Don't Want Your Absolution

by ClemPrime13

Minimal Fall AU, It's the first term back after the Miracle at Beacon, and teams RWBY and JNR are starting their second year. There's just one problem. They know about the maidens, the relics, Salem... They'll have to juggle their school work and stopping the forces of evil from dividing humanity and killing them all. At least they get extra credit for it.

28. The Meaning of Life and Death

Chapter 28: The Meaning Of Life And Death

(Atlas Academy, Jaune and Weiss's Room)

It was time.

There were so many variables. So many ways that everything could go horribly wrong. If even one part of the plan failed, Remnant would undoubtedly be wiped from existence after Salem gathered all of the Relics.

Despite that, Jaune was calmer than he had ever been before a battle. He knew what was at stake. If Salem took the Staff of Creation, Atlas would fall. The Cross-Continental Transmit System would go down and Remnant's Military-Industrial complex would be shattered beyond repair. Dust would become a incredibly limited resource, and slowly the people of Remnant would lose the capability to defend themselves from the Grimm.

In short, total annihilation.

Yet, Jaune Arc was calm as he strapped his armor on, and hung the new Crocea Mors at his waist. He drew the blade and looked at his reflection in it. He was nowhere near the carefree boy that had ran to Beacon with a weapon and a dream. He had learned to fight. Mentored by the foremost prodigies of his generation, and later his own father. He had fought terrorists, and proudly bore the scars of those encounters. He had fought beings straight from the pages of fairy tales. He had brought back the love of his life from the brink of death. He had become a hero.

The hero that Pyrrha Nikos had seen in him from the very beginning.

"She would be proud of you, Jaune."

Jaune replaced his sword in its sheath and turned to face Weiss, resplendent in her Arc-inspired armor. "I know." He extended his hand to her, and she took it, as elegantly as ever. "I love you."

Weiss smirked, "I know." What else was there to say?

They paused as they got to the door. Once they opened the door, they would be Acting Specialist Jaune Arc and Weiss Schnee, the Winter Maiden, linchpins in humanity's struggle to be free of Salem. But for now, they were simply Jaune and Weiss.

Weiss looked up at him, "Ready, my darling knight?"

Jaune smiled at her, "Ready or not, Snow Angel, we've got a war to win."

---

(Rose-Xiao Long Family)

"Remember, Yang. Keep it tight out there." Taiyang admonished. "It'll be a target-rich environment, and efficiency will be the name of the game."

Yang rolled her eyes at her dad. "Got it, Dad."

"Ruby, don't forget to-"

"Check my momentum, because for the first phase we'll be fighting in close quarters. I'm all over it, Uncle Qrow."

Taiyang and Qrow looked at each other. "Tai, when did we become redundant?"

Taiyang shrugged, "Does it matter?" He turned back to his daughters, "Three more things. Thing one: No matter what happens today, I am so proud of both of you."

Perfectly in sync as only sisters could be, Ruby and Yang pantomimed wiping their noses with a single finger. "Thanks, Dad." Ruby said.

"Thing two," Taiyang continued, "Make sure to talk to Blake and Penny before everything goes down. You'll regret if if you don't."

Ruby and Yang nervously looked at each other, then nodded. "What was the last thing?" Ruby asked.

"Give your old man a hug."

---

(Ren and Nora)

"Hey, Ren?"

"Yes, Nora?"

"If we pull this off, it means there won't be any more villages like Kuroyuri, right?"

"I certainty hope so, Nora."

---

(James and Glynda)

"James."

"Glynda."

They immediately clung to each other, twenty years of separation by distance and professionalism melting away in an instant.

"Don't you dare die today, Jimmy."

Ironwood smiled, in all of Remnant, there was only one person allowed to call him Jimmy. "I'll do my best, Miss Perfect."

---

(Ruby and Penny)

Really, it wasn't a surprise to anyone that Ruby and Penny found each other before the final battle.

"Penny, please be safe."

"I will do my best, Ruby. I have no desire to make you sad again."

---

(Yang and Blake)

"Yang, we're not going to have room for Bumblebee on top of the wall."

"Unless I've learned how to fly."

A pause. Blake arched an eyebrow at her partner and laced her voice with weapons-grade sarcasm. "Have you?"

Yang grinned, "Almost had you."

"Shut up and kiss me, you dork."

---

(Atlas, Tank Corps Briefing)

"Alright, men." Major Scar said, the holographic display behind him lighting up, "Here's your mission for today. It's real simple. Go out there, back up the AK-250 brigade, kill Grimm, don't die."

The assembled tank crews milled about nervously. That was it? An apocalyptic Grimm attack was coming to Atlas, and that was the plan?

"There's more. This comes directly from the Ironfather himself, otherwise I wouldn't saddle you with it. Apparently the Grimm have a master, by the name of Salem. If any of your mothers read you The Witch In The Woods, that was her. If you see any sort of humanoid Grimm that you can't identify as an Apathy or Chill, do not engage unless under imminent threat. Won't do much anyways, seeing as she's immortal."

That sent an uproar through the troops. "What the hell are we doing? How the bleeding hell do we kill an immortal Grimm queen?"

"Pipe down! All of you!" Scar yelled. "I'm told that there is a plan in place to deal with Salem, but the details are need to know, and we don't need to know. All you need to do is go out there, kill some damned Grimm, and let Salem pass by unharmed. Am I clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!" It was very nearly a chorus.

"Get to your tanks."

---

(Atlas, Aerial Response Corps Briefing)

Trigger looked out over the assembled pilots and Penny Polendina. This was certainly the most eventful day he'd experienced during his tenure as commander of Aerial Response.

"Let's start with the easy bit." Trigger said, "Manta squadrons, your mission is simple. Provide Close Air Support for all ground forces. Go prep your ships. I want you all ready to go in ten."

The Manta crews left to prepare for battle, leaving the pilots of Strider and Cyclops squadrons to the rest of their briefing. Trigger himself would be flying this sortie, due to the stakes. "Our objective is similarly simple, but more dangerous. Our target is Monstra."

One of the pilots spoke up, "No offense, boss, but how are we gonna take that thing down with just the Barracudas? I don't like the odds on that."

Trigger grinned, "We're not, Moebius. Your ventral weapon bays will be loaded with target tracers, and the Aegis will be on position over the city feigning an evacuation. You're all smart, what comes next?"

Another one of the pilots, a rabbit Faunus by the name of Thumper laughed, "Oh, those fireworks are gonna be sweet."

Trigger let his pilots get the laughter out of their system, then continued. "Flying with us today is Penny Polendina. Her callsign will be Skygal. She'll be running cover for us during our attack run."

"Salutations!"

Trigger grabbed his helmet and zipped up his flight suit. "Get to your ships and be ready. As soon as General Ironwood calls Phase Two of the defense of the city, we launch."

---

(Atlas, Wall)

When Jaune arrived at the wall, it was a hive of activity. Medical and Ammunition stations were in the process of being set up, and artillery pieces were being moved into position. Having been a part of the planning process, it was a bit surreal to see it all falling into place. He looked over the edge, and saw the Crusader tanks and AK-250s in place.

He couldn't help but whistle.

He also noticed that some of the soldiers were wearing the Atlesian armor over their normal clothes. He caught Marrow, who was passing by him at the moment. "Hey, why do some of these guys look like they came from the refugee camps and strapped armor on?"

"Cause we've still got stuff that we want to fight for too."

Jaune whirled around to see Saphron, with an Atlesian rifle in her hands. "Saph, what the hell are you doing here?"

Marrow placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder, "It turned out that we didn't have enough troops to fully man the wall, so we put out an open call for anyone with unlocked Aura who can shoot."

"Damn it." Jaune swore under his breath, "Saph, are you sure about this? I'm not going to be able to watch your back the whole time."

Saphron glared at her younger brother, bombarding him with Big Sister Energy, "So, you're suggesting I sit on my hands while the godsdamned immortal queen of the Grimm comes knocking? No way. I'm protecting my family."

Jaune shook his head, "Saph, this isn't just about our family! This is about all of Remnant!"

Saphron grabbed the collar of Jaune's armor and yanked him down to her level, "I don't give a damn about protecting the rest of Remnant! You focus on that, and the weight will crush you! I've seen it happen already to soldiers who have been preparing for this kind of thing for years! I am here to protect Adrian, Terra, and you!"

"Fine." Jaune relented, "You better not die, though."

Saphron grinned, "It's gonna take more than a few Grimm to take me down, Jau-"

"Monstra sighted!"

At the cry from one of the gun crews, Jaune turned and faced the horizon, and sure enough, there was the Grimm Whale, with the same eerie storm clouds that had smothered Argus. "Saph, get moving."

"Right. Kick some ass, Jaune."

Jaune hurriedly moved to where he was supposed to be, the center of the wall, with Weiss, Ruby, Oscar, and Ironwood. "What kept you, Jaune?" Ruby asked.

"Saphron volunteered to fight. I'm not exactly a fan of that." He said quickly.

Weiss laid a hand on his shoulder, "She'll... she's an Arc. She'll be fine."

