Chapter 34: Purging is Logical

Ruins of Mountain Glenn

November 20th, 80 AGW

2320 Hours

Things were bad. Everyone and their mother knew that at this point, as the saying went.

The Kingdom of Atlas and the City of Mantle were destroyed and no salvage efforts had even begun yet.

Millions were dead or missing and there was no reliable way to confirm the number of casualties.

Communication with the outside world was gone thanks to the destruction of the CCTS tower.

Record levels of Grimm were gathering across the borders of the kingdoms in response to the exponential spike in negative emotions.

Things were bad.

No, things were worse than bad.

The Kingdom of Vale was now on high alert. All military personnel, active, guard, and reserve, were being called upon to reinforce the border, and provide logistical support to sectors in critical need, and a few units were being organized to conduct search and rescue operations on what remained of Altas and Mantle. Really, any job that was deemed critical to the council was being fulfilled.

All huntsmen and huntresses were being reassigned to Grimm suppression missions. Teams of five were being dispatched to conduct patrols all across the walls and defenses, looking for anything and everything that could be exploited by the monsters. The community was already somewhat shortstaffed as it was and this recent slew of work was only putting more strain on those who had licenses.

Now there was talk of potentially fast-tracking the seniors into obtaining their licenses due to the need of more bodies. Granted, it was just a rumor, but in times like these, it was a logical rumor.

All of that was far from the Decepticon's processors.

Shockwave now had a new problem on his hands. He was effectively responsible for the death of a kingdom and almost all of its people. The only likely survivors would be those with aura and even then, they would need extraordinary luck on their side.

Also of great concern was Amber. It was only a matter of time before she realized that he had been responsible for the collapse of Atlas. Although she owed her life to him, it was a dangerous gamble to test how strong their relationship was. Although he did not want to kill her, he would if she proved to be… problematic. If he had to, he could extract her DNA and clone her as well. Granted, he would need to preserve her life long enough so he could transfer the power of the Fall Maiden.

And there was also Ozpin to deal with, an equally important factor on par with Amber. He had political influence and his connections probably extended to more than just the council and politics. There was no doubt that the man knew that he was the perpetrator. The only problem would be finding evidence to convict. However, fabrication was not an impossibility, especially in dark times. One way or another, he would need to be dealt with decisively before he started making problems.

Project Predacon would likely take a backseat until some major issues were calmed down.

"Master." Penny approached him. "You summoned me?"

Shockwave looked the synthetic lifeform in the eye. "Seal the room."

All of the doors to the lab immediately closed, followed by red status lights confirming no chance of entry or exit unless he disengaged the locks. Then he made sure that no sounds could escape this space. Then he made sure that his security cameras were disabled as well. He would take no chances with evidence, even if nobody on this planet could properly comprehend Cybertronian technology let alone use it.

Once he did that, the conversation continued. "You will go to Mistral and kill the Spring Maiden, Raven Branwen. Clone Charlie Foxtrot dash Zero Zero One will accompany you and she will be the next maiden. Once Branwen is dead and her powers obtained, collect ten blood samples; her DNA will prove useful. Upon obtaining the magical power and the samples, you will journey to Haven Academy to retrieve the relic hidden beneath the vault. I do not know its location, so you will need to conduct reconnaissance accordingly. When the relic is secure, radio for a ground bridge. Questions?"

"None at this time!" Penny replied with gusto. "When do we go?"

Shockwave didn't miss a beat as he turned his head right. "Momentarily."

Nearby sat the first Cinder Fall clone, undergoing final brainwave checks just to ensure that no abnormalities or issues were detected via a cortical psychic patch. Thanks to her genes, which were ideal for combat combined with countless hours of data from combat classes courtesy of the students at Beacon as well as procedural memories of the original made for a very lethal combination. Her loyalty was ensured with a behavioral regulation device of Cybertronian make.

A nearby console indicated the mental scan was complete, prompting the scientist to approach the keyboard, type four keys, then promptly walk over to the sitting clone and detach the CCP from the rear of her head.

Seconds later, the eyelids of the clone opened. Although they showed signs of optimal health, they displayed no clear emotions. It was the perfect poker face.

