Hey everyone! Yes, I'm finally back with another chapter. Again, I apologize for the long gaps in updates. I'm finally transitioning from Army Active Duty to the Army Reserves. So I'll have a lot more free time on my schedule.

Anyway, this chapter is a decent size; a bit more worldbuilding and more familiar faces showing up.

Without further abo, please enjoy Little Red chapter 8.

"Rain Brighthart," Ruby reads the records of the first Silver Eyed Warrior to appear in this timeline. She sits alone in UnVale's archive room, eyes glued to a bright computer screen as they shift right to left; reading the contents of the records before her. Rows of servers fill the room with a hum, each machine storing the last remaining records of this dying world.

"This…Rain guy. He was the first Silver Eye Warrior… Like mom said…" Ruby mutters to herself as she reads on. "Private Brighthart was an infantryman in the 801st Infantry Division. His battalion was tasked with maintaining defense along Mt. Glen. On friday, approximately 02:00, Vanguard battalion was attacked and overran by grimm and Mistrian forces."

"Wait… Mt. Glen? Mistral was that close to Vale?" Ruby is no expert when it comes to military warfare stuff, but given her experience with the grimm, she could definitely see how Mistral had the upper hand on Vale. She continues scrolling through the report, skimming as she goes. "Private Brighthart stated upon experiencing the mass deaths of other service members, he felt a sudden headache and a strange "energy" building within himself. He claims to have seen a sudden burst of white before blacking out."

"A burst of white…." Yeah, that sounds too familiar. Ruby's mind goes back to when she saw Pyrrha die; how her body withered away into amber and ash. The same sudden, pounding headache and the burst of white before she passed out. "His silver eyes awakened… Like mine."

"Reading about Rain, are you?" A sudden female comes from behind her.

"WHA!" Ruby jumps out of her seat with a yell and falls on the stone floor. Heart pounding like a race engine, she snaps her gazes towards the source of the voice. It's Summer. "Mom!"

"I've told you, it's Summer. Also…sorry," Summer apologizes sheepishly and rubs the back of her neck.

Ruby places her hand over her racing heart, taking a few deep breaths in the attempt to calm down. "Please… Never do that again."

"How else am I supposed to get your attention?"

"I don't know. Maybe knock or let me know you are coming in the room?"

"Imma ghost…"

"Eh!" Ruby pauses, she had completely forgotten that this Summer is, well, dead. "Oh, right…"

Summer bringers her attention back to the computer screen. "So, the wizard gave you access to their files, hm?"

Ruby gets up, sweeping the dust off her clothes. "Yeah. Professor Oz- I mean, Ozpin, gave me access to a lot of stuff about silver eyes. I wonder if they're any different from the ones in my world."

"What are Silver Eye Warriors like in your world?" Summer asks curiously.

"I…" Ruby pauses for a moment. "I don't know…"

Summer raises an eyebrow. "No one ever taught you?"

"Well, only one person. Her name is Maria and she's also a Silver Eye Warrior. Well, her eyes were injured in a fight, so she can't use them anymore."

"Hm," Summer crosses her arms, taking a moment to think over what Ruby had said. "Are there any records of Silver Eye Warriors?"

"Uh, no. I don't think so?" Ruby scratches the back of her head. "To be honest, no one really knew that they existed. Maria said that her dad tried finding information about them, but turned up empty handed."

"I see. And what about your Ozpin? Did he know anything about them?"

"Oh… Um. I…didn't think to ask him…"

Summer blinks with surprise. "Seriously? Okay. What about this Maria person you've mentioned? What did she tell you about them?

"Well. Mmm." Ruby crosses her arms and tilts her head as she takes a moment to recall Her conversation with Maria. "Well… She told me that our eyes came from the Brother of Light."

Summer listens intently. "Mhm"

"And…uh, it's emotional. And wanting to protect people is what gives us power. But…it only works around grimm."

"Uhhh," Summer starts. "S'that it?"

Ruby pauses before nodding slowly. "That's it."

Summer hangs her head with a heavy sigh. "Oh boy…"

"W-What?! Was she wrong?"

"Ehhh. I'm afraid your teacher….barely scratched the surface."

Ruby cocks her head with a lost gaze. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, silver eyes don't only work around grimm. You…saw it yourself."

Ruby thinks back to the frantic escape from Little Red; how the world around them seemed to bend to her will. Grimm. Nature. Aura. Even Dust; when it was used against her. "She…was like a maiden."

"I don't think even a maiden can do what she does."

"A god? Or goddess?"

"That's…over exaggerating it."

"Okay? What can we call her?"

"That doesn't matter right now. The point is that silver eyes can do more than hurt grimm."

"I…don't understand. If our eyes came from the God of Light, then how is Red able to control the grimm?" Ruby asks, clearly confused on the topic about the mysterious power in her eyes. "If this Remnant is anything like mine, then the grimm came from the God of Darkness; they're supposed to represent destruction, right? So…how can something that's meant to save lives, control something that is meant to destroy us?"

"That's something I've been wondering about myself. No other silver eye warrior in history was known to do that," Summer answers thoughtfully. "Hold on, let's back up a moment. You said silver eyes came from the God of Light, right?"

