Chapter 54: Hollowed
Despite his growing impatience in acting out one of many actions mapped out in his head, Szayelaporro was just as intrigued to see how the former 5th Espada would react. It was far from being unpredictable; those that met Ruby Rose, either as foe or friend knew very different sides of her, but the one thing that remained common between the two was the notion that she was fiercely protective of her family. The denizens of Hell knew of this and much more far better than the rest. In the domain of the queen of Hell, she was practically a legend. The only one to ever reach the furthest depths as a sinner trapped within its bowels, the only one to leave its confines and to have an audience granted with the overseer herself, not to mention outwitting her. She was also the host to Summer Rose, the only one considered evil enough by the overseer of Hell to warrant an entire layer just to keep her in Hell for a million years. Plus, Ruby wielded Crescent Rose, a weapon reforged from materials in Hell, and the only one to ever exist outside the confines of Hell, until now. All three of them were rule breakers.
And Szayelaporro had just mutilated the family members of that Ruby Rose, while giving the rest trauma for the rest of their foreseeable lives. It was fairly simple to predict what was coming next.
The silver eyed Faunus spared one deathly stare at Szayelaporro, before kneeling down by Yang's side. The bewildered and distressed brawler showed her amputated hands to her, like a child showing her injuries to its mother.
"Mom….? I-it hurts…! It burns…so much..!"
The cheetah Faunus placed her two hands onto the stubs of Yang's hands, gently rubbing them and blowing on them.
"Yoshii~yoshii~it's ok….it's ok…it'll be just fine…". Her tone was gentle, and yet, eerie. It brought the blonde brawler no comfort, only the opposite. While it was more than certain that the one in control of Ruby's body currently was Summer, her appearance ill-matched the gentle, serene mother she once knew. Her current actions were one of the very few that Yang fondly remembered of her loving mom from times long past, and yet, they now looked disturbingly off. Summer's eyes were wide, looking past her amputated arms and past anything in her line of sight, and her lips were pursed. And yet, her arms continued to softly stroke Yang, repeating words of comfort. It almost felt as if she was reading out lines from a script, pretending to be something she was not. Or rather, emulating human emotion. It was another scary reminder of the fact that she understood more about the monster who took her arms than the person who was supposedly her sister and mother.
Soon enough, she brought in Qrow to her side, doing the same by stroking his eyes. And despite his lack of eyes, he could 'see' the disturbing air of unease. Amber watched the scene alongside Qrow, and if she knew nothing of who the person in front of her was, she would have found it hard to believe that the cheetah Faunus was someone dear to Yang and Qrow. And then, abruptly, she stood up, facing the scientist from Hell. Her eyes still wide and brows raised as if in curiosity, Summer stared at Szayelaporro, tilting her head slightly with a small, unnatural smile.
"You never fail to surprise me, my kitten~" remarked the scientist with a curt smile. "I will admit I half expected you to-"
"Yo" remarked Summer casually, her eyes still unchanging and wide, with the tiniest hints of smiles on her otherwise eerily calm face. There was something off about those manic looking silver eyes, which lacked any kind of luster or radiance. Those dull, grey eyes appeared as empty as the pools of darkness themselves.
The greeting was so abrupt given the situation that even Szayelaporro had to blink in surprise, his smile disappearing from his face. "Fancy seeing you here. No, seriously. How in the world did you pop up here all of a sudden? So weird. Did she send you here? Hmm? You even have a fancy makeover. I must say it suits you. You sure look like you're having the time of your life considering where I sent you. But maybe that was doing you a favor. Seriously, Galathea should've kept a tighter leash on you. She sure did for me. For a million years too. Isn't that a bit unfair? It's not easy having one of the four archangels of the world attached to you like a yandere girlfriend. Heh, she must really hate you then, to not even bother locking you up properly. That, or maybe she just prefers cute and innocent silver eyed girls like my sweetie pie and your truly. Almost reminds me of Salem-chan. Now that I think about it, Galathea and Salem-chan would be a good fit for each other, like Yachi and me. I sure hope it doesn't come to that though. Compared to what I've seen in Gala-chan's place and the kind that live down there….you know, like you? I'd feel sorry for poor Salem-chan"
How was one to respond to a situation like the one Szayelaporro witnessed in front of him? Though stories of Summer Rose were all but rare, seeing it in person was an entirely different matter altogether, even for him. The well-wishers of the cheetah Faunus however, could only continue to gawk at the enigmatic Faunus, blinking their eyes in confusion.
"…..Mom…?" called out Yang weakly and in disbelief of her dissonant tone.
"Well this is a surprise" remarked the pink haired scientist to himself. "I've never really had the time to get to know my cute little kitten after her trip down there nor you considering you stabbed me the moment you saw my face. All I heard were the interesting rumors being passed around. And yet, what I see seems to be the complete opposite of what I heard. They do say that in research, words, pre-conceptions and whispers can taint the truth. I know you've had an extended session with the mistress of Hell, but I thought you'd atleast be a little bit ticked off considering that I just ate your daughter's arm and that one's eyes. So, in the end, it would appear that despite what kind of mask you use, you really are the same as us, aren't you? It's a simple concept; they don't even remotely live in the same kind of mindset as the two of us do. They couldn't possibly comprehend our complex views that goes beyond material bonds of this realm. Beyond morals and status quo set by one specific life form out of a billion others inhabiting the planet, which is somehow decides what is right or wrong. And that's why I had to personally come over the first chance I got~~how exhilarating to see that I did not find disappointment~"
Summer merely tilted her head. "Uncaring? Me?" she asked in a casual, curious sounding tone. "Mhm. I can see why you'd think that. Is that what my face looks like right now? Huh. I'm actually really mad you know. You did cut up my sunshine, and blind that lovable, unfortunate old bird, not to mention giving PTSD to the rest of them. Seriously. I'm weird, but not that inhuman. I'm definitely mad. Have you forgotten how I sent you to hell for what you did to my darling when she was a hollow? That rather hurts my feelings. But well, what can I say? It's nothing I haven't seen. I don't mean to sound awful, but you know, the human mind is just way too good at coping, given enough time. And Galathea-chan gave me all the time I needed and more. Showed me the worst things you can ever do to them and more, while making me go through the same things too. It's not something I can even describe in words. I simply can't bring myself to sound mad, or look mad. I've tried. It's like no matter what I do, all I can do is remember what it felt like once or copy my honeybun or those around me. Doesn't mean that I don't care for my sweetie pies. I'm still gonna bonk you back to Hell for what you did, and this time, I'll make sure you don't come back up here. She was ready to slice off your head the instant she saw my little sunshine all cut up like that. I don't know what my face looks like, but I'm guessing it's not supposed to look or sound like this. Huh. I sound like a broken robot or something. I probably suck worse than Penny-chan trying to prove that she's a normal meat person. I do wonder where she is right now. Point is, I can't even make the face I want right now, because my darling honeybun is just waiting for me to let her go take a swipe at your head. So, I'm sure my face looks a bit weird now, since both of us are trying to make faces at the same time. Not to mention my cute granddaughter. Anyways, I just wanted to see what your goofy ol' carcass was doing here, but on second thought, I'm not sure why I even bothered to hold her back to begin with. It's probably Galathea up to her mischief again, though knowing her, it sounds very unlikely. Oh well. Great! Now enjoy getting bonked back to horny jail by my honeybun!" she finished off cheerfully, tilting her head once more.
