There was a low clanging sound, followed by a rumbling. At this point the others had mostly come to, however thanks to Ozpin's control over the body Oscar still had yet to wake.
While being able to stay in control for a little while longer was great, the ex-headmaster began to wonder if his current hold over the boy may have been extending the young man's slumber. If he was right then it would mean Ozpin would need to return control to Oscar for the boy to wake faster, however that wasn't something they could afford right now.
"You doing alright?" Yang asked, having staved off a chunk of her drowsiness. Ozpin nodded, still hesitant to speak. "That's good." She sounded worn out, not just physically but mentally as well. "I was getting worried for a moment, although I suppose there's more to be worried about right now huh?"
The man could agree with that, although he wasn't quiet sure how they would get out of their current predicament. The only door in the room was - unsurprisingly - locked, and while that ordinarily wouldn't be too much of a problem for hunters there was one little issue that prevented them from making any sort of moves against the metal obstruction.
They were drained.
Despite coming to the crew were all exhausted, and like it or no there wasn't much hope of them busting down the door, especially if it was constructed under the watch of the twisted doctor. Merlot for all his insanity and obsession was anything but simple, and while the door seemed standard enough Ozpin was more than certain there was some sort of catch to it. Whether the potential trick was harmful or not didn't matter to him as he wasn't willing to risk any of the children to whatever sick schemes Merlot had cooked up. Luckily the others were too tired to try anything, as if they had he might have just needed to speak, and thus most likely reveal himself.
Yang groaned. "For Dust's sake will they just do something already. At this rate we'll die of boredom before anything else."
Ozpin didn't think it was that bad really, but then again he had lifetimes to get used to waiting, and thus decided it wasn't really fair to judge the limits of others on such topics of patience; over the centuries time always seemed to just meld together. However while Yang made her impatience known it seemed as though not all of them shared the same sentiment, and Pyrrha spoke up with a bit of irritation in her tone.
"Don't jinx us Yang. At least we have time to rest and think things through." Pyrrha gave, only for Ren to counter her.
"Perhaps, but I don't feel like I'm gaining much of my energy back." The boy leaned back and let loose a tired breath. "If anything it feels like the longer we sit here the more energy we lose." It wasn't a total lie, but even then they couldn't do much else either way. Ozpin was sure the boy was onto something, but just knowing there was something else happening didn't really help matters. In that moment Jaune threw his two lien into the idea.
"Maybe, but then again we might just be losing our minds. It's pitch black in here, and the only light we have is coming from the cracks in the door. There's a good chance we might just be going crazy." Unlike with Ren Ozpin wasn't so onboard with Jaune's proposal, even so he still gave it a tad of credit; if something was causing them to feel tired then there was the possibility that it could be effecting their mental state as well, but he doubted it. Ozpin had dealt with mind altering foes before, and he could count on one hand just how many types are capable of getting the drop on him.
If such a foe was present then they would need a substantial amount of luck to survive. Merlot however was a clever man, and along with that cleverness came a sense of ego that put even the likes of Vale's council to shame. He wouldn't dare take them out without having the chance to rub it in their faces first.
The screeching of metal echoed and tore at everyone's ears, and a light flooded in. A certain blond boy broke the silence first.
"Hey, it's open." Jaune pointed out ever so obviously. The now pale champion saw fit to interject.
"Yeah, it is." Pyrrha had a healthy dose of caution oozing from her voice as she spoke. "It's obvious that this is intentional. He want's us out for some reason." Ozpin knew that was certain, but it seemed their temperamental brawler had her own response.
"Okay, but do we have any other options?" Yang questioned as she looked to the door. "We've just got to keep our guard up as we go, and with any luck we might just get the drop on the prick."
Ren's voice echoed out in caution. "He's most likely got everything planned out by now, so I'd wager our chances of such a stroke of luck are low."
Amongst the tense air Ruby spoke up with a small hint of thought. "He put us in here, but does he know all of our abilities."
Pyrrha let her voice be known again. "He's in the headmaster's office, so I'm certain he's gotten access to the student files."
"But are everyone's files shared between all the schools." Ruby questioned. Ozpin looked to her and shook his head sideways, which in turn gave the girl a small smile.
