Chapter [40]: Madness of the White Rose
Shirobara no Kyouki
Part 2
Laplace's Demon.
Laplace-no-ma.
Weiss knew of this creature. Kirakishou had spoken about it previously. A being capable of possessing others, which acted like less of a person and more of a force of nature- tirelessly working to ensure that the Alice Game continues to move forward. A single-minded goal that seemingly dominated its entire reason for existing in the first place.
From what Weiss had heard regarding the aftermath of the battle at the Transmit Tower where Laplace had originally been sighted, Kirakishou had been able to drive the being out of Qrow Branwen's body using a unique power of some kind. However, until Kirakishou had been able to do that, Ruby had supposedly thrown everything she could at the creature and accomplished nothing. Likewise, according to Ruby Rose, Laplace had effortlessly slaughtered the security staff inside the tower and used the gruesome scene as bait in order to lure her out.
Because it had wanted to meet her. It had slaughtered over two dozen innocent people, just so that it could meet Ruby Rose.
Such a way of thinking did not bode well for Team RWBY, especially considering that Yang's fear-stricken whisper had indicated that the creature was currently wearing the body of her Father. This would mark the second time in which Laplace has possessed an individual with a close relationship to Ruby Rose. Once was happenstance- likely the creature had simply used Qrow's body in order to get close. Twice, however, that was enemy action.
"Greetings, Children. Yang Xiao-Long, Blake Belladonna… and Weiss Schnee. A pleasure it is, to finally make your acquaintance."
Twin voices lay intermixed inside Laplace's words. One a gruff, low tone. The other a rich aristocratic lull that sent a shiver of discomfort down her spine. Crimson eyes, burning with intensity, stared at each of them. Assessing. Ever-burning. Prior to Laplace, Weiss had only ever witnessed the same kind of overpowering intensity contained within Kirakishou's lone slit amber eye. To find another capable of such a feeling was nothing short of horrifying.
Her skin felt cold. Pale. Clammy. A cold sweat had formed on her brow. At that moment, Weiss Schnee realised that this creature terrified her. Far more than any grimm. Far more than her Father. Far more than anything she had encountered in her life.
All it had done was greet them.
"Y-You… You're possessing my Dad…" Yang growled threateningly, visibly trembling as she stood. At first glance, she looked mere moments away from throwing caution to the wind and firing on the man identifying himself as Laplace's Demon. Yet, in her own eyes, Weiss could see it was less of an aggravated stance and more the actions of one forced into a corner, attempting to psych themselves up into fighting despite knowing the hopelessness of such an action.
She could only wonder just how the blonde was processing things. If she even realised the feeling that her movements gave off.
"Hm, yes. I am indeed possessing this man, am I not? An unfortunate circumstance, that. You have my most sincere apologies for any harm caused by my current appearance. Know that I shall release this body once I depart from here."
She blinked, taken aback. Weiss could see that both Yang and Blake were surprised by the choice of response as well. They had all been expecting Laplace to attack, or in the very least appear overtly hostile.
"…Why are you here, now? And why are you possessing my Dad?"
Direct. If Weiss could give any single-word assessment to surmise her thoughts regarding the protective older sister, Weiss would use that particular word. She had noticed that, especially during times of anger, Yang would default to either fury or direct questioning. The fact that Yang had opted for questioning was a step in the right direction.
Well, in a direction. Hopefully, one that would not end with their deaths. Though, she doubted it.
If Kirakishou was telling even the slightest grain of truth during her conversation in the Team RWBY dorm room, then Weiss doubted that any of the three girls had even the slightest chance of defeating an opponent like Laplace-no-ma. While he was wearing the body of Yang's Father, there also existed the possibility that Yang would not wish to fight the creature whatsoever, or in the very least be pulling her punches to some degree.
Which would likely result in their swift execution- possibly the reason for Laplace possessing the man in the first place. A warning and a deterrent rolled into a single action.
"I have come to personally invite you all into the Alice Game," Laplace reached into its jacket and pulled out a golden pocket watch, briefly gazing at the piece. "Our beloved youngest has made quite the mess of things, so it would seem. Thus, it falls on a poor referee to return the focus towards the Game, as is proper."
The Alice Game. A savage competition devised by Kirakishou's Father demanding all seven sisters to fight each other until only a single girl remained. All in order to recreate his firstborn daughter, who had long since passed away. How any man, even one that had sunk so utterly deep into the throes of grief, could ever conceive of such a despicable competition was beyond her understanding.
Now, it would seem, Laplace has come to invite them into the Alice Game. But for what purpose? How could they possibly participate? From what little she understood, it was a fight between sisters. They weren't related to Kirakishou and her sisters in any way.
"…What are you even talking about?" Blake inquired sceptically. Weiss blinked. The voice had sounded a lot closer than-
Oh.
Her cheeks lit up in scarlet. Apparently, in the sudden fear of Laplace's arrival, Weiss had instinctively clutched Blake's hand for support. And she still hadn't let go. She should let go. But… just how long had it been for her, since she had felt the subtle comfort of a simple innocent handhold? Not since her younger years alongside Winter, most likely. After she had grown and developed, such behaviour was deemed unbecoming for a Schnee. She needed this, in order to ever hope to withstand Laplace's presence.
It was for the best.
...She tightened her grip. Just a little bit. If only to display support for the faunus, as Blake spoke to a creature that had clearly set her on edge mere moments would support each other.
Weiss subtly shook her head, dislodging the thoughts. Her damnable emotions were getting in the way once again. Now was not the time for such things. She would not allow herself to get trapped in the moment while her team was conversing with a potential mass murderer.
"The Alice Game. Surely you all know of the Alice Game, yes? Our little youngest was practically captivated by the idea of the Alice Game the first time she heard of it."
"Why would we ever want to take part in something so barbaric?" Weiss blurted out the words, unable to stop herself. Briefly surprised at her own confidence, she continued on. "And what could you possibly mean? Kirakishou, from our talks, was certainly not comfortable with the idea of the Alice Game. Why, it seemed like she almost detested the Game as a whole."
Weiss was not defending the crazed blonde-haired girl which may-or-may-not be behind a fair portion of both Ruby's subtle changes and the current calamity that was threatening all of Vale. However, she also recognised a rare chance to mine for information on Kirakishou when it arrived. If Laplace was willing to invite them into this 'Alice Game', then one could infer it likely did not plan on killing them any time soon.
Which meant that her fear was just that- simple fear.
If getting over her trembling heart and wayward instincts, then she could learn more about Kirakishou's history and further protect her team.
Who knows. Perhaps she could even sway the creature into stopping Kirakishou once and for all.
"Then you are a fool, Weiss Schnee of Atlas."
...Perhaps not.
