Alongside this chapter, I released Chapter 1 2.0. Nothing major changed, mostly corrections, clarifications, and a couple of additions now that I ended up making this fic more than a proof of concept.

- X Nyx X-

Nyx stared at the dead Huntress impaled on the Grimm's finger, watching the body slide off and hit the ground with a 'splat!' The Grimm took a step forward, crushing the Huntress under one hooved foot.

Nyx couldn't hide the shriek of fear that came as the Grimm's boney face focused on her, black skin tearing open into a grin. Turning, the young Faunus went to run-

-Only to crash into a man in a black cloak, a red mask in the shape of a fanged skull covered everything above his eyes and a smirk on his face. Nyx did the only thing she could really think of as the Grimm gave a loud clicking.

She ducked behind the man, waiting for him to be ripped away like the other Huntress had been. Instead, the man took a step to the side, revealing the claw frozen mid move, along with the entirety of the Grimm's horse and human sections, "Fascinating… A creature formed of pure Aether by naught but pure hatred… though I suppose that is why you are mindless. You would be useless against her. So…"

Nyx couldn't stop the wince as the creature's bones crumpled like a soda can, feeling a spike of empathy as it screamed in pain before the man jerked his head to look at Nyx. Behind him, the Grimm fell in two separate, still twitching pieces.

"Hi?"

"You," the man said, grabbing her by the face and forcing it to the side, running a finger along the scales on her neck, "interesting… you could be of use, I suppose, if I had more of you, but-"

"W-wait!" Nyx said, feeling her spine start to groan as he twisted it further, "I can- I can get you more! My brother! He's a member of the MNWF!"

"The what?" he said, stopping.

"The Mantle White Fang! Please-"

"That-" the man grabbed shifted his hands, grabbing Nyx along her cheekbones as a mark flashing in front of his face-

"That's right! Part of the HQ guard!" Altair said over the CCT call, a proud smile on his face as he ran a hand through his short black hair, "It's a big job!"

"Wow! Do you think I could come visit you someday?"

Altair hesitated, "Maybe? I'd have to ask my bo-"

"Hey!" Altair looked away, catching something, "Come on! There's a raid going on!"

"Right!" Altair nodded, before looking back at Nyx, "I have to go. Sorry-"

"-yes, that might very well work out," the man said letting go of Nyx and letting her fall to the ground, "I take it Mantle is nearby?"

"Yes!"

"Then let us depart, Nyx," Pashtarot said.

It would be a long time before Nyx realized they hadn't given their names to each other.

- X Lyse X-

Lyse sat up with a yawn, looking over to the couch Ruby had been on… and rolling her eyes as she saw the Warrior wasn't there. Ruby Rose, incapable of staying still for any amount of-

"OW! Son of a behemoth!" Ruby's voice came from the back of the house. Walking outside, Lyse watched Ruby dance in place for a moment, the Warrior of Light clutching her hand with tears in her eyes.

"What did you do this time?" Lyse asked in bemusement.

"I was trying to get my aetherotransformer to work with the aether on Remnant, instead it just burned me!" Ruby said, showing Lyse the inside of her palm, which was covered in blisters.

"I'll get the stuff," Lyse sighed, turning and walking back into the house and into the room with their bag.

"What is it this time?" Y'shtola mumbled into her pillow, still mostly asleep.

"Ruby burned herself," Lyse said, grabbing a potion and a roll of bandages, "I've got it."

Y'shtola gave an inarticulate mumble, rolling over and falling back asleep. Lyse stepped out of the room, throwing an apologetic look at Jaune, "Sorry about that."

"Uhh… What?"

Crap.

Lyse coughed into her hand, subtly masking her reapplying the spell Louisoix had invented when he took Ruby and Thancred in so long ago, "Sorry about Ruby. I take it that's why you're awake?"

"I guess?" Jaune said with a shrug, "I wasn't really sleeping bef-"

They were both cut off by the noise of something backfiring and another tirade of expletive substitutes in Eorzean from outside, "I should probably go deal with that before Ruby loses a finger or something."

"Uh… Yeah," Jaune stepped to the side, letting Lyse past him and back outside.

"Alright-" Lyse stopped as she watched Ruby rolling around on the ground, cradling an arm. Was this how things felt for Papalymo when they were together? "What did you do this time?"

"I got friggin' wildfire on my arm!" Ruby complained, lifting her arm off so Lyse could see her burning sleeve, "I don't even know how!"

"Was there any in your transformer?" Lyse asked, pouring the potion over the bandage as she wrapped it around Ruby's arm.

"...Maybe?"

"Well then…" Lyse said, cutting the bandage off and storing away the other, "Will you be fine to fight?"

"Probably not," Ruby groused, "I didn't bring along any one handed weapons except Kanesada, the Chaos Blade and Highway Star."

