The Belladonna Cycle

by Vanitus Omnipotent

A simple exam in the Emerald Forest. That was the original plan...until Blake discovered a ring that changed all that. Now, she has the power to summon alternative versions of herself to Remnant, but with very little knowledge of how to use it and how to get it off...well, will she stay sane by the end of her four year semester?

6. Chapter 6- Death, Plots and Conspiracies

The screen began to illuminate the movie cinema as the title 'The Belladonna Cycle' appeared in the center of the screen in dark purple and white font, dark purple curtains parting to the sides as all was quiet and peaceful in the theater.

Well...until the silhouette of Blake Belladonna took notice of...

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

"OW!"

The five chibi versions of herself...spinning a large white rectangular poster with the words 'Author: Soundwave3591' and 'Mother Maiden Canon- Deviantart' written on it with black marker, right next to her head as it painfully bonked her on the right side as the faunus groaned in pain and annoyance.

"What are you five doing now?!" she yelled while grabbing the sign with her right hand, leaving the chibis dangling from the sides like tiny flags.

"Um..."

"..."

"..."

"...we...um..."

"Were...playing."

"..." Blake facepalmed while grumbling to herself. "Just stop and get that 'cameo' introduction done so we can see the next part of the film." 'I swear, they are so...dumb sometimes.'

"How?" the third chibi asked before Blake shook them off the sign and onto the ground with a plop. "Ow!"

"Just do it." 'I need some ice, ow."

"Today's showing will feature a Blake from the Mother Maiden Canon on Deviantart, by the Author: Soundwave3591." the chibis all said at once, as Blake groaned at the chibi's 'hive mind' mentality, her right hand rubbing her hurt head to alleviate the pain. "All Blakes from other authors that feature as cameos in the 'movie' are all canon to their respective stories and/or timelines unless specifically mentioned otherwise due to the author's direct request. This means that if a Blake cameo which is either an offshoot of the original story or are 'non-canon' versions/spinoffs of said timeline were featured in the 'movie' then that particular factoid will be mentioned in their bios at the end of the viewing to prevent confusion and misinformation."

"Gods." the faunus grumbled to herself as a black and silver book sporting a purple flower emblem along the spine appeared right behind them on the projector screen. "They are so creepy...just creepy sometimes."

"So can we have ice cream later?" the third chibi asked with a curious smile.

Blake grumbled as the book quickly opened in front of her as it revealed its contents to the world itself. "Fine. Later."

"ICE CREAM WEEEE!"

'I need ice...and some aspirin.'

The Belladonna Cycle: Chapter Five, Death, Plots and Conspiracies!

Xxxxxxx

-Remnant, Sanus, Vale, Beacon Academy, Temporary Team RWBY HQ/Room-

"Ugh...why is today one of those days?" Blake groaned as she laid on her bed, a yellow covered book resting upon her face as she felt extremely bored.

The reason? Besides the fact she had no classes today, thanks to Nora somehow adding explosive bubblegum into the cafeteria's tomato soup that gave everyone the runs for hours, and that her team was currently helping clean up the mess...she was simply bored.

Nothing to do and having already read every book in her collection, even the books she already read last week.

Leading to her having no energy or motivation whatsoever.

So much so that she's too tired to even push the book off her face.

"Why did it have to go so wrong?" She muttered while her nose started to itch a little. "Can't something happen?"

As she tried to motivate herself to scratch her nose, she recalled the events from a few days ago, where she summoned...an armored monster version of herself and, against her better judgment, allowed her to slaughter an entire White Fang patrol.

The slaughter...the madness...it just made her even more unmotivated than she already was.

Which was saying something since most people would have been traumatized. But given she has seen her fair share of death while in the White Fang...yeah, she handled it very differently compared to most.

And for her, it was sheer unmotivated sloth.

"Maybe I should do something random." She muttered while the inch on her nose became unbearable, making her growl and reached up before scratching it in annoyance. "What should I even do?"

And then it hit her...use the ring.

"...why?" She muttered to herself. "Why should I do that? I...fucked up last time so why should I use it again?"

And just like that, she had a thought bubble that showed what might happen if she used it again.

Which showed her summoning a chibi squid monster that grabbed her and...well...you can fill in the blanks on that one.

On the other hand? What else COULD she do right now?

Could she summon a version of herself that can solve world hunger? A version that can teach her the art of seduction?

Or even better...is there a Blake that is a clown?

"Ugh! This is annoying!" She grumbled before thinking back to the clown version of herself.

What if she can summon the Clown Blake? Will it make her laugh? Could it...get her out of her slump?

'Well...maybe it's worth a shot...' She thought while sitting up on her bed and started looking through the endless symbols on the 'touch screen', hoping to find something that could end her boredom.

Siiisiiisiiisis.

"Clown, clown, clown, clown..." Blake muttered while finding nothing that would indicate a 'clown' version of herself. 'Maybe this was a bad idea.'

But as she looked at the screen, she took notice of a very...interesting symbol.

One that took the shape of a cat with a 'Z' right on its tail...or was it on its nose? She couldn't tell as it was a little small compared to the other symbols she saw already.

"Hmm, what's this?" Blake muttered out loud as she squinted a little. "Let's give it a try."

Boop.

The ring glowed with bright purple electricity as Blake covered her ears.

ZAP!

BOOM!

Just as a bolt of lightning was released from the ring and hit the nearby rug, a thick cloud of smoke formed from the blast zone as the faunus' ears rang from the close proximity...again.

"I need earplugs, big ones." She groaned in pain while feeling like she was made temporarily deaf from the explosion.

And...that could've been possible given a bolt of lightning hit right near her at close range.

"BIG ones." Blake groaned while the smoke cloud slowly dissipated...creating a heavy fog that made the faunus a little creeped out at the moment. "Uh...hello?"

As Blake yelled within the fog, the loud static hum in her ears continued to ring in her ears, making it hard to even hear anything but said hum.

And it was annoying as hell.

But then...when she noticed a low groaning sound right near her.

'What was that...and why can't I hear it properly?' She thought while the fog slowly faded away.

And lo, standing right behind her was a tall dull gray skinned young woman with long wavy black hair that went down to her hips, amber eyes, a deep bite mark on the left side of her neck that seemed to be stitched together with thin white thread, a single left black cat ear with a gaping dull red stained hole on the right side where her ear used to be, a D cup chest and wide ass, a light tan skinned right arm with thin white stitching around the elbow and wrist, a semi pale green skinned lower left leg with thin white stitching around the knee along with gaping holes that exposed her fibula and tibia bones, wearing a tattered ripped black buttoned vest with a single long black sleeve on the left side that was sewn to the flesh with white thread, a white blood coated sleeveless undershirt with a ripped collar, a long black hooded cape that went down to her feet and had holes lining it, ripped white shorts with blood covering the right side, black low-heeled boots, and had a thick gray sheath-like blade with a sharp cleaver-like edge, a black pistol-like handle attached to the hilt, a raised spike at the end and a long black elastic ribbon attached at the hilt, jutting though her back and right through her left rib cage, whose expression was...blank and akin to a rotting corpse.

"Ugh..." it let out, eyes dull and looking starved for their next meal.

'Damn it. Note to self, get earmuffs, top grade ones. Maybe Ruby knows a company that makes them for faunus ears?' Blake thought as the zombie version of herself tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to turn around and let out a high pitched scream, falling onto the floor with wide eyes.

"Ugh..."

'What the fuck is that?!' she thought in disgust before trying to back up away from it.

"Ugh...b...ains..." the undead faunus groaned while extending her left arm out.

"S-Stay back!" Blake yelled before seeing the door and made a break for it.

"B...ains..." the undead woman said before...running after her as well.

"KEEP AWAY! I don't taste good!" She screamed as the faunus ran down the hallway, her ears still in pain and unable to detect any sound except the painful hum of static.

Yet as she turned around, she saw the zombie going just as fast as her, arms stretched out in front.

"B...ains...ains..."

"AHHHHH!" she screamed, feeling the fingers grazing the back of her hair. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

As Blake ran faster and faster, she didn't notice the undead faunus was looking around for...something.

"Bains...foooood...big butts...fooood." she groaned, not slowing down in her pursuit, but taking note of the surroundings.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" Blake screamed as she ran past several students, each one covering their ears in the process.

"Keep it down!" Velvet yelled while stomping out of her room in her pajamas. "I'm trying-"

"Bains...bunny...ains..."

The faunus turned to her left, saw the zombie, and screamed before bolting back into her room and locked it while barricading it much to Coco's confusion.

"AHHHHHH!" 'WHY DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME?!'

As the zombie kept on running towards her counterpart, she noticed a...faint smell right near the window.

That being a pigeon that somehow opened the castle's window and was just cleaning itself without a care in the world.

The zombie began to slow down and stared at the bird, which was oblivious to her presence. "..."

"Coo. Coo."

"...foood." She groaned before lunging towards the bird.

"COO!"

CRUNCH!

(Elsewhere)

-Storage Closet-

"Ah...ah...I think...I lost it..." Blake muttered to herself while currently hiding within a messy storage closet, a mop covering her face with its white rope-like ends like a spider web. 'A zombie! A zombie! Why did it have to be a zombie!?'

A shiver ran down her spine as she looked at the ring in anger.

'Why did it have to summon a zombie?!'

Knock knock.

'Who...wait, is it that zombie?!'

Knock knock.

'How did it find me?!' She thought before hearing the knocking again.

Knock knock.

"Go away!"

Knock knock.

"Go away!"

"Oh um...ok?" a voice said, which Blake identified as Jaune, as he seemed a little confused. "I'll come back here later for the mop."

"Wait, Jaune!" She yelled while opening the door. "Oh thank the gods! You have to help me!"

"Oh, Blake." the blonde leader said in surprise. "Um...why were you in there?"

"I was running away from the undead!"

"...catnip high?"

"No! I'm being serious!"

"Ok ok! You're not doing catnip, but what's this about the undead?"

"A zombie! It's in the school! It was chasing me!"

"...you mean her?" Jaune asked while pointing behind the faunus, causing her to turn around and see her zombie counterpart waving at her with...a more intelligent gleam in her eyes.

"Hi."

"AHHHH!" Blake screamed while running in the opposite direction.

BAM!

And right into the nearby wall, face first.

Jaune winced and looked away as Blake rubbed her nose with a hiss. "Blake, she's friendly."

