A.N: Bit of writer's block regarding the next One Piece Campaign Chapter, but I am working on it, it's just taking awhile. Until then, enjoy chapter 2 of Wild Hunt.

Chapter 2: When it Falls

Jaune Arc could only look on in confusion as he watched Pyrrha Nikos step into a strange machine in the basement of Beacon Academy, directed by Professor Ozpin. He kept trying to figure out just what in the world was happening and why it involved Pyrrha. Then, the process began. Jaune watched in horror as Pyrrha screamed in pain for a moment before falling silent. He looked at Ozpin in a mixture of confusion and betrayal.

Ozpin could only shake his head in sadness. "I'm so sorry," he said.

"Sorry?" Jaune was more confused now. "Sorry for what? What the hell did you do to Pyrrha, Professor?"

Ozpin shook his head. "I'm so sorry I had to get her involved in this, Mr. Arc." He said. "Gods forgive me, this was the last thing I ever wanted for any of my students."

"Start making sense, Professor."

Jaune then stumbled towards Ozpin, maintaining the look of betrayal on his face. "What has happened to Pyrrha?"

Ozpin heaved a sigh. He then noticed the vital signs in the pod Pyrrha was in were starting to rise again. He could not help but shed a single tear when he noticed that pod heart rate readings of the previous Fall Maiden, Amber, were completely flat.

Forgive me, he thought, another mistake to add to a long line of many.

"If Ms. Nikos wishes to tell you everything, I will allow her." Ozpin said. "But Mr. Arc, as you saw, she made the choice to take on this burden."

"I don't want to hear you try to justify it, Professor." Jaune glared at Ozpin. "I just want to know what you've done to her!"

Suddenly, the door to Pyrrha's pod exploded. "Pyrrha!" Jaune yelled in concern.

Jaune immediately breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Pyrrha was already waking up after falling unconscious. Her eyes had a strange fiery pattern around them. Ozpin could not help but relax a bit.

At least something good can come out of this hellish night. He noted. We now have our new Fall Maiden.

The elevator doors suddenly exploded, and a furious voice screamed out. "NO!"

Jaune, Pyrrha and Ozpin immediately turned their attention to the owner of the voice. Cinder Fall furiously revealed her presence. "Ozpin!" She screamed. "Damn you, Ozpin! How dare you take what belongs to me!"

Cinder summoned her bow and arrow and immediately took aim at Pyrrha. Jaune—in spite of not know what was going on—immediately took a position in front of Pyrrha to protect her from this angry woman. "No, Jaune," Pyrrha said weakly, "don't…try to fight her."

Ozpin then took a step forward, test-swinging his cane about. "She is right, Mr. Arc, this is an enemy you are not ready to face."

"And Ms. Nikos, you stay back as well. Let your professor do his part for a change." Ozpin stared down the false Maiden, ready for battle.

Cinder glared at Ozpin for a moment before regaining her composure. She looked around at this hidden room and chuckled. "All of this time and it was under our noses." She mused. "She was right, you are so arrogant."

Ozpin narrowed his eyes. "Your master has some nerve to call me arrogant. She has waged war on humanity with impunity for too long, and has become far too comfortable with the ground she has gained." He noted.

Ozpin looked over his shoulder at Jaune and Pyrrha, who were both immensely confused at what they were conversing about.

Perhaps I must fill in Ms. Nikos about her existence as well, now that she's going to be a target.

Ozpin then smirked, deciding to rattle Cinder a bit. "Hansel told me you two got acquainted, earlier. How did you find my apprentice? He didn't seem too impressed with you, considering his confidence he could capture you."

Those words had their intended effect. Flames began to explode around Cinder as she prepared to charge Ozpin. "I left him with a small army of Grimm. I hate to tell you, but your beloved apprentice won't survive." Cinder declared. "That's the last time you catch me off guard with him!"

Ozpin chuckled. "You underestimate Hansel. Once that boy sets his mind to an objective, only my word will stop him. I wouldn't be surprised if that little army you left him with has already been wiped out."

Cinder decided to table those thoughts for another time, and simply fired several shards at Ozpin, only for the man to deflect them all with speed that amazed both Jaune and Pyrrha.

"It's a shame, perhaps if Hansel had not arrived when he did, you might've been able to reach us unopposed, and then abscond with the remains of the Fall Maiden's powers for yourself. But we will never know, because history has decided to take a different course." Ozpin noted. "Come, false Maiden, let us see where this new path takes us!"

With that, Ozpin, the great and powerful, and the wicked maiden leapt at each other with incredible speeds, ready to do battle.

Meanwhile, the blue swordsman known as Hansel stared at Adam Taurus in irritation. "Take responsibility, you hear me?" He demanded. "Professor Ozpin gave me a mission, and here you are doing something I simply can't ignore. And as a result, you're delaying my mission."

