Gamer4 in. I went ahead and changed the preview for this story. I think the new one works better, gives prospective new readers a better idea of what to expect. I'm actually not sure how long this episode will end up being- it'll either be a longer one, or the first of two shorter ones. We'll see how things go. At the very least, I finally recovered from that cold- I feel much better now, so let's get right to it!
Episode XXIV
Chronicles of the Crescent Blade
Unfinished Battle
"Okay, I think I get all that," Blake nodded, still rubbing her temples a little. "So, another faced mechon appeared, it could talk- with Torchwick's voice- and it kidnapped Ilia?"
"Yup, that's about the size of it," Sun agreed.
"I hope you don't intend on passing out again," Raven sneered.
"No, no, it was just... just a shock," Blake shook her head.
Jack entered the room, talking on his phone. "Yeah, yeah, I gotcha. No, we'll probably have moved on by then. You don't say? I'll keep that in mind. See ya!" He hung up. "That was my buddy Tom- sounds like he's on his way to do some hosting himself. May have found another couple from your world, but he's gotta run some checks first."
"You wanna bring more people in?" Torchwick stared. "Like this room isn't packed enough already?"
"Well, I put some extra food on just in case," Jack either evaded or ignored. "Unless we have any more objections, I'd like to continue with the world we've been watching."
"Try and pull us away!" Nora challenged. "We're not leaving 'til they get Ilia back!"
"Or that monster eats her," Raven put in slyly.
"No... they'll get her," Adam growled.
"Well... we'll see," Jack shrugged.
The screen entered on a fuzzy scene, indicative of a dream sequence.
The world was quaking around her- Blake crouched low in the bunker, a protective arm in front of Ilia as they waited for news from the outside.
At last, Adam appeared. She looked up to him. "What's going on?"
"Huh, is that what he looks like without the mask?" Nora tilted her head.
"...Not quite," Adam grunted. He didn't feel like talking about his brand to this gaggle of mindless humans, particularly with all three Schnee children present.
"Edgelords and their masks," Yang grunted derisively.
"You know your mother wears a mask a lot of the time," Qrow half-smirked.
"I didn't. Now I mean that twice as much."
"Damn mechon," Adam growled. "I don't understand, they were supposed to be wiped out a year ago, at Sword Valley! How have their numbers replenished so quickly?!"
Blake had no answer, but picked up her rifle- she felt safer with it in her hands.
"I've never been much of a rifle person," Blake raised an eyebrow.
"Apparently, you use it to heal people in this world," Ruby giggled.
"Heal people... with a rifle?" Blake's other brow joined its twin.
"That's the power of ether!" Jack beamed.
Another door opened, and another man appeared- tall, strong, dark hair in a military cut. "I certainly hope their numbers aren't too much even for you, Taurus."
"Colonel Ironwood!" Blake greeted.
"I bow to no human," Adam snarled immediately.
"I certainly wouldn't have believed it would be Ironwood to break that rule," Ozpin readily admitted. "He truly is identical to our world."
"He doesn't seem to be looking down on you," Penny supplied. "Rather, he seems to think quite a bit of your other!"
"...As he should," Adam grunted, leaning back and crossing her arms. It was petulant enough to draw a small smirk from Blake.
"Medic Belladonna," Ironwood next turned to Blake, his arms crossed, all business. "I am issuing new orders. I need you and Ilia to ready the evac ships. Ensure as many of our people escape as possible. Am I understood?"
Blake bit her lip. "What about-"
Ironwood foresaw her argument, stopping it with a raised hand. "Please understand, Belladonna- the ships can only carry so many. Some of us must remain behind to give you a chance."
Blake looked to Adam, who allowed a small smile to cross his lips. "I'll be fine. I'll be able to keep my mind on the battle, knowing you're safe."
Adam bit his lip- how long had it been since he and Blake shared such a relationship? Before her inexplicable love for those humans stole her from him?
Blake clutched tighter to her weapon, but her face was one of determination. "Promise me. Promise me you'll get out of here alive."
Adam hesitated briefly, but nodded. "Of course. Don't worry, I promise."
Blake bit her lip- how long had it been since she and Adam shared such a relationship? Before his undying hatred for humankind drove her away from him?
As he walked away, the hallway before him seemed to twist and warp into an infinite corridor. If he noticed, he paid it no mind, simply waving to her behind his back as he marched off to war. "A promise is a promise," she whispered after him. "I'll keep our people safe until you return."
Suddenly, the world exploded around them- the corridor Adam had gone down was swallowed by flames as the bronze-faced mechon appeared, cackling as it picked up a screaming Ilia with one hand. "How about I protect them?!" it taunted. "I'll keep 'em all nice and safe inside my belly!"
Ilia screamed as the mechon opened a wide, metallic mouth and dropped her in...
And Blake sat bolt upright, sweating profusely. It took her a full ten seconds to recognize where she was- in the small cave at the heart of the escape camp. From what she could tell, it was night outside. And, at her bedside were the two sisters who'd arrived earlier.
"Dreams can be scary sometimes," Ruby shuddered.
"It's certainly the most intimidating Torchwick has ever appeared," Weiss admitted reluctantly.
"Hey, you look too intimidating, it defeats the purpose of trying to blend in," Torchwick defended himself.
"You could dress a little less flashy, if that's your goal," Velvet countered.
"Ah, what do you know?"
"Considering my team leader, quite a bit."
"Feelin' alright, there?" Yang asked.
Blake touched her head- it still ached, but not nearly as bad as she'd expected. She nodded. "I'm... fine. How... how long have I been out?"
Yang glanced outside. "Let's see... the sun was starting to set when we left Spiral Valley... we laid you up in here, had a quick bite..."
"About four hours," Ruby finally interjected. "I have... some basic medical training. Nothing as good as you, I'm sure!" she quickly admitted, "But... enough to bind up your head."
Blake touched the bandages covering her wound- it seemed everything was okay there. "Well... thank you." Without another word, she rose to her feet and took off towards the cave entrance.
"Whoah, there! You wanna jump right into action without taking a moment to heal?" Sun blinked.
"Ilia doesn't have that kind of time!" Blake hissed.
Yang stepped after her. "Whoa, where are you going?"
"To Colony 6, to save Ilia," Blake answered without breaking stride.
"Not on your own, you're not!" Ruby fell into step on her other side.
"Yeah, it's almost all of Team RWBY!" Ruby cheered. "I just wish Weiss was here, too."
"As do I..." Weiss agreed.
Blake finally paused, taking them in. "...You were planning on going already, weren't you?"
"Had half a mind to start off without you," Yang fully admitted with a grin. "But this is your fight as much as ours at this point. 'Sides, we don't know anyone else who can use ether, and having a user on hand to patch us up is really handy!"
"Glad to know I'm useful," Blake rolled her eyes.
"Thought you might be!" Yang grinned, thumping her on the back ("OOF!")
Blake allowed herself a small smile. "Well... nice to be appreciated, I suppose." She stood up straight. "Alright, then- I hope you're in it for the long haul. Colony 6 is all the way up the Leg, near to the Hip."
"Ah, we knew we'd have a ways to go when we started!" Ruby assured her with a smile.
"Good... to begin with, we'll go the same way as before..."
