Chapter #9: Yang vs Twins & A Murderer Revealed


Yang

Standing there in her long cargo pants and orange tank top, complete with a pair of sneakers, Yang was preparing to fight against Miltia. She knew this twin would come at her, claws bared. She had Ember Celica on her left arm already in gauntlet form, she wasn't going to take this challenge lightly.

Her talk with Tai about fighting them was part of the fuel that made her want to fight. She wanted to fix the problems they had with one another while at the same time, prove that she was still capable of one on one combat, even against those who weren't trained in hunter schools.

She looked to Tai standing at the centre, turning from herself to Miltia making sure they were both warming up properly. Miltia, Yang noted was stretching her upper body a lot, fitting since she'd mostly be using her fists and by extension her claws to do the talking. Melanie was there whispering to her sister, probably wishing her luck in her match against Yang.

Yang was done stretching her left arm and had moved onto her waist and legs, her style had changed quite a lot in the relatively short time since the fall. Gone was her punching dominated style and in was the combination of kicking and grappling. She still had a massive left punch but Tai had been teaching her to not overextend or overuse it since if her arm was trapped it could spell the end.

"Alright then, are we both ready to get the first match underway?" Tai asked, interrupting the two and motioning for them to come closer. Yang took a deep breath as she walked over to her dad, Miltia extended her claws while she walked over. She looks pissed… She really isn't going to go easy.

"Now, as per the restrictions I've placed on the match. The first one to drop to fifty percent of their aura, loses. This ensures you are both within the safe zone and that Yang has enough for a second round with Melanie after a short break." During breakfast they'd all loaded their profiles onto Tai's scroll so he could keep a track of aura levels and call the match when he needed. Yang was easy for him to tell apart, but the sisters both back a coloured background to match their attire. Red and white. "Anyone disagree with my rules… good. Both of you get ready, Melanie you come over here so we're out of the way."

Yang and Miltia watched them step back several meters allowing them plenty of room to move. Relax, remember your training with dad. She's not trained like you are, she doesn't know your moves… You've got this, come on Yang. Miltia smirked at the brawler and rolled her neck, she certainly was the cockier of the twins.

"I'm going to enjoy wrecking you, you bimbo."

"We'll see… Maybe your sister will need to save your hide." Yang snapped back.

"Begin!" Tai yelled from the side, both girls charging one another with Miltia looking fast and strong, Yang looking out of place and awkward.

Miltia went for the first swing with Yang ducking underneath and continuing forwards. She raised a knee and caught Miltia in the stomach making her wince.

"Ha! I always start with a Y…"

"Yang!" Tai yelled as her face got collected with a quick counter claw from Miltia. Yang's own response came in one fluid movement. She took the momentum and how she was falling to perform a spin kick that caught Miltia who was grinning, on the jaw.

Yang tumbled to the ground afterwards, performing a roll and hopping straight back to her feet while Miltia seemed dazed. She's shaken… go for it now! She yelled at her self and pressed the advantage.

Right kick, right kick, left jab, left kick. It was the jab that got the best connection, colliding with Miltia's face and making her stumble backwards. Yang again pressed and with a different combination of strikes landed another three solid hits.

"You're down to eighty percent Miltia! Come on now, fight back and show my girl what you're made of!" Tai yelled, encouraging both his and Yang's future student.

The fuck dad! But as she was distracted Miltia started her counter offensive. Melanie screamed in approval as the red twin started making Yang take steps back. Her left shoulder, right upper arm, jaw, jaw, stomach. Each hit made Yang feel vulnerable, her left arm was doing overtime to defend herself but it wasn't enough.

Even when she managed to use her legs up to block some of the attack Miltia would force her off balance or move around while Yang still had one foot in the air. Another slash to her face and the loss of some of her hair made Yang scream and attack. It was exactly what Miltia wanted and as Yang overextended, Miltia let the blow slip by as she firmly headbutted Yang in the nose before performing a cross slash on her stomach.

Yang recoiled and put her arm up to cover her face before feeling the blow to her stomach. Frustrated, angry and afraid, Yang kept backing off, trying to put some room between her and Miltia so she could just have a moment to think. I overextended… I did exactly what dad said not to and got punished by a rookie. She froze for a moment and took a hard hit to the jaw.

"Yang you're at seventy… you're about even!" I went down that fast?! Yang's confidence was shot while Miltia's was on the rise. She'd caught up from being down and knew Yang was struggling to keep up.

