her, clutching a small bag. The girl was pretty, but he didn't like to think about her in that way after all she was his best friend and the fact she had large bunny ears sticking out of her head helped the fact. She was different, like him and they both smiled widely at each other. The girl was wearing a black dress and was standing next to the entrance to the park whilst holding a small bag of her own, her ears twitching slightly whilst the younger Noir smiled widely at her, his own black hair now only reaching his neck whilst his black trench coat was now where to be seen instead replaced by a simple black shirt and shorts. "There you are! I've been waiting, ready to go have our picnic?"

"Yea! Mum said we should be careful and sis will try and catch up with us tomorrow!"

The girl beamed at him, taking him by the hand and leading him straight into the park. A few families were walking about, holding their children's hands tightly and some even clutched them tighter when they spotted the two Faunus. However the two seemed to be none to disturbed by the fact and instead walked happily through the park to a large oak tree situated in the centre. Noir was blushing all the while, feeling the warmth of his friend's hand. The two sat down together, setting their small bags down to them and immediately digging into an apple, two bananas and a few pieces of chocolate. The two settled down whilst Noir beamed at Laila, his future burden yet to encumber his youthful form.

"Laila! How'd you get chocolate?"

"Dad gave it to me! He said 'My little girl isn't going anywhere without some chocolate... don't tell your mother!'"

Noir laughed, smiling widely at Laila who tilted her head and smiled back at him. The two continued to enjoy the food, glancing over at the main path through the park and seeing a small group of human men with bottles in their hands and trouble practically hovering on a sign above their heads. However the two of them just continued eating, albeit more warily this time whilst sharing a few stories, "I was wondering... Laila would you like to uh... come to my house after this so I can show you my card collection?" The nervous little Noir was staring at his hands, a blush touching his cheeks,

"Sure I will! I've wanted to see them for ageeeessss," Laila replied, a genuine smile spreading across her face as her own green eyes which silently conveyed honesty. Noir grinned widely, revealing his sharper than normal canines and holding out his thumb to give Laila a thumbs up, "Plus, we need to give you that nickname that we've been thinking about! How about 'The Black Knight'? We both like black and you're like my knight in shining armour!"

Noir blushed in response, "Well.. yea. We ha-"

"Well lookie what we got here lads... couple of kid-freaks."

Noir and Laila turned their heads, staring at the group of five men. Each of them had bottles in their hands and appeared to be slightly drunk which Noir guessed from the swaying however before they could respond one of them stumbled forward and grabbed a hold of Laila's arm; pulling her up.

"This one's got those ear things, they real or plastic?"

"Let me go!"

"Yea let her go!" Noir shouted, getting to his feet and dashing over to help his friend. His thoughts were clear; he didn't want to see a friend of his get hurt but his body was caught in one of the drunken men's arms and he was pulled back and held down against the grass.

Laila already had tears forming in her eyes as the man took small tugs at her ears, "Please stop!" She begged, the tears rolling down her cheeks and falling to the grass. All Noir could do was watch, with the weight of what felt like an elephant was on top of him, watch his friend get hurt. Tears began to roll down his cheeks as the man tugged again, another one of the men joining in and both of them tugging at the ears with Laila's tears now running in full flow down her face as the pain rocked her still developing body. "Noir! Help!"

Noir struggled weakly against the man holding him down as the two men continued to tug at Laila's bunny ears... it was too much, he stared helplessly at Laila. His heart filling with despair, regret, sadness... his own eyes began to hurt. He shut them, the tears still rolling down his cheeks but his eyes felt like they were forced open as Laila's loud scream of pain screeched across the park and her cute; bunny ears... were ripped from her head. Blood gushed from the ears, which were now hanging loosely in the mens' hands, and her head... Laila fell limp.

Noir stopped struggling, staring wide eyed at the atrocity committed in front of his very eyes and leaving its mark on his soul, his aura... his eyes made contact with the men's as they looked at the boy. The men stopped in their tracks, all of them freezing except the one on top of him who loosened his grip. Noir's anger spoke for him and his mind screeched out for pain to be inflicted in their minds, or anything! Anything that'd hurt them!

And it happened. The men fell to the floor, clutching their eyes and screeching in agony whilst throwing the ears randomly into the bushes. The last man got off of Noir, slowly moving backwards as he looked between the prone child and his screeching companions... "Monster! Freak!" The man continued to back away, Noir slowly climbing to his feet with the shade from his hair covering his eyes in shadow...

"I'm..." Noir began to speak, walking over to Laila and picking her up slowly. She was limp with the blood still gushing from her head whilst her eyes remained shut tight. The girl's black dress was slowly being painted red, the blood making her look like some twisted Dalmatian with red spots instead of black and Noir did the one thing he knew... he began to run with her, sprinting out of the park, sprinting back to his house all the while thinking about what had happened. He made eye contact... he wished for them to feel pain and they did? Oh no... Was he some monster? Would he threaten his best friend's life again?

All those questions were asked over and over again in the little boy's head as he finally got him, "MUM! HELP!" He shouted and, almost instantly, the door swung open and his mother stood there. She took one look at the limp Laila before taking her in her arms, carrying her into the house,

"Noir! Clear the kitchen table!"

He did as he was told to, brushing an arm over the surface and the few loose items that were scattered there dropped to the floor some of them cracking but his mother didn't care. She laid out the injured Laila, moving over to one of the drawers. She opened it, practically throwing her arm into it before pulling out a first-aid kit and opening it and quickly getting to work on Laila... His friend. He was meant to be her Knight. Her Black Knight.

"... Laila?"

* * *

'THE PRESENT

Noir gasped, sitting up in the cold night air and glancing around. Night time, but still being able to see... no one was there. The memory had faded. His heart was reminded of the despair he felt, the sadness... the pain. His soul had been touched that day by something more than physical pain. It was shocked by emotional trauma which nothing conventional could heal and, for some reason that had revealed his Semblance. Psyche. The ability to get into people's heads and mess with them however, there was a catch. He had discovered that it may have been a great ability to use to distract an opponent or make them become a weak, huddled mass but in exchange... the slightest reminder of any emotional trauma he had experienced in the past came back and hit him in full force.

"Laila..." His hand stretched out, feeling the night air and clutching an imaginary girl. Noir lowered his head, his eyes welling up with tears as he remembered one of the most painful parts of the trauma approached. She hadn't died. Oh no, Laila had survived but with her own trauma to live with. Her parents decided to move away from Vale and the last thing Noir ever saw of his friend was the back of her head as she walked away from him. She didn't blame him for what happened - in fact she had thanked him for stopping them before the mean men did more. But now he was associated with trauma like that... only time could heal that and Laila needed a lot of healing.

Their parting was bitter but a few wise words entered his mind as Laila's last smile entered his mind as she hugged him... 'Don't say goodbye. Goodbye makes it sound like I'll never see you again, my Black Knight.'

"Noir?" Noir glanced around, spotting three people heading towards him... Rhea, Indigo and Orlaith were walking up to him. All dressed in combat gear and all with looks of concern on their faces. Thankfully, the darkness have been thick enough to hide him or else the girls would have immediately seen the tear drenched hands and the puffy red eyes, "Noir, what happened?"

"No-thing." Noir's voice cracked half way, seeing the looks on the girl's faces turn to looks of severe concern he decided to distract them... They couldn't know. However a voice in his mind whispered to him, in Laila's voice 'Hey, why don't you get more friends! I mean, I know I'm awesome but surely you get sick of me!' ... 'Noir, I hope we'll both get more friends that we trust lots! Then one day we can introduce them to one another.'

Noir coughed slightly, his eyes welling up again before he shut his eyes tightly before opening them again, "Let's just head back... i'll... explain there." His voice was broken, and they saw him come out of the darkness; no longer an outline. His eyes were red and the bandages on his hands were soaked through and Indigo chose the right moment to jump forward and hug him tightly as a second later he went limp.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Orlaith asked, as she helped carry Noir back to the dorm. The girls had him around their shoulders, Indigo keeping up the rear as they passed through the practically empty corridors.

"Hm. Maybe exhaustion? Stress? What did you say to him?" Rhea suggested, glancing over at Orlaith as the three now entered the building.

"All I was doing was suggesting nicknames for him and he just snapped... but I don't see Noir as the type of guy who snaps because of stress. Exhaustion? He slept all day," Orlaith replied, sighing heavily with an edge of doubt on the corner of her mind.

"We'll find out when we get to the room... just around this corner... here we- What are -YOU- doing here?" Rhea exclaimed loudly as she spotted a 'Gentleman'. The 'Gentleman' was tall with broad shoulders, long black hair that was slicked back whilst a scar was over his right eye whilst the eyes themselves were blue. The man was wearing a grey suit with a bouquet of roses in hand and he smiled at the oncoming girls, the smile faltering as he spotted the limp Noir.

"My dear lady, I came to ask you out for a romantic evening that you could enjoy in my present company instead of the company of such a beast," The Gentleman replied, eyeing Noir with disgust practically written in his eyes.

"Get out of the way, Seda, or you'll be wishing the 'Monster' was the one who you'd be fighting!" Orlaith yelled, pushing past Seda and pulling her scroll out from her shorts, unlocking the door and rushing inside and practically slamming the door in Seda's pompous face.

Seda. Leader of team SEDA. The group was late to the initiation and they were all put in a team together practically being forced to. That didn't stop them from being the biggest bunch of ass holes the world had ever seen but I digress.

Noir was laid on Indigo's bed, a blanket thrown over his limp figure whilst the girls took seats on Orlaith's... waiting.

His mind... blanked on him. Why... but... where was he? Noir's eyes fluttered after a few moments, glancing to his left and seeing the girls there with sweat beads gathering on their foreheads not from exerting energy but from their nerves and their worry. Even the care-free Orlaith was sweating as much as a prostitute in a church.

"Orlaith... Indigo... Rhea..." Noir murmured. The three just stared at him, waiting for further explanation. He looked weak to them and... They hated it. Wouldn't you? The sight of such a strong figure lying on a bed, collapsing because of a few words.

"I... my semblance. It's Psyche. The ability to manipulate people's thoughts through memories. However the side effect is that certain actions, words or even places will remind me of emotional trauma much faster than other people and it'll come back in full force. It's like my mind is better at remembering,"

"So... the nickname reminded you of something but, sorry that we have to ask this but what happened?" Rhea asked, staring at Noir for a few moments before attempting to give him reassuring smile, "It's alright now; we're your team-mates after all,"

"My friend... she was hurt before my eyes. She was hurt by a few humans and her family decided to move away the very next day and I haven't seen her since," Noir stared into his hands, not sure what to think at this point but he felt surprised as he felt three pairs of arms go around him from all sides and hug him tightly.

"You may be a strong man, Noir, but sometimes even the strongest man has to let out a few tears. You're no different but you have us and we're happy to have you," Indigo said, smiling at him as she raised her head slightly from hugging into his chest. He felt the other two nod a few times and Noir's face cracked a smile,

"You three smell like sweat,"

"You smell like sweat as well, now get into your own bed and get some sleep. We're gonna head into Vale tomorrow so we can check out the competition for the tournament, some students are arriving tomorrow."

* * *

The next day, Noir rose from bed in a much better mood then yesterday. He hadn't forgotten the moment and nor did he want to but it was important to move on from the event. By the time he was changed and pushed past the curtains, the girls were already changed and talking happily whilst Rhea was reading another book on Archery.

"You three ready to shoot off?"

"We've been ready for the past thirty minutes, sleepy head," Indigo replied but smiling at Noir all the same who smiled back at her.

(Sadly, it is still unclear how the students get from Beacon to Vale whether they walk or there is a regular airship to I will leave out the travelling section and just skip to them being in the city)

Noir, Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea now stood at the docks and watched as a large transport vessel slowly came in. The four watched in anticipation as people began to disembark from the ship noticing a few oddly dressed people. There was a teen standing in brass coloured armour that gleamed in the light and reflected off of the tip of his spear but Noir's eyes quickly diverted to a teen standing next to him wearing full black clothing, a headband on her head, and wearing a simple looking dress whilst a blade hung at her side. The girl had long black hair accompanied by a friendly face and, as they drew closer to the staircase out of the docks, there was no mistaking it.

*Wings RWBY OST plays*

"Orlaith, scream out the name 'Laila' and wave at the girl in full black,"

"Why? I may be desperate to meet new people but I'm not -that- desperate, besides how do you..." But she was cut off as Indigo raised her hand and waved at the girl in black clothing.

"Hey! Hey Laila! Over here!"

Noir's heart seemed to be caught in his mouth as the girl turned towards the source of the noise and eyed Indigo suspiciously. However she climbed the staircase off of the pier and came over to NOIR all the while eyeing them all suspiciously.

"Uh... I don't know you, do I?" She asked, scratching the back of her head a few times whilst offering an apologetic smile.

"Well, nope. But you do know him," Indigo pointed at Noir, who had tilted his fedora slightly down so it covered most of his face.

"Uh... do I? Is this some kind of game?" Laila asked again, now staring intently at Noir and eyeing him up and down.

"Kinda, but we'll give you a clue. That's Orlaith, I'm Indigo and that's Rhea. We're a part of Team NOIR,"

The names clicked into place in Laila's mind, as she glanced at each person in turn before diverting her eyes back to him... "Noir... Chevalier?" She asked tentatively, her green eyes glistening in the light reflected by the water.

If Laila was nervous then you could say Noir was positively giddy at the opportunity to meet his friend again and barely restrained himself from crushing Laila in a bear hug and just resorted to a small nod. Laila on the other hand had no such intentions of restraint, running forward and sliding her arms around Noir and smiling widely, "I knew we'd meet again, My Black Knight!"

The other girls watched the scene with fondness as Orlaith had a mischievous light in her eyes, 'My Black Knight'... Ooo, he didn't mention she was his childhood sweetheart.

Noir didn't notice Orlaith and just hugging Laila back, her black attire melding with and the two looking like they were a black blob. "Laila... I..."

"The Black Knight... my Black Knight..." Laila mumbled into his clothing, hugging him tightly and all he could do was hug her back whilst fighting back tears.

Noir just smiled sadly, patting her on the back slowly whilst his heart pounded heavily in his chest, "Laila... I..."

"Laila? Who's this?"

Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea turned around from the cute scene before them to see a group of three people standing before them - all male. And each of them was wearing the same armour but different colours. Whilst one was coloured brass, the other two wore the identical white whilst the two of them were... well. Identical in appearance. Laila clutched Noir harder, pulling him even closer and he could nw feel her accelerated heartbeat, "He's... my Black Knight. Noir Chevalier,"

The three men eyed Noir curiously as he clutched Laila tightly and the two remained like that for a few minutes. For those few minutes, all sense of time was lost to him and all he could feel was Laila's heartbeat. It was like a soothing melody to calm the beast and Noir visibly relaxed, his shoulders dropping slightly and Laila continued to clutch him tightly.

Rhea glanced at the three boys again, noticing them shifting their feet awkwardly and she shot them a small smile more a kin to Indigo then herself, "Hey, I'm Rhea. That's Indigo and she's Orlaith. We're team NOIR, and you guys?"

The boys dragged their eyes away from Laila before the one wearing Brass spoke, "I'm Brass, and those two are Tahti and Yasen. Seems you already know Laila, our leader. We're Team LBTY but you can call us Liberty. And our leader is..."

"... Me." Laila finished, looking up at Noir with a wide smile on her face, "We're here for the festival... you don't think we could uh... hang about with you guys until the festival?"

"I don't mind at all, you guys got any objections?" The question was phrased towards Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea, who all shook their heads,

"We're okay with it,"

"What about you guys?" Laila how removed herself from Noir, turning with her back practically pressed firmly against him. Noir didn't need to use him semblance to understand that she was afraid to lose him again, and so was he.

Brass, Tahti and Yasen all shrugged, "We don't mind as long as we don't get a pregnant le-"

"ORIAN-ALTHEA-RAVENSCROFT BARRAGE!"

* * *

**Hello Ladies and Gentlemen! That was the newest chapter of The Black Knight, I hope you enjoyed it and Noir's semblance finally revealed!**

**Now, if you haven't already guessed this chapter was meant to be a chapter with the intention of giving you some back story to Noir Chevalier. However, over the upcoming... I'd say... four chapters? Expect some more back-story for the other girls, starting with Laila. Now some of you may be wondering why I decided to add in something to make Noir's story 'tragic' but it was just something that came to me while I was lying in bed and just speaking the story out. However when I was originally thinking about this chapter the intentions were to make it tragic and horrible.**

**I look forward to some more reviews and views in general! Thanks guys for your continued support. Love you all.**

**P.S. I did not describe Laila's outfit a lot because I am saving it for the next chapter!**

**Next up on 'The Black Knight': Chapter 7 - The Night comes From Shadows, shrouding us**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**

**EDIT EDIT: 25. Minor spelling mistakes (Pre 26 check.)**


	7. Chapter 7 - The night comes From Shadows

**Chapter 7 - The night comes From Shadows, shrouding us**

Vale was busy this time of year, the confinement of the city making some people feel trapped within their own home. Others enjoyed the festival whilst it last and particular enjoyed the tournament and seeing the trainee Huntsman and Huntresses fight head to head. But it was dusk, some people were already heading home after a hard day making preparations for the impending event. However two people were casually walking through the streets with their hands intertwined.

Noir Chevalier was relaxed, calm and smiling. Not that it was uncommon for him to be all three just it was rare for him to be all three at once. He had stored his hat within his coat revealing his handsome, wolfish features in all of their glory. Noir's hand that was joined with Laila was free of bandages and her warmth and softness reassured him.

"So Noir, what have you been doing for the past ten years?" Laila asked, brushing her hair out of her face with her free hand.

"I ended up going to Signal academy, keeping to myself and training hard with the hope of being accepted into Beacon. And, as you can see, I was accepted into Beacon and Professor Ozpin made me leader of team NOIR. What about you?"

"Mostly the same, just different schools and a different head teacher... and a different team,"

"Ah yes, Team...?"

"LBTY." Laila offered Noir a small smile, squeezing his hand and they turned a corner. The streets were thinning of people already as dusk turned to night yet the two didn't seem to care. Or notice after all some Faunus do have near perfect night vision.

The two stopped next to a large hotel, turning to one another and squeezing each other's hand, "Well, Mi-lady. You have arrived safely back at your keep, is there anything else that this Knight can provide?" Noir asked, putting on a posh tone and bowing.

Laila giggled, "No thank you, Sir Knight. But I must insist we meet up tomorrow, perhaps around five?"

"Certainly, your escort will be waiting," Laila smiled at Noir, stepping forward and pulling him into another hug which he returned and he added in a whisper, "Remember Mi-lady, a Knight cannot simply come out of no where and sweep you off your feet. We will need to rebuild the respect and friendship before anything else is to happen."

Laila froze for a few seconds before her body relaxed, nodding a few times and giving him a small smile. They broke a part, Laila giving him one last parting wave before disappearing inside the hotel and leaving Noir outside alone and yet he didn't feel alone. His entire body felt lighter like a massive burden had been lifted from his shoulders and all he could do was quietly sing to himself as he walked back to Beacon.

* * *

The room was lit by sunlight entering through an open window, warming the room as a single bird sung a merry tune right outside the window. But, those who know them best... well...

"Uuurrrggh..." The sound came from Orlaith's bunk as a dishevelled looking Orlaith clasped the pillow around her head, the muffled sound erupting from the pillow moments later as the bird continued to sing its happy tune, "Someone shoot it..."

BANG. All of the girls now sat up right and rigid in bed, the covers falling down whilst Orlaith dropped the pillow as the sight of Noir holding a smoking Pitch Beauty met their sleepy eyes. The place where the little bird once sat was now empty.

"YOU IDIOT! I DIDN'T ACTUALLY WANT YOU TO SHOOT IT!" Orlaith screamed, causing Rhea and Indigo to wince at the volume. The three of them had begun to pick up on Noir's sleeping habits and as a result tried to sleep later then normal causing them to be late to early classes more often then they should have been.

Noir just gave Orlaith a wolfish grin, spinning Pitch Beauty on his finger for a few moments before parting his coat and slotting his back into the holster, "Do you honestly think I'd shoot it?" As he spoke, the sound of a bird singing again was heard and the girls turned slowly to see the little creature now on the window sill. "Just thought I'd tell you all that Goodwitch has called a meeting for all the junior squad leaders for some reason. Be good, brush your teeth and drink your milk," In response, Noir received three pillows to the face but he simply smiled before throwing them back. He turned towards the door, opening it and walking out, spotting Peach leaving the room opposite them and offering her a smile as he closed NOIR's door behind him.

"Hey Peach, heading down there?"

Peach glanced over her shoulder, offering Noir a small smile as she closed the door to PURE's room and nodding once, "Yep, Goodwitch did ask us to be down there early and I'd rather not see her angry at us being late but rather happy at us being early." Noir agreed with her, an angry Goodwitch was a... Badwitch? But puns a side, Noir and Peach both began the stride down the corridor and almost walking into two other squad leaders walking out of their rooms.

"Hey Ruby! Hey Jaune!" Peach waved at the two, who glanced around and returned the friendly wave. Jaune looked tired, scratching his head awkwardly with black shadows under his eyes and a few bruises barely visible on his neck whilst Ruby looked a mixture between excited and tired.

"Hey Peach and hey... creepy... black guy?" Jaune replied, looking Noir up and down and Noir just responded with a short smile and offered his hand to Jaune,

"We've never had the pleasure. I'm Noir Chevalier. Leader of team NOIR,"

Jaune looked taken a back for a few moments before stretching his own hand forward and shaking Noir's hand and they both gave each other a pleasant smile before releasing their grip on one another and the four of them began to make their way out of the dorm building.

As they walked, Peach and Jaune were idly chatting away about different things ranging from 'What the ladies like' to 'does this scarf make me look fat?' and Noir glanced at the small figure of Ruby beside him and offered her a smile, "So Ruby, how's the team?"

Ruby blinked a few times, appearing to be coming out of thought and turned her head to Noir, "Oh, they're all good! Weiss is Weiss, Yang is Yang and Blake is... Blake," She broke off for a moment, before a wide smile appeared on her face, "We just had a bit of trouble over the weekend but nothing the awesome team RWBY couldn't handle!"

Noir smiled, nodding once in return, "I can imagine that nobody can stand in the way of any team with such good teamwork!"

"Yea! We're all just super awesome that way!" Ruby added, the two grinning from ear to ear.

"One day when we all graduate we should meet up and fight Grimm together! Nothing can stop one team that works well together, but four? We'd be unstoppable!" Noir pumped a fist into the air. His normal calmness had been replaced by a more child like excitement and a reserve of energy kicked in,"

"Oooo, that'd be awesome! And we could all camp out every night and talk about what stories we have to share,"

"Uh guys, you know we aren't forced to stay in these teams after we graduate?" Peach added in, but recoiling slightly as Noir, Ruby and Jaune gave her an incredulous look,

"Why would we want to leave our team-mates?" The three of them asked all at once but Peach did not answer and simply shut her mouth whilst offering a sweet smile to them.

Eventually the four of them entered the large hall to find Professor Goodwitch standing on the stage by herself. The other two squad leaders hadn't arrived yet.

"Ah, Miss Rose, Mr Arc, Miss Gullahorn and Mr Chevalier. Glad you could all make it now can you all please stand just in front of the stage whilst we wait for the other two." The four nodded in response, standing in a line just in front of the stage and exchanging glances between them. Noir was deep in thought about the possibilities why they'd all be here ranging from an announcement or some kind of training session.

They didn't have to wait long for Cardin and Seda, the two extending the line next to Noir and heated glares already being exchanged between Cardin and Noir. The racism of Cardin Winchester was well known and it wasn't exactly a well known secret that Noir had been practically giddy at the opportunity to put Cardin in his place if provoked. Cardin wasn't a fool and instead of attempting to bully the Faunus he just resorted to glaring at him which Noir gladly returned.

"Good, now that you are all here I am sure you are all well aware of the approaching festival which will contain a tournament," All of them nodded in response before Goodwitch continued, "Some of you may be seeking to participate and therefore Professor Ozpin is permitting the use of this room for training during after lesson hours. However, each team must come down at their allocated time period - if you all wish to share times between yourselves that is your decision. You're all dismissed, the times will be sent to your scrolls and please do avoid conflict outside of training and spars."

The leaders nodded in response, Seda and Cardin already heading towards the entrance whilst the other four turned to look at one another, "Sharing times sounds like a good idea, we could do pair fights and help each other improve," Peach said, glancing between the other three who all nodded in return,

"Plus, we get to practice against a wider range of weapons which gives us more of an advantage," Jaune added tentatively,

"Jaune is right," Ruby smiled at Jaune, patting him on the shoulder.

"Then it's settled, when we find out our times we'll meet... in my room. It'll be crowded but it'll work." Noir finished, offering them all a questioning look. Receiving nods in response the four of them turned and made their way out of the hall and Professor Goodwitch, who hadn't moved from the stage, smiled slightly,

"Indeed... team-work is important for a team but team-work between multiple teams is important."

'Later that day...'

The girls were still asleep, curled up in their beds and snoring away peacefully. But that wouldn't last long as Noir got up from sitting in a chair in the corner of the room and opened the door to find the assembled teams of RWBY, JNPR and PURE, "Nice to see you all again, come on in just... let's try and avoid waking them up for the time being."

Team RWBY entered first, Ruby leading the way inside and being followed by a girl wearing a pale bolero jacket over a thigh-length dress. The inside of the bolero is red with the sleeves turning blue as they get closer to her wrists. On the back of the bolero was the Schnee crest, which reminded Noir of the traditional appearance of a snowflake. The girl was also wearing white, heeled wedge boots that were lined with red on the inside whilst long white hair was pulled back in an off-centre ponytail.

"Miss Schnee." Noir bowed his head slightly, receiving a Hmph in respond as the girl followed Ruby inside. Following her was Blake and Noir gave Blake a small smile which she returned and the last member of RWBY entered. This girl was wearing a tan vest with a gold cleavage and midriff revealing shirt whilst there was a black crest over her left breast which resembled a burning heart. The girl was also wearing black shorts under her belt. The girl was also wearing brown knee high platform boots whilst around her neck was an orange circle scarf. Her yellow hair flowed down loosely looking quite messy.

Noir exchanged a look with the girl, exchanging a small nod, "Yang."

"Noir."

RWBY took positions around the room, Blake taking the chair in the corner whilst Ruby, Weiss and Yang stood around her. But Noir was already welcoming JNPR into the room, clasping Jaune's hand for a moment before letting go and smiling as a girl with red hair in a waist length high ponytail and her green eyes met Noir's for a second as they exchanged a nod. This girl was tall and muscular, reminding Noir of Orlaith just... more muscular. Her armour appeared to be influenced from some kind of ancient civilization and was mostly brown with lighter shades of brown around the edges.

Noir's eyes widened slightly but restraining himself... she's on front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmellow Flakes box. She passed by him, and she was quickly followed by a hyper looking girl with short orange hair and light blue eyes. She was wearing a collared black vest that ended at her waist whilst wearing a white sleeveless top that forms a tiny heart shape in the centre of her chest. Covering her legs was a pink skirt.

She offered a small wave to Noir before skipping past him and joining Jaune and Pyrrha. The last to enter was a boy with long hair and a ponytail that ended halfway down his back. There was a pink streak on the left side of his hair, the pink matching the colour of his eyes. He was wearing a dark green buttoned long-sleeved tailcoat whilst he had light tan pants accompanied by black shoes.

Noir nodded to him, the nod being returned before he proceeded to welcome the members of PURE inside.

After a few more moments he closed the door behind him and turning to the now suddenly a very little room. Deciding to take advantage of the situation he spoke, "Hey, girls. We have visitors,"

"Tell them to take a number and come back later..." Orlaith moaned, rolling over and opening her eyes to see Ugli knelt down right in front of her and waving at her with a grin on his face.

"WHAT IS... WHY ARE...!" Orlaith practically screamed, causing the other two to wake up and see their room filled with other teams and responding in a similar manner.

"Oh... I forgot to tell you three we'd be having visitors," Noir muttered, shrinking away slightly as all three of them glared at him and clutching the covers to their chests even though each of them were wearing pyjamas.

"Noir!"

"Noir didn't want to wake you three up... early to come to one of our rooms, so he asked for us to come here instead," Peach piped in, glancing between Noir and his team mates as all three of them looked ready to kill him. However their expressions changed upon hearing this, Indigo and Rhea looking calmer and shrinking beneath the covers whilst Orlaith just blushed slightly and pulled the covers tighter over her body.

Noir grinned at the three of them, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly before pulling out his scroll and glancing between Ruby, Jaune and Peach who pulled out their own scrolls.

"I got 1 to 3,"

"3 to 5,"

"5 to 7,"

"7 to 9,"

"Well, at least we now know we could have a training day," Noir finished, receiving nods from the other three, "For those of you who don't know, myself, Ruby, Jaune and Peach have been told that our teams will have individual training times in the hall should we wish to prepare for the festival and the tournament it'll hold. We have decided, since we all get along, that we will all combine our training times so that any of us here - in this room - can go down during that time and train," Noir broke off, and Ruby picked up where he left off,

"That way, we can train with each other in Team vs Team battles, pair battles and specific battles where we practice against different weapons to get a firm grip on different weapons and how to block them," Ruby finished, looking around the room.

She received nods from everyone.

"So, starting tomorrow, we'll meet down in the main hall at One o'clock for training sessions and training until nine or until we decide not to," Jaune added in.

"What about SEDA and CRDL?" Indigo asked, meeting Noir's eyes.

"We don't like them. There is no chemistry between us," Peach replied, shuddering at the idea of being stuck in a room with Seda. He flirted: With every girl he met in Beacon in their year except Ruby.

"Any more questions?" Noir asked, silence met his question. Well, mostly silence as the orange haired girl in JNPR just bounced up and down on the soles of her feet. "Well, if that's it... introductions. Since some of us haven't had the pleasure of meeting - I'm Noir Chevalier. Leader of team NOIR. That's Orlaith Orian, Inidigo Althea and Rhea Ravenscroft," Noir pointed to each girl as he spoke their names and each of them raised a hand and offered the room a wave.

"I'm Peach Gullahorn. Leader of Team PURE. That's Ugli Virgil, Raspberry Rarus and Endive Cob. And yes, we know we have funny names," Peach did the same, pointing at each of her squad-mates in particular before narrowing her eyes as Jaune and Ruby's faces looked strained as they held in laughter.

"My name's Jaune Arc, short, sweet, rolls off the tongue. Ladies love it... i'm leader of team JNPR. This is Nora Valkyrie, Pyrrha Nikos and Lie Ren,"

"I'm Ruby Rose! Leader of teeeeeeaaaammmm RWBY! This is Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladona and Yang Xiao Long."

The room went silent again, but it was gradually broken by the sound of Rhea's voice, "Now, not to sound rude... but can anyone here who doesn't want anything else LEAVE SO WE CAN CHANGE!"

The other teams quickly began to make their way out of the room, Noir retreated behind his curtain and not noticing as a certain girl followed him.

He heard the sound of the door closing, and the sound of rustling clothing as Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea began to change whilst chatting amongst themselves.

"Noir,"

He turned and saw Blake standing there, a book already in hand, "Blake, are you alright?"

"Noir, what is your opinion on your friends keeping secrets from you?" Blake asked, moving past him and taking her usual position against the wall and sliding down it.

"Hm..." Noir began, sitting on the edge of his bed and thinking, "Well... it depends. If it was a secret which they had a good reason to keep then I'd understand,"

"You're very understanding,"

"Well, trying to appear Human makes you think you are Human. But, I realised after I met Indigo that looks don't mean anything and after I met Velvet it became clear to me that if people don't like me for who I am then they aren't worth knowing at all whilst before it was just based on appearance now it became based on my race," Noir offered a small smile to Blake, turning around and grabbing a book from his bedside table called 'Ninjas of Love'. "Why, you have a secret that you've been keeping?" He asked, turning back around and looking at Blake again.

Her face was showing an inner conflict, before she sighed gently and raised a hand, "Noir... can you keep a secret?"

* * *

**MUWHAHAHAHA! And thus, I leave Chapter 7 like that! I hope you all enjoyed the new chapter :D**

**Now that we've gotten towards the end of the official RWBY timeline, I am curious for people's opinions on what I should do next? Shall I have it that each chapter is a normal day at Beacon but a flashback for someone's backstory of the OC teams? Or something else! And kudos to ThatInternetGuy for Noir's semblance!**

**EDIT: Oh, I forgot to mention! There shall be a bonus scene/longer next time celebrating over 1,000 views!**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**


	8. Chapter 8 - The sun shines on us

**Chapter 8 - The sun shines on us, revealing all that was lost**

"Reeed liiikeee Roooossess, fills my head with dreams and...!"

"Orlaith, sh!"

Indigo shot a warm look over at Orlaith as she attempted to peak between the boards dividing the men and women's sections of the bathhouse. The four teams were there, split between men and women and had gone into the separate section which meant on the other side of this divider was a group of naked men all chatting about men stuff. Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Pyrrha, Nora, Peach, Raspberry, Orlaith, Indigo, Rhea and Laila were all sat around with folded towels on their heads and enjoying the steam.

"Let me listen..."

On the other side of the divider the scene was basically the same with Jaune, Ren, Angel, Ugli and Noir all sat in a circle but more spaced out, "This is perfect...  
who's idea was this again?" Jaune asked, slipping further into the water and glancing around the bath.

"It was your idea, Jaune. We just all agreed," Noir replied. Noir appeared relaxed, his arms open and leaning against the sides of the bath whilst his body was on display above the stomach. His chest was, to put it bluntly, furry. Lots of hair covered his chest, arm pits and the other places whilst the signs of a stubble growing were apparent on his chin. His hair was now free flowing and looked like a black slime around him. His skin was pale compared to when he started at Beacon, most likely from his constant wearing of bandages.

"Oh... yea... well, how do you think they are all doing?"

"Probably the same as us, relaxing and enjoying the feeling of having your muscles relax for once," Noir stated, glancing over to the divider, "I could shout over and ask them if you wanted me to...?"

"No! No... it's fine," Jaune replied hastily, glancing over to the divider as well.

"Noir, I have a question if you'll indulge me?" Ugli asked, pulling himself up slightly and looking over at Noir who turned his head to catch his eye.

"Go for it,"

"You know there's a mixed gender area...?"

"Yes, where is this going?"

Ugli grinned slightly, lifting a hand out of the water and gesturing with his thumb to the divider, "Surely you, Orlaith, Indigo, Rhea and that Laila girl would be  
more then relaxed around each other... I'm surprised you didn't ask for you lot to stick together,"

Noir chuckled lightly, shaking his head, "Haha, be alone with four girls? Or alone with others? I'll take the others, thanks,"

"Why? Are they irritating?" Angel asked, now as curious as his team-mate,

"Nope. Just I'd rather avoid having my groin stared at by at least one out of four,"

"Orlaith?" Ugli inquired, his face stretching into a smile and flicking a strand of green hair out of his face,

"Bullseye,"

The three of them collectively sighed, Noir raising a hand and giving the divider a small knock and pausing a second before a grin broke out over his face as he heard the sound of a splash.

"How'd you know?" Angel was now staring at the divider, glancing between it and Noir.

"Lucky guess," Noir replied, glancing at the divider as well. His mind was actually proposing the idea of the next time they visit the bathhouse that they go in the  
mixed gender area... only for NOIR and Laila of course since Ruby was a bit too young to be mixing. The image of Laila, Rhea, Indigo and Orlaith all sitting in the  
same room as his, naked and drenched in water...

"Noir, are you alright?" Noir was snapped out of his imagination to see Jaune looking at him and pointing at his nose whilst Ugli and Angel were grinning with knowing,

"You have a nosebleed,"

Noir wiped his nose, grinning slightly and blushing slightly, "Just thinking about someone,"

"Yea, Noir we've been meaning to ask you about that. Who's this Laila Laska?" Jaune asked, and all of the other boys adjusted themselves and turned to look at Noir. Even Ren turned ever so slightly.

"Laila Laska... she was my best friend from childhood. We did everything together,"

"Did you two go to Signal together?"

Noir paused a few moments before responding, "No. She moved away when we were eight. But I missed her and I assume she missed me, and we met again when she got off the boat,"

"She came from a different school? Noir you may have to fight her in the tournament?"

"Well... I'd rather avoid that but some things are inevitable,"

Noir sighed, his brain now giving him images of the two of them fighting in a tournament in front of a cheering crowd.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the divider... Blake was staring into the depths of her book with Laila sat next to her, "So how did you meet Noir?" Blake glanced at Laila,

"Met him when he was injured," Blake replied simply, still staring into the book.

"How'd he get injured?" Laila asked, thinking of the bandages she had noticed her childhood friend wearing.

"Protecting his friends," Blake answered, turning a page in the book and sparing a glance for Laila who just gave her a small smile in return.

"Yea, that's Noir for you," Orlaith said, leaning back against the edge of the bath next to Rhea and Indigo and rubbing the back of her head after the fall, "Always rushing in for his friends, must have a large pe-" However Orlaith was cut off as Rhea and Indigo had grabbed Orlaith's head and shoved it under the water and into her own breasts affectively drowning her.

"Sorry about her, she doesn't know when to stop," Rhea added apologetically, releasing Orlaith and shooting her a dangerous look.

"Look who's talking, flat chest. At least some of us have sexual appeal," Rhea blushed heavily, glancing down at her chest and poking her chest before glancing at Orlaith who's breasts were practically floating in the water. Indigo had an arm over her breasts to keep them under the water and had a constant dull blush on her face.

"Well... it's not all about..." Rhea stuttered, glancing over to Laila who offered her a sweet smile in return as her own breasts floated on the surface. Rhea sighed and indeed, it appeared that everyone present had larger chests then her but what was so great about it to make it...

"Oi! Laila!" Noir's voice came over the divider and Ruby squealed, sinking beneath the water and hiding herself from sight whilst Laila stood up and stared at the divider,

"What's up, Noir!"

"Ask Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea if they fancy going in the Mixed-gender area!"

The moment 'Mixed-gender' was heard by the girls, all of them broke out in a deep, red blush. They looked like four tomatoes with different cream smeared across each of their heads. "Uhh... sure?" Laila replied, blushing herself.

Back on the other side, Noir had an evil grin on his face whilst Ugli had an irritated expression on his face, "You've got to be kidding me, they accepted?"

"Oh, I know what the ladies like... I'll see you lot later, stay warm." Noir climbed out of the bath, tying the towel around his waist and moving to collect his gear  
and sliding on his trench coat but not putting any other pieces on before leaving the mens' area and entering the Mixed-gender area. It was empty, but it was next to the womens' area. Apparently, women were more trust worthy then men when it came to matters concerning naked people. Noir just stored all of his things in one of the empty baskets, moving over to the bath and sliding into it whilst removing the towel.

The warm water tickled his sore skin and he let out a relaxed sigh, spreading his arms out again, closing his eyes and visibly relaxing. A few minutes later he heard the sound of wet feet against the floor and the sound of someone slipping into the water. "Noir..."

He opened an eye and spotted Indigo opposite him, an arm across her chest and her cheeks bright red. "Noir, look at us as we enter and I'll remove a key component from your body, understand?"

"Yes Rhea." So, instead of doing the nice thing and closing his eyes Noir just fixed his eyes on Indigo as two of the three slipped into the water. Indigo was slowly turning redder but it was Noir's moment to turn red when he felt something soft touch his left arm as he saw Laila sitting right next to him, an arm across her chest and an innocent smile on her face.

Noir was about to raise his spare hand when he felt something else touch his right arm, glancing around to see Orlaith sitting there with the same innocent smile on her face but her arm was only half heartedly covering her chest. Noir's face was now redder then Indigo's and he couldn't help a trickle of blood leaving his nose. He was snapped back to his senses as Rhea removed the folded towel from the top of his head, handing it to Laila and Orlaith who lowered their hands under the water and folded it around Noir's waist.

"What are you three..." He couldn't finish as another trickle of blood left his nose as Rhea slid into the water and sat between his legs. "RHEA?!"

"What? You are our leader and now you need the closeness of your team-mates..." Orlaith replied for Rhea, who simply nodded whilst Indigo climbed out of the water and tying the towel around her waist before moving around the bath.

"Indigo... Indigo?!" Noir asked, his voice increasing in pitch as the sweet girl sat behind him and placed her head on top of his whilst he felt a pair of...  
some things rubbing the back of his neck.

Noir's nose was now trickling blood at a constant pace as the four of them pulled closer to him... "So what did you want us for, Noir?" Rhea asked, glancing over her shoulder and rubbing herself against him. That was it. He couldn't take it any more. He fainted. His head fell forward onto Rhea's shoulder as the girls glanced around and shared a certain evil grin, "Now that was fun... but he is comfortable, do we have to move?"

"I don't know, he's quite hairy... maybe we could rest here for a little?" Orlaith added in, adjusting herself slightly.

"Sure, may as well," Laila replied, snuggling into Noir's side and wiping his face free of blood. Remembering herself of a certain event...

* * *

'10 YEARS AGO'

"Noir, what happened this time?"

A smaller Laila was wrapping a small bandage around Noir's bloody knuckles, which were clenched, "Nothing," He replied, turning his gaze away from her but she was having none of that,

"Noir Chevalier, you tell me now or I won't show you my new dress,"

That worked. Noir's face looked crest fallen, looking at Laila with pleading eyes but she turned her head slightly. After a few moments of silence, there was a sigh from her friend, "Some of those bullies were calling us 'freaks' so I thought I'd show them something!"

'Noir...' Laila thought, her small face breaking out in a smile. She did have a knight who protected her, like the ones Raven told her about in distant lands but she didn't have to go far to find her own... "Noir... thanks. I can always count on you,"

"'course! We are best friends after all," Noir replied, scratching the back of his head with his already bandaged hand whilst Laila began to bandage his other hand. Laila blushed slightly, wrapping this bandage slightly tighter then she meant to and earning a sharp intake of breath from her Knight.

"Sorry... I'm not used to doing this but are you ready for our picnic tomorrow?" Laila asked tentatively and was pleased to see Noir's face broke out into a bigger smile, giving her a thumbs up.

"I can't wait!"

"I'm glad..."

* * *

Prod. Prod. Prod.

Noir shrugged, sighing as he blinked a few times and opening his eyes. "Noir, we're all getting ready to leave," It was Laila's voice... Oh, they had gone into the Mixed-gender section and... oh. "Noir?" Noir blinked a few more times, standing up and turning around in the water, climbing out and finally opening his eyes fully... falling back into the water with blood freely flowing from his nose.

Laila, Rhea, Indigo and Orlaith all sighed collectively as they watched Noir fall backwards into the water with a smile on his face which spoke all to clearly that if he died now he'd die happy. The four of them stared at his limp figure on the surface of the water, all of them sighing before a sadistic idea clicking in all of their heads, "Let's get him back to Beacon, you can come along as well Laila..."

It took them around an hour to get Noir changed, most of that time devoted to getting his underwear on, and getting him back to Beacon. RWBY, JNPR and PURE had already left but Blake had stuck her head in to check on the five of them... only to withdraw her head and blushing slightly.

Poor, poor Noir was laid onto his bed with all four of the girls standing over him with evil looks clouding all of their faces. However before any sadistic action could be taken, Noir's eyes fluttered open to find all four girls standing around his bed... "I had the weirdest dream. You four got naked at a bathhouse and surrounded me and then I woke up to find you all posing nude behind me, how weird..." Indigo and Laila gave soft giggles whilst Rhea and Orlaith exchanged looks, "Wait... did it happen... WHICH ONE OF YOU WAS IT?!"

"We don't know what you mean, Noir... It was all of us," Rhea replied, an evil grin still spread across her face.

"BUT WHY?!" Noir stared at the four of them, moving his hands across his body to check if everything was still normal but something felt... weird.

"Think of it as a reward for being such a good leader and a good friend... And we wanted to make something clear to you, Noir," Rhea replied, and the four of them lent in together. Noir recoiled slightly on the bed, trying to climb backwards but hitting the corner, "We trust you a lot now, so we've..." Rhea indicated with the back of her head and Noir glanced to see that the curtain was drawn back so the room no longer was separated.

"... parted the divider. You could still use it for your reading time but otherwise we're leaving the curtain against the wall."

Noir stared at his team-mates, trying to sense the underlying reason for this. Sure, they trusted him but why all of a sudden were they going to be so casual around him? They were -GIRLS- after all... "However, you aren't allowed in our underwear drawer. That's where we draw the line." Orlaith added on, receiving nods from Rhea and Indigo.

"Sorry to sound so rude but... why the sudden turn around?"

The four of them blushed, Laila glanced at the three of them as they showed no signs of replying and their determined expressions replaced by blushes, "They saw your body and got to Orlaith's state of mind when it comes to your body... plus they want to be able to walk around in their underwear, and have you do their nails with polish they bought-"

"WHAT?!" Noir exclaimed loudly.

"Don't you want to see their bodies?"

"Not that part! PAINT THEIR NAILS?!"

The three of them nodded with smiles on their faces, "Well, we already did yours... Onyx black suited you the best!" Indigo stated happily, holding up four little bottles of nail polish. The labels reading, 'Onyx Black', 'Sun yellow', 'Lavender', 'Sky blue'. Noir raised one of his hands to his face, looking at his finger nails and biting his lower lip as his eyes were met by bandaged fingers up to just before the tip to display his black nails. Noir's eyes widened for a moment, taking in the sight before and he was about to over react before he stopped mid-breath and something clicked in his mind.

His bandages. The girls had gotten new bandages to put on him... they must have stripped him and... Ohhh... and the nails don't look -that- bad. In fact, they helped to empathize his black colour scheme.

He sighed heavily, before glancing up at the girls, "I swear, if you four tell ANYONE that I painted your nails... I will personally find the largest Beowolf I can find and feed you three to him. Piece by piece."

Nods and smiles met him... and clouds of dust as the girls disappeared and the sounds of three beds being pushed together met his ears and Noir couldn't help but drop his mouth at their speed of which they had got changed into what appeared to be dressing gowns. Noir couldn't help but glance at their colour coordinated clothing as he finally stood up and drew a chair up to the middle of the three combined beds to have four pairs of feet waiting for him. "Noir, you need to do it nice and smooth with not too much but you need to get all of the nail..."

This was going to be a long evening.

* * *

BONUS SCENE: The Manicurist

"Someone remind me... how I got from notable, loved and brotherly figure of Noir Chevalier to MANICURIST!"

Noir sat back in the chair, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead as Peach wiggled her toes at him, "Well, I was wondering where Indigo had gotten such nicely done nails and she told me but I wasn't allowed to tell anyone..."

"She wasn't meant to tell anyone!"

"Well look on the bright side, at least you don't have any more people coming to have their nails done-"

"THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE THE LAST!" Noir exclaimed loudly, wiping his forehead again whilst multiple bottles were scattered around him of different nail polish. The labels including, 'Red rose, Snow white, Shadow black, Shining gold, Battle maroon, Brink pink, Peachy Peach and Raspberry'.

"Well... are you earning anything from this?"

"No, but I'm losing my SELF RESPECT!"

"Noiiiiirrrr!" The sing-song voice spelled dread for him, glancing over to see Orlaith reading a magazine entitled 'Swords weekly: Claymore or CLAIM MORE!',

"WHAT?!"

"I just want you to know that my nails look wooonnnddeeerfffulll!" Orlaith shot him an evil look, Noir responding with a heavy sigh which made it sound like he had the entire of Remnant on his shoulders.

"Don't push your luck, Orian,"

"Uh, Noir?" Peach wiggled her toes at him again, offering him a sweet smile, "Can you continue please so it doesn't take another hour for you to do my fingers?"

Noir Chevalier. Hunter-in-training. Wielder of Minuit and Pitch Beauty. Slayer of the Alpha Beowolf.

Manicurist.

* * *

**Hello everyone! Thanks for reading this chapter of 'The Black Knight' and i hope you all enjoyed it!**

**If anyone has any ideas for future chapters or what they'd like to see (Backstories, Flashbacks, More fights, more talking etc...) then please send me a PM!**

**As always, review so I can improve and thanks for reading!**

**Love you always!**

**- xxAristotlexxx**

******EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**


	9. Chapter 9 - The sea barrages our bodies

**Chapter 9 - The Sea barrages our bodies, the constant reminder of our strong shells**

_Walking through the forest had become something of a habit of the wolf. Stalking its prey was something ingrained in the memory of every young pup as they grew up and a reminder that they were the hunter and not the prey. The sun was there to shine on the prey, to reveal its location. The sky was there to reveal the sun and hide it when stealth was needed. The flowers were there to act as a cushion for the sleeping pups._

_The four together was a perfect equilibrium of nature and it was something that the four of them always knew._

_Four._

_Black. Yellow. Indigo. Blue._

_The four figures strode through the forest, with capes corresponding with their colours being blown in the wind except for the black figure. He wore no cape and instead had a trench coat being blown about in the wind that threatened to lift up and part the coat and reveal the secrets long since hidden. The only things the young wolf would reveal itself to were the sun, which would shine on him and remind him of a brighter future just around the corner. The flowers that would embrace him in a soft grip and give him restful nights. And the sky, that would remain there to listen to his howling… his begging for company._

_The four were being followed, or was it just the one? The lone wolf, seeking another pack or was it the four striding together through the forest... but it didn't matter for at that moment an odd sound caught the wolf's ears, causing him to raise his head and sniff the air. The scent of roses met his nostrils and the sun was soon blocked by the sky and its clouds with darkness shrouding him. It was a relaxing feeling for the young wolf._

_"None shall pass,"_

_The Wolf jumped back slightly at the voice, staring up at the figure of a large man in black armour and wielding a long sword in one hand. The Wolf tilted its head at the Knight, staring at him long and hard before setting one paw forward but was quickly startled at the sound of its voice again,_

_"None shall pass me, for I am the Black Knight. I am forever here to stop you young Wolf."_

_The wolf stared up at the visor of the Knight, shrinking away as the thought of this man sent shivers down his spine. However, an odd feeling began to crawl its way into his heart and he remembered... The sky had revealed the sun which in turn had caused the flowers to reveal themselves. They were all there for him... even when the clouds blocked out the sun they were still there just... hidden._

_The wolf stood its ground now, taking a few steps forwards towards the large, black Knight who repeated,_

_"None shall pass,"_

_But now the wolf was brave. Brave because he knew, in his heart, that he would always have the three of them there to support him. Even in his darkest hours, the shadows would help him._

_The wolf took a few more steps forward, approaching the knight now with confidence in every stride and the knight held his blade a loft and ready to strike. However the wolf didn't flinch away and stood his ground knowing that such a being would strike him down but if he had the three to support him, he could do anything._

_There was the sound of a loud thud and the wolf stared at the Black Knight. The knight had stabbed the blade into the ground right in front of the wolf's head and in the reflection the wolf didn't see himself... he saw a man. A man with long, black hair and two black eyes like his. "For you to truly yourself, you must look inside your soul and find the real you. Only then can you truly become better but even then better is never enough however, young wolf..."_

_The man lent down, pulling back his visor and revealing the wolf's face... Or the reflection of it, "... if you wish to truly become strong then you must find something worth fighting for. Something you'd surrender your very life for and on that day I will stand by your side and you will not pass me - but you shall stand beside me as an equal."_

Noir let out a soft gasp, bolting up right in bed and almost knocking head first into a shocked Blake. "Noir... what's wrong?"

He was breathing heavily, the dream feeling so real. But every time he recalled the memory it was never clear what was he was and what was surrounding him... was he a wolf? Or was he himself but surrounding by Orlaith, Indigo, Rhea, Ruby, Weiss and Blake?

"Noir?" She asked again, resting a hand on his shoulder,

"I'm fine... sorry to startle you- Wait, what are you doing in the room and who let you in?" Noir raised a questioning eyebrow at Blake, who sighed in return and held up a book entitled, 'Ninjas of Love 2'. Noir gasped silently, eyes wide and mouth hanging open as he stared at the book and a small smile passed over Blake's face as she slid the book slightly to the side with one hand to reveal a second copy.

"When we were in Vale, I visited... a store. And found these on display, almost sold out." Blake explained, passing over the copy to him with her black finger nails glinting in the light, "I suppose I thought I owed you,"

Noir shuddered slightly, raising his hand and taking the book from her with a small smile on his face and glancing down at his own black nails, "Nah, it was fine... just don't mention it to anyone? I'd rather the big bad wolf wasn't known to also be a manicurist,"

Blake put a finger to her lips, nodding once and giving him a small, cat like grin before flicking open to the first page of the book and lying back across the covers. Noir did the same, with her lying across his centre one might have thought it was uncomfortable... and it was. But when you have a good book in hand you don't care about the position you are in until the end when your back feels like someone rammed a knife through it.

_'We can't do it! They're too strong! You'll have to leave me behind!'_

_'Never! We stay together, I swore to protect you and that's what I'm going to do! I never go back on my word, because that's my Nindo!'_

Noir wiped a single tear from his eye at the heart warming scene, raising the book slightly to hide his expression but a voice suddenly tore him from the abyss of immersion, "Noir, I have a question," He glanced over the book to see Blake still lying there, with her book still in hand and she was still staring into its depths but her question was phrased at him since there were no characters in the book called 'Noir'.

"Sure, ask away," he replied, sighing slightly as he continued to read and his heart slowly began to warm up more as the words came to life in his mind and his mind produced a tragic scene of a battlefield.

"Would you like to try working as a tag team later in training?"

"Sure, why not?" Noir glanced again over the pages of the book and saw Blake still staring into her own copy, her face twitching slightly trying to hide a smile. "Two people who love black, it'll be like the ultimate black tag team," Noir added on, grinning slightly at the image forming in his head but it was soon wiped away as the scene unfolding in the book took hold and a certain interaction began to occur between the characters.

As one, Blake and Noir wiped a trickle of blood away from their noses.

* * *

**'Later that day, at the training session...'**

Teams RWBY, JNPR, PURE and NOIR were all lined up in the empty main hall. Well, to call it empty would be a lie but it may as well have been called empty since they were the only ones inside. Ruby, Jaune, Peach and Noir stood on the stage with their weapons in hand and smiles on their faces as they looked down on their team-mates. And friends.

"Today's session will start with the regular warm up to ensure no muscles are pulled. After that we are going to be trying tag-team battles with here's the little catch that we've devised and the one we warned you about yesterday: You are not allowed to partner up with anyone from the same squad as your own. So we'll give you a few minutes to get into the necessary pairs before we begin..."

Noir watched as the line separated and slowly began to reform with some of the most insane pairings imaginable happening right before his eyes. Of course, Blake climbed up onto the stage and stood beside him and he offered her a small smile which was returned. Jaune and Ruby turned to one another with big smiles on their faces whilst Peach partnered up with Nora.

Weiss and Rhea partnered up, swiftly followed by Yang and Orlaith who bumped fists. Pyrrha and Angel... Ren and Ugli, Indigo and Raspberry. The partners at least seemed to complement each other's colours or at least some of them did.

As the pairs finished forming, Ruby began to speak; "Now some of you may be wondering why we partnered you up with people from different squads..." Ruby broke off, with Jaune picking up,

"It's simple. If the tournament requires you to pick your own team-mate but restricts you from picking someone from your own team then we want you to be prepared..." Jaune did the same as Ruby, breaking off with Peach picking it up,

"... To be working with someone you don't normally work with and getting to know that sometimes the world..." Peach broke off, smiling slightly as Noir finished,

"... Doesn't always allow you to be working with who you want to. We've been generous and allowed you to pick your own team-mate, as we can imagine in a tournament style battle but be prepared for anything." Noir glanced over at Ruby, Jaune and Peach who all gave him a smile... they had been trying to perfect the craft of picking up where the others left off a for a while and only recently been able to master it. It was something they prided themselves in and, when asked 'Whyyyyy' by Orlaith they all replied with (Their answer broken between them) that it was perfect for co-ordination and thinking along the same lines.

"Now, to begin with we'll show you an example of a tag-team battle between myself and Jaune versus Blake and Noir," Ruby began, stepping backwards onto the centre of the stage and drawing Crescent Rose and whilst Jaune stood some distance behind her. Noir and Blake did something similar, Noir drawing out Minuit and Pitch Beauty and changing them to their 'Karambit' form.

"In a 'Tag-team' battle, it is a two vs two style of match but some tag team battles like to add in extra rules. For example, a traditional tag team style match may have a constant one vs one going on but you are allowed to switch out with your team-mate. We'll demonstrate. Ruby, whenever you're ready... Oh dam-"

Noir was cut off as he barely managed to block Crescent Rose with the twins, struggling back and forcing himself down onto one knee as Minuit and Pitch Beauty began to slide along the blade of the scythe, threatening to slip off and only achieving the blade getting closer to Noir's nose. "Blake! Switch!" Noir shouted out, putting all of his energy and muscle power into throwing the scythe off of him and rolling back only to see Gambol Shroud to be thrown past him and towards Ruby, catching onto...

"Jaune, switch!"

... the edge of Jaune's shield, gripping onto it as Jaune pulled back at it causing Blake to lose balance and fall forward.

"Noir! Switch!" Blake's voice came from the floor, rolling out of the way of Jaune's charge and Noir rushed in as Blake backed off, catching the edge of Gambol Shroud and throwing it back to Blake whilst swinging Minuit around and attempting to catch Jaune's cheek. Jaune managed to block the blow, raising the shield and momentarily blocking Noir from vision. A moment was all he needed.

Noir used the momentum, swinging around in a circle whilst lowering himself closer to the floor and slicing at Jaune's exposed legs. However, Minuit only pierced the fabric and the two backed away from one another after that first hit whilst they were both panting heavily... so were Blake and Ruby.

"As you can... all see. It takes..." Noir took in a breath of air, settling himself down before continuing, "... a lot of coordination and a fast reaction time to make a tag team work. You've all just witnessed a perfect tag-team example well... perfect may be a little bit of an exaggeration but either way, timing is everything. Now, separate yourselves into matches of two vs two in the hall and spread yourselves out."

Noir, Blake, Ruby and Jaune all watched from the stage as the 'tag-team' battles commenced and they were interested to see the combinations before them. "You two did well," Noir stated, slotting Minuit and Pitch Beauty back into their respective holsters and offering Jaune and Ruby an honest smile,

"Well... you two were quick. It was hard to react so quickly with you two," Jaune replied, sheathing his blade and returning Noir's honest smile with his own,

"Nah, Ruby was much faster. Hardly gave me time to finish my sentence,"

"Sorry about that, I just wanted to get things started,"

"Myself and Noir may have been faster overall however Jaune's strength matched with Ruby's speed would have proved to be an effective combination in a real duel," Blake added in, her arms folded as she watched Yang and Orlaith pummelling Indigo and Raspberry.

"Indeed... we may be fast but our attacks are mostly ranged whilst the twins in close quarters are designed for hand-to-hand not hand-to-shield,"

"Yea but you know what they say about people who use ranged attacks! You need to be faster than the guy who's gonna chase you!"

The four of them shared a small laugh, watching as their friends sparred with one another. None of them were going too overboard so the hall was surviving the pummelling it was receiving from hammers, swords and the array of weaponry used by the first year students.

* * *

_'I've been blind all this time, I should have realised it when you were willing to sacrifice yourself to save me but... i was afraid of getting you hurt again. Lady Hi-'_

Noir's eyes welled up in tears and, glancing down his bed, he saw Blake lying in the same position from earlier with her eyes doing much in the same yet no sound escaping her lips.

After the training, Noir offered to let Blake return to NOIR's room to finish reading the book since they hadn't finished it earlier and neither of them wanted to leave a good book un-finished. Since RWBY's room didn't have a divider it was hard to get some privacy to read a book so, naturally, Blake would ask to come to NOIR's room to read and he welcomed the opportunity to have someone visit who was into reading as much as he was... or wanted to be. Arguably, Rhea was really into books and so was Indigo but neither of them read or appeared to read any of the same books as Noir so he had resorted to reading by himself until Miss Belladonna had come along, and now they were 'reading buddies' as Orlaith called it.

The curtain was stretched across the gap between Noir's bed and the bed next to it and good thing too since the light might have kept the other three awake... it was of course 1 o'clock in the morning.

_'Yes... I will marry you!'_

**_'THE END'_**

Noir wiped his eyes again, smiling at the happy ending before flicking a page and noticing a certain extra scene within to do with the night after the wedding... and he decided to keep that one for later. He set the book down, staring down at Blake who did the same, and they shared a small moment of friendship because of course...

The friends you will keep, the friends that are worth keeping and the people you should like the most...

... Have the same taste in books.

* * *

**Hello ladies and gentlemen and I hope you enjoyed this new chapter of 'The Black Knight!'**

**As always, give me reviews or PMS! Just to point out, to some of you who may be wandering 'Hey, Aris, why haven't you talked about SEDA more? We want to see the 'bad guys' so to speak' Well... You may get your wish if you love me enough.**

**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and as always, thanks for reading!**

**P.S. I only just realised I have been spelling Belladonna wrong for 9 chapters.**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**

**EDIT EDIT: Pre 26 edit. **


	10. Chapter 10 - The flowers embrace,

**Chapter 10 - The flowers embrace our bodies, welcoming us in life and death**

_It was happening again. Noir drew forth Minuit and Pitch Beaut as he stared down the Black Knight, the Knight in return drawing forth the long sword and holding it ready to strike._

_"So you have something worth protecting...?"_

_"Yes,"_

_"Then show me your strength to protect that which is yours, little wolf." The Knight darted forwards, bringing his blade down on top of the blue cloaked figure._

_CLANG_

_The sound of metal hitting metal rang through the forest as the twins collided with the blade and Noir stared long and hard into the eyes of the Knight whilst the three cloaked figures remained motionless behind him._

_Metal scrapping against metal, the Knight withdrew only to dart towards the yellow cloaked figure and the same happened again. The twins took the blade on together, scrapping along the blade and letting out a scream as the three blades scrapped against each other._

_"You may be fast, Chevalier, but you are not fa-" The Knight was cut off as Minuit and Pitch Beauty pressed hard against his blade, forcing him back, hi boots sliding against the ground as he tried to stop the wolf. The Knight grunted, and Noir took the opportunity to push the twins against the blade one last time before bringing them both back around and slashing across the Knight's front._

_The armour that the karambits touched was split, revealing bandages beneath and the two halted in their battle._

_"You are worthy. But I am you, or rather... your hope. You hope to be the Knight protecting those around him or rather-..." But the Knight cut off, staring at two of the cloaked figures behind Noir whilst holding his blade loosely in hand._

_Noir glanced at the Knight, turning around and almost being struck dumb by the sight of a now nude Rhea and Indigo, and the Indigo was yelling at him,_

"Noir!"

Poke.

It had gotten to the stage where he wasn't surprised any more. It was a few days after the girls had decided on their new 'policy' and Noir had already fainted twice. Wouldn't you? Being woken up in the morning to the sight of a girl in nothing but a bra and underwear tends to do that on the mind of a young man. However, currently he was waking up from a third faint to the sight of Rhea and Indigo standing over him with a mixture of amusement and worry written in their faces. And yes, they were wearing their bottoms whilst their tops were still revealed.

"Noir!" Indigo shouted again, poking him in the face again,

"... what?" he asked, opening his eyes fully and fighting the urge to faint with all his might but not stopping the small trickle of blood that ran down his nose.

"We've got a lesson with Professor Oobleck today in about an hour and a half, we thought you might like to wake up and get something to eat?" Indigo asked tentatively, offering Noir a small smile.

Noir grunted slightly, pulling himself upright in bed and nodding at the two, "Thank you, i'll get changed and head down,"

"We'll be joining you, Orlaith's already gone ahead and saved our regular seats," Rhea replied, cracking a small smile.

The three of them separated across the room and began to get changed. Now with the curtain pushed against the wall Noir realised that he still wasn't exposed. The bandages still covered most of his body and granted him some level of privacy with the only downside being that he'd have to constantly change them.

Glancing over at Rhea, he began to think. Not so unlikely for him but it was an odd thought that came to mind that, months ago when they started at Beacon the three of them would more likely hit him in the face then get changed in front of him but now... he shuddered at the thought. Orlaith probably wouldn't have and the thought that struck him wasn't a pleasant one so he chose to turn back around and finished getting changed.

"Hey Noir!"

"Hm?"

He glanced over his shoulder again; Indigo was standing there with a fully changed Rhea whilst he was still pulling on his vest, "What were you dreaming about?"

"Just... something," Noir replied, pulling on his vest and zipping it up before proceeding to reach for the holsters and sliding them on, glancing at Indigo and Rhea.

"What something?" Indigo asked, leaning in and raising an eyebrow at him suspiciously.

"Just... a-"

"Hey Indigo, let's go down and make sure Orlaith has saved those seats for us." Rhea grabbed Indigo's arm quickly, pulling her back and out of the room. As they left, Rhea gave Noir a glance which spoke volumes. 'Privacy.' 'Understanding'.

Noir sighed again, pulling on his trench coat and exiting the room quickly and locking the door behind him with his scroll. He was about to store the small device back into his coat before the small device bleeped at him. He clicked the bleeping button and the scroll stretched out to reveal an image of Orlaith and her voice soon came out of the device, "Hey Noir, we've got a problem. Seda - if you could get down here soon and defuse some tension then that'd be just great."

Noir quickly made his way down the corridor, proceeding to move down the stairs of the building and out of it. The moment he left the dorm he almost walked head first into Indigo, "Noir!" She cried, pointing behind her, "Orlaith is about to get in a fight with SEDA!"

"What's to worry about? She can handle herself..."

"No you idiot, not Seda. SEDA. THE TEAM! ... eeeeeek!" For it took only a few moments for Noir to grab her shoulder and drag the poor girl along with him as they practically disappeared across the garden and into the main building... eventually reaching the dining hall. And letting go of Indigo as they almost ran head long into a circle of people. In the centre was Orlaith and Rhea standing in front of a group of four. SEDA.

Their irritating leader...

**S** - Seda Hatfield III. A tall man with gentlemanly looking clothing whilst a hammer was almost fixed to his back. Grey clothing met their eyes whilst his main body of clothing consisted of a variation of the school uniform yet completely grey. Everything was grey. His tie, his suit... even his hair, which he had dyed recently. His personality was nothing to be loved but he liked to think he was loved by all of girls in the school.

**E** - Ebony Eron. She was just as tall of Orlaith, with short black hair matched only by her black eyes. In fact, her clothing was a black vest accompanied by equally black trousers and combat boots. Her face was rough with a single scar going across her nose. Two swords were slung over her back but both of the blades seemed to have the same Dust design on her blades.

