A/N: I am finishing the editing, titling, and author's notes after a 9 and a half hour shift at work, so I'm not promising the best quality here. If there's anything glaring, I'll try to get the eraser out later and fix it up.

To say my sleep was restless would be an understatement. For the first time since I escaped my kidnapping, I had a lead on the whereabouts of my siblings and my mind wasn't going to stop until I find them. I roll out of bed, ignored the time, and threw on my combat attire.

I go over and kiss Ruby on the forehead, "This shouldn't take long."

"This being?" James asks as I sneak to the door.

I close the door behind me, "Getting answers out of Envy."

"What do you think you're going to get out of him?"

"Something. Some hint as to where Matt and Kurome are. A location if I'm lucky."

"What about Torchwick?"

"He's not my problem. Ironwood can take care of it."

"You think he is capable of taking care of an issue like that with any subtlety given the three warships hovering above the school?"

"Again, not my problem."

"But it is! He threatened your sister, hell, she could be with him right now."

"That's what I'm going to try to get out of Envy."

"Let's say Envy tells you, what is the plan once you know? Go in guns blazing without the weapons you've trained on for a decade?"

"I'll figure it out when I get there."

"This isn't something you can make up as you go."

"There's not enough time for me to slow down and plan out every possibility. I've already played my luck, and if my luck runs out, Matt and Kurome are dead before I can get to them."

"And you rushing to your death will change that?"

"What do you suggest then?"

"Get answers from Envy, I agree with you on that one, but try and fill in some of the gaps he leaves with information from the AHH database access Oz gave you and the access you have to Atlas intel. Cross reference, try and get as much information as you can so you're not going in blind."

I take a deep breath, "Alright, but if I'm too late for my siblings because of this, I will find a way to kill you."

"I'd do it myself if that happens."

"I'll trust your judgement." I say as I approach the guards.
I show my badge, "I'm going to talk to our friend here. You listen in, you get court martialed, understand?"

Both give me a slight nod and they step away from the door somewhat, as if to avoid hearing anything said.

I move inside and Envy smiles at me, "Nice to see a pretty face after only having those robots in here all night."

"Cut the crap, you know why I'm here."

"Of course, information. I assume on the whereabouts of your siblings?"

"How…"

"Kurome talked about you a lot when she was being broken. Your brother too. Took them a long time to get to them, to convince them you weren't coming to rescue them."

I go to talk, but Envy interrupts again, "So by the time our Father talked to them, they weren't exactly able to refuse."

"Shut up!"

"What? Do you want me to lie? I'm giving you what you want, even if you don't like it."

"My brother nor my sister would ever give up like that!"

"Neither would never give up after years of believing their siblings were dead? You've been through a full psychological breakdown, and that was with proper medical care. They went through it alone. That's where our father's deal came in. Your brother certainly took advantage of the offer for alchemic research along a specific vein..."

"My brother…"

"Attempted human transmutation to bring you back? Yup, he tried for your sister too."

"He wouldn't do something so…"

"Stupid? Desperate? Like you? He really wanted for both of you to come back. I don't see why you of all people would have such a hard time believing that. All you wanted was your mother back."

"Matt attempted human transmutation...but what did he sacrifice?"

"SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW A DAMN THING!"

"I know a lot about you. You lost your mother to Grimm sent after her by someone with a strange symbol. You lost your father to a mysterious assassin. You got kidnapped by an unknown group who tortured you and made you three into assassins even more ruthless than the one that shattered your family. You escaped from the facility only to be captured by a semi-rogue faction of the White Fang led by Adam Taurus. You stayed with the Fang for a year before leaving and returning to one of the only people you could trust, Professor Ozpin of Beacon Academy."

"You guys really did your research on me. Where did you get the information on my kidnapping?"

"Our Father has connections. Connections that helped him break your siblings."

I growl, "Where are they?"

"In Vale." Envy smirked.

"Cut...the...crap now!"

"And what are you going to do about…"

A quick transmutation of my automail and I cut short their sentence, literally. One slash through their tongue and they squeal.

"You use the energy from your stone to regenerate right? So you must be in a lot of pain right?"

"Fuck...yo.." they slur before I stab through their hand.

"Oops, my hand slipped."

They glared at me, "Now are you ready to lose the smart mouth? Tell me where my siblings are."

"Your...sister...is...with...Torchwick...outside...the walls…"

"Where is Matt?"

"At...the...docks…"

"Where?!"

"Underground...beneath...one...of the...warehouses…"

I twist my wrist, shifting the blade in their hand, "Which one?" I growl.

"I...don't...know...Father...always...lets...us...out...through...a…false...door…"

"And how exactly does your Father tell you this?"

"Earpiece…and...Microphone…" Envy says, tilting their head sideways.

A small earpiece drops onto the table.

"So he can hear me if I speak to him now?"

Envy nods. I put the earpiece in, "You've been listening to Envy spill?"

"Yes, I have and Envy will be punished upon returning."

"What makes you think Envy will be returning anytime soon?"

"I think Envy will be returning with you or your siblings die."

"And why should I trust you?"

"Because I'm the only thing between your brother and a pack of Grimm hounds."

I growl, "What are your terms?"

"Come to the docks, unarmed and alone. If anyone is with you, your brother dies and your sister will be close behind."

"He doesn't have direct access to Kurome, only Matt."

"If I agree to these terms and bring Envy back unharmed, what do I get out of this deal?"

"Your brother."

"What about my sister?"

"Ah ah ah, you're getting ahead of yourself. As an alchemist, you should be familiar with the law of equivalent exchange?"

"He makes it sound like he isn't an alchemist...interesting…"

"You have one person," He continues, "You get one person."

"But you want me right?"

"Of course. Is that a trade you are willing to make?"

"Envy already told me my sister isn't with you here in Vale. That isn't a deal you are in a position to make."

Father sighed, "It is unfortunate I let Torchwick have his way with her…"

"If Torchwick hurt a single hair on her head, I will rip you apart piece by piece."

"That's not the way you should be speaking to the person with all the cards."

"I am the only card you care about. I am the ascended, and your plan to make your own didn't quite work now did it?"

"How could you…"

"Now that we know who has the only real bargaining chip here, I am going to set my terms. I come to the docks with Envy. We trade one for one, Envy and my brother. I don't expect you to provide my sister; however, I want an exact location as to where she and Torchwick are. I will retrieve her on my own."