She pushed Yang again making her block with her only arm while she relentlessly assaulted her with a claw on each of hers that her both a greater reach and helped to deal damage. Yang tried dodging with her head too, weaving back and forwards, ducking and stepping back. She starting getting a real feel for it, realising that Tai had been taking it easy on her during their training where as Miltia was giving it to her. This girl had no problem holding back so why did Tai. That bastard!

Ducking under a left strike, Yang dashed forwards. Her arm came up and across Miltia's chest grabbing atop her opposing shoulder. Her head squeezed in trapping her extended arm while her left leg came around and behind Miltia's. Yang had practiced the move many times and Tai had allowed her to trip him, to slam him into the ground back first, but doing it to someone who was truly fighting made Yang put in more effort.

Fortunately, Yang was still stronger, knew what was going on and had the momentum. She exploded from that position, taking Miltia off her feet as the girl couldn't move her feet fast enough over Yang's leg that was blocking the way. Yang was smiling as they fell, as she slammed Miltia into the ground with all her might and bounced back up onto her feet, only to put a hard knee on Miltia's stunned torso and raise her fist. Her gauntlet held shotgun shells and at the range she was at, even with an aura, Miltia would take a lot of damage.

Yang didn't hear Tai call the match or Miltia saying that she surrendered so she took in a breath and began the short, miniscule movements that would allow her to punch and shoot hard, right at Miltia's face and end the match. Sorry! She yelled inside her head, forcing her arm forward.

"Stop!... I give up… I give up." Yang's punch stopped a few inches from connecting with Miltia's face. As she brought her hand away and started to relax she saw a look of fear, disappointment, and frustration. Yang got off her opponent the winner of the match and feeling a lot better about herself for winning the match even with Miltia's massive comeback.

Reaching down, Yang offered Miltia a hand back to her feet. Both of the girls were sweating, Yang's hair a mess while Miltia looked devastated with her loss to an opponent with only one arm. The two looked at one another for a while, Yang's hopeful gaze holding Miltia's reluctant one in return. Finally the stubborn girl reached up and grabbed her soon to be, teacher's hand. Yang pulled her up with ease and smiled.

"I thought you had me." She said honestly, getting a smile from Miltia.

"So did I. Guess there really is something you can teach me hmm." Yang blushed and nodded, a clapping, a pair of clapping coming from their side as the two spectators closed in on them both.

Melanie went to her sister and started to make fun of her for losing to a cripple. Yang smiled seeing Miltia tense up and ask her twin if she'd like to settle who was the better of the two once she'd also lost to Yang. Taiyang put his hands on his daughter's shoulders with a wide smile of pure happiness.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you get a win Yang. Though I bet what you're feeling beats how happy I'm feeling." He squeezed her shoulders making her smile, she wanted to give him a kiss right then but couldn't.

"You've been holding back in our trainings too. Why?" She asked, demanding he give her an answer.

"For me, a fully trained huntsman, even if I am a little rusty, not to hold back against my little girl who wasn't even fully trained before she lost her arm… that would be cruel of me. I went hard enough to make sure that you were working to the best of your ability." He retained a soft smile while Yang went over his words and ended up sighing.

"I suppose you're right… I barely beat Miltia, there's no way I could even compete with you. I wonder if I could even beat Jaune at the moment." She certainly hoped she could, losing to Jaune would be humiliating.

"It's not about beating your friends Yang, although it might be a good measure of where you're up to. For now, continue focusing. I saw you get angry while fighting Miltia and she capitalised on it. Melanie is a kicking opponent and you've already stated that you believe she's better solely kicking. You're going to have to use your head in this fight, do not underestimate her Yang." He rubbed her hair causing Yang to growl at him. Bastard… he knows he's allowed, sometimes.

As the two duos spoke with one another, Miltia passing on advice to Melanie for her fight and Tai giving Yang a little shoulder massage while giving her advice on how to counter Melanie's style. Yang was able to rest and get herself mentally prepared for another fight. As they met eyes, lilac and green the twin in white smiled. She's got something planned. Yang thought, scowling at her opponent. Five minutes more and Yang voiced herself as ready for round two.

"Alright, since Yang still has a little over sixty percent of her aura, I will have to keep a closer eye on her level. Melanie, if you hit fifty percent or lower you lose. Yang loses if she reaches twelve percent." So that's how close we were.

"Sounds fair enough, it won't take long for me to get her down that low anyway." Melanie's confidence concerned Yang, it was common knowledge that peoples legs were more powerful that their arms, and Yang was both lacking an arm and Melanie specialised in kicking.

