Radiant Rebirth (Hollow Knight x RWBY)

[Naron]

What made Lumina think she could just go to Salem?

Click to shrink...

Well, mostly the fact she can go wherever she wants. Nobody stopped her after all. Getting killed did obviously not go according to plan.

 

[Naron]

Lumina walked an endless plain for what felt like eternity. It was formless at first, only assuming shape as her perception began to return. Through primordial valleys she wandered, over bridges of clouds and beneath the earth.

She was not alone, either. Ahead and behind her were people, some old and some young. Members of either race and any gender. Crying infants floated past on clouds, their wails piercing the fog around Lumina's mind. The noise aided in the sharpening of her focus.

Then she stopped, blinking owlishly at her surroundings. Her head turned as spectres continued to move around her, then she slumped. With focus came memory and so she remembered.

This was it. A final death.

Some of her remained on Remnant, but she was too weak to drag herself back. Wherever she was going now, it was the final destination of every mortal being.

She failed.

Disappointment crashed over Lumina like a physical force. Her own arrogance brought her low yet again. She fell to her knees, forehead pressed into the rough stone that met her from the unformed void. Lumina shook silently, not quite sobbing but oh so close.

An undetermined amount of time passed before she slowly righted herself. It was not over yet, to that thought she clung even though she knew better. Something still drew her further along the path. An endless stream of people walked it, unaware of her or each other. Their eyes were blank but their Essence flickered; they shed their physical body just like her.

If nothing else, curiousity as to this anomaly drew Lumina forward. Step by step she began to walk again.

She did not know how long until it happened. Right after following the curve of a river, she found another sitting at the roadside just at the edge of a woodland. Where everyone else was but vague shapes and wisps, this person remained fully formed. Just slightly taller than Lumina and with pitch black, red-tipped hair. Her black and red corset, the cloak that was white on the outside and crimson within, even her facial features were too familiar to be a coincidence. Lumina recognised them all, yet not.

Her feet carried her to the woman who was busy drawing circles in the dirt. Only when Lumina's shadow fell over her did she look up. Silver eyes widened at the sight, the other struck speechless by another actual person.

"Who are you?" Lumina asked her.

The other woman blinked owlishly, though the question roused her somewhat.

"...Summer," she introduced herself softly. "I'm Summer. Who are you? Is something holding you back, too?"

There was real sympathy in her question, given freely for a total stranger.

"I do not know what you speak of. I merely just arrived," Lumina answered with a glance at the people along the road; none acknowledged their conversation.

"Do you know what this place is?"

Summer barked a bitter laugh at that. She never even made an attempt to stand, perfectly content to crane her neck.

"I do. Congratulations, kiddo. You're dead, and this is the road to reincarnation."

Lumina frowned back.

"I am aware that I died," she snapped. The reminder did well to rouse her dampened emotions; irritation began to simmer, its effect far more pronounced without a physical body: she began to glow. "And she better hope I am dead for good."

Her growl made Summer crack an actual smile. "You got spunk, I give you that," she praised. "I doubt it'll help you, though. This road is one-way unless you're stuck here like me. What's your name?"

"Lumina." And despite it all, she was curious. "Do you know what holds you back?"

"Nope, no idea."

"Unfortunate."

Lumina leaned closer to Summer, intrigued by the similarities to her partner. The other woman arched an eyebrow. When Lumina continued to peer into her eyes intently, Summer began to grin.

"Sorry, but I'm happily married," she quipped. "And the only woman I put out for is my bestie."

While Lumina was confused however, Summer became thoughtful. "I wonder how she's doing? How long has it been since I died?"

It was clear that Summer got used to following meaningless tangents to pass the time. Lumina did not care for them, she simply pulled their conversation back on track with a few words.

"You have silver eyes."

This simple comment was enough to earn the other woman's full attention. Lumina did not let her intent stare stop her. "The physical resemblance is too much to be a coincidence," she reasoned. "You are Summer Rose."

Summer nodded, dumbfounded. Her eyes widened when the implications caught up with her. "You know them? Did you see my little Ruby? Is she doing well?"

She stood in a heartbeat, grabbing Lumina by the shoudlers. Though startled, the moth mused about how mother and daughter were equally intense, if about different matters. "She was, last I saw her," she reassured the other woman. Though the reminder of Ruby saddened her; a friend she now lost.

Summer let go and dropped back down with a sigh.

"How old is she now?"

"Fifteen."

"I already expected it. My baby is all grown up and I missed it."

Her previous joy was wiped away. Summer hit the ground weakly, even as her expression contorted into an angry snarl. "And I can't even come back to her in another life because I'm stuck! Damn you, Salem!"

Her anger dissipated as fast as it appeared after that outburst. She waved her hand toward the path with a melancholic smile. "Just keep going. If you got the chance to move on, you should. Don't stay here with me."

Lumina had paused after hearing Salem's name, but disregarded the notion as irrelevant. "You do not want to hear more of Ruby?" she inquired, somewhat surprised. Summer just shook her head.

"Don't tempt me. It will only hurt more. I can bear it as long as she smiles."

"I see. Is this a mother's prerogative then?"

She received no answer, not that one was needed. Lumina nodded at the seated spirit.

"Farewell, Summer Rose."

"Bye."

She left Summer behind and continued to wander for a timeless instant. She knew she traversed an entire world, swam through deepest seas, but it all faded away in her memory. Perhaps no time passed at all.

Only in the end did she behold a pillar of pure light connecting heaven and earth. Her eyes widened at the alluring sight as it called to her. Lumina picked up speed, then spread her wings to fly over the final hill. There she dropped, mesmerised.

An axis of golden light grasped for the sky, surrounded by waves of silvery white. The stream of people ceaselessly approached it; every single person who passed the threshold dissolved and became another wave of silver cresting skyward.

All Lumina needed was a single glance to tell the pillar's function. Knowledge of its purpose almost pushed itself into her mind: this light washed clean each soul on its path to reincarnation, then guided them back to Remnant once it was their time. The process was perfect, though it included a complete loss of memories and ego to begin the cycle anew.

Moreover, she could feel it resonate with her. Strings of spun gold loosened from the pillar with but a thought and connected to her ethereal form. Slivers of Essence entered her system, chasing away the last bits of fog from her mind.

Lumina took a shuddering breath as her cocoon began to appear from nowhere. Each string was silver like the light of these souls; spikes of steel jutted out in various spots. She stared at the impossiblity before her.

She could regain divinity right now if she took it all. It was all there, ripe for the taking. She could have it all back, punish Salem with a flick of the wrist. Burn the pest away just like she did Cinder. She could spite the Wyrm that conspired against her, even the vessel that struck her down.

No one would ever know.

Yet Lumina hesitated. Something held her back. A sense of foreboding, only confirmed when more knowledge came unbidden as she strained herself to understand the pillar's function. Understanding arrived with ice-cold clarity: this structure was created by the Brother Gods. Moreover, it was needed.

Humans were a species the twin gods engineered. Their souls did not form quickly enough to sustain the species; they needed reincarnation to survive. If this were taken away, ever more children would end up stillborn or come out adjacent to the vessels the Wyrm once conceived. Even Lumina could not tell which of these two was more likely.

She had to decide between her divinity and the survival of humanity. It gave her pause, froze the moth in indecision.

And into that silence, a male voice shouted her name.

Lumina whirled around, startled; she knew that voice, if faintly. The moment her head turned, she recalled where from.

The boy sprinted her way even while only halfway defined. His black hair fell in gentle waves, framing a pale face and the brightest smile she had ever seen. He outright beamed at her and fell to his knees, prostrating himself.

"Finally!" he cheered, face in the dirt. "I was waiting so long for you!"

Lumina was taken aback by the sheer reverence on display. She did not even remember his name. The boy from Shiroyuri, the same one her actions inadvertently broke. Simple curiousity and interest in her were rewarded with insanity.

"Why are you here?" she asked him, a little put out. "You should have moved on."

"I wouldn't dare, oh Radiance!"

He failed to notice Lumina twitch due to his face still pointing down. When he did look up, it was with a fervent smile. "I was waiting for you, so you can reap me and take my Essence. It's only right that I do my part to raise you to your true might! Please accept it!"

His form began to collapse fully with these words; the fleeting energy approached Lumina, who stood frozen in place with wide eyes. Her wings drooped and the offering slid off her like water, reforming into the confused boy.

"What's wrong?" he pleaded. "Am I not palatable?"

Something heavy came to rest in the pit of her stomach. Lumina's chest constricted. Somehow the light felt bleaker. She did not answer the questions he asked, rather examining this feeling. She never truly felt something like it before and needed a while to realise that this was guilt.

This boy and his current state, they were her fault. Well and truly. She made a grave mistake and turned one who could have been great into a blabbering shell, content with being sustenance. Just like the Wyrm.

What was more, she murdered everyone when they became understandably upset over the matter. Even if the original sin was not hers but an accident, what followed certainly was not.

Lumina stepped forward as if in a daze. She needed to think. But first of all she needed to make this right as best she could.

The boy stilled when a pair of slender arms wrapped around him.

"Worry not," Lumina whispered into his ear. "All will be well."

She held him in her embrace for a long moment, then pushed him into the pillar of light. The last his wide eyes could behold was her brittle smile. "Better luck in your next life," Lumina wished him earnestly. Only in parting did she finally remember his name: "Onyx."

His Essence was washed away in a matter of seconds, leaving Lumina alone with her thoughts. Alone with the guilt. She sat down at the hole, feet dangling in a stream of light. Even now it would not affect her unless she let it and so she pondered.

Her thoughts went in circles for a long time. The more she thought over her stay on Remnant, the more she realised the colossal mistakes made. For the first time Lumina saw clearly how often her endless pride was her downfall.

She could absorb this light. It would be cruel, forcing the friends she made to be lost in oblivion. Callous even, after everything. And what about before Remnant? The Pale King? Her moths?

"Grimm?"

Her weak call needed no repetition, He arrived by Lumina's side in an instant. His form was that resembling Ruby, yet behind Him seemed to rest an endless line of creatures. Though their particulars differed, every single one bore the same crimson eyes. Grimm met her gaze evenly, waiting for Lumina to ask the question plaguing her.

"Was I wrong?"

Each word almost hung in the air, heavier than the universe.

Grimm mulled it over in silence, though He scooted a little closer to sit by her side. Lumina absently rested her head on His shoulder; the Nightmare's flame burning within Him spent comforting warmth.

He ultimately shrugged ever so slightly, the motion more felt than seen.

"It is not for me to pass judgement upon your actions, dear sister. You and I both do as we please with little regard for those we pass by along the way. I may care in the moment while my caretakers are yet in front of me, but before long I will cease. You truly cared for your moths and all the other worshippers. Being upset by the Wyrm's actions is perfectly understandable."

"Understandable, you say. But not right. The lengths to which I went, the scourge. Had I not, that vessel never would have come for me. The Hollow Knight, I could wear down over time." She sniffled. "How many times do I need to fail, how low do I need to fall before I stop destroying myself?"

"I do not know," He told her honestly.

Before them flew images of desolate caverns and a city which lay dead. Husks that once haunted this realm were no more, leaving but a handful of survivors. The void was silent, since calmed. For just a few moments they beheld a living being; a crescent-shaped mask hid her face while a red cloak covered her body.

She rested within a dank tunnel, but her head snapped up as they watched. Hornet looked straight at them and the image was cut in twain.

Grimm chuckled weakly.

"Sharp as ever, that one is."

Lumina could only agree. "The gendered child may yet return prosperity to Hallownest. I will not interfere with them anymore." She certainly did enough there.

After letting Grimm's flame warm her a little longer, she straightened up and wiped off her tears. Then Lumina stood, expression growing more determined as a plan began to form. Grimm stood, too.

"Is this it, then?" He asked of her.

She did not respond at first. A single step into the pillar she went before turning around. Streamers of gold connected to her again as she displayed a nasty grin.

"Oh no, little brother. This is the beginning."

Ordinarily, she would be too weak to leave. Yet with this surge of Essence she could reconnect to the pieces of her still on Remnant. All the memories within so many people guided her back. The Radiance yet lived, it was not over.

Soon enough the streamers disconnected from her fully corporeal self. She simply stood bereft of shadows, unaffected by the light's splendor.

"Salem puppeteers Remnant as she pleases. She acts in the shadows and hides her actions behind people," Lumina ruminated, her grin feral at this point. "Unfortunately for her, two can play that game. This is a dream shared by Remnant's dead and I am still the ruler of dreams. The curtain closes on Lumina, but the seeds of Salem's demise have since been sown."

As she spoke, Cinder's corpse stirred and rose. The body had lain dead too long to be fully functional, but she did not decompose too much just yet. It would work fine as a substitute. Lumina forced the heart to beat once more and suffused every cell with light. Outwardly, Cinder was perfectly fine. She even shared her owner's cheshire grin and began to walk.

In the Grimmlands, even though Lumina's body was completely dissolved by the void, her Essence remained. A mere trace it was, yet enough. Unbeknownst to Salem, a heartbeat echoed in the very depth of the pool she had the corpse thrown. Gleaming orange slowly spread through the unformed void.

It was the day of the summer solstice; the day a vengeful goddess had originally been reborn. Now it was also the day she set events into motion that would forever change the course of Remnant's history.

With enough power siphoned off to ensure her connection to Remnant, Lumina stepped out of the pillar. Grimm was smiling also; He inclined His head and vanished.

Lumina's gaze turned to the path she came from.

"And there is one more who will be interested in destroying Salem."

So she left her cocoon and the pillar behind, intending to find Summer Rose.

 

[Naron]

Selina dreamt of empire.

She walked roads of polished steel, treading among people who greeted her as an equal. Strangers all, yet smiles prevailed amongst their number. Human and faunus, all united. Utopia had come. Selina was content as she ascended a golden tower to look upon this beautiful city.

Then she snapped out of her trance, staring in befuddlement.

"What the fuck?" she asked the dissipating gold. Turning back, the contents of her dream swiftly faded into obscurity in the distance. Selina's gaze alternated between the endless ascent and the radiant city.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I?"

She received no response except for a soft breeze ruffling her red mane.

"Shouldn't I, like, wake up?"

All was quiet. Selina pinched her arm to no effect. Then she looked around again in an attempt to find clues. A barely tangible sensation drew her gaze back to the stairs; she wanted to ascend for reasons unknown. Something pulled her further up.

"Well, I guess?"

And so she kept walking. Whatever this was ought to have an explanation.

She took a moment to look back after scaling the infinite tower in what felt like seconds. Everything below vanished underneath a blanket of clouds. Looking forward, in front of her lay a flat roof and in its center a tear in existence. Iridescent lights played along the rims, standing out starkly against the bleached surroundings. Selina was mesmerised by the sight and could not tear her eyes away.

That was until she suddenly stood face to face with Lumina. A surprised shriek loosened from Selina and she flinched back, only to press a fist against her hip and scowl at her friend.

"Damn it, don't scare me like that!"

Her outburst took the moth by surprise and she averted her gaze.

"Ah yes," she murmured sheepishly. "My apologies. I did not mean to."

That was odd. Lumina was never this contrite. Studying her a moment longer, Selina realised that her friend's eyes were somewhat sunken. Lumina's wings lost their luster and she looked even smaller than she already was. But at the same time this was just a dream, it had to be. Except Selina's instincts said otherwise.

"This is really you, isn't it?" she asked. Lumina nodded mutely, once again worrying Selina. "How?"

Her dazzled question earned but a huff. Lumina grasped Selina's hand and led her away from the rift.

"I will spare you the details for your sanity's sake. Know that darkness lurks in Remnant's shadow and that I will destroy it before long."

That sounded more like the girl Selina knew, but she was still confused.

"I mean, sure. Grimm and stuff. But why do you come to me in my dreams? You could just drop by anytime. Actually, where were you? Ruby says you aren't back from your mission yet."

She really did not like how Lumina slumped in the face of these questions. Open displays of weakness like that were just not like her. Yet here she was, head hung. Her words were soft yet oh so damning: "I will not return, either. This is all that is left of me. I have only myself to blame for letting it come that far."

Selina's eyes narrowed at that. She really did not like the implications. "You're telling me... you're dead? Kicked the bucket? Bit the dust?"

The recital earned her a flat stare, but by now Selina knew none of this was right. She crossed her arms and scowled at the imposter. "Okay, yeah, no. Whoever you are, you aren't her. Lumina is the strongest person I know. She's not going down that easily."

Her denial clearly surprised the moth, who stared at Selina for a long moment; jaw slack, a single tear brimming in the corner of her eye. Lumina heistantly wiped it off while a smile stole its way onto her face, brighter than Selina ever saw before.

"Thank you," she said, confusing her friend mightily. "I never knew you had such faith in my abilities."

Then she sadly shook her head. "Alas, it was not my lack of power that brought me low. It was my temper. I had exhausted my aura before I knew it and was picked off."

This could not be happening. Selina refused to believe it. She pushed the surprised moth away, all but ready to throw punches for lack of a spear to shank her with.

"Stop pretending already! This is all a lie! I don't give a damn what you get out of acting as Lumina, but it stops now!"

And still the imposter wore that sad smile.

"How ironic," she mused. "The first time we met, the first thing you did was question my capabilities. Now your faith in me grew so strong you can not imagine me failing."

It did not add up and yet this was Lumina; every sense told Selina the same thing, but her heart was torn. She did not want to believe, but the thought crept into her mind anyway: what if it was true?

"No way," she rasped out, grabbing the still corporeal girl by her shoulders. "No way. There is just, there is no way it can be you. Lumina isn't dead. She can't be!"

She wanted it all to just be some sick joke, that was infinitely better than the alternative. But Lumina merely shook her head with a sigh.

"Unfortunately, I am."

A motion was made for the rift that still called to Selina. "I invaded your dreams from the final dream of Remnant, the road to reincarnation. Were you to walk through there, your soul will certainly be washed away and move on. Your memories of me were my beacon."

Selina's throat constricted as reality asserted itself. Vision grew blurry, eyes prickling under the strain of holding back tears. She wiped them away but could only stare helplessly.

"So what now? Is this goodbye then?"

And Lumina laughed.

For the first time she ever heard the tactiturn girl do so, Lumina laughed. It was not a nice sound at all; bitter, angry, and vindictive. Lithe hands closed around her shoulders.

"Selina, please! You should know me better by now."

Lumina's previous, delicate expression was wiped away in favour of a nasty grin. Her golden eyes gleamed as bright as miniature suns.

"Death is but an inconvenience to me. I have business left on Remnant, the first of which is to bring down the one responsible for my death. She will come to regret the day she made me her enemy."

The dream shook as palpable waves of wrath rolled off the moth. They passed through Selina and shook her to the core; while staring dumbly, she at least had certainty now.

"Okay. Yeah. You're Lumina alright."

Her deadpan took the air out of Lumina, who simply huffed. Her emotions settled and the dream stabilised. She left a long pause before indicating the distant, empty skies. "Anyway, this is where you come in. Lacking my own body, I am limited in my actions. But I have a plan."

"I'm in."

A beat.

Lumina was clearly taken aback. It was honestly funny to see this cocksure woman so confused. "You, erm, do not even want to know what it is?"

This time it was Selina who laughed. She sauntered forward and wrapped Lumina in a big hug. "You're my friend, girl. I trust you. Just tell me what needs doing and I'll do it."

"Even if I told you to commit crimes?"

"What's a good revenge plot without crimes?"

Miraculously, Lumina laughed again. This time it sounded far more pleasant. Selina grinned as well, even more so when her friend returned the embrace.

"Thank you," she said. "Truly. I never realised what a wonderful friend I found in you."

"Eh. Now stop being sappy and get on with it. Who got you killed anyway?"

The flippant question drew a sigh from Lumina. They separated and Selina was held at arm's length. Lumina had turned serious again.

"Her name is Salem."

As they spoke of most terrible fate, another at Beacon dreamt. Velvet often remembered flashes of lush nature, but tonight was different. Not for the pastures her mind painted but for how real they felt. Not to mention the visitor settled on a picnic blanket. That had turned her intrigue into certainty.

Lumina inclined her head to the hare faunus, breaking the silence between them: "Please have a seat. I am afraid I bring grave news."

Velvet studied the younger woman thoughtfully; she could feel the Essence coursing all around them like a river. It originated from the alluring rift behind Lumina. She wanted to investigate, but this felt more important. Seating herself gingerly, Velvet paid full attention to the moth.

"You never said you could enter other peoples' dreams from afar. Or did you break into my dorm?"

A soft chuckle preceded the response. "No," Lumina said without specifying which question she just answered. "I am visiting several people tonight. You are admittedly the one I most expect to refuse my request, seeing how little we know each other."

She was indeed wary, though she also remembered how willing Lumina was to help her before. Despite the incident with Ghost, Velvet did not think her a bad person. "I think that depends on what you need," she reasoned. "I guess it's urgent?"

"Not urgent so much as important, I would say. The fate of Remnant is on the line."

The revelation was so matter-of-fact that Velvet needed a second to truly understand what she just heard. She hissed and leaned forward, what little levity there was gone with the wind. "What do you mean? And why are you doing it like this when it's this important?"

She expected something odd, but not the melancholic smile Lumina showed her.

"Unfortunately, I died. This is the only way I can reach you."

"You what?!"

To say Velvet was shocked was an understatement. Before her sat the one person who she thought was even more powerful than the hare herself. An avatar of light, the fourteen-year-old who rampaged her way through the license exam and proceeded to protect Vale. How could she be gone?

Velvet blurted a question in that direction, prompting a grimace from Lumina. "My own arrogance, mainly," the moth admitted. "I ran afoul of the woman who engineers Remnant's strife for her own amusement."

She really did not like the way this was going; her eyes narrowed, yet she knew there was no one else on Remnant with powers like Lumina. Her curiousity burned as bright as her worry. Perhaps it was foolish to make a decision so soon, but Velvet wanted to trust.

"I'll help, but I want to know something first."

"Of course," Lumina agreed, inclining her head as she awaited the question.

"Who are you really? Or what?"

This earned her an arched brow, but Velvet was undeterred: "You know skills no one else on Remnant ever heard about. Your abilities are, honestly, absurd. What kind of power is it? Some sort of magic?"

Lumina had listened quietly to her elaboration. Now she smiled, ever so fondly in a manner more befitting a sweet grandmother. "There is no such thing as magic," she began to lecture, "not truly. Only power you do not yet understand. The ability to affect the ether, to shape the energy within your soul. To draw out your own essence and give it purpose."

She made a motion for the dreamscape surrounding them. The meadow bled away and became a mountain breaking through the clouds. At its tip rested a statue, reminiscent of a moth yet dilapidated. Worn down by age and wind. They now sat in its shadow and stared up at the starry night sky as Lumina carried on.

"But are you certain you wish to know? I will allow you to see as a courtesy, but the last time I did the boy who saw lost his mind."

That sounded overblown to her. More like an excuse than anything else. Velvet nodded.

"Yes, I want to."

She had made up her mind, unflinching even when Lumina stared into her eyes. Whatever she saw, it seemed to satisfy her; the moth nodded.

"Very well."

Then the tear still behind them opened further, accompanied by sounds akin to shattering glass and tearing cloth at the same time. A moment later Velvet fell through an endless void and toward gentle light; Lumina fluttered by her side and held her hand. The siren song tugging at her very self grew ever stronger, only to be extinguished when the light's source became clear.

Velvet's breath hitched, the young woman unable to avert her gaze from the radiant silk. It was a cocoon, easily the size of her if not bigger. The contents remained unseen beyond a number of ivory spikes, yet it radiated a pressure she felt only once before, when brushing against Lumina's mind.

"This is... you?"

She slowly tore her gaze away and turned it to the contemplating Lumina. Her erstwhile teacher nodded, one hand brushing over the silk the older girl did not dare touch.

"Yes. My true self is still gestating. I know not how long until I can hatch. This is all you will see of me, Velvet. For your own sake. I am the first ray of light that graced the universe, The Radiance."

A wave of golden light spread from the spoken words. Velvet could merely nod, too mesmerised to speak. They looked at each other, hand in hand; Velvet closed her eyes, taking deep breaths until she got a hold of herself. She had firmed up by the time they opened again.

"What do you need?" she asked.

Just as with Selina, Lumina began to answer the question. But those two were not her only targets that night. A third being at Beacon dreamt. This one, however, dreamt for the first time in her life.

Penny suddenly became aware; she stood within a sprawling city that stretched all across the horizon. Having never encountered a dream of her own before, her owlish look was soon replaced by wonder and she began to explore. Everyone greeted Penny kindly wherever she went, smiles and waves returned without hesitation. Somehow she knew they knew of her nature and accepted her anyway.

Despite the wave of content she felt along the way, this novelty soon wore off. As Penny began to wonder what happened, people no longer acknowledged her; their actions became meaningless without her attention.

About as soon as she started thinking clearly, she realised a faintly smiling Lumina settled on a waist-high wall by her side. Wings folded, illuminated by faint rays of light. She almost seemed to sparkle, though Penny was more surprised than awestruck.

"I read about this!" she chirped, happy to remember. "But why would I dream of you?"

"Because I willed it," Lumina said.

"...huh?"

The moth's smile grew a fraction and she hopped down to stand in front of Penny. A part of the sidewalk rose to elevate her, putting both girls at an even height.

"You are not a real person," she told Penny gently, whose expression fell. Hope blossomed with what followed, though: "Not yet, at least. But I am the ruler of dreams and so I gift you the ability to dream. From now and forevermore. Consider it a belated apology for the injuries I caused you."

Penny's eyes widened, then blurred as a surge of emotion ran through her. She had wondered ever since she learned of her father's actions. Wiping at her face in confusion, she felt wetness on her fingers. Moreover, all of a sudden, she felt her heart beat.

"W-What is this?"

"This is a dream," Lumina answered kindly. "You can do anything and be anything here. So for now you are human."

She swayed, caught in a maelstrom of emotion from trepidation to joy. After hugging herself, Penny leapt at Lumina and crushed her in a big hug as well. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! Is this really okay? How did you do it?"

Her exuberance did not abate at all. Penny started hopping in excitement as she babbled, carrying Lumina along. Even when she eventually let go, Penny still beamed at the smiling girl. Lumina seemed mostly amused while she indulged her questions.

"As I said, I am the ruler of dreams."

She made to say more, but stopped and glared to the side. Penny's head turned as well and she found Ghost right there in the crowd, staring at them. "And you are not...." Lumina began, only to trail off. She heaved a faint sigh. "Whatever. Make no trouble, vessel."

"I still don't understand why you hate Ghost so much," Penny admitted. It remained sad they did not get along.

Lumina scowled in turn but ultimately shook her head. "It matters little now. I have more important matters to attend than my old grudges. Tell me, Penny: were you told of the four Maidens? The four Relics? Salem?"

She could only shake her head slowly, prompting a somewhat more sinister smile from Lumina. "Because as much as I would like to give you this and be on my way," she continued, "I have more to tell you. And a request to make."

Penny was all ears.

Meanwhile, Ruby Rose dreamt of killing Beowulves under the moonlight. She grinned as the final beast died under her scythe, bullet casings lining the blanket of snow surrounding her. A crunch made her turn around to face new adversaries, only to stop dead as she beheld the spitting image of herself.

"Grimm? Why are you in my dreams again?"

Only after asking the question did she realise this was not Grimm; for one, while He looked eerily similar, He still appeared distinctly masculine. This person was softer and her face was different. Ruby knew it nonetheless, even without adding the forlorn, devastated expression into the equation.

"Wait. Mom?"

Summer Rose smiled weakly as she drank in the sight of her daughter. Ruby herself did not quite know what to say or do; it had been a while since she dreamt of her mother. Those dreams normally continued into hugging her tightly, or being the one hugged and assured all would be well.

Only this time Summer stepped closer with clear hesitance. She sped up when Ruby stayed in place, gently grasping her shoulders to look her over. Her smile was tender but tearful.

"Just look at you," she whispered. "All grown up. Strong and beautiful."

Her voice broke while Ruby stared at the irregular dream mom; she had no time to even ask what was going on, though. Summer pulled her into a bone-crushing embrace. She trembled, holding onto her daughter for dear life.

"I'm so, so sorry I missed it all. My little bud."

Ruby's arms rose slowly, almost mechanically closing around Summer's back. She was only a hair shorter than her mother. This was how it normally went, yet not even close. More than that, Ruby was almost painfully aware of her surroundings; this was not the usual, hazy dreamscape. Peering over Summer's shoulder, she spotted Grimm leaning at a nearby tree.

"What's going on?"

His eyes opened to meet her desperate gaze evenly, each a crimson blaze. "Unfortunate circumstances forced a change in paradigms," Grimm explained somberly. "Let me assure you this is no mere construct."

And then He was gone, unwilling to disturb them further. Summer chuckled weakly, her hold on Ruby loosening.

"Weird man, him. I heard he looks like my son because you helped him out."

Ruby slowly began to comprehend what was going on. Her grasp grew stronger. "M-Mom?" she could not help but ask, unable to believe it. "It's you? For real?"

"For real," Summer confirmed sadly. "It's me. And I'm so proud of you."

They finally separated to look each other over. Ruby tried to burn every detail of Summer's face into memory; they had the same silver eyes, the same hair. Summer did the same to her even as Ruby began to lose composure.

"What happened?" she asked weakly. "I don't understand, why are you here? Why like this? Where did you go?" Ruby sniffled. "Why didn't you come back?"

Seeing her daughter's eyes fill with tears, Summer pulled her into another hug.

"Hush now, it's okay. I'm here now. We have time."

Ruby cried. The old wound tore open in full, hurting more than it did in years. She was so confused in every way imaginable, happy and sad in equal measures. Old grief rose from the back of Ruby's heart to accompany the fresh feelings.

Summer held her close throughout it all. A hand softly stroked her back as she cried, a voice whispered reassurances to her. Ruby did not hear any of them and yet the burden slowly lifted. It was a long time since she shed tears like this; by the end she hung limply in her mother's arms. Summer sighed softly, cradling her head.

"Again, I am so sorry. I should have been there for you, there is no excuse."

Silence answered; Ruby was so scared that the spectre would vanish, she could not bring herself to speak at first. Her arms rose slowly, wrapping tightly around Summer to keep her there. A question burned in Ruby's mind, something she had to know.

"Tell me what happened?"

Summer stiffened noticeably. She hesitated for long moments before pulling her daughter closer. "That... is part of why I am here. I hate putting this on you right now, but you need to know: Lumina is dead."

Despite attempts to keep her close, Ruby jerked back far enough to stare at her mother askance. She could only mouth a silent 'what', which prompted a mirthless smile from Summer who went on: "That's how we met and how she opened the path to see you. She died by the hand of the same person as I. And believe you me, my little bud," she whispered as her eyes began to gleam a sickly orange, "this nightmare will end before long."

"M-Mom?"

Be it her voice or the audible fear Ruby felt at the sight, the light winked out in an instant. Summer grimaced.

"Sorry about that. I have... strong feelings on the matter. It's because of Salem that I couldn't see you grow into such a wonderful young woman. I'm going to pay her back for that, with interest."

She absently swiped a strand of hair from Ruby's face. "Lumina would have told you herself, but I asked her to let me do it. She's talking to a few others right now."

Ruby nodded slowly, even if nothing really made sense. She felt surprisingly fine despite the news her newest friend was gone, maybe because she apparently was not?

"I don't understand. What's going on?"

This earned her another of those mirthless smiles; there was a definite edge to it, though. "Salem finally made a mistake is what's going on," Summer told her. "She commands the creatures of Grimm and engineers struggle across Remnant. She wants to destroy humanity."

Here her smile turned into an actual grin despite her daughter's wide-eyed stare. "And not long ago she decided to murder Lumina for refusing to comply with her demands. I heard you two know each other, so you can guess how well she took that."

Another slow nod was all she could give in response. She saw Lumina raging before, but this? It felt far greater than what happened in Vale. Not to mention it still made no sense. "But, when?" she asked next. "How did she even find this Salem? And how is she doing this?"

Unfortunately, Summer could only shrug. "She didn't tell me when or how. I imagine she learned of Salem and went to investigate."

"...while I was busy making her weapon. Oh no, oh no, if I'd been there then she wouldn't-" "shush."

A finger landed on Ruby's lips, cutting off the spiral of guilt she was swiftly working up to. Her glittering eyes focussed back on Summer who shook her head. "You being there wouldn't have made a difference, except for producing another corpse. I'm glad she went alone, or I probably would have killed her myself. Don't blame yourself, you couldn't know."

Ruby averted her gaze, understanding but also ashamed that she let her friend go alone. That was until Summer let go of her. Ruby's head snapped back up as her mother took a little bit of distance, smiling.

"Don't worry," she soothed, "I'm not leaving just yet. And I will be back soon enough, we can talk more. But for now there are things I need to tell you." She visibly hesitated there; it felt as if she was not happy with what had to be said next: "Lumina and I, we need your help to bring down Salem."

Ruby's eyes widened at that. "Wait, really? Me?" A nod. "But why? I barely made Huntress a month ago. What about Dad or Qrow? Or, err, what of Raven? They're all way stronger than me."

Summer huffed at that. "I give you Tai and Qrow," she agreed. "But I'd rather spare them the heartache for now. They're known quantities, too. You can still fly under the radar for a bit. And from what I heard, your semblance is pretty useful for what we have in mind."

She frowned minutely before addressing Ruby's final point: "Raven herself would agree that this is not for her. She is too likely to break away partway through."

"She never struck me that way. She's always so confident about everything."

"You met her?" Summer asked back, receiving a nod. "She never came back for Yang, did she?"

"Wha-, how did you know?"

Ruby earned a melancholic smile for her surprise. Summer shook her head. "Because I know my partner. Raven is my best friend, little bud. I'm probably still the only one she has ever opened up to."

Seeing her daughter's expression gave Summer pause. "You're going to bring this up with her, won't you?" she guessed. The younger woman nodded, prompting a sigh from the older one.

Silence descended for long seconds during which Summer visibly fought with herself. In the end she leaned closer. "I promised her and myself I would take it to the grave with me." she began. "And I did. If you really want to help her, and help her help herself, you need to know this: Raven is a coward, deep down."

"...wait, what?"

Ruby had trouble believing what she just heard. For a moment she even suspected a prank of some sort. But Summer gave no such indication; if anything, she seemed even more melancholic now.

"Surprising, no? But this is how it is. Fear motivates her every move. She's afraid of being taken advantage of, so she accumulated as much personal power as she could. She shuns people for fear of rejection. She fears even her own daughter as well as the prospect of failing in raising her. That's why she left and cried herself to sleep for a year. It's a dichotomy you must never, ever reveal to anyone. Raven gets attached so easily, but she fears even these attachments of hers. Everything else is a mask she carries to hide the fear."

She stood there dumbfounded, listening to her mother speak. Of all the things Ruby thought might go through Raven's head, this was absolutely not among them. At all. But if it was true, then maybe she could help?

"Maybe she just needs a push?"

"That's what I thought when I encouraged her to accept Tai's proposal," Summer answered sadly. "We both know how that ended. Mind, I decked her after she left, but I should have seen it coming. If you really want to include her in this, be mindful of her. Raven cares about everyone she gets to know the slightest bit. She will never say it. But despite that, cowardice is her driving force."

After allowing herself another sigh, Summer's smile returned ever so faintly. "Now with that out of the way, let's get to it. What's your favourite fairy tale?"

 

[DrCuttlesPHD]

Great chapter, loved the bit where Ghost just decided to tag along with Penny.

 

[jayofgrey]

Oh, I absolutely love where this is going! Also this here is yet another reminder that spite is indeed the greatest motivational force XD
And that portrayal of Raven is very surprising, but fits waaaay too well.
Very, very eager for what comes next.

 

[Naron]

That fateful morning, four young women woke at exactly the same time. The youngest of them sat in bed with a gasp, her vision blurry and eyes wetted by tears.

Ruby leapt up without regard for her blanket, turning to rose petals to escape when it began to entangle her. She rushed down to the living room where she found a scene odd enough to give her pause: a particular raven was perched on the windowsill, exchanging glares with Qrow who sat on the couch.

Ruby took a moment to watch their silent staring contest, absently rubbing her face. Then she darted forward and grabbed the squawking bird.

"Get over here, we need to talk! Good thing you're here!"

"The hell's going on with you?" Qrow hissed, mostly out of surprise. He threw a quick glance at his Scroll. "It's six in the morning."

"Yep, and we still need to talk."

By this point a disgruntled Raven came to stand next to her brother after fleeing Ruby's grasp. She crossed her arms, but for the first time her glower did not affect her niece. Ruby truly hoped her mother's revelation was correct, so far Raven gave no indication whatsoever. She simply challenged her as usual.

"What is this then?"

Ruby hesitated as she glanced between her uncle and aunt. Then the certainty in what she saw and heard that night made her speak a single, oh so telling word: "Salem."

By the way Qrow flinched and Raven grew tense, she already knew. Yet Ruby wanted to hear it from them.

"It's true then? She exists?"

"I have no idea what-" "Yes."

Qrow's attempt to lie fell flat; any other day Ruby may be a little hurt. Today she understood just fine why he would, as well as why he glared at Raven. The older twin's attention was focussed solely on Ruby, expression dead serious. "Salem is very real. How did you learn about her?"

"Mom told me last night."

The atmosphere shifted immediately. Ruby did not mean to, but both of them stared at her in utter confusion. Raven was outright slack-jawed, which actually chased away Ruby's dour mood. She could not help but smirk.

"Surprising, huh?"

Neither one commented on her quip. Qrow remained befuddled, voice quiet: "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Summer is, she's dead."

"Yup." Ruby nodded for emphasis. "So is Lumina. From what Mom said, they met up wherever dead people go and made some kind of deal."

"Wait, what? Hold on, stop. What's this with Lumina now?"

Although Qrow was insistent, they had to go on a tangent to explain who the moth girl was to Raven; her brow furrowed during her brother's short recounting and remained so after Ruby took over. The younger woman finished off leading back to Qrow's question: "Anyway, uh, I haven't seen her yet, but she was killed by Salem, too. Same as Mom."

While Qrow's expression hardened, it was Raven's reaction that surprised Ruby; her aunt's face lost all colour and she began to shake minutely. However, all traces of fear or nervousness vanished in an instant when she realised Ruby was looking at her.

She immediately spoke up, calm as always: "And how do you know this was actually Summer? I give you that something happened, considering you learned of Salem in your dreams. But it could well have been an imposter."

"Yeah, what she said."

Be it the situation or the fact he just agreed with his sister, Qrow drew a familiar flask and took a swig. Then he offered it to Raven, who had some of the alcohol as well before handing it back. Qrow pocketed it with a sigh. "I'm not saying it wasn't Summer, but was there anything to make certain? And, uh, you're taking this pretty well."

He had a point. Now that Ruby was over the initial shock and had a good cry overnight, she was nowhere near as depressed as she thought she might be. Still, she could only shrug.

"I'm a big girl."

This immediately earned her a snort from her uncle, which she answered with a glower that did not phase him at all. "Besides, Lumina is a magic alien like Grimm. She's not really dead if she can just come back in my dreams, now is she?"

"...that's fair."

"Good. As for proof, I know it was Mom. But she also said to tell you, uh, 'fuck you and get laid, Qrow'."

Ruby felt weird even just quoting someone else like this. At the same time Qrow gaped at the words that just came out of his soft-spoken niece's mouth. It was still embarassing but at least slightly funny, too. Raven seemed to agree if her faint chuckle was any indication. She answered her, too: "While that does sound like Summer, it is not conclusive proof."

Ruby debated with herself for a long moment, then averted her gaze. Summer's warning still rang clear in her mind; she would not let Raven know just yet, if ever. "Nothing else," she lied. "Please trust me on this."

Silence followed as brother and sister mulled over what she told them, with especially Raven watching Ruby carefully. Her niece did not dare meet her gaze, but she thankfully relented after some time.

"Very well," she allowed. "Let's hear what Summer needs you for from beyond the grave."

Ruby sighed in relief and looked at them again with gleaming eyes; literally gleaming silver, in this case. Both were taken aback and listened with rapt attention: "Mom and Lumina are taking Salem down, once and for all. But they're trapped on the other side, so they need help here. Lumina talked to a few other people I'm supposed to meet the day after tomorrow. I don't know who they are yet." She could guess Selina would be one of them, but not who the rest may be.

"And how are you going about it?" Qrow asked back with interest and worry in equal measure. "Ozpin's been fighting with her for who knows how long and she's still around."

To that, Ruby could only offer a mischievous grin. "I dunno, Mom didn't say. But it's Mom and Lumina."

Her simple rebuttal earned a huff from Qrow and an arched brow from Raven. Ruby elaborated without further prompting: "I trust them to have something. Mom told me about the four Maidens and Relics, too. She said those will be important, but we'll only learn what they actually need when we're meeting up. Safety reasons and all that, in case someone bows out."

She was completely unrepetentant even in the face of their incredulity. Ruby simply shrugged again, still grinning. "I guess I'm not making a good case, but I don't care. I just want you to know 'cause I'm going."

