Chapter 34

The Last Rose of Summer

Torchwick lifted the masked man wearing glasses nearly off his feet with the barrel of his cane under his chin. Every single faunus in the cavern had their eyes fixated on the scene, and despite many of them holding guns they did nothing to help their comrade.

"How did she escape, Perry?" Torchwick asked far too calmly.

"I-I don't know," he choked.

The cane made a slight movement causing his legs to kick slightly. "You let a little girl barely out of middle school outsmart and overpower you?"

"S-she was too fast, sir."

Torchwick took a long drag off his cigar before blowing smoke in his face.

"Please, sir," he pleaded. "P-please don't kill me."

The man in the bowler hat lifted him a little higher so his boots no longer dragged the ground.

"It's a little too late for that, Perry..."

He pulled the trigger and after a brief flash of light, a lifeless body fell to the ground and pair of glasses sprinkled with blood and soot skidded across the cavern. Torchwick took another long drag from his cigar and closed his eyes. When he opened them he saw every faunus staring back at him. A few had guns drawn.

'Animals... everyone of them,' he thought privately.

"This is the punishment for failure," Torchwick explained, "and a similar fate is awaiting for you when the huntsmen arrive."

The White Fang members exchanged worried glances with one another.

"The huntsmen would kill all of you on sight given the chance, but perhaps they'll be merciful and let some of you rot in prison, or-" He dropped his cigar and stomped the light out. "Maybe Atlas will find a new place to send unwanted faunus. I hear Menagerie is getting pretty crowded this time of year."

Slowly the rifles pointed at his chest fell. The bluff had worked, just as he knew it would. The new recruits were so easy to manipulate it almost took the fun out of it for him. With a simple speech about faunus honor or about the cruelty of the huntsmen, Atlas, or the Schnee Dust Company, he could whip them up in a frenzy or put centuries worth of fear into their souls.

Begrudgingly the mutinous eyes of the White Fang turned away and went back to work. They despised the man in the bowler hat but they feared the huntsmen more, and perhaps hated the people of Vale even more still.

'Just like cattle,' Torchwick thought to himself as they wandered away with their tails between their legs.

A young man dropped a crate of dust getting his sudden attention. He looked around nervously making sure no one had seen his mistake, but when he saw the orange haired man standing over his dead comrade he gulped audibly.

Torchwick seeing the nervous young man perspiring grinned ear to ear. "Hey you."

The young man didn't move, and his frozen stature reminded Torchwick of a deer in the headlights.

He whistled as if he were calling his dog. "Come here for a minute. I've got a little job for you..."

As stiff as a board the faunus lumbered over nearly tripping over his own feet.

'Perfect...'

Torchwick bent over the body and picked up the pair of glasses. "I've got good news for you, kid. There's a job opening and I think you're perfect for it."

He set the glasses over the man's mask without even cleaning the blood first.

"S-sir?" he whimpered.

Torchwick sighed and retrieved another cigar from his pristine white jacket, which somehow hadn't gotten a single drop of blood unlike a couple of innocent bystanders.

"We still haven't found the other Perry's head after Neo-" He made the motion of a throat being slit. "And this one..." He gave the body's leg a slight nudge. "Is kinda dead."

The orange haired man lit his cigar and winked. "You'll do great, Perry."

"But my name's-"

"No buts, Perry," Torchwick admonished. "Your first task is to remove your predecessor from my sight. Dead faunus are such a downer. Especially without their heads..."

The young man looked as though he was going to be sick. His vision was covered by red.

"I know you can do this, Perry." Torchwick gently patted him on the back. "I even see promotion in your future."

An explosion rang out in a distant tunnel causing everyone in the cavern to pause. It had been the same one the little girl had escaped from.

Torchwick licked his lips and narrowed his eyes at the source of the blast. He released Perry and stood atop a box labeled volatile that Perry had dropped.

"Listen up people!" He fired a round from his cane to get the giant machines' attention. "Paladin team, your job is done and we're moving out as is. Scurry back to the airships and fall back to the southern base. I'm sure the White Fang leaders will be waiting for you."

'With a knife behind their backs...'

