XII – Good and Evil

Now we see but through a mirror darkly...


The instinctive response of humanoid beings when confronted with great danger was generally twofold. They called it the fight-or-flight instinct. Meaning some fought, while others fled.

At the moment, Roman had taken the latter option.

Sprinting down the back streets and alleys of Vale City, he cast a glance over his shoulder every so often to ensure he wasn't being followed. No sign of his hunter could be seen or heard, but even so he just kept going, not willing to trust his senses until he was as far removed from danger as humanly possible. His stylish white suit and blue tie were frayed and disheveled from a former encounter with the demon, and he had no desire to stick around for more. He hadn't even gone back when he'd lost his stylish hat, and he happened to love that hat. It had been a gift from his dear old mother.

Or at least that's what he told most people.

Finally, the hideout came into view, and he all but flung himself through the door. Once inside, he slapped shut the lock, bolt, and chain, and then threw a crate up against the door to barricade it securely. And even that seemed like a flimsy barrier indeed, considering what was coming for him. He'd vastly preferred something metal out of heavy, reinforced steel, like the kind they used in bank vaults instead.

Two girls no older than seventeen looked up from their card game as he entered. Both were dressed in a functional pair of dresses, or 'combat skirts' as they insisted on calling them. One was nearly jet black, highlight by a few lighter shades of crimson. The other's was a dark blue with hints of cerulean and sea-green. But both had identical dark hair and green eyes, and skin pale as ivory, making them look like a pair of matching china dolls.

"What happened?" asked Melanie, the girl in blue. She strapped a pair of claws onto her wrists.

"Trouble?" asked Militia, the one in black. She tugged on a long blade against her foreleg.

Roman nodded. "Pack up, we need to get out of here now. One of the Wizard's little pet soldiers caught me on the east end. The rest won't be far behind us. We have to get out of here now. You two go on ahead, I'll set the charges." Standard policy was to blow up any hideout compromised to ensure their movements couldn't be tracked.

"Our dad wouldn't have wanted us to run," Melanie and Militia protested, their voices in eerie sync. "We're staying."

"We don't have time to argue!" he replied testily, knocking off a crate's lid and pulling out some explosives. "You're going. Now."

"No."

"You have to!" Roman argued. "I'll try to hold them-"

The door erupted inwards, splinters of wood flying everywhere, forcing Torchwick and the Malachite twins to duck and shield themselves instinctively. Out of the smoke appeared a long-legged silhouette, which came casually strolling in. Once the air cleared, she came into sharp focus. A girl (young woman) not much older than Melanie or Militia, dressed in dark leathers, with a purple scarf wrapped around her neck and a similar sash hanging from her belt. Her midriff was bare for all the world to see, as were her arms, and all were lined with strong muscles. Her face was classically beautiful, but twisted into a domineering sneer, and her bright blonde hair had been shaved almost into short pixie locks that made her look almost boyish.

"Still playing hard to get, Roman?" asked Yang. She waged her index finger teasingly. "Naughty."

He lifted up his cane, pointing the tip at her threateningly. "Back off, blondie! Go back to your boss and tell him we won't just lay down and submit to his tyrannical rule! Vale will be free again!"

"I don't take orders from bad boys like you," she said sweetly, lifting her up arms. Her bracelets unfolded and slid over her bare arms to a pair of golden gauntlets, and she pumped the shotgun action on them. "I break them."

Torchwick fired off a wild shot, hoping to end this quickly, but the blonde huntress dodged easily by leaping up into the air over the fire cracker, coming down fist first towards the red-haired scoundrel. A hit that might have ended with him little more than a smear on the floor was intercepted by the claws of Melanie as she blocked the blonde girls attack, knocking her back. Militia quickly followed suit, the two girls working in tandem to force their enemy back, putting her on the defensive.

Yang ducked and dodged, bobbed and weaved, avoiding each attack and countering with a few of her own. She ducked under one slash from Melanie meant to rip her head clean off and dug her feet in, lashing out with a vicious right hook. Her gauntlet exploded as it collided with the dark-haired girl's chest, sending her flying through the air, smashing into a warehouse wall hard enough to crack it. She then turned her attention to the girl in black. This one proved trickier, Yang had to watch her footwork to keep up with Militia's attacks, knocking back feints and dodging kicks that would've seriously injured her. Her strength lay in upper body brawling, but Yang was adaptable, and in this case, she choose a simple, straight forward solution. When Militia next made a swipe at Yang to try and throw her off guard, Yang caught her wrist.

"Round and round she goes!" the blonde huntress cackled, pulling on her arm and spinning Militia in a circle. The girl was thrown off guard by the sudden shift in momentum, leaving her unable to regain her balance before Yang switch directions and threw out her arm, clotheslining Militia flat onto her back on the floor. She looked up with a dazed expression just in time to see the bottom of a boot. A heavy foot came down, smashing what was underneath, and the Yang lifted her head up and grinned at Roman wickedly.

"Your turn," the blonde girl said.

Spluttering indignantly, wishing nothing more than to keep fighting, Roman knew well enough how outmatched he was. He felt no shame in running if it meant he'd live to fight another day. And that's just what he did.

He didn't get very far, however.

And the last thing he saw in this life was a flowing blue cloak, followed by the unmistakable whistle of a sharp blade slicing through the air.

Roman's head was so neatly severed from his neck he took nearly a dozen more steps before the action caught up with him, and he collapsed onto the ground, his head rolling across the ground to land at the feet of his killer. A small, dark-haired girl not much older than fifteen, with a heavy blue cloak and a sniper-scythe resting across her shoulders.

Catching up to the gruesome scene, Yang scowled, but out of annoyance, not fear. She knew this blue-cloaked killer. They were family, after all.

"Ruby, now why did you have to go and do something like that?"

The smaller girl shrugged. "I was getting bored. Why should you have all the fun, Yang?" she asked, flicking her scythe and letting the blood staining the blade splatter all over the floor. She then folded it up and slid it back under her cloak.

Yang wasn't as non-challant, however, as she grabbed her little sister by the cloak and slammed her up against the wall. "I had orders to bring in Torchwick alive. Glynda wanted him for questioning."