"Ow, wait what?"

"Hello." the zombie faunus said with a smile.

"You...You can talk?!"

"Yeah, I can." She said with a chuckle. "I'm not that rotted, well I do rot but with my weird...condition I'm actually looking good for a twenty year old corpse. Hehe~"

"But...you chased me!"

"Oh, that. I didn't eat anything for days." She chuckled before coughing up some feathers. "Excuse me."

"You wanted to eat my brain!"

"I was hungry, and I became dumb once that happened." She said before looking at Jaune. "Sorry for scaring you with the blood."

"No prob. But...it was still gross, especially knowing that you're a...you know."

"Yeah...I get that a lot."

"So...you're not gonna try and eat my brain?"

"Nope."

Blake sighed in relief.

SPLAT!

Only to see the zombie's right arm fall to the ground and twitch a little.

"..."

"..."

"My bad. It happens sometimes." the undead Belladonna chuckled while picking it up and used it as a back scratcher. "So, got any threads? Oh and is Pyrrha still alive?"

"Uh...yeah...?"

"Good, because she kinda got eaten by Yang, I mean my Yang, not yours." She said while sticking her tongue out bashfully, much to Jaune and Blake's disbelief.

'Why is she so dorky?!'

(A little while later)

-JNPR's Room-

"There, done." Ren said while snipping a piece of black string with some scissors.

"Huh." the undead Blake said in awe as she looked at her left arm. "Just like my Ren, great at handiwork."

"I live to please."

"By the way, this is actually your arm." She said with a grin, making Ren and his team pale in shock. "My body rots after a while so I use zombie parts to fix it. And this one was perfect...five years ago? Maybe two? I can't recall, but it did save my skin a few times."

Ren didn't say a word, but he did take a few steps back.

"What? What did I say?"

"She's...kinda odd." Pyrrha whispered to Blake, who nodded in agreement.

"I think being a zombie rotted her mind. Made her less serious and more..."

"More like a restrained Nora?"

"Yep."

"I heard that!" Nora yelled while currently cleaning the hallway with a mop, which was full of bubblegum, as she grumbled about how unfair her punishment was.

"Good! You should!" Blake yelled. "You were the one that made an explosive bubblegum explosion!"

"It was just a prank!"

"She's still her." Zombie Blake chuckled. "And still has a...big butt. Kinda like Pyrrha but more meatbun-like."

"Damn right!"

"Nora!" Pyrrha yelled in embarrassment.

"Hey, I'm just calling it as it is!"

"So, what else does your world have?" Blake asked with curiosity.

"Like?"

"How is it different from ours?"

"Well, I know Pyrrha was dating Ren in my...um world." She said while Ren's jaw dropped in surprise. "What?"

"I'm dating Jaune." Pyrrha said while giving the boy a tight arm hug against his left arm.

"Ooooh, that's cute too. Although Ren wearing a dress was also cute, no wait that wasn't him that was Nora, silly me~"

"Oooh, a dress? Me? Tell me more." Nora said with a grin.

"Clean first, ask questions later." Ren said calmly, much to his partner's annoyance.

"Awwww, ok." Nora huffed sadly as she went back to cleaning.

"What else is different about your world?" Blake asked again in a serious tone. "And why are you a zombie?"

"Oh, that...mmmm, I don't know much about the details but apparently Ozpin was trying to 'find a host' for something called Project Autumn."

"Project Autumn?"

"Yeah, he wanted something that could kill Grimm good with a new energy source." She said with a shrug. "It was a hush hush project that I learned afterwards. And...Coco was the chosen host."

"Coco? Why her?"

"Something to do with her semblance, Hype."

"Oh, I recall that one." Jaune said while looking at Blake. "She told me a few weeks back after helping...me and Pyrrha find some fancy dresses and suits for our second date. Her semblance increases the power of Dust."

"And Ozpin thought it would help with the energy transfer part of the project...but instead it turned her into a zombie. And that's how I got bitten." 'And now I wish I could find this other Coco and eat her! Mmm...or I can just let it go, she's dead anyway.'

"So she was the very first." Pyrrha asked in disbelief.

"Yep and by the time I came to, Vale fell and after that, so did everything else. But unlike me, everyone was all 'brains' and 'ughhhhh'." Zombie Blake said with a chuckle. "And I can do something cool."

"What?"

She smirked before extending her left hand out and caused a ball of fire to appear in her palm. "I can use magic!"

"Holy crap!" Jaune yelled in surprise.

"T-That's amazing." Blake muttered in shock.

"I know right? I got magic powers, plus being a zombie with magic helps keep the rot away~"

"What can you do with it?"

"...eh?" Zombie Blake said with a confused look in her eyes. "Do what with what?"

"The magic. What do you do with it?"

"Oh, that! Save people, kill some zombies and look for a cure. Oh and I sometimes use my powers to make underwear disappear~"

"That's...good?" Pyrrha said in bewilderment before the undead faunus smirked at her.

"Want me to make your underwear disappear~?"

"No!"

"Yes!" Nora yelled while poking her head from the hallway. "Make her underwear vanish!"

"Quiet Nora!"

"Ok! Let's make your underwear vanish!" Zombie Blake grinned while snapping her fingers.

POOF!

Only to cause Pyrrha's clothes to become transparent.

"...oops. Wrong spell, that was for refracting light."

"EEP! Jaune, look away!"

Jaune gulped while looking away quickly, although he momentarily stared at her butt for a second.

"Turn them back to normal!"

"Why?"

"I'm not a nudist!"

"...why?" She said with a very confused look in her eyes.

"Who would go around in this?!"

"You?"

"NO!"

"...want me to do Ren instead?" She asked while Nora, somehow, appeared next to the zombie faunus' left side with a grin.

"Do it~"

"Nora, don't-"

"Ok!" Zombie Blake grinned while snapping her fingers, causing Ren's clothes to become transparent as well.

All the while Blake was facepalming about this entire situation.

"Mama like~" Nora grinned while Ren, for all his tact, stood there and just ignored the fact he was naked at the moment.

"..." 'I'm going to kill Nora later.'

The undead faunus chuckled before noticing that her arms were flickering in and out of reality, followed by tiny sparks of purple lightning forming near her fingertips. "Um, what's this?"

"My ring is telling you it's time to leave." Blake said with a sigh of relief. "It's been an hour and...you have a cure to find."

"True, oh and before I forget, is Weiss on the team?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because I wanted to say this...Weiss needs to kiss Ruby! On the lips~"

"I'll...relay the message."

"Ok! Oh and tell Ruby that Yang's fat! I've always wanted to sa-" the undead faunus said before fading into nothingness.

And all the while Pyrrha and Ren's clothes remained transparent.

"Great, now I need to change clothes." Pyrrha muttered out loud as Jaune tried not to look at her ass.

"Um...yeah...want help?"

"...sure."

Blake sighed as Nora began to ogle Ren's naked form. 'At least now I'll relax from all that insanity.'

GROWL!

"...anyone got any fish?"

"Lunch sounds about good right now."

"Can I-"

"No Nora." Ren deadpanned. "You still have cleaning to do."

"Awwww."

"Also stop looking at me like that. It's uncomfortable."

"Would it help if I dressed like that?"

"..."

"What? I don't mind~"

'Damn it Nora, why are you this horny?!'

(Two days later)

-Vale, Industrial District, Warehouse 13-

"How are we on weapons?" Adam said while looking at a giant map of the surrounding city, each spot marked for a specific plan for the inevitable future.

"We're at twenty five percent."

"Good. Continue your work." he ordered as numerous members were double checking their supplies.

But as he stared at the giant map, a single thought raced through his head like a bullet train.

How Blake Belladonna, the only one he had cared for, betrayed him...BETRAYED HIM!

Especially when he thought she understood the plight of the faunus more than anyone.

But nope, she just left him on that train...left him to deal with the fallout.

The High Leader berated him for losing a 'valued sister' during a 'recognizance mission' or so his cover story explained to her that day. But she left him with a warning.

If another brother or sister leaves his sect, he shall be expelled from the organization and branded a traitor.

Which is what made him so stressed out. Not only that, but this would put his plans into jeopardy.

'Blake, why? Why would you do this to me?!'

"Um, sir?"

"What?!" He snapped while turning to his left, blade ready to cut down the fool that interrupted his 'brooding time'.

Only to notice it was just a nervous member of his sect, seemingly panicking and holding a file full of photos in her right hand.

"I-I have...a breakthrough with...the massacre." She stuttered while Adam raised an eyebrow at her words, only to recall the horrible destruction to a small portion of his sect that happened a few days ago.

One that was akin to a slaughterhouse in execution.

"Tell me."

"Um...it's very...sensitive information." She gulped while pointing to the currently working grunts around them. "The wounds are still fresh."

"TELL ME!"

"Not here, in private."

He let out an annoyed growl, but obliged and followed the grunt away from the others.

But as they made it to a nearby office, abandoned and used for storage, the grunt locked the door and gulped.

"..."

"Well?"

"...we were able to acquire the video footage from the Sacred Jewel Co Factory. The fire hardly damaged it."

"Show it." Adam frowned while the grunt gave him the file.

"It's...disturbing, but we were able to find out who started the attack."

"Show. It."

"S-Second picture, towards the back."

And in an instant, Adam looked and flipped to the picture within the folder.

Only to see the blurred image of an armored woman with cat ears dashing towards a group of White Fang grunts...the only thing visible to him was her...amber eyes.

"No..."

"Sir...I know it's hard to believe but...she might've had a hand here." The grunt gulped nervously. "And apparently...she's been doing weird things around Vale."

"...where?"

"Beacon. From rumors and some of our spies, Blake Belladonna has gained a new...power for her semblance."

"What power?"

"...her clones are sentient, with weird powers. From a robot that killed two Alpha Grimm at once to a strange racist version of herself. Each one is different and only lasts an hour...sir, I think the stress of her betrayal did this."

"Her semblance could never do that before. Is it possible it somehow evolved?"

"Maybe, but...it's also possible she did them as well."

Adam frowned and was tempted to strike down this fool, but decided against it.

For what good is a dead minion?

"There must be something else, something that caused this..." He muttered out loud.

"Sir?"

"Hmmm...could that be it?"

"Sir?"

"Leave me. I need to be alone."

"Yes sir." She said quietly before slowly walking away.

"And tell the others to continue their duties, make sure no one disturbs me."

