Return of the Prodigals
You just can't keep a good villain down.
[Author's note: this story immediately follows the story Mutual Friends. It was written without knowledge of what might happen in Volume 5.]
" – and he said that he would destroy everything I loved," said Blake. "That's why I left. So he wouldn't come after you guys. But eventually I realised that running away to Menagerie wasn't an answer."
The others considered. "Well, maybe a scroll message would have been nice," said Ruby eventually.
They laughed.
They were sitting at a table in Junior's Club. Technically, the place was closed – the opening night having been rated as a success, despite the fight with Neo and Taurus – but Hei had said they could stay on a bit longer, since there were repairs that needed to be done. Sun was asleep on a couch, snoring, his tail twitching. He had, it appeared, had one too many banana milkshakes.
Ruby, Yang and Blake turned to Weiss. She gave a little cough. "Spill," said Yang.
So Weiss told them about how she had been taken away by a Schnee company airship on the night of the battle of Beacon, and her troubles at the family mansion, and the duel with Neo on the cargo ship, and how she had needed money and so had walked into the nightclub and offered to sing for a handful of lien, and then saw Neo and Taurus crash the party, and, well, that brought us up to here.
Everyone stared at her.
"Well," said Yang eventually. "That's ... interesting."
"You think!?" said Ruby.
"How about you?" said Blake to Yang.
"Well, I got a new arm. Which isn't that good a story, compared to yours and Blake's."
"Mine's not that great," said Weiss. "Although I am thinking of changing my hair, and that's really important."
"Possibly," said Yang. "But hairstyles aside, I doubt that Taurus and Neo will give up so easily. It's become personal."
"But they didn't do so well tonight," said Ruby. "Which means that their next step will probably be to look for allies."
"Or allies will look for them," said Blake.
Neo and Taurus had been waiting in the chamber in the dark castle for some time. Finally, the doors opened. Salem entered.
"My friends," she said.
Neo gave a graceful bow.
"Oh, no need to stand on ceremony, girl, although I appreciate the gesture," said Salem. "You were brought here because we can help each other. We have common enemies. And common goals, in a way."
Neo looked quizzically at Salem.
"Yes, my dear," said Salem. "I can see into your heart. I know what you truly desire. I can give it to you."
Neo stared at her in surprise.
"Are you sure that it is what you want, and that you are prepared to pay the price, when the bill falls due?" said Salem.
Slowly, Neo nodded.
Salem turned to a small stone platform in the centre of the room. She recited a complex incantation, and made a series of gestures. Her eyes grew even darker, and her brow furrowed. Even for her, this was an effort, a large expenditure of dark energy.
A shimmer began to appear on the platform. It changed from a shimmer to a shadow, and then began to take on solid form. Suddenly, there was a flash of crimson light, and then a figure appeared, kneeling, on the platform. Neo gave a gasp.
And then Roman Torchwick stood up. He stretched.
Roman but not Roman. The bowler hat he wore was no longer shining black satin but the colour of blood. He had a pale scar running diagonally across this face. His hair was now streaked with darkness. The cane he held was ... different.
He looked around.
"Well well well," he growled. "I'm back."
END