RWBY: A Thorn in My Heart

Chapter 8: Impossible Choices

As Cinder's horrifying message ended, Weiss grabbed the remote in haste as she turned off the television. Silence filled the room as everyone stood there in shock. Even the normally hyperactive and vocal Nora, couldn't find the strength to utter a single word. Confusion had overtaken them, as they all didn't have a clue what to do in this kind of hostage situation. They couldn't sacrifice their friend Ruby for anything, but they had no idea how to save Thorn from Cinder.

"W-would… would she really just kill Ruby's baby?" Jaune stuttered with fear in his voice. The young hero couldn't fathom the possibility of it. To him it was unthinkable for anyone to do such a despicable act. As he pondered this, Pyrrah put her hand on Jaune's shoulder, but rather than say something she merely gave him a somber glare. Just like Ruby, Jaune could be moralistic yet naive, but Pyrrah knew from their friend's rape that there was no low some people like Cinder and Timber couldn't stoop. Taking the hint, Jaune lowered his head in sadness and shame. Taiyang was far from somber, rather he began to breath heavily with rage, his face beginning to turn as red as his eyes.

"That bitch!" he screamed as he lifted the couch behind him with inhuman strength and flung it out a window, shattering the glass and startling everyone present. Everyone except his wife Raven, whom just looked at her bandaged hand in disappointment. She knew from Ruby's attack the end results such rage and pain could do to oneself and others. She knew she had to end this and walked towards her husband. She shocked him and the onlookers by not slapping him, as Weiss would assume, but by kissing him. After she detached her lips from his,

"Tai, I get your angry, but for our daughter and grandsons sake you need to calm the hell down!" she admonished him with a stern tone.

"Our daughter and Grandson?" Tai said confused. He looked on shocked by her words, most specifically "Our". He knew Raven was the emotionally distant type, especially towards non-blood relatives. It was to be expected by someone raised by bandits in the survival of the fittest childhood she had. He never once expected her to acknowledge Ruby and Thorn as her family. This declaration finally calmed him down as sat on the floor and exhaled.

"So then… what should we do?" he asked his wife solemnly. Raven only stared at him silently, clearly thinking of the right words to say. She turned to the teens.

"Lets talk to Ozpin, Ironwood likely won't accept those terms Cinder made so we need his help." She sternly stated. She knew Ironwood from her days at Beacon and, while he had a heart of justice, he wasn't the type to negotiate with terrorists even for children's sake. Thorn was counting on them, so she made it clear to the youngsters they should seek the wise headmasters council to convince the stubborn General to help them and Thorn. As they all agreed to this idea in unison, Sun noticed the elephant in the room that he felt needed to be addressed.

"But what about our "patients" in the other room?" he bitterly stated as he pointed to the room Ruby and Ghira were recovering in. Everyone, even Raven, looked on in sadness as they remembered the bad state Ruby, Yang, Blake and her father were in right now. They dreaded having to tell them the horrible news they just received after the physical and mental beat down they endured.

Meanwhile….

Cinder cut the transmission after delivering her ultimatum to the heroes. She smirked as she could just imagine the look of terror on their faces at the sight of this child's pain. As she enjoyed this thought, her pleasure turned to irritation as she continued to hear the infant's squeals of pain. She really just wanted to kill this brat and be done with babysitting. She also joyfully imagined the despair that would fill Ruby's heart seeing her infant dead. She then glared over at Tyrian, relaxing in the corner. She recalled his vivid description of stabbing Ruby and seeing her shocked face when he kidnapped her son. Rage and envy fueled her, as she wanted to be the one to inflict such misery on little red. Given Tyrian's poison, she knew he might have killed Ruby before her and such a thought almost made her draw her blade on him. As she motioned her dark hand towards her sword, she felt a chill as her hand began to shake. Pain and fear filled her heart as she remembered her earlier encounter with her adoptive mother. She was in her master's chamber with dark grimm hound heads bit her neck and body. Her arm stump soon oozed a dark slime and began taking a shape. But as dark marks appeared on her skin, she screamed in agony as her body felt like it was on fire. Salem was overseeing the torture, and gave a dark smile.