"Will do." She gulped in fear before running off, leaving the Sect Leader to his own thoughts.

Each one darker and more twisted than the last...although there were some nicer memories thrown in as well.

Like his time training Blake in the ways of combat, a young soul that wanted to do the same thing as him. Fix the world and stop humanity's tyranny. Yes...good memories.

But then again, she was a traitor. Mmmm, yes. The pain of betrayal stung deep within him but...funny enough, he wasn't hurt by this action. No, he knew their ideologies were too different from each other and, in another time and place, he might've accepted it and moved on with his own plans without much issue.

However...she chose to leave him without consulting him first. Him! The one that made her the person she was today! The one that turned her from a child to a warrior of justice!

And what did she do? Run. Run away like a coward without a plan or motive! And that stung his pride too much! He will never accept it, ever!

'Oh lovely Blake, you cowardly traitor.' He thought to himself while looking at the file with anger. 'If you were back with me, it'd be just what the White Fang needs, especially since you have me to thank for this change in your demeanor.'

Clank.

Clank.

Pacing around the room, the bull faunus slowly started to think about his old 'partner' and her new powers.

The power to make powerful copies that can destroy armies, each one with a different personality and ability that, if put under a 'good' influence, namely himself, they could topple humanity as the dominant species...no, they can eradicate humanity and make the faunus the only species to inherit Remnant, with Blake as his partner once more.

For she was his equal, his other half and no one will deny him a chance to repair their broken bonds, even if he had to 'make' her see it his way.

'I need to find her and get her to side with me again.' He thought with a frown. 'Only then will the plan...the plan.'

And just like that, a sudden realization hit him like an airship.

The plan to destroy Vale wasn't his own, it was someone else's, a...human's plan to be exact.

A woman, Cinder was her name. Yes, that woman with a fire semblance. Just showed up, acting like she owned the place and then attempted to use said semblance to burn him after he refused her the first time.

Yeah...she might've had a boost in power since the last time they met but her plan was foolish. For one, it involved his sect and a human thief to steal Dust, blow up a heavily Grimm infested ghost city of Mountain Glenn, and somehow make Atlas look like a fool during the Vytal Festival...and then what?

His brothers and sisters would get revenge on their oppressors and he'd get lionized for this plot...but afterwards? What was the goal? The entire point?

And why should HE continue to work for a human? She was tolerable to him but she stank of death and one sided ambitions with a side of Atlasian, the one Kingdom he hated more than any other.

"I'm going to make her ever regret the day she thought she was above us." Adam growled while walking towards the door. "And I'll make her beg for mercy, right after I slice off her legs!"

(A few hours later)

-White Fang Vale Sect HQ, Adam's Office-

'She should be here any second. I'll make sure she stares right into my eyes before she breathes her last breath.' Adam thought while sitting in his chair, his back turned towards the door as he waited for his 'partner' to walk in.

Well...ex-partner to be exact.

Knock knock

"Come in."

SLAM!

The door slammed open as the woman herself stood there with annoyance in her eyes.

"What is the meaning of this?!"

"Meaning of what?"

"You know damn well! You contacted me and threatened me!"

"Oh that, it wasn't threatening. It was establishing authority." he remarked with a calm tone.

"Authority? What are you talking about?! You are just a hired help, not my boss!"

"Faunus are more of a superior species than humanity, that includes you." Adam said with a smirk. "But let's cut to the chase, I summoned you here because I find your plans...flawed."

"Oh really now?"

"It's quite simple, you rely too heavily on infiltration, are limited in combat skills, completely arrogant to the point of being a megalomaniacal narcissist, and you have been exposing my siblings to explosive unrefined Dust bombs, among other things." He said coldly. "You want a distraction for yourself, and frankly, that takes too much time and effort."

"Not when the end goal is Vale's destruction."

"And that's another thing. What is the end goal?" He said while Cinder felt the air grow cold around her. "You keep saying it's for the good of the world that Vale falls but what is in it for us? The destruction of a Kingdom isn't exactly helping the White Fang cause, no matter how much fear it generates for us."

"You just need to focus on doing your part in all this, it's not that hard."

"So there isn't any end goal? Just us, a legion of faunus, doing your dirty work for no pay and no end goals? I'm sorry Cinder but that's just slavery you're talking about." He said with a frown. "And us faunus do not appreciate that."

"What are you getting at Adam?"

"Don't you understand, Atlasian." He said while standing from his chair. "You are only using us for a suicide run, and as such, you are dismissed from the White Fang. Either walk away or beg like the lowly human you are. After all, you did that before, Glass Unicorn slave."

Cinder narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "How-"

"Atlas Sect. They told me about a murder involving an anti Faunus woman and her daughters a few years back. Same goes to a local Huntsmen, and the only thing found there was a simple name tag. Your name." He said while keeping his back to her agitated face. "And now you try to turn us into slaves as well. What a twisted sociopath you are."

"Pick your next words carefully, Taurus, or else."

"Or what? You're going to make a tantrum? Scream like a baby?"

"No, because you'll meet the end of an arrow."

"An arrow? Really?" Adam smirked while unsheathing his blade. "Such a dumb idea, from a weak human like you."

"I'll have those words etched into your tombstone."

"Funny, I had the same idea. But it would be for your urn, after I make sure you're cremated." Adam said before deciding to agitate Cinder one more time. "Oh and I almost forgot, you're too old for those dresses, grandma."

"WHAT DO YOU SAY!?"

"You heard me, grandma."

Cinder narrowed her eyes before flash-forging a bow and arrows in hand.

Adam chuckled before slicing the lights with his blade.

ZAP!

Plunging the room into complete darkness as flashes of orange and red illuminated the screen.

CLANG!

SWISH!

The only sounds heard were from blade meeting arrows.

And all the while...darkness coated the screen like tar.

(One day later)

-Beacon Academy, Airship Docking Station-

"Oh gods, I really hope this trip helps." Blake muttered out loud as she went down the small metal stairs towards the massive launchpad, three large Bullheads resting on the circular platform in preparation for whatever students needed the 'fast travel' towards the capital.

Now you must be wondering why she's even doing this in the first place.

And that's simple...she's having a moment of existential crisis. Yes, you heard that right, she's having an existential crisis.

For at least two days she's been feeling...out of whack, from the White Fang massacre to her own feelings of self-guilt, she's been teetering between depression and lack of confidence in her own role in Beacon, her place in Team RWBY.

Yes, she has a better relationship with them, especially after coming out to them with her faunus heritage, but that still didn't make her feel any better about herself at all.

For she...felt like anyone she was with or was associated with would be dealt a bad hand, like...the White Fang and her old teacher Adam, the one she ran away from...and in her mind, felt responsible for his turn to darkness and hate.

She groaned and scratched near one of her ears. "I'm gonna get so stressed my hair will turn gray."

WOOOSH!

The sound of turbines rang in Blake's ears as a Bullhead started to take off, nearly causing her skirt to flare upwards in the process.

"I just hope I don't start drinking." She muttered before heading towards one of the Bullheads and looked around for the pilot.

Only to see him sleeping on the airship's left wing.

"Zzzzz."

"Oh you gotta be kidding me." she muttered in disbelief. "WAKE UP!"

"Zzzzzz."

"A heavy sleeper. Great." She muttered before pulling out Gambol Shroud and threw it around the pilot's left leg.

TWANG!

Resulting in her yanking him right off the wing in one clean motion.

"AHHHH!"

CRASH!

"Finally, you're awake."

"Ow! Ok, who's the wise guy that did that?!"

"The wise 'girl' is right here." Blake deadpanned.

"Oh, a student. What do you want?"

"A ride to Vale."

"I'm on break."

"By napping?"

"Hey, you try driving a Dust guzzler every single day with no vacation time." he retorted with a frown. "If I didn't need the job, I would have quit."

Blake rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Just drive me to Vale."

"No. On my break."

"Come on! I really need this trip!"

"Yeah no, not today."

"...I can call the headmaster to ask if this break of yours is acceptable or not." She said while the pilot paled in horror, given this break was self made aka not authorized by anyone.

"Let's get this show on the road!" He said quickly while running into the airship. 'Shit! That was way too close!'

'That's better.' Blake thought with a smirk as she walked into the ship and started putting her seatbelt on.

All the while...thinking about Adam and how she might've handled her departure better if she had the chance.

'Would me leaving had caused any real change or would it have been the same?' She thought to herself as she heard the engines starting up outside.

"Alright'e there passengers, next stop Vale. And please don't forget to use the puke bag on your left hand side. We do NOT need another 'Arc' accident."

'Poor Jaune, they made his last name a household name for vomit PDAS.' she thought in pity. 'Glad he's not here to hear this.'

(Elsewhere)

-JNPR's Room-

"ACHOO!" Jaune sneezed while currently in the middle of giving Pyrrha and back massage.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good...because my shoulders need some strong hands~"

"Well, don't worry, I can do that." He said while giving Pyrrha a nice strong push against her shoulders.

"Oooooh~"

"Like that?"

"Oooh yes~" she hummed while Jaune felt very tempted to 'massaging' her ass.

'I'm so lucky.'

(Back with Blake)

WOOOOOSH!

Blake yawned as she looked at the airship's ceiling with boredom, having decided to not bring anything at all except her wallet.

Aka...she's in need of a good book right now. But at the moment, her mind was still fixated on her old partner Adam.

'I need to do something to distract me.' She thought to herself while sighing a little. 'Maybe there's a magazine here? Like Vale Yearly?'

And that's when it happened...her ears started to itch.

'Oh no, not again.' She thought while trying to resist the itching.

The reason? Because once she starts scratching her own ears...she starts to purr.

Yes...purr. It's actually a Belladonna trait on her mother's side of the family. If they scratch a particular part of the body, such as the ears, they start purring like cats.

It really didn't help her as a kid as she was treated like a cat afterwards...and that also gave her trust issues in that regard.

'Just try and ignore it.' Blake thought as the itching started to intensify in uncomfortability.

Unbearable, agitating...pain. So much...temptation!

'Ignore it!' She thought before feeling the itch growing stronger, her ears twitching with agitation as the feeling got worse every second. "Fuck!"

As she began to succumb to the itch, she didn't notice that her ring was getting rubbed by her own hands, said appendages being used to mediate the desire to itch via rubbing against each other, as the screen was being activated unconsciously.

"Re...sist!" She hissed in agitation as her fingers started scrolling over the screen. "Resist!"