Her uncle groaned in response, hand halfway toward pulling out the flask again without even realising. "This is so flimsy. You know you could be walking into a trap, right?"

"But why make a trap like this if she can just bomb our house while I sleep?"

"...fair."

"No," Raven denied. She stared at Ruby with narrowed eyes now. "It fits Salem perfectly to push others forward to do her dirty work. You will be asked to do something dangerous, potentially illegal. Once it destabilises the area, your involvement will be revealed. You will be put in disgrace and face the blame while her plans come to fruition. That is how Salem works."

Qrow nodded along with his sister while Ruby frowned. She thought over the argument, but could not really find fault with it. Moreover, her aunt looked like she would actually physically stop her from going. The difficulty of that aside, she really did not want it to become a big fight. Meaning, Ruby had to convince Raven. The realisation drew a sigh out of her.

"Mom also told me one other thing."

"Oh? And you bring this up now, why?"

"Because if it's true, it must have been her. She said she took that secret to the grave."

Ruby almost averted her gaze, but forced herself not to. She saw how Raven made to speak, only to stop and blanch. She grew chalk white, wide eyes seeking Ruby's.

Qrow remained unaware, too focussed on his niece to notice. "And how'd we know to confirm this if only Summer knew?"

She did not say anything. All Ruby did was meet Raven's gaze, trying to convey without words that yes, she knew. She attempted her most gentle smile, yet her aunt still flinched back. Even still, Raven forced herself calm just as Qrow turned to look her way. In fact, she scowled up a storm.

"It's Summer alright. If she visits again, tell her I'm waiting to give her a piece of my mind."

The younger twin was starting to get confused and clearly not happy about it. "Okay," he drawled, "what's all this about?"

When neither of the two women gave him any sort of response, he threw up his hands with an explosive "Whatever" and walked away in search of coffee.

They watched him leave. Only when his deceptively soft steps were firmly away did Ruby approach Raven. The older woman watched steadfastly, but began to retreat when the younger one entered her personal space. Ruby shed her remaining fear and lunged, wrapping her arms around Raven's waist. She could not help but compare the experience to hugging Yang even as her aunt stiffened in her arms.

"Don't worry, I won't tell a soul. I think you're more brave than you know."

She could not see from up close how Raven's jaw worked soundlessly. Her aunt made to speak several times but remained unsuccessful. Her erratic heartbeat was ever so faintly audible from where Ruby was.

In the end she pushed Ruby away, revealing her pained, vulnerable expression. Raven stepped back into a portal and vanished without a word.

Ruby sighed. "I guess I should have seen that coming," she muttered to herself, then followed Qrow for breakfast.

Also at breakfast but with less arguments, Headmaster Ozpin started his day with a nice cup of coffee. Though he rarely had time to eat in the cafeteria, today was such a day; there was just something different about a communal meal with the faculty as well as their students nearby. The air was filled with chatter and excitement, but also glum despair. A typical Friday morning at Beacon.

Not completely atypical but still noticeable was the one particular student approaching the teacher's table. Her red mane swayed with every measured step, sometimes hiding the canine ears she so proudly wore. Selina Uaine came straight at him with a grin and a little wave.

"Heya, Headmaster. Do you have a minute?"

"Of course, Ms. Uaine. Please have a seat."

As she took the empty chair opposite to him, the old wizard could not help but appreciate her dauntless spirit. Though surrounded by the people who could and would determine the direction of her life, Selina was not cowed in the slightest. She fit right in with contemptuous ease as if she were one of them. Nonetheless, the younger woman also had bags under her eyes; she sat hunched forward, effectively unnoticeable to any without his keen eye for body language.

"Rough night?" he could not help but tease. "Or perhaps you were following more... amorous pursuits?"

It was always curious to see various youths react to a little needling. Some would flush and avert their gaze, be it in embarassment or guilt. Others sputtered, some simply said nothing. Personally, Ozpin preferred the straight-laced sort like Selina; she simply snorted and shook her head.

"Nah, not when I've got classes the next day. Why, you interested, sir?"

He chuckled while she batted her eyelashes at him, in front of the entire faculty no less. Glynda's brow twitched in annoyance, though the rest seemed more amused than scandalised. The headmaster genially shook his head. "Not quite. You are a lovely young woman, but this is not just highly inappropriate. You are also not my type."

"Oh? Our headmaster has a type?"

Ozpin sipped his coffee, well aware of the grin given to him. None of the sudden heartache made its way onto his expression or his tells; it had been so long, yet the mere reminder still hurt. A flash of golden locks and a gentle smile were all the memories he allowed himself.

"As most people do. Perhaps I will tell you in a decade or two."

"I'll hold you to that, sir."

Several other teachers chuckled over their banter; Glynda simply shook her head and returned to her own breakfast. Ozpin allowed himself another sip of coffee before cutting it off.

"Now what business did you have this early in the morning?"

That was when something curious happened: Selina grew hesitant.

"Err, that's the thing," she began slowly. "I kinda need to talk to you later, just wanted to let ya know so I don't just barge in." She glanced to the faculty and students around them. Ozpin's brow rose as he caught her drift even before she voiced it out loud: "Shouldn't talk about it here."

"My," Peter interjected with a jovial grin, mostly hidden by his mustache. "Considering how this conversation went, perhaps someone should chaperone the young lady."

The portly professor's quip drew several snorts and grins from around the table, including Selina herself. At the same time, Glynda remained untouched by the attempt at levity.

"Oh, not to worry," she promised no one particular. "I will."

And again Selina proved her courage, or perhaps a stunted sense of danger, by fluttering her lashes at the stern deputy. "Oh my, Professor. You do know how like two thirds of the students want to be, heh, disciplined by you, right? Someone might just attack me to take my place."

The older woman smiled mirthlessly in response. "Of course I do. The walls have ears here at Beacon. Unfortunately for your fellow students, the only discipline they receive from me are detention and extra work."

A muttered "Unfortunate indeed" from the other direction had her glare that way, but beside puerile giggling there was no one claiming responsibility. Glynda shook her head and told Selina to see her after class. While the student agreed without hesitation and left them to their breakfast, Ozpin made a mental note to clear his schedule.

Much to his surprise, Velvet Scarlatina accosted him on the way back to his office. Much like her junior, the hare faunus also requested a conversation. And then an hour after classes started, he received a message from Penny Polendina asking the same. Suffice it to say, the headmaster was confused by this point. Students rarely approached him directly, be it either out of respect or them being intimidated. They mostly went to the teachers if they had troubles.

For one moment he wondered if he actually had to turn down the sort of approaches he and Selina joked about earlier. It would not be the first time, but it never ceased to be unpleasant.

Regardless, he answered Penny to see Glynda after classes, much the same as Velvet was told before. The time until Selina's appointment was spent staying ahead of paperwork.

When the young woman did enter with the deputy in tow, she was the slightest bit nervous. Greetings were exchanged and he bid her to sit, where she kept playing with her fingers. It took a few seconds for her to speak up.

"Well, there's no easy way to say this. So, err, Salem?"

Ozpin froze. He barely managed to smooth over his expression before Selina's gaze rose to meet his. Glynda covered for him, fully composed: "What is that name supposed to tell us?"

"Yeah, no need to try hiding it, ma'am. I heard that Salem exists and I know at least he knows."

A nod went Ozpin's direction, who sat there with steepled fingers. This was not what he expected to deal with today. "Now where would you have learned something like that?" he inquired, genuinely curious. He could not think of any nearby sources willing to divulge information to random students.

Selina squirmed a little, but answered honestly: "Well, this is gonna sound weird, but Lumina told me last night. In my dreams."

As she likely expected, Glynda scoffed. Ozpin himself simply nodded, though. "Understandable," he commented. "Please continue."

Saying so, he had to hide a minute smirk behind his folded hands because both women stared at him flabbergasted. Selina blinked a few times before getting a hold of herself.

"Ooookay. So here's the thing: Lumina is dead, she said so herself. Salem killed her."

His amusement died a swift and horrible death. Glynda was dumbstruck just like him, he did not need to look at her to know. Selina saw their reactions and raised her shoulders into a helpless shrug. "So yeah. We have a bit of a problem. And she's pissed."

The implications would be nonsensical at any other time, but it made perfect sense that a nascent goddess could still reach for Remnant even from beyond. At the same time, he could not help but worry a great deal about the near future now. Leaning forward, the headmaster pinned Selina with a look.

"From the beginning, please. Do not leave anything out."

So Selina explained her dream of Lumina; of how they spoke mainly about Salem and her designs for Remnant. Her usual course of action and the fact Lumina apparently sought her for an audience. Knowing the young ancient's pride, Ozpin could see how easy a mistake it was to make. Selina did not say as much, more focussed on what had to be done than what went wrong.

"I didn't ask too much beside that. She's getting a group together and we'll get the actual task together. Which is kinda what I'm here about. I want to help her, but our break is still some time off and stuff. Anything you can do?"

Ozpin rubbed his temples in thought. He certainly did not expect this, but it was cause for great concern. Anyone not in the know or unaware of Lumina's secret may treat this as a particularly creative attempt to skip on classwork. He knew better.

"I will need to consider what actions can be taken," he finally settled on, offering a faint smile. "Thank you for your honesty, Ms. Uaine. Unfortunately, other students also made appointments with me for today. I hope you understand if we cut it short here."

"Sure. I need to think anyway."

"If there is anything else?" he asked just in case, but she shook her head. "Very well. A good day to you then."

The dismissal clear, he watched her rise and approach the elevator. Just then however, he remembered something else in regard to Selina.

"Oh, and Ms. Uaine?" His voice stopped the young woman right at the door. When she turned back, Ozpin favoured her with a smile. "Your request was approved. Starting second year, you will take additional tutoring with Glynda to obtain your teaching license."

Selina's bright grin almost split her face. "Sweet!" she cheered. "Thanks! Bye!"

And with that she jumped into the elevator. Ozpin allowed himself a smile and even caught his deputy doing the same. The enthusiasm of youth lifted his spirits some, reminded him why he had always stood back up no matter the severity of the setbacks.

After a few minutes of recapitulating what they heard, Glynda went to fetch Velvet. Unfortunately, their joined mirth faded fast as the previous conversation repeated, albeit more skittish. Though only Velvet was stumped this time when he accepted the dream explanation without missing a beat. Ozpin also learned that Lumina knew of the Maidens and Relics.

By the time Velvet left, pattern recognition gave him a decent idea what the third meeting of the day would be about. And he was right as Penny arrived with the same story as the others. Though she denied knowing who else was involved; with the absence of her usual tells and the fact she was an awful liar, Ozpin took her word for it.

As the conversation went much the same way, he decided to cut it short halfway through.

"Ms. Polendina."

Penny stiffened at his tone, polite if with a certain edge. Ozpin was not angry, but he felt being firm was the best option here. "If I may ask: why is it that you would assist a person you barely know, who approaches you in such a manner? Not to mention that Lumina was always at odds with your silent companion."

The gynoid wilted away, hesitation written all over her features. She squirmed under his scrutiny until finally giving in.

"Professor, you, you know what I am, right?"

Ozpin nodded. "I reckon your secret has since made the rounds. Rumours are bountiful as to your nature, ever since the day of the dragon. Though the dragon itself took most attention off of you."

His analysis made Penny's face fall; the headmaster's heart went out for her, so he added a little more to ease her mind: "But yes, James informed me prior to your enrollment. You are Remnant's first synthetic soul."

Even as he said it, he understood it was not quite the right thing to say to improve her mood. The last words made Penny's expression darken.

"I'm not," she denied.

"Pardon?" He was truly befuddled by this response. "As far as I was aware, you can project an aura. Which means you do have a soul."

Penny shook her head almost vehemently. "I have a soul, sir. But it's not mine. My father gave me a piece of his. He gave me the ability to think when General Ironwood only wanted a weapon to point at the Grimm. I'm not a person, I am just good at pretending to be one."

She was so certain that neither professor even thought to doubt her. Glynda took a sharp breath and even Ozpin was surprised. He unconciously made to sip from his coffee again, only to realise the mug was empty. Placing it down with a suppressed sigh, Ozpin began to encourage the girl. He at least knew how to start.

"I disagree."

The surprised look this earned him made the headmaster smile. "The anguish you feel over this distinction clearly means you can feel on your own. It does not matter where your soul originally came from, it is yours now."

Yet Penny remained sceptical even with his reassurances. Ozpin decided to let the matter rest. "So how does any of this relate to your willingness to help her?"

A pause followed as Penny morosely stared at the tabletop. Then she told them ever so softly: "She gave me dreams."

Both teachers waited patiently for Penny to elaborate while she gnawed on her lip.

"Just like that, because she could. I never had a dream before but she gave it to me. She helps me actually become a person. That is reason enough to help her."

"I see."

He heard enough to know that if this was a nefarious plot, it was well disguised. Thus he dropped the matter there and asked a few more factual questions of Penny's conversation with Lumina. In the end he saw the young woman off with a faint smile. "I will take your desires into consideration. You are free to attend that initial meeting in Forever Fall, but please be careful."

"Of course, Professor."

The first time with Selina had been a coincidence. This time he purposefully waited until she stood in front of the elevator.

"And Ms. Polendina?"

It took only that much for her to turn back.

"I wish you the best. In time you will understand what it means to be human."

Her expression brightened and she nodded enthusiastically. Once the door closed behind her however, Glynda spoke up for the first time in a while: "That was a cruel hope to give her."

Ozpin could not help but chuckle at that. "What hope? She is already human, if only in mind. All she needs is to understand that, I just gave her a little push."

He met her gaze to convey his certainty, earning a muttered comment about growing soft. Ozpin's smile grew more impish at that as he let it slide. "Now I want you to make preparations for an additional phase of assignments. First and second years specifically. The dragon's attack has shown they do need some more practice, no?"

Glynda rolled her eyes in response, but did not refute the point.

The headmaster himself wandered away in search of coffee before he went to work on the matter, though he still worried deep down; it was too early for these bright lights to face Salem. But if there was a chance? Lumina may just be able to do what he could not, so he would tentatively extend his trust.

 

[Naron]

As if to encourage their decision, the sun shone brightly on the day three teams of students headed out from Vale. Neither knew of the others yet their destination was the same: the forest of Forever Fall, year-long cloaked in blood red leaves and grass.

Weiss grumbled the entire way, of course; Penny learned by now that her friend just liked to complain. Everyone agreed to help when she explained after all. Then again, they only fully relented when she made it clear she would go no matter what they say. But they all came.

Yang remained thoughtful while their leader complained; her mood drew Blake's curiousity as much as the situation itself and it was the faunus woman who ultimately broke the silence: "Okay, I'll bite. Why are you going along with this?"

Yang frowned at that and made a vague motion. "It's just, it fits, you know? My... my mother, she said something similar. And that I'll probably find out soon. I don't really believe it, but it fits. And I don't want it to fit."

"I guess that makes sense. The least we have to do is make certain this isn't true."

"Except the headmaster gave his blessing to this madness," Weiss interjected somewhat bitterly. "So he does seem to believe it true."

Ignoring them, Penny waved ahead. "It's not far anymore!" she called and pointed. "This way!"

Glancing back to her team, the other women once again were confronted with a big grin and normally green eyes gleaming orange. Yang shuddered faintly and pointed at the gynoid.

"Besides, that's kind of a thing too. Are you sure your eyes are okay?"

"Absolutely! Lumina is guiding me at the moment, but the physical alteration will fade once she retreats."

Her reassurance did not quite achieve the intended effect, though she did not seem to mind.

"And you are certain it was a good idea to leave Ghost behind?" Weiss asked again. "His prowess would be helpful if this turns out to be a trap."

Blake fielded the question this time, having had time to think it over: "On the other hand, Lumina hates Ghost for some reason. It makes sense if she's involved."

"A fair point."

"I still don't get how that works, anyway," Yang added with a look to Penny, who beamed back from where she led them. The gynoid shrugged.

"Oh, I have no idea, either. Lumina just does as she pleases! Death does not stop her."

Yang nodded, though her expression turned thoughtful for some reason. Then it transitioned into a wry grin. "So all in all, she caught a decease?"

The reaction was immediate: Blake and Ruby groaned in response, Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose in a bid for composure. Yang snorted at her own joke.

"Hah, gottem."

"No, friend Yang. Lumina is dead, physically."

The blonde grimaced as her remaining teammates and sister were vindicated. No one quite dwelled on it as Blake carried on the more serious conversation: "But really, this is like out of a story. People die when they're killed, you can't just decide not to."

"She didn't," Ruby explained from the side.

"Yes, and that's what I don't... hold on. Where did you come from?"

Only now did the others realise someone who should not be there suddenly tagged along. Ruby cheerfully grinned at the cat faunus. "I was walking with you for a minute or two. And Yang, shame on you."

Even though her lips twitched, Yang was too busy staring at her sister in confusion to tease. "What are you doing here?"

Ruby shrugged at that, completely unrepentant. "Stuff is happening and I'm helping out. Same thing as you. Hey, Weiss! Hey Blake! Hey, Penny!"

She waved cheerfully, which Penny returned with great enthusiasm. It was magnificent to have another friend around. Weiss just nodded and Blake huffed, though she seemed more amused than anything else.

Yang for her part kept up the unimpressed act. "I'm surprised Dad let you come."

"I mean, technically I'm an adult since I have my license. So he couldn't tell me no even if he wanted to. But I'm pretty safe."

"I gathered as much from your performance at Beacon," Weiss noted curtly, only to be confused when Ruby shook her head.

"Nah, not that. I've got backup."

That was when a red-eyed raven landed on her shoulder as if to emphasize the point. A slightly smaller but equally impressive crow followed right after. The pair barely fit onto the diminutive young woman, though Ruby did not even seem to notice their added weight. Both birds were at ease even as they sized up the quartet of students staring at them.

"Wow," Penny gushed, "you are a bird tamer! How do I learn this skill?"

"I'm afraid you have to defeat me and steal my power for that!"

"Oh no! But I do not stand a chance!"

While Yang snickered over the banter, Weiss merely rolled her eyes. "Can you stop with the act?" she groused. "Where do we need to go next?"

"And how will two birds be any help in a fight?" Blake added.

Ruby just grinned. "Hehe, you'll see," she chirped before taking over the lead from Penny. "Just through that brush and we're there."

The younger woman dispersed into petals and bypassed the obstacle while everyone else jumped over it. They came to stand in a small clearing where a large rock reached out of the ground. Its base parted a brook in two.

The birds flew away while Ruby and Penny enjoyed the view. The other three took a quick break for water and snacks. In the meantime, they studied the apparent meeting place.

"I guess we're the first to arrive," Blake mused.

Weiss nodded. "It seems so. Shall we study the area to ensure this is not some form of trap?"

"Honestly, I don't think it is one," Yang commented. The curious looks she received were answered with a shrug. "Ruby wouldn't be here if it were, right? Like, even if someone managed to hack Penny and do something weird, you can't hack a human."

Something about her idle comment gave Weiss pause. Her brow furrowed, then she glanced back to Yang. "Actually, I would argue that point. If this is not targeted against Penny for being a gynoid, then someone has done something akin to hacking a human mind."

Her musings made the other two freeze up for a moment; they exchanged bewildered looks while Weiss nibbled on her lip. "Which presents several worrying problems, should it indeed be true."

They were distracted by laughter. Three heads turned to find that Penny and Ruby began to climb the rock in a race to the top. Yang could not help but smile at the sight, far more tenderly than her usual, boisterous self would. Then she noticed her friends' knowing grins, coughed, and got to her feet.

"Anyway, let's take a look around."

Weiss and Blake let themselves be distracted and joined Yang's endeavour without comment.

Team CFVY broke through the foliage about five minutes later. All attention lay on Velvet, who nodded back with her eyes in their regular hazel; they never changed colour like Penny's. "This is where the trail leads," the hare faunus confirmed.

Squinting again, she then looked up where Ruby waved from atop the rock. Penny was settled by her side, completely enamoured with a butterfly that settled on her nose. Her companion's shout startled the fragile insect, though.

"Heyyyy! Took you long enough!"

"Huh. Guess she beat us here," Coco quipped, staring up almost blankly, as if she could not comprehend being beaten to the goal.

Fox rolled his eyes. He stood about her own size, though his skin was dark and he managed to blend in better with the forest anyway due to his crimson vest. "I told you we should go earlier," he said. "But no, you need to put on make-up for a trek through the forest."

Coco tossed her short hair at that. "A woman always needs to look her best. It's not like you would understand."

Silence greeted her dismissal. Fox wordlessly pointed at his own, milky white eyes.

Coco waved him off with a huff. "You don't count. And don't say I don't smell good."

Next Fox pointed to Velvet, whom they all knew spent only as much time in the bathroom as it took to wrangle her hair into order. This time Coco pouted. Her partner was since done waving back at Ruby and turned back to her team with a sigh. "If you want to be a sexbomb, sure. I don't really care about being half the school's fap material."

"Pah, as if. It's at least two thirds!"

"I doubt that," Yatsuhashi quipped with a nod toward the group of three juniors approaching from where they made camp. Coco batted his side, unable to reach the height of his shoulder without stretching.

"It's not my fault there's so many hotties in first year, now stuff it."

Some snickers followed, but the team dropped their banter as the others came into hearing distance. Velvet's confidence dropped a notch as greetings were exchanged.

Just then however, the crow cawed and Selina's team burst through the underbrush some ways away.

"Ah, finally!" the wolf called with a wave. "Hey there, everyone! Hope we aren't late!"

"Oh come on, there's no way we'd be last!" Nora retorted cheerfully. She glanced around for more people to arrive, but no one else appeared.

Ren remained unaffected by her mood. "So far it does seem that way," he quipped. Her pout had no effect either and he rather went to say hello to the others.

"I wonder how many people are supposed to gather here?" Pyrrha mused after offering her own greetings.

"Good question," Selina answered. "Any guesses?"

Curious looks were sent to the other teams, but most of their members could merely shrug. Velvet seemed lost in thought, though she happily bumped fists with Ruby when the younger woman appeared next to them. Penny jumped to ground level as well and left craters around her feet.

Looking between the lot, Yang snorted softly. "Looks like all the awkward excuses earlier were for the same thing," she quipped with renewed cheer.

"Looks like it," Selina agreed jovially.

"Quite," an unknown voice noted.

Everyone halted. Heads turned back up to find a newcomer atop the boulder Penny and Ruby just vacated. Slender arms folded behind her back and clad in a partly ragged dress, messy black hair ran down her shoulders. Yet despite her haggard appearance, her posture was straight and firm. She stared down the entire groop without a care for the birds observing her.

Penny was first to speak up, voice raised to carry: "Sa-lu-tations, stranger! What brings you to these parts?"

The answer was rather obvious to all of them. An awkward silence hung over the group momentarily, dispersed only when Velvet gasped.

"She's chock full with Essence! It's like... Lumina?"

The hare's hesitant question prompted a grin. Cinder shook her head, though. "Not Lumina, at least not quite. You hear my words through her voice, no more and no less. Do not pay any mind to who she may be, it is ultimately irrelevant."

"Is she alright?" Blake asked next. She had spotted patches of discoloured or peeling skin. "She doesn't look so good."

The question was never answered. Cinder used the pause to turn into light and reappear before them. The display of Lumina's Semblance was enough to quiet all doubt of her identity. Ruby fidgeted a little awkwardly, trying to convince herself this was really her friend speaking and not a stranger despite what her eyes claimed.

"Okay," Ruby started, "so, er, Lumina. I've got a question, if that's okay?"

"Go ahead."

"What happened? I mean in detail, Mom already gave me the summary."

"Wait, what?"

Yang's surprised shout startled the rest, though she received no answer. At the same time the crow returned to Ruby's shoulder and glared at Cinder; she studied the bird with faint curiousity.

"Qrow Branwen, I see. And your sister Raven is in attendance also. Cease this charade, I did not call for you. And neither did Summer. Meaning, Ruby did."

A moment of confusion transitioned into surprise when the bird changed shape; Qrow interposed himself between Cinder and his niece. Raven took human shape behind Cinder, cutting off her retreat. The threatening motion did not even yield a glance back. Cinder remained placid, one brow furrowed.

"Consider, carefully, what you are about to do," she cautioned the twin at her back.

Contrary to what may be expected, Raven did not attack. Remaining alert, her free hand felt into a pocket and produced a slightly worn journal. "I have a question for you, 'Lumina', she drawled, uncaring for her niece's reassurances. "What is your aim and who are you?"

This did manage to befuddle Cinder. She glanced over her shoulder, halfway turning toward Raven now.

"I am a being known as Lumina to everyone present," she began. "I am more than that, but your feeble mind could not grasp the truth. You should not seek more than that."

Everyone watched Raven try and fail to stare down Lumina. Once it became clear her effort was futile, she took a deep breath and played her hand: "You were born in Mistral. Your aura was active the moment you took your first breath."

And just like that she had 'Cinder's' full attention, who turned fully now. Raven's eyes narrowed. "Your parents were, apparently, both humans. Despite that you grew the wings of a moth."

"Wait," Blake piped up despite her still present fear of the elder Branwen. "That can't be right. Two humans can't make a faunus."

Cinder nodded slowly. "And yet there I was. You are surprisingly well informed for a bandit queen. Is there something in particular you want?"

"Yes, and I already told you what it is. This journal here," she continued while presenting it for all to see, "one of mine found it in what was left of Shiroyuri."

She seemed almost victorious when Cinder tensed; Ren and Nora did the same for some reason, though only Selina noticed. Raven paid them no mind, her focus on Lumina as she explained: "What struck me as odd is that the village was not destroyed by Grimm. I remember that day well. Every single villager had a hole through their head, far too clean to have been by chance. And here is this journal telling of someone with exactly that ability and accuracy. Someone not among the dead."

The students listened with bated breath while Cinder stood frozen. They could all tell this was no mere fabrication. Raven took a single, threatening step. "Now let us try again: what are you planning?"

In that moment Velvet reached out with her Semblance. She just had to know if this was really true. Yet when her mind touched that of Lumina, it overflowed and caught hold of everyone. The forest faded away as over a dozen people fell through the ground, into an endless chasm of blackened silver. Some surprised shouts followed.

"Where are we going?!" Yang demanded. "What's happening?!"

"I don't know!" Coco shouted back, only for Fox's shrill call to drown her out.

"Why can I see?"

His entire team tried to snap his way in surprise, a threefold "What?!" the only response they could think to give. More hurried chatter followed, but no one understood anything before they began to slow. Of the lot, only Ruby and the twins remained calm. They were the first to touch down on an altar of silver; soon all of them stood under an empty sky, barely bright enough to spend light.

Lumina sat on a platform floating above the ground. She peered down at the lot of them like a queen, regal in form despite her humble dress. Even Raven she scowled into complianace, to the point Ruby almost reached out to reassure her aunt.

"You want to know what my plan is?" Lumina growled at Raven. "That is very simple: I will kill Salem so thoroughly that not even divine intervention brings her back. It is all I want."

The silence left by her declaration almost rung in their ears. Nobody doubted her sincerity for even a moment. Yet when Selina spoke up, she was hesitant. Worried, almost fearful: "What she said earlier, these people. Did you really do it?"

She did not shy away under Lumina's contemplative look. The moth held her silence for a time, long enough that everyone knew the answer even before she said it: "Yes."

"But why?" Ruby asked, filled with the same need to know.

To that, Lumina huffed. "I could find a myriad of excuses. They never cared about me, barely tolerated me at the best of times. That I had to defend myself. None of it is true. I was simply a fool, too absorbed in my own plight to keep my temper in check."

She slowly shook her head, straightening up where she slumped before. "It will not happen again."

"Yeah, about that," Qrow interjected warily. "Is there any proof you can give us for that?"

"I did not even want you or your sister for this," Lumina groused back with a renewed frown. "And for a reason. Salem already knows about you."

She was clearly about to keep going, but paused and shook her head. "But if you made it this far already? Whatever. No, I have no proof. I have nothing more to give than my word."

The group as a whole was stumped by the turn this conversation took. Wary, worried looks were exchanged.

Then Penny stepped forward, wearing her usual smile. "I believe you," she said. No more was needed. Lumina returned the smile just as Selina stepped forward, too. The respective teams followed, except Blake who remained wary. Velvet hesitated, as did Ruby.

Lumina peered down at them in particular. "You were always free to refuse," she reminded them. "I called upon people I trust and they in turn brought the rest of you."

Coco cocked her hips, unimpressed. "You barely even talked to Velvet and now you talk about trust?"

"I trust her to do the right thing, even if it puts her at odds with me later."

That brought the brunette up short. While Coco still scrambled for a retort to such a factual if rattling statement, Ruby spoke up hesitantly. "Er, could you, I mean, is, is Mom here?"

Lumina shook her head. "No. This is my personal Dream. Summer remains in the lands between, where I can not take you. It was draining enough to send her to you even when Grimm aided with that."

"Oh."

While Ruby was stumped, Qrow remained about as unimpressed as his sister. "Yeah, that kinda sounds like an excuse."

Lumina heaved a sigh at that. She hopped down her perch, gliding to stand before him. Although the young woman was almost comically small when stood before Qrow, she was clearly not intimidated at all.

"That is your problem, not mine," she told him straight-up, earning a confused blink. "I have neither asked for nor required your cooperation. The same goes for you, Raven," she added. The woman in question scowled, but Lumina did not let that bother her. "I have all but spit Salem in the face, I certainly do not fear you. If you worry so much about myself being a maverick, then accompany Ruby and ensure her wellbeing. I could not care less as long as neither of you sabotages the plan."

It was plain to see that she meant every word. Lumina bore the twins' incredulity without even a trace of indecision or hesitation, eyes narrowed. Neither spoke as both sides expected some sort of escalation.

That was when Weiss spoke up in an attempt to dissolve the tension: "Putting all of this aside for a moment, what is the plan? Magic, Relics, Maidens, none of this tells us what you need done. We can not decide before we know that."

She was immediately aware of the half dozen stares boring into her, but bore it stoically and focussed on Lumina. The moth met her gaze evenly and nodded.

"Very well. What I need from you is to lure Salem out into the open. She is too well entrenched, too experienced, and too careful to be tricked by conventional means. So I formulated a plan that carries with it risks. I chose you in particular, each of you, because you are skilled and capable but not too much so."

Qrow made to speak, but she cut him off before the first word was formed: "Yes, I could have contacted seasoned hunters. But seasoned hunters are known. Salem will never expect a group of students to be moving against her."

"Then what about Ruby?" Yang interjected with a motion for her sister. "You and her made waves."

"True. Involving her is one of the larger risks I take. But considering I am allied with Summer Rose," she addressed Ruby directly now. "I doubt you would want to sit it out."

The resolute nod this earned her was expected. Lumina carried on to her next point: "Not to mention I also picked based on trustworthiness. Not a single one of you will betray this mission to Salem. I can not say the same of those you brought, but I will trust your judgement of them."

The teams shuffled a little awkwardly from the profession of trust, though the twins remained undaunted.

"The plan," Raven prompted curtly.

"I was getting there."

Shaking her head, Lumina turned back to the group as a whole. "Excepting Selina and her team, all of you heard of the Relics before. Four artifacts of great power, left behind by the Brother Gods. Salem covets them and Ozpin guards them. One Relic is hidden in a vault beneath each of the four hunter schools; ordinarily, only a specific Maiden's power can open the vault she is attuned to. Spring for Haven, Fall for Beacon, Winter for Atlas, and Summer for Vacuo. It is an interesting bit of Essence engineering that we need not bother with. I want you to collect the Relics. Two, I deem a necessity to lure her out. Three will be needed to ascertain her actions."

While the group as a whole stared at her for so nonchalantly transitioning into grand theft, Selina whistled.

"Welp, that's what you meant with crimes. Any chance we can tell the bossman and ask nicely?"

Lumina shrugged in turn. "I am not going to tell you how. That would be hypocritical. You know yourselves and your allies better than I."

Meanwhile, Weiss had cast surreptive glances around to gauge the general mood. She could not help but sigh.

"While I am starting to regret agreeing to this, I can see Penny is unmoved," she mused. Her partner nodded sternly in response. "So I will not bother arguing. How exactly are we supposed to open the vaults? We do not even know where any of these Maidens are, let alone who."

Much to her and everyone else's surprise, Lumina... giggled. The sound was enough to alienate the majority of their group. Giggling and the taciturn moth simply did not mesh together.

She cared little for their confusion, still amused and almost chirping: "How fortunate for you that I recently obtained the same light that gives magic to Remnant. As I understand it, the old wizard split most of his power into these four mantles. They act as keys to the locks on the vaults which he built later. Having that light in hand-" she ended as four golden spheres appeared over her fingers. Each one a Charm, the black shape of a key on a disk as golden as the sun. "-I spent some time crafting these. Each one will open any of the vaults, but use themselves up in the process."

The four Charms floated toward them; one each came to a stop in front of Ruby, Selina, Velvet, and Penny. All but Velvet took theirs without hesitation and even the hare only needed a moment longer.

By this point Lumina's grin had turned maniacal. "Which Relics you obtain and how, I leave to your discretion," she closed her briefing.

"Hang on," Qrow demanded. He studied the moth with narrowed eyes. "You lost me at the reason why this is a good idea. What are you planning to do that no one else did before?"

He had a point in making that inquiry, even Lumina could admit that. But her plan did hinge on secrecy. "That," she began curtly, "I will not say. I can not rule out that at least some of you will be captured. Salem must not know the nature of my trap."

"What, so she's still going to spring it after torturing it out of someone?"

"Yes."

It was this simple agreement that gave the seasoned Huntsman pause. Lumina smirked. "The Relics she so long desired, of course she will want them. She will believe herself too smart, too impervious to be defeated by a trap she knows about."

While Qrow still tried to make sense of that reasoning, Selina shrugged. "Meh, it doesn't matter. I already know more than I need, really."

She then threw the surprised man a wink. "I told her that when she came to me, but I don't care about the deets. All I need to know is that my friend asked for help."

"You'd throw away your future?" he asked, incredulous. "What we're discussing here is grand theft at the least."

Selina smirked in return. "That's the fun part: if it fails, I can just go back to Menagerie. Yeah, sure, it'll suck that I don't get to finish Beacon, but that's life."

She shrugged once more, now sized up by both twins. Her team formed up around her, with Nora tapping her shoulder. "Any chance we can crash at your place if we become international fugitives?"

"Sure, that's what friends are for."

"Very well," Pyrrha said. "It is decided then."

Spiceberry was more conflicted than Sunlight, or at least they were until Yang noticed how determined Ruby was. Weiss, seeing the way the wind blew with Yang and Penny both on-board, barely refrained from pinching the bridge of her nose again.

"I will have you know this is madness. But I will be in trouble by association either way, so there is no reason to make a fuss."

Coco shared a long look with Velvet, then the rest of her team. Nobody spoke, yet they all stood by her side.

Lumina smiled. A kinder, more gentle one than what was on display before. She faded without another word and the entire area vanished with her. The young men and women watched the sky flare for a moment as dawn broke.

When they came to in Forever Fall, resting on the ground around that same rock, Cinder was gone.

 

[Naron]

"So," Selina asked. "How do we go about this?"

About ten minutes passed since they all woke up, no sign of Cinder or Lumina still being around. They slowly came to terms with what they learned; Raven scowled at nothing while Ruby read through the journal her aunt brought. The group as a whole congregated near the rock and set up a small camp.

Most of the other students looked to Qrow, who leaned against the mossy stone. He only shrugged at them. "This is for you to figure out, kiddos. But if you want some advice, here you go: Shade is suicide. Atlas too, but for a different reason. Jimmie has his army and Vacuo has the toughest hunters on Remnant."

"And they've got many of them too," Selina added to the last point with a sigh. "Honestly, I don't want to go to Vacuo. I'd rather take on Atlas."

Weiss frowned at the ground, adding her piece without looking at anyone: "Meanwhile, my return to Atlas would lead to complications due to my family."

"And Beacon has Professor Ozpin," Velvet noted.

Coco nodded at that. "Yep. We're golden if he agrees and fucked if he doesn't."

Selina dismissed that assessment with a shrug. "Meh, we're fucked either way. She said we need at least two, I'd say Haven and Beacon are the easiest ones?" There was little disagreement, so she carried on from there: "Good, Mistral and Vale are in then. Between Atlas and Vacuo, which one do we hate less?"

A moment of contemplation followed; quite a few of them were slowly digesting the fact they agreed to invade one of the two best defended places on Remnant.

"Well, Atlas may be a little better?" Blake reasoned in the end. She was clearly confused to utter these words, just like everyone felt. Seeing their expressions, she explained her train of thought: "Penny has ties to the military and Weiss is the SDC heiress. We may be able to snatch the Relic if we play their connections right. No one here is from Vacuo, right?"

"How do connections help with this?" Penny inquired. She earned a number of baffled looks for the mere question, especially when the others realised she truly did not know.

While Qrow took a moment to explain to a raptly listening gynoid, Weiss answered her teammate. "I hate that you have a point," she grumbled. "I went through a great deal of effort to get out of Atlas. But alas. Do we truly need three Relics?"

"We don't" Selina admitted, "but I want to do this right. We don't get a second chance, it has to work the first time. And I trust Lumina."

No one could argue with that, at least the first part. No one tried with the second either. It took a little while before Raven chimed into the contemplative silence: "It makes sense, even. In a twisted sort of way."

All eyes went to her immediately, even Qrow paused to listen. Raven continued to frown. "Even if her plan fails and Salem gets her hands on the gathered Relics, she only has three out of four. Whatever the full set may do does not matter, they can be reclaimed."

She made a short pause, scanning the group one by one. Only Ruby had an inkling as to the thoughts hiding behind her eyes.

"You are going to do this?" Raven asked of them, though the looks she got from the group seemed to tell her all she needed. Raven sighed. "Very well. I know the location of Haven's vault, its main defense is obscurity. Send a small team there."

Some were surprised, but no one challenged Raven on the matter. Qrow threw his sister a searching look that remained unanswered.

Selina hummed in thought. "Hm. And if old Ozpin agrees to give us what's at Beacon, that leaves the rest of us for Atlas? I mean, assuming we're going there?"

There was some grumbling, though no one outright refused.

Selina clapped her hands for attention, displaying a determined expression. "Alright, okay. Planning time."

From there they talked back and forth for a while. At first Blake was a shoe-in for the Haven run, but the existence of Mistral's anti-faunus sentiments made the team worry. After some time Nora facepalmed.

"We're dumb, guys!" She told everyone and waved toward their youngest member. "Ruby goes to Haven."

Looks were exchanged while Nora kept waving her arms as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Ren apparently picked up on her train of thought and explained for the others: "She's the only Huntress we have, not counting, well." He nodded toward the twins who listened attentively. "And Lumina wants us to keep a low profile, so we can not just have a legendary Huntsman walk in. Which does make Ruby our best option."

"You're not wrong," Ruby agreed thoughtfully. She motioned faintly for Qrow and Raven, too. "And, I mean, I guess I can take them along as birds?"

"...right," Selina deadpanned. "That was a thing. Remind me to ask what that's about later."

"Sure."

Coco interrupted them slowly: "So if I get this right, we somehow need to get all of us to Atlas. Preferably without getting kicked out of Beacon or becoming fugitives." She rubbed her forehead while the others nodded. "Yeah, we need Ozpin for this. If he doesn't help, we can kiss our careers goodbye."

"It is a considerable risk we're taking," Ren agreed.

Yatsuhashi nodded down at him and added his own piece: "Not to mention that we have several VIPs among us."

Eyes immediately wandered to Weiss and Pyrrha. While the gladiator merely squirmed, the heiress scoffed. "Please disregard that particular matter," she demanded, "at least where I am concerned."

Their argument carried on for a time, but in the end the fact remained: they needed Ozpin on board.

Suffice it to say, when they explained this to the headmaster, he stared at them as if they morphed into a singular entity before his eyes.

He slowly took a deep drag of his coffee, the lack of any commentary from Glynda behind conveying her shock better than any word could ever have. When the determined group of students did not suddenly vanish or declare a prank, Ozpin pinched the bridge of his nose. Then he took a deep breath to address them.

"I hope you are all aware that this is madness?"

His incredulous question earned a few shrugs, which in turn made him take another deep drag. The empty mug was set down as he pondered how to even begin addressing this. "I understand the idea of dragging Salem into a trap, but using the majority of Relics as bait? Is Lumina even aware of their individual powers, or what will happen when all are united?"

Seeing that not a single member of the group gave any such indicator, he was not surprised by the worried looks and headshakes. Ozpin nodded to himself and decided to tell them at least this much. Salem knew it already, anyway.

"I see. Then let it be known then that you were correct in your choices for the wrong reasons. The Sword of Destruction below Shade is the last Relic Salem should ever hold. I need not describe its abilities, do I?"

More frantic head shaking at least told him they did not lose their common sense entirely. Ozpin continued: "The Crown of Choice held at Beacon grants its wearer visions of the future, although they are random. The Lamp of Knowledge will answer any three questions each century, provided one knows the name of its inhabitant. And lastly, the Staff of Creation allows to create anything as long as one can convey the idea to its spirit."

