Volume 3, Chapter 24:
Smoke and flames were covering the skies that was once filled with stars. All that are visible from the dark clouds are the ships that belong to the Daleks. Daleks flying all over and exterminating all life around them but a few were blasted and destroyed by military weapons. The soldiers stood their ground and fought against the Daleks while people ran through the battlefield, seeking for help or shelter, most were met with death welcoming them. The city was all but saved and all that could be done was to save as much people as possible.
For this wasn't Remnant nor the battle between the huntsmen and huntresses against the Grimm...
This was Gallifrey, and the Time War between the Daleks and the Time Lords was ongoing.
Inside one of the ruined but functional labs, a time lord woman who looked older was preparing a few things to escape this hell war and find herself somewhere else. She was modifying a device with no TARDIS available after the last functional one was taken away, unbeknownst that it would be The Remnant Doctor who took it. Making some final touches, she has repaired the device and grabbed her mini bag that contained a Sonic Dagger, an empty book, and a fob watch. As she began to activate the transporting device, a loud explosion was heard from behind as the Daleks were moving in.
Dalek: TIME LORD DETECTED! SEEK! LOCATE! EXTERMINATE!
She didn't have enough time so she just placed any given coordinates to take her somewhere away from this fallen planet that was once her home and this endless war. The portal glitched at first and struggled to opened which worried the old woman until the portal finally opened as a white light.
Dalek: THE TIME LORD HAS BEEN FOUND! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!
It was now or never as she made a run for it. She luckily dodged all the blasts from the Daleks that could have killed her at the moment and made a jump towards the portal until...
Dalek: EXTERMINATE!
One last blast from the Dalek as it grazed through her, but enough to stun her as she let out a painful scream before the portal closed for good as the Daleks had no sight of her anymore.
The dark clouds of fire and destruction were replaced by a clear night sky with partly clouds covering bits of the moon as rain has passed by a small town in the kingdom of Mistral. It was now midnight as everyone was asleep for the night, but in an empty alleyway, electricity sparked through, hitting a few things around as the portal opened up completely and the older time lord fell to the ground unconscious from the blast of the Dalek before the portal closed forever.
No one was around to notice the unconscious figure nor help her out so she remained alone. Unexpectedly, her hand began to glow in a color of gold as her body followed in glowing the same way as well, causing a bright light to shine through the alleyway for a few seconds until everything went dark once again. The older lady was no longer there but instead was a very young woman. About the age of a 15-year-old despite her actually being 1,500 years old, she was now a fair-skinned young woman with short, black hair as she took her first breath in her new body and opened her eyes to reveal bright amber eyes.
This was the Time Lord that would end up becoming Cinder Fall.
But this was years ago, when she first arrived to Remnant. Now, she was 25 years old or 1,510 years old in age of time lords and she was the Fall Maiden. The real Cinder was only a subconscious while the Cinder Fall that the people of Remnant know of was a fake disguise that gained common sense and became her own. She was inside a hijacked Atlas airship alongside the pilot that happened to be her asset, Neopolitan, but her time lord considered Neo as a trustworthy companion.
Cinder: There.
The airship was heading towards the dark clouds with strong rumblings of thunder and red and white lighting striking through as they approached the behemoth hybrid of Grimm and Cybernetic that is the Cyber Monstra. Both women were jaw dropped by the sight of this creature as they also spotted various flying Grimms and Cyber Grimms all around. The airship landed on a created landing bay with Cinder and Neopolitan walking out and the Fall Maiden carrying the Relic of Knowledge.
Walking up a case of stairs leading to a chamber was a large throne full of bones and sitting on it was the Queen of Darkness herself, Salem. She continued to look at her hand that was close to reaching the Doctor's hand when he actually offered to help her, until those thoughts went away once she saw Cinder and Neopolitan approaching.
Cinder: *kneels down* My queen.
Salem: *stands up* Cinder. Or, am I speaking to the time lady?
Cinder: No my queen. It's truly me. She's...in the dark for a while.
LIES! COWARD!
Salem: Hmm. *Walks towards her* When I chose you as my vessel for the Maidens, I put my trust in you. So, I trust that you wouldn't possibly lose yourself to this subconscious. And I hope that you did not return to me empty-handed.
Cinder: The Relic of Knowledge. I took it right from under Ironwood's nose.
It wasn't you or us! It was Neopolitan who got it done!
