A/N: Alright, welcome back everyone. Apologies for the delay, but moving from a condo to a house was a bit more time-consuming than I'd anticipated. Hopefully the quality of the chapter makes up for it. Shit gets craaaaaazyyyyyyy.


Benny's Haven was usually pretty quiet, with many of its patrons more of the silent drinking types and the more rowdy ones going to the clubs and other places throughout the Valean city of Highland Falls. But tonight was different. A group of young hunters had returned from some mission. Loud music and cheers radiated throughout the bars and patrons celebrated with many drinks. The hunters regaled the crowd of their prowess and courage in their various adventures.

"You see this one," a large chested man said, pointing at the large gash on his shoulder. "An alpha beowulf clipped me before I slashed it in two!"

People oohed and ahhed at the sight before a huntress lifted her shirt to reveal an equally nasty scar that ran across her abs. "Ha, that's nothing! A nevermore's feather nearly gutted me before I stabbed it in the eye with it!" There was an even larger eruption of applause as an even larger crowd gathered around. It came to the point where all the fighters in the bar had circled around, showing off their scars and telling their war stories.

All, save for two people. A fairly large blond man and a girl with a red hood over her face sat at the bar, far away from the other patrons. The man had a smile on his face as he drank a tankard while the girl quietly nursed a fruity drink in one hand, and rotated a fairly large revolver in the other. The bartender stood across from, wary of giving a seemingly underage girl alcohol; however from her demeanor and a rather large weapon, he thought that she was old enough, or at least pretended to be. The man, who assumed was her father, also assured him that she was old enough.

To the bartender's annoyance, one of the drunken huntsmen made his way over to the two, empty mug in hand. His request for more alcohol was quickly denied, leaving the huntsman irritated. He glanced over to the young girl twirling the revolver and in his drunken state figured she was some sort of huntress. He scooted his stool over and leaned close to the young girl, "So… yo-you huntress?" he drunkenly asked.

The girl glanced at him and ignored him, returning to mull over her own drink. His own temper rising, the huntsman snatched the girl's revolver. The man with her immediately got out of his chair, eyes glowing with anger. "We got a problem?" he shouted, fists curled tightly,

The drunk shook his head. "N-no good sir. I just...asked a simple question to the yo-young miss here." A sly grin appeared as he slowly backed away and raised his voice ever so loudly. "I would think the crowd would love to hear this young huntress' tales." Like moths drawn to a flame, the large crowd grouped around them drawn by the potential for more stories. They all eyed the young girl, waiting for her to say anything.

Yet the girl didn't say anything, only staring at the drunk holding her revolver with anger. "Give. It. Back," she demanded as she continued to eye the drunk.

"Not until show us what scars you have. Or are you just one of those fake huntresses?"

The girl glanced at the large group that had appeared, all waiting for her to respond. With a frustrated sigh, she rolled up her sleeve which covered a large gash. "This is from a chryssalid that burst from a man's chest in China." Lifting her shirt showed a large circular mark. "Plasma shot from Muton in Brazil." Pulling down her right stocking revealed a dark line in her thigh, "Shrapnel from a rocket in England."

The crowd grew silent before bursting out in laughter. The girl looked shocked as everyone around her bent over laughing at her, mocking her actions. "What kinda names are those? In fairyland?" the woman joked as she tried to wipe the tears off her face.

"Did you get those boo-boos falling down a tree?" the large man mocked, clutching on the woman for support.

The drunk was the loudest of them all, double over on the ground. He did his best to hold up the revolver to the girl. "Here. You can take your toy gun back."

As the drunkards and hunters laughed around her, the young girl stood still, eyes focused on the ground. She looked up suddenly, gray eyes locking with the large man. "What do you even know about scars?" she demanded, an aura of anger slowly emanating. The man looked back, confused, and before he could say anything, the girl snapped back, "nothing! Cause if you knew anything you would know those aren't my real scars." A hush fell over the crowd as they looked at her in confusion. They eyed her as she yanked a previously innocuous chain with a number of metal sheets off her belt and lifted it for all to see.

"These are my real scars. The ones that hurt the most. The ones that pain me and keep me up at night. Eleven names etched on these metal sheets with blood. Eleven names of men and women who had more courage than you cowards ever will. Eleven names that these eyes saw die, that this voice gave their last orders, that this body will always remember. Eleven names that I pray every single day that I do justice to as I live…" she yelled, desperately trying to hold back the flood of tears making their way down her eyes. "So if you had any decency you would quietly go fuck off," she growled.

Suddenly in a flurry of rose petals the cloak, the revolver, and the girl all disappeared.

"Ruby!" the blonde man shouted, quickly tossing some lien on the bar table before rushing out the doors. After a moment he returned, eyes ignited with anger as he decked the drunk and sent him flying to the back of the bar. He sprinted back out the door leaving the rest of the patrons in shock,both by the extreme punch, but more by the words of the young girl. One by one, they slowly dispersed, either going to their separate table or leaving the bar altogether.


Taiyang Xiao Long slowly made his way through the quiet town, following a small trail of rose petals. This had all started with them on the way to Patch. The ride was somber with most of it being in silence. He had tried to start a conversation about her new revolver while on the ride there. It seemed innocuous until she grew quiet and clammed up. Even at the bar she barely said anything despite his best attempts to start a conversation. He remembered being told that his daughters had changed, but he didn't think much of it. Yang, other than the new set of limbs, for the most part, seemed the same. And it looked that way with Ruby too. But the Ruby he knew wouldn't have burst out like that, which wasn't even mentioning her new scars.

It didn't take long for him to find his daughter, crying alone into the chain of dog tags and the revolver. He watched from a distance, unsure of even what to say. Gods knew what she went through on "Earth", but all he knew was that she wasn't the same young girl who ran around saying she wanted to save the world. He wanted to punch whatever god or fate made his daughter suffer. At the same time, he wanted to hold her tightly and tell her everything would be alright. But that was a lie and even he knew it. Tai couldn't help but remember when Summer died and the emptiness he felt when people said it would be alright. The only person who did anything meaningful was Raven, who had just sat next to him in silence.

Slowly but surely he made his way over to his daughter and silently took a seat next to her. She wrapped her arms around him, weeping into his chest.

"I miss them… I miss them so much…" she cried, clutching onto him. All Taiyang could do was hold her tight.

After a while, the tears and sniffling stopped and Taiyang looked down to see his daughter fast asleep. Lifting her up, he carried her back to their room for the night. "C'mon Ruby, let's go to Patch…. Mom's waiting for us," he whispered as he held her close.