He left a pause for effect, but also to let the students digest it all.

"When brought together, these four Relics will recall the Brother Gods to pass judgement upon Remnant."

Though Ozpin looked at them one by one, nobody dared meet his gaze in the ensuing silence. Nobody except Ruby Rose. They stared at each other for a long moment, he stern and she determined.

"That's why we're not grabbing all of them," Ruby responded at last. "It doesn't matter if Salem gets some, we can take them back. You met Lumina yourself, if anyone can do it, it's her."

She was filled with conviction and kept going when given no response: "I know it's a gamble, the risks are high, but playing it safe didn't work, did it?" she tried while motioning for the window overlooking Vale. "She's still out there."

Ozpin's expression was unreadable. Nobody spoke, even Glynda was struck speechless. The old wizard thought of Ruby's words, her determination, and those who came before her. An endless line of champions struck down either by intrigue, violence, or time.

Then he thought back to the moment he beheld The Radiance. Although the Brothers might return one day, he realised, a goddess had already come to judge Remnant.

In the end he rose wordlessly and left the room. The students' befuddlement was an almost palpable force.

Yang expressed the question on everyone's mind: "Where is he going?"

"I have a hunch," Glynda answered curtly, "and suffice it to say, I do not approve."

"Since when do you approve of anything?" Qrow snarked, thoroughly unimpressed by the glare that earned him. His quip at least dispersed the tension to an extent and elicited a few giggles from the students.

Minutes passed in silence. Nobody felt quite like chatting or sharing their suspicions of what was about to happen. Each on their own already suspected why the headmaster suddenly left, yet none of them could truly believe it. Then Ozpin returned carrying an item wrapped in white silk that he wordlessly offered it to Ruby. She stared at it and then at him before reaching out, receiving the item.

She hesitantly pulled the cloth away to reveal a black crown. It reflected the light in erratic patterns, almost shining from within. Gasps were heard while the surprised teen held one of Remnant's four greatest treasures.

"Throughout my long life," Ozpin began, immediately the focus of everyone's attention, "I have made more mistakes than any man, woman, or child on Remnant. I implore you to not let this be another, Ms. Rose."

He met her gaze throughout his plea. Ruby was dumbstruck and unable to formulate words.

After a second, Selina sidled up to the younger woman's side and slung an arm over her shoulder. "Don't you worry about it," she assured Ozpin. "We'll handle it."

"I do hope so," the headmaster said. Then his brows furrowed and he returned behind his desk before addressing the group.

"Unfortunately, obtaining the Staff of Creation will be quite the undertaking. Not to mention risk countless lives. Perhaps you will reconsider the number of Relics you seek in a moment."

He left another pause here to ensure he had their undivided attention. "The Staff's power is what keeps the city of Atlas afloat. The moment it is used for any other purpose, the city will fall onto Mantle."

Nobody quite knew how to react to this, much to his quiet amusement. Morbid it may be, but Ozpin had long since found solace in dark humour.

"...oh," Selina finally expressed the group's feelings. "Uh... that sucks?"

Weiss sniffed at that. "An understatement if I ever heard one."

Meanwhile, Penny remained thoughtful rather than worried or shocked. She hummed in thought before speaking up. "You said it only happens if the Staff is used. Does that mean removing it will not trigger any adverse effect?"

"That is correct. However, carrying it on your person means that you can not let the Relics fall into Salem's hand. The moment her hand closes around the Staff, she will doom them all."

His rebuke earned some awkward shuffling, but none of them seemed ready to relent on their plan. If nothing else, the lot of them were determined to see it through. Coco was the one to answer him and change the subject: "Well, we weren't planning to fail anyway. But while we're here, can you tell us anything about Salem's allies? How will she try to stop us, assuming she knows we're on our way?"

That was a good question to ask. Salem's only confirmed supporters at this point were Cinder Fall, Hazel Rainard, and Tyrian Callow. He expected there to be more, especially after the revelation of Cinder's existence. Yet ferretting them out remained as difficult as ever.

Glynda took the chance to interject while he mused: "Let it be known that I do not approve of this. The lot of you are far too young for such a dangerous task. That includes you, Ms. Rose. Huntress or no."

Another snort from Qrow earned yet another glare, once again ignored. The deputy shook her head and stalked forward, typing queries on a separate console; Ozpin saw full well that she pulled up dossiers on the known elements. Glynda pulled through as always and her justification followed just as expected: "But if I must see you head against Salem, then you will do so as well prepared as possible."

Smiles were shared around the room and the group received a thorough lecture on what to expect.

Meanwhile, Salem herself studied a wayward agent with a smattering of curiousity. She did not expect the girl to crawl back after falling out of touch for so long.

"You have returned after all. For a time I thought you to have betrayed me."

"It was merely an inconvenience, I swear," Cinder explained. She did not plead, never pleaded, but her gaze lay on the floor and she knelt before Salem's throne.

"Is that so?" the ancient Witch probed. She had turned the hearts of humans for many generations; nothing escaped her gaze and she saw no deceit in Cinder. Just the tension most of her servants displayed under Salem's displeasure. "I see. Tell me then, of your failure to obtain the Fall Maiden's power. Explain how our carefully laid plans could be disrupted so thoroughly."

"Is this truly necessary, my Queen?" Another chimed in before Cinder could speak.

Salem glanced aside to a somewhat slim and pale man, sharply dressed and with an almost insultingly full, sprouting goatee. Arthur Watts spoke in his usual drawl, each word carefully measured to drip disdain for the failure before them: "The girl failed on a level we should not even bother with. She is clearly incompetent when it matters."

Salem inclined her head, noting that Cinder held her silence. The girl had certainly learnt her place, perhaps recent events finally taught her humility.

"You do have a point," the queen allowed. "But despite it all, this was Cinder's first blunder."

She then turned back to the girl herself. "You will not disappoint me again."

It was an order and all in the room knew what failure would mean. Cinder bent a little lower, face hidden by her dark hair.

"Of course."

Arthur snorted, making his thoughts more than clear. In turn, as he often did, Hazel spoke up in an attempt to moderate: "It was not entirely her fault, either." The stout, scarred man motioned for the empty seat by his side. "That faunus girl, her power was beyond anything we expected. She killed Tyrian in a single shot after all."

Cinder nodded at that, still on her knees. "I tried to salvage it after pressing the White Fang into service failed. Brought all that Dust and sabotaged the walls. But because of her, even every Grimm in a hundred kilometres was not enough."

While Salem was not impressed, she could certainly see that these were extraneous circumstances. The moth had not died quietly. Nonetheless, she already saw the crux of the matter. Arthur did as well, speaking the words Salem already considered.

"Who would have thought that trying to suppress a group fighting oppression may backfire?"

His idle drawl normally would have riled Cinder up, but she remained in place without so much as a clenching fist. It was always better to have them squabble with each other, Salem could learn more of their hidden thoughts that way. For now however, she needed to plan. Her judgement had already been made; a single miscalculation could be forgiven.

"Enough," she declared. "For the time being, Cinder, take your seat." The girl obeyed without a word while Salem herself addressed the room: "The loss of Tyrian is a problem. We will need to seek a replacement. And there is a Huntress that needs to be taken care of."

"Is this my next assignment then?" Hazel inquired.

"No," she denied. He was a force to be reckoned with, but the current situation did not require a more direct touch. Something had changed and they needed to adapt before they could strike. "No. You will remain here for the time until we see where you can be applied best. The same for you, Arthur. You two will contact our allies in search of information. Cinder, you assist Arthur for the time being."

Her orders were accepted. Arthur allowed himself a little grin, well aware that someone as proud as Cinder would be humiliated by being demoted to a mere assistant. It was true that her failure was forgiven, but that did not mean it was forgotten. The girl took her punishment without protest, which Salem presumed to be a sign of her acrimony.

Once it was clear there would be no objections, reasonable or not, Salem leaned forward. "We will observe Remnant for a time while I see to that particular Huntress. This Lumina cost me a valuable agent. It is only fair her 'partner' learns what price is to be paid in turn."

 

[The Radiance's Follower]

She did it. Lumina has infiltrated Salem's tower and is now in her inner circle. She can now feed her information to trap her.

 

[Reymen]

I wonder if you could make a super hero with the power to move tvice as fast as the fastest human. How powerful would that be?

 

[Naron]

"Well," Yang commented. "That went better than expected."

Weiss could not help but agree; she was still somewhat in shock that the headmaster agreed with this madness. Yet he did and so she needed to adapt.

The whole group currently congregated in the CFVY dorm; with them being a second-year team, their accomodations were large enough to comfortably fit them all. Seeing that nobody so much as commented on her attempt to break the ice, Yang carried on after a moment with a motion for the Crown of Choice, currently cradled against her sister's chest. "What do we do with that anyway? You can't just carry it around, right?"

Ruby stared down at it in response. "That's a good question, actually. I don't think anyone thought about that."

She was right, which reminded Weiss how haphazard this entire endeavour ultimately was.

"Come on," Selina nudged the younger woman with a roll of her eyes. "Just wear the thing. You're the best we have and who knows, maybe it'll give you something juicy to help you later."

Nora nodded along cheerfully. "Besides, it's not like anyone would expect us to have one of these thingies in our outfits, right?"

Weiss was ready to take the wind out of their sails, but Ren pre-empted her. He often did when Nora was concerned. "It's still fairly obvious when you know what to look for."

"Oh come on, where's your sense for style! It's a crown!"

Ruby squirmed as the pair argued. She sought the others' opinions with a look, earning thumbs ups from Yang and Selina. Blake and Weiss were almost perfect mirrors of each other in shaking their heads, though the atlesean did it mainly over Nora's and Ren's antics. CFVY was still mulling it over.

In the end, Fox spoke up thoughtfully: "I think they're right, actually. Refuge in audacity and all that. If we assume Salem already knows everything anyway, we can't hide the thing or she will find it."

"Right," Velvet agreed. "So if she isn't aware we have the Crown, she won't look with us. And if she does, Ruby is the best to protect it anyway."

Coco arched a brow out that. "I'm not so sure about that one. You're at least as good as she is."

The pointed comment made her partner squirm while attention was focussed on her. Weiss did recall that Velvet was presumably CFVY's ace, though she had never seen her fight.

"But only one of them cheats with her Semblance," Selina quipped. It was evidently the wrong thing to say, seeing how her fellow faunus threw her a sour look. The wolf cringed. "Whoops. Sorry. Forget I said anything."

Now Weiss was intrigued, but she knew better than to ask that particular question. The same went for Pyrrha, but they also both knew Nora would have no such reservation. The bubbly girl almost jumped in her seat.

"Aww, c'mon! We're like secret agents now! It's fine if we know your Semblance, right? Right?"

Velvet gave no response beyond a minute frown. Coco pushed herself in front of her partner a moment later, warding off Nora's attention. "Let's not go there. We're not advertising Velvet for a reason."

As she spoke, Fox and Yatsuhashi also shifted to cover their skittish teammate. Weiss was uncertain what to do here. The Semblances on her team were well known, excepting Penny who had yet to find hers. SNNL was somewhat open with theirs, though only Nora's could be called obvious. Weiss only knew after seeing it in action. Pyrrha was clearly more understanding of Velvet's situation, considering that she still hid her own Semblance.

"It may not be for me to say," she began, cutting through the tension. Weiss left a pause to make certain everyone was listening. "But from what the headmaster said, all of us will receive assignments in Atlas. We need not work strictly together to obtain the Staff, but being aware of what each team brings to the table would be a great boon."

She felt this was a solid argument. In the best case they could have exchanged the knowledge of their Semblances, but the distribution of who knew what made that impossible. "Unfortunately, Spiceberry can offer little in terms of secrets to share. So I will not demand anyone else's, either."

"In fairness," Blake commented, "if we end up having to fight Ironwood, we're already in big trouble."

Weiss nodded. "A fair point."

"I do not see the issue," Penny chirped into the room. She seemed far too cheerful for that statement, eyes on Selina. "From how you said it, you know friend Velvet's Semblance?" Her question earned a hesitant nod, to which the gynoid smiled. "And you agree that she can match friend Ruby?"

Weiss already saw where this was going. Curiousity still burned in the back of her mind, but she successfully kept it at bay. Selina frowned in the meantime.

"No idea," she admitted. "I've never seen them throw down. But from what I know, I'm pretty sure she can take either of our teams. Maybe she won't win four on one, but she'd at least brutalise the lot of us."

This in itself was already glowing praise. SNNL and SPBY were among the highest rated first-year teams after all. Penny nodded along as well. "And I trust in your assessment. That should be enough to satisfy any need for planning, no?"

"That is true," Weiss agreed immediately. She silently applauded the simple yet elegant solution. She knew all the first years and Ruby were still curious, but their seniors relaxed regardless. Weiss addressed Velvet before anyone else could try to insist: "My apologies for trying to force the issue."

Velvet did not meet her gaze, but she seemed mollified. "It's fine. I get that everyone's curious. I just don't like talking about it because, well, Selina is right." She huffed faintly. "It's cheating. My Semblance carries me far more than any of yours do, it's that powerful."

"I see," Weiss responded in a bid to cut off everyone else trying to reassure the faunus girl. CFVY likely gave her all the reassurances she needed. "In that case, I would appreciate if you cheat as hard as you can during our time in Atlas." Now this earned her several surprised looks, including from the woman herself. Velvet stared dumbly at Weiss, who smirked back. "We will need every edge we can get."

Velvet's surprise faded right quick; the hare chuckled and nodded. "Okay, I'll make an exception this once."

Which was really all Weiss needed to hear. She was pleased, at least until Selina stage-whispered at the room: "Corporate princess asks poor faunus girl to commit crimes. Tale as old as time."

"Shut it, you!"

There was no heat to her rebuke, hence why the following wave of laughter drowned it out. Weiss herself smiled and even noticed Blake wearing a faint smirk.

While the final remnants of tension fled, Ruby once again stared at the crown. Weiss noticed that, as well as the fact the younger woman did not say a peep during the entire discussion. Their gazes met when Ruby looked up, only for the younger girl to wilt somewhat under Weiss's curiousity. Then she visibly firmed up and nodded to herself before passing the crown to Velvet.

"If you're as good as I am, then you should have it. I'm higher profile than you and I'll be mostly on my own."

Weiss had to applaud Ruby as well, if just within the sanctity of her own mind. She may be the youngest of them but she was certainly one of the most mature. Many others would have jumped at the chance to hold a Relic, including Weiss herself. Velvet just stared at the priceless artifact with worry and joy, likely for being trusted so much.

Then Selina huffed. "You got Qrow and Raven, though. Boy, I don't want to be whatever poor shmuck she sends to come at you. Fresh Huntress with support from two of the best? Yeouch."

Weiss nodded along with her fellow leader's words. Raven never made her way to Ozpin to begin with and Qrow left to prepare right after the headmaster dismissed them, but they all knew whom he would accompany.

"Although this is supposedly a last resort," she cautioned with a motion for the crown. "We want to keep as many aces up our sleeves as we can."

"Speaking of aces," Yang chimed in curiously, "what about Ghost? He can hit pretty hard if he wants to, right? Are we taking him?"

Yatsuhashi nodded to that. "I was curious about your pet anyway," he mentioned. "It is not a Grimm, right?"

In difference to before however, Penny hesitated. Weiss noticed how her partner did not immediately deny the question. "It's complicated. Let me go get him, we can talk about it then."

She shuffled outside and the group fell into light chatter as they waited for her. Some more ideas were thrown into the room and discussed, a few conversations about hobbies. Weiss got distracted by discussing musical theory with Velvet of all people, who it turned out could play the violin and piano. It took Penny returning alone and distraught to interrupt them.

The gynoid spent half an hour searching Ghost but failed to find him. That worried SPBY while SNNL seemed primarily worried for Penny herself. CFVY remained calm; Coco noted she saw Ghost walk around school every once in a while. It was likely he just did that again.

But Ghost was nowhere at Beacon. Penny did not see any sign of him for the next week, all the way until their assignments began. She even approached the headmaster, who did not see him either.

In the end it was Cardin who shed light on the mystery. He was just about the last person anyone thought to ask, which made the matter so much more ironic. "I haven't seen your pet the last week or so," he said. "But before that, uh, pretty sure it jumped down the cliff?"

It did not take long for Russel to confirm what his partner said, though that only worried Yang and Weiss for Ghost's wellbeing. It was odd how much the little fellow had grown on her just by proximity. Cardin just shrugged at the faces the girls made. "I thought that was weird, but when I looked down the little guy just kept walking. Didn't even look affected by the fall. So I figured whatever, he walks across school all the time."

"Thank you," Penny told him thoughtfully. She shrugged it off a moment later in favour of a smile. "And good luck on your assignment!"

"Heh, don't need luck when it's us."

CRDL formed up behind their leader, all ready for their journey to Vacuo. Cardin bumped fists with Selina on the way out. That was another oddity to Weiss, who had to fully acknowledge that whatever her friend did, it certainly worked.

Once the other team was gone, Blake made a thoughtful noise. "So, where did Ghost go?"

Nobody knew an answer or if 'he' would even return. The remaining teams decided there was little they could do, so they focussed back on readying themselves.

Meanwhile, Yang and Ruby were talking at the side. Yang remained worried despite all that happened, but Ruby expected it by now.

"Just remember," she reassured her big sister, "I've got my kickass aunt and uncle around. I'll be fine."

She was not exactly that certain by herself, but the unease remained hidden. Yang bought the reassurance, though she sighed anyway.

"I know, but I still worry. I would come with you if this weren't so important."

"Nope! Nuh-Uh! You stay with your team and do your part. I'll be fine. And don't you make me worry, yeah?" So saying, she leapt into Yang's arms. A big hug was always best to make the big sister stop thinking too much.

Afterward, Ruby waved goodbye and turned into rose petals; they danced around the small crowd before rushing away toward the horizon. Ruby vanished to parts unknown and began her own journey to Mistral. At the same time, CFVY, SNNL, and SPBY all mounted the Bullhead airships headed for Atlas. Three other teams also went that way.

They had yet to complete their flight by the time Ruby arrived. She stopped in front of the main gate and was waved through as soon as she showed her license, no questions asked.

Once inside she stopped to gawk at the foreign architecture; it was her first visit and the high-rise buildings took her breath away. Vale was warm and homey, but Mistral seemed more like a work of art. Colourful pagodas wherever she looked, paper lanterns hanging above the streets, and people dressed in robes of cotton and silk.

She stood out a little more than usual but was left alone beyond the occasional bow and excited children. Children, Ruby could deal with. Worried parents apologising for the trouble, less so.

She took some time to relax and sightsee nonetheless; her aura still needed to recharge from the journey. Not to mention that she earned a decent chunk of money on her missions already; meaning Ruby could buy all the sweets she wanted.

The second shop she entered, a young man around her age stood at the counter. He greeted her with a smile and a wave; a little scraggly and blond but genuinely friendly. Ruby waved back before skipping into the store proper; she grabbed a bit of everything, especially the local stuff.

The cashier chuckled when saw her full basket. "That's a lot for such a sweet girl, isn't it?"

Ruby squirmed a bit, uncertain how to take it. Was he just being friendly or....?

In the end she pushed the flustered response back and nodded."I guess? I like sweet things is all."

"Heh. Who doesn't? Let's see."

He rang her up nice and quick, but Ruby's brows rose once she was told the total. Looking between several filled bags and the display, she slowly shook her head. "That can't be right. It's way too low for this much."

"Oh, that." He huffed softly and took a closer look at Ruby. "Right, you're not from here. You're a Huntress in training, right?" That was not quite right but Ruby nodded anyway because she was so stumped. He grinned in response. "Then that's that. Hunters get twenty percent off on all purchases in Arc's Sugar Emporium."

And suddenly it made perfect sense. Ruby was in awe, having never considered such a thing before. Yet she also recalled the many times vendors gave her freebies, not to mention Roman Torchwick and his generosity. Perhaps this was more of a general thing than she thought. It was still a lot of money this man lost in the long run, though.

"Is this actually possible?" she found herself asking. "I mean, you've still got to make end's meet, right?" She could pay the full amount just fine after all.

He seemed more amused, huffing softly and half leaning over the counter. Ruby leaned closer as well on instinct, intrigued as he lowered his voice conspiratorially. "I'll tell you a little secret: whenever hunters are involved, you can deduct a lot of stuff from your taxes. I'm not losing nearly as much as you'd think."

"Ohhhh! That's smart!"

He waved off her praise with another laugh. "Nah, one of my seniors told me when I explained the idea. They're super helpful around these parts, even if we're technically competing. Makes me feel a lot more at home here, too."

That was a surprise; Ruby took a moment to study the young man as well, realising that he was distinctly not mistralian. "You're not from here?"

"Nope, born and raised Valean. I moved here some months back."

A woman about their age wandered past just as he said that; she seemed more native, petite and with straight, black hair. She also carried a stack of boxes. The cashier's eyes followed her for a moment and she threw back a knowing look before crouching to restock the shelves.

Ruby looked between them, to a helpless shrug from the man. "And there's the reason I left. She's a sweetheart."

"I see." Ruby could not help but smile; it was just really cute. She quickly put a stack of Lien cards on the counter. "Good luck to you both then."

"Thanks. Come again!"

Ruby grabbed her purchases and left the shop with a spring in her step. She had more than enough to snack on now, so she made a detour to check out the weapon- and Dust shops. They were wonderlands of new gear that sucked her in with no intention to ever let her go; Ruby's inspiration soared.

At some point however, the weight of a raven settled on her shoulder. There was some interested murmuring, but nobody really commented or called out to her. Ruby just greeted the bird and quickly spotted a crimson-eyed crow watching from a nearby building. Their vigil was reassuring if nothing else. It also helped her tear away from her bender, though Ruby still continued to window-shop for a little while.

Only when she was fully satisfied and brimming with new ideas did she make the trek up to Haven Academy. The school was built partly into the mountain overlooking the city of Mistral; it served as natural fortifications and the first line of defense against subterranean Grimm stalking the caves.

Ruby stood in front of the entrance soon enough, a gate easily twice her size. The doors were made of wood and beautifully painted, to the point she was hesitant to even touch them. The birds fluttered away to survey the area just like they agreed.

Ruby's plan here was simple: scout the area as a visitor, then infiltrate at night. No one could see her or Raven at that point, so she had to be quick.

Taking a deep breath, Ruby pushed the doors open and entered Haven Academy.

Her sister and friends set down in Atlas in just that moment. Not just the three teams of conspirators, but all the rest as well had been quiet during the ride; no one quite knew what to expect. The sun was just rising from behind the horizon, illuminating a behemoth of silver steel. All but Weiss and Penny stopped to gaze at the magnificent skyline, a floating city that braved the arctic cold.

Unfortunately, their awe was soon dispersed by heavy thoughts; Yang scowled at nothing, still wondering if her baby sister would be fine on her own. Weiss worried her lip for other reasons while Blake was just generally on edge. The only calm member of SPBY was Penny; if anything, the gynoid seemed ecstatic to be home.

Once Beacon's students disembarked, they immediately found themselves greeted by two neat and orderly lines of their atlesean counterparts. All in uniform, all with their backs straight. Human and faunus both, though clearly skewed toward the former. Before them stood the tall and broad frame of James Ironwood himself. His mere presence had a number of them snap to attention, including Penny.

"I am glad to see there were no complications on your way," he greeted the six teams with clear pride. "Though I doubt anything could have happened that you all could not have dealt with." And then he proceeded to shake hands with every single student. No hesitation, no trace of boredom or distaste even with the faunus. "Welcome to our wonderful city of Atlas."

Weiss felt this was a bit too much to be mere pleasantries. He certainly meant what he said, but it seemed the general continued to hold hunters and those aspiring to be in high esteem. His own students only broke their formation when he finished and waved them forward. Simple nods were exchanged, some of them waved or grinned, one particularly bubbly girl went for a high five that Yang accepted in passing. The stream of white and silver passed through their colourful ranks to enter the airships they just left.

Afterward, Ironwood himself led the way over pristine metal walkways and bridges, right back to Atlas Academy. He said nothing, perfectly content to let the students take in the sights. Weiss breathed the crisp air, quietly thankful for her active aura. She would be a shivering mess and bundled up in several layers of thick cloth without it. But the times she needed hand warmers in her pockets were long gone.

"Five Lien says this is the scenic route," Selina quipped. A chorus of "No bet"s answered from Yang, Coco, and Fox.

Blake began glancing down to the city of Mantle somewhere along the way; Atlas' sister, the slums housing mostly poor miners. Weiss had never been there, but the difference in aesthetics and cleanliness were clearly visible from up high. Atlas was elegant, Mantle rough and rustic.

"It just doesn't feel right to be here," Blake muttered to herself.

Even Weiss could now tell what this clear display of disparity meant to a faunus, any faunus really. Precious few of them lived up here.

"I dearly hope all will go well," she noted noncommittally, just in case they were overheard. Then she threw caution to the wind and tapped Blake's shoulder. "Do you want to take a closer look at Mantle later? I can not go, but I won't ask you to stay away."

"Thanks. I'll think about it."

They exchanged weary smiles and returned to their silence. Weiss imagined that all of them were wondering of the task ahead; they discussed before if they could convince Ironwood like Ruby did Ozpin. Alas, even their own headmaster thought it too great a risk and for good reason. The Crown of Choice was one matter, but this entire city would be in peril if the Staff of Creation fell into the wrong hands.

Not to mention that Ozpin preferred to keep plausible deniability just in case. In his own words: "As cold as it may sound, should you fail, someone needs to pick up the pieces."

That was the reason he could not simply request Ironwood and Lionheart to surrender their Relics. Not that anyone held much hope the general would do it even then, so they did not complain about it.

Thus, Weiss knew, they had to do this the hard way. That was what everyone prepared for. As soon as Ironwood delivered them to the academy grounds and took his leave, three of their teams would fan out to gather information. They knew the vault's location, all they needed to learn was the extent of its defenses.

 

[Naron]

Ruby was quickly greeted by an attendant upon entering Haven Academy. The woman smiled plainly and bowed at her.

"Ah, Ms. Rose. Welcome to Haven."

Some of the students milling around whispered with each other, mostly in Mistralian she did not understand. Ruby tried her best to ignore them and awkwardly returned the greeting: "Erm, hello. Headmaster Lionheart said someone would lead me to his office. Is that you?"

"Just so. Please follow me."

The whispers grew more pronounced as they left the entrance hall. Ruby became decidedly uncomfortable with the attention the further they went; civilians was one thing, but these were all people she might work with one day. They were also all older than her. Yet she somehow managed to walk with her head held high. Be it the confidence boost from actually being a Huntress or being on a mission. She just knew how to do it.

Her guide spoke up after a while, clearly attentive to the atmosphere: "Please forgive the students. We heard a great deal about you from the news, but little else. It's not often a Huntress this young comes visiting."

"Ah, it's fine. I don't mind," Ruby lied. A Huntress had to keep up appearances. If Raven could fake it till she made it, then so could Ruby!

She belatedly returned a blond monkey faunus' cheerful wave, only to finally wilt when he winked at her. That was a bit too much for her teenaged self. Ruby returned to the conversation to distract herself: "I heard a lot about Haven and was curious what life is like here. It looks like fun."

"Oh, it is. Though the students will probably disagree whenever classes loom over them."

Ruby giggled at that, suddenly glad that she got around classwork. She was always more of a doer, not a learner. Sitting still for so long was hard.

"Are you a student, too?"

"Not anymore," the older woman answered with a soft shake of her head. "I only made it through first year. Now I work mainly as an aide to the combat instructors. It took me a year or two to stop being bitter about it, but I enjoy the work now. And I only have the greatest respect for those who continue on to be hunters."

She seemed mellow at least. Ruby let out a quiet breath she was holding; accidentally insulting someone was really not what she meant to do, thank goodness her guide was not offended. But Ruby went for less dangerous questions next just to be safe; they chatted a bit about the life of someone working at Haven, then the younger woman shared a bit about her passion for engineering.

They arrived just before she could get really warmed up; the aide stopped in front of a large set of wooden doors, bowing once more and motioning Ruby forward.

"Please go ahead, the headmaster was already informed of your arrival. He will have to greet students from Beacon and Shade soon."

"Thanks," Ruby chirped. She made to go, but stopped and turned back. "Actually, what's your name?"

She may just imagine it, but it felt like the woman's expression grew a tad warmer. "It's Hana," she answered. "Now go on, Ms. Rose. Or may I call you Ruby?"

"Of course!"

They exchanged smiles and Ruby turned back to the doors. She felt better about herself now, nowhere near as intimidated at the prospect of meeting another headmaster. After knocking twice, Ruby pushed open the door without hesitation.

Her first impression of the office behind was warmth. It was mostly wood and decorated in earthy hues, with several potted plants arrayed around the room. What really caught her attention was the neatly organised desk standing front and center, though; there, facing the door, sat Leonardo Lionheart.

He was broad-shouldered and wore a predominantly brown robe, his head crowned by a thick yet immaculately groomed mane of greying hair. The same went for his voluminous beard. Sharp eyes rose to meet Ruby and he stood at once, opening his arms in greeting.

"Ah, there you are! I was quite surprised when you called last week. I didn't expect a Huntress based in Vale to take such an interest in the other schools."

Ruby closed the door and shuffled forward only a little awkwardly to shake hands with him. He had a firm grip, firmer than Ruby herself.

She only answered belatedly, still a little overwhelmed: "Ah, well. You know, my partner is born Mistrali, so I was kinda curious. And when I'm already here, I thought I should see Haven, too. Professor Ozpin said something about expanding my horizons, too." And that was not even a lie.

Lionheart's brows rose, but then he chuckled at the last part. "Is that so? It certainly sounds like something Oz would say. I had no idea that incredible girl was born here, though. I feel I would have heard of such a prodigy." He left a short pause to muse. "What was her name? Hikari? Yes, it does fit."

Ruby shrugged at that. She only sat when he motioned for her to do so, adjusting her posture on the comfy leather chair. "She never said much about it. I think she moved to Menagerie a few months back."

"That makes sense; as fond as I am of my country, it is not kind to us faunus."

"But you still made it this far," Ruby argued; she was a little surprised he would say it so easily. "Huntsman and even headmaster! That's amazing, isn't it?"

He chuckled indulgently, inclining his head. "Quite. It's always nice to have one's hard work appreciated. Although I will have to correct you on one bit, Ms. Rose. The majority of hunters are in fact faunus."

This was news. Ruby looked at him in wonder and received a faint smile from Lionheart.

"A surprise, I know. Even Haven and Atlas have a rough 40-60 split of graduating students, the fourty percent being faunus. Beacon sits at the opposite, 60-40, and Shade sees about 70-30 in favour of faunus students. The majority of applicants who pass license exams are faunus too. We come by these options more rarely and thus work far harder to make the best of them. Many more faunus have to grow strong to survive in this harsh world of Remnant, so we adapt. Of course certain people won't like if these statistics are brought up."

He effortlessly slipped into lecturing mode. Ruby nodded along, amazed by the simple yet clear breakdown. She never considered it from this angle before, but the headmaster made perfect sense.

"I think I can see it," she agreed. "I mean, I guess I was always a bit of an odd one out with my whole family being hunters, but yeah."

Lionheart nodded in turn, still smiling. "Another misconception, actually. Quite a few children of hunters end up becoming hunters themselves. Not the majority by a long shot, but you are certainly not alone."

"What about you, er, sir?"

He waved her off. "Oh, none of that. I will never demand a fellow hunter call me sir. All is well as long as we respect each other."

That was a little awkward, but Ruby nodded regardless. Lionheart continued seamlessly: "As to your question, I am the son of a humble baker. My mother is a novelist. I always thought I would inherit the family business, but certain events unlocked my aura at ten years old. From there on I could only ever think of the possibilities."

Ruby nodded along with great interest. She rarely heard where others came from because it just did not come up.

"What kind of events?"

The older man's brow scrunched at that. "Let us say that they were not particularly pleasant for me and leave it at that."

"Oh. Sorry."

Only now did she realise why he was so vague about it. Ruby felt very dumb, even when Lionheart waved off her apology. "It is quite alright. We all have our burdens to bear."

Just as he said so, an alarm on his Scroll began to beep. He turned it off, expression apologetic. "But as pleasant as our little chat was, I need to head out now. You heard about the joint training initiative Oz proposed?"

"Yeah, I did. I was around when he thought of it."

"I see."

So saying, the headmaster rose. Ruby did the same and looked up at him as he continued: "Well, feel free to tour the academy at your own leisure. We can provide a guide if you wish, too. I have no reason to refuse a bright young mind."

That was kind of him. Ruby smiled and nodded. "Thanks. I'll look around a bit on my own. Maybe we can do an actual tour tomorrow or something?"

"That is perfectly fine."

They shook hands again and parted ways right outside his office. Ruby was alone now and grew increasingly giddy. Not only did she have a super duper secret mission, she also got to see one of the most prestigious places in all of Remnant from the inside.

She thought of asking for Hana as a guide for a moment, but felt that would impose on the older woman's time too much. So instead Ruby picked a corridor at random and started to walk. She did not lie earlier, Haven interested her a lot. She may have only ever dreamt of Beacon, but each of the four academies would have been alright in the end.

There were far less students around now, what with the first and second years gone; Lionheart took them all along. Ruby knew that foreign students would flood the area soon, some of them even faces she had at least seen at Beacon.

Ruby made best use of the quiet to poke around; she toured the various empty auditoriums, almost interrupted an ongoing lecture, and decided to rather check out the indoor gyms afterward. From there she moved to a set of arenas for sparring as well as Dust labs. The forge and attached workshop kept her for much longer, though; she was too fascinated to just leave after she stumbled over the place.

Thankfully, the forgemaster took her interest with pride and fielded the entire cavalcade of questions about his equipment. They got to talk about her own a bit as well; this managed to remind Ruby of the unfinished sabre back at home. The middle-aged man listened curiously as she explained its properties; he was built like a bear and with beard to match, but fully human.

"My friend uses light a lot and has some sun themes, so I read up a bit. From there I got to black holes and I just found it too fitting, so I named that one Event Horizon. Lumina doesn't want to spend a ton on maintenance, so I kept it simple with just two modes. Sabre mode and flintlock mode. The bullets are common calibres so she can restock basically everywhere for cheap. Oh, and I put a tank of Gravity Dust into the body. It switches from push to pull and hits whatever she points the tip at."

The older engineer stroked his beard in thought, having listened with great interest. His assistants did the same even while they maintained equipment or carried supplies around. Once it was clear Ruby finished, he nodded sagely. "I've gotta say this does sound like a mighty fine weapon. Whoever commissioned it is lucky indeed."

Ruby fidgeted awkwardly at that. "Well, uh, I kinda volunteered to make it. My friend doesn't have one, you see? So I thought to myself, well, that's just not right."

"And rightly so!" He answered with the same excitement, if far louder. His booming laughter startled some of the students out of their work. Ruby could not help but smile as well; she even managed to brace in time so his jovial clap to her shoulder did not make her stumble. He grinned down at her.

"Ah, it's good to see such a bright mind in the next generation! Don't you lose that spark, you hear me? No one's got an appreciation for some good, solid engineering anymore. They'd all rather buy some crap off the assembly line and call it a day!"

This, Ruby could wholeheartedly agree with. She nodded eagerly.

"It's not even bad quality, but the standard stuff just isn't enough for a hunter."

"Aye, lass. Finally someone who gets it!" He clapped her shoulder again while Ruby beamed under the praise. "If ye need someone to bounce ideas off of, ya know where to find me. Was fun talking to ya, but I've still got some stuff to finish by tonight."

"Sure. Good luck with that!"

They said their goodbyes and Ruby left the building with a bright grin. Her path quickly led to a third gym, this one outdoors; mostly tracks and other stuff one could not do inside. The entire thing was built on a stone terrace overlooking the city of Mistral.

Ruby stood at the edge for a bit to take in the sights. Measured wingbeats drew her attention to Raven a minute later; she settled on Ruby's shoulder and cawed imperiously. The message was clear enough, so the younger woman went back inside.

It was a little odd how people paid more attention to her with the bird on her shoulder. Some actually approached Ruby, asking to pet the raven; she predictably turned her head away, so Ruby told them no and that her friend did not like being touched. It was true enough.

Once they entered the lobby behind the entrance, Raven took wing. She fluttered across the room and settled on top of the statue dominating it: a person holding onto a brass scale, the entire meaning of it lost on Ruby. She met Raven's gaze and nodded ever so faintly. Some others also admired the majestic and well-groomed bird, but no one else understood why she tapped the scale with one claw.

Once she was certain to have been understood, the bird returned to Ruby; the freshly made Huntress then had to listen to a lecture about 'not letting her pet shit up the rooms' from a nearby janitor. She quickly apologised and fled out the front door.

From there Ruby decided she had enough excitement and went to find her hotel. It was booked for a week, more than enough time to finish the job. Maybe she would even have some left for a vacation afterward?

Either way, once inside without Raven, her aunt portalled in with Qrow. It was better for nobody to associate this bird too closely with her. The three of them held a quick war council, now that Ruby understood Haven's layout. She enjoyed her visit, too.

"Now I'm getting a nap until sundown," she ended cheerfully, "then we'll rob them!"

The twins both stared at her in silence, long enough for Ruby's excitement to crumble. Did she say something weird?

"...I blame this on you," Qrow groused.

Raven just shook her head. "I disagree, that is all Summer."

"Fair enough."

"Huh?"

Ruby was just confused by this, prompting a bedtime story about Summer Rose's criminal energy. It would have been emberassing, had this not been about her mother; Ruby soaked up every word like a sponge. It turned out that the older Rose had a lot of juvenile crimes under her belt. Nothing serious, but she was apparently the most cheerful pickpocket the twins ever met.

"You should have seen Raven's face the first time Summer stole her stuff!" Qrow joked, all the while nudging his sister. Raven herself grumbled, though she could not quite hide a fondly embarassed smile.

Ruby was amused and intrigued; the mental image of Summer as a paragon of virtue may be shattered, but knowing she had flaws of her own made her feel a little more real. Perhaps, with a little luck, they could spend more time together, too.

Her silent hopes were answered once the two left to give her some peace and quiet. Ruby found herself on a sunlit meadow with her mother about as soon as she fell asleep. They did not have much time, but every minute was precious. Ruby recounted the heist plan in a few sentences, then went to prod for more about what she just learned.

"Did you seriously steal Raven's things?"

To her surprise, this did not prompt sheepish denials or even just confirmation, but an arched brow. Summer slowly nodded. "Oh, I did. But who told you that?"

"Qrow said you did," Ruby commented, somewhat forlorn about what apparently was a lie?

It took a moment, but then her mother broke into laughter. Bright as a bell, thoroughly confusing Ruby. Summer continued to giggle for a while and once it finally subsided, she wiped tears from her eyes. "Oh sweetie," she cooed, "he didn't tell you what 'things' I took, did he? I stole Raven's bra about every other week. By second year she went without to stop me, so I took her panties instead."

"Oh." Her ears grew hot in shared embarassment with her aunt. "That's... bold?"

Summer just huffed, clearly unconcerned. "Oh, you don't know half of it. Be a dear, grab all three of them in one room, and ask them about that double date we had in third year."

That was news. Especially... "Wait, double date? Like, you and Uncle Qrow?"

"Yup." The older Rose threw her daughter a winning grin. "They won't tell you anything about it and I just realise I probably shouldn't go into detail either." She winked. "Let's just say we had a lot of fun and the twins made us swear on threat of death to never tell anyone. Too bad for them I'm dead already!"

She laughed again while realisation slowly dawned on Ruby. She made some gagging noises to properly vocalise her thoughts on her family's sexuality.

"Okay, that's enough mother-daughter bonding! I've got a magic lamp to steal, bye!"

She somehow willed the dream to end, but Summer's hysteric laughter followed her into waking, if just for a moment. Ruby sat upright in bed, cheeks flushed with heat. She firmly shook her head and leapt into the bathroom to wash the remembered words from her memory. Then she called her aunt and uncle, who brought dinner with them. Pizza, to be exact. A jumbo-sized pizza for each of them.

Ruby could not look them in the eyes throughout the meal. She tried hard to play it off, but the memory was just too fresh. Unfortunately for her, they noticed as well.

"Did something happen?" Raven called her out once they were done eating. At first Ruby muttered something noncommittal, but quickly realised that neither twin was convinced or deterred. Then she sighed.

"Mom told me what 'things' she took from you."

Raven blushed ever so faintly, which was more than enough confirmation. Qrow heaved a sigh. "Damn it, Summer."

"She also said something about a double date in third year," Ruby went on miserably; she noticed that both twins twitched in response. "And I really don't want to know any more than she implied."

Silence settled over the room for a moment.

"Qrow?" Raven asked softly.

"Yes?"

"How about, once this is over, we find a way to break into the afterlife. Then we kill Summer double-dead."

Ruby did want to argue the point, but she could kind of understand the sentiment and kept her peace. Qrow shrugged in response to his sister. "I dunno about the killing, but she definitely deserves a spanking."

