Before we start I want to apologise for the delay in this chapter. Three weeks waiting is bad, even for me. Life had me busy though, this month I got back to college so things have been... hectic. I still didn't like leaving it this long, especially from where I left off last time. So, I'm sorry for the wait.
There are a few more things I want to mention that I'll save for down below. For now, I hope you enjoy.
...
...
Several minutes before the Relic's destruction.
There was so much blood.
There was so much blood.
There was so much blood!
"No, no, no please!" Pyrrha cried, clutching a choking, dying Amber in her arms. "Listen to me Amber, you'll be okay, you'll be okay."
A lie, and a bad one at that.
Amber had a hole in her chest, the size of her head.
Even now she was fading as the last dregs of Aura she had left, that scrape that failed to protect her in the first place, desperately tried to heal her.
It wouldn't have mattered either way.
She could tell it was a fatal wound.
Someone screamed out her name but she didn't care.
Watts was but a few feet and laughing at her misery away but she didn't care.
All she cared about was the girl in front of her. The girl she had been supposed to protect.
The girl that looked up at her with scared, child-like eyes.
"I-I-" she stuttered, ruby liquid pouring from her mouth… and tears from her eyes. "I don't wanna- a don't wanna d-die." She sobbed, as her body, now missing her lunges convulsed and spasmed.
"P-Pyrrha I don't wanna…"
She never finished, as her last breath left her, and in a slow, agonising moment, the light faded from her eyes.
Pyrrha stared.
And stared.
And stared.
Waiting for it to be some kind of sick joke, for Amber to sit back up and wipe the blood dripping from her mouth and laugh it off. She did none of these things, and as Pyrrha held her body in her hands she realised something sickening;
The longer she held Amber's body, the less it became a person, and the more it became a thing.
Amber was dead, and the thing she held was simply a corpse.
She was dead.
Dead
Dead
Dead
Dead
Dead
Dead
Dead
De- wait… is that… me?
Pyrrha's eye lit aflame.
Watts leapt back as a crow flying by transformed into a man, bringing his heavy sword down like a meteorite that tore up the ground.
"Get back." Qrow Branwen ordered as he forced Watts to give ground, a snarl twisted his face as he swiped at the man.
Pyrrha heard none of it, as a voice, airy and confused echoed in her head.
"Is that my body? Am a dead? Am I alive?"
Agony tore into her skull as something – someone – saw through her eyes. Someone that was not her.
A hand grasped her shoulder roughly.
"Pyrrha!" Jaune yelled over the roar of the two Huntsman clashing, as machines were cut down mercilessly in the crossfire. "We need to go, come on!"
"W-what?" she slurred. Everything was as if she was in a fog. Her own voice didn't sound like her own. Out the corner of her eye she could see Ren lifting Nora up to rest against him, hobbling away from the chaos.
Why did she care again?
Who… who were they?
Everything… everything felt off; she felt lower to the ground, shorter. Her body felt tighter and her face… clearer.
Where was her weapon? Where was her staff?
She froze.
She felt her stomach wretch. Her mind reared in protest as her gut fought against it. Her instincts flared, telling her that she was wrong. Pyrrha… didn't use a staff.
She used a sword.
She didn't use dust, or fire or ice or wind or lightning.
She didn't use magic.
She wasn't Amber.
Yes she was.
She was Amber. She knew she was. She had to be. Her mind screamed that she was. Her body roared that she wasn't.
Her soul twisted.
And then Jaune was before her, shaking her harder.
"Pyrrha get up!" he begged. "We need to go!"
Go where? Why? They were in Beacon weren't they? They were safe here. Away from her Mistress Salem and-
What was- what had she- who was Salem? What was this fear that froze her heart?
Darkness wrapped her mind in a shroud and before her, she saw an eye.
A golden, burning eye.
And then she saw no more.
…
…
All out slaughter.
It was like a fucking gang war.
Yang ducked under a hail of bullets that carved through the wall behind her as she ducked behind cover.
Sun slide against the wall beside her as he batted away a stray bullet. "This is insane!" he hissed. "What the heck is going on!?"
"We got caught in the middle of a net." Neptune yelled out, firing from behind another wall a few feet away.
Yang glowered as projectiles sailed overhead.
This was a damn mess:
They had been fighting through waves of Grimm just moments ago, zeroing in on Blake's location thanks to her scroll when they'd been ambushed by White Fang.
Worse though, they had backup, from robots with a sickening familiar 'M' marking their fronts.
Then Atlesian Knights dropped onto the scene behind them as Order members appeared from the few still-standing rooftops and then she saw Juniors boys as well as countless other gunmen and criminals she didn't recognise appeared and fought beside the Atlas soldiers and their machines.
Oh, and the Grimm were currently tearing through both sides indiscriminately.
How the hel were they supposed to get past this crap?
"We need to break through somehow." She scowled as a White Fang grunt got a little too brave and somehow made it to her and she rewarded him with a haymaker to the face.
"Yeah well I'm not jumping into the crossfire!" Sun said. "We need something more than just a distraction to get through this."
"How about cover then?" a girl's voice said, and Yang turned to see Miltia clad in black slide up beside her."
"Miltia? What the hel are you doing here?"
"What the fuck do you think? To take down these White Fang assholes. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be defending the school?"
"Blake's out here somewhere," she spat as she ducked down a little further to avoid another hail of bullets straying too close. "She's by herself. I need to find her now!"
"Gods damn it." The Malachite twin snapped. "How much trouble has your girlfriend caused you? Terrorist, relationship issues and now this? Just how good is that ass of hers?"
"Can we not talk about this now maybe?" Sun pleaded, batting away a grenade, for it to then land in a group of atlas robots and explode, obliterating them. "Damn it."
Yang growled to herself, this was taking too much time.
"Can you help or not?"
"Yeah alright, but your two tagalongs stay here, we need all the help we can get with these punks."
"What?"
"We're protecting civilians here." Miltia snapped. "Sorry to say but one person isn't enough for us to sacrifice innocents for. If you have to go then we need them to help."
"But-"
"We got this Yang," Neptune shouted. "The faster you find Blake the faster we can get to safety. Hurry!"
Her teeth clenched hard but she knew she didn't have the time to argue.
"Fine, let's go."
…
…
One step, two steps, three steps, footsteps.
One foot in front of the other, don't fall over, don't black out.
Ruby prepared these instructions, again and again in her mind.
It was almost impossible. Her whole body felt like it had been dipped in lead. Her legs weak, her arms frail and her chest tight. She could barely breathe scarcely hear and even as she dragged herself out of the CCT tower her vision flickered in and out of consciousness.
She dragged Crescent Rose behind her, metal screeching softly as it grated against the ground.
What had she… what had she done?
Everything was a haze, everything was a pain.
So when she saw a figure stand before her, blocking her way, she wasn't sure if she was really there.
"Where is Ozpin?" Cinder glowered, eye blazing. "Where is the Relic."
Ruby didn't answer at first. She pulled Crescent Rose before her, like a crutch to lean on. Her breath was laboured, cold. "Gone."