"Then I guess we're staying until later in the day," Lyse said, standing up, "I'm going to cook breakfast for our hosts, it's the least we can do at this po-"

They both stopped as a cry came from inside the house, before rushing inside. Coming to a stop before the room Y'shtola and Alisaie had been sharing, they watched as Jaune coiled up on the ground at the base of Ruby's greatsword, one hand slit open and blood dripping down the edge.

"What the-?" Ruby muttered, stepping forward and grabbing her sword, "Coulda sworn I sheathed this thing."

"Weird," Lyse muttered, grabbing another potion, pouring it onto the leftover bandage and leaning over to bind Jaune's hand. Both of them fell silent, however, as a familiar crystal rolled out of Jaune's hand.

- X Jaune X-

Jaune watched Lyse disappear outside, sighing as he pressed his head against the wall. That wasn't… that wasn't any language he had heard before.

Jaune's hand hit into the door as his stomach rolled and his sight pitched and swayed. Staggering inside, Jaune's eyes focused on the black-red sword.

Come, Childe. Hear.

Jaune's hand wrapped around the sword as the world faded.

Jaune's legs coiled, leaping from the rock and impaling a man in armor, drawing the spear from his body and using it to bat away two attacks before slashing open the soldiers' guts with the wing shaped axe blade. Looking up, Jaune watched the meteor shower falling from a red moon hanging over the battlefield for a moment, dread mounting, before he leapt across the field, landing on a mech and impaling the pilot.

Jumping into the air again, Jaune twirled, flames coiling around his spear before he thrust it down, an explosion of fire shattering another mech before he gracefully landed on the ground, moving to engage two more soldiers.

Or he would have, if all three of them hadn't been blown off their feet by a giant cloud of dust that suddenly covered them. A rock impacted Jaune's helmet, denting it and leaving him to struggle to get it off, with a call of "Cid? What was that? Cid?"

Jaune looked up, following the giant pillar that had appeared up until his eyes locked onto the moon, blue cracks running along it and-

Jaune threw up an arm as the moon shattered and the night turned to day, flinching away from the light and heat. High in the sky, a ball of flames had replaced its lunar counterpart.

A roar echoed from above him and the small sun exploded outward, a winged reptile flying down and the flames forming into a thousand separate trails following it. The axe-spear in Jaune's hand slipped from it as his mouth went dry, legs frozen as the military base in the distance was swallowed by the flames.

Jaune had enough time to reflexively tense his legs as the monster flew towards them, a single ball of fire branching off… and crashing into a crystal barrier that formed around them at the last second.

Jaune turned, eyes locking onto the elderly man holding a staff up, "Louisoix! Thank Hydae-!"

Jaune was cut off as the barrier shattered. Louisoix took a staggering step forward as the barrier slowly reformed, before it shattered again, the lizard hovering about them.

"Well," Jaune muttered, wrenching his weapon out of the ground and watched the blood red energy form around it in the shape of a fanged jaw, "It's for times like this that I became a dragoon…"

Jaune jumped again, sailing above the lizard with his spear behind his back. Plummeting, Jaune twirled his spear, aiming for the dragons head-

-only for it to fly backwards, backhanding Jaune with one clawed hand. Smashing into the rock, he stopped just before Louisoix with a wince, "I think I broke my everything…"

Louisoix didn't answer as twelve pillars of light formed in the distance. As the old man swung his arm up, the light turned into massive crystal pillars that impaled the lizard. A massive array of symbols appearing as the moon reformed around the lizard and-

-the moon shattered again, as did Louisoix's staff. Louisoix looked up at the lizard gathering another ball of flames, then back down at Jaune, "Ruby…"

"Yeah?" Jaune weased.

"Live," Louisoix said, swinging a hand forward as a new seal appeared. Jaune felt the heat wash over him as he faded away, and had enough time to see Louisoix smile before the light covered him.

Jaune smashed into the ground, wincing and struggling to stand before a pair of hands stopped him, "Careful, there, beautiful, that looked like a nasty fall!"

"Shut up, Thancred," Jaune croaked.

"Do we… know each other?" the white haired man asked.

"Thancred, that isn't funny," Jaune muttered, "What are you even doing here? Louisoix sent you to- oh gods…"

"Sorry?"

"Louisoix," Jaune muttered, tears welling up as it dawned on him, "I'm sorry, Thancred, Louisoix is… he's gone."

"You're… acting awfully strange," Thancred said, slowly, "Louisoix has been dead for five years no-"

"WHAT?"

Jaune's eyes flickered open, staring at the ceiling of his room, "What the- was that a dream?"

"Was what a dream?" Aurora asked from the doorway of Jaune's room, before yelling, "Mom! Jaune's awake!"

"What happened?"

"Nobody knows," Aurora said, "Those huntress found you in their room, mighty creepy by the way, bro, and you slept for the last few days. I was betting one of them clocked you so hard you got brain damage, personally, considering how fast they wanted to get out of here."

