Chapter 80: Ask a Stupid Question

In which Bronzewing joins the criminal underground, and Ruby goes under the ground.

"Alright, boys. Spread around and stay out of sight."

Bronzewing nodded and obeyed as the men and women poured through the hallways of Haven's rear entrance, a spot normally reserved for deliveries of food and Dust. Two Spiders moved alongside him in a loose formation. It was apparent from their amateurish actions that Malachite had not lied when she admitted her forces were noncombatants. Still, numbers alone could make a difference.

Malachite had provided next to no information on their opponent, but she'd made it clear that this was no fault of her own. Their mysterious client, a man by the name of Arthur Watts, had refused to give specifics, claiming only that they would need every Spider they could muster.

Bronzewing had also played things close to the chest, providing Malachite with limited information about his semblance. The second she found out about his ability to locate people from a distance, he'd be weaponized and forced to aid them in their endeavor. Bronzewing had wrestled with the ethics of dealing with the criminal element and ultimately decided that it was acceptable as long as he did not further their goals. For now, he'd lie low, keep his head down, and claim the rewards for his services – care for the orphans and information on Rose.

To this end, Bronzewing had enveloped as much of Haven as he could in the embrace of his sound waves. If he could identify the assailant, he could 'search' rooms on the opposite side of the campus and wait for the action to die down. Spiders were all over the place, roaming the halls armed with a wide assortment of guns, machetes, and makeshift instruments of combat.

Bronzewing also detected a presence noticeably reminiscent of a certain familiar horseman, but despite his burning curiosity to find out why it was there, he chose not to investigate further. The Nuckelavee could take care of itself.

The huntsman and his escorts patrolled the corridors for what must've been at least an hour before the smallest disturbances reared its head. The air in one classroom, so far away that he could not make out shapes or movement, became significantly chunkier. Bronzewing had long ago realized that the odd feeling was caused by a change in temperature. Haven's interior was well heated, but the nighttime air outside was cool. Someone had opened a window.

The Spiders assigned to him flanked him from a few paces behind, clearly believing themselves to be clandestinely watching him. He suspected that they would report back to Malachite should he desert his post.

Time to get creative. Bronzewing sought out a piece of glass with the same resonant frequency as his sound waves. Not the windows, not the chandeliers…there.

A small trophy case containing the Vytal Festival cup from some decades back, several turns back. Bronzewing focused his semblance on the crystalline lining of the case until it began to crack.

SHRNK!

"What was that?" asked the woman next to him.

"I've no idea," lied Bronzewing. "Why don't you investigate while your partner and I continue to comb the halls?"

"We weren't supposed to split up…"

"I'm not a fool; you were ordered to keep an eye on me. But it only takes one person to do that. If I leave your friend…"

"Brick," the man grunted.

"If I leave Brick, he'll make note of my absence to Lil' Miss Malachite, and I will not receive that which I desire. There is no danger of disobedience."

The woman seemed to accept this and departed. That left Bronzewing and the beefy Spider alone.

"So, Brick…"

"I do not wish to talk."

"Very well."

Bronzewing suspected that he wasn't going to be able to shake Brick, but perhaps that was for the best. It would only lend credibility to his story if a Spider was alongside him when he found himself far away from the fighting.

The pair of them approached a fork in the hallway. To the right was where the window had been opened, so Bronzewing began to walk to the left.

"No."

"But–"

"We go right."

"Why? Both routes are equally–"

"We go right, because you seek to go left."

Bronzewing held his stoic expression, but inwardly began to curse. They were headed straight toward the open window. It was possible that a Spider had opened it, but he doubted this. The Spiders may have been substandard fighters, but they were clearly suited for stealth and spying – leaving such an obvious sign of their presence was far too crude.

They approached the classroom, and Bronzewing focused on his semblance to get a good look at who they were facing…

Oh.

Thank you for being antagonistically obstinate, Brick.

The edges of his mouth curved into a smile, but the burly lackey stood behind him and could not witness it.

"Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"There's something coming from inside that room!"

"I hear nothing. Do not play games with me, boy."

"No, I can hear it. It must be my huntsman hyper-senses. Listen."

