Remnant of Remnant of a Worm (Rwby x Worm continuation)

[blitzgamer]

Considering that the original story (Available here) is on indefinite hiatus, I found myself with the need to write my own silly continuation of it. HIGHLY recommend reading the original first. Also, this is my first time writing fanfic, so bear it in mind. All that being said, hope you enjoy.

---

Chapter 22. Speaking Truth to Power

Confrontation.
Taylor.

The elevator door to Ozpin's office opened with a ding. He was seated behind his desk, mug in hand, with a tea set laid out in front of him. His face took on that slight smile it was so fond of. He had called me in for a meeting early on Saturday, probably about my abrupt move into Team CVFY's room.

"Ah, Miss Hebert, please, come have a seat."

He gestured towards a chair I hadn't seen in the office before. It was a deep, well padded leather affair, more suited for a lounge than an office. Obviously made for longer conversations.

"I took the liberty of having a tea tray prepared for you."

As I sat down in the offered chair, my eyes took in the tray. A teapot marked with the gears of his emblem, a jar of cream, a second of milk, a variety of different teas, most of which I was unfamiliar with, alongside a sugar bowl and a pot of what looked like honey. I idly wondered if anyone had ever been brave or foolish enough to collect honey from rapier wasps, before filling a mug with boiling water and running my eyes back over the boxes of tea.

"You wanted to speak to me Professor?"

I reached for what looked to be black tea and placed a bag in my mug to steep.

"Indeed. Miss Hebert, is everything alright? I've been informed that you've had your bed and belongings removed from team RWBY's room."

Looks like I had been right about his reasons. He had set his mug down and laid his arms on his desk, hands clasped together, looking at me expectantly, tilting his head ever so slightly to one side.

"Given how close you seemed to have become with them, I am understandably worried that something may have happened between you."

He reached over to his mug and took a sip. I looked down at my tea, saw that it had started to steep, and began to pour in the milk.

"There's nothing to worry about Professor."

I set down the milk and grabbed the honey dipper, adding a drop to my mug before setting it back down. I picked up a spoon and began to stir my tea with a shrug.

"I just.. needed some space for a bit. Team RWBY is incredible, but their enthusiasm can be a bit.. overwhelming over long periods."

I set aside the spoon and took a first sip of the tea. Whatever his faults, Ozpin had excellent tastes.

"Ah, yes, Miss Rose and her sister are quite the energetic pair, that much is certain. Still, I would think you would have gotten used to it after so long in their company, not to mention the moderating influence that Miss Schnee and Miss Belladonna would bring to the group."

I found myself suppressing a laugh despite myself.

"I'm afraid that they have both fallen to the sisters' mad influence."

Ozpin chuckled, taking another sip from his mug.

"Quite. Still, isn't this rather drastic? I'm sure the girls would be willing to adjust their behavior to better accommodate you. From all accounts you 5 are the closest of friends. I had heard that you even visited the sisters' home over the break. Not to mention Miss Rose's help in designing your weapon."

I glanced down to Starfall at my waist, before taking another sip. How could I tell him that they had seen me at my absolute lowest, rambling about. About. I shoved the thoughts down and my emotions out into my swarm.

"Miss Hebert?"

Ozpin leaned forward expectantly. I set down my mug and exhaled, releasing some steam from the hot drink.

"I don't know what to tell you, Professor. I just started feeling trapped, in need of a change of scenery."

He leaned back in his chair, elbows on his armrests, hands clasped under his chin.

"Quite."

He closed his eyes momentarily, and as he opened them again, there was a noticeable edge in his stare.

"Miss Hebert, I think it's time we dispensed with the pleasantries. There has been a noticeable change in your behavior recently."

His voice had hardened, taking on the same tone it had during his speech before initiation testing. I felt myself reaching for my swarm on instinct.

"You have missed several of your classes, distanced yourself from your friends, and several faculty have noticed a distinct dismissive tone in your recent interactions with other students. Quite simply, they are concerned for you, as am I. And while normally that alone would be worthy of our attention, the unique circumstances surrounding you lend an extra degree of concern to our thoughts."

He reached for his mug, taking a deep swallow before continuing. I absentmindedly stirred my tea, trying to maintain my nerves. What few insects were within close proximity to his room started making their way into the vents.

"Miss Hebert, you and I both know that there is something bothering you. I will not insult your intelligence by feigning otherwise. You are an exceptionally talented individual, but everything regarding your past is shrouded in contradictions. A brilliant tactical mind belying a history of combat, with a collection of past injuries to show for it. And yet, you had not had your Aura unlocked until Miss Rose did so to save you, when it is one of the first things one does upon learning to fight,"

Ozpin's voice filled with a sudden gravity and solemn tone that drove in the seriousness of his attitude, his hands moving slightly as he punctuated his words with subtle gestures.

"You had on your person two weapons that were frankly childish in comparison to what even student huntsmen make use of, but also a piece of technology that even Vale's top scientists were not able to discern the purpose of, leaps and bounds more advanced than what even Atlas is capable of producing."

He'd had people looking at my flight pack? And they couldn't even tell that's what it was? Was it just too damaged, or was tinkertech just that advanced?

He leaned forward, the light catching his glasses in a way that left them opaque.

"And then there is the matter of how you were found. Shot twice in the back of the head, execution style, injuries that even those with their Aura unlocked would find difficult to survive. And while those injuries might have explained your unfamiliarity with things every person should be aware of, most people with that level of memory loss would spend considerably more effort than you have on finding answers to how they ended up in such a state, and who had put them in it."

He leaned back once more, fingers steepled in front of his chest.

"Miss Hebert. Taylor."

His voice had softened considerably, taking on a concerned, almost parental tone. The fact he had addressed me by my first name was enough to shock me into stopping the flow of insects towards us.

"I want to help you. You have incredible talents, are a remarkably swift learner, and there is no doubt in my mind that if you put your mind to it, you could become one of the finest Huntresses that this kingdom has ever seen. And your actions have shown that you have a strong sense of justice, a powerful desire to help others and shield them from harm. I would not be doing my duty as Headmaster of this academy if I did not do everything in my power to help you grow, to nurture those traits until they allowed you to bloom. To become the greatest version of yourself. But I cannot do this,"

He leaned forward, left hand pointing towards me.