Neo blinked furiously by Cinder taking in the credit even though SHE went through the trouble to get the Relic and barely avoided extermination by a Dalek. The conversation ended when a silent cackle was heard and out from the shadows came Tyrian Callows.
Tyrian: Outsmarting the general speaks less to your intellect and...more to his. After all, you were outsmarted by those children first and the time lord.
Cinder: And according to radio chatter, that same general and his forces outsmarted you. A shame Watts never made it back.
Tyrian: I'm afraid the genius doctor was a necessary sacrifice. *Looks at Neo* I do hope this little one doesn't become another.
Salem: Who is she?
Cinder: Neopolitan has some very useful abilities and has proven to be a valuable asset.
You ungrateful little bitch! She's more than just an asset!
Salem: Hm, you certainly do enjoy collecting assets.
Hearing more footsteps from behind including heavy ones, Cinder knew that was Ashad and the Cyber Controller formerly known as Dr. James Merlot. As for the others, it turned out to be Emerald Sustrai, Mercury Black, and Hazel Rainart with Emerald so relieved to see Cinder and alive.
Emerald: Cinder! You're here! I knew you'd co-
Cinder: QUIET!
Harsh too much perhaps? Could be getting it from me as well.
Tyrian: So devoted to someone so incompetent. While the good doctor and I were advancing the will of our goddess, dismembering the very body of this kingdom... you were merely atoning for past failures.
Cinder: *glares at him* Polendina's creation and the Doctor interfered with the transfer of the Winter Maiden power...but now I know she has it. And once I return to Atlas, it won't take long to finish what I started. That power will be mine.
Salem: I've given no such command! *Turns around and walks to my throne*
Cinder: Ma'am, now is the time to- *gags for air and struggles*
Grimm tentacles appeared from the ground and wrapping around Cinder's neck causing her to gasp for air while the others watched. Salem looked over and snapped her fingers to let Cinder go as she coughed up.
Salem: This game is not yours to win, Cinder, it's mine. Just because you're more valuable to me than a pawn, does not make you a player. Everything is already in motion. All you need concern yourself with is your ability to act when I tell you to.
Cinder: Of course. *Looks down* Without you, I am nothing.
Oh, you truly are a servant dog. How disgusting and disrespectful you have brought upon me, Cinder Fall.
Salem: We must get to work and complete what needs to be done. A shocking message from the Doctor himself has all but confirmed my fate...I will be defeated. He has made it clear that I could do anything to change the future but my fate will remain the same.
Silence surrounded the area with everyone looking at Salem, wondering if they just heard her correctly and Tyrian falling on his knees. Salem was going to be defeated? This was the news they never thought they would hear. Salem looked at her hand once again remembering the one part of the discussion with the Doctor she does not plan to share.
Salem: Not even my powers nor immortality will be able to change the future. But if I am to be defeated in the end, we must proceed with our plans and make it certain that Remnant falls before I do. Ashad, begin to deploy the Cybermen to the city of Mantle.
Ashad: It shall be done.
Cyber Controller: We must deploy the Cyber Grimm as well.
Salem: Not yet Dr. Merlot. My beautiful creatures will take over with your army. We must save the fascinating hybrids for when Atlas decides to attack. That will leave an opening and that is where you come in once again, Ashad. Breaking out Arthur Watts.
Ashad and the Cyber Controller made their leave as the others watched with fear about these soulless soldiers commencing the first act of Salem's plan. The thought of an entire Cybermen army crept up on them while Salem continued to observe the Relic of Knowledge.
Salem: I have questions for you. But first I need the one who can show me how.
Minutes later inside the Cyber Monstra, Ashad marched forwards with a fleet of Cybermen while the rest of Salem's assets watched in horror. Ashad led what looked like over 100 Cybermen and this was just only a small portion of the entire army.
Mercury: Shit...
Hazel: They have been busy. And this is only the beginning. From what I have seen, they have been kidnapping people to create more Cybermen. Their flesh and skin, all removed. Their emotions, stripped for good. All they keep is their brains.
Emerald: Men, Women,...Elders...Children...*covers mouth*
Tyrian: Sacrifices are necessary my dear. *smirks* This is just a sight to behold.
Cyber Controller: *approaches them* We target the children because conversion is easier with a younger donor. The brains are fresher, and because the bodies are smaller.
Tyrian: Might I add that there's less-
Emerald: Less? Less to what?
Cyber Controller: Less to throw away.