Shockwave asked his first question, speaking the native tongue of Cybertron for the first time in ages. "What are the words of the Decepticons?"

"Transform and rise up." The clone responded fluently.

Granting her the ability to speak Cybertronian served two purposes. It would allow her a modicum of secrecy in the event that she found herself under surveillance and because the language was completely alien, it could not be deciphered by Remnant technology.

Shockwave proceeded with the test. "What is your designation?"

"Serial number Charlie Foxtrot dash Zero Zero One." The female voice flowed smoothly. "This unit is the first to be derived from the DNA of the deceased Cinder Fall, tuned specifically for combat and eventual hosting of the Spring Maiden powers."

Good, she could speak clearly and understand conversation.

The Decepticon relayed his final question. "Do you understand the objectives of your first mission?"

"The first objective is to kill Raven Branwen and obtain her magic power and her DNA." Zero Zero One stared him in the eye/optic. "The second objective is to go to Haven Academy and retrieve the relic contained within the vault underneath the academy."

Shockwave nodded in satisfaction. "You understood. Additional objectives will be issued to you as your mission progresses. Upon your return, your mind will be analyzed for a comprehensive study. We will now conduct basic movement drills. On your feet."

The clone removed herself from the seat she was on. Her bare feet hit the ground and she stood straight and still. She wore nothing in terms of clothing, a necessity for ensuring that the test would be completed without any potential hindrances.

"Two steps forward."

The clone obeyed.

"Two steps backward."

Zero Zero One complied.

"Arms out."

The order was followed.

"Rotate three times forward and three times backward."

Six in total for both sides.

"Kneel on your left leg, then your right leg."

Left knee down, left knee up. Right knee down, right knee up.

"Twist your neck clockwise and counterclockwise three times in each direction."

And so for the next ten minutes, everything was recorded and documented and no faults were found in terms of body function. Now the only thing to test was combat capabilities, although that would be done on mission rather than in the lab.

Once the scientist found the results to his liking, he then issued clothing, which was the older Cinder Fall's clothing. Clothing was not his specialty. Employing the help of Amber was going to be necessary in that department.

And speaking of the Fall Maiden, there was a knock on the door.

"Shael, are you in? I need to talk to you." Her voice was unusually forced.

This conversation was inevitable and it was better to deal with it now than put it off and potentially let mistrust fester.

"Make your way to the space bridge and begin the mission." Shockwave began to fiddle with the door controls while speaking to the synthetic.

The door to the transportation device opened.

Penny saluted enthusiastically. "Lima Charlie! Come, friend Charlie Foxtrot dash Zero Zero One. We're going to have lots of fun killing our enemies!"

Although not showing any enthusiasm, the clone obeyed the Winter Maiden and followed through the open hallway. Once they were through the door, it closed.

The Cybertronian-faunus hybrid then opened the corridor that Amber was waiting in. Not a moment later, she came in, her face set into a hard expression.

"Speak." He met her eyes.

The brunette stopped not even a meter from him. "The destruction of Atlas and Mantle… how are you involved?"

She couldn't possibly know of his involvement; there was no concrete evidence, leading him to believe that she was simply going off a gut instinct. That being the case, the most logical course of action was to simply give her what she wanted.

"I am responsible for the collapse of Atlas into Mantle," Shockwave said plainly, "Do you wish to know the details?"

She didn't answer his question, merely hung her head.


RWBY - - - Transformers


Of course she knew that he was involved. She knew it by instinct. The way he had so casually brushed her off the first time she'd told him about it was enough indicator. No normal person could simply act like the death of millions was worth the same as the weather outside.

But for him to just blatantly admit to being the perpetrator?

It was shocking to her, yet at the same time, it wasn't.

He was different than other people. He was more logical than emotional, thus he wasn't vulnerable to traps that normal citizens would easily fall prey to. In that vein, he was a cut above them, yet also something less than them.

In spite of this questionable quality, The current Fall Maiden being the optimist that she was, wanted to believe that he wouldn't go so far to commit a heinous crime. To her senses, there was no reason for him to do so. However cold he was, there was no point in dooming an entire kingdom.

So what was his reason?

Would his reason even justify the death and damage done?

Absolutely not.

It was evil no matter how he could justify it.

Every fiber of her being was battling internally.

What should she do?

Should she attack him on the spot?

Should she report this to Ozpin?

Should she…

It took her a moment to realize that she was showing signs of mental distress. Her clenching hands, her clenched teeth, and her shut eyes. She was taught to be in control of herself, but how could she when a person she trusted had just admitted to committing mass genocide?

When she finally mustered the courage to look him in the eye, what she saw frightened her: utter indifference. He was still as a statue observing her. It almost looked like he was looking down on her, daring her to act out of turn.

If he was prepared to fight, she wondered if she even had a chance of beating him. Actually, her winning wasn't even a possibility. The real question was how long would she last in a fight against him.

Would he kill her instantly?

Would he draw it out?

Would he even fight her at all?

The Fall Maiden shouldn't be the type to crumble under pressure. She was supposed to be one of the most powerful women in the world. Scratch that, she was one of the most powerful people on the planet, barring a handful.

But one look into those crimson orbs?

She had known fear many times in her life.

The first time she'd seen a Grimm.

The moment she'd become the Fall Maiden.

The first time she'd taken a human life.

The first time she'd been close to death.

However, one look into those crimson orbs and all of that seemed inconsequential.

What could she do?

Would taking any action have any meaning?

She wanted to move her body, but she felt frozen in place. She needed to do something, anything but remain where she was.

Amber found enough courage for one word. "Why?"

She had known silence in which a pin drop could be heard, but this silence felt even more quieting. She could hear the atmosphere itself with every movement it made.

Was she going insane?

"The Staff of Creation… I believed it would help me return to my home."

His home?

The Fall Maiden then realized something else.

It was such a minuscule difference, but enough time spent with him and she'd memorized his face. He looked… different.

He took her silence as permission to continue. "The ground bridge can put me anywhere in this world, but it cannot go beyond this world. With the Staff of Creation, I was able to create a space bridge. However, the staff can only sustain one creation at a time. The previous creation was what allowed Atlas to levitate as it did. When the space bridge was created, Altas could no longer sustain its altitude, leading to it crashing into Mantle. If you are looking for my reason, I found it logical to gamble with the lives of both Atlas and Mantle, even on the small chance of returning home and my gamble failed. In hindsight, their deaths were most... illogical."

His words didn't do anything to the lives that were lost. Nothing would ever erase the horrid tragedy. Millions dead, the most technologically-advanced kingdom in the world was destroyed, this was a horrific tragedy that would take time to recover from and even with time, there would be a scar.

Not to mention the confusion that she now had.

Space bridge?

…was he an alien in Faunus form?

No, that wasn't important. That discussion needed to be tabled for a later time.

Amber pursed her lips. "...was it worth it?"

"No, it was not." Shockwave shook his head. "But I will not ponder on lives that are gone. There is nothing more illogical."

She wanted to be mad at him, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She could scream at him and curse at him all she wanted, but he wasn't an emotional man. All she would accomplish was making her voice hoarse and he would simply look at her like she was defective. He could make her feel so useless without even doing anything.

And she'd already ruled out fighting. Telling Ozpin also didn't sound smart either. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn't do a damn thing.

Amber sighed. "I don't even know what to think anymore."

He didn't even deign to answer her, merely began working on something else. There he went again, continuing on with life he hadn't done anything wrong. It made her blood boil that there wasn't anything she could do.

And she was the closest person to him.

…a thought came to her.

It was insane.

Amber bit her lips, wondering if maybe she had a screw loose. Wasn't it the right thing to do to not associate with this man at all? Why was she even considering what she was about to do? What compelled her to act this way?

A notification on another console made Shockwave's head turn and then he moved to investigate.

It's now or never.

She grasped his wrist, prompting him to stop in place, then twist his head to cast a sidelong glance. Taking the opportunity, she forced him to face her fully, the distance between them both closing. She took a moment to gather herself before reaching out and grasping his face in her hands.

His skin was warm, a stark contrast to his cold personality. One look at his features and she felt so many things. His cybernetic eye aside, it was a perfectly handsome face wearing a perfect visage of calm. He showed no signs of surprise, or annoyance, not a speck of feeling. It angered her. Why did it have to be the good-looking ones?

Still, she steadied herself. If she didn't play the game to a degree, she wouldn't get anything in return.

"The next time you want to weigh the lives of millions, don't do it on a gamble." Amber put on her best scary face and adopted a stern tone, but she didn't raise her voice. "In case you've forgotten, we're not the dominant force in the world. We can't afford to sacrifice the few people that we have, otherwise, we won't survive."

It was the best she could do.

But would it be enough?

She had never won a staring contest with him, but today, she wouldn't be outdone. She simply held his head in her hands and kept her grip tight.

Shockwave finally spoke quietly. "I will bear that in mind."

"Swear to me." The Fall Maiden. "Swear to me that you won't do anything so illogical ever again."

She really was doing this. She was about to basically let bygones be bygones with this man. He just had to promise her he wouldn't commit mass genocide ever again and somehow life was just going to go on.

What was wrong with her?

The scientist nodded to the best of his ability. "I swear that I will not fall prey to emotion and make illogical decisions."

If he was lying, he was doing a good job of hiding it, but damn it she was essentially letting the worst mass murderer in Remnant history off with a slap on the wrist. However false this sense of security, what else was there to do?

"Okay," Amber spoke the word more to herself than to him. "Okay."

She let her hands fall to her sides.

"Was there anything else you required of me?" Shockwave asked her.

There wasn't. "No, sorry for… interrupting your work."

He didn't move away from her immediately. "Project Predacon will be ready for its first test. You are free to join if you are so inclined."

Her eyes flickered to the tank of the still-growing creature. Not that long ago, it wasn't even comparable to her. Now it was physically larger than even the mad scientist who'd birthed him. The wonders of growth acceleration or whatever it was.

She needed a distraction anyway.


Transformers - - - RWBY


Penny and CF-001 exited the space bridge and watched as it disappeared, leaving the two of them to begin scouring the wilds of Mistral. They were currently at the last-known location of the Branwen tribe according to the last confirmed sighting courtesy of their master. It wouldn't be an overly difficult task to track their target from here.

Shockwave had been tracking the bandit tribe for quite some time thanks to the technology he supplied them on raids. Conveniently, they were all technologies that were easily trackable. Of course, all of that would be returned in kind. Even if they were primitive according to his standards, they were more advanced than anything that even the best of Atlas could make, not that the kingdom was much of a threat.

"Sensational!" The synthetic girl was very excited. "We can kill bandits, get more magical power, and test our limits!"

The clone had other ideas. "Negative. Our objectives are clear. There's no sense in introducing unnecessary risk if it can be helped."

"Of course, but we are the saviors of the world!" Penny turned around, hands behind her back. "There are going to be threats that will come to us! We must be ready to tackle those wherever and whenever they come! That risk is simply part of our duty!"

CF-001 simply tilted her head. "So by merit of our conducting a dangerous mission to obtain power, we may be attracting unsavory attention?"

"Perhaps. I can't say for sure." The ginger-haired girl shrugged her shoulders. "But I have been informed to be wary of those who would approach us with no reason to."

The duplicate nodded in understanding.

They only had to walk a few hundred meters to the main entrance of the camp. The two guards on duty weren't going to be a threat, but they decided to get in the way.

They would learn or they would die.

"What do we have here?"

"Buncha no-good rich-kid bitches. Look at 'em. All fancy, just beggin' to be robbed and fucked up."

In less than the blink of an eye, Penny closed the distance and casually slit the throat of the one on the left. Before the body even hit the ground gurgling blood, the second was immediately dispatched via arrow to the face, courtesy of number One.

Thankfully, there were no eyes up top, just the two that were now dead and dying. They needed to act quickly to maintain the element of surprise.

Placing herself directly in front of the gate, Penny unveiled all of her blades. Once she began blasting, there was no turning back. While she would aim to kill as many as possible, the other intent behind causing chaos was to be a distraction so the less powerful of them could make for easy kills with minimal energy.

A simple plan, but one easy enough to implement and good enough to use on bandits, even 'strong' ones like the Branwen Tribe.

With a whirl of the blades, all hell broke loose.