"You believe yourself worth two people?"

"No, I believe my abilities are worth whatever transmutation you want me to perform with them. Is that correct?"

"I underestimated you. You're not that little girl in chains anymore."

"I never was. That little girl died with her mother."

"I'm not so sure. I think she died with Cliff Hanley's daughter. You have twenty four hours. See you at the docks, Grey." The earphone pops, the connection severed.

"Your father is willing to trade you for my brother." I say, tossing the earpiece on the table. I lessen the aura dampener on Envy's cuff to let their regeneration start to kick in.

"Color me surprised. I was under the assumption I was replaceable."

"You want him to hear you say that?"

Envy proceeds to crush the earpiece, "I don't want to go back to him."

"You don't?"

"You think I wanted this? I used to be human before all of this. But Father knew exactly what he could use me for the moment he saw what the stone did to me. I am the best test subject anyone could ever ask for. I can be anyone or anything they want me to be. Even you."

"You realize that's what Ironwood will do once he finds out what your abilities are right? You said it yourself, you are the best test subject."

"Take my stone out."

"What?!"

"You heard me, do the transmutation to remove my stone. I'll go back to being human and you can do whatever you want with the stone."

"Even if I knew how to do that, which I don't, what makes you think you'll go back to being human?"

"I don't know. Hell, it could kill me and I wouldn't care. The only thing I care about is getting away from that freak show."

"If your Father is as connected as you say he is, the moment you leave custody, you're back in his hands."

"Then arrest me. I attempted to kidnap you. You have eye witnesses. Just don't take me back."

"I hope you realize my hands are tied. If I come to the docks without you, my brother dies and I'm not going to let that happen."

"There has to be a way, something I can give you…"

"You really changed your tone from earlier. You talked about how killing was easier, you changed into my girlfriend to piss me off, and now you want my help? I can't help but point out the hypocrisy."

Tears well up in Envy's eyes, "Please...there has to be something, someway you can help me...That's what huntresses do right?! Help people?!"

I glare down at them, "That's right, but I'm no huntress remember? I'm one of Remnant's deadliest assassins, and I'm out of options."

"Please! I'll do anything! I can tell you where your sister is! I can tell you what I know about my Father's plans, I can tell you who killed your father…"

I grab them by the throat, "What did you just say?!"

"I know...who killed your father...I'll tell you...if...you give me...your word...that you...won't take...me back…"

"You're about to tell me before I KILL YOU!"

A small smile crosses Envy's face, "I'll take that...over going back…"

I let my grip go slack, the realization of exactly what they put them through, "So his torture, those experiments, are enough to make someone want death over going back. Seems like your Father took a page out of my captors book. I'll help you, you have my word, but you're going to have to follow whatever I tell you to the letter. If I think for even a second you're double crossing me, I'll cut you down without a second thought. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Now, I want that name."

"I don't know his real name, but he goes by the alias Shadow Reaver. He supposedly belonged to one of the bandit tribes between here and Mistral. Something happened years ago that made him break off and start doing contract work. He moves around a lot, never staying in one place for too long, but he always comes back to Vale every so often."

"So he gets his work from here?"

"I couldn't tell you for sure, Father has never dealt with him."

"That's more than I knew before, so it's a start. I'm going to come up with a plan that keeps you from your Father. Now that I think about it, why do you call him Father if you hate him so much?"

"We aren't allowed to call him anything else and he knows if we do no matter where we are. He's killed versions of us for less."

"Versions of you?"

"When our Father created us, he placed a piece of his own soul within us along with the Stone as a catalyst. That piece of his soul can be returned to him and refreshed, cleansing it of whatever it becomes if Father doesn't like it."

"Rinse and repeat."

"Greed is the only one who has never been "cleaned." He has your brother to thank for it."

I walk over and open the door, "Matt isn't one to let anyone get hurt for no reason."

"Always the noble ones that life tries to destroy, how ironic."

"Quite." I say, closing the door behind me.

"You should take someone with you. There is no way this isn't a trap." James comments.

"And who would you recommend taking for a hostage situation?"

"Yang obviously."

"That's funny, but I wouldn't quit your day job."

"But I am serious about taking someone. You're walking into your own death otherwise."

"I'm not risking him hurting Matt."

"You already are by trying to keep Envy from Father, and even if everything goes perfectly, you still have your sister to worry about."

"I know alright! But there has to be someway…"

"No, there doesn't. This might be one of those times where you can't save everyone."

"But I should be able to! I am the ascended!"

"But you're also still human without full control over your ascended state and the things you can do with it."

"This isn't an argument I'm going to have with you right now. I'm going alone. I can handle this."

James sighs, "We can handle this."

"That's the spirit."

"When this backfires, I don't want to hear a single bit of sass from you when I say I told you so."

"Anything I suffer is worth it if Matt is okay. The two of us can track down Kurome together."

"If Roman is connected with Father, he'll know about you and your brother."

"Don't care."

James sighed again, heavier this time, "Nothing I say will convince you this is a bad idea?"

"Nope."

"What if I remind you you promised Ruby not to go into stupid unwinnable fights?"

"I don't really have a choice. The longer I wait, the more time Father has to move Matt. This seems like the only chance I'm going to get, and I'm not throwing it away."

"Then get military backup. Ironwood has a whole airship full of soldiers on standby."

"Military action will only draw the attention of the public. The soldiers being here is already a sore subject. Atlas doing anything without the express permission of the Vale Council would be a political nightmare."

"If you're certain this is the only way, then let's get a plan together so at least you're not going in guns blazing."

"Well, this is what I've got so far…"

"Isn't the whole bring your captive in chains bit slightly overdone?" Envy laments as I tie the chains.

"Unfortunately, I don't have very many other ways to make this look convincing."

"You still haven't told me the plan on how I get out of this."

"The chains? You don't. I need your Father to believe I hold the all the cards."

"And what happens when he figures out you don't?"

"I hope we'll be long gone by the time that happens. Come on, we're leaving now."

"And how exactly are we making it to Vale?"

"THIS ISN'T WHAT I HAD IN MIND!" Envy screams as we speed along on my bike.

"Can't exactly take a school sponsored airship with someone in chains now can I?"

"Fair point I guess."

