The music changed, the fast, energetic beat of the dance floor fading into a slow, melodic song. Ruby took a deep breath, her heart still full from the conversation with Professor Ozpin. She had been standing on the sidelines for too long. With a newfound confidence, she walked onto the dance floor.
She found Weiss at the edge of the crowd, a small, weary smile on her face. Ruby took her partner's hand, a silent question in her eyes. Weiss's expression softened, and she gently placed her other hand on Ruby's shoulder, leading them into a slow, graceful dance.
Ruby, who had been so clumsy in her heels just moments before, now moved with a quiet elegance. She was no longer just a girl in a dress; she was a fighter who had found a new, quiet purpose. Her eyes never left Weiss's, and a genuine smile, one that reached all the way to her eyes, settled on her face. She was taking Ozpin's words to heart, not by fighting, but by living in this moment, by finding joy and peace with the people she loved.
Weiss, for her part, looked at Ruby with a soft, gentle expression. The playful irritation, the bossy demeanor, was all gone, replaced by a quiet admiration for her partner. She let Ruby lead, their steps a perfect, silent rhythm to the music. And as they danced, a small, genuine smile touched Weiss's own lips, a reflection of the happiness she saw in Ruby's eyes.
The final notes of the song faded into the gentle hum of conversation and the shuffling of feet. Ruby and Weiss slowly came to a stop, their hands still clasped, their eyes still locked in a silent, happy moment. The world around them seemed to reappear, but it was warmer, brighter than it had been before. A small, genuine smile lit up Weiss's face, and Ruby returned it with a look of pure, unadulterated joy.
Their peaceful bubble was gently broken when Yang's voice called out to them. They looked over to see Yang and Blake smiling as they approached, their own evening seeming to have been just as pleasant. Yang's grin was a bit wider than usual as she took in the sight of Ruby and Weiss holding hands, a knowing look passing between her and Blake.
"Well, look at you two," Yang teased, her voice a low, playful purr. "Having a good time?"
Ruby's cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn't let go of Weiss's hand. "Yeah," she said softly, a quiet contentment in her voice. "We did."
The team regrouped, sharing stories and laughter from their night.
On the other side, amidst the swirling spectacle of the dance, the teachers held a quiet, watchful vigil. Their expressions were a mix of professional responsibility and genuine enjoyment. General Ironwood, a rare, easy smile on his face, offered his hand to Glynda in a formal, polite gesture. She let out a small, weary sigh, but a hint of a smile touched her lips as she took his hand. With a graceful turn, they joined the dancers, their movements precise and practiced, blending seamlessly into the elegant crowd.
High above the dance floor, on an ornate balcony overlooking the grand hall, Emerald and Mercury stood, a pair of dark shadows against the brilliant lights below. They weren't a part of the party; they were a part of a mission. Emerald watched the dancers with a cool, detached gaze.
"It appears all the dancers have partners," she said into her earpiece, her voice a low, dry observation.
A crisp, impatient voice answered her from an unknown location. "How much longer do I have?" Cinder asked, the sound of her voice distant and cold.
"We should probably be home by midnight, just to be safe," Mercury chimed in, leaning against the railing with a relaxed posture that belied the tension of the moment.
"I'll keep my eye on the clock," Cinder said, the silence from her end now replaced with a faint, whispering sound of wind, hinting that she was perched on a high rooftop, a silent predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Down on the main floor, the members of Team RWBY and Team JNPR were lost in conversation, their laughter loud and their spirits high. For a moment, the worries of Grimm and villains were forgotten. Ruby, however, felt a sudden, inexplicable need for a moment of silence. She leaned in and whispered into Weiss's ear, telling her she'd be back in a minute.
She stepped outside, into the quiet, starlit night. The cold air was a welcome shock after the heat of the ballroom. She took a deep breath, her shoulders sagging with the weight of her recent stress. She smiled, truly smiled. The day had been filled with friends, laughter, and a profound, quiet happiness. For a brief moment, there was nothing to worry about.
Then her eyes caught something.
Her peaceful reverie was shattered as she spotted a dark figure, a fleeting shadow running across the rooftops of the buildings outside. It was a person, moving with an impossible speed and a chilling grace. Ruby's heart, which had just moments ago been at peace, began to pound in her chest.