"I know." Jaune said, "She's got the right mentality about it, according to her others... don't."

Oscar nodded. "They're afraid, and rightfully so. But they're letting that fear erode their courage."

Ironwood raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're not turning into Ozpin?"

Oscar threw his hands up in exasperation, "You try to sound more adult for five seconds and everyone starts asking are you turning into the wizard inside your head? No! I'm not! But thank you for asking!"

The unspoken question hung in the air. How could they reverse that erosion of courage? Jaune eyed the approach of Monstra. By his estimates it looked like it was coming in for a landing. "Ruby, do you have any ideas?"

Ruby shook her head as she drew her scythes, "Sorry. I'm not really in a good headspace for heroic speeches."

Jaune glanced at Weiss, no that wouldn't work... she could inspire the Atlesians, sure. But her words would probably ring hollow to anyone from Mantle thanks to Jacques.

Jaune knew what he had to do.

He had to give a speech to inspire an army.

"General, how do I talk to... everyone?"

Ironwood turned and looked at him, "Switch your comm channel to Tac-All."

Jaune blinked, "You're not going to do it?"

Ironwood chuckled as he drew the twin revolvers that made up Due Process. "I don't give good speeches unless someone else wrote them for me."

Jaune closed his eyes for a brief moment. It actually fell to him. Alright then. He took out his Scroll, changed comm channels, then raised his hand to his ear and activated his comm. "This is Acting Specialist Jaune Arc to all points." Judging by the reactions of the soldiers around him, it was working. So he pressed on. "I know you're scared. That's okay, I am too. That doesn't mean that we have to let our fear control us. Recognize it for what it is, let it pass through you, and don't let it stop you from doing what you need to do today."

Jaune paused to gather his thoughts, "What we have to do today is simple. We have to hold the line. That's it. We don't have to overwhelm the Grimm, we don't have to annihilate them. All we have to do is keep them back. I was once told that there comes a time in every Hunter's career where they must draw a line in the dirt, and tell the Enemy that they will go no further. Today is that day, not only for me, but for all of us. We are all that stands between our loved ones and desolation, so we can not fail!"

"I know the stakes might seem impossible to comprehend. The weight of the fate all of Remnant would crush any one of us! So, forget about all of Remnant! That's not why you're here today! You're here to fight for the people you love. So, fight. Fight for your families! Your children! Your husbands and wives! If we all do that, then each one of us will be a piece of steel that when combined, will become a shield that will protect all of Remnant!"

At that, a cheer rose from the surrounding soldiers, and from some over the comm. "And if you think that you're alone, look around you! Atlas, Mantle, Argus, Human, Faunus, all standing together as one! In Salem's efforts to divide humanity, she has only given us something to fight for!"

"Now, in the names of Winter Schnee, Reign-Beau Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, and every person throughout the history of Remnant who has given their lives to protect their loved ones, I give you this order."

"No more families torn apart. No more lives ended before their light had a chance to shine. No more love stories ended before they had a chance to start. No more."

He paused for a brief moment to let that sink in. "I believe in each and every one of you. I have absolute faith that we will hold the line, and that we will win the day. Acting Specialist Jaune Arc, Out."

He switched back to his normal comm channel, and drew Crocea Mors. "So, how'd I do?"

"How much did you steal from movies and video games?" Oscar asked.

"Comedy hour later." Ironwood growled. "Here they come." True to the General's word, the sky and fields before them started to become swarmed with black and the cries of Grimm. The gun emplacements began to spit staccato thunder, and the fields below were lit with the bright blue of Hard Light Dust fire.

For the moment, the Grimm were being held back.

"Is... that all she has?" Ruby asked, "This is nothing like Argus."

Jaune shook his head. "No, this almost feels like she's just probing our defenses, looking for a weak point." He narrowed his eyes, scanning the incoming Grimm for some kind of pattern, but found nothing.

"Or she's looking for me." Weiss said.

Jaune mentally kicked himself. "Of course! In that case, how about we give her a target?"

"You've lost me, Jaune." Ironwood said, "Why should we do that?"

Jaune took a moment to order his thoughts before explaining. "It's simple, if Weiss goes ham with the Maiden powers, Salem will direct more forces at us to break us, make us retreat into a position that Cinder can swoop in. If we hold strong, then Salem will be forced to take the field herself. Maybe."

"I need more than a maybe, Jaune." Ironwood spat through gritted teeth.

"The entire plan is about ten different mights and maybes strung together, General." Weiss said, "At the very least it'll draw out Cinder."

"Maybe, maybe not." Ruby said, "Salem knows I can blow Cinder into next week at the drop of a hat, so she might keep her close. Either way, we need to get Salem to the Vault so we can talk her down without any Grimm trying to crash the party."

Ironwood now understood why Glynda let the kids do what they wanted in regards to the fight against Salem, and why his plan of having them transfer to Atlas Academy for a term would've been an absolute disaster. "Do it."

Jaune grinned. "Weiss. Light them up."

Weiss sheathed Myrtenaster and her eyes began to blaze with ice blue fire. She spread her hands wide, fingers splayed out, the air around her beginning to crackle with lightning. "You know, Jaune, this isn't quite the wedding venue I expected."

Ironwood sighed. Of course these two would want him to marry them during the massive onslaught of Grimm they were about to bring down on everyone's heads.

Jaune laughed. "Sorry, Snow Angel, Apparently all of the proper venues here in Atlas frown on last minute wedding reservations. Something about imminent Grimm attacks requiring hazard pay, or something. I'll have to apologize to Ren, though. He was supposed to be the Best Man."

"Ozpin is being remarkably calm about all the mid-apocalypse flirting, and I'm not sure that's a good thing." Oscar muttered.

Weiss thrusted her hands forward, palms facing out, and a bolt of lightning leapt from her hands and hit the lead Grimm of the next wave, a Nevermore. After it hit, Weiss threw her arms out, and additional bolts of lightning arced out to all of the surrounding Grimm, wiping them from existence. Mere moments after Weiss's display of power, the amount of Grimm coming at them increased threefold.

"I do believe that I have made her mad, love." Weiss said, mock formality practically dripping from her words.

"What's the worst she could do, crash our wedding?" Jaune said.

Possessed with the need to shoot something right now, Ironwood sighted in on a Lancer, and neatly blew its head off. "I do not get paid enough for this."

Jaune stabbed out with Crocea Mors, zapping a Ravager with lightning. "These are just the small fry, where's the big-" he was interrupted by a ear piercing roar.

"What was that?" Oscar asked.

"Sounded like Beringels." Ruby said, "But I don't see any-" She looked up, then immediately wished that she hadn't. "Okay, who looks at murder gorillas, and says hey, I'm going to give that the ability to fly?"

Jaune looked up and made a split decision, "Oscar, shield! It's coming right for us!"

Oscar gripped the Long Memory in both hands and emerald energy began to crackle along its length. "Gather around me!" The group huddled around him, as the shield sprang into existence in the nick of time to block the earth shattering double hammer blow. At the moment of impact Oscar keeled over, but the shield remained active, barely.

Jaune knelt beside him, "Oscar? What's wrong?"

"Shield works like Aura." Oscar grunted, "Protects, but only mutes pain. That sucked."

The Beringel let out a thunderous roar, causing the nearby soldiers to flinch away from it. They had to take it out. Now. "Oscar, drop the shield. We're taking that thing out."

Weiss's eyes lit up as she saw a golden opportunity. "Ironwood! Marry us!"

If it wasn't for his Semblance causing him to be laser focused on the enemy in front of him, Ironwood would've shot Weiss dead with an incredulous glare, "We're a little busy at the moment, don't you think?"

Jaune noted that the Beringel was being incredibly patient for a Grimm surrounded by an army's worth of negative emotions. Salem had to be directly controlling this thing. "This may be our last shot before..." he stopped himself, if Salem was controlling this Grimm, then spouting off their plans in front of it would be a very bad idea.

As the shield began to dissolve, Ironwood began to take aim at the Beringel. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today-" As soon as a gap in the shield opened up, Ironwood took the shot, hitting the gorilla Grimm in the eye, "To grind the enemies of Atlas beneath our heel!"

Weiss created a Summoning Glyph as Ruby and Jaune moved. Ruby used her Semblance to jump above and behind the Beringel's head, materializing as a human buzzaw that decisively severed its wings. It swung at Jaune, but the valiant knight caught the blow on his shield and activated his new Gravity Dust, repelling the blow. "Weiss Schnee, do you take me to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Ruby darted in between the Berignel's legs, cutting at them as she passed. A Sphinx bursted from Weiss's Summoning Glyph and began to contend with the Beringel, belching pale blue fire at it. "I do."

Jaune grinned as he let loose a wind slash. "Great!"

Weiss allowed the Sphinx to fade away before joining Ruby and Jaune on the frontline. "Ruby, we need a few seconds."

"Got it!" She threw one of her scythes, lodging it in the Beringel's shoulder. With a giggle, she used her Gravity Dust to pull herself to it, and sank her other scythe in the Beringel's other shoulder. Ironwood looked on with exasperation. Ruby Rose was riding a Beringel in the middle of a giant Grimm attack. He definitely had not been prepared for today.

