25

Chapter 25: The Weight of Masks and Monsters

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"And that's why I never dress up as a ghost for my birthday." Ruby shivered. Never again.

Cinder gave a small laugh, before cutting it off abruptly, returning her face to her usual scowl. She sat leaning up against the dust-powered wall of her cage, with Ruby sitting on the other side, their backs separated by the wall of the prison.

Ruby grinned. She was slowly wearing down Cinder, she knew it. Gone were the days where Cinder wouldn't say anything, replaced by conversation, however stifled it may be on any given day. True, Ruby was still the one doing most, if not all, of the talking, but Cinder would at least respond.

"How do you like this one?" Ruby asked, bringing a cup to her lips. She inhaled the fragrant cinnamon and spice that wafted from it. Ruby wouldn't even think about coming to visit without a new kind of tea for them to try. It had become something of a tradition for each of her visits. Still, it was a little strong for her taste, maybe she steeped it too long? She scrunched up her nose as the strong cinnamon scent invaded her nostrils.

"It burns." Cinder stated, her voice even. "I like it." She said lightly.

Ruby tilted her head to glance at Cinder. The half-maiden had a serene smile on her face. How did Cinder view the fire that coursed through her veins? To Ruby, fire represented destruction, death, ruination. It was hard not to equate Cinder with the same, especially when she chose to harness those virtues.

"How did you discover your semblance?" Ruby asked, leaning her head back against the wall. She didn't know if Cinder would be willing to tell her, but it never hurt to ask.

Cinder let out a breath. "… I got angry." She took another sip.

There had to be more to it than that, but Ruby knew that pushing never worked. Cinder was more stubborn than she pretended to be. Sharing first was better.

Ruby set her cup down. "I discovered mine during training one day. Yang made me fight without Crescent Rose—oh, that's my scythe—from time to time." She smiled to herself. "Usually that ended with me on my back. But Yang never gave up on trying to teach me." She shifted to face Cinder directly, though the maiden's back was still turned.

"Yang was pushing me that day, like always, and I was tired. I really didn't want to keep fighting, but she insisted on one more before dinner. When she tried to hit me, I flew into the woods, and right into a tree." Ruby couldn't help but laugh at the memory. "Hit myself so hard that I didn't even know what happened until the next day when Dad told me. Yang went a little easier on me after that."

Ruby let the story hang in the air. Cinder was always more comfortable when Ruby shared first, and if she wanted to reciprocate in kind, she would. There wasn't a point in Ruby trying to pry it out of her anyway.

The two sat in silence as the minutes ticked past. Ruby thought of all the other items on her to-do list for the day. Assignments, cooking, and of course, a much-anticipated meeting with Ozpin. She would have to leave for that soon, but she hated to give up on talking to Cinder without making any progress.

Cinder locked her gaze in front of her. "Do you know where I'm from?"

Ruby had a pretty good idea, but it was better to let Cinder tell her on her own. "Not really. Was it nice?"

Cinder snarled. "If it was, would I be the way I am?"

Ruby frowned. "Just because you grew up somewhere bad doesn't mean you were destined to become a bad person."

Cinder chewed on that, but didn't address it directly. "I grew up in an orphanage. I was never the biggest, the strongest. I learned early and often that strength was the only way to ensure you got what you wanted.

"I was adopted," Cinder placed venomous emphasis on the word, balling her fists, "by a family that ran a hotel. I had two stepsisters. Madame was cruel. My days were spent subsisting off scraps, burdened by endless work." She scowled, the memory of her past still fresh. "I was angry. I was always angry."

She released her fists. "But I never gave up. That anger became fire. I learned how to control that fire. To harness it as a weapon. As my… protection." That's what fire was to Cinder. Protection. Strength.

"It wasn't hopeless though. A huntsman visited often. I stole his weapon, a shining blade that I thought could set me free. I was going to kill anyone who stood in my way." Cinder's voice reflected her readiness to go through with that plan. "The huntsman, Rhodes, he stopped me. But he didn't just take his weapon back. He trained me, to become a huntress."

Ruby gasped. It explained her combat prowess, but she had never even considered the possibility. It was so far removed from how she viewed Cinder, even before she went back. "You were training to become a huntress?" She asked with a touch more disbelief than she meant to.

Cinder actually smiled. "You're not the only one who spent their youth misguided." She said wryly. "Rhodes trained me for years. When I was ready, he gifted me my own blades. The same ones I had stolen from him all those years ago." Her tone was wistful, before the venom seeped in. "Madame found them. So I killed her. Her brats too." She said it without regret, and even a hint of pride.