Sure enough,t he path Blake led them on started off identically to the previous day, up the hill and across the vast Raguel Bridge. Higher and higher, until they stood once more on the Leg's upper level. In the distance, they could see the same Spiral Valley they'd fought on mere hours before- only now, there was a large, gorilla-looking monster standing on the bridge leading to it.
"Uh... you know that guy?" Yang couldn't help asking.
Blake looked, and cursed. "Dammit... Immovable Gonzales. He's been a thorn in our side for some time, but he's never been this close to the colony." She sighed. "Still, there's a reason we gave him that name- once he settles down, he doesn't move for weeks at a time. We ignore him, he ought to ignore us. Come on, let's go."
"Immovable Gonzales?" Sun chuckled. "Think they asked him for his name?"
"Didn't you have an uncle or something named Gonzales?" Neptune asked.
Sun tilted his head. "Hmmm... might have. Couldn't really tell ya."
Indeed, Blake led them away from Spiral Valley and towards a crevice in a nearby rock face, too narrow to call a cave or tunnel. Right on the other side was a narrow path, a cliff to the left and a drop-off to the right, and at the end, a large gate... through which they could see a large number of mechon milling around. "Safe to say we're not getting in through the front door," Yang growled, her eyes narrowed.
"No, we're not," Blake agreed. "We'll have to go through the mines."
"Mines?" Yang asked, her brow suddenly furrowing.
"Yes," Blake nodded, seemingly oblivious to Yang's consternation. "Colony 6's economy runs on ether- there's a network of mines under the ground, and one of the entrances will take us right up into the Colony."
"Yeah, I got that, but... those are underground tunnels, right?"
Blake glanced her way, an eyebrow raised. "Yes... that's what I just said."
Yang gulped. "Are there any... arachnos down there?"
"Oohhhh... she's a little traumatized from last time," Ruby realized.
"Well, can't exactly say I blame her," Qrow chuckled.
"I can," Raven scoffed.
"Now, now, everyone has an irrational fear," Ozpin patted the air placatingly.
"I don't."
"Yeah?" Qrow smirked. "And that's why you've been shaking ever since that cat plopped herself on your lap?"
Raven winced as she was forcibly reminded of the furry creature still pinning her to her seat. Yang grinned. "She's afraid of cats?"
Raven squirmed, causing the large cat to twitch in her sleep. "Vicious little hellbeasts, they are!"
"Definitely filing this one away for later," Yang whispered to herself.
"No, there shouldn't be any monsters in there," Blake shook her head. "I'll take us on the most direct path." She glanced to the edge they were standing near. "We'll have to take the Splintered Paths."
The sisters looked over the edge, witnessing a series of very splintered fragments of land jutting out from Bionis's waist, forming a rough track towards a gap in the side of the cliff Colony 6 was built on.
"That's... a big drop," Ruby noted with a gulp.
"I do believe OSHA would have a few complaints about the lack of railing here," Whitley commented drily.
"Hey, I think I can see Colony 9 from here!" Yang grinned, a hand over her eyes like a visor. A smirk crossed her face. "Wanna go visit, Rubes?"
"Uh- not right now!" Ruby laughed, a little nervously. "Let's just... let's just go!"
"Yang!" Ruby whined. "You know I'm afraid of heights!"
"You are?" Weiss asked, surprised. "I wouldn't have thought that, based on the fight with the nevermore."
"Well, I wasn't looking down then!"
"We are just delving into everyone's fears today," Ren noticed.
Blake guided them to an elevator that lowered them to the paths, which they traversed very carefully. Ruby's mind kept painting a picture where one of them slipped on the grass and plummeted to the ocean below, but it was a fortunately dry day, and the paths weren't quite so narrow as her panicked mind had initially believed.
At last, they stood at the mouth of a tunnel much smoother than the entrance to Tephra Cave- a smooth, concrete pipe. Blake led them to a small tunnel branching off, only wide enough for two of them to walk side-by-side.
From here, the tunnels grew far less uniform, fluctuating in size and shape. Ruby didn't need to unsheathe Crescent Rose for light here- the lines of ether in the walls cast a glow that perfectly lit their way.
"Careful, Yang," she warned, examining the veins. "Throw one punch wrong, and you'll send us all straight to Bionis's head!"
"If that were dust, it would certainly be enough to send all three of you into orbit," Weiss agreed, somewhat nervously.
"C'mon, I'm not that reckless!" Yang objected.
"Oh, really?" Ruby crossed her arms. "Do I need to remind you about the time with the brog?"
Yang glanced away pointedly. "That brog had it coming."
"What did you do to the froggy?!" Nora asked, immediately turning a narrow-eyed gaze on Yang.
"Nothing!" Yang raised her hands.
"Seeing how large the frogs in this world seem to be, it is very possible that it truly did 'have it coming,' as she puts it," Ozpin speculated. "Though Ruby's recollection seems to indicate otherwise."
Blake raised a hand. "Kill the noise, you two," she whispered.
The two looked up, and immediately crouched in a shadowy corner- up ahead was a small cavern, and moving through it was one large mechon.
"Shit..." Yang swore under her breath.
"They've even started charting the mines..." Blake realized, a note of hopelessness entering her voice. "I... I didn't want to think they'd get this far, but if they found Adam and the others..."
"Keep your head, Blake," Yang interjected. "If these mines are half the size of Tephra Cave, there's no chance the mechon have it all charted out yet. This is your home field, remember! I'm sure the defense force is holed up somewhere safe. Ilia's fine, too- we'll find her, free her, then get the hell out of here."
"I think I'd have seen something if Ilia wasn't okay," Ruby agreed. "We're here to help- you can count on us."
"It took quite a bit of time for me to get used to being part of a team," Blake admitted.
"That it did, but we're all one big, happy family now, ain't we?!" Yang grinned, forcefully pulling three objecting girls into a big bear hug.
"How... saccharine," Whitley muttered, looking out the window.
"Yes... you're right. Ruby... Yang... thank you." She took a few deep breaths. "I'm alright. Let's go."
The mines were far more of a maze than Tephra Cave had been, even with the light- Ruby had no doubt they'd have been hopelessly lost in seconds without Blake to guide them. She seemed to know exactly where she was going, and took slight detours as the sign of mechon without hesitation, clearly having total confidence in her mental map.
"I wouldn't want to work in a place like that," Jaune shuddered.
"I... hate... tight places..." Nora agreed, squirming.
By unspoken agreement, they moved in absolute silence, unwilling to risk a conflict with the mechon that might lead to setting off the ether and bringing the tunnels down on top of them. So it was that when there was a distant rapport of gunfire, they all heard it.
Blake's eyes widened. "That's an ether rifle- Adam!" Without further adieu, she dashed off through the tunnels, the sisters hot on her heels.
"Ah, is it time to meet my other face-to-face?" Adam leaned forward as best he could with the volatile black cat on his lap.
Blake's sprint ended when she stepped into a large chamber reinforced with steel walls and floor. There was a man in the center, fighting valiantly against a trio of mechon, but it was no bull faunus- it was Ironwood.
"I guess there are worse times for him to appear," Qrow decided with another long drink from his flask.
Winter sighed, internally acknowledging this was the best she was likely to get from him. "There certainly are..."
"Ironwood!" Blake called, immediately opening fire with her own rifle.
Ironwood didn't turn, but he'd clearly heard. "Belladonna, is that you?"