Weiss continued their vows, "Jaune Arc, do you take me-" She was interrupted by the Beringel lashing out at her. Weiss caught the offending arm in a Gravity Glyph, which Jaune lopped off, "Do you take me to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in-" Ruby unloaded the gun portion of one of her scythes into the back of the Beringel's skull, causing it to slump over and begin to dissolve. A cheer rose up from the surrounding soldiers, which Ruby capitalized on. "There's a battle wedding going on! We need covering fire!" The soliders that had heard or seen what had been done in Argus responded to her call first, how could they refuse an order from the Lady of Light?

The threat removed for now, Weiss turned back to Jaune, "Do you take me to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live?"

"I do."

Ironwood sighed. Finally the insanity was over. "For the love of the Brothers, just kiss."

Weiss reached up and pulled Jaune down into a kiss. For a moment, the sound of all of the bullets flying through the air and the cries of the Grimm melted away. For a moment, they were the only two people that existed in all of Remnant.

They were rudely interrupted by a call on their comms. "This is Alpha One of Tank Batallion Bulwark to the Beacon Brigade. Salem has taken the field, I repeat. Salem has taken the field."

Ironwood jumped into action immediately, "This is General Ironwood, Is Cinder with her?"

A brief silence followed, then the comm crackled again, "Hold for a moment... yes, a woman matching Cinder Fall's description is with her. Orders?"

Ironwood let out a breath that he hadn't realized that he's been holding, everything was going according to plan. "Do not engage. Let her pass."

"But, sir..."

Jaune got on the comm before Ironwood could rebuke the man, "This is Acting Specialist Jaune Arc-Schnee, What's your name?"

"Mag, sir."

"Well, Mag, I can't tell you everything, but there is a plan to deal with Salem. But we need to lead her somewhere specific, and we can't do that if you make her mad. Just stay focused on the Grimm." Jaune held his breath and hoped that he has gotten through to the man.

"Copy that, Spec. We'll leave the immortal witch queen to you."

After Mag disconnected, Jaune shrugged at Ironwood. "It felt like he needed a lighter touch than you were going to have."

"That's fair. Get going."

Weiss raised an eyebrow at her new husband, "I wasn't aware that we were hyphenating, Jaune."

The four teenagers left, leaving behind Ironwood and his men. This was all on them, if they failed... He shook his head, no point dwelling on things he couldn't control.

He activated his comm. "This is General Ironwood to all points. Go for Phase Two. I repeat, go for Phase Two."

---

(Atlas Airspace, Monstra Approach)

Trigger cracked his knuckles. Like many of the missions that he had undertaken before, this mission was simple. Go in, tag Monstra with a literal shit ton of target tracers, then call up the Aegis and have them wipe that monster whale from the face of Remnant.

"Howdy, boys and girls. Long Caster here, I'll be your AWACS this fine apocalypse."

Trigger rolled his eyes. Any other day, he'd feel more inclined to let Long Caster do his thing, but today was a little stressful, believe it or not. "Cut the crap, LC, we don't have time for it today."

"Copy that, Trigger." Long Caster replied.

Trigger switching comm channels, and hailed Atlas Air Traffic Control. "Control, this is Strider 1, Strider Squadron and Cyclops Squadron are ready for launch."

"Copy that, Strider 1, you are go for launch."

That was all Trigger needed to here. "Let's go light up that Grimm whale!" He cranked his throttle to full, and his Barracuda shot out of the hangar as of it was a bullet from a gun. A quick look at his radar showed that the rest of his pilots and Penny were close behind him. "All wings, check in."

"Strider 2, Thumper, ready to make the baddies go boom."

"Strider 3, Rogue, ready to make the impossible possible."

"Strider 4, Wraith. I'm with Thumper, what do we blow up first?"

Cyclops Squadron's check-ins were decidedly more professional. That was by design, of course. The members of Cyclops Squadron and Strider Squadron were hand-picked by Trigger. Cyclops Squadron was more professional, a solid foundation that could be dependable and would react to situations in a calm and predictable manner.

Strider Sqaudron... was insane. At least, that was the running joke. Between Thumper's penchant for explosions, Rogue's ability to walk out of suicide missions with a smile on his face, Wraith's ridiculous plans that somehow worked even though they shouldn't, and Trigger's own daredevil-like tendencies, they were a force to be reckoned with on the battle field.

"Skygal here! I am combat ready!"

Trigger glanced at his radar. The squadrons were in their usual staggered arrowhead formation, with Penny in the center towards the rear. There was also a colossal swarm of Grimm between them and the Monstra. Trying to go through it would be suicide. Standard procedure would dictate they use cloud cover to disguise their approach to the target. However, now that they knew about Salem, flying through ominously glowing storm clouds that belched scarlet lightning was not high on Trigger's to do list.

They were going to have to go through the Grimm.

Shit.

He keyed his private comm channel with Cyclops 1, "Möbius, we have to go through that mess. There's no way the clouds are safe."

"Trigger, I knew Strider Squadron has a rep for being insane, but have you lost it? We'll never-"

Long Caster cut in, "Strider, Cyclops: Do not use the cloud cover. This lightning is not natural, repeat lightning from the clouds is not natural!"

Trigger's blood ran cold, "Long Caster, do you need assistance?"

There was a pregnant pause, which was shattered by Cipher, one of the Cyclops pilots. "Come on! Don't die on us, Long Caster! We were supposed to crack open that bottle of Mantlean Whiskey, remember?"

"Sorry, Cyclops 2. The lightning took out our engines. I'm going down, and it's not going to be pretty. Make sure to knock back one for me, alr-" The Atlesian AWACS was cut off in a burst of static that left no illusion about what had happened.

Trigger felt a cold hand clamp around his heart. Even with how many battles he'd been through, and how intimately that he knew that death could come for them at anytime, he had thought Long Caster to be untouchable. "Strider, Cyclops. We're going right down the middle. No mercy."

"Then allow me to make a hole." Penny surged ahead of the pilots, and her laser bits ejected from her backpack. Without warning she rushed headlong into the oncoming horde, as emerald lasers carved through the Grimm. To the pilots of Strider and Cyclops, it seemed like Penny was giving no thought to self-preservation, but the truth...

That was something else entirely. At that moment, every thought of her soul, every process that was executing in her electronic brain, was committed to nothing but self-preservation. Any other outcome would make Ruby sad, and Penny had promised that she would never make Ruby sad again. The only way to achieve that was to break through the oncoming mass of Grimm, and finish the mission.

So, Penny Polendina was doing that. Failure, as General Ironwood would say, was unacceptable.

She heard Trigger on the radio barking orders to follow her in, and soon enough the cyan blue lasers of the Barracudas' Hard Light Dust cannons joined hers, and they began to carve a path towards Monstra.

"Shit! I've got a Lancer on my tail!" Blaze yelled.

"Hang on, Cyclops 3!" Mobius said, "I'll be right... crap, I've got problems of my own!"

Penny whirled around and caused two of her lasers to scythe through the Grimm menacing the two pilots. After they were out of danger, she refocused her attention on clearing the path in front of them, only to see a Manticore barreling towards her, intending to turn her into scrap metal.

She boosted forward and deployed her blades. The Manticore responded as Manticores tend to respond to most actions, by spitting fire at her.

Not again. Never again.

Penny spun, causing the fireball to miss her by inches, then she plunged her blades into the Manticore's underside and violently ripped them out, causing the Grimm to be split in two. "How much further?" Penny asked. She wasn't asking for herself, according to her calculations of her remaining power reserves, assuming continuous laser usage and that her Aura held, she could keep going for twelve hours.

Unfortunately, Strider and Cyclops Squadrons had a much more limited flight time.

"We're almost through! Just stay on target!" Trigger said, "Form up on me!"

Trigger allowed a sigh of relief to escape him. It was time for what other squadrons called the Strider Special. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't some secret weapon, or some unbeatable tactic. It was faith, pure and simple. The combination of the faith that his pilots had that he could lead them through the fires of hell itself, and the faith that Trigger had in his pilots' abilities.

In short, it could be distilled down to a simple phrase. Stick with Trigger, and you'll make it.

Trigger flipped the fire control on his Hard Light Dust cannon over to auto-fire and restricted it to his forward arc. Then he moved. Juke left, break right. Grimm all around him exploded in the smokey remains that the monsters became when they died. Do a barrel roll. Use the boost to get through. Trigger fired his Vulcan guns, obliterating the Nevermore that was bearing down on him. Turn into every attack, don't run. Run and you're dead.

"Just this last wave and we're through!" Mobius barked.

"Arm missiles!" Trigger ordered, "Fire everything!"

The starboard weapon bays on all of the Barracudas opened up to reveal a rack of multi-missiles. Four missiles launched from each craft, gouts of flame carrying them towards their targets. At the halfway point, their true purpose was revealed. Eight ports retracted on each missile, and a new projectile was launched from each of them. A grand total of one hundred and twenty eight missiles lit up the sky, burning a hole through the swarm of Grimm.,

Now there was just the massive Grimm Whale to contend with.

