The team reconvened around the slowly decaying grimm before taking off to join their classmates. They had the end in sight, but were stopped once more, this time by a Bullhead, delivering some unexpected company before leaving towards the center of the school. Cinder gently floated down, landing with grace. Two others made their way to Cinder's side, a male with gray hair, and a female with a green tint to hers, and red eyes.

Ruby perked up at the three people she recognized. "Cinder, hey, how are things going on your end?"

Weiss, Blake, and Yang relaxed their stances, the blonde keeping a wary eye on the three, still not trusting Cinder completely. It seemed her teammates felt the same, keeping tense and ready to jump at a moment's notice.

Cinder took a step forward, looking at the situation surrounding them, Ruby's eyes following as well. The battlefield around them was bleak. Grimm were everywhere she looked, teachers and staff were all fighting to get back control of the school. But the darkness never seemed to end, for every grimm that was vanquished, another would be there to take its place.

Ruby turned her attention back to the brunette before her. "What do we do, Cinder, s-should we help them?" Ruby was starting to feel uncomfortable. While she always wanted to be a hero and hunt grimm, even she knew that this might be a little bit much for her.

Cinder returned her eyes to the silver of the young leader, feeling familiar to her as the brunette spoke, "Of course not." Ruby took a step back, confusion evident on her face. "They deserve to fall before the very creatures they have worked so hard to exterminate. Such poetic justice can't be stopped, especially by you four."

Ruby took another step back, her silver eyes wide with shock. "What, what do you mean they deserve it?"

Cinder took another step forward, putting the rest of team RWBY into a defensive position. "It's simple, young Rose. The grimm were here long before humans came to existence. They saw humans, and knew that they would be a threat to their life."

"What, how do you know this?" Weiss spurted out.

Cinder looked at the heiress in amusement, simply turning around and waving a hand over her shoulder. "And why should I tell you? It's not like you would ever understand. Not even Summer understood, so what hope does her daughter have."

"WHAT? What do you know of my mother?"

Cinder half-turned, with a smile still on her face, looking into the silver eyes so similar to the ones she saw so long ago. "That's a question for another time. Mercury, Emerald, it's time for the show to start." Cinder started back around before turning to the amber eyes that rivaled hers. "And if you must know, Adam is on his way to the center of Beacon. I suggest you head there now before you miss him."

Yang and Weiss turned their attention to Blake, whose wide eyes and blank stare were concerning them. Weiss, the closest, moved her arm to Blake's shoulder. "Hey, are you ok?"

Blake turned to Weiss, a newfound look in her eyes. To say it was anger would be an understatement. Enraged, Blake turned and sprinted towards the courtyard, yelling back at her teammates, "I have to end this!"

"Blake, wait!" Yang called out to her partner, giving Weiss a look of concern.

Weiss looked towards the Faunus, making her way around a building and out of sight, before turning to Yang, the confliction evident in her face. "Go, help your partner. I'll make sure nothing happens to your sister. Keep your scroll on you."

Yang nodded and made her way to follow her partner as Cinder walked back to her accomplices, turning to one. "Mercury, make sure they aren't interrupted. This needs to be a memorable reunion, and I don't want anyone messing that up."

With a smirk, Mercury made his exit, leaving the other girl waiting for her own orders. Cinder continued to glide, changing her direction towards the airship port.

"Wait, what do you know about my mother? When did you meet her?" Before Ruby could ask any more questions, Cinder waved her hand, calling to the girl next to her.

"Emerald." The red eyed girl turned and ran to the redhead, pulling the two revolvers from their holster and turning them into sickles. As she closed the gap, Ruby pulled out Crescent Rose and prepared to defend herself. Emerald used one blade to swipe vertically towards Ruby, spinning around to bring the second down in a similar fashion.

Ruby brought her scythe up to block the attacks, bouncing off and bouncing away as she prepared for a counterattack. Spinning her scythe around, she swiped at her opponent, who dodged out of the way, another swing from the scythe following quickly after.

With a jump further out of range, Emerald started firing at the redhead, causing Ruby to disappear, leaving rose petals in her wake. Behind the rose petals came a blue shield and a white flash as Weiss started an attack.

Blocking the thrust with her sickle, Emerald spun it around and locked the weapon with her own, dragging it out of her hand and throwing it away. She followed it up with a swipe of her other sickle, sending Weiss flying away from Myrtenaster. Emerald started walking towards the downed heiress as she was getting up, looking for an escape. The sickles unhooked from the barrel, and a chain followed behind as she gently twirled them around, sparks flying as they connected with the cobblestone underneath.

"Don't you touch her!" Ruby came flying from behind Emerald, slashing Crescent Rose at the woman before her. Feeling no resistance, Ruby flew past her intended target and went sailing over Weiss, crashing and sliding on the ground.

Emerald looked at the crumpled mass of red and grinned, turning her attention to the white before her. She turned the handle in her right hand, swinging the kusarigama at Weiss. A glyph appeared under the heiress as she jumped over the swing, only to be met with another one swinging from above, sending her flying towards her partner.

Weiss landed on her feet, a glyph absorbing some of the impact as she slid to Ruby's side, the leader lifting herself, looking at her opponent.

Only Emerald was no longer there

Ruby then heard a noise, no louder than a whisper, but unable to grasp what it was. She also heard a cry of agony come from beside her, much more audible. Twisting to her side, despair coursed through her as she saw something she fought so hard to prevent.

Emerald stood bent next to Weiss, a slight smile on her face as her sickle was digging into Weiss' abdomen, the point sticking out of her back. Weiss was hunched over, a few drops of red forming at her feet. The blue eyes slowly losing their light as the strength in her body eventually left her.

Ruby stared wide eyed at the torment before her. She was paralyzed for a moment, a thousand thoughts running through her head. 'I failed. I promised I would always keep my team safe. How could I have failed. This shouldn't have happened. This can't be happening. Weiss... This isn't your end. I won't allow it!' Ruby's face swiftly switched from shock and terror to a face of unbridled rage.

Emerald removed the sickle from Weiss, causing the heiress to fall to the ground. Red eyes locked with silver. The anger burning within Ruby burst as she started swinging wildly. "HOW DARE YOU TAKE AWAY WEISS FROM ME! SHE DOESN'T DESERVE TO DIE HERE AND NOW! NOT BY YOUR HANDS! SHE DESERVES TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE!"

AN: And there you have it. The villains have been introduced, and we have more questions that need answers. Don't worry, every question I meant to have posed will be answered, so no worries there.

Now, to bring about the main mechanic of this story. As you can see, team RWBY has been divided, and each member has a specific addition to this story, and I need to address them all. So, starting next chapter, the perspective shall switch. Originally, it was from a 3rd person explanation of what all is happening, but now it will focus on one specific character. Which one? Check back and see.

Now that we have that out of the way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please review, follow, and favorite. It would be much appreciated.

-MM