"So take responsibility, you bastard." Hansel told him. "Or better yet, steel yourself. Because I have no intention of forgiving you for delaying me."

Adam glared at Hansel from behind his mask. "That attire, colored blue, your katana, black hair that blends in with the night, and those cold blue eyes that have no empathy for those he deems an enemy. I know you. You are the Blue Demon, Hansel Kobalt."

Hansel narrowed his eyes. "I always hated that nickname." He admitted. "But, I do appreciate that it strikes fear into the hearts of my enemies. And judging by your attire and your sword, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you are Adam Taurus, the White Fang's loose cannon."

Adam then noticed that Blake Belladonna had left her previous position and was now by Yang Xiao Long's side. "Yang," Blake gently shook her, "are you alright?"

Yang groaned as she sat up. "Ugh, what the hell hit me?" She wondered.

Yang then remembered a black fireball coming out of nowhere. She looked at Adam and then Hansel. Then she realized who shot her with that fireball. "Hey jackass!" She screamed at Hansel. "What's the big idea, huh?"

"Oh shut up, Blondie!" Hansel clearly had no time for Yang's complaints. "I just saved your dumb ass, so show some gratitude and get the hell out of here."

"Why you…" Yang growled in anger.

"Yang, don't!" Blake stopped her, tightly gripping her shoulders. "Listen to me, Adam isn't someone you should try to fight. And I don't know who this guy is, but if even Adam is on guard, you shouldn't try to face him either."

Blake then winced as her stressing over Yang caused her wounds to act up. Yang noticed this and her eyes widened. "Hey, try to relax a little, or you're going to make those wounds bleed more." She said.

"Hey, Little Bow Peep," Hansel addressed Blake with a nickname of her own, "you two need to get out of here. I won't be held responsible if either of you get in my way."

"He's right, Yang." Blake said. "Adam is too dangerous, we'll only be in this guy's way. We have to go."

Yang hated the fact that she was running away from two men who pissed her off. But Blake did need medical attention. And judging by the tone of Hansel's voice, he had no problem with cutting either of them down if they got in his way.

"Okay," she said, taking Blake and hoisting her up, supporting her, "hang tight, Blake, we'll get you help."

Adam then addressed Blake, making the Cat Faunus go pale at his chilling words. "We'll continue this another time, my darling; don't forget my promise."

Yang ignored Adam's chilling words and fled with Blake as quickly as she could. Adam then turned his full attention to Hansel. "Now then, Blue Demon, I believe you told me to steel myself. I shall now say the same to you. I will take great pleasure in striking down a human with your reputation. It shall be my own personal introduction to the world as someone to be feared."

"Sorry, but there are only two ways this will end, and neither will be my death." Hansel replied. "The first is this place becoming your grave."

"The second is I send you bruised and crying back to the High Leader."

Adam growled and rushed Hansel, not wanting to take the taunts of a human lying down. He rapidly drew Wilt from Blush, only for Hansel to gracefully move to the side and avoid his first slice.

Hansel smirked at the Faunus. "Olé," he could not help but mock Adam's Faunus traits.

And then to add insult to the injury, Hansel waved his poncho in a cape-like goading manner.

Adam growled in anger as he aimed Blush straight at Hansel's face, his finger on the trigger. Adam fired a point blank shot at Hansel's face, only for the young man to swing his Wolf Fang straight through the bullet, cutting it in half.

Hansel then quickly put some distance between the two of them before Adam could fire another round by shooting black flames out of his left hand, creating a sort of smokescreen between the two of them and propelling himself away from Adam, who was forced to shield himself from the flames.

Hansel then drove Wolf Fang into the ground and aimed his right arm at Adam. Black flames gathered around them before they were fired off from his arm like a flamethrower. Adam saw the flames coming and was forced to block them with Wilt, absorbing them with his Semblance.

Hansel noticed this happening and frowned, stopping his onslaught of flames. "Ah damn," he muttered, "why can't all Semblances be straightforward like mine?"

Adam then leapt from the flames with a sheathed Wilt and rapidly drew it, attempting to cut Hansel in half right up the middle. Hansel quickly grabbed Wolf Fang and blocked the attack. The force of the impact destroyed the entire wall behind him.

Hansel then slammed his foot on the ground, and rocketed himself above Adam with a blast of flames. Adam gasped as he was left wide open for a subsequent blast. Hansel then aimed his left hand at Adam's back and blasted him with more fire.

Adam yelled out in pain as his Aura worked to shield him from the brunt of the blast. He quickly recovered and fired several rounds from Blush at Hansel who quickly enveloped the bullets with flames from his right hand.

