The figure stood before the four girls. Their respective weapons were at the ready as they looked at the full faced White Fang themed Beowolf mask.
"Who are you?" The blonde spoke up, a scowl on her face.
The White Fang member's head turned. It was a smooth action but reminded them a bit of a puppet. It's head turned back, surveying the line of girls.
"Hmm." The sound was a rumble and the thing moved. Even it's movements looked like a puppet being controlled by a masterful puppeteer. "How… disappointing." It paused, considering its words carefully.
Blake's ears flicked back as she looked at it. She had Gambol Shroud half raised to fight the thing off but it hadn't made a move against any of them.
Its eyes flicked up to Blake's ears before it rumbled, seemingly in amusement. "Ah, the Traitor Fang." It sounded like it was amused, voice light and grin hidden before it began to walk towards her. Blake's ears flicked back with agitation. Yang stepped up before her to defend against the thing and it turned its head to look at her.
"Does this form intimidate you? Perhaps this would make you more comfortable."
Visibly before their eyes the White Fang themed thing changed. The mask changed into a Nevermore mask, the Beowolf seeming to melt away. Wild black locks cascaded down its back as its colours bled red and black.
Before them soon stood Raven Branwen. Yang's hands clenched tightly as she glared at the thing. "Is this some kind of joke?" She nearly growled the words.
"No joke, Yang." It even had Raven's voice, although its original tone was just under it.
She walked towards the blonde brawler before white zipped in front of the pair.
"Ah, yes, I haven't forgotten you." Red eyes seemed to focus on Weiss and she felt a shiver go down her spine. "Perhaps instead of having mother issues like those two." She flicked her hand to Ruby and Yang.
Before Yang could pull Weiss behind her, the thing was changing again. Jacques stood before her, smoothing down his suit jacket. "Weiss." His voice was crisp, condescending tones giving it a real feel.
Weiss flinched and Ruby shot in front of her, Crescent Rose pointed at its face.
It looked at the weapon and laughed, tone changing from condescending to warm and nearly adoring tones.
Between one blink and the next, Summer Rose stood before the four girls. "Hello my darling little Rosebud."
Ruby stilled, even as her mind screamed at her that it wasn't really Summer everything else was contradicted. Soft hands gently cupped her cheeks and silver stared into silver.
She was completely mesmerised. Internally she was screaming, this wasn't her mother but she couldn't move.
"Ruby!" Three voices yelled her name and multiple hands grabbed her, yanking her away from Summer.
There was an explosion as Yang sent a shell the thing's way. It leapt back, changing from Summer to Neo, parasol twirling before her.
"I knew it!" Yang nearly exploded as her eyes flamed red.
The parasol moved before them and suddenly Adam Taurus was standing before them. Both Blake and Yang sucked in sharp breaths.
"Blake, Blake, Blake." He walked forward, shaking his head. "How cruel of you. First you break my heart and then you stab me in the back." As they watched red bled through his black jacket.
Blake nearly hissed as he came closer. His lips were half curled into a mocking sneer and the puppet's voice was still clear underneath Adam's own voice. "I bet you didn't tell them your shame."
He turned to look at Weiss and Ruby, Ruby shrinking back as she swore she saw silver behind the slits of his mask. "How does it feel to travel with murderers?"
The question caught them off guard and Weiss frowned, stepping forward with Myrtenaster at the ready. "What do you mean?"
They watched the way he reached up, removing the porcelain mask. Weiss blanched as she saw the mark over one of his eyes and she stumbled back unsteady. She looked to Blake for confirmation but she wasn't looking at either of them.
"How did it feel when you drove that blade through my back,Yang? Or you, through my front, Blake?"
"Yang…?" Ruby hesitantly asked, turning to look at her sister. She noticed Yang was shaking, her fists clenched tightly.
Adam laughed and then the voice changed completely, causing Ruby's head to snap back entirely to the thing. It was back in its original form, Beowolf mask covering its face and White Fang uniform in place. "Perhaps before you continue you should know the people you're continuing with."
It sounded smug and Weiss grit her teeth as she glared at it. It had tormented them for the past thirty minutes and hadn't even lifted a hand against them, yet the damage it had done was raw in their minds.
It lifted a hand as it began to walk away. "Till another time, Team RWBY." It was mocking them. Yang lunged forward, gauntlet slamming into its back and it exploded into pieces of white wood. All of them roughly hewed into body parts. Its laugh was cut off as what looked like a Geist fled from them.
Silence reigned between the four before Ruby suddenly spoke.
"What the hell was that?" She turned towards her team, eyes wide.
"That." They jumped and turned, watching as Qrow walked towards them with a scowl. "Was a Marionette." He turned to look at them, noting their expressions.
"What did it say?"
Conflict bloomed across all of their faces and Weiss dragged a hand down hers as she let out a heavy breath. "It changed a lot. From Raven, to my father, to…" She trailed off and swallowed, looking at Ruby.
"To Summer." Yang spoke up and Qrow cursed.
"Of course she would be that cruel." He muttered under his breath.
"Who would be?" Yang asked, frowning as she watched Qrow.
He waved her off. "No one you should go near. She nearly killed Raven when they last fought." He opened his mouth to say a little more but thought better of it and turned away. "Come on. We need to set up camp and should get away from here. She's probably currently toying with you, trying to divide and slowly break each of you down until she can use you against each other."
Frowns were exchanged and they hurried to catch up with Qrow. "Why?" Ruby asks after a long minute of walking.
"'Because why not?' Is what she would say. Cruelty needs no reason." Qrow looked over his shoulder. "The sooner we are away from here, the happier I will be, so let's keep moving."
Just a scene I had while going through my own head. It's changed in an interesting way, and I can still see details that I have no clue on how to voice which is rather frustrating. Such as describing its voice correctly, even here in the footnotes I'm not sure how to get the giggles of insanity across.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this, if you have ideas you'd like to see happen hit me up. I need something to break my constant monotony.
Oh! One more thing. What the hell guys? I write a new story, check my traffic and see sixty odd people reading SFR a day for over a month? Why?