Snippet 125

Slipping Through The Cracks

Part 3 to Cracks in the Mirror

Gerne: Angst/Drama/Dark

Pairs: Past one-sided Arkos, Cold Colours (Whitley/Neon), Black Sun (Blake/Sun), Pink Lotus (Ren/Nora)

Parody: RWBY

AU-Type: Canon-esque AU (Post Fall of Beacon)

Tags: Character exploration, TW: Alcoholism, TW: Death, Dealing with Loss, Internal Strife, Deconstruction, Mental Issues, Guilt Eats You Alive, Camp Camp Cameo

Note: With how canon has come along, I can stay this miniseries has fell into a full AU. A few minor OCs will be shown for a bit of worldbuilding, nothing drastic.

Tyrian got the jump on them. The coward! That was the thought of a darker Rose, but Ruby could not help but agree. The Nuckelavee had taken a lot of effort to put down and Tyrian got the drop getting Qrow with his stinger and Nora with his semblance. Jaune had to protect Nora and Qrow trying to keep them alive with his semblance it was Ren and Ruby against Tyrian. Bad enough as it was, but Ruby had deal with mentally fighting back the voice in her head begging for control.

"Ruby, watch out!" Ren yelled.

Ruby snapped out of her daze only to be punched into the building leaving Ren alone. As Ruby lain there half-conscious, she slipped into her mindscape. Rose was there in a cage banging at the bars for freedom as Ruby lay on the ground near the door hurt.

"Pathetic. You fight with no intent to kill despite no mercy being shown." Rose said managing to get the key out of Ruby's head. "However…it's my turn."

She opened the cage and threw her other in it before closing it. Rose was finally in control of Ruby.

-Rose-

Ren could only block Tyrian's tail for so long and was running on fumes. Jaune had managed to figure out how to use Magnhild through Nora's instruction and blasted Tyrian with a dust grenade. Jaune rushed over to Ren's side to use his semblance to give him a boost.

"You're only delaying the inevitable." Tyrian said getting up out of the wreckage.

He was hurt but was not showing signs of pain on his body. I can still…" Tyrian said before feeling a sharp pain on his lower back.

His stinger was on the ground limping and flopping like a fish. It dawned on him on his tail was cut, but before he could process more, he was shot in the leg with a fire round. Tyrian was limping but he saw no one. Tyrian tried to flee only for his remaining good leg to be shot leaving him to crawl. It was then, Ruby made her appearance, but everyone took note of her change. Her hair looked frazzled, her eyes had dark circles around them, her usual vibrant silver eyes were duller and muted, and she had a scowl. Dragging Cresent Rose's edge on the ground was the only sound she made as she came to the fallen scorpion.

"You little bitch!" Tyrian hissed.

She slammed the blade down on Tyrian left arm before using her foot to hold down his right arm. She ignored Tyrian's screams lazily firing a shot causing the blade to slice off Tyrian's right arm causing blood to gush out of the fresh would. Ruby showed no emotion…only coldness in those silver spheres as she brought down the scythe on Tyrian's other arm. Retracting the scythe, she promptly took Tyrian's scroll along with his wallet.

"We're done here, let's get moving." Ruby said to shock of everyone.

"But what about him?" Jaune asked pointing to ranting Tyrian.

"He's Grimm food." Ruby said coldly before giving the scroll to Ren. "Stay to keep a safe distance from my uncle. No need for shitty luck to ruin this."

Ruby instinctively took Qrow's flask and got a big gulp much to Qrow's horror.

"Good stuff." Ruby said appreciative only for Jaune to ask if Ruby was all right, "Jaune, you should focus on keeping my uncle and Nora ok, and not…FUCK…no…I can't go…"

Ruby twitched and back was the Ruby that everyone was familiar with in a flash. Ruby panted but went on nothing ever happened. It was her repeated refusal to explain any of them that her cohorts realized something was very wrong.

-Yang-

Training. Yang threw herself in learning to improve her body and fighting style. Opting to not just use her father, she paid his friends a visit to learn from them. She had overcome a few things, but she felt great. Her nightmares were down, and she was learning to use her legs in a fight. She had just finished a session of combat learning a fighting style that relied on breakdancing.

"Dad always has the weirdest of friends." Yang thought as night was falling.

Speeding back on the Bumblebee, she got home right before it began to pour rain. She entered to find her father in the midst of thought and next to him was his scroll.

"Dad, you doing ok?" Yang asked.

"One of your friends called. Jaune Arc. Wanted to let me know what happened in Qrow's stead. They made it to Mistral, but Qrow's in the hospital. He'll be fine, but it's what Jaune said about Ruby that's having me worried. He said it looked she had a split personality." Taiyang said worriedly. "He sounded scared."

"And that's my cue to go after her." Yang said wih resolve.

"I still don't think you're fully healed." Taiyang said looking up at her. "But I don't have much options. Patch needs a huntsman to back them up."

"Then, you know what needs to be done." Yang said as Taiyang nodded.