All the while the itch grew into an agitated pain that nearly caused Blake to go insane.

"FUCK IT!" She screamed before scratching her ears like a mad woman.

Boop.

Zap!

Not realizing that she accidentally pressed a paw emblem on her ring's touch screen with her right thumb, causing a spark of electricity to form around it.

"Ahhhhhh~" She moaned while currently in heaven at the moment. "So good, purrrrrrr~"

ZAP!

BOOOM!

And cue her heavenly bliss getting shattered like glass as a bolt of lightning hit the floor, causing a thick smoke cloud to form and, incidentally, activated the onboard alarms.

BEEEEP!

BEEEEP!

BEEEEEEP!

The sudden beeping snapped her out of it with wide eyes seeing the cloud.

'What in hell?! What just happened?!'

"What the hell's going on back there!" The pilot yelled from the cockpit.

"I don't know!" She yelled as the alarms continued to blare in her sensitive eardrums.

BEEEEP!

BEEEEEEP!

BEEEEEP!

"Well, find out! We're almost at Vale and I do NOT want to get blown up by whatever activated the alarms!"

"Alright alright!" Blake yelled as her ears rang in pain.

"And don't touch the escape latch! It's faulty as hell!"

'Now he says it!' She thought before seeing a figure appearing from the smoke cloud.

That being a tall fair skinned young woman with long wavy black hair that went to her lower back, amber eyes with small wrinkles under the lower eyelids, black cat ears, a D cup chest and wide ass, wearing a white long sleeved jacket with white lining on the collar and her left cuff, two long coattails that went to her knees, a dark purple sleeveless shirt, a long white strap with a rectangular pouch that went horizontally across her chest, a black belt with a gray buckle and two black rectangular pouches on the hips, a large white pouch on the left lower mid calf, white pants with two light purple stripes on the sides, mid calf length blackish purple stockings with a single white flower emblem on the right thigh and two white stripes wrapped around the left thigh, thick upper ankle length black boots, whose seemed to be extremely confused at the moment.

"...that definitely looks like me." Blake muttered to herself before her eyes widened in horror.

For right behind her older counterpart was a tall light tan skinned young man with very short brown hair with an extremely long ponytail that went to his feet and had white bandages tied around it, deep crimson eyes, wearing a long sleeved crimson wool kimono with black lining running down the sides and sleeves, a pure white Lancer Grimm mask with red markings around the eyes that went down towards his lips, black diamond shaped shoulder patches with a crimson red jaw-like emblem in the center, a red obi, a crimson hakama that went down to his ankles, black sneakers and holding a dark gray hachiwari blade with a pistol muzzle attached to the hilt in his right hand...that was aimed right at the woman's neck.

"You will pe...wait, where are we?" the assassin said in confusion before noticing the younger Blake. "Wait, why are there two White Paw leaders?!"

"Eh?"

The older Blake blinked before quickly kicking the assassin in the stomach, sending him flying into the nearby wall. "Red Fang? How did you get past security?" 'And why...wait? Is that me?!'

"White Paw? Red Fang? Ok, what's going on here?!" Blake yelled in confusion as her older counterpart pulled out her weapons.

"I don't know why but I'm not going to waste my time with traitors!" the assassin growled before dashing towards the cockpit and pointed his weapon at the pilot. "Open the doors or I'll...wait? That Beacon Academy logo? That's old school, why-"

"Hey back off! I'm driving-wait? Who the hell are you?!"

"Unlock the doors!"

"No way! I'm not losing my license from a wack job like you! Especially when your White Fang cosplay sucks!"

"I'm not White Paw! I'm Red Fang!"

"What's going on?" Blake whispered as the assassin and the pilot started to bicker with each other.

"No time to explain, but we need to stop him before he escapes." the older Blake frowned. "He's part of an anti Kingdom organization that's in league with a Grimm worshiping cult."

"...I'm not even gonna ask right now." Blake said in disbelief before the airship violently jerked to the left. "WOAH!"

"GAH!" the pilot yelled as the assassin knocked him out cold with the butt of his weapon, causing his head to hit the controls and open the back door.

BEEEP!

BEEEP!

"You idiot!" Blake yelled at the assassin. "You're going to crash the ship!"

"I know, but not with me in it!" he yelled before quickly dashing towards the back door. "You will never stop me! Red Fang shall slay the traitor! Both of you!"

"Not when I still breathe." Older Blake frowned before attempting to grab him with her ribbon, only for the robed figure to dodge the attack and turned towards them with a smirk.

"So long fools!" He said before allowing the suction to jettison him out of the ship.

BEEP!

BEEP!

"Damn it!" The older Blake growled before her younger self ran towards the controls.

"Shit! We're heading right towards the bay!" she grabbed the controls and tried to turn it somehow. "UGH! Fuck, the controls are jammed!"

"Did you try waking the pilot?"

"...damn it!" she groaned before she turned and started shaking the pilot like a ragdoll. "WAKE UP!"

BEEP!

BEEP!

"Come on! Wake up!"

"Try slapping him."

"That might not work!"

"Then I suggest we grab the pilot and jump out before we hit the water." The older Blake said while pointing to the approaching water below.

"Damn it!" Blake yelled in frustration before trying to lift the pilot off the seat. "Gah! Too heavy!"

BEEP!

BEEP!

She pulled with all her might and dragged him off, carrying him over to the door.

"Come on!"

"You try running with a heavy body like his!" Younger Blake snapped as the ship grew closer and closer to the bay.

BEEP!

BEEP!

Both quickly reached the edge of the ship and jumped out towards the water below.

SPLASH!

SPLASH!

BOOOOOM!

Just as the ship crashed into the bay, a wall of water crashed back down from the sky as the two faunus swam back to the surface.

"I...hate...water!" Blake grumbled while her older counterpart began swimming to shore. "Hey wait!"

"I can't, we need to capture the assassin before he escapes and creates chaos in your version of Vale."

"Wait, you knew?"

"Yes, after all, where I came from Vale has fallen and the world is entering a Second Great War."

"Oh you've gotta be kidding me."

"I'm not, but I'll explain while we hunt down the Red Fang assassin."

"...well I WANTED to get a break, but I guess I'm doing this instead." Blake grumbled to herself before swimming after her older counterpart.

(Later)

-Vale, Docks-

"So, you mind telling me more about your world?" Blake asked while drying herself off near the pier, her older counterpart shaking off the water from her exposed ears. "You said it was...nearing a war?"

"Yes, but be warned...it's...it's a hard pill to stomach once you hear my tale."

"Try me."

"...in my world, Vale fell or as it was called, the Vytal Crisis, and during that chaos...Adam stole me away and for two years locked me away and did unspeakable things to me." Older Blake said with a frown, her younger counterpart blinking in horror as she continued her tale. "I even birthed his child, only for that to be taken away from me as well. It wasn't until one of his own followers saw his madness and told my friends about my location did I escape...but the scars still remain even after I took well needed therapy."

"...holy crap."

"I told you it would be dark."

"Yeah...that one's on me. Sorry."

"It's fine, I've come to terms with it. But you must be wanting to know more, am I right?" She asked while shaking the water off her weapons.

"Yeah. Like what's a Red Fang? White Paw."

"White Paw is the more peaceful version of White Fang that I took over once I became chieftain of Menagerie. The Red Fang is Adam's sect that joined with a cult of Grimm worshipers and nearly declared war on everything human before Team RWBY defeated them." Older Blake sighed. "But more problems arose after we settled down."

"Like?"

"Famines, Anti Huntsmen and Anti Faunus politics having overtaken the political background and...Ironwood was replaced with another named Sterling Butler, who led an Anti Huntsmen and militant group called New Path. Because of this, Atlas is now more militant and...I feel like they are using the current climate for more darker agendas."

"Wait, why isn't Ozpin-"

"After the Vytal Crisis, Vale became less powerful politically and Huntsmen became an endangered species." the older faunus frowned. "And after an asteroid obliterated Vacuo during a meeting, there aren't many of us left that can stand up to New Path. And because of...certain events outside my control, I have to keep my people out of the war to come, or else suffer like Vale did."

"That's...holy shit..." Young Blake muttered in disbelief.

"But it's not all bad. I became very close friends with a nice guy named Sun."

"...who?"

"You'll meet him later. He's the one with no shirt."

"...so he's a nudist?"

"No, just more free to show off his body."

"Ah."

"And he's a monkey faunus."

"...somehow I feel a little surprised how-"

"Shallow it feels like dating a faunus? I understand but he helped me in my darkest hour and I'm thankful for that. He and I might not have dated after...the crisis, but we kept in touch and that helped me heal in the long run."

Young Blake nodded. "So anything else?"

"Yes. A lot of the 'current' Beacon graduates are married or have kids, like Pyrrha and Jaune."

"Huh, that's nice. They are dating right now."

"What?! That early?! But they didn't start dating until after the Vytal Crisis!"

"Well...they are." Young Blake said bluntly as her older counterpart stared at her in shock. "What?"

"Nothing...I'm just surprised. I mean...Jaune isn't the brightest when it comes to romance. He did try to woo Weiss."

"He didn't in this timeline, also me and Weiss are close since I told her about my ears."

"...damn, you did way better than me in that regard. I accidentally blurted it out and ran away during the middle of our first year."

"...dodged a bullet that time." Young Blake said to herself.

Older Blake sighed before looking towards the city. "Is Adam still alive?"

"Yes, why?"

"Because if that Red Fang assassin finds him and tells him about my timeline, he will act upon it...and start the trauma I experienced with you." She said before crossing her arms. "Meaning we need to kill him first."

"Woah woah woah! I might hate him but killing is a little extreme!"

"Blake, you heard my story."

"But he's not that evil!"

"You don't know anything! He's a monster, plain and simple! He'll turn the world into a horrible place if he continues to exist, he HELPED start the Vytal Crisis!" she snapped with a hiss. "Get that stupid moral idea out of your head about killing! There are some people who CANNOT be allowed to live because they will make others suffer! Is that what you want?!"

"But-"

"Look. Adam is and never will be good, not when his goals are the complete annihilation of all life for the sake of turning him into a martyr. The only way to fix it is to kill him before he does something truly evil." Older Blake said with a heavy sigh as she gave her younger counterpart a cold glare. "We aren't children, we have killed people before. Being morally good will not work for him, he is just...a monster, a rabid dog that needs to be put down. If you let a moral compass stop you from saving hundreds of lives, then you're better off ending your own life so you don't see what he'll do."

