Yu-gi-oh/RWBY Chapter 25
Web of Memory
Two more lights on the candle went out. The hooded figure realized she'd have to act herself now. Time to signal Ruby Rose.
As Ruby, Blake, Weiss, and Whitley rested, Trudge looked around at the people suddenly reappearing, wondering if there would be any confusion or chaos he'd have to quell. As a result, he was too distracted to notice the spider on his arm when it bit into him, taking his mind over again. He walked over to the group and showed his mark of the one-legged spider. "Ruby Rose, I am the leader of the dark signers, speaking through this man. I wish to confront you as there is something you must learn before I destroy you. Meet me at the old Ener-D reactor immediately." The spider crawled out of Trudge's body and scurried off, leaving him confused as to what happened.
Blake turned to Ruby. "Well? It could be a trap." Ruby thought it over, and said "Maybe, but I have to try. A shot at their leader is too good to pass up." They all got ready to head to the reactor. This pleased the hooded figure, who watched on through arcane means. Everything was going according to plan.
Cinder walked through the rooms surrounding the old Ener-D reactor, old memories surfacing. But she didn't let them slow her down. She had a mission to carry out, and she was too close to be stopped by nostalgia. She went through one last door to find the hooded figure, who didn't seem surprised to see her. Cinder, knowing who it was, didn't expect a shock anyway.
"Hello, sister. I have a plan for both of us."
The five rode on through Satellite until they found a large crater. Inside was the facility housing the old Ener-D reactor. They found stairs and traveled through until they noticed a hooded figure on a stone walkway. Below the walkway was a swirling mass of colors. "You're right on time, Ruby Rose. Only you will be allowed on this walkway. Anyone else will be killed." The others looked at her, but Ruby gave an admittedly halfhearted smile. "It's okay, guys. I can handle her." She walked forward, onto the walkway. Once she was on, the part of the walkway behind her is engulfed in blue flames, blocking off the other four.
"It is an honor to finally meet you, Ms Rose. Especially considering your mother." Ruby glared at the figure. "Who are you, and how do you know my mother?" All Ruby knew of her mother was that she died near the time of the Zero Reverse incident, when Ruby was just a baby. At least, that's what her father told her. The hooded figure pulled up her hood to reveal her face, piercing green eyes with black hair. "I am Melanie Malachite, Cinder's sister, and leader of the dark signers." Her arm glowed with the mark of the spider, this time complete with 8 legs. Everyone was shocked to learn that Cinder had a sister.
"If you wish to learn any more, you'll have to duel me, and risk your soul." With that, the two readied their duel disks, Ruby not hesitating to fight. "I will go first of course. I draw! I set one card and end my turn." Melanie says. "Just one card? That seems suspicious." Weiss said. Blake remained silent, looking on, wondering what could be learned about Ruby and her mother.
"I draw!" Ruby says. Better stay on the defensive until I learn what she's up to. "I summon Bird of Roses in attack mode!" A bird made of green foliage carrying two roses in its hand and one on its head appears (Level 4/1800). "Attack directly!" "Going right for the offensive, not caring for my trap, how bold of you?" Melanie says as the attack goes through (Melanie 4000-2200). "But that will cost you. I activate my face-down, Wolf in Sheep's Clothing! Since I just took damage from your direct attack, I can special summon a level 1 monster from my hand and another copy of that monster from my deck. I summon two Dark Spiders!" 2 tall, green spiders appear (Level 1/0).
She must be getting ready for her own Earthbound Immortal. "I set a card face-down and end my turn." "I draw! First, I activate my field spell, Spider Web!" Large spider webs surround the field. "Now, if any monster other than an insect attacks, it will be forced into defense position for two turns. I then tribute my two Dark Spiders for the ultimate monster!" The two spiders are brought up into the sky towards a black heart, which begins to pump. Weiss and Blake's marks glow, creating a field protecting Whitley and Trudge. Many lights fly up from the mass underneath the walkway towards the heart. "Arise, Earthbound Immortal Uru!" The heart glows a dark aura, which forms a giant spider that crawls onto the walls (Level 10/3000).
Melanie laughs, drunk with power. "You're particularly observant, aren't you, Ruby Rose? You must be wondering what that was that rose from beneath us and into Uru." Ruby said nothing, but it was true. She was curious. "Those are the souls trapped in the old Ener-D Reactor, destroyed by the Zero Reverse incident. You shall follow in their footsteps. Earthbound Immortal Uru, attack directly with Hell Thread!" The spider pulls its head back and releases it forward, spewing a web of spider-silk at Ruby.
