'Hazredous' Interruptions
Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha / RWBY
Chapter 32 - Recovery and Casualty
Zafira was at the door before Ruby could even think to say anything, an almost inaudibly low rumble issuing from his chest. Summer hesitated, tilting her head down in momentary confusion.
The growl subsided after a moment though, and Ruby could hear Zafira sniffing inquisitively at the newcomer. Then he pushed his head through the gap of the door, his tail relaxing.
"Oh, hello there!" There was a pause, and Ruby could hear the light scratching of Summer's fingers running through the blue wolf's thick fur. "Aren't you a big- wait a minute. ...Arf? Is that you?"
Zafira snorted in mild disdain, his tail wagging once. "H-hey! What are you- let go! I can- okay, okay, I'm coming." The wolf backed into the room, teeth clamped lightly around Summer's bracer, pulling her along. Summer closed the door behind her, standing uncertainly as a scattering of white drifted away from her. The petals flowed around the interior of the room, bouncing silently off beds and other fixtures. "I didn't realize there were so many people in here."
Shamal was awake, watching silently from her chair by Hayate's bed.
Zafira let go of Summer's arm, then padded around to her side, shoving his head under Summer's hand. She rested her hand on his scruff, and the wolf slowly led her through the room toward Ruby's bed.
Ruby watched her mother warily, trying to make sense of the emotions fighting inside her. For a long moment, her mother just stood there, unsure, her cascade of petals drawing in close around her. Some brushed by her blankets, feather-light.
A minute passed in silence, Ruby unwilling to say anything. Zafira remained at the bedside, watching her. There was no judgment in the wolf's eyes, just shrewd awareness.
"Ruby, I-" Summer's voice hitched, making her pause. Ruby glanced at her face, seeing the worry and concern there. "I don't- I don't know what to say. I don't know if there's anything Ican say, if there's anything you'd accept from me. What could I say that would make what I did to you better? What words could possibly erase what I've done to you?
"I left you and Yang alone. You needed me, and… I wasn't there. Tai's right, the reason doesn't matter. I… made you grow up without a mother, and-"
It was so cruel of her, she knew, but Ruby still couldn't make herself speak. Any noise caught in her throat, dying unvoiced, and she watched Summer's expression crumble.
"I- I know I hurt you both, so badly. If you don't want anything to do with me, I- I understand. But I want you to know I love you, that I never stopped loving you." Summer pressed her hand over her blindfold, and Ruby could see the sparkling tears running down her face. They tumbled of her cheeks, turning to tiny beads of ice that tinked off the frame of the bed.
"I- I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I-" Summer drew a deep breath, and turned to leave.
Ruby wanted to cry, to scream. Thoughts raced through her mind, 'how could you leave me' fighting for space with 'don't go' and 'get out!' She couldn't make herself say any of them, afraid that what would pour unbidden from her lips would shatter them both.
Summer was walking away from the bed. Ruby reached out, and her fingers brushed the velvety weightlessness of a white rose petal. Her fingers closed around it, desperately.
Her mother stopped in her tracks, shaking. Summer turned back around, and trembling hands clasped Ruby's own. Ruby tugged her closer, trying to ignore the pain in her shoulders. A sob forced its way past her lips.
There was a scraping sound, and suddenly Shamal was there, easing a chair into place behind Summer's legs. Ruby pulled Summer's hand to her face, and cool fingers brushed the wetness from her cheek.
Even as the tears started flowing in earnest, Ruby wondered how hands that felt so cold could be so warm.
"It seems like this is the first chance we've had since the dance to just… sit down," the Mistralian champion said. "The flight back wasn't really restful."
Jaune and Pyrrha had slipped out of the room for a bit to get some fresh air, sitting together on one of the benches outside the main entrance. Jaune found himself nodding along with her statement. "Yeah. I mean I know it's not, because we had classes Monday and Tuesday, and… everything. But it sure feels like it. It helps knowing that everyone's going to be okay."
Even as the words left his mouth, though, his eyes tracked guiltily toward Vale. A smoky pall still hung over the battle-torn downtown district, darkening the early morning sky. Not everyone's okay. Our teams were lucky.
Pyrrha caught his look and sighed, reaching over to squeeze his hand. "That's not our fault, Jaune. It's terrible, but the four of us wouldn't have made any more of a difference. We were where we needed to be."
"Yeah, I know." He took a sip of his drink, trying to ignore the bitter taste.
Wandering the infirmary halls, they'd happened upon a break room with a fresh pot of coffee being brewed. Jaune had offered to grab her a cup, making a lame joke about a first after-the-dance date. Pyrrha smiled and laughed, though, so I guess it wasn't that lame.
They sat in silence for a while, listening to the birds chirping their morning songs as the sun started peeking over the horizon. Pyrrha's unbound, messy hair caught the first golden rays and turned to burnished copper, and Jaune found himself staring. Her face was half in shadow, but her eyes still gleamed bright green, like forest leaves.
Eventually she noticed, raising a hand to her head self-consciously. "I know, I look like a mess, don't I."
"What? No, no! I just-" Jaune looked down at his lap, shoulders slumping. "Some first date. Crappy hospital coffee. And compared to me, you're positively radiant."
She was silent for a moment. "I guess the coffee is a little bitter, but… Jaune. Look at me?"
Jaune glanced up at Pyrrha, blinking in surprise. She was right there, leaning toward him-
He felt the kiss all the way down to his toes, and it silenced his worries completely.
It was almost funny watching Raven fret, Qrow thought. His sister was pacing back and forth, glaring at the door constantly, one hand white-knuckling the hilt of her oodachi.
Finally he had to say something, if only to keep himself from laughing out loud. "Sis, sit down before you break something. You're about to come apart at the seams."
"I need to be ready, Qrow. Summer's my responsibility." Raven cast another glance at the room's door. "Like Tai said, Summer abandoned them, regardless of reason. They might not react well."