"Begin!"

The combatants charged one another, Melanie coming to a stop a moment before Yang with a smirk still present on her face. She threw a left kick immediately with Yang opting to jump over it with a right knee coming up to find Melanie's head. Only it wasn't there.

Yang was surprised to find the bottom of a heel, the platform and narrow heel striking her on the right side of her face. Forced into a spin she found herself face down in the ground, grass in her mouth, the taste of dirt on her tongue.

Melanie had performed a beautiful fake left kick and used the momentum she created to pushed herself into a spin kick that more than hit its mark. Still she didn't let up and struck Yang in the ribs with a wound up kick that made Yang roll. Coughing as she tumbled along the ground she barely got back to her feet only to go wide eyed as Melanie again had a kick coming at her head, this time a standing right with the armoured front of her heel threatening to cause blunt force damage.

Pulling her arm up into a tight and tense guard, Yang held her own against the force of the kick as Melanie lower it and began to move. Yang countered with a kick of her own, a forward thrust kick that caught Melanie in the sternum and made her stumble backwards.

"Yes Yang!" Tai yelled from the sidelines, it was her first hit and although it felt good, Yang knew she was still losing to a more competent opponent. Close the gap, her punches won't hurt enough and I can still hit hard. She didn't get time to act as again Melanie pushed her attack.

Being forced on the defence was not preferable for Yang who had been on the defence against the twins combined attack all those months ago and a lot during their match already. A jumping multi kick followed by and attempted leg sweep which was followed up by another jumping multi kick. Yang had remembered this move from their fight in the club, but without Miltia to add in her punches she managed to stave off the assault and answer back.

A loud bang from her gauntlet and a desperate dodge from Melanie left her open. Yang followed through with a side kick, adding extra oomph as she propelled herself forwards with another shotgun blast aiming the other direction. She felt the connection and smiled, the groan from Melanie all too pleasing.

With a more focused look on her face, Melanie used her left leg to perform four smaller kicks on Yang's weak side. She knew it was bound to happen and could only use her leg to block two before being struck and forcibly moved to her left. It was there that she walked into Melanie's trap as she expertly switched legs and while both were in the air, kicked at Yang's ankle taking it from under her.

Miltia cheered her sister's name while Yang again felt the welcoming of the ground as it welcomed her backside. The frustration of looking up at her opponent again mad her angry. Cool it Yang, focus. She didn't have to wait very long as Melanie ruthlessly pushed her advantage, lifting her right leg up she exposed the blade on the back of her heel as she preformed a hammer kick.

Yang knew she couldn't be hit by that, both a strong move that would cause a lot of damage, and with the addition of the blade even more so. Like a dragon she roared, throwing what strength she could from that position of her ass on the ground while sitting up, into a punch that connected with and fired off a shotgun blast.

Rolling backwards she bounced to her feet ready to continue while Melanie's expression had changed from a smirk to a genuine smile.

"And here I thought this was going to be easy."

"Glad I could entertain you… But I'm a long way from done."

Again the two clashed, this time in a flurry of kicks from both parties, testing the abilities each had on attack and defence with Melanie getting the advantage and striking Yang in the rib with a right round kick as she exposed herself with a useless left hook.

"Yang you've just gone under thirty while Melanie is still above eighty." Came Tai's voice making it clear to Yang that she was well behind. I need to make a counter… land something solid.

More kicks, jumping side kicks, roundhouses, thrust kicks and heel drags specifically from Melanie as she dominated the next minute of fighting as the two continued to press one another to prove who was the better fighter.

Yang surprised Melanie as she caught her foot with her hand and rolled up into the twin. Melanie didn't even have her foot back on the ground when Yang completed her twirl that built the momentum for a very quick closed fist backhand that made her gauntlet connect with Melanie's face.

"Keep it up Yang! You can still turn it around!" Feeling a little better about her ability to move, Yang once again tried to get close.

Melanie wasn't having it though and started kicking at Yang's legs. Every blow they shared either blocking or striking was doing damage, but neither girl wanted to back down, to show weakness to the other. Give in girly! Yang wanted to scream as she heard an update on her aura, nineteen percent, she was a mere seven percent away from losing while Melanie still had a massive twenty until she lost.

It was at that very moment that Melanie tried another rib kick as Yang exposed herself with another punch, however, Yang had intentionally done it this time and took the damage and the stinging at her side. Taking the blow she trapped Melanie's leg there with her left arm and smirked, her eyes changed from lilac to a fiery red as she moved.