"Yang, move!" Ruby cried, unsheathing Crescent Rose.
"Try and stop me!" Yang leapt out, her gauntlets unfolding.
Ruby quickly spun around, sending the familiar light over Yang, Blake, and Ironwood- their weapons began to glow, and with that, the fight was over with surprising swiftness- a blast each from Ironwood and Blake took two of the mechon out, while Yang was able to punch straight through and destroy the circuits of the third.
"Aw, over already?" Nora pouted.
"I believe one of my others said that battles are fought in seconds that go down in history for years to come," Ren recalled. "That is... surprisingly true."
"Quite so," Ozpin agreed, thinking of a long line of such battles. "Not every conflict is such a grand afair."
With the battle over, all four combatants sheathed their weapons. Ironwood took them all in, his eyes lingering in particular upon Ruby. "Crescent Rose...?"
"Eyes off if you know what's good for ya, Tin Man." Qrow's own eyes narrowed.
He seemed to dismiss it for the moment, however, turning to Blake. "Medic Belladonna- what are you doing here?"
Blake was struggling to maintain eye contact with him- not out of guilt, but due to scanning the room for others. "Sir, isn't Adam with you?"
Ironwood sighed, his eyes raking briefly over the sistsers again. "Clearly, we have a great deal to discuss. Come."
He led them to a small crack in the wall- he barely fit- that led to a secret chamber on the other side, the main door blocked with rubble.
"The mechon have no units that can fit in here," he explained, before turning to them, his arms behind his back. "Now, I'll ask you to tell your story first."
"'I'll ask you,' huh?" Qrow chuckled wryly. "Already a damn sight better than our Ironwood."
It was Ozpin that rebutted him this time. "Perhaps he would be looser with you, Qrow, if you ever attempted to meet him halfway."
"And maybe the sun won't rise tomorrow if I forget to wash my hands," Qrow shrugged.
Blake agreed, and told him the story, starting with Ruby and Yang's arrival in the camp- there was no need to bother with information not relevant to the immediate situation. Ironwood's face started grim, and only grew grimmer as her narrative progressed.
"So, Bronze Face took Ilia," he summed up when Blake had concluded. "Bad business..."
Blake clearly wasn't interested in waiting any longer for news. "Sir, what about Adam?"
Ironwood closed his eyes. "Adam is... missing."
"I'm... not really sure how to feel about that," Blake admitted uncomfortably.
"Don't tell me I was taken down by a few pieces of jumped-up clockwork!" Adam growled.
"What do you mean?!" Blake gasped.
Ironwood glanced around the bunker. "We spent a week here, planning a surprise attack, to set our brothers and sisters free and retake the colony. But it was a failure. I am the survivor by mere chance, and when I awoke, the only thing I could find was his rifle." He hoisted the rifle he'd used during the battle, presenting it to Blake, who took it with shaking hands.
"So, then... he's..." she stammered.
"No, I don't believe so," Ironwood shook his head. "Adam lives- I can feel it. He is my son in all but blood- if he had perished, I would know."
"You're no father of mine, old man," Adam scoffed.
Winter closed her eyes and smiled. "Even I have trouble imagining the Commander as a father."
"Yeah, I've only seen him from a distance, but he strikes me as the 'married-to-the-job' type," Sun chuckled.
"Think he got eaten, like in Colony 9?" Yang wondered.
"Yang!" Ruby hissed through her teeth- Blake had very visibly winced at the suggestion.
Yang glanced away bashfully. "Sorry. Forget I said that."
"It's a very sad day when Ruby is chastising you for your social skills," Weiss groaned.
"Yeah, I kinda wanna facepalm right now," Yang admitted.
"There is some truth in what she says," Ironwood admitted. "They don't seem to kill homs right away- if Ilia has just been taken, we have time." At long last, he turned to Ruby. "Now... I know that blade once belonged to Qrow Branwen. Are you his heir?"
"His niece," Ruby explained. "He's still alive, but injured- he gave Crescent Rose to me."
"It's just as well," Ironwood decided. "We're going to need its full strength."
"You can count on me!" Ruby promised.
"I'm half surprised he didn't try to take it for himself," Qrow admitted readily.
"If he knows Qrow, maybe he knows what happens when anyone other than its chosen wielder tries to use it," Pyrrha speculated.
"Good," Ironwood nodded curtly. "Come- our destination is the Central Pit."
"The Central Pit? Not the Colony?" Blake asked.
"Their base is in the pit," Ironwood explained briefly. "That's where they took all of the homs they kidnapped- that's where Ilia will be as well."
As he led the way back through the crack into the main chamber, Ruby's eyes *FLASHED.*
Ironwood stood atop a mobile suit, designed for lifting in the mines- the suit itself was on a crumbling platform of metal over a flowing river of pure ether. He aimed his rifle at something between him and the pit. "Ilia, Adam!" he called. "This is for you!"
There was another flash, and he was falling down, down into the river below...
Ruby gasped as she returned to the present- just as Yang was about to climb through the crack as well. "You say something, Rubes?"
"What?" Ruby blinked, shaking her head. "No, it's nothing, forget it."
"If only I had a lien for every time we saw that," Sun rolled his eyes.
"I get that she didn't really have time to tell you about her visions before," Jaune admitted, "but now..."
"Yeah... I feel kinda dumb, too," Ruby admitted.
Ozpin took a long drink of coffee. "I suppose being exposed to a river of pure ether isn't exactly healthy?"
"Does having your skin melt right off your bones sound like fun?" Jack answered his question with a question.
"I would have to say it does not."
Ruby followed the others through the crack and back into the narrow tunnels, but the vision continued to nag at the back of her mind. Almost unconsciously, she slowed, lagging further and further behind until Yang noticed, turning around and crossing her arms. "That's unusual- you'd usually be right at the front of the line! Something wrong?"
Ruby looked up and met Ironwood's gaze, the vision of his death flashing again before her mind's eye. "We should... hold back for now."
Ironwood's brow furrowed. "Amitola doesn't have time for us to hold back. If you don't have the stomach for this fight, leave the scythe and go home."
"Looks like he wouldn't mind getting his hands on the scythe after all," Torchwick commented slyly.
"He's not demanding she relinquish it to him," Winter narrowed her eyes at him. "Only that she leave them a chance of victory if she will not provide it herself."
Ruby gulped. "I'm not- I'm not afraid, it's just..."
"If you are going to speak, speak!" Ironwood ordered.
"We can't just rush in!" Ruby finally said, an excuse that sounded feeble even to her ears. "We should hold back a bit, observe them, plan our attack out!"
"I'd generally agree," Weiss admitted, "but as he says... Ilia doesn't have that kind of time."
Ironwood's eyes flashed with anger. "You insolent- do you understand nothing? I have observed their movements! This attack has been planned for a month! The lives of my brothers and sisters all hang in the balance- don't think for a second I take that lightly!"
"I'd normally want to deck him for this," Qrow considered, "but... even I can see what he's saying here."
"This would probably be going a lot smoother if Ruby would just tell them about the vision," Neptune pointed out.
"Yeah..." Ruby was poking her index fingers together.
"If the heir of Crescent Rose is a coward, we hardly need her," Ironwood growled. "Belladonna, with me!"
Without looking to ensure she was following, he continued deeper into the tunnels.
"He's more upset than I thought if he isn't noticing that she's falling behind," Winter fretted.