The young Rose was clever, Ozpin had known that ever since the day he first offered her a place at Beacon. She hadn't even been fully graduated from her previous combat academy, and when she forced herself into the Dust robbery which had caught his attention the first time Ozpin made sure to watch the recordings over and over again. While free-spirited the young girl's moves were precise and certain, with not a hint of doubt to be found. It's easy to fake being sure of something, but to prove it with action was a completely different story altogether.
Her skill alone had not been what truly prompted him to act, but rather how it was used. During her fight at the robbery he took notice of the way she swung herself around, using her weapon as not only an anchor, but also as a means of propulsion. While she made it look easy the techniques she employed were a much higher class than what she should have been learning at Signal Academy. When he asked her during the meeting she had confirmed it was Qrow who taught her.
Ozpin knew that wasn't the whole story.
Qrow while a drunk and generally lax guy was never so stupid as to teach Ruby or Yang anything Tai didn't feel his daughters were ready for, and advanced physical acrobatics through aura manipulation was something he knew Tai would feel was too advanced for them. This left Ozpin with one possible option for how Ruby learned - and subsequently mastered - such a high level combat technique; she was self-taught.
If only she had that level of dedication during her studies. Ozpin chuckled to himself at the thought; the little Rose wasn't quite so good during her written exams. Regardless of that she had proven her dedication and intelligence through learning second year hunter techniques much earlier than expected, even if under a free-spirited childish demeanor. Ozpin pushed all that away as he looked to Ruby.
Given the young girl's smile she seemed happy for his confirmation that the schools did not share every file between themselves. It wasn't entirely true as the schools very aptly had the ability to do so; it was merely that they chose not to share those files unless it was deemed necessary. With the Vytal Festival and it's combat tournament in place it meant that even the subject of a student's abilities could provide a huge advantage, and so each school held their own students records as to allow the growing hunters a fair shake at keeping their skills and abilities hidden for potential strategies should they so choose.
Ruby let out a tiny smile as she looked between them all. "As long as we keep our cool we can use our semblances as trump cards if we need to."
The idea sounded good, but Pyrrha quickly pointed out a rather major flaw in the plan. "But our semblances have already been broadcasted during the festival tournament; he's probably already seen them."
"He's seen what we showed off on camera-" Ruby's smile turned to a full blown smirk. "But he hasn't seen all of our skills. Pyrrha, ever since you changed you've been showing new powers right?"
"Yeah." The pale girl's eyes looked to light up. "And nobody else aside from us has seen them."
"Exactly." Ruby sounded excited, but she reigned it in. "Even if he can deal with us, you are our wildcard. He can't prepare for you, and if it's anything involving you-know-what..."
Pyrrha's lips morphed into an expression that chilled Ozpin to the core; an expression that he'd only seen used and truly made frightening by one person. Ozpin hoped silently that the girl did not lose her humanity the way 'she' lost it. Her darker tone did not help ease his worries.
"Then the poor doctor will learn something even he will come to regret."
"Right." Ruby faced forward. "Now come on, let's go!"
The group tiredly set off into what they knew was a trap, and despite the dire circumstances held an air of energy that gave Ozpin himself the tiniest bit of hope.
.
.
"And there they go." Gold scoffed. "Finally coming out." He looked over to Merlot, who was sat rather comfortably looking in his chair.
The room was more metallic than the headmaster's office, and lined with machinery of all sorts. Despite the copious amounts of blood and rotted flesh strewn about the tables and vials haphazardly from the doctor's previous Grimm experiments the man seemed to be in a splendid mood. While Gold was entirely disgusted with the procedures performed by the madman he couldn't doubt the effects; the tests eventually proved fruitful, and their Grimm-Faunus hybrids were functional, much to Gold's personal distaste.
"Wonderful." The man leaned forwards as a sinister grin spread his lips wide. "Now it's time to test how effective this new type of cross-breed is."
"So what exactly does it do?" Gold asked, only for the madman to laugh rather loudly; it didn't help with his image in even the slightest, and to Gold it only made him out as more of a lunatic.