Trying to free her leg only resulted in failure as Yang kept it pinned to her side. The look of fear that grew on Melanie's face was exactly what Yang wanted as she readied herself to deliver a powerful kick with the additional power of her semblance.

The kick was aimed at Melanie's head. The twin raise her left arm to brace herself just in time to be met by Yang's hard boot. Yang knew what she'd done, knew she'd taken both the damage from Miltia and Melanie and used it to fuel her semblance and land a critical strike on Melanie.

Black hair rippled through the air as the head and body of its owner was sent sideways rather quickly. Yang's kick had rocked Melanie but still she refused to let go of her leg and allowed herself to be moved with Melanie's falling body. She didn't fall recklessly either, it was controlled, Yang knew how she wanted to fall, to follow Melanie down.

Melanie hit the ground and her hair fell around her like feathers. Yang's left knee contacted her stomach as looked down into Melanie's green eyes with now calm and focused lilac. She'd used her semblance for only a moment to cause extra damage and to try and keep her energy levels up.

They stared at one another for a moment, blinking and breathing, both sweating with Yang's dropping onto Melanie's attire. The brawler smirked.

"Started with a Yang…. Ended with a Yang." Melanie groaned and not from the pain or pressure, but from Yang's terrible pun.

Yang got up first and helped Melanie to her feet, she was much less reluctant to take yang's offer of a hand up and Miltia was quick to support her sister. Putting an arm around her neck, Miltia was intend on physically supporting her twin. Lucky… so lucky. Yang thought as she was reminded of herself and Ruby.

"Yang on fifteen… Melanie fell to nearly forty after that kick. And don't think I didn't notice that you used your semblance young lady." Tai said holding his finger up to his daughter in warning. Groaning, his daughter explained.

"I couldn't win without it dad… Sure I could have pulled the same move off but it wouldn't have ended it in one blow. She would have got up and maybe won." She turned to Melanie. "If I wasn't supposed to use my semblance I'm sorry ok. There weren't any rules stated by dad saying I couldn't use it." Tai went to retort but only sighed, she had him there and they all knew it.

"It's fine, the fact that I had to make you use your semblance to finish the job is fine by me. Means I really was putting the pressure on. Not long and I'll be better than you so watch out, next sparring match you won't be so lucky." Melanie was in a good mood, she knew she'd almost beaten Yang. If it wasn't for my semblance…

"Well then, how about you girls all grab a shower. You two can use the communal one, and if you can't wait Yang, you can use my personal shower." Her shoulders finally slouched and she leaned into Tai as he allowed her to use a shower before their guests even though it was his personal one.

"Thanks dad… I think I'll soak in there for a while." Tai put an arm around her and motioned for the twins to go first. Yang remained quiet the whole time as she reflected upon the results and how she'd somehow managed to overcome two different styles of fighters.

Even as the water trickled down her body in the privacy of her father's shower, Yang was still going over the fights. The key moments of each and how she'd slipped up with her anger. Good and bad points, strengths and weaknesses that she needed to eliminate, the biggest of all which was her lack of an arm.

Looking to the drain and the water that was swallowed into the blackness below she felt a chill in the steaming shower. I'm not going back. Even when dad goes back to work I'll beat that feeling. Tensing her fists she smiled and hummed an old nursery rhyme that Summer used to sing. Look out Remnant. A Xiao Long is taking flight.


Pyrrha

Pyrrha's training under the guidance of Velvet had been slowly growing harder. She was running, going to the gym, performing her routine motions with Milo and Akouo. Going over her pattern of motions every day, practicing her combos and trying to think of new ones. These she never let Velvet see, they were going to be used when she was to fight Velvet to prove she had recovered enough to return to action, to training intensely and fight the Grimm.

That was only part of her reason for fighting back from her injury, to regain her position as someone others would look up to and as Jaune and his girlfriend Camilla had said, be a hero to the younger generation. Her other reason was a lot darker, more personal as she owed someone who was no longer on the world of Remnant her life. A young girl innocent and full of a desire to help people, a young rose that was plucked well before her time was due.

Ruby had saved her from Cinder atop the tower of Beacon, she'd recalled this after painstakingly reliving the events of that night over in her head. Cinder's arrow and her confidence, the blinding white light that had brought about a small silence. Ruby's concerned voice she know realised sounded very tired and yet she still told Pyrrha that she'd go for help. Ruby…

But today's routine was interrupted by someone she didn't expect, contacting her and telling her that she'd like to see her again since the rest of her team was already offering their services to the recovery of Vale. Pyrrha's first concern was that Professor Goodwitch wanted her to join her team and take part in their daily mission of Grimm eradication, but Glynda quickly told her it was more or a private meeting between just the two of them.