The Paladins dropped their cargo and raced down a large tunnel with several of the White Fang following on foot afraid they'd be left behind. Apparently they didn't need to be told twice.

After weeks of watching the White Fang operate the giant machines, he'd decided that actual animals would have made better pilots, and that the Paladins being bare bones prototypes would be next to useless in an actual fight, especially with their incompetency at the helm. He had already lost four of them due to their limbs breaking upon lifting too-heavy equipment, and another when it nearly stepped on Neo. The operator's torso still hadn't been found...

Torchwick also had Cinder's orders clear in his mind, and his lovely face meant more to him than what the huntsmen or military would do. He could destroy all the Paladins he wanted but not a single one was to fall in their hands. That had been a part of the arrangement she'd brokered with her associate in Atlas.

"You!" He pointed to the youngest group of White Fang members that had their rifles trained on him earlier. "I need you to finish setting the timed charges. If those don't go off the mission's over."

He waved his cane to a control panel at the center of the cavern far away from the train. They looked back to the caved in tunnel where the sounds of exploding rocks could be heard and swallowed.

"You'll have plenty of time to get back to the train," he lied. "We'll wait for you."

The masked men slowly nodded and Torchwick had to suppress a grin and mentally patted himself on the back.

'Why would we need timed charges if we have a train full of bombs?'

Luckily the men were either too nervous or thick headed to think it through and followed his orders.

"Everyone else on the SDC Express." He ran to the side of the train and waved his hat. "Next stop the soon to be the ex-City of Vale!"

Yang grunted as she moved another mountain of rock blocking the path with her fists. Her teammates along with Professor Oobleck stood afar keeping a safe distance from the flying rubble and clouds of dust. It would have been too dangerous for anyone besides her to clear the cave-in, and she could work faster without having to worry about accidentally killing anyone.

Ruby leaned against the cave wall for support as she chambered and re-chambered Crescent Rose over and over to make sure her baby wasn't jammed from the Mimic attack. The rifle operated as smoothly as ever to which she was relieved. She could rely on its high recoil to move around quickly and not her semblance.

Despite the claw marks and the black stain the ancient Grimm had left as reminders, Ruby could still feel the aura around her weapon from years of being together. She would have to sharpen the blade when they returned to Beacon of course, but the six foot scythe was still as deadly as ever.

She took a sigh of relief despite the worry going through her mind. While her sister was busy clearing the cave-in Torchwick had created, Ruby was taking a much needed rest and storing what aura she could. With the medicine kicking in her body had a slight numb feeling as the pain was masked but not completely gone. She knew from experience that her aura would fight the painkillers making them both less effective so she focused on storing it for later which wasn't easy. Skipping two years at Signal had its drawbacks at times, and she was finding more of them daily.

Weiss had given her a little of her own aura but it had been more of a comforting gesture than anything else. Without being an aura match her friends might have been able to heal a few of her minor injuries, but with her body's numerous cuts, bruises, and burns it would have been of little help and a waste of their powers. It hadn't stopped them from offering though.

On the opposite wall Blake kept her eyes focused over the blonde's shoulder as if she could see through the rock. Her shaking hand kept drifting to Gambol Shroud and her shadow danced in the dim light. Beside her Weiss kept a sharp eye on her partner taking note of every injury and how Ruby's aura kept flickering on and off.

She knew Ruby was conserving her strength but couldn't stand the thought of her not having an aura shield for protection. She peeked at her wrist scroll and nudged the girl beside her. She glanced down and shared Weiss' grimace. Without saying a word they nodded in agreement knowing what the other was thinking. Not only would they have to keep an eye on her but if the time came they would have to fight on the front line with Yang.

Besides being their leader Ruby held multiple positions on the team that eased the burdens on them both. Ruby was by far the fastest girl on the team, had by far the highest caliber gun, could easily fight at long, mid, and short range, had the sharpest weapon, and comboed well with everyone on the team. Both sisters generally fought in the front with Weiss supporting them from behind with glyphs, while Blake was used for distractions, setting traps, and using her jack of all trades versatility to support any of the three.

