Realized and Unrealized Potential

Hello everyone and welcome to the latest season finale of Team WA Volume 2! Before we begin I'd like to take a quick moment to again thank all of you for reading, commenting, reviewing and just generally sticking around. It really has been quite a ride. And for our current guest review from DCDGojira I'd like to take his question and pose it to everyone: Would you all like to see some side stories detailing our characters like Jen and Tobias in their early days when they met Qrow and Summer, Winter's reaction to the graffiti on her ship, Wayne and Aegis's time in Signal and Sanctum academies, etc. And would you like that posted as a separate story or a part of this one? Feel free to take your time answering because first, we have a finale chapter to read!

The Skies of Atlas

"So where exactly did you learn to fly an Atlesian airship," asked Aegis as he, Wayne and Tobias were all huddled up behind Jen in the cockpit. They'd managed to 'acquire' said airship after a bit of negotiation with the rather rowdy crew aboard the military craft, which Jen was now flying.

"Your Grandmother learned it while we were living in Atlas," explained Jen, "she taught me what she could during my training to become a huntress. It's come in handy from time to time, though," She veered to the left to avoid a slightly taller building that she almost hadn't seen, "I am a bit rusty at it."

"Well you can be Maria's co-pilot once we find everyone else," said Wayne, "I just hope they're not gonna ask us for landing clearance once we get to Atlas Academy."

"I don't think we're gonna make it that far," said Tobias as he noticed something in the distance, something glowing. And it wasn't the large sign on the building that read M3 either. This glow was much smaller, and moving.

"That looks like a, white Manticore," noted Jen as she squinted her eyes, focusing her Faunus vision. It did indeed resemble a Grimm, but it also seemed to have a rider who was engaged in combat against something that was shooting flames. The Grimm rider was also being aided by a green streak flying through the sky.

"That's Penny and Winter fighting," realized Aegis, "but who in the world has the ability to fly through the air with flames?"

"It can't be," said Wayne as he watched the flight paths, noting a slight familiarity to the movements. "Cinder Fall, is here?"

"I still can't understand how she can be alive after you helped Raven kick her into a freakin' abyss," commented Aegis.

"I guess that abyss wasn't as deep as it seemed," answered Tobias as he readied his weapons, "Either way we need to get over there. If that's who you say it is then there's only one reason she's at this building."

"The Winter maiden," finished Wayne, "so this is where they took me to get my shoulder healed."

"And this is gonna be our stop," said Jen as she steered the ship towards the building's roof. As they approached, the battle seemed to take a bad turn as Winter's summon was destroyed by Cinder before the Schnee herself took a fireball that knocked out her aura. Penny was quick to fly down and grab her while Cinder retreated back into the large hole she'd torn in the building. "Hang on, my landing skills are still a bit off!"

This proved to not be an exaggeration, unfortunately, as she managed to slow the airship's descent and extend the landing gear, but still hit the ground rather hard as they slid for a moment, tilted to one side before finally slamming back down into a resting position. "Is everyone okay?" Asked Tobias as he looked around the cabin.

"Believe it or not that's been one of the smoother landings I've been a part of in recent months," commented Wayne.

"I'm good so let's get out there," said Aegis as he opened the door and drew his weapon before charging out with his family close behind. But the group got only a few feet before the roof suddenly exploded as a tornado-like blizzard seemed to shoot forth into the air.

"What in the world's going on?" Jen had to yell a bit to be heard over the initial noise, "Did Cinder already get the maiden's power?"

"No, she didn't," said Winter as Penny landed and set her down, "what we're seeing now is the power of a fully realized maiden. If Cinder really had obtained it, the blizzard would've died down by this point."

"So if Fria's still alive," said Wayne, "What should we do?"

"Whatever we can," said Winter as she stepped forward and tried to reach her hand into the frigid vortex. But she recoiled in pain as the subzero temperature froze and dissolved her glove before nearly doing the same to the skin on her fingers. "It's too cold, we're gonna need another approach."

"I think I can do it," said Penny after looking at her hands for a moment, "No I have too!"

"Penny wait!" Pleaded Winter. But she was too late as the android girl leapt into the vortex.

