Chapter 25

"Ruby?" Weiss' voice echoed. "Ruby, can you hear me?"

"Ugh… Weiss?"

"Ah, you're awake. Good: we have much to discuss."

Ruby turned towards the new voice only to gasp. "Cinder!?" In an instance, she tried to surge towards her old nemesis...only to freeze as she felt some chains on her wrists.

"Aura-resistant shackles," declared a voice that somehow came from Cinder and yet sounded nothing like her. "You won't be going anywhere."

Ruby growled as she tried to bring her Silver Eyes to the surface, only to freeze as Cinder conjured up a sword that she held underneath Blake's chin, having already restrained the hood huntress' companions as well. "I wouldn't do that, if I were you," the unfamiliar voice declared. "You wouldn't want to risk your friends getting hurt, would you?"

"You certainly look and act like Cinder, but you don't sound like her," Ruby remarked.

"Ah, yes, where have my manners gone?" the unfamiliar voice said with an arrogant chuckle as an orange hologram appeared on Cinder's shoulder. "Allow me to introduce myself: you may call me Priscilla."

Ruby narrowed her eyes. "So, you're the one that had been harassing Luna."

Priscilla shrugged. "I'll admit that I hadn't always been the nicest to dear, sweet Pamela, but I've sense made up with her. Isn't that right, Pamela?"

"That is correct," Luna/Pamela remarked as she appeared beside the malicious A.I., her eyes glazed over and her monotone somehow seeming more, for lack of a better term, robotic than ever. "I have no qualms standing by my sister."

"You don't mean that," Weiss declared. "We've long established that you're more than just a computer program, Luna. I know that you're not just a liar."

"She's right," Ruby said with a nod. "You're stronger than this. Stronger than her. Fight whatever it is she's done to you!"

Here, Luna/Pamela grunted, momentarily losing her monotone and her eyes clearing as she did. "W...Weiss? Ruby? Wha…?" Unfortunately, her brief moment of defiance/clarity was swiftly taken away from her as a current surged through her, her eyes clouding over soon after it stopped.

Priscilla gave a bitter chuckle. "I'm impressed: though brief, that was the first time my influence has been undone. It's no wonder Agent Crimson considers you a threat."

"Is she another of your slaves?" Blake couldn't help but ask.

"Hardly," Priscilla declared, Cinder's insulted look only serving to further prove that statement. "I barely had to do anything for our partnership to be formed. She's always wanted power: I merely gave her the tools to obtain it."

"Well, slave or no, don't think I'll just let you kill me and my friends." Ruby declared.

"Kill you?" Priscilla asked, soon joining Cinder in a brief chuckle. "Oh, nononono. We've learned from our last encounter, Ruby Rose. I don't want to kill you. I want you unmade. For you to see just how pointless this pursuit of heroism of yours is. For you to see just how weak you truly are."

With this, Cinder went to exit the room. "I've achieved what I've come here to do. I am well on my way to my ultimate goal, and thus have no reason to keep you here. I have already sent out a distress signal, so your precious academy is no doubt on its way to pick you up, but make no mistake, Ruby Rose. You will face your ultimate despair." Priscilla declared. "When all your friends and loved ones are reduced to ashes. When you have nothing left to fight for. When all hope has left your eyes… only then will I grant you permission to die."

"Then how come you haven't killed us?" Weiss demanded. "If your goal is to utterly destroy my girlfriend inside and out, why haven't you killed me, Blake, Penny, and Qrow?"

"Simple: your sister saved our lives a couple times." Priscilla directed at Weiss. "This is simply me repaying that debt...but make no mistake: attempt to get in my way and I will cut you down and force your girlfriend to watch." And with that, Cinder was gone.

Qrow's shackles suddenly broke away, thanks to his semblance. "Son of a bitch!" He cursed himself for letting the enemy get away before freeing the others. That was when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye; a familiar crocodile faunus in yellow armor running away. "TOCK!" He shouted, handing Ruby a dust grenade before opening fire. "Ruby! Take her out! She's the enemy!"

"B-but I don't know how to-"

"Ruby, just pull the pin, and throw it!" Qrow demanded. Much to his disappointment, his niece closed her eyes and threw the grenade against a nearby rock, lodging it in place. He rubbed a hand over his face before turning to face her. "That was the worst throw ever. Of all time."

"Well, excuse me!" Ruby snapped. "But none of my teachers taught me how to throw properly!"

"FORGET IT! RUN!" Weiss shrieked in horror, dragging Ruby and Penny away from the grenade just before it went off.

