Hi everyone, we're now at the epilogue chapter for the Grimm Eclipse arc as our heroes recuperate and plan their next move.
Though while it is unfortunate that Volume 10 hasn't been officially greenlit yet, I'm confident it'll still happen. Kerry said writing for the volume was already underway, I have a feeling that with the work being done on the Justice League crossover movies, as well as the issues they had during the Pandemic, they're trying to get back in order. So hopefully we won't have to wait too long.
Speaking of the Justice League movies, I may have said it before, but I'll say it again… I will not be using the Justice League in this story, no three-way crossovers or anything like that. This is solely between RWBY and Sonic. End of story.
Now, with all that out of the way, let's get this chapter started.
Reevaluation and Reconciliation
Upon returning to Beacon, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Shadow had gathered in Ozpin's office where the headmaster and Ironwood received a report based on what happened on Merlot's island and what they learned while there.
"So, Doctor Merlot is no longer with us." Ozpin said with a hint of remorse.
"Metal Sonic made sure of that." Knuckles replied.
Shadow noticed the disappointment in Ironwood's eyes, as well as that of Ozpin's, but it was a different kind of disappointment. "You seem rather remorseful. Despite Merlot being a madman."
"What Doctor Merlot did, and what he attempted to, was reprehensible, I do not argue that." Ozpin replied. "But he was still a gifted genius, and it is a shame that his gift was used for the wrong cause."
"Yeah, real shame." Sonic said. "So, how's Glynda doing? She getting any better?" He asked with concern.
"She'll recover quickly." Ozpin assured. "Glynda is tougher than she appears."
"That's good to hear." Sonic smiled.
"So, you were not able to get any intel from Merlot, or anything useful at all?" Ironwood questioned.
"We didn't learn a whole lot from him, but I was able to get a sample of the chemical we found on the island." Tails revealed as he pulled out the Miles Electric and displayed a holographic image of the molecular components of said chemical. "I may not have gotten his complete formula, but if this substance can directly affect the Grimm, maybe we can still use it to make that anti-Grimm weapon we talked about. I'll talk with professor Polendina when we're done here, if that's alright with you." He said that last part to Ironwood specifically.
"Please do. Let us know the moment you can find anything useful." The general granted.
"Now, what of this shapeshifter you captured?" Ozpin asked.
"We tried to get Mimic to squeal on the ride back, but he's clammed up. He won't say a word." Sonic answered.
"It's doubtful he knew anything worth noting." Shadow commented. "Mimic is a mercenary, and even so, he's the type to air on the side of caution, choosing the option that is least likely to put his life in danger."
"Sounds about right. If he did know anything, Metal Sonic would have put him out of his misery the way he did with Merlot." Knuckles agreed.
"I'd still like to question him if he does know anything." Ironwood stated.
"Your guys already grabbed him when we got back, figured you'd already be on it." Sonic commented.
"I needed to hear your report first, I'll question him once we're done here." Ironwood replied.
"Perhaps its best to wait till tomorrow, James." Ozpin advised. "It's late and he's not going anywhere." Ironwood rubbed his tired eyes briefly but gave a slight nod in agreement. "Now then, I do have one question." He asked the four individuals in front of him. "Given Mimic's ability to shapeshift, would it be correct to assume he was one of the spies who infiltrated Beacon?"
"Possibly, but I don't think he acted alone." Shadow answered. "That woman we encountered previously had a Semblance and Mimic cannot replicate powers."
"So, we still have a spy in our midst." Ironwood grunted in irritation.
"That's where Tails' little anti-virus program comes in." Sonic gestured to his friend.
"I already have the base-code written." Tails went on. "I just need to initiate the program start that will put the whole thing together, and once it's done, I can upload it into the system to look for any foreign programming. I may even be able to use it to trace any malware back to its source, such as the spy or even Eggman's base."
"How long will it take for this program to be ready?" Ironwood questioned.
"It should be ready by the time the Vytal Festival starts." Tails revealed.
"That's cutting it rather close." Ironwood pointed out. "Especially if you believe Eggman will unveil his plan at that time."
"Then we'll deal with it." Sonic assured. "Look, it ain't ideal, but we don't always get a perfect deal. We gotta make do with what we got, and this is what we got."
Ironwood didn't quite seem to like that, something Ozpin quickly picked up as he spoke. "James, Sonic is right. We unfortunately do not have all the answers, but we do have a plan that honestly sounds rather reasonable, albeit with a few risks, but still." That seemed to pacify the general before the headmaster looked towards the blue Hedgehog again. "Is there anything else that you'd like to share?"
"Nah, that's it." Sonic replied.
"Very well. Get some rest. Thank you for all your help." Ozpin said.
"No problem, prof." Sonic gave a finger salute as he, Tails, Knuckles, and Shadow left the office.
The elevator descended with the four inside before the black Hedgehog addressed the red Echidna. "You didn't tell them about the woman that you and Rouge encountered."
