Chapter 35
Haven's War
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
Flashback
"Scroll Communications / Tv"
Location / Date / Time Change
Night
Jaune swung his sword and Oscar blocked with his cane. His feet were pushed back a bit before he tripped and fell on his back. "Sorry, Oscar."
"Don't worry about it." The avatar said before the blonde helped him up. "Have we heard anything from Ruby and the others?"
"Oscar, they probably just got there." Jaune said. "They haven't had the chance to have anything happen to them."
"I know. It's just... it feels weird." Oscar said. "Ozpin's idea of splitting up. It just seems out of place."
"Aw, come on." Nora said, her hammer over her shoulders. "They're just standing around an empty hall. How much trouble could they be in?"
Main Hall
"Damn it, Leo!" Qrow growled as he swung his sword. The Beowulf roared and turned into mist as he jumped back towards the circle. He, his sister and the six teens were surrounded by all manner of Grimm, having been brought into a trap by Leo. "This is all making sense now. All the huntsman lost, Leo gave up their location to Salem. He killed them all."
"We can worry about that later." Raven said, stabbing a Creep. "Right now we need to survive this."
"But how did this even happen?" Ruby asked. "Why would he do this?"
"Something isn't right..." Vergil mumbled, looking around. "There's no way anyone could bring this many Grimm into one place." An Ursa lunged at Ruby and caught her before it started dragging her in. Wasting no time, Yang launched herself over and punched it. The swordsman watched as it flew back before fading away.
"So that's it. Ruby!" He pulled out a cartridge and tossed it at to Ruby. "Fire it at the ground!" Both sisters looked at him in confusion before a Beowulf pushed him down. "Do it!" He shouted, holding the slobbering jaw back with his sword.
Trusting her friend, Ruby loaded the gun and pointed the barrel at the ground before pulling the trigger. Electricity ripped through the ground and the Grimm shattered into shards of glass and revealed Cinder and her two partners, Neo on the ground in mild pain while a blank eyed Natsu stood unfazed.
"I don't know how you found out, but it doesn't matter." Cinder said standing up. "You won't see another sunrise."
The door pushed open and Hazel walked in. "The White Fang is setting charges outside. No one gets in, and no one gets out."
"Now, I believe you and I have some unfinished business." Cinder said before charging Ruby with fire shooting out of her feet.
The two flew back as Yang ran after them only for Mercury to block her path. "What's wrong, Blondie? I thought you would jump at the chance for payback." The blonde merely glared at him before swinging her charging him.
Neo ducked under a katana before hooking the handle with her umbrella and pulled Raven forward before kicking her. Raven released the blade from the hilt and slid back, sheathing her grip. "Don't think I'm worth your powers? I don't know whether to be grateful or insulted." Neo merely flung the blade to the aide and placed her umbrella on her shoulder before she waved her hand dismissively and Raven charged.
Emerald swung her kusarigama at Weiss who summoned a wall of ice before she pulled out her Scroll to call back up. The chain curved around the ice and hit Weiss' hand before wrapping around her weapon. Emerald pulled and sent Weiss into her wall, only for the heiress to summon another glyph and bounced off the wall. The chain yanked Emerald around before she used her other weapon to fire and hit Weiss into a pillar.
"Why are you doing this?" The ex-heiress asked. "If Salem wins then-"
A shot cut her off as she rolled out of the way. "I don't care what about Salem wants!" Emerald shouted back. "I owe Cinder everything I have. And that is something you could never understand."
Fire rose out of the ground and Cinder charged forward, only for the maiden to go right through Weiss as she swung her rapier.. Confused, she didn't see Emerald swung her hooked weapons and take out feet. She kicked Weiss away and then pulled her back in before slashing her Aura. Weiss jumped off some glyphs and bounced around before the hook pulled on her leg.
