“No. Hide and run away. They R here…” Faith sent wordlessly with her throat microphone to Luna and Mercury. She looked over the ruined gymnasium at the unconscious form of Fang, laying battered and bruised after being caught in Cinder Fall's dust explosion. Though still conscious, she wasn’t sure she was much better off than her teammate. Partially caught in the same explosion, she was crumpled against the cracked support pillar that she had been thrown into. She looked down at her leg; a six inch piece of metal was embedded in her thigh. She had tried pulling it out, but the pain had stopped her. A smoky, dust laden haze still hung in the air over the academy gymnasium.
The injuries caused by the explosion and the previous fight were currently the least of their worries, however. Cinder Fall stalked her way to where the defenseless Fang lay, while Neopolitan stalked towards Faith, intending no doubt to collect on the pain and suffering she owed the petite punching machine from their last encounter. As she reached Faith, Neo uncovered the slim blade set into the end of her parasol. Keeping one eye on the approaching Neo, Faith saw Cinder kneel besides Fang and extend her hand.
“Now then, I believe you have something of mine…and I want it back!” Cinder said while she extended her special hand. Black, oily physical tendrils came out her hand towards Fang's face as well as wispy, ethereal white tendrils that spread towards Fang’s body.
There was a sound like a crack above Cinder, followed immediately by Luna’s voice saying wingardium leviosa! Cinder stood and looked up…to receive a double round directly into her face from Mercury’s boots. Mercury then landed fully upon Cinder’s face and head, knocking Cinder over and literally stomping her head into the gymnasium floor. Luna, floating near the gymnasium ceiling, cast wingardium leviosa again upon Fang, who began to rise into the air. Mercury turned and with both hands pushed Fang into the air towards Luna as she floated lower. Mercury took off towards Neo and Faith at full speed. As he approached, he leapt into the air and loosed a volley from his boots at Neo. Luna reached out and grabbed Fang in midair, then they both disappeared with another crack as Luna apparated her love away.
As the volley approached Neo, she turned and caught both volleys with her parasol, turning them aside and dissipating them. She braced for Mercury’s attack. Faith grimaced and ground her teeth as she gripped the metal piece stuck in her leg. 'It’s now or never!' Faith thought. Biting her own lip until it bled and head swimming with the pain, she ripped the jagged edged metal out of her leg. Snarling like a feral, Faith lunged upwards with all her strength and buried the metal piece in Neo's back. Neo staggered, mouth open, and half turned back to Faith with both surprise and murder in her eyes. Before Neo could act, Mercury had closed the distance and aimed a dropkick with both feet into Neo’s midsection. The killer pixie flew backward into a pile of rubble, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Kicking himself back to his feet, Mercury reached down and picked up Faith, saying “Get a move on, Tiny. We got a date with anywhere but here…” “Fuckin’ A, right.” Faith agreed through gritted teeth as Mercury put her into a fireman’s carry and turned towards the exit. He began to head out as fast as he could.
As he and Faith attempted to make their escape, Cinder stood up. Through her ruined lower jaw she screamed a gargling mad shriek of frustration. One of her eyes reopened with a bloody film over it at first, but then she blinked twice, clearing it. She shrieked louder when she saw Fang was gone. Catching site of the fleeing Mercury and Faith, she snarled like a Beowulf and formed a spear in her hand. She hurled it, and struck Mercury through his right knee. He and Faith went down hard on the concrete.
Mercury tried to rise up, the hole in his right knee sparking from severed wiring. Cinder, however, formed another spear and sent it flying into his shoulder. “Gods, almost made it, dammit!” he said, as Faith caught him before he face planted into the concrete. Cinder walked towards them. In a soft voice, she said “Mercury, Mercury, Mercury…” Her ruined face popped and crackled and inflated under some parts, deflated under others as it slowly returned to it’s original state. “I took you in, gave you an important role, and this is how you repay me?” She stopped when she was a few feet in front of him. “Such ingratitude…” she said.
“Spare me the lecture about how much you did for me; like you really cared for me or anyone else! I saw how much you cared about us when Emerald was killed!…” Mercury retorted, bitterness tinging his voice. He smiled, wryly. “Whatever happens, making you scream like you did made up for how you used Em and then forgot her!”
Cinder smiled cattily at him, then chuckled, and finally laughed out loud. “Ah ha ha ha! Yes, your precious Em, your Emerald.” She grinned maliciously at him. “You loved her. So special, so genuine. You make me laugh!” She looked at him coldly, and in a soft, cold voice said “Just exactly what we planned when I told her to pretend she wanted you.”
The corners of Cinder’s mouth twitched upwards in a faint smile. “Yes, I coached her to play hard to get at first, then slowly warm up to your rugged charms. Then to be oh so playful with you until…” Cinder clasped her hands together, fingers and thumbs forming a heart. “Want in on a little secret, my dear boy? You may have loved her, but the person who she really loved? The one who she really worshipped? That person…was me, Mercury.” Cinder laughed cheekily. “You loved her so much, but the one with the keys to her heart was me”
“Remember how we had you running around, doing errands, watching things for us? Well, while you were out, Emerald and I were having a very good time in your absence. Yes, a verrry good time, indeed. Why I still remember the look on her face when I took her virginity. I could have told her to jump into hot lava that night and she would have done it for me.”
