Jetstream Jaune: Revengeance

by Alfa21

Transported by his wild Semblance, Jaune arrived alone in a continent shaped by conspiracies, ripe, with mechas called Metal Gears, and a society constantly in war and revengeance - all with no Grimm. Seeing the cruelty spread in this world, can he hold on to what he knows for real, or will he turn to a Jetstream whose sole purpose was to kill for killing's sake? Cover by tsugeru.

57. The Deadly Struggle for a Fleeting Dream

A/N. Hey, better late than never. Even if it does mess up my entire schedule.

As always, thanks so much for the continued support. And I kinda know that this chapter probably isn't gonna be anyone's favorites, but I felt like I had to get it out of the way with all the buildup that's been put up. Part of the reason this came so late too, because I had to revise and rewrite it a ton and such so, … well. I do hope it's passable, at least.

Just like the earlier chapter, this was very much inspired by RGG. Only this time, it was by Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name and its final boss. I won't spoil the game if you haven't, but… man, he was just such a good antagonist. My favorite out of all the Yakuza bosses, and as such… if you know, you can see the inspiration here. Kinda based on the Yuta Usami fight from Yakuza 6 too, so it's really a mix of both.

The title and the soundtrack for this chapter is a reference to that very boss fight yet, just listen to the whole boss mix on Youtube for the fight. But for clarity's sake, the tracks are Onsyu (Or Enemy), followed by Deadly Struggle and at last Hakanaki Yume (Or Fleeting Dreams). Like before, if you do know the soundtrack then that's great! But if you don't, it's still okay.

As routine, some responses to the reviews, as follows:

To KnightSpark, yeah, Kuwana was frickin' great. Add to the fact the music… gosh. And if you know LAD7 Gaiden… then I hope you like this one too! Though Kiryu does take on the complete opposite role here… Thanks for reading!

To Gwynx, eh, true. Make a new Mother Base, and get a slew of 'Thanks for that, Boss!' while you slap your men around silly lol. No Huey, though, bastard's fucking shit.

To Majin Snake, I'm glad that you like it so much, and happy that you stuck around. Thanks so much for reading!

To Azure Dragon of the East, you know that thought did kinda hit me. But then I've gotta wonder, what are they even gonna do? They've got bigger fish to fry, and Cardin's not that dumb that he'd mess with someone as strong Jaune is now. So… I guess they're in the background, fucking about? Probably getting beat by Velvet now since she's grown into a fourth year, but that's just my personal preference.

To Mgl1206, you do bring up a good point. But endless killing just creates more problems, no? Especially if people die without a fair chance at justice, then that's gonna cause even more negativity from those that can't accept their death. There's gotta be a balance, one that Jaune needs to find. The fine line between the U.C and Remnant… the right line. Thanks for reading.

To SolSparda36, yeah, his voice is not gonna come out well now, raspy as hell like Old Snake. Unless he hooks himself up with a voice box like Raiden did, he's gonna be stuck like that for a long while… just like Neo! Thanks for reading!

To AadenFo, I try to balance; after all, Jaune is still Jaune, after all. And regarding the many POVs, yeah, that's a problem I've noticed too. But with how far this has gone, sunk cost fallacy and all that… you bring up a good point, really. Maybe in the future, I plan to narrow down the cast more. NOT KILLING THEM OFF, but just getting the focus back on the people that matter.

To Senator Facefist, fuck these bullshit council members!

And so, that's that. Let's get into this, and don't forget to let me know what you think, read and review!

Thank you so much, and let's get on with the story!

The end of a widely held false hope, of a created system of once-lauded heroes known as 'Huntsmen and Huntresses'. The crescendo of Yang's and Kiryu 's arc, and the reveal of everything that the cast needs to know from Ozpin. The final airing out of grievances between all allies.

Hope, and the Deadly Struggle for a Fleeting Dream.

---

Hope was a powerful, yet fragile thing. The right belief, the right hope, can give way to dreams that could change the world, yet that very same hope could also be destroyed as easily as glass. And having lived for thousands of years, Ozpin knew that hope was the only thing that humanity could cling on to.

Hope was the only thing that still motivated him to defeat Salem, after all these years. That belief that one day, humanity would be free of its greatest enemy. That peace and light would finally return to their broken world.

But after fighting for so long, he couldn't deny that his hope was now impure; that it had been tempered by pessimism. He knew that he couldn't fight alongside Remnant's people, not truly. He would always be different, always look at the grander picture, always see his friends die as he lived on… and so with no other choice, Ozpin had embraced that pessimistic hope and let it be the only constant in his life.

He wanted humanity and faunuskind to win, truly he did. It was the only thing he ever fought for. But at the same time, such a momentous victory required sacrifices. It needed simple souls who fought the good fight, needed slow but steady movements just for all of them to see another day. And at the end of it all, as long as society stayed intact, as long as they survived, as long as Salem hadn't yet destroyed them all… wasn't that a victory too, in a sense?

That was what Ozpin believed in, all he had left to believe in. Everything he did, his numerous lives and even more numerous deaths, the sacrifices he had made, they were necessary in the war against Salem. Against a threat that had existed for so long only he remembered their origins.

In this current age, only he alone understood the true gravity of the threat they faced. He alone knew the full truth and full scope of Salem's powers, and he would do anything to keep it that way. For if others knew, they would buckle under the hopelessness of the situation, of the state their world was in.

Because if even he was still scared, he who lived more than a hundred lives, then what would happen to his precious allies, who hadn't even finished one life?

The sounds of an unnatural machine filled Beacon's hidden basement. It hummed and whirred and glowed as it transferred power, magic, from one soul to another. The transfer of the Maiden powers, from a dying husk of a host to a healthy, spirited one.

No, Ozpin decided long ago. He alone was the one who could lead the battle against Salem, for he alone could even grasp what terror they faced. What fragile hope he, they all, needed to nurture.

This was the only way. The only way.

Whirrr!

And after what seemed like an eternity the machine died down; its process had now completed by the man behind the machine's console.

"Done." Ozpin whispered. He looked up from the screen and to the machine as the pods opened, one Yang Xiao-Long stepping out of one of the pods as healthy as ever. And yet clearly, from the way she held herself, something had changed.

"How do you feel, Ms. Xiao-Long?" Ozpin asked. He watched as she rolled her shoulders and tested her fingers. "Do you feel the power of the Fall Maiden in you?"

"Hm… does it feel like burning fire?" Yang asked back calmly.

"A part of it should, yes." Ozpin relented. "You should be able to control the elements now. The feeling should not be unlike using your Semblance. Like another muscle."

"Hm…" Yang flexed her fingers and tested the strange source of power now within her, as if located right next to her Semblance called Burn. Fwoosh! With the snap of her fingers a small flame lit up above her thumb, and with another flick a small wind picked up around her and blew it out.

"Amazing." Yang stated.

"I agree." Ozpin nodded, relieved. To see that a plan had gone off without a hitch… at least something had gone right.

But Yang wasn't done. She looked back at Ozpin, and it struck him odd just how- how lifeless she seemed. He had expected awe and wonder at receiving this wonder, and yet Yang seemed to show none of that. For a lack of a better word, her ember eyes seemed dead.

But Yang saw things differently. How could she not?

---

Her entire life had been a lie.

Before her stood the man who had manipulated Summer into dying, into becoming a monster because of his failed plans. The man who had moved up Ruby by two years because he wanted to use her, who had gone back on a desperate woman's last wish to protect her daughters. And then, he played on their love for their mother to inspire them to become what their mother so very wished against. A person who had caused her family immense pain, was using herself right now, and would always seek to use them no matter much they offered.

Of course, she still remembered that he had also helped them too. Ozpin had taught them how to be this strong, had supported her family and bailed her and Ruby out multiple times, and without him they wouldn't be where they were today. His Huntsmen had protected many people across Remnant, and his past and continued efforts to protect Vale were certainly commendable.

But did that really matter when he did it all for his own gain? When he didn't feel for their loss, when he viewed Mom's death as just another setback for himself?

Even now, even in the future, he would still manipulate them. He would still hold on to his belief as long as he lived, set in his ways and beyond changing with words. In the face of his determination, Yang knew she was powerless… at least, until now.

And as she looked into his eyes, she knew once more that that would never change. That the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few. That this war against Salem was all that mattered to him, even if it was for the greater good of humanity.

But it wasn't for the good of their family.

This was theirs – Ruby, Dad… – their only hope for a free future. One where Dad and Ruby could finally live happily ever after, where there would be no one to pull the strings and tear them apart for his convenience. Where they could be the family they were always destined to be… a life for them she had spent all her life praying for.

Yang had spent the entirety of her life with one objective. Others might think that she wanted to be a free spirit, that she wanted to enjoy life and live in the moment, they often never looked deeper. Deep down, Yang wanted, no, dreamed of becoming a Huntress because of one simple thing, not that different from what Ruby had as her reasoning:

Because she wanted to emulate the only mother she ever had.

Ruby wanted to emulate Summer's spirit. Wanted to be a hero just like she was, saving people and creating a better tomorrow. But Yang? She wanted to have Summer's protectiveness. The love that she showed a daughter not of her own blood, the care she gave to her and Ruby that shaped her to this very day. The very love that moved her to care for Ruby in Summer's place, to grow up fast and stay strong when no one else in their family was. Her very reason for existing.

And it was all a lie.

Orchestrated by the man in front of her. By the man who had given her this power, all with the reasoning that she might be able to use a Maiden's strength to protect her sister.

Yang doubted Ozpin even understood what he had done. He knew but he didn't understand. Going to Beacon, becoming a Huntress, protecting Ruby… this was all her life had led up to. All her life was. All she had ever hoped for, lived for, breathed for.

And it had been a lie, and would only continue to be.

All of this, all that surrounded her… nothing was real. All of it was just another ploy to get to Salem, to stop her from destroying humanity.

Well, in that case.

She was done with this. Dad suffered enough when he lost Mom the first time around. Ruby didn't need a shady headmaster who manipulated her constantly. And she would be the one who freed them all, even when it would no doubt cost her her own life.

Yang didn't care about saving the world. All she cared about was her loved ones being safe. And clearly, that wouldn't happen beneath Ozpin's thumb.

So, she too, had decided long ago.

"Sorry, Oz." Yang smirked.