"Sorry for this, Natsu." Ryuko said before swinging her blade. The Faunus ducked the scissor and punched her in the stomach before jumping over Aerith. He spread his wings and flew around Vergil's shots before unleashing a roar of fire at him. Vergil jumped back only for Natsu to fly through the flames and slam him into a wall.
Natsu delivered two punches to the ribs before he held out his hand. Flames hardened onto a spike that he tried to stab into his partner, only for the swordsman to block with his guns. "Come on, Natsu. Whatever she's done to you you have to fight it." Natsu only pushed harder before strings wrapped around his neck.
Ryuko and Aerith pulled and sent him over their heads, crashing into a table. Standing up like nothing happened, Natsu merely plopped out another crystal and ate it, his hands hardened by stone. "I don't think we can reason with him." Ryuko said, helping Vergil up.
"What do we do now?" Aerith asked, spinning her staff.
"We try cognitive recalibration." Vergil said, drawing both his swords. "Hit him as hard as you can." The two girls nodded and charged their teammate who took off and flew at the trio.
Ruby hit the ground and rolled out of the way of a hardened fire sword before standing up. "You were always so easy to fool back at Beacon." Cinder chuckled. "Did you actually think you best me?" A scream caught the silver eyed girls attention as she saw Weiss' Aura drop to zero. "Are you going to let her die too?"
Ruby cocked her weapon and spun it before firing, sending her into the air. Cinder set her sword ablaze and swing it, clashing with Ruby's scythe. The maiden pushed back before seeing Ruby smirk. She fired her rifle send and shattered the sword. Cinder jumped back and moved to the side as Ruby's scythe scratched her Aura.
Enraged, Cinder pulled her hand back and blasted a ball of fire at her. Crescent Rose flew out of her hand and Ruby landed on the ground before Cinder slammed her foot down on her chest. "Did you really think you could beat ME!? I'm a Maiden and you, you're nothing! You can't beat me!"
Ruby groaned and looked up as fire rolled off the other girls eyes. "Maybe, but my friends will stop you." Ruby said.
Cinder closed her eyes and snuffed out the fire before merely chuckling. "Is that so?" She asked before seeing Weiss hit the floor. Walking off Ruby, the Maiden summoned a spear of hardened fire. The hooded girl went wide eyed before triggering her semblance. Cinder threw it as if it were nothing, it passed through the rose petals, and it pierced Weiss down the center of body.
All fighting stopped as they turned the see the spear turn to ash and Weiss fall over. Ruby caught her friend as she blinked her eyes and saw only Pyrrha on Beacon tower dying over and over again. "NNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!" Her eyes started before Emerald hit her in the head, dazing her as Cinder and Neo gripped their heads in pain.
"Weiss!" Aerith shouted before running towards the two. Natsu flew at her only for Vergil to swing his kitana at him. The Faunus came to a stop and was hit with the blunt side of Ryuko's Scissor Blades, sending him into a wall.
Qrow jumped back from one of Hazel's fist before blocking another punch. "Hope you feel real good about yourself, helping to kill a little girl."
"It's no different from what your master has done." Hazel said pushing against the blade.
"Oz has made a lot of mistakes, but he never killed a kid." Qrow replied before jumping back.
"Then you don't know him as well as you thought." Hazel said reaching into his pockets. "He'll die again and again for what he did." Yellow dust crystals filled his hand before he stabbed them into his arms. Electric energy began coursing through his arms before he roared and charged at Qrow.
"We've wasted enough time." Leo said, having hid behind the statue. "I've searched for this for too long. Just-just take the relic and go." He pulled out his watch and placed it in the statue. Gears began turning as the statue started lowering turning the top into a platform.
"Neo, let's get going." Cinder said. The mute girl spin kicked Raven away and she ran over to the other Maiden. The two stepped onto the platform as Cinder pulled out her Scroll. Typing in a message, she pressed a button and put it away.
