Chapter 91
EverAfter
Ruby uses her semblance to dodge the attacks from Penny, Pyrrha, Lionheart, Chrome and Ironwood with their weapons while Roman, Neo, Ozpin and Clover are watching.
"Who were you to think you knew what was best for Atlas?" Ironwood shouted.
"I was the best and brightest Beacon had to offer." Pyrrha stated.
Ruby gets shot down and clings onto the chandelier. Looking up at Chrome, he struggled against his restraints. Raising her weapon, Ruby took a shot at the rope, severing it. Chrome hit the ground with a hard thud, his aura shattering.
"But I traded my life so my friends could live!
Pyrrha throws Miló javelin at the chain of the chandelier. Ruby falls to the floor, the impact breaking her Aura. She gets up to try and reach for Crescent Rose, but is stopped by Penny's Maiden powered Floating Array. Ruby looks back at her.
"Just like you were too late to save me at the Vytal Festival. You even let Chrome murder me, too." Chrome propped himself up, his eyes wide as Neo ignored him. "Can you even imagine what that's like? To be murdered in cold blood by someone you considered a friend…" Penny kneels down to Ruby. "by someone who meant the world to you…"
"Neo." Chrome shouted, getting the girl's attention for a brief moment. Chrome rose to his feet, gesturing to his wrist that they were on a time limit before the others arrived.
Ruby looks from Neo to Chrome.
"You're helping her?"
Neo-Chrome shattered, leaving behind only the original, who stood back, allowing Ruby's punishment, answering her question with a shrug.
Roman uses the curved end of Melodic Cudgel to choke Ruby from behind.
"You ready for that drink yet?"
Ruby manages to break free from Roman's choking grip and runs but gets attacked by Pyrrha.
"How many more people are going to die because of you?!" Pyrrha shouted.
Pyrrha swings her body around Miló javelin and delivers a kick at Ruby, sending her to the wall. She struggles to walk along it.
"I'm trying to save everyone!"
Ruby gets punched in the gut by Ironwood, who then pins her to the wall.
"And yet with all your best intentions… Have you ever stopped to wonder if you'd done more harm than good?!"
Ironwood throws Ruby to the floor.
"It's not my fault…!"
Ruby attempts to reach Crescent Rose, only to get beaten up by Ozpin with his cane.
"How many more lives do you have to ruin before you realize you're not cut out to save anyone?!"
Ruby grabs Crescent Rose and slashes at Ozpin.
"NO!!!"
The Long Memory falls to the floor. Ruby becomes horrified to see that she slashed Oscar in Ozpin's place.
Oscar stares at his hand tainted with his own blood.
"Ruby…"
Oscar falls backwards and dies. Ruby drops Crescent Rose and collapses on her knees. Penny and Clover approach Oscar's corpse. Penny, covering her mouth in shock, then changes to Yang. Clover changes to Qrow, now horrified over Oscar's "death". Lionheart changes to Blake looking at Ruby in disbelief. Ironwood changes to Weiss looking down at Ruby.
"Do you really think you can stand to watch more of your friends fall?" Roman asked.
"Please… stop…"
"Or are you ready to admit the truth? That the world would just be better off without you?"
Jaune appears in Pyrrha's place with Liam, Nora and Ren mourning over Oscar. Ruby begins to hyperventilate in fear and panic as Jaune, Ren and Nora join the others. Ruby breaks down in broken sobs, placing her head and hands to the floor. Neo carries the teacup and approaches Ruby. She places down the teacup and moves it with her boot towards Ruby. Ruby lifts her head slowly, staring at the teacup filled with a multi-colored liquid before glancing to Chrome, who shrugs again.
Neo kneels down before Ruby. Ruby stares at the teacup before she looks at Neo, who stands up and looks down on her with a smirk. Neo turns and gets attacked by a beam. She is sent flying backwards to outside of the manor. Her Semblance suddenly dispels over the manor.
Chrome quickly turns to the source to see the Cat leap inside. Noticing Chrome, the Schnee quickly went to strike, only for the same thing to happen to him.
Blown against the wall, Chrome felt blood fill his mouth as the Cat approached Ruby.
As Chrome slowly recovered, spitting blood onto the floor, the Cat spoke to Ruby.
"You're safe now, Ruby." The Cat said.
"What? I'm sorry…" the Cat moves Ruby's body over. "I don't want to be me anymore…"
Ruby softly sobs, the Cat rubs its paw on her shoulder.
"It's okay, little Huntress…" the Cat jumped onto Ruby's chest. "I can be you instead…"
Ruby opens her eyes in realization.
The Cat chuckles darkly.
"I have been trying to wear you down for so long!"
The Cat phases its paws through Ruby's chest, causing her to scream in pain and agony.
"What are you… doing?!" Ruby gasped in pain.
"My purpose. When a poor little heart is broken, I can fill it with mine." The Cat explained. "I'm afraid I haven't been entirely honest with you, Ruby." The Cat bared its fangs.