And then, he opened a palm and fired a fireball straight at Ozpin, and consumed the entirety of the basement with the flame of her newly-acquired half-Maiden powers.

FWOOOM!

---

Hope.

A simple word, with a meaning that could be taken wholeheartedly or thrown away as trash by a cynic. But one thing that Jaune knew, was that hope was a hard thing to come by, and a harder thing to maintain.

But now, sitting in Beacon's infirmary, Jaune could do nothing but hope for things to get better. He was disabled for the near future, his voice taken from him and his strength all but sapped away. He would have to rely on the strength of his team guarding him, on the bond of their trust, on the hope that they would stand strong for him.

And strangely, Jaune found that he didn't mind it one bit. With his partner's hand in his, his teammates presence soothing him as they waited beside him, Jaune found that it didn't matter that he wasn't able to fight, wasn't able to swing his sword as good. Was it because he had hope? He had his friends' and his partner's support, at least. That had to count for something.

As for Indigo, she had gone to another wing, having requested it herself – she needed time to think, and should anything happen to her psyche again, she would like someone to put a stop to her sooner. Jaune had obliged, though ensured her that they had both learned their lesson.

And here and now, Pyrrha's smile directed at him as he smiled at her too, as he leaned on her and his friends supported them, as Ren and Nora sat by his side and kept him entertained, for the first time in an eternity, Jaune felt happy.

Maybe this fight wouldn't be all for nothing. That the light he had so sorely missed was right here… that his hope was within his reach.

But of course, that didn't mean he could outrun his past.

"You look like shit."

"Thanks, Jack." Jaune coughed, though he quickly followed it up with a wry chuckle. Beside him, his rival sat on a chair with his DOOMP port hooked to a laptop with Otacon typing furiously on it. "Couldn't have… urck… felt it myself." Jaune coughed.

"Sounds like it, too." Raiden chuckled. "You know, when I first became a cyborg, they gave me a backup voice box in my chest. I could get you hooked up once this is all over, make it sound just like your old voice."

"Thanks… but no… thanks." Jaune forced out. He let out a chuckle, on that turned to a cough. "'Cause now… hey, at least… I got a growl like you…"

"Difference is I'm 36. You're 19." Raiden said, a teasing edge in his smile. "Hardly the age to start sounding like a chain-smoker, hm?"

"Hardly… the age… for anything like this." Jaune shot back with a grin too. "Yet… here we… are." He grimaced through the pain, but kept his smile, nonetheless. One that was honest, that didn't hold any of the mocking edge Raiden had gotten so used to.

"Yeah… speaking of," Raiden shot a look towards Otacon, who gave him a short nod before going back to his laptop. "I… there's something that's been bothering me a bit since the meeting."

"Hm?" Jaune raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Jack?"

Otacon was the one who spoke next, "He's referring to Ozpin." He said while still typing, "Raiden and I got to talking while I was scanning his drives. We went over the footage together, and well…"

"I think he's still hiding something." Raiden stated plainly.

Jaune leaned in, interested, as did the rest of Team JNPR.

Pyrrha was the first to say something. "What do you mean?" she asked, "From what I've seen, he seemed to be quite honest regarding Ruby's mother…"

"It's not what he said. It's what he didn't say." Raiden clarified. "Tai and the other's outbursts managed to make everyone forget. Me too, and Snake too even. Salem wanted Ruby's mother, wanted her Silver Eyes, we know that for sure. Ozpin holds them close because the Eyes can petrify the Grimm. But then, why not just guard Ruby and her mom, deploy them when they have a 100% success rate? Putting a security detail on every existing one would be enough; but no, he sent Ruby's mom, and now is training Ruby herself, to go to active combat."

"Maybe it's just putting everyone to good use? All the manpower someone can get." Ren tossed out. "Everyone agreed that Ozpin, at least until now, the headmaster looked at us like chess pieces. And in chess, not using a piece to the maximum is a bit wasteful."

Otacon was the one who answered Ren next. "The risk-to-reward ratio doesn't add up." He said back, "There's a thousand Huntsmen out there who've probably trained under Beacon. Why not just risk one or two, when instead, losing a Silver Eyed Warrior means Salem being able to make stuff like The Boss or Venom?"

Nora chirped up then, her finger raised as a lightbulb turned on over her head. "Wait… wasn't there that other thing that Ozpin mentioned before? To you, right Pyrrha?"

"The Maiden powers…" Pyrrha trailed off. All eyes turned to her as she hummed, "Thins have just been so hectic that I… haven't really thought about it in a while. Then again, I don't think Headmaster Ozpin ever reached out to me again…"

"One more thing." Jaune added. This time, the attention turned to him, and he rolled the words in his tongue, biting his cheek when it hurt to even speak. "Ozpin… knows… a lot. He planned… all of this. But… how…. does he know?"

That caught them all off-guard. They hadn't considered that angle, not when the immediate threat seemed so dangerous currently.

"He… mentioned… a greater good…" Jaune coughed. "But… we don't know… how deep." He continued through his raspy voice, "We… never questioned it… but how exactly did Ozpin find out… about Salem… in the first place?"

Otacon rubbed his chin as he thought of several possibilities. "Knowing what Raiden and I went through… there's always a bigger conspiracy to unravel. Big Boss thought that soldiers needed a place to live, so he wanted to create a world where they were always needed. Meanwhile, Zero thought that humanity couldn't be trusted on its own, so he created an AI to control everything. And in the end, it turned out that they both misunderstood the will of The Boss. All of that, from misinterpreting the desires of one woman."

"You're suggesting that Ozpin has personal ties to Salem?" Pyrrha asked.

"It's definitely more than likely." Raiden growled, slightly frustrated. "These kinds of things tend to be personal. Least that's what my gut tells me."

"Then in that case someone's gonna need to hit the books." Otacon pushed his glasses up and went back to typing his program, doing his best to rid Raiden of the CCT virus. It was almost complete now, to his relief. All he needed was the finishing touches, and he was sure that other android and the entire network were probably already at the same stage too.

"Comb history with a fine brush." Otacon said, a smile growing on his face that was almost nostalgic. "Find clues… I bet that way we can find something; a clue, maybe, to how deep this really goes."

"You think Headmaster Ozpin hasn't covered his tracks yet?" Nora asked with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, he owns the school! And's been leading us for this long too."

"No one can erase history completely. There will always be traces, marks of what happened to tell the story." Raiden denied. "All we need is something to make sense of it all."

Jaune coughed. "I… don't think… Headmaster Ozpin means wrong." he forced out, biting back another cough before continuing, "He… wants to stop Salem… as much as we do. We just… need a way to trust each other."

"Going behind someone's back doesn't sound like the right way though, Jaune…" Pyrrha pointed out. Fact of the matter was, he had acted as their teacher and Headmaster for three years and had still helped them on many occasions. The good didn't erase the bad, but that belief worked the other way around too.

"I'm not… suggesting we… air out his laundry." Jaune shook his head. "Just… want to make sure everyone's on the same page…"

"So, not like what Taiyang did." Raiden said.

"He… has his own grievances. He's not wrong to be angry…no one is… but I'm… willing to approach this with a… more positive mindset." Jaune smiled, "At least… that's what I want to try… what I hope for… starting today."

Raiden levelled Jaune with a look. His lone eye pierced through Jaune's own blue, flashing red several times as if threatening him… before he broke out in a laugh.

Raiden gave Jaune a small smile. "So the slaughter finally ends…"

"I'm trying to." Jaune said back. He made no small move in looking to his friends, seeing them smile back and giving him renewed energy. He looked back to Raiden, clear happiness in his eyes for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. "Trying to make a change."

"Well good. We've got our own way of doing things, you and I, Jaune. They might never be the same as what people here believe in… but even I know you've been miserable for a long time." Raiden said. "If this is what makes you happy then I won't be one to judge."

"…Thanks, Jack. I appreciate it." Jaune sighed in relief.

"Then to get things straightened out. We've got three points of concern." Ren said. He stepped close to Jaune, they all did, laying hands on his human shoulder. Ren continued, assuming his role as the voice of reason in their Team, "Why Ozpin wanted a strong Silver Eyed Warrior, his current plans on the Fall Maiden, and how exactly does he know all of this… how he's connected to Salem."

"That's right." Jaune nodded. "Question is… when are we gonna get the time…"

"Yeah, you're not gonna have much..." Otacon mumbled. "They're planning to announce the U.C soon. 08:00 PM, and it's… 05:00 PM right now. Three hours to catch Ozpin…"

"Or we can do it after. We don't have to push it." Raiden said.

Pyrrha hummed. The best she could do was confront Headmaster Ozpin about the Fall Maiden deal. That was where she actually had more of a connection to him than the others, and where she could slither her way in best.

But then again, why hadn't he contacted her if he had deemed her off the table? The thought wouldn't leave her mind. He must have an alternative, but who? When he had explained it to her, she had understood his reasoning and had been tempted to just take it right then and there; she had nothing to lose, at least not until Jaune had suddenly came back.

She wasn't jealous of the power being taken away, but she was concerned on who would take her place. Knowing what they know on Headmaster Ozpin now, knowing what they didn't know too… the offer now seemed less alluring than before. And unlike their little investigation, she knew that Ozpin likely wouldn't put this off any longer.

Headmaster Ozpin needed to secure a Maiden; she was sure. They all did, really, to insure their victory. It wouldn't be any good if the target of their defence was a sitting duck, not just defenceless. But who would he choose, and how would he choose them?

Would choosing the candidate have any connection with his suspected 'personal ties' with Salem, this time?

This suddenly, the only people that Pyrrha thought would be offered would most likely be someone from Team RWBY. But then, weren't they busy with the White Fang evac?

Pretty much everyone was hands-on-deck now, it just so happened that JNPR had been the first to finish their tasks. Was Ozpin going behind their backs again? How was RWBY handling this?

And the moment that very thought crossed her mind was the moment Beacon shook, as if volcano had been awakened beneath its grounds.

Rumble!

---

Blake sighed in both relief and trepidation as she calmed the remains of the Valean White Fang cell down, backed up by RWBY sans Yang and Tai in a hidden underground network in downtown Vale. The information that Adam provided proved to be true, but that also meant that they had expected a traitor in their ranks. And with her reputation – which wasn't exactly wrong per se, she did betray the Fang – that made talking them down a tad more difficult that it needed to be.

