Chapter 21: endl;

Ruby Rose

Between the tree branches, crossing the edges of fresh blossoms, beams of final moonlight scattered down onto Ruby and she could see the last of the stars begin to be gobbled up, burning strawberries of light as the dark blue turned a bright indigo. The sun was rising soon.

"Ruby, is that you?" Weiss called out from what seemed like the abyss. It was hard to summon the power to rise from the floor, the young team leader found the little private park's grassy mini-hill too comfy this early in the morning. Its green and black earth was cold, but inviting, maybe even sleep inducing if it wasn't for the occasional icy breeze that cut through the trees just to brush against her and the grass. It was enough to wake her up, and keep those eyes up at the pockets of sky that stretched from the center of space to the eastern horizon with just a glance. What could possibly make Ruby move from her spot? "What are you doing up this early? It's literally freezing out! We can't exactly let you get sick right before going on a mission to, you know, save my entire family?!" Weiss of course.

"Hi Weiss, keep it down. I don't think we're allowed to be out this late, err, early?" Ruby hefted herself onto her elbows. Weiss stood above her, irritated, hot breath visible in the cold air. The sun hadn't come up and heated anything yet.

"That doesn't answer either of my questions, Ruby," Weiss responded in a hushed voice only barely more audible than the sounds of morning Remnant around them. Ruby didn't really know how to explain why or what, just to do it.

"Lay down with me," the young huntress replied with the best smile she could give.

"No, I'll get my coat filthy," Weiss countered, shaking her head. She had clearly been up for a while, hair fine and treated, dressed proper and ready. Even had her weapon. A complete contrast to Ruby who was still in her jammies with just a blanket to protect her exposed arms.

"We're going to change into our super spy hidden outfits anyhow. Love those things," Ruby shot back with a smirk. Honestly finding an excuse to break out their special combat outfits was getting harder and harder with the Cinder stuff done. This might be their last chance. Plus Weiss in that coat was just sinful and Ruby loved it.

"Ruby," Weiss mumbled, irritated, "what we are doing is serious. I'm really grateful to all of you, but this isn't a game!" It was always weird the way Weiss could yell and whisper all at once. It's a thing she always had such a knack for, and something Ruby progressively learned not to take personally. Weiss was worried about her parents, not honestly questioning Ruby's abilities.

"I know," Ruby answered with a calm cool, patting the ground next to where she lay, "lay down with me." Weiss gave her a look, but she just kept smiling. Eventually she would break.

"Fine," her partner groaned, moving to lay next to her, at a slight angle so they fit better, the tops of one head almost touching the other. Ruby noticed this a lot, as they dated. A tendency for them to be closer, to sort of cut into each others' personal space, even when it wasn't to kiss or anything, just a closeness. She didn't quite understand it, but she liked it.

"So," Weiss continued, voice close now, after all her mouth was inches from her neck, if they both turned, they'd meet, "why are you out here?"

"Felt like seeing the sun, looking at stars. I woke up and here I am." There was honestly nothing more to it, just a total random passing fancy. This little park they shared was special, why not spend a morning here?

"Our futures are up in the air and you felt like stargazing?" To Weiss' credit, she made it sound like an honest question, not an insult. She just couldn't phrase her way of thinking any other way.

"I like stargazing. My mom use to let me sit in her lap, tell me stories of famous hunters that became constellations and tell me where Remnant was in the grand scheme of things. I was so little, but I remember most of it." It was so long ago, back on the island of Patch. As Summer's voice faded from memory a little more every day, nothing ever truly left her. Every story inspired the person she was today. Ruby might not remember her mom one day, but everything she was would be made of her. A walking talking memory.

"Your mom, you don't talk about her much." Weiss mumbled, afraid to bring it up. Everyone was.

"It's 'cause she's gone," Ruby said, trying to explain the depth of her feelings, which didn't even make sense to her. "I don't know how to deal with that. I just figure I'll have to be better?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know what that's like. I'm scared I'm going to find out what that's like." Weiss seemed so strong most of the time, but Ruby knew underneath that cold exterior, she was so sensitive, so unsure. They had that in common, though in this case, Ruby had her beat. She feared herself, not the future.

"Don't be. We're going to do everything we can to stop that from happening."

"How can you be so calm? You're such a energetic ball of love and death and I just don't get it." Weiss didn't sound angry, Ruby guessed she wasn't, just honest, just true. They still had a ton to learn about each other, but, the redhead supposed, that was the fun.

