"May dust be brought to dust, but not bring despair, for there is no futility even in death." -Monty Oum


RWBY: Black Rebellion


General James Ironwood and Specialist Winter Schnee, two of the most influential members of the Altesian Military, depending on who you ask. Since the Vytal Festival was in a short couple of months, they were currently en-route to Vale, where it would be hosted this year. Were he speaking personally, Ironwood was both anxious about the visit, as well as a bit excited. It had been a long time since he had come to see his friend, even though it was more of a work-related visit than anything else. That said, as he looked out the window of the VIP car of the express train making its way to the Glacier Resort, he couldn't help but feel slightly apalled. Perhaps Ozpin was rubbing off on him, but his paranoia was starting to rule over him, hence why he gave a small glare at the number of ships he brought with him. A precaution, he referred to it...yet he knew it was entirely unnecessary. Then again, a few of his own troops voiced their agreement, saying a show of force would make anyone who would want to cause trouble during their time think twice.

The purpose behind the visit to the resort was a conference that was being held. A few counsel members from Vacuo and Mistral were coming to discuss the Dust resources. Even in times of peace, Dust was still a highly valuable resource, and whenever a new Dust mine was discovered, there were talks about what to do with them. This, of course, led to his visit. As a representative of Atlas, he was also called for this meeting, while a councilman from from Vale would be unavailable due to his poor health, and thus could only attend via Scroll transmission. One had to admire the politician's dedication to his job. Either way, he wasn't exactly looking forward to this. While he was well-versed in politics, he was more of the person who handled things with a more direct approach. Regardless, he had to attend, one way or another.

"Quite the sight, if only to flaunt Atlas' power," Winter commented, sitting on a comfortable chair opposite to his, holding a steaming cup of tea in her hand. "Though is it necessary?"

"Hardly," Ironwood sighed, reclining in his own seat. "Perhaps Oz is right Maybe I am growing paranoid..." There was a brief pause before he looked up, staring once more back at his fleet with slight trepidation. "Then again, with what I know now, paranoia is more than justified. Our enemy is someone who can strike from the shadows without any warning, and all we can do is just sit and wait for something to happen."

Normally, this sort of information wouldn't be divulged to others, but he worked with Winter long enough to trust her, and Ozpin felt she was more than privy to their secrets. While she was not directly affiliated with their inner circle, she was most definitely regarded as an ally in their ranks. Winter felt the same as him, worried and anxious about simply waiting around for an attack that they had no idea when it would come. It was frustrating, really...but for now, they would wait. Besides, the Vytal Festival was coming up. Surely, their enemy wouldn't dare strike when security would be at its highest?


Had Blake been told she would be joining the Black Fang, she would have told them they were crazy.

The Faunus-in-hiding gave herself a once over as she looked at herself in the mirror. A black jacket with silver trims sat over her upper half, rolled up to the elbows for her own sense of fashion, while leaving it open to reveal a white shirt partially left open, revealing her abdomen. Underneath the shirt was a black muscle shirt that only hid her breasts, wrapping around her back and below the arms. Below, she wore black jeans with a pouch containing dust cartridges attached to her left thigh, with a slit opening near the hem of the jeans, revealing her ankles, which were covered by her long black boots. Gambol Shroud, as always, sat close to her side. Her bow had been discarded, thus revealing her Faunus heritage to the world. She held the mask of the Black Fang uneasily in her hands, staring at it with conflicting emotions.

The revelation of who Rouge Rose, the twin brother of her team leader, the hyperactive bundle that was Ruby Rose, truly was had shocked her straight to the core. It was hard to imagine that a mere fifteen year old child would be the leader of an infamous group that had been causing more than enough trouble in the world in their attacks on the criminal underworld and the White Fang. She was even more shell shocked when she heard that Adam, her former partner, had been a member for half a year now. When Rouge gave her an offer to join, she felt conflicted and confused. She was hurt that Rouge had withheld this information, though it was not out of personal feelings. At best, she considered them good acquaintances and held a good opinion of him because of how much he respected Faunus. She was more worried about Yang and Ruby. Obviously, he did not tell them about this, and she was worried about what could happen if they were to learn who was hiding underneath that mask.

She was also confused about what he was planning. Yes, she knew what the Black Fang's goal was. To uproot all criminal elements from the world, regardless if the world saw them as just or terrorists in some manner, but she was still unclear what it was that Rouge Rose himself wanted to achieve. She was unsure why she even accepted his offer. Was it to confirm whether or not the Black Fang was just for herself? Was it to find out what Rouge was hoping to achieve by doing all of this? If anything, she was even more confused than ever.

Blake gave another sigh before she realized she had been musing for nearly half an hour, looking at the clock hanging in the wall. Deciding it was time to play along with the tune, she turned and exited the bathroom, stepping into what had been revealed to be their new HQ for the time being. Rouge was thorough, as after each attack, he had their base of operations constantly on the move. What they were inside of now was, well, far more luxurious than what any wealthy man could ever hope to afford. It was a large vehicle with two stories, making it a sort of mobile home, albeit a very expensive one. She recalled that one of the many targets of the White Fang had purchased such an item, and the price was, well...let's just say she knew that money could go a long ways when it came to comfort and security. When she left the bathroom, she found the infamous Blue Devil himself, Edan Flaemis, leaning against the wall next to the door.

"Not a bad look for you, newbie," he said cheerfully, grinning. Now that she thought about it, when wasn't he grinning, smirking, or smiling? Was he just like that or something? "Have to say, you look catching."

Blake rolled her eyes at the obvious flirt. One of the other members warned that he was something of a playboy, chatting up with the girls who caught his fancy, regardless if they were Faunus or humans. Also, it isn't the first time she's had to deal with someone trying to earn her attention, thus she naturally ignored the compliment and instead chose to look at the interior. Even now, it was hard to believe Rouge had the resources to buy something as grand as this. She then turned to Rouge's apparent right-hand man. "How exactly...did Rouge get this?"

"I borrowed it from a rather wealthy businessman," Rouge's voice came up from behind, startling her. She turned to find him emerging from the staircase leading to the second floor, though his leather jacket was nowhere to be seen. He gave a small smile of assurance as he stepped down to the first floor, approaching the two. "Don't worry. There weren't any strings attached."

Her eyebrow rose to her hairline. "You...asked for it?" she inquired in disbelief. "Just like that?"

"If there's one thing you need to know about Leader," Edan told her, chuckling. "It's that he can be QUITE persuasive."

"What do you mean?" Blake couldn't help but ask. Persuasive in what way? That they blackmailed them?...or killed them? Honestly, she doubted it was because of sheer charisma befitting of a leader.

"That...is a story for another time, Blake." Rouge brushed off the question. "An even more important question...are you ready?"