"Please." She begged. "You have to trust us. Adam sent us here himself! Lay down your weapons and we can ensure that you'll get a fair treatment."

"Yeah? And what's to stop us from blowing you all to hell right now?!" A senior member yelled back. With his words the rest of the White Fang tensed around their weapons, fingers on the trigger and ready to attack.

It was Tai who stepped up next to her then, his voice carrying authority without a hint of wavering. "Because that won't be in your best interest. We've surrounded this whole area with our troops at the ready, so even if you do make it out you're not doing that without a fight. But at the same time, you can put your arms down here and we'll take you into our custody. At least, make sure that Atlas doesn't have their way with you."

"And what's to guarantee that you'll be any better than them?" A White Fang member spat. "You're human. Just like the rest of them!"

Tai's eye twitched. He was tempted to say that the fact that he was willing to do this should have spoken volumes in and of itself, but he held back with great restraint. Saying that wouldn't solve anything. Instead, he settled on the bigger picture. "Adam Taurus gave us your position himself. He made a deal with Blake here," Tai motioned to the cat faunus in question, "To secure your fair treatment in exchange for valuable information on the enemy movements. Cinder Fall and her associates, the ones behind your strings... information that only he was privy to, as your representative to them."

The drop of that name sent flinches throughout the White Fang members. If even she was threatened, then what did that mean for them…? And Tai took some pleasure in that fact. It would make further negotiations much smoother.

"Our allies are acting on that information as we speak. Your plans are crumbling apart at the seams… and after what Indigo Arc has done to your numbers, do you really have any options left?"

Tai let those words sink in. From the way their shoulders were loosening, the way their weapon's aims were beginning to falter, and the way their eyes were wavering… it was clear that he was making his point clear. Now, all he needed was the final push.

"We're also making efforts to secure Adam Taurus from too. At least, to make sure that he joins you all in the deal. If it's your leader you're worried about, then you'll be relieved to know that we don't stabbing our informants' backs." Tai said, "I admire your loyalty. But the time has come to admit defeat. Please, let's end this without any more bloodshed."

Clickclickclick!

That final word seemed to be the final nail in the coffin. The White Fang lowered their guns and kicked them over, grumbling as quickly disarmed themselves from any weapons they had, melee or ranged.

It was clear that, with their defeat, they also showed how tired they were in the fighting. They hadn't doubted Adam, not for a single second, but many of them also wanted a peaceful end. And with the way Adam was being led around by Cinder, with the way Indigo had slaughtered them so, and with their final hideout being discovered… these things left little room for them to imagine a better end.

Tai would never admit it, he didn't delight in the bloodshed like some of his other comrades did, but a part of him had been relieved when Indigo had gone on her spree. At the very least, she had managed to wear down their morale so that his job didn't require a single bullet being shot.

Tai breathed out a sigh of relief as Ruby and Blake began rounding up the White Fang. He grimaced when it was all but obvious the hole that his eldest daughter left behind, and yet he just couldn't find her before the mission start. He and Ruby had tried calling her multiple times, his youngest even having ran around campus multiple times with her Semblance, and yet they didn't even get a sight of his little dragon.

Blake and Weiss had helped too, of course, Blake using her faunus instincts and Weiss with whatever connections she had. But they only had had an hour at best between the call and the deployment, and with a deal this big Tai wasn't able to delay it any further. Succeeding meant depleting the enemy of a major fighting force, better chance to save more lives, and a smoother end to this whole ordeal in general.

His daughters would always be the most important thing in his life. But how could he be so selfish when, if he failed, millions of people would die? And Yang had always been the most mature one, even sometimes when compared to him, despite her outgoing and fun-loving personality. He would simply have to trust her, have to hope that she wouldn't be reckless. Not when they were this close.

Hope… all of them had done their best. Hope was the only thing they could hold on to by now.

So, in a slight daze, Tai led them out of the sewers and out to the warded-off streets, Beryl and her soldiers waiting at the ready with Aura cuffs prepped. His allies began rounding the Fang up, taking care and treating them with respect that some would feel them undeserving. It was what he had ordered, what he had planted his foot on.

They had struck a deal, and a man had to honour that. Be the better man when you were still able to.

"I must say… this went much better than I could've dared to hope." Weiss spoke up from beside him, his daughter's partner as they all watched the White Fang members being secured. "After all these years… it's finally over."

But the tone Weiss had taken lacked the confidence she normally held, spoken more like a question than a statement. Tai gave her a quick glance; her eyes were slightly wide, her breaths just a bit shorter than how it was supposed to be. He knew then that she could hardly believe what was happening in front of her own eyes.

Tai himself had often heard reports of RWBY's efforts in stopping the White Fang, especially in their earlier days. He had worried about them at first, a worry that only grew when this conspiracy was unravelled in front of his very eyes. But he also knew he had to trust them. They had proven their worth time and time again and denying them of what they had earned would be critically unfair, no matter how much he would like to.

And while Blake's connection to the White Fang hadn't been obvious at first, Weiss' relation had been clear as day. She was the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, the main target of the White Fang's attacks. And while he would admit that the SDC's methods were brutal and inhumane, no girl growing up deserved to have members of their family killed with snipers and car bombs.

Ruby placed a hand on Weiss' shoulder, a hand that very much helped in calming her down. "You can relax now, Weiss… we're here for you."

Weiss let out a breath, closing her eyes for a moment and letting emotion run its course. Blake stepped up too, standing beside her and holding her hand.

"They damaged all of us." Blake said in a whisper, her eyes still drawn to every White Fang member being arrested and captured. She wasn't afraid to admit it now, not when she had done so to her very abuser in his face. The White Fang had damaged them both equally, no matter how much she viewed its past with rose-tinted glasses.

And Tai knew she really was trying to make amends. She had been the one who got the information out of Adam, something he doubted that anyone else could have. She still sided with them in the end, still stood her ground against her former allies and had advocated for this peaceful surrender. That had to count for something in Tai's books, and he wasn't one to devalue someone sticking their neck out for him and facing their abuser face-to-face. He had given her a hand, and he was glad it paid off.

"But we can move forward now." Blake softly said. "One step down. Now, all that's left is to prepare for Salem…."

That single word, that single name sent all eyes to Ruby. The reaper immediately became aware of her Silver Eyes, of the importance that Headmaster Ozpin had placed on them. And Ruby didn't know how to feel about that.

She had always wanted to be the hero. To save others from trouble, to live up to the legacy of her mother. But she also wanted to be normal. She didn't want to stand out, and yet now they knew that she had been marked since birth. The same had went for her mother, that they who were born with these eyes had more potential to save the world then anyone. And yet, with it, they also bore an incredible responsibility.

She felt self-conscious. She didn't doubt her leadership, but was she really the one the world was looking for, the one it needed…?

Tai placed a hand on her shoulder then, giving her a little smile of encouragement. "Don't worry, Rubes. As long as I'm here, as long as we're all here, we'll make sure everything's alright."

And those words had helped her calm down, somewhat. He was right. She didn't have to handle it alone. She had her family, both blood and those beyond it, to help her get through. Ruby let out a little laugh as she leaned into her father's embrace. "You're right, Dad. I mean hey… at least we've got this one all down now, right?"

Team RWB and Tai gave out a shared chuckle, relieved at her statement. At least they could savour this moment, a task down with not much left to go for Vale. It wasn't often that they came out victorious, and for it to once not end over blood spilled… it was a mark that that hope they needed was still out there. In reach, all they needed was to fight for it.

But then a loud explosion shook them from their relief. A loud boom! echoed throughout Vale, and Team RWB and Tai's Huntsman instincts immediately lead them to the source, Beacon's tower visible even from all the way in downtown Vale.

And they could only watch in shock as Beacon's tower shook ever so slightly, unnatural flames licking its tips and condensing to its base; no, those flames then dug underground, condensing and burning below the surface.

But there was still something strange about the flames, something that didn't quite sit right with Ruby and Tai. The way they moved was one, but it was also the way the felt, the way that them and only them could feel the heat from here… and the way that it tickled their recognition.

And in that moment, Tai's earlier question of where his daughter had gone was answered.

"Yang…!"

---

10 years in prison tended to eat away at one's hope. But Kiryu had stuck true to it, had held on to it even when no one ever came to visit. It was the only thing he had, the only thing in that place that was truly his.

Then, when he came out faster than expected, he still clung to it tightly, especially when he walked the roads of a world that had changed without him in it. And then, one night, one big drama, and those things that he had clung his hope to had died around him. His protégé, his friend, lover, his father figure, his brother… all of them slipping by his fingers just as he had gotten them back.

In that dark moment, he had lost the ability to look forward. To cling on to that hope, when everything he attached it to had left him so. But a young girl, his dear Haruka, became his light; she needed someone to raise her, someone to guide and protect her, when she was now just as alone as he was. And unlike him, she didn't have the luxury of legendary strength nor the option of going back to prison and wasting his life there, waiting to die. So he had lived. She became her hope, his purpose. For her he woke up every day, and now, for her he would eventually come home.

Kiryu looked at the people surrounding him. Both Venom and Solid Snake were the ones leading the charge, discussing things with General Ironwood and Professor Goodwitch on the technicality of their big announcement. The General himself had offloaded the CCT scans to one Doctor Pietro Polendina, working from Atlas itself to try and fix their networks before the enemy could launch an attack.

Ozpin couldn't come; Professor Goodwitch having said that he was too busy talking with the council. While displeased, Solid and Venom had accepted, especially when they showed proof of the Guard deploying soon and the assurance that Ozpin would follow up just before they were finished, and that was also part of the reason General Ironwood had decided to come here too.

This was a monumental moment, too big for anyone to miss. With this, they were revealing the existence of a whole other continent of humanity, on showing that Remnant wasn't alone – and that they were going to have a big ass fish to fry with the name of Salem.

They were all sat in Venom's ACC, the Bullhead providing as good a place as any for a conversation where they won't have any prying ears. Beside Kiryu was his partner Bladewolf. They weren't in the discussions as much, merely providing input here and there and watching out for any potential threats that were still gunning for them, but for the most part… they were talking with themselves.

Neither were the most talkative of people, but with the way Venom and the others were drowning themselves with every possibility and technicality of the announcement, they had to find something to pass the time.