"Geez I hate today," said Tobias as he called upon his aura shadow and set his body alight in blue flames with his semblance, "Find Cinder and keep her away from the maiden. I'll help out your friend."

"But Dad you can't just rush in like-," Wayne began before his Father held up a hand.

"If we lose the maiden then we're all dead anyway," said Tobias, "remember you're a huntsman now and this is sometimes part of the job." Wayne and Aegis both wanted to argue that point, but couldn't come up with anything concrete, not when there was so little time. So reluctantly, they and Jen nodded in acceptance as Tobias forced himself into the subzero whirlwind.

"Come on," said Jen as she turned away, "We still need to find Cinder."

"I might have a solution to that," said Winter as she pulled out her scroll and brought up a holographic map, "she may have taken out all of the guards but not quite all of the motion sensors. I'm picking up a single moving life sign right around here." She indicated the spot on the roof with her finger.

"In that case," said Jen as she cracked her knuckles, "I think I've got something of an idea."

Within the Winter Maiden's Medical Complex

'How, how could I be repulsed by an old woman who's practically at death's door,' seethed Cinder as she was forced to stand and watch the swirling hailstorm of pure cold in front of her as it encased the maiden's room in ice. 'Fully realized or not she shouldn't be able to command so much power.' But infuriating as it was, she still managed to take a calming breath and think. 'She can't keep it up forever, and the moment that storm stops I'll-.' Her planning, as it turned out, would have to wait as the ceiling above her burst open.

The current Fall Maiden evaded to the side as a bear Faunus woman dropped in through the hole she created, quickly followed by a much more familiar, and unwelcome half bear Faunus. "So you are alive," said Wayne as he readied his weapons, "but all that means is we'll just have to pick up where we left off."

"Oh yes, how did that go last time Ursario," said Cinder as flames formed in both of her hands, "I seem to recall it was I who was about to kill YOU!" She shot a pair of fireballs at her enemies, both of which were evaded as Mother and son circled and charged with their weapons bared. The Fall maiden quickly formed her own twin red glass swords as she deflected and dodged around the initial strikes of the two fighters. Wayne attempted a few high swipes at her face, which were quickly parried, before dropping down with an attempted sweep kick.

Cinder nimbly flipped over the attack as she brushed aside a few punches from the Faunus woman and struck back with a few moves of her own. Her foe was able to block her short barrage of strikes with surprising speed and skill, but was forced back nonetheless until she made a desperate forward jab. But Cinder had anticipated such a straight forward move and spun out of the way before slashing upward at her foe's arm behind her gauntlet. That's when she got her first surprise from the family, a small explosion occurred that shattered her sword and caused her to stagger.

Wayne quickly capitalized on this as he rushed in with his own slashing combo. Cinder was put off balance by the assault to the point that she was now backing up while blocking with her remaining sword before regaining her footing and lashing out with her Grimm arm. But the Half Faunus had learned much in their last encounter and quickly evaded to the side, regrouping with the bear Faunus woman. "Don't think having an older woman backing you up again means this will end the same as last time," said Cinder.

"I'll have you know my name is Jen," she said, "and now I can see how my boy nearly managed to kill you despite the maiden powers in your possession. You're quite the arrogant little brat."

"Boy?" Questioned Cinder before taking a closer look, "Don't tell me, you brought your own Mother to help you fight, Wayne Ursario?"

"Not just my Mother," replied Wayne as yet another member of his family, Aegis, came busting through the ceiling angled right for Cinder. Unlike the last two times, this one was more coordinated with Cinder's only means of escape being towards the Mother and Eldest son. Even then, she only had time to reform her other blade as she blocked the energized mace. It still hit with enough force, however, to break the floor from the impact, sending both her and the younger Ursario brother into the lab below.

"Winter now!" exclaimed Aegis over his earpiece as he leapt back. An irritated Cinder didn't bother thinking what that meant as she conjured a fireball and prepared to throw it towards the latest trouble maker, only for the lights to cut off at the last second. Her shot went wide from the sudden obstruction of her vision, slamming into some nearby terminals and melting them to slag. 'So that's their game,' thought Cinder as she heard the unmistakable sound of two more forms landing in the room.

