Emerald groaned in pain, her head pounding. She gasped, trying desperately to remember where she was, what had happened.

I…Mercury. I was looking for Mercury. We ALL were, and Blake found him, and then we went in to find Cinder and Neo as well, and then…

Her eyes shot open in terror. All around her, the bright orange flames were growing, snapping and crackling as they grew closer and closer. She tried to stand, wincing in pain and falling back to her knees. The barrels. There was fire dust in the barrels. The blast threw her back, though thankfully her Aura took most of the damage.

She growled, slamming a hand onto the ground. She should have known Cinder would have something else planned. She should have…she should have been able to stop this somehow!

"Later," She muttered. There would be plenty of time for blame once they had gotten free of the fire. First, she had to make sure they didn't all die.

Emerald glanced around her surroundings. She spotted a few of the others lying on the ground, but none of them seemed to be conscious. She scowled. That's gonna make this a pain in the ass. There was no way she'd be able to drag more than one out at a time, and to get all of them to safety that would be…seven trips? And that wasn't including Mercury and Blake. Better get started now, before the flames get much higher. She doubted they had much time before the building collapsed on top of all of them.

A set of footsteps clacking across the floor froze her in her thoughts, making her heart skip a beat in fear.

Neo strode confidently through the fire, grinning at the destruction. She moved slowly, with a purpose, her eyes scanning the bodies strewn around her.

She's looking for someone, Emerald realized. She's looking for Ruby.

Her suspicions were confirmed as Neo finally spotted the young huntress. A wicked hunger entered her eyes as she drew Hush, inching closer and close to the girl.

I could leave, Emerald thought, strangely calm despite the circumstances. While Neo's distracted with Ruby. Neo was obviously there to finish them off after the blast, before they could recover. She wouldn't get another shot to run. I could use the chance to find Mercury and get out.

She sighed, her hand falling to Thief's Respite. "No," She muttered with a shake of her head. "I couldn't. Not anymore." It wasn't right, not after they came out here to help her.

Fucking Cotta-Arc's. She blamed them.

She raised her weapon slowly so as not to draw attention. Not that she thought she would. Neo was utterly transfixed, savoring every moment of her revenge. Trying to, at least. She brought up Hush ready to finally end Ruby, and Emerald fired, taking advantage of her pause.

The shot connected with her cheek, glancing off her aura. Neo's head snapped towards her with a snarl. Gone was the smug triumph of before. All that remained was rage at her thwarted vengeance.

Emerald shrinked away instinctively, but steeled herself, struggling to her feet. She had no idea if this would accomplish anything. Maybe Ruby wouldn't wake up in time for Neo to finish both of them. Maybe all she did was delay her death a few more seconds.

But if Emerald was going to die anyways, she was going to die fighting.

Neo exhaled sharply, forcing herself to remain calm.

Well. As calm as possible, at least.

She watched intently as Emerald stepped back slowly, cringing as Neo's fury turned from the unconscious form of Ruby over to herself. I'm going to kill her, She swore to herself. I'm going to make sure she realizes exactly how bad of an idea it was to interrupt me. She could have left. She could have simply snuck away while Neo dealt with Ruby.

She and Cinder would have eventually tracked her down anyways, but still. She had a choice.

And in the end, she had decided to spoil her perfect moment of revenge. A decision Neo was intent on making sure the bitch would rue.

Emerald struck first, out of fear and desperation. With a defiant cry she hurled herself forward, slashing with her twin sickle-pistols. Neo stepped back smoothly allowing Emerald's lunge to cut only air, and countered with her own strike, gripping hush with both hands and swinging it like a bat.

She caught Emerald in the gut with the handle, sending her flying across the floor and into the wall with a groan of pain. She's out of Aura, Neo realized with a snort. That was going to make things fun.

Emerald noticed her approach and tried to stand up, but Neo smacked her again with the crook of Hush, catching her in the jaw. She brought her boot up, slamming down onto the girl's hand and drawing out a cry of pain that filled her with satisfaction.

This wasn't necessary, She mused silently. She certainly didn't have anything against Emerald or Mercury, at least not until now. She would have been personally happy if she never had to hear a word about them ever again.

But Malachite had let slip that little nugget of information to Cinder, and she had latched onto it hungrily, refusing to let go. Cinder's path led to Argus, and she tagged along for the sake of finishing Ruby.

The time had finally come. No more distractions, no more interruptions. Emerald had plenty of chances to turn back, to cut and run, and she had decided against it. Now, she was all that stood between her and Ruby.

Not wasting time savoring the kill, she drew Hush back quickly, taking only a moment to prepare to blow.

And in that moment, something wrapped around her waist, pulling her back with a jerk.

She growled in frustration, slicing through whatever restrained her with Hush even as she flew through the air, landing on her feet ready to fight. What now?

Her eyes widened, and she felt like she could scream. Still alive and conscious, Mercury and Blake stood across from her defiantly. Another obstacle for her to deal with.

Mercury took a moment to inspect Emerald, making sure she was still breathing before breaking into a smug grin. "What, did we spoil your fun? Hate to break it to you, but we're gonna have to cut this short. You're not laying another finger on Emerald."

Blake frowned. "Or any of the others, right?" She asked, a little forcefully.

"Yeah, sure," He agreed with a shake of his head, never taking his eyes off of Neo. "Them too, I guess."

Neo growled, watching them carefully.

Three more, She thought. Two, really. Emerald isn't in any shape for a fight. Just two more people stand in the way of avenging Roman.

They were dead the moment they chose to get in her way.


Mercury watched Neo carefully, unwilling to commit to an attack just yet. He and Blake might outnumber her, but that didn't count for much when they were still recovering from the blast and she was still fresh.

The explosion didn't break their aura's thankfully, but it sure as hell knocked them on their ass and made things difficult. Getting back to the others wasn't exactly easy when most of the building was on fire. He was just glad they managed to make it back in time to save Emerald.

Neo was frothing with rage, only just managing to stop herself from lashing out. That was good. They could use that, poke her anger and force her to trip up and make a mistake.

Mercury stepped slowly to the side, beginning to circle her. Blake mirrored him going the opposite direction, not needing a word between them to coordinate. At least the girl knew how to fight.

On a good day, he was confident about fighting Neo alone. Not necessarily that he would win, but in a fair fight it could honestly go either way. But this was not a good day, and neither was it a fair fight.

