Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach and RWBY. Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo. RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth and the late Monty Oum (rest in peace you saint of a man).

A question one would ask why type this up? Simple – why not?

Chapter 8: Roses and Steel

Ren caught up with Ganju and Yumichika by following the path of Seppa Ganju used to flee. Yumichika was about to deal a fatal blow as Ganju lay there blood until Ren used a shunpo and blocked the Zanpakuto with only one drawn blade of Kakushifokkusu. The opposing Soul Reaper kept on the attack, but Ren expertly blocked each strike successfully one-handed. Realizing the difference of power of this new opponent and Ganju, Yumichika jumped back to evaluate Ren. Looking at his face he smiled.

"That's a beautiful face you have, I must say." said Yumichika, "Not many people get that kind of praise from me. Your eyes shine like the cold composure of the Kuchiki Clan themselves. You even look like Captain Kuchiki."

"What took you so long?" grumbled Ganju.

Ren answered. "I like to conserve stamina." The thing was training five days with Ichigo and Ruby had given him enormous stamina. It was just a habit to conserve as much since he would tire out so quickly.

"Who are you?" asked Yumichika.

"My name," said Ren, taking a narrow stance, "is Lie Ren. I am from neither the Soul Society or the Living World, but from an entirely new world called Remnant. I am known as a Huntsman."

"Huntsman?" said Yumichika, "You say that, but that is unmistakably a Zanpakuto in your hand. I am known as Yumichika Ayasegawa, Fifth Seat of Squad 11. Since you've released your Zanpakuto, I shall do the same."

Ren stayed calm and composed. He considered this a test to see what kind and how far his strength gape is between another Soul Reaper, even though he was confident that he could beat Yumichika when going serious. The Huntsman drew out his second dual blade, but would only use to parry attacks, for now.

Yumichika put his hand over his Zanpakuto and chanted. "Bloom, Fuji Kujaku."

The blade turned into a long sickle. It wasn't curved enough to curve behind Ren's guard, but he shouldn't underestimate it. They stared each other down in silence, waiting for one to make the first move. Ren moved first, rushing down Yumichika without shunpo, and opened with a wide side slash. Yumichika blocked it, sending sparks off from the clash of steel, and countered with an overhead. Ren blocked it with a cross guard with his dual blades. Yumichika was staggered back from the backlash, and it showed Ren's strength and defense were above his.

Ren pushed on, swiping with a singular blade and keeping the other one on the defense. Yumichika was quick on his own defense, but Ren was starting to see through the pattern of it all. When Yumichika slashed from the bottom right, Ren took a pace back in his stance and then lunged through his reach with his blade forward. Yumichika barely acted in time and used shunpo to get back. Blood dripped from a cut where Ren's blade got him, and it enraged the Soul Reaper.

"How dare you!?" growled Yumichika, "How dare you cut my beautiful face?!"

"You should pay less attention on your looks," said Ren, using shunpo to get behind Yumichika, "and focus on the fight at hand."

Yumichika was familiar with the strategy and already had his blade ready to block Ren's strike. They clashed for a while as Yumichika attacked with more aggressively than a moment ago. Ren had to admit he felt himself getting pushed with each strike that became faster and closer. After each strike, Ren could feel a shock through his arm just trying to hold on to his blade. Suddenly, Yumichika swung a heavy slash and Ren positioned his blade to parry it away. At last second, Yumichika feinted into an upward slash, and when Ren tried moved his blade to block most of the damage the sickle suddenly unfolded into four copies.

"Your done for." roared Yumichika.

Three of the four sickles passed by Ren's blade and would've cut deep through his guts if he didn't have his Aura. The shield of his soul shimmered on his body as it held back the blades and sparks flew off. Yumichika was in total shock.

"What!?" Yumichika panicked, "I can't cut you!? Your spiritual pressure can't be that massive. Unless your like the Thir-"

Ren didn't let Yumichika finish his sentence as he prepared a Kido spell.

"Hadou 4: Byakurai."