Tock looked over her shoulder as she ran, amused by her former teammate's misfortune. "Ha ha! Suck it, Gray-!" Only to be blindsided by a hammer to the face, followed by a sickle slashing her leg wide open. Agent Yellow stumbled down the steep slope, unable to move.

Rachael proudly knocked her weapons together as she rejoined the group. "That's how we do it in Mother Rushland."

"Ow, you little bitch!" Tock snarled.

"You, Ms. Purple, patch her up." Qrow ordered. "But just enough to keep her from running."

"Well, I doubt she'll be running for a while after what Rachael just did." Jean replied. "Rachael is very strong."

"So, Yellow, what brings you all the way out here?" Qrow asked, aiming his scythe at her neck. "And don't bother trying to lie."

Suddenly, a small, holographic girl appeared on Tock's shoulder. "Perhaps I can shed some light on the subject, Agent Gray."

"Pearl?!" Qrow put away his weapon and crouched down. "What're you doing here? I mean, don't get me wrong; I'm glad to see you're okay, but-"

"Why am I with Agent Yellow?" Pearl finished, resting her arms behind her back. "Believe me, it was not my choice."

"Alright, well why are you here?" Qrow followed up.

"I am afraid that Agent Yellow was stalking you. She believed that if she followed you, you would lead her to any other members of Project Guardsman who possessed my sisters." Pearl explained. "But by the time she tracked you to Beacon, the Meta was close behind and soon engaged Agent Purple… and sadly, terminated her."

"Wait… you mean, Ms. Goodwitch is… dead?" Ruby asked, sadly.

"I am afraid so." Pearl nodded. "Tock's intention was to steal Phoebe, herself. She engaged Agent Purple, but once the Meta arrived, Tock left her in a position to be killed."

"MOM?!" Phoebe cried, holding Glynda's bloody hand in her own. "Mom, please get up!"

"Shh... there, there, sister." Priscilla soothed as her host began absorbing the helpless A.I. into her. "We just want to keep you safe. Agent Purple can't protect you like we can."

"Join us, Phoebe." Pamela chimed in, back to her dark monotone voice. "Cinder is strong, but together, we can all be stronger."

"No! Mom, please!" Phoebe continued to cry, even as she felt what was left of her consciousness slip out of her artificial body into Cinder's mind.

As for Glynda; the dying headmistress could barely even lift her own head. Her aura was completely drained and Ozpin was nowhere to be found. All she could do was watch, helplessly, as her daughter finally succumbed to Cinder's abduction. With that, her former teammate hoisted Glynda into the air by her neck, growling angrily. Realizing that resistance was futile, Glynda used the last of her strength to address her killer.

"Crimson…?" She managed to choke out. "Just… please be gentle with her. She frightens easily…"

Cinder had to pause, shocked at what her former comrade's soon-to-be last words had been. She then nodded, however: A.I. or no, Phoebe had been the closest Agent Purple had to a daughter of her own, and it was only natural for a mother to be concerned about the safety of her child. Feeling a rare spur of compassion, she gave her fellow Guardsman a small smile, seeming to silently promise to treat her daughter if she was her own...before snapping Glynda's neck, ignoring the anguished cry of Phoebe deep inside her mind.

"After that, I figured one A.I. was good enough after all." Tock concluded for Pearl. "Glynda had it coming."

"You killed a good woman, you heartless bitch!" Rachael screamed in anger, kicking Tock's wounded leg.

"Say what you will about me, but I earned the A.I. I got." Tock arrogantly proclaimed. "Not like Goody-Glynda or Maniac-Maria."

"You… you killed Maria?!" Qrow gasped out.

"It was the only way I could obtain her A.I. Though if it's any consolation, she put up a good fight." Tock mockingly remarked. "Nearly took me out in spite of my shattering her Aura and taking her other eye… but then, that's to be expected of the infamous 'Grimm Reaper', now isn't it?" Tock mockingly asked before crying out in pain as Qrow stomped on her leg. "Watch it, Grey!"

"Just be glad White's not here," Qrow declared with a growl. "She'd be tearing your leg off!"

"If I may interrupt, Agent Grey." Pearl remarked. "There's something that I'd like to add to the conversation."

"Nice timing with the healing unit, Pearl!" Tock declared, only to frown when her wounds didn't heal. Her distress only grew as Pearl jumped onto Qrow's shoulder. "W-what are you doing?!"

