"Behind me is the Schnee Manor, which suffered a devastating attack this afternoon. A currently unknown group planted a bomb in the foyer, which was set off remotely. Atlesian police currently suspect the White Fang, a Faunus terrorist organization, of planting the bomb. While no other information has been released by the police, I'm told that there were multiple casualities." Ruby, Yang, and Blake sat together in Pyrrha and Jaune's house, watching the TV with grim expressions. None of them had spoken since turning on the TV, and hadn't said much at all since carrying Weiss to the house.

The rest of the report was nothing but white noise to Ruby: an annoying fuzzy sound playing in the background of her mind. All she could think of was Weiss, lying injured and unconscious upstairs. She felt worthless sitting downstairs, as if whoever had planted that bomb would burst through the upstairs window to finish the job. Jaune had been insistent that they all stay downstairs however, as he didn't want them crowding around him while he was trying to heal her. What luck that he had an aura-amplifying semblance and they didn't have to show up at a hospital with the missing Schnee heiress.

"I can't believe it," Blake murmured to herself, a hand pressed against her stomach in a vain attempt to quell the roiling beneath. She didn't want to believe that it was the work of the White Fang. It could've been another militant group that hated the Schnees, of which there were numerous. In the back of her mind, she knew she was in denial, but she chose to live in that denial. It was better than remembering exactly what the White Fang were capable of.

"No kidding," Yang replied, leaning back on the couch and letting her arms rest behind it. "The police are gonna come down hard on their asses for this one." Blake didn't doubt that, though she shuddered to imagine how many more people were going to die because of this.

"I need to go check on Weiss." Blake wasn't the only one feeling sick to her stomach. Ruby was standing and rushing up the stairs before anyone could stop her. She couldn't stand being down there a moment longer: she had to know whether Weiss was okay.

In the room where they had taken Weiss, she still seemed to be unconscious. Jaune was still tending to her, so focused that he didn't notice that anyone had come in. Rather than disturb him, Ruby silently crept up enough distance to where she could see Weiss completely. Her face was surprisingly relaxed, as if she was peacefully sleeping. However, the injuries on her body told a different story. Ruby started nervously chewing on her lower lip, her mind swirling as she desperately wanted answers. Who had done that to Weiss's house? Were they going to strike again? How had life become so crazy in only a couple of days?

"Ruby?" She jumped, not having realized that she'd been noticed. Jaune was standing next to her, holding a first aid kit. "I've treated her wounds. She'll be fine, she just needs to rest." Ruby just nodded, staring down at her feet. She waited until she heard Jaune's footsteps leave the room, then she went over to the bed. Dropping down onto her knees, she put a hand on Weiss's: she didn't stir.

"Oh Weiss," she whispered, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "I'm so glad you're okay. This is all so... I don't even know." She looked over her shoulder, making sure no one else had walked into the room. "What if this has to do with Salem and the whole 'world is going to be destroyed' thing? I don't care how many random powers I have: I can't do this by myself." She didn't want anyone to know how much doubt she was experiencing. At least an unconscious Weiss wouldn't hear her or tell anyone what she was going through. However, to her surprise, she felt a cold hand grab hers. She looked down, eyes widening. "Weiss?"

"What are you talking about, you dolt? Since when were you doing this by yourself?" Weiss's voice was weak, but Ruby heard her loud and clear. "You have your sister, don't you? Not to mention the greatest huntress of our generation." She gave Ruby a weak smile, squeezing Ruby's hand with as much strength as she had left in her. "And now you have me." Ruby's jaw dropped, sure that she had heard that wrong.

"You-"

"Yes, me. Don't make me repeat myself." Weiss sighed, releasing her loose grip on Ruby's hand. Such a simple action seemed to have already tired her out. "I don't have much of a home to go back to, now do I? Besides, you're going to stop those who are trying to destroy the world, aren't you?" Ruby nodded, hope fluttering in her chest. "Well, I know exactly who was behind the attack on my home." Her expression twisted in anger. "Those damned White Fang members."

"Those damned animals. They're going to bring the entire army down here!" An annoyed voice echoed across an old, abandoned warehouse. Inside the two floor warehouse were a number of SDC-marked freight crates, several ominous-looking mechs, and a currently-unused helicopter. Roaming around them, puffing angrily on his cigar, was one Roman Torchwick. The notorious criminal-at-large, wanted on multiple counts of grand robbery, was not happy. No, he was not happy in the slightest. He had great big plans, and bombing the damned Schnee Manor was not one of them. "When that damned Cinder gets back here-"

"Then what?"