Was it the monster in front of her or her own mother that scared her? The still sniveling blonde brawler couldn't decide. How could her own mother maintain such a calm, composed and almost emotionless tone, despite what happened to her right in front of her eyes? She couldn't tell. She couldn't understand. Even more so than her understanding of Ruby as she was. And it sent a shiver down her spine, making her look away from Summer.
A pulse of reishi followed a gust of wind. A dull red light brightened the marbled gardens of the academy.
And in the cheetah Faunus's stood an older woman with dark red fur covering almost her entire body with black spots, clawed limbs, sharper teeth, and feline silver eyes with two red markings like those of a cheetah on her face. Her hair reached to her shoulder blades, and her head sported what appeared to be a bony crown of thorns, as well as bony padding on her shoulders and spine. She looked more like an animal or Grimm than any Faunus in the planet while maintaining a humanoid form. And on her hand was an intricate looking scythe that only bore a vague resemblance to the weapon they all knew belonged to the hooded huntress. Her dull silvery eyes possessed a sharp glint that was in sharp contrast to the one they had seen on Ruby Rose just earlier that day.
Before anyone could ask about her current form, Weiss Schnee felt a brief gust of wind pass her by, and she could hear the brief sound of metal piercing flesh, followed by a dull thud as an object rolled right past her. Warm fluid splashed on her. When she hesitantly looked down, she could see the twisted visage of the head of one of the strange maskless Grimm staring up at her. Its lower jaw had been sliced clean off.
Szayelaporro too, had gone eerily quiet, with his last phantom maniacal grin still present on his head. A murky liquid oozed out of his neck in a thin, circular line, and his head slowly slid across the cross section of his neck, falling down with a small thud.
The grisly scene took her completely by surprise, making her fall flat on her thighs and dart away from the thing in front of her. Blake, who had been standing right next to her went wide eyed on the realization that she'd missed an enemy that was right next to them, and had it not been for the 5th Espada, Weiss would have lost everything above her own lower jaw to the monster. And yet, even she visibly flinched as she gazed upon Ruby's blood stained face. Because more than anything, they could somehow feel her anger, her fear and her guilt, as if they were their own emotions. Despite her inhuman appearance and inhuman skill and brutality, she looked so human, her face laden with guilt, anger and stress. But all in all, she looked miserable. Be it due to her fury at the current situation or due to feeling guilt for feeling responsible for what happened to her family and friends.
"Don't worry, just stay back. I'll take care of things" she rasped gently. Letting out a gruff but controlled breath of air, she disappeared once more.
The sound of metal cutting flesh rang out again. Glynda found the two opponents she was facing sliced apart to ribbons. The blonde disciplinarian flinched from the suddenness and brutality of her attack.
And that would just be the beginning of a long nightmare for those witnessing the once-young and bubbly hooded huntress in training as she was now. The only one who had a smile was the decapitated head of the damned scientist as he watched more of his fellow sinners converge on the Rose huntress, like a moth drawn to her flames.
The surreal scene in front of them awed not only the students of Beacon academy but also those from afar. Given that it was around the time for the Vytal Festival, many had already flocked to Beacon to 'check out potential opponents' as some put it, while others decided to take the time before the festival to witness the academy and the city of Vale firsthand. Neither had they expected to witness what could possibly be the most historic moment in all of Remnant, nor had they expected to see the scene in front of them.
When the students and participants arrived, things had been as normal as they had always been. Talks of travel, the tournament, local specialties, sightseeing and the like were commonplace.
But not everything was discussion about the norm. Murmurs and whispers, rumors and allegations of events supposedly happening around the globe did make word all over the campus, which seemed to originate not just from those in Atlas, but those from the other kingdoms as well. For one, no news channel was talking about topics that had been major news just a week ago, such as the White Fang, Roman Torchwick, the Vytal Festival or even the Grimm.
Such talks were replaced with other, out-of-place topics which were too mundane to be remembered, even by those watching it. Some in the online world speculated propaganda from their respective governments trying to cover up something, while others yet proclaimed the opposite, with no discussion getting far. Such talks also grew in number once things started going awry outside the confines of the virtual world. Such as strange disruptions in major bullhead airlines, as well as other means of transport. Some companies had found themselves in untimely, sticky situations as well, especially those connected to the Schnee Dust Company.
It was clear that something was up with the world, something big that none could really see. However, it was so far out there that none was willing to take such thoughts very seriously. Those that stood there currently, watching the battles happen in front of them only wished that they had taken their gut feelings more seriously.
It was uncanny just how suddenly the once-peaceful hallways and lecture halls of the Academy were flooding with creatures and monsters with some even sustaining injuries and damage. Considering that most of the occupants of the school at the time were fighters intending to participate at the Vytal Festival, it didn't take long before weapons were drawn and sounds of conflict, of metal and explosive going off in the ash, smoke and blood stained hallways plus screams, snarls and roars filled the area.
The bleeding 'Grimm', their unnatural mannerisms as well as higher intelligence in some cases meant that the casualties were concentrated at the side of the students rather than the monsters. It didn't take long before teachers and even the headmaster appeared before them, looking as if they had already been fighting for hours at end. A vast majority of the school was then somehow cornered within the large audience halls right in front of the entrance of the school, with monsters still converging on them from behind the academy, specifically from the direction of the Emerald Forest.
Along with teachers such as Peter Port, Bartholomew Oobleck, Thumbelina Peach and many others, many upperclassmen teams such as Team CFVY and even those from other academies such as Team SSSN were pushing back the forces that poured into the academy with no warning whatsoever with surprising composure and skill. There was no time to think about anything else. No time to contemplate about the 'whys' and 'hows' of their situation. Initial reactions of panic and confusion died out within mere minutes.
There was no doubt that those still surviving and fighting knew of the many others who did not make it to where they currently were. And yet, most were still fighting back Grimm that appeared without breaking out in panic. Was it their survival instinct at play? After having raised in a world where death was ever so close? One could only guess. However, another possible reason might have been the one man who was ahead of all others, fighting at the vanguard with a show of willpower and skills that put all others to shame.
Taking on what appeared to be batches of 10-20 of the strange 'Grimm' all by himself while keeping a whole classroom's worth of students from harm was the headmaster of Beacon Academy, who was nothing but a green blur as he pummeled, shred, sliced apart and blasted the Grimm with unbelievable speed, using strange, almost magical abilities that conjured a variety of attacks such as flames, icicles, lightning, shields and even piercing water jets. It was evident from his heavy panting, pained groans and stressed expression that he was but holding on to give those that depended on him a second more to live, while making up for the lives he could not save.
