Note: This is sort of technically the end of the Vault of Sin arc, which I guess is now technically the end of Let Us Dance in the Flames, save for the ending mini-arc that features something long overdue. Lots and lots going on, so let's get right to it.

"So… we're just gonna not talk about Ruby turning into a flower angel?"

Blake's question was well-deserved. The obvious answer was that: yes, of fucking course they should be talking about Ruby growing wings and murdering the giant, ancient robot that had shrugged off bullets like wads of paper. Yes, they should extra talk about Velvet maybe, sort of dying, and now definitely coming back from the dead—though really, she might have just been super, extra close to dead the whole time. And they also probably should have been talking about Ruby's fingers looking like they had just been dipped in oil. Oh, and on the subject, they also should have been talking about Ruby knowing how to read the language of the Fables, and the messages that Ruby, Weiss, Coco, and Penny received that they were not sharing with the rest of the class. It wouldn't hurt to talk about the weird pod people that Blake's team encountered, or all the piles of human skeletons that definitely shouldn't be there. And even more still, they might want to talk about Yang being hit with a fucking sledgehammer, because Blake wasn't really over how Nora thought that could be a good idea, despite its obvious success.

They were not talking about any of that, and there were two reasons for it.

The first reason: what were they supposed to say? Yes, that all happened. Yes, it was crazy. Yes, they were happy to be alive. There were only so many words to express how insane the past few hours had been. It wasn't as if talking about it would get them any answers, either. Ruby had no idea how her new powers worked, what triggered them, or if they were leaving any nasty side effects they had to be concerned about. Velvet seemed fine, despite how hideous she appeared. As for what Ruby and her team encountered during their voyage through the Vault, they weren't saying it. Ruby insisted that it was something they would have to sit down and discuss in full officially. Blake's team was not spilling the details either, too distracted by everything else the Vault had thrown at them. Well, Fox tried to explain something, but his rambling was shut down rather quickly. They would learn the share the secrets of the Vault once they were safe.

And that led to the second, far more frustrating point: they were still in the Vault, all thanks to the simpleminded machinations of Penny Polendina. At least, some of them were. When Penny left, she did so without a word, heading toward the Vault's core. Ruby took off after her, but her team did not follow, not entirely. Without the Maiden to hold them back, Weiss was able to open the Vault door, and the darkness of the outside cave was as welcoming as heavenly light. Those who should have left did so, though not without hesitation. Jaune, Velvet, Yatsu, Weiss, and even Yang—after heavy prodding—went to the surface to attend to their injuries. Coco agreed to go as a guide, eager to stay by her injured teammates after nearly losing them. The goodbyes were short and sweet, simple promises to cherished friends to see them on the other side. Ruby, Blake, Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, and Fox would follow Penny deeper into the Vault, finishing the mission they started.

Penny had disappeared somewhat out of view, though she couldn't have gone far. Ruby set the pace for her team; a steady march. There were no more Maidens, she stated. No more defenses. They had a straight shot to the innermost chamber, where their prize waited for them. The tension could be cut with a wing.

In some ways, Blake's question was a distraction for herself. She pushed Yang out of the Vault herself, insisting the dragon get to safety. It was necessary, and Blake felt better knowing that the worst was truly over. Yang's supposed death had sent a shockwave through her, and her feelings churned inside of her like a hurricane. She couldn't remember the last time she felt that much grief. Even her father's death was shrouded in the fog of her childhood; this rawness she could feel in the aches in her chest. Separating from Yang even now stung, despite its vitalness. Separating from Velvet… now that was easier. She had no idea what to think about the activist sacrificing herself. It didn't feel earned and seemed uncharacteristic, and Blake suspected that it was her rant that perhaps created an impulsive spark within the Team CFVY member. Despite her lingering frustrations with Velvet's many shortcomings, she now had to confront that Velvet saved her life and was probably owed a thank you. That conversation was going to suck.

Ergo, a distracting question.

