Dark

Dark is the fourteenth episode of The RWBYA Adventures.
==Plot==
[The episode opened up from Nora's point of view. Her vision was blurry. She blinked a few more times before opening to see her arm covered in burn scars and a bed.]
Klein: No need to worry, miss. You and your friend are going to be just fine.
[Klein glanced down with friendly brown eyes after adjusting some medical tubes. Nora's vision turned to the sound of a door being opened. Blake opened the door to the room. Weiss and Ruby followed, with Felinja walking in while carrying the unconscious Penny.]
Blake: She lost consciousness. And she's... leaking.
Klein: Set her down, set her down.
[Felinja sat Penny down, and grimaced at the green fluid that got on him from carrying her.]
Felinja: Believe it or not, I'd be a lot more comfortable with this if I at least knew if it was blood.
[Felinja pressed his Simplicitrix, becoming human again.]
Ruby: Can you help her?
[Klein scanned Penny with his Scroll, which located an injury at her waist. His eyes were red as he assesses the damage.]
Klein: Even based on what you've told me, I hardly know what she is. [coughs; his eyes turn from red to brown] Ahem, but, her basic anatomy seems similar enough. I can at least stitch up that wound.
[A sound akin to thunder roared from outside. Everyone present glanced in that direction. The power suddenly went out.]
Whitley: Oh, that's just rich.
[Ruby took out her ringing scroll. May's voice came through.]
May: Everyone okay back there? Just saw another bombing run light up the kingdom.
Ruby: [glancing out the window] Looks like part of the city lost power. We're okay though.
[May was shown piloting a Manta through a sky filled with clashing Grimm and Atlesian aircraft.]
May: Sorry I couldn't stick around, but time's running out for everyone in the Crater.
Ruby: No, we're sorry. Once we know what's wrong with Penny, we'll... we'll do something.
[As Ruby spoke, May grimly watched a distant Tempest tear apart an Atlesian Airship.]
May: Don't beat yourself up, kid. At this point I don't know how much is left to be done.
[As May ended the call, Ruby starts to tear up.]
Ruby: It's all just... too much. The Grimm, the crater, Nora, Penny... How do we fix all of it?
[Weiss put a reassuring hand on Ruby's shoulder as Klein sneezed, his eyes light blue.]
Klein: One step at a time, my dear. [sneezes again; his eyes returning to brown] You can't worry about fixing everything. Simply focus on what's in front of you. If you'd like some place to start, I'd be able to work faster if you could bring the power back on.
Ruby: Well, how would we-
We have a generator near the edge of the estate.
[The others turned, seeing Willow leaning on the room's door frame, a bottle of alcohol in hand. Whitley huffed, crossing his arms.]
Whitley: [facetiously] So kind of you to join us, mother.
Willow: Believe it or not, I am above drinking in the dark. [glances at Klein] Oh, hello, Klein.
[Klein gave his former employer a silent nod.]
Weiss: SDC executives have their own auxiliary power supplies in case of a city-wide blackout. It's extremely unfair, but perhaps now isn't such a bad time for company perks.
[Whitley glanced out the window and seemed to come to an epiphany.]
Whitley: We don't just have perks.
Weiss: Hm?
Whitley: We have the company. The people you mentioned in the Crater, they need a way out, right? There are rows and rows of cargo ships just sitting in the hangars because of the embargo.
Weiss: And our own automated drones, like the ones at Snow Shoe Shipping.
Whitley: We can order as many as we need to pilot our ships down to the Crater and get people to safety, while the Grimm are occupied with the general's forces.
Blake: We can?
Whitley: I can. I just need father's computer.
Ruby: Then we definitely need to get the power back on.
Alan: Lil bro coming through, huh?
Whitley: ...Don't call me that.
----[Klein and Willow sat in Weiss' room. Klein glanced over towards Penny.]
Klein: Do... Do you know what you're doing, young man?
[Red waves of energy flashed over Penny. Blamurai had his blade pointed at her, attempting to analyze her with it.]
Blamurai: Do you want a comforting answer, or the truth?
[Klein gave an understanding nod, and Blamurai sighed, sheathing his sword.]
Blamurai: I've met, and even become, many robotic creatures. Even so, [makes his way towards Klein and Willow] Penny's particularly unique among them. I don't understand how she works. Much less how she was even made. I thought Aura was just a manifestation of the soul, not something that could be physically siphoned into something, someone else. The fact it can be physically quantified is odd, too.