This drew another groan from Ruby, though Raven shook her head. "You know that's not a punishment for her."

"Can we please stop talking about this?" Ruby whined at them. "I seriously don't wanna know!"

Qrow huffed and ruffled her hair. "Sorry about that. How about we go commit grand theft instead?"

"Yes, please!"

 

[Naron]

They left out the window under cover of night, both twins in bird form; Ruby dispersed into rose petals and flew across Mistral on her own. She easily evaded a handful of guards by spreading herself thin. No camera outside could spot her.

She entered Haven through the outdoor gym, sliding past the shutters. It was so incredibly simple, what with no one seriously expecting a break-in at a school training hunters. Few people were this insane and even less had the abilities to do it undetected. Ruby just hoped there was no one in the main lobby.

Haven was not fully deserted even at night, though. She fluttered past a small number of students and a professor still about. Then she quickly took her distance from an amorous couple halfway into a closet, but that was the most exciting her infiltration became. Ruby arrived at her destination without issue, the lobby deserted.

With no one nearby, she quickly pulled on the statue's scale as Raven indicated earlier. It took some force, but then the hidden lever gave. The entire platform Ruby stood on began to slide downward, revealing itself as an oversized elevator.

"How did she know that?" Ruby whispered to herself, then decided to ask about it later. Not like her aunt could answer when she was not even in the room.

A second plate shifted in place once the elevator began to descend, hiding the secret path; Ruby sighed in relief at that. Nobody could find the conspicuous hole, so she was not on a clock after all. Then she quickly shot a message to Qrow, who arrived with Raven just a few seconds later. These portals were incredibly useful.

"So," she started to pass the time of their descend, "how did you learn about the scales?"

Her aunt shrugged minutely. "Leonardo is a coward. Offer him something beneficial to no risk and he will grab it."

"And what did you offer him?" Qrow chimed in curiously. His sister threw him a look in response.

"Not to reveal some of his shadier dealings. Nothing awful, but enough to lose him his post as headmaster."

"How bad are we talking? Drugs?"

"No, he invests greatly in the White Fang. And quietly benefits from some of their more... unorthodox targets."

"Ah. Yeah, that'd do it."

Ruby listened with some worry. She did not get the impression the kindly headmaster she met would do such a thing. But as she learned of late, people had a great many facets to them.

"Is it good or bad that he can be strongarmed like that?" she ended up asking.

Neither twin had a proper response to that. Raven was the one to speak as their elevator left its shaft: "Good for us, in this case."

Ruby accepted her reasoning and stepped off the platform, now that it finally arrived. The hewn stone made way for a bridge of natural rock; a pair of lamps spent a few metres of light, but everything beyond lay in darkness. They were still inside of the mountain. Moreover, a pebble kicked off the side produced no audible noise on the way down; it went far, so Ruby made certain to stay away from the edge. She could ignore gravity with her Semblance, but the possibility of a fall still unnerved her.

She then used her Scroll's flashlight to light ahead, but there was no great path to follow. No challenge or labyrinth. The stone bridge led right toward a wall and at its end sat a pedestal. A single stone arch was attached to it, the only other piece shaped by human hands. The mere sight of it made the Charm she carried pulsate softly while Grimm murmured reassurances into her mind.

The trio walked slowly, almost reverently. Even Raven was in awe, or perhaps too scared to rush ahead.

"How did they get this down here?" Ruby wondered idly, voice echoing in the empty cavern. "And who built it?"

Qrow snorted at that.

"Oz, obviously."

He took a sip from his flask and motioned for the stone arch. "The part where a secret doesn't work if too many people know it aside, this thing just screams Ozpin. It's exactly his style. He probably used some sort of magic to build it."

"He may have reformed the mountain to suit his needs," Raven added thoughtfully. Her gaze flicked around the area, yet the dim light made finding what she sought a chore. "I doubt he was just lucky to find such a natural formation in the exact spot he needed."

"Sounds about right," her brother agreed.

Their conversation was cut off then as they arrived at the arch. It rose above all three of them, somehow projecting an intimidating aura.

Ruby hesitated for a moment before reaching out. Golden light ran from her chest to her fingertips once she touched the solid plate of stone within the arch. It drove the darkness away and cast long shadows over their faces, illuminating the entire area. Ruby felt warm where it passed, only for that warmth to seep into the door; it clicked and crunched, gleamed in a slow rhythm, but did not open.

They stood before the bright contraption as intricate symbols slowly began to spread over the central plate. Light trickled along the revealed lines. Ruby waited expectantly, but nothing else happened. Her aunt and uncle exchanged glances.

"Is it, uh, supposed to do that?" Qrow finally asked. Ruby could only shrug.

Just then Grimm's voice whispered to her again: "My sister's light is similar yet different. It needs time to assimilate the vault."

Ruby's brow twitched in annoyance. "Thanks for telling us now," she groused back, receiving just an amused chuckle. Qrow groaned when she relayed his words.

Meanwhile, Raven stared hard at the vault; she was deep in thought, but never got a chance to finish whatever musings she followed.

Their silent vigil was disrupted by a heavy impact. All three whirled around and beheld a Grimm stalking off the elevator platform. And what a Grimm it was, canine but far more massive than any Beowulf Ruby ever saw. The beast's muzzle twitched as it sized them up. Pitch black fur stood out even in the dark while the lanterns and Lumina's light drew menacing shadows onto the ground.

Something about it raised Ruby's hackles; it felt unnatural, but she could not quite put her finger on why. That was, until she realised faint trails of silver rolling off its body; shards of familiar shapes fell like snowflakes on every step.

Essence clung to the beast.

"What is this?" Raven asked, just as stumped as them.

"Better question," Qrow countered while they drew their weapons. "How did it get here? It came from above!"

His question was answered moments later; a second figure leapt down the elevator shaft, almost exactly where the Hound had landed. He was familiar to all of them and their hearts sunk; Leonardo Lionheart, still impeccably dressed if suddenly wary.

"Now this is unexpected," he opened awkwardly as they stared at each other. Glancing between them, the Hound, and the tunnel, the headmaster made a face. "And not particularly good. Let me just...." He swiftly turned around and made to push the statue's scale back up.

A bullet crashed into the ornament, destroying it before he could.

Qrow never lowered Harbinger, the gun barrel still steaming in the cold air. His teeth were bared as he stared at his fellow Huntsman.

"Leo," he asked with forced calm. His anger still shone through. "What, by the Brothers, are you doing?"

Ruby was still reeling from the fact the kindly headmaster was leading this thing around. She had no idea how anyone could go about explaining this away. She liked Headmaster Lionheart.

The man himself seemed to rack his brain for a decent answer to give, but obviously found none.

"What does it look like?" Raven's voice cut through the silence. She let out a mirthless huff and motioned for the Hound as it prowled toward them. "He submitted to Salem."

Ruby took a wary step back from the beast; it seemed to home in on her, yet did not lunge or charge like most others would. It seemed almost intelligent in how it sized her up.

She only glanced away when Lionheart answered at last: "Why, I could ask you the same, Qrow. Associating with a known criminal, your sister at that? People will question your intentions."

"Do you have any idea how little I care what people think of me?" Qrow shot back. He motioned for the approaching monster with his sword. "You're associating with Salem, and why is that thing here?"

"Well, you see-" He snapped off a shot that caught Qrow in the shoulder just as the Hound lunged for Ruby.

She dispersed before it reached and focussed her attention on the thing coming for her. Fluttering around its swipes with contemptuous ease, Ruby reformed and dispersed again to test it; reactions, defenses, she attentively learned them all.

She reformed behind the Hound after a frantic minute. It snarled and swung around with its massive paw, but Ruby leaned out of the way and it missed by an inch. Crescent Rose struck the beasts side in retaliation, but its hide was too thick for the massive scythe to penetrate. Ruby dispersed again to avoid the counter, reappearing on the Hound's back; it reared up and threw her off in moments.

The Grimm's head turned this way and that, trying to trace her disembodied form by scent; Ruby reappeared twenty metres above it to abuse gravity next. She swung Crescent Rose overhead and rammed her tip into the Hound's skull. Her sheer momentum drove the weapon in a few centimetres before stopping, but the Hound simply growled and swiped at her scythe. The attack dented her before Ruby could pull her back out.

Horror and indignation stabbed through her focus; nobody hurt her baby!

Ruby grit her teeth and got back to it with renewed vigour. The dance continued to a backdrop of human on faunus violence, but she had no time to see how her family was doing.

A wisp of silver light washed over the Grimm but did not kill it. Something blocked her power. So Ruby went back to the tried and true, reappearing at various angles and leaving cuts and bruises on her opponent with every pass. The Grimm slowed bit by bit, but was never actually crippled.

Her aura went down to three fourths by the time she decided to commit to another big attack: Ruby reappeared right in front of the Hound and blew it a raspberry. She then dispersed just as it swung and consolidated standing on its paw; Crescent Rose's barrel pointed straight at the beast's face. The Hound tried to launch her, too slow to register the threat; a gunshot boomed and the high-impact round cracked its faceplate. Its recoil blew Ruby back, evading retaliation.

The Hound growled in what seemed like anger; half the white boneplate on its head was broken off.

Then, to her shock, the monster spoke.

"Find. Destroy. Rose."

Its voice was an inhuman drawl, but she knew she did not imagine it. The mere fact this thing could speak kept Ruby still and staring.

Just then Qrow and Raven came down on it like the fist of a goddess. Harbinger's scythe form and a thin blade of fire Dust each sliced off a hindleg, making the beast buckle. Their synchronous assault was repeated with its front legs.

Ruby appeared in front of its snarling muzzle just as it hit the ground. She pushed the barrel right into its maw and pulled the trigger.

Another boom sounded and the monster dropped dead.

The echo ran through the cave for an uncomfortably long time, eventually replaced by blessed silence. Ruby wiped beads of sweat off her forehead, panting. Her aura went close to two thirds, which was more than any singular creature of Grimm cost her in a while.

The beast already began to dissolve when she graced her aunt and uncle with a smile. "Thanks. I guess I need to work on my strength next."

Qrow's strong hand ruffled her hair right after. "Don't take it too hard, kiddo. That thing wasn't as massive as some of what I've hunted, but it was just as dense."

"I still wonder what...." Raven began, only to trail off.

Ruby did not need to ask why, she saw it herself.

As the Hound's black flesh turned to smoke, a person was revealed within its body. The three of them stared in horrified wonder at the deathly pale and emaciated man. His eyes fluttered open, staring without seeing.

Qrow was with him even faster than Ruby. He gently caught the gaunt figure, talking softly: "Hey, it's okay. You're alright. What happened?"

He mouthed something, but no sounds came out. Trails of silver pearled off his body and Ruby understood that what she saw earlier was his Essence.

"He's dying," Raven judged. She knelt by Qrow's side and carefully grasped the stranger's face. He leaned into her touch, the rest of his body falling slack. Unseeing eyes tried to find her, rotating in their sockets. Looking into them however, Raven took a sharp breath.

"And his eyes are silver."

Ruby's chest constricted as horror took a hold of her.

She knew exactly what her aunt implied there. She did not want to believe it, but everything made too much sense to be a coincidence. Her breathing became laboured as she took a knee next to Raven, seeing for herself what she already knew.

Summer never returned but was not entirely dead. Just like this man, her body must be alive out there somewhere. Buried within another such beast.

Tears blurred her vision as reality collapsed around her. Ruby stood frozen, unable to truly comprehend the meaning of their find.

Then she forced the horror back from the forefront of her mind, all the way down into a little box. She could freak out or break down later; for now they still had a task to fulfill.

Before the lamp however, she reached out for the unknown man. Ever so carefully, Ruby pulled him over until his head rested on her lap. His life was fading quickly, but he was still concious.

"It's okay," she comforted him, fingers brushing over skin as dry as paper. The feeling was revulsive, but Ruby did not let it show in her voice. "Your suffering is over. Go on and rest."

His hands weakly closed around hers, lacking even the strength to squeeze. He had silver eyes like her; they might even be related in some way. Ruby would never know.

His grasp slackened as he breathed his last.

She stared at his emaciated face, somehow peaceful in death. A smattering of tears ran down her cheeks and dropped onto his. She could not bear move him for fear of breaking something.

"This is awful," she choked out. "How could you do something like this? To anyone?"

Ruby could not even conceive such a cruel act before it slapped her in the face.

Qrow had no words for her, he was equally appalled.

Raven, however, nodded slowly. "That is the kind of person we deal with," she told Ruby in a tone that may be tender. "Salem knows neither friends nor allies. All she sees people as is tools. If you do not give in to her demands, she will have you hunted. I imagine Leonardo let himself be coerced so as to not die."

"And you wouldn't have?" She could not help but ask. Knowing what Ruby knew, her aunt was prime material for this kind of thing.

To her surprise, Raven snorted. "I'm smart enough to know Salem will discard all her tools sooner or later. Not that it worked out for Leo."

Be it the surprise or what she actually said, it made Ruby realise that the older woman's kimono was speckled with blood. It stood out starkly in the light now bathing them. She scanned the area and quickly found the headmaster's headless body lying near the gleaming vault door.

"...oh. That's kind of sad."

Somehow, Ruby felt little at the sight. They were fighting and it happened that people died. She could not quite bring herself to care right now, but it was sad to see him go like this.

"You shouldn't have done it," Qrow told his sister. He did not seem angry or particularly upset, just tired. "He might have known something."

Raven scoffed at that. "As if. Salem doesn't share anything her tools don't need to know. Especially him when he could run back to Ozpin at any moment. For all the issues I have with the man, he is forgiving where Salem isn't."

Much like her brother, she lacked her usual fervour. The night was a shock for all of them.

"...you could come back, you know?"

It was a hesitant request Qrow made. Raven's gaze snapped to him in an instant, then away. Her carefully schooled expression broke to reveal the turmoil underneath, but she did not speak just yet. Ruby would have loved to let them talk it out, but she knew this could go bad really fast; if Raven's fear took over and made her say something nasty, this fragile bond the twins rebuilt may just snap. She had to do something drastic.

Shimmying away from the body she had cradled and putting him down with all due care, she then darted forward to embrace her aunt. Raven stiffened in her grasp, but Ruby did not care; she simply cuddled harder.

"I'd like to have you around some more, too, you know?"

"It's not that easy," Raven said, voice tight.

"Of course it isn't. But nothing easy is worth having."

Several tense seconds passed, but then Raven awkwardly pet her head. Ruby took that as her sign to let go; she was met with a thoughtful expression that she took as victory. Crisis averted.

Then she realised she now had half-dried blood on herself, too. Ruby squeaked and fumbled for something to clean herself with. "Eww! How can you stand that?!"

"Experience," Raven deadpanned. Qrow chuckled in the background before helping with the cleanup. Not that it actually worked that well, Ruby's clothes needed a wash. Maybe she even had to throw them away!

Halfway through their efforts, some sort of current ran through the area. An even brighter light that threw long shadows. The trio immediately turned back to the vault; they found the stone plate set between the arch completely covered in gleaming lines and runes. It began to disintegrate before their eyes, revealing an endless desert behind. Natural light shone through, as did the gleam of a bright blue lamp. It hovered atop a lone pedestal on the other side.

Ruby made an awed noise and took a step, but Qrow's hand on her shoulder stopped her. He threw her a wink.

"Hey. Lemme do at least something here, yeah?"

She could not help but grin at that and motioned for him to go.

The women watched Qrow pass right through the opening, pick up the lamp, and walk out. The vault remained open, though it was now empty. He returned to them with a thoughtful look while Raven took over cleaning Ruby's clothes as best as she could.

"I gotta admit, I expected a little more," Qrow commented once he stood in front of them again. "But sure, fine."

So saying, he handed Ruby the lamp, who took it reverently before even considering what to do with it. After a moment of thought, the relic was hooked into her belt. It sat warm against her hip and thigh even through skirt and tights.

Nothing else happened. Mission complete.

Ruby took a deep breath and glanced back to the dead. She still felt sad about Lionheart's death, but he did fight for Salem. The unknown man trapped in the Hound was who truly tugged on her heartstrings. Maybe he had family somewhere?

"I want to bury him," she said. The thought came suddenly, but it was the least this poor person deserved.

The twins looked first to her, then each other. Ruby was still focussed on the body and missed their silent conversation.

Qrow and Raven wordlessly began to work; he kicked Lionheart's body and the shells they used over the ledge, she scanned the elevator for bloodstains before wiping them away with Water Dust. Then Raven pulled what was left of the scale back into place, portalling back to Ruby's side as the elevator rose; everything would return to normal.

Qrow then nudged Ruby to help him and they gingerly picked up the cooling body. He was far too light, even she knew that. Raven opened another portal for them, which they entered without hesitation.

The three landed in a large camp. A guard of sort had snapped to attention, but gaped upon seeing who all came through. He looked between them.

"Uh, did something happen? Why's-"

"Later," Raven cut him off. "We need to take care of something first. Fetch me three shovels."

He did it without question.

What followed was, perhaps, the most solemn hours of Ruby's life.

No one remained untouched by death on Remnant, one way or another. Yet the only deaths she was ever present for were her own in the Nightmare. Ruby still had some distance to the concept; the day of the dragon was such a rush that she never really saw anything, and her mother left no body. It was her father and uncle who erected the gravestone, too.

That night it was her and the twins digging. No one spoke. Only a small lamp and the Relic illuminated their work, shovel by shovel of dirt being removed from the gaping hole in the ground. At some point Qrow vanished, only to return with an old blanket to wrap the body in. Ruby was drenched in sweat, not helped by the humid mistralian night.

Once they made it two metres down, Qrow called a stop. His voice was oddly soft, not quite gentle but simply quiet. Ruby did not let him pick up the body, though. She did it herself before gently lowering the man into the earth.

A morose sadness welled in her gut as she looked down onto him; the dusty cotton was barely visible under what light they had. Life suddenly felt small, so easily extinguished.

They slowly filled up the grave again. It came easier now, her body working fine even though Ruby was emotionally exhausted. Once it was done, Raven patted down the small mound with her shovel. Qrow placed a crude marker on top; a piece of wood, quickly and sloppily carved into the twin dragons' spine. Three curved horns, the center of which was twice as thick as the outer ones. A symbol of the Brothers

The three stood in silence for a minute, paying respect to a man they never knew. Ruby hesitated at the marker's sight, but then she took her own knife and carved symbols into each outer spine; a crowned circle with two wings for one, a flame within a flame within a flame for the other. She did not know the Brothers, but she knew Lumina and Grimm.

Once she was done, Ruby stood once more and leaned against Qrow. She was used to physical work, but this was a different sort of grueling. Her uncle put a hand on her shoulder to steady her. Raven stood next to them, still distant even now. Ruby noticed despite her exhaustion and reached out to take her hand. Her aunt twitched, unseen in the darkness but barely felt.

She did not pull away.

"...this is all we could do," Raven finally said. "Let's get going."

Nobody objected. Raven led them back to her tribe's camp and to her own tent. Ruby fell asleep as soon as she reached the futon laid out for her.

 

[Michael7050]

This is great, I need to go find the discussions on the other sites because the lack of comments here is criminal.

Also: lmao at ghost wandering off. By the time all three teams are ready, they'll show up just in time to see Ghost finish wiping the floor with Salem.

 

[Naron]

Summer scowled. It was an expression Ruby never imagined her mother to make, but reality was unrealistic. Then again, she currently slept in a kind-sorta-not-bandit camp and met her kinda-sorta-not-dead mother in her dreams.

"In a Grimm?" Summer repeated, still in disbelief. "Another of her weapons?"

She growled, slamming her fist into a table of clouds that shattered like glass; the shards vanished before hitting anyone.

"She's going down."

Then the older Rose paused and displayed a nasty grin; yet another look Ruby could not fathom before actually meeting her again. "Actually," Summer reasoned, "this may be just perfect."

So saying, her expression returned back to normal and she gave her daughter a big hug. "Thank you so much, sweetie. Knowing this may help us a lot, and convince Lumina to let me come back here. She's grumbly because I keep badgering her about it."

Both shared a wry grin at that, then Summer booped Ruby on the nose. "But it's time for you to wake. I'll be around soon-ish."

"Okay. Bye, Mom!"

Ruby waved, then seamlessly transitioned to lying awake in Raven's tent. She fished out her Scroll and found it past ten, which made sense with how long into the night they were up. Ruby sat up after pushing back the futon's thick blanket, realising that someone took off her corset after she fell asleep. Her other day-clothes were still on, though; it felt awkward not to have to change.

Qrow crashed on a nearby couch, so at least that was a familiar sight.

And really, this was more like a mobile house than a tent. If the entire tribe lived like this, she could slightly understand why they stayed on their own. It felt kind of romantic just to be in here.

That sensation continued to bother her during the morning.

Raven was already up and soon fetched her family for breakfast, a communal one at that. The entire tribe seemed to sit together, joking with each other or swapping stories. Then there were the many curious looks thrown her way, which Ruby weathered somewhat. She still squirmed on occasion, but people seemed ready to interact with her normally. Qrow's reception was far frostier, though nobody commented beyond quiet mutters. Raven was the only one who actually spoke with her brother.

Ruby had to take her leave soon enough, though; on Raven's insistence that her up and vanishing would draw suspicion, the young Huntress returned to Mistral. Her aunt held onto the lamp to keep it out of sight. Meanwhile, Ruby was made to finish her 'vacation' even though she did not feel like it at all.

From one day to the next, walking this city felt entirely different. Life went on as it had even though the world irrevocably changed for Ruby. The disconnect alienated her and soured her mood. She could not even bring up much enthusiasm for weapons.

With nothing else to do, she went back to Haven for that tour. Hana was even free to show her around; when the older woman asked if she knew about the headmaster's whereabouts, Ruby mutely shook her head.

"Bad day?" Hana asked then, picking up on her subdued mood. Ruby shrugged.

"Kinda. Bad night, is all."

"Ah, I understand. It happens, don't let it get you down."

Hana offered a small yet reassuring smile that Ruby managed to return. By herself she wondered what her guide would say if she knew the truth.

Three days passed in silent reverie. Ruby slowly worked through everything that happened, helped by her mother's nightly visits. They spoke at length, there were hugs and kind words, and Ruby stuffed herself with sweets every day. Reuniting with Summer was not like what she always imagined; her mother was not all smiles, both of them knew not everything would be okay. But the hugs were everything Ruby hoped they would be. More than that, they could talk candidly. It helped a great deal to just let it all out.

The best part thowever, something Ruby never even considered would be this important, was that she could get to know her mother. As a person, not just a tale or an idol. Summer was mischievous yet sweet, cheerful one moment and thoughtful the next, but so incredibly vibrant. Even as a spirit she seemed full of life. She was also lewd as hell, but Ruby could get used to that with time. Hopefully.

She was mostly back to normal on the fourth day. The weight on her shoulders diminished and her smile became genuine again. But at the same time, conviction was lit alight within her heart; there were others trapped in these Hounds, held somewhere between life and death. She wanted to find and free them of their torment.

It was then that Ruby realised she ought to tell her co-conspirators. It only occurred to her over half a week after she actually did the thing.

Ruby felt a little silly as she pulled out her Scroll and called Yang. She had to wait a surprisingly long time until her sister picked up.

"Ruby," a low grumble sounded once the call connected, "it's three in the morning."

...right, she was on the other side of Remnant.

"Oh, uh... oops? I'll call back in five hours. Sorry."

She quickly hung up and drowned her embarassment in more sweets.

Meanwhile, Yang fell back asleep in her cot. She needed every minute with how hard the atleseans were working her, but was not really angry with her sister. By the time Ruby called again, eight on the dot, Yang already sat down for breakfast with her team. She picked up with a grunt.

"Heya," Ruby chirped. "Sorry again, I forgot the time difference."

"No shit, sis." Yang ignored the harrumph from Weiss and leaned back in her chair. "So, what's up?"

She was a little worried that Ruby got in trouble and needed help. A lot could go wrong, even with Qrow and, well, Raven around.

Much to her relief, Ruby told her the exact opposite: "I'm done, just wanted to let you all know. I'll head back to Vale tomorrow." Her words made Yang's eyes lighten up, even if the swiftness surprised her. Ruby failed to notice as she kept the conversation going: "How are things on your end?"

She could only grimace at that. Her sister would hear it even at voice call only. "Oh, same old. We're probably here for a while. At least two more weeks. Damn, the Atleseans are slave drivers! It's work, work, work all day!"

Yang exaggerated a little for effect, but there was definitely more on her plate than she had at Beacon. Blake threw her a look over the wording, which made Yang roll her eyes; her partner knew she did not mean anything regarding faunus. At least Ruby giggled over the playful complaints.

They chatted for a bit, then Ruby wished her big sister good luck and hung up again. Yang stared at her Scroll's dark screen for a moment, rubbing her face.

"We've got to get a move on. Ruby's already done."

Penny clapped her hands in delight, but Weiss was less impressed. She merely arched an eyebrow before shaking her head. "While I do appreciate her effort, I still believe we are saddled with the more difficult task. That aside, I will need a day or two more to reach out to my contacts."

She had a point, though Yang was not quite ready to let the mood go back down to reality. Ruby finished her half of the job and so fast, that was amazing!

"The faster we get out of here, the better," Blake grumbled from the other side. "It's not even been a week and I'm sick of the looks I get here."

"You know half of those is people looking at your ass, right?" Yang quipped back. Blake did not comment but averted her gaze. Some chuckles sounded from nearby students that overheard them.

Weiss was once again not amused. She pinched the bridge of her nose, then lowered her voice: "Yang, please. I know we agreed to let it slide in private, but I need you to keep it down in public. We can not afford this to reflect back on me, not if we want to use my connections."

"Yeah, yeah. I know, you don't need to tell me every day." Yang rolled her eyes, a little embarassed but mostly exasperated. "I've got you."

For some reason the reassurance only prompted a sniff; that could mean any number of things, coming from Weiss.

They finished their meal in silence, but did not make it far; a surprise awaited them right outside the cafeteria.

She was clearly visible because everyone gave her a wide berth. Smartly dressed in a mostly white pantsuit, white hair done meticulously and done up into a bun. Though the woman's severe expression made her resemble Goodwitch, she felt even less approachable than the stern deputy. Yang could immediately see the similarities to Weiss in her figure and face, too.

The moment her friend saw that woman, she lit up more than either of her teammates ever saw. Where every other student left her alone, Weiss went straight toward her.

"Winter!" she greeted joyfully. "What a surprise to see you here!"

So that was the oldest Schnee sister. She inclined her head minutely, though Yang spotted the ghost of a smile before it was wiped away. Winter's voice was even, bearing but a hint of humour as she answered her sister: "Yes, well, contrary to what many believe, the army does offer frequent leave."

She then pushed off the wall she leaned against, studying her sister. "You tanned a bit."

And indeed, standing next to each other, Yang could see clearly that Weiss's skin was several shades darker than Winter's. She was still pale, but no longer notably so. Winter gave no indicator what she thought of that.

"How is Vale?"

"I can not complain in the slightest," Weiss responded in an instant, more animated than one normally saw her. "Vale is overall different albeit enjoyable. Oh, and meet my team." She motioned for the other three as they crowded around her. "Yang Xiao-Long, Blake Belladonna, and I believe you already know Penny."

"I do indeed," Winter agreed before exchanging salutes with Penny. Then she offered polite nods to Blake and Yang. "A pleasure. And Ms. Xiao-Long, please relay my congratulations to your sister. Becoming a huntress at her age is no small feat."

Saying she was not a little intimidated by an older woman so well put together would be a lie; she played over it with a cocky smirk and threw a mock salute of her own. "Can do. There's never been a big sis more proud."

Winter arched an eyebrow, the effect somehow far more pronounced than when Weiss did it. For some reason however, the younger Schnee's expression became a little more guarded now. Yang got the feeling she missed something.

Before she could figure out what may have happened or if she should even ask, Winter motioned for an empty corridor.

"Walk with me," she asked, though it sounded more like an order. Weiss followed without hesitation, but Yang remained behind. Knowing Weiss, this may be sisterly bonding time. The rest of them should not be there for that.

Her friend stopped after the first step, glancing between them and Winter. Then, after a moment of thought, she sharply nodded her head toward the older woman. Yang was a little surprised to be included, but did as told and followed. Blake and Penny did much the same.

With four sets of footsteps following her, Winter remained quiet for a time. The corridor they walked down led into the academy greenhouse, which was by and far Yang's favourite place. The lights may be artificial, but the scent of soil and flowers just reminded her of home. They passed fruits and vegetable fields, currently alone.

"Are you certain of this?" Winter finally asked. Weiss firmed up in response.

"We are a team, sister. They already know more about me than most either way."

"And you know enough of them as well?"

The vote of confidence from Weiss of all people made Yang feel a little warmer, even if she still felt out of place. She wanted to pipe up and support her friend, but held back; whatever double conversation they had in front of them, she would not interfere unless Weiss was in trouble.

Meanwhile, Weiss herself gave a curt nod. "Yes."

"I see," Winter murmured. She never so much as turned around, gaze pointed ahead of them. "That is quite the surprise, you reaching an agreement with a known associate of certain groups. On both ends, really."

It still took a moment to parse her meaning; Yang really only managed because Blake started to bristle. Weiss said nothing however, letting her sister finish: "I reckon Father will not be amused."

"When is he ever?" Weiss retorted drily. Winter did not really react, but Yang could see her lips twitch from the angle she walked at.

"Quite."

Silence reigned for a little while. Yang admitted to herself that it was hard to understand what Winter was after; she remained polite the entire time and refused to say anything clearly. Like a politician, really; perhaps that was the idea?

"Is this why you came here, then?" Weiss finally asked. "Is Father leaning on you?"

That, however, sounded bad. Yang heard of the Schnee patriarch's stern hand and his willingness to get dirty about getting what he wanted. She listened intently, only to be surprised when Winter let out a soft huff.

"No. Father has no power over me anymore, as you should know." So saying, she turned around. At first Winter glanced to the rest of SPBY, then she met her sister's gaze. "Had it been him to contact me, I would not even have answered the call. No, the one who reached out was Mother."

Weiss inhaled sharply, but that was the only sign of her surprise. Yang glanced between the sisters, uncertain what to make of this new revelation; she heard basically nothing about Weiss's mother, to the point she thought the woman passed away. Neither of them answered her silent question. Weiss seemed to have no words at all.

Seeing that no response was forthcoming, Winter elaborated. "She took notice that you reach out to family friends and your peers, reaffirming relationships. Father may think it is just good networking, but we can tell a little more than that."

"And what, exactly, did she ask of you?" Weiss asked back with clear suspicion. "To stop me?"

Her sudden defensiveness surprised Yang, but the bitter note in her words even more so. Winter, meanwhile, let out an undignified snort.

"She says that if you are planning to take over, you better hurry. You will not be the heiress for much longer."

Not only made this little sense, Yang had no idea how these things connected. Weiss caught it just fine, considering how she paled. They somehow skipped a few steps and Yang knew she was lost.

"Okay," she chimed in slowly, "I don't follow anymore."

The older Schnee glanced back, fully acknowledging her for the first time since their walk began. She absently clasped both hands behind her back and began to explain.

"I imagine Weiss was sparse with details on our upbringing," she asked of them, receiving a set of nods. Winter next looked to Weiss, who inclined her head. Only then did she carry on: "Our father is extraordinarily happy with being in control, and this extends to his family. He tried his hardest to mold his children into pliable puppets, perfectly aligned with his own desires. When I slipped away and enlisted with the army, he made Weiss the heiress instead as a form of punishment."

Yang began to get the idea now; it sounded like a dick move, which honestly fit what she heard about Jacques Schnee.

Weiss nodded sadly. "You think he will try with Whitley next?"

"It is the exact same situation. Mother agrees, at that. She had a second request to deliver."

"And she could not have called me herself?"

It was a surprisingly despondent question coming from Weiss. Winter chuckled, almost indulgently; Yang could see her own relationship with Ruby in them just a little bit. More curt, almost frigid, but somehow it was there anyway.

"For one," Winter responded, "we both know you would not have picked up."

She apparently hit the nail on the head, going by how Weiss averted her gaze.

"And for two, Mother is a good bit more subtle than Father ever was. She knows he monitors you where he can, but not me."

Weiss heaved a sigh at that, absently stroking a tomato plant's leaves. "Alright, I got the memo. What does she want?"

"That you come visit. Not for her or Father's sake, but for Whitley's. I shudder to imagine the kind of pressure he is on under Father's undivided attention."

While Winter's demeanour did not change at all despite what she said, Weiss did shudder visibly. "I get that, I guess," she murmured uncertainly. "But Whitley and I never really got along."

"Mother seems to disagree," Winter argued. Another almost-smile graced her features. "For all her faults, she has always been the most insightful of us all."

Yang watched this entire exchange with a great sense of dysphoria. The family dynamics unfolding before her were so unlike her own. Yet somehow at least those two sisters were close anyway. She never could have imagined something like this existing before she met Weiss.

Right now however, her team leader hesitated. Chances were she was overthinking again. She really should not when the subject was family. It was time for someone to bring the confidence.

So Yang swaggered forward, wrapping an arm over Weiss's shoulder to offer a stealthy sidehug.

"Sounds like we're going to visit your folks sometime soon, eh?" she probed, immediately earning both sisters' attention. So she threw Weiss a winning grin and went on: "If your baby brother needs a hand, we're helping out. And Weiss, real talk from one big sister to another, I will punch you if you leave him hanging for no reason."

Though the threat was quite real, it still drew an undignified snort out of Weiss. One point for Xiao-Long once again. Weiss glanced to Blake and Penny, but found both resolute and ready to help. Winter shook her head at them, yet failed to suppress the smile tugging up her lips this time.

"I see what you mean now. The four of you complement each other well. Now, shall we move on to lighter matters?"

That seemed to be code for bonding time. Once it became clear she was no longer needed, Yang excused herself so the sisters could catch up in peace. Blake and Penny followed her lead on that and they caught up with Selina and Coco in the gym instead.

The news of their excursion to Schnee manor was taken with interest, but Selina did not seem too excited. Yang only realised the wolf faunus was unnaturally morose when Velvet called her out on it; the two were spotting their respective partners.

"Nothing to do with here," Selina explained, frowning. "It's just that Kali called earlier. Asked about Lumina 'cause she didn't drop by for days. Girl missed her own birthday party." That explained a lot and drew winces from their entire group. Selina heaved a deep sigh. "I didn't know what to tell her. Someone's got to explain this to them."

Blake nodded slowly. "Yeah. But how do you explain this to them?"

"I mean, it's not like they don't know Lumina is special." Selina mused, then shrugged with some mix between mirth and despondence. "From what Kali says, they're getting better at making Charms. A bit longer and we can start selling 'em. Lumina taught us how to make those in the first place, so... yeah. But I don't wanna do this over the phone."

"Maybe one of us can ask Lumina to visit them as well," Velvet suggested. "That may be best."

Selina snapped her fingers, mood lifting somewhat. "Oh, that's a good idea. I'll bring it up if she drops by."

Yang finished her own rep at that point and switched with Blake. The conversation turned idle for a while until Weiss joined them. She seemed notably happier, which no one missed.

Once the subject returned to the upcoming visit to Schnee manor, Selina piped up: "I always wanted to see how rich people live! C'mon, lemme come too!"

She rubbed her hands almost eagerly, which made Yang snort. Doubly so with Weiss's confused expression thrown into the mix.

"Why would you want that? It is not as... impressive as you may expect."

The notable pause was only noticed by Yang and Blake, who both understood Weiss meant to say something else. It made some sense too, after hearing how shit her friend's childhood apparently was.

Selina was undeterred, though. "Still wanna, I was always wondering. Pretty please?"

She batted her eyelashes in faux innocence, prompting a sigh from the heiress. Once Weiss agreed, she received a sweaty hug. "Yeah! Thanks!"

"If only because I would rather have more friends with me than less," Weiss muttered while she freed herself. Yang snorted and ignored the pointed look thrown her way.

"Guess you guys do that then," Coco commented from the side. She was wiping her face with a towel and grinning at the first-years. "We'll come up with something else to do in the meantime. Gotta speed things up a bit."

Her team shifted behind her, exchanging glances; even Yang could tell that Coco was shielding Velvet most of all. Nobody seemed willing to call her out on it, though.

However, the hare tapped her partner's shoulder. "We should go too," she said quietly, much to Coco's surprise. "Maybe I can dig up something helpful there."

"Are you sure?"

While CFVY discussed it among themselves, Yang found herself musing on what Velvet said. She had no idea what that woman could do with her Semblance, but she somehow became their main intelligence expert. With the speed she dug up secret knowledge, she may very well be a mind-reader. Then again, thinking puns at her really hard brought no reaction; so either she was not or stayed out of Yang's head. Either way was fine with her.

Meanwhile, Weiss was clearly blown away by so much willing support. She was not even really subject of that conversation, but Yang could tell her friend appreciated it regardless. She tried to hide it while lifting dumbbells with Fox and Ren, her face a blank mask. That was ironically the most clear tell of being emotional and desperately trying to hide it.

"Besides," Selina ruined it once CFVY figured themselves out, "that little bro, he cute?"

Weiss sputtered while Yang let out a startled laugh, much like the rest of them. Selina shot finger guns at the heiress, chuckled, and hopped onto the treadmill. Weiss glowered at her.

"If you could refrain from attempts to seduce my younger brother, I would be quite grateful."

That was too good an opportunity to pass. Yang joined the fray with a teasing grin. "I dunno, he's, what, Ruby's age? Fifteen?" A nod. "So he's right at that age and we're bringing a bunch of super hot girls along. You sure he will survive that?"

Weiss took a deep, calming breath. She considered the dumbbell in her hand and barely stopped herself from throwing it. The fact more giggles and laughs at her expense followed clearly made her consider it again.

Nora sat up, an empty water bottle put aside."So which of us you think he'd be into? Or maybe Ren?"

Her not-quite-boyfriend rolled his eyes where the shortstack could not see. Weiss remained the exact opposite of amused, but her thunderous expression could not quell the fun.

"Five Lien says it'll be one of us faunus girls," Selina crowed. "The forbidden fruit's always the sweetest!"

"Enough," Weiss half-shouted over the laughter. "Stop this right this instant or I will hurt you."

"Aww, look who's worried for her baby brother's chastity. Don't worry Weiss, we'll take good care of him."

So saying, Selina threw a wink over her shoulder. Then, seeing that her fellow leader put the weight down, she quickly began running faster. "Oh no, you'll never catch me!"

She was still on the treadmill, making comical gestures while running in place. Weiss stalked over there and scowled at her back, but did nothing else.

Yang allowed herself a final giggle and let the subject drop; some joking was fun, but she was also a bit worried for the boy. She could not help it with how Weiss and Winter talked about their father.

Then, all of a sudden, Weiss began to smile. An honest and incredibly mean smile. "Oh well," she began idly. "I hope you were not planning anything for today. If we visit the Schnee estate tomorrow, I need to put all of you into proper dress. You will not embarass me."

Yang shuddered at the delight in her tone, suddenly feeling herself on the receiving end of a shopping trip she usually bothered Ruby with. Yet Selina somehow shrugged it off.

"Sure, dress me up, girl. I'm pants at fashion. But you better make it something practical, or I will tear it if I need to move."

Her nonchalance clearly disappointed Weiss.

"Noted. I really wish I could get under your skin somehow. This is more infuriating than I ever thought it would be."

"Meh, I'm just not that shy."

As they would soon learn, this was a bald-faced lie.

 

[Naron]

All three teams had taken the following day off from their work. Weiss made certain that their request went through and ran herself ragged with preparations; yet despite it being so short notice, she pulled it off.

A little snag in her plan was that out of the twelve of them, Yatsuhashi could not come; he was overall too large to fit into anything except custom-order suits. The veritable giant at least did not seem perturbed about having to sit out, though; Ren and Fox maintained a similar state of zen, both comfortable in their dark suits. Meanwhile Coco had decided to be daring and dress similar to them, if in a notably higher quality. Her suit was maroon instead of black, too.

Of the other women, Pyrrha and Weiss had the easiest time in their dresses due to ample experience. Velvet and the rest of SPBY took it well enough, each wrapped in soft, non-threatening colours. Penny still felt the soft satin of her green and black dress from time to time; she was about the only one Weiss allowed to indulge in such a manner, too.

Then there were the two problem children. Nora shimmied around and was clearly not happy, but she bore it quietly; likely in an attempt to imitate Ren. Selina outright squirmed, however; the faunus woman's cheeks were tinged pink despite the fact her dress was the most modest out of them all; its dark green hem swished around Selina's ankles. She rumpled it up and smoothed it out ad infinitum, repeating the cycle each time she realised she did it again.

Weiss was not the only one to notice, either. Yang threw Selina a wink. "What happened to that boisterousness, eh?" she needled. "You're pretty cute like that."

"I thought this would be easier," the redhead returned glumly. "It's just weird."

She swished her hips experimentally and grimaced. "I want my pants back."