It was a welcome question for the others as well. Ruby was thinking of Weiss, and Pyrrha had been silent ever since she parted with Jaune. The stress of thinking of him dead surprisingly did not bog her down as much as Blake expected. When Yang was thought dead, Blake turned cold. When Velvet had passed, Coco broke down in tears. Pyrrha had kept herself mostly together, either so determined to see her mission through that she became a rock, or she had simply been lost in sheer denial. It was impressive or horrifying, depending on which way one looked at it. Pyrrha chose not to do any self-reflection at all for fear of discovering the answer herself.

And what a great way to avoid self-reflection than by focusing on one's friend gaining the power of God? Walking through the corridor to the center of the Vault, marching along the silencing metal, it was the perfect time to fill the room with idle chit-chat.

"Ruby, are you feeling okay?" Pyrrha asked.

"I actually feel great," Ruby admitted. "Almost like I can fly."

"Well, you do literally have wings now, so that's probably why," Nora reasoned. "I will say, from an objective, unbiased standpoint, it looks really cool."

"Uh, thanks," Ruby smiled awkwardly. There were likely more pressing matters, but for a nerdy kid who loved shouting out badass team attack names, looking cool warmed her heart.

"You aren't dealing with Rosaline in your head?" Blake asked suspiciously.

"She hasn't said anything," Ruby claimed.

"Any personality merging? I only ask because when Yang had her giant power boost, it eventually caused problems."

"Well, for now, I feel fine. But you are right; it's probably a good idea to monitor my mental health and attitude. We don't want a repeat of the Yin fiasco."

Fox shook his head. "I don't know what that means. Do I want to know what that means?"

"No. You don't," Blake shot him down. "Actually, you shouldn't know anything. We should actively exclude you from future conversations."

"Are you really still mad at me for—"

"Yes. Now shut up."

Blake's words were sharp, but while Fox scoffed at the rejection, Nora was there next to him to bump him with her elbow.

"Oh, don't let her get to you," Nora teased. "You are a valued member of this team."

Fox smirked. "Thanks, Nora. But really, you've been the star of the mission."

"Awwwww," Nora blushed. "You flatter me."

"You did save a life," Pyrrha reminded her. "Yang's indebted to you. We are all."

"I'm really amazed how much she can take a punch," Nora confessed. "I really whacked her."

Nora sounded a bit too jubilant. Actually, any amount of praise seemed weirdly misplaced. Yes, they had overcome the impossible, but they hadn't actually done anything they wanted to accomplish. Yes, their friends were alive, but that was true before they arrived here. Penny was still in the Vault, and the Grail was within her grasp. Until both of them were safe, the mission wasn't over yet.

It wasn't long before it would come to an end. The centermost chamber rested at the end of the corridor, and as they reached the end of their journey, they saw a white light. It did not stem from the beyond, but the very corridor itself. The walls, usually boring, clumsy steel, slowly turned a powerful, radiant white. The walls of the path seemed to fade away, fusing into the glow, embraced in a heavenly warmth. Step by step, the hallway lengthened, stretching into the white void. It was another special effect, though stronger than the ones they had seen before. Most of them were no longer amused, their desire to be done with the misery overpowering their curiosity and wonder. Nora summed it up succinctly.

"Freaky."

But for Ruby, it felt familiar. The dream, or the nightmare, came back to her. Or they must have been memories. The white lived forever, absorbing everything else until floor and ceiling were one, until she stepped onto clouds and felt nothing beneath her feet. The world behind her had faded away into the white light. A chill ran down her spine.

As the corridor came to an end, there was no chamber waiting for them. Only a door—a pitch-black monolith that stood proud in the void, beckoning her to join. Standing in front of it, staring at the wonderous thing, was Penny, planted on one foot, unsure what to do next. She did not hear the footsteps behind her. Only when Ruby's voice echoed into the infinity did she tilt her head.

"Penny!"

The android sighed. "Ruby. I assumed you would follow me." She noticed the presence of the others. "I did not assume you would bring company. Where are the others?"

"Safe, no thanks to you," Blake chastised her. Penny averted her gaze.

"My apologies. I should have opened the door before I came here. That was shortsighted of me."

"It's all right, Penny," Ruby said softly. Without the Maiden on their heels, they could take all the time they needed, even if it didn't sit well with her teammates.

"What is this place?" Pyrrha asked.