There was no such thing as huntsman hypers-senses, but hunters were a mysterious and romanticized group to the uninitiated. Brick put his ear up to the door to confirm it. His eyes widened.

"Let's move!" Before Brick could protest to call for help, Bronzewing kicked open the door and tackled Rose to the ground. "Brick! You must get the other!"

Wukong and Brick's eyes met. Brick drew his billy club.

He didn't last long.

When Bronzewing was confident that his 'ally' was unconscious, he lifted himself off of Rose.

"My apologies, Rose, but I needed to–"

"Bronzewing! You're alive!" She clumsily hugged him and squealed with joy.

"Wait, Bronzewing?" said Wukong. "D-Dove? From Team Adventure, with the Invincible Girl? What's he doing here?"

"He was with me when I came from Beacon! We got separated!" Rose paused. "Hey, why'dja tackle me? That hurt." She massaged her buttocks through her combat skirt.

"I apologize. I was beholden to the Spiders for their caretaking of my four children. I could not be seen visibly aiding you."

"Children?" asked Rose. "You got busy?! When? Tell me everything!"

Bronzewing filled her and Wukong in on the situation of the Nuckelavee, the orphans, and Malachite. Wukong was disquieted by the knowledge that the horseman of destruction was on the premises. It went unsaid that the remaining horseman, the bisected King Taijitu, could also be prowling nearby.

"Maybe we should go back," the Faunus suggested.

"No. We can still do this," decided Rose, determination etched into her face. "Bronzewing can act as our scout and find us a clear path to Lionheart. When we get to him, you two will jump him. We've come too far to turn back now. Tonight, we go all the way. For Pyrrha and Russel and Jaune."

"For Team Adventure," echoed Bronzewing.

Wukong turned out to be quite light on his feet. When a Spider was in their way and would not move, he never once failed to sneak up from behind and subdue them quietly. Rose…well, Bronzewing did not wish to call her dead weight, but she was more of a hindrance than a help at this point. That was not to say she was useless, just that the rare and mystical abilities to turn into a bird and run at high speeds weren't practical in such narrow corridors. The pool of talents from which she drew was…specialized. In the open wilds, she was queen, but this building hindered her.

Haven's grand hall was a splendorous monument to the rich grandeur of Mistral's culture. Not even Beacon's auditorium could boast such lavish use of space. At the center was an ornate statue of a robed woman. The walls were decorated with priceless works of art – sculptures, carvings, even decorative weapons. Above it all dangled a crystal glass chandelier with hanging gold and silver beads. It was said by Wukong that the colors were full, earthy tones, though color itself was inherently but a concept to Bronzewing.

The three of them stood in the doorway to the assembly hall, just out of sight. No Spiders were within, but Lionheart stood on the elevated platform overlooking the hall just above the statue. Wukong reached for his weapon, but Bronzewing silently told him to stay his hand. He pointed to the upper walkway. The Nuckalevee idly stepped into view, making rounds along the long balcony.

"Can we take it?" asked Wukong, wringing his hands nervously.

Bronzewing shook his head. "It's too powerful. And the commotion we'd raise would alert reinforcements."

"I could outrun it with my semblance," suggested Rose.

"We'd need to secure Lionheart and take him with us. I doubt he'll come willingly. No, we need to draw the horseman away…"

Wukong frowned. "And we need to do it in a way that ensures Lionheart's still there when it leaves. Our only option is something that interests just the horseman, not the headmaster. Dove, you two are buddy-buddies. Got any ideas?"

"None. It was a steadfast ally when it was still an ally, but it's bound to its queen's orders now. I won't be able to rely on friendship or sentiment. Even if I dragged out its children and threatened them, it would not be able to abandon its task."

"What exactly is its task?"

Bronzewing paused. "I know not, but…it is only bound to obey the exact order it was given, to the letter. I was able to convince it to take me to the gates of Haven because it was told to not be seen by humans in the city, not outside of it."

"But if we don't know the orders, that's no use to us," complained Wukong.

"Not quite," said Rose. "We do know one of its orders…"

"Heyooo! Sun's out guns out! I'm Sun Wukong, student of Haven and citizen of the city of Mistral! Wassup, Mister L? Sun's out guns out! I'm Sun Wukong, aaaay, I'm walkin' heeeereeee!"

