The Previous Night...
"Yang Xiao Long, stand down!"
"MERCURY!"
"Why'd she do that!? WHY'D SHE ATTACK ME!?"
"Well well." Link chuckles in delight as he watches the match live from the comfort of his still trashed dorm, "Now that she knows what I went through, maybe she'll be more understanding; it's clear as day this is more trickery by Emerald. Yang and the rest of them need to get a clue now because it's just been handed to them on a silver platter."
Link stands up and at the very least lays out his mattress on the ground, giving himself some comfort when going to sleep.
The next morning, late stages of dawn
"When did the general say he'd be here?" Blake asks
"I don't know, but hopefully he'll believe me." Yang with her head smashed against a pillow lets out a weak sigh
"Is there anything we can do for you sis?" Ruby wraps her arms around her sister
"No thanks Ruby, but I appreciate the concern, this is just a big misunderstanding. He attacked me first!"
"You would never do something like that on purpose, I know it and so does the rest of the team, right?" Weiss looks around
"Yeah!" Ruby shouts
"Hm..." Blake stands from the comfort of her bed and leaves the team RWBY dorm
"Blake?" Yang asks with sadness in her voice
"What the-!" Weiss frowns and follows her faunus teammate with plenty of words ready to be unleashed
"No, surely Blake doesn't think-!"
"Go with them sis, I need some time alone before the General rips me a new one." Yang shrugs off her sister
"But-!"
"Just!" Yang's anger nearly boils until she realizes who she is addressing, "Go, please?"
"O-okay." Ruby slowly leaves the room very dejected, "I love you."
No response from Yang as her team leader sadly exits.
"Why would Mercury attack you after a hard fought match? Isn't he meant to be your friend?" Link sits on the edge, gazing at the courtyard like he usually does
"L-link!? How did you even... how long were you there!?"
"Long enough. Took some pointers from a friend of mine, a tiger faunus to be more specific; I planned on talking to you one on one before the tin-man but getting the rest of your team out was going to be a challenge. You made it too easy for me."
"Well then, say what you wanna say." Yang rolls her eyes
"Do you hear me now?" Link mumbles
"Huh? What does that me-!"
"Do you HEAR ME now?" Link turns and enters the room, shutting the windows on his way in
"I've always heard you out Link, what's your point?" Yang scowls
"Have you? Because I swear yesterday you slammed me against a wall and called my reasoning what again? Backpedaling?" Link sits on Blake's bed and stares right at her
"No, no, no!" Yang shakes her head, "You are not about to compare the two situations, right?"
"Look at where you're at right now!" Link says with a very flabbergasted tone, "You should be in the city celebrating with your team or preparing for your next opponent, not here on the brink of scolding by General Ironwood, you're in the exact same position as me yesterday."
"Okay you have a point there but..." Yang continues shaking her head, "He attacked me after our match, you attacked Jaune after he was eliminated and Pyrrha while her back was tur-!"
"Do you still believe that?" Link stands up and steps closer to Yang, then squats down to match her eye level, "And this time look at me when you answer."
"I..." Yang still refuses to look him in the eyes
"You know what Yang, I don't think you did it."
"R-really?" Yang looks up, hopeful.
"No, because I see through Emerald's illusions." Link shrugs, "Not always but I know when something isn't right. Carter would never call me by my name, Jaune wouldn't get up after an attack like that, and you would never attack someone after just fighting them, regardless if you won or lost."
"They make sense I suppose." Yang finally meets Link's gaze, "Why wouldn't you tell us about Emerald or Mercury any sooner then?"
"I didn't think you would believe me, especially after your team became friends with Emerald so quickly, that girl knows how to butter up anyone."
"I'm sorry Link."
"Oh?" Link smiles
"But I still don't buy it." Yang narrows her eyes, "After everything you told us that day do you really think we wouldn't have believed you? You poured out your heart to us, you told me and everyone else they would be precise details, yet you left out very crucial ones, unless you were just lying to us."
"You think I would lie about my past?" Link's smile fades and the scowl emerges quicker
"I don't know but if you feel the need to make up that Emerald and Mercury were somehow in your past then what else was a lie in your past? How about that girl who saved your life, is she re-!"