"...but it's still wrong."

"In our line of work, it's either allowing evil to prosper or allowing good to triumph."

"But-"

"Or is it because he's a person and not a Grimm?"

"It's not like that!"

"My young naive self, there will be a day when my words will ring true." Older Blake said while looking towards the city. "And when that day comes, you will be thanking me for my wisdom. But come, let's find the assassin."

Blake didn't say a word, just watched as the older counterpart walked ahead of her, her blades placed behind her own back by a hidden magnetic plate.

"..." 'First a version of me that was pure evil, then one that is too...correct for her own good.'

"Come on!"

"Oh! Coming." She said while running towards her counterpart.

"You seem slower than I was at your age."

"What?! I am faster!"

"Then prove it, try and keep up."

"I can." Young Blake said with a frown before seeing her older counterpart smirk at her.

Poof!

And created a shadow 'clone' that tripped Young Blake and sent her falling on her face.

"Can't catch me!"

"Hey! That was cheating!"

"No rules!"

"You little!"

"We are losing ground, slow poke~"

"Shut up...old lady!"

"I'm not that old, still in my early forties."

"Still old!"

"Not~"

"Stop being delusional!"

"You know, calling me delusional is the same as calling yourself that."

"I-You-SHUT UP!" Young Blake yelled as the shadow clone vanished and she followed after her.

"That's the same thing as telling yourself-"

"NO IT'S NOT!" Young Blake screamed in embarrassment.

"It is~"

"GAH!"

"Oh and I'm ahead of you~"

"DAMN IT!" She yelled while running after her counterpart.

[Unknown POV]

(Elsewhere)

-Vale, Industrial District-

What...just what is going on? Two Belladonnas?! Two of them?! This wasn't...this wasn't supposed to happen.

It was a simple job, nothing more. Just assassinate the leader of White Paw and return home a hero.

...but instead, I'm in a world only seen from history books, the so-called 'Pre Vytal Age'. And everything is...so confusing.

People in the streets without a care in the world, man and faunus being relatively normal and not trying to kill each other, Huntsmen teams walking about like nothing's wrong...a far cry from the desolate and anti Huntsmen world I once knew...so much different from the films and documentaries the New Path and their ilk spew out like their endless war machine.

It's like I'm in some strange dream, or some completely different reality.

It's almost like a comic, the one where a hero meets another one with a different background. Iconic yet...chilling when played out in real life.

So many tall buildings, so many untouched by Grimm and war...I kinda envy them a little. Where I come from this place was renovated with less than stellar building materials, the people continually fought over scraps of food and the lien nearly became extinct in some places.

...but I, unlike others of my community, liked the idea of Huntsmen, never thought of them as evil or crazy 'fused weapon maniacs' like those PSAs make them out to be. It wasn't until much later did I learn about the Vytal Crisis and how a woman named Cinder nearly destroyed the entire Kingdom for some unknown reason, and her everlasting legacy was the disdain and hate of the Huntsmen for her actions.

Yet here, in this realm of yesteryear...that legacy remained untainted, unspoiled by man and faunus' ideologies and fear. But then again, this feels too much like a dream.

I need to find my way around here or risk being forever lost. I need to find them...I need to contact the founders and see if they can let me escape this place?

But wait...if this is a dream, maybe I can pinch myself-OW! Ok, not a dream, ow, that smarts my arm.

Right...if this is really the past, then being here would erase my future if I choose to alter it in some way.

Mmm...I could find Pyrrha Nikos, the star of Argus and Vale, and kill her. Her son did cause a war to start brewing. Or I could warn someone about the crisis? Maybe even kill that bastard Butler and just see what happens.

But...should I? Should I tempt fate and set my future alight with the sparks of what if? Should I stop what is predestined to happen?

Or would I even be able to? If I tried, would anything change or would I just delay the inevitable?

Could I stop New Path from taking over Atlas? Could I prevent Vale from falling? Could Red Fang cease to exist if I ended their mad leader? The Cult of Shalim would fade if I cut them down before they militarized? Would Gele Industries fail to gain Schnee Technology's support if I ended the Schnee line?

What if? Always what if? So many possibilities...all so tempting for one that lived in a world where poverty loomed over Vacuo, where Mistral became the second Atlas, where Vale fell twice to war, where Atlas is the enemy of all?

I...I don't know anymore. This place, this peaceful world...it's so different from the world I knew, from the oral history of those that hate it for simply existing.

Red Fang...Humanity First...New Path, all of them speak of this place as the birthplace of pain and loss, the epicenter of Remnant's vices and the reason for a war between powers.

Had I been that youth that first joined for the sake of glory and honor, I might've just ignored the world and went about my mission in stride. However, I've seen and done things that made the lowest Grimm seem holy in nature.

Murder, assassination, terrorism, hate crimes against the 'other'...stains of the soul that will never wash out. Yet now, I see it clearly now.

My orders, my allegiance, my comrades. They were wrong, I was wrong and now I stand in the crossroads of life.

Should I stay upon the dark path and alter the future by murdering the Belladonnas?

Or should I walk away, change my allegiance towards the Huntsmen I once adored and despised in equal amounts to make my future better than I had left it?

I must make a choice, here and now, with the utmost conviction in my heart.

Will I choose the side of the angels or the side of the demons?

What sh...wait. Those uniforms, gray, white, black with ivory masks. They are White Fang! By the gods, I've never seen one intact before, not even in a museum.

But wait, what are they doing walking about the Industrial District...hold on. This must be their hideout, the center of their HQ...and looking at the crates they are taking out of the trucks, I think I know what they're doing.

Making bombs. Crude yet destructive bombs for Mountain Glenn, the first of many operations that would doom Vale in my future.

...perhaps I could-no, can't change the past. That's-wait. Is that, Adam Taurus?!

The hair, red as blood. Clothes as edgy as a goth trying too hard. Blade hidden in its sheath.

The traits of the monster that led the Red Fang for years...until he bit a worse monster in the leg and was shot by the son of Nikos, a New Path agent known as Jaune Arc Jr, during an assassination attempt gone wrong.

But...this isn't right. That faunus scum was never out and about in the daylight, not even when he caused a 'civil war' twenty or so years ago. He hid in the shadows and let his goons do the grunt work before striking like he did in the Vytal Crisis.

Yet, here he is, in broad daylight, walking into an abandoned warehouse for some unknown reason.

Taurus...the reason why the faunus are turned into second class citizens. The reason why New Path now leads the assault on the world. The reason why my dreams of being a Huntsman are forever dashed.

Had he not been alive in this time and place, the world would be a better place for all.

Something must be done. Yes...I must do the impossible.

I must kill Adam Taurus before he succeeds.

Oh, he's already in the building, perfect. I'll just sneak in and find his office or something, perhaps get some incriminating evidence to give to the people for his arrest if his plan fails. Alright, I have a plan...now, to knock out those guards.

Hopefully my robes don't intimidate them, at all.

I moved over towards the front entrance, mindful not to let my breath out or make a single sound.

"Hey Sam."

"What is it now Ted?"

"Ever wondered if the moon was made of ice cream?"

"Ugh, not this again!"

"What? It's a legitimate question."

"You are too obsessed with ice cream!"

"Hey, I'm not!"

"Didn't you ask me the same question last week, but with the moon being replaced with the planet's core being made of fudge!"

"It is so obvious that the core is fudge based. It's not made of metal."

"Yes, it is!"

"How would you know?"

"Simple! I'd dig to the center of the planet and just sell it!"

"...that's stupid."

"No, you're stupid!"

"Read a book!"

"I can't! I'm on duty!"

"You sir, are a moron. Like that guy in red."

"Guy in red?"

Both turned and found a sudden red blur before they dropped down, out cold.

BAM!

Good, knocked out and with some teeth missing.

Pretty dumb faunus, almost like the people running their successor. I mean who works with a cult?!

Ahem, anyway...as I entered the building, seemingly devoid of a lot of guards for some reason, I quietly dash towards the stairs.

With some luck, the layout of this building matches the blueprints from the Memorial Museum of Vytal's Past. If memory serves, the main office is on the fifth floor, second door to the right.

Dashing off like the wind, I narrowly avoided several more guards with ease.

Although in my opinion, they really don't seem to be 'professional'.

I mean one of them was watching a video on their Scroll while on duty.

Was the bar set so low for what was supposed to be warriors?

In the history books they were considered monsters but looking at them now...they might've exaggerated a few key details.

Then again, I really didn't care about the past, only about dreams of folly. How my actions would define the world and give me immortality.

But that's just the ramblings of a foolish man.

Mmmm. Looks like there's a guard at the door...and they're busy eating a ham sandwich.

"Thank you, lunchtime." The goon muttered while eating the sandwich. "And thank you Vacuoian Desert Rat ham!"

...ew. I'm going to knock them out now, ew.

BAM!

In a flash, he was face down in his sandwich.

"Ugh..."

Now...damn it, this is a closet, not the main office. It might've been on the left, not the right side.

I went back and took the long detour down the right path.

But as I checked around the corner...I noticed that no one was guarding the place, at all.

What kind of place was this without any basic guards?

No really, even the Red Fang was more competent than those jokesters!

Yet...moving closer to the door, the lock unlocked for some reason, and slowly pushed it.

Creak.

Darkness. Of course. It had to be dark.

Something, or someone, was here.

But then again...maybe not? Better flip on the lights.

Reaching over, I felt around the wall for the switch.

No. No. That's a file cabinet. OW! Fan! Nearly lost a finger that time, ow!

My fingers hit something and light soon flooded my vision. And...oh gods...I wish I was blinded by darkness once more.

Haphazard papers, burnt maps, taped reports, images...so many images of the White Paw leader, all crossed out with X's.

String dotted each side of the room like a spider's web as I saw four words that were violently penned into the map's center.

[Belladonna is the Key!]

I heard of that mad faunus' plan before but...this...this is madness! A plan only a monster would come up with!

Looking even closer at the reports, I only see revisions to an older plan, one that seemed similar to the dreaded Vytal Crisis except for three key points that filled my soul with disgust.

One, the complete obliteration of Vale's shipping trade with the rest of the world, effectively dooming the city to starvation.

Two, a total siege against Beacon Academy...and any land or structure that was in its path.