"It didn't seem like they knew about her either." Knuckles pointed out. "So maybe there is a third party out there. Still, there was something familiar about her."
"Familiar? What, you met her before?" Sonic asked.
"No, that was the first time I've seen her." Knuckles answered. "But the way she fought… I don't know it just felt like someone else we know, but I can't put my finger on it."
"We'll have to worry about her later, right now we need to focus on stopping Eggman and whoever's working with him." Tails said. "I can have that anti-virus program up and running soon, along with that program you requested Shadow."
The Ultimate Lifeform nodded before noticing a look of disapproval in the Blue Blur's eyes. "You know Ozpin is hiding something, and that something could be the key to all of this."
"Yeah, I get it." Sonic replied. "I get why you gotta do it, but this sneaking around stuff doesn't sit right with me."
"You gotta wonder though what it is he's trying to hide." Knuckles said. "If he seems like such a good guy, why go to all this effort to keep it hidden from us?"
"That's what I intend to find out." Shadow replied.
"Think we should tell Ruby and the others about this?" Sonic asked. "We're all kinda a team, and they know he's hiding something too."
"Tell them that we're looking into it." Shadow answered. "Just not how we're doing it. We can't risk this information leaking to whoever infiltrated the academy. If whatever Ozpin is trying to conceal form us is also what the spies are after, our own plans could practically hand it to them on a silver platter."
"Yeah, gotta go with Shadow on this one." Knuckles agreed. "Since we didn't catch them at the CCT, they probably know we're onto them now."
"Alright, makes sense." Sonic said with some reluctance. The normally straight-forward Blue Blur wasn't the type to go behind other people's backs, but Sonic also knew that Ozpin was withholding important information from them, so all this sneaking around may be the best way to go about it, but that didn't mean he had to like it.
"I'll let you know when the program's ready." Tails said to the group. "Maybe it'll finally shed some light on what's going on."
"Oz, this is starting to get out of control." Ironwood told his fellow headmaster as he stood in front of the desk that Ozpin sat at.
"I wouldn't quite say we're at that level yet, James." Ozpin replied.
"Eggman is targeting the Vytal Festival, which is just around the corner, we still haven't caught the infiltrators, and on top of it all… Sonic and the others are closing in on us!" Ironwood stated. "You have to know that they suspect us!"
"I am aware." Ozpin said in a calm yet firm tone. "But we have to be careful, if we're too blunt in our approach, we run the risk of not only turning Sonic and his friends against us, but even some of our own students."
"All the more reason we should have had said students kept away from them." Ironwood said. "If they find out about her, then the whole campus could. In fact, with the Vytal Festival, we might even be risking the students from all the academies learning the truth! And you know what would result if that were to happen!"
Ozpin had to concede to that point. "You're not wrong about that. Perhaps that could be the reason she is choosing to wait until the tournament begins and deal a more impactful blow. That said, what do you propose we do?"
"I've already called for additional forces." Ironwood replied. "Notably the Ace Operatives as well as Specialist Schnee."
"Did you call in Winter because of her relationship with Weiss, to try and get our students away from Sonic?" Ozpin asked.
"Partly, but she's also one of my best operatives, and will be more than essential in fighting back against Eggman." Ironwood revealed.
"Very well." Oz accepted. "Qrow will also be returning to Beacon by the time the tournament begins."
"Do you intend to have him intervene as well, so that Ruby and her sister will also be kept away from Sonic and all of this?" Ironwood asked.
"I don't want to run the risk of our students, Ruby in particular, learning about her, especially when she's not ready." Ozpin said.
That response left Ironwood a bit concerned "Ozpin, may I ask you something?"
"Of course." The headmaster of Beacon encouraged.
"Ruby is obviously one of the youngest students currently enrolled in this academy, and while her combat skills are certain impressive, she may also be the last of those with silver eyes." Ironwood said. "Did you bring her into Beacon to join our inner circle? Is that the reason Qrow has been training her personally?"
Ozpin gave himself a slight pause before answering. "Qrow trained Ruby so that she could defend herself. Even if she chose not to join us, her silver eyes still put a target on her back, at least this way she has a means to defend herself. As for my choice to enroll her into Beacon, it's for more-or-less the same purpose, to provide her sanctuary as well as a means to train her. Do I want her to join us? Perhaps someday, her abilities would be helpful. But at the moment, she's not ready. She still has much to learn."
"Which is one of the reasons you called Qrow, to act as a buffer between her and Sonic." Ironwood realized.
"I have been thinking about what you said before, James." Ozpin explained. "I am pleased to see the positive impact Sonic and his friends have left on our students, and there is a possibility that they may learn of her. If they do, and our students learn of it as well, Qrow could at least help them in understanding what we're trying to do here, and we may still be able to cooperate."
Ironwood seemed to understand the logic in Ozpin's thinking, preparing for the worst-case scenario in his own way. Even if the two disagreed on their methods at times, the general acknowledged and respected the tactics Ozpin employed to get the best results with minimal risk or damage. It must have come from all those centuries of experience.
