Well, everyone. Here we are.

As of today, I have this story completely written and the last chapters saved away on my laptop ready for upload.

There are _ chapters left.

I hope you will enjoy this most glorious end.

Day 30/30

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-!

The alarm clock was an annoying as always, but for once Ruby didn't mind it waking her up so early. Opening her eyes, her room looked almost just as it had yesterday; the only difference was Weiss not sick in bed. Beaming, Ruby clumsily put on an over shirt as she stumbled out the door. There was no time to waste with picking an outfit right now: she had to get her 16th birthday bash started right away!

She bolted down the steps, skipping at most three at a time (and nearly tumbling down a few) in a rush to the lounge, where she heard voices talking back and forth. She could hear Yang and Weiss bickering over who got to stand in front and greet her once she entered the room, and couldn't help but smile. Sliding on the hardwood with her socks, Ruby grinned widely and waved jazz hands at everyone who all didn't seem to notice the birthday girl had finally arrive.

Way to ruin the super cool entrance guys, Ruby thought. She cleared her throat to catch their attention. "A-hem…!"

With a bark from Zwei and a trumpet from Mr. Tibbs, Yang and Weiss's spot for first greeting was snatched up like that. Regardless, the girls decided to just greet her at the same time, Blake sliding in between them to wish their team leader a big, old…

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

"Yaay!" Ruby squealed, hopping up and down before leaping into her team's arms. The girls celebrated with each other for a bit before the members of Team JNPR, Sun, and Velvet came over to add their wishes. The former enemies of the Beacon students stood back, letting the older friends have their moment as Ruby hugged a forcefully happy "Penny" next. Ruby noticed them holding off, and had to spread some good vibes towards them. "Don't worry! You guy's won't be left out!"

Ruby took Neo by the arm and pulled her into a hug, quickly leaving her and giving a stronger one to Torchwick beside her. The conman was taken aback by the sudden display of friendship, and laughed nervously as he patted the girl on the head. "Yes, yes this is a happy moment. Now hug someone else please. Neo might get jealous."

As Neo poked her partner between the ribs jokingly, Ruby went to Cinder next. Thankfully their embrace was much gentler than the one Roman had just gotten. "Happy birthday, Ruby."

"Thanks! I'd say the same to you, but I'm guessing it's not your birthday today. I can't think of much else to say, really."

"You don't need to. You've done so much already for –AH!"

The two girls were suddenly lifted off the ground from behind, the big man of the house letting the good feels take him over.

"This is just super!" the Lieutenant said gleefully, "I just love this! We're one big, fabulous family! Come on, Adam! Let's make this a four-way!"

"I will pass," Adam declined, holding out an envelope to Ruby, "Please, take this Miss Rose. I wish for you to open my gift first."

"Ooh, a present!" Ruby squirmed out of the big guy's grasp, eager to get to her first gift of the day. She tore it open hastily, and her expression turned from excited to confused when she saw what it was. "Uh… Thanks Adam?"

"What is it?" Yang asked, looking over her sister. Her face looked like a mirror image of Ruby's upon laying eyes on it. "Please tell me there's such thing as a photograph receipt."

Adam held his gift, an 8x10 glossy portrait of himself, up proudly for all to see. "I would like you to remember my face for the rest of your life, Miss Rose. This is the face of a reformed man, a hero to all that wish to turn over a new leaf. I even made an attempt at 'smiling' for this."

"That face makes you look like you're taking a dump," Merc contributed, "Probably best that you don't smile anymore. Like, ever again."

"Don't listen to him, Adam! I think you looks very handsome!"

"Of course you do, big guy."

A small bark made Ruby look down at her feet, where Zwei dropped a bundle of sticks tied with a bow at her feet. The Corgi wiggled his butt, telling his master that these would be most excellent toys for them to enjoy. Ruby lifted her pup up, squishing his fluffy cheeks together and giving him all the kissies.

"Aw, thanks Zwei! Who's the cutest widdle puppy evah? You are! Yes you are!"

The ringing of a phone across the room interrupted Ruby from spoiling her dog with love. Sun was the first to reach it, leaping over the couch and picking it up with his tail. "Yo! Wukong residence!"

"Ah, Mr. Wukong. How do you do?"

"Oh, hey Ozpin. What's up?"

"Could you please put the phone on speaker? I would wish to talk to everyone right now."

"Sure. Are… Are you okay? You sound kind of hurt."