"How long was I out?" Jaune asked.

"About three days," Aurora said, "Scared the crap out of-"

"Jaune!" Aurora grunted as their mom knocked her aside, "Do you know how worried we were?"

"This feels really familiar," Jaune muttered.

- X Nyx X-

Nyx took the offered sword, staring down at the black blade, "Wha-?"

"I refuse to have an assistant who is incapable of fighting," Pashtarot said, lifting up a pair of daggers with wavy blades, "Now, defend yourself!"

"What's-?" Nyx let out a small shriek as the man rushed towards her, dodging back from the attack.

"Good!" he said, swinging for her again. Nyx dodged a few more swings before she tipped, the sword slipping from her hand as she fell backwards.

The sword landed between her legs, the handle sinking into snow as Pashtarot continued to move towards her. Thinking quickly, Nyx did the only thing that made sense.

She kicked out, knocking the snow out from under Pashtarot. The man's eyes widened under his mask as his leg twisted, sending him falling over Nyx's head and into a one of the trees behind them.

Oh Dust, she had killed him…

She had killed her one chance at making it to Mantle alive…

She was gonna die out here, eaten by Grimm, wasn't she?

Nyx felt her eyes well up with tears, a shiver of fear rising up as she reached down to draw the sword from the snow. Maybe she could find survive long enough to-?

Nyx yelled in shock as she turned around to see Pashtarot stand back up, cracking his neck. The red mask on his face cracked and fell off in two separate pieces as his mark appeared in front of his face. He grunted, reaching into his cloak and pulling out an identical one and putting it on as he pulled his hood over his light blue hair.

"Well done," he said once he was done, "Using the environment against me, I hadn't expected that from a beginner."

"Um… thanks?" she said.

"You might be of use to me yet," he said, "Tell me… do you have a favorite story?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I'm curious," he said with a smirk, "What's your favorite story… and who's your favorite character?"

"Um… I like the Story of the Seasons and… probably the Summer Maiden?"

"That's good to hear," Pashtarot's smirk got worse, like he had lost his mind, "Very good to hear…"

- X Ruby X-

Ruby climbed onto the train, keeping her head down as she found the compartments the quartet of Eorzean heroes had booked upon arriving in the city a week before.

And discovered that, to Ruby's shock and embarrassment, that they had been journeyed in the complete opposite direction of Vale. Luckily, Ruby's skills from her time with the Rogue's Guild hadn't atrophied too much over the years (helped, no doubt, by her time working with one Godbert Manderville of the Manderville Gold Saucer), and she had quickly found several young men and woman with too much money and not enough sense to notice the loss, alongside several fences willing to buy their gil.

"We're on the second floor," Ruby said, walking up and hating how naked she felt without a weapon.

"Double storied trains," Alisaie said, "What will they think of next?"

"I remember going on a trip on one of these when I was a kid," Ruby said, closing her eyes with a sigh, "Uncle Qrow had some business in one of Albion mountains during summer vacation so we all went camping."

"I thought you didn't like camping?" Lyse asked.

"I don't like it now," Ruby stressed, "sleeping outdoors kinda loses its luster after you do it for months at a time."

"There are people in Gridania that might disagree with you there," Y'shtola said.

"Yeah, well how about we ask the Ul'dah refugees how they like it?" Ruby shot back.

"Fair enough," Y'shtola said with a small smile as Ruby pulled open the door to their compartment, "By the way, I've been meaning to ask, have you been sleeping well? You seem… worn out."

Ruby tensed, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just been a bit worried about all this. You and Alisaie's room is across from ours, by the way."

"Of course, I-"

"Hey, Ruby," Lyse butted in, "Didn't you say there's some place to eat on this train?"

"Yeah," Ruby started, "but didn't you-?"

"I wanna check it out anyways, breakfast was hours ago" Lyse said, "Alisaie, Y'shtola?"

"I'm fine with it," Alisaie said, stepping from the opposite compartment.

"I'll come along," Y'shtola said, "Ruby?"

"I'm-" Ruby shook her head, "I'm not hungry. Here's some Lien, I'll see you later."

"See you then," Lyse said with a wave.

Ruby glanced around before reaching into the bag Lyse had been carrying, pulling out a blue gem and examining it.

"You did the right thing," Ruby froze, head moving to the side almost mechanically so she could see the source of the voice sitting on the couch bolted to one wall.

Sitting there, wearing a set of Ishgardian temple knight armor under a black eastern robe, clutching Deathlocke in their right hand, the hilt of Cronus leaning on the other shoulder and Kanesada across their lap, was a copy of Ruby with blood red eyes, "I honestly don't get what she's thinking. That boy wouldn't survive a day."

"Fray," Ruby said, turning to the apparition.

"Ruby," Fray said, mocking her.

"What do you want?"

"You're joking, right?" Fray said, "You have to feel it! Something is coming, the world's shifting!"

