Chapter 12
"What…?
"The…?"
"Hell?"
Yang smiled with pure glee as she showed off her newest weapon. "Yeah, my new sword-gauntlet is pretty cool, but that's not the… point!" Yang stabbed the air for emphasis, laughing at her own joke. "But seriously, guys, Paulette is definitely up to something in those caves. So we should… cut to the chase!" Again, Yang slashed the blade through the air, laughing at her own pun. "And we'll have to be extra careful not to let Paulette… cut and run this time!"
"Oh, my gods! SHUT UP!" Weiss screamed in frustration. "For gods' sake, Yang! Can you not take anything seriously?! We're trying to stop a psychotic computer program from destroying Atlas, and you're wasting time picking up random weapons with no regards of the consequences?! Did you lose your brain cells along with your arm?!"
The entire room fell deathly silent. Yang hung her head in shame, causing Ruby and Blake to glare at the Schnee heiress for her harsh words. Speaking of which, Weiss wasn't feeling particularly proud of herself right now. "Uh, Yang… I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I… I lost my temper. It was unprofessional. I'm sorry."
"I never knew you felt that way." Yang said. "I mean… you really… CUT ME TO THE BONE! YEE-OW! Sword, sword, sword!" The blonde brawler ran off, laughing and slashing at anything she set her sights on.
"... you know what?" Weiss grumbled, bitterly. "I genuinely fucking hate her sometimes."
"Okay, we need to divide and conquer." Ruby decided. "Weiss, you and I will go meet up with Penny at the caves. She volunteered to go ahead and see if she could find an alternate route inside so we could sneak up on Paulette. I even gave her a kiss for good luck!" The hooded huntress giggled.
"Of course you did." Weiss rolled her eyes.
"In the meantime, Blake, you go try to calm Yang down and have Teams JNPR and CFVY meet up with us. In fact, go ahead and call my mom and Aunt Raven. It wouldn't hurt to have some experienced huntresses on our side."
"Good idea, Ruby." Blake nodded in approval. "But be careful."
Meanwhile, Penny Polendina had indeed found an alternative entrance to the caves that Paulette had taken as her refuge. Suddenly, the living android tripped over something and fell face-first into the dirt. Sitting up, she spotted a bizarre device shaped like an hourglass. Realizing she needed to focus on the task at hand, she placed the device in her back compartment next to her swords for future study. Back on track, Penny continued down the cave, only to find another mind-boggling discovery; a large computer resting along the cave walls. Upon further inspection, Penny saw a thick layer of dust coating the computer and deduced that Paulette had nothing to do with it. Multiple other cables traveled down the other caverns, connecting to other intricate mechanisms. Against her better judgement, Penny activated the computer in an attempt to find out who was responsible for it.
Once the machine was fully powered up, the screen flickered on to reveal a pale-blue, featureless face. "Salutations." A deep, feminine, monotone voice echoed. "You are early."
"Who? Me?" Penny pointed to herself, slightly put off by the direct statement.
"You were not supposed to be here for another one thousand, six hundred and forty-eight years."
"I don't understand." Penny scratched her head, curiously. "Who do you think I am? Who are you? What is this place?"
"This is a castle built to hold the Great Weapon. I am the keeper of the Great Weapon. And you are the Great Destroyer." The voice explained. "You will take the Great Weapon, kill me, destroy this castle, and bring about the Great Doom for billions of people. Welcome! How may I help you?"
"I don't understand." Penny took a look around the cave. "I don't see any kind of weapon here. And what even makes you think that I am this 'Great Destroyer' you're talking about?"
"Your coming has been foretold by the Great Prophecy."
Penny was starting to feel slightly annoyed. "Did the people who built you know any adjective other than 'great'?"
"The Great Prophecy claims that the Great Destroyer will be a female warrior."
"And you think that might be me?"
"The Great Prophecy also claims that the Great Destroyer will have boundless energy and courage. And will be regarded as the most beautiful being in all of Remnant."