He and Blake were both drained from the explosion. It might not have broken their aura's, but it certainly taxed them far past a comfortable level. Neo, on the other hand, was right as rain. And more than that, she was pissed.

Mercury scowled. Well, so am I. She and Cinder had come to Argus, threatening their way of life just as everything had gotten back on track. She lured him away and jumped him with Cinder only to use him as bait, and pull the same crap on Emerald. Then she tried to blow them up.

Worse than any of that, she had been seconds away from killing Emerald. Something she was going to die for. The bitch wasn't going to get another chance to lay so much as a finger on her.

Screw waiting, she dies now. Mercury struck, kicking out twice to fire Talaria and draw Neo's attention. As expected she twirled hush, extending the parasol and using it to direct both shots away. He used the opportunity to rush her, pushing her onto the back foot.

He saw Blake drawing closer out of the corner of his eye and backed off quickly, denying Neo the chance to easily retaliate. She tried to give chase but was halted by Blake lashing out with Gambol Shroud, wrapping around Neo's neck. She pulled, using it to volley herself forward and deliver a kick to Neo's jaw that sent her flying.

Neither of them chose to close in, not willing to risk a swift counter. Neo snarled as she rose to her feet, hatred burning in her eyes. She ran at them, but a single shot from Blake sent her shattering into a thousand glass shards, leaving them alone except for Emerald. She was still conscious, thankfully, but breathing hard. Neo had done a number on her.

He nodded once at Blake, and they quickly formed up back to back, ready for an attack. They had managed to overwhelm Neo at the start, but the surprise had worn off and now her semblance was in play.

At least she doesn't have Em's semblance, He mused. Then we'd really be screwed.

"Anything?" He asked, speaking to Blake for the first time since the fight began.

He felt her hair brush the back of his head as she shook her own. "Nothing yet. She's going to have to come at us sooner or later though. Be careful."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Neo came into view, glaring murderously at him. And then another appeared, and another, and another. In seconds they were surrounded, outnumbered twenty to two.

"Don't let her intimidate you," He warned. "She can make whatever she wants to, but anything other than the genuine article will go down in a hit or two. This is just to distract us."

"Let her come to us then?" She asked.

"Exactly," He grinned with satisfaction. At least Blake was quick on the uptake, it seemed.

Neo made her attack, all of them running at them in perfect unity. He and Blake both fired, taking out as many as they could before the distance between them was closed. When the first of the clones finally reached them, only seven or eight remained.

A sweeping kick took out the two that reached him first, and another quick series of blows shattered the last two targeting him. Two shots behind him and a grunt of pain told him the real Neo went after Blake.

He spun around just in time to catch the hook of Neo's parasol under his chin, rattling his teeth. He groaned, massaging his jaw as Neo leapt back. Blake went after her, using Gambol Shrouds ribbon to spin the blade around, attacking Neo at a deadly range.

The mute dodged and weaved expertly, and when Blake finally struck Neo burst into glass. The falling shards masked her movement, and the tip of her blade pierced the cascade of falling glass in the instant Blake struck.

Mercury only saw from behind as Blake shrieked in agony, dropping Gambol Shroud and falling to her knees. His eyes widened in alarm, already rushing in to cover her. Losing her weapon was a death sentence if she didn't have someone to back her up.

Sure enough Neo sought to leap at the opportunity, pressing her advantage. Mercury growled, barreling into the much smaller girl with his shoulder, shoving her away. "Are you alright?" He asked, keeping his eyes on Neo as she temporarily retreated.

Blake didn't answer, only whimpering in pain. He glanced behind him quickly and grimaced. Her hands had flown to her eye, blood pouring down her face as she gasped, struggling to stop from screaming. "That's a no then," He muttered.

'I'll live!" Blake snapped. She pulled weakly at Gambol Shroud, stumbling to her feet even as she winced in pain.

He shook his head. "Stay down," He told her. "You'll get one of us killed if you try to fight like that. Grab Emerald and see if you two can't try and drag some of the others out of here before this place collapses." Something above them creaked, accentuating his point.

She grunted painfully but didn't argue. "Neither of us have long," She reminded him.

True enough. Even ignoring the fire, Cinder was still out there, and if she hadn't intervened by now she wasn't going to. Which meant she had somewhere else to be.

And it didn't take a genius to figure out that somewhere else was at the Cotta-Arc's.

This fight had a deadline, one that was coming up fast. He wasn't sure how long they had, or how quickly Cinder was trying to get to the Relic. Best case scenario, she was confident Neo could finish them off and was taking her time to savor her victory.

Worst case scenario…

He scowled. Focus on the present, asshole. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Neo was grinning, pleased with her mutilation of Blake, and her subsequent removal from the fight. It was one to one now, but neither of them were in top form anymore. Neo might still be a little fresher than he was, but he and Blake had done a good job of wearing her down.

He hoped it had been good enough

Mercury placed himself in front of Blake. "Just hurry up. I'll finish this." Try to, at any rate. He wished he were as confident as he sounded.

Neo flipped towards him in an extravagant display of acrobatics. He scowled, only taking a moment to fire off a shot and dispel the illusion. The real Neo wouldn't bother showing off like that with the fight as close as it was. If they were both still fresh he could see it, but not as things were, so close to one of them making a mistake. Which meant…

He ducked, narrowly avoiding a sweeping blow from Hush that would have connected with the side of his skull. He dropped to the floor, kicking out hard with both of his legs while balancing himself on the palms of his hands. The force of his prosthetics threw Neo back a good few feet, and a pink shimmer of light told him he had finally cracked her Aura.

This time he was the one grinning. "Not so easy now, is it?" He took a step back, careful to keep some distance between them. "I assume Cinder isn't going to come back you up anytime soon. Blake and Emerald are getting out whoever they can as we speak, and your aura is shot." He paused, an idea coming to him. "Just leave. Nothing's keeping you here. Cinder can't make you stay, and it isn't like any of us are going to bother chasing you down. Do what we did, run away. Find some dead-end town and wait for all this to blow over."

Neo growled, and a shimmer of glass replaced her form with that of Torchwick, then Ruby, then herself. Mercury scoffed. "You really blame Ruby for his death? Come on, you've seen the girl. She'd burst into tears if she stepped on a caterpillar. Whatever happened to Torchwick, I seriously doubt it was her fault. If anyone, blame Cinder for roping you two into Beacon in the first place. And besides, you really think this is what he'd want? Throwing your life away for her? This doesn't have to end the way you think it does, Neo."