Yang looked up from a kick and saw Ryuko holding onto Ruby while Vergil pushed against Natsu. On the other side, Aerith held her hands over Weiss trying to heal her. "Get them!" Ryuko shouted. "Your team is covered!"
The blonde nodded only to get axe kicked by Mercury. "You wanna get to them?" Emerald asked, standing over Yang. "You're going to have to get through all of us." Mercury chuckled as copies of him surrounded the blonde.
Emerald looked over her shoulder and jumped out of the way as Raven slashed her with a blue blade. "Get up. You want to save him, don't you?" Her mother asked before blocking one of Emeralds swings.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Aerith begged Weiss as her semblance covered the girl. "You can't die! I can't lose another friend! Not again!" The elevator went completely down as Leo jumped back from a stray shot and ran.
Qrow jumped back from a shocking punch before firing off a shot. Hazel didn't even flinch as the shot hit his Aura took the hit. He grabbed the Huntsman and threw him to the side. Qrow dug his blade into the ground and flipped it into its scythe mode before charging at the massive man.
Ruby groaned as she opened her eyes and stared up at Ryuko. She pushed herself past the smile and saw Weiss on the ground. "Weiss!" The two raced over and surrounded the downed snowette." "What's happening?"
"She's in bad shape..." Aerith whispered on the verge of tears. "I-I don't know-"
"You can heal her." Ryuko said.
"No, I can't." The healer replied. "I couldn't do anything at Beacon and I can't do anything-"
"Stop talking like that!" Ryuko said. "You screwed up in the past, sure. But you're not the same person as then! You're stronger than then and you can do this!" She grabbed her hand and gripped it as the aura turned a dark green. Weiss let out a gasp as her Aura started flaring up.
Aerith let a smile fill her face as Weiss' gasps became more and more consistent. "I told you so." Ryuko chuckled punching her friend in the shoulder before turning to Ruby. "Now go help your sister." Strings shot off her fingers before Crescent Rose landed next to Ruby. "No one is gonna get past me."
Ruby looked over to see Yang getting kicked by Mercury before Emerald swung her blade, slashing her Aura. Mercury unleashed a flurry of kicks before jumping back from a diving Raven. The scythe user nodded and used her weapon to launch herself at the two enemies. She spun her blade and forced Emerald back.
"Thanks, sis." Yang said standing up. Raven landed next to the sisters and drew a new blade. "You okay?"
"No... I'm angry." Ruby replied, making Raven smirk.
"Then use that anger and fight." The bandit leader said before the three women charged.
Emerald jumped back from the mother and daughter while Mercury kicked the scythe out of Ruby's hands. "Uh oh, what you gonna do now?" He threw a punch that Ruby ducked and reached behind her cloak. She spun and Mercury jumped back from a small serrated dagger now in her hand.
"You really think that little knife can touch me?" He chuckled, missing the smirk on Rubys face.
She pressed a button in the pommel and the simple blade expanded into a red spear with a black handle and blade edges. The sharp end butt into Mercurys Aura before it started sparking, shocking him. "Yeah, I think it will." She said, picking up her scythe and running at him.
Ryuko pushed back against Natsu's fist as she looked over her shoulder. "How you doing back there?"
Weiss continued to be bathed in the green glow as Aerith smiled. "Good. She's getting better, and she should be coming too soon."
"Great. Any chance you could hurry it up!?" Her partner asked before kicking Natsu away. Weiss opened her eyes and looked up. Seeing her friend, she let out a soft smile as she rested.
Vergil swung his blade at Natsu before Ryuko tried to stab him. A stray bolt of lightning flew and hit Ryuko, making her drop to the ground. Vergil glared at Hazel before charging the large man as he kicked Qrow to the side. The large man blocked the sword swings before he grabbed Vergil and forced him to the ground.
Gripping his head, Hazel started electrocuting him as Vergil cried in pain. "This is what will happen when I get hold of Ozpin!" He declared to Qrow. Vergil grabbed the hand as his Aura glowed before a blue scythe-guitar appeared on his back. He swung his legs and made Hazel drop to his knees before he pulled the guitar off and swung it, sending the large man crashing through a pillar.