Weiss rolled her eyes at the complaints. "Oh, stop crying already. By how much you complain, it sounds like you never wore a dress before."

She expected some sort of retort, but was met with a suspicious silence. The wolf averted her gaze when Weiss sought it, surprising the heiress. That complicated things a little. And to top it off, Nora jumped on the subject at once: "No way! Never? I know it sucks but even I've worn one or two before!"

She grabbed Selina's shoulders in some odd expression of awe; Weiss felt similarly for a moment. She never conceived of a woman her age never having worn a dress before.

Selina herself shook her teammate off. "You wear skirts on the regular, it's not the same," she groused. "I haven't worn this breezy shit since I was five or so. Maybe even earlier."

She grimaced and, coming to a decision of some sort, turned around to walk back into SNNL's room.

"Where are you going?" Weiss called after her, to no response.

Coco chuckled. "Maybe she's getting cold feet?"

Yet nobody stopped Selina from leaving them. Weiss scowled and checked the time, but found they were a little ahead of schedule; if her friend needed to calm her nerves first, they could give her a few minutes.

They thankfully did not have to fetch her; Selina returned two minutes later, more at ease and clearly less awkward. The dress was still on, if a little rumpled. Weiss looked her up and down but could spot no difference. Her eyes narrowed.

"...what did you do?"

"I put on spats."

Weiss took in her cheerful tone and almost proud announcement, then palmed her face. A gesture she learned from Yang and really needed to stop using. "That is not proper, just so you are aware."

"Last time I checked I'm there to look pretty, not pull up that dress and flash people," Selina shot back with a wolfish grin. "So no one's ever gonna know I wear them. And honestly, no offense to you lot, but I don't feel like letting people peek at my ass when I don't mean to. That long skirt is just right for me."

Several others rolled their eyes at her commentary, including Pyrrha. It was also Selina's fellow redhead who spoke what they all thought in one way or another: "You are perhaps the most uncaring for incidental nudity among us all. Why exactly does this bother you now?"

"Just because, now shut up and let's go."

Some giggles followed, but they let her rebuttal stand. Weiss could hardly believe that brash and boisterous Selina's weakness was a dress; then again, perhaps she should not be too surprised. It just never occurred to her before that wearing these would not be common for her walk of life. She was not exactly happy, but her friend had a point; nobody would know about that little breach of decorum. Despite Weiss's scathing if mostly internal commentary, Selina was not the kind to casually hook up at a high society gala.

Though, and this she only admitted in the sanctity of her own mind, it would be funny. Especially with a faunus girl involved. And it would make for incredible blackmail material as well.

All these thoughts were dispelled with a final deep breath as Weiss centered herself, then led the group out of the dormitories. What students were around made space for their procession; Yatsuhashi walked with them out of solidarity, but remained behind at the academy gates with a few words of encouragement.

None of them were armed for the occasion, excepting Yang and Coco who could carry their weapons inconspicuously. Weiss was not certain she wished to know how her senior managed to fit a minigun into a purse, though she was tempted to ask some days.

They walked on foot toward the Schnee estate. Weiss's official explanation was to make an entrance; in reality, she was simply low on funds after renting so many dresses and suits. She was cut off from 'her' family account some time ago and since had to rely on what she put aside for rainy days. Not to mention that she found many of the fancier companies marking up prices for transporting faunus, or outright refusing to ferry them.

Regardless, an entrance she promised and an entrance they made. Heads turned wherever their group passed as was befitting a dozen well dressed, attractive hunters-to-be; anyone could tell, what with the complete lack of protective clothing despite the cold atlesean night.

The walk from Atlas Academy to Schnee Manor was thankfully not far, merely a few minutes on foot. A pair of limos passed them by and several more stood ready in the vast courtyard preceding the manor itself, disgorging passengers. Small groups chatted outside before entering, mostly greetings and some casual conversation with closer acquaintances. Conversation that ceased once Weiss's procession arrived.

They had fallen into formation without thought; Weiss walked front and center, back straight and her head held high. Selina and Coco flanked her, their respective teams following them orderly. Pyrrha and Yang took one side each.

Their arrival prompted surprised silence, followed by intent whispers. Weiss wore her fake smile and met gazes of people she knew before exchanging respectful nods. Her careful mask twiched ever so slightly whenever she spotted sneers direct to her left where Selina walked. Her friend seemed immune or simply unaware, more focussed on scanning the manor itself.

Seeing that nobody else moved yet, Weiss decided to make another statement; her step did not falter for a moment as she approached the entrance, ignoring whoever waited to be allowed in. Such was her right as a Schnee after all.

Security straightened up, but kept a respectful distance. The woman with the guest list scanned Weiss, then her entourage, and offered a simple nod. They were not on it, but nobody would deny her entry.

An announcer called for "Weiss Schnee and associates", which quieted the ample chatter inside. Everyone turned to look, immediately making Weiss the center of attention.

She imperiously took in the entire entrance hall and everyone inside, noting that she knew most of the guests already present. Her gaze paused momentarily on each of the other heirs and heiresses as she offered faint nods of acknowledgement.

The first to move was her father, as expected. The spell Weiss's arrival put on the room broke the moment Jacques Schnee approached them. He was dressed immaculately, his goatee neatly trimmed and eyes alight with the usual fervour. Weiss saw it, but her companions likely only saw that benign smile he hid his cunning behind.

"Ah, Weiss," he greeted pleasantly. Conversations started back up around them, though Weiss herself felt decidedly small under his attention. "Your agreement to join us tonight was on such short notice, I was uncertain you would make it in time. Now I see I need not have worried."

She hated it so much, being scanned from top to bottom like prized lifestock. But she did not give him any cause for complaint, posture picture perfect and smile firmly in place.

"Of course, Father. If I may introduce?"

She motioned for her companions and received an amicable nod.

Weiss knew everyone was still listening, even if they pretended otherwise. She knew it would cost her, but could not resist introducing Selina before Coco. The irritation was palpable and satisfying, not that she let it show.

Yet even by their responses to her father's mere greeting, it became painfully obvious most of them did not belong. Pyrrha and Coco managed. Yang and Blake somehow worked through the double-edged flattery without reaction beyond placid smiles. Everyone else displayed something from confusion to alienation.

She was just glad her friends managed to remain somewhat graceful. Blake in particular could have ended far worse, considering her White Fang affiliations.

"Now that introductions are over," her father transitioned smoothly once he finished pretending to be friends with each of them in succession, "I need a moment of your time, Weiss."

She already expected it, but remained a little miffed. They came for her brother after all; he stood nearby, watching with that same fake benign look everyone else wore. Though Weiss had little hope to delay her father, she tried anyway: "In a moment if that is acceptable. I have yet to see Whitley."

"And you will. Likewise, I have not seen you in months. He can wait a few more minutes."

Weiss received the message loud and clear, resigning herself to her fate. "Very well," she responded while motioning for her friends to go ahead.

The group split up there; while Weiss was busy playing mouse to her father's cat, Coco led Velvet and Fox into the circuit of social combat. Neither of them was much for it, but they managed not to offend anyone. Yang and Blake followed Penny, who quickly singled out General Ironwood in the crowd; he greeted them amicably and with something that approached actual warmth. Nora zeroed in on the buffet, with Ren hovering over her to keep an eye on her manners.

Selina, however, decided to try getting to know another Schnee. It was not a hard choice to make, considering everyone seemed to hate her equally in this room. Not to mention he was cute; not quite her type, a bit too haughty, but pretty close with his fair features and slight frame. The young man actually stood shorter than Selina, barely taller than Weiss. His sharp features were reminiscent of his sisters and father as well; there really was no mistaking him.

Pyrrha followed her as she approached the lonesome boy.

"Hey there," Selina greeted with a little grin. Whitley startled as if surprised to be spoken to. His gaze left Weiss and snapped to her, though he immediately surprised Selina with his restraint. There were not one but two bombshells right in front of him, yet his eyes remained firmly on her face. The only slip went up instead of down.

"Yes?" he responded after a notable pause. "Can I help you, miss?"

His faux pleasant tone reminded her eerily of Weiss when they first met. She certainly had her work cut out for her, not that Selina minded. She shrugged softly.

"Meh, not help, really. But I was curious what you're like, being Weiss's brother and all."

Be it her nonchalance or her attitude, she immediately scored a crack in his mask; it smoothed over in moments.

"Pardon? I am not sure I follow," Whitley answered, genuinely confused but also wary. "In addition, may I have your name? I recognise Ms. Nikos of course, who would not," he added with a smile to the redhead, who returned one just as fake, "but I do not believe I ever heard of you before."

She was pretty sure he just insulted her. But really, that was par for the course even if it grated a little. But as so often, she rather failed forward instead of getting angry; so she bore it with a grin: "Name's Selina. Beacon first year on merit, partnered with Pyrrha here, and team leader of 'Sunlight'. Well, guess it makes sense you didn't hear of us before." She threw a demonstrative look out of a huge window nearby, into the atlesean twilight. "You don't get much sun in these parts."

Her winning grin was met by an unamused stare; Pyrrha quickly smoothed out a more honest smile, fast enough that neither of them noticed.

"Funny," Whitley deadpanned. "I of course hold the deepest respect for anyone who can obtain a place at Beacon despite lacking a proper education."

This time she caught it just fine and rolled her eyes. "Figures. Weiss did it too, after all."

The younger man opened his mouth to retort, only to register what Selina said. No words came out as he tried to comprehend her words. Meanwhile, Selina threw him another grin. "Just because I'm not into the fancy speak doesn't mean I'm an idiot, boyo."

Pyrrha immediately nudged her to stop, which Selina appreciated. She let Whitley recover and watched with some fascination how his placid mask slipped back into place. "Of course," he agreed readily, though there may be something mocking in his tone. "If this is all, then?"

She did not need to say anything; Whitley clearly saw that Selina was not about to back off. Unlike her, he also remained aware of the people watching their exchange from a distance.

"Pardon, but I would prefer not to associate with your kind too closely."

Being so focussed on him, Selina spotted the way he tensed up ever so slightly. Chances were he expected violence over the slight. Selina just rolled her eyes again and cocked her hip. "Well, too bad I'm not your type," she teased, then pointed over her shoulder. "Maybe Blake over there?" Her fellow faunus currently shook hands with an elderly man in a rich suit, someone from the Atlas City Council.

She got him good this time; Whitley stared at her in utter confusion.

"...what?"

Pyrrha seemed equally stumped by the sudden turn of events. Selina's grin was basically welded to her face now. "Kidding," she chirped, congratulating herself on a jab well placed. Then she did away with the humour. "But seriously, you can't spend your life dodging every faunus you meet. That gets old very fast and leads to dark places. So why not talk to me a bit? I don't bite."

It was so, so tempting to transition into teasing, but Selina bit down on it. She clearly managed to irritate Whitley already. He did well in trying to hide it, someone not familiar with Weiss's or another Schnee's mannerisms may have missed the signs.

"And of course I want to-" he started sarcastically, only to interrupt himself when Weiss arrived. "Oh, hello, sister."

The heiress graced him with a faint smile, perhaps half fake by Selina's estimate. "Hello, Whitley. Just a moment, please."

Then she turned to Selina, completely unamused. "I thought I asked you not to harass him."

"Ain't no harassment, just trying to break the ice."

"I believe you broke more than that by now," Pyrrha interjected, though she seemed less upset and more amused.

Whitley failed to notice and took the comment at face value. "Quite," he agreed.

Selina rolled her eyes. "Great, now all the fancy pants are ganging up on me," she complained with a theatralic sigh, then peered around. "Guess I'll go talk to the iron man, or get some of the buffet before Nora eats it all."

"Good luck with the latter," Weiss murmured. She grimaced upon realising the quip slipped out; Whitley noticed as well, glancing between his sister and Selina's retreating back.

"You certainly associate with... colourful individuals of late," he ventured carefully. Weiss bit down on her irritation, having had to justify much the same to their father just now. It was not Whitley's fault.

"Selina is boisterous, but quite harmless. Amicable, really." Weiss huffed even as she said it. "And yes, I did not expect it either. Her view of this entire matter is rather quite simple."

"Oh?"

"Yes. 'Humans bad, faunus bad, Grimm worse.' She told me as much in these exact words when I asked her about it."

It was a refreshingly straightforward stance on this complicated net of racial politics and probably the reason Weiss felt at ease around Selina; her friend had nary a dishonest bone in her body. What she said was what one got with her.

"I concur," Pyrrha added diplomatically. "Selina's way of life is far more simple than either of ours." She inclined her head toward Weiss, who nodded back absently.

"Indeed."

And Selina was not the only one, either. Ruby and Lumina were much the same, if not in quite that way. Although there was obviously more to Lumina than anyone ever expected.

Silence settled upon them for a moment as Weiss contemplated the moth and her task. Then she disregarded these musings. She had something important to do tonight. But first she needed to get rid of the plus-one.

"On second thought, Pyrrha, could you save Selina from embarassing herself?"

The redhead agreed readily and strode away, leaving Weiss and Whitley alone. Brother and sister gauged each other with sudden awkwardness; Weiss did not think this through, she suddenly had no idea what to say. Where to start or even what subjects to broach. In her panic she fell back into old habits and did as Winter would: turning away from the gathering, Weiss motioned for her brother to follow. "Walk with me for a bit. It has been a while since I was home."

Whitley followed without complaint, though the polite disinterest remained prominent in his expression. They passed Velvet and Coco along the way, who were currently talking to General Ironwood and Jacques Schnee. Coco did well in keeping attention as she spoke of her experiences at Beacon; her partner was oddly focussed on Ironwood.

Walking closeby, Weiss caught something along the lines of it being every child's dream to go on adventures with magic and ancient vaults. She could not help but crack a grin, safely hidden from view. Whatever Coco was trying, the men smiled indulgently. The general may even mean it.

"What has you so amused, sister?"

And of course she forgot that Whitley could see her face. Weiss's mirth dimmed upon being caught, but she could not quite wipe the smile away. "For how down-to-earth Coco usually is, she seemed mighty excited. Especially when considering who she was talking to."

A note of fondness crept into her voice unbidden; Weiss knew he noticed it, too.

"That being?" Whitley inquired. "The lady in the suit?"

"Yes. She leads second year's strongest team."

"I see. She seems better adjusted to our way of life than most of your entourage."

"I assure you they are all quite lovely in their own way." Such a comment would normally be code for something unflattering, but Weiss actually meant it. There was no sarcasm to be found.

She did not give Whitley time to dwell on it, though: "Now, tell me how things have been since my departure."

Their conversation continued from there; Weiss listened to her brother prattle on about his own studies, occasionally sharing a bit about hers. The fact he kept all mentions of personal interests under lock annoyed her a little, but such was the Schnee way. Her own thoughts were kept from him as well after all. The few lures she threw him were either missed or ignored, Weiss could not quite tell which.

She managed to entertain Whitley for about half an hour, at which point it would become strenuous to keep faking interest in the manor. So Weiss reluctantly steered them back toward the gala. As they strode past expensive paintings and furniture however, she decided to make one last attempt.

"Did Father say anything unusual of late?"

"Not that I am aware of," Whitley responded after mulling it over. "But he does not include me in his important meetings."

"What of your own tasks?" She pressed carefully. "I imagine you do budget reports and event planning, much like I had to at your age?"

Her brother frowned at that, ever so slightly. "Quite. Although Father made overtures that he wants me to take additional duties in the near future. I am not quite certain what he has in mind." He did not look exactly happy, though he certainly did not miss the subject they arrived at. They were siblings after all.

"Do you have a particular suspicion?"

Weiss chewed her lip in thought, pondering if she should let him in on what both his sisters suspected. She ultimately decided that he deserved an advance warning at least: "I spoke to Winter recently. From how she tells it, you may soon be heir."

Much to her own surprise, that was what finally got under his skin.

"I what?" he hissed, head snapping around to stare at her. "But you are the heiress!"

"I am," Weiss agreed solemnly. "Alas, you know how much Father likes his control. He can not control me anymore, and it seems he starts to realise that. This is his final gambit, either get me back in line to stay heiress, or make you the heir instead.

It was truly final as well, considering there were no more children after Whitley. He seemed to realise that as well, seeing how he stopped dead in his tracks.

The buzz of conversation was already audible, just a turn and a door away. Weiss stopped as well, a little surprised by his visceral reaction to the news. She was adept at reading tiny details from a socialite's countenance, but that open, wounded look he had left her completely stumped. It just made no sense.

"I-I see," he stammered softly. His composure returned, though he immediately turned his back to her. "Regardless, I believe it is time for me to retire. If you would give everyone else in your group my regards?"

So saying, he strode away before Weiss could find the right words to address him. Or rather, he fled.

Weiss's return to the party was an utterly confounded one. She did not understand why Whitley was so upset by the news. She expected some disquiet at the prospect of being heir, but not this.

The first person to accost her upon returning was Yang, accompanied by Selina. The pair all but ambushed her the moment she came in sight. "Where's your brother?" Yang asked curiously. "You two left together, right? I was kinda curious to meet him."

"He retired for the evening," Weiss told her absently. She was still trying to make sense of her brother's behaviour.

Naturally, both of them caught onto her mood immediately. "Something happen?" Selina asked her quietly. "Trouble in paradise?"

That earned her a soft headshake. "Not as such, just an odd end to our conversation. He did not take the news as well as I thought he would."

Yang gave her a searching look at that, but Weiss remained plain confused. Her friends exchanged glances and Selina hummed in thought. She looked around the hall before heaving a soft sigh.

"So, how tight is security around the place?"

"Decently? I do not like where this is going."

"And, hypothetically," the redhead continued without acknowledging her worries, "if they find me somewhere I'm not supposed to be. Can you bail me out?"

Now that was a simple one. "Absolutely. But you will tell me what you are planning right this instant."

At that, Selina threw her a grin. "Talking to Whitley is like talking to you when we first met. Except without Beacon and a dozen other people to soften you up a bit." That assessment stung, but Weiss could not dispute her point. Selina knew it too. "So I'm going to go look for him, try to get him to talk. He doesn't really have anyone to talk to around here, does he?"

"...I just tried that," Weiss reminded her friend.

"Yeah," Yang chimed in with a little grin of her own. "But you did it in that weird noble way where you need to look at every word from five angles. I'd do it too, but Sel already called dibs."

"So, you ready to cover for me?"

Weiss was sorely tempted to massage her temples. These two would be the death of her one day, if just by the number of headaches they caused. But at the end of the day she trusted them.

"Fine."

"Great! I'm gonna go look around for a bit. Glad you don't mind!"

She waved and went through the door Weiss took earlier. The heiress only had a moment to watch her friend's retreating back before an audible sniff from behind alerted her to two of her peers approaching the remaining pair. Yang somehow put on something akin to a smile and Weiss also fixed her expression, then turned around to start networking properly. She could worry about Selina later, that one was excellent at thinking on her feet. Even if she sacrificed some of Weiss's reputation for it, as some clearly suspected her to be a faunus-lover now.

Meanwhile, Selina herself was on the prowl.

She hated using her Semblance for how much it tended to slap her in the face, but just this once it was bearable. The manor only saw a handful of people on the regular and was cleaned well. Admittedly, the leftover scent of disinfectant still stung a bit. She bore it stoically while following the fresh trail of Weiss and one other until they split.

Following the other one, Selina ascended a staircase and passed through several corridors; her heart thundered in her chest even in the low ambient light. She was ready to hide if there were any guards in her way, but she saw none; only the gardens outside were patrolled, she noticed while passing by a window.

"Can I help you, miss?"

Selina yelped in surprise, eyes swivelling back to the butler that she somehow missed until he stood right in front of her. She barely managed not to run into him, too surprised to come up with a good retort. "Oh, uh, sorry. Didn't see you there."

The man himself seemed a little stocky, with the only few wrinkles found on his face. He smiled benignly under his prominent mustache, but there was something hawkish to his eyes. And did they just change colour? "Not at all, little missy," he chirped with sudden glee. "Now, I see you must be one of the guests. What takes you so far away from the gala?"

This was surreal, but Selina could work with it. "Oh, just curious how the upper crust live, is all. Not everyday I get to see a fancy manor from the inside."

On second thought, that was a weak excuse. She had no idea what the man thought right now, he just studied her thoughtfully. Selina really did not like the idea of having to attack someone; that would be really bad right now.

In the end his eyes changed colour again, this time she was certain. The butler chuckled. "Why, I see no reason to deny a friend of the young lady Weiss. She has dreadfully few of them as is."

Laughing again, he leaned forward conspiratorially and lowered his voice: "But just between us, we never saw each other. Master Jacques will not be amused should you be seen in these parts. So please avoid the balcony as well. Master Whitley does not seem inclined to company at the moment."

Then he winked at her and strolled away, a spring in his step. Selina stared after the departing man utterly confused. Was all high-society staff like that, or did she just deal with a weirdo?

Shaking her head, Selina decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth. She quietly thanked the Brothers and the Moth for her good fortune, though; if Lumina heard that thought, she gave no reaction.

Selina tried to open the balcony door softly, but it was clearly not soft enough; Whitley immediately snapped to attention and turned her way, eyes wide. Moreover, they were a little red as well.

"What-" "Shh."

She shushed him quickly and glanced below, but the patrol seemed to be elsewhere for now. Once she checked that, Selina looked back to the anxious boy and tried a smile. "Heard you ran away, so I figured you'd be out here or something."

Only then did she realise his nose and cheeks also had some colour to them. "And you really shouldn't be out without an aura. Come on, let's get you inside."

He did not move despite the cold night's bite he must be feeling. When Selina took a step forward to corral him, he quickly made one step back.

She rolled her eyes. "Come on, I don't bite."

"Well, excuse me for being worried to be alone with someone who, by all accounts, should want me dead. Not to mention that she can effortlessly break me over her knee."

"...you know what, that's fair. But seriously, if I had problems with you, I'd have problems with Weiss."

Maybe this was the fancy talk or something again; Selina really did not see the problem. And she really needed to get him inside. There was no time to argue. "Anyway, there's two ways we can do this: either you come over here, or I come over there and you get to make the trip over my shoulder."

Whitley twitched at the very real threat. He glanced around, considered the situation while Selina crossed her arms, and cautiously approached her. Almost like an abused animal, Selina thought before grimacing over the comparison. She stepped aside and gave him space to walk, grateful for his lack of night vision. Then she closed the door behind them, once again confronted with that same wary expression.

"So," she broke the silence before it became awkward. "You wanna talk about it?"

He stared at her for a long moment, clearly at his wits' end.

"Why do you pretend to care?" he finally asked. There was no heat to it, just confusion.

"I'm not pretending."

That earned her a scoff; Selina was uncertain if it was paranoia or because this guy just could not believe anyone would care. Somehow, this family consistently gave her more reasons to appreciate her own life more.

She heaved a sigh. If words could not convince him, then she would just do something instead. "Alright, fine. You know what? I'm going to give you a hug now. This is your five second warning."

A beat.

"What are you-" "Time's up"

He had no real chance to react or evade; before he knew it, Selina had him in her arms and held him tightly. It was the first time she really registered that he was shorter than her; not by much, but still. He was also stiff as a board, shaking ever so slightly. Yet when Selina did nothing beyond holding him, he slowly melted into her embrace.

"There there," she soothed, gently stroking his back and head. "You'll be okay."

All she got in response were a faint sniffle and a pair of arms sneaking around her waist. Progress. Selina smiled and repeated her earlier question: "Do you want to talk about it?"

He weakly shook his head, chin never quite leaving Selina's shoulder. She accepted it this time and stopped prodding. This was not exactly how she imagined things to go, but she would take what she could get.

By the end of the evening, Selina had nothing to tell her friends when everyone gathered to discuss the gala; she especially had nothing to tell Weiss. Part of it was that she would not risk her friend's ire by admitting that she gave Whitley her number. Even if it was just to stay in contact because the boy definitely needed more friends.

Weiss herself had networked with Pyrrha for support; Blake tried the same to much less success outside of the atlesean Council and Ironwood. Penny, Nora, and Yang mostly just enjoyed themselves while chaperoned by Ren.

When it came to the second-years however, Coco was grinning like a loon. "We got all the codes and passwords we need to get to the vault," she declared, to the group's notable excitement. Selina knew how she pulled that off, but kept quiet about it.

Now they needed to stake out the vault; it lay at the center of Atlas and was locked off to just about anyone. Which meant that there was more work to do.

By herself Selina rejoiced that she managed to do some good today. Just as she climbed under her covers, she received a short message thanking her for the company. Feeling a little happier, the wolf quickly fell asleep.

And back in a certain manor, Willow Schnee smiled at the recordings she perused. The evening did not turn out quite like she hoped, but she would take what she could get. All her children deserved better, she knew that better than most. It was a start.

With a sarcastic "Oops", she deleted everything the cameras recorded during the gala. Not that her husband would ever check, but still. He oftentimes forgot that he was not the only one who could play the game.

So thinking, Willow grasped for another bottle of wine.

 

[Naron]

Another week passed for the aspiring hunters; Weiss knew that progress must be slow and steady, but she could not stop herself from worrying with each passing day. Their stay in Atlas would soon find its end, too.

Blake and Ren, being their sneakiest allies, took over scouting out the flying city's depths. They were exceedingly careful like Weiss demanded of them. Though they remained undetected however, caution was paid with time.

Between assisting the people of Atlas and Mantle below as per their assignment, they slowly got an idea of the complex. What they learned was promising: security remained tight, but the personnel was lax. Nobody had even attempted breaking into these areas in decades, which left the soldiers on duty less vigilant and diligent than they should be. Cameras were often left unsupervised, the recordings never truly studied. Supposedly mandatory ID checks at the entrance were waived to save time, any atlesean soldier simply waved through despite half their faces being covered by helmets.

That last bit gave her an idea; probably the best one she would have, considering that they were getting low on time.

"What we need," Weiss began their final meeting, "is to inject a small team to open the doors for us. We need to go in fast and leave before anyone knows we were there. Preferably while also shutting down the cameras so they can not figure out who went in."

She was not happy with her conclusion, but it was the best she had. Once they got inside, they had all the codes to get past barriers and barricades.

Her co-conspirators were mulling it over, though Weiss could tell they did not like it much more than she did.

Blake was the first to speak up, brow furrowed in thought: "That's a tall order, you know? There's alarms on every emergency exit. I don't even know if turning off the cameras will work."

"It should," she answered her friend, "at least from the command panel. We have the codes, but they will be changed soon. I am uncertain who we should send, though," Weiss admitted. She left a pause at that point, glancing from Blake to Ren. They knew better than her if it was possible. "That is, assuming you two can organise Atlesean military uniforms for this."

Blake scowled in response and shook her head, only for Penny to raise her hand with notable cheer. "I can do that," she volunteered, much to the others' surprise. "I have access to the barracks, so I can just grab two or three and pass them outside. With how tightly Atlas was built, we just need Blake on the next building to grab them."

Others quickly warmed up to this idea. With the 'how' covered however, Coco brought them back to the other pertinent question: "It can't be Velvet or Yatsu. They're too distinct. Same for you, Yang, or Pyrrha, hair's too long to fit under the helmet."

Weiss nodded along with the assessment; nobody seemed to disagree. Blake sighed a moment later, though. "I don't think my ears would do well under one of these," she said with a motion for her head, which made sense.

"Now don't be a pussy about it," Selina teased with a grin. Blake glowered and Weiss rolled her eyes, even as Yang laughed about the pun.

"Well," Weiss quipped, "thank you for volunteering, then."

The other faunus woman turned her way, raised one finger as if to argue, then lowered it. "Know what?" she said with a shrug. "Fair. My build is pretty average without the ears visible. Maybe I can pass as a guy for extra safety?"

"That won't work unless you can make a deeper voice," Fox interjected. Selina considered this and heaved a sigh; it was a decent idea, but apparently not suitable for her.

Which was when Nora chimed in: "But Ren can do high voices, so if you don't talk and he plays the woman, you can still sell it!"

Attention swerved to Ren, who was bewildered but did not contradict his partner. Coco smirked at that and clapped her hands."Guess now we have two volunteers. Think we need more?"

After some discussion, they decided this was enough and got to work.

Penny's run to the nearest barracks went off just fine; the building was secure, but nobody expected her of all people to be part of the opposition. They did not really keep up security inside, only outside; Blake was too good to be spotted that easily, though. Weiss carefully paid little thought to the reminder of her friend's actual affiliation.

Once their 'acquisition' was complete, the group met in a small apartement belonging to Weiss that lay close to the vault complex's entrance. She laid out the plan one last time while their infiltrators prepared: "Alright. Selina and Ren get in. First they use the codes to shut down the cameras from the control panel. Then they open the doors for us and we proceed to the vault."

Some nods followed; it was a basic plan with few moving pieces, which made it easier to follow but not simple to complete. Then Penny raised her hand.

"Quick question: why do we even need to go in? Selina has one of those Charms, she can just go there on her own. Nobody goes to the vault itself, that should be safe."

Weiss immediately made to argue the risks, but stopped to consider the point. Selina could open the vault on her lonesome. Obscurity certainly made for a better shield than a few more students in an actual assault. Not to mention the improved odds of maintaining anonymity.

"You make a good point," she admitted in the end. "I am mostly worried about the case something goes wrong. If it is just the two of them, there is little they can do to evade capture. All of us together could at least stage a fighting retreat or push through to the vault."

"So more points of failure but less catastrophic consequences," Yatsuhashi summarised thoughtfully, "or a greater risk to those who go with less points of failure. Damned if we do, damned if we don't."

There were several lost looks thrown around at that. Weiss could understand them; she worried for her friends' safety. If all went well, great. But if someone supported the riskier option and things went wrong....

"How about someone puts on the Crown," Nora said then. "Maybe it'll tell us something?"

Weiss felt like cursing herself for forgetting they even had that. A magical Relic that knew the future and nobody even thought of using it before.

Velvet slowly drew it from her waist, where it had sat snugly for the entirety of their stay.

"I feel weird putting it on," she admitted hesitantly, but did it anyway after some encouragement from her team. First Velvet closed her eyes to concentrate, but in the end she shook her head. "Nothing's happening."

And as if it waited for these exact words, the Crown of Choice began to gleam. Velvet flinched and sat still for a moment, blinking owlishly.

"What did you see?" Blake asked into the expectant silence.

Unfortunately, the hare faunus shrugged. "Um, something happened. But I didn't see anything useful." Velvet frowned and recounted her short vision: "It was weird. Like I stood somewhere else entirely. It was dark and there was a pale woman bleeding orange. That's all I saw."

Nora groaned in disappointment. "Aww, no special future sight to help."

"Well," Coco mused, "he did say it's random, I guess these Relic things weren't really meant to be tools. But it was a good idea."

Pyrrha nodded. "Indeed it was. Well done, Nora."

Her fellow redhead beamed over the praise.

Then someone cleared their throat behind them. The group turned almost as one to behold two soldiers, weapons ready. One stepped forward and spoke in a clear, almost melodic female voice: "You were found plotting against the state. Please surrender yourselves and the Relic."

The other one's fanged grin gave it all away. That and something else Weiss completely forgot about. She stared hard at Selina's failing disguise, wondering if that could be solved. Ren would manage with how pale he was, but the other one's olive skin really could not pass muster.

"Coco, get out the cosmetics. We need to make some adjustments."

Selina's grin vanished. She looked down at herself and seemed to reach the same conclusion. Some others were berating themselves for having missed such an important detail. Selina herself just seemed despondent, though.

"I hate you," she told Weiss without any heat.

"Noted."

After that, she and Coco quickly applied enough powder to make what was visible of Selina's face atlesean pale. It was a rushed job, but they needed little finesse for this.

Selina herself absolutely hated it, but bore with the make-up for their mission's sake. She grumbled and resisted the urge to rub her face, at least until it was time to leave the house. After that she carefully kept her back straight and walked side by side with Ren.

Her heart beat so heavily she feared others may hear it, but the guards at the gate paid them no mind beyond a simple nod. She slowly input the code that was constantly repeated in her head; Selina memorised this one, though she also had the entire lot on paper.

Each tap felt an age long. She just waited for an alarm to sound and thousands of soldiers to attack them, but nothing happened. The panel turned green and the door opened. They were in.

Marching along, she allowed herself a quiet sigh of relief. This went better than expected, she thought, only for her eyes to fall on a sign at the wall. That was in Atlesean. Which she did not speak beyond a few words. Ren did not speak it either, she knew that.

"Well, shit," was all Selina could say to that. Ren's head twitched her way and she motioned for the sign, then the other ones around. He nodded almost imperceptibly and she heard a faint sigh, but neither of them really stopped walking. Down the corridor they knew led to the vault, side by side. They were already in, the only way out was through.

Even then, Selina was ever more sure this had been the better idea; even though it was a last-minute change, as few of them should be in here for as little time as possible. Dozens of guards milled around, half-heartedly patrolling or chatting with each other. At least the Atleseans were as taciturn inside as they were outside; no one passing them by did more than offer a nod or a word in greeting. No officers were around, either.

Selina did her best soldier impression, returning nods where they were given to her and otherwise trying not to stand out. Weiss explained some basics of social engineering, of how people rarely question something that looked like it fit into place; that confidence in whatever one said made for an easier sell. It almost sounded like magic to Selina and it was nerve-wracking, but the uniform hid her usual tells. She had no weapon on hand beyond the paltry sidearm, which did not count; its calibre was too small to hurt anything but the weakest of Grimm. This was a weapon to use on humans and she hated it.

Yet their disguises worked. Somehow. Even while completely stumped that they made it past soldier after soldier without needing to speak a single word or even stop, Selina was happy that things did not go bad. They had to run for the hills if discovered, hoping the disguises saved them from being identified.

But still, nobody questioned their legitimacy. She and Ren passed not one but two checkpoints; the guards were reading magazines, glancing up momentarily as they approached. Then they just waved the pair through.

This was almost too easy now. It put Selina on edge again; how could this be the world's most advanced military force? She understood that they would never expect to be infiltrated right now and like this, but still.

Despite her suspicions of a trap, nothing happened. They kept on walking until finally reaching a long corridor opening into a wide hall. It was only fifteen minutes or so, but it felt like hours.

No one was there beside them. Large ventilation shafts opened to the left and right, reaching into untold depths. Selina curiously peered down the nearest one, but could not see its bottom. More importantly, a giant panel of steel stood out in the back; it looked like a boarded doorway, gleaming faintly in the sterile light.

"Here we are," she quipped quietly. Ren just gave a nod and opened a nearby panel in the wall. The hidden console's screen flared active, after which he entered the access codes Velvet pulled from Ironwood's head.

Selina waited until her teammate disarmed the alarms, then approached what must be the vault. She knew from Ruby telling Yang that it would take a few minutes for the thing to open, but they were not discovered yet. Despite it all, Selina tensed up a little more with every step she took until the wall towered over her.

She reached out and touched her fingers to its surface, only to feel something warm flow from her chest. Down her arms and onto her fingers it went, where actual sunlight sprouted out of her gloves. It seeped into the door that began to shine brighter than before. Nothing else happened.

Selina sighed. She was tense like a bowstring, yet somehow they made it this far without being discovered. Ren joined her in front of the vault, expression as hidden as hers. Selina huffed at her friend.

"Feels unreal, doesn't it?"

He nodded. "Atlas grew complacent, so we are here. But yes, it is still hard to believe even after everything we saw."

"Ayup. Right there with you. Real magic, insane."

"Yes."

They fell back into a tense though companionable silence. The glow of Selina's dissolved Charm slowly trickled along, clearly intent to cover the entire structure. The pair gradually relaxed and Selina shot a text to Weiss: 'Waiting for the stupid thing to open up'.

She barely remembered to use code in time. Weiss clearly did not need to rewrite her response, seeing how fast it came: 'You better hurry, we are waiting for you'

Well, that was one way to say she was worried. Selina let out a little huff and showed Ren, whose lips twitched up ever so faintly.

After a nerve-wracking five minutes, the door finally dissolved to reveal a disc of steel in an endless expanse. In its center hovered an elaborate metal staff. Selina pumped her fist at the sight and ran inside to grab the thing.

Just as her fingers touched it, everything stopped. The air suddenly felt still and a blue cloud escaped the staff. Selina clutched it protectively, only to gasp when the cloud formed into a person. A man, easily larger than any human or faunus.

"Ah, finally!" the specter greeted her with a cocky grin. "I-"

"Sorry," Selina interrupted with a look over her shoulder, "but can it wait? We're kinda doing a heist right now." She really hoped the magic person would not be mad, but there was no time right now.

He had stopped when she cut in, clearly annoyed. After following Selina's gaze to where Ren was peering into the vault, he heaved a sigh and shook his head. "Truly? Well, not that I mind. Say when you're ready to hear my wisdom."

So saying, he returned into the staff.

Selina whispered a quick "Thank you" and darted back outside; she felt the flat stare Ren levelled at her more than she saw it, shrugging helplessly. "I guess I got used to supernatural stuff happening. Or just Lumina."

It was the best she could tell him for why she was not in awe of the blue guy.

From there they started to walk back, the staff strapped to Selina's back. Everything really worked better than expected.

They made it a few dozen metres out of the room before they heard the stomping of far too many boots coming their way. Nobody should come here, it could only mean one thing.

"Shit! Back!"

Ren wordlessly followed her order and they quickly outpaced the shouting Atleseans; upon returning to the vault room, Selina looked around wildly for a way to escape or hide. Something, anything to make use of. But there was only the open vault... and the air vents.

She did not like their chances of making it through there, but the only other way out was the one they just retreated from. Selina listened to the approaching soldiers for a moment, gritting her teeth. Nothing to it.

"Ready to do something insane?"

He did not even answer, just moved up to her side. They exchanged smiles, a little wry and equally hopeful not to get themselves killed.

When Selina jumped into the vent, Ren followed without hesitation.

The walls were smooth and gave no purchase, but the approaching soldiers quickly faded from their hearing; they were replaced by the clicks and clacks of her gloves and armour on steel. Her aura took small hits but held steady, even as gravity tugged her ever deeper into the shaft.

Several terrifying seconds were spent in utter darkness; not even faunus nightvision could aid her without any light at all. Selina had no way to stabilise beyond her own balance.

Then there was light. She had no time to even recognise it came from below before she left the vent. Mantle approached far too quickly where she fell. Selina's eyes widened and she desperately tried to animate her aura; she never figured out the teleportation trick, now it would fail anyway. The cocktail of adrenaline and abject fear kept her unable to really focus.

All she could do was pool all her aura on her front, spread her arms wide, and press her tongue to the roof of her mouth. The adrenaline made each motion feel slow, the descent an age long. She could only hope.

When Selina hit the ground, she slammed into it like a meteor. Dust and stone flew, joined by a second load when Ren came down a few metres away. Sharp pebbles scratched her armour as she lay in a crater of her own making. Painful aftershocks ran through her body and kept her on the ground, all air driven from Selina's lungs. She barely managed to take little gasps.

Her aura broke right after impact. Everything hurt. But she was not dead.

Once the dust settled, Selina flopped herself over with a pained groan. "Ugh, you still alive?"

A pained grunt was Ren's only response. Silver linings and all. Selina smiled to herself at the thought.

After wallowing in pain a little longer, she sat up gingerly and patted herself down. The front armour was a bust, but somehow she made it through without broken bones. Just a lot of bruises.

So reassured, Selina pulled off her helmet and grabbed the tissues Weiss prepared to wipe off all the powder. Girl really thought of everything.

Which was when a voice called out to them in Atlesean.

Selina's head turned slowly to not aggravate her bruises, only for her to find a small girl staring at them. She was wrapped in a heavy coat, eyes wide. Another question was asked, still in Atlesean.

She slowly shook her head and answered in Valean common: "Sorry, I don't understand you."

Now with an audience, she merely winced in the process of getting to her feet. But once she stood, Selina quickly took off the armour. Some of it had come off anyway and the entire suit was dropped into the crater she made with her face.

Her Scroll chimed, miraculously intact. Selina fished it out, well aware that they were now being watched by an entire gaggle of children; she could not quite tell if it was their entrance, the armour, or the fact she only wore a tank top and shorts now. More than that did not fit under the armour and that would normally be fine. But with her aura shattered, the cold crept in and made her shudder.

Ren somehow fit slacks and his green vest underneath. Selina would grumble, but she was too busy being miserable to complain. "C'mon," she urged her friend. "We've gotta get going."

However, the first girl who found them was with them before they made more than three steps. She urgently grabbed Selina's arm while babbling something in Atlesean. Selina shook her head, helpless to admit it: "I don't understand."

An older boy joined them, pulling at Ren in much the same way. He scrambled to explain in broken Valean at the same time: "Too cold! Go inside!" He pointed to the rows and rows of slapdash huts and houses starting nearby, finally making sense to Selina. When he looked at her, she also noticed his iridescent compound eyes.

Soon enough the entire gaggle urged the two of them to come with them. Selina stiffly held onto the Staff of Creation. Some children ran ahead, but there was little she could do beside shivering; the cold was nasty even within reach of Mantle's warming grid.