"Well…" Ruby starts, remembering how this revelation was brought to her. "Yeah… At least that's what Maria told me."

"Didn't you say there weren't any records about silver eyes? How did she find that out?"

"Well, long story short, we found out from a relic called the Lamp of Knowledge."

"Oh. Another one of those relic things you've mentioned? Judging by the name, I take this one…uh…teach you things?"

"Mmm, yeah, pretty much. It has a genie named Jinn. You can ask her any question you want and she'll answer them. But you can only ask her three questions. We asked her a question about our Ozpin and she showed us the old world he and Salem lived in. During the flashback, the Brothers got into a fight because of Salem. Maria noticed the God of Light doing that light wave thing we do."

"Hm, I see." Summer takes in what she is told. "Wait… This…Jinn. She can answer any question, right? She basically knows everything?"

Ruby nods innocently. "I mean, it's literally in the name."

"No silver eyes records…" Summer mutters to herself, narrowing her eyes narrow for a moment. "Why didn't you…"

"Hm?" Ruby tilts her head slightly at Summer's mumbling. "What was that?"

"Oh… Nothing." Summer waves it off. "As of our eyes, some believe it came from the gods too; given what we're capable of."

Ruby's eyes light up a bit, her curiosity pique. "What can you do? Can you show me?"

"Well… I wish I could, but…" Summer starts, gesturing to her apparition. "No physical body… But I can try to teach you how to summon a weapon.."

"Really? You will?"

Summer nods. "But first, how do you normally activate your eyes?"

"I think about my family and friends; all the memories I share with them. I think about how much I want to protect them."

Summer raises an eyebrow. "That's it? Anything else?"

"Umm… Nope. That's it. It usually works… sometimes…"

"Sometimes?" Summer blinks in slight disbelief. "Hm. Let's try something. Hold out your hand."

"Um, okay," Ruby obediently replies and stretches out her hand.

"Close your eyes and think about your loved ones. Those you want to protect."

Ruby does what she's told. Closing her eyes, she focuses her thoughts on her team, the remainder of JNPR, her dad, uncle, Oscar, everyone she considered her friend. That all too familiar sense of power begins to creep up inside her, building as it reaches her eyes. "I…can feel it."

"Now try to envision a weapon in your hands. Any weapon at all."

Ruby focuses, her one and only weapon coming to mind; Crescent Rose. In the darkness under her eyelids, Ruby begins to see small rays of light gather into one spot, slowly taking the shape of a familiar looking scythe. She couldn't believe what she's doing. "I-I see something that looks like my Crescent Rose! What do I do next?!"

"Crescent Rose…" Summer repeats to herself with a somber chuckle before issuing the next step. "Now… Think about your enemies…"

Ruby jerks her head back slightly, almost breaking her concentration. "What?"

"You heard me," Summer replies, her tone firm and serious. "Think deeply about them, Ruby. Think of all the pain they've caused you, loved ones they have taken, and what they have done to your world. And what they will do if they're not stopped."

"I-I don't think-"

"Do it!" Summer suddenly shouts, making Ruby jump and tense up.

Ruby thinks hard, reluctantly forcing herself to dig up memories she had kept buried in the deepest depths of her mind. One by one, those memories resurface; starting with Penny being violently ripped apart during the Vytal Festival tournament, Pyrrha burned to ashes by Cinder, Yang losing her arm during the Fall of Beacon, Qrow being poisoned by Tyrian, betrayed by Leonhart and ambushed by Salem's people at Haven, Penny being framed for Tyrian and Watts' attack at Robyn's victory party, and Atlas falling.

Ruby fidgets and her mind begins to cloud, as if actively trying to shut her out. It doesn't want her to reminisce.

"Focus!"

"I-I can't… I CAN'T!" Ruby opens her eyes quickly, making all the bad memories fade back to the dark corners of her mind. She places her hands on the computer console, leaning against it as she heaves a bit with a light sweat. She didn't realize she was instinctively holding her breath. This isn't how silver eyes are supposed to work.

"Hm," Summer hums softly as she observes Ruby. "I see now."

"See what?!" Ruby snaps with an air of frustration. "What did I do wrong?!"

Summer stares at the irritated girl for a moment, like a teacher studying the actions of her student. "Something…is missing."

"Huh?" Ruby blinks. "What's missing?"

Summer sighs. "Why did you become a huntress?"

"Uh…" Ruby starts, completely thrown off by the sudden question. "I…wanted to help people."

"Why do you want to help people?"

"My…parents always taught me and Yang as kids to help people. Mom and dad were huntsmen, so I wanted to be like them. …And like the heroes in the storybooks." Ruby says the last part sheepishly.

Summer's gaze softens for a moment after hearing Ruby's storybook statement, but quickly shifts back to being firm. "You want to protect and save people."

"Yes," Ruby answers.

"How will you do it?"

"I'll… I'll fight."

"How far are you willing to go with that?"

"What do you mean?"

"How far are you willing to go for the ones you love? What will you do for them?"

Ruby goes silent as the question sinks in.