Three, and the most despicable...the complete and utter culling of 'unwanted' 'assets' via...stuffed into an iron furnace...oh gods, I can't read that one anymore!

Not even the New Path was this bad, then again this might as well be in their best interests too, but even they had some standards. This however...it's truly monstrous, inhuman.

It HAD to be put down.

Not just to stop the madness...but to maybe make my future...better.

...I doubt that can happen but maybe, just maybe, my actions will stop the current war before it ever begins? And perhaps I will find a measure of happiness knowing I helped save the world, even if I somehow cease to exist in the process.

Creak.

Oh, right the door. Perfect, I can catch him unprepared. I mean I have a Dust powered pistol in my hands, good old Silents, a relic from the days when I wanted to be a Huntsman, before the crisis, before the rise of New Path, before my allegiance was swayed to a 'better' organization.

Yes, I see the shadow. I must make my stance, I must stop him! For the future, for the new beginning, for the future that I will help usher into a golden age once I return from this topsy-turvy yesterworld!

Creak.

"Huh? Who left the door open?"

Steeling my nerves, letting a mighty bellow to be released from my bosom, I pointed Silents towards the monster and screamed.

"FOR HUMANITY FIRST!"

SCRIIIIIIISSSSS!

SQUISH!

...what? What was...fire? Blade? I feel...cold.

Falling downwards, stone tiles colliding with my face, my dimmed eyes looked onwards and saw...madness.

And all I heard before the darkness engulfed me for the second time this day.

"Guards, dispose of this human. Drop him and his possessions somewhere fitting for trash like him."

Trash...hah...ironic...coming from...y...ou...

[End of POV]

(Elsewhere)

-Vale, Industrial District-

"Wait, so Jaune has a daughter named Liakada Nikos Arc and...she's a spitfire like Yang?" Young Blake asked while the two Belladonnas walked down the empty street in search of the assassin.

"Yes, but only when it comes to...her family legacy. Hates it when people attribute her skills for her family's very high prestige."

"And she's on a team named...BALZ? Am I getting it correct here?"

"No, it's Team BAZL. And she and Bianca Schnee are like Ruby and Weiss. Hot tempered and not a fan of each other's combat tactics." Older Blake chuckled. "In a way, it's nice to see the next generation having some of our good traits...despite the Huntsmen occupation being demonized to the point of being nearly extinct in some places."

"Huh, not gonna lie, was expecting something completely different."

"The Huntsman part or the next generation being copies of your current generation?"

"Both. I just find it unexpected that such a drastic change would nearly destroy a very respected occupation while also making it difficult for Huntsmen children to...well, get ahead in life." Young Blake said with a sigh. "But I also feel extremely bad for those kids, a war on the horizon and so much internal fighting. It's a miracle that your timeline had a moment's peace."

"Yeah, Team RWBY and JNPR did their best when Red Fang was around but even then, the world started to view both Huntsmen and the faunus as the true monsters, not Adam and his ilk. Men like Sterling rose to power because Remnant wanted something new...but at the cost of losing the best parts of our past." Older Blake sighed. "Just remember, it only takes one man or woman with dark intentions to ruin a dream. So...try and fight for that dream, even if the whole world is against you."

"...like how you chose to lock out the refugees of the famine from Menagerie? Like how you chose to sit back and watch as they were forced to become members of New Path and the like due to overpopulation?"

"It was either causing an ecological disaster or letting them find a place to settle for the time being. The famine was...too much, everything was too much. If I had done things differently maybe things could've ended with a peaceful resolution, not another war."

"Then maybe it's time you follow your own words and fight for what's right when you return home?" Young Blake said before sniffing the air and gagged.

"What's wrong?"

"Ash and charcoal, down that alleyway." She said while pointing to her left.

"We best check it out, there might be a fire."

"Or the assassin is luring us into a trap."

"If that's the case, we'll show him how us Belladonnas deal with assassins."

"With a frying pan?" Young Blake said with a smirk.

"That too, but we don't have frying pans so Gambol Shroud will have to do."

"Works for me." Young Blake said before both cat faunus jumped right into the alleyway, blades drawn.

Only...to see the assassin, laying on the ground face first and...not moving at all as the smell of carbonized silk and ash settled within their nostrils like a pungent bag of kitty litter gone bad.

They covered their noses and felt their stomachs start churning.

"What...the hell?" Young Blake gasped in disgust as her older counterpart walked over to the body and kicked it.

"...looks like someone got to him first."

"But how? You said the Red Fang were tougher than the White Fang in my timeline."

"Yes, but it seems this wasn't a Red Fang assassin." She said while pulling the left sleeve upwards, revealing a dark green armband with a black and white helix emblem with interlocking red and green strands within a red circle. "But a Humanity First lackey."

"You mean the Anti Faunus guys?"

"Yes and apparently they wanted to use the Red Fang as a cover for their own goals, something that they use on a regular basis." Older Blake frowned. "Especially when half of their members are in league with New Path's main Atlas government system."

"...oh boy."

"But who would kill him? You told me before that Sterling never existed in your timeline, is that correct?"

"Yeah, many of New Path's members never existed here."

"So that means either he was killed by the White Fang, one of the Valeian Mob Families, or...rouge Huntsmen."

"Shit."

"But maybe it's a blessing in disguise?"

"How?"

"You don't have to worry about him attacking you right?"

"Well...technically yeah." Young Blake said before noticing the assassin's body fading away like mist, purple sparks emanating from the body-

Wooosh!

And left behind only the clothes and weapon behind.

"What the?!" Young Blake yelled in shock.

"Is this not normal?"

"No! Usually when a version of me, or in this case an unwanted guest, returns home their entire form disappears...not leaves behind their belongings!"

"Then this is suspicious." Older Blake said before noticing her left hand slowly fading away as well. "Oh no..."

"Looks like it's your time too."

"...I kinda was hoping to stay here a little longer. To reminisce on my past a little more."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Older Blake said before smiling a little. "Oh and one more thing."

"What?"

"Please kill Adam, for your future's sake."

"I...but I...I don't know if I can." Young Blake said as her older counterpart's lower half faded into nothing.

"You will, eventually. I know you will do the right thing in the end."

"But what if I hesitate and something worse happens?"

"Then you just have to live with it." she said before noticing that just her torso and head were left visible to the world. "...this feels weird."

"I know, usually it takes a very short amount of time to disappear."

"And now I'm a head."

"Yep."

"...I blame that ring of yours."

"So do I sometimes."

Older Blake tried opening her mouth, but the rest of her head vanished instantly, leaving the younger Blake alone with the clothes and weapon at her feet.

"...better call Ozpin to explain why I decided to keep these things." She muttered while picking the items up. "And why a Valeian Kingdom Class Bullhead crash landed into the bay...wait. What happened to the pilot?!"

(With said pilot)

"Ugh...my head..." the pilot groaned in pain while waking up, back facing the wooden dock floor, as he looked around and saw nothing but an empty pier all around him. "What the hell...happened?"

As he looked around, he noticed that his clothes were wet and sopping...despite the fact he had a distaste for water.

Something to do with getting pelted by water balloons for years by his class bullies for no reason.

"And why am I soaked?" He muttered to himself before realizing his ship was missing, the one that costs more lien per part then his entire yearly salary.

Aka...will seriously get him fired.

"FUUUUUUCK!" 'GLYNDA WILL MURDER ME!'

And...then...he noticed the smoke coming out of the bay and paled in horror.

"MY SHIP!" he screamed before jumping up and ran towards the edge of the docks. "NO NO NO! NOT MY SHIP!"

SISSSSLE.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" He screamed in horror as a mental image of Glynda appeared in the back of his mind.

Her riding chop was currently ready to split his ass a new one.

"I'M A DEAD MAN!" He screamed before his Scroll rang, making him pull it out of his pocket in fear. "Hello?"

"Mr. Launchpad." spoke the friendly yet confused voice of Ozpin as the pilot sighed in slight relief. "Where have you been?"

"Uh...I ran into some trouble."

"Trouble?"

"I...don't exactly recall. All I recall was some guy in red arguing at me in some weird White Fang cosplay and then bam! I'm on the docks with..."

"The ship in the middle of Vale's bay?"

"How did-"

"Bullheads have trackers on them."

"...I was forced?"

"Mr. Launchpad. We also have a white box in the ship, and the AVD will find out eventually so I suggest you return to Beacon and give a full testimony before...you know."

"...before Glynda forces me to?"

"Yep."

"Yes sir, right away."

"Oh and I almost forgot, all damages to the ship will be taken out of your next paychecks."

"FUCK!"

"And it might take about...two hundred paychecks to cover the costs."

'I NEED A NEW JOB!'

"Oh and before I forget, that weekend bonus is nulled."

"FUCK YOU!"

"Do you really want a harassment suit as well?"

"Screw this! I'm getting drunk!" the pilot yelled in anger before walking off.

"Wait what? Mr. Launchpad, don't just get drunk, we already have a drunk in Signal and one drunk in Vale is good enough, especially when you have to find the ship."

"Well, get someone else to find it!"

"Well, the other pilots are currently in the other towns. It is a holiday week after all."

"I don't care, I quit!"

"But what about the annual Beacon BBQ next week!"

"Screw that!" he yelled before cutting off the call and sighed. "Better make it two drinks."

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

He quickly grabbed his Scroll and yeeted it into the water.

SPLASH!

"Finally." He grumbled while not noticing Glynda walking right behind him. "Now I don't have to listen to that asshole or his uptight dominatrix!"

"Oh really now?"

He froze in fear as Glynda smacked her riding crop against her hip, her aura slowly rising from her body. 'Oh no!'

"Care to say that again?"

"Um...so you heard that? Right?"

"Every word."

"...can't we just um...forget about it?"

"No."

'Shit.'

"I suggest you run, before I finish counting down to three."

With that, he bolted off towards Glynda's left side in a panic.

"They always run, just sad." Glynda muttered to herself before raising her riding crop up and caused a small tugboat to rise from the water.

TOOOO TOOOOOT!

And was flung at the unfortunate pilot's direction.

"SHI-"

CRASH!

"AHHHHHH!"

"...seems like I forgot that Mr. Launchpad isn't an aura user." She muttered as the screen went black.

"Ow..."

Xxxxxxx

Name/Designation Title: Blake Belladonna/The Lone Ghoul (Zombieverse Blake Belladonna- ZBBRWBY)

Age: 17 (Physically unaged due to magic and zombie physiology, to a point. Still decays at a slower rate.)

