Split in Pieces

By A Stereotypical Gamer

Chapter One: The Spring Knight

Her Scroll kept ringing, multiple contacts calling out to her. She knew what they were trying to say. She knew they were urging her to hurry, because their lines were falling away.

In the distance she felt the metal of Atlesian paladins rending under the weight of their enemies. The city walls were holding out, but any troops deployed beyond it were already dead, whether they continued to fight off the darkness or not.

One by one the number of contacts trying to reach her started to dwindle... she sensed the ships laden with civilians heading away, abandoning the kingdom and falling back to Atlas. Vale was about to be lost, and everyone still fighting was willingly trading their lives to buy time for the retreat.

She hadn't found it yet... the gap was still eluding her, sliding through her fingers time and again...

She felt the metal rend as the Grimm overran the streets. She could hear ancient stone walls break against the weight of Goliaths smashing against them in the distance. She tried not to look. She kept digging deeper for it.

But she couldn't help but look as the darkness drew nearer, led by a point of immense, brilliant light: a single brilliant shine amidst the black. Of course he'd be leading them. Of course he'd come for her.

She was getting a firmer grip. She just needed more time.

The Grimm were attacking every building they passed, searching for lives to snuff out... searching for relief from the pain they felt at having to follow after such a strong Aura they could never hope to snuff out.

The light was why Salem chose him. Because there was no better way to shatter hope than by taking the best and corrupting them, to make even light as terrible and frightening as darkness. And Queen though she may have been, Salem never concerned herself with causing the Grimm pain. She far preferred letting her prince run wild to the well-being of her subjects.

And he was looking for her... seeking to add her to his charges, to brand her as his slave...

She was sitting on the ground when he finally tore open the entrance to her bunker. She broke her concentration long enough to raise her left hand and slam metal shards against him, trying to buy herself a moment longer. If she failed to reach the gap, she'd have nowhere to retreat to... she'd just be captured by the Fall Knight and left to his corrupting Aura.

But that same Aura allowed him to take a brutal and protracted beating. He couldn't hope to match Pyrrha's combat prowess -much less her Semblance- but his endurance and durability were unsurpassed. Every attack she hit him with only delayed him, as his enormous Aura just let him keep walking through her barrage.

She had to find it. He was going to reach her...

"Hello, Pyrrha," he greeted with a terrifying grin. "Did you miss me?"

"Hello, Jaune," she greeted, stiff and formal.

"Don't be so cold," Jaune instructed. "Or are you disappointed? I honestly thought Vale would hold out longer with you here to guard them..."

Normally that would be true. Normally her powers would be enough to defend the kingdom, but when she decided to try and find the gap her attention had been divided. And when Salem's forces blitzed them without their guardian at the ready...

"I suppose even you had to get lucky sometimes," was Pyrrha's dismissive answer, trying to stall as she could. She knew he'd want to gloat. If she played along for a moment, maybe... maybe...

Jaune laughed. "Listen to your bluster. I really hoped 'the invincible girl' would give me a fight before she was forced to surrender. Honestly, I'm disappointed..."

"You and me both," Pyrrha replied. This time she couldn't quite conceal her genuine sorrow behind frosty formality. When she met him, and he treated her with such kindness, Pyrrha had briefly wondered if -for the first time in her life- she'd fallen in love. Yet the man who stood before her now was not the boy she'd first met. Salem had warped him into the Fall Knight. Salem had robbed him of his soul, leaving only that corrupted Aura behind.

Just like she then took Lie, robbing Pyrrha again. One loss after another compounding, leading her to this moment when she searched, when she dug through the magnetic field to find the bloody stain between worlds.

The Fall Knight was drawing nearer. He'd apparently had enough fun.

She hadn't tightened her grip. She still couldn't reach...

The Fall Knight was struck from behind. He sailed right past Pyrrha and landed flat on his face. He was quick to recover and whipped his head around in a frenzy. "Who-?"