"Kid, I don't know what this guy is doing." Qrow panted out as Vergil looked over. "But he doesn't seem like he's feeling any pain. Maybe its his semblance, maybe he's built up an immunity to it with all that Dust. I don't know."
"He doesn't need to get hurt." The swordsman said, switching to his gauntlets and greaves as Hazel charged him. "He just needs to stay down!" At the last second, he threw a one inch punch punch right into Hazel's gut, launching the man and destroying the entire main door.
He bounced along the ground and pushed himself up, finding Adam in his face. "This is our problem... not yours." Hazel said before impaling himself with Fire crystals.
"Focus!" Adam ordered. "Our task is almost done."
"Adam!" The masked Faunus looked up to see the cat Faunus standing above them. "Stand down!"
One Fang member prepared his gun as Adam blocked him. "Please tell me you're going to appeal to my better nature and beg me not to do this." He said, hoping for a good laugh.
"I didn't come here for that. I came here to stop you." She declared. "Because if you do this, things will only get worse for the Faunus."
"That's where you're wrong, Blake." The leader replied. "We are doing this, and you can't stop us."
"You're right, I can't stop you." Blake said. "Not alone." The group looked over to see Sun leading a group of armed Faunus bearing the old Fang symbol. On the other side, Ghira did the same with his group. Airships took off and blinded the group of extremists as the police demanded their surrender.
Blake jumped down and Adam turned to her. "I'll admit, I'm impressed Blake." He confessed. "But you miscalculated one thing; we are all prepared to die for this." He pulled out the detonator and the other members nodded. "Can you say the same?" He pressed the button and prepared for his 'glorious death', only for nothing to happen. "What!?"
"We sent someone to confirm your explosives, and then disarm them." Blake said, smiling at the tower. "It's over."
Adam growled in anger before drawing his blade. "Kill them all, and get those explosives working again." He ordered as the others started fighting.
Hazel watched before something pierced his chest. A white icicle stuck out of his gut before strings pulled him back into the building as Blake followed him. Standing at the hole, she saw her team and NVAR fighting not only Cinder's Faction, but also each other. "Yang! Go!" Ruby shouted as her sister charged towards the hole.
Emerald jumped at her but Raven kicked her away and followed her daughter. Mercury grabbed the blondes mechanical arm and she glared in anger, only for a breath of calmness to hit her and she detached her arm. The two jumped down the hole as a wall of ice sealed off the path.
Vault Level
The two Maidens walked away from the vault, Neo holding the relic of knowledge with a smile on her face. "You know, Neo. Salem told me something rather interesting." The Fall Maiden said, looking over her shoulder. "She said that if a Maiden is killed in the Relic chamber, it becomes sealed for a hundred years." Neo had no time to react before the hidden Grimm in Cinder's glove hit her in the chest.
The mute dropped the lantern and clutched the Grimm as hard as she could, trying to pull it off. "Did you really think I would ever share this power with anyone?" Cinder asked. "Natsu belongs to me and me alone. And I will take what is mine." Neo glared at Cinder before her eyes went behind her. Cinder turned around and saw Roman standing there his cane pointed at her head.
"Oh, please. Did you really think I would fall for-AGH!" She turned to find Neo had stabbed her glove with her umbrella's blade. With a twist that forced her to let go, Neo spun and freed herself from the Grimm before kicking Cinder back. Roman shattered into glass as Neo threw the glove over the ledge. "That was a mistake." Cinder growled, hugging her arm.
Cinder summoned a hardened flame blade as Neo flicked her umbrella clean of Grimm. The two charged and pushed against each other before they started swinging their blades. Neo jumped back as a trunk rose up and she launched herself at Cinder, slicing at her legs. The Fall maiden dropped down in pain as a black mist left her dress.