Adam then closed the distance between them as quickly as he could manage, now pressuring Hansel with attacks from Wilt. He's using his black flames sparingly, even though they give him an advantage over me. Adam noted. I wonder why…

Hansel then suddenly blasted Adam with fire from his left hand, pushing him backwards. Damn, I let my guard down. Adam thought with frustration before noticing Hansel switching sword hands. Wait a minute…

Adam was cut off again with another fireball, this time from Hansel's right hand. Adam gasped and swung Wilt at the flame, absorbing it. I see now. He realized before sending Hansel's attack right back at him with Moonslice.

Hansel quickly avoided the attack. 1 one thousand, Adam counted in his mind, 2 one thousand, 3 one thousand…

Hansel then switched sword hands once again and fired black flames from his left hand. Adam quickly absorbed the flames once more. Hansel then surprised him by throwing a fireball from a kick, but Adam managed to absorb that as well. He then sent the energy of the two attacks back in a swing. Hansel blocked the counterattack, but was pushed back. He could not help but smirk. "Nice to know that I'm more dangerous to myself than you are." He taunted.

Adam just grinned, ignoring Hansel's taunt. "I've found your tell." He revealed. "You have a cool-down rate between times you can use your Semblance."

Hansel narrowed his eyes. "Did I hit it right on the head?" Adam taunted. "A Semblance as strong as yours shouldn't come without a few drawbacks. After all, Semblances are like muscles. Use them too much, and they become injured."

"You're right," Hansel shrugged, accepting that Adam found him out, "the more I use my flames, the longer I have to wait before I can use them again in that particular body part. I use them too much and too often, and I risk damaging my body."

"Since we're on the subject, I've figured out your Semblance too." Hansel revealed. "You absorb attacks into that blade, and then you return it right back at your opponent. And the more you absorb, the more powerful your attack is. In fact, if I had to guess, you probably absorbed my physical attacks into your blade as well."

"Impressive," Adam grinned, "I suppose it is pretty obvious when you think about it. Then again, people are usually dead by the time they figure out Moonslice's power."

Adam brandished Wilt at Hansel. "So tell me, what do you intend to do with that knowledge, Blue Demon?" He mocked. "How do you expect to fight me when simply attacking me speeds your end? Doesn't that frighten you?"

Hansel scowled. "That's supposed to frighten me?"

Hansel's free hand clenched into a fist. "You don't know what fear is, Taurus."

Hansel then took a deep breath. "Let me answer your question with another question, how am I supposed to win if I'm afraid of my enemy and his power? I don't. And that is why, I'm not going to fear your Semblance."

Hansel then drove Wolf Fang into the ground as flames gathered around both of his hands. "In fact, I want to see just how much you can take!" He exclaimed.

With that, Hansel fired two black fireballs at Adam, who absorbed them into Wilt. How much I can take? What is he trying to do? Adam wondered before Hansel suddenly charged Adam, swinging his Wolf Fang with heightened aggression.

Adam gasped lightly as he was forced on the defensive by Hansel's aggressive attacks. He could not take any time to take aim and fire with Blush without Hansel cutting into him with Wolf Fang. He could feel Moonslice absorbing the force of Hansel's attacks into his blade.

An attack like this, he thought to himself, I could crush him with power like this!

Hansel then surprised Adam by enveloping him in black flames and putting some distance between the two of them. Adam frowned. He knows what Moonslice's power is and yet he's deliberately putting distance between us? He's mocking me…

Adam sheathed Wilt. "Fine!" He exclaimed. "Let's see how much you can take, you damn demon!"

Firing Blush to increase the force of his draw, Adam swung Wilt, activating Moonslice. Adam could not help but gape in surprise at the sheer force of his own attack as an arc of energy tore across the ground towards Hansel.

Meanwhile, Blake Belladonna looked over her shoulder to see several buildings in a line suddenly be cut in half. Her eyes widened, realizing who was responsible. Yang Xiao Long also looked over her shoulder. "Holy…" she trailed off. "Blake, just who the hell is this Adam guy, huh?"

"I'll…tell you everything if we survive this." Blake said sadly.

"We will," Yang assured her, "now come on."

Back at the fight, Adam panted from the power he had just released. He looked at his sword arm and gasped at his shirt sleeve being torn off from the force of the attack. His arm was also shaking. I've never released that much power from Moonslice. He noted. Just how much power did he hit me with?

It doesn't matter now, even he could not have survived an attack like that-

Adam was cut from his thoughts, literally. Hansel suddenly appeared in front of him and sliced off Adam's sword arm with a single swing. His blade was heated up from his Semblance. Adam screamed in pain as his arm fell from his body. "You really need to work on your aim." Hansel coldly told him.