Mercury looked at Cinder with narrowed eyes. “Why should I believe anything you say? I’ve seen you lie before with a straight face.”
Cinder cackled. “Come on, Mercury! You must have seen it. How she was flushed and out of breath whenever you got back from whatever junkie little errand we sent you on. How she would be hastily readjusting her clothes when you returned. All because when you were gone I was ravishing the girl you loved and she was begging me for more…”
Mercury was silent and very still. Faith thought to herself What a fuckin’ bitch! I want to beat her down myself just for being so nasty!' Faith looked at Mercury. Mercury had a look in his eyes that could only come after years of being mercilessly trained and beaten by his own father. A look put there by a master assassin, Marcus Black, after years of carefully crafted cruelty developed for his own son, who had then turned on and killed his own father in his rage. The look in Mercury’s eyes actually made Faith, for the first time since she had met him, afraid of Mercury Black.
Cinder saw the look in Mercury’s eyes, and said “Well, I touched a nerve there, didn’t I. You know,” Cinder formed a bow and arrow from her dust, aimed it at Mercury and drew back the bowstring. She smiled at him as she sighted down the shaft. “If you would have had that look in your eyes before now, you would have been even more…useful.”
She prepared to loose her arrow. Faith could see Mercury tense, preparing to try for one last lunge at Cinder, even if it was futile. Smiling, Cinder said “Goodby-.”
Seemingly from nowhere, an I-beam rammed Cinder’s side, sending her flying towards a wall to flatten with her limbs splayed like a cartoon cat, flowering the concrete behind her. There was the sound of high heels clicking on concrete as Glynda Goodwitch, riding crop outstretched and in hand, strode into the gymnasium. White blouse, black skirt and hose, shiny black high heeled boots and her hair perfectly in place,
Professor Goodwitch tsked loudly, then announced “I am afraid this facility will have to be closed while I repair it…” She looked at Cinder with an air of disgust; “And after I take out the trash!” The I-beam began to repeatedly hammer Cinder’s midsection into the wall. Suddenly blades appeared above and below the beam, twirling in midair, the blades cut the I-beam into multiple pieces. Cinder peeled herself off the wall, dropping to one knee and spewing more black blood onto the ground. Red and orange lines of dust and power coursed through her under her skin, and she stood up, wounds healing visibly again. She opened her one eye, and it glowed red with the dust inside it. “Afraid you will have to do better than that to remove me, professor…” Cinder growled.
Nonplussed, Glynda used her free hand to push her glasses up on her face. Her eyes narrowed and she concentrated, and the pieces remaining of the I-beam raised up and began to orbit around her. They were joined by successively more and more pieces of the surrounding debris, until it seemed like Glynda was surrounded by a whirlwind of random debris. Cinder moved towards the central, more open area left of what once was the gymnasium. Glynda accepted the challenge and followed, but not before she spared a glance towards Faith and Mercury. “Find cover, you two!” she ordered her “students”, as with a flick of her crop she sent both of them sliding towards one of the few undamaged support columns left. Meanwhile, Cinder, power currents still glowing under her skin, summoned yet again more dust to form her own personal whirlwind centered around her.
Luna set down with Fang outside of the gym on the softest patch of ground she could find. It was her and Fang’s “spot”, a place where they would sit together and lounge after working out, or sometimes eat together when the weather was nice and they both wanted to get away from the crowd in the Beacon cafeteria. Luna reminisced how for all Fang’s size and strength she would kiss her lips so softly, like a feather in a gentle breeze. Now she cradled Fang's battered head in her lap and felt the tears well up in her eyes. A few wet drops fell on Fang’s face as Luna looked down at her, wishing and trying to will her to wake up. Luna gently brushed the tears off if Fang's cheeks with her sleeve, leaving a clean spot.
With her semblance, Luna knew who was approaching before they even appeared out of the nighttime gloom. “Professor Peach and Doctor Oolbleck. Please help, Fang is hurt badly!” Professor Peach knelt by Fang after nodding wordlessly to Luna. Professor Oolbleck stood a few feet away and said “Miss Lovegood, might I suggest we leave Miss Fang in Professor Peach's capable hands. While I realize it’s a difficult time, I think it would be a good idea if I debriefed you for any information you can provide.” Luna hesitated, really not wanting to leave Fang’s side. Professor Peach patted Luna’s hand reassuringly, and promised “I’ll take good care of her…” Luna conjured up a soft pillow for Fang’s head, kissed Fang lightly on her lips, then stood and moved off a short distance with the quirky, highly intelligent Hunter emeritus/professor to tell him what she knew.