The girl frowned. "Ready for what?"

"Take a look at the tube," Edan gestured to the plasma-screen TV. A few other members were gathered around it, apparently taking the time of reprieve well and decided to relax by watching something. However, an urgent news bulletin was being issued, given that Lisa Lavender was currently on. "It's our next job."

Curious, Blake went over, looking over the shoulder of one of her new comrades, and saw the news. [Breaking news!] Lisa Lavender announced. [We just received reports that Glacier Resort has been overtaken by Terrorists, and its residents held hostage.]

Blake's eyes widened as the screen showed what appeared to be the resort, which was more or less a giant mesh of towers, three in total, mixed together via walkways and pathways and sitting on a small patch of artificial land over a crystalline lake. In the background were many fleets, all of which appeared to be from Atlas given the obvious marking branded on the hull, and surrounding the hotel was both the Altesian military. Glacier Hotel was located in between the territories of Vale and Vacuo, thus while they could not be called military forces, Huntsmen and Huntresses from the desert region were also present. At the resort were ballistas, turrets, and soldiers. To Blake's shock, they were White Fang. However, rather than the standard white vests, they wore knee-length white coats with torn sleeves.

[The Resort was reported to have been taken over by the White Fang. The leader, confirmed to be Rojo Desagra, an ex-Huntsman from Mistral, has made no demands as of yet. Among the hostages are diplomats and politicians, as well as a few members from the councils of the Four Kingdoms. As of yet, there has been no word of any countermeasures.]

She remembered Rojo. He was another executive that Adam informed her about. He was a cold hearted extremist who wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone who got in his way, be it man, woman, elderly, or child. As long as it would contribute to the greater good of the White Fang, he had no qualms about doing the unpleasant.

In other words, a worse monster than even Adam was, given to what she learned this past week.


Ironwood knew something was up when he noticed a severe lack of security, given the importance of the conference meeting. If only he acted on his suspicions earlier, then they wouldn't even be in this mess.

The attack came so suddenly and without warning that no one even had time to register what was going on. Several ordinary civilians were killed, unlucky enough to not have their Aura unlocked given their status, and any who were alive were rounded up. They were herded and barred in the ballroom, which was big enough to house at least 300 people max. Ironwood's eyes scanned the area. At the double doors, three guards stood by, armed with rifles. To the side entrances were two more guards, though these were armed with swords rather than a firearm. Circling and watching them on the balconies were six more, these ones equipped with sniper rifles. Taking into account the four guards directly in front of them, bearing down on the guests and politicians and other important figures with tommy guns, the general counted fifteen in total.

Sixteen, he corrected himself, if one was to count the intimidating man standing before them. Rojo Desagra, the leader of the Mistral branch of the White Fang, was a tall and imposing individual, standing at 7 feet and wearing the white coat that belonged to the members of the Mistral WF faction, though unlike the other members, his sleeves were intact, coming down to his elbows while bracers covered the forearms, bearing sharp fins. Underneath the coat was a black vest meant to stop bullets, and black cargo pants with thick heavy combat boots. His face was obscured by the familiar Grimm mask, and like many important figures, this one was specialized, in that it had curled horns, and hid the upper half of his face. The lower half was hidden behind a thin face mask. In his hand was a gigantic sword, bearing a sharp serrated edge, though strangely the edge appeared to be separate from the blade as a whole, instead found inside, implying the sword was hollow, and was more like saw than anything else.

"I am Rojo Desagra," the man growled, his dark green eyes glaring at the people before him with utter loathing and hate. "Of the White Fang. As of this moment, your lives...are now in my hands."

His words instilled anxiety and fear into the civilians, no doubt panicking about being victims in a terrorist attack. James kept himself calm, trying to devise a course of action to ensure their safety. But right now...the chances are dismal at best. Winter looked ready to engage, evident by the willingness in her eyes, but she would only act on his order. Seeing that made the general confident. Now, the only question is...how would they manage to get out of this situation? All exits were blocked, guarded by men who were more than ready to end them, so the chances of causing a distraction in order to escape were pretty much destined to fail.

For now, much to his ire...all Ironwood could do was wait and bide his time.


"This is quite the conundrum," Peter Port remarked as he and his fellow teachers Goodwitch and Oobleck watched the news from the teacher's lounge, the portly man sitting on a velveteen sofa with a steaming mug in hand, narrowed eyes set into a frown. "If I recall, Vacuo and Mistral were supposed to be having a conference regarding the recently discovered Dust mines, isn't that right?"

Oobleck, ever the avid coffee drinker and historical avarice, took a quick drink from his own mug, pushing up his glasses. "Quite right," he said quickly. "Though if memory serves, I believe James was also there as well, attending as a representative from Atlas. Quite brazen, though, hijacking the Glacier Resort at such a critical time. I wonder, though, how on earth did they manage to get past the security?"

"Indeed," Glynda nodded in agreement, equally as dumbfounded by this fact. "These conferences are in regards to Remnant's most powerful source of energy, after all. And that's not even taking into account the councilmen and politicians and whatnot attending the event." She paused for a moment before a tone of disapproval entered her voice. "And that is not even taking into account the fact that James brought along a fleet of soldiers."

Despite her misgivings, James was actually prepare soft this situation. The only problem? The fleet he brought was unable to do anything without placing the hostages in danger. Ozpin, who had been watching the news, and the only other teacher besides Glynda without coffee in hand, much to one's confusion, was oddly silent. He was pensive, as if pondering something heavily. "What do you make of this situation, Oz?" Port asked curiously, turning to his friend and boss.

"...I believe it to be a dire situation...yet also a strange one. As Glynda stated, it should've been very unlikely for the White Fang to take complete control over the Glacier Resort with James' troops present for the conference. Not only did they bypass the guards and airships, but they successfully slew numerous civilians and taken the rest hostage, including the Kingdom Representatives of the conference." He folded his hands together as he fell deep in thought. :If I were to make a guess...this attack had been coordinated and planned out. It is no secret that a location is announced for a conference a week prior to the event itself. However, it is quite odd how the White Fang were able to quickly able to formulate a plan such as this. Were it just the diplomats and politicians, then this incident would be far less impressive, yet still dire no matter how you view it. And yet...James is among them, with his own fleet present no less. Given that, added to the conference attendants...how do you think this will be considered?"

Oobleck's face turned serious, his glasses drooping to remove the glare in them, showing narrowed eyes. "...it would make the rest of the White Fang cells in the other kingdoms act much more boldly," he answered grimly. "And that is not taking into consideration the ramifications of this incident, provided we take into account the worst case scenario."