Adam could only scream in pain as he fell to his knees and clutched the stump that was once his arm. Hansel narrowed his eyes in disgust. "You aimed for that blondie's arm you piece of shit." He said, kicking Adam in the jaw and knocking him onto his back. "Real big man, aiming to maim someone instead of kill them. I figured you'd like to know how that feels before you die."

Hansel then stepped on Adam's chest and aimed Wolf Fang at his face. "You think killing me will stop this?" Adam asked. "Stop the White Fang? Others will inherit my hatred!"

"Yeah, I really don't care." Hansel admitted. "I don't give a shit about your politics, your hatred, or your revolution, Taurus. The only thing that matters to me is that one less scumbag will be running around after I'm through with you."

Then, before Hansel could drive his blade through Adam's skull, smoke suddenly exploded all around him. "Ah shit!" Hansel yelled, shielding himself from the smoke.

He then heard the whirring of a chainsaw. He was then forced to leap away from a chainsaw that came out of the smoke. Hansel then watched as two low-level members of the White Fang picked Adam up, protected by a burly Faunus with a chainsaw. Hansel was then forced to defend himself from bullets from machine guns, stopping him from pursuing the White Fang and the injured Adam.

"Son of a bitch," Hansel snarled, "why the hell can't I kill anyone tonight?"

Hansel sighed, calming himself down. "It can't be helped," he said, "he was only a detour. I need to get to the academy. I need to get to Professor Ozpin and make sure everything's alright."

Hansel's scroll suddenly started to ring. He took it out of his pocket and saw that Ozpin was calling him. He quickly answered. "I'm sorry, sir." He said. "I don't mean to keep you waiting. Also, I lost the woman, she got away from me."

"Never mind that," Ozpin said to him, "she was here, at Beacon. I drove her off. She's trying to retreat. I need you to try to cut her off."

Hansel narrowed her eyes. "Understood," he said, "my apologies, sir, I won't let her out of my sight again!"

Hansel ran towards the academy, hoping to cut off Cinder Fall's retreat. He grimaced slightly, feeling fatigue suddenly hit him. Shit, he thought, fighting that woman, Taurus, and all those Grimm has taken a lot out of me. I should have just enough energy to catch her though.

Meanwhile, Ruby Rose set down the injured and beaten Roman Torchwick. "Are you sure you want to leave him here?" An injured Nora Valkyrie inquired of Ruby.

"I don't like Roman, but I'd never forgive myself if I left him to die." Ruby shook her head. "Where's everyone else?"

Lie Ren spoke up. "Jaune and Pyrrha separated from us. I think Weiss is fighting with Velvet and some of the members of Team SSSN." He said.

Suddenly, Yang Xiao Long arrived with Blake Belladonna. "Yang!" Ruby ran over and embraced her sister, who had just set down the injured Blake. Ruby immediately turned her attention to Blake. "Blake, what happened to you?"

"Some jerk named Adam stabbed her." Yang growled. "Hopefully that jerk swordsman in blue took care of him."

"Blue swordsman?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know," Yang shrugged, "where's Weiss?"

"She's still in the city, I'm going after her." Ruby said in determination.

"Not without me you're not." Yang said. "Nora, Ren, can you guys look after Blake?"

Nora and Ren nodded. "Okay, Sis, let's get going." Yang said as the two sisters ran back into the city.

An injured Cinder Fall ran through the city, furious with herself and her failures. "Damn it!" She cursed in frustration. "How did this happen?"

If she had just managed to achieve the Fall Maiden's full power, that fight would have gone much differently. She would have killed Ozpin, and made her proud. It's all that brat's fault. Cinder thought angrily. If that brat hadn't gotten in my way, I would've been able to get to the academy unopposed. That brat…that brat ruined everything!

All she could do now was find Mercury and Emerald and retreat from the city and make it back to Her Grace's headquarters. "Well, well, well, looks like someone is retreating in disgrace." A familiar voice stopped Cinder in her tracks.

Cinder's eyes narrowed and her face contorted into a furious gaze. "You…" she snarled as Hansel appeared in front of her.

Hansel gave her a cold smirk. "Looks like you bit off a bit more than you can chew," he taunted, "what, did you forget that the professor is the mightiest Huntsman in Remnant?"

Cinder was furious at Hansel's taunts. "You've caught me in a real bad mood, Hansel." Cinder said to him as flames danced around her body. "Since you are the professor's little lapdog, you knew what I was after. And you both have denied me of my rightful prize."

Hansel shrugged uncaringly. "Too bad," he said, "maybe it wasn't meant to be yours after all? Sometimes, that's just how fate goes."

