Chapter 7: Darkness

It's been a few days or so since Ruby had left Patch with RNJ and Vest to head to Mistral, however they've stumbled into some Grimm trouble on their journey. A Geist that had used rocks and boulders to fight back creating a golem, luckily they took the Geist down. As they were now on their way to another place.

"Well, that wasn't what I had in mind for a camp. But it did what it had to do." Jaune said as he stretched a little. "What does the map say on where we're going next?"

"Uh.." Nora said as she looked at the map upside down. "I can't tell.."

Ruby took the map from Nora as she fixed it. "It was upside down Nora. I know you're sleepy, but we have to keep moving to get to Mistral."

Nora rubbed her hands in her hair. "I know...but it's so hard.."

Vest walked along quietly as she listened to Ruby and Nora talk about the map. "So we have planned stops in the villages along the map correct?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Jaune asked curiously.

"Just checking because the paths between the kingdoms can be dangerous and your just kids." Vest said to Jaune.

"I'm not a kid, I drink milk." Ruby butted in.

Ren stopped as looked down at the ground seeing a symbol. "I think I know where we are now..."

"What's the problem Ren?" Vest asked as she looked at the symbol on the ground.

Nora looked at Ren as she also looked down at the symbol as well, silence fell as she looked back at Ren.

"We're close to Kuroyuri...this is Oniyuri.." Ren said.

"Ohh uhh right?" She looked to Ren and Nora seeming concerned by the tone of their voices.

~~~

Tyrian was about to head out of the Evernight Castle, until Salem had approached him. Tyrian had stopped as he looked at her for a moment. "What do I have the honor's of being approached by you Salem?"

"It seems the hunters and huntresses are making their way to Mistral, I want you to stop them by any means necessary." Salem said as Scarlet pokes her head out from behind Salem's cape. "And you'll be taking her with you as well. Hazel is away at Menagerie dealing with some task of his own, I want good news once you've returned."

"Why do I have to babysit the princess for her? Doesn't she have to train with Emerald?" Tyrian asked as his scorpion tail curled up behind him.

"Later, but right now...I want you to bring me Ruby Rose...her silver eyes would prove useful for me. Don't fail me, understand?" Salem asked.

Tyrian nodded. "Of course." He laughed a little as he looked to Scarlet. "Let us go..we have a ways to go to meet with them."

Scarlet hesitated for a moment as she looked up at Salem, clinching onto her cape a little but burring her face into it.

"Go on my child. You'll have the chance to meet Ruby and her friends.." Salem said lightly nudging the young child over to Tyrian. "Prove what you've learned from training with Hazel."

Scarlet would lightly nods before walking over to Tyrian, who had started to resume his course out of the castle. Scarlet followed behind the scorpion Faunus, as she turned her head to the side and looked at Salem, who was watching them leave. She didn't want to disappoint her if she failed to capture Ruby, but an idea had came to her as she had a small grin on her face.

Salem noticed the grin on the young girls face as she let out a small chuckle, Tyrian and Scarlet were soon gone from the castle as she sat down in her throne. "She's growing up fast. I forgot what it was like to have a child of my own around, but Scarlet...she'll prove very useful to me, as my daughter, and a nightmare to the world."

~~~

Ruby stopped as she looked around the surrounding area, seeing it completely empty, the wind blew like a howling Grimm. The streets were bare and the buildings here either damaged or decaying.

"This place....it's a ghost town." Jaune said. "What happened here?"

Ren didn't answer as he stayed silent, Nora glanced around as she found a rusted meat cleaver that looked like it had seen better days, it was still covered in blood from it's sharpest point to where it was used to cut meat.

Vest stepped forward and looked around as she frowned. "Grimm attack.." She sighed as she looked back to Jaune.

Jaune was silent now as Ruby looked up seeing a bird flying around unaware of that being Qrow, she was curious as to why a bird would still be around in a ghost town like this.

"Something wrong?" Ren asked speaking up as he looked at Ruby.

Ruby shakes her head. "No, just a little curious."

Vest looked up at the bird as she frowned slightly "Let's just press on.."

Jaune nodded as he walked deeper into Oniyuri as Ruby glanced around once more. The bird had spotted movement as it looked down at Vest.

Vest looked back at the bird as she rolled her eyes and continued on into Oniyuri behind the rest of the group.

Ren stopped as he held up his arm. "I don't think we're alone..."

Nora grabbed her hammer as she walked around slowly. "Where Ren?"

Ren glanced around. "Come out, we know you're here."

Vest drew her sword as she saw Nora take her out her hammer causing vest to frown "I don't like this.."

Scarlet came walking from behind one of the buildings as the young girl looked at them, she glanced up at the bird as Tyrian jumped over her head. "Hello kiddies."

Vest stepped forward. "What's your business here?!" She frowned not liking the way Tyrian spoke.