"...Everyone within the Resort is killed, including the representatives, and the remaining guards will wage a futile war against the entirety of the White Fang Cell led by Rojo. Things will spiral down to chaos. Tensions between humans and faunus will reach an apex. Humans will scorn Faunus, and more Faunus will join the White Fang in vengeful retaliation. The cycle will continue...potentially invoking another Great War." Port was the one who stated the dismal scenario.

Ozpin nodded solemnly. "Indeed," he mused darkly. "One would think, even in times of peace, we would have some sort of reprieve..."

'And yet, we have none,' the white-haired man thought with regret, his mind focused on the woman who had been plaguing his life's work for as long as he could remember. 'Not so long as she plagues this world.'


Adam wasn't sure whether or not he should condemn Rojo for being a bigoted and arrogant fool, or applauding him for such a situation.

When word reached him and the White Fang here in Vale about the hotel hijacking, there was mostly, if not entirely, roars of excitement and awe that Rojo had accomplished such a feat. It was a mystery as to how the man was able to pull this off without some kind of benefactor, but regardless, the hijacking had more or less thrown Remnant into a potential state of discord. He knew Rojo would not make any demands, he was instead going to make a public execution after making false promises before performing the act before everyone. The former Huntsman, driven by the rage that had consumed him, not by oppression, but by the tragedies that came with it, was now the one who held Remnant at gun point. If he succeeded, public trust would fail, the governments would be facing outrage, blacklash, and then some. And with someone as influential as James Ironwood, a respected general from Atlas, among the attendants...well, it was not hard to imagine what kind of event would take place.

However, the applaud Adam thought of was that because of Rojo's actions...there was a great opportunity. An opportunity that would not be wasted.

'Looks like your plans have accelerated, Rouge,' he thought, hiding his smirk while his superior - for the time being - watched the events unfold with curiosity in her golden eyes. 'And you have the world as your audience. Now, why don't you show them what an agent of true chaos has in store for this world?'


Back at Beacon, many students had gathered in the main lobby on the first floor, watching the news with varied reactions and interests. Among those was Team RWBY, or rather the three members that were present. After the hectic week that involved Ruby and Yang's brother, Rouge, pulling a disappearing act and then suddenly showing back up, saying that he had been thinking about a great many things and met up with Blake along the way, the all-girl squad had lost the earlier dark tension. Weiss was notably a bit more happier...if only because she had managed to settle things with the odd-eyed boy that had been the cause behind her otherwise troubled state earlier.

That said...neither sister of the Rose/Xiao Long family was happy about how peace made between them. At least, how it started.

(Flashback, Six Days Ago)

*SLAP*

The sound of a hand smacking flesh had echoed throughout the hallway. It had already passed into nighttime, so the only students present at this time was Team RWBY. Currently, three of the four girls were staring at Weiss in utter shock and disbelief, as in spite of the heiress' calm yet cold face bearing down on Rouge Rose, who held his now stinging cheek with a face of indifference, had performed an action that was otherwise both expected yet shocking all the same. Yang, for her part, wanted to punch Weiss in the face for that, angry that she had hit her brother, even if a part of her felt he deserved it after verbally abusing her the other night while Ruby looked on in horror, expecting this kind of situation to pop up. Blake, meanwhile, looked on with worry about the possibility of continued bad blood. She had just settled things with Weiss, but she did not want another tense situation to arise.

"...okay," Rouge said, wincing. He had to admit, she had quite the slap. It hurt just as bad as the time Yang had sucker-punched him in one of their training sessions when they were younger. "I'll admit. I deserved that."

"Yes," Weiss said, her tone even as she folded her arms. "You did deserve it. First of all...let me be perfectly clear on something. I do. Not. Like. You." The words made Ruby and Blake's heart sink even further. The girl's glare was chilling, as they felt the temperature in the hall drop. "However, it is not for what you said the other night." Confusion formed on the faces of the heiress' team, while Rouge quirked an eyebrow. Weiss gave a small sigh, holding a hand to her temple. "In a way...you are right. I was simply making assumptions because of my family's rather...troubled history with Faunus in general. I was ignoring glaringly obvious facts because of that, and I am more than willing to accept those faults."

She opened her eyes, and her glare became all the more scathing.

"However..."

She took a step forward, invading her personal space.

"...NEVER associate me with Jacques Schnee. EVER."

Her tone of voice was heated and left no room for argument. "I am not like that man...I am my own person. My skewed perceptions may have been derived from my family's history with the Faunus...but I would NEVER stoop down to his level. I have the Schnee legacy to uphold...and a Legacy to repair after what he did after marrying into my family."

With this said, her glare grew to a pitch. "And so I say again...do not compare me to my father."

There was a chilling silence after that. Rouge's face remained set in indifference still, which only made Ruby all the more nervous. Yang was no better, as she half-expected Rouge to once again go into another verbal lashout at the girl. Blake was stunned by Weiss' words, and perhaps a bit touched. It seemed that Rouge's words from earlier seemed to have some sort of effect on her...one she could definitely say was for the better. For a moment, she was sure that she could confess the truth to her friends. She even made up her mind to do so when they returned to their dorm room. Those thoughts, however, did not stop her from worrying about what just might be a bloodbath that would occur at any moment.

Then, to her growing surprise (one of many since the revelations she learned an hour ago), the boy smiled. "...well, it's about damn time you actually spoke out your mind instead of talking like an actress on a script."

"...wait, what?" The entire team collectively questioned in shock.

"It's as I said," Rouge smirked. "You're no longer some puppet or doll your father molded into for his benefit. Your thoughts are now your own, and not from his biased propaganda towards the Faunus." He then shook his head. "However...actions speak louder than words...so you're going to have to prove it to me by taking action, Miss Schnee."

The all-girls team stared at him in utter shock, barely able to form a word. All of this...the antagonistic behavior...the verbal lashout from last night...all of that...was just to get her to act like this?! Needless to say, the sisters and Blake were speechless. However, to the Faunus-in-hiding, it was just yet another surprise in a growing list. Just how many times does he intend to shock her? Weiss finally snapped out of her stupor, a heavy blush on her cheeks before she gave a humph, turning away and crossing her arms. "F-fine! I'll prove to you I'm better than my father!"

"Looking forward to it," Rouge grinned. "Ice Queen."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

(End of Flashback)

True to Blake's mental promise, she had revealed the whole truth to her team after they returned to their dorm room once they bid Rouge farewell. She revealed her true race as a Faunus, and her previous affiliation with the White Fang. The girls were surprised, and for a moment Blake was worried that they would shun her. Weiss seemed to be absorbing the information and trying to decide how to best deal with it, though much to the cat girl's dismay, Yang's way of answering was to fondle her ears.

What? They looked so adorable~! And so was the way she purred (she does NOT purr!)~

When the girl saw the news, they immediately became concerned and worried about the lives at stake, though Weiss was glaring at the man, Rojo Desagra, with the utmost disdain. "Yeesh," Yang remarked, noticing her stare. "You know, Weiss, if looks could kill, that guy would be dead a hundred times over. I thought you were over your hate for the White Fang."