"Excuse you?"
"A fool. Just like your Father, Jacques Schnee. You have allowed yourself to listen to the words of a being that you do not understand and, by doing so, developed along the path that she desired. You, like her pathetic little toy with the amber eyes, have done nothing except bolster a force outside your current realm of understanding."
Jacques Schnee. Beyond anything, she was more than a little uncomfortable with the knowledge that the creature was both aware of her Father and comparing her actions to the man. While she found her Father utterly detestable and borderline abusive at times, she did not wish for such a creature to be anywhere near her Father. It may have killed for the Alice Game before. If it believed that a certain action may be required in order to push the Alice Game forward, then there existed the possibility it would target her Father.
And who exactly was Laplace referring to, as Kirakishou's toy with the amber eyes?
"Don't call Weiss a fool," Blake clutched her hand suddenly, drawing Weiss away from her worried thoughts. "If you have come to talk, to explain things, then do so. But avoid the name-calling."
Laplace's eyes darted over to Blake, while the expression plastered on the face of Yang's scraggly-haired Father smoothed out into a thin frown.
"...You sound very similar to Shinku, intermixed with a touch of Suigintou. Fitting. Dark and light. Tragedy into romance. You do not even know what our youngest has done to you, do you?"
"Kirakishou? What are you talking about?" Yang narrowed her eyes, looking at them wearily for a brief moment. It was clear she was worried for their sake. She was-
"Our youngest bridged their hearts and minds, if only for a brief moment. Weiss Schnee into Blake Belladonna. Memories intermingled, hearts beat together as one. Two troubled girls were able to find solace together. Twin girls sharing a single heart."
MEMORIES INTERMINGLED.
Weiss stilled, looking at Blake only to find her own face reflected in the feline eyes of her faunus partner as the girl stared back at her. They both knew exactly what Laplace had just implied. The dream, the one where both girls witnessed the past history of each other and, in doing so, were able to work through their trauma together. Weiss had never felt closer to anyone in her life following that particular dream.
And it had all been due to Kirakishou, supposedly.
"...The dream…" Blake muttered, lost in her eyes. The faunus blinked, before forcefully tearing her gaze away from Weiss. She felt an odd pang of loss in her heart, before she shook her head and forced herself to glare back at Laplace.
Yang looked completely lost. She would explain it to the girl later.
"Now you see," Laplace intoned, "our youngest is not to be trifled with- bound by the brambles of love as she is."
"What are you talking about? What happened?" Yang questioned, looking between Blake, Weiss and Laplace in search of answers. Unbidden, Weiss found herself blushing and refusing to speak up about it despite resolving to do exactly such mere moments ago. The dream had felt so very intimate, in an odd sort of way. Somehow, speaking about it seemed wrong in her mind. A notion that Blake seemed to share.
Laplace, however, held no such reservations.
"During a single moment of inspiration, our youngest was able to bridge the minds between Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna inside her own N-Field," Laplace's Demon explained slowly, gesturing to the two girls. "Inside this N-Field, both girls subconsciously chose to seek the answers to the pain that was aching deep within their hearts. Both sought to understand the other and in doing so, chose to view their childhood memories."
"They dreamed of each other's childhoods? Kirakishou made them do that? But, why-"
"...It was during the docks, Yang," Blake chose to speak up, her voice an embarrassed whisper of discomfort. "Do you remember? Weiss and I were fighting. I had revealed my… history with the White Fang and ran off. I dreamed of Weiss's childhood, while Weiss dreamed of my own. That's… um, that's why Weiss and I have been… different, since then. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you."
"No, that's fine," Yang shook her head, but Weiss could easily spot the brief flash of pain that had flickered in her vibrant lilac eyes. "I understand. Just… why would Kirakishou do that?"
"For Ruby," Weiss answered immediately, looking to Blake for a moment before refocusing back to the curious blonde brawler. "She does everything for Ruby. You remember that we told you that she confessed to such. From what I can assume, Ruby likely mentioned her discomfort in seeing us all divided. Kirakishou… took matters into her own hands."
"Correct," Laplace nodded, clapping his hands once in approval. "Our youngest is very possessive of her toys. Once, with Sakurada Jun-kun. Now, Ruby Rose has taken his place. Only, your little Ruby Rose reciprocates her feelings. Perhaps even to a greater intensity. They are twin mirrors, continuously intensifying their own light until it burns the world around them."
Her toys. Weiss was reminded of Kirakishou's speech in the Team RWBY dorm room, when she was explaining her history with Jun to Qrow Branwen. Kirakishou had mentioned that Jun was to be hers. Weiss had felt some manner of discomfort over the phrasing. As it would seem, her worries were proven correct.
"...Toys?" Yang muttered, her hands clenched into fists.
Laplace stared at her. "Yes, toys. That is all you all are to the purity of a rose. Kirakishou, like her eldest sister, has merely allowed herself to develop an unhealthy attachment towards her chosen Master."
The eldest sister… that would be Suigintou that Laplace was most likely speaking about, if her memory served her correctly. Kirakishou always spoke about her sisters in a specific order, with herself last and Suigintou always first.
"Is that why you have come, then? You don't like this attachment?" Weiss prodded inquisitively. She highly doubted that such a base thing was Laplace's sole motivation for arriving, yet it would help her gather more information. Plus, it kept the creature talking. The more it talked, the less of a chance that it would want to kill them.
Probably. It had mentioned their involvement in the Alice Game, although she wouldn't put it past Laplace to simply kill them and start over, were they to prove insufficient.
"No. As I said, I wish to welcome you all to the Alice Game. However, our conversation thus far as led me to believe that you all possess a simplistic understanding of the Game as a whole and the contestants, no-doubt exactly as our youngest desired. Thus, it once again falls upon a referee to repair this discourse."
"...And how do you plan to do that?" Weiss found herself asking.
"By rectifying an issue that has developed. A problem, one carefully grown by our youngest," Laplace answered immediately, before pausing. "Tell me, have you ever heard of the term 'Rozen Maiden' before?"
Rozen Maiden. Weiss, she had most certainly heard of the term in passing. Early on, it had originally captivated the majority of her search terms regarding Kirakishou. The blonde-haired girl had first spoken to Team RWBY about their knowledge of the Rozen Maiden, before regarding that her Father's craft was not known in the area.
Such a curious reaction from the girl had prompted Weiss to search for lesser-known artists outside of the Vale area. Considering she had used the Schnee Dust Company database as a basis for her search, it had been rather shocking to discover no major results whatsoever. It had been one of the first things about the girl that Weiss had found suspicious. It had to mean something. Likely, something important.
The fact that Laplace's Demon was now speaking of it had proven her suspicions to be correct.