"No!" Link stands and gets in Yang's face, "Don't even try to argue that Amber isn't real, your uncle knew about her! He protected her from foes like me!"
"Then how come he's never mentioned her before!?"
"You really think your uncle is going to be open about what he does behind the scenes with you and Ruby? Give me a break. I barely know him but I can just tell he's hiding so many fascinating stories, details, and best of all... secrets."
"Even if you're right it still doesn't change my thoughts on all of this. I know I did nothing wrong but you?" Yang scoffs, "You know what you did."
"Then it's clear that this has just been a massive waste of time." Link frowns and reaches for Ray's pendant, "See this Yang?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"This was Ray's and she was real, in case you thought I made her up too."
"Ok you know I didn't mean it in that way!" Yang stands and shouts loudly
"Yeah well, I don't care about your opinion anymore. I came here thinking you and I could relate but it's clear that your mind is too clouded. I hope you know that you and Emerald aren't even friends, she's just getting in your good graces so you don't suspect her of any mischief."
"Get out." Yang growls
"Of course, I have better places to be with people who know I didn't attack Jaune and Pyrrha on purpose." Link smirks
"What? Who would believe you when it clearly-!"
"Why do you care if Pyrrha wants to believe me?" Link opens the windows, "Oh and for the record, the more you don't believe me, bigger the danger we are all going to be in."
"Huh? What are you talking about now?" Yang cracks her knuckles
"They are up to something, so far only three people believe me and only one of those three trusts me about Emerald. I've suspected them ever since they came to Beacon, they are not just here for the tournament Yang. I just hope the consequences aren't dire, but if they are-!"
"Just go already." Yang sits back down and sighs, "I already have so much on my mind right now."
"You have a lot on your mind? Trust me Yang, you don't know what that's like." Link jumps on the ledge and looks back at her one more time, "Just know that I'll never forget who did or didn't take my word for it. If everyone had just believed me, we could really make a difference right now."
Link ultimately decides to turn back and stare directly at Yang as he backs up and out of the room. Taking every second, letting those words sit and marinate in the huntress' mind before ultimately leaving and sneaking off back to his room.
"That took a lot less time than I anticipated, but I also didn't expect Yang to be such a b-!"
"Please do not call a woman that."
"H-huh!?" Link jumps the second he enters his dorm, surprised to see Pyrrha tidying up his room, "Pyrrha, what are you doing here, we said the courtyard by the fountain."
"You were late, I assumed you would have still been sleeping. But when I knocked, you were not here plus your door was not locked. I hope you do not mind what I have done-!"
"Are you kidding?" Link chuckles, "I'm surprised you're not scolding me for trashing my room."
"That was my intention but I can only assume what you have been going through over the past two days, I know if I was mentally damaged the last thing I would want is my friends not being there for me." Pyrrha picks up the thrown canteen and smells it, "Oh Link this smells bad, please tell me you didn't."
"As strong as I am physically, mentally I am very weak."
"Were you drunk when we talked that evening?" Pyrrha quickly shakes the canteen and sets it on top of the bookshelf
"Fortunately, it was not full, so no." Link sighs and helps her pick up the scattered books, "I'm sorry you have to do chores early in the morning."
"No worries, the important thing is that you're here, the entire premise of us meeting was to talk..." Pyrrha exhales deeply, "I may also have some things on my mind."
"Really? Is it the tournament?" Link tightens his grip on the twilight demon book before cramming it in between multiple thick books
"No, it is something else far more important and potentially life changing for me."
"O-oh." Link turns to Pyrrha and grabs her arm before she can lift another book, "Look I appreciate the help but you've done enough, we should talk now. You already fixed most of my room, I promise you I'll handle the rest."
"You promise?" Pyrrha narrows her eyes like an angry older sister would to their sibling
"Yes." Link nods as he glances at his ransacked closet, "Do you want to stick around here or walk around Beacon?"
"Let's find a spot around campus, this could take a while or get heated so I would like the fresh air."