She let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "Me and my big mouth," she whispered to herself, a weary complaint. She thought about going back inside, about ignoring the sight and rejoining the party. But the beast stirred inside her, a low, primal growl in her gut. It was an alarm bell, a signal that something was profoundly wrong. She clenched her fists, a quiet fury rising to meet the instinct. She had told herself she would slow down, but this wasn't a choice.
With one final, resolute breath, she made her decision. "Fuck it," she said, before she gave chase.
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Cloaked in the shadows of the night and wearing a featureless black mask, Cinder moved with the effortless grace of a ghost. She was a silent, ominous presence as she stalked the front of the transmit system building, her eyes scanning for any sign of trouble. With a sudden burst of speed, she whooshed across the open courtyard, a fleeting blur of motion that barely registered in the gloom. The movement was so quick it only caught the attention of a single guard, who turned his head with a confused frown. He began walking toward the spot where he thought he saw something, his hand resting on the hilt of his weapon.
Unbeknownst to him, Cinder had already vanished from his sight. She snuck up behind the guard, her movements silent, and with a single, brutal strike to the back of his neck, she knocked him out. Before his body could hit the ground, she caught him, her strength belying her graceful frame. She dragged him out of sight, hiding the unconscious form behind a dense thicket of bushes before looking around once more, making sure her actions had gone unnoticed.
With a final glance, she headed for the front doors of the building, the glass of the entry reflecting her cold, masked stare.
The moment she stepped inside, a group of four men, all armed and on high alert, turned to face her. Cinder didn't hesitate. She simply walked toward them, her posture radiating an audacious calm as if she were a long-expected guest.
"Excuse me. No one's allowed in this area," one of the guards stated, his hand moving to his gun.
He didn't get to finish the motion. Without answering, Cinder burst into a run, her form a swift, dark streak. Gunfire erupted, but she was a blur of motion, dodging each bullet with impossible speed. She closed the distance in a heartbeat, grabbing one guard's arm and twisting it, using his own body as a shield before striking him in the face with a precise, devastating punch.
A second guard charged at her with a stun stick, but Cinder jumped back to avoid the strike. She spun mid-air, kicking the guard hard in the chest before seizing the first guard's gun. She didn't even aim. She fired a quick, single shot that found its mark in the second guard's shoulder. As the guard crumpled, Cinder's leg lashed out, kicking the first guard's knee from behind. He fell with a grunt, a look of pain on his face. She grabbed his gun, put the barrel to his head, and fired, the brutal sound muffled by the enclosed space.
The two remaining guards, fueled by rage, charged her at the same time. Cinder smirked. She spun around, and from the air, two swords, forged from her burning Aura, shimmered into existence. Using her first sword, she parried a wild strike from one guard. Using the other, she sliced into his partner's shoulder, the blade cutting deep into his armor. Cinder then kicked him in the chest, freeing her sword and sending the man to the floor.
The final guard, seeing his comrades fall, charged with a desperate yell. Cinder lifted one of her swords, blocking his strike. With her other blade, she sliced into his neck, the weapon cutting clean through his head. He fell to the ground, unmoving.
Cinder let her swords dissipate into thin air before dusting off her clothes as she calmly walked towards the elevator. The doors opened with a soft chime, and two new guards stared on, their faces frozen in a look of terror. Cinder's smirk widened as she walked into the elevator.
The moment the doors began to close, the only thing that could be heard was the chilling sound of screaming as the elevator ascended to the top of the building.
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The last echoes of the ballroom music faded as Ruby rounded the corner and approached the front of the transmit building. The air was colder here, still and quiet, a stark contrast to the lively dance she had just left. The silence was unsettling, broken only by the faint, distant thrum of the city.
She walked up to the building's entrance, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of the figure she had seen on the rooftops. A sudden gasp escaped her lips when her eyes caught something tucked behind a thick row of bushes. It was a man, a guard, sprawled on the ground, his body still and his head at an unnatural angle. He was unconscious.
A low growl rumbled deep in Ruby's chest, a primal, angry sound that was no longer just her own. This wasn't a game. This was a direct, dangerous threat. Her hands, fueled by the rising fury and the beast within, came together in a fluid motion. A familiar surge of energy flowed through her, but it felt different this time—heavier, more potent.
Her blood scythe, Crescent Rose, began to form, but it wasn't the same familiar silver gleam she knew. The scythe's blade was a deeper, almost obsidian black, with a faint, pulsing red aura. The shape was the same, but the essence was different, sharper and more jagged, like a blade forged from rage itself.