'Hide and seek it is then,' she mused maliciously as she sent another pair of fireballs in the direction of the noises she heard. But the result was similar to last time as her shots hit a pair of tanks storing some kind of restorative liquid, shattering them completely. Her eyes scanned the dark then as she called upon her training in the Grimm lands. 'They really think fighting me in the dark gives them any better of a chance than before.'

It seemed so as she managed to catch the movement of shadows quickly approaching her, all closing in from roughly the same direction. 'That's it, come to me.' The Fall maiden waited until they were right on top of her, watching as their paths were about to cross before she struck by throwing both blades, which impacted against a floating pane of glass. "What?" She managed to get out before reforming her swords to deflect the oncoming powerful blows, one of which was an ice ax while the other was a pair of gauntleted hands.

One of said hands suddenly ignited with fire dust, likely in an attempt to blind her with the sudden light and slow her reaction to the blow. It was a good attempt, but not good enough as the Fall maiden danced around the blow, only to receive a jolt of pain to her side as she realized the flaming hand was only a feint. The real threat had been from a quick, electrified chop to her midsection causing her to stagger back as she barely managed to block the heavy blow from Aegis that made her stumble and roll to a half kneeling position. "Pests!" Exclaimed Cinder as sent out two jets of flame from each hand, forcing her attackers back.

'These two really think, wait, where's the older brother?' Realization hit as she noted a shadow blocking her view of the hole in the ceiling when blue light suddenly erupted from Wayne's Crescent Fangs. Cinder attempted to turn her flame jets against this onslaught, only for numerous whirling energy blades to carve through it and land around her before another series of glowing orbs, Wayne's scattering moonlight technique, slammed into her and sent her flying back into the nearby wall. The Fall Maiden grunted in pain as she tore herself from the crater she'd made with her body.

"You know it's funny in a way," said Wayne as he seemingly emerged from the flames which were now illuminating the lab, the power of the aura shadow enveloping his body. "I felt little more than murderous rage the last time we fought, with just enough of my mind left to fight strategically. But now all I really feel is pity for you."

"You really think you can pity me!" Said Cinder as she rushed forward, creating more twin blades as she traded blows with the former Beacon student. Something was different about his moves though. He was wrapped in the aura shadow and yet he was fighting defensively, more fluidly than before as opposed to the beast from last time. She got her answer to his choice of fighting form when he leapt upwards to avoid a double strike from her, allowing his brother to come charging with the rage mode active and an earth sword formed around his weapon.

The maiden dodged to the side and fired a blast which froze his feet to the ground before powering up her left weapon and tossing it. The boy's Mother intervened with her own rage mode active as she stopped in front of her son and slammed her fists together, creating a barrier of wind which repulsed the blade where it exploded harmlessly in the air. This gave Aegis the necessary time to free his feet as Wayne came in again, swinging both of his weapons on his wrist wires. Cinder dodged around and deflected the blows until one came in that she didn't realize was charged with his semblance as it cut through and destroyed another one of her blades while also scratching her Grimm arm.

Jen used the opening to barrel towards the Fall maiden and threw another powerful punch which Cinder caught with her Grimm arm and readied to bring her sword across the bear Faunus woman's throat. This turned out to be another mistake as Jen activated both her wind and fire dust to unleash one of her signature explosive fist attacks, tearing up Cinder's Grimm hand as the woman yelled out in pain. Aegis swooped in during this moment of vulnerability to deliver the coup de grace, an energized spike hammer that sent the maiden right back into the same crater she'd made in the wall earlier. "You really should listen to my son's reasoning," said Jen, "he's learned quite a bit recently and not just from me and his father."

"Thank you Mother," said Wayne, "now as I was saying I pity you. Because even after obtaining the power of a maiden you're still not satisfied with what you have. Is it really not enough that you wield magic that makes you among the most powerful in the entire world?"

"Among the most powerful," said Cinder as she staggered to her feet, "the maiden's power has been wasted for so long, split between four random individuals. But I am finally going to unite them all into a pure and complete power."