"Sure, lead the way captain." Link chuckles
"Please, I am very satisfied with my current team, although having us two on a team would be amazing as well." Pyrrha smiles
The pair walk from the dorm wing all the way to the main entrance of Beacon. They walk around the courtyard, only slightly acknowledging the gasps and boos from other Beacon students thrown mostly at Link, while others cannot believe the two involved in the major incident are walking side by side.
"They don't get it." Link grunts as his hands ball up again
"Hey." Pyrrha grabs Link's forearm and does not let go until she physically feels him letting up the pressure, "Come on, we need to get away from people. It is not doing any of us any good right now."
"Do you have a place in mind?" Link's left hand continue to angrily shake, but Pyrrha's touch brings the boiling pot of rage down to a simmer
"It is one you and I are very familiar with."
Moments later as they steer course from the known trails of the courtyard, Pyrrha lifts her shield in front of Link's face and leads him onto grass before the flat surface trails downward, getting slightly steeper.
"Oh man you're not going to push me off a cliff, are you?" Link nervously chuckles
"Only part of that question is accurate." Pyrrha giggles
"I thought you believed me that-!" Link removes the shield from his sight and looks over the Emerald Forest, "Beacon Cliff huh?"
"You did say cliff, but do not worry I have no intention of pushing you off."
"That's good, I'm happy to hear it?" Link shrugs his shoulders and sits down on the soft grass, allowing his legs to dangle over the cliff
"Brings back old memories despite them being only a few months ago." Pyrrha sits next too him and breathes in the cold breeze as the win picks up pace
"Shame we didn't meet right then and there; I was probably just another person in the back while you guys and Ruby's team stole the show."
"You did on your own what it took eight of us to, I think you very much impressed that day." Pyrrha nudges him, "I want you to go first, tell me what happened that day."
"Yes of course." Link nods and gazes at the forest, "Girl called Emerald, she's competing in the tournament but she isn't just another student from Haven."
"I know who you speak of, she's become good friends with Ruby and her team."
"That's the thing, she is not their friend, her and Mercury are playing their roles while the puppet master pulls the strings. What sucks is that I still do not know why they are here. What I do know is the games they're playing on us at the moment."
"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asks
"Emerald's semblance is hallucinations." Link sighs, "I've known this for the past year because remember when I told the story of fighting Ruby and Yang's uncle Qrow and escaping by the thinnest margin, do you recall what I said next?"
"Yes." Pyrrha nods, "Your friend Carter was executed by three people right in front of your eyes but you saw through the illusion because of a crucial mistake by the caster."
"That was her doing, but unfortunately Ruby and her friends had already gotten all chummy with Emerald, which by association makes her you and your team's acquaintance. However, that's not the only instance I've seen her manipulate and trick people. Do you recall her and Mercury's fight with Coco and Yatsuhashi? You and I both saw Yatsuhashi get finished in the geyser field, so why would someone as experienced as Coco see him? I keep hearing this crap about combat induced stress and delusion but I don't buy it for a second."
"I do remember seeing her turn around and talk as if someone was there when in reality there was nobody." Pyrrha looks down at the massive forest as well, "What you said does make sense too, Emerald had just pulled her into the forest as well so she had plenty of time to use her semblance on Coco."
"Now comes the big one, you and I." Link chuckles, "Ruby tells me Emerald wasn't there but I do not believe her in the slightest. As resilient as Jaune is, we both know that final sequence on him was it. When he got up did you not suspect anything? His aura was in the red and it never once depleted after, don't you think if he got up and started walking around, then took another attack that it would be at zero and he would start taking some real damage?"
"He didn't seem like himself when he got up, but at the time I saw my leader shockingly get up after what I thought as well was the final attack. Now that I think back on this yes, I should have realized quicker that something was suspicious, I'm sorry."
"Don't be; You had every right to have all your thoughts and concerns on Jaune's safety. To me you were talking to a downed teammate with your back turned and since it was an open chance to strike and potentially finish the fight I did just that, not honorable by any means but you're my biggest competition in all of Beacon, I will take any chance I get to defeat you, I already know next time it will be one-hundred times harder."