Those from Beacon fought with increased fervor in his presence, as if assured by the one who swore to protect them. And those from the outside would realize just how and why their own influential and powerful kingdoms chose to keep such a weary eye on Beacon. Watching him in action was a major boost for the confidence and wills of those behind, with them feeling the need to follow in his footsteps and fight for themselves and others around them.
Though the man himself would not have time to reflect upon it, he too would feel proud at a much later date when he would think back on the incident. Pride for those that survived and chose to fight on, despite the unshackling nature of the incident and everything they had to witnessed as well as pride for those that had chosen to fight on till their last breath and give their brethren a second chance to live, while giving up their own lives. None at the academy had turned their backs on the oncoming onslaught. However, there IS one thing he did think about, throughout the whole time. The word that instantly came to his mind the moment he started fighting the strange Grimm.
Ruby.
Whatever was happening, he knew he would get answers there. Perhaps he already did know what these things were. Her descriptions of the kind of fiends she faced in the other world matched the descriptions of the monsters he was facing now. The holes on the bodies of the Grimm, as well as the maskless, contorted ones. He knew he had to eventually get there. Not just for her sake, but also for the sake of those who were no doubt with her currently, those who would likely get caught up in between whatever was happening currently, especially if these monsters were converging on Ruby as well.
Just when it seemed like the situation was about to reach its climax, the Grimm suddenly stopped, sharply turning in the same direction; the direction of the open entryway and large gardens located at the entrance of the Academy behind them. The sudden shift along with his combined fatigue and injuries made him stumble in his tracks, making him use his cane as a crutch to support himself from falling over completely. It was as if his body was still on fight mode until the threat to his students and the academy was completely gone. He was soon supported by Prof. Peach and Oobleck, who looked just as bad as he did, if not worse.
And then, as if moving in unison towards a calling they could not refuse, the hoard of 'Grimm' started rushing towards the gardens in a unified rampage. It split apart the group of students who were blocking their way, like a wave being split apart. While most were lucky enough to move aside in time, the few, unfortunate ones were no so, and would end up being trampled by hooves, clawed feet, feline feet, and all other kinds of locomotive limbs.
Rush he did, but even Ozpin could not break through the colossal flow that was the 'Grimm' hoard and try and save the unfortunate few who were crushed underneath. All he and the rest could do was watch in shock and horror.
The rest of the teachers arrived as well, kneeling down by the students and doing whatever they could to resuscitate them. They could make out some of them having shimmering veils of various colors that quickly disappeared with a sharp crack, making them heave huge sighs of relief. Some others however, had not been so lucky. Clenching his fists tightly, Ozpin knew there was nothing he could do but save the few that he could. The teachers wasted no time escorting the injured students out of harm's way.
Though the danger was temporarily gone, it didn't change the fact that something had lured the Grimm away from them. Human curiosity was a strange and curious thing. Though their priority should have been their own well being or checking for other Grimm that might have sneaked up behind them. Ozpin, Team CFVY and some of the others couldn't help but be drawn to the scene in front of them. However, none could blame them for averting their eyes.
For a moment, they could see nothing but red blurs moving about the onslaught of Grimm, with sounds of combat echoing throughout the gardens. And amongst that onslaught was a small group of people scattered around in different positions who were immobile, while being occasionally obscured by the creatures zeroing in on them from all around. And then, when the hoard reached the epicenter of conflict, it looked no different to a swarm of rats enveloping in and devouring their prey.
And then, a bright red flash of light poured out, radiating away in all directions from the epicenter. As if touched by purifying light, the swarm of monsters that were enveloped within the light were vaporized, as if hit by a powerful laser, causing other parts of them to fall down lifeless.
And all of the four kingdoms had seen it. For those that watched from Beacon Academy would not doubt spread tales of what they had witnessed with their very eyes. A massive hoard of Grimm too alien and numerous for even veteran huntsmen to handle, that caused untold death and destruction within the confines of what was possibly one of the most secure locations in Remnant, had just been shred and decimated by a lone enigmatic being.
With her almost feline, animalistic appearance, she looked more Grimm than any Faunus in the planet. Standing atop a sea of dead Grimm that refused to simply fade away, her furry body, ornate Scythe and clawed limbs caked with fat, blood and gore, they could hear her heave primal, raspy breaths, her silver eyes alight with a glint of bloodlust unseen anywhere before.
But her fight and theirs were far from over, in more ways than one.
Rocky hills of dust, granite, rock, blood and lava mixed in with ornate fields of grass, marble and gravel. She could hear her heart pounding heavily with each passing second, and the contours of her opponents and her loved ones were all but clear. She resisted the urge to rub her pulsing temples and continued to swing her scythe while thinking nothing else. The craving within her was growing more and more irresistible, and yet, their sight was all that was holding her back and reminding her about reality.
A quick swing with Crescent there, and two consecutive balas aimed right beside Jaune and Ren to blast away the two hollow Grimm that materialized by their side, only for her to quickly use sonido to slice apart the regenerating Szayelaporro multiple times and using a cero blast to turn him to ash before going back to her friends again.
At times, she would not even bother swinging Crescent around, instead opting to use her claws and feet to swipe away at her enemies at a greater speed. Sometimes slicing away much too close to her friends for her comfort. And at times, she would simply chomp away at her opponents with her sharp teeth and drain them of their reishi and replenish her own. Whenever she did close in near her friends, she did not miss the hint of fear in the eyes of Yang, aversion in Weiss's face to her bloodied state and their general look of disbelief whenever she devoured one of the hollow Grimm for their reishi.
But it was nothing more than that. To her, keeping them safe mattered more, as well as getting back at the creatures for daring to hurt her family.
She had noticed the hoard approaching her from within the school grounds, and while she was tempted to go and aid Ozpin and the others, she knew doing so would mean leaving those here at the expense of Szayelaporro and the other hollows and togabito.
With another heavy swing of her scythe, she cleared out some more enemies while ignoring some of the injuries she received while fending off such vast numbers.
It was hard.
So very hard.
She was breathing, panting like an exhausted beast, her face laden with worry, guilt, anger and cold bloodlust. Never in her life had she been in such a tiresome situation where she was so restricted. With so many innocents scattered around her in many different places, she couldn't use most of her damaging skills freely without risking hurting more than just the Grimm. Even the weakest of her ceros would easily kill any student along with any Grimm that received it. A single misfired bala could easily punch through them, not to mention causing collateral damage that could lead to other complications. Any slight movement from her friends; either due to them reacting to a Grimm suddenly appearing next to them or to seeing her approach them with bloodlust in her eyes meant that she would need to instantly adjust her attack on the fly, while protecting them from any possible attack from Szayelaporro or other powerful arrancars, hollows or togabito that might appear. She knew it was bad when she needed to resort to devouring Hollow and Hell Grimm to replenish her reishi and stamina.
