He threw the empty can across the room, and watched it slam against the wall instead of flying into the trashcan. Sighing as the miserable aluminum container rolled across the ground, Sapphire did not bother getting up to retrieve it.

He was in a hospital, so naturally there were things he was not supposed to do. Normally, for the sake of not attracting attention, he would have just thrown his rubbish like a normal guy, but today was not a day where he cared. Who could, after receiving news like that?

"What's on your mind?"

He almost jumped. He had recognized Blake Belladonna's voice right away, but the very fact that she was here still startled him. Turning to look at the Faunus – who looked like she was halfway to becoming a mummy – he raised an eyebrow.

"That a fashion statement?" he asked, smirking. Acting friendly – or anything besides how he actually felt – was a breeze for him, and there were even days when he thought it was too easy. He had always found it a convenience before, but now Sapphire could not bring himself to find comfort in that ability.

"Very funny," Blake rolled her eyes as she boxed him on the shoulder. "You don't look much better, you know."

"Heh, I'm used to this," Sapphire replied lightheartedly as Blake sat down next to him. "How's Yang?"

"Out cold, but alright otherwise," Blake said. "She'll be fine."

"And Rose?"

"Her surgery went without a hitch," Blake replied. "She's sleeping right now, and Weiss is with her. Luckily, the bullet wounds weren't fatal, but she'll be needing lots of rest."

"I see," Sapphire heaved a long sigh, leaning back against his chair. "I swear, you lot are nothing but trouble…"

"You're one to talk," Blake jabbed, but then she smiled. "Thanks for stopping Yang. Who knows what would have happened if you didn't step in."

Sapphire did not reply. He would have made a joke about Yang killing Junior if she had kept going, but there was no way Blake would have appreciated that sort of joke. He struggled to think of something else to say, but with his mind a jumbled mess of the same old words, nothing came out.

If you continue using Lifesaver, you will die.

He did not even bother pointing out the irony in that line when the doctor told him. It was not news, either; he had always known that Lifesaver was merely prolonging his life, not actually saving him. At best, it slowed the 'decay' left by Adam's attack, and was by no means a cure. The more he fought, the more he used Combat Mode, the faster that decay spread. Those were the conditions he had come to accept when he first sought revenge, and he had long since resigned himself to a pathetic death.

So why was it affecting him so much now?

If he wanted to live, he had but one choice – accept the surgery and forever step away from fighting forever. In exchange for continuing to draw breath, he would have to give up… what, exactly? He had defeated Mercury. He had made a truce with Blake. He had defeated Adam. What did he have left at this point that made him hesitate?

"Something on your mind?" Blake asked.

"M-Migraine," Sapphire replied hastily. "I've been pummeled a few times by Yang, after all."

"Hmm," Blake nodded, though she hardly seemed convinced by his answer.

"Anyway, how about we go see the sisters first?" Sapphire asked. "We're due to be transported back to Beacon's infirmary soon, aren't we?"

"Right, that…" Blake groaned. "I'm not looking forward to Goodwitch's interrogation…"

"Meh," Sapphire said, getting to his feet. "Come on, let's-"

"Hold on."

He paused. The tone in her voice had changed, and the look in Blake's eyes became sharper. Unable to help himself, Sapphire stepped back instinctively, keeping his eyes on the Faunus.

"I need to ask you something," Blake began. "In that battle with Yang… When you were… strangling… Ruby... How did you break out of it?"

Sapphire narrowed his eyes. He could not really blame her for that question, but at the same time, he did not want to answer it either; part of him could not understand how he had managed it either, and part of him was unwilling to think why that was.

"I don't know," he replied in the end. "I was in Combat Mode, so the pain was clouding my thoughts. I don't really remember what happened."

"… I see," Blake replied, standing up and walking ahead. "Come on, I'll take you to their room."

And with that, their conversation ended. Even without someone spelling it out and without Pat jamming witty remarks into his ears, Sapphire could tell that Blake did not buy his lie for even a moment.

