I do not own RWBY or Fallout

The soft hiss left her lips like a curse as she stumbled toward the woman who had once been her enemy. Holding a pale hand to her stomach she didn't even glance at the broken pieces of her scythe laying a few feet away. Her once beautiful, deadly, scythe was mangled and unusable, she would never be able to fix it. Crashing down to her knees the twenty-one-year-old didn't hesitate in gathering the pale woman in her arms. Even near death, the grimm queen refused to allow her tears of regret and sorrow to show. In a way this was what she wanted more than anything in the world; she was finally going to die, just like she'd wanted from the moment she lost her Ozma.

Unfocused red eyes closed slowly as she thought back to the moment Ozma returned to her for the last time. He'd never stopped loving her; even when she worked to destroy everything he loved. Watching him be torn from Oscar's body, killing the boy in the process, she'd thought that nothing would delight her more. Instead, he'd confessed he'd never been able to stop regretting leaving her that day so long ago. Knowing that she wanted to take it all back, yet that wasn't possible when she'd summoned the gods back to this world. She'd been a fool to believe that anything would happen but the destruction of humanity.

In truth despite promising her subjects the world Salem had simply wanted to die; no human was meant for immortality. Living forever was cold and lonely in a way that made her wish she'd never existed. Her subordinates had taken the place of her children for a while but even they couldn't quell the pain in her heart. Feeling something warm drip onto her face she opened her eyes slowly to find blurry silver starting down at her.

"I'm so sorry," the girl whispered; because that was what she was. A kindhearted little girl that Ozma dragged into this war all for the sake of winning, yet this child had proved she was stronger than anyone had thought. In truth, she'd thought the child would die the second Atlas fell, however, she'd been wrong; this girl was a survivor. If this was a different world, she would have been honored to have this girl right beside her; even now on death's door, this girl was apologizing to her despite the fact none of this was her fault. Of course, she could understand why Ozma chose this girl as his apprentice. If only she was able to go back in time and fix everything.

"Dear girl, there is nothing to forgive," she said. Despite the exhaustion, she could feel and the fact her hand felt as if it was led; she reached up to rest her hand on the girl's cheek. She'd chosen to seal away the gods so that these children could live on. She did not regret her decision even if it was the last choice she would ever make. She wasn't a fool, she knew that this did not make up for all the lives she'd stolen; yet laying here as she died, she wished for nothing more than for these children to live.

Ruby bit her lip trying to hold back her sobs as those red eyes began to grow dull. She never thought she'd say this, but she wanted the woman to live; she didn't know what to do. This wasn't the heroic future she'd pictured for herself at all; the fairy tales never said anything about the pain and death heroes went through. She'd struggled so hard; fought to save the world until there was nothing left to save. In the end, they'd lost everything; she'd lost everything, even her father, she'd been helpless to change anything. Why was she so useless?

Catching the woman's hand as it dropped from her face, she resisted the urge to apologize once again, there was nothing that apologizing would accomplish. Gently lowering the woman's body to the ground, she reached up clinging to the red scarf around her neck. Her nails dug into the fabric of what had once been her father's cape, as she shook in regret and fear. She wished her was here to tell her what to do; she wasn't ready to be alone like this. Her father, Qrow, should be here to watch over her like he always had; instead, he'd died in her arms just moments before Atlas fell. There was nothing she could do to save him either.

One single piece of red fabric was all she had of her father; well of both her parents. The red cloak she'd worn to remind her of her mother had burned to ashes along with her hopes of living a happy life. If she'd learned that he was her father years ago she would have screamed and shouted, but at the time with Atlas falling to pieces around her, she'd understood why he'd kept it from her; he'd only wanted to protect her. Now she had to protect those who remained.

Wiping the tears from her face she shoved herself off the ground ignoring the pain that spread through her body. Feeling the large scar on her back burn she pushed the reminder to the back of her mind trying to ignore the fact even killing Tyrian hadn't made losing her father any easier. To be honest the only reason she'd survived losing her father was Oscar; if it hadn't been for the boy dragging her back from the edge, she most likely would have killed herself. That's why being unable to save him had hurt so much. If she allowed herself, she could still hear him screaming as Ozpin's soul was ripped out of him.