Without their leader it would mean they'd be less effective and would have to rotate. It was something they had practiced countless times before of course, but Weiss tired easily on the front line and couldn't support her team with glyphs, and while Blake was effective at picking her battles she didn't have the offensive power of her teammates to hold a line for long.

They took some solace in the fact that Ruby would have her sniper rifle to support them, and watched as she swung her blade around left handed before embedding it in the rock. She sat down and picked her foot up to tighten her boot but paused when she noticed them staring back at her.

Ruby could read their worried expressions and quickly forgot about her injured feet and stood up straight. She needed to look strong for her team. They couldn't go into battle worrying about her when they had their own lives to look out for and the City of Vale handing over their heads.

"I'm fine," Ruby said with authority and a hint of annoyance as she chambered her rifle again. She pulled the blade of the stone only to accidentally grind it against a metal pipe creating sparks. They continued to stare back at Ruby's determined face however as she had a grip on Crescent Rose so firm her knuckles turned white. Eventually they turned their heads to watch Yang instead.

Ruby sighed at her small victory and once again embedded the blade into the rock. She took a seat on Crescent Rose finding it much easier to tighten her boots this way rather than bending over.

When she smelled hair burning she looked up to see her sister on fire. "This should do it!" Yang roared as she readied her final punch.

"Careful, miss Xiao Long," Oobleck urged. "We don't want the ceiling to coming crashing down on us...again."

Blake turned her back to her team and shielded both sets of ears while the others covered the one. When Yang's fist connected with the stone it seemed as though the entire tunnel moved as everything exploded around them. Ruby pulled her hood up to protect her face while the others covered their mouths and noses with their sleeves.

*cough, cough* *cough, cough* *cough, cough* *cough, cough*

When the dust finally settled Yang removed her nearly brown goggles and pointed behind her.

"Anyone else see a train?"

With their coughing fits over the others peered around her and besides Ruby, were all awed by the old subway station the White Fang had expanded upon. It was enormous and could have fit an army...

Two girls however were much more interested in the train that was steadily moving forward.

The engine whistled causing Weiss to curse under her breath.

"That's my train," she hissed, grabbing Myrtenaster.

Blake's shadow shrank back but she already had her weapons out and was practically snarling.

Yang however was still grinning from her hard work and her aura showed.

Oobleck patted her on the shoulder. "Excellent work, miss Xiao Long. I always had faith that you wouldn't kill us."

She blew the mane out of her eyes "Don't mention it..." She didn't sound entirely convinced he was being sincere, but before she could mutter a snide remark he took off running.

"Hurry children!"

"Stop them!" cried a familiar voice.

Roman Torchwick stood atop the train pointing his cane in their direction.

"You!" Blake roared.

He waved his hat as a fireball flew towards them. Yang ran forward and swatted it out of the air with her crimson eyes seething.

The masked men guarding the panel in the middle couldn't help but grin seeing what was coming towards them. Why should they worried? It was only four girls and a man resembling a stick figure with glasses.

Bullets whizzed over the team's heads as they opened fire, and Weiss plunged her rapier into the ground instantly creating an ice barrier for protection.

The team took cover and breathed deeply, counting over twenty men firing automatic rifles.

Everyone naturally turned to the caped-girl whose mind began racing. "Freezerburn!" she shouted over the gunfire.

Several ice glyphs appeared around Yang who smashed her fists together filling the circles with her aura, and when Weiss flicked her wrist half of the cavern was covered in a thick fog and the gunfire suddenly became more erratic.

"I can't see!" several of the men cried.

Ruby took a deep breath. "Ice Flower!"

Crescent Rose peaked over the wall of ice just as light blue glyphs appeared around its barrel. Ruby fired and it was as if a blizzard blew through the subway as the mist and ice shells combined with Yang's aura.

"What's going on?" s man cried as he tried to lift his feet but couldn't.

"Sssoo...cccolldd," another stuttered.

"Ladybug!"

The White Fang tried to blind fire into the fog but many of their weapons simply clicked and refused to fire. Those who did have working weapons were quickly taken out by Blake's katana or cleaver leaving the unarmed for Ruby.