"My mom told me once, only be scared of things you can change, be worried when it means you can do something. Weiss, our plan's the best we can make it, your skills as good as we can get them, your worry, it won't help you. Me being scared won't help me. So I guess I would rather be staring at the stars." Mom taught her the limits of time. Maybe she knew all along, but she couldn't, wasn't even one worrying. This was the best option.

"Damn," Weiss whispered with an honest to goodness chuckle, Ruby was so proud, "when did you become such a mature philosopher?"

"Well I do hang out with miss Serious-Pants all day." That earned her a gentle swat on the forehead, which made her giggle, infuriating the princess ever more she was certain.

"Shut up." She was right. Weiss was a little red from what Ruby could tell at a glance, her expression in a classic cute pout.

"Okay," Ruby remarked, looking away from Weiss and towards the stars. She didn't mind being quiet for a bit. Though the last of the stars were disappearing now. Night was being called away, the last ones the brightest beside the crumbling moon. A gentle kiss on the cheek pulled Ruby away from the stars down to earth again.

"Ruby?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me the stories, the constellations, all of that stuff." Weiss sounded smaller than she ever had, such a hard girl. So angry and hurt, bitter sometimes, but never vulnerable. She was letting it out, not in any grand way, just in a small gesture, an admission. "I'm scared."

"I can't," Ruby answered, wishing she could make the fear go away, promise for certain they could save her dad. That wasn't possible right now, neither were the stories. The stars were eaten by the blue, such a rich, vivid azure Ruby had ever seen, its color blocking everything in the sky, absorbing it all, the sun's light coming from the horizon. "Tomorrow morning I promise, but right now, it's time for today." Standing, the warmth of a new day was coursing through the air, Ruby got up easy. "Lets do this together, partner."

"The rest of CFVY is in position, they are waiting for your go," Velvet declared, following Ruby in lock step down the hall along with all of her team and Ren. The time was getting right about to the moment, everyone was moving quickly. It was weird how no matter how prepared a person was for this kind of thing, the last minutes were done in a rush and everyone was nervous. Except Ruby.

"Thanks Velvet. Tell them to start as soon as you get to airships and tell them to have some fun with it since they're gonna be risking their skins and stuff," Ruby answered, keeping her forward pace down the hall, the halls cleared by the lunch rush and Vera distracted by Jaune. Apparently he was going try asking her out or something. Pyrrha's idea, though maybe that just said a lot about how good she thought he was at picking up girls. "Where are SSSN and SNNA?"

"SNNA's already in a full on brawl with CRDL," Blake announced, speeding ahead. With her, Ruby didn't know if it was racist to say catlike, but regardless very good reflexes, she cut in front of everyone and walking backwards in a matched pace, too. She was good. "Sun and Neptune are joy riding Bumblebee around right now," the young faunus added to her report with a small grin that bordered on the mischievous side.

"Bitch, he better not be!" Yang roared, the heat of her hate sizzling nicely off her perfect skin. She was the most antsy member of the team about this plan, but only for the bike. What was the worst they could do? Hit someone with it? Not likely.

"Calm down Yang, it'll be okay!" Ruby tried to reassure her sister, the usually easygoing member was still pouting to herself from behind, visibly upset.

"It'll be okay when Bumblebee is safe and sound and not being ridden around by a shirtless blonde idiot!" Yang became much more openly critical of people, Ruby noticed, as soon as they touched her bike.

"To be frank, the only thing that's changed is the shirt," Weiss mumbled loud enough to be heard. Blake shook in a silent chuckle. Ruby just let a giggle go. Yang looked betrayed and Weiss a touch proud.

"You are getting better at jokes I've noticed," Blake commented, giving an appreciative nod to Weiss.

"Don't jinx it," Yang complained with a pout, "she'll go back to making us shudder in no time, I promise."

"Joke or no," Ren began, silent through most proceedings as he was, the sound of his voice pulled everyone's gaze right at him. Ruby was always impressed by how he did that, she had a lot of respect for the dude, even if he seemed a little standoffish. "Time's running out, the rest of you need to get going."

"Yeah," Ruby agreed with a wry smile, "It's time for team RWBY to do its thing and shine! Yang, Weiss, Blake, I'll see you all in a bit. Go team!" Everyone froze for a moment, uncomfortable splitting up. Except Yang, she went from complainant to serious, the violet of her eyes ringed with red. She looked to strong, adult, dressed in her alternate clothes, brown and beige showing off her strong shoulders and powerful chest, arms glittering gold with Ember. She looked like mom. In a way though, she always was.