"Well that witch can't always get what she wants, can she now?" spat Ruby, shrugging off her older sisters grip and smoothing out her collar. "Things happen."

"If you weren't in charge..." the blonde started to say.

"But I am," Ruby cut her off, reaching behind her back as her eyes narrowed. "Need a reminder why?"

The blonde bruiser reared back her arm, charging a shot... and for a moment, it seemed the sisters would have another of their infamous little tussles. The sort that usually levelled entire buildings.

That was before a polite 'a-hem' interrupted them, and they glanced over to see a pair of girls standing by the now open entrance to the warehouse. Neither sister had even noticed them enter.

The first girl was about Yang's age, but with more narrow shoulders and a slimmer body. Most soldiers of Beacon wore dark leathers as part of their uniform, but some customization was allowed, and in many cases even encouraged. This young lady, however, wore only the softest and most comfortable of ruffled silks, in a shade of black so dark it seemed to drink in the light. It came in the form of a floor-length dress, with long slits up the sides for her legs. It was complimented by a pair of black opera gloves, a dark choker, and a pair of high heels. A slender silver rapier hung at her side almost like an afterthought. It complimented her pale skin on display and her long white hair, which was done up in a prim and proper bun. The scar on the right side of her face went clear through her eye, leaving the one covered in a milky film and blind. Her other eye, bright and blue, remained as piercingly clear as ever.

At her side was another girl in white furs and rough leathers, with a long mane of ebony locks and an ivory mask stretched across the top half of her face. A pair of cat ears poked out atop of her head. Around her neck was a spiked collar, and a leash which led to the hand of the black-dress girl beside her.

Ruby and Yang recognized them instantly, and why should they not? Weiss and Blake were teammates. Forgetting her argument with Ruby, deeming it unimportant, Yang folded her bracelets up and away. "Yeah you missed the action. Where were you two?"

"South side," Weiss replied. "Blake here caught a scent, we were tracking it when your signal came in. Nearly lost our quarry though."

"Nearly?"

"He's still here," Blake insisted, sniffing the air. "I can smell him. He's close."

The white-haired girl took a long, inquisitive look around the warehouse, studying the crates. Idly, she lifted up her hands, two fingers pointed up. Spotting one of the crates, she gestured upwards, and manifested a white aura underneath the wooden crate. Her fingers flicked to the side, and the crate obliged her whim, slamming into the far wall and shattering to pieces. And revealed behind it...

"Found him," Weiss remarked coldly.

Rising smoothly from a crouch, the young man revealed did not cringe fearfully, but seemed to meet his fate with dignity instead. Ruffled white clothes were stained almost beige by weather and wear. He seemed to be a few years older than the girls, perhaps eighteen or so, and slim of build. His features were classically handsome, marred by a lack of sleep and general weariness. Heavy lines were visible under his blue eyes. A goatee the color of blood encircled his mouth, looking as ragged and unkept as his garments. And then of course, there were the dark, curled black horns that swept back along with his red hair.

The Ice Princess gave a wicked smirk as she let Blake's leash slip from her pale fingers, issuing a simple command.

"Blake? Kill."

The dark-haired faunus didn't need to be told twice, and with an animalistic snarl, launched herself forward, unsheathing Gamboul Shroud in its dual blade form and pouncing at the red-haired faunus. He swung around at the last moment with his sword drawn, catching her blades with his own, and barely managed to deflect an attack that would have cut him in two.

"Blake! Nrr... don't... do this...!" he shouted, kicking her in the stomach and pushing her away. Blake deftly back-flipped and came at him again, swinging from both directions, forcing him to both parry and dodge lest he lose his head. The other three girls just watched.

Adam continued to try and reason with her. "You're not an animal! You don't have to do her bidding!"

When she refused to listen he resorted to a most uncouth method of combat, blocking her next strike and stepping inside of her guard with a sudden burst of speed, smashing his head against hers. Blake was sent reeling, Adam's horns were more than just for show, his entire forehead was remarkably dense. Under better circumstances, someone might've quipped a joke. As it was, the feral faunus was sent reeling, her mask cracked, as Adam tried to make a break for it.

She paused only long enough to wipe the blood from her lips and adjust her broken mask back into place. "I want to do her bidding," Blake replied, shifting her weapon into its gun form and firing it around in an arc, grabbing the ribbon to alter its flight. The weapon wrapped around Adam's neck, pinning him in place as Blake gave a vicious tug backwards, yanking him off his feet.

Adam struggled to get back to his feet before Blake pounced, pushing him back down with her leg and pinning him underneath her, sword at the ready. He made one last vain attempt to plea for his life.

"We're just trying to make the world a better place for people like us!" he said.

"We're not... people," Blake hissed, and lashed out with her swords, decapitating Adam. His head rolled along the ground until coming to a stop in front of the rest of her teammates. Ruby casually caught it with her foot as if it was a soccer ball, resting her heel on the beheaded faunus.

"Well, that was fun," the little girl said with fake enthusiasm. "Can we go home now?"


Skies overhead were bloody and dark by the time Team RWBY left the warehouse, which burst into flame shortly after they departed. In a manner that left little doubt it was nothing more tragic than a horrible, horrible accident. None of them so much as batted an eye as the building burned to the ground behind them. Nor did anyone nearby offer up a protest. All around the city streets, civilians fled in terror or averted their eyes in deference to the soldiers of Beacon.

Other soldiers roamed the streets, they passed by Team CFVY shaking down the 'From Dust 'til Dusk' store for its monthly taxes, Coco and Velvet working over the old man who was holding out on them. Further down the street, at the City Wok, they spotted Sun Wukong, the Monkey Thief, serving out his time in a chained collar. He was serving meals to an older couple in due deference, as was his proper station in life. All faunus in the world, filthy animals that they were, needed handlers. Blake was Weiss' property, just as Velvet was Coco's. Any faunus who defied that law was imprisoned by the state and re-educated about their lot in life.