"Breaking news from Atlas's capital, where Lady Fall delivered a prepared statement regarding the recent surge in Grimm attacks on Vacuo's citizens."

Desperado sighed. This couldn't be good.

After a few moments, Cinder's voice came through the radio dangling from the side of the wagon, and the rest of the nomad caravan stopped to listen.

"People of Remnant. It is with a heavy heart that I must speak of the state of Vacuo, and the failure of its leadership in its promise of safety to the proud citizens of this kingdom. For far too long, Vacuo's government has been lax in its defense of the people. And while the brave men and women of Vacuo may have little trouble defending themselves in times of peace, the Grimm drawn in by this period of global turmoil are more than they were prepared for. They are a threat that the government should have been ready to meet, should have repelled with diligence…"

Desperado said nothing, and neither did the nomads. For once, Cinder was actually right. But just like everything else that came out of that witch's mouth, she was angling for something.

"That gross negligence, the senseless blood spilled due to incompetence, it ends today."

"There's the pivot," Kosal muttered.

"When the people were abandoned by their leaders, ADVENT fought hard to protect them. I may be in Atlas, but that does not mean the men and women who share my vision pick and choose who they fight for. They push back against the darkness for all people of Remnant. The situation in Vacuo is too dire to ignore. I have decided to commit a sizeable force to take up residence in the kingdom, and to coordinate a defense of the people. The huntsmen of Shade who are willing to fight for a better future will be welcomed with open arms."

Kosal sighed. "An occupation, then. One baby step at a time."

"And those huntsmen who drag their heels, who try to cling to the ineffective, kleptocratic ways of old? They will stay out of our way, or be dealt with. Make no mistake: this is a fight for survival. Any who have a desire to hold Remnant back, to maintain the crumbling status quo, is not worthy of compassion. ADVENT will fight tooth and nail to defend each and every one of you, but only if you are willing to fight for yourselves.

"To the people of Vacuo, to those who are living in the outskirts of the kingdom and in remote settlements, I beg of you: make the journey to the city centers where my people can protect you. The deserts are no longer as safe as they once were. If you choose to stay where you are, I cannot know what fate awaits you. Come home, and work with us to build a stronger future.

"Thank you."

The broadcaster began to chatter in the wake of Cinder's speech, but nobody in the nomad caravan said anything for a good minute.

"Is that even going to work?" Desperado asked. "From what I've seen of Vacuo, it's people are very independent. How does ADVENT think they're going to get this nation to accept their authority?"

One of the nomads, Rosalia, answered, "Because my people will not see it as them demanding our acceptance of their authority. They will see it as maybe a replacement of the current government. A government that the people already do not respect. If these people are willing to throw themselves at the Grimm, that's not really our problem. If anything, it will prove to us that they are strong enough to be worthy of respect."

"That respect might turn to complacency as ADVENT tries to slowly grab more authority," Kosal muttered.

"Make no mistake, my friends," Desperado began, "that was a threat directed at us. 'Come live where we can keep an eye on you, or suffer the consequences.' They know that the people of Vacuo will be resistant to authoritarian rule, but they don't plan to do this overnight. And in the meantime? It wouldn't surprise me if ADVENT hits a settlement or two and makes it look like a Grimm attack."

Rosalia nodded. "Show the people that you are right, and they shall soon flock to you. It is a sound strategy for ADVENT. However, the people of Vacuo are strong. They have weathered many storms. This is but one more."

"Aye, but this storm doesn't fight fair," Kosal countered.

Another nomad answered, "Then neither shall we."

"If we are to prevent attacks by ADVENT, we must find ways to hinder them without giving ourselves away," Desperado said. "You are all masters of the desert, while ADVENT is not, so that will play to our advantage. At the same time, the people of the settlements need help. We must find a way to extend protection to them while we wage our campaign against ADVENT."

Rosalia hummed thoughtfully. "The people need something worth fighting for. We are a spiritual people, as you well know. But our spirits are in legends. Symbols that have no unifying theme beyond the strength of the desert."

Desperado had a sneaking suspicion that he knew where this was going, and a sinking feeling that Bradford was going to kill him when he finds out.

Rosalia gazed evenly at Desperado and finished, "You can offer a unifying cause, a rallying cry that is worth fighting for."

Fuck it. If it helped the people of Vacuo, then Desperado was all for it.

"Then it sounds like we all know what we must do," Desperado said. "The Commandy One protects, Rosalia."

The nomad smiled and answered, "The Commandy One protects."


A quiet knock at the back window pulled Ceres Nikos out of her thoughts. She put down the knife she was using to dice potatoes and listened carefully to make sure she wasn't simply imagining the noise. She heard it again a few seconds later. A gentle tap at the window at the end of her kitchen.

On the second floor of her home.

"Is everything alright, dear?" her husband called from the next room. He must have noticed she stopped cutting the vegetables.

"Fine," Ceres answered, picking up her knife again and slowly approaching the window. "I'm just checking on something."

"Holler if you need me."

Weapon in hand, Ceres peered through the window into the darkness of the evening. She couldn't see anything that stood out as the obvious culprit of the noise. Was someone throwing rocks or something?

Taptaptap

Ceres didn't see anything come into view of the window, and so whoever (or whatever) was making that noise must have tapped on the frame. She undid the latch, pushed the window open, and stepped back.

After a moment of silence, a voice quietly whispered, "Don't panic."

"Not a good way to start a conversation," Ceres answered through gritted teeth.

"I just didn't want you to shriek in surprise or something," the disembodied voice countered. "Then again, I should've known Pyrrha's mom would be made of sterner stuff."

Pyrrha?

"Where is my daughter?"

"Safe with XCOM, I assume. Listen, I would love to tell you more, but there's really no time right now. I need to get both you and your husband out of the house. Quickly."

"Why would I trust a coward who hasn't even shown me his face?"

"Do you promise not to stab me with your knife if I do?"

He might be a coward, but at least he was perceptive.

She hesitated, then answered, "Fine."

Almost immediately, a head swung into view from above the window.

"Miss Nikos," the man said, "Hello. Huge fan. Your daughter saved my life at least twice since I've known her. So now I'm angling to repay the debt by saving yours. Can you get your husband?"

"Thal?" Ceres called out, keeping her eyes firmly locked on the man hanging outside her window. "Can you come here for a moment?"

"Thal?" The man asked.

"Thalassos."

"I dig it."

"I don't care."

Thalassos appeared behind his wife, and she heard him ask over her shoulder, "Ceres? Who is this?"