"I hear you," Yang replied, twirling right around, hair lose and flaming, back to the rest of them, "Kick ass, Rubes. See you at the ship. Later." I love you, too, big sis.

"Ruby, we will be ready I promise, good Luck," Velvet called out quick following in Yang's footsteps, dressed in brown and gold combat armor, she was ready.

"I'll leave you two for a moment," Blake said softly, stepping back with usual grace, leaving only Weiss and Ruby, and Ren of course though Ruby increasingly forgot he was even there.

"So," Ruby started with a smile.

"So," Weiss offered, just as awkward. It came to Ruby's attention that since their return from the Schnee estate, or since they had started dating, they never really had to say goodbye to each other much, or were apart even. Much less when they were doing the whole save the world, or at least a whole lot of people, from doom by doing something horribly dangerous. Usually that stuff was a together thing. Goodbyes sucked when things were risky.

"I just wanted to say," Ruby had no idea what she wanted to say, "You look really pretty in that coat. I mean you do all the time, but I really like the white coat."

"Not the first time you've seen it, Ruby," Weiss countered, but not really with much menace in her voice. "Look, I know you said stop worrying, and I'm not, but take care of yourself, least until you get back," Weiss's voice got small for a moment, a little embarrassed, "Until I can take care of you."

"Aww, you're adorable!" Ruby replied blushing, so was Weiss, but she got angry enough to mute her with a kiss.

"Get back, watch out for Zawisza, he's a monster. I've never seen him fight, but I know he's head of security for a reason. Just run back to us and don't let him get you, dolt," Weiss once they ended their kiss added with a serious expression, "Or I am going to have to murder an employee."

"Excuse me, but we need to you know, actually steal the keys?" Ren cut in with an awkwardly meek voice. Ruby and Weiss both felt a cold shiver as they were reminded they had an audience.

"Oh yeah," Ruby mumbled with a chuckle, uncomfortably rubbing her arm, "Keys yes, we should do that. Bye Weiss."

"My dad always said goodbyes were bad luck," Weiss returned with a soft expression, something so rare to get, and it was like a birthday present every time she gave it, "So I'll see you later."

It wasn't a particularly long distance from where they parted till his office, an empty section of dorm rooms that acted as a barracks, his own room like an office. The hall here had been wrecked by their gangs constant attempts at nuisance. It was a graffitied mess, enough that Ruby made a mental note to do the cleaning herself once the Schnee people were gone. After all, she did owe Ozpin.

"Knock," Ren urged as they stood in front of the door. Ruby just stared at it nervously. She was never particularly good at the talky bits of these plans, and despite having a don't worry attitude towards the day, talking was something that she could just flop on. Channel your inner Yang, Ruby. You can do this! She reached, hand outstretched and ready to deliver the wood vibrating knock of this door's life.

Then it opened.

"Miss Rose," Zawisza said with uncharacteristic surprise as he opened the officer door, obviously not expecting two teens to be literally at his doorstep, "You look different?" He had not been around her for long, so the gray and black garb she wore, a much lighter corset overalls cross, must have been new. He dressed as he usually did. Black suit with a red Schnee crest on the back, gloved hands and finely creased black pants that seemed to complimented his perfectly trimmed face and black hair, matching his black eyes. Despite the smile he perpetually had, Ruby never really thought well of him in the least.

"Oh yeah this?" Ruby motioned to her clothes, "I wear it sometimes, when I want to be more nimble, lighter than the whole usual getup. Doesn't carry as much ammo though so not good for going into the woods for long stretches." It was always a better pick for being less conspicuous and, most importantly, faster. Faster was key.

"Better for urban combat, I would suppose?" and he would be right. Today she didn't need to fight long protracted battles in the woods, she needed to be a lightening bolt. Powerful and quick as a bullet.

"Well, yeah, I guess," Ruby chuckled, uncomfortable that he gathered that from just a glance, "Can't I just like looking different?" Not like I'm trying to steal from you.

"Of course, you look lovely," he exclaimed with a friendly smile, "what can I help you with? Please be as quick as you can, seems CRDL got in a fight with SNNA, again." Perfect, that put everything right on time, soon enough CFVY would be causing a scene if they weren't already.

"Sir Zawisza?" On cue, Zawisza's radio buzzed in. Either it was CFVY, or their entire plan just got foiled.

"Oh my, one moment," Zawisza requested with a sigh, answering the call, the radio loud enough for them all to hear, "Yes?"