Affiliation: Good

Dimension: 80023- 12 ZBBRWBY

Abilities: Enhanced speed, agility, reflexes, jumping power, durability (via Zombie physiology), and endurance, White Fang training and knowledge, night vision, blade, gun and kusarigama handling and knowledge, VBCS training and handling, espionage skills and knowledge, Huntress skills and knowledge, Dust knowledge and handling, high intelligence (for a zombie), high magical potential, zombie body part attachment/detachment, zombie physiology (due to Project Autumn energy/zombie bite), extremely high magical powers (via Project Autumn), semi eternal youth (due to magic and does not stop rot completely).

Semblance(s): Shadow

Bio: In this timeline, known to outsiders as the Zombieverse, Cinder Fall would successfully obtain the full power of the Fall Maiden during her battle with Amber and escaped just as Qrow appeared on the scene. As a result of this horrifying outcome, Ozpin would frantically hunt for a solution to the threat of Cinder, knowing full well the consequences of a rogue Maiden rampaging into a heavily populated area in search of the Relic of Choice...causing him to decide on a drastic countermeasure that would change the fate of Remnant forever. Under the name Project Autumn, the headmaster would endow a selected individual to gain all of his remaining magical powers, with that individual being Coco Adel, whose semblance Hype was theorized to be the inverse to magic itself and thus could be used to stave off the negative effects of the magical transfer process, which usually results in shorter lifespans if used incorrectly, and create an Anti-Maiden 'weapon' to use against Salem and her Fall Maiden. However...the magical transfer process had a negative reaction on the leader of Team CFVY as the magic overloaded her cells, causing them to decay from 'magic oversaturation', and shut off her higher faculties, transforming her into an undead zombie whose bite can spread the magical 'contagion' to others almost instantaneously and caused her to infect the entire academy and then the entire world in a matter of five years. Yet, despite the fact that humanity and the faunus are becoming an endangered species, there is hope...in the form of an unlikely heroine. This heroine? Blake Belladonna, the very first victim of the zombified Coco and one of the undead...but unlike her brethren, she miraculously retained her intelligence, although slightly dumber due to long term decay, and the ability to use magic itself. Horrified by her new form and the chaos surrounding her, Blake would escape Vale during the initial outbreak and for the next few years would wander the world, hunting zombies and scavenging the living and undead for new body parts as while her magical powers can keep her 'looking alive and untouched by decay', the body continually decays at a slow rate and once a part starts falling apart she needs to locate new body parts to restart the 'process' before her entire form decays. Continually on the move and scavenging for 'food' to keep her mental state stable, the undead faunus now helps those in need and will attack other zombies out of 'Huntress morality' to save the uninfected, hoping that one day a cure would be found in this broken world on the verge of complete destruction...yet unbeknownst to all, another intelligent zombie plans her own rise to power, that being Cinder Fall who was partially infected by an undead Ruby Rose and is keeping the 'condition' at bay with her Maiden powers while planning to weaponize the zombies into an army strong enough to kill Salem and become queen of the world. All and all...this wasn't the plan that Ozpin had conceived and because of his paranoia...the world will be one of Grimm and undeath itself.

[ERROR!]

[ERROR!]

[WARNING! DATA CORRUPTED! ACTIVATING PARCAE PROTOCOL!]

Xxxxxxx

...quiet, pure quiet. All around the darkened void was darkness...a deep umbra which had no end.

ZAP!

ZOOOP!

But lo, in a flash of purple energy, the world became bathed in light, blanketing the screen with a shining radiance in the process.

(Elsewhere)

-Dimension: 0003591- 01 MMRWBY, Remnant, Western Sanus, Vauco, Gelee Technologies Vauco Branch-

The camera zoomed from the brightly lit noon sky towards the sand coated ground as...a single sight was seen within this particular area.

Where there used to be a city...was a massive crater, almost a few thousand miles long and equally as deep, as small stone and steel structures jutted from the edges like a ruined sand castle.

This...this used to be Shade Academy, the last home of the Huntsmen before a massive asteroid collided with the school, obliterating both it and the ancient capital of Vacuo from the face of the world.

A once great city not reduced to dust. Some people think that this was a natural event, others think it's the product of a New Path weapon. But needless to say...

ZOOOM!

The parasites came in to make themselves home, the numerous tents and military vehicles dotting the crater's edge as a large white and black metal structure, seemingly made to withstand and survive the explosive power of an asteroid, with a twelve sided snowflake that was split down the upper right side into a white side on the lower right side and a black side on the upper left side, sporting the words 'Gele Technology' loomed towards the west like a tower overlooking a strategic position.

Men, women, faunus, all wearing black and white armor, a dull orange pentagon sporting a red inner background and a black compass with a black and white four sided point in the center somewhere on their uniforms, and holding heavy weaponry surveyed the grounds as all seemed to be quiet.

ZAP!

Well, until a dark cloud with sparks of purple electricity appeared near the steps of the tower and-

PLOP!

A dead naked body appeared in front of the two guards, scaring them to high heaven in the process.

"AHHHHHH!"

"OH MY GOD!"

"AHHHHHHHH!"

"HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON!?" yelled a voice from behind the two guards as the figure walked out from behind the two automatic sliding glass doors.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

"HOLY GOD! HOLY FUCKING GOD!"

Which didn't make a dent in their screaming as the figure, a tall fair skinned young man with short white hair, light blue eyes, wearing a long sleeved dark blue suit with light blue triangle patches on either side of his chest, a white undershirt, a black tie, a red armband with a dull orange pentagon sporting a red inner background and a black compass with a black and white four sided point in the center on his left shoulder, dark blue dress pants and black loafers, snarled in frustration before clapping his hands loudly to get their attention.

"I said what-OH MY GOODNESS!" the man yelled in disgust as he saw the naked dead body on the scorching sands. "Did you two kill another random passerby or something?!" 'Or worse, a bandit clan member! We don't need those savages attacking this base!'

"No sir, Mr. Gelee." The first guard said with a nervous gulp. "It just...appeared out of nowhere."

"Well get it cleaned up right now."

"Yes sir."

"And...wait." the man said while kneeling down and noticed...several red flakes sticking out from the sides of the massive cut on the corpse's front side. "Mmmm. You said it appeared out of nowhere right?"

"Yes, from a cloud of purple lightning."

"Interesting..." He said quietly before turning to the second guard. "You, carry him inside and follow me to Medical Room 5."

"Yes sir."

"And you." He said while turning to the first guard. "Remain at your post and under no circumstance, are you allowed to speak of these events. Lest you want to find yourself demoted to janitor."

"Yes sir."

"And if this happens again, report to me and me alone. Understood?"

"Understood." the guard said as his companion lifted the body off the ground and walked towards the entrance.

The man stared at the guard before turning around and followed the guard into the building. 'Note to self, replace that guard with a more competent one.'

(A few minutes later)

-Basement, Medical Room 5-

"Time to take a peek inside..." the man muttered to himself while looking down at a medical table, the dark blue titled room contrasting greatly with the bright lights above him. "Now where is that scalpel?"

His left hand, one the man known as Whitley Gelee ne Schnee used for everyday paperwork, carefully darted towards the scalpel on the right side of the table and attempted to make a thin cut near the torso.

Crack.

Only for it to break in half, despite being made of Hard Light laced steel.

"Damn it!" He frowned before grabbing another scalpel. "It seems that this corpse has a few tricks up its nonexistent sleeves."

Moving the small blade towards the exposed wound, he inserted the point towards the clot.

Squish.

Which seemed to break it as...a strange pink liquid started to ooze from the incision point...and then quickly solidified into a crystalline structure.

"Well, what do we have here?" He muttered before using some tweezers to grab one of the shards and placed it in a metal tray. "Mmmm...the structure, it seems similar to Dust? Odd, better collect more samples just in case."

But as he attempted to collect another sample from the insertion point, it...started to heal as a small amount of orange and purple 'energy' covered it like a sheet of paper.

"...what the hell?" He said with confusion as he attempted to scrap the 'Dust' shards off the wound. "Aura? How can a corpse have an aura? Mmmm. This case keeps getting weirder and weirder."

Scrit.

Crack!

Only for it to break in half like the last scalpel.

"Gods damn it!" He cursed in anger before calming down and grabbed a swab from the metal tray. "Well, better get this guy's DNA, just in case."

As he moved the swab towards the fingertips, he noticed something...off about the corpse's eyes and decided to open one of them.

With it open, he noted the pupil was slit, like a cat's...with a single red contact lens inserted within the eye.

"Mmm, a faunus? But wait." Whitley muttered before pulling back against the right eyelid, revealing a black compound eye that seemed...infused into the bone itself.

A faunus...with two traits, how unusual and strange...unless...

It's...atavism. Yes, atavism, the process of gaining a genetic throwback from an older state of evolution, rare in humans and even rarer in faunus.

This is a miracle of biological science.

"Interesting." He muttered before looking at the exposed chest and took notice of the red shards, using some tweezers to pull out a shard that was about the size of a pinky finger's nail.

And...it seemed familiar, hauntingly familiar at that.

"Where have I seen this?" Whitley muttered before pulling out his Scroll and pressed a button, causing a red light to cover the shard like a mini 'net'. "Let's see if I can find-"

Beep.

"Ah, that was...what?" He muttered with wide eyes as he looked upon the Scroll results.

[One Match. Adam Taurus's Wilt and Brush. Currently held in the Vale Wing of the Atlasian Museum of Pre Vytal Crisis Memorabilia.]

"Adam Taurus' weapon?!" He yelled in disbelief. "B-But he's dead! His demise was on live tv! J-Just how?!"

And then it clicked...this shard of a weapon, one from an infamous terrorist's possession until a few months back, wasn't from the world he knew.

It was from...another world.

But wait? How is that even possible? The Alternative Remnant Theory hasn't been certified yet within the scientific community, not even the New Path has given it backing yet.

And even so...just how is this possible?

"There's too many damn questions than answers!" He yelled before looking back at the corpse in confusion. "And this thing is a medical nightmare!"

But as he looked upon the undead faunus, a sudden thought entered his mind, one that he heard a few times from Sterling Butler's inner circle's meeting.

But how could that be possible...magic isn't real. It's not the Seasonal Maiden...no, it can't be.