Arriving at the entrance to the forward base she was greeted by soldiers from the Vale army, a common sight since the fall and especially so around the walls of the capital. Although she was checked for identification one of the guards actually asked her for an autograph. Blushing slightly, Pyrrha obliged the man's request and signed an armband.

"Thank Miss Nikos. My daughter's going to love this. She still thinks you're amazing, after all, that Penny girl was just an Atlas robot." Pyrrha's memories flashed before her, the stress she was going through, the decision that had been weighing on her mind. The consequences for her using her semblance.

To her, Penny had been another girl, alive and well, skilled, formidable, a girl not unlike Ruby that would have without a doubt fought to save people from the Grimm threat. But as she and everyone watching discovered, Penny was a robot. Still the immediate shock had crushed Pyrrha, she'd killed, destroyed someone she'd spoken to, that Ruby had befriended.

"I… hope she does. But know I regret what happened to Penny." The guard didn't seem to know how to respond to that, she was lucky one of the others gave the orders to let her through, that Professor Goodwitch was waiting for her.

Pyrrha gave a gentle nod and walked through the checkpoint. I'm sorry Penny. I'm sorry Ruby. She not only had to avenge Ruby but make up for taking a robots life. Though it had slowly become less painful for Pyrrha to accept that she hadn't exactly killed someone, it still bothered her that a robot was able to simulate human emotions to a level where they passed as an awkward teenager.

Wearing a tanned long-sleeved shirt with a collar, a grey scarf, blue jeans and tanned leather boots she walked through the camp to where Glynda was residing. A building that Pyrrha didn't recognise, but outside two soldiers stood guard, something she found funny as if Glynda was as strong as Pyrrha thought, then she didn't need protecting. Save for maybe while she slept.

Being allowed in, she was directed to Glynda's quarters where she remained standing outside the door. She stared at the door when she started feeling nervous, anxious about why Glynda had reached out to her individually after the past couple of months and several weeks. Still, she'd been called and she'd come to see what her old Professor wanted. Rasping her knuckles on the wooden door she heard an immediate response.

"Come in." Glynda's voice sounded calm from the other side of the door, but as Pyrrha opened it she saw a woman she admired stuck behind a desk with her fingers massaging her temples.

"Professor?" She asked hoping she was better than she seemed.

"Miss Nikos, please, close the door." Pyrrha done as asked and stepped forwards with Glynda moving around the desk until they were standing before one another. She'd almost forgotten how tall Glynda was and needed to look up at her former teacher. "How are you doing? Is Velvet treating you well? Not pushing you too hard?" Pyrrha shook her head smiling softly.

"No, Velvet is being very cautious, she… she doesn't want her girlfriend to regress." A blush crawled faintly onto her cheeks while Glynda smiled.

"So you and Miss Scarlatina have become an item. I've heard many of my former students have found themselves a significant other."

"Are you referring to…"

"Miss Valkyrie and Mr Ren were always bound to become and item. However hearing that Mr Arc has found himself someone without an aura to call his own caught my interest. Have you met this young girl?" Pyrrha nodded. "What's she like?"

"She seems nice. She is very supportive of Jaune and when he and I spared she was cheering loudly for him." It was a good memory, right up until she lost herself to fear.

"I heard about that, you bested your team leader many times before you got scared and crumbled." Pyrrha's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to question Glynda. "Velvet told me. She's been keeping in contact with me and asking for advice on how to train you. She's taken the responsibility of taking a maiden candidate into her charge." Pyrrha felt a chill at that word. Maiden.

"Professor…"

"Please, we're more than familiar with what the real threat is to continue with such titles. Just call me Glynda and I will call you Pyrrha. Agreed?"

"Then, Glynda. Velvet doesn't know about the whole Maiden deal right?" The quick shanking of her head let Pyrrha feel relieved, she didn't want Velvet dragged into all of that. "You didn't call me here just to check on my progress now did you?" Glynda didn't smile like Ozpin might have, instead her gaze turned hard as she shook her head, her green eyes full of concern behind her ovular glasses.