This didn't feel like winning; there was no celebration or uplifting speech, no big cheers of victory. There was nothing but empty hearts and blackened earth where nothing would grow again. The entire world was dead leaving them the only living things. Large pillars of crystal had fallen to the side as if to mock them for being too slow to act; catching sight of her tattered form reflecting at her she looked away. Pools of grimm were dried and empty; not even the grimm would come back into this dead world. The bitter irony was that they'd solved the issue of the grimm threat by causing the death of everyone.

The four relics lay scattered across the barren battlefield; not even corpses were left. Their battle was for nothing; humanity was judged as a failure. Salem had done all of this just to bring them, the gods, back to Remnant and they had found humanity lacking; as if they had a right to judge. Of course, humanity fought back, yet it wasn't enough. Somehow it was never enough; she was never enough to save anyone.

When the God of Darkness turned his attention to the world intending to wipe out humanity, again, Cinder had acted the fastest. The woman who had killed more people than Ruby could count had used the power of both all four maidens to protect them; all of them, even her enemies. It had taken every ounce of strength for Cinder to keep them safe long enough that Salem could seal the gods in a pocket dimension using the relics. Ruby had no idea how Cinder had found the power to stay standing against a god, but she would forever be grateful to her. Looking toward where the woman was kneeling beside Emerald, she could tell Cinder was in a lot of pain. Taking the chance to look over her companions she winced at how horrible they all looked.

Jaune, their beloved White Knight, was alone as he sat his face buried in his hands; he'd lost far more than just Pyrrha at Beacon. He would always regret not realizing that he loved the woman until it was too late and while he would have loved to kill Cinder for taking her, there was no point anymore. What was the point in revenge when the entire world was dead; there was no point. He'd lost his entire team in this war until he was the last one standing. Nora, his happy sister, had died at Weiss's welcome home ball at Atlas; poisoned by Tyrian. After that Ren, his stoic brother, had spiraled into despair, he became ruthless and eventually died killing Hazel. The man just couldn't see the point in living without the other half of his soul so when Atlas fell so did Jaune's brother and sister leaving him alone once again. He'd been too weak to save them and now was paying for it by being the only one to still breathe. He could still feel the blood on his hands and the pain in his body; all the failures were clear as day and looking over at his broken sword he was almost happy it was gone because he never wanted to fight again.

Emerald, who had broken the minds of her enemies, sat shaking as she clung to Cinder with fear, uncertainty, and anguish ran through her eyes. They'd been on the wrong side of the war meaning everything she'd done was for nothing. She'd killed more people than she could count for Cinder; been soaked in blood to please the first person who gave her a chance to be something more than just a thief and it'd been for nothing. The only thing to come of this was a broken dream and shattered spirits; there was no point in thinking about the life she'd wanted to have after this war was over. She'd fought for Cinder because she gave her a home, for Mercury because he made her smile; she would have died for them part of her wished she had. It was true that she loved the time she'd spent with them yet now they were all going to die together; she didn't want to watch them die. All she wanted to do was curl into a ball and cry but somehow the tears wouldn't come. This wasn't what she wanted when she'd started on this path, after all when all this started all she'd wanted was a home and people who cared for her.

Weiss, their dear Ice Queen, leaned against her blade; the once shinning metal dented and warped as if to outline her mistakes. Her family was dead leaving her the only Schnee left; even before the God of Darkness wiped out every living thing. Whitley, her sweet little brother, had fallen first, killed by their father when he spoke out in her defense. She'd never thought he would defend her, and she wished that he hadn't. If only he'd managed to stay silent then he would have lived, if only for a little longer. Realizing what he'd done her father had shot himself; as if that would change what he'd done. He'd been a coward, trying to run away from what he'd done. In their final moments as a family, she'd told him she hated him, yet that wasn't true. She'd loved her father despite how many mistakes he'd made; if only she could take it back then maybe he wouldn't have snapped. Her mother had sat drinking in the garden as Atlas fell; they found her body in the rubble, it had been obvious that she hadn't even tried to escape. Winter went last killed by Mercury; she died defending the survivors with Qrow. It had been easy to see that despite all their arguments the two had loved each other and in the end, they died together; it had almost broken both Ruby and Weiss. However, she'd stood back up and fought until this point no longer cared about her name or her bloodline after all the only things that mattered were her sisters and brother. Forehead resting against the cold steel of her blade she didn't even realize she was crying for everything she'd lost until the tears hit the blackened earth.