The professor took a drink from his thermos, then seemed to become even faster in every aspect. “Your precognitive semblance does not work on Ms Cinder Fall in her latest incarnation, very unfortunate! So Neopolitan and the terrorist Cinder Fall were observed to be working together in a criminal partnership? But Neopolitan has been observed as a committed partner to Roman Torchwick… Neopolitan only actually attacked Faith and Faith’s defenders, correct? The exception being to spring a trap on both RFFL teammates? How interesting, hmmm!” Luna was getting dizzy at following the rapid thinking and moving Oolbleck, who seemed almost to be apparating himself from place to place. He seemed to be furiously calculating as he mused to himself. “Ah, of course! It’s a criminal alliance of convenience while goals coincide!”
“Miss Lovegood, it would appear our mission is very clear. I absolutely require you accompany me and use your semblance. There’s no time to waste!” The tall but slight professor grasped Luna’s hand in a surprisingly strong grip, and pulled her nearly off her feet as he made to go back into the gymnasium. Luna looked back at Fang being tended by Professor Peach. Peach was with one hand holding Fang's nose open. In the other hand, she held a syringe with an extra large needle that she was aiming up one of Fang's nostrils. Luna quailed and tried to say “Wait!...”, but then Oolbleck pulled her into the gym and out of sight of Peach and her “patient.”
“I am certain Neopolitan will make another attempt on Faith’s life...” Oolbleck pulled another drink from his thermos. Luna wondered if he would begin hovering like a hummingbird or a Cornish Pixie back at The Forbidden Forest. “I believe by working together we can foil Neopolitan."
“But, but Doctor! I can’t tell you how to stop Cinder or even what Cinder is going to do next! Shouldn’t we figure out what to do about her?”
Oolbleck smiled, and said “Excellent question, Miss Lovegood!” He turned and faced her to answer her. “Sometimes, Miss Lovegood, you have to focus on what you can do, and just let the other things work themselves out.” They entered the gymnasium itself. The air was thick with dust and smoke. Glynda and Cinder were like two forces of nature; both stood, glaring at each other as they concentrated, Cinder’s dust and Glynda's debris clouds whirling around themselves and clashing in seemingly chaotic, random moments. They were able to make out the figures of Mercury and Faith concealing themselves behind a pillar.
As they came up to the pair, Luna asked Faith if they’d seen any sign of Neo. “No,” Faith replied. “Maybe she’s laying low while these two are messin’ everything up…” She showed Luna Mercury’s ruined prosthetic. Luna cast raparo, and with a flurry of activity Mercury’s mechanical knee began to repair itself. Soon he was able to put his full weight upon his knee again.
“Respectfully, I must disagree with your theory, Ms. Lehane…” Oolbleck shouted over the din. “The motus operandi of the criminal Neopolitan would indicate that she will not abandon a grudge so easily.” The slender professor offered Faith a roll of field dressings out of his coat pocket. Faith wrapped her thigh tightly, and tested her weight on it. It hurt, but it was tolerable. “Now then, let’s see if we can swat one musca domestica…”
He stepped next to Luna, and extended a long handle from his dual purpose thermos, changing it to it’s weapon form. “Miss Lovegood, attempt to give us as much advance warning as possible, once you’re sure she is committed to her attack.” Luna concentrated on stretching out with her semblance.
Suddenly, she saw in her mind Neo’s attempt. 'Merlin, she’s so fast!' Luna thought as she pointed in the direction Neo was coming from. Seemingly out of nowhere, the hell pixie lunged for Faith, bladed end of her parasol aimed right for Faith’s neck. Both Faith and Mercury, thanks to Luna’s early warning, brought their gauntlets up to block. Before anyone could react, however, Oolbleck loosed a gout of flame from his weapon at the incoming Neo. Neo’s eyes snapped wide when she saw the barrel of Oolbleck’s weapon pointed at her, and she barely had time to open her parasol to deflect the fire from him.
Then she was completely shocked when it seemed as if he moved in a blur in the middle of firing in front of her, only to be suddenly behind her with his weapon at the ready. She had no time to reverse her defense before he fired and flame washed over her back and around her legs. She screamed and disappeared, but not before the damage was done. The last she saw of him was his eyes hidden behind the glare of the fire off his glasses, and the little smile on his face like he knew he had won, that he had beaten her.
As they all gathered their wit’s over how quickly the fight with Neo had begun and ended, they turned their attention to the battle between Cinder and Glynda Goodwitch. Suddenly, Luna cast wingardium leviosa, and then they saw why as professor Goodwitch flew backwards towards them after a particularly vicious sounding exchange. Luna’s spell prevented Glynda from hitting the ground, but Faith still had to catch her to keep her from hitting the wall. Glynda was disheveled, bruised and at the limit of her semblance. Hair out of place and blouse cut open in half a dozen places, Glynda weakly said “She’s…too strong! Can’t hurt her enough to…to…put her down.” Then Glynda collapsed into semi consciousness.
“Just rest, professor. We’ll take care of this…” Faith said to Glynda, hoping that she sounded more convincing than she felt. She gently let Luna hold Glynda carefully in midair. Faith turned to Mercury, and thumped him in the chest. To his credit he didn’t wince even though she sent a jolt of pain through his injured shoulder. Looking up into his face, she said “Hell, looks like it’s up to you and me, bub. We’ll just have to hit her and keep hitting her until there’s nothing left of her.” Mercury looked to the side for a moment, then he snorted and curtly nodded his assent.
