RWBY: Avenge Me
Chapter 9: Lies
"You're your own person." Ruby Rose sweetly said to Oscar Pines.
"Don't lie to him Ruby. We're better than that." Qrow Branwen.
Soothing words sadly often fail to heal a broken heart. Hopefully not always.
Qrow sighed heavily from the stairwell as he finished listening in onto Team JNPR's brief eulogy of his niece. Each word weighed heavily on his heart, as they not only reminded him she was gone, but of the sweet memories he had with her over the years.
"Look at my baby Uncle Qrow!" A 10 year old Ruby had screamed with joy as she showed off a shiny new Crescent Rose, the smell of its red spray-paint stained in his noses memory. "Now I can go SWISH WHOOSH too!" Ruby said as she swung and exaggerated sounds of her attacks.
Qrow chuckled as he still remembered what came next.
CRASH!
"Ruby!" Taiyang had called out angrily from the kitchen as he heard the lamp get knocked down and crashed on the floor, having overheard her cry's.
"Ugh…Uncle Qrow did it!" She fearfully squealed as she vainly pointed at her uncle who had sneered at her then.
Now Qrow's eyes were just sobbing slightly as he smiled.
"Brat." He chuckled sadly.
Turns out, he wasn't the only one crying upstairs now as he heard a familiar person doing so as he walked down the hall slowly, drawing his ear silently to a nearby room.
"It's okay Yang, just let it out." He heard Blake through the wall shushing Yang.
"I'm sorry…*hic* it's just so unfair." Yang cried softly.
Qrow's face descended as he heard his remaining niece cry. It made his heart sink to imagine how broken she was on the inside, having experience the same dread she was going through countless times. Hell….he still wasn't over Summer's death, he could only imagine the depths of Yang's pain.
"Yang, we all miss her. Team JNPR do too, we're all in this together for her and for you." Weiss said as soothingly as she could as she rubbed Yang's back, only to recoil as her body trembled.
"I know okay! I know I shouldn't have yelled at Ozpin, I know it really isn't Pyrrha's fault either she's gone but, but I just can't help it!" Yang cried angrily.
"I needed someone else to blame, it was the only way to make the pain go down." Yang grumbled sadly.
"Then blame Cinder and that Witch Salem for taking her from us, we'll help you get revenge, I promise." Blake said firmly.
"But that's just it! I didn't know about Cinder being alive for so long I just….just got use to blaming Pyrrha. Ruby died to save her, because she fought Cinder alone. I don't know how to stop blaming her." Yang angrily admitted, guilt etched into her tone. "Because I'm afraid."
"Afraid of what Yang." Weiss asked wearily.
"Afraid then reality will come back if I stop. The reality I got Ruby killed." Yang sniffled.
"Yang….you know you couldn't have-" Blake began saying before Yang cut her off, not wanting to be comforted on that.
"That's just it! I wasn't there for her! I was suppose to be there to protect her!" Yang cried. "I was her big sister, it was my job to look out for her. I failed."
Yang's words of defeat made Qrow clench his fists, knowing all too well how that felt. Ruby wasn't just his niece, she was his student, his pride and joy. Losing her that night without even saying goodbye or fighting by her side once tormented him. He was about to enter the room and just hug his niece and join in her torment before he paused as Weiss spoke up defiantly.
"You were maimed Yang, unconcious. You can't protect someone if your not able to." Weiss countered calmly as she caressed Yang's robot arm soothingly, fixing her a somber gaze. It wasn't your fault." Weiss retorted soothingly.
"Don't lie to butter me up Weiss. I don't need that." Yang coldly said as she sobbed silently into her hand.
Weiss sighed as she shut her eyes, hating herself for having to practice what she preached. Weiss clenched her hands on her kneecaps painfully as she struggled to speak
"If anything the fault is mine. I sent her up there that night." Weiss said, the strain in her choked voice making Yang and Blake wince, sensing the guilt.
"W-Why? Why all alone?" Yang asked a bit surprised, this being the first she heard of it.
"Yang please don't-" Blake pleaded softly, sensing the heat rising before Weiss cut her off.
"It's alright Blake, she has the right. I sent Ruby up there to save Pyrrha. I wanted to go too, but I…I was scared." Weiss admitted shamefully. Yang bit her lower lip almost to the point of bleeding when she heard that.
"Scared of what? That Dragon?" Blake asked curiously but Weiss shook her head, taking Yang and Blake by surprise.
"Scared of losing you two as well. We lost. We lost Penny, our home was crumbling down, and I saw you two bloody and beaten. I was scared if I left you two I'd lost….my family." Weiss somberly admitted.
Blake and Yang, as well as Qrow outside, looked utterly shocked to hear her true feelings on the matter. Weiss, being a Schnee, was normally giving off an air of utter fearlessness. But right here and now, the two girls studied her tearful gaze, seeing no expression of deceit in her appearance. It brought the heat rising within Yang down as she slowly reached out and wrapped Weiss in a soft hug around her head.
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you hurt so much. It happened again, I'm such a dense jerk." Yang said bitterly as she freed her human hand and drew Blake into the hug as well.
"We all didn't realize, we didn't realize when the other needed us. When Ruby needed us." Blake whimpered, her ears flat on her head.
"We…always did think she never needed help. She was brave, fearless, I just wish she wasn't so damn noble and went off alone. Maybe she'd still be here." Yang sobbed.
There it was, reality. It struck Yang and the others like a ton of bricks. They all had these feelings, the guilt, the blaming, but worst of all, the loneliness without Ruby. It all began to overwhelm them. It was when those words were finally spoken by Yang did they all break down into each other's shoulders.
Qrow couldn't take hearing them be so bitter any longer. He wanted to burst in there to comfort them, but found he didn't have the words that could help them. He wasn't a dense fool, he knew nothing he'd say would erase the pain. He wasn't one to give false assurance things would work. But as he reached into his pocket to grab his flask, hoping to burn the dread away with a strong lager, his hand touched a thin piece of paper to his surprise. He pulled out a photo instead, having reached into the wrong pocket. His eyes widened as they locked onto the image.
"Heh. Even when dead you always find a way to help squirt." Qrow chuckled as he smiled, soon finding the resolve to enter the room slowly.
"Everything okay girls?" He asked softly. The girls instantly broke apart their hug to meet his gaze with red eyes exhausted from crying. It made this all the more harder for Qrow as he knew he had to play this safe. One wrong move now and their will's would be shattered.
"Yeah." Yang lied as Qrow could tell, sensing her distress in her tone. "W-What do you want U-Uncle?" She asked.
Qrow sat down on a chair he pulled from the nearby desk right in front of them after she asked.
"I want to help you kids right now, but we both know I can't." He sighed.
"H-Help us with what exactly?" Weiss inquired.
"Help you move on. Forget about what happened to Ruby." Qrow said softly.
"How could ever forget about her!" Blake said incredulously as the others nodded.
"Exactly my point. I know there are no words that can help make the pain easier. But-" Qrow said cryptically.
"But?" Yang asked with an eyebrow raised, knowing he was going somewhere with this. Her thoughts proved true as he reached into his pocket, pulling out his flask at first before uttering he chose the wrong pocket again and began looking for something frantically.
"He's drunk again isn't he?" Weiss whispered to Yang who nodded.
"Yup. Always." Yang whispered annoyed and unimpressed.
Blake could just smell the cheap booze on him, feeling she didn't even need her faunus enhanced smell to.
"Oh! Here it is." He said as he found the photo in his vest pocket. "So as I said, I can't help you, but maybe she might." He said as he handed the photo to the girls.
None of them uttered a word as their eyes widened, tears soaking them as they locked onto it. The group photo of Team RWBY on their first day of Beacon together, Ruby wearing the brightest grin out of all of them. It made all of them shudder, feelings of joy and sadness seeing her face again filling them.
"W-Where did you get this Qrow?" Yang asked.
"Ruby made a copy and sent it to me, along with a letter. I don't have it on me, but I remember each word by heart, because it was exactly what she thought of each of you." Qrow said soothingly as he caught all their attention, eager to hear more about Ruby.
"Snowflake." He started with Weiss who pouted hearing that from him and Blake and Yang's snickering at the tease. "She said, "I got partnered with the Schnee Heiress. A girl named Weiss. She was so bossy and nit-picky it was sooooooo annoying." He teased in a Ruby-like high pitched voice making her blush in anger. "But, she is strong, and I like how when she sets her mind to something, like Yang, she doesn't back down easy. I'd trust her to have my back anyday, except our first day when she nearly shot me with a fireball by mistake in the forest." Qrow sang.