"I am," she responded curtly. "I'm simply disgusted that they would take advantage of a conference and take lives hostage. Plus, I've heard a bit about Desagra from my sister. He's caused more than enough grief for several families, including the Schnee Dust Corporation."

"I hope things will be okay," Ruby whimpered, hoping that some awesome and heroic Huntsmen would storm in and take down the White Fang Mistral Branch all by themselves, or the army pulled a beautiful art of deception and attacked the guys when they least expected it. "Why isn't anyone doing anything though?"

"It is a delicate situation," her partner explained. "Rojo has several important figures hostage. One wrong move, and-"

[Wait, what's this?!] Lavender's surprising exclamation earned much more attention, cutting off Weiss' words as she turned. The camera was recording the rooftop, where a White Fang officer was roughly pushing a man close to the edge. [They're taking a hostage to the roof! What are they planning?!]

It didn't take a genius to figure out what was about to happen. Ruby's heart fell as her eyes widened. "No!" she cried, startling some of the people around her. "Don't do it!"

However, her words meant nothing. As soon as the hostage was right at the edge, the White Fang officer pulled out his sidearm, and shot him, sending him straight over the edge.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ruby screeched in horror, pulling her hood over her eyes as if trying to block out what she just witnessed.

Everyone could only watch in horror as they saw the poor man fall to his death.


[Our demands have gone unmet, it seems,] Rojo Desagra said, having delivered a transmission to the news reporters and all but demanding that they broadcast it. After seeing the action earlier, Blake's knuckles turned white from how hard her clenched fists were. [Therefore...for every half our that passes, we will kill one hostage. Failure to comply with our demands any further, and, well...]

The threat lingered in the air before the transmission was cut off. While Lisa Lavender and another news anchor was reporting, many of the Black Fang were outraged by the horrid actions Rojo Desagra had committed on live television.

"THAT BASTARD!" The Racoon Faunus hurled the remote at the television in anger. "Failure to comply...he's just killing them for the heck of it!"

The Wolf Faunus looked equally as enraged as her thieving comrade. "He doesn't have any intention of letting them walk free," she snarled. "Once they agree to his demands, he'll kill them in front of everyone!"

Blake said nothing, in contrast to the others, who stared at the screen with fierce, rage-filled eyes. Rojo was as every bit a horrible, despicable monster as Adam told her. It was as the girl said - Rojo Desagra had no intention of allowing them to leave. Her mind raced to her friends back at Beacon. Were they seeing this as well? Gods, was RUBY seeing this? Out of concern, she looked at Rouge, who stared at the screen with his eyes narrowed at the screen. It was hard to tell what was going on in that mind of his. Then again, it was hard to understand what would drive a fifteen year old boy to start a resistance movement against both the criminal element and oppression and lump both concepts unto a single battlefield. Behind her, Edan sighed, shaking his head. "Dumbass," he muttered. "That Desagra guy really screwed the pooch now. If he kills everyone there, Faunus everywhere are gonna get a whole lot of hell for this."

"...indeed," Rouge said in agreement, speaking up. He looked to the members of the Black Fang. "That's why...I believe it's time for a proper introduction." Everyone gave him a puzzled look, especially Blake. What had he meant by that? Edan seemed to understand, as he developed a look of excitement. "Pack your gear. We're heading to the Glacier Resort. Edan, does Lavernius still owe you that favor?"

"Oh, you bet your ass he does," the Blue Devil answered with a grin so wide it looked to threaten to break his mug in half. "Shall I give him a call?"

"Please do," the odd-eyed teen nodded. He then turned to the Wolf and Racoon Faunus. "Hyain, Goe, see if you can hack into the broadcast system. If we're going to do this, well...may as well make it a damn good performance, no?"

The racoon, Hyain, grinned, giving his boss a thumbs up while Goe smirked, an evil glint dancing in her eyes. Meanwhile, Blake was stunned. He...was actually going through with this? He was going to save everyone? That was suicide! Even if he managed to procure a fast means of transporation to traverse the vast distance between where they were at now and the Glacier Hotel, which was smack dab in between the oceanic territories of Vale and Vacuo, trying to get into the place was going to be next to impossible!

"W-wait, hold on," she voiced her doubts, though felt a bit awkward when eyes fell on her in curiosity. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "A-are you sure about this, Rouge? I mean, I get it, we're far better equipped than your average resistance, but-"

"You're wrong." His voice cut her off sharply, causing her to flinch as his gaze bore into her. "We're not a resistance cell. Yes, we are murderers, liars and thieves, but we are not like the corrupted filth that prey on the weak and leave them for dead, Blake. Who we are...what we are trying to be..."

He held out a hand, clenching it into a fist.

"...are knights of justice."


Two hours had passed since the first prisoner had been escorted. Ironwood didn't need to know what happened to the man, given that the following four hostages were also escorted with a half-hour interval between each other. They were obviously executing them, which meant that the military had yet to give into Rojo's demands. A smart move on their part, given that Rojo had no obvious motive to keep them alive other than the satisfaction of knowing he had the military in the palm of his hand. By making them grovel to his will, he was practically mocking them, and would shame them further by executing everyone before them.

"Sir," Winter whispered. "What should we do?"

The general did not have an answer. It was a tight situation, especially since the group of hostages was slowly becoming more and more fraught with unease and panic. At this rate, things would no doubt go to hell quickly. His eyes trained as a guard passed by the crowd. One of the hostages, a civilian - a twelve year old girl at that - suddenly cowered as he passed by, clinging to her father. "A F-Faunus," she whimpered in fear.

It was the wrong thing to say, as when the guard heard it, his face turned livid red. "What did you say, you brat?!"

"N-no! Stop!" The girl cried, but the man's grip was like iron. No matter how much she struggled, he refused to let go.

"Let my daughter go!" the father pleaded as he tried to get up, only for another guard to pin him down with his foot, and aim his gun at his head. "P-please! She didn't mean it! I swear!"

"It doesn't matter, human!" the Faunus guard snarled. "You should be thankful that it'll be painless!"

"N-NO! STOP! I BEG OF YOU!"

'...enough,' a small voice echoed in the back of his head. In seconds, it rose to greater volume. 'This has gone on long enough.'

Hands clenched, and teeth gritted, Ironwood stood up, causing Winter's eyes to widen. Before she could stop him, he raised his voice. "Unhand that girl this instant," he all but demanded, causing everyone to look at him. "Otherwise I guarantee you, this will get ugly."

Every WF guard in the room raised their guns at him, eyes bearing anger at the brazen impudence. However, the fact that they did not recognize him instantly was good. It gave the element of surprise in a sense. After all, him being named a representative of Atlas was made last minute, so the info wouldn't have been disclosed yet. This would, at the very least, give his troops some time.

"Who the hell are you?!" the one that held the girl in his hand demanded, dropping her to the floor. He ignored her as she scrambled to her father, who held her tightly, afraid to let her go again.

Ironwood's gaze did not falter. "I want to have a chat with Rojo Desagra."

"What?! Who the hell do you think you-"

"My name is James Ironwood, of the Altesian Military," he stated clearly, causing everyone to stare at him in shock. "And I'll ask one more time...I want an audience with Desagra!"


Elsewhere, at an unknown location, there sat a luxurious mansion, sitting at the edge of a cliff which overlooked the flowing waves of the ocean. Though the night had begun to descend at the Glacier Resort, the time zone was different here, as the sky was still a brilliant orange, and the sun beginning to dip into the horizon. The mansion looked every bit as expensive as its furniture. White walls, however plain they may be, refurbished wooden stools, chairs and tables were situated throughout the manor. There were a few portraits that could be found, the most prominent being the one that sat atop the grand staircase that led to the second floor, which was directly in view of one's sight should they enter the mansion's doors. It depicted an exquisite piece, however morbid. It showed a figure garbed in black, bearing a high-collar cape and black metal mask over their face, running a purple sword through a man garbed in white, who bore a peaceful smile even after being impaled on the blade, a bloody hand caressing the mask.

In what could be considered the living room, two individuals could be found, watching the news displayed on the TV screen, the latest model one might add, which only showed the vast amount of wealth these two owned. The first was male, dressed in a professional tuxedo, though it more resembled the outfit of a butler. He wore a black dress jacket over a pristine white shirt with a purple ribbon tied around the collar, and over the hands were tight-fitting black gloves, which showed off his incredibly thin fingers, which appeared delicate yet refined, holding them behind his back. Below were dress pants, completely with slick black formal shoes. He appeared to be in his mid-to-late twenties, possessing a sharp chin and nose with cool purple eyes, and neatly styled purple hair. The second was female, who sat leisurely in the sofa the man stood next to.

"...are you certain of this, Mistress?" the butler inquired curiously. "I understand that this is to replicate events that gave birth to the man who so rightfully earned your interest, but...what if he does not act? We paid a good amount of money to pay off the security detail, after all." He gave a tired sigh, shaking his head before giving his master a disappointed, yet well-mannered glare. "It will be hard to replace 2.5 billion lien."

"Not to worry..." The woman waved off the concern. "Knowing that man...this is an opportunity he absolutely couldn't resist."

Even so, the butler looks unconvinced, but regardless trusted his master to know what she was doing.


"Alright boys and girls, you know the plan~" Edan chirped as the rest of the Black Fang officers finished prepping their gear. "We're heading in from the underground maintenance tunnels, and working our way up. We take down any and all White Fang goons while setting up some FD-Explosive Charges. If the info Goe got us is right, the hostages are in the ballroom on the twenty-fifth floor. They cut all electricity, so sadly, we're walking. Keep your comms on at all times. Everyone got that?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good, cause I ain't explaining it twice," Edan nodded.

Blake was half-listening half-in-shock. Then again, you couldn't really blame her, given how they even got here in the first place. 'We're riding,' she thought, the words in her head echoing as if she was making sure that this was real somehow. 'In...a submarine...'

She rarely got the chance to ride on such a vehicle, mainly due to her lack of missions involving one. Even so...it doesn't change the fact that the Black Fang had a submarine. Just where did Rouge get the money to purchase this! It was a state of the art built for military combat!

'First that luxury mobile base, and now this!' she cried in her mind, still reeling from the ungodly amount of money that was probably spent for both vehicles. 'Just where does he get this kind of money?!'

Now that she thought about it...where was Rouge, anyway? When Edan snapped her out of it, telling her to come up with them, she immediately followed. They exited the sub and entered a large, open space resembling a tunnel. If she remembered right, the maintenance tunnel was primarily used to make deliveries and repairs, though after a work accident while repairing damages to it done years ago, it was left abandoned, and the resort was remodeled so that it could take deliveries and transports and whatnot up above on the main road that would normally be used to receive guests. She went over the briefing in her head, confused about a few details.

'Why do we need FD-Explosives?'

Fire Dust Explosive Charges, or simply FD-Explosives, were powerful explosive devices on par with that of C4, which was rarely ever used these days, due to the more potent effect and cost-efficient usage of Fire Dust. One member carried the explosives in a bag, no doubt the demolitions expert, but it still confused her. What were they planning with such deadly firepower? Were they thinking of taking down the building? Why? For what purpose? It was infuriating not knowing, but she was also curious about where Rouge was. Without realizing it, she and the Black Fang had reached the twelfth floor before they came to a stop. Edan hid around the corner, peering his head out.

"How many?" someone asked.

"Six," Edan answered. "Four with rifles, and two with swords." He turned to Blake, who snapped out of her thoughts when she saw the Blue Devil look at her, and felt her back straighten. "So, kitty-cat...how fast can you run?"

"Don't call me that." She glared before responding. "And pretty fast. Why?"

"Think you can incapacitate all those guards without alerting the others?"

Blake moved a bit closer, looking at what she was dealing with. It was just as Edan said. There were six soldiers, four armed with rifles, the other two with swords. A pair of riflemen were stationed on either side of the door, while the remaining four patrolled along the corridor. Blake readied her Gambol Shroud. She looked at how wide the space of the hallway was, what laid in between her and the guards, and their movements. 'Even if I manage to take out the closest one, I won't be able to get even one foot closer to the others before they spot me,' she thought. 'If I used my semblance, I could probably take down one or two more, but the others will raise the alarm.'

"So," one of the members inquired. "Can you do it?"

"I can knock out two or three," she answered truthfully. "But the others will notice me."

Edan smiled. "At least you know your limits," he said, patting her on the shoulder before grinning. "And don't worry about the last couple of guards. I can handle them." Blake gave a nod, and the two prepared, waiting for one of the guards to get as close as possible. They shared a look. "Ready, kitty-cat?"

"Ready," she said, momentarily ignoring that nickname. She was starting to understand how Weiss felt.

"Then let's move!" Obeying the order, Blake dashed in.

As soon as she dashed out, she rushed forward and slammed her hilt straight into the first grunt's stomach, knocking the wind out of him before delivering a roundhouse kick to the side of his head, smashing him into the wall and knocking him out like a light. Swiftly, she changed her weapon into gun form, wrapping a black band around the barrel before tossing it, knocking out the weapons in her targets' hands. Before they had a chance to register what was happening, she used her semblance to give her an additional boost, the shadow clone throwing her forward. In mid-air, she angled her body just right so her feet would slam into them. When she reached her targets, her boots slammed straight into their faces, and were sent crashing to the ground. She looked up, and saw that the remaining three guards were now at full attention, realizing what was happening. When they saw her jacket and mask, their faces fell into disbelief and panic.

"The Black Fang?!" one shouted. "Fuck!" He turned to one of is comrades. "Sound the alarm!"

Behind her, Blake felt intense heat burning, a somewhat pleasant warmth washing over her. "Sorry pal," Edan apologized. "But can't have you spoiling the surprise. Newbie, duck!"

Blake did as she was told. She dropped to the ground and as she did, a wave of azure flames flew above her and crashed into the white fang grunts. They were thrown into the air, only to hit the ground in a flopping manner, their bodies slightly burnt. Blake's eyes widened, though to her relief, she heard them groaning. Even though she had joined the Black Fang, she still felt...uncomfortable with killing her former allies. She turned to see Edan sheathe his sword, gesturing for their comrades to come out. "All clear," he said. "Come on, let's move. Leader wants us to have the hostages out in twenty minutes."

"About that," Blake said, frowning. "Why do we have explosives? I mean, it isn't like we're going to blow up the resort...right?"

"Oh, we most definitely are." Edan answered without missing a beat.

For a while, Blake didn't say anything. However, the look she gave the man behind her mask was intense. "...why?"

"You'll understand soon enough, kitty-cat," Edan said, smiling still before moving past her. "Now come on, we got civvies to save."

Blake wanted to question him further, but she was stopped by one of the other officers. "Look...I know things may seem...extreme...but Edan and our Leader are not idiots...well, our Leader certainly isn't. They know what they're doing."

She would have argued further, but in the end, she sighed, choosing to follow her new allies towards their current objective. 'Just who in the world are you, Rouge?' she thought of the question that had been plaguing her all week. 'And just what are you planning...?'


"Move it, old man."

Ironwood kept silent throughout the whole trip. Though he was not handcuffed, or armed as much as he would have liked to be, the White Fang guards were more than rough with him. Every chance they had, they would shove him roughly, and made sure to make him remember who had a gun. Honestly, he was more concerned about the hostages. His actions might have bought some time...but how much? 'I must be growing soft if I willingly decided to hand myself over to the enemy,' the general thought, noticing the irony. 'If Oz heard about this, he'd be laughing.' In fact, he was sure his old friend was watching what was happening. There was no way he couldn't. He wouldn't be surprised if everyone was. The situation was quite serious after all.

All he could hope was to find a way to resolve this somehow. Rojo may not be willing to reason, and the general knew he would kill everyone, but there might be a way to find some sort of solution that would guarantee at least a few lives would be saved. Soon, they reached what looked to be the entrance to the luxury suite at the top of the resort. "Try anything funny, and we fill you with holes, general," one of the mooks sneered. Ironwood remained unfazed, bracing himself for a meeting. One of the guards then opened the door. "Boss! We have-"

His words fell short when they saw the state of the suite.

True to the name 'luxury suite,' it was larger and far prettier than most. Lavished furniture with a maroon love seat, a large TV screen, an in-door pool just outside the window, and even a kitchen, which would be fully stocked with food. However, since the White Fang took it over, it was obviously a mess. Walls were slashed and hacked with blood splattered, and the owner of the suite's corpse already removed. The sliding glass door was utterly shattered, furntiture was overturned, and the TV smashed. All were signs of a struggle. Inside that room were four individuals, three of which were dead...and those three were White Fang. One was slumped against the wall, holding a gun in his hand while a blood splatter was sprayed across the wall, next to his head. Another had blood stains pouring down his body, his neck showing a cut directly over his jugular. The most shocking sight was Rojo Desagra himself...with his saw-blade impaled straight through his chest, both hands on the grip.

In the old days of Mistral, warriors who swore service to the nobles once held a bizarre yet awing way to uphold their honor. By swearing service to their lords, they would fight for them and only them. If they failed to do this, they would hold steadfast to their honor and commit suicide -senpaku, Ironwood believed it was called. Rojo was a former Huntsman from Mistral, so it was not bizarre to think that he would know about the country's old history. However, that did not make the sight even more strange than it was, much less shocking. Why on earth would a man who was going to kill everyone once he shamed the military commit suicide?

"S-Sir!"

"Calm yourselves," the fourth occupant of the room said, earning their attention. "Rojo Desagra and his men realized the futility of their actions, so they killed themselves."

The fourth occupant of the ruined sweet was most definitely not with the White Fang. His clothes were far too bizarre yet extravagent to be considered among their ranks. Ironwood knew the individual was male because of the slim physique, as well as the obvious male voice that was filtered and bearing a metallic echo, no doubt to make intimidation. He wore a slim purple suit reminiscent to that of a tuxedo with golden trims, the collars tucked into a reverse position and holding a cravat at the neck, as if marking him with a sense of nobility or elegance. Covering the majority of his body was a black cape that wrapped around him like the wings of a bat, falling past the knees and ending at the calves. In hand, he wielded a custom-made sword that vaguely resembled a rapier, given how slim the blade blade it held was, and a barrel attached to the flat-end, marking it as a sword/gun type. The most defining piece would no doubt be the black mask that covered his whole head; a purple orb in the center, gazing back with an eerie sense of dread to any who saw it with a golden insignia resembling a bird in mid-flight found beneath it, wings stretching around the orb. It held several prongs, attached to sections of the mask that wrapped around to the back of the head, granting the mask a semblance of a crown-like piece.

"Well who the hell are you?!" The guards demanded as they trained their guns on the sole living occupant of the room, momentarily forgetting about the General.

"My name...is Zero." The figures voice boomed, not at all perturbed by the being at gunpoint.

Ironwood narrowed his eyes. 'Zero?' he questioned. 'As in, nothing?'

Before the White Fang grunts aim their weapons at him to end him, they suddenly found their weapons shot out of their hands. Surprised, the general looked to his surroundings, and found three individuals, all wearing black jackets and masks similar to that of the White Fang, only ebony in color. He recognized them easily, and immediately, he knew who Zero was.

This...was the leader of the Black Fang.

"General James Ironwood," Zero's voice spoke, earning his attention. Ironwood turned back to him, noticing that his gaze had settled on him while the White Fang grunts were being restrained. "One of the most influential members within the Altesian Military, on top of the most decorated officer in Remnant. You gave yourself up to protect the hostages...how interesting."

"I did what I had to." Ironwood answered calmly, trying to discern the man's motives. "I refuse to let anyone else be killed at the hands of these terrorists."

"How noble..."