Ruby knew better than to tell Cinder that killing them was wrong, even if she didn't agree with what she did. Cinder didn't deserve what happened to her, and the Madame was horrible for abusing her, but did they really deserve death for their crimes?

"You escaped, then?"

Cinder paused. "No. I didn't. Rhodes found me. He didn't agree with my choices." Her voice was full of contempt. "We fought. I killed him too." But her tone was different than her adopted family. Ruby couldn't tell if she regretted it. "As he was dying, he reached out to me. Patted my head. Even in the end he was looking down on me."

Ruby had never met Rhodes, yet… "I don't think he was, Cinder. He was proud of you." She said softly.

"He had nothing to be proud of." She spat.

Ruby wanted to reach through the cage and comfort Cinder. "What did you do with the swords?"

"I lost them." Cinder said regretfully. "In my dash across Atlas, in my desperation to escape."

"You've been running ever since?" Ruby asked.

For the first time, Cinder turned around and fully met Ruby's gaze. She didn't shirk, or look away, or look angry, or mad. She looked lost. Tired. "Yes. I've been running. Running from the monster inside me."

---

Ruby stood in the elevator, contemplating everything Cinder told her. Her life had been hard, one terrible situation after another. It wasn't fair. There had to be something Ruby could do to help her, more than just going to see her all the time.

It was as those thoughts started to coalesce into a plan that the doors opened and Ruby absentmindedly stepped into the busy building. She didn't even notice as she walked right into another girl.

They both collided and fell on their butts. The girl dropped the stack of papers she had been holding. "Oh! Sorry about that!" Ruby said to her as she helped to pick them back up.

"It's fine, you don't have to help." The girl squeaked, clearly nervous. She had plain, forgettable features.

"No, I want to! I bumped into you, after all." They both reached for the same page at the same time. Ruby noticed a tattoo on the backside of her hand.

A spider sitting on a web.

"I like your spider tattoo!" Ruby complimented her.

The girl retracted her hand sharply, and slapped it with her other. "Thank you." She mumbled before pulling down her sleeve.

Maybe a rash decision she regretted? It was a cool tattoo though…

Ruby finished helping the girl gather up her papers and wished her well as the girl stepped into the elevator that Ruby has just departed.

---

Ruby didn't have to wait in the lobby long for her partners in time to arrive. Jaune arrived with Pyrrha ten minutes, holding hands of course like the lovesick couple they were, before they were all due in Ozpin's office, while Blake stealthily slinked in behind them. Ruby smiled as Blake silently took her place by her partner's side, grabbing Blake's hand with both hers and playing with it.

"You're sure you don't want to come with me ever?" Ruby asked Jaune while Blake looked on with concealed amusement.

Jaune gave Ruby a look. "I'm good. I'm glad that you're trying to help her, but if I never see Cinder again, that's okay by me."

Ruby wanted to argue that really Cinder wasn't that bad, that she could change, that Ruby was changing her, but that was probably the one thing that Jaune would never change his mind on. She really couldn't blame him for that.

"What about you Blake?" Ruby tilted her head to look at her partner.

Blake gave Ruby a sympathetic smile. "I'm with Jaune on this one."

"Blakkee…" Ruby whined.

Pyrrha tittered, before making her own offer. "I can accompany you sometime if you'd like." Jaune squeezed Pyrrha's hand instinctively. He fought the urge to pull her towards him protectively, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Ruby.

Ruby eyed Jaune's reaction. "Don't… don't worry about it. Someone new might scare her back into silence." Ruby joked.

The four of them stepped into the elevator that would take them up to Ozpin's office. Ruby stood in front of Blake, hugging her partner's arms around her chest.

Ruby understood why Jaune was so protective of Pyrrha. She was protective of Blake too. They protected each other. But Cinder wasn't a threat anymore. He had to let go of his fear eventually, right?

Blake leaned down. "So, have you had any brilliant ideas for 'sweeping our former partners off their feet'?" She whispered with a smirk.

Ruby looked up and playfully stuck her tongue out at her. Blake had been teasing her incessantly ever since her grand declaration. "I'm working on it!" Getting them to pay attention to anything except each other would be a start… "What about you?"

Blake's eyes flickered to the side for a second before she met Ruby's gaze once more. "I'm working on it too."

It felt weird to talk to Blake about her plans to try and get Weiss to look at her as a romantic partner instead of just a team leader. Blake had offered to help brainstorm together, but Ruby liked the idea of it being a challenge. A friendly competition, in a way.