Personally, Kiryu had never been fond of the details. He wasn't dumb, far from it, but could never see the reason why people squabbled over such petty things as politics… one's honour notwithstanding.

His thoughts drifted back to home, to Haruka, his own daughter, who he had left behind on this mission. How this announcement would be a big step in him finishing it, on how the end was now in grasp. So now, couldn't help but wonder…

Kiryu elbowed Bladewolf beside him. "Do you have any plans moving forward?"

"Hm…" Bladewolf was as expressionless as ever, yet somehow Kiryu knew he was thinking of something. At last, he answered, "I am currently thinking of creating a life here. A life in Remnant."

Kiryu raised an eyebrow. "Not planning on coming back?"

"Kiryu, I do not have much to come home to." Bladewolf explained. "I have been freed from servitude, yes. And I am grateful to Boris and Maverick for helping me. But… I would also like to create my own life. To create a new beginning."

"I-I see…" Kiryu stuttered. He hadn't expected such an angle. He had assumed, that just like everyone else, that Bladewolf would've gladly come home…

"Here…" Bladewolf met his eyes, "Here, I would be able to start a new. To cut my ties from Desperado cleanly and find out… what it means to live."

Kiryu hummed. "And I'm assuming Jaune being here has a factor?"

"30%." Bladewolf said plainly. "He has helped me as well, but I would not wish to be a burden to him. To remind him of his past. Rather, I wish to be… a friend." Bladewolf said slowly. "Not out of gratitude, but as equals."

"…"

"You have changed." Bladewolf stated to Kiryu. "Before, you were insistent on bringing Jaune back to face his crimes. Why now the question about coming home?"

"…Because I've just realized what's really important to me." Kiryu looked away. He glanced to the four people discussing the announcement more intensely, as if reaching a crescendo, and then gazed out the Bullhead's window.

"A lot of people have different reasons for fighting." Kiryu said. "And… I guess even the people you least expect have the capacity to change."

He had believed it in Nishiki, even though his brother had betrayed him so. From what he had heard, Jaune was trying to do so as well, especially with Indigo. It would be hypocritical of him to deny his enemy that, no matter their opposing missions.

"And everyone has a life outside of what they fight for. That what's behind them is as important as who they are when we face them." Kiryu breathed out. "I… forgot about that. I was so desperate on getting a wish made true that I left the person I needed the most."

His hope. His ray of morning sunshine. His little Haruka.

"We can't fight by leaving the people we love behind. We can't do something in their name while, at the same time, hurting them more than they could imagine." Kiryu breathed out.

Kiryu's mind flashed back to all he had went through, and what he knew now to be his way forward.

"…We all want a better future. That's all that we can hope for, all hope is good for. And hope can only be found if we stay close to the people we love. We can only fight the good fight if we don't lose sight of them, if we have a hope that's pure… If we don't settle them with a debt they could never repay."

"I left with the intention of bringing Jaune to justice; but he has his own things to do, other people to fight and protect; just like all of us. Is it my place to bring him to justice? …I won't say for certain anymore, seeing that friend of yours, that man, face-to-face. In the end, we're all on the same side, so that has to count for something."

Kiryu looked back to Bladewolf. "So yeah, I've changed. I just realized that what's important to me is waiting for me to come back home. Is already here… and that I shouldn't chase a past that I can't change."

Bladewolf hummed in acknowledgement, nodding at Kiryu's new resolve. If things were to continue like this, then they wouldn't have any problems going forward. He had been unsure, at first, being partnered with a man whose sole objective seemed to be getting Jaune, the man who had helped him for so long, behind bars, when Jaune had suffered in Desperado too. But now, with this mutual understanding… they could definitely work together more smoothly.

And of course, that was when the Bullhead decided to shake.

"Damn!" Solid Snake shouted out, his eyes and the others quickly looking out the Bullhead windows. They could all see Beacon's tower burning, a strange flame licking from its tip and then condensing to its base; no, drilling deeper into the ground.

FWOOM!

"What the hell was that?!" Venom shouted out, his lone eye wide as the plane struggled to regain control. Beside him, Professor Goodwitch and General Ironwood shared worried glances, understanding and slight panic shared between their eyes.

With a silent understanding, Professor Goodwitch turned to the foreigners and cleared her throat. "Remember when we told you that Ozpin was too busy, and that he would come after a few hours, when we were ready to finalize? That he was too busy talking to the Vale Council?"

"I remember not liking it but go on." Solid Snake growled.

"Well… he was talking to them, and everything was as scheduled. But another thing had come up, something that he couldn't delay nor wait for anyone else." Professor Goodwitch looked back to the tower and sighed, "…Matters regarding the Fall Maiden."

Venom clicked his tongue. "I forgot about that… so what, the Nikos girl has the powers now?"

Professor Goodwitch flinched, and Venom immediately knew that he was wrong. And while silence stretched, Beacon Tower was still burning; no, imploding, fire being absorbed from its surroundings and phasing directly into… its basement?

"You chose another candidate." Solid stated plainly. "And she said yes, and now…"

"Yes, we did." Ironwood finally said. "But the transfer of the powers shouldn't be this destructive! We've ran over the schematics and plans of the process multiple times. Nothing- nothing of this scale should be happening!"

Another argument was threatening to break out. It was clear that Venom, and even more so Solid, did not appreciate yet another move behind their backs. But they had the decency to hold their tongue, Bladewolf so too, as they waited for another more proper explanation.

And all the while, Kiryu watched the flames intently. He was mesmerized by it, drawn into its heat and strange nature. He felt a strange sort of familiarity with it, as if the flames had been imbued, were being pulled in by someone's soul. A trace of Aura was imbued within every ember, a trace of Aura that felt familiar.

He had fought against this flame before, had recognized its power and strength once. But then, who? The only person he had ever fought in this entire trip had been Jaune and-!

"Yang!" Kiryu shouted. He quickly rushed to the pilot and spoke to him urgently. "Get this bird down, now! Get me as close to those fires as you possibly can!"

"Mr. Kiryu, that would be suicide!" Professor Goodwitch quickly yelled back. "The Maiden transfer process is a delicate one; if we were to interrupt it now, then-!"

"This isn't about the Maiden powers!" Kiryu shouted back, turning to face Goodwitch with an angry glare. "We have to get her outta there now! Those flames have her Aura in them – she's the one causing this!"

Professor Goodwitch's eyes widened. "You can't possibly mean-!"

Kiryu's eyes hardened. "I do. And that's we have to pull her out of there!"

Because he had seen what Yang was, in their brief fight. And after that, they had talked and found a similar desire to fight, but to also protect those closest to them.

And in the round table conference, had seen the glint in her eyes, the way her family had been torn apart and revealed to be so, so fragile, even if he had so desperately wished it to not be true. He thought he was just seeing things – that he was still out of it after losing to Jaune, that he was reaching for something that wasn't there again. But now, he was certain.

He had to be there, all because he had been where Yang was before. Because he had seen what it turned people into. That fierce desire to protect one's family, to save the ones they loved, that desperateness to go to a past that one couldn't go back to, no matter how much they tried.

He was the only one who could stop her. Not because of his strength, far from it. He wasn't as strong as his cybernetically enhanced partner, nor as strong as his Grimm-infused allies. No, he had to go there because he had been where she was before.

The others could stop her; but he wasn't sure if they could change her mind. And that was the only real way of stopping this… of making sure she saw reason and didn't condemn herself.

And no matter where Kiryu was, he would not let history repeat itself.

"Get the others ready for evacuations. Take the students out of Beacon if you have to!" Kiryu shouted. His tone left no room for argument, his fists clenched and an equally bright flame of determination shining behind his eyes. "No one is dying today… not if I have anything to say about it."

---

This would be her end. That, Yang knew for certain.

Beacon Tower's basement was lit aflame around her, its warmth calming her one-track mind. The walls, the pillars were crumbling around her, burning to a crisp as the bastard who plotted all this laid beneath her feet.

"N-Ngh…" Ozpin looked up to see his student, his Maiden, standing over him with a cold glint in her eyes. He had a bleeding forehead and a broken arm, and with his Aura broken, was all but helpless beneath his once-trusted student. "Ms. Xiao-Long…"

"Shut it, old man." Yang spat back. She kicked him away with a grunt, sending Ozpin skidding away helplessly. "I don't want to hear any more speeches from you."

But Ozpin persisted. "If you do this… then it will all be for nothing."

"…"

"Beacon will burn, and none of us will be ready to face Salem…!" Ozpin coughed. "We must show a united front. Killing me will not change things for the better… you will only threaten the people you love!"

Yang scowled at her former Headmaster. A part of her recoiled at the roughness she was showing him. He had guided her, guided RWBY for the better part of four years. Had helped them more times than they could count, had nurtured them into the strong Huntresses they were now.

But a flash of what he did to Summer, to Mom, was enough to throw all that goodwill away.

"I don't care about what you say anymore." Yang growled. "How do I know that it's not just another lie?!"

And that had struck Ozpin silent. He had no answer, for the first time in his long existence. "I- I don't…"

"This is the end." Yang said, and she opened her palm and pointed it towards Ozpin. Many flames around her condensed to her palm, forming a fiery ball aimed directly at the headmaster's helpless figure.

And she fully intended it to be true. This was her only hope. With this, she would destroy Ozpin, and then herself in the ensuing rubble. Only then, would her family be free.

No more plots, no more schemes. Ruby would be able to decide to be whatever she wanted, Huntress or not, away from the system Ozpin had built. She would be able to use her Silver Eyes as she saw fit, not under the nosy guidance of a headmaster that had killed her very own mother. And then, her father would find peace of mind in knowing that the person who betrayed his beloved wife, the only mother her and Rubes' ever had, would pay for his crimes and would never touch his daughters ever again.

Their family would never be used again. They would never be manipulated into someone's hands. The ones she loved would be able to make their own choices. And as for her…

With her dying here, no one will target them for the Maiden powers. It'd go to some random woman that she'd think of in her last woman; and let her take the fall, whatever she cared. This was the final step in their freedom, one Yang was ready to ensure even if it costed her life.

Yang felt the flames in her palms begin to reach critical mass. With a flick of her wrist, she would fire it and kill her headmaster. And then it would all end.

She let out a small smirk. It was a nice life while it lasted.

"Goodbye, Ozpin."