Passing the store fronts and businesses of Vale, the foursome made their way up the obsidian paved road towards the ominous, towering tower of Beacon. Great spires of black iron jutted upwards towards the red skies overhead like a cruel crown, lit by red light from its windows. Here was the abode of the Wizard, the ruler of Beacon, the conqueror of Vale, and soon to be the ruler of the world. Crows circled in the skies overhead, always watching for signs of battle so they could have a small feast. In this part of the world, they wouldn't have to wait very long.

Making their way through the grounds and into the cathedral, Team RWBY came across another foursome already waiting there, their comrades in Team JNPR. Two young men and a pair of young women in the familiar uniforms of black, and all armed to the teeth.

"Jaune!" Ruby called out as they got closer. "I see you made it back from your mission in one piece. I guess now Yang owes me twenty lien."

He chuckled humorlessly, pulling off his winged helmet in the process to reveal familiar blonde buzzcut and a ruggedly handsome face. In place of black leather he wore a suit of dark armor over a crimson pair of tunic and leggings. A sword hung sheathed at his side.

"Sorry to hear she lost money, but she should know better than to bet against me. I never go down easily," he boasted.

"Only when Pyrrha's involved," Yang muttered darkly, slapping a handful of lien into Ruby's palm. The younger girl pocketed it as the red-head in question came around.

"He just recognizes strength when he sees it... as you do," Pyrrha said, draping an arm around Jaune's shoulders and leaning against him seductively. Her long red hair stretched down past her waist, complimenting the long dress she was wearing of almost the exact same color. Her emerald eyes complimented this color scheme, as did the black metal bracers she wore. Her weapons rested by her hips, within easy reach.

"So how did your mission go?" asked Weiss as she joined them, tugging Blake to keep close. The black-haired faunus obediently kept by her mistress's side.

"Not too bad," Jaune replied. "The village tried to keep from paying its taxes of course but we found them eventually. Only took a few deaths to get the rest of them in line."

"The mayor chief amongst those," Ren said as he joined them, followed by Nora. He wore an unbelievably pink flower print t-shirt open in the front, showcasing his strong chest and stomach, and a pair of black jeans. She, by contrast, was wearing the usual outfit of female Beacon soldiers, a midriff baring black leather ensemble. Hers, however, had been customized with high heels and a cleavage window of a diamond in the center.

"Yeah, he was easy, but the three you two took out? Now that was inspired," Jaune declared.

"Ha! You should have seen it," Ren gloated to Team RWBY. "The way that one guy screamed when Nora broke his legs. Oh man, I don't think I've ever seen anyone holler so loud. Have you, Princess?"

"No," Nora replied monotone, her gaze flat.

"Oh well, there's always next time," Weiss said. "And we had plenty of fun on our own."

"Do tell," Pyrrha purred.

Weiss was about to do just that, when the sound of a cracking whip interrupted all of the chatter. Glynda had taken the podium. The wicked top enforcer of the Wizard's rule, Glynda was no slouch, dressed in the same black leathers most other Beacon soldiers wore. Her midriff was bare, and atop her head was a black headband holding back her golden curls. This allowed viewers to easily see her twisted, ugly face, scarred by fire and half-melted, her nose twisted, her lips drooping. None of it detracted from the fierce fire in her green eyes, or the sharpness of her tongue, which was arguably more deadly than her lash.

"The Wizard will address you all now," she said coldly, indicating the platform behind her. Twin columns of flame lit up, illuminating the hall, and between then an image of red light coalesced into a three-dimensional hologram. A great face hovering over them all, easily a dozen feet in length. Great tuffs of silvery hair erupted in all directions from atop of his head, as the Wizard gazed down at his soldiers through a pair of wire-rim spectacles.

"Ah, my good subjects. I trust you have all been working hard? Helping to increase our power and spread our influence out over Remnant?"

Various murmured of agreement reached his ears, which seemed to satisfy the Wizard.

"Good, good. It goes without saying that we are a Beacon of Light for the people of the world. One which can and must shine on every corner. Let's see how well we're doing on that end, shall we? Team Coffee, report.

Coco briskly stepped to the forefront of the assembly, right in front of the holographic projection. As leader of team CFVY, she gave the report on their latest mission.

"We've finished exterminating the smaller Grimm species in the local region," she said, hand on her hip, tilting down her sunglasses as she addressed her superior. "Managed to do it in record time, actually, and torched the encroaching tree line in the process. The land is ready to be cultivated to its fullest potential."

"Very good. Team Cardinal, report."

CRDLs leader, the towering but timid Cardin Winchester, dressed in gray robes and high collar, stepped forward as Coco rejoined her teammates.

"Your eminence, Cardinal reports to you with unpleasant news on our mission to the Southeastern Farmlands and their Black Claw protectors. We gave them your terms of peace as you requested but unfortunately they refused. We... we had to destroy every last one of them," Cardin explained, his voice trembling as he recounted the atrocities his team had performed. If they'd followed proper Beacon procedure, they'd have slaughtered every last Black Claw they could have gotten their hands on. Men, women, and even children.

Every last one.

The Wizard did not sound particularly concerned. "Regrettable but not unexpected. Excellent work, Team Cardinal. Team Juniper, report."

Jaune stepped forward as Cardin stepped back. "The village we were assigned to now flies the flag of Beacon. Only took six deaths to drive the point home. Oh, and there's a sizable donation on its way to the vaults... minus our usual ten percent finders fee, of course."

"Seven percent," the Wizard declared darkly. Not quite threatening, but close. Jaune scowled but reluctantly nodded his head.

"Seven, right sir."

The matter closed, the Wizard moved on to his next team. One of his favorites. "Team Ruby, report."

"Four for four dissidents agree that defying the Wizard is a painful way to go," Ruby reported eagerly. "They're all dead. In quite spectacular fashion, if I do say so myself. That cuts down our rebel problem to... oh... just about zero, doesn't it?"

The Wizard raised an eyebrow, his holographic image fluctuating. "No prisoners?"

She faltered only momentarily. "Not uh... not particularly viable," Ruby stammered. "Roman was trying to escape..."

"And the four of you couldn't handle him?" he asked with some mild annoyance. "Are you not one of our elite teams?"

Refusing to be dragged down by her little sisters stupid antics, Yang stepped forward. "Ruby did it before we had a chance to get involved. She's the one who killed Torchwick."