Chrome got up, weapon in hand.
"No!"
"I'm not like the other Afterans here, I'm cursed with curiosity. I need to know everything!" The Cat hissed. "But more than anything, I need to know why my makers left me here… Only to leave and make all of-"
The Cat was cut off as Chrome kicked it away as hard as he could, holding his side.
Neo runs inside the manor. The Cat hisses at Neo. It tries to fire another beam, but Neo turns out to be another glass copy. The real Neo is behind them and she swats away the Cat with Hush.
"Ruby!" The Mouse tried to pull Ruby's finger. "You have to get up. We have to go!"
As the Mouse tries to drag Ruby, Chrome stomps on it with his boot, killing it ruthlessly.
"Annoying fucking rodent." Chrome growled.
Neo sneered down on Ruby with Roman standing behind her. Ruby becomes utterly horrified after her little friend was killed in front of her, the light in her eyes fading. Neo slid the teacup to Ruby.
"Hmph. I think it's about time we all got what we deserve." Roman stated as Chrome joined the duo.
Ruby slowly moves her body. Weiss, Blake, Yang, Jaune and Juniper finally arrive only to see Neo looking down on the wounded Ruby.
"Are you ready to admit the truth? That the world would just be better off without you?"
Ruby stares at her teammates, Jaune and Juniper. She then slowly picks up the teacup in her hands. She gives them one last look. Yang watches in shock as Ruby drinks the entire tea. Ruby drops the teacup and lies there.
"Ruby?"
A hole appears below Ruby and she falls into it along with the Mouse and Crescent Rose, engulfed in a bright light. Neo becomes astonished after she witnesses Ruby fall.
Neo sits on her chair, seemingly giving a frown as the manor begins to slowly crumble.
Blake holds Yang over her shoulder, the latter seemingly catatonic. Jaune closes his eyes in silence.
"No, no, no, no!"
Chrome looks to find the Cat running towards the vine-covered hole.
"I needed her!"
The Cat attempts to scratch the vines that cover the entire hole pointlessly. It growls in anger. Off in the distance, everyone heard the loud sound and look to the Tree. The Cat looks away before slowly turning around, giving a sharp sneer. Neo, still sitting on her chair, has a dazed look on her face.
Following his gaze, Chrome noticed Neo looked… off.
"Neo?"
Jaune points Crocea Mors sword at the Cat.
"Take us to her…"
"You still don't get it, do you? It's not a place you go. It's a place you know." The Cat responded.
Blake, and Yang watch the manor continuing to crumble with large cracks on the walls.
"But no matter… I actually found a much better solution to my problem."
The Cat gives a powerful roaring beam at Jaune, Blake and Yang. Blake and Yang are sent flying backwards, crashing against the walls. Jaune lands onto Juniper, who catches him in time. The Cat's form begins to grow bigger with their colors changing to white with clear black square patterns.
Chrome brandished his sword, taking a defensive stance before Neo. In an instant, the Cat charged at Chrome, only to suddenly stop in place.
"What?!" Looking down, a black glyph held the Cat's feet.
Chrome glared at the Cat as Neo stared off at nothing.
"Keep away from her." Chrome warned, flourishing his blade.
The Cat stared at Chrome, cocking his head to the side in interest. Suddenly, the Cat began to chuckle.
"You've lost something most important, haven't you?" The Cat asked Chrome, noticing an ever growing hole in Chrome. "How delightful!" The Cat laughed. "Another potential host for me to fill."
"Host?" Chrome repeated the word.
The Cat just launched a beam at Chrome, only for the cat Faunus to expertly dodge the attack while simultaneously pushing Neo safely out of the way. Quick on his feet, Chrome took his position between Neo and the Cat.
As the others tried to help, the Cat just knocked everyone down, seemingly growing even larger. Pouncing atop Chrome, the Cat smiled as it pinned the Huntsman.
The Cat smiled before sinking its paws into Chrome's chest.
Chrome let out a scream of agony as the Cat began entering Chrome's body, filling the massive hole that had been left behind by Cinder.
As the Cat disappeared, Blake rushed forward in an attempt to save her brother. Reaching out, her fingers grazed the fur on the Cat just as it fully possessed Chrome. When it had, Neo's eyes widened.
"Chrome?"
Everyone stood in silent shock, even Neo, who had finally snapped out of whatever daze she was in.
"Ah, finally." Chrome's voice was distorted to sound exactly like the Cat. Lifted to his feet, the Cat smiled, showing a line of razor sharp teeth.
With a snap of his fingers, the Cat summoned a glyph. Out of it clawed a Jabberwalker, snarling at Yang and the others.
"This body will do." The Cat said excitedly before taking off, utilizing Chrome's semblance.
"NO!!" Blake shouted as she watched her brother fade in the distance.
End of Chapter 91