"M-Mr. Wukong? What's the meaning of this?" Lionheart exclaimed, visibly confused at the sudden appearance of his student.

Sun's eyes were tightly shut.

"Yo! Sun's out guns out! It's me, a citizen of Mistral. And guess what? I'm about to open my eyes and see everything that's around me in five seconds. So if there's anyone here who doesn't want to be seen by me, Sun Wukong, Mistrilian resident from the city of Mistral in Mistral city, they'd better leave. Five…four…three…"

Ruby heard the rapid clomping of hooves as the horseman fled. Next to her, Bronzewing let out a sigh of relief.

"I am honestly amazed that worked."

"Our foe clearly didn't anticipate we would have allies. The school is closed for the night, and it was expected that you would be storming it alone. Sun will chase after it for a while, but he can't keep it occupied forever. Let's move!"

Ruby grabbed Bronzewing and pulled him into the speed force. He'd told her exactly where Lionheart was standing, and they'd plotted out the course in advance. Seventy-three steps and half a second later, Ruby and Bronzewing were standing directly behind the baffled headmaster.

Training meant everything to a hunter. It granted one better aura control, superior stamina, increased strength, and much more. The difference in training of just a few years could mean the difference between a good huntsman and a great huntsman. Lionheart had years on Bronzewing and Ruby. By all rights, he should've creamed them.

But old Leo Lionheart hadn't been expecting an attack from behind him.

Bronzewing's sword pierced flesh with a squelch and ended the fight before it could begin. From the sound of the man's body hitting the floor, Ruby assumed it was the leg, but she had no way to tell. Maiming the Faunus wouldn't have sat right with her normally, but this man had been complicit in the murder of some of her best friends. All it took was the thought of Pyrrha, and his screams didn't bother her in the slightest.

"Take us to the vault."

"Who – Ruby? Er, I mean, Velvet?"

"So, you did know who I was! You were the one who sent Angry and Creepy to kill me."

"Please, you have to understand–" Something grabbed at Ruby's skirt.

"Don't you dare try to lay a hand on her!"

THWACK!

"Now, tell us where the vault is," Ruby said, desperately trying her best to sound threatening.

Apparently, it worked, as the Faunus began to wail. Well, that or Lionheart was a crybaby. Both were possible.

"Okay, okay! The statue, it's an elevator! My pocket watch is the key. Please don't hurt me!"

So, this was the headmaster of Haven, a man charged with protecting humanity from the endless onslaught of the Grimm. No wonder he'd sided with the enemy; the man was a shameless coward.

THUMP!

After knocking out the cowardly lion and assuring her that he'd been restrained, Bronzewing led Ruby by the arm down the stairs to the statue. There was the sound of a metal click as the pocketwatch moved into place. Next, Ruby heard a rumbling and figured that something amazing was happening, but she still couldn't see that either. She turned her head backwards and clicked her tongue once or twice to listen for the echo, but it was useless. All she could tell was that she was in a wide open space, as expect of the grand hall. Stupid blindness…

The pair stepped into the elevator. Ruby briefly faltered when the feeling of weightlessness came but recovered after a moment.

Her curious nature eventually got the better of her. "What's it look like?"

"It's…It's so vast." There was amazement in Bronzewing's voice. "It must've been sealed well, for I never even noticed this chamber until the statue was removed. If I had to describe it, I'd call it a cavern beneath the school. There's a singular path with drop offs on both sides. At the end is a craggy rock face with a door. Beyond that is a tree, but it's unlike any tree I've ever been around before."

"Magic?" Ruby whispered.

"That's the only way to describe it."

The elevator stopped, and Bronzewing led Ruby out. She vowed to practice her echolocation in the future with more discipline. Being guided by the hand was the worst. No more slacking off; she'd become the world's best echolocator or she'd die trying.

Actually, I probably shouldn't jinx us like that when we're in a cave full of arcane magicks, seismic faults, and just general peril.

"So, how do you open it? The vault, that is."

"I thought you knew."

"Why would I know?"

"You're the maiden."