And Ozpin closed his eyes, preparing for another death. Preparing to move to another host. Preparing for this death, this failure, to be the worst of them all. To have been taken down from within, to have squandered his chance, to have made it all for nothing… to have made a miscalculation so wrong that Vale, and soon, all of Humanity, would suffer for.

But both their thoughts were broken when a new figure entered the basement.

BANG!

"YANG!" The doors to the elevator opened, and the last person she had ever expected stepped out of it ready to stop her.

Yang felt her flames fizzle out for just a second. "Kiryu…?"

Kiryu's eyes roamed over his surroundings. The Maiden transfer pods, broken and destroyed. Th pillars around them were burning to a crisp, flames licking every part of the basement room. And most importantly, Kiryu saw Ozpin's prone figure across from Yang, barely staying conscious with wounds spread across his body.

Kiryu's pitch-dark eyes met Yang's burning red. "So you… you did this to Ozpin…"

Yang sighed and turned to face Kiryu. "Just… just get out of here, Kiryu." She spoke. This was her decision, and no one else needed to pay the price. She would contain this here and now, and the world would be better off for it. "This is my decision. You don't need to be a part of this."

Kiryu recognized the steel in Yang's eyes. A glance that was strong, and yet also equally cold. A gaze he knew well, for he had stared against it in the mirror many times before.

"Don't tell me…" Kiryu said slowly, "Don't tell me you're planning to die here with Ozpin, Yang?"

"…"

"You think that'll fix anything!?" Kiryu shouted, his voice rising, anger leaking to his tone. "You think running away is the solution?!"

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY I'M RUNNING AWAY!" Yang shouted back in anger. The flames around her picked up in intensity, her red eyes burning with the Maiden powers and wind picking up around them.

"I'm not like… like Raven! Like that whore! I'm not running away from my responsibility. I'm taking it by my own hands!" Yang clenched her teeth, her hands balling to fists.

Yang's rage consumed her, and she shot her hate-filled gaze at her former headmaster. "We die here. That's the only way out! When that happens, no one else will target my family… and I'll be able to rest in peace."

But Kiryu's eyes met Yang's dead red defiantly. He wouldn't back down here, he refused to! There was one thing Yang hadn't thought of in her crusade, one thing that Kiryu knew she hadn't thought of. She had been so deadest on taking responsibility, on making things right and saving those she loved, that she forgot one crucial thing.

He had been in her shoes before; and now he knew his own faults when he saw them.

"If you die here…" Kiryu said with a scowl, "Then think… what happens to Ruby?!"

His voice was clear, even amidst the burning happening all around them. And yet, Yang's emotionless answer had been much clearer. An answer that rang with familiarity in Kiryu's ears.

"No one will be targeting her." Yang said plainly. "With Ozpin dead, that means there won't be anyone else in power that will manipulate her. And with me gone, there won't be any reason for anyone to try to gain my family's favour through me."

Yang chuckled darkly. "Let Goodwitch or whoever the hell come for her. By then, Ruby will be smart enough to know who to trust. And certainly not them."

"That's not what I asked you!" Kiryu shouted back. He saw the way Yang's eyebrow raised, as if that her answer covered his entire point. But that wasn't what he wanted to hear. That's not what he had asked her.

"For Ruby…"

His mind flashed back to what he had experienced all his life. Of him leaving his brother with a responsibility that he couldn't bear, of leaving Haruka for a mission and risking his own life when he was the only person she had left.

Kiryu shouted back in vigour, "You're really gonna let her live on without her sister!?"

Silence met Kiryu's question. He saw the way Yang had stepped back as if he had slapped him. But then her gaze had steeled again, and she opened her mouth with the same misplaced conviction he had heard before.

Because how could Yang not?

Unlike her demeanour often suggested, she had always, always been the most responsible. She had to take care of the house when Dad shut down after Mom died, had to raise Ruby like a mother because she never got to know what one was. Sure, she wanted to live in the moment and have fun … but it meant nothing if she didn't have a home to come back to.

And now, she discovered that her entire life had been a lie. That the dream she and Ruby had shared in the name of their dead mother was the last thing she had ever wanted for them. If she had done better than Ruby wouldn't have fallen into Ozpin's hands. If she had been stronger, then she wouldn't have gone against the one thing Summer had wished before she died.

She had failed in the one thing the one thing that mattered the most to her. Her entire life, protecting her precious little sister. Her entire reason for being strong in the first place… all of it had been a lie!

This was her way of taking it back. This was her way of making up for her failure.

And so she said as much.

"This… it's me taking responsibility, Kiryu." Yang said. "And now, with Mom's truth out in the open… people will be more apprehensive of what they believe in. She'll have Dad, she'll have Blake and Weiss… people who didn't fail her from the beginning like me."

Like a Dragon 7 Gaiden: Onsyuu ('Hatred', 怨讐)

"This… all this…" Yang opened her arms to her surroundings, to the place she was standing and the very idea Beacon represented. "It's all a lie."

"Ozpin gave us false hope. False promises, when all he wanted in the end really was to use us. All our lives, all we had been training for… and for him to just use us and throw us out when it's convenient? No, I won't stand for it! I won't let that be Ruby's fate!"

"Do you know what it's like? To have your whole reason for living be ripped out under you?!" Yang spat. She shot a glare at Ozpin, one filled with so much hate Kiryu was surprised she could even bear it at all. "All he ever does is use. He used Mom, he used Dad, and he used me. I'm not letting Ruby suffer the same fate. I'm not letting her fight for a dream that was never real!"

But Kiryu didn't take it lying down. "But I do understand!"

Yang turned to Kiryu, her eyebrow raised. "And how?"

"When I went here, I went with the objective of saving my brother. But by going… I left my daughter behind. I left her without the only person that still loved her… I chased a false dream… and guess what? I lost." Kiryu curled his hands into fists. He took a deep breath, having been pained to admit; but it would be more painful if he watched Yang make the same mistakes he did.

"What would killing Ozpin prove?" Kiryu pushed. "Like it or not, he still did good for humanity. He still can do good for us. I don't agree with his manipulations, I don't! But killing him would only weaken humanity overall. We all need him to contribute, at least until Salem is done and dealt with! And maybe… just maybe, he can change and be of benefit!"

"He doesn't deserve a second chance!" Yang roared back with rage. "He took everything, everything away from our family! I'm not letting him use what's left! We can decide for ourselves without him!"

"You can't turn back the past." Kiryu said surely. "What's done is done. But Yang, this isn't the way to do it. He can't die here, and you don't deserve to! There's still another way, the only way! And that's to keep fighting on and living with the ones you love!"

"I've got no reason to live!" Yang shouted back. "All of this, for what?! We're just a speck in history. Beacon, Huntsmen, none of it's real, Kiryu! There's no point in going on if I can't ensure that Ruby and Dad stay safe!"

"Yang-!"

"She's a prodigy, Kiryu! She'll be much stronger than I ever would have been. And if this can ensure her a peaceful future, then I'm – I…! I… have to be fine with that." Yang met Kiryu's eyes, and for the first time she saw a flash of pleading in them. Begging him to understand why she had to do this, why she had to be off the picture.

"She'll… she'll move on." Yang stuttered, "And everyone else… they'll keep her safe when I didn't-!"

"I WON'T LET YOU ABANDON THEM!" Kiryu shouted in denial. He wouldn't let her make the same mistakes he did; what was the point in fighting for your loved ones when you settled them with a debt they could never repay?!

BANG! One of the pillars of the basement fell between them, fire now burning hotter than ever as they both aired out their beliefs.

They were at a crossroads now.

"You're not dying over your own guilt." Kiryu said with steel, his dark eyes meeting Yang's red defiantly. "There's more than one way of taking responsibility. There are other dreams to chase and more hope to cling on to! And I'm not going to let it consume you like it did me."

Yang scowled. "Don't try to stop me. I've made up my mind, and I have a whole pack of new powers with me. You don't stand a chance."

"It's not a matter of me standing a chance or not." Kiryu said, firmly taking on the Dragon of Dojima stance. His body flashed red as he prepared himself. "No matter what happens, history isn't going to repeat itself. I'll drag you out by force if I've got to."

"Then… if you're so insistent, I'll burn you like I did the old man." Yang said back with a growl. She took a stance and flicked her wrist, Ember Celica deploying as she took her boxer stance.

She met his eyes back with cold determination. "This… this is where I've chosen to die, Kiryu. I've made the chose like a Huntress, like a warrior, like she did! No one has the right to take this from me, no one can… not even you."

"You're being selfish." Kiryu spat. "You can't fight by leaving and pushing the ones you love behind."

His fists clenched as he hoped it didn't have to come to this. "Think about your sister!"

But his last plea for her to stop was met with a silent stare, a woman who wasn't afraid to die. A person he had seen so many times in the mirror.

"Then I'll fight for what I know is real." Yang said back coldly. "…Burn this whole charade down."

"Then let's go." Kiryu whispered. He truly didn't want to do this… but then again. he always did need a fist to the face to stop himself from making mistakes.

With a roar Kiryu charged at Yang with his fist drawn back. "YAAAANGGG!"

SLAM! Yang and Kiryu's fists met at the same time, sending a shock through the already-collapsing basement. Their auras burned against each other, neither willing to let the other win.

And as their eyes locked, pitch black against burning ruby red, both of them knew that this wouldn't be an easy fight to win. And when Kiryu saw Yang's eyes, saw how filled it with hate, self-loathing, and anger it was… he knew that he was in for the fight of his life…

All against Yang's scowl, her growl of anger, and her look that he was so familiar with.

Yang Xiao-Long

The Burning Fall Maiden, Guardian of the Xiao-Long-Rose Family

~Like a Dragon 7 Gaiden OST: Deadly Struggle~

"ORA!" Kiryu threw a punch for Yang's head, a punch she cleanly dodged and responded back with an uppercut. Yang's fist hit Kiryu right in the chin, an additional shotgun blast knocking him off his feet.

"HYAH!" Yang followed up with a punch straight to Kiryu's gut, sending him flying and landing back. Kiryu landed with a grunt and rushed back in, another punch aimed for her face once more.

Yang growled and prepared to dodge, Kiryu's fist arrived, and she moved to the side-!