"I understand, I may not like it but you're an opportunist and you did get the result you wanted, but unfortunately the aftermath did us no favors." Pyrrha wipes her eyes
"Us? You got the hero's welcome when you returned to Beacon on your feet."
"It's not that, I..." Pyrrha trails off until she can't look at him face to face, "I am happy you told me this Link, our talk yesterday had my mind spinning with theories over what happened during our match. As for Emerald and Mercury, what else can we do to let others know of their activities?"
"I'm not sure, so far only you and Skylar from SLVR have believed me about Emerald. Not to discredit Weiss though because she was the first one there for me. Speaking of Mercury, I just realized why he volunteered to fight you last semester." Link lets out a frustrated sigh, "Whatever he, Emerald, their leader, and whoever else is on their side are plotting, they want to scout the biggest threats to their plans."
"It was not that important to me but that question was at the back of my mind resurfacing once every few weeks, he wanted to scout me then... so that means they definitely have their sights set on us now, right?"
"More than likely yes, if anything happens here or in Vale, no doubt they'll do everything possible to take us out second or third, after all our professors and headmaster are still in the picture." Link looks over and spots the uncomfortable look on her face, "Now tell me what's bothering you. I noticed you change the topic not long ago; you seemed like you were going to transition to what was on your mind before bringing up Mercury."
Pyrrha's head drops as multiple thoughts race through her mind: the woman that saved Link was in that glass pod, the possibility of being the new fall maiden, and the unknown consequences that could happen to herself if she chooses to take this one in a lifetime request.
"Link..." Pyrrha picks her head back up, "Do you believe in destiny?"
Beacon Academy; student dorms
Ruby closes the door of the team RWBY dorm, pausing only for a second to see Yang slump forward before shutting it completely. She joins Weiss and Blake in the middle of the hallway as they glance at team JNPR's dorm, wanting to talk to them next.
"This is a mess..." Weiss shakes her head, "First Link, now Yang, who else is next? But the real questions why won't you two believe him?"
"Weiss you know why-!"
"No!" Weiss snaps at Ruby, "He may have more than one close friend but you called him your best friend on numerous occasions. You believed your sister would never do something like that right, why not your best friend too?"
"Weiss..." Ruby sighs in disappointment
"Leave her alone." Blake mumbles
"You are not off the hook either, we established Yang was not reckless, how is she any less dangerous than him? They both fight with their heart and emotions over brains."
"It does seem coincidental that Link warned us about this then only a day later here we are." Blake looks down, "I still don't know how to feel, Yang was easy to believe, he was not with the constant anger and bringing up his past while claiming it was Emerald's doing. You can't blame me for thinking he did it, it just seemed like perfect timing that Link could throw Emerald into his past as a way to frame her and convince us he didn't do it."
"Well now you need to listen to-!"
"H-hey guys!"
Jaune's voice is heard as he peeks out of Team JNPR's room, with his team minus Pyrrha peering around the edge in concern
"Is she doing okay?"
"Jaune you're back on your feet! I'm so happy to see that!" Ruby cheers
"Thanks." Jaune smiles
"Yang is... doing the best she can." Blake nods
"Unfortunately, I heard Mercury and his team rushed back to Haven to be with his family. So, until they land, no one can really question him about what happened." Ruby throws her hands up in defeat.
"If there's anything we can do, please don't hesitate to ask." Ren nods with a gentle smile on his face
"All right then. If that's the case..." Ruby turns her gaze towards what she thought was going to be JNPR's fourth member peeking, "Pyrrha?"
"She is not here at the moment." Jaune looks down with disappointment
"Yeah Pyrrha didn't even tell us where she was going." Nora looks outside in concern, "She just woke up, got dressed and left early."
"Yang did say he was going to meet with-!" Blake promptly stops talking, but all ears perk.
"Meet with who? Blake do you know where she is?" Nora rushes over and shakes her
"Apparently Yang spoke with Link even before the General, she didn't go into specific details but she mentioned the end of their conversation."