"According to my map, this is the exact center of the Vault," Penny explained. "The most likely resting place of the Holy Grail is within here. Within here, the ceremony to give Rosaline the power of the Fables was conducted. It is quite shocking to think that within here lies the source of our current misery."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Blake groaned.

"I was waiting for you," Penny claimed. "It seemed only appropriate that you be here for this, Ruby. And yet, I must admit… I am also fearful to enter the room by myself."

"Why?" asked Ruby. "The Maiden is gone. There's nothing left to stop us."

"I am not afraid of what may be inside. Rather, I fear what isn't," Penny confessed. She gazed up at the final door, face blank. "The Grail was designed to give immense power to a singular individual. It drew from dozens of Fables, wringing out every last drop of energy they could give it. There is no reason to believe the Grail would be functional beyond that purpose. What if we have come all this way, and it can not be used? What if Rosaline, in her desire to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, destroyed it? What if we came here for nothing?"

Ruby placed a hand on Penny's shoulder. She spoke with a confidence that did not belong to her.

"It's there. I promise."

Penny could only nod. Ruby took a deep breath and extended her hand. Penny did the same. After months of being at odds and the constant tug-of-war between their allegiances, despite the bitterness Ruby may have had and Penny's obsessions, here, at the end of the line, they would work together. They placed their palms upon the great monolith. The others watched cautiously as they pressed into the black surface, and the strange material groaned in response. It slid into the floor, descending into the white like a stone in a pond, ripples of light cascading over their feet. The final chamber was revealed, and the seven remaining Huntsmen students stepped inside. Ruby already knew what she would see before her eyes fell upon it.

The room was covered in rose petals, as if a flower-filled bomb had detonated within. There wasn't much in the way of furnishings, but the ceremonial pillars that did exist were coated from top-to-bottom. So many petals lay on the ground that a single step through them was like brushing through a pile of leaves or a light snowfall. The dark grey chamber had been painted so thoroughly in red, it was hard to make out its most significant feature. A golden podium, three meters high, stood in the center of the room atop a short, stone stairwell. The gold was chipped, revealing the faded plaster beneath. Only more petals rested on top of it. The seven briefly waded around the room, looking around its shadowy walls and kicking up petals. A slow dread began to set in when they realized that nothing was in there—at least, it was how it seemed.

Ruby started to circle the podium, and that was when she saw it, lying discarded in a sea of red.

It looked no different than in her memories, though its size was bigger than she anticipated, roughly the size of her torso. Polished silver so clear that even after thousands of years, the petals were perfectly reflected in its exterior. A deep, thick basin and an even thicker handle, gently curved at its base. Its sides were decorated with blue gemstones that swirled into fractals, their infinite shape washing over the sides of the cup like ocean waves. It drew Ruby into its presence, and she ignored the calls of everyone else as she approached it. It had not moved since a stunned, seizing hand had discarded it long ago. She leaned down to touch it; it was cool against her skin.

It had been waiting for her.

Her fingertips hit the metal—and it recoiled from her. Ruby jumped back in surprise, her gasp drawing the reactions of the others. They swarmed around her, worried she was harmed, but they instead saw her staring at the floor. She was more bewildered than frightened, and checking the Grail, it was easy to see why. The cup was shrinking. It slowly condensed in size, metal squeezing on top of itself to fit into a smaller space. It did not make a sound and it barely even moved, only rolling slightly on its rim as it shrunk further and further. When it became the size of a normal cup, it stopped. Ruby, hesitantly, picked up the weapon of mass destruction in her black-fingered grip. It was still quite a big cup on average, but it could now fit into her hands. The seven of them stood in a circle, looking down at the metal, expecting more of it.

Nothing else happened.

"Yep, that's a magic cup all right," Blake whistled.

"Are you okay, Ruby?" Pyrrha asked, concerned.

"Yeah," Ruby said calmly. The cup was extremely light in her hand, weighing less than a pound despite its size. She turned it over a few times to look at it, but the response had gone quiet. It had said its piece.

"So… okay then. We got it, I guess," Blake shrugged. "Now what do we do?"