In the long 15 years she spent back on Earth, she had never been in situations where she needed to be as delicate as possible while at the same time fight to her fullest. She could only pray that the damage back at the academy was minimum and that Ozpin had somehow managed to protect the students. But internally, she knew that was likely impossible. With the sheer number of hollows and togabito in front of her, it would've been a miracle if everyone survived. She knew, but she pressed on unabated. Death was nothing new to her, nor anything else in front of her. The warm blood, fat and muscle caked all over her fur and body was nothing more than a minor annoyance. Even the growing pools of gore around her feet was nothing new. Despite the peaceful life she had lived, it didn't take long for the sensations to come flooding back in.
And yet, not everything was the same. The anxiety and stress creeping up on her was of a different kind, one caused by the faces of her friends and family watching her. She had tried so hard to avoid showing this side of her and this side of her world to anyone, including those very dear and near to her. Remnant was the last place she wanted to taint with her experiences from the past. And yet, here she was, covered in blood and guts, more beastly than human or Faunus.
When the hoard from the academy approached her, she knew she had no choice but to use a cero to clear them out, disregarding any damage it could do otherwise. The red blast from her fingertips made short work of what could have been 30-40 odd Grimm with a single blast. Bits of bone, blood, fur, and black, oozing Grimm essence began raining down on the group.
Things went quiet afterwards, with the Hell and Hollow Grimm around her seemingly pulverized. Even the demented scientist's visage was nowhere to be seen, but Ruby cut into the pulsating mass that was once Szayelaporro, launching it in the air, using a simple bakudo to hold it in place and then using a cero blast upwards to ensure there was absolutely no trace of the scientist left.
The rose huntress relaxed her shoulders, letting out slow, heavy breaths in counts of 4. Then, she slowly walked over to Yang, crouching down by her side. When she reflexively reached out to the stubs of Yang's arms, the blonde brawled instinctively reeled away from her with an expression of fright and aversion.
"Ah….Sorry" apologized Ruby with a raspy voice and with a guilty look. "I'm a bit of a mess, aren't I?" she asked, looking at her hands and body. She then began to rub off the grime covering her, but even as she did, she knew that it was nothing more than wasted effort. It made her look pitiful as she tried to frantically remove the blood and gore covering her, as if to convince Yang that there was nothing for her to be scared of. It was at this time that the others gathered around her, but still keeping a short distance from her. Ozpin began walking slowly from the rest of the students, while occasionally looking back to check for enemies.
Ruby's brows furrowed in annoyance. "Ah…bloodstains can be a bit stubborn to remove. It'll be fine sis, I'll get these off in no time, and I'll look at your wounds then. Don't worry" she said and brought up her arm to her mouth to groom herself instead using her mouth.
"Whoa, whoa whoa that's going a bit too far isnt it?" exclaimed Roman, backing away in disgust. "Seriously, what's wrong with you, Red? First you're a filthy Faunus, and then boom! You've somehow become an adult AND an animal! And then you go on a murdering rampage, and go on to lick yourself clean? I know you look like an animal, but that's a bit too much isnt it? Oh shit, perhaps we shouldn't be provoking her…who knows when she might pounce on us…" Neo mirrored her partner's expression, peeking at her from behind Roman in a defensive manner.
Though Blake, Weiss, Pyrrha, Ren, Nora and Jaune did flare up reflexively in response to Roman's comments, no one said anything. The strained mood in the air was present just the same as before.
Ruby let out a weak chuckle.
"Yeah, maybe not" she replied, lowering her arms. "But don't worry, Roman. We might not agree on many things, but I won't bite. Right now, they are our enemies. And it's only them that I'm after"
"Well, if you say so, Red. I'm still keeping my distance from you. Even your mutt seems to agree" he pointed out to his legs, where the Corgi could be seen wagging his tail and running circles around Neo and Roman. "He probably hates the stink coming from you worse than we do"
The cheetah Faunus gave another weak chuckle. "Probably. It's murder on my nose as well, but in a different way. I think Blake'll faint soon too if I don't take a shower"
The mood did somewhat ease up after that. Nora and Blake approached Ruby slowly, followed by Pyrrha, Weiss, Jaune, Ren and the rest. Weiss and Blake rushed over to Yang, staring helplessly at her sliced off arms. But Yang did feel some slight consolation in their presence. Glynda knelt beside Qrow, inquiring about his condition. For a while, no one said anything again, as if they were all waiting for someone to start conversing. And then, Ozpin spoke up first.
"Ms. Rose…you have my thanks for protecting the students and my staff, not to mention Amber and Qrow. Although injured, I'm certain that if not for you, none of us would have been alive today. And I think it is important that I get that out of the way before you feel that your efforts have been in vain"
"I…..thank you professor. I only wish I was here sooner" she replied. "But in a way, I guess I'm also relieved that you're all here. If not for Mom and Crescent, if not for the fact that you're injured, I probably wouldn't be standing here talking right now. It's really the only thing stopping me from going back to bad habits from the old days"
"Wi…will you be alright?" asked Pyrrha, looking at Ruby. "What about…what about Yang and your uncle..?"
"Yeah, I'm good. I have a few scratches here and there, but it's nothing I haven't handled before. A bit of healing kido should take care of it" she replied. "Uncle Qrow….Yang…I-I'm sorry. I should've been here sooner. If not for that…"
Qrow merely waved his hands. "Don't sweat it. I'll live. Been through worse and seen worse" he rasped, "You probably know too, but I'll just leave it out for the rest of the brats here. It's what being a huntsman means. You go through shit sometimes and other times life is smooth sailing. If you can make it to old age as a huntsman and all you had to lose was your eyes, I'd say that still makes it a pretty damn good deal. You get a nice, nifty apartment, good pension from the government, some other benefits, possibly a nice little house with your loving wife and kids and grand kids, aint that the dream? The Grim Reaper was a legendary huntress back in her prime too, and last I heard is that she retired after she lost her eyes. You could say that she's kinda been my role model of sorts, that's how legendary she is. Even my weapon is based off on hers. So yeah, now I have one more thing in common with her"
"This is the first time I've heard of a man speak so optimistically about being handicapped for life and potentially having to quit as a huntsman for good" sighed Amber, perplexed. "Anyway, you can just stay put for a while. I'll keep you safe until then. And the other kids as well, Ruby"
"As I said, you can leave that to me" repeated Ruby, firing off two balas which then passed right through a group of Grimm that began slowly regenerating. "As for Yang and uncle Qrow…they'll be fine. I promise. I stopped the bleeding for now, and while I still have no clue about why this is happening, I promise I'll protect you guys. Once I make sure things here are alright, I can take you back to Japan and have Orihime fix you guys right up. Just stay close so I don't have to worry about hitting you guys by mistake"
"R-really? You can heal my arms? And Uncle Qrow's eyes?" asked Yang meekly, hope sparking alight in her lavender eyes.