**D** - Damek Marcus Sangria. He hated everyone with the same equal anger and coincidentally his clothing was red. He wore enough armour to protect his key areas so naturally his armour was a blood red, with his emblem being a spear down the centre. His hair was blood red, well what there was to it... he was a skin head.

**A** - Autumn Attwood. The final member of Team SEDA and perhaps the least irritating whilst also the most anti-social. However no one knew what she looked like because her face was always shrouded by a hood and her body was covered by a cloak which was the colour of fallen leaves.

Noir and Indigo held themselves back as they surveyed the scene of Orlaith, looking very angry, and Rhea who was trying to restrain Orlaith from Seda. Whilst Seda himself was standing beside his squad and spouting insults, "I still don't see why you'd rather spend time with a beast over a real man, Madams,"

Orlaith struggled more against Rhea's grip, "He's a better 'man' then you ever will be, Seda!" Orlaith replied, continuing her struggle,

"Pfft, I don't think so. A real man does not have eyes of an animal accompanied by the fangs of a monster, and you ladies have been corrupted by him,"

"You're wrong!"

"Oh am I? Do tell me, Miss Orian... do any other of the men here have those eyes with those fangs? I'd say he is more of a monster then the Grimm was fi-"

"I've heard enough of this."

Seda turned around to see Noir walking forward out of the crowd closely followed by Indigo, "Oh, so the Wolf enters the flock! Do tell me, Wolf what prey you managed to ensnare? These poor girls among them I guess..."

It was now Indigo restraining Rhea and Orlaith with all her might as Noir gave the three a small wave with his right hand, "You three, step aside... I'll deal with this," Indigo nodded; sweat already beginning to fall down her face as she had to use all of her might to drag the two taller and stronger girls back and out of the way.

Noir now stood in front of Seda, with enough distance between them for someone to lie across, "You have something to tell me, Hatfield? Or have your balls been caught in your throat,"

Seda glared at Noir as a few people grinned, even the two girls of SEDA exchanged a small grin, "You're nothing but a Wolf in a man's skin, Chevalier. You should just let yourself be put down like a rabid dog- What are you doing?" Seda watched, raising an eyebrow as Noir slid off his trench coat and dropped it on the floor. His vest was revealed in all its glory as were his bandaged arms.

"Getting ready to prove our masculinity... or isn't that what you were getting at, Seda?"

"Gah... I..."

Noir grinned evil, placing his fists together and cracking his knuckles, watching as Seda's eyes revealed an internal conflict. Were he to start fighting Noir and lose, then he would lose to a person he had just be slandering. Whilst on the other hand, if he refused to fight then people would think he was too afraid to fight his own battle... however even Noir's thoughts strayed as he thought of a 'brawl' between the two of them and the possibility of being discovered by Goodwitch which sent a shiver down his spine.

*Cue beginning of 'Soul Company by HOGNI*

"Pfft... I..." Seda glanced at his team, none of them even sparing him a glance. Indeed, he may have been the leader but he was far from the most liked. Ebony was a girl who believed she should have been in charge of the team and believed Seda to be nothing more than a spoilt child and, whilst she wasn't far off, her attitude towards Seda had slowly been getting worse. Damek hated everyone and everything and wouldn't even talk to anyone and if he did it was to say 'Fuck off'. Autumn... well nobody was quite sure about Autumn. She appeared to be similar to Noir on his first day and only let anyone ever see the lower half of her face. "I... I'll fight you, Chevalier! And only then will people realize that you aren't a person and you're a beast!"

However the moment the words of confirmation left Seda's mouth there was a puff of dust being kicked up and Seda soon found him soaring into the air has Noir landed an uppercut and even then it wasn't enough. The dumbstruck Nobleman's child had only a moment to register what had happen and the pain which was now shooting out form his lower jaw before he felt someone tugging at his leg and he was pulled back down to the ground only to meet the fist again and he got hit squarely in the face.

Noir watched as Seda skid to the edge of the circle on his back with blood coming from his nostrils and spared a glance from the other members of team SEDA. Ebony had a look on her face that was a mixture of amusement yet her body fidgeted like she wanted to get involved. Damek watched the scene with the same amusement but instead of fidgeting he simply folded his arms and watched and Autumn just remained motionless.

Turning his back on the prone figure of Seda, Noir shot a look to the crowd who were staring at him and something behind him. The sound of boots hitting stone gave him away and Noir didn't need to look around to know he was about to receive a strong blow from either a fist or a hammer and he took the appropriate measure... he ducked as the hammer flew where his head had been a few moments previously and Noir span around on the spot, drawing out Pitch Beauty only to be sent back a few metres as Seda's knee connected with his face with a few droplets of blood sprinting out of his nose.

"How's that dog-!" BANG. Pitch Beauty's smoking barrel left many in the crowd startled as they saw Seda fall back, no bleeding injuries giving the sign that his Aura had protected him... sufficiently.

BANG... BANG BANG BANG!

Seda collapsed back, Pitch Beauty's barrel still smoking as Noir stared down at Seda and he exchanged a look with Ebony... the girl pulled out her scroll, opening it and reading off... "His aura is at 20%, that's the end... not that we need him."

Noir glanced back at the unconscious form of Seda for a few more moments, turning back and finding himself face to face with...

...

...

"Oh... Professor Goodwitch! What a pleasant surprise..."

"Come with me Mr Chevalier."

* * *

"Do you know who I am?"

"You're the headmaster,"

"And do you know who that other boy was?"

"Seda Hatfield III,"

"May I be so bold as to ask -why- you beat Mr Hatfield?"

Noir sighed, glancing at his hands. He was stood in the gardens and was talking to Professor Ozpin - the headmaster. The garden, why? Because he had been told that a conversation shouldn't take place in a doom and gloom atmosphere, "He insulted my team-mates and proceeded to insult me,"

"Hmm... so you were doing it because you felt your team-mates were being insulted by Seda's remarks?"

"Well... yes sir,"

"Noir, you won't be punished for this since you could have argued that you were treating it as a practice duel: You did stop when he his Aura hit 20%, correct?"

"Yes sir but why am I not being punished for something I didn't say?"

"Chevalier, if i were to punish you then that would be no good. According to what you say, you attacked him because he insulted Team NOIR whilst he was insulting you all because of his own personal feelings. Now tell me, Noir, who's the better person?"

"Well... arguably neither of us, Professor,"

"Indeed... but if people argued long enough they could argue that the sun was black and that Remnant was flat... you shall not be punished because you were thinking about your team-mates as well as yourself and it appeared quite clearly to me that your team-mates were thinking of you. However... if this incident happens again outside of training or a tournament then you will be punished. Understood?"

"Yes Professor,"

"Now please head to your lesson with Professor Oobleck, I can safely assume Miss Ravenscroft and Miss Althea are already there and waiting," Noir nodded in return, giving Professor Ozpin a small smile before sprinting off in the direction of his class. Weaving his way through the corridors, he finally found his way to Professor Oobleck's classroom and entered.

"Ah, Mr Chevalier. Thank you for gracing us with your presence, please take your seat," Oobleck stated, taking a sip from his coffee mug.

Noir nodded shortly, heading along the back row and finding his seat next to Rhea with Indigo on her other side. The two gave him small worried looks as the class began but he gave them both a small smile but turned to listen as the class began.

"Now students! You all might remember a class we had towards the beginning of the school year so who amongst you can tell me the advantage the Faunus had at the battle of Fort Castle?"

Noir raised his hand, as Rhea did the same, whilst everyone else the class kept their hands down, "Miss Ravenscroft,"

"Night vision. It is widely known that the Faunus have near perfect vision in the dark which gives them a major advantage. The inexperience of General Lagune also contributed to the fall due to his believing that he could ambush the Faunus in the dark,"

"Thank you Miss Ravenscroft for the answer and a half, now students it is important to remember that Ignorance breeds violence so paying attention now will pay off later," The Professor took another sip from his mug as he seemingly teleported across the front row of the class, "Now, who can tell me..."

"Psst, Noir..." Noir glanced to his left and noticed Rhea trying to catch his attention, "What's the punishment?"

Noir lent over to Rhea, taking one of her sheets of paper, "No punishment."

* * *

_Remember Noir, we need to put our team before ourselves. No lone wolf stuff, you're the Alpha now - you got to make the decisions and represent the Pack._

Noir was leaning against the wall in the room, a book open in hand whilst Blake sat in her usual space in the corner. The two were reading the same book, and of course it was something meant for 18+.

"Why'd you hit him?"

"He deserved it,"

"Hmph... just don't go punching everyone you see who insults yourself, your team-mates or Faunus as a whole,"

"I'll try and avoid it in the future, Miss Belladonna,"

"Thank you." The two continued to read in silence for a few more minutes, occasionally exchanging looks at certain moment, "This is a bit more... intense then Ninjas of Love,"

"Well, you asked me to pick out a pair of books and I found these."

Blake sighed, closing the book and offering Noir a short nod before standing up, "I need to be getting back... more intense training tomorrow?"

"Hmm... 'Course. With the tournament coming up we've all got to be at our peak."

**CELEBRATING 10 CHAPTERS - BONUS SCENE: Knight and Day**

Noir and Orlaith sat opposite one another in the room, Rhea sitting next to Noir whilst Indigo hovered in the centre. The four of them had been in that position for a few minutes and only the small gust of wind coming from through the open window filled the silence.

"Orlaith..."

"I know it was wrong to be so aggressive, Noir! But that dick head was insulting my friend, my squad leader right in front of me and acting like it was the most normal thing in the world!"

"Orlaith..."

"No Noir, on second thought I wish I had gotten my hands on the punk and wrung his neck. No one insults my friends and gets away with it, no matter who is father is!"

"Orlaith Orian, thank you," Noir cut in at the end, fearing her ranting to continue. He had spent the past few minutes trying to think of ways to describe his... appreciation that his team-mates were his team-mates and not some people who pretended in front of him. In fact, he felt even safer around them to the stage where he would trust them with his life if he was unconscious and in dire need of medical attention. Before there was trust and friendship... now was the developing of a sibling relationship.

"Huh?"

"Thank you,"

"Whaa-"

"Orlaith, you numb skull," Rhea cut in, grinning slightly as Noir continued,

"I'd have done the same thing... in fact I did the same thing just without being restrained."

* * *

**Firstly: Forgive me if it seemed to be getting a little weak towards the end, i was trying to squeeze out some more for this chapter!**

**Secondly: Remember to review and remembered i'm open to critcism as long as it is constructive and explains what I am doing wrong and how to improve and identify so I can improve 'The Black Knight's' quality.**

**Thirdly: Thanks for reading - celebrating the tenth chapter!**

**Finally! Hope you all are feeling good and doing... whatever you might be doing!**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**

**EDIT EDIT: Pre 26 edit.**


	11. Chapter 11 - The Black Knight

**Before I start I'd just like to say thank you to everyone who have reviewed The Black Knight so far - this includes:**

**Hozic, Enforcer64, ThatInternetGuy, Vodahmin, .3, ScorpionsBane and Rick Crash Tracy!**

**Thanks you guys for helping me to improve on the story and giving me the support that I needed to keep writing!**

**I'd also like to say thank you to everyone who has Favorited the story, which includes:**

**Hozic, Lil Killer16, NeverFadeInTheDark, Rick Crash Tracy, TheOneYouNeverKnewWasThere, Vieltrien, Cullinto, DarknessKitsune1235, Dracometeo, Enforcer64, Patchykim, .3, frozenwolf94 and trix321! Thank you guys :D **

**But of course, how can I forget the people who followed the story? Even though the followers are similar to the people who Favorited the story, I shall still say thank you again to:**

**055, Hawken, Hozic, KGST1995, Lil killer16, NeverFadeInTheDark, Rick Crash Tracy, ScorpionsBane, Vieltrien, VorpalMedia, Cullinto, Darknesskitsune1235, Enforcer64, Patchykim, theliquidss, thhelonewander117, frozenwolf94 and .3! Thanks so much guys!**

**This may sound like I am saying thank you and that's all folks but on the contrary! I just want to say thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, followed and PMed me about the Black Knight! Here's to many more chapters!**

**(Sorry if I missed anyone out however my laptop randomly deleted a few people, I think I've got them back now though!)**

**- xxAristotlexxx**

**And without further interruption...**

* * *

**Chapter 11 - The Black Knight**

It was a reoccurring dream he had been having and every time it was the same. He'd wander through a dark forest, with snow on the ground and accompanied by... well sometimes he wasn't sure himself. At times it felt like Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea were with him whilst his other friends were scattered around the place and ready to help. And other times he was a Wolf, walking on snowy flowers whilst the sky brought him sunlight so that he could see the same Black Knight. Some people might have been worried about it and seen it as some kind of prediction for the future but the tired and sleepy looking Noir didn't dwell on the Knight too much.

It was hard to dwell on something that existed only in your dreams when you had three girls standing before you with their weapons out and ready, whilst Noir held the twins firmly in hand. It was another training session and this time Ruby, Jaune, Peach and Noir decided to go for something that none of them ever hoped to happen - going up against superior odds. The sudden jump to this training was slightly influenced by Noir's 'brawl' with Seda earlier and the four leaders had been discussing the amount of things that could have gone wrong with the chief among them being that the other three members of SEDA might have joined in.

So now Noir faced off against Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea and all of them stared at one another not willing to make the first move. It was a three to one battle and, if this was a real fight, Noir would have found a way to escape or try and coerce his way out of it. But then again, even if he did run he'd have either been blown up or shot in the back by either Indigo or Rhea and the image of being hit by one of those senbon needles sent shivers down Noir's spine. "Are you ready, Noir?" Orlaith asked tentatively, holding her claymore in a tight two-handed grip and a sudden look of seriousness taking hold of her usual carefree features.

Since they started at Beacon, the four of them had begun to learn of each other's pasts and it was no surprise that Noir was the last to reveal his secrets. Orlaith Orian was born and raised in Vale, raised in a family of five by her mother whilst her father hardly ever saw her since he was out working nearly every hour of the day. She had grown up rebelling, partially because it ran in the family but mostly because of the lack of a father. Eventually she reached the age where the party girl decided that the best way to help her family was to become a Huntress and try and help support them the best she could.

Indigo Althea was born in Vale but moved to the countryside when she was barely eight so that she could avoid the hustle and bustle of the city that her parents wanted her to be kept away from this decision being encouraged by the rumour spreading around that a Faunus child was attacked by a few drunken men. So instead, she grew up in the country side and only came into the city to attend the academy but constantly trained so that one day she could return to the city without her parents worry and fear burdening her shoulders... with the large burden on her shoulders, she had only two choices. Cry and breakdown or smile and move on with life.

Rhea Ravenscroft... Ah the complicated life of a Nobleman's daughter. Rhea Ravenscroft grew up in a villa in the country side and was trained from a young age by her father and older siblings - All had been Hunters and Huntresses. Rhea was expected to carry on the family tradition and she wanted to, to prove to her family that she wasn't useless and vowed that the name 'Rhea Ravenscroft' would one day be on a statue. Rhea was, simply, a Nobleman's kid gone wrong... by Noble standards. She was polite, kind yet with a keen intellect and wit that her father suspected had been picked up with the few classes she attended at Signal.

Noir now stared at the three of them, gripping Pitch Beauty and Minuit tighter and feeling his heart rate increase... it was indeed hard to fight the people you knew. And cared for. Even a simple spar felt difficult even with the knowledge that their Aura would shield them from the worst of the attacks.

'This should be a rule of war' Noir thought, staring into the eyes of the determined Orlaith, 'You have to get to know your opponent before you have any right to harm them'. But his thoughts were interrupted as the massive claymore was brought around in a wide arc and Noir couldn't do anything except duck beneath the blow, spinning himself around on the spot to give himself some extra momentum as he attempted to slash across Orlaith's legs.

CLANNNNGGGG.

The sound of metal ringing against metal echoed across the hall amidst the sounds of the other battles and Noir stared at the once exposed legs to see a spear blocking his karambits. Spear?

But he had no time to think about it as a boot to connected with his face and he was sent back, skidding across the floor and he looked back to see Rhea and Orlaith standing together. Orlaith wielded her claymore but... Rhea was holding a long, blue spear that appeared to still be finishing its 'transformation'.

Noir stared over at the two, climbing to his feet but assuming a crouched position and glancing between the two of them before something began to click in his head. Two. His body acted by itself, throwing himself forward in a flurry of dust of coat as one of the senbon needles exploded behind him and released small fragments. Luckily there was no dent in the floor... oh, and Noir had managed to avoid it as well and that was the only thing he had managed to avoid. His quick roll forward placed him right in front of Orlaith and Rhea who both brought their weapons back before lunging forward.

The twins weren't options so he did the only thing which came into his mind. Opening up his palms, Noir activated his Aura and blocked the strikes with the palm of his hand or rather... with his Aura. Now, as you all should know Aura is the manifestation of one's soul so your soul is reflected in your Aura - each Aura is specific to the person who wields it and whilst some people might have strong auras others have weaker ones.

Noir glanced down at his glowing black hands and contained a grin as he noticed something which made his insides go warm...er. His aura, unlike before, was now a slightly lighter shade of black. Still black but it was clearly lighter and it showed it. Channelling most of his Aura into his hands, Noir pushed forward and forced both weapons backwards causing each girl to stumble backwards and leaving them open for two well placed karambit strikes. Noir moved forward quickly, clenching his fists and readying his karambits to slash against the girls but stopped as he felt something gently pressed against his throat. A short sword.

"We win." Indigo stated, her voice holding no sense of triumph but rather stating it as a fact as she released her blade from Noir's throat. Even though he had felt the cold steel he also felt his own Aura, although weak, trying to repel the blade.

They had been told by Professor Goodwitch that... what was it... Noir couldn't think clearly, his head was becoming hazy and he almost felt like he was completely drained of energy. Oh yea... that was it... Noir collapsed forwards, his legs not taking the weight anymore and he would have hit the floor with a heavy THUD had Rhea and Orlaith not grabbed him and lifted him up; carrying them between him.

"I think that's enough for today..." Noir mumbled out, his brain felt heavy in his skull and after a few moments he fell asleep in their arms.

"Is he alright?" Indigo asked, poking their immobile leader in the chest.

"He's fine, just Aura exhaustion. Remember that the continued use of Aura causes it to degrade to the point where it can leave you heavily weakened or incapacitated. Remember what Professor Goodwitch said? 'Your Aura is the manifestation of your soul and everyone has a different Aura. However, you should not rely on your Aura for combat or defensive purposes other then shielding yourself from fatal blows since the continued use of Aura will leave you weakened and, eventually, incapacitated.'" Rhea explained, nudging the unconscious Noir with her elbow and receiving nothing in response.

At that moment, a voice echoed through the hall coming from one of the loudspeakers,

**'Would Team NOIR please report to their dorm, I repeat Team NOIR to their room.'**

Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea all exchanged glances before they began to slowly make their way through the school whilst carrying an unconscious Noir between them. There was one person that the trio didn't want to run into so, as you can imagine, they ran into him just as they were rounding the corner of the corridor where their dorm was.

"Seda, I swear if you don't get out of the way then I'll pummel you into the dirt!" Orlaith practically yelled at him, an odd feeling of deja vu filling each of them.

"I'm not waiting for you, Orian, I am here to see Miss Peach about a romantic encounter," Seda replied, a single red rose in hand and NOIR sweat dropped; even the unconscious leader he was.

"Let me rephrase that for you, Mr Hatfield," Indigo began sweetly as they walked down the corridor towards him, her voice slowly becoming deadlier with every syllable yet somehow retaining the sweetness, "If we see you hanging around this corridor again... then we will beat you within an inch of your life,"

Seda recoiled slightly as the three girls turned left, Indigo drawing out her scroll and opening the door to their room and pushing it open. The four of them pushed their way into the room and were taken aback by the sight before them as the door swung shut behind them still leaving a shocked Seda outside.

Professor Ozpin was standing next to the window and staring out of it with a coffee mug in hand. At the sound of them entering the room, he turned around and offered them all a small smile, "Ladies... is Mr Chevalier ok?"

"He's fine, just fatigue. He'll be fine in a few minutes knowing him," Rhea replied, leading Orlaith and the unconscious Noir over to the latter's bed and laying him down.

"Hmm... we'll wait for Mr Chevalier to regain consciousness before I explain to you why I asked for you all to come here,"

And so they waited, Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea sat around Noir's bed and watched his sleeping figure for a few minutes before a loud groan erupted from him, "Urrgh... I'll never use my Aura so recklessly ever again..." Noir broke off, slowly opening his eyes,

"It's good to hear that Noir but... Professor Ozpin has something to tell us," Indigo said gently, glancing between Noir and Ozpin.

The two's eyes met and Noir nodded to the Professor, pulling himself back and leaning against the wall.

Ozpin took another sip from his mug before beginning, "We have had a request from a squad of Hunters for a team to come assist for a few days. They stated that they did not need any fully fledged Hunters but instead any that we could send," Ozpin hesitated for a moment before continuing, "a junior team. We have decided to send you four to help the Hunters in their current situation. Tomorrow a Bulldog will pick you up from the platform in front of the school. I recommend you take only a few bare necessities with you but leave the rest of your possessions here."

Noir slumped back onto his pillows, his mind filling with items that he'd need before he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, as his brain 'overloaded' and sent him to sleep.

* * *

"... and then he said, 'Wrecked Him? Damn near killed him!',"

"Orlaith, how many times are we going to have to hear that joke?"

Team NOIR were in their room, each with a small bag and each of them looking over their area and looking for key items to put in their bags. Noir was already standing by the door and only smiled slightly at Orlaith's joke... that they had heard before. Rhea was standing next to him looking tired whilst Indigo was just picking up a book from the bookshelf and slotting it in her bag alongside a spare set of clothing. Orlaith on the other hand had just crammed a blanket into her bag and had been telling them jokes to try and lighten the mood... at six o'clock in the morning.

Noir was... Noir. It was too early for this kind of conversation and Noir's face showed it, looking sunken and tired. His eyes had shadows beneath them and the only thing to hide his deathly look. The others looked better but not by much and all of them had shadows beneath their eyes and the energy was split between Orlaith and Indigo.

After a few more moments, which felt like an eternity, Indigo and Orlaith had finished filling their bags and Noir led the way out of the room, down the corridors, down the stairs and out of the building.

The cold morning air bit at their faces as they made their way around the garden and heading towards the front of the school. As they approached, the sound of someone yelling caught their ears,

"NO! NO! This one goes here! That one goes there!"

The voice was of a female and, as the team approached they saw a Bulldog emerge out of the darkness. It was a large aircraft that appeared to be, for all intent and purpose, to be a gunship. The ability to provide fire support whilst also dropping off soldiers. On the front of the Bulldog the decal of an attractive looking black haired girl wearing a one piece swimsuit could be seen. The girl looked oddly familiar to Noir but he had to shrug the thought off as they spotted the two people. One of them was obviously female, with a helmet under one arm and a clipboard in her hand. The woman had pale white hair tied back in a bun whilst her face was round yet her nose had a piercing in it. Next to her was another person however this one wa swearing a helmet and pushing a crate onto the Bulldog.

"Miss!" Indigo called out, offering the woman a small wave as she turned around and surveyed the four of them for a few moments before she ticked a few boxes on her clipboard.

"Team NOIR, right?" The woman asked and Indigo nodded in response and the woman threw her clipboard onto the gunship, "I'm the pilot, but you lot can call me Bianca. Now get on board,"

The four of them exchanged glances before they moved towards the Bulldog and climbed on board. Noir went last and as he put on foot onto the deck he felt something grip his arm and he glanced to his left and saw Bianca, "You Noir?"

"Yes,"

"Nice to meet you, your sister talks about you a lot," Bianca gave Noir a small smile before removing her hand from his arms and slapping him on the ass, "Get on board, Chevalier,"

Noir climbed up, with an expression of shock on his face... a woman just slapped him on the ass. Slap. Ass. The action only barely managed to register in his head but the words in a sentence didn't seem right in his head and the girls were already standing in the Bulldog with their hands gripping onto small hand-holders which were dangling from the ceiling. All of them seemed to have a similar expression of shock on their faces but it was wiped off as Bianca and the man climbed on board. They closed the hatch behind them and brushed past NOIR to enter the cockpit and it took only a few moments before the Bulldog started to hum to life.

"This is Four-eight-niner to Beacon. Ozpin, last chance for you to get your students back," Bianca said, speaking into a radio and after a few moments the voice of Professor Ozpin replied,

"I trust you'll bring them back, Bianca. And get them there in one piece,"

"No promises Oz." Bianca grinned, switching off the radio transmitter.

Noir's brain had just finished figuring out what Bianca had done and now his brain finally clicked as he remembered what else she had said... 'Your sister talks about you a lot'...

... So much for the year without seeing her.

However, as the Bulldog started to take off Noir's thoughts were broken as he glanced around at his team-mates and saw that Orlaith was gripping the hand-wrap tightly whilst Rhea looked rather at home. Indigo however was keeping her eyes shut tight and her face was slowly turning green.

Poor Indigo. Out of all the people who could have motion sickness... it just had to be her.

It felt like they had been flying for a while and Noir's legs were beginning to feel numb from the constant standing, and it felt like he'd have to endure for a while longer until Bianca's voice came from the cockpit and the intercom, "Okay NOIR, we're approaching the landing zone. Team RAVN is waiting for you so the moment you get out you'll be straight outta my hands and into their warm, loving embrace... hope your Auras are strong, ladies. Touch down in less than a minute."

Noir glanced over at Indigo who now had an expression of hope on her sickly features, Orlaith who looked equally as happy whilst Rhea just appeared... depressed at the idea of leaving the Bulldog. There had been no conversation between them during the entire flight due to the fact that Indigo looked like she'd bring the contents of her stomach up if she opened her mouth.

"Five seconds to touch down... Ah, there's the bump andddd touch down! Thank you for flying Air Bianca."

The hatch opened by itself, popping open like a casket and the sight that met their eyes was beautiful. They were in the centre of a forest glade and, on the corner that they were facing, was a small camp site. Indigo almost flew out of the gunship, running over to a nearby bush and unloading the contents of her stomach into the bush. Orlaith quickly followed her but Noir and Rhea stepped off the ship casually... well it was casual until Noir heard something which caused his heart to race.

"Noooiiiirrrrr," And it was a few moments before he registered the black figure running towards him that proceeded to pull him into a bear hug, and he returned it as best he could,

"Sis?!"

"That's Raven Chevalier to you, young man." Raven winked at Noir, blowing a strand of long black hair out of her eyes. Noir just hugged her tightly back and noticed a man with pale blue hair walked up next to Raven and offered a hand out to Rhea, who took it and shook it firmly,

"Rhea,"

"Adalwin," Rhea and Adalwin looked very similar... Adalwin of course appearing older but also wielding a similar style of Longbow to Rhea. The two stared at one another for a few moments before looking at Noir and Raven who were still hugging each other tightly,

"Now why can't we be more like that?" Adalwin and Rhea said at the same time.

"Is this your little troublemaker, Adal? You never told me your sister was at Beacon," Raven asked, glancing at Rhea and offering her a smile.

"Yes, Rhea. And you always told us about your lovely little wolf and his beautiful companions..." Adalwin replied, looking at Noir now with an amused expression on his face.

"Rhea, who's this guy?" Noir asked tentatively, still trying to squeeze his sister tighter,

"My older brother - Adalwin Ravenscroft."

* * *

**Hello ladies and Gentlemen! I hope you all enjoyed the eleventh chapter of 'The Black Knight' and remember to review if you spot any mistakes or for any other reason!**

**I couldn't remember the names of these things soldiers hang on to in 'Helicopters' sometimes so I had to call them hand wraps. If anyone knows, please tell me!**

**P.S. I'm thinking of making it so there are 'Story arcs' like in the actual show. Chapters 1-10 obviously being the same name as it was in RWBY but from then on things start to change. However, as previously stated I do not intend to change any canon lore and only have the OCs interact with the main characters for what would be 'off screen' for the show.**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**

**EDIT EDIT: Pre 26 Edit.**


	12. Chapter 12 - Juniors and Seniors

**The Chevalier Arc**

**Chapter 12 - Juniors and Seniors**

"So what kind of weapon do you use?"

"Senbon needles laced with Dust,"

"Are they effective?"

"They do the trick."

Team NOIR was gathered around the small, burning camp fire with the warmth entering their bodies from the front whilst the chilly night breeze caressed their backs. With Team NOIR was Team RAVN and it appeared quite clearly that each member of NOIR had taken to talking to a different member of RAVN.

Rhea and Adalwin were sat side by side and Adalwin was trying, yet failing, to get a conversation started. Noir and Raven were sitting side by side and exchanging stories that stretched back to when Noir had started Beacon; Raven had been particularly amused by the bathhouse incident. Indigo had entered a conversation with a short, brown haired man who appeared to carry no weapons but there was a small cantina strapped to his belt. This man was Nadim and, as Indigo soon discovered, was renowned as the man who could drink the most without becoming drunk. He wore simple brown robes accompanied by brown trousers and sandals and his hair was short enough to not reach his ears yet not quite a skin-head. Orlaith had gotten into a conversation with the final member of Team RAVN, who only wore a battle-harness and shorts accompanied by combat boots. All of this was red and, strangely enough, so was his weapon. A single Katana was strapped to his back via the battle harness with no decorative patterns running down it and no sign of Dust enhancements. This man was called Valeriya and had his blood red hair tied back in a pony tail that didn't go down his neck and instead stuck out at the back whilst his eyes were equally as sinister. However, Orlaith had discovered that Valeriya was actually a pleasant enough man with muscles to match and her eyes continually wandered down and only came to her senses when Valeriya clicked his fingers to continue their conversation; which was about armour vs no armour.

Bianca was still in the landed ship in the middle of the clearing, not willing to leave the Bulldog alone and kept her co-pilot close at hand. And as the image of the Bulldog entered his mind, the wings, and the nose of the gunship...

"Oi, sis,"

"What is it, pup?"

"Is that you on the nose of the Bulldog?" Noir asked, glancing over at the gunship again before looking back at his sister. His suspicions were confirmed as she turned a deep red and scratched the back of her head awkwardly,

"Well... uh..."

But Raven was interrupted by a grinning Nadim, "Oh, that's her alright. She was oh so willing to get into that swim suit when we all visited the beach and you could say she was enjoying the sight of three, handsome men,"

"You three were there as well, if I recall..." Raven retorted, glaring at Nadim but stifling a small chuckle, "... but Bianca was with us and she saw me, took a picture and used it for the gunship,"

"I could have sworn you were posing for her," Nadim replied, grinning again and continuing to grin as Raven blushed heavily.

"Shut it, Nadim,"

"Is the Queen of the Sky gonna make me?"

"We'll hide your whiskey again," Adalwin added in, finally giving up on Rhea and joining in on the conversation. Those few words had a massive effect on Nadim whose entire body seemed to sink into the ground at the threat,

"That's a horrible thing to say..." He murmured, "... but you'd actually do it?"

"In a heartbeat," Raven replied, no sign of sympathy appearing on her face as Nadim sighed. He reached down and took a small sip from his cantina before returning to his previous position and nodding at Raven. Raven on the other hand now turned back to Noir, a serious atmosphere taking hold of her, "Noir... you're in a dorm alone with three girls,"

"Yea, so?" Noir replied, not quite sure where this was going but he knew that he didn't really want to. He may love his sister more than everyone else on Remnant but sometimes she was more like his mother then his sister.

"So... well, how do I explain this?"

It was at that moment that Valeriya added his say to the conversation, "Use yourself and Adalwin as an example,"

Raven and Adalwin both blushed heavily at this, turning away from one another and avoiding eye contact with everyone. Valeriya on the other hand had a satisfied grin on his face whilst Nadim was chuckling.

"Uh, what?" Noir asked again, his mind trying to steer him in the right direction whilst his more reasonable half was tugging him away,

"I thought I told you never to mention that," Raven hissed at Valeriya, who just shrugged in response, "It was just a quick..."

Raven glanced over at Noir to see her little, innocent, younger brother replaced by something more sinister. His eyes were narrowed and his lips were set in a straight line, "So let me get this straight... you and Adalwin had a bit of fun time?"

"Not exactly, Noir," Adalwin quickly responded, the blush still remaining as he avoided eye contact with all of them. Even Rhea was interested now, leaning in and trying to read her brother's face as he continued, "Myself and Raven had a bit of... well, a bit of a romance going on back when we were at Beacon. We may have, on occasion, done some things but we did not do anything to breach each other's 'innocence', so to speak,"

Noir's eyebrow was raised but Nadim broke in at the end, "Basically, your sister and her brother snogged and kissed in the same bed like there was no bloody tomorrow. I remember being kept up by it practically every night, right Valeriya?"

"I recall the same,"

There was no need to continue, Raven and Adalwin exchanged looks before glancing at their corresponding siblings. The expression on Rhea's face was a mixture of amusement and pity whilst Noir just had pure amusement on his face and had to stop himself from laughing... and failing horribly.

"What's so funny, pup?" Raven asked, grabbing Noir's shoulder to stop him from falling forwards into the fire,

"You had a boyfriend!"

"WHY YOU LITTLE!" Raven screamed at him, grabbing the top of his head and pushing him it into the grass, "HOW'S THAT TASTE?"

"Dirty, I'd imagine," Orlaith muttered, earning a small snigger from Nadim and Indigo.

Noir on the other hand was now beginning to quiet down either because of the mouth full of dirt or the fact his sister was speaking again, "Where's your girlfriend then, little pup?" She relaxed her grip, and he almost sat bolt upright with a dull blush on his face. He wasn't the only one as Rhea and Indigo suddenly became rigid with dull blushes appearing on their cheeks,

"Uh... sorry, say that again. My ears are full of dirt,"

"I said..." Raven began, sighing again but now glancing over at the other three members of team NOIR, "... where's your girlfriend?"

"I uh... don't have one?" Noir said, hesitantly and he saw a small grin flash across his sister's face before she began again,

"Well, pup, you've gotta get one soon or all the good ones will be gone,"

"Huh?"

Noir's eyebrow was twitching, perhaps in confusion or just because it was but either way Raven believed she had given the desired effect as Nadim picked up, "Poor little Noir. What your sister is trying to say is that you should get a girlfriend sooner rather than later since, by the end of your five years at Beacon, they'll all have boyfriends and you will be all alone in a squad of three girls who will probably be talking about their boyfriends and how sweet and wonderful they are. It'll drive you insane by the end of the year,"

"What?" Noir was now rather confused, the poor sod.

"What those two are trying to put so subtly is that you are a handsome young Faunus and probably have a few girl's eyes already. You should act sooner rather than later since their attention will eventually flicker and die,"

Noir finally understood... and sighed heavily. His own sister's team was giving him advice on getting a girlfriend and he was in a squad of three girls who, according to Nadim, in a few years would be talking about their own wonderful boyfriends and it'd drive him insane. He didn't doubt that but... something was telling him it wouldn't be that bad (This feeling is right up there with 'What could possibly go wrong?'). He considered them close to siblings and he'd be happy to see them happy...

Noir glanced at Orlaith who had an equally amused expression on her face as the one Nadim's face and she just nodded once. He then turned his eyes to Indigo and found that she had hid her face in her hands and was avoiding eye contact with the faintest trace of red on both her cheeks. Perhaps she was nervous at the idea of her having a boyfriend? Noir just shrugged it off and turned to look at Rhea... who was now blushing a deep red and who had turned away the moment she noticed Noir's eyes moving in her direction.

That was just... odd. For Rhea, that is. Normally it'd be Orlaith, "Rhea, is something the matter?"

Rhea shook her head violently, her blue hair flying everywhere for a few moments. Noir narrowed his eyes slightly but Rhea was spared from the interrogation as Raven kicked some dirt on the fire, "Right you lot, time to catch some sleep. Tomorrow we'll brief you on what is going to be happening."

Noir had been prepared to interrogate Rhea until dawn if need be but his opportunity was lost as the other began to move about. Orlaith and Indigo joined Nadim and Valeriya around the now smoking camp fire and pulled out sleeping bags from seemingly nowhere. Of course... Orlaith wasn't an idiot. She had probably packed one or two alongside the extra items she had brought and Noir was slightly curious as to what she had brought. However it was another question for the morning as he felt a tug on his shoulder and he turned to see Raven stood up and offering him a small smile, and pointing with her thumb to the nearest tree.

"Come on, we get the tree," Raven whispered to him, and the two of them made their way over to the same tree; coincidentally the same tree that Rhea and Adalwin were lying beneath.

Raven and Adalwin exchanged a nod whilst Noir attempted to catch Rhea's eye and only received a blush in response.

Noir and Raven hastily climbed the tree, the Wolf and the Raven took up positions on tree branches next to one another and both began to fall into a light sleep whilst trying to keep their ears open to make sure their flock and pack safe.

However, before the two fell asleep however Raven had to tell her brother something, "Noir, do you understand why Indigo and Rhea were blushing? Well, Rhea for sure. I'm not too sure about Indigo at this point,"

"I have theories but I wouldn't like to put forth any ideas before I know for sure,"

"Noir, if you don't know by now then you're an idiot. Rhea obviously feels something for you,"

Noir was taken aback by the statement and spared a glance over at his sister, not reacting beyond that as his mind tried to organise his reaction. His first reaction was a certain odd feeling in the back of his head that comes from being told by the person you trust the most that someone else loved you perhaps as much as they did,

"Bro, my advice... if you want it. Don't react, leave it... wondering why? I would. If, as I think, Indigo likes you as well and you choose one of them over the other then you'll split the team. You could make it even worse if you split up with the one you chose. Wait... or at least... prove,"

"Thanks sis... I wasn't planning on anything like that anyway..." Noir replied slowly, his thoughts straying to the idea of him and Indigo together or him and Rhea... both seemed weird to him but at the same time other possibilities began to emerge in his mind including himself and Laila, Peach, Blake... the latter the least likely.

And with those thoughts in his head, Noir slowly drifted off to sleep. Needless to say, his dreams were that of the different scenarios... and they were blissful.

* * *

**BONUS SCENE FOR 2K views: The Skyward Knight (This scene is a part of a dream sequence)**

_"Noir!"_

_Noir Chevalier. Renowned Hunter. Respected Faunus. Nice man._

_His legs however would turn to jelly the moment Rhea Ravenscroft called his name in her voice like flowing water and you can imagine the poor man's body when she hugged him._

_Rhea had changed over the years, her long blue hair had gotten longer and she had been forced to tie it back in a ponytail similar to Noir's. But that wasn't all that had grown larger and Rhea was very pleased to be able to rub it in Orlaith's face that the pair had grown._

_However, right now Noir was sitting in a tree next to Rhea with his arms around her. The two looked like quite a sight to the onlooker, the Nobleman's daughter and the Wolf. It was like some kind of cheesy romance novel but Noir didn't care; and neither did Rhea._

_They were both happy and nothing could stop that. Noir had learned of Rhea's true feelings when she confessed them to him before a brutal battle against Grimm, which helped to solidify the genuine nature of it. After all, we all know that people will say nice things to sick or injured people to make them feel better and regret the actions later on. Noir had taken it quite well, his heart practically melting the moment the words 'I love you' had registered but they had a job to do and now, with both of them being fully qualified Huntsmen, they couldn't slack off. And they didn't... they never would. For the Knight now had something greater to protect, for it was the sky._

_Yet, the Wolf had something to protect as well. It was his Alpha female._

Noir moved slightly in his sleep, the dream disturbing him and providing something odd to wake up to the next morning; if he remembered it. But when did he remember these types of dreams?

* * *

**Hello ladies and gentlemen and thank you for reading the newest chapter of 'The Black Knight'! And i hope you all enjoyed it :D**

**Now, I plan to have a Valentine's Day special when the time comes around and i want YOU all to vote on which pairing(s) you want in the special chapter!**

**However, this chapter will probably be a 'dream sequence' or something along the lines and may affect the main story! Vote by posting the pairing(s) you want to see in your review or a PM!**

**E.G. "Hey Aristotle, keep up the good work! My vote: Raven x Adalwin and Orlaith x Angel! Cheers!"**

**Thank you all for reading and I know this chapter is smaller than the others. The truth is I was getting tired towards the end of writing this one! (Physically, staying up till later to give you guys another chapter really takes it out of me sometimes :P) But I can assure you I will continue to do so whilst there are still people who are interested in the story.**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**

**EDIT EDIT: Pre 26 Edit**


	13. Chapter 13 - The Hunt begins

**Chapter 13 - The Hunt begins**

"Now, I hope you all got a good sleep because today things are going to get a little rough. We're pairing off, one junior and one senior to a pair and then we're splitting off into the forest to hunt, any questions?"

It was the morning after and the eight of them were all gathered around the camp fire and trying to keep themselves awake and the combined sight of an early morning Noir with Raven was something that none of them wanted to remember. Raven was had the same sunken eyes and pale skin when waking up early and though she had come to handle it better than her brother she still detested waking up early. Where NOIR had slowly been getting addicted to Noir's sleeping patterns, RAVN had been trying to yank Raven out of her's so that she could wake up fresh and recuperated... so far there had been no reported success.

"Now, I'll be partnering up with Rhea," Raven continued, offering an apologetic glance to her brother before continuing, "Noir, you'll go with Adalwin. Indigo and Nadim and finally Orlaith with Valeriya. Get your weapons ready."

Raven slid herself over to sit by Rhea who seemed tightly taken aback by the pairings but offered Raven a smile none the less; which was returned. Noir glanced over at Rhea, sudden images of the previous evening flooded his mind and it was only when he felt something touch his shoulder that he returned to his senses. It was Adalwin and he was gently patting his shoulder with a small smile, "Hey partner, ready to get moving?"

"Of course," Nor replied, grinning his wolfish grin and the two stood up from the group and slowly began to walk into the trees and disappearing from sight.

The two slowly made their way through the forest, the morning breeze massaging the last traces of tiredness from their bodies and preparing them for the day to come.

"Do you remember the rules of engagement?" Adalwin asked as they walked through the trees, glancing left and right and keeping their eyes open for any sign of trouble.

"Beowolves, Ursa, Boarbatusk and King Taijitu. Do not engage with a Nevermore or a Death stalker and instead retreat to a position where you can wait for backup,"

"Very good... you definitely are Raven's little brother."

The two continued to walk through the forest, until they heard it. The sound of a low rumble caught their attention and they both drew their weapons and glanced around.

Nothing except the rustling of a bush caught their attention, Noir and Adalwin exchanged looks before aiming their weapons in the direction of the bush. After a few moments of tense silent the bush started to rustle more violently causing Noir and Adalwin to exchange glances before Noir proceeded to fire off a round into the bush.

The noise echoed across the forest and surely caught the attention of the others but... after a few moments the bush was revealed again with a frightened looking bunny rabbit staring up at them with a bullet hole right above its head. Noir and Adalwin exchanged another look before they both lowered their weapons and sighing, "Feel good now? Big bad Hunter shot at a poor, innocent bunny rabbit? How will you sleep at night?"

"Shut up... you would have shot it if I didn't,"

"That's not the point... wait, did you hear that?"

Adalwin and Noir now turned around and saw a large, black feather fall down. Both of them gritted their teeth as they looked up and saw a Nevermore flying over the tree tops... circling them.

Noir glanced back down at Adalwin and the two of them exchanged a moment of mutual understanding... a sprinted into the trees and chose to ran. And they ran quickly back in the direction they had come. The Nevermore watched them as they ran and then let out a loud caw before following them,

"Remind me... again... why we're running...?" Noir asked, ducking under a low lying branch as the sprinted through the forest.

"You want to... fight it?" Adalwin replied, a small grin going over his face, "Besides... she's coming,"

"Who?" Noir asked and realizing the Adalwin had stopped running and had glanced back at Adalwin as he came to a halt, "What... who?" But the rest of Noir's questions were drowned out as the sound of the Nevermore letting out another loud caw caught their attention and they both looked up to see what appeared to be a flock of ravens moving towards the Nevermore and they spotted a figure in blue being carried by a few of the ravens.

"Her." Adalwin finished and then it happened.

The flock of ravens flew very close to the Nevermore, which was just trying to peck at a few of the ravens but it let out a loud pained caw as the ravens slowly formed into Raven and she fell on top of the Nevermore's back alongside Rhea who, as she dropped, changed her longbow into the spear and fell down onto the Nevermore and pierced its back.

"They can really make an entrance..." Noir muttered, staring up as the Nevermore began to thrash around in the air and Rhea clung on to her spear for dear life whilst Rhea had stabbed a longsword into the back and was doing the same. However, Raven's sword was slowly slipping through the hide of the Nevermore and was starting to cut it open. "They're going to fall,"

"That's where we come in, get in that tree over there and get ready for a big fight." Adalwin had already begun moving over to a tall tree and began to rapidly climb it. Noir was confused for a few moments before glancing back up at the sky and hastily moving over to the other tall tree and climbing the tree. He reached the top in a matter of moments and spotting Adalwin in the tree next to his, "Right! When you see them fall, catch them!"

"WHAT?! CATCH THEM?!"

"READY!" Raven shouted down to them,

"WAIT, WAIT WAIT WAIT WAAAAAIIIITTT!"

It was Rhea's voice. Apparently the plan had not be explained completed to her on their end.

"WE'RE READY! JUMP!" Adalwin shouted back up, grinning slightly, "Noir! Grab Rhea!" Adalwin shouted, watching as Raven began to pry her blade from the Nevermore and eventually there was a soft squirt as the blade slid out of the creature. Rhea also did the same, somewhat hesitantly as she wrenched her weapon from the Nevermore and screaming loudly as the Nevermore rolled over and causing both of the girls to drop.

Rhea's scream was mixed in with Raven's 'WOOOOOOO!'. "JUMP!" Adalwin shouted to Noir and the two of them threw themselves from their trees towards the falling girls. Adalwin smoothly caught Raven, catching her and holding her in a bridal style hold and the two exchanged grins before glancing over at the other couple...

Noir had managed to catch Rhea but... she was screaming loudly and had tucked herself tightly into his hold, "Just dropping in," Noir said, trying to comfort his team-mate and Rhea blushed slightly but then gravity began to work again, "Oh no..." And they dropped into the branches of a tree.

From within the branches, Noir had many sticks and branches holding him up whilst Rhea seemed to be perfectly fine and she blushed again and her expression changed to that of pure shock when she realised that her spear, that she had managed to store on her belt (Due to the fact it can fold itself down) and the very point of the spear was now pointing directly at Noir's groin and was dangerously close.

Noir's eyes widened, looking at Rhea with something similar to a smile but looking pained, "Please... move you spear away from my groin."

* * *

"NOIR! RHEA!"

Adalwin and Raven shouted up into the tree, glancing back up at the sky and spotting the Nevermore disappearing out of sight but it looked like it was going in for a crash landing. However, Adalwin and Raven had landed back on the ground quite smoothly but Noir and Rhea appeared to have had problems,

"NOIR! RHEA! You two alright?!" Raven shouted up into the tree. The sounds of a few branches snapping caught their attention and the two of them jumped back as a pitch black figure fell out of the tree with broken branches surrounding it and hitting the ground with a heavy THUMP. Raven began to open and close her mouth with no sound coming out and this continued as Rhea climbed down the trunk quickly and rushing over to the moaning form of Noir,

"I'm sorry Noir! I didn't know that I was the one keeping you up there," Rhea said, as she nudged the crumpled form of Noir with her foot, "You are still alive, right?"

Her words were met by loud moans and Rhea grinned as she realised he was fiiinnneee... except for the fact he had just fallen out of a tree. But a sudden thought hit the poor, crumpled, Noir and he glanced up to see Rhea standing right next to him whilst Raven and Adalwin watched, "Where's the Nevermore gone?"

"We scared her away, she won't be coming back any time soon," Adalwin offered Noir a smile as he added, "Nice landing,"

"Shut it you," Noir replied, slowly climbing to his feet but a sudden spark of pain went through his ribs and he nearly fell back down were it not for the quick movements of Rhea, "Thanks... probably just my Aura reminding me that falling out of a tree is bad,"

"Hm. We'll head back to camp so you can get some rest. You two are coming as well." Raven stated, already making her way over to stand on the other side of Noir but Rhea shook her head,

"He isn't that heavy, I've got him,"

"You sure? He can be a bit of a troublemaker if you don't hold on firmly enough,"

"Yea, I'm sure. He's my squad-leader after all."

Rhea and Raven stared at each other for a long few moments before Raven's face broke out in a smile and she nodded, leading the way through the trees as they made their way back to camp.

Their going was tougher since even though Noir's Aura had taken most of the force from the fall his body still had felt the concussive force. That on top of a weak Aura made him close to useless in a real combat situation; he understand that much. With Raven leading their way back, that placed Noir and Rhea in the centre and Noir had to admit that Rhea was doing good even though she was obviously pushing herself she was handling it well.

At one point in their journey, when the sun was past its mid-point in the sky, Noir had attempted to shrug away from Rhea but instead of pulling him closer she simply tightened her grip, "Noir. Try and walk by yourself and i'll cut your legs off."

* * *

"NO, NO! THIS ONE GOES HERE, THAT ONE GOES THERE!"

"Urrrgghh..."

"STOP SCREWING AROUND AND YOU PUT IT BACK WHERE YOU FOUND IT!"

Noir was sat with Raven at the camp, staring at the gunship and observing as Bianca and her co-pilot appeared to go through a pre-rehearsed routine. Rhea and Adalwin and gone back out hunting, leaving the two at the camp with each other for company. It wasn't like they weren't happy to talk to one another but every time Noir tried to stand up he'd be roughly pushed back down by Raven.

It was another one of these moments, and Noir hit the floor again and instead of going back to her normal sitting position she climbed on top of him and stared down at him. She was his sister... this wasn't... uh...

"Raven... what are you doing?"

"Ensuring you don't stand up,"

"Couldn't you just... sit next to me?"

"Awh, is my little pup uncomfortable?" Raven teased, grinning at Noir as she patted his cheek gently and slid off of him to sit on his left, "Don't worry little pup, other girls might end up doing that to you but the situation will be different,"

"Oh... that kind of situation," Noir murmured, sighing lightly as the warm afternoon breeze whipped around the glade for a few moments before settling down again,

"Noir, you live in a room with three girls. How can you -not- have done 'that' already?" Raven asked, glancing at her little brother and seeing a blush spread onto his cheeks, "Or have you and you just aren't telling me?"

"No! I haven't... it's just... they're like family. Maybe cousins or siblings and I just don't really think about them in that way and..." But Noir stopped, almost mentioning the bathhouse incident again.

"Oh... so you don't think about them sexually or ever dream about the roundness of their-"

"TOO MUCH INFORMATION,"

"Haha, it's all a part of growing up little bro. Did I tell you about the time when Nadim tried to get me in the mixed gender area with Adalwin and Valeriya?"

"No... I don't believe you have,"

Raven smiled at her little brother, patting him on the head before continuing, "Well you see... he was thinking that, for a joke, he'd get me to come in the mixed gender area and flirt with me or try to get close. I try and avoid the details so, as a certain 'punishment' I got girls from the other teams to come with me. He turned redder then a tomato and nearly died from blood loss but that wasn't the best part... Adalwin and Valeriya were with him and both of them didn't seem to mind the sight of the female body. Valeriya only had a small droplet of blood falling down his nose after some of the girls pressed themselves again him and Adalwin simply remained stout until I got near him... good times,"

"Wait, you girls were..."

"We were always willing to get a good laugh out of making a boy feel awkward. And it worked. Our win." Raven grinned at the expression on Noir's faced and ruffled his hair again, "So, did you notice Rhea?"

"It was hard not to when I was saving her life,"

"No you hollow head, did you notice what she was doing?"

"Carrying me?"

"Blushing... by my sword, you're thick sometimes..." Raven paused for a few moments and glanced back at her brother, "You remember what I said."

* * *

**Hello ladies and gentlemen and thank you for reading another chapter of 'The Black Knight'! I hope you enjoyed it!**

**The current total votes for the Valentine's day special -**

**Noir x Rhea - II**

**Noir x Laila - I**

**Noir x Indigo - II**

**Raven x Adalwin - II**

**Orlaith x Endive - I**

**Remember! You can vote for multiple couples as long as they are different people! REMEMBER! To vote all you have to do is either PM me or write your vote in a review!**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**

**EDIT EDIT: Pre-26**


	14. Chapter 14 - No One

**Chapter 14 - No one**

***Cue intro music - Trocadero 'No one' (See what I did there?)**

**Hello ladies and gentlemen and this is a quick PSA before the start of this chapter! I just wanted to inform you all of the method of voting since I believe I wasn't clear! To vote for the pairing(s) you want to see in the Valentine's day special then simply post a review with the pairing(s) You want to see or send me a PM! All votes will be counted and added and every few chapters from now until Valentine's day will contain the current results!**

**And, without further interruption...**

* * *

"Are you missing him?"

"Huh?"

Peach glanced over at Raspberry stared long and hard at her with a look of sympathy etched onto her face, "NOIR. They left without saying goodbye,"

Peach sighed again, not liking the reminder that the squad which PURE was closest to had disappeared without a trace. Their room was locked and there were a few rumours going around that the entire squad had been abducted but Peach doubted the rumours and waited patiently for the return of NOIR. If they were going to return, that is. A few nights ago, they had been called out of the training session by something on the loudspeaker and Peach had a small hunch that they had gone somewhere to do something which other people didn't need to know about. Maybe a secret mission? Maybe just to help in a confidential matter but either way she would squeeze the truth out of them when they returned,

Endive looked up, offering his team-mates a small smile and taking a sip from his orange juice before continuing, "Hey, that lot will be back in no time. But just remember Noir's habit of always running late. I wouldn't be surprised if they wandered into the hall when we are all training and did something really sarcastic,"

The other three let out a low chuckle and Ugli decided to pick up the mood even more, "Plus I need to talk to Orian about something when she gets her sweet ass back here. She won't want to miss the latest gossip,"

"You have a date with Orlaith?" Raspberry asked tentatively, a small grin flashing across her face and they all began to intently stare at Ugli who just grinned,

"I didn't say that,"

"But you implied it," Peach added in, now smiling,

Ugli just sighed, looking at Endive with pleading eyes but Endive shook his head as he took another sip from the sweet orange juice, "Don't look at me, I won't go against the will of the leader,"

"Ass kisser,"

"What was that, UGLI?" Peach asked in a deadly sweet voice as she leaned in to look at him intently and Ugli leaned back in his seat whilst holding his hands up defensively trying to brush off the comment,

"Nothing Wynne, nothing!"

"I thought so..."

Silence returned to the group and Peach's thoughts returned to NOIR and the image of them all sitting at this very table eating breakfast together and her thoughts strayed to one particular moment a few weeks ago...

* * *

**A few weeks ago...**

_Noir Chevalier. Handsome, Faunus, Gunslinger, Leader and all around good guy. And Peach couldn't have asked for a better friend for her and her team. Noir was something else, especially when it came to matters concerning NOIR as a whole and it was interesting to see the repercussions that he dealt when people tried to mess with his team. Or his friends._

_It was one of those moments when they were sat at the table, Noir in his normal corner seat opposite Peach as they chatted away casually. Noir was eating pieces of bacon that he would wrap up to appear like a roll before sliding them into his mouth, chewing and swallowing whilst taking his time about it. Why rush something which you enjoy?_

_However, as to why a normal morning like this would be remembered always brought a smile to Peach's face... Seda. Seda was the leader of team SEDA and he was an all-around ass to women and was all for the patriarch society that he so craved. In his books, Noblemen came first, then Noblewomen and everyone else was under their boots and Faunus? They were beneath the rest. However Seda would avoid picking a fight with Noir or rather, try to antagonize Noir to the point where it'd provoke him._

_"Mi-lady Gullahorn," Peach glanced around to see Seda standing there, a single red rose in hand and a smile planted firmly on his lips which practically screamed out that he had been practising for the past few hours in front of a mirror. Indeed, a few of the more desperate girls at Beacon would quite easily fall for the handsome figure of Seda but the others knew better - he was scum. Even his own team admitted it._

_"What do you want Seda?" Peach replied, trying to reign in her harsh tone which had immediately sprung to life at the mere sight of the upstart Nobleman._

_"I would very much like for you to join me for dinner at the weekend in Vale, I have booked a reservation at a very high class restaurant,"_

_Peach was taken a back slightly. The idea of going to a high class restaurant was nice but it'd be a -date- with -Seda-. However, before she had even finished processing this information she heard the gruff voice answer for her, "She's not available, Seda,"_

_"And who are you to speak in this fine lady's place, Chevalier?"_

_Peach turned to see Noir sliding one of his bacon rolls into his mouth and appearing to swallow it in one before flashing his wolfish grin at Seda and saying, with a completely straight face, "Because she's gonna be with me this weekend,"Seda looked irritated by this, glancing between Peach and Noir for a few moments. To make matters worse Noir added in, "I'm taking her to a nice fish and chips place down by the docks,"_

_Peach blushed at this as Seda looked more offended then irritated now and turned to Peach and seeming to shake with insult, "Is this true, Gullahorn?"_

_"Of course, I enjoy fish more than most food and Noir offered. It felt rude to refuse,"_

_"Ah, so you are only going with him due to the fact it'd be rude to refuse the beast,"_

_Peach practically felt the wave of killing intent that Noir released towards Seda, before she continued, "No, actually. I accepted because I like him."_

_Peach could imagine a little voice somewhere yelling, 'Abandon ego! Abandon ego! She's taken a direct hit! Abandon ego!' and it was coming from the direction of Seda. She couldn't help but grin slightly as Seda began to shake, only managing a nod in response as he walked away._

_Once he was out of earshot Peach turned to Noir and saw him grinning from ear to ear, "I gotta do that more often,"_

_"So, where're you taking me?" Peach asked casually, taking a sip from her tea and she couldn't help but giggle as Noir choked on the latest bacon roll. After a few moments of slapping his own chest he finally managed to look up with pained eyes,_

_"What?"_

_"Oh Mr Chevalier, surely you do not intend to back out of this dinner proposal?" Peach said playfully, enjoying the flustered look on Noir's face as he scratched his front._

_"Well... no I'd never do such a-" But he was cut off as Peach interrupted him with a smile dancing across her lips,_

_"Then I'll expect to see you at the weekend in Vale. I hope you have some money to pay for the fish and chips,"_

_Peach couldn't help but giggle again at the defeated look on Noir's face as he sighed heavily and finally gave her a small nod, "Fine, fine..."_

* * *

_'The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no is history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift - that's why they call it the present'_

**The present**

The wind was blowing in the branches and causing a soft whistling sound to be heard that echoed around the glade. The large Bulldog in the centre rattled in the winds and Bianca was stroking one of the wings and speaking to it in a calming voice like a mother consoling a child in a storm.

Noir, Raven, Rhea and Adalwin were all sat in a circle around the fire but keeping a decent distance from it as to not be burnt by the flames that were dancing about in the wind. Rhea was sat next to Noir and every so often made the movement to get closer on the pretence of warmth and it got the stage where Noir let forth a ridiculously exaggerated sigh before pulling Rhea between his legs and wrapping her in his large trench coat to keep them both warm. Noir wasn't a gentleman but he knew when people were giving hints.

Rhea had blushed heavily at this, but Noir either didn't see or ignored it as his sister and Adalwin seemed to be exchanging small coins behind their backs, "My bet is by the end of the five years," Adalwin whispered, laying a coin on the grass between them.

"I see your coin and raise you three coins. After the five years," Raven whispered back, placing three coins on top of Adalwin's and the two of them shook hands.

"What are you two doing?" Noir asked, raising an eyebrow with a small tick mark appearing on his forehead.

"Nothing," Raven and Adalwin replied with grins that said otherwise planted on both of their faces.

Noir just sighed, the tick mark disappearing quickly as Indigo and Nadim emerged from the trees. They both were covered in sweat and Nadim's hands were wrapped in bandages and he held them up as they came within earshot, "Decided to follow Noir's lead, how do I look?"

"Like a prat. Now come and sit down," Raven replied, smiling at Nadim and Indigo and watching as Indigo sat down next to Noir. Instead of being the oh so subtle Rhea, she just lent on his arm. It was one of those moments where Noir felt crowded by people but, enduring, he pulled Indigo into a one arm hug to allow her to hug into his side whilst Rhea was being baked in his trench coat.

The sixth of them all sat there in silence, the wind steadily getting stronger and the trees began to creak from the strength of it. Raven, Adalwin and Nadim all shared a similar look before glancing over at the Junior Hunters, shivering in the cold and wishing they were... Hold on.

Noir was sitting resolutely still, someone a book had materialized its way into his hand and he was currently in the process of holding it between himself, Indigo and Rhea and they all read it together. Raven watched as the three collectively blushed and the blush increased intensity the further into the book they got and Raven couldn't stand it, the curiosity overwhelming her,

"Little bro, what are you reading?"

"Romance novel," Noir replied casually, turning another page and a small smirk spread across his lips as he noticed Indigo and Rhea's blushes becoming even redder.

"You read that drab?" Adalwin asked, raising an eyebrow. The image of Noir that he had acquired so far was a strong, wolf like man who enjoyed to spend most of his time around the three girls which you could call his 'pack' if you were sticking with the words linked with Wolves. A reader of romance novels? No... not any romance novel that Adalwin had read would interest Noir,

"This isn't drab," Rhea murmured, and Indigo nodded in agreement,

"This is prime literature, a work of art so to say," Indigo added on as her ears seemed to release steam as Noir turned another page,

"Prime literature my ass, you three are just easily pleased right Nadim- Nadim?" Raven glanced over to where Nadim had been sitting to find it empty, looking back at the three juniors to find Nadim crouched behind them and reading the book with them. Even he had a small blush creeping onto his face and after a few more pages had patted Noir on the shoulder,

"You have great taste in books, my friend,"

"Thanks, I do particularly enjoy this one but book two did fill in some plot holes,"

"Wait, you've read the set?"

"Only book one and two, I thought book three wasn't released yet?"

Nadim had a childish grin spread across his face, "It isn't... but believe me mate, when you're a Hunter you get connections when you save X person from Y Grimm and they are in your debt. I just happened to help out the greatest author of all time,"

"You met the real guy?!" Noir's interest was piqued and a childish attitude filled him,

"It's a woman and damn was she a looker. She was so happy to meet a fan and i didn't even know it was her until she noticed me reading her book,"

"Wait, wait, wait... it's a woman that writes this?"

"All the great authors tend to be females in this area. They know what it really feels like,"

"You've got a good point..."

"WHAT BOOKS?!" Raven practically screamed her interest; now past boiling point and was flooding out of her mouth. Noir just grinned at Nadim, looking back at the book and turning another page, letting Nadim answer for him,

"It's a cheesy romance novel called 'Ninjas of Love', pretty good if you can get past the long fight scenes,"

"Oh, really?" Raven replied, the steam now retreating back into her body.

"Yep! You should try and read it sometime, can teach you thing about... life," Nadim finished slowly, receiving a grin from Noir and an awkward look from Adalwin as he continued, "IF i remember correctly, I lent a copy to Adal when we were still in Beacon. The prequel series, mind you,"

"Oh really?" Raven asked, her interest rising again and Adalwin nodded once. Rhea looked over at her brother and at the expression on his face... of embarrassment. Well, after reading this book you can imagine why he'd be embarrassed... especially when Raven finds out where he was getting all his cheesy lines and good moves from.

Rhea snuggled further into the warmth that was Noir and she honestly felt like she was on a beach in the middle of the summer in a swimsuit because Noir was radiating heat like he was the sun. Rhea's mind began to imagine what it'd be like to be with Noir, since before she was trying to resolutely stay away from the idea. He was, after all, their team leader. It'd be like a Guardswoman of the manor getting into a romantic relationship with the Nobleman's son.

But as her mind raced and her thoughts were organised at a speed faster than someone could follow, she decided that it'd be better to have her team-mates then no one. Since with no one... there'd be no moments like this. Where she felt safe... at home.

Like she had a family.

* * *

**Hello ladies and gentlemen! I hope you enjoyed this new chapter of 'The Black Knight'!**

**IMPORTANT NOTICE. READ THIS CAREFULLY.**

**THE POLL FOR THE PAIRINGS CAN BE FOUND ON MY PROFILE PAGE. JUST CLICK 'xxAristotlexxx' OR SEARCH MY NAME IN THE SEARCH BOX AND CAST YOUR VOTES! REMEMBER - THREE VOTES PER PERSON.**

**I hope you all enjoyed this new chapter and remember to be good and stay safe!**

**Shout out to Hozic, I promise that you'll have stuff to read when you return my friend! Everyone wish Hozic safe and prepare yourselves for the next chapter.**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**

**EDIT EDIT: 26 Check up.**


	15. Chapter 15 - On my way

**Chapter 15 - On my way**

**Before we start, I'd just like to remind everyone that you can vote for your pairings my going to my profile page and going to the pairing poll. The top three pairings will be used in the Valentine's Day chapter.**

**Now without further interruption...**

* * *

How had he gotten himself into this position?

Noir glanced between the three sleeping girls around he and let out a soft sigh. Rhea had fallen asleep still within his coat whilst Indigo had fallen asleep in his grip. Orlaith and Valeriya had come back just before the sunset and both had satisfied expressions on their faces. Orlaith decided to join her team-mates and took a position on the other side of Noir and quickly fell asleep. All the while, Rhea was being slow roasted.

However, it was now morning of their last day present in the forest. Noir still didn't understand why Raven had requested the assistance of a group of Junior Hunters and Huntresses when they seemed to be able to handle things easily by themselves. Hell, yesterday proved that when they injured that Nevermore like they had done that a hundred more times. Actually, they probably had done it a hundred more times.

Rhea moved slightly, the blue haired girl whispered something her sleep before turning again. She was a restless sleeper either that or she was trying to escape from the oven. Indigo was quieter and barely even moved as she slept which was a good thing, but her face did reveal everything that was going through her mind and it was pretty obvious that she was enjoying her dream.

"They still asleep?" Noir turned his head and saw Raven slowly getting to her feet, stretching and earning a loud 'CRACK' from her back,

"Yea, anything wrong?"

"Nope, just admiring the sight of my little bro surrounded by attractive women,"

"Not this again..." Noir looked away from his sister, a small blush creeping up his face,

"Heh, heh, heh... enjoy it while it lasts, bro. You're heading back to Beacon today,"

Noir looked back at his sister and saw a depressed look on her face which was swiftly replaced with a smile as she continued, "Thanks for the assist, it was greatly appreciated,"

"I've been meaning to ask you..."

"Hm?"