Yes, that was definitely the question of the day, wasn't it? Ruby grimaced, attempting to sort through the myriad of ideas that were washing over her. She was interrupted by Fox just throwing things at the wall.

"I guess we bring it back to our dorms?"

"What?" Pyrrha chastised him. "That's a terrible idea."

"No it's not," said Fox. "What else are we going to do with it?"

"We leave it here," Pyrrha suggested. "Ruby, you repeatedly said this was not something we should tamper with."

"You want to just… put it back on the floor?" asked Nora.

"We can put it on the podium."

"That seems… not great."

"Why?"

"Because then it's just sitting there," Ren explained. "Anyone could come in and take it after us. Penny was correct that without the Maiden, there's nothing left to defend it. Leaving it in the Vault isn't wise."

"And taking it out of the Vault is?" Blake questioned. "So we take this magic cup, walk straight out of the Vault and into an Atlasian military camp, and you don't think that'll cause problems?"

"Blake don't just call it a magic cup. That doesn't sound right," Pyrrha sighed. "We know what it's called."

"It's a cup. It's magic. I'm tired. Fuck off."

"But about your point—you do raise a good one," Ren realized. "Ironwood isn't going to stop trying to obtain the Grail. If we take it outside, it will be an easy target."

"Well, we have to take it outside at some point. We can't live in here forever," Nora reminded him.

"Ignore the guards. We can beat them if we need to," Fox suggested. "And then we take it to our dorms and keep an eye on it."

"You really want to take the Grail to Atlas Academy?" Pyrrha said, shaking her head. "We would be bringing it to Ironwood directly."

"Well, where else can we leave it? Weiss's sister? Just walk up and dump a superweapon on her lap and ask her to babysit it?"

"Anyone who watches over it will have a giant target on their back," Ruby sighed. "And as much as I hate to say it, I'm not sure I trust something this important in anyone else's hands."

"What if we buried it?" Nora suggested suddenly.

"What?" asked Blake.

"We are in the middle of the wilderness," Nora explained boldly. "We sneak the Grail out of here, find some bramble or dirt or something, and then just bury it where no one will ever find it."

"That's a dumb plan," Blake shook her head.

"It's a great plan—actually, what if we throw it somewhere in the middle of the ocean? Tie a rock into it and dump it into the sea. Ironwood will never find it. Glass will definitely never find it."

"You want to just abandon the magic cup?" Blake said as if it was the stupidest thing she ever heard. "No protection, no backup. Just take the super deadly Fable artifact out of the safe Vault that it's currently in and throw it away like a piece of trash?"

"It is extremely risky," Ruby said. "Even if the odds of someone finding it is low, we'd essentially abdicate all responsibility for it. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that."

"Okay, then what's your idea?" Nora asked, pointing toward Blake. "All you've done is complain about the magic cup without giving any answers of your own!"

"Not you also calling it a magic cup," Pyrrha sighed.

"Magic cup sounds better than Holy Grail or Infinite Chalice."

"It doesn't."

"Why do you care?" asked Blake, crossing her arm.

"Because I'm taking this somewhat seriously, and you aren't," Pyrrha countered. "Answer the question: what's your idea?"

"I don't have one," Blake admitted. "I wanted to leave it alone. Look, maybe here's an idea. What if we find somewhere else in this Vault and store it away? Like, maybe we can shove it behind a wall in one of the rooms no one will go in. We'll pretend it was missing when we got here, and besides, the Vault already has a huge door on it. Not like many people can get in."

"Anyone with enough Fable tech can get in," Ruby claimed. "That's Ironwood, and I wouldn't be surprised if Glass could find a way inside as well."

"And then she'd never find where it really is," Blake stated, somewhat overconfident. "Even if she gets past all of the guards in the way, and even if she already isn't fucking dead—which reminder, she totally could be—she'd still have to search every square inch of this Vault."

"And if she's determined, she will," Ruby said. "As much as I would love to leave this behind, the Vault is no longer safe without the Maiden. Atlas Academy isn't safe. The SDC isn't safe. The wild isn't safe. Anywhere we take this, we run the risk of it being stolen. Once we leave this Vault, it doesn't matter what deals we have in place, or who our allies are. No one will ever stop trying to get this Grail from us. We have to understand the consequences of what are going to do?"