Green lances of energy shot forth, completely destroying the door in front of them instantly. Barely five seconds in and there was some scrambling going on. No doubt these lowlifes were used to being ready to fight immediately thanks to the Grimm lurking in the wilds. However, fast for them was slow for the two female assaulters.

Number one was quick to use aura and dismember, decapitate, main, bloody, and damage anyone who wasn't fast enough to defend themselves. At best, two or three were lucky enough to block once, but not a second time. It was like a deadly dance and the whole time, not a single emotion appeared on the face or in the eyes. It was the work of someone who was simply good at killing but felt nothing when doing the killing.

Penny on the other hand was joyous at the death going around. The moment she spotted a bad guy, she melted a hole through them. The ones that didn't die instantly were going to die pretty quickly. None of them could even so much as get close to her, let alone hit her. Her blades served as the ultimate offensive and defensive weapon. The Winter Maiden's powers would come in handy later. Better to keep that in reserve to surprise the only threat that could pose a challenge.

The next five minutes were spent cutting down every single man and woman in this camp. The few children that were in the camp were spared, but they were going to wish they were dead real soon.

Penny saw something out of the corner of her eye and she brought her hands up in time to intercept a sword strike aimed at her abdomen. "Raven Branwen in the flesh. It's time for you to die."

"Who sent you here, girl!?" The red-eyed woman tried to intimidate her.

But that crimson look was nothing compared to her master's.

Penny grinned innocently. "What does it matter if you know? You're about to die, Spring Maiden!"

"How did-" Raven was caught off guard.

Enough time for the synthetic female to unleash a rapid flurry of ice. The power was still new to her, but she had run some simulations of the power in her body to at least familiarize herself with her current limits.

The aura of the Spring Maiden took the brunt of the ice projectiles, but the sheer temperature drop was also draining her aura as well.

Then she responded with intense fire, to melt through the ice, then proceeded to slash with her blade and create distance. "So you're here to claim my power for your master?"

Penny chose to ignore the question. "We're going to have so much fun!"

The only reason that this fight would be drawn out was to exhaust the opponent. Magic was much more destructive than aura, but magic didn't possess the protective properties of aura, thus all that was necessary was to break Branwen's aura. Sooner or later, the human body would give in.

A blow to the leg was blocked. A kick to the side was backstepped. A pommel strike was narrowly dodged to the left. A funnel of flame was evaded via a limbo dance. To the average person, the ginger-haired girl was doing all of this with an expression of happiness and without looking winded even a little bit.

The same couldn't be said of the Spring Maiden, who was truly putting her all into this fight. Her life was on the line, so it was understandable, but it didn't change the fact that this fight was a foregone conclusion.

Penny wasn't tuned for hand-to-hand, but there was a first for everything. She closed the distance between herself and the former huntress. She delivered two punches to the abdomen and one uppercut to the chin. Then her blades circled around to attack the black-haired woman's blind spot.

The best of the best could fend off attackers from all angles, but doing so required the user to be aware of where the attacks were coming from as well as being able to have such control of their own body to be able to move in ways the ordinary person would consider impossible. In reality, it was situational awareness, coordination, and a bit of luck. If even one of those were lacking, they would be hit.

Branwen was forced to endure searing-hot energy at her back and an opponent at her front. Caught between a rock and a hard place, she unleashed an explosion of magical energy, prompting Penny to counter with cold energy to lessen the impact, although she was still pushed back by the blastwave.

"Nothing but fancy tech and toys." Raven sheathed her blade to coat it in dust. "You don't have real combat prowess. You're not even human."

The synthetic girl readied her blades. "I think this fight is over. Surrender and I will endeavor to make your death painless."

"A nice offer, but I'm no coward." The sword-wielder got into another ready stance. "I'll just destroy you."

A rush attack charged with magical energy came at the ginger head. It was much faster than the previous attacks, forcing her to use more speed to compensate, although she was still managing.

Another flurry of blade strikes came her way. Taking only a moment to process them, Penny grabbed the metal between her hands and then flash-froze it in a block of ice, the temperature so cold that Branwen let go due to the extreme cold causing burns. Then the Winter Maiden combined her blade's propulsion and her magical power to appear right in front of her foe.

Metallic hands grabbed the fleshy throat and began pouring ice-cold energy into the target, prompting a scream of pain from the Spring Maiden. Her remaining blades lanced energy from multiple directions.