"We've practically done nothing for you, except hunt Grimm with you but even then you didn't need assistance,"

Raven took a step back, leaning against a tree and sighed lightly, "Little bro, we needed another squad so we could do the pairing up. Safety in numbers and if one hunter goes off by him or herself then we don't know if they are injured or just taking a leak if they report in late. Two ensures a higher level of security and safety,"

Noir nodded once, the pieces of information finally slotting into place, "So... you did need us after all?"

"Don't feel too loved," Raven grinned at her little brother, giving him a small wink, "We just were bored and wanted to try something new for a change... plus they all wanted to meet you after everything I said,"

"What did you say?" Noir asked, curiously but Raven just chuckled lightly and shook her head,

"That the little boy they saw years ago had finally grown into a man with his own team. Their reaction? 'Let's hope they don't turn out like us, they won't be able to keep people off them,'"

Noir gave his sister a genuine smile that was reserved for few and nodded once, "Thanks, I understand. When are we leaving?"

"When everyone's packed and ready to go, we're moving back to Vale. With that tournament coming up, I want to see my little brother kick some Human ass."

Noir nodded once again, glancing down and seeing Rhea still asleep albeit peacefully now, "Let's not wake these three up... when Adalwin, Nadim and Valeriya do you think they could help carry these lot onto the Bulldog?"

"Is my little bro going soft?" Raven teased,

"Only for my team," Noir replied simply, and Raven gave him a small smile before she nodded,

"We'll help."

**_A few hours later..._**

Team RAVN had eventually woken up and agreed to carry the remaining sleeping members of NOIR back onto the Bulldog. The process went smoothly, especially since Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea were in deep sleeps. However after many failed attempts, Noir just couldn't see how they could carry Rhea; she was so heavily embedded within his coat they'd have to get an axe to separate one from the other. But then after a few moments of frenzied thinking, Noir found a way. Turning her around slowly in the coat and moving her arms to be around his neck he carefully carried Rhea onto the ship like a mother might carry a child.

Bianca was going through her usual routine of yelling at her co-pilot for putting something in the wrong place and the man simply grumbled in response.

It was around late morning when the Bulldog was wheels up and the ten of them left that forest. In the Bulldog, Noir was sat back down again in the corner of the gunship with the three girls around him. Rhea was still within the confines of his trench coat and Indigo was now gripping his arm tightly again whilst Oraith just lied there in a deep sleep. Scattered around were the members of Team RAVN and they all watched NOIR was fondness mixed in with amusement especially in the case of Nadim.

It was gonna be a lo-

"Sorry to break up your sleeping habits ladies, but I need Raven up here now. We've got company,"

Raven glanced up at the intercom before nodding and making her way to the cockpit, opening a door and disappearing behind it.

"What've we got?" Raven asked, gripping onto the back of the pilot's chair,

"Nevermore. Dead ahead and showing no signs of moving. Friend of yours?"

"We met at the party..."

The gunship was rattled as the Nevermore blasted razor sharp feathers their way and Bianca swerved to avoid them, "They seem nice."

"Want me to just gun him down?" Bianca asked, flicking open a switch on the pilot's stick and Raven nodded in return,

"You've been meaning to use those for a while now."

Bianca pressed her thumb against the switch and Raven staggered out of the cockpit to find Noir holding tightly onto the girls. His legs were wrapped around the sleeping Rhea whilst one hand gripped Orlaith and the other gripped Indigo so they didn't slide about the compartment, "What's going on up there?"

The sounds of a constant, low rumbling noise could be heard which sounded similar to a Vulcan mini gun. Needless to say mad laughter was heard from the cockpit as well.

Noir glanced between the sleeping figures of Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea and sweat dropped as he noticed that the three of them were still sleeping, if anything more soundly now.

By the time the Bulldog arrived at Beacon and was landing in the same place the airship dropped them off on their first day, Noir was still sat amongst the sleeping girls, and Raven was highly amused, "They must have picked up your sleeping habits,"

Noir chuckled lightly and, at the sound of it all three girls woke up.

"Urrghh... what's going on?" Rhea asked from the confines the coat, slowly lifting her head and bumping into Noir's chin. She blushed deeply, retreating backwards out of the confines of the cloak and muttering an apology but Noir just waved her off,

"You three have slept for easily twenty-four hours. The must have been very wearing on you all,"

Rhea continued to blush as Indigo began to come to and just let go of Noir, yawning and stretching her arms whilst Orlaith had already begun to stand up, "Yea... I guess it was- Wait, where are we?"

"We're back at Beacon." Noir answered, and the hatch opened to their right to reveal the front entrance to Beacon in the distance. It was getting on dusk and the sun was beginning to set and after a few moments of hesitation the four members of Noir began to climb out of the Bulldog, saying farewell to their friends.

"See you again, Noir! I expect to see you kick ass in that tournament!" Raven waved to them as the hatch began to automatically close behind them and after a few moments of happiness the Bulldog had already begun to take off again and the last thing Noir saw of his sister was her smiling at him. And a small, black book hitting him in the head. Noir rubbed his head for a few moments before bending down to pick up the book and noticing the title, '**Ninjas of Love: Book 3'**

'Thank you Nadim' Noir thought, sparing a final glance to the Bulldog and watching a it flew away down into Vale.

Team NOIR stood there for a few moments, the girls stretching and something clicked in Noir's head, "Let's head to the hall for training..."

"But we just got back from-" But Orlaith was cut off as Noir shot her an irritated look,

"You three should be full of energy now, let's go."

And so, the four of them walked up the pavement to the main building. The air was slowly getting chillier as they walked and it was quite different to the warmth of the camp fire they had been enjoying. But, as they entered the main hall, a familiar sight met their eyes.

Teams RWBY, JNPR and PURE were all training and practising tournament style duelling, two people duelling on the stage whilst everyone else watched from below and cheered on the two on the stage. Currently, Yang and Weiss were battling it out and it was a spectacle to behold of the fire and ice dancing around one another.

NOIR strode up towards the backs of the remaining people, Noir walking up next to Ruby, Jaune and Peach and poking Ruby in the back of the head whilst Orlaith, Rhea and Indigo took positions on the end of the line yet not before Noir had poked Ruby.

Ruby glanced around for a moment, seeing the edge of Noir and turning back... before turning again and staking in the full image. Noir looked tired, was tired and looked like two people had been sleeping on him. "NOIR!" Ruby yelled, and the others turned around. He had a few moments to register the looks he was receiving and the fact that the two people on the stage had stopped fighting before he was tackled to the floor by Peach,

"NOIR! You're alive!"

"Not for long..." Noir wheezed out, all the air had been knocked clear out of his lungs from the tackle,

"Oh... sorry!" Peach smiled widely as she slowly stood up from the wheezing Noir and rubbed the back of her head awkwardly, "Good to see you!"

"Likewise..." Noir replied, slowly standing up himself and rubbing his stomach in the meantime.

"Noir,"

Noir glanced over and saw Blake standing next to Ruby with a small smile on her lips and Noir returned the smile, "Good to see you, Blake," As Noir's attention was diverted to Endive and Ugli who were attempting to slap him on the back he managed to dodge by advancing forward and standing next to Blake and quickly showing her the title of the black book in his hand.

Her expression was priceless, a look of shock spread across her face and she quickly glanced between Ruby and Peach, "How... it's not even..."

"Long story short - gift from a friend," Noir gave Blake a small smile and her eyes widened slightly before returning to their normal cat like appearance,

"Reading it after you," She whispered to him,

"Naturally..." But then Noir raised his voice, speaking to Ruby, Jaune and Peach, "... so how can I fit these three into the-" But he was cut off as the sound of an irritated Weiss lashed out,

"If you don't mind, our match is yet to end! Attention in this direction!"

Noir fell quiet, smirking slightly.

Nothing had changed. And that's just what he had been hoping for.

* * *

_Chevalier. Knight. Black. Noir. Noir Chevalier._

_The Knight had constantly reminded him of his name and its meaning or what the meaning should be._

_He still didn't understand why his dreams would involve the Knight in one way or another from the simplest of things from having a Wanderer known as 'The Black Knight' to an actual Knight who helps him in some way. And those weren't the only consistent things in his dreams and some of them even scared him,_

_Rhea being kind and a very open person worried him in a small way because it wasn't Rhea. Indigo was sweet and shy which worried him, she was normally quite direct yet still being polite. And Laila... wasn't Laila. She was just... there in a way yet not there. Laila's face was change to Blake's and vice versa leading to a confused Noir and a complete mess up in his mind leaving him disorientated when waking up and even more so during his dreams._

_However, it was during a dream where something particularly odd was happening and he completely blamed all of the... 'Romance' novels he had been reading._

_Noir was now a renowned Hunter, and had enough money to buy himself a nice house in the countryside fit with library. He had been very specific about the library. However, upon entering his new manor house he was shocked to find Indigo, Laila and Rhea all dressed in maid outfits awaiting him. Very skimpy maid outfits. Noir almost screamed out loud and ran up the stairs but he managed to hold his ground, allowing the three girls to welcome him home and inform him that everything was prepared... for what?_

_They led him up the stairs, along a few doors before opening the door and finding a very large bed with- But at that moment, the dream cut off as he was abruptly wrenched from his teenage dreams by the sounds of whispering,_

Noir slowly began to open his eyes and the whispering halted and after a few blinks to clear his vision he found he was almost nose to nose with Indigo and she offered him a sweet smile, "Morning... we thought you might like to be awake since you have a... visitor," Indigo finished slowly, glancing behind her and Noir only had a moment to spot the flash before he felt something heavy jump on top of his bed and him, and this object was soon joined by something else and all Noir could do was whimper under the covers as Indigo retreated slightly, grinning, "You see... we've already been into Vale and we found Laila and we told her about the mission and your sister and then your sister found us and Laila and then we all decided to come visit you,"

Noir moaned under the covers, trying to hide his head but he couldn't as two girls wrenched back the pillow and then the covers to his waist and placing something freezing cold on his chest. He howled loudly, looking down to see Raven and Laila there with their hands against his chest, "WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?!"

"Warming up," Laila replied, smiling at Noir before adding, "And what's this we hear about you being a manicurist?"

"Little brother, shame on you for not treating me before but..."

"... You can treat both of us now!" Laila finished, smiling widely.

This was going to be a long day... "Oh, and Noir! Our nails need an extra coat from all the fighting we've been doing. Don't worry! We bought the more hardy and expensive ones!"

Correction. He'd either lose the will to live by the end of the day or kill someone, or something. Hopefully Seda.

* * *

**Hello ladies and gentlemen and thanks for reading another chapter of 'The Black Knight!' This chapter felt harder and slower to write then some of the others so you'll have to excuse me if it feels squeezed out at the end.**

**Remember! To vote for the pairings, go to my profile page and click on the poll! You have three votes - use them wisely.**

**Also, if anyone was wondering on -my- opinion on the pairings I'd have to say that you shouldn't think about WHO they fit well with. You need to think if they will be happy together. Only time will tell and, to mess with you all, I will be teasing some pairings on the run up to Valentine's Day!**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**

**EDIT: Pre-26 edit.**


	16. Chapter 16 - Ravenscroft

**Chapter 16 - Ravenscroft**

**Remember to vote for the pairings you want to see in this special Valentine's Day chapter! And also remember that I might be a cruel person so vote carefully and take careful consideration as to who you are voting for!**

* * *

How did he get himself in this position?

They were striding through the streets of Vale, and by they he meant himself and Rhea whilst the sun beat down on them to remind them that such a beautiful day was going to be wasted. Apparently, it was traditional for a team-leader to meet the parents or guardian of his team-mates whilst in reality it felt like he was being reminded three times over to look after his squad mates or his life would be forfeit. However, it was also apparently traditional to start with your partner's parents or guardian and work your way down from there.

And Noir didn't like it one bit. Rhea was a nice enough person, and recently she had been turning into a shy girl around him on some occasions and blushing more then she used to. But luckily, there were moments when she reverted back to her old personality and in those moments Noir once again saw Rhea Ravenscroft.

"We're here..." Rhea muttered as they approached a very expensive looking until, the main building stretching high up. Noir took in the view for a few moments,

"Looks like they're compensating for something,"

His remark was met by a small chuckle from Rhea who led the way through the open doors, which were being held open by a man in the hotel's uniform - a black suit and a small red cap on his head.

The moment they entered, they were hit by a wave of air conditioning as people strode about the lobby wearing either the same red suits or guests wearing a variety of clothing. Rhea strode up the front desk with Noir in toe, who was receiving a lot of funny looks from staff and guests a like and even the receptionist raised an eyebrow in his direction.

Rhea cleared her throat, "I'm looking for Ares Ravenscroft,"

The receptionist gave Rhea a small nod, glancing at Noir again before opening a scroll on the desk and entering the name in the search box. After a few more moments, the receptionist looked back up, "He's in the penthouse, just hit the second button from the top on the elevator... and Miss, you know his -kind- aren-"

"Thank you, we'll be heading up now," Rhea replied sternly, turning around swiftly and heading over to the elevators. Noir on the other hand paused a moment to shoot the receptionist a dirty look which spoke volumes about his opinion on what she was about to say before he followed Rhea to the elevator. All the while, Rhea was muttering darkly about the receptionist and the hotel, "-kind- KIND?! I'd rip her a new one if I thought that -her- kind deserved that kind of treatment,"

They entered the elevator, and Rhea practically slammed the button from the second to top and the elevator doors slowly closed and the two were together in a tight space. "Don't worry about it, Rhea. Such a high class establishment probably thinks I'm going to rob them blind,"

"Pfft, you wouldn't... Noir?" Rhea raised an eyebrow at him. Of course, Noir wasn't a thief and didn't steal things for his own gain however... he would do it out of spite,

"Of course not," Noir responded casually when in fact the thought had been going through his mind. But then he thought, for Rhea's sake, that he better not.

After a few moments, the elevator dinged loudly and a female voice echoed through it, "Penthouse."

The two of them stepped out of the elevator to meet a small room in front of them with a door on the opposite side and on either side of the door were two men, each wearing blue suits with midnight blue ties and each of them wearing sunglasses. Inside.

Whilst Noir paused and raised an eyebrow, Rhea strode forward confidently and the effect was surprising to say the least.

"Miss Ravenscroft!" One of the guards said, smiling widely as she came into view and the two of them immediately went forward and shook her hands, each taking one hand and shaking it vigorously,

Rhea smiled back at them, shaking their hands back and letting go after a few moments, "It's good to see you two,"

"How has Beacon been? How's your squad? Surely you must be the leader?" One of the guards asked. Neither of them had noticed Noir in their frenzy to greet Rhea and Noir was tempted to prove a point and sneak around behind them,

"Well... it's been great so far and the squad I'm is full of really nice people who can fight well but I am not the leader. In fact..." Rhea turned around slowly, as if presenting Noir like a prized animal and the guards finally rose their eyes and spotted... nothing. But there was the sound of a small gust of wind and the rustling of a coat,

"Hey, did you hear that?" One of the guards said, glancing over to the elevator and then over at the closed window,

"Probably the sound of you being an idiot," The second replied, rolling his eyes,

"Yea you're probably right..." The first paused for a moment, glancing to the other guard, "... Dick biscuit,"

After a few moments of silence, Rhea turned back to face the guards to see Noir standing behind them with his arms folded looking un-impressed, and he cleared his throat loudly causing both of the guards to spin around,

"How... when did you? You're her leader?" One of them said, eyeing Noir up and down for a few moments before exchanging a look with the second,

"Noir Chevalier, and yes. I am Rhea's squad-leader," Noir responded, still looking un-impressed as he glanced between the guards and stepping back to his previous position, "Nice to meet you,"

"Ah, nice to meet you, Mr Chevalier," They both responded but Noir waved it off, sighing,

"As fun as it is to be called Mr, just call me Noir,"

"Okay... Noir," Both of them responded again, glancing between them before looking back at Rhea, "He's waiting inside... and she's there as well,"

Rhea nodded in return, brushing no existent dust from her clothes before as one of the guards opened the door for her. Rhea strode confidently inside of the room and Noir followed her, nodding his thanks to the two guards and they returned his nod.

Noir would have said his breath was taken away but that'd be close to a lie since nothing was taking his breath away. The room was large. Very large. There was multiple Dust crystals on display around the room in locked cabinets whilst at the centre back were two L shaped sofas stuck end to end and facing the entrance. There were multiple doors leading off either side and men in the same blue suits stood at each of them with their hands folded in front of them and occasionally raising a hand and tapping their ear puds but what really caught his eyes was the sight in front of them.

Two people were sitting at the sofa, watching as the two entered but their eyes were fixed on Rhea. One of them was a woman who was the mirror image of Rhea, or Rhea was the mirror image of her except this woman's hair was longer and her face was older and a few scars were scattered across her face including one over her cheek, and another across her mouth. Even with that, she was still stunning and a smile that brightened up the room warmed Noir's soul. The man on the other hand looked hardier, stronger and overall more intimidating. He wore the same blue suit as all of the guards but his tie was the same colour as his suit and a cane was lent against the sofa next to him whilst a monocle was over his right eye. His face had one scar running from the top right to the bottom left.

"Rhea," The woman said, standing up and opening her arms up to her daughter and Rhea embraced her mother in a warm hug. Noir kept back, his arms by his sides whilst his fingers ran across his trench coat as he watched the scene.

"So, you're Rhea's squad-leader, 'ey?" Noir snapped out of his induced state of not noticing to see Rhea's father staring right at him,

"Yes sir,"

Rhea's father let out a small chuckle, waving for Noir to come over to the sofa, "I like this boy already, knows his manners and superiors,"

Rhea was released from her mother's grip and she almost felt the anger boiling inside of Noir, and his response made that all too clear, "In fact, -sir-, I am showing respect for the parent of my team-mate. I am not showing respect for a superior,"

"Oh really? Don't ye' know anything about the Ravenscroft, boy?"

Rhea and her mother watched as Noir and Rhea's father looked like they were already about to fight, "Noblemen and women who actually do something rather than sit around with their thumbs stuck up their asses. A line of Hunters and Huntresses,"

"So you've done your history," Rhea's father replied, a satisfied look appearing on his face and Noir took the seat on the sofa whilst shaking his head,

"No. Rhea told me after I asked her about her family,"

"Hmph... What's your name, lad?"

"Noir Chevalier. And what's your name pops?" Noir asked, the spite disappearing from his voice and being replaced with a hint of playfulness,

"Ares Ravenscroft," The tension in the room seemed to go out the cracks in the room as Noir's face slowly broke out into a small smile as Ares continued, "You wouldn't perhaps be the little brother of Raven, would ya?"

"I would indeed, you know my sister?" Noir's voice rang with curiosity. Rhea couldn't help but smile as she witnessed her father and Noir getting along so well even though a few moments before it looked like they would tear each other limb from limb.

"Know her? Noir lad, she practically said the same lines you did. The moment you came through that door Raven sprung to mind. I remember when Adal introduced her; the poor boy was quivering in his boots when Raven so much as opened her mouth,"

Ares and Noir shared a small laugh, "I'm afraid the ladies of team NOIR... speaking of ladies," Noir turned to look at Rhea's mother and he stood up, bowing slightly. Noir. Bowed.

Noir bowed. He seriously just bowed?

Rhea's mother smiled kindly at Noir, patting him on the shoulder to indicate for him to stand up and take his seat and he did so with a small smile on his face which Rhea's mother returned two fold, "Noir Chevalier, a pleasure to meet you,"

"The same to you, ma'am,"

"Please... call me Azure," Azure responded, continuing to smile at Noir as she took her seat and Rhea sat next to her. Noir gave them both a small smile, "So... Noir, can I call you Noir?"

"Of course, Ma- Azure,"

"So... Noir. What is your honest opinion of our daughter?" Azure asked, glancing at Rhea before turning back to Noir. Noir leant back in the seat a little, thinking his full and very honest opinion about Rhea. He finally sat back up, and began,

"Rhea Ravenscroft was and still is my partner. I can honestly say that Rhea has exceptional skills with the bow and spear and could easily handle me in a long range combat situation. I would trust Rhea with my back and the lives of the people I hold most dear to me, which includes herself," Short, sweet and to the point. That's how he liked to get the point across and the two Ravenscrofts gave Noir their own smiles as Rhea beamed at him,

"He ain't lying, darlin'. I like this one," Ares concluded, studying Noir up and down and admiring his choice of apparel and then his emblem,

"You a Faunus like your sister?"

"You could say it... runs in the family," Noir replied, the pun intended and Ares couldn't help but chuckle,

"Receive a warm welcome down in reception?"

"In a manner of speaking," Noir replied, remembering the receptionist,

"Aye... my apologies, Noir. Some people can't get over the fact that we share this world with beings which are just as smart as us. Perhaps smarter at times,"

"No problem, she's not the first and defiantly not the last to treat me like that," Noir trailed off towards the end, remembering something. Rhea seemed to recall the same thing and phrased the question to her parents,

"Mum, you know the Hatfields?"

"Yes darling,"

"Their son is at Beacon,"

Ares' head snapped up at the mention of Hatfield and he narrowed his eyes at Rhea for a few moments, "What's that little bastard got to offer Beacon?"

"A thick skull and a racist attitude," Rhea replied, earning a small laugh from her father, Noir and even a few of the guards in the room,

"He tried flirting with you?" Ares asked, glancing over at Noir. His opinion of the lad so far? Basically a male version of Raven which wasn't a good thing... or a bad thing.

"Oh yes... but you could say Noir fixed the problem so he stays away from us now," Rhea glanced over at Noir, remembering the 'brawl' with Seda and how it ended,

"And how'd you do it? Put the bastard in his place?" Ares asked, turning his attention to Noir who just grinned in response but Rhea broke in,

"He shot him. Multiple times."

The room was silent for a few moments before Ares broke out laughing, slamming his fist on his knee as he fell back into the confines of the sofa and laughed himself hoarse, "How many times?" He managed to wheeze out,

"Enough to make sure he didn't get back up again," Noir replied, grinning himself. Honestly, he had been expecting a Nobleman to rip his head off at the mention of Noir's 'brawl' with Seda and had not expected Rhea's parents to be so warm and accepting,

"Now dear, remember you shouldn't swear. You'll get a bad habit," Azure chimed in, trying to restrain her own laugh from breaking free and only just managing it,

"Why do you guys hate Hatfield so much?" Noir asked, glancing between Azure and Ares and they both suddenly fell quiet, glancing at each other before back at Noir,

"I like you, Noir... I'll put you to the test. The following conversation doesn't leave this room, agreed?"

"Agreed," Noir responded, giving it a second to ensure his response didn't seemed rush and over looked,

"The Hatfield family is a bunch of racists piece of sh- poo, who use Faunus labour to mine Dust. As you can imagine, they have enough support to continue their operation but they haven't got a good reputation among the decent folk of Remnant. Mainly because they are very brutal against their competition - except the Schnee Dust company. Nobody messes with them. But, continuing on... the Hatfields got to where they are now through dirty tactics and didn't earn their place among the more noble folk. That little piece of sh- Manure is not different and Hatfield as approached many of the other Noble families multiple times looking to marry into them to expand their influence,"

"Hmph... so that's why he tries to flirt with Peach so much,"

"What? He flirts with organic products now?"

"No, no... Peach Gullahorn. Leader of team PURE,"

"Gullahorn? Nice people, not expansive or too rich but they got an almost spotless reputation,"

Noir and Ares exchanged a serious look before Ares face broke out into a smile, "You keep that Seda off my daughter, and you'll have my eternal gratitude, Noir,"

"Heheh, easier done then said, Ares," The two exchanged a grin before Azure let out a small cough, catching their attention,

"As nice as it is to see you two getting along... Noir, I have another question,"

"Sure,"

"Can you give me your opinion on Rhea's physique?"

Noir almost felt like he was going to fall off the back of the sofa as the question registered in his mind, and he blushed heavily, "Her... her..."

"Her body if you like to put it so bluntly," Azure finished, offering him a kind look which didn't match the question,

Rhea was blushing furiously, "Mother! That's not the kind of thing that... why would..." She began to mumble incoherently as she noticed Noir had sat up and was seriously debating the question,

"She... uh... has a nice body?" Noir answered tentatively, aware of the problem. If he answered that he didn't know what Rhea's body appeared to be like then they would know he was lying and Rhea might be offended. However, if he answered in too much detail then they'd think -something- happened and Rhea would be embarrassed,

"Is that all?"

"Uh... I suppose?"

"Okay then... hear that Rhea, someone does like your body," Azure turned to Rhea who's bright red face answered for her and her mother giggled slightly, "Don't worry darling, I'm sure Noir could be a suitable spouse,"

"WHAT?!" Noir practically yelled, his bottom jaw hitting the floor as he looked between Azure, Rhea and then Ares,

"Nothing to worry about, just Ravenscroft family tradition," Ares answered, "You see, if a Ravenscroft wishes to 'date' or marry another person then they have to duel that person. Then, if that person wins, they get to decide whether they want to marry the Ravenscroft or not, or date them in this case,"

"But... but... how did Adalwin end up with..."

"Adalwin wasn't always that nice. He challenged Raven to a duel and he got his ass handed to him so, naturally, Raven wanted to 'punish' him in a manner of speaking and forced him to date her. I must say, he made it look like he wasn't enjoying himself when we saw them but he was happy,"

"Heh... heh..."

Noir sighed again, making a mental note never to duel Rhea unless he had to.

"Now, Noir... I think you should be getting along now. Don't you have two more families to visit?" Azure chimed in, offering her large smile again,

"Oh yea... well, it was nice meeting you," Noir stated as he stood up and offered his hand up to Ares, who shook it with a bone crushing grip,

"And you lad."

Noir grinned, letting go of Ares' hand and making his way out of the room, and hitting the button to call the elevator.

Rhea wouldn't be accompanying him for the other two visits, however they were all meant to assemble at his house towards the end and meet... his mother.

* * *

**Hello ladies and Gentlemen and that was another chapter of 'The Black Knight'! I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and remember - to vote in the poll just go on my profile page and click on the poll!**

**See you all next time and remember that I do look at reviews!**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**

**EDIT EDIT: 26 Edit.**


	17. Chapter 17 - Orian

**Chapter 17 - Orian**

**Hello ladies and Gentlemen and welcome to a new chapter of 'The Black Knight'! Remember to vote for the pairing(s) you want to see in the Valentine's day chapter by going to my profile page and going to the poll!**

* * *

The elevator was peeping for each floor and Noir was standing in their... alone. Rhea was meant to spend most of the day with her parents before they'd all link up at Noir's home and they'd meet his mother. Was he dreading the moment? Not really... except if he was going to be embarrassed.

Beep.

Beep.

Beeeep.

The doors slid a part to reveal Seda standing there next to a man who was wearing a grey suit accompanied by the traditional 'Guard' sunglasses. Noir and Seda stared at each other for a few moments, "What are you doing here?" Noir asked, the harshness already entering his voice,

"None of your business, now move along Faunus," The guard replied and Noir spared him a glance before stepping out of the elevator,

"Just so you know... she could kick your ass any day." Noir stated before pushing past the two and making his way out of the hotel. He left Seda standing there with an irritated expression on his face. Although he had guessed the purpose of Seda's visit he wasn't far off and he may as well have been the first row of guards to tell them to 'Sod off'.

But now, he was back out in the blazing sun. Noir reached down into his trench coat, pulling out his scroll and opening it up and flick the screen a few times to get to Orlaith's archived message and playing it out loud,

**'_Noir! The directions to my house are as follows. Go through the commercial district without buying anything. Head to the northern entrance of the residential district and head down that street. You'll know my house when you see it. Orlaith out!'_**

Noir sighed heavily, his legs already beginning to guide him in the appropriate direction. As Noir walked, his mind conjured up a map of Vale and he began to think about the individual district, 'Upperclass, Commercial, Residential, Agricultural and Industrial' he counted off in his head as he made his through the maze of streets that made up Vale. This time of day, the Commercial district was bustling with activity due to the beautiful sunshine and the fact that tournament was getting closer with every passing day.

Noir turned another corner and the shops were finally cut off by a sign stating, 'Residential district' and Noir breathed a small sigh of relief. That was until he entered and saw the rows and rows of houses which appeared almost completely identical in nature and his sweat dropped.

He began to make his way down the street, remembering Orlaith's instructions and quietly wishing her directions had been DIRECTIONS and not a riddle. The sun was still cooking him in his trench coat and he did something he never thought he'd do... he took off the coat and carried it with one finger against his back.

After ten minutes of searching, Noir was obviously going to be a bit irritated and he had half a mind to just go and visit Indigo instead however something caught his eye, a small flash of yellow. He glanced to his left and stopped in his tracks, his mouth hanging open as he saw something which was ridiculous.

Contrary to the houses around it, this residence was painted bright yellow and practically blinded him, 'You'll know it when you see it, 'ey Orlaith?' Noir thought, opening the gate to the residence. To give you an idea of the heat, his hand would have been burnt had he not been wearing his gloves and bandages.

Noir knocked three times on the door, and heard the muffled shouts of a few people shouting to one another. After a few moments, Noir heard the sounds of footsteps on the other side of the door and it was opened to reveal... nothing. At his height, glancing down he saw a little girl wearing a yellow dress with bright yellow hair and brown eyes,

"MUUUUUUMMM! There's a tall, black guy at the doooor!" The little girl shouted over her shoulder and Noir couldn't help but smile. This girl was just as loud as her sister. A voice emerged from the depths of the house,

"Is he good looking?!"

The little girl turned back to Noir, eyeing him up and down for a few moments before turning back around, "Kinda!"

"Show him in then!" The voice called back and the little girl stepped aside for Noir to enter. He did so, and the door was swung shut behind him.

The house was hot, not as hot as the outside was but it felt like being in an oven or being stuck over a fire and being slowly roasted. The entrance to the house was small, a row of shoes were on his left and Noir did them respect by taking off his combat boots and the little girl tugged on his arm, "Come on Mister,"

Noir was lead, by his arm, into the sitting room. There was a large sofa leant against one wall with two single person chairs on either side. Everything was either yellow, red or orange. Sitting on the sofa was Orlaith looking very casual and beside her was a woman that Noir presumed was her mother. Orlaith's mother had orange hair that stretched down her back and around her whilst her face looked worn but still had an essence of beauty still left in it.

"IS this him, Orlaith?"

"It's him," Orlaith answered, giving Noir a small smile before she turned to her mother, "He's my leader,"

"Thanks Summer, go and play with your sisters, okay?" Orlaith's mum turned to look at Summer, and the little girl smiled widely and skipped out of the room, "So... take a seat, young man,"

Noir nodded, moving to take a seat in one of the chairs and directing himself to face the two women, "Hello, I'm Noir Chevalier. Leader of team NOIR,"

"Awh, such a kind, handsome young man... I see what you meant, Orlaith," Noir's face heated up slightly at those words and raised a hand to scratch the back of his head, but the woman continued, "So, how many girls did you say were fawning over him?"

"Well, indirectly I'd say... one, two, three, four... five, maybe six?" Orlaith replied, giving Noir a small grin,

"Wow... well, you keep him safe,"

"Excuse me?" Noir asked, a small blush had crept up his face that wasn't due to the heat.

"Oh... how rude of me! I'm Sienna Orian, mother of Orlaith,"

"Nice to meet you... I think?"

"I'd hope so, Noir. So I suppose I should ask you some questions..." Sienna broke off at the end, leaving room for Noir to reply to the rhetorical question and she received a small nod in response before she continued, "... opinion on Orlaith?"

"Good person, protects her friends and ensures I don't get my ass ripped in half by a Beowolf so I can say she's very valuable skills wise, and great to have around personality wise... she does help to break the mood," Noir's memory brought forth an image of them on the Bulldog in stun silence, which was broken once by Orlaith, 'Who farted?'

"Hmm... what's your opinion of your squad-leader, Orlaith?" Sienna phrased the question to Orlaith, smiling at Noir's description of her daughter and Orlaith immediately answered,

"Handsome, kind, thinks of us like his sisters or relatives and does his best to go what is right. Hates mornings and just an overall nice guy to have around,"

Sienna nodded a few times, giving Noir a small smile, "Well you have my approval... of course, there's probably more to it than just that but that's all I needed to know,"

Noir offered a small smile to Sienna but his attention was immediately diverted as he saw three pairs of brown eyes peek over the sofa and stare right at him. They looked small, a quite cute... so cute he wished he could feed them a small cracker but he brushed the thought away as the three girls moved around the sofa and approached him. Each of them looked exactly the same and were staring at him intently, as if judging him,

"Uh..."

"These are my sisters, Summer you've already met. That's Haru and Hina. They're triplets,"

Noir was starting to feel a little uncomfortable as he had three small girls directly in front of him and staring at him intently, specifically staring into his eyes, "Mummy, why has the black guy got funny eyes?"

Sienna and Orlaith both gave Noir a slightly apologetic look but it was Noir who answered for them, "Because they're the eyes I was born with. You know... you three have brown eyes and mine are black,"

"But your eyes are commpllleeeetly black. Like a dog... Are you a dog?" Hina asked, tilting her head. The three of them were just so cute and the way the little girl tilted her head... Noir sighed,

"In a matter of speaking," Noir replied, and watching as the little girls all smiled at him,

"You look furry, are you a dog?" Haru asked,

"Woof,"

The three girls gasped loudly, squealing in excitement and Noir gave them one of his wolfish grins and they squealed even louder as they spotted his fang like canines, "Eeeee!" And it was only a matter of moments as they sprinted out of the room and squealed loudly in excitement,

"They are gonna be asking to see you more often now, Noir," Orlaith sighed, but Noir gave her a small smile in response,

"That's not such a bad thing, after all... means i have reasons to visit other than to annoy you." Noir gave Orlaith a larger smile, which she returned and after a few moments Sienna cleared her throat,

"Would you like a cup of tea, Noir?"

"Yes please, Miss Sienna,"

"How many sugars?"

"Two sugars please," Noir replied, bowing his head slightly to Sienna who just smiled at him as she stood up,

"Orlaith dear?"

"Cup of coffee please, mum,"

Sienna left the room, closing the door behind her and before long Noir and Orlaith were trapped in one of the many compartments of the oven. "So, did you see Rhea's parents?"

"Yea,"

"What were they like?" Orlaith's voice was filled with genuine curiosity and Noir decided it'd be best to answer,

"Unlike normal Nobles. They actually have a sense of humour and act more like people then an entirely different race,"

"What about you? Have any problems on your way?"

"Just the racist hotel staff but no other problems than that,"

"How'd Rhea deal with it?"

"We just ignored them." The two were cut off as Sienna re-entered the room holding two mugs of hot drink. Noir took the drink and took a sip, releasing a satisfied sigh and giving Sienna a smile, "Thank you, Sienna,"

"My pleasure Noir, I must say I am surprised that you didn't request a cold drink," Sienna looked back at Noir as she passed Orlaith her coffee, and she nodded her thanks in return,

"No idea actually," Noir broke off, actually thinking it through for a few moments before shrugging again – there was always time for coffee. Sienna just gave him a small smile,

"Sometimes you just fancy certain things, right?"

"Yea..."

"So who are you going to go and see after this, Noir?" Orlaith asked, taking a sip from her coffee and releasing a satisfied sigh similar to his own,

"Indigo and then you'll need to head to my house,"

"Oh yea, so who's gonna be there at your house?" Orlaith asked curiously,

"My mother and you may see Laila there if she is visiting and maybe even Raven,"

"What's your mother like?"

Noir didn't reply, glancing at Orlaith for a few moments before answering, "You'll see."

* * *

**Hello Ladies and Gentlemen! I hope you enjoyed this new chapter of 'The Black Knight'! Just remember to vote by going to my profile page and voting in the poll!**

**Love you all!**

**- xxAristotlexxx**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**

**EDIT EDIT: Pre-26 edit.**


	18. Chapter 18 - Althea

**Chapter 18 - Althea**

**Remember - Poll on my profile page and vote for your favourite pairings!**

**Oh yes... Celebrating over 3,000 views! **

**Noir: Seriously, 3,000? People are actually reading this?**

**Aristotle: Apparently so... I'm more surprised then you are, believe me...**

**Noir: Why would anyone want to read this? All we do is stand around and talk all day. Plus... when are we gonna see some pairings?! You're teasing everything from me and Rhea to me and that CAT! **

**Cat: Meow.**

**Aristotle: MUWHAHAHA! And without further interruptions... on with the story!**

* * *

"Just remember! My parents are in the same hotel as Rhea's! Ask at the desk for 'The Altheas'"

Noir sighed, sliding his scroll back into his gilet before letting his feet guide him in the right direction.

The sun was being blocked by the clouds and the ominous sound of thunder echoed once in a while giving Noir the tell tale signs that a storm was coming. Making his way out of the residential area and cutting through the commercial district took its time and in that time the first rain drops were falling from the sky and landing on the ground.

Noir glanced up for a moment, pulling his trench coat back on and sliding himself within its depths. He felt the warmth left over from the blazing heat from earlier on and welcomed it as the rain started to descend in full force, battering against the coat like pellets but not piercing it. However, Noir's head was exposed and it didn't take long for his black hair to be soaked and sticking to his head and face. But he just shrugged it off, pushing his way through the rain and weaving his way through the maze that was Vale.

Their were people rushing past him in the opposite direction, holding summer hats above their head to give them the lie that they weren't getting any wetter.

Noir continued to push on, not enjoying the rain but certainly feeling refreshed and felt himself cooling down rather quickly and quietly hoping that the hotel now had the heating turned on instead of the AC.

However, as he strode through the saturated streets of Vale his mind began to wander and before long he was thinking about his friends. It felt odd, even though it had been months since he had met them and their relationship had built up but it was still weird to think of the girls as his friends. Or to think of anyone as his friends. But it was almost like Beacon was his... Beacon of change. The light that'd guide him through the change to come and help him become better and more accepted. The first person to accept him on the very first day was Indigo Althea... and he'd forever respect her for that.

He was so entrenched in his thoughts that he almost walked headlong into the doormen of the hotel, "Watch yourself, lad,"

Noir looked up at the doorman, shaking his head a few times and offering him a small, apologetic smile, "My apologies, I was just thinking about something,"

The doorman smiled back at him, "Don't worry about that now, lad. Get inside where it's dry."

Noir gave the doorman a warm smile in return, entering the hotel and shaking himself free of the loosely clinging water and he even felt like a dog as his coat was flying around him with water flying in every direction. The hotel hadn't changed at all, except the fact the air conditioning was off and the heating was on.

A few of the employees shot Noir dirty looks, but he ignored all of them and made his way to the front desk and saw the same receptionist sitting there and noting something down on her scroll. Noir cleared his throat, and the receptionist looked up to see the same Faunus from earlier but before she could speak, Noir spoke,

"I'm looking for the Altheas."

The receptionist stared long and hard at Noir, as if trying to deter him with her gaze but Noir just returned her gaze with his own. She finally gave him, looking down at her scroll again and searching for 'Althea' before finally finding the name and the room number, "The Altheas are on the fifth floor, room 5. Or room 5-5,"

"Thank you," Noir replied, giving the receptionist the smallest of smiles which was not returned. After letting forth a small sigh, he moved away from the desk and towards the elevator.

Entering the only available elevator, he pressed the button with a '5' on it and waited as the doors closed in front of him and the elevator began to ascend.

Beep...

Beep...

Beep...

Beep...

Beeeeep!

'Welcome to the fifth floor'

The elevator doors opened and Noir walked out into a long hallway with a red carpet floor and white walls. Glancing left and right, he spotted a sign saying,

'5 = 1-20 -'

Noir immediately turned to his right and began to make his way down the corridor, passing a few rooms labelled with different numbers and finally reaching the door labelled with a five on it and knocking twice. The doors themselves were the same red as the walls, with little golden handles which made Noir wonder if they were actual gold or some cheap knock off.

After a few moments, he heard the sounds of footsteps on the other side of the door and he could just noticed as someone peaked through the eye hole,

"Who're you?"

The voice was muffled but it was definitely male, "Noir Chevalier. Indigo's team leader,"

There was a small pause and he heard the smallest whispers coming from the other side of the door before he heard the handle move and the door was opened to reveal a man with purple hair and a gruff looking face. However his clothing was simple, a long sleeve shirt accompanied by purple trousers. What was interesting was the small pouches at his waist and the sword that was tied in a sheath across his back.

"I'm Balder Althea. Indigo's father. She's told us all about you, come on in..." Balder stepped to the side and allowed Noir to walk past him and into the room. The room itself was your average hotel room, with one double bed set to the side with a bathroom complete with toilet, sink and bath. There was also a kettle accompanied by a sofa in the corner and a small table.

"... Nothing bad, I hope?" Noir replied, glancing at Balder who gave Noir a toothy grin,

"Quite the contrary, Chevalier,"

Noir was slightly curious as to what he meant but his mind was wiped clean as he spotted Indigo sitting next to a women who must be her mother. The woman had the same coloured hair as her daughter and her eyes twinkled in the light being given off from the light. She was tall, even when sat down, and wore a lavender dress accompanied by a pair of spectacles which were perched on her nose.

"Greetings Mr Chevalier. I'm Morrigan Althea. Indigo's mother," Noir bowed his head slightly to Morrigan, who gave hi m a smile in return, "Come now, Mr Chevalier. From what our little Indigo's been telling us, you're more then worthy to stand equal to many people in this world."

Noir couldn't help but blush, raising a hand and scratching the back of his head and suddenly becoming painfully aware of his soaking wet clothes and the fact he was treading dirt onto the carpet, "Uh... I understand I was meant to just come here to talk but would you mind if I took a shower and dried my clothes?"

Morrigan just nodded in return, an honest smile spreading across her face, "Of course, dear. You do look wet from the rain after all. Indigo, would you like to get a towel out for our guest?"

Indigo nodded once, standing up and guiding Noir into the bathroom. The bathroom itself was pearly white, each surface was practically showing you a nearly clear reflection of yourself whilst a mirror was situated just above a sink. Indigo gave Noir a small smile, leaning down and grabbing a towel from a cupboard beneath the sink and turning around with it still in hand, "You jump in the shower, i'll wait,"

"Uh... Indigo I-"

"I know, don't worry. I just want to ask you some stuff and i know my parents aren't going to let me get a word in during the 'interrogation'," Indigo interrupted, smiling at Noir who just sighed slightly before nodding in return, "Now give me your clothes, and we'll leave them to dry on the radiator,"

"Isn't that dangerous?" Noir asked, who was slowly peeling away his clothing. He started with his trench coat, pulling away at it and smiling slightly as he noticed that it had completely protected his scroll from the rain however his gilet and shirt hadn't been so lucky. They were drenched purely because Noir didn't have anything that completely covered his neck and the few rain drops that had managed to infiltrate had completely drenched him.

"This is coming from the man who fought an Alpha Beowolf by himself," Indigo replied, a small smile dancing across her lips still and Noir couldn't help but laugh as he pulled off his gilet and then his shirt finally getting down to the bandages which he wore out of habit. They were also drenched... And Noir couldn't help but feel a twinge of awkwardness as he began to peel them away from his skin, and he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Indigo was blushing as more and more of Noir's skin was revealed. His arms had only grown more muscular from his time at Beacon and his chest was hairy but not uncontrollably so whilst his face was now definitely showing signs of hair. In fact, Noir had shaved before he had left earlier this morning and the hair on his face was already showing signs of sprouting right back out.

This, combined with the scars scattered across his chest and arms from the fight with the Alpha all those months ago, gave Noir the gruff image more fit of a Mercenary then a Hunter but it did give him a certain attractiveness. Noir opened up the bin, sliding the soggy bandages inside before he went to work pulling down his trousers and Indigo, to her own credit, help up the towel at that point to hide him from sight.

They were both reminded of the beginning of their time at Beacon, when Noir hid Indigo from sight so she could change during their first evening and morning at Beacon.

"Indigo... my underwear are fine. Please don't try and take them,"

"Ok," Indigo replied, her voice slightly higher then before. Noir grinned slightly, pulling off his underwear and climbing into the bath and switching on the shower and letting the warm water cascade down his body and he closed the shower curtain. It felt blissful and he heard the sound of the door opening, closing and then it took a few moments before the door opened and then closed again, "Noir... what were the others like?"

Noir grabbed the soap, rubbing it into his crevices as he answered, "Rhea's parents are nice people. They're Nobles who actually do something so that's something. I only met Orlaith's mother, and she was basically an older and maturer version of Orlaith,"

"See anyone else?" Indigo asked, her voice was on the other side of the curtain and Noir could see her just through the curtain,

"Seda. He was going to visit the Ravenscrofts to try and get Rhea to marry him,"

"Would Rhea's parents make her marry him?" Indigo asked, a sense of worry appearing in her voice and Noir couldn't help but have a small piece of silent admiration for her caring for others,

"Rhea's parents hate Seda's guts, And his family's. They'll let Rhea kick his ass,"

"Good,"

Noir set the soap down again on the side of the bath, cleaning the soap off his body and pulling the curtain back slightly and smiling at Indigo, "Mind passing the towel?"

Indigo glanced up, blushing furiously and handing over the towel to Noir, who took it and shut off the water. "I'll go grab y-your clothes," she stuttered,

Noir could only smile as he heard the door open and then close, and a few moments later the door was opened and then closed again, "Got them,"

"Thanks," Noir wrapped the towel around his waist, stepping out of the shower and looking at Indigo. He took his shirt from the top of the pile of clothing, which were now dry and slightly warm and a smile appeared across his face as he noticed Indigo blushing again.

The pile was slowly decreasing in height, as Noir pulled his clothing on and consequently Indigo's blush was slowly fading,

However Noir paused as he grabbed his underwear, leaning down and pulling his pants on and Indigo glanced away as the underwear were pulled up and the towel fell away to reveal his genitals for a brief moment. Noir pulled on his trousers after a few brief moments and nodded to Indigo, "Let's go then,"

Indigo smiled at Noir, leading the way out of the bathroom and Noir followed with his boots in hand.

Morrigan and Balder were sitting on the sofa and waiting for them, their hands intertwined in each other's and smiles being exchanged between the two of them, "Ah, Noir. Indigo. Take a seat on the bed,"

Noir and Indigo took seats on the corner of the bed, sitting right next to each other and exchanging their own smiles. Nothing was missed by Morrigan, who carefully surveyed the two before beginning the interrogation,

"How did you two meet?"

"We met on the flight to Beacon. Indigo was the first person I talked to at Beacon,"

"What do you consider Indigo?" Balder asked, leaning back in the sofa and eyeing Noir carefully,

"Hmmm... my first friend in ten years. Someone I'd gladly risk my life for and a valuable team-mate,"

"What does Indigo mean to you?" Morrigan asked, receiving a taken a back expression from Noir,

"Pardon?"

"What does our daughter mean to you?" Balder replied, eyeing Noir up and down for a few moments.

Noir and Indigo exchanged looks, with both of them having blushes on their faces, "Uh... I... like a..."

"Oh? Is Noir your boyfriend, Indigo?" Morrigan asked, glancing between the two and only seeing the blushes,

"No, m-mother... h-he isn't," Indigo replied, stuttering,

"Do you want him to be?" Balder added in quickly, eyeing Indigo and Noir,

However, Noir's brain was returning to its normality and he answered in a stern voice, "If that is all, myself and Indigo will be leaving." But he didn't wait for an answer.

Noir stood up quickly, taking Indigo's hand and quickly fleeing the room with Indigo stumbling behind him with the two grabbing their foot-ware quickly.

Morrigan and Balder simply watched as the two retreated, before exchanging small smiles between them, "He has our approval."

Noir and Indigo managed to get to the elevator before they stopped, Noir jamming the button for the ground floor and panting lightly as Indigo panted next to him, "Thanks..."

"No problem... now to my house."

* * *

**BONUS SCENE: The Flower and the Wolf**

They got down to the lobby, exchanging looks which were a mix between amusement and embarrassment. The doors parted and they stepped out, with their foot-ware on and only now did they notice that the rain was still pelting down in full force.

Noir glanced at the open door, spotting the rain coming down in full force before glancing at Indigo and seeing that she was wearing the same combat skirt that she had been wearing when they had first met. Her clothes were light and intended for warmer weather.

Noir shrugged off his trench coat, putting it around Indigo's shoulders and wrapping it around her. She was taken a back and even tried to remove it from her shoulders but Noir wrapped it tightly around her. The bulky coat made Indigo feel even smaller then she normally did but Noir just smiled at her, wrapping an arm around her neck and holding a hand above his head,

"You come first." Noir stated, before the two pushed their way into the rain.

* * *

**Hello ladies and gentlemen and that was Chapter 18 of 'The Black Knight'! And I hope you all enjoyed it! **

**Noir: You cut me off earlier, you ass.**

**Aristotle: Well, would you rather relive your life or rant about me? **

**Noir: ... Shut up**

**Indigo: Uh... why aren't the pairings just obvious and clear instead of all this tease?**

**Aristotle: Valentine's day poll, of course! I'm letting people vote on your futures! **

**Noir + Indigo: ... You're an ass. **

**Aristotle: So remember everyone - Go to my profile page and vote on the pairings you want to see in the Valentine's day chapter! **

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**


	19. Chapter 19 - Chevalier

**Chapter 19 - Chevalier**

**Hello ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the new chapter of 'The Black Knight'! Sorry to be repetitive but remember to vote for -YOUR- favourite pairing by going to my profile page and clicking on the poll!**

**Noir: Now remind me again, why are you being so sadistic?**

**Aristotle: Hmm?**

**Noir: You are letting your readers decide on a fate for your characters when, in reality, you may not want that outcome...**

**Aristotle: I wrote you to be smart, Mr Chevalier. You work it out.**

**Noir: Oh... OHHH! That's sadistic. On with the story, eh? I can't wait for Valentine's day...**

* * *

The rain was still in full force as the two left the hotel and Noir couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen to them, other than getting a cold. Well, Indigo wasn't; he had ensured that.

As they rushed through the streets, there was nobody to be found and Noir was quite happy that everyone retreated under cover once the rain hit since it made for easier passage through the city. The Chevalier residence was situated on the edge of the commercial and residential district which made for nice living and decent conditions.

"Hey Noir!"

Noir spared a glance for Indigo, who was under his right arm and gripping him tightly as the two pushed their way through the storm, "What?"

"Are your parents nice?"

Parents. Parent. The silence Noir was giving off was a tell-tale sign that it had been the wrong thing to ask and Indigo quickly asked, "I mean, uh... is the place you live nice?"

Noir's mind was currently plagued by the image of a family photograph containing himself, his sister, his mother and a man who was just faded black with no recognisable features but the new question, and the voice that spoke wrenched him from this cruel image, "It's nice enough,"

"I mean, I lived in the countryside and all but I didn't think the city was bad! It's just I can imagine you living in some kind of big house or something!"

Noir couldn't help but smile, squeezing Indigo against him further as they passed quickly through the commercial district and taking his time to reply, "If only, Indigo!"

Of course, he hadn't been raised in a bad environment but he wasn't raised in the best either and he didn't blame his mother or his sister. And he couldn't blame what he never had.

It was a matter of minutes now to the house and they passed through the park that so long ago Noir had witnessed Laila have her ears ripped off and he couldn't help but shudder at the memory as his body shook... was it from the cold or the memory? Either way, he felt a warm hand lay across his chest and glancing down he saw Indigo had moved her hand under his gilet and against his chest and for some obscure reason, it soothed him.

Odd thoughts began to enter Noir's mind and they were only cleared as they approached the entrance to the Chevalier's residence and Noir turned the handle with his spare hand and the two practically fell into the house and dripping everywhere. Noir heard the voices of his mother mingled in with Orlaith and Rhea's and they seemed to be laughing but they weren't clear and seemed to be coming in the direction of the sitting room.

Indigo's face was lit up with interest and she was staring around at the practically blank hallway. That was the best way to describe the entrance to the Chevalier's residence, with a pair of shoes next to the door and an umbrella stand next to the pair. Other than that, the walls were a pitch black with the shadows of white flowers on it and between the flowers on the wall were pictures of family moments. Indigo had already spotted a three year old Noir sitting on the lap of a teenage Raven and they were both smiling widely at the person who was taking the picture. It was cute.

However Noir now began to stand up, dragging Indigo with him and closing the door behind them with his foot. Noir then guided the way down the corridor and opened a door into the sitting room to reveal Rhea and Orlaith sitting on a white sofa and sitting opposite a woman in a single chair with a wide smile on her face and two, small cat ears poking out between her long, black hair that reflected the light from the lantern perfectly. Her face was kind looking, with two green feline eyes looking between Rhea and Orlaith with a kind smile on her face,

"And then, in one of his letters he talked about you two! I'll go find the letter whe- Oh! Noir!"

Noir raised an eyebrow incredulously at his mother his voice raising drastically, "MOTHER! THOSE LETTERS WERE PRIVATE!"

"Oh come on dear, these girls loved to hear about how you described them and what they were like,"

"Yes Noir, we -loved- to hear it," Orlaith chimed in, a small smile on her face,

"Oh, you're both so wet! Go upstairs and have a shower, both of you! Two cups of tea will be waiting for you when you get back down! Now go, hurry!"

"Oh, Mother..."

"What's wrong, Noir?" Noir's mother glanced between Noir and Indigo, spotting the blushes on their faces and Noir could see the light bulb lighting up in her head and he thought that she had figured it out but then, "Oh! Of course... there are two separate towels already upstairs waiting for you both."

Noir stood still, his mouth hanging open before he threw his arm up in defeat and turned around to make his way up the stairs and still dragging Indigo with him even though there was no resistance coming from her. She had either fainted or she was looking forward to it.

Noir opened the door to the bathroom, similar to the hotel's however with the surfaces darker colours including green, red and blue which gave it a creepy appearance. The bath was a dark blue, whilst the sink was green and the toilet was luckily white. Leaning against the bath were two towels and Noir felt a twinge of embarrassment when he realised what his mother must have been implying, "Uh... Shall we go one after the other?"

He glanced down and saw the bright red face of Indigo nodding slowly and Noir could only give her a small smile in response as he let her go, "Uh... I say we both u-uh... remove our clothes and let them dry before we p-put them back on,"

"Good idea, Indigo," Noir gave Indigo another small smile, already beginning to strip off his clothes, folding them up and putting them on top of the closed toilet seat until eventually he was standing with a black towel wrapped around his waist. Indigo had hesitated before doing the same, taking the second black towel and changing quickly. If he had been a pervert, Noir might have glanced as Indigo removed her short sleeved shirt and spotted her soft, clean skin with a few freckles scattered around and he may have had a small trickle of blood descend from his nose as Indigo removed her bra.

However, Noir wasn't a pervert and certainly didn't do any of that... or that's what he told himself, wiping the blood away from his nose and turning back to the shower to avoid staring as Indigo slipped a towel around herself. "So... I'll uh... we'll leave our clothes to dry and I'll grab us some spare clothing from my room and from mum's room. I'm sure there's something in your size,"

Indigo just nodded in response as Noir left the room quickly, taking their two piles of clothing with him and going into his room to find it perfectly clean, organised and empty. Just how he left it. His bed in the corner, his weapon rack on the opposite side of the room and a wardrobe next to it and on one side of the room there was a radiator.

Noir laid the clothes down next to the radiator, spread out to ensure that they would be dry by the time the four of them would leave later. Noir stood up again, tugging at the towel to ensure that it was still around his waist as he heard the sound of the shower switching on from the bathroom and Noir had to wipe his nose because of his over active imagination before he moved over to the wardrobe, reaching in and pulling out a simple black t-shirt with a wolf on the front and a new pair of pants and trousers. Taking the new clothes he moved out of the room, heading across the hall and entering his mum's room and not wasting time to look around, reaching into her wardrobe and pulling out a pale white dress, white bra and a pair of underwear. One of which he wanted to avoid thinking about whilst the other was quite pretty.

Taking the new clothes back into the bathroom, Noir nearly lost conscious as something hit him. Or rather, the image hit him. Of Indigo climbing out of the shower, reaching for the towel she had left on the side of the shower giving him the perfect view of...

Indigo squeaked, grabbing the towel quickly and covering her front, "Noir! You could have at least said Hello!"

"Uh... I'm sorry, Indigo. I just didn't think you'd be that quick," Noir replied, stepping further into the room and offering the dress and underwear to Indigo. Indigo hesitated a moment, wrapping the towel tightly around her body before taking the clothes from Noir and giving him one of her warm smiles,

"It's alright, Noir. The water is lovely and warm,"

He nodded, the two of them walking in opposite directions as Indigo stood over by the door by the time Noir had entered the shower and switched it on, the scolding hot water dancing across his skin and warming him up. That wasn't the only thing that was dancing as his thoughts danced with the possibilities of what might have happened with Indigo and then reminded him of when they were at Beacon on their first day...

_Noir's senses seem to receive a shock from the surprising softness of Indigo's hand and he glanced down to see her eyes closed and the lids fluttering. It felt odd to be so close to someone on his first day but she felt like a good person and she smelt of lavender. Her scent had entered his nostrils and overwhelmed his senses for a few moments making it impossible for him to feel anything else except the smell of lavender which wasn't a bad thing but even the slightest of touches would have sent him towards the floor._

Her scent had nearly overwhelmed him again as they passed as it wasn't something he disliked, in fact it felt right. She had used the same shampoo that the Chevalier's used making Indigo's scent the same of Noir, Raven and their mother's.

Hmph. Maybe that's what he should get them for their birthdays or the winter celebration. Shampoo or perhaps something that doesn't imply that they stink.

It took Noir a few more minutes to finish cleaning all of his crevices, switching off the shower and stepping and grabbing the towel to wrap it around himself. He was worried as he heard the sounds of laughter coming from downstairs and was worried for his sanity and 'reputation' so he quickly pulled on the plain black shirt and trousers and hung the towel on the corner of the door.

As he descended the stairs, he heard his mother's voice,

"Oh! When he was younger, he was just so cute! My little pup was just so cute and now he's grown so handsome. Have you read the letter from when he started at Beacon, Indigo?"

Noir's face paled and he halted on the other side of the door and listened for Indigo's reply which came quickly and high pitched, "Y-yes I did... it was very sweet,"

"What'd he say?" Orlaith asked, and Noir could tell from the creaking of the seat that she had leaned in,

"Uh... nice things," Indigo stuttered and Noir chose this moment to enter the room. He had chosen the right moment, interrupting Orlaith's un-asked question and attracting the gazes of everyone in the room and all of them smiled at him. Indigo had joined Rhea and Orlaith on the sofa, wearing the white dress that Noir had found in his mother's room and reflecting the light almost as much as his mother was.

"Noir! Come over here, darling," Noir couldn't help but scratch the back of his head awkwardly, approaching his mother and taking the cup of tea from his mother's hands, "I do believe I'm meant to interrogate this young ladies now, hm?"

"That seems to be the common trend with all of the meetings," Noir replied, taking a sip from the tea and enjoying the sensation of the hot, sweet liquid trickling down his throat. Ah, she always remembered to add the sugar.

"Okay then! Hello ladies, I'm Adreanna Chevalier! Mother of Noir and Raven. It's lovely to meet you all,"

Adreanna smiled at the girls, her cat ears twitching slightly as the girls exchanged looks before smiling back, "It's lovely to meet you, Miss Chevalier,"

"Oh please dears, call me Adreanna. Miss Chevalier is Raven, but not for long from what I've heard," Adreanna shot a small smile towards Rhea who nodded in return, brushing a strand of her blue hair from her face,

"Okay,"

"So... what do you three think of Noir?"

Orlaith answered quickly, not that Indigo and Rhea were rushing to respond as dull blushes had appeared on their faces, "Nice guy. Not a gentleman but still treats us like we're his own flesh and blood. Ensures no one tries something with us and can be like a brother in his attitude towards us dating other guys,"

Adreanna shot a glance at Noir, a small smile touching her lips before it slipped, "So you've stopped them from dating?"

"No. I haven't -stopped- them," Noir added emphasis to the 'stopped' which Orlaith immediately picked up and added,

"They've just got to meet minimum requirements,"

Adreanna let out a large sigh, before looking at Indigo who provided an answer, "Noir's very sweet and always respects our privacy. He watches our backs and always puts our well being before his own,"

This statement was rewarded with a certain amount of pride swelling up within Adreanna and Noir, both of them because they knew that they had faith in him... and finally, Rhea, "I trust Noir with my life. And the lives of those I love and hold most dear to me. He may have said the same thing about me to my father but this is the best way to confess my opinion of him."

There was a small silence in response, Noir lifted the cup to his lips and took a few mouthfuls to hide his smile. They all trusted him. Even though he had known before, it always reassured him that they did no matter how they said it.

"Hmm.. okay. Are any of you interested in my son?"

Noir now proceeded to almost bring up the tea that he had been drinking and spray it into his hand that he had managed to cup over his mouth. The response from the girls was varied. Orlaith immediately shook her head but shot a look at both Rhea and Indigo who both avoided everyone's gazes as they both slowly shook their heads in a totally un-convincing way. However, Adreanna watched the girls carefully and decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and nod at the three of them, "Okay... Hm,"

She glanced at the window, with the rain still battering against it and sighing, "If the rain keeps up, you four can stay here for tonight. When are you expected back at Beacon?"

"I'll send a message to Professor Goodwitch saying we're bunkering down for tonight and will be back tomorrow," Noir immediately replied, leaving the room and already half way up the stairs as the ladies started talking again. However, he didn't hear them.

But you shall.

Adreanna watched her son leave the room at a fast pace, her pride swelling considerably at the capable and organised man he had grown into however the expression changed as she turned to look back at the girls the smile being replaced by a serious look which was aimed at Rhea and Indigo, "So you two are interested in Noir, hm?"

Rhea and Indigo spluttered for a few moments, glancing at each other and exchanging looks before they both nodded. Not to Adreanna but to one another however Adreanna immediately broke in, "Now, I shall make this very clear. Noir is not a contest, he is not someone to fight over. Sure, he is what you have described him as but he isn't something that you should hate the other over if you get it. Now, before I hear streams of 'We wouldn't' or 'We have no intention to fight over him' or if you both have only just found out that you both are interested in him but you shall not fight over him. You may keep your feelings and, knowing Noir, he'll use his head and not act on either feelings or -anyone's- until his time at Beacon is drawing to an end. My advice - find someone else, unless you are patient. That's all I have to say but always remember - you're all family. It's just a matter of which one of you will get to have him enter you to put it bluntly."

Silence. How else could people reply to something like that? Start bickering amongst themselves or nod and accept the truth? The latter was more likely and it happened, Rhea and Indigo nodding to Adreanna and Orlaith piped in,

"Hey! We've all slept in the same bed as him, remember?"

And of course, they remembered.

* * *

_The wind whipped up and bombarded the window, and trees outside granting no rest to the occupants of the dorm. And that wasn't the only problem, it was cold. Freezing cold and the three ladies of team NOIR were freezing in their beds whilst their leader remained motionless behind his private curtain. It was Orlaith who made the first move, standing up and dragging her covers with her and moving over to the curtain. Rhea and Indigo exchanged looks of interest before following her, doing the same._

_T_he_ curtain was drawn back to reveal Noir on his bed, wearing a shirt and his trousers and that was it?! IT WAS FREEZING!_

_Orlaith started forward, raising a finger and resting it against Noir's ankle before withdrawing it quickly and blowing on the end of her finger, "He's boiling!" she whispered to the other two. However, it wasn't a female voice that answered,_

_"Are you three cold?"_

_They jumped in their frozen skins, turning to see Noir's eyes gleaming in the darkness and staring right at them. They all nodded, and they heard Noir's small sigh mixed in with a chuckle before they heard the rustling of covers, "Come on you three, climb in,"_

_"But Noir... you're male and we're..." Rhea began but she was interrupted by their roasting leader,_

_"My little sisters. Now climb in and warm up,"_

_It was Indigo who stepped forward, moving over and climbing in next to Noir and cuddling in next to him. The effect was instant. Warmth was spreading from all points of contact and Indigo couldn't help but give off a shiver of the sudden change in temperature._

_At this reaction, Orlaith and Rhea exchanged looks before climbing in as well. Rhea climbed in on top, muttering something about awkward positioning but Noir just muttered something about, 'You're wearing clothes' and silenced her and they all fell asleep. Warm and together._

* * *

"We'll be staying here tonight."

Noir's voice interrupted the flashback, drawing the three girls out of the sequence and turning to look at him. Noir stood in the doorway with his scroll in hand, "Come on you three, you'll be sleeping in my room."

"Noir?" Adreanna paused, glancing between the three girls, "Shall I bring out the extra blankets?"

"Yes please, mum. But knowing these three, they'll just end up in my bed anyway... NOT IN THAT WAY!" Noir added quickly, noticing the expression on his mother's face darkening whilst Indigo and Rhea blushed heavily.

It took a few minutes to get the girls up the stairs and sorting them out into some new clothes. Adreanna had some spare night gowns, all of them were black and she let Indigo, Rhea and Orlaith borrow them for the night and they all put them on happily. They were all made from silk, "How'd you get something so nice?" Indigo asked, stroking the night gown as it cascaded down her front,

"Raven's father was a Hunter and travelled far and wide. He brought these back for me..." Adreanna broke off at the end, being lost down memory lane and she only snapped out of it as Noir stated loudly,

"Mother, we're going to sleep now,"

"Oh... Goodnight! Sleep tight and don't let the Beowolves bite!" And she left, closing the door behind her. Noir now stood in the dark room with Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea,

"Come on you three," Noir said, guiding all three of them to the bed and trying to avoid having them trip in the dark. It was the same as the night all those months ago, Indigo to one side, Orlaith on the other and Rhea on top. Normally, someone would feel crushed... but it felt good to have them close. And safe.

"Goodnight, our Black Knight."

Yes... he had more people to protect. And he wasn't only Laila's knight anymore.

* * *

**Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 19 of 'The Black Knight'!**

**Noir: Why... you're one cruel asshole.**

**Aristotle: I thought we already went through this.**

**Noir: You're teasing -EVERYTHING-. It's painful to read since I know I'm the poor sucker who's having to endure all these awkward moments and are you telling me that this'll end in five years' time when I finally decide?**

**Aristotle: Yep! Or Valentine's Day. Or Valentine's Day in five years... you'll have fun! Thanks for reading everyone and just remember Chapter 20 will be the final chapter in 'The Chevalier' arc!**

**Next Chapter: Now that we've come so far**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**

**EDIT EDIT: Pre-26 Edit.**


	20. Chapter 20 - Now that we've come so far

**Chapter 20 - Now that we've come so far**

**Hello ladies and gentlemen and I welcome you to... Chapter 20. Feels weird writing that down but it's true and I have some sad, sad news!**

...