"Yeah" she said, caressing Yang's cheek. "I told you right? I won't let anything bad happen to you. I..I mean, sure, I messed up now, but hey! Even your sister makes mistakes you know. But I'll do everything I can to fix it. In fact, you'll be up and fighting in no time, and who knows? Maybe you'll even start making jokes about lending a hand to someone or even about how you were disarmed"
Yang raised her eyes in surprise, not expecting such a sudden shift in Ruby's demeanor from being bloodthirsty to being protective and casual. It was still a lot to take in for the blonde brawler, but even she couldn't help but let out a teary chuckle.
"No fair….making puns is my thing" she mused, poking Ruby with her stubby arms.
Ruby returned a smile. "Does it hurt still?" she asked, to which Yang nodded.
"Yeah…a little bit. But it feels weird. Like my arm is still there. Like I can still punch and grab stuff.." she responded.
"I know. That's called phantom limb, and it's basically your brain and nervous system thinking that your arm is still there. You might even feel pain at times, or itchy. But you wont have to put up with it for long. As I said, I'll fix you up soon" she explained.
"Yeah..? Well, if you say so. You really know your stuff huh? You almost remind me of how mom used to be….what the hell was that with her earlier? It was almost like she was.." trailed off the blonde, choking on her words.
"Almost nuts?" added Ruby, completing the sentence for her. She had an amused smile on her face. "You're wrong. She's not 'almost nuts', she's completely bonkers. And I have to live with her inside my body. You're lucky your sis hasn't gone crazy herself. I swear, Crescent looks ready to chew my tail off every time she has to deal with one of mom's tantrums. She's even taken control from me just to escape from mom"
"Heeey! That's really mean! I'm nowhere near as crazy as when I nag Yachi-oumpgh!"
"See? Don't mind mom. She loves you lots and I pity the person who has to put up with her after what they did to you, so don't let that bother you too much" said Ruby apologetically, with an awkward expression. And it was then that she noticed a small blood smear on Yang's cheeks.
"There's some blood on your cheeks…I must have left it there when I touched you with my bloody hands. Hold on.." said the 5th Espada, before promptly licking the bloodstain off her cheeks. The group stared at her, and the rose huntress would look clueless for a whole second before sporting an apologetic and mischievous look on her face.
"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like…ah…oops" She began rubbing her head, like a child caught with her hands in the cookie jar. "I-That was Crescent, she felt bad about not being able to console her aunt and so I just…gah..!"
This time, even Blake eased up a little, having her own tiny smile. "Didn't we just talk about Faunus Etiquette the other day? What did I mention about grooming yourself and others in public?"
"And HOW in the world can ANY of you stand in so much filth and blood and…..urrrghhhh! I feel absolutely SICK!" gagged Weiss, with an expression of utter disgust. "HOW in the world can you be fine being covered in so much grime?!"
"It's really not that bad you know. You might not like it the first few times, but you can get used to it" replied Ruby innocently. "I mean, let's be real. It's not that I WANT to be covered in gore and grime, but in a real fight, you're bound to see some bloodshed, either from your enemy or from your own blood. If you get distracted by such small things, it could mean life and death"
"I doubt I'll ever understand" trailed off Weiss, keeping her distance while covering her nose. "If you have one of those fancy water-based spells, I implore you to atleast wash off that mess. I'll even encase you in ice and melt it to create water if you'd like"
"Speaking of which, that's…quite the look you have there, huh?" asked Nora casually, though Ruby could sense the tiny hint of nervousness in her tone. "You almost look like you 'Faunusified' or something. Or is that the wrong word..? Blake, help me out will ya?"
"Now that you mention it" agreed Blake. "What IS that, Ruby? We've seen your adult form, but this one looks different…"
"You're hair's longer too. It looks nice on you. And that thing on your head. It almost looks like a crown of thorns…" noted Pyrrha.
"Well…this is my Resurreccion. You know, the one I told you about, my 'unsealed state'. It's sort of like a Semblance of sorts. The representation of one's soul in the material world" she explained. "It looks different because my soul has changed so much since I left Remnant and this is pretty much the 'representation of who I am'" She fired off some more bala blasts at some more Grimm in the distance.
"D-Should we help somehow..?" asked Nora, with a nervous chuckle. "You know, with the fighting and stuff..We could you know. I was a bit…overwhelmed by all that blood and stuff, but hey, what can I say? I wont lie when I say that it got my blood pounding as well. Must've been all those R18+ movies that I watched secretly as a kid without telling Renny boy ahahahaha!~~Speaking of which, what ARE those things anyways? Some of them look like Grimm but have these huge holes on them, like yours! Almost like a hollow…"
"And these other ones don't have masks at all, or holes. But…..they just look really disturbing…" said Jaune.
"I presume those are the same kind of creatures you spoke of, aren't they Ms Rose?" inquired Ozpin. "Based on the description you gave us, I would assume these are Hollows and jailors from Hell…?"
"Hell..?! Those things are actually from hell?!" exclaimed Weiss.
"Not our 'Hell' but from Hell on Earth. But if that's the case…why are they here? Why are creatures from your world here?" asked Blake. "Did they….did they come in here the same way you did somehow?"
"I don't know" answered Ruby. "But for now, all that matters is keeping everyone safe"
"Agreed. Regardless of what they are, there is no doubt that our priority right now is to overcome our current crisis. Protecting the academy and the students that is. As much as it pains me to say, we're already lost some students to the massive hoard of these creatures, while several lay there injured and in need of care" he informed. He sounded rather pained as he did. "I held them off for as long as I could, but in the end, it was too much for any of us to handle"
"What?!" came the collective gasps from Teams WBY and JNPR. Glynda sported a look of concern and disbelief, while Amber had a pitied look on her face.
"I see…..I guess I was right then" said Ruby simply. "But...I'll take care of things now, professor. Thank you for keeping them at bay. I know it must've been taxing on you, especially given your condition. And you guys too, Glynda, Amber, Uncle Qrow"
"How could we let this happen to the students…!" cursed Glynda under her breath, tightening her grip on her riding crop. "I must make haste over there immediately and..!"
"We can help too!" came Team JNPR and WB's collective suggestions.