"You almost shot Ruby?" Blake asked with an eyebrow raised making Weiss dart her eyes around the room away from the Faunus's guilty.
"Ah, she shot me a few times I shot her it happens in our family." Yang brushed it off.
Weiss smile returned in full force as she sniffled hearing all this. Soon Blake would follow as Qrow continued about her.
"Then I met this mysterious girl name Blake. She likes books a lot, just like me. I'm thrilled I got a book buddy on my team to geek out with now. She once let me read by her side at night while we listened to music on her earphones, kinda gothy but it wasn't bad. It's a lot like her really, hard to approach at first, but you find you love it after giving a chance." Qrow had said.
Blake rubbed her eyes as she hiccupped in sadness and joy hearing Ruby's impression of her. She really wished she spend more time with the girl she admired so much.
"It was kind of hard, opening up more than a book." She mumbled to herself before Yang patted her head and rubbed her ears, embarrassing her as she couldn't resist purring.
"Tell me about it, you loved books more than Ruby loved weapons." Yang quipped.
"Speaking of weapons." Qrow began with a cough, catching her attention. "Ruby didn't need to say much about you Yang, being her sister and all, she'd always love you. But what I loved is what she did say." Qrow began, Yang leaning in intently, beyond simply curious. She had to know. "Ruby thought, "Yang and the others will always be my greatest weapon. I only need them and that Huntress license is as good as mine!" He sobbed.
WBY all sat trembling as their tears dripped onto the photo, memories of their brighter days together at Beacon flowing though all their minds.
"You don't have to blame yourselves or anyone but Cinder for what happened girls. Because Ruby would never blame any of you for what happened. She loved you too much to do that." He said.
Yang soon tackled him to the ground, happy beyond imagination hearing that.
"Thank you….I needed that." Yang sobbed into his chest, soon joined by the other girls. "We all did." Blake added.
Qrow wrapped his arms around them. "I did too. Thanks Ruby." He whispered as he eyed the photo on the ground.
Soon, all 4 fell asleep in each others arms as the weight of everything they heard today took them down, the snores of peace in the room finally having replaced the crying.
Meanwhile….
Lionheart was sitting at his desk in his office. It was dark, barely a lit candle in the room as he went over the expense reports for the ammunition and weapons Qrow requested, as well as a list of professional huntsmen and top rank students from Haven Academy.
Not that he'd get them, Lionheart thought bitterly.
Soon a chill blew threw his office despite no window being open, the candle being blown out turning the room pitch black to his shock, which grew as a red orb soon shot out from the ground from a pool of black energy that smelled fouler than rotten eggs.
"M-Master." He stuttered in fright as he quickly kneeled before the orb, soon showcasing the presence of Salem, looking down upon him unimpressed.
"So lionheart, are the preperations complete?" She whispered, mindful of who could be listening in. Even her low tone though, sent shivers down the lion Faunus's spine as he shivered, his throat choked as he struggled to find the courage to even speak.
Soon the seer orb shot a vine of black energy near him, startling him upright.
"What did I just ask?" She asked with an annoyed tone in warning, one Lionheart knew would be his only one.
"I-It's proceeding as planned madam. Tonight will be the hunters last one to sleep soundly." He said fearfully.
Long Night
But while WBY's hearts were a bit more at ease, and could indeed sleep a bit more peacefully, it sadly wasn't the case for the others.
Ren and Nora were locked in knightmares, seeing each other die by the hands of that demonic Knucklavee in Kuroyuri, unable to sleep soundly until Nora woke Ren up, demanded having him by her side as they slept.
It was the same issue with Jaune and Pyrrha, but even being in bed together wrapped in a warm embrace after a needed night of passion, the former having seen Ren, Nora and Pyrrha fall at Beacon in his dreams, Pyrrha couldn't find herself sleeping well as she could still see "her" smile. That arrogant witches cruel smile as she roasted Ruby alive. The smell of ash always plagued her, even when not shooting her gun leg or Thorn Rose. It was a constant source of pain that fueled her desire for vengeance, but also served to inhibit her sleep.
"Fuck it." She whispered as she forced her eyes closed and hugged her lovers head, drawing it into her exposed wrack, hoping his warmth would replace the smell of fire that burned her.
