Author's Headnote: Here's the intermission. Nothing else to say.
RWBY: Festival of Blood: Intermission: The Oil Has Been Doused
Beacon Academy, 9:00 PM, Monday, CMSN Guest Dorm
Cinder has returned to the guest dorm, and than she sees a seer grimm appearing at the dorm. Likely looking for her... the screen pops up to show the meeting hall of Salem's palace.
"It's been a while. I'd like a status update on your objective." Salem said, speaking from the seer.
"The oil has been doused. The citizens of Vale are now doubting their security and are turning to Atlas' automated security." Cinder said, speaking to the seer.
"You are behind schedule, and the incident is different from what I have specifically planned out." Arthur spoke from the seer.
"Arthur, sometimes things do not go as planned. But Cinder has proven she able to adapt to the situation." Salem spoke from the seer.
"The breach operation had failed... apparently, Oz has a vampire among his ranks." Cinder stated.
Across the seer, Salem had looked surprised upon hearing about the vampire.
"Said vampire had gone feral, providing a distraction for one of her teammates to weld the cars together." Cinder added.
"Cowards! I would have blown up the cars anyway!" Tyrian interrupted, from the seer.
"Of course, you would. You're a mind-rotten Psychopath!" Arthur interjected... from the seer.
"There is a good reason why I assigned Cinder to this task, and not you two. She is clever, and more importantly unknown to the world. Her face would not draw recognition." Salem stated.
Salem smiled upon hearing Salem's praise.
"In addition, the plan Arthur has drafted out did not put the Duke and his rats in the calculation. So, the timeline would have to be adjusted." Salem stated.
"About the vampires... I've smoked out the lair, but the Duke had gotten away. One of my lackies scared him off using their semblance in an attempt to save my life." Cinder said.
"Oh? I didn't tell you to deal with the Duke just yet. I would have told you to deal with him AFTER you acquire the other half of the Fall Maiden's powers. It's good that you smoked out the vampire lair, pesky rats. But all you did was made it harder to get my power back." Salem stated.
"And another thing... the vampire that stopped the breach... has silver eyes." Cinder added onto her report.
From hearing that, Salem looked surprised, even more than when hearing about the vampires in the first place.
"A vampire with silver eyes? This is completely new. Normally from what reports I've had, anyone with silver eyes is immune to catching vampirism. Yet again, these reports of the said person attempting the turn was never one of the disciples." Salem stated.
"Are you suggesting she was turned by the Duke?" Cinder asked.
"That's the only possible conclusion. Any other vampire would have the grimm that attempts to infuse with the soul would end up purged by the silver-eyed beings light. So, the only way to turn a Silver-eyed being into a vampire is by using MY MAGIC." Salem said, with her tone getting angry at the last part.
"So... Whynot just kill them and be done with it?" Tyrian asked.
"Tyrian. Let me ask you this: How easy is it for you to kill one of the grimm I've made one hundred percent by myself? From scratch?" Salem asked.
"Oooh... I see..." Tyrian said, backing down from the conversation.
"Grimm that I've made myself are a lot stronger and smarter than their wild counterparts. Knowing my magic, this vampire's grimm has a similar property, indistinguishable at first, but it develops and learns way faster than normal grimm. In addition, grimm made with my magic has a resistance to the silver-eyed abilities. So, it would make sense that silver eyed vampires would only be able to be made using my magic." Salem added.
"So... what do we do?" Cinder asked.
"The timeline remains the same for now. Get Beacon to fall, take the Maiden's powers, grab the Beacon relic. We've debriefed this five months ago." Salem stated.
"And the vampire?" Cinder asked.
"The vampire is unpredictable, yes. However, it is not very high on our priorities right now. For now, stay the course." Salem ordered.
"As you wish, my queen." Cinder complied. "Oh, and another thing."
"Oh, what?" Salem asked.
"I'll need prosthetic legs for one of my lackies, Mercury. The Duke did a number on them." Cinder stated.
"Very well, have the Seer face this 'Mercury', and I'll have Arthur make some legs for your friend." Salem said.
Cinder moved out of the way and have the Seer browse for the legless Mercury. The seer then flashed a light, similar to look taking a photo. The Seer than self-destructed. Nothing in the room was damaged.
"You'll get your new legs before the tournament starts, Mercury. I'll need you in fighting condition anyway." Cinder stated.
"Finally, because my back was getting sore from lying in this bed." Mercury complained.
Beacon Academy, 9:00 PM, Monday, Ozpin's Office
Ozpin received a call from the council. Likely related to the attack on the Pyrefest. Ozpin answered but remained silent for now.
"This is unacceptable Ozpin! There was an attack at the Pyrefest." The vale councilman spoke from the comm.
