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Chapter 22
Divide and Conquer
Ruby scanned the snowy city looking for a smidget of black amongst the white and blue. Yang had been able to get ahold of their uncle a while ago and told him to head to the city so they could regroup. She had managed to find Oscar just now. But they hadn't been able to get ahold of Agatha and when Yang asked Qrow about her he couldn't bring himself to answer. Ruby feared the worse.
A caw caught her attention and she was able to spot her uncle's corvid form flying towards them. Ruby stood to the side allowing Qrow to fly in and revert back to his human form. His face was pale, he panted heavily and his eyes were red. Ruby could also detect a bitter smell of iron coming from him. She nervously place a hand on him. Qrow looked up and when he saw Ruby, embraced her in a tight hug. "You alright kiddo. Where's Yang?"
Ruby hugged him back. "We're fine. Robyn and her huntresses are sheltering us right now. The others are with her." Outside, Joanna peeks out from around the corner and spots the ship. She steps out into the open and waves her arms out to signal them.
Maria, who's piloting the ship spots her. "Yeah, yeah, I see you." She lands the ship close to Joanna and everyone rushes out into a nearby alleyway. Joanna led them to what seemed to be an abandoned restaurant. Fiona is looking over a map on a table coordinating with May on something. Everyone else was in the next room watching the news. Pictures of the kids, him and even Pietro and Maria were plastered up labeling them as fugitives.
Yang noticed them come in and rushed to embrace Qrow while Nora went over to Oscar. Oscar recoiled at first, thinking Nora was going to tackle him like she always does. But surprisingly, the huntress wrapped her arms around him in a gentle embrace. Oscar relaxes and returns the hug. Qrow looks over the rest of the kids and is relieved to see that they were alright.
Blake addressed Oscar, a small quiver in her voice. "When we heard you went off after Ironwood on your own, we..." She didn't finish as Nora lets him go.
"How did you end up in the slums?" Weiss asks.
"It's a... long story," Oscar said. "I get the feeling there's been a few of those tonight."
Yang nodded as she did a head count. "Were you not able to find Agatha?" Ruby gave a worried look at Qrow who just kept his head down. His hands clenched into fists.
Joanna enters the room followed by Robyn. She was surprised to see Qrow there. "Huh? Did Shamrock let you loose too Five O'clock Shadow?"
Qrow's answer was a right hook across Robyn's face.
"Qrow! What the hell?" Yang demanded as she and Ruby pulled him back. Joanna stood in front of Robyn aiming her weapon at Qrow.
"She didn't want us to fight! She didn't want any of us to fight but you kept instigating!" Qrow shouted. "On an airship! With a murder on board! What on Remnant made you think that was a good idea? And now because of you Agatha's... she might as well be..." Qrow couldn't bring himself to finished as he collapsed on his knees. Ruby and Yang let him go and Qrow pulled at his hair. Tears were streaming down his eyes.
Robyn shakingly got back up. Her face full of guilt just as Qrow's was. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean for Agatha to get hurt. I just..." She took a calming breath and stood up straighter. "I regret my actions. But standing here blaming ourselves isn't going to do anyone any favors right now. The largest Grimm horde in history is hovering over the tundra and Ironwood's too focused on raising the city to be of any help to the people down here."
"So what are we going to do?" Ruby asked.
"Ironwood is stopping all evacuations to Atlas," Ren said. "And we can't get them out of the city with Salem's forces surrounding us."
"Not like the tundra is a better option anyway," Qrow pointed out, getting up and wiping his face.
"The crater. BeneathAtlas," Joanna supplied. "It's not safe, but it is warm, and with everyone in one place, we can do a better job protecting them. May can send you to where your needed most. We've got to get everyone to the crater before nightfall. In the slums, we might have chance."
She heads back to the kitchen as Weiss remarks "We're never going to sleep again. I just know it."
"Either you're helping... or you're baggage," Joanna told them and walks off. Robyn casts a glance at Qrow who just gives a weary sigh and places his hands in his pockets, not really looking at anyone. Robyn took that as a good thing and followed Joanna out.
Yang walks up to be in front of everyone. "We need to start doing what we can for Mantel," she says.
"We need to do what we can for everyone," Ruby countered. "What about Amity? And telling the world about Salem? We can't do this alone. We need help."
Blake agreed with Ruby. "The Happy Huntresses are handling the evacuation better than we could. And there's a bigger picture."
"But Amity isn't even finished. It was still under construction," Yang reminded them.
Ruby turns to Pietro. "Doctor? What would you need to launch Amity now?"
"Well we made some decent progress on construction and fuel collection, all potentially manageable but, Amity was designed so it couldn't launch itself without first being granted clearance from General Ironwood's terminal first," Pietro informed them.
"Ruby, there is no wayIronwood will cooperate with us," Yang said.
"But he doesn't have to. We just need the green light from his terminal, right?" Ruby argued.