Hansel narrowed his eyes. This fight won't be the same as before. He thought to himself. I had the element of surprise and the advantage of being unknown to this woman. Now that she knows about me, I won't have those advantages, and I've been in so many different fights since than. I need to try to stall her until backup arrives.

"But hey, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again, right?" Hansel pointed out. "By all means, keep trying to take the Maiden's powers. I mean, I'm sure your boss is all about giving second chances, right?"

Cinder could not help but frown at how strange Hansel was sometimes. "Or maybe you're scared of going back not a full Maiden because you know that your boss is a psychopath?" Hansel suggested. "After all, even if humans can be a bit screwed up sometimes—you being a perfect example, by the way—committing genocide on the entire human race just doesn't seem right. And perhaps deep down you know that, so you're scared of going back a failure."

"Scared?" Cinder repeated before screaming. "The only thing I fear is spending the rest of my existence as an insignificant weakling!"

Cinder then rocketed towards Hansel. Oh shit! Hansel thought, readying himself for battle. I guess stalling didn't work! Damn it, where the hell's backup when you need it?

Hansel blocked Cinder's first attack, but was pushed backwards. Cinder glared ferociously at Hansel. "I may not get the rest of the Fall Maiden's powers tonight," Cinder accepted, "but killing you will be quite the consolation prize, Hansel! I'll make you suffer for ruining everything!"

Several gunshots suddenly rang out. Cinder looked to the side and gasped as she was suddenly hit by several bullets that left her coated in ice. Gunfire? Hansel was surprised. But who…

"How do you like that, Cinder?" Ruby Rose appeared, taunting her foe. "You looked like you needed to cool down!"

"You again, brat?" Cinder snarled as the ice started to melt.

Hansel looked at Ruby in utter confusion. "Who the hell are you?" He asked.

Ruby looked at Hansel. "Oh? You're wearing blue." She then realized, "Hey, you must be the guy that helped out Blake and my sister! Thanks for that! I saw the impact of that last attack and I thought I should go and see if someone needed help!"

Give me a break. Hansel frowned. I ask for backup and this is what I get?

Hansel then noticed something that made his mouth drop open. Hold on… he trailed off as he gazed at Ruby's eyes.

"You," Hansel addressed Ruby, "you have silver eyes."

"Huh? Oh yeah, I guess I do." Ruby shrugged.

Hansel immediately deflated. You have got to be kidding me. He thought in disappointment. This is the silver eyed student the professor told me about?

Yang Xiao Long and Weiss Schnee then appeared by Ruby's side. "You dunce!" Weiss yelled at her partner. "What were you thinking running off like that? We should've evacuated with the others!"

"Yeah, but what if someone needed help!" Ruby defended herself. She then gestured to Hansel. "And look, see! Someone did need help!"

Hansel tried to say something to correct Ruby, but then realized. She's not wrong, with the way that woman is behaving, I'm not sure if I would've survived a second round with her, especially with how much I've been through tonight.

Yang then noticed Hansel. "Hey jerk!" She yelled. "I've got a lot to say to you, you know!"

"Yeah, and I don't care, focus on the enemy in front of you." Hansel shrugged Yang off, much to her anger.

"Wow, I wish I could ignore you the way he does." Weiss admitted as she prepared her Myrtenaster, staring down the infuriated Cinder.

"One, four, ten, it doesn't matter to me!" Cinder declared. "I'll kill every last one of you!"

Cinder then turned her attention to Hansel. "But you, I think you've earned a more painful death!"

Hansel was drawn to a loud roar. He then turned around and his eyes widened. "Aww shit…" he muttered as the Grimm Dragon flew above and then landed between him, Cinder, and the girls.

The dragon then turned its attention to Cinder, who smiled sadistically. "Make sure that he suffers." She said cruelly.

The dragon immediately slammed its head into Hansel, pushing him away from Ruby and the others. "Hey, Blue Guy!" Ruby called out in worry.

"We can't worry about him, Ruby." Yang said. "He can take care of himself. We need to worry about this psycho."

"I recognize that voice." Weiss spoke up. "That's the woman who spoke up after Pyrrha's fight with…"

Weiss trailed off, worried about mentioning Penny Polendina around Ruby. "…Well, anyway, I think this is the woman who caused all this. We take her out, we stop all of this."

"Stop all of this?" Cinder smirked. "You fools, you can't stop this. There's so much about this world you don't understand, and you never will. Because you're all going to die here!"

And then an important observation occurred to Ruby. "She's not just the speaker from the match," she noted, "that woman…she's Emerald and Mercury's teammate."

Cinder chuckled. "Yes, yes, I think you owe Mercury an apology, Ms. Xiao Long." Cinder taunted Yang. "He's still on crutches."