"Huntsmen in your Remnant may be different from the ones here, but you've chose to become one, you weren't forced at a young age. That said, you're also a Silver Eye Warrior, which places an even bigger target on your back. You have the desire to save and protect, but do you have the conviction to stand behind your choices to do so?"

"Conviction…" Ruby repeats in a low tone as she stares blankly at the floor.

"You've mentioned that you're the leader of your own team," Summer continues. "I was too. I was a commander, a captain. I've spearheaded plenty of battles during the Great War, even the assault that granted the alliance a foothold in Anima; making us one step closer to ending the war. I knew that my daughters getting dragged into the war was inevitable, so I wanted to help end the war as soon as possible; so they wouldn't have to spend the rest of their lives in it. I convinced myself that I was gonna do whatever it took and keep moving forward. Not only for them, but for the troops and huntsmen that followed behind me and for future generations."

Keep moving forward. Ruby slowly lifts her head, making eye contact with Summer. "You said that to Little Red… In my dream."

"I did…" Summer says somberly, her mouth drooping to a small frown. "To…use our power, we have to understand what makes it work. Yes, it's emotional, but also mental. There are three steps."

Ruby listens intently.

Summer holds up a finger for each step. "First, we think about those we love and the memories we share with them; easy enough. Second, and the most challenging, think about those that are against you. Those that threaten to take away what you love. It doesn't always have to be a grimm, grimm are too easy. It can be another person, a foreign kingdom, …your own child. And lastly, convince yourself. Believe in what you're fighting for and what you'll do to get it."

Ruby takes a moment to process Summer's words. "So…I just need to convince myself?

"You need to get past the second step first," Summer tells her. "As I've said, the first step is easy, but you're only giving your power one-third of what it needs. I saw how you've reacted when you tried digging up your troubled memories. You're struggling with them."

"I…" Ruby pauses for a moment. "I don't wanna think about them… So much has happened in my world… I've tried leading my team. Tried thinking of what we should do. I've even taken childish risks. To be honest, deep down, I was lost…and scared. I didn't know what to do, but I didn't want to show it. And because of me, lives were ruined…"

A brief moment of silence lingers between the two as Summer expression softens for Ruby. "You'll have to face those memories sooner or later, Ruby. Without conviction, you'll be aimless and your power will never listen to you."

Ruby gazes at the floor, letting Summer's words sink in once more. But then a question and a sudden realization comes to her. "Wait. Everything you've told me, about how silver eyes work. Little Red. Do… Do you think she…"

Summer closes her eyes, pressing her lips together and sighing quietly, as if this was something she didn't want to admit. "Believe in what she's doing? Yes… How she came to this, I… I don't know. If I could, I'd ask her. But a part of me doesn't want to know."

Before Ruby could ask anything else, the door leading to the hallway creaks open. Jumping at the sudden sound, Ruby whips around and sees Jaune entering the archive room. "Jaune?" Ruby says to herself as she blinks out of her surprise. She looks back to Summer only to find an empty space. She…disappeared again.

"...Here." Jaune speaks with a monotone as he hands Ruby a plastic bag with something bulging in it. He avoids making eye contact with her. "This is for you."

"What is it?" Ruby says with a curious gaze before taking the bag.

"It's a sorcerer's cloak," Jaune answers plainly. "The wizard wants to see you again, but we might have a problem escorting you back."

"A problem? What kind of problem?"

"Blake will explain when she gets here. Get dressed, I'll wait outside." With that, Jaune turns around and heads for the door.

"Wait, Jaune!" Ruby calls out abruptly, slight surprise that he actually stopped.

"What is it?" Jaune answers without turning around.

Ruby pauses for a moment. What exactly is she planning to say to him? She can't exactly speak with him as she does with her Jaune. With very little of what she could say to this Jaune, one thing comes to mind; something that's been gnawing at her. "I'm… I'm sorry about Ren. I wish… I wish we could've saved him…"

A moment of silence lingers between the two; which, to Ruby, feels like an eternity. She waits for his answer with baited breath, internally starting to regret even bringing up Ren's death.

Jaune lets out a small sigh. "Don't apologize. You didn't kill him."

"But I also couldn't save him."

"Could anyone save him?" Jaune asks as he finally turns around to face her. Their eyes finally meet and Ruby's heart sinks. His eyes are a dull blue, lacking that courageous shine and strength she normally sees from her Jaune. She would say that he looks sad, depressed even. But something tells her that he is far beyond that. "Blake told me everything that happened."

"Do you hate her? The other me?"

Jaune gives a small sigh and adverts his eyes to the side. "I did at first. But now… I don't know."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"When you spend enough time hiding down here, you'll start thinking about things," he answers. "I wasn't just angry towards Ruby, I was angry towards a lot of stuff. The Great War, my family fighting in it, Pyrrha… I still wonder how exactly it all started. How can a war last for a hundred years? Why did it go on for that long? Why do we have to keep fighting it?"

Ruby's thoughts flashback to Pyrrha, remembering the twisted grimm imitation that Red had sent after them. Does he know about that? "Pyrrha… Your Pyrrha… How…did she die? Was it Little Red?

He slowly shakes his head. "The Great War. Cinder Fall killed her…"

Ruby's eyes widen, gasping silently with her hand over her mouth. Cinder Fall killed Pyrrha in this world too?