But Ruby firmly shook her head. Her voice was firm and cold, even more so than Winter or Glynda "No. Hollows and low level Togabito might be fine, but these things are way too strong for you guys to handle in such big groups. Just stay here and don't scatter. Once I make sure that this place is safe, I'll open a portal to Earth and we can think about things there. But on second thought, it might be better to leave you guys at Urahara's place. I just really hope things haven't gone to Hell there as well. Once I know you guys are safe, I can start looking for dad, Winter, the general and some of the others here"
"We're not helpless you know" argued Pyrrha. "It's strange. People have always lauded me as the strongest. And yet, here I am, sitting completely useless while one of my own does all the fighting. I won't lie when I say that the feeling is somewhat refreshing. But even so, this isn't what I hoped for. Sure, we can't really fight those stronger Grimm. But at the very least, couldn't you leave the easier ones to us while you focused on-"
"No" said Ruby once again, more sternly this time. "It's not about your power or skills. Even if you were stronger than them, I couldn't let you fight them as you are now. And that's simply because you lack the experience fighting in a battlefield. A real battlefield. One where the death of your enemy is not that different from the death of one of your own. I'm not even letting the adults fight here. But…they have seen the world and what's out there, beyond fighting the Grimm. That's why I'm ok with them protecting you, since they possess the experience to use their skills properly, while accepting the risks. I can't protect you if I'm worried about you all mid-battle"
"Then….are you telling us that we're simply in the way?" asked Ren.
"That you are" replied the cheetah Faunus frankly. A tense, awkward quiver passed through them.
"…a-are you insinuating that we're nothing more than hindrances? After everything we're trained for here at one of the best academies of the world?! If these are Grimm, then this is literally what we're here for!" argued Weiss, but Ruby only gave her an icy cold look.
"You are nothing more than hindrances as you are now" she repeated once more. "I cannot repeat that enough times. Look what trying to 'help' got them, and Uncle Qrow is a seasoned fighter too. Look, I've already made the mistake of not being strict with certain things with Ichi and the others. And it led to some really unpleasant turn of events. And they were far stronger then than any of you are now. I can't do that same mistake again, nor afford to let any of you get more hurt than you already are. I would never forgive myself otherwise. However, I'm not saying this to pull down your spirits. This isn't your fault. You weren't even supposed to see any of this, let alone fight Hollows and least of all, Togabito. But we're here, regardless of what we want. Sometimes that's how things go"
"~~My, how very cold of you, my dear kitten. They are your own family, you know. How brutally honest of you! And yet, it would appear that you truly have grown soft. If this had been back then, you wouldn't have sat down to wipe that look of fear of their faces, not while the enemy was still around you. How the mighty have fallen~~" cooed Szayelaporro's voice, sending a shiver down their spines.
Ruby's eyes narrowed coldly, as she prepared to blast the demented scientist to oblivion once more. Swiftly turning around, she saw that the scientist's visage had already half-formed, with the other half slowly but steadily regenerating. Her silver eyes were glowing dangerously. This is what she should have done from the beginning, the moment she saw hellspawn in Remnant, where they didn't belong. But her silver eyes used up such a large reserve of reishi that even as an Espada, just one use took nearly half of her total spirit energy reserves. It had slipped her attention in all of the chaos, but her eyes were likely the only way to perma-kill the hybrid Grimm and prevent them from regenerating. She knew, and she still held back because of the lack of information on her end. But she'd had enough. Reishi be damned, she simply couldn't kill him enough times to make up for what he did for Yang.
Her intent was much too obvious for the demented scientist to miss, but the inviting looks on his face and his expression of glee only told her that he was more than happy to intercept her attack.
And then, the cheetah Faunus stopped in her tracks. Those around her could not look at her face to tell what made her stop but only that she had for certain stopped dead in her tracks.
But their attention was not at her or at the mad scientist. In less time it took than to blink one's eyes, their collective stimuli were focused on something else entirely. On something that was right there.
Or rather, someone.
Someone that was standing right there, right beside them and right beside Ruby.
They had seen the cheetah Faunus move at speeds surpassing anything they could sense, and yet, even her god like speed was nothing compared to the overwhelmingness of what they witnessed currently.
It was as if 'it' was the very air itself. Ever present and yet unseen by all. A presence so mundane and yet so natural that none of their senses even registered it. 'It' could have been standing there all along, and they would have been none the wiser. As if she was one of their own, the presence blended in with them.
But unlike the sun, moon, stars, the world or the air, her presence was anything but comforting. It was as if 'she' was the anti-thesis to life itself. A force of nature that made them tremble in fear. As it that was how it was meant to be, like a deep, ingrained instinct they possessed by virtue of them being human beings. Considering that Ruby Rose herself was a being who, for all intents and purposes, alien to them, logical would dictate that they had no reason for their bodies to tremble. And yet, they did, with none uttering any words whatsoever. A situation that truly portrayed the meaning of the phrases 'loss for words' and 'being caught off guard'.
The Rose huntress, for all of her sharpened battle instincts and senses looked equally surprised, and even her heightened reflexes seemed painfully slow when realization of something next to her hit her. And what was more; Ruby, who had been covered in blood, black tar-like substance of the Grimm and gore looked spotless, as if all of it, along with the blood and gore around her, simply vanished.
"Salem…?!" gasped Ozpin, in an uncharacteristic tone that was a stark contrast to his usual composed tone.
Was that really his life long nemesis and once-love-of-his-life? He had known her for so very long; longer than any mortal ever could know another. Their relationship had been through its ups and downs, before ending up where it currently stood for the last few centuries. He knew her better than anyone, as did she. No matter what form he appeared in and in whose body. Even his feelings towards her were anything but simple.
Yet, she was as alien to him now as she was to the others.
A body of white covered in dark lacquer. Symbols in red decorating the leathery, silky fabric covering her. Long, wavy, ivory colored hair that reached to her lower back, with bangs that framed her forehead. Her pearly white horns complimented her hair and pale stature, along with her angelic black wings. Empty crimson eyes with black sclera. Crimson, vein-like markings that seemed to pulse on her arms and her face.
One of which was located right inside Ruby, with her palm grasping the emptiness inside the hollow hole in her stomach, as if she was holding her heart in her hands.
"You…belong with me" 'it' spoke with a voice that carried a mother's tone of assurance, yet had within it none of the affection or compassion that usually accompanied it. "The only one to ever truly reach me and the only one to ever escape my grasp. You have even reached my father and his father before. You even possess his eyes. However, this is not your place. You were taken from me. It is time you return. I shall give you form and sustenance, carved from mine body. And you shall serve as my most loyal retainer, as an extension of myself, as the mightiest warrior of Hell. Now come forth!"
An ominous, disturbing outburst of 'something' they could not describe passed right through them and outwards in all directions. It was as if the world itself was reacting to something, and what they experienced was the effect of such an event. The Rose Huntress, who was at the epicenter, appeared to simply break. Her head was arched upwards towards the sky, as if her very soul was screaming out in agony. Though no words escaped her mouth, it was as if one could hear her scream if they looked at her. Her eyes had gone completely white, and her body limp. Salem's own arms simply fell off, with her right arm still grasping Ruby's hollow hole.
However, apart from that shift that rippled through them, nothing else changed. There were no dramatic lights, explosions or gusting winds. Everything continued to exist as it did before.