"Clear!" she shouted as the last man fell.

"I'm clear," Ruby reported out of breath.

The ice barrier dissipated and the others joined them.

'Thank you,' Yang mouthed to her partner for taking care of the armed men. Without much of an aura shield a stray bullet would likely kill her sister.

'Don't mention it,' Blake mouthed back.

"Good work, sis," Yang complimented as she ran to her and patted her shoulder.

Ruby shrugged at her sister's compliment. "ARK 34 rifles' dust chambers jam easily when exposed to too much moisture and cold. That's why Atlas discontinued them."

"And probably why the White Fang were able to get a hold of them so easily," Blake remarked.

"Yeah, but no one's colder than the Ice Queen." Yang snorted which earned her an icy glare but also a thin smile from the heiress.

"I'm sorry I ever called your unhealthy obsession with guns crazy, Ruby." Weiss quickly reloaded another light blue dust crystal into Myrtenaster and spun the cylinder.

"Enough with the lesson class," Oobleck said rather ironically. "The train is leaving."

Without a word the team raced for the train which was picking up speed down the dark tunnel. Another barrage of bullets rained down from atop the cars as the mist faded. Dozens of men in Grimm masks poked their rifles out and the girls ran for cover with Weiss keeping an ice glyph at the ready.

"The back!" Ruby cried as she fired her rifle for extra speed.

Bullets danced around her but the White Fang couldn't track her erratic movements. She hopped on the steps of the first train car and Blake and Oobleck arriving a second later to help with the heavy door.

"Hurry!" she cried to her slower teammates.

Yang discharged her gauntlets just as Weiss used a propulsion glyph, and landed on top of each other in the car just as they reached the tunnel.

Oobleck slammed the door shut and Ruby turned on her weapon's flashlight.

"Ummph! Get off me, Yang!" Weiss cried from underneath the blonde.

Yang blinked her red eyes seeing something familiar on the floor. "Are those your shoes, Ruby?" she asked bewildered as she pushed herself off the flattened girl.

Her sister looked down in the far corner and realized this was where she'd been tied up. "Yeah," she said not wanting to dwell on the dark room too much. She moved the light when she saw the scarlet drops on the ground.

"How are we going to stop the train?" Weiss asked standing back up. "It's like a firing squad up there."

Ruby bit her lip trying to come up with a solution. They were pinned down with nowhere to go but forward towards the White Fang who had both cover and an army.

"Um, guys?" Blake said pointing to their left. "What's that?"

Ruby shined her flashlight in the opposite corner from where she had been lying and saw a strange box with red and yellow wires connecting it to dust crystals. In the dark she hadn't recognized it, but now her eyes widened as she realized what Torchwick had been meaning by fireworks.

"Oh no…" She covered her mouth.

The team glanced over to her as Oobleck stooped down to inspect the package. He ran his hand across the box and paused.

"It's a bomb..." The air was sucked out of the moving car and reflexively everyone held their breaths afraid it might go off.

"You can't be serious!" Blake cried. "The White Fang aren't capable of something like this!" But even as she spoke she knew it was true. They had always been capable of this. She just never wanted to admit it.

"I'm afraid they are." Oobleck frowned. "We're heading north to the City of Vale, and we'll be there soon."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Yang said as her hair caught fire again. "Let's kick butt!"

"Um, sis?" Ruby pointed above them. "Machine guns, remember?"

"We'll just have to take them out."

"Umm, why is the bomb ticking?" Weiss asked, silencing the room.

No one moved. "CHILDREN! MOVE TO THE NEXT CAR!" Oobleck ordered.

Without a word the team opened the top hatch with Weiss taking point. She created another ice shield but moving was slow against so much gunfire which had resumed. Just when their feet touched the next train car they heard something break behind them. The train car had separated just as Ruby was about disconnect the cars with her scythe.

"Well isn't that peculiar?" Oobleck noted as the train car fell back a ways. "I wonder why-"

*BOOOOOOMMM!*

Everyone shielded their eyes from the explosion that rang their ears and took their breath away. Even the machine gun fire halted as the White Fang marveled from the other side of the train, and a few like Blake grabbed their ears in pain grimacing from the loud noise.