Ironwood cautiously stepped inside the suite, keeping his eyes on Zero while bracing himself for anything. He was an unknown, and as far as Ironwood knew, unknowns were hard to pin down. "So tell me, Zero," he said slowly. "You've kept yourself hidden all of this time. You've never shown yourself, not once, no matter how many raids the Black Fang had taken. Why choose to reveal yourself now?"

"An opportune moment," Zero answered back, holstering his blade and letting his arm hang to the side. "To make my declaration to the world."

An eyebrow rose to his hairline. "Declaration?"

"Let me ask you something, General," Zero turned his head, gesturing to the dark night out the window. "When you look at Remnant, what do you see?"

The General did not know why he asked him this...but decided to play along. "...I see four Kingdoms living in times of peace, training the next generation of Huntsmen and Huntresses to combat the Grimm. However...lives are still lost every day in villages and settlements on the outskirts of the Kingdoms, where they lack complete protection from the Grimm or bandits. And even then...there are underlying threats greater than either one..."

"A good answer," the masked leader of the Black Fang said. "But not the correct one." Ironwood looked at the man, curious. "This world is twisted. Yes, settlements and kingdoms suffer from the threats of the White Fang and Grimm, but there's also danger inside the walls that protect them. People who prey upon the weaknesses of others, believing that those priveleged with power can rule and decide what to do with the lives of the helpless. All the while, those with the power who can help the weak do nothing, choosing to instead allow events to unfold in their favor."

There was a pause before his next words made Ironwood's blood run cold.

"...just like Ozpin."

Ironwood was about to interject, but Zero continued. "And don't think I don't know what I'm talking about. I know very well about this little game of his. How he uses everyone, including his own students like pieces on a Chess board, all for the greater good. But you know what they say...'the road to hell is paved with good intentions'. Especially when it comes to him fighting against that little opponent of his in this game..."

"And can you call yourself any better?" the Altesian general rebuked, glaring at the masked man. "From my perspective, you believe the Black Fang is doing good in this world."

"I don't claim to be a saint," Zero shook his head. "Or that I believe my actions are just. That is perspective. However, compared to Ozpin, at least I make sure my plans succeed. Can you say the same of him, given how he let the Fall Maiden allow her power to be taken?" The general's eyes widened. "Yes, I know of the Fall Maiden, and I am also aware how someone else has taken that power for themselves. Rather than use more sure methods to ensure Amber Autumn's safety, he instead sent only a single Huntsman to watch over her...and you saw the results. And now he wants to find a replacement to take her place in a dangerous game." Though Ironwood could not see past the mask, he could tell Zero's face was sent in a look of hate. "Men like that, who foolishly believe they're actions are just, are what make this world twisted, clinging to a concept that can't support the world any longer."

"And you believe you can do better?" Ironwood couldn't help but scowl. "You're clearly making yourself to be an enemy here, Zero. I can tell you this, whatever you hope to accomplish will be short-lived if you make an enemy of the Four Kingdoms."

Zero couldn't help but chuckle. "Perhaps," he agreed with the man. "However, for the sake of the world I seek to create...I am prepared to walk the path of blood, and throw this world into chaos." He raised his hand, snapping his fingers. Before Ironwood could try and understand the action, he suddenly found his world going dark as a Black Fang officer rammed the butt of his gun into his skull, knocking him out and letting his body fall to the ground. Zero turned to the officer, who saluted back at him. "Have Flaemis and Belladonna retrieved the hostages?"

"Yes, sir!" the soldier nodded. "They're readying the boats as we speak."

"Excellent," Zero smiled beneath the mask before he tapped the side of the metal facade. "Hyain, it's me. It's time to begin."


[It has been five hours now, since Rojo Desagra and the White Fang have taken over the Glacier Resort,] Lavender reported while the world of Remnant watched tensely. [And so far, since the fifth hostage was executed, none have been taken to the roof. Currently, there is no new developments, and word about the hostages is still unknown at this time.]

The world was in a tense state as the citizens of all the Kingdoms watched the new report with morbid interest. After the fifth execution, no more had taken place. This grabbed the attention of the viewers. Had something happened? What happened to the hostages? Questions and theories flew around like flies. In conversations. Social media. Everything.

At Beacon, the teachers, headmaster, and Team RWBY looked on with worry.

At the hideout of those who plotted behind the scenes, Cinder Fall, the White Fang Vale Branch and Adam Taurus looked on with curiosity.

At the mansion, the butler and his mistress looked on with interest.

Everyone looked on with anxiety.

Though minutes clocked by, nothing happened. The situation remained tense, like a powder keg ready to explode at any minute. All eyes were here at this very moment.

And it was here that one single individual would make his declaration.

It started without warning. There was no sign of it anywhere, not even a whisper of such a thing being remotely possible. Before the world, the Glacier Hotel broke apart at the bottom, black smoke teaming with lashing red flames that burned and cracked and broke away, consuming the building.

As it did, chaos spread in its wake. The viewers were stunned for various reasons. Did the White Fang perform a suicide bombing? What about the rest of the hostages? And more questions buzzed around.

But for one, silver eyed girl, her visage was shifted into one of sheer horror.

Once more, she pulled her hood over her head, unable to watch this even further. Yang pulled her closer to her, holding her in comfort while Weiss lowered her head in sorrow. Others were horrified, unable to comprehend the level of such an action. Cinder merely laughed, finding it hilarious that Rojo would decide to kill everyone inside, including himself. Adam, however, was fully aware of what truly laid in wait, as did the butler's mistress, as both individuals were smirking.

Their smirks only grew when the broadcast suddenly turned to static.

"The hell?!" someone watching the news cried. "What happened?! Turn the news back on!"

"What's the point?" another asked somberly. "We already know what happened."

It took several minutes before the broadcast was resumed...only it was from a different angle, and showing an unreal, and mystifying sight.

"People of Remnant...have no fear. I return your loved ones, unharmed."

To prove the strange voice's statement, the camera was pointed at the lake surrounding the Resort, showing all of the remaining hostages alive and well, floating away from the disaster on life rafts. Among those found were those staying at the hotel, the politicians and diplomats...even General Ironwood, who was found holding his head in hand with Specialist Winter Schnee.

However, while the attention was brought to the survivors...most of it was directed to the individual before them, bearing an intimidating black mask with a purple orb in the center glaring back at the entire audience watching the news, and a black cape wrapped around him.

"I am...Zero," the masked figure introduced himself. "People of Remnant, we are...the Black Fang."

Suddenly, spotlights flooded light behind him, revealing several individuals, all wearing black attire with masks hiding their faces. They all stood behind him in a reverse V-formation, with him leading the group. Despite their attire, the viewers were able to see the unique animal traits amongst half of their numbers, distinguishing them as Faunus.

They all stood proud and at attention, as if making their individual presence known to the world.