Neo placed her umbrella over her shoulder before flaunting her legs as Cinder summoned another sword. The former allies jumped around and swung their blades Cinder summoned a second sword and sliced against Neo's stomach. The Spring Maiden shattered into glass before the real one tried a jumping stab. Cinder rolled out of the way and grabbed the lamp before swinging it, cracking Neo in the head.
Neo hooked the chain on the lamb and pulled on it, dragging Cinder towards her. She spun and kicked Cinder in the eye, making the girl let go. Cinder summoned another fire spear and threw it only for to hit the lamp and shatter before Neo threw it to the side. The two charged and continued to swing their weapons before magic surrounded the pair.
Cinder summoned a large broadsword while Neo enhanced her umbrella into a tree spear. Both launched themselves and their weapons clashed, creating an enormous explosion that loosened the stalactites. The pointed rocks started falling around the two before both jumped back from one before Cinder smirked and raised her hand.
Neo braced herself behind her the umbrella only for the ice to hit her feet. Trapping her, Neo looked up as a large rock fell down on her. The rubble began to fly at Cinder so she jumped on to another falling rock. The dust settled and Cinder went wide eyed as Neo followed suit, a wooden umbrella in her other hand.
She jumped off a rock and swung at Cinder who blocked and the two jumped off of falling rocks, slashing at each other with their blades. Cinder shattered another illusion before Neo sliced at her feet. The Fall Maiden jumped over and kicked Neo in the face before stabbing down. Neo rolled out of the way and jumped off a falling rock.
She dived at Cinder and extended her wooden spear, only for Cinder to kick a large rock into her. Neo stumbled back before she stabbed her umbrella into the rock and spun around it. Cinder shattered another illusion and Neo kicked her back just as the rock hit the temple floor.
Both girls panted in exhaustion as their Aura's faded. Neo was the first to stand, using her umbrella as a support. "Don't you DARE look down on me!" Cinder shouted as Neo smirked before looking in shock. Cinder turned around and was face to face with Salem. The Fall Maiden backed away in a panic only for something to pull on her dress and a kick to hit her in the face.
Her mask and Salem shattered as she flew over the edge of the bridge. Neo looked down and prepared to fire off a blast of ice, only for a spear of fire to pierce her. Cinder smirked before the ice coated over her, sending her falling over the abyss. Gasping in pain, Neo stumbled over to the Relic at the door as Yang and Raven landed in the chamber.
The bandit leader looked around at the carnage of the battle as Yang raced over to Neo. "Where is Cinder?"
The mute merely motioned over to the edge before handing the blonde the relic and a Scroll. "Free... Natsu..." She whispered before coughing up some blood. "Cinder... controls... him... He's... lucky... to have you..." She smiled one last time as the life faded from her eyes.
Yang reached up and closed her eyes, only to find the mute's body glowing in a green light. The door to the vault closed before vines completely over took it. Flowers started blooming off the tree as a green orb floated out of the fresh corpse before it flew into the blonde. Glowing petals surrounded Yang and spiraled around her before they lifted her off the ground.
Her eyes started glowing in a green aura as the petals lowered her down and her mother smirked. "So, now you're the Spring Maiden?"
"Yeah, I guess I am." Yang replied, staring at her hand.
"It doesn't matter, really." Her mother replied. "It's time to fulfill the bargain. Give me the relic. I'm the only one strong enough to-"
"Just shut up!" Yang shouted back, shocking her mother. "You don't know what it really means to be strong! You turn your back on friends and family, run away when things get too hard and put others in danger instead of yourself! It doesn't matter how skilled you are, you're not strong."
"How dare you even think of lecturing me?!" Raven shouted back. "You're standing there, shaking like a little girl!"
"You're right, I am scared." Yang said back. "But I'm still standing here. I'm not like you, running away from everything. And that is why you're leaving WITHOUT the Relic."