"This is... disappointing. I had expected better from you."

Blake felt inclined to speak up in defense of Ruby's bloodlust. "Some animals cannot be trained, does it not make sense to put down dissidents and troublemakers before they take root?"

"You dare to question the Great and Powerful Wizard?" hissed Glynda, cracking her whip to emphasize her words.

Weiss cuffed Blake upside the head. "Keep your tongue to yourself, you stupid cat."

The black-haired faunus hissed at Weiss but obediently lowered her masked gaze.

"Enough," the Wizard declared. "There will be no squabbling between my subjects. You are all equally important to our grand cause, and I treasure your loyalty."

Various murmurings of affirmed loyalty drifted from the assembled body of soldiers. None of it was particularly enthusiastic, but it wasn't treasonous either.

"However!" he suddenly shouted, and a crack of thunder rang through the hall. The columns of flame soared high again briefly. "There are those amongst us who would defy my rule. Those whose loyalty has waivered and failed. Those would see our glorious Emerald Empire crumble."

Boos and hisses and declarations of defiance met this statement, as the teenaged soldiers of Beacon voiced their outrage that one amongst them would defy the rule of the Wizard. Unnoticed by the others, three 'soldiers' of Beacon exchanged a worried look. A young woman in green snakeskin tube top, a young man in a white robe and high collar, and a woman in a long blue dress with blazing golden eyes.

"Traitors will not be tolerated," the Wizard declared. "Port. Oobleck. Bring out the prisoner."

A pair of officers in black uniforms stepped on stage, carrying between them by the arms a prisoner. Specifically, a girl not much older than Ruby, with a mismatched pink and brown hair that was disheveled and dirty, and a pale skin lined with dark bruises. She wore a simple black shirt and a pair of white trousers, both in tatters. She looked like she'd been through hell and back, and couldn't even stand up. Fortunately, the two lieutenants chained her up between a pair of support rods that rose up out of the platform. Yang bunched up her hands and shook excitedly, it wasn't often you got to see a public execution.

"Ooh I do hope this one is a screamer," Weiss remarked gleefully with a grin, pounding her fists together in anticipation.

Ruby just watched as Neo was chained up. The holographic head of Ozpin floated above the soldiers of Beacon, glaring down at the prisoner as Oobleck stepped forward, opening up a console and reciting her crimes.

"This girl stands accused of multiple accounts of theft... damage... espionage, sabotage and carnage... and even attacks on Beacon soldiers. In short, she has blatantly disrespected our authority and worked to undermine the Wizards rule."

"My judgment is the same as it has always been. We will not allow disruptive elements to exist in our society. But if you wish to renounce your former allegiance and beg for my forgiveness... I am listening," the Wizard said condescendingly.

The girl blinked, her eyes switching from a mix-matched pink and brown to bright silver. She looked up hopefully, as if scarcely daring to hope... and then promptly stuck out her tongue and made a face.

The holographic head of the Wizard was not impressed. "Destroy her."

Oobleck tapped a key on the console, and bolts of electricity erupted from the support rods that she was chained too, bathing the multicolored girl in crackling energy. To their vast disappointment, she was no screamer, she didn't make a sound as her body writhed and twitched, then slumped against her bonds. Even so, Oobleck kept the power up for a few good minutes longer than necessary before shutting it off.

Fumes wafted off the corpse, as well as an unwholesome smell of cooked meat.

Rolling her eyes in disgust, Weiss passed a few lien to Ren, who gleefully counted them up.

"Toldja," he remarked, pocketing his newly acquired wealth.

"Shut up," the Schnee Heiress growled.

"Let this serve as a lesson to all those who would dare defy my rule," the Wizard's voice boomed, silencing any side conversations. "Ours will be the road to glory! Ours will be the path of righteousness! Ours will be-!"

An explosion cut him off, rocking the entire assembly hall. Soldiers of Beacon were sent reeling from the impact. Ruby was in motion in an instant, nimbly hoping to her feet and sprinting over to the window to get a better view. She wasn't terribly surprised to see airships sweeping the skies overhead, and AK-100 machine soldiers marching towards them across the open ground, their white, skull-like faces grinning as they advanced and attacked. They bore the emblem of Atlas on their chest plates. Ironwood's wind-up soldiers.

"What's happening?!"

"We're under attack!"

"By who? How?!"

"Someone sound the alarm!"

The Wizard's voice cut through the chaos with simple instructions. "Soldiers, defend Beacon! GO!"

Not needing to be told twice, Ruby rejoined her teammates and her comrades and they headed for the gates, priming weapons along the way. Crescent Rose unfolded, the razor edge thirsting for blood.

This was going to be fun.


AK-100s descended like locusts, landing in perfect three point positions before smoothly rising to their feet, grabbing the rifles from their backs, and advancing. All in perfect synchronization, no movement wasted. As they moved forward and began attacking, pre-recorded messages of doom escaped their faceplates as battle cries.

"Crush! Kill! Destroy!"

"Kill! Destroy! Crush!"

"Destroy! Crush! Kill!"

"Crush! Kill! Destroy!"

"Kill! Destroy! Crush!"

"Destroy! Crush! Kill!"

Evidently General Ironwood was going with the classics this time around.

Team RWBY went sweeping into the fray, swinging blades and firing shots. Team JNPR was right behind them, Jaune leading the charge, smashing Atlesian Knaves with his shield and impaling them on his ancestral sword. It sliced through heavy steel like butter, sending robotic limbs crashing to the ground all around him. No blade forged in all of Remnant was so keen edged, nor more valued. And Jaune should know, he'd killed his own father and at least two of his sisters to get this sword. The others might've survived, he wasn't sure. He'd never gone back to check.

Pyrrha followed closely behind Jaune, watching his six and keeping any attacks from hitting his blind spot. The two of them worked well together, not least of which because defensively they both used shields. They could often press deeper into the fray than their comrades before they were forced to retreat. Plus, she always had her semblance. During a lull in battle, the red-haired maiden attempted to simply grab their enemy and tear them to shreds with a well-placed gesture or two. Alas, these models were made of a space-age polymer plastic. Pyrrha swore softly, her polarity semblance was useless to her here.