"I think I hate it here," she muttered, too quiet for even Ren to hear. At the same time, Selina promised herself to never complain about Menagerie's heat again. Too hot was far easier to bear than too cold.

The kids that ran ahead returned with a small group of adults, probably their parents. They were clearly wary but relaxed upon seeing Selina; most of them were faunus just like her. She and Ren were ushered into a nearby house and found themselves holding cups of warm water. The elderly woman living there wrapped another blanket around Selina, cooing gently.

"You poor dears. What were you thinking, going out into the cold like that?"

"They're not from here," one of the men commented from the side, nodding to Selina. "Chocolate girl over there can't be native."

His flippant comment earned some laughs while she rolled her eyes. "Just 'cause you lot are too pale for the rest of Remnant doesn't mean I've gotta be. But yeah. Unless not knowing a lick of Atlesean wasn't a dead giveaway already."

He chuckled at that. "True, true."

After taking a hearty sip of the water, Selina threw the miner a smirk. "'sides, how often do you get to see a tropic beauty around these parts? Enjoy the sight?"

The lady bustling around her tutted, but everyone else laughed.

Socialising done for the moment and bundled up, Selina pulled out her Scroll again. She had no time to answer Weiss before, but her friend's messages became more worried by the minute. Selina wiggled her fingers and typed back: 'Long story, but we're in Mantle. Can someone come pick us up?'

Then, in a stroke of inspiration, she followed up with another message: 'This was the dumbest dare I ever took. Tell Yang to go fuck herself, making us jump.'

She received no response, but somehow Weiss's judging look transcended any need for communication.

"So," one woman in the small group with them started curiously, "what's that the children say about you falling from the sky?"

Having already found her chosen story, Selina sighed theatralically. "Dumbest dare I've ever taken. I'm just glad my aura actually took it all."

She rubbed her bruised front with a wince. For some reason however, the people around turned more attentive. They whispered between themselves for a bit, then two men up and left. Selina followed them with her eyes, then turned to the rest.

"What's that about?"

The elderly lady chuckled, idly rubbing her fox tail. "Well," she answered wrily, "we don't like Atlas much in these parts. Whatever you did to stick it to them, we won't tell. The boys are just making sure your old 'clothes' aren't there when anyone checks. Especially for a pair of hunters."

Right, the uniforms. Selina huffed to play over her embarassment. "Heh, never thought being a faunus would be to my advantage for once. And don't gimme that look, you wouldn't be half as friendly if I weren't."

"Well, perhaps. We do have to look out for our own more than anyone else."

"I get it, still weird."

Weird how things could turn out. She was rubbing shoulders with the upper crust of Atlas a mere few days ago, now she sat in the slums.

While Selina shook her head over this whole mess, Ren inclined his; he quietly nursed his drink so far. "Of course we're grateful regardless. Thank you."

"Oh it is no bother. And such a polite young man you are."

They transitioned into some idle conversation from there, mostly Selina sating her curiousity about life in Mantle. After a while she was notified that Blake and Velvet were ferrying down to fetch them, so she said her goodbyes and headed out; with her aura recovered, she could take the cold now. She weathered the many curious looks over her state of dress and clearly foreign skin tone with ease of practice.

Their reunion with their friends began with a big hug that had Selina hiss.

"Careful!" she growled at Velvet, who hopped back in surprise. Even partly healed bruises still hurt. "Do you have any idea how much it sucks to hit the ground at terminal velocity?"

"I'm surprised you even know what that means," Blake quipped, which earned her a one-fingered salute.

"And fuck you, too!"

They were both smiling, though. Glad to have done the impossible and gotten away with it. The two local faunus who accompanied Selina and Ren seemed amused by the exchange and bid them goodbye.

Blake brought a suitcase containing clothes and their IDs; the wayward pair quickly changed and the Staff was deposited into the case, then they boarded the next ferry up.

Up above, Atlas was on high alert. Soldiers patrolled about half the city. Selina quickly decided not to get too close to ground zero with the Staff on her person; thankfully, only outgoing ferries were checked. They had no trouble coming back in.

That was how everyone met up at the academy instead, this time in SNNL's dorm. Much to her surprise, Weiss greeted them with a hug; she did quickly retreated and dared anyone to say anything with a glare, but her worry shone through nonetheless. Selina could not help but grin, then she had to embrace Nora for similar reasons.

"Did you seriously jump off the city?" her fellow redhead gushed, more excited than worried. "Oh, I wanna do it too! Hey Ren, can we-" "No."

"Aww, but-" "No."

Nora pouted, but Ren did not budge this time. Their byplay eased the tension some and gave Selina a chance to open the suitcase; everyone got a chance to admire the Relic so unlike the Crown they already owned. Both of them glimmered faintly.

"So that's it," Coco mused. She sat down heavily on Selina's cot and rubbed her temple. "We did it. Yay us. Now that thing has to leave Atlas and quick."

Nobody had any objections. If they were found carrying this thing around, Ironwood would come for them. Selina nodded seriously and tried to come up with a plan of getting this out. None of them had a Semblance that would help there.

Someone else did, though.

She tapped Yang's shoulder to get her attention. "Ruby is pretty fast, right? Any chance she can drop by and pick it up?"

"I can call her and ask?" the blonde answered with a shrug. A few people nodded along, so she grabbed her Scroll and placed a quick call.

Barely a minute later, a stormy, red portal opened by Yang's side and Ruby Rose plopped out of it. She wore a goofy smile and spread her arms wide. "Tada!" she chirped, waving at the surprised group. "Hey Yang! Hey Penny! Hey everyone! Now gimme!"

She held out her hands and Selina handed her the suitcase; Ruby grinned.

"Great, see you next week!"

She hopped back through the portal, which then vanished. Twelve dumbfounded students were left behind. Selina looked between where the Relic vanished alongside their co-conspirator, then to everyone else. She had enough of this for one day.

"...well, that just happened? Anyone feel like getting wasted?"

Ten others agreed, even Weiss. Only Penny stayed silent because she could not get drunk to begin with. They dragged her along anyway.

 

[Naron]

The remainder of the three teams' missions went off without a hitch; SPBY had been reinforcing security for a larger atlesean shipping company and CFVY finished supporting a construction team in Mantle. Meanwhile, SNNL completed their Search And Destroy assignment outside by bringing down an alpha Goliath. The elephantine monster was finally tracked and went down as the students supported a pair of licensed Huntsmen.

Selina was still a little tense even a week after the heist, but that big fight helped take the edge off. Then again, she could still see how desperately Ironwood combed the city, though she probably would not have realised without being in the know. She also learned from Whitley that the general covertly suggested to the major players that they may want to relocate; big daddy Schnee was angry about that, especially Ironwood's refusal to give actual reasons.

The moment she carried that little tidbit to Weiss, her friend buried herself in work. She had her faunus friends, mainly Velvet and Blake, drip-feed that Atlas may drop to the people in Mantle. Even with just rumours, quite a few people up and left at the prospect of a city falling on their heads. Many of the faunus made for Menagerie and some more for Vacuo. Schnee workforces swiftly plummeted in the home mines.

More damning was that the rumour spread upward, though. Ironwood's attempts to suppress the information only reinforced that what slipped through the cracks must be true. Selina stayed out of it and watched from the sidelines how her friend worked; she would hardly have noticed the quiet panic that followed without Pyrrha to point things out.

Then again, nobody could have missed the large number of fancy-pants at the airports on the day of their teams' departure from Atlas.

"Wow," Selina quipped with a glance around. "That's a lot more orderly than you'd expect."

"Atleseans," Pyrrha murmured to her team, earning chuckles from them.

Whether Weiss heard it was unclear, but she still preened either way. When Penny asked her about the uncharacteristic joy, the erstwhile heiress' grin grew a fraction.

"Quite a few stocks plummeted hard with the recent upheaval and uncertainty, despite attempts to keep them up," she lectured them quietly. "I now own a quarter of Schnee Dust. Winter will transfer the third she obtained over the next few weeks. With that I will hold majority of company shares. Father is yet unaware."

Several people stared at her in awe and surprise both. Selina already respected the girl, but she could be outright scary if she wanted to be. Then Yang started laughing almost hysterically and Selina joined in; it was just too funny that big daddy went down like this.

"Ohhh!" Nora beamed at Weiss, both ignoring the laughter. "So that's what this was all about! You own the show now!"

"To an extent, yes. But... would you two shut up already?" she interrupted herself, glowering at Yang and Selina. The pair threw her thumbs ups and slowly quieted down. Weiss shook her head and returned attention to Nora: "But I need to force Father out before he takes countermeasures. Which means a replacement is needed."

Pyrrha nodded her understanding. "Which means either someone outside of the family or your brother?"

"Unfortunately," Weiss agreed with a soft sigh. "Whitley is far too young to be CEO, even though he was raised for the position. I am too, even ignoring that I plan to become a Huntress. Winter will refuse no matter what I say. Mother is... no. Just no."

She did not elaborate on that and no one quite felt like asking. Weiss carried on uninterrupted: "I may have to neglect my studies and duties for a time to figure out who to call on. It has to be someone trustworthy and experienced."

And once again she had it all figured out already, at least beside the actual solution.

Selina tapped Weiss's shoulder to offer a suggestion: "Look through the company records, I'd say. From what I heard you can find a lot of gold there. Maybe one of the faunus that made it into management and didn't turn into an asshole along the way?" she suggested, laughing over her own joke. "That'd be a nice slap in the face, too."

Weiss peered at her from up close, not quite annoyed with how near Selina stood. Her good mood was definitely strong today. "If I did not know you as well as I do, this would very much sound like pushing an agenda," she said slowly. "Do be careful when saying things like these. Especially with so many potentially prying ears nearby."

Selina nodded quickly, she did not even think about that. Before she could actually get worried however, Coco slid an arm over each of their shoulders with a winning grin. "Not to worry. If anyone eavesdrops on us, I have my little bunny to dig up allll of their dirty laundry. Isn't that right?"

She definitely wanted Velvet to play along, but the other brunette merely grimaced and rubbed the base of her ears. "There is a reason I hate crowds," she murmured. "Please let the Bullhead come quick."

Her prayers were heard and their machine landed in less than five minutes. Atlesean students disembarked first, offering curt nods in greeting. A few stopped to chat for a minute before hurrying to catch up with the rest. The Beacon students entered the Bullhead afterward and sat down in an orderly row.

Selina pulled out her phone to check for messages; she did not get to physically see Whitley again, but they regularly wrote each other.

After a quiet discussion with Weiss, she sent him a quick warning that his sister was preparing something big for the SDC; the moment he read it, Selina deleted the message and replaced it with a 'shhh' emote. Then she threw a bunch of cat pictures at him. Actual cats, not Blake. Selina took to sending the boy a bit of everything nice and fluffy she could think of; considering the days he probably had, she felt he needed that.

Then a contingent of atlesean soldiers entered before takeoff to check everyone over. Winter Schnee was leading, which said something alright. Only the twelve who actually did the deed knew what was searched for, but they knew the Staff was long gone.

Winter also took a minute to exchange words with her sister, whose good mood almost infected her. She left without finding what she came for, yet bore a subtle upward tilt to her lips that Selina noticed only after Pyrrha pointed it out.

She prepared herself for a boring flight home and they soon took off.

In the meantime, James Ironwood prepared himself for the call he dreaded having to make for a full week now.

He had to face the facts: someone stole the Staff of Creation from right under his nose. No amount of blaming his subordinates would change that. In the end, responsibility for such a catastrophic blunder lay with him. It was time to face the music.

The call connected just then and Ozpin appeared on screen. It was a direct and encrypted line between them, so they could speak candidly.

"Ah, James," the older man greeted with a benign smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

He paused at the sight of his counterpart's stormy expression. "I take it you have bad news?"

"Unfortunately," James answered mirthlessly.

"Well, when are they not?"

Though appreciated, Ozpin's attempt at levity fell flat. There was really nothing to be happy about. James heaved a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. Nothing to it, he should just say it.

"Somehow, the Staff of Creation was stolen."

Ozpin leaned forward before the sentence was finished, immediately becoming dead serious. "Go on. What exactly happened?"

James scowled at that. "That is the most damned part of it: I don't know. By all accounts they stole several uniforms and just... walked in. The only reason we even noticed was that I am notified if anyone lowers security around the vault. The culprits were long gone by the time the response team arrived."

He knew how ridiculous it sounded, but that was the truth they could piece together. He ruffled his black hair in frustration. "This is a catastrophe, Oz! And I don't even know how they did it! The Winter Maiden is in good health and safe!"

A soft hum escaped the older man, who studied James thoughtfully. "There is more to this, no?" he prompted, far too calm as always. James' frown grew more pronounced as he had to confront the other issue with this entire disaster.

"Yes. Somehow, my access codes were used to enter the facility and circumvent every electronic safety measure."

He really should not have put off the retina scanners for budget reasons. But that was hindsight.

"That is concerning," Ozpin agreed thoughtfully. "It should not be possible to circumvent the vault locks, either. Alas, it could have been worse."

James stared at his old friend, utterly flabbergasted about his flippant response.

"...how, in Saint Andersen's name, could it haven been worse?"

The other headmaster's serene expression broke then; he grimaced and James already dreaded what bad news would follow. Few things could truly unsettle Ozpin.

He did not disappoint: "Well. As you may recall, Leonardo is missing."

That was all James needed to click the pieces into place. His stomach dropped and he urgently leaned forward. "You mean Haven's Relic is gone, too?"

"I do not rightly know," Ozpin deflected carefully. "Seeing how someone opened your vault without the Maiden's aid and his disappearance a few weeks past, I believe it is possible. So far it did not occur to me the vault may be at risk. I will send someone trustworthy to verify."

Meaning that they had to expect two out of four Relics gone. This got worse and worse. But James had not gotten where he was by doomsaying, his job was to provide solutions. "In the meantime, we need to shore up defenses at Shade and Beacon. If they're after the Relics, we need to stop them. Figure out who they are."

There he paused as something occurred to him.

"If it is Salem...."

"Then she would have no need to attack the Fall Maiden. Except to humiliate us, but she is not that petty."

Ozpin was clearly certain of his answer and James deferred to him on that one; the older man fought Salem in the shadows for far longer than any other human alive.

"Who else then?" he asked instead. "An unknown third party?"

"Potentially. I am not going to disregard Salem as an option just yet, but we may be dealing with a complete unknown. For now however, we do not know if they target Relics, headmasters, or both. Do be careful going forward, James."

He could see his friend's train of thought: one occurence was coincidence, but two formed a pattern. James being alive may be a miracle, considering the means the thieves must possess to somehow crack atlesean security codes. At the same time he could not help but wonder why there was not even a word about his failure. Ozpin was not the kind for harsh punishments, but he rarely let things slide either.

Sighing, James lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Oz. I failed to protect the Relic."

"Do not be," the older man comforted him kindly. "It seems we are dealing with someone well-prepared and motivated."

"And now all of Atlas and Mantle are at risk," James retorted. There was nothing positive about this. "They could wipe out the kingdom if they wanted to!"

Ozpin broke into his morose thoughts with a wry smile. "And yet they haven't," he reminded James. "Which means either they do not condone genocide, or they may attempt to ransom the Staff. They gave you time to put emergency measures in place. Use it."

James nodded; he saw the logic well enough once it was pointed out to him. The best time to hit Atlas would have been right after stealing the Staff. He had at least some time and needed to use it. But a second opinion never hurt.

"What do you suggest?"

"I imagine you are already taking steps?" Ozpin received a nod in response and smiled. "Then keep doing that. We will investigate who may be conspiring for the Relics in the meantime. Amber is in reasonably good health and kept hidden for the moment."

Right. James could not help but grimace at the reminder. "About that," he interjected. "Word got out that the city's engines are faulty. It is just rumours at this point, but any attempt to move the population will corroborate them."

"That... is a problem. I will mull it over. Be careful in the meantime."

"I always am."

The older man arched a brow; no more and no less, yet clearly communicating his skepticism. James almost averted his gaze, embarassed like the time his momma caught him sneaking sweets as a boy. Sometimes he envied Ozpin's skill in making people feel so chastised with just a look; it worked even on men like him, who spent over a decade in the army's upper echelons.

In the end he gave with a sigh. "Alright, I will."

"Good."

Ozpin smiled once again, folding his hands. He glanced at something out of frame, then turned back to James. "But while I have you here, is there anything else you want to talk about?"

They shifted to less depressing topics from there. It was a nice gesture of Ozpin to spend some time getting James into a better mood.

Some time later, the Beacon students disembarked their ride and tried to sleep off the jetlag. Weekend was near and classes would not start up until afterward. Yang called Ruby to let her sister know they made it back safe, too.

They then tried to figure out where to meet up. Ozpin's office sounded like a good plan for some until Weiss pointed out that he wanted to maintain plausible deniability. She had a point with her argument and they went back to the drawing board; the idea was now to go somewhere away from him.

After some conferring, Qrow suggested Mt. Glenn; a fallen city at the mountainside, overrun by Grimm a decade ago. The area was desolate and uninhabited, perfect to hunker down by his reasoning. The students agreed.

Thus all twelve of them had a big breakfast the next day and headed out. Selina was not happy with it and groaned loudly about being herded around, but nobody even entertained her. The urge to pout was strong, especially with how harrowing the heist was on her in particular. But she still got why this was so important and kept going, even while complaining.

At least they could get around a week-long walk thanks to Ruby and Raven; the bandit queen's portals were so incredibly nifty that Selina was half-tempted to see about some way to switch Semblances with someone else. She would not quite give an arm or a leg for a power like that, but if someone actually offered it to her Selina would be tempted.

They came out on a ruined street clear of Grimm. Ruby waved cheerfully, Lamp at her hip and Staff slung over her back.

"Hey guys!"

Selina waved back, as did most of the others. Yang hugged her little sister tightly and the group shared a laugh over her embarassment; then Selina and Nora went to bump fists with Ruby, who awkwardly offered the same to Weiss and Penny afterward. Even the heiress indulged her after her partner, more amused than anything. Selina trained that girl so well, soon she may even go for a high-five!

After greetings were out of the way and they each gave cliff notes versions of their adventures, everyone sat down to plan in one of the more intact buildings. A pinch of Wind Dust cleaned away most of the common dust, some rubble made for decent enough benches.

The basic idea they came up with was simple, too: fortify and wait for Salem to come to them.

"I do not see how she will even learn of this," Weiss said once they got that figured out. She frowned at a short list of notes she was writing. "We made certain not to leave any tracks that can be traced back to us. I assume you did the same?" she asked Ruby, who smiled mischievously.

"I did, but that's where Lumina comes in."

And suddenly everything made sense. Ruby's grin widened over the sounds of understanding from the group, fully ignoring questions about the details. "The best part is that we can get you back to Beacon for classes if it takes too long. Teleportation is so practical!"

Yang groaned at that and threw a bunched up plastic wrapper at Ruby. "Way to rub it in, sis!"

Ruby dodged easily and stuck out her tongue; Qrow shook his head over their antics, much like Selina and Coco did. Raven's expression was as stony as ever; Selina still felt intimidated by her, but she had to admit she would like to have a poker face half as good.

"Whatever," Qrow interrupted the banter. "If Lumina's right, Salem will come herself to take the Relics. Whatever plan she has better work."

His gruff voice was calm, but they all heard the 'or else we're all dead'; he did not even need to say it.

From there they split up and began pacifying the area. Lots of Grimm milled around, yet there was nothing they could not handle. No ancient specimen, nothing larger than Ursas. It was nice enough for Selina to have her old job again, even just for a little while. They all kept their eyes open for potential shelter, too.

Ruby and Weiss put their heads together to build some volatile Dust mines. Raven led a hunting party out of city limits, taking Velvet and Selina along. Qrow went off alone to kill more Grimm and level the playing field. Ren, Blake, and Fox focussed on scouting, with Nora for heavy support. Meanwhile, Coco, Yatsuhashi, Penny, Yang, and Pyrrha formed a core combat team that waltzed over the weaker Grimm in town. They were slower than the rest, but hit harder than every other student and even Ruby.

It was odd to not work within her own team, Selina had to admit that. She got used to her friends being around. But at the same time it was interesting to follow Raven's lead; as weird as it still was to have her around, her skills were the real deal. Selina learned a lot.

Like this they prepared for the final confrontation. And a half-step away from their reality, Lumina's grin grew malicious. It was a perfect mirror to Summer's, who stood opposite to her.

"Soon," the moth promised with vindictive glee.

Summer nodded.

"Soon," she agreed, much more severe than her co-conspirator.

 

[Naron]

Salem was deeply confused by recent events. Pleased, yes, but also confused.

It appeared that Ozma finally made enemies capable of circumventing the vaults; Salem could not fathom how they did so, but it certainly happened. She did not know who took the Lamp, but her Hound and Leonardo were both gone. Had it been the wizard's doing, her newest pawn would have alerted her.

A conundrum, truly; that Hound was reinforcements for the lion. With Tyrian gone, Salem needed to conserve her human agents. In hindsight, she should have sent more than one, or Hazel as well. Capturing Ruby Rose for processing would be an even greater exertion now, assuming the girl knew she was being targeted.

Then again, everything Salem knew about this young Huntress told her that it could not have been her who broke into the vault at Haven. She had no reason to want the Relic, or to go behind the venerable Ozpin's back. Or Leonardo, for that matter; his last report clearly stated that she seemed to have taken a liking to him.

Her thoughts were going in circles by now. Salem disregarded them with a frown, all but glaring out of the window; her preferred conference room allowed the witch to look out onto a majority of the Grimm pools dotting the land around her castle. One of them had shifted oddly, its colouration ever so slightly off. A faint orange sheen became visible in the bubbling surface from time to time. It was a curious development, but the emerging Grimm were no different from the rest; Salem reasoned that examining this could wait until later. She always had time on her side after all.

She may have reconsidered that decision if she remembered that this particular pool was the one a radiant moth's corpse was thrown into. Although Lumina remained in her memory still, she did not make the connection.

While Salem pondered the circular logic she kept getting back to, an echo of footsteps reached her ears. They swiftly grew louder until her remaining retainers entered. She could tell each by their gait alone; Cinder limped front and center, flanked by Hazel's surprisingly quiet steps to the left and Arthur's even rhythm, like clockwork, to the right.

"I found our culprits," Cinder announced victoriously before Salem even turned around. "They have the Lamp, the Crown, and the Staff."

Her previous, cocky smirk was back in place, the witch noted upon turning. Although it could not hide how weak the girl's body had become; not quite frail, but pale and thin much like when they first met. Cinder remained unconcerned with her condition, though. She continued once she knew she had the queen's attention.

"They're currently hiding in Mt. Glenn. I imagine they will go for Shade Academy next."

"Unlikely," Arthur cut off that line of argument at once. His gaze rested on Salem, calm as always. A vaguely pleased smirk played around his features. "Shade is subtly arming itself inside and out. Whatever they want all four Relics for, the Sword remains out of their grasp for now."

The correction was accepted with grace. Cinder had mellowed out of late. Salem offered her protegè a nod and motioned for everyone to get seated. The girl's recent showings were pitiful, but she did put together a good network of informants to make up for them.

Once settled down, Arthur threw Cinder a look oozing faux concern. "Are you sure you're feeling alright? Not a single bit of bravado, nothing? You haven't even 'suggested' you go yourself to take the Relics."

To even his own surprise, Cinder had no more than a bored look for him. Her growth was appreciated but also worrisome to an extent; Cinder's naked ambition was what allowed her to be led around so well. Nobody missed that she changed in that regard, yet her conduct was exemplary.

"Our experiences change us," Hazel murmured, once again attempting to pacify the warring groups.

Cinder huffed in response, offering the large and scarred man a nod. "That they do," she agreed. "I was humbled, so I needed to reconsider a few things. That aside, I need not ask to join this endeavour."

So saying her gaze went to Salem, who in turn watched her impassively. "If you spent just a moment to imagine our Queen's wishes, you would already know that."

The queen herself arched a brow imperiously.

"Oh? And what, pray tell, do you imagine I want?"

The subtle rebuke immediately had Cinder grow more demure; she bowed her head, but spoke regardless: "To claim the Relics. Three out of four in one place, of course we will all go to ensure success."

"Yet we do not know who they are," Arthur argued. "Or why they came for the Relics. It could be a ruse."

He spoke with calm logic instead of passion, as always in opposition to Cinder's fiery demeanour. The girl herself scoffed.

"Please. What goal would Ozpin have in removing the Relics from their vaults where they are safest? Weren't you the one who confirmed the old man is still sitting pretty in his tower? He has no idea and anyone else is nothing but a fool. Even if they knew about us, they will never anticipate their failure before they fall."

That was all Salem needed to realise her protegè's confidence yet remained; it was merely tempered by bitter defeat. Admirable.

"She is not wrong," Hazel agreed. His deep voice almost reverberated across the room. "But I don't like going in blind."

Arthur rubbed his chin in thought at that; he knew as well as the rest of them that Cinder had a point.

Salem steepled her fingers to rest her chin on them, addressing the room calmly: "You are correct, but so is Cinder. Perhaps we deal with a band of aspiring thieves. Perhaps a new group that heard tell of me and decided to take matters into their own hands. Regardless, they will learn their folly in time."

Of course this was just a middling success. In truth such brazenness intrigued her. "And perhaps," she decided to add idly, "we can even make them join us."

Salem's lips curled into a faint smile in the silence that followed, a motion devoid of warmth. Nobody else spoke, waiting for her.

"Yes," she decided. "We will confront these thieves and give them the chance to become a part of something greater. Should they refuse, well."

She left the sentence unfinished, but everyone got her meaning just fine.

After an appropriately long pause, Salem moved on to a related matter: "And while we are there, we may as well pressure Vale afterward."

Plans were to be set in motion now; an army of Grimm right at Ozma's doorstep was just the perfect icing on this cake. If she could obtain three Relics in one fell swoop and put Vale to the torch, her desires would soon be fulfilled.

Cinder was pleased at the announcement. Arthur frowned. Hazel remained stoic. It was a characteristic response from all of them.

Once the queen concluded their meeting and left to begin her own preparations however, the two men did something distinctly unusual: they confronted Cinder.

Hazel was a little surprised that Arthur would be concerned, but let him take the lead to see what would happen.

"What was that?" Arthur demanded of the younger woman. "What games are you playing now, you insufferable girl?"

It was uncalled for, but those two never got along. Suspicion fit Arthur's motives better than concern anyhow. For her part, Cinder only offered a serene smile in response. Hazel may not be the smartest man in the world, but even he could tell something must have happened to her. The young woman lost much of her bluster and ego. Perhaps too much.

"I do not know what you mean, Arthur," she deflected. "Everything is going perfectly for me."

"Oh? Despite your fall from grace?"

Where Arthur's taunts would normally rile her up, today Cinder just chuckled. It had been like this for a while, but he clearly still disliked that his taunts stopped working. The scientist walked off shaking his head.

Hazel was less easy to shake, though; today just cemented that something was very wrong with Cinder. He fell into step with her, once again taking note of how she favoured one leg. The limp became more pronounced over time; Cinder's body was failing her ever so slowly. He doubted the others noticed, even if they paid as much attention to their surroundings as he did.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Hazel could not help but ask. They may be rebels against Remnant, but he never took this to mean he should not care for others.

Yet all the question earned him was an idle look, followed by a scrunched brow. Hazel was never good at reading women; Cinder was an even greater enigma than most, he had no idea what she thought.

In the end she stopped to face him. The sight was almost comical with their height difference, but Cinder was not the slightest bit intimidated.

"Hazel Rainard," she mused idly. "I realise we never spoke much before. But now I am curious: what brought you to Salem in the first place?"

That was definitely not where he expected the conversation to go. Not that it was a secret, the entire group just made little effort to talk about their pasts. Hazel suspected that Arthur already knew about them all; he himself decided not to poke whatever darkness may lie in his allies' past. Cinder never quite seemed to care and Tyrian had been insane...ly obvious. It did not do to think ill of the dead.

Then again, this did not mean he liked talking about it. Although it was curious enough that Cinder even thought to ask.

After mulling it over for a moment, Hazel decided to explain: "My sister was a Huntress. Died against Salem in a fight she couldn't win. Ozpin set her up to this, sets all of them up." A familiar flash of rage turned his expression into a vicious snarl. "I'm going to kill him," Hazel vowed. "However often I can get my hands on him after he reincarnates."

Cinder listened patiently, once again unaffected even when his voice turned into a low growl. In the end she nodded.

"Revenge, then. I understand that quite well. But why with Salem?"

He barked a quiet laugh at that, all anger forgotten. "She made it clear to me there is no defeating her. I tried and tried and tried to kill her, but she always came back. Why should I not when I don't care what happens after?"

It was a sound logic; if he could not beat them, he would join them. As distasteful as some of Salem's tasks may be, resistance was futile.

Cinder, however, huffed. She even offered him a faint smile. "Now this I disagree with."

"How do you mean?" he asked back, intrigued despite himself.

She walked past him then, absently patting his broad shoulder. "Your sister," she began. "Did she not care for the future, either? You say you want to avenge her meaningless death, but don't they all go into this pursuing a brighter future?"

His low growl did not deter her. She dared talk about Gretchen like she ever met her. Hazel roughly yanked Cinder back by the arm, but she only bore that same smile.

"You do not scare me," she said. And she meant it. These hands that killed dozens, perhaps even hundreds, could not elicit even a simple twitch from her. It only made Hazel angrier, so much so that he had to fight for composure. Her sheer disrespect toward the dead tested his temper; to pretend like they were told the truth before they fell.

"You think I won't hurt you for what you just said?" he growled, grip tightening. A golden aura like sunlight sprung up to protect Cinder, whose brow arched much like Salem's did earlier.

"No," she responded, the first in a long time to remain serene in the fact of his wrath. "I don't care one bit. Salem may just throw you away for being a liability, but that is fine too. I am already getting what I want, even if you kill me here and now."

Then she giggled. A soft, cruel sound that sent a chill down Hazel's spine. It was as if someone emptied a bucket of ice-cold water over him, dousing the flames of wrath. He reluctantly let go, but Cinder did not retreat even now that she could. Rather, she slowly placed a hand on his shoulder.

"For what it's worth, I apologise. I can not say I care much for your rhetoric, but it is dear to you. And yet... if you were to die before your revenge can be completed, would you still be content? Is this truly where you want to end?"

"Yes."

Cinder looked him in the eyes then, as if searching for something. She only found conviction and inclined her head. "Very well. Thank you for the conversation."

She made to leave, but was stopped when Hazel grasped her arm again. This time more gently. "Where are you going with this?" he asked, unable to make sense of this entire situation.

In turn Cinder glanced back one last time. The serenity, the vindictive glee, it was all gone; only calm remained.

"Revenge is a worthy goal," she told him. "Throwing your own life away in the process is fine, it's yours to do with as you please. But throwing away the lives of others?"

He took a deep breath and let go. Cinder walked away without another word, though no more were needed. She had a point, even.

Hazel's brows furrowed and he walked away in another direction to think.

Meanwhile, Arthur Watts sat in his little lab.

Partly completed prosthetics lined the walls, neatly organised. Cables were orderly bunched together, running between a powerful computer setup and six screens. Three contained reference files, two his current projects, and one a mildly interesting video that served as background noise.

The erstwhile atlesean scientist's expression was relaxed as he typed away on the keyboard. This new worm would exploit loopholes in the code base he himself helped build; how ironic, really. To tear down what he raised up. Alas, they brought it on themselves. He just needed to be careful not to point them toward those holes, but Arthur was a professional for a reason.

He was also interrupted by a knock on the door. Arthur's fingers paused, a soft frown marring his features. The rest usually left him alone and Salem called for him instead of seeking him out.

"Who is it?"

The handle was pushed down in lieu of a response. Arthur turned in his chair just in time to see Cinder revealed on the other side. His hackles rose at her presence, but she simply strode inside. The girl studied his setup with a smattering of curiousity.

Arthur heaved a sigh at that. Cinder was the last person he wanted to deal with in his free time.

"Ah. You. Kindly see yourself out."

He then turned back to his work, switching through various security feeds of areas his viruses already infiltrated. There was no real reason, Arthur just tried to look busy so Cinder took the hint.

Unfortunately, the impudent child rather continued with that irritating habit of doing the opposite of what he wanted; she walked up and came to stand behind him, watching over his shoulder. Her presence made Arthur tense up bit by bit as the seconds ticked by; having Cinder Fall where he could not see her was a recipe for disaster.

But with her being adamant to stay, he had no real choice, now did he? Arthur was not a fighter, he could not bodily remove the damned girl.

"Isn't it amazing?" she finally said. Her words held no malice and that gave him pause. Arthur glanced at Cinder's reflection on the screen, only to find the girl still studying his computer.

"Once you consider how many moving bits are needed for these electronics," she elaborated. "Electricity, a slew of microscopic components, and the patterns needed to manipulate them. To the point a hunk of silicon can be trained to sapience."

She was buttering him up, he knew that. But at the same time Arthur knew it worked. He always thought similarly.

"It shows the heights of human ingenuity," he agreed, pleasantly surprised if cautious. He had no idea what her game was.

Cinder continued to muse, but she finally gave him something concrete: "And yet you are here, acting to tear it all down. I wonder what pushed you this far?"

So she was testing him, perhaps on the queen's order. Arthur barely stopped himself from sneering and went back to appearing busy. "None of your business, girl."

A hand came to rest on the back of his chair, making Arthur freeze up. But the expected attack did not come, Cinder merely huffed.

"Is it vengeance," she ventured, "like with Hazel?"

His scowl at the reminder was apparently answer enough. The girl's reflection nodded. "It seems to be a unifying theme. Salem seeks out those too angry to care what happens next. But I am curious: what will you do when your actions made it all crash down to the ground? There will be no more machines. No more computers."

Now it was for him to huff. Her logic was too short-sighted, as always.

"How naive. You always expected results in weeks and months. These things take time. Humans are resilient creatures, I will not live long enough to see the end."

"With this attitude you won't, no."

That flippant response was the final straw, no matter how serious she acted about it. Arthur turned his chair and dislodged Cinder's hand in the process. He had enough.

"What do you want?"

"Understanding," she answered evenly, "no more and no less. You are an atlesean elite, could have had a wonderful career. Yet you rather faked your death and joined Salem."

Arthur exhaled slowly, scowling. This girl had no idea the commitments he made, the promises he was given, the indignity of having well-off fools walk all over his well-earned reputation.

"Some things are not worth wasting my life for. Atlas is one of them."

For some reason Cinder nodded. She had taken something from his words; perhaps her recent change in attitude allowed her to sniff out the years of Arthur's work wasted by the sudden promotion of robotics over all other fields. An army of soulless automatons to preserve human lives. So much money wasted on AI that could be better used elsewhere, but no.

"Spite, then," Cinder cut off his dark thoughts. "Revenge."

Her words hit surprisingly close to home. Arthur's eyes narrowed, but she continued before he could offer any sort of scathing remark: "Believe you me, I get that. But have you considered that the best revenge is a life well lived? Go to another kingdom, start anew with your credentials? Anyone would have taken you."

The worst thing about it was that she had a point. No matter how grudgingly Arthur had to admit it, the fact did not change. He himself considered it more than once.

In the end he stood. His rather lanky frame had a full head of height over Cinder, who was not the least bit intimidated. He did not expect her to, truth be told. Arthur merely looked at her, more tired than annoyed now.

"Salem has a gift for finding us in our darkest hour. Promising us that which we desire the most, just then. And once we are in her grasp, we can no longer leave. So asking 'what if' is a waste of breath."

Seeing the way she peered at him, as if genuinely curious about something, Arthur's glare returned. "How about you finally tell me what this is about, hm?"

Seconds ticked by as the two stared at each other. Though Arthur would have loved to set her on fire with his mind, he did not have such a power. This quiet intensity she had to herself began to upset him again, too; was she planning to kill him? Was this a setup?

Then a hand came to rest on his chest. It lay there ever so softly, almost innocent. Her words were anything but.

"Destroy evidence of your involvement in this. All of it. And be ready to vanish."

His eyes widened in surprise. She could not seriously be insinuating what he thought she was. Not Cinder.

Then it clicked. Arthur's breath hitched. He finally realised that yes, the thing wearing Cinder's skin said exactly what he thought. The failing body, her change in behaviour, it all suddenly made sense.

"What are you?"

'Cinder' grinned, an ugly sight that revealed a missing canine. A flicker of orange gleamed from her eyes for but a moment, gone with a blink.

"Someone who, just like you, exists by spiting those that want to bring them down. Dawn will break soon."

The hand on his chest began to glow as if on cue. It was ever so faint, yet doubtlessly pure sunlight. Brighter than anything that shone on these lands in centuries.

Her expression mellowed out, becoming more benign. "Tonight you will have a pleasant dream of what could be. We will not speak of this again. It is ultimately your choice if you live to see the end."

So saying, 'Cinder' walked away. Arthur stood where he was for long minutes, trying to feel any differences with himself. Nothing seemed changed yet he knew something had happened.

In the end he slowly sank back into the chair, face buried in his hands. Just what had he gotten himself into? If he kept this quiet and the thing's plot failed, Salem would have him killed once she found out.

But if this plot succeeded....

His gaze slowly turned to his bed, the only bit of luxury he afforded himself beside his workstation. It was late. Perhaps he could think more clearly about this after a good sleep?

 

[Morte_Perpetua]

Nice that Radiance is finally doing something herself. The more she is driving the plot the better

 

[Naron]

Days passed and preparations continued on both sides. 'Cinder' was pleased about the progress made, especially because Salem did not seem to suspect anything yet. The infiltrator's own lapse in judgement regarding Arthur Watts worried her at first, but he clearly kept his silence. Even just a shadow of doubt would have been felt. Then again, he was also known to dislike Cinder; Salem may just disregard his words as paranoia or petty rivalry.

He may still be working on setting her up to fail at the most important juncture, but at this point Lumina did not worry too much anymore. He could not even imagine the true extent of her plan, much less how to circumvent it. The only way to do so would be to hide Salem far away for a long, long time. She would not even realise her impending doom until it was too late.

And for all Lumina knew, whatever dream he had that night may have swayed him after all. It was the true reason she did not even attempt to work on Hazel; not only was this one's opinion rarely clouded by personal issues, he also had no future left to grasp. He would keep going and Arthur would not.

There was still a small chance Salem played the game at a higher level and feigned nonchalance to surprise them. Lumina doubted that, though; her enemy's mind did not work like that. Salem would never allow her opposition to line up all their cards without interference. No matter how certain she was of her own success.

"If I may ask a question?" she spoke up quietly. 'Cinder' stood behind Salem, watching as the 'mistress' mutated various creatures of Grimm into growing wings. A gargantuan beast slowly assembled in the background, continuously being fed void matter from a dozen pools including the contaminated one. Bulbous but also capable of flight, this monster would carry them all to Vale. A testament of power and hubris.

Once Salem finished with her current specimen, she finally motioned for 'Cinder' to proceed. The fading woman inclined her head. "I recently grew curious. Why is it that you conspire against Remnant? Is vengeance on Ozpin really all there is to it?"

Salem paused for a long moment. She slowly turned her head with a searching look; the real Cinder would have cowered before that stare, apologised for asking questions beyond her station. Lumina had to suppress a snort.

Even if this body died, everything had already been put into motion. Her plan would not be stopped. Cancerous growths bubbled deep within the still assembling whale. They grew bigger with every passing day, dormant only under Lumina's will; the cancer hid in this beast's flesh, much like it did with all the rest. Her light had solidified and once again resisted the void that sought to consume it.

"And what, pray tell, drew your curiousity to this subject?"

A deflection did not suit Salem. Be it pride or certainty, she hardly ever did this. In this case Lumina reasoned it may be suspicion that her tool developed unfavourable views. She was not even wrong, though the truth eluded her. This tool now belonged to someone else.

'Cinder' demurely averted her gaze. "Idle musings most of all. Mere revenge on a man... feels so small. For you."

She still felt Salem's gaze bore into her and pretended to be cowed. Suspicion was to be expected, really. Salem's fate was decided, but Lumina still got curious if there was no more to her enemy.

In the end the unkillable woman huffed ever so quietly.

"You are correct. This is not revenge on the wizard anymore. He is merely an annoyance at this point. No, this is revenge upon the gods. I will destroy the humanity they created a second time, then call them back to behold their folly and despair."

There was a certain intensity to her words, yet they were cold like outer space. Lumina scoffed at the inherent contradiction of destroying what she herself brought back, but Cinder's expression was held carefully blank. What irked her the most was how similar the two of them were, though; had Salem not made an enemy of Lumina, they may have gotten along quite well.

"I see," she murmured without raising her eyes. "My apologies for failing to realise, of course your aspirations are far greater." Just speaking the words revulsed her, but thinking of her imminent victory made it bearable.

She absently nudged another bulbous outgrowth away from the void Salem now animated to change form. It would not do for the fool to find even a hint of abnormality. Her control was good, but she was ultimately not of the void; she could not see or feel what hid in its depths.

Thinking of the void reminded her of the Wyrm, however. Salem thankfully turned her head and thus missed the deep scowl that took over 'Cinder's' features. The old loathing still ran strong.