"I can assure you; everything will be handled..." Ozpin said, trying to appeal to the council
"Well, clearly not if the people were saved by fifteen students that just happened to be nearby! Our huntsmen let their guard down and the city was attacked!"
"There is no need to do something drastic."
"I'm afraid that drastic is needed. Considering the huntsmen that you've trained have yet to catch the Nostferatu."
"I have this taken care of."
"It's obvious you haven't! We've contacted the council of Atlas, they said that General Ironwood has full authority for security measures for the Vytal tournament. Because clearly someone hasn't been training our huntsmen well enough." The council said, ceasing communications.
Well, things have gotten out of hand now. Given a single event that Ozpin hasn't prepared for took place, and is now being called incompetent for letting something happen he had no control over. He's made mistakes in the past, but this is not one of them. He gave himself a facepalm. These students managed to save everyone, and the press derailed it to look like it's a bad thing.
This whole thing is overblown, not a single grimm has entered a city. They're over-reacting over a single White Fang attack. The fact that it took fifteen students to diffuse it should be a good thing. But no matter... the future maiden still needs to be chosen. Pyrrha Nikos could be a good choice, but for some reason he doesn't seem to trust her right now.
Atlas Airship, 9:00 PM, Monday, Airship Brig
Roman was locked up at the brig. The plan was going well... albeit he's in a humbling position. Without his hat and his scroll, and cane...
The cell door opened up and with it. The General of the Atlassian army, who is also their headmaster of Atlas academy. And the man who holds two seats at the Atlassian council because of this. Because of this, he's the most powerful man in the known world. The general picked up Roman off the ground.
"I am only going to ask you this once, who's in charge of this little operation?" The general asked.
"Well, you're looking at him." Roman lied.
"Is that so? Well, get comfortable here... until the Festival is over, you're staying here. And you'll be shipped to Atlas." The general said... dropping Roman and closing the cell door.
Sure, it's not comfortable here, but Roman won't be here for long. He knows that. Neo will bust him out when Cinder's plan falls toward the number, and without the Duke of Bloodshire in the picture, the plan will be going exactly as intended with him and Neo sitting on top of Vale.
Vale Outskirts, 9:00 PM, Monday, White Fang Hideout
Adam was practicing his sword-skills in his tent in private. Wondering how he'll convince Blake to come back at his side. Why did she leave? He and her would be rulers of the New World Order that Cinder had promised, along with the justice faunaskind deserves. Why doesn't Blake want that?
He just doesn't understand. But at least the dust provided by Cinder has been good, and more faunas has joined Adam's cause. Out of anger he cut the training dummy in half. And that's when he heard someone opening the tent.
"General Tauras, there's a Human waiting for you... it's not the one you're expecting." The faunas stated.
"Bring them in. I'll like to talk to them." Adam stated.
"On my way, sir!"
Eventually a human man showed up. He was bald, wearing sun glasses, and had a cane. He was also wearing a black suit with a purple dragon symbol on the back of the suit jacket. The button up shirt under the jacket was white. He was also wearing a purple tie with a black dragon pattern on it. He had a simple ring on his left middle finger. It was an Onyx ring with a half-sphere Emerald on it. The cane was something unexpected. It was made of a black wood. Although the cane more so looks like a concealed weapon. A ninjato perhaps.
"Who are you, and what are you doing in White Fang territory?" Adam asked.
"Me? I am a man with an offer. After all, I heard you've been making deals with humans." The man said.
"Where did you find that out?"
"Oh, the Moon Dragon Yakuza has eyes and ears all across Remnant, how else are we at the top of the criminal world? And the defacto rulers of Anima?"
"And you came to me, why?"
"Because I have an offer of my own."
"What are you saying?"
"I can get you dust directly from the SDC. Equipment straight from Atlas. In exchange, you follow my commands."
"Alright, what do you have in mind?"
"Finish the tasks that you've been given by your former employer in Vale. In addition, I require the severed arm of one Yang Xiao-Long."
"Why the severed arm?"
"It'll be proof that you're committed to the tasks I'll give you ahead. Something both of us will benefit from. And if you do so, I'll give you a reward personally."
"Very well, you have a deal... mister?"
"Beulleodeu, Beulleodeu Grendigon."
The faunas terrorist and the mistrallian crime lord have shaken hands. Afterwards a member of the Moon Dragon Yakuza came and handed Adam a briefcase filled with dust refined by the SDC, the highest quality dust on Remnant. It's the work of a man he'd call evil, but he'll be using his own dust against the Schnees soon enough. But for now, Beacon will fall... and Yang Xiao-Long will lose an arm. Adam will count on it.
Author's Footnote: The Intermission is sooner than normal? I know, right! But consider it buildup for what's to come for the future of the fan work. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, criticisms, etc. Leave them in the reviews and see ya at the next chapter.