"That is correct. Although I am glad to see that you are recovering, Velvet's constant updates have been giving me hope." Hope? Why is she getting hope from my condition improving? "Your health aside, I've still not heard what happened on the tower directly from your mouth. I've heard from the only other living person who was up there… but he refused to say much." She had a look of frustration on her face as she spoke of this man, the one Pyrrha realised must have been the one to save her.

"Who is it? Who saved me from the tower? I know Ruby was there and Cinder was subdued… but Ruby said she'd save me before I heard screams." Her skin grew paler and she felt that cold sweat returning. "A lot of screams… Glynda. Who saved me from the tower?" Glynda looked both horrified, and sad.

"You've met him before. He's a great huntsman and a member of Ozpin's inner circle." Pyrrha thought about it and could only come up with two guesses, of which she didn't need to voice. "Qrow Branwen, Yang and Ruby's uncle saved you from the tower before returning and retrieving the body of his murdered niece."

Pyrrha felt her knees waver. Feeling dazed and unbalanced enough for Glynda to take notice, the older woman guided her to a chair where Pyrrha sunk her face into her hands. She didn't cry but nor did she speak. Ruby's uncle saw… he helped me… He was, the devil. She recalled hearing the voice of the devil, or a grim reaper before losing consciousness and now knowing the identity she felt guilty for having those feelings towards a man who had experienced such pain.

"Where, where is he now?"

"I don't know. He's been spotted here and there ever since. Reports have stated as seeing him swaying drunkenly into packs of Grimm only to slaughter them all." Glynda looked pained and Pyrrha horrified that he'd put himself into such a position. He's hurting, he needs help. Clenching her fists and tightly squeezing her eyes she shook slightly.

"Yo Goodwitch, boys in uniforms said you was in here… hello?" A male's voice drew both of their attention towards the door.

"It's open. Come in, Qrow." Pyrrha stood quickly as the door this time, creaked open.

"Tell me you've got something to eat, I'm star…" His pale red eyes fell on Pyrrha's glimmering emerald eyes and he fell silent. Pyrrha's heart began pounding as the two stared at one another, neither willing to move a muscle. Glynda remained off to the side as the two who's last seen Ruby alive shared a moment between them.

Pyrrha took a step closer while Qrow reached for his weapon. Seeing this she set off a small pulse for safety reasons. It took less than a second for Qrow to bring his blade down, aiming to lop Pyrrha's head off in a single, swift strike. There was the sound of a woman screaming, and the frustrated growl of a male.

The sword had stopped a few inches from Pyrrha's neck, a look of confidence on her face while anger filled Qrow's. Glynda stepped in and using her riding crop and semblance she pushed Qrow back, his hand having to release his sword as Pyrrha still clung to it with her semblance.

"Explain yourself now Branwen!" Glynda yelled.

"That red haired bitch is the reason Ruby's dead!" His accusation wasn't new to Pyrrha, it had occupied her mind a lot in the first few weeks following the fall. If she hadn't have gone to fight Cinder. If Ozpin had of won. If Beacon's security was better. If Atlas' robots hadn't been corrupted. If Ruby would have just let it happen. She closed her eyes and let tears roll down her cheeks before letting Qrow's sword clatter to the ground.

She stepped forwards opening her eyes and letting Qrow see the hurt in her eyes, pushing gently against Glynda's shoulder physically letting her know to move aside as she approached the man who's just aimed to end her life. She walked right up to him even as she knew he might try to strike her again, but right then she needed to show him that his way wasn't the right one.

"You're partly right. If I hadn't gone up there after Ozpin failed then Ruby would still live. If Ozpin hadn't of lost." She narrowed her eyes and grabbed the hunters collar pulling him down to her level with growl. "What if Ruby just let it happen. What if Ruby just stayed hidden and let Cinder finish me off. Oh I've thought about it more times than you think and while I wish it had been that way sometimes… I'm not about to waste the chance that Ruby gave me. She saved me, and then you did. I don't think she'd want her life to have been wasted if her own uncle she adored killed the one she saved."

It was the faintest of things that Pyrrha saw within Qrow Branwen's eyes. A twitch, the anger and hate that filled his eyes slowly being replaced with a new understanding, a realisation that Pyrrha had spoken truly. That if he snuffed out the life of the one Ruby died saving, then her death would hold little, no, meaning. It didn't take long for Qrow to break. His eyes watered and his hands relaxed, it was then that Pyrrha pulled him in and wrapped her hands around him.