"Aetherically?" Ruby asked.

"Is that even a word?" Fray asked in turn, "be ready to sin again."

Ruby blinked and the hallucination was gone, though the weapons remained, "Thanks for nothing, you b-"

Ruby's thoughts were cut off as the train jerked into motion, sending her falling back onto the bed.

- X Blake X

Blake looked up at the commotion, ears twitching towards it. Down the car from them, a blond woman in a ornate red outfit had pinned a man to the wall.

Closing her book, Blake slinked close enough to see what was happening. The man, who was wearing the white uniform of the train line they were traveling on, was clawing at the woman's arm, face turning red. Blake's focus on that faded, however, as she caught sight of the Faunus on the ground behind the woman.

Faunus were only supposed to have one animal trait, that was just a simple fact of their biology. So why did the white haired Faunus have feline ears, eyes and a tail?

"Let-" the man choked out, "Let me go."

"Why?" the woman asked, "so you can assault Y'shtola again?"

"I-" the man spat, before being interrupted by another employee.

"What's going on here?" she said.

"This man," the blond woman said, shaking him bodily, "Refused to serve my friend and attacked her-"

"I pushed the beast ov-" Blake wasn't at an angle where she could see the blonde's face, but given the way the blood drained from the man's face, she didn't need to.

The female employee looked between the two before giving an exhausted sigh, "My apologies, Ma'am, this isn't the first time we've had to discuss this matter but I must request you put down our employee. Mr. Greene, I would like to remind you that the contract you signed specifically forbid you from discriminating against our patrons. If you have a problem with that, I advise you find a job with one of our competitors that don't mind. We specifically adverti-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Greene muttered, "I don't know why we put up with the anim-"

There was an unholy crack as the blond woman drove her fist into his skull, sending him tumbling over.

Blake watched the blonde move to hit him, only for the Faunus, Y'shtola, to grab her arm, "Lyse, it's not worth it…"

"...Fine," Lyse said, "C'mon, I'm not hungry anymore-"

"Then why don't you take it to go?" Blake spoke up, feeling a rush of gratitude. It was so rare to see a human so defensive of a Faunus.

"I-" Lyse blinked, "Yeah, sure. Coming Alisaie?"

"Sure," Blake jumped as she turned to the girl around her age sitting in the booth… and clutching a steak knife like she wanted to stab something with it and, following her line of sight, it was the same 'Greene' Lyse had just gotten done roughing up.

Blake helped the trio package up their food, carrying it along. Finally, Y'shtola spoke up, "I need you two to promise me you won't tell Ruby what happened back there."

"What?" Lyse asked, "Why?"

"Because Ruby will find a way to stop this train and just leave," Y'shtola said, "It doesn't matter how much she wants to see Yang again, if she finds out someone treated any of us badly… I think she would just turn around and go home."

"That does sound about right," Alisaie, who Blake couldn't help notice looked startlingly Schnee-ish, agreed, "She's sick of us being treated less than ideally, I think."

"And I'd ask you to do the same…?"

"Oh! Blake," Blake said, holding out her hand, "Blake Belladonna."

"Y'shtola Rhul," Y'shtola said, "and these Lyse Hext and Alisaie Leveilleur."

"It's nice to meet you," Blake said, biting her tongue before the words it's nice to meet humans who actually care slipped out and closing one eye against the headache forming, "If you don't mind me asking, how do you have more than one trait? I've never heard of that before."

"It's a very rare mutation," Y'shtola said, "I'm fairly certain there's only a handful of us alive. Now, I believe this is where we part ways, because-"

"ARHGA!" Everyone jumped at the scream from the compartment they were standing next to. Blake carefully opened it, looking inside. Rolling around on the floor, clutching her head, was a woman in a red and black haori, "Fragin'!"

"What did you do this time?" Lyse asked.

"I don't know!" the woman complained, "I have a headache from the seventh hell!"

"Which leads you to rolling around on the floor?" Alisaie asked.

"...Shut up!" the woman barked after a moment of silence, a blush on her face.

"As I was saying," Y'shtola said, "This is where we part ways for now, Blake especially since we need to deal with our illustrious leader."

"Yeah," Blake nodded, "I'll see you around?"

"Well, we are stuck on the same train," Alisaie said, "So unless I lock myself in my room to read for the next fortnight, I expect we'll see each other."

"Good point," Blake said, retreating down the stairs, wincing as her headache got worse.

Just Think of the chances, Childe.

- X Blake X -

Blake leaned against the wall with a scowl, "I hate these things."

"Somethings never change, then?" a handsome man with white hair and a tattoo on his neck said, smirking.

"Shut up," Blake muttered without any heat, "I never thought there'd be a day where I would wish for a Primal attack."

"Announcing!"

"Alright you two," Blake looked down, focusing on a child(?) wearing a monocle and cloak with the same tattoos, "that's enough."