Why am I so easy to read? He wondered. I'm a trained mercenary, for crying out loud…

Those thoughts vanished as he followed Blake into the room, and coming face-to-face with a pair of girls he had never expected to see in that state; wrapped in bandages and without their trademark energy, the sisters Ruby and Yang lay asleep on their beds-

"But Weiiiisss…."

Ruby's whine made Sapphire want to sigh and laugh at the same time. Opening her eyes and looking at her partner with the professional expression of an adorable puppy, Ruby continued to beg.

"It's just one…" she pleaded.

"For the last time, no," Weiss snapped. For a wounded person, she still had a sharp tone. Granted, she was the least injured amongst them, but from the looks of it she might as well have been perfectly healthy. "You need to rest, and rest you will."

"What's wrong?" Blake asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She wants cookies," Weiss sighed, glaring at Sapphire as he tried desperately to keep a straight face. "She was almost shot in the stomach, too."

"But I wasn't," Ruby complained. "I'm fiiine, Weiss! Just one, okay? Pleeeeease? I'm totally fine!"

"You're fine?" Weiss repeated. Reaching out and hovering a finger over Ruby's stomach, she proceeded to bring it down. "So it doesn't hurt there anymore?"

"What're you- Ow!" Ruby twitched. "T-that's not- Ow! Stop poki- oww! I-I get it, Weiss! Ouch! I-I get it! Oww! Stop poking me! Please!"

"That's better," Weiss said, sounding rather satisfied. "I knew you would see sense in the end."

"I was just trying to lighten the mood…" Ruby muttered under her breath.

"Ruby, you having a sugar rush and leveling the hospital isn't going to lighten anything," Blake said exasperatedly. "Don't just stand there, Sapphire; say something."

"And make sure you back us up," Weiss added dangerously.

"Er…" Sapphire could feel the tension building up in the small room. Ruby was looking at him with tear-filled eyes, while Weiss was giving him a glare so sharp he thought his stitches might have reopened just by being exposed to her. "W-well… We're all still alive, so we should take it easy?"

"What's with that cliché comment?" Weiss asked.

"I tend to lack creativity when my life's in danger, thank you very much," Sapphire retorted. "Anyway, Rose: how're you feeling?"

"Hungry," Ruby pouted. Then, noticing the expression on Weiss's face, instantly changed her reply. "I-I mean, I'm fine. I just need a little rest, that's all. The doctor said Yang will be waking up any time now, too. How're you feeling?"

"I'm dandy," Sapphire replied. "I'm the toughest here, after all. My treatment's longer only because of Lifesaver's maintenance."

"Are you sure?"

Sapphire froze. He felt like he had just said something he should not have, and some dirty secret had been revealed because of it all of a sudden. Rose's strange insight was nothing new, but it was unnerving as always.

"W-what do you mean?" he asked.

"You seem kind of troubled," Ruby replied. "Did something happen? Are you hurt?"

"O-of course I'm hurt; I was fighting," Sapphire stammered. "I'm perfectly fine; don't worry about-"

The world suddenly slid out of focus, and darkness instantly invaded his vision. Losing all strength in his body, Sapphire felt his legs give way under his weight. Before he even registered what was going on, he was falling, with the ground rushing to meet him at an alarming speed. In his dazed state, all that went through his mind was a simple sentence:

If you continue to fight, you will lose your life.

And then, nothing. Giving in to the allure of silence, Sapphire shut his heavy eyelids. He was tired all of a sudden, and as his consciousness faded he could hear the familiar voices of three girls. They sounded worried, but he was unable to care; his mind was swimming with jumbled words and thoughts, and even they were drowned out by the darkness.

When he woke up in Beacon's infirmary later, he no longer recalled that exchange.


Roman Torchwick was, if anything, not a patient man. Sure, he could wait a few days or weeks when it came to executing plans, but he hated waiting. Nothing felt better than instant gratification, and nothing irked him more than to be left empty-handed. That of course, extended to information and not just money, particularly when it came to a woman who loved to keep him in the dark.