The Rose Huntress however, merely slumped, like a marionette whose strings had been severed. Her fur began to rapidly darken matching the color of the Grimm around her, leaving but the slightest hint of deep dark red. The two ghostly white arms bubbled, shifted and morphed, gathering the debris, gore, grime and Grimm matter from around, forming two very distinct humanoid shapes.
"Salem..! Is that really you..?! Answer me..!" demanded Ozpin, but the witch turned a blind eye. Ozpin doubted whether she even noticed anyone standing around them save for Ruby. She was muttering non stop in a tongue he had never heard before, despite his cast knowledge of Remnant's history. Something ominous was coming. Something unbelievably dangerous.
The black mass around them began shifting and erupting in many places. Red glowing symbols appeared around them all over the place, and many appeared around Ruby. And from within, the mass began to erupt, taking on shapes, that were undeniably humanoid. And some that weren't. Some that were as tall as buildings, and some that were naught but an inch bigger than a baby.
But he knew, instinctively, that the most dangerous ones were not the ones that towered over entire buildings, or looked as if they were nothing more than a culmination of every possible living thing on Remnant. Standing around them, in a circle around Salem, were humanoid looking things that appeared to be very similar to the pink haired scientist. Some having circular, unholy halos hovering behind them while some others did not. And they all had heavy chains digging into and around their bodies.
But what shocked the rest of them was not the sudden appearance of the white witch, or the appearance of the rest of the enigmatic beings that radiated danger just from their mere presence.
"…..M-mom…..?! C-c-crescent…?!" stammered Yang.
The white witch looked puzzled herself, clearly not expecting the outcome.
Summer Rose stood with her head down in an outfit that consisted of black robes and a hakama, and a white cloak work on top of it. Her skin was pale, but not as pale as Salem's. Chains, like those present with the other beings around them, dug into and around Summer's whole body. There were red, vein like markings on the visible parts of her skin, similar to the ones sported by the White Witch. She had a Japanese war fan held casually in her hand, but the biggest difference was her eyes. Her dull, empty argentine orbs were now dyed golden, just like her granddaughter.
By her side stood the shy hooded girl with her head under her hood, her braided twintails kept on either side of her face. Unlike her grandmother's, her own cloak was a dull, reddish-brown color, with a pin in the shape of a rose holding it together in the center. She too had red vein like tattoos on her body arms and face, but it was unclear if she possessed them because of what Salem did now, as she possessed the same kind of markings even before. However, unlike the rest, she did not possess chains. Instead, her tiny hands held an ominous and ornate looking scythe, the very same one her mother held, that was almost twice as big and heavy as herself giving her the appearance of the Grim Reaper's apprentice. Her golden eyes continued to stare with child-like innocence at Salem.
The White Witch herself was silent, continuing to stare at Summer and Crescent. Nothing moved, and nobody spoke any words. The Hollow and Hell Grimm, including the ones standing around them were just as still, as if awaiting orders from the White Witch.
As for the Rose Huntress, the huntsmen in training flinched sharply when their gazes fell upon her.
A husk.
That was the first thing that came to their minds.
An empty shell. A void of what the rose huntress once was. Like a puppet without its strings, or a robot without its batteries, or like a human being without a soul.
So very much like a Grimm, both figuratively and literally.
It was a sentence that none wanted to think about, and yet, none could stop their thoughts of associating what they saw in front of them with the creatures that the White Witch commanded.
Her once deep red spotted fur was almost lacquer colored, save for the slightest tinge of red. Her claws and tail still remained, as did her hollow hole. The biggest difference, was her face. Once, she possessed the face of the one known as Ruby Rose. Now, there was a white mask covering it whole, one that was shaped like the skull of a cheetah, with two red lines travelling from her eye socket to the base of her mask. And within those empty eye sockets, they could make out the slightest glimmer of silver, which when surrounded by the darkness around it only made it look even more lifeless.
"R-ruby!" screamed Yang, being the first to break the silence and run over to her sister, which then became the incentive for the rest of her friends to follow suit. It was only upon closer inspection that the truly realized how pitiful she looked. It didn't take any time for the blonde brawler to start prodding and calling out to her, only for her to receive nothing but silence. From her chest rising and sinking erratically, as well as the irregular beats she could feel from her chest, Yang could tell that her sister was still breathing and therefore, still alive. And when Yang peered into her empty, hollow eyes, she could still see her silver eyes with its pupils dilated wide open in shock, amidst a sea of black around it.
"I do not understand the meaning behind your actions, however, if that is what you wish for, so be it" said the White Witch, addressing no one in particular. "If this cruel fate is your way of saving her life, feel free to believe so. However, you are mistaken in thinking that her suffering was what I wished for. Had you allowed me to claim her soul, she would have been free from the burdens weighing her down along with her restraints. My domain is where all is exposed, with nothing to hide. As it has been decreed for you"
"Oh yeah? Never realized that my job to punish all the naughty boys and girls out there is 'being free from all restraints and burdens'. As a mom, I can tell you that it's the most tiresome job in the world. Heck, forget me, Ruby herself would have told you that. But you'd know that yourself, wouldn't you, Salem-chan?" replied Summer, not caring whether it was her that the White Witch addressed. "You've got a really nice makeover since the last time I saw you. You're not having second thoughts about your divorce falling out with Ozzy boy, are you? Don't tell me you got too lonely. Is that why you went after my darling? To live out our good old days of you torturing her and me and having your way with us? Huh, you really are obsessed with silver eyed women, aren't you? You even dragged out poor Crescent, and she doesn't even have silver eyes" with any semblance of a smile completely gone from her face.
She began observing herself, checking her arms, legs, torso, robes, the fan in her hand, her chains and then moved on to Crescent, like a mother checking on her daughter. And then, she finally glanced at Ruby, before turning back at Salem.
Tilting her head ever so slightly, the eccentric one stopped just short of a step away from Salem, following which there was a glint of steel. At the same instant, the hooded girl disappeared from the scene, reappearing in front of a surprised Szayelaporro. Swinging down the scythe with deadly speed and power, the girl sliced into his flesh, chains and bones 8 times, before promptly reappearing back next to Summer.
The Japanese war fan in Summer's hands, which were previously spotless had a distinct smear of blackish blood. A dull thud followed, after which the head of the Queen of Hell rolled just past her feet, having been separated from the rest of her body.
Surprisingly, none of the underlings of the Queen of Hell moved a muscle, though many of them had a variety of expressions on their faces. From surprise, anger, amusement, curiosity to indifference.