She shook her head, forcing the thought away. Now's not the time to look into that.
Taking a deep, final breath, she gripped the newly formed scythe tightly in her hands. The time for parties and happy thoughts was over. She was back in her world. She was back to being a Huntress. And someone was in her world, causing trouble. With a determined look in her eyes, Ruby headed inside the building, ready for whatever awaited her.
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The elevator doors on the top floor slid open with a soft chime, revealing a scene of quiet devastation. Cinder stepped over the bodies of the two guards she had just dispatched, a cold smirk gracing her lips. She held a scroll in her hand, its screen a soft glow in the dim light. "Hmm, this will come in handy," she said to herself, a triumphant note in her voice. She slipped the scroll into her back pocket and walked out of the elevator.
The doors closed behind her, and Cinder moved with a fluid, confident stride toward the front desk terminal. She turned the computer on, the screen flickering to life. Her fingers, quick and precise, began to type, her expression one of focused intensity as she hacked into the main system of the transmit tower.
A faint crackle came through her earpiece. "A party guest is leaving." It was Emerald.
Cinder let out a soft sigh of impatience. "Which one?" she said, her fingers never stopping their work.
"Ironwood," Emerald stated.
Cinder's eyes narrowed. The general was a powerful opponent, a complication she didn't need right now. "I guess the General had enough fun for one night. Should we intervene?" Mercury chimed in.
Cinder typed in the final line of code. A single, stylized chess piece appeared on the screen for a moment before vanishing, a symbol of her successful infiltration. "No. We're done here," she said, her voice filled with a finality that brooked no argument.
She stood up, satisfied, and started heading for the elevator. That's when she noticed it was coming up.
A chime echoed through the silent room, and the elevator doors slid open once more. Ruby was standing there, her blood scythe held firmly in her hand, her eyes scanning the empty room in confusion. "Hello?" she called out, stepping out of the elevator.
The high heels she was still wearing proved to be her undoing. She stumbled a bit, her feet catching on each other. A groan of frustration escaped her lips. "Ugh, I hate these things," she muttered to herself, recovering her balance.
She looked around again, her eyes searching for the figure she had seen outside. "Is anyone there?" she repeated, her voice a little louder.
Hidden behind the front desk, Cinder watched her, a look of profound annoyance on her face. "Damn it," she whispered to herself. "Why did it have to be her?"
She stood up, her mask still in place, her face a blank canvas of cool indifference.
"Excuse me," Ruby said, her voice regaining its confidence as she spotted the masked figure. "You know it's not a masquerade party, so why don't you take off that--"
Before Ruby could finish her sentence, Cinder waved her hand. A meow orange dust canister, a small, shimmering vial, appeared in her hand. With a quick gesture, she solidified its contents into a handful of jagged, crystalline shards. She launched them at Ruby, the pieces flying through the air with deadly speed.
Ruby's instincts took over. She spun her blood scythe in her hands, its large, lethal blade a blur of motion as it blocked each shard, the sound of the impacts echoing through the quiet room. The peaceful night was over.
Ruby didn't hesitate. As the dust settled from the deflected attack, she swiftly shifted her blood scythe's form. The sleek, crimson blade folded and transformed, and in her hands, it became a powerful, high-impact rifle. A fresh surge of her new power flowed through her, and the bullets that fired from the barrel were no longer just solid projectiles; they were solidified spheres of dark energy, propelled with a deafening thud.
Cinder, a blur of motion, ducked behind a large, metallic front desk as the bullets slammed into the surface with a concussive force that shook the floor. Without a moment's pause, Cinder's hands were engulfed in a shimmering heat. Two swords of pure, brilliant fire materialized in her grasp. She vaulted over the desk, her expression a mix of cold confidence and fierce intent as she charged at Ruby.
Ruby met her head-on. She shifted her rifle back into its scythe form, the weapon a heavy, powerful blur as she swung it at Cinder. The blade's impact hit Cinder's fire-swords, sending the villainess flying backward with a fierce, burning push.
But Cinder was not finished. While she was still in midair, she let her swords dissipate, and in their place, a shimmering bow of pure fire appeared. Three flaming arrows formed on the string, and with a swift, fluid motion, she fired them all at once. They struