RESONANCE

"Well, we can't go back down, now that Ruby's unconscious." Weiss said looking down from the edge of the cliffs to the base of the waterfall. From up there it wasn't looking pretty; a single fall would kill them quite easily. "Even with my semblance it's risky."

Blake was seen observing the landscape while Yang was watching over Ruby with care. Ruby's unconscious face looked pained as her forehead was reddened.

"She's getting feverish." Yang said removing the back of her hand from Ruby's forehead. "We need to find a way down, so we can take her to the hospital."

"There should be a path that could lead down to the base." Blake said, pointing to the ravine that they had trapped the Grimm earlier. "That ravine had a stream down there, it must lead somewhere. I'm not sure, but-" she sniffed the air, and her eyes widened. "This is bad! I can sense a number of Grimm converging around us!"

"H…How many?!" Weiss asked, looking around in alertness.

"I don't know." Blake said a worried expression on her face. "But they're much."

"Perfect, just perfect. We need to get out of here, fast." Yang said, lifting and fitting Ruby onto her back. She grunted, Ruby's weight a bit much. How can she be so heavy? Yang thought in bewilderment.

"I'll go ahead and scout the cave." Blake said in a hurry, "We need to make sure it's safer than what's coming."

"I'll stay back with Yang just in case." Weiss said while they headed quickly towards the ravine noting the water emerging from the large crevice.

Blake crouched and looked through the crevice into the cave, her sharp eyes peering into the darkness. The shadows of the occasional stalactites and stalagmites as well as cave mounds were distracting. Sometimes, she could swear they moved a bit. She shook her head, aiming to clear her vision and look down to the routes. She needed to have a sign that there was a way out. She tried following the path of the water but it proceeded deeper into the cave so she assumed it was not feasible to move through.

Her pupils dilated as soon as she saw a beam of sunlight in the distance and she smirked. There it was.

"Blake!"

She leaned back quickly and looked towards Yang and Weiss. "What is-" Her nose twitched and her eyes widened. On top of the ravine were numerous Grimm looking down towards them, growling intermittently.

They looked to the way out of the ravine to see the Grimm approaching towards them. There was no way out.

"They are so much! W…What the hell is happening?!" Weiss asked in shock. "This isn't normal at all. Is something drawing them here or something else?!"

"Blake." Yang asked looking to the Grimm across them that was heading towards them slowly. "Which is safer?" Blake bit her lip and looked to Yang and Weiss who looked expectantly. She didn't have time to scout the cave properly, but there was a way out. Was it feasible?

"Well?!" Weiss asked.

"Well, there is a way out." She said, prompting slightly relieved expressions from Yang and Weiss. "It is sunlight, but we have to go down to get there. It seems safer than the cliffs, they are slippery and considering Ruby's helpless right now, we can't head down. But the Grimm might be in there. I don't have enough time to-"

"Right here we are trapped!" Weiss said, looking at Blake who had an indecisive expression. "We might survive if we head down there, but we wouldn't survive if we stay here. We don't know what's drawing them here, but I'm sure this wouldn't be the last of it. We can move through the crevice, but the Grimm are too large. They wouldn't be able to pass through."

"Oh screw it." Yang said, looking to the cave in determination. "Let's go!" She looked to Ruby with a steely gaze. Just wait, Ruby.

Blake just stared at the Grimm opposite them which heading slowly towards them, snarling menacingly. She just quickly made her decision. She moved through the crevice with ease and lifted her arms to get Ruby.

"Pass her!"

"Hurry up!" Weiss said standing between them and the Grimm. As soon as Ruby was passed into the cave, the Grimm growled and began to move fast towards the group.

Weiss grit her teeth and sliced through the Grimm before it could strike and before it even disintegrated, the other Grimm at the ride of the ravine snarled and jumped down towards them. Yang had made her way through meanwhile and it was just Weiss.

Quickly piercing her sword into the earth, a huge wall of ice emerged and acted as a protective shield over her. The Grimm in their large numbers fell unto the shield and quite instantaneously, cracks began to form.

"Weiss come on!" Yang yelled out.

Weiss quickly moved through the crevice while the ice shield broke apart, the Grimm crashing against the crevice small for their size.

Weiss gasped as she fell to the rocky ground, breathing in and out in fear and relief, gulping at certain intervals. "Never… doing that… again."