"You never fail to surprise me, Summer Rose. Even after I've bound your soul so very closely to mine, you still continue to resist, to rebel. Even the strongest of my guardians and sinners cannot resist the directive that I have decreed directly onto their souls. And yet, you alone could, even turning your blade against me" spoke the decapitated head, which then quickly reattached itself to the rest of its body. "My authority is akin to a binding pact. It is an absolute restriction imposed on your very soul. It would appear that I was right in recognizing you as my most valuable retainer. You even took the place of your daughter, so that I would not lay claim to her soul, did you not? A soul for a soul. As did your daughter. A soul for a soul, and a body for a body to allow her to maintain her physical form in this world. You both truly understand the laws of my domain and this one. And thus, you both rightly belong with me"
"Rebel? My dear Galathea, after all that time we spent together, you don't think this small little thing is me 'rebelling' do you? I was just teaching my new boss how to do her job properly. See that guy? And those guys there?" asked Summer, going shoulder-to-shoulder with Salem nonchalantly and turning her head to look at the still-regenerating Szayelaporro, some of the fallen Hell and Hollow Grimm spread out throughout the campus. "If you've gone ahead and made me your new employee to punish the evil guys out there, I should start with my own boss, shouldn't I? For someone who says they have 'absolute authority' over everything, you couldn't put a leash on them and stop them from killing off innocent people who had nothing to do with any of this"
"They were the initial aggressors, it is only natural that if you intend to hurt and maim someone, you do so with the expectation that you shall receive that pain equally. And though the forces of Hell are indeed mine to control, I cannot directly control the forces of Hueco Mundo. Salem's body and my own soul gives me the authority to procure them from our realm and manifest them here, but the hollows are not within my domain. They are merely following their instincts, as any animal or living being would, in going after those with souls. My forces do not condemn those that fight the hollows in defending themselves. However, attacking my forces is another matter altogether"
"Sounds like a very convenient loophole. In the end, being killed and shred to bits sounds a bit too much, and a bit unbalanced. If we're really doing this, then I'll be happy to punish you and the real naughty ones out there. My darlings have had enough being roped into stupid situations like this. It's always one brat after another doing stuff like challenging the literal god of the world or trying to commit mass genocide for some greater good or whatever. And for some reason, they're always after my honeybun. She's so popular, isnt she? Hell, I'm getting tired of having to look at my darling go through everything she has to go through. Having to take her place is a no-brainer. Especially for something like this. If you really want someone to punish the mischievous little brats out in the world, I'll do that for you. I'm even going out of my way to teach you how to do your job properly. See? Aren't I nice? And little Crescent agrees too" said Summer, lifting up her granddaughter. "So young and she's already willing to be your underling just so her mommy can be free from all this for good"
"….it matters not. In the end, you have taken her place, and in accordance with Karma, Ruby Rose is not someone I shall pursue. As long as she is free from committing any sins. My focus now is not even the denizens of this world. I am here to give that which is due to my brother, the one you know as Yhwach, the Quincy King. He is the cause of my presence, and the presence of my domain in this world. He is the causality of the imbalance that hangs in your world" answered Galathea. "And you have no need to worry about your daughter. She is in shock from having parts of her soul removed from her, but she is otherwise unharmed. She will recover with time"
"Yhwach? Ohh…..I see what's going on. Actually, I don't. Not fully. But I get the picture. Yeah, in that case, you're better off making me do your dirty work than my Ruby. But first, I'm sending her back to Hat and Clogs. After that, well, as long as we understand each other correctly, I'm sure we'll have a good time together. Unlike the last time. Now that I think about it, you finally have a form that fits your name, huh? Galathea, the pearly-white one. Compared to the dark, flowy rags with eyes on them, I definitely prefer this look much more" commented the eccentric one, patting Salem in the shoulders.
There was a multitude of questions that Yang, Weiss, Ozpin, Glynda, Amber and almost everyone there wanted to ask; either to Summer or to Salem. The whole exchange made absolutely no sense, nor did it look like it belonged to either participant of the conversation.
Suddenly, Yang could feel the weight on her stubby arms being lifted, as well as the scent of rose perfume. She could see a pair of arms gently prying Ruby from her.
Gazing up, Yang, Weiss, Blake and team JNPR found themselves looking up at a pair of aqua green eyes, which in turn were gazing down at Ruby with an expression of shock and guilt, as well as immense concern.
The woman was dark skinned with short, messy blonde hair and two blue lightning bolt markings on the sides of her face. She wore what appeared to be some kind of armor made from the same bony material as a Grimm's mask. They consisted of spaulders on her shoulders that looked like shark fins, two ribbon like protrusions on her back, a thin spine-like structure on her stomach spanning from her waist to the underside of her breasts, which were also covered by two extensions coming from her collar. She also wore what appeared to be a mini-skirt consisting of bones, a pair of knee length boots and elbow length gloves. And on her back was an enormous bone-like sword shaped like a broad pata, that looked like the tooth of a shark with gill like slits on either side along with an unusual hilt and a hand guard.
Several of the chained ones unsheathed their weapons, their attention now focused on the newcomer.
"Oh look! It's Tia!" chimed Summer, her manic golden eyes expressing genuine happiness and relief upon seeing the 3rd Espada.
Between the current state of Ruby, Summer and Crescent, the maimed humans and Faunus around her, the plethora of revived Espada, soul reaper captains, guardians from Hell and other hollows and menos from Hueco Mundo, as well as the overseer of Hell itself standing by Summer and Crescent's side, Tier Harribel could not even begin to fathom where she needed to start. And she had a feeling that she didn't want to know.
There were actually some more things I wanted to include in this chapter, but doing so would break the flow of some things that happens in the next chapter so I decided to leave it for next time.
In all this chaos, what have Aizen, Urahara, Ichigo and Co, the Soul Reapers and Yhwach been upto? That will be the focus of the next chapter, as well as some progression to the events of this one. As always, thanks for the support and see you next time!
Response to reviews:
Monster King: Thanks!
Lucian Naruto: Thanks, glad you feel that way. I really just went with what I had planned, as well as writing events in a way that flowed naturally given the current situation and the personalities of the characters.
Spellflame: It's…kinda been addressed? It's just too bad that Ruby never really got the chance to use her silver eyes before she was done in by Salem/Queen of Hell.
Argorok: Thanks as always! Well, things took a completely different turn huh? But this isnt the end.
RandomName3064: Well…there's always Orihime. As Ruby mentioned. I can tell you that neither is Szayel done nor are the others. You could even say that the things that happened here are kind of like a prologue of sorts for things that will happen later.
D'nnome: Haha she really did go berserk, but in the end, it got kinda bad huh?
Firewyrm2: No no, Qrow didn't really see her. It was meant in a more general sense when addressing the Remnant gang as a whole.
Mobian: Of course. Which is why even this one took a bit of time. Nah, she just stopped the bleeding. Yeah you're right. Sadly, that disconnect between Yang and Ruby will always be there. And as for her hollow family, they're showing up but….is it too late? Maybe not. And yes, I heard about the new anime, exciting stuff!
Xeno01: Yeah, that's actually a good point! But well, people are flawed, and often they learn and realize about such things when they're shown the reality of their self-righteousness or hypocrisy. Blake has room to grow as a person after all.
And that she did! For a while atleast. But things went completely differently huh? Thanks for reading and the support as always!