"What about your Pyrrha? Is she still alive?"

Ruby frowns. "No… Cinder killed her too."

"Even in another world, huh?" Jaune says absent-mindedly to himself before looking back to Ruby. "Did the other me see it?"

"No, I did. I went to help her, but when I got there…it was too late."

"How is he handling it?"

"Well… It did hit him pretty hard, probably harder than the rest of us. But he seems to be doing fine now. I think."

"What was their relationship?"

"My Jaune and Pyrrha? Uh, they were just friends."

"Just friends…. So they never got past that."

"Well, no, they didn't. You guys did?

"She was my girlfriend…"

"Oh…"

" What about his family? How are they?"

"Jaune didn't talk about his family much. I did get a chance to meet Saphron though."

Jaune falls silent for the moment, his dull eyes staring off into space with a hurting look before he speaks again. "How is she doing? Is she a huntress or a soldier?"

"Neither," Ruby tells him. "She's married and has a family."

Jaune jerks his gaze back to her, staring as if she had just spoken another language. "She has a family?" Almost immediately after he said that, the straight face he tried to wear cracks and tears begin to run down his cheeks.

"Uh…" Ruby freezes, not expecting something like this to happen. Naturally, she moves to console him. "You okay, Jaune?"

"I'm fine…" Jaune puts out his hand to stop her while wiping his tears on his sleeve. "Sorry. It's just that…my Saphron always said she wanted to settle down and have a family. But…she died before she could even have that chance."

"The Great War?"

He nods. "Like I said before, my family has been fighting for a long time. My father, my grandfather, and his father before him. My mother, grandmother, and her mother. Everyone contributed to the war."

"So, if someone doesn't have a semblance, they're safe, right?"

Jaune shakes his head. "That didn't matter. If you were an able body, they'd draft you." He falls silent for a moment, his eyes holding on to that hurt expression. "Most of my family is gone… The only ones left are me and the only sister I have left."

Silence lingers between them again. Ruby presses her lips together and stares at the floor; searching for any invisible words that may tell her what to say.

Come on, don't just stand there, say SOMETHING to him!

She tries pushing herself to speak, but her mind draws a blank. Memories of her Jaune comes back to her. When he was at his lowest point after Pyrrha's death, there wasn't much she could think to say to him. In fact, Ren and Nora seemed to have done more comforting than she could've. Now, she's with this Jaune; who has his own share of losses. She can feel it eating her up inside.

"Going back to your question," Jaune breaks the lingering ice. "You asked if I hated Little Red. I said that I did at first. Yeah, I felt hurt and betrayed, like everyone else. But when I tried focusing my hatred towards her, all I could think about was who she used to be; when we trained at Beacon and fought together in the war. Just like everyone else, she had her own losses and problems. Once I thought about that, I started thinking about the war as a whole and the effect it had on people. I don't know why she chose to do what she's doing, nor am I condoning it. It's…hard to hate someone who's been through hell with you. To be honest, I'd like to believe that the Ruby I know is dead, and whoever that is isn't my Ruby."

Before Ruby could say anything else, the archive room door creaks open with a pair of boot heels clacking the floor. Blake approaches the pair, deep in thought with contemplation and concern. She notices Jaune and her eyebrow raises with surprise.

"You're talking with her? I wasn't expecting that from you, Jaune."

"What did you find out?" Jaune asks.

Blake nods, her expression turning serious again. "Transportation is down, for good it seems. We'll have to take the streets."

"So we're actually gonna risk it."

"What other choice do we have? Some of the Vault's functions are failing. As long as she wears the cloak and keeps her face hidden, we'll be fine."

"I guess, but…"

"Wait, what's going on?" Ruby cuts in, completely lost to the subject for their exchange. "What risk? What's happening with the Vault? Why do I have to hide my face?"

Blake and Jaune give each other a quick glance.

"We can't take the skyrail anymore," Blake answers first. "We'll have to navigate through the city itself."

"Why?"

"Because UnVale is trying to reserve as much energy as possible." Jaune replies. "That means drawing less aura from the planet; making less Dust. The Vault was designed to run off of said aura. In fact, this place was meant to give refuge to civilians and a second base to the army in case Mistral reached the kingdom and turned it into another battlefield."

"How long was this place supposed to last?"

"Indefinitely," Blake says. "The amount of aura within Remnant was believed to be unfathomable; so it never ran out. But… you've heard what the Wizard said yesterday."

Wait? Yesterday? How much time has passed since I've been down here?

Without a sky to gaze up at, her sense of time has definitely gotten away from her. Ruby refocuse on the subject, thinking back to what Ozpin said during the large meeting they had. He said Remnant is dying because Little Red is draining its aura. She thinks back to how gray and lifeless the world looked; a world seeming without color and presence of life. Even the weather seemed non-existent. Empty. Nothing. Adding all of that with what Blake and Jaune just told her, Ruby quickly begins to realize that this bunker, Vault, underground city, what have you, wasn't meant to survive something like this.