Yang had noticed her thoughtful reaction, judging by the furrowing of her brows, while Blake had been informed of her search during their numerous d-, er, outings. She spared a brief glimpse at the raven-haired faunus in particular, taking note of the perplexed expression on Blake's face- the girl having also noticed her reaction alongside Yang.
Wearily, Weiss allowed herself to continue moving forward. If… if speaking with this Laplace-no-ma creature would tell them more information about Kirakishou and the Rozen Maiden, then perhaps it was a worthwhile endeavour.
Besides, a simple conversation was a far superior alternative to attempting to fight this creature. Not only was Laplace possessing the body of Yang's Father, but the only currently-known means of freeing a body that was possessed by Laplace lay in the hands of the very same blonde-haired girl that may be behind all of the madness currently occurring.
"…I have heard of the topic before. Kirakishou mentioned it, however…"
Ruby raced forwards, the numerous sounds of both howling grimm and screaming civilians alike not registering in her single-minded pursuit of Kirakishou. She tore through the streets, leaving vibrant red petals in her wake as her semblance activated seemingly all on its own. Well, partially. Maybe she was just feeling that desperate. She couldn't tell anymore. Everything was a mess.
Oum, she had run away from her teammates. Her friends. Only now that she was away, did she realise what she did. But she had to! Her ring was going crazy. She was going crazy. Every fibre of her body had surged with energy as it practically screamed at her to get to Kirakishou as fast as her semblance-empowered body could take her.
Something about that explosion in downtown Vale had caused her to push forward in her quest to reunite with her doll. Something about it had told her that actions were occurring in the background that even somebody as strong as Kirakishou could not prevent. She needed to get to the doll, to protect her doll, before anybody else could take Kirakishou from her.
She… she needed to make sure that Kirakishou was safe... that she was still…
Even if Weiss had said that Kirakishou had to be alright, because all traces of a semblance disappeared when someone died, the heiress hadn't known Kirakishou's status as a Rozen Maiden. The rules could be different for her. They had been different for everything else so far- considering her artificial body, her N-Field, the Alice Game, and her resurrection of Summer Rose into a Rozen Maiden body. For all Ruby knew, Kirakishou's ability could continue to exist after her-
…
..
.
-death.
She pushed forward, ignoring the tears in her eyes.
Ruby was sure that she was getting closer to Kirakishou, now. She could feel it in her bones. Which considering that she was passing through a local shopping district in Vale and quickly approaching Beacon Academy grounds meant that the doll was likely still inside Beacon Academy- probably in her dorm room, or whatever remained of it...
She shuddered at the thought of what the dormitory even looked like now. From what she had heard, the explosion must have been a big one. For her to hear it all the way in the place where Amity Colosseum had been, there was no other way.
The sounds of gunfire drew her attention, silver eyes briefly flickering towards a fight occurring near her current position, next to a destroyed row of shops. Amidst all the smoke and dust of debris scattering the area from explosive rounds, Ruby could make out the tell-tale silhouettes of several humanoid figures -likely students- fighting several larger grimm. Namely a few Ursa, perhaps even an Ursa Major, alongside some Beowolves and Creep. They weren't doing so well…
No!
She had to keep moving forward.
With a burst of her semblance, she brushed past the team of students, silver eyes briefly making out the appearance of some second-year Beacon Academy students. There had been four of them- a faunus girl with bunny ears, a woman, and two men. But the faunus girl was on the ground clutching her stomach. Briefly, Ruby had locked eyes with the other woman- a girl in a strange outfit, before her semblance pushed her away from the group.
…She hadn't liked the look in that woman's eyes. Accusatory. Upset. As if it was her fault. As if she should have stayed and fought. But she couldn't! Why didn't they understand that?! Why were they always blaming her?!
She HAD to get to Kirakishou. Why couldn't anyone accept that?!
No. She wouldn't let it get to her. They didn't matter. They were just some random students, not even in her same year. They could deal with it on their own, especially if they were going to be acting all judgemental.
A sudden flicker of static caught her eyes, as she spotted several large display screens in the window-viewing area of a store-front suddenly turn on. Interestingly enough, the screen was black. Blank. Just like in the-
Words appeared.
RUNRUBYRUNRUBYRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN-
"…Kirakishou…" Ruby breathed in a strained gasp of surprise. She knew it was her. There was nobody else that it could be. It had to be her. It had to be Kirakishou. Was this Kira's way of communicating with her?
Heart pounding fiercely within the confines of her chest, she continued pushing forward. If her doll was calling out to her, even in Kirakishou's own unique way, then Ruby would do her damnedest to reach her as quickly as possible.
Now, however, she would not allow fear to rule her mind. Kirakishou had reached out to her. Which meant that she was alive. She wasn't like Summer Rose. She wasn't going to disappear. She was still there. Ruby just needed to move FORWARD-
Semblance flaring in relation to her thoughts, the world moved in a blur of swirling colours and hues, the subtle pull of her diminishing aura notifying her of just how much she was tearing through her reserves at the moment. Especially after the fight with Penny without the use of aura boosters that would typically accompany the epilogue of a fight. She knew she was bound to be running quite low- especially if she continued to push her semblance like this. But it didn't matter. It was worth it. If only to bring her closer and closer to Kirakishou once again.
Just hold on, Kirakishou! I'm almost there!
Her scroll vibrated in her pocket, pulling Ruby's concentration away from her semblance and forcing the ability to cease temporarily. Stumbling on her feet as the momentum generated by her semblance briefly pushed her forward, Ruby found refuge leaning up against a large cobblestone wall. Her scroll continued to vibrate incessantly in her pocket. She pulled it out. A black screen filled with words in a white colour.
WINTERSPRINGSUMMERFALLWINTERSPRINGSUMMERFALL-
Over and over again. Every second she stared at the device. But something was different about this message, compared to the previous one that she had just seen at the store. The four seasons? Was Kirakishou referring to the Maidens? But why now? What was going on?
The screen blanked, only to be replaced with more words.
FINDMEFINDMEFINDMEFINDMEFINDMEFINDMEFINDMEFINDME-
Well. That one made more sense. It was, however, utterly horrifying to her mind. She could almost hear her doll's voice in her mind, yelling out for her in fear. In need. In yearning-
"Ruby? What are you doing here?"
She jumped in fright at the sound, her scroll falling out of her hands and impacting harshly on the ground.
The screen blanked. Gone. Empty. Devoid of text. Was it even there in the first place?
No! It had to be! She knew what she saw!
"Sorry, I can't explain right now, Jaune, I just have to-"
Why was he here in Vale? She looked around in confusion. Oh. Apparently, her semblance had been able to take her all the way outside of the Vale shopping district and towards Beacon Academy, before the messages from Kirakishou stole her attention.