"Go go go! Before they catch on to what we're doing! Launch all Target Tracers!" As soon as he was in range, Trigger switched his fire control over to his port weapon bay, and as soon as the button was lit, mashed the trigger as fast as the mechanism would cycle. As soon as they were in place, he got on the comm. "Aegis, this is Strider 1, Tracers are in place! Fire!"

Penny, Strider, and Cyclops broke off from the whale just in time to see a massive laser fire from the battleship hovering above Atlas. To Trigger's alarm, the remaining Grimm converged in the laser's path. "Skygal, will the blast even reach Monstra if it has to go through all of those Grimm?"

If Trigger hadn't been briefed on Penny, he would swear that Doctor Polendina had successfully simulated fear in an artificial life form. "No. It will not. Then any that are left will come for us."

"Shit! Wraith, crazy plan, now!"

Wraith answered almost immediately. "That's a real big Gravity Dust crystal in the back of this thing, boss. If we can cause a chain reaction in that thing, it should create a gravity inversion that will eighty-six the whale."

"What's the catch?" Mobius asked.

Wraith winced, "With how big it is, it'll take all eight of our HL Dust cannons, and the range... the range we'll have to be at will FUBAR all of us when the gravity inversion hits."

Penny cut in, "No! There has to be some other way!"

Wraith sighed, "'Fraid not, Skygal. If we don't take that thing down it'll keep pumping out Grimm, and..." He didn't need to finish, they all knew the stakes.

"Penny, listen to me very closely." Trigger said, "Get back to Atlas, and help with the defense. You've done your job here, now it's time we do ours." His voice caught, but he powered on, "In my quarters, you'll find a mini-fridge. After your friends kill Salem and you're celebrating, there's a bottle of Mantlean Whiskey there. It would be a damned shame if it just gathered dust there."

"Yeah." Cipher said, his voice heavy with emotion, "Long Caster would've wanted whoever survives this mess to crack it open."

For the first time, Penny Polendina cursed her inability to cry. "I... I understand. Thank you."

"Thank you?" Thumper asked, "For what?"

"For not treating me like a machine."

Without another word, Penny turned and flew back towards Atlas, her return flight heralded by the lasers ensuring her safe passage through the Grimm.

Trigger didn't need to say another word. Everyone knew the score. With the Grimm focused on Penny running wild, they were able to have a somber flight towards the giant Gravity Dust crystal embedded in Monstra's back. Trigger's hands moved automatically across the controls, instructing his Hard Light Dust cannon to fire all of the remaining Dust charges in one final blast. His hand hovered over the button, hesitating for one brief moment. "Anyone got anything they want to say?"

There was a silence that was so thick with tension you could've cut it with a knife. Finally Talisman, also known as Cyclops 4, spoke up. "Let's go dance with the angels."

"I'm not much of a dancer." Thumper quipped, "Two left feet."

Despite his impending death, Trigger smiled. "That's alright, Strider 2. I'll lead." Without waiting for anything, he fired. One lance of bright blue light became eight, and under the pressure, the Graviry Dust began to chain react.

The next few moments seemed to happen in slow motion. One of Möbius's engines blew out, sending him into an uncontrollable spin. A shard of Gravity Dust pierced Cipher's cockpit canopy, killing him instantly. Out of reflex, Thumper activated his ejection seat, causing him to be sucked into the implosion in progress. Wraith and Rogue crashed into each other. Trigger couldn't see what had happened to Blaze or Talisman, but they weren't on his radar anymore.

Trigger's controls became inverted, and as the merciless ground rushed to meet him, he gazed fondly at the picture of his wife and son that he kept on the side of the control panel.

Sorry, Scrap Queen. Not making it back this time.

Then all he knew was darkness.

---

(Atlas, Vault of the Winter Maiden)

Oscar was decidedly nervous. Here he was, a farmboy from southern Anima, about to throw down with a fallen Fall Maiden and the immortal witch queen of the Grimm alongside friends that he never thought that he would ever have. A silver-eyed warrior, The heiress of the SDC turned Winter Maiden, and Jaune Arc. It occurred to Oscar that Jaune would be the only person involved in the impending battle that wasn't some sort of fairy tale come to life. Even he was the latest iteration of the Infinite Man. Oscar tightened his grip on the Long Memory and took a deep breath, hoping that it would stop the feeling of his blood pounding through his ears.

He was disappointed.

"Don't worry, Oscar. Everything will be just fine."

Oscar's eye twitched, How can you say that, Old Man? How can we beat Cinder much less Salem?

"You have everything you need, Oscar. So much so that I highly doubt I will be able to congratulate you on your victory should you come out on top."

Oscar paled. Wasn't Ozpin supposed to stay with him until he was ready to uphold his mission on his own? But I'm not ready for that, am I?

"Oscar, with Miss Rose and Miss Schnee's help, you were able to do the one thing I was never able to do. You were able to show Hazel the error of his ways. That alone proves that you are ready."

Oscar stole a glance at the Long Memory, But I barely know how to use our magic! All I can do is that shield!"

"No, Oscar. Not our magic. Your magic. I wish we had more time for me to show you how to use it properly. However, I will leave you with this. It is more versatile than any Semblance, because you are not burdened with the restrictions of a Semblance. When you reach for it, simply keep what you want to do firmly fixed in your mind and it will respond. It's that simple."

Oscar was jolted from his conversation with Ozpin by movement from the elevator on the opposite end of the room. It felt like a iron fist had clenched around his heart, and like he was sweating more than he ever had before. Ozpin... I'm afraid.

"That's only natural, Oscar. Fear isn't called the oldest human emotion for nothing. It is what we do while in it's grip that determines who we are. Pyrrha, Reign-Beau, and Winter understood this. I guarantee that your comrades are afraid as well."

Oscar glanced at Jaune and saw the personification of courage, sword drawn and shield at the ready. But yet... there, in his eyes. Oscar saw the same fear that gripped him.

"Anyone want to get anything off their chest?" Jaune asked, "Now might be the time."

"Unless Ruby or Oscar would like to die from diabetes, I shall refrain." Weiss quipped.

Jaune smiled, "Love you too, Snow Angel."

Their backs were to the Vault, giving them a clear view of the elevator that was the only way in or out of the room. Jaune took deliberate, slow breaths, forcing himself to stay calm. Ruby was the exact opposite, bouncing on the balls of her feet, full of nervous energy. Weiss and Oscar were somewhere in the middle.

Weiss's Scroll chirped our a warning. "Temperature alert. Someone's trying to melt their way through the access door."

No one had to say it, but Jaune said it anyway. "Cinder."

Soon enough, Jaune was proven right, as Cinder descended on jets of flame emanating from her feet. Even though none of the assembled heroes had seen the woman that was with her, outside of Oscar looking through the memories of the Ozes, there was no mistaking her identity. Bone white skin and hair, scarlet veins running up the length of her arms, a dress that seemed to be made from shadow. There was only one person that it could be.

"Salem." Oscar said.

The Fall Maiden and witch queen of the Grimm concluded their descent, and Cinder lunged forward, only to be stopped by Salem placing her arm in front of her. "Patience, Cinder. There is still a chance that this will not need to end in bloodshed." She turned her attention to Weiss, "Winter Maiden, open the Vault. If you do so willingly, I will spare you and your friends."

In response, Weiss's eyes ignited in cold blue fire, and she drew Myrtenaster. "I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request." There was a beat of silence before Weiss clarified, "That means no."

Salem shook her head, "So, Ozma. Is this the latest generation of guardians that you intend to sacrifice in your grand mission?"

"No one's sacrificing anyone today!" Ruby crowed, "We're stopping you, here and now!"

Somehow, Salem's smile grew even colder. "Ah, Ruby Rose, the last Silver-eyed Warrior. How did you enjoy the family reunion I arranged for you?"

Ruby's heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, and her grip on her scythes tightened. It felt like two wolves were at war in her soul, viciously pulling her towards perseverance or destruction. She could either break down into a blubbering mess, or she could become what she had set out to be, in honor of Summer Rose. The scythe-wielding woman in a cloak that saves everyone. "It'll take more than that to break me, Salem. This ends today, one way or the other!"

"You are correct about one thing, Ruby Rose." Salem took a step back, letting Cinder take the lead, "This does end today. Cinder, take the Winter Maiden powers. Kill the rest. This will be penance for your failures. If you fail again, you know what awaits you."

This was it. There was no room for compromise. They had to kill Cinder here and now. If even a single one of their number fell, Salem would win the day and all of Remnant would be lost, given time.

Cinder created her blades of molten glass then launched herself at Weiss, a hellish scream tearing from her throat. Little did she know that Jaune had played this fight in his head approximately eighty-three times since last night, and had plans for a variety of scenarios. "Oscar, Rope A Dope!"

A band of emerald energy lashed out at Cinder from the Long Memory, wrapping around her midsection. Oscar pulled, yanking Cinder off course. "Weiss, now!" A Velocity Glyph appeared under Oscar, and he jumped, and thanks to his magic tether, he was heading right for Cinder with his foot outstretched for a flying kick.