Ruby pulls the black sorcerer's cloak out of the bag Jaune gave her. She holds it out in front of her, looking it up and down before taking note of a thin veil attached to the face of the hood. "So… Why do I have to hide my face?"

"Really?" Blake raises an eyebrow. "You seriously forgot? What happened when Adam found you on the west side of Mt. Glen? Or when help came to rescue us? Did you forget what Yang did to you in your cell? Or how everyone reacted to you at the meeting?"

Ruby pauses, getting her point. "I… Oh."

"Taking you out on the streets, amongst the populace, is a really big risk," Jaune says. "If anyone sees you, or a number of people sees you, things will get bad instantly."

"People are already on edge now. We really don't want to add more fuel to that fire," Blake says with a tired sigh before stepping off towards the door. "Hurry up and put that on. We've kept the Wizard waiting long enough."

The dim, dank streets of UnVale are narrow and crowded.

Ruby follows behind Blake through the crowd with Jaune tailing right behind her. The trio maneuver and squeeze through gaps in the bustling crowd of people, taking any path with the least resistance. Ruby's eyes can't stop shifting and wondering, taking in the sight and atmosphere of the undercity. To be frank, she isn't gawking because she is sightseeing something incredible. It's actually the opposite.

The architecture of the undercity seems…unreal, almost like a dystopian fantasy to Ruby. Mantle, even with its poor living conditions, seemed like a step up compared to this place. Like with any city, the buildings are tall and close together. Their structure is made entirely of metal with stone covering the buildings, acting as a thick shell for the city. To Ruby, it seems as if the city is a part of the underground chasm. Glass tubes of yellow liquid dust run along the city walls and bridges, lighting the streets with enough visibility for people to see. Ruby sees an emerald green glow radiate in the distance, seeming reaching up and basking the undercity in an emerald hue.

The air is stale and dense; the present humidity adding discomfort and an unpleasant smell. Ruby notices plants and small trees throughout the city, some of them turning brown and wilting while others are already dead. The patrons of the city seem to be feeling the effects of this environment, some of their expressions ranging from tired and irritable to fearful and defeated looks. A few shift their gazes towards Ruby as she passes by, making her shrink behind the thin layer of protection of her sorcerer's cloak.

Glad they can't see my face.

Ruby brings her attention to an apartment building, seeing an older man sitting outside his door in a wheelchair. The man has an oxygen tank sitting next to him, his breath slightly fogging up the oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose. His legs are gone; leaving behind two stubs in their place. Spots of third degree burns are present on his arms and face, ugly scars forever printed on his body. His eyes look almost vacant-like, staring off into space as he slouches in defeat in his wheelchair.

"Not much of a safe haven, is it?" Blake asks, pulling Ruby out of her staring.

"What happened to him?"

"Devil Breath," Jaune answers, gesturing to the man's burns. "A survivor of Mistral's explosive gas attacks."

"There are many others like him," Blake adds. "Great War survivors who can't contribute to the Dark War; can't defend their home from Little Red."

Jaune shakes his head in disagreement. "I don't think anyone would call this place home."

"What other problems do people face down here?" Ruby asks.

"We're breathing one of them right now," Blake motions to the stale air. "Because of the aura reservation, the Vault's ventilation system isn't operating as efficiently as it should, leading to poor air circulation and humidity."

"That's small compared to the food and water shortages," Jaune says. "With very little Dust, we're struggling to keep our agricultural areas alive."

"You guys have an underground farm down here?!" Ruby asks surprisingly while trying to keep her voice down from the surrounding passersby.. .

"We did say UnVale was built to last," Blake replies. "You can say it's a second city built underneath Vale."

As the trio descend some stairs and round a corner to a wider and more spacious area of the city, they come across a crowd of people lined up in front of rows of trucks. Men and women, young and old, wait anxiously as soldiers unload boxes of food and water from the trucks and set them up in preparation for delivery.

"Speaking of rations," Jaune said, pointing to an officer of higher rank with a megaphone.

The officer licks his lips before speaking into the megaphone with a blaring buzz. "Ladies and gentlemen, sorry to have kept you waiting. We will now hand out your daily supply of rations. Please have your ration cards ready and come through in single file lines. No pushing please. Help us make this process as smooth and easy as possible."

After those set of instructions, citizens begin to file through the lines, receiving long awaited rations and water. The look of desperation and need in their eyes and the way some of them even cradle their boxes close to their chest speaks volumes to Ruby. In truth, being who she is, she wishes she was up there taking part of this humanitarian work, greeting people with a warm smile and giving them what they need.

But…

"Hey!" A man shouts after receiving his box of rations a few seconds before. "Why is there less than last time?"

A commotion slowly begins to stir within the crowd as individuals and families who've received their boxes notice the amount they are given.

"We understand all of your concerns about your rations," the officer tries to quell their rising frustrations. "But by orders of our higher chain of command, we have to cut down on rations."

"What?!" A woman shouts as her frustration peaks. "Last week, I've that my rations seemed shorter than usual, but I didn't think much of it! Why are you cutting us short?!"

The officer licks his lips nervously. "Please try to stay calm and listen, everyone. Due to current circumstances, this is the plan of action we've deemed necessary to take."

"What kind of circumstance!?" Another man shouts.