She was near the entrance gate to the Beacon Academy grounds, resting up against one of the outside walls. In the distance, Ruby could spot a large black iron gate adorned with the academy insignia. There were bodies everywhere. Humans and faunus were torn to ribbons. Grimm lay in the middle of decay, their smoke blanketing the area. Pillars of crystal were growing out of the ground in odd angles, and some of the ground itself was both covered in crystalline patches and also translucent enough for Ruby to see several bodies contained beneath.
Ren and Nora were fighting the grimm, the dark-haired huntsman trainee shouting at his partner to stay away from the crystals as they continued to grow towards them. There was no sign of Pyrrha Nikos anywhere, however. Where could she possibly be?
Calloused hands grasped her shoulders, shaking her fiercely. Her thoughts ground to a halt as she stared at the boy in confusion.
"…Jaune?"
"Oh f-finally. I thought… no, it doesn't matter. What's going on, Ruby? Why are you here? Can't you see that-"
"I know what's going on," Ruby butted in fiercely, crossing her arms. Her tone startled Jaune, making him flinch. But even if she did feel a little bad, it didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. "Look- I can't say much, just that I need to get to Beacon, okay?"
"Beacon? Ruby, it's crazy over there. You really shouldn't. I don't know what's causing it, but these crystals, they're-"
"Targeting people with aura, I know."
"-Well, yes. How do you… no, never mind. I get it. Just… still. That's not the worst of it. There's something strange going on over there. You know-"
A shout came from the distance, in the direction of Ren and Nora. Female, this time. Nora?
"Jaune!"
Yes. That was Nora Valkyrie. She… wasn't looking too good at all. There were cuts and scrapes covering her clothes and blood running down her left arm. It was clear that Nora's aura was either exhausted or too weak to prevent the damage. She looked to be in serious trouble. Jaune, however, looked conflicted. Was he torn between belittling her and helping out his own teammates?! Eugh.
"…Go. You need to go and help them, Jaune. You're the leader of Team JNPR. It's your duty. You've got your own mess to deal with. I-I would… I would help if I could…" Ruby reluctantly forced out, wincing as she glanced at her Rozen Maiden contract ring. "But I can't… I need to find Kirakishou. She was in the dorms and…-"
"I get it," Jaune interrupted. There was an odd expression on his face, but she didn't sense any malice in the look, even if she couldn't identify it. Was it just a trick of the light, or were his cheeks red? He placed a hand on her shoulder. A comforting expression, then? "Go to her, Ruby. Find out what's happened. Just… just stay safe, alright?"
She nodded, pulling back. "You too, Jaune. Take care."
Ruby wondered if the boy even heard her. Ruby wondered if the boy even believed her words.
Though, in the end, she supposed it didn't really matter what he thought.
Now, she could get to Kirakishou, and there wasn't anyone who could stop her.
"Rozen Maiden are Father's craft."
Weiss grimaced. Kirakishou had said the same thing, back when she first met the girl on the docks. Like the VPD detectives that were present at the time, Weiss hadn't a clue as to what such a thing actually meant. Nobody did. To her, to anyone, it was a nonsensical string of words that held no significance whatsoever.
To anyone except for Kirakishou at least. And, now, Laplace's Demon had also mentioned the phrase.
However fruitless her research had been, Weiss had been able to infer that the topic of the Rozen Maiden were held in high regard by the odd blonde-haired rose-eyed girl. As it had been one of the first times Kirakishou had spoken, musing about how her Father's craft would be unknown in the area. She had sounded oddly solemn at the time. Were it not for her argument with Blake at the time, she would likely have investigated further.
However, instead, Ruby had been the one to investigate of her own accord and subsequently fall in love with the girl. What would have happened, had Weiss not been in the middle of dealing with Blake Belladonna at the time? How would interactions with Kirakishou have progressed? She shuddered to imagine.
"…You mean Kirakishou's Father?" Yang piped up curiously, eyes narrowed inquisitively. Weiss spared the girl a glance. She looked so invested. It was odd to witness the intensity held within those lavender eyes. The fierceness of an older sister protecting the younger sister. Had this been how Winter had felt, during all of those times with her own Father in the past?
Come to think of it, where even was Winter Schnee? Weiss could only hope that she is alright. Winter Schnee is an Atlesian Specialist, after all. She could hold her own. Especially against the grimm. Her strength, combined with the tactical superiority of the Atlesian Fleet currently occupying the Vale and Beacon Academy airspaces, would hopefully spell the end of the grimm in the area. Hopefully.
Time would tell.
Until then, Weiss would contribute to the safety of Vale by uncovering the truth behind Kirakishou and these crystals.
"Rozen. That is the term that most refer to him, even though none are entirely certain about his true name. Perhaps it is better this way? Rozen became lost in his desire for the perfect girl. He is no longer the man that he once was. A true name is thus meaningless in the chase for perfection. Instead, this false name shall answer this falsehood. Fitting, yes?"
It was an odd name, Weiss thought to herself. Why in the world would the-
Rozen. Rozen Maiden. Rozen's Maidens. It was not some nonsensical title that held no meaning. It meant everything to her. To Kirakishou. To her sisters. Because the title, Rozen Maiden, is literal.
She fell to her knees, drawing a cry of alarm from Blake, who was on her side in an instant. Yang rushed forwards, forgoing the possible looming threat of Laplace-no-ma and quickly racing over towards her downed form. But, she barely even recognised their very presence, nor the no-doubt worried words that were likely spilling from their lips at this very second.
Instead, her mind recalled the numerous discussions she'd participated in alongside Kirakishou.
"Truly, a maiden like me finds herself in the most perplexing of situations."
MAIDEN. ROZEN MAIDEN.
"An impure act for a noble craft is a desecration of everything Father held dear."
FATHER. ROZEN.
"...Many years ago, Father lost his firstborn daughter. In his grief, he sought not to move forward but to chase the fleeting image of his departed child by creating more daughters in the hopes of recreating her. Though each was… flawed. Junk. A pitiful illusion of the reality he so desperately craved."
"No, instead that honour belongs to Father. Unlike my six sisters who were able to experience the world's treasures through movement of limb, their youngest little sister has been confined ever since her very creation."
"However, in his grief, he eventually lost track of his initial goal of resurrecting his firstborn. He became obsessed with crafting the perfect girl- however only his firstborn child could be perfect in his eyes, thus his goal was impossible."
CRAFTING.
"Doll…" Weiss whispered, the gravity of the situation forcing the word to tear out of her throat in a strangled hiss of disbelief. "…She's a doll."
"What?" Yang blinked, confused. "What do you mean? Who's a doll? Summer?"