"What was said at the end?" Ren asks
"Yang said Link was going to meet with Pyrrha. Did not say where but they're probably together as we sp-!
"What!? Why is he with her?" Jaune shouts
"I don't know." Blake whispers
'Grrr." He reaches for his side, making sure he has his sword and shield before sprinting off
"Jaune!" Nora shouts
"Did he not learn that he stands no chance against Link in combat?" Weiss sighs but then crosses her arms, "Although he does bring up a good point, why is he with Pyrrha?"
"Oooooh." Nora gets in Weiss' face, "Is some a little j-!"
"No!" Weiss turns away and stomps on the ground
"We should get going after Jaune." Ren puts his hand on Nora's shoulder
"Right, the last thing we want is another fight between them, even if Pyrrha is playing the peacekeeper Jaune is still Jaune." Nora nods
"Make sure to let Pyrrha know I'll be sure to watch tonight in case she's picked! We'll all be rooting for her; she is representing Beacon after all!" Ruby shouts
"Of course." Ren nods as he and Nora chase after Jaune who is almost long gone
Beacon Cliff
"You're telling me your destiny is being changed?"
"It is about to get changed severely yes." Pyrrha turns away, "I keep thinking I have the choice to change it but my belief is that you cannot change your destiny. Whatever predetermined path is laid for you must be walked, there is no alternative road."
"How can your path be predetermined if you just said it might change?" Link keeps looking at her, "This is no roadblock either considering your tone and body language, this really is life changing isn't it? You can say it is something you work towards your entire life for but that shouldn't define who you are nor should you let that affect who you can be and what you can do for the world."
"What are you implying? That I can change my own destiny, do something different from the two options I have now?"
"Yes." Link nods, "I thought my destiny was to endure a hard life under the cold and brutal hands of my father, then I became a mercenary, then Garanda happened and now look at me, my life has changed so much over the last two years, and it wasn't because of circumstances out of my control; I did it myself, whether they were good or bad reasons is up for debate."
"Is it really as simple as it sounds coming out of your mouth?" Pyrrha looks back at him with worry
"Never." Link shakes his head, "You can change your destiny at your own will, but it won't be easy."
"Can I really do that? At my own will you say?"
"Of course." Link chuckles, "Doing whatever the hell you want is always an option."
"I was offered..." Pyrrha's breathes get shorter and quicker as the seconds pass, unsure of whether she should tell anyone
"Pyrrha?" Link reaches out to her
"Don't." She looks back down at the forest, "I don't know what to do."
"Help me understand, give me subtle hints if you really cannot say it all."
"I suppose I can do that..." Pyrrha exhales and looks at Link again, this time with more composure, "After we talked, I only imagined we would be here the following day to talk about what happened between us in our match. However, what I saw soon after you were gone and I was with our professors was... horrifying, fascination, intriguing, and scary."
"That does not sound like a good combination." Link fiddles with his gauntlets
"I was informed of something beautiful that we learned as children being real and currently happening today, the story of the seasons fairy tale is true."
"Is it now? I find that hard to believe, but in this world, who knows at this point." Link puts on his best surprised look, "Didn't mention Amber was the fall maiden, did I? Stupid stupid."
"I know it may sound crazy but I even got to see what it was like to see a maiden up close and personal... it was horrifying, she is in such bad condition."
"A maiden in bad condition? But aren't they supposed to be powerful women with incredible abilities, bursting with magic at every given second?"
"This one was attacked." Pyrrha starts to glance away from her friend again
"How did you see her, is she... here?" Link starts to think profusely, "Attacked and in bad condition; no surely not, has another maiden been attack or is it...?"
"Link." Pyrrha scoots back and stands up, "I c-cannot let you get any closer."
"Pyrrha." Link rolls back and fluently gets back up right in front of her, then grabs her arm, "And I can't let you go with these emotions bottled up. You can trust me, I promise."
"O-oh." Pyrrha gasps in surprise and looks at the grasp on her arm, it was not rough but in fact quite gentle. "Link, I was offered to be a maiden."