"Wasted?" Said Aegis, "from where I'm standing the biggest waste of the maiden's power has been it getting into your hands. You couldn't even make it one day before getting screwed up so bad that you needed a new arm. And now even after having it for months you're still lacking what you need to beat a terminally ill old woman."

"A minor setback," said Cinder as she conjured her blades once again, "I'll work around that easily enough."

"And be rewarded with more of the same despite becoming more powerful," said Wayne, "even if you should obtain the power of all four maidens, it won't change as much as you think."

"Oh, and why's that?" Inquired the Fall Maiden, her curiosity and eagerness to cut down a likely feeble argument staying her hand.

"The same reason you lost to Raven, the same reason you're not able to beat us now," said Wayne, "you have power but you don't have a true mastery over it. As you just saw, Fria is a fully realized maiden because she put in the time and effort perfecting her control over her power. You, on the other hand, are still flinging around fireballs ninety percent of the time and have barely bothered attempting much beyond the basics of the other elements you control. In short, you may have the power, but you lack the ability to actually use it to it's full potential."

"I'll show you ability," seethed Cinder as flames danced around her blades and fire flashed from her eyes, "Once I have all the power I'll use it in ways your feeble minds can barely comprehend!" As she spoke, numerous glass shards formed in the air around her and aimed at the Ursario family, encircled with flames and bearing molten blades. "Now enjoy being torn to pieces and burnt to a crisp!"

"Aegis," said Jen as her youngest son moved up front, spinning his cylinder to energy dust as he formed a towering glass shield. Wayne knew the maneuver well as he formed his blade staff and channeled his semblance through it while slamming it into the defensive wall. But it had an addition this time as Jen also slammed a bit of wind dust into the mix, creating a blast wave that shook the room as it blew away the explosive shards, where they detonated more or less harmlessly. Save for the ones which were sent right back into Cinder who yelled in pain as she was knocked off her feet and into the wall for a third time!

"Wow, my mind was utterly blown from seeing that attack," quipped Aegis, "it's too bad we've been spending the preceding days here working on strategies specifically meant to counter unfriendly maidens."

"Y-you damned insects," said Cinder as she struggled to her feet while breathing heavily, "You think you can stand in my way?" Wayne was about to give an answer to that when he noticed another shuddering from the floor above them. The rest of his family did as well and arrived at the same conclusion: Penny and Tobias had managed to calm Fria down. Unfortunately, Cinder also figured out what the sound meant and used her one moment of distraction to form an especially bright flame around herself, which the Ursarios all bombarded with their own attacks, only for them to hit nothing as the flames dissipated.

"Crap, she's headed back up towards Fria's floor," said Wayne as he, Aegis and Jen turned and rushed towards the nearest exit. There was no telling how long they had before it was too late.

A Few Minutes Earlier: Room of the Winter Maiden

The cold was intense. So much so that even an android like Penny could feel her feet freezing in place as she activated her booster to break her right leg free from yet another ice block. 'Just a little further,' thought Penny as the howling winds attempted to force her back. They almost succeeded at one point as the android girl lost her footing on a patch of ice, only for a hand to steady her. "Keep going kid," encouraged Tobias whose body was wrapped in both his blue flames and the aura shadow, creating one of the only warm spots in the mystical blizzard, "the lady needs your help!"

Penny nodded as she planted her feet and kept on walking. Whether it was another five feet, another ten, or even a mile she didn't know as the generated storm scrambled even her sensors. But at long last, the two arrived to see Fria in the center, her body hovering with her arms held out as she maintained the storm. Penny wasn't sure if she saw either of them or not, but she ventured forth anyway and laid a hand on the woman's ankle.

This seemed to work as the power radiating from Fria's eyes suddenly ceased as the woman seemed to awaken from her trance. "Are you okay?" Asked the Android Girl.

"I remember, I had a job to do," replied Fria, "Protect the power of the maiden until I was ready. I've probably lost track of time since I was told that, but you can tell James that I am ready now." And it was clear she realized the implications of letting the power go as the storm quieted and she slowly fell to the ground, with Penny catching her and cradling her still form in her arms. Tobias stood back then, allowing both his semblance and the aura shadow to die down as he began walking the perimeter, averting his gaze from the sight.