WHAM! Only to be met by a kick to her sides. Yang hissed in pain, but Kiryu followed it up with a combo across her body. A punch to her gut, an uppercut through her face, a strike to her shoulder, and with a cry, finished it with a door kick to her chest.

"ORYAA!" Kiryu slammed his foot and sent Yang skidding back. Yang stopped herself with her fists, firing a shotgun round that sent her flying back towards Kiryu's direction. With a scream she cocked her fist back, pumping a major portion of her Aura into her planned strike.

Kiryu quickly switched to the Rush style, glowing purple and dodging her fist just in time. He steadied his breathing as Yang landed and kept attacking him, her fists a blur of yellow and red as each strike aimed to kill.

Kiryu struck back the best he could. A quick jab to the face, a kick to her shin, all strikes that lacked power but should've counted for something. But to his disbelief, Yang kept pushing through his attacks, growling and growing wilder and stronger and faster-!

SMACK! "AAARGH!" Kiryu yelled in pain as one of Yang's fists struck true, crushing his chest and forcing him to double over in pain. He felt his breath escape him as his mind went haywire. He had to get up-!

"HOAAAHHHH!" Yang lifted her foot and kicked Kiryu clean across the face, causing a tooth to fly out and Kiryu to roll across the ground. He groaned as his body struggled to repair the damage with Aura.

'That power…' Kiryu lifted himself off the ground and looked at Yang, standing strong with flames both from her Semblance and her Maiden powers burning around her. 'I can't match that.' She was much too strong for him in terms of raw strength.

Yang yelled and opened her palms, lifting the stones around her and sending them barrelling straight into Kiryu. Kiryu quickly entered his Brawler stance and crushed every single slab, doing his best to keep up his stamina.

CRUSH! CRUSH! He punched every slab away, sweat going down his brow-!

"HAHHHHH!" Yang rushed at him through one of the broken slabs, catching him by surprise with a haymaker straight across his jaw. Kiryu yelled in pain and flew back from the blow, his back crashing against the elevator door with a resounding crack!

'I need to get out of here.' Kiryu realized. This was her environment, and he wouldn't stand a chance if he kept fighting her at her advantage. He looked at Yang again, her hands open and wind channelling around her. His eyes then went to Ozpin, still prone and barely hanging on to consciousness, following the battle with half-lidded eyes. "Gotta get him out of here too…"

Yang opened her palms and sent gusts of sharp wind right for Kiryu. Kiryu dodged at the last second and rolled, quickly getting up and keeping his feet moving as he dodged every follow up blow.

Each sharp blow cut against the wall behind him, sending debris against his suit and fire licking his skin. He grimaced as he kept his speed, just a bit more!

Yang let out a loud cry and combined both fire and wind, creating a large fireball and sending it hurtling towards Kiryu. Reaching his destination, Kiryu stopped right in front of Ozpin's form and channelled his Aura into his hands. He yelled as he brought them forth, stopping the fireball with all his strength and his capability. "HAAAAAAA-!" Boom!

The fireball exploded in his arms and took out a major chunk of his Aura. He gasped and took a knee, looking at Yang defiantly as she stalked towards him; no, towards Ozpin.

Kiryu grit his teeth and took his Dragon of Dojima style once more. Yang saw the invitation and rushed forward, her left fist flying first for Kiryu's face. "HAAAAAH!"

And Kiryu yelled too, his fist going for an uppercut on her chin. "ORAAA!"

Both fists met their targets dead on at the exact same time. But Kiryu growled, withstanding the blow that had knocked him down before and pushed forward. He channelled more and more power into his fist, and with a yell he let loose a torrent of Aura across his uppercut.

"ORAAAA!"

It was Kiryu who won the battle of strength, pushing forward and finishing his uppercut against Yang. The attack knocked her off her feet and sent her flying, going through the ceiling and then higher and higher and higher. Effectively, sending her to another part of Beacon that was above; one where he doubted that she had prepared as much for.

And all he could see above was the giant, Yang-shaped hole created in the ceiling; a hole in the middle of where Beacon Academy's symbol was ornated proudly.

"Hah… Hahh…!" Kiryu took a quick breather. He felt his Aura regenerate for just a moment, having almost hit empty tank, before he regained his bearings again. Moving quickly, he slung Ozpin over his shoulder and jumped after Yang through the Huntress-shaped hole she had created.

Crash! And with his jump, both dragons had now shattered what remained of the ceiling, what had kept the secret hidden for so long. His jump had destroyed Beacon Academy's symbol that once shined proudly, now almost melted by Yang's flames… burned and destroyed by the very people who once swore to protect it.

Step!

Kiryu landed in the base of Beacon's tower, or at least what remained of it. Because to his surprise, the surroundings had been torched as well, as if burned in a flash by a dragon's breath. Their surroundings had been reduced to almost rubble, some infrastructure still intact to keep the CCT running. As if the flames themselves didn't want to damage what was still needed… only what they hated.

His eyes eventually found a figure bathing in fire, circling it around her with eyes as red as the hottest of flames.

Yang cracked her jaw, her eyes burning with the Maiden's half powers as she faced Kiryu again. Everything around her burned, reduced to crisp black char. It didn't matter anyway; all of it had been a lie, had been a false dream. All that mattered was that what was real stayed safe.

She saw the way Kiryu was carrying Ozpin and growled at her former headmaster. "Liar…!"

Kiryu took the Beast stance and prepared himself. With another roar Yang had lunged at him again, her eyes wild with anger and rage. Setting the headmaster behind him, Kiryu took a black char of- something, he didn't know what anymore – and slammed it above Yang's head. Yang stumbled back, and Kiryu quickly grabbed her arm and threw her away.

Crash! Yang flew through a wall but then recovered as quickly. She stood on her feet and fired Ember Celica at Kiryu, its shotgun blasts ringing throughout the ruins. "HAHHHH!" BANGBANGBANGBANG!

Kiryu switched to Rush and dodged every shot, coming close to Yang in a purple blur and throwing a right haymaker. Yang ducked low and slammed her fist to his sides, causing him to double over in pain. She raised her hands over her head and moved to bring them down over Kiryu's head, but the yakuza stepped back just in time and dodged it clean.

"ORAA!" Kiryu regained his footing and spun his heel, bringing a foot up to Yang's face. Yang blocked the blow with both her hands, pushing him away and throwing a jab at Kiryu's neck. The Dragon of Dojima switched to his signature style stepped back, letting the blow miss before going in again equally fast with a jumping kick.

"ORYAAA!" Kiryu brought his heel down on Yang's head, the blonde barely able to block it with both her arms. She gritted her teeth and loaded Ember Celica once more, shooting Kiryu's foot away from her with a bang!

Kiryu yelped in pain as his Aura barely protected himself from a point-black shotgun blast. Caught with a foot down, he could only watch as Yang came upon him once more with her fist cocked back. 'This is gonna hurt.' He realized. And so, without any other options, Kiryu switched to Beast and met Yang head-on.

What ensued was a slugfest. No dodges, no blocks, all that was there were two people throwing wild attacks at their opponent. Kiryu socked Yang in the jaw, and Yang responded with an elbow to his chest, Kiryu skid back and kicked Yang in the chest, forcing her back too. Yang quickly launched herself at Kiryu again, hitting him with her uppercut to his gut. Kiryu stomached the pain and slammed his head to Yang's, headbutting her and slamming the back of his fist across her face.

"RAHHHH!"

"HAAAAA!"

They both rushed at each other and slammed their fists across their faces. Yang was the first to recover and kicked Kiryu in his legs, forcing him to the ground. Kiryu quickly rolled and dodged a concrete-shattering punch that was aimed at his face. Switching to Rush, he grabbed Yang's planted arm and brought her down with him, pinning her down and slamming her face to the floor.

Crack!

"Hah…!" Kiryu quickly stood back up and assumed his Dragon of Dojima stance. He watched as Yang stood up too, her eyes locking on to him and burning with Maiden powers even more.

But more than that, he could also see the edges of exhaustion creeping into her muscles. The way her breathing was getting ragged, the way her focus was dwindling… she didn't have much left. But that didn't mean she wasn't still dangerous.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Yang yelled and unleashed all her newfound powers, Lightning and Fire and Wind circling around her. Kiryu looked past her and noticed the doorway out, a small, windowed gate to the outside that hadn't been destroyed by all the rubble.

A doorway that was located past where Yang was.

And through it, he saw the glances of his friends and allies. Of Bladewolf, Venom Snake, Solid Snake, Professor Goodwitch, and General Ironwood. He saw how they had taken everyone out safely, were watching them with curious and horror-filled eyes… and how a crowd had gathered around the Tower.

There was no keeping this on the down low now, not that it had ever been a big of an option to begin with. Kiryu had planned to drag her out where no one was looking, but now… the secret would be out.

He had to ensure that Yang would be weakened enough by then that she wouldn't do anything she'd regret. That was all he had to save all three of them.

Yang's yells ended, and the fire around them focused on her with a hiss. Kiryu prepared himself once more as her half-Maiden powers peaked, all targeted at him and her previous headmaster.

"Die."

And with a yell, Yang charged at Kiryu with a fire-infused fist.

Kiryu dodged just in time with a gasp, flames licking his skin as he struck back with a jab. He couldn't block or dodge the next blow, however, and a punch to his side sent his Aura shattering like it never existed.

"AGHHH!" Kiryu roared in pain as he felt the full force of the blow, his clothes immediately burning to a crisp and his insides being lit up. He gritted his teeth, though, and pushed through the pain, throwing a punch to Yang's cheek.

His fist hit true, and yet seared with pain from the sheer heat Yang was emitting. Yang stumbled back from the blow and kicked Kiryu in the chest, her hot foot searing a scar on him.

But Kiryu pushed on, kept standing even as Yang recovered and rushed at him again. The dragon on his back burned in the building, his bare skin now exposed to every single ounce of pain and heat and strike that Yang threw at him.

But he didn't falter, not for a single second. He kept in the fight, striking back and withstanding and blocking where he could, because his heart was still damn in it!

"YAAANG!"

"KIRYUUU!"

And that resilience paid off.

As Kiryu threw another punch, dodging another one just in the nick of time, he noticed the throes of exhaustion begin to finally hold Yang down. He noticed how her punches were becoming slower, how her breaths were becoming more laboured… and how the Maiden lights around her eyes were beginning to dwindle.