"The Scions of the Seventh Dawn, formerly the Circle of Knowing and Path of the Twelve! Minfilia Warde!"

A woman with blond hair in braids, a pink and white top that left her midriff exposed and a half skirt threw a smile back at them before disappearing through the doors.

"Papalymo Totolymo!"

The child disappeared through the door.

"Yda Hext!"

Hext? Wasn't that-? Blake watched the woman wearing a white jacket and a visor leave the room.

"Y'shtola Rhul!"

The woman who stepped away from them and through the doors certainly looked like Y'shtola, though with green eyes and wearing different clothes.

"Thancred Waters!"

"Any chance I could slip out now?" Blake muttered.

"Only if you want to start a manhunt through Ul'dah," the man who had to be Thancred said before he left her alone.

"And finally," the crier started, "the Warrior of Light and Chosen of Hydaelyn Herself, Ruby Rose!"

Blake wanted to turn her head to search for this 'Ruby', only to instead grab a pair of connected swords leaning next to her with a twirl and step into the room.

At the center of the wide room was a table already set for people to eat at, men and women were standing around the room, goblets in hand as they spoke. A man in burgundy armor immediately approached them, "Lady Rose?"

"Please don't call me that," Blake sighed.

"Ah… Yes, Ma'am. Sultana Ul Namo would like to speak to you."

"Lead the way," Blake said with another sigh, following him up to a room off to the side. Standing inside was another… little girl? Whatever the hell Papalymo was, sitting at a table.

"Milady," the guard said with a bow, "I brought the Warrior of Light, as you requested."

"Thank you," the Sultana said, "You may go. Lady Rose, if would-"

"If you don't mind, Sultana," Blake interjected, "Would you just call me Ruby?"

The Sultana laughed, "Only if you would call me Nanamo. Would you come sit with me? I wish to share a drink with you and discuss a… rather private matter."

"Sure," Blake said, moving over to sit across from Nanamo as a veiled woman poured the last of one bottle into the goblet in front of the the Sultana and poured another into Blake's.

"You may go," the Sultana said, "Ruby, I-"

"Nanamo," Blake interjected, "I'm not one for formalities or politics, if you have something to ask me, just ask."

"I see why Raubahn likes you," Nanamo said with a laugh and a cough, taking a sip from the goblet in front of her, "To answer your question, I would like to ask your assistance in a matter."

"Which is?" Blake asked.

"I plan to… I plan to dissolve the Syndicate," Nanamo said, "Up to and including the Sultanate. They try to keep me from learning how corrupt Ul'dah has gotten under them, but I'm not blind, and I refuse to let my people suffer at the hands of the few. Tomorrow, I will be announcing that the Immortal Flames will be taking over leadership until such a time the complete dismantling of the Syndicate can happen. I would like to request that you help Raubahn during this time."

"Sure," Ruby said with a nod.

"That's- that's-" Nanamo stopped talking, goblet slipping from her fingers as she fell to the side, convulsing.

The door slammed open, yet another of the strange child-folk with a mustache walked in with a set of guards and giving an exaggerated gasp, "Milady! You- You murderer her! Guards, arrest the Kingslayer!"

"I didn't-!" Blake started.

"Don't deny it! You're the only one in here, and there's only one entrance! The Flame General will see you hange-"

"Unless the gods damned you with a fraction of a brain," Blake's mind froze at how chilly her voice had become as rage coursing through her, her blade splitting in two and blood red energy rising off them, "You know who I am. I'll come with you to Raubahn, but if you think I'm going to give up my weapon... well, let's just say there will be several corpses in this room I WAS the cause of."

"Really? You think you can defeat the Brass Blades?" the man taunted, "the greatest warriors of Ul'dah?"

"I've killed gods," Blake said, "Titan, Ifrit, Bahamut. Come, try to defeat me, I'll gladly walk out of here to talk to Raubahn without you."

"Uh… Of course," he said, "There's no need to be unreasonable. Come along…"

"Good," Blake said, lowering her swords as walking forward.

Only for something to strike her in the back of the head as she stepped passed the first Brass Blade and darkness to overtake her.

- X Blake X -

When Blake came to, the was when she was thrown to the floor, a gag in her mouth. The moment she was able, Blake began to struggle against the ropes as an explosion of noise happened above her.

"You're lying!"

"Why would I?" Blake shot a glare at the small pair of legs in front of her, "Was it not the Scions who convinced the Sultana to host this party? And then the a member of your order was found in the Sultana's room, with the very vial of poison in her pock- Ah, she's awake!"

"Good," a deep female voice said, "Then we can ask her. Remove the gag."

"Lady Merlwyb," the man said, "There's no need for that, it's an open and shut ca-"

"Says you," Merlwyb said, "but allow me to be blunt, you're accusing the godsdamned Warrior of Light for regicide with nothing but evidence that is either easily faked or coincidental at best, with a terrorist as your witness. I refuse to have this be a damn manticore court, you will remove that gag."