'I hate seeing things like this,' he thought as he walked a half-circle around the two, 'an old problem being passed onto the next generation when they hardly have any idea what it's about. It's one of the few things I hate about this world.' But it was hardly the problem he hated most as he took note of one of the sections of ice that had formed heating up. In the next instant, it exploded as a somewhat beat up and very angry looking Cinder Fall dropped into the room.

"She's mine!" Exclaimed the Fall Maiden as she stretched her Grimm arm towards Penny and Fria, only for it to be sliced off by the threat she hadn't seen in her rage, Tobias. The woman recoiled in agony as she grasped at the lost limb, black smoke erupting from the wound.

"You've already got more than enough power to misuse," commented Tobias as Winter leapt into the room next to him and readied her weapons. Cinder didn't respond as she continued to writhe in pain before a new left Grimm arm suddenly sprouted. "Oh it grows back, that'll be troubling, for you." Cinder conjured a sword in her left hand at the same time that Tobias clicked his teeth, causing a small spark before Cinder's arm ignited in blue flame.

"AAAAARGH!" The Fall Maiden again found herself in excruciating pain before forming another sword in her right hand to cut off her Grimm arm.

"I forgot to mention, my name is Tobias Ursario," he said as clicked his teeth again and formed a wall of fire around Penny and Fria where he'd been walking while also calling upon the power of the aura shadow around himself, "and you, Cinder Fall, hurt my boys." If it was possible for Cinder to get any angrier, now was the time as she reformed her Grimm and twin swords before charging forward with murderous intent at those who dared block her way. The exchange was ferocious as Tobias and Winter blocked and dodged around her blows before countering with their own. Cinder had resorted to throwing one weapon after another at the two as they shattered against their own, raining glass debris before she rushed in with her own onslaught of slashes and a kick which Tobias managed to block.

It left Winter an opening to strike, which she only missed by a hair before Cinder slashed her arm, drawing blood due to her lack of aura. Tobias kicked the maiden away as he attempted to drive her back with his own series of slashes, even managing to disarm Cinder of one of her blades before she retaliated with a burst of flame aimed at his face. Wayne's Father held his arm up with blue flame covering it, his own flame semblance serving as protection but also putting a mild drain on his aura. Winter again capitalized on this opening, forcing Cinder to conjure both blades again to hold her off before countering with a slash that nearly took off Winter's head, unfurling her hair in the process.

It succeeded in staggering the Schnee girl long enough for Cinder to kick her across the face and send her away, likely giving her a black eye as well. This left Tobias to fend the woman off as the two exchanged flaming blows, each clash creating sparks and flames which began to melt the ice forming around them until the Fall Maiden self-destructed one of her weapons, disarming the Ursario of his right weapon and giving her an opening to use a fireball. Or so she thought it was an opening as Tobias managed to catch her wrist, igniting his body and hand in blue flame to not only burn her Grimm arm but protect himself from her flames as well. It was another bout of agony for the Fall maiden as she attempted to keep up her own blast of flame against the wielder of Cerulean flames.

But her impatience got the better of her as she unleashed a blast of lightning from her body, sending Wayne's father back several feet where he hit the ground, only managing to roll back to his feet as he stood breathing heavily. "Well that's a feeling I haven't experienced in a long time," noted Tobias as he examined the burnt hole in his clothing where some charred skin had formed, "you actually managed to burn me. Though if you'd known half the voltage my wife's put into me over the years you would've doubled the output of that lightning just now."

"I see where those annoying sons of yours get it now," said Cinder as lightning crackled from her hands, "but I won't let some old pyro stop me here!"

"We've already succeeded in stopping you," said Tobias, "you just haven't realized it yet." Cinder would've asked what he meant about that until the azure flames surrounding Penny and Fria suddenly dissipated from a fresh bout of cold and snow. And standing there with her eyes now radiating green flames was Penny. Or to be more precise, there stood the newest Winter Maiden. "And reinforcements have arrived." He cocked his head towards the hole Cinder had created in the wall.