Blake and Yang both turned to look incredulously at Ruby. "I know you're no coward- what's gotten into you?" Blake asked.
Ruby bit her lip. "I..."
Yang stepped forward, rolling her eyes. "I think I know what this is- another vision, right? Someone else dying, by the sound of it?"
Ruby nodded at the ground. "Yeah..."
"Thought so," Yang nodded with a sigh. "You'd be chompin' at the bit to go scrap some mechon otherwise."
"Never underestimate my big sis sense!" Yang nodded firmly.
"What happened?" Blake asked.
"Ironwood... he fell into an underground ether river," Ruby explained.
Yang crossed her arms. "An ether river... got it." She then looked up at Ruby, her brow furrowed. "And you kept this from us, why? What good is a scythe that lets you see the future when you keep getting it wrong like this?"
Ruby's own brow furrowed in annoyance at the implication. "Better to use my head than rushing in with my fists all the time!"
"Yeah, I know, I'm the berserker," Yang admitted. "But even I can't get too far on my own!"
"Okay, I get it," Ruby shied away, setting off down the tunnel after Ironwood- but Yang forcibly grabbed her shoulder.
"You're not running away from this, Rubes," she said sternly. "I don't care how powerful Crescent Rose is, one soldier is worthless on their own, that's why we're here. Next time you see something you don't like, you tell us. We bear the burden together, as a team. Together, we'll do like Uncle Qrow says, and seize our destiny. Got it?"
"Got it..." Ruby glanced away.
"What was that?" Yang raised her voice. "Say it like you mean it, soldier!"
"I got it!" Ruby yelped. "I'll tell you next time!"
"I think Yang picked up some of Goodwitch's mannerisms, there," Velvet jumped.
"Comes a time when a sister's gotta lay down the law," Yang nodded. "Fortunately, this Ruby's got no problems letting us know when something's off."
"I was about to say, I was surprised to see her acting so... Blakey," Jaune agreed.
"Rarely have I been so offended by something I so thoroughly agree with..." Blake muttered.
"Your sister's right, Ruby," Blake chipped in. "The three of us saved Ilia before, we can do it again."
"Right..." Ruby nodded. Besides, it's not like I saw anyone else dying. Yang's right... we'll change this future!
"Come on, Ironwood's already gone ahead," Blake pointed out, and took the lead once more, guiding them through the tunnels.
"Speakin' of charging off, bull-headed- no offense," Qrow threw a sardonic half-smile towards Adam.
"Go to Hell."
"Oh! I just had a nasty thought," Velvet squeaked. "What if the vision ends up coming true because Ruby had it?"
"A self-fulfilling prophecy, hmm?" Ren considered. "I suppose that's within the bounds of possibility, but... we'll have to see."
Before long, they finally emerged from the tunnels into a massive chamber- they stood upon a ledge that spiralled around a vast cylinder, up and down. Neither the ceiling or absolute floor were visible from their vantage, and in the center was a gargantuan machine for drilling further into the ground.
"The Central Pit," Blake introduced. "If Ironwood's right, this is where Ilia is."
"Don't trip and fall," Neptune gave a weak sort of chuckle. "You might just have time to write your memoirs before you hit the ground."
"I'm beginning to think there's simply no equivalent of OSHA in this world," Whitley decided, a snarky comment at odds with his wide, awestruck eyes.
"Er... are we really gonna hafta walk all the way down?" Yang wondered, peering over the edge from a safe distance. "Not to bitch, but I think we might run outta steam before the fight even starts!"
"No... there should be an elevator nearby," Blake shook her head. She guided them along the ledge, and before long, found what she was looking for- a sturdy steel platform that they all stepped on before she pressed a button and it began to descend. All three women waited on tenterhooks, weapons at the ready for the second a threat appeared.
Their ride ended very suddenly when a large hammer came out of the shadows and smashed into the elevator- fortunately, their alertness allowed them to dodge the worst of the damage, but the damaged elevator ended up falling down the last few yards to the ground, where they all spilled out onto the very bottom of the pit. Quickly, they pulled themselves back to their feet, readying their weapons.
The bottom was a vast circle of stone, in the center of which, beneath the drill, was an opening to a river of glowing ether, causing Ruby's heart to hammer even faster. Blake, however, had eyes only for the many pools of blood dotted across the ground. "No bodies... but so much blood!"
"That can't be good." Sun had an uncharacteristically serious look on his face.
"Damn mechon," Adam growled, his hands tightening on his arms.
There was a crash as the bronze-faced mechon landed on the ground before them, twirling his hammer. "'Bout time you showed up!" he taunted. "I was gettin' hungry!"
"Never thought I'd be afraid of Roman," Neo chewed on a nail.
"Never thought I'd be afraid of myself," Torchwick wrinkled his nose.
"Ilia- where's Ilia?!" Blake demanded.
"Still after the brat, are ya?" Bronze Face chuckled. "If you'll look to your left, you ought to find her!"
They looked, and found an uncosncious Ilia bolted to the wall by a pair of metal strips around her wrists, forcing her to hang from them.
"He crucified her?!" Adam's voice was dripping with outrage.
"Strange- for what purpose would he pose her in such a way?" Penny wondered.
"To taunt them- demoralize them," Winter narrowed her eyes in distaste.
"Well, he chose the wrong tactic for us," Yang growled, smashing her fists together.
"Ilia!" Blake cried.
Her head seemed to stir a little. "Blake...?"
"Oh, relax, she's still alive," Bronze Face chuckled. "But how long she keeps breathin'- that's up to you, now, isn't it?" He continued his taunts, oblivious as Ironwood appeared from an alternate path, scaling down the sheer wall behind him. "As for the others, 'fraid I just couldn't help myself- I ate them all up!"
"This... this is all some sick game to him!" Pyrrha hissed.
"I'm gonna break his legs with his own hammer!" Nora declared furiously.
Yang was clearly of the same mind. "You scumbag!" she roared.
"Well, that's not very nice," Bronze Face snickered. "My name is Roman Torchwick, and I'm your host tonight!"
"Huh, I was wondering for a sec if it would actually have my name, or just coincidentally have my voice," Torchwick tilted his head.
"Torchwick?" Ruby blinked- something about the name was familiar to her.
"This thing has a name?" Yang sneered.
"Heh, that's what they all said," Torchwick gave a chuckle. "Can't say I quite remember it myself..."
"Can't... remember it?" Neo picked up immediately. "There's something... strange about him. Besides the usual," she added at the many funny looks her assessment earned her.
Torchwick seemed to collect himself. "Well, it's good to see fresh meat on the table! And once I've downed you all, the brat'll make for a nice dessert!"
"He's totally insane!" Winter stared, aghast.
"No kiddin'- he's gotta go down," Sun slammed a fist into an open palm.
Blake was bent double, fighting back bile. "Adam... did he...?"
"Soup's on!" Torchwick called, signalling the small army of mechon behind him to march. Immediately, Ruby swung her blade and enchanted her comrades' weapons.
Blake looked up, her eyes filled with pure rage. "I won't rest... until I've scrapped each and every one of you!"
"Ruby saw that!" Blake realized suddenly.
"Huh?" Everyone turned to look at her.
"Back at the lab in Colony 9, she bumped against Crescent Rose, and had a bunch of visions in a row- that, just now, what my other just said, it was one of them!"