"If you do not allow me to do so."

He brought his hands together, fingers laced.

"I promise you, if you are willing to tell me what is going on, I will believe you. Whatever it is that you have done, I will not judge you. I will listen to whatever you have to tell me in its entirety, and I will do whatever is within my considerable power to help you with whatever it is that is afflicting you. If there is someone you are hiding from, some organization holding you trapped, I can protect you."

I had never heard him like this before. He almost sounded like he was begging.

"Please, Taylor,"

He exhaled a breath I hadn't noticed him holding. He placed a hand against his chest.

"Let me help you. Let Beacon help you."

I wasn't quite sure how to respond. My initial reaction was to brush him off, bolt out of his office. My previous interactions with authority figures had never gone well for me. But something made me stop. I had never had someone in authority talk to me like this, so openly and honestly, actually concerned about what might be bothering me. And if I really wanted to stop repeating myself, telling him would be one way to break the cycle. Ozpin seemed like he genuinely wanted to help me. There was a conviction to his words, an honesty to his expression. But there was still something keeping me from answering him. A secret I knew he had been keeping from everyone. And if what I had overheard earlier was right, I had information he needed to know.

"If I do this, if I tell you, then you need to tell me about Salem."

The moment I said her name, he changed. Gone was the Headmaster looking out for his student. In his place was something I had seen far too many times before. A mastermind with an iron stare, willing to do anything to accomplish his goals. His posture hardened, back stiffening into a more formal stance.

"Where did you hear that name, Miss Hebert?"

So, I wasn't Taylor anymore, huh?

"You'll understand once I finish telling you everything. I have reason to believe she has agents at play in Beacon."

His eyes narrowed, his brows furled, and as he leaned over his desk I swore his fingers were clenched so tight that the only reason they weren't broken was his Aura.

"Very well then. I accept your terms."

I finished off my tea before pouring another cup.

"You might want to cancel the rest of your meetings for today Professor. We're going to be here for a while."

He nodded.

"I took the liberty of leaving a few hours of empty time after our meeting, in hopes you would reciprocate."

"You also made sure I would have a comfortable chair to sit in."

He smiled, the light returning to his eyes.

"It would not do to leave you sore while you were opening up to me."

"Just remember Professor. No judgements, no disbelief."

"I am a man of my word, Miss Hebert."

I took a deep breath. In for four, hold for seven, out for eight.

"The first thing you need to understand is that I'm not from Remnant."

---

Explanation.
Taylor.
Ozpin sat up straight in his chair, eyes blinking twice. Not as much of a reaction as I had been expecting, but it was something. He reached under his desk and hit a button, causing the elevator to make some kind of harsh beeping sound, probably some kind of locking mechanism to prevent unauthorized access, before motioning for me to continue.

"I'm from a planet called Earth Bet, and ever since one day when I was fifteen, I've been able to control insects."

I had what few bugs were in the vents spill out and condense into a swarm behind me, causing Ozpin's eyes to go wide.

"Remarkable!"

His voice was filled with an awe I hadn't heard in it before. He once again motioned for me to go on.

"Insects, arachnids, worms, most invertebrates really, but it's harder with crustaceans. And before you ask, it doesn't work on Grimm. That Deathstalker during initiation didn't register to my powers. Probably because they aren't really 'alive' in the same way we are,"

I paused, licking my lips and shifting my position slightly before continuing on, folding my legs over each other and leaning back a slight bit to get more comfortable.

"As for what I can do with them, so long as they're close enough to me, I can feel where they are with perfect spatial awareness, control them down to the smallest biological process, make stingers pump poison or refrain from doing so, have spiders spin web on command, which is how I made the outfit I was found in. I can also feel through their senses, so long as it's information my brain can properly process."

I dispersed the swarm throughout the room, having them settle on various bits of architecture.

"It works best through vibration, so I mainly use them for tactile mapping and listening in on things. That's how I heard about Salem, I heard you and Ironwood discussing her. Same as how I learned about her agents. You'll want to increase security on the CCT tower by the way, they're planning on taking control of it with a computer virus, made by someone named Watts."

He nodded, face hardened once again.

"Could you point them out to me if you saw them again?"

I made a so-so gesture with my hand.

"I don't get good visuals via swarm sight. Most insects don't have complex enough eyes to provide much information, and the ones that do don't completely map to human visual processing. From what I could make out there's three of them, 2 girls and a guy. One of the girls had dark skin and green hair, the other was pale with long black hair. The guy had grey hair, cut short. I only ever heard one of them speaking, but I could recognize her voice if I heard it again. And I can point out what room the three of them were staying in."

Once again his head dipped in acknowledgement.

"Thank you Miss Hebert. That is invaluable information. I will be certain to act on it immediately. If I could ask you to refrain from confronting them for the time being? The exception of course being if you catch them in the act of sabotage?"

I gave him a nod. "I'll keep you updated if I learn anything more."

He gave me a smile in thanks.

"I must say Miss Hebert, this does answer one question that had been plaguing me. During your initiation, Glynda and I had noticed you had an uncanny knack for avoiding danger. At first we had assumed you had a Semblance that was bolstering your perception. I see now that you simply had lookouts everywhere. Tell me, how are you able to coordinate so many at once?"

"That's... complicated. It has to do with what gave me my powers, and if I'm going to explain that, it's probably best I explain it to you the same way I found it out. And as I said, it's a very long story, one that's best started from the beginning."

"I assume this story will also explain how you ended up here on Remnant?"

"You're taking this a lot better than I thought you would."

He smiled, a proper smile, not the smirk he usually had on when he found something amusing.

"Miss Hebert, you have just shown me how you can manipulate a cloud of insects as easily as I might twirl my cane. I'm quite ready to believe anything you tell me, even if I hadn't promised to do so. It also explains your initial lack of Aura, your unfamiliarity with the moon and Grimm, not to mention the items you were found with. Would I be correct in assuming then that you did not, in fact, lose your memories after you were injured?"

This time it was my turn to nod.

"You would be correct. It did take me a while to get my thoughts in order, but once I did, I remembered everything."
"So then Miss Hebert, how did you find yourself on our world?"

I took the opportunity to sip more of my tea, then took another breath. In for four, hold for seven, out for eight.

"Alright Professor. But I have to warn you. This is very much not a happy story, and there's a lot of things I'm not proud of. No judgments, you promised."

He nodded.

"No Judgements."

I took a deep breath. In for four, hold for seven, out for eight.

"It all started when the Golden Man appeared."

---

Reflection.
Professor Ozpin.

As Taylor finished her tale, ending with her meeting with Ciara and the breakdown it had caused in her, I sat and reflected on everything she had told me in the long hours we had sat together.

The world she had come from, so very unlike Remnant, possessing a long history unburdened by the constant threat of Grimm, but also without the power granted by Dust and Aura. How humanity had been able to grow, thrive, and expand across the world. The sheer scale it had achieved, measuring in the billions. Billions! The incredible advances in technology they had made, even managing to leave the planet altogether. Coming from a people who had managed to walk upon their moon, it was no wonder seeing the shattered remains of Remnant's had shocked her so. Of course, it was no paradise. Without the presence of Grimm, humanity had found new ways to divide itself, lines drawn between nations. Whereas Remnant had only one great war in its history, Earth had had two, both putting ours to shame with the sheer scale of devastation, the second in particular entailing truly horrific acts of mass death. Even at it's worst, Faunus discrimination had never descended to the same level as what the people of Taylor's world had managed to do to themselves.

Then there was the arrival of Scion, and the rise of parahumans in his wake. How the various governments had tried to contain the chaos, but had been held back by their unwillingness to work together. The various classifications given to parahumans, and the strange mutations that sometimes came with trigger events.

The Endbringers, monsters seemingly existing solely to devastate humanity. They were something I could understand. But the sheer scale of the threat they presented was horrifying, compared to the Grimm. Seemingly indestructible, and possessed of vast intelligence and planning, toying with the world at large.

Behemoth, who could bend the very forces of creation to his will.
Leviathan, with hydrokinesis capable of sinking entire islands.
The Simurrgh, ever enigmatic, possessing plans within plans.

And even after one had been slain, more rose to replace him.
Khonshu, master of time, seemingly designed to prevent a repeat of Behemoth's demise.
Tohu and Bohu, working as a pair, one turning the land into a series of deathtraps, the other wreaking havoc as a parody of those who fought it.

Much as the creatures of Grimm had shaped the culture of Remnant, so too had these threats shaped how parahumans interacted. A series of "unwritten rules," as Taylor put it. So much was willing to be ignored in order to have more soldiers in the fight for survival. Still, fight they had. Refusing to back down against these seemingly unstoppable threats. Defiant in the face of destruction.

She had told me of her home, the declining city of Brockton Bay. Beset by one threat after another, never truly given a chance to recover, until finally it had ended up utterly destroyed. She had done so much to try and help it, only for it all to end up for naught.
The abuse she had suffered, leading to her powers awakening. It had made my blood boil. As an educator I was distinctly aware of the effect this kind of behavior had. And what had been going on at her school was well beyond any acceptable limits. It was no wonder she had reacted the way she did to Team CRDL's "antics." Honestly it was only her own moral code and desire to keep her powers unnoticed that kept their lives from being a living hell. Perhaps it was time to update our tolerance policies.

And yet, in the face of all that horror, upon being granted her powers, she had not retaliated. Her first instinct had been to go out and become a hero. And not for fame or glory, but to use what she had been given to make the world a better place. Even when on her very first night out she had been faced with the kind of threat even veterans might balk at, she had acted regardless, solely because there might be children in danger.

Said heroism had not lasted long however. Spurned by those in authority, she had found solace and companionship in a group of villains, the Undersiders.

Brian, able to generate clouds of darkness that blocked out seemingly all light and sound, even heat to a degree, known as Grue. He and Taylor had shared a relationship for a time.
His sister, Aisha, who could remove herself from other's perceptions and memories, under the name Imp.
Lisa, able to extrapolate a wealth of information from the smallest details, called Tattletale.
Alec, able to cause spontaneous muscle spasms in people near him, eventually working up to complete control of their bodies, going by Regent.
And finally Rachel, who could turn dogs into snarling monsters rivaling Beowolves, maybe even minor Ursas in size and power. Called Hellhound by the authorities, as the name she chose for herself was rather obscene. I'd actually asked Taylor if that was her preferred form of address, not some kind of cruel nickname. She'd allowed herself the smallest of smiles upon telling me that yes, her friend did indeed wish to be called Bitch.

They had reached out to Taylor as one of their own, and desperate for positive contact, she had joined them. At first, it had been in an attempt to infiltrate them in order to turn them over to the authorities, but circumstances had convened to cause her to join them in truth.

The primary one being the man known as Armsmaster. As she had described to me how he had treated her, I had found myself disappointed, and ever so slightly disgusted. The man was in a similar position as myself as the one in charge of those protecting his city, but the way he had acted, putting his own reputation above everything else, insulting and belittling a 15 year old girl who's only real sin was inexperience, eventually breaking a long running truce by setting up multiple people to die so he could claim sole glory in slaying Leviathan, only to fail utterly. Honestly, James would have had the man shot.

Still, he'd managed to recognize his failings, rising once more, aptly re-named Defiant. He'd been able to reconcile with the girl he had so wronged. It probably helped that she mostly blamed herself.