The half-maiden's eye pierced her before she grit her teeth. "He escaped with the Relic then? No, it doesn't matter. Even he cannot have gone far, and with such an item he will not be hard to track-"
"The Relic is gone." The reaper repeated.
"Yes you said-"
"I destroyed it."
Cinder stopped.
And stilled.
And as the words were heard, understood, her eyes widened.
"What?" she whispered.
"The Relic is gone, I shattered it to pieces along with the Door. There's nothing down there anymore."
"I-" Cinder choked. "I don't believe you."
Ruby felt something swell in her chest. Something icy, tight and angry. "I don't care. If you need proof, go talk to Ozpin. His corpse won't answer you, but it should be enough."
Golden eyes flickered to the side, to her scythe, and the blood-stained blade, digging into the ground.
The proof was right there in front of her.
But…
"The maiden." Cinder hissed, glaring at Ruby. "I felt the change, the power moved from that girl to another. You know who it is, don't you?"
"…"
Her eyes narrowed. "Tell me now."
"No."
Cinder's eye burst into flames, and in her hand a black curve sword appeared, pulsating with heat so oppressive Ruby could feel it from where she stood.
She looked Cinder in the eye. She knew she didn't stand a chance, not how she was… probably not even at her best. "What are you going to do huh? With that look…"
The black sword swept down in an arc, whistling in the air. "I will give you one chance Ruby, because of what we were. Tell me who the knew maiden is so that I may claim what is rightfully mine."
"The maiden powers aren't anyone's, they-"
"Enough!" she snarled. "Tell me who she is!"
"…no."
Cinder rushed forward, her dark blade glistening behind her.
Ruby backpedalled, getting Crescent Rose up just in time to Block the strike.
It sent her flying.
She was lifted off her feet, and launched back. A blur flashed in front of her and she twisted in the air as the sword passed her, only for a heel to arc down from above and smash her into the ground.
She gasped, choking on what little air she could breathe and rolled to the side as Cinder stabbed at the ground hard enough to sink her sword into it.
Amber had been strong thanks to the Maiden powers, faster than Ruby with those powers and she'd been an amateur before, someone with no training or experience.
Cinder had all of those things before she gained the power of Fall.
And now they were even greater.
Ruby scrambled to her feet and pulled the trigger. Momentum aiding her she swung Crescent Rose low, hoping to catch Cinder's legs.
A second sword came down, stopping the strike dead.
Ruby's eyes widened as Cinder was on her a second later and folder over her knee when it was buried in her stomach.
She cried out, tried to, but a hand wrapped around her chin and lifted her into the air, feet dangling off the ground.
"Tell me where she is!"
Silver steel glared down at golden flames.
"N-no."
Her head was smashed into the concrete an instant later and before it could even register Cider lashed out with a heel that sent her rolling.
The body wailed in agony as she forced her feet under her as she skidded, stumbling as she pushed herself up and firing off with her rifle.
The bullets were knocked away by the black swords and Cinder slashed at her again.
Ruby spun, curved clicking as extended into a warscythe and she slashed at her opponent's neck.
Sparks ignited form the maiden's blade as she slid along her steel.
She passed the long weapon and brought her swords up to cut Ruby down.
The girl backpedalled, or pretended to as she gripped the trigger of her weapon and yanked back.
The curved scythe shook as it recoiled and rocketed towards Cinders back as she closed in.
The older girls face twitched for an instant as she recognised the danger, but instead of turning to face it one of her swords shattered into embers and she brought her free hand behind her back. It flashed brightly with flames and glass as she caught the steel.
Ruby froze, not by choice as Crescent Rose was stopped in its tracks.
She stumbled as it was yanked from her grip.
A hand found her stomach and blasted her with a ball of flames at point-blank range,
Ruby cried out as her Aura shattered and a hand clasped at her head before throwing her to the ground.
She gasped, trying desperately to get up onto her hands and knees.
Cinder knocked her down before she could, pressing her face into the ground.
"Tell me where she is."
Ruby grit her teeth, pushing against a strength she couldn't match.
Cinder spat to the side.
And then stabbed Ruby's had through with her sword.
The silver eyed girl let out a strangled gasp as the black glass pinned her limb to the ground.
And then Cinder Twisted her grip.
And it burst into flames.
"TELL ME!"
Ruby screamed as her flesh burned. The flames scorched her arm from the inside out. Her skin blackened as her bones melted from within.
Ruby screamed.
And screamed and screamed and screamed as she felt agony like she'd never felt before.
"TELL ME WHERE THE POWER IS!"
All Cinder got in return was a scream. A scream that that pierced her eyes as it ran raw, as Ruby choked in the smoke and ashes of her own skin going up in flames. She didn't stop, neither of them did.
The more Ruby screamed, the harder Cinder twisted.
Until Cider couldn't twist anymore.
And Ruby could not scream anymore.
Cinder poured the flames in deeper, hotter, brighter unto the engulfed the younger girls entire forearm.
Not enough to reduce it to ash; enough to draw out the pain, and turn it into the cruellest torture she could manage.
Ruby could not scream anymore. All that left her was a gurgled, small, pathetic and weak.
Cinder grit her teeth, tearing her sword out.
No blood spurted from the wound. It had already evaporated.
And she watched as Ruby curled up into a ball, weeping weak, pathetic tears.
Something twisted in her gut.
The ground shook, making her stumbled a little and she turned towards the cliff, towards the city.
And the black dragon that had landed in it.
It was a Grimm, bigger than any Cinder had seen and as she watched it swung it's mighty head like a pendulum, obliterating buildings that looked like toys next to it like it was nothing.
Above, the sky had been retaken by Atlas, and its ships were pointed at the Dragon. They fired in unison, lighting op the sky in flames and dust.
The Grimm roared, so loud Cinder felt her ears pop and she watched as it's great bone white face snapped out, up and up and up to clamp around the nose of an Atlas Gunship, the second biggest of the three.
It ripped it out of the sky.
Cinder smirked. The Atlas military wouldn't be able to kill it, not with their petty weaponry.
She looked down at the girl beneath her, still shaking on the ground.
She couldn't defend herself.
"Why?"
It was barely a whisper, it was barely heard, so raspy and raw Cinder nearly missed it. But she didn't and she looked down at the girl again, the girl who had been her hero.
And she felt her heart tighten.
"Because I want power," she growled. "because you can't win as humanity hasn't won from the very beginning. Because I learned from you, that having power is the only way to survive. From the very start, since we first met that has been the truth. You were just so pathetic that you couldn't see what was in front of you." She grabbed a hand full of Ruby's hair and dragged her up, as she was, she couldn't even rise to face her. The fall Maiden leaned in close, mere hair breaths from the girl she once adored. "But most importantly, because I want to."
Lidded silver eyes gazed back at her, but even now she could see they'd lost their focus.
She dropped Ruby to the ground as a howl echoed from her right.
Close.
"The Grimm will finish you off, but if they don't, and you come after me, I will. Do not make the mistake that every other fool does. Don't try to be a hero. You'll die."
Ruby didn't answer, perhaps she couldn't anymore.
Cinder closed her eyes, as extinguished the flame in her eye. She made one last decision, reaching down to the silver cross that hung from her the reapers waist.