A chill seemd to run across the audience. "Could it be... they are predetermined, then? To an extent?" Velvet shuddered.
"It can't be just that- Ruby was able to change the future earlier, remember," Neptune pointed out.
"Oh, but what if it's Final Destination rules, and that Spider Queen is gonna fall out of the sky and crush Yang as soon as they step out of the mines?!" Nora fretted.
"I don't believe that is the case," Ren shook his head. "...Though I suppose we can't quite rule it out, either."
"Blake, did you... write down what she saw back then?" Jaune asked tentatively.
"I did," Blake nodded immediately, producing her book. "Let's see... First, the Faced mechon- the one that killed Jaune- taunting her about being 'worthless without that gardening tool.'"
"Great, that one can talk, too," Yang growled.
"Then, a woman I didn't recognize saying something about releasing shackles... what we just saw... Ruby swearing that she wants revenge... a glimpse of Weiss and Ironwood, and... oh..."
"What is it?" Weiss pressed.
"Pyrrha... she saw Pyrrha saying 'Your blade... it did not cut deep enough.'"
"So... if that's true, Ruby's gonna fail to save somebody- maybe Pyrrha?" Jaune guessed, paling.
"I don't know- it's such a vague line, there's so much it could mean, but..."
"But I would like to point out that in the present, we are in the middle of a battle- not the ideal time to be debating the nature of fate," Whitley cut in.
"Oh, crap, rich boy's right!" Yang realized. "The mechon are swarming us!"
Blake opened fire on the nearest mechon, destroying it with several shots to its center. She stepped on what approximated its head and fired again, seemingly for emphasis. In her anger, she didn't notice another mechon leaping towards her from behind- until it had been punched to pieces by Yang and her enchanted gauntlets. "Behind me!" she ordered. Three more mechon were approaching, but a second later, Crescent Rose's size expanded and slashed through all three at once as Ruby stepped between them.
"Yang, Blake!" she rallied. "We are homs! And we won't just stand here, waiting to be eaten!"
Ironwood took aim with his rifle from his vantage point, but seemed to think better of it. Looking down, he spied something else, and ducked down, moving towards it.
"Why didn't he take the shot?!" Yang bellowed, outraged.
"Likely because he doesn't believe it will do any significant damage without an enchantment from Crescent Rose," Winter assessed. "From the look on his face, I believe he may have found a more efficient method of attack."
"I... guess that makes sense," Yang admitted begrudgingly.
"Ah, the Monado- or Crescent Rose, I guess you call it," Torchwick scoffed. "You really think that thing can dent me?"
Ruby rushed forward and swung for the arm carrying the hammer- the scythe plinked harmlessly off.
"Feels like a fly bit me!" Torchwick chortled. "'Fraid to tell ya, kid, I'm not Metal Face! You wanna fight me, you'll have to try harder!"
He swung his hammer, and Ruby only barely dodged. It's just like before! "Crescent Rose isn't working on him!"
Torchwick swung again- all Ruby could do was swing her blade and send out a wave of light, allowing all three women to disappear into rose petals to dodge the attack. She was starting to pant- repeated use of these powers was starting to wear on her. She was fine for now, but if they couldn't find a way to damage Torchwick soon, there was going to be serious trouble.
"It takes energy to use those powers?" Yang asked, concerned.
"Aw... I guess it couldn't be too overpowered," Nora pouted.
"Never has there been such a thing as a free lunch," Ren mused.
Ruby looked around, searching for anything that could tip the scales in their favor, seeing nothing, finding it hard to think as Torchwick lumbered towards them- until he was punched in the side of the head by what seemed, at first glance, to be another faced unit. It took a second of bewilderment before Ruby realized it was Ironwood, piloting what looked like a mobile platform of some sort, ideal for moving heavy loads within the mine, now used for combat.
"I believe this is where I'm intended to say, 'why don't you pick on someone your own size?'" Ironwood growled as he pushed Torchwick across the floor- right towards the ether river.
"Oh, dear, the prophecy is coming true!" Penny fretted.
"Ironwood!" Ruby cried.
"No- I'll handle him, save Ilia!" Ironwood ordered, not taking his gaze off of the hulking mechon.
Blake and Yang hopped to it, but Ruby continued to fret. At this rate, even if we can save Ilia, Ironwood will-
Yang's words came back to her. We'll do like Uncle Qrow says, and seize our destiny.
Seize our destiny... change the future...
"I can't help but notice she's forgetting the 'together' part," Weiss pointed out nervously.
Ruby's eyes were blurs as they scanned the area for anything that might help- and she found it. Sitting on a ledge nearby, another mobile platform, outfitted with a crane. That's it!
Yang had just broken Ilia's bonds when she turned and saw Ruby rushing towards the crane in question. "Ruby, what are you doing?!" she called.
"Hopefully not getting herself killed!" Jaune was chewing through his nails.
Ironwood forced Torchwick onto a platform over the ether river, pressing him against the very bottom of the colossal drill. Even still, Torchwick maintained his smugness. "You really think that thing's enough to take me down?" he taunted.
"This? No," Ironwood denied. "An ether river, however..."
"No... he's going to do it intentionally!" Weiss realized. "He's going to let himself fall because it means taking Torchwick with him!"
"Foolish fool," Raven scoffed. "What will getting himself killed accomplish?"
Ironwood raised one of his platform's hands and struck one of the supports holding their platform up- it began to tilt towards the ether below.
Ilia, freed from her bonds, collapsed to the ground. Yang rose to her feet. "Blake, take care of her- Rubes and I will take care of the rest!" She turned and dashed off.
Torchwick was clinging on to the ledge, while Ironwood continued to push his own machine to its limits, to force him into the pit. "Fall, you damn machine, fall!" he roared.
At last, Torchwick lost his grip, tumbling towards the glowing river. As he did, Ironwood's machine lost its grip as well, sliding down the platform.
Ruby fired up the crane and steered it towards the edge as fast as she could. "HOLD ON!" she cried, lowering the crane as she traveled. At the last second, it caught the edge of Ironwood's machine, upon which Ruby immediately threw the crane into reverse, struggling to pull him back up.
"Oh, good," Weiss took a deep breath, massaging her racing chest.
"Nice shot!" Yang grinned.
Ironwood was caught remarkably off-guard. He looked up to see his savior beaming down at him. "Rose?"
"We can change our destinies!" she grinned. "You're not going to die he-"
Before she could even finish the sentence, the crane started dragging towards the pit again, pulling Ruby forward with it. Torchwick, half-submerged in ether, had extended a hand and grabbed on to Ironwood's platform itself. "You... will not... get rid of me... that easily!"
"He's tenacious, I'll give him that," Torchwick admitted. "Damn sight better than that ridiculous politician."
"Ironwood! Get out of there- to solid ground! Quick!" Ruby pleaded, once again pulling as hard as she could with the crane. "Hurry! It's giving way!"
Ironwood ignored her, standing to his feet and aiming his rifle down at the platform he'd used to best Torchwick. "It won't be long now, my friends. But first... Adam, this is for you! This is for the people of Colony 6!"
"It is predetermined!" Nora wailed. "She tried to stop it from happening and made it happen!"
"Not quite," Ozpin pointed out. "Before, he was avenging Adam and Ilia- now, he only speaks for Adam."