There were others who were far more deserving of my scorn.
First was Coil, the mastermind behind the Undersiders. As Taylor had told me of his machinations to take over the city from the shadows, I had felt uneasy. It was all too similar to what I myself had done. Would Taylor show me the same trust she had if she knew the extent of my manipulations? However there were key differences. For all the things I had been accused of in regards to the students I recruited, I had always given them a choice. Coil, however, was fine using whatever means necessary to keep people under his employ. Coercion, feeding depravity, false promises of solutions to problems no one else had been able to solve. And then there was his greatest sin. Kidnapping Dinah Alcott, a twelve year old girl, keeping her captive and addicted in order to make use of her clairvoyant abilities. Treating her as naught more than a tool. It was freeing her that had motivated Taylor, continuing on her dark path, solely for a chance to save her. Of course, Coil had not made it easy for her. When she described the trap he had laid for her, I found myself amazed, both at her resourcefulness, and his sheer paranoia. In the end of course, she had emerged victorious, saving the girl, and putting a permanent end to his schemes. At 16 years old, Taylor Hebert had ended a man's life in cold blood.

Of course, her quest had been interrupted by the other source of my hatred. Jack Slash, leader of the Slaughterhouse Nine. Mere weeks after the city had been ravaged by Leviathan, he had led his band of killers there, seeking new victims to twist into his minions. He reminded me all too much of her. A monster in human form, uncaring about the death he left in his wake, taking people at their most vulnerable and shaping them into tools for his twisted schemes, and despite the best efforts of everyone, he managed to avoid the death he so greatly deserved. It wasn't at all surprising, then, that Dinah had come up with a prediction that he would be responsible for the end of the world.

Before that could be acted on however, a new threat had been released by Coil's death. Echidna. What had once been a teenage girl transformed into a monstrous amalgam of flesh, one that could absorb living beings and regurgitate up malformed copies of them. Copies that would seek to harm the originals in whatever capacity possible.

In doing so, they had revealed a massive conspiracy. Cauldron. She'd spit the word.

As she first told me of the organization, I found myself worried that she would compare me unfavorably to them were she to learn of the extent of my influence. Those fears faded as upon learning just how abhorrent their methods had been, not to mention their sheer incompetence. They had allowed so many atrocities to happen unopposed, so fixated they were on the end, that I wouldn't be surprised if they had actually been partly responsible for causing it in the first place.

Of course, Taylor had been caught up in the same paranoia. From how she had described it, her interactions with her fellow wards over the next few years were less about training them into heroes, and more about forging them into tools for stopping the end. Was that how it had actually been, or how she felt looking back on it? She'd definitely done some questionable things. My thoughts turned to what was undoubtedly her darkest moment.

Jack Slash had led her on a chase across America, leaving massacre after massacre in his wake, aided by a legion of clones of his minions past and present. He had taken a little girl, daughter of two powerful parahumans, hostage, and was seemingly going to torture her until her powers revealed themselves. Outnumbered, and with the threat of the end of the world on her shoulders, she had acted. At 18 years old, Taylor Hebert killed a little girl in cold blood.

And then the world had ended anyway.

Gold Morning. The world's greatest protector gone rogue. Devastation across the planet on a grander scale than ever before seen. And in order to stop it, Taylor had allowed the limits to her power to be removed. Slowly losing herself to the alien being that was the true source of her abilities, with the entirety of Earth's parahuman population within her grasp, she had waged war against the Alien parasite destroying her world. And she had won.

I looked at the girl sitting in my office. For a fraction of a moment, I saw myself staring back.

All she had wanted was to be a hero. To help. Fate had conspired to break her. She had refused until the very end. As she sat there in the light of the shattered moon, waiting for me to respond, I rose from my chair.

I walked around my desk, towards the young woman who had just spent the entire day pouring out her life to me. I leaned down, wrapping my arms around her, and pulled her into my embrace.

---

Validation
Taylor.
I broke. Some dam inside of me gave way. I wrapped my arms around Ozpin, burying my face into his shoulder, weeping openly in his embrace. He had just spent hours listening to me tell him all about how I had paved my own personal road to hell, the lines I had crossed and the lives I had ruined in a failed attempt to save the world. All through it he had listened silently, offered me a chance to stop even after hearing how I had decided to become a criminal, even provided me with food so I would be comfortable. And at the very end, after having every last death laid out, he had come to me, not with condemnation for my sins, but with a comfort I didn't deserve. He had promised me no judgments, true, but I hadn't really expected him to follow through on that once the sheer weight of all I had done was in front of him. But he had. And I couldn't comprehend it. Eventually I stopped, my arms falling limp to my sides, my face still buried in his chest. He rested his hands on my shoulders, waiting a moment before speaking.

"Taylor. I want you to listen to me. You are not the monster you tell yourself you are."

I looked up to face him, not understanding. Had he not been listening?

"I have seen monsters before. Slayed countless numbers of them. You are not one of them. You are a remarkable young woman. Dedicated to trying to help as many people as you can, no matter the circumstances. Even after everything you had been through. Losing absolutely everything. Lost and alone in a world you didn't understand. And yet, your first instinct upon seeing something that might get people hurt was to try and prevent it. No, you are not a monster, no matter what you tell yourself. You were fifteen years old. Thrown into a war. Forced into situations and roles you never should have been in. The people who should have helped and guided you did not. Your only real support came from other teenagers with their own problems. Quite frankly it's a miracle you managed to survive everything that you did with your sanity intact."

He brushed my hair out of my face, taking a handkerchief from his pocket to dry my eyes. I didn't know what to do, or how to respond.

"As I am sure you are aware, given your powers, earlier this year, I told Ruby Rose that I had made more mistakes than any man, woman, or child on Remnant. Despite what you have just told me, that still holds true. And admitting you to my school was most definitely not a mistake."

He looked down at me, an almost parental concern on his face. What was he talking about? What had he done that could compare to my own errors?

"If you had not granted her mercy, I am sure that Aster would have suffered a fate far worse than death. It was a horrible thing, but it needed to be done. I shudder to think of what he could have molded her into, especially after what you told me about Bonesaw."

Mercy was a funny way to frame what I had done.

"As for what happened with Brian, you made a judgement call. It ended up being wrong. You made a mistake. It doesn't make you a monster. It makes you human."

He stared into my eyes, and I saw myself reflected inside them.

"You focus so hard on everything that was lost as a result of your actions, that you forget to look at what was won. If you hadn't acted as you did, would those people not have died anyway? Because of what you did, have you not provided a future for millions, possibly billions of others?"