The former scientist now Cyberman made its leave to continue more conversions of humans to Cybermen while Emerald looked down in horror and was having so many thoughts about all of this. She just believed this was going to be a crime activity, but she was beginning to see that this was more than that. It was becoming much more horrifying.
As the Cybermen alongside Salem's Grimm deploy down to the city of Mantle, most of it has been cleared out from evacuation. All that remains will sadly be the destruction created. As for other parts of Mantle that were not able to leave on time or were away from the chaos that ensued on Election Night; Most notably, Faunus, they were evacuated to beneath the crater of Atlas where many stayed to keep warm. They were led by Oscar who helped them stay in a safe and warm zone temporarily. A noise was heard which startled everyone until Oscar turned around, recognizing that noise that belonged to only one thing that wasn't from Remnant. People around saw it and began to walk towards it as the TARDIS was landing.
Ruby: *opens the doors and looks at Oscar* Need a lift?
Oscar sighed in relief as he entered the TARDIS at the same time the Doctor comes out which the people began to reach their arms out to him and calling out for him, hoping he can save them all from this situation. The Doctor could only look and bring dark memories of his people pleading for help during the Time War. Ruby, Weiss, Penny, and Oscar all watched from inside as the Doctor activated the police box siren as a speaker to reach out to everyone.
The Doctor: People of Mantle, I know you're all scared, freezing, and praying of a way out. Unfortunately, my TARDIS is just short of having enough capacity to fit all of you in and evacuate. Going back and forth as well, could create problems and Atlas will detect us during the process.
Faunus Civilian: You aren't criminals! You are true heroes for the people!
The Doctor: Believe me, that's our biggest priority to get all of you to safety and transported to somewhere else, away from all of this. All I can ask if you amazing people is to not lose Hope. Hope is the counter attack against Fear and that draws the Grimm away. My friends and I are already getting a plan to get you all out.
Civilian: What about the freezing temperature? Without any heat, we'll be freezing to death.
The Doctor gives a signal from inside the TARDIS as Ruby and Weiss bring out a giant device and place it in front of the people. The Doctor uses his Sonic Screwdriver to activate it as a large breeze of heat came out of it, causing massive relief and cheering from the civilians.
The Doctor: That's a heat electrical pillar. It'll be enough to keep you all warm for a week. But we plan to evacuate all of you sooner than a week. Keep your hopes, stay strong, united, Salem believes we are inferiors but we have to show her that we are not inferiors and we are more!
The civilians began to cheer and applaud at the Doctor's message while his friends watched from inside with that same hope also growing in them. Ruby and Weiss, who knew the Doctor longer and were the closest with him knew the impact he could leave with just a strong message for everyone. He did it in Beacon and he's doing it again here. The Doctor made his way back inside and pulled the lever as the TARDIS disappeared with the civilians now hopeful that would not freeze and that they would soon be out of there.
Minutes later, the TARDIS landed in the next coordinates given by Dalek Khan which happened to be a now empty restaurant as she lands inside of the restaurant's entrance with everyone coming out and being greeted by one of the Happy Huntresses, Joanna Greenleaf.
Ruby: Where are the others?
Joanna: In the dining area, let's go.
As they passed by the kitchen, they saw May Marigold speaking to Fiona over communications with a large map on the table as the Doctor observed it and noticed they were temporary evacuation meetups to take people to the crater.
May: I know, Sector 3 is going to need the most help. I'm sending backup your way right now. Fiona, do you copy? We need transport from Sector 3 to the crater.
Fiona: Copy!
The Doctor: *taps May's shoulder* Ahem. I would advise your friend to tell the evacuees that the crater has a device that's keeping everyone warm enough.
May: *eyes widened and nods rapidly* Yes, sir! Right away!
Passing the kitchen, The Doctor, Weiss, Ruby, Penny, and Oscar entered the dining room where they spotted the others as well and were relieved to see each other okay. Penny went over to hug her father while both teams went to greet each other with Nora giving Oscar a comforting hug to see him here.
Blake: W-When we heard you went off after Ironwood on your own, we…
Weiss: How did you end up down in the slums?
Oscar: It's a... *sighs* long story. I get the feeling there's been a few of those tonight. (Ozpin: You're not going to tell them?) You and I aren't done talking yet. *Looks around* Where's Qrow?
Dalek Khan: Transported to Atlas Academy with Robyn Hill.
The Doctor: Looks like they were the only ones not to get out on time.
