[This takes place in an alternate timeline where Ruby was a little more curious and was already inducted into the Ozluminati by Volume 3.]
At the top of Beacon tower.
Despite her best efforts, the arrow to her ankle was one wound too many, and Pyrrha Nikos fell to her knees, unable to fight any longer.
Cinder: "It's unfortunate they forced upon you a power that was far beyond your capability to wield."
The woman known as Cinder Fall walked up to Pyrrha and lifted her chin, looking directly into her eyes.
Cinder: "But take comfort in knowing I will use it to accomplish far greater things, and bring an end to this twisted world."
Pyrrha was puzzled by the words this woman chose to speak to her in what would no doubt be her final moments. Did she really think she could change the world?
Pyrrha: "Do you believe in destiny?"
Cinder: "No. I make my own destiny."
Pyrrha almost thought she saw a brief flash of pity on her killer's face, but the older woman made no further signs of it before stepping back and coldly sending an arrow straight through Pyrrha's heart.
Then, Cinder placed her palm against the dying Spartan's head and activated her Semblance. It was a waste of her Aura, and a pitifully small mercy considering she had aimed the arrow to kill as quickly as possible anyway. But at least she would grant her opponent the dignity of not having her body picked apart by carrion birds in the soon-to-be ruins of Beacon.
Quietly, inside the depths of her mind, Cinder sighed. Yet another tick mark on the list of things that would send her to hell. Yet another voice added to the screams she would hear in her long since sleepless nights.
Ruby Rose was panicking as she ran up the glyph trail Weiss made for her up to the top of tower. How could things go so wrong so fast? She felt so helpless, so insignificant in the wake of all the events happening around her. She needed to do something, anything. Please, Brothers willing, at least let me save my friend!
Ruby arrived at the top of the tower just to see Salem's agent shoot an arrow through Pyrrha's heart and disintegrate her body into ashes. She was too late. She couldn't do anything. Ruby fell to her knees. The despair and anguish welling up inside her throughout this terrible day had finally reached a tipping point, and the young girl broke.
But then, a strange feeling suddenly seeped out from the recesses of her subconscious. It was powerful. It refused to let her break, forcing the shattered pieces of her psyche together, and it told her she was powerful.
Ruby screamed as the mysterious power overtook her and aggressively surged out of her in the form of a blindingly bright silver light radiating from her eyes.
Cinder was hit with a double whammy of surprises, first the presence of Ruby, and then the fact that she had awakened her Silver-Eyes powers just at that exact moment. But fortunately, her decades of experience as a warrior, killer, and immersion in the deepest conspiracies and darkness in this world meant it was only a split second before any uncertainty was replaced with cold reason and hardened conviction.
Cinder: "No. Ruby. Stop!"
Cinder: "Ruby! Control yourself!"
Cinder: "Petal! Stop and listen to me!"
Petal. The silver light in the young girl's eyes flickered before fading as Ruby Rose returned to the world.
The combatants in the war raging around them were baffled at the fact that all Grimm within a small radius around the tower had been seemingly turned to stone, but were grateful for this mysterious boon and fought on with renewed vigor. Cinder hissed in pain at the destruction of her Grimm body parts and clutched at the stump where her left arm used to be.
The overwhelming despair at Pyrrha's death, then the mysterious power that gave her an out-of-body experience, and now the fact that her enemy had knowledge of her which was only privy to those closest to her. The drastic turn of events in such a short time frame left Ruby in a daze. With some struggle, she stood up and eyed her opponent warily.
Ruby: "Wh-what did you just call me?"
Cinder: "Petal."
Ruby: "How do you know that name? Who are you, really?!"
Cinder: "I know that, because you're my little rose petal, dear."
Cinder's eyes narrowed.
Cinder: "Ozpin never told you what happened to your mother."
Ruby: "He told me enough. He told me she was a hero! She died fighting against bad guys like you!"
Cinder: "No, Ruby. I am your mother."
Ruby: "No. No. That's not true! That's impossible!"
Ruby looked down at the ground, refusing to face the woman making this incredulous claim, and refusing to let her enemy see what kind of face she was making herself.
Summer Rose cringed as she tried to remember how to make an expression which she hadn't used in over a decade. When Ruby finally looked up, she was greeted with a warm smile which radiated kindness and compassion. A smile which, although she had no clear memories of it, she knew instinctively had belonged to her mother.
Ruby: "No! You killed Pyrrha! You did all of this! My mother was a hero! She would never…"
Ruby collapsed, holding her head with both hands in anguish as tears welled up at the corners of her eyes.