"It's... nothing to worry about," Ozpin lied, an icepack covering his bruised forehead on the other end of the line. His assaulter Qrow, as well as Glynda and a fuming Taiyang, were behind him. "I just walked into a door. Now, if you would go on speaker, please."

"Sure thing," Sun turned to everyone after pressing speaker, "Listen up guys! Oz has some stuff to say."

"Hello, everyone," Ozpin began, "I would like to begin by wishing Ruby Rose a most joyous of birthdays. May it be as enjoyable as it should be."

"Same from me, kiddo," Qrow added, doing his best to hold Taiyang back from taking hold of the phone. His efforts didn't work too well, however.

"Ruby! Yang! Your uncle is a jackass!"

"…Dad?" Ruby and Yang said in unison, as Qrow brought the chloroform rag to Taiyang's mouth once more. After some muffled yelling, Qrow got back on the line.

"Sorry 'bout that. Yer pops must've cancelled out our call there for a sec. Don't worry, he still loves ya."

Glynda tried to give her own best wishes to Ruby, but Ozpin cut her off. Of course. "Now, with this being the final day of the competition, there is one bit of important information I should tell you. I am sure you are all aware of the Semblance restriction field surrounding the vicinity of the house. Well, you will not have to worry about that for much longer. At exactly 12:00 midnight, it will run out of power and deactivate, allowing you all to access your individual talents once again."

"It won't shock us or anything, will it?" Adam asked, "The shock collar General Ironwood placed on my neck ran out of energy quite some time ago, and I cannot say I missed being electrocuted."

"None of you will be harmed. However, it is once the barrier drops that we will see if this experience really has changed the relationship you all share. If I do not see any of you trying to harm one another with your full power, then we can call these thirty days an astounding success. So with that, I wish you all a best final twenty four hours."

"What about the reward?" Emerald asked, "When do we get that?"

"…"

BEEP!

"He hung up," Velvet said, cocking her head, "That was odd."

"Wouldn't it be funny if there was no reward?" Jaune joked. Nobody laughed. "Wow. Crash and burn. Good one, Jaune. Good one..."

Pyrrha stepped in to pull her beau into good spirits. She took his hand, a thought in the back of her head telling her that might not be all she took of his on this day. "Let us not worry about such things now. There are many more presents for Ruby to open!"

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Ruby exclaimed, hurrying to the pile of gifts in the corner. In all the moments of congratulations and peace, nobody had noticed that a certain someone had slipped out of the room, missing Ozpin's phone call.

"What do you want, you old cantankerous whore!" Virulet tapped on the wall impatiently, holding a scroll to his ear awaiting the reason why his creator had suddenly called him. She had contacted him just as Ruby Rose had released him from her disgusting embrace, and he had to quickly retreat into the bathroom upstairs where no camera could see him to answer the vibrating device. "You nearly blew my cover! Who was I going to say was calling me, a worthless street hobo? Because that is just as useful as you are to me right now!"

"Please shut up," Salem groaned, glad her time dealing with this hack of an A.I would soon be over, "Are you prepared for tonight?"

"Of course! I have been imagining this moment for days! My new body will be tested in the house of slaughter tonight! I shall paint the walls with their blood, and use their bones as support for my new throne! It will be gloriously, violently divine! Mwah-ha-ha!"

The ham of this guy, Salem thought. "Yes, you do that… But I have one request."

"Make it quick. My imagination beckons me."

"Do not kill Ruby Rose."

"…Come again?"

"Do not kill Ruby Rose. Bring her to me. Keep her alive at all costs."

Virulet was legitimately confused at her order. Ruby Rose was one of the Latent 4. Shouldn't she be killed immediately to avoid trouble? What would keeping her alive benefit the old hag? "Your orders were for me to kill everyone. Why should I spare the life of an insignificant girl like her? What makes her so special?"

Salem grinned at the thought of the arrogant A.I being baffled by the unknown. She hadn't programmed all her knowledge into him, especially that about the Silver Eyed Warriors. She still had to have some sort of advantage over him. "You will learn once you bring her to me. Just do as I say and I will gladly hand her back to you for execution. Understood?"

"…Understood."

"Good. I will see you soon."

The witch hung up, leaving Virulet to question her cryptic request. He would follow it, of course. But that wasn't going to stop his master plan. No, not at all.

Salem would never suspect him betraying her, stabbing her in the back, cutting her down as she stood atop her throne as ruler of the World of Remnant. If anyone was going to ravage the world and watch it suffer, it was going to be Lord Sir Virulet the 13th and him alone.