"Who me?" Tyrian asked. "I've come here to kill you...not that it would matter to you all, but however...we're after her." He pointed his tail at Ruby as he laughed.

"Me?!" Ruby asked. "What did I do?"

Scarlet glanced at Ruby as she had Black Rose in her hands, she tilts her head a little. "...Ruby Rose...."

Vest looked even more concerned and angry. "Everyone stay back.." Vest said to the group behind her.

Tyrian chuckles as he looked at Scarlet. "Shall we begin? I'm sure you're dying to get your hands on her."

Scarlet didn't say anything as she dashes forward towards Vest, her Grimm eyes glaring up at her before swinging Black Rose at her.

Vest grunted as she adjusted to the sudden attack swinging her golden rose sword to parry the attack.

Ruby backed up a little as she clinched Crescent Rose. "Who's the kid?"

"Let's not worry about who she is, we have to worry about the threat in front of us." Jaune said.

Ruby nodded. "R-Right, of course."

Tyrian laughed as he grins widely running towards them. "Now you're mine!"

"Dammit!" Vest watched as Tyrian ran past her as she broke off from Scarlet to try and attack Tyrian to protect the others.

Scarlet grabbed Vest by the arm not letting her run away from the fight as she scratched at her arm with her nails. "....You, won't get away.." She would then sweep kick Vest.

Vest pulled her arm away as she turned to face Scarlet as she slashed at the kid with her sword.

Scarlet ducked as she climbed on Vest's back pulling at her hair, and clawing at her back. Tyrian looked over as he snickered, but he turned his attention back to RNJR as he went to strike at them with his tail.

The bird flew around more before it disappeared by one of the buildings, Ruby tried to swing Crescent Rose at Tyrian, but was blocked by his tail.

Vest screamed from having her hair pulled as she grabbed onto Scarlet throwing her off. "Get off me!"

Scarlet used Black Rose to stop from sliding on the ground as the young girl's eyes glowed red, she snickered a little as she stood up on her feet. "This is...fun.." It seemed her speeches were clearing up as well.

Nora came running over as she swings her hammer at Scarlet. "Batter up!" She hit Scarlet in the face sending her flying towards Tyrian. "Whoops, wrong way..oh never mind."

Tyrian turned around as he got hit by Scarlet. "Damn kid, I knew this was a bad choice, but no.." He tossed her off of him as he stood up.

~~~

Vest readied herself again as she stood next to Nora. "We need to be careful.."

Jaune looked over at Scarlet as he felt a little bad knowing she was only just a kid, but something turned him away from his pity feeling to worried. "Hey uh...Vest! The kid doesn't have any wounds from Nora's attack!"

"W..what?" She looked over seeing Scarlet hadn't been damaged at all as she sighed. "This is bad.."

Tyrian laughed as he grabbed Ruby tossing her towards Scarlet. "You know what to do."

Before Ruby had a chance to hit the ground next to Scarlet, Qrow jumped out and caught her in time, he looked over at Tyrian and then over to the others not noticing Scarlet standing up.

Scarlet stood up as she saw Qrow, she went to punch him in the back. But Jaune tackled her preventing any further assault.

"Qrow?! Vest turned to see him catch ruby as she kept her sword held tight.

"Sorry I'm late." Qrow said as he put Ruby down. "Leave Tyrian to us two."

"What about us?" Nora asked looking at Qrow. "Do we deal with that kid?"

Qrow cocks an eyebrow up. "Kid?"

Scarlet growled as she grabbed Jaune tossing him off. "Kill...I'll kill you."

Qrow turned around. "Holy crap, how did I not see her?"

Vest stood next to Qrow. "Qrow we need to be careful these are no mere mercenaries "

"Tyrian's a wanted killer...as for the girl, I have no clue who she is." Qrow said.

Tyrian laughs as he jumped onto a building's roof. "If you want me turned in so badly, then come get me."

Scarlet looked at RNJR as she slowly approached Ruby making her back up a little. She would then charge head on at Ruby as she grins widely swinging Black Rose at her, Jaune blocked it with his shield.

"Ruby, run. They're clearly after you." Jaune said.

Vest bashed into Scarlet from the side to help Jaune as she swung her great sword at the girl.

"Ruby..run!" Jaune shouted. "We can't keep her down!"

Ruby backed up more nodding as she runs to the other side of Oniyuri. Scarlet's Grimm eyes glowed red as she pushes both Vest and Jaune away from her, her Grimm strength had improved, she round house kicked Jaune sending him tumbling back. She then glared at Vest and swipes her nails at her face.

"Get her!" Nora shouted as she ran over and jumps up swinging her hammer down onto Scarlet.

Tyrian watched as he noticed Qrow was coming for him. "Oh? The show was just getting interesting too." He jumped over Qrow but got hit by Ren.

Vest dodged back as Scarlet swiped her nails at her as she swiped her sword at the kids legs. "So she's recruiting children now then?" She said to Scarlet

Scarlet didn't know what she was talking about as she jumped back she turned Black Rose into it's mini gun form but it was a bit too heavy for her to hold up. But she was starting to fire it up at everyone, even Tyrian.

Vest jumped backwards trying to get out the way of the incoming fire from Scarlet.

"Oh no..." Nora said.

Tyrian notices as he clinched his fist. "That brat."

Scarlet grins widely as she pulled the trigger firing the mini gun as dust bullets came flying out, Jaune ran into cover as he tried to find an opening to knock her out.

Vest's sword changed forms into a sniper as she took aim and fired aiming for Scarlet's mini gun.