"Someone who claims to know our daughter," she answered.

"And someone who would really, really like to hold this conversation literally anywhere that isn't this house," the man answered. "Because ADVENT will be here soon."

"And why is that a problem? They've been protecting Argus for several weeks now."

"Because their boss tried to kill your daughter?"

"Or so XCOM claims."

The man closed his eyes, let out a deep breath, and answered, "If you give me the chance, I can tell you stories upon stories upon stories about how Master Sergeant Nikos put her life on the line for us on a near-daily basis working with XCOM."

Ceres raised her eyebrow. "Sergeant Nikos?"

"I told you once already that I owe my life to Pyrrha," the man said quietly. "Please give me the chance to tell you how my comrades owe her the same."

His smile was genuine, of that Ceres was certain. She looked over her shoulder at her husband, and the two of them shared a brief, silent conversation.

The man's expression changed, and he checked a message on his wristwatch.

"Alright, it's now or never," he said, "We've got about thirty seconds to beat feet before ADVENT arrives and covers all the exits.

Ceres nodded. "Very well. We'll see what you have to say."


"The house is just up ahead, Commander Hazel."

"Do we have eyes on all angles yet?"

"Yes, sir."

"Any sign of XCOM?"

"No, sir. Even before we had our men on the roofs, our spotter out front didn't see anyone go in or out since the Nikos couple came home several hours ago."

Hazel nodded. "Good. Remember: the last thing we want to do is cause panic for these people. We have determined that they are at risk of being captured by XCOM, and our goal is to keep them safe."

"Of course, Commander."

Several other ADVENT troopers reported their readiness on the comm system, and Hazel approached the front door of the Nikos residence with his adjutant. He made it very clear that the soldier was to come without a weapon. If fighting broke out, Hazel would be more than capable of fighting for the both of them.

But fighting wouldn't be breaking out. Not tonight.

He lifted his massive hand up and rapped it firmly against the front door.

"Mr. and Mrs. Nikos," he began, "this is Commander Hazel of ADVENT's security force. I would like to speak with you for a few minutes."

No answer, no sound of anybody getting up from inside the house.

"The lights are still on inside," his adjutant commented. "They haven't gone to bed yet."

"No movement from inside, sir."

An uneasy feeling started to grow in Hazel's gut. He knocked on the door and tried again. "Mr. and Mrs. Nikos, this is an urgent matter of security. I really need to speak with you. Immediately."

He held his breath as he listened beyond the door. Still nothing.

Damn.

"Mr. and Mrs. Nikos," Hazel said as he firmly gripped the door, "I sincerely apologize for the intrusion, but this cannot wait."

The door broke with a slight grunt as Hazel pushed it inwards, and his adjutant immediately stepped through the doorway to assess the situation.

"It's empty," the soldier confirmed. "Either that, or they're hiding. There's no movement anywhere."

"You'd think they would come to investigate the sound of their door breaking," Hazel mused. He moved through the lower rooms, carefully searching for signs of where the couple may have gone.

Nothing.

"They got here first," Hazel sighed. Damn.

His adjutant stepped up next to him and saluted. "We'll keep the spotters posted, sir. Just in case they come back."

Hazel nodded, but he already knew. They wouldn't be coming back.


"Blake? What are you doing in Engineering? Why aren't you in the med bay?"

Blake looked up from the table of arm attachments in front of her to see Ilia. She watched as all the color drained from her friend's face when Ilia realized that no arm was attached to Blake's right shoulder.

"Y-your arm!" Ilia said, pointing at Blake's missing arm.

"The one you saw get sliced in half?" Blake asked.

"In half, yes! Not removed entirely!"

Blake sighed, then waved her friend over with her remaining arm. With some hesitation, Ilia did as she was asked, and Blake held out her arm once Ilia was close enough.

"Do me a favor," Blake said, "grab my arm by the elbow, and twist clockwise."

"What?!"

"You might have to put some strength into it, but it shouldn't take too much force."

"Blake!" Ilia shouted, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Just do it."

Ilia stared at Blake, then the arm, then grabbed it and twisted as Blake had instructed. It clicked, something in Blake's shoulder hissed, and ilia found herself holding a very-much detached robotic arm.

"Don't yell-"

"WHAT THE FUCK!?"

"Ilia-"

"What the fuck! What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck?"

As she'd given up the only arm she could slap Ilia with, Blake had to resort to delivering a headbutt to the panicking faunus. Ilia yelped, and the arm she was holding fell to the floor as she covered her face with her hands and stared at Blake in shock.

"Get ahold of yourself," Blake commanded, her eyes boring into Ilia. "I told you it wasn't the first time I'd lost an arm. I've actually lost both arms. And legs."

"Holy shit…" Ilia whispered. Blake tried to figure out the emotions going through Ilia's head, but her expressions kept changing almost as quickly as her colors.

Eventually, the poor girl managed to eek out, "What happened?"

"A war happened," Blake answered. "A really brutal one. Would you mind popping the arm back in for me? Thanks."

"So… you're looking for a replacement arm?" Ilia asked, peering over Blake's shoulder at the table. Arrayed before them was a selection of limbs, each slightly different.

Blake nodded at her friend's question. "Engineering has been experimenting with augmented limb and robotics tech, and a happy side-benefit has been the creation of several arms during their tests. I was down an arm for about a month after the Vytal incident, and so the mechanics down here have been very kind to make sure there's always a few replacements available in the event that I lost an arm again."

"Convenient," Ilia said. Blake noticed the color returning to her friend's face, but she was still visibly shaken by the new information Blake had dumped on her.

"Having options means I can try to pick one that feels the most 'right.' Like this one." Blake grabbed one of the arms off the table, snapped it in place on her right shoulder, and flexed the fingers as signals from her nervous system flowed through the attachment. "Hmm… a little stiffer than I would've liked, but it'll do.

"By the way, what are you down here for?" Blake asked.

"Dr. Shen wanted to see me," Ilia said. "He wanted to take a look at my… arm attachment. Make sure it wasn't hurting or causing any damage."

Blake nodded. "That sounds like him alright. In case you haven't noticed yet, he's a very good man. You won't find a single soul at XCOM who doesn't hold a great deal of respect for Raymond Shen. Want me to join you?"

"You probably should," Ilia admitted. "I'm pretty sure I'm not allowed to meet with him privately, and I'd rather have you in the room than a couple of operatives."

As they turned to head further into the Engineering sector of the ship, a voice called out behind them.

"Hey! Amitola!"