**I didn't have anything to drink as I wrote this. But on lighter news, after chapter 20 I will be going back and checking the other chapters and perhaps adding things in here and there to improve the overall quality so if you're thinking 'Oh no! I won't have anything to read!' then you are wrong. Very wrong. I will make this chapter as long as possible with as much detail as I can muster! Also, I would draw an image for Team NOIR similar to the silhouettes of RWBY however I can't draw to save my life!**

**Noir: It feels like weeks since you brought me into existence...**

**Aristotle: That's because it has been weeks.**

**Noir: Always the depressing one let me enjoy my written life while I have it. Eventually, you'll just discard me like Solvanó and nobody will hear from me again.**

**Aristotle: On the contrary, Noir... I don't intend to do anything of the sort! You will live as long as RWBY lives since you are a story linked with it. The reason why the chapters feel like they are getting weaker and weaker is due to the fact I have little to work with after the end of 'Black and White'.**

**Noir: So you do love me?**

**Aristotle: I wouldn't go that far. On with the story... After I give me thanks to those who have followed the story! Coren24, 055, Hawken, Hozic, Jhon doe135, KGST1995, Kaboom0, Lil killer16, NeverFadeInTheDark, Rick Crash Tracy, ScorpionsBane, Synthac, Vieltrien, VorpalMedia, Cullinto, darknesskitsune1235, dragonlorerd6, enforcer64, frozenwolf94, pachykim, thelonewander117 and .3!**

**Also thanks to everyone who has the story on their favourites list! This includes - Hozic, Kaboom0, Lil killer16, Loite, NeverFadeInTheDark, Rick Crash Tracy, Synthac, TheOneYouNeverKnewWasThere, Vieltrien, cullinto, darknesskitsune1235, dracometeo, dragonlorerd6, enforcer64, frozenwolf94, patchykim, .3 and trix321!**

* * *

Noir mumbled in his sleep, his entire body rigid from the dream he was currently enduring involving a jealous Indigo and a scantly clothed Rhea, ending up in Noir awakening with a cold sweat and jolting up right. However, he didn't ram head first into Rhea and cause her to bend back at an odd angle. There was nobody in the bed with him. It worried him for a few moments before he noticed a small scrap of paper on his bedside table. Picking the piece of paper up and reading it,

_'Noir, we've gone out to get your mum something nice for letting us stay here. We didn't want to wake you up, but we took the liberty of stealing your secret stash of money at the back of your wardrobe inside your spare trench coat. See you later!'_

Noir sighed for a moment, before re-reading the note again and a tick mark appeared on his forehead. It took a few moments to calm himself down, realising they had taken his private stash that he had been gathering for a while from a side job. It was his back up and now it was going to be used to get his mum a present. They had better not go overboard.

Noir sighed, climbing out of bed and taking a few steps to reach his radiator. Noir raised a brow as he found his own clothing accompanied by Indigo's and realised she must have gone out wearing the dress from yesterday. He just shrugged, grabbing his pile of clothes and slowly pulling it all on and feeling all the more relaxed with the twins close at hand again.

A sudden thought struck him and he reached into his coat, searching through the interior pockets for a few moments before pulling out a crumpled, black fedora. The sight of it reminded the Faunus of the beginning of the year, where he met Indigo.

Grinning a moment at the memory, Noir flattened out the fedora and placed carried it in hand as he exited the room and down the stairs.

Entering the sitting room, he found his mum sitting in a chair watching something on the TV, a news report,

_'With the upcoming Vytal tournament, security in the city of Vale has been doubled, almost tripled but that has done next to nothing to stop the recent influx of robberies targeting Dust shops,'_

"Terrible... those poor people," Adreanna muttered, shaking her head and taking a sip from her cup,

"Hey mum,"

"Oh! Noir! The girls went out earlier, I thought you might have gone with them," Adreanna raised an eyebrow at her son, her curiosity clearly aroused,

"They're just going to get some school supplies, try on some new clothes, talk about cute boys... you know, things girls do." Noir couldn't help but repress a grin at his words and his statement was rewarded by a chuckle from his mother... and a soft beeping sound coming from the interior pocket of his coat. "Pardon me..." Noir mumbled, reaching into his coat and pulling out his scroll.

The central button was flashing at him, indicating he had a message, "Who could be sending me a message... Goodwitch? Peach? Blake?"

"Dear, perhaps it'd be better to open the message and find out," Adreanna answered his rhetorical questions, giving her son a sweet smile. She knew him better than most and one of the main things she had learned was he was used to guessing things about people since he was young and had his 'skill' had gotten him to the stage where you couldn't lie directly to his face.

Noir shot his mother a small smile, pressing the button and the scroll parted to reveal a small image of Indigo and the message automatically began to play,

_"Noir, we need help... I can't talk any louder; they've got us in a warehouse at the docks. You've gotta help us, track the message with you-" _But then another voice intervened,

_"Oi! Girl! What are you doing?"_

Soon after there was the sound of a slight commotion followed by the sound of something shattering as the message cut off.

Fear. Anger. Worry. These emotions all began to erupt in Noir and he begun to visibly shake with his scroll in hand as his mother stared at it in shock for a few moments before she re-composed herself, jumping to her feet, "I'll go to Raven and tell her to head to the docks,"

Noir didn't respond, for his heart was beating against his rib cage like it was crying for release and he couldn't stop the image of Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea... battered and beaten with blood falling from cuts across their body.

"NOIR! YOUR TEAM NEEDS YOU!"

The shout had the desired effect as Noir was jolted from his mind-space, looking at his mother who looked visibly worried but mixed with anger, "Noir Chevalier! I do not intend to stop you from going to help them! BE CAREFUL! Hold out until your sister gets there or do something!" And with that, Adreanna flew out of the room and left the house in the matter of a few seconds.

Noir quickly followed, fiddling with the scroll to open up the last recorded message location of Indigo and finding her in the Industrial district, at the docks. He followed his mother out of the house and only paused a moment on the streets to get his bearings. The docks. Industrial District.

He was a blur on the streets, rushing past startled people whilst the sun threw rays of light out before being blocked by the clouds again. The only thing that he could think about were the girls. His Team. They were his responsibility.

His scroll beeped again in his hand and this time he tapped the button quickly with his thumb as he ran, holding it securely as he barely made out Raven's voice over the sound of the wind rushing through his ears, "Little bro, get there and do what you can. I'm following your scroll's position and I've got some nosey bastard and his team to help out. Sync?"

Normally in a situation with the two of them working together Noir might have made a comment along the lines of, 'Automatic dishwasher' but this wasn't a time to be a comedian and he clicked the reply button, raising the scroll to his mouth and quickly replying with 'Sync'.

The Industrial district was bleak... and industrial. Warehouses and factories, hence the name 'Industrial'. The sights of rows and rows of warehouses didn't interest Noir until he closed in on the warehouses closer to the water. He rounded a corner, but immediately darted back as he noticed a warehouse up ahead with two men standing in front the entrance. Both of the men were wearing black bowler hats, black suits with red ties and were carrying what appeared to be red katanas in one hand whilst a pistol appeared to be dangling in the other. The two were talking to one another and didn't notice the black figure, luckily for Noir.

"Hear about those three girls they brought in?" One of the guards asked his companion, turning to him and lowering his sunglasses slightly,

"How could we not? Those three were a rough to bring in. All three are training to be Huntresses, did ya see their semblances?"

"Bloody hell mate, how could you not? That blue haired bitch could crush bones just by putting her hand on you!"

"Don't forget that blonde haired one's ability to bring up that small whirlwind which nearly took us out before we reached 'em, but then we got closer with others and it was only the little lavender chick's mirror thing which caused problems,"

"Oi, who's that?"

Both of them turned to look at the slowly approaching figure of Noir, who had both hands hidden within his coat; grasping Minuit and Pitch Beauty tightly. He did appear quite ominous, the black trench coat making him appear much bulkier then he actually was and the black combat boots caused the ground beneath them to crunch but that wasn't the only thing that made his appearance weird. A fedora tilted down to hide his eyes from view but revealing his gruff facial hair,

"That a new merc coming in for employment?" One of the guards asked the other, raising his pistol slightly towards Noir. He continued to approach however, getting closer to them... he was now within distance that he was assured a killing shot,

"Boss didn't tell us about any new ones coming in... OI! Scruffy, what's your name?"

Noir stopped in front of the two guards, raising his head slightly so they could see his eyes. Those black eyes were filled with anger and rage that couldn't be suppressed by anything within his own body and it was clear on his face,

"You one of them White Fangs, scruffy?"

"No."

...

Noir drew out the twins quickly, pointing them almost directly into the faces of both of the guards who had no time to react as the barrels of Minuit and Pitch Beauty were now hovering millimetres away from their foreheads,

"I'm worse."

He pulled the triggers, the guards being blown back into the spaces either side of the door. There were already a few shouts coming from within the warehouse and Noir had little to no choice now but to go in loud and he took a few steps forwards, kicking the door open and revealing the interior.

Inside a group of men dressed the same as the two outside were standing around the crouching figures of Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea. All of whom were limp and un-moving, with blood dribbling from the corners of their mouths. Their clothes were torn in multiple places, some them being places which Noir wished he could un-see.

"Who the fuck are you!" One of them yelled, spotting Noir and bringing the attention of the entire group onto the young Chevalier,

"Noir Chevalier. Give me back my team-mates," Noir raised the pistols, pointing them at the two closest and hovering his fingers just next to the triggers.

They laughed, "If you haven't noticed, brat, there's... ten of us and one of you!"

The laughter was cut off as the sound of two gun shots pierced through it and two of the men dropped to the floor, smoking holes through their heads, "Then I better get started,"

"GET HIM!"

And so the fun began, Noir took two more of the men out before they even got close and had to quickly press the buttons and turn the twins into karambits to block the first katana that came flying to hit him in the head. He caught the blade between the karambits, pushing it and the wielder back a good distance before jumping over another blade that had been swung at his legs and managing to catch that attacker with his karambit. However he was unsure where his blow had landed and didn't take the time to admire his work as two more katanas soon came flying towards his face and he had to bring the karambits up again and take both of the blades with the separate karambits.

The impact forced him to skid back a few metres, the two men pressing down with all their strength and Noir only just managing to hold his ground by feigning weakness for a moment, shrinking onto a knee before throwing himself back up and forcing the blades away, "Now!" He yelled, but his yell was soon cut off as he felt an instant surge of pain to his side and he only noticed in time to block the second katana that was headed for his side. The first having pierced through his trench coat and left an open wound on his right side with an ample amount of blood gushing from it.

"Give it up! You're facing the amazin-" But the speaker was cut off by the loud sound of a gunshot. Noir had changed one of the karambits back into the pistol form and was now taking pot shots at anyone who tried to take advantage of his weakened state. He should have used his Aura to block the first strike but he had been so pre-occupied with getting here that the Aura activation slipped his mind and now he was left exposed and weakened.

The seven remaining henchmen were slowly forcing Noir away from the door; the combat becoming a game of poke the wild wolf and Noir was now regretting his haste as he hadn't prepared himself for the fight. The pain shot through his side again and, thinking another hit had been landed, Noir forced himself further away and realised, too late, they had been backing him into a corner.

"Now, animal, you gonna lie down and die?" One of the men taunted and was only rewarded with a bullet hole through the skull, and the others now came to the conclusion that anyone who spoke was going to get shot but it didn't matter now, they had the upper hand.

They all approached at once, blades ready in different positions and Noir had to think fast on his feet about which part of his body did he need to save the most. And whether to activate his Aura. His black Aura erupted the moment the first katana made impact and the men could only watch as their blades seemed to hit an invisible barrier. Even though their attacks left no lasting damage, the concussive impact of the blows knocked the wind out of Noir and he dropped forwards, leaning over and quickly changing the karambit into a pistol.

The floor was cold and all Noir could do was stare at it as his body heaved and wretched, the first signs of Aura exhaustion already setting in...

_'Remember students - Everyone has their own individual aura and it is a manifestation of one's soul. Some people have a lot of Aura and thus can take more blows and dealing out more destructive abilities whilst people with smaller Auras tend to lean towards faster, more deadly conventional strikes .Remember students that the strength of your Aura does not determine how good or bad you are but rather what you have to work with.'_

Seems his Aura was weak. And it'd be the death of him. No... he was Noir... he couldn't possibly die... could he?

Noir tried to stand up but received a boot to the face, knocking him back down to the floor but he couldn't repress a grin as he heard the sound of the guard cursing who had kicked him, "That mongrel's Aura is still activated, but he ain't got much left in him... quick and easy, right lads?"

"Bullshit. He's going painfully..."

Noir opened his eyes, staring deeply into the eyes of the man who had suggested his painful demise. Emotional trauma. I think this could class as emotional trauma with his death being so close. With the last bit of energy in the young Chevalier's body he activated his semblance and began to almost naturally mess with the heads of the man in front of him.

The effect was just as he remembered. The man clutched his head, collapsing down to his knees and screaming out in pain as he began to writhe and mutter un-controllably. Some of his companions tried to help him back to his feet but he began to writhe more, shaking and clearly beyond assistance because of course... Who will accept help when Noir has made him believe he's being tortured and there are nails impaled all over his body causing his bones to crack and shatter.

His semblance... Psyche. He didn't use it often since it was hard to maintain eye contact long in combat but the chances he did get he used it to its full advantage - and this was only the second time. The semblance was something not to be used against his friends and thus had stopped himself from using it in the spars but had planned on using it as a last resort during the tournament. The only people, he presumed, who'd be able to resist or try and stop its effects were people who had a strong mind or were more aware of their current situation then the 'imaginary' event that Noir warped in their minds.

Noir received a sharp kick to the side of his head and he felt blood roll out of his nose for once a reason other then seeing someone nude. Or close to nude,

"WHAT'D YOU DO TO HIM?!" He heard one of them yelled but the man had stopped writhing and stood, shaking considerably with the help of his 'companions',

"That... That...t-that..." The man stuttered, "What... w-what a monster..."

"Kill him."

Noir opened his eyes, staring up at the henchmen as they held their katanas just above him, raising them up into the air and hovering there for a few moments.

_"Hey! I'm Indigo Althea, who are you?"_

_"Orlaith Orian."_

_"Rhea Ravenscroft"_

_"Peach."_

_"Call me Lucifer."_

_"Raspberry!"_

_"Endive, but call me Angel. Thanks, by the way."_

_"Blake. Nice to meet you."_

_"Rubbyyy!"_

_"Weiss."_

_"Yang."_

_"Jaune Arc, nice to meet you Noir,"_

_"Pyrrha,"_

_"Ren."_

_"NORA!"_

"I love you, little bro."

The loud clang of blades mixed in with a yell broke Noir out of his 'Last moments' and before him he saw Raven standing there with her blade out and to her side whilst she was in a crouching position. The henchmen were nowhere in sight but the sounds of metal against metal was echoing through the room,

"You aren't the one to give up, Noir." Raven glanced over her shoulder, shooting her little brother a small smile before turning back to the combat in front of her and Noir heard familiar... but not welcome voices,

"Ebony, watch your flank!"

"Shut it, Seda,"

"Autumn!"

"Got it."

Raven grabbed one of his arms, pulling him up and to his feet and Noir felt the surge of pain in his side again but he had to ignore it. It wasn't an option to mope currently, and he saw them. Team SEDA were currently blasting away at the remaining henchmen, the numbers had now dwindled down to two.

Seda was wielding his hammer like it was weightless, bringing it around and attempting to strike at one of the henchmen who just managed to dodge but was caught in the mid-rift but Ebony's dual swords. The girl snarled at the man, spitting in his face, "You fucked with the wrong colour, dick biscuit."

Colour? What the... did Ebony only come because they were the same colour or was Raven persuasive?

However the other two members of Seda caught his eyes as Noir looked over to see Marcus swinging his spear around and attempting to impale the last henchmen on it who did the same as the other, dodging and running straight into Autumn. The girl still had her cloak on but her hand was revealed with a small dagger drawn and pointing towards the man as he impaled himself on it. The blade went up the hilt, the man only realising his mistake at the last second as Autumn pressed further and began to sing a rather sadistic song in a childish way,

"Heads... Shoulders knees and DOOM. Knees and DOOM. Knees and DOOM."

Noir shuddered, perhaps from a new found fear of Autumn or the blood loss. Perhaps both but it was a few moments before he realised Raven was setting him down next to his un-conscious team-mates. Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea were still out cold and it only worried Noir further as he glanced at his sister who gave him a small smile, "They're alive. But now, we're going to sort this out... Sadistic kid! Contact an ambulance!"

It was Noir's turn to smile again, the nickname already taking its place in his mind and for a moment he felt almost blissful even with the banging headache and the bleeding side... that was until Seda and Ebony obscured his vision,

Seda spoke first, clearing his throat and leaning his Warhammer across his shoulder, "I only did this, Chevalier, because Ebony insisted." And that was it. No, 'you owe me one' or 'you owe me big time'. That was it. Seda turned and walked away to Marcus, as Autumn seemed to disappear from sight in a flurry of dead leaves.

"Never really talked to you before, Chevalier," Ebony began, leaning down and sheathing her twin blades, "But you seem nice enough, and a good leader. Plus you're colour is black and, what the hell, we're both two feathers from the same bird... that and you're sister was very persuasive and my idol but let's not get into that. All you owe me is a meal out, deal?"

He couldn't respond. ANOTHER ONE?! WHAT WAS SO INTERESTING ABOUT HIM?!

"Ok..." He muttered, reaching the stage where he was beginning to dip in and out of consciousness and the last thing he saw was the hardened, tough, black haired Warrioress smile at him.

* * *

Beep beep.

Beep beep.

Beep beep.

Beep beep.

The sound went on over and over again but soon after a crackle intervened and the radio DJ came on,

_"Hello beautiful people of Vale, it's a cloudy evening in our wonderful city and I've picked a song to lighten the mood. Also a shout out to Raven Chevalier, who hasn't answered my calls. Darlin', this song's for you. Wings."_

Noir groaned slightly, the reference to his sister already irritating him. But the slightest of movements was a mistake as he soon heard a loud yelp, and he managed to pry his eyes open to find himself in a pearly white hospital room with many assortments of different machines beeping around him and reading everything about him that could go wrong.

Glancing over to his left, he found a wall. Then he glanced to his right and was surprised to find Ebony sat next to Raven however at Noir's movement Ebony only managed a small smile, "I see he's awake. Just remember the deal, Chevalier. Get well." And she left the room quickly, leaving an amused Raven behind to smile at her brother,

"Before you barrage me with questions I'll answer - they're fine. Shaken up, but fine. Finding themselves in the hospital was a big shock for all of them and you could even go as far to say that they wanted to rush to your side the moment I told them you were injured in the rescue,"

"Not exactly the best thing to tell them..." Noir muttered, clutching his side as he felt a sharp pain in his side,

"Don't speak. Or move for that matter. But, carrying on... you've had a wave of visitors. A group of four girls, Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang. Only Ruby and Blake actually looked interested to see you and the Weiss girl was staring daggers into me when she realised we were related. Other than that... you received a visit from a blond haired guy called Jaune. Also another team... Peach, Ugli, Raspberry and Endive. Nice people, and all of them send you their best wishes for a speedy recovery. Mum has visited a few times as well." Raven paused, staring at Noir's face and trying to read his expression before continuing, answering the questions that she might have had were they in opposite places, "The katana that hit your side didn't go deep, but did lead to massive blood loss and they had to get a donor in. Luckily, I was on hand so remember - I'm pumping around inside of you now! Also... let's not forget the horrible damage done to you face. Sadly, that couldn't be fixed since you were born with it."

Noir lied back down on the pillows, smiling at his sister and knowing that she was just trying to lighten the mood and she could consider it lightened.

His thoughts began to stray, like they so commonly did and before long he was daydreaming about the girls. Or was it a memory?

_"Come on Noir, we're gonna have a picture!" Orlaith squealed at him, and Noir just rolled his eyes,_

_"I don't know if I like you three yet," Noir replied simply and the three of them stopped dead in their tracks, slowly turning to stare at him with deadly looks on their faces, "... I don't know if I like you three enough to have a good picture with you? Plus I ruin pictures,"_

_However he was stopped as Rhea and Indigo grabbed one of his arms per and pulled him by the statue, bringing him in for the picture and Orlaith just smiled widely._

_"Hey Noir..." Indigo began, looking at their grim leader, "Do you think you'll ever smile? I mean, I can imagine you being way more handsome smiling!"_

_Noir couldn't stop himself and he privately cursed Indigo as he smiled one his wolfish smiles, mixed in with a chuckle, "Hopefully not too handsome. I don't want all the girls going after me or else I'll never hear the end of it,"_

_"Trust me, Noir, you won't." Rhea replied, smiling at Noir in a good natured way._

"Hey sis..."

"Hm?"

"Promise me that... they're ok?"

"I assure you, little bro, they're fine. Only asking for you every time I checked on them,"

"Good... now that we've come so far, I can't see continuing on without them. My memories would just lead me back."

* * *

**Ding ding ding! I give you Chapter 20 of 'The Black Knight'! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and what it contained since, after all, it is the 20th chapter!**

**I'd like to say WOOOOHOOOO! pver the fact that I've actually managed to get this far and it's all thanks to the support and reviews I've been given! Thanks guys and gals 3**

**Chapter 21 will not be posted for a few days since I'm going to go back and check Chapters 1-19 for mistakes and formatting errors.**

**Remember to vote on the pairing -YOU- want to happen by going to my profile page and clicking on the poll button.**

**Noir: Do you really have to say all that in this room? I'm trying to catch some sleep.**

**Aristotle: Enjoy the sleep whilst it lasts, you'll be back better than ever in a few days!**

**Noir: I swear I'll... Gahhh!**

**Aristotle: Stop talking or I'll write the injury gets worse. And as always guys, thanks for reading!**

**EDIT: Confirming Pre-21 edit.**

**EDIT: Pre-26 EDIT**


	21. Chapter 21 - 'tis but a scratch

**Hello and welcome to the beginning of the third Arc in 'The Black Knight'! I wont keep you guys for long so I'd just like to remind you of the poll for your favourite pairings is still going on my Fanfiction profile page!**

**But now, I give you...**

**Arc 3: Memories**

**Chapter 21 - 'Tis but a scratch**

_"When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at that moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny"_

_- Paul Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym_

"I'm fine!"

"You're still injured, you're lucky I haven't dragged you back to the hospital by your ear!"

Could she really blame him for that? The hospital felt like it was getting smaller and smaller the longer he was there and it had gotten to breaking point. He had grabbed the trench coat over the nearby chair, pulled himself out of bed and gone for a walk, managing to avoid the hospital staff. In fact... he had run into someone the moment he had left the hospital, two stands of hair falling down to her eyes now whilst the rest of her pitch black hair was kept above neck level.

"Ebony..."

"Already up and at 'em, Chevalier?"

There were multiple ways to get out of the situation or at least attempt to but the truth felt like it would work in this situation so he had told the black haired Warrioress of his need for fresh air and to be able to stretch his legs further then the length of his bed. Surprisingly, she had understood and even chose to walk with him and going so far as to go into a small stand, getting themselves two warm drinks. But now she was querying him on his injury the moment they had sat down and Noir had let out a soft curse, clutching his side with his spare hand. The weather had taken a colder turn but everyone was saying it wouldn't last too long.

"Pfft, you wouldn't drag me back there..."

"Wanna bet?"

Noir shut his mouth in response, knowing full well that the Warrioress was firm and direct. If she said something, that means nine times out of ten she would do it. He sighed, leaning back in his seat on the wooden bench and closing his eyes to let the cold air whip his face but it still felt good. Anything felt better than the cramped, warm environment of the hospital, "How have you been keeping?"

"Well. Seda's changed slightly after we saved your ass and Marcus isn't as much as a dick biscuit as he was before. Yourself?" Ebony asked, leaning back in her seat and sipping on her hot chocolate whilst eyeing Noir,

"Well, been trapped in a hospital for the past week. Can't really expect me to be enjoying that... but it's been nice at times. The visits I've received lighten the mood,"

"Who's visited the injured pup?"

Noir shot Ebony a glance, seeing only an amused smile on her face and, deciding to brush away the comment, he continued, "Team RWBY visited as a whole once, but only Blake has come back more than twice. Jaune visited once or twice. PURE has visited a few times and made sarcastic comments. Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea visited yesterday - they've been let out of this prison of a hospital,"

"I think you're forgetting some people..." Ebony hinted, leaning in slightly and raising an eyebrow as Noir thought for a moment before continuing,

"Oh yea... My sister visits nearly every day. And you have visited every day."

Ebony just smiled in response, poking his arm experimentally and nodding once, "Just checking that you remember,"

"I may have got hit in the head but my memory is fine,"

"Well, I hope so. Or else you'd have forgotten about that promise you made,"

"Oh yea..." Noir trailed off, thinking back to moments before he went un-conscious and thinking about what Ebony wanted and all that he could think was 'Why. Why me?' Ebony was attractive however that wasn't the point. Ever since, to put it bluntly, he had 'come out of his shell' he had been attracting the eyes of one too many people and it was starting to worry him. Of course, maybe his more open nature had contributed to the fact that people weren't as afraid of him or avoided him as much,

"Did you forget?"

"No, I remember."

They sat there in silence for a few minutes before Ebony stood up, downing the last of her hot chocolate and throwing the plastic cup in the bin, "Right then, come on,"

"Huh?"

"Back to the hospital with you,"

Noir sighed, slowly standing up and trying to ignore the fact that the sun was starting to come out and soon the temperature would reach a very soothing, comfortable level. And the hospital would be heated up by this small increase and turn into an oven, "Fine..."

He glanced around for a few moments, catching the eyes of a few people who were walking past and exchanging nods with them before Ebony grabbed the nearly empty plastic cup from his hands and threw it into the bin before grabbing him and dragging him back to the hospital.

"So much for bedside manner!"

"You aren't in bed, and the injury isn't that bad you wimp."

Something was telling him to try and fight in Ebony's grip but he ignored it knowing full well that Ebony would beat the crap out of him and carry him back to the hospital if need be. The only thing he'd have achieved is extra time in the uncomfortable hospital bed with the bad food and people coming by and always reminding him of what he was missing and what had been going on.

Before long he was back in the hospital and Ebony was dragging him through the corridors and back to his room, flinging him around and onto the bed. Noir let out a small curse as he made contact, clutching his side whilst Ebony just shot him a small grin as she turned back to the door and offered him a parting wave with a sweet, yet deadly, smile on her face, "See you later, Noir. Don't let me catch you out of bed again." And she left.

The room was quiet once more and Noir closed his eyes. He was left alone.

Again.

"Hey Noir," He wasn't alone, and he opened his eyes to see the friendly face of Laila staring at him with a sweet smile placed on her lips,

"Laila... hey," He managed to mutter, glancing his childhood friend up and down before looking into her eyes as she took a seat next to him, still smiling and taking his right hand in her's and squeezing gently,

"How are you feeling?" Laila asked tentatively, her smile faltering as her eyes scanned him. Of course, he was still wearing his black trench coat so there wasn't to see,

"Like someone stabbed me in the side and I've been in the hospital for a week recovering. So yea, great." Noir replied, sarcasm heavy on his voice especially towards the end,

Laila shot him a dirty look, moving one of her hands to rest against her arm with the smile returning a few moments later, "I past the girls on the way here, they looked like they were shopping for presents... so be prepared for something but uh... Rhea looked troubled so you may want to be on the lookout,"

"I will, thanks for the heads up."

The two were in silence for a while, with only silence to comfort them. The life support machine had been removed from his room a few days into his stay since he no longer needed it to stay alive and he was very happy to not have the constant beeping informing him that yes, he was still alive and enduring the torture that was the beeping. BEEP. BEEP BEEP. That's all you heard. He hated hospitals.

Noir felt something soft touch his fingers tip and he glanced down to see Laila stroking his fingers, going down to the very tips. She couldn't resist and smile at him and the two of them just exchanged small smiles for a few moments before they faded away.

"Why are you wearing your coat?"

Noir froze up. Laila may have been his childhood friend but... when it came to him getting injured she would ensure he got all the bed rest he needed. Even as kids, she'd tend to his injuries then ensure he spent the rest of the day in bed.

He was in for an ass kicking. However... now he thought about it, he'd have liked to have her around more when he was growing up...

* * *

'3 years ago...'

Noir sat on a wooden bench with small snowflakes falling around him. It was the middle of winter so naturally he was wearing his full gear however smaller versions of the gear, since he was after all only a teen. And only fifteen years old.

The park was empty, as expected this time of the night and only the sounds of small mammals rummaging around in the undergrowth for food.

Alone.

Noir lent back against the bench, clenching his fists as the memory of his 'fan-club' came to mind and their latest bullying spree. Even though Noir was a capable fighter, they outnumbered him and if they ever engaged in combat it was short lived.

He relaxed his hands, opening up his palms to reveal that they were bloody. However the injuries didn't just stop there and the moon got into just the right position in the sky and illuminated his face to reveal evidence of cuts and scrapes.

He was alone. He felt alone. Of course, mum tried her best and so did Raven; when she was around and that wasn't often enough.

_'Hey Mr Happy'_

Noir started, looking up and seeing a teenager with long black hair and a kind looking face. She seemed to shimmer in the light from the moon and offered him a smile whilst tilting her head,

_'Did you get hurt again? Idiot.'_

"Laila?" His voice quivered, his entire body beginning to shake as the girl nodded at him, still smiling,

_'Who else! Now, why are you so sad?'_

"You aren't here... we were meant to be best friends forever, Laila..."

_'And we are! Or else, why'd I appear here? I'm your own mind using the memories stored in your subconscious to provide an image of the girl you knew as Laila and help you to come to terms with the events that led to her leaving'_

"At least you... I mean I aren't denying it,"

_'She wouldn't. Noir... get your thumb out of your ass and pull yourself together. I'll be back one day and I wanna see the strong, handsome young man that you'll grow into! Not a shaking, quivering wreck - imagine the guilt I'd feel?'_

The image quivered, the smile fading,

"I..."

_'Stand up. Lick your wounds. Bandage them and become the best you can be, Noir Chevalier. I'll be waiting for you.'_

* * *

'The present'

"So what'd you think Noir would like?"

The torturers- I mean... girls of Team NOIR were slowly walking down one of the many streets of Vale, swapping ideas between them what their trapped leader would want to help him pass the time. So far the ideas ranged from a hunting knife, however weapons weren't allowed to be kept by patients so the twins had been removed from his possession upon entering the hospital and Rhea had taken the twins with them when they left.

Then they thought about getting him a watch but then they realised this would be a terrible idea since it'd be a way of keeping track of time and time in that place went slowly. The watch would likely drive him insane. Rhea didn't put it past Noir to be driven further insane then he already was even though he was doing a remarkable job of keeping his sanity it may have begun to crack whilst within the hospital.

He wasn't the only one with problems however and Rhea's thoughts strayed to that of her father and what he had told her when he had come to visit. Of course, the others had heard it as well but none of them mentioned anything. Because they were all thinking the same thing.

Noir was in for an ear full and he had probably already received one from Adalwin but... Rhea shuddered. Adalwin was Adalwin but... he was the second eldest. The eldest was barely a year older then him but he still scared the living out of most people and Noir would be no different.

She must have been showing it too much on her face because Indigo spoke up, "Hey, maybe we should spend more time with him! When we're all thinking about how sad and lonely he must be why don't we just go there and make him... not lonely?"

The obvious answer to an obvious question.

Rhea mentally slapped herself for not seeing it sooner but perhaps it was with the excitement of being released that they forgot about the one person still locked up in there with no chance of escape until his time was up. It did sound like a prison and the more Rhea thought about it the more eager she was to return to the hospital room and give Noir some company.

"Let's go to him then,"

"Yea sure- Orlaith?" Indigo glanced over at their golden haired team-mate to find that she had moved from next to them to have her face practically pressed up against a shop window and staring in with wide eyes,

"Orlaith?" Rhea asked, and she and Indigo strode over to stand by Orlaith to look into the store.

Just from peeking through the window Rhea spotted what Orlaith had been transfixed by and the three of them exchanged a knowing look.

They had found the perfect present.

* * *

Noir felt a cold shiver run down his spine. The room was still hot and the shiver had just come out of the blue and for some reason a twinge of worry had entered the Black Knight's mind.

He glanced around the room for a few moments before remembering that Laila had to meet up with her team-mates and train for the tournament which was getting closer and closer. She had playfully reminded him that he better be up and ready for the tournament so she could kick his ass back into the bed, something which he wouldn't have expected from gentle, kind Laila but it was something that lifted his spirits for a few moments.

But now it was all back to the same silence that slipped back into the room the moment people left and all Noir could do was lie in it and ponder his life. And the amount of tiles that made up the ceiling. Mostly the tiles.

If only he had something to preoccupy himself. Having re-read Ninjas of Love twice in a row you could say he had exhausted his one source of fun.

Noir had come to the firm conclusion that a hospital was much like a prison.

In both you were kept until your time was up.

In both you received visitors but no one ever stayed.

In both... your freedom is taken away.

* * *

**Bonus scene: The Raven and the Noble**

"How's he doing?"

Raven and Adalwin were standing side by side on top of a landing pad on one of the many buildings in Vale, looking out over the city with the Bulldog landed behind them and the usual bickering between the pilot and her co-pilot.

"He's fine... slowly going insane though,"

"You told him?"

Raven turned to her long-time friend, team-mate... and lover and gave him a small smile, "Nah, not yet. I'll tell him once he's fully recovered just so it won't be too big a shock... you told Rhea?"

"No. But our big brother is coming to Vale so I'll gather the family and tell them all together,"

"Haha, think it'll go down well?"

"I hope so, Raven. I hope so."

* * *

_'They say a man never truly knows himself... until his freedom has been taken away. I wonder... how well do you know yourself?'_

_- Arcturus Mengsk_

* * *

**Welcome back ladies and Gentlemen to the Black Knight with this opening chapter for the 'Memories Arc'! I just want to say... HOLY PINEAPPLES! RWBY VOLUME 2!**

***Coughs***

**As always, vote on my profile page for your favourite pairing for the special Valentine's Day chapter!**

**Also, celebrating 4k views with this short scene hinting at something!**

**EDIT: ****Pre-26 edit.**


	22. Chapter 22 - To know oneself

**Chapter 22 - To know oneself**

_'They say a man never really knows himself... until his freedom's been taken away. I wonder... how well do you know yourself?'_

- Arcturus Mengsk

Trapped. Imprisoned. Alone.

There were many words to describe what he was feeling and those words always popped to mind the fastest. He didn't hate the loneliness... the lack of contact... the solitude. Well, maybe just a little bit. He'd gotten to the stage where he was very grateful to the people who visited him, not that he'd ever tell them that.

There was a knock at the door and a moment later it was opened slightly and a nurse popped her head in giving Noir an artificial smile, "Hello Mr Chevalier, how're you doing?"

"Great. Amazing. Fantastic. Can I leave?" Noir replied, sarcasm heavy on his voice. He wasn't intending to sound so rude but his direct attitude had taken hold and his irritation was being evidently shown in the form of sarcasm.

"Not yet, I'm afraid however you do have a visitor," The artificial smile became a real one for a few moments as she noticed Noir's eyes light up like he had just been told he had won the lottery, "I'll show him in."

The nurse's head disappeared for a few moments, as she mumbled something to someone on the other side and it took only a few more pain staking seconds for the visitor to show himself and Noir watched as a man with dark blue, medium length hair entered the room, the hair shrouding the left side of his face in shadow. The one visible eye was a deep, royal blue and gave the impression that a look from this man could pierce your soul or relax the angriest of beasts.

The man was tall, around Noir's height if he was standing up however that was the only similarity they shared. The man was wearing a deep blue ripped-sleeves jacket with a black raven on the back with grey and blue under-armour under the jacket that covers his chest and arms. On the man's back two pieces of a pole-staff could be seen clearly which made Noir instantly wonder how he had managed to get his weapons so deep in the hospital. The man's trousers were loose fitting blue ones which slowly began to fade to black the further down they went. His feet were clad in heavy, sapphire blue combat boots.

People these days and their obsession with boots.

The man entered the room, stepping away from the threshold as the nurse closed the door behind him and the two caught each other's gaze.

"Noir Chevalier," His voice was deep, calm and just by the sound made Noir want to trust him however years spent living taught him better. To trust easily is to die sooner.

"Yes, I am he, who are you?"

The man took a few longer strides into the room, approaching the side of Noir's bed and dragging a chair from the side and placing it firmly next to Noir and taking a seat with his eye glinting slightly in the light.

"I am Cobalt Ravenscroft. And we're going to have a little chat, you and I."

Cobalt paused for a few moments, his eye now revealing a hint of anger before it was covered again in a disguise to make him seem calm.

"And you're going to tell me how my little sister got hurt under your leadership, Chevalier. And it better be a good reason."

Some distance away, buying a present for a man who may be dead in a few hours, Rhea Ravenscroft shuddered for no apparent reason whilst Orlaith and Indigo busied themselves with the present.

Noir stared coolly into Cobalt's visible eye, taking in the deep blue, the hair and everything about the man reminded him of Rhea at this point,

"My lack of presence,"

He wasn't lying. Hell, the first few days he had been beating himself up about it. IF he had been there with the girls, would they have gotten injured? He always carried the twins with him even when he went to the shower he'd store them close by. Some people could consider him paranoid but he preferred to be called 'prepared'.

"Explain." Cobalt's voice was controlled, like every word was measured equally in value before he spoke and when he did he only said what was needed to convey what he wanted.

Noir sighed slightly, still keeping eye contact with Cobalt before beginning with what had happened and yet... every second he thought about the girls in their beaten and ravaged state the more he felt like he was going to vomit and the more anger that filled him,

"We were staying at my mother's since the rain had started up. The next day I woke up to find a note saying they had gone shopping for a present to give to my mother as a thank you. I went downstairs and barely a minute later I received a message from Indigo saying they needed help."

"What was your first thought?" Cobalt interrupted, his eye already revealing that of an honest judge. He wasn't going to be biased but he damn well wasn't going to be easy on him. Every word counted and for every gap, Cobalt wanted an answer or he'd assume and deduce.

"To help them. And that's what I did whilst my mother went off to find Raven and send her in my direction... after that, I reached the warehouse where they were being kept. Dispatched the two guards at the entrance, entered and fought. I was outnumbered and was eventually beaten into a corner which eventually led to my near death. Raven arrived with team SEDA and dispatched the remaining henchmen. The rest is common knowledge - we were taken to the hospital, the girls were all placed in one room whilst I was placed in this section of the hospital devoted to... Faunus care." Faunus care was the public was of putting it, to give people the impression that there was no racism and they were receiving their own type of specialized treatment. As a matter of fact, this was all bullshit. Faunus and Humans may be different however they were similar on a biological scale enough so that they can interbreed and produce offspring and Noir had to assume that someone high in the hospital's management was racist. Lucky thing that hardly any of the staff were or else Noir might have found himself treated poorly. His thoughts were interrupted as Cobalt's voice penetrated his eardrums and registered in his brain,

"What was your weakness in the fight?"

"The Karambit blades weren't long enough. My grip was strong but the blades individually can't block a well-made sword,"

Cobalt sat in his seat, staring calmly at Noir for a few moments but it felt like minutes, perhaps hours.

"What do you intend to do about it?"

Noir was slightly taken aback by the question, but he had an answer all the same, "I intend to train. Perhaps find a way to extend the blades of the twins so I can enter close quarter combat more effectively... however that'd require more training and getting used to. Or I could try and purchase a good quality metal and find someone who could remake the blades so they could heavier blows..." Noir broke off for a few moments, trying to discern the answer that Cobalt was searching for. 'Think... what would I expect from someone if Raven got hurt?' and then it clicked. It was obvious. "... I intend to never let Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea ever get hurt again if I have something to say in the matter. If it can't be helped, so be it but nobody hurts my team-mates and gets away with it."

Cobalt granted Noir a small, genuine smile in response and gave him a minuscule nod before his face returned to its normal calm appearance. "Tell me about yourself. Include all that is important."

Noir raised an eyebrow at this. Was Cobalt profiling him?

"I was born and raised in Vale. Born to Adreanna Chevalier and younger brother of Raven Chevalier. My dream job was to become a detective and keep people safe. I witnessed a friend of mine have her ears ripped off when we were eight. Raven promised she'd find said friend if I attended Signal, and then Beacon to become a Hunter. After attending Beacon for a few months I can say that I consider Team NOIR to be my second family and that I love every member as I'd love my own sister..." Noir paused again, eyeing Cobalt and looking for the small glint which revealed he had given the answer which the almost ridiculously calm Ravenscroft was looking for, "... I like bacon and tea. My favourite colour is black. I enjoy sleeping late and training with my squad-mates. I don't like racists and I detest those who pick on others because of pre-determined ideas."

There. Cobalt's eye revealed a small glint the moment Noir had finished speaking as if he had recorded the information down in an immense library known as 'the brain'. He felt like he was being profiled, if this was what profiling felt like? It worried him slightly to imagine that Cobalt was filling in the blanks from just a few key pieces of information.

"That's all I wished to know, Noir Chevalier... now prepare yourself..."

* * *

"This was the best idea ever. Have we ever had a better idea? I THINK NOT!" Orlaith spoke loudly and proudly, puffing her chest out as the three of them walked in the direction of the hospital. It was still slightly chilly but the temperature was gradually increasing but none of the girls seemed to notice since each of them all felt a burning excitement raging within them. They had found -it-. The perfect gift for Noir Chevalier. Even Rhea had to admit, it was a good idea on Orlaith's part and three of them couldn't be happier.

Indigo was smiling wider then she normally did as they walked, causing people to give her worried glances which spoke volumes about what they must be thinking of someone smiling so widely... 'She's on drugs.'

Rhea on the other hand was happy but wasn't showing it as much as the others were, learning self-control was a key trait valued in a Huntress and now was a good a time as any to put it to practice.

"What'd you think he's going to say?" Orlaith asked the other two as they drew closer to the hospital, their pace slowing slightly,

"You three are the best?" Indigo replied, grinning slightly but Rhea shook her head,

"I doubt it. He's not going to say that. Bear in mind he's losing his mind being cramped up in the hospital we may as well have pinned massive targets to our backs for when he gets out,"

"Yea, but it'll be fun!" Orlaith chimed in and the three of them became silent as they entered the hospital and approached the front desk.

The receptionist glanced up, spotting the three girls and giving them all a wide smile, "Hello my dears, back again to see him?"

"Yep! He still in the same room?" Indigo replied, returning the wide smile with her own,

"Of course dears, go on. I'll just note down that you three are back... Oh, mention to him that he'll be released in two days?"

"Why two days?" Rhea asked, staring intently at the receptionist.

Two more days. She could almost see the expression on Noir's face going from a certain depression to pure insanity. Rhea felt around for a few moments, ensuring that the twins were safe... and then remembering the most important part of all. Don't let him get a weapon if he hears that it'll be another two days. He'd probably try and break out. With lots of breaking.

The three of them made their way through the corridors of the hospital, noticing the temperature steadily increasing until it reached the oven temperature or, as Noir so fondly called it, 'The turkey roast'.

Rhea's thoughts strayed to that of her eldest brother and their past history together. Between Rhea, Adalwin and Cobalt she had been closest with Cobalt purely because Cobalt had already finished Beacon by the time she needed a friend and he was able to visit her eldest brother was not someone to be messed with and, recalling Noir's easy-to-ignite anger almost caused her to worry for their gruff team leader. However Noir wasn't a fool, either that or he was a very good liar.

They knocked on the door, waiting a few moments before hearing the sound of laughter.

"Is that Noir?" Orlaith asked, pressing her ear against the door before hearing another bout of laughter,

Rhea rolled her eyes, striding forward and pushing open the door past her blonde team-mate. She was living up to the reputation of being blonde... but it was Orlaith. She had her moments.

But the sight which Rhea saw before her was enough to stop her in her tracks, her mouth hanging open as she saw Noir with Cobalt sitting next to him on a chair as the two talked... and it was soon revealed who they were talking about,

"When she was little, Rhea had a very cute way of getting to people. Almost like a miniature terror,"

"She still has that now, just not so miniature and more terrifying," Noir responded and the two men began to laugh again however it was cut short as Noir clutched his side in pain... as Rhea landed a firm punch on his healing injury.

Was she irritated? No... But the punch was enough to kick Noir back to reality and he soon realised who had punched him and who else was in the room as his eyes flickered for a few moments, like a light bulb attempting to stay alive.

"Oh... hi Rhea," Noir managed weakly, clutching his side and she noticed that all of the colour seemed to have drained from his face faster than pulling the plug from a sink.

"Hello Noir," Rhea replied sweetly, yet her voice was laced with the poison known as killing intent which sent shivers down Noir's spine. However Cobalt just gave his little sister a small smile, raising a hand and ruffling her head similar to how Raven would do the same for Noir,

"Hello little lake, how are you?"

Rhea blushed furiously at the childhood nickname and she could almost feel Orlaith's mouth moving silently to the nickname, 'Little lake' and a small giggle from Indigo also revealed her thoughts, "G-good..." She stuttered out, having half a mind to punch Cobalt firmly in the jaw, "What were you two doing?"

"Discussing you." Noir replied for Cobalt, rubbing his side gently and soothingly similar to how a mother might soothe a new-born baby as it cried,

"What about me?" Rhea asked, the killing intent laced with every syllable,

"Just... you." Noir glanced over to Cobalt, grinning slightly and continuing to rub his side for a few more moments before catching sight of Orlaith and Indigo, "Hey you two! Come over here,"

He's happy. Something must be wrong...

The three girls exchanged looks as Orlaith and Indigo approached, and Indigo was holding a small, wrapped parcel. This didn't escape Noir's or Cobalt's watchful gaze,

"Hey... Noir... we got you something," Indigo smiled weakly at Noir, tried to contain herself as she approached him and offered him the parcel.

"Thanks, you three are definitely the..."

Moment of truth. Indigo and Rhea exchanged a frenzied glance,

"... best and the sanity keepers,"

Indigo shot Rhea a 'I told you so' look but Rhea shrugged it off, staring at Noir as their leader slowly removed the wrapping paper. He opened the box, reaching inside and pulling out a smaller box which looked to contain some kind of jewellery. He decided to continue, reaching down to the small case and lifting the lid to reveal a necklace with a small, onyx locket dangling from the end.

Noir raised an eyebrow at the three of them, running a finger around the necklace. It was soft, but slightly resilient. However, as his fingers reached the locket it clicked open to reveal something which made his heart stop.

Inside were two pictures, two hastily assembled but none the less meaning full pictures. The one on the left was an image of Adreanna, Raven and Laila sat together and all smiling. The picture had been taken when Raven had finally realised that Laila was back in Vale and she had immediately insisted that Laila visit and, much to her happiness, she had. Adreanna was pleased to see Laila again and welcomed her back happily.

The picture on the right side was... it was. Well... them. Or what was meant to be them. Their emblems were in the four corners of the image, whilst towards the centre it was the picture he had back in the dorm. The image of the four of them at the fountain... smiling. Together.

Words cannot describe the rush of emotion that Noir was feeling, as his mind recovered and replayed memories that had the most meaning associated with each of the girls and it took his entire willpower to safely place the locket back into the case, close the lid and fall unconscious without losing the single, most precious item he now possessed.

_'... how well do you know yourself?'_

_'I know myself as well as I can, sir. Alone, I seek comfort from other people and crave their company - but only the company of the ones I know and cherish. With them, I seek nothing more then to see them safe and happy. And to have them safe and happy... is the biggest reward I could ask for.'_

* * *

**Hello ladies and gentlemen! I hope you know yourselves as well as our lovely Noir does now! The next few chapters WILL be flashback chapters of the key events during their time at Beacon. So be prepared for teasing of Noir x Indigo and Noir x Rhea. Alllllsssoooo remember to vote on your favourite pairing by going to my profile page and clicking on the poll!**

**As always, review and I'll see you next time!**

**Noir: I have to relive those moments... again?**

**Aristotle: Yes Noir.**

**Noir: But... there's an awkward scene.**

**Aristotle: I know, that's what makes it priceless.**

**EDIT: Pre 26 check-up.**


	23. Chapter 23 - Lead us back

**Chapter 23 - Lead us back**

**Noir: Oh no, not again! CUT!**

**Aristotle: Hmmm?**

**Noir: You've made some reference to Red vs Blue, RWBY or SOMETHING in practically every chapter!**

**Aristotle: Of course, it's fun to see when people notice the subtle hints.**

**Noir: Riiiiggghhhttt... I've been meaning to ask, where does the joke 'Wrecked em? Damn near killed 'em!' joke come from?**

**Aristotle: All in good time, my dear Chevalier. All in good time.**

* * *

_'... How well do you know yourself?'_

_'I know myself as well as I can, sir. Alone, I seek comfort from other people and crave their company - but only the company of the ones I know and cherish. With them, I seek nothing more than to see them safe and happy. And to have them safe and happy... is the biggest reward I could ask for.'_

'Months ago...'

"PERVERT!"

A fist connected with Noir's gut and sent him flying back into his section of the room as the curtain was hastily shut and the whimpering of a certain female squad member could be heard, "HONESTLY NOIR! WORST TIMING EVER!"

She was telling him? Sometimes he wondered whether he should have just shot himself and gotten it all over with but sometimes they were a barrel of laughs. Other times he wanted to carve out his own eyeballs to spare them the embarrassment of having him accidentally walking in as their changing into their uniforms.

It wasn't like he intentionally wanted to see their bodies and intentionally get hit in the chest every time but it was just getting ridiculous. They wake him up and then get changed, surely it'd be better to get changed and then wake him up? That way he wouldn't see Rhea halfway through pulling on her skirt.

And now he was lying on the floor, slowly rubbing his stomach and sighing heavily. He was changed, of course. The only times he took off his clothes were to bathe or change into the spare set whilst he washed the other - he slept still wearing his combat outfit however with the trench coat hanging on the end of his bed.

Another day. Another punch.

"O-ok! Noir! You can come through now." Rhea shouted over the curtain.

"Sure? I don't want to make the bruise any larger on my stomach." He replied bitterly, not raising his voice any more then he needed to. It was enough, and he heard the sound of feet against carpet for a few moments before the curtain was drawn back and Rhea stood there wearing her full uniform and a dull blush on her face.

"Yes. I'm sure."

Noir stood up slowly, brushing his coat off before he shot a cold look at rhea which she returned whole heartedly before pulling her scroll out, opening it and reading, "I have a lesson with Professor Peach from ten to eleven and then a lesson with Professor Goodwitch from one to two,"

"Where are the other two?" The lack of Orlaith and Indigo was suddenly apparent with no sarcastic, cheery voice to tell him how his sleeping habits were unhealthy and no voice to tell Rhea off for punching him so hard. The room almost felt empty without the other two.

"They are already down in the dining hall. I was taking too long so they left me with the solemn duty of waking you up,"

Noir's expression softened slightly, folding his arms as he scanned Rhea up and down, "I'm not in your lesson with Peach, so why did you wake me up now?"

"So we don't have to wake you up later for Goodwitch's lesson,"

Noir paused for a few moments before nodding once, "Cheers, Rhea. I appreciate it."

Rhea let out a soft 'humph', turning around and heading out the door and adding, "You've got a funny way of showing it."

Noir sighed, glancing down at his hands as the door banged shut behind Rhea. She was irritated - to say the least. And he had a small idea of what was bothering her - he was constantly reminded of it. His recklessness with the Alpha and the days that followed, Rhea had slowly been getting more and more irritated with him.

Had he tried to explain to her? No. Perhaps he should...

His scroll beeped within his coat, and he pulled it out, clicking the button to find Peach's profile image awaiting him,

"Hey Noir, we're waiting for you down in the hall."

Heh. Probably worried he's gone to Beacon cliff to test out a 'landing strategy'.

Noir moved over to the door, pulling it open and making his way out of the building, through the gardens and into the hall. It wasn't as crowded as it could be but there were still a few people scattered around including Peach in the corner sitting alone as it seemed that the others had gone off to lessons. She waved at him, giving him a small smile as he sat down and sliding him a plate full of bacon, "Rhea said you were in a weird mood,"

"Oh?" He pulled the plate closer, rolling up one of the pieces and sliding it into his mouth.

"Yea, she said you're still oblivious and yet to apologise,"

"Apologise?" Noir feigned idiocy for a moment and Peach rolled her eyes,

"She thinks you were as thick as bricks running in to face the Alpha by yourself. She was worried for you, Noir,"

Worry? Rhea was worried? Pfft, she has a funny way of showing it... Noir remained quiet for a few moments, chewing the bacon more intently for a few more moments before swallowing. "We were all worried for you, Noir but Rhea's showing it... almost too much,"

"She's... I'll talk to her later. What's the best way to apologise to a girl?"

"Chocolate. Or hug her maybe... take her out for dinner?"

Noir froze, saving himself the embarrassment of answering by taking the rest of the pieces of bacon and almost throwing them into his mouth. Peach giggled quietly, poking him over the table, "I recommend taking her out for dinner, Rhea's the type of girl who likes action and words."

* * *

"What?"

"I told you,"

"Gruff, tough Chevalier is wanting -me- to lure my dear friend outside so you can have a conversation with her?"

"YES,"

"I'll help."

Noir sighed heavily, staring at Orlaith intently with irritation written all over his face and a dull blush on his face. The two were standing in the corridor after Goodwitch's lesson whilst Rhea and Indigo had already gone back to the dorm. For some obscure reason Noir had made the decision to get Orlaith to help him since Indigo would be too honest and if Rhea even suspected the smallest of things then she would state it.

Orlaith on the other hand was born to lie or be direct in her confrontations and was fit for the role that Noir needed her to fill.

She gave Noir a nod, immediately heading off in the direction of the dorm with Noir heading off in the direction of the garden. Noir Chevalier was nervous and it was showing clearly on his face and in his body language so he decided to take a seat on the bench as the chill air of dusk began to caress his face. The sunset was beautiful and he was almost immediately absorbed in the sight until a voice like flowing water interrupted him,

"Chevalier. What do you want?"

He turned and saw Rhea standing there wearing a simple blue dress; the only casual piece of clothing she had brought with her and it framed her body almost perfectly. Noir gathered himself up, taking a deep breath, "Rhea. Please take a seat,"

She rose an eyebrow before taking a seat next to him, staring at him long and hard, "What do you want?"

How to answer... how to answer... he leaned forward, almost crushing Rhea in his grip as he pulled her into a tight hug, "I'm sorry."

Rhea Ravenscroft was taken a back for a few moments and her expression faltered before he returned to the hardened expression as Noir continued,

"I apologise for throwing myself into a dangerous situation with almost no regard for my life,"

"You idiot. You're the leader, don't throw yourself into situations like that," Rhea's voice broke slightly, and she even hugged back,

"I didn't want you lot to get hurt,"

"YOU IDIOT! WE'RE YOUR SQUAD! WE DO IT TOGETHER OR NOT AT ALL!"

Noir flinched at her raised voice as she pushed him away slightly, pulling him back and kissing him on the cheek. It was sudden, out of nowhere and surprising and all he could do was blush heavily, "Uh... Rhea?"

Rhea was blushing as well, and she looked away for a few moments before turning back to look at him, "I'm... sorry. I just needed to uh..."

Noir gave her a weak smile, poking her side with a finger, "I'll let it slide. It didn't kill me, right?"

She could only blush and nod and the two turned in the bench, releasing each other and staring at the sun slowly set beyond the horizon. It was beautiful. And it was a moment to remember.

A moment that he realized that he meant something to someone.

He was intent on keeping that... that bond.

* * *

_'Happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned or worn. It is the spiritual experience of living every moment with love, grace and gratitude.'_

_- Denis Waitley_

* * *

**Thank you ladies and gentlemen for reading this new, shorter chapter of the Black Knight! This chapter was smaller since it was just focusing on the main piece of relationship building between Noir and Rhea. I hope you enjoyed it!**

**EDIT: Pre 26 check-up**


	24. Chapter 24 - Diver

**Chapter 24 - Diver**

**Remember to vote on the poll for the Valentine's Day Chapter!**

**Noir: Your version of torture.**

**Aristotle: Shut it you!**

**Noir: You aren't denying it. You'll probably have some tragic happen to the one they pick!**

**Aristotle: ... I'll remove common sense from your character if you don't shut up. On with the story!**

* * *

_'Happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned or worn. It is the spiritual experience of living every moment with love, grace and gratitude.'_

_- Denis Waitley_

* * *

_"Indigo Althea, nice to meet you Noir. So why are you sitting alone, Noir?" Indigo brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face as she stared into the pitch black eyes of Noir whilst he stared back into her indigo coloured eyes._

Indigo... the first Human to truly befriend me and have genuine care and affection. By Grimm, even in his head it was sounding emotional... Indigo was the first and he'd always be happy to help her whenever she needed it. And Orlaith? Orlaith was perhaps the mo-

SLAP.

SLAP.

"NOIR!"

SLAP.

Noir blinked a few times, his eyes opening slowly and weakly to find that he was staring into the pitch black eyes of his sister who wore the largest smile that he'd ever seen. Perhaps inflicting pain on people was fun for her? Sadist...

"What... I was trying to have emotional flashbacks," Noir replied, weakly. His cheeks were sore and red from where she had slapped him and he felt the burning imprints of her hands which felt like they were there to stay for a while.

"I've got some good news for my little brother!" She practically squealed, withdrawing herself from hovering over him and practically bouncing around the room. It was then that he finally got a good look around the room and saw Orlaith and Indigo with their arms around Rhea who's expression who a mix between happiness and depression. Cobalt was standing next to a beaming Adalwin and patting his younger brother on the back whilst Raven was like a pinball, bouncing around the room with a wide smile planted on her lips,

"Dare I ask..." Noir began but he was cut off as Raven flew over to him, wrapping him in a large hug and squeezing tightly!

"Adalwin proposed and I said Yyeeeeees!" She practically sang to the room.

"What did he propose that made you so happy?" Noir replied wearily. Raven should have known better than anyone else that his little 'phases' took the life out of him and he was closer to being unconscious then he had been with the injury,

"HE PROPOSED WE GET MARRIED, PUP!" Raven shrieked at him, still hugging him tightly and tightening her grip considerably and earning a resounding crack from Noir's ribcage.

Noir was silent for a few minutes, his mind processing the information that he had been given and only one sentence popped to mind, "Oh... uh. Congratulations?"

PING, PING, PING!

She was back bouncing around the room again like she was on some kind of drug that induced hysterical happiness. Adalwin was restraining his happiness and only Cobalt joined them in the smiling department.

Noir caught the eyes of Rhea who still looked happy... and depressed. The mixed expression being a smile in his direction whilst her eyes fell and the reason suddenly struck Noir like a rampaging Ursa.

They'd be related through Raven and Adalwin, effectively making them brother and sister which would make Rhea's intentions towards him slightly odder but she wasn't the only one. Noir's chest sunk slightly at the thought of this but rose again when he realised that Rhea would be his -sister-. Another sister. Wait, why is this something to be happy about? He mentally slapped himself, quietly cursing his luck for a few moments before Raven's hysterical voice broke through the silence,

"We'll be having a beach party to celebrate with our closest friends! In other words... you're all invited! And that Team PURE? The ones who you told mum had funny vegetable names,"

Noir's level of energy was rapidly decreasing and he only managed to moan out a, "Whyyyy..." before his eyes fell shut and a small voice in the back of his head began to count down to zero from five as Raven responded,

"Because we need more than the..."

But it was too late for the poor Chevalier. He had fallen into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"You know, Noir, I've never been so happy. Now -this- is how you enjoy the wonders of the ocean. Blue skies!"

"White sand,"

"The sound of the waves,"

"The dazzling sun,"

"And... hehehe."

Noir glanced over at Ugli for a moment before grinning himself and looking forward into the water and spotting the last wonder of the ocean... bathing suits. Specifically, girls in their bathing suits.

Raven, Orlaith, Indigo, Rhea, Peach, Raspberry, Ebony and Laila were all in the water in bathing suits, doing things ranging from throwing water at each other to practising the breast stroke. Noir, Ugli, Endive and Adalwin were all lying down on those chairs you'd see at a swimming pool - pale white and made for sunbathing. So it was no surprise to find all the boys under the shade of a stray tree "Remind me again how I'm so lucky?" Ugli asked, a small trickle of blood running down his nose as he stared at Orlaith in her golden two piece.

"Raven invited you for some obscure reason - probably so we had more people here but not too many," Noir replied, sighing and stretching back. He was wearing black swimming trunks whilst the rest of his body was revealed in all its pale glory. However his fedora sat on top of his held, tilted down, "Calm down Ugli, that's my team mate you are getting aroused over,"

Noir raised a hand, pushing his fedora back slightly and staring at Ugli for a few moments, "Who wouldn't? You got some good looking team mates, Noir- Oooo..."

Noir pulled his fedora off, turning to face the water to see what Ugli was 'Oooing' at and he had to admit... it was quite a sight.

"Hey! Put me down!"

"Calm down not-so-flat chest! When did those twins get bigger?"

Noir's face was visibly twitching from lack of belief. Rhea was being carried by Orlaith... in the water. On top.

Boing... Boing... Boing...

"They're just like... boing... boing... boing..." Noir muttered, staring in disbelief as Ugli nodded beside him. Endive sighed, clearing his throat,

"Hello sir,"

Noir's eyes were still fixed on Rhea before he felt something jab him harshly in the side, turning to see Ares standing next to Adalwin with a hand fixed on his son's shoulder and giving Noir a mixture between a grin and a glare, "Hello lad, enjoying the view?"

Noir couldn't help but blush, raising a hand and awkwardly scratching the back of his head, "Kinda... uh..."

"Well good. Any sane man would." Ares replied quickly, patting the side of Adalwin's seat before turning to look at his son and smiling at him, "So, managed to get yourself a bride who you didn't bribe?"

Adalwin laughed heartily, turning his gaze away from Raven in the water (Who was wearing a two piece bathing suit, both pieces were black), "No bribery. Just emotion,"

"Well you treat Miss Chevalier well, son. She's a keeper. That... and we've got at least one person here who'll beat the crap out of you if you do anything else..." Ares trailed off, as the Black Knight gave the two a small wave; acknowledging his role.

The Ravenscroft just laughed again, giving his father a small smile before looking back into the water and staring at Raven. Indeed, all the men on the shore seemed to have their eyes fixed on a woman in particular.

Ares stared as Azure slowly crossed the beach and entered the water, joining the girls and grinning widely as she got involved with the fun. Adalwin still had his gaze set on Raven, even as she and Ebony began to have a water splashing contest. Ugli's eyes were set on Orlaith, a small trickle of blood running out of his nose and revealing his perverse imagination. Endive, oddly enough, was staring at Raspberry with the most dignified look a man could have whilst his brain ran wild with the image. Noir however... his eyes kept flicking between Ebony, Indigo, Rhea and Laila with a constant smile on his face as he saw them having fun.

"You know... if our roles were reversed, they'd be doing the same thing," Ugli murmured, trying to justify why his nose had trickles of blood coming out like it was going out of style.

"In our position... they'd join in," Noir replied, glancing at Ugli for a moment before something clicked in his head, "I have a cunning plan."

* * *

As we all know, our lovely hero always has good plans.

What could possibly go wrong? And we all know that's right up there with 'They are late'.

Rhea glanced over to the beach, spotting the group of boys and narrowing her eyes as she noticed they were all crowded around in a group. They were plotting. However she was punished for the distraction as Orlaith tripped on a rock and she went plummeting into the water with a loud SPLASH. She emerged a few moments later, glancing around and spitting out a mouthful of salty water, "ORLAITH!"

"Woops!" Orlaith grinned at her, before the grin faltered a moment, "Where have the boys gone?"

Rhea turned to look at the shore and saw... four empty seats. All of them had seemed to have disappeared.

"Uh oh..." Rhea and Orlaith exchanged a look and the girls in the water became dead quiet, looking around but there were no trace of the boys. They had just disappeared into thin air. They all began to form a circle, getting closer to one another and subconsciously moving further out into the water, "Where have they got to?" Raven asked nobody in particular, but let out a loud scream as she was dragged under.

The others had expressions of shock on their faces, but she emerged a moment later with a key piece of her swimming costume missing.

"THOSE PERVERTS!"

Raven clutched her now exposed breasts, hiding them but the damage was done. And there was more damage to deal and it wasn't long before the second victim was claimed - Orlaith. She let out a small yelp, disappearing for barely a moment before resurfacing with her breasts exposed.

"WHO... THIS IS CHILDISH!" Ebony yelled out, glancing around for a moment before trying to stick her head under the water to see them... if only she was looking in the right direction.

"EEEK!" Raspberry shrieked, the same fate meeting her as the two others.

"Wait! There were only four of them... so there should only be one more steal - Don't worry gu-YYYYYYYYYYSS!" Rhea yelled as she was dragged beneath the surface, closely followed by Laila and Indigo.

Rhea blushed heavily, covering her chest. She would kill WHOEVER did this. NO MATTER THE-

"Yooo hooo!"

All of the girls turned to see the boys at the shore, Adalwin holding a black 'bra' in hand and swinging it in Raven's direction with a grin wide on his face.

"ADAL! I'll kill you!" Raven screamed at the shore, moving her arms a moment to begin the swim to shore before moving her arms back and blushing heavily as a chorus of wolf whistles were heard.

Next to Adalwin stood Ugli, swinging Orlaith's yellow bra with a massive smile on his face, "UGLI! YOUR BALLS ARE MINE!"

Ugli glanced at Endive who, to his own credit, was looking guilty as he held Raspberry's red bra at the end of his finger, "Angeeeeeel! I'll get you for this!"

And finally, the mastermind, the Knight... was swinging Laila's black bra and Indigo's lavender bra between his hands and grinning like a fool as Rhea's light blue bra was hung over his face.

"YOU'RE DEAD CHEVALIER!"

The plan was fool proof. However, it wasn't common sense proof. The girls who hadn't had their bras stolen swam to shore with the intent to kill and recover and the poor lads had to run. And they ran for their lives.

* * *

BONUS SCENE: Dancing in the Moonlight

*Cue - Dancing in the Moonlight = ELO*

_"Hello ladies and gentlemen, it's a lovely Vale evening and I hope you're all making the most of it. Shout out to the lovely Raven who now engaged to Adalwin - keep yourselves safe! And I'll expect the invite in the mail. Now time for one of your favourite songs, ladies and gentlemen... I say Ooh."_

*Dancing in the Moonlight fades out to be replaced by I say Ooh - Trocadero*

Noir lent back against the seat, his trench coat covering his body and sheltering himself from the evening breeze. However... he wasn't alone.