"I'm sorry. That information is confidential."

"Confidential?!" Another woman bellows. "We're down here living like moles with the apocalypse happening above us, and you want to be tight lipped?! "

"Guys…" Jaune says with an air of caution in his voice. A riot is brewing; one driven by fear, hunger, and anger. "We should go. Now."

The crowd of hungry and desperate civilians quickly transforms into an angry, swearing mob. The officer backs towards his line of soldiers, stilling trying to reason with the people they've swore to protect.

"Everyone, please listen- ARGH!" An empty glass bottle flies from the mob and blindsides the officer, smashing against the side of his face with an audible crash.

Almost immediately, two pairs of hands reach out from behind the line of soldiers, grabbing hold of the officer, and yanking him back to safety. It's Sun and Neptune. More objects come hurling towards the soldiers, from more empty bottles, bricks, and anything people can get their hands on.

"Dude! Are they seriously throwing stuff!?" Neptune yells as he and Sun drag the bleeding officer away from the line.

"Defenders, what are you waiting for?! Get out there!" Sun yells to the back. Men and women covered head to toe in protective military gear, sprint to the front of the chaos, forming a wall with numerous riot shields. Amongst their numbers, Ruby notices a face she hadn't seen since her Beacon days. Cardin Winchester.

"Here they come! Hold the line! Hold the line!" Cardin shouts to Team CRDL and the soldiers. The mob charges in full force, slamming into the shields to break through and take what they believe is theirs.

"Oh my god…" Ruby watches wide eyed and slack-jawed, unable to tear her eyes away as the crowd push and bang against the wall of defenders. "We gotta help them!"

"No!" Jaune rejects the idea. "We need to go! Now!"

"We can't just leave them! What if they get overrun?!"

"And what if someone rips off your cloak?! Did you forget about that?!" Blake retorts.

Ruby jerks back slightly at the remark, knowing full well what would happen if people were to see her face. She hangs her head in defeat and sighs. "Okay…"

As the roaring mob continues to rumble and rage, Nora climbs on top of one of the military trucks, overlooking them with Magnhild in grenade launcher form and clutched in her hands. Locking and loading her weapon, she launches tear gas into the mob; clouds of smoke filling with cries and panicking as people try to disperse and steer clear of the eye burning gas.

The defenders push forward.

"How often does that happen?" Ruby asks, referring to the riot they've just witnessed as they continue their way up a flight of stairs and walking along the connecting bridges above the dank streets.

"That's the first time, actually," Blake answers with a worried look. "There has never been a riot until now."

"Yeah. Given the living conditions, it was only a matter of time until everyone's lids blew," Jaune adds. "Word about this is gonna spread like wildfire."

Blake sighs, sounding tired and looking like she aged ten more years. "We already have enough problems."

If that really was the first time a riot broke out; how many more will follow? Ruby lingers on this question along with what Jaune had said. Humidity, poor air, and hunger are definite recipes for disaster; enough to make tempers flare along with other negative emotions. Just like when Mantle-

Wait… Negative Emotions!

"Uh… Guys," Ruby speaks up with terrified realization written in her eyes. "The Grimm. Did people forget they'll attract them?"

"Sometimes I wonder…," Blake sighs with a shake of her head. "But lucky for us, this place is hidden."

"Hidden? Because we're underground?"

"No. The Grimm would've sensed us anyway," Jaune answers. "The Vault is covered by an auric field. It hides everyone's emotions. Just like…" He pauses, trailing off for a moment. "Just like Ren…"

"It may hide us from Little Red and the Grimm, but it doesn't hide the fact that we're down here." Blakes says.

"So… The city is basically covered by a giant version of Ren's semblance, right?" Ruby mulls over this new information, thinking back to how her Ren was able to cover the Argos train with Jaune's help. "How did you guys pull this off? Is it a person doing it? Maybe a group of people?"

Blake stops at the railing, pointing down towards a wide open area with a gigantic hole reaching deep into the planet. "This answers part of your question."

Ruby leans against the railing, gazes down at the gaping man made hole in awe. A metallic structure occupies the hole; metal walls reaching straight down with steel walkways and stairs creating layers that also travel deeper. Pipes, big and small, travel in angular ways as they reach out from the platform to the rest of the city. But the main thing that wow Ruby is the emerald green glow that radiates from the depths of the structure. Visible waves of green energy rise with a natural grace with specks of light that seem like billions of little stars.

It reminds her of when she fell into that weird ocean before ending up in this world.

"Whoa… What…is this?" Ruby gasps softly, her silver eyes shining with child-like curiosity like the sparkling emerald stars.

"We call it The Well, a lot shorter and easier to remember than the name the sorcerers gave it." Jaune says.

"What did they name it?"

Blake lowers her head with a chuckle. "The Wellspring Energy Life Line."

Ruby takes a moment to visualize the name. "Oh… W.E.L.L…"

"See?" Blake replies. "I don't know other specific details myself, but the general knowledge is that it draws up aura from Remnant to power the Vault. But…"

"It's drying up. Like Ozpin said." Ruby says.

Jaune nods. "If people find out, there will be far worse than that riot."