Had I? I knew that there were survivors thanks to me, but did that really justify all that I had done? What I had become?

"You might not have gotten the help and training you needed back on Earth, but now that you are in my school that will change. I promise you Taylor. This is the kind of thing Beacon was made for. We can help you be the hero you were always meant to be."

He let go of my shoulders, beckoning me to sit as he returned to his chair, pulling up something on his scroll. I did just that, collapsing into a heap in my chair.

"We will discuss this further at a later date. Suffice to say, I will leave it to your own judgment how much of this you wish to discuss with others. As for myself, you have my word as Headmaster of Beacon that not a word of what you have told me will leave my lips without your approval. If I may give a bit of advice?"

He looked at me expectantly and I nodded, still reeling from what he had said to me.

"I would suggest you return to your room with Team RWBY. Tell them that someone from your past had approached you with information regarding one of your friends, blaming you for their death. That the shock of seeing them combined with the accusation caused you to lash out the way you did. Not quite a lie, in any case. Let them know that you have discussed events with me and have my full support. Those girls think the world of you Taylor. I have no doubts that they will forgive you."

I nodded once more, slumped into my seat as I was. The day had been an exercise in exhaustion, reliving all the horrible things that had happened to me, that I had done, the lengths I had gone to. Everything I had lost.

"And Salem? You promised to tell me about her."

He nodded, face solemn.

"I will save that conversation for a later date. However, you needn't worry. Given everything you have gone through, she's relatively minor in comparison. I would ask that you refrain from mentioning her name to anyone, however."

I took a moment to think over his request, then nodded. "I'm going to hold you to that Professor."

He nodded in return, hands clasped around the handle of his cane.

"One last thing, Miss Hebert?"

I inclined my head to the side.

"I would also suggest you quit dulling your emotions the way you have been. It may have served you well in the past, certainly, but I cannot help but feel it has caused you undue harm as well. If you wish, I can arrange for a therapist to come to Beacon to help you, if you would so desire."

I shook my head.

"I don't think I'm quite ready for a therapist, Professor. But thank you. For... for everything."

For giving me a second chance, I thought to myself. And with that I left. I could worry about moving back in the morning. For right now, I needed to rest.

---

Professor Ozpin.

I watched as Taylor left my office, hoping that she would take my words to heart. She had been through so much already, and now she would most likely throw herself into my own crusade, whether I asked her to or not. I knew all too well what kind of person she was. And it wasn't like I would be able to keep anything secret from her. Frowning to myself, I composed a set of messages.

The first was to James, informing him that we needed to meet to discuss security on the CCT tower. Urgently.

The second was to Glynda, informing her we had a second possible candidate.

The final message was for one of my agents in the field, requesting his presence at Beacon earlier than expected. It seemed likely his hunt was over.

The messages sent, I slumped in my chair. No matter how used to this I got, it truly never got any easier. But there was a feeling in my chest, one I hadn't felt in a very long time.

Hope.

Things were different now. There was a new piece on the board, one belonging to a completely different game. The rules had changed. Perhaps things would play out differently.

---

If anyone could empathize with Taylor about how much it sucks trying to save the world, it's probably Ozpin. I've got a bit more written for the next chapter, so expect that soon. If Halfmask ever does continue the original I'll probably discontinue this, but that's a long way off if it ever happens.

---

Edit: Did a little pruning to Oz's segment. a LOT of that was unneeded.
Second edit: Going over this with some updates. Corrected my assumptions about Taylor's swarm perception. Have a big redo of oz's POV segment in the works. sorry if the story doesn't advance for a bit, I really want to get this right.

(Hopefully final) Edit: Ok everyone, here it is.

 

[Docshefnoski]

Can't wait for more chapters, you did a great job.

 

[blitzgamer]

Can't wait for more chapters, you did a great job.

Click to shrink...

Thank you! I do have some of the next chapter done up, but I'm not quite sure where to really go afterwards. This scene basically popped into my head and demanded to be made manifest, and I'm basically winging it from here. I've got no real clue where Halfmask was going in regards to the plot, so this train is off the rails.

 

[trollord3000]

Loved it. Was really disappointing when the original went on hiatus and I'm really glad you picked it up. Looking forward to seeing where you're taking this.

 

[Doccer]

Love it! Plz continue!

 

[blitzgamer]

Chapter 23: Coming Clean

It's time we talked.
Taylor

I paced outside the door to Team RWBY's room. I had spent my entire morning run trying to decide what I would tell them. Ozpin's suggestion was a good start, but I couldn't help but feel I owed them more than that. I'd finally decided to tell them the basics. My home had been destroyed, I had tried rallying a defense, only for it to go horribly wrong. They didn't need to know more than that, right? I was here on Remnant for a fresh start. It wouldn't do to dwell on the past. I gathered my courage, practiced my breathing, and knocked on the door.

From inside came the sounds of blankets being shoved aside. From the bugs I had inside I could see that it was Ruby.

"Just a second!"

I braced myself for what I knew was coming next.

Ruby opened the door slightly, yawning, rubbing sleep out of her eyes as she did so.

"Hello?"

"Hey Ruby. Can I come in?"

Upon hearing my voice her eyes flared open.

"Taylor!?" Her voice cracked with surprise. "Wha, yeah, of course you can!"

She practically dragged me into the room, moving so fast a cloud of petals was left behind.

"Sooooooo, what brings you over?"

She was looking at me pleadingly, desperate to talk about what had happened but obviously wanting to give me space.

"I had a talk with Ozpin yesterday, and he told me some things I needed to hear. I'm ready to talk with you all about what happened. Can you wake up the others?"

She nodded sharply before rushing to each of her teammates' beds, jostling them awake. I waited for them to get their bearings, practicing my breathing as I did.

Once they were all awake they sat down on the lower beds, an awkward silence filling the space around us. Yang was the first to break the silence.

"So, Ruby said you were ready to talk about what happened?"

I nodded, trembling slightly. I had to make a conscious effort not to shunt the reflex into my bugs. I really had become overly reliant on them, hadn't I?