That did it. Qrow burst out laughing, earning a glare from her himself. "You are trying way too hard to keep your distance, Raven. The kids aren't going to hurt her. There's gonna be crying, maybe some yelling and more crying, and then they're gonna hug it out and it's gonna be cathartic as hell for all of them."
Raven paused, pursing her lips. "I still need to be worried. What if-"
"Raven. Sis. Look at me." Qrow waited until her red eyes locked onto him. "You're tense, I get it. You've been strung tighter than a bowstring for well over a decade and it's hard to relax. But, believe me when I say this; there is no safer place on all of Remnant for Summer right now than inside that very room. Shamal and Zafira and Arf are all in there keeping an eye on everyone."
"What have they done to earn your trust-"
"They saved Amber's life, Raven. Repeatedly." Qrow glanced down the hallway, and rose to his feet. "Speaking of. Lieutenant Galant, how are you feeling?"
"Like someone threw a bomb at me a few days ago," the Navy mage replied. "Room for two more in there?"
"Give 'em a few more minutes."
"I didn't want to leave," the familiar voice was saying. "It tore me to pieces, Ruby, but I couldn't come home."
"We thought you were dead." Ruby's voice was hushed, almost a whisper, but she could still hear the rawness in her tone. The sniffle from her runny nose when she took a breath.
Ruby's been crying. That realization more than anything else made Yang realize she wasn't dreaming. Yang opened her eyes a crack, tilting her head toward her sister's voice. Even doing that much hurt.
There was someone sitting in the metal-framed chair next to Ruby's bed, a tattered white cloak stained with blood draped over her shoulders. The woman's hood was down, and Yang could see red-tinged black hair, just like Ruby's own, and the back of a black blindfold. A scattering of white petals drifted sedately through the air around her.
The realization made her heart clench painfully. Mom.
"I know, Little Rose, I know. It was… terrible of us to do to you all, but we had to let that be the reality you knew. You fought the Summer Maiden, Ruby. You know how horrible she is. There are more people out there just like her, and if they'd known I was alive…"
"They would have come after us to get to you." Ruby sniffed again, then took a deep, tremulous breath. "People suck, don't they."
Summer's shoulders shook underneath her cloak, and she let out a watery giggle. "Don't say that, Ruby. Most people aren't bad, you know that."
"...some people suck, then, and they ruin it for everyone else."
"That's… yeah. I can't argue with that."
"B-but you're home now, right?" A glimmer of hope made itself known in Ruby's voice, and Yang had to close her eyes against her tears.
But she'll be leaving. People always leave.
"Yes, sweetie. It's… complicated, but I'm home right now."
Someone bustled by, humming. Yang heard Ruby shift. "Hey Shamal. H-have you met my mom?"
"I have not. Would you like to introduce us?" Shamal's voice was cheerful and kind, as it ever was.
"Okay! Shamal, this is my mom, Summer. She's a huntress. Mom, this is Shamal Yagami, Knight of the Lake."
"Nice to meet you." There was a small pause. "You're a bit young to be a knight." Yang could hear the grin in Summer's tone.
"Looks can be deceiving, Ms. Rose. If you'll excuse me, though, I'd like to continue your daughter's treatment. It'll be much easier to hug each other if she's able to sit up, won't it?"
"Of course, don't mind me." Summer scooted her chair back, the feet scraping on the floor. Yang cracked her eyes open again to see Shamal cutting the bandages away from Ruby's back.
"Mm. This may be a little strange, Ruby." Shamal's hands started to glow green, but Yang couldn't see exactly what was going on from her position. The glow spread outwards, filling that corner of the room with soothing shades of emerald. A Belkan triangle covered the floor around Shamal's feet, spinning slowly.
"It's fine! Do whatever you need to- oh crap that's weird!" Ruby's hands clenched around her pillow.
"...it sounds weird." Summer's voice was both intrigued and vaguely disturbed.
"To be fair, I'm knitting your muscle tissues back together manually. There won't be any scarring though, so you won't experience any loss of mobility." Shamal glanced over her shoulder suddenly, her eyes meeting Yang's before she could look away. "You're next, Miss Xiao Long, so you may as well stop pretending you're asleep."
Fuck.
"Yang!" Summer spun her chair around, the rubber feet squeaking from the motion. "You're awake!"
"H-hey mom. Been a while." Yang tried to force herself up onto her elbows, ignoring the flares of agony across her arms and belly. Her Aura fed off the pain, muting it just enough for her to handle, but the effort still left her gasping.
Cool arms supported her, taking the weight off her trembling limbs. "Careful, careful! For fuck's sake, Yang, you'll tear your wounds open again!" Summer was beside her, propping her up.
"I'm fine, I'm fine-"
"You are most certainly not fine, Yang Xiao Long," Shamal glared at her. "To be frank, you're lucky you still have both arms."
"Well it's a good thing I'm-"
"It's a damned good thing she's-"
"-not Frank!" They chorused, then paused and looked at each other.
Yang chortled.
Ruby groaned.
Summer started giggling, pulling Yang into an embrace. "Oh how I've missed you, Little Pun Dragon."
"I did learn from the best!" Yang gently pushed her mom out to arm's length, staring at her. Summer looked almost exactly like she remembered, except… Yang reached up to touch the blindfold over Summer's eyes.
Summer stopped her before she could lift it, biting her lip. "There's a reason I wear this thing, Yang. Don't freak out, okay?"
"What's there to freak out about-" White light flared when Yang lifted the cloth, nearly blinding her for a moment. When she blinked her vision clear, she could see Summer's eyes beneath the glare, the same silver as Ruby's. "Oh. Oh geez, mom. You've got the same glow thing going on that the bitchqueen had."
She nodded, but said nothing, instead looking Yang up and down for the first time in a decade. She looked over her shoulder at Ruby, just as Shamal was helping her sit up in her bed. "You've both grown so much..." The first frozen tears started to fall down her cheeks-
"Ms. Rose?" Shamal was there, taking Summer's arm and guiding her back to Ruby's side. "We're done here. Could you please help Ruby take a few steps around the room? I'll have Yang walking in a few moments and then she can join you."