The two women looked back to see Beagle waving for them to halt. Blake waited with curiosity while she could sense Ilia waiting with apprehension.

"Is something wrong, Captain?" Blake asked once Beagle was standing in front of them.

The man shook his head. "Nah. I've been looking for the kid, though."

"I am not a kid!" Ilia huffed.

Blake smirked at the classic Beagle tactic. Get Ilia annoyed so that she'd forget to feel nervous.

"Whether you are or aren't a kid anymore can be debated, but there is one thing that you definitely aren't, and that's a Rookie." Beagle grinned at Ilia's surprised expression, and he presented the huntress with a small box. "Congratulations, Specialist Amitola."

"T-thanks…" Ilia muttered. She looked to Blake, as if to ask, 'What am I supposed to say now?'

"Live long enough to get a promotion to Lance Corporal, and you'll earn yourself a nickname," Blake said. "It's probably a safe bet that Mac already has several picked out."

Beagle snorted. "He's like the fuckin' Nickname Whisperer at this point." He looked at Ilia and added, "You should have seen the 'ceremony' that RWBY put together for CFVY's 'induction.' Felt like a cult meeting. Was pretty hilarious watching Yats kneeling down so Mac could reach his forehead to smear some charcoal like he was goddamn Rafiki, though."

Ilia understood most of the words that had just come out of Beagle's mouth. Curiosity led her to ask, "What nickname did Coco get?"

"Sasha."

"... What?"

"One of these days, we'll introduce you to Terran gaming," Beagle said. "But for now, you should probably head off to… wherever it was you were going."

Ilia nodded, then she turned around with Blake to see Dr. Shen. She hesitated for a moment, then turned around again to see Beagle walking away.

"Captain?"

The man glanced back. "Hmm?"

"Thanks."

He offered a casual salute and answered, "Welcome to the team, kiddo."


Bradford stood on the bridge of the Avenger next to Beagle as the two of them watched Big Sky carefully pilot his ship into the slip assigned to them by Atlas ATC. Thick ropes ran from the Avenger to a pair of towing ships that were guiding the large vessel. A constant stream of chatter between Big Sky and the traffic controller filled the room while the two officers looked on.

"Are we ready for this?" Beagle asked.

Bradford shrugged. "As ready as we can be, I suppose. Putting it off would have been the wrong move. Are all the divisions prepared for the inspection?"

"Yessir," Beagle confirmed. "Even have our new John Doe stripped down and sitting in the freezer in a bodybag. If anyone asks, we can say he's one of ours, and we're keeping him for an autopsy to see if the Wendigo caused any non-obvious damage. Everyone else has their areas tidy and ready for our Atlesian guests."

The two of them continued to watch in silence, and eventually the ship bumped ever-so-slightly against the anchoring pylon, indicating that the Avenger was formally docked.

The comms with the ATC crackled, "Avenger, be advised that General Ironwood is present with the ground team waiting to be received by your diplomatic retinue."

"Noted, ATC," Big Sky answered as he glanced back at Bradford. "Maybe you should head down and join the welcoming committee."

A few minutes later, and the ramp to the Avenger lowered. Bradford waited with Beagle, MacAuley, and several other officers until the gangplank dropped low enough for Ironwood and a team of Atlesian dignitaries in full dress came into view. Bradford noticed a gaggle of news reporters further back, and he guessed that they did not have the General's permission to join the sortie onboard the Avenger. Ironwood's party strode up the walkway while Bradford waited patiently with his team. A few seconds later, and Ironwood stood directly in front of the Central Officer. The two men stared at each other in silence, their entourages waiting curiously to see who would make the first move.

Bradford did. With a slight nod, he greeted, "General Ironwood. It's been a while, sir."

"I'm glad you were able to make good on my offer, Bradford," Ironwood answered. Bradford hadn't offered his hand for a shake, and Ironwood seemed content to do the same.

"My aim is to prove that XCOM is operating above-board, in the interest of the people of Remnant, and within the laws of the Kingdoms," Bradford said. "That includes submitting Atlesian technology to a formal inspection when the request is made."

Ironwood nodded. "Good. Then let us begin."

Bradford stepped aside and allowed the Atlesian investigation team to walk past before he fell in step with the General.

"The entire ship has been prepped for your arrival and investigation, General, and the crew has been informed that your associates are free to investigate whatever they wish, in any order that they wish." He stared levelly at Ironwood. "We have nothing to hide."

"That is comforting to hear. I trust my people to conduct a thorough examination of your ship. In the meantime, I would like you to join me in your quarters to speak privately."

Bradford raised an eyebrow, but simply said, "It would be my honor."

With Beagle and Mac left in charge of assisting the delegation, Bradford broke off from the group with Ironwood. In a few short minutes, the door to Bradford's quarters were closed, and Ironwood let out a heavy sigh.

"You sound like you need a drink, General," Bradford noted as he stepped behind his desk and opened the liquor cabinet. "I don't drink unless it's with dignitaries such as yourself, so you have a pretty wide selection of choices available."

"Atlesian Brandy," Ironwood answered as he dropped into the seat across from Bradford, eyes closed. "Any year is fine."

Bradford found the requested bottle and set it on the table with a pair of tumblers. Ironwood didn't move while his host poured out some of the alcohol into both glasses, and only sat up once Bradford slid one of the tumblers over to him. Not a word was said while the General took his glass, sampled the drink, and stared into the remaining alcohol with tired eyes.

"I gave you a couple of gifts the last time we met," Bradford commented as he looked at the liquid in the glass sitting in front of him. "I trust you've been making use of them?"

"Gave them to Dr. Polendina once I met with him after my return to Atlas," Ironwood answered.

"And?"

Ironwood shrugged. "I'm a soldier and he's a scientist, Bradford. All I can tell you is that he was appreciative of the gift."

Alright, time to steer Ironwood towards why he asked for a private meeting. "So you made contact with Odei."

"Figured that out, did you?" Ironwood asked as he took another sip of alcohol. "How long did it take?"

Bradford sniffed his own glass and quickly realized that Atlesian brandy was strong.

"Couple hours. Bear in mind that I've got a team of engineers who had some free time on their hands and a driving curiosity to figure out who Odei trusted enough to give her codes to."

"Figured as much," Ironwood chuckled.

Bradford put his glass down and looked at his guest. "So you sent a very public offer for a visit, and then an encrypted counterpart saying that it was of utmost importance. You say that Weiss is currently safe, but that Winter is in danger. Odei has briefed me on what she knows of Dr. Merlot. I take it he is the source of your concern?"