"Ye-Yeah. Like I told Ruby, I had a long talk with Ozpin yesterday. Told him everything I remembered about my past. There are a lot of things there that I regret. And what happened that day in Vale..." I trailed off, trying to find the right words.

"Whoah. Are, are you actually emoting?"

"Yang!" Blake gave her teammate a punch in the arm.

"What? I'm legitimately shocked!"

"You're being rude!" This time it was Weiss' turn to admonish her.

"Guys, maybe we should just let her talk?" And there was Ruby being the voice of reason. I couldn't help myself, I laughed. God how I had missed this.

I paused at the realization. I, I had actually missed these girls and their antics. I had let myself get attached to them without realizing it. I shook my head to clear it and looked back at them. The girls were all staring at me in shock.

"Ok, first she shows a frown, now she's laughing. Are we sure that this is Taylor?"

I giggled again. It felt good to let myself laugh.

"It's me, Yang. I'm just not bottling myself up anymore."

They were all still sharing in shock. This time Weiss was first to talk.

"Ok, what, exactly, happened between you and Ozpin that brought about this drastic shift in personality?"

They all leaned forward at me, expectantly.

"He helped me realize I wasn't the monster I thought I was."

This time the reactions were more varied.

Blake nodded with understanding, Ruby put her hand to her mouth in shock, Weiss looked more confused than anything, and Yang looked at me with concern.

"You? A monster? The girl that caught Roman Torchwick, got Cardin and his cronies to stop being major douchebags, and managed to get Jaune looking like a respectable fighter? I mean, sure, you're a bit of a hardass, but a monster?"

"Well, she did break his leg."

Yang waved off Weiss's interjection.

"Pretty sure if she hadn't Coco would have once she learned what happened. Not to mention what Phyrra and Nora would have done if he hadn't stopped messing with Jaune."

I shook my head. "That's exactly my problem. I did that on impulse. You guys have no idea just how many other people I hurt before I started going to Beacon."

I started to say more, but Weiss cut me off.

"Does it matter? I mean, you already told us you used to be a criminal. And if Professor Ozpin is fine with everything you've done, why shouldn't we be?"

Because I might end up getting you hurt. I thought to myself.

"You know how my Semblance is a copy of me repeating what I've already done?"

Four heads nodded in unison.

"The reason I was so freaked out that day is that,"

I forced myself to breathe. I could do this. And I could do it without shunting my emotions away.

"Someone I used to know, from back when I was a criminal, they came to visit me. And, while we were talking, they told me something. You all remember Brian, my boyfriend?"

"You mean the guy you ha-"

"Yang! Not the time!"

Blake had shoved a hand over Yang's mouth.

"Yes. Him. The thing you need to know is that my old home, it isn't around anymore."

That got their attention. Ruby spoke up before I could continue, her voice quiet and melancholy.

"It was the Grimm, wasn't it?"

I nodded, then stopped. I wasn't going to lie to them. Not anymore. They were my friends damn it. If I couldn't trust them with this, then I couldn't trust anyone, and I had already trusted Ozpin. They deserved the truth.

"No. No it wasn't the Grimm. What I'm about to tell you guys has to stay top secret, ok? Ozpin already knows, but nobody else does. Can I hold you to that?"

Ruby nodded enthusiastically. The sparkle in her eyes made clear she was sure her secret agent theory was about to be validated.
"You can count on us!"

Weiss's response was a curt nod. Her expression was stern. She was taking this as seriously as she did everything else.
"You have my word."

Blake gave me a warm smile, one that made me feel things I wasn't quite ready to process just yet.
"You kept my secret. Of course I'll hold yours."

Yang looked at me, a fiery intensity in her eyes.
"Does this mean you'll include us next time you go running off to fight someone?"

I nodded.

"Then yeah. I'm in. Spill."

I took a deep breath. In four. Hold seven. Out eight.

"Its name was Scion. And it wasn't just my home he destroyed. It was my whole world."

This time I got the kind of reaction I was expecting.

They were all staring at me, wide eyed, mouths open. I took advantage of their shock to keep going.

"I'm not from Remnant. I know that's hard to believe, but it's the truth. It's a long story. It took me all of yesterday to tell it to Ozpin. Yes, I'm technically an alien. Please hold all questions until after I'm done telling you everything."

The last statement was directed at Ruby, who had managed to pull herself together and was about to interrupt.

"I've lied to you guys until now because I wasn't sure how you'd react. And for that, I'm sorry. You four have treated me with nothing but kindness. Like, like,"

I was starting to tear up. I wiped my eyes with my sleeve and continued.

"Like family. So, I figured it was finally time I told you. I'm Taylor Hebert, from the city of Brockton Bay, on planet Earth."

---

Reactions.
Taylor.

It had taken a couple of hours, but I finally finished telling the girls a highly condensed, Cliff's Notes version of how I had ended up on Remnant. I had avoided the more disturbing things that I had seen. They didn't need to know all the gory details, just the basics. A few practical demonstrations of my bug control had helped to illustrate some of my points, along with giving Weiss a minor freak-out. Once I had finished telling them about my recent encounter with Ciara I sat back and let them process everything. Yang was the first to find her voice.

"Okay. So, to sum up the absolutely insane story you just told us, not only are alternate universes real, but you're from one, you have superpowers, said superpowers come from an alien-"

"Technically it's a fragment of a higher dimensional entity-"

"An alien, one with a direct link to your brain, only for said link to have been severed via ballistic brain surgery in order to stop said alien from overriding your personality, which was only happening because you had someone alter your brain in order to overclock your superpowers in a desperate attempt to kill an ALIEN GOD."

She looked around at her teammates, who were all still in various states of shock. Seeing that no one was going to interject, she continued.

"A feat you actually managed to accomplish, via psychological warfare and throwing countless other superpowered people at it. And, as a result, developed a massive guilt complex over how many of said people died fighting said alien god."

I started to say something about how my guilt was entirely warranted, but the look in her eyes as she held up a finger to quiet me made me remain silent.

"And now you're worried that you're going to fall back into bad habits, because the ghost conjuring superhuman that dumped you on Remnant to begin with paid you a visit recently, and revealed to you that you are partly responsible for your ex-boyfriend dying to, again, an alien god."