She palmed it in her hand.
"Next time we see each other… I'll give bury this with you."
She turned, back towards the dragon. And left Ruby's body behind.
…
…
Yang ducked under the blood-red blade as it swiped past her face and she was forced back. This was insane! This guy was fast, way too fast for her to handle the way she wanted to.
She was stuck dodging and blocking instead of being on the offensive.
The problem with that was the fact Blake was still writhing on the ground behind her.
If she moved, her partner would be left defenceless
This freak was after Blake.
Like hel she was going to let him past her, she'd tear him apart if he so much laid a hand on her partner.
But still, thoughts and actions were top very different things, and Yang was facing someone she couldn't deal with by just throwing a few punches.
She didn't have a grasp on how he fought exactly, but whenever he attacked he slid his sword into its sheath first.
She watched out for that, and so far it was the only thing keeping her alive.
But the worst part, the absolute worst part was that this guy wouldn't stop talking.
"Get out of my way human and I might grant you a quick end." He said as he knocked away a dust round she'd fired at his face.
"How about no?" she spat. "Dying isn't really on my bucket-list, especially not to a crazy sociopath who blows up a city."
"You can point fingers at us all you like human but it was your kind that caused this human."
"What?"
Yang gasped as Taurus' sword screeched against Ember Celica and shent her flying back. She landed on her shoulder and forced herself to keep rolling as he stabbed mercilessly at her downed form.. she shot at the ground and propelled herself upwards, kicking out as she did so.
Adam saw it coming and leapt back, out of her range.
Yang landed on her feet, but all the same winced. That had hurt, more than it should have. He didn't look as strong as her, he probably wasn't if she kicked it up a gear, but he still hit hard enough to take chunks out of her aura like it was nothing.
"Humans have always hated the Faunus," he went on as if he hadn't just attacked her. "Your people treated us like animals, enslaved us, took away our freedom and when we tried to free ourselves you turned to killing us. This is justice for that, for the suffering you have caused this is the proper retribution."
Yang stared.
And stared.
And stared.
Something angry burned in her chest.
"Y-Yang," A voice whimpered from behind her. She turned just a fraction to look at Blake out of the corner of her eye. She was still shaking, still in pain, but on her face, more than that pain, was fear. And it was focused all on her.
"You- you have to run. Adam too dangerous. He'll kill you."
"I will," he agreed. "But running will not change the outcome."
"No Adam please! You can't-"
"Be quiet monster." He scowled. "A fate far more righteous is has been decided for you. You thought you could abandon our cause? That you could turn your back on us? On me?" he gripped the pommel of his blade. "And look at you now; worse than the humans, no longer even a Faunus but a monster. Once I'm finished with this human you're-"
"Do you ever stop talking?"
Silence.
Adam turned back to look at Yang, the surprise on his face quickly turning to anger.
"What did you say human?"
"I asked if you ever stop talking. Seriously, everything that comes out of your mouth make's you sound like an angsty teen. So you've had it hard, big deal, so have a lot of people, but they're not blowing people up to get their point across like a
The terrorist bared his teeth. "If you think I'll let you speak that way about our strife-"
"I don't care," the blonde snapped. "Why should I care about the feelings of people dead for a hundred years? I'm not going to use my ancestors as an excuse to start killing innocent people because I feel wronged. I don't care how you feel and I don't care what you think of me." She raised her fists again, ready for the real fight to start. "All I care about, is killing you."
Taurus roared in fury.
…
…
When the two figures came across the body, they weren't sure it was still breathing at first. Curled up in a ball, and the smell of charred flesh didn't leave them confident.
But after a moment they notice it shake, like a downed animal.
The shorter of them was already moving, kneeling down with her hands hovering uncertainly over the body as they both caught sight of the source of the smell.
Her arm.
Neo's eyes widened when her fingers accidentally brushed against the limb; and the poor girl whimpered in pain.
The cigar was crushed in Romans hand, and anyone could see his body shake, perhaps more violently than the girl that had been harmed.
"What the hel did she do to you kid?"
He received no answer, and after a moment, he cursed, hurrying over to see if he could help.
Neo wrapped her arms around the younger girls shoulders and lifted her up gently. Roman helped on the other side, and together they got her to her feet.
"Roman!" Ruby rasped, and the thief was shaken at how raw her voice sounded. "What are you doing here?"
"Really? That's the question you have for me not what's going on in Vale or how screwed up the situation is?" Neo shot him a glare. He bit his tongue, she was right, now wasn't the time for sass. "Ugh, I'm getting you out of here."
"N-no!" The reaper coughed. "Cinder… I- I have to find Cinder."
"Are you serious? Look what she did to you kid? Your arm's been barbequed!"
"I still have to find her. I have to bring her back."
He stared at her. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are you… are you listening to yourself? No way, it's not happening. If you go after her she'll kill you."
"I don't care."
"This is no time to be the hero ki-"
"This has got nothing to do with that!" She snapped, trying, desperate to stand on her own. Neo's face morphed uncharacteristically into worry. "I just lost a frie- I… I lost- I have to go after her. I have to stop her from doing something she'll regret."
"'You don't know her as well as you think you do Red." He shook his head. "She hasn't regret all the things she's done already, what makes you think you can change her mind? If you go after her you're dead."
"I'm going, and you can't stop me, neither of you can. I'm not going to give up on her."
She meant it. Roman knew at that moment that the kid really, really meant it. She'd try to go after the crazy bitch. Even if they tried to stop her, she'd kick and scream all the way. They'd never get out of Vale like that.
They sure as hel weren't leaving without her. They'd already made that decision.
"Shit… alright, what's the plan then?"
Ruby managed a weak grin.
"A bad one."
…
…
Yang stumbled as a foot cracked across her face, and rolled to the side as a red sword came down where she'd been just standing.
This wasn't getting any better, in fact it was getting worse.
The Faunus had gotten faster in his rage, stronger and more deadly.
She hadn't known until it was fired point-blank at her stomach, but his sheath also doubled as a shotgun, and when she tried to retaliate with her own, he'd absorbed the damage and fired it right back at her in a red arc that cleaved through the buildings behind her.
A hysterical part of her mind found it funny that there were so many similarities. Was this the Avatar thing acting up again, or was she just that unlucky to find some with parallels between them?
It wasn't doing her any favours though. Her own Semblance was on the backburner. She could absorb the damage sure, but unlike him she actually needed to be hit for that, and she was losing too much Arua way too fast for that to be something she could sue properly.
And she still couldn't manoeuvre properly. Blake was practically spasming on the ground behind her. What was wrong with her? What was happening to her?
Yang didn't know, and she didn't have the time to find out. All she could tell was that the Faunus had stopped talking and started snarling to herself.
Again her thoughts were cut off by Taurus' sword as its tip sliced at her shoulder and he spun on his heel to cleave her in two from her right side.
She brought up her leg, and winced as the red steel rattled against obsidian. She'd missed the timing on her Aura and the word had chipped at the limb.
Adam seemed surprised at the state of her leg though, and grunted as she stomped down, taking his sword with her and jabbing with her left.