[Blamurai nonchalantly scooped up Willow's bottle, swigging a big gulp of the vodka before immediately spitting it back out.]
Blamurai: ...Straight fucking alcohol. Blegh.
[Blamurai sat the bottle back down, wiping his mouth from the disgusting drink.]
Willow: ..Aren't you a bit young to drink, anyway?
Blamurai: No one's getting arrested for underage drinking during the apocalypse.
[Blamurai tapped his Simplicitrix, becoming human with a sigh. The sound of shattering glass in the distance startled them, and Willow reached for her bottle.]
Klein: ...What was that?
[Alan ran over to the window, trying to look for the source of the noise. Klein approached, then turned to Penny, only to then answer a call on his Scroll.]
Weiss (voice): There's a Grimm here and others might be nearby. Keep everyone together and call if there's trouble.
Klein: Of course.
[Willow's hands were shaking violently, and she lost her grip on the cup and bottle. They shattered against the floor, which didn't do her nerves any good. Alan glanced back in surprise, but turned to the window again.]
Klein: Madame, please try to calm yourself.
[Unbeknownst to either of them or Alan, Penny's eyes snapped open, her irises an ominous red color. Willow panicked, running out the door.]
Willow: I can't do this. I can't do this!
Klein: Willow, please come back! [notices and turns to Penny] Goodness, try not to-
[Penny, clearly not in her right mind, threw Klein aside. He fell against a chair, which clatters to the ground, catching Alan's attention away from the Window.]
Alan: Penny!
[Penny took a step towards Klein, then her eyes flickered between red and her usual green. Her Maiden's eye-flames flared up, and she stumbled back as a whirling air current and a bright green light filled the room.]
Penny: No, not again!
[The swirling air around Penny sent Alan backwards, though he hit the Simplicitrix and transformed. A dark grey hammer with red lines hit the ground, as Judgilante tried to stabilize himself. He looked, as much as someone without eyes could, at Penny]
Judgilante: Penny... Please...
Penny: N-NO! I don't want to do it!
[Penny's storm increased, allowing her to knock Judgilante out of the window of the room. A hand reached out to grab Penny's.]
Nora: Hey...
[Penny was taken by surprise, her eye-flames vanishing, though the storm raged on.]
Nora: No one's going to make you do anything you don't want to do.
[Penny fought against the hack in her system, her words coming out haltingly.]
Penny: But there is a part of me... It's making me...
Nora: It's just a part of you. Don't forget about the rest.
[The storm in Weiss' bedroom calmed, and Nora gave Penny's hand a weak squeeze. Penny seemed to have taken control for the moment, and knelt by Nora's bedside. Klein received a transmission on his Scroll.]
Weiss (voice): Klein, it's coming inside. Stay quiet. I'm on my way.
Klein: Do hurry. Whitley and Willow have yet to return. And your other friend has gone MIA.
Weiss (voice): What? Where'd they go?
----[The scene panned from the hole in the window of Weiss' room. There was a trail of broken shingles going down the balcony rooftops On the ground was Judgilante, writhing in pain, his hammer next to him upright.]
Judgilante: ...Ow.
[Judgilante was consumed in a red light, becoming human. He groaned and opened his eyes, which became filled with fear as he looked directly above him.]
Take...
The...
Girl...
[The raspy voice echoed as the eyeless, skull-like face of the Hound stared down at Alan. Quickly spawning its wings, the Hound grabbed hold of Alan by his face, and flew upwards with him. Alan's panicked screams were muffled by the creature's hand, and he scrambled to hit the Simplicitrix, hoping for basically any transformation. The core flashed, and he turned into a blue and purple penguin-like alien. The transformation surprised the Hound, causing it to throw him, and he hit the rooftop of one of the Manor balconies. The impact caused his horn to charge up with red energy, blast one of the columns of the balcony, turning it from quartz to condensed fur. Sitting up, King Midas glared at the Hound, and charged his horn again, intending to hit the beast, but the blast was dodged quite easily. The Hound grabbed hold of him again, this time by the neck, choking him.]
Take... The... Girl!!!
[The Hound flew up and bashed into the Manor, taking King Midas with him. Getting inside to the entrance foyer, the Hound bashed King Midas against the ground headfirst, breaking his horn off, causing him to shout out in pain. Something then caught the Hound's attention, and it jumped to the next floor, going down the hallway. Weiss ran into the Manor, kneeling beside King Midas as he transformed back.]
Alan: ...Wh-Why can... H-How does it... T-Talk...?
Weiss: [surprised by the comment] ...I- [receives a call on her scroll] ...Mom?