"Seems like a cheap place to hide out if you ask me?" I remark as we arrive at the docks, the entire place reeking of fish and brine.

"Hideout? This is a research facility for the organization. Not a cheap one either."

"It doesn't happen to be numbered does it?"

"This is research facility two. How did you know that?"

"My siblings and I were held in research facility four. Your organization was responsible for our torture. That's where all your information on me came from, you were in on it the whole time!"

"I had no idea!" Envy squeals. "I only knew what Father told me to try and intimidate you."

"Where is the entrance?" I growl.

"Over here sunshine." A voice calls.

Standing against one of the warehouses is an undeniably attractive woman. An ouroboros tattoo on the center of her chest…

"Eyes up here." She quips.

"I was just admiring your tattoo."

"You can take a closer look whenever you'd like. But I don't think I'm your type. I don't wear enough red." She sighs.

"If you know I'm taken, then why try?"

"Because I thought you might like someone a little more...experienced." She teases, "Little Red doesn't have to know."

"Not happening. Let's get on with this."

"So demanding… I like that. Follow me."

She places her hand on the wall on the warehouse. It splits to reveal an elevator.

"Classy and original." I smirk.

"Come."

I take a deep breath and follow Lust into the elevator with Envy behind me. As soon as the door closes, black claws extend from Lust's fingertips.

"You make a wrong move and your head leaves your shoulders."

"And here I thought you wanted to bed me."

"Who says I don't?"

"Threatening to kill me isn't exactly pillow talk."

"Lust…" Envy whines, "You said you weren't going to flirt when I'm around. You know it makes me uncomfortable."

Lust retracts her claws. "I did say that didn't I? I'll have to wait longer now."

I go to question their behavior, but get interrupted by the elevator door opening to reveal a large central room with an all too familiar logo at the center.

"Follow me." Lust says before striding off down one of the many hallways. I follow closely behind her, my grip tightening on the chains holding Envy. It looked almost identical to research facility four.

"Look familiar?" Lust smirks.

"Of course. How could I forget a place like this?"

Lust motions to a set of double doors on our left, "Our Father is in there. I would not keep him waiting."

"But there's so many things I could do first! Like stop by the food court or get my nails done."

Envy snickers and Lust's expression remains blank, "Your humor at a time like this is either admirable or stupid. Go in now."

I follow her instructions and drag Envy in behind me. All the room contained was a large desk with a chair facing away from the door.

"It's been a long time Grey." A voice calls from the chair.

The chair turns to reveal the leader of research facility four with several tubes leading from the chair to his chest. His skin and hair a sickly white hue, almost if he was made entirely from bone.

"Good to see your heartlessness shows now."

"How funny. You kept your sense of humor despite our best efforts."

"So you're the Father of these homunculi?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Not really. I can tell you're not an alchemist and your portal of truth has never been opened. The only hint I had that you were the Father was this one's big mouth." I say, pointing to Envy.

"Hey!" Envy objects.

"My brother, the actual alchemist, is the only reason you're anything more than the bastard you were years ago."

"You do seem to have this part of the puzzle figured out. Shame this is such a small part."

"Ugh, cut the metaphor crap. I'm not here to chit chat. Do you agree to the terms we set over the phone?"

"Envy and your expertise in exchange for your brother and the location of your sister? I am more than willing to make that deal."

"Alright," I say, handing over the chain binding Envy's wrists, "The command to shut off the aura suppression cuff is bound to my scroll. Once we're done, I'll shut off the cuff."

"An insurance policy? You don't trust me?"

"And what would make me want to do that? The years of experiments and torture or the rape attempt by one of your personal staff?"

"Point taken. Lust is waiting outside to take you to your brother. I need to have a chat with Envy about their recent behavior." Father says as the doors open behind me.

I look between the doors and Envy, "This is not good. Him being alone with Envy gives a huge opportunity for Envy to spill."

"Go with it." James hissed, "Envy isn't the reason you're here. If the worst case happens and they do spill, you need to know where your brother is to get him out."

"You're right, let's just hope this doesn't get ugly."

I step out of the doors and Lust is waiting for me, "Let's go." She says.

"I'm curious, were you human before you became a homunculus?" I ask as we walk along.

"I don't remember a time before this, not in its entirety. Maybe I was, I have dreams of places I've never been, people whose names I feel like I should know, things that I know how to do that I never learned."

"Why would Father keep that from you?"

"He keeps a piece of all of us. The piece he takes keeps us in line and forces our obedience. He has my memories, Envy's true desire, and so on."

"You're all slaves then?"

"Not exactly. We have free will and can do whatever we want so long as it doesn't go against Father's will. Envy is being shown what happens when you don't comply."

"I see." I say, shivering at the thought of Father's potential punishments for a traitor.

"The lab Father gave your brother is just up ahead."

We reach a set of steel doors bigger than the rest on the hall, "Matthew, you have a visitor."

One of the doors slowly slides open, "Which one of your Father's associates wants to speak with me this time?" Matt says as he steps out.

I almost cried when I saw him. It was really him, albeit malnourished and out of shape, but he was alive.

"Hi Matt, it's me, Sierra."

He shakes his head, "I was unaware I had done something to be put in the Tube. I don't understand why you would continue to taunt me with my dead sister. I'll give you guys credit, you're closer on the voice this time."

His statement and tone of voice stung, they had made him truly believe I was dead, "What do I have to do to prove to you that I'm here Matt? That this is real?"

"Secret handshake. Now."

I hold my hands out to his, slap the backs of his hands twice, and let him finish by pulling my automail off.

"Pretty convincing," He says with a pained smile, "But I want to be sure. Tell me why you fight."

I take a deep breath, "I fight for the people I have wronged. I fight for the mother I was too weak to bring back. I fight for the father I failed to save. I fight for my siblings who I didn't protect. And I fight for Ruby Rose, the love of my life."

His face lights up with a grin I thought I would never see again, "That's my baby sister." He says before lunging out the door.

He wraps his arms around me, "You have no idea how much I missed you."

I return the hug with my remaining arm, "Maybe about half as much as I missed you. Sorry I took so long."

"There would seem to be quiet the story. I can tell your portal has changed and you said something about the love of your life?"

I blush as we break apart, "We can talk about that later. Your portal has changed too. You attempted…"

"Human transmutation? Yeah, I tried to bring you back."

"What did you sacrifice?"