"Well then, looks like we do this the old fashioned way," she remarked, flipping her rifle end-over-end and catching it as it slid into its spear form. Hefting her shield in hand, she charged into the fray, deflecting bullets with her shield and slashing at any machine soldiers dumb enough to stand in her way.

Following behind their team was one of their newest recruits, a foreigner named Neptune. His blue hair hung in long, limp strips around his head like unkept seaweed, and his garb was piratical and practical, sporting a dull leather jacket over a stained t-shirt. He unfolded his gun into its trident form, lightning crackling along the tip as he spun it overhead, releasing a wave of electrical power that knocked back and shut down any machine soldiers that came too close.

"Come and get some, boys! Plenty for everyone!" he cackled.

Striking and retreating when the enemy was focused on other players, Neptune cut a swath of destruction through their ranks, laughing the whole time. Scarlet and Sage, two of his teammates, followed closely behind as they waited for their own opportunities to get in good hits.


More airships filled the skies, opening fire from high above as more machine soldiers dropped down to the ground level of combat. But by now the Wizard and his enforcers had loosed their own tilt-rotors to counter the attack, and the battle was heating up in earnest as both sides committed themselves more fully to the fight. This was no mere test to study the enemy, this was an all-or-nothing venture.

The battle had spilled out into the city of Vale by this point. Ordinary citizens and peasants were running and screaming, away from both sides, since neither was particularly concerned with collateral damage or non-combatant casualties. Many fell under the bullets and blades of those whom claimed were protecting them, as the Wizard's forces pressed the tidal wave of mechanized death back. The western front was quiet, while the east was teeming with blood and death. The northern line was holding, but just barely. Meanwhile, a fresh wave of AK-100s came streaming in from the south.

"Seize them!"

"Seize them!"

"Seize them!"

"Seize them!"

"Get them! Er I mean, seize them!"

This unit must have been sent to take prisoners, Coco realized. Ironwood's machines occasionally did, so they could subject any captives to brainwashing, make them loyal to the General's cause instead of the Wizards. It was appalling. And she intended to make sure they didn't get a chance to try that out on her.

Smashing aside one last machine soldier with her briefcase, she unfolded it to reveal her true weapon, a fully functional gatling gun. Primed and ready to fire. She didn't even bother to aim much, just let bullets fly with wanton abandon at the largest concentrations of enemy soldiers. If she happened to hit a few Beacon students, well, it was their own damn fault for getting in her way.

Fortunately, her own team was smart enough to stay out of the line of fire. Yatsuhashi and Fox were covering her flanks and Velvet was watching the rear like a good little pet, the three of them keeping enemies at bay so Coco could really focus. The Wizard rewarded loyalty, after all, and enthusiasm. And most importantly of all, skill. If she could take down the most enemies, she could prove herself, rise up his inner ranks, become promot-...

... her line of thought abruptly terminated as an enormous bronze sword erupted out of her gut, and Coco spat out blood as she sank to her knees. Yatshuhashi yanked his blade out moments later, just as Velvet finished knocking Fox to the ground, locking his neck between her legs, and snapping it with a sharp twist.

"We don't have long," she said, hopping to her feet and holding up her wrists. Yatsuhashi reached down and snapped her bonds with his bare hands, taking them in his with surprising gentleness afterwards.

"Then let's hurry," he said, taking her hand in his and running. Not towards either side of the fight, but retreating to safety. Let the two sides destroy each other for all they cared, they only needed each other.

The bunny girl and her giant protector slipped away from the field of battle, retreating into the woods nearby. It was teeming with Grimm, but they had a better chance of surviving there than in a warzone. And they had a better chance of living together than they did if they stayed in a society which treated her like a pet and he like an indentured servant.

Even if they died now, they died free.

And together.


The soldiers of Beacon were well-trained and reasonably well-organized despite the occasional betrayal to step up the ladder of rank and prestige. If anything, the threat of advancement from behind kept your wits about you and your senses sharp. To say nothing of their custom weapons being some of the finest and deadliest in the world. And thanks to the Schnee Dust Company, they had an impressive array of the rare element that could easily tip the tide of any battle in their favor.

But their enemy was relentless, unceasing and unstopping. Fresh waves of machine soldiers continued to pour onto the battlefield, marching towards the Wizard's Tower, cutting down any in their way. There was no way to demoralize this enemy, no way to incite panic or sap morale. They could only keep breaking them until every last wind-up toy soldier of Ironwood's was so much scrap littering the ground.

Glynda had formed a defensive line, repelling any of the AK-100s that got too close to the gates of Beacon with her magical barrages. Meanwhile, most other teams were taking the offensive route, smashing and slashing at anything bearing the emblem of Atlas. Jaune threw up his shield and ducked his head behind it as a wave of bullets peppered the thick metal, pushing him back despite his efforts to dig in his feet. Sparks flew through the air as Pyrrha charged back into the fray, swinging her shield like a weapon more than a defense, decapitating troops with the sharp edge and blocking gunfire just as easily, letting ricochet finish off half a dozen more.

"Crush!"

"Kill!"

"Destroy!"

"Swag!"

Cardin paused at the unusual battlecry, regarding the AK-100 with a bizarre look before smashing its head in with his mace. He then crossed himself, making silent apology for his violence. Though he and his brothers battled against robotic enemies with no souls, no good would come from all this fighting. There had to be a better way.

He led the next wave bravely, keeping his larger frame interposed between enemy gunfire and his teammates, protecting Russel, Dove and Lark with his body. It did him only slightly less good as bullets found their way into his frame, knocking aside his mace and riddling his arms and legs with lead before finally, mercifully, penetrating more vital organs and ending his misery. He went crashing down.

"NO!"

Not taking their leaders death well, the remaining members of Team CRDL went charging into the fight with renewed wrath, polearms and swords swinging, bullets flying, slashing and crashing countless AK-100s. Alas, for each one they killed, ten more took its place, and soon they were boxed in and slowly being surrounded, cut off from their allies and alone.

They made their last stand by Cardin's remains, determined to honor his sacrifice by taking as many of them with them as they could.

Their robotic enemies closed in on them from all directions, soulless gazes showing no mercy as they cut down the remains of Team CRDL.