Rhea turned slightly in the coat, hugging him tightly for warmth and he only winced slightly but the pain in his side but it faded quickly. The young Ravenscroft had managed to catch up with him last, snatching back her bra and putting it on quickly... and shuddering. The two had made their way back to the shore to find the sun setting in the distance and finding that everybody else had left, leaving a radio behind and the two took a seat on the chair.

"This is a good song," Rhea mumbled, her head emerging from the coat right in front of Noir and blushing as their eyes met.

"Indeed it is..." Noir mumbled in return, pausing a moment before an odd thought struck him, "Let's dance,"

"Huh?"

"Come on." Noir stated, standing up but holding onto Rhea firmly and almost spinning her around on the beach before she finally decided to move her hands off of him and emerge from the coat, beginning to slowly dance alongside him with a smile forming on her face.

Dancing in the moonlight.

* * *

**Hello ladies and gentlemen! I hope you enjoyed this new chapter of the Black Knight! I may, at some point, pause the Black Knight so that we can catch up with RWBY volume 2 and get it back in sync! If that were to happen, I might decide to do an arc where it is in 'the future' not hinting at any MAIN events and just concentrating on the family of Noir Chevalier. IF HE LIVES MUWHAHAHAHAHAHA**

**Noir: You're an evil piece of-**

**Aristotle: Shh, you hear that? That's the sound of forgiveness?**

**Noir: No, that's the sound of you bringing Rhea into these 'talks'.**

**Rhea: So this guy brought me into existence?**

**...**

**I thought you'd be taller.**

**EDIT: I am resetting the Poll and only giving you FIVE choices!**

**EDIT EDIT: Pre 26 check-up.**


	25. Chapter 25 - Head full of dreams

**Chapter 25 - Head full of dreams**

**Noir: Hmph. Red like roses part 2?**

**Aristotle: Yes, yes... I was listening to it when I was debating what to call this chapter.**

**Noir: You actually -planned- this one?**

**Aristotle: Nope, but I have some news!**

**Rhea: Oh no... Noir is pregnant?**

**Aristotle: PLOT TWIST!**

**Noir: Shut it, what's the news?**

**Aristotle: Well, considering the encroaching date that is Valentine's Day I do believe I will be having a break from writing after this chapter - maybe for a few days. Maybe for a week. But I'll be back for Valentine's day! However this chapter will be... heh... leaving it open for it.**

**Noir: Why do you say that was a sadistic look on your face?**

**Aristotle: No reason... on with the show! And remember folks, vote for your favourite pairing on my profile page! THERE IS A NEW POLL SO WE CAN CONCENTRATE THE VOTES!**

* * *

_'Flirting with madness was one thing; when madness started flirting back, it was time to call the whole thing off.'_

_- Rohinton Mistry, a Fine Balance_

"This place... of all places? The food is good but..." Ebony paused, glancing around the fish and chip restaurant with an eyebrow raised. Noir sat opposite her clad in his trench coat whilst his fedora sat on his lap. There was a table stuck between them with two plates on top - fish and chips on both.

"Just because it doesn't look all that fancy, Ebony, doesn't mean anything."

The chippy was in an L shaped, with customers coming in from the bottom of the L and making their orders there before taking a seat or waiting in the line to take it away. The place smelled strong have fish and chips and was stronger the further in you were. Noir and Ebony were currently sat in a booth towards the back of the store.

He took a bunch of chips in one hand, looking them over for a second before throwing them into his mouth, chewing and then swallowing with a small smile, "I love the food here,"

"Don't get me wrong, the food is amazing." Ebony replied quickly, using a fork and eating some more of her chips before adding, "But I thought it'd look... fancier,"

Noir chuckled lightly, picking up another chip and waving it around for a few moments as he gestured to the rest of the store, "Then it wouldn't be a true fish and chip shop. Then it'd just be a high class restaurant with fish and chips on the menu,"

"Fair point."

The two continued to eat in silence for a few more minutes. Noir had been released from the hospital two days ago and yesterday they had the party on the beach so Ebony had requested they go out -today- after lessons. Naturally he had accepted - to fulfil the deal. Ebony was wearing her combat attire however her weapons had been left back at Beacon since they weren't planning on staying for long. Noir had yet to get Pitch Beauty and Minuit back from the girls and the times he had asked where they were they had simply shrugged him off or moved away quickly. He wouldn't mind if the girls told him up front what had happened to the twins but he hated the fact they were trying to hide it from him. They may be his team-mates, his siblings... but they were still people.

"So... Noir. Who do you have your eye on?"

He took his time in responding, chewing on a piece of the fish slowly before swallowing and taking a sip from his drink of water. Who was his eye on? Or rather, his eyes? No one really but he had been noticing recently something about-

"Remnant to Noir, you still alive?"

The Black Knight started, shaking his head and getting out of his daze to see Ebony staring at him with a small smile on her face mixed in with a wicked grin the result... quite sadistic, "Yea... I'm alive. In answer to your question I don't really have my eye on anyone right now," That wasn't a lie and yet it wasn't the complete truth.

"Well... if you ever..." Ebony began slowly, breaking off at the end as Noir quickly cut in with a small grin on his face,

"I know what you're going to say. I may, Miss Eron. However, my sister gave me some advice that it'd be better to wait until my time at Beacon is up before I start thinking about that,"

Ebony looked sad for a few moments, her eyes dropping slightly before a certain light was rekindled and she looked back up at him, "So... after Beacon...?"

"After Beacon, if we still talk. Then maybe." Noir finished.

Ebony released a small, satisfied smile.

The two finished eating twenty minutes later, leaving the fish and chip shop in high spirits. It was a beautiful day and it was good to enjoy days like these while they lasted. With the tournament practically breathing down their necks, Professor Goodwitch had been insisting for longer, more intense lessons so they represented Beacon well.

"Well, I'll see you later Ebony," Noir gave the black haired girl a small parting wave before breaking off down a side street and cutting through the buildings quickly. It wasn't that he disliked her company it was just that he wanted to get back to Beacon quickly and get Pitch Beauty and Minuit back. His scroll bleeped at him as he strode down the street. Great... who could it possibly be? Even his thoughts were sarcastic as he pulled out the scroll, clicking the central button and seeing Rhea's image immediately appear before him and her voice came out of the device like flowing water.

_"Hey Noir, we've got a surprise for you. If that isn't enough to get you to come running we've also got Minuit and Pitch Beauty here. Get back to the Dorm!"_

The Black Knight raised an eyebrow at this, a surprise concerning Minuit and Pitch Beauty? She hadn't said it but the fact she had used them as leverage implied something... she could easily have held his Ninjas of Love collection hostage and he'd have been there before the message had even ended. He valued those books almost as much as he valued his own life.

Before long, Noir had managed to get back to Beacon and was striding through the garden. The gardens were beautiful, with a wide variety of different flowers blooming in the flower beds. It was something to sit, watch and enjoy the mere sight of it. Bees worked busily to maintain the garden as to spread the pollen of the plants to others, sharing the beauty with the rest of the world. However his eyes spotted someone sat alone on the bench. Black hair, a cute little bow sat on top of her head and wearing a black buttoned vest with a white sleeveless under-shirt. He didn't have to examine her any longer to know who she was and a smile broke out over his features as Blake turned another page in the book she was reading. Her eyebrows were closer together in concentration and she was biting her lower lip.

Noir waited a few moments, pausing a few metres from the bench to allow the built up tension to be released and for Blake's expression to soften. Indeed it did a few moments later, the colour returning to Blake's face as she breathed a sigh of relief. She set the book down for a moment and he took the opportunity,

"Hey Blake,"

The Faunus girl glanced over at him, giving Noir a small smile, "Noir, how'd it go?"

The Black Knight scratched the back of his head awkwardly. He had told Blake about the 'date deal' on her last visit to him at the hospital and she had wished him some level of luck before departing. He still felt awkward though whenever his mind strayed to the image of Blake reading a copy of 'Ninjas of Love' with a soft blush on her cheeks, "It went... ok. For me, I guess,"

Blake continued to smile, her eyes scanning him up and down for a few moments, "Feeling well?"

"Yea. The ball and chain has called me back to the dorm, to hopefully retrieve Minuit and Pitch Beauty."

Of course, the ball and chain was a reference to the rest of Team NOIR. To an onlooker he may seem slightly irritated but to people who knew him it was a fond way of him referring to the girls of NOIR. The small smile fell from Blake's face fell and her face resumed the normal, slightly bored expression she seemed to permanently have on her face, "Don't let me keep you," Her voice sounded slightly bitter, and she was halfway through raising the book when Noir responded,

"I'll talk to you later, Blake. And if I don't, tomorrow?"

Her face twitched slightly in a smile and she nodded, the book now raised again and her eyes began darting across the lines of text.

Noir now made him way past Blake, giving her one last parting wave before entering the Dorm building and heading past rooms and up a few stairs before finally reaching the corridor where team NOIR's room was situated. He took his time walking down the corridor, hearing the sounds of muffled conversations happening in rooms on either side of him. He drew out his scroll, putting it against the door and unlocking it before walking inside and an odd sight met him.

Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea were standing in a tight line in front of him wearing their respective combat clothing. However in the centre Indigo was holding two small boxes which looked rather... exquisite. They looked large enough to hold the twins and something told him-

"Hey Noir... we've got something for you!" Orlaith stated happily, her lips curved upwards in a smile as the Black Knight entered and eyed each of them carefully.

"Is it animal, vegetable or mineral?" HE asked sarcastically and the girls sweat dropped for a moment before recovering quickly as Indigo offered out the boxes. Rhea and Orlaith took a step forward, removing the lids to reveal...

The twins. Sat on velvet cushions looking clean, polished and most of all with an additional button on the sides and Noir couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as he took them from the boxes. They felt heavier and the increase of weight felt top heavy, so he did what any sensible person would do.

Noir pressed the button to turn the twins into karambits and they morphed. The karambits looked no different but now the new button was now in the thumbs slot. He glanced up and saw the girls staring expectantly at him with their eyes a light with excitement that seemed like it was being contained until something released it.

"Go on... press it," Rhea whispered gently and Noir obeyed, pressing his thumbs firmly against the buttons and his eyes went wide as the blades of the karambits extended backwards. The new, extended blades gleamed in the light coming through the window and bounced off of them,

"We... borrowed them to extend the blades," Indigo spoke tentatively.

They were treading water in a dangerous sea. Your weapon is an extension of yourself and how would you feel if someone, even your closest friend, took your weapons away and did something to them. Grateful? Or angry? The reaction that they were expecting was the latter and the three of them visibly tensed up and Noir brought the blades up, his fingers still in the slots and he gave it a few practice swipes.

The blades felt good and his mind entered analytical mode. These new extended blades would allow him to survive longer in CQB and do more than just hold his own. The girls had also made the intelligent decision to make the extended blades optional and this could work to his advantage in a battle. Perhaps an opponent had his blades locked in a position - all he would have to do is press a button and they'd return to the smaller, karambit form and he'd have an opening to strike.

"Thank you."

The words shattered the silence and the girls all flinched, before eyeing him up and down suspiciously, "That is Noir, right?" Orlaith asked, waving a hand in front of his black eyes and seeing only honesty.

"Yes, I'm me. Cheers for these..." Noir broke off as he felt three bodies collide wit him and he was tackled to the floor as the three girls hugged him tightly. If anything, he felt violated and only his quick reaction time allowed him to click the button to morph the reverse blades back into karambit form before trying to quickly throw them to the side as to not hurt the girls.

He had the wind knocked out of him and the back of his head banged hard against the floor and he lost consciousness.

* * *

_*Cue Gold - RWBY OST*_

_"Noir!" He felt the arms around his body before he heard the yell and a smile crossed his face as he looked down into the black hair, with stands fading to indigo towards the end._

_"Hey Indigo, you alright?"_

_"I missed you!" She hugged him tighter, smiling widely as the young Chevalier just grinned as he rubbed her back slowly. He glanced around the small entrance hall to the house and couldn't help but smile wider as he spotted a crack revealing a small pair of black eyes staring at him before the small black haired child pushed the door open and came sprinting straight at the couple._

_"Dad!" The kid yelled, running up to Noir and the Chevalier couldn't help but let one arm be released from his wife and lowering it to his daughter and picking her up,_

_"Hey there, Kuro!"_

_"Dad! Dad!"_

_"She's missed you, ya know?" Indigo said, smiling at their daughter and pulling them both into a tighter hug. Noir's smile faltered for a moment before he laid a small, sweet kiss on his daughter's head._

_"Sorry about that, darling. Dad was off making sure the monsters don't come back!"_

_"Yey! No more monsters!" Kuro yelled happily, giggling as her father kissed her and trying to squirm out of her parents' grip, "I made something, daddy! Come!"_

_And with that, she squirmed out of their grip and shot off and disappeared into the room where she had appeared from earlier. The two couldn't help but smile as they watched their daughter, and followed her into the room slowly._

_As they entered, they saw the source of Kuro's excitement and Noir couldn't help but grin as Kuro held up what appeared to be a black coat made from the material from the curtains. It WAS curtain material and Indigo soon spotted that the curtains of the room were... well, no longer there! However Kuro smiled widely, sliding on the makeshift coat and walked up to her dad and putting on a deep voice,_

_"I'm a Huntress! Any monsters here?"_

_The Chevalier family... with Indigo Althea as his wife. It seemed nice, in his dream world._

_But suddenly, found himself warped out of that eventuality in his mind and almost thrown into another. The building was different and the interior was smaller. It was a small house out in the country, with a few appliances scattered around, including a laptop, and a single double bed in the centre towards the back of the room. It wasn't long before he heard the sound of footsteps and Noir turned to find a woman that looked like..._

_"Blake?" He said, a smile naturally appearing on his face and she smiled in return with her cat ears twitching slightly as the two crossed the length of the room and embraced one another in a tight hug. They were both older, a lot older. Perhaps in their late thirties or early forties but both of them still looked young and ready._

_"I'm home," Her voice faded out towards the end, looking downcast for a moment,_

_"How'd it go?" How'd what go? What was he even talking about but Blake answered quickly,_

_"I got the publishing deal!" He face became brighter, a smile appearing on her face and the two pulled the other closer. The result? Their bodies being pressed uncomfortably against one another. The Black Knight couldn't help but give his girlfriend a small kiss on the lips, smiling widely at her... and the kiss was returned with re-doubled force, "Thanks for being there Noir!" The muffled sound of Blake's voice came from them as their lips smashed together and Noir could only manage the reply,_

_"It's my pleasure darlin'. Always has been."_

_Needless to say, a cat and dog in heat is something that you do not want described. If only Noir had realised what was happening and, the moment they stopped he was wrenched again from that possibility and thrown into the third and, hopefully, the last._

_He was standing, once more, in a large manor house with a mixture of blue, black and green decorations giving off a quite a well-coordinated theme for those colours together. Again, he felt the wind soon taken from him as two blue blurs darted across the entrance hall and collided with his chest at high speeds. Two little girls were screaming his 'name'..._

_"DAD!" they both screamed, hugging him tightly. It had taken a lot of his physical strength and balance to keep himself balanced but he was un-prepared as he spotted three pairs of blue eyes poking out of doorways as others joined the two screaming girls,_

_"Welcome back Dad!" A tall boy said. He must have been in his teens, with long blue hair wrapped up in a ponytail. He wore a dark blue trench coat and a smile was planted on his face that Noir personally knew... because it was practically his own face. The only difference was the eyes... he had blue eyes. The boy was soon joined by a girl who looked like she was a year younger then him however her hair was black whilst her eyes were the same blue as her brother however she too wore the trench coat - a black trench coat._

_Noir looked around as he was surrounded by five kids, all his own. Three girls and two boys. But there was someone missing, "Where's your mother?" The Black Knight asked, slowly beginning to pry the two girls off of him as they continued to scream his name._

_"I'm right here."_

_All of them fell silent and looked up the stairs at the end of the entrance hall to see a beautiful woman with long, blue hair and a pair of keen eyes. Her features were sharp and spoke volumes about her. She sounded like flowing water and it still caused Noir to melt slightly whenever she called his name, "Honey, I'm home."_

_Speaking of flowing water, the children parted like the red sea as Rhea Chevalier came down the stairs like a rushing river and threw herself into his arms with a wide smile on her lips and her eyes began to water, "I missed you, Black Knight,"_

_Noir froze for a moment before throwing his arms around Rhea happily and grinning as he replied, "I missed my Black Queen."_

* * *

Indeed. There were choices laid out before the Young Chevalier and even as Noir slowly began to regain consciousness and he hear the combined voices of his team-mates he was locked in the struggle...

... Who?

They weren't items to be won or lottery prizes but at the same time... choosing one would mean something for the others if they truly felt something for him. However... Blake was later on in life, when they were both older and when things had settled down... maybe that'd be a better idea?

But... May Raven go and sniff dust if she thought he was going to wait for his five years at Beacon to be up before he made a decision.

That'd change his life, his way of thinking... and his ideas.

* * *

BONUS SCENE: The Knight's father.

It was a pitch black night, the moon had long since disappeared from the sky and it couldn't be helped the he now had no light to walk by. In fact, he didn't need the light from the moon and instead walked like it was day time and picking his steps carefully whilst trying to avoid disturbing the creatures in the undergrowth.

In the distance were the lights of Vale, preparing for the Vytal tournament... or was it? Was he on time? This wasn't some romantic comedy with friendship elements mixed in with adventure... this was his son. He wasn't going to let his son finish his time at Beacon without knowing where he was from and who HE was.

And to hear an apology that was a long time coming...

The man, Ciaran Chevalier... took a moment to stare into the lights whilst his own black trench coat whipped around his legs as the wind picked up.

He was ready.

* * *

_'Everyone underestimates their own life. Funny thing is, in the end, all our stories... they're the same. In fact, no matter where you go in the world, there is only one important story: of youth, loss and yearning for redemption. So we tell the same story, over and over. Only the details are different.'_

_- Rohinton Mistry, Family Matters_

* * *

**REMEMBER TO VOTE IN THE NEW POLL FOR YOUR FAVOURITE PAIRING AND WATCH OUR YOUNG CHEVALIER BE TORTURED!**

**Noir: You're really enjoying this, aren't you?**

**Aristotle: Yep, I did particularly enjoy writing this chapter since this chapter is going to leave it open for Chapter 26 WHICH will be the special Valentine's day chapter! That's right folks, I'm giving you seven days to get the rest of your votes in for the pairing and then we'll see love bloom! And perhaps... wither and die.**

**Noir: You're a sadistic bastard.**

**Aristotle: Indeed I am... but you enjoyed the sequences, right?**

**Noir: ... I shall not deny that each of them were very warming.**

**Rhea: Ahem... Noir, it seems we might need to get to work sooner rather the-**

**Noir: NO. STOP NOW.**

**Aristotle: See you all next time folks!**

**FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT READ THE IMPORTANT STUFF HERE IT IS SUMMED UP - THE BLACK KNIGHT WILL BE GOING ON HOLD UNTIL VALENTINE'S DAY WHERE I WILL RELEASE THE SPECIAL VALENTINE'S DAY CHAPTER AND CONFIRM THE PAIRING FOR NOIR CHEVALIER! REMEMBER THAT YOUR VOTE COUNTS AND REMEMBER IT IS A NEW POLL - IF YOU HAVE ALREADY VOTED, YOU'LL NEED TO GO AND VOTE AGAIN!**

**EDIT EDIT: Pre 26 checkup.**


	26. Chapter 26 - Never slow forever wild

**Hello everyone! Thank you all for your votes for the pairings and I have taken them all into consideration when looking to finish the third arc (Second named arc) of The Black Knight. Now begins the AU, since we don't know about the actual details alongside the tournament. Prepare yourselves.**

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**Chapter 26 – Never slow; forever wild **

_'You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better then your dreams.' _

_- Dr. Seuss _

"See you later guys," the young Hunter called back to his friends as he was lead out of the small room, "sorry about bailing, but I can't walk straight, let alone dance." The after-tournament party had been in full swing for a couple of hours now, but his injuries from his final fight were catching up with him. Luckily for him, Blake didn't seem to be enjoying the party and so she'd offered to walk him back to his dorm for a bit of rest.

"Bye Noir!" the gathered groups all cheered. NOIR, PURE, JNPR and RWBY were all there to celebrate the end of their first tournament, along with Ebony and Laila, but they were all wondering why Blake had to be the one to help him. Weiss knew, deciding to clear it up for the others, "Did you guys forget that she has perfect night vision?" stating her point bluntly, but with a hint of drunken flair.

"Blah blah blah," Orlaith decided to add, taking another long swig from her glass. It was fair to say that the others found this hilarious, but Weiss simply looked away in a huff. Seems they weren't going to miss the two Faunus anytime soon, and the party didn't seem set to finish any time soon.

For some reason, there was only one light on in the long hallway, but that didn't matter to the young Faunus, Weiss' words being as true as ever. Although, since they were both clad in their full black clothing, no one else would see them stumbling down the hallways towards the dorm block. Noir had his long black trench coat with his moon and wolf emblem emblazoned on his shoulders, black trousers and black combat boots, bearing some small 'victory scratches', as he put it, all over his body. Blake had decided to dress up for tonight, opting for a long, sleek black dress with elbow length gloves and simple heels. She had decided to go without her bow tonight, having gained confidence around the other groups recently, letting her little cat ears twitch in the cool air for the evening. Noir had to admit, they were rather cute, even if Blake would kill him if he ever mentioned it.

It took a bit longer for the two of them to get to NOIR's dorm room, since Noir kept stumbling every few steps, partly because of his injuries but also because of the steady flow of alcohol in his blood, though Blake wasn't much better. Taking out his scroll, Noir let himself into the room, Blake following shortly after. He took a seat on his bed, drawing the curtain almost instinctively after Blake had passed.

"Would you like me to look at your wounds, Noir?" Blake asked with a tilt of her head.

"N-no, I'm fine, thank you," Noir replied, trying to hide his already crimson face, failing miserably.

"You don't have to worry, I won't hurt you," Blake's voice took on a predatory tone for a moment, forcing Noir to look at her with wide eyes. She had to giggle at this, the big, strong Black Knight afraid of a little kitty cat. "I'll just sit down, shall I?" Noir simply nodded, albeit a bit quickly, patting the sheets next to him. Blake smiled at this, accepting the seat and proceeding to take Noir's coat off. He shuddered at her touch, but didn't object, his muscles were too tired to object.

With the trench coat now hanging over the end of the bed, Blake could see Noir's blood soaked bandages covering his torso and arms, assuming it was a similar story below his trousers. "I'll have to change these," she whispered gently in his ear, sending a shiver down his back. She began to unwrap the young man in front of her, new bandages ready for her on Noir's table, sat on top of Ninja's of Love 3, which Blake still hadn't read.

A few minutes later, Noir's upper body was completely exposed to the night air, as well as Blake's tender touch. Moving his ponytail off of his furry chest, she felt down his gentle, hairy arm, but Noir winced painfully, drawing air in through his clenched teeth. This causing Blake to draw back in shock, "I'm sorry, was that bad?"

"Just a bit, but I can cope," Noir had feigned toughness for long enough, letting his voice soften.

"I should clean it," Blake stated matter-of-factly.

"It's fine, Blake," he turned back to face her, but she didn't hear him. She had dived her head towards his arm and had started licking at the wound, her cat instincts taking over and bringing… no sound from Noir? Strange, he thought it should have hurt more.

Finishing her work on his right arm, she looked up into Noir's eyes, her head still down by his arm. "Was that ok, Noir?" she asked innocently.

"I-I guess, but…" his mind was trying to find the right words, "why did you li-lick me? I have wool by the bandages." He gestured over to his table, a big bag of medical wool waiting for use.

"I always clean myself like this," she tilted her head again, "all cats do, it's just… natural." Her voice now had a soft purr in it, calming any doubt in Noir's mind.

"Well, if that's what you do," an idea had formed in Noir's tipsy mind, "could you, take a look at my other wounds?"

"On the other arm?"

"No, there's one on my leg, actually," a small smile had now graced his tough face.

"Well," she had started to blush, her quick mind seeing what Noir was planning, "let me take a look."

Noir wasted no time getting to his feet, even if they were a bit shaky, beginning to take his trousers off, the very clean cut in his left leg high on his thigh.

Blake saw an opportunity for a very rare joke, and took it in full, "Is that a pistol in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" Noir, however, proceeded to take Pitch Beauty out of his trouser pocket, forgetting she was in there after hiding her for the party. Blake breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness, I was worried for a second there." The two Faunus shared a laugh before Noir continued taking his trousers off, revealing his fresh-looking bandages trailing down from his pitch black boxers. Again, Blake slowly unwrapped Noir, except this time his nose couldn't take it and it began to drip blood, thankfully not onto Blake's soft hair.

After she had stripped her prey and began leaning over his waist, she felt a hand on her head. Noir was now stroking her ears! It felt nice, making her forget what she was doing for a moment. She pulled herself together slowly, beginning her treatment of Noir's upper leg while he continued to stroke her. This time there were sounds, specifically, Noir trying to hold in his panting breaths. Blake just chuckled, she knew exactly what she was doing to him and she was going to savour it, why should he be the only one to enjoy himself?

She took a long, slow lick up the length of the shallow cut, looking into Noir's eyes as she finished with her tongue hanging out of her mouth, but they were anything but focused even if they were looking at her. They seemed glazed over, not noticing anything but the gentle tongue tending to his every ache and pain, with his breathing now coming out in ragged bursts. There was clear animalistic lust etched onto his wolf-eyes, mirrored only by Blake's feline ones.

"I think it's clean," the silence was eventually broken by Blake's quiet voice, but it could have been a shout in the silent room, "how does it feel?"

Noir was still stroking her ears at this point, not really registering the question but still managing to get a response out between shaky breaths, "G-good, thanks Blake."

"Do you think…" Blake had a drunken plan of her own now, "do you think you could tend to… to my aches now?" She wasn't so sure about it once it left her mouth, but Noir couldn't be more certain, nodding feverishly since 'tend'. "Thank you, my brave Black Knight, but I have such aches," Blake rose slowly from her position over Noir's lap, dropping her dress from over her shoulders, letting it fall onto the bed around her and giving Noir a full view of her battle-sculpted form, as well as a fresh nosebleed. She had a simple black bra covering her ample pair of breasts and a sleek figure outlined perfectly by the moonlight seeping into the room. Her hair hung over her left shoulder, trailing over her chest and down to her stomach. Her black gloves glistened all the way up to her elbows, giving them an elegant appeal. She turned away from Noir, her bare back now facing him with her lower body still covered by her dress. "Do you know how to massage?" she held an air of control over Noir now, facing him with a sly smile on her petite face as he nodded slowly.

The truth was, Noir had no idea how to massage someone, but Blake didn't have to know that. He placed his hands firmly on Blake's shoulders, her skin so soft under his touch he just had to stroke it. Blake didn't object; it had been so long since she had someone to touch her like this. It was her turn to feel good from a Faunus' touch.

As it turns out, Noir was better at this than he thought, the woman beneath him sighing in pleasure at his touch. HIS touch! He was so relaxed, sitting behind a beautiful young lady with both of them at peace. He let his head drop to her shoulder as his hands trailed further down her back, adding pressure in all the right places. Her hair was so soft under his chin, nuzzling himself into her shoulder as he breathed deeply though his nose. Blake was lost to his touch at this point, arching her back as he breathed in her scent.

Then, the wolf in Noir took over, as he began nibbling at Blake's neck, hard enough for her to know who was in charge but not quite so he drew blood. His hands were at the base of Blake's back by now as she squirmed under his touch. The two probing paws slowly rolled the sleek black dress away from Blake's firm behind, revealing small black panties with a lace bow adorning the back. Blake was forced to stand up on the bed with Noir still attached to her neck so he could finish removing her dress, exposing her slender legs to the cool air of the dorm room.

After she had stepped out of the dress and removed her long gloves, she turned to face Noir and began to lower herself, which Noir followed, neither wanting to break eye contact. They had now wrapped their arms around each other, Noir around Blake's back and Blake around Noir's neck. Sitting on their knees, gazing deep into each other's wild eyes, Noir decided to gently break the silence which had fallen over the couple, "Blake, I-" he whispered, before Blake had pressed a finger to his lips, shushing him softly before leaning in close, fluttering her eyes closed as she did.

Noir was no expert, but he knew what to do now. Leaning to meet Blake halfway, also closing his eyes, their lips locked in a passionate display of raw emotion. Noir moved his hands up to stroke Blake's delicate face and silky hair while she rested her hands on his well-muscled, hairy chest, leaning further into the kiss.

Breaking the kiss for air, Blake gasped faintly onto Noir's chest, resting her head on the soft cushion of hair while her arms fell down to Noir's back, hugging him tightly. Noir held Blake close, cherishing her warmth in the cold room while he continued to stroke her hair. They held each other like this for what felt like an eternity before something caught Blake's attention, namely, Noir's stretching black boxers. He was oblivious to this, looking off into the distance while his hands traced the softness beneath him, so Blake decided to slowly trail her hand down to her prize. They were soft to the touch and easy to pull down, Noir looking down as they caught on his erect shaft, finally seeing what was happening to him and enjoying every second as his boxers were removed by the cute, no, amazing girl beneath him.  
The young Huntress-in-training had to admit, she wasn't expecting it to be like that,it was all she could see, getting bigger by the second, until she realised she was moving closer. This was it, no going back now. She pursed her lips and leaned in further as Noir just watched, his jaw hanging in a slack smile.  
They were doing it, actually having sex. Nothing could be more perfect at this, both of them as one while Blake's head bobbed up and down in time to the rhythm of Noir's hip thrusts. Grace was out of the question as they became like two animals in heat, craving this feeling more than breathing or food. Noir was now gripping Blake's flowing locks as he tried to get her further down his cock, grunting with each thrust while Blake simply purred onto her snack.

Noir was practically begging for release now, his grunts becoming nothing more than whines and pants as Blake stroked her tongue up his length each time she pulled back, a hungry glint in her eyes.

It soon became too much for Noir, but he found control from somewhere to warn Blake about what was about to happen, "B-Bla-Blake… I… I'mmm…" but Blake just looked up into his eyes as he trailed off into a moan, her mouth still locked around his cock, and she nodded, doubling her speed to bring Noir to a dramatic climax.

And it worked. Soon enough, release came like a sweet salvation, coating Blake's throat and mouth as Noir howled into the room, the soundproofing working overtime. Blake wasn't finished, though, she was still trying to coax out any remaining seed Noir was hiding from her greedy mouth, her tongue wrapping itself around the tip of his slowly softening penis and drawing the last drop out.

She pulled away, licking her lips in front of Noir as he panted heavily, coming down from the greatest high of his life. Blake looked at him with a sultry stare, sitting back on the bed and spreading her legs, which had lost their protective layer of panties during her exertion. Noir looked down slowly, his eyes still adjusting back after his previous ecstasy as a finger was beckoning him over. He got onto his hands and knees and shakily crawled over, stalking up on his predator-turned-prey. He had never thought this would be possible, Blake wanting him to do this to him, slowly circling her slit with a slender finger. But he didn't know what to do. Oh well, didn't stop him with his massage, might as well just try it.

As he bent down lower, looking up to a nodding Blake for reassurance first, he took in the sight and scent before him. And what a scent, overwhelming his mind and driving away all rational thought, reminding him of a sweet shop. Without thinking about it, he was nose deep in Blake's crotch, licking the outside gently while nuzzling at her pearly clit subconsciously. By this time, Blake was as ready as she could be, having restrained herself while she had been 'servicing' Noir, so any touch would have sent her crazy.

A few minutes of teasing later, Noir looked up to check on Blake, hoping he had been doing a good job for her, since she had been so good to him before. She was lost to her emotions, moaning deeply in between breaths and looking straight up into the ceiling as her body shuddered at each fresh touch on her sensitive pussy. Noir was happy, forcing him to continue with renewed vigour to drive Blake to higher levels of pleasure. He went back to feverishly licking at the damp folds in front of him, until he decided to close his eyes and dive right in, exploring the depths of Blake he could only have dreamed of before tonight. Fresh screams of pleasure echoed around the small dorm as it soon became too much for poor Blake and she released, straight onto Noir's stubbly face and into his waiting mouth.

Noir gave one last lick to try and remove the last few drops of Blake's climax from her glistening slit before rising back onto his knees and pulling Blake up into a sitting position, embracing her as her eyes fluttered back to normal, taking in the smooth skin and dark hair of her lover as she flung her arms around him. Smiling, Blake nuzzled into Noir's neck, giving the occasional nibble of appreciation, leaving her mark on the young Faunus as he had done to her earlier. He didn't mind, letting her continue as they sat there, stroking each other's backs.

Having gained a sense of dominance, Blake decided she should leave more marks to find in the morning, scratching down the length of Noir's back with a sharpened nail. Noir arched his back as it happened, pressing their chests together even further; it reminded him of the Alpha he had fought all those weeks ago, only much sexier. Feeling satisfied, Blake stopped her territory-marking and let her head slip back onto Noir's shoulder.

Mid-hug, Noir decided to fall back onto his pillow with Blake still trapped in his arms, who gave a small gasp at the change of altitude but a warm purr as she felt the covers of the bed being pulled over her.

"Shall we put these back on?" Noir offered while holding both pairs of underwear in his hands. Blake blushed but nodded, accepting the two pairs and squirming under the covers to put them on their respective owners. Before coming back up, she planted kisses on Noir's chest and stroking at his arms. She rested on the top of Noir's chest, snuggling into the extra warmth, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep right here and now.

"Thank you, Noir," she cooed with shutting eyes.

"My pleasure, Blake," Noir physically relaxed, resting one arm on Blake and the other behind his head, joining her in closing his eyes, "good night."

"Noir!" a feminine voice called as the door was flung open behind the curtain, both Faunus tensing in their embrace, not wanting to be heard, "Are you in her?" It was Indigo, she must have got worried.

"Is Blake still here?" Oh no, Ruby was with her. This was going to be hard to hide. There was a third set of footsteps, but no voice to give away who they belonged to.

Noir sighed, but Blake was the one to speak, "We're fine," it was nothing compared to the noise before, but they all heard it, "just, fine."

"Are you two reading or something?" Indigo called from just beyond the curtain.

"Certainly something," Ruby added as she heard sheets rustling on Noir's side of the curtain.

Just as she had finished thinking about the situation around her, Indigo pulled back the curtain in one swift motion, all three pairs of new eyes now focused on the naked forms of Noir and Blake, now both with huge blushes on their faces, looking down onto the sheets. Noir thought about anything that could happen, but none of it did. No shouting. No screaming. No gasps or anything else. Just silent staring and Ruby's nose bleeding at the sight.

Noir had to look up, he needed to know who the third viewer was, but he wasn't going to like it.

Rhea just stood there, her hands to her chest, barely able to stand up straight and with small tears forming in her eyes. Noir and Rhea looked straight at each other, but there was nothing to say. Nothing could be said. So Noir just sat up and held Blake tighter against his chest, holding his ground against the judging eyes as Blake's looked up to him, filled with a mix of joy and awe.

So things didn't get too awkward between the five of them, Indigo closed the curtain as swiftly as she had opened it and skipped off with the other two in her hands. Noir could hear her muttering something about 'finding Orlaith' as she left with Ruby and Rhea in tow, Rhea not feeling too happy at the moment. He let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding in, Blake doing the same. Looking down at Blake, Noir thought he could do nothing more but kiss her. So he did. On the lips, but only gently this time, he was much too tired for anything more. "Goodnight, Blake."

"Goodnight Noir," Blake replied, snuggling back into his chest as she did, her mind growing sleepier by the second. She managed to yawn out one last thing before she fell asleep in Noir's arms, "I love you."

Perhaps... this needs a little explanation. So we'll go back, to a few days ago... to the beginning of the Vytal Tournament.

_'I finally understood what true love meant...love meant that you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be.'  
― Nicholas Sparks, Dear John _

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**Now, just so nobody flips... Warning. M rated content ahead and thanks to my good friend LocoLocko for writing this chapter since I was too... uh... inexperienced to! Now without further interruption... Oh wait, it's already finished. MUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA **

**Now this... this was a feels ride. Thanks again for voting for your pairings, everyone and remember that I looked at ALL the votes and came up with the top voted pairing which, ended with, Noir x Blake. Now, before I get hate for picking a character who ISN'T an OC and is a MAIN character in the actual plot I'd just like to grab a mace and smash you around the head with it - THIS IS A FANFICTION. NOT A, pardon my language, FUCKING NOVEL! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, PACK YOUR BAGS AND LEAVE! **

**For those of you who are still here... Thanks. I mean it, hug me... From now on, The Black Knight enters the swaying waters of an AU HOWEVER for those of you who loved the fact I kept it as close to canon as possibly have NO fear. I will make a new story when RWBY volume 2 is finished which will be The Black Knight - Volume 2. Can't wait? Neither can I! **

**Noir: Keep it down... the kitten's sleeping. **

**Aristotle: Dude, I like talking. I WROTE YOU INTO EX- **

**Noir: Shut it. I know, blah blah... Existence... End of the world... Fourth wall... blah blah... **

**Aristotle: And I wrote you to be like this. **

**Rhea: ... **

**Aristotle: Oh, Hi Rhea! **

**Noir: Great, now write me an invisibility cloak so I can get away from her. **

**Aristotle: I wouldn't dream of it, pup. And remember folks, check back soon for the next chapter! And cheers again for reading and staying. Happy Valentine's day!**


	27. Chapter 27 - The Vytal Tournament P1

**Chapter 27 - The Vytal Tournament Part 1**

**Hello ladies and gentlemen! Or should I say, my loyal ladies and gentlemen! Yes, it is I with another chapter for you! I hope you enjoy this new chapter being the second chapter in the AU. Now, a quick reminder - The Black Knight will continue on like this until RWBY volume 2 is FINISHED. Then, and only then, will I make the Black Knight Vol. 2 to keep up with the 'lore' and setting. I hope you all are enjoying the story and just remember that I love you all. **

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_'The true soldier fights not because he hates what's in front of him, but because he loves what's behind him'_

_- G.K. Chesterton_

It was finally time and to say that he was nervous was an understatement. The Black Knight was standing alongside Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea were standing in a line consisting of the Trainee Hunters and Huntresses from around Vytal. To say it was impressive was an understatement when in fact it was something bigger then even that. It was... magnificent. There were six teams from each of the four main academies.

The names escaped him but the other participants didn't and a well known voice around Vale echoed into alive around the stadium, magnified ten-fold by the presence of many speakers; the popular voice of the radio DJ.

"Heeeelllloooo ladies and gentlemen... Welcome to the annual Vytal Tournament. I am your guest host DJ... well, you should already know who I am! But let's meet the participants. Six teams from each of the major academies around Vytal will participate in a tournament to see who is the strongest of them all... or perhaps the most cunning? We'll find out soon enough ladies and gentlemen. Participants!" The DJ now spoke to the participants and a cold shiver ran down the Black Knight's spine. This was it. It was do or die. "You'll be fighting in tag team battles, facing off against tag teams from the other major academies! Of course, if we were to do ALL of the battles in one day then it'd just be ridiculous and that's not all!"

There were a few sighs down the line and Noir couldn't help but grin - They'd trained for Tag team battles and it was something that he looked forward to.

"To begin with, to filter the teams down a little... we'll be having TEAM ON TEAM battles!"

Something of a cold shiver ran down Noir's spine at that point and he couldn't help but glance over at his team-mates but was surprised to see that all of them wore the same confident and defiant looks.

"Now, as you all know it'd be just CRUEL to send teams from the same academy against each other so we'll be working on the basis that... Two academies vs two. Hold onto your suspenders, ladies... not a full on battle - just a figure of speech. So if we will all turn our attention to the massive display board we will see who'll be fighting first."

Eyes turned... everyone's eyes. A collective breath was drawn as the massive holo board cycled through random academy names on each side before revealing that teams from Beacon and Torchlight would be fighting teams from Radiance and Argent. Team vs Team. That means... there were twelve battles to go through today - each of them could take from five minutes to hours depending on the stamina of the fighters and Noir's eyes narrowed as he spotted Beacon's team list opposite Argent's...

RWBY vs ONYX

JNPR vs DUSK

CRDL vs ROYL

SEDA vs HUNTR

PURE vs CRPT

NOIR vs PALE

Noir inwardly groaned... But his mood lightened almost immediately when he realised that they'd all get a chance to look at the moves of the other team before they had to fight themselves. Was it a blessing? It felt like it... But his thoughts were interrupted as the voice boomed out again,

"Can teams from Argent and Beacon please make your way to the waiting area - it's the building over there. Inside, there are four halls for the corresponding academies - make your way there now please. TVs will be inside so you can watch the battles and hope you enjoy the refreshments!"

As so they did as they were told and the line of stalwart trainees broke apart as teams from Beacon and Argent began to make their way in the direction of the massive building. It was quite hard to miss, after all it was covered in decorations with a long carpet waiting outside for the participants. They were being treated similar to royalty or nobility - whichever came first. Some took it in their stride, Weiss and Seda amongst them whilst the others took it slow and tentatively.

You might expect heat to be exchanged between the two academies, students who were going to be fighting in mere hours but instead... something odd happened. Well, odd was his middle name and it was Noir who went forward and searched the crowd for the 'Team PALE' from Argent. He had no luck until they entered the building, which had one large hall down the centre which stretched on like it was some grand entrance of a palace but with four doors branching off - two on each side. On each door and above them were the names of the corresponding academies in large.

He took it in his stride and waited by the door of Argent, watching as the students entered their room and asking occasionally for PALE. It wasn't until the end, where a girl with long, white hair stepped forward and was about to step into the room that Noir stuck out his arm to stop her.

She turned to look at him, a pair of keen amber eyes staring straight into his wolfish black ones, "Pale?"

"That's the name." Her voice was a mixture of suspicion mixed with a certain friendliness which slightly unhinged the usually anti-social Faunus and he couldn't do anything but grin at her before bowing his head.

"Noir Chevalier. I just wanted you to know that..."

"Hold it. If this is one of those 'Good luck' talks I reckon you should shake that, no matter who wins, we all keep in contact - Aye?"

Noir's eyebrow sky rocketed at the offer. What could he do but nod and agree with this girl? "Sure... but may I ask... why?"

"Because we'll be able to keep In contact and seek each other out for help. Plus builds long distance friendships which could be useful if you ever come down our way or we pop back here. So's it a deal, Chevalier?"

"Yea... you're odd. But that's good. I'll see you in the ring, Pale,"

"Course, now get your ass back to your team."

Noir moved his arm aside, allowing Pale to walk past and push open the door into the Argent room. She was odd. No doubt about that and all Noir could do was chuckle to himself as he walked over to the Beacon room, pushing open the door. The sight which met his eyes was something magnificent... In front of him was a wide, and tall room that was so spread out that It could have been a banquet hall for some outrageously compensating rich man and it took him a few moments to snap out of his stupor and realise it was complete with bar, holo-screen and training dummies set to one side of the room. It was overkill for such a tournament but, they'd just have to live with it.

Not like that was going to be difficult - who'd complain about overkill?

"Noir!" The shout came from one corner of the room and his eyes were soon drawn to a group of chairs all grouped together and saw, with satisfaction, the assembled teams of RWBY, JNPR, PURE and the rest of NOIR. They had grouped chairs around the corner and were all sitting down in the seats, enjoying comfort whilst they could. CRDL and SEDA had spaced themselves out from the rest, Seda practically dragging him team-mates over to the training dummies and trying to 'co-ordinate' his team-mates whilst CRDL was at the bar and lounging about.

"Hey Noir! Get your ass over here!"

"Coming _mother_." He couldn't help the reply to Orlaith's bossy comment but soon found himself guided over to the circle of chairs and taking a seat amongst the others. He was sat in the very corner whilst Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea sat on his left in that order. There was a small gap next to Rhea to allow people to enter and leave the circle but after that the teams went around in a circle sitting in their team order. Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, Ren, Peach, Ugli, Raspberry and Endive were all sat comfortably but they all showed the same emotion whether they wanted to or not. Everyone was nervous of the upcoming battles and it was too optimistic to believe that they would all pass the first round.

So it was silence that claimed the group... silence. The holo screen blazed out images of battles taking place and all they did was sit and stare at one another.

This is just ridiculous... "Come on you lot, we've trained for this. We've all got strong teams." It was a statement filled with confidence and he was surprised that he was the one to make it considering he was thinking the pessimistic thoughts mere moments ago.

He attracted the eyes of everyone around the group, a few of them gave weak smiles whilst others just stared at him for a few moments.

"He's right!"

Thank Dust... Ruby. She was the metaphorical beacon of happiness - what could dampen her spirits?

"We've all trained long and hard for this moment and I for one am not going to see it go to waste!" Ruby declared, before lowering a finger and pointing it directly at Noir with a defiant expression on her face. It was kind of cute but Noir had to take it seriously, "Noir! If we do fight, I wont be holding back!"

The Black Knight let forth a small chuckle, nodding in return and flexing his shoulders, "I don't plan on holding -ANYTHING- back, Miss Rose!"

He had not told the complete truth. Using his semblance against a friend who have been as bad as using it against one of his family members... Of course he could make it a slightly less disturbing manipulation but it would still linger.

However this did not deter him from looking around the gathered teams and giving them the same, defiant look. It was clear and the others soon picked it up and understood - go all out... or don't go at all. In their area of chosen work it'd be more of an insult to a friend not to put your entire willpower into a fight then to relax. It's the perfect chance to demonstrate your abilities.

To think, now that we've come so far it'd be hard to look back and see our past selves.

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"Itttt'sss afternoon! Afterrnooooonnn!" Nora yelled, practically teleporting around the large room whilst the five out of six squads watched the holo-screen with anticipation. If not for their friends, then for the battle itself.

Noir glanced over at Nora before returning his attention back to the large screen and leaning back. All of them, no matter the team, were now leaning against the 'bar' with non-alcoholic drinks in hand and staring at the holo-screen as the battle un-folded on the screen. It was brutal to say the least, the mixture of explosions and the sounds of metal hitting metal was practically permanently embedded in their ears.

The camera acquired a particularly good shot of a prime example of amazing team work - Weiss using her glyphs to provide platforms for Ruby and Yang to jump around the battlefield on whilst Blake ensured that no one left the 'glyph perimeter'. Impressive was an understatement and the audience's 'Ooos' and 'Ahhh' were clearly coming through the speakers.

It was barely a few moments later, or what felt like a few moments when in reality it was another minute, when the battle was called to a halt. RWBY stood triumphant, the other team had been defeated and the collective cheers and applause was heard throughout the stadium and by the DJ.

"I think we could all just say we saw a prime example of Beacon's slice of the cake and let's just say, ladies and gentlemen, that I'd want to have that slice! Next battle, JNPR vs DUSK. There'll be a five minute intermission whilst we await the stadium to be cleared and the other teams to head back to their respective halls. Just a friendly reminder, the Vytal tournament is sponsored by Pumpkin's Pete's Marshmallow flakes! Taste the cereal of champions!"

Noir glanced over at Jaune, nodding to him, "I expect to see you in the tag teams, Jaune,"

"Was going to say the same thing to you," The two exchanged a smile, before a sudden, comedic thought came to mind and Noir couldn't resist adding,

"Make the ladies love the name Jaune Arc."

What else could be said? Men didn't have emotional, hugging moments but they didn't need to. For men, intentions are conveyed better through actions and smaller sentences. Why complicate something when it didn't need to be complicated?

JNPR had left the room and there was silence for a few moments but then the silence was broken as the door opened again and Team RWBY walked in looking tired but happy. Even the ice queen had a small, satisfied smile on her face - either from the victory or the tactics it was hard to tell. Noir raised a hand and gave ruby a small wave and a nod before his eyes travelled to Blake and he couldn't hold back a small smile from crossing his lips. And then a thought struck him.

The bar was free service, everything was paid for or else he probably wouldn't have even done the next action...

Standing up from the bar, Noir set his glass down and walked around to be behind the bar and have free access to all of the drinks and his eyes travelled to the members of RWBY with a smile on his face, "Hello ladies, drink's on me for such a successful match. What're you having?"

"Milk."

"Water."

"Tea."

"Water."

He couldn't resist, leaning down and grabbing the respective containers for their drinks... the milk being hardest to find and having to dig to the back of the refrigerator to find the blue milk, pouring a glass for Ruby and sliding it over to her before putting it back in the fridge before pulling out the green milk and setting the kettle on. He set up a cup for Blake, putting a tea bag in the cup before setting up the glasses for the two glasses of water.

The water was ice cold, definitely the way it should be, and he poured it into the respective glasses before sliding both glasses over to Weiss and Yang respectively.

The kettle slowly began to boil and, whilst it did Noir lent forward on the counter and stared at the holo-screen watching as the battle was about to commence.

This was going to be a long few hours, but Noir had the utmost faith in all of his friends to do their best and give it their all because he wanted to face all of them at some point. Well, not all of them but he was going to have to face at least one of them and which ever one it was he was going to give it his all.

There was the murmuring of the kettle as the water boiled and a soft click to let him know it was done. He turned, grabbing the kettle and pouring an ample amount of water into the cup before grabbing a plastic spoon, squeezing the tea bag against the side of the cup before adding the milk. He stirred for a few more moments, turning around and handing it to Blake with a small smile which she returned with a nod, "Thank you."

"My pleasure, Miss Belladonna."

"That was a brutal hit by Mr Arc! I wouldn't want to have been on the receiving end of that!" The voice echoed around the room and small smiles were exchanged before they all fell silent as the commentary continued, "Looks like Ren's in trouble, this looks li- OW! THAT LOOKED LIKE IT HURT! Poor sod! Miss Valkyrie just smashed that poor sucker!"

Everyone collectively flinched as they watched Nora slam her hammer into one of the members of DUSK. If that didn't send your Aura into the red then what would?

***INSERT LINE HERE***

The rest of the matches continued similar in fashion to the others, with three notable exceptions. CRDL had lost against a team of female Faunus whilst SEDA had a narrow loss against a group of close combat fighters. PURE... well, they didn't win. but they sure came close - Peach dropped her guard at the wrong moment and was rewarded with a kick in the stomach from a metal boot which sent her Aura plummeting into the red. She was the last man standing for her team whilst the other was a tall man from Argent.

But now...

"Hello ladies and gentlemen, time for the last match of the day! You all still awake because we have a few notable names to get your adrenaline pumping! NOIR vs PALE! There'll be a five minute intermission to allow the field to be cleared and the new competitors to get onto the field! Remember everyone that the Vytal tournament is sponsored by Grifball - the sport everyone loves!"

Noir's heart was pumping in his ears whilst his mind was a buzz with activity. But that didn't remove his calm look... or so he would have liked to think as he led the way for his team out of the room. Something which did effect his look... Blake patted him on the arm and offered him one of her rare smiles.

A confidence boost was something that he needed, not that he'd ever admit that to anyone.

They passed PURE in the hallway, and all that Peach said was, "Kick their asses."

Not like he wasn't planning on doing that -anyway- but it was always nice to be reminded of the purpose of the tournament. For, in reality, what else was it then a massive brawl?

They happened to walk side by side with PALE on their way out and it actually looked pretty cool, or so he'd discover when looking back at it on the newsfeeds. Pale and Noir were dead opposites of one another from colour to just general appearance.

They walked out into the crowded stadium to cheers and applause as the massive voice of the DJ boomed out around the stadium,

"It's the last match of the day folks and dare I say it, we might have saved best for last! Introducing Team PALE from the Argent Academy these four have..." But the words seemed to be drowned out or Noir as he led the way to the centre of the field before turning ninety degrees to his left and facing Pale dead in the face. The two shook hands before taking a few steps backwards to give themselves room.

"And of course, from Beacon Academy we have Team NOIR! A teenage boy's dream, team NOIR consists of a lucky sod- I mean, Noir Chevalier and three lovely ladies! Orlaith Orian, Indigo Althea and Rhea Ravenscroft! IF any of you watched the old tournaments from quite a few years back, the name Chevalier should ring a bell! That's right, we have the little brother of Raven Chevalier here with his tonight accompanied by the little sister of Adalwin Ravenscroft! Expect explosions and yelling ladies and gents."

Noir rose an eyebrow the longer the DJ spoke, soon losing it in his hair before lowering it with a sigh, "Why do I get the impression that Raven knew this man..." But the rest of his statement was drowned out as another cheer erupted from the crowd, like they actually remembered Raven. Of course, they wouldn't but when the commentator mentions a name then you cheer. It was an unspoken rule of events.

"Teams PALE and NOIR! Draw your weapons!"

The sound of metal grinding against scabbard was heard as each member of team PALE drew forth different weapons but made from the same metal - Pale wielded a longsword by itself but a dagger lay in wait at her belt. The man next to Pale drew out a longsword and a wide shield, speaking volumes about his style. The two remaining members of PALE drew out spears that glistened in the dying light from the sun.

NOIR was all too happy to oblige, drawing out their own weapons and earning a collective gasp from many in the crowd. Indigo drew out her senbon needles in one hand and her dagger in the other whilst Rhea pulled out her longbow. They were at the disadvantage - NOIR was mostly ranged weaponry; or so it appeared.

Orlaith however drew out her claymore, giving it a few test swings before gripping it with two hands and grinning at the boys with spears as if marking them up for targets. All of team NOIR shared a glance, and the beauty of non-verbal communication shone brightly as the DJ yelled, "BEGIN!"

PALE rushed forward, aiming for Indigo and Rhea as if sizing them up for the weakest seeing as that they both were wielding ranged weapons but the massive CLANG of metal hitting metal broke the chill air.

Orlaith had blocked the two spears with her claymore, slowly struggling to hold them back but with a grin on her face worthy of Noir's wolfish grins. The Black Knight had practically switched to karabmit form on both the twins and blocked the two longswords - each with one karambit - as they aimed for Indigo.

Rhea and Indigo, to their own credit, had jumped backwards to move so their squad mates could block for them but that didn't stop them from adding their own weapons into the fray. An arrow shot towards the shield bearer, who manage dot lift his shield in time to send the arrow off in a random direction. Indigo on the other hand threw one of her dust laced senbon needles behind the members of PALE but to no avail - the dust did not explode like it was meant to.

Now with the weight of fending off two people with longswords, Noir fell to one knee, the sound of metal grinding against his karambits piercing the air and causing his ears to object to the sound. If anything, Orlaith was having fun as her claymore danced with the spears.

Noir couldn't supress a grin, recalling a training session a while ago... when he had thought Ruby. It was time to use the same move here.

Pushing up, Noir pressed his full body weight against the swords and managed to shrug himself free of the blades and only having a moment of respite before darting forward and beginning a relentless, almost feral attack on the two members of PALE.

_If we do something, we do it as a team!_

"Indigo, now!"

"Got it!"

Noir slid back against the weight of a combined strike from the two swordsmen and grinning slightly as their position became evidently clear and he saw the gleaming end of the embedded senbon needle in the dirt.

Indigo drew another one back, before throwing it directly at the one in the dirt. It was a shot that not just anyone could pull off and Indigo couldn't help but smile as the second senbon flew through the air and connected with the first. The initial explosion was nothing out of the ordinary however as the dust from the second ignited the real reason why the first hadn't ignited became all too clear.

The first was a dud but still very volatile however it had been an intentional dud laying the foundations for the first had been laced with a lot more dust then Indigo would have normally placed however the idea of lacing needles with more dust however a less volatile kind as to not cause an initial explosion - solid dust or Dust crystals as they were more commonly referred to. The second was laced with dust in a more volatile form providing the explosion needed for the crystals to ignite.

Needless to say, the result was an explosion that would have made a pyromaniac break down in tears. Pale and her team-mate were blown back several metres, landing on the edge of the stadium and remaining still - their aura dangerously close to nil.

The explosion had even caused Noir and Indigo to skid back a few feet, kicking up an ample amount of dirt and earning a loud yell from Orlaith. "Where'd those two buggers go!"

After a few moments, the dust cleared to reveal the two spearmen lying on the floor a few metres away from Orlaith. They were close to the explosion and were badly effected to the stage that their aura had...

"We have a winner! Ladies and gentlemen, Team PALE has entered the red - some more then others! Let's all give NOIR a big hand for their explosive finish, and a dynamic ending to a dynamic tournament! Well, at least the first round! That'll be all for tonight folks! Check back tomorrow for the team-condition round for the Vytal tournament!"

_'War does not determine who is right - Only who is left.'_

_- Betrand Russell_

* * *

**Noir: One day, I'll find a way into the real world and strangle you.**

**Aristotle: Keep thinking like that, Noir. Keep thinking...**

**Noir: Oh I will... I will... So's this chapter 26?**

**Aristotle: No... 27.**

**Noir: ... What happened to 26?**

**Aristotle: We've gone back in time, Noir.**

**Noir: ... What happened?! DID I DIE! ARE YOU EXPLAINING HOW I DIE!?**

**Aristotle: I am oh so tempted to say yes.**


	28. Chapter 28 - The Vytal Tournament P2

**Chapter 28 - The Vytal Tournament Part 2**

_'Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity'_

_- George Carlin_

First round over, what else could they have in store for us? Thoughts like that bounced around Noir's skull as he walked backed to the hall, panting with a thin layer of sweat glistening in the dull light. they had fought well, and won but now...

It was something to be savoured but it felt like the beginning of something much bigger that'd he would soon come to dread. After all, it was only the first round of a much larger, much more intense tournament.

Pushing open the door to the hall his eyes were immediately assaulted by the sight of the other teams - who had been victorious - waiting for them with smiles on their faces. Nods were exchanged? What else were you meant to say except,

"Where's PURE, SEDA and CRDL gotten to?" Orlaith asked, stifling a yawn and glancing around the large room. It felt even emptier and it chilled them to the bone. The lack of people... the room felt more haunted now and whispers were amplified and echoed across the room.

"An official came in and told them to head back to Beacon since they were out of the tournament. And they said that tomorrow will be another match of team battles but with a twist," Pyrrha began to explain, leaning back on the stool and staring at NOIR before offering a genuine smile, "The two members of each team with the lowest Aura will be removed from the tournament - percentage of aura before you start worrying."

Indeed, Noir had tensed up before she had thoroughly explained and breathed a sigh of relief, "What happens after that?"

It was like in his mindseye that a small story board had been conjured up and a chibi form of Pyrrha was pointing to the different rounds of the tournament.

"The tournament is split into five rounds -

Team battles.

Team battles with condition.

Tag team battles.

Singles."

She paused a moment, taking in a breath as the information sunk into everyone's skulls before continuing, "For the tag team battles, you choose your partner however they must be from the same academy as your own. For example, I could partner up with Yang however I would not be able to partner up with someone from Argent."

They all nodded in response, some slower then others whilst the information sunk in for some faster.

"So, perhaps we should get a goodnights rest before we fight in the next battle. After that, the battles will become shorter and more constricted so don't be surprised if on the last day we are doing tag team battles and singles."

"This'll be interesting..." Noir muttered, glancing around the assembled and locking eyes with Blake. The two exchanged a look which spoke volumes - In the tag team battles for training the two o them had partnered up on numerous occasions and had the greatest degree of teamwork and understand for one another's abilities. If it did come to tag team... And Blake was still in the tournament then he'd team up with her.

If not Blake then probably Rhea or Indigo... maybe even Ruby if push came to shove.

But now wasn't the time for such thoughts, or was it? No... he was too tired to be thinking about this and his eyes were already showing signs of sleep claiming him.

"If you lot need me, I'll be in a chair and sound asleep."

The dream that soothed his sleep were... interesting. To say the least. But something that he'd keep to himself, seeing as that if he mentioned them to anyone -she- might find out and that was something he didn't want.

* * *

"Hello ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the second round of the Vytal Tournament! Hope you all got a good night's sleep after yesterday's excitement and are prepared for more! We'll now randomly select which teams will be fighting which - This time It'll be Beacon teams against Radiance whilst Argent teams fight against Torchlight teams! We were lucky this year and there are three teams remaining for each academy! Let's take a look at the Holo board!"

All eyes turned to the holo board, and so did the camera. RWBY, JNPR and NOIR all had their eyes fixed on the screen since they knew that they'd probably be going first.

NOIR vs LBTY

JNPR vs JSTC

RWBY vs NTRE

"Oo! Looks like we got an interesting set up, folks! Let's give the competitor's five minutes to get out onto the playing field!"

Noir was silent. His eyes fixed on the shimmering pixels representing 'LBTY' and realising who he would be facing. Her. How could he do this? His childhood friend, the person who he would ha-

A small pat on his shoulder was enough to break him out of his daze and he turned to see Blake, eyeing him for a few moments before nodding to the door, "Get out there. We'll be cheering for you."

For him. For NOIR. It was a cunning play of words... Noir was NOIR but NOIR was Noir, confusing right? Not for him... it was something to enjoy. Support... he had it. Blake Belladonna.

"Let's go kick some ass Noir!" Orlaith yelled, not waiting for him and grabbing his arm and dragging him out of the room. He didn't' resist and once they had left the sanctuary of the hall he had regained his footing and was walking of his own will just in time to see LBTY walking out of the other room opposite the hall. Looks were exchanged and Noir locked eyes with Laila for a few moments before they both shared a weak smile.

The two teams strode out of the building side by side, practically imitating the same as how they walked out with PALE the other day. Cheers, applause... the sound was deafening and the trainees couldn't help but feel... less.

Noir had thought many weeks ago... 'You should only have the right to go to war with someone if you've got to know them first. He was regretting his view on the matter already as he stared into Laila's eyes whilst the two teams stood opposite one another, giving each other some room whilst the DJ yelled,

"Ladies and gentlemen, we're opening up with some interesting fighters! Laila Laska, leader of team LBTY, is known to be one of the best swordswomen at Radiance! On the other hand, we've got our fan favourite of Noir Chevalier who's come from a family full of Hunters - Don't be racist, gents. He's a nice bloke!"

Noir's eyebrow twitched, but other then that he didn't take his eyes off of Laila. She was smiling slightly,

"Combatants! Draw your weapons."

And so they did, each one of them drawing out their weapons. Noir was too preoccupied with the idea of fighting Laila to notice the rest of his team and decided that, for the better, he'd keep her distracted. Of course, it'd have been better to send Orlaith against Laila but some things should be dealt with personally... and this was one of those things.

Noir pulled out the twins from their respective holsters, clicking the buttons and turning them into karambits. Laila drew out a longsword, eyeing Noir carefully as she held the sword in a two handed grip.

"Three. Two. One. BEGIN!"

It was barely at 'Begin' when Noir dashed forwards, his karambits ringing as they made contact with the longsword and the combined speed and power of all eight participants engaging each other head on was enough to kick up the dirt all around and cloud vision.

The scraping of metal against metal was heard for a few seconds before Noir's eyes widened as a boot came and collided with his stomach, causing him to double over and relax his defence.

Laila took advantage of this, bringing her sword around again and aiming to slash at his back - perhaps a bad move since it'd have been more effective to stab but a move that would have hurt none the less.

The Black Knight threw himself to the side, landing in the dirt and sliding for a few metres before managing to manoeuvre himself back to his feet with a grin playing on his lips. However Laila was hot on his heels and it was a moment before he had to bring up the twins but instead of blocking he moved to the side, tilting the blade to it would cause the longsword to slide off of the karambit and kick up sparks whilst Noir was free to attack with his spare hand.

This might have worked, with Laila's attack successfully deflected but he didn't expect her to shoulder barge him a moment later causing them both to be thrown to the ground. It might have been an awkward position, with Laila on top and her weapon discarded but it was hard to think of that whilst you were being beaten to a pulp. She was punching him in quick succession, angling her knees to keep his arms pinned to the floor.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bleep.

It wasn't hurting... but hell, the concussive force was beginning to leave some marks on him and there was a bleep from his scroll to indicate his Aura had entered the yellow.

How could he move, she had him...

Their eyes met... the eyes of two Faunus.

Feral instinct took over and Noir's semblance activated, the image of Laila being pinned down whilst her best friend had his ears ripped off. She was helpless... If only she could reach him!

Her screams echoed throughout the stadium, giving Noir the opportunity to head-butt her in the chest sending her back off of him and allowing him to practically leap back to his feet with his karambits drawn and his teeth bared. The sight which met him wasn't pleasant.

Laila was still clutching her head, the screams dying out whilst Brass stood next to her with his weapon drawn and sweat covering his body. His armour glinted in the sun and it was barely a moment before Noir noticed the prone figures of Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea. Each of them had been knocked to the floor - unconscious but had managed to deal with the other two members of LBTY.

Brass gave his own blade a few test swings, glancing down at the prone figure of Laila before letting out a yell and charging forwards. Laila's Aura had only barely entered the red, perhaps due to the semblance or due to the aura trying to restore her to fighting form. Either way, she was out...

Metal against metal... or rather, metal against flesh. Noir and Brass met halfway, their metal clanging together and echoing throughout the stadium. A karambit was locked with the base of the blade whilst the other karambit had hit the stop of the shield and was slowly sliding off...

NOW!

A twitch of the thumbs and both of the karambit's blades began to extend at an alarming rate, catching Brass' arm with the one lock with the longsword causing him to loosen his grip, dropping the blade. The opening was so clear it hurt to watch and Noir took the opportunity, throwing his full weight against the shield and causing Brass to fall down onto the dirt with Noir on top. A karambit was hovering just above the warrior's throat. His arm would be broken or dislocated, judging from the odd angle that it was at. Never the less... It was interesting.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Noir Chevalier is the victor"

But... it didn't feel like a victory.

_'If we do something, we do it as a team or not at all!'_

Noir shuddered, slowly climbing off of Brass and shooting him a short glare. Laila was still cowering somewhere and there was only a flicker of guilt for using his semblance... But also something satisfying. She know knew what he had gone through at that moment and the coming months... years even. She now had felt the pain, loss, remorse, depression that he had felt.

His eyes were drawn to where his team-mates lay but men and women wearing white clothing with red crosses had already come running out onto the field, putting them on stretchers and taking them away alongside team LBTY leaving Noir alone on the field...

"Hold it a minute Noir! There has been a change of arrangement!" The DJ's voice echoed across the stadium, piercing the silence that had enveloped it ever since the screams of Laila had been heard.

"You'll be fighting the tag-team battle... Whoa, dude that's not cool... By yourself."

Silence.

What good was it to shout and complain about something he had no power over and the Chevalier simply shrugged, turning on his heels and heading back to the hall. People were already looking at him differently... with fear instead of interest. Anger instead of pride.