"Kirakishou," Weiss forced out the words, wearily grasping Blake for support as the faunus pulled her up off the ground. "She's a Rozen Maiden, Yang. The Rozen Maiden, all of them, they're dolls. Kirakishou didn't use some bizarre semblance to make Summer Rose. She used her Father's craft. The same craft he used to make her- crafting dolls."
"Correct, Weiss Schnee of Atlas," Laplace focused on her, an appraising glint appearing in the creature's stolen eyes for a brief moment. "Kirakishou is a Rozen Maiden. The youngest. The last doll that Father crafted."
Now they understood. She could see it in their eyes. Blake and Yang. They both could accurately infer the ramifications of such a development. Previously, all three girls had believed Kirakishou to be an odd, if not actively unhinged girl. However, she was still just a person. A strange one, to be sure, but still something within the realm of understanding. But, as a doll, she was unlike anything that they had ever dealt with before. A complete other species. One that possessed a vested interest in their Team Leader.
It was clear that there had been so much more going on under the surface.
"…But… what does this mean for Ruby?" Yang wondered aloud, inadvertently voicing similar thoughts for Weiss herself and most likely for Blake as well.
"Rozen Maiden, including our youngest little troublemaker, are able to bond with others. It is a necessity of their being, as artificial souls. Perhaps, your eyes may have borne witness to the golden ring that rests on the finger of your leader?"
Yang balked, no doubt remembering her time spent arguing with Ruby over the golden ring in the first place. It had been one of the talking points which Yang had discussed with them multiple times in the past regarding her suspicion and distrust of Kirakishou.
"The ring? What of it?"
"Ah, so you have all seen it. However, you all believe it to be simple jewellery. This is a fallacy. Base reasoning given to something not properly understood. What your eyes divine is the physical manifestation of a contract between Master and Rozen Maiden, bound with a kiss. Through this ring, Ruby Rose and Kirakishou are bound together."
"…Well. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence," Blake muttered lowly. "What exactly does this bond mean?"
"Perhaps it is better to phrase this in concepts your mind accepts?" Laplace mused idly, seeming oddly uncertain for a moment. "Rozen Maiden require energy. The energy of the spirit, of the soul. Through a contract, a Rozen Maiden is able to bond with another and gather this energy."
Yang's eyes immediately burned with a scarlet hue, visible to Weiss even through her own shock.
"…So what you're saying is that Kirakishou's draining Ruby's aura?!"
It would explain a lot, Weiss realised immediately. The abnormalities in Ruby's aura after her fight against Emerald and Mercury. The sudden growth of her aura during the Vytal Festival Tournament could also be attributed to Ruby's aura producing more in order to compensate for a continual drain.
Laplace gave an idle shrug, the motion seemingly enough to surprise Yang out of her anger-filled semblance activation. "In a way. That is how it is meant to go. Especially for those who find themselves bound to Kirakishou. However, this has not been the case for Ruby Rose."
Yang blinked, the worried older sister looking confused by Laplace's admission. "What do you mean? What's different?"
In her mind, she considered it a valid couple of questions. Yang was, after all, naturally concerned about her younger sister first and foremost. It was just how she was. Weiss, however, found herself to be worried about exactly how Laplace had phrased the admission. As Laplace had implied that these contracts had occurred multiple times in the past, apparently to the demise of those bound to Kirakishou.
She could only wonder what had happened to those poor souls, drained of all their aura.
"It is different in that Ruby Rose is still here, Yang Xiao-Long."
Yang's brows creased in confusion. "…What do you mean?"
"Laplace means that this isn't the first time Kirakishou has created a Rozen Maiden contract," Weiss voiced her thoughts aloud, continuing when the creature nodded in her direction. "From what Laplace implied before, Kirakishou has had many contracts in the past, probably like every other Rozen Maiden to a degree. However, this is the first time that Kirakishou hasn't…"
"…used the contract to drain them of their energy," Yang finished for her, face visibly paling. She turned back to Laplace, "And why hasn't she?"
"Because she loves her," Blake spoke up suddenly, eyes wide. "She… wasn't lying about that when she told us she does everything for Ruby, was she?"
Laplace shook its head. "No. Our youngest may be an odd little doll with a talent for deception, but she did not lie about such a thing. She is, well and truly, bound by the brambles of love. Just like our eldest once was, so too is the youngest. This love has motivated her to change her actions in favour of pleasing your Ruby Rose, regardless of the wishes of others. It has captivated her very being. Where the one known as Ruby Rose ends and where the Rozen Maiden that is Kirakishou begins has become a… difficult subject to debate. Their bond has flourished into a grand union."
"…A crazed doll is in love with my baby sister…" Yang muttered. "I can't… Oum, there's just so much that's messed up with this whole situation."
Weiss could sympathise. The existence of the Rozen Maiden contract significantly complicated matters regarding Ruby Rose. Kirakishou's status as a doll, just like the Summer Rose doll, was also a troubling development. There was no telling just how Kirakishou would behave, how she would act, beyond what they had already witnessed. And, if Laplace was to be believed, Kirakishou had run circles around them even when directly under the spotlight.
"…Then, what do we do?" Blake queried the group, looking around despondently. "If Kirakishou has formed this… contract with Ruby, then there's no telling what she could do with Ruby. It's essentially a hostage situation, willing or not on Ruby's side."
"Can you stop it?" Yang focused on Laplace. "I-I don't know what you've actually done and what it is that Kirakishou has just said, and frankly at this point I really could care less. If you can stop what Kirakishou is doing, then please just do it. We can sort out everything else later. I just need to make sure that Ruby is safe."
Laplace stared at her, peering towards Yang with burning crimson orbs.
Unlike Yang, who was no doubt clouded by her desperate desire to save Ruby from Kirakishou's clutches, Weiss could still retain a critical eye.
She did not doubt that the creature standing in front of them had killed for the Alice Game before. Likely, it would continue doing so until the Alice Game was completed. It was more than likely that the only reason that Laplace-no-ma hadn't turned this bullhead into a bloodbath had to do with either their supposed role in the Alice Game, or a direct result of their reactions to the questions it gave. Likely, had they been less reciprocal in indulging the creature in conversation, Laplace would have resorted to simply killing them in order to rid a potential issue in the future of the Alice Game.
"If you wish to ensure the safety of your precious Ruby Rose, you must first ensure that you can get to her with relative freedom. Our youngest will be anticipating your arrival, Yang Xiao-Long."
"…I don't care if she knows I'm coming. I'll stop her, once and for all."
Weiss did not approve of that look in the eyes of her partner. Cold, focused. She had seen similar expressions in the eyes of the higher-ups in the Atlesian Military, back when Weiss was still debating her prospective academic career. It had been those looks, jaded and hard, that had cemented the decision to avoid the military as much as possible and journey far, far away.