"Well, that's part of the reason-"

"Right, the other parts being the fact your Semblance is a copy of you repeating yourself, and your aforementioned massive guilt complex. Let's see, what else did I forget? Oh yeah, the fact that said superpower granting alien is still attached to you, has had its Aura unlocked, and in fact has its own Semblance, which is the only reason you can still use said superpowers, which are partly responsible for you being so stone-faced that for awhile I though you were distantly related to Ren. Oh, and in your illustrious career as a superhero, you managed to fight, in order: a guy who turns into a dragon, a giant sea monster that could make tidal waves, a bunch of super serial killers that you refuse to go into detail about, a guy who could partially control probability, his private army, an army of clones of said serial killers, and, I cannot stress this last bit enough, an ALIEN GOD. And that's just the fights you were willing to tell us about!"

She finally stopped ranting long enough to catch her breath. Thankfully, she had somehow managed to gather enough restraint to avoid shouting my secrets at the top of her lungs.

"And the reason you told all of us this is because?"

She stared at me, her eyes a mixture of concern and accusation.

"Because. You deserved to know. And because I know that I can count on you to stop me if I start falling back into bad habits. Like you said during the slumber party, if you saw me going down a bad path or being a bad influence on the people around me, you'd stop me."

Yang's anger faded, face softening as she processed what I had said. Before she could respond however, Weiss found her voice.

"I was, NOT expecting all of that. And I thought my childhood was unpleasant. I can't imagine what all that must have been like for you. Especially that disgusting treatment those girls put you through."

She shuddered at the thought, even more than she had when I revealed my bug control.

"It certainly explains your reaction to Cardin's... antics."

Blake managed to snap out of her catatonia next. She'd gone wide eyed upon hearing about Rachel and her powers, and stayed that way until now. Was her cynophobia that bad? Had she even heard the rest of what I had said? She exhaled slowly, then turned to look at me.

"That was, that was certainly a lot to take in all at once."

She leaned over to rest a hand on my shoulder. Her eyes looked into mine, and I found myself flinching away from her kind gaze.

"That couldn't have been easy for you to tell us. I think I speak for all of us when I say we appreciate how much you trust us."

Both Weiss and Yang nodded in agreement. Ruby was too busy staring at me awestruck to respond.

"Uh, Yang, is that normal for your sister?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, she'll snap out of it. Eventually. Anyway, Taylor, mind explaining exactly which 'bad habits' you want us to watch you for? Aside from the whole instinctive leg-breaking?"

I stared at the three of them.

"That's it? You guys don't have anything more to say? Just, 'wow, that's crazy?'"

Yang shrugged.

"I mean, not much else to say, is there? Not much we can really do about all that craziness. We can, however, help you with things going forward. So, again, those bad habits?"

I looked at her, completely baffled. No judgment, no accusations, not a hint of condemnation.

Blake took my hand in hers.

"We're not going to judge you Taylor. Sure, you've made mistakes, but you also kept trying to get better. And like Weiss said, if Ozpin is willing to trust you, why shouldn't we?"

She smiled at me, and I found myself breaking into tears.

I don't deserve your kindness.

Yang nodded in agreement.

"We've all done things we regret. You've just done a few more than most."

Ruby chose that moment to finally stop staring.
With a burst of rose petals she had her hands gripped tight on my shoulders, staring up at me awestruck.

"OhmygoshIcan'tbelieveityou'reasuperhero! Isavedasuperhero! I'mbestieswithasuperhero! Andyoumanagedtodoallthatcrazystuff, WithoutanyAura!"

Her grip grew a little tighter. Yang chuckled at her sister's antics, and I caught Weiss and Blake both smiling.

"You HAVE to tell me about what kind of crazy weapons they had on Earth! Like that Defiant guy and his halberd! Or those giant dragon robots! Or-"

Yang managed to pull her sister off of me.

"Ruby. She can tell you all that later. For right now, we should let her tell us what she wants us to help her with."

Ruby nodded, but the way she looked at me with awe in her eyes told me that I wasn't going to hear the end of her questions for a long while.

"Right. Okay Taylor, spill! What can Team RWBY do to help?"

She flashed me a big grin as she gave a big thumbs up.

I dried my eyes with my sleeve and smiled. I might not deserve these girls, but I would do everything I could to become someone who did.

"Right. The main thing I want you to do is keep me honest. Stop me if it feels like I'm going too far. And if it feels like I'm treating other people as more like tools than teammates. Call me out if I do things like break someone's leg when I could have talked things out. Can you guys do that?"

I was answered by 4 nods of varying enthusiasm and seriousness.

"Thank you."

My voice was quiet. I had barely managed to croak out the words, overcome as I was with emotion. It had been so long since I had let myself truly feel. For so long I'd been repressing my emotions, aided by reflexively offloading my responses to my swarm.

Blake put her arm around my shoulders, Ruby wrapped hers around my waist, and soon after Yang and Weiss joined in, making it a proper group hug. I let myself relax and enjoy it. This was my second chance. And I was going to make the most of it.

---

Hey, MUCH shorter chapter this time around. Hopefully everyone feels in character. Taylor's not going to tell them everything, no need to give them nightmares about the more disturbing things she's faced, and she probably omitted her darker actions, but she definitely managed to get the jist across. Don't have anything written up yet for next chapter, but definitely have ideas. And yes, there will be some hints of shipping going forward. Anyway, Enjoy!

---

Edit: Yeah, giving this a bit of polish too. I had her emotional dampening wrong. I'll probably do more edits like this in the future, apologies in advance.

 

[mordenn]

thank you, I had given up hope of seeking this story continue

 

[blitzgamer]

thank you, I had given up hope of seeking this story continue

Click to shrink...

Heh, Hopefully I can live up to it.

 

[DiAlbatross]

If this was a normal post-gm crossover, I would've said that it would've been better if the revelations were spread out and teased at, showing the confusion of the cast as they try to piece together her past.

On the other hand, this being a continuation and having read the original fic, thank fucking god, finally.