"Remember, least confirmed kills is buying drinks!" Ren shouted, hopping up and over one soldier, blasting away with his guns and filling them with lead. They hit the ground before he did, lightly landing and turning immediately to his next opponent. By his count, he was well ahead of anyone just short of Ruby, Pyrrha, or Weiss. Not bad, but he had to do better if he wanted to win.

And he always wanted to win.

Yang slid up alongside him, covering his flank as the two of them unloaded a payload of powerfully lethal shots, blasting AK-100s to pieces.

"You seen Ruby?" Yang inquired, almost casually.

He shook his head, letting her duck before lashing out over her head, decapitating a machine soldier. "She didn't get herself killed, did she?" he replied with just as much indifference. Like discussing the weather.

"Nah, probably just did something stupid like go after the General himself."

"He's probably not here," Nora said, pointing westwards at some air ships hovering nearby, where the soldiers were coming from. "But whoever's leading the attack should be that way."

Weiss paused in her next attack, lifting her head and shielding her gaze to follow Nora's direction. There was indeed a single landed airship amongst the hovering ones on the far edge of the battlefield. It would make an excellent command center. She gave a tug on Blake's chain, yanking the faunus behind her.

"We'll go check it out," the Schnee heiress said, flicking her blade and sending another machine soldier flying from the impact. "You all have fun here."

"Whatever," Nora replied, giving a shrug. She didn't even change expression as she fired off another shot of Magnhild, launching a grenade right into the midst of a cluster of machine soldiers and sending metallic limbs everywhere.

"Not bad, Princess," Ren congratulated her.

The two of them made quite the duo, Nora providing the raw explosive damage and Ren mopping up any survivors with precision strikes. They were making good progress up until the next wave of machines came stomping their way. And not AK-100s either.

The spider-robot hit the ground hard, making Ren stumbled, and within minutes its top four limbs had rotated into place and powered up. Ren threw up his arms to shield himself, activating his aura, but it was too little, too late. Epic blasts of pure energy tore through his body like it was kleenex tissue. Within seconds his body had hit the ground, riddled with holes.

Nora spared him a glance... then went right back to what she was doing, barely even registering the event.

More spider-bots came streaming onto the field of fire, lighting it up with deadly blasts, forcing the soldiers of Beacons to find shelter and retreat, lest they be easily blown to pieces. Yang ducked behind a bit of debris and fired over the top of it with some well-placed punches, downing one but drawing the attention of three more.

"Lousy stinkin' stupid insufferable-!" she cursed, trying to take those down as well.

Where were her teammates when she needed them?


Making their way across the battlefield, Weiss and Blake slipped unnoticed past the machine soldiers guarding the command ship, tearing apart those who did manage to catch a glimpse of the monochrome team. Within minutes, they were in striking distance of one of the service hatches on top, ready to climb in and kill the commander of this little raid.

They were halfway through cutting open the hatch when the bay doors opened up below them, and as Blake and Weiss watched, bright lights flooded the area. Something big was going on down below. Curious, Weiss yanked on her pet's chain and the two of them dropped down in front of the open hangar, ready for whatever was coming.

Or so they thought.

"Two soldiers of Beacon? I think I can handle that," came a metallic voice, followed by sickening crunch of metal on metal.

Great feet the size of small cars came crashing down as the behemoth stepped forward into the light, letting its alloyed frame become fully visible. Standing nearly three stories tall with mighty robotic arms and legs, this was no mere machine soldier. It was a full blown mecha. A Zealot class, top of the line. And there, sitting dead center in the control section, hands gripping the control sticks, was its controller.

The stern, gray-haired visage of General Ironwood.

"Let's make this quick. Your Wizard's overdue for a trip to the executioner's block," the General declared. A pair of axes unfolded on the robotic limbs of the Zealot, and he swung them down with great speed and power. Cutting up the ground but thankfully missing both Weiss and Blake as they dodged aside.

"Surprised to see you here, General," Weiss said. Her gaze flicked briefly to Blake, sneaking up behind the Zealot. "Didn't think you'd be stupid enough to be on the front lines."

"A true warrior leads from the front," Ironwood said, backhanding Blake's clumsy attack and then spinning the upper body of his suit around to slam it into Weiss on the follow up. Both girls fell to the ground as he launched another attack. They rolled in opposite directions as the ground was tore up between them by missiles.

Blake and Weiss zig-zagged underneath the robot's legs, slashing and cutting, but their attacks left little more than scratches in the paint job, and the two had to dodge to opposite sides just to avoid being flattened by it's mighty foot.

"He's strong," Blake hissed, sliding up alongside her mistress. "We should retreat."

"No," Weiss barked back at her. "I won't be made to look a fool by some tin-plated tyrant. Draw his attention!"

With no choice but to obey, Blake sped forward, leaping into the air on powerful legs and flipping into Ironwood's field of view. She moved fast, leaving behind after-images every so often to confuse his targeting sensors, which was fortunate because he sent a barrage of missiles her way, making the ground erupt all around her as she zig-zagged between the explosions.

Weiss, meanwhile, had entered into a deep trance as her semblance came to the fore. Holding up her rapier in front of her, she gave the Dust cartridges a spin and flicked the blade downwards. A glyph manifested under the Zealot, propelling it upwards into the air, spiraling out of control. Weiss threw herself up at it, tip of Myrtenaster poised to skewer clean through it as it gravity reclaimed it and brought it back down.

She missed her mark, slashing through the machine's left shoulder instead of its upper torso, but was rewarded by its arm crashing to the ground a distinct ten meters from the rest of its body. Landing nimbly beside her pet, the two girls watched as the Zealot struggled back to its feet. Battered, broken, but not yet beaten, the Generals machine was rising back up, ready for yet another round of combat.

Where the hell are Ruby and Yang when I need them? Weiss wondered with a grimace. At this rate I'm going to ruin my dress.


While the battle raged outside, safely inside of the fortress, three individuals watched from one of the high towers, horrified by the wanton carnage below. True, half of the forces were robotic, and they were set in opposition to the soldiers of Beacon and all they represented, but even then they were horrified by seeing so many young men and women cut down in the prime of their life. Simply to satisfy the egomaniacal whims of the mad Wizard.