With Shamal's help, Yang leaned back against her pillow, wincing. Fresh blood was beginning to dot the wrappings around her arms and chest, and she looked resolutely at the ceiling tiles as the healer began to remove them. Green suffused her vision, and she made an effort to keep her mind of the odd feeling of her cuts and gashes being tugged back together. "I, uh… couldn't help but notice that there are a lot of us in here. Is Blake okay?"
Shamal nodded, nothing but that calm smile on her face as she looked down at Yang. "Blake is fine. I've kept her asleep for the time being while the regeneration spell does its work, but it should be finished by now. I can wake her up when I'm finished with you."
Yang let out a sigh of relief, closing her eyes and letting Shamal work. Something she'd said tugged at her thoughts though, and after a moment she had to ask. "...how bad was it?"
Shamal's hands stilled, resting on her belly for a moment. "She was rather severely burned when they brought you all in, which put her high on my priority list. As I said, she should be fully healed by now, but… burns are never pleasant, and she for all intents and purposes survived being burned alive. It's not something that one forgets easily."
Yang flicked her eyes back open and looked at Shamal. "That's happened to you, hasn't it?"
"Being a Wolkenritter is both a blessing and a curse. Our minds cannot break, but that means we can't take the solace that comes with madness." Shamal patted her lightly, then slid an arm under her to help Yang sit upright. "Blake will most likely have some… lasting effects from the experience. It's important that her friends are there for her."
"As if anything could keep me away."
[ *** ] [Following scene written by Eleutherius, barring minor alterations for fit and flow]
"-and that should cover the basics. I'll take your questions now," Chrono finished, and Sun's mind spun. He glanced to his left at Neptune, and received an equally lost look in return. A quick check on Coco and her team to their right confirmed that they weren't quite sure where to start either. Taking a deep breath to settle his nerves, Sun valiantly tried to force his thoughts back into some semblance of order.
He failed. He still had the wherewithal to not really blame himself for it, at least. It was a lot to take in!
Chrono had led them all to one of the infirmary's break rooms, flicking the lock once they'd all entered. After everyone was seated- or wheeled into place, in Coco's case-, he'd explained everything about who he and the other refugees were.
Sitting across the table from the students was not just Chrono, but also Signum and Professor Goodwitch. The deputy headmaster had joined them despite an arm in a sling, as a representative of the Beacon staff and to provide legitimacy to Chrono's claims. Despite all they had already seen the Yagamis do during the battle, the students still found themselves turning incredulously to the professor for confirmation, and each silent nod back had only seen the rabbit hole go that much deeper. Signum had joined them to answer any questions Sun or Neptune might have had about what they'd seen of her during the Breach, but Chrono's summary explanation of the Wolkenritter had ultimately pre-empted that. Once it became clear she wouldn't need to speak much, she'd merely poured herself a cup of tea from the room's refreshments and returned to her seat at Chrono's right, for all the world looking like she was at a board meeting. Sun found himself seriously envying her calm.
The few moments he'd taken to rally himself hadn't seen anyone else speak. It's like a crypt in here, and half as cheerful. Sun frowned to himself at that thought. Someone's got to do something about that. Nodding to himself, course finally set, Sun broke the silence.
"I think I speak for all of us when I say that this is a lot to take in. We just found out all sorts of stuff that's real hard to get our heads wrapped around. I mean, it's not just that aliens are real. It's not even just that magic is real." Neptune and all of CFVY turned to look at him. Perfect. "No, today is the day we all found out, beyond the faintest shadow of doubt-" and Sun looked Chrono dead in the eye, putting all his effort into maintaining an air of heavy gravitas and absolute sincerity. "-that Neptune is really, really, into older women. I mean, damn."
An incoherent, choked sound from his left might have been an attempt at "What the hell, Sun!?", but he'd never know for sure. All but one face at the meeting slowly but inexorably swung around towards the end of the table where Neptune was sitting across from Signum. After his abortive attempt at a retort, Neptune had settled into red-faced, mortified silence. Signum, on the other hand, was completely unperturbed, instead taking the opportunity to sip her tea. As Neptune helplessly scanned the faces of the crowd for any source of relief or escape, he met Glynda's eyes and shifted suddenly from crimson to pale. Slowly and ever so deliberately, the professor raised a single eyebrow, completely silent.
Neptune's words this time were much clearer, even as he buried his face in his hands. "Dust, kill me now."
Blake's eyes snapped open with a start, expecting to see seething clouds and streamers of fire. She lurched upright, hands scrabbling at the strangely soft ground, trying to find Gambol Shroud.
"Whoa, Blake! Easy, easy! It's okay! We're safe, it's all right." Strong arms enveloped her, and the fit of adrenaline drained away, leaving her shaking.
"What- Yang? Where are we?" Blake could remember the fire wrapping around her, searing through her Aura and sizzling her skin, and the stench of burning hair. Her hands moved of their own accord, patting their way up her body and finding only healthy skin and fabric.
"We're back at Beacon. Shamal and Yuuno have been looking after us, we're in the big recovery room in the infirmary. You know, the one that we were all sure we'd never need?"
"And you say I'm the cynic." Now that Yang had mentioned it, Blake recognized the bland color of the walls. Her hands crept up further, only to have Yang gripping her wrists.
"Hold on a second, Blake. Before you freak out, I need to warn you that we're both a little light-headed after all that." Yang kept her tone light.
Blake blinked, leaning back to look Yang over. What she saw brought her up short, and she had to remember to keep her mouth closed.
Yang's luxurious fall of curls had been reduced to a messy globe of gold, only a few inches long and refusing to lay down in the slightest. Her partner blushed a little, running a hand through her hair only for it to poof right back up. "I, uh. It looked a lot worse a little while ago but Mom and Ruby trimmed it even."
Light-headed. The pun made a lot of sense suddenly, and the fact that Yang had said they were both light-headed set in. "My… my ears are cold. All of them are." Blake reached up, almost afraid of what she'd find.