Suddenly, Cinder’s laughter, cruel and mocking, rang out. “Like I am going to let that happen…” she said, shaking her head dubiously as she advanced towards them. The lines of power underneath her skin glowed so brightly it was difficult to see they were inside her. Instead they looked like bands of light around her. Her visible single eye glowed so brightly that all one could see was the glow and it’s afterimages around it, nothing of the eye underneath. She spoke to them in mocking tones. “You people, tch! You are not worth my time! I will crush you like the insects you are, and the unfortunate one or two of you I leave alive I will take my time wringing from you the location of the two I seek.”
Faith opened her mouth to respond, but both she and Cinder were interrupted by the sound of footsteps and a cane tapping on the ground. As they turned towards the sound, Ozpin slowly walked out onto the gymnasium floor, stopping once he was between Cinder and the group of his professors and team FFML. “Quite the mess we have here, I see…” He sighed and cocked his head to look towards Cinder, and said “I believe that you all should leave now while you can. This matter is now between Ms. Fall and I.” The group began to move out towards the exit, Oolbleck assisting Luna with Glynda. Faith stayed where she was, and Mercury paused to look back at her. Cinder fixed her attention to Ozpin, and said “Now that there is no one between us…”
Faith moved up to join in the fight, but Ozpin barred her with his arm. “Take Glynda and Mr. Black with you and go.” He said. “But, I can help you…” Faith implored. “I can fight…”
He replied “Live to learn, Ms. Lehane, and fight again another day. Here, right now, you’ll only be in the way.” After a second, Faith nodded and then limped to join Mercury. She and Mercury hustled to take over carrying Glynda. She hoisted the Assistant Headmistress up to her shoulder while Mercury put an arm around her waist. Stealing a glance back with tears in her eyes, she looked past Luna and Oolbleck to see Ozpin and Cinder, energies swirling around their bodies, launch themselves at each other.
As they approached the area where they had left Professor Peach tending Fang, they saw Professor Port standing watch, weapon cradled in his arm. Luna broke into a run when she saw Fang sitting up and awake, Peach taking her pulse. Luna dropped to a crouch and threw her arms around Fang’s neck, who responded by wrapping her arms around Luna and holding her tight. They stayed like that, both wiping away happy tears and not saying anything. Not needing to say anything to each other.
Faith and Mercury set Glynda down near Fang, where Peach moved to assist her fellow Professor. Faith made to move away, but Peach caught her hand and firmly ordered her to sit nearby with Mercury. Peach informed them they were next after she had worked on Glynda. Soon Glynda regained consciousness while Port and Oolbleck discussed their options. In the meantime, several large blasts issued from the inside of the former Academy gymnasium, including several that blew out any remaining glass in the exterior windows.
As the sounds of battle raged, an airship came down to rest near the group. As the doors opened, Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, and Roberta Cisneros jumped out along with the former White Fang medic. Roberta immediately went to Glynda; taking a knee beside her, Roberta clasp Glynda’s hand in her own and held it tight. “¿Mí amor, what happened? How are you?” She saw the White Fang medic crouch by Faith and begin to work on her. Roberta grimly noticed that her young teammate didn’t seem to register that the medic was wearing a White Fang tunic, and while said medic worked on her, Faith just stared tiredly ahead. Roberta had seen many a case of shellshock in her days; she could see Faith had apparently been put through the ringer by whatever fighting she had done recently.
“Roberta, I’m sorry.” Glynda said. Returning her focus towards Glynda, Roberta rested her other hand on Glynda’s cheek. “Cinder is back, and she’s been transformed into some kind of Grimm superweapon. I threw everything I had at her, and I couldn’t stop her…” the normally stoic Glynda’s voice hitched and she couldn’t go on. Roberta gently brushed Glynda’s hair back out of her face, carefully putting each hair back into place. She bent down and kissed Glynda, then quietly said “Cinder has returned – I have killed her once before. Apparently, I will just have to kill her again."
At that moment there was a loud concussion from inside, blowing dust and a forceful blast of air out of the building. Roberta covered Glynda to protect her, as Faith, Mercury and everyone else ducked reflexively. Ruby Rose and Blake had been standing behind Roberta, both horrified to hear that Cinder Fall was back. Ruby and Blake turned to Professor Oolbleck, and asked which team is fighting Cinder now.
Oolbleck answered “Headmaster Ozpin is engaged in hostilities against Ms. Fall…”
“By himself?” Ruby looked toward the building entrance as Oolbleck nodded. “What if he needs help?” Ruby asked, then ran towards the entrance and activated her semblance. Blake shouted “Ruby” and chased after her. Both Glynda and Oolbleck shouted to the two RWBY team members to stop and come back.
“No!” Glynda said as she tried to get to her feet. Roberta and Peach held her down firmly but gently. “You’re not going anywhere.” Peach Commanded Glynda; “What are you going to do in your condition? The only thing you’re doing is resting…”
Glynda looked at Roberta frantically. “Please get them back! They aren’t ready for what they’re rushing into!”