Yang tensed noticeably from that statement before Ruby addressed her. "Don't listen to her, Yang, Mercury faked it!"

"Of course he faked it you fool. All of this was a plan to drown this entire kingdom in despair. And we all know what despair brings!" Cinder gestured to the Grimm Dragon, which was locked in a battle with Hansel, who had been forced on the defensive.

Ruby almost went after the Grimm Dragon to help Hansel. "Ruby, we need you here." Yang said. "If this chick is Mercury's boss, we'll need to go at her three-on-one."

"She's still injured, but you never know what a cornered beast might do." Weiss readied Myrtenaster.

Ruby was still admittedly worried about Hansel. He looks like he's struggling. She noted. We better take care of Cinder quick, so we can help him.

"I'm with you, Weiss. Let's put this psycho on ice!"

"Really, ugh? Honestly, Ruby, do you get all of your cheesy one-liners from comic books? Focus, Ruby! This woman is a very real threat." Weiss pointed out.

"Alright let's go team!" Ruby took initiative and sped towards Cinder with her Semblance, Speed.

Cinder chuckled. "Fools," she said, summoning her two blades before effortlessly ducking underneath Ruby's attack and batting her away. She would have been cut into, but her Aura managed to protect her.

Yang's eyes flashed red. "Hands off my sister you bitch!" She screamed, rocketing towards Cinder with Ember Celica.

Weiss sped towards Cinder with speed glyphs. Cinder quickly fired an arrow into Yang's shoulder, stopping her momentum and then turned her bow into blades to fight Weiss one on one. "Do you really think parlor tricks to increase your speed will help you? I studied your moves during the Vytal Festival. Even if Ozpin did manage to injure me, I'm afraid you fools have no chance with your pitiful skills!"

Cinder then knocked Weiss back with her superior strength and de-summoned her smaller blades, replacing them with a single larger one to maintain an advantage in distance and power. "Know your damn place, you insects!" She yelled.

Ruby, meanwhile, recovered from her earlier attack. That move drained so much of my Aura. She is strong. Ruby then looked over at Yang, watching her yank the arrow out of her shoulder, grimacing.

Ruby's eyes then widened in further realization, watching the arrow vanish in flames. Flames, arrows; there's no mistaking it! She's also the woman who infiltrated the CCT during the dance! She recalled before grimacing in horror. Gods, she was right under our noses the entire time…

Shaking those thoughts away, Ruby attacked Cinder once more with Crescent Rose. Cinder stopped the scythe with her blade. Weiss took the opportunity to encase Cinder with ice, only for Cinder to effortlessly destroy the ice with a fireball. Ruby then took the opportunity to rocket herself away with a concussive blast from Crescent Rose's rifle attachment. "I trust you have a plan in mind, Ruby?" Weiss asked.

"You bet!" Ruby yelled. "Scattered Petals, go!"

Weiss's eyes widened slightly at that strategy, but formed a black glyph that allowed her to leap a great distance above Cinder. Cinder turned her attention to Weiss and tried to shoot her down with a fireball, only to have to block several shotgun shells from Yang. Cinder was then shocked by electric dust fired from Ruby's Crescent Rose, having swapped concussive shells with bullets laced with electric dust.

Cinder then found herself surrounded by several black glyphs, courtesy of Weiss Schnee. Ruby then stepped onto the black glyph while Weiss appeared next to her, adjusting Myrtenaster's ammo to ice dust. "Scattered Petals, huh?" She inquired of the name.

"Not like you had a better name for this." Ruby smiled as she leapt towards one of the glyphs above Cinder. Cinder gasped, realizing what she was trying to do. She created a bow and arrow, only to be covered in ice by Weiss, slowing her down enough to let Ruby pick up speed unopposed.

"We've got her!" Yang cheered, letting up on the blasts from Ember Celica.

It is a pretty good plan, Cinder noted, but plans made by children can't do a thing to me!

Flames exploded around Cinder, destroying the ice. She then summoned her twin blades. Ruby then started leaping wildly about, trying to slash Cinder from multiple directions. The speed and unpredictability of the attacks would be what brought her down.

However, Weiss and Yang then watched in horror as Cinder blocked all of Ruby's attacks effortlessly, moving about like she was dancing. Gods, Weiss thought, horrified, she's moving like this while injured by Professor Ozpin, just what kind of monster did we engage with?

"Ruby, get out of there! Abort the attack!" Weiss warned her.

No! Ruby thought, picking up speed. I can get her. She's not going to get away with what she has done! Penny, and all of the innocent people that have died tonight. She's going to pay!

"A good attempt, little Ruby, but I think I'm going to do Emerald a favor and end you." Cinder avoided another of Ruby's attacks and cut right through her Aura.