"Yeah…" Blake agrees sombrely. "And when the well does dry up, there's no more hiding."

Ruby looks back to the well. As mystic and spectacular this giant machine looks, to think it is a far cry from how it's suppose to be makes her wonder. Once again, her mind goes back to Little Red. All of this is happening because of her.

Before she could sink any deeper into her thoughts, a loud, fierce female roar along with a sudden deafening boom erupts from a short distance away. The trio jerk their heads towards it, seeing a cloud of smoke and lingering flames on an upper level of the chasm, where Ozpin is.

The streets below break out into a commotion of frightened screams and confused patrons bickering and pointing in the direction of the explosion.

"Oh no…" Jaune whispers with widened eyes and teeth gritting in panic. "Did she find us?"

Blake shakes her head in reassurance. "I know that yell from anywhere. It's…"

Ruby finishes for her, knowing her sister's voice better than anyone. "Yang…"

The upper level is complete pandemonium.

Loads of rushing footfalls and shouting voices adds an extra layer of tension to the commotion brewing. Ruby follows close behind Blake and Jaune, chasing after them as they lead the way to where Yang is believed to be. That battle cry. The destructive impact of the explosion. Is she fighting someone? Ruby narrowly escaped getting her brains splattered across her cell room wall. Just that experience alone is enough to tell her whoever chose to fight this version of her sister has a death wish. And just as she predicted, the familiar firing of Ember Celica and the clashing of metal indicates that the fight is still going on.

"YANG, WAIT!" A female voice screams at the top of her lungs over the ambience of combat.

That voice… Wait… Could that be?

The trio reaches the scene, pushing their way through soldiers, sorcerers, and huntsmen. As soon as they make it to the front, both Ruby and Blake's eyes widen with disbelief at what they see. Standing in front of everyone is Yang; her eyes burning their well-known crimson glow, hair lit ablaze, fists clenched tight with her mechanical arm steaming from use, and her golden aura radiating heat around her. But standing a few feet away from her, avoiding getting burned or worse, is Weiss.

"Weiss?" Ruby whispers upon seeing her closest teammate. Out of instinct, her body jolts forward, ready to run out there and tackle the heiress with a tight hug. But… a thought crosses her mind. And she remembers. This…might not be my Weiss.

"WEISS!" Blake screams, running out there and tackling the heiress with a hug. She clings on to her teammate tightly, crying into her neck without care. "We thought you were dead," Blake says through a sob after pulling away from her. "After Atlas… We… We thought you…"

Weiss shakes her head, a sign of hurt in her eyes at the mention of her destroyed home. "No. I was away when Ru- Little Red attacked. But let's talk about that later. We have to get Yang to calm down!"

Looking back to Yang, Ruby sees four people standing off against her and everyone else that came to deal with the commotion. Three of them wear hooded cloaks; a red figure standing between two black ones. The faces of the black figures are in full display, making no attempt to conceal their identities. One of them stands in the back of the group, a young woman of slender stature, dark skin, red eyes, and mint green hair. Her eyes dart back and forth between the group, looking to be very angsty with a pair of revolver-sickles clutched in her hand.

The second one, standing next to the red figure, is a tall and lanky man with a scorpion tail reaching out from under his cloak. A crooked and sadistic smile cracks across his lips as his piercing yellow eyes lurk from underneath his hood; oddly fixating on the faunus and Schnee, looking as if he's contemplating on breaking their sweet reunion.

"Emerald and Tyrian?!" Ruby immediately recognizes the two. As for the red cloaked figure, their face is hidden except for the chin. But given their slender and curvy shape immediately tells it is a woman. But what really catches her eye is the golden runes woven into the woman's cloaks. She feels as if she has seen them from somewhere. And lastly is the fourth person standing in front of the group, and one whose appearance Ruby also recognizes off the back. Long red sword, long black hair, and a mask that strongly resembles a grimm.

Yeah. There is no mistaking it.

"Raven?!"

Bickering and murmurs about the group spread amongst everyone that is present.

"That's Emerald Sustrai and Tyrian Callows."

"Two of the witch's assassins?"

"That's Raven Branwen!"

"The deserter?!"

"Last chance!" Yang warns them with a bellow, her aura burns hotter and brighter. "How did you find this place?! And why was Weiss with you?!"

"Yang! I can explain if you'd just calm down first!" Weiss suggests again.

"Calm down?! Have you forgotten who those people are, Weiss?!"

"No, I haven't! But that one with the grimm mask saved my life! Just let me talk!"

Raven lets out a small sigh and a chuckle. "You have your dad's strength, and my old temper."

Yang pauses before sending a crimson glare back at the masked woman. "And just who the fu-"

"That is enough Miss Xiao Long," an authoritative male voice calls out. Ozpin emerges from behind his flock of subordinates, with Glynda following close behind, and stands between Yang and the group of four.

"But Sir!'

"That is enough," Ozpin repeats himself but with a softer tone this time. "I completely understand your reaction to this situation. It is justified. But for the sake and wellbeing of the civilians, I will handle it from here."

Taking In his words, Yang reluctantly cools down; stepping back as Ozpin takes the stage.