“Ai, rest mí amor! I shall fetch them.” Roberta, hands on her shoulders, pushed Glynda back into a resting position. Standing up, Roberta drew Wilt and held Blush in her other hand as she activated her own powerful semblance, Indestructible. She took after the two young Hunters. As she entered the building, a heavy piece of roofing dislodged by the fighting fell squarely on her head. Roberta’s skin, bones, and even her hair hardened to the density of steel while her muscles strengthened accordingly. What would have brained a normal person merely shattered over her head, and she paid it no mind and continued onward at full speed.
She rounded a corner and saw Blake and Ruby just standing at the gym entrance. Coming behind them, she saw past them to the gymnasium's main floor. Ozpin lay prone, apparently unable to stand or defend himself. Cinder held Ozpin's cane in one hand. In her other hand she held Fang’s lance over Ozpin’s chest. Without a word or any compassion, she plunged the bladed Lance into the center of his chest, right into his heart. He groaned and then went limp.
Blake and Ruby gasped and stood paralyzed in shock at their Headmaster’s demise. “¡Madre de Dios y Los Santos!” Roberta snarled as she yanked Blake out of the way and fired Blush without sighting. Her bullet struck Cinder dead center in her forehead, snapping her head back. Cinder pulled her head back down and smiled, seemingly undeterred as black blood rolled down her face from the hole in her forehead.
Suddenly, Ruby dropped to her knees and heartrendingly screamed “Noooo!” Pure white light flared from her eyes and spread like fire flooding out into the air. Roberta immediately tackled Blake and covered her. She put her hand over Blake’s mouth and nose to keep her from breathing in the “fire” while telling her to close her eyes.
After the whiteness rolled over them, Roberta realized it was not hot or burning. Her semblance seemed to have determined no threat and used no energy. She rolled off of Blake into a crouch, Wilt and Blush at the ready. She took in a 360 degree awareness of the situation around her. Ruby lay prone and crumpled on the floor, not moving. Cinder stood unnaturally still, with Ozpin’s cane still in hand. Ozpin seemed to have disappeared, but there was a large pool of blood on the ground where he had lain. Roberta gently nudged Blake with her foot, and whispered “Mí felina, are you hurt?” Blake shook her head no, and said “No, I don’t think so. What was that!?”
“I don’t know.” Roberta responded.
Keeping an eye on Cinder, who still hadn’t moved, Roberta checked on Ruby. The petite Hunter had a weak but steady pulse. Roberta lightly shook her shoulder. “Rosarita…Rosarita, can you hear me?” Roberta shook her shoulder gently, but more firmly. She could see the girl's chest rise and fall, and feel her breath on the back of her hand. She pinched Ruby on her hand and still received no response. On impulse, Roberta reached down and lifted Ruby’s eyelid. The iris of Ruby’s eye had become silver colored. She motioned for Blake to watch Ruby, then moved out.
Roberta cautiously approached Cinder. As she approached, she heard creaking and crackling coming from Cinder herself. Roberta froze momentarily; Where before there was a flesh and blood “woman”, now a stone statue stood a silent vigil. Roberta shook her head, incredulous at this turn in the events. On a whim, she reached out and knocked lightly on the Cinder statue, proving to herself it was solid stone. In the statue's left hand was Ozpin’s cane. Roberta grabbed the cane and pulled on it. The stone fingers cracked and broke as she pulled the cane free. A second or two later Roberta jumped backwards as the entire statue crumbled into dust and rocks. Roberta noted where cylindrical dust containers and other apparatus had been implanted into Cinder’s body. She walked around the apparatus, making a 360 degree recording of the device with her cybereye for Atlas intelligence. She also recorded the surrounding area, noting no burning or charring, just Cinder’s petrification.
Something caught her eye in the rubble. Cinder’s non Grimm eye lay unpetrified in a mechanical bed with leads back to the apparatus imbedded in her body. Frowning, Roberta took Wilt and, hilt turned upwards, impaled the eye with it’s tip. Twisting the blade, she turned the last remaining “human” part of Cinder Fall into tissue and jelly that mixed with the dust on the floor.
Roberta turned momentarily to the bloody floor where Ozpin had lay. Pulling out the gold cross she constantly wore, she used it to cross her chest, then kissed it and whispered “Vaya con díos, Señor Headmaster…” As she turned and strode quickly back to Ruby and Blake, her cynical side thought ‘I hope our agreement still holds, even with you gone…' She took his cane with her, as well as Fang’s Lance slung over her back.
Blake and Roberta carried the still unconscious Ruby in a two person carry, one under each shoulder. They were near the building exit when the first tremor hit. The shaking ground threatened to topple the three, and rattled the already battered structure. Roberta planted her cybernetic leg and stabilized them until the worst of the shaking had past. As they neared the exit, a piece of roofing almost fell upon Ruby, but Roberta used her cybernetic arm to punch the debris safely away.