"The lady didn't seem keen on your advances," his assailant remarked, his weapon -Melodic Cudgel- still smoking from the discharge of his shot. He reached up to tip his bowler hat. "You can look, but I don't think you can touch."

"Roman!" Pyrrha realized, immensely relieved. She returned her left hand to the floor, tightening her focus.

He'd given her the chance. She couldn't squander it. Not when Roman remaining in the kingdom would almost certainly cost him his life.

"Traitor!" the Fall Knight raged, forcing himself back to his feet and rushing right past Pyrrha to clash his sword with Roman Torchwick's cane. "When I'm through with you, that little hat of yours' won't have a head to sit on!"

"And I'll still be prettier than you," Roman promised. He couldn't hope to match the Fall Knight's strength, so he let the blonde's anger work against him, sidestepping and letting the Fall Knight stumble forward and hit the ground again. Roman pelted his back with one shot after another while he was down, smothering Pyrrha's former friend in concussion rounds. "Hurry with whatever you're doing, kid- I can't hold him for long."

She couldn't dishonor his request. If she helped now they might fend the Fall Knight off, but then she'd have wasted time trying to focus her grip for nothing and have to start again. Roman was giving her one final chance...

She saw it, the tiny tear. She'd lost her grip on it again and again, but this time...

The Fall Knight stood up, tanking every hit Roman dealt before clashing sword with cane again. "Have you missed your pet, Torchwick? She missed you terribly for a long time..."

Pyrrha knew Roman was cool under pressure. In every circumstance but one.

"I worked it out of her system eventually," the Fall Knight boasted. "She learned who her master was, but every now and then she sheds a tear when I mention your name. I still haven't quite broken her... you should be proud."

Roman finally broke as his adversary intended, attacking in a blind frenzy. And without his usual calm, dispassionate calculation, Roman was not a match for the Fall Knight. None of them could match him in raw power.

Pyrrha tried not to let the battle before her draw her attention. She reached to the gap one final time, trying to hold the slippery middle between the mutiple lines of magnetism encircling the planet.

There was no other hope but this one. Not for her, not for Roman, not for Lie, not for Jaune...

Only a fool's hope, a gateway that may not have led anywhere at all...

She relaxed her grip, trying not to be too firm. To her surprise, she found it easier to hold. She tried to caress it rather than squeeze it, to allow her entrance rather than force her way in.

The ground opened beneath her as the portal drew nearer.

Roman was flung to the ground by the Fall Knight. He fought on still, unloading shot after shot at him, still struggling to buy Pyrrha time.

He glanced her way, two pairs of green eyes meeting.

"Thank you," Pyrrha whispered.

Roman spent much of his life as a thief. More than once Pyrrha recalled her new friends in Vale cursing his name. How odd it was to think he'd become the last line of defense for the kingdom. How odd it was to think he deserved to be thought of as one of Vale's greatest heroes, if even only at the end.

She hoped he took solace in that.

The ground ripped open beneath her. Pyrrha fell down through shattered metal and crumbling rock. She saw the Fall Knight standing above reaching after her, his Aura growing fainter as Pyrrha fell away.

"NO!" he raged, watching his prize slip through his fingers.

Pyrrha could relate. She'd tried a firm, commanding grip and always lost her target. If he'd remained the kind boy he'd been, if he'd never been tainted by Salem's silver-tongued promises, Jaune could've held to her and never once lost her.

In another life...

She fell backwards through the tear, disappearing in the gap between worlds... continuing to fall...

The Spring Knight stared up at her body still hanging from the rafters of Salem's keep. He'd made sure her hammer was crossed over her, to remind any onlooker that she had been a warrior... that her death had not come easily.

He thought on that day, when Pyrrha shoved him with tears in her eyes, demanding to know why he killed their teammate -their dear friend- and he had been unable to answer her. His final moment of guilt, his final moment of doubt.

From the girl hanging above him, many more memories. Many more reasons to feel guilty.