For a moment, he thought he saw her waver. For a moment, he thought she might listen to him. He thought maybe this could be over, and they could focus on getting the others to safety and getting back to the Cotta-Arc's to intercept Cinder.

Then Neo met his eyes, and she fell away into a thousand shards of shimmering glass.

His eyes widened even as he felt something pierce him from behind. He looked down to find Hush shoved through his torso, covered in blood. Neo grunted, wrenching her parasol free. His head swam and his vision blurred, and when he saw clearly again he was on his hands and knees. Something red was pouring out of him, pooling on the floor. He sputtered, collapsing in the puddle.

Mercury blinked, and Neo stood above him. Maybe there was something of her illusions doubt in her face. Something resembling reluctance, something that wanted to do just as he offered and leave. But that something was dwarfed by the vitriolic hatred he saw burning in her eyes.

He shivered. I'm cold. All around me, the building is burning down, and I'm cold. Why am I cold?

Neo wasted no time waiting for him to even attempt to get back on his feet. Without preamble, she raised Hush, poised to drive the tip of her blade into his heart.

The blow never came. A loud bang resounded from behind her, and a chunk of her skull burst into a bloody mist of viscera. Her parasol fell from her hand, and she stood there for a few seconds longer, frozen. The spell broke, and her corpse fell to the floor beside him with a thud.

Behind her, Emerald stood shaking. She still held her arm in the air, the barrel of Thief's Respite smoking. He saw grief, horror and rage shining clear as day on her face.

"Em?" He called out weakly, surprised to see her. She and Blake were supposed to be getting the others out.

His words seemed to snap her out of her haze. In an instant she dropped her weapon, rushing to his side. "Brother's Mercury, what the hell happened?"

He nodded towards Neo's body. "I tried something stupid and got screwed for it. Nothing new there." He tried to laugh, but only succeeded in coughing up blood.

Blake stumbled over. She seemed better than before, if only because she was managing to stand. Now that he could see her properly, her right eye was a ruined mess, as was most of that side of her face. Neo had got her good. Almost as good as she got me. "We managed to get Ruby and Yang out so far. Ruby's still unconscious, but Yang's up and trying to get to the others.

Somewhere out of sight he heard metal scraping against the floor. "That'd be her trying to clear a path," He guessed.

Blake glanced down at him and grimaced. "Fuck, that's bad."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," He snarked. His muscles seized, and he winced. His eyes shut, and his awareness dimmed from the pain. When he came to, he had been moved, and he could hear someone arguing faintly.

"-need to go now, before she reaches home!" Emerald. He was reasonably certain that was Emerald.

"You don't think I'm worried too?" That was…Arc? "Cinder's on her way to my sister's house and we're stuck over here. I'm not exactly calm right now." Definitely Arc. "But a lot of my friends are still trapped inside, and we can only move so fast while I have to tend to Mercury."

He groaned, his eyes fluttering open. "What about me?" He asked.

All traces of anger evaporated from Emerald's face, replaced with worry. She bent down, cupping his cheek with her hand. "Are you alright?" She asked hurriedly.

He could almost laugh at how ridiculous her question was. "I've got a parasol shaped hole in the middle of my stomach, of course I'm not, I'm…" He trailed off, glancing down at his chest. The wound had mostly closed, and the bleeding had stopped. Jaune was gripping his wrist and a ripple of white energy was flowing over him. "Wh-What happened?"

"You kinda spaced out for a few minutes," Jaune informed him. "Don't worry, it's only been a couple of minutes. Blake and Emerald dragged you out of there, and I had only just gotten myself free so Emerald's been telling me what happened while Blake went back for the others.

"Why aren't you helping her then?" He frowned. "And…and what the hell are you doing to me?"

"It's my semblance," He explained. "I can use my aura to boost someone else's. Works with semblances, but more importantly it can help your aura keep you alive. Which, for the record, is currently the only reason your insides are still inside of you. Also why I can't really leave to help Blake."

"Or anyone else," Emerald muttered bitterly.

Jaune sighed. "What do you want me to do, leave Mercury like this? He'll be lucky if he lasts an hour without me helping him. But if you two want to go halfway across the city to catch up to Cinder? He'll bleed out in an alley somewhere before you get halfway. Maybe, maybe I could leave him for a short while to help Blake get the others out faster. But if he tries to move he'll undo everything his aura has tried to heal in the past few minutes."

"Well I can't leave him either!" Emerald snapped. "But I can't…I need to get back to Saphron and Terra. Cinder's going to be there soon if she isn't already. Somebody needs to at least try to stop her."

"Then go," Mercury interrupted. "Like Jaune said, he can leave me be for a little while to help Blake.

"Maybe," Jaune emphasized. "I said maybe I can do that. It definitely won't be safe."

"Safer than racing back to Saphron and Terra," Mercury pointed out. "Pisses me off, but Neo did a number on me, Em. I wouldn't be much help even if I could make it back. I don't…I don't know what you can do to stop Cinder, but if you feel like you need to try then go." He scowled. "She's ruined enough for us already. She doesn't get to ruin this."

Emerald was torn, frozen in place. She had to know that she needed to take off for the Cotta-Arc's and try to get there as fast as she could, but then she would have to leave him here without knowing what would happen. And she wouldn't be able to just leave him. Not without a push at least.

"Hey, it's fine," He said gently. "I'll be alright. I won't move a muscle until everyone's out and Jaune has a chance to keep my aura up. Promise."

"I…" Emerald breathed out shakily. "I'm going to kill you if I come back and find out you've died on me, alright?"

He grinned. "I'll be sure not to do that, then. Good luck, Em."

She spared him one last look of concern before bending down to embrace him. "I love you," She whispered, and he shivered. "I don't think we've ever said it before, but I just…I needed to say it right now."

"I love you too, Em," He breathed out. The words felt strange leaving his mouth. Strange, but good.

She pulled away from him after a moment, nodding. "Stay safe," She said, before turning to leave.

He watched her break into a sprint, feeling useless stuck here, unable to help her or even the others trapped in the fire.

"You too," He muttered with a sigh.


Cinder hummed in satisfaction, striding through the streets. Today is a good day, She decided. The shattered moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale light over Argus. Snow fell softly through the air, and she sighed pleasantly as she drew nearer to her goal.