"Wait, wait wait… this Great Destroyer is a girl. Who is very strong and brave. And she's very pretty?"
"Correct."
Penny's eyes widened as only one person came to mind. "... oh, no…"
Back at Beacon, Team JNPR was catching up on their studies. Ren was busy making a fresh batch of pancakes to keep Nora under control, while Jaune and Pyrrha studied history. A soft vibration drew Pyrrha's attention; her eyes widening at the text message. "Guys! We have to meet up with Ruby and the others! They're starting their assault on Paulette!"
"Oh, thank goodness." Nora sighed in relief as she slammed her book shut. "Ren, pack those pancakes to go!"
"We need to hurry!" Pyrrha picked up her sword and shield with her semblance, then threw Jaune his own weapons. "They're probably half-way to the cave by now."
"A cave?" Ren dropped the plate of pancakes - much to Nora's dismay - and looked at Pyrrha with a hint of fear in his eyes. "You mean like a cave with bats?"
"I don't know." Pyrrha shrugged. "Why, are you afraid of bats, or something, Ren?"
Ren scoffed, trying to hide his anxiety. "What? No. I'm not afraid of bats. And why would you even ask that? I mean, that's kind of a weird thing to ask out of nowhere. What, did you see any bats?"
"No, Ren, it's okay." Pyrrha tried her best to calm her teammate down. "We didn't see any bats."
"Did you hear any bats?"
"No, Ren."
"Did you smell any bats?"
"I don't know what bats smell like!" Pyrrha was slowly losing her patience.
"And let's hope you never find out." Ren bent down to pick up the plate, desperately trying to change the subject. "So, does anyone still want pancakes?"
Meanwhile, Summer was sitting with her youngest daughter, attempting to give a short lesson on how to use her Silver Eyes before she left for her mission with Weiss and Penny. "Let's start with what you already know about your… our gift. Tell me."
"Uh, silver-eyed people are supposed to be legendary warriors, and during the battle of Beacon I turned a bunch of Grimm into stone," was the only reply Ruby could give.
All Summer could do was groan. "Dammit, Qrow. I know you and Tai wanted to avoid putting the burden of my power onto my daughter, but you didn't tell her anything?! Ruby, remind me to yell at them later… and Ozpin too, while I'm at it." She then sighed, "Alright, let's break this down nice and simple: what was it you felt when you activated your power?"
"I was scared, and stressed...is it emotional? Like unlocking a semblance?"
"It's emotional, but more focused than that," Summer commented with a slight grin to show that her daughter was indeed on the right path. "Think: what was it that you wanted?"
"I...I wanted to protect my friends."
"Exactly. It is the desire to preserve life that fuels the light of our eyes...and make no mistake: it is light. Preservation is an extension of creation, or at the very least an enemy of destruction. The creatures of Grimm originated from the God of Darkness, but the light of the Silver Eyes comes from his brother," Summer remarked.
"...how do you know that?"
"Admittedly I have nothing concrete," Summer commented with a shrug and a grin, "but every depiction of the God of Light I found describes him with Silver Eyes."
Here, Ruby nodded, a determined grin on her face. "So...where do we start?"
Summer couldn't help but give a sheepish grin as she said, "Weeeell, not here. The light will only work in the presence of Grimm, meaning the only practice you'll get is a trial by fire. However, what you can do is focus on a state of mind you can tap into if need be. Think of your eyes not as a weapon designed to destroy evil, but as an extension of yourself, ready and waiting to help you protect the people of Remnant."
It was at this point Ruby couldn't help but frown. "Wait, that can't be right." She nodded at the curious look her mother gave her. "You said that my eyes only affect the Grimm, but Pyrrha told me that Cinder seemed to be in pain shortly before she was shoved off of Beacon Tower, like my eyes might have had an affect on her or something."
Summer could only sigh as this new information was dumped on her. "You've truly set yourself down upon a dark path, haven't you Miss Fall?" She waved off the question in her daughter's eyes. "It's a long story I'll tell you another time. For now, let's just say this isn't the first time Cinder and I have crossed paths...and that if what you're saying is true, then there just might have been something going on in that moment that you and Pyrrha didn't see, or didn't allow yourself to see in that moment. If I'm right about what that something is, I can only draw upon one conclusion: that she's in league with someone even worse."