"We of the Black Fang stand for those who have no weapons to wield, be them human or Faunus!" Zero declared with fervor, his voice proud and strong while making his declaration. "The White Fang cowardly took innocent civilians hostage, and then mercilessly executed them. It was a wanton and meaningless act, therefore they have been punished accordingly. We cannot standby and allow such cruelty to be carried out, and so we made Rojo Desagra and his men pay for his actions!"


"What the hell is going on?!" the director of a news station demanded, outraged by what was happening. "How did they hijack the airwaves?!"

"W-we don't know!" a tech member stammered. "But we can't shut off the signal! Its being broadcasted everywhere!"


"Ho~ That was fast," Goe remarked as she typed away on her monitor. As per Zero's orders, she was to hijack every airwave on the big screen and broadcast the Black Fang's message all across Remnant. Already, a few stations had managed to get back their airwaves, as she saw a few icons that represented a hijacked airwave vanish. "Good response." A fierce grin formed on her face as her tail began to wag wildly. "Too bad~"

With a push of a key, a number of icons popped up on the screen...all over Remnant.

"I win~"


"We will not repudiate battle on a fair and level field, but neither will we tolerate a one-sided massacre of the weak by the strong." Zero continued with immense stride. "The only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed!"


The moment Zero made his appearance known to the world, he had immediately garnered Cinder's attention.

Just who was this masked man? And how did he manage to overtake the White Fang stationed at the resort, as well as save the remaining captives?

His manner of speaking, the demonstration he was giving, the way he spoke...

'This is all just one big performance to him.'

It was like the entire raid on the Resort was just a big preparation for this debut. Without her realizing, a smile was brought to her face. A smile of excitement. It seemed that a new player had entered the chess board...one that could prove to be utterly...fascinating.


"Wherever oppressors use their power to attack those who are powerless, we shall appear again, no matter how mighty, how formidable our foe may be!"


"Who the heck is this guy?" Yang asked, frowning. "Some kind of clown or something?"

"Yaaaang!" Ruby whined. "How can you say that?! He saved everyone! If anything, the costume makes him look like one of those cool anti-heroes! Y'know, like Red Hood!"

"Ruby. That's a comic book character. This is reality." Weiss scolded lightly. "...but I won't deny the fact that he saved everyone..."

Even still, she could not shake this feeling of trepidation. Who in the world was this person? How did he manage to save the attendants and guests at the Glacier Resort? Moreover...why did his words sound so...familiar? This was the first she had heard the man speak, yet somehow, the way he spoke was familiar, as if she had seen it before.


From where she stood, among the many number of humans and Faunus of the Black Fang, her eyes trained on Rouge...or rather, on Zero, who stood before the world stage. Since she joined, she could not understand what went through his mind, what drove him...yet now, she understood. Through this action, which would bring the world's eyes to him and remember his declaration, she now understood what he sought. His words from when he made her his offer echoed in her memories, showing the resolution behind them.

'So that's it,' she thought, both in amazement and in sadness. 'You're willing to make yourself an enemy to everyone to accomplish your goal.'

"Those of you with power, fear us!" Zero shouted at the top of his lungs, swinging his left arm out. Then his right arm. "Those of you without it, rally behind us!"

'Rouge...what is it that drives you to make yourself an enemy? Moreover...how far are you willing to go?' Blake closed her eyes somberly. Then, she made her decision. Ruby knew nothing about this - about Rouge donning this mask. Perhaps it was better that way. She knew Yang would be more than concerned and angry, but Ruby...she'd be devastated and heartbroken to see what kind of path her brother was setting himself on. If he was willing to go down this path, without any concern over his own safety, for the sake of making a better world, no matter the cost, and no matter whom he may face...she would stand by him.

It was the least she could do.

"We, the Black Fang..."

Zero's voice rose even higher as he made his declaration known to all - the Headmaster of Beacon, who's eyes narrowed dangerously at the man on the screen. The Altesian General, who's eyes locked on him with a scowl. Cinder Fall, who watched this declaration with intrigue, curiosity, interest and fascination, wondering just what sort of new changes this single individual would bring to this otherwise set game her master had set up. The woman who hid herself in the shadows, who smiled upon seeing her prized pupil finally set himself upon his path towards carnage. Edan, who smirked, reveling the chaos that his leader would bring forth to this world for the sake of a new world. The silver-eyed girl, who's eyes lit up with stars, practically cheering the man on in spite of his proclamation earlier. The woman behind the curtain of the world, who glared at Zero's image through the ball of the Seer, unsure of what this wild card had in store for the world.

The world, who waited on baited breath...and unaware of the change that it would soon be facing.

"SHALL BE THE ONES TO STAND IN JUDGEMENT OVER THIS WORLD!"


The Day the Demon was Reborn...END


The "end"?

...

...

...

D O N ' T
B E T
O N
I T


"...c'est magnifique."

That was all the praise the butler could muster. Truly, he had never seen such a magnificent performance before. He had seen the rise and fall of many who would otherwise seek to create a new change within the world, yet their revolution had always failed horribly, in one way or another. However, compared to those men, Zero had demonstrated something they had never shown before: strength, ambition, and the resolve to change this world. Perhaps all before him had that latter trait, but he had something to make up for it. Something which eluded even himself. He liked to believe he was excellent at reading people, determining what they were good at simply by their posture, and how they would react in certain situations based on personality and belief, and what could cause them to fall simply by gazing into their very eyes, diving to the depths of their inner souls.

However, for once, he was met with a man who he, for the life of him, could not see what this person was truly like. No matter how hard he tried, he could not pry open the seal on the lid that hid his very character.

Now, the butler understood his master's fancy in the boy.

"I see now why you've taken such an interest in the young man," he said, giving his mistress a brim smile. "Though I must confess, I am curious...where did you learn of him? All you've told me is that he is of the same ilk as the man who had changed the world."

His mistress gave him a coy smile. Even now, he felt his heart skip a beat, and barely managed to keep his face from flushing. The pure white kimono she wore, coupled by the sakura petal designs on them, had brought forth a stunning sense of serenity and presence to her, adding to her already mysterious allure. Her perfect, creamy white skin shined on the dim light of the falling sun, lime green hair curving on her cheek as she rested her chin against her knee, rich butter yellow eyes giving him a look of amusement. "A witch never reveals her secrets," she teased him, making him sigh.

What a tease she was.

The woman then turned her attention back to the frozen image of the mask of Zero, eyes narrowing dangerously, like a cat homing on its prey, and a strange smile, neither hostile or kind, making its way to her face. "Honestly, how long must you make a woman wait for you?" she asked, as if speaking to the individual. "Then again, that's just like you, isn't it?"

She giggled, and then a look of nostalgia formed over her face, her smile growing ever wider.

"...welcome back, Lelouch."


"As of this moment...the world belongs to me!" -Lelouch vi Britannia