Oscar's kick struck home, and he chambered the follow up strike with his cane. However, Cinder saw it from a mile away and repelled him with a fire blast, sending him sprawling.

"Oh, that's it." Ruby growled, "War of the Roses!"

Jaune took a knee and offered up his shield as a springboard for Ruby, which she took with gusto. With a grin on her face, the irrepressible reaper soared above Cinder. The fallen Maiden only had time to look up, seeing Ruby Rose and a group of Schnee Glyphs before Ruby fired a withering salvo of shots, which caused the battlefield to be coated in an almost rose-like ice prison.

"Come on, Weiss! Let's finish it!" Jaune and Weiss began the follow up attack, rushing in to shatter the impromptu ice sculpture. This is too easy...

The ice shattered, giving way to the conflagration of rage that was Cinder Fall. Jaune had to raise his shield to block the ice shards only to look down and see the ground glowing red-hot beneath him.

In the split second before Cinder set off the explosion, he was shoved to the ground. His eyes widened with horror as he saw what had happened.

Weiss had taken his place.

She smacked her free hand on the ground, and flash froze the area that Cinder had primed. She gave Jaune a little half smile, the only gesture that she had any time for. One that said See? I promised that I would protect you. It was only a moment's hesitation, but that moment was all Cinder needed. She shot forward and tackled Weiss to the ground, her Grimm arm pinning Weiss in place, keeping her just out of reach of Myrtenaster, which had clattered to the ground.

"No!"

Weiss's jaw dropped as she saw Oscar holding back Cinder's monstrous arm with another tether. Ruby took the opportunity to charge, only to be met with a gout of fire belched from Cinder's mouth. "None of you understand! You've had your every opportunity handed to you! Your power, your weapons, everything! You don't know what it's like to be powerless! To have to beg, borrow, steal, and kill for a scrap of power!" Cinder turned towards Oscar, and send a barrage of molten blades at him, causing him to duck out of the way.

Weiss grabbed Cinder's Grimm arm at the wrist, and just barely held her back. "If only you knew, Cinder. We're more alike than you think."

"Bullshit!" Cinder grabbed Weiss's head with her other hand and slammed it into the merciless stone. "You're Atlas's perfect princess! You had everything handed to you with a fucking silver spoon!"

Weiss drove her knee into Cinder's gut, giving her the opportunity to turn the tables. She rolled so that she was on top of Cinder, and did her best to hold her in place. "Not even close, Cinder. Every ounce of power I have was earned. Earned by blood, sweat, and all too many tears. You will not be the one to take it from me, nor will anyone else. I have too much-"

Cinder's Grimm arm lashed out and latched on to her face, smashing her face to the ground once more. "Do you want to give your idiot a goodbye kiss before I rip your soul out?"

That was the exact wrong thing to say.

In just about every fight he had even been in, Jaune Arc had always been held back by something, be it lack of skill, hesitation, or fear. This time was different. This time it all turned to nothing in the golden fire of his soul. Even his anger faded, it was a distraction. Every lesson that his father had tried to drill into him before Beacon, every nightly sparring session with Pyrrha, his fights against the likes of Adam Taurus and Cinder herself had led him to this point.

In that moment of purest clarity, Jaune Arc could not be asked to give a damn about the rest of Remnant. There was only one person he needed to save.

Jaune stepped forward and swung his sword in the same motion, neatly severing Cinder's Grimm arm. "Who the hell do you thi-" She was cut off by Jaune ramming the rim of his shield into her throat. She stumbled backwards from the shock of the blow, this... this boy was nothing! If it hadn't been for the ever vaunted Invincible Girl taking pity on him, he would have died long ago!

"The name's Jaune Arc." He brought his shield back around with a vicious backhand, then took advantage of the opening he had created by slashing at her with a blade that was glowing with a golden light. What Dust did that?

Cinder turned to face him again, and paled. His sword was crackling with lightning...

In an instant she was a little girl again, forced to work day in and day out at that accursed hotel, with any error punished by...

Jaune thrust his sword at her, causing a bolt of lightning to lance out at her. Momentarily paralyzed as she was by the specters of her past, the bolt hit her head on. Cinder glared at Jaune as if she could strike him down with her eyes alone.

"Ruby! Oscar! Do it!" Weiss yelled.

Cinder saw an ominous green glow out of the corner of her eye.

She looked, and saw Ruby and Oscar, his hand was on Ruby's weapon, and some kind of sphere of green energy had coalesced in front of the barrel.

Cinder screamed and punched the ground, causing pillars of fire to erupt underneath all of her enemies, sending them flying. "Why won't you weaklings just die already?" She hissed to herself. Cinder could feel the judgment of Salem's gaze on her. Sooner or later she would decide that Cinder wouldn't win and... make her like the Hound.

"Oscar's Aura is down!" Ruby called out. She paled when Cinder turned towards them with a bloodthirsty grin.

Jaune laid his hand on Weiss's shoulder, and began to use his Semblance, his Aura empowering them both. "You won't touch him, Cinder!" Five Summoning Glyphs appeared around Cinder, and out of each one rose an Arma Gigas, their swords poised to come down on her in what Weiss hoped would be a finishing blow. Cinder rocketed up to their head level, and detonated a fire blast, beheading all of the Arma Gigas.

Then she shot towards Ruby and Oscar.

Jaune grinned. Got you. "Ruby, light her up!"

Multiple shining green tethers sprang up out of the ground and held Cinder in place. He wasn't out of Aura at all! Now Ruby was going to use her eyes and she would fail and-

Her train of thought was interrupted by several bullets hitting her. Whatever bullets Ruby was using, they hurt. Cinder's Aura flickered from the barrage, and she reacted by creating a wall of flames that encircled her and Weiss. "Just you and me now, Princess."

Weiss assumed a classical Atlesian Fencing stance, her blade held along the centerline, ready to attack or parry as circumstances dictated. "You won't win, Cinder."

Cinder cocked her head as a wolfish grin split her face, "How could you hope to beat me, Schnee? You've only had the power for two days! You're just a novice fumbling in the dark! But don't worry, I'll make sure to put it to good use after I take it from your corpse."

Weiss's eyes flashed with anger, "The only one dying here today is you, Cinder Fall." With the final bit of banter out of the way, Weiss Schnee uncaged all of the righteous anger and grief in her heart, and commanded the elements to give it physical form. "Let the storm rage on."

Cinder took an involuntary step back as she was buffeted by gale force winds. Right onto the Glyph Weiss had placed. Held fast by the Gravity Dust that Weiss had imbued it with, Cinder began to panic. She had to end this now! In her desperation, she stretched her Grimm arm out, and grabbed Weiss. Hah, for all her boasting and grandstanding, she was nothing...

Weiss smiled. In her desperation, Cinder had forgotten to maintain the fire wall. Just as planned.

"NOW!" Jaune roared, "FIGHT FOR EVERY LIFE!"

Weiss grabbed the Grimm arm, and caused lightning to course through it. Without Aura protecting it, she was forced to take the full impact of the attack. Jaune rushed in, and with a blade thrumming with all the power of a storm of his own, severed the arm again.

Cinder was not amused, but had no time to retaliate. Oscar was already attacking her. She lashed out with a molten blade that was sure to separate his head from his shoulders, but the boy ducked under it at speeds that even the likes of Ruby Rose would've found impossible. It was as if time simply moved faster for him. Then he hit her with the end of the cane. And again and again, in a never ending deluge of attacks. There was nothing she could do to stop it, because the instant one attack concluded, the next one hit, as if he was skipping forward in time.

Then, she was knocked aside by a whirling buzzsaw of a person as Ruby knocked her to the ground. She called on the Maiden powers and launched a fireball at Oscar, thinking that Ruby would prioritize her friend's safety.

Cinder Fall had vastly misjudged Ruby Rose.

Cinder paled when she saw an energy shield encircle Oscar and take the fireball.

Two gunshots rang out, and Cinder's Aura broke with the first. The second one struck Cinder in the midsection.

Cinder fell to her knees, clutching her gut. She looked at her hands, and saw that they were covered in red. Blood. Her blood. She tried to call on the Maiden powers to destroy these fools, but she couldn't concentrate. The pain was making it impossible.

Weiss glanced at Jaune. "She's beaten, you don't have to do this." She said.

Jaune began to walk towards Cinder, "In any other situation, I'd agree with you, but Cinder... she's too dangerous to be left alive."

Cinder looked up, and saw Jaune approaching. "Well, this is ironic." She spat, "I'm where Pyrrha was, and you're where I was. How does that make you feel, hero?"

He didn't rise to the bait. Cinder winced as the pain got worse, why did it look like he was sad? For her? "Don't give me pity." Jaune remained silent.

Cinder finally looked up at him. "Do you believe in Destiny?"

Jaune struck, delivering a stab to her heart, then another to her throat. Cinder's eyes bulged, she tried to speak, but all that came out was a choked gurgle. After an agonizing few seconds, she fell over, and her Grimm arm began to dissolve. What little light there had been in her eyes faded as the Fall Maiden powers left her.