Summer: "That girl knew exactly what would happen when she came up here and attacked me. She knew her fate was sealed the moment Ozpin set his eyes on her as the next major piece in his game. And… I've long accepted that I'm going to hell for all the things I've done."
Ruby looked up and the two briefly stared at each other, as if hoping that by connecting their gazes, the connection between them that had been broken for so long would spontaneously mend itself.
But their moment of solace was shattered as Summer's lost arm made her gasp in pain again. Summer grunted in frustration, finally deciding to deal with the problem by cauterizing the mangled bloody stump with her Semblance. Her compassionate heart acting on autopilot, Ruby leaped up and reached to support the wounded figure which she no longer recognized as an enemy.
Ruby: "Your arm! What happened—"
Summer: "It's fine. It's actually more convenient this way. She won't be able to listen in on me, so I'll be able to speak freely."
Summer: "Now, I suppose you have some questions for me."
There was a pregnant pause as Ruby pondered over what to say to her mother who had died and seemingly come back evil. A single word came out before she realized it.
Ruby: "Why?"
Summer: "Why what? Why am I working for Salem? Or… why did I not come back for you if I was still alive?"
Ruby hesitantly nodded.
Summer: "The mission that I… died on. I was going to confront Salem directly. I lost. But apparently Salem found me entertaining enough that she was willing to have a chat with me before she killed me. It turns out the witch is actually a massive blabbermouth. She eagerly confirmed every suspicion I had about the true nature of her and Ozpin's existence… and when I said that I was going to put an end to their twisted game… she loved it and told me that I was free to try, so long as I did some things for her in the meantime. Then she patched me up with Grimm parts and I've been stuck as her servant ever since."
Ruby: "I-I don't understand. But Salem is— why would she…"
Summer: "Ruby, seeing as you already know who Salem is, I know that you've been curious about the inconsistencies in this world we live in too. I'm guessing one of your friends was in danger? And if you're anything like your father, you probably stomped up to Ozpin and grabbed him by his collar."
Ruby: "I jumped onto his desk, actually. And… yeah…"
Ruby gazed at Pyrrha's tiara laying on the ground, the only remaining trace that her friend had once stood there.
Summer: "Oh… I'm sorry."
Summer was long past the point where killing a fellow human being had any impact on her. Another drop of darkness into a pool of ink made no difference. But she knew Ruby had not yet reached such a level of numbness, so she did her best to act like she still had some semblance of humanity left within her.
Ruby sighed and spoke up with a frustrated tone.
Ruby: "Can we get back to the point?"
Darn it, she saw through me.
Summer: "Right. Ruby, recall the things that Ozpin told you about his conflict with Salem and then look at the history of Remnant. Ozma has been at this for countless thousands of years, with relics that have god-like powers and the maidens on his side, and yet he hasn't made any more progress against Salem than when he started? On the other side, Salem has an endless army of ferocious monsters that are completely loyal, don't need to sleep or eat, and yet humanity somehow ever stood a chance? Did Ozpin talk to you about Salem starting to make her move as if it was something urgent? He told my team the exact same thing two decades ago."
Ruby: "Wh-what are you getting at?"
Summer: "Defeating the other side has never been their goal, Ruby."
Summer let her daughter ponder the meaning of her words for a moment before continuing.
Summer: "Do you remember the words of the God of Light before he departed? Remnant is an experiment. That part of the fable was true, but everything else about Salem and Oz's history was made up. Oz and Salem are the experimenters and we, all of us, are the test subjects. Their objective is to keep the conflict between Grimm and humanity, between humanity and itself, going while gradually escalating the stakes, escalating the destruction and suffering, until some point where we are considered by some abstract metric to have proven ourselves worthy. It's a sick and twisted game using everyone on Remnant as the game pieces."
Ruby couldn't quite comprehend all the words she was hearing. But the conviction and pain in her mother's voice, as well as the flashbacks that were now flooding through her mind, of every occasion in which Ozpin looked like he was hiding something, told her that this was likely to be the truth about the world.
Ruby: "Then… what do we even do? If they're really that powerful, controlling the entire course of human history—"
Summer: "We fight. I know it might seem impossible, but there's one thing that we have which Oz and Salem can't account for. Something that you— and I have."
Summer waved her one good hand across her face, dispelling the glamour magic over her remaining eye. The amber of Cinder Fall faded to reveal an iridescent silver. Same as Ruby. The silver eye of Summer Rose.
Ruby: "The Silver-Eyed Warriors… But what difference does that make? Aren't they just really good at killing Grimm?"