"Raven Branwen," Ozpin addresses the former huntress in front of him. "It's been quite some time since you've…disappeared."

Raven stands silently.

"You're superior is talking to you, Huntress Branwen," Glynda spats with a sharp tongue. "Answer."

"I've stopped being your subordinate when I left Vale and the war behind."

"You know desertion during a time of war is punishable by death. Or life in imprisonment, if we're feeling merciful."

"Then kill me, if that would satisfy you."

Glynda grits her teeth at Raven's remark, parting her lips to say more, but Ozpin raises his hand to stop her.

"Then let's speak as individuals, instead of superior and subordinate. But first," Ozpin shifts his gaze to the red cloaked woman standing next to Tyrian. "I was hoping Little Red had dealt with you."

The woman in red gives a soft chuckle. "I hoped the same as well, with you of course. But frustratingly, she paid me a visit after she was done with your Atlesian allies." Her voice is soft spoken; casual but also holds an air of arrogance. "But since we're both still alive, it would be in our best interest to make a truce and… fight our common enemy?"

"A truce?" Ozpin repeats with a hint of disdain, tightening his grip on the head on his cane. "You've…betrayed my father. Betrayed our kingdom. Betrayed our faith. Caused disorderliness in Anima and took over Mistral. Then you've started your own selfish conquest that sparked everything leading up to now. And you have the nerve to recommend a truce?"

"Ironic, isn't it? It's only until Little Red is dealt with. And after that, well, perhaps we can discuss how to rebuild this world?

"You…" Ozpin seems to tremble a bit, a raging anger in his eyes that he's fighting to hold back.

"Little Ozpin. Ever trying to be a good boy," The woman sighs again, her arrogant tone becoming more serious. "Your long deceased father would never accept this proposal. But I think you would."

"You think to reason with me…"

"You're more realistic and rational than Ozma. I'll give you that. Why else would you partner with Atlas; a kingdom doesn't share Vale's religious dogma. I mean, as a former Lightbearer myself, that homunculus body of yours definitely violates the scriptures. Surely your father and the God of Light would be disappointed. Angered even.

"I did this because you've achieved immortality. I made this body so I can have time to stop you."

"And that's why it would be in our best interest to work together. We're willing to do what it takes to achieve what we want. And right now, we both want to get rid of that little red monster that's killing our world. And I want my grimm back, of course."

Her grimm? Ruby blinks with slight confusion. Her voice sounds familiar too. Who is this?

The woman finally removes her hood, revealing long ashen black hair, deathly pale white skin, black and amber eyes, and a black diamond in the center of her forehead. "So, how does a teeth clenching alliance sound?

CINDER?!

Numerous side bars and shouting erupts from the crowd. "That's Cinder Fall, the Maiden in Red!"

"She's alive too?!" Glynda exclaims as well, clutching her wand at the ready.

"Cinder… Fall…" Jaune stares at the maiden for a long moment. Ruby can see his dull blue eyes gradually springing to life with a burning rage smoldering from within. She shivers from the sight. Without a word, Jaune takes off running with stride, swinging his sword out from its sheath and beelining for Cinder.

Tyrian steps forward with a lick of his top row teeth.

"Glynda, stop the boy," Ozpin orders.

"Restraint!" Glynda points her wand at the raging Jaune, making his body freeze in mid-motion.

Jaune screams in frustration as he struggles against his own body. "What are you doing?!"

Ozpin sighs. "I understand your anger, Mr. Arc. But a fight right now won't get us anywhere."

"We can't work with that woman! She-"

"You're right." Ozpin agrees. "We can't work with Cinder Fall because she's already dead."

Emerald shifts uncomfortably upon hearing that.

"Lord Wizard?" Glynda looks back at the sorcerer.

"This woman before us; on the outside she is indeed Cinder Fall. But on the inside, her mind and soul, she's The Witch. Salem."

Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter!

Yeah, I've made Ozma and Ozpin two separate people. Honestly, if you remember how Ozma's reincarnation works in canon, they basically were. So, I've decided to make them father and son.

The immortality for Wizard Ozpin and Witch Salem is different from their Canon counterparts, of course. While the Wizard is effectively a homunculus. The Witch is a body snatcher. Guess you could say that their immortality is reversed, in their own way.

As for the duration of this story, I see this ending at chapter 12 or 13. This is a short story after all. After this, I'm debating on which story I should work on next. I've been playing ALOT of Arknights these past several months and I really like the Abyssal Hunters. Especially my girl Skadi. With that being said, I'm planning on making a Bloodborne x Arknights crossover story with the Hunter and Skadi as the center focus. But unlike usual crossover stories, Skadi won't be going to Yharnam, and my Hunter (Edward) won't be thrown into storylines like Under Tides or Stultifera Navis.

They'll both be stuck in the Nightmare; traversing through alien dreamlands and fighting their way through extra-dimensional monsters and ambitious cultists as they look for a way home. But the real fight for the hunters, will be trying to hold on to their humanity while resisting their own dormant eldritch gods, Moon Presence (Bloodborne)/ Ishar-mla (Arknights), from taking them over.

Anyway, I've rambled enough lol. See y'all in the next chapter. Outlandish Storyteller signing out.