Soon, She thought. Soon. Even now Neo would be finishing off the last of those nuisances, leaving her free to take the Relic practically without resistance. It had been a long time coming, but she would finally have her due. By this time tomorrow she would be on her way to Atlas with the Relic in hand, and perhaps even with Neo to aid her. She would claim another of the maiden's power and prepare the city for Salem's arrival, and she could do so knowing for a fact that she had nothing to fear from Ruby Rose or her friends.

Of course, victory was not quite hers yet. There was still the matter of actually retrieving the Relic.

But by her count, all of Ruby's traveling companions save for Ozpin's latest host had gone into her trap. A fourteen year old boy, two civilians and a toddler would hardly be enough to keep what belonged to Cinder away from her. It was only a matter of time now.

A smile found its way onto her face as she laid eyes on the home of the Cotta-Arc's. She paused, taking a moment to observe. This is what Mercury and Emerald abandoned me for. This is who sheltered them. She shook her head. She had offered them power, a place by her side, everything they could have dreamed of, and they threw it all away for…what? Some pointless lie? Cowards. They fled from what could have been the greatest calling they could have ever hoped for. And they paid for it with their lives.

She ascended the steps, finding herself standing in front of their door. Briefly, she considered knocking. Imagine how amusing it would be, Ozpin's brat running up to the door expecting to greet his friends only to come face to face with her.

Amusing, but she decided against it. She gathered some of her power in her hand, throwing it out and blowing the door open, sending it flying into the house.

Cinder stepped through the shattered entrance, briefly scanning the room. It was empty, but someone was clearly still in the house. The lights were all on, and a mug sat resting on a table.

That was fine. If Ozpin's host wished to prolong the inevitable by playing hide and seek, then she would indulge him. It made no difference.

He could not escape her.


The only reason they were alive was because Adrian decided to throw a fit.

With Mercury, Emerald, and everyone else all gone so suddenly, it seemed to have upset him pretty bad. In the end they decided to give him a bath and hopefully get him to at least take a nap before the others got back. He and Miss Cavalera both went with, him to help with towels and bath toys and such, and Miss Cavalera…well, Oscar thought she just liked listening to them all struggle to wrangle Adrian.

This meant they were all upstairs when Cinder arrived.

The sound of her blowing in the door was enough to scare Adrian into silence, thankfully, or she would have found them immediately. Oscar motioned silently for Saphron and Terra to hide away in their room. At least there was a window there if it came down to it.

"What about you?" Saphron whispered.

He glanced back towards the stairs, half expecting to see Cinder ascending them. "If she's here then she must have slipped past the others somehow. Which means I just have to keep her busy until they get back."

If they came back. Cinder's presence here didn't bode well for their success. It meant that either she was never where she said she would be, or that…

Or that she had already dealt with the others.

"I know you're here, boy," A voice rang out from downstairs. "There isn't any point in hiding. No one is coming to help you. You are going to die because of your little parasite, but that doesn't mean the Cotta-Arc's need to. Bring me the Relic now and surrender yourself, and I'll kill you quick and spare them. Keep me waiting and I won't be so lenient."

Oscar froze, paralyzed with fear, his heart racing. What was he thinking? He wasn't Oz, he couldn't do anything to stop her! Even if he was Oz, then so what? Cinder had killed him once before, hadn't he? That's what got him wrapped up in this whole mess in the first place.

If Oz couldn't stop her, and if all of the others couldn't stop her, then what chance did he have?

Oscar, be calm. He almost jumped in surprise, his eyes widening in recognition. "O-Oz?" He whispered in disbelief. "Is that you?"

It is, The Professor answered inside his head.

"I thought you were gone," Oscar whispered. "I thought you left."

I…I did, He admitted, sounding almost remorseful. But it is my fault you're trapped in this position Oscar, and it is my responsibility to ensure your safety. I apologize, but I promise I will do everything to keep you safe.

The sound of Cinder's frustration tore his attention away as something crashed below them. Oscar winced. "What can you even do?" He asked desperately. "She beat you before."

I don't know, Ozpin confessed. Perhaps nothing. But if you wish to let me, I can at least try.

Oscar took a deep breath, letting it back out shakily. He glanced back at Saphron and Terra, huddling in their room with Adrian and Maria, who guarded them. They certainly wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight. And maybe Ozpin wouldn't be able to either, but he had a better shot than he did, and a much better one than them.

He nodded. "Okay. Do what you can."


Ozpin breathed in for the first time since the Argus Limited was attacked by the Grimm. Since they used the Relic of Knowledge. Since they learned everything.

He had hid away, in part because he thought it would be for the best, that the others wouldn't want him around, at least for the near future. And in part because he was ashamed.

They did not have time for shame anymore, nor for the consideration of what the other's may or may not want. Oscar's life was in danger, as was the Cotta-Arc's, and Miss Cavalera, and the safety of the Relic was in jeopardy as well. He wasn't sure what he could do against Cinder, especially as he was now…

But he was certain it would be better than continuing to hide away.

He grabbed his cane, extending it for his use, more out of habit than any real need to support himself. Oscar was a healthy young boy, perfectly fit for his age. That said, Ozpin feared he would need any possible support he could get, even if it was little more than a placebo to ease his mind.

He descended the steps leading down to the main floor, and beneath him he heard Cinder's searching come to a sudden halt. No doubt she heard him. He was making no attempt to mask his presence, and the sound of his cane clacked loudly on the wooden steps.

Cinder looked much the same as she did at Haven, although perhaps not quite so…volatile. She seemed pleased with herself now. Assured. Confident. Perhaps overly so. But then, she was confident at Beacon as well, and that hardly helped one whit.

She placed a hand on her hip, grinning in satisfaction. "I take it you've come to surrender, boy."

Oz placed his cane in front of him, resting both of his hands on the pommel. "Not at all, Miss Fall."

Immediately she scowled, wiping away the unsettling grin off her face. "Ozpin," She hissed, out of disgust or rage he could not tell. "You're even more of a fool than I thought. Do you care so little about your puppet's life then?"

He shrugged. "You're going to kill Oscar no matter what I do, you just said as much when you announced your presence."

"I also told him he had a choice in how he died," Cinder reminded him. "There's a difference between quick and painless, and a slow, agonizing end." Something of her former humor returned. "I imagine you of all people would be familiar in how many ways there are to die. Do you wish to burn again, Ozpin?"

"Not really, but I intend to stop you all the same," He told her. "Oscar is my responsibility, as is the Relic that drew you here. Oscar, the Cotta-Arc's, all of them are in danger as a direct result of my actions. I will do what I can to remedy that problem."