Blake struck her hands against the ground, trying to get their attention as another, calmer female voice spoke up, "I quite agree and it would appear that Lady Rose is trying to get our attention. If you are so convinced she is guilty, what is the harm in allowing the convicted the ability to speak in her defense?"

"I agree as well," a man rumbled, "Unless you have something to hide, you have nothing to worry about. Let Ruby speak."

"Oh, fine," the man nodded to one of the guards, who grabbed Blake by the hair and pulled her to her feet, ripping the gag from her mouth, "Well? What do you have to say for yourself, assassin?"

"Do you normally burst into the Sultana's private quarters unannounced and accompanied by guards?" Blake asked, smirking as the man's face went pale.

"I- I don't know what-"

"I mean," Blake continued, "You said it yourself didn't you? The room only has-"

"Silence her, you fo-"

"-One entrance, so why did you do that just as the Sultana died?"

"I- I got wind of your plot, and moved to-"

"Then why did you bring the Brass Blades?" Blake asked, "and not the Sultansworn?"

You could hear a penny drop as everyone considered Blake's words, eyes locking on the guards standing around them.

"You," a giant of a man with a bull head pauldron growled, "You had her killed didn't you, you black hearted bastard?"

"Heh," the little monster scoffed, "I did no such thing, though I suppose that, given how unwilling a puppet she was, it was only a matter of time before someone decided to cut her stri-"

Blake felt a rush of adrenaline as the man drew his swords and rushed forward until they were crossed in front of her accuser, "You would mock her? Then you can do it from hell!"

The blades finished their path, blood and entrails flying as Blake's accuser fell in two separate parts. The man holding Blake's hair smirked as he threw her aside, gaining a look that remained her of Adam as he drew his own sword.

"General!" yet another of the child folk called from the side, "Have you lost your mind? You know it's forbidden to draw weapons it this part of the palace-"

Blake heard Merlwyb scoff, "Who does he think he's fooling?"

"You," the General growled, "You would betray her? Your own niece? Then you can die as well, you bastard-!"

Blake watched as the Adam-man moved to intercept the charging General, cleaving his left arm off in a shower of blood.

"Raubahn!" a woman in a white mink dress gasped.

"Seven hells!" Merlwyb barked, drawing a pair of flintlocks.

"Admiral!" a man in blood red armor said, clutching an axe, "We have to go, now!"

"I-" Merlwyb growled, "I shall not leave a resident of Limsa Lomasia to hang for a crime she didn't-"

"Merl," Blake called, "Go, we'll be fine! If you cause an international incident, it'll just cause everyone else more problems!'

"Godsdamn me to the seventh hell for this," Merlwyb spat, "Fine! We're leaving!"

"Ilberd," Raubahn growled, "I hope you choke on their coin you traitor!"

"Traitor?" Illberd said, "I'm the traitor, old friend? You're the one who found a puppet queen to serve while I fought to free Ala Mhigo! You betrayed us!"

"Is that why you went through with this? Why you killed an innocent girl?" Raubahn asked.

"I suppose so, yes," Ilberd said with a smirk, "if you aren't with us, old friend, then you are against us. She made you soft, the ene-"

Blake wanted to gasp. How many times had she heard Adam say things similar to that about anyone who disagreed?

"You die," Raubahn roared, grabbing his sword, "no-!"

"Sloppy!" Ilberd taunted, kicking Raubahn over Blake's head.

Raubahn gave an inarticulate growl, swinging his sword down.

And taking Blake's bindings with them.

Blake jumped, grabbing the guard holding her swords by the head and violently twisting it. Grabbing her swords, Blake swung them down to finish off the guard and split them apart, preparing to attack Ilberd, only to find Raubahn's arm in front of her, "Wha-?"

"You need to go!'" Raubahn said, "I'll hold him here, find a way to clear your names, GO!"

Blake looked at Ilberd before turning with a growl, "Come on, we need to go!"

"You think-!" the guard was silenced as Blake slashed through his throat, guiding the Scions through the halls while Raubahn met with Ilberd again.

Snapping her swords back together, Blake lunged forward, impaling one of the two remaining guards before snapping them apart again to do the same to the other guard, "See how easy it is when you're not able to jump me?"

- X Blake X-

Blake sat up, stopping a startled yell. Looking over to where Adam was still sleeping, she quickly scrambled out of bed, leaving the compartment behind with an exhausted panting.

What was that? That was- what was it?

Blake staggered further down the train, stomach rolling.

Sloppy! Ilberd's taunt rang through her head, the smirk still plastered on his face as he gestured with his curved blade, his white hair pulled into a bun.

How many times had she seen that look on Adam's face before a combat mission… hadn't he had it just before they got on the train?