"Ah..." The man allowed his laugh to fade and air flowed back into his lungs as he calmed himself. A small chuckle escaped into the air. "Be patient, I don't want to ruin the surprise yet." His vision locked onto the screen. "It was quite the pain to obtain such a rare and dangerous Grimm, and the fusion process needed to be perfect on the first try; do you know how stressful that is?"
"But it worked didn't it?" Gold tried, and the man smiled widely.
"Yes, it did, so why don't you pay attention to the screen now. See how this creature hunts. Afterwards I'll tell you what it is. Or, if you so wish, you may ask that friend of yours; he's studied Grimm nearly as extensively as I, only he's made the unfortunate and rather ill-sighted decision to aid Ozpin instead."
Gold smirked with a shrug, and grabbed hold of a tuft of green hair, giving it a solid yank as he pulled a rather battered looking man close. "So, Bart, tell me: do you know what it is?"
Oobleck grumbled from under his gag, and Gold simply threw him back. He landed with a plop, still struggling against his binds as Gold sighed.
"Seems he doesn't want to help."
"Oh well. Guess you'll just have to enjoy the mystery until everything is over. Merlot cackled as both of them focused on the screen. Gold in particular felt a flood of vile nostalgia at the sight, as watching the group move along he realized that Merlot's testing chambers had been changed around, and looked stunningly similar to what had transpired years ago.
Gold and Merlot were focused on the screen, and having not much strength left Oobleck was left to the cold metal floor. Despite everything going on, along with his beaten state, professor Oobleck couldn't help but looked to Gold in pity.
It seems even now I cannot save you. For that I am sorry.
In his restraints he could only hope the children would be alright, and not have to suffer for his failures.
.
.
An immense weight washed over Ruby, and with barely enough strength left to open her eyes she dropped to the sand.
It's getting worse.
A bit of an understatement as much as she loathed to admit it. Her silver eyes made it known just moments ago that her body was having trouble keeping both the light and dark from tearing into each other. However it was still her body, and would submit to her. Yet her corruption was having it's influence as it grew, and with it her control of the light was starting to fade. Soon enough her eyes might begin to do physical damage with too much more use, and that was something she'd rather not experience.
With heavy breaths Ruby fought back against the droopiness of her arms, and forced herself up onto her knees. She could see the others, with Prim herself spazzing out in the sands; clearly in pain. Duster and Gasket looked to be faded slightly, and Ruby knew just how bad the situation had become.
Whatever the Grimm had infected Prim with was going haywire after the use of light, and without being dealt with properly it would rip and tear until the woman's soul was no more. Ruby grit her teeth, realizing just what needed to be done. Regardless of whatever the Grimm had infected Prim with there was still something so sparklingly obvious based on just what it was doing to the pirate's body; it was a soul infection.
At least that's one advantage, but...
Ruby looked to Gasket and Duster, and then back to Prim, realizing just how hard the decision would be. Both men were essentially created from the woman's aura, and due to this shared a connection with her. In a way it was like Weiss's summons, only rather than being born from a defeated foe as a puppet, these two were instead born from Prim's overactive childhood imagination.
This would prove detrimental to their continued existence.
As they shared an essential bond with the woman, and had looked to have grown alongside her, Ruby came to a quite extreme realization. Considering the fact that Ruby had seen them moving around just fine, and Prim had never shown signs of aura drain it had lead the fallen reaper to the conclusion that Prim had never once deactivated her aura.
This would be a problem.
It wasn't the fact that she never let down her aura, as plenty of hunters tend to keep their aura up at all times throughout their lives, but rather the fact that the only sure-fire way to eviscerate the infection reigning in her aura was to let it go completely for just a bit. In a way it reminded Ruby of Penny as the robot girl over the many trips through Beacon and beyond had at some points been infected with various viruses, and had often had to completely reboot to remove said viruses - at some points even needing to erase and reinstall core features.
But the two men weren't in such a simple scenario, as being so linked to her aura would mean their complete erasure once that power source was removed. They were only tangible and functional so long as Prim's semblance was active, and with a semblance like this there was no chance for it to hold without her aura.
Maybe they could be brought back after, but they wouldn't be the same; they were born once, and they would die once.