"Well, it didn't come with an instruction manual or anything! Do you think I cast a spell or chant an incantation or something?"

"I've no idea. Without a frame of reference, any suggestion I may submit is little more than guesswork."

"Door! I will you to open! Open sesame! Uh…"

"Try speaking backwards."

"Why?"

"Arc once described a magic caster in one of his comic books who did so."

"Uh…rooD penO! D-Did it work?"

"No. This could be a problem. Without the means to open this vault, it's as good as a plain brick wall."

Ruby thought back to the night she'd become the maiden. The magic had been rather pent up, and on top of that, it was responding to a life threatening situation and had come out on its own. She focused on the way she'd felt – afraid, determined, an unbalanced mixture of fear and resolve. Raising her hands, she pushed every bit of her aura forward and willed the door to unseal itself.

"Rose…it's still shut."

"Stupid thing! Stupid, stupid door! I hate you!" Ruby kicked forward and was rewarded with a painful impact as her foot collided with solid stone. "I hate you I hate you I hate you!"

"I am sorry, my friend."

This was it. This had been their only chance! Lionheart would double down on his security and close this place off tighter than a Schnee's panties. This horrible vault had ruined everything! Ruby slapped the wall in anger. Darn the vault and darn the relics and darn–

Ruby heard gears whirring, and the sound of metal rattling.

"I did it! I opened it!"

"I suppose it's touch activated. I'm not sure why we didn't attempt that first. It seems quite obvious in hindsight."

Ruby grinned. "You're just jelly because I figure it ooooooOOOOOOOOAAUGH!"

Everything around her and everything about her exploded. It was like she'd replaced the blood flowing through her veins with the most carbonated, caffeinated soda known to man. Her first instinct was to keel over, but there was no pain, only energy rippling through her body. She felt in control. No, that wasn't right. She felt alive.

Her sense of reality changed in an instant. No longer was she Ruby Rose, huntress and aura user. Now, she was Ruby Rose, one with the raw elements around her. The mineral in the floor, the walls, and the ceiling called out to her. Air currents bowed their heads in respect before they passed her by. Static electricity, ambient heat, and the life force flowing through the tree were now hers to command. She could even sense the sound waves that Bronzewing was sending out and taking back.

She was not just a maiden. She was two maidens – the facets of Spring and Fall. That was who she was, and now that she knew who she was, that was something she knew. Simple as that.

Ruby's aura surged, and she leapt into her semblance before she could stop herself. She waited for things to start happening slowly, but they simply didn't start at all. The world was entirely frozen. Ruby grabbed a button from her shirt, tore it free, and tossed it away from her time bubble. She waited a second, then reached out into the air. The button was still there, floating patiently as she prodded it. It was impossible to tell if the world was actually standing still, or if she was just going so incredibly fast that it seemed that way.

A tingling sensation brought her out of her thoughts. It was her aura, higher than ever before, but also draining out of her body ten times faster. Instead of needing a scroll to check her aura level, she simply checked it by looking into herself. Her aura was a part of her, and she could personally feel her soul's connection to every molecule of every cell within her body. She'd lost somewhere between nine and ten percent of it in the five seconds it took to test it out. That meant she could use her semblance for even less time than before, but the boost was to raw aura. That meant, when used as a shield or a boost to strength, it was now supercharged.

"-ose? Rose, can you hear me?"

"Whoa. Yeah, I can hear you. Sorry, I just…I think I just became a maiden. Actually, I became two maidens. Trippy."

Ruby took a few wobbly steps toward Bronzewing and took his hand. "Let's get the relic."

Despite all her improvements, she still couldn't fully see. Apparently, not even the maiden powers changed that. She could feel the elements of nature around her, but it wasn't the same. It felt more like she was rubbing her hands against every surface at once – she couldn't visualize individual objects, but she got a decent idea of where things were. The tree was beyond her, the rocks were under her feet, and the air and water were all around her. Ruby raised a hand, and she felt the leaves of the tree move with it, blown by a gust of wind. Inquisitively, she tried to make a fireball like Blake had in the CCT. She felt sparks, but it flickered and died before coalescing.