"'Worse?' You mean Salem?" Ruby gave a shrug at the look her mother gave her upon saying that name. "Paulette mentioned the name once or twice while she and I had our little arrangement: seemed to me that once Jacques and Cinder were dealt with, she was going after her next, though I could only get so much info out of her."
"Fair enough." Summer declared with a nod. "I'll explain what I know about her at a later day. For now, just know that Paulette must be mad if she honestly thinks going after Salem without a plan is a good idea."
"Uh, mad as in angry or crazy?"
"¿Por qué no pueden ser ambos? (Why can't it be both?)" Summer said with a grin as she shared a laugh with her daughter. It didn't matter that neither of them spoke Spanish: there was no way to not like that commercial. However, the two of them were so wrapped up in their laugh fest that they didn't quite notice a group of cloaked figures watching them from afar.
Speaking of enjoying things, Weiss smiled as she took in the piece and quiet while she waited for her partner to finish up her lessons and for Penny to join them. As it turned out, she wouldn't have to wait long for the latter, as she sped up to her looking like she'd seen a ghost. "Whoa, Penny, where's the fire?" she couldn't help but ask.
"No time! A society of sentient Grimm is going to kill Ruby!" were the words thrown at the heiress.
While she didn't understand how "a society of sentient Grimm" was even a thing, Weiss quickly gained a glare. "Over my dead body. Come on, you can fill me in on the details on the way back."
"Right," the android said with a nod, before frowning as she was reminded of the misadventure they recently had. Clearing her throat, Penny declared, "So, Weiss, I realize this might not be the best time, but I hope you aren't too upset that I used the knowledge I gained during our mind dive regarding how Ruby saw me to pursue a relationship with her."
"Oh my gods, you too?! Why does everyone feel the need to point out my jealousy!? ...I totally just admitted I'm jealous of you, didn't I?" Weiss declared, gaining a blush and a groan added to that last part, doubly so with the former upon noticing Penny's stoic nod. With a sigh, she said, "Listen Penny: I'm more upset that Paulette hurt Ruby so badly and nearly destroyed my bond with her then I could ever be about the dolt having a romantic interest, no matter whom she chooses to go out with."
"So you're not upset that we're dating?" Penny couldn't help but ask.
"I didn't say that," Weiss said with a slight blush, before adding, "but as long as she's happy with you, I don't intend to interfere. That said, and I'm sure you'll get the same sort of spiel from Yang and her parents, and maybe even her 'aunt,' but if you do anything to hurt Ruby Rose...well, does the term 'electro-magnetic pulse' mean anything to you?"
Turns out it did, judging by how Penny looked like she would've turned as white as a sheet were she flesh and blood upon hearing those words. "N...noted," she gulped, before raising an eyebrow, "but that said, while I'm glad you won't interfere, I have to know: do you like her?"
Weiss just sighed, "I don't know: maybe. Despite how I'd taken our friendship for granted, I can't deny that she's certainly a better dating prospect than a lot of the potential suitors my father set me up with, even if I were to be shallow and focus on her looks alone. I mean, you see it: she's downright adorable." She shared a laugh with Penny before sighing. "It's just that...even if I was certain I swung that way, and even if we weren't in the process of rebuilding our shattered bond, I wouldn't have the right to pursue her. I'm just the heiress of a company that's drowning in the blood of innocents, the one who treated her like a pariah. Meanwhile, Ruby? She's pure. She's brave. She's noble. She's...standing right behind me, isn't she?" Weiss said, adding a sigh to that last bit upon noticing Penny directing a smile to something, or rather someone, she saw over her shoulder.