"Then why don't you just give it to me?"

The students fell silent. Penny had been standing just outside the circle, quietly observing her so-called friends bicker and argue over the Grail's future. Her eyes had never left her treasure. Her prize. Ruby noticed Penny's fierce gaze on the Grail and her sullen expression. She instinctively pulled the Grail closer to her chest, away from the android.

"Penny… you already know why we can't do that."

"You cannot do many things, it seems," Penny said, her calm tone betrayed by the fierceness of her eyes. "You do not have a strategy. You have no plan. If the Grail cannot be safe in your possession, then there is no substantial reason to keep me from my mission."

Blake snarked at her. "Were you paying attention to anything we were saying? Yeah, we have a reason to not give it to you. The whole fucking point of us being here is to stop Ironwood from getting this."

Penny narrowed her gaze. "I thought you came here to rescue me?"

The silence was palpable. They all looked at Penny, waiting for her to smile, to make some sort of comment to relieve the tension. She would not break. And why would she? She was not stupid; she understood they were here for two reasons, though which one they truly prioritized was beyond her and irrelevant. She had been very clear with her intentions from the start, explicit about the consequences of failure. She pleaded, time and time again, for their assistance, and they shut her down at every opportunity. She had been polite in her request and immensely helpful to their goals. Without her, the Maiden would have killed them all in their first encounter. And now, at the end of the road, these six students weren't even considering her as an option. They had already accepted it as a given that she would be sent back to Ironwood empty-handed. They were sending her to her death, and they weren't even asking her opinion about it.

What was there to smile about?

"Penny… of course, we came to rescue you," Ruby said sincerely.

"Then please do the one action that will keep me safe."

"We can't do that," Ruby said. She really shouldn't have phrased it like that, but the words came out on accident, and Penny's hands balled into fists at her side.

"Do you recall one of our first personal conversations, Ruby?" Penny asked sharply. "In the aftermath of your creation of the Team RWBY Fund, I questioned you on your morality. I asked very specifically: Why did you choose the morally incorrect option? You selfishly took unnecessary risks to protect the people you care about. I remember Weiss's words well. 'Autonomy, freedom, choice: that is what keeps us Human.' You would risk so much to keep your power, but when my freedom and my choices are at risk, you won't even consider helping me?"

"Penny, I want to help you. Believe me," Ruby pleaded. The others could feel the tension bubbling. There was no need for anything physical yet, but they were on their guard as Penny's frustrations spilled out.

"I'm going to die without that Grail!" Penny exclaimed. "How is this helping me?"

"It's not just about you. It's about our families. The world. Everyone."

"So I am expendable?"

"No."

"Then give me the Grail!"

"Penny, we can talk this out. There is no reason to yell."

"I tried speaking at a normal volume. I tried, over and over, to explain to you why this matters. At every opportunity, you shut me down and did not acknowledge the reality of what will happen."

"Penny, you owe me to hear me out. Remember that? You owe me."

"I have heard you out. You have not given me a solution."

"We will come up with one."

"You keep saying that, but you can't!" Penny said passionately. "You don't have the time, and you don't have the power. When Ironwood realizes he doesn't have the Grail, my life is over. You cannot negotiate with him and you cannot run. Much like that Grail, I cannot hide forever."

"You won't. We will fix this."

"Give me the Grail."

"No."

"Give me the Grail."

"No."

"Ruby, please, I am begging you."

"Do you think I want to do this?" Ruby asked, her own voice cracking. "I don't want anything to happen to you, Penny, but I can't give this to Ironwood. I can't risk the entire world for you and you alone, no matter how badly I want to."

"What can I say that will make you help me?"

"Nothing!"

Ruby's announcement was the final nail in the coffin. Penny became silent, bowing her head in shame. Ruby's heart broke slightly, but she stood true. She wished she could tell Penny her plan to protect her, but she didn't have one. She hoped that Ironwood was bluffing, using scare tactics to force Penny's loyalty. An idea crossed into her head to use the threat of the Grail against Ironwood himself, but she knew she couldn't follow through. She had no idea how to make the Grail function without sacrifice, and even then, she feared what would happen if she used its power. As cruel as it was, Ruby could not offer Penny any safety. Their mission to rescue her could have ended as soon as it began. The others, even wanting Ruby to stand her ground, could not help but mourn. Penny did not deserve this, despite her shortcomings. There was nothing they could do. As Penny silently realized how alone she was, the others knew they were staring at a dead woman.