They were fading. Eventually, they'd all be gone, subsumed by the power bestowed on him.

In time, Lie Ren would be gone. There would only be the Spring Knight, first prince and heir to the throne.

"Musing again, my child?"

The Spring Knight turned to look at his mother, knowing she was concerned. He thought about lying, but ultimately decided to be honest. He was never able to lie to her. "The past is on my mind tonight, my Queen. I'm sorry... it's been haunting me."

"I wish I could say that wasn't the case," Salem acknowledged. "But there may be a good reason."

The Spring Knight raised his eyebrow. "Mother?"

Salem's expression turned fierce. "Pyrrha Nikos has made things much more complicated for us. We have need of you again, my son. We need you to bring us the anomaly."

"Of course, mother," the Spring Knight agreed. "I will do whatever is necessary."

She reached up to caress her son's cheek. "Thank you, Lie. I knew I could count on you."

No guilt. Just pride. Pride from his family.

In time that would be all he'd feel.

Elsewhere

Yang hadn't really been looking forward to this meeting. She knew when she beat up Raven's lackeys she'd reached the point of no return; that she had to see this through now. That only made the task seem all the more frightening, because no matter how many times she'd thought on what she'd say or practiced how she might address her estranged mother, right then –in the moment- she had feet of clay. She rooted herself in place and forced herself to look ahead, refusing to let her doubts stay her hand.

She wasn't going to let Raven see her fear. She wasn't going to give her mother any satisfaction in thinking she'd been right to leave Yang behind.

When Raven did finally emerge from her massive tent, Yang looked on with one hand on her hip, glaring ahead, trying to project confidence; even defiance. She then grunted out a harsh: "Mom."

The woman standing before her in her red armor and Grimm mask stood stoic. "Do I… know you?"

Her face mask betrayed no emotion, but her tone sounded… genuinely confused. It might've been some sort of tactic, trying to pretend that Yang wasn't her child; that Raven for some reason didn't want to acknowledge her in front of the other bandits. Yang's left hand was twitching at the response, and she reached down to grasp her wrist and try and steady herself, eventually crossing her arms to hide her shaking limb. "You know that I searched for you. I spent years looking for you."

"And you've found me," was Raven's flippant reply. "What do you want?"

Yang's answer to that question had changed many times, but at the moment she was able to focus on what she wanted. "My sister is with Qrow and they're both somewhere in Mistral… and she's going to need my help."

"Qrow?" Raven repeated.

"Yes," Yang confirmed. "I need you to take me to them."

"Done," Raven replied. Even the bandits seemed surprised at how quickly Raven acquiesced. Yang was still eyeing her mother suspiciously… surely it couldn't be this easy.

Raven lifted her right hand from grasping the base of her scabbard and extended it out to Yang. Though wary, Yang did slowly approach, watching Raven take her left hand and unsheathe the blade, though keeping it pointed towards the ground, rather than elevated. Yang thought she'd seen her mother hold that sword with her right hand at Mountain Glenn…

But that thought became moot when Raven cut open a portal and the swirling mass of red and black before her. She took in the sight for several seconds before composing her thoughts: "Can that thing fit a motorcycle?"

"Try not to be too long," Raven requested, looking at the portal –or at least Yang thought that was where her eyes were- and sounding quite… eager? Excited? Why would her mother be so interested in seeing Qrow but not care at all about seeing her daughter waltz into Raven's house and demand a favor?

Yang tried to rationalize that Raven would be eager to be finished; maybe she was expecting some greater demand, some higher toll from Yang than Yang ended up asking for. And really, a quick use of her Semblance wouldn't cost her more than a few minutes of her day, and Raven could go back to paying Yang no heed with minimal exposure.

Yang led her bike up the steps to Raven's tent, and Raven was already halfway through the gate. Yang focused on the back of her mother's head, on that long mane of spikey black hair as they stepped through a dark pathway towards the family Yang knew she was eager to reunite with, and would likely give her a warmer reception than Raven had.