"By never doing that you mean getting attacked by the Grimm?" Yang asked placing Ruby on her back.

"No…" Weiss gulped, sitting up and taking calming breaths. Blake went and gave her a hand to which she grabbed, helping herself up. "Thanks." Blake nodded and looked to the cave. "I meant being the last, I would carry Ruby next time."

"Hopefully there wouldn't be a next time." Blake said shaking her head. "Well, here we are."

Now observing the cave, it was one of almost impenetrable blackness. As soon as they stepped away from the light source that came from the crevice they entered from, they watched as their shadows slowly dissolved into the surrounding darkness. It was dank and the smell varied. The only sound they could hear was the dripping water from the stalactites above.

Due to the moisture in the air, her tracking abilities were reduced; due to her nose been hampered. But still, while she could make her way through; the issue was, could they?

"Just stay close, and let's stick together." She said, trying to find the best way for them to navigate the cave.

"No kidding." Weiss said as she and Yang removed their torches and switched them on. "How could you see through this?" Weiss asked in puzzlement. When Blake was describing the cave it seemed like it would be quite visible. She couldn't believe that it was day outside. If not for the light from the crevice above them, they were sure they couldn't see anything.

"Over there." Blake said, pointing to the beam of light down the cave. That's our way out.

"Yeah I see it." Weiss said in relief while Yang nodded her head.

"Well, Blake, guide us through. Weiss you stay behind me."

"Fine, but next time I stay at the middle." Weiss grumbled as the members of Team RWBY moved through the cave, stepping down slightly.

Blake's eyes moved around the cave in complete awareness, her eyes were invaluable right now and she knew that the team depended on her right now, to make it out safely. Was the cave much safer than out there? She never knew, and they were going to find out.

Weiss directed her torchlight to the walls to note the signs of blood on the cave. "Not scary at all." She said as Yang observed it too.

"We just need to quickly make our way out." Yang said and Blake nodded.

"Stop." Blake said, and Yang and Weiss obeyed and looked across the cave to see a large span of nothing right ahead of them. They could still jump to the other side.

"We need to jump across."

"Well." Weiss stepped forward and with her semblance, created multiple platforms that led to the other side. "How about hopping?"

The group safely made it to the other side and kept walking forward on the now loose ground. Underfoot, the loose stones shifted, twisting their ankles one way and then the other, and the noise of those disturbed rocks echoed off the dense stone walls.

Water dripped from the stalactites as the group moved further into the cave.

"It's like the exit seems farther than when we saw it." Yang said looking around in worry.

"We're getting there." Blake said. Feeling something fleshy beneath her foot, Weiss shone downwards to note dead bats. "I hope this explains the blood."

She shook her head to clear her vision, being in the dark for so long was beginning to have its effect.

The stones right behind her shifted slightly and she stopped still, her eyes widening.

"Umm, guys."

Blake and Yang looked to Weiss and their eyes widened as they saw her staring at a large bipedal Grimm that towered over them.

"Oh shit." Yang spoke as Weiss stepped back from the Grimm that was staring at her ominously.

The Grimm didn't move, just opting to stare at them which was completely puzzling to them. Its red eyes then shifted to Ruby's form and it glimmered. It then growled.

"Give… me… human…"

Silence was what was heard through the cave as the students of Beacon Academy looked in utter shock.

"W…W….What the… fuck?!" Weiss made out, looked completely agape.

Yang and Blake couldn't even find it in their minds to shut Weiss up, because she just voiced what was in their minds.

Did a Grimm just talk?

"Blake, Weiss?" Yang asked. "Is it just me or-"

"Did the Grimm just speak?" Blake concluded. "Yeah, we aren't insane."

The Grimm growled and pointed to Ruby again. "Give… me… human!"

Weiss followed its hand and looked at Ruby, turning her gaze back to him. "Why does it want Ruby?" Weiss asked as she retreated successfully towards where Blake and Yang were.

"Is it possible that…" Yang began, looking to Ruby in silence. "It's ridiculous."

"That what?" Weiss spoke. "I'd believe anything right now."

"The amount that came at us outside the cave." Yang said. "Were they after Ruby?"

Blake began to recall Ruby's earlier discussion with her and looked to an unconscious Ruby. What did you do, Ruby?

"What? S…She can control them or what?"