This all seemed so much easier when she said it, but how was she going to get Weiss' attention when Yang was sucking up so much of it?

The elevator dinged and the group spilled into the headmaster's familiar office.

"-the threat isn't over!" General Ironwood said sternly locked in another fiery debate with Professor Goodwitch.

"We are aware of that. However, the Vytal Festival is over, and with it, your mandate from the council." Glynda responded. Qrow nodded his head from the corner. He was leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed.

Ironwood narrowed his eyes, ready to respond, when Ozpin stood and cleared his throat. "We will discuss further lather. At the moment, we must congratulate the victors of the 40th Vytal Festival." Ozpin gestured to Pyrrha and Jaune, leading the room in a round of applause. Ruby happily joined in, even if Pyrrha had been the one to knock out Yang.

Those around the room joined in as well, albeit grudgingly from General Ironwood and Glynda.

Jaune beamed at his partner, incredibly proud of her achievement. For her part, Pyrrha blushed as she watched Jaune not even trying to hide his pride.

Ironwood sighed. "We'll have to get you next year, Oz." He said, releasing the tension from his earlier argument. Penny had come in second place, and Ironwood claimed that meant Atlas was the runner up.

Ozpin smiled. "I look forward to it. I must also congratulate all those who worked to make the Vytal Festival safe, and successful." He gestured towards General Ironwood. "I know these past weeks have been stressful, and at times contentious, but we have achieved an important milestone. We will continue to face the threats that confront our kingdoms head on, and will not waver."

He looked around the room, taking in the nods of assent that accompanied his declaration. "There are two main orders of business we must attend to. The first is the allegations made by Miss Rose and others regarding Headmaster Lionheart. Qrow, now that you've returned from your reconnaissance of Haven, what do you have to report? Please, the floor is yours."

Qrow grunted and wasted no time. "She's right." He flashed Ruby a half smirk.

Glynda piped up. "You have to tell the students more than that."

"What else is there to say?" He shrugged. "I saw him meeting with Salem. Can't get better proof than that. I could've taken him right then."

"We have only a single shot at this. We have no need to be hasty and rush in before were ready." Ozpin reminded him.

Ironwood nodded. "Right, Qrow informed us when he returned, since we're not taking any risks with the network. We've come up with a plan." He looked towards Ozpin. "One I don't fully approve of but-"

Ozpin interrupted, "-but Lionheart would only be scared into hiding by such a blatant attempt to arrest him. We must be more subtle; he must never be allowed to suspect we know until it is already too late for him to react." Ironwood nodded, accepting the logic, even if it wasn't his preferred course of action. "To that end, we've decided to send two students in the guise of an exchange program with Haven. These students will covertly be accompanied by Qrow, and together the three of them will arrest Lionheart and bring him to Vale." He paused and turned to Ruby and Jaune.

"Given your… special knowledge… it seemed only fitting to send the two of you. Though, should you believe there are others who would be more fitting, you are free to substitute them into this mission instead." Ozpin concluded.

Ruby's eyes widened as she realized what this meant. This was a massive vote of confidence in their abilities, as well as what they represented. Ozpin was trusting them, finally, really, trusting them.

"You're… trusting us to do this…?" Jaune asked, apprehensive.

"I am." Ozpin said with a half-smile. "This fight… against Salem. It is wearying. But," he said with a hint of a smile, "I suspect nothing would ever keep you from it. And I would be a fool to disregard such worthy allies."

"We won't let you down." Ruby said. She looked to her partner linking their hands together.

"Good. Now, perhaps the more pressing problem. The fall maiden. Originally, we wanted to transfer the fall maiden's powers before the conclusion of the Vytal Festival. However, other concerns that you thankfully brought to our attention occupied our time. We must return to that."

Ironwood stroked his chin. "If Amber passes now, the powers may still go to Cinder. Her prison may hold with her only having the half-maiden powers, but should she acquire all of them, I don't know if it will. It was designed to contain powerful grimm, not magical beings, and her earliest tantrums strained its mechanisms to the breaking point."

Ruby was thankful that Cinder had never realized how close she had actually come to being able to break free of her own power.

"There's also the matter of getting the other half out of her." Qrow muttered.

"One problem at a time." Ozpin cautioned. "We've discussed who would be taking over the powers."

Glynda scowled; her gaze pointed at Ironwood. "It wasn't an easy conversation."

He shifted in discomfort. "Right, we've to the conclusion that a student from Atlas who is now living at Beacon, Penny Polendina, will become the next fall maiden."

