Huh? *Rechecks*:
She doesn't have orange eyes though?
Radiant Rebirth (Hollow Knight x RWBY)
- Thread starter Naron
- Start date
- Crossover
Huh? *Rechecks*:
She doesn't have orange eyes though?
Thozmp
Gets my kicks above the waistline, Sunshine.
They turn orange for a bit:
Which has implications.
Still it's only for a bit, the infection had it 24/7, progress!
ExploerTM
Ruin has found you at last!
- Location
- Russia, Perm
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Hilariously, that would work like a charm. Knight would stalemate Salem till the end of time essentially, because no way she can beat it before it drains enough SOUL out of her to heal back any damage.
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Also, Ghost already has the Void Heart, which gives Ghost the power to will the chaotic void to their side—the nascent Shadelord themselves.
2.1 By Guiding Lights
- Location
- Earth
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.
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.
And then she learns that it is an absolutely normal Bird Raven trained to act like that to mess with Qrow.
You can say it dawn, we'll understand.
Are you sure her Semblance isn't acting?
Because I could swear....
Raven thoughts right now:
Tell yourself it's *women*, it's false, but this is probably the best you'll get.
"Flee for the hills!"
Or
"When in deadly danger, When beset by doubt, Run in little circles, Wave your arms and shout."
But Ozpin only drinks hot cocoa!
Yeah, he does know what she is, he would not find that strange.
Don't worry, Lumina realized it too, too bad it took her dying for that lesson to stick.
Don't mind me, just taking note for my own quest.
I mean, Djinn specifically told "You can't" to one of the worst phrased question ever (Oz, why did you ask "How do I destroy Salem?" seriously, both the I and the destroy were just asking for a no....), the fact is that Salem never was invincible, she just never could be taken out by you specifically by destroying her.
By the way, do you think the RWBY writers are waiting with their incredible revelation that Salem can be killed/redeemed/anything not destroyed by other people than Oz? Because, well, I am not sure many of those who watch the show haven't already thought of that one.
- Location
- Earth
That would honestly not surprise me. Then again, I have not watched RWBY recently and do not think I will do more than finish the show via synopses.
Define *recently*, because I agree, but I am interested in seeing where you gave up.
I did after Djinn's
incrediblerevelations about Oz, for those that don't know. Between the victim blaming*, the fact that djinn really needs adjustments to be a viable relic everyone wants and the very, very, very obvious bait with the question at the end, I quit in disgust.Doesn't help that the animators apparently ran out of time to do any fight and we had a long string of cutting out whenever the show could have had any, which, you know, the main interest of the show was the goddamn fights.
*no, Oz is not the vilain of this story, why is every character reacting as if he was kicking puppies? The guy is purely a victim here. And I'm sorry but Salem isn't the monster you try to paint her as if she spent centuries or more in her little cabin doing jack shit before doing what every country does when expanding her territory, and what do you mean *she lied by telling the gods were responsible for the death of all humans*? You just finished explaining how they did just that.
- Location
- Earth
I dropped off after the Atlas fiasco. To be more exact, I meant to get back into the most recent season the usual way, via binge-watching once the whole thing aired. But then I heard what was in it with the Ever After, I believe it is called. Then I read a synopsis and decided I had enough.
Ah, yeah, the moment where from what little I know they completely lost the plot and decided to go into wonderland rather than try and act against Salem.
That would do it, yeah, especially if your last watch was when they at least looked like they were still trying to be in the correct universe, even if *Atlas Fiasco* says a lot about how it went.
I couldn't finish volume seven, I'd managed to convince myself to keep giving them a chance up until then, but after the ACEOPS were presented as total sleaze-oids then immediately everyone's buddies, and Jacques was allowed to cut off a critical resource in a time of martial law with no repercussions, and they just kept shitting on Penny after bringing her back... No, I couldn't take it anymore.
Good news! I am pretty sure they killed her again soon after!
...
....
.....
Wait, that's not good news....
2.2 War Council
- Location
- Earth
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.
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.
Oh, trust me, there are some that absolutely look at *being dead* and decide, "yeah, no. I'm going to come back, and you can't stop me."
There are also allegedly benevolent brother gods who decide to argue by making a poor innocents alive, then dead, then alive, then dead....
But did she use her negation of mass to bring the birds with her?
And did she need to have Penny explain to her that she could do that when she already had proven several times she could?
Hello, Cinder's shell.
Enjoy the view!
Ozpin I can see it, the one in Mistral... oh boy, would that be an interesting thing to see.
Ironwood would probably not agree.
Lumina knows it is so because she knows how she died herself.
The only plan I can think of to kill Salem permanently is for Lumina to take her soul personally so she cannot regenerate in the world down under. Then she could either consume her or just wipe her personhood.
Great chapter like always. Looking forward for more.
Great chapter like always. Looking forward for more.
Fabula Amanti
I want a Grimoire, but I got books.
- Location
- Singapore
As has been shown in Hollow Knight, the death of the body does not mean the death of the soul. The inverse though is a great deal more iffy.
In the normal ending, you enter the HK's dream to confront the Radiant Moth infesting him. Though, one could argue that was just a piece of her.
In the dlc, the Ghost ascended himself into the higher realms to where her Greater Essence resides and dealt her the lethal blow. Here in this fic, it seems to strip her of much of her old divine strength and return her to a mortal state.
I suspect Lumina will try invading Salem's Dream and using her experience with it to destroy her sole while leaving her immortal form intact.
Well. That's the idea. In HK the higher dream realm is as real as the physical realm seeing as you can die in both the White Palace and the Radiance Fight. While the lower dream realms you just get thrown out like the dream bosses fights.
2.3 Choice
- Location
- Earth
"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."
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."
But does nothing scowls back?
Well, you see, your connections allows you a sort of hack through the system, as if you had a backdoor....
Here's a picture of it:
Well it is!
...
....
.....
To Nora, I have no idea right now.
*The fact they all had gained the same brightly orange eyes and spoke in perfect synchronicity may have been part of why.*
The scene from the students POV:
And luckily for Remnant, her criteria isn't *you need all humanity united to not all be wiped out*
"I just died, that's all, you don't have to make it sound as if it should have stopped me."
Nothing escaped her gaze... except for what just did.
Arrogance really is going to be her downfall.
Hiding either a winning smile or a sneer.
Oh, it definitely would have riled up Cinder, alright, it's just, that's not Cinder in front of you.
Meanwhile, Lumina is all: "Yes! I not only got in, I get to see one of their biggest planners do his work to give to my friends! Absolutely perfect!"
Too bad there is a little spy right there to warn her, hey?