He made his way back inside, pushing open the door and watching as his feet almost automatically guided him to the room. On his way, he passed JNPR. All of which avoided looking him in the eyes but Jaune gave him a smile, "Good show Noir. We'll knock em dead."

Noir didn't respond and instead found himself walking past them without a word. Or a sign that he had acknowledged Jaune's attempt to communicate.

Pushing open the door, Noir's eyes encountered something that was nice to see.

"Hey Noir!" Ruby called, waving at him and holding up a large bottle of water, "Drink something!"

He had to think fast as the bottle sailed through the air and almost hit him in the head. Only his fast reactions saved him and he snatched the bottle out of the air, giving Ruby an appreciative smile. The Black Knight undid the lid, striding over to the counter and taking a long drag from the drink only to almost choke on it as the voice came from the speakers,

"So ladies and gentlemen, what's your opinion on the LBTY vs NOIR fight?"

Noir could only swallow as the voices of a few people came through the speakers - he didn't dare look at the screen.

"Impressive to say the least!" Came a woman's voice, "I'd not want to piss him off!"

"What'd he do to the young lass? One moment she was beating the crap out of him, the next she was screaming - what'd the wolf do?"

"I'd watch it again! Quite the turn around and I'll be cheering for him for the tag team battles!"

"It isn't really fair. I mean they fought and won and now he's being thrown to the wolves?"

"He's hot. Ten out of ten."

What was he expecting? Curses? Insults? Well... he hadn't gotten what he'd thought and taking a small sip from the water he revelled in the feeling of the water trickling slowly down his throat and only noticing now how dry his mouth felt.

"Congratulations, Noir."

His eyes were drawn to Blake who offered him a small nod,

"You did well."

"Thanks Blake... I think I could have done better but on the bright side I know that I'll probably be back in Beacon by the end of tomorrow."

"Oh... I doubt it." Was all Blake replied, leaning back in her seat and raising a book which seemed to draw her eyes to it like magnets.

What was the Black Knight meant to do?

Looks like he was a Lone wolf for the rest of the tournament... Something which he deeply loathed.

* * *

"Hello ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the third and final day of the Vytal tournament and what a show we've been given! I must admit, I wasn't expecting such a turn out but... here we are! Now if you'll all turn to look at the holo screen we'll see who's fighting who..."

It was horrible. Painful. Constricting.

He, Ruby, Weiss, Jaune and Pyrrha sat alone in the empty hall all staring at the screen in anticipation as the table listed the matches that would take place. Going as far as to list the singles matches - where there would be more then one winner or, to put it nicely, 'You could win but the person who impresses the 'judges' the most earns the title of victor.'

He found his name at the bottom of the list for the Doubles matches -

Noir Chevalier and **UNAVAILABLE **vs. Pearl and Euclase.

The last match... He'd have to wait. A long time... there was no one to talk to since Ruby and Weiss were on first and he wasn't exactly talking to Jaune and Pyrrha much. So the young Faunus waited. Waited as his friends left the room, fighting to the sounds of applause and metal.

Ruby and Weiss had won their match - easily.

Jaune and Pyrrha had just as much luck and beat their competitors - but it was close.

"That was an exciting match ladies and gentlemen! I think it's time for the last doubles match before we enter the final round. Noir Chevalier vs Pearl and Euclase!"

He left the room... for the last time. But he didn't know that, did he?

Striding down the corridor he barely glanced over at the sound of the other door opening, and only reacted when the main doors in opened and he was hit by the volume of cheers and applause.

It didn't feel... like anything. He should have been walking out with-

_"Hey Mr Happy."_

Noir glanced to his left, his strides becoming tiny steps before halting as he stared into the transparent eyes of Rhea.

_"Why so glum? You've got a match to win!" _

"I'd rather you were here to fight with me, Rhea..." Noir muttered, his eyes falling to stare at his boots. Was it odd... he hadn't washed them in days and dirt stained them similar to how blood would stain a surgeon's gloves.

_"Ah, come on you! We're watching you and cheering for you! Get out there and show them what it means to be the Black Knight!" _

His own mind telling him to get a grip was something that he didn't want to get used to but Noir Chevalier released a genuine smile, his sombre mood disappearing in an instant and he strode out into the arena. The stadium. The battleground... so many names.

The pair of girls were already waiting for him however, in his eyes, they were prey. Prey... and he was the hunter. He'd rather not see their faces or admire their clothing since now... now was the time to demonstrate his abilities.

"And here he is ladies and gentlemen! The Black Knight of Beacon! Currently a fan favourite and already has quite a few female admirers, Noir Chevalier has been declared as a 'Jaeger' for the rest of the tournament. This means, ladies and gents, he's too powerful to face alone! Quite ridiculous but this was determined by the, slightly racist, judges!"

A few laughs were mingled in with the cheers and Noir couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as he became level with his prey.

"Now! To keep things interesting, whoever wins this battle will be going straight into the next! Think of it like a way to keep the fighting going! Or a way to remove people from the competition quickly! Just a reminder folks, the Vytal tournament is sponsored by Red vs. Blue - Or Blue vs. Red!"

There was a break as a few people laughed at the 'private' joke but it was still listed in Noir's mind as 'un-important'…

"Alright folks... Participants! Draw your weapons!"

Noir took the handles of Minuit and Pitch Beauty firmly in each hand, drawing them out and almost immediately switching them to karambit form and extending the blades. Through his eyes... the prey drew out what appeared to be a mace whilst the other pulled out a sword. Nothing fancy...

"Alright - good luck. Three. Two. One. Be- HOLY MOTHER OF-"

But the DJ's voice was drowned out as Noir disappeared in a cloud of smoke as the head of the mace landed where he had been standing mere moments ago. The girls had already began to move and Noir managed to dodge to a position only to have a sword meet him halfway.

CLAAAANGGG!

Metal against metal... Steel against steel... Claws against hide.

Noir bared his teeth at the girl, managing to block the blade with Pitch Beauty's new extended blade before bring Minuit around and aiming to slash the girl across the chest. No blood but the force from the blow sent her back, leaving her winded and Noir continued in the momentum from his movement unhitching his blade from the block and only barely dodging the mace again by ducking low to ground. A moment to think before the obvious was brought to mind and he continued in the spin, slashing the other girl across the legs and causing her to fall forwards. The only thing that stopped her? Noir's knee meeting her head halfway and sending her back a few metres, kicking up dust as she went and coming to a halt.

Noir now turned his gaze back to the other, his eyes widening as he saw her sword coming a full speed towards him in a stabbing motion. The girl had a triumphant expression on her face and met his eyes to see the fear of failing... But that was a failure in itself.

The moment eye contact was made Noir activated his semblance, thinking desperately for something to twist... something to manipulate and deciding on the best course of action - Imagine being cut open, not so you die but so the wound is visible and bleeding... then imagine someone pouring juice from lemons onto the injury followed by salt before placing maggots in the injury. Sounds painful. And it was for the girl.

Her blade stopped barely a centimetre from his chest and Noir held his breath as the girl let out a loud scream of pain, clutching a non existent injury on her chest and falling backwards - shaking un-controllably.

"I think we all know who won this one, folks! Noir Chevalier is victorious now someone help those poor girls off the field so we can get the first singles match under way! Don't go anywhere Noir, you're the first match!"

He had to close his eyes... why? The Black Knight... his semblance was too powerful but it had to have a way out... a loophole. Perhaps something to remind you of the present? A slap in the face to bring you out of the fake feeling? One day he'd try it out... one day.

"Now ladies and gentlemen, as you remember me saying the Singles matches are just that- the singles matches. All the remaining pairs will be split and people will fight... except one pair! They will fight Noir and determine if he is strong enough to be considered a Jaeger! This decision has been made, you got a problem with it Noir?"

All cameras. Everything was pointed at Noir. There were some shouts about how unfair it was... but life wasn't fair. You'd have to come to terms with it at some point and some had to do it sooner then others.

"They'll have to drag me out of this stadium if they think I ain't going to earn that title!"

"You heard it here first folks! The Chevalier working to claim the title of Jaeger! Now, can we bring out the next fighters! Can Quartz and Topaz come to the field!"

Prey and Prey. Rock and Rock. Gemstone and Gemstone. They could have been called nuts and bolts for all Noir cared but... something felt off. He slotted the twins back into their holsters, giving his hands a momentary respite before pulling out his scroll and staring at his stats.

His aura was in the yellow. Almost hitting the red... A few cuts and scratches would be incoming in the next fight then.

Noir took his starting position again only noticing now that the massive holo screen was showing different shots of him, with his coat fluttering in the wind and staring defiantly. Of course... he wasn't the only one to get publicity in this tournament but this was the part that he was involved in.

"Noir Chevalier vs the twins: Quartz and Topaz! The last match for these three! Just as a friendly reminder, if you want to vote for the winner of this match then open up your scrolls and go to /Voting! remember, your voting for who you think did the best so you all may want to wait for the match to end... speaking of the match. Participants, draw your weapons for the final time!"

Pitch Beauty and Minuit practically materialised in Noir's hands as he watched the other twins pull out their own weapons - an odd looking pair. Both had a sword and shield... Trained together, lived togheter... same fighting style.

"Begin!"

Time for a show. Noir raised the twins, not switching them to the karambit forms and pulling the trigger countless times whilst aiming at the Gemstone twins. The two barely managed to raise their shields to catch the second bullet, the first for each hitting their auras and already leaving a dent in their defense.

"Ouch! Looks like the Chevalier's got them pinn- Oo, they're advancing!"

And so they were, the two of them taking steps forward with their shields still raised as Noir began to slow down his firing.

Three left in each.

Two left in each...

One.

Empty.

Click. Click... click click click.

The magazines from each automatically were discharged from the weapon, landing on the floor with a heavy clunk - ironically with the word 'HEAVY' imprinted on the side of each.

Sheilds were lowered and swords were jabbed forward towards the Black Knight. Did he dodge? No... he took them head on. His aura already entering the read and the words of Goodwitch echoing inhsis mind from lessons ago...

_'In a classic tournament style duel, once your aura has hit the red the match will be called.'_

I think this counted as 'Not classic' and Noir couldn't help but grin, remembering another important lesson... or rather, sentence.

_'Our weapons are conduits for our Aura.'_

Last resort...

The black aura which had been enveloping Noir mere moments ago was flowing like a liquid into the twins, making the blades shine black. The two swords cut into Noir's chest but now it was time for his counter attack, and he did.

Lowering his arms beneath the blades, he brought the twins up in an upward motion to get the swords away from his chest causing more scratches to be etched into his skin before he brought the twins back down again and slammed them into the arms of the Gemstone twins.

Two yells as the black metal hit their armour, auras blazing into life to prevent damage whilst the black aura attempted to pierce it - the resulting contact between auras caused sparks to fly.

Another sword, brought around by his knee... he felt it scratch against his upper leg but it was like when he fought the Alpha. Feral. Instinct.

Clicking the buttons on the twins, he watched as the blades extended backwards into the arms of the men and instead of piercing their aura it gave him the propulsion to put all his body weight against it and throw himself into the air - with the extra help of a jump and a certain sword that was forced down to the ground.

Noir span in mid air, the sun framed behind him as it tried to retreat behind the buildings of Vale. His coat flew in the air around him, making appear like a grim reaper whilst his blades gleamed black in the light... like a creature of Grimm. it was barely a moment later when Noir dropped back to the floor, gravity taking its effect but he didn't land directly on the floor... instead landing with his boots on each of the mens' heads, And forcing them into the dirt.

was it a victory? He felt like he'd lost... but he hadn't. Faint... horrible... weak... he felt like his body just lost all of its energy and he began a slow descent to the ground whilst the DJ said something along the lines of what he had been hearing for the other days...

"Noir Chevalier is victorious!"

… what he didn't expect was something to catch him. Someone... his eyes were already shutting by the time he was caught but he did catch a glimpse of something... black.

* * *

"Oi! Noir!" Slap. Slap.

Why... what was it with people and slapping him awake?

The voice was familiar and his eyes barely managed to open as he looked into the beaming face of... "ORLAITH!"

"YOU WON YOU FABULOUS BASTARD! YOU WON YOUR MATCH!"

"WHERE AM I?!"

"At the celebration party, Ruby did just as well and so did Jaune - We all thought that it was rigged for the leaders to look good but... that's just us." Orlaith replied happily and Noir raised an eyebrow at her,

"So your first reaction to me being injured... is to take me to a celebration PARTY?!"

"Actually, We all thought it'd be a good idea so you could thank Blake,"

"Huh?"

"She -was- the one who saved you from the fall."

_'It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.'_

_- André Gide, Autumn Leaves_

* * *

**Hello ladies and gentlemen and I hope you have enjoyed the second part of the Vytal tournament now I get the feeling I may be receiving a few messages soon asking, 'Hey, Aristotle... Why'd you skip over most of the tournament? Surely you could have added more in.' **

**Well, my friends! I answer simply - Flash backs. 'nough said. **

**Noir: I feel horrible... Gah... So weak...**

**Aristotle: You'll be fine in a few hours... you'll feel -much- better... Heh heh..**

**Noir: What do you know I don't? **

**Aristotle: You'll know soon enough, Noir... Soon enough...**


	29. Chapter 29 - Jaeger

**Chapter 29 - Jaeger**

_'The reason I talk to myself is because I'm the only one whose answers I accept'_

_-George Carlin_

Happy. Excited. Eager. Alive.

Was he all of these things now? Some say life doesn't truly start until you start to love someone... If that's true then Noir could reassure himself with the knowledge that his life must just be getting started. Or was this all a dream? A blissful dream that he was about to be cruelly wrenched from when his teammates wake him up for classes.

There was something warm on his chest... in fact, he felt warm all over. Inside and out. It was like... It was hard to describe. His chest was warm on the inside and out and he felt confidence and security that he was rarely blessed with. And then the memories of the previous evening sprang to mind and the young Faunus couldn't help but smile. A small smile but a smile none the less.

"Blake?"

Should he open his eyes? Find out the truth of what was there. Maybe he wa-

"Yea?"

The feeling across the rest of his body changed as Blake adjusted herself, hugging him tighter or a moment and pressing herself against him. She was soft... and cuddly. His eyes parted and he was rewarded by the sight of a pair of amber eyes looking back at him. So it wasn't a dream...

"Noir?"

"Just checking it wasn't a dream..."

Noir smiled again, running a hand down the centre of Blake's back along her spine and grinning slightly as she shivered before responding, "It wasn't a dream... Thankfully."

Happy. Thankful. Grateful? What was the best way to describe what he was feeling but fireworks ignited in his head as Blake pressed her lips against his in a light, morning kiss. "I should be... Getting back... Get ready for class..." She mumbled, cutting off as there was the soft joined beeping of two scrolls.

The Black Knight lowered a arm over the side of the bed, digging around in his trench coat to pull out his scroll before fishing around in her pile before pulling out her scroll and handing it to her. Blake gave him a feline grin, climbing on top and taking the scroll from him and pressing the button.

Noir couldn't see the image that appeared on the screen but heard the voice of Ruby,

_"Hey Blake! Uh... Hope you're... Ok and awake! We have classes soon!" _

The Faunus sighed, moving her scroll to the side and staring into the pitch black eyes of Noir, nodding to him. "You now."

Was it a trust exercise? Messages played so the other can hear and know who it is? Or was it just for convenience and the fact they didn't want to move from one another... It didn't matter. Either way Noir nodded, raising his own scroll so it was above him and just hovering above Blake's head. He clicked the button, the scroll parted and revealed the image of... Professor Goodwitch.

_"Mr Chevalier. You have been accepted into a new class. Your timetable has been updated and please be prompt with your attendance."_

"What class?" Noir spoke to the scroll, staring at it questioningly whilst moving a hand from the scroll to scratch behind Blake's cat ears.

"Check your..." A soft purr escaped her lips before she finished, "… timetable."

People did have a habit of answering is rhetorical questions but he couldn't help but grin at Blake's logic and he did so, exiting the message and clicking on his timetable and immediately finding the new addition.

**Professor Adler - Jaeger studies**

"Jaeger studies?" Noir spoke aloud, staring at it for a few moments before lowering his gaze to the purring Blake.

"You'll find out..." Blake managed to mumble out amidst purrs.

"I hope so." He replied, leaning up and planting a short kiss on Blake's lips, her purrs being muffled by his lips and the two shared a moment.

"Hey Noir,"

The two of them broke apart from their kiss as Noir turned his head to the closed curtains and seeing Orlaith's head poked out of the corner, "We got lessons soon so... You may want to let Blake get back to her room and get changed."

"Thank you, Orlaith." Blake said, leaning intentionally over Noir and pushing her chest into Noir's face whilst grabbing her dress and pulling it up to the side of the bed.

Oh yes... This was going to be fun.

"Take my coat, I'll grab it back from you before we reach Port's lesson."

* * *

The first lesson passed rather smoothly, not incidents and Rhea seemed to be... Well... Rhea. The older Rhea, slightly colder but with a pained expression whenever she believed none of them were looking her way. He'd need to talk to her but not yet - now they had more pressing matters. Or rather... He did.

But now, they were all sat at their table eating breakfast and there was the general conversation that you'd have at the breakfast table... Except...

"Noir, you were amazing!"

"Peach, It was just the heat of the moment... Nothing to admire,"

"Are you kidding me? You looked like you were possessed!"

Noir rose an eyebrow leaning back in his seat and resting the back of his head against the cold wall, "Peach..."

"You should have heard the girls in the crowd," Peach paused, putting on a more girly accent, "_Ooo, that Noir is soooo handsome and rugged! I'd have him any day!" _

If he had the power to kill people with his gaze then he would have been considered a mass murderer by this stage but Peach took it in her stride; grinning.

"Thanks Peach I reall-"

"Chevalier."

His gaze was drawn to the figure of Seda standing behind Peach with an expression of extreme distaste etched into his face, "Congratulations on winning,"

"Thanks Hatfield. Congratulations on swallowing your pride,"

Seda's face twitched. Could it have been a smile or a frown? Either way... he nodded, turned and almost walked headfirst into Ruby. "Pardon."

"Hey Noir!" Ruby smiled, moving around Seda and giving the Black Knight a cheerful wave which he returned followed by a grin; Oh what Ruby had seen...

"Hey Ruby! What's up?"

"I've been added to a new class... Jaegr? Jager? Jaeger?"

"Jaeger," Noir corrected, raising an eyebrow for a moment before Ruby replied,

"Well... Blake told me that you have the same class so... Can we go together?"

So that's how she knew... It wasn't exactly private information and it'd be better for Ruby to go with someone she knew.

"Sure, shall we head off now?"

"I don't mind!"

Noir stood up, edging past Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea; giving the latter a pat on the shoulder with the added whisper of 'See you three later' before making his way to Ruby's side and the two crossed the hall together. They walked passed RWBY and JNPR's table and they both received one final congratulations for their exceptional performances in the Vytal Tournament. "Where're you headed, Ruby?" Jaune asked, lowering his fork from playing with a piece of bacon.

"To a class me and Noir we're put into! Wish us luck!" Ruby stated happily, smiling and giving Jaune a small wave.

The Faunus both caught each other's eyes, Blake even lowering her book slightly and catching the eyes of Noir and lowering a hand beneath the table before pulling out his trench coat; offering it over to him. He took it without a word but nodded to her whilst keeping eye contact. Both of them seemed to have an entire conversation through one look and both looked away a few moments later with smiles on their faces; Blake's eyes went back to her book whilst Noir's searched for Ruby who had seemed to disappear and reappear beside the entrance.

"Come on Noir!"

He followed after her quickly, and the two fell into pace with one another and they walked through the corridors of the academy before reaching a door with the plaque reading **'Jaeger Studies'**.

Ruby glanced at Noir before nodding to him and the two pushed open the door and their eyes met a large lecture room, identical to all the others except the fact their weren't as many rows for students to sit and what appeared to be a display of different types of Grimm and criminals littered the wall.

Her cloak fluttered from the slight breeze from the room whilst his coat gently lifted up slightly before settling back down again.

"Prompt. Early. Good first impression, Rose and Chevalier. Now take your seats."

Their eyes finally found that of the Professor; who was sat behind his table at the centre-back of the room and staring at the two of them.

The man was... Well. What'd you expect from a Professor who trained Hunters and Huntresses who were above others in term of skill?

The man was wearing a leather brigandine which was strapped tightly beneath a steel curicass that looked clean but wasn't shining. His legs were clad in plated pauldrons that went to just beneath the kneecap. Beneath the pauldrons were greaves that covered the rest of the leg down to the ankles but his feet were clad in a pair of steel boots. He had short, white hair that didn't go past his ears and a pair of keen brown eyes. His face... might have been handsome once. But now it was covered in more scars then could be counted making it look like some scars just merged together giving him an overall intimidating first appearance. Across the curicass was a massive, pearly white... Eagle?

Noir nodded, guiding a slightly shivering Ruby to a pair of seats in the corner. The two of them sat, Noir doing the usual of pulling out paper but was stopped by the gruff voice,

"You won't need that, Chevalier. If you don't remember what I'm going to teach you first time around, then there won't be a chance to learn - You'll already be dead."

Okay, this was a bit extreme but Noir nodded slowly and stored the paper back in his coat albeit lightly crumpled.

"Since the rest of those lazy sods have yet to get here, I'll introduce myself. I'm Helge Adler - Professor of Jaeger studies here at Beacon. Are you two wondering why you're here?"

"A little," Noir replied, earning a hoarse chuckle from Adler.

"Well, I'll give it to you two simply. You've been designated as two people who are worth training further, beyond standard studies. Why? Because you're already lethal enough and have impressed someone or a group of important people. More then likely you've impressed Ozzy or a group of Hunters - Giving you their recommendation for these studies. Don't go feeling special, all would be Jaegers have to be cleared by -me- before entering this class. Chevalier, you already have a recommendation by your sister but to check this wasn't sibling love I decided to wait until the tournament to see your skills. I requested that you didn't have a partner for the last stages... And you earned the title of Jaeger before the tournament was finished. Rose, you on the other han-"

"Hey Professor!"

A group of students had just walked in, six of them in total. Four girls, two boys. But what was most interesting was the fact that weren't first years... In fact, they ranged from second to fourth years.

"You lot call this prompt? I had to welcome the newbies and was about to go into their life stories... Find your seats and fix your asses in them."

The students gave the professor grins before spreading out across the left side of the class and finding seats which they apparently had previously designated as their own.

"Right you rowdy bastards, here's the drill." Adler began, shooting his gaze to the late arrivals, "We're going to be doing Aura strength today - For the sake of the newbies, I'll explain. Aura is the physical manifestation of our souls and can save your life in the event of a surprise attack - Hell, my Aura has saved my life more times then I care to remember. But the problem is that some people have weaker Auras than others - hence the problem."

Now Adler's eyes were on Noir and the Black Knight couldn't help but shudders as those keen brown eyes identified every small detail on his face, "For example, our dear Black Knight has a pathetic Aura. But when he does use it, he uses it to its maximum potential - imagine the offensive and defensive capabilities he could have with a stronger Aura?"

Did he like being used as an example? No. But he saw the logic behind the Professor's words and couldn't help but feel his mouth twitch as the image of him with a stronger Aura came to mind, "And for those of you who don't know, our newbies are the two of the recent victors of the Vytal Tournament. Ruby Rose and Noir Chevalier - If I hear any racism, I'll shove my hand so far up your ass I'll work you like a puppet; understand?"

"Come on, Professor! We aren't that type of people - We'll introduce them both to the Jaeger crew when we get a chance!" Replied a boy who appeared to be in his third year, judging from his height. He could have been anything but... Sometimes it was good to assume.

Was he reassured? Slightly.

"Right you bunch of misfits, let's get started - Everyone line up at the front and activate your Auras."

* * *

Exhausted was an understatement. Noir was close to a state of unconsciousness as he fell back from another blow from the Professor's fist. Aura strengthening literally meant 'Standing at the front, letting the professor punch you until your Aura hit the red and then waiting for it to regain before starting the process all over again - Bear in mind that he was doing this for eight students.

He must be enjoying this, Noir thought as he lent against one of the tables and panted heavily. He had the weakest Aura in the class and could only watch as others took more hits then him. Was he envious of them... No... He was happy...ish.

"Don't worry... What's your name?"

The third year stumbled back to Noir, offering his fist to him and earning a raised eyebrow from Noir. The boy had blond hair that was oiled back whilst a pair of cyan eyes stared at him, "Bump my fist."

Noir did as he was told, bumping fists with the boy. He didn't feel any different but there was a certain sense of companionship that was formed from the contact, "I'm Noir Chevalier, leader of team NOIR."

"Cyan Archer, second year and leader of team CYAN! It's confusing for us... We've got the same name as our team - that way, we don't know if they're asking if we're fine or our team is..."

Noir nodded once, still trying to catch his breath and raising an eyebrow whilst beads of sweat ran down his face. Cyan seemed to be recovering quickly and the second year had a bright smile on his face. He was definitely an odd one or maybe it was the lessons?

"Are Jaeger lessons usually like this?"

"Nah, this is one of his good days. Usually he uses his sword or we do something like he lectures us and then decides to set us off on duels or we head off into the forest and hunt Grimm for an hour."

Noir's mouth hung open for a second, earning a chuckle from Cyan. However the two couldn't continue their conversation as a fist connected with Noir's face and he was sent backwards over the seat. A second later, his foot was grabbed as he went backwards and he was pulled back before punched in the face again. "Never let your guard down, Chevalier!"

* * *

"Right! You band of pathetic wimps! I expect you to -try- and keep up this training outside of lessons! But, I see you EVER DAY! So we'll repeat this tomorrow and then do something exciting the day after. Dismissed!"

People always walked into Jaeger lessons. They always hobbled out and clutched injuries.

Noir was being supported by Ruby and the two of them limped together towards the dining hall. "Wow! He was intense!" Ruby exclaimed suddenly, glancing at Noir.

"Intense... But his methods do work from what we've heard and felt." And Noir had felt the difference. His Aura had taken one or two extra punches before going into the red but the only way to keep this up was train. Train harder then they did on the run up to the Vytal tournament.

"Yea! Nora would have loved that!"

Both of them paused before chuckling, imagining the hyper active girl in the Jaeger lesson. Even she wouldn't have any energy by the end of that... or maybe just normal energy levels.

It took longer then usual to reach the dining hall but as they walked in the sounds of the people inside assaulted their ears and only the shout of "Ruby!" stood out. It was Yang who rushed over, looking between Ruby and Noir with a risen eyebrow and suspicion written all over her face, "What happened?"

"Jaeger classes... Kind of extreme..."

Ruby glanced at Noir who nodded in agreement, the small amount of energy that he had recovered was completely taken from his body in that small movement. His weight increased and Ruby had to squirm out from under his grip to not be taken down with him... But he didn't hit the floor and there was a rush of wind as a pair of hands clutched him tightly.

"I'll take care of him." Noir felt someone clutch him, adjusting so one of his arms were around their shoulders and escorted him out of the dining hall.

"Thanks... Blake..."

"Do you mind explaining...?"

"Jaeger classes. The Professor is really serious about the lessons..."

"Are you alright?"

"Yea... just a bit.. where're we going?"

But his question was answered for him as the two of them emerged into the garden, crossing to one of the benches and collapsing into it. Blake sat Noir in the corner before lying down next to him and setting her head against his arm, "Thanks Blake..."

"It wasn't a problem... Are we being honest with one another, Noir?" He couldn't see those amber eyes but her voice had a hint of seriousness and he chose to take it seriously.

"Well, I'd hope so. We are together, after all... We have left marks on the other,"

"Noir... I apologize for rushing this onto you at a moment when you're out of energy but..."

Noir moved his arm, causing Blake's head to gently fall back onto his lap and their eyes met.

"Go on..."

"I told you I'm a Faunus. But I didn't tell you that..." Blake took a deep breath, her eye lids closing, "… I used to be a member of the White Fang."

White Fang. Considered terrorists by most people but some consider them freedom fighters... And Blake had once been a member?

"I was in it since I was a child and-"

"You don't need to explain to me, Blake." Noir replied and the two's eyes kept contact the entire time. Both of their heart's stopped in anticipation, "Past tense. You were a member. You aren't one now. I'm understanding because I love you and you could have done horrible things in the past but now... You're you. I fell in love with the present you."

There were only three words that were important. Three words.

**I love you.**

"_Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."_

_- Apple INC_

* * *

**Bonus Scene Celebrating 100,000 words - ****The Kitten and the Puppy**

"Hey... Noir?"

Blake squeezed his hand, causing them both to stop and their eyes to meet again. It was their way to convey the most important things they needed to say... Or not say, in this case.

"Yes kitten?"

"Kitten?"

"Couldn't help it," Noir grinned wolfishly, raising his spare hand and scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"It's fine... Pup." Noir opened his eyes to see the feline grin on Blake's face and the two stared at each other for a long while, paused outside of RWBY's room. It was facinating... the way the light reflected off of her eyes...

The two lent in closer, their lips an inch away but Blake paused; her hot breath tickling his cheek. "Noir... A kiss... In exchange for the agreement that we meet in the garden every day at five. To spe-"

But she was cut off as Noir smashed his lips against Blake's, cutting her off whilst mumbling into her mouth, "Deal." however the sound coming off a bit jumbled.

* * *

**Hello ladies and gentlemen! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and are enjoying the story! Remember to review - See you guys/gals next time!**


	30. Chapter 30 - Black the Knight

**Chapter 30 - Black the... Knight descends from shadows**

_'The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image. If in loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential likeness to ourselves, then we do not love them; we only love the reflection of ourselves we find in them.'_

_- Thomas Merton, No Man Is an Island_

Jaeger studies were persistent... and extreme. Well, to put it lightly Noir had been ending most of the lessons limping or being carried out by Ruby or Cyan... or both depending on who was most energetic. It was doubtful for any of them to be, even the more experienced in the lesson only managed to stumble out - You were guaranteed a worn Aura. But it was getting better... Every day... Every lesson. It felt like it was building a bit more then just their Aura; physical and mental fortitude. Was he preparing them for something more then being Hunters and Huntresses?

Oh, how could he forget? Jaegers. They were Jaegers now. They were better then the average Hunter or Huntress but that shouldn't go to their head since anyone could kick their asses. But it all depends, rule number one of being a Jaeger - Never think you're better then anyone else, since they could easily kick your ass if you underestimate them.

Never underestimate an opponent - Always go all out.

Always go all out.

"ALWAYS GO ALL OUT, COME ON CHEVALIER!"

Noir was blown back by the force of the blow and smashed into the wall, pieces of stone flying out to the sides and causing a massive groan to escape the Chevalier. But no pain shot through his body or feeling of exhaustion - He was fine. Well, not totally - Would you be if you were just smashed into a wall by an Aura enhanced fist to the face. The force that would have broken his face was transferred into concussive force, throwing him back against the wall.

He was alive, his Aura had barely entered the yellow. But the key was he was alive.

"Chevalier! Get your ass out of the wall!"

And now he was stuck. In the wall. Noir struggled, causing small pieces of stone to crumble but he wouldn't budge, "Uhh... Prof, I'm stuck,"

"Rose, get Che-!"

"Uh, Sir. Rose isn't here," Cyan cut in, a grin playing across his lips which disappeared the moment Adler's fist connected with his Cyan coloured Aura.

"Don't interrupt! Just wait until I'm finished, GOT IT?"

Adler pulled Cyan out of the wall next to Noir, pulling him close,

"Yes sir..."

Cyan stumbled as he was released, gripping onto Noir's sides and slowly beginning to pry him from the wall.

"Pull from the centre... from the groin!"

Cyan stopped pulling, looking up at Noir's face and trying to sense some kind of hilarity in his features but found none.

"What? We're both adults here... Legally. Get me out of this wall!"

"Get me out of this wall -please-," Cyan corrected, stopping in attempts and looking Noir in the eyes.

"Get me out of this wall or I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!"

"Close enough..." Cyan muttered, continuing in his attempts to yank Noir out of the wall and finding no quarter... after thirty minutes of trying.

It had been weeks, maybe even months and it was approaching the end of the academic year. And Jaeger studies had stuck in his mind more than anything else... well, except Blake.

Him and Blake had made it a custom to meet every day in the garden and just sit together. Sometimes they'd sit in silence whilst reading. Other times they'd have small conversations about their day and what had happened, things they wished to be. Blake had tried to bring up the White Fang and explain to him in full what had happened but... It wasn't that he didn't care, he just didn't want to hear about what she had done. Was he afraid? Pfft! he was a Jaeger... He wasn't afraid. Was he?

Orlaith had taken it like you'd expect her to - she was fine with it, still smiling, still happy and still the hothead. Indigo took it... Well enough. Rhea was cold and distant for a week but one night Noir left the room to go to the gym and train, returning a few hours later to a happier Rhea who greeted him like a sister would her brother. She had hugged him and silently thanked him, 'If I can't love you like a lover... then at least I can love you like a brother... Thank you.'

"THOSE ARE MY BALLS!"

"SHUT IT! DO YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THE WALL OR NOT?!"

"SHUT IT!"

"Both of you, can it!" Adler shouted at the two arguing Jaeger, silencing them before adding, "Chevalier! Where is Rose?"

"You're asking the wrong person, Professor. I have no clue," Noir replied, grunting as Cyan tugged. He felt himself sliding out of the wall; clenching his jaw.

"Uncomfortable, uncomfortableeeee!" Noir yelped as he slid out of the wall, staggering for a moment but Cyan's strong grip kept him steady. Indeed, Cyan and Noir had become something of close friends in the weeks of Jaeger classes... Actually, you could say the entire Jaeger class were now his friends. The other five, not including himself, Cyan and Ruby, were all quite friendly and welcoming with no signs of depression or moodiness.

The reason why they were so friendly? Cyan had explained to him that, 'We figured out that... Why make enemies of one another? What's the point? If we all become friends and work together then imagine what kind of damage we could inflict! Imagine it, Six - Now eight, Jaegers working together to kick ass on extreme missions. Or at least, that's what they told me when I first came in.'

Was it something ridiculous or something... sane. Sensible. Probably the latter since things which resulted in getting harm were hardly ever sane.

"Oi, you lot!" They were called to attention by Adler who had his eyes fixed on his scroll, waving at them all to gather around.

"I got a message 'ere from Ozzy. Rose has been injured along with her team and he wants one of you lot to go down to the hospital in Vale an-"

"Uh, Sir. Chevalier's already gone."

"I know... Someone go tell -his- team. AND WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT INTERUPTING ME?!"

* * *

Noir Chevalier was sprinting down the streets of Vale like they were nothing, cutting his way through back alleys and the places he'd usually avoid; for good reason. But he wasn't thinking like that, or about his own safety.

Blake. Is she alright? His insides twisted and turned at the thought of Blake injured, covered in bandages and lying on a hospital bed. She'd have her teammates with her but, from the sounds of the message, they all took a beating.

Blake, how badly was she injured? Was it fatal or just a few scratches? But then something he didn't expect happened. The feline, logical voice of Blake echoed in his ears, _'Perhaps it'd be best to find out and stop asking yourself questions you have the ability to answer.'_

The Black Knight practically broke down the doors to the hospital, flying into them and pushing through with his coat flying behind him. A few screams at the abruptness but people settled down when the flash of black screeched to a halt in front of the front desk; his boots leaving two scratches on the floor. The woman at the desk looked stunned but even more stunned when one of the winners of the Vytal Tournament began to ramble on about something and someone.

"Dear, take a deep breath." She finally managed to cut in and Noir did so, taking a deep breath and settling himself; if only for a moment.

"Blake Belladonna... Room number... Admitted recently with... Ruby Rose... Weiss Schnee... Yang Xiao Long,"

"Oh! Those girls who came in recently... Let's see here," The woman looked down at her scroll, clicking a few buttons and entering some words in a search box before... "Aha! Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long are in the room... Just down there. The post-op ward. Fifth room once you round the corner at the end - take the right."

Post operation.

"Thank you!" Noir practically yelled, disappearing in a black blur in the direction she had pointed. He practically slammed into the wall at the end of it but that didn't slow him down... what did slow him down was the sixth door on the right.

He latched onto the edge of the doorframe, stopping himself before bursting through the door and seeing something which made his heart plummet.

A doctor was standing in the middle of four beds, writing something down on a clipboard whilst two nurses doing something medical over by Yang and Ruby. The doctor turned as the door opened and offered Noir a sad smile, "Next of kin?"

"No... Boyfriend," Noir replied, staring at the bed with the prone figure of Blake. No longer in her usual outfit, Blake was wearing a hospital gown however her black bow was still on her head. What really made him stop in his tracks was the oxygen mask over her mouth and the sound of a slow beep coming from a machine next to her. Ruby, Weiss and Yang had similar machines and were in similar condition but, Noir hoped they'd forgive him later, he wanted to ensure Blake was alright first.

"For...?" The doctor asked, clicking the back of the pen and staring at Noir.

"Blake Belladonna,"

"Hmm... Well, just so you know - She'll live. They all will. Whatever they got themselves into earned them some serious burns - except for Yang. Lucky girl..."

"How do you...?"

"Please, the moment we got four teenagers going on adults in with serious injuries, we know where they came from."

"Thank you."

"Have any questions about the treatment?" The doctor clicked the pen again, slotting it into the pocket of his coat whilst the nurses drew the curtains around each of the beds except the front - giving Noir a clear view of Blake.

"I do have a few questions, yes..." Noir trailed off, his eyes fixated on Blake's prone form whilst something inside teetered on the precipice. Would this be another moment for him to relive in times where people get burnt? The Black Knight used to set him off but that was fixed when he saw Laila again and they spent time together but this.

"Come and take a seat then." Noir was drawn from his mind by the doctor, who had pulled up two foldable chairs next to Blake's bed - positioning one next to it for Noir and the other next to the first.

The two of them sat, all the while the Black Knight's eyes were fixed on Blake. It seemed like he was trying to ignite the non-verbal contact which him and Blake shared but with no response.

"When did they get admitted?" The Chevalier asked, slipping a hand under the covers and taking Blake's hand in his own and holding it; not firmly but not too gently.

"A few hours ago but we only contacted Beacon about twenty minutes ago to inform them... I take it they sent you to check on them?"

"In a manner of speaking..." He hadn't 'really' been sent, and something told him that Ozpin had informed Adler because he knew Noir was in Jaeger studies at the time. The mere mention of an injured Blake was enough to get him sprinting anywhere.

"I have a question for you... How long have you and Miss Belladonna been together?" The doctor phrased the question kindly enough, tilting his head and lowering his glasses slightly to fix Noir with a pair of green eyes.

For some reason he felt unsettled for a moment however he realised that without this man, Blake would probably be on her way to the morgue. "Weeks... Since just after the Vytal Tournament, we got together the evening after the last match,"

"Indeed... Just checking. Sometimes lust can be mistaken for love but... lust is short lived whilst love lasts forever. Do you love her?"

"I do,"

**I do.**

Felt like a wedding ceremony and the doctor was the man to marry them both but such thoughts were pushed out of his mind when the doctor patted him on the shoulder, smiling fondly at the Chevalier.

"Then keep her close, she seems like a keeper... Just don't keep her in a cotton room - or she'll suffocate."

There was some wisdom to the doctor's words and the man gave Noir one final smile before standing up, folding the chair back up and placing it next to the bedside table before leaving the curtained off area, "If there's any trouble, press the red button."

And with that, the doctor left the room wit a small parting wave and was swiftly followed by the nurses.

And now, the room was silent except for the sound of the hated hospitals.

"You had me worried, you know?" Noir asked the unconscious figure of Blake.

No reply.

Noir let out a hoarse chuckle before continuing, "In Jaeger class, Adler punched me into a wall because I wasn't going all in. I was thinking... about you, ya know? But... I got stuck in the wall. Cyan helped pry me out and that's when Adler told us about the message." He chuckled again, the sound was hollow with none of the mirth present.

"We've got that date planned... or at least for you to visit in the holidays? I'd love to see you... Every day."

This went on for hours, Noir talking to the prone figure of Blake whilst waiting for her to return to a conscious state. By the time he had gotten onto the colour of his nails and if wondering if he should paint them again, a weak voice replied to the rhetorical question,

"It'd look nice."

Noir blinked a few times, turning his gaze up from Blake's figure in the covers to her eyes... Those amber eyes. That were staring right back at him.

"Blake!" Noir yelped, practically swooping on the injured Faunus and enveloping what he could in a hug. The Black Knight felt the arms of the Faunus o weakly around him in an attempt to return the hug but it didn't matter right now - She was awake. She was speaking...

"Noir... You're crushing me..." Blake muttered.

He let go, sitting back in his chair and taking her hand in his again with a slight glimmer in his eyes. "Are you going to start crying?"

"No... I've just got something in my eye," Noir mumbled, raising his spare hand and wiping his eyes. Blake let out a soft chuckle, but immediately lowered a hand to her chest and clenched as pain shot through her body.

"Don't try to move... Well... yet," Noir added in, earning an irritated look from Blake.

"You could have told me that before, Captain obvious," He couldn't help but grin, squeezing Blake's hand as he did, "So where am I?"

"You're in the hospital in Vale,"

"How long...?"

"Most of the day, I got the message in Jaeger studies and came here as soon as I could. The doc told me you'd be in here for a while already,"

"Are the others-"

"They are In here, in the same condition you were in. But I've sat with you since..." Noir broke off. The idea of checking on the others didn't seem so bad now especially when Blake squeezed his hand and caught his eyes, "I'll be back in a minute." Noir finished; giving Blake's hand one last squeeze before retreating from her side.

First, Noir went to the right and checked Yang. She was still comatose but looked relatively alright with no signs of burns. He grinned slightly; 'You can't burn the sun'.

Second, Noir went to the bed on the other side of Blake's and found Weiss. Her face was uncovered and still but her hands were covered in bandages whilst her blade lay by her bedside. Odd. Why would they let her keep her sword? It was something that caused a twinge of irritation to erupt in the back of Noir's skull before he moved to check on Ruby.

Ruby was sitting up in bed, her head in her hands with bandages wrapped around both her hands. Noir couldn't see the rest but the soft sound of sobbing penetrated the quiet...

"Ruby,"

She looked up, her silver eyes meeting the black ones and a weak smile appearing on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing..." Ruby muttered, her voice barely above a whisper but it may as well have been a shout in the quiet of the hospital room. It didn't take a genius to figure out she was lying and Noir was far from a genius - but he did have common sense.

The Chevalier approached the side of Ruby's bed, standing next to her and resting a hand on her shoulder. "Ruby..."

"They got hurt... I'm their leader... And they got hurt..."

"They'll always get hurt, Ruby. Whether we like it or not, they're bound to be injured in some way or another. As leaders, we learn how they got hurt and we make sure it never happens again or at least do everything in our power to try and stop it,"

"B-But... They got h-hurt..."

"Ruby... They're fine. Yang and Weiss are still sleeping it off and Blake's already awake. She doesn't have any personal vendetta with you now. Blake asked me to come check on you,"

Ruby looked up at Noir, her silver eyes gleaming in the light. The wielder of one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed... broke out into tears and all the Black Knight could do was hug her, patting her on the back and saying, "There, there..."

"Ruby... Just think, we've got about a week left before the end of the year. Then we can all train over the holidays and come back stronger then ever!"

"Y-Yea.." Ruby muttered, slowly letting go of Noir's coat and falling back onto the bed, "I-I'm going to c-catch some s-sleep."

Noir nodded once, giving Ruby a small, reassuring smile before leaving the girl to sleep.

***Cue beginning of Goldmine Blues - Trocadero***

Noir moved his way back to Blake's 'area', finding the Faunus sat up in bed and leaning back against the bed board. A smile still played across his lips and Blake looked up at the sound of the footsteps, smiling back at him.

"Is everyone ok?" She asked as Noir took his seat next to her again,

"They are all alright, Ruby's a little shaken up but it'll pass,"

Noir paused, staring into Blake's amber eyes; getting lost in them for a moment before snapping himself out of it. "Say, Blake..."

"Hm?"

"Do you have someone to look after you where you 'live'?"

"No,"

"So... Uh..." He tried to convey his thoughts via eye contact but Blake had a small, feline grin playing across her lips. She was toying with him to worm it out of him, "I was wondering... Since you'll still be weak after you leave the hospital... If you'd like to... ya know... Live with... Me. Of course when you're all better you can go to where you live but I was just thinking about..."

"I don't know... Can I trust the Black Knight to care for me?"

"I'm up for the challenge,"

"Good... I'm glad."

* * *

"Hey Noir- who's this?" Adreanna Chevalier raised an eyebrow as Noir crossed the threshold into the Chevalier residence, accompanied by Blake. He was carrying both of their luggage - surprisingly he had room in his pack to make room for some of her books.

"Blake Belladonna, meet my mother. Mum, if it's alright Blake's going to be staying with us. She's recently been let out of the hospital but they need someone to keep an eye on her and, as the noble Knight that I am, I volunteered,"

Blake shot Noir something between an irritated and amused look before turning her amber eyes to Adreanna, offering her hand. Adreanna hesitated a moment before taking it and shaking, "Hello dear, I'm Adreanna Chevalier. But you an just call me Adreanna. Or Anna. Oh Noir- We have a …. visitor," Her voice dropped off as Noir pushed his way further into the house, ascending the stairs to drop off the luggage and was swiftly followed by Blake.

"She was nice..." Blake said as they ascended the stairs, reaching the top and almost immediately reaching Noir's room. Noir dropped the luggage on the bed, smiling at Blake for a moment before turning back to the door and imagining the faces that the rest of NOIR had when they had said goodbye.

_"See ya Noir! I may visit during the holidays! Be sure to keep that rough look going!" _

_"Bye Noir! If my parents are in Vale I'll ask to come with to check on you! Just make sure not to get into too much trouble whilst I'm gone!"_

_"Noir... Thanks. I'll see you at the wedding, and kick your ass if you don't look smart for my brother's wedding!" _

_"Same to you, Rhea. See you later... Sister."_

_"See ya bro."_

It was ending the year on a good note, something which Noir was happy about. But now he had to investigate the visitor, "Hey Blake, I'll go check out who the visitor is. Make yourself at home and come downstairs - I'll be sure to have a drink ready for you,"

"Thank you."

The Black Knight descended the stairs, hearing the voices of a man and two women chatting. Adreanna, Raven and... an unknown voice. It felt like he was breaching the entrance to the lounge but he entered all the same to find a man sitting on the sofa wearing a trench oat almost identical to his own whilst a pair of pitch black eyes identical to his own stared back at him. A wolfish grin... with pointed teeth, "Hey there son, long time, haven't seen, eh?"

"Noir... this is Ciaran Chevalier - Your father."

* * *

**Bonus scene celebrating 6,000 views - The First night**

"Hey Blake... Are you asleep?"

"Yes."

Noir chuckled into the darkness, tugging Blake closer to him and earning a soft, feline purr from the movement. "Oh, then I'll just speak into nothingness,"

Noir was wearing a pair of pyjama bottoms with a dressing gown used as an extra blanket for himself and Blake. Blake was wearing her own black yukata and cuddling into the source of the warmth in the room. There being no extra beds in the house since Raven had taken her room back whilst Adreanna and Ciaran... 'Caught up' in their room.

"I was wondering... What happened in your past? I realise I was being a bit of a hypocrite when I was talking to Ruby... Leaders are meant to learn from the past, not run from it, right?"

There was silence in response and the only movement came from Blake's cat ears twitching and a soft sigh, "Okay... I'll explain."

"Thanks."

That night, that wonderful night he learned about Blake's past. About the White Fang, about the Dust shipments, about Adam... About where she, and the other members of RWBY, had been burnt and attacked. But she also learned about him, about his past and the semblance which he didn't like and the friend he didn't want to see go.

They learned about each other, about their past... So neither would make the same mistake in the future.

_"A leader must never rest, never surrender, and most of all, never stop learning."_

_-Chrom, Fire Emblem_

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed the newest chapter of the Black Knight and remember to review, follow or favourite depending on what you're in the mood for!**

**Noir: So... My father's alive, huh?**

**Blake: Evidently so.**

**Aristotle: No, that's just a ghost. I'm planning to make this allllll a dream. **

**Noir + Blake: …**

**Aristotle: Kidding. OR AM I?**


	31. Chapter 31 - Journal entry 001

**Chapter 31 - Journal Entry 001**

**Arc 4: Summer sorrow**

_'And there is joy even in self-sacrifice; if you put others before yourself, then their well-being is yours, and their happiness is your happiness.' _

_- Wynne, Dragon Age Origins _

***Cue start of Daydream NO. 19 - Trocadero* **

"Good evening beautiful and it's time for our first journal entry, say hi Blake,"

"Hi Blake,"

"Wow... You actually have a sense of humour? Normally you just glare at me...

…

Like that. Yea, so what's the news! Blake's going to be staying with the Chevalier family for a while until she's fully healed up. Oh, and if you forget Blake's your girlfriend me in the future!"

"Noir..."

"What! This could be important, maybe I lose my memory or someone's trying to find out who this scroll belonged to? Oh, I'm Noir Chevalier by the way! This beautiful woman is Blake Belladonna, but I call her kitt- OW! Blake?!"

"They don't need to know -that- now get on with it, I want to sleep,"

"Alright, alright... Well, dad's home. Ciaran Chevalier. Nice enough guy... He's currently catching up with mum in the next room over and... well... we can hear them from in here. We don't want to but we can. Anything else I left out?"

"Holidays."

"Oh yea! It's the beginning of the holidays and officially the end of our first year at Beacon. So far a lot of interesting stuff has happened but it isn't important right now! End of Journal Entry 001. Now come here you!"

Noir just grinned as he stared at the image of himself that was used to identify him accompanied by Blake's next to it. His image portrait was constantly flashing when he spoke and only died down when Blake's began to flash; which was hardly noticeable. But now he glanced up from the scroll and saw Blake's peacefully sleeping figure still lying o the bed whilst he stood off to the side, fully clothed. Breakfast in bed for her? That'd be nice to wake up to.

So that's what he did, leaving the room silently and leaving the door a jar before he made his way down the stairs. There was the sound of someone In the kitchen and, jumping the last few steps, Noir soon found his mother humming pleasantly whilst slotting two pieces of bread into the toaster and switching the kettle on.

"Uh... Mum?" He asked tentatively but his mother turned around with a wide smile on her face whilst pulling the dressing gown tighter around herself,

"Hello dear, would you like some breakfast?" She asked, her voice full of cheer. It was starting to worry him but there was a good enough reason. Ciaran.

"I'm going to make something for me and Blake and, if you'll allow it, I'm going to take it upstairs for her,"

Adreanna smiled widely at her son, nodding to him but holding up her hand when he made the move over to the toaster, "You wait there, dear. I'll make it for you whilst we chat, ok?"

He hesitated before nodding, watching as his mum lent back against the counter whilst the kettle boiled, "So... What'd you want to talk about?"

Adreanna paused as she looked Noir up and down before smiling at him gently, "Blake. Do you love her?"

"Yes, I do," It was the complete truth. It was simple, basic and yet the best way to state the truth.

"Well, I'm happy for you both. Just remember what you aim to do for a living and what that'll involve. Plus... Raven lost a bet,"

"I- Wait, what?"

"Yea, Raven made a bet with Adalwin that you wouldn't get a girlfriend until you graduated from Beacon. She lost so Adalwin will probably be really happy now- Oo!" Adreanna exclaimed as the toast popped up and the kettle finished boiling.

The Chevalier busied herself, pulling out two plates and the butter before taking out the toast from the toaster, spreading butter on both the pieces before laying one on top of the other and cutting down the centre. Afterwards, she poured two cups of tea with the bags already in the cups with a single spoonful of tea in each. Finally, she poured some milk into each cup stirring the contents of each mug for a few moments before removing the tea bag from each and throwing each of them in the bin. She then offered the plate of toast and the two cups of tea to Noir and he took them awkwardly,

"Thanks mum,"

"My pleasure darling, tell Blake we're happy to have her."

Noir nodded, smiling and taking the meal out of the room and up the stairs. At the top her nearly ran into Raven who was wearing her own dressing gown but still gave Noir a sly grin, "Hey little pup, thought you'd get your older sister some breakfast? How kind of you-"

"Don't even think about it. It's for Blake, but I still love you sis,"

Raven pouted at him, dropping the grin and sighing before the grin re-appeared on her face, "Say... You'll need a plus one for the wedding, fancy bringing Blake?"

"Thanks, I will if she wants to go." The two exchanged a small smile before passing and Noir pushed open the still slightly a jar door and entered the dark room but nothing could escape his eyes and he found Blake still asleep on his bed. The Black Knight approached, setting down the drinks and toast on the bedside table and resting a hand on Blake's shoulder, leaning forward and kissing her cheek, "Kitten, it's time to wake up. I've brought you breakfast,"

Blake let out a soft moan, her eyes opening slowly before she turned slightly and gave Noir a gentle peck on the lips, "Morning... How long have you been up?"

"Long enough to get you breakfast, kitten." The two exchanged a small smile before Blake turned and sat up whilst Noir pulled away and took a seat beside her. She was still wearing the black yukata and his dressing gown fell away from her. He had to wipe a small trickle of blood away from his nose before turning back, handing a cup of tea to her which she accepted with a 'thank you'.

The two sat together for a while, simply drinking tea and eating the toast; two slices each. They were silent until Noir chose to broke it after they finished the toast, turning to his girlfriend with a resolute expression on his face, "Blake I... Am curious if you would like to... Ah..."

Blake waited patiently with an amused expression crossing her features. He was cute when he was nervous... he wasn't nervous enough, sometimes. It was the glory of being with Noir; you come to learn that he doesn't get nervous easily. If he does? Then it was because of her. "Noir... Why do you get nervous around me?"

He stuttered again, raising a hand and scratching the back of his head awkwardly for a few moments as he debated his answer internally, "Well... I don't like the idea of upsetting you or making you sad. I try to ask things which will make you happy,"

"Oh Noir... Life isn't a fairy tail. I know there'll be things I don't like so don't hold back, okay?"

"You're my kitten. I'll do my best to make your life more like a fairy tail, Miss Belladonna."

Blake seemed taken a back by the Chevalier's firm words but her look of minor shock was soon replaced with a smile and the two shared a kiss. A short kiss, where their lips joined for a few seconds before separating but for the Chevalier that was all he needed to take in everything. Her soft lips, her scent... It all overwhelmed him for a moment before Blake pierced the veil,

"So what did you want to ask me?"

Noir took a deep breath, staring at Blake as the words came tumbling out, "Wouldyouliketogototheweddingwithme?"

"Noir. Try again,"

"Would you like to go-" But he was interrupted as the door swung open and Ciaran poked his head in with a grin plastered on his face.

"You two alright?"

"Yes... Father. We're fine... What do you want?" Noir asked, a twinge of irritation apparent on his voice but Ciaran just gave his son a wolfish grin; almost the same as Noir's yet his seemed less grin and more teeth.

"Just checking on ya both and to make sure that you two are humping li-"

"FATHER!"

"You're already calling me 'Father'? We're making progress!"

Ciaran stared at Noir whilst the latter stared daggers at his father. Blake glanced between the two for a few moments before Ciaran turned his eyes on her, inclining his head.

"Miss Belladonna, I hope he is decent in bed!"

However Ciaran had to make a hasty retreat as a knife was left quivering in the wall where his head had been moments before. Noir and Blake were both blushing heavily, "Where'd you get the knife from?"

"I always have weapons lying around here..." Noir muttered, standing up and retrieving the knife from the wall and placing it on his bedside table. Makes you wonder what other weapons he has hidden around his room... But that's a tale for another time.

"So... Blake... Would you like to..." As Noir spoke, staring into Blake's eyes he paused; grabbing the knife again from the bedside table and flinging it at the door. The loud THUD was soon echoed as someone, or some people, fell back from their position listening to them, "Go to Raven's wedding with me?"

It was out of hiss hands now and the young Chevalier's heart seemed to stop in anticipation for the answer and his mind was soon flocked with the worst case scenarios. The blushes on their faces had yet to fade and, if anything, they were intensifying as Blake responded, "Ok."  
"Really?"

"Yes really. Do I have to say it in full?"

"That'd be nice..."

Blake sighed, before a smile soon claimed her lips as Noir lent down and the two were soon hugging. The rough material of his trench coat against the softness of her yukata... "I'll go to Raven's wedding with you, Noir Chevalier. On one condition,"

"Name it, kitten,"

"You wear a suit..."

"I can do th-"

"No trench coat."

Noir's expression fell considerably, pulling out of the hug for a moment and looked like he was seriously debating going by himself. His beloved trench coat... Or Blake. Trench coat. Blake. Trench coat. Bl-

"Oi! Noir! We're going shopping and YOU AND BLAKE are coming with us! Wedding shoooppppiiiinnnnngggg!" Raven's voice called from outside the door.

"That settles it... Fine! I won't wear the trench coat for the day," Noir murmured, glancing down at his coat before looking back at Blake and spotting her feline grin. Why did he feel like something was going to happen?

"Good, then you can start now,"

If there was a line, it was getting dangerously close to it. Noir's eyebrow rose but he did, very slowly, begin to take off his trench coat. He felt exposed but threw the trench coat onto the bed all the same, turning quickly and leaving the room so Blake could change.

"Hey little bro- Wow... When did you get so... Handsome?" Raven asked as Noir reached the bottom of the stairs. She was standing with Ciaran and Adreanna, both of whom were smiling.

Noir's eyebrow shot back up again, "What do you mean?"

"Your sister is right, Noir... You're body is very handsome. Like your father's,"

The Black Knight exchanged a look with the other Knight and the two seemed to share something of an amused look.

For those of you who must know, Noir's arms were fully revealed except for the sleeves of the short sleeved black t-shirt that he wore. His gilet made him look like he was wearing body armour and the detective style holsters, home to the twins, reinforced the image of a tough figure. His arms were muscular, not as much as a determined body builder but enough to say he looked tough. However he was pale, from his constant wearing of his very covering apparel. His trousers were made of a tough material and...

…

… were black. What did you expect? Hot pink?

"You look good... We waiting on Blake." Ciaran stated, grumbling slightly to himself whilst his own trench coat covered his figure.

The four of them waited a few more minutes for Blake and the young Faunus came down the stairs wearing her normal outfit with Gambol Shroud fixed to her back. It wasn't that they were expecting trouble it was just that it didn't feel right without them.

"Oo, hey Blake! Now, everyone we'll be splitting up for this little adventure," Adreanna began, smiling at all of them before continuing, "Myself, Raven and Blake will go find dresses for the wedding and do some organising! Noir, Ciaran... Try not to get into too much trouble. Find yourselves a suit each and we'll all meet back here around Six - at the latest! Sync?"

"Sync,"

"Sync,"

"Automatic dishwasher," The men chorused together, grins exchanged between father and son before each's respective partner slapped them around the back of the head.

* * *

"So son, what's it like at Beacon? Ozzy still up to no good?"

Ciaran and Noir wandered through the open doors of a particularly posh looking formal clothing store. The inside reflected the exterior appearance and Noir could only gape as he saw racks and racks of formal wear for both men and women. A few people, who looked equally as posh, wandered through the racks.

"Yea... It's good. Are we going to be able to afford this?"

Ciaran just brushed off the comment, grinning, "Whilst I was 'away' I did a hell of a lot of jobs and the pay was good. You have -no- idea how much money I have now son, just watch and learn,"

And the two ventured out into the store, immediately heading to the section with the suits - specifically black. They ignored blue, dark blue, red, green... Bloody hell they had everything. Noir flexed slightly, glancing at a suit, taking it from the rack and running a finger down it, "Feels nice... Not exactly durable material though,"

"Excuse me sir! That's some of the strongest material we have for suits!"

Noir and Ciaran turned around to see a human woman wearing an outfit that they had seen the employees of the shop wear - a simple grey dress that ended at their knees accompanied by a nametag over their left breast.

The woman herself had red hair and a pair of red eyes that seemed to burn holes in whoever they stared at. This was the woman you'd send to deal with difficult customers and, naturally, two Faunus were identified as difficult customers.

"No offense ma'am, but this material couldn't last ten seconds in a bad situation," He didn't want to seem rude but it was true from what he could deduce. The woman let out an irritated huff, snatching the suit from his fingers and putting it back on the rack.

"What would -you- know, huh?"

"I'm Noir Chevalier, Hunter in training," Noir replied gently, the look of realization slowly dawning on the woman's face. But she looked none to deterred from the situation,

"That's nice, I'm Nina Forest. I'm a second year, going into third year, at Beacon. Apart of team CYAN,"

Noir's face suddenly broke out into a wide smile, "Cyan? You're on Cyan's team?"

Nina's eyebrow rose sharply, "How do you know him?"

"We attend Jaeger classes together. Nice guy,"

"I should know. He's my boyfriend." Nina stated, taking in the image of Noir before letting out a small puff of air, "He described you as a trench coat obsessed nice enough guy... Where's the coat?"

"Left it for today... He never mentioned he had a girlfriend,"

"He asked just before we broke up for the holidays. Couldn't say no, he was all sweet about it. Even brought a rose and chocolate," Nina sighed happily, lost in her imagination for a few moments before Ciaran clicked his fingers,

"It's nice for you two to reminisce but I think we need to get back to the task at hand. Miss Forest, could you help us looking for suits?"

"Oh? Sure, sure... Well, if you can afford it then I'd go for that one. But if you're going for maximum mobility with some durability go for -those-" Nina pointed over a rack behind Ciaran.

"Thanks... Why do they have suits that allow for mobility and dur-"

"You honestly have no idea how many Hunters and Huntresses come through this store, do you? If you want a custom outfit you come -here- or one of the other stores; if you want quality."

Ciaran and Noir nodded, digesting the information before both of them took two suits from the rack, checked the size, shrugged and headed to the checkout. After a few moments of comedy gold where the woman at the checkout doubted they even had the money to pay and Ciaran pretended to have lost his wallet until finding it and placing more than enough money on the counter before slowly taking away the notes they didn't need.

Noir just stood, chuckling and became incredibly self conscious of the amount of looks he was receiving from people; especially women.

Ciaran took the bag with their suits now inside, leaving the store whilst the two of them idly chatted about how long they thought it'd take Raven and Adreanna to figure out they were wearing combat boots to the wedding. The two had finally found a seat, eating two iced buns (with a few more stored in a bag) and were surprised as a small child slowly approached Noir. A girl wearing a yellow summer dress and a smile to light up the world, "E-excuse m-me m-mister... Could y-you s-sign t-this?"

Noir looked taken a back to say the least, setting his iced bun down next to him before taking a little pen the girl offered him and a little notebook signing in black ink, The Black Knight, Noir Chevalier. The girl bowed her head before rushing off with a thick, red blush on her cheeks. Noir watched her before finding her run into the waiting arms of... Orlaith.

The Black Knight heard the faint squeals of, "He signed it! he signed it!"whilst Orlaith gave her little sister the 'I told you so' look before moving off.

Noir was pre-occupied, moving his hand back to the place where his ice bun was...

"OI!" He yelled, turning to find nothing there and Ciaran with a grin on his face with specks of icing in his rough beard,

"I regret nothing!"

_'The brightest lights cast the darkest shadows' _

_- Lightning, Final Fantasy XIII:LR_

* * *

**Hey guys! Hope you are enjoying the story!**

**I'm doing a Q&A so if you have any questions then ask by posting a review or PMing!**

**Feedback is appreciated. **

**Noir: You need all the help you can get.**

**Aristotle: Shut it you. **

**Ciaran: I'll admit, you need help.**

**Aristotle: You shut up as well.**

**Ciaran: I wasn't talking to you.**

**Noir: Ass. Whose side are you on?**

**Ciaran: Not yours, that's for sure!**

**EDIT: Added in the new Arc name.**


	32. Chapter 32 - Cuteness is a curse

**Chapter 32 - Cuteness is a curse **

_'The planet is fine. The people are fucked.'_

_- George Carlin _

_"Journal Entry 002. Start entry. _

_Hey there, this is Noir again with another exciting journal entry and I'm joined by my ass of a Dad - Ciaran. Say hi ass." _

_"Hi ass." _

_"Smart ass, so the only thing that has really happened is we've gone out shopping for formal clothes for Raven's wedding. In male fashion, we were done before the first hour was up so we resorted to just buying lots of iced buns and eating them happily on a bench but that isn't the best part! Dad, what'd you say about Blake?" _

_"Pfft, just because I said I approve of her doesn't mean you should scream it to the world; aye?" _

_"Yea, yea thanks for that killjoy." _

_"You know you're really cute when your flustered, Noir." _

_"Dad...?" _

_"You're cute!" _

_"DAD! YOU DON'T SAY THAT KIND OF THING! BESIDES, I. AM. NOT. CUTE!" _

_"Yes you are!" _

_"End entry." _

Noir Chevalier and Ciaran Chevalier stood side by side whilst their jaws hit the floor. In front of them? Adreanna, Blake and Raven were all showing them the dresses that they had bought for the occasion. Blake wore a black lace long sleeved bodycon dress with her bow covering her kitty ears and tights covering her legs. Naturally, this was what was causing Noir to gape widely whilst Blake just had an eyebrow raised in an amused fashion. Adreanna was wearing a black PVL dress, a smile crossing her face as Ciaran attempting to pick his jaw off the floor.

However both of the Chevaliers couldn't help but gape as Raven's wedding dress caught their eyes. Raven's dress stretched down to her feet but not cascading across the floor like normal dresses instead stopping there however this wasn't the only different thing. There were no straps holding up the dress and instead it was clutching her figure tightly, showing off her curves.

The two male Chevaliers had ate in silence after the 'incident' but eventually found their way around Vale and hunting for the women. Somehow that 'hunt' for women lead them into a weapon store with Ciaran offering to get Noir an 'early' birthday gift... Of course, he refused but that didn't stop Ciaran placing an order.

"You two alright?" Raven asked, crossing her arms across her chest with a grin playing across her lips as she stood between Adreanna and Blake.

"I think they've seen a ghost." Adreanna commented, grinning playfully at the sight of her husband and son trying to recompose themselves.

"We're fine." Ciaran quickly replied, his eyes fixed on his wife and daughter whilst Noir stared at Blake. Blake on the other hand rose an eyebrow at Noir and the two soon began their usual non verbal conversation where the slightest of movements could mean anything. And yet, they seemed to have spoken an entire book by the time they both turned away with blushes clear on their faces.

"Noir, you're cute when you blush."

"I AM NOT CUTE!" Noir yelled at his sister, the blush still clear on his face.