It struck his arm and sent him back a few steps.
He didn't attack again. Instead, inspecting her.
His anger was gone. No, it was still there, but it was cold, deadly anger. Like that of a killer that sent chills up her spine.
Dammit, she couldn't even see his eyes properly but it felt like they were burning holes in her skull.
She swallowed and glared back. She wouldn't get shaken by him. She couldn't afford it. If she screwed up she was dead, Blake was dead."
Her chest burned at the thought of it.
Her eyes flashed red, and her breathing grew ragged. The thought, the very idea of him so much as touching Blake revolted her.
She'd tear him limb from limb before she let that happen.
Whatever she must have looked like in that moment, the Faunus saw it. A look of disgust crossed his featured, before he gripped Wilt and Blush tight.
Yang stiffened as she saw his hair glowed bright red. The smell of blood reached her nose as her she growled. He was going all out with his semblance then?
Her own hair burst into a mane of fire. She knew she wouldn't have time to avoid it, and even if she did he'd just follow her. She had to cancel out his attack. Blow for blow with everything she had, and power through. Heat flooded into her through her body as her semblance took all the hits she'd taken and turned it into power.
She wasn't going to wait for him to make his move. She roared and lunged at him, rearing back her fist and poured magic into her fist. It burst into flames and the Faunus grunted in a moment of surprise at the sight.
Wilt was torn from its sheath an instant later and her fist smashed into a red arc of raw power.
Her aura shattered.
And as did her arm a moment later.
Yang cried out as the force sent her crashing to the ground. Her eyes closed for second as she grit her teeth against the pain that sent shocks through her body, and when she opened them it was to see obsidian shards fall next to her.
She stared at them numbly.
A boot connected with her face and snapped her head back as blood spurted from her lips..
A pained groan escaped her as she fell onto her back.
A shadow appeared over her, and her eyes widened as the red blade stabbed down as her head. Her instincts forced her body into action before she could think and her remaining hand clamped around the swords edge.
She screamed through gritted teeth as the sword sliced her fingers and blood dripped onto her face.
With barely any strength left and one hand, she couldn't stop the sword from slowly inching closer to her face. Inch by inch.
Her arm shook in agony as she pushed with all her might.
The edge got closer, closer, until it bit into the skin below her eye.
And pushed deeper.
"Shit!"
"Shit!"
"Shit!"
"RRAAGGHHH!"
Adam's eyes widened as a blur of red and black crashed into him and sent him rocketing back.
If he hadn't brought up his sword she would have surely been cleaved in two, and that fact gave him enough pause for Yang to gather her senses.
She looked up at the woman standing with her back to her. Dressed in red and black, and a white helm that the blonde was scarily familiar with now.
"M-Mom!?"
Adam glared at Raven as she bared her sword before her. "Another human comes to the slaughter? Are you to get in my way too?"
Yang couldn't see Rave's face, not beneath her mask, but she heard a very audible breath, rattle dangerously. "Go."
What?
"Go," she repeated. "Take your partner and get to safety. The city's already lost. Vernal, make sure they get out of here."
"Yes ma'am." Yang heard suddenly, and coughed as a hand hooked under her shoulder and dragged her to her feet. Woman with messy short hair and bright blue eyes nodded to her. "There's white Fang on the way here, get the other girl and come one."
"But," she tried. "I can't carry her with my arm gone."
Vernal looked down. "You mean that one?"
Yang blinked and look down before gasping at the sight of every single individual shattered shard floating up and reforming into a black limb.
"Why did you use obsidian for the arm and leg? Isn't it like, really weak?"
"I wouldn't worry about it breaking on you."
Is this what Merlot had meant? Had he designed it to fix itself like this?
A shaking of her shoulder pushed those questions to one side. The sounds of shouting could be heard no, getting closer. "Come on. Now!"
"R-right." Yang moved to the shaking form of Blake, and when there was no outwards response to her presence, picked the Faunus up in a bridal carry and ran to follow Raven's henchmen, who was already busy firing at the White Fang with strange deer-horn knives.
The blonde turned back, one last time to see Raven locking swords with Adam as he tried to follow, roaring angrily, knocking him back and charging forward to keep him busy, and, possibly end him.
She ran, following the bandit through the street as she mowed down Faunus that got in her way. She was good, really good, moving with skill and grace a criminal shouldn't rightly have had.
"Tch, these idiots really like lining up to die don't they?" she said, firing two rounds off into the chest of a grunt that got close enough to grab her. He went down in a smoking heap and the bandit stepped over him like it was nothing.
Yang swallowed. She'd thought she was strong, stronger than most people... just how many people were this far above her?
It didn't matter, it didn't matter. All Yang cared about now was getting Blake out of here. Shso she kept running as Vernal cut down anybody that got close.
They ran and ran and ran until the broke past the last of the White Fang and =then they kept running.
"The Huntsmen set up a safe zone not far from here," Vernal told her as she fired behind them. "If we keep going down this street we should be fine. You can get a ride out of the city from there."
"Yang." Blake whispered in a tone the brawler hadn't heard before; something that sent her hairs on end. Yang looked down, worried about how quiet her partner suddenly was.
And she choked on her breath as she got a proper look.
The left side of Blake's face was coved in blood, her own blood, leaking from her eye, and, more than that, more horrifying than that was that it no longer looked… Human.
A golden orb engulfed in a sea of black stared back.
Yang's body screamed at her to move before she even realised what was happening. She threw herself back, dropping black as a black, clawed hand shot out towards her neck.
She fell and rolled to the ground as Vernal shouted out a warning before Yang heard her grunt and something knock her away.
The next thing she knew Blake was on top of her, snapping and snarling like a rabbit animal.
"Blake what are you-" she gasped as her partner swiped at her. Both blackened and human nails raked across her chest and drew blood.
Yang cried out and tried to push Blake off her but couldn't. Her partner was overpowering her tired and bruised form easily.
"Snap out of it!" Yang yelled. "What's wrong with you!?"
A growl escaped Blake and AYng couldn't even react fast enough to cry out as the Faunus' head snapped past her.
And sunk her teeth into Yang's neck.
She screamed.
"Blake- Blake stop!"
The Faunus snarled madly, spit and blood dripping from her mouth as her teeth sank deeper.
Deeper, deeper as Yang screamed and flailed.
She was crying. She didn't know when it had started but she was crying as Blake's teeth- no- her fangs – clamped down and into bone.
"Please stop please stop it Blake stop it stop it stop it!"
There was a wretching pull as the mad Faunus bit down hard and prepared to rip out her throa-
"Get offa her!"
There was a yelp as Vernal's boot slammed into Blake's side, freeing yang from her bite and in turn knocking her. Blake landed on all fours and snarled, low and animalistic.
The bandit glared back, ready for a charge.
And Blake froze.
And blinked.
And blinked.
And then her face went pale.
"Blake?"
And she ran.
…
…
Cinder gazed out over the carnage with a look of disgust.
The streets were just so full of bodies. Men and women, young and old soldiers and civilians. All dead. Some, were crushed by rubble, others seemingly untouched, but many were someway maimed or mutilated.