Ruby's eyes widened, realizing she had reached her limit, feeling Cinder's blade cut through her midsection. She shrieked in pain as she landed on her side, clutching her open wound. "Ruby!" Yang and Weiss yelled, horrified at what had happened.

"She always hated you." Cinder noted. "She put up with it for my sake, but by the Gods, she hated you."

Yang's hair exploded in flames. "You bitch!" She screamed, leaping at Cinder.

"Yang, no!" Weiss tried to warn Yang.

"As for you," without even looking, Cinder summoned a javelin and drove it straight into Yang's stomach, stopping her in her tracks, "Mercury despised having to hold back against you. Damaged his pride and all that jazz. I hope he doesn't mind me getting back at you for that."

Yang gasped in pain as she was pushed onto her back. She quickly lost consciousness. Weiss knew Cinder was dangerous, but she also knew that Cinder meant to kill her friends.

"Leave them alone!" She screamed, instinctively summoning the arm of the armored giant that she faced a long time ago.

Cinder smirked and caught the blade with her bare hand. "And then there's you," she said, melting the blade and then the arm, "I have no personal business with you, but when the White Fang found out the Schnee Heiress was here, they were salivating. Perhaps as a show of good faith, I should bring you to them?"

Weiss' eyes widened. Cinder then sped towards her and impaled her through the side with a large blade before Weiss could react. "Oh, poor thing, you let your guard down." She taunted. "What, does paying for the sins of your father not sound appealing?"

Weiss let out a cough. "It's too bad," she said, "the White Fang could probably gain enough funding to support themselves for years with a ransom from you. But, Adam is out for blood, so you'll die, and I can promise you, it won't be pretty."

Weiss collapsed onto her stomach, losing consciousness. "Now, you stay right there." Cinder said cruelly, turning her attention back to Yang and Ruby.

Ruby lifted her head weakly and saw the heavily injured Weiss and Yang. She had also overheard Cinder's plan for Weiss. Weiss…Yang… she thought to herself. Not them…I've lost Penny. I can't lose them too.

So many people…I don't want to lose anyone else…Mom!

Ruby then struggled to her feet, surprising Cinder. "Oh, that's adorable," She taunted. "You know you're not going to do anything, right? I'm just going to knock you right back down."

"You're going to die here, Ruby." Cinder coldly told her. "I may not have taken what was mine, but I can take comfort in knowing I've eliminated some minor annoyances."

"What was yours?" Ruby asked quietly before repeating it louder. "What was yours?"

Cinder frowned at Ruby's tone. "So that's what this is all about?" Ruby demanded. "Because you wanted something?"

"And what of it?" Cinder demanded.

Ruby started shaking in an emotion she had never felt before: rage. "What in the world is wrong with you?" She asked tearfully. "What is wrong with Roman? Emerald? Mercury? All of you?! You've taken life after life, all because you wanted something? People died because of you! Good people! Don't you feel anything from what you've done tonight?"

Cinder sighed. "I've heard it all before. But to answer your question, Ruby; no, I do not."

Ruby tightly gripped Crescent Rose. "You're not human," she said angrily, as her wound suddenly closed up, surprising Cinder.

She had no Aura left! Cinder thought. Where did that come from?

"You're a monster." Ruby growled as a strange power began to rise up, surprising Cinder more.

Hang on, something's different about her!

"No forgiveness," Ruby hissed before yelling, "NO FORGIVENESS!"

At that moment, a strange silver aura exploded from Ruby's eyes in the shape of silver wings. "WHAT?!" Cinder yelled in surprise.

"Cinder," Ruby then said calmly as that same silver aura surrounded Crescent Rose's blade, "no matter what happens, I will never forgive you!"

Ruby then swung Crescent Rose, releasing an arc of silver energy towards Cinder. "Damn!" Cinder yelled, sending out a fireball to cancel the attack. However, much to Cinder's horror, the attack sliced the fireball in half, dissipating the attack.

"No!" Cinder yelled as she was struck across the chest by the attack. The false Maiden screamed in unimaginable pain as blood flew out of her wound and landed around her body. She then collapsed onto her back, gasping for air, finding herself unable to move.

What in the world was that? She wondered.

Ruby then calmly advanced on Cinder, only to suddenly find herself surrounded by Grimm. However, she took one look at the Grimm and then swung Crescent Rose, cutting the scene before her in half and revealing it to be an illusion. Emerald and Mercury both gasped in horror as they scooped up the injured Cinder.

"What the hell, Em?" Mercury asked, frantically trying to figure out what has happened to Ruby.

"I don't know!" Emerald yelled. "Let's just get out of here!"

"Emerald…Mercury…" Ruby glared at them as she prepared to attack them before her attention was drawn to the sound of something hitting a nearby wall.