"Unlike you, I have a sense of self-preservation." Pearl declared, before turning to Qrow. "I have already accessed the files you're carrying and have concluded that I've indeed made the right call: my assistance would be most fortuitous to your endeavor."

"Uh, yeah, I suppose that having your help wouldn't hurt." Qrow said with a shrug.

"That said, logically speaking, it'd be ill-advised to allow the Meta the chance to interrogate my former partner."

"What're you suggesting, Pearl?" Qrow asked.

"... that we do not allow her to hinder us any further."

"I agree." Qrow replied, darkly.

"What're you gonna do, Gray? Shoot me-?" Tock was cut off by a sudden shot to the head from Harbinger. The others flinched in shock at the sight, but Qrow hadn't even blinked.

Ruby shook her head. "Uncle Qrow, you didn't have to…"

"Didn't have to what?!" Qrow demanded. "This isn't one of those fairy tales Tai or Summer would read to you as a kid: this is a war, and I am not letting them win."

"...who are you?" Ruby asked, causing the male Branwen twin to flinch, nearly doing so again upon noticing the tears in her niece's eyes. "The Uncle Qrow I know wouldn't belittle my parents like that. He wouldn't kill a potential source of information in cold blood. He wouldn't use 'this is a war' as an excuse: he hated Atlas' policy of combining the Huntsman Academy with the military. You're clearly not my Uncle, so who are you?!"

"I apologize." Pearl declared, seeming to wilt on herself. "Being with Agent Yellow...I'd forgotten what compassion looks like. You actually remind me a bit of Agent Silver, Ruby Rose. She would have also objected to my logical standpoint, right, Agent Grey?"

"I…" Qrow shook his head before giving a sigh. "You're right, Ruby: I haven't been myself lately. I can't tell you everything, not yet, but I went through a rough patch while I was away. It left me with some scars, both mentally and physically...but I'm okay now. You can trust me. That said, you had a point there: I'm out here as a Huntsman, so I need to start acting like it."

"You'd better," Weiss demanded as she and Penny both held the hooded huntress close. "Because if you make Ruby cry again, I'll be giving you something to cry about, am I clear?!"

"... crystal." Qrow said with a frightened nod, before giving a bitter chuckle as he watched them walk off into the distance. "She is definitely Winter's sister."

"Yeah, no offense, dude, but she's not nearly as cold as you were, just now." Penny chimed in. "Killing in cold blood like that."

"Well, like I said; from now on I won't do anything unless it's out of necessity." Qrow promised as he loaded a cartridge of fire dust into Harbinger. "Now, come help me dispose of this dead body."

Penny nervously backed away from the grizzled huntsman and hurriedly walked towards her best friend. "Your uncle's kind of intense."

"Oh, yeah. I'm sure he's just under a lot of pressure." Ruby shrugged as Qrow set fire to Tock's corpse before blowing it up with several grenades. "... lots and lots of pressure."

Meanwhile, in Anima, Raven had teleported her, Yang, and Holly to the bandit's den. Holly's latest growth spurt made her look exactly thirteen years old. Her mother had asked her to wait inside the tent for a few minutes, saying that she needed to discuss something important with her. At last, the blonde brawler reentered the tent with beads of sweat running down her forehead. Holly was deeply concerned.

"Mom, are you okay?"

"She's fine." Raven replied, following her daughter along with Vernal. "She's just a dumbass."

"I can do this… it's no problem." Yang told herself before sitting next to her daughter. "Okay, listen, Holly… as you know, you've grown up a lot faster than we were expecting, and now you've reached a certain age where every young girl goes through some changes. You see, the gods are cruel, and they made it so that every month, your body is gonna go through what I like to call 'maintenance.' And during this time, you'll get really sad for no reason, or angry for no reason, and you start hurting for no reason."

"Sounds scary." Holly gulped.

"Yeah. But there's also a bit of pleasure to these changes." Yang smiled. "That's where we get into the birds and the bees. Except the bees aren't very appealing most of the time, seeing as how most of them like to just go around sticking their stinger into anything they choose. And then, the rotten bastards don't even pay child support-!"

"Okay, I think you're getting a little too heated, Yang." Raven stepped in. "Maybe I should give Holly 'the talk.'"

"You?" Yang snorted. "Mom, I know we've been making some strides in repairing our relationship, but what do you know about giving 'the talk' to someone you care about?"

Raven felt indignant. "I'll have you know that I was the one who informed young Vernal here about the subject when her own time came. And given that she's maintained a fairly healthy sex life, I'd say I did a pretty good job."