They made it outside as the tremors continued. Faith, no longer hobbling, ran over to pick up Ruby’s legs and help carry her to where they had already loaded the wounded into the airship. Fang, still arm in arm with Luna, was leaning against the airship door. “So what happened? Is Cinder…?” Fang made a slicing motion across her throat with her finger. “Yes, thanks apparently to la señorita here.” She helped set Ruby on a seat, where Peach began to examine her. Roberta turned back to her team and handed Fang her Lance. She decided not to tell Fang how it had been used. She then told her team the sad news; “Ozpin was killed by Cinder before Rosa ended la puta, I regret to tell you all.” The rest of RFFL team bowed their heads in respect and sadness at the news. Faith quietly wiped her eyes, and Roberta put her arm around her apprentice. In a husky voice, Faith said “I was on a downward path, about to make one of the worst decisions of my life when Ozpin came for me and brought me here…” A tear rolled down the side of each of Faith’s cheeks. “I’m part of a team of people I love and respect, I’ve learned and grown so much since he found me…I owe a lot to him.” Faith’s voice broke and she sobbed.
“We all do.” Roberta said. “My implants, all our semblances, and those we love. We have been well paid to bring our talents and abilities to aid in this war. I intend to see that we earn our rewards by seeing his intentions and goals realized as best we can before we return, agreed?” Roberta held out her hand, and the other RFFL members laid their hands on hers in silent agreement.
Another tremor hit, the largest yet. Qrow appeared out of the night. He took a drink from his flask as he approached the RFFL members. In his gravelly voice he said “I overheard what you all said; you may get your chance to earn your keep tonight.”
“Yeah, how do you figure that?” Faith asked. 'Fuckin drunk…' she thought.
There was an enormous crack as rocks broke open on one of the mountains surrounding Vale and Beacon. As the ground shook violently, a Grimm Wyvern emerged from the mountaintop. Qrow pointed towards it and said “That’s how…” He made to take a drink from his flask, but Roberta intercepted it and took a pull for herself. She handed the flask to Faith, who thought about it before drinking; her family had been torn apart by alcoholism. She looked at Roberta, who normally never touched a drop. Roberta nodded her assent, so Faith took her own sip. “God, you drink this swill? My respect for your balls just went up, but my respect for your intelligence really just tanked.” She passed the flask to Fang. Fang took her pull, then grimaced slightly and looked at Qrow and said “I’ve tasted worse. Not much worse, mind you, mate, but worse.” Roberta quirked a small smile at the jibe, and Qrow even nodded an acknowledgement to Fang. Fang handed the flask to Luna. Luna took a smell and nearly gagged, and began to pass the flask back to Qrow. She saw her teammates all looking at her expectantly, however, so she sighed and pulled the flask back and took a small sip. Fang and Roberta nodded approvingly, and Faith clapped her hands, saying “Atta’ girl!” Luna immediately regretted her decision as a red flush came to her face and she gagged and coughed while her throat felt like it was on fire. She passed the flask as quickly as she could back to Qrow.
The Grimm Wyvern roared a challenge to stake it’s claim to own the skies. “Guess that’s my queue…” Fang said. She and Luna moved away from the airship. As they stepped away, Luna took Fang’s hands and looked her in her eyes. Luna asked Fang “Can you do this? You were just hurt so badly you were unconscious, Fang!”
Fang smiled at her, “Don’t see anyone else around here with their own Bahamut, so guess it’s up to me.” She looked into her lover’s eyes, and saw the hurt there from seeing herself injured. 'Guess I must’ve looked pretty bad there…” Fang thought. Fang caressed Luna’s hair and massaged her shoulders. “This is a different opponent, Sunshine. I can bring everything I have against this one without worrying about my power being stolen. And you know I heal faster than anyone we know. Even faster than Faith, there.” Fang held up her ring. “And I’ll have the fifth member of RFFL with me. Bahamut and I are itching to redeem ourselves in a fight.”
Luna forced a smile. “You tell him if he lets anything happen to you, I’m transforming him into an ugly, scaly toadstool.” She stood on her tiptoes to lock her lips onto Fang’s mouth. Fang dipped her head to receive her lover’s kiss. She wrapped her arms around Luna and picked her up to bring her lips to the same height as Fang’s. Luna wrapped her arms around Fang’s neck and shoulders and the two lovers were lost into each other for a long moment.
The Grimm Wyvern ponderously flew through the sky over Vale. As it flapped it’s leathery wings, blobs of dark matter fell from its body. Wherever a blob fell, a new Grimm formed and began to look for its human or faunus prey. Most new Grimm were of the Creep type, but a particularly large blob could release more dangerous Grimm. Just the presence of the Wyvern above inspired fear and terror in the people below, which, in turn, attracted more Grimm in general and more dangerous Grimm in particular. The Grimm Wyvern headed for Beacon, with the Griffins forming flying wings behind it.
Fang set Luna back on her feet, and with a last soft kiss Luna headed back to the airship. Fang removed her ring, but before she summoned Bahamut a figure came to stand by her shoulder. The shade of Amber, the former Fall Maiden looked towards Fang and said “Use my power and don’t hold back. I will help you control it, if you let me…” Fang nodded, and her eyes blazed with the Fall Maiden’s power. She took a deep breath and threw her ring in the air, then both she and the shade shouted “Bahamut!” The sound of the summoning echoed across Beacon Academy grounds and Vale proper itself. There was a sound like a sudden thunderclap, and Bahamut, King of the Skies, appeared.