"Prim." Ruby tried to move, only to fall to her knees, and with a grumble she dragged herself across the sand with all the strength in her arms. "Prim, can you hear me?"
"I-it hurts..." The woman took on a fetal position, her body half buried in the blowing sands as she shook. "Make it s-stop... please..."
Ruby saw the darkened cracks along her rapidly flashing aura, and scowled to herself. "You need to let it go. You need to drop your aura."
"I can't..." Prim sounded so defeated as she heaved and coughed. "I don't want to lose them..."
"You have to!" Ruby called, feeling her throat tear with the wind. "Otherwise you'll die."
"I won't! I won't I won't I won't!" Prim's desperation was clear even as her voice started to lower and wheeze. "I-" She let out several painful coughs. "I won't let them go!"
"You're really willing to let yourself die?"
"If I have to." Prim looked over, raw emotion in her eyes. "I refuse to lose anything ever again. I'll fight and struggle, even if it kills me."
Ruby was at a lose. Prim was dead set on seeing it through, and unlike many other scenarios there was nothing she could do to stop her. The woman had latched onto her friends, to what were essentially her last remaining family. They would die with her, Prim had to know they would perish as well, and still she was set to see the end.
Ruby looked to Pebble, feeling a small bit of shame as she realized what she had asked. Has she herself needed to let Pebble die to complete her goal she would be hesitant as well, but to her shame she would ultimately go through with it. Prim was not the same however, she had no big goal to reach, no world to save; she was simply a woman unwilling to let her family die.
There was nothing she could do, and much like the years before Ruby once again got to wallow pitifully in her helplessness knowing she had yet again failed a friend.
"What ever happened to taking back our kingdom?" Ruby's eyes shot over to Gasket, who despite his flickering form sounded just as brazen as before. "And about making the bastard who stole it pay?
"Where did that fire go, that burning drive of righteous vengance we all stood behind? Is the dream of victory finally forgotten lass?" Duster wandered over, and while he was currently see-through he knelt down and lay a hand on her shoulder.
"I-I can't." Prim shuddered as her head turned away. "You'll die."
"We'll all die if you keep crying there so pitifully." Gasket walked over with narcisistic sass in every step. "Then what? We just let that waste of a man command our kingdom?"
"I-I-"
"Quit it already." Gasket sounded angry, and not just the standard annoyed anger he usually spouted, but genuine anger. "Are you really so pathetic to throw it all away for a couple of fakes like us?"
"YOU'RE NOT FAKE!" Prim tore her lungs out, and as she heaved in air Gasket merely shook his head.
"Please, we've known what we were the day we first met, even if you yourself did not."
Prim looked distraught. "Y-you knew?"
Gasket nodded, and with a sigh followed along with a smirk he spoke. "Like it or no we are not real people, we're merely offshoots of your personality and subconcious. You gave us these bodies, these appearances, and even our skills based on what you yourself were good at or desired. Like everyone else back at base we are all simply parts of you, a series of mirror images and various different ways you've viewed yourself. Just because we lose our tangible forms here today does not mean we are gone."
"The boy's right, as corny as it is we'll always be there." Duster stood, pulling Prim to her feet. "We are you, and now that you're a big girl you know you need to let us go, and embrace just what you're truly capable of."
Prim stumbled a bit, but nevertheless managed to stay standing as her aura rapidly fizzled. "I-I know that." Her expression was still wrought with pain. "But I... I don't want you all to go away. I don't want everything to change."
Gasket smirked as he looked to Duster who did the same. Both men turned to her and spoke as one, and thus they faded away.
"There is treasure in change."
Prim's arms went limp as she dropped to her knees; her aura flaired wildly. With the last remaining ounce of her strenght Ruby rushed to her, only for the light to die down, and as Ruby held onto her she saw Prim chuckle slightly.
"Okay... fine... you guy's win again..."
Ruby stilled as she saw a single shine trail down Prim's cheek, followed by many others, all of them matting her skin in a glistening sorrow as she continued.
"Like you always do."
Author's note
...
Here we are gain, finally in the thick of things.
Not much to offer this time, so I'll cut it here.
See you next time.