"Why would I ever-"
"Because you're scared of Salem!" Her daughter interrupted, her new power flaring up. "And if you thought having a Maiden put a target on your back, just think of what Salem will if you have a Relic. She'll come after you with everything she has, or she could come after me with my power. And I'll be standing here."
The blonde stepped forward and stared her mother in the eye. "Yang, you don't want to do this."
"Maybe not. But someone has to stand up to her." Yang replied as she turned and walked back to Neo.
Raven clutched her arm as tears fell from her eyes. "I... I'm sorry."
"Me too." Yang said, not even turning around as Raven opened another portal. The blonde reached down and picked up the scroll before running through the functions. Finally finding what she wanted, Yang pressed 'Enter' as tears started forming in her eyes. Joyous or bittersweet, she couldn't say.
Above Ground
Adam had long since fled from the fight and the remaining White Fang members were being dealt with by Sun and Ilia, letting Blake aid her other friends. The cat Faunus kicked Hazel back as Vergil and Ryuko swung their blades, forcing Emerald to dodge. Aerith pointed her gun and fired, forcing Natsu to take to the air. "That's enough." Ruby panted, pointing both weapons at the trio. "Just give up."
Mercury growled in anger before punching the ground. "It's not done!" Emerald shouted. "Cinder will come back with the Relic and she'll stop all over you! She won't let us-" Her praise was interrupted when Natsu dropped out of the sky, crashing to the floor. The three turned around as the platform rose up, Yang and the Relic at the center.
Ruby smiled at her sister as Emerald dropped to her knees. "Emerald, we need to go. Get up." Mercury demanded. Hazel moved to grab Natsu but his team blocked the behemoths path. The vernette screamed in anger as her Semblance went wild. Red lights filled the room as a giant twisted Salem roared before flying at the group. Every one in the room cowered in fear before their eyes adjusted, showing everything normal.
"What-what was that?" Blake asked.
"I don't think we want to know." Aerith replied.
Blake let put a sigh as her parents, Sun and Sage ran into the building after her. Her family gave a quick hug before they separated. "The police are rounding up the remaining White Fang members." Her mother said. "Haven is safe."
"Unfortunately, Adams seems to have escaped." Ghira said.
"It's okay." Ilia spoke up, walking over to them. "Everyone saw what Adam tried to do. The only ones left will be the most repugnant and violent members. No sane Faunus will want to join them."
"We've been fighting amongst ourselves for too long." Ghira said. "It's time for a new brotherhood. A new family for Faunus to truly work towards a better world."
"They'll need a new leader." Kali said.
Sun and Sage looked over and noticed RWY before the male Faunus pulled Blake with his tail. Nervously, she walked forward as Yang handed Qrow the Relic. Ruby collapsed as Weiss caught her while Vergil and the girls picked up Natsu. "So, Blake... what're you doing here?" Ruby asked.
"I... I was going to ask you all the same thing." She nervously confessed.
"That's... a long story." Ruby chuckled.
"Well, I'm not going anywhere." The Faunus replied.
"That's all that matters." The leader said. "That we're all together. Right?"
The Faunus glanced at Yang her opened her arms. Blake ran into the trio and they embraced in a hug. Natsu's team walked over with Vergil carrying his leader on his shoulder. "So, what do we do now?" Vergil asked.
This'll do it for Volume Five. A lot happened here and it was crazy. Ruby's new weapon debut, Natsu is back with his team and his girlfriend is now the Spring Maiden. The rules say 'whoever is last in their thoughts', never said it had to in a positive or negative light. And on this site I've seen Ruby as a Maiden, Pyrrha living and the Maiden, I don't think I've seen one where Yang is a Maiden.
I did make the '100 years' thing because I thought it would be an interesting addition to the rules. Plus, if they can just plop the Relic back into the Vault, it kinda devalues everything that happened. Volume six will be starting next year, and that will also have some changes. See ya.
Beta read by TheExcadrillComics.