Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I claim to, own RWBY or any other media that may be referenced in this fic. All rights go to their respective owners. The only thing I lay any claim to are my OCs.
The forecast had predicted clear skies, it was the dry season for Mistral after all, but in the days following the attack on Haven it rained in Mistral.
The wet soaked into every crevice of the kingdom. Wet earth caked people's shoes and hiking up clothes to keep the hems out of the mud became commonplace.
The weather was only one thing dampening the mood in the kingdom though.
The attack on Haven had rattled everyone. Whispers about how it was a second Beacon were heard in every bar and restaurant. Some questioned which of Shade and Atlas would be the next to be attacked. Some pointed out how similar the attacks had been – White Fang invading the school, the CCT towers targeted, and the headmasters dead – while others tried to reason that it was all coincidence.
The whole kingdom felt fear in the aftermath.
Sitting on her bed in the rental house and her stomach churning violently, Yang holds a photo of her parents.
In the photo, they're happy. Tired, but happy.
Raven holds little baby Yang, and Tai has his arms wrapped around them both. They hadn't noticed the camera, and she's unsure if it was Qrow or Summer who took the photo, but at that moment, she can't bring herself to care.
Lilac flames and clear tears alike stream from her eyes, both unnoticed by the young woman.
They were cremated yesterday, her parents. She wished she could have buried them next to Summer, but getting the bodies there would be too difficult.
Orphan…
The word feels strange to even think about. Why did she care so much? She barely knew her mother, and for so long she had hated her father. Why? Why does she care now that they're gone?
"Hey, firecracker," Qrow speaks up from the door.
She doesn't say anything.
"You need anything? Sick bucket? Food? Drink? Hug?" he asks.
She shakes her head, pauses and then turns to face him. Lilac eyes with lilac flames lock with tired red before she gets up and tucks herself into her uncle's arms.
Qrow holds her close and lends her his shoulder. "It's okay to cry, kiddo, we'll get through this together, I promise."
"When does it stop hurting?" she asks him.
"It doesn't, not really, it just hurts less and less until you rarely notice it. All we can do is keep living," he tells her.
"I wish they were here," she says.
"Me too, firecracker, me too."
"Tell me again how the attack on the bandits failed so miserably to achieve what actually mattered," Salem orders.
"We were unprepared to face any opposition apart from Qrow Branwen. He brought with him a group of allies and while we were able to hold our position to begin with, once Cinder went after Raven, things… went wrong," Hazel explains.
"How so?"
"Tyrian poisoned Qrow, and Cinder had impaled what we believe to be her other half, giving her time to chase after Raven. Arc went to tend to the girl, Qrow was undefended, and their remaining fighters were tied up in battle. Taiyang Xiao Long had already gone after Raven, the Schnee and the deserter fought off Emerald, and I was fighting Yang Xiao Long and Ozpin's new reincarnation. Calavera engaged with Tyrian. She… she cut of Tyrian's stinger and then stabbed him through the chest. Arc healed Nikos and she used her power alongside Schnee and Calavera to drive Emerald and myself back while Yang Xiao long went after her parents and Cinder," he lists off.
"The White Fang's attack still destroyed the school despite the Belladonnas and their militia force arriving in an attempt to stop them," Emerald chimes in.
"And where is the Relic that Cinder was supposed to retrieve?"
"We don't know. Raven destroyed the key she stole, but she also took a bag with her when she fled the fight. I believe she had the Relic with her, and after her reported death, it would have fallen into the hands of Ozpin's followers," Hazel reports.
"Now, tell me who is to blame for your defeat," she asks.
Hazel goes to open his mouth but Salem stops him. "If you're about to take 'responsibility', I'm going to stop you there, because we all know that isn't true, Hazel. Emerald, tell me who is to blame."
The green haired woman doesn't look the grimm queen in the eyes as she speaks. "Cinder. We failed because Cinder allowed herself to go after the maiden powers alone. And Tyrian didn't know when to retreat and got killed as a result. We failed because of both of them.
"Exactly. This is why Cinder must be left to toil in her isolation, must grow and learn from her mistakes before she returns to us. She is of no use if she continues to be blinded by her emotions and fails to recognise when to retreat," Salem croons.
"She's alive?" Emerald gasps.
"How could you know that?" Watts asks. Salem glares at him. "Apologies ma'am, its just, to hear that is a shock."
"It is important not to lose sight of what drives us. Regardless of what they are, the moment you put your desires before my own, they will be lost to you. This is no threat, simply the truth. So, we must press on." The woman sighs. "Due to our defeat at Haven, our numbers are limited, and our advance on Shade will have to wait until more can be recruited."
"Ma'am, I have… a suggestion to make," Hazel speaks up.
"Then tell us your… suggestion," she orders.