And with it, the fires that burned the tower they were in were dwindling too.

"HAHHHH!" Yang cross-punched Kiryu, her knuckles burning on his chest. Kiryu gasped as he felt his insides writhe and threw a knee to Yang's side. He hissed as his feet made contact yet burned with heat, but the small stumble Yang did was worth it. With a roar Kiryu threw a haymaker at Yang's neck, then followed it up with another equally strong punch, and another, and another!

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Kiryu kept at it and attacked Yang with all his might, pushing her closer and closer to that small doorway he saw. But Yang didn't take it lying down, striking back with her powers and everything she had. A burst of lightning, a gust of wind, a slab of earth-!

Shnk! "NGGHHH!" Kiryu grit his teeth as a piece of rubble embedded itself through his side. Yang took the opportunity and socked Kiryu across the jaw, forcing him to take a step back. She yelled and brought her fists up again, moving to punch Kiryu across the chest, but felt her fist being stopped by the other dragon.

Kiryu grunted, grabbing Yang's other hand and locking both in place in a power struggle for strength. Yang yelled and focused her power around her, her flames licking and burning Kiryu as he held on, but he refused to let go. No matter how hot he burned, how many volts of lighting coursed through his veins, how strong the wind blowed, he stayed still and met her eyes with his own.

And it paid off. With each passing moment Yang's powers dwindled even further, her strength sapping and her Aura flashing as it died out. They were starting to stand on equal ground now, Yang brought down to a normal human's strength and Kiryu hanging on to what little power he had left.

And with that, and with a great roar, Kiryu pushed all the strength he had left to his legs and threw them both out of the Tower and into the open night grounds through the glass doorway.

CRASH!

~Like a Dragon 7 Gaiden OST: Fleeting Dreams (儚き夢)

Kiryu and Yang rolled on the ground, Yang's Aura flashing out depleted as they came to a stop before the gathered crowd. Around them, the students of Beacon had gathered to see all the commotion, guarded by their teachers as they watched in awe and shock as the truth was revealed to them all. They whispered and talked, worry overcoming their features and doubt being cast at a vision they once shared.

Professor Goodwitch used her Semblance to quickly extract Ozpin via telekinesis. General Ironwood stood guard over the students too, watching with wide eyes at what had happened to his friend; and moreover, at what was unravelling before him. Venom Snake and Solid Snake stood with crossed arms at what was happening, willing to let this play out. And Bladewolf stood with his arms by his sides, ready to step in at a moment's notice – but even he could see that both needed to settle this by themselves.

But most prevalent of all, Professor Goodwitch looked on with profound sadness and soul-crushing guilt in her heart as Yang frantically got up. She was her student, all of them were, and yet her eyes were as wild as her movements were frantic, begging for something to believe in. All because she, by proxy, had played her too. They were just kids – and yet here they were willing to throw it away because everything they had believed in was a lie.

And she felt her guilt grow tenfold when Team RWB flashed to existence beside her with a flourish of rose petals, Ruby and Tai and Blake and Weiss standing in shock at the sight of their beloved little dragon.

"Yang…!" Ruby shouted. "Yang, stop!"

But the words didn't reach Yang's conscience. Rather, it only fuelled her to get back up. To keep fighting, to keep pushing. That was her sister right there! She wouldn't let her die like Summer did!

Yang stood up with laboured breaths, pushing herself to keep going. Her power had left her unexpectedly, and her body had been pushed to exhaustion more quickly than she had thought; she hadn't gotten used to her powers yet, she realized, and the Maiden transfer process must've drained her of most of her energy to begin with.

"Yang, stop!" Tai yelled. "Please, don't do this!"

'No, Dad!' She wanted to shout. She had to keep fighting, she just had to! This was all she was good at, all she had anymore! This dream, this Beacon, all that Huntsmen and Huntresses crap, they were all lies! None of it was real! None of it! She wouldn't let Ruby and Dad be threatened again! She would ensure their safety! SHE WOULDN'T LET IT ALL BE FOR NOTHING!

Yang yelled and pushed through her pain, standing up proudly with her head held high. Behind her, the burning tower stood as a representative of what she fought for. She represented all her friends', her family's broken dreams, all their falsely promised hope, and stood in the name of bringing its preparator down. This was all she was left – she would not let it all go to waste!

"Yang, don't do this!" Blake yelled. "Think about it, there's still another way!"

"We've still got your back!" Weiss shouted in tandem. "Don't throw your life away!"

No. this wasn't throwing her life away; this was her taking responsibility, this was her keeping them safe, this was her making it all mean something in the end!

All those years of being trained by her father. All those years at Signal, training at Beacon, living her life with RWBY and stopping the White Fang… all of it was a ruse. All her life had been manipulated, and this one moment, this one hope of stopping it at the source... it was the only thing she could even believe in anymore!

"ALL OF IT WAS A LIE!" Yang shouted, her eyes locked as much to Kiryu as it was to the crowd behind him, and as much to the man she hated with every fibre of her being, "AND ALL OF HIS SCHEMES WILL END HERE!"

And Kiryu stood up too, equalling hurting but willing to see this through. He entered his Dragon of Dojima stance at the same time Yang entered her boxer's one, and he met her enraged yet amber eyes with his own pitch-black determination. He stood silently at the ready, a silent, wordless wall that was determined to stop her.

Behind him stood the people of Beacon, the people who cared for one another and still decided to stick by and face the darkness. People who whispered and pointed at Yang and the headmaster, people who were given a false dream but still had people they would fight for. RWBY and Tai… people Yang was willing to die for.

Just… he wouldn't let it go on like this.

He wouldn't let Yang take the plunge and kill herself. He would give her hope, hope that had been misused… but a hope that still existed. A hope that she was too blind to see, that he himself had been blind to see, but one that was still within reach.

Victory… all for a simple soul that was uncorrupted by schemes of both sides.

One dragon stood, destruction of a false dream destroyed behind her as she fought the only thing she knew anymore, planning to die to ensure the safety of those she loved. And another, older and more experienced one stood in her way, determined to save her from making familiar mistakes.

And with a silent agreement and equally loud yells, Yang and Kiryu charged at each other again.

"HAHHH!" Yang threw the first punch. Kiryu grabbed it with his hand and threw another one back, hitting Yang clean in the shoulder. Yang rolled with the momentum and spun in her heel, bringing her foot up and striking Kiryu across the jaw.

"Grk!" Kiryu skid back, entering a stance as Yang rushed at him once more. He saw the way she lunged for a punch to his face and ducked, the blow whizzing past his hair. With a yell Kiryu let out his strongest punch and Tiger-Dropped Yang in the gut, the blow echoing hard across the courtyard and enough to knock the breath out of her.

But not enough to knock down her fighting spirit.

"HOAH!" Yang stood her ground despite the massive force that had hit her and threw another punch, striking Kiryu in his side. Kiryu grunted as he was knocked back but yelled back and responded in kind. With a roar he took a step forward and threw a devastating hook across Yang's cheek.

CRACK! "AGH!" Yang yelled out in pain as the blow thundered around her, that single attack forcing her to take several steps back in shock. She felt searing hot pain shoot up through her body, adrenaline leaving her as the sheer amount of pain and wounds that had built up across the fight suddenly all came roaring back.

She felt her steps waver as her body began to give out.

And yet, when that happened, Yang's eyes only widened as her breaths hitched with panic.

No… this can't be the end. She- she couldn't lose here! Rubes was still out there, and Dad was, and Weiss cream and Blakey and everyone she loved! No, no no no! She wouldn't let it all mean nothing! "It can't end here!"

Yang gazed up, her panicked and scared eyes meeting Kiryu's determined own. They were both wounded beyond belief, barely clinging on to life… and yet he was still determined to stop her, standing unmoving and staring her down.

And from deep down, Yang felt the last of her embers burn up. The whispers of a dying flame, of a desperate cry of rage, of an anguished hope for a future where everyone she loved would be safe, all of it came roaring back for one last go.

And Kiryu stared back at her, his fists raised in his iconic stance, prepared to take on everything that Yang had to give.

And so, give Yang did. She gave it her all, gave it everything she had left, threw at him everything and more that she could spare… the very essence of her soul on the line.

"HAHHHHH!" Yang rushed forward and threw a straight punch at Kiryu. Kiryu met her with the very same attack, their fists meeting each other mid-way and creating a large shockwave around them.

BOOM!

Their fists sparked against each other as they kept pushing. When Kiryu didn't budge, Yang roared and broke the contact, pulling her fist and going for a kick with her left leg. "HAH!"

A kick that Kiryu punched down mid-way. "ORA!"

"Grk!" Yang flinched as she felt left her leg shatter. No matter, she had her other leg. With yell she kicked with her remaining leg. "HAAAAAH!"

"DEI-YA!" And yet Kiryu punched her other leg down too, sending her down for both legs.

But Yang didn't stop, skidding back and barely standing up. She let out a guttural roar and dashed forward, her head moving forward to strike Kiryu's own. "HAAAAAAAAA!"

And Kiryu met her headbutt head on. "HAH!"

SLAM! Both their heads met in a clash. They struggled for what felt like an eternity, yet in the end, Kiryu prevailed with a loud yell and pushed her back.

Skrrt!

Yang skidded back, her breaths now mere struggles for air as her consciousness threatened to leave her, as her footing threatened to give out under her. She felt panic seize her heart as her strength left her, as she grew too weak to even form a coherent strategy. 'No, no no nononoooo!'

Yang gasped and looked up. Looked at the wall that she couldn't overcome, at Ruby and Dad and Blake and Weiss… and then at that man who had been taken to safety, at that manipulator that had hurt them so much and fed them lies to live for.

Yang felt hot air return to her lungs as she vied for one desperate attempt. She felt her fists clench as her heart was consumed with hatred, as rage overtook her at the man who had killed her mother.

And before Yang knew it her feet were bringing her forward, her fists cocked back for a punch and her throat letting out one last guttural roar.

"OOOOOOZZZPIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNN!"

And Kiryu stopped her in her tracks, punching her across the jaw with the last of his strength. "ORA!"

CRACK!

The punch sent Yang spiralling in the air and then falling to a sprawl on the floor. It echoed in the air as she fell, her shouts of pain accompanied by a thump! as she fell powerless from it all.