Mercury, the butcher of Atlas, didn't regret much, but standing guard over his family he wanted to turn back time to before he took Cinder's hand. The killing didn't matter to him at all, he was okay with getting blood on his hands, yet knowing that soon he would have to watch his family die made him wish he was dead. He fought for his sisters and for himself, but he would go back to the moment they met and shake Cinder until she gave up on Salem's plan. He would change fate to bring back the world so that they could live. Killing was all he was good for but now he was just tired; the world was dead, so he was no longer needed. Looking down at Cinder's weak body he hated himself for allowing this to happen.

Blake, their Shadowed Assassin, had fallen to her knees now her ears were pressed against her head as she sobbed into her hands. She'd been the only one of them with something left to fight for yet no everything was gone. Her parents, her people, her home; she'd tried so hard to save them and nothing she did amounted to anything. Feeling gentle arms wrap around her she leaned into Yang, her sister in all but blood, and sobbed for everything she'd lost. Adam was gone, killed at Argus when he bought them time to escape a hoard of grimm. She'd thought he would run but instead he'd apologized then pushed her onto the airship leaving her to watch him be torn apart. Seeing his blade drop to the ground as he lost the strength to fight had hurt so much that she almost stopped breathing. Now here she was feeling that same pain only a million times worse leaving her to cling to Yang as she whimpered the other girl running her hand along Blake's back.

Cinder, the Seasonal Maiden, had fought and clawed her way to where she was, given up dreams and love to get to this point but it didn't even matter. Her hand clung tightly to Emerald feeling the girl shake in her arms despite the soothing circles she rubbed on her back. Hate was all she could feel and all of it was aimed at herself. She'd hunted down and killed Amber without hesitation to take the power of the Fall Maiden. Claimed the power of Spring by tearing Raven apart feather by feather as the woman had bought time for her daughter to escape. Murdered the Winter Maiden in her hospital bed and butchered the Summer. She'd done it all to feel powerful enough to protect herself so that she would never be hurt again. In the process, she'd met Emerald who became her sister and Mercury who became her brother. She would have done anything to keep them safe and she had.

Yang, the Burning Dragon, missed her father telling her he loved her. She wanted to see her mother again even if it was only so the woman could call her weak. She might be strong and powerful, but she felt like a child unable to do more than glare at the ground. Curbing her temper was meant to make her strong yet it hadn't she'd still lost to Watts and had to be saved by her father who killed the mad doctor at the cost of his own life. Everything she was turned out to be a lie she told herself to keep fighting in this pointless war. The truth was she wasn't strong, at least not when it counted. As she held her sobbing teammate, she wanted nothing more than to sink into the ground.

They were defeated, broken, people waiting for the end of the world and there was nothing Ruby could do to save them. Even simply standing here, she felt as if she was about to shatter into a million pieces at any moment. If only she'd been strong enough to stop Salem, then maybe this wouldn't be happening.

"I'm sorry," she said softly her voice breaking as she hugged herself tightly. The words worked wonders at drawing their attention to the shaking woman. Meeting the eyes of her white-haired partner Ruby wanted to allow herself to break when she saw the tears in Weiss's watery blue eyes. Her partner was the strongest of them and she never cried so seeing her so broken was agony. Taking a deep breath to keep herself from collapsing, Ruby said, "if I'd been stronger or faster than this would never have happened."

They were silent none of them daring to speak as they heard the self-hate in her voice. Ruby was the youngest of them, yet she was the one trying to take the blame for causing the apocalypse. There was a bitter irony in the broken look shining in her eyes as she tugged at the hem of her torn skirt. Their twenty-one-year-old leader was hurting so much that it radiated off her letting them all see the scared little girl she was. Cinder looked away her throat burning as she tried to shove down her emotions, the guilt she felt almost overwhelming.