Velvety fuzz met her fingers when they brushed over her faunus ears, making her sigh in relief. But the rest of her hair was, for the most part, gone. All she could feel was an inch-long crop of silky strands. It left her at a loss for words.
"Blake, a moment of your time?" Yang pulled back to let Shamal stand at Blake's side. "I'm going to be a little blunt, Blake. You were burned very badly when you arrived, and while I believe I was able to heal all of the damage, I'd like to do a quick hearing check. I've never had to treat someone with four separate ears before."
"...okay." What else can I say something like that?
"Thank you. Tell me if you hear anything." Shamal reached forward, holding Klarer Wind next to Blake's upper-left ear. When she heard the faint ringing tone, she nodded, and Shamal moved onto the next.
It only took a moment for Shamal to finish, and the healer nodded in satisfaction. "Good, it doesn't seem like there's a problem. I still recommend that you speak with an ear specialist when you can, as they're better equipped to diagnose if there's anything I missed."
Blake let out a breath, twisting her faunus ears back and forth for a moment. Just to be sure, she told herself. "...you, uhm. If the burns were that bad, and you had just healed me, I still wouldn't have any hair yet. How long have I been unconscious?"
Shamal just smiled at her. "Self-esteem is just as important as physical health when it comes to recovering from injuries, Blake. Yuuno took the time to speed up the growth rate of your hair follicles; it's standard procedure for burn patients back on Mid-Childa, actually." The smiled faded to a piqued frown after a moment. "Under normal circumstances you'd be scheduling an appointment with a hairdresser by now, but Remnant's interference field is reducing the effectiveness of the spell."
Blake shook her head, even going so far as to smile back at the doctor. "No, no, it's fine! It's a lot more than I could have hoped for, even. Thank you, Shamal. You and Yuuno both."
There was a light triple-tap at the door. Under Hayate's bed, Zafira opened one eye but otherwise didn't move. A moment later, Jaune and Pyrrha came in, talking quietly to each other. "-never needed a shower that badly in my life. I swear I had sand in places I didn't even know I had!"
"Jaune!" Pyrrha blushed, covering her mouth as she giggled.
"What? It's true!"
Pyrrha rolled her eyes, scanning the room. Her eyes widened a little, and she weaved between the beds as quickly as she could to grab Blake's hands. "Blake, Yang! You're both up!"
Blake was suddenly acutely aware that her ribbon was missing; most likely burned to ash back on Patch. She ducked her head a little, her ears starting to flatten reflexively before she remembered that Pyrrha already knew. The Mistralian had even told her once that she looked forward to the day when Blake would be comfortable enough to walk around in the open with her ears free. "Ah- yeah, we are."
"Huh," Jaune said behind her. "Lieutenant Galant? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be back at the Arthra?"
"Mr. Arc." The navy mage was sitting in the corner of the room next to another occupied bed, where a slim, well-tanned brunette woman was sleeping peacefully. His storage device rested in the crook of his arm. "Lockheed and I have been assigned to VIP detail the last week or so."
"Oh. Who's, uh. Who's the VIP? Is that her?"
"Coma victim. Shamal worked her magic on her a couple days ago, she is due to wake up anytime. Her name is Amber."
"Again, I apologize for the cramped quarters, but this was the simplest method by which to get everyone into one place for privacy. Please, make yourselves comfortable, and I will make this brief."
Headmaster Ozpin waited patiently, his face betraying none of the thoughts that Ruby knew had to be racing through his head. Around them, over two dozen people sat down on every available surface in Trauma Rec One, two to a bed when possible. In the corner of the room, under Chrono and Sentra's uncompromising watch, sat Roman Torchwick, and a slip of a girl with pink and brown hair. The girl's eyes constantly changed color, flickering between pink and white whenever she glanced at Sentra.
When the criminal had walked into the room he'd actually tipped his hat toward her, a gesture of actual respect that had stilled the shout of alarm in her throat unvoiced. He'd nodded to Blake as well.
It had helped that he'd been escorted through the door at device-point.
Now, though, everyone involved in the TSAB coverup was sitting in the suddenly too-small room. Teams CSAL, ZFSH, and NAVY, as well as JNPR and Ruby's own team. Winter was on her feet again thanks to Shamal and Yuuno, standing at Ironwood's right shoulder. Her mother was standing next to her father and Uncle Qrow, along with a black-haired woman who could only be Raven Branwen.
Raven hadn't even so much as looked at Yang, and only Ruby's hand on her older sister's shoulder had kept the brawler from leaping to her feet. Ruby could feel the tension seething through Yang's frame, but at least for the moment she was holding her tongue.
The only person who wasn't awake and paying attention was the girl that Roland had called Amber, and the TSAB mage wasn't leaving her side. Ruby noticed that Qrow had glanced at the mage and nodded in… gratitude.
"First things first," the headmaster said once everyone had settled in, "Admiral Harlaown."
Lindy nodded, manifesting her device in her hands. "Durandal, Frozen Wall." The chill pulse of light swept through the room, and the walls frosted over.
"Your debriefing with Mr. Torchwick went as expected?"
Torchwick had just inclined his head with a smile, as if S2U and Rosen weren't even there. Lindy nodded. "We spent a period of time discussing his admitted investigation into the Arthra.Lotte and Aria have confirmed that his story has no inconsistencies from what they have seen, and given the lack of preparation the opposing force has had for our actual capabilities, I am confident in trusting his word when he says that his own knowledge has not been passed to the enemy."
"Neo and I are survivors, Admiral Harlaown. I know when the playing field has changed, and staying on the losing side is a quick way to an early grave." He flicked open his lighter to start his cigar, only to frown when the flame was snuffed by a chill wind.
Reinforce shook her finger at him, her cherubic face severe. "This is a medical facility, Mr. Torchwick! No smoking!"
He sighed and nodded, putting the lighter away. He kept the cigar clenched in his teeth, though, chewing on the end.
"I concur with the admiral's assessment," was all Chrono said.