The Fall Maiden's expression fell as she turned and saw the rest of the Ursario family, along with Weiss and Ruby standing at the entrance she'd created. Cinder attempted to form two more fireballs in a vain attempt to fight back, but the room was suddenly flooded with a bright light as Ruby once again activated her silver eyes. When the light cleared, Cinder was gone. "Dad! Winter!" Said the Ursario's and Weiss respectively as they rushed to their family members.

Tobias was feeling more than a little pain from his injury now that the aura shadow was off and the adrenaline had gone down, but Winter had it even worse from the bruising, burns and the nasty cut on her arm. That didn't stop her from raining on their parade, however. "What did you all do?" Questioned Winter, switching back to Ironwood's specialist now that the danger had passed.

"We tried to do the right thing," said Ruby as she rushed to Penny's side, "but what happened here?"

"Fria is, gone," answered Penny sadly as she laid her hand on the former Maiden's.

"No, she isn't," coughed Winter as she struggled to sit upright, "she's a part of you now Penny. And she always will be."

"So what in the world should we do now?" Questioned Aegis, still not quite sure what to think of the current events that had transpired throughout the day.

"It would be best if you all, surrender, and comply with the General's orders." Winter said between breaths.

"We," Weiss said hesitantly, "You know we can't do that."

"The man has pretty clearly lost his mind," added Wayne, "I thought there was some sort of protocol for that."

"Something like that is in place," said Winter, "but I'll be the judge of whether or not it's necessary when I see him again. Until then, I suggest you all run."

"But Winter you're hurt, I can't just leave you-," Weiss started to say.

"I'll be fine!" Exclaimed Winter, "It's yourselves you need to worry about. That's why I'm giving you a head start." She activated the comm in her ear then as she sent out the following message. "This is special operative Schnee, am in need of immediate medical assistance. Send reinforcements immediately, over and out."

Weiss was expectedly downcast about the situation as she said her next words: "We all have to carve out our own way." With those parting sentiments, the group headed for the airship Jen had parked as well as the one Maria had flown in, taking off as soon as they were boarded. Not a word was said for some time as the groups watched the city shrink into the distance. It wasn't until they were out of the area of the floating structures that Wayne finally removed his helmet and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"Alright, is everyone oka-mmph," the elder Ursario brother's question was interrupted as Weiss practically tackled him and captured his lips with her own. He was surprised, to say the least, but he melted into the kiss soon enough as he felt some of the tension leave the two of them. Aegis, understandably, had his mouth hanging open at the sight for a bit until they finally broke apart for air.

"Okay when the shit did this happen?!" He exclaimed, "How long have you two been doing this secret touchy-feely stuff!"

"Uh, since our last day off," said Wayne with a shrug, "I wasn't aware we'd kept it that secret."

"I know I figured it out," said Yang smugly as she leaned on Aegis's shoulder.

"And you couldn't have given me a heads up," sighed the Half Bear Faunus, "I need an airsick bag now."

"I think I got something better," said Yang as she pulled Aegis in for a kiss of their own.

"About time," commented Weiss as she and Wayne got a slight laugh out of the sight of Aegis trying and failing to stay angry.

"You know as their Mother I am extraordinarily proud," said Jen from the cockpit, "and if things work out I am going to have a ball teasing the lot of you. But I think you all might want to see this." The group moved to the main viewport at the front of the ship, and what they saw caused the blood in their veins to turn to ice. A massive, purplish-black cloud had formed a few miles out from Atlas. And emerging from that cloud was a mass of Grimm larger than any that had likely ever been seen.

What was even more terrifying, the lead Grimm was a massive, floating whale easily dwarfing any of the current Atlesian battleships. And atop it, was the master herself. "Oh Fuck," was the collective word on everyone's lips at that moment. Salem hadn't been bluffing. She had come personally, with the intention of destroying all of Atlas.

Volume 7 End

And here we are yet again at the end of another volume of RWBY and another volume for Team WA. I hope you've all enjoyed the story up to this point and with luck it won't be too long before it continues. As you've likely guessed by now, this story is taking a little break for a while until RWBY resumes once again. So until then feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. And again let me know what you think of the idea about side stories. See you all at Volume 8!