And all Kiryu could do was watch with understanding and sadness as Yang laid in his feet, her amber eyes wide and her muscles, her very body and being, had now been rendered powerless.

She had been thoroughly defeated.

Yang stared up with wide, scared eyes as Kiryu loomed over her. She felt tears prickle the edge of her vision as the reality of her failure doomed on her. Her fists clenched around her as she forced herself not to cry. No, she'd get another chance… another time to fix things-!

And of course, that was when a red blur hit her and hugged her close.

"Yang…!" Ruby held her sister tightly, burying her face in her sister's neck. "Y-You're okay…!"

And now, breathless, Yang felt the beginnings of realization begin to trickle into her understanding. 'I- I almost left her…'

"Ruby…" Yang breathed out, and she felt her sister shake when she uttered her name. "I… I did this… all… to protect… you…"

"Yang… please…" Her sister begged her. "Don't… don't say anything… don't… don't say that, don't leave me…"

"It was the only way, Rubes." By instinct, Yang ran her hand through Ruby's hair as she tried to calm her sister down. "Ozpin… he would've used you… used all of us…"

"I don't care!" Ruby shouted back. "I don't care… as long as I get to be with you… then everything will be okay, don't you think?"

Yang flinched. Her sister still wanted her… even after all that she had failed her in? "But… Ruby…!"

"How… how ironic." A voice interrupted them both. Everyone's stares turned to the source, turned to Ozpin leaning heavily on his cane. He was looking at them both with… was that envy in his eyes? "To think… that the love that I had seen so strongly..."

Ozpin would never get the chance to finish his sentence. Before he could utter another word, Kiryu had stepped beside him and grabbed him by the throat. He gazed into Ozpin's eyes with nothing short of anger, a justified one, yet beneath it also laid a calm understanding and patience that Yang didn't have.

"Don't you dare say another word." Kiryu growled. He didn't grip Ozpin tight, far from it, but he did make sure the presence of his hand was still known to him. The dragon on his back seemed to shine in the night, the cold fury in his voice only curtailed by a silent promise that could still see the good Ozpin had done despite of the fact. "You don't get to talk about the power of love. You don't get to talk about caring for others… not when you've used everyone who ever came to you!"

Ozpin groaned, shifting under Kiryu's grip. But he didn't avert his eyes from the foreign dragon, didn't deny the blame. "Yes… you're right. If I had been honest from the start, then perhaps…"

Ozpin sighed. With his right hand he tried to pry Kiryu's hand off of him; and when Kiryu stared hard, saw that Ozpin wouldn't run off and would face the consequences, would tell the truth as it was to everyone here… he let the headmaster go.

Ozpin took a deep breath as he regained his bearings. The student body were all watching him now, from the remains of Team RWBY to Tai himself, from Professor Goodwitch and General Ironwood to Venom and Solid Snake, and to many more he was sure was listening in.

But there was no way to salvage the situation now other than to come clean. After all, had he been in the right, then why would one of his most loyal students have turned on him? Why would she have thought that her family, that her team, needed to be protected from him?

Years, thousands of years of plans, and all of it was about to unravel in one night. All his careful placements throughout multiple centuries, all his efforts to defeat Salem without causing a mass panic… all of it would be revealed tonight, raw and in front of everyone that had ever looked up to him.

And yet when he looked at the state Team RWBY was in, huddling close over their wounded teammate… when he saw the way Tai fussed over his daughter and held her with tears and desperation in his eyes… he knew that he really had no other way.

And so, with that, he dropped the bombshell.

"Salem… the Queen of The Grimm… is immortal."

Gaps filled the courtyard; from people saying that the Grimm had a queen? and then to how the hell do we defeat an immortal?! Even his Deputy Headmistress looked surprised, and even somewhat betrayed.

But Ozpin spoke again before misinformation took root. "There is no way to stop her… no way but one. And that is the use… of the Silver Eyes."

All eyes turned to Ruby; and yet, those very same Silver Eyes kept their gazes locked on to Ozpin.

Ozpin elaborated. "I've said it before; once unlocked, the Silver Eyes can petrify any Grimm… but more than that, Salem herself is part, if not fully, Grimm herself. She possesses Magic beyond any of our comprehension, and save for a pair of Silver Eyes, nothing can truly stop her."

"You've seen the power that a Magic wielder can do. Ms. Xiao-Long, even with half the strength of a Maiden, managed to burn the Tower to a near crisp. Had it not been for our emergency measures, then the CCT would be down completely."

Kiryu crossed his arms. "Watch it, old man."

Ozpin paid him no mind, but did get back on topic. "Simply marching up to Salem is impossible; she has a sea of Grimm in her command, not to mention her Magic… telekinesis, elemental manipulation, force field shielding… no conventional weapon would work on her."

"So then how do you know so much?" Pyrrha asked. She had arrived with JNPR and the rest just as the fight had ended, and seeing this… she couldn't help but be the one who asked. It was what they agreed upon, after all.

And at this question, Ozpin's shoulders seemed to sag heavily. "Because I, too, am an immortal… just like her."

Chaos and yells erupted in the crowd. They questioned their entire purpose, questioned on who even was Ozpin really?! and why don't we just throw these two guys at each other and leave it?! and what was even the point?!

And then, just like in Mistral, in Haven, a single gunshot to the sky was enough to silence them all.

BANG!

Tai met Ozpin's eyes with his gun raised in the air, having silenced the crowd and yet keeping his gaze firm on the other headmaster. The message was clear. 'I silenced them. But now, you have to answer my questions.'

And ask Tai did. "That still doesn't explain why Salem is targeting the Kingdoms."

"She wants to destroy humanity and faunuskind. Is that not reason enough?"

"No… if she did, then she'd just fight us all directly. No need for espionage, no need for planning. No need to make it so slow. Not if she's as strong as you say she is." Tai denied. "So the only real possibility is that she has an objective. Question is… what is it?"

Silence fell across the courtyard, Tai's point sinking in. Because it made sense; why else were they not dead by the droves, if Salem was as strong as Ozpin had claimed? Why else did they still seemingly have a chance?

These thoughts tickled Venom's mind. It itched on his buried memories, his mind trying hard to remember the brief moments he was directly under Salem's control. He tried to piece together possible objectives, tried to make sense of hazy memories when perhaps Leo had said something out of line, when Salem had presented him to the turncoat directly, when he was directly under her servitude… and he came to a single conclusion.

"She's searching for something." Venom muttered. "That's the best I can do. She's looking for something that's fragile, something that can be hidden… something that she can't find during chaos."

And from the silence that stretched, from the way Ozpin didn't deny it… Venom knew he had struck gold.

"What is it?" Venom pressed him. "What is it that Salem's looking for?"

"What she is looking for…" Ozpin trailed off. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. This wasn't information he was ready to part with yet, information that was delicate to Humanity's continued survival and harmony… but at this point he had no other choice.

"What Salem is looking for… they are four artefacts scattered across Remnant called the Relics."

"Relics…"

"They are a source of great magical power." Ozpin explained. His eyes roamed the crowd, meeting everyone there as he laid the truth to bare. "Hidden beneath every Kingdom's Academies, each have unique uses and yet are equally magically powerful. They are to be guarded by Huntsmen and Huntresses… at least, that was what I had hoped for." Ozpin laughed without mirth, causing sharp glares to be sent his way.

And yet, his tone was deathly serious when he said next, "When brought together by her… she will have the power to end the world as we know it."

Silence. And then…

"Then we'll use those to switch the tides." Tai said. Ozpin's eyes turned to him, and he was met with a fiery determination that he had felt left himself so long ago. "You said they have great magical power… then it's about time we use them and stop hiding in the shadows."

"Surely you're not planning to use them as bait…?" Ozpin asked incredulously.

"No. You said that there were four relics with Magical powers. What I'm suggesting is a combined effort, that we use them to finally fight Salem head on. Whatever shape the powers take form in." Tai reiterated.

"Bringing them together will only spell the end of the world. Salem or not." Ozpin pressed. "Their power is too great; Salem could just sweep in once they were collected and claim it for herself!"

"Then we do it separately, but not alone!" Tai answered. He gazed at Ozpin with resolution in his eyes. "It's about time we light up the dark, Ozpin… Humanity and faunuskind don't deserve to live whimpering in fear, turning on each other and using one other just so we could live a few years longer. None of us deserve a slow death, a slow loss, an agonizing and torturing defeat… not even you."

"We've tried your way, for thousands of years. Now please… lend us a hand and help us fight her honestly. No more secrets, nor more plots… humanity as one. All of us with a mutual understanding… not-! not planned circumstances. There's no use delaying the inevitable, no meaning to fighting with false hope and unclear victory."

He laid a hand on his wounded daughter, on both of his daughters, and made sure his voice was clear. He felt the way they leaned into his touch, the way his eldest had been so desperate, so lost, that she was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice…

"D-Dad…!" Yang wheezed.

And Tai gripped his daughter closer. No more secrets, he knew. But also, he needed to be calmer… needed to see past his rage for Ozpin. There was a bright future ahead of them, a hope fleeting as it may be… but one that couldn't be won with rage.

Rage had fuelled him, once, as it too once fuelled Yang. And he wouldn't let her fall this deep into self-loathing, into 'taking responsibility', ever again.

That hope, that future, that they needed to reach together. One that was built with honesty, without any lies or pretences. Their happy ever after, the one his daughters deserved… the one they all deserved.

Tai's eyes met Ozpin dead-on. A future that would only be reached if he could let go of that rage, that anger.

"We either win by fighting together, in every sense of the word, standing our ground while burning bright… or we all die trying." Tai said.

It was the only hope that felt right. The only hope that was real.

---

A/N and done. 17k words, from what I originally planned only to be 8k at max.

And just to make it clear, if Yang was as powerful as Raven was in Haven, then Kiryu would've stood no chance. The only reason he did here was because Yang was already quite spent after transferring the Maiden powers, that she only had have those powers, and that she used it to attack Ozpin first and set fire around her. She was already on 50% going in, and only having 50% of the true power in the first place.

And also because Kiryu has crazy pain tolerance, especially in his fights against Ryuji, Aizawa, Iwami… and of course, Kosei Shishido.

Tell me what you thought in the reviews… though this probably wasn't the MGS x RWBY that y'all came for.

Thanks for reading and see you next time.