Even Oscar had some help sleeping from Ozpin's powers, despite Salem plaguing his dream from Ozpin's memory.
Sun however, was the most shaken up. He laid in bed sweating profusely, feeling his body was on fire, because he could actually see flames all around him. He was stuck, in a waking nightmare.
"HURRY! Gets Mrs. B. outta there!" Sun remembered screaming to Mercury as he pointed to the flaming house in Menagerie. He still couldn't believe it at the time. Here he was on a vacation with his team to Menagerie, hopeful to find Blake after he lost contact with her following Beacon's fall, and now they were fighting for their lives against a coup. He quickly had to use his pole to jab the eye of a White Fang grunt that charged at him, splattering his eyeball to the Monkey Faunus's disgust, nearly losing his lunch.
"GROSS!" He had screamed as he twirled and hammed the pole to the side of the man's head, knocking him out as he was crying out in pain, ending that horrible sound for Sun, at least for the moment before he paled as he heard another scream, Mercury's scream.
"Merc?" Sun whispered, almost afraid to turn back as he heard a thud on the ground. But he knew had to look despite his instincts yelling otherwise. His eyes widened in terror as he saw the body of Mercury lay limp on the ground, his neck awkwardly upright slightly as it was held up by a red-haired woman's chain, frowning bitterly upon his partners corpse, not that I'd be the only one as he heard Blake's mother Khali scream in the burning house.
"HELP!" Khali cried out before coughing from the smoke, torched wood soon smacking her, knocking her out.
"Who'd help a traitor to the Faunus." The woman spat.
Sun felt rage burn brighter in his heart than the flames that were engulfing his crushes parents house. He was about to charge before a warcry from behind him froze him in place.
"KHALI!" A massive black panther faunus man roared in terror and rage as he rushed by, knocking Sun and the woman aside as he leaped into the building for his wife.
The distraction gave Sun enough time to rush over to Mercury's body.
"M-MERC! MERC! Stay with us!" Sun yelled in vain. He felt his cold skin, saw his dead eyes. He knew his neck was broken, that he was gone.
"No." He whispered even while awake, his scars burning as he clenched them, convulsing slightly as he remembered what came next.
"Khali! Stay with me!" Ghira roared as he punches some collapsing pillars off his wife.
"Wow Mr. B." Sun thought in amazement as he saw this man charged bravely through the fire carrying his wife in tow. This man's name was Ghira Belladonna, the current chief of Menagerie and former leader of the original white fang, before it became the terrorist organization that attacked him, Sun and his team today. Now things seemed to be turning around as Ghira huffed exiting the burning building with Khali. They had major burns, some of their fur and hair cinged off from the fire, and Ghira was hacking something fierce from the smoke, but overall seemed like they would recover.
"God I'm a fool." Sun whispered to himself as he cried, blood mixing in his tears as he still smelled his teammates on "that" man's blade as he had approached.
Adam Taurus ignored Sun as he walked passed him nonchalantly, the monkey faunus's eyes locking onto the blood soaked red sword as he soon turned back, seeing his other teammates bodies laying in pools of their own blood.
"No." He whispered in denial, despite knowing the truth. Adam had his own he wished to spat that disgusted Sun, almost enough to charge straight at his teams killer if not for the wave of terror overcoming him as Adam flexed his aura towards him and Blake's parents, Ghira standing annoyed.
"You brought this on yourself when you abandoned the cause. When you sided with human filth." Adam spat towards Ghira.
"Filth? How are your hands cleaner when you attack me at my home, slaughter children and try to burn my wife!?" Ghira roared in anger. His shouting stirring Khali slightly as she mumbled.
"B-Blake." She whispered.
Sun winced as he heard these yells, it choked him as he was terrified beyond belief, unable to yell himself for the man to watch out as he saw Adam's face protrude veins, his blade glowing as it resonated with his anger. He knew what was coming.
"I'll wash them clean tonight. I already washed Menagerie clean of those humans you let in. Now, your next." Adam said coldly.
Sun winced as he closed his eyes and covered his ears, desperate not to see or hear what came next to no avail. Even muffled, his mind could still accurately paint out Ghira and Khali's fall as the screams of death he heard infected his ears. Soon a whip wrapped around his neck, drawing him towards a spotted red-haired woman with blue eyes glaring daggers at him as she held his head towards the corpses of Blake's parents, the people he swore he'd save for her tonight but lost.