Perhaps that had been too much – this was still the very first time she'd even accessed these powers, so spellcasting was probably going to take some time. Still, this was progress. Now that she could readily tap her double maiden abilities, mastering control would just be a matter of time.

The vault itself was hot and dry, and Ruby was fairly certain it wasn't real. Or if it was, it wasn't of this world. She felt grains of sand shift beneath her shoes with her normal tactile senses, but they were voids of empty space to the maiden powers. Even the air she was breathing didn't show up on the maiden radar. Only one thing in the entire inside of the vault felt like it was truly of this world.

The relic.

Ruby and Bronzewing laid their hands on the lamp at the same time and lifted it free of whatever pedestal it had been on.

"Such a grave crusade for something so small in size. It's almost paradoxical."

"Let's get out of here, Bronzewing. This place – it's not natural. We shouldn't stay in here for long."

The two returned to the real world. Ruby tapped the door of the vault as they exited, and it sealed shut behind them.

"What action does it do?" inquired Bronzewing. "It's magical, but how so?"

"No idea. Honestly, I feel like my maiden powers make me stronger than anything a mere lamp can provide. I can't help but wonder why they're the key, and not the prize behind the door."

"That means that the relic must be even more valuable than your mystical powers."

Ruby ran her hands over the relic and frowned. "It's hard to believe people are willing to kill each other over a silly little lamp."

"I…I remember something…"

Ruby looked up at her comrade. His face was too garbled to make out, but she could tell where his body was in the room and get a rough outline of his limbs and head. Honestly, the hardest part was piecing it all together. She could see the atoms in Dove Bronzewing – heck, she could count them – but that was the same as reading the zeroes and ones that made a computer's code. Without an index or key to interpret it, it was just difficult to decipher bits and pieces.

"What?"

"Thrush…moments before he died, he said something about 'the Mistral Relic' to me on our scroll call. He said he wanted to use it to show me something."

"Is there a screen somewhere? Or a projector?" Ruby shook the relic and held it to her ear.

"He said a name…"

"Who?"

"It started with the letter J. I only recall because I sounded like Jaune, and I briefly thought he was referring to our team leader."

"Was it John? That sounds like Jaune."

The tissue that made up Bronzewing wobbled from side to side. "Not quite."

"Maybe Johnny? Jenny? Jenn? Jann? Jinn?"

The giant woman was giant.

She was also blue, floaty, chained up, blue, butt naked, pointy elf-eared, and still blue.

More importantly, she was completely 100% visible. With Ruby's eyes.

"W-What is this? Who are you?"

"I shall not count those as questions, as that is information I give freely. You have summoned me, the spirit of the relic of knowledge. I am Jinn, and I shall provide you with the answer to any one question you ask."

"I can see you!"

She was the only thing Ruby could see, though. The molecules and compounds that made up the room of the vault were seemingly gone.

"True. I am not a physical being but a magical one, so perception of me is not limited to those whose eyes transform light into thought. You summoned me by saying my name, and I am bound to reveal myself to you. We are in your mind, child."

The room Ruby was in seemed to stretch on infinitely, but there was nothing but white space. For the first time in months, Ruby could look down and see her own body. Never had she thought the sight of her hands in front of her would be so comforting.

"That's so – Bronzewing! He's gone!"

"Alas, you summoned me, so I need only impart the gift of knowledge onto you. Bringing your friend into your mind would've required effort that I am not willing to expend at the moment. Perhaps if I were in a more generous mood…well, sitting alone in a tomb for centuries does not tend to improve one's temperament."

"Rats. He's never gonna believe this. You mentioned a question…"

"Yes, and you've done well to voice your queries as statements, clever girl. I may answer three questions per age, though I shan't reveal that which has not yet occurred. As my summoner, the first of the three questions is yours and yours alone. Ask well, child."

Ruby paused and mulled over the questions she could ask. The obvious choice was to ask what the relics were for and why people were seeking them, but Bronzewing and Sun deserved to hear the answers to that too. The blue lady–

"My name is Jinn."

Jinn had said there were three questions, and she'd implied that she might be willing to tell multiple people the answer if Ruby freed her from the vault.

"I most certainly would."

"Can you please – er, I mean, I would appreciate it if you please didn't read my mind."