Joanna: Alright, your friends are back now. You ready to work? The largest Grimm horde ever seen is hovering over the tundra, and out there is a city full of people with no heat and, from what you told us, no more military protection. And while we're happy to give you guys a place to lie low for a while...It's time to get those people some help.
The Doctor: The Cybermen as well are going to be showing up at any given moment. But Joanna is right, the main priority here is getting the people evacuated but, we also need to let the rest of Remnant know what's going on.
Ren: How? Ironwood is stopping all evacuations to Atlas and cut off communications. And we can't get them out of the city with Salem's forces surrounding us.
Joanna: The crater. Beneath Atlas. It's not safe, but it's warm, and with everyone in one place, we can do a better job protecting them. May can send you where you're needed most. We've got to get everyone down into that crater before nightfall. In the slums, we might have a chance.
The Doctor: I already placed a huge power device that will keep everyone warm there for a week. But, as I told them, we need to get them out sooner.
Weiss: There's too much that we need to do. Not to mention the Winter Maiden.
Yang: *stands up and walks forward* We need to get out there and do what we can for Mantle.
Ruby: We need to do what we can for everyone. What about Amity? And telling the world about Salem? We can't do this alone. We need help.
Blake: Ruby's right. The Happy Huntresses are handling the evacuation better than we could. And there's a bigger picture.
Yang: But Amity isn't even finished. It was still under construction.
Joanna was about to interfere as she found the discussion to be complicated and a waste of time until the Doctor stopped her and made her watch the conversation as well.
Ruby: *breathes* Doctor Polendina? What would you need to launch Amity now?
Pietro: Uh...*thinks* We've made decent progress on construction and fuel collection, all potentially manageable, but uh...hm...Amity was designed so it couldn't launch itself without first being granted clearance from General Ironwood's terminal.
Yang: Ruby, there is no way Ironwood will cooperate with us.
Ruby: But he doesn't have to. We just need the green light from his terminal, right?
Yang: You want to go back to the academy?!
Pietro: Actually...there is more than one terminal. The one in his office and uh... one in the main Atlesian Military Compound...at the base of the city. You'd have to get into the compound somehow, then, uh, get inside the operations room, and then...hoo boy...I might need to think about this some more.
Oscar: And just to clarify, this is the easy option?
Yang: What you're saying is it can't be done. It's pointless. And even if you got the message out, there's no guarantee help would come!
Ruby: It's not pointless! Atlas is only Salem's current target. She's not hiding anymore and once she's done here, she'll move on to the rest of Remnant. We need to warn them!
Yang: *closes eyes and sighs* Ruby...when we came here, we said we'd follow your lead...but...things haven't exactly worked out.
This statement by Yang stung Ruby to the heart while the others looked at Yang in shock and the Doctor watched in disappointment at what was occurring in front of him. The plan is all simple yet they are the ones complicating themselves.
Yang: I just-
Ren: *steps forward* There are people here who need us right now! That's something we can actually do.
Nora: But this isn't about just Atlas. Ruby's right. It's about all of Remnant. They need to know in Vacuo, in Mistral, in Vale, what's coming. So they can prepare.
Jaune: *steps in-between them* Okay. Okay...Then let's go for both. Get Amity up and running and evacuate Mantle.
Ruby: But that's how Salem got this far! By dividing us. We have to stick together!
Oscar: No. What Salem wants is to turn us against each other. Just like this. Jaune has a point. We can work separately and still be united.
Penny: Or...let me take the Relic to Salem...and maybe she will call off her attack on the Kingdom.
Oscar: I don't think we can trust Salem to actually do that. And the moment she uses the Staff to create anything else, Atlas falls onto Mantle.
Yang: Nobody's turning you over to anybody. *Glares at Ruby and Nora* I think that's the one thing we could all agree on.
Ruby: *sighs* Okay. Then I guess we're going to Atlas. *Looks at Pietro* Can you help us get to that terminal?
Pietro: I...suppose someone needs to help you bypass security.
Penny: *softly* I'll go...
Pietro: Penny, we can't risk-
Penny: *glares at everyone* I'll go!
Yang: *sighs* Do what you've got to do. I'm going out there to see what I could do.
The Doctor: You're all a bunch of screaming children, you know that? When it's the subjects that matters most, the battles that aren't physical, you go from grown-ups to kids!
A harsh statement by the Time Lord that left everyone stunned and frozen in place. They could sense his anger rising and they knew one of the scariest things in the universe was having an angry Doctor who's always calm.