"So, what do we do now?" Ironwood asked.
"We let things unfold as they are until the Qrow arrives." Ozpin instructed. "He said he has information to share with us, but he will do so in person. Once we have a better idea of what we're dealing with, we'll decide our next move."
Knuckles had entered Team RWBY's dorm where Ruby and Yang both sat on opposite sides on their respective bunkbeds. "You two said you wanted to talk to me?"
"Yeah, come on in, Knuckles." Ruby offered. Knuckles nodded and pulled up a chair for him to sit down. He paid a glance towards Yang and saw how she was hanging her head down, her hair covering her face for the most part. She'd been like that ever since they escaped Merlot's island. In fact, he can't even remember her even saying so much as a word since then.
"So, what's up?" The red Echidna asked, but he had a good idea what this was about.
"Knuckles, I…" Yang stuttered a bit before taking a deep breath before speaking again. "You were right." She clenched her fists together, her body shaking, like it was taking all her will power just for her to speak the next sentence. "About… me. My temper… my Semblance… all of it." She stopped a brief second before speaking again. "Do… Do you know what happened between me and Mimic?"
"No, I don't." Knuckles replied.
"Well… it was actually a robot that had his powers." Yang began. "When we were split up, he took the form of my sister. He tricked me, but even after I figured it out… he still kept up her face. He said… a lot of things that really made me angry and… I couldn't land a single hit on him, and he was shooting me the whole time. I… I didn't dodge or anything… I just thought… I was so angry… with him and… and with you… I… Ever since what happened in that courtyard between you and me… I've been angry… more than usual. And everything he said… everything he did…" Her fists clenched even more, almost like her fingers were digging into her palms. "I wanted to hurt him… so badly! I… I let him hit me… so I could lash out with everything I had and pound him into the ground but… Ruby… the real Ruby… showed up and… he tricked me. I… I almost lashed everything out at her. If it weren't for Pyrrha or Shadow, I… I might have killed her…" Yang sniffled as she slowly began to break down. "I almost killed my own sister… again!" She fell to her kneels as she put her hands to her face and the tears poured out. "I let my stupid temper get the better of me and I almost got her killed all over again! Damn it!"
Yang was a total mess. She was on her hands and knees as she pounded her fist into the floor while she continued to sob. Knuckles' look softened as he saw Yang break down, feeling a great deal of sympathy towards her.
Ruby almost instinctively moved in to try and hug her sobbing sister, but she forced herself to stop as she turned towards Knuckles, silently wondering what she should do. Knuckles only gave her a nod, silently gesturing that it was up to her to handle this, but the look in his eyes also reminded her of the talk they had back at Mountain Glenn. Ruby seemed to understand and so she crouched to the same level as the sobbing Yang and spoke.
"Yang, I'm sorry that happened…" The young leader of Team RWBY began. "I don't blame you for what happened with you and Mimic, or what happened back then when we were kids. But… maybe you do need help." That caused Yang to slowly look up to Ruby as she continued. "And… maybe that's my fault too."
"Your fault? I… how is it your fault…?" Yang asked as her eyes were still wet and red.
"Because I wasn't a leader to you." Ruby said seriously. "I haven't been treating you like my teammate, not like what I've been doing with Weiss and Blake. I talked and I compromised with both of them, but I haven't done that with you. I guess I didn't feel I have to, because we're sisters. Don't get me wrong, I love you, Yang. You are my sister, and you more-or-less raised me, I'll always love you. And I still wanna hang out with you and play games and have fun. But… I don't think we can have that kind of dynamic when we're fighting the bad guys."
"I… It's not like I wasn't listening to you or anything. I know you're the leader." Yang said.
"I know, but the problem isn't with you, it's with me." Ruby continued. "Guess we both need a little bit more help." She chuckled slightly before speaking again. "I need to take this job more seriously, even with you. So, I might say some things to you at times, I may even disagree with you or criticize even… but if you want to say something to me too, go ahead, I'll listen to you. But I'll also need you to listen to me if I have to reign you in. I kinda always felt your temper was a bit of a problem anyway." Ruby said with a nervous wince before getting serious again. "So we gotta fix that. We'll always be sisters, but we have to be better teammates to, and I might make some mistakes to. Do you think we can make that work?"
Yang took a moment to let all that sink in. This was not the sort of response she expected from her sister. Ruby sounded a bit nervous, and at the same time, firm and a bit mature in how she talked. She really seemed serious about being a better leader. Yang always supported Ruby and never doubted her as a leader, but if Ruby felt this was the best way to try and move forward and be better, then she would support her all the way.
"Yeah… I think we can do that." She replied as she wiped the tears from her eyes. This earned a smile from Ruby to. Knuckles likewise smiled with content at the sisters. He was glad to see that Ruby took his advice to heart and that they were already well on their way to becoming a stronger team.