"Don't look away. You watch your punishment traitor." She spat angrily.
Sun sat up, fully awake now, screaming in fright as he flailed his covers off his bed, or at least tried too. His throat burned as he choked out some wheezes, unable to scream loud enough his terror. It was as if a lump of hot coal was lodged in his throat. He began hyperventilating as he clenched his hair in his shaking hands. He shook as he still felt that woman's touch on his head, that he could still see her murderous blue eyes.
"I-It was just a nightmare. It wasn't real right? She's not her-" Sun thought, unable to stutter those words yet, before his heart sank as he felt a presence nearby. He looked outside slowly, his heart pounding soon as he ripped some hair off his head as he saw "her", staring at him upon a tree.
"HOLY CRAP!" He thought in fright as he slid off his bed frantically, going for his pole to defend himself. But as he stood up to fight, despite shaking from fear, he dropped the pole in relief as he looked outside to see she was gone. He quickly examined the area, even summoning some clones to scout, but saw no trace of her.
"Phew! It's just a trauma flash. I'm safe….i'm safe for now." He thought with a sigh as he left the room to get some water, hopeful some ice would sooth his burning throat. But as he left after telling himself all that, the spotted woman reappeared on the tree, her once brown skin with red spots now pure black as the tree bark that soon morphed into her natural pigment. The chameleon faunus snickered as she leapt off the tree, soon texting to someone on her scroll
"Targets locked"
Soon a reply text came instantly, with the photo of a red-haired bull faunus on the other line.
"Kitty too?"
The chameleon woman shuddered as she read that, hesitant to answer if not from an anger + ? emoji added after that startled her, knowing Adam would be furious being impatient and all.
"Yes sir"
She sighed as she read his reply wearily.
"Good. 2 traitors down, 1 to go."
"I'm sorry Blake. But you brought this on yourself when you left the White Fang. For when you left me." the woman sighed sadly as she morphed her skin color dark green and walked away from the academy in silence, disappearing into the night.
The Next Day….
"Come on! Show me how strong that new arm is!" Nora yelled enthusiastically as she arm wrestled with Yang in the den, her eyes and own arm giving off pink sparks of electricity as her excitement grew as her team cheered her on.
"Get her Nora!" Jaune cried out.
"Show her what Team JNPR is made of!" Ren yelled with enthusiasm.
"Come on Yang! Teach her a lesson!" Weiss cried out before Blake bumped her shoulder.
"Didn't know Ice Queen could become a cheerleader." Blake teased, drawing a blush from Weiss.
"Oh hahaha! We're back to nicknames? Really?" Weiss groaned after a bout of fake laughter.
"At least yours isn't vomit boy." Jaune griped. Yang snickered as she heard their laughter after, wanting to get in on the action.
"Yeah you still owe me a new pair of shoes." Yang said before she was forced to apply more force to keep her arm upright as Nora pressed harder. The Valkyrie was strong, that was for sure, but Yang smiled with a cocky grin, having a few new tricks up her sleeve, or below it that is.
"Think fast!" Yang yelled out as her robot arm detached from its socket, sending Nora reeling back towards the wall in surprise. As she slowly opened her eyes after shaking her aching head that hit the wall, her eyes widened in terror as she saw herself still gripping the detached robot hand.
"AH! AH! AAAAAAGH!" Nora screamed in fright as she flailed about to Yang and the others amusement.
But while Blake saw them all laughing from Yang's prank, she noticed someone amongst her friends not here right now.
"Where's monkey boy?" Blake whispered as she looked around. Her cat ears twitched as she heard clanging outside. Slowly she broke away from the group as she noticed they didn't hear it. As she walked outside, she saw the man in question smacking a metal pole with a broken chain on it. A small boxing bag of sand laid on the ground totally eviscerated, no doubt by the bloodied fists of Sun as he grunted with each strike, his aura flexing to heal any damage now. Instantly she rushed over as she saw his raw hands, tackling him when he ignored her yells to stop.
"Whoa Sun! Take it easy!" Blake cried out exasperated.
Sun just laid their breathing heavily, his eyes twitching as his body shook. In his eyes he was seeing the chameleon woman, but as he blinked, closing his vision to the darkness, hoping it would end soon, he was shooken awaken by Blake, who now grew ever more worried for him.