"Please," She snorted. You couldn't stop me at Beacon, and that was in a body you had already fully possessed, surrounded by an army of child soldiers. And before Ruby Rose used her eyes on me. You weren't enough to stop me then. Do you really think you have a chance now, as a fourteen year old boy with a stick he can barely use?"

"I do not need to beat you Cinder," Ozpin smiled knowingly. "I only need to wait until I am relieved by Miss Rose and her compatriots. I doubt they will tarry long, wherever they are."

Cinder laughed. "Really? That's your plan? Wait for a rescue?" She took a step closer. "You're waiting in vain, I'm afraid. Ruby Rose and her gang of brats are either dead, or will be soon enough. They hardly matter now."

"A predictable attempt at unnerving me," Ozpin said, denying it instantly. "You're lying."

Her grin widened. "Oh you are upset. That's amusing. And no, I'm being perfectly honest with you Ozpin. Far more than you were with anyone else. They found a nice little surprise waiting for them at the location I gave Emerald. One that involved an inordinate amount of fire dust. And if the blast itself didn't manage to take any of them out, I sent Neopolitan to ensure no one would walk out of the fire. They're as good as dead now."

A wave of grief rippled over him, one he forced himself to push down. They are my students. They can handle themselves. They are far more capable than Cinder presumes. "We shall see," He said evenly. They would manage. They had to.

"Then you won't surrender? Save us all the trouble?"

"I will not," He answered with a sigh. "As well you know." If it would be a fight, then so be it. Perhaps he would buy time for his students to overcome Neopolitan. Perhaps not. No matter what, he would not break his promise to Oscar. He would do whatever he could.

He parted his feet, raising his cane in a formal dueling stance. He opened his mouth to deliver a final barb, but Cinder spoke first. "Then ready yourself for a fight, old man. Child or not I'll kill you again all the same."

Ozpin shut his mouth, frowning. He was already poised to begin. "I understand Miss Rose may have taken one of your eyes, but surely you aren't blind? I assume you recognize what a fighting stance is."

Cinder laughed cruelly. "Your overconfidence is amusing. I don't know if you're trying to intimidate me, but keeping your hands resting on your weapon is hardly battle-ready." She shrugged. "All the same, I won't complain. If you want to die so quickly I'll be glad to oblige."

Something was wrong. He raised his hand slowly, snapping his fingers. Cinder gave no indication she saw him. I don't understand. What…His eyes widened as he glanced behind Cinder, seeing something that was not there before.

Someone.

Keep her talking, Emerald Sustrai mouthed frantically, ducking behind her former master. She was panting, exhausted and very visibly drained. But she was here, and if she managed it, then perhaps his students did as well. Perhaps things were not quite as simple as Cinder thought.

He smiled, hope returning to him. This wasn't a vain effort any longer. There was a chance now. He just needed to keep Cinder busy.

Ozpin cleared his throat, searching for a way to prolong their conversation. "I am….I am ready because…because this is how I mean for our conflict to be!" He stammered, trying to get back in control. Cinder frowned. "Think for a moment, Miss Fall. We are in the heart of Argus. Last we fought, our battle was contained within the vault beneath Beacon, and even then it shook the foundations of my school. Any duel between us would draw the authorities like moths to a flame. Perhaps you can kill me as easily as you claim, but you can hardly stop every soldier in the city."

She snarled. "If you think I need the powers of the maiden to kill you, try taking a look in the mirror. A fourteen year old boy is no obstacle to me."

"A fourteen year old boy with the single most experienced fighter in existence possessing him," Ozpin corrected. "As I said, you could very well kill me, Miss Fall. But if you think I will make it easy on you, you have not learned from your mistakes as well as you think you have. I promise you I'll have half the military garrison in Argus on our heads unless you leave. Now."

He stepped to the side, slowly, watching Cinder's gaze. Her eye never left the place he had just left. Curious. He imagined Cinder saw him just as he was moments ago, perfectly still. Miss Sustrai's gift was certainly powerful.

And draining, if Emerald's appearance was anything to go by. She was breathing even harder now, weary from the exertion. She shook his head as he started to move away from Cinder. You have to stay close to Cinder, She mouthed. And keep talking. I'll find the Relic and the others.

She tiptoed slowly up the stairs he had just come down from. Cinder's voice drew his attention back to the wayward maiden. "Let them come," Cinder snorted. "What do I care? A soldier or two, or the whole garrison, it makes no difference. By the time they arrive I'll have the Relic and be out of the city."

"Are you so certain?" Ozpin questioned. "Do you truly think I can't hold you off at least long enough for the authorities to arrive?"

"No, I don't," She answered bluntly. "Where's the Relic? I'm growing tired of this."

He sneaked around her, careful not to make too much noise. He trusted in the strength of Emerald's illusion, but he didn't want to take any unnecessary risks. "Gone from here," He told her, hoping Emerald would make the lie true quickly. "You've come here for nothing." I can't take her by surprise. I'd need to strike her down in one blow, and I'm not certain I can pierce her Aura in a single hit. They needed time, not strength.

"You're bluffing," Cinder denied immediately. "Where else could it be? Nearly all of your little students were at the warehouse. The Cotta-Arc's were the only ones you even spoke with in the entire city as far as we could tell, except for…" Cinder trailed off, her eye widening. "Except for that waitress." Ozpin frowned before remembering the small, nervous girl who showed up out of the blue to tell them Cinder was in the city

Cinder shook her head. "No. That's ridiculous! You wouldn't trust something as vital as the Relic to someone like her! She said she had never even seen you before, only Mercury and Emerald!"

Ozpin smiled wryly. Let Cinder draw whatever conclusions she wanted. Anything to keep her talking. "I admit, it was a risk," He said, lying through his teeth. "But you left us with little choice, and I could hardly leave Saphron and Terra at risk, even if we didn't believe it was a great one. But you've erred, Miss Fall. The girl was told to lead the Cotta-Arc's to a discreetly hidden bullhead if no one contacted them, one that will take them far away from you. I suspect they're long gone by now."

"Idiot!" Cinder screamed. "What do you think you've gained from this? All you've done is put a target on their back! You didn't save anyone! I'm going to kill you, Ozpin. And then I'm going to hunt down and kill the Cotta-Arc's as well. You've done nothing but delay the inevitable. They could have lived."