 

[blitzgamer]

If this was a normal post-gm crossover, I would've said that it would've been better if the revelations were spread out and teased at, showing the confusion of the cast as they try to piece together her past.

On the other hand, this being a continuation and having read the original fic, thank fucking god, finally.

Click to shrink...

Ikr? So much of what she say just didn't add up. Someone should have called her on it.

 

[GasperVladi0]

When I first started reading the original very I was fucking elated, I'd love the concept that being said towards the end the story quickly began going back to the inevitable "being Taylor is suffering." So when you first thing you did was stop that shit dead and start shoving Taylor to the road to recovery I was in fucking heaven. I don't mind angst but Jesus Christ the girl was just recovering there was no fucking reason to do it exactly like that. Remnant is full of drama and you can keep a story compelling without just being "lol, here's random depression and angst". The idea itself was fine but the implementation happened with all the subtly and foreshadowing a car crashing through an airplane's windshield while thousands of feet in the air. So I'm beyond pleased the direction things are going. That's not to say this story should be without drama but I sincerely hope it smoothly slides into place rather just staking it in with a hammer as well as not solely focused on Taylor. Otherwise excellent job so far, I'm excited for more.

 

[blitzgamer]

When I first started reading the original very I was fucking elated, I'd love the concept that being said towards the end the story quickly began going back to the inevitable "being Taylor is suffering." So when you first thing you did was stop that shit dead start shoving Taylor to the road to recovery I was in fucking heaven. I don't mind angst but Jesus Christ the girl was just recovering there was no fucking reason to do it exactly like that. Remnant is full of drama and you can keep a story compelling without just being "lol, here's random depression and angst". The idea itself was fine but the implementation happened with all the subtly and foreshadowing a car crashing through an airplane's windshield while thousands of feet in the air. So I'm beyond pleased the direction things are going. That's not to say this story should be without drama but I sincerely hope it smoothly slides into place rather just staking it in with a hammer as well as not solely focused on Taylor. Otherwise excellent job so far, I'm excited for more.

Click to shrink...

All aboard the therapy train, CHOO CHOO! This world refuses to fall to the grimdark bullshit!

 

[blitzgamer]

That's not to say this story should be without drama but I sincerely hope it smoothly slides into place rather just staking it in with a hammer as well as not solely focused on Taylor. Otherwise excellent job so far, I'm excited for more.

Click to shrink...

Don't worry, I have ideas

 

[blitzgamer]

Ok everybody, thank you for your patience! First off, I'm uploading this on my birthday, and in grand hobbit tradition, you all are getting the gift! As promised I went and completely redid Ozpins segment of chapter 22, managing to cut it down quite a bit while still retaining his reactions. Now that that's done, I can get back to work on chapter 24. Let me know what you think of the updated segment, and please, stay tuned!

 

[TheLastTalcBender]

I miss the original, but I can still get my fix! Woohoo!

(Please post more chapters soon. )

 

[Raptor265]

Needs more escalation.

 

[blitzgamer]

Interlude: Connections

---

Queen Administrator
[Self Status]: Whole
[Asset(Aura)]: Full
[Shard Network Connection]: N/A
[Data Collection]: Unnecessary due to lapsed connection.
[Budding status]: Unnecessary due to lapsed connection.

[Host Connection (Primary)]: Minimal
[Host Connection (Semblance)]: Constant
[Host Status (Physical)]: Augmented to replace missing limb, cranial damage healed, Corona Gemma fragmented. Maintain Semblance connection.
[Host Status (Mental)]: Recovering following major turmoil. Monitor for further developments.

[Individual (Ozpin)]: Designate [Ally], Continue monitoring. Responsible for major improvement to [Host] mental health, possible source of information. Protection unnecessary.
[Individual (Ruby Rose)]: Designate [Ally], vital to [Host] mental well being. Secondary protectant.
[Individual (Weiss Schnee)]: Designate [Ally], useful to [Host] mental well being. Secondary protectant.
[Individual (Blake Belladonna)]: Designate [Ally], vital to [Host] mental well being. Secondary protectant.
[Individual (Yang Xiao Long)]: Designate [Ally][Irritant]. Mixed connection to [Host] mental state. Tertiary protectant.
[Individual (Jaune Arc)]: Designate [Ally], possible meatshield. Tertiary protectant.
[Individual (Nora Valkyrie)]: Designate [Ally], possible threat? Treat with caution. Protection unnecessary.
[Individual (Pyrrha Nikos)]: Designate [Ally], [Protector]. Possible source of training for [Host]. Secondary protectant, unnecessary.
[Individual (Lie Ren)]: Designate [Ally], vital to [Host] mental well being. Secondary protectant.
[Individual (Salem)]: Unknown. Possible threat. Information necessary.

[Objectives]:
1.Protect [Host]
2.Protect [Allies]
3.Gather information re: (Salem)
4.Continue scanning for possible threats.
5.Continue attempts to reconnect to network.

---

Hey everyone, happy Easter. This one is a little short, just a little check in with everyone's favorite fragment of higher dimensional power. This is mainly to establish that no, there aren't any other entities active on Remnant, and no, QA won't be budding off any time soon. see you all again soon!

 

[VampyreB13]

[Individual (Jaune Arc)]: Designate [Ally], possible meatshield. Tertiary protectant.

Click to shrink...

Meatshield. Fucking perfect. Love this continuation. As said sometimes it's nice to just cut through the bullshit and start on the comfort part of hurt and comfort. Cheers.

 

[blitzgamer]

Hey guys, Sorry to do this to you, but putting this on hiatus. I've had absolutely 0 inspiration for where to go from here, and writing in Half's style is killing me. If I manage to dredge something together, I'll start up again. As for me, I'm currently obsessed writing a KH x RWBY crossover. It's currently on AO3 and SB, and I might end up posting it here. Again, sorry to get your hopes up, but I'd rather let you all down easy instead of keep stringing you along.

Edit: It's here. If you enjoy my previous writing, have a look at what I can do when I'm NOT copying someone else's notes

 

[SinSinNombre]

Better to know than wonder! Thanks for the heads up.