"Something is very off here." Yang said, looking fiercely. "But it must be crazy if it thinks we'll just give it Ruby."

The Grimm growled in disappointment.

"Oh yea." Weiss gulped. "It can hear us, forgot about that one bit."

"Blake." Yang muttered looking to the Grimm with a steeled expression. "We need to get out of here, right now."

"Oh no…" Weiss muttered and looked right behind the Grimm noting these large number of red eyes that walked towards them ominously. "We'll have to fight them. We wouldn't be able to reach the exit in time."

"Look up." Blake said, Weiss and Yang's eyes widening. "Yes, stalactites, and hell lot of them. One wrong move and they'll come raining down."

"What the hell do we do?" Weiss spoke, going to a stance.

"I will hold them off." Yang said. "Weiss, you and Blake will take Ruby to the top."

Weiss looked in shock. "W…What? No I-"

"Weiss!" Yang looked to Weiss with a pleading look. "Please… Please just go. Get her out."

Weiss was silent, unable to say a word. Just looking into Yang's eyes was enough for her to understand. She bit her lip and nodded. "We'll get back to you."

"Not if I get out first." Yang said with a smile.

Blake looked with uncertainty. "If we move, they'll attack. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Just get my sister out of here." Yang said, to which Blake nodded and looked to Weiss after Yang placed Ruby on her back.

"Let's go, Weiss. Just follow my steps."

"Sure thing."

Yang looked to Ruby who was unconscious on Blake's back. "I'm sorry, Ruby."

She exhaled and looked to the large horde of Grimm, closing her eyes to focus.

Yang roared out as the Grimm began their approach. Yang revealed her blood red eyes as a surge of energy went through her.

"Go, now!"

As soon as Weiss and Blake sped off, heading towards the exit, the Grim followed, with the bipedal watching their assault.

Yang grinned. "Come on!"

The horde approached and Yang using a speed untraceable by the Grimm, began to tear through them, her punches so precise and powerful that they knocked their heads off after one strike. Yang was on full throttle, managing to stop their movement. Right now she was in control. But the strength of the Grimm were not in their abilities, it was in their numbers.

For how long was she going to be able to keep her momentum?

Weiss and Blake raced across the cave towards the sunlight. "Over there" Blake shouted, gesturing to the top which had an opening to the outside.

"An exit!" Weiss commented. "Here we go!"

Using her semblance, she created platforms that enabled them to jump. While they were approaching the exit, multiple Grimm were seen running across the walls, intent on intercepting them.

"I guess Yang could only hold them off for long!" Blake said to which Weiss looked around contemplatively.

Yang looked to the distance to note some of the Grimm going around her and heading towards Blake and Weiss at high speeds.

"Shit!"

The distraction cost her, as a huge swipe from the bipedal sent her flying away and crashing into numerous columns. She gasped out in pain as she crashed to the rocky floor, a whirring sound threatening to split her head apart, blocking her every sense.

Coughing out in pain, she grit her teeth and stood up from the debris, her bloodied expression not losing the spark she had. She roared out, and sped towards the bipedal - who seemed to be the Leader - punching through the Grimm that stood in her way.

The bipedal leaped forward as soon as Yang was within range and went for a strike to which Yang narrowly escaped by rolling in a quick reflex, the bipedal's kick tearing through the Grimm unfortunately caught within its attack.

"Go ahead!" Weiss roared out as she moved towards the Grimm that were making themselves towards the exit.

Blake looked at her in stunned silence, but grit her teeth as she began to run towards the high exit with everything that she had. She had to make it.

"Stop… Blake…" At that familiar voice, her eyes widened.

"R…Ruby?"

As Yang completed her roll, she looked upward to note the multitude of Grimm that came raining down from the top of the cave towards her. She grit her teeth, clenching her fists. She knew that she couldn't fight through them. The Grimm were intent on taking her down even if it meant their lives, as long as they got Ruby.

Weiss was seen fighting through the amount of Grimm that aimed at stopping Ruby from leaving the cave. This was no longer a battle to get out, for some reason, Ruby had to be kept safe.

She blinked as she saw that Blake had stopped on her platform, Ruby looking towards Yang in the distance.

"Blake, get the hell out of here!"

Weiss looked behind her to note the increasing amount of the Grimm.

Just how possible was it that such a large number were here? They were enough to attack a capital!