Ruby's earlier happy mood evaporated. Not again.

Ruby nearly shouted. "What?!" That couldn't happen. Penny had hated having the maiden powers. The responsibility had killed her in the end.

Jaune looked on in shock. He didn't speak, trying desperately not to dredge up the memories of what happened, memories he had avoided for so long, memories he had never truly confronted.

Blake locked eyes with her partner. "I don't think that's a good idea-" She started, but the general talked over her.

"I believe you know her," Ironwood told Ruby calmly. "She has… specific abilities that make us believe she's the right vessel."

"I know who she is!" Ruby said, more forcefully than she meant to.

Ironwood took a half step back, and Glynda raised an eyebrow. "Do you, now?" She said.

Ruby suddenly realized her anger was showing. She took a second to calm down, but the anger was still there, simmering just below the surface. Penny never wanted to be a maiden, and Ruby wouldn't let her friend go through that again, even if Penny didn't remember what happened last time.

She replaced her anger with something useful, like she had learned to do a thousand times before. She needed to change their mind. To propose something better. But Ruby herself knew there was hardly a better person to hold the maiden powers. Pyrrha was out of the question. Jaune would kill anyone who even suggested the idea and run away with her if that failed.

She would probably follow him, too.

Ruby had to offer something better, but what? What could possibly compare?

Her mind raced, trying to think of a solution, when it hit her. During her flight from Vacuo back to Patch, Oscar had told her about what happened to Cinder, the last time any of them sighted her. If Ruby could only get her to replicate it…!

It was a gamble. Ruby hadn't been present, didn't know how it had happened, or what it would take, but if what Oscar said was true…

"What if I told you that there didn't have to be a next fall maiden?" Ruby asked. "That I know how to destroy the maiden powers once and for all."

That caught their attention.

"You didn't mention that before. It shouldn't be possible." Glynda said.

Surprisingly, Ironwood was the one to come to her rescue. "Atlas investigated the possibility, but we dismissed it as being too costly early on in our research."

"How can you do it then?" Qrow asked his niece, practical as always.

Ruby explained. "I- I saw Cinder destroy the powers in Vacuo. She destroyed the fall maidens power forever. She has half the power now, if I can convince her to do it again-!"

"That's a very tall order, Miss Rose." Ozpin said, but not as skeptically as Ruby thought he might. He was considering it.

"And unnecessarily dangerous." Ironwood noted. "Allowing Cinder any access to Amber is an incredible risk."

"If it works, it could solve part of our Salem problem for good." Qrow said.

"But what are the chances?" Glynda asked. "So far, Cinder has shown herself to be little more than an unrepentant mass murderer in the making."

Ozpin tapped two fingers against the base of his cane. "They do have a point, Qrow. Besides, the relationship between the Beacon relic and its maiden is different than the others."

Her idea was losing ground, Ruby needed to do something to save it, fast.

"If- if I can't convince Cinder to destroy the maiden powers, then I'll become the next fall maiden!"

Jaune and Blake both snapped their heads to her, but Ruby didn't dare look at them, her gaze fixed on her headmaster. She needed him to agree to this. Only her partner and Jaune truly understood what Ruby was offering, to stand in Pyrrha's place as Amber and her auras and souls were forcibly combined.

Ozpin considered the offer. Ruby was an attractive candidate. She had knowledge of the future far in advance of anything he could match. She was a prodigal huntress in the making. Combined with raw magical power, she could be unstoppable.

"Miss Rose, I don't think you understand the gravity of what you're proposing." Ironwood started. "What you're suggesting-"

Ozpin held up his hand. "This is an opportunity for a permanent advantage over Salem. Rare have those opportunities been over the centuries. We must seize them," he held up a finger, "but we shall do so carefully." He looked to his lieutenants, evaluating each for their reaction. Qrow nodded in agreement, while Glynda kept her face neutral. Ironwood was more expressive, the worry and concern plainly evident on his face. "We will work closely to ensure this occurs smoothly. You have until the end of the next semester to accomplish this. The General can provide whatever technical resources you may require. We cannot afford to delay further than that."

"I understand." Ruby was shaking with nervousness.

What had she just agreed to?

---

Jaune looked towards his fellow team leader as the four of them left Beacon tower. He watched as Ruby waved to Blake as she headed off to class, his gaze lingering.

"I'll catch up to you, Pyrrha." Jaune told his partner.

She gave his hand a squeeze. "Make sure she's okay." She told him before letting go.