"There is a food fight erupting in the cafeteria," the voice from the other end informed. CVFY, just as Ruby hoped. She owed the upper classmen a really big solid for this. They were definitely in trouble. Well, everyone was. Maybe they could all team up and be unregistered hunters after they were expelled.

"But Ruby Rose is with me?" Zawisza answered without even the slight hint of awareness.

"Hey!" Ruby called out in offense. Just because it was usually her fault did not justify saying she was a requirement.

"It's CFVY, sir," the radio corrected. Well, she supposed, it's my order this time too so… fair enough old guy.

"I'll be there in a moment," Zawisza punctuated with a slight sigh, closest thing to a complaint Ruby had ever seen uttered from his lips, "What can I help you with Miss Rose? Today's just a bit hectic." He seemed tired. He was certainly going to get more so.

"Sorry, I was wondering if you could help me get into one of the airships. I picked up a gift for Weiss yesterday, but forgot it in the ship, and I just have no idea what to do! It's our anniversary!" Ruby put on her best acting, babbling it all out into one giant stupid lie, coming out awkward and panicked, but that was all part of the plan. How would he know if his fear and panic was her being a terrible liar or being afraid of the horror of Weiss' Schnee wrath.

"Didn't the two of you get together in the Winter?" Zawisza asked, and Ruby felt like she could quietly go melt into the floor and never be seen again. He wouldn't even have to expel her for this obvious fallacy, her heart had totally stopped on its own. Standing there frightened and speechless, Ruby cracked a smile. Ren save me!

"They do it every month," the older boy cut in. So silent Zawisza seemed more surprised that he was actually alive than anything he had to say.

"Then it's not ann—" Zawisza shook his head, keeping polite despite monthly annual things clearly being something that annoyed him, even a little, "Anyways, hello Lie Ren and sure, do you remember the ship ID Number?"

"It's, ugh, like 55-73-3944-err something," Ruby bounced back in, perhaps too eager, responding even before she even remembered the full code. Blake had said reciting too much detail about it would seem suspicious, so at least it worked in their favor, "it's the eight seater with the Schnee logo supersized on the side?" It was one of midsized airships, small enough to get them there in half a day, but big enough that both team RWBY and team JNPR could fit with a free seat next to Velvet too.

"Ahh, yes, that one," Zawisza mumbled, turning into his office. Ruby followed inside, knowing there was a box of keys, the target needed inside. This was their one shot. The moment between grabbing the keys and putting them in his pocket, the red huntress had to nab it right then. The room was spartan, nothing between her and the door as Zawisza unlocked the case, pulled the metal key up by the ring. It was now or never. "I'll come with you and—" Ruby interrupted with the fastest snatch she could pull off, no one was faster than her and his hands weren't tight enough to keep her from tearing the keys away.

"Did you just seriously do that?" Zawisza asked, more shocked than offended, in the awkward second between grabbing the keys and Ruby turning a complete 180 and bolting right out of the room, nearly running Ren over in the process. The huntress was fast, that was true.

But not fast like she always was.

Not semblance fast.

Not fast enough.

"I'm not that easy." Zawisza pulled at her hood, the scarf of it choking her. What the hell was going on? Why wasn't the semblance working? How could she be this slow? All thoughts buzzing in her head causing a panic as the cloth tugged at her throat. No, she supposed, they never believe it was be that easy. That's why Ren was there.

Taking advantage of how quickly he phased into the background, the young huntsmen kicked Zawisza's hand loose, freeing her of the grip. "Run now!" he, as close as he ever got, yelled at her. Ruby didn't need another word, semblance or no she ran, thundering down hall to halls, passing the guard rooms, now empty as everyone was off dealing with the students, she was in the clear. There was no measure of how well anyone could do against Zawisza, but Ren was instructed to surrender if it ever got too serious. Ruby had to just believe he knew when that point was and run, and dang did she run.

By the time she made it outside, the sounds of combat were slowly becoming audible in the yard as her semblance also began to return. Every step became swifter, rose petals peeling off her skin proving that indeed, her powers weren't gone forever. It wasn't till Ruby saw in the distance her team waiting by the airship that it kicked into full gear and her body burst into a blur of petals and distorted motion.

"Ruby, watch out!"

The second time today something pinned her hood to the floor and it hurt so much more.