"Yep," Ruby, having finished up talking with her mother, declared, before gaining a blush. "Even if I had all my memories of you, I'd probably still be saying something along the lines of 'I never knew you felt that way.' But I'd probably also say 'You're better than you think you are. The fact that you're still with us at Beacon after learning that Blake was a Faunus, and a former member of the White Fang at that, is proof enough that you're not your father, and that you're too stubborn to let anyone tell you that you can't be a better person.'" She sighed even as Weiss gave a grateful blush. "Weiss, I'll be honest here: if Paulette hadn't interfered, and if I wasn't already dating Penny, there's a good chance that I would have kissed you right here and now after that speech of yours, but as it is, I'm still trying to figure out exactly who you are."
Here, Weiss couldn't help but shed a tear. "That being said," Ruby added with a grin, even as she whipped the tear from her partner's eye, "I can firmly say, right here and now, that I very much like what I've seen thus far, both inside and out." After adding a wink, and getting a blush from both Weiss and Penny, Ruby continued with, "For now though, I'm sure Penny wouldn't mind you tagging along on our little get-togethers every now and again."
Weiss couldn't help but give a tear-filled grin even as Penny nodded in agreement. "Oh, you guys are the best."
Meanwhile, Blake, having finally managed to calm Yang down, had joined up with Team CFVY to check out the spot where her partner had found her new sword, only to gain a worried frown upon noticing that a new set of tracks had shown up: ones that seemed to be neither human, nor belonging to any animal that they could think of. "I don't think I've ever seen tracks like these."
"I have." Everyone froze in place at the sound of an unfamiliar voice.
"So after we enter the cave, we'll need to-" Weiss was cut off once Blake, Yang, and Team CFVY ran out of the cave, screaming in terror. As Yatsuhashi ran past them - carrying Coco and Fox over his shoulders - Blake sprinted ahead of Yang to grab Weiss and Penny and pull them away from the caves. Ruby looked on as her sister caught up.
"Did we win?" She asked.
"YEAH, RUBY! WE WON! WE'RE TAKING A VICTORY LAP!" Yang screamed as she picked up Ruby and sprinted back to Beacon. Once the group was safe behind the school's doors, Ruby, Weiss, and Penny could only watch in confusion as their friends ran circles around the room in a panic.
"OH, MY GODS! OH, MY GODS!"
"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE! WE ARE SO DEAD!"
"OH, MY GODS, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT THING?!"
"QUIET!" Ruby shouted at the top of her lungs, earning everyone's attention. "... hi." She waved, sheepishly, well aware that it wasn't like her to raise her voice like that, but chalked it up to some residual frustration from her time spent bonded with Paulette.
"Now, what's this all about?" Weiss asked no one in particular.
"Big… scary… Grimm… thing… cave…" Yang tried her best to form a coherent sentence, but her adrenaline levels hadn't fully died down.
"Oh, does this have something to do with the sentient Grimm Luna told me about?" Penny asked, raising her hand.
"Wait, you knew about that thing?!" Blake gawked.
Before Penny could respond, Team JNPR stumbled into the main hall. Jaune and Pyrrha had their weapons ready, but Nora had to forcibly drag Ren along with her. "Come on, Ren! We don't need that many flashlights!"
"But the more flashlights we have, the better we can see the bats!" Ren cried, holding onto as many flashlights he could find.
"Ren-"
"And their fangs!"
"Okay, I've had enough of this." Pyrrha sheathed her sword and stepped over to her nervous friend. "Okay, Ren, let's assume you're right. Let's say there are bats in the cave. So what?! You have an aura. A natural defense mechanism that protects you from Dust-based weapons and blunt-force trauma. What exactly are you afraid that a five ounce flying rodent is going to do to you?"
"... so basically you're saying you do think there are bats in the cave." Ren replied; completely ignoring his friend's message.
"Ren! If Ruby needs our help, we owe it to her to help!" Pyrrha stated. "Now, put down those flashlights and get ready to go!"
Ren whimpered in fear at the thought of facing a cave full of bats. Then, he got an idea. "Hey, Pyrrha! You know what else might be in the cave? Snakes."