Summer: "It's more than that. I'm not sure, but from what I've been able to dig up, the power of the Silver-Eyes is something beyond the reach of Salem and Oz. It's something ancient that has existed even before the Brother Gods and carries some sort of link to the origins of Remnant itself. Oh, yeah, the Brother Gods didn't actually create Remnant, it was already here, we were already here when they found it."
Ruby's excitement from discovering her mother was actually alive was now starting to wear off, and the rational part of her started building a case for being skeptical about what she was hearing. Suddenly talking about the truths and lies regarding events in myths and legends as if they actually happened, her mother was starting to sound like… Ozpin.
Even though she had grown up without her, Summer could still easily discern her daughter's thoughts just from a glance, and so she retreated to the motherly smile which she had quickly become re-accustomed to a few moments ago.
Summer: "I probably sound like I'm crazy don't I? I've asked myself the same question many times. But then I think of you and Yang, and how, as the children of last generation's champions, Ozpin must have no doubt been eyeing you two as new pieces to use in his game since your birth… and I gain the conviction to keep going, so that you and other children don't have to grow up in this twisted world."
Ruby stepped up and put a hand on Summer's shoulder, awkwardly trying to smile back in reassurance.
Summer: "But… it looks like I couldn't do it in time. You've already gotten wrapped up in this farce of a war. I don't have enough power in the end."
Now it was Summer's turn to stare at the ground.
Ruby: "Is that why you joined Salem? To… to obtain more power? But what makes you think that she'll give you the power to defeat herself? I'm… I've already spent so many years without you… so why don't we just go home… and be a family again?"
Summer: "Salem is insane, the thousands of years sitting in the Grimmlands have led her to have a tenuous grip on reality at best. Her immortality has also made her complacent and almost childlike in temperament. I can manage her, and I have."
Summer: "As for your other question. Ruby… is that what you really think is the right thing to do?"
From her tone of voice, Ruby realized that it was a genuine question. Her mother was hesitating and willing to give up all she had worked for if it was what Ruby truly wanted.
Ruby: "No. I-I always wanted to be a hero, growing up. Like you— like the made-up image I had of you in my head. A hero wouldn't sit by while they play with peoples' lives—."
A screech could suddenly be heard emanating from the skies. It was followed by screaming from the people on the ground as the screech got louder, indicating the source of the noise was fast approaching.
Summer: "It looks like our time is running out."
Summer: "Ruby. I had hoped that I wouldn't ever need to say these words to you. But… I can see that you have the potential within you. With two Silver-Eyed Warriors working together we can end this, and build a new world free from the machinations of ancient immortals. Join me, Ruby, and we can show Oz and Salem and the Brother Gods that the people of Remnant are not to be toyed with!"
Ruby smirked as she entertained the thought of embracing the darkness of the world for the sake of a brighter future.
Ruby: "I'll think about it."
Summer: "That's my girl. Now, let me show you how to use your Silver-Eyes so you can save your friends. With your current capacity, you're going to pass out once you're done. I want you to pretend like you don't know anything and that you didn't realize what you were doing. You'll be playing the same part under Oz's reincarnation that I've been doing under Salem. Think you're up for it?"
Ruby: "Yeah. Wait… Ozpin's dead?"
Summer: "He could have more than easily pushed me back, but he chose to let himself be killed here. Like I said, everything, the fall of Beacon included, is all part of their game."
Ruby: "So… any more world-shattering secrets you want to tell me?"
Summer: "Hmm… have you figured out that Qrow is your dad yet?"
Ruby: "What?! So earlier when you said I was like my father…"
Summer: "Oh come on, sweetie. Does Taiyang really look like the type of guy who can seduce both of his teammates?"
Ruby: "Buh— wha… why did he…"
Summer: "Remember the plan. After things have calmed down a bit, grab Yang and find your Aunt Raven, she can tell you about everything in detail. Tell her that the clock has struck midnight. The next time we meet, I'll probably have a Grimm arm and eye again, so Salem will be watching everything I do. Also do not let Qrow find out anything. It's not time to let him in yet. Feel free to kick him in the balls for keeping it a secret from you though. Got it?"
Ruby: "Yeah…"
Summer: "We won't be able to speak once you have your Silver Eyes active, so I'll say my farewells right now. Petal, remember that I'll always love you."
Ruby: "I… don't think I can forgive everything you've done… but, I love you too, mom."
I guess Raven is actually my real aunt now, huh…
Ruby suddenly felt a strong desire to dig into Qrow's liquor stash when this was all over, even though she had never once drunk in her life.