Her feet kicked up, pushing further despite the restraint on her neck, flopping her painfully onto the ground. If it wasn't for the hood's personal value, and it being too cold not to wear a scarf, Ruby deeply considered burning this whole outfit. An arrow caught her, ice dust tip turned into a solid glacier connecting her to the ground. Vera. As if to confirm it, on the distant right she could see her struggling against Nora and Jaune. She guessed the whole distracting her with a dating thing really didn't work out.

"Rubes, are you okay?!" Yang called out. All of team RWBY was waiting by the airship with Velvet and Pyrrha, the latter of whom was already running towards her.

"I'm stuck in ice!" their leader called out like a baby stuck in the snow. All her cool rebel cred was ruined on top of the plan totally falling apart and their inevitable expulsion. Who would want to be on her super team of unregistered hunters now? Least she could toss Pyrrha the keys. Good luck saving the world my heroic friends!

"Idiot!" Weiss called out, popping Ruby out of a daydream. With unspeakable grace, the fencer dashed forward, floor turning to thin frost and speeding her up like a master ice skater. Passing Pyrrha and Ruby like a professional, skirting around, using her sword as a pivot, and sliding right up to Ruby. God damn she was the coolest girl ever. "Are you okay?"

"Now I am," the redhead answered with a smile to which Weiss replied with an eye roll. She loved the cute one liners. Yang was totally right, they were irresistible.

"Excuse me, umm, I think we have company," Pyrrha exclaimed, pointing additionally at the hall Ruby ran from. Ren came through first, or maybe the better word would be tossed through. Following him was Zawisza, the misanthrope more worse for wear than Ruby was used to seeing him. His clothes were torn in spots, hair messy, but the winner of that round.

"Guys, I got the key, take it and go!"

"No," Weiss stabbed her sword into the chuck of ice, the spinning cartridge turning to the red cylinder, firing off a small torrent of flame, Myrtenaster was melting Ruby free, "you're our leader, my girlfriend, we are not doing this without you. After all it would be an embarrassment!"

"Aw, you care!" Didn't stop Zawisza though, " Pyrrha can you handle him?" Ruby asked, knowing better.

"After he hurt Ren it would be a pleasure," Pyrrha was the flame of victory, arguably the best of Beacon, and without a second thought she came right into the fray for her friends. She charged with grace, and kept up with grace. Zawisza was put on the defense, dodging the pointed menace with sensible respect. He was good, fast, but Pyrrha was better. The swirling edge was taking small bites out of him, nicks along the the face, arms, chest, many lightly dripping blood. The only part, which took the most blows, that did not bleed, was the left arm, often moving between his core and the twirling point. They would clash, his sleeves asunder, but Pyrrha's weapon knocked back.

"She's good," Weiss muttered shifting focus from the snow shrinking block of ice and the tow fighting, "He's not as tough as father always made him out to be, how did he slow you guys down so much? What happened to being the fastest thing in the world, Ruby?"

"I don't know," Ruby answered, watching Pyrrha's swiping at his legs, the older man jumping for safety, only to receive a quick bash from the Mistralian's shield, "Somehow, I don't know, my semblance just wouldn't activate till I got here. Ren stalled him while I just ran like normal." Something was weird, something off. How did he beat Ren that fast? He was a master of sura fighting. Compared to someone like Zawisza who couldn't even seem to muster enough of his own Aura.

Pyrrha charged forth with a spear point, too close to side step. In a shocking move, Zawisza snatched the spear at the head with his left hand, shredding the glove and sparking up metal underneath. His hand was steel, prosthetic or covering, Ruby wasn't sure, but its casing shone in the light, reflective and with a vice grip that without much effort yanked the weapon aside. It had to be a full machine arm for that kind of power, Pyrrha backed up her shield held high while the older Schnee henchman stood in a boxer's stance. Revealing the secret of his arm had everyone giddy, this sealed Pyrrha's win, she was the polar queen, metal bent to to her will with just a little bit of Aura channeled into her semblance. She smiled as he went for it, right hand grabbing for shield, which Pyrrha fainted and let him nab, his left arm was in full swing, hooking to hit her jaw. This was classic of the Mistralian, letting him this close, a wave of her hand would send that arm off course off balance a simple knock to the throat and they were home free. This was why she kept her semblance a secret. No one knew besides her close friends and the school records of course.

Records Zawisza had to have read.

"Pyrrha," Ruby called, watching as what she started to predict unfolded, "he nullifies aura!" Punctuating her sentence was the strike of a fist, unabated, no aura shield to protect her, the best of them went flying.