"Bear with it child, the ritual is taxing but the end results…. Are very worth it." Salem darkly said to Cinder as she eyed her white arm with black spirals around it. She was infusing grimm from her personal collection into Cinder to replace her severed arm. If one could endure the mental and physical anguish of absorbing such dark beings they would gain dark abilities that transcended humanity like demons. This ritual was the one that granted the older witch her powers, and it could do the same for her child.

"You know the old saying "no pain no game" right?" she sadistically stated as Cinder's body shriveled in pain, she was close to begging for death to end this pain. Her one good eye soon changed to the color of a grimm as she saw her worst memories flash before her eyes. From being made a slave by her biological parents, to killing them with a kitchen knife, and growing up filthy in the dirty slums of Mantle. Rage at the injustice she had to experience filled her mind as her eye returned to normal and the dark marks burned into her skin, forming tattoos as the grimm biting her dissolved into them. As the procedure ended, Cinder plopped to the ground as a shadow fog surrounded her. She gasped for air as she looked down and smiled seeing the fruits of her pain, a new grimm arm and with it, more power.

"I *breaths heavily* I feel like I am truly invincible now!" she said with a huge grin after feeling a surge of energy flow from her arm. But Salem frowned and glared at her for this arrogant remark. She knew Cinder was power hungry and wasn't likely to avoid thinking something reckless like she could defeat her master.

"You think so brat!" she bitterly growled.

Salem raised her hand and summoned dark vines from the roof to ensnare Cinder, who struggled vainly as she felt them drain her energy.

"Remember this forever child, *shoves her hand into Cinder's stomach* theirs always someone stronger." She coldly stated as her daughter screamed, blood splattering on the floor. As Salem released her, Cinder collapsed to the ground as she choked on her blood, gasping for air. She almost closed her eyes, certain she was going to die.

Suddenly, she woke up on the floor and took a big lung full of air as she realized she could breath again. As she stood up panting for air, she looked down to see her stomach uninjured. She looked to Salem who simply looked on her with disappointment.

"That was a mirage, a trick on your mind. And that is just a fragment of real power child" she cryptically stated as she turned around and left. But before exiting through the door, she turned her head around,

"If you want that power, you'll do best to follow my orders from now on." She calmly stated with malice within her tone.

Cinder cowered in fear at the realization of the power difference between them. She could only nod her head slowly in compliance as her master left.

Back in the present, Cinder finally snapped out of her flashback as she remembered such orders being to protect Thorn for the prisoner exchange, less they lose all their manpower and chance for ammunition from Atlas. She bit her tongue in frustration as she pulled her hand away from her blade and walked away from Tyrian, not willing to endure another torture session from Salem by disobeying her. For now, she will play the role of errand girl.

Bitter Medicine

Two heart monitors gave frequent but weak beeps in the infirmary of the Belladonna mansion. The only sound more repetitive and loud than the beeps was that of Blake crying in her chair. Exhaustion and a sting to her eyes reddened from crying began to overtake her. She wiped her face with the cloth from her father's bed; and noticed the bruises on his muscular body, almost as dark as Khan's cheetah marks. She gritted her teeth at the thought of her stepmother, then turned to check on Ruby and Yang. She saw the blond brawler almost mummified (for comedic purposes) but still conscious. Despite the doctors insistence she stop, since she had given her little sister several pints of blood, Yang refused to stop as she wanted to make sure Ruby would have enough. Blake stood up, but didn't cease her crying, as she went over to Yang's side of the bed and detached the IV from her arm despite protests. Yang couldn't do anything though as she merely felt her head grow heavy as the rest of her body became light from blood loss and plopped on the bed. The snoring Blake and the doctor heard from an unconscious Yang gave them a sense of relief, as they believed she was going to be fine, but soon Blake's relief became a sense of dread at the sight of Ruby. She still hadn't come out of her coma and though she had regained enough blood and water from the transfusions, her broken arm and bandages further fueled Blake's fears for her life.

"She's clearly a strong fighter like your father, I must admit I'm impressed such a young girl like her could survive so long through that ordeal." The cat faunus doctor said with admiration in his tone. He knew from experience a normal person would have died from all that stress and blood loss, but heard this girl he treated was a famous huntress and could tell why now. He suddenly, covered his mouth in realization of how the mournful Blake could negatively perceive this; after all she might not even survive at all.