Yumichika used his sickle to block the white bolt that had enough force to push him back. He bit his lip in rage at how Ren could stand there so calm and dare to use Kido.

"Don't you dare use a weakling thing such as Kido against a member of Squad 11." barked Yumichika, "I'll dice you into pieces."

As they clashed again sparks flying off as steel clashed against steel, Ren learned all he needed from this fight. His opponent was aggressive, but Ren held a cool head and the superior strength and skill with a sword. If it weren't for the training from Mr. Urahara, he would've lost due to stamina consumption. Such a problem wasn't one any longer, and it made Ren an unstoppable force.

"Tell me something, Lie Ren." said Yumichika, "Why are you stuck up with saving this ugly one over there?"

"Because he's my ally." answered Ren, locking his blade against the four sickles, "I won't abandon him like some bastard."

Finally, Ren resorted using his other dual blade as he deflected the four sickles away from him. Ren prepared his heaviest swing with that same blade in his left arm. Yumichika prepared to parry then use a heavy overhead swing to cut Ren's head off. He brought down the blade and it headed directly for the sickle as Yumichika planned, but it suddenly passed through his weapon like a ghost. Before he knew it, Ren dealt the decisive slash down Yumichika's body and blood leaked out of the deep wound.

Even as Yumichika fell, he still had the will to keep conscious. The more he moved, the more he bled. As an act of mercy, Ren made Yumichika stay still by pinning him down below his foot.

"How!?" said Yumichika, "I blocked that attack."

"That's my Zanpakuto's quirk, Kakkushifokkusu." said Ren, "Whatever the blade in my right hand slashed, it leaves a 'scent' that I can track down no matter how good my opponent is hiding. However, the blade in my left hand is more deadly. It does not allow any sort of guard to stop its attack. That's how my Zanpakuto haunts its victims, and seals the fate of those who try to best me."

Ren extended an open palm and chanted, "Bakudou 9: Geki. That should prevent you from losing blood until someone helps you. Consider this the next time you face us."

Yumichika only grumbled to himself and looked at Ren with rage. The Huntsman checked on Ganju, who was better than his injuries looked.

"Shoot up a firework so Ichigo can find you." said Ren, "I'm going to check on the others."

"How are you going to find them?" said Ganju, then he realized, "Wait a minute. Did you get a cut on all of us before we got here?"

"Don't ask me how." stated Ren before he vanished into a shunpo.

Ruby and Pyrrha clashed their Zanpakutos farther away from Ichigo's battle. Pyrrha was just as skilled and strong as Ruby remembered her, but it baffled her how Pyrrha could have turned into this sadistic maniac. The entire time they fought Pyrrha kept that maniacal smile and laughed.

"You may appear to be a novice." said Pyrrha, locking their blades together in a contest of strength, "Yet, you're form shows discipline and careful consideration. And your reflex and speed have quite a lot of experience. You may be on the level of a Second Seat. But..."

Suddenly, Ruby's guard was broken by Pyrrha's attack that held more strength than she could block. It left her wide-open from the chin and down, so Ruby had no choice but to hope her Aura would hold up and also attack herself. They both swung an overhead.

"... compared to me and my father, they are cattle." cried Pyrrha.

On contact, it sounded like steel clashed against steel as both their Zanpakutos were held back by an Aura that protected them. Both Ruby and Pyrrha were in shock and they jumped back.

"You're," said Pyrrha, "like me."

"That's called an Aura." said Ruby, "It's the physical manifestation of our soul, and it's proof that the your still in there."

Pyrrha looked amused. "I have no idea what you're on about, Rioka, but I do know one thing. This shield that surrounds was able to withstand a single strike from our captain. That's how I've earned my place in Squad 11, and said captain even brought under his wing as a daughter. He taught me everything I know, and I relish it all."

Ruby bit her lip. "So this captain turned you into this."

"He showed me the thrill of battle." said Pyrrha with a wicked smile, "If you and I share the same ability, then I won't hold back."

Pyrrha thrusted her blade into the ground as a knight would and chanted, "Bathe in blood, Muteki."