To think that it would have surfaced once again… in her very teammates, no less. How horrid.
"It will not be so easy. Kirakishou has been able to sing to a great many minds during her stay at Beacon Academy. However, I can give you guidance, if you wish it. However, I warn that the answers you find will only bring pain for you all."
The three girls looked at each other, before nodding in unison. They knew that it had to be done. Even Weiss, despite her reservations, knew that Kirakishou had to be stopped. Laplace-no-ma was the foremost expert on the Rozen Maiden. Provided that the creature did not decide to up and slaughter them all, it was in their best interests to listen to what it had to say, even if the knowledge was difficult to accept.
"…Tell us. What did Kirakishou do?"
"She brought them all. Turned one adversary's plan into her own. Now, look and see what the youngest girl's desire has brought," Laplace answered immediately. "These beasts of dark you all call grimm have come to assail the land, drawn by the cries of those stirred into a frenzy by her machinations. Thieves and twisted minds have been bound to her will. These revolutionaries you label as the White Fang-"
"The White Fang is here?!" Blake interrupted with a terrified shout, her eyes wide.
Laplace stoically turned to her, but the look in its eyes was particularly daunting. "Yes. Did you not realise mere moments before my arrival? They have arrived in your downtown Vale area, through the old underground train network. The explosion that you all heard in that area was no accident. You all were right in suspecting Mountain Glenn. A small sect of the White Fang have been operating in the underground city in Mountain Glenn for several months, tirelessly working on connecting the train lines once again. However, upon voicing your worries, Kirakishou conspired to ensure that you all would never see the truth."
"The ban on outside missions. That was her?" Yang blurted out.
"Now you see, child, what exactly you are all going up against. In doing so, she has turned a simple threat into a supposedly peerless force, one led by twin pillars."
"...Twin pillars?" Blake repeated.
"The ones you call Adam Taurus and Sienna Khan."
"Sienna Khan?!" Weiss gasped, before glancing over to Yang who looked confused by both Weiss and Blake's surprise at the name. "She's the High Leader of the entire White Fang rebellion, Yang. She was the original one who led a revolt against the previous High Leader and turned a once-peaceful organisation into one knee-deep in blood."
Blake grimaced uncomfortably, shuddering to herself. "If Sienna's here, actively working alongside Adam, then something big is going on. Those two always butted heads. Combine that with Roman Torchwick and all the dust that he's stolen…" she shook her head, before turning back to Laplace's Demon. "Why in the world are they here?"
"Sienna Khan was notified of Adam Taurus working with humans. Together, they are conspiring to kill the humans who have bound him and use the opportunity of a ruined for their own means."
"...What kind of opportunity?" Blake asked the question they were all thinking.
"Their intention is to capture Beacon Academy and turn it into a fortified stronghold- a safe haven for the faunus people, not unlike Menagerie. Unlike Menagerie, however, Beacon Academy possesses both natural defences from the grimm and sizeable trade routes to gather more supplies," Laplace answered, shaking its head. "However, their dream will never be realised. They are walking into a slaughter. With the grimm, huntsmen, and Kirakishou's own machinations running rampant, all they have done is brought more supplies for Kirakishou. More fuel for her N-Field…"
"…Her N-Field?"
It was made abundantly clear that Jaune hadn't been lying when he had spoken about how bad the situation was at Beacon Academy. Ruby could hardly believe her eyes. The once-blissful academy setting had become a war-torn battlefield, students and faculty alike slinging all manner of dust shots at a veritable tide of grimm that seemed to endlessly swarm out of every nook and cranny they could find.
Nevermores of all sizes littered the skies, locked in steady combat with the Atlesian air fleet hovering above Beacon Academy. The Atlesian Military had deployed their smaller fighter planes, which protectively circled around the larger military bullheads- tearing through the larger avian grimm with ease, but the smaller nevermores seemed to be capable of invading the larger bullheads themselves. Her eyes could spot more than a few ships practically dyed black from the sheer amount of smaller nevermores coating the exterior hull of the ship. They were pecking and clawing at the bullheads- trying to tear through the exterior hull with beak and talon alike.
But, the spectacle up in the air was nothing like the devastation wrought on the ground.
Crashed bullheads littered the remains of a once-great academy, rubble, and steel blended together and overtaken by unnatural crystalline spires jutting out in odd angles. Fires raged, where fuel had leaked out from the downed bullheads and lit both buildings and vegetation alike in a great blaze. How hadn't she noticed the smoke before? It was everywhere. From grimm, from fuel, from burning buildings and dying gardens. It coated everything.
Everything except for the crystals, which shone vibrantly through even the darkest patches of smoke- illuminating the frozen faces of students and civilian alike. Oum. It almost looked like those captured by the crystals were just… sleeping. All of their eyes were closed. Every single one. All of their bodies were in the same position. Laying still, with their hands over their laps. They seemed almost serene.
What in the world was going on?!
Battles still continued to rage, bastions of students from the varying schools banding together and erecting fortified areas out of downed rubble and broken-down bullheads, using their multitude of semblances to support the defensive perimeter as best they could. Stones were telekinetically flung at invading grimm, large iron columns pushed into the air by way of a polarity semblance of some kind, before an electrical-based semblance arced across the metal to fry any grimm that happened to be caught in the crossfire.
General Ironwood's Atlesian soldiers, both man and machine, littered the ground. Some, valiantly fighting to ensure the death of the grimm. Others, fighting to survive. The rest weren't so lucky as the others, their bodies quickly overtaken by crystals in the case of the humans and faunus, while the robotic soldiers were left alone to decay.
…Penny…
And the dust. Oum. There were so many rounds going off everywhere. Fire, water, even a few ice and explosive rounds were constantly bouncing back and forth through the sky. Some were being aimed at the nevermores in the sky that had been targeting wounded students on the ground like maddened vultures, while other students aimed their ordinance at the beowolves, creep, and ursa that acted as the majority of the grimm's forces in Beacon Academy.
However, even with her silver eyes clouded by the thick smoke, she could make out the tell-tale skittering sounds of a deathstalker-type grimm on the horizon. Several of them, if the rapid iterations of the sound were any prospective indication. Ruby had seen how Team JNPR had been when fighting against a single deathstalker. Along with all of Professor Port's lectures on the deathstalker itself, Ruby was well aware that the armoured plating on the grimm's exoskeleton would resist all but the highest calibre of dust rounds. It would take either a strong semblance, a precisely-timed melee attack with a sharp blade, or a high concentration of dust to kill but one of the creatures.
With the crystals continuing to pick off the stragglers, growing more and more prevalent in the area, Ruby could summarise that it was only a matter of time until the students inside Beacon Academy lost this battle and were forced out of the terrain- one way or another.