"Adam Taurus, the leader of the White Fang, he came with us here and is willing to join our cause," he reveals.
"Is that so? Bring him to me at once."
A few minutes pass in silence as those in the room wait for Hazel to return with the masked faunus in tow.
When they do, Salem motions for her followers to sit at the table. Emerald stands to one side, and Adam stands at the end of the table nearest the doors.
"Tell me, Adam, why is it that you are willing to join us now?" Salem asks.
"I believed that my fellow faunus could see the injustice dealt to us, were willing to fight against it. Now I see that they are poisoned by humanity and forced into complacency. I will do whatever it takes to make humanity pay for what they have done to my kind," he tells her. "My men are numbered and we do not have the power to extract payment as it is, and recruiting more is becoming harder as more and more are poisoned."
"And what would you consider to be adequate payment made by humanity?"
"The destruction of every system that thrives on the mistreatment and abuse of faunus," he answers without hesitation.
A small smile stretches across her face. "Well, I think it is safe to say that you will be quite happy with our plans. You see, I once ruled this world far more openly. The faunus were not lesser beings under my rule, they were equals with the humans. I personally freed so many of your ancestors, because no one deserves to be imprisoned or enslaved simply for who they are."
"What changed?" Adam asks.
"Oz. He decided to fight against me, destroy my kingdom, ruin everything I had created. This world, this cruel unforgiving world that built its riches on the suffering of the faunus, this only came to be because Ozpin chose to go against me," Salem narrates.
"Then I pledge myself, my sword, and my men to you, to bringing down those responsible for the abuse of my kind, and the destruction of the systems that benefit from it," he intones.
"Come and sit, Adam, for you are one of my lieutenants now. Do take off your mask though, it does not befit you anymore. I will have a new one crafted for you," Salem tells him.
Another day of strength training over, Nora puts away her weights and walks over to where the Ace-Ops and Ren are waiting for her.
"What's going on?" she asks, noticing the grim looks on their faces.
"General Ironwood got a report from Mistral. He wants us to come in and get briefed. It doesn't seem like its anything good," Harriet explains.
The seven walk together to the general's office and once inside, Ironwood asks them to sit down.
"Ace-Ops, the five of you are some of my most trusted, even with Marrow being such a new recruit. Ms Valkyrie and Mr Ren on the other hand, are being brought in on this due to how this relates to one of their teammates, Ms Nikos," he starts off with.
"You're talking about the maidens, aren't you?" Nora asks.
Ironwood stares at her. "You… already know?"
"Rosa and Pyrrha told us everything. We even knew the attack on Beacon was coming," Ren clarifies.
"And you didn't tell anyone?" Harriet asks.
"We did," Ren states simply.
"Practically every student from all four kingdoms was ready to fight in defence of Beacon and Vale. Why do you think so few were in the audience?" Nora elaborates.
"Wait, what are the 'maidens' you mentioned?" Marrow interrupts.
"Right, back on topic," the General concedes. "The maidens are four women who have been granted exceptional powers via magic. The system is still largely a mystery, but we know that when a maiden dies, her powers transfer to a young woman. First in line to receive the powers is the last person in her thoughts, but if they do not meet the requirement of a young woman, the powers go to someone random. This becomes more important however on a much larger scale than just a scramble for power."
"How so?" Vine asks.
The General taps a few keys on his desk and a small wall of text pops into view.
Vuyyk,
Cgqqz iqzf mrfqd Yuefdmx. Y + P
Xaee naft eupqe.
M mzp Efmrr ymk nq zqjf.
Ayi i/ aftqde.
Yadq fa fqxx ub.
Imfot kagd nmow.
- Cdai
"Qrow Branwen sent this message via post. Coded to try and avoid detection by prying eyes. Here's what it really says," the General explains, pressing another button that makes the letters shift into something more readable.
Jimmy,
Queen went after Mistral. M + R
Loss both sides.
A and Staff may be next.
Omw w/ others.
More to tell ip.
Watch your back.
- Qrow
"The reality is, the Grimm have a master named Salem, codename: 'Queen'. She is after the destruction of the world as we know it. Ozpin, yes the former headmaster of Beacon, has been fighting against her for centuries, millennia even. She is the puppet-master behind what happened at Beacon, even if it was her followers who did the deeds. After Beacon fell, I called back my military to protect Atlas should we be targeted next. We weren't… Haven was the next target," he explains.
"That doesn't make sense. If she's after the destruction of our world, why go after the schools?" Clover asks.
"Because the schools aren't just schools. They are fortresses built to keep four Relics safe and out of Salem's reach. These four Relics are leftovers from when gods roamed the world, and the power they would give Salem would be devastating. The schools provide protection for the Relics, always guarded by hunters, both in training and those going between missions. This isn't the only protection. Each Relic is kept in a separate Vault, and each Vault can only be opened by one person," Ironwood tells them.