"No."

Jaune felt a hand on his arm, and turned to see Weiss. "Are you okay?"

Jaune nodded, "Yeah, I'm good. Let's finish this."

The four of them began to walk towards Salem, stowing their weapons as they went. As they approached, Salem treated them to a slow clap. "Well done!"

Ruby's eye twitched, "Don't mock us!"

Salem turned her gaze on Ruby and smiled, it was motherly but in a way that made her skin crawl, "Oh, I'm not mocking you, Ruby Rose. Killing Cinder was quite the achievement. However, now that the farce has concluded, let's get to business." She turned to Weiss, and all of the faux motherly attitude drained from her voice, "You will retrieve the Staff. If you do not, I will kill everyone you love in the ways they most fear, and I will make you watch. You will be begging me to make it stop, to let you give me the Staff, but I will only allow that until after I am finished. Only then, will I grant you death's sweet release."

For a moment, Weiss was frozen in horror. Salem would be that vindictive, and Weiss had no reason to believe that she wouldn't follow through on her threat. However, she knew that she could not give up. Too many lives were at stake. "What if I told you we can make it so your existence comes to an end, and that you can be with Ozma again?"

"Isn't that why you want the Relics so badly?" Oscar added, "So you can force the Gods to destroy a divided humanity, and hope you die with it?"

"Ah, Ozma." Salem said, "Do you really think I'll believe a word you say about life and death? The Gods brought you back to torment me, after punishing me for daring to resurrect you myself!"

"That's not true." Oscar said, "I'm not Ozma, I'm not Ozpin. I'm Oscar Pine, and I'm telling you that you can be with Ozma again, all you have to do is-"

Salem threw back her head and laughed, "All I have to do is... what? Trust you?"

"I used the Lamp of Knowledge myself! The four of us have everything we need to teach you the meaning of life and death! All you have to do is listen to us!" Ruby pleaded, "You can be with Ozma again, I know it!"

"Really, Ozma? The Lamp? You think I'll fall for that lie?"

Jaune's heart was racing. This was going badly. At this rate, Salem was going to kill them all, in ways that made his blood run cold. There had to be a way. They couldn't have come this far, be this close to winning only to fail! A way to tell Salem about their experiences with life and death... while making it impossible to lie...

An idea began to form in Jaune Arc's mind. An idea that was so crazy, it just might work.

If it didn't, they were dead anyways.

"What if you used your magic to look through our memories?" Jaune blurted.

For the first time, Salem turned her gaze on Jaune, "Excuse me?"

"Well, that's the only way you're going to find out if we're lying or not, right?" Jaune said, "Look through our memories of the people we've lost, what made us the people we are today. You say we're lying? In that case I'm willing to put my Lien where my mouth is, and I bet my friends are too."

"Without a doubt." Weiss said.

"Yep." Ruby said.

Oscar grinned, "Of course!"

Salem narrowed her eyes, and her hands became wreathed with purple energy. "Prepare yourselves, this is going to be... unpleasant."

---

(Ruby's Memory, 12 years ago)

Ruby was getting impatient. Mom said that she was going to be home a week after she had left, and that had been two weeks ago! She had promised to teach her and Yang her secret recipe for chocolate chip cookies when she got back, and Mom never broke a promise! Normally, she'd be demanding to know where Mom was, but both Dad and Uncle Qrow looked really confused too. Almost like they didn't know what had happened to Mom either. But that didn't make sense, because Dad and Uncle Qrow knew everything!

Ruby yawned, it was late, and she should probably be in bed, but she was worried. Yang was too, cause she was still up even though she had school tomorrow.

There was a knock at the door, and Dad opened it to reveal a man with white hair, wearing a black coat, a green shirt, and holding a cane in front of him. "Oz, have you heard anything about..." Dad trailed off as the man produced Mom's cloak. How did he get that? Had something happened to Mom?

"I'm sorry, Taiyang. She's gone."

Gone? Where had she gone? Where was Mom? Why did she leave?

Dad's hands shook as he took Mom's cloak in his hands, "Qrow, c-could you..."

"Yeah, I'll get the kids to bed."

The next thing Ruby knew, Uncle Qrow had scooped her up in his arms, and was nudging Yang towards her bedroom. "Uncle Qrow, when's Mom coming back?" Ruby asked.

It wasn't until Yang was in her bedroom, leaving Ruby and Uncle Qrow alone that he answered. "I don't think she's coming back, kiddo."

Ruby was silent as Uncle Qrow tucked her in, that didn't make any sense! Ruby knew about Raven, how she had left after Yang had been born. Mom wouldn't do something like that to Dad! "Why isn't she coming back?"

Uncle Qrow's eyes unfocused, like he was looking at something in the distance. "There was... there was something that she felt like she had to do." He knelt down next to the bed, and tried to explain. "She...thought that if she did it, Raven would come back, because she wouldn't have anything to be scared of any more."

Ruby tilted her head. "Why does that mean that Mom can't come back?"

Uncle Qrow said something real quiet, one of the words that Ruby wasn't supposed to use, then continued. "She's... uh..."

"Is she in heaven?"

Uncle Qrow screwed his eyes shut, he only did that when there was something that he wanted to tell Ruby but couldn't. "Something like that."

He got up and began to leave. Ruby felt she needed to say something. Uncle Qrow was clearly hurting, he hadn't tried to make a joke. "I'm going to be just like Mom. A woman in a cloak that saves everyone."

Uncle Qrow froze in place. "I'm sure you will, Ruby."

After Uncle Qrow left, Ruby climbed out of bed and made her way over to the dresser. She opened up the bottom drawer, and pulled out the red cloak that Mom had helped her make. She crossed the room, stopping in front of the mirror. As she put the cloak on, she remembered something that Mom had said once.

Although the body is weak and breakable, the spirit is indomitable.

Ruby pulled the hood over her eyes to hide her own tears. "Just watch me, Mom. I'll be just like you. The woman in a cloak that saves everyone."

---

(Weiss's Memory, Approximately one month before her fight with the Arma Gigas)

Schnee Manor had no proper training facilities, which meant that Weiss Schnee had to train on the roof. The average Atlesian would most likely scratch their heads at that. Why wouldn't Jacques Schnee give his younger daughter every advantage his oldest had? Surely a fencer of Winter Schnee's caliber had proper facilities at her disposal before her entrance into Atlas Academy. The truth -as was all of the actual goings on of the Schnee family- was darker.

Her father refused to provide proper training facilities to make it that much harder for her to leave, make it that much harder for her to prepare for his oh so vaunted royal test. Winter had been able to leave only because General Ironwood had noted that she had been slipping away from functions to practice. As a result, Weiss had been informed that her presence at said functions was required. In fact, her itinerary was planned out almost to the minute, all to deny her time to train. All because Jacques Schnee didn't want to let Weiss slip through his fingers as Winter had.

However, Jacques Schnee had made a crucial error in judgement that Weiss was all too happy to exploit. Her daily schedule called for eight hours of sleep.

Weiss had found that she could operate just fine on four.

This left four hours a day for training, two in the morning and two at night. Most of the time, all of the instruction she had came from Atlesian Fencing manuals that Klein had liberated from the library. At first, Weiss had been paranoid that her father would catch her, but as time went on it became clear that his obsessive workaholic behavior was a boon to her in this circumstance. When he was at home, he was either in his office still working, or asleep.

This worked even more to Weiss's favor, because it meant that Winter could come by to check on Weiss's progress and facilitate training drills that were impossible when training solo. The order of the day was simple, a training drill that Winter had named The Crucible. Winter would use her Semblance to summon Beowolves, in varying numbers and positions. Weiss would be charged with fighting them off. It would continue until Weiss failed, or Winter was satisfied.

Weiss strode to the middle of the roof, and checked her Dust load. Two fire, Two ice, one gravity, and one lightning. She raised Myrtenaster in a classic Atlesian Fencing salute, hilt level with her chest, blade pointed upwards and held along the centerline. Wind infused with Ice Dust began to swirl indicated that they had begun.

Growling. Behind her.

In a fluid motion, Weiss turned to face the spectral Beowolf that was stalking her, going from the salute to a proper stance. She mirrored its movements, preventing it from getting behind her. Winter's trying to goad me into attacking first, only to exploit whatever opening I leave in my approach. You're getting predictable, Sister. The Beowolf launched into a leaping strike, one meant to exploit Weiss's lack of physical strength if she attempted to defend.

So, Weiss attacked. After all, one of the fencing manuals she had read -one that advocated for a blend of Atlesian Fencing and Valean Bladesmanship- indicated that sometimes the best defense was to defend by attacking. Just as the Grimm was about to strike, Myrtenaster shot forward and Weiss executed a perfect thrust through the Beowolf's head. It went limp then dissolved a moment later.

Two more charged, each from opposite directions. Weiss charged the one in front of her, ducking under its swipe and responding with a rapid stab attack. After thoroughly perforating it, Weiss turned and used a Gravity Glyph to hold the other Beowolf in place. With one strike, she cut its right arm off above the elbow, then repeated the process for the other arm. With a pirouette, she beheaded it and posed. Perfect!