"Then I will continue. RWBY and JNPR, and Specialist Schnee. You are all aware of the Story of the Seasons."
Ruby nodded a little, glancing toward her mother. Summer's face was impassive, half hidden behind her blindfold. "Y-yes, Headmaster. Mom said we… were fighting with the Maiden of Summer." Team JNPR stared at her, and even though Winter kept her gaze forward, Ruby could see the speculative look on her face.
Headmaster Ozpin nodded, and began speaking. He detailed that the Maidens were all real, and that he and Professor Goodwitch along with Uncle Qrow and General Ironwood had been working to safeguard their existence in secrecy. "A conspiracy of necessity that seems to have ultimately failed, as we are now aware."
"No shit?" Roman leaned forward in his seat, rolling his cane back and forth in his hands. "Cinder Fall's one of them? That explains her fire gimmicks."
Ruby raised her eyebrows. "Cinder Fall? She's the student that made the dresses for Nanoha and the Harlaowns for the dance!"
"Indeed. Cinder Fall had stolen half of the Fall Maiden's power, and is now in possession of the entirety of it." The headmaster frowned, tapping his cane on the floor. "We were all played for fools."
"I was wondering why she was bothering to pose as a student," Torchwick commented. He pulled off his hat, scratching at his hair, and the girl immediately stole it from his limp hand to set on her own head. "You were hiding the girl in Beacon somewhere."
Professor Goodwitch pinched the bridge of her nose, and General Ironwood just sighed. Headmaster Ozpin continued as if Torchwick hadn't interrupted. "Ruby. Your team fought against the Summer Maiden, as well as the Grimm she seemed to control. Describe to us what you noticed, please. Everything is important."
"R-right! Uhm. When we got to Signal and helped Dad and his students fight off all those Grimm, Dad told us that there were just too many Grimm on Patch. I volunteered to take my Team and Fate and Arf to scout out where they were coming from while Uncle Qrow helped them evacuate the school." Ruby twitched a smile at her father. "I, uh. I guess we got in a little over our heads."
Yang took up where she left off. "We moved through the forest until we got to the cliff edge, uhm… your cenotaph, Mom. Well… we thought it was actually your grave, not just a marker, but-"
"Beside the point. Continue."
Yang's voice caught in her throat, and she glared at Raven. Her eyes flashed red, and Ruby squeezed on Yang's forearm. "Yang! Please, this is important!"
Crimson faded back to violet. "...right. Anyways, we got to the cliff edge, and… that's when the Kraken attacked."
"The Kraken," Professor Goodwitch said. "The mythological Kraken," she repeated. "You are certain?"
"A hundred percent, ma'am. It had to be the size of one of Ironwood's airships, all tentacles and bone, and it was throwing waves of Grimm at us. Makara. By the way, we know where Makara come from now!" She forced some levity into her tone, grinning at the deputy headmaster. Goodwitch just shook her head.
"A-anyways, uhm. When that happened, Fate went loud," Ruby said. "Arf ran forward and bound the whole Kraken with one of her spells, and Fate flew up to blast it with a big bombardment spell. But the lightning hit her instead, I- I guess that was Briar's doing."
Fate grimaced, nodding. "Bardiche was busy with the extra calculations because of the interference effect, and didn't get an autoguard off. It was a… masterful stroke, I hate to admit. By taking me down specifically, she kept the Kraken in play and Arf was forced to keep binding it instead of trying to fight back."
"That's when they attacked us," Weiss grimaced. "Blake got taken down… hard, in their alpha strike. It was… that Maiden, Briar Breeze, and she had a companion with her. I think her name was Holika. They were both faunus."
Blake straightened. "Briar Breeze and Holika the Unburnt. I… know of them." Eyes turned toward her and she ducked her head, ears flattening. "They're… extremists. Back when the White Fang was still… peaceful, they were already violent terrorists. Some of them-"
Blake paused, closing her eyes. "Some of us felt that they were hurting the cause more than helping it. We didn't want to work with them at all, we felt like we'd be tainted by association. I… I think they're actually where some of the more extreme members took inspiration when the White Fang failed to get the reactions we were hoping for. Emulating them, or feeling validated by them, because in the places they operated things did change a bit for the better. Briefly. Then the fear would wear off and the resentment would come back tenfold."
"The Summer Mantle is in the possession of an absolute terrorist, then." Headmaster Ozpin nodded slowly.
"A-anyways, uhm. Briar… she…" Ruby took a breath. "She beat me, badly. She destroyed Crescent Rose- her Semblance, she called it Rend! She makes these claws out of her Aura and they cut through anything in her way, even Aura and glyphs. She left me alive to goplay with Yang and Blake and Weiss. She hated Blake, called her a traitor. And… that's when I grabbed Bardiche, and he let me use him to try to stop her." Ruby rubbed at her eyes, trying to wipe away the hot tears that threatened to spill. "I'm so sorry, Fate! He's your partner and she ripped him to pieces! If I'd been smarter, if I'd been better, I-"
"It's fine, Ruby. Really. Most of a device is kept in a dimensional pocket; we'll be able to repair him." Fate smiled at her, and Ruby felt her gut unclench. There was no condemnation in Fate's red eyes, only compassion.
She nodded, swallowing. "B-but that's when she… put me down again, and Mom and Dad and Uncle Qrow and… and Aunt Raven showed up to save us."
Her mother spoke up then, shaking her head. "You saved yourselves, Little Rose." The pet name made her blush and duck her head. "We only got there in time because you all fought so hard."
"They definitely have some way of controlling the Grimm, or at least getting them to listen to them," Uncle Qrow said. "We had Briar and Holika boxed in against the cliff edge, and instead of making a last stand they cut the Kraken loose and jumped into the water. It actually grabbed them and carried them away."
"Ah- we saw something similar, actually." Jaune raised his hand, getting everyone's attention. "Not quite as blatant, but… there were alot of Grimm at the tower site. Nothing like the Kraken that Yang described, but everything from beowolves to goliaths. Lots of alphas too, of every kind. And when Chrono threw a surprise bind at… what was her name?"
