Chapter 46

Waves crashed against rock, sending salty spray high into the air. It crested the top of the cliff as a light mist. Oscar scrunched his nose up. He hadn't gone to the ocean very often, so this was an experience he wasn't used to. He sighed and brought his hand up to his ear. With a click, he activated his mic.

"How's it going, everyone?" He asked.

"This is Tai. We're in position and ready to go."

"Hello Again! Nora and I are ready to start."

"Causing chaos!" Nora cackled.

"Qrow here. Ready." The older man rasped, obviously annoyed.

"I'm ready as well." Ruby came in last. "Oscar, call it when you're ready."

Oscar swallowed and looked to his allies. Jaune, Ren and Zwei were behind him. The former two gave him thumbs up. "Alright then. Everyone: begin the operation!" A chorus of affirmations came over his earpiece.

Their heist had started.

Argus was a pretty cushy gig, an Atlesian guard thought. It was a safe town with great natural defences and they had plenty of weapons for those that came despite them. He had fought plenty of Grimm and bandits, though his job now consisted of sitting around and pushing a button to open or close the main gate. It was boring.

He sighed as a pair of girls walked across the bridge towards the gate. They'd come a few days before and whined about wanting to get to Atlas. They didn't look like they wanted to talk this time though. It didn't matter of course. The gate was reinforced. By the time they broke it down, they'd be swarmed and taken down.

He leaned over and pushed a button requesting reinforcements. A second later he was glad he did. The girl with bright red hair and armour walked forward with purpose. She raised a hand and pushed, almost like swatting a fly. The gate crumpled in on itself and then was torn off of its housing. It was flung up and away so that it crashed into the ocean.

The gate guard ducked beneath his desk and hid. He wasn't going to fight against someone like that!

Why did I have to get assigned here! I wish I was back in Atlas!

Guards rushed at them. It was expected. Pyrrha raised her hands and summoned her Semblance. The guards all carried metal weapons. A fatal mistake if she was here to kill them. With but a flick of her wrist their swords and rifles were torn from their grasps and flung behind her.

Nora cackled and fired her grenade launcher. She focused on splitting up their opponents and keeping them from regrouping. More guards were coming, some had dropped their weapons and came in with their fists.

Miló sang as it was drawn. Pyrrha flicked it into spear mode and lanced out, keeping her foes at bay. She extended the spear out where she could, showing her range. Normally she would keep that hidden as long as possible, but today she wasn't worried. They wouldn't have the time to beat the pair, even knowing some of Pyrrha's secrets.

She still had the Maiden powers to fall back on.

The guards fell back a bit, unsure how to succeed. Pyrrha marched forward. She knew they couldn't just let them do whatever they wanted. The Atlesian forces would have to do something.

She couldn't help but smile. They had this in the bag. There was no way they could lose.

Trees flashed by. Ruby had gotten as close as she could without being seen. Now she burst forth as a ball of petals. The few guards at the tower were confused. That confusion kept them from reacting in time.

It took her maybe a minute to beat the guards. They didn't see her coming and didn't have their Aura up as she spun her scythe around. She made sure not to use the blade and only knocked them out. As she went to disable the tower however the trees rustled. Ruby wasn't in the mood for Grimm, but if she let it do what it wanted the guards would die.

She jumped down the bottom and glared into the tree line. The bushes rustled again and out came not a Grimm, but a Faunus. Ilia Amitola held her hands up as she walked into the small clearing. Ruby raised her weapon in its compact rifle form. A single shot to the head could end this.

"Please! I just want to talk! We don't have long before Adam gets here!"

"Uh-huh. And I should trust you because?"

"Well… I don't think anything I say will make you trust me. But I'm trying to leave him and the White Fang! He's gone mad! He killed his own soldiers because they called him out for abandoning our men in the Haven bombing! I… I don't believe what he says about Blake anymore either! I want to hear your side of things!"

Ruby scanned her face. Ilia didn't have her mask this time. She didn't appear to be lying…

"Talk! Where's Adam? What's his plan?"