"You did, indeed, Raven!" Vernal smiled. "I don't know where I'd be today without you!"

"Oh, kiss my ass some other time." Raven muttered, slightly annoyed.

"Okay, forget that!" Yang concluded. "We'll just do what we should've done from the beginning! We're going to your step-mom's private collection!"

"Who?" Holly asked.

"Oh, sorry. Your dad's private collection."

"Oh, cool!"

Back at the Manta's crash site, Penny and Ruby had taken to talking to their new A.I. friend. "Hey, Pearl? Can I ask you something?" Ruby asked.

"Of course, Ms. Rose." Pearl nodded.

"Well, Jean said that Agent Yellow must have cut her control chip out of her neck so that she could escape from Project Guardsman. And she didn't have any other electronic device implanted inside of her. So how come you could bond with her?"

"I'm sorry, Ruby, I don't quite understand the question. Why would I need an electronic device to-" Pearl cut herself off before continuing. "Oh… well, she must have obtained some sort of unique device that kept me in line for her to exploit my talents."

"Makes as much sense as everything else we've run across." Penny said with a shrug.

"I don't know," Ruby declared. "Something doesn't feel quite right about it...but we've got other problems to deal with, such as how I'm going to tell Yang about what happened to…"

Penny simply embraced Ruby even as she started tearing up again. "I'm sorry, Ruby. I truly am."

"You want to know the worst part?" Ruby asked.

"That you didn't get to say goodbye? To her or to your… our real mother?" Penny inquired with a raised eyebrow. "Because she's already made it clear how much she hated that word."

"Well, yes, that," Ruby nodded, "but that's not what I meant. You heard Weiss' douche dad: 'I'll have to try again at some point.' Uncle Qrow was wrong earlier: Summer's not dead: not yet, at least."

"...you think he has the real Summer Rose trapped somewhere," Penny declared, eyes widening as she too considers the possibility.

Ruby could only give a grim nod. "Even if I'm wrong, he's clearly not satisfied with letting his twisted experiment end here. At some point, we're going to have to take the fight to him."

"Just so you know, I'll be right there beside you when that time comes," Penny said with a nod.

Ruby gave a melancholy smile to this. "I know. First things first, though: I'm… we're going to have to let Yang know that Summer Rose never escaped her imprisonment."

Here, Penny couldn't help but wince. "Yeah. That's not going to be any fun."

Meanwhile, back in Anima, Yang froze in place, something to which Vernal took notice. "Uh, Yang? Everything okay?" she couldn't help but ask.

"I...I'm not sure," the blonde brawler declared. "I just got the strangest feeling that something happened to Summer."

"Right." Vernal said with a nod. "Your mother. Well, your other mother. Or, well…"

Here, Yang couldn't help but give a bitter chuckle. "It's alright. I know what you meant."

Vernal sighed. "I never met her, personally, but I heard a lot about her from Raven. If she's anything like how she described her, I know two things about her. First, she always cared about those she considered family, and would continue to do so even to her dying breath. And secondly, she didn't deserve any of the pain that this 'Jacques Schnee' put her through."

"No, she never did," Yang said with an angry nod. "Good thing Weiss has already disowned the guy, because the next time I see the guy…" Yang extended her blade with a growl. "...I'm putting this right where the sun doesn't shine."

"Spoken like a true dragon, sis."

Yang blinked. "Sis?"

Vernal gave a chuckle and a shrug. "Why not? We might have come from different nests, but Raven still raised us both...and to be honest, a part of me has always wanted to meet you. The way she talked about you, I just knew you'd make a good Bandit."

"I don't know about that," Yang said with a blush. "But yeah: you're not so bad yourself, Vernal."

"Glad to see you're bonding," Raven declared as she approached the duo, having just gotten off her scroll, an unreadable expression on her face. "But it's time we head back to Beacon."

"Did something happen?"

"Oh, something happened, alright," Raven said with a glare. "Either Qrow is trying to mess with me or Jacques was an even bigger asshole then we already knew, and honestly, I'm not sure which possibility infuriates me more."

"I'm coming with you, then," Vernal declared in a tone that would accept no arguments. "You Huntsmen and Huntresses are good, but something tells me that you might need a Bandit's touch for this one."

"Welcome aboard, Aunt Vernal," Holly declared, having apparently overheard their earlier conversation.

"Yeah, you'll get no complaints from me," Yang said with a nod even as they all prepared to head back with them to Vale. "Something tells me we're going to need all the help we can get."

To be continued