Qrow took a moment but squeezed the champion of Mistral back. His soft sobbing brought about more tears from Pyrrha and beside them, Glynda too shed tears for the loss of such a girl and their friend Ozpin of whom Pyrrha still didn't know much about.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry for trying to strike you... forgive me!" He sobbed, tightening the grip on the back of her shirt as his tears left watermarks on her shoulder.

"So long as you let me thank you for saving my life that night. Had you of left me there… I wouldn't hold the goals I now have. All thanks to Ruby stepping in."

Qrow pushed himself away from Pyrrha after she forgave and thanked him for his actions. There was still regret in his eyes but something else now lingered there too. Curiosity of which Pyrrha knew was about these goals she'd just mentioned. Turning to Glynda she saw the same curiosity in her green eyes.

"Glynda said you didn't tell her much about what happened up there. I can't say much as I couldn't move or barely think. I know Ruby arrived and there was bright light. I didn't hear Cinder after that and Ruby sounded tired… and then screams, gunshots, groaning. Then your voice followed by blackness." She looked directly at Qrow. "Tell us what happened, how did Cinder kill Ruby?"

Qrow's gaze fell while the two women looked at him, waiting, hoping that he'd finally have the courage to speak, to tell them what happened that fateful night after both Ozpin died and Pyrrha nearly followed suit.

"Cinder was killed by Ruby. Glynda knows this as do I, but thanks to your piece of information, that bright light you saw. I know how Ruby managed to kill the Fall Maiden, Cinder." Pyrrha stood there on the verge of telling him to hurry up and spill it.

"Silver eyes. She activated them Qrow?" Glynda asked in a whisper. Qrow nodded and looked to Pyrrha who was frowning, confused at what they were talking about.

"There's a lot you still don't know Pyrrha. Things that would have been revealed to you had you taken on the power of the maiden."

"I tried! During the fall… I went to Ozpin and told him to do it… Cinder must have followed us though." Frustration filled her again as her indecision had led Cinder to acquire the full power of a maiden. "When the transfer was in progress she shot Amber and the power flowed into her instead of me. Ozpin, told me I'd just get in the way, that I should run."

Both Qrow and Glynda had look of great contemplativeness on their faces as the three remained in silence for a time. It gave Pyrrha time to think and come up with many more questions. What more hadn't they told her, who was Ozpin, and Qrow still hadn't answered who killed Ruby.

"He was right to tell you to run. A maiden is someone with great power, though they are weak against a special kind of warrior." She turned to Qrow with great sadness. "It appears we have lost a brilliant young girl, and warrior of great value." Qrow flinched as he thought about it while Pyrrha spoke.

"A warrior? Silver eyes? What is…"

"A Silver-Eyed Warrior. It's said they are able to strike down Grimm with a single look. That's why you see the Grimm Dragon frozen to the top of Beacon tower. Ruby's ability must have done that, unfortunately it didn't kill the beast." Qrow stated, giving Pyrrha a slight understanding of the warrior.

"Silver eyes themselves are a very rare trait, Ruby's mother, Summer, also had silver eyes. Humans can be affected by this power to some extent, with Maidens being especially susceptible to the power." Glynda continued and finished, giving Pyrrha the understanding of how Ruby was able to kill and opponent who'd beaten her and killed Ozpin.

"Then… you both knew this and didn't tell me even though you asked me to become a maiden." It was a statement with a hint of anger in it as Pyrrha glared at the two hunters.

"We knew of the weakness, but the one commanding Cinder had seen to wiping them off the face of Remnant. Ruby could very well have been the last one." Glynda sounded disturbed by the thought. Able to kill a Grimm by looking at them, a power like that would ensure the protection of… thousands of people. Then there was more of it, the one controlling, ordering Cinder was still alive, she wasn't the mastermind.

"You mean Cinder wasn't acting alone?" She asked.

"Ozpin has…" Qrow started.

"Another time Qrow. For now I'd like to know what is driving you Pyrrha. You said yourself you had new goals. Care to share them with your old teacher and an experienced huntsman?" Pyrrha knew she didn't have to but nodded. She knew she would need their help in the future.

"Jaune, he and his girlfriend both said something after I freaked out and while they thought I was still unconscious they said some things that… that I want to make happen, maintain. I can't do that unless I'm seen helping the state of the world." Qrow narrowed his eyes while Glynda pressed for a more specific answer.

"What did they say that has given you this new drive to recover?" With a self-conscious smile she answered.

"They both said they view me as a hero, a role model. They know people that feel the same, younger people, older people, all wishing for a better world, for someone to show them it was going to be ok. I want to rise to that level, to be the hero people can look to when things like this happen, which they hopefully never will again." Her gaze hardened while the rosiness of her cheeks remained constant. Qrow was smiling softly while Glynda only nodded.