Bahamut was in the largest form he had ever appeared in, rivaling the Atlas carriers orbiting above. Bahamut roared his own challenge, spreading his thick front legs and planting his enormous front claws, he raised his head to the sky and roared a column of fire into the air. The force of his roar shattered any windows not already broken in Beacon Academy and over a large portion of Vale itself. Winds seemed to swirl around Fang as she lifted off the ground and settled behind Bahamut's great head. As Bahamut lifted off into the night sky, Roberta was reminded of C-130 transport aircraft taking off.
As Bahamut banked around and flapped mighty wings to gain height. Fang spotted the Wyvern and his Griffin entourage. “Alright, big fella, let’s burn that nasty excuse for a real flying reptile out of the sky!” Bahamut roared his approval and made for the Wyvern at full speed. Sitting next to Fang on Bahamut’s neck, the Fall Maiden’s shade said “I believe this might be helpful.” She touched Fang's Bladed Lance, and it changed into what Fang recognized as a Dragon Lance and gauntlets. Fang shouted her approval and twirled the big Lance around, admiring its balance and weight.
She didn’t have much time to enjoy the new weapon. A phalanx of griffins spread out ahead of the Wyvern, and Fang readied herself. Suddenly, several pairs of Atlas fighter gunships sped by Bahamut, waggling their wings as they passed. They opened fire and cleared the griffins from Bahamut’s path to the Wyvern, the airships and the griffins scattering off into individual dogfighting. Bahamut wasted no time in exploiting the opportunity created by his allies; he bore down straight to the Wyvern. As Bahamut came with range, the Wyvern snapped at him with his massive jaws. Bahamut snaprolled away from the Wyvern’s mouth, and used his own massive claws to rake the Wyvern’s side and belly. The Wyvern shrieked its displeasure at the pain Bahamut inflicted.
However, as Bahamut’s claws dug deep furrows into the Wyvern, dark matter spilled over onto his claws and front legs. Where the dark matter stuck, a creep type Grimm spontaneously formed. Like a boarding party, the creeps began to crawl up Bahamut’s legs to his head and wings. Bahamut shook his claws out, attempting to remove the unwanted infestation. Fang, seeing the creeps on the move, hung tight to his neck and said “Let’s give them a bucking bronco ride, whaddya say?” Bahamut growled and immediately went into several barrel rolls, sending some of his passengers flying off into the dark night. As he came out of his last roll, the Wyvern was waiting and nearly clamped his jaws on one of Bahamut’s back legs. Only another quick snaproll saved him.
Bahamut proved why he was the king by flapping his wings and climbing vertically into the air. The Wyvern made to follow, but soon he grew tired and broke off his pursuit. As Bahamut climbed, Fang positioned herself at his shoulders. Holding onto be him with her legs, she met the remaining creeps trying to reach his head or his wings. Hewing right and left with her Dragon Lance, Fang sent creep after creep headless or legless to fall back to earth. She blasted several Creeps off his shoulder with her ruin. A creep managed to slip behind her and tried to sink its teeth into her shoulder. It seemed as if she were wearing invisible armor, a powerful defense as a result of using Dragon Lance. The Grimm creep broke its teeth on its first bite, and Fang grabbed its head and flipped it over her shoulder to send the beast mewling piteously as it hurtled towards the ground.
Bahamut stopped climbing and hung in the thin air above the clouds, flapping steadily to hover in place. Fang wafted in midair herself, as she used her ruin to finish off a few creeps hanging onto her partner’s belly. Settling back behind his head, she tried to peer through the clouds to find the Wyvern again. Amber chided her as she hung in midair next to Bahamut’s head, while he looked at the shade with mild interest. “You don’t need to see the Wyvern; with my power you can feel where he is…” Fang took a deep breath and blew it out, then concentrated. Her eyes blazed with power, and she felt the corruption of the darkness that was the Wyvern. “Got you!” she said with a Savage smile. She patted Bahamut and pointed with her Lance. He went into a power dive, wings swept back.
The Wyvern was not as intelligent as Bahamut, and had not fought as many aerial battles against its own ilk as Bahamut had other dragons. But the Wyvern was old, and over its many years it had evolved a level of animal awareness and cunning. As it slowly flew around Beacon's central tower, it became aware of Bahamut bearing down on it from above. It turned and flew at the ambush, angling to try to catch the big dragon in its powerful jaws and crush the life out of it as it done with so many others. Bahamut dove into the Wyvern, this time not rolling away from the crushing jaw at the last second. Instead, Bahamut used his own powerful front claws like battering rams to knock the Wyvern’s jaw aside, spinning the big head around and sending several teeth flying. This time as Bahamut hugged the Wyvern’s flank he cut loose with a torrent of flame that washed over the Grimm’s corrupt flesh and burned away the dark matter that incessantly dripped from the Wyvern’s flanks.