It was such as waste, Cinder thought, for all this to have happened to these people, all to fail, and they had failed.
She couldn't tell what Emerald and Mercury were thinking. Her disciples had been quiet since they met up again. They'd been tasked with delaying reinforcements, and judging by the blood, they had.
Cinder couldn't feel the other half of the maiden's powers. They were within someone else, someone she didn't know perhaps. And in turn, the relic was barred from them and if… if Ruby was to be believed, destroyed somehow.
It was a painful realisation to find that she did believe her.
It was a sickening realisation to think about what she'd done to her in an attempt to make her talk.
Cinder wondered as she had before if she was a monster, a truly vile one at that.
And in speaking of monsters, Cinder say her associates up ahead in a clearing. Rubble and broken building around them letting her know it hadn't been one a few hours ago… and the smell.
She was surprised though, their wear and tear was far beyond what she'd expected.
Tyrian and hazel were bloodied, bruised and burned, and from the looks of it, from Tyrian, hadn't killed the one who'd done it. Watts too looked more battle damaged than she'd thought we would, torn clothes and cuts littering his body.
His state filled her with inordinate amounts of glee.
"What happened to you?" she asked as she approached.
"Things were complicated." Hazel grunted. "The order here in Vale was bigger than we thought.. it was stronger than we were told."
"That bitch lost me my prey." Tyrian muttered, mostly to himself. "Cinder forced back a sneer. "He'd been tormenting people then? If someone had stopped him then good riddance."
There was something more pressing than his madness however.
"What happened." She asked, turning to Watts, who scowled at the action.
"The Maidens power was transferred to the Nikos girl. Qrow Branwen arrived before I could eliminate her."
"You failed?"
"I did not fail." He snarled. "I will hunt that girl down if I have to. We would have had this problem if you had taken the power in the beginning but no, you have to let her get away and the responsibility was left with me! Perhaps you can be useful in somethings and at least tell us you killed Ozpin."
"… He's dead."
"Good, at least you can do something right.
She scoffed, the fool had the arrogance to insult her? After all this?
"We failed." She spat. "You failed and don't try to deny it. All this destruction, all of this pointless because you couldn't secure the maiden."
Watts sneered, stepping up to her, mere inches away and seemingly careless of the fact even with half the maiden s powers she was still a threat to him this way.
"Is there something on your mind Cinder? Something upsetting you? You've been awfully irate about this from the beginning. Is there someone compromising you?"
She stilled.
"Don't you dare." She hissed. "Don't you dare bring her into this. She doesn't matter, I-"
"You what?" he spat out. "As far as I can tell you're hesitating beecasue of someone else. I'll remind you that you serve our Master. Do you think Salem will tolerate this weakness on your behalf?"
"What do you know about Salem?" she howled.
Emerald and Mercury stiffened suddenly.
"Ma'am." Emerald gasped.
She might have ignored her in favour of burning Watts to a crisp if at the same time, Tyrian hadn't started cackling.
"What is it Emerald?"
The girl didn't speak, instead, pointing down the road.
Cinder felt her stomach drop.
Ruby was here.
She was looking there way. Cinder couldn't see her eyes from here but the look on her face wasn't a good one.
It was determined.
It would get her killed if she didn't turn and run.
Tyrian's cackling was getting louder, louder.
What was she doing?
She could barely stand, her burnt arm was hanging limply by her side and she was dragging her scythe behind her with the other.
She was pale, weak and exhausted.
Why was she approaching them?
"This girl." Hazel acknowledged in a flat voice. "She looks familiar."
"Rose." Watts' hummed, turning away from Cinder to smirk condescendingly down at Ruby as she got closer.
And closer.
"Children aren't as bright as people claim they are, are they?" he mused aloud. "one would think walking towards your enemies was a mistake.".
Cinder started. There was something…. There was something wrong.
Ruby's eyes were dull as she ignored the others, and stared directly at Cinder
What did she think was going to happen? What was she trying to achieve with this?
She was still getting closer, barely out of arms reach now.
Tyrian had devolved into full-blown laughter now. "Perhaps the Rose was come to die? Subeg for surrender maybe? Oh! Oh! Could she be basking to serve our Queen?"
"I wouldn't go that far." Watts chuckled, walking up to the young girl, and again, looking down at her. "Though as you are it is amusing, so I'll give you the chance to speak. What is it you want before we end you then?"
Ruby looked up, and Cinder's eye's widened.
Because Ruby's weren't silver.
They were brown and pink.
The sound of shattered glass was all the warning watts got, and he gasped as the form of Ruby flashed and transformed into viciously grinning Neo as she lunged at him with her blade aimed right at his throat.
The man stumbled back, slipping and falling.
Neo's parasol didn't alter to follow his throat.
Instead it stabbed directly into his eye.
Watts' scream made even her flinch and the surprise startled her enough that she nearly missed the dust round that slammed against hazels head, stunning him for a moment.
There was a blur of red and Tyrian ducked under a heavy-handed scythe that cleaved into the dirt as it sailed past. The madman giggled as he lashed out with a foot and kicked Ruby away, and in her state, tumbling to the ground. Another shot fired off, this time into Hazel's chest.
Watts, still screaming shot out a hand. Lightning arced in the direction of the shot, and Torchwick cursed as he was forced to leap out of cover to avoid it.
There was a grunt from him as Tyrian fired off a round into his chest and sent him to the floor.
Neo was one the Faunus a second later. Against almost anyone else Neo's sword might have pierced the back of his head, but Tyrian just laughed as he bent over backwards and slashed at her.
She managed to block, but failed to avoid Hazel as he grabbed her and slammed her into the ground.
And just like that, it was over.
Cinder stared as Hazel brought all three of them forward and dropped them to the ground in a line, as I for execution. The laughing hadn't stopped, in fact, if anything Tyrian's made howls had gotten even louder.
"That's it?" he cackled. "That was your attempt to kill us? Oh that's wonderful, simply wonderful! That was funny!" he hummed, resting a hand under his chin as he made a show of contemplating something.
"I wonder then, what we should do with you next?"
"Kill them!" Watts howled, blood pouring from his ruined right eye. His Aura couldn't fix something like that. "Start with the Silver eyed girl and kill them!"
Cinder inhaled sharply. "But-"
"Silence!" he roared. "You're on thin ice yourself girl. This is the child you travelled with, the one you allowed to expose you. It's about time I corrected your mistake."
She made to speak, to argue or insult him she wasn't sure, but she stopped when a whisper met her ears.
"Cinder."
She turned to Ruby, still on the ground and barely managing to raise herself up to look her in the eye.
The sight twisted her stomach, made her sick. She looked so weak, Ruby her hero looked so weak and feeble. It wasn't right. There was something so wrong with what she was seeing. The girl who had rescued her, the girl that had saved her, the girl who-
Ruby reached out her hand.
Cinder's blood turned to ice.
What.
What was she doing? Was she…. Was she serious?! She couldn't honestly think that-
"It's a bad plan." She murmured. "But it's all I have… I need your help Cinder… please."
She stared.
"You can't be serious."