But at the same time Lumina realised something. After seeing how malleable the void on Remnant was, how it formed into hollow beasts so close to what she was familiar with, Lumina understood now. It gave her clarity, yet little joy. She was so busy with her revenge on Salem that she never put actual thought into what they spoke of during their conversation. With how it all coincided, she now realised that the pieces fit together.

The void beneath Hallownest was born from the blood of an alien dragon. The Wyrm emerged of that being's corpse.

Once Salem dismissed her, she wandered back to her own chambers. 'Cinder' kept her introspective silence as she examined the conclusion from all angles, but found nothing that could contradict it.

Upon entering her room and closing the door, she spoke: "The God of Darkness is dead."

Nothing happened for a moment, then Grimm appeared in the only chair. He crossed one leg over the other, lounging with little decorum. "How do you reckon?" he inquired, politely intrigued.

He earned himself a mirthless grin. Lumina sat down on the bed facing her brother.

"We both saw his corpse. From his blood came forth Hallownest's void and from his dying aspirations rose the Pale King. At least his jealousy of his brother is indeed true, considering how he abhorred me." Lumina had to shake her head at that realisation, heaving a sigh. "It ultimately doesn't matter, but there is a certain irony to it. He took my moths from me, now I am taking his humans from him post-mortem."

"And if he is still alive somewhere?" Grimm prompted curiously, but they both knew that was impossible.

Lumina shook her head. "No. Even I barely survived that vessel. Not to mention that the greater being was already dead before the Pale King died. Assuming he, too, saved himself into a lesser form... no. There is no reincarnation for those of Hallownest. He could not have saved himself again."

She was certain of this if nothing else. The God of Darkness was truly gone.

Brother and sister quietly mulled this over for a time, each lost in thought. In the end Lumina decided to close the subject, though she could not quite hide the caustic note from her voice: "And even if he is, he will never reveal himself to me if he knows what is good for him."

"It seems even your new perspective on life could not wash it all away," Grimm commented with a chuckle. It grew longer when she simply glared at him; just like Lumina did not fear Salem, her brother did not fear her.

Once he had his fun however, Grimm leaned forward with renewed interest. "And what of the God of Light?"

It was a good question; 'Cinder' remained silent for a time to mull it over, slowly hugging a pillow to her chest. "I do not know," she ultimately said. Her emotions were getting more jumbled by the second. "And I do not know how to feel about it. Progeny was never a consideration, not since the beginning. I never thought one had hatched."

Her eyes quivered for a single moment, both Cinder's and her dream self's. Lumina long since gave up on the prospect of family beyond her one brother. Now there may be one, or have been one.

Meanwhile, Grimm took her confusion jovially. "Perhaps this one is of a different origin," he reasoned. "Though I would not begrudge you a child of your own. Mayhaps it will mellow you out a bit more?"

He received a twofold, unamused look and chuckled once more. Lumina still did not know what to make of the situation, but she knew one thing: "I do not believe in coincidences. Another Higher Being aligned to the same cosmic force as I? There must be a relation." But even saying so, she could only sigh. "Regardless, he is long gone from Remnant. Even if these Relics can truly call them back, I have little hope this one is any more alive than the Wyrm. And where a god of darkness came from, I do not know. Do you happen to be involved with that, little brother?"

Grimm threw up his hands in mock surrender. At this point she suspected he acted the jester on purpose to distract her from the heavy thoughts.

"Not at all, sister dear. As you should know, I am not aligned to darkness or anything even comparable."

"Yes, yes. Life is your element."

"How marvelous you remember!" he drawled with clearly audible sarcasm. The frown it elicited only received a grin from him, then he made a dismissive motion. "Regardless, they made a different pair from us. Even unintentionally, the countless suns across the universe are of your making. They nourish the life I so covet and whose cycle I endlessly repeat. These two brothers were not the same."

This, they apprently agreed on. Lumina nodded. "Lesser, then? Or simply different?"

Grimm shrugged. "Who can tell? All I know is that we came first, or at least you did. Unless another gestated along with you?"

'Cinder' shook her head at that. "No. You are my only brother."

"And your children?"

And they were back with the thing she did not really want to consider. As much as the prospect excited and hurt her in equal measure, Lumina could only shrug. "Should he actually be mine, it will be a while until we meet. If he yet lives, that is." She sighed. "I need centuries at least to rise once more."

"Optimistic of you. Not to mention impatient. A mere few centuries?"

"It only took the Wyrm a few centuries to reduce me to this state."

"And yet climbing up a mountain is harder than falling down."

"Get lost."

She threw a tiny beam of light at her brother, who vanished in crimson flame before it connected. He cackled all the while, victorious in having annoyed her once again. Lumina and Cinder sighed in unison.

It ultimately did not matter how the Brother Gods happened. It did not matter who they were or are, or what became of them. Maybe one day it would, but that was still in the future; she would rather die another death than ask her idiot brother for help finding the one still unaccounted for.

All that mattered for now was what she had at hand: all four Relics would be hers before long. She would personally dismantle the Light Relics, Staff and Lamp, to consume their Essence that so aligned with hers. The Darkness Relics, Crown and Sword, she would destroy as they affronted her nature. The Sword of Destruction was simply dangerous, but the Crown of Choice peeved her personally; seeing the future, while not impossible, was folly. One could predict a path yet untread, but even a higher being like she or Grimm lacked the perception range and computational power to do so. And even if one managed, it was but one of countless possibilities.

Naturally, her plan for the Relics remained a secret from everyone. Not even Summer knew. Lumina doubted that her friends would give more than a token protest, but Ozpin and others in power certainly would complain.

She shook her head and put those musings aside. Her thoughts were better spent on the immediate future.

It only took two more days until preparations were complete; there was not a hint of betrayal from Arthur throughout. If anything, he gave her a faint nod the one time they passed each other in the hallways.

Just as Salem's entourage walked up the void whale's tongue however, an entire pack of Hounds skulked by. They, too, boarded.

Hazel and Arthur shuddered at the sight, likely from their animal instincts telling them something was wrong.

Arthur motioned for the unfamiliar creatures. "What are those things?"

"Insurance, if nothing else," Salem answered curtly. "They will do quite nicely."

The message was received and he did not say any more on the matter. 'Cinder' just smiled, faintly amused by the spectacle and yet another mistake. Salem could not know that every single Hound carried a faint trail of Essence. One in particular emanated it in spades, however. The beast gave no indicator of noticing her, but Lumina clearly saw its faintly bloated belly. The half-corpse hidden within continued to channel light into herself, growing ever more densely packed with it; she was biding her time until they would strike, much like the moth herself.

Then Salem's voice cut through the silence: "Speaking of insurance, Arthur." He immediately snapped to attention. "Your proposal does have merit. I added several Bullheads to the equipment list, just in case the lot of you need to evacuate."

Now two out of three followers were pleased, if not with the same thing. 'Cinder' threw her unexpected co-conspirator a faint smile behind Salem's back. Hazel frowned but did not comment as they walked inside. The journey would take some time, yet they all knew the end approached.

Their opposition was just as aware of this fact. Work at Mt. Glenn continued apace.

Six days had passed since the counter-conspiracists first arrived in the area, but classes started back up as well. Which meant that Raven's Semblance saw her abused as a taxi.

Selina had no idea why a woman like her joined them, much less let them use her powers like that. Maybe Ruby was right and Raven was nicer than she let on; it was kind of funny to think about.

Her thoughts were cut off when a hand closed around her arm. Cardin was easy to recognise once she paid attention, but by then he already dragged her away.

"Heya, what's up?"

There was no response at first. She stumbled a little from the brisk pace, but kept up with him. His grip was like iron, too. Weiss noticed and followed them with Penny and Pyrrha at her heels. If Selina were not busy being confused by Cardin's behaviour, she would wave them off.

Then she was pushed into a corner, surrounded by all of CRDL. Selina was not exactly intimidated, but by now their behaviour ticked her off a little. She looked between them with a raised brow. "Okay, seriously. What's this about?"

Cardin glowered down at her in response. "You're up to something, mutt," he accused. And he was right, but she would not give that easily.

"Like what?"

His fist slammed into the wall next to her. Some dust rained down, though the entire display did not impress Selina. Cardin leaned closer to be face to face with her. "Don't play games with me, I'm not stupid. I have no idea what your lot is up to, but I know it's big. And I want in."

Their observers gaped, but Selina only rolled her eyes. She already expected something like this when he brought it up.

Feeling stubborn, she crossed her arms. "Has it occurred to you that we keep this secret for a reason, genius?"

"Don't care. All I know is three specific teams vanish from the face of Remnant the moment they have free time. Then they come back late into the evening, tired and dirty. I don't buy secret training, so don't even try."

Cardin smirked when Selina's mouth closed soundlessly. Then he poked her collarbone. "So either you spill the beans or we're dangling you over the cliff by your ankles."

Selina needed a moment to register the threat. It felt oddly tame after the last few weeks, she could not help but snort. "Heh, that's the best you came up with?"

"Me and Sky said to dunk your head into a toilet," Russel added helpfully and pointed to Cardin, "but he said no."

"Because that's dumb," Dove shot back from their leader's other side.

Ignoring the byplay, Selina still met Cardin's gaze. There was a certain intensity there, she could tell he would not back down on this. But it was also dangerous, so she did not just want to drag those four into it when they did not need to be involved.

"You're sure about this?" she asked one last time.

Cardin crossed his arms with a smirk. "You losers are in this, so it can't be that bad. Besides, whose ass am I going to kick next weekend if you kick the bucket?"

Selina stared at him, befuddled but also amused. The other girls watching from the sidelines were just confused. Then she chuckled and slid past Dove and Sky. "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you. Come on."

They fell into step without complaint, passing by the others. Penny and Pyrrha kept following Weiss, who walked by Selina's side with a mild frown.

"Is this wise?" the heiress asked, to which Selina could only shrug.

"Meh, he'd probably beat us up if we pulled this off without Cardinal. Let's get to everyone. I'll explain when we're there."

Silence reigned between them, somewhat saturated with trepidation.

After a few corners, Pyrrha took a deep breath. Then she turned to Cardin. "I have to apologise. I thought you were up to far less friendly matters when you dragged Selina off like that."

Much to the girls' surprise, he just waved her off.

"All good."

After saying that however, he hesitated. Everyone else pretended not to hear them talk, even Selina wisely kept her eyes away and her mouth shut. She certainly did not expect what he said next: "'sides, it's not like I wouldn't have a few months back."

She was surprised, but ultimately happy that her efforts bore fruit after all. Pyrrha said no more and they kept walking.

It only took a few minutes, though their meetup became tense. Velvet shied away from Cardin for obvious reasons and he kept his distance. Coco glowered and Fox's expression was stormy. Even Yatsuhashi seemed to lose some of his zen. But Selina kept herself between them to make sure nothing happened. Yang was on the ball, too; she sent a text to Ruby and the portal opened seconds later. It worked great as a distraction.

CRDL followed the others through, only to stare in awe at a totally different place. The rubble was mostly cleared, buildings were collapsed or boarded up. Desolate streets led to nowhere, marked with various signs.

"What the fuck? What is all this?"

"That," Raven declared from behind them, "is insanity."

All four whirled around to stare at the woman they did not know. She stood right next to Qrow, scowling up a storm. "And what is worse, this insanity may just work."

Ruby hopped down from a nearby building with a cheerful grin. "Now don't be so pessimistic," she chirped. "It will work!"

Then she bustled along with several steel cylinders in her arms. Probably more bombs or something, Selina did not even want to know how many of those she planted already. Dove pointed after the petite girl in confusion, perfectly representing his entire team. Selina shrugged, though she could not stop herself from smirking.

"I told you this is dangerous. We've got actual hunters here, a staging ground too. Minefields, a pair of mounted machine guns, all the good stuff."

"I still don't get what we're fighting," Cardin said. "And if this is so dangerous, then where's that moth?"

His gaze found its way back to Selina, who started to frown at the reminder. No one but them even knew it happened.

"She's dead," she told him quietly.

"...what?"

The wolf simply nodded. CRDL's surprise made sense, considering that they saw her fight at Beacon. Even she would not believe Lumina was dead if her friend had not confirmed it personally.

"How?" Sky asked next. She took that as her cue to fill them in.

For Cardin, it was a quick introduction to, as the Branwen lady aptly put, insanity. Pure madness. A queen of all Grimm, Ozpin fighting a war in the shadows, Maidens, Relics, and Lumina's own death. Except somehow she was still alive in some form and directed a third faction to get Salem from behind with a steel chair.

Once Selina fell quiet, the four men stared between each other. Cardin ran a hand through his hair in thought, trying to put his feelings into nicer words. It was hard enough to find any at all, so he just said them as they came: "You're bugfuck insane, you know that? Every single one of you."

Raven frowned at him, but Qrow just snorted and raised his flask in salute. Cardin kind of wanted a drink, too.

"More than you know, kiddo," the seasoned hunter agreed with him.

"We're in."

Qrow was about to take a swig, but lowered his flask in confusion. Selina laughed outright, which was all the acceptance Cardin really needed. The others who milled around nearby were either annoyed, surprised, or confused.

"Just like that?" Weiss asked.

Cardin glanced to the heiress, a retort on his tongue. Then he had an idea, as great as it was dumb. He could not help but grin. "Well," he drawled, "if you insist on giving us something for pulling your asses out of the fire, hmm." He made a long, playfully thoughtful noise while sizing up his yearmate. She squinted up at him with barely a trace of worry, and she was hot. "How's about you put that ass in a dress and let me take you out for dinner?"

Silence reigned. Cardin was pleased with himself for taking the plunge, though also a little worried; Weiss stared at him in abject confusion now. Her cheeks gained some colour while she tried and failed to formulate words.

Then Yang and Qrow simultaneously broke down in laughter. Even Raven cracked a smile, but it was her brother who raised his flask in salute. "You!" he crowed, "I like you!" He then took a big swig.

Selina joined the fun as well, chuckling. She clapped Cardin's shoulder with a grin. "With how often you talk about asses, I guess you're an ass-man. Figured you'd ask for Blake, but eh. I get it."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Cardin already opened his mouth to banter back, but reconsidered. Saying anything flippant about a woman's body was a fast way to go and he rather kept his life. So he just shrugged at Selina, who playfully bantered with the now indignant Blake. Then he turned back to Weiss.

When the noise level lowered, the heiress finally forced herself calm. She met Cardin's eyes for a long moment, brows furrowed in thought. Then she scanned him from head to toe... and nodded. "Very well," she accepted. "You get one evening to impress me, if only because you are the first one brave enough to even ask me to my face."

He wordlessly bumped fists with his buddies. Likewise, Selina clapped Weiss's shoulder. "Way to go, girlfriend!" she cheered. "Your first date ever!"

"Will you stop that!"

The fun kept going a little longer, but then they all got to work. Four more bodies helped a great deal to prepare battlements and kill zones. Cardin put in as much elbow grease as everyone else, though he was quietly impressed with the girls. Even the prim and proper ones pulled their weight without complaint or worry about something stupid like broken nails.

While he worked however, he slowly realised that one particular person avoided him and his team. Not that he was surprised; the bunny, Velvet, had every right to hate him. He could accept that by now. But at the same time, Cardin did not feel it was right to just leave things as they were.

After thinking it over and chickening out for about three hours, he took his chance when he noticed her taking pictures of the landscape while on break. She was all alone, her team nowhere to be seen. Which probably sounded more sinister than it should, but he really did not want to get beaten up today.

So he approached quietly, his Semblance dampening all noise. Nobody ever expected the giant to have that sort of power; only his bros knew he was always good at sneaking around and loved doing it. This Semblance had little use in a straight fight, but he honestly did not care; bulldozing over someone from behind was fun every time it worked.

Velvet shrieked in surprise when he tapped her shoulder; the noise was swallowed by his Semblance, but she almost jumped off the cliff. Her camera nearly went airborne, too.

When the wide-eyed girl closed her mouth, he dropped the noise-cancelling. "What, surprised you can't hear everything with those ears?" But only in saying it did Cardin realise she must be used to hearing everyone coming her way. That shriek suddenly made a lot more sense.

Velvet pressed a hand to her chest, staring up at Cardin. It was kind of funny how even those huge bunny ears barely reached eye level with him. "W-What is it?" she asked, trying to make a brave face. He could tell she did not like the situation; he did not like it either, if for different reasons. But he made up his mind and his Ma raised no quitter.

At the same time, he would not do it looking down at her. So Cardin unceremoniously grabbed Velvet under the armpits; she twitched, but did not fight back. Then she stared in confusion when he simply placed her on a piece of rubble, now roughly at even height with him. Maybe he should have said something first, but whatever.

"Better," Cardin grunted. Velvet was thoroughly confused.

Seeing that, he almost chickened out again. It definitely took a moment to get his tongue under control. "Look, I'll make this short," Cardin started slowly. "I'm sorry. Shouldn't have done what I did, and all that."

She looked at him owlishly, making Cardin feel even more awkward. The older girl obviously did not expect to hear that of all things. "Don't gimme that look," he groused, but there was little heat in it. Her lack of response annoyed him a bit, but he could not really expect everything to be fine with just that; so really, it was the best he could hope for.

"That's it, really. I'll be out of your hair now." And probably for the rest of Beacon. He planned to leave the past behind.

Cardin had already turned around when Velvet spoke up at last: "What brought this up? Why now?" Her questions were still a little timid, but he realised there was no real fear in them. He still rolled his eyes before turning back.

"Beats me. One day I looked back and figured I should stop being an asshole." And despite what anyone may say, there was definitely no stupid mutt involved in that realisation. Thinking of her and getting back to Beacon, though, Cardin suddenly had a question of his own: "'sides, why'd you take it? You're the best in second year, you could have beat all of us without breaking a sweat."

Velvet averted her gaze in response, fidgeting slightly. "Then you'd just have picked on someone else, who couldn't take it as well," she murmured. Which was definitely a surprise, but also true.

"...you know what, that's fair. Guess I got the wrong idea about you."

That was a good place to make his exit, Cardin reasoned. He left with one hand raised in goodbye, leaving behind a befuddled hare.

To say Velvet was surprised by this turn of events was an understatement. But as if to add to her confusion, the rest of CRDL each offered their own apologies throughout the next few days. They came one by one, each one embarassed or contrite in some form. It felt as if up was suddenly down in terms of how little she expected any of this. Selina just laughed uproariously when Velvet told her.

The one really good thing in this was that the rest of CFVY became less frigid toward their newest set of allies. CRDL kept their distance from them, but this finally ended the risk of imminent violence when both teams were in the same general area.

Several days passed in comparable tranquility, but the work never stopped. They continued to prepare their chosen battlefield for their final stand. Velvet felt a little worried about thinking of it that way, but what else could she call something like this? They fought the embodiment of world's end, the queen of Grimm.

Moreover, word at Beacon was that Grimm migrations were observed across all of Sanus. The monsters left old haunts and converged on the continent's center, toward Vale. Third and fourth years were sent to quell some of the tide, even some members of staff headed there. Huntsmen and Huntresses mobilised, some of them long retired. She learned a lot from a few peeks at the old guard, but it was a sight to behold even without her Semblance.

The veterans laughed and joked with each other, only to greet the next generations with respect in the next breath. Nobody dared mess with them, even when their bodies had grown slow or their hair began to wane. Every single student knew not to underestimate those who managed to grow old in the most dangerous profession.

It was on Friday morning that Selina joined them with a grim face. The wolf girl's mood stood out, considering that she stayed cheerful thus far.

"She reached Sanus sometime tonight," Selina explained seriously. "Lumina says it will be around noon. We're skipping class."

Nods were given all around; nobody needed to be told what was at stake. Velvet's heart began to thrum in her chest, but she managed to calm it after a moment. This would not do.

The four teams rose and made to leave the cafeteria as one. They were stopped cold outside however, confronted by their headmaster and deputy. Ozpin glanced between them, likely reading the situation from the group's body language alone. He stood lightly bent, both hands on the head of his cane.

"May I ask where you are going?"

It was such a simple question but Velvet heard the edge of warning and worry. She immediately felt bad about going behind his back after he helped them out so much. Others were much the same from what she saw, but their leaders kept a cooler head. Weiss took the front primly, not giving anything away.

"I believe you may not want to know," she explained without actually doing so. Ozpin likely caught her meaning anyway, though he shook his head.

"With recent events, I am afraid I must ask after all."

"Very well." Weiss left a short pause, probably for effect. She never averted her gaze from Ozpin's. "Salem is expected to arrive at Mt. Glenn in about four hours' time."

The headmaster's polite smile slid off his face and Goodwitch frowned openly. They were smart enough to piece everything together from just that much. Ozpin uttered a soft sigh, though Velvet noticed how hard he suddenly squeezed his cane.

"This is it then?"

Determined nods were given all around. No one hesitated, not even Velvet; she never felt so certain about anything in her life. He saw it, too. Ozpin slowly tore his gaze away from them and exchanged a look with his deputy. "Classes are cancelled for today. Contact everyone we can get in such short time and prepare transportation."

Goodwitch nodded and strode away without another word. The headmaster turned back to his students, expression severe. "You should have informed me earlier."

He had a point; Velvet felt slightly awkward about that, but Selina shrugged at him before anyone else could get second thoughts. "We had over a week to prepare a bunch of shit," she explained with faux cheer. CRDL nodded along with her words, though Ozpin was not impressed.

"A week is hardly sufficient," he shot back, but gave them no chance to get a word in edge-wise. "Please give me an hour to make preparations, I will accompany you."

That was surprising and quite welcome. Velvet could not help but smile; her spirits lifted a little, some tension faded.

Mere minutes later, the headmaster's voice sounded across all of Beacon: "New information just came in. Grimm attacks across southern Vale are expected today. Classes are cancelled, all students will reinforce the capital and villages across the kingdom. Your destinations are provided to your Scrolls, Bullheads will begin transport within the hour. Gear up with everything you need from Beacon's armoury, then wait at the landing pads for your flight."

The announcement repeated itself several times; 'Beacon HQ' already sent assignments before the first repetition was complete. Every student's Scroll told them exactly where they would go, barring sixteen; for CRDL, SNNL, CFVY, and SPBY there were only two words: Mt. Glenn.

While they milled around waiting for Ozpin to return, the faculty and student body passed them by. Everyone was up in arms. Coco wished some of her friends good luck before joining them properly; Velvet had nobody to really see off, but responded with an uncertain smile when her yearmates approached.

Ozpin join them soon after; he was alone, with Goodwitch being assigned to protect Vale proper. "With Glynda in charge of the defense here, I have nothing to worry about," he explained. "Now shall we?"

Selina nodded and tapped her Scroll, sending a pre-prepared text. The entire hubbub around them stopped when Raven's portal appeared; those still around watched in surprise and awe how Ozpin himself led his students through, then the gateway vanished. They did not see it, but others with helpful Semblances got to work moments later.

On the other side, the headmaster was confronted with a glowering Raven. Ozpin felt there were many words he could, perhaps should say, but ultimately kept quiet. Today was not a day to attempt reconciliation, too much was at stake. They would be able to work together for a few hours.

After exchanging nods with Qrow and young Ruby, he looked up at the black clouds closing in.

"Ms. Rose." He did not need to look to know she perked up behind him. All his students were attentive, current and former. "I told you before that I made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on Remnant. Now that we stand at the precipice, I believe that trusting you and yours was not among them."

He did not know the full plan, only Lumina did. But at the same time his students had done the impossible in Atlas. They were led into the future by an actual deity. For the first time in centuries, the old wizard had hope to see this through.

Taking a deep breath, he turned around. Leaning on his cane, Ozpin projected certainty to calm their weary hearts.

"Now," he declared, "let us reclaim Remnant for good."

Their only responses were grim nods and toothy smiles. Soft rains began to fall as warriors across the kingdom began engaging the creatures of Grimm. In the fallen city of Mt. Glenn, their small group prepared to face the root of it all. Salem was near.

But they were ready.

 

[spartansneverdie312]

So much lore and suspense in this chapter! And poor Ozpin went through all the 5 stages of grief at once!

 

[Naron]

They expected hordes of monsters striking from every direction. Some of the defenders had vividly imagined an endless tide of darkness marching to drown all life. None of them was prepared for the gargantuan beast descending from the sky.

It was enormous, bulbous, and seemed almost like some sort of fish. None of them had ever seen a whale before. The beast was escorted by a defensive screen of winged wolves and apes; Beowulves and Beringels packed so tight that one could not see the larger creature in places.

The prelude was far too quiet for such an army bearing down on them.

Raven wordlessly disappeared, taking the Relics to safety at her tribe's camp. They served their purpose, so there was no reason to actually risk Salem taking them. It took precious seconds for the woman herself to return, but she did. Her troubled expression remained unnoticed, if only because everyone focussed on the approaching threat.

Seconds passed as they watched the horde amassing. Shivers were suppressed. Yang quietly took Blake's and Weiss's hands for comfort, squeezing weakly. Qrow prodded Raven's shoulder, startling his sister. Selina and Pyrrha wordlessly bumped fists while Ren pressed a kiss to Nora's cheek. They all knew death could come at any moment. Some may not make it through. But if today was their final day, then they would not go quietly into the night.

Then a series of soft clicks drew attention to Ruby in the silence; she now held her weapon in rifle mode, expression calm. Somehow the youngest of them seemed completely serene in the face of mortal danger. The sight of her envigorated the rest, eased their worries. Ruby glanced up to them and her eyes gleamed; she grinned and raised Crescent Rose for emphasis, then took aim.

Nobody stopped her from taking the first shot.

The boom echoed almost painfully loud across the empty city. A Beowulf's head exploded a heartbeat later. The beast dropped and as if on cue, the horde descended upon them from above and below.

Grimm broke through the underground tunnels, running into mines and collapsing hallways. The machine guns barked to life with Coco and Sky in control. Nora and Yatsuhashi quickly unleashed the handful of anti-air rockets they got their hands on, but those failed to reach the whale; its protective screen was too thick. The dozens of lesser beasts each rocket tore apart were replaced in moments.

Bullets filled the sky, barely aimed; there were so many creatures they could not miss. Minefields erupted across town and explosives blew when triggers were pressed. All of Mt. Glenn shook under nature's wrath and their enemies died by the hundreds. Young or old, small or large, airborne, groundbound, or tunneling, few survived the defenders' ruthless preparations. Buildings collapsed on entire packs and sinkholes swallowed even more.

The first wave was annihilated without any real exertion from the hunters, but the second followed without pause. More Grimm pushed through the smoke and dust, soaking up bullets for those who came after. The mounted guns soon ran out of ammo.

The moment her stationary weapon spewed its final bullet, Coco drew her purse and kept on going with the inbuilt minigun. Russel and Fox quickly covered her back while she mowed down more Grimm. Yang, Yatsuhashi, and Nora formed up on their own to hit the larger beasts like a wrecking ball. They hammered through the enemy center while Blake, Penny, and Weiss covered their flanks.

Cardin found himself back to back with Velvet in short order, both driven away from their friends. Neither hesitated, their respective sizes working in their favour. Velvet weaved around the Grimm and kicked them off-balance where mighty swings of Cardin's mace caved in their heads. All animosity was forgotten for a time and they eventually linked up with Sky and Ren.

Weiss became a whirlwind of steel, rapier gleaming as she delivered countless precise stabs. Dust followed, setting fire or ice from time to time. She was isolated and already sought a way to get back, but the Grimm were dense.

Before they could surround her however, a stream of rose petals sliced hamstrings and felled dozens of minor Grimm. Ruby materialised on top of an Ursa and sliced off its head in a single swing. She rode the falling creature down, then kicked away a Beowulf and threw Weiss a grin. The two stood side by side as more creatures followed.

Ruby in particular was harried around the city, but the creatures failed to truly separate her. She always swung around to covering her allies, killing Grimm left and right.

The only one who truly stood alone was Selina. The wolf was surrounded, a veritable storm of steel that warded off her attackers. Smaller Grimm died on every stab, thinning out the herd while she maneuvered around the larger ones. Paws, pincers, and maws all tried to strike her, but none could connect a clean hit. She ducked and weaved around them with clenched teeth, then suddenly used her spear to vault over a Deathstalker. The person-sized scorpion chittered, but could not stop her from using it as a springboard. Selina cleared the encirclement and forced the monsters to split up. Qrow and Raven hit them from behind a moment later, slicing through their number in seconds.

Time passed like this; the monsters continuously tried to split up their enemies yet failed to separate them for long. Reinforcements always arrived, the twins and Ruby constantly moving to keep the group together. And somehow, unseen by all, particularly dangerous Grimm kept vanishing. Corridors opened, beasts that went to cut off escape routes never reached. The wizard hid in the shadows, carefully directing the battle to a positive outcome while his enemy was unaware of his presence.

Alas, even his accumulated knowledge and the students' skills could not stop the occasional hit; be it a moment of inattention, a mistake, or simply the overwhelming number of enemies. Aura dropped as small cuts and bruises accumulated. The defenders had little time to eat or drink, but they held out. Adrenaline and force of will kept them going beyond their limits.

They fought for hours without rest, killing Grimm by the thousands. Every single student scored more kills in this one afternoon than they had throughout their entire life thus far. The defence of Vale felt far more simple in comparison, but still they held on. Passion burned in each of them, a desire to see tomorrow. A wish for a brighter future. For some, wanting to see their loved ones once it was all over. Their hearts were united by light, raging against the darkness.

Then, just at the cusp of dusk, the Grimm stopped coming. No more reinforcements, the last beasts cut down.

There were no cheers, nobody had the energy for that. Left were panting hunters wiping off their sweat and greedily drinking from water bottles. Only when the break became longer did they realise something was different from the previous pauses.

A moment later, they also realised it was not just different but off. Any thoughts of victory were disregarded at the sight of yet another horde standing ready nearby. The whale landed at some point, still disgorging more Grimm; they were so hard pressed defending themselves that nobody even considered attacking it.

That was when they spotted her. The last rays of sunlight illuminated her disembarking, clad in a dress of living shadows. Her pale skin stood out starkly and gleaming red eyes sized up the area.

Flanked by Cinder and a large, scarred man, Salem came gliding down the whale's tongue. The mere sight of her almost stole the hunters' breath away. There was a palpable sense of danger emanating from her in waves, something that set off the animal parts of their brains.

Ten thousand creatures of Grimm stood at her command. Behind her followed a dozen Hounds. Ruby in particular shuddered at their sight, as did the twins. But only she could see that one of them was chock full with Essence; it took no explanation to know who was inside. Her chest constricted, making it hard to breathe at all.

The dark queen approached them leisurely in this uneasy, eerie quiet. The defenders would have held fire even if they had bullets or Dust left, but they were spent. Before Salem stood a ragtag bunch of weary warriors, out of options by all accounts.

Selina did not let fear overtake her even while she shivered in her boots. She knew there was a plan, even if she did not know what happened next. Coco was more wary now, but in far too deep to back out. Weiss thoroughly regretted her past choices for a moment before centering herself. Cardin did as well, though he also knew he asked for this. All four team leaders gathered their friends to form a united front. The twins flanked them, both uneasy. Ruby stood front and center, the only one completely firm.

Ozpin was nowhere to be seen, depriving Salem of the only hint that a trap was about to snap shut.

The witch approached on her own, not quite off guard but clearly unconcerned with whatever plans they may have left. Had the defenders not been exhausted, her expression of polite disinterest would have aggravated several of their number.

The last rays of sunlight faded and they were left in twilight; the creatures of Grimm leered from their gleaming, yellow eyes. Salem's pair of bloody red orbs glowed just as ominously, malice supplanted by actual intelligence. She idly studied the students while her entourage fanned out.

"Children. How interesting," the black queen murmured in the end. Her voice may as well have been a whipcrack in the silence. Her gaze came to rest on Ruby for several seconds, making the young Huntress shrink back. It only took her a moment to rally and firm up, but her fear had been seen. Nobody responded to the probing taunts, but the approaching night made humans and faunus feel worse. Threatened, helpless before the monsters.

Then a gentle silver gleam answered; Ruby's eyes glowed almost like miniature suns, startling the beasts at Salem's behest. The youngest of them all stood tall and proud now, displaying her own power to calm her allies. The queen merely arched a brow, the slightest bit intrigued.

Their silent standoff continued seconds longer until a distant noise distracted them. Still visible against the twilight, a Bullhead detached from the whale and flew away. Salem glanced that way, tauntingly presenting her back to her enemies. She watched the machine rush away without a trace of emotion.

"Once we are done here, we will track down Arthur," she declared. There was no heat to her voice, if perhaps a hint of disappointment.

After shaking her head, more for show than anything, Salem turned back to the students and hunters. "Now to you. A group of children, led by the Branwen twins of all people. To think he finally lost both of you."

She displayed a faint smile at the prospect even while Qrow scowled. Raven's face was a blank mask. Neither of them reacted to the taunts, bolstered by Ruby's presence if nothing else.

Seeing them stalwart, Salem carried on: "Regardless, I know you have something that I want. Not to mention every single one of you proved their abilities."

She left a pregnant pause, but the effect was ruined when Selina used it to chime in. "Seriously? First you try to drown us in Grimm, then you try to recruit us? What kind of idiots do we look like, huh?" Her irreverence was borne of annoyance as well as fear. She shivered almost imperceptibly when those crimson eyes focussed solely on her.

Salem's brow arched in faux wonder. "You seem to be the sort of fools that breaks into three of the four most secure places on Remnant, almost simultaneously at that," she retorted. "The sort that has little choice left. The moment word gets out just who stole the Relics of Choice, Knowledge, and Creation, you will be hunted across all of Remnant."

Her words struck true and caused some awkward shuffling; everyone knew she was right, as did she. Salem smiled, but there was nothing warm in the motion. "And yet there is a simple solution for all of you. I am not one to disregard talent and skill. There is a place you can still belong if you hand me the Relics. They have little value to you either way."

Silence followed her offer and demand. None of them expected this turn of events, Salem could see. They were thunderstruck. Some even considered it due to their exhausted state.

But before anyone else could get a word out, a loud snort from Raven startled the students. There was something bitter to it. Her hand never left the handle of her currently sheathed blade.

"We know how you work," the seasoned Huntress shot back mockingly. "Tools and no more, means to an end. 'A place to belong', really?" She spat out to emphasize her disgust with the half-truth. "The only place we belong in your employ is a shallow grave, sooner or later."

Contrary to what they expected of Salem, she did not seem to take offence with the interruption or Raven's tone. In fact, she put on an expression that could be called pitying. "Now who told you that?" the black queen asked, a trace of warmth and faux gentleness to her voice. "Perhaps the man who needlessly sends generation after generation of hunters to die? Who sent your dear friend into certain death?"

Raven growled in response and took a threatening step forward. Though Hazel behind her tensed, Salem was not bothered. She was surprised when the far younger woman stopped after that one step, though.

"For all you pretend not to be like him, the honeyed words are just the same," Raven answered as an outright nasty smile found its way onto her face. "How unfortunate that you made a great mistake today."

Her gaze flicked to Ruby, the gesture not missed by their adversary. Salem drew the wrong conclusion from it, though. She chuckled before softly drawling back at Raven: "Really? You brought a child with silver eyes and dormant light, believing that could defeat me? You are more of a fool than I thought, Raven."

As if on cue, a thud followed the last word she spoke, followed by wheezes. All eyes turned to one of the Hounds that had dropped to the ground. It lay there convulsing while its pack crowded around to check on their fellow.

Nora pointed, hesitantly. "Uh, I think your doggie is sick," she offered needlessly. Then, after a short pause: "Can Grimm get sick?"

Her question would remain unanswered.

Beams of a familiar silver broke through the Hound's thick hide, startling the pack and outright scaring every other creature of Grimm nearby. The beast itself began to dissolve, densely packed flesh of void disintegrating. Silvery Essence exploded from the inside as it faded, though but three people present could see.

"What is this?" Velvet asked in shock, gaping. She had never seen anything like it before. Her focus on the Hound made her miss the silent tears running down Ruby's cheeks. The younger woman already figured it out from the clues she had.

Meanwhile, Salem watched the dying hound with casual interest. Raven's grin grew predatory at the same time; she knew her partner best, even after all this time.

"The day you didn't kill her for good was the day you lost."

The witch was not intimidated. A derogatory huff was her only answer as she raised one hand. Actinic red gathered at her fingertips, ready to reach out and crush the interloper. Yet before she could unleash her spell, a ray of light took the arm off at her shoulder; another perforated her head faster than Salem could turn to look back.

A shocked silence engulfed them all as the witch dropped. Hazel was first to gather his wits, turning toward his perceived ally. "What are you doing?" he demanded of Cinder, only to realise the younger woman's eyes were gleaming orange; the colour felt somehow alien to his senses, making the seasoned warrior shudder.

"Cinder is dead, you fool."

He was dumbstruck, but the living dead woman before him did not seem willing to elaborate. Her almost beatific smile turned toothy.

"Intriguing," Salem cut off whatever conversation they may have had. The witch already recovered and now studied 'Cinder' with polite interest. All the rest she ignored in a display of arrogance and justified superiority both. "So you were the infiltrator. I wonder how you did this. Or who you are."

The dismissal rang clearly in her tone. 'Cinder' scowled momentarily, but her expression cleared right after. Serenity returned to at least her while everybody else was taut like a bowstring.

Then the scraping of flesh on stone drew their attention back to the faded Hound. In its place now lay a woman, undeniably human but deathly pale and emaciated. Contours of bones were clearly visible across her entire body as Summer Rose forced herself to all fours, panting. What hair she still had was chalk white, bereft of all colour. It seemed as if a stiff breeze could break her every bone. Yet she seemed determined to rise, silver eyes glistening with power.

"And this is what you put your hopes onto?" Salem taunted 'Cinder'. She motioned for the bent but unbroken woman currently struggling to even stand. "A woman who will die on her own in a minute?"

She failed to see 'Cinder's' grin widen, too surprised by the fact Summer's body began to bulge out.

"M-Mom!"

Ruby was by her mother's side in an instant, but she could only watch in horror as Summer's chest and belly distended. The older Rose looked up at her daughter, any pain she felt hidden by a tender smile; an almost skeletal hand slowly reached up to cup Ruby's cheek. Her lips moved soundlessly, dull silver eyes drinking in her daughter's sight. Nobody dared disturb them, though Salem held back mainly out of curiousity.

A few seconds passed before Summer's eyes began to tint orange. The hand cupping Ruby's cheek fell. Arms and legs bulged as that same sickly orange began to flow from Summer's ears and mouth. Ruby looked on in horror how her mother's skin drew taut, then snapped in places. More of the same gunk flowed from every wound. It was revulsive to even look at.

"What's happening?" Qrow shouted, but he received no answer from those two who knew.

'Cinder' kept her quiet. Summer... began to laugh.

The sound drew shudders from the students, more a hacking cough than actual laughter. Summer finally climbed to her feet and stood by Ruby's side. She swayed dangerously, but held her balance as the ground below her was coated orange. Then she turned away from her daughter to glare at Salem, who now found herself between two enemies.

"Ten years," Summer spat, voice raspy. "You stole ten years from me, bitch. And now. Heh."

She leaned forward as the skin over her shoulder blades broke open. Wings of alien flesh spread wide, oh so reminiscent of a moth. A manic grin found its way on her face as creatures of Grimm all over began to scream; the cancer tore them apart from within, swiftly reaching the surface and ejecting itself from their husks. Some only grew halfway out of the beasts, controlling them like puppets. Faces appeared in the alien substance; arms and claws, eyes and pseudopods.

They screeched in anger, but fell still when Summer spoke: "Now I collect. With interest."

She charged on the final word. Salem erected a glowing shield in time, but Summer punched through the magic with a roar that threw up dust. Her fist obliterated the witch's head and Summer straddled Salem's decapitated body. The claws growing out of her fingertips were put to use as she began tearing her enemy apart with animalistic glee. Monsters rose all around them to attack what Grimm were not infected, even the whale writhed in pain as parasites ate it alive.

Selina Uaine stared at the avalanche of nightmares come to life. A soft "Damn" was all the response she had for what she saw, trying and failing to reconcile her understanding of the world with what happened. It was the first time since meeting Lumina that she truly feared the moth, too; this was her doing without a shadow of doubt.

In this pandemonium stood Hazel Rainard, frozen in indecision. He never expected such a turn of events, though the other humans and faunus were in a similar state. Which was when what was not Cinder but wore her skin turned to him. Her voice was barely audible over the cacophony of violence surrounding them.

"It is time for you to choose as well," she said. "Ozpin is near." And as if on cue, the reincarnator stepped out of a nearby building. Hazel bristled at the sight of him, realising that this was the reason they inexplicably lost forces throughout the battle. 'Cinder' gave him little chance to do more than growl, though: "Salem will not survive the night. Dawn will break, but not for her. You may attempt to get your revenge here and now, or step away."

It was hard to believe after all the things he saw, yet the fact a fresh army of beasts died around him gave the woman credence.