"A philosopher's stone, one Father gave me for experimentation."

"Does he have more?! I need to perform a transmutation that needs one and…"

He places a hand on my shoulder, "Sis, you know what the stones are made of right?"

"Yes, compressed aura."

"Exactly, but think about that for a second. What has the most aura on Remnant?"

"Huma…" I freeze.

"Producing a single stone takes multiple human souls being ripped completely from their bodies."

"Turning them into Grimm, but you said you used one to try to bring me back!"

"I did, only because I had yet to understand how the stone were created. The moment I found out, I swore never to use another one for any reason."

"Even if it could...bring someone's mother back?"

He sighs, "I have made my choice on the matter, and I won't stop you from using one if that's your choice. Come in to the lab, you're welcome to come too Lust."

"I'll pass this time. Father will need to finish talking to Sierra before long to finalize their agreement. I'll come get her when he's ready." Lust says, walking off down the hall.

"Agreement?!" Matt fumed.

"You didn't think we just let her come in did you?" Lust calls out as she strides away.

I place my hand on his shoulder, "It's nothing big, I promise."

He sighs, "You always said that. Even when you broke your arm and didn't want Dad to know."

"Huh? You still remember that?"

"I'm your older brother. I've got to remember all the times you screw up." "Speaking of which, you can have this back." He says, handing me my arm before closing the door behind us.

"Follow me, and be careful some of my research isn't the most stable."

I stay right behind him as he leads the two of us further back into the lab.

"How long did it take you?" I ask as we walk past a certain transmutation circle.

"Take me to?"

"Figure out human transmutation."

"About six months longer than it took you, but the torture probably didn't help my progress."

"I'm sorry…"

"What are you sorry for? You're here now aren't you? You never gave up."

I start to break down, "But...I took so long...I should have been here so much sooner." I sob.

He wraps his arms around me again, "You're still thinking in what ifs sis. What happened is in the past and you didn't give up on me, you're here now and that's what counts."

"Thank you." I mumble.

"Anytime Sis."

"So this entire lab is yours?"

"Yup. Four years of alchemy research."

"Are we past the unstable stuff?"

"Most of it."

I let myself wander through the various experiments until I reach the back of the lab. There was a large object covered by a sheet of cloth.

"What's this?"

"My first attempt at a homunculus." He says, pulling off the cloth.

Underneath was a tube filled with fluid suspending a small child, who couldn't have been more than a month old, with various medical instruments attached to its body.

I place my hand to the tube, "It's a baby and it's in pain."

"I already knew what it took to make a philosopher's stone when Father originally asked for the homunculi, so I attempted to create an artificial aura that would serve as the core of the homunculus instead of a philosopher's stone."

"So it didn't work?"

"Yes and no. The homunculus is stable, but it doesn't have enough aura to sustain itself. I didn't have enough to give when I created it, so it's in a constant state of aura withdrawal."

"Why keep it like this?"

"Father wouldn't let me kill it. It's DNA is identical to the daughter he lost. He wasn't going to let me kill her a second time."

"How much aura would it need to be self sufficient?" I say, looking at the baby in the tube.

"Now? More than one person could give I'm afraid."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. How much?"

"Around four times what it currently has."

"Ready?"

"Always." James replies.

I ascend, "You were saying?"

"Well! Seems like you've changed a lot."

I smirk, "I hope you can hear my smirk. How do you want me to do this?"

"I have a siphon, but from experience, it's a tad painful."

"Alright, I'll go with the classic way." I say, placing my hand back on the tube.

"Hey little one, I want to give you something." I speak with my aura, letting it reach out from my body.

The little bit of aura the homunculus had met mine and started to drain bit by bit.

"Be careful, as far as I've tested, homunculi can take as much aura as you can give them."

"I'm giving it enough to sustain." I grunt, straining my aura to limit the flow.

"It's aura is stabilizing at a normal level. Cut the flow."

I take my hand away from the tube, pulling my aura back to its normal state.

"Can you get her out?"

"One sec… I'm running a quick test on its…"

"Her." I correct him.

"Her aura. Everything looks normal. No fluxuations, stable generation rate, no gaps in coverage. Her aura is interesting though, there's none of the original I gave her left. It's only yours and what she has generated on her own. She took after you I guess."

"Wait, will she…"

"Have whatever aura thing you just did? I have no idea. None of my tests indicate anything like it, but you never know. Let's get her out."

He drains the tube as he opens the back hatch and takes the sensors off of the baby before gently removing the oxygen mask. The baby begins to wail as he wraps her in a towel.

The door to the lab is slammed open, "Grey! What was that aura…" Father rolls in his chair before freezing as he sees the baby in Matt's arms.

"Matt explained the problem, I just happened to have a way to fix it."

"My daughter..." He says, reaching out and slowly rolling closer.

Matt lets him take her from his arms.

"My little girl…" He says, before stopping once again.

"Her eyes are...grey…" He growls, "What have you done to my daughter?!"

"I gave her enough aura to live! You were torturing her!"

"You've tainted my daughter!"

"She would have been confined to that tube until her aura consumed itself."

"She was my beautiful baby girl and you animals infected her! Lust, get this creature out of my sight!" He scoffs, handing the baby to Lust.

"As of this moment, our agreement is over."

"Oh wow! I never could have seen this one coming!" I say, my voice oozing with sarcasm.

"Any last words from either of you?" Father says as several guards flank his chair.

"I have one," Matt says rather enthusiastically, "Salem."

A series of howls come from somewhere else in the facility, Father freezes as their cries pierce the silence.

"You've doomed us all Matthew Grey." Father says, somehow growing paler than before.

Father quickly turns to the guards, "Sound the alarms and lock down the facility."

"Matt...what did you do?" I ask as the alarms begin to sound.

Matt grins at me, "Summoned the mother of all Grimm to the facility."

"Just by saying her name?!"

"She owed me a favor."

"For what Oum forsaken reason does the mother of all Grimm owe you a favor?!"

"I made her one of her favorite Grimm. It's a really cool jellyfish crystal ball combo."

"You have the nerve to start bragging about the grimm you made right…"

"Enough!" Father screams, "Neither of you are leaving this facility alive! Gluttony!"

The homunculus lumbers into the door behind him, "Yes Father?"

"Keep these two busy until Mother arrives."

"But the birdy was the one who saved me."