"Excuse me then, I'm going to..uh.. freshen up, just call for me if they need anything" he awkwardly stated an excuse as he left to avoid making this worse for her.

Blake paid him no mind; her attention was solely on her crush and soon her father. Suddenly, she rose her cat ears at the sound of something other than snoring or heart monitors, it was groans coming from her father. Joy filled her heart as she realized he had made it and ran over to his bed.

"Oh man… I feel like crap!" he meekly stated as pain shot through his stomach and arm as he sat upright. Blake tenderly grabbed his back and supported him as he did this.

"Sweetie, your okay! I'm glad that girl didn't hurt you." He warmly stated, overjoyed to see his daughter uninjured. Blake only let her cat ears down in response.

"Can't say the same for you dad." She said, shame in her tone. Llia and her cohorts, as well as Khan, weren't the only ones she felt she could blame for her fathers injuries, but herself as well. Ghira frowned, as he stood silent for a moment to think of a proper response. He knew his daughter had a guilt complex, ever since she found out her mother died to save her one night. It was the reason she left him years ago and may split them up again if he couldn't comfort her.

"Blake, I know you feel responsible for what happened tonight, but quit it already." He sternly told her, causing Blake to look up in shock.

"The only one responsible for this attack is Llia and Khan, no one made their choices for them, especially not you." He said with certainty in his tone. Blake only recoiled in response

"But she hates me, Khan hates my friends! It's all because I came back! It is my fault!" she yelled in defiance. She didn't know if she felt anger, confusion, or sadness anymore, but certainly felt guilt. "Maybe I should just give myself to them? Maybe they'll give Ruby her baby back and leave you alone!" She knew it wasn't possible, but the turmoil she felt clouded any reason she had left as she cried again. Ghira couldn't even fathom such a ridiculous idea and, despite the pain it brought his arm, grabbed her shoulders firmly and shook her.

"Sweetie, your heart needs to be strong now, more than ever." He said as he motioned her over to Ruby and Yang's bed. "That girl you love and her sister, they were hurt not by you, but by your people. They couldn't find love in their hearts for humans like you did and they decided to hurt them, not you!" he exclaimed. "If you give up now, your death would only serve to hurt those you love even more, don't waste what chances of love and happiness you can experience with them over this guilt complex you have, learn to forgive yourself!" he implored his daughter.

Blake focused everything on the unconscious Ruby and Yang. She drowned out all noise and heard one thing only, breathes of life coming from them. Her father's words soon rang through her mind, she then remembered meeting her team at Beacon, their food fight with JNPR, and her team defending her from Torchwiq despite revealing her faunus traits and white fang history to them.

"That's right, when times were painful they always made it easier for me." Blake thought to herself. She finally formed a small smile as she clasped her father's hands. Tears of sadness became tears of joy as she turned around to hug her father.

"Thanks daddy, you always know when to shake some sense into me." She softly stated. Ghira felt his heart melt and hugged his daughter. Any soreness he felt from his body was worth it as he could only focus on his daughter finally showing love to him after all these years. Blake soon broke the hug as she heard footsteps approach the door. Soon her friends entered with solemn looks on their faces, not sure how to break the news to Yang nor Blake. Blake only let her ears down as she could tell something bad happened again and fought any urge to bite her tongue; she had to ask.

"Who got hurt this time?" she said painfully after a sigh

Raven fought tears in her eyes as she looked at her husband, hanging his head in shame.

"It's Thorn kiddo." she said bitterly. She then told Blake about Cinder's message and attack on the baby.

Blake grasped her own ears in shock. She began to breath heavily as She looked over to Yang, still asleep.

"Y-Yang wake up quick!" she screamed to her partner who groaned as she clasped her head in pain, slowly arising from her slumber.