Of course, if Yang was going to truly support Ruby as their group's leader, she had to be a better teammate to, and she had a good idea where to start.
"Knuckles." She got his attention. "I… I want to get better. You were right… I rely on Semblance too much and… I got anger issues. But I can't get past this alone. I… I need your help. Please." She was still on her knees as she bowed her head to him, showing probably for the first time, a sense of humility.
Yang felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and looked up to see the smile on the red Echidna's face. "I told you before, all you had to do was ask. I'll be happy to help." Yang smiled emotionally as Knuckles stood up straight and he offered his hand to her. This time, she accepted it and he helped her stand back on her own two feet.
Less than a second later, Ruby leapt at both of them for a hug as she held them tight with both her arms, something Yang accepted without a second thought. "Thanks Knuckles." Ruby said to him specifically.
"Anytime." He nodded with a smile.
The moment Ruby let go, they heard a knock on the door. "Excuse me, it's Pyrrha. May I come in?"
"Yeah, go ahead." Ruby replied as the red-haired girl entered the dorm, closing the door behind her.
"Hey, Pyrrha." Yang greeted, though her friendly smile faded slightly. "How much of that did you hear?"
"I didn't intend to eavesdrop, though I did happen to overhear to tail end of your discussion." Pyrrha revealed. "I'm happy to see that you're working things out."
"Thanks." Yang smiled and nodded.
"So, is it true you'll be helping to train, Yang?" Pyrrha asked Knuckles.
"That's right." He confirmed.
"I've actually had an idea that I've been thinking about since our escape from that island." Pyrrha began. "When Ruby and I fought Mimic, he pretty much wiped the floor with the both of us."
"Wait, seriously?" Yang looked to her younger sister in surprise. "He took down you and Pyrrha?!"
Ruby nodded in confirmation. "He also had a bunch of robots helping him. Plus he always changing shape between me and her, it made things really hard for us."
"I think another reason why he was able to overwhelm us is because you and I aren't accustomed to working together." Pyrrha said. "We might be on the same side Ruby, but you and I aren't a team. Not a real one anyway."
"She's not wrong about that." Knuckles pointed out. "Whenever we get into a fight, I always see you guys sticking with your own teams, or partners."
"But we can't always rely on that." Pyrrha continued. "If we're going to continue working together against Eggman and whoever else he's involved with, we all need to work better together as a unit. It's obvious that you, Sonic, Tails, and Amy are easily adaptable, working with Team Dark and us almost seamlessly. But that does not apply to Teams JNPR or RWBY."
"So, what do you have in mind?" Yang asked.
"We have about a week before the Vytal Festival begins and we suspect Eggman may make his move there, and we have that time off from classes." Pyrrha explained. "Most of the students will probably be heading home until the tournament starts but, I think our teams should stay here for some joint exercises. Mix partners up and focus on working with one another so all of us can better function as a team. I know that we won't be able to cover all our bases within only a week, but…"
"It's a step in the right direction." Knuckles said. "And you're right. Sonic, myself, and everyone are more used to working together, but you kids are only just starting out. I think it's a good idea. We can all train and work together." He said that last part towards Yang, indicating he would be working with her as he said he would during this time as well.
"So Ruby, what do you say?" Pyrrha offered her hand, which Ruby took without a second thought.
"I say let's get to work on making us the best fighting team ever!" The youngest girl said with enthusiasm, much to Pyrrha's delight.
As they talked, nobody seemed to notice just outside the windowsill, sat a certain black bird, or rather the woman from the island who was still in the form of a bird, who overheard everything that went on in there.
It seemed they were serious about improving their own dynamic and becoming stronger. Good. If you stay the same, you become stagnant, which only hinders your own growth. That was something that many of the people she knew, or rather thought she knew, never seemed to understand, or even accept. They were content with things remaining exactly as they were, even if the end result was death. That's to be expected when being a part of Ozpin's cult. Although, the presence of this Sonic and everyone seems to be disrupting that. These aliens have taken these children under their wing, two in particular are already showing signs of not only growing and becoming stronger, but even questioning the norm and status. Ozpin may not like that, especially with the youngest being Summer's daughter and undoubtedly his next weapon to use and throw away just like everyone else. But the problem wasn't just Ozpin, it was this mad scientist and his army of robots that also presented quite the issue. She had seen many of their battles herself and he was quite the threat himself, maybe not as much as a threat as… her, but still dangerous. This would also mean that Yang, her sister, and everyone else might be smack-dab in the middle of it. Though she could tell that Sonic and his allies did prioritize their safety and would not abandon them like her old allies would.
But… the time may come where she herself would have to step in. She still wasn't sure if she could count these aliens as allies yet. They were strong, yes. But were they strong enough? There was also the matter of whether or not they would see her as an ally. Mostly because of how she left her own daughter as baby, which she wouldn't blame them for. For now, though, she would keep her distance and a close eye on all of them. Worst case scenario, she would grab Yang and Ruby and take them somewhere safe and away from the potential bloodbath that she knew was just around the corner.