The Wyvern keened in agony as its hide crisped and its flesh burned and bubbled. With a ponderous flap it turned its body surprisingly fast and rammed its armored head into Bahamut’s flank, sending the King of the Skies tumbling in midair until he crashed into and through a nearby building.
Bahamut had to be durable himself to be the king, and he proved it by rebounding quickly and rocketing out through the top of the same building. Fang was dusty, but still in place as Bahamut’s rider as he emerged, her phenomenal defense protecting her throughout. There was a rumble through Bahamut’s body that Fang also felt in her mind that signified that Bahamut’s most devastating ability was ready and powered up. Bahamut hovered in place and turned towards the Wyvern. The Wyvern was flying towards Bahamut over the Beacon tower, mouth open like an airborne meglodon shark focused on tearing into its opponent, a rival for its hunting ground. Fang pointed her Lance at the incoming Wyvern and said “Rain down the sky!”
Bahamut opened his mouth, and a blinding flash of light was followed by a brilliant white and blue beam of light that issued from his mouth and intersected with the Wyvern. Bahamut’s Megaflash was a contained and controlled nuclear emission, or could be explained succinctly as a focused solar flare. Just the ambient light bleeding from the beam was enough to temporarily turn night into day for multiple miles around Bahamut and the Wyvern. The roughly one third of the Grimm Wyvern caught within the confines of the beam simply was atomized; flesh, bone, dark matter ceased to exist. The other one third near the beam was turned to ash. The rest of the Wyvern was flung back into Beacon tower, crushing the top of the tower and knocking the beacon receiver/transmitter out of commission. After crushing the tower, the remaining part of the Grimm Wyvern crashed onto the grounds of the academy and rolled to a stop.
Fang and Bahamut landed near the carcass, and Fang hovered on winds generated by the Fall Maiden’s power. As she came to the ground she strode toward the carcass, which consisted of much of the Wyvern’s head. Incredibly, part of the head remained alive. The eyes tracked Fang's approach, the tongue writhed and the throat gasped for breaths for lungs that no longer existed. Fang walked up to the Wyvern’s eyes, flat and red, and said “Shhh, it’ll be over soon.”, then she reared back and plunged her Dragon Lance behind the Wyvern’s eyes and into its brain. The red glow went out in the Wyvern’s eyes as it died and its struggles ceased.
Fang slumped to her knees and the flames in her eyes died down as she reined in the Fall Maiden’s power. Bahamut nuzzled her gently, worrying over her. She patted and rubbed his muzzle to reassure him, saying “I’ll be okay, big guy. Just a little tired; it’s been a long night, and I’ve been in two big fights!” This time he lowered his head, and offered a front claw to assist her as she climbed up him to take her place as his dragonrider. “C’mon, I’m anxious to get back to the others, especially Luna…” He flapped his great wings and took off for the short hop across the academy grounds.
Epilogue
They camped around the air ship near the festival grounds, which, Roberta observed, looked rather forlorn after the dark night when Ozpin died. Between the leftovers that the merchants had let them have and the rations stored on the air ship, they had enough for decent meals for a few days. Faith and Luna were mostly excited, having lived through another major battle, though they both had nightmares for a few nights. Roberta and Fang, who seemed fully recovered, merely added a new couple of nightmares to the thousands of horrors they already were scarred by.
The RWBY members and Remnant authorities were shaken by the battle, and the wrecking of Beacon Academy and the tower. With the loss of the tower, Beacon and Vale were effectively cut off from the rest of the world. Ruby remained unconscious, although the doctors could find nothing physically wrong. Blake and Yang were constants by her bedside, although Blake had plans to visit Menagerie and see her parents. Seeing Ruby finally awake seemed to be a more important goal for Blake right now. The professors were taking Ozpin’s death very hard; Roberta had held Glynda the rest of the night as Glynda mourned. However, the next morning her white blouse was as starched and ironed as ever, her black skirt and hose were the same, and every hair was in its place as she met with Oolbleck, Port, and Peach to talk about rebuilding.
The next day after the battle Qrow had found Roberta;
“¿Señor Qrow? How is Ruby Rosa doing? Has she awakened yet?” Roberta had asked.
“No, not yet. The docs, they say it’s nothing physical. It’ll apparently just take time for her mind to 'wake up' from the state it’s in.” He looked away for a second, then looked back at her. “Right, couple of things I wanted to talk to you about. First, thanks for pulling Ruby out of there. Blake said you went in there to protect them, and…well, I appreciate what you did…” Roberta nodded, then waved her hand and said “De nada, señor. But thank you anyway.”
“The other thing I wanted to ask you is do you have Ozpin’s cane? In the event of his be death he asked me to deliver his cane to the proper place…”
Roberta looked through her belongings, and produced the cane in question, uncovering it from the blanket she had wrapped it up in after securing it at the scene of the crime. After she handed it to him, he said “Thanks.”
She said “I hope it brings a little comfort to whatever family he left behind.”
He looked at her with a bemused smile. “Sure, let’s hope for that…”