As the chieftess departed, Vernal walked over to check on their prisoner, the former heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. The white-haired girl glanced up at her captor and inquired: "What was that about?"

Vernal wasn't sure, but she managed to keep that doubt to herself. "Someone wanted an audience with the boss." She thought carefully on how to describe the outcome. "You won't be hearing from her again."

Weiss scoffed and turned her attention from Vernal, waiting for her jailer to turn her eye elsewhere so she could return to plotting her escape…

Qrow was on his way out of the tavern after dropping off a Lien card; settling an old friend's debts. It had been a very disappointing day already, and paying on behalf of a departed friend made it all the more somber. He'd barely taken a step out the door of the establishment when he heard the familiar sound of a portal opening… a sound he'd never quite grown accustomed to, no matter how many times he heard it. He never expected to see her, no matter how many times she'd dropped in to visit him.

"Raven?" Qrow asked incredulously, raising his arm as though half-expecting her to attack him… and when Raven did emerge and he saw someone walking behind her bearing some heavy load, Qrow was anticipating a surprise attack by her bandit buddies. Maybe she'd gotten wind of him telling Leo he knew the location of her camp…

But those concerns evaporated when the second figure came clearly into view: a lot like her mother but with blonde locks and eyes a near perfect blend of her mother's red and her father's blue. "Yang!" he exclaimed, genuinely pleased to see her and stepping towards her, as Raven reached up to remove her helmet.

He was sure there was a story there… he knew Yang had been out looking for her. He couldn't wait to see the look of displeasure on Raven's face and whatever lame excuse she had to offer about being forced to help on her daughter's behalf.

Yet when she did finally reveal her face, Qrow was just… confused. She was smiling broadly, but tears were slowly sliding down her cheeks. Raven gave such a high pitched squee for a brief moment Qrow thought Ruby had snuck up on him and covered up whatever exclamation Raven made. Raven rushed over and embraced him, squeezing him tightly in a hug and resting her head to his shoulder.

"I've missed you so much, brother," Raven muttered. "I thought for sure you were gone…"

Raven thought he was dead? Well, actually, that made sense… the last time she'd dropped by to visit him he'd been badly poisoned and Qrow specifically waved her off, assuring her he wasn't going to die that night. And then he very nearly had, suffering through several agonizing days in a delirious state, even as his niece and her friends had to face off with an ancient and very dangerous Grimm.

He hadn't seen this emotion from Raven in a very long time… probably not since she'd returned to leading the bandits. Qrow looked past Raven to Yang, who seemed every bit as stunned by Raven's emotional response as he was. If not more so.

Raven did finally release Qrow from her grip and step back, reaching up a hand to wipe her tears away. Qrow awkwardly coughed as he said: "Yeah, I'm uh… I got through that whole thing okay."

"I never should've doubted it," Raven admitted. "For a moment I couldn't reach you, and I thought the worst."

Qrow looked past Raven again to a still stunned Yang and asked: "You okay, Firecracker?"

Yang abruptly shook her head and composed herself before asking: "Where's Ruby? Is she here with you?"

Between them, Raven abruptly stiffened. Qrow was about to answer Yang when he noticed Raven's reaction, stopping himself. "Um… something wrong? Something else, I mean?"

Raven took hold of Qrow's arm and led him a few feet away. "How does this girl know about Ruby? Did you tell her? Did Tai? How do you even know her, anyway?"

Qrow was now very confused, but not quite so confused he couldn't get a dig in. "She's my niece. My sister's kid."

Raven tightened her grip on his arm, her fingers squeezing like a vice. "How does she know about Ruby?"

"Kinda hard for her to miss her sister," was Qrow's deadpan explanation. "Why do you care, anyway?"

"Why do I-" Raven was incredulous in demanding, but stopped herself as her eyes widened. "That girl said her sister was here. With you."