Willow (voice): I... I can see it. It's outside Winter's old room. I- You can kill it? Can't you?
Weiss: What is it doing?
[Weiss helped Alan up, then the two headed for the stairs as she talked to Willow.]
Willow (voice): I'm not sure. It's acting strange. Why is it here?
[The two climbed the staircase, Weiss readying Myrtenaster. Alan nervously hit the Simplicitrix, his body changing into a humanoid shark with ship-like features, his body colored green with purple-pink details.]
Weiss: It doesn't matter. Just keep an eye on it so I can track it down.
Willow (voice): Right. Right. Okay. It's moving again. Heading towards... Oh dear, no.
----[Whitley worked away at Jacques' computer.]
Whitley: I can do this.
[Whitley's scroll suddenly beeped.]
Willow: Whitley.
Whitley: [groans, hanging up the call] You are the last thing I need. All that's left should be...
[The door creaked open, and Whitley grunted in frustration, turning to the door. His expression turned to one of horror. As the Hound made its way into the study, Whitley took cover behind the desk. The Grimm sniffed around, its footsteps rattling the pieces of a nearby chess set. Whitley risked a look at the Hound.]
Computer: Credentials verified. Click to proceed.
[The Hound's head snapped toward the computer, and Whitley went back behind the desk. As the Grimm neared the desk, Whitley's eyes widen.]
I know...
You're here...
[The Hound went to pounce over the desk, jumping up. A summoned Boarbatusk suddenly charged the Hound, pinning it to the wall. Willow was seen in the doorway, the glow of her Glyph behind her.]
Willow: RUN!
[Whitley headed for the door, turning back for one last keystroke. A window reading ORDERS RECEIVED popped up on the computer screen as the Hound fought Willow's summon.]
Computer: Thank you.
[Willow and Whitley scrambled into the hallway, putting distance between themselves and the room, but the Hound destroyed the summoned Boarbatusk and burst out of the room. Whitley slammed the door behind him at the end of the corridor but it barely slowed the Hound down. As he and his mother sprinted, the Hound started to gain on them, and pounces, only to be blasted back by scalding hot sea water. Following that, an ice wall equally as canon as the ship stopped the Grimm from advancing, and Willow and Whitley turned to see Weiss at the end of the corridor, with Steambriner right next to her.]
Weiss: I didn't forget you.
[Willow and Whitley both smiled at her, but their expressions changed as the ice wall begins to crack. On the other side, the Hound slashed at the wall with its' claws.]
Weiss: Go!
[Willow laid a concerned hand on her daughter's shoulder as she and Whitley ran off. Weiss stabbed her weapon into the ground to prepare for a summon. The Hound breaks a hole in the wall, poking its head through, only for its ears to twitch upon hearing Penny scream from elsewhere in the house. The Hound pulls its head away and runs the opposite direction.]
Weiss: [warning the others with her comms] It's coming!
----Penny: I'm sorry!
[With one last grunt from Penny trying to fight back in vain, Watts' hack took over and her eyes stayed red. Klein tried to stop her, but Penny simply pushed him away and left Weiss' bedroom. Elsewhere, Willow and Whitley finally reached the entrance hall, and they grabbed the bannister of the main staircase, breathing heavily. Penny walked by them.]
Whitley: What are you doing?!
Penny: [monotonously] I must open the Vault, and then self-terminate.
[The Hound appeared and locked hands with Penny at the landing, forcing them both into a standstill. A third arm emerged from the Hound's back back and slammed Penny into the floor repeatedly. It growled out each word of its order every time Penny hit the ground.]
Take! The! Girl!
[The Hound lifted an unconscious Penny with one hand as Ruby and Blake return to the manor. Weiss and Steambriner make it into the entrance hall.]
Ruby: Penny!
[The Hound raised a claw to Penny's throat, causing the group to stop in their tracks. Willow and Whitley looked on, terrified.]
Ruby: That's... Enough.
[Weiss, Blake, and Steambriner turned to look at her, Ruby's voice uncharacteristically low, matching her anger and indignation. A bright light emanated from her Silver Eyes. The Hound dropped Penny and stumbled back, falling through the window behind it. Penny tumbled down the staircase, coming to a rest at the group's feet. They rushed the check on her, but the Hound slowly crawls back into view.]
Take... The girl!