A light resonated from the blade. The hilt changed into a round red and gold shield even bigger than Ruby remembered and a sharp edge, and the blade itself turned into a short spear with a long, barbed blade. Pyrrha took a stance almost exact as Ruby remembered, her shield and left foot forward, but the spear and right foot hanging back. It made Ruby more hesitant to fight her seeing the same stance.

"Cast off the void, Mazazoru."

Ruby's Zapakuto transformed into her giant reaper, and she took an opposing stance as she anchored the blade into the ground.

"Your Zanpakuto is wonderful." said Pyrrha, "Go on. Let's fight to the death."

Ruby acted on self-defense as Pyrrha charged forth. She fired a bullet of reishi, but it only bounced off Pyrrha's shield. Once in close quarters, Pyrrha swung the barbed spear with lunges and well-placed pokes aimed for Ruby's neck and chest while keeping her shield up. Ruby deflected every attack away with the polearm of her reaper, but when Ruby took a slash at Pyrrha it contacted the shield and Ruby found herself staggered and dazed. Ruby swiped for her legs, but Pyrrha jumped over it and landed on the reaper. For a second, Ruby was stunned until Pyrrha shield bashed her away.

Next, Pyrrha threw her shield like a disc. As Ruby swayed away from it, Pyrrha engaged with spear only. Even as fast as Ruby wielded Mazazoru, Pyrrha relied on her Aura to tank through so she could get slices and stabs at Ruby. Pyrrha got her on the neck and chest and a slash down her right shoulder, wounds that would've been fatal if it weren't for her Aura. Pyrrha dodged out of Mazazoru's reach, and Ruby realized in time to deflect the returning shield.

"How did you know about that?" asked Pyrrha.

"It's your Semblance." said Ruby, "You manipulate metal objects. And that always was your strategy."

"Hmph." said Pyrrha, "Let's see you handle this."

Pyrrha threw the shield again, but it soared at even greater speeds that caught off Ruby off guard. It hit her in the gut, but her Aura held back the damage. Ruby twirled her reaper in a blur of motion to block the soaring shield as it came back again and again from all directions. It became so fast that Ruby couldn't keep up and she felt it smack her in the jaw, sides, stomach, and legs. Eventually, her Aura was gone, and the next hit actually sliced through her arm. It then dealt a blunt blow across Ruby's cheek, drawing blood.

Pyrrha recalled her shield, and her smile flattened seeing Ruby more beaten. She saw more of a fight in the hooded girl, and this was getting annoying.

"What a waste of time." said Pyrrha, bored with this fight. Pyrrha readied to throw her spear. It burned in golden reiatsu that gave off heat as though Ruby was in an oven. Ruby couldn't move due to the injuries she was inflicted from the shield.

'Too strong.' thought Ruby, 'She's too strong. As always.'

"Die." said Pyrrha, "Fangudo Faiya."

Ruby only managed to raise her reaper in defense before Pyrrha launched the spear like a rocket. The reaper didn't hold for long, and Ruby could only redirect away from her chest before her reaper shattered. The spear seared right through Ruby's side just below her left lung. Blood flooded out from the wound, and Ruby collapsed to her knees.

'Why?' thought Ruby, "Why am I still so weak?'

Pyrrha walked toward Ruby as the spear returned to her hand. She put the shield and spear on her back, and placed a hand on Ruby's head.

"I'll give you this." said Pyrrha, "Not many opponents ever lasted till I used Fangudo Faiya."

This was exactly how it played out when Pyrrha died: Pyrrha on her knees before Cinder. This time, Ruby was on her knees before Pyrrha herself with a similar look in her eyes like Cinder did. How could she have turned into this?

Suddenly, Ruby noticed that everything was dead still, like time had stopped. Pyrrha appeared transparent, and out of nowhere Summer (Mazazoru) appeared approaching her. She had a troubled look on her face as though she dreaded what was to come.

"M-Mom..." said Ruby.

"Ruby, I need to hear this." said Summer, "Do you want to win? Or do you want to live?"