Come the next day, Yang had finally readied herself to go. Her teachers had come by all to hand off gifts before she departed, specifically new clothes and gear. Yang checked herself out in the mirror as she looked at her new dark fitted yellow cheongsam with black lining on her body and the emblem on her left breast. She had gotten on in addition with it black lycra pants, an orange sash with her emblem was attached to the right end, a pair of black fingerless gloves, an orange scarf around her neck, and a pair of black boots with gold caps on the heel and toe to enhance her kicks. The chenogasm was also adorned with an eastern dragon in the front of it coiling around her body. She got to her weapons. Among the friends she had trained under, one was a weaponsmith. She got Ember Ceclia upgraded and a new one for the mechanical arm. Speaking of the arm, it now appeared like it was her fleshy arm. Cybernetics were quite a blessing. Getting her gear together and got on a flak jacket, one of the presents she had gotten from the teacher who taught her a bit of ninjutsu. It was a rather custom form fitting black one with a neck guard, extra padding over the shoulders fastened on by steel buttons, and a zipper down the middle. She had it unzipped down slightly as she loaded up and went downstairs. Her father awaited her with a present of his own.

A tan bomber jacket from his early days, even had his old emblem on the back. He wanted to give her a piece of him, something that was say that he always had her back. As Yang left speeding away on Bumblebee to get to the docks, she found one of the teachers waiting there. Unlike the others, she had not shown earlier.

"Nanako." Yang said coming up.

Nanako was an older rabbit faunus lady who was a master of the sword and Yang sought her out to help find against sword wielders. She was the one usually helping with the brunt of Yang's PTSD.

"Little dragon, I wanted to see you off before you go off on your journey." Nanako said in her heavy accent.

"Miss Takekeo, thanks for your help." Yang said loading her bike onto the boat.

"You're welcome, Yang. I happen to have something for you." Nanako said presenting Yang a sword and sheath.

An ordinate ninjaken blade with a dragon themed handle and sheath had a yellow metallic feel to it.

"The sheath doubles as a shotgun. I did a bit of digging about this Adam guy and found his sheath weapon could be will replicated. The metal on the blade however is a bit special. Aura metal, pump some aura through it and you'll be hack and slashing through anything that moves." Nanako said as Yang took it up. "When you face Adam again….use it and avenge your loss."

"I will." Yang said getting on the boat as it began to leave Patch.

-Oscar-

Even after the explanations, Oscar was still weary. A voice in his head had come, and he and his Aunt Dorothy thought something was wrong. Until Ozpin directly took control of Oscar's body. Being told that you were chosen to be a host for ancient being that's trying to kill another being is not exactly the best news ever. Oscar had been interested in adventure and traveling the world. When he was not working on the farm, he loved reading and even played a few RPGs. Now, he got his wish….but it carried a steep price.

He ultimately had to agree. What choice did he really have? He did not want the world to end and watch all he cared about die. He had at least asked Ozpin for time to say his goodbyes. Thus, here he was sitting at the riverbank with an old friend, June. June was the older chick from a neighboring farm that most boy his age crushed and fantasized on. Despite just being a year older, she was a sagely person that was wise beyond her hair.

She brushed her short red hair aside before throwing another stone into the water.

"I'm not seeing what the big issue is…you got what you wish for. Is it too much to handle?" June asked.

"Yes and no. I haven't told my aunt this, but according to what Ozpin is. We'll mix…and eventually he'll end up overwriting me." Oscar said a bit fearful. "No one will even know what happened…and it's been this way for every life he lived."

"Well that is the life of hero, you don't get anywhere without a few sacrifices. Whether you're a huntsman or a solider." June said sympathetically putting a hand on his shoulder. "However, you still don't deserve to get cut short because of this."

"Not like I have a choice. I'm getting dragged into a war." Oscar remarked.

"Then go out there and fight." June said showing some resolve. "Ensure you don't go down like a wallflower and take as many bastards out as you can."

Oscar squeaked when June pulled him close whispering that she wants to give him something before he leaves.

-Mercury and Emerald-

Mercury wished he did not have a conscience, but one had sprouted in concern for Emerald. Emerald was unraveling and if he did not take her away from Salem and this merry band of psychos, she was going to lose it completely. Mercury had already planned to go but had to adjust the plan for Emerald. Night had fallen, and he had managed to secure himself means away from the castle. All he had to do was wait for Salem to get out of the way. He sat in the kitchen area making himself tea and biding his time.

He slowly drank it, washed the glass, and shuffled out seeing that Salem had retired to her chambers. Normally, she would not do so this early, but he was not going to look too much into it. He rushed to his room, got his bag, and sneaked over to Emerald's room. He entered to see Emerald in the midst of a conversation with a stuffed rabbit. While it seemed like she was talking to himself, her semblance had made it seem not the case.

"You need to flee from this place!"

"But where will I go, Mr. Monty?" Emerald asked. "And what about Cinder?"

"Anything but here! But maybe someplace warm…it's too cold here." Mr. Monty said. "And fuck Cinder! She just used you for what she wanted."

"I have always wanted to live on an island. Far away and serene. I'm so glad I can talk to you…the voices just haunt my dreams and want me dead." Emerald remarked fearfully.

"Em?" Mercury said only for Emerald to turn around. "Easy, it's really me."

Emerald asked what he was doing, and he admitted to his plan. Emerald did not protest, instead immediately got up to get her things. Cinder be damned, she had to get out.

(A/N: Tyrian's dead leaving Watts on his own and the jaded pair are leaving Cinder alone. Things are changing drastically. Next part to this will skip to V5. However as much as I don't want to axe Sienna, she's more useful for this story dead than alive.)

By the way, Nanako Takeko is a real life historical figure. Look her up and you'll see why I choose her.