"Actually... there is more than one terminal," Pietro informed them. "The one in his office and uh... the one in the main Atlesian Military Compound... at the base of the city."
"That would be a lot easier to sneak into than Ironwood's office," Qrow said.
"You sure about that?" Yang asked. "And even if you get the message out, there's no guarantee help will come."
"It won't," Qrow agreed. "It will take time for everyone else to mobilize. And by then it will likely be too late. But Salem's done hiding in the shadows."
"Uncle Qrow is right," Ruby said. "Once Salem is done here she'll move on to the rest of Remnant. We have to warnthem."
Yang looked down at the floor, unable to look her sister in the eye. "Ruby, I want to believe you, but nothing has gone right for us so far. I just can't bring myself to hope that this will." Ruby recoiled at her words. Weiss, Oscar, Blake and Penny also looked surprised. Part of Qrow understood where Yang was coming from. Telling Ironwood when they did backfired. And now Yang wants to make sure they don't make another mistake. That Rubydoesn't make another mistake.
But in situations like this, what even isthe right choice?
Jaune moved forward with a suggestion. "Look it's not like we all need to go to the compound. A larger group will make us more likely to get caught. So we'll split up. Some of us can go with Ruby to get Amity up and running while the rest of us evacuate Mantle."
"But we need to stick together. If we don't then Salem wins," Ruby cried out.
"Salem's trying to turn us against each other. We can still be united even though we're apart," Oscar said.
"Oscar's right kiddo. Divide and conquer can work both ways," Qrow assured Ruby, clapping her on the back. He allowed himself a smile. But it couldn't reach his eyes.
Penny then spoke up for the first time since everyone regrouped. "Maybe I should give the staff to Salem. She just might leave Atlas alone after that."
Qrow furiously shook his head in denial. "Even if she does, she'll be one step closer to bringing the Gods of Light and Darkness back. And with the way things are right now that will be the end for all of us."
"Not to mention if Salem uses the staff for anything, then Atlas will drop on Mantle," Oscar reminded her.
"No one is turning you over to anyone," Yang said determinedly looking at Ruby. "I think that's the one thing we can all agree on right now."
Ruby went back to Pietro. "Can you help us get to the terminal?" Pietro did agree that they'll need his help to bypass security but Penny offered to go instead. Her father didn't like the idea but the literal fire in Penny's eyes told them she wouldn't be swayed. Ruby addressed the group once more. "Alright. So who's going with me and Penny to Atlas?" Blake, Weiss, Nora and Qrow all raised their hands.
"Okay, so the rest of us will help with the evacuations," Yang said. She, Jaune, Ren and Oscar started to leave when Pietro called out to them. He tosses her a key, instructing them to drop by his pharmacy.
"I was developing some new tools for you all before... this happened," he said. "You're gonna need them."
As the group parted ways Ren took a moment to grasp Nora's hand. "Be careful," he murmured.
Nora smiled at him. "You too."
Yang called out to Ruby. Ruby nodded to the others letting them know to go on ahead while she went back to talk to Yang. "Just so you know, I still trust you as my leader. But you're also still my younger sister. I just wanna make sure nothing happens to you."
For the first time since last night, Ruby allowed herself a genuine smile. "Thanks Yang. But I'm going to be okay. I have Uncle Qrow and the others after all."
"Right," Yang nodded. "We are still united." The two sisters hugged each other before going their separate ways.
"Do you think Clover's gonna be alright?" Marrow asked as he and Vine walked down the hall of the medical wing. Their captain had been acting weird after he brought Agatha to the emergency room.
The woman was unconscious and pale as a sheet. Marrow thought for a second that she was dead but Clover insisted otherwise. He had followed her up till the entrance of the emergency room as the doctors pushed her through the doors.
He refused to leave when General Ironwood approached him for debriefing. Clover wound up telling him what happened in the waiting room. The rookie couldn't help but notice that Clover would flick his pin every now and again. As if trying to transfer his luck to the music loving huntress being operated on in the next room. James wasn't happy when he learned that Clover let Qrow get away, but still allowed him to keep an eye on Agatha.
"I'm not sure," Vine replied, stoic as ever. "The captain does seem most upset over what had happened with Ms. Griseo. But I don't see why he should be." They entered the patient room holding the rest of the Ace Ops and the sleeping Agatha. She was lying still. A breathing mask over her face. The monitors all around her kept beeping as her vitals remained steady.
Elm and Harriet were off to the side looking concerned and annoyed respectively. Clover was sitting by Agatha. Her headphones were still clutched in his hands.
Marrow walked up to the bed. "How is she?"
Clover sighed before answering. "The doctors say she'll live. It seemed like enough of her aura recovered so her body was already healing itself when they were treating her. Now it's only a matter of when she'll wake up." He didn't look up and just kept his eyes on Agatha.