"Yasmine," the enforcer offered.
"Yasmine?" Headmaster Ozpin straightened, eyes widening. "Captain, your device was recording, correct? Show me."
Chrono nodded. "S2U, display timestamp, previous combat action, fourteen twenty two hours." A holowindow appeared in the air, and Ruby found herself leaning a little to get a better view.
The image was of a middle-aged woman, with dusky skin and finely boned features, her hair a long, thick braid of pure white. Her clothing was expertly tailored, a dress of deep green with flaring sleeves that faded to white at the wrists, and her sky-blue eyes were glowing with green power. The wind-borne sand refused to touch her, leaving her spotless and clean. Ruby thought she looked almost regal, as if she didn't belong there with the dirt and dust surrounding her.
Headmaster Ozpin closed his eyes, turning away. His hands tightened around the grip of his cane. "I require a moment. I will return shortly." Without another word, he slipped through the door, closing it behind him.
Silence was left in his wake. Ruby shifted uncomfortably, feeling the tension in the air. "Did… anyone else get the impression that Headmaster Ozpin knows her?"
In the silence following Ruby's question, Chrono watched the adult hunters glancing questioningly at each other. None of them spoke up, though he did catch a pinched cast to Goodwitch's expression. If the headmaster does know this Yasmine, he never told the others about her.
Low conversation started up between the people inside the room, but none of it was immediately relevant so Chrono let himself tune it out, trying to focus on the nagging feeling in the back of his head. Three distinct and separate groups, all operating in a coordinated manner. Four, if we count the ones that went after Ivory and Raven ten years ago. He mulled it over, furrowing his brow. I'd go so far as to call them separate operational cells.
Distinct operational units implies a defined command structure.
The door opened again, pausing his thoughts. Ozpin entered the room, staring at a spot of nothing in the center of the room. Everyone waited, not wanting to be the one to speak first.
Finally, Ozpin looked back up, his gaze passing over everyone present. "The woman encountered by the team sent to the Red Steppes is Yasmine Zambacca. She is descended from Mantle royalty dating back to before the Great War, and her family line has been in possession of the Spring Mantle for centuries. Yasmine herself has been the Spring Maiden since the natural death of her grandmother some thirty years ago."
Ironwood straightened up, affronted. "You knew this for how long, Oz? And you never thought fit to actually share her identity with us?"
"She was in hiding, unknown to the world, and safe, James. I knew her identity, and I thought it best to maintain her secrecy."
"Apparently not, Oz! Because she's working with the enemy now! She's working with the Grimm!"
"Yes, James, she is! I made a mistake!" Ozpin's voice was as dark as Chrono had yet heard from the man, harsh and grating. "I made a judgment call based on the information I had, and time has now shown that it was the wrong call to make!"
"Well maybe if you'd kept us in the know, we wouldn't have a traitor Maiden! Do you think maybe that's how she found the others? It's been an inside job the entire time?"
"Wait." Chrono spoke while Ironwood paused for breath, cutting his impending tirade short. "Hold on a minute. Ironwood, you said she, and you don't mean Zambacca."
He saw it on their faces. Ozpin, Ironwood, Glynda and Qrow, all four of them reacted, looking away or clenching their teeth. "You said she. We have at least three separate groups operating against us, headed individually by Cinder Fall, Yasmine Zambacca, and Briar Breeze. There may well have been a fourth that killed Ivory, and I'd be willing to bet money that there's a replacement searching for the Winter Mantle." Summer and Raven glanced at each other, trading small nods.
Their reactions verified everything. "Four cells operating together. None of them in a specific position of control or power over the others. That implies a controlling intelligence, a chain of command to which they are subject." Chrono looked directly at the headmaster, forcing the man to meet his gaze. "Ozpin, who is she?"
Ozpin hesitated for a long moment, then removed his glasses to rub his eyes. "Salem, Captain Harlaown. She is called Salem, Queen of the Grimm, and she has been the enemy of this world for longer than our history can recollect. I cannot say more, because I know little more. I can only say that she is both eternal and implacable, and that the Grimm cull humanity because of her."
"That's an interesting linguistic coincidence," Reinforce chirped. "Etymologically, Salem can be considered to be a derivative of the ancient Hebrew term shalem from Unadministered World Ninety Seven, roughly defined as wholeness or an unbroken state. More simply defined, peace." The device spun in place, humming in thought. "Ironic, considering that the Grimm force Remnant to exist in a constant state of war, and seek to destroy all they can touch!"
"Another Earth parallel," Lindy commented. "I'm beginning to wonder if they're all coincidences after all."
"Interesting, yes." Ozpin slid his glasses back on, shaking his head. "But admittedly beyond the scope of this meeting. Captain Yagami, your group was forced into conflict with Cinder Fall when she moved to acquire the other half of the Fall Mantle."
It was a blatant attempt to change the subject. Chrono met the headmaster's gaze again, lifting his chin a fraction. I'll let it slide for now, but we're not finished with this subject.
"Ah- that's correct, Headmaster. Admittedly not our finest moment." Hayate let out a small, awkward laugh, rubbing the back of her head.
"I hate to say it, but I'm really starting to dislike how this planet is treating me," Nanoha huffed. "That's two crashes in two months I've had to suffer through, and I'm getting tired of being put on my rear. It's embarrassing!"
"Beside the point, Takamachi," Chrono admonished. Nanoha grumbled, quieting down.
Sentra straightened up, clearing her throat. "As I stated in my report, Subject Fall evaded my attempt at capture due to unexpected interference from Admiral Harlaown's bombardment spell."
"Ah, haha, I am terribly sorry about that!"
"I'm not trying to place blame, ma'am," she was quick to clarify. "Confusion happens in a battlezone, and sometimes less than optimal occurrences are the result. The decision to bombard the main battlefront with an incapacitation spell was the tactically correct decision."
"So where do we stand? Cinder Fall is still at large?" Qrow's voice grated a bit more than usual.