"Um-" was Qrow's cogent reply.

"Ruby's here," Raven realized. "Ruby's alive."

She released her grip on Qrow's arm and reached for her sword. Both Qrow and Yang were quick to ready their own weapons, only to watch Raven cut the air beside her and form a portal. Raven rushed into it so quickly they didn't even have time to shout at her before she'd vanished.

"What was that all about?" Yang asked, refocusing her attention faster than Qrow had.

"She seemed surprise to hear Ruby was alive," Qrow replied. "Shocked, even." Then he glanced back at Yang. "And she doesn't seem to realize you're her daughter."

"Yeah, I thought that was her putting on a show for her buddies at the camp," Yang replied. "But that doesn't matter. Why would she be interested in Ruby?"

"And why would she take a portal?" Qrow asked. "Two of the only people she can reach are standing right here…" He stopped reading into it. "I don't know what she's doing but something is very wrong here. Let's get you to Ruby, Firecracker- I'm sure she'll be glad to see you."

Raven searched for the Aura; the light that would guide her out of the dark pathways. She had no wish to remain any longer than necessary, lest the denizens of this gap between dimensions recognize her presence. Raven wouldn't have made this trip at all had the information not come from Qrow… she had to be there. Raven would take whatever risk she had to if it meant there was any chance of seeing her again…

The light was there, but Raven had no anchor to it. Her own Aura should've been there, burning bright from the moment Raven forged the bond. Raven remembered feeling it fade away, just as Summer's had… remembered the pain she herself felt when that life slipped away.

She'd have to go in blind. She'd braved far worse for Ruby's sake before.

Raven aimed as close as she could to the Aura on the other side of the dark. She cut and hoped she wouldn't end up inside a wall.

Close. She tumbled through several feet of air before landing hard on a wooden floor. Raven instantly shot to her feet, sword still at the ready as she glanced around at a coffee table and a few comfortable chairs and couches surrounding it… searching for the child that had returned from the dead.

"Ruby?" she called.

Raven heard shuffling from an adjacent room. Then the sound of metal transforming; a weapon changing from one shape to another.

She was on her guard. Good. She remembered what her mother taught her.

But it wasn't Ruby who emerged from that nearby room, but two others… a tall boy with short blonde hair and an old fashioned sword and shield flanked by a shorter girl in a pink skirt with a blazing orange head, carrying a very dangerous looking hammer. Raven eyed them both, curious… she didn't recognize either of them, though the girl looked vaguely familiar…

"Who are you?" that orange-haired girl demanded. "How did you get in here?"

Raven looked past her. There was someone else in the kitchen, poking out past the wall with a red scythe compacted into a sniper rifle… and a silver eye looking through its scope.

Raven nearly broke down right there, the tears welling in her eyes again. She dropped her sword, barely hearing it clatter to the ground, she was so overcome by what was waiting in front of her. "Ruby…"

Ruby lowered her scythe and looked on, confused. Her two friends looked just as surprised; why was everyone so surprised? Why were things so off?

Raven didn't worry about the two armed kids in her path. She'd knock them out of her way if she had to, just to embrace her child again. Still, she was relieved when she dashed past and neither raised their weapons or leapt in her path.

Raven opened her arms and pulled Ruby to her, hugging her even tighter than she had Qrow. She pulled Ruby's head to her chest with one hand and leaned down, listening to every breath that came from her lips. Raven was momentarily worried she might harm the poor girl with the fervent affection received, but there was no way she could relax her grip. She had needed this feeling and gone without it too long. She wasn't sure she'd even be able to let go.

Ruby quite enjoyed hugs, but they weren't usually her method of greeting someone she didn't know. After her initial confusion, however, Ruby did reach her arms to this tall woman's back, trying to offer a reassuring pat or two. The woman embracing her now was sobbing above Ruby's head; it seemed like she really needed a hug.