"What's wrong with you! Snap out of it!" She cried.
Sun soon recovered, seeing Blake in his presence correctly now. He tried to open his mouth to speak, but found he could still only give out wheezes and hacks to the cat faunus's concern.
"What's wrong with your voice?" Blake asked in fright. Sun just rubbed his throat, saying it was just sore, or at least…he hoped it was. Blake seemed to buy that, but still glared at him with concern. She noticed his aura hadn't been flexed enough to repair the damage to his hands.
"Gah! Your so reckless just like her." Blake groaned as she sent some aura her hands and clasped his, enveloping him with a warm sensation as her aura leaked into him, repairing the bloodied blisters into closed scars, returning his knuckles skin back to their natural pigment.
"S-Sor-" He wheezed out.
Blake just sighed. She hated seeing friends hurt physically, Yang's arm flying through the air fresh on her mind. But she knew something was plaguing him if he was this busy training alone to the point of hurting himself. She had a good idea too.
"You miss your team too huh?" She asked, Sun recoiling as he heard that question, but she kept his hand clasped to hers soothingly. All he could do was whimper and nodd.
"Hey, I get it. I felt the same way too. I blamed myself for losing Ruby, and my parents when you told me about them." She said painfully, her ears twitching. Sun averted his gaze shamefully, but she used a hand to draw his face back. "But I was wrong. Only he is to blame for what he took from us. We can't let them take more from us I know, but i wallowed in misery alone for a year. I'm not going to let you go down that path too because of him." Blake firmly said.
Sun sat their astounded. How? How did they always fight such fear and move on? He wanted nothing more than to talk, to tell her how he admired her, but most of all, he wanted to warn her of that woman as well, that it wasn't just adam at work. But it wasn't his aching throat that kept him, it was an embarrassing call out to them that shocked them both.
"Hey kids, come on! Smooch later, we gotta go to the main hall. Leo wants us." Qrow called out as he slouched against a wall nearby to their surprise. No sooner did they scramble to their feet did JNPR and the rest of WBY arrive outside, weapons drawn and ready.
"It's time isn't it?" Blake asked coldly and they nodded. It was time to avenge Ruby at last.
Betrayal
As soon as Team WBY and JNPR along with Sun, Oscar, and Qrow entered the main academy hall, they were left confused by something. The hall was grand, luxury class fabric carpets and art, in fact, it had more art and tapestry than Hunstsmen. The only one here aside from them was the headmaster Leonardo Lionheart. This didn't sit right with Qrow at all.
"Leo what the hell!? You said it was important we get here fast. Where's all the huntsmen and students?" Qrow yelled frustrated.
Leonardo shivered as he heard the yell, but Pyrrha noticed something, he was glaring at her shield and Jaunes sword.
"You…..all brought your weapons?" He asked fearfully to their confusion.
"Ugh…yeah. Why wouldn't we? We're hunstmen." Qrow asked confused.
The headmaster just shrunk as he heard her speak.
"Eh yes. Sorry! Haven't had my morning coffee yet." He laughed off, but Qrow glared daggers at him, not knowing why he was so spooked. Yang however, noticed something aside from Lionheart.
"Mom?" Yang called out, noticing a black bird with red eyes in the corner of the ceiling glaring at them. No sooner did she point this out did Qrow switch Harbringer into gun mode, opening fire to the teens shock. The bird quickly morphed into a black haired woman who sliced the bullets in half before somersaulting onto the floor, groaning as she slowly stood up and removed a grimm mask on her face, glaring daggers with red eyes at her brother.
"If your gonna shoot, shoot me. That was just insulting." Raven groaned.
WBY and JNPR stood in shock seeing her transform like Qrow.
"They really are magic." Nora whispered, remembering Ozpin's explanation of bestowing not just maidens with powers, but Qrow and Raven too. Still, seeing it was hard to believe.
"What are you doing here Raven? What have you done Leo?" Qrow called out.
"I…." Leonardo stuttered, looking away guilty.
"He did what any sane man would do. He assessed the situation, realized his options, and made the sacrifices necessary to survive." Raven spat coldly. Qrow's eyes narrowed dangerously as he quickly realized the meaning of her words. It explained why all the students and hunters were gone.