"You suppose that is a relief?" Adam sneered.
"If the future can be changed, only a little, logic dictates that greater changes are possible. Besides... we haven't seen him die yet."
He fired, and the already straining platform fell apart, sending Torchwick screaming into the river. However, the last bit of strain was more than the platform could take as well- it collapsed, taking Ironwood with it.
Ruby's face seemed to go blank. No... no! I... this wasn't supposed to happen! "IRONWOOOOOOOD!"
Ironwood, however, seemed quite at peace with himself as he tumbled towards the river. The world seemed to slow around him. I suppose I'll be seeing you soon, Adam, he thought.
Then a yellow blur appeared- neither Ruby nor Ironwood had time to register it before Yang was hanging over the pit, one hand clenched around the crane, the other clutching Ironwood's arm. It was hard to tell which of them was more surprised.
"Yeah, big sis to the rescue again!" Yang cheered her other.
"I suppose some congratulations are in order," Weiss reluctantly admitted.
"Yeah, that bad future can suck it!" Nora pumped her fists in the air.
"Talk about a close shave," Yang half-smiled- it was all she could muster, considering the strain she was currently under. "Hey, Rubes, any time you wanna pull us up? This guy ain't exactly gettin' any lighter!"
Ruby finally seemed to snap back to reality, and dutifully pulled them both back up. Soon, they had both collapsed onto solid ground, breathing heavily.
"Thank you," Ironwood finally said once he'd recovered himself.
"Nah, save your thanks for Rubes and her visions," Yang waved aside.
"I suppose it is true, then?" Ironwood glanced over as Ruby approached- he'd openly professed his skepticism when told about them before.
"Yup," Yang nodded. "She saw you falling into an ether river- I saw the river, so I jumped for it." She turned her attention to Ruby. "See, what'd I tell you? You and me can make anything happen!"
"You were right," Ruby admitted. "I... should have told you earlier."
"Yes, you should have," Pyrrha agreed. "But... as long as you don't do it again..."
"My apologies for calling you a coward," Ironwood addressed Ruby. "It seems I now owe you my life."
"I mean... Yang really did all the work," Ruby pointed out uncomfortably.
"Humility is a virtue in itself," Ironwood decided. "Tell me, have you had any visions regarding Adam? Does he still live?"
Ruby's look away was answer enough. "I see."
"Unfortunately, I do not see how he could have survived," Penny put in her two cents. "If he 'ate' all of the soldiers, that would most likely include-"
"We're just... tryin' to stay positive," Sun cut her off. "I mean, you know how these things work- nobody's really dead until you see a body, right?"
"I was unaware of such," Penny tilted her head. "So I should always confirm my kills... understood."
"There is something hardcore strange about that girl," Neptune side-eyed her.
The three crossed the short distance between them and the spot where Blake was nursing Ilia. She looked up at their approach. "I suppose I should give this back," she said, unslinging Adam's rifle from her back and offering it to Ironwood- but he raised a hand in denial.
"Keep it. Adam would have wanted you to have it."
Blake held onto it tightly.
"Hmm... I suppose I can't think of anyone else I'd rather it go to," Adam admitted gruffly.
"Alright, let's get outta here," Yang stretched. "We gotta get back to the camp, get Ilia some proper medical attention."
"There's a freight elevator not far from here," Blake promptly noted. "It will take us to the colony's rear entrance. With the head cut off the snake, I think we can fight through the stragglers left in the colony itself... assuming it's working, of course."
"Good ol' Blake 'Glass-half-empty' Belladonna," Yang rolled her eyes good-naturedly.
"Somebody has to consider the worst outcomes," Blake pointed out.
"Well, no point worrying about it 'til we've tried it, eh?" Yang pointed out, lifting Ilia into a fireman carry.
Blake's lips twitched slightly upwards. "You make me laugh."
"Well, am I wrong?"
"No... no, you're absolutely right. Come on, I'll show you."
The small troupe marched across the ground until they found the very elevator she'd described. Yang gently laid Ilia on the ground on the far corner as Blake fiddled with the control panel. Within seconds, it was moving upwards.
"What'd I tell ya?" Yang grinned.
"Yes, yes, we're very impressed," Blake laughed lightly, as they continued upwards...
Until they stopped. "The hell?" Yang wondered. "Did it break down after all?"
"No..." Ruby's eyes widened.
"Did she keep another vision hidden from them?" Nora was on the verge of throwing her arms up, but Ren pulled them back down.
"No, she can simply see what's right before her eyes."
With many a great crashing, a ruined, decayed hunk of metal pulled its way onto the elevator after them. Horrifically damaged, and barely recognizable as the form of Torchwick, almost as if he'd just climbed out of his own grave.
"This guy just doesn't wanna stay dead," Sun blinked.
"I've been told I'm too tenacious for my own good," Torchwick reclined with his hands behind his head. "Though I think at this point, I'd have cut my losses and made my own retreat."
"Hmm... I think he's on the verge of death," Ozpin guessed. "I suspect this is a last-ditch effort to take them with him."
He did not speak, but roared like a beast as he clumsily raised his hammer- but in the blink of an eye, Ruby had struck with Crescent Rose- once, twice, thrice, until both arms and legs had been severed. Unlike before, the blade passed cleanly through the metal as though it were tissue paper.
"Well, at least his ether bath removed his immunity to Crescent Rose," Pyrrha took a deep breath.
Panting and groaning, the remains of Torchwick collapsed to the floor of the elevator. "Feel like stayin' down this time?" Yang asked drily.
"Damn... kids... runnin' around, taking even me down without the Monado's true power..."
Ruby stepped forward, meeting her silver eyes to Torchwick's glowing reds- yet even those were flickering out. "Monado... true power... what are you talking about?"
"That's... not my place to say," Torchwick chuckled weakly. "You want the truth, go out and find it yourself. There's no easy way- I had to become what you see now to understand."
"Became... what you are?" Ruby blinked in confusion.
"It sounds like the process of turning a regular mechon into a faced one is rather painful," Pyrrha guessed. "Perhaps it drives them to absolute madness."
"Maybe... this is something of a mercy kill, if that's the case," Jaune considered, still clearly uncomfortable.
"That's all I can give you," Torchwick grunted. "My time's up..."
He rolled over the side of the elevator, and plummeted back into the pit. Just as the elevator started moving upwards again, there was an explosion below.
"Crap... faster, faster, faster!" Yang pleaded with the elevator, but the shockwave, of course, caught up quickly, actually pushing them straight up the narrow shaft, screaming as they picked up more and more speed...
Until the elevator abruptly stopped, sending them flying out of the shaft and onto their backs outside.
"Damn near took us with him, too," Yang gulped.
Yang was the first to stand, her arms wrapped protectively around Ilia, lowering her gently to the ground. Ruby, Blake and Ironwood were next, taking a look at their surroundings. The shaft had emptied onto a cliff not unlike the one they'd entered the splintered paths from- it was cool, grassy... and raining.
"Ilia!" Blake rushed to her adoptive sister's side.
"I think she's okay," Yang promised. "And... we smashed that bronze-faced bastard. Now the people of Colony 6 can rest in peace."
"I certainly hope so..." Blake agreed.
There was a grunt- Ilia was finally waking up.
"About damn time," Raven scoffed. "If you're going to nearly get everybody killed, you could at least be awake for it!"