Raven tried to stifle her sobbing, so her poor girl wouldn't have to hear it. But try as she might, she couldn't help it. She'd thought her daughter gone forever, and here she was in her arms… Raven hadn't just had a wish granted, she'd been restored to life by holding Ruby again. When Raven did finally relax her grip and draw back, she just looked over her girl… taking in every feature, desperate to see it all. When did she start wearing that red hood and how had it become so tattered? And why was she wearing her hair so short?

Questions for later. Now there was her daughter, and Raven couldn't be happier. She pulled Ruby into a hug again, repeatedly kissing her cheek and forehead, sobs intermingling with brief bouts of uncontrollable laughter.

Ruby thought that was a bit too familiar. "Um… I'm not sure what you-" And at once the woman stopped, drawing back to listen to Ruby speak, smiling fondly even as fresh tears remained plastered to her cheeks.

Ruby was again at a loss for words. Why was this person so happy to see her? Where did she know her from?

She looked a lot like Yang…

A lot like…

"Raven?" Ruby wondered.

Raven was surprised by the remark. Ruby barely even called her that when talking about her to other people. Still, she composed herself quickly, overjoyed to hold her child again. "My beautiful rose," she whispered.

Now Ruby looked quite uncomfortable. She may not want her mother to use any nicknames in front of her friends… whoever these two were. "I… uh… wow, okay, can we just… back up a bit?"

Raven couldn't help the public display of affection, but Ruby was right: she should dial things back a bit in front of company. "You're right, sweetie, I'm sorry. Please, just tell me how you've been. I haven't seen you since you transferred early to Beacon."

"Beacon?" Ruby repeated, before glancing past Raven to Jaune and Nora, who were –if anything- even more lost than she was. "Beacon fell. Haven't you heard?"

"What?" Raven asked, eyes widening again. "Who did it?"

"Salem," Ruby replied.

"No, I mean- who did she send? Was it the Spring Knight?" Raven asked.

"Spring… Knight?" Ruby repeated.

Raven was growing increasingly distraught. Salem's knight had robbed her of so much, and she'd warned Ruby time and again to be wary of him. Why didn't she know the name? Why didn't she fear it?

"And the relic," Raven refocused her attention again. "Does Salem have it?"

"Um, Professor Ozpin said-"

"Ozpin?!" Raven's concerns grew exponentially. "What did he say? What did he try and convince you to do?!"

Her grip tightened on Ruby's shoulder… tightened so much there was pain in her beautiful silver eyes.

Raven abruptly released her poor daughter, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I… I just need you to fill me in now. I need to know what's going on here. What did Ozpin tell you?"

Ruby's expression switched from confused to a bit more determined; a fierce look Raven rarely saw from her. "Why do you need to know?"

"Ruby, please, just tell me what's happened, just tell me where-" the sound of a door opening cut off Raven's line of inquiry as she whipped her head around to see who was joining them. His face was obscured by a bunch of grocery bags, but that green garb he was wearing…

She saw his pink eye emerge from behind the bag. She'd seen it so often -from across a battlefield and from inches away- she could never forget the sight.

Her sword was on the ground. Those other two kids were in her path.

But he would not take her daughter. Not again.

Raven took advantage of everyone's surprise and dashed forward again, hoisting up her sword and leveling it at the boy in green. He dropped the bags, food spilling out on the wooden floor as he reached for weapons holstered on either of his legs.

"Spring Knight!" Raven snarled. "You will not take her from me again!"

The two others at her back reacted. The girl with orange hair hadn't waited any longer; she was attacking Raven's unprotected back. Raven didn't want to risk taking her eyes off the Spring Knight but had to knock her away… though she tried not to hurt the poor girl too badly by hitting with the flat of her sword.

"Stop it!" Raven snapped. "Don't you know who this is? Get Ruby out of here! Get her away from him!"

The Spring Knight had his weapons leveled but had not fired. "Why would I be after Ruby?"