Suddenly, a cavern opened up above their heads and the team could see red eyes peering down.

"Creeps," Oobleck muttered.

"You can say that again," Yang said, disgusted as two legged creatures fell to the train tracks.

"No, it's called a Creep." The professor shook his head. "You four really must pay better attention in Professor Port's ecology class..."

"Well what are they?"

"They're Grimm with strong reptilian bodies that creep in the darkness. When the tunnel was built the huntsmen had to go and clear all of the surrounding caves and caverns. It would seem the shadows have bred more of them since sealing them off." Oobleck paused. "And we're leading them straight to the City of Vale..."

*RRRRRPPPTTTTAA!*

"Hey guys?" Weiss cried as she fell to her knees. "They're shooting again!" The ice shield was taking a beating and she couldn't hold it much longer.

"Of course!" Oobleck nodded. "Miss Belladonna, miss Xiao Long, and miss Schnee, you three go through the train cars below and get to the engine room and stop Torchwick."

"What about you two?" Yang asked, looking at her sister.

"Miss Rose and I will take care of the situation up here with the White Fang and slow down the Grimm as much as possible."

"No," she argued which took the professor aback. "We stick together."

"Miss Xiao Long that-"

"I'm not leaving Ruby again!"

Her sister smiled and laid a hand atop Yang's arm.

"Go," she said gently. "I'd only slow you three down right now."

Yang opened her mouth but Ruby threw her arms around her. "I'll be fine, sis. I promise."

Yang pulled her in tight and her eyes returned to lilac. "Don't do anything stupid," she whispered, "and come back safe."

"I will. You do the same."

"Never." Yang let go and cracked her knuckles while her younger sister grinned and chambered Crescent Rose.

"Can't... Keep... This up!" Weiss gasped.

"You three get going," Oobleck commanded. "We'll handle things out here. Good luck to you."

Weiss nearly screamed as Yang and Blake yanked her down below by the shoulders into the train car below. This left Ruby and Oobleck in the line of gun fire with a bomb under their feet and an army of Grimm following. The pair moved up as the shield fell and took refuge behind the next train car, and Ruby flinched as her sister punched her way through the metal car before punching through the next. She winked with Blake following with Weiss right behind.

'They'll stop Torchwick,' Ruby told herself. 'They're the best huntresses in the world...'

She heard the unmistakable sound of a weapon transforming and turned to see the professor holding his thermos which now sported a hand grip and trigger. He turned the bottom as if it were a dial and a red glyph appeared spewing fire.

"You'll have to take care of the White Fang, miss Rose. I'm afraid I won't be of much help."

"Why not?"

"They'd die painfully," he said matter of factly.

He pointed his thermos to the hordes of Grimm and the most magnificent golden flame Ruby had ever seen shot from the thermos like a cannon completely disintegrating several. She had to shake her head to stop staring. Her silver eyes had gotten lost like a moth to a flame, and so she climbed the ladder and took a deep breath.

While Oobleck stood on the back of the car with its railing firing, Ruby poked her rifle over the roof as bullets flew over her head whipping her hair around. She changed to a non-lethal yellow ammo clip and chambered a round. These explosives would kill smaller Grimm but the dust wouldn't cause too much permanent damage to a human, but just because they were non-lethal didn't mean they didn't hurt.

She pulled the trigger and her first target fell inside the train car likely with a separated shoulder, and pulled her hood up as another fireball exploded behind her.

The caped-girl put her next target in the cross hairs and just like before when she pulled the trigger the man fell...and he fell...and he fell...

He never stopped falling until he hit the ground beside the moving train.

Ruby's eyes went wide and her body froze. "NO!" she screamed.

The body rolled to stop in an awkward position in the dirt, and she climbed down reaching out as the train car was about to pass him.

"Grab my hand! Please!" she begged with her hand out.

Before Ruby could jump off the train Oobleck grabbed her around the waist. "There's nothing you can do," he said calmly. "Worry about yourself and the mission."

Tears ran down her face as the man disappeared underneath the claws of Grimm.