"You're an asshole, Ren!" Pyrrha shouted before cupping her hands over her mouth. "Oh! I'm sorry! But why would you bring up snakes? You know I don't like snakes!"
"Hey, I'm just saying; snakes do live in caves, and you want to go into a cave, and snakes like to crawl up to people's ankles, and-"
"Okay, fuck it! We're bringing more flashlights!" Pyrrha bolted back to the room to grab more lights.
A few hours earlier, Penny was discussing the details of the Great Destroyer with the bizarre computer. "So, to recap, these… Doppelgangers," Penny tested the name of these strange humanoid Grimm the strange computer gave her before choosing to continue. "They are the oldest Grimm in existence, and as such have achieved sentience and the ability to reproduce without the need for the Dark Genesis Pits. However, Ruby… sorry, 'the Great Destroyer' is said to one day rise up and lay waste to Salem."
"If that is how you choose to refer to the Dark One, then yes. However, it is said that around the same time, the Savior will be born to help put an end to the conflict between the Doppelgangers and their enemies." The computer replied. "Or at least that is what they told me when they stationed me here."
"Fair enough." Penny nodded, "Anyways, uh...what did you say your name was again?"
"I didn't." The computer replied, somehow looking smug despite her lack of features. "But for the record, you may call me Luna."
"Alright, Luna," Penny said with a smile, "If it's not too much trouble, I need to know more about the Doppelgangers."
"I'm afraid I do not know anything about them."
Penny blinked. "You don't know anything about the Doppelgangers?!"
"Correct," Luna replied. "Instead, they filled all of my memory banks with information about the Great Destroyer and her race, along with one or two other prophecies of theirs, which is why I know about the Savior."
"Wait, when you say 'the Great Destroyer's race,' do you mean humans?"
Luna almost seemed to wince. "That is not what they call you. But, correct."
"Oh? Well, what do they call us?" Penny asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Shisno."
Penny couldn't help but give a half-lidded stare. "That's an insult, isn't it?"
"Perhaps, this can best be explained in the form of a knock-knock joke. Knock, knock."
Penny let out an exasperated sigh. "Who's there?"
"You are."
"You are, who?" Penny asked, already not liking where this was going.
"You are a dirty, dirty shisno. Ha ha ha."
"So what does it mean?" the android asked with a roll of her eyes.
Luna seemed to blink. "Oh, it has been a while since I've been out of this cave, so I'll need you to remind me; what is the most foul-smelling animal in your culture?"
"Ummmm, a skunk. Wait, does shisno mean skunk?"
Luna seemed to give a sheepish grin. "Not exactly. Does a skunk defecate?"
"Yes?"
"And does it's defecation in turn create its own excrement?"
"Ew, no!" Penny said, looking like she'd be turning green if she were flesh and blood.
"Then there is no proper equivalent for shisno in your language."
Penny briefly wondered if it was possible for a robot to throw up as she replied with, "That is disgusting."
"Like you would not believe," was Luna's flat, yet still monotone, reply. "Regardless, they have seemed to determine that now is the best time to make their move, so if you wish to help this 'Ruby', you might want to save any other questions you have for later."
"After hearing Luna say that, I quickly realized that she was right and went to find Weiss and Ruby straight away," Penny declared as she wrapped up her story.
"Uh, guys, I like story time as much as the next person," Jaune declared, "but I have to ask: what's our next move?"
"Well, if what Penny said is true, then these Grimm are supposed to be good guys, right?" Ruby shrugged. "And from the sound of things, there's going to be at least one of them who can help us stop Salem."
"Oh, gimme a break!" Yang exclaimed. "You want us to trust a Grimm that looks like people, based on the word of some ancient computer Penny found in the middle of a dank cave?!"
"It does sound a little far-fetched." Weiss agreed. "Still, if this species of Grimm is capable of speech, we could at least interrogate one."
"That sounds crazy." Coco replied.
"Well, does anyone have a better idea?" Ruby asked the entire room; with no one giving an answer. "Okay, then. Let's go have a chat with a talking Grimm."
To Be Continued.