"She has a point, you are cute darling." Adreanna added in, all of the Chevaliers were suddenly revelling in the awkwardness that Noir was bathing in.

"Right... You three may want to go get changed and then we'll all go grab something to eat, okay?" Ciaran intervened, his face planted with a resolutely neutral expression but his eyes betrayed a twitch every so often like he was resisting the temptation to burst out laughing.

Raven pouted a moment before leading the way back into the depths of the store and back to the changing rooms, Adreanna following almost instantly whilst Blake hesitated a moment her amber eyes returning to Noir's black ones and the two exchanged a smile before she disappeared in a black blur.

* * *

"Come on you two! You should be treating -us-!"

Noir and Ciaran sweat dropped, an arm around each other as they had to listen to the constant insisting from Adreanna and Raven that they should pay for dinner. Naturally the five of them had stopped right outside and taken a seat, allowing the male Chevaliers to sweat drop in peace whilst Raven tapped her foot impatiently.

"By dust you two are as bad as Adalwin was on our first date-"

"I wasn't -that- bad."

Raven's eyes went wide as she squealed, jumping forward as Adalwin seemingly materialized behind her with a large smile on his face. "Hey everyone."

"Hello dear, nice to see you." Adreanna smiled at Adalwin, pulling him into a hug which he returned whilst his eyes travelled to that of the seated figures of Ciaran and Noir; who were only just beginning to look up.

"You two alright?"

"Yea... They're insisting we buy them dinner." Noir replied, Ciaran nodding slowly with his head in his hands.

"Should have just stayed missing..." They all heard him mutter as Raven jumped at Adalwin, hugging him tightly.

"Idea! You take me for dinner, Dad can take Mum out whilst Noir takes Blake."

Looks were exchanged between the couples, Noir looking up at Blake who looked up from a book whilst Ciaran raised his head from his hands and hopefully caught the eyes of Adreanna who couldn't help but smile.

"Sounds like a good idea." Ciaran quickly replied, almost darting up from the bench, taking Adreanna's hand and disappearing in a flash. Raven just stood there still for a few moments before Adalwin began to guide her away with an arm around her waist.

"See you later Noir! Be good!"

Be good? Noir scowled at the disappearing figure of Adalwin before turning to Blake who was staring back into the depths of her book that was in one hand whilst the other clutched the bag with her new outfit. Being the gentleman that he is, Noir stood snaking his hand into her's and stealing the bag from her; now holding both his and her's with a smile.

The two walked together through Vale, not really looking for a place to have dinner until they found themselves at the park. Sitting down together on a bench they resumed the position that they would be in so many times at Beacon with Blake leaning on Noir with a book in hand whilst the Black Knight admired the scenery.

"Look who it is!" Noir looked up to see Cyan standing there with a smile on his face whilst, clutching tightly to his arm, was Nina. Cyan was smiling whilst Nina had a mixture of boredom and amusement written into her face.

The Chevalier couldn't help but smile at his friend, raising a hand in greeting as Cyan looked down at him a similar smile on his face before it faltered. "Where's the trench coat?"

Noir titled his head slightly, indicating Blake who rose a hand in acknowledgement of their presence before returning to her book. "The ball and chain made me take it off- Oof!"

Never would he have suspected that Blake would elbow him but here he was, now nursing his side as Blake shot him a dark look. Cyan just chuckled. "Sadly, I can't seem to find the key for my cha-"

"I dare you, Cyan. Finish saying that." Nina cut in , her voice sweet yet laced with venom. Cyan gulped whilst Noir chuckled, his side still hurting but it was worth it.

"So how've your holidays been so far?"

"Barely a few days in and I'm already bored. What about you?"

Noir just continued to smile, nudging Blake gently. "I got no reason to be bored around kitten."

In response Cyan's expression made him look like he was going to throw up, pretending to wreth whilst Nina's eyes suddenly lit up. "That's soooo sweet! You're so cute, Chevalier!"

"I am not cute!" Noir replied hastily. By his Aura why was everyone saying that today? Everyone except Blake

"Yes you are! That was so sweet! Cyan! Think of something cute to say." Nina demanded, looking at Cyan who only sweat dropped in response, shooting Noir a dirty look for raising Nina's expectations.

"Pfft... Say, Noir?"

"Hm?"

"You wouldn't happen to have some free time in the holidays, would you?" Cyan asked, skirting the edges before asking for the favour. Noir just rose an eyebrow before shaking his head.

"Got plenty of it, why?"

"I may be out training and I could always use someone to help with the Jaeger training."

"What's so special about your Jaeger training?" Nina cut in, eyeing the two men suspiciously as they exchanged looks. Had they been forbidden from training others in the same style? No but at the same time they hadn't been told they could. It wasn't like Professor Adler had said they couldn't but who else could withstand the brutal training that he put them through and only the Jaegers would understand why it was so brutal. Maybe that's why it was so brutal? To put off other people from getting into the training.

"It's brutal."

"Surely it isn't tha-"

"Remember when I told you that Noir got stuck in a wall?" Cyan asked, looking at his girlfriend with a smile flashing across his face as Nina nodded whilst Noir scowled at the memory... And what happened after it. Even Blake glanced up from her book, bending back to lie across Noir's lap and staring into his eyes for a few moments. He swore for a second that she had asked without words 'You got stuck in a wall? Was it very holey?' but brushed it off.

Blake was sarcastic sometimes and could make the odd comment but she wasn't an outright comedian.

"Well, that was because he wasn't paying attention to when Adler was talking... or was it because you interrupted him?"

"Both."

"Well, anyway... I had to pry him out. The only receive he wasn't injured was because we normally do Aura conditioning, improving the strength of our Aura. Remember Noir?"

The Black Knight nodded in response, remembering the lesson as if it was yesterday. Adler had, to everyone's surprise, used Jaune Arc as an example of a strong Aura. Of course Jaune wasn't in the lesson but you could imagine the surprise on Noir and Ruby's faces when they saw the image of Jaune appear and Adler began pointing out that his Aura was massive - If the boy managed to strengthen it then he could become close to super human strength.

"Aye, I remember. Hurt too."

"Gah, you're such a baby. It stops hurting after the first few weeks." Cyan brushed off his comment whilst Blake raised an eyebrow at Noir. On his lap she looked like a cat, her black hair cascading down Noir's legs and behind her back whilst the two smiled at each other every so often. He even went as far as to scratch behind her ear's, earning a small purr from the Faunus.

"I'll agree with you there... So what are you two up to?"

"Well, Nina was on a break so I decided to take her out and grab a bite. What about you two?"

"Just enjoying the sunshine."

Cyan chuckled lightly, winking at Noir. "Don't get used to it, when we get back our asses will be freezing. Worse part is that Adler makes Jaeger training in the winter ten times tougher - Last year we even went naked in the snow."

"Naked?"

"Underwear still on, you pervert. But either way, it was pretty... Chilly."

"What the hell was the purpose of freezing your balls off?" Noir asked, dreading the idea of being without his nice, warm, loving trench coat in the cold weather. But then he remembered the amount of hair he had on his body was probably more than enough to compensate.

"Body conditioning. Adler always says." Cyan paused, taking a moment to imitate their teacher's accent. "No point learning to improve your Aura if your body can't take the strain! Sometimes you pieces of Beowolf shit, you just gotta take the hit rather than hiding behind your Aura!"

Noir couldn't help but grin, imagining their teacher actually saying that wasn't hard but then he was wrenched from his thoughts as Cyan rose his hand, waving to them. "Well, we're off! Be good you two. And you do look kind of cute like that."

"I AM NOT CUTE! FEAR ME!" Noir yelled after his friend, a bead of sweat dropping from his forehead.

There was silence for a few moments before Blake broke it, setting down her book. "You do look cute."

"I give up."

* * *

"So where'd you two go?"

The Chevaliers and Blake had all met up again back at the house, Noir and Blake having been there for the past few hours just sitting in the front room doing nothing except reading and cuddling. Adreanna and Ciaran had arrived just thirty minutes ago with smiles on their faces with their arms intertwined whilst Raven had returned just a few moments ago looking very red.

"We didn't. We just went to the park, talked before coming back here."

"Awh, come on Noir surely you should take Blake some where special. How long have you two been together?"

"The months blur together but there have been no regrets." Noir answered simply, turning a page in the book he was reading whilst Blake did the same a few moments later with a feline grin playing across her face.

"Noir has already said he will take me some where just later to make it more romantic." Blake added in, the grin fading slightly to hide her greater amusement as Noir spluttered whilst Raven 'Awwed'.

"Just avoid using any of those cheap lines from those books, Noir."

"Oh don't worry... Blake would know."

How Blake would know, Raven did not want to discover and the oldest Chevalier sibling quickly left the room with her face still red.

* * *

"I will admit, I was surprised to you actually agreed to this."

Blake and Noir were walking down one of the streets in vale, arms intertwined with one another. Noir was wearing his suit, looking uncomfortable but hiding it with his grace knowing that he had something very comfortable clinging to his arm. Blake looked simply radiant, like the moon shining in the darkness or in this case a onyx gemstone was still wearing her bow whilst Noir practically paraded his eyes, glaring at anyone who stared for too long. His face was slowly becoming furrier, his stubble showing signs of developing into a beard however he had put off cutting it until Blake showed displeasure at it which she hadn't so far. In fact, the hairs would tickle.

The two stopped outside a very posh looking restaurant. "You sure you can pay for this, Noir?" Blake asked gently. She wasn't being rude since Noir had stated earlier he was going to pay (After he had 'borrowed' some money from his father which he had no intention of returning). The Chevalier smiled at her.

"I do believe it is customary for the Knight to treat his Princess."

It was poetic and would have been more ironic if it was Weiss but Blake allowed a dull blush to appear on her cheeks as the two strode in together.

"Hello Sir, how can I help you this evening?"

They had barely gone through the front door, with no line visible as a kind looking man approached them with a smile plastered on his face. Noir returned the smile and so did Blake before the Chevalier replied. "Table for two please."

"Anywhere specific?"

"A corner would be nice, thanks."

The man nodded, smiling to the two of them still but with the sense that it was less forced since the couple demonstrated their own kindness. Poor sod, he normally had to deal with upstart upperclassmen and their wives but these two seemed nice. But where had he seen the boy before? He looked oddly familiar...

"This way then."

The man led the way, with plenty of room between the tables they strode through and saw quite a few tables, a number of them empty but plenty of them full. Couples sat, whilst families sat at others and they all gave off the same pompous air. There was a counter where one could order drinks but drinks were offered with the main meal.

Of course, a corner was free and Noir pulled Blake's seat out for her allowing the female Faunus to take her seat, tucking it in for her before taking his own seat in the corner itself. In her mind, Blake menatlly made a note to give him points towards a kiss later.

The man smiled at the two of them. "I'll be back in a few minutes to take your orders, feel free to take your time."

"We'll try not to take too long, cheers." Noir replied, grinning at the man and adjusting his coat slightly. Minuit and Pitch Beauty were hidden in their holsters beneath Noir ensuring that the suit coat he bought was larger so as to hide the twins from view. It wasn't normal for someone to walk into a store with a pair of weapons and not cause trouble but Noir was thinking about his and Blake's safety even then he highly doubted that Blake had left Gambol Shroud behind; the weapon may not be visible but it was probably somewhere.

Noir took out the two menus, handing one over to Blake before looking at his own looking at the differnet courses and the food they could get. He immediately noticed the tea, that'd be a nice drink... Now food. For a starter... soup? Crab soup. Contrary to popular belief, crab soup was just the liquid without a shell and actually tasted quite nice and could taste like ambrosia if you had bread to dip into the soup. Main course... BACON?! No. Control yourself Noir. Go for something you wouldn't usually have...

Beef. Beef with a siding of garden peas would be a good change. Not a massive change but it was still a good change. Noir set the menu down, smiling as he realized Blake was till reading through the entirety of the menu - he had spotted something with tuna in and he could already guess what Blake would order. this was going to be a great evening.

* * *

"I tell you man, I've seen that guy somewhere."

"What guy?"

"See the one in the corner with the attractive black haired lass?"

"Oh my... that's Noir Chevalier, one of the winners of the Vytal tournament."

"Wasn't he the one who had the fight alone in the tag team section and then fight against two at the same time when it was meant to be singles?"

"Holy mother of soup! it is... Him. You already served him?"

"Yea, they're probably just finishing up their main course now."

The waiter exchanged a look with the man behind the bar. For the entire evening, the couple at back had been more polite then most of the visitors they had had in the past year. They were polite, nice and very friendly - more than willing to smile and say thanks.

The given title of 'Noir Chevalier' was 'The Black Knight;', it was even used at the betting stands before his last few battles where people mostly betted on him losing after all he had just fought a few matches beforehand. If anything, he should have been worn out. And he had been by the end of it. That didn't stop him from becoming a fast hero.

* * *

"Thank you for the meal, Noir."

Blake and Noir left the restaurant, paying and giving the waiter a decent tip for being so nice; which he accepted with a thank you. Noir and Blake walked with their arms around one another and satisfied smiles on their faces which they may not have even realized were there. The food was great, the company was the best...

"My pleasure Blake. Anytime."

The two exchanged a small smile before they continued on their way, not rushing through the streets since their eyes were easily piercing the darkness.

* * *

_"Journal entry 003. Begin. _

_Another day, around half a day since I made the last entry but something great happened. Me and Blake went out for a meal and it went amazing, turns out kitten has a small obsession with tuna. Right kitten?" _

_"Hmph..." _

_"Awh, come on kitten it was fun! We should do it more often... Or at least have meals together more often." _

_"It would be nice." _

_"Aha! So you do enjoy my company." _

_"When have I ever given you the impression that I don't?" _

_"… Fair point. I'll just give you a quick kiss... Woops. End Journal entry. Now come here you, I need something to hold." _

_"Noir those aren't stress-" _

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed this new chapter of the Black Knight! The inspiration from this one coming from a conversation I had with a Miss Fortier on the RWBY OC Facebook page! And a picture she drew which had been in fits of giggles halfway through an exam! I hope you all enjoyed this new chapter. Love you all! **

**Noir: He doesn't love you all. Run while you still can. **

**Ciaran: So what'd you and Blake get up to at the end of that entry, hmm? **

**Noir: Well uh.. You see... Dad... Eh... **

**Ciaran: Is my cute little boy growing into a man? **

**Noir: Little?! WAIT CUTE?! I AM NOT CUTE! FEAR ME OLD MAN!**


	33. Chapter 33 - The Entries

**Chapter 33 - The Entries**

_'Don't you want there to be memories? More then just in our minds but actually recorded? That's what I want. If I ever get memory loss and, Dust forbid, I can't remember you I just want you to pull out my scroll and play the entries.'_

_'Why?'_

_'Because I'll hear what I need to remember - And if I don't, I'll fall in love with you all over again. Why? Only nature knows that.'_

_-Noir Chevalier explaining to Blake Belladonna on the purpose of his journal entries_

The run up to the wedding was mostly uneventful however the few events that did happen were barely of any note however - Anything and everything was recorded by Noir Chevalier in his journal entries so here they are - The seven entries on the run up to the wedding.

* * *

_"Journal Entry 004 begin." The robotic voice stated the beginning of the entry._

_"So here we are again, lying in bed after such a wonderful day."_

_"You hit someone."_

_"He was asking for it..."_

_"You hit someone."_

_"He was groping you! But, back on track... Today was rather uneventful. Myself and Blake went out for a walk, visited a book store and just talked but after that we did go to the gym and work out. Now, I know we're not muscle bound ass holes but their were plenty of them there and one of those ass wipes tried to give Blake a knock on the ass! The nerve of him!"_

_"I would have handled it discreetly, Puppy."_

_"I know but sometimes discreetly isn't as good as my forward approach."_

_"I disagree with you on that one."_

_"Oh? So tell me, all those months ago when we were... Well... You know. Were we being discreet? Especially with all tha-"_

_The sound of a hand slapping across flesh was recorded before the loud noise of Noir yelped was heard._

_"Sorry, sorry... Uncalled for..." _

_"Hmph."_

_"But anyway, Dad and Mum have been getting along well whilst sis has been fussing over the wedding. We're having it on the side of a cliff, not wise in my opinion but Raven threatened to circumcise me if I didn't go. So if the cliffside falls into the ocean whilst we're still on it, don't come crying to me."_

_"I must admit, it isn't efficient. We're exposed, open to attack an-"_

_"Attack?"_

_"The Ravenscroft."_

_"Oh yea... Human family with lots of money blah blah blah... So yea, back to the original point - I'm taking Blake as my plus one. We'll be sitting on the front row alongside Rhea and Cobalt whilst mum and dad sits with Ares and Azure. Apparently, there are going to be quite a few people attending including a few politicians and such. Trying to kiss ass to Ares, or so Adalwin said."_

_"Hmph. Are weapons permitted?"_

_"Asked Raven and she gave me -that- look that she does. The 'You ruin this, I'll kill you SLOWLY' look. In other words, she glared at me before saying that Yes, we can bring weapons as long as they are concealed."_

_"I've just found a reason to bring your trench coat."_

_"So I can wear it?"_

_"No, under the guise you gave it to me to keep warm I can hide Gambol Shroud."_

_"... You're a cruel woman, Blake."_

_A light chuckle was heard alongside a yelp, silence and then a soft purring as the muffled voice of Noir came from... Somewhere. _

_"End Journal Entry."_

* * *

_"Journal Entry 005 begin."_

_"Another day, another pain in the ass. Apparently, Dad's been trying to convince me to take up a rifle alongside the twins and has even put in a custom order for one. Told me we'll begin training just before the day of the wedding since 'Chicks love sweaty handsome men...' and i swear he tried to flex."_

_"Puppy, why would you need to attract... Others?"_

_From the stun silence Noir could already detect the warning signs and future listeners understood the same. It was practically a dare, take one wrong step and his balls would be removed soon after his head would follow suit. _

_"I don't, Kitten. I just need to make you more attracted to me and ensure Gambol Shroud likes me?" _

_It was far from smooth but it had a close to desired effect. _

_"You're off the hook... For now."_

_"Thanks kitten."_

_"End the entry..."_

_"Why?"_

_"So I can give you something..."_

_"Hehehe... Okay. End Journal Entry."_

* * *

_"Journal Entry 006 Begin."_

_"Another day, another problem... But not today! Raven brought Adalwin to get to know dad and mum better and it was perhaps the most fun we've had - We're quite a fun family to begin with, perhaps slightly insane, but it was good. Adalwin, somehow, got to the stage where he was laughing along with Raven at dad's expense whilst mum tried to comfort the old lion and his wounded pride."_

_"You forgot to mention you challenged Adalwin to a spar..."_

_"Oh yea..."_

_"And you were defeated after putting up a good fight."_

_"You know Kitten - That's why I love you. You're direct but you aren't like my version of direct. You're a nice direct. Anyone else would have just said I had my ass handed to me but you just say I was defeated. Love ya Kitten."_

_"Uh... Noir... Are you feeling alright?"_

_"Yea, I am. Always remember that Kitten! With you, I'm always fine!"_

_"Noir, let's not bore the poor soul who's listening to this with our 'romantic' moments and let's just go to sleep..."_

_There was silence for a few moments._

_"I love you too..."_

_"End Journal Entry."_

* * *

_"Journal Entry 007 begin."_

_"Another evening... Oh by Dust my arms hurt."_

_"Intense session?"_

_"Dad insisted that, with the new rifle, I learn all the tools of it and memorise which buttons to press. So, I now have a rifle by the name of '__**Shadoumemori' **__which has a scope which allows me to go up to around the distance of your average ballistic scope. Dad also gave me these ridiculous amount of choice for the weapon, saying 'Oh, you can give it a silencer if you're facing people at a closer range and want to remain hidden and you can fit a bipod right here!'"_

_"But surely the weapon is too large to use in close combat and that's why you have Minuit and Pitch Beauty?" _

_"That's what I told him! But then he, in his infinite wisdom, pressed a bloody button on it and the barrel shrunk and a bayonet just popped out beneath it!"_

_"How many shots can be fired before discharging a clip?"_

_"Around... Eight?"_

_"That weapon would be useless in short range fighting but sounds effective in medium range."_

_"I love it when you talk like that..."_

_"What?"_

_"Logically. Mm..."_

_"End Journal Entry."_

_"Hey that's my li-"_

* * *

_"Journal Entry 008 Begin."_

_"Uuuurrgghh..." _

_"You feeling even worse?"_

_"You saw me out there with him."_

_"I was reading."_

_"Don't say you weren't admiring my sweat covered body."_

_There was the sound of spluttering fora few moments following by a moment of silence. And then the sound of flesh against flesh was heard again and Noir yelped._

_"I didn't deserve that!"_

_"S-shut up!" _

_"But then again, we did show-"  
_

_"END JOURNAL ENTRY."_

* * *

_"Journal Entry 009 Begin."_

_"So... Blake. Getting closer and closer to the wedding, are ya ready?"_

_"Of course."_

_"Think Raven will do a runner?"_

_"That's a horrible thought to have about your own sister, Noir."_

_"What! I have a sadistic sense of humour and it'd be funny to see the expression on Adalwin's face when Raven steadily gets later and later."_

_"Hmph. Would you do that at your own wedding?"_

_"Uh..."_

_Another moment where he had to pick his answer carefully. The Black Knight had just stated he had a sadistic sense of humour and he would have been amused to see his sister do a runner - Why not himself? But then the thought of his bride and how his own wedding would take place entered his mind. Sadly, the journal cannot read minds so we are not privy to this in-... Fine. _

_The thoughts racing through Noir's mind of what he had learned of your traditional Faunus wedding. _

_Weddings among the Faunus were occasions for great joy, as two people found love and were going to spend the rest of their lives together. An 'Eternal mate' as it were but the more polite way to say it is 'Lifelong companion'. The wedding ceremony was conducted that the groom would await the bride at the ceremony however the bride would wear a colour corresponding to 'her' colour meaning that some weddings were held with a vast array of colours on display and some weddings (especially among the Chevaliers) were often mistaken for funerals by passers-by. _

_The groom would wear a suit corresponding to your average suit, with the white and black representing the good and bad in himself and nature. The man performing the ceremony was known as the **Koomote** (Bonder) and would wear Grey - symbolising that their may be good and evil but there was always the space in between so he would stand between the two; separating them until they had swore to one another. The man would take the good and evil of the world upon himself and protect his wife so she may retain her own 'colour' and live on. The 'husband' would sometimes be referred to, in Faunus only communities, **Hogo-sha** (**Protector**). The names were decided by Owl Faunus, who had first invented the ceremony as a way of portraying love for one another and it was widely adopted and accepted in the Faunus community. The wife became known as the **Jureu** (**Jewel**) so the way it was seen as was the Protector guarding a Jewel. _

_The families and close friends of the two would sit in two columns however they weren't separated by the families and close friends of each but instead inspired to mingle with the others - The **Hogo-sha's **parents expected to sit with the **Jureu's** whilst their brothers and sisters did the same. The vows were chosen by the couple to be, with no outside help but it was sealed with blood - Which had caused many humans to view the procedure as barbaric and lead to wild stories of sacrificing and drinking the blood of children when, in reality, the two simply had their thumbs pricked which was then imprinted onto a parchment with their names above._

_However, the best part was you -chose- the bonder for your own ceremony. Be it male or female, Human or Faunus and they would have to prepare the lines to speak. It was often chosen that a close friend of the couple would do it, spending weeks preparing beforehand. _

_But now, back to to the journal..._

_"I would... Arrive early. And when I finally make the **Chi no Chikai **(Blood Oath) with them then I would truly become happy, and i'd seek nothing more in my life and live the rest of it without regrets if only I got to spend it with-"_

_"**Warning. Automatic saving process engaged - Scroll has ran out of power." **_

_"Mother fu-"_

* * *

_"Journal Entry 010 begin."_

_"Not gonna shut down on me this time machine, eh? Piece of-"_

_"Noir..."_

_"Sorry kitten."_

_"Hmph. Talk about the day."_

_"Well - It's the day before the wedding and I saw Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea today. All of them were happy... A bit too happy."_

_"Elaborate."_

_"They all tackle hugged me to the ground and I can honestly say I lost consciousness."_

_"Sounds like you have your own harem." _

_From the tone of voice, a listener could tell Blake was smirking with a small playful tone on her voice._

_"Pfft, Don't need a harem; like in the books. All I need is you."_

_"Again, Noir, you're a bit too-"_

_"To hell with that, who else is going to hear this except us in later years?"_

_"Hmph... A poor soul who has nothing better to do?"_

_"Maybe... But I still enjoy doing these. Plus it's nice to record and talk about what we do together."_

_"Hmph. Noir, question."_

_"Shoot kitten."_

_"What do you plan on doing if the White Fang come after me?"_

_"Uh... Why would they do that?"_

_"I don't know... But we didn't exactly part on good terms and with the interruption of that heist in our first year with Sun and Ruby they obviously aren't happy."_

_"Well... If they do..."_

_"I wouldn't blame you if you wanted me to leave..."_

_"Hold your horses, kitten. I'm the Black Knight of Vale, the son of the Fifth Black Knight and the Great, Great grandson of the First Black Knight. I'm not afraid of some over zealous folk who just have their head in the sand whilst their being manipulated."_

_"That doesn't an-"_

_"It does. I won't give you up for anything in this world, Blake. Anything."_

_There was silence which was only permeated by slowed breathing and the slight rustle as the two might have been inching closer to one another._

_"Idiot. You'll regret it later..." Blake's voice barely registered on the scroll._

_"Then I better not regret it now." Answered the Black Knight and the sound of lips pressing against one another, the small pop, was heard whilst Noir manually groped for the button to switch the scroll off. The mechanical voice spoke his regular line._

_"Journal Entry ending."_

* * *

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the shorter chapter but this was a filler chapter to fill in the remaining time until the true core of this Arc comes into play with the main event! - The Wedding! I hope you liked my way of Faunus wedding.**

**Q. Why Japanese? **

**A. RWBY is an anime. It's only right that some of the words used are from Japan. (Using Google translate, of course muwhahaha) **

**Noir: So... I have a new rifle. Care to tell these poor sods what it looks like? **

**Aristotle: Do I have tooooooo?**

**Noir: Hmph... Give them the brief version.**

**Aristotle: Right guys! Imagine the Anti-material rifle from Fallout: New Vegas! That should give you a rough idea but have no fear I'll go into a more detailed description in the next chapter! Talleyho! **

**EDIT: There is now a page for Noir Chevalier on Facebook - I'll be posting updates on the story and artwork there. Head over there now and just type in Noir Chevalier - NOIR**


	34. Chapter 34 - Shibō-sai

**Chapter 34 - Shibō-sai**

_'To love you, Raven, is to love no one else. I'll sooner accept your death then I'll accept Noir's personal colour to be pink.'_

_- Adalwin's personal vow to Raven when he proposed_

The morning of the wedding was a moment of panic, excitement and energy for everyone - Especially at seven o'clock in morning. Except the men in the Chevalier Household... Who were regretting their decisions to get out of bed. Raven would arrive later on and had her designated escort prepared to pick her up when they received word everyone was ready and in their seats. So that left Noir, Blake, Adreanna and Ciaran to make their way to the cliffside where the wedding would take place and being the people that they were they walked.

The four of them walked in two columns, Noir holding onto Blake's arm whilst Ciaran held tightly to Adreanna. In Blake's other arm was a purse and a folded up trench coat which held Gambol Shroud within. The Black Knight on the other hand had worn his detective style holsters beneath his suit jacket and had Minuit and Pitch Beauty loaded however with the safeties on. The new 'Sibling', Shadoumemori, was strapped around Noir's back in its collapsed form to give someone, who was just giving the weapon a passing glance, that it was a thick pole possibly carrying a gift when in reality it was a rifle capable of severing a man's head from his body at a thousand metres.

One hell of a gift.

The walk took them around an hour to get there, plus that onto the hour it took all of them to get ready (Ciaran telling his wife that if she didn't get ready quickly, then he'd dress her himself) it was nine o'clock when they arrived. The group had to go off the beaten track, weaving their way through the trees before emerging onto a very opening clearing with trees surrounding it on either side until you reached the cliff edge where they gave way to a magnificent view. Around the clearing was a single rope to funnel people into the one designated entrance as to not mess with the amazing chair placement.

Noir could only brace as he saw a flash of gold, indigo and blue soon finding himself wrapped in the embrace of three girls. What was more, he soon discovered Blake to be caught in the same embrace with a shocked expression on her usual blank canvas which she quickly restored as the three let go.

Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea were all standing there wearing beautiful outfits.

Orlaith was wearing a wrap around body dress, revealing her shoulders and the tops of her breasts - catching the eyes of a few Ravenscroft teens. The dress itself appeared to be twinkling slightly in the light with a few sparkles lacing the edges, giving the gold dress a very illuminating effect. She looked like a more glorified version of the sun, twinkling away at people and giving a few winks. Orian's weapon was mysteriously absent and she looked a lot less defenceless without it until you caught the muscular arms and toned legs. Her hair was still in her braid but appearing like it was shimmering in the light.

Indigo's outfit consisted of a dress which revealed both of her shoulders but went further down then Orlaith's whilst also having two cords the went around the front side to the back. The dress itself was a darker shade of lavender but getting brighter the closer you got to the edges giving it the appearance of a black hole. At her waist, her usual belt was missing but she was carrying a small purse which had the familiar bumps that identified concealed senbon needles. Indigo to was catching the eyes of a few of the Ravenscroft teens, seeing that the Chevaliers were... How to put it - Non existent except for this family. Indigo too had kept her hair in the same style but seemed to have used the most expensive conditioner products on it to give it an almost dull glow of its own.

Adreanna had been an only child and so had Ciaran, leaving Noir and Raven with no uncles, aunties or cousins to speak of. However they tended to avoid the topic of grandparents.

And last, but certainly not least, was Rhea. Her outfit was... Well... Stunning. A high neck, one shoulder dress with a skirt which descended to her kneecaps but no further in a cobalt blue which brought out her hair perfectly. The dress itself gave the illusion that you could have been staring at the sky, only to look up and see her smiling face and that hair. Rhea was not carrying any visible weapon which gave Noir an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach that if there was to be an attack then most people here would be defenceless. Well... if you could call a large family of trained Hunters and Huntresses 'defenceless' then you were in for a big surprise. Rhea had not made any attempt to make her hair glisten but it did look clean which was enough.

"Hey you three. You all look wonderful." Noir spoke, giving them all a trademark wolfish grin.

"Thanks Noir!" Indigo replied cheerfully, spinning around slightly as if she was trying to release a lot of built up energy.

"You look wonderful Blake." Rhea said, her voice revealing no degree of spite or disdain for the Faunus who had won the 'love battle' but instead affection and care. After all, if things went to plan, Noir would eventually marry Blake which would effectively make them sisters-in-law.

"Thank you Rhea. You look wonderful yourself." Blake gave Rhea one of her rare smiles, tilting her head slightly causing her revealed cat ears to flutter slightly in the wind.

"Who're these three Noir? Got your own harem?"

Noir sighed heavily, not bothering to look up as Ciaran came up on his right with Adreanna with her arm linked with his.

"Who the hell's that, Noir? Wait... you never told us you had a twin!" Orlaith squealed, sizing up the two Chevaliers with interest written in her eyes. Side by side, wearing the same outfit... You honestly couldn't tell the two alike unless you looked -very- careful and noticed Ciaran's black hair had a few strands of grey. Ciaran let out a chuckle, revealing his larger then normal canines for a moment before smiling at the three girls.

"Ciaran Chevalier. Father to this ugly git beside me."

Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea froze in place with their eyes drawing invisible lines between Ciaran and Noir.

"We look the same, idiot."

"Pfft, I obviously look more handsome."

Ciaran and Noir exchanged a single look of mock irritation before turning away receiving odd looks from their corresponding partners before they both turned back to the other members of team NOIR almost in sync. Somewhere, far, far away a blue soldier suddenly sneezed and said aloud "Automatic dish washer."

"So who are these three?"

"Oh yea... Dad, meet Orlaith Orian, Indigo Althea and Rhea Ravenscroft. Or in other words... Team NOIR."

"... They actually gave you your own team? You weren't just pulling my leg?"

Noir sweat dropped whilst Indigo giggled. Rhea raised an eyebrow at Ciaran whilst Orlaith was still sizing him up.

"Yea Dad... Oh look, seats. I'm going to go claim them." Noir spoke, mostly to himself, with himself and Blake disappearing in a flash as the former dragged the latter to the front row, taking their seats on the left.

"I'm surprised." Blake stated as she seemingly glided into her seat with the assistance of the Chevalier.

"About...?"

"You seemed eager to get away."

"Let's just say that... I don't want to be around when Orlaith begins asking the weird questions." Noir said, shrugging Shadoumemori from his back and leaning it against his chair leg before taking his seat and sliding an arm around Blake's waist and gently pulling her closer.

The cat Faunus did not resist, shooting Noir a curious look before leaning on right onto his shoulder.

"So, what's the money on the ceremony being crashed by someone or some people?" Noir asked, staring forward and noticing there was easily two hundred metres to the edge; rewarding the front seats with the sound of the waves crashing against the bottom of the cliff.

"How many do you think brought weapons?" Blake asked in return, shifting the folded trench coat on her lap a moment and still feeling the rough outline of Gambol Shroud hidden within.

The Black Knight seriously considered the question, looking around and spotting the blue mass of people that represented the Ravenscorfts and noticing that some had scabbards for swords dangling at belts whilst others appeared to walk with a limp whilst even others had odd bumps in their clothing. It was amusing to see the poor attempts at hidden weapons or maybe it was just his keen eyes?

"All of them. Limps normally mean they have some kind of weapon stuffed into their trouser leg. Others just wear their swords in their scabbards, claiming their ceremonial. Odd bumps in the clothing... Probably some kind of small weapon like a dagger or spike."

Noir chuckled to himself, remembering his earlier thought about a mass of unarmed Hunters and Huntresses. Correction, whoever would dare to crash this weapon would have the stuffing kicked, cut, blown, smashed and shot out of them before they could even get a word out.

"Hey Chevalier!"

Noir came out of his thoughts to see a smiling face in front of him and saw Adalwin in a black and white suit, almost identical to Noir's own but with a blue tie.

"Hey Adalwin, you feeling alright?"

Adalwin nodded once before he paused. "Nervous as you can be jumping off the back of a Nevermore."

The two shared a private joke, Blake's ears twitching slightly as the memory of the battle against the Nevermore with RWBY and how she had just ran along the back, slashing before jumping off. What was the big deal?

"Just remember, we'll be family. So I'll kick your ass if you hurt her." It was a mixture between a joke and a message but Adalwin got both, giving Noir a small grin and a nod before a familiar figure approached from the side and stood next to the nervous Ravenscroft.

"Hey Nadim."

The brown haired man, with hair that now stretched just past his ears, raised a hand in greeting as a smile permeated his face. His outfit was much the same as the day they had met, a simple brown robe that looked recently cleaned with the same cantina strapped to his belt. "Yo little Chevalier, how've you been keeping?"

"Good thanks. So Adalwin chose you to be his **Sapōto**?" It was more of a rhetorical question since the fact that Nadim was early anywhere was a testament to his position.

"Yea, the unlucky sod had a toss up between me and Valeriya but it was already decided that one of us would be guarding the Princess on her way here since we don't trust that position to anyone else." Nadim shot Adalwin a grin as the latter rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as Nadim continued. "Plus they both offered me rewards for services rendered."

"Drink?"

"Drink. But, back on track... Who's this lovely lady?" Nadim eyes strayed to Blake, who was still leaning on Noir with her eyes closed like she was resting peacefully almost like how a cat might curl up around something warm.

"This is Blake."

"Nice to meet you." Nadim did a small bow to Blake, keeping a small smile on his face whilst Noir looked like he was trying to figure out the answer to cold fusion before he finally managed to say.

"She shares our interest in literature."

The affect was immediate as Nadim's eyes lit up with genuine interest rather then simple polite interest as his eyes were suddenly fixed on Blake's, the latter's eyes now open and looking at Noir with a slightly confused, slightly irritated tone to them.

"Ah... She does? Good... Good..." Nadim muttered "Just don't use the lines since she'll recognise them."

"I won't."

Nadim and Noir exchanged grins as Adalwin coughed. "I think we'll go get into position, it looks like everyone's starting to take their seats."

"Alright, alright... Chat to you later, Noir?"

"Aye."

Adalwin and Nadim moved off, already bickering with one another as Noir let out a soft yelp; his side having been poked by Blake. However further inquiries were stopped as Rhea and Cobalt took their seats next to Noir. Rhea was smiling as she took her seat next to Noir whilst Cobalt merely flashed a small smile at Noir before his face became a stone; firm, resolute and waiting to be carved.

"Hey Rhea. Good conversation with my dad?"

"He's as weird as you are so it was great." Rhea replied, her smile slowly deforming into a grin. "Orlaith asked some... Weird questions."

"Like?"

"Weird." Rhea reassured, her voice saying she did not want to have to go into the matter. The Chevalier could only chuckle before they noticed a man wearing green robes took the position between where Raven and Adalwin would stand, offering the latter a small smile. "Hey Noir... How does a Faunus bonding ceremony... Go about doing it?"

"Well, to begin with Raven will arrive with her chosen **Yūjin**, which is just a friend who they chose to escort them to the ceremony. She'll come down the centre, but stand on the other side of the **Koomote** and he separates them until they both take their vows to one another. The **Yūjin** will stand behind and to the right of Raven for the rest of the ceremony until the two are bonded and make the **Chi no Chikai** which means they'll be bonded for the rest of their lives. Back on track though, Nadim is the **Sapōto **who gives Adalwin the item that he has chose to represent their bond which can be anything from a ring, necklace pendant... to... Well... Anything. Adalwin would be commonly referred to as a **Hogo-sha** whilst Raven would be called the **Jureu. **It's a ceremony built upon simple words and the vows they take are their own made to one another. After the vows, the **Koomote** steps back and allows the two to kiss whilst preparing the paper where they will make their **Chi no Chikai**. And that's it... Except for the after party, of course."

"Naturally." Rhea muttered, filtering the information down before nodding. "Sounds better then a normal Human wedding."

"The grass is always greener on the other side." Noir replied sagely before they were all called to silence as the dull sound of a mechanical humming could be heard that was getting louder and louder.

Moments later, they heard the roar of an engine as a bulldog came over the tree line and hovering just at the edge of the cliff; the side doors opening to reveal Raven in her wedding dress looking flustered whilst Valeriya stood next to her wearing the same outfit he was wearing all those months ago. The two quickly stepped out of the bulldog and not a moment had they stepped onto the grass, they heard the whirring of the engine as it shot off.

Noir's eyebrow was twitching visibly, as was many people as they saw Raven and Valeriya cross the ground quickly.

"My apologies. Raven was constantly worrying over the idea of being late beforehand so I organised a mode of transportation to ensure a speedy arrival." Valeriya stated in an emotionless voice as a visibly embarrassed Raven took her position on the other side of the **Koomote** with a stare that said everything that was unspoken Valeriya would be dead before the day was up.

Noir, Ciaran, Ares and Nadim all laughed... It was a hollow sound in the dead silent clearing and all four of them were consequently silenced by Blake, Adreanna, Azure and Adalwin - All of them left with painful sides.

The **Koomote** was barely restraining his own laugh, shaking his head a few times before looking up at those assembled with a smile overtaking his features. "Well... After that dramatic entry I wouldn't be surprised if this ceremony was blown away." A few chuckles answered his statement before the man continued.

"Friends... Family... Annoying siblings."

Noir, Rhea and Azure all shot very dirty looks at the couple who were barely restraining their own smiles from breaking through now.

After all, what the **Koomote**was saying had been written by the couple to be.

"We are gathered here today to witness the union of these two. Faunus and Human. Chevalier and Ravenscroft. Firstly, before we get into it, is there anyone here who objects to this bonding - if there is, speak now and get the..." The **Koomote** sighed, leaving it there.

Nobody spoke, and Raven was showering the crowd with a wave of killing intent that set a few small children off with squeals whilst their mothers comforted them.

"Now, we shall begin. Raven Chevaler and Adalwin Ravenscroft first met at Beacon academy when they were both seventeen - In the Emerald Forest..."

* * *

_'The Emerald Forest... All those years ago...'_

"COME ON! COME AND GET ME!"

Raven stood but it was not that older, more experienced Raven that we know now. It was the young Raven, still inexperienced but wielding her sword like it was child's play and keeping a few Beowolves at arm's range.

This pack had been harassing her for the most part ever since she had landed and it was only now that she had gotten the opportunity to bring them out of the shadows and face them head on. Her eyes glinted dangerously in the light piercing through the canopy above and the beowolves watched her, moving around her slowly and baring their fangs every so often.

The Raven Faunus screamed at them, which sounded more like a loud squak then anything, before lunging forward with her sword and aiming to pierce the closest with the tip. Instead, however, it dodged to the side and amde to swipe at her now vulnerable side. The mistake: Too much forward momentum to recover in time.

The reward: Death.

However, the reward never came. Instead, the beowolf let out a loud howl as a dull thud was heard, accompanied by another... And another... And another. However she didn't see hat was happening, colliding with a tree and regaining her balance just in time to swing her sword around and almost decapitate a poor sod who just happened to be standing there with a longbow in hand and a quiver full of arrows slung over his back.

The boy... Or man in this case... had blue hair accompanied by a pair of blue eyes that studied Raven for a few moments with a mixture of shock and curiosity before a wide smile broke out across his face. "I suppose this makes us partners!"

"Hmph." Was all she replied, glancing around the boy and spotting the smoking corpses of the Beowolves before turning her eyes back to the man. "What's your name, Sky?"

"Uh... My name's Adalwin, not Sky."

"Too bad, that's your new nickname if I ever use it." Raven replied, turning on her heel and heading in the direction of, where she thought, the ruins were.

"What's your name!" Adalwin called, catching up to Raven with a smile still on his face.

"Raven Chevalier."

"Nice to meet you!"

He was too happy. How could someone be so happy? Raven cursed her luck at finding such a person... He reminded her too much of Noir. Noir and Laila... Such a happy pair of kids.

* * *

_'The present'_

"Where the two met. Whilst Adalwin adored his new found partner, Raven loathed the happy man."

A few people chuckled but became silent as the ceremony continued.

"However their relationship developed over the years... Or rather quickly, since they shared something for their time at Beacon..."

* * *

_'Their first year'_

"Hey, Adal! Get in here!"

"Raven we've got a class, we can't be-" But the poor sod's remarks were cut off as Raven grabbed his tie, pulling him into a closet.

* * *

"Their relationship expanded over the years to something greater, the happiness of the young Adalwin finally taking effect on Raven - Giving you the fun loving ball of happiness we all know and love today."

Raven rose an eyebrow at this, very tempted to throttle Adalwin for this before smirking as she remembered what she had added.

"Adalwin was quite the charmer, or so we've been told, but recently his charms were simply lines from the popular 'romance' novel 'Ninjas of Love'."

Score: Raven - 1. Adalwin - 1.

Everyone's eyes turned to stare at Adalwin who had a furious blush on his face. He now regretted their idea to explain things before leading up their vows as he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, Noir with a wide grin on his face whilst Ares seemed to be holding in a burst of laughter.

"But now... They've made these vows. Raven Chevalier, do you swear to forever love Adalwin Ravenscroft? To hold him when he is weak, to support him when he recovers and to lead him when he is strong?"

"I do."

"And do you, Adalwin Ravenscroft, swear to forever love Raven Chevalier? To help her when she is weak, to live with her forever... And to never part from her until you die?"

"I do."

"Then I declare that you two shall now make the **Chi no Chikai** together after you've sealed your oath..." The man stepped back, breaking down the barrier between the two and almost instantly they both swooped forward and became entangled in a mass of limbs as they kissed each other.

Noir and Ciaran cheered at the same time, clapping loudly as Ares, Nadim and Rhea followed suit. Cobalt on the other hand had lifted a finger to his ear, pressing it gently with a frown slowly en composing his features... However this went unnoticed by everyone as cheering and clapping suddenly broke out across the clearing.

"May the parents of Raven Ravenscroft and Adalwin Ravenscroft come to the edge of the cliff to witness the **Chi no Chikai!" **

Ciaran, Adreanna, Azure and Ares made their way over to the edge of the cliff where Raven and Adalwin were already waiting with a small table where there was a piece of parchment and a knife already waiting.

Ciaran shot Noir a smile, giving him a small nod.

The cheering was still loud, people still clapping and applauding but it slowly began to die down... Or was meant to... People's hands had stopped moving and voices quietened down but... Why was there still a loud sound?

It was then that Noir's ears were pierced by the sound of Cobalt's voice, now audible over the slow rumbling sound. "Noir! Get them out of there! Something's happened but you need to get them out of there!"

His entire body errupted into combat mode, springing him up from the chair and he was already halfway to the bonding group when a very sound ripped through the ears of everyone within a mile radius and the cliff shook for a moment.

Everyone was thrown back from their chairs and feet, including the young Chevalier and all he could do was look desperately up from his position on the ground to see the ground just in front of his slowly begin to break... And slip away.

Another explosion ripped through the cliff, causing everyone who had manage to regain their feet to be thrown back again. His ears were ringing and he face became pale as he saw Raven transform into the flock of ravens she was renowned for, grabbing Adalwin and already moving. Ares and Azure seemed stuck in place, fixed in place by shock but were brought out of it as Adreanna and Ciaran smacked them both at the same time - both of the latter giving the formers Aura enhanced kicks to the centre which broke a few bones but gave the desired affect of sending them rocketing away from the cliff side.

It was all they could do as the cliff seemed to shudder once more before it began to slip away.

What happened next... Was in slow motion.

***Cue Wings - RWBY OST***

Ciaran's eyes widened, before relaxing and clutching his wife as she clutched him in return.

Noir's black eyes widened as the land they were stood on slid off the cliff and fell into the water beneath them, dropping the Chevalier parents into the abyss. He could only let out a pained yell as he saw his father's last smile directed at him... No, this was unfair - HE HAD JUST KNOWN HIM A WEEK!

Life... No... how could this...

He was slowly breaking down on the inside and out, and it took the physical strength of two men to hold Noir back from jumping into the water. Those two men were Nadim and Valeriya, clutching Noir tightly in one armed grips and dragging him back at the young Chevalier tried to fight like a rabid wolf to get back; convincing himself he could dive in and save his parents.

"NOIR! THEY'RE GONE - GONE!" Nadim was yelling but it only caused the young Chevalier to fight back ore, his arms going limp after a few more moments. The two men relaxed their grips on him as they heard the sound of struggled sobs...

"NOIR!" They both yelled as the Chevalier re-doubled his efforts to break free and coincidentally did, breaking out in a sprint for the new cliffside... He almost made it to but was stopped in a flash of black and a single person stood - hugging him. All the energy and momentum felt like they had disappeared in a moment and the mess of black hair filled his eyes and the two small cat ears as he slowly collapsed to the floor, the woman falling with him.

"They're gone..." Noir mumbled out, before screaming out. "COME BACK YOU BASTARD! I HAVEN'T GIVEN YOU GRANDCHILDREN YET!"

"Shh... I won't pretend that it's alright, Noir..." Her voice pierced the veil of sadness and anger that was clouding his mind and, like a knife through butter, she got to him. "But... I'll be here... We may not talk but I'll be here..."

The grip of the Black Knight was regained as he clutched tightly to Blake, pulling her closer with a few tears cascading down the sides of his face and rolling over his cheeks.

"You were the one I needed... And you left me..." Noir muttered, not to Blake, but to the sea.

_"Would I change it if I could? In a heartbeat."_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_"Journal Entry 011 begin."_

_"Ceremony resulted in three missing, three presumed dead. Raven and Adalwin now bonded. Raven has moved out of the Chevalier household and gone to live in a small apartment with Adalwin. Noir has been granted the house and all the posessions within that did not belong to Raven. Noir himself is not coping well with the recent events and has taken to sitting by himself on the roof... I shall join him shortly and just be there..."_

_Thee was a pause in the entry as a deep breath was taken to steady her voice before it continued._

_"Adreanna and Ciaran Chevalier are presumed dead, but now corpses have been recovered. Azure and Ares Ravenscroft... Promise to try and help Noir as both believe it is their own faults. I don't know how Noir sees it but all he has requested is search teams to look for the bodies, if there are. I know him... Well enough to know he won't say they're dead until he sees their cold bodies before him on an autopsy table. He has hope that the 'Chevalier instinct' will have kicked in and they'll be alive."_

_A small, weak chuckle was heard._

_"He says no Chevalier has either died of anything that isn't old age or disease. Noir has hope that they're alive, but his mind is in turmoil which will result in a dramatic psychological change in him but I'll always be there. Blake Belladonna - End Journal entry."_

* * *

**Yea... That was cold. I know. I'm a heartless bastard. But I hope you got, admidst the depression, that Spartan reference (Spartans never die - They're just missing in action). **

**Noir: You're one cold hearted ass hole. **

**Aristotle: Sorry man... Well, technically I'm speaking to the future Noir who should know all this!**

**Noir: So all this time you've been writing me as present Noir... Or future Noir pretending to only know the present?**

**Aristotle: ... I'll just write you like I always do.**

**Noir: Good idea numbnuts. **

**Aristotle: Remember! There is now a Noir Chevalier page on Facebook where I'll post updates and pictures associated with The Black Knight/RWBY! It's called (Get this) - Noir Chevalier - NOIR. **

**SHOCKER!**


	35. Chapter 35 - The Knight and the Beast

**Chapter 35 - The Knight and the beast of beauty**

_"Journal entry 012 begin."_

_"Noir is still unresponsive... But I did not expect a sudden change simply a day after. I will remain by his side. Adalwin has also informed me of Raven Chevalier struggling with the disappearance of Adreanna and Ciaran. With Noir's semblance I have decided it would be best to not leave his side until he has shown signs of recovery - He will not leave my line of sight."_

_"Also, I've requested for... The ray of happiness to come and visit. He may be unresponsive but perhaps with a few others here for a few hours something may click into place but this is just a gamble. End Journal Entry."_

* * *

_"And in other news, the attempted murder of Ares and Azure Ravenscroft are still being investigated. We join our reporter on the scene."_

_"Thank you. Now, as you can see behind me we still can see the evidence of the ceremony which was taking place behind us at the time of the explosions. What started off to be a peaceful ceremony resulted in the deaths of three people - Ciaran and Adreanna Chevalier, the father and mother of the woman getting married, are presumed dead alongside an unnamed man who was performing the ceremony. Reports are still hazy at this time but the police have identified the explosives used as similar to the types used by the White Fang to hit high valued targets. But, leaks from within the Ravenscroft household hint at a point at a possible political attack from adversaries to remove Azure and Ares Ravenscroft from power."_

_"Hm, interesting. What kind of other political groups could be capable of this kind of attack?"_

_"Well Albin, there are a number of political groups with the power and reasoning to attack the Ravenscroft."_

_"Like the Schnee Dust Company?"_

_"Not at all, Albin. From what we've heard, a few representatives of the Schnee Dust Company were attending the wedding. In fact, most warning sirens go off when the Hatfield name comes up in conversation with the Ravenscroft and are on the top of the suspects list."_

_"There you have it folks! Another brutal attack against unknowing people! When will the White Fang stop in its onslaught? Next up, is your home at danger from thieves - How to make yourself less of a target!"_

The device blinked out of existence, the room with the moment lingering before it faded and darkness enveloped them once again. The artificial light was the only light source since the blinds had been closed and no light managed to penetrate the darkness. However this didn't disturb the two occupants in the slightest as a pair of eyes blinked in the darkness. One who hardly different from the shadows and was perhaps even darker then the surrounding walls and furniture whilst the other had a pair of amber eyes which seemed to be below the level of the other pair.

A few moments of rustling and re-adjusting and the smell of... Well... Minty freshness if anything. The room smelt clean as if it had been cleaned within the hour or day and the general air of the room seemed to be devoid of moisture.

Noir Chevalier sat, his head in one hand with the other around Blake with his eyes fixed on the now black screen of the monitor. It had been a day and the news had already hit the air of the attempted murder of two of the most renowned Humans in Vale. This didn't irritate him, he wouldn't let it... He wouldn't even acknowledge it. Even when the news referred to his 'dead' parents he wouldn't bat an eyelid. But his mind was in turmoil, the memories of his mother springing back first from the moment he was a child to the moment he had last told her that he loved her before the same happening for his own father - Who he'd only known a week.

The conclusion he had come to... Life's a bitch and then you die. There's no such thing as good and evil, right and wrong or karma - There was only the grey area where people did what they needed to to survive. To put it simply, there are three types of people - The Hero who tries to help people they meet. These people tend to end up dead quickly because they help everyone. The Survivor who just does what he or she can to survive and continue living. And then the Bandit, who preys on everyone else and does everything he can to survive and live in luxury.

What was the Chevalier? He was a Survivor. And nothing would change about that... But was he?

This constant argument within his own skull had been going on ever since he had returned home to find a letter stating that he was now in ownership of the house and the fact that Raven had already moved out. The Chevalier saw his sister's reasoning... He looked too much like dad. But then again... Why... She could have stayed? Maybe she just wanted to get away from the place full of memories.

At that moment, he felt something adjust itself at his side and he couldn't help but... think. And recall. Since the previous day Blake had not left his side - With no words being exchanged between them.

_'I'll always be there for you' _

Hmph. Noir couldn't help but lean his head back and let forth a sigh, expelling the warm air that had been building up in his mouth into the chilly room and causing a small plum of air to appear in front of him for a moment before dissipating into the room. Noir had put the heating down to the lowest setting, leading to the entire house becoming ice cold. But he was wrenched from this idle thought as there was the odd sound of the doorbell ringing once, and then twice with a short pause before it was wrung again.

The Kitten laying on him twitched at the doorbell, settling down for a moment before she heard the extra two dings. Blake looked up, Amber meeting black as she attempted to pierce the veil again with success.

Those eyes... Those warm eyes had been replaced by something that made Noir look dead. Almost like he was waking up at six o'clock in the morning on a normal day but just permanent.

"I'll go answer the door." Blake said, crawling off of him and standing up. To the normal Human eye, it would have been impossible to see the Faunus in the darkness but they could be seen through the darkness by other Faunus. As such, Noir saw Blake wearing a simple black shirt which appeared to big for her so that it fell past her hips accompanied by a black pair of shorts. Her ears listened intently for any noise whilst her cat ears twitched slightly at the slightest nosie, picking up and identifying its source. Noir heard the door opening and the sound of vague voices, one of which was easily identifiable as Blake's whilst the others weren't so easily identifiable.

So he had to sit contently as he heard the door swung closed again. Had they left?

That question was answered as the door into the sitting room was open once more and the light switch was flicked on to reveal Blake standing at the door. She paused, looking at Noir for a moment before entering the room and resuming her seat. Soon following after her was...

"Ruby?"

It was the first time he had spoken in a day and his voice let out a soft croak similar to a frog but he quickly coughed, moistening his throat again with spittle as the now sixteen year old girl smiled at him; nodding. Ruby's attire had not changed in the slightest except for the fact she was taller, her clothes changing to fit her accordingly and she looked older visibly *hint*.

She was followed almost instantly by a girl with long, untamed golden hair accompanied by a pair of lavender eyes. He didn't need to look any further down to identify Yang and a smile crossed the features of the Chevalier - She hadn't changed a bit since there wasn't much to develop on. Yang was wearing the same outfit she always wore and it was a refreshing sight to see something he was used to; the clothing, not the 'gauntlets'.

The last... Weiss Schnee. The Ice queen. Weiss entered slowly and reluctantly, every step screaming out that she didn't want to be in this house and it was all she could do to root herself to the spot as the pair of lifeless pitch black eyes fixed on her, scanning her up and down for a moment. Weiss' outfit had remained the same as well, with a little develop around the chest area but that was about it... Maybe she was slightly taller.

Noir stood and offered his seat to Yang, who took it with a slight shrug whilst Weiss just managed to squirm in between Blake and Ruby. The Black Knight couldn't help but... No. He could help it. After a small shrug he took the single chair facing the four girls and offered them all a fake smile and gestured to the room with a wave of his hand.

"Welcome..."

"Noir, we came because Blake asked us to." Yang immediately stated, folding her arms beneath her bosom and glancing at her Faunus teammate with an approving look on her face. The two had been in regular correspondence, since they were partners, and Yang knew everything. EVERYTHING. Whether Blake was willing to tell her... Or not.

"Oh... Did she." Noir muttered, his eyes now turning to look at Blake however there was no malice, anger or irritation there. Only the dead look that had taken him as he returned back to the Chevalier home the previous day. Blake looked impassive as she stared back whilst her insides twisted at the sight of her... Well... Her precious person to be in such a state.

"Noir... We know it isn't easy." Yang began, exchanging a look with Ruby before continuing. "But you should know we're all here for you."

Noir just nodded but it was more of a ghostly action, his eyes still drained of any light. "That's nice to know. Thank you Yang." Mechanical, cold... Almost automatic.

"He's obviously unresponsive... What are we doing here?" Weiss muttered, staring at Noir with a mixture of contempt and pity.

"Weiss, you're not helping." Ruby hissed.

"What are you doing here?"

Noir interrupted them both, staring between Yang, Weiss and Ruby with an eyebrow raised. This did nothing to remove the corpse like appearance that he had currently adopted which would give children nightmares.

"Well... Uh... You see Noir we just wanted you to know that... We're with you!" Ruby declared, a bright smile jumping onto her face as she stood up abruptly. "I swear that I'll help you find your parents, alive or dead!"

If anything, out of the entire visit that was the moment when they got the biggest response. Noir's mouth twitched, like he was trying to smile whilst his dead eyes looked less dead for a moment. It was then that Blake, Yang and even Weiss stood up and nodded in agreement.

"Seems like I have some great friends..." The Black Knight said, a small smile trying to fight its way onto his lips as he looked between Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang and gave them all a nod. "... Thank you."

Ruby beamed, closing her eyes with her lips parting in a wide almost blinding smile.

Noir couldn't help it and let out the first chuckle he had in a day, which was a new record for him, before blinking away 'dust in his eyes'. "I'll go get you all some drinks... Let me see... Milk, Coffee, Tea and... Coffee?"

All four of them nodded and three of the four members of Team RWBY visibly relaxed, dropping back into the sofa whilst the third member followed Noir as he went into the kitchen and began preparing drinks.

No words were exchanged between the two but, as usual, Noir and Blake exchanged a look and Blake noticed a small flicker in his eyes which was barely noticeable but still present. It was like trying to relight the sun with matches... Very small matches.

But even then, Blake couldn't help but giggle slightly as she watched Noir reach into one of the higher up cupboards and pull out a jar of chocolate chip cookies; laying a few onto a plate before attempting to lift four cups and a plate by himself to no success. Luckily she stepped in, taking two of the cups from him with a smile that... Was nearly returned. His facial muscles twitched slightly like his natural reaction was trying to kick in but then his current emotional state stopped him.

So the couple walked back into the main room, Noir holding a plate in one hand with a cup tucked squished against his chest with the same hand. It wasn't long before the drinks found their respective owners - Ruby accepting the milk and cookies with a mixed reaction in her face like she was going to try and resist but couldn't. Weiss took her coffee with a nod and a muttered thank you whilst Yang took her coffee happily, taking a long sip from it and letting out a satisfied sigh.

The room immediately felt warmer, contrary to the thermostat setting. Noir took his seat again but this time he had to part his legs slightly as Blake sat between them on the floor, taking a sip from her tea. Was it natural or was it... Whatever it was, she didn't mind as the Chevalier used one of his hands to stroke Blake's cat ears.

"So, Blake, how have you and Noir been?" Ruby asked cheerfully through a mouthful of cookies, draining the milk as Weiss shot her the dirtiest of looks which practically screamed silently 'CHEW AND THEN SWALLOW!'

Blake lent her head back slightly, pushing it against the chair and into Noir's hand as he continued the idle scratching, before she answered. "We're good, thank you Ruby."

"Any frisky Faunus loving?"

I'll give you nothing if you figure out who guessed that whilst both of the Faunus spluttered - Blake on her drink and Noir on oxygen.

Yang grinned wickedly but paid attention none the less as Blake blushed slightly, turning away ever so slightly whilst Noir's face was still impassive with the slightest trace of normal colour in his cheeks. That was probably a blush... Or an attempted blush.

"Sooooo...?" The blonde was persistent but she already knew some of the answer. Blake had told her over the scroll that her and Noir had been doing well, they had been spending a lot of time together and that they barely spoke. All of that was well received, even the last - Hell, they exchanged a glance once and disappeared a moment later to only be found making out somewhere? Who was she to question that.

"I have not left his side." Blake responded, her words carefully chosen and picked out as to not convey the wrong message.

"Nooooottt left his side -at all-?" Yang's grin had gotten even wider if that was possibly and she was giving the couple a knowing look. "I hope you two didn't make too much of a mess. I hope you were nice to that puss-"

"YANG!" Weiss yelled, interrupting her mid statement.

"It was a pun!" Yang raised a hand, scratching the back of her head and avoiding all eye contact whilst Ruby looked innocently oblivious. They'd need to have that chat soon... The birds and the bees.

Team RWBY stayed for most of the day to give the two Faunus some company and left in the evening. Their conversations were mostly about recent events and, inevitably, the matter on the news was brought up by Weiss none the less as she addressed Noir directly with something of a determined gaze.

"The Schnee Dust Company will be putting resources into finding the terrorists responsible for the attack."

"Hmph."

"Or political opponents."

"Hm."

Weiss had looked very irritated by that point and turned with her nose up turned and her eyes closed with a 'hmph' of her own. With this movement she missed Noir's own as he practically glided over to her and poked her on the shoulder.

"If you find them, please message me Miss Schnee."

His voice sounded more like a plea, a beg... It wasn't fitting for him.

"... Fine. But I may not be told. Good-night!"

* * *

Noir and Blake lay awake in bed, curled up together in their usual bedtime apparel. However this time Noir had discarded all measure of clothing except his boxers (Even though he had made an attempt to discard them, Blake had stopped him) and was lying peacefully in bed with the cat Faunus curled up against him. It was now revealed, in all its glory, the amount of hair he had. His chest was completely covered in thin, black hairs that weren't even full grown but appeared to cover most of his chest with it. Even his legs were relatively hairy and his stubble had grown to more of a rough beard. He was getting the Survivor look about him... It did make him look slightly more handsome but there was something that pierced the night which was unexpected.

"Blake... Thank you."

The amber eyes met the black in the dark and the other words that would have accompanied that sentence came flooding out.

_'For being here. For not leaving. For loving me. For being cute. For having cute cat ears that make you purr. For having everything that makes you, you. Thank you.' _

_'Thank you as well Noir Chevalier. For having a furry chest that makes you warm at night to cuddle into. For not making me try to speak more and understanding all the slight indications and nudges that I give you. For wanting to protect those you love with your entire being.' _

And naturally, that night, was filled with anything but silence. After all, the sounds of passionate kissing was hard to nullify.

* * *

**Celebrating 8000+ views.**

**Bonus scene: Shadoumemori, Minuit and Pitch Beauty**

"You saying that he loves you more?"

It was an odd thing for weapons to talk and, luckily, they weren't however with their constant contact with Noir's Aura you could say the weapons of the Hunter or Huntress were linked. In a way, the conduits began to have residual amounts of their user's Aura still within them after use so you could imagine the odd conversations they might have. Of course, this is entire bullshit and I just wanted to write a scene where the three weapons conversed. Anyway...

A tall, slender woman with a large bust and glasses perched on the tip of her nose chuckled causing her hips to sway slightly and to bring her black hair with it in a motion that made to cover up the more private parts of her body and they mysteriously stayed there.

She was joined by two other women, both shorter and both identical twins except one was visibly gruffer and had a considerable amount of hair on her body in the key areas whilst the other looked rather peaceful and serene giving off her own dull glow - Each had the same short, black hair.

"Naturally, just look at me! Single shot, got enough bullets in me to take down a Bulldog like it was nothing."

The taller woman chuckled, her breasts bouncing for a moment before staring at the twins. "But... Nice to meet you two, I'm Shadoumemori - The Kickass rifle who packs a punch."

"Minuit." The glowing girl answered, giving a small bow to the woman whilst the other let out a small huff.

"Pitch Beauty."

"Ah... Has he had you both long?"

Minuit and Pitch Beauty exchanged looks, before turning back to 'Shadow' and nodding. "Had us for as long as we can remember. He made us but he's let others improve us to the stage where we are soooo bad ass!" Pitch declared, raising her fist triumphantly.

"I must admit, Mr Chevalier has a way with weapons. He knows just where to polish us." Minuit added, shuddering slightly.

Weapons and sexual innuendos went strangely well together and the author decided to stop it right there before this got any weirder.

* * *

**Hope you've all enjoyed this new chapter and remember that there is a Facebook page for Noir Chevalier called, wait for it, 'Noir Chevaler - Noir'.**

**Noir: You are one perverted, sick ass hole.**

**Aristotle: What? Do you want your weapons to be naked dudes and it turned out you were just flicking their switches - EY?!  
**

**Noir: ... Fair point.**

**Aristotle: Oh and don't worry you. Your psychological nature will only be effected for... Ooo... A few arcs... Maybe forever.**


	36. Chapter 36 - The White Queen

**Chapter 36 - The White Queen**

_'One day, I'm going to die. And when that happens I'll die with one regret.'_

_'What?'_

_'That I didn't get to spend longer with you.'_

_'Don't say that... Someone may listen to this I think we were sappy people.'_

_- The Black Knight talking to Blake Belladonna_

_"Journal Entry 013 begin."_

_"Current states of both of us are as follows - I am currently well. Noir is slightly better but still recovering, with full psychological recovery unlikely... Due to his semblance. He's decided to take a few open contracts for low level Hunters, even though we haven't graduated. I know that he's trying to take his mind off of things and is currently off taking a which ensured 'High risk, high reward'. We'll be leaving tomorrow in mid afternoon to get there for the evening... Idiot... Who accepts a contract from a person known only as 'The White Empress'?"_

_"I do. End journal entry."_

* * *

The room was still quite chilly, as was the entire building but it didn't disturb the pair of black clothed figures as they moved through the silent hallways with picture frames glued to the walls. The pictures contained images of a large family with almost each of the children with the same red hair... Six children in total, with five of them having red hair. The sixth was a little girl, barely six years old in what appeared to be the most up to date picture where the others seemed to age the further down the corridor you went until you reached your average looking, upperclassmen's door. The final image on the wall to their right and left depicted the same family, with the little girl now appearing to be around ten years old whilst the others were older ranging from twelve to twenty. The two parents, the woman with white hair and the man with red, were smiling in all of them.