Before Hazel could come to a decision, the boom of airship cannons sounded and a number of Griphons was obliterated. Bullheads raced overhead and a pair of atlesean battleships joined the fray. Flares shot into the sky, bathing them in artificial light; night was banished and the creatures of Grimm now fought man as well as monster.

"What is this?" Hazel finally asked of 'Cinder'. "What are you?"

She bared her teeth in response. "The goddess Salem thought to spurn. Now look where it led her. She will go Cinder's way and be erased from existence. No reincarnation, no second chance." Her judgement was delivered with anger but also satisfaction, so unlike the queen in how expressive it was. But at the same time oh so similar.

Hazel gritted his teeth as he thought. His fists clenched, the many scars across his body ached. Ozpin was right there, perfectly in reach. But at the same time, he knew he would not succeed without the woman who was currently a mere smear on the ground.

"It is over," Ozpin himself declared. There was little emotion in his words, yet they made both 'Cinder' and Hazel turn his way fully. The wizard's eyes rested on where the reborn Summer ripped every piece of Salem apart as soon as it regenerated. His mask had never been more apparent, especially when he continued to speak: "There is... no more need for any of this, once she is gone. No more sacrifices. No more suffering. It will not solve every problem plaguing Remnant, but for the first time we can truly face tomorrow."

His words ignited Hazel's rage once more; his blood boiled, demanding he take the man and do unto him what was currently done to Salem. He barely reined it in, reminding himself that the queen was currently out of commission.

"How do you keep her down then?" he challenged both of his enemies, voice more of a growl.

In response, 'Cinder' clapped his shoulder. She seemed almost jovial, bearing a far too cheerful smile. "Watch," she not requested but ordered. Then she turned away, presenting her unprotected back as casually as Salem had done to Beacon's students earlier. She skulked toward Summer, though her gait was insecure. 'Cinder' swayed dangerously, her legs just about to give out. She refused to allow them to falter.

"Go kill some beasts," Lumina commanded Summer. The other woman whined in response, far too invested in her gory revenge upon Salem.

It took her benefactor staring her down for several seconds before Summer rose with a huffed "Fine". Then she blurred away, leaving a trail of orange goop that swiftly came to life. The Hounds yowled as one previously their own began tearing into them with wild abandon. The discoloured, viscous flesh clung to Salem's remains. 'Cinder' leaned over her without regard, the body somehow bubbling.

Then a pitch black spear rammed through her abdomen, giving everyone pause. Ozpin twitched and several students gasped, too stunned by the display to do much else. Salem fully reformed underneath 'Cinder', unamused.

"And this is that," she said, her words lost to all but Lumina in the mayhem.

Much to her surprise, the woman she just mortally injured laughed in her face and began to melt. Her clothes dissolved and Salem was bathed in liquified, rotten flesh. All the Essence Lumina gathered over the weeks was unleashed in a single wave.

Ruby and Velvet shrieked in surprise as they were almost drowned by the silver sea, everyone else simply felt pressure settle upon them.

Then all of Mt. Glenn shifted.

The two airborne battleships were dragged into the expanding sphere just like everyone else. Air shifted and began to glow, then a pillar of golden light climbed into the sky. People across the fallen city stopped to stare at it; this was the most beautiful thing they ever saw. It's siren song called for them, promising a continuation of their journey. To begin anew, wipe the slate clean. Even now wisps of people wandered along ghostly paths and into this pillar.

Salem was dumbstruck by the sight, having never seen it before just like the rest. Only Ozpin stood unmoved by its splendor, for he was well acquainted with this place. Thus he was the first to tear his eyes away, toward the cocoon of pure silver tied to it up high. A familiar figure floated in front of it on gossamer wings.

And next to the cocoon, a heart of crimson reached into reality from beyond. Its pulse echoed across the area, a drumbeat with which the hearts of mortals aligned. Grimm stood by His sister's side.

For just a moment they could see. Ruby, Velvet, Ozpin, and Salem all beheld them in their true glory. Behind what seemed a faunus flickered the memory of a great, crowned moth. Behind the man eerily resembling the Roses stood an endless line of kings that reached back to the beginning of time.

The sight alone sent shocks through Velvet; her knees buckled and a spike of pain stuck straight in her brain as she tried to comprehend their splendor. Blood trickled from her ears, nose, and eyes. Ruby fared better, but she too was struck by a sudden migraine in the presence of not one but two alien gods.

Ozpin simply bowed his head and bent the knee.

Salem, however, grit her teeth and fought through the sensations. She refused to be cowed.

Meanwhile, hunters and soldiers fought to escape the pillar's draw. They felt an incredible desire to leap into it and move on, let the past be the past. Only being alive saved them from succumbing to its influence. Selina alone recognised what this was on a concious level as she remembered Lumina's words.

Then a dozen radiant beams of light connected sky and earth for but a moment. The Hounds Summer had already weakened were killed as one; their silent deaths concluded with a dozen restless spirits racing forward. Each one spewed silvery Essence in which their gratitude echoed. Few even noticed their parting, Ruby and Summer among them; they were kin after all, in one way or another.

Her first task concluded, Lumina's attention settled on Salem. The moth bore a grin wider than her lips should allow. Before her might, here and now, the witch had to realise she was still but human.

It was by her actions that God had come out of heaven, and She was angry.

The dark queen reared up to fight, struggle, perhaps even overcome her enemy. She was immediately swallowed by a wave of flesh. Her pet monsters writhed in their death throes as the parasites finished their meal and emerged. Not even smoke remained of the creatures that plagued Remnant, for they did not belong in this dream and were annihilated.

The weary hunters were left a mere audience as Lumina began to eviscerate her enemy, much like Summer had before. Primal light continually erased parts of the witch, killing her over and over. Summer herself rampaged among the yet living beasts.

The Atleseans barely scraped by an incident when a pilot shouted down her gunner not to shoot the abomination that was also killing creatures of Grimm. Similar scenes repeated as the issue was kicked up the chain of command, but cooler heads prevailed; no one was foolish enough to strike at the higher beings above and neither wanted to hit another friendly unknown.

Hazel had gone to his knees, staring in disbelief at the manifestations of dream and nightmare. His heart almost burst out his chest as he beheld the most powerful being on Remnant become no more than a toy. She bought herself a moment's reprieve when another shield finally held against the barrage of light, but the Nightmare King swiftly appeared behind her. Crimson arcs followed each of His fingers as He swung for the dark queen, slicing her into ribbons.

He continued to cut Salem to size a moment longer, then vanished into the same smoke He appeared from. Grimm, the true Grimm, then stood behind the regenerating woman. Salem was grasped under the armpits, arms restrained and bathed in streamers of bloody red. Magic and more sinister powers sought to break out of His shackles, but He held and offered His captive to the descending moth.

Lumina then pressed a hand to Salem's chest. As her glow began to intensify however, the lesser woman laughed derisively.

"Whatever your aims, you will fail," she taunted, "I can not die."

It was desperate, a hope she clung to like a drowning man to a piece of driftwood. It was about as effective before The Radiance. Lumina shook her head with a pleased smile.

"Correction: your body can't. You can."

So saying, her ethereal self began sinking into Salem. All of Lumina followed, her Essence squeezing itself into the lesser human shell. The cocoon above remained, but strings of light began connecting it to the immortal woman. Salem's eyes bugged out and her body convulsed; she reared back until Grimm's cloak stopped her, screaming in agony. A noise that echoed across the dreamscape, heard by any and all; vengeance upon Lumina's enemies was at hand.

The light suffused Salem's body bit by bit, using the old curse to anchour itself. The void fought back like a being possessed, just like Salem frantically struggled with all the fury and spite of millennia spent imprisoned in her own body. Yet for the first time since she was cursed, the witch found herself pitted against a being whose wrath burned brighter than hers.

Her soul was wrapped in a tidal wave of light that burned away everything it conquered. Piece by piece Salem grew weaker if more frantic. But just like the sun never stops burning until it finally grows cold and dead, she could not stop this assault from permeating her being.

Lumina's light burned the darkness out of her body, limp like a puppet with its strings cut. It dissipated eventually, leaving behind a once fair but now scarred, blonde woman.

Then however, her eyes opened.

 

[Morte_Perpetua]

Cool stuff!
Kinda crazy that now that Rooster Teeth is gonna get shut down this will certainly be a better a better ending to RWBY than canon lmao

 

[Naron]

The bubble of impossible physics receded slowly. Though many were tempted to stop and stare, barked orders sent the Atleseans back on task exterminating the remaining monsters. They kept all danger off the weary students while Summer's rampage also came to a close.

Selina sunk down a wall with a heavy sigh. Her aura was just about out, her body ached everywhere, she was tired, and her head felt like someone used it as a bongo drum. Her friends were all in similar conditions; Cardin quietly muttered to himself at the side while a whimpering Velvet leaned against Coco.

"I know she said I wouldn't comprehend," the hare said, only to trail off and shudder. Her legs seemed like jelly and Coco had to steady the other girl lest she fall.

"Don't comprehend what?" Blake asked. Selina already had an inkling, but their fellow faunus seemed actually confused. That in turn confused Velvet.

"You didn't see?" she asked Blake, who shook her head. Velvet frowned weakly at that. "That cocoon," she explained. "And the heart. They're gods, well and truly. Brother and sister, dream and nightmare, light and life."

The others listened with a mixture of confusion and some worry; Selina honestly believed it after what she saw today, but it was clear only Velvet had seen these particular things.

"The Radiance and Nightmare King Grimm," Ruby added, immediately proving that last assumption wrong. The younger woman stared off into space, eyes unfocussed. A singular, bloody tear rolled down her cheek; it was much like the traces all over Velvet's face.

Then Ruby twitched and came back into focus. "Don't think about them too much," she advised Velvet. "It's not good for you."

Selina had nothing to add there. Considering that both girls who actually saw that stuff were bleeding from their eyes, she was honestly glad she was not in their little club.

While Yang got up to fuss over her sister, Ozpin finally shook off his shock. He slowly approached the grounded form of Salem while trying to ignore his heartache. She returned to the appearance she once had, his first and true love. Were it not for the scars running along her cheeks where the essence of darkness once flowed, he may be able to pretend all this never happened.

But what was more, she looked right at him. Her eyes almost shimmered in the fading light, unlike what he expected to see.

"Salem?" he asked, worried and hopeful in the same breath.

It was only Ozpin and Hazel who watched the woman wordlessly climb to her feet. She glanced from one to the other with a blank expression, then bunched up her black dress as if to study it. A frown marred her features.

"What an awful dress," she ultimately said. "I need to fix that soon."

Now Ozpin was confused. The voice was undeniably Salem's, but the inflection and tone were different. More relaxed, somewhat pleased, and most of all lacking in the previous, frigid nonchalance.

"What exactly is going on?" Ozpin asked of her, which made the immortal woman look at him fully for the first time. There were neither recognition nor anger in her expression, just a quiet glee. But he only truly understood when her eyes began to gleam a now familiar shade of orange, lighting up the night.

"I see. Lumina, then?"

"Just so. Salem is no more. In fact, she left me a convenient, immortal shell to inhabit. Only the form needs some work. I don't like it." She almost babbled, muttering idly as she reached behind herself. "For one," Lumina declared and tore the fabric along her back; the sentence was never finished, Salem's flesh beginning to bubble in lieu of a verbal conclusion.

He thought he saw silvery motes flutter every which way, but could not be certain. All Ozpin knew was that the woman in front of him began to shrink.

Where they stood at almost equal height before, Lumina returned to her last body's size. Blonde hair lost all pigmentation and turned ivory while gossamer wings grew rapidly from her back. Her subtle curves she kept, hidden by the night as the torn dress fell. She seemed to care naught for her state of undress, simply grinning at Ozpin.

"I win."

He inclined his head, likewise ignoring the Goliath in the room. The whims of deities were not his to question. Although the continuous glee she displayed worried the old wizard a little.

"Well, I do hope now is not the moment where you reveal your plan to eradicate all of Remnant?"

His little jest held a bit of actual concern; thankfully, it merely prompted a huff from Lumina. The rejuvenated moth shook her head. "No, nothing of the like. But the Relics, I will destroy. Your gods are dead and gone."

That was better than expected, if worse than he hoped. He accepted her words with grace, having long since detached himself from the Brother Gods during their absence. Losing the Relics was problematic, however; Atlas would need to be set down and the final vault opened. They were useful tools as well, excepting the Sword of Destruction.

He knew he could not refuse, but reasoned that perhaps she could be swayed. So he nodded his head before opening his posture somewhat to offer a plea: "The Relics of Knowledge and Creation carry within them spirits, living beings. They were made by the God of Light."

This seemed to be news to Lumina, whose brows furrowed. It became difficult to see in the darkness, but he thought she seemed upset. Her words lent more credence to that: "Of course it has to be him and not the other one who left them behind."

"Pardon?"

"The God of Darkness is someone I know and hate with every fibre of my being."

Lumina kept herself calm, but Ozpin knew to spot the undercurrent of anger that accompanied her words. It thankfully fell away when she went on: "The God of Light, I never met. He may also be my child. Which would make his children relate back to me as well. I get your point, though. I will study these two first and see if I can free the spirits. Or if they rather vanish with their vessels."

He was befuddled by the apparent non-sequitur, but did not let it show. Considering the connection of moths and light, he could see how a relation may exist by thematics alone. What was more, his request was actually indulged.

"That is really all I can ask for," he demurred.

Hazel approached at that point, having kept his silence and distance. He shook in both apoplectic rage about Ozpin's continued presence and numb fear about the immortal Salem destroyed; the wizard could relate, he had trouble keeping himself calm as well.

Yet before the younger man could say a single word, Summer Rose appeared by them. The men both twitched at her sudden arrival, but Lumina did not react. The ooze covering Summer shifted this way and that, having taken a shape akin to a bodysuit instead of some tumor. In fact, all the ichoate flesh across Mt. Glenn dissolved in a manner oh so similar to the creatures of Grimm.

Her laugh was scratchy as she embraced the moth, standing upright despite her ordeal. Ozpin held back until they separated, then he greeted his erstwhile student: "Welcome back, Ms. Rose. And... my apologies, for sending you into this predicament to begin with."

Summer shook her head in response, surprisingly mellow when considering her previous rampage. Perhaps she simply got it all out of her system.

"I'm not mad at you," she answered simply. "I was for a year or so, but at some point I realised there is no point blaming you. I agreed to it. Someone needed to keep Salem in check, and I went down swinging. So it's alright."

Ozpin nodded in understanding; he knew best that time had a habit of dulling even the most powerful feelings. Nonetheless, he decided to let sleeping Ursas lie and let his wayward student speak to Lumina.

This time Summer actually smiled. "But no more of that. Remnant has a true goddess now. And for as long as she stands guard, this shall not repeat."

The moth inclined her head, bearing a faint smile of her own. It was a truth they would all have to accept.

But for now the corruption began to recede into Summer's body, leaving her gaunt form exposed to the elements if not for her aura. Raven appeared in seconds to drape a blanket over her, just in time for Ruby to materialse and embrace her mother gingerly.

"Mom."

Summer leaned on her daughter, running a hand over her head. "My little bud," she whispered. "Finally." The older Rose was chuckling and crying at the same time; at this point the wizard felt like he intruded.

As Ozpin retreated from their reunion, he became once more aware of Hazel's presence. Their display appeared to have doused his anger.

In the pregnant pause between the men and Lumina, Hazel turned to the moth. "Where did this infection come from?" he asked, which was a pertinent question.

The woman herself seemed to find it amusing, though. She explained with a wry grin: "It was my anger made manifest. Salem never realised even the hostile void could not destroy me entirely. It festered in the pool she threw my original body into, taking root in every Grimm it birthed."

"Well, that is terrifying," Ozpin quipped in a deadpan. Hazel scowled at his attempted humour, though Lumina seemed to take it well.

It also prompted a dry laugh from Summer, who finally let go of her daughter and stumbled forward. Just as the atlesean guns fell silent because they had no more monsters left to kill, Summer took a knee before Lumina. "And it worked, just like you said it would," she began, but was interrupted by a violent cough that had Ruby hover over her.

The older woman looked down at herself, then up to her benefactor. "How long?"

And suddenly there was tension, though Ozpin could not tell why exactly. Something between these two death-defying women was yet to be done. Lumina studied Summer critically, but nobody dared disrupt the silence. When she spoke it was clearly with a heavy heart: "Ten years at most. Your body is already dying. I can stall it, but not indefinitely."

Ruby gasped in shock and hugged her mother again, though Summer just chuckled.

"Even one year is a lot more than I'd have expected," she reminded Lumina. "I look like shit. Give me a month or two to recover, then I'll get right to it."

The moth nodded at that.

This time it was Raven who pre-empted the rest: "Get to what?"

Others had begun gathering around them by this point, but neither woman paid them any mind. Summer met her old friend's gaze evenly, but the attempt to explain dissolved into a coughing fit. Seeing that she needed a moment, Lumina took over: "Our bargain. Joint revenge against Salem was the first half, cooperation borne of anger. But more than that, I grant Summer a return to her life for at least a time. In turn she dedicates this time to spreading word of The Radiance. My apostle," she finished, making it almost sound like a term of endearment.

"That doesn't sound like a good deal to me," Qrow commented rather quickly.

Ozpin was uncertain what to make of it yet, though he had other questions. Meanwhile, Summer waved over her friend and bopped him on the head.

Lumina chuckled at the display and, surprisingly, made an attempt to reassure Qrow: "I am not demanding total devotion. Summer will not serve as a Huntress again, is all. How she spends her time is her choice. Not to mention, Qrow, who but I could grant her time to spend with those she loves?"

"...arright, that's fair," he drawled, though his grimace made it clear he still did not like it.

"Speaking of," Ozpin finally found a chance to interject, immediately gaining everyone's attention. "While I can not make any promises, I will see about extending your remaining time with the magic I have left."

Summer nodded with a grateful smile, only to gasp in surprise when Raven picked her up in a princess carry. "Be that as it may," the other woman groused, "you go where you belong now. Someone has to clean up this mess."

She carried Summer through a portal with those words, followed immediately by Ruby and Yang. Qrow stayed behind and it closed.

"I take it she took her to Patch?" Ozpin inquired just to make certain. His friend shrugged.

"Probably, yeah."

They lapsed into a momentary silence. There were many things left to discuss, but Ozpin had to consider which way to lead the conversation. This in turn gave young Selina time to speak up, as irreverent as before: "Sooo, that's it? Just like that? New body, old you? It's over?"

Despite her seemingly disrespectful behaviour, Lumina simply huffed. "Yes. 'Just' like that, Selina. Nevermind the parts of the plan you did not concern yourself with."

The faunus woman threw her a smirk and thumbs up in return.

"It is just difficult to believe that we somehow saved the world, is all," Pyrrha added when neither of them seemed willing to keep talking. "Especially in what was no more than a few hours. Four weeks if we count from the time you asked for our help." She earned some agreeing nods from the others. Ozpin himself was among them; especially him, considering how long he worked to achieve this very thing.

"You have a point," Lumina conceded, then glanced to the wizard. "Although the main reason it went so swiftly is that the difficult parts were already in place. Relics, vaults, all of no concern. I only had to get them for a guaranteed strike at Salem." She left a pause and gathered her thoughts, then made a sweeping motion toward the horizon. "Not to mention that while you helped stop Salem for good, this does not solve everything. It will be a long time before I can deal with the creatures of Grimm, if ever."

Some awkward shuffling followed, ended when Selina shrugged at her friend with a grin: "Welp, so at least we aren't out of a job."

Some snorts and snickers went around while Lumina inclined her head. Even Ozpin had to crack a smile.

"Maybe humans and faunus can finally get along now," Blake added thoughtfully. She was as weary as the rest, but something akin to hope could be seen in her expression.

To this, Ozpin offered his student a nod. He could follow the logic just fine and agreed with it. "That they will, Ms. Belladonna. Alas, I can not tell how much of a hand Salem had in sabotaging human-faunus relations. It will require a great deal of work to repair them."

To his mild surprise, it was Weiss who interjected. "With all due respect, Professor: we know that." Despite her surprisingly blunt comment, the young woman smiled mirthlessly. "And I already know where to begin."

Nobody commented on the fact she was ready to bring down her own legacy, though she immediately rose higher in the wizard's esteem.

Then Penny strolled forward and glomped Lumina, who stiffened in surprise. Not even Selina had been brazen enough to simply embrace the avatar of a goddess. Penny clearly did not care, she simply greeted her with joy.

"Welcome back. And thank you, again."

That broke the spell and Selina followed the gynoid's lead. Nora followed and dragged Ren along. Then Coco, Velvet, and Fox all joined them for the fun of it. The other students laughed or smiled about the moth's predicament. It was good to see the children smile even after such an ordeal; then again, seeing them all return alive meant he really should stop thinking of them as children.

After a time however, Selina let go and the knot of bodies dissolved. "Right," she started while snapping her fingers. "Kali was asking about you. Nobody told them you died, y'know?"

The non-sequitur surprised Lumina, who stood frozen in indecision. She glanced around the various people around them, hesitated a moment longer, and displayed something that may be guilt.

"I believe I need to take my leave," she murmured. "We shall speak soon."

She flickered away just like that, a ray of light that cast away the night. The landing atlesean gunships reflected it back, revealed for but a moment.

It was still hard to believe that they won.

Ozpin knew there would be a ton of issues to resolve soon. Not everyone would have made it across the various theatres and such great expenditures of material needed to be replaced. But for right now he left the students to their joy and celebration. Rather, the wizard turned to Hazel, whom everyone but him and Qrow had apparently forgotten.

"Now I believe we ought to address the Goliath in the room. Walk with me, Mr. Rainard?"

Qrow stepped back from his vigil, leaving the matter to his superior. Hazel himself scowled, but followed him into the devasted Mt. Glenn without a word. It was promising; Ozpin held no illusion that he would ever be forgiven, but perhaps an accord could be made.

They had time now, even if part of him still hurt to know she was forever gone. Another was relieved; the Salem he remembered would have been disgusted with what she became. Perhaps it was not oblivion that The Radiance gave her but salvation. A wrong righted that the Brother Gods once caused. Thinking of it like this felt kinder, even if it may be a shallow excuse. At the end of his long, long duty, Ozpin felt he deserved at least this little fantasy.

So it was that night fell on Vale. The tale of stolen Relics, gods, and monsters came to a close.

 

[Naron]

The Belladonnas had woken early for reasons unknown. Ghira was not a superstitious man, but he swore he could feel a shift in the air. The ocean winds seemed subdued and something about the faint orange glow at the horizon appeared the tiniest bit different. He would have disregarded it normally, but Kali also woke early and could not quite find sleep again.

They were having tea when Lumina arrived, sudden as always. Ghira grunted as her bright light hit his eyes, but elation drowned out everything else. She had come home after all!

"Welcome back," he greeted while blinking the spots away. Knowing that Mt. Kali was about to erupt, he figured the poor girl deserved at least a warm welcome first.

"Finally! Do you have any idea how worried we were, young lady? You have been out of touch for... where are your clothes?"

He saw it at the same time as his wife, their eyes finally adjusted. Lumina stood in her birthday suit, apparently completely at ease if a little sheepish. Ghira scanned her from head to toe just in case, but found no bruises or scars on the girl. Then he kept his eyes on her face until Kali found a blanket to throw over her.

"I'm back," the young woman announced herself belatedly, glancing between them. "You may want to sit down. A lot happened this last month."

The Belladonnas exchanged intrigued looks; Ghira was amused that Lumina pre-empted Kali sitting her down by doing the same. His wife seemed more wary than anything else, but she did as requested. He sat next to her facing the bundled-up girl. "This better be good, or you will be grounded for a while. Huntress or not," he joked with a knowing look to Kali, whose nostrils flared in annoyance.

Lumina's mouth opened, but nothing came out at first. Her brows furrowed as she seemed to get lost in thought as usual. At least their girl was still the same. "How odd," she finally murmured. "I did not think I would grow so attached to actually appreciate being back."

Her comment made Ghira's heart ache and soar at the same time. The poor thing really deserved better than she got before she got to Menagerie. He cleared his throat nonetheless, dragging the girl back to the subject at hand. Lumina nodded.

"Sorry. The short of it is that I died, made my allies steal several ancient artifacts to lure out the one responsible, killed her, and took over her body to use as my own." She ticked each point off on her fingers, uncaring for or unaware of the Belladonnas' incredulity. What was more, she said it so matter-of-factly that Ghira was almost willing to believe her.

Kali arched a brow, clearly not amused. Yet where Blake, Selina, or most other children would have relented under a mother's disapproval, Lumina merely mirrored the gesture.

Ghira did not like where this was headed. Both women at this table were incredibly headstrong; he really did not need to start the day with a large fight and quickly intervened: "How about you start at the beginning and explain in some more detail?"

"That was my plan, yes. There is something you two ought to know." Lumina hesitated there, frowning ever so faintly. "Perhaps I should have spoken of it far sooner."

Then she began to speak and the pair's understanding of existence was expanded. Kali and Ghira both needed a while to comprehend, much less accept their ward's nature. In the end they did believe, however. Be it the foreign knowledge Lumina brought them, or perhaps meeting the elusive Grimm some time later.

Maybe even the fact word of the Great Moth began to spread across Remnant over the years. And true to her predictions, the world slowly began changing for the better.

It happened in various places, small and vast.

Jacques Schnee was slowly but surely pushed out of Schnee Dust by his own daughter. Where Weiss herself took up the mantle of Huntress, she entrusted the company into capable hands from within the ranks. In line with what Selina once suggested, she picked a team comprised of humans and faunus to lead and tasked them with improving working conditions without regard for lost profits.

Her brother Whitley was part of this new board, eyes on the inside but also a proponent of change. Many assumed Whitley's pivot to more faunus-friendly policies had to do with the company he kept; Whitley was occasionally spotted meeting Selina and they remained in contact for many years, much to Weiss's alienation. Even when distant they never stopped exchanging messages, be they counsel, jokes, or recent events. The avalanche of gossip surrounding their relationship did not help Weiss come to terms with it; Selina simply laughed it off when confronted, regardless of if it was by her friend or a reporter. Whitley simply kept his mouth shut about their own private joke.

Selina's tale, meanwhile, was a curious one. She passed Beacon with flying colours through extensive tutoring sessions, both with friends and the faculty. In fact, she went above and beyond by obtaining a teaching license. After graduation, the now-Huntress returned to Menagerie and set up a training program for aspiring hunters. As a certified combat instructor, she set the foundation for a new generation of protectors.

Nora and Ren followed their leader to Menagerie, inseparable as ever. The three soon formed the core of the fifth kingdom's hunter teams. Pyrrha separated from them, however; she realised that she was not meant to be a huntress somewhere along the way. The team parted on amenable terms and remained in contact still, even as their final member returned to being a gladiator. Much in difference to before, she now invested most of her surplus earnings into improving human-faunus relations.

Seeing that these relations continuously improved, the White Fang's popularity plummeted over the years. The coup de grace was delivered when Blake did not return to the fold after graduating Beacon; four years of exposure to Weiss and Selina made her realise the organisation was not as credible as she once believed. Sienna Khan, high leader of the White Fang, saw all this and ultimately decided to dissolve the group. Its goal was reached, if not by them.

If anyone spoke of the sudden influx of so many faunus with combat training or wilderness expertise, it was relegated to bars or the privacy of their own households.

Blake herself went on to form a traveling duo with her partner Yang. They went across Remnant fighting creatures of Grimm, Huntresses indeed. Although few of their friends and family were surprised when invitations to a wedding fluttered in sometime later.

Not all was well, however. CRDL lost their L as Sky Lark fell on a mission gone wrong during their third year. The remaining three hunched ever closer together, becoming an absolute unit of camraderie in his honour. In fact, Cardin Winchester soon became known as a paragon of virtue, much to the surprise of those who knew him as a teen.

That surprise regarding him was only surpassed because nobody ever expected him to propose to Velvet Scarlatina of all people. Much less for her to say yes. Ten years after Beacon came to an end, the two had somehow gone from acquaintances over tentative friends to lovers. Time certainly knew to facilitate great irony.

Velvet herself became known as one of the Legendary Three, the three greatest Huntresses of her generation. Standing right next to Ruby Rose and Lumina among public perception, her confidence grew notably. Each of them thrived upon the field of battle and they remained in contact with each other. Oftentimes people across Remnant debated which of them truly was the strongest, but nobody could quite make their case. The three women themselves never cared to speculate and truly could not have cared less about the subject.

The remainder of Velvet's team CFVY scattered to the winds, each following their own aspirations. Fox returned to his hometown to protect it permanently, Yatsuhashi took up teaching at Haven Academy, and Coco began a curious modeling career to promote intermingling between the populace and their champions. Yet even as they were separated by distance, it never quite managed to erode the bonds they forged.

Of the big three, only Ruby and Velvet actually worked as Huntresses normally would. Lumina took to travelling Remnant and eradicating creatures of Grimm without comment or mission. Her anger slowly dissipated over time, eroded by content and sometimes washed away with solemn grief.

Ruby herself spent the years until Summer Rose's death happy. She fought and lived with great joy; when it was time for her mother to leave for good, she saw her off with a smile. This time properly, having met and gotten to know the woman who led the greatest team of the last generation.

Adhering to her bargain with Lumina, Summer spread word of the Great Moth wherever she went. She and Ruby were the first members of the Order of Light, with the moth as its insignia. Her tireless effort to hold up her part of the bargain set the foundation for a group that would eventually become prominent across Remnant.

When Summer's time came, Lumina personally walked her to the pillar of light. She left it at that however, unwilling to burden whomever her friend would become in her next life with this one.

She had much more to do than just tend to her friends, though. The city of Atlas was set down and dismantled before Lumina consumed the Staff of Creation. General Ironwood had come to Vale's aid when he heard of the Grimm migrations, so hiding the truth was never an option. He was not happy with the deception, much less the prospect of losing his country's capital city. Yet Ozpin managed to talk him around before age took him; the reality of Salem's death and a deity treading on Remnant again had Ironwood relent.

The spirits of Staff and Lamp both preferred to vanish with their containers, even though Lumina offered to weave them proper bodies to live in. When asked whether they wanted to live, they deferred the choice back to Lumina as one connected to their creator. The nascent goddess understood that neither was truly alive, simply a good imitation of life and personality. They lacked the ability to choose.

With the dismantling of Atlas however, far-reaching choices were made. The first belonged to Penny Polendina, Huntress of the realm, who revealed her status as a synthetic soul. Though it took Remnant by surprise, the overall reception was positive; her kindness and exuberance swiftly extinguished what opposition there may have been. Yet despite the general acceptance, no more synthetics were ever born; Pietro Polendina took the secret of his daughter's donated soul to the grave.

Soon after, the Maidens came out of hiding. With the woman threatening their existence gone, they could finally reveal themselves to the world. Others naturally still coveted their power, but few dared attempt to take it. Fewer still succeeded and none who did survived their allies or Lumina herself coming for them.

Revered as demigoddesses, the Maidens soon became part of the Order of Light's canon; people came to see them as guardians chosen by the Great Moth. Lumina never corrected them.

However, only the Maidens of Summer, Winter, and Fall were known for decades. The Spring Maiden never came forward and was never found. Her identity remained a secret that Summer Rose took to the grave. The power only appeared once passed on, when Raven Branwen herself had died. Until that day she fought herself more than anyone to become a better person; despite her countless sins she continued to put in the effort. Summer and later Ruby supported her until the final moment.

In the end and regardless of her past misgivings, Raven found solace in The Radiance's light. It soothed her ravaged mind. And after finally finding the courage to confide in her brother, the twins managed to mend bridges to an extent. They only realised they passed the same day when Qrow met his sister on the other side and they walked toward reincarnation together.

Leading up to that day, the Branwen tribe slowly shrunk as its members returned to the kingdoms, one by one or in small groups. If Raven encouraged this or not, only she would ever know.

As another reformed outcast, Hazel Rainard still died before even Summer did. With Salem gone and the eternal battle in the shadows concluded, he dedicated his life to protecting the weak; he fell stemming a tide of Grimm on his lonesome. The small hamlet he saved would remember his name for generations, elevating the man to a local legend.

Meanwhile, Arthur Watts went on to live a long life; having reemerged after his reported death, he swiftly became a premier member of Vale's computer science community. Others followed his example after the dismantling of Atlas, which led to a shift in technological superiority toward the central kingdom. Arthur never spoke another word with his old partner Pietro, but with time he was convinced of Penny if nothing else.

Years swiftly turned to decades as issues were identified and solved. Menagerie grew into a kingdom of its own right, home to Charms and aura arts; both descended from Lumina's original teachings. The kingdom prospered as mainly faunus but also humans continued to expand it.

The day Ghira Belladonna died in his sleep, he had reigned as a never official king for over fourty years. He left behind not perfect equality, but great steps made in the right direction. His aged wife followed him a day later.

For the unaging Lumina, this particular goodbye was perhaps the most solemn; the first of many and unlike with Summer, she never knew when it might happen. It hurt to see these two go. Yet despite the pain and the tears she shed, Lumina personally walked each and every one of her friends to the pillar of light; just like she did for Summer in the past. With a final embrace, they were sent off to be reborn.

The moth herself stood to Remnant as a saint of the light. Once it became apparent she did not age, her slow usurpation of the Brother Gods' place became much more swift. Religious canon shifted to include, then feature The Radiance even over the world's absent creators. Her cocoon began to swell throughout decades, just as She desired. The Radiance would return in time, even if it took a thousand or ten thousand years, maybe more for Her gestation to complete. But if Lumina had her way, then the distant descendants of today's people would be graced by Her true light again.

With Salem gone, there was no great mind impeding progress anymore. That did not mean Remnant suddenly became a paradise, however. The creatures of Grimm continued to wreak havoc, continually pushed back by the advance of science yet never destroyed.

Almost exactly sixty years after Salem's final day, it was time to say goodbye again. Only this time the occasion became rather unconventional.

An aged Ruby strolled alongside Lumina, leading the moth down a cobblestone path. Age had bent the silver-eyed woman, time took her vitality as far as aura would allow it. Yet the retired Huntress retained her good spirit and was content. She lived a full life, had three beautiful children of her own, and now looked toward death as the next stop on her journey.

"Few are as calm about their impending end as you," Lumina noted with a glance to her old friend. Ruby, in turn, huffed.

"Please. We both knew it was a long time coming. I'm old now and it's okay. I did everything I wanted in life and more."

Here she left a short pause to glance at Lumina. A hint of worry snuck into Ruby's voice: "You will look after them, right?"

"Naturally."

"Good. Then I don't need to worry in the slightest." The one subject of concern settled and her descendants in good hands, she put on an impish grin. "Besides, it's not like I will die."

A beat.

"How do you mean?" Lumina asked, confused how her friend meant to escape the inevitable.

Ruby's grin grew in response and the aged woman sped up. Her old bones protested the rapid motion, but she ignored them and turned to rose petals; they had never lost their luster and raced across Remnant with near unparalleled speed. Lumina followed, still bewildered. She only understood upon realising where her friend went, though it gave rise to a new sort of worry.

"Are you certain?" the moth asked once they both became flesh once more. "Such a choice can not be undone."

"Pah. I thought about it for years, don't worry."

They stopped in front of a magnificent, crimson tent. Two horses studied them curiously, then competed for prime position to get pets from Ruby. Lumina stood at the side, faintly reassured yet still concerned for her friend's sanity.

Grimm joined them a moment later as he stepped out of the tent; time had not changed him in any way, now appearing like a grandson of Ruby's instead of a brother. An easy smile graced his features at their sight. He offered his actual sister a nod before addressing Ruby: "Good time, my dear. The flames were lit and soon we shall perform once more."

The moth stepped back, a mere witness to this moment. Her friend made the choice and Grimm was the final arbiter of accepting her desire. When Ruby stepped forward, she was received with open arms; Grimm embraced her and the pair began to glow.

A singular heartbeat sounded across existence as the Nightmare Heart's pulse echoed into the waking world again. Crimson energy filled Ruby, mixing with her own silver power before sinking into her body.

The aged woman began to shift; grey hair slowly regained its luster, wrinkled skin smoothed out. Her spine straightened as youthful vigour returned. Within seconds Ruby Rose returned to her full glory; she stood as she had in her mid-twenties, a beaming smile on her face. Then she pumped a fist.

"Yes! I was hoping for something like this! Thanks, Grimm!"

Brother and sister shared a chuckle at the exuberance on display. Ruby's excitable nature never quite vanished, but time tempered it. Right now she seemed once again the woman of her youth. True to form, she then turned around to embrace Lumina, who held her tightly.

"It is forever, Ruby," she reminded her friend. There was no reincarnation, no rest, not even death for the other woman anymore. "Farewell, and good luck."

"Same to you. Keep an eye on everyone."

Lumina blinked and they were gone. She could see the crimson Essence trail skyward, winking back at her.

Wiping off a single tear, the moth nodded. Her hand clasped around Event Horizon's handle; a sword Ruby once crafted for her, ornate more than practical, yet appreciated. A final memento of her friend.

"Yes," she told the empty air. "I will."

She remained there for a time to reminisce of past decades, but eventually turned away. There was one other matter that needed to be taken care of. Saying goodbye to Ruby reminded her of the one last actor in this entire mess.

"Intriguing," Oscar capped off her recounting of Ruby's choice and departure. "But as long as it makes her happy, I am not going to judge."

A scant few weeks had passed since that day. Lumina imagined that Ozma's latest reincarnation would be capable of sympathising. He remained content to stay in the background during this life, though she could find him regardless.

"I concur," she agreed. "Now, would you walk with me?"

"Of course?" Though a question was implied, he received no verbal response. Lumina wordlessly opened a rift into the realm betwixt worlds, surrounding them with dancing motes of Essence. She motioned for him to go ahead and followed right after, then the pair walked across an ethereal road of yellow bricks, seemingly headed toward an emerald city.

"Where exactly are we going?" Oscar asked, now hesitant.

Lumina simply offered a solemn smile. "To the end," she said.

It took some time, but he followed after her. The pair walked amongst the shades of people, a steady stream as before. Compared to their respective previous journeys down this path however, they were older. Less youths, fewer children passed them by. Only Oscar took notice of it, though Lumina had an inkling that something was different.

The moth spoke after some time: "Are you content with the way Remnant develops?"

"Yes," Oscar answered without hesitation. A faint smile found its way onto his face. "I have to thank you again, for doing what I never could. I lost hope so many times, but never before has it been fulfilled after I regained it. Thank you, truly."

His praise was genuine, an almost palpable sense of gratitude made manifest by their surroundings. Lumina simply inclined her head, accepting it with grace.

They kept walking in silence after that, down the yellow brick road. The emerald city passed them by as well, from where they could see the pillar of light. Soon enough The Radiance's silver cocoon became visible; it was the only other landmark at this point. Many a shade paused on their way at its sight, silently paying respect to the nascent goddess within.

"I know this place well," Oscar mused out loud. "But I never thought I would come here before another death. Your time with us has certainly been turbulent in every sense of the word."

Lumina chuckled in response. "It figures you would know," she said, no mind given to the rest of his statement. Then her tone grew serious: "But now to the reason I brought you here, Ozma."

His head swivelled back to her at the sound of his original name. Even through a hundred lives he never forgot the beginning. Lumina was looking upon him, not with malice but the utmost gentleness.

"It is time to rest. You have done well."

Her meaning was clear. Remnant's final dream seemed to grow still for a moment as Oscar hesitated; his eyes wandered between Lumina and the light. Then he slumped, allowing himself to let his fragile self be seen.

"Yes, that does sound good. I have lived longer than any human should, much like she did. I feel... thin, after all this time. Emaciated. Is this really something you can do for me?"

Lumina embraced him wordlessly. Her light seeped into his body and aged soul, filling it with warmth. Something within him dissolved, hardly felt as the moth undid what another had wrought so long ago. Ozma was free of the endless cycle, his mission complete.

Once she finished her work, Lumina gently pushed the wizard into the pillar. He did not resist, smiling until his body was fully dissolved.

Nobody would ever know that the last witness of Remnant's halcyon days had passed. The days before the fall, times of great kingdoms and heroes. Only Lumina stood witness and she was the one who would keep this secret.

In these minutes, a being of the void made their final trek across Remnant.

Ghost wandered for many years, going this way and that without purpose. Sometimes they interacted with humans again, once they even met Penny. The gynoid had been overjoyed and kept Ghost nearby for a full year; in the end however, they left to wander once more. They learned new skills along the way, thoughtless and without any aspirations. Only that the call of the void grew stronger in time.

Grimm was gone. The Abyss of Remnant grew restful; there was no enemy left to fight, nothing agitating it. Nothing to consume.

Hence why Ghost approached one of the pools of void matter now; the closest they had found along the way. They stepped inside without hesitation, losing coherence; the void was united once more. Their accumulated possessions dissolved with no thought spent on them. The godslayer's memories followed as they transcended the emptiness of space and returned from whence they came.

And far above where Ghost vanished, dawn broke. A new day had begun for Remnant.

 

[theaceoffire]

....Well done. Very impressive.