Sonic and Amy had both met up with Weiss as the three arrived on the rooftop of the dorms where Blake was waiting for them, sitting on the ledge.
"Hey Blake, what's up?" Sonic asked. "Got your message."
Blake slowly stood back up and turned to face her friends with a concerning expression. "I… I wanted to talk or rather warn you about something."
"Warn us?" Weiss asked, not sure what she meant by that.
"When we were separated in Merlot's lab, I encountered Mimic, or rather a robot with his ability to shapeshift, and he took the form of Adam." Blake revealed, earning a sympathetic look from Amy as she had a good idea what this was about. "I had an idea he was involved. In fact, Eggman basically said he already met him when we fought him at the docks a while back. But, with what happened back there… I know for sure now that he and Eggman are working together now."
"So, you think he'll show up at the tournament, the same time we think when Eggman will?" Sonic assumed.
"Yes, and I wanted to tell you about him so you'd be ready, at least what I know what he can do anyway." Blake began. The blue and pink Hedgehogs as well as the Schnee heiress gave her their undivided attention as he began. "Adam is a skilled fighter; I'd say he's about as good as a professional Huntsman. He's a brilliant leader and he is absolutely ruthless in a fight, showing no mercy to anyone. He has a sword with the sheath acting as a gun, he's also very quick on the draw and a fast swordsman. He's not as fast as you are Sonic, but I wouldn't underestimate him either."
"What about his Semblance?" Amy asked.
"It's called Moonslice." Blake described. "You could say it's similar to Yang's Semblance, where he takes the damage and energy from an opponent and redirects it back. But unlike Yang who takes the hit herself, the energy is absorbed into his weapon, and he redirects it in the form of a slash. If he absorbs enough energy, he can slice through even the strongest of metals and even Aura, I've seen it myself."
"Does it have to be through his specific weapon, or can it be done with any object he holds?" Weiss asked.
"He said it can be used with any weapon he has, but the weapon itself can be damaged if he absorbs too much energy and he unleashes it all at once." Blake answered. "It's not all that different from the recoil of Yang's own Semblance. But that's why he made his own weapon personally, it's incredibly strong and he knows how to use it and his power."
"Yeah, sounds pretty tough." Sonic said before smirking. "But it won't matter if he can't hit anyone with hit."
"Maybe but… I'd still be very careful." Blake said. "When you see him turn red, that's when he's about to let loose. He'll draw in the blink of an eye. You might be faster Sonic, but…"
"I'll be careful. I promise." Sonic assured.
"Weiss, you need to especially watch your back." Blake told her.
"Me?" She questioned.
"Adam hates your family more than anyone else. He directly blames the Schnees for everything the Faunus are going through." Blake explained. "He's wanted nothing more than to slaughter your whole family. If he sees you, he will try to kill you. I know what you're capable of, I've seen what you can do. You're good, Weiss. But he's better. Just… please. Stay close to us. I don't know if I can bare to lose another friend."
As Blake looked away with a pained expression, Weiss stepped forward. "Thank you, Blake." This caused the Faunus girl to look back at her teammate as she spoke sincerely. "I've learned to trust you and your judgement. If you really think Adam is so dangerous, then I promise to be careful and not to handle it alone." Weiss smiled at her. "Thank you for keeping us informed. And for calling me your friend."
Blake nodded with a smile of her own. "And she's not the only one." Amy said. "I told you before Blake, that if that creep tries to mess with you, we'd have your back the whole way. Maybe he's good with a sword, but that won't stop me from introducing my sweet baby to his face." She drew the Piko-Piko for emphasis.
"Trust me, you'll wanna keep your distance from that." Sonic joked before getting serious. "But seriously, if Adam's with Eggman then he's not just your problem, he's all our problem. So, when he shows up, we'll kick his butt together. Deal?" He offered Blake his own hand.
Seeing the confident and sincere look in Sonic's eyes caused some of Blake's own insecurities and fears to vanish. Just like with everyone else, she saw what Sonic can do and he was undoubtedly powerful, same with the rest of his friends. But more importantly, she saw the strength of his character. He was sincere and free-spirited, and being around him and everyone else has helped her to come out of her shell and get stronger herself. She knew right then and there that she was no longer alone.
"Deal." She clasped his hand with her own.
Jaune just received a message on his scroll from Pyrrha saying 'Ruby agreed'. "Looks like we're going to be doing joint exercises." The leader of Team JNPR said to his three teammates as well as Team Dark as they were in the students' dorm.
"Sounds like fun." Nora smiled.
"Collaboration of our groups will lead to not only individual growth, but the development of new and more destructive abilities." Omega said. "A logical course of action."
"It may help us to prepare for the upcoming tournament, but I don't see a whole lot of explicit change done till then." Ren commented. "There's only so much one can do in a week."