Emerald emerged from upstairs, quickly descending. She slowed once she reached the floor, walking over to where he had been, where Cinder still looked. She took a deep breath, slowly raising her weapon to point at Cinder's head. She nodded over to him, and he clapped his staff against the floor, signaling her to act.

He felt her drop the illusion, and Cinder jumped in surprise. She stepped away, only to back into the raised tip of his cane. "I believe," He said with a grin. "That I'm ready now, Miss Fall."

She growled. "So one of you survived Neo. This changes nothing. One or two of you, I'll kill you both without much trouble."

"No, you won't," Emerald said sharply, scowling at Cinder. "Not if you want to leave and get out alive."

Cinder tilted her head, and though he couldn't see he knew she was frowning. "What are you talking about?"

"It wasn't just one of us who survived Neo," Emerald answered. "She didn't manage to kill any of us, as a matter of fact. I emptied her brains out on the floor." Ozpin sighed in relief. The children are alright. They're alive. "The other's are on their way now. And the Relic? Ozpin was lying out of his ass, but it doesn't matter anymore. He bought me time to make sure the Relic really is gone now. So take this as your last chance, Cinder. Leave the city. Go crawling back to Salem to tell her how you failed, again." Emerald grinned. "You have until the others get back to make a choice. Because once they do get here, It's gonna be a fight no matter what you want. And if you think you can kill us both before they get here, think again. I've been here for a few minutes already, and they weren't too far behind me."

"Argus is a big city," Cinder said desperately. "I could hide. Wait until you leave then hunt down the Cotta-Arc's. Tell me where the Relic is, and I'll spare them."

"No," Emerald repeated, smiling cruelly. "Because you can't stay in the city. The Atlas garrison is going to be told you're here immediately. And even if you could hide from them, you can't hide from Salem. You're only here because of chance. Because the Relic was. If the Relic leaves, you don't have any excuse to linger. You're screwed, Cinder. Swallow your pride and leave already."

Cinder stepped aside, glaring murderously at the two of them. "I'll kill you," She swore. "This changes nothing. I promise you, I'll come back. I'll burn this entire city down, and make the Cotta-Arc's beg forgiveness for the day they let you and Mercury into their home. I promise it."

"Good for you," Emerald snarked. "Now don't you have somewhere else to be? I think I hear Ruby humming."

WIth a final curse, Cinder departed, running out into the streets. He sighed in relief once again, and beside him Emerald almost collapsed. "It's over," She breathed out, almost a whisper. "She's gone."

"For the moment," Ozpin agreed. "That was quick thinking. I assume you used your semblance once you realized we didn't notice you. Where's the Relic though, really? And the Cotta-Arc's? You didn't have time to get them anywhere far." She was upstairs for only a few minutes.

"I helped them out the window and pointed out an alley for them to hide in," Emerald answered. "Maria helped too. She's still upstairs though. I wasn't lying about the others," She added. "Mercury…Mercury was in a bad way when I left him, but the others are mostly fine. Alive, at least."

He nodded his thanks to her. "I appreciate it. And I assure you, Mr. Black will prevail. He's far too irritating to simply give us all a break."

Emerald glanced over to the ruined door frame fearfully. "She…she won't come back, will she?"

"Have some more faith in yourself," He said. "You made a good point. Cinder has to go where the Relic goes. She can't risk acting against us again, and she can't stay once we leave for Atlas. You and the Cotta-Arc's will be perfectly fine."

Emerald smiled, sitting herself down and propping her feet up on the table. "I wish I drank," She complained. "Or smoked. Or something. I'm shaking so much it's a wonder I can speak."

"What you need, Miss Sustrai, is sleep," He told her. "And company, no doubt. You'll feel better once Mercury and the others get here." He stepped across the littered room to stand near the door frame. "I'll wait a little longer, to greet the others and stand guard on the off chance Cinder does return. Once I see them, I'll cede control back to Oscar." He paused. "Thank you, Emerald. Truly. Neither Oscar, nor the Cotta-Arc's would still be alive without your intervention, and Salem would be that much closer to total victory."

She shifted nervously. "Just…just let me know when you see Mercury, alright?" She seemed uncomfortable having him thank her.

He smiled softly. "Of course. I'll tell you immediately."

His eyes turned to the streets of Argus, waiting for his students to return.

We won, He thought, and a laugh escaped him. It was temporary, and no doubt Cinder would hound them all the way to Argus, but for tonight at least, they had won.

And it felt good.


Emerald could have cried when Mercury stumbled through the door, supported by Jaune and Yang. He's alive. He's okay.

He grinned when he saw her. "Figured you'd manage," He told her. They sat together, out of the way as Oscar filled the others in on what happened. Ruby left briefly to let the Cotta-Arc's know it was safe to come back.

Saphron gasped when she entered. "Mercury! What the hell happened to you?"

"Tiny lady with a grudge," He answered. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. If it helps, she's a lot worse than I am."

"It…does not, no," Saphron said uncomfortably. "But I'm glad you're okay. Brothers, you terrified me, going missing like that!"

"Hm…does this mean I get out of running errands for you from now on?" Mercury asked mischievously. "After all, I'd hate to get kidnapped again just trying to buy some diapers."

Terra snorted. "Absolutely not. Which reminds me…you never made it to the store, did you?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

Terra sighed. "Well I just found out what I'm doing tomorrow," She muttered. She glanced behind her, and threw her arms up into the air in frustration. "Oh come onI Why is it everyone who wants to kill you two has a problem with our door? We just fixed this place!"

"I promise to pay for everything," Weiss offered. "It's the least we can do. All of this trouble is our fault anyways."

"Well, mostly your fault," Mercury corrected. "To be fair, we did wreck the place ourselves before you all got here."

"I think we should all just be glad we're alive to complain about the mess," Qrow said. He was holding an ice pack to his head. "Things could have gone very differently tonight."

"But they didn't," Ruby interrupted, grinning. "We're all here, we're alive, and Cinder's back on the run!"

"But she isn't gone," Oscar reminded her. "She'll follow us to Atlas. And we might be alive, but we aren't unscathed. Mercury nearly died, and Blake lost her eye. And none of you look like you're in great shape from the blast."

The room fell silent as Oscar's words poured over them. He was right. They had won for now, but it wasn't really over, not by a long shot. Even for her and Mercury, until Cinder was dead and in the ground she would always hang over their head.