"I see you've brought a new friend," he sneered, hardly trying to hide his contempt. They may have been partners, but there were no warm, fuzzy feelings between him and Cinder Fall.

"You can ignore him," Cinder replied crisply. Sapphire was not exactly far away from them, but she could not bring herself to care if he overheard their conversation or not. "He's just a pawn I stole from their side. He's no threat to us."

Torchwick was by no stretch of the imagination Cinder's friend, but even he could discern the contempt in her voice. While it was not something new to be working with someone you hate (his partnership with Cinder was proof of that) in this profession, to hear the great Cinder Fall express such open dislike of someone was rare.

Must be an interesting specimen, he mused. "He looks familiar."

"Yeah, I killed a bunch of your guys," Sapphire said rather calmly. "I was also hired by you to steal Dust and weapons at some point."

Torchwick narrowed his eyes at the blue-eyed mercenary, unsure of what he should make of that comment. The kid was in an unknown enemy hideout without any support, and he was spouting things that would get him ripped to shreds right then and there. He was either fearless, or he was a complete idiot.

"Cinder, I need to talk to you," Emerald said. "Do you have a minute?"

"Of course," Cinder replied, walking off with her subordinate. She did not even cast a glance at Sapphire as she went.

"So you're the replacement for that arrogant kid?" Torchwick wondered aloud, lighting a cigar. "Terrible taste, she has."

With a soft, barely audible sound, the front half of the cigar fell from Torchwick's fingers and onto the ground. Pausing for an instant, Torchwick backed away from Sapphire, who had his weapons deployed.

"I'm fine with you flapping your gums," the former mercenary said. "It's all you're good for. But if you're going to insult Cinder, you better be ready to forfeit your life."

"Little kids these days just don't know their place," Torchwick sighed, spitting out the remaining half of his cigar. "You need to be taught a lesson, don't you?"

"I never attended school, old man," Sapphire replied, watching Torchwick slightly raise his cane. He was holding it high enough to react to an attack, but not high enough to launch one of his own. The man was waiting for him to make a move. "Though if you're so keen, I can most certainly oblige by setting your hair on fire."

"A little too eager, are we, boys?"

Before Torchwick could reply, Cinder stepped in, a look of controlled anger on her face. Giving a small nod to Emerald, she walked over to Sapphire and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We need to talk," she said, her tone allowing for no arguments. The look in her eyes was dangerous, sure, but Sapphire was more surprised by the utter disgust in them. It was as though she was looking at an exceptionally ugly Grimm. "Right now."

"Got it," Sapphire replied, instantly sheathing his weapons.


"Emerald tells me you were followed," Cinder said loftily. "And she also tells me you let her go without killing her."

"That is correct," Sapphire replied. They were in a room for briefing or something by the looks of it, and they were currently the only two occupants in it. While it gave them space to themselves, it also laid Sapphire bare to the hostility pouring out of his sister. "If we killed her, it'd have drawn a lot of unwanted attention to us."

"And you thought leaving her alive wouldn't?" Cinder questioned.

"She's not stupid enough to follow," Sapphire answered. "Besides, even if she tells anyone about it, no one would help her get to us; I'm an expendable asset to begin with, and having me out of Beacon puts less of their students at risk. Surely Ozpin's smart enough to know that."

Cinder fought the urge to bash his face in. His reasoning might have been sound, in a way, but it did not change the fact that he may have very well endangered their operation. If they managed to find this hideout, Ozpin's fighters could really slow their plans down. Not that they would be able to stop them.

"Listen to me," she warned. "I don't care what you think you know, but you're not the one in charge. I am. You do what I say and you don't be a smartass. Don't think. Obey. Are we clear?"

"… Crystal," Sapphire replied. "Sorry, sis."