"I-"
Ruby was cut off with a scream as lightning suddenly rocketed towards her body and forced her down. The Fall maidens eyes widened in horror as Ruby's body spasmed and convulsed from the shocks.
Her head snapped to the side.
"What are you doing?!" she hissed.
"Killing her obviously," the doctor snarled. "but before I do, I'll make it hurt."
"We don't need to kill her!" Cinder snarled. "We should be going after the Nikos girl, not torturing a child!"
Hazel watched them with a frown. "It's unnecessary." He said.
Watts scoffed, and as his hands twitched Ruby's body shook harder.
If this went on any longer she would die.
Cinder grit her teeth and watched.
The twisting feeling inside had gotten tighter, more painful. She knew what it wanted her to do; it wanted her to step in and stop this. To save Ruby.
She couldn't. They'd both made their choices, they'd both picked their sides.
Hadn't they?
There was a flicker in the corner of her eye, and Cinder turned to see Emerald and Mercury looking in, forcing themselves to look on. What was this? Why did this feel so… Unnatural?
None of them should have cared. Not her, not her disciples and not Roman or Neo, who were splayed out on the ground beside the girl.
And yet they did, for some, strange, painful, incomprehensible reason.
Ruby choked out a breath as Watts suddenly stopped, growling angrily to himself. " that little display had left him panting. Qrow had done more damage to him than he let on it seemed.
Cinder's traitorous mind began working all on its own. "Are you done?" Tyrian suddenly asked, even he looked… bored wasn't the right word. He was annoyed. The fun had been taken out of this sight now, because of Watts' tantrum. He was more focused on nursing his burnt side that was no doubt stinging now.
Her mind worked faster, pieces clicking together.
Torchwick pushed himself up slowly, as if a great strain was on his body. Hazel saw it, and sighed morosely.
"Stay down. It will be less painful for you that way.
"He…" the flamboyant thief laughed. "Good idea, if I was anyone else I mean, but personally I'd like to go down with a bang you know?" he flipped open his scroll and tossed it through the air. "Hey Cindy, look familiar?"
She caught it instinctually, peering down at, and understanding.
The black queen virus.
She never had given it back to Watts… had she?
"Cinder." Ruby's whispered, one more time. "Please.
And then something snapped.
…
…
Ruby was in agony. She'd never felt like this before, like any second she'd drop dead just from the strain of breathing.
Every inch of her screamed out, begging her to rest, somehow, to save herself.
And even then she forced herself to speak, trough the pain. She forced herself to listen through the ringing, she forced herself to see through the haze.
She felt a change, so heard a sharp his and she saw Cinder as she turned, summoned her glass swords and pointed them at Watts.
The man's eye widened. "What are you-"
Green and silver blurred past.
They'd been waiting for the order.
Emerald and Mercury were on the man in an instant and raised his arms to protect himself.
Emerald went for his right.
Mercury went for his left.
Both, were blown clean off.
Watts screamed as fountains of blood spewed from his cleaved limbs and he fell back, in more agony than he had been from losing his eye.
Tyrian and Hazel leapt away as Cinder hurled a human-sized fireball between them.
They might have counterattacked, they might have returned the favour if at that moment there wasn't a crash, and a ten-ton Atlesian Paladin breaking through buildings.
Torchwick laughed manically, as if he couldn't believe he'd managed it.
"I got a give it to you Doc, that virus is ridiculously strong. Taking control of machines meant to be piloted by humans is something the Atlas government would kill to get rid of. Good job."
"Aaaaaahhhhhh!"
"Heh, I guess you're busy with other things."
"Roman!" Cinder snapped. "Take Ruby and go, get us a bullhead out of this city!"
The laughed again as Tyrian was batted away by a massive metal arm. "Taking orders from you again already, gee fine." He rested a hand on Ruby's back. "You ready to get out of here kid?"
No response.
"Kid?"
Ruby's vision faded to white.
…
…
Honeycomb.
Ruby wasn't sure why, but that was the first thing she noticed. The smell of honeycomb.
The second thing she noticed, unfortunately, was the throbbing pain she could feel throughout her whole body, and the burning sensation behind closed eyes.
Pain meant she was alive though… so that was… good.
Didn't mean it was any less unpleasant… at least she was laying on something soft.
A bed, obviously, but Ruby frowned when she heard light breathing to her side.
Opening her eyes was a struggle, if not because it felt like she hadn't blinked in an eternity, then because the light gave her a headache she really wasn't ready for.
It did let her see Yang though. Her sister was sat on a chair, head down as she slept.
How… how long had she been there?
Her eyes roamed up and down almost instinctually, and Ruby bit her lip at what she could see.
Yang wasn't wearing much. A pair of baggy pants and a grey t-shirt. Not exactly much to think about, other than that face it showed that the rest of her body was covered in bandages.
The only thing free was her obsidian limbs, while the rest; her left arm and leg, her chest, her midriff, her neck. She even had a band-aid under her left eye. It looked like if it had been even an inch higher she would have lost it.
What had happened to her sister?
She looked tired, exhausted even. She should probably just let her rest. She could get out of bed without waking her-
"Argh!"
Ruby cried out as she tried to move. She'd put pressure on her arm and pain had lanced through her body, rattling her bones.
Yang was practically shocked awake by the noise, her eyes flickering wildly for a second before falling on her little sister.
"Ruby!" she gasped, moving closer to the bed. "You're awake."
"Y-yang." She grit out, the sensation in her arm having turned into an even more throbbing pain than before. "W-what… what happened?"
"I-" Yang looked away. She sighed heavily and stood up, pulling her chair closer and sitting down. "Things are crazy right now Ru… I'll be honest, I don't really know how to explain it. I-" she cut herself off, running a hand through her hair.
"I'll let everyone know you're awake… we can talk about to with all of them."
Ruby's confusion was clear if Yang's wince was anything to go by. "All of them?"
Another sigh. "Are you gonna show yourself already or pretend you're not there?"
There was a pause, before light refracted in the corner and Neo suddenly appeared next to her bed, eyes flashing back and forth as she inspected every inch of Ruby's form.
"N-Neo?!" Ruby gaped. "What are you doing here?!"
"She's been sticking around watching you while you slept." Yang groused, glaring at Neo's back. The mute didn't even bother with her, far more focused on Ruby's condition. "It's been a long week."
Ruby stilted. "… a week?"
A few minutes later Yang went to get the 'others' and bring them back to Ruby's room. It just so happened that said 'others' were people she never thought would be anywhere near her home, much less in proximity to her dad.
That being said, her dad, Qorw and Yang were the closest to her, around her bed with varying degrees of concern on their faces, as well as suspicion being thrown at the other two groups: those being Roman and Neo, who stood in one corner of the room. The older thief shooting smug looks at the professional huntsman while Neo looked around her room, nosily glancing at anything and everything not nailed down. Further back, probably the most surprising if only because Ruby would have thought they'd have left to find somewhere safer to hide out, was Cinder, Emerald and Mercury.
The silver-haired teen was probably the most relaxed out of the three if the way he leaned against the wall was anything to go by. He still watched them though. He was a criminal in a room full of Huntsmen level fighters.