[The group gasped, Ruby even more so shocked, at the sight of the Hound crawling back into view. Its head had been blown off by Ruby's Silver Eyes, revealing a Fox Faunus on the inside with brown hair. Unsightly veins covered the right side of his face, and the muscles near his jaw could be seen. Black fluid flowed over his face. And his eyes... They were silver. Just like Ruby's.]
Take... the girl. Take the girl. Take the girl. Take the girl!
[Whitley studied the giant suit of armor beside him at the landing and got his mother's attention. Steambriner lifted and carried Penny to an alcove in the wall while Weiss, Blake, and Ruby readied their weapons while horrified, backing up near Steambriner.]
Take the girl!
[Whitley and Willow pushed as hard as they could against the armor. As the Hound closed in on Ruby and her friends, its' head regenerated, covering the host's face again. It's voice deepened to the feral roar from before.]
TAKE!
THE!
GIRL!
[Just as the half-dead Grimm was ready to make a final lunge, Willow and Whitley managed to tip over the suit of armor. It crashed and clattered on top of the Hound in a cloud of rubble. When the dust finally settled, the Hound stopped moving beneath the armor. Ruby dropped to her knees, staring in shock at the Hound's lone exposed arm as it began to disintegrate. Steambriner transformed back, kneeling as well while cradling the unconscious Penny.]
Weiss: What was that?
Ruby: That was... a person.
[The dark Grimm flesh faded away to reveal the skeletal forearm and hand of its' Faunus host.]
==Major Events==
*Nora regains consciousness, albeit temporarily.
*Using Jacques' computer, Whitley sends the SDC ships to save Mantle citizens.
*Team RWBN defeats the Hound with help from Whitley and Willow. They also realize that it had a Silver-Eyed Faunus inside of it.
*Judgilante, King Midas, and Steambriner debut.
===Simplicitrix Debuts===
*Judgilante
*King Midas
*Steambriner
==Characters==
*Alan Nomaly
*Ruby Rose
*Weiss Schnee
*Blake Belladonna
*Nora Valkyrie
*Penny Polendina
*Whitley Schnee
*Klein Sieben
*Willow Schnee
===Happy Huntresses===
*May Marigold
===Grimm===
*The Hound
*Tempest
==Aliens Used==
*Felinja (continued from previous appearance)
*Blamurai
*Judgilante (debut)
*King Midas (debut)
*Steambriner (debut)
==Trivia==
*Alan was originally going to go as backup with Ruby and Blake to the generator. There, he would have helped fight against the Centinels and Cenitaur. NRG was planned to be used in the fight. For the sake of additional differences from the canon episode, this was scrapped, along with the fact it would make more sense for Alan to be involved with attempting to help with Penny.
**In addition to this, the Hound had to give additional attention to Alan, as Alan had Penny's "blood" on him, causing him to have more of her scent on him.
*Steambriner being used when Weiss created the ice wall is a visual pun, given that "Ice Wall" is their ship name, and Steambriner has a ship aesthetic.
*This is the third episode to be released on May 9, 2021.
==Credit Scene==
[Qrow Branwen awoke abruptly from a nightmare, still within his cell. He glanced at the cells containing Watts and Jacques.]
Robyn: Yup. Not getting much sleep here either.
[Qrow rose to a sitting position and put a hand to his forehead.]
Robyn: Sounds bad out there.
Qrow: Wait.
[The sound of rumbling reached their ears.]
Qrow: That doesn't sound like-
[Watts glanced nervously at a wall just seconds before it exploded.]
Qrow: Get down!
[The scene went black as rubble went everywhere. Light was restored when Cinder tore away a chunk of rubble and smirked down at Watts.]
Cinder: You know, this may be the first time I've ever been happy to see you.
Watts: Cinder.
[Cinder grabbed Watts' hand and helps him up, letting him lean on her.]
Watts: What are you-
[Cinder covered his mouth with her Grimm arm, cutting his sentence short.]
Cinder: It's my turn to ask for something.
[She raised Watts onto her shoulders in a fireman's lift, then headed for the hole she blasted in the wall. A trio of Atlesian soldiers burst into the room, two with rifles and the third with a rocket launcher.]
Soldier: It's her!
[Cinder scoffed as the soldiers aimed their weapons at her. Flames burst into existence at her feet, and she propeled herself passed the soldiers just as they fired their weapons. An explosion could be heard from inside the room as she zoomed out into the Atlesian sky, giving one last smug look back. The blast shot past them, leaving a pile of rubble and small fires in its wake. Robyn lowered the hand protecting her eyes, glancing at a screeching crow. She glanced up, then lowered her head back down as more debris fell toward them.]