"Not entirely." Chrono cleared his throat. "Subject Fall has gone to ground. Because of the series of events, she now knows that she is outgunned and outnumbered. She will remain in hiding until she sees an opportunity to escape, which means we have a window in which to find her." He glanced to the side, meeting Nanoha's gaze. "Takamachi. Tactical combat analysis?"
"Yes, sir." Nanoha held up her device. "Please play the recording of the vault attack, Raising Heart? Next to it, Cinder's attack on our bullhead."
Both scenes blinked into view on separate holowindows; there was no sound, but the action played seamlessly in the videos. "Subject Fall has shown to be a very capable combatant, utilizing skilled close-combat ability and both precision and low-tier bombardment ranged ability. She's likely capable of more now that she possesses the full Fall Mantle, but that's conjecture."
Everyone leaned forward for a better view, so Nanoha stretched the screens a bit larger. "However, her greatest strength appears to lie in planning the battlefield ahead of time. Subject Fall attempts to guarantee her victories through planning and tactics; in fact, of the three known instances of combat against her, only Lieutenant Commander Lockheed managed to actually halt her assault and make her withdraw. Mid-Childan spellcasting seems to have been a factor that she had no information with which to plan for."
"Which, unfortunately, is the very event that did give her the ability to plan for it against us." Yuuno frowned. "Her tactics immediately shifted when she realized Nanoha was using abilities comparable to Sentra's."
Nanoha nodded, and closed the videos. The windows winked out, disappearing. "I know it's kind of obvious, but the best way to combat Subject Fall is to prevent her from choosing the time and place. Catch her before she's able to plan against us." She stepped back, nodding again.
"Thank you, Captain." Lindy rose to her feet. "We know what we're up against, at least for the foreseeable future. Our main goal is twofold at this point; locate Cinder Fall before she can effect an escape from Vale, and make certain our own forces are recovered as quickly as possible."
Chrono glanced to his side to see Roman Torchwick grin slyly, nicking his hat back from Neo and seating it properly on his head. "Finding Cinder? That's something I may be able to help with, when you're ready."
Lindy inclined her head to him, but then looked back up at the rest of the room. "Oh, one more thing! We've gotten some good news that my fellow refugees may be interested to hear. Chrono, would you mind getting the door?"
"Yes, Admiral." Chrono crossed the room, weaving through the maze of people and medical equipment. He flicked the lock and opened the door, peeking through. "Come on in, we're ready for you."
When the Liese twins walked through the door, there was a moment of silence from the room. Except for those that had been at the Red Steppes site, none of the Remnant natives knew who they were. His fellow TSAB operatives, however, were struck speechless.
Only for a moment, though. A cacophony of shouting broke out, as half of them expressed happiness at seeing the two. TheWolkenritter traded guarded looks, and stepped the slightest bit closer to Hayate. But even on the knights' faces Chrono could see relief.
Once the debriefing session had finished, people started separating into more comfortable groups, some leaving the room for fresh air. Everyone needed a little time to decompress, in one way or another.
Yang moved with purpose, once Blake had assured her that she'd be fine on her own. She hurried through the halls of the infirmary, trying to ignore the sidelong glances she was getting from the students she passed by. It was her hair, she knew. They were staring disbelievingly at the swirling golden globe that was left. 'What on earth made Xiao Long cut her hair?' was the question she could hear being whispered.
It didn't matter, so she pushed it from her mind. Finally, through the window into one of the smaller break rooms, she spotted the back of her dad's head. Across the table from him sat her mom, and her.
She almost punched the door open. She almost did it, but right before her fist crashed into it she stopped herself. Deep breaths, Yang. Stay calm, you can do this. She breathed in deeply, again and again until her breath didn't feel like it was going to catch things on fire.
Yang raised her hand again and knocked.
The door opened immediately, and she was standing there. Yang found herself staring into a face the mirror of her own.
"I knew you'd be hunting me down one way or another," Raven said. She stepped out of the way. "Let's get this over with."
Yang entered the room, saying nothing. The door swung closed behind her.
Everyone stared at her, waiting. Her father seemed tense, ready to jump to his feet. Summer was just waiting. This is it.
"Well?" Her mother crossed her arms.
"I just wanted to know why, Raven." Yang couldn't call her mom. "You left me with dad the moment you were able to walk away, and I always wanted to know what made you do that."
"And now you do."
"Yeah. Yeah, I do." The fire felt like it had gone out inside her, leaving ashes behind. Yang wasn't even angry anymore. "You had something else that you thought was more important than me. I can't even say you weren't justified thinking that."
"You were a mistake, Yang. I was already the Winter Maiden's guardian when I had my fling with your father." The short, blunt words hurt, even as much as she had been expecting them. Her father didn't react; they probably had this argument earlier... "I already had responsibilities that would not let me care for a child, and even if I hadn't I would still have been a terrible mother for you. Leaving was the kindest thing I could ever have done for you-"
Yang felt her lips twist, but Raven raised a hand to forestall her response. "-it was the kindest thing I could do for you, to not be in your life. I don't give myself that much credit, because I didn't plan for it, but Summer finding her way into your and Tai's lives was the best thing that could have happened. And then I took her away, and that is the cruelest thing I did to you.
"I'm the woman who gave birth to you, Yang, but I would never call myself your mother. Summer was your mother, and my actions took her out of your life. I don't regret what I did before, but that? That I do."
Raven stepped past her, opening the door. Yang's hands tightened into fists, her jaw clenched. Anything to keep the tears from spilling down her face. "Where are you going now?"
"I'm giving you some time with your parents. I don't need to be here for that." The door closed behind her.
Her eyes felt hot. Yang lowered her head, wiping the wetness away, and she felt her father's hand come to rest on her shoulder. Tentative footsteps approached her from the side, and when she blinked her eyes clear and looked up, Summer was standing uncertainly next to her.
Yang reached out and pulled her into a hug, and there was no stopping the tears anymore.