Emerald was much more suspicious. Sending glares Roman's way, while her red orbs flickered constantly between Ruby and Cinder.
Cinder, who wouldn't meet her eyes at the moment, more specifically… couldn't look at her arm. It was bandaged all the way up the burning, but even still, it now lay limply at the reapers side.
Ruby didn't think she had the never to bring it up.
"So," She swallowed after a long period of uncomfortable silence. "What did I miss?"
Qrow sighed, and she was taken aback with how he too was covered in bandaged, some even running under his clothes. In fact, all of them bar her dad were wrapped up in one way or another. "A lot of stuff's happened kiddo."
He reached for his flask and took a swig, as if preparing himself to recount it all.
"Vale's… we lost Vale. As in, the entire city. It's swarming with Grimm after that big ass dragon decided to make the school its nest. It keeps spawning Grimm. Huntsmen are working around the clock to contain it but it means civilians are pouring out of the place. They're everywhere, towns, villages, some refugees even travelling to the other kingdoms… what's worse, the CCT's been destroyed. All we've got are local signals within the Kingdom, and even their bad."
"Contact with the outside world is screwed." Torchwick picked up, ignoring the glares he got from the older scythe wielder. "Without people able to get in contact with proper authorities there's panic, which means even more Grimm. It's a big mess if you ask me."
Qrow's eyes narrowed. "Are you off all people really the best to start talking about authority?"
The thief in question rolled his eyes. "I'm a master thief, not an anarchist. I know how people need rules and kingdom protection, relax will you?" he turned back to Ruby.
"My contacts are practically scattered to the wind, but I managed to get a few things before everybody went underground; Atlas recalled all t' troops. Everybody they've got they've brought back to defend their own borders. Apparently things have gotten pretty tense up there between the council and its people. There've been rumours of a dust embargo being set in place."
He shook his head. "That'll make it even harder for people to defend themselves in Vale now."
"Other than that," Qrow cut in again. "We've heard nothing… I don't think Vale even has a solid power to look over things: the council's gone, the Huntsmen are too busy to deal with it and the Order's dealing with the people still in Vale. Hel, even the White Fang's pulled out. Nobody has any idea how the other kingdoms are really reacting to all this, but we've heard no word from them yet." He ran a hand through his hair.
" And Worse… Ozpin's dead."
Ruby looked away from him, unconsciously glancing at Cinder. She caught the look and closed her eyes, shaking her head.
She hadn't told anyone else about… what she'd done.
She… she barely remembered what she'd done.
"I'm hoping I can get in contact with some of his other associates," Qrow went on. "Glynda's spearheading the containment in Vale so she's not much help… Ironwoods in Atlas being himself. The only idea I've got is Leo."
"Don't."
The Branwen twin blinked, turning to Cinder as she'd spoken. "You barely speak to anyone for a week and you say that? What are you talking about?"
Cinder glanced at Ruby again, and looked away, muttering something under her breath. "When we got into Beacon it was as students from Haven," she said eventually. "other students didn't so much as bat an eye at us because we did join up at Haven… or… I did anyway."
She turned to Qrow. "Do you remember when we parted years back?"
He nodded. "Yeah, you took a boat to Haven to become a huntress. Guessing that didn't work out."
She quirked an eyebrow in challenge. "That's the thing though, it did; I got to Haven fine, signed everything I needed to, pass initiation and became a first-year huntress. Thing is, just a day later I get a call from the headmaster himself to met him in his office." She gave Qrow a hard look.
"When I got there, I was surrounded by Watts and Tyrian."
"… what?" Qrow's voice was deadly.
His face even more so.
"Leonardo's working for Salem." Cinder told them. "Since they knew I'd been travelling with you they thought it was a great opportunity to get rid of me; invite me into a room where nobody could see or hear me and the three of them would kill me before I could even defend myself… Salem had other plans."
Qrow stiffened. "You've met her?"
It was a question asked in shock. Qrow was Ozpins agent yes, his eye, but he'd never actually seen his bosses mortal enemy in person, only heard things.
"Yes." She nodded. "People against her usually don't live to tell about it, but she had plans for me. She didn't actually meet me face to face at the time, but even through a Grimm it was enough."
Yang crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back. A frown spread across her features as she thought. "She wanted you to be her Maiden."
Cinder nodded. "She gave me a choice. She asked me to join her and serve as her Maiden and in return she'd offer me power and protection against her forces."
"Not much of a choice considering." Qrow grumbled, but paused when Cinder shook her head.
"No actually," she said, sounding… intrigued if anything. "Salem said that if I chose to decline she would order her servants to let me leave. I was to be unharmed until I was able to make a suitable distance between myself and Haven Academy. If that had been what I'd gone for I have a feeling she would have kept her word."
That just made Yang's frown deepen. "So you accepted then? You actually decided to join her?"
"I did."
"Why?"
"That's not your business."
Yang felt her jaw clench, but forced herself to stay quiet. Things were already complicated.
"Damnit." Qrow muttered. "If he's with them things are even worse than I thought."
"What about everybody else?" Ruby's quiet voice came. They turned to her, as she stared down at her lap. Her limbs were twitching, in a constant, involuntary way. "What happened to the others? Is… did you find Amber's…"
Qrow closed his eyes. "Yeah… I did." When Ruby didn't say anything he went on.
"I got there right as the power transferred to the Nikos girl. Watts killed her, I got there and fought him off." He frowned to himself. "Team JNPR's gone MIA. Nobody knows where they've gone but we can't find them somehow., and with comms down they're completely off the grid."
"What about my team? Are they okay?"
A pause.
Yang sighed. "Everybody out. Give me a minute with my sister."
Their dad shot them a worried look, but before he could even speak Yang shook her head. "This is a talk between teammates dad… just, let me talk with my leader.
He wasn't pleased about it, neither was Qrow, but Ironically it was the criminals who were the most help; Roman, Mercury and Neo herded they huntsmen out of the room. Emerald offered to be helpful and bring something for them to eat and Cinder…
She stepped out outside without another word, closing the door behind her.
Yang's finger tapped the chair arm slowly for a moment, letting the quiet sink in.
"Yang." Ruby croaked. "Where are my teammates?"
"The other students were attacked too." Yang told her instead of answering the question. "I didn't see them myself, but Qrow told me about them; Tyrian and Hazel were their names. You know them?"
A nod.
"Right… they attacked the other teams; CRDL, CVFY, along with Weiss and Penny. It was bad… they didn't stand a chance."
Ruby swallowed. "What happened to my partner."
"She's alive." Yang was quick to assure her. "But she was in a bad way last time I saw her; she wasn't awake, and doctors were all over her. Last thing I heard she was being taken back to Atlas for treatment."
"Why…" The younger girl asked nervously. "Why does it sound like you're leaving something out?"
A longer, deeper sigh. "Not everybody made it out of that fight. Mirark saved Weiss just in time, but she was too late for Yatsuhashi… and Penny. They're dead, and Coco was taken in for treatment. She was poisoned and maimed. They don't think she'll make it."
Ruby felt her eyes burn again, but this time, something wet tickled the corner of her eyes. "I-" she was crying. She inhaled, slowly, forcing it back. "And… Blake?"