"We could use this opportunity to escape," Mercury said. A plain white robe encased his figure, setting off his silver hair and his young, boyish features, making him look positively saintly. "No one would miss us in all this confusion."

"And give up our mission?" countered Emerald. In sharp contrast, she was wearing dark green tank top and short shorts, all made of a shiny, scaly material. Her weapons lay within easy reach behind her back, and she was more than ready to use them, but deferred to their mutual leader.

The third member of their party, a woman in a blue dress with silver highlights, just stared out the window, watching the explosions and bloodshed with a clinical, almost detached aura. However, even she flinched as she watched the blonde huntress Yang gunned down by a pair of AK-100's, the final shot striking with such force her pretty little head just exploded.

"No. We have to stop this now," Cinder declared. "I refuse to allow one more death. Not one more, do you hear me?"

The two exchanged a look that spoke volumes without words. "We're with you," Emerald said without hesitation. Mercury nodded beside her.

"Then let's go."

They made quick time, sprinting down the halls, bypassing the security checkpoints on the lower floors. Being students, even fake students, they had their DNA imprinted in the system, allowing them easy access to most of the facility. It was when they tried to climb higher up the tower they met with opposition. At first, only light defenses, some laser guided machine turrets, a few locked doors. Emerald sliced the former to ribbons, Mercury happily kicked down the latter. It was on the third to last floor they met real opposition.

A blaze of fire erupted over their heads, forcing Mercury and Emerald to duck as Cinder slapped the flames skywards with her semblance, letting them harmlessly lick the ceiling. Two shadowy silhouettes emerged from the flames, making their way towards the trio.

"So, working for the General are we?" said one of them.

"Tsk tsk, that won't do at all, will it?" said the other.

It was Corporal Port and Sargeant Oobleck, two of the Wizard's top enforcers. Both of the matured officers were reaching for their weapons, but Mercury and Emerald made short work of them, the gray-haired boy dispatching the mustached Port with a kick in the chest that sent him flying, while his green-haired counterpart impaled Oobleck on both of her blades.

"Which way?" Emerald asked, wiping off the blades. Mercury knelt down beside her to close Oobleck's and Port's eyes respectfully before they moved on.

"The Wizard should be in the throne room on the topmost floor. Normally it'd be a suicidal run, but Ironwood's shut down his defenses and his favorite witch is out on the battlefield. He'll be utterly defenseless..."

Clang.

The trio skidded to a stop at that sound, which echoed ominously in the corridor. Another followed, and a third. A heavy metallic noise, repeating over and over again. It took them a minute to recognize it, but eventually they did. Footsteps.

"Oh no," breathed Emerald.

"What? What is it?" a somewhat flustered Cinder asked. She glanced all about, but could see nothing in the dim lighting of the hallway. Whatever it was, it sounded big, and very heavy. And it was coming right for them. She half expected to see the silhouette of a Zealot to come stomping out of the shadows.

Her associates, more familiar with what was coming, shed some light on the situation.

"Ironwood's mechanized assassin," Mercury explained, checking his stance. "Designed to be the perfect killing machine. But the Wizard got a hold of her somehow, re-programmed her. Now she's his puppet. He calls her..."

A heavy clank as a foot came down. "Puppet?" came a lilting, almost sweet voice. Ruined only by the fact it carried a metallic twang, like a bad recording. "Oh no, I'm no puppet. The Wizard set me free. There are no strings on me. See?"

With a final clank, the aforementioned war machine stepped into the light, letting it fall on... her features? For the dreaded so-called 'puppet' was just a girl, not much older than Emerald. Like all soldiers of Beacon, she was dressed in black leather, skintight and form-fitting. Hers extended all the way up to a high collar, concealing all but her hands and face from view. A puff of red hair was her most prominent feature, as well as a pair of unnaturally bright, large emerald eyes. Eyes that never blinked. This, combined with a bright, cheerful smile spread out across a freckled face, made her look more surreal than sweet.

"Would you like to play a game with me?" Penny asked, raising up her hand. Hovering beside her, moving in response to her limb's control, were a number of sharp swords.

Cinder instinctively knew what was coming next. "MOVE!"

Razor blades imbedded themselves in the ground as Mercury, Emerald, and Cinder threw themselves out of the way, seconds before becoming living pincushions. Penny gave a giggled, drawing her hand back. Pulled by invisible strings, the swords mirrored her movements.

"The name of the game... is stay alive, you see," Penny said cheerfully.

Another twitch of the fingers, and six more sharp blades came speeding towards Cinder, threatening to rip right through her. She executed a flawless backflip out of the way, missing the razor blades by a whisker's width. Before Penny could attack again, Mercury and Emerald opened fire with their respective weapons, forcing the robotic assassin to duck and dodge, drawing her blades back to counter the bullets flying her way. She countered with surprising speed, cutting through the projectiles like they were ping-pong balls, leaving shells sliced clean in half all over the floor.

Emerald and Mercury slid forward protectively in front of Cinder.

"Go on!" shouted Mercury.

"We got this!" Emerald added.

Reluctantly, Cinder nodded, vaulting clear over Penny's next assault and spinning in mid-air, knocking the blades coming for her aside with her own conjured daggers. She hit the ground running and didn't look back. Rather impressive foot work considering she was still wearing high heels.

Penny jerked her head around to watch the woman in the blue dress go, still smiling a cheerful smile. "Penny didn't say you could leave, tee-hee," the red-haired robot stated, lifting up her hand, preparing to skewer Cinder. Then, registering danger, turned and countered a strike from Emerald as the green-haired girl came charging in, guns blazing.

"Leave Cinder alone!"

Penny's blades spun in a circle, deflecting the gunfire with almost casual indifference. Emerald kicked aside one sword by the flat of the blade and swung around her own weapons, shifting from guns to sickles, slashing at Penny's neck. The red-haired girl countered, parrying almost effortlessly. No matter which angle Emerald struck, Penny blocked with mechanic precision and lightning reflexes. Changing tactics, the green-haired rogue caught Penny's next attack and pushed her blades down in a cross-block, momentarily distracting her.