"I gave him false info. He's here to kill you and your friends. I told him you went somewhere else but he'll be here soon!"

Is she telling the truth? If I trust her and she's lying that would probably be the end of me. But if she's being honest and I don't trust her I could lose out on her assistance when Adam gets here. Damnit! Why couldn't this be easier?

Her thoughts were broken by laughter. Ilia's face paled. Out from the trees came Adam Taurus. His mask was gone, replaced by a blindfold. His smile was cruel and deranged, like his laughter. "Ilia, Ilia, Ilia. Betraying me? What would Blake think?"

Ilia turned, her hand falling to her hip to draw her weapon. "She'd think I'd finally come to my senses. She'd be proud of me!" She replied.

Adam sighed. "No. No, she wouldn't. She'd be so disappointed in you! Betraying me for a human? Really why would you think she'd ever have accepted that?"

Ruby laughed. His smile fell. She could see his face twitching. "Wow I knew you were crazy but that's a whole other level!" She shook her head in disappointment. "I mean really, she left you! She abandoned the White Fang! Probably because of that attitude of yours. Your acting like she would agree with you! I can tell you she abhorred what your doing!"

Adam growled and shook with rage. Crescent Rose deployed back to its full scythe form. "Blake hated what the White Fang has become. She hated what you have become. She would look on you now with pity and sadness. I'll take you down, so that Blake can be at ease!"

Ruby dashed forward, slashing at him with her scythe. She didn't really want to, but the guards were unconscious. If they fought here then they might accidentally hit them. That would be a death sentence for most of them. I need to disable the tower but I can't with him here! Sorry everyone, but you'll have to improvise!

She flipped over him and fired a hail of bullets into his back. As he turned to cut her down with his crimson blade she activated her Semblance and zipped backwards into the tree line. She needed to draw the fight away from those who couldn't protect themselves.

Adam roared, hair glowing red, and slashed. Ruby managed to dodge the wave of red and black energy which slammed into a tree and cut it down. I can't get hit by that! She used the trees to her advantage, dashing around them and using them to block his attacks, both normal and those enhanced by his Semblance.

As Ruby ducked by another of the tall trees she saw that Ilia was following, though the Faunus girl didn't seem to know what to do to help. A few trees began to burn as fire trailed after Adam's sword. She really couldn't be hit by that!

Ruby slowed her Semblance usage and relied on her athleticism to dodge his next barrage of attacks. She couldn't waste her Aura here on just dodging! She'd need it once she struck back. Voices came over her earpiece but she couldn't focus on them so she pulled it out and pocketed it. She couldn't get distracted.

The time to fight back was approaching fast as the trees began to grow sparse. The sound of rushing water filled the air as Ruby ran into an open area. A large waterfall to the left and a great view to the right. They were on some kind of natural bridge over a river. She ran to the other side and turned to face her foe.

Adam stalked out of the trees with a cruel grin. When she looked at his face all she could remember was the sound of tearing metal as he ripped Penny apart. Her hands tightened around Crescent Rose.

Today she claimed vengeance!

Qrow was waiting for them at an open Manta. Maria waddled in while Tai and Qrow kept watch. The base was throwing everything it had towards the front. Tai bit his lower lip.

"Alright, we're ready to fly!" Maria called from the cockpit.

"Qrow. Go and give Pyrrha and Nora a hand! They might be doing too good of a job."

"Alright." Qrow nodded glumly and stepped off the Manta. Tai turned and walked to the front of the shuttle, dropping into the copilot's seat.

The doors closed and the ship began to rise. Maria seemed concerned though. "What's wrong?"

"The sensors still look to be up. It might be a glitch…"

"Let's head to the others first."

Now he was getting worried.

"Die!" Adam screamed at her, his blade dancing in and out of his sheath. It took all she had to block and dodge his attacks. He was fast and strong and didn't seem to be caring if she got a hit in.

It actually made it harder to get an attack off. He was so relentless. She had to buy some space so she zipped back with her Semblance, but he was following right behind.