Winter's eye twitched. Weiss still insisted on those... personal touches.

With assistance from her Glyphs, Weiss jumped up to the statue of the Schnee insignia and unleashed a wave of Fire Dust, immolating the three Beowolves that had appeared to further challenge her. In their wake, still more appeared. Weiss created a Velocity Glyoh and launched herself at the lead Beowolf, slicing it in half as she passed it. Then she threw Myrtenaster at the last one, hitting it in the eye. Hearing roars, she looked around and saw five of the wolf grimm bearing down on her from different directions. After retrieving Myrtenaster, she thrust it into the ground, and caused ice spikes to impale the leaping Beowolves.

"How was that, Win-" Engrossed as she was in trying to impress her sister, Weiss didn't notice the Nevermore that bowled her over. She lost her grip on Myrtenaster and it went skittering away. Drat, not again! Now she's going to dog pile me. Little does she know...

True to form, A Beowolf was coming at her from the blindside, and more were appearing to join it. Winter was getting predictable. Weiss reached into her back pocket and grabbed the Fire Dust vials from one of her reloads. Spinning in place, twin whips of flame burst from her hands and burnt the pack to cinders.

Weiss dashed over to her weapon and scooped it up. Her eyes darted around searching for the next enemy only to find Winter walking towards her.

"Adequate." Winter said, before launching into her critique, "Your form is still sloppy, you rely on flash over substance, and you insist on those poses. I assure you, Weiss, the Grimm don't care about how elegant you are."

"I will keep that in mind, Winter."

Winter sighed, "And please stop throwing your weapon. If you find yourself in need of a projectile weapon, I will find you a proper firearm for your off hand."

Weiss shook her head, "That won't be necessary. I don't intend to use that tactic outside of training."

"You shouldn't be using that tactic at all." Winter hissed, "Please do not waste time on anything you do not intend to use in actual combat."

"I'm sorry, Winter. I'll do better."

Winter's mouth quirked upwards in one of her rare half-smiles. "You already are, Weiss. But you must remember that I won't always be around to protect you."

Weiss sheathed Myrtenaster, "That's why I'm training so hard, Sister. So you won't have to be."

---

(Jaune's Memory, Approximately nine months ago, The Miracle At Beacon)

Jaune Arc's brain was stuck in a feedback loop. Pyrrha had kissed him. Pyrrha had gone to fight that evil fire lady. Pyrrha could die. Weiss had promised that her and Ruby would save Pyrrha. Pyrrha had kissed him.

Fortunately for Jaune, he had reached the point of his training where killing Grimm was instinctive. While his train of thought was decidedly elsewhere, his brain registered that an Ursa Major was running towards him, and was taking a swing.

Just like that day in Forever Fall, Jaune raised his shield, blocked the Ursa's paw, and took its head off with a mighty swing. He kept running. He had to get to safety, there were still too many Grimm around.

A lone Beowolf charged him. Those were easy now. Block, counter, rechamber. Vaguely in the back of his mind, Jaune remembered when he had trouble with lone Grimm.

It's all thanks to you, Pyrrha. Please don't die.

He looked back at the tower to see Schnee Glyphs materializing up the side. They had made it! They were going to save her! Everything was going to be okay!

Jaune heard a screech from overhead. A Nevermore bearing down on him. Crap. It reared back, and prepared to flap its wings, which he knew would send a barrage of razor sharp feathers at him.

He glanced at the Aura indicator that Ruby had fashioned for the inside of his shield. It was orange. All he could do was hunker down behind his shield and-

Then, in the instant before the Nevermore attacked, there was a flash of light from Beacon Tower. What the heck? That's not something Pyrrha can do, never mind Ruby or Weiss. What's going on?

He looked back towards the Nevermore only to see it... running away? Why? Well, considering that he wasn't about to look a gift Nucklevee in the mouth, he made a break for the safe zone. As he ran, there was a Atlesian drop ship that went hurtling towards the tower.

With the distance he still had to go, he got back after the drop ship had returned. People were everywhere, trying to get the civilians and injured out. Thankfully there weren't that many deaths so...

He saw a head of white hair.

"Weiss!" He called out, "Weiss!"

Weiss turned to face him. That was weird, why were her eyes red?

"Weiss, where's Pyrrha?"

"Jau-"

"She made it right? Is she hurt?"

Weiss tried to speak again, but the words caught in her throat.

"She's okay, right?" Jaune asked again, becoming more frantic, "You promised that you'd save her, after all."

Weiss wiped her eyes. Wait, why had she been-

"I'm so sorry, Jaune. We... didn't make it in time."

That couldn't be right. He must've misheard her.

"Not the time for jokes, Weiss."

"She's dead, Jaune. Pyrrha's dead."

It felt like the world had been knocked off of its axis, and only Jaune had noticed. Colors were too bright, sounds were too loud. Most of all, it felt someone had ripped the heart out of his chest... no, not someone.

Her. That woman that Pyrrha had gone off to fight. It felt like she had plunged her hand into his chest and ripped out his heart.

"You promised! You promised you would bring her back..."

Gods, the pain in his eyes... had something happened between him and Pyrrha? "Jaune, I'm so sorry. I-"

"I thought you were supposed to be perfect!" Jaune hissed, it felt like someone had shoved a molten coal where his heart had been, and the burning demanded that he hold everyone involved in Pyrrha's death accountable for their sins.

Weiss took an involuntary step back, Jaune had never talked to her like this before. "Jaune, we did everything we could, but we were just-"

"LIAR! OATHBREAKER!" Jaune roared, "You let her die!"

Weiss pressed her lips together in a tight line. She had seen this before, after her Grandfather had died. Jaune was lost in his grief and looking for someone to blame, he probably didn't even mean the things he was saying...

"I HATE YOU!"

But that didn't make it hurt any less.

Someone called for a doctor. Told him that they would have to sedate him if he didn't calm down. Something about him attracting Grimm. Good, bring them on! He'd kill them all!

There was a prick at his neck, and the world went wavy as he fell into an involuntary slumber. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was Weiss standing over him. Was she crying? He couldn't tell.

He was still able to hear though.

"I'm sorry."

---

(Oscar)

Salem blinked. Something was different here. She was in a room, but it seemed magical in anything it... looked like the castle she had escaped form so many years ago. What was this?

"Uh... hi."

Salem turned to find Oscar. He held the Long Memory in front of him and leaned on it, as if he actually needed the cane. "What is this, Ozma?"

Oscar sighed. "Please stop calling me that. I'm not Ozma. He died a very long time ago."

Salem was confused now. Didn't Ozma's soul subsume the souls of his hosts into himself, creating a massive gestalt consciousness of Ozes? "Are you not merging into Ozma?"

Oscar shook his head, "Nope. That's not how this works at all. You see, after his death, Ozpin wound up in my head. He told me that once I was ready to fight the good fight on my own, he would disappear from my head."

"I see." Salem said, "What about this... headspace? Why does it look like the castle that Ozma freed me from?"

Oscar scratched the back of his neck. "Is that what you see? So other people see it differently. Huh."

Salem raised an eyebrow. "What do you see?"

"My room back at home." Oscar smiled, "Even smells like Aunt Olivia made scones." Oscar shook himself out of his reverie. There was too much at stake now to fall victim to nostalgia, "So, this is what I call the Memory Vault. It's where the memories of all the past Ozes are kept. They're separate from my own, somehow."

"Including Ozma?"

Oscar crossed to the center of the room, where a green orb about the size of a human head floated. "Yep." Oscar said simply, "What did you want to see?"

Salem's voice caught in her throat, "W-when he died. He was trying to say something at the end, but he faded before he could say it."

Oscar put a hand on the orb, which began to glow. "Brace yourself." He warned, "This could be unpleasant."

Salem blinked, "Did you just hold a grudge?"

Oscar let her rhetorical question hang in the air, and called up the memory that Salem had requested. The appearance of the room changed from the grand hall of the castle that had imprisoned Salem for so long to a bedroom. Ozma laid on the bed, barely clinging to life. A much younger Salem, before the Grimm corruption took hold of her, knelt at his side.

"Ozma, please don't leave me!" Salem pleaded, "Just hold on one more day, and the healer will be here!"

"I don't..." Ozma threw his head to the side, dislodging the cloth that Salem had placed in vain to try to break his fever. "Don't think I'll make it..."

"You must!" Salem said, "I don't know how to live without you!"

"I'm afraid you might not have a choice, my dear. Now, I need you to-" Ozma was cut off by a violent coughing fit that concluded with him desperately sucking in a breath, "I need you to-"

More coughing. It wouldn't stop.

Salem turned to Oscar, "Is there a point to this?"

Oscar winced. He should've expected that reaction. "Just wait."

Then, while Ozma fully committed to hacking out a lung, his voice echoed, his thoughts made manifest. Finally revealing to Salem what he had wanted to say so many years ago.