"Yeah, yeah," Qrow groaned, getting up on his feet. "All that's true, sure, but focus on the bright side for once. The crazy Ice cream girl is dead, none of us are, and Cinder's got her tail between her legs. That's worth a little celebration, I think." A round of cheers from Ruby's group, and the silence was lifted, replaced with a much lighter mood.

One she and Mercury were content to stay away from. It wasn't their place, not really. "I…this feels too easy," She said, shaking her head. "Tomorrow, it's all over. They'll be gone, and we won't have to lift another finger for the rest of this war." Her fingers twitched nervously. "It doesn't feel right. Not after Beacon." She knew Mercury didn't really feel bad about what they did, and she knew he would probably never feel bad.

But it weighed on her. All these months later, and only since staying with the Cotta-Arc's did it begin to really affect her.

Ruby must have overhead her, and she frowned. "No one can change what happened in the past. You can only do your best to make up for it."

Mercury snorted. "We're sitting back in Argus waiting for it all to blow over. Not really doing much to make up for anything, are we?"

"You never know," Oscar chimed in. "Things are far from over, and hey, the two of you may end up surprising yourselves."

"Fat chance of that," Mercury denied. "We told you at the start, we don't want any part of the fight with Salem. Not for her, and not against her either."

Oscar shrugged. "If you say so." Emerald frowned at the way he spoke, like he knew something they didn't. She didn't get a chance to ask him to elaborate, because Jaune took his place, walking up to them.

"You sure you'll be fine for tonight?" He asked Mercury.

Her partner nodded. "Yeah. Thanks for earlier. As it happens, I prefer my guts on the inside, thank you very much."

"Don't mention it." Jaune paused. "Actually, never mind. Do me a favor, and I'll consider us even."

Mercury narrowed his eyes. "What favor?"
"Look after my sister and her family, will you?" Jaune asked, smiling softly. "They mean a lot to me."

Mercury frowned. "We were going to do that anyway." They mean a lot to us too, Emerald thought.

Jaune shrugged. "Then I guess it all works out, doesn't it?" He grinned again. "You two…you're nothing like you were at Beacon. I get…I get we haven't always been on the same side. Or ever been on the same side, until a few days ago. But you've changed. For the better, I think. I hope the General will see that, once we tell them everything that's happened." He paused. "And I hope to see you again, too. Once everything calms down, you know?"

Emerald blinked in surprise, and Mercury just nodded, unable to answer him. It wasn't just them that had changed. The last few days had messed with all of them. Hell, the last few hours.

And tomorrow it would change again. The last time too, for a long time if everything worked out. Ruby, and Jaune, and all the others would be gone, and she and Mercury would finally, finally settle down and try to live a normal life. As close to normal as the two of them could get, at least.

She felt Mercury wrap his arm around her waist, and she leaned into his shoulder, careful not to put too much weight on him just yet. She smiled, watching the rest of them all chat excitedly. She watched Jaune check on Saphron and Terra to see how they were holding up. She watched Nora bring Qrow another ice pack to replace the first. She watched Yang frown sadly at Blake, before going over to comfort her.

They all cared about each other. They were friends, family. It was…refreshing, to see them act like that. It helped Emerald imagine her and Mercury like that, with the Cotta-Arc's.

She decided she liked how it looked in her mind.


It was insulting how simple it was to fool the Atlas military.

Honestly, if they had known it was this easy back when they were with Cinder, he'd have suggested just going to Atlas first, to get it out of the way.

Emerald's semblance did the heavy lifting, naturally. They had all known it would be the case from the start. It had been as easy as walking up to the gate and having Weiss tell the guards she changed her mind, and she was willing to go alone.

What the guards didn't see were the eleven people behind her. The short walk from the gate to the bullhead that would take the others to Atlas felt like miles. He was restless, his eyes drifting to each and every guard in sight, looking for any sign that one of them might see through Emerald's illusion, waiting for someone to raise the alarm.

No one ever did. They slipped onto the bullhead without incident, and the two Atlesian pilots took their seats, preparing the flight for takeoff.

He would have been happy to leave then and there, but the others wanted to say their goodbyes first. "Thank you," Ruby said emphatically. "For stopping Cinder. For getting us here. We appreciate it."

Mercury cleared his throat. "Yeah, well, we needed help with Cinder anyway. Just repaying the favor." He hoped that would be the end of it, but the younger girl shot towards him, jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck. He immediately tensed, but managed to keep himself from shoving her away.

They parted, Ruby still grinning. "Eh, that's alright. I'll get you to hug me back next time."

He raised an eyebrow. "Next time? Red, if all goes well we'll never see each other again."

Ruby laughed like he had told her the greatest joke she had ever heard. "Ah, that killed me! Yeah, we're absolutely going to see each other again."

"I think we will too," Oscar remarked. "And I think it'll be a much more pleasant meeting than this one was."

"Hm. We'll see," Mercury said. He sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Well, it's been nice but Emerald can't hold her illusion forever, and this bullhead's about to take off." He paused, wondering if there was anything else he should say. "Good luck," He added awkwardly.

Ruby giggled. Yang rolled her eyes. "Next time, let's have a proper rematch, yeah? Settle once and for all which of us would come out on top in a fight."

Mercury grinned. "Now that sounds like fun. I know at least Blake can hold her own." The faunus had earned a good deal of respect from him when they fought Neo together. "It'll be fun to see how her partner's gotten since Beacon."

"Can you hold the illusion if you aren't on board, at least until the pilots give the all clear to command?" Weiss interrupted.

Emerald nodded. "Not easily, but yeah, I think so. Tell me as soon as you've got the pilots unconscious though, I still need to cloak me and Mercury to get out of the base."

"Will do," Weiss confirmed.

With a final round of goodbyes, he and Emerald jumped off the aircraft just in time for its departure. He watched Emerald begin to sweat the further they got. He was frowning, deciding whether or not he should intervene, when he heard a notification from Emerald's scroll. She gasped, clutching her knees. For a moment, he thought the mask around the two of them might have slipped, but Emerald regained control, using his shoulder to support herself.

"I'm alright," She said. "But let's get out of here."

They strolled leisurely right back the way they came, surprising the guards sitting at the gate when they simply appeared out of thin air, just outside the base. They laughed at the guards' surprise, and watched for a moment as the bullhead carrying the others blinked out of sight far in the distance.

Mercury sighed, once again stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I suppose we should get back now. Saphron and Terra will probably be terrified if we stay off schedule." He couldn't really blame them. Look at the last time he had been late coming home.