Penny closed her eyes. Ruby cradled the Grail and opened her mouth to tell the others to leave the room. Then, Penny spoke.

"I attempted to be reasonable. I'm going to use a different negotiation tactic now."

The rocket on Penny's leg flared, and the android lunged forward at top speed, charging through the group. She didn't reach for the Grail despite it being in her grasp, nor toward the woman who had it in her possession. Instead, she got personal. She tackled Blake and flew her across the room, the engine blasting away a clear trail through the petals. Penny carried Blake toward the wall but did not slam her into it. Instead, she turned around on a dime, crashing her own back into the metal to keep the rest of the students in front of her. In the flurry of rose petals, a panel on her back had opened wide, and her last three swords, safely kept from her battle with the Maiden, flew forward. They reached their targets with incredible speed, though they did not pierce flesh. The petals scattered after only a second, and when Ruby recovered from her shock, the scene was quite different.

Fox, Nora, and Ren all stood in fear with sword blades pressed against their throats.

Pyrrha had her weapon drawn, aiming her rifle across her room, eyes bulged and trigger finger shaking.

Penny held Blake in a chokehold with one arm. Her other hand separated, revealing a thin gun barrel in her wrist. It was pressed to the side of Blake's head. Blake breathed in sharply through gritted teeth. From behind the darkness of her hair, Penny's glowing green gaze fell upon Ruby's.

"Give me the Holy Grail," Penny ordered, "or I kill all your friends."

Ruby couldn't believe her eyes. This… this wasn't happening.

Penny wouldn't…

But her eyes told a different story. She was an Atlasian soldier, loyal to the end. She was a Living Weapon. All of those smiles, those good intentions, those innocent inquiries—they obfuscated a woman that would stab her in the back the moment it served her kingdom. Penny, despite her mechanical body, was an animal, just like everyone else. Backed into a corner, desperate, it would thrash and scream and do whatever it needed to for survival. Her intentions were clear…

She would kill them without a second thought, friendships be damned.

"Put her down, Penny," Pyrrha shot back. She had slipped so quickly into action that Ruby wondered how badly the situation had truly gotten without her realizing. Pyrrha's intentions were clear. She wouldn't hesitate to take the shot. Unfortunately, it wouldn't do any good.

"I'm bulletproof, Pyrrha. Ruby should have told you that," Penny warned. "If either of you move a muscle, they die."

"R-Ruby?" Blake choked.

"Stay calm," Ruby pleaded. She looked around at her allies frantically. "Everyone, stay calm!"

"Kinda hard to do that!" Nora cried. She trembled as the sword's sharp edge nicked her flesh. One slight misstep and Penny would order it to cut off her head. A computer could think far faster than human instinct. A bullet pressed against a human skull would pierce it faster than the blink of an eye. There was simply no room to maneuver. Ruby realized the same and looked around. Her Semblance wasn't fast enough. Crescent Rose was on her back. The others were outside the Vault. There was literally nothing she could do.

Except beg.

"Penny, you don't have to do this."

"Evidently, that is false," Penny sneered. "You claimed that you won't sacrifice the world for your friends. I'm testing that hypothesis."

"They have nothing to do with this!"

"They are your friends, and you have the Grail," Penny claimed. "They have everything to do with this."

"Penny, this… this is insane."

"I agree," Penny stated. "Give me the Grail."

"You think you'll get away with this?" Pyrrha asked harshly. "If you hurt them, we'll stop you. You're already injured. We will kill you before you ever leave here."

"Maybe you would," Penny stated, her eyes never leaving the new Red Angel. "But I can kill them first. Are you really willing to let that happen?"