"Maybe not, but if it improves our overall teamwork and makes us more prepared to fight Eggman, I say we go for it." Jaune said.
"Do you have any ideas in mind?" Rouge asked.
"Actually, I got a few ideas for some combo moves for our team." Jaune said as he pulled out some notes. "If it's alright, I'd like to run them by you guys. See what you think." Though he was referring to his own teammates, he found himself looking directly at Shadow as he said that.
"Why would you care for my opinion on that?" The black Hedgehog questioned.
"Because you're the only person I trust to be completely and brutally honest with me. No offense, Ren, Nora." Jaune said.
"I didn't think I wasn't being honest." Ren commented.
"You want brutal honesty; I can go with that." Nora added.
"Well… just be straight with me. Don't sugarcoat it." Jaune told them. "If something's wrong and you don't like my idea, just tell me. I won't get offended or anything. I'd even love to listen to some of the ideas you guys got."
Ren and Nora exchanged looks before smiling towards one another and back toward their leader. "I think we can work with that." Ren said.
"Yeah, let's get our team blast going!" Nora proclaimed.
"Though I do have to wonder what we're going to do about the spies that are still in Beacon." Ren brought up, getting serious. "Won't we be risking the enemy learning of our new techniques?"
"They'll probably see what you can do in the tournament, which is broadcasted across all the planet, meaning Eggman's probably gonna know what you can do." Rouge pointed out.
"Nothing we do is without risk." Shadow stated. "But given our current situation and what we have available to us, this is the best move we can make."
"Yeah. So…?" Jaune looked towards the Ultimate Lifeform once again, wondering if he would look over his plans or not, to which the black Hedgehog sighed before speaking again.
"If you wish for my input, I will give it to you. But don't be too dependent on solely what I say." Shadow explained. "Even if I approve, there is still a chance your plan can go wrong. What's important is that you find a way to adapt if and when that happens. Keep that in mind."
"Sure, no problem." Jaune nodded.
Rouge smirked knowingly. Despite Shadow's appearance of indifference towards Jaune, she can clearly see that he was interested in helping him to grow stronger. He clearly saw the right potential in him, otherwise he wouldn't even be wasting time with him. It was actually kinda cute, and she will be lording this over him forever.
"Hey Omega, think we can practice our techniques with you? You up for being a test dummy?" Nora offered enthusiastically.
"Request to spar has been granted, but survival is not guaranteed." Omega responded.
"Oooh, sounds like a challenge tinman. Prepare to eat your words." Nora chuckled almost evilly.
"I do not possess a jaw mechanism." Omega replied. "Although such a weapon could be useful."
"Biting the bad guys to death?! Hey, why didn't I think about that!?" Nora thought.
"You want to bite the Grimm and Eggman's forces?" Ren questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"No, of course not." Nora replied. "I wanna install a bear-trap into Magnhild and use that to bite them!" She declared, while Ren just shook his head in amusement.
"Well, this should all be interesting." Rouge commented as she watched the two teams converse more.
Tails had returned to the laboratory where Penny and Pietro were both waiting for him. Once again, the young fox had the holographic image of the chemical's molecular components displayed for the Atlesian scientist and his android daughter to see.
"It's only the raw ingredient and this was all I could get." Tails explained. "I know it's not the complete formula, but it's better than nothing."
"No, no, this is incredible!" Pietro observed with curiosity. "I've never seen a chemical like this before! And this was a natural phenomenon?"
"Based on what we saw on that island, yeah." Tails confirmed. "It's probably the reason Merlot built his base there in the first place. But since it's destroyed, this is pretty much all we can work with."
"The molecular components of this chemical seem to be very unique." Penny commented. "And it's capable of directly affecting the Grimm? Do you think we can make something that can be used as a deterrent, Father?"
"Merlot was able to use this to enhance the Grimm all on his own. With the right equipment, I see no reason to think we can't do the same." Pietro said.
"Did you know Merlot, Professor?" Tails asked.
"I've met him a few times." Pietro confirmed. "He was a brilliant man, he said he had many ideas with how to make Remnant a better place." A somber look formed on his face. "I just never imagined he'd resort to something like this."
"Merlot may have tried to use this chemical to hurt people, but we can use it to help others." Tails said. "And maybe not just for an anti-Grimm weapon. When we were in his lab, many of Merlot's mutants had Dust mixed into their bodies. In fact, Merlot himself even said that his mutagen served as the binding agent for it. If we can synthesize our own formula, and combine it with different forms of natural Dust…"
"We may be able create more Plasma Dust or even other forms of hybridized Dust without the use of a Chaos Emerald, perhaps even mass-produce it!" Pietro said with realization before chuckling. "Aren't you just the young little genius."
"I try my best." Tails smiled at the praise.
"Do you think we'll be able to synthesize a chemical from this, Father?" Penny asked the professor.
"Not with the equipment we have on hand." Pietro answered. "Though if we were to get back to Atlas, we can most certainly do that. It will take some time though, but I'm sure James will be more than happy to help with this."