Blake choked down bile as Nanamo's horrified face flashed across her vision. The goblet falling from the doll-like girl's hand and spilling the red wine across the stone floor as she collapsed like a puppet that-

cut her stri-

Blake shook her head wildly. It was just a dream, just a dream…

So why was it so real? She could taste the echo of her own wine, smell the food wafting from the table.

Hear the squelch as Raubahn's swords cleaved through flesh. See the light flee the guard's eyes as she ran him through.

Blake leaned on the edge of a boat, eyes focused ahead as another child-folk and a teenaged boy with white hair and clutching a broken staff climbed on. In the distance, a broken building crumbled, flames rising from the remains.

"Pray tell, where are we going?" the boy asked, "Limsa Lomasia and Grendira can't possibly take us without causing a war, and Ul'dah is-"

"Ishgard," Blake's, no, Ruby's voice was cracked, "Camp Dragonhead. Haurche will help us."

"Twelve save me," the boy muttered, "Are you certain he will? I don't want to go to that frozen hell just to be turned awa-"

"Haurche will help us," Blake repeated.

"You heard the woman!" a bearded man at the ship's helm called down to another child-folk with black and red hair and a giant man, "We have our heading!"

Blake didn't flinch as the ship tilted upward, flying into the sky. In the distance, a city spread out into the desert-

"Told ya," Blake tensed as Ruby's voice came from above where she was kneeling, "Go get some hot chocolate."

"Are you sure the dining car is even open at this time?" Lyse asked.

"Should be, they pick up people all through the night," Blake's head shot up as a callused hand wrapped around her upper arm. Ruby gave a calming tut, "Hey, heyheyhey. It's alright, c'mon, we're just gonna get you out of the hall."

Blake staggered up, letting Ruby bring her into the compartment… and promptly rushed into the tiny bathroom, hot bile spilling over as Ruby dully pulled Blake's hair back.

"Yeah," Ruby said, like a stranger throwing up like this was an everyday occurrence to her, "That's about how it was for me at the start too. It gets easier, if it makes you feel better. Lyse is grabbing some hot chocolate, that's what I like to do if the Echo is getting the better of me."

Blake didn't answer for a minute, content to continue unleashing the yellowish contents of her stomach into the toilet. Finally, she looked up at Ruby, "This is… you know what that is?"

"Yeah," Ruby said, "So, what did ya see? Not something pleasant, obviously."

"I saw, I was-"

"Oh," Ruby winced, "It's always the worst when you see it from someone else point of view. Louisoix and Papalymo thought it was because your head could tell something was different. Different heights, vision, senses- uh, nevermind, carry on."

"I was- I was you."

"Oh," Ruby casual expression faded, "Yeah."

"I didn't want to-!"

"I didn't say you did," Ruby shrugged, "I've had the Echo for, oh, must be, twenty… twenty three years, not counting that five year chunk?" Blake got the feeling Ruby was thinking aloud at that point, "Somewhere in that range. Point is, I've had the Echo longer than you've been alive, and I still don't have full control over it. But I'm also aware not much of what you could have seen is particularly fun to be stuck in the backseat for. So, what did you see? Since you didn't get to follow my thoughts, or even just the lead up or anything after, I feel like I should give you a bit of insight."

"It was- you had just been framed for regicide… you were framed, right?"

"Do I really look so thuggish that people will just believe I'm willing to assassinate someone? Which charge?"

Blake's mind ground to a halt. Which charge? Which charge? That implied, "That's happened more than once?"

"Well," Ruby said, "thinking about things, I'm pretty sure regicide was only thrown around when that bastard Lolorito faked Nanamo's… the other was… weird question, do you know if there's a term for killing a archbish- you know what, they were a Primal at the time so I'm going with deicide."

Blake couldn't stop gaping at Ruby, brain stuck in a recurring loop of attempting to figure out what Ruby had just said and giving up shortly after. Finally, Blake grabbed hold of the one part her brain didn't need context for, relief flooding her, "Nanamo survived?"

"More like she wasn't in trouble to begin with," Ruby said, "How much did you see?"

"You had just left Raubahn and Ilberd," Blake offered.

"He's fine too, by the way," Ruby said, "Er… Raubahn, that is. Ilberd's dead."

"That's… good?" Blake asked, not sure if she was supposed to be happy at the death of a man she had never met, and ignoring the slight amount that did rise up.

"I should have gutted him there," Ruby said, voice dropping, "woulda saved so many people so much pain if I just had…"

"Ignore her," Blake jumped as a styrofoam cup as pushed into her hands by Lyse, "She's looking for a way to dodge the awkward questions bit."

Ruby took her own cup as she scrunched up her nose and stuck her tongue out at the blond woman, "back on topic, it turns out that Lolorito, uh, the lalafell… errr… the small git with a mask, replaced the poison with something to knock her way, way out. It's what I call a win-win-bludgeon scenario."

"You have never called it that before," Lyse said.