"I didn't say hurt them. Just make sure they don't leave the facility until she arrives."

"Okay." Gluttony mumbles, clearly not pleased with his orders.

"We should get out of here right?" I ask.

"While all of Father's forces are in disarray? Yup. We don't have all that long until they regroup. What's the plan?" Matt responds.

"I hoped you'd have one?"

"Classic, let's deal with Gluttony then work from there."

"Deal. You go for his legs, I'll keep his attention."

The two of us run at him and I draw his attention, "Hey Big Guy, Matt and I need to get out of here before your dad kills us."

"But you have to stay until Mother gets here."

Matt keeps running behind Gluttony and transmutes the floor beneath his feet. Gluttony sinks into the ground as if it's water before it resolidifies, leaving him up to his knees in concrete.

"Huh?" Gluttony grunts as he tries to pull himself out.

"Let's move." I say, running out of the lab.

"Come back. I don't want Father to be mad at me." Gluttony says, before leaning down to take a bite out of the concrete in an attempt to free himself.

"You know the way?" Matt asks as we run.

"Nope. These facilities are all mazes."

"Follow the left wall until we hit the center forum. Then take your first right. We're going to the warehouse freight elevator, all of the other elevators will be shut down because of the lockdown."

We pass several guards on our way through the forum, but they don't even try to stop us as we run past.

"Father must be really scared to have locked down the entire facility."

"Salem is a very scary person to be fair, not the kind of person you want to cross."

"Can you sense Envy? I promised I would get them out in exchange for being the bait."

"If I know Father, he didn't think twice before taking back Envy's stone. The Envy you made that agreement with is long gone, and a new one will take his place."

"But…"

"There's no time. We need to go before Salem gets here."

We reach the warehouse without encountering any resistance. The walls and shelves were piled high with crates filled with dust and other materials.

"Where's the elevator?"

"Fifth row on the left."

The two of us sprint around the shelves and make it halfway to the elevator before Lust steps in front of the door, the baby still in her arms.

"You're not leaving against my Father's orders."

"And why not?" Matt asks.

"You leave and the baby gets it." She says, her claws extending from the fingertips of her free hand.

"Threatening a baby that's only really been alive for an hour seems beneath you." I say.

"Oh it is, but I don't really have much of a choice. Father would destroy me if I allow you to leave."

Father's men block the way behind us, parting as the man himself rolled through in his wheelchair.

"Not willing to kill the monster you made to save yourselves? How noble."

"That monster is your daughter."

"Not anymore."

"Your daughter was saved from a life of pain by the kindness of my sister's heart and you call that baby a monster?"

"You know nothing about…"

"He literally made her, I'm pretty sure he knows what he's talking about."

Father goes to speak again, but the elevator door opens behind us. A woman steps out. Her skin an off white hue with black veins stretching across her exposed skin. There was an aura around her, but not like anything I had ever felt before. It was if there was an empty void from which nothing it consumed could escape.

"Mother." Lust says, bowing to the woman.

"Why this man thinks you homunculi are worthy of being my children is beyond me."

"So you're Salem?"

"And who might you be?"

"She's my sister." Matt says, standing in front of me.

"Ah, Matthew it's good to see you. You called for me?"

"Father decided he no longer wanted to hold up his end of a deal with my sister once she healed his daughter in a way that had some side effects. I thought you would want to discipline him yourself, your majesty. A servant's breach of trust reflects ill on their master."

"Of course, I will see to his discipline in a moment. But first, I must say the rumors about the newest ascended are true."

"What about me?" I ask.

"That the Grey family line has produced another one of the Remnant's highest potential ascended. Your family is one of the only reasons I haven't already taken back Remnant from humanity." She says, striding over to me.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"If you consider being quite stubborn and very hard to kill a compliment, consider it my highest praise." She says, bringing her hand up to touch my face.

"And what would you know about the Grey's being hard to kill?"

She takes back her hand, "Your mother for example. Though not a Grey by blood, she took down some of my best elder grimm hounds. She's a thorn in my side that I still haven't properly dealt with."

"Properly dealt with?"

"The last set of Grimm I sent to deal with her didn't fare so well." She says, rolling up her sleeve to reveal a mark I had only seen in pictures.

I completely freeze, "You're the one who sent the Grimm. You're the one who killed our mother!"

She looks confused, "Did you not listen to anything I just said? Your mother killed the best Grimm I had to offer at the time with ease."

"Wait...then…" Matt says.

"You have to be ly…"

"I never said that, I said what you attempted was impossible."

"Mom's alive." I breath out.

"What? What are you talking about?" Matt whispered.

"The Truth told me that my transmutation didn't fail because I made a mistake, it said I failed because my transmutation was impossible. Mom's alive."

"How wonderful. You figured out your mother abandoned you. That information will die here will you."

"And what makes you think you have an authority over whether they live or die?" Salem says, moving past me to face Father.

"Matthew is under my protection for his service to me, and I'm willing to let the ascended go for now."

"But your majesty…"

"Nothing you can say will influence my decision. Matthew has done me a great service that I will not ignore. If anyone in this room would die today based off their service to me, it would be you."

A loud rumble shakes the room, "Looks like the ascended's friends have arrived. Lust, go play with them until I am finished with the Greys and Hines."

Lust hands off the baby to one of the guards before getting in the elevator. Father starts fuming, "That is not my name any longer."

"You must be the most arrogant human in existence if you think I would ever call you Father." She says, before black spires shoot out from her shadow and pierce Father's head, chest, and abdomen.

The guards take aim at Salem, "Men, protect…" is all the leader of the guards got out before Salem slices them apart. Their bodies crumple to the floor, and the baby begins to cry as it falls from the dead guard's hands. Matt jumps to catch the baby and just barely makes the catch. The two of us back away from Salem as Father wails.

"Your Grace...I was...nothing but...loyal...to…"

The spire in his chest began to writhe, ripping free from Father's chest, and coming back to Salem with a philosopher's stone at its tip.

"If you call creating those homunculi and an attempt to create your own portal of Truth absolute loyalty, I shudder to think what world you would have created. Goodbye Hines, you insignificant worm." She says, letting the other spires recede as Fath...Hines' corpse dropped to the floor with the others.

"Now that all that has been dealt with, I want to go have a chat with your silver eye'd friend." She says, throwing the philosopher's stone from Father's chest in our direction.