Jinn smiled wryly and floated in a way that made it look like she was laying back. "You are clever, aren't you?"

"Hey, you just asked me a question. That means you owe me one extra genie wish for free."

Jinn did a barrel roll to right herself and wagged a finger. "Ah ah ah, don't push it."

Now, where was she? Oh, right, the boys. Anything that all three members of her party needed to hear should be held off for the second and third question. For now, it would be best if Ruby asked something that only mattered for her to hear.

So, what did she herself want to know personally? She could ask how Yang was doing, but that seemed like a waste when she could alternatively just call her or visit her when this all blew over. Ruby was certainly curious if there was a cure to her blindness, but that could easily end with Jinn just saying that there wasn't one. Maybe she could ask Jinn for advice on what to ask…wait, no. Never mind.

Any knowledge about any subject…

"Except the future."

"Hush, you! I'm thinking!"

What was something that Ruby needed to know? What had she always wondered but never been able to ask? What was something that Ruby would never be able to learn except with this magical genie woman's help? Maybe something that no one else alive knew…something about the past.

The question came to Ruby.

"Jinn, how did my mom die?"

"Oh, you silly little girl. I just warned you not to ask about the future."

"The future? That has nothing to do with the future. Mom died when I was a little kid!"

Jinn said nothing, but her lips curled slightly. Her eyes were swimming with mischief.

She's trying to tell me something. Think, Ruby, think. Ruby asked how her mom died. Summer Rose had gone out on a mission and never come came back. Nobody ever told Ruby the specifics, but she'd been there for the funeral. It was an empty casket.

Could it be…?

"It could."

"Okay. This time, I've got it. Jinn, what happened to my mother?"

Jinn's eyes twinkled. "Finally, a question worth asking."

"No, it wasn't any of those three. Maybe…Juan? Juanita?"

Without warning, Rose stiffened and dropped the lamp. Bronzewing rushed to retrieve the precious relic before it rolled off the steep slope of the cliff.

"Rose, please!" Bronzewing hooked the ring atop the lamp to a clip on his belt. "I know we can't use it, but after all the trouble we–"

"No."

"Pardon?"

"That's not my name."

"What?"

"Rose isn't my name. Call me Branwen."

Next Chapter: Uphill – In which our heroes' luck finally runs out.

Omake

Ruby: I know! Riddle me this: Is the answer to this question no?

Jinn: Maybe.

Ruby: AWWW FUCKkkkk

(note: omakes = non-canon cuz Ruby no say swear)

Omake 2

Dove: Who are you?

Ruby: I'm Ruby.

Dove: Ruby who?

Ruby: *looks off into the distance and sees Luke and Leia's ghost*

Ruby: Ruby Skywalker.

Author's Notes

As per our agreement, none of these characters are OCs. All are canonically listed as members of the Spiders in the 'Roman Holiday' novel.

For some reason, I feel like this chapter is longer than it is. Maybe it's because a lot happened here for the party we're viewing. Normally, each character gets one POV and it's split between the many different groups, but this was just Ruby and Dove going back and forth.

Ruby is finally the Spring and Fall maiden, and she finally can sort of see. That's really nice because I was getting pretty fed up with having her entire POV just be 'and then she heard this and then she heard that and then she heard this…'

Man, I just love Ruby and her little blondieboys squad. Sun, like in canon, just drops whatever he's doing to help out whoever needs him (you kinda have to wonder if he even has a life, given how readily he abandons it to joined Blake), and Dove…man, Dove and Ruby's friendship is just soooooooo sweet. They aren't shipped, they're just inseparable buddies. I'm sure there's nothing that could get between them.

Oh, by the way, Jinn has three full questions here. Without knowing for sure, I'd guess that Summer and Raven in the vision in Volume 9 used up the question in the show, so since that happened differently here, we have all three. Also, the plot demands three truths be revealed, so that's that, and Ruby now knows who her mom is. To clarify, she knows everything about the story of Raven, from start to finish, up until the point where Raven yeeted Ozpin in the leg and ran away. She doesn't know Raven and Yang are on their way.

Readers of Living The Dream will notice a small reference to Jaune's sisters here. Very small...

Happy rats, and don't do crime!