A familiar grin spread slowly across Emerald's face. "We could do that," Emerald drawled. "Or we could have a bit of fun first."

He smirked. "They're going to freak out when we finally do get back."

"Probably," Emerald agreed. "But I think we've earned a bit of fun. Isn't that the whole point of this? Slow things down, live a normal life? And you never did take me on that date, you know. The closest we got was me and Ruby third wheeling your lunch with Yang."

He snorted. "Please. That was not our lunch."

"Really? From the way you two acted, it didn't seem like you two knew anyone else was even there."

"Are you seriously still mad at that?" He asked.

Emerald shook her head, grinning. "No. But are you seriously going to turn down an excuse to take me out and mess with Saph and Terra?"

He took a moment to pretend to think, before shaking his head. "Do you really need to ask?"

Grinning, she grabbed his hand, dragging him along as she took off running to who knows where.

They were laughing with each other as they raced down the sidewalk. He smiled to himself as he took it all in. The laughter, the snow falling all around them, the warmth of Emerald's hand, and the warmer sound of her voice. The home that waited for them, and even the scolding they would inevitably receive from Terra. He thought of all of it.

Mercury grinned. I could get used to this.


Adam grimaced, clenching his fist uselessly as the Bullhead faded into the horizon, and with it Blake.

He had come close. So close. Keeping up with her and the rest of her friends hadn't been easy since they left Haven. They covered most of the journey in the Argus Limited, while he was forced to travel by foot. At the very least, he knew where they were going.

For all the good it did him. Just as he had arrived in the city, just as he managed to locate them, they had left. He missed them, by moments. He watched as Emerald led them to the military base, unable to intervene. Watched as they tricked their way in.

Watched as they left him behind. Again.

He sighed, shaking his head. He would get his chance. Not today, but soon. Atlas would be their next destination. Fine then. So would his. I just need a way past to get through their security…

"Frustrating, isn't it?"

Adam spun around, Wilt and Blush ready in an instant. He scowled when he realized who was speaking to him. "Cinder Fall," He spat. "I thought you died at Haven."

She grinned. "I'm afraid not."

"More's the pity," Adam replied sourly. "Perhaps I should rectify that mistake."

Cinder laughed. "As much as I'd love the entertainment of watching you try, I'm here for something else. We can still be of use to each other."

He scoffed. "I doubt that. I remember Haven. You weren't much use then, were you?"

"As I recall, you fled at the first sign of trouble," Cinder remarked bitterly. "But that is all behind us. We've both suffered humiliation since Haven, I won't deny it. But I don't think either of us are the sort of person to simply let that humiliation fester. We want vengeance."

He tilted his head in interest. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Blake Belladonna," Cinder said, and Adam scowled. "That's who you want. But she's gone. By this time tomorrow she'll likely be in Atlas airspace, and far from your reach."
"If you came here to taunt me, Cinder, don't expect this to end amicably," He warned.

"Not at all," Cinder refuted. "If anything, I've come to commiserate. My own desire has escaped me as well." She paused. "But there is a way for us both to get what we want."

Adam growled. "Say what you mean, and stop dancing around it!"

"Until recently, I was working with Neopolitan," She said. "She proved unable to fulfill our shared goals. But you and I, Adam, we remain. Perhaps neither of us will be able to get to Atlas on our own, but together our dreams can become reality."

"Who says I need you?"

"Maybe you don't," Cinder replied evenly. "Maybe you can get to Atlas on your own. Maybe you can even learn where Blake is. But you honestly mean to tell me you can undermine the Atlas military in their own backyard, and kill Blake all on your own?"

Adam growled. "What can two people do that one can't?"

Cinder smirked. "You'd be quite surprised, Adam. If you recall, this sort of thing is my specialty."

Adam was silent for a moment, contemplating his choices. Finally, he nodded. "We have a deal then. Get to Atlas, get what we want."

"So we do," Cinder agreed. "Blake Belladonna will die. Ruby Rose will die."

She turned back to the horizon, and the long vanished Bullhead. A ghost of a smile settled on her lips. "And Atlas will fall."


I uploaded the first chapter of Doing our own Thing on February 19th of 2024. It's September 17th the day this last chapter will be posted, and factoring in that I wrote the first five chapters before posting, that's another three ish weeks. Eight months, and over 190k words. I was going into this happy if I made it to 100k

My only other experience writing was my first fic, Good for Nothing, which was a completely different process to write. I've learned a hell of a lot since beginning this story, and it's been so much fun reading all the new comments each week, seeing what everybody thinks of my work.

Thanks to everyone who has left a comment. It's really gratifying to see people enjoy what I write, and very helpful when people offer me suggestions, or let me know about something I missed. And thanks to Manticore_Writes, a fellow author and a good friend, and also I believe the very first person to read DooT. She also writes for RWBY on AO3, check her out.

I really like this chapter. The fight with Neo is one of the smoothest fight scenes I've written, I believe, and I'm quite satisfied with how I handled the final confrontation with Cinder. It couldn't just be a straight fight or it'd be over immediately. I wanted to build tension, and surprise people too.

I know some people will be dissatisfied that nobody died, but I honestly don't get why somebody needs to die. It just doesn't make any sense. Especially when the story isn't about Ruby or Jaune, or any of the others. It's about Mercury and Emerald, going out and doing their own thing. And I'm happy with the way I've brought this story to a close.

I don't intend to do a sequel, and certainly not anytime soon. That last little bit with Adam was meant as a way to show how the rest of the story might play out, from Ruby and the other's side. Adam would go with Cinder instead, and that would cause a whole slew of problems. I guess it is possible I'll write a sequel eventually though, maybe after RWBY comes to an end.

I'm actually not sure what I'll write next. Originally, it was going to be a Code Geass/Warhammer crossover, and I'm still working on that, but I'm also working on another Code Geass fic, not a crossover, as well as planning another RWBY fic. It'll probably be a while before I start posting again, just because I would like a bit of a break. I mean, I haven't missed a single upload from start to finish of this fic, and that's something I'm proud of. I don't want to post until I know how the story will play out, whichever one I go with next. Expect some one-shots to hold you over, though.

Thank you all for taking the time to read my story, and thank you again for reading this ridiculously long Author's Note. Feel free to leave a comment, no matter how long it's been since this chapter went up. I check regularly, and read every comment even if I don't reply to each one.

As always, you can find me on AO3 as well as here.

I hope you all have a wonderful day,

Jotun