As Raven began to explain to Yang, Blake tuned her out as well as Yang's outburst and hair catching on fire in anger from the news. She could only look upon Ruby and feared the worst. Even if she came out of her coma, Blake knew her crush would be devastated by this news and may suffer a worse breakdown. But how was she going to tell her then? Could she even tell her? She couldn't even begin to comprehend what she could say to comfort Ruby after all her suffering and lose right now. Her body soon felt like knives were stabbing it as panic overtook her mind at the sight of Ruby stirring in her bed. Everyone but Blake grew ecstatic at the realization she was waking up.

"Oh God she's waking up! What am I gonna tell her!?" she screamed in her head with uncertainty, everything was happening too fast for her to comprehend.

Ozpin's office

An Iron fist smashed into a scroll on a desk showcasing Cinder's recorded message, shattering it along with a chunk of wood from the desk. This attack came from General Ironwood.

"No! That is absolutely out of the question, were not giving into terrorist demands!" General Ironwood exclaimed.

"If we give into Cinder's demands it would make all our efforts in the war pointless." He continued his rant. The mere thought of his soldier's deaths being in vain, along with the sheer audacity of these unreasonable demands infuriated him.

Ozpin and Goodwitch merely glared at him for his outburst, the former drinking his hot to calm his own nerves. He felt anger not from his desk being damaged, but from this situation Cinder placed them in as well. However, Ozpin always preferred to keep his cool in these situations and avoid rash actions like the Generals.

"General, I get your upset but," he began to try and implore reason in his old friends before he was cut off and startled by a screech next him.

"So your just going to let them kill Ruby's baby!?" Professor Goodwitch exclaimed. Her outburst shocked both Ironwood and Ozpin. They knew how professional she liked to be, and while temperamental, usually was composed. Hearing her refer to Ruby by her name instead of "Miss Rose" was also a rarity for them, but Ozpin soon recalled the day they had a baby shower in the cafeteria for the young mother and how Goodwitch knitted her a baby blanket. He could tell she loved children and would gladly help them in anyway she could; hence why she was so furious and uncharacteristically outspoken right now.

Indeed, an almost motherly instinct overtook Glynda as she uttered her words. Protecting the lives of children was why she became a huntress, and the thought of sacrificing her life or soldiers lives to save even one was a no brainer for her.

"We should at least think of something to save that baby, even pretend at least that we'll accept." She angrily offered. But Ironwood looked at her with contempt.

"Pretend!? This isn't a game if we so much as look like were going to entertain her demands my army will look like a joke. How will the people trust us to keep them safe then!?" he yelled back.

"They can't trust us if we let their children die!" Goodwitch countered,

Seeing the two begin bickering violently, Ozpin frowned, as he knew it was only a matter of time before those two would cause a new war to erupt in his own office. He pondered both their points as he sat down in his chair and tried to think of a possible course of action. Obviously they couldn't let Thorn or Miss Rose die. The mere thought of either event ached Ozpin's heart as well as the image of a devastated Taiyang and Yang he could imagine before him. He knew such an event would destroy the two even mre than when they learned Ruby was raped and impregnated. They kept their anger contained before, but would likely destroy the school in a fit of rage if that happened. He shuddered at the likely scenario unfolding in his mind, but at the same time he knew Ironwood had a point. If they released the White Fang and Cinder's team it would endanger the entire populace and undo all their efforts in the war, shattering the trust the people placed in Huntsman.

"If only we could just trick her like you say Glynda" he softly said to himself, having given up on trying to talk the two out of their argument.

Suddenly, a light bulb flashed above him (comedic effect) as he emphasized the word "trick" in his mind and a plan came to mind. He knew just the person that could help them stop Cinder and save Thorn just now

"I got it!" he screamed at the top of his lungs with joy, startling the General and Glynda out of their fight as they looked over at him.

"We'll save Thorn and capture Cinder in one fell swoop. I call it, Operation Ice Cream!" he proudly stated despite internally admitting the name sounded ridiculous.

"Ice Cream?!" they said in unison with shock, unable to comprehend what Ozpin was thinking, then again, they rarely could.

Yeah, a lot of tough no win decisions these days for RWBY. Just what is this Ice Cream plan does Ozpin have? Who is he enlisting for this operation he claims will save Thorn? And how will Blake tell Ruby about her son? Find out next time in Chapter 9: My Heart Bleeds for You!