She had seen what they did to people up first hand, and now she had doomed a man to the same fate as her nightmares. Her body began shaking and she felt as though she'd vomit.

Oobleck lowered his voice. "I understand what happened to you as a child, Ruby, and I'm terribly sorry, but you have to do this."

She head shook violently. "These men are trying to kill you and the City of Vale!" he urged.

"I don't care!" Ruby screamed. "They're still people!"

She pushed the professor to the side and jumped atop the guard rail. She released her weapon's scythe and quickly reloaded to a stronger ammo clip.

"No!" he cried, reaching for her cape and catching only a handful of rose petals.

With her semblance activated Ruby soared over the heads of unsuspecting Grimm looking for the masked man before she disappeared in the horde swinging her blade.

"Ruby!" The professor pointed his weapon at the mass of Grimm but knew it was pointless. If she wasn't already dead his flames would burn her to a crisp before she had time to realize she was on fire.

When he could no longer hear the sounds of her rifle or see rose petals he hung his head and slammed his fist against the rail in rage.

He waited but nothing happened, and grimaced as he pointed his thermos at the Grimm cursing them all.

Just before he could pull the trigger however a streak of red shot out of the darkness. "Ruby!"

The caped-girl half-carried, half-dragged a lifeless body in one arm while she fired Crescent Rose repeatedly to gain speed, leaving a cloud of roses in her wake. With her hood pulled tight all Oobleck could see of her face were her determined silver eyes.

She wasn't fast enough though. She was barely outrunning the Grimm who were nipping at her heels. Their teeth just barely grazing their legs.

Oobleck marveled for a moment before turning the dial on his thermos which began to glow gold, and hesitated knowing what was about to happen.

"Here's to the last rose of Summer," he toasted.

As the liquid washed down his throat Oobleck could feel his mind racing and his body beginning to shake with power. The haste glyph within him turned his entire body gold, and behind his glasses his eyes illuminated the darkness.

Ruby was blinded as a bright light headed towards her, and she instantly thought of her sister's gold aura and her heart leaped out of her chest. The gold light rushed to her side and she closed her eyes fearing they'd burn right out of her head just from staring at its brilliance.

A weight was lifted from her shoulder and she opened her eyes afraid the man had fallen into the jaws of the Creeps. Instead however, the light was carrying him.

"Oobleck!"

"That's Doctor Oobleck!" he cried with a pained face.

Together they raced side by side. Just being next to him she could feel the energy of the haste glyph making her move faster, but it did nothing to take away the pain of each step.

"Almost there…" Ruby said as her fingers just missed the ladder.

Suddenly the train car fell back and she easily grabbed hold, and looked over at Oobleck confused.

"It detached!" he huffed. "We have to hurry to the next car!"

She nodded and together they raced past the train car when-

*BBBOOOOOMMMM!*

Oobleck grabbed his student shielding both her and the masked man as the explosion sent them flying.

"Umph."

Ruby yelped as her chest hit the railing and she flipped over onto her back. "Ooww..."

"You alright miss Rose?"

"I think so," she groaned. "You?"

"I've been worse." He grinned, looking back at her through broken glasses.

Ruby wasn't sure about that. The golden glow was gone and now he was out of breath with smoke coming off his clothes.

"You drink dust?!" she asked in horror.

Oobleck nodded. "My aura and semblance keep it from killing me...for now."

"For now?"

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell Dr. Heilen. I'm supposed to be on a strict no yellow dust diet."

Ruby loosened her boots as they screamed out in pain, and brushed the hair out of her eyes seeing several new claw marks from the Creeps.

When she saw the masked man beside her bleeding she pulled out a roll of bandages from her belt and set to work but Oobleck stopped her.

"Here, let me do that."

With her hand shaking Ruby handed them over. "What do we do now?" she asked, light headed and leaning her head against the cool metal of the train.

Oobleck looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well we can't go backwards and we can't exactly stay here. This car could detach any moment and blow us up along with it."

"And the White Fang," she breathed. "If I shoot them they could fall off again..."