Ironwood nodded. "Winter is my best soldier, hands-down. We agreed that she should undergo Merlot's surgery to try and understand what he was doing to the other participants in his program. She experienced the same physical and mental enhancements that the others demonstrated in field tests, but couldn't identify anything else that was different."

"And Weiss?"

"Has noted that her sister has become more agitated and slightly irrational at times."

"Could be written off as stress due to the stakes of this operation."

"Agreed," Ironwood sighed.

The two men fell silent as Bradford chewed on Ironwood's words while the General was content to sit and enjoy his alcohol. Bradford had to admit that having General Ironwood, head of the Atlas Military and collaborator with ADVENT's global peacekeeping efforts, hiding in his office and drinking his stress away was the last thing he expected from this visit.

"So why go through all the trouble of bringing me here to tell me this?" Bradford asked. "The last time we met, you weren't exactly onboard with trusting XCOM."

Ironwood took another drink from his glass and gazed at Bradford. "I trust ADVENT even less."

Ah. Looked like Bradford made the right move by not offering to shake Ironwood's hand in front of the press and the investigation team. At the time, he figured it was more political games with the General. But having to outwardly project confidence in ADVENT's work while privately distrusting them? That had to be difficult.

"General," Bradford said, "XCOM stands ready to help. Two of my operatives, two good men who didn't hesitate at the chance to join Weiss in Atlas, gave their lives in search of the truth behind all of this. Miss Schnee —both of them, in fact— is putting her life on the line each day for the same cause. There would be no greater insult to their sacrifices and risks than if we were to simply turn a blind eye and find an easier cause to pursue."

Ironwood nodded. "I don't believe the bull Cinder says about you," he commented as he reached for the bottle of brandy to refill his tumbler.

"But your hands are tied," Bradford guessed. "I understand, General. So… what would you have us do?"

"Officially? Nothing."

"Of course."

"But… we need to figure out if Merlot is up to something." Ironwood got up from his seat and started to pace, tumbler in hand. "From what I've heard, Weiss is trying to wrangle a way to get herself into his lab. If she succeeds, though? I think we can both agree that having backup would be necessary."

Bradford nodded.

"Your organization specializes in infiltration and reconnaissance, yes?" Ironwood asked, looking up at his host. "From what I've heard, Odei has done a lot of legwork in Atlas. She hasn't had much luck learning about Merlot, but… her connections might be useful in getting to people who do."

"Such as…?"

"Jacques Schnee."

Ah.

"Are you suggesting that I find a way to drop by the Schnee manor for a bit of reading?" Bradford asked with a tinge of amusement.

Ironwood shook his head. "He'll never let you in. He's made it very clear which horse he's backed in the XCOM versus ADVENT race, and it's not you. But if he has information? It's in your best interest to find a way to obtain it."

"Are you suggesting-?"

"I'm not suggesting anything," Ironwood said.

If he was afraid of bugs, one of the first things Bradford had Mac do onboard the Avenger was sweep his office for electronic. And then check every day that the Avenger was docked somewhere. The room was definitely clean.

Still, Ironwood was putting a lot of trust in Bradford by asking him to break and enter one of Atlas's most respected entrepreneurs. Or maybe he was simply trying to get a third party to do his dirty work? The man's concern for Winter seemed earnest, at the very least. Perhaps he was getting a feeling that ADVENT might actually be dirty, and was willing to use dirty tactics to find out. Not like Cinder was fighting fair, anyway.

Bradford nodded. "Alright. I'll see if I can get an invite for tea."

"Maybe Weiss can help you out," Ironwood suggested.

That had been Bradford's plan anyway. He'd already asked Odei to work with Annette on making contact with Weiss as soon as possible. His other assets with Covert Ops training had been briefed by Odei on leads to follow and personnel to make contact with. The XCOM-friendly network established in Atlas was apparently growing at an impressive rate, especially given that two of the three deployed operatives were killed early on. But Odei was one of the best for a reason.

"We'll see what she has to offer," Bradford agreed. "Is there anything else, General?"

Ironwood hesitated, as if he wasn't sure whether or not he truly wanted to make his next ask. "If… if it turns out that Winter is compromised somehow, I would like for you to do everything you can to help her."

"Of course. Remember that it wouldn't just be a favor to you, but to Weiss."

"Even if it means you have to kidnap her."

Bradford raised an eyebrow.

"You'd probably want to fake her death," Ironwood continued, sighing. "Make it look like XCOM wasn't involved."

"General…"

"She doesn't deserve this. I gave her an impossible choice, and she picked her kingdom over her own well-being. The dedication she has, the dedication she needed to have in order to succeed, it-"

"General."

Ironwood looked up.

Bradford looked the man dead in the eye and said, "You have my word that we will do whatever it takes to make sure Winter comes out of this intact."

Ironwood nodded, finished his brandy, and stood up.

"I should get back to the inspection," he said, putting the tumbler down on the table. "Thank you for coming."

"It's my pleasure, General." Bradford checked his tablet and added, "The latest update from my adjutant is that your team is down in Engineering. I'll be happy to escort you there personally."

Without another word, the two of them stepped out of the office.


In the back corner of an Atlesian cafe, Weiss Schnee sat lost in thought. A small wisp of steam rose from the cup of tea sitting in front of her, but she wasn't able to enjoy the flowery aroma like she usually did. After her meeting with Winter half an hour ago, she had a lot on her mind.

"Three…" she half-muttered, half-groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Shit."

Weiss and Winter had agreed to meet at the same cafe at the same time every week, dressed in plain clothes to avoid drawing attention, ostensibly to take time out of their busy lives to 'catch up' with each other. However, there was also the other reason of giving Winter the chance to check in and let Weiss know how she's feeling after Merlot's operation.

The idea was borne out of Odei's Four-Case scenario, and it meant that Winter always worked the word "four" into their conversation when they met for lunch each week. The fact that she was even able to work the code word into their conversation meant that Winter had control over herself, and so the possibility of Case Two was no longer a concern. And every time they met, Winter had very clearly given her the status update that she was still in a Case Four scenario.

Until half an hour ago.

'Those XCOM assholes drive me mad! I was with my team, trying to defend Avitus, and they drop three squads into the firefight from their 'Avenger' and fuck everything up! We barely defeated the main attack, the Wendigo got away, and the best they can say afterwards is 'you're welcome, by the way.' Unbelievable!'

'... Three squads? That's a lot of firepower. Are you sure it was that many?'

'Yes, Weiss. Not one. Not two. Three squads.'