"Don't call me that," Cinder snapped. Then, remembering that he was under her 'suggestion', added, "We're in the middle of a mission. Refer to me as 'Cinder' and nothing else."

Sapphire looked into her eyes. Searched them. Bore into them in the hopes of finding something he prayed was there. But he found nothing.

He had fresh blood on his hands. He had far too many crimes to his name. He had committed too many sins to count, but he had done for her. Now that she was finally here, he was unable to find any of the comfort he had believed he would feel.

He had been fine with taking lives. He had become accustomed to drowning in the blood of his victims. But that same world he had long since accepted had tainted his sister. His family. His one anchor to whatever sanity he still retained. It had irrevocably corrupted her.

So he had to tear that world down. Even if it meant dying, and even if it meant that she would curse his name, he had to demolish the path Cinder intended to walk.

But he could not do it alone.

"Understood," Sapphire answered.

I'm leaving it in your hands, Rose, he pleaded in his head.


"So let me get this straight."

Ruby Rose, brought before the imperial judge of all Heaven and Hell, whimpered. She was pretty sure she could see flames behind said demon, but that could very well be just her imagination. Just maybe.

"You went after him yourself after seeing him with a clearly suspicious person."

She briefly wondered how the wooden desk the judge rested its hands on was not catching fire.

"Y-yes," she croaked.

"And you did not think to inform us."

Scratch that: it was a wonder the world was not ash by now.

"N-no."

"So you chased them and even confronted them."

"Y-yes."

"You did not put up any resistance when he pointed a weapon at you, when you could very well have died."

"B-but Sapphire wouldn't-"

"Answer the question, Ruby Rose."

"Y-yes, I did."

"I see," Weiss Schnee concluded. "Do you have any last words?"

"Um… I'm sorry?" Ruby tried, offering her best impersonation of a wounded puppy.

"Restrain me," Weiss told Blake and Yang. "Or I may really kill her."

"Calm down, Weiss," Blake tried, though she too was keeping her distance. "Take a look at this. It should be your area of expertise."

"What is this?" Weiss snapped, snatching the small cylindrical object from her teammate. Her anger dissipated somewhat almost instantly. "This is… It's Aura-sensitive."

"Okay…" Yang drawled. "What is that, and what does that mean?"

"How did you make it to Beacon?" Weiss asked incredulously.

"I kick ass," Yang replied simply, shrugging.

"And they just-" Weiss began, then looked at Ruby. "Never mind. Anyway, this thing is calibrated to react to Aura and activate only when it comes into contact with it. It's set to high-sensitivity, so the target doesn't even have to activate his or her Aura for it to work. And that dolt activated it when it made contact with her overly large forehead."

"It's just the right size…"

"Wait," Blake said. "So it wouldn't have worked if Ruby had dodged the arrow?"

"It's likely," Weiss nodded. "Something this sensitive would likely not work if it hit the ground without first coming into contact with Aura."

"Does that mean Sapphire was hoping Ruby wouldn't dodge?" Yang asked.

The room was silent for a few minutes.

"Well, let's see what he wants," Weiss said, pressing what seemed to be the only button on the arrow.

With a soft beeping sound, a beam of light shot out of the arrow tip and expanded. Appearing before them from the small object was a holographic map of Vale, or rather a part of it. On it were two glowing spots – one in Beacon, exactly where they were standing, and one in…

"Where do you suppose this is?" Yang asked, but she was smirking.

"I guess it means 'come here and kick my butt' in cheeky mercenary language," Blake sighed.

"I'm going to do a lot worse than that to him when I get my hands on him," Weiss snarled.

Ruby, on the other hand, was beaming.

"Well, let's go find him!" she chirped.

They had nothing to convince them that that was where Sapphire would be, or if it was in any way going to help them find him. Yet, as the four girls of Team RWBY stood there looking at the map, they found no reason to think otherwise.

Maybe, as Sapphire would have suspected, this was the 'trust' thing Ozpin was talking about.