Final Gambit

Man, I don't know what's going on. I had another idea for a story, and it just demanded to be written. It definitely required a different style to write this than my other story, and in all honesty I think this is better written. But maybe that's just me. Anyway, on with the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

He stood in front of the door, the final respite, the last hiding place, the one remaining sanctuary. His team had fallen, dying one by one in an effort to protect the last hope Remnant had of stopping the onslaught. He took a deep, shuddering breath, allowing himself one last, final time to mourn. To mourn for the senseless and unfeeling deaths of his team and everyone they had died trying to save. She would be here soon, and he knew that as he was, as she was, it would be impossible for him to hold her off for longer than a few minutes. He hoped that Summer, Spring, Winter, and Fall would be able to use the time to come up with an escape plan of some kind while he delayed her. However, injured as they were, it was only a matter of time. Perhaps, had they all banded together, before the Kingdoms began falling to the Grimm and from the inside, they would have had chance. But pride, foolish, ignorant pride had blinded them, and she had taken advantage of it, turning the Kingdoms against each other even as they tried desperately to protect themselves from real and imagined threats. He shook himself free of such thoughts; they would only serve to weigh him down while he tried to save what was left.

"She's coming, isn't she?"

He turned his head slightly, keeping one eye on the corridor ahead, even as he glanced back at who had called for him. "Spring, you shouldn't worry about me. You and the other Maidens should be resting, planning an escape route." He shook his head slightly, and grimaced. She would be here soon. "I'll be able to stall her for at least a little while. Get out while you still can. I'll hold her off, then meet up with you later."

She smiled weakly at him, tears flowing down her face. "Don't make promises that you can't keep. I just… I just wish that I hadn't been so stupid back then. I fell for her lies, and we all paid the price for it."

Keeping one eye on the corridor, he wrapped her in a hug. It was an old, old wound that she carried, a burden that she carried that never healed, never lifted. "It wasn't your fault," he whispered soothingly. "She tricked all of us. I know that you, of everyone, want to go back and undo it. But that's all in the past." He stood up, and turned to face the corridor once more. "You only have a few minutes. Get out of here as fast as possible."

She shook her head. "We're going to make a final stand here. We've decided that even injured as we are, we'll fight. We won't let her take away any more than she already has."

He inhaled, fighting the urge to shout at her. "I can't let you do that. You're the only hope Remnant has of stopping her, but you can't do that while injured. Just leave and let me fight, knowing that I've bought enough time for your escape. This is my last, final thing I'll ask of you."

She merely shook her head again, and the urge to yell welled up once more, but he fought it down. She looked at him and said softly, "We're not making this our final stand because we want to, but because we need to. Fall believes that we can send someone back. But only one person, and it can't be one of us. You're the only one left that we can send back. We'll be drained after we do, so drained that we won't be able to run. This is our final gambit, our last chance."

He hesitated, looking over his shoulder and into the darkened room. His eyes widened. "What-?"

She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. "They killed themselves, and their last thoughts were of me. The four seasons have the power, but only when united in perfect harmony. They killed themselves, and I won't let their sacrifice be for naught. Please, please, don't let their sacrifice mean nothing."

He said nothing, looking at the sobbing girl – no, not a girl anymore. He remembered how innocent, how naïve she had been, how she'd always believed the best of everyone. And that loss of innocence struck him fully in that instant. Wrapping his arms around her once more, he whispered, "Alright. I'll do it. I'll do it." Her arms tightened around him, and she relaxed slightly, head resting against his shoulder.

"I knew you'd do it," she whispered to him. "You were always so kind, so willing to take everything upon yourself in order to protect others. So willing to be the friend of a dorky teenager with more dreams than were good for her. So willing to sacrifice yourself for everyone." She smiled weakly at him, a heart wrenching expression on her face. She placed one hand on his chest, and it pulsed with power. She looked at him; one last, final look at her only remaining friend, and whispered, "Goodbye, Jaune."

Tears welled up in his own eyes, and he murmured to her, "Goodbye, Ruby." And with that, he felt himself falling away. His last sight was of her cradling his body and sobbing uncontrollably, and then everything faded to black.

I actually teared up a little while writing this, so hopefully I managed to convey the hopelessness and loss that the characters were experiencing. I have a rough outline for where I want this story to go, so expect a potential update within the next week. For anyone concerned with Jaune being overpowered, all I can say is that he the only place he'll beat out other characters (at least in the beginning) is knowledge. Until next time!