The maintenance room was never occupied early in the morning, and it was when Ruby preferred to do her own work. The smell of gun oil and spent Dust was comforting to her, and being able to sit alone and focus on simple mechanical tasks had always been a way for her to settle down after stressful times.
The lights were dim, except for a lone spotlight that had been left on in the rush to defend Vale. The tables were all unoccupied, rows of them sporting only a few cleaning rags that had been left behind.
Every table barring one. The remains of Crescent Rose were scattered across the surface. The blade was shattered, splinters of it left behind in Patch. The rifle barrel was warped and marred by claw marks, scored completely through in places.
About the only thing still intact was the firing chamber itself. Crescent Rose would never function again, not without a complete rebuild.
Ruby let out a sad sigh, reaching for the first tools to begin taking her weapon apart. If I remove the blade completely and replace the barrel, I can at least have a weapon.
For years now, Crescent Rose had been her partner, solid and dependable. Some people had called her silly, for treating her weapon with the same care that most would treat their closest friends. Ruby had always ignored them. But now, she couldn't help but compare her own weapon with Bardiche. Bardiche was a true friend of Fate's, and seeing that truly intelligent being shredded by Briar's claws… She couldn't help but think how childish she had been all along.
She didn't even realize someone had walked in until the door closed again with a thud. Ruby startled, jerking her head up, and saw Fate toward her. "Uhm, hi Fate! What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you," Fate replied. "Weiss said you come here a lot when you need some alone time."
"O-oh, I, uh. I'm not actually trying to avoid everyone, I just-" Ruby slumped back down, picking up a piece of Crescent Rose's blade. "I know things aren't over yet, and we need to have every person ready to fight as soon as possible. I was going to see if I could get…something working, even if I can't repair the scythe blade."
"About that. I could use your help with something, myself." Fate sat down next to her, reaching over and placing Bardiche's cracked storage form onto the table in front of her. "Bardiche has a recovery function built into him, but I need your help giving him enough power flow to activate it."
"Really? He does?" The surprise was quickly followed by shock, right on her first thought's heels. "Wait, me? What can I do?"
"Just reach out to him. You did once already, so you should be able to do it again." Fate smiled at her. "Go on."
Gingerly, Ruby picked up the gemmed plate. Bardiche felt fragile in her hands, cracked and loose. She swallowed, closing her eyes and letting her Aura drop away.
For a moment, there was nothing. But then she could feel it again, static electricity making the hairs on her arm stand straight. There was a faint nudge in the core of her self, and she tried to follow it with her thoughts.
The gem flickered, then flashed brightly. The device spoke, stuffy tones thick with static. "Guest user recognized. Magilink interface online."
"Bardiche!" She couldn't stop the cheer from flooding her voice; it had been one thing for Fate to tell her that the device could be repaired. It was quite another to be a part of it, to see Fate's friend coming back to life. "Set up!"
"Recovery."
The pull at her core became a harsh tug, a torrent of power flowing out of her. Her vision tunneled, sounds drowning out to a low buzz around her. Ruby gasped for air, wondering what she'd gotten herself into-
The sensation faded as quickly as it had come, fading to a pleasant buzz in her chest. Bardiche was whole in her hands, the axe-like head and yellow gem pristine and shining.
Ruby wanted to squeal, but she bit down on the need. With as much dignity as she could muster, she held the restored device out to Fate.
Fate just shook her head, placing her hand on Ruby's and gently pushing the polearm back toward her with a warm smile. "Bardiche."
"Yes, sir."
"Recognize user designation, Ruby Rose. Reinitialize magilink compatibility, update for new user."
"Yes, sir. Optimizing magilink interface, estimated time of completion; two hours."
Ruby blinked hard, looking down at Bardiche then back up to Fate. "W-what? Why, Fate?"
"Ruby, how do fuses work?"
She tilted her head. "Uh. When too much electricity is flowing through a circuit, the fuse burns up and causes a gap to form in the circuit, breaking the flow of electricity."
"That's correct," Fate smiled again. "Well, as you know, my Linker Core has a lightning affinity. It is very easy for me to attune my magics with electrical effects, and it is easier for me to control electrical effects than it is for other mages. However, there are…downsides to making full use of that affinity. When I was preparing to bombard the Kraken, my own magilink interface was fully… open, shall we say. Then Briar Breeze struck me with that lightning bolt. The long and short of it is part of her attack back-flowed into my Linker Core."
Ruby brought one hand to her mouth. "Oh geez. Are you okay?"
Fate nodded. "I will be with time to rest. But for the time being, it would be foolhardy in the extreme for me to channel magic of any sort. My Linker Core is… bruised, is the best way to describe it, and even magic healing can only do so much. So, I thought that since you need a weapon, and as of the moment I am unable to use my device… well, Bardiche likes you."
"I- I don't know what to say? You still trust me to use him? Bardiche, you still trust me after what happened?"
"Get set."
I never would have thought I'd watch the sunrise from one of these windows.
Torchwick sat in a wooden chair and enjoyed the view as the sun crested the distant horizon, pouring golden light across Beacon's campus. They were given a room on the highest floor of the visitor dorms, which they were sharing for the moment with Lotte and Aria.
He was wound far too tightly to sleep for the moment, but it wasn't the first time he'd been in such a mood. He'd crash hard in two hours or so, then wake up around noon a little irritable but none the worse for wear. Across the room, curled up in one of the dormitory's beds, Neo was sleeping away the stress of the last twenty four hours.
He couldn't blame her for being stressed, not at all. If he and Neo were snakes, they were in the middle of a den of mongooses. They were stepping very lightly.
Aria and Lotte, he had a feeling, were in the room to protect the two of them just as much as they were there to keep an eye on them. The twins were asleep, but he knew they would wake up at the slightest hint of danger.
Leaning back in his chair, Torchwick tugged his cap a bit lower over his eyes to block out the light, and tried to relax. He was in the middle of Beacon Academy, with the Headmaster's own promise of protection. There wasn't a safer place for him on Remnant at the moment.
But for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.