He wasn't a liar; he was always straightforward with his intent. Why was he lying now?

Raven narrowed her eyes. "I don't know what game you're playing, but there's no way I'm letting you or Salem get your hands on my dau-"

A shot rang out from somewhere behind her. A Dust crystal exploded against Raven's back, ice moving to pin her arms and wrap around her. Raven whirled her head around to see which of them had-

Saw Ruby holding her sniper rifle, smoke rising from the barrel…

Her child… her own daughter… shot her in the back?

"Ruby…" was all Raven could say as she stumbled forward, landing hard against the wood. The orange-haired girl pounced on her, striking with her hammer.

Before she was knocked out, Raven thought back to the moment she'd met Ruby… Tai mourning the loss of his beloved Summer, Raven walking over to comfort her dear friend and looking down to see that little speck of red in her hair and those big pools of silver… of falling so deeply in love she left the bandits for good to be the mother Summer's baby girl would need.

And as one Raven lost consciousness…

Elsewhere

… another returned to it, lying bound on a stone floor. Raven glanced around, spotting a boy with long black hair with his back to her, dropping to one knee and crossing his right arm over his chest. "I have brought the anomaly, my Queen."

"There's no need for such formality, Lie," Raven knew the voice, but had never known it to speak in such a soft and affectionate way. Raven craned her neck up a little higher to see Salem reach a hand down to the black-haired boy, who rose to his feet. To Raven's astonishment, Salem embraced him with a hug, with affection that seemed entirely genuine.

"Momma's boy," scoffed someone else in the room. The boy Salem called 'Lie' glared to his right, and Raven followed his gaze… and had to squint by the Aura so devastatingly bright it lit up the room. Raven could just barely make him out through the overpowering light, taking in blonde hair and blue eyes and a powerful frame… and a few others behind him, standing with bowed heads. Two girls: one with long black hair and shining amber eyes and another with darker skin and bright green hair and red eyes not unlike Raven's own. He put his arms over the shoulders of either woman, and each of them seemed increasingly uncomfortable… though at the same time they didn't seem bothered by his touch, just sort of… flushed.

"There's no need for such malignance," Salem scolded. "At least your brother has some sense of propriety."

The blonde boy snorted. "Oh, tell me again how he's your favorite, how he does no wrong, how he's your perfect little knight."

"Save it, Jaune," the boy Lie snapped, removing himself from Salem's embrace. "You are not going to ruin this for me…" He turned his attention back towards Raven, and when he turned and she could clearly see his face she saw a deep scar running between his pink eyes, over his nose. "… I've been waiting a long time to bring this one to heel."

"Oh, so you're going to break her, then?" Jaune inquired. "That's a first. I thought you'd never claim one after you lost the little orange-haired girl. Didn't know your tastes skewed older."

Those pink eyes were suddenly caught aflame in white hot Aura as Lie turned to glare at Jaune. The intense gaze terrified the girls on either of his arms, but Jaune's only response was a satisfied smirk.

"That's enough," Salem interceded. "Jaune, if you want to be present for this, then be silent. Otherwise go play with your toys in another room."

"Not a bad idea…" Jaune mused, glancing between either woman with a lecherous sort of smile.

Raven's thoughts were focused on the Aura she'd seen in Lie's eyes. She'd seen it before in her own… and before that in others who hosted the gift.

Why -how- was the Maiden's power inside a man?

The sound of a slowly creaking door drew Raven's attention. Salem, Lie, and even Jaune all stood at attention. The two women removed themselves from Jaune's arms and dropped to the ground on all fours, prostrating themselves on the stone floor. Lie dropped to kneel, and eventually Jaune did the same, albeit reluctantly.

Light footsteps drew ever closer. Salem smiled fondly. "Welcome back, my love."

Raven strained her head around to see, but there was little need. He hoisted her up to meet her eye personally.

She knew those brown eyes and that gray hair. She knew that green shirt and unbuttoned vest. She'd just heard he was dead. "Professor," she greeted formally. "Finally dropping the pretense?"