"Blake?" Ilia groaned as the world around her came slowly into focus.
"Thank Bionis you're okay!" Blake cried, pulling her into a tight hug.
When they finally broke up, Ilia asked, "Where are we?"
"The colony's back entrance," Blake explained. "Thanks to Ruby and Yang, we destroyed the mechons' leader."
"You did?" A smile crossed Ilia's face as she turned to the sisters. "Thank you... thank you so much. And... sorry for causing so much trouble."
"Eh, consider the score settled," Yang grinned.
"Yeah," Ruby agreed. "I just wish we'd found some clues about the other mechon- the one that attacked Colony 9."
"Yeah, that would have been-" Yang started, but stopped when she heard a roar coming over the nearby ledge- the sound of jets. They all spun to see the exact mechon they had just been describing, alighting on the grass. And then... it spoke too.
"Hope I'm not interrupting."
"What wonderful timing," Whitley rolled his eyes.
"Hell, if it wants to show up and let us scrap it now, that's fine by me," Yang growled.
"Yeah... that's the one that killed Jaune," Ruby agreed, her eyes narrowing to slits.
"This one's voice sounds female," Winter picked up. "But there's more distortion on her voice than there was on Torchwick's. I can't make it out."
"Maybe her voice box got broke before the battle at Colony 9, and she's been getting it gradually fixed ever since?" Nora suggested.
"That sounds just absurd enough to be true," Ren concluded.
"Is that her?!" Blake asked, quickly drawing her rifle.
"Yeah, that's her, alright- Metal Face!" Ruby's eyes matched her other's, cold and furious.
"It's not just her," Yang pointed out, her eyes widening as a whole host of other mechon appeared behind her. "She brought a whole party... including about half a dozen Torchwicks."
"Da-dee-dah, we're dead," Jaune gulped.
"How pathetic," Metal Face sneered as she stepped forward. "I figured Torchwick was all talk- must have been if he was crushed by such worthless fools!"
"Oh, good, this one can talk too," Yang rolled her eyes, struggling to fight back panic.
"Oh, I can talk, alright," Metal Face agreed. "And I've got a good memory!" She put on a high, cruel, mocking voice. "'Jaune! Get out of here! Run! Please, Jaune, get out!'" She cackled. "His screams were like music to my ears, as my blade slid right through his soft flesh- like a hot knife through butter!"
"Never thought I'd say this, but I wish it was Torchwick again instead," Blake admitted.
"Foul... loathesome... evil..." Pyrrha was having trouble speaking for her suppressed rage.
Strangely, however, Ruby seemed rather calm, even as she drew Crescent Rose. "Talk all you want... because those words..." Her eyes opened, filled with flames as she dashed forward with a scream, "WILL BE YOUR LAAAAAAAAST!"
She brought down Crescent Rose, but Metal Face blocked with her sword, longer than any homs was tall. Infuriatingly, just as with Torchwick, the scythe failed to make a mark.
"You'd think she'd learn after-" Raven started, but was met with an overwhelming tide of "SHUT THE HELL UP!" from her brother, daughter, niece, their partners, and their brother team.
"Ah, Crescent Rose- it's been some time," Metal Face seemed to smirk. "I thought you'd have learned by now, though- it's useless against me!" She attacked with her hand, sending Ruby tumbling across the plain back towards her allies.
"Ruby!" Yang cried.
"Any way you slice it, fools, Crescent Rose isn't going to work! Didn't work then, won't work now!" Metal Face taunted as she crossed the distance with slow, deliberate steps. "Enough play- time to finish this farce!"
She made to swing her sword- only for a projectile to knock her arm off course. "What?!"
Everyone turned towards the source of the shots- it was Taiyang Xiao Long, standing at the crest of a hill, aiming a large gun of his own down at the mechon below.
"Dad!" Ruby suddenly cheered up. "This suddenly took a turn for the awesome!"
"Can't get much better than that- unless, of course..." Yang considered.
"Alright, Beast, that's your cue!" Tai called- and with a yell, another man crested the hill and rushed down, effortlessly dodging a mechon that attempted to accost him and slicing it in half with the curved sword in his hand. As if dancing, he twirled and cut another down before turning to face the troop.
"UNCLE QROW?!" Ruby and Yang gasped.
"Okay, this is officially the best thing ever!" Ruby beamed with stars in her eyes.
"...There are worse times he could have turned up," Winter reluctantly admitted.
"There certainly are," Qrow teased.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Qrow greeted. "Looks like we showed up just in time!" He punctuated this by turning and slashing through another mechon, at last jolting the others to action- Ruby, as ever, opened by enchanting the others' weapons.
"Wait, that's right!" Velvet realized. "She hadn't enchanted their weapons yet- how was his cutting through?"
"Hmm... at a cursory glance, while he is cutting through their armor, it's not quite as efficient as Crescent Rose or an enchanted weapon," Ozpin observed. "I suspect his weapon is made of a special metal or alloy that can cut through armor, but still needs an enchantment to be used to its full potential."
The appearance of Tai and Qrow greatly boosted the team's morale, and they rushed in, smashing mechon right and left- yet for everyone that fell, another took its place, and all the enchantments in the world made it no easier to fight the faced ones.
"Dammit, there's no end to them!" Yang growled.
"The smaller ones are no problem," Blake grunted as a well-placed thunder bullet took out three mechon at once, "but the large ones will be like fighting Torchwick over and over!"
Ruby bit her lip. "If only Crescent Rose would work on these things!"
Ravcn very much wanted to chip in with a comment about wishing in one hand and shitting in the other, but was well aware that she'd just get shouted down again, so decided not to waste her breath.
Qrow made a similar point anyways. "No time to worry about could-haves or should-haves! We have to stay in the now if we want out of this alive!"
Metal Face cackled again. "Look at you all, struggling to cling to your pathetic lives."
"Have a look at this, you junkheap!" Tai roared, managing to get up close and fire a shot- that she managed to deflect with her sword.
"Is that all you have, fool?" she taunted again.
"Crap," Tai gritted his teeth. "Running out of ideas..."
"Try this!" Qrow yelled, rushing forward and attacking Metal Face with his sword- she blocked again, and despite cutting through the other mechon with relative ease, it made no such headway against her.
"Tell me," Metal Face sneered, "how does it feel to be such a pathetic hero?"
"It almost seems like she's got some personal beef with him," Sun considered.
"Well, he is the symbol of resistance against her kind," Blake considered. "I doubt she'd look happily at him."
"Yeah, I get that," Sun scratched the back of his head. "It just feels like there's something... more."
With a swish of her sword, Qrow was forced back. "That must hurt," she continued to taunt. "It hurts because Crescent Rose won't work for a bunch of losers like you!"
Qrow narrowly dodged another swing. "What the hell are you?"
"Save it, I'm not interested," Metal Face dismissed. "You worms need to learn when you've been stepped on!"
She bowed slightly, revealing the massive cannon on her back, charging up a large blast.
"Everyone, fall back!" Qrow quickly ordered.
"Won't do any good!" Metal Face taunted. "Your little journey ends-"
A bolt of lightning seemed to descend from the heavens, striking Metal Face and throwing off her aim. "What the-"
"Good... more deus ex whatever-the-crap," Torchwick rolled his eyes.
"Did Zeus decide to take our side?" Nora grinned.