Jaune jogged over to Ruby. "Uh, Ruby?" He asked, stopping a few feet away from her.

She turned to him, her expression cheerful. "What's up?"

"How… are you feeling?" He asked, trying to gauge her mood, she had just made a massive promise that could end very badly for her.

She tilted her head, not understanding why he was asking. "Fine, I guess. Why?"

"Well, you just made a really big promise..." He told her, watching as she ran her thumb over her rose emblem. "You really don't want Penny to be a maiden, huh?"

Ruby's smile faded slightly. "You'd do the same for Pyrrha."

Jaune swallowed hard. "Yeah. I would." Even if it meant facing Cinder again. "Do you think you can do it? Neither of us saw what actually happened in Vacuo, and Blake didn't either."

Ruby's smile dropped completely, replaced by worry. "I have to try."

That was just how Ruby was. Nothing would change that. Jaune put a hand on her shoulder. "You're not alone in this. I know I'm not ready to face Cinder again, but if you need anything, I can help. We're in this together still."

"Thanks, Jaune." Ruby fiddled slightly. "Um, if that's the case, can I ask for a favor?"

"Anything." Jaune assured her.

"Can you swap with Weiss for the trip to Mistral?" Ruby asked.

That was an easy answer. "Of course. In fact, I was going to ask you if you wanted to go with Blake instead."

Ruby shook her head. "Blake can't go back to Mistral. She almost got found by Adam last time."

Adam… Jaune hadn't really paid much attention to him, but he knew he had stalked Blake. "Do you think he's out there somewhere, looking for her?"

Ruby sighed. "I hope not."

At least he was a continent away. "So… Weiss… any reason in particular you want her to go with you?"

Ruby looked around with as much stealth as she could manage and leaned in like she was sharing a secret. "I'm trying to sweep her off her feet." She said with equal parts excitement and nervousness.

Jaune couldn't help but smile. "What about your sister? Isn't she already dating Weiss?"

Ruby's smile widened. "She is, but Weiss has two hands."

"What does Blake think of your plan?" The two of them were close, even if they insisted they weren't girlfriends.

"She's doing the same thing! But, she doesn't have as good a plan as I do!" Ruby said proudly.

Jaune scratched his head. "I don't know if going to Mistral is going to be that romantic when you're there to arrest someone." He noticed Ruby's pout and quickly backtracked, putting his hands up. "But if you need anything to make it go well, all you have to do is ask! I still owe you guys from when you helped me put together that dance for Pyrrha."

Ruby grinned. "I'll keep that in mind!" Jaune smiled with her. It was nice to see that she was still able to smile like that after everything they had been through, and everything that might come next.

Any happiness her team could give her was well deserved.

---

"Winter has invited us to dinner tomorrow." Weiss held her scroll in one hand as she read over her sister's message.

Yang glanced over Weiss' shoulder. "You'd think after a dozen times she'd pick somewhere else."

Weiss rolled her eyes. They had not gone a dozen times, this was only the fifth. "She enjoys her routine."

"And you are enjoying having your sister here." Yang grinned. There was no point in denying that. Winter being reassigned to Vale was wonderful. Though Weiss had assumed that with the Vytal Festival over Winter would be leaving, Winter had surprised her by saying that none of the Atlesians had been given any orders to prepare for departure any time soon.

"You know, the end of the semester break is coming up…" Yang grinned as she swung her linked hands with Weiss. "Have you thought any more about coming back with me to Patch?"

Weiss had. Ever since Winter had showed up, Yang had been trying to get Weiss to meet some of her family. She had even mentioned it in front of Weiss' sister, to which Winter wholeheartedly agreed that Weiss should go. From everything Yang had told her about Patch, it seemed like a wonderful place to visit. But she couldn't help but feel nervous.

Who wouldn't be nervous meeting their first girlfriend's father?

"I'm still thinking about it." Weiss said as they approached their room. She turned open the knob and pushed open the door to find Ruby and Blake sitting on one of the beds, waiting for them. Never a good sign.

Blake had a supportive arm around Ruby's back, silently urging her on.

"What's… up?" Yang said hesitantly as she and Weiss dropped hands.

Blake nudged Ruby gently, but she still seemed nervous. "Nothing bad," she assured her team, "I just wanted to talk to you guys."

That instantly raised Weiss' alert level. "Did the meeting with Ozpin go badly?" Weiss asked. They were often tense and exhausting, and Weiss had been more than happy to not be invited to the latest one.

Ruby grinned sheepishly. "Well…" She quickly filled the rest of her team on what happened.