"Well, in the meantime I was hoping I could get some help from you two for a personal project of mine." Tails put away the files on the chemical and began to pull up several other files that showed details and blueprints regarding the various weapons of Team RWBY and JNPR, and even some of the weapons used by Badniks and Eggman's Dust mechs. "I want to make my own personal weapon, just in case the Cyclone ends up falling apart. I've already got a few ideas. If it's alright with you, I'd like to share them and ask for your help in making it."
Penny smiled enthusiastically as she looked to her father. "Can we help him?! Please, please, please!"
Pietro laughed at his daughter's eagerness. "Of course." He turned to the young fox. "We'd be happy to help you, Tails."
Tails smiled back as they got to work.
"So, Merlot's dead, huh?" Mercury asked as he, Emerald, Cinder, and the disguised Neo sat in their dorm.
"Seems that way." Cinder confirmed.
"Is that going to be a problem for us?" Emerald asked.
"Of course not." Cinder assured confidently. "Our own plan is already in place. All we have to do is sit and wait." She caught a skeptical look from Neo before using her Semblance to take the form of Torchwick. "If all goes according to plan, your precious Torchwick will be free. Just bear with us a little longer."
Neo dropped her disguised and looked towards Mercury, gesturing towards Cinder, silently wondering how he puts up with her. "Hey, she gets us results. That's all I can ask for."
"But we've seen a glimpse of those mutants. They were way stronger than normal Grimm." Emerald pointed out. "And the rodents took them down. Maybe they're stronger than we think."
"I'll admit, I may have underestimated them before." Cinder replied. "But while they're focused on Eggman and the looming threat from outside, we'll tear them all apart from the inside. If we play our cards right, Ozpin and that blue rat will be at each other's throats, and we'll get exactly what we deserve." She proclaimed as her eyes glowed dangerously.
Meanwhile, dwelling within the Land of Darkness, the queen of the Grimm had walked out onto her balcony, holding a black crystal ball in her hand that she used to connect to the Seer that served as a means of communication from her partner.
"Doctor Merlot is no longer among us? How unfortunate." Salem commented.
"Meh, you win some, you lose some." Eggman dismissed. "But it might have been funny if he did join up. The way he went on about the Grimm, he'd worship you like a goddess. It would be a pretty hilarious rivalry with Watts and Tyrian."
Salem smirked in amusement at that implication. "Regardless, even if Merlot is gone, the sample he provided you, and by extension myself, could prove more than useful." She held in her other hand a vial of the complete mutagen that Merlot had developed. He had previously provided it to Eggman as a sample when they first met, and Eggman gave it to Salem soon after. "Doctor Watts, do you believe you can work with this?" She handed the vial behind her to the aforementioned disgraced scientist as he took it in his own hands to get a closer look at it.
"My expertise is more with technology then genetics." Watts replied. "That's not saying I can't work with it, I most certainly can. It will just take some time, so I will not be able to provide much of anything to our ongoing plan with Beacon."
"That's fine." Salem accepted. "We have everything we need there."
"That's assuming the brat, Cinder stays in line." Eggman replied as he sat back in a chair in his personal hideout, the Seer Grimm floating next to him. "I feel like you're giving her too much lenience. It's why I prefer machines, easier to direct, and they won't give you a second opinion. And if they end up not falling in line, a little reprograming fixes that. Or just scrap it and make something better."
"Unfortunately, a machine cannot serve as an appropriate vessel for the Maiden powers." Salem replied. "And a second can opinion can be useful. Even I haven't always been right."
"Eh, agree to disagree then." Eggman waved off. "Still, feels like you're putting too many eggs in the Cinder-basket. She's practically sleeping under the same roof as Sonic and everyone, one slip-up and she won't last, even if she does manage to get the rest of the Fall Maiden juice. All I'm saying is, it wouldn't hurt to have a back-up."
"Fair point." Salem conceded. "You know Sonic, and I do not. I trust then that you already have a back-up plan?"
Eggman sneered evilly as he pressed a button on a compartment on the side of his seat, causing the top to open and reveal the remaining six Chaos Emeralds, all glowing and shining brightly.
"Yeah, I think we're good."
However, it was not just Eggman and Salem that seemed to be reviewing information. Metal Sonic continued to remain in the corner of the room, seemingly remaining on standby for when Eggman calls to him. In truth, Metal was also analyzing the data that was Merlot's mutagen formula, studying every aspect of the raw chemical as well as the final solution that he had scanned and copied into his own databanks. Much of the substance was still largely unknown to Metal, primarily how it didn't match up with anything on the periodic table. Even some minerals from Remnant were near-identical to those here on Earth. Perhaps this was from a more mystical origin? Eggman has delved into the occult before, even aside from the Chaos Emeralds, so such a thing was not impossible, and Metal Sonic was no stranger to magic, having analyzed the biodata that was connected to an ancient deity in the past.