"That's great to hear," Marrow said, offering a weak smile, his tail wagging a little. Clover didn't acknowledge him. Nor Vine's comments on how it was a miracle she's even still alive. His mind is still replaying the events out in the tundra.
She kept calling out for help.
This was his fault. It was all his fault. He had been so focused on his orders. So focused on arresting Qrow, that he didn't even think to check on the others in the airship. All he cared about was following orders and that resulted in fighting a man Clover had wanted to stay by his side.
And Agatha, someone he considered his best friend, had to pay the price. Not only had he and Qrow ignored her, they would rather fight each other instead of teaming up with the huntress to take on the real threat. She nearly got killed. All because she thought Tyrian would divert his attention to him.
It should have been me!
Muffled yet angry voices broke him out of his thoughts. The Ace Ops all looked out the window of the room. Save for Clover who went to the door, placing Agatha's headphones around his own neck without really thinking about it. Counselman Sleet and Councilwoman Camilla rushed down the hall demanding to see James. Who was in the room across from them checking on Winter.
James came out of the room and without a word, pulled out one of his guns and shot Sleet in the head. Camilla gasped in shock as she saw her friend fall to the ground.
James holstered his gun and left without saying anything. Clover tried to make eye contact with the general but he just looked straight ahead. Clover staggered back into the room and shakingly slid down to the floor. His hands pulled his hair. Qrow's words from the tundra flooded into his mind.
Why couldn't you just do the right thing? Instead of the thing you were told?
Clover was starting to wonder just what the right thing was.
RWBY Volume 8 Opening
Scenes of Mantle are shown peacefully before it glitches to show the city overrun with Grimm. Ruby looks to the city of Atlas before another glitch shows the kingdom in flames. She turns around to see her friends standing together.
We've said goodbye to all the things we love
Ruby readies herself with Crescent Rose. Her cape reflects her visit to her mother's gravestone. Weiss holds Myrtenaster up while her dress reflects her memory of training in the Schnee courtyard. Blake has the sheath of Gamble Shroud out which reflects her time in Forever Fall. Yang grips her fist as her hair reflects on her standing in Patch with Zwei.
Ironwood stands with Atlas Academy burning in flames reflected on his person.
Gave up our lives just to find out it was not enough
Agatha descends into view head first before her headphones fall away from her. As they fall Qrow and Clover stand on either side with their backs to each other before the headphones fall from view and the two turn to face each other, weapons drawn.
We've leapt in faith
A hand is placed on Clover's shoulder. He turns to see Marrow and the other Ace-Ops smiling at him.
Left our solitude
Robyn and her huntresses stand ready
Our carefree peace
Oscar holds his head in pain as a winged Salem looms over him. Red eyes watch from the background.
What we thought could change the world
Was just a childish dream
Crescent Rose is shown with Myrtenaster
Gamble Shroud is shown with Ember Celica
Jaune stands tall in the tundra while Ren and Nora stand away from each other looking dejected. Nora turns around and pink lighting and snow flashes across her face
We've fail to stop our own demise
Weiss and Winter walk past each other, Winter dons a new outfit as she does so and she looks down.
Tragic ends before our lives
The Schnee family emblem is shown with Willow and Whitley standing in front of it before the symbol falls down and shatters.
Hope has no place here
Salem emerges on a chess board. The black pieces transform into Grimm and charge into Ironwood's side, whose white pieces and playing tiles all fade save for the one he's standing on.
Maybe the path that leads us home will finally clear
Arthur works on a holographic screen smiling smugly while on the other side of the glass Pietro works on his own screen. His reflection looks at Penny. Penny looks at her hands sadly while the glass behind her cracks.
Maybe the end we tried to avoid is already here
The group stands in front of a Grimm horde. Ruby and Yang nod to each other and the team starts to fight the Grimm.
Some roses will never bloom
Some dreams will rot on the vine
Time freezes as Cinder walks past team RWBY along with Neo and Emerald. The latter tries to wave at her but Cinder ignores her and Emerald looks down. Cinder then grips her Grimm arm in pain as flames erupt around her.
Some lives will end much to soon
Some evil will never ever die
Through the flames, Hazel, Tyrian and Mercury appear before Salem reveals herself at the end of the path. The relics of knowledge and creation are reflected in her eyes. Salem then fades and the relics are shown circling each other as blue smoke emits from them.
Some wars will not end in peace
Ruby and her friends look at Atlas and Mantle in the distance
Some heroes choose the wrong side
The ice cracks below them and Team RWBY falls through. Ruby sees the staff and tries to reach for it but several shadow hands also reach for the relic and some try to pull Ruby down.
Sometimes it's worth it all
Happy?
The Hound lets out a roar.
To risk the fall
Never
Penny's outline turns red
Again
And fight for every life
Team RWBY's weapons all shatter on the ground save for Crescent Rose which stands alone in front of the broken moon.
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