A momentary distraction was all it took, however, for Mercury to come sprinting along the ground, twisting on his heel and lashing out with his foot in a reverse back kick, the heel slamming into Penny's face with a miniature explosion. The automaton girl went skidding back on her heels a distance away, head lowered as she took stock of her injuries.

"Thanks," Emerald said. Mercury nodded over at her, not lowering his guard. "Think she's down?" she asked, standing up, regarding the automaton girl warily. The killer gynoid hadn't moved from her hunched position.

"No," Mercury replied, keeping up a fighting stance. "No way it's that easy."

Penny's head jerked back up, revealing the damage to the left side of her face. Most of the flesh had been ripped away, revealing nothing but metallic skull beneath, the emerald optic glowing ominously as it focused on her enemy.

"T-t-t-that wasn't very n-n-n-nice..."


At the very topmost tower of Beacon, protected by the latest security features, was the throne room. Only the Wizard and his most trusted lieutenants were ever permitted anywhere near this sacred sanctuary. All others were deterred by a security system that was so impressively lethal it bordered on outright malicious. Even the air vents were trapped with razor wire in case something tried to slip in, even though they were far too small for human beings to fit. The windows were made of bulletproof glass, lined with a laser grid that made intrusion closer to impossible than many believed possible. The double doors were solid metal, said to be impenetrable.

Cinder barely paused in her stride as she kicked them right off their hinges, letting them slam to the ground, and strolled in like it was time for tea.

Momentarily caught off guard, the room's lone occupant scrambled to his feet in utter shock before composing himself, smoothing out the lines of his crushed red smoking jacket and picking up the golden cane leaning against his throne for support. A man of indeterminate age, he could have been no older than thirty or as old as a hundred, his hair was a faded silver but his skin was largely unlined, and his golden gaze was clear and sharp as a hawks despite the glasses resting on his nose. This was the true form of the Wizard. No great danger, no powerful magic, just a feeble old man with a demented mind and a fiendish cunning that enabled him to terrify his soldiers and Remnant as a whole.

"Lady Fall," he called out charmingly, as Cinder came to a stop in the middle of the room, glass heels clicking together. "How nice of you to drop by."

She was in no mood for his false flattery. An explosion rocked the fortress, and she could tell without even glancing out the windows that things were going badly his forces. Not that it truly mattered which side was winning, people were still dying. Senseless slaughter in the name of what? Power? Control? Whatever his endgame, his means could never be justified with her.

"This ends here, Ozpin," she said, using the Wizard's true name. A tidbit she'd picked up in her ongoing war against his tyranny. "Before the battle gets any worse. Can't you hear them out there? They're dying."

"Soldiers are meant to die," the Wizard replied dismissively. "That's their lot in life. Mine is to bear the burden of ruling."

Cinder barked out a laugh. "Burden? You're insane! You're nothing more than a power mad despot!"

"With flair," he replied evenly, tapping his cane against the ground for emphasis. "And you are nothing more than an anarchist, working to disrupt the control I've worked so hard to achieve."

"Control at the cost of freedom," she replied, swinging her arms around and taking up a defensive combat stance. "That's no sort of life at all. And today, your tyranny ends. One way or another, I am taking you down, Wizard," she said, punctuating the last word with a flick of her hands, filling them with crimson fire.

"You can try," Ozpin declared defiantly, his hands tightening on the golden cane in his grip.

Cinder hurled herself forward at the exact instant Ozpin moved to counter. A small explosion rocked the clock tower as their battle for dominance began.


Far removed from the devastating conflict between Good and Evil, a silent watcher gazed into their viewscreen, watching the battle unfold. The bug hidden in Ozpin's throne room relayed them the information in real time, and even they had to wince in sympathy at some of the brutal moves being used. The whole tower was shaking from their struggle. Truly, neither opponent would go down easily. But that didn't matter. So long as they went down, and eventually they would. If the other happened to survive, they'd be greatly weakened from the fight. That would mean a third party could then step into dispatch them.

Said third party grinned as she watched through the viewscreen of her handheld, admiring the carnage. The whole series of events leading up to this final clash of titans had been orchestrated, after all.

Riling up the Black Claw into fighting for their freedom, inciting Atlas to declaring all-out war on Vale, pushing Torchwick and his little gang of hoodlums into forming an active resistance to spread out soldiers, all of it controlled, all of it played out. Like a truly well done game of chess. Cinder had been the hardest part to anticipate, but in the end her hatred of Ozpin had proved to be exactly the catalyst the third party had needed. She wouldn't have let such a perfect opportunity to assassinate the Wizard pass by. And now, the true mastermind of events had only to wait a short while, then casually stroll into the throne room and claim it all for herself. If either of the combatants survived their final showdown, she'd finish them off herself with her precious sweetheart.

Ruby smirked to herself, tugging the hood of her blue cloak down low.

Things weren't going to stay the same in Vale for much longer, she knew. The world was going to change. It was going to shatter. It was going to burn. And when there was nothing left but ashes, she intended to be at the very top of the food chain.

"Oh I juuust caaan't waaiit... to be Quuuueeeeeen..." she sang.

On the wall, a shattered mirror reflected Ruby's distorted image as she strolled away, humming to herself.


Authors Notes:
Obviously, borrowed a lot of ideas from Star Trek's "Mirrorverse" and its countless other shout outs and parodies, including but not limited to Adam's goatee and the many bared midriffs of female characters. And Penny, of course, was heavily influenced by Avenger Two's Ultron, including his now classic quote.

And thanks to negative/alternate continuity, I could more freely delve into characters potential mythologies, most prominently with Ozpin the Wizard.

I wrote this long before learning of Monty Oum's rather tragic passing, the death of Lie Ren in the story was not meant to reflect that in any way, shape, or form. It was just meant to highlight how cold and uncaring Nora was regarding her partner.

The idea of making Ruby the true villain was a last minute decision on my part, but it totally fits the most naïve and innocent and pure character of the real show would be the most ruthless, sadistic, and clever of the mirrorverse.

I doubt we'll ever visit this world again, but if we do, ooh the possibilities indeed.

Next Time: Moms and Dads.