"I activate my face-down, Advantage Delay! If you summon a monster with a higher level than my monsters, you can't conduct your battle phase this turn." The web hurtling towards Ruby fades away. "Impressive. But you won't last any longer than that. I set two cards and activate Destiny Activator." A green hand appears out of the ground, holding a bone-shaped bomb. "To activate it, I send the top card of my deck to the graveyard." Melanie sends her dark-tuner, Spider Cocoon. "Since I drew a monster, the next time you draw a monster, Destiny Activator will detonate, blowing half your life points away. I end my turn."
Ruby draws, and defiantly shows that she drew Spirit Barrier, a spell card. "Destiny is kind to you this turn." Melanie states. "Bird of Roses, attack directly!" The bird flies towards Melanie, who gives a wicked smile. "I activate my face-down, Roar of the Earthbound Immortal! Once per turn, if your monster weaker than my Earthbound Immortal attacks, I can destroy your monster and deal damage to you equal to half your monster's attack!" Uru lets out a roar that throws Bird of Roses into a wall, destroying it (Ruby 4000-3100). "Then I activate the effect of Bird of Roses. Since it was destroyed, I can summon up to two plant-type tuners from my deck. I choose Red Lotus and Rose Girl!" (Red Lotus Level 3/1300). (Rose Girl Level 3/800). "Both my monsters attack you directly!" The two let out their barrage of attacks. (Melanie 2200-900-100). The two are then engulfed in the webs from the field spell (Red Lotus 1600) (Rose Girl 600). "Good job, Ruby!" Weiss cheered on. "You've nearly got her!"
Ruby looked up and gave a thumbs up to her, then turned back to her opponent. "I then set a card and end my turn. Now, are you going to tell me how you know about my mother?" Ruby demanded. "Ah, yes. Summer Rose. I should know about her. After all, she was the scientist in charge of the first Ener-D project!" Ruby gasps in shock. "She, Cinder, and I worked on the project to create a new source of energy. Summer, ever the genius, discovered a new particle, the Planetary particle. This particle binds other particles together and could, when properly utilized, create a new source of clean energy. This became Ener-D, the power you use everyday. But something began to go wrong. The reactor acted erratically, altering the weather and causing unnatural occurrences. Summer wanted to shut the project down, but those in charge didn't listen and put me in charge instead.
"Little did I know that eventually, I would gain the notice of destiny not once, but twice!" As she says this, she tears off the sleeve on her left arm, revealing it to be mechanical. "I am the fifth signer you have been looking for. Or rather, I was. You see, I also gained this." She shows her mark of the spider. "The two fought within me, vying for control. I knew that the spider would win out, but before it did, I gave my good arm to my sister so she could put it to good use. I then set off the reactor, causing the Zero Reverse incident!"
Ruby kneels down, trying to process all of this. Blake is not so passive. "You mean you're responsible for all that death and destruction? For causing the rift between the city and Satellite? Who the hell do you think you are?" "It was the uncaring will of destiny." Melanie replies. "I had to die and be reborn a dark signer. As for the ones lost, they shall now serve the king of the Underworld. Just as you will. I draw! Earthbound Immortal Uru, attack directly with Hell Thread!" The spider again launches another shot of silk at Ruby. "I activate my face-down, Spirit Barrier! While I control a monster, I take no battle damage." A barrier starts to form around Ruby Rose.
"I don't think so. I activate my face-down, Earthbound Wave! Since I control a field spell, I can negate your spell or trap. So your Spirit Barrier is broken!" The silk breaks through the barrier and hits Ruby (Ruby 3100-100). "Now for your monsters. I activate the spell Spider's Brood! Since my level 5 or higher insect-type monster just dealt battle damage, I can summon two level 4 or lower insects from my hand or deck. I summon Ground Spider and Vampire Spider!" A mechanical spider and a spider with glowing red fangs both appear (Ground Spider Level 4/0) (Vampire Spider Level 4/1500).
"I then activate the effect of Uru, tributing a monster I control to take control of a monster you control for this turn!" Uru devours Ground Spider and launches several strings at Rose Girl, pulling her to Melanie's field. "Next is Vampire Spider's effect! By tributing a monster I control when it attacks, Vampire Spider gains 500 attack!" Vampire Spider bites into Rose Girl's neck, draining her of essence (Vampire Spider 1500-2000). "Vampire Spider, destroy Red Lotus!" The spider tears the flower apart. "Since Vampire Spider destroyed your defense position monster in battle, I can draw two cards." Melanie draws and likes what she gets. "I set those cards and end my turn. Now, join your weak-willed mother in the afterlife and accept your destiny!"