Pyrrha seethed. She barely knew Penny, hadn't even properly met her before this Vault. She knew of her only through legend, the great Atlasian warrior that could possibly challenge even her. Still, she came to this Vault for her. She almost sacrificed Jaune for her. This was how the android decided to repay them? Even if they escaped this Vault, Pyrrha would never forgive her for this. Her rage nearly caused her to pull the trigger. Yet, Nora and Ren's whimpers of fear kept her on her leash.

"What… what do we do, Ruby?" Pyrrha asked. Ruby couldn't answer her. She was too stunned to think coherently. The two options in front of her seemed the only path forward. And, to make things worse, Blake suddenly screamed to urge her on.

"Don't you dare give her that cup, Ruby!" Her voice was ragged from her arm around her neck. She struggled against Penny's hold, but the grip was far tighter than she could manage, and the gun barrel left an imprint on her forehead.

"Blake, I would recommend you be quiet," Penny warned.

"Shut the fuck up… you crazy bitch…"

"I'm not going to wait forever, Ruby," Penny declared. "You hand me the Grail, or they die. The choice is yours. Don't let our blood be on your hands."

Ruby's heart pounded in her chest. The walls were quickly closing in around her. She reached into the back of her mind, searching for Rosaline, but even if the Fable was able to assist her, she was no longer answering. The power she had used to defeat the Maiden was gone. If Rosaline was watching, she may have even found it humorous. Deviants, mistakes, turning on each other so easily. Ruby only had herself. She held the Grail close to her chest as she pleaded one final time to someone who could have been her friend.

"Penny, I… I need you to listen to me," she said gently. "I know this seems bleak. Trust me, I know. Okay, I've… I've been here, where you are. Hopeless. I know what it feels like to lose control and to feel like the world is spinning without you. But this? This isn't going to fix anything. If you really want to live, this isn't the way."

Penny didn't answer her.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to help you. I… should have tried more," Ruby confessed. "We left you in Ironwood's hands, and that wasn't fair. I've been ignoring you and that isn't fair. But I won't. Not anymore. I promise. I promise on everything I have, I will keep you safe. And I don't know how I admit that. I wish I did. But I will never stop trying to do right by you."

More silence. More waiting, bitter glares.

"Penny, you… do you remember what you told me a long time ago? You said that you wanted to learn from me. You wanted to know from us what it was like to be Human. Well, to be Human is to make mistakes. I've made mistakes. And you're making one now. And… and being Human means we have to look out for the people we care about. We don't hurt them to get ahead. We have to protect each other. Do you understand that? No matter how awful things get or how hopeless the world seems, we have to look out for one another. We… we can look out for each other, Penny. I want to. I want to so badly. But you are threatening my friends. You are risking their lives for something so stupid and selfish. And that's… that's not right, Penny. You want to learn from me, right? Right? Well, this… this horrible thing… this isn't something I would ever do."

Penny finally reacted. Not with sympathy, or pity, or even malice. She just seemed confused.

"Ruby, what are you talking about? This is exactly what you would do."

The truth hit Ruby like a bullet.

Her arms fell limply by her side. The breath rushed out of her lungs. Her words escaped her with the last of her dignity. Every revelation crashed over her, consuming her.

Every power play.

Every manipulation.

Every despicable plea for favors.

Every one of Yang's broken bones.

Every one of Coco's tears.

Everything she had ever done wrong, culminating in her standing here, in a place where she had no right standing, with friends whose lives were forfeit because of her wrongdoings, who deserved a better leader than her.

Because Penny was right. Ruby would have done this in a fucking heartbeat. Hadn't she already?

"Pyrrha…" Ruby's words were soft. "Put the gun down."

Pyrrha couldn't believe her ears.

"What did you say?"

Ruby ordered her more forcefully, choking back tears. "Put your fucking gun down!"

Pyrrha was hesitant, but she saw Nora and Ren staring at her. Their lives were in her hands. She took the only responsible action she could think of and lowered her weapon. Penny watched carefully, keeping her weapons drawn as Ruby slowly lowered herself to her knees. She rested the Grail on its side in a bed of rose petals. Then, despite all common sense, all of Blakes pleading, and all of the harm she would unleash on the world, she rolled the Grail over to Penny's feet.