"He wins because he gets to consolidate his power base," Ruby continued, "Nanamo wins because she doesn't die, and I'm left wanting to bludgeon him with a rusty mace."

Blake took a sip of the hot chocolate, feeling the warmth travel through her body and purge the chill that seemed to be filling her veins. Looking up, she gave a weak smile at Ruby, "You were right, this does help."

"Duh," Ruby said, rolling her eyes, "Anyways, Raubahn is fine, Nanamo's alive and Ilberd killed himself.

"But… where was it? I've never heard of any of those places," Blake asked.

"It's… you know what?" Ruby said, "it's easier to show you."

"Wha-" Blake leaned back as Ruby leaned forwards, "What are you-"

"Don't worry," Ruby said, "It's nothing dangerous. You can trust me-"

"I don't think anyone's ever been calmed by that," Blake said, breathing in, "Ok."

"Ok," Ruby gripped Blake's face, a blue glyph appearing in her eyes as everything faded, "Hear. Feel. Think."

- X Ruby X-

Ruby's feet touched down onto the familiar glyph, her eyes scanning the crystals sitting at six points before she turned to find her Faunus companion, "So, uh… I just realized I never got your na- hey, where are you?"

Ruby looked around the glyph, frowning as she didn't see teen. Finally, a calm voice came from behind her, sending Ruby twirling with a hiss, "Blake will be along shortly, Ruby."

"Don't do that!" Ruby said, glaring at the mountain sized crystal.

"My deepest apologies," Hydaelyn said.

"So, what do You want?" Ruby asked, ignoring Fray's snickering in the back of her head, "Come to take me to task about what's-his-name?"

"Jaune," Hydaelyn said, "Not particularly. I am aware of your faults, Ruby. If you believe you could protect that boy by, how would your nerves put it? Serve, Save, Slave and Slay? You would do it in a heartbeat."

"Can you blame me?" Ruby said, "he's a kid-"

"He is very nearly twice the age you were when I asked you to take up the role of My champion."

"So?" Ruby asked, "Unukalhai wasn't ready."

"I know," Hydaelyn pulsed, a wave of pure sadness rushing over Ruby.

Ruby sat on the glyph with a sad sigh, "So, what do You want to talk about?"

"It isn't anything against you," Hydaelyn said.

"What?"

"The new Echo users," Hydaelyn clarified, "it isn't because I don't trust you, or see you as a failure."

Ruby gave the Mothercrystal a blank look, "Uh… what?"

"Your conversation with Midgardsormr?" Hydaelyn offered.

"I had that conversation before I found out about Jaune," Ruby said.

"But I'm sure that Me bestowing a crystal to him didn't help those feelings," Hydaelyn said.

"...Maybe a little," Ruby admitted reluctantly.

"Then, and allow Me to return to the formal for a moment," Hydaelyn started, "Of the many Children I have, I am not prouder of a single one more than thou. Not once have I regretted choosing you to be My Champion, Ruby Rose. Not once have I felt you failed in thy task. Even as you twist the power of Mine Adversary to protect those you love, I fear not that you will be swallowed. In the entirety of our relationship, the one regret I hold is Mine and Mine alone, not thine."

"Really?" Ruby asked.

"Indeed," Hydaelyn said, "Mine one regret is that you feel as if you need to stand as My bulwark against the Darkness alone."

"I don't-"

"'Woe betide the man who stands opposed to the Weapon of Light,''' Hydaelyn started, voice as dry as it ever got, "'for death will be his reward. Death for him and his kin and all he holds dear. Woe betide the man who stands with the Weapon of Light, for death will be his reward. Death for him and his kin and all he holds dear.''

"Ok," Ruby felt her face flush as Hydaelyn quoted Myste at her, "Maybe I-"

"'Like sands through the hourglass, everything we fight so desperately to protect slips through our fingers...and what remains...Is us. Only us, and the memory of our sin,'" Hydaelyn continued.

"Ok, ok!" Ruby said, burying her face in her hands, "so may-"

"'To walk this path is to suf-'"

"Fine," Ruby threw up her hands, "fine, You win! I have a problem with working with others. Happy, mom?"

"Exorbitantly," Hydaelyn said, voice still dry.

"Then why did You give it to them?" Ruby finally asked.

"Because I don't wish to see you dead," Hydaelyn said, "and while combating the Adversary in Ezorea is simple of you, trying to deal with their threats on two worlds will drive you into the ground."

Ruby hissed, "the Ascians are on Remnant?"

"Yes," Hydaelyn said, "but even if they weren't, I would still have considered it. The Children on Hydaelyn are few in number. Now, quiet down, I have a guest to speak too."

"Fine," Ruby said as Blake landed with significantly less grace.

"Wha-?"

"Hello, Blake," Hydaelyn started, "I am Hydaelyn, the All Made One… and I would like offer thou a pact."

- X AN X-

Thoughts? Good? Bad? Meh?