"That... isn't Zeus," Ren shook his head.
It was a great beast in the skies- not quite a bird, though it did have wings. It was difficult to make out any details as it soared quickly around and fired another bolt, destroying one mechon after another.
"A telethia?!" Metal Face almost seemed to yelp, keeping her gaze on it lest it turn its ferocity on her next.
"Telethia? Never heard of anything like that," Neptune shook his head.
Everyone turned expectantly to Ozpin, who calmly took a drink of his coffee before declaring, "Nor have I."
Everyone fell over.
Ruby seized her chance, rushing forward and bringing down Crescent Rose on Metal Face's arm. She forced it not to plink off again, forcing it against the arm, fighting with all she could to push it further... further... miraculously, a small dent actually did start to form in the armor, a fact that threw Metal Face off as much as any other.
"How... how are you..." she gaped.
"That is a whole new level of 'done-with-your-shit,'" Yang stared.
"Yeah, but it's still not doing any damage," Ruby pointed out nervously.
Ruby shut everything else out, nothing mattered but pressing Crescent Rose as far into this damn mechon as she
*FLASH!*
Ruby and a band of others, including Yang, Blake, Qrow, and a young woman with long white hair in a sidetail stood on a balcony, overlooking a vast sea. In the distance was a colossal horn. "We must be right outside the tower..." Blake observed.
*FLASH!*
They all stood before a towering old woman, her hands bound to a circle behind her back. "Welcome," she greeted, "true heir to the Monado."
An elderly man knelt before her, and the sidetailed girl ran to his side. "Grandfather!"
*FLASH!*
Metal Face was there, taunting them. "Weak... weak and pathetic!"
Qrow drew his weapon to defend against her. "What... or who are you?!"
*FLASH!*
Crescent Rose changed form as Ruby held it aloft. "You will pay for what you've done!" she cried as she swung- Metal Face's armor immediately gave way.
She screamed, but Ruby had no mercy left in her, advancing with fire in her eyes, readying for the killing stroke. "You will know the pain you caused Jaune and the Emperor!"
*FLASH!*
There was another faced mechon, one in golden armor. Another strike from Crescent Rose was enough to destroy that armor, revealing something lurking within...
*FLASH!*
Ruby finally returned to the present, caught completely off guard by everything she'd seen. "Another one?"
Everyone stared at the screen for a long time. "There... is so much to unpack there, that I don't know where to begin," Blake finally began.
"Um... Weiss is gonna show up later!" Nora pointed out. "I don't know about you, that's what I got from all that!"
"I was busy seeing a Crescent Rose that can cut through the faced armor!" Yang grinned, smashing her fists together. "Let's go!"
"Can we worry about this later?" Whitley interjected again. "Must I keep pointing out that we are in the middle of a fight?!"
The shock caused her to pull back- she was forced to burst into petals again to avoid another swing of Metal Face's sword, before she took off from the ground.
"Enough of this," she spat. "You got lucky this time, brats! Next time, your head is mine!"
Even as she took off, Ruby and Yang pursued. "NO! YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY AGAIN!" Ruby screamed.
"Ruby, Yang, let her go!" Qrow ordered.
The sisters turned back to him with looks of indignation. "Are you kidding me?!" Yang roared. "That's the bitch that killed Jaune!"
"I know," Qrow nodded. "But you can't catch up to her- not on foot. Don't worry- we'll get another chance."
Ruby looked down, eyes closed, breathing deep. Slowly, Crescent Rose folded back into itself, signalling her resignation. "Fine..."
Qrow looked up at the beast Metal Face had dubbed a 'telethia.' "Never heard of a telethia before, but it saved us... whatever it was."
"Are we gonna get an answer on that anytime soon?" Velvet asked.
"You might get more questions," Jack chuckled, pointing at the screen.
The telethia flew off to a distant cliff, where a young woman was waiting for it- she patted it on the head as if it were an oversized dog. She was dressed very oddly, with a pink bow in her hair matching a pink pinafore that clashed horribly with her large yellow boots. Her hair was a bright red, and fell around a pair of emerald green eyes that lit up as she leaned against the beast, whispering to it. "You did well. How is Ruby?"
A moment passed as the telethia groaned. Whatever she heard, the woman seemed satisfied. "Good... good. Still, there is much to be done."
With that, the world faded to black.
"Wait, so... Penny sent the telethawhatever?" Ruby calculated.
"That would seem to be what was implied," Winter agreed.
"Well, I am certainly happy I was able to help my friends!" Penny grinned.
"Ah, all this power of friendship crap is giving me diabetes," Torchwick grumbled. "What say we try another world for a bit?"
"Harsh, but that was the plan," Jack agreed- just before his phone rang. "Oh, hold on, that'll be Tom at the door!"
He rushed out briefly- they heard him on the landing beneath. "Hey, Tommy, how's tricks?"
"Oh, nothin' much, thought I'd stop by and watch some flicks with ya- oh, I picked up some stragglers, while I was at it."
"So I heard! Just... don't tell V, I think she's already trying to kill Lana."
"Eh, must be Tuesday."
A moment later, Jack returned with a young black man who maintained an amused grin as he took in everyone.
"Everybody, this is Tom Legrasse, my brother from another mother!" Jack eagerly introduced.
"And, as I'm guessin' you heard, I've got some more guests with me," Tom grinned.
There was a thudding as four more people ascended the steps.
"Ruby, Yang?"
"DAD!" The sisters leapt to their feet and tackled Taiyang Xiao Long in a bear hug.
"First he turns up to save us from Metal Face, now he's here for real!" Ruby squealed.
"'Metal Face?' What are you- Qrow? You too? And-" Tai fell silent when he noticed a certain woman currently pinned beneath a large cat.
"Hello, Tai..." Raven greeted coldly.
Tai stepped to the side wordlessly, and behind him came another familiar face from the world they'd just been watching- a familiar, bandaged face. "This is certainly beyond anything I- Ozpin? Winter? Penny?"
"Commander!" Winter leapt to her feet and bowed promptly, to much eye-rolling from Qrow.
"Hello, Commander!" Penny waved cheerily. "We have much to discuss!"
"So I see..." Ironwood agreed, taking everything in.
The footsteps that followed were very loud, astwo more people appeared- a large man with a hairy, muscular chest well shown off by his fur coat, and a woman with cat ears behind. "Dear me, Kali, what have you gotten us into this-" Both of them froze as they took in the scene, blind to all except the young cat faunus on the couch.
"Blake?" the woman said throatily.
All of Team RWBY turned to see Blake flushing violently. "Hello... Mom. Dad."
XXXX
It ended up being the longer option. I suppose it goes without saying why I brought in Tai and Ironwood- Tai especially has some important parts to play in the future. But Ghira and Kali... not so much. Why bring them in, then? Well... let's just say that Blake might need the extra support. You'll get it soon. How soon, I don't know. Probably quicker with reviews. I don't wish to complain too much, but it does wear on one's motivation to write when it's not in any way apparent that the story is even being read. Still, my schedule is taking a turn, and I don't have to write the next couple episodes entirely from scratch, so it will probably be sooner rather than later regardless. If you want to see this story come faster, become better, or just have some thoughts you wanna drop, go ahead and drop 'em in a review, and until next time, don't you dare go hollow- Gamer4 out!