Ruby turned and gasped to see an injured Hansel Kobalt trying to prop himself up with his katana, only to fail and fall over. She gasped, worried for his safety. Even though she was blinded by rage, her care for others remained. She was still Ruby Rose deep down. "That's our cue, Em, let's go!" Mercury yelled as the two ran off with Cinder in their arms.

The two managed to get away with Cinder, who coughed, visibly in pain. "Emerald, Mercury, thank you." She said. "I have no idea what that was."

"She was just a runt." Emerald said, still scared of Ruby. "How could she be capable of something like that?"

"I don't know," Cinder admitted, "we need to get back to Her Grace."

Cinder grimaced. "The mission was a failure."

Meanwhile, Ruby tried to move towards Hansel to check on him, only for her eyes to suddenly return to normal. The silver aura vanished instantly. "What-" she managed before she fell over and lost consciousness.

Hansel weakly looked up to see the unconscious Ruby. She can't control her power. He realized before his lips contorted into an angry frown. Damn it.

Hansel then gasped at the sound of a dragon roaring. He turned to see the Grimm Dragon advancing on him. Shit. He thought, trying to get up before grimacing in pain. Bite marks on his stomach, and a twisted ankle and dislocated shoulder from the last impact. He got me good. I can't move. No, I can't die here…not yet! I refuse to die here!

The dragon then advanced on the unconscious Ruby first, its gaze refused to leave her. Does it recognize her as the biggest threat? Hansel realized. It understands the power of her eyes better than she does!

At that moment, a single force sped past the four bodies that lined the battlefield. Hansel then watched in shock as Professor Ozpin gently gazed at Ruby. "I'm so sorry," he said, "I never expected you to be triggered this early. Still, well done, Ms. Rose, you were very brave."

"Professor…" Hansel muttered weakly.

"You did well, Hansel." Ozpin told his apprentice. "Stay down, I'll take it from here."

Hansel relaxed. Ozpin was here now. Everything was going to be okay. Ozpin then turned his attention to the Grimm Dragon, glaring with uncharacteristic anger. "As for you," he said, "you dare threaten to sink your filthy fangs into my students? I shall purge you from this world."

The Grimm Dragon roared at Ozpin in response. However, before it could react, Ozpin was in front of it. Hansel watched in shock as Ozpin drove his cane rapidly and repeatedly into the underbelly of the beast, which roared in pain. Bright green lights sprang up from each spot.

Then, within seconds, the dragon let out a pained cry before exploding in black miasma. In just a few split seconds, Professor Ozpin, the greatest Huntsman in the world, had destroyed a very powerful Grimm. He then reached into his pocket and took out his scroll. "Qrow," he said, calling the veteran Huntsman, "come to my location, I've got wounded. Some of them are your nieces."

Ozpin then ran over to Hansel and gently lifted him off the ground. Hansel grimaced. "You can't move?" Ozpin asked.

"My shoulder's dislocated and I think my ankle's badly twisted. And then there's the fact that I can still feel that thing's teeth in my gut." Hansel admitted. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean for her to get away from me twice."

"Think nothing of it. I'm just glad you're alright." Ozpin said. "You did well tonight, Hansel. Thanks to you, we still have the Fall Maiden's powers on our side, even if it is only half of it."

Hansel looked around. "Give it to me straight, how bad are things going to be after tonight?" He asked. "Because this sure as hell doesn't look like a victory."

"With that dragon gone, I think we have a chance to take back the city and the academy." Ozpin said, moving towards the downed Weiss and gingerly picking her up as well.

Then, as Ozpin said this, the two were drawn to the sound of demonic cawing. They looked up to see flocks of Nevermore flying away from Vale. "Wait, are they leaving? As in, retreating?" Hansel was shocked.

Ozpin narrowed his eyes. "It appears she already knows of that woman's failure to become the Fall Maiden."

"Yeah, but why retreat?" Hansel wondered.

"Because they needed her to become a full-fledged Maiden. There is no sense in remaining here now, so the Queen has decided to allow us victory and hope, with plans of replacing it with despair in the near future." Ozpin explained.

"I see." Hansel said.

"Still, we should be happy with this victory. They are few and far in between." Ozpin noted before adding grimly. "Even so, I'm afraid humanity might be entering its darkest time."

"But for now, let's simply celebrate tonight's victory and be glad that things could have been so much worse." Ozpin said.

Hansel shook his head in disbelief. "Hell of a way to be welcomed back to Beacon." He muttered.

Ozpin could not help but smile lightly at his apprentice's sarcasm. "Indeed," he said, catching the bird form of Qrow Branwen out of the corner of his eye. He also noticed Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos catching up to him. "Welcome home, Professor Kobalt."