This house screamed of anything but happiness.

The first of the two figures were wouldn't see, from the darkness of the corridor, was wearing a pitch black trench coat which helped the wearer blend into the darkness they came from. However on each of the shoulder pads was the image of a dire wolf howling on a shield whilst the moon made up the background of the emblem. But the shield which once contained the beast seemed to have been faded, making it look like the wolf was breaking free from the protection and facing the harsh reality. Across the trench coat were notable stitchings from some battle long ago. The man appeared to have some kind of high powered rifle strapped to his back, tied there with a black cord whilst the weapon itself appeared to be made from some kind of black metal. The main barrel of the weapon was long and thin giving most the impression it was designed to fire smaller calibre rounds when, in reality, it could load much more. A black scope glinted in the residual light from the open door and the man's coat parted for a second to reveal the gleaming handles of a pair of pistols. The man's eyes were hidden by a black fedora tilted low over his face however a pony tail did trail out from the back of the fedora, lying against his back and ending just between his shoulder blades giving off the appearance of a snake lying asleep.

The second figure was quite the contrary, whilst the first tried to hide most of their body the second didn't seem to mind as much. She, as it was evident from the pair of breasts, was wearing a sleeveless white shirt that exposed her midriff alongside a black buttoned vest with coattails whilst a pair of white shorts descended from the main body of the outfit giving the impression they were linked. She was wearing black stockings which started off black at her waist and, as they descended, became black by the time they reached her feet; clad in a pair of black low heeled boots. It would be of note to admire the long, wavy black hair that seemed to float in the air behind her as the two strode down the corridor whilst the bow a top her forehead swayed slightly. Hanging on her back was a weapon that appeared very odd, like a katana but with a pistol fitted into it whilst a trail of material led from the weapon and onto the woman's arm.

The door in front of them was partially open, revealing a flicker of light that tried to desperately escape the source of sorrow in the house only to be swallowed by the darkness it had created. The man glanced at the woman for a moment, drawing out one of the two pistols from its holster and pushing the door open with one hand.

All they could do was blink to adjust to the light suddenly flooding their eyes and witness the scene before them with... some kind of reaction.

In front of them were the corpses of the family they had seen in all of the pictures down the corridor. The parents, with looks of permanent shock on their faces only mirrored by the amount of blood dirtying their clothes... And their children's clothes. The woman had to turn away whilst the man strode forward, kneeling down slightly and investigating the corpses of the five children; all with the same red hair. Blood red hair. The room itself was wide and long, with a desk at the end in the centre with a few stacks of paper on it as if someone had just come home from work and was getting ready to start writing. On the wall to their right was a crackling fireplace, throwing the shadows of the corpses off onto the other wall and making their blood glint in the scarlet light.

The man seemed to consider the scene before him, investigating the corpses for a few moments and even using the tips of his fingers to part the locks of bloodied hair to investigate the injuries and only finding even, precise cuts to their throats or arteries. Death by blood loss or death by having your throat slit... Or both. Neither was desirable; no one had been spared.

"Hmm... We're missing one."

The man's voice rang like a gong in the quiet house with only his companion turning to regard him for a moment before nodding.

"I doubt the sixth went far... Where do you think..."

"Sh.."

The male raised a single finger, quietening his female companion for a moment whilst raising his pistol in the other one. The pistol itself seemed bulky, especially for your average pistol, with a large barrel and even larger magazine that gave the impression it fired solid, deadly slugs at people. The pistol itself was black, matching the rest of the man's attire, but with the carved image of a woman could be seen towards the centre of the weapon. It was crudely drawn but... It glinted slightly in the light, reflecting the drawing like it was a great master piece to be revered when, in reality, it had been crudely etched on to help him tell the difference between the weapons.

Both of them paused for a moment, listening and then they heard it. Soft whimpering and it was coming from somewhere in this room. The two of them exchanged looks for a split second, Blake seeming to disappear from view as she took a step back and out of the doorway; melding into the shadows. On the other hand her companion had stood, ears carefully listening and trying to identify the origin of the whimpering and turning his eyes on the wide desk. A moment and he saw what appeared to be a small light flickering within the desk itself... A small, white light but it flashed out of existence and their was a sudden intake of breath which wasn't from him.

"I'm not here to hurt you." The man hoped his voice sounded reasonable, believable... Even now he couldn't muster the strength to smile or even treat people pleasantly.

The whimpering ceased for a moment and... There it was! The glint of light coming from the desk again. The girl was hiding in the desk? Quite clever... She must have played with her father or brothers, perhaps playing a game of hide and seek when whatever happened happened.

It only took a brief moment to close the gap between himself and the desk and he heard a soft squeal, a thud and then watched as a girl about the age of ten falling out of the desk through a door that seemed to have been fit into it. The girl had short, white hair that just covered the sides of her face whilst her eyes were the same white... glistening like snow flakes in the light cast from the fire. But it was now that she got to look into the eyes of the stranger and saw the pair of pitch black eyes... So lifeless... So void of emotion.

The first reaction she had was to flee, and she did try to crawl back into the desk as the man approached slowly with his weapon still in hand. This was it? Daddy and Mummy said she should hide and a moment of false hope broke it! No! She couldn't... No! Please... No... "No! Please don't hur-"

She was cut off as the man slot the pistol back into a hidden holster, crouched down and offered a hand.

Maybe this was a trap? A way to convince her that everyone was safe before they played an even crueller trap that would break her... But this man wouldn't hurt her... right? She was white and he was black! Maybe they would compliment each other? So, taking a deep breath, she reached out and took the hand tentatively in her own. Her hand was dwarfed in the man's larger hand but it was strangely soft yet rough the closer to the finger tips and edges of the palm you got.

"Myself and my colleague were assigned to visit this house and provide security... I see we were too late. Tell me, my dear, who's the 'White Queen'?"

Maybe this was a bit too cruel... The girl had just lost her own parents and all her siblings but all that was running through his mind was the job they had taken and its description ran through his head.

_Mission: Protect the White Pieces_

_Information: To BK, I do hope you receive this message in good health and I am glad you have decided to take on this contract. The moment I heard that you were taking them I just had to make a contract... But, to the point. I was informed a few nights ago that there will be an assassination attempt on myself and my family in a few nights time. Of course, I worry for their safety and I would be much appreciated if you could come to /INFORMATION PRIVATE - ONE TIME READ/ and ensure our safety before our own security arrives. However... You should know that each of my children and my husband use chess piece names to refer to each other. The additional information will be sent separately via a secure transmission._

_Thank you - the White Empress_

The girl shakily nodded her head, gesturing to herself with her free hand.

The man sighed heavily, glancing between the shaking girl in front of him and the corpses of her family behind him. What could he do... This girl was in danger and, whether he liked it or not, he had just dragged himself and his partner into it. Making the decision a split second later he grasped the girl's hand tighter and mustered up his most sympathetic voice to date. "White Queen, I am the Black Knight. I am your sword and shield and I shall protect you. May you come with me so your Knights can escort you to safety and ensure said safety?"

A small tear cascaded down the girl's cheek... And then another, and then another and before long she was crying her eyes out and had already embraced the Black Knight in a large hug that he weakly returned. The second Black Knight approached from behind, careful to avoid stepping in the pools of scarlet or on the still limbs of the dead.

"We should go, they may return to collect proof of the kills. Where are we taking her?"

"We're taking her home."

* * *

It was something of a new feeling for the Black Knight... To be carrying a ten year old child on his back, listening to her breathing steadily in her sleep whilst clutching on his back like a lifeline. The other Black Knight was keeping up the rear but he couldn't help but occasionally spot the glint of teeth flashed his way from a bright smile and it wasn't because of his dastardly good looks.

Throughout the start of the walk the girl had clung to the Knight's hand like she would have fallen into the pits of the Underworld should she let go. Around a quarter of the way home she had started to nod off, tripping over a fallen branch and nearly hitting the ground but being stopped by her vice like grip on the Knight. For the rest of the journey, she was carried on his back. It was quite the sight to see, let me tell you that... Of that Black Knight of Vale walking down a street with dried blood on his boots and one of his hands whilst there was a little girl on his back sound asleep. The blessing was obvious... She could sleep after such a traumatic event? Hmph. Maybe it was luck or maybe it was the presence of the two, strong people that gave her comfort.

Needless to say, they reached the house pretty quickly and ascended the first few steps before unlocking the door. The other Knight lead the way, unlocking and opening the door before moving inside quickly to allow the other entry before swiftly closing the door behind him.

The building was silent and covered in darkness but that soon changed when a switch was flicked and suddenly the entire room was bathed in light. Outside, the sun was still sleeping... Perhaps for another hour or so before it makes its first appearance? Needless to say, they were tired and immediately ascended the stairs and reached one of the rooms almost instantly opening it into another pitch black room. Another flick and this room was bathed in a similar light however not as bright as the source had not been changed in a while but this didn't matter. It allowed them to navigate the small girl into the room, prying her from his back and tucking her beneath the covers gently.

The Knights exchanged a look...

"You sleep as well... I'll stay awake and wait to see if there was anything or anyone that followed us."

There obviously wasn't as they had covered their tracks pretty well, making false trails and doing all sorts to put off any would be pursuers. But even then it didn't hurt to be careful unless you were being so careful you fell off a cliff.

The second Knight gave the first a glance before climbing into bed with the child and embracing her in a hug before drifting off to sleep. The Black Knight drew a chair out of the desk and sat down, and waiting.

* * *

Hours had passed and the Knight was still sitting in the same position he had started in, his legs crossed over one another with his arms folded. By the time either of the sleeping females began to wake it was about to reach mid-day when the girl stirred in the embrace she was caught in. After a few moments of stunned silence, her eyes had begun to moisten with tears and she began to quietly sob which woke up the sleeping Faunus beside her.

"I... I..."

"There, there... You'll be safe here. I'm Blake Belladonna."

"I-I'm A-Astraea Saranya."

The girl was shuddering in the bed, but still caught in the warm embrace of Blake but her eyes were soon drawn to the watcher who simply stared right back. His eyes were still devoid of life but yet they pierced straight through you like you couldn't hide from them.

However her eyes were drawn back to Blake as she spoke. "He's Noir Chevalier. The Black Knight of Vale."

The girl stared at the man for a few minutes longer as he tilted his fedora up again, revealing his black eyes which were now fixed with her white ones. Those eyes were still so lifeless but... How could they be? When he was on the watching device, fighting he fought like a very cunning man; and that he was. Maybe something had happened to him? OH! Now she recognised the woman... She was the one who had saved him when he had fallen after his last match. They were a couple.

"Uhh... W-What I-is going to happen t-to m-me?" Frightened. Afraid... These were the emotions that were slowly fading from her mind as realisation dawned on her. The Black Knight of Vale had said she'd be safe with him! Maybe this wasn't so bad after all... But... Her parents? What had happened. "What is going to happen to me?"

"You will stay with us." The reply came from the cold voice of the Black Knight, shocking her slightly but realisation slowly dawned. But Blake rolled over in the bed to stare at Noir.

"Noir...?"

"We have a contract to full fill and I intend to see it done."

"But Noir... We could be-"

"Not in more danger then we are already in. Besides... We need a bit of white to make the place seem more cheery."

Blake could have sworn that there was the flicker of a smirk on his face for a moment before it was replaced with the emotionless mask that he had worn.

_"Journal Entry 014 Begin."_

_"What's this?"_

_"This is our journal, Astraea. We talk about stuff that happened during the day or, in this case, the night before. So would you like to say something?"_

_There was a gentle pause, a small intake of breath._

_"I'm Astraea. I like cookies and playing hide and seek. I am grateful for Mr Chevalier and Blake for saving me from... F-from..." _

_"No need to say any more. We found Astraea at the employer's house alone and alive. We've taken her in until we can decide what to do with her. Noir has shown no signs of mental recovery however I hope with Astraea around they can recover from both of their experiences together."_

_"Experiences?"_

_"A few days ago, Noir lost his parents."_

_"Oh..."_

_"End journal entry."_

* * *

**Hey guys! I hope you all enjoyed this new chapter of the Black Knight and stick around for more to come!**

**Thanks to Miss Fortier for the inspiration for Astraea's full name!**

**Thanks to everyone at the RWBY facebook page for putting in. **

**Noir: Hmph.**

**Astraea: So... Do you like cookies?**

**Noir: ... Yes.**

**Astraea: Great! Let's eat! **

**Aristotle: And everyone knows where this is going.**


	37. Chapter 37 - The Queen and her Knight

**Chapter 37 - The Queen and her Knight **

_'No single thing is perfect by itself. That's why we're born to attract other things to make up for what we lack. I think we start walking in the right direction only after we start getting our counterparts beside us.' _

_Uchiha Itachi (Masashi Kishimoto) _

_"Journal entry 015 begin." _

_"So far, Astraea has been adjusting well to life with us. It's only been a day and, to be honest, all we've done it sleep. After we woke up, Noir took us down stairs and prepared something to eat whilst I tried to communicate with the little angel. To a degree, it worked - She explained to me who she was and what school she went to... Her dreams and ambitions. But it stopped when Noir returned with a drink for myself and Astraea. We simply sat in silence for a while before we went back upstairs around eight, got into bed and I needed to read a bed time story too her to get her to sleep. If only life was a fairy tail. End journal entry."_

* * *

Vale was quiet this time of the morning with only the early morning warmth of summer to great those poor people who had to wake up early. Admittedly in the summer it was more pleasant to get up but since you weren't freezing your bollocks off but then when the winter came it was like someone decided to lock you in the freezer. However in the Chevalier household there was little movement from the occupants, all three sharing the same room and all three sleeping soundly.

The Black Knight was sitting in the chair, his arms folded and his eyes closed. His chest slowly inflated and deflated as he sucked in air and released as anyone would and a keener eye might notice his eyelids flutter as if he was in the middle of the most horrible dream you could imagine. Actually, you couldn't.

However it was as the Knight awoke from his sleep a few minutes later to find the bed devoid of occupants that he flew into action, springing out of his chair and disappearing down the stairs. He heard the voices before he burst into the sitting room.

Blake and Astraea were sitting in the room, both on the sofa and both were watching a news report - they both turned to look at Noir and he noticed that they were sitting together with Blake's left arm around the girl's shoulders. "Hey Mr. Noir! Are you alright?"

Noir just stood at the door way for a few moments, blinking as he felt a sudden feeling of relief wash over his body and then confusion. Why was he relieved? Oh yea, Blake and Astraea were safe. However the Knight revealed little emotion to the outside, only a sudden tensing of the shoulders gave any impression that he was experiencing emotion. "Noir?"

The Black Knight shook his head, extracting himself from his daze to find a small head of white hair in front of him and a cute, round face looking up at him with pure white eyes. It was Astraea who had asked whilst Blake just observed them carefully. "Mr. Noir?"

The Chevalier was still stunned for a moment before managing to lean down, scooping the girl up in her arms whilst she let out a soft squeal of excitement before finding herself gliding through the air in his arms and returning to Blake's side in barely a few seconds. All the while, Noir's face let no slither of emotion appear on his face whilst on the inside the turmoil he had been feeling was ceased for a few moments to save the girl from having to bear staring into another pair of lifeless eyes. `

So now the orphan found herself in the arms of both Noir and Blake as all three sat on the sofa together, Noir ensuring to at least shrug off his rifle before sitting next to Blake; wouldn't want that poking you. Unknowingly, Astraea found herself cuddling further into the black coat of Noir and Blake's bosom as the three of them cuddled.

To an onlooker, or perhaps to you my dear reader, this scene looks cute. Romantic. Perhaps a family's embrace on a warm morning as they prepare for the day together when in reality pain is being shared. Pain at losing the one's you love most in your life and now all you have is the remainder. Pain is suffering but in pain comes understanding for another.

Thoughts similar to these were going through Noir's mind as he clutched at the girls for a few more moments before letting go and an idea crossed his mind that may have brought a smile to his face in happier days; or a mischievous grin. But now he must prepare for his idea and his body lept in action, standing up and giving the girls one of his looks which may have been happy. But it wasn't - It simply portrayed the emotionless expression he had been wearing as a mask.

To them, he must have been startled by the cuddle and something was ignited within him to get out of there but in reality a great idea had come to mind. The Black Knight would have asked Blake to contact her but it would be better as a surprise... Plus he needed to get some others.

The Chevalier disappeared into the kitchen, pulling out his scroll as he went and immediately using the hot key he had established to link him to the images of Team RWBY. He ticked the names of Ruby, Weiss and Yang before sending a text message - Something that was underrated on these scrolls since most people tended to use the voice messages since it was easier and the message played automatically whilst the text messages simply appeared on the screen when opened.

After he had sent the message to RWY, he moved onto sending the message to Orlaith; who lived in Vale whilst the other two were living in the countryside. If they lived in Vale he probably would have contacted Indigo first but it wasn't a time to be picky. Another message away and all he could think about was who else could he trust? Trust with all his heart. Blake? Naturally... Raven.

Raven. She was probably going through what he was but with Adalwin in the countryside. As a matter of fact, Raven might be at the Ravenscroft estate with Rhea... Hmm...

The Black Knight decided against sending a message to his sister but quickly decided on his friend and fellow Jaeger, Cyan - All of these names were under hot keys to contact. All of these names were hot keyed for contact, therefore appearing on the home screen of his scroll: Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang (RWBY), Orlaith, Indigo and Rhea. All of Team PURE and JNPR were also hot keyed together since he did get along with both however they weren't priorities for contacting.

But now time had passed and it was getting onto mid-day by the time Noir went back into the sitting room, a plate of cookies in one hand and a glass of milk in the other. His face was twitching slightly as if he was trying to smile but it wasn't quite working.

Blake and Astraea were staring at him worried for a few moments before Astraea's eyes widened as Noir offered the plate of cookies and milk to her. "Here." Astraea shakily broke away from Blake, taking the milk and cookies and taking a sip from the former before setting down the glass on the side and commencing to demolish the latter.

Noir sat back down in the corner, putting an arm back around Blake whilst Astraea was too bus demolishing cookies to notice the non verbal contact that was passed between the couple. And now all he had to do was sit... Wait and... BEEP!

The Chevalier glanced down at his trench coat at the sound of the beep before diving a hand into his coat with his spare hand and fishing out his scroll. A click of the button and the scroll parted and the screen blinked into life and revealed the notification of a message. Beep. Beep! Beep! Beeeeeep!

More notifications sprang up on the screen... Ruby, Weiss, Yang, Orlaith and Cyan had already set him replies. He opened up the first whilst Blake narrowed her eyes at the messages.

"Hey Noir! I'll be happy to come over since you need some help! From Rubbbyyyy!"

"Hmph. I suppose everyone needs help once in a while and you do make my teammate happy so... FINE! I'll be there as soon as I can. Weiss."

"Yo Noir, just finished cleaning my gauntlets when I got your message. I'll be happy to help you out. Yang."

"Oh so the mighty have fallen! Glad you finally have actually asked to see me and I'm heading out the door as I send this. See you soon. Love from one of your sisters!"

"Hey mate. I'll be there ASAP. Nina saw the message and well... She is attached to my arm so you'll be seeing the burning queen soon. See you soon. From Cyan."

Blake shot him a look which asked all the questions she could have formulated verbally but faster receiving a look in return that answered none of them. Noir's expression had fallen back into the emotionless expression.

The surrogate family spent the next hour all sat together in the sitting room, the screen blinking with people and figures that all blurred into one whilst Blake and Astraea talked about one thing or another. It was when the sound of a knock on the door which stimulated a reaction in Noir. He jumped up and practically glided from the room, opening the front door and finding Ruby standing there with Weiss beside her, behind them were Orlaith and Yang chatting about how awesome the colour yellow was whilst Cyan was enduring listening to Nina talk about fire and the advantages of it.

"Hey Noir!" Ruby smiled at him whilst Weiss had her arms folded across her chest and was avoiding eye contact with him.

"Hello, please... All of you, come in."

Noir squished himself against the side, opening the door to its widest potential and allowing all of them to enter. He exchanged a nod with Orlaith who seemed to be restraining the urge to hug him whilst Cyan offered up a fist to his friend and Noir responded with his own: the two bumping fists.

There was a spark from the connecting Aura which caused Nina to narrow her eyes slightly as Cyan's own eyes widened just a fraction. The Black Knight remained impassive, gesturing with his head to the sitting room where the squeals of 'Awwwwwww, she's so cute!' could already be heard.

Cyan and Nina passed him, the former giving his friend a worried look as Noir shut the door and soon joined them in the sitting room where everyone had taken seats. Blake claimed the corner with Astraea sitting next to her and gripping onto the woman like a baby would hold onto their mother In a moment of distress. Ruby had taken the seat next to Astraea and was trying to scavenge what was left of the cookies from the plate but failing... There was nothing left except for a few loose crumbs. Weiss stood next to Ruby with her arms still folded but her eyes continued to wander back to the child. Honestly, if you saw Weiss and Astraea walking down the road you'd probably think it was a big sister and her little sister. Nina had taken the single chair and had Cyan take a seat between her legs on the floor.

Orlaith and Yang stood on either side of the door, playing a game of rock, paper, scissors to preoccupy themselves. But now, Noir stood in the center of the doorway; coincidentally interrupting the game of rock, paper, scissors.

"Everyone... Meet Astraea. Astraea, these are our friends."

Orlaith and Yang raised their hands, giving the girl a small wave before a wide smile spread across Orlaith's face. "I'm Orlaith!"

"And I'm Yang! Nice to meet ya."

Astraea peaked over the edge of Blake and stared at the girls for a few moments before ducking back behind Blake as more greetings were given.

"I'm Cyan and this beauty is Nina." Both of them gave Astraea a small wave before relaxing as a small hand emerged from the hiding girl and waved at the two of them.

"I'm Ruby!" Ruby jabed Weiss hard in the side with her finger and the Schnee heiress shot her team leader a reproachful look.

"I'm Weiss Schnee."

Astraea sat up, turning to look at Ruby and Weiss for a long while. The room held its breath in anticipation, the Black Knight simply observing the situation.

"My mommy knew a Sneeze."

Cyan and Nina chuckled lightly at the mispronunciation before they joined everyone else in being stunned. Weiss appeared slightly irritated by the mispronunciation before appearing stunned herself that the little White Queen knew a Schnee.

On the outside, Noir appeared impassive yet just beneath the surface he was a mixture of shocked and satisfied that the answer to his question. The white hair had seemed similar it was better to confirm his assumption before acting upon it. "She was called Regina Sneeze and was super nice!"

"That name ring a bell for you Weiss?" Ruby asked tilting her head and looking between Weiss and Astraea.

The Schnee was quiet for a few moments, pondering something before nodding once. "An Auntie. Hardly ever see her but she had a friend who came from a much colder climate up north and had white hair."

"So do you think you could contact this-" But Ruby's voice died out as the sound coming from the screen was abruptly turned up as a news report came up.

"And in other news ,the bodies of the Saranya family have been found in their manor house just outside the city of Vale. The police department is refusing to comment about the missing body of the youngest child, Astraea. However they are stating that if anyone has seen this child -" A picture of Astraea appeared on the screen in the top left hand corner. "Please go to the VPD and ask to see Officer Aurora."

Noir immediately switched off the screen, glancing around the occupants before finishing his scan by fixing his eyes in those white eyes. The girl had suffered through, losing her siblings and her parents... Parents. They had been through something similar and experienced the same pain.

And already, the Black Knight was formulating a plan so his charge was not taken from him... Just yet.

* * *

"This is a bad idea. This is a very bad idea."

Noir ignored the ramblings of Cyan as they all walked through Vale on their way to the VPD's building. All meaning Noir holding Astraea's hand with Blake on Astraea's other side whilst Cyan, Ruby, Weiss, Yang, Orlaith and Nina. It was quite the sight to see of the multi-coloured group moving through Vale with a few people noticing the little girl walking with Noir and even fewer recognising her from the news report.

The Black Knight couldn't help but tilt his fedora lower over his face at the looks they were receiving but he felt something squeeze his hand. Looking down he saw Astraea with a small smile on her face. "Don't worry! I'll tell them you saved me!"

Normally, he would have smiled and squeezed her hand in return but instead he just squeezed her hand back. Somehow those few words reassured his mind in turmoil, since multiple points in his plan had massive holes. But now he stared at the building in front of him - It had a double automatic front door which slid open as a few people wearing blue uniforms walked in and out. Every so often a police patrol vehicle would pull into the garage which was underground; pulling into a small decline that led beneath the station.

"Everyone else wait outside, I'll go in with him with Astraea."

Everyone turned to Weiss who strode forward with her head held slightly in the air. "Why?"

"Because if we all go in, it may look like we're trying to pressure them with numbers. If it's just me, Noir and Astraea then it just appears to be two people trying to care for her. That... And I'm not sure if..." Weiss' eyes turned to the girl and their eyes met for a moment.

"I have no other family."

"That makes this easier." Weiss stated, striding in front of Noir and leading the way into the station. He quickly followed, his mind quickly organizing her reasoning and her hidden reasoning. If Blake were to go in and someone recognized her things would go downhill very quickly.

They approached the front desk, pushing their way through the sea of blue. The secretary behind the desk looked up and saw Weiss, their eyes meeting for a split second. "Can I help you?"

"We're looking for officer Aurora." Weiss' voice rang with a well rehearsed superiroity but for once there was a trace of respect... Just a trace. The secretary peered at Weiss for a few more moments, glancing at Noir for a moment before peering at Astraea.

"Is this...?"

"Officer Aurora please." Weiss repeated.

"Just head down that corridor, take a left... It'll be where most of the officers are coming out of."

"Thank you." Again, Weiss led the way through the building in the correct direction.

And et again, they had to push their way through the sea of blue. Noir's hold re-doubled, ensuring that the two of them weren't separated. Not like they would, since the small white haired girl was keeping very close to her Black Knight.

Weiss found the door with the plaque 'Detective Aurora' and didn't even bother knocking, pushing her way inside. Noir followed slowly, peering into the room before glancing around. The room was your average office... except there were multiple holo boards scattered around with scribbles and pictures of different individuals scattered on some whilst on others there were maps of Vytal with a very small area shaded In red.

A woman wearing an orange business shirt accompanied by a yellow skirt with red shoes was currently pouring over one of the holo boards - circling different areas on the map whilst muttering to herself. The woman had very odd hair, the main body of it being a dull red, fading to orange before fading to yellow as you reached the edges of the strands.

She didn't even turn around when the door opened and only turned when Weiss poked her on the shoulder. "Excuse me."

"What? Got anything?" The woman still refused to turn around, poking the holo board with one of her fingers.

"Yes."

The woman spun around, staring at Weiss with wide red eyes that appeared bloodshot. "What is it?" However Weiss didn't get to reply as the detective turned her eyes to the right and saw Noir standing with the white haired girl. "Is that... You found her?!"

"You could say that." Noir was choosing his words carefully. He didn't want to arouse too much suspicion whilst also trying to avoid making it sound like he had nothing to do with the matter.

"Fancy explaining to me where ya found her, Faunus?" The detective asked, folding her arms as Weiss gave Noir a curt nod before leaving the room. Now it was time for the Black Knight to work his magic.

"I found her when I arrived at their house, finding the dead bodies of her siblings and parents." It was blunt but it was honest and the detective's eyebrow shot into the hair that was covering her fringe. "I was on my way there after accepting a contract from her mother to protect her family."

"You arrived a bit late, 'eh?"

"Yes. I did. But I found Astraea hiding in a compartment underneath the desk in her father's study. I took her home, and have cared for her with the intent on carrying out the contract." Don't mention Blake. Don't mention Blake. That was the mantra that was repeating in his skull, with her history they might have a general description of the Faunus or something... Something... Or maybe he was just being paranoid? As was Weiss... But then again, better to be safe then sorry.

"Well... Thank you for finding her but I will have to take her into police custody and organize social services to find the next of-"

"That won't be necessary." Noir stated. If he was being careful before, now he was just being reckless. His mind was filled with the images of Astraea and Blake smiling at him. Happy. With social services, in an orphanage... It may not have been so bad if you hadn't known your parents to begin with but after losing your parents? It was like tossing away the trash. Astraea had a remarkable effect... Plus she was good company. Was he feeling attached to the child? Perhaps a bit... Duty. The contract - That's what he tried to convince himself.

"I'm afraid it will be-"

"No."

"Mr...?"

"Chevalier."

"I'm afraid, Mr. Chevalier, that I am obliged to take her into care and ensure that she is taken into care with her next most imminent family or sent to an orphanage."

For once, he was glad that his entire expression was one of emotionless for if it was not the anger which was already bubbling would already be appearing on the surface. But... It didn't. Luckily. "Miss Aurora, I don't think -you- understand. I have taken a contract to defend the White pieces. I will see that contract through."

The detective, now confirmed to be Aurora, stared long and hard at the Black Knight. The tension in the room could have been cut by a knife and it was only pierced or rather melted when someone spoke up. "I like him! He's my guardian!"

"Your... Guardian?" Aurora looked puzzled for a few moments, looking between the 'Guardian' and the child; they were still holding each other's hand.

Astraea nodded, smiling. "He's the best! My own Black Knight!"

If he was grateful for anything, it would be for those words. They rang with honesty that were filled with the truth only a child could give in such an important matter. However Astraea's face visibly fell and she suddenly latched onto Noir's side; her eyes moistening. "I don't wanna leave him! He's all I have left now!"

Had she genuinely grown attached to him the small time they had been together? Or was it just the idea of going to a place full of strangers and staying there when she already had Blake and Noir.

"Are you sure about this Astraea?" Aurora asked seriously. Was the detective genuinely going to let Astraea be kept in Noir's custody... legally?

"Yea!" Astraea reinforced her iron grip on Noir, and the Black Knight lent down, picking the girl up and holding her with one arm whilst she kept an arm tight to his. It was an odd sight, for sure... A man in full black and a trench coat, with a rifle slung over his back holding a girl wearing full white with beautiful white hair and matching eyes.

Aurora sighed heavily, glancing over to her holo boards for a moment. "Right... I'll write up the paperwork saying she's been found and with her guardian BUT-" Aurora stopped, glaring intently at Noir. "I will be doing regular check ups, once per week, to ensure she is being cared for correctly. UNDERSTAND?"

Disagreeing with a pissed off cop was possibly the worst thing to do in this situation. So he didn't do it, only nodding with a slight smile trying to break its way onto his lips. And it was on the verge of breaking through when the girl in his arm cheered loudly and hugged Noir. "Yay! I get to stay with my Knight! Wooo!"

He couldn't help but hug her back, something in the back of his mind feeling like something had been released and a small burden had been lifted. But now... Came the new challenge. But that will come later for now he carried the girl, with her arms wrapped around him, out of the police building.

* * *

_'Mission information. _

_Mission name: Breaking the Fang _

_Description: To whomever reads this - Hey. We are searching for Hunters and Huntresses to help deal with reported sightings of the White Fang in the forest of Forever Fall. The reports are scattered and we have multiple two man teams that will be operating there to try and deal with them. _

_Pay: Depending on what you do. _

_PARTNER INFORMATION (SUBJECT TO CHANGE): Name for applicant 02's possible partner - Kyran.' _

* * *

_"Journal entry 016 Begin." _

_"Hey, Auntie Blake...?" _

_A soft chuckle was heard before a reply. _

_"Yes Astraea?" _

_"Can I call you Auntie? Since saying Guardian is a bit... Weird. I mean, saying it all the time." _

_"Sure you can." _

_"Thanks!" _

_"Information of today's activities includes Noir ensuring that Astraea remains in our care until we return to Beacon for another year. He has already made preparations for Astraea to stay with Adalwin during that time and threatened the latter with circumcision should anything happen to her. Astraea will sleep in Noir's room until we sort out one of the other rooms." _

_"I don't mind!" _

_"We know you don't however..." Blake broke off, sighing for a moment before her train of thought was picked up by a familiar voice. _

_"… However Blake and me need some time to ourselves, sometimes." _

_"That's okay! But uh... Why're you sleeping in the chair?" _

_"Just analyzing some... notes. End Journal entry."_

* * *

**Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed the newest chapter of the Black Knight! Some of you may have noticed the cameo of an OC from another story (Kyran)! Myself and the author of said story are going to cameo each other's 'protagonists' in the other's story. His story is called 'The Legend of the Black Lightning' and I recommend it!**


	38. Chapter 38 - The day before

**Chapter 38 - The day before**

_'__People live their lives bound by what they accept as correct and true. That's how they define "reality". But what does it mean to be "correct" or "true"? Merely vague concepts… their "reality" may all be a mirage. Can we consider them to simply be living in their own world, shaped by their beliefs?'_

_Itachi Uchiha (Masashi Kishimoto) _

_"Journal Entry 017 begin."_

_"Morning Auntie!"_

_"Good morning." _

_"Where's Uncle?"_

_There was the sound of groaning and the rustling of pillows before another voice emerged. "Here... Tired. But here." _

_"When did you get in the bed, Uncle?"_

_"When you both fell asleep."_

_"Uncle... What's this?"_

_"Hm? Oh... That's just something my team got me. It has pictures of some of my precious people."_

_"Why isn't Auntie in here?" _

_There was a short pause filled only with the sounds of their breathing._

_"Because my most precious people are the ones I keep very close, Astraea." _

_Another pause for a moment before a happy voice broke the silence. "So am I one of your precious people?" _

_"I guess so."_

_"Back on topic... Noir's psychological change has been noted and recorded as interesting. He has recovered some degree of his regular personality around us after the events of yesterday however his overall demeanour still shows signs of wishing to remain silent around others including his close friends."_

_"Kitten, you make it sound like you're profiling me."_

_"That's because I am."_

_"Oh thank you kitten... But will it help if I mention I've already looked into getting another contract?"_

…

_"End journal entry, Astraea cover your ears."_

* * *

Noir shuddered in his trench coat as the cold gaze of Blake was fixed upon him. His core was slowly turning cold fixed under that gaze and Astraea had thrown her hands over her ears as requested but now Noir was going to be on the receiving end of the pointed end of a spear. But that was just it, the cold glare he was receiving was slowly getting more intense and to anyone watching it would be difficult to meet the eyes of either of the Faunus.

Non-verbal communication had its perks but it also had its cons... The main con being that a normal heated argument became a glare that could melt cheese. But behind the glare words were being silently screamed and all that Noir could do was stare back into those amber eyes that were now filled with anger, irritation, worry... shock? "Give me one good reason not to contact Nora and ask her to break your legs."

If this was about anything else, he might have laughed for a bit. Might have. Or just raised an eyebrow and kept silent. "We need a way to get money and I don't intend on just spending what... They left for me. That and the mission may get me closer to finding out who did it."

Wasn't the best of explanations but it wasn't the worst. Perhaps it would have been better to just have his legs broken?

Blake's eyes just stared at him for a few more moments before she sighed heavily. Either a sign of defeat or a sign of the boredom that will be included with the caring with Noir's legs broken. Or both. "When?"

"Tomorrow morning. My partner for the mission will meet me on the road outside to depart together."

A few more moments of eye contact before Noir turned to Astraea, who still had her hands glued to her ears with her eyes shut, and poked her. The girl opened an eye, receiving a nod from Blake before proceeding to move her hands away from her ears and open her other eye. "What were ya both doing?"

"Just discussing something..." Noir muttered, trailing off at the end as he kept his eyes fixed on Blake.

"Hey Uncle?"

"Hm?"

"Mind if I call you something other than Uncle?"

"Uh... Why?"

Astraea sighed her face falling for a moment before energy just seemed to appear in her features and her eyes seemed to glow with it. "Because you're only eight years older then me! And it's just weird that I call you Uncle when really you'd be more of a brother!"

"...Brother?" The word meant so much. Responsibility being chief among the many meanings. But, what the hell? He was already her Knight. May as well be the brother. "Sure, why not?"

"Woooo! Older brother! Does that mean I change my last name? Or do I keep it? Do I get to wear black as well? Do I get my own emblem? Will I meet oldest sister? When will I get my own trench coat? Is there a school in the area? Why's there no light in here?"

But Astraea's sudden rush of questions was cut off by a small giggle form Blake as Noir fled the room at an incredible speed with a mutter about preparing breakfast. Anything to escape the torrent of questions.

* * *

"And then he said 'Wrecked em? Damn near killed em!"

Astraea giggled, watching Noir with interest in her little eyes. Of course, Blake was reading a book with a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Noir was sat in the single chair, keeping one eye on Blake and Astraea whilst the other was trained on the image flickering across the screen.

_"And in other news the notorious terrorist group known as 'The White Fang' has increased in activity over the past few months to an all time high. All dust shops are at risk and the group known as 'the Order of the Black Roses' has uped its own recruitment calling for any and all able hands to assist with the defeat of the terrorist group with multiple contracts being released to the Hunter community to speed up in the White Fang's destruction. Lisa Lavender reports..."_

_"A few days ago the community of Bleak was subjected to a raid by the White Fang with one goal in mind - Stealing the dust from the community. Bleak is located in the forest of Forever Fall and, as we all very well know, the forest is home to some creatures of Grimm and can be a very dangerous place. The Schnee Dust Company has insisted that they are pouring more resources into security and intend on assisting the Black Roses in stomping out the terrorist threat once and for all."_

"Auntie?"

Noir's eyes had drifted to fix on the screen but now that the report was ending, he turned one back to Blake and then the other as he noticed her hands shaking slightly. Astraea watched Blake, running a hand over her side and trying to get a reaction. "Auntie?"

Blake's face slowly began to fall back into its normal, blank slate with a small reassuring smile planted on her lips intended for the other two in the room. Neither were convinced and Blake was fixed by two very intent gazes which she tried to ignore, lifting up her book again to hide her face and trying to read.

Any attempts to worm something out of Blake were ignored with a calm gaze and a book in hand. And so, it was with slight irritation that the three of them went about their daily business. Which meant Noir brooded around the house before taking to the roof in an attempt to train whilst being watched by Astraea who marvelled at the fluidity of his actions and movements.

"Wow big bro! You're awesome!"

Astraea clapped enthusiastically as Noir brought the blades of the twins around and slashed savagely at the training dummy. Splinters were flying everywhere but after a few well placed slashes and cuts in the wood, the dummy slowly began to slide apart across the torso, arms, head, legs and crotch area; the later for comedic effect more than anything else. The Black Knight just shot a grin towards the girl, flexing his revealed arms. His trench coat lay discarded to the side and his gilet was off next to the trench coat revealing a simple, black shirt. He didn't look too muscular and wasn't a muscle bound asshole but he did look strong.

Needless to say Astraea was happy to have a big strong Knight as her own guardian and even smiled widely, the memory of her new sibling separated from that of her family's deaths. The two share a similar trait - That their parents had been slain and whilst Astraea's siblings had also been killed Noir still had Raven; or he liked to think he did. The black haired sister had been withdrawn and was handling the situation as well as Noir was, or at least that's the way she portrayed it whenever Adalwin sent them a message.

"Bro, why're you so strong?"

"Because I train and train and train. For hours upon hours. And I didn't stop until my hands were bloody and my muscles screamed for release."

Bit of an exaggeration but he couldn't help but smile as the little girl stuck her tongue out at him. "It couldn't have been -that- bad or you would have stopped!"

"Well you see Astraea... When you want to protect people or you have a really good reason for doing something then you can do it to your ultimate potential!"

"Really?"

The little girl now had eyes the size of dinner plates as she stared at Noir, who couldn't help but smile.

"Really really."

"WOOOOO! I'm going to be strong like brother but quiet like auntie!"

"HEY! I can be quiet to!"

"Hahaha! No you can't!"

The two continued to bicker and this all went on for a while. And when I say a while I mean for the rest of the day. When they went for dinner, they were still bickering and looked like an older brother and little sister.

* * *

**Hey guys! Sorry about this chapter but my brain just went dead for this one. So, consider this more of a filler chapter but next chapter... I promise something special!**

**Noir: You lazy bastard.**

**Aristotle: Fuck you.**

**Garret: HEY!**

**Aristotle: GET BACK TO MY DREAMS YOU!**

**Noir: Who the hell is this guy?**

**Aristotle****: My secret love.**

**Noir: Really?**

**Aristotle: Do you need to ask?**

**Noir: No... I don't. **

**Aristotle: Maybe we could just have our banter for a bit longer then usual... Got anything you want to get off your chest?**

**Noir: You're an ass. **

**Aristotle: I love you to Noir. **

**Noir: Alright... Seriously now, who's this Kyran fellow? Some people here won't know him. **

**Aristotle: Well Kyran is one of my friend's OCs who's doing his own. Kyran, in my own opinion, is an interesting character and basically the Human version of you!**

**Noir: You're an ass, how can he be a Human version of me?**

**Aristotle: But Kyran is waaaaaaaayyyyyy more scarred then you.**

**Noir: That's not really a nice thing to talk about... But how is he scarred?**

**Aristotle: That's private information that you will never find out. Yet. Perhaps forever. You know once I was thinking about doing a RWBY-SAO crossover with you as a sixteen year old teen playing RWBY and his teammates go to the same school as him and he ends up in a harem with the three of them. **

**Noir: … Why the fuck didn't you do THAT?!**

**Aristotle: Because that would have been really amusing for you and boring for me. Plus I'm not good at lemons. I should try one.**

**Noir: No. No. No. DON'T. Leave it to the professionals. **

**Aristotle: Fine... Thanks for reading this extended banter guys and I hope you all can forgive me for not writing more but as I have said - This is a filler chapter. The next chapter will be special. **


	39. Chapter 39 - The Calm before the Storm

**Chapter 39 - The Calm Before The Storm**

"_Journal entry 018 begin."_

"_Big bro, why are you going away?"_

"_I'm making money, hunting all the bad guys."_

"_Like the people who took Mummy and Daddy away?"_

"_Exactly, but…"_

"_But what, brother?"_

"_But he can't change the past, and he doesn't know how to tell you." Sometimes Blake really knew how to change the tone of these entries._

"_Well duhh, no one can change the past, silly Auntie." And Astraea knew exactly how to change them back._

"_Huh, she got you there, kitten."_

"_Shush, the pair of you. Someone needs their sleep."_

"_Awww, I don't wanna." The sound of a foot hitting the floor was clear in the recording._

"_Time for bed, now." You couldn't hear it, but if glares made noise, it would have been deafening. The sound of bed sheets slowly shuffling in the background._

"_Thank you for cooperating, Astraea. End journal entry."_

"_You stole my line aga-"_

* * *

"One two three… good night Astraea," the Faunus' softly chanted as they left the little bundle of questions alone in the bed, hopefully she had tired herself out with questioning absolutely everything the day had to offer her. Closing the door behind him slowly, Noir looked to find Blake heading back towards the living room, her warm seat practically calling her back.

Noticing the change in her walk, Noir decided that they might actually need to talk-talk, rather than just how they normally conversed. This would be an entirely new challenge, a perfect warm up for his contract tomorrow. All he had to do was not tell Blake this or Nora would be over in a leg-breaking flash.

As he entered the darkened room, sure enough Blake was back in her beckoned seat on the sofa, book in hand and water on the table next to her, the television switched off for the night. To anyone else, she would look contempt, peaceful even. But Noir knew that face; it was her 'do not disturb, everything is normal' face. Shame really, peaceful looked nice on her.

He took a deep breath and moved to sit next to Blake on the sofa, their arms rubbing up against each other for the first time in what felt like months. Maybe it had been? But Noir was getting distracted, he needed to talk. "Blake," Noir began, his throat suddenly dry and his voice husky, "what's wrong kitten?"

Blake's ears twitched at this, her attention drawn away from her book momentarily to look at her puppy, his black eyes still lacking depth and emotion like they used to. "Nothing's wrong," she lied, turning back to her book and turning the page quietly.

That wasn't enough for Noir, not this time. "Please, Blake, tell me what's wrong," he practically begged, which thankfully caused a little giggle to escape his kitten's mouth.

"You're so cute when you beg, Noir," Blake teased, putting her book on the table by her water, giving Noir her full attention.

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, I am NOT CUTE!" the proud Knight proclaimed to the world, then inwardly cursed himself, hoping he hadn't woken Astraea. Silence reigned, seconds turning into minutes as both Faunus listened out for any sign of Astraea waking up. A few seconds passed, and Noir released a heavy breath, turning back to face Blake, who was gentle giggling to herself. At least that seemed like a good sign.

"You're even cuter when you get mad," Blake whispered into Noir's ear, feeling his prominent beard rubbing against her cheek. Maybe she would speak to him about that, soon.

Noir could feel Blake's hot breath on his ear, and felt it move back as she shifted her position to kiss him quickly on the cheek, an almost forgotten luxury in recent days. He chuckled at that thought and kissed her back on the lips, pulling her into an embrace afterwards, relishing her warmth in the cool room.

Blake was surprised by this; Noir hadn't been this affectionate since the wedding. But she gladly returned the hug, not wanting her Knight to go back to how had been over recent days. The silence engulfed them for minutes, nothing disturbing the peace between them.

Still wrapped in each other's arms, Noir decided that now was the perfect time to ask more about what his special kitten was keeping from him. "Is it about the White Fang?" he knew it was, but he needed to hear it from Blake.

She just nuzzled further into his shoulder, but nodding as she did, "I'm scared." It was all she needed to say, Noir thinking back to how she said that she was putting all of them in danger, that she was scared that they would come looking for her, and most of all, scared that she would go back to them. It wasn't easy for Noir to hear, who thought it was time to try something new. But first, he leaned an arm back and closed the door. Firmly.

"Blake, look at me," this could go wrong, but Noir was willing to try everything to make Blake happy again, he couldn't stand seeing her how she saw him. Reluctantly, Blake looked up from Noir's shoulder, moving to sit on her knees in front of him so she could look into his eyes. His cold, draining eyes. Eyes that could turn a battle in seconds. Eyes that hadn't shown her any emotion for over a week now.

Noir closed them, concentrating on the first night he had had with Blake, all the happiness, the pure carnal bliss and not a care for anything wrong with the world. Then he opened his eyes and looked straight into Blake, passed her eyes and into her very being.

The effect was immediate. Her knees buckled and she screamed out Noir's name in bliss, her mind flooded with all the things Noir wanted to do with her. Her eyes had fluttered closed but the Black Knight's semblance had already had the desired effect, relief washing over Noir as Blake's body shook with pleasure from the visions he had given her. Everything that could be done to show love in the bedroom was now swimming around Blake's head. One minute she was being ridden like an animal, the next she was in the driving seat, taking Noir like he was her toy. Roles changed but the pleasure only increased, Blake's sounds of lust and joy reaching a deafening crescendo as she reached a dramatic climax.

For Blake, it was hours of bliss shooting through her mind. For Noir, seconds of happiness he hadn't felt for far too long, but why should Blake have all the fun? When the visions left Blake, she was physically exhausted, and definitely needed a change of clothes, sweat and her juices mixing to coat her panties. But the night was still young, and the downstairs bedrooms were calling the Faunus'. Seeing that Blake was too weak to pick herself up off of the sofa, Noir picked her up, cradling her like you would a child, or possibly a cat, and carried her to one of the empty bedrooms on the lower floor.

It wasn't far, but it gave Blake enough time to gather her strength enough to nuzzle lovingly into Noir's neck and speak softly below him, "How?"

"Semblance, dear," Noir stated flatly, "It's not all bad, y'know."

"Mmm, I'm not complaining," came the purr beneath him as Blake nuzzled into Noir's chest, "but that was cheating."

"Well I guess I should make it up to you then," the Knight replied as they entered a dark room with a large double bed in the middle of the floor, all other furnishings removed save for a tall lamp on the right-hand side of the bed, but that wouldn't be necessary for the couple.

Noir lay Blake onto the head of the bed, resting her head on the pillows as he began to strip before her. He wore one of his many simple black tops and loose black trousers, having had a shower after his workout earlier and deciding casual wear would be easier to put on, or take off as it seems. His chest was bare of any bandages, but he had grown an even more distinct layer of fur, another thing Blake found cute about him and teased him about every now and again. Next to show were his legs, bulkier from his recent increased training levels and equally as furry.

Blake stopped him before he went any further, wanting to get ready together like a true couple should. She beckoned him over to the bed, patting the sheets next to her for him to sit on. Noir accepted eagerly, almost bouncing Blake off the bed as he landed next to her. She took her blouse off slowly, undoing each button with deliberate delays between each one, teasing Noir for 'cheating' earlier. Once it was off, Blake pulled Noir into her arms and their lips met, the second of many times of that night. Their tongues danced greedily over one another, attempting to make up for lost time while battling for mouth supremacy.

Noir trailed his hands down Blake's back with practiced grace, moving to remove Blake's still-present panties and leggings so the real fun could begin. Fitting his thumb in between the fabric of Blake's panties and leggings, he slid down the latter as he rolled onto his back, pulling Blake down with him, both still attached at the mouth. Soon enough, the leggings were gone and both Faunus needed air, Blake breaking the kiss with a throaty gasp as the sudden chill of the room reached her slender legs.

Blake raised herself with her arms, now looking down at Noir with an arm either side of his head and plotting what she would do with him after his earlier 'cheating'. Silly Blake, however, looked back into the Black Knight's eyes. Time for some fun. Noir unleashed a second wave of blissful thoughts into Blake's mind, her arms buckling under her own weight and she was soon resting on top of Noir again, one hand darting down to her crotch to remove her now soaking panties.

Noir just watched as the almost fully liquid panties were removed and tossed carelessly off of the bed, only just clearing the side of the bed due to the feeble attempt at a throw. The visions were still strong in Blake's head, her juices still leaking, but now over Noir's boxers. She couldn't take it anymore, she just had to relieve herself, the lust for the visions becoming too much. She didn't care what Noir thought or was even looking like at the moment, she just wanted as much of her hand inside of her as one particular vision lingered in her mind, her hips raising instinctively. _She was bent over the bed, Noir was behind her and furiously pummelling her untainted ass while she cried out his name every time he went ball deep._ But it was somehow gentle, and through the veil of the vision, Blake wondered if it was something Noir wanted to do to her. He was the one that put the vision in her head after all.

As it faded and Blake's limbs fell heavy, one still lodged in her pussy, she flopped her head down onto Noir's chest, who had just been sat stroking Blake's hair and ears throughout the whole thing. He didn't stop, one hand still on the fluffy head in front of his face, the other hand moving down to his hidden 'head'. Since Blake's hips were still in the air, Noir had no trouble removing the blockage that was his boxers, his painfully erect penis glad for the freedom. Half way down his legs seemed a good place to leave the boxers.

Blake could see what was happening, the glazed look only just leaving her eyes. Her hand popped free from its warm, sticky holdings only to bump into Noir's shaft, gripping around it instinctively and slowly pumping up and down. Looking up to Noir's face, but closing her eyes before looking into his, she leant in for a kiss, met eagerly halfway by Noir. He had seen Blake enjoying herself enough and couldn't wait to join in.

Lapping at her tongue, the hand that had been idly fussing Blake's ears had now gripped tight to her hair and was forcing more of the pairs' faces to touch, stubble soon becoming the only thing Blake could feel. She was still pumping at Noir's penis, more vigorously now but her hand was still slick from its previous job and was just clumsily sliding off. Blake broke the kiss with an annoyed grunt, but was quickly silenced by Noir as he held her now-free hand, pulling it up their bodies and holding it close to both their chests. The feeling of both heartbeats in perfect sync put the couple at ease, the kiss softening, broken by light gasps every few seconds.

Relaxing, Blake began to lower her hips, only for Noir's cock to hit her belly, eliciting a sharper gasp from both Faunus. Noir giggled, a thought and a joke crossing his mind, "I don't think it goes in that hole," he whispered, poking at Blake's bellybutton and watching as her belly wobbled slightly. Looks like someone had been taking second helpings.

"Very funny," Blake cooed back, "I think the Knight needs to sheath his blade." Even Blake felt silly saying that, but if Noir could be sarcastic then so could she.

"Just let me know when you're ready, kitten."

Resting her head back onto Noir's chest, she replied after a moment of relaxing, "Now, my little puppy, I'm ready. But please, be gentle." Blake and Noir had never actually had sex before, and neither had any experience before they had been together, but Noir was certain to make this as smooth as he could for Blake.

"Anything for you, kitten, but this is gonna hurt," he warned.

"Please, Noir," Blake was now stroking Noir's chest in small circles around his pecs, "I want this, I need you."

That was all the encouragement he needed, fresh resolve stirring in Noir's loins as he found his mark. She was still damp from the visions, but tighter than anything he had imagined and the Knight struggled to 'sheath his weapon' as Blake had so elegantly put it. Bit by bit, thrust by thrust and grunt by grunt, the pair found a rhythm that worked for them. Slow at first, didn't want to rush their first time, but after a few thrusts the pace picked up, more of Noir disappearing into Blake's depths each time. She now clutched tightly to Noir's chest hair, the pain and pleasure in her pussy equalling each other, but she knew she was safe now, and Noir would never do anything to hurt her.

Riding on new waves of pleasure, Noir lost himself to the feel of Blake's inner walls pulsating around his most sensitive parts. He couldn't have wished to spend tonight doing anything else with anyone else, and all he wished was that this wouldn't be the last time he got to do this with his incredible girlfriend, who, right now, was screaming Noir's name above him as she bucked at his hips with reckless ambition. Her eyes had been tightly shut for so long, only wanting to concentrate on the man beneath her and his pleasure rod jammed between her tight folds.

Finding new strength from somewhere, Noir rolled over mid-thrust, changing places with Blake, who now found herself looking up into Noir's piercing eyes while he continued to rut her like a wild animal. Looking into each other's eyes bought blushes to both of their faces, but neither wanted to look away, not at the height of their bliss. Not ever. They wanted this to last forever.

"N-n-noir…" Blake managed to stammer out, "I l-love yo-ooooooou!" Her quiet declaration of love warped into a scream of ecstasy as Noir went up to the hilt inside of her.

Stopping his assault for a moment, Noir looked back down into Blake's half-lidded but just as glorious eyes, whispering softly, "I love you too, Blake." Deciding against using his semblance again, Noir lent down and kissed Blake deeply, tongues furiously dancing as they began to thrust again with double tempo, pushing their bodies to new levels of joy.

Any pain Blake had felt before was a long forgotten memory, replaced by explosive amounts of love for the man on top of her. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and some all too soon. She could feel a sudden pressure building up in her chest, moving down her body and focusing in her pussy, until one last push from Noir forced it out of her body.

She erupted around Noir's still embedded cock, her muscles alternatively clenching and convulsing around the foreign member. This was too much for the Black Knight, who couldn't hold out any more and released his pent up seed straight into the depths of Blake's vagina, feeling it getting milked by the muscles surrounding it.

He collapsed on top of Blake, who was still enjoying her most powerful orgasm ever, twinned only by the strength of Noir's own release.

Noir popped himself free from Blake with an audible 'shlick' sound, rolling off of her sweaty chest to lie next to her, their arms wrapping around each other instinctively. They lay there for what felt like a blissful eternity, slowly coming down from their highs and bathing in the afterglow of fantastic sex, Noir tracing small circles with his fingers down Blake's slick back.

The silence had to be broken eventually, and Blake found the only words that needed to be said, "Thank you, Noir," her voice cracking but filled with joy, "I love you."

"My pleasure, Blake," Noir's voice was raspy and dry, but no less sincere than Blake's, "anything for you, and anytime."

"Watch what you say, I might hold you to that," a soft giggle accompanied her words, and Noir held her tighter, no more words needing to be said.

But Noir was never one for following rules, "Good night, kitten, may you never change."

* * *

**Locolocko: Hey guys, it's me, Locolocko, sneaking into the afterword before Aristotle gets here. Anyway, hi, how are you? … … Oh yeah, I can't hear you, oh well. You may know me from other works such as Chapter 26, or my fics on FIMfiction under the name Fluffy Brony (yes, shameless plugging of my work, but hey, can't blame a guy for trying).**

**Noir: Who the fuck are you!?**

**Locolocko: Ah yes, we've never met, sorry about this. I'm the one who just wrote that sex scene for you.**

**Noir: What? You mean all you do, is sit there, write about me and Blake, and watch?!**

**Locolocko: Would you rather I didn't write it? Or maybe left it to Aristotle?**

**Noir: N-no… where is the dick anyway?**

**Aristotle: Ta-da, hey Locko! Subtle plug there.**

**Locolocko: Hey dude, this Noir guy's alright, I'm a bit jealous really.**

**Aristotle: Yeah, I'd kill for that semblance.**

**Locolocko: And Blake.**

**Noir + Blake: We're still here.**

**Locolocko: Haaa… I'm out! See you guys soon!**

**Aristotle: Hey, don't leave me to do deal with the fluffy fury! **

**Noir + Blake: *death glare***

**Aristotle: Until next time folks, bye!**

**Noir: Not so fast.**

**Blake: You guys are all creeps.**


	40. Chapter 40 - Don't cry, little wolf

**The Black Knight **

**Chapter 40 - Don't cry, little wolf**

**(Pre-arc chapter: In other words shorter before it gets longer. Lots longer.)**

_'There are two ways to argue with a woman and neither one works' _

_- John Marston _

* * *

_There once was a little pup that lived in a forest in a pack of wolves that lived with other animals - The Panthers, the Badgers, the Foxes and the Ravens. _

_The Wolves were the strongest - They sought to stay together as a pack and the little pup loved his father and mother. _

_The Panthers were the most cunning - They sought to hunt the prey from the shadows and strike when it was necessary. The little pup loved the Panthers too and learned from them, slowly falling in love with one of the Panther cubs. _

_The Badgers were the most violent - Should you corner a badger, they'd fight like a cornered animal. And yet, the pup still loved the badgers and learned from them the ways of desperation. _

_The Foxes were the stealthiest and did their best to remain hidden, lurking in the shadows alongside the panthers yet only striking when the prey was defeated or the prey stood no chance what so ever. The little pup loved the foxes and learned from them the wisdom of when to strike and when to stay hidden and afraid for fear is natural. _

_And last came the Ravens, who were the most wise - They merely sought the wisdom of the forest and sought naught but that wisdom. The pup loved the Ravens more then most for they taught him how to learn and to question everything that didn't feel right. _

_And one day, the Alphas of the Pack died - being his mother and father. The pack was in turmoil until the pup, now a fully grown wolf, went to the Wolves and offered himself as pack leader. However no other wolves supported him but was told by one of the great wolves of the pack that he should gather support - Then he could stake his claim. _

_So he did. The wolf went first to the Panthers and to his love, now a fully grown panther, and asked them for their aid. They refused however he challenged the leader of the Panthers to a test of cunning to which the leader accepted. With the competition, all the panthers observed the wolf demonstrate his cunning through a test of guile and awareness - trapping the other panther in a trap made from a vine before moving in and declaring his victory. And so, he acquired the support of the Panthers; and his love. _

_With that, he met the Badgers and asked for their support to which the leader of the badgers immediately accepted without a second thought to the matter. "You are one who has learned our ways! And can speak more like a badger then any other Wolf can! You will ensure we are never forced into the corner!" _

_The pup, now with their support, had to set out to find the Foxes who lingered in the shadows of every encounter and sought no direct engagement. With much turmoil, the pup searched for days upon days for the Foxes but came up with nothing. Towards the end, he formulated a plan and hunted himself a buck that had strode too far from its herd; managing to strike it down and killing it. He waited and, sure enough, the Foxes slowly emerged from the shadows whilst the Wolf was sat next to the carcass. _

_"It is foolish to search for those who linger in the shadows. Why not simply give them a reason to emerge from their shadows?" _

_"You have earned our respect, little wolf. From the kill you have made and your perseverance - We shall grant you our support." Spoke the Vixen of the foxes. _

_Now with all support but the Ravens, he went to the great Oak in the centre of the forest and gazed upon the great tree that housed the Ravens. A booming voice echoed through the trunk. "To earn our support, little wolf, you must answer three riddles correctly. First - What is so delicate that saying its name, breaks it?" _

_The little wolf was stuck! How could he answer such a riddle? What did break when you spoke its name and so he paused in his thoughts, his keen ears flicking slightly as the forest held its breath in anticipation and silence met him. Wait! That was the answer!_

_"Silence." _

_"Well done, Little Wolf! Next riddle - What comes down but never goes up?" _

_Yet again, his feral mind rushed with the possibilities and he was stuck yet again but something had clicked in his mind from the last time. The forest would give him the answer and so he waited... And waited... Minutes later he heard the roar of thunder and jumped slightly in his hide, looking around for a few moments as rain started to fall from the sky and he thought it sad that the rain never went home... Home... Up...! _

_"Rain." _

_"Correct again, little wolf. Now for the last riddle... What can one not keep, two hold and three destroy?" _

_For the final time the little wolf's mind went blank and he looked around for the answer, the forest falling silent again but this time to allow the wolf to earn his own answer. To earn the respect. His mind drifted to the possible things that one person couldn't keep... Two can hold it but three destroy it? A relationship? But that brought his mind to his feeling for the panther and the fact they were holding the secret of their relationship close to their hearts. _

_"Secrets."_

_"Correct answer, little Wolf. You have the support of the Ravens and I will fly with you to meet with the elder Wolves." _

_And so, one of the largest Ravens flew out from one of the holes in the tree and accompanied the wolf back to the pack. They were joined by the Panther, a badger and a fox and when they finally arrived at the pack the Raven spoke in an authoritive voice._

_"We have accepted this Wolf as a pack leader, he shows intelligence that the Ravens posses."_

_And then the fox spoke. "We have accepted this Wolf as a pack leader, he shows the patience needed to be as stealthy as the Foxes."_

_The badger did not speak, only idly scratching his teeth before the panther spoke. "We have accepted the Wolf as a pack leader since he shows the cunning and skill that few panthers posses." _

_The pack became silent at this declaration but accepted him as the leader when another wolf stepped forward, standing tall and proud. "We have accepted this Wolf as our Pack leader... For he has shown the strength and perseverance needed to be an Alpha!"_

_And so, the little pup became the leader... But his tale didn't just end with that. It lasted on for years to come when the creatures of Grimm entered the forest and defiled what they held most dear. But that is a tale for another day._

* * *

But now... The Black Knight stood next to a figure who could have been mistaken as a person who shared similar tastes in fashion to him as they walked down one of the many streets of Vale. The wind was gentle whilst the light coming from the sun that was just making its appearance illuminated their features and clothing.

The man walking alongisde the Black Knight didn't reduce the intimidating appearance that the Knight himself always presented but instead amplified it. He wore a simple black coat with a single piece of metal covering his upper chest in a way that made it appear simple yet effective with a few scratches and scrapes across it indicating its previous use... And effectiveness. A mask covered his face that was reminisent of a certain Bull-Faunus, making his eyes hidden behind two red slits where the rest of his face was hidden by the white mask.

An odd weapon was slung across his back which even the Chevalier had trouble comprehending its actual effectiveness. The weapon was like a revolver to begin with, six chambers already loaded with rounds but the barrel changed the further down you went until it changed into a long, slim blade making it a hybrid weapon combining the power of a revolver whilst also allowing yourself to be protected in CQB.

However the weapon itself required the user to wear well made gloves since when holding the weapon one might experience some recoil that causes the blade to slide against your hand and possibly inflict damage and cut apart your hand.

The two barely exchanged a word as they walked, the cool breeze of the morning whipping up their hair causing both of their hair to be kicked up with Noir's pony tail bouncing a few times against his back. But they did stride forward with a purpose, on their way to leave Vale for a few days, possibly even a week but something did stand out for the Chevalier when the man had met him outside his home.

_"So, you're Noir?"_

_"And you must be Kyran."_

_The two men stood, staring at one another for a few moments with Noir's face visibly changing into distaste as he felt the familiar gaze that most humans gave Faunus. However this did little to stop him from drawing out his fedora from the confines of his trench coat, pulling it out and slotting it comfortably onto his head. _

_"Are we going to have a problem?"_

_"As long as you don't make one, Faunus... We should be fine." _

_Noir couldn't help but chuckle lightly at the words of his new partner... Temporary partner. But even at the thought of a partner he began to think of Rhea and the new sibling relationship the two would find themselves in since they were technically brother and sister. He'd try his best to keep himself normal around the girls but other then that he'd continue his brooding... his thoughts. This new outlook on life. _

_He had things he wanted to protect in his life and he would protect those things with all his heart. _

_Unbeknownst to him, his Human companion had already lost something as he had. But he had lost something which Noir, thankfully, still had. _

_The Spectres of Vale were born. And they wouldn't become a legend... They wouldn't even make it into myth. Because when do people remember the silent guardians? _

_Why do they want to protect people? Invoke revenge on the people that had done them wrong?_

_Because Noir was one of the loneliest people after Laila... But he still found it in his heart to be kind to those close to him. _

_Because Kyran lost the one he loved... And yet, underneath those wrapped layers of sorrow and sadness, lies the brightest of smiles. _

_And yet both of them have been damaged psychologically... Yet through that act, they became wiser, and stop other people from making their mistakes. _

_All because they don't wish to see anyone the same way as them. _

* * *

**Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to do another chapter but if I am completely honest with you all I was lost for what to do for this chapter! So I resorted to doing a little fairy tail but, I shall also extend our little comedic conversation right here! **

**Noir: So you use this opportunity to squeeze more words out of your chapters? You cheap asshole besides... What happened to me and Blake? WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ROUGH SEX!**

**Aristotle: *Le sigh* You managed to sneak out. Oh yea, speaking of that! I shall use this advantage to say... We've hit over 11,000 VIEWS! That means... You guys have nothing better to do then open this up and giggle at chapter's 26 and 39 - DON'T SAY YOU DON'T.**

**Noir: Are you saying... You know of people masturbating over said chapters? **

**Aristotle: I can guess my dear Noir... I can guess. **

**Noir: Speaking from experience?**

**Aristotle: Want me to write a chapter where you get raped by an octopus? **

**Noir: No...**

**Aristotle: There's your answer. **

**Garret: Yo guys!**

**Noir: WHO THE FUCK IS THIS KID?**

**Garret: Heyyyyy! That's mean! I'm a rising star.**

**Aristotle: Garret! I wrote you to be a nice guy not a dick head!**

**Noir: Can I kill him?**

**Aristotle: You can hurt him... Kill him later.**

**Noir: That actually sounds like more fun... Hmph. Remember to follow/favourite the Black Knight if you enjoy reading my life story and just remember that Aris loves reviews like he loves hentai. **

**Aristotle: FUCK YOU!**

**Noir: You could write that...**

**Aristotle: I. Hate. You. AND I CREATED YOU!**


End file.

RWBY, Adventure, Friendship