"The maidens," Vine extrapolates.
"Yes. Somehow, Salem must've managed to find the Spring Maiden, and attempted to open the Vault under Haven. Qrow isn't telling everything either, which means the intel is sensitive. He's on his way here, so we need more people we can trust. Hence, why I'm bringing you seven in," Ironwood explains.
"What's the official report on the attack on Haven? Is there even an official report?" Nora asks.
Ironwood nods.
"There is. The White Fang, under the leadership of one Adam Taurus, destroyed both Haven and it's attached CCCT tower. A faunus militia group from Menagerie attempted to fight them off but arrived too late to do so. Roughly a hundred dead, and nearly two hundred more injured. Only a handful were successfully apprehended. There was also an investigation into a bandit tribe believed to have had a role in Lionheart's death. The group came back with three dead, one being a member of their own, one the leader of the bandits in question, and the third being Tyrian Callows. The group arrived on campus shortly after its destruction."
"Wait wait wait, Tyrian Callows? The serial killer? That Tyrian Callows?" Marrow tries to confirm.
"Yes, Marrow, Tyrian Callows," the General confirms. "There is a lot to explain."
"Alright, now that Blake has been caught up as much as possible, we have a vote to make," Rosa announces.
"How so?" Jaune asks.
"Well, Ozpin said that the Spring maiden is the only one who can open and close the Vault under Haven. So, we have to decide whether or not to put the lamp back," Rosa reminds them.
"We might as well take it with us to Atlas. Salem is going to come after us regardless of our choice," Yang points out tiredly as she traces her fingers around the edge of her sick bucket. "I seal it back up, they come after me for being Spring. We bring it with us, they come after us for the Relic. Either way, they're gonna to come for us. Not to mention, trying to get to the vault would only draw attention to it with the way things are."
"Unfortunately, Ms Xiao Long is correct," Ozpin says. "As much as I wish it were safe to leave here in Mistral, with us moving on to Atlas the Relic would be virtually unguarded here."
"We are putting it to a vote. Knowing the risks of putting it back in the vault and keeping it with us, we each have a choice to make. Majority rules," Rosa asserts.
The group quickly casts their votes in favour of taking the lamp with them.
"I suppose I can't talk us out of going to Atlas, can I?" Weiss says with a sigh.
"I know you don't exactly want to return home but… duty calls," Qrow tells her.
"Its just, after everything I went through to get out, to make sure my father didn't force me into marriage, it feels like giving up if I go back," the Atlesian girl admits.
"We won't let that happen," Blake says. "We're a team, a squad. We're in this together, and we won't let anyone take you away from us."
"Funny, considering how you left us," Yang jabs weakly. "At least Weiss didn't willingly leave."
"Yang I-"
"No, I get it. You thought you were a danger to us, thought we were better off without you. Did you even think that maybe that was when we… when I needed you most?" Yang interrupts.
"Yang. I was wrong. I know that now, but back then, I was scared. I've grown, learned since then. I don't expect you to forgive me straight away, because you're right, I left you when we all needed each other most. Just… let me be here for you now," Blake begs.
"You're right, I'm just… sick... and moody," Yang says weakly, lilac flames framing her eyes. "And everything feels out of whack and overwhelming and I just… I need time."
"Does anyone else feel like they're intruding on a really personal moment here? No? Just me?" Mercury questions.
"Are you socially inept?" Weiss hisses at him.
"I mean, raised by an abusive and alcoholic mercenary to become a weapon. Weapons don't exactly need to know social skills outside of 'seductions'," he shrugs.
Rosa raises an eyebrow in his direction.
"Right, totally not appropriate for this situation, my bad. Hey Oscar, want to go spar?" Mercury back tracks.
Oscar's eyes glow gold as he takes back control of his body. "Sure."
With that, most of the occupants of the room file out, leaving Blake and Yang sitting on couches opposite the other.
"How was Menagerie?" Yang asks, pulling her sick bucket closer to her.
"Well, apart from my family home getting burnt down and the multiple attempts on my life, it was… fine. Restful even. What about you?"
"Uncle Qrow left me with… with my dad, on the condition that he actually get sober. I… hit a rather big slump for a while," the blonde shares.
"Understandable. I mean, you lost an arm. That's not easy in the best of times," Blake points out.
Yang shrugs. "Yeah but… having everyone leave me hurt. Rosa, Jaune and Pyrrha all left. Oscar and Maria went with them taking Mercury along too, and Qrow followed them. Weiss got taken by her dad and you ran. I don't even know what happened to Ren and Nora. It felt like… like I was the butt of the joke."