A flash of red indicated an aura break.

Penny's eyes flickered to the side where the clone was concealed. That was all the signal needed.

Number One was behind the bandit queen in an instant a cortical psychic patch already attached to the back of her head. In one swift motion, the free end came into contact with the rear of Raven's head.

The battle was over.


RWBY - - - Transformers


Raven looked around her. There was something familiar about this place, but something alien about it as well.

"Wait, I never left." She said to herself.

She blinked and then there was someone in front of her, someone with long black hair and smoldering orange eyes.

"Raven Branwen, daughter of Corvo, and Koko Branwen, elder twin sister of Qrow Branwen. Born in the wilds of Mistral, grew up with bandits and learned how to fight from an early age. Attended Beacon Academy in order to obtain the skills and knowledge necessary to counter huntsmen. Briefly settle down with Taiyang Xiao Long and gave birth to Yang Xiao Long. Abandoned both in order to return to your tribe and take over as its leader. Has remained in Mistral until now."

Raven lashed out with her blade, only to see it go clean through the woman in front of her as if she were a ghost.

So she tried again.

And a third time.

No effect whatsoever

"What is this!?" The Spring Maiden stepped back. "Why can't I hit you!?"

"Because I am real," came the answer.

The bandit leader blinked. "What?"

"You are about to die." The younger female said with all the enthusiasm of a bored student falling asleep in class. "And I will be taking the Spring Maiden powers as well as your blood."

Wait, wasn't she fighting-

Raven let a scoff mixed with a chuckle escape her mouth. "Dying like this, huh? Well, at least I died fighting."

"Your quick acceptance of your death suggests that you have long ago accepted the possibility of dying." The girl blinked but otherwise remained still. "Do you not feel fear about your end?"

The former huntress shook her head. "We all die sooner or later. When you kill someone, you always need to be prepared to be killed yourself. I won't apologize for the life I've led. I just wish I could've done something about my regrets."

"Your daughter, you mean."

"Yes, I wish I could've spoken to her at least once."

A moment of silence.

Raven made a choice. "If I'm going to give you the maiden's power, you should know the tips and tricks I've learned. It'll save you some time."

"You would willingly give me this?"

"Why not? If I'm going to die, I'd at least like my successor to be competent. You snuck up on me from behind. That trick won't work on everyone, so you need to get stronger… wait I don't even know your name."

"I am designation Charlie Foxtrot dash Zero Ze-"

"Stop!" Raven interrupted. "What are you, a robot?"

The girl shook her head. "No, a clone. I was given that designation by my creator."

"I'm not about to give these powers to someone without a name." The dying woman frowned in contemplation. "I didn't see you at all, which means you must've gotten behind me while that other girl was attacking. That means you didn't spill blood, so your name is Cherry."

'Cherry' tilted her head. "Is this what you call a death wish?"

"Sure, call it that." Raven wasn't good at this sort of thing. "At the very least, it'll distinguish you from your 'sisters.' Now back to the Spring Maiden powers."

She was about to die.

It still hadn't sunk in.

Maybe it would after this conversation.


Shockwave is now conducting damage control. Some would call his decision hasty, but sometimes, a decent plan now is better than a great plan tomorrow. Action taken now is potentially a regret avoided later. Plus, this isn't the first time Shockwave's been in the business of killing mass numbers of individuals. What's a few million primitive humans and faunus to his conscience?

So yeah, if y'all didn't figure it out by now, Shockwave's not a good person. In fact, he can get a lot worse in the name of logic.

So as many of you predicted, Amber and Shockwave's relationship has changed for better or worse, but I didn't want to just go down the route of her labeling him as a bad guy immediately. Their relationship is one that I fully intend to explore in greater depth because I've spent too much time on it to just throw it away.

Plus, reasons. Don't ask about them.

So best three out of four Maidens. With the way the original series is being released, it's going to be a minute before we get any info about the Summer Maiden, so it looks like things are going to get interesting for this story going forward.

Thoughts on this chapter? Reviews and feedback are appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

"Human judges can show mercy. But against the laws of nature, there is no appeal."

Arthur C. Clarke