"You both sided with Salem." Qrow said darkly, shocking the group.
"Yes." Raven coldly said as she took out her sword, waving it in the air and forming a red portal, summoning a fireball towards Pyrrha. She instantly pressed the button on her wrist brace, shooting her a dust round from her knee gun that collided with the fireball, exploding it and rocking the others back slightly. But what shook them to the core wasn't Raven's sneak attack, its that it wasn't hers.
"Hello boys and girls. Miss us?" Cinder snickered as she, Emerald, Mercury, Vernal, and a rather large dark skinned bearded man came out of the portal.
"You!" Yang called out to Mercury who just snickered.
"Come on. Is that any way to treat old friends?" Mercury mockingly asked. The kids all drew their weapons in retaliation.
"So, you sat on the council, had all the information on Mistral's hunstmen and students, and you actually gave it to that Psychopathic witch!? You killed them all!?" Qrow spat angrily at Lionheart who shivered as he heard the yell.
"It was either them or him, and he chose him. It's what a survivor does brother." Raven spat.
"Stop it." Leo asked shamefully as he averted his gaze in sorrow.
"How long?" He asked angrily him.
"Vale was a wake-up call for Lionheart, but honestly Tyrian and Hazel here would have found them anyway. Tyrian especially would have enjoyed the hunt." Emerald snickered as she patted the man Hazel's chest as he rolled his eyes.
"The white Fang are in position preparing demolitions, no one is getting in or out." Hazel informed Cinder who snickered.
Blake and Sun's scars on their lips and side throbbed painfully as they heard that.
"Then…he's here." They both fearfully thought.
Outside, Adam was indeed nearby as his grunts were setting charges near the schools CCT Tower.
"Once charges are set move back to the perimeter and watch. Tonight…Haven falls." He smiled evilly.
He wasn't the only one as Cinder snickered seeing the groups from Beacon again, the eye behind her eyepatch aching to her delight as she could imagine the look of terror on Ruby's face seeing them like this. Her smile burned Pyrrha with rage as she slowly stepped forward.
"Oh, the invincible girl wants a rematch?" Cinder mockingly sang.
"Wipe that smile of your stinking face." Pyrrha spat.
Cinder just raised her one eyebrow amused. "Huh?"
"You heard me. How? How can you be so broken inside? How can you smile like that and feel good after all the people you've killed?!" Pyrrha angrily yelled, tears in her emerald eyes.
"Pyrrha." Jaune whispered concerned.
WBY clenched their weapons tightly, every urge inside telling them to charge right now and slight Cinders throat if not for their training urging otherwise.
"All the people? So far I only seemed to kill 1. What was that little brats name again?" Cinder mockingly asked.
"You bitch!" Yang roared. "Ruby Rose was her name! You knew that! You killed my sister! How can you hate her so much after all you took from her!?" Yang spat out, her hair flaming.
Cinder just chuckled evilly as she heard that question, reaching for her eyepatch.
"Oh you misunderstand." She sang.
"Meaning what?" Blake asked annoyed.
"I don't hate Rose at all. After all." Cinder said coldly as she removed the eyepatch to their disgust and shock, revealing her empty scarred eyesocket now filled with Ruby's silver eyes, wrapped around pulsing black and red veins. "She gave me a wonderful gift."
"N-No way! You took her freaking eye!?" Nora yelled in disgust and fright, soon gagging into her hand.
"That was the "gift" you got?" Weiss asked in shock.
Cinder nodded as she chuckled. "Well, actually she gave me 2."
Pyrrha's face reddened with blood induced rage as she heard that. "What else? What else could you possibly take from her?" Pyrrha asked bitterly.
"She gave me her last words. She screamed my name. Now its your turn." Cinder snickered as she drew a pair of fire blades, her normal eye releasing a stream of fire while the other one leaked a silver stream of fire.
"CINDER!" Pyrrha screamed with rage as she drew Thorn Rose in spear form, charging for the maiden furiously, followed by her friends. One way or the other, they were gonna end things here.
Author Notes
Thank You Spider-Blood for helping to write this chapter. So the battle of Haven has finally begun. Our heroes have been betrayed and ambushed, but has their training prepared them for the worst? Will things end as smoothly as it did in canon? Find out in Chapter 10: Strength comes from Will!