Much like his creator, and the partner he chose to align with, Metal Sonic may not be able to make much from the mutagen's data right now. But later down the line, it may prove to be useful. Just as useful as all the recorded data he obtained from his encounters with Teams RWBY, JNPR, and that Penny android. And he would undoubtedly have access to more data when the upcoming battle at Beacon begins.
'You always rush straight to the finish line, my loathsome copy. But I'm playing the long game, and at the end of this race… victory will be mine.'
Done.
Wow, this chapter was a bit shorter than what I thought it was going to be, but I'm nonetheless pleased with how it turned out.
Ozpin and Ironwood are aware that Sonic and his friends suspect them of withholding information, so they are calling in additional forces. Winter and the Ace Ops, mainly to serve as additional muscle and firepower in the upcoming battle against Eggman (and Winter will be around longer in the next arc than just a couple of episodes in canon Volume 3), and Qrow to act as something of a buffer for Ruby, for if and when Sonic and the others find out about the secret conspiracy, Qrow can at least appeal to Ruby and Yang and may make the situation less tense.
One of Ozpin's issues is he has already conceded that he himself cannot permanently stop Salem, so he's resigned to his curse and is doing his best to simply keep her at bay. But he can't do it alone, which is why he's formed his secret society, but he feels he can't tell them everything because he's afraid they'll leave, and he needs allies. Does he like doing this? No. But he feels he has no choice as he thinks Remnant's survival rests solely on his shoulders. But now, Sonic and his friends, along with Eggman and even the Chaos Emeralds, have been thrown into the mix and Ozpin is afraid that if he can't properly control the situation, things will take a turn for the worst and everything he's built will fall apart like a house of cards. But he's going to learn soon that some things are always outside of his control, and Sonic is one of them. Sonic is the X-Factor in his grand scheme and try as hardest as he might, he can't control him. He can't influence or manipulate Sonic as he's done to so many others in the past.
When someone has been living in a cage for so long and have grown accustomed to it, they may find themselves afraid to step outside of said cage. That's how I personally view Ozpin's mentality. He's a good person at his core, but he's also broken. He sees himself and the people of Remnant trapped inside a cage with Salem being the monster outside the bars trying to get in, and is trying to make the cage as comfortable and livable as he can for everyone else.
Sorry if it sounds like I'm rambling. I've had that on my mind for a while now and I've wanted to get it out there.
But back to the chapter…
Yang's arc through this part of the story seems to have come full circle. She's come to accept that she's too reliant on her Semblance and her temper is a serious issue, so she's reaching out to Knuckles for help, which he accepts happily. Knuckles is going to help train Yang from this point forward and I'm looking forward to seeing their relationship grow.
We even see Ruby wanting to better herself as a leader and finding a way to compromise with Yang just like she did with Weiss and Blake. She's already growing the more time she spends around Sonic and his friends and will continue to do so.
And it's not just Ruby and Yang, the rest of their friends and teammates are also growing, as we see Pyrrha reaching out to Ruby for joint training so that they're conjoined group can better function as a team.
Blake has even opened up a bit about Adam, mostly on what he's capable of and what he can do, just so that her friends are better prepared to face him.
Tails is also working with Penny and Pietro to make his own personal weapon, and you will see what it is when we get to Volume 3. I will offer no hints or spoilers, you are free to guess what his weapon will be, but I can neither confirm nor deny any of your guesses.
They've also managed to find a use on the sample of the chemical they acquired from Merlot's island.
And of course, Raven's sticking around as well. She's a bit on the fence regarding Team Sonic and Team Dark, airing on the side of caution, but she's going to be keeping an eye on them as she's already had her interest peek during her brief team-up with Knuckles.
I won't say much more on her other than that I have plans to improve her character than what we got in canon. Don't get me wrong, she's not going to be a pure hero or anything like that, she's still a very flawed character and that's the point.
And yes, she does seem to have some concern over Ruby's safety, despite the girl not being her own daughter. You'll see how things go with them as I am very much looking forward to writing their interactions in the future.
But, on the bad guys' side of things, Salem has a sample of Merlot's completed mutagen. Yeah, that's really bad news. But just as Watts said, don't expect the mutagen to play a role in the upcoming Volume 3, there's not enough to work with at the moment. But later in the future… that will change.
Although, it's not just Salem who has sinister plans. Eggman has a back-up plan of his own ready just in case Cinder's own plan fails, and it involves the remaining six Chaos Emeralds.
And of course… Metal Sonic has taken an interest in the formula as well.
Yeah… things are gonna get crazy when we get to Volume 3. I personally can't wait to write it, I've got so many plans for it!
But first, we have another Classic/Chibi chapter coming up. After my next round of updates, I'll have that chapter posted, and then I'll get to Volume 3, so you'll have to wait a bit longer. Sorry.
Until then, I hope you guys enjoyed this arc and I am certain you'll enjoy what the future has in store.
Stay safe and stay healthy out there.