Ruby gets up from the shock of the past three attacks, her blood boiling with rage. "I've just about had it with your destiny! You won't shut up about it, using it as an excuse to do whatever horrible thing you want!" "Oh, did I strike a nerve, you poor thing?" Melanie asks in a mock-caring tone before laughing. "All lives, even mine, are nothing but currency for the gods. The sooner you accept that, the less painful your final moments will be." She continues to laugh, which sets Ruby off. "I told you to SHUT UP!" Many winds pick up around Ruby, and her mark glows brighter than ever. The four above are pushed to the wall by the gust. Blake and Weiss are reminded of Ruby's duel with the Profiler, and how she threw him against the wall with her powers. That seems to pale in comparison to this display of power.
"I DRAW!" As Ruby draws, a force pushes out from her and pushes Melanie back a little. Ruby reveals her card is Crimson Thorn, a monster, so Destiny Activator detonates, but Ruby doesn't flinch (Ruby 100-50). "I summon Crimson Thorn!" A thorn bush covered in a red aura sprouts from the ground, damaging the area (Level 4/0). "Since I control a plant-type monster, I can add Rose Girl from my hand. I then activate Double Summon to let me summon twice this turn. I summon Rose Girl!" The plant-girl appears, but with a more aggressive appearance.
"You're going to summon your dragon, then? Do it, and get on with this cute little display." Melanie taunted. And walk right into my face-down, Burst Reaction. When you try to target a card with your monster's effect, it will negate that effect and deal 1000 damage to you, sending you to your doom. "I tune my level 4 Crimson Thorn with my Level 3 Rose Girl! Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom!" Ruby chanted. This earned a hint of worry from Melanie. According to her spying, Crescent Rose had a different summon chant. What new thing was Ruby bringing out? "Synchro Summon! Appear, BLACK ROSE DRAGON!" Behind Ruby, a monstrous, distorted version of Crescent Rose appeared, with wings made of red leaves and blood-shot eyes (Level 7/2400).
"Black Rose?" Weiss repeated in disbelief. The other three could only look on in a mix of disbelief and terror. A figure watches on overhead, intrigued. "When Black Rose Dragon is synchro summoned, I can destroy all cards on the field! BLACK ROSE GALE!" Ruby commands as the dragon roars, scattering petals across the field, scratching at Melanie and causing her to bleed. "I activate my face-down, Protective Cocoon! Uru is protected, but is switched to defense mode and its effects negated until the end of my next turn!" The spider is encased in a large cocoon (Uru 3000). The other cards on the field are destroyed, including Black Rose Dragon.
"That was impressive, Ruby Rose. A great display of power. But next turn, I-" "I won't be merciful enough to let you survive to next turn." Ruby interrupts. "I activate the effect of my Crimson Thorn in my graveyard. If I control no cards, I can banish it to special summon a Fire synchro monster from my graveyard. Return, Black Rose Dragon!" The dragon rises from the depths. "I then activate Black Rose Dragon's other effect. By banishing a plant from my graveyard, Uru is switched to attack position and loses its attack points. Rose Restriction!" The ghostly image of Rose Girl appears only to be eaten by Black Rose Dragon, who then shoots out many of the thorns from its body, piercing the cocoon and holding Uru in place (Uru 3000-0).
Melanie looks up in terror, then back at Ruby. Ruby bares her teeth at her opponent. "You play with other people's lives. If it wasn't for you, Yang and Blake would have happy lives without losing their parents. Without you, the people of Satellite and Neo Domino City wouldn't hate each other. How can I even look them in the eye, now that I know my part in that? Knowing that they should hate me for it? TELL ME!" Melanie remains silent, now truly scared of Ruby. "Ruby, I don't hate you at all." Blake says, earning Ruby's attention.
"You have no part in how our lives went, you or your mother." She continues. "You're one of the nicest people I know, and from what I've heard, your mother was similar. You're not like this. You're not a monster." Tears fall from Ruby's face as she is touched by Blake's words. "Win this duel and stop her, but don't let your anger consume you as my anger almost consumed me." Ruby wipes her tears away and nods, before turning back to Melanie. As Ruby calms down, the power she exhibits lowers, and the wind dies down. "Black Rose Dragon, attack Earthbound Immortal Uru with Black Rose Flare!" The dragon lets loose a great beam of energy that tears apart the spider (Melanie 100-0).
The flames disappear, and the figure outside leaves, satisfied. Blake and Weiss run forward, embracing Ruby, who lets out more tears. "Oh, isn't this touching?" Melanie says, and they turn to face her. To their surprise, dust seems to be falling off of her body, her skin withering. "But now, it's time to end this." She presses a button on her arm, and it starts to beep, parts of it glowing red. The group don't waste time wondering what that could be, and rush for the stairs, only reaching the middle section of them when Melanie's arm detonates.
Cinder returns by helicopter to her mansion and runs down to the hidden temple, unable to wait any longer. She approaches a stone pedestal at the top of the temple and presses a button, releasing a hidden compartment. Cinder pulls out a briefcase from the compartment and opens it, revealing an arm with the dragon mark of the foot.