Cinder stood victorious. The champion, Pyrrha Nikos, was defeated before her and the Grimm Dragon was perched against the Beacon Tower. She had finally taken the Fall Maidens powers, and she was filled with strength. Her victory was so absolute, so total, that only a miracle could reverse the odds.
"Do you believe in destiny?" The champion asked her, Cinder could only smile. But, as she was about to reply, someone interrupted her,
"I don't." as that scraggly blonde boy appeared in front of her, Cinder blinked, where had he come from? She shook herself, as she waved the Dragon forward.
"You made a mistake coming back here, now you will die with your precious partner." Jaune smiled as he disappeared for a moment before reappearing again, gone was his jeans and hoodie, he now wore an ornate uniform with two strange pistols at his side.
"Nothing was a mistake, this is all part of my plan." he said as he raised a hand, "Now, surrender."
Cinder laughed,
"Surrender? You must be kidding. Kill him." she said as she stepped aside for the Dragon. Jaune looked at the Dragon for a moment, then he dropped his hand quickly to his side. In a ear shattering burst, the Dragon was ripped apart by a shot from a massive tank that had appeared in the clock tower. Cinder could only gape in shock.
The tank was easily 10 meters long, a bit shorter across, and had a cannon that was almost as large as the tank itself pointing forward, still smoking. It had appeared behind a short clump of debris in the office. Jaune smiled at the tank before turning back to Cinder.
"You have lost, surrender and I will give quarter." He said as he swept a billowing cape behind him. Cinder looked at him, still not quite understanding what has happened.
"How.. how? I won, I won!" she screamed, as she conjured her bow once more. She paused as a scythe blade nestled against her neck.
"Hi Jaune," Ruby said with a smile, "Another tactical victory?"
"Yep, I just tried out a new plan," He replied, "Say, want to go get some dinner? I'm starved."
"Sure." Ruby said with a laugh, and they walked off, leaving a confused Cinder and Pyrrha watching them go.
"Did… they just leave?" Cinder said, looking over to the tank that still stood in the corner of the room. She started to shuffle towards the elevator, but as she passed a pile of dust she bumped into another tank, this one now aimed its cannon at her.
Later, as Professor Goodwitch and General Ironwood cleared the Beacon grounds of White Fang and Grimm they came across the clock tower and the captured Cinder.
"Wait, who stopped you?" Professor Goodwitch asked, looking for anyone hiding out of sight. Ironwood just looked at the tanks that stood a quiet vigil in the room with a smile.
"It was the work of a tactical genius." he said.
Cinder threw her head back, "ARC!" she screamed to the skies.
Elsewhere, in her dorm room still recovering from the shock of Ruby and Jaune going out together, Pyrrha echoed her cry.
A/N: Creed isn't dead, he's hiding away with Vulkan, waiting to reveal their tactical genius.