They'd continued chatting about various things going on in their lives, such as Weiss's work with Dr. Polendina, but her heart wasn't in it once Winter had dropped the Case Three warning. After an hour or so, Winter bid her sister farewell and left Weiss alone to finish her tea.

"Is this seat taken?"

Weiss looked up with a start and found herself face to face with… was that Annette? The face looked like hers, the grey eyes were hers, but the hair was both too short and the wrong color, she had scars in the wrong places, and since when did she have a septum piercing?

"I'm new in town, you see," the woman continued, "and I was hoping I might find someone who'd be willing to give me a rundown of Atlas so I don't get lost."

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Where are you from?"

The woman sat down across from Weiss, stared her in the eye, and with a grin answered, "Orléans, mon amie." Annette must have seen a look of panic flash across Weiss's face, and she added in a low whisper, "Relax, Odei has us covered, and I can already tell that you aren't compromised. Spidey senses and all that."

A look over Annette's shoulder revealed a familiar (and yet, like Annette, not-so-familiar) face glancing at a menu while keeping an eye on the busy cafe.

"So… did you bring friends with you?" Weiss asked, trying to ask about XCOM without overtly dropping the name.

Annette nodded. "But of course! Though a particular flower is… away on business."

Weiss's face fell. "Oh."

"I am sorry to have to give you unfortunate news, especially since I've only just met you."

Right. To business.

Weiss took a sip from her teacup and asked, "So you want to know about Atlas, then?"

Annette nodded.

"Big Kingdom, obviously, and the capital is rather busy," Weiss started. "The military is very active here, and ADVENT has been working closely with the local law enforcement to… keep everyone safe."

Annette hummed. "I haven't been outside too much yet. Is there really a lot of ADVENT?"

Weiss stared at her friend. "A lot of ADVENT."

"Well that's good! I feel safer already," Annette said with a wink.

"Well… a lot of ADVENT up here," Weiss clarified. "There's also the part of the city not attached to this floating rock. The slums. ADVENT has a presence down there, too… but it's hard keeping control over a place like that."

Annette raised an eyebrow.

"Your friend over there might know more about it," Weiss said, glancing at Odei. "Not much news about the slums travels up here, though. People don't like hearing about it."

"Noted."

Weiss continued, "You've probably also noticed that Atlas is more technologically advanced than the other Kingdoms. We have a heavy emphasis on research and development. Dr. Polendina is on the forefront of our nation's research, and rumor has it that he has one of the Schnee girls working with him. A very friendly man, from what I've heard."

"How charming. I'll see if I can arrange a visit," Annette smiled. "Any other stars in the scientific field?"

Weiss cast a look around the cafe before returning her attention to Annette. Hopefully Odei was doing a good job keeping an eye out for eavesdroppers "... Yes. There is another up-and-coming researcher."

"Oh?"

"Yes, a… Doctor Merlot," Weiss answered.

"With a name like that, he must be an interesting character!" Annette intoned, though her voice was quiet to match Weiss's "What do you know about him?"

"Only that he's improving Atlas and ADVENT soldiers," Weiss said. "He is very private about his work."

"Oh? Surely somebody must know something about him, no?"

Another quick glance around the room. "Well, supposedly the head of the SDC has been able to use his prestige and resources to curry some favor with the doctor." Weiss took another sip from her cup and added, "If anyone knows anything about Merlot, it's probably him."

"The head of the SDC lives here?" Annette asked. Weiss had to admit: her friend was very good at feigning ignorance with what she already knew.

Weiss nodded. "Yes, though good luck trying to seek an audience with him. He only talks to people who are worth his time, which basically means 'people who have money.' In fact, he's hosting a gala at his manor later this week for Atlas's high society. I've heard that Weiss Schnee will be delivering a live performance for the attendees."

"And I've heard that she has an amazing singing voice," Annette answered with a sly wink. "It would be nice to find a way to get into the party and watch her, no?"

It took all of Weiss's willpower to not roll her eyes. "Yeah, good luck sneaking in. You're definitely not from around here if you don't know how well-protected the Schnee manor is. After years of dealing with the White Fang, they've become quite adept at keeping out unwanted visitors. Unless you have someone inside who actually wants you there, you're not getting in."

Annette sighed dramatically as she stood up from the table. "Such a shame. Oh well, I suppose I'll have to enjoy the other luxuries that Atlas has to offer."

"Don't stay out too late at night," Weiss warned. "Even with ADVENT's help, it would be impossible for local law enforcement to achieve full security coverage after the sun goes down."

With a casual salute, Annette turned and strode out of the cafe. Weiss took some time to finish her tea, and she noticed that Odei didn't move from her table until Weiss got up and left to return home.


"So, uh… here we are."

Ruby nodded. The air was calm and quiet (as it always was up here), but that didn't stop Ruby's heart from pounding in her ribcage, nor the uncomfortable lump from growing in her throat. She could feel the slight sense of unease emanating from her dad, but that was probably because he could see that his daughter was a ball of stress at the moment.

But why was she feeling that way? As they paused at the edge of the woods, with Summer's gravestone just ahead, Ruby still felt the itch at the back of her mind. It was quiet during the ride over from Vale to Patch, but the nagging feeling was almost unbearable now. Even though she'd been to this exact ledge a hundred times before, something in her gut was telling her that it would be different this time. Was she excited? Or was this a feeling of dread?

Tai coughed quietly. "I, ah… I don't know what you had in mind, Ruby, but I'm sorta-kinda just following your lead on this."

"I know," Ruby mumbled, "but I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. I just got this feeling that I needed to be here, and that it would all make sense once… I… did…"

Ruby's voice trailed off as the wind gently picked up and seemingly carried a thousand little bits of flowers and pollen out of the grass and into the air. Tai immediately froze, and Ruby could feel the mixture of confusion and panic in his mind.

"Dad?"

"Not possible…" he sputtered. "T-that's not… no way…"

The winds continued to blow, and the flower bits coalesced into lily-white petals, swirling into a small vortex just in front of Summer's gravestone. It was a beautiful, elegant sight.

But it felt wrong.

Ruby's danger sense wasn't going off in her head, but something was telling her that this wasn't quite right. She knew this had something to do with her mother. Even if the itch in the back of her mind wasn't setting off alarms, her father's reaction was certainly evidence enough. And yet, even though she should be happy to witness something that could be a connection to Summer, the hairs on the back of Ruby's neck started to stand on end.

"Dad," Ruby said, "get up."