"Melt faster you tacky insufferable cloak!" Weiss fumed along with the ice block getting smaller and smaller. Ignoring the tacky comment, Ruby did her best to crack it and free herself, each strike of Crescent Rose breaking her a little more free.

"I'm going in!" Jaune called out, huffing past them, running into the fray against someone who essentially beat up his master. This was like a kung fu movie except he sucked.

"Jaune don't!" Ruby called out

"Jaune do!" Weiss countered, "He'll distract him for like a moment till we can—" The Ice snapped free, just in time to see JNPR's leader get tossed to the side like old fish. Kid was getting better at least!"

"Run!" The two of them bolted for the airship, none of their semblances working. Weiss still had dust, but without the glyph control that ice strike was as likely to get them stuck as it was to slow Zawisza down. They could try fighting him, combined RWBY could beat him, though Nora was barely holding off Vera without Jaune's help and who knew who else was coming. Heck even then Ruby could hear the motors of approaching…Wait, that's Bumblebee!

"Ladies!" Neptune shouted from the back of the bike as Sun took a hard turn, swerving into their line of sight.

"And gentlemen!" Sun added to the list, accounting politely for Ren and Jaune, poor guys still rolling around on the floor without their auras to jump start them. "Vale's greatest detectives are here to take you down, Zawasha!"

"My name is Zawisza, Mr. Wukong. Go ahead, try your golden copies."

"Oh we saw what you did," Neptune answered, taking up aim with his rifle. Ruby got the sinking feeling knowing she was going to have to thank him later. Jealousy is bad.

"And I'll have you know bikes don't run on aura!" Sun revved, Yang cried, but there was no stopping it. Neptune laid down some shots to spin Zawisza down and Sun legit ran him over. Not just a little. Full force of the bike with only that metal arm between him and motorcylce. All four pieces of the equation went in different directions. Neptune landed in a tree, Sun face planted on the roof of one of the other cars, and Bumblebee spun out against the hard ground, front end dented to hell and paint scratched to hell. Ruby had arrived at the airship just in time to toss Velvet the keys and tackle Yang before she did something she regretted.

"You son of a bitch, Sun! I said not to do one thing and you fucking did it!"

"Everyone, get in, I'll need to spin her up, but I want to get off the ground as soon as possible!" Velvet got herself inside, quickly sliding into the pilot's seat. Blake dragged Yang inside and buckled her in, the sister was too in mourning to take care of herself. Weiss hopped in with Ruby, breathing a fresh sigh of relief as the airship's engines came online. She wouldn't have even thought to look behind them after that crash if the quick pounding of steps didn't alert her.

"Weiss! You mustn't leave!" Zawisza was a mess, left arm metal and bare from how the bike stripped most of his suit apart. His hair was tinted red, blood running down his face lightly where the impact cut him up badly. He was running straight for the airship,

"I'm sorry, I have to save my father! Someone needs to do your job while he tries to turn Beacon into a prison!" Weiss yelled right back. Ruby quick to engage her weapons sniper mode. She was thinking of putting a bullet in the robot arm thingy's shoulder, didn't want to actually hurt anyone, but the way he bobbed and weaved as he ran made the shot impossible to line up. Not without putting him in real danger.

"I got this!" Nora's familiar cheer tore Ruby away from her sights. She had straight up ditched her fight with the archer Vera, jumping up for the classic power smash. "Nora away!" Shouting was the wrong decision. With almost greater power than the bike, they crashed, the metal arm grabbing at the hammer as it sung down, catching it barely, the burst of the the cannon blowing just past his head, shattering the earth behind him and singing the older man's hair. His arm was severely damaged, but Nora had no footing. In an act of what Yang would later describe as "fucking metal" he smashed his forehead against her's, dropping the tough as nails fighter to her knees.

"Can you please not, sir?!" Ruby readied her aim, prepared to take the shot she really didn't want to. Without Aura everything was much more real, dangerous, this could mean getting in a lot more trouble than just stealing an airship. There had to be another choice, if he just stood still for a moment, let her aim at the metal, but he just kept moving, Nora's hammer in his hand, swiftly turning into the grenade launcher aimed right at their engines.

"Sorry." A whizzing sound went by as arrows landed all around Zawisza, ice tips freezing the launcher in his hand and his feet to the floor, struggle as he might, Vera's ice tips didn't let up just like on her cloak, "I'm one of the order after all, got to protect old grumps." Ruby let out her breath, letting Crescent Rose retract in her hands. That was way riskier than she wanted. The airship was beginning take off and JNPR members all around were getting up again. That little fight wasn't going to be the end for them in the least.