"And why would you want to do that?"

"I just want to make sure she won't get in the way like the last one."

"Summer…"

"What if I can't let you do that?" I say, transmuting my arm's outer plate into a blade.

"Sis…"

"Then you will also have to be dealt with. A shame if you choose that path. I wanted a true ascended to try and stop me when my plans are almost complete."

"Even if I die, there are plenty of hunters and huntresses more than capable of stopping you, whatever your plans are."

She laughs, "You want to know why I know they won't stop me?" She says, before blinking to my side to whisper in my ear, "Because only a worthy ascended can kill me."

"And you think I'm worthy?"

She chuckles, "No, not yet. That takes a lot more suffering."

Her tone drops as she says suffering and I instantly jump away from her as the spires shoot back out from her shadow.

One grazes my cheek and slices right through my aura, "Those spires are dust coated, doubt it's any kind I want to deal with."

"Sis, this is not a fight for us. Salem will let us go."

"Listen to your brother. My fight is not with the two of you."

"Maybe your fight isn't with Matt," I say, letting my aura flare, "but anyone who wants to hurt Ruby has to go through me. I'm not letting you get anywhere near her. Not after what you did to her mother."

"Another tragic tale of a great huntress who stuck her nose where it didn't belong. All at Ozpin's request of course." She says as her spires slash at me.

"How do you know Ozpin?" I ask, fending off the blows with my automail, taking care to keep moving to avoid catching the spires on the rebound.

"I have a better question for you, do you really know Ozpin? Can you trust anything he has told you now that you know he's responsible for the death of one of your friend's parents?"

I slice through one of the spires, "Why exactly should I believe you over him?" I say, kicking one of the smaller boxes of dust on the floor at her.

Her shadow consumes the box, leaving no trace, "I don't gain anything from lying to you. It would only take you longer to reach your true potential and be worthy of attempting to stop me."

"She's not wrong." James points out.

"Can you not side with the mother of all Grimm right now?"

"If I'm the only one that can stop you, then why do you care about the silver eyes?"

"My plan involves some of my favorite pets and the silver eyes don't mix well with Grimm. I don't want to waste any more time building my forces…

The sound of metal twisting and breaking stops her mid sentence. The elevator crashes down behind her and the doors are pried open by an angry Yang Xiao Long.

"Yang!"

"Oh how annoying. Lust let one get through." Salem says, turning to look at Yang.

Yang's only just made it out of the collapsed elevator as Salem's spires shoot towards her. Yang puts her aura up, but I realize she has no way to block against the dust coated spires. Ember Celica were still embedded in the elevator doors. In a split second, I do the only thing I can think of. I blink in front of Yang...and take the spires to the stomach.

"SIS!"

"Sierra?" Yang questions, only just starting to realize what had happened. She catches me as my legs give out, and Matt rushes over to me.

"You really aren't anywhere close to being worthy. You were willing to sacrifice yourself for a bug so far beneath you. How tragic."

"You monster!" Yang says, throwing herself into a heavy punch at Salem.

"I wish you luck surviving the dust ascended, until next time." Salem says, before disappearing in a puff of black ash.

"Sis, what were you thinking?" Matt laments, trying to stop the bleeding.

"That one of my friends was going to get hurt, and I wasn't going to let that happen."

Yang opens her scroll, "Weiss we need you down here right now. Sierra's hurt and there's dust involved."

"Damn, Dad was right, it really is hard to talk with dust poison doing its job. This shit hurts." I chuckle through gritted teeth.

I hear the sound of one of Weiss' glyphs from the elevator, "SIERRA!" Ruby screams as she sees me.

Both her and Weiss jump off of of the glyph and brace at my sides.

"Yang, Blake will need help with whatever that thing upstairs is, Ruby and I can handle this." Weiss says.

Yang pulls Ember Celica out of the doors and fires herself up the elevator shaft.

"What happened?" Weiss asks.

"Another homunculus." Matt lies, "She had spires come from her shadow coated with dust. Your teammate was going to block with her aura but Sierra knew that wouldn't work and blinked in front of her."

"You selfless dolt." Weiss says, looking over the wound, "It's black dust for certain and I don't have any nullifier on me."

"Then what do we do?"

"Call for help and hope they get here in time."

"You know they won't make it in time!" Ruby wails.

"I don't have anything that I can use! The only universal nullifier is Agrimony root, and it's only native to Vaccuo."

I grab Ruby's hand, "I promise I'll be okay."

"You know you can't keep that promise."

"Yeah," I say, not sure whether the tears were from the pain or if I had started crying, "but I wanted to see you smile."

"All you had to do was ask."

"I'm...sorry. I made you...cry again." I say, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Don't talk like that."

"Ruby, you said it...yourself...the medics...won't make it…"

"There has to be something we can do, anything!" Ruby screams, looking to my brother and Weiss.

They both stay silent, confirming Ruby's fears, that there was nothing they could do.

"Please, Oum please don't do this!"

The edges of my vision begin to fade, "I...love...you...Ruby…"

Then everything vanishes, "SIERRA!"

Ruby POV

"Sierra! DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME! SIERRA! WAKE UP!" I scream.

"There has to be something I can…" I say, looking at the pouch on Sierra's waist.

I tear the bag open, "Ruby what are you…" Weiss starts before Matt interrupts.

"Don't do it." He says, already aware of what I was searching for.

I pull out her alchemy notebook, and desperately flip through the pages.

"Got it!" I say, pulling Crescent Rose out of its holster. Extending the scythe's blade, I carve the forbidden transmutation circle into the floor.

I go to press my hands to the carvings before Matt places a hand on my shoulder, "You're going to need something for the toll, here." He says, extending his other hand to show a shimmering, red stone.

"Is this…"

"Yes, now hurry, you don't have long."

I grab the stone from him, take a deep breath, and press my hands to the circle. Dark hand slither out from the edges of the circle and the center opens a single, unblinking eye. The arms begin to stick to me me, breaking me into fragments.

"RUBY!" Weiss screams as she raises her hands in an attempt to cast a glyph.

"Don't!" Matt yells, "This is Sierra's only chance."

"Don't worry Weiss," I yell, "I'll be right back."

The portal continues and then everything goes blank.

"Well, well, well, the novice alchemist has committed alchemy's only unforgivable sin."

"Truth."