But Tai wasn't listening. Fallen to his knees, arms hanging limply at his sides, the man just stared in disbelief at the display unfolding before him. Suddenly, the sight of her father in shock, coupled with the swirling display, brought a faint memory to the forefront of Ruby's mind. A memory of stories Tai used to tell her, and the joy she used to feel at their telling.

Mommy's Petals.

"Dad," Ruby repeated, "Get up."

The vortex grew tighter, faster, until all the swirling pieces condensed into a single, humanoid form. A woman.

"S-Summer…" Tai croaked.

Ruby's eyes grew wide. No. No, no, no. No way. Ruby's mind raced as a thousand ivory petals fell off of the petite form of the smiling woman slowly walking towards the edge of the forest. She looked like Summer. Ruby had pored over her father's photo albums enough times to commit her mother's face to memory. And Tai's reaction told her that he firmly believed that she was the real deal, too. The way her white cloak barely touched grass, it almost looked like Summer floated as she walked. Once she was about halfway to the gawking pair, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Tai, my love. It's been so long."

Something in Ruby's mind clicked. She didn't know if it was something Summer said, or the way she said it. Maybe the act of speaking had caused the woman's concentration to slip. Maybe Ruby's mind had finally had enough time to notice it, but Ruby's training under Annette made one thing clear to her.

This woman who looked and talked like her mother was psionic.

The more Ruby scrutinized the cloaked woman, the more obvious it became. She could feel the tendrils of a psionic connection flowing off of this person. They didn't lead to anywhere like the way the tendrils would when a soldier was puppeteered by a Sectoid Commander. But a psionic connection was flowing out of Summer and, it seemed, right back into her. Almost as if she was playing host to… to…

Oh fuck.

Ruby stepped protectively in front of her father and threw up a psionic shield moments before the woman launched a purple bolt of energy at the broken man. The attack crashed against Ruby's fortification, and she glared as the woman chuckled.

"Very good, my little angel," the woman said, her smile curling into a cruel sneer. "I should have expected you to be so clever."

"S-Summer?" Tai stammered. "What are you doing?"

"Dad, that's not Mom," Ruby answered. Crescent Rose was in her hands a second later.

Summer hummed thoughtfully as a pair of tomahawks swirled into existence in her open hands. "That's not quite right, my child. I am Summer. Or rather… she is."

Ruby had half a second to wonder what the hell was going on before Summer dashed forward with her weapons raised. Ruby redirected her mother with an uppercut from her scythe, and the woman laughed while Tai scrambled to his feet.

"Wonderful!" Summer complimented. "It seems you do have the warrior spirit within you. Salem will be most pleased."

That one name caused Ruby to freeze. Salem? What did Salem have to do with this? Did that woman capture her mother the way she did Ozpin? It would certainly explain-

"What do you want with my daughter?" Tai asked. His voice was still somewhat shaky, but the idea of his daughter in danger must have caused some fatherly instincts to take control.

"It's not what I want with her," Summer answered. "It's what she wants. And let's just say that Ruby dearest has… caught her eye."

Ruby felt her father's hand on her shoulder, and he spoke quietly into her ear, "Ruby… don't let her touch you."

With just those words, the hairs on Ruby's neck stood on end. Vague memories from Tai's stories about Summer came back, reminding Ruby that the epitaph on Summer's gravestone was more than just poetry. It was her semblance.

She could scatter her weapons, herself, and even others, allowing the pieces to reform where she wished. Tai used to speak fondly of the elegance of Summer's weapons, about how she never needed to implement any fancy form-shifting tech to have both melee and ranged capabilities. Her tomahawks flowed like the wind that carried her petals.

"Good advice, my love, but I won't be denied," Summer taunted.

She threw one of her tomahawks at Ruby, who dipped to the side to avoid the weapon. While she was dodging she watched her mother (or whatever that thing was) move towards her with alarming speed, brandishing the remaining axe. Ruby was obviously no stranger to high-speed combat, but this woman dashed as though she were carried by the wind itself. It was all Ruby could do to raise Crescent Rose just enough to deflect the blow, and she staggered back as the strike knocked her off-balance.

Ruby rolled away in anticipation of a follow-up attack to capitalize on her exposure. To her surprise, however, Summer just stood there and laughed.

"Oh, my child," she said. Ruby watched as petals materialized and reformed into a tomahawk in Summer's outstretched hand. "You'll have to do better than that."

"I don't want to fight you!" Ruby shouted.

The woman smirked. "You don't have a choice."

Just as she was about to launch into another attack, Tai crashed into Summer with a yell.

"Stay away from Ruby!" he screamed.

In a flash of red, Ruby hurtled towards the woman and swung her scythe. Even while distracted by Tai, Summer managed to flick her axe to deflect the swipe and spin out of melee range in a flurry of white. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Taiyang.

"You always did struggle with knowing your place, Tai," she said.

Through tear-stained eyes, Tai glowered back. "You… are not my wife. You are a Gods-damned thief wearing her face like a mask!"

The laugh that answered his declaration was dripping with malice. A shiver ran down Ruby's spine as Summer's chuckle started out quiet, then grew louder as Ruby stepped next to her father. For the first time ever, Ruby resented the rudimentary ESP she gained from her psionics training. Even though she tried to ignore it, she could feel just how broken her father felt.

"I can't argue with that," Summer deadpanned, swinging her tomahawks into a readied position. "Well? Shall we dance?"

She flung her weapons, one for each foe, without waiting for an answer and dove towards the waiting Ruby and Tai. The trail of white flowers that flowed around her were buffeted by the cliffside winds and quickly spread across the battlefield. Ruby learned very quickly that Summer's ability dissolve and summon her axes back to her hands was seemingly effortless, as the woman always seemed to be armed despite making liberal use of her throwing weapons. The fact that she hadn't once scattered herself since arriving, however, left Ruby wondering why she wouldn't abuse that part of her semblance as much as the weapon trick. Maybe if she could force Summer to scatter herself, Ruby could get some kind of advantage that would work in her favor.

Tai seemed to fluctuate between breaking down under the strain of having to fight his wife in deadly combat and being energized by the burning need to protect his daughter. The result was that he was throwing everything he had at Summer, but with just enough hesitancy that none of his blows connected.

Dad! You need to get ahold of yourself and fight smarter!

"I'm trying!" Tai wailed as Summer danced out of range of another strike.

Ruby tried to dump bullets into her mother whenever she had the chance, but each pull of the trigger yanked on her heart strings. She'd always dreamed of someday finding a way to properly honor the memory of her mother. Tai always spoke of Summer with love and devotion, and Ruby promised herself, day after day and year after year, that she would do everything in her power to fill the boots left behind by her mother. She would be a force of good, a protector for those in need. And she hoped that every time Tai looked at her, he would see that Summer's blood ran through Ruby's weapon, and her song of hope burned inside Ruby's soul.