"W-what?" Link blinks profusely and shakes his head, "You? That's amazing, but this should be a no brainer, become a maiden and protect the world... that's what we're both after isn't it? Unless there are inevitable changes to come."
"There could be." Pyrrha sighs, "Professor Ozpin and Glynda made it clear that we do not know what will happen to me, Pyrrha Nikos the person if I become the new maiden. I could change completely, I could barely change, or I could not change at all."
"Wait, Professor Ozpin and Glynda? Who else was there?" Just as he was about to let go, Link tightens his grip on her arm
Pyrrha tries to push Link back with her polarity but the genuine look of concern in his eyes makes her re-think what she wants to do next.
"General Ironwood." She cracks like an egg at first touch
"That guy!?" Link frowns, "Why would he be involved?"
"Atlas made the pod the current maiden is in to keep her alive, she is only barely living."
"Barely living?" Link shakes his head and laughs like a person in denial, "Who else was there Pyrrha?"
"A man with red eyes." Pyrrha bites her tongue and shakes her head
"Ok red eyes, that narrows it down somewhat; where is this pod you mentioned that the maiden is in?"
"I can't." Pyrrha shakes her head
"Tell me Pyrrha." Link's eyes water, "Please."
"I was lead to a vau-!"
"Get your hands off her!"
Jaune's voice comes out of nowhere but his attack is just predictable as it was in the tournament. Link pushes Pyrrha aside and turns around, but when he sees Jaune coming in with a straight forward overhand slash, he simply sidesteps and lets Jaune run nearly off the edge of the cliff.
"Jaune!" Pyrrha shouts
"I got him!" Link stays close and stretches out, grabbing Jaune by his hoodie, the weight and momentum of the bigger huntsman nearly sends Link off the cliff with him
"No!" Pyrrha acts quick and suddenly both Link and Jaune stop at the same time, her polarity on both of their weapons and armor holds them steady
"Good call." Link nods as he walks them both back to safety before throwing Jaune on the floor like a sack of flour
"Hey!" Nora's voice is also heard as she springs in the air and comes down on Link with her hammer ready to strike
"I am not in the mood for this right now!"
Link grabs his shield and gets in a firm stance; he withstands the incoming strike, barely moving a few inches before pushing Nora back
"Grr..." Just the sight of Jaune, Nora, and Ren infuriates Link to the core
"Why are you talking to Pyrrha!?" Jaune runs at Link again
"Stop!" Pyrrha uses her polarity again, but this time to hold him back, "We were talking because-!"
"Save your breath." Link shrugs and turns away from them, "They wouldn't understand."
"Link." Pyrrha's eyes water
"It's okay, I enjoyed our talk Pyrrha, I know who my real friends are now." Link turns to smile at her but the smile fades quick
"Don't talk like that." She sighs
"As for our conversation cut short, I think I got enough to know what I have to do next."
"Link please don't do anything crazy." Pyrrha pleads
"I need to know first. Then we'll see where it goes from there." Link nods
"Know what?"
"Who is in the pod..." Link quickly walks off
"Link n-!"
"Forget him!" Nora jumps in front of Pyrrha and gives her a big hug, "Ruby told us to tell you she'll be watching and rooting for you but that's not enough! We need to get you ready..."
Nora's voice gets lower and lower as Link walks away, pushing past a handful of students who want to stop him for questions or insults, until he runs into Ruby at the entrance of Beacon.
"Ruby." Link's mind goes back to the words he just spoke to Pyrrha about real friends
"Link." Ruby responds softly, she tries to take off again, but she doesn't even realize Link is right in front of her, "W-whoa, you've gotten faster."
"I learned from the best." Link chuckles
"So, how did things go with Pyrrha?" She looks up
"Yang blabbed huh, as expected. Things went well for the most part, we ended on a sour note but she believes me." Link smirks, "I know who really is by my side now."
"L-link." Ruby frowns, "That's not fa-!"
"Don't even!" Link looks down at her, "You want to talk about fair? I told you everything about me, I laid it all on the line to cement real friends and life lasting relationships, and you all spit on my face, talk about fair? The way you've all treated me isn't fair, the way you've shunned me isn't fair! This is truly not fair!"