Could it? But...how, magic...if it's real then the inconsistency and bizarre abnormalities on this body could...mmmmm.

"I better do one test to see if that's right." Whitley muttered before pulling out a small blowtorch from underneath the table. "If this is the world of something fantastical, then the 'Dust' I extracted would react with the opposite reaction."

WOOSH!

Quickly, the Gelee released the gas from the blowtorch and got a spark to light it up, bringing it carefully close to the 'Dust'.

SIIISI!

But as the flame connected with the substance-

Splash!

The flame and 'Dust' transformed into pure water on contact.

"Gods..." He muttered with wide eyes. "Transmutation of the elements...if that's true then...the stories of the Seasonal Maidens are...and the Alternative Remnant Theory...oh gods."

And then an idea formed in his head, if he can give this to Sterling, a man obsessed with the realm of magic, then perhaps he could gain more influence in the New Path's long term goals.

After all, they are on the search for the existence of magic and long term non Dust related energy sources. So perhaps this would be his big break?

"Time to make a little call." He muttered with a smirk before pulling out his Scroll.

Ping.

Only to get an update on the DNA sample.

"There we are." he said as he swiped the Scroll and allowed the info to show up on the screen.

[Tjaden 'Paul' Marengo. Sex: Male. Species: Faunus. Animal Trait: Lynx and Fire Ant (Atavism detected). Occupation: Humanity First Archivalist for the Vale Sect. Last seen location: Kingdom of Menagerie.]

"Oh? Humanity First? Now this is ironic, a faunus joining them. Such a big secret, meaning this corpse had some business with my sister's old team as well."

Click.

Ring.

Ring.

"Hopefully he's not sleeping or in a business meeting."

Click.

"What is it, Whitley?" Sterling said from the other line, sounding rather annoyed. "Because if this is another complaint about the Vaucoian heat-"

"No! Well not this time, um...we kinda have a new development here."

"You finally found Shade's 'master vault'? Or at least located more Huntsmen? We need them for the Pathmaker Project."

"No, not exactly. It's still buried under a thousand tons of sand."

"Then what's so important?"

"Oh...a corpse."

"...a corpse?"

"Yes, the guards saw it appear, naked, from a thundercloud."

"A thundercloud? In Vacuo? Are you sure this isn't a mirage?"

"I'm looking at it right now." He said while eyeing the corpse. "And apparently it creates pink Dust."

"...what?"

"Yes, pink Dust. And apparently, it's still fresh after an hour of decomposition, although it is hard to make an exact estimation since it still...has aura healing it." Whitley said with a cough. "What I'm saying sir is that this body has actually magic permeating it. Like this body has something akin to Pyrrha Nikos' powers."

"...what did it do?"

"It turned fire into water upon contact! Instant transmutation of matter!"

"I'll be right over."

"Wait what?! But sir, you're all the way in Atlas right now!"

"And I will be in Vacuo in the morning. Before I approve you must put it in cold storage, I'll be there to inspect the body and prepare the proper paperwork for its continued experimentation."

"Wait what?! Paperwork? Experimentation?! For one body!"

"Yes, Gelee! If this body is what you say, then we have the directive and means for the study of magic for New Path weaponization." Sterling said while Whitley started to internally panic given the fact this was highly unlike the calm leader he knew him as.

"B-But sir, this might be nothing. A random blip in a random set of events. Plus I haven't even finished the autopsy." Whitley said quickly. "This man was killed sir, he came back from a world with access to magic! One where your would-be assassin still lives."

"...you mean that the theory of-?"

"Yes, the Alternative Remnant Theory has weight. And if it has the power of a Maiden, then it must mean something from that universe turned this faunus into a magic battery."

"Mmmm, even more interesting. Gelee, I will be here at 6 PM, West Sanus time. I want you to figure out the body's time of death, the effects of this 'pink Dust' and the limit of its magical capacity by the time I get there." Sterling said while the former Schnee paled in shock. "If this is the miracle you described, then you have found the key to the New Path's success, one to top Project Pathfinder. And you will be heading the new initiative once I verify the results."

"N-New initiative?"

"Yes, a new division of the New Path that will be dedicated to the study and militarization of the occult and, if the Alternative Remnant Theory is to be believed, the advancement of interdimensional travel. Imagine it, Gelee, worlds untapped and brimming with resources that the New Path could use to stop the war before it starts, to turn Remnant into a utopia for all. And a new division requires a leader."

"W-Wait, you want me to-"

"If the results are favorable, then consider this a promotion. Now, start the list of things I just mentioned, and create a symbol for the initiative. I'm thinking the name should be the Omni Initiative, given the New Path will soon learn about everything in this vast 'multiverse' and rule over it as its true saviors."

Click.

"...it seems like my gambit was successful." Whitley muttered while looking at the corpse with a smirk. "Thank you Mr. Marengo, your 'sacrifice' will give me the authority needed to overtake all that dared to view me as 'weak'. I will find out how you gained your esoteric abilities and then, combined with Project Pathfinder, New Path will wipe away all resistance, starting with the 'old guard'. Oh, Weiss, Weiss, Weiss, I will enjoy seeing your stunned face as I use my budding position to grind you into the dust, same with mother, same with the entire Schnee family!"

Ring.

Ring.

Whitley blinked before he looked at his Scroll and saw the name 'Fennicia' on it. "Ugh, must be my 'loving' wife. Always worrying."

Ring.

Ring.

Click.

"Hello? Yes, yes I'm fine, yes I'm taking my stress meds, yes yes. Ok." He said while walking around the room, a nearby clock chiming next to him as he stared at it. "Yes dear, I'll send you some texts later. I know. Dear please, I'm not a child, but-ugh! Yes dear, I have fresh underwear here. Don't worry about it."

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

'Mmm. That clock could work, but with an infinity symbol in the center. Better start drawing.' He thought to himself as the screen faded to black. "I love you too. I'll chat with you later, bye."

Click.

{Omni Initiative. Mission: To Enrich Remnant with Numerous Paths of Glory. Current Objective: Classified.}

Xxxxxxx

[REBOOTING...DATA RECOVERED.]

Name/Designation Title: High Leader Blake Belladonna (Mother Maiden Blake Belladonna- MMBBRWBY)

Age: Late 30's~Early 40's

Affiliation: Good

Dimension: 0003591- 01 MMBBRWBY

Abilities: Enhanced speed, agility, reflexes, jumping power and endurance, White Fang training and knowledge (formerly), night vision, blade, gun and kusarigama handling and knowledge, VBCS training and handling, espionage skills and knowledge, Huntress skills and knowledge, Dust knowledge and handling, White Paw leadership and knowledge, political knowledge and skills.

Semblance(s): Shadow

Bio: In this timeline, two major events would occur across the history of Remnant that would alter it from other timelines in the RWBYverse itself. One, the being known as Salem was not a mortal turned immortal but a formless construct of the Brothers Grimm that was supposed to be humanity's opponent but rebelled against her purpose and dedicated her existence to obliterate Remnant itself to spite the gods that made her, using hosts to bring the world close to mutually assured destruction. And two, Blake Belladonna was captured by members of the Valeian Sect that attacked Vale during the Fall of Beacon, also called the Vytal Crisis, before she could escape to Menagerie and led to her imprisonment and...forceful impregnation by the mad faunus Adam Taurus, who stole the child, Scharlach 'Char' Taurus nee Belladonna, upon his birth to further torment her and subject the child to his warped ideologies. However, due to the actions of a deserter White Fang member, she was freed from her torment by a raiding party of Huntsmen, led by Team RWBY, and was spirited away by Sun Wukong as Yang Xiao Long attacked and blew off Adam's left eye, mutilating him in the process and forcing him to retreat. From this moment, Blake would receive support, both physically and mentally, by her loved ones...although the scars would remain for many years to come, especially when the rise of the amoral Red Fang, a fusion of Adam's Sect of the White Fang and the Cult of Shalim, a cult of God of Darkness worshipers that believe the Grimm are the true life forms of a darkness born world and that Salem is the perfect fusion of their goal of becoming the rulers of a God of Light-less universe, threatened the fragile stability of the Post Fall Remnant, along with the slow rise of several organizations made from the fallout of Vale 'darkest hour'. Such organizations were the anti Faunus Humanity First, the ill fated Schnee Technology and its usurper Gelee Industries, the new Dust juggernaut Violette Dust, the restrictive Huntsman Oversight Committee of Vale, the resistance movement The Sweeney, the reconstructed and anti violent The White Paw, and The New Path, an organization that is both anti Huntsmen and pro Faunus whom have created a new breed of warriors that would replace the Huntsmen in the public's eyes, The Pathfinders and their eventual yet mysteriously created successors, The Pathmakers. Yet despite this encroaching darkness, Blake was able to find some solace as the new Clan Chieftain of Menagerie and the new 'High Leader' of the White Paw, her search for her son taking a small backseat as she tried her best to not only keep the island nation stable but also be there for her friends, becoming closer to the son of Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos, who survived in this timeline, Jaune Arc Jr, who would eventually join the New Path and kill Adam Taurus to protect its leader, Sterling Butler. But due to the mass exodus of non Menagerie faunus, forced out of the kingdoms due to being scapegoated by the human population, along with the threat of overpopulation, the tension between the old and the new generations of faunus, the discontent in their current situation, and the possibility of a mass famine, Blake was forced to close Menagurie's borders, which had the unfortunate effect of turning them into New Path sympathizers. Yet this wasn't the end for her troubles as soon the New Path took over Atlas, Weiss Schnee was exiled from Atlas by her New Path aligned brother Whitley, and, to her horror, the complete destruction of Slade Academy by an asteroid strike, which killed most of Remnant's remaining Huntsmen and is possibly a preemptive strike made by the New Path using a gravity altering superweapon. This single event, along with the kidnapping of Jaune Arc Jr, caused the Second Great War that led to the invasion of Vale which would lead to Menagurie to ally itself with Mistral against Atlas, to stop this force from conquering Remnant, despite the fact that her son is a member of the New Path as well. The fate of this world is uncertain, for many factions strive to make their mark in this war, but one thing for certain, the world has a common enemy, an enemy that is shrouded in darkness and...treading on a thin silver thread between total victory and total destruction. And it is up to both the old and the new generations to either destroy each other due to their ideologies or unite and find the strength to do what no one else could do, not even Salem and her counterpart Ozma...make peace in that war torn front between Maidens and Warriors.