"You said goals, how many others do you have, can you specify any?" Pyrrha looked to Qrow and straightened herself out standing tall with her head held high.

"Only if Qrow gives me the name of the one that killed Ruby Rose. If I know who it was, I can search for her and bring her to justice." I'll harm whoever murdered my friend, my saviour.

Qrow's smile had disappeared the moment he heard her request and her goal. The two once more found themselves in an eye locked silence as they tested one another for seriousness. Qrow knew who did it, Pyrrha wanted to know, needed to know.

"Pyrrha, that kind of thinking…"

"Is exactly what I've been looking for. But I must ask you one thing before I tell you who did it Pyrrha." The champion scowled but nodded slowly.

"And what would that be."

"Neither of you can tell Yang or Tai who it was. I doubt Tai would act, but I fear Yang would. I don't want to lose my only remaining niece." Pyrrha could understand why he didn't want Yang to find out. Losing Ruby was hard but losing Yang might be too much to handle. Glynda nodded first while Pyrrha thought it through a little more. Yang had a right to know as did Tai. They were Ruby's direct family, but Pyrrha needed to know, even if she had to betray someone's trust.

"I accept. Now tell me who did it." Qrow wasn't smiling as he prepared to bring up the name of the one who had murdered his niece.

"Cinder had two close friends. Emerald and Mercury. You both remember them, right?" The women both nodded before Qrow continued. "They were both on the top, the boy who Yang had supposedly hurt was walking around just fine and here's the reason why. He has two prosthetic legs from just above the knee down."

It took Pyrrha a while to realise but Glynda was far quicker on what this revelation meant for both Yang and Beacon as a whole.

"Meaning that they intentionally made Yang look bad and got her disqualified. But she said Mercury attacked her after the match… but he was sitting there the whole time." Pyrrha was getting annoyed that other questions kept popping up and taking away from her goal.

"Did anything else happen in the matches, did you ever see something that didn't happen Pyrrha?" Closing her eyes she tried to think on Qrow's question, when suddenly something struck her.

"When I killed… Penny. Right before then her she had been using her eight swords, but when she went to finish me they multiplied by… I don't know, but there looked to be hundreds of them pointing right at me. That's why I used my semblance to… I never meant to…" Glynda put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.

"It's ok Pyrrha. We know you didn't mean to, she was a robot anyway. But this gives me an understanding. Someone was influencing what both you and Yang saw during your singles match."

"You mean like, creating an illusion only they could see?" Qrow asked while Glynda scratched her chin much like a guy would do with her beard of stubble.

"I don't know exactly, it's possible. But I think I can confidently say, that someone conspired to make Yang and Pyrrha, by extension Vale, look bad." Pyrrha felt a little bit more at ease with Glynda's explanation, she wasn't solely responsible for Penny's death, and what Yang said about Mercury attacking her was likely true.

"Then we should tell Yang that someone messed with her head, right?" Both adults shared a look and shook their heads.

"For now let Yang focus on her recovery from losing her sister and her arm. Something like her aftermath incident with Mercury probably wouldn't help too much. Then at least she won't be looking to get some payback on him."

"Oh she won't be able to go looking for revenge on the boy." Qrow said sounding a little pleased with whatever he was hiding.

"What do you mean Qrow?" Glynda asked as Pyrrha started to realise that his smile was somewhat, dark.

"The boy Mercury, I killed him as he covered for the girl. Green hair and red eyes, brown skin and with a target on her head." His voice was low and dark, he growled his sentence as the women listened. "She's the one you want Pyrrha. She's the one that killed Ruby. I found her standing over her body… sickles coated and dripping in…"

Pyrrha remained silent, Glynda the same as the name of the one who claimed Ruby's life was revealed. Pyrrha recalled her as seeming friendly, she'd seen Emerald talking with the entirety of team RWBY on a couple of occasions. But that must have all be a guise. She knew now that Emerald was responsible for Ruby's murder and one of her goals shifted firmly to finding her and hurting her. I'll get her Ruby, she can't beat me. I will make her pay for what she did to you.


Another long chapter with what I hope holds a couple of surprises for you all. Mercury is dead, Emerald is the only survivor of Cinder's lackeys.

Thanks to those who have left reviews, they really do help me get through writing chapters as I can see that people are enjoying it. I hope you all liked this update and I can't wait to get working on the next chapter.