"Well, I never thought I'd ever say it, or wanted to, but thanks Vera!" Weiss shouted over the spinning turbines. They could see in the distance other groups of Schnee guards coming, but JNPR was all back, Vera even looked confidently at them.

"Not Vera, I never picked that name, I hate it! I'm thinking of trying Winter, how does that sound?!" Weiss smiled at her double, despite the hate, they seemed amused with each other.

"Sounds dumb!"

"Fuck you too, bitch!"

Both the Weiss's looked satisfied the members of JNPR waving RWBY away. Their fight was just a delay, the sun was already low as the ship turned northward. All this was just about getting them out, the real fighting was still to come. They may not have had the two teams on board, but with all of RWBY, the redhead was confident. Ruby was blessed to lead the best team in the world, all people she trusted, she believed in, she loved.

"Alright, so we kind of got our butts kicked," Ruby started, knowing the facts, but knowing something more about the kind of people she fought with, "that all in mind, and the knowledge that I promise to not get my cloak caught in as many, you know, arrows, I really want to be the one doing the kicking. You girls ready to be the biggest boot ever?!"

Penny

Penny hated functions, despite knowing she ran exclusively on them. It was just knowing a set of statements could remove her will was horrifying. Hiccuping when she lies was just one annoyance in so many. She couldn't help but wonder if humans had anything like that, a compulsion that goes beyond will.

cin "Penny, won't you let us in?" endl; The stranger at the door spoke, an older woman in a white mask dressed in fine foreign silks. The man that stood next to her, Penny did know. Adam. A criminal, an enemy of the SDC, an enemy of Ruby.

Politeness = polcheck(dangerlvl);

cout "I'm sorry, the Schnee estate is closed." endl; Penny knew they were dangerous, but she was combat ready. Still, father taught her to be nice. Ruby always thought her kindness was her best trait.

cin "Don't bother," Adam cut in, his expression serious and cold, kleinePrinzessin "Show us the way to Mr. Schnee" endl;

if(kleinePrinzessin == true){

boolwill = false;

}

cout "Of course right this way, Mr. Taurus." Another trick, another function that stole away what she wished she was. It shouldn't have worked, the security should have stopped them from even getting this far, but she supposed if they knew how to change her, no wonder they could change everything in this castle. Mr. Schnee had predicted this. "He is at dinner," endl; She had hoped it would not have to be this way.

They, the faunus of the White Fang, walked with her silently. Most were old or very young. She recognized the dog looking one, Adam of course, from the formal leaders of the White Fang. There was another bald lizard man she knew off the list, but he was not with them, perhaps he was in the server? Did not matter, she could not question them if she wanted to. Will was false today.

cout "He is inside." endl; Penny opened the door to the dining room after a long walk through the frosted main hall. The whole of the castle was a dark dim place, moonstone glow doing little to lighten up a dark snowy night. The last snow of the evening. Yet inside the dining room there was none of that darkness. It was bright, well lit, lines of lines of tables were set up with illustrious food, not quite perfect, Penny noticed, most of the other robots weren't as dexterous as she was, and even when she offered to help it was too much to do every night for the last few. At the far end, raised above the other tables, head of the room, Friedrich Schnee, lord of this estate, CEO of the SDC, and one of the many people that in a way were Penny's father. She would have never done this had it not been the damn function. Even knowing he had predicted this, Penny felt shame for lacking that, that human freedom. He seemed, well not happy, but content.

cin "Well hello, Mr. Taurus I am rather happy you brought your grandmother here, Akagura, it has been a long while. I would stand up, but I feel rather complacent where I am. Please sit down and eat, it's human cuisine mostly unfortunately, the machines lack any faunus meals and well I certainly have no idea what you people eat," Friedrich said in a mix of polite and absolutely rude. It was difficult to grasp what he was trying to do, though people often confused Penny. She only ever seemed to understand Ruby, but she wasn't here. The robot certainly wished she was. "I figured if you were coming we could try one last time to end this peacefully. Over dinner." endl;

cin "Schnee dog, we haven't come here to make peace, I'm here to put you down like the animal you are." endl; Adam started, but the elderly lady, her face like the others obscured by the masks they wear, tugged on his arm pulling at some familia respect Penny guessed. She didn't understand family hierarchy. In machines newer ones were better, but in people they pretended the elders were the superiors.