"You aren't. When I was in Menagerie, I kept thinking about you, and everyone else as well, but mainly you. I often argued with myself about if I had done the right thing by leaving. I know we weren't partners, that Rosa was mine and Weiss yours, but we were on the same team, we paired up more often than we did our actual partners… you were the one to come after me when Beacon was under attack. I'm sorry that I left you, but I can't bring myself to regret it, not fully. I don't think the people of Menagerie would have gotten themselves moving without Sun or myself there to push them in the right direction. Dust, Sun even pushed me in the right direction," Blake tells her.
"For all that he's a doofus with no understanding of personal boundaries, I'm glad you had someone looking out for you," Yang jokes.
Blake giggles. "You have no idea how many times he 'got lost looking for the bathroom'."
"Oh no, what did he do?"
"Multiple family moments were barged in on, he nearly caught me undressed, interrupted a few naps of mine, and nearly pushed my dad to the end of his tether. Which isn't to mention the time he nearly got arrested for trespassing on a construction site," Blake lists.
"Sounds like Sun," Yang comments. "It sucks about his team."
"Yeah, it does. Mum and Dad are going to make sure he gets the support he needs to deal with it. I'm just glad I was able to keep Adam from killing him too."
"Yeah…" the blonde replies softly.
They sit in silence for a few moments before Yang speaks up again.
"What was it like for you, going home?"
"I… I was nervous. I hadn't seen them in years, and I didn't exactly leave on good terms. Once I got there though, and they welcomed me back with open arms, it just felt… it felt good to be with them again. I can't say I regret leaving them, I wouldn't have met anyone on Squad RRAYNNBW otherwise, but I wish I had talked to them sooner, mended things up at least from a distance," the cat-eared girl says.
"I'm glad you got that. Its… its more than some people get," Yang tells her.
"There's, someone else I want to make amends with," Blake admits.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, she's an amazing fighter, cares fiercely about her family, and has been such a good friend to me even though I probably didn't deserve it. I… I started caring for her as more than just a friend, but I'd settle for being just friends," Blake describes.
"If she's as amazing as you make her out to be, I'm sure she'd be happy to have you in her life," Yang says.
"You really think so?"
"I know so."
"Your grace?" Adam says as he opens the door to the throne room.
"Come in, Adam."
He walks in and closes the heavy door behind him.
"I know you said that we should focus on recruiting, however I believe I can be more useful in other ways," he confesses.
"Do you have a plan you wish to share with me?" she asks.
"I do."
"Then speak it."
"There will be warrants for my arrest all over the world, and as I've said, recruiting will be a slight issue at this time and my men need to lay low so as to not get arrested. Thus I would be useless to the recruiting of more followers for you. However, I could follow the ones that ruined the attack on the bandits, determine where they are going, their strengths and weaknesses, even whether or not they have the relic. This information could be vital moving forwards once recruitment numbers are back up," he explains.
"What about your obsession with the Belladonna girl?" Salem questions.
"I would hardly call it an obsession. I make no effort to hide how I wish to see her dead for betraying me, but I will not risk a much larger prize for her death," Adam says. "If I get the chance to do so, I will, perhaps even kidnap her t-"
"No," Salem interrupts, hands slamming down on the table. "If you abduct her, her allies could track her here. While I am confident in our ability to defend this fortress, that is a risk I refuse to take. Our location being secret is an advantage we hold over our enemies. We can track their every movement, pinpoint their every hideout, they cannot do the same for us, but if you abduct anyone, then that advantage could be ruined. If you are to kill this girl, you kill her, but you do not abduct her. Do you understand that?"
"Of course. I did not think as far ahead as I should have, my apologies. Do I otherwise have your permission to go through with my plan?" he concedes.
She thinks for a few moments before nodding. "Your plan holds merit, and you are correct in the fact that there is little you can do to help in the recruitment process. Very well, track down and identify those who stood in our way at Haven and bring any and all intel on them back here to me."
"It shall be done."
On the rocky bank at the bottom of a ravine, a figure pulls herself out of the water, lungs gasping for air as rain pours from above.
For a few moments, the woman just lays and soaks in the water, drinking in the air and gathering her strength. She'd come so close to victory, and if it weren't for that man, she would have the Spring Maiden powers now. She should have all of her Fall Maiden powers too, but somehow those children had saved the girl's life and thwarted her again. If it weren't for them, she'd have the Relic by now and she would be exalted among Salem's forces.
She shakily pulls herself to her feet and begins a long walk upstream.
She has work to do.
A/N: Welcome back to the Grimm Reaper! Hope you guys liked this chapter even though it was mostly fall-out from the previous chapters plus set-up for the ones to come. All I really have to say is that Rosa is not going to be having much fun for much longer, she is overdue some angst and set-backs that others have been getting.
Let me know your thoughts with a review (they do make my day and I read them all), or send me a PM if you want to chat! Otherwise I will see you guys next week with another chapter.
- RebeccaMagic9