The Doctor: The fact that the only two people in this very room who understands the objective of what needs to be done is Jaune and Oscar! Doesn't it occur to you that perhaps getting the signal up at the very same time we are getting the people out of here, increases our chances of getting it done quicker. But Noooooo, instead you're firing shots at each other because one thinks their reasoning is better than the other. IT'S SO SIMPLE! THE PLAN IS SO SIMPLE YET ALL OF YOU COMPLICATE IT! WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR YOU HUMANS TO GET IT RIGHT?! IRONWOOD HAD THE CHANCE TO DO IT RIGHT AND HE FELL! AND NOW YOU ARE ALL DOING THE SAME!
The shouting brought shivers to everyone, not a single soul could dare speak to an angry time lord. They knew well that he was right, they were doing this to themselves but complicating things instead of finding ways to make it work together while separate. Until Ren stepped forward to look right at the Doctor in which Team RWBY and Nora tried to signal him not to.
Ren: And what have you done? You're a fucking time traveler and yet, you haven't done anything that could stop this! You saw Salem's defeat! Why can't you do it now, huh? Better yet, why can't you go back in time and prevent ALL OF THIS from happening? Erase Salem from existence, prevent the brothers from giving her powers, save Beacon, SAVE PYRRHA! WHY? TELL ME WHY YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING IF YOU'RE A LORD OF TIME ITSELF!
The Doctor only stared right at Ren's cold eyes before giving up and chuckling like a madman which terrified everyone else to a certain point. Ren felt the urge to punch that smile off the Doctor's face until the time lord calmed himself down and took a deep breath.
The Doctor: You are so right, Ren. I am a time traveler. I could do all that you told me and so much more, I could erase Salem from existence and everyone lives HAPPILY EVER AFTER! *Drops the act* Those movies and tv shows you would watch only displays the free will of time traveling, but not the consequences of it. I could erase Salem from existence if I wanted to, except someone else would end up becoming Salem, or a much bigger and difficult threat than her, OR...none of you would even exist anymore. Rewriting major fixed points in history can be catastrophic! Worst case scenario, the universe rips apart and destroys itself if I erased Salem's existence, have you thought about that, Ren?
Ren was beginning to regret shouting his words at the Doctor, only for him to swallow it back from that counterattack statement. Everyone in that room knew they pissed off the Doctor and there was no escape from it.
The Doctor: I can travel back to the past and forward to the future, but even time itself has its own rules, the laws of time. I can change little things in history like Weiss's grandfather creating UNIT or her mother becoming a strong person. Previous timeline, it wasn't like that at all! I met Fria, the previous Winter Maiden, and nothing has changed. I met and helped Maria after she went blind, nothing much has changed. But let's say Salem's existence, the Fall of Beacon,...Pyrrha *looks over at Ruby* Summer Rose...even if I wanted to change that, I couldn't. There are certain points in time which can't be changed or interfering with pre-established events, those are called fixed points in time. Salem's defeat is now a fixed point in time because I saw it happen but I didn't participate nor interfered with it. Let me give you this straightforward Ren, if I could do anything with time on my side, and I didn't follow the rules...I could have saved my home world from burning. I COULD HAVE SAVED GALLIFREY, MY PEOPLE, MY PARENTS, I COULD HAVE STOPPED THE TIME WAR FROM EVER HAPPENING BUT I CAN'T AND I COULD NEVER!
The Doctor fought those tears as he had to take a moment to recover himself as everyone else went from fearing him to understanding the pain he goes through. They all go through something painful but no one has gone through as much as he did and all they could do was stay silent and feel his pain.
The Doctor: I could have done it...*tears fall* But I can't...because it was a pre-established event that needed to happen...and it's now a fixed point in time. *Looks at everyone* You all have one objective, get it done! And until you can figure out, how to make it work together without causing more problems, you're on your own.
The Doctor made his leave back to the TARDIS as everyone were left shocked by everything that just went through. From the heated arguments between Ruby and Yang, to the tensions between everyone, and to the sudden outburst by the Doctor. They could only glance looks at each other but couldn't say a single word. Back in the TARDIS, The Doctor pulled the lever to make his leave until he heard the door slam close and look behind him to see nothing until he heard the TARDIS make a sudden stop which confused him more until he saw a hand lifting the lever and in front of him was a concerned but angry Weiss Schnee.
Weiss: Tell me what you know. Everything!