"Oh for crying out loud..." Roman turned around to find Cinder standing in front of him, a hand on her hip and a devious smile on her face. Flanking her were Emerald and Mercury, her two little lackies. "Look, I didn't sign up for this. I'm here to cause chaos, and I can't do that if I'm in jail!" Blowing up the Schnee Manor was fine: it was great even! If only it wasn't so damn obvious that the White Fang were involved. Jacques Schnee would get those little robocops to hunt down those animals, and it was going to lead right back to them.

"Oh Roman, you ought to have more faith in me." Cinder's voice was smooth as silk, but it always held a dangerous edge to it. Roman knew that this lady was bad news, but her bad news was going to wreak havoc on the current order of the world. If he had to occasionally hold his tongue - an incredibly difficult task for him - and doff his hat to be on the winning team, he'd stay involved with these wackos. "Have I ever steered you wrong?" She stepped forward, gently stroking his chin with her hand. "The White Fang completed their mission just as they were instructed to do."

"And what purpose did that serve exactly? On that note, why have you had my men steal all this dust? Are we building nothing but bombs?" He knew better than to lose his temper around Cinder, but boy howdy was it hard to keep it in check. "I'm a crook, lady, not a terrorist. This kinda stuff? That's way below my paygrade. So if you want me to keep doing this stuff for you, I'm gonna need some damn answers." The entire time, Cinder's expression never changed. She just watched him, only her blinking allowing the fact that she hadn't turned to stone. Then she held out her hand, a small ball of fire beginning to grow above her palm.

"That, my dear Roman, is on a need to know basis. And you..." She held her hand out, grinning as he flinched. "... don't need to know." Roman kept his eyes on that flame, a touch of fear creeping into his eyes as he saw it continuing to grow.

"Well whaddaya know? I don't need to know!" Smiling, Cinder closed her hand into a fist, the fire dispersing. Roman took a couple steps back, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. It was kinda hard to survive if he was incinerated. Crook's law number one. "Fine, then what am I supposed to do now?"

"You are to wait here for further instructions. It won't be long, though." Cinder turned around, snapping her fingers. Emerald and Mercury turning to follow. "Our next target is ready to fall." The three of them took their leave, and only then did Roman allow himself to breathe easier.

"That bitch is crazy," he muttered to himself, lifting his hat off his head and fanning himself. "They'd better take over the world, or I'm gonna be so pissed." A tiny figure came out from the shadows, twirling an umbrella around and smiling. "Neo, what have we gotten ourselves into?" At that, Neo could only shrug. Her smile faded slightly as she walked over to Roman, looking up at him with a concerned expression. "Aww, don't give me those eyes. Fine, look, we'll be fine. We just gotta help this wacko bomb a bunch of places, and then we'll be sitting pretty. Her master or whoever will be in charge, and then we can retire to our new mansion in Mistral. We'll sure be able to afford it." Neo's smile returned, her arms wrapping around Roman's waist as she gave him a tight hug. Roman gently patted her on the head, biting back a sigh.

'I've gotta make sure we survive somehow.' He looked down at Neo, putting that smile deep in his memory banks. 'No matter what.'

Cinder sat alone in her room, eyes closed as she meditated. As she sat there, she held out her hands, feeling the warmth of summer flames flickering above her palms. A smile crossed her face, slowly opening her eyes to see the fruits of her labor. Ever since she took part of the Summer Maiden's powers, she had gone through intense training to harness it. Her body was sore and bruised beneath her dress, but the power that flowed through her made it all worth it.

Still, she could feel the rest of the Maiden's power calling her. She didn't know where the girl who held those powers was, but she had a feeling that she could find her. When she did, there would be no interruptions. The rest of the Maiden's power would be hers, and then she would go about collecting the rest of them. She wouldn't rest until she held all four Maidens' powers within her body. Her eyes burned as she stood up, brushing her hair over her shoulder as she stepped to her desk in the tiny room she stayed in.

On several corkboards hanging across the wall were multitudes of documents, newspaper clippings, and what could only be described as semi-incoherent ramblings. There were various pictures of different woman, with most of them having a red X across their photos. Right in the middle of them all, circled multiple times, was Ruby. Cinder stared that photo down, her eyes narrowing. She had procured half of the Summer Maiden's powers, but it wasn't all of them. Salem had already told her that girl would harness her power quickly, so there was no time to waste. She had to find Ruby and eliminate her.

An annoying twitch hit her neck, making her move her head around clockwise to try and make it go away. She rubbed the back of her neck, snatching the picture of Ruby off the wall. "That power is not yours," she whispered angrily, the photo catching fire in her hand. "It is mine, and I will be the one to wield it." Soon the photo was nothing but ashes, and she let it scatter across the floor. Nobody was going to stand in her way, especially some child. That power would be hers, and she would show the world exactly what she had once seen.

She would never be powerless again.