"You agreed to what?!" Weiss shrieked.

Yang looked concerned. "Ruby… that's…"

"A massive responsibility." Weiss finished.

"I can handle it." Ruby said quickly. "If I can do it, it'll change everything! You weren't there when we kept fighting Salem, and nothing was working! If I can do this, we can actually make progress!"

Weiss and Yang looked at each other, then back at Ruby. They had said they would always be there for her, and they would. But this was something else.

"We'll support you," Weiss said, "but this is a huge commitment."

"Ruby, this could have life changing repercussions. Are you sure about this?" Yang asked.

Ruby nodded. "I know. But I have to do this. No one else can."

"So, is that what you wanted to tell us?" Weiss asked.

Another sheepish grin. "Well… there was something else. Next up for our Salem stopping mission is Mistral. Ozpin wants two of us to go with my uncle Qrow. I was kind of hoping that you would come with me, Weiss."

"Me?" Weiss asked, surprised. "Wouldn't you rather have Blake or Jaune with you? You are the three who know everything, after all."

Blake shook her head. "I can't go back to Mistral. Adam is searching for me there."

"And Jaune doesn't want to be separated from his partner." Ruby continued. "But even if they could come, you're the best person to go with me. You have connections, won't raise any suspicions, plus I know I can count on you if things get bad. You can handle yourself."

Weiss glanced at Yang. Who knows how long they would be separated for. "I don't know Ruby… That's…"

"Please, Weiss. I need your help. You're the only one I can trust with this." Ruby started to engage her puppy dog eyes, but Weiss put a stop to that.

"Put those away." She sighed. "Alright. I'll come with you." Weiss did feel a certain pride that Ruby came to her. So often Blake and Ruby felt like they had a special bond, so when Ruby came to her, it was hard to say no.

Ruby broke into a smile and threw her arms around Weiss. "Thank you, Weiss!!"

Weiss rolled her eyes and hugged her leader back.

She had been to Mistral before, but never to arrest a headmaster, obviously. Regardless of what happened, it was going to be an interesting trip.

---

"Where is she?!" The man bellowed as he raged through the compound. White Fang scrambled to get out of his way as he knocked over tables and threw chairs.

"I come to Vale only to find us hiding like rats, and now you tell me that we cannot find even a single human girl!?"

No one spoke. It was best not to when he was in one of his moods.

"There's nowhere for her to go, sir." One of the lieutenants told him. "Ironwood has his lackies everywhere. She'll have to come back."

"No. We have to find her before that rabid dog of a general does. Send word to the other hideouts, we will find her first." The man placed his hand on the sheathe of his sword.

His lieutenant bowed his head. "As you command, leader Taurus." He ran out of the room, followed by all of the lower ranking white fang members.

Adam clenched his fists, his jaw tense. They had to find her. If she made it back to Beacon, or if Ironwood found her, she could reveal everything.

From behind him, he heard a laugh, light and unhinged. "What's so funny?" Adam spun on his heel to face the Faunus in front of him, one he didn't recognize, who wasn't wearing a White Fang mask.

"What's so funny?" He parroted back, laughing again. "Amateurs and frauds, playing at revolution." Adam growled, his nostrils flaring. The faunus took mock offense at Adam's anger, his tail flicking behind him. "But you're in luck, my friend. I've been ordered by our goddess to assist you. One little girl, you say?" His scorpion tail dripped blue venom. "Please, allow me."

Notes:

This chapter is brought to you by the last three chapters of volume 9.

V9C6 produced the happy first draft

V9C7 rewrote most of the scenes

V9C8 had me crying while editing

Okay but like, volume 9 is SO GOOD!?

I went into this volume with enormously high expectations. Like, unrealistically high. I was worried they were impossible to meet.

Yet THIS VOLUME has blown them completely out of the water. Really, the only unanswered question in my mind is if the volume sticks the landing. If it does, it's easily the best volume of RWBY, bar none.

So yeah, if you haven't watched it, go watch volume 9 on Crunchyroll!

Also sorry for taking so long to write this. I made an outline early on and then we heard when V9 was coming and tbh that has CONSUMED my brain. The characters are VERY much in flux in the current volume, so I hate to write them while I'm still not sure where they will all end up, but I just HAD to write at least something otherwise I was going to implode.

Once the volume is finished I'm definitely going to reevaluate my plans for this story. Probably not the broad strokes, since I expected most of the broad outline of the volume, so I've already been planning for it, but the little details for sure.

Hope you all are doing well, and thanks as always for reading!