How can I do this? She wasn't sure. Her scythe clashed with his blade. She tried to hook the backside of her weapon around his but he grabbed the haft and pulled. Ruby let go and ducked under his follow up slash. Ember Emortus clicked into place as she rose back up. They barked a moment later as she unloaded into his chest.

He stumbled back, giving her a chance to grab her scythe once more. It's now or never. I have to use everything! She pushed a button and covered her scythe blade in Burn Dust. It glowed a faint red, a weaker version of his own sword. He didn't seem to pay attention, which worked for her as she slashed down and unleashed a wave of fire.

"Agghh!" He cried out as the flames pushed him back. Ruby switched to Frost Dust and charged forward. He was warier of her blade this time. She slashed out but he ducked back. Ruby growled and tried again, only to miss once more.

On her third try a whip wrapped around his leg and pulled. Adam grunted as he was unbalanced. He managed to stay on his feet, but Ruby took the opening. Ice formed around his other leg as she cut into it, trapping him for a moment as she dashed past. Ilia withdrew her weapon from his leg.

Adam brought his blade up and slashed at the ice. Ruby ran forward again and repeated her attack. Frost formed on his legs and arms as she dashed back and forth. But as the ice began to restrict his movements she became cocky. It almost cost her dearly.

Across his body, the colour red glowed brightly and energy poured into his sword. A moment later flames exploded forth, engulfing the pair of them. She barely managed to avoid the worst of it but she had still taken plenty of damage. Adam had taken some too, but steam from all the ice obscured him for a moment which kept her from seeing just how much he'd suffered for that attack. He must not have as much control if the sword isn't sheathed.

Ruby panted lightly and rose to her feet. She glanced over at Ilia, who had avoided the explosion. She seemed unsure. As Ruby watched however her eyes went wide. Ruby internally cursed and looked back to Adam, who launched himself out of the steam and right for her.

Crescent Rose came up and blocked his sword, which seemed to have lost some colour. The moment she blocked however he reversed his blade and came from another angle. He did it again and again, pushing Ruby back. She went to activate her Semblance and gain some distance, but he expected it.

Just before her form broke apart into petals he seemed to gain a burst of speed, his body glowing once again, and slashed with more ferocity than ever before. The blade hit the left side of her waist and cut through.

With a single movement, his sword went right through her body.

Ruby stumbled back a few steps and looked down. Adam's face looked confused. Nothing seemed to have changed. Until her top half tilted back and fell. Red flew up around them.

But it wasn't blood.

It was rose petals.

A moment later it clicked. Her brain understood what had happened. She couldn't help but smile. Her form shifted entirely into petals once more and fluttered around Adam, encircling him. He looked around, more confused than ever.

Ruby shifted back to normal right behind him, but it wasn't all of her. It was only her top half and her scythe. She slashed into his back and vanished into petals a moment later. She did it again, and again, and again.

Somehow it made sense now. When he went to cut her she had changed only a part of herself with her Semblance. Instinctively she had protected herself from an attack she may not have had time to dodge. Now it had clicked entirely. She could change parts of herself back and forth.

Her Semblance had evolved, just when she needed it!

It felt intensive, especially on her mind. She could feel a migraine brewing but she couldn't stop. The sudden change was going to win her this fight!

Adam slashed and slashed at the petals, but they were just that, petals. It did nothing to her, even if they were a part of her. His Aura crackled. He finally realised he wasn't going to win like this and forced his way out. Ruby made a snap decision and pulled back next to Ilia. The Faunus looked surprised.

Ruby fell to one knee and sucked in air like it was going out of style. That had… taken a lot out of her.

Across the bridge, Adam screamed into the air. "Damn you! Damn you! Damn you! You've taken everything from me! You and the Schnee and Humanity and the world! Everything has been taken by monsters like you!"

Ruby growled and pulled herself to her feet. "Where do you get off!?"

"What!?" He screamed back.