The Grail stopped slightly short, but it was enough. Penny cast Blake to the side and dove forward, scooping up the Grail in her arms. The swords at Nora, Ren, and Fox's neck all retreated, letting the students draw breath once more. The swords retreated into Penny's back, and the android, alone, having alienated everyone, hovered by the doorway, carefully clutching the Grail in her arms. She admired its form, caring not for its beauty, but for what it meant for her future. For something so important, something that forced her to give away every last scrap of self-respect she had… it was surprisingly light.

Penny frowned. A distasteful thought entered her mind. When she gave that Grail to Ironwood, he would use it to destroy his enemies. He would rain fire and brimstone upon the world, his vicious intents unchecked. And Penny was still going to give it to him. It was no longer about serving her Kingdom. It had not been for a long time. She had chosen herself over the needs of everyone else. An objectively wrong moral choice.

How very Human of her…

She turned and flew out the chamber door, flying away into the radiant glow of the corridor, leaving behind only a small cloud of rose petals. The others watched her leave, stunned, heartbroken, and terrified. Blake picked herself off the floor, growling in frustration. She didn't ask Ruby what she had just done. She understood why. And yet, Ruby herself didn't seem to know.

Weiss stood outside the Vault entrance for what felt like an eternity. Ruby should have returned by now, and every minute she sat in the dark, the more her worries grew. The others had gone up the path, slowly climbing their way out of hell. They could not afford to linger, no matter how badly they wanted to. Weiss served as the gatekeeper. She did not care if it took hours, days, or years. She was not going anywhere.

The time slipped away from her and her anxiety was peaking when the Vault door suddenly glowed. It started its slow opening, and Weiss stood up eagerly, hoping to see Ruby on the other side, Grail in hand, smile on her face. She hoped to throw herself happily into Ruby's arms. That dream would not come true. When the door opened wide enough for a figure to slip through, there was a rush of wind, and Penny soared over Weiss's head, flying up the rocky tunnel with great haste. Weiss saw her go, startled. Was she holding something? It was hard to tell in the darkness.

A few minutes later, Weiss saw Ruby and the others crossing the main chamber. Their movements were slow and their shoulders heavy. She could see their dejectedness inked clearly on their faces. When they exited the Vault, it sealed shut behind them. Weiss quickly ran up to Ruby and lunged into her arms.

"Ruby, are you all right? What took you so long?"

"I'm okay, Weiss."

Ruby spoke in whispers. Looking around, Weiss only saw disappointment. Fear.

"What happened? Where's the Grail? And what was with Penny?"

Ruby just shook her head. The others began their slow climb up the rocky path without a word. Ruby took Weiss's hand in hers and sighed.

"I'll tell you when we get back to the surface. I just… want to see the sun now."

Weiss didn't understand, but she gladly complied. When the Vault had shut, it sealed all of the sins that had been committed within its walls. She walked with Ruby hand-in-hand as they ascended the rocky path to the surface. It was a slow and arduous climb. Even uninjured, every step through the darkness on sharp rocks sent pins and needles through their bones. The silence was deafening. No one knew what to say. How could one sum up such a massive, world-ending failure in a few words? What waited for them beyond was something that would hang over them like a specter for the entire climb. The only thing that prevented them from falling was each other's presence. Even in silence, they knew they were in this together. For better, or more likely, for worse. Eventually, thin specks of light hit their faces. Not sunlight—moonlight. They had lost track of time within the Vault, hours blended together into a chaotic soup. A rush of wind hit their faces. Together, the last of Team NYBF crawled out of the tunnel and stepped into the open air.

They were met with assault rifles pointed at their heads. Every soldier assigned to the base had their weapons trained on them. Yang, Jaune, Velvet, Coco, and Yatsu were on their knees, hands behind their heads and guns trained on their backs. Penny stood off to the side by the commanding officer whose name escaped Ruby's tongue. Glynda Goodwitch was nowhere to be seen. Ruby's allies drew up their weapons, but there was no use fighting. They were surrounded and outmatched. Even if they weren't, they just didn't have the spirit anymore.

"Lay down your arms, kids," the commanding officer warned them. "New order came in from the General. You're all under arrest."