But maybe, just maybe, if she got to Kirakishou and was able to at least stop the crystals from growing everywhere, then she might be able to give the people a fighting chance.
With that in mind, she raced past the battle, Ruby's semblance making quick work of the issue. With her speed, grimm or student alike could not reach her. For a moment, she thought that she saw a flash of an expression of some kind from one of the fighting students. One that looked vaguely similar to the one that Jaune had sported, but with more narrowed eyes and a lack of any particular blush. If she could hazard a guess, it almost looked betrayed.
Like those second-year students from out in Vale…
Her eyes clouded with tears and she angrily wiped them away, not bothering the pause the activation of her semblance during the motion. Ruby was not going to let the thoughts of people she didn't even know get in her way like that. Who did they even think they were, judging her? They didn't even know what she was doing! They didn't understand why she couldn't help in that instance. Why was it that complete strangers thought they had the right to judge her?! Was it was because she was younger than them or something?
No. It doesn't matter. I have to find Kirakishou. They don't matter. Hm. They're just going to be overrun by Kirakishou's crystals eventually anyway… unless I stop them, of course…
She shook her head. Now was not the time. She needed to focus on getting to the dormitories. They were just around this bend. If she was lucky then Kirakishou would still be in her room. Then, it would just be a matter of-
"W-What…"
Her semblance, perhaps in response to her own emotions, stuttered to a halt.
The Beacon Academy dormitories. They were gone. Reduced to rubble, just like many of the other buildings around the academy grounds. However, unlike the other buildings, it was clear that this had been caused by an explosion of great magnitude. The four corners of the dormitory itself were still visible, standing as broken remainders of the supports they had once been, while the rest of the building had clearly fallen in on itself.
A crystalline floor covered the ground. Unlike in the previous areas of crystalline growth that Ruby had seen developing around the area, the entire surface below appeared to be covered in the odd teal-green glowing crystals. They coated almost everything. The grass, the rocks, the broken pieces of pavement and cement. All sported that same crystalline sheen. It was only the rubble of the dormitory itself that appeared completely untouched by the crystal, much to her confusion.
She could spot burns on much of the rubble. The bomber had clearly used an incendiary-based explosive device, likely devised from fire dust given the flames sprouting up everywhere around Beacon Academy- more than a bunch of crashed bullheads could cause. The explosion had probably launched flames all around the place, starting up some of the blazes that she had seen on the way. It would make sense given what she suspected about Roman Torchwick and the White Fang stockpiling dust. Clearly, the crew had somehow connected Kirakishou to the reappearance of Summer Rose and thus sought to end Kirakishou once and for all, in order to prevent Summer Rose from being revived once again.
Likely this incendiary-based explosive device had been in order to ensure Kirakishou's d-d… demise. Her death.
Her only saving grace had been that it was clear that the bomber hadn't known of Kirakishou's artificial body and status of a Rozen Maiden and thus used a bomb calibrated for organic targets. But considering the sheer yield of the bomb and the blast-wave itself… would it have even mattered?
She spotted a glittering in the distance, buried in the rubble. Racing over in a flare of her semblance, she came to a small pile of shattered foundation intermixed with a heavy layering of soot and ash. Had this been where the explosion had occurred? It seemed fairly likely, or in the very least it had been nearby. There was far more damage to these stones and a far thicker coating of ashen devastation than the other wreckage she had seen thus far.
But what was…?
Looking closer, she nudged some of the smaller rubble to the side with the base of Crescent Rose, before leaning down to get a closer look. She could see-
A mirror?
A mirror… Kirakishou had possessed… Yes! That was it! She recognised it now! In Kirakishou's room, there had been a large, ornate mirror adorned with a golden rose trim. It had been one of the prettiest mirrors she had ever seen before, looking like something that would be fitting inside perhaps the Schnee Family mansion. Even now, Ruby could easily make out the golden trim, still shining a vibrant golden hue- untouched by both crystal and ashen destruction alike. Had it survived the explosion somehow?
That could mean… could Kirakishou be hiding under it?
Dropping to her knees, Ruby frantically dug at the rubble, using both the full weight of Crescent Rose coupled with her semblance working in tandem to shift the heavy rock to the side. Tears pulled at her eyes, clouding her vision as a cry tore itself from her chest, but she did not stop. She did not allow herself to be distracted. But it was happening too slowly! She needed to go faster! Faster!
Throwing Crescent Rose to the side in anger at the useless tool, she dug at the rocks with her very own hands, uncaring at the cuts and scrapes appearing on her cracked and broken fingernails. She pushed her aura to the limit, forcing more and more to support her muscles as she heaved through stone until finally-
Letting the red haze of her frantic emotions fade, alone with a heavy application of wiping all the tears from her eyes, Ruby pulled the mirror upwards, letting the mirror rest against the pile of stone she had created in her frantic excavation. She looked over the mirror itself. From what she could see, it seemed almost strangely untouched- appearing completely unscathed whatsoever. But her doll, Kirakishou, was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't hiding under it, she wasn't using the mirror as some kind of protection to shield her from the blast wave. She WASN'T THERE. WHERE WAS SHE WHERE WHERE WHERE?!
WHERE
WHERE WHERE WHERE WHERE WHERE
WHERE IS SHE?! SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. SHE HAS TO BE HERE. HERE HERE HERE.
—?!WHERE?!
What-
The mirror. Something about it caught her eye.
She…
Ruby peered closer. It-
It was pristine.
Immaculate.
The reflection… something about the reflection was odd. Assaulting her senses. Just like how the Rozen Maiden contract ring had been where she was at Amity Colosseum before. The more that Ruby continued to gaze at the mirror, she could feel the hairs on her neck beginning to stand on end as an odd shiver crawled through her body.
It's… it's flawless… just like her. Just like Kirakishou… Just like her…
She KNEW this mirror. Kirakishou had shown it to her, several times in the past. It had been involved in… in her use of the N-Field. That was it! Yes…
Kira's N-Field…
The first time, it had been when Kirakishou had first pulled her into the N-Field, into a small section that she had described as her reading room. The doll had made Ruby close her eyes, but the remainder of her senses had easily distinguished the sounds and movement of pulling Ruby closer to where the mirror had originated, before an odd chilling sensation had clouded the entirety of her body. She had known that the mirror had been involved. That it was special.
But she hadn't brought it up at the time. No. Kirakishou had used the reading room in order to show Ruby a vision of Qrow while he was recovering in the infirmary after being possessed by Laplace-no-ma. During the scene, General Ironwood and Headmaster Ozpin had arrived, discussing the event of Laplace's arrival along with their opinions and decisions regarding the resurrected Summer Rose. The one they had believed was nothing more than a simple doll…
But that hadn't been the only time she had been involved with Kirakishou's mirror.