Crack!
Ruby jumped at the sound as the chair splintered under Yang's grip. The blonde realised what she'd done a second later and withdrew her hands, turning away.
"She's gone."
"W-what?"
"She ran." Yang growled. "We were attacked by the guy called Adam Taraus. We barely got out of there thanks to- it doesn't matter, we I carried her out if here and the next thing I knew she was attacking him.
Yang ran a hand over the bandaged on her arm and neck.
Ruby shook her head. "That doesn't make any sense." She argued. "Blake wouldn't-"
"I'm not stupid Ruby." Yang snapped. "I know she wouldn't. there was something wrong with her, something to do with that thing. Are you she it was a wraith?"
"I- what?" she asked, confused. "What else could it be? We both saw it. There's nothing else that looks like that."
"Except whatever Merlot made… it was a Grimm Ruby, a real one. I could see it in Blake's eye."
"You… you can't blame her for what happened Yang. If she-"
"Don't Ruby," Yang snarled. "after the dust was settled she disappeared. Nobody knows where she's gone. She didn't tell me, she didn't tell anyone and she could be anywhere. She left."
Ruby swallowed. Yang didn't say it. She didn't say what she meant.
Like everyone else.
"Yang…"
"Just drop it Ruby." Yang sighed at last. "We've… there's something else we have to talk about."
"What?"
"Cinder turned against them… right at the last minute and got you out of there. Honestly I think it's the only reason dad's letting them stay here right now, but if they don't know where you are, they will eventually… that's why… that's why I need to go."
Her little sister's head shot up.
"What!? Why!?"
Yang closed her eyes and leaned back again. "They need something to keep their attention. If they find out both of you are on Patch they might not even send someone like Tyrian or whatever after you. For all we know patch could be swallowed by Grimm."
"So I'm leaving. I don't intend to ask them to come after me, but if they're focused on me it can give you time to recover."
"Recover?!" Ruby spluttered. "I don't need to- you can't just leave because of me. I can handle myself!"
"Can you?" Yang asked.
"Yes!"
The blonde frowned, and steeled herself as she reached out and poked Ruby's arm.
"Argh!" she spasmed, shaking at the sudden contact with her burnt limb.
"You can't." Yang said harshly. "Cinder told me… she told me what she did to you. You can't go out there now, not until you've recovered."
"You can't go out there by yourself!" Ruby heaved, sweat pouring off her face as agony racked through her body at just that simple touch. "How is that even going to work? How are you going to get their attention."
Yang's grin was strained, but it was there. "Hey, you can't ask questions like that to Yang Branwen. The names got a reputation."
"… Yang you can't."
"I can." She responded firmly. "And I will." A pause. "I need to get ready. I'll… I'll talk to you again before I go."
She turned, walking to the door. Right as her hand grasped the handle she heard her sister again.
Her voice, so weak.
"Please don't die too."
Yang didn't turn back, she might have lost her nerve if she had, but she nodded, before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.
And stood right in front of Cinder, who'd been waiting outside the whole time.
Yang closed her eyes, forcing back the anger she felt towards this person.
She'd hurt Ruby.
But she was also the reason she was alive.
"So," Yang asked, leaning against the wall opposite her. "How bad is she really?"
Cinder clenched her teeth, working her jaw slowly. "Bad." She said at last. "She's… in a bad way, and it'll get worse."
"What do you mean?"
"Her arms not just burnt." Cinder explained. "I melted it from the inside out. I liquified her bones. Her aura might have just barely saved it, but even if she manages to regain working function of her right arm again, she'll never be able to use it in a fight. It's completely useless in that fact. That's not even considering what Watts did to her."
"And that is…?"
Cinder looked to the ceiling. "Electricity can damage the body in a lot of ways, some even fatal. You saw a little of it didn't you? The spasming?"
"…yeah."
"It'll get worse; Muscle contractions, spasming, throbbing pain, locking up completely."
Yang swallowed. "Is… is it permanent?"
"No, but only because she has Aura. Even then it could take months for her to regain proper control of her body again, if she recovers properly."
"And then she'll be better?"
Cinder shot her a withering look. "How many of her friends died in that attack exactly? Not counting Amber, she still has her schoolmates to morn, not to mention her partner's not even on the same Kingdom anymore, and she has no clue if she's really okay. I don't know what that says about you, but people break after things like that."
Yang didn't know what to say to that.
She really didn't.
Cinder probably guessed that and sighed.
"Ten months." She said. "Give her ten months to get herself together, and even then don't expect any miracles."
"And then what?"
"I was talking with Qrow… after ten months, if you really intend to draw them away… then make your way to Mistral We're not exactly sure what we're going to do, but even so, that's the best place to meet."
"…Alright."
"Is there something bothering you?"
Yang crossed her arms.
"I'm not exactly comfortable leaving my sister with…" she trailed off, but Cinder got her meaning.
"I understand. I doubt Torchwick or Neo for that matter would let anything happen to her, but even so I'll make sure of it, you have my word."
It was the best Yang was going to get, she knew that. "Fine. I'll leave her in your hands. I… I need to do some things before I go."
"I know." Cinder nodded. "But before you do, I just have one request. It's a simple one, I think."
"Yeah."
Cinder looked into her eyes.
"Keep moving forward."
Yang stiffened, and Cinder smiled bitterly. "Those words sound familiar… don't they?"
"I… yeah… yeah they do."
"It's something all Avatars are apparently holding within them. Those words, whoever spoke them."
"How do you know?"
"You felt it didn't you? That familiarity? I've met other Avatars, all of them reacted the same… keep those words with you Yang, perhaps they'll help you in some way. Hopefully."
With nothing else to say, yang nodded, and turned to leave Cinder. The maiden gave one last parting word.
"Good luck."
Yang nodded. She felt like she would need it.
Things were about to change. All over the world people were going to react to what happened to Vale and change. Hopefully Cinder was right and those words, whatever they meant, so suddenly arriving and yet resonating in her so clearly, would help her.
Keep moving forward.
She liked the sound of that.
...
...
So this is it, the end of an era, the lovingly dubbed 'Beacon Arc' that the fandom praises as the best of RWBY.
Some parts, i agree with, others, not so much.
But either way that's the end of it, and similarly, that is the end of my first arc. The name of course is the same, though the second is much different. things have already been stacked up much differently than before. I've named this next arc 'The Mystic Arc'
Hopefully you'll enjoy it, it'll get a lot messier for our heros from here on out.
So far, what do you think? Has it been good? Bad?
For me, I'll say that if I could go back there would be a lot of things I would change, mostly in the delivery I think. there was a lot I enjoyed obviously, but my favourite to write were the Roman and Neo scenes, they were just fun to me. THe budding relationships were a close second, but I'll have plenty of time to write more of both I guess.
Really though, let me know what you think. this is where I'll be branching out a lot more from Canon than before. there'll still be some familiar bits, places and people, but the story itself should be mostly new and hopefully you'll like it.
Anyway, if you liked this chapter, be sure to follow, favourite and most certainly Review.
For now, that's all I have to say.
Bye!
P a treon . com (slash) WSpectre