Blake looked to Ruby. "Whatever you are going to do, Ruby, do it now."

Ruby just stared through her half lidded eyes at Yang in the distance, about to be enveloped by the Grimm, and then, she saw white.

Yang had been heading upwards to punch through the impossible horde that descended on her from the top when a flash of white filled the cave. She used the back of her hand to block her vision and immediately shivered, as a cold mist escaped from her lips in a steady stream.

While she was midair, she opened her eyes only for it to widen further as from the ceiling, a huge wave of ice had enveloped the incoming horde of the Grimm. She looked down in shock to note the ones on the floor frozen up as well. Looking to the distance, she noted the amount that were approaching the exit were frozen up.

Weiss? She wondered. It was when she looked towards Ruby that she got her answer as to what happened.

Weiss looked to Ruby in stunned silence the Red clothed girl had her left hand facing Yang's direction, her eyes blazing white.

"R…Ruby?" Weiss called out.

Blake turned her head to look at Ruby who was on her back. "You're unbelievable you know." She said with a smile.

"I'm tired." Ruby said, falling back to sleep. "Let's get out of here."

Ruby found herself in a landscape filled with grasses that stretched to the horizon, she looked to the distance to note herself being surrounded by the Grimm, all of them bowing to her.

She looked to her hand a look of utter confusion. "Where am I? What am I?" she wondered.

A palm touching her right shoulder caused her to turn and look upwards to note her mother looking at her with a smile.

"Victory." She said.

Ruby's eyes opened to find herself in the clinic, a bandage wrapped securely around her head. She grunted, while squinting her eyes as she rose up.

"Gently." Yang said helping her up. Ruby looked to her with a smile.

"Yang."

"Hey there Ruby. Gave us one hell of a heart attack."

"What happened?"

"Well." She began, giving Ruby a cup of water to drink. "After your demonstration, we had to get out of there because the cave came crashing down, what was once a waterfall, is well, no longer a waterfall."

"Huh."

"Yeah."

"She's awake!" Weiss spoke out in relief as she walked into the room. Blake followed soon after, smiling a bit at Ruby.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." Ruby chuckled, finding it a bit odd regarding Weiss' concern towards her. She guessed, despite all their arguments, their nonchalant behavior, they looked out for each other.

"Well, you have to get better." Yang said. "Then you spill."

Ruby just chuckled and relaxed unto the bed. "Fine."

Now that they had seen something at least, they wouldn't be too doubtful regarding what she had to tell them. Things were looking up finally, and she was one more step in getting to Naruto, wherever he was.

"Her abilities has awoken." Taiyang said, looking to Qrow who had his hands in his pockets, leaning to the wall. The two were seen in Taiyang's home. "Yang told me about it."

"That's good."

"Attention will be drawn towards her. And I'm not talking about her friends or the school. I'm talking about the enemy."

"The Grimm."

"We need to take precautions."

"I have contacted Ironwood regarding the situation. We are making steps."

"Not fast enough." Taiyang countered. "My daughter is at risk here. We need to be taking more than steps."

"Trust me when I say we are." Qrow muttered. "The Continent of Fire has made contact. They are willing to share their information regarding the Grimm. And well, a strikingly new development."

"The Continent of Fire?" Taiyang asked in surprise.

"This means one of two things." Qrow surmised. "The first is that they are opening their doors for diplomatic relations, which I don't believe for a second."

"And the other?"

Qrow looked to him. "I think they messed up with something. And they want to clean it up under the guise of whatever their contact is meant to be. The question is," Qrow mused. "What is it?"

"A power has been awoken." Salem said, prompting Naruto to look to her.

"A power?" he asked. The full members were seen sitting while Salem was observed to be in the head chair.

"Silver-eyes." This caused the occupants of the meeting room to narrow their eyes.

"Where?" Hazel asked.

"Over in Vale. They had destroyed an important outpost. I had to sift through their memories to note who the cause was."

Naruto let out a slight smirk. "I see."

"I have something for you to do, Naruto."

Naruto tilted his head towards her. "Which is?"

"She must be captured." Salem said. "Ruby Rose, I need her."

Naruto's expression became indecipherable. "Is that so?"

"Cinder will go with you. No mistakes. Destroy Beacon if you have to."

Naruto just let out an amused smile. "As you wish."