Ruby thought about the question for a little bit, then answered, "If I lose, I won't live. So I have to win."

"Very well." replied Summer.

In an instant, Ruby found herself in her inner world, a field from Patch littered with roses and a singular willow tree. Ruby recognized that tree as the same one Team STRQ took a picture of themselves. Summer stood beside Ruby, her cloak flapping in the wind of her inner world, hiding away her feet. She held Mazazoru while Ruby held just some normal katanna.

"Ruby," said Summer, "I would gladly give you my strength, but you have to prove something. I can't give you anymore strength than you already till you convince her that you can wield me."

"'Her'?" said Ruby, "Who is this-"

A distorted cackle caught Ruby off midsentence. A black blur came from the willow tree and grabbed the reaper from Summer's hand. Even she was caught off guard. Ruby followed the blur's motion behind her and her eyes widened in shock. Wrapped in a coal black cloak was a doppleganger of Ruby. Instead of silver eyes and red hair, this copy of Ruby had black eyes with crimson pupils and white hair that matched her pale skin. Her smile sent chills through Ruby's spine.

"Who are you?" asked Ruby.

"He-he-he." snickered the doppleganger, "Someone who's ticked off how utterly lame you are."

'I don't get it.' thought Ruby, 'It's like I'm-'

"Looking at a Grimm." finished the clone, "That's right. My soul is a void."

"This is the test, Ruby." said Summer, "Your enemy is your-"

"Shut it!" snapped Grimm Ruby, "I'm calling the shots here. You want this reaper so badly, come and get it."

Ruby attacked first, out of rage. "Don't you dare talk to Mom like that."

"It's your fault really." said Grimm Ruby, pushing back Ruby easily, "After all, we're two sides of the same coin. She's both our mother."

"What?" exclaimed Ruby before she was pushed back like a thrown doll.

'What kind of strength is that?!' thought Ruby.

She gasped at the sight of Mazazoru. Red reiatsu burned off it so brightly, it was like the air was glowing with it.

'I know that Mazazoru was amazing but,' thought Ruby, 'I never realized. Makes this sword in my hands look like crap.'

"Are you just waiting to die?" asked Grimm Ruby.

Ruby stood in shock as Grimm Ruby spun the reaper from a looping hole along the polearm. It spun so fast with such strength that it ripped through the ground without stop.

"Why the heck are you wielding it like that?" said Ruby, "Uncle Qrow said-"

"I don't give a damn what that dust-bowl taught." snapped Grimm Ruby, "Did you even think how this reaper is supposed to be wielded?!"

Grimm Ruby rushed down Ruby as she spun the reaper like some string on a loop. It ripped the ground apart, and Ruby was forced to use her Semblance to get out of the way. She used the exact same Semblance to get behind Ruby. When she blocked the reaper, her arms shook violently from the force as Ruby was blown back.

"Do you really think," said Grimm Ruby, "you can have a friend just by knowing its name? That's what you've been doing, you arrogant brat. Just calling on Mazazoru's name is an insult to our mother. You can't begin to understand her."

"That's a lie!" Ruby protested, "I make it a mission to understand weapons. I think of them as an extension of one's being. Zanpakutos are the perfect representation of what I'm trying to get at. And it's not only weapons, but people too. If you're a part of me, then you know that I understand Team RWBY and everyone from Beacon. I trust them as allies not just because I understand them, but also because I know they will have my back. Like I trust Mazazoru with my life."

"Heh," responded Grimm Ruby, "then prove it!"

Ruby defended herself from a quick slash that held enough power to blow her across the field. She stopped herself by anchoring the blade into the ground, but stood there without a guard.

'Mazazoru,' thought Ruby, 'Mom, if I really don't understand, then you show me. Even if it is just a little at a time, I'll strive to know your power. Because I trust you with my life, and because I could never imagine anyone else fighting at my side along with my friends. Along with Team RWBY. As team leader, I think you are an irreplaceable member.'