"Ruby Rose. Have you finally come for your mother?"

I shake my head, "I'm not here for her, not this time."

"You're here to open your portal then?"

"If that's what I have to do to make an exchange with you."

Truth smiles, "And what exchange would you like to make with me today?"

"Agrimony root, enough to clear the dust currently killing Sierra. What do you want for it?"

"Hmmm, the mass of the root you would need is about your ring finger."

"Deal."

"However," It smirks, "The issue is time. The root takes a full year to grow to maturity."

"Take a year from me. Take a year from my life."

"With how short your life can be, are you sure about your choice?"

"Take it, and I'll be back for my mother."

It's smile broadens, "You are just like the ascended. The same fire of determination in your eyes. That kind of determination deserves a reward."

It points behind me. I turn and get wrapped in a hug, "Mom?"

"My little rose." Summer says, as she steps back, "You've grown so much."

I pull her back into the hug, "You're really here. I can't believe it." I say, still in disbelief.

"I am more surprised that you're here." She says, pushing away again.

"I had to make an exchange to save Sierra."

Summer huffs, "I knew she was a troublemaker the moment I realized she was Jonathan's daughter."

"I seem to get in just as much trouble as she does. Something about my eyes." I say, nervously rubbing my neck.

"I wished you hadn't gotten my eyes. I have placed such a burden on you."

"I'm assuming the Truth won't let you tell me about the silver eyes?"

"Spot on kiddo."

"Sierra's starting to rub off on me."

Summer looks off into the distance, "She doesn't have much time left. You need to go."

"I will be back for you. I promise." I say, as my portal opens behind me.

"I never doubted it."

"I'll see you soon mom." I say as the portal consumes me once more.

"Be safe little rose."

I stumble out of the portal, grasping my left hand as my missing finger pulsed in pain.

Matt and Weiss rush over to me, and I lean on Matt as I get my bearings.

"Ruby! What happ…" Weiss says

"Here," I say, reaching out to let go of the root in my other hand, "Hurry."

"Right." Weiss says, running to Sierra's side.

She quickly cuts up the root with Myrtenaster and creates several glyphs around the root to crush them to dust. She places the powder onto Sierra's wound and the spires of black covering her skin slowly start to recede.

"Are you okay?" Matt asks.

"Hand missing a finger hurts, but I'm okay."

"Your portal is open."

I nod, "The truth would only make the exchange if it was. I took the risk."

"You could have died."

"Well, I'm not dead, so I think I did alright."

He shakes his head, "No wonder my sister fell in love with you. Any reason for your hair? It wasn't that long before right?" He says as my now longer hair hits him in the face.

"The root takes a year to grow, the truth took one from me. Equiv..."

"Don't even finish that word. I know."

"Good, cause I'm pretty sure I'm about to pass out."

"Let me fix your finger and then you're good to do so." He says, clapping his hands and placing them on my injured one.

I feel the wound quickly seal itself, and the area around it go numb.

"That should stop the pain for a while."

"Amazing." I say, looking down at my hand.

"Says the girl who just performed human transmutation, opened her portal, and lived."

Weiss walks back over to us, "She's stable and will still need treatment for the damage the dust caused while it was in her system, but she'll be fine. Now, what exactly did Ruby just do?"

"That," Matt says, "would take a long time and a lot of math to explain. I'm not up for explaining right now, and you're not either right?" He says, looking to me.

I shake my head, "I'm really tired."

"If you carry her with your glyphs, I can carry Sierra."

"Of course, but first," Weiss says before wrapping her arms around Matt, "It's good to have you back Matt."

"Good to be back Snowflake."

Weiss instantly blushes, "I told you not to call me that!"

"Still works, after all these years." He chuckles, letting me lay down on the glyph Weiss made.

"Weiss, I…"

"Your sister and Blake already aura cuffed the...what was the word Matt used...homunculus upstairs. Relax and get some sleep, we'll handle it from here."

"Thanks." I say, letting my eyelids droop.

Sierra POV

"Team RWBY should be punished for undertaking an unsanctioned mission in Vale!" I hear Goodwitch's voice filter through my haze, "No matter the situation, no matter the actions of another student, they had no right to storm into that warehouse the way that they did."
"Two lives were on the line, and they were understood to be in great danger once Miss Rose located them. This facility also contained a number of troubling experiments and the bodies of several people declared missing by Vale Police. While I don't condone their choice, I can not deny they got results that we might never have."

"I will not let you overrule my decision to punish them this time. They are not allow to leave Beacon grounds without a huntsman or huntress to accompany them. Branwen does not count." Goodwitch says before angrily striding off.

"Oz?" I say, sitting up before my vision goes sideways.

"Sierra, you need to stay lying down, the dust did some damage before Miss Schnee was able to nullify it."

"But I don't feel that…" I start before a wave of nausea hit me and bile rises in my throat. Oz quickly moves the trash can to my bedside and I lose what little was left in my stomach.

"You were saying?"

"Shut up…" I say, wiping my mouthHow's everyone else?"

"Seriously? You nearly die from black dust poisoning and you're thinking about everyone else? You are just like your parents…"

"Speaking of my parents," I say, remembering my exchange with Salem, "my mom's alive."

"What?"

"My mother is alive. Confirmed by one of the homunculi." I say, lying about Salem until I was sure Oz wasn't hiding something. "Their master was the one who sent the Grimm to our house. Mom was never captured and she got rid of the Grimm easily according to them."

"What reason do you have to trust them?"

"What reason do I have to trust you?" I spit, "You lied to me! If she is alive, you and my father both did! Was there a body in that coffin or not!?"

"No, there wasn't. We assumed…"

"You didn't assume anything!" I grab him by the collar, gritting my teeth in pain, "I'm done with the games and the cryptic messages. Tell me the truth Ozpin!"

Ozpin sighs as I let him go, "Your mother is alive, and up until your kidnapping, was on an assignment from the AHH to locate the group responsible for the attacks on her and your family. The Grimm attack was not the first attempt on your mother's life and she feared it wouldn't be the last. She asked us to fake her death and hold the funeral to make the organization think they were successful in their attempt. It was to protect…"

"PROTECT ME?! BY TAKING MY MOTHER AWAY WHEN I WAS JUST A LITTLE GIRL! You don't know how many times I've thought about that day, about how it was my fault, how many times I wished I didn't have a birthday…"

"Sierra…" He says reaching out.