"Bullshit," Jaune snapped sounding like a wild animal. Looking up at her with dry eyes, he could see every insecurity she tried to hide from them. Slamming his fist against his dented shield he stood saying, "We were fighting against Gods. None of us could have stopped this. Hell, all this even started because of Ozpin so let's blame him for it all!"

Ruby flinched at the shout stepping back slightly. Angry Jaune was like a honey badger who just got poked with a stick too many times. In truth she didn't agree with him about Ozpin. While the man might have kept secrets and lied as easily as breathing, he'd still fought with them, taught them, and most of all died for them. Without Ozpin's actions, they would all be dead, yet jaune had never been able to forgive the man for Pyrrha's death. Watching him begin to pace and grumble she moved forward to help Weiss to her feet. Holding out her hand to the woman Ruby silently pleaded for forgiveness from the white-haired woman. Blinking the fencer reached up and wiped away her tears before taking her leaders hand allowing the smaller woman to pull her to her feet. Stumbling slightly, she fell into Ruby's arms hugging the younger woman tightly despite the way Ruby flinched against her. All they had was each other in a barren world; there was no point in shifting the blame. Humanity might come back someday but they wouldn't be around to see it.

"None of this is your fault," Weiss whispered hoping to reassure her leader. Ruby tightened her grip as she returned the hug. She had to stay strong for everyone who needed her, she couldn't fall apart, not now when they had no idea what to do. So why did hearing those words break her completely? Choking she clung to her partner without even trying to disguise the shaking sobs that tore through her body. Feeling Weiss begin to brush her fingers through her hair, Ruby buried her face in the other woman's neck soaking Weiss's shirt with her tears. It hurt so much that the pain burned through her veins like fire. She'd failed them all, in her mind all of this was her fault. They'd trusted her and she failed; heroes weren't supposed to fail.

Looking away from the scene Cinder hated seeing the strong girl break. She hated Ruby for years, but even she respected the little girl, to see her break like was stunning. Gazing out at the death around her she knew that this wasn't what she wanted when she joined Salem. Years ago, she'd just been a weak woman struggling to survive, somehow, she felt that nothing had changed. She wasn't stronger or wiser than she had been on the day she took Salem's hand. Feeling what little magic she had left reach out she saw a flicker from the relic of creation just a small light blue glow.

Handing Emerald over to Mercury, who threw her a confused glance, she stood on shaking legs. Walking to the relic she felt everyone's eyes on her, but she didn't hesitate to reach out and pick it up. Feeling it resonate with the magic inside her body she stilled as she looked down at the glowing relic. It was like a light being turned on for the first time as the relic pulsed in her hand offering her everything she wanted. The blue crystal at the tip of the staff called out to her telling her everything she would need to do to save those around her but the solution would come at a price; one she would have to pay and she would pay it without question. There was nothing she wouldn't do to save those she loved.

"Cin," Emerald asked with confusion in her voice even as she pressed closer to Mercury. For a moment Cinder hesitated because she knew that Emerald would be devastated by her plan. She had no doubt that her actions would break the younger girl's heart.

Mercury held her tightly his eyes never leaving Cinder as he tried to figure out what she was planning. However, the woman didn't look at him she only had eyes for Ruby as the girl pulled away from her partner. Meeting the silver orbs that took so much from her, Cinder knew this was the right thing to do; this was the only way to fix everything she'd done and the only way to keep all of them alive. Before she made this choice however, she needed them to know that she never planned for the world to end.

"I killed Penny, Pyrrha, Amber and so many others that I lost count. Salem promised me power and I took that promise because I never wanted to feel weak again," Cinder stated refusing to look away from the girl who ruined all her plans. Allowing her lips to form a sad smile she wanted them to remember her for this moment not the times she caused them pain. Hearing Jaune growl at the mention of his girlfriend's death while Ruby looked at the ground when Penny was mentioned Cinder wished she didn't feel guilty. Looking away from them she sighed saying, "Neo died for me. Nothing I can do will change or absolve my sins. I'm hell bound, but you're not. I have a way out of this."