At last second, Ruby felt familiar iron in her hands. Before her eyes was her reaper, and Grimm Ruby only had a normal blade. Summer smiled in the background. With one subtle swing, Ruby broke the Grimm's blade and she disappeared back to the real world. Grimm Ruby looked at the broken blade with contempt and glanced at Summer.

"She's stronger than I ever thought she would be." said Grimm Ruby, jumping back into the confines of the willow tree.

"You," said Summer, a bit grouchy, "did your part fine."

"C'mon, Mom," said Grimm Ruby, "why the hate?"

"No, it's not that." said Summer, regretting her tone, "Cri-"

Suddenly, Grimm Ruby blinked right in front of Summer, sending fear through her. There was the look of death in those red eyes like all Grimm gave off.

"You don't deserve to call me that!" snapped Grimm Ruby, "Train her well, Mother, because soon I'll take back the life you stole from me."

Grimm Ruby disappeared into the willow tree without a sound. Summer glanced down to the ground. Her knees gave out and Summer sobbed softly, tears dropping down into the meadow like rain.

"I'm," whimpered Summer, "I'm sorry."

Ruby's sealed up, and she overflowed with new strength. All that was left toward her opponent was disgust and hate.

"You idiot." said Ruby, "The Pyrrha I knew-"

Ruby got to her feet in quick succession and knocked her head hard into Pyrrha's face, causing her nose to bleed.

"-would never let her guard down like that." roared Ruby. She didn't bother picking up Mazazoru and instead followed-up with a right hook that impacted with a crack through the air.

"Pyrrha Nikos was invincible," cried Ruby, swinging more heavy punches and her eyes and reiatsu glowing silver, "because she had a heart for everyone around her. She was kind to her friends. She was pillar of support and encouragement for those in need. And she laughed with her team she considered family. I refuse to believe this is the true you Pyrrha."

Once Ruby saw Pyrrha raise up her shield, she grabbed her reaper and swept it aside with superior strength and dealt a bloody cut across her torso. Her guard gone, Ruby swung a left hook that sent Pyrrha into a tumble across the floor.

"I'll make you remember," cried Ruby, silver reiatsu rising like a flare, "even if I have to beat you to a bloody pulp."

Pyrrha got to her feet, and her smile widened even more. She altogether abandoned talking as a sickly dark blue reiatsu burned off her with an amazing pressure and concentrated onto her spear. Ruby knew she was going to put everything she got into one final attack, and so stayed her stance as she increased her spiritual power as well.

"Do you hear that?" said Summer, noting the screech in the air, "Her own Zanpakuto knows this isn't the real Pyrrha. It may be released physically, but the power behind it is in disharmony. It's tearing Pyrrha's soul apart."

"All I need is just one slice." said Ruby, her eyes basically lanterns of silver light, "She can't win."

Pyrrha's aura made a a decayed skull in a Greek helm. Ruby raised her reiatsu in response making a face with silver eyes, but it had a strange feature. The right side of its face was in a mask with a red eye that contrasted with the left silver eye.

Pyrrha charged down Ruby with only brute force in mind and blade. Ruby didn't move an inch and watched carefully as Pyrrha charged her down. She didn't even put up her shield, making it too easy. Ruby held the reaper near the head and held it in a downward stance.

"And Pyrrha," cried Ruby, "was never this slow."

Ruby swung up Mazazoru and caught Pyrrha from the chin to her toes as she cut a deep slice through her torso to the left shoulder. Pyrrha's blade left her hand, never to reach Ruby at all, and she looked with wide eyes at those silver eyes that burned so bright that the entire was engulfed in its mystic light. Her mind went ached as random visions passed by her vision, and it all went black.

When the light died down, Ruby was out of breath. Summer couldn't lend anymore power to stop the bleeding, but Ruby willed herself to stay on her feet. Pyrrha lay on the ground, bloody but still alive. If one were to wipe all the blood away, it would seem like she was sleeping soundly. Ruby made her way back to Ichigo, dragging Mazazoru on the ground.

"Maybe now," mumbled Ruby, "You'll come back to your real self."

Up next Chapter 9: RUN!

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