"The world!? Humanity!? Me!? I didn't do anything to you! I didn't take anything! You're projecting your hatred onto everyone else! I don't care if you've suffered! The world isn't at fault for what some people have done to you!"

"Some people!? SOME PEOPLE! IT WASN'T JUST SOME PEOPLE!" He tore his blindfold off, revealing the mess that was his face. "THE SCHNEE BRANDED MY FACE! THEY BREAK OUR PEOPLE AND TURN THEM INTO MINDLESS WORKERS! MY ONLY SOLACE IN THIS LIFE WAS BLAKE, WHO YOU TOOK FROM MEEEEE!" He screamed into the air.

Once Ruby might have felt sympathy. But now? He was a monster. Ruby shook her head. "If Blake's death was the fault of anyone here, it was you. You helped Cinder. You sent your men to start that train. She died because of that. Because of your actions!" His eyes were crazed and almost seemed to bug out. Whatever mind he once had was lost.

Adam Taurus was nothing more than a monster in Faunus skin now.

Once upon a time, she might have regretted having to take him down. She didn't. Not now. She'd already killed a man before and he had appeared far more like a human.

Ruby and Ilia prepared their weapons for another round.

"Muahahahahahaha!" An explosion sounded, as if perfectly timed to Nora's laughter. Pyrrha couldn't help but feel that laugh beginning to infect her. She'd already started smiling, what would she do if she started laughing too!? Her reputation would be ruined!

Sparks flew as she slid a Manta across the mountain door, locking a few dozen guards inside the building. They'd get it out of the way eventually, once they unlocked one of the side doors.

Too bad she'd used her Semblance to break the lock on the door facing them. They'd need to have someone from outside move it, but they were busy running from the pink grenades.

I'm running low on Aura though. It's about time we finished up. As she thought that Qrow dropped from the sky next to them.

"Qrow!"

"How's it going here?"

"About ready to leave if you are." She replied.

He nodded. "Then let's go. You two first. I'll follow." She nodded back as he rushed forward with sword in hand.

Pyrrha ran over to Nora, who giggled and jumped into Pyrrha's arms. Wrapping her arms around the bubbly ginger like a hug she began to focus the power within her. Wind whipped up around them and lifted them from the earth. Moments later they flew higher and Pyrrha pushed the winds to take them away along the coastline.

The feeling of flying through the air while holding Nora was an odd one. She had to keep close to the ground in case she lost control. In a couple of minutes, they'd meet up with their allies and be out of here.

A crow joined them moments later.

"Hiya!" Ruby yelled as she slammed into Adam then vanished into a cloud of petals. While he brushed them from his face Ilia lashed out, electricity pouring down her weapon. Adam screamed as thousands of volts slammed into his body when her whip wrapped around his arm.

Ruby fired more bullets into his back from Crescent Rose, then she flung the scythe upwards to unload with her gauntlets. She caught her scythe, switched its Dust to the last of her Burn, and slashed into his back once more. Flames burst forth and scorched his back.

He tore the whip from his arm, twisted around and grabbed Ruby by her cloak. He roared and threw her to the ground at his feet. She gasped in pain as he fired buckshot into her stomach. Her Aura crackled and sparked. He tried to impale her but she transformed into petals again.

He roared in anger as she slipped away from him. Ilia jumped in to fight him though. Her whip stood straight like a rapier as she tried to pierce him with it. He blocked and dodged most of it, though she poured what Dust she had into it so every block hurt him as the lightning danced down his blade.

Ilia was fresher than either of them, so she could hold for a few moments. Ruby jumped back and considered her options. Adam seems like the type who would keep fighting long after his Aura breaks. That means I have to end this the moment it does. Even now his was sparking and crackling as lightning struck him. If he survived whatever she hit him with he might retreat, so perhaps she should ensure he wouldn't be an issue anymore.

Ruby gulped and placed a magazine of Gravity rounds into her sniper and drew Crescent Rose behind her. She'd launch herself with plenty of power and get one strike with all that momentum. She had to make it count.