But this? Never in her wildest nightmares did she imagine Summer hunting her down with the evil intent that now burned in her eyes. The song that this… thing now shrieked was one of suffering and sadistic glee.

Ruby yelped as a tomahawk struck her shoulder, and Crescent Rose came up just in time to clash with the storm of white as Summer closed in to finish the job. As the flow of combat continued, Ruby got a better sense of how to fight her mother. The unyielding assault was still a struggle to fight against, but the hatred for what Salem had turned Summer into steeled Ruby's will and sharpened her tactical senses. Red clashed with white, and petals of both colors exploded across the field in front of Summer's grave.

Summer threw one of her tomahawks at Ruby, who ducked as the weapon whizzed overhead. She saw Summer's eyes grow wide, just before the axe flew back towards its owner seconds later. Ruby looked back to see her father glaring at Summer.

"Enough of your games, woman," he growled. "Leave us alone and go back to whatever hole you crawled out of."

Even though Ruby knew that this wasn't her mother, hearing Tai speak with such vitriol at Summer's visage stabbed at her heart.

"Not without her," Summer answered.

She threw both of her weapons at Ruby, who dodged them effortlessly. The attack, Ruby realized a second too late, were merely decoys.

Psionic energy shot out of Summer's hand and bolted Tai square in the chest.

Ruby screamed, but her ears heard nothing. All that mattered was the look on her father's face, his eyes growing wide in shock just before the psychic impact knocked him off his feet. In slow motion, she watched her father fall until he crashed into the ground. His eyes deadened, and they lay motionless as he stared straight ahead. Ruby's vision grew clouded around the edges, and the only thing she could focus on was the sight of her father.

Until Summer's cruel laughter pierced through her focus.

"It finally comes out!" the woman jeered. Her eyes glistened with excitement once she had Ruby's enraged attention. "Let's see what happens now, shall we?"

Except Ruby wasn't listening, nor did she really care to. Crescent Rose gleamed in the evening sun, the red and white petals drifted around the two of them, and Ruby threw herself headlong into battle once more.

She could feel that her father was alive, but that didn't change the fact that this monster had almost killed him. The rage sharpened her senses, gave her clarity of focus, and it guided her hand as she swung at her false mother.

The battle flowed as smoothly as time itself. Ruby struck, Summer blocked, kicked off, and threw her weapon. Ruby dipped, fired a shot, let the recoil swing her weapon around to her rear, and fired to launch herself at Summer. She saw the woman's hand reach out, and Ruby twisted just out of reach and swung her scythe around to force a block. Summer used Crescent Rose's momentum to drive herself back to the ground, and a shot from the rifle allowed Ruby to follow suit.

Forwards, backwards, into the sky, through the forest, and back into the ground they fought. Trees fell and the earth churned as the two flowers tore at each other with wild abandon. Through it all, much to Ruby's frustration, Summer looked like she was enjoying herself. Even as Ruby's scythe crashed against Summer's aura, even as the tomahawks slowly ate away at Ruby's own, that evil grin never washed off of the woman's face. Summer's tomahawk broke through Ruby's aura and bit into her arm, but Ruby felt no pain as she pressed onward. Crescent Rose ripped through the grass and sprayed dirt into Summer's face while Ruby planted her foot square in the woman's gut. Through the flurry of earth and petals, the second tomahawk came flying and buried itself in Ruby's thigh.

Though her hatred for this monster allowed Ruby to ignore the pain and carry on fighting, she could feel her body straining as it struggled to work through the injuries. Her motions became slower, her leg wavered ever-so-slightly, and Summer continued to dance just out of reach. With each new cut laid on her by Summer's axes, the effort continue fighting grew more and more difficult.

Death by a thousand cuts. Summer's eyes gleamed in the setting sun like a wolf closing in on its prize. Ruby was almost at the end of her rope, and they both knew it. Even so, all she needed was one good strike, and she knew she'd be able to put this woman down. Just one strike…

Two tomahawks came flying out of the battlefield's haze and cut into Ruby's calves. All at once, her battle rage broke, and all of the pain that had built up from their fight crashed into her like a tidal wave. Ruby cried out in pain as she fell to her knees. In her peripheral vision, she saw Summer slowly approach her.

"It was a valiant effort, little one," the woman said, pity in her voice. "But even with your second wind, you couldn't have hoped to match me. After all, I've been fighting your kind for thousands of years. There was nothing you could have done."

For a fleeting moment, Ruby wondered what the woman meant by that, but then the pain brought her thoughts back to more immediate matters. Summer knelt down in front of her, lifted Ruby's face by her chin, and cupped her cheek with the other hand as she smiled gently.

"It's time for us to go, my heart. Tai will wake up in time, alone of course, and will find his way back to XCOM to deliver news of your abduction. But you? You will have far more important things to worry about."

Ruby wanted to tell this woman, this thing to piss off. She wanted to look Summer's impostor (or puppeteer) dead in the eye and tell her that she was a coward, and that Ruby wasn't afraid of her. A multitude of thoughts and emotions tried to rush to the tip of Ruby's tongue, but they were all stonewalled by the overwhelming pain and fatigue flooding her body to the point where the only thing that made it out was, "Please… don't…"

Summer laughed. "Wouldn't it be nice if we could just stay here and be a family? I could pretend to be Summer, and you could pretend you were with your mother again." She sighed. "Buuuuut, Salem was very clear with her demands. She wants you. Alive, of course. Silver-eyed warriors aren't much good to her when they're dead, after all."

Her eyes narrowed, and the woman's tone changed as she added, "I can't promise this won't hurt, though."

The last thing Ruby's pain-addled mind remembered was hearing a single word, "Scatter," before her world went dark.


A/N: So, uhhhh... yeah. Just in case you're wondering: Yes, this has been in the works for a while. No, it wasn't a spontaneous idea. Yes, I do plan to go somewhere with it. I'm pretty excited about Ruby's future, to be honest. On a totally unrelated note, I'm planning on having another Q&A day on my Discord channel a week or so from now.

Also! That first scene, with Ruby and Tai at Benny's Haven? That was the work of my good broski, Ramboing. Like I said in the last chapter, I'd be including his contest submission in this one, and I'm pretty stoked with how it turned out. I chose to put the credit down here, though, so you could enjoy it without trying to spot the differences between our writing styles.