Recently, Ruby had borne witness to the mirror in use. It had been just before the battle with Penny Polendina. At the time, she had been eating lunch with Kirakishou in her dorm room, talking with her Rozen Maiden about the upcoming event and in general just hanging out with the doll she loved. Ruby had felt rather distracted by all of her thoughts at the time, but Kirakishou had been there in order to keep her focused and happy.
When Ruby had begun reluctantly voicing her worries to the doll in question, Kirakishou had used her powers as a medium to explain the supposed fallacies of choice and direction. From what Ruby had been able to work out after the conversation, Kirakishou had been trying to soothe her worries about all of the different events going on by saying that they were occurring for her. Kirakishou had told her to learn when to act and when to react, in order to make the world listen to her.
She hadn't particularly liked the idea at the time, believing it to be manipulative and deceitful, but she had understood from an emotional standpoint why the doll had said such a thing. Kirakishou was only trying to help her feel better. It hadn't been manipulation that Kirakishou had been explaining, but direction. Guidance.
Considering all that was happening at the moment, Ruby could not help but wonder how different things would have been if people had just listened to her.
She wouldn't have needed to run away from her team.
She wouldn't have needed to run away from those older students that she encountered in Vale.
She wouldn't have needed to run away from Jaune and his team, or the other students at Beacon Academy.
Team RWBY could have helped. Together. If only Weiss, Blake and her big sister Yang had just listened to her. Instead, Ruby had been forced to shoulder the burden of responsibility herself, working tirelessly to find her doll and fix things.
No… I'm getting off track. The mirror. I need to focus on the mirror. I need to find Kirakishou…
Yes. That was right. The mirror. She needed to find Kirakishou.
She needed to focus on the mirror.
During that last discussion with Kirakishou before the final round of the Vytal Festival Tournament, the doll had once again used her mirror. Ruby could still clearly remember the time. Kirakishou had pulled on her powers, summoning one of her thorned white vines through the mirror as a display to Ruby about the control over controlling oneself. During the application of her Rozen Maiden power, the mirror had rippled as the vine seemingly grew from the mirror's reflection.
That's right… Kirakishou's power works through reflections… The surface of a pool… someone's closed eyes… a mirror…
The reflection of a mirror. The reflection of the mirror. The reflection of Kirakishou's mirror.
It didn't match.
Yes! That was right! The more she looked at the reflection of the mirror, the more inconsistencies she could spot. In the mirror, the sky was slightly brighter- glittering with stars. There was no smoke from the grimm or from the flames. It was a clear night. There were no grimm. No flames.
No destruction.
From the angle of the mirror itself, it displayed a pristine depiction of Beacon Academy during a peaceful night. She had seen such an image dozens of times, from the window in her room. At the time she had taken such a thing for granted, but in the wake of this war-torn and battered Beacon Academy, Ruby felt like she would give anything just to experience it one last time.
There was something else, however. In the current angle of the mirror itself, she could barely make out something in the lower section of the mirror. There were vines. They were creeping across the ground, shining brightly against the starlight. From the small portion that she could see, the vines almost looked like they were growing through the concrete. They seemed to be coming from the direction of where the Beacon Academy dormitories would be.
But what use is this to me? Ruby wondered, running her hand down the frame of the mirror. It's just an image… what does…
She stumbled on her feet, her limited aura suddenly making itself readily apparent as exhaustion crept through her bones. Ruby grabbed the frame of the mirror with both hands, using the large mirror to support her body. That last burst of aura spent in excavating the mirror must have been costly. Coupled with the constant use of her semblance both in getting to Beacon Academy from downtown Vale and fighting in the Vytal Festival Tournament against Penny Polendina, there was no surprise that she was beginning to run out.
But…
The mirror. I… must have shifted it a bit when I stumbled… The reflection has moved… I can see more of the academy now. And into the Emerald Forest… Oum… there are so many vines there…
A thought struck in her mind. If the reflection showed an oddly pristine depiction of Beacon Academy, one that wasn't apparently limited to the direction she had placed the mirror, then if she turned it around would it show the dormitories?
It's worth a shot, right?
Trusting her judgement, Ruby gripped the mirror's frame tightly, digging her hands into the golden trim and slowly using her limited strength to slowly shift the mirror so that it was facing towards the direction of the ruined dormitories. She grunted at the effort. The mirror was heavy. And it was just so massive, to the point where Ruby wondered just how Kirakishou had managed to even get the thing into her room in the first place.
Shaking her head at the thought, she refocused her attention on the mirror.
…Huh.
It would seem that she was correct.
There it lay, the Beacon Academy dormitories, perfectly preserved within the mirror. Well, perhaps her choice of wording wasn't entirely accurate. It wasn't perfect. Not in the slightest. No. The mirror's reflection certainly showed a version of the dormitories, but it was different from the dormitories that she remembered. There were vines. Everywhere. They grew in the walls, weaving in and out of the foundations and growing through open windows. It looked more like some sort of overgrown greenhouse than a dormitory.
…Come to think of it, weren't there a bunch of vines growing out of Kirakishou's dorm room a while back? At that time when I went to come by and give Kirakishou her student transcript? Yes, that's right! But they disappeared shortly after… along with any need of a transcript…
She peered closer.
There were no lights on in the dormitory, despite it being the middle of the night. Had the other reflected buildings had their lights on? She hadn't thought to look, but now that she was staring at the image of her dorm room she couldn't help but wonder. It looked so odd. The starlight coated everything, yes, but the complete lack of artificial light seemed to cast an almost ethereal shade over the building itself.
Kirakishou… where are you? What happened to you? What are you showing me?
Ruby pressed one of her hands against the mirror's reflective surface, sighing despondently as she overlooked the image of-
The mirror rippled.
Vines wrapped around her arm before she could think to move it.
A/N:
Hello again! Thank you all for the kind reviews for the last chapter. It is good to see that people seem to be enjoying the progression of the story so far! I'm loving all the speculation for future events and how they will impact various characters.
This chapter aimed to focus on Laplace and Ruby in particular. The RWBY-crew is given a taste of knowledge and Ruby drives ever deeper into her relentless pursuit of Kirakishou. There were a few little bits of bolded text spliced throughout the chapter, which aimed to diverge from the common writing format and add a flare of otherness to certain scenes and actions. It's a little limited, given that FF tends to limit text documents to a sizeable margin, but overall it seemed okay.
Anywho, be sure to let me know what you thought of this chapter! It was a fun little piece to write. A certainly different experience compared to the typical length of my chapters, with a sense of urgency not found in most chapters. Looking forward to what you all think of the next chapter! Until next time!
Thank you all, once again, for your continued interest in my story.