She waited for a moment more, locked onto her target and fired.

Adam's Aura was about to break as he grabbed Ilia's weapon and wrenched it from her hands. It fell to the floor as he attacked her. Without a weapon, she couldn't block effectively. He was obvious in his attacks. They held no grace and weren't effective. They were telegraphed far too much. He wasn't fighting right.

His sword arm came in from the side in a wide arc aimed at Ilia's neck. That would be his last mistake in this battle as Ruby launched herself at that moment.

Adam's head turned at the sound of her sniper rifle firing but it was too late for him to change course. He had to watch in horror as Ruby flashed across their battlefield and slashed her scythe.

Red flew once more.

Though this time it was blood.

And it was joined by an arm and a crimson blade.

Ruby skidded across the ground and turned to face Adam. He looked at his stump of an arm in horror. His eyes looked up, following the arc of blood to watch as his arm and weapon fell off the bridge and into the water below. He stumbled in shock.

Rub's body moved on its own, heading forward to claim the vengeance it desired. She dropped Crescent Rose and ran right up to him. Her hands closed around his jacket collar. "That was for Penny! This is for Blake!"

She roared and turned, using all the strength she had to throw him. He didn't resist, he was in too much shock. Only halfway down did he realise what had happened.

He screamed at them, hatred and anger and rage mixing together. It continued to echo around them even as his body slipped beneath the surface and was taken by the rapids.

He was gone…

Ruby panted heavily and felt her entire body begin to give in to exhaustion. She forced herself to stay standing. Ilia retrieved their weapons and handed Ruby her scythe back.

They watched the water for a minute.

"Is he dead?" Ilia eventually asked.

"Who knows…" Ruby replied. "The only way to know for sure would be to find his body down the way. But I don't have time for that. And if you want to join us then neither do you."

"Right…"

Despite what she said, it was hard for Ruby to find the energy to move. It was only when she finally placed her earpiece back in did she find that energy.

"What the hell is that thing!?" Oscar's voice cried out.

Shit…

His life flashed before his eyes. He remembered the brand as it burned his flesh. He could remember his first kill. He could remember the first time he and Blake…

Blake…

She'd betrayed him. Abandoned him. How could she? After everything, he had done for her and the Faunus! Nobody appreciated him. Not even his fellows in the White Fang. They'd betrayed him too. Even Ilia had now.

Why?

Why did the world hate him so much? What had he done to deserve such a treatment?

He'd fought for the Faunus! Made their lives better! He'd been praised! He had been ready to die making things right!

So why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

That look of hatred… Ruby Rose hated him. It was because he sought revenge of course. She could not accept that it was her fault Blake had died. If Blake had simply stayed at his side none of this would have happened!

He would have chased Rose to the ends of Remnant just to see her blood soak the earth. He would have cut down every Schnee for their crimes. Destroyed Atlas for its oppression. He would have saved the world.

He would have saved the Faunus.

But now he would never get the chance.

It ended far too soon.

Adam Taurus cried out in anguish as he slammed into the river.

Life was just not fair.

Not fair at all...

A/N: The battles at Argus have begun, and one has ended in the same chapter. In this fight, which I really enjoyed writing, we see the end of Adam. Or is it the end? He's tough, maybe he survived... Or am I messing with you? Who knows... Anyway, Adam lost an arm. Karmic punishment for another timeline perhaps? Not only that but he aided in powering up Ruby, who has now unlocked what I believe the next stage of her Semblance is. Partial Petal Burst. Once she masters it, she'd be extremely difficult to hit, although its cost is great on Ruby. Mentally taxing as well as Aura taxing. Plus Ilia's changed sides now, which is a boost to the protagonist's power as well. I mean she's not super strong or anything but numbers always help and she's no slouch. Fits a more sneaky role in the group that only Qrow could fill in.

Meanwhile, Nora has fun blowing things up. The next chapter will of course feature the true might of Atlesian Military Technology! A mecha! I'm sure the massive metal war machine will have an easy time defeating the party.

I hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you next time!