Ozpin held her gaze only a moment before looking over at Salem. "I thought you said you'd found her."

"I did, my liege," Lie interjected, head still pointed to the floor. "I have found the thief who stole a piece of your essence."

"Is that what you're telling your children now, Ozpin?" Raven scoffed. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised you're re-writing history."

Ozpin refocused his attention on her, curious. "I see why you made the mistake. She has been touched by power. But it's not my power… similar to it… very similar… but not the same. An echo. A reflection."

"A remnant," Salem added.

Ozpin turned his attention to his queen and nodded. "So… the thief who stole from me found her way through the dark pathways to the other side. It seems in the remnant apart, another Ozpin bestowed on this Raven Branwen a gift."

"This Raven?" Raven repeated.

"You needn't be so concerned, my love," Salem cooed to Ozpin. "We have something this one's doppelganger will want. Isn't that right, my dear Spring Knight?"

Lie stood up and nodded before stepping out of Raven's limited line of sight. Raven heard a shuffling sound prior to his return, carrying a body clad in a white robe. Raven could faintly make out a few barbs of red and black hair.

Summer?

No… too young… more likely…

And more, she was cast in a sort of gray coating, a thin sheen over her skin and cloak. Almost like a Grimm cocooned by Summer's –or her child's- power.

"The only thing the anomaly wants," Lie assured. "The silver-eyed warrior. The one who can control the Grimm."

Ozpin smiled before turning his attention back to Raven. "Tell me, Raven Branwen of the remnant apart… what would you do for the one you love? And more than that…

"Do you want to go home?"

Vale

Fox Alistair knew that scent. But he wasn't sure how it was possible. She died months ago... why would her scent linger this long? More to the point, how could any human remain alive in the ruins after all this time? What holdouts remained outside the Safe Zone had either fled or disappeared in the weeks after Beacon's fall.

But it was the only thing that didn't smell like Grimm. It was the only thing that smelled human. It was the only smell he knew.

Velvet was immediately concerned, knowing how Fox could be distracted by familiar scents. But then he spoke her name, and Velvet switched from concerned to totally onboard with helping him.

They were overdue to return to the Safe Zone and Coco was getting on their case. Velvet was doing her best to buy time, and Fox was honing in on it.

He dug through the rubble... he couldn't see her, but he could hear her breathing. He could hear her heart beating.

He called Velvet over. She rushed to join him, helping as best she could one-handed, as Coco grew increasingly impatient.

"Fox, it's her!" Velvet remarked.

It was impossible. But it was right before them.

Fox couldn't see the incredible sight, but believed his teammate and the tone of her voice. He trusted Velvet, and he trusted his nose and ears.

He hoisted her up from the rubble. Velvet ran one head over her forehead, the sound of flesh meeting flesh (and then metal tiara) revealed her to Fox's imperfect vision, taking in the features from the soft cheeks to the long mane of hair trailing behind her head.

"Coco, you're not going to believe this," Velvet reported into the Scroll, "but we found Pyrrha Nikos."

Coco had heard plenty of things she didn't believe, but never from Velvet. "W-what did you say?"

"We found Pyrrha. Pyrrha's alive."

"We have to get her to the medical center," Fox added. "Coco, we need a bullhead out here now."

"I'm on my way to Glynda now for approval," Coco assured. "Hold your position, guys. Keep her safe... we'll get to you."

Pyrrha began to stir, her green eyes opening. Velvet leaned down beside her. "It's okay, Pyrrha. You're safe now. We'll get you help..."

Velvet? Ruby Rose's partner?

And a red-haired boy holding her in his arms. He looked vaguely familiar...

She rolled her head back, eyes sliding shut again as the Faunus girl continued to offer reassurances. Before she lost consciousness, Pyrrha realized that she'd found the gap. She'd made it to the other side.

Now for the hard part.