Chapter 17: Salem's Flying Circus

Salem stood over the corpse of whom was once the man known as Watts. Standing next to her at attention was the Hound, waiting patiently for its master's next command. No matter how long it will be. For its obedience, unlike so many others, she began to scratch behind its ears. The hound gave a low growl, the best it can approximate a positive emotion towards what it was receiving.

"For once a loyal subject. Now that you've had your fun, it's time to get down to business." She said, turning to look at her "pet".

The Hound stood at attention, practically imitating a soldier standing before their general.

"I need you to hunt down two individuals for me. Neo Politan and Ruby Rose. I want them brought back here alive." Salem explained simply.

"It will be done, master." The beast in a distorted, yet vaguely feminine voice answered, before rushing out the door, nearly breaking them off their hinges.

"Now it is time to see who truly is superior. Man, or Grimm." Salem said, getting a hint of satisfaction from this.

Meanwhile in Vale

Cinder was in her office, stewing over something. She had learned, from one of her more reliable spies and informants, that her old master was making her move. Specifically, she was making a move on Roman's former subordinate and her keepers Team RWBY. Under normal circumstances she couldn't be bothered with helping out other people, but she also didn't want to give Salem the satisfaction of achieving whatever her goal was.

Gritting her teeth, Cinder sighed in frustration. If she wanted to stop Salem, she knew what she had to do. She just had to hope that those brats and their little ice cream girl could actually pull this off. Reaching to where she knew the intercom was, she pressed the button to activate it.

"One of you, come into my office right now. I don't care who." Cinder said over the intercom.

Cinder waited several moments for one of her… subordinates to come into her office. She had a message that needed delivering immediately. Soon, she heard a knock at the door, signaling that one of them had arrived.

"Enter." Cinder called out evenly, trying to keep her annoyance out of her voice.

She then heard the door open as one of her underlings walked in. "You needed something, boss?" A male voice asked.

Nodding, Cinder "looked" in the general direction she heard the voice come from, where she knew the door was. "Yes. I need you to send an anonymous text to a specific number on Patch. It's a matter of utmost importance to my organization." She told the minion in question.

She could almost feel the grunt's confusion at his boss's order. "Um… sure thing. What's the message?"

"You'll be told what it is when you get to Patch and get a hold of the number in question. Dismissed." Cinder told him.

"Got it, boss." The goon replied as Cinder heard him leave, shutting the door behind him.

Turning her chair around, Cinder sighed in frustration. Never in her life did she think that getting what she wanted would involve having to actively try to help someone other than herself. But, whether she liked it or not, sacrifices had to be made for her own sake. She could only hope that the little girl and her friends were more competent than they looked.

Turning back to look at the crown, she recalled what she had learned through it earlier that day. It had given her a vision of sorts as soon as she had put it on. Two branching paths that would stem from the choice she would have to make this day. She would never forget that sensation of using the crown.

She had felt weightless. Like she was floating in space. Then, before she had known it, her feet felt like they had planted on something solid. A ground of sorts.

She then felt two presences before her, each going in two different directions. She couldn't see it, but she had sensed two branching paths, each completely different from the other. Paths that she could take depending on her decision from this point. The decision of what she should do now that she had the crown.

Turning her attention on the left path, she had felt a familiar dark presence before her. The unpleasant presence of her former master, the Grimm Queen Salem. Just the thought of the old witch's presence had made her skin crawl. She then felt herself holding out something towards the ancient abomination, the crown. What she had heard Salem's voice say to her had only angered her.

"Well done, Cinder. You actually did something right by bringing me the Relic. You have pleased me." Salem's voice had calmly said to her, not a hint of emotion in it.

Cinder had grit her teeth in rage at the backhanded praise. How dare that old witch speak to her like that. She wasn't some lackey to be talked down to. She was Cinder Fall. She was no one's tool.

Not only that, but she had no desire to aid Salem in her plans any further. She knew from personal experience that Salem's plans had never been what was best for anyone, least of all Cinder herself. No, she would not take that option. She would rather die.

She had then turned her attention to the other path, the one she had the feeling was the lesser of two evils. She had felt herself using the intercom to call one of her lackeys in to send a message to the Rose girl from Beacon and her team. Warning them of what Salem had coming for them. Of her intentions for them.

She had then heard growling roars and screams. The sounds of bullets pelting Grimm hide and blades and gauntlet covered fists impacting its flesh. She had then felt an ominous presence, followed by a strange feeling of warmth. This vision had confused her. What was happening?

This option was less pleasant and more mysterious, but not nearly as infuriating as helping Salem. She had sighed, deciding that she could work with and live with this. She had known what she was going to do. Though she also acknowledged that the chances of this choice working out for her in the long run would depend on the competency of four children and an amnesiac former, unknowing disciple. Or lack thereof, if things didn't work out in her favor.

She had then taken off the crown. She had made her choice and she had a plan. One that wasn't guaranteed to work, but a plan nonetheless. One that would screw over the old witch who had gotten her blinded in the first place.

Meanwhile on the island of Patch

The Xiao Long-Rose household had settled into a somewhat under an odd spell. Weiss was out training, Yang was making a late Saturday breakfast, Tai was dealing with a bit of loose roofing, and in the living room was Neo, Ruby and Blake. Neo was on the lazyboy, Blake was reading a book on the couch, and Ruby was on the other side of the couch from Neo. If Blake and the lazyboy did not exist in this scenario, things would enter a less than desirable direction. Ruby's attention was turned to her scroll as she got a message.

"Stay on your guard. You're going to be attacked. Salem wants you and Neo. Run now. And she wants you ALIVE!!" The message read, causing Ruby to raise an eyebrow.

She then heard a loud noise outside. It wasn't coming from the roof, so it wasn't Dad. Slowly but surely things began to piece together in her mind, and her eyes widened. The message was right. They needed to leave. Now.