cin "What are your terms?" endl; The elder was soft spoken, but the others all hushed to hear her. Strange.

cin "You leave, you end this White Fang nonsense, once and for all, we forgive our debts, you accept you've lost and we all go home. Or be exterminated." endl; There was not a single hint of irony in his voice, not the marking of awareness as the castle was filled with White Fang and a security system turned against him. He was alone, as he always seemed to be. Schnee were such secluded creatures.

cin "We have your security, we have your throat, every agent is in Beacon right now. You relied on machines more than people. You rely on machines instead of loyal warriors! You have no so called humanity!" endl; Adam was rather ardent-hearted in his beliefs, Penny didn't really understand. Wasn't it everyone verses the grimm? / This is all dumb./

cin "Our terms, give us the Castle. Retire. Marry your daughter to my grandson. Our family will retain its power through ours. Better than extinction for your Weiss?" end; The grandmother seemed to shock Adam, the young leader looking at her immediately. Whether it was horror, surprise, anger, joy, Penny couldn't scan with his eyes covered. To think she had spent so long writing her own function for emotional level based on eyes. No point in calling that for masked people.

cin "Well," Mr. Schnee replied, leaning back in his chair, something he so rarely did. A lighted set of bars spun around him. Screens lit up to both his flanks, all shocking the guards, ready to pounce until he hit the first key. It rang. Piano. "You know for her final concert, Weiss sang a special song. It had a beautiful piano accompaniment with it." The opening of the song began to play by his perfectly measured hands while the screens played the video of Weiss' concert. He played it often, along with others. Anything with her and the piano. "She had many music tutors, but for piano, I taught her myself." Then the chorus, "Mirror, tell me something," his voice was rough, barely in tune, despite his perfect piano, Tell me who's the lon-ly-ist of all.

mirrorMirror() = True;

combatready() = True;

controlmode() = FS;

pennyServer() = True;

Another function. A function that would call many, flip so many switches, change so many things. Bring her to life in so many ways. The song rang deep and within a few nanoseconds, her mind stretched to so many places, so many eyes. She could see the castle all at once, every spot, every robotic eye was her eye. Everything was Penny. and everything under her control yet she was just as confined. To one voice one command.

cin "Penny my dear, activate all defenses and kill all guests." fatal endl;

cout "Yes, my Lord." To say Penny spoke would be equal parts right and wrong. The voice was shouted from every speaker, every robot that had once been connected to the Castle server was now her voice. They were speaking, the many Pennys, and with that voice, the first black knight mech, dropped its sword and crushed the White Fang beneath it. The bald snake man was in the server room as Penny thought, protected by the Schnee bots he turned. They were now Penny and he was now no longer. Protective thick glass shot up from the floor around the CEO, shielding him from the many countering shots by the young, eager, and frightened White Fang. All the fighting spread throughout the castle as the song Mirror Mirror kept up its pace through the fortress.

cin "Brothers and sisters, we can't stay trapped inside, follow me!" endl; Power unquestionable, the bull faunus with a deep crimson luminescence, slashed through one of the large knight type battle systems. He pushed forward towards the main hall, leading the White Fang to an escape. That was not the plan.

cin "Follow them," the older Schnee called, strapping dust filled gauntlets on his wrist, There was no one in the room left, besides the older Taurus, she silently stood, cold eyes locked on the Schnee as snow drifted from the open ceilings the Schnee estate was famous for. "I think I can handle someone twenty years my senior." endl; He was not a fighter, not that Penny ever knew, but there was fire in his eyes, and Penny could not say no if she wanted to.

cout "Yes sir" endl;

Penny didn't think he intended anyone to hear it, if he meant Weiss, she was not here, but as Mirror Mirror ended, the singer finishing her declaration that she was the loneliest of all, her robotic senses detected his faint whisper. One of many perhaps.

cin " I'm here. I've always been here." endl;

**** So guess whose internet was out for like two weeks? Guess who writes on gdocs? This person! Sorry I've been so quiet but here you go! Chapter 21! There is just 22 and an epilogue and MV is finished!

So I decided to give Penny a flare and have her mind run on C++, and yes know it's just a human format, machines only see the binary code, but hey it was fun! Least I didn't use java .lns everywhere! Anyways hope you guys and gals leave reviews, its important to know how things were done and make changes, and though the events are set in stone I can make slight styles choices between stuff plus its just good to know you all are reading! See you soon!

Thanks again the LazyKatze! She edited this like a pro almost off the boat from a vacation! She the bomb!