"I would never betray you Link, but it's all so complicated, if your incident with Pyrrha never happened then everything with Yang went down I'm sure you would've been thinking differently too."
"False." Link shakes his head, "Emerald would still be a thorn in our sides regardless."
"Well you don't have to worry about her anymore, her and her team flew back home to be with Mercury's family."
"Somehow I really doubt that but you want to know something Ruby?" Link reaches out and grabs her hand
"W-what?" Ruby gulps in anticipation
"No matter how angry I am at you or the rest of my so called friends who don't believe, trust, or love me, you Ruby will always have a place in my heart."
"Link please." Ruby shakes her head
"You all made your separate choices, now we have to live with them." Link leans down, pushes Ruby's hair to the side and plants a kiss on her forehead, "I'll see you around, I have other places to be right now with many thoughts coursing through my brain."
Link lets go of her hand and walks past her with mixed emotions running through his head. He does not turn back to look at Ruby one more time, who unbeknownst to him is covering her cheeks with her hands, not wanting anyone to see them turning red.
Hours Later, Links dorm at night time
"It's time." Link's eyes shoot open as if he were a machine, he throws the blanket aside, quickly puts on his boots, and sloppily throws his weapons where they usually go. "Pyrrha said vau... and the only word that is coming to mind right now is vault, which are usually located underground."
Link takes the same path he chose when chasing after Pyrrha and gets to the elevator even quicker than before.
"Here we go, it's time to find out if she really is here or if Pyrrha meant another maiden. The man with the red eyes makes me think it was Qrow, who was protecting her that day..."
Link enters the elevator and eyes all the buttons closely, but the second he presses a button off to the bottom and not next to or nearby one of the regular elevator buttons, something is visibly wrong.
"What the...? Am I stuck here or what?" Link frowns
Meanwhile
"Oz!" Ironwood points to Ozpin's scroll, it blinks red and casts the word 'warning' over the path to the vault
"Someone who is not authorized is trying to get to Autumn." Qrow grunts
"What do we do?" Glynda asks
"Whoever they are, they will answer to us." Ozpin turns his back on Glynda, Ironwood, and Qrow and begins tapping away at his scroll
Back to the elevator
"What!?" Link stumbles as the elevator shakes before quickly going upwards, "No, what the hell, I know I didn't press the buttons for Ozpin's office."
Despite knowing exactly what he was doing, it did not stop the elevator from rising until eventually reaching the top of Beacon. Each passing second seems to just enrage Link as all he wants is to find out who is down in the vault
"Let's get this over with." Link grabs his sword and shield but at the last second right behind the doors opened, he moves to his left and hides
Ding!
The elevator doors open and immediately there are shots fired from what seems to be a shotgun directly into in the elevator.
"QROW!" Ozpin shouts
"Raaah!" Link emerges shield first, blocking more incoming blasts and lunging at Qrow with a flying slash, the first strike misses, but he responds quickly by sweeping Qrow off his feet with a low slash
"You!" Ironwood reaches for his weapon
"Back off Jimmy, I can handle this one." Qrow spins and hops back up to his feet
"You don't even know me." Link's eyes switch color in seconds
"Both of you stop!" Ozpin declares, but Qrow's ears don't process the request.
"This one's for last time." Qrow grabs his weapon as it turns into its sword form
"This one's for lying to our faces." Link get into an offensive stance, something rare of him
"Enough!" Iron runs in between both of them with his arms extended, "Fighting will get us nowhere today."
"Says the one who brought an army to Vale." Link shrugs
"Yeah no kidding." Qrow agrees
"It's very clear he knows something, so for once let's talk." Ironwood turns to Link, who's eyes do not let up
"I've met her in the past, I told Professor Ozpin about my encounter with her, but I never imagined she'd wind up behind right underneath me all these months while I worried for her well being." Link growls
"Say it already." Ironwood narrows his eyes
"..." Link grunts and grinds his teeth until the words slowly come out with a lot of intensity behind them, "Where. Is. Amber."
(Not quite every Friday :/ but still weekly nonetheless lol)