Ruby looked away knowing she was the reason they were in this position and why Oobleck was now injured, but still she couldn't risk killing someone. She glanced at the masked man and wiped her eyes. Just the thought of it made her want to vomit.

The professor sighed. "Forgive me, Ruby. I told you to take the shot and I should have known better. It's not what Summ-" She glanced up at him. "It's not what Ruby Rose would do."

"What would I do?" she asked honestly curious.

"Do something completely reckless that no one else in their right mind would think to do. Professor Goodwitch once told me a story about how you and a giant slingshot killed a Nevermore, and she also tells me you're her brightest student and a prodigy."

There was that word again that her friends, fellow students, and teachers all had called her at Beacon. She didn't want to be a prodigy. She wanted to be Ruby Rose, but most of all she wanted to be her mother's daughter. Risking her life to save others...

"I-I think I can do that," she whispered to herself.

Oobleck patted her on the shoulder and she got to her feet, chambering her rifle and pulling her hood down making sure the crosses were fastened tightly. She pushed herself up using Crescent Rose for leverage and her body cursed with every step on the ladder.

Step by step she climbed and when her hair poked over the roof the gunfire resumed.

Oobleck turned to the unconscious body. "You're lucky she's her mother's daughter. I was going to leave you for dead." He suddenly clutched his chest and gritted his teeth. "Which is still a possibility I'm afraid."

Up above, Ruby charged the masked men with machine guns swinging her scythe at such a speed they were nothing more than a red and black blur. A cloud of roses followed behind, and her silver eyes shined beneath her hood. A roar much like her sister's battle cry also followed as she jumped from train car to train car spinning her blade and watching as the bullets came within inches from her face only for Crescent Rose to cast them aside. She never even blinked.

Before, Ruby had seemed so small and helpless to the men in masks, but now the White Fang had true fear in their hearts as the huntress with a six foot scythe approached at a speed their faunus eyes couldn't follow.

She swung her weapon and batted the masked men away cautiously aware of where they were standing. Ruby couldn't let a single one fall again. She wouldn't let a single one die...

Rose petals obscured their vision and all they could see was red and hear the roars of the caped-girl and her rifle. They all fell by her blade but she made sure not a single one fell off the train. Most didn't even feel the back of the blade as it collided with their heads.

At last Ruby stood victorious and dropped to her knees exhausted as clouds of rose petals blew off the train. Sweat poured off her face and her body began to slump and convulse. Crescent Rose found its blade embedded in the steel and she rested her head against it while dry heaving. Her entire body began to shake and she closed her eyes to keep the tears in.

"She should have never come to the city Ozpin," Oobleck muttered having watched and taken note of the entire event. "She isn't one of your chess pieces..."

The professor climbed the ladder and joined his student, tossing the masked man now wrapped in bandages in a pile with his unconscious comrades.

He bent down. "Well done, Ruby."

Out of exhaustion she was unable to lift her head or even acknowledge that she'd heard his praise. She had finally hit her limit, but it had been under her own terms.

*Boooommm!*

Her eyes shot open as another train car exploded. Light trickled down from the ceiling and she could see lush green above. They were getting close to the city and it's destruction.

Beowolves and Ursa from above joined the Creeps in the darkness, and she couldn't see an end to the legion of Grimm.

Ruby closed her eyes again taking a deep breath.

"They'll stop the train," she whispered, clutching her cross necklace tightly. "They will. Stay safe Yang..."

(A/N: Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed. Sorry for the slight delay but it could not be helped. I think Ruby risking her life to save an enemy is completely in character especially if it involves Grimm. It also takes her out of the fight and now has to completely rely on her teammates to finish the job which I like. I had thought about adding the Paladins to the fight but decided against it. Even if the operators aren't as good as Torchwick it would devalue them. Team RWBY has enough to contend with and they were just glorified bulldozers. I'm not sure why but it made me laugh to think Perry is simply a title Torchwick gives to someone so he'll remember their name. It seems in character. I will do my best to get chapters out in a timely manner but please bare with me. The coming chapters will likely be a little late so all prayers are welcomed. Once again thank you for reading and all of the support you all have given me. I love writing for you all. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)