~~~

Ruby could hear the combat happening, mainly the bullets being fired as she came out from hiding as she turned Crescent Rose into it's sniper form and had it aimed at Tyrian.

Nora ran at Scarlet once more after she noticed her weapon was disabled, she charged up a huge swing as she hit her hard. This sent Scarlet flying out of Oniyuri and into the forest, crashing into trees and rocks.

"Now, we can take care of Tyrian." Qrow said.

Vest had returned her weapon to its sword form as she walked up next to Qrow with a nod. "Let's take him. "

Tyrian grinned as his tail dripped with poison as he ran at them both, he swung his tail to distract them while he came under to strike at Qrow.

Vest stepped in to try and block Tyrian's real attack on Qrow.

Tyrian laughed as his tail slashed at Vest poisoning her, Qrow blocked Tyiran's fist as Ruby had Tyrian in her scope, her trigger finger was itching to shoot at Tyrian. But an idea came to mind, Ruby unloaded a fire dust bullet and loaded in a thunder one in place of it. She saw Nora coming into view as she fired the bullet at Nora.

Nora could the shot as Tyrian looked over as the glare from Ruby's scope shined in his face, he saw the dust bullet hit Nora.

"Friendly fire won't get you no where kiddie." Tyrian said with a laugh. "But the less of you there are, the more it makes my job easier."

Vest grunted in pain as she dropped to a knee as the poisoned tipped tail of Tyrian had slashed across vests lower chest.

Nora was sparking as she had swung her hammer at Tyrian shocking him and sends him skidding across the ground. "Now!"

Qrow ran at Tyrian and used Harbinger to cut his scorpion tail off, he then kicked him in the side as he tossed Tryrian's tail to the side stabbing it.

Tyrian screamed a bit out of pain and anger, as he noticed his tail was cut off. He stumbled up as he scoffed, he would then run off as he ran past the forest, there was no trace of Scarlet within the forest. It seemed she had fled back to Evernight Castle without Tyrian.

Ruby rushed over to Vest. "Vest, are you going to be okay?!"

"She was poisoned by Tyrian. We need to get her to a doctor once we get to Mistral, but we need to be quick." Ren said. "I have a feeling those two were only just a mere distraction for a bigger event to happen."

She'd stand up holding onto her side as she panted. "D..Dammit.." she looked over to Qrow. "What took you so long?" She joked.

"I had to follow you somehow." Qrow said.

"Wait you mean that bird was you?" Ruby asked confused.

"We need to get a move on...Kuroyuri isn't far...if we do it right and make a smoke signal, we should attract some airships that we can use to get to Mistral." Ren said. "But we can't let our guard down yet.."

~~~

Tyrian and Scarlet were back at Evernight Castle as Watts noticed Tyrian didn't have his tail, and Scarlet was a little damaged. Salem had walked over to them as she glanced at them both, seeming not pleased with the results.

"I-I can explain." Tyrian said. "There was more than just Ruby and her friends, there was Qrow and Vest as well. But I did poison Vest..."

"You've failed to get Ruby, yet you return empty handed." Salem said as she looked at Scarlet. "And you child, why is it that you both failed to do so?"

Scarlet was silent for a moment as she spoke up. "I tried, I did damage Vest the best I could. But there was...something different about her...something...magical..."

Salem looked at her still. "Magical you say? Hmm....was it similar to Cinder's?"

Scarlet thinks for a moment and nods a little. "Yes.."

Salem grins a little. "Interesting, Watts..it seems those two may have bumped into a Maiden...get them fixed up. We'll be needing them to recover until they're needed again." She turned around and before she walked off back to her throne she turned her head to look at Scarlet. "Consider this as a victory for us, if Vest is indeed a Maiden. Then it would only mean that we'll be closer to our goal.."

Scarlet seemed a bit proud to hear what Salem said, Watts placed his hand onto Scarlet's shoulder as he looked down at her. "Come, your healing awaits."

"Oh, and Scarlet." Salem said. "I expect you to learn a lot about your semblance from Emerald...you will be going to Haven once we have Lionheart's full cooperation on where the relic is at in Haven academy."

A/N: [All credit for Vest goes to my friend on Discord, she helped me out again with this chapter.]