"NO! Get out! I can't believe…"

"I'm so…"

"I don't CARE...just GET OUT!" I say, grabbing my automail from the table beside me to throw as he closed the door behind him.

I bring my knees up to my chest and sob, "Why did they want my mother to die so badly they drove her away? What did Salem want?"

"For you to suffer. Is that not what she said? Even now, she said you would have to suffer more, including everything you've been through."

"So it was my fault...I always knew it was…"

"Don't think like that, none of this is your fault."

"My entire life is a lie. Everything I've done was to make her proud of me, to make up for not being strong enough to save her. What is it all worth now?"

A knock sounded at the door, "Can I come in?" Matt asks from the other side.

"Why would you want to?" I choke out.

"Because my sister is upset and I haven't been around to help her for a while."

"Watch my automail on the way in."

He opens the door and grabs my automail from the floor, "So you got Oz to tell you too?"

I nod without looking up, "Everything I've done since that day has been to make her proud, her and Dad both. What do now that I know she's out there somewhere? That all of it was a lie?"

"We'll find her and Kurome like you found me. Then we try and make sense of all this mess once the dust settles."

"Salem isn't going to stop until she gets what she wants is she?"

He places a hand on my shoulder, "No, but we'll stop her when the time comes. It won't be easy…" He says, holding out a fist.

"But it never is." I say, meeting it with mine.

He wraps his arms around me, "Good to have you back sis."

"As if I'm the one who left."

He lets go, "We do have some other things to talk about. I'm not sure how you'll feel about either topic."

I lay back down, "Hit me with it."

"I'll start with the elephant in the room or the baby in the room in this case. The baby homunculus is a couple rooms over, and she will need to be taken care of by someone ready to deal with the powers her philosopher's stone could manifest."

"So me?"

He nods, "Can't think of someone else who would undertake the responsibility."

"I am not ready to be a mother, Matt."

"You're one of the only ones who knows about the homunculi and the Stones. Ruby is one of the only other options."

I sigh, "I really don't get a choice, do I?"

"Our other option is to have her imprisoned within a facility capable of dealing with her powers."

"And only the facilities like that are under the control of the power hungry, corrupt AHH. Yeah, yeah, I get the picture. Fine, but you're helping."

"I get to be the fun uncle."

I crack a small smile, "Don't push it. Now what else did you want to talk about?"

"After you passed out, Ruby made the decision to perform a transmutation to get the agrimony root needed to nullify the black dust poison. A transmutation I assume you strictly forbid her from performing."

My eyes widen, "Is she okay? What did she…"

"She's fine, and she exchanged the philosopher's stone that Salem ripped out of Father as her toll."

"I'm guessing you didn't tell her what it was made out of?"

He shakes his head, "There wasn't time, and she had already made up her mind to do the transmutation. I wanted to ensure she wouldn't have to trade anything like you did."

"Help me up." I say, throwing the blankets off my legs.

"No, absolutely not. You are under doctor's orders to rest."

"Right now, I'm under my foot's orders to find Ruby's ass and kick it." I say, pushing myself into a standing position.

"Sis…"

"I'm doing it whether you help me or not, so do us both a favor and help me get to her room."

"I'm going to get in so much trouble for this." He says, putting my arm over his shoulder.

"Now that's the spirit." I say, hobbling out of the room.

"She's two doors down on your left." He says, moving us slowly along.

Once we get there I place my hand on the doorknob, take a deep breath, and open the door.

"Ruby Rose! I can't believe you…" I start before looking at her and gasping.

Her hair was down past her shoulders, she had clearly grown taller, and she was missing her ring finger on her left hand.

"What happened?" I say, my anger completely gone.

"My finger was the mass. Agrimony root takes a year to grow, so I gave the Truth one of mine."

"You shouldn't have had to do that. I'm…"

"Don't. It was my choice, one I would make again no matter the consequences. Come here."

Matt practically carries me over to the bed as my legs start to give out. I push myself to Ruby's side and lay down to rest

"I'll be back in a bit. I haven't eaten actual food in a long time." Matt says, walking out of the room and closing the door behind himself.

"Take Weiss with you, I don't think she's eaten either." Ruby calls after him.

She starts running her hands through my hair, "We're both alive."

"I don't feel like it right now."

"You're awake, so that's a start."

"How long was I out?"

"Three days. The doctors said it would probably be longer, the dust did some damage to your aura that they were unsure how it would deal with."

"All things considered, my aura feels fine. It needs a recharge, but fine other than that."

"Speaking of your aura, the dust specialist here has recommended that you use as minimal aura as possible over the next couple weeks while what remains of the dust works its way out of your system. That way there's no risk of the dust igniting."

"Alright, sounds boring, but I get it. Now I need to talk to you about something."

"Okay."

"I assume you've seen the baby already?"

"Yes, what about it?"

"She's a homunculus, one of the first ones my brother made. I brought her to life with my ascended aura after I saw how much pain she was in."

"I see where this is going."

"Almost no one outside of the AHH would have the resources to deal with her if her Stone manifests a dangerous power…"

"Except for you."

I nod, "I just…"

"Are you afraid you're not going to be good enough?"

"I don't know if I can handle this responsibility."

"You are not alone in this. You think any of us are going to let you raise a kid on your own, especially me?"

"I'm not asking you to make that kind of commitment."

"I know you're not, but I am offering to do it anyway."

"Are we ready for that?"

"Absolutely not, but we have to be ready enough."

"Well," I say, taking one of her hands in mine, "we're moms now I guess."

"You're going to have to explain to my dad when he comes for the festival."

"Ugh, but first, I'm going to have to tell your sister. Do you think she'll hit me hard while I'm injured?"

"I'm ninety-nine percent sure she'll deck you before you finish the sentence." She says, standing up and offering me a hand

"Will you tell her with me? So maybe it's closer to a ninety percent chance?"

I say, taking her hand and hauling myself up.

"Maybe she'll be happy to be an aunt?"

"Of a uber powerful homunculus baby."

"Now's as good a time as any." She says, locking her arm under mine and we start the walk back to the dorms, together again.

A/N: Hope you guys enjoy, leave a review, and I'm hoping the next chapter won't be so far from this one. Sorry for the wait and I'll catch you guys next time, The_Marksman.