You must keep living, Salem. Keep adventuring, keep helping people, just as we have done these past five years. I may be about to depart this life, but know that I will be waiting for you when you cross this threshold. Do take your time, I cannot wait to hear what stories you have to tell me. And... please do not wallow in your grief. If you find someone that makes you happy, I will not begrudge you your happiness.

As the scene faded, Oscar turned back to Salem, and saw that she was... crying?

"I still don't... UNDERSTAND!" Salem screamed, "What is the point? Living a life that is so fragile, so brief only to die? Only to be forgotten by time?"

Oscar shook his head. The irony was almost palpable. "I asked myself the same question, after my parents died in a Grimm attack. It wasn't until Ozpin ended up in my head that I figured it out. The point... no, the meaning of life and death..."

He took a breath, what he said here could possibly be the difference between salvation and damnation for all of Remnant. "It's to live while you're alive. Remnant is, when you really look at it, a hell world. Creatures of darkness that seek out negative emotion terrorize us day in and day out, and when death comes it is brutal and violent most of the time. So, the point is to leave it better than you found it, I guess. Even if your actions save one life, and you die saving them, that person will go on to touch the lives of others. You might be dead, but the good you've done persists."

Salem smiled. "You sound just like him, you know." She sighed, "Now that I'm actually considering what you say to be truth... It has merit. But, I still..."

"What's wrong? Oscar asked.

"How will Ozma ever forgive me for everything that I've done?" Salem bemoaned, "Every attack, every Silver-eyed Warrior murdered, every atrocity..."

"He will." Oscar declared with absolute certainty.

Salem looked at him with confusion, how could he know? Then he tapped the side of his head, with a wry smile on his face. Ah, of course.

"So, the meaning of life and death..." Salem said, then broke off, still uncertain in her understanding of it.

"To make it better." Oscar said, invoking Ruby Rose's words to Ozpin when the former headmaster had asked her what Hunters were supposed to do, "Then watch as your actions cause a ripple effect long after you're gone."

Salem laughed to herself. "It almost... sounds like a fairy tale."

Oscar shrugged, "You know as well as I do that all fairy tales on Remnant have some basis in fact."

Salem smiled as she began to fade from Oscar's mind, she knew that far more than most.

---

(Atlas, Vault of the Winter Maiden)

So, as it turned out, memory magic ended with head-splitting migraines. "Okay... I am never doing that again." Weiss mumbled.

"Yep. Gonna make No memory magic ever a team RWBY rule." Ruby grumbled as she shakily got to her feet.

"Not to be a downer, but shouldn't we be focused on..." Jaune's admonition died in his throat as he saw Salem, who was making no attempt to rend them from exsistence for lying to her. Had she... "Salem?"

Salem looked at each of them in turn. "Thanks to you four, I finally understand."

Ruby took a tentative step forward, "You mean..."

"Yes. Life and death, I finally understand." Salem turned to look at Ruby, "I'm... sorry for all the pain I have caused your family."

Ruby and the others could only stare, speech beyond them. Had they... had they done it?

Weiss let out a gasp as Salem slowly began to dissolve. The witch queen of the Grimm waved her hand, "I just gave the final command I will ever give the creatures of Grimm. To disperse. They will still exist, and hunt sources of negative emotion. It would be rather cruel to put you all out of a job now that you've saved the world."

"What happens now?" Jaune asked lamely.

Salem smiled in that motherly way that she always did. "The world is yours now, children. Make it a good one." There was a flash of light that everyone had to shield their eyes from, and when they looked back...

Salem was nowhere to be found.

"Did we just win?" Ruby asked, "What does that make us?"

Jaune grinned, he had been waiting an eternity to quote this line. "Big damn heroes, Ruby."

Weiss glowered at her husband. "Really? That's the line you're going with?

"Let me have this!"

"Hmmm... nope."

Jaune shook his head. Oh well, can't win them all. He raised his hand to his ear. "General Ironwood, this is Maiden Team reporting. Cinder is dead, and Salem is defeated. We've won."

---

(Atlas Academy, Two Days later)

In the wake of Salem's defeat, some of the Grimm that had been attacking Atlas had fled. However, that still left a royal mess of Grimm to be killed. Through General Ironwood's leadership they were routed without any further assistance from the aptly nicknamed Beacon Brigade. You have done your part. Ironwood had told them, Leave the rest to my men.

Now, they were gathered in General Ironwood's office. Teams RWBY and JNPR stood front and center, with Glynda, Qrow, Taiyang, and Raven behind them. Mercury stood further back with Penny.

"Now, I'm not one for speeches. So I'll get straight to the point." Ironwood said. "You have saved Remnant. Future generations will cite the eight of you as the inspiration behind their reasoning for taking up arms to defend their fellows."

"The nine of us." Jaune said pointedly.

Ironwood inclined his head in agreement, "Just so, Mr. Arc-Schnee. There is a long road ahead of us, but we can walk it fearlessly now that Salem is no more. We will remember the fallen, and dedicate the future we build to them."

Ironwood stood, and picked up a tablet from his desk. "Now, it is time to make an accounting of your sins, as it were." He gave a small chuckle at the confusion he had sown, "Sorry, just a little joke I like to play. First off, Mercury Black."

"Let me guess," He drawled, "Straight to prison?"

"Hardly." Ironwood said, "I was able to swing amnesty for your crimes, on one condition. You join the Ace Ops."

Mercury's jaw hit the floor. "You're shitting me."

Ironwood's steady stare told him that Ironwood was not shitting him. "Uh, yeah. It's not like I have anything else to do."

Ironwood turned his attention to Raven, "Raven, what do you plan on doing now?"

The former bandit queen shrugged. "Don't know. The tribe won't take me back, so I'm at a loss."

"I might have a solution." Glynda offered, "With the death of Reign-Beau Arc in the Siege of Argus, Beacon is short a Combat instructor."

"I'm going to be hell on the kids, you know that right?"

"If the past few months have taught me anything, it's that we're being too soft with our combat training." Glynda explained, "I need someone like you, Raven."

"Fine."

Ironwood turned back to his desk, and opened an oblong case that sat on it. He then turned to RWBY and JNPR. "It is my privilege to bestow upon the eight of you the highest commendation for valor, commitment to duty, and selflessness that is in my power to grant. The Northern Star of Valor." One by one, he gave each of them the medal. It consisted of a blue and white ribbon that culminated in a eight point silver star with a red center.

"There is one more thing." Glynda said. "Given your achievements, I do not believe that there is anything left that I can teach you. So, you will receive your Hunter Licenses today."

"No offense, but can we turn that downw?" Yang asked, "We've got a Vytal Festival Tournament to take by storm next year!"

"By literal storm." Ruby giggled.

"No, Ruby, I am not going to use the Maiden powers to sweep the Vytal Festival Tournament." Weiss said.

Glynda shook her head, "You lot are going to give me gray hair, you know that?"

"I have something." Penny said.

"What is it, Penny?" Ironwood asked.

Everyone watched as Penny moved to the front of the room and produced a bottle of Mantlean Whiskey. "As you all are aware, the fighter squadrons that I escorted to destroy Monstra did not survive the mission. Their leader requested that we share this to celebrate our victory."

Ironwood smiled wistfully as he crossed to his drinks cabinet and gathered enough glasses for everyone. "Yes, that sounds like something Trigger would do."

Ruby turned to her father, "Dad? Is this okay?"

Taiyang nodded, "Yep. Frankly, we all deserve a drink after what we've got through."

Soon enough, they all had a glass in their hands, and Weiss was looking at it as if it was a bomb about to blow. "Ah, I don't know if I should..."

Qrow, showing wisdom beyond the facade he put on, placed a hand on her shoulder briefly, "One drink ain't going to make you an alcoholic, kid."

Jaune contemplated the whiskey, "If you had told me on my first day at Beacon that I was going to end up helping to save the world from the immortal witch queen of the Grimm, I would've called you crazy. But yet, here we are. We've all done things that most people, even most seasoned Hunters, would deem impossible. Now, Remnant has its whole future ahead of it, and it's up to us to help it along." He raised his glass, with a smile on his face as he realized that the simple life that he and Weiss had wanted was within reach. "So, to the future!"

---

A/N: Writing this story has been a journey. A journey of having to understand characters that I never had much cause to contemplate, a journey of self-improvement as my writing skills have improved over the course of writing, and a journey of probably ending up on an FBI watchlist for some of the things I've had to look up.

A writer friend of mine from a Discord Server once remarked that Don't Want Your Absolution would be right at home in the Authurian Cycle. You know, the stories of the knights of the Round Table? That makes a certain amount of sense. When I set out it write this, I wanted to give the main cast their fairy tale ending. I think I've accomplished that to my satisfaction.

Now, what's next for me? Well, I do have other fics. Now my writing priorities will be By The Power Of Our Hearts, my RWBY Mecha AU and The New Normal, my My Hero Academia fic.

Now that I'm finished with this, I feel... justified, in a way. My tenth grade English teacher once told me that I would never write anything worth reading.

I believe that I can unequivocally claim that I have proven her wrong.

Until next time, farewell. And always be excellent to each other.