She had a way out of this but only for them and not herself. Seeing Ruby's eyes drop to the staff in her hand Cinder wondered if the foolish girl would try to save her too. It must've been the finality in her voice that alerted the girl because Ruby tried to lunge toward her only to collapse. Watching her crash down to her knees Cinder stabbed the crystal tip of the staff into the ground causing lines of blue to snake across the ground. Twisting and weaving the lines became a massive glyph, that resembled the summoning glyphs of the Schnee family. Smiling as the glyph created a transparent barrier around the seven kids, she hoped that they would be happy without her. As the eldest it was her duty to save them.

"Cinder!"

Emerald's voice caused her to hesitate. Watching the green-haired woman crash into the barrier she flinched. Feeling tears sting her eyes she wanted to look away as Emerald begged her to let them out. She wanted to; even now as the staff drained her power she wanted to just let go and live, but she couldn't. Even now as Mercury looked back at her in shocked horror, she refused to allow herself to falter.

"I'm sorry," Cinder stated knowing that nothing she said would be enough. This choice was easy for her to make but that didn't mean it hurt any less. Smiling through the pain she met his grey eyes as Mercury took a step forward pressing his hand against the barrier. Face dropping in sorrow he wanted to scream but he knew it would do nothing but make this worse.

"I love you," he said simply. He knew this was a goodbye, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words. They were stuck in his throat unwilling to be spoken even when she smiled sadly at him in gratitude. Feeling someone bump into him, he looked down to where Ruby had rushed forward to stand at his side. Even now it was obvious she was barely keeping herself standing.

"Cinder don't do this! We can find another way, you don't have to-"

"I'm already dead Little Red," she said softly. Seeing Ruby flinch slightly at the nickname Roman gave her Cinder watched the girl look away. It was true, Cinder could feel the taint of the grimm consuming her body along with the staff draining her life force. Soon there would be nothing left of her but a corpse. She would not make her family watch her die.

Watching Emerald hit the barrier as she tried to get to her, Cinder couldn't stop her face from twisting in anguish as she sank to her knees. Taking one hand off the staff she reached out pressing her hand against the barrier as Emerald finally gave up. Laying her hand against the older woman's she sobbed as Mercury sank to his knees beside her with silent tears running down his face. He'd always been so strong for them; never letting them see how much pain he was in. Smiling at them one last time she said, "I love both of you."

Finally, the circle glowed one time before the earth under them vanished leaving a black void in its place as she watched them fall, she never lost her smile. As the void disappeared leaving blackened earth in its place, she finally allowed her tears to fall at the loss of her family. Her hand fell from the staff as she collapsed her body hitting the ground with a dull thud. The maiden powers she'd used to fuel the magic burning through her body like lava she didn't even get a chance to scream before she died.

Cinder Fall was a murderer and a villain, but she died with a smile on her face having sent the ones she loved to a new world. She didn't know where they would land or what the world would be like, but she knew it was a chance for them to survive. That was all she wanted, one chance, one hope, for them to live even if she wouldn't. It was something she would never regret paying for.

Remnant was dead.

There were no grimm, no humans and no faunus; for the first time since its creation, the world was at peace. It had become just a world of charred earth waiting to crumble to dust at the slightest touch. The only thing left was the seven survivors sent hurtling through the sands of reality on the wishes of a dying woman. Each of them would land at a different place, each would experience a different fate, yet ties are not easily broken. The red string of destiny does not release those bound to her so easily. Even now they were bound together by something much stronger than blood.

This is a story about loyalty and reunions; it's about knowing that no matter how much pain someone goes through they will always have someone there to pick them up again. The darkness of this new world that will show just how far they're willing to go to save those they love and that there is no such thing as a hero. Hope and horror intertwine leaving despair. Love and loss playfully nip on their heels refusing to let them rest. Pride and sorrow wait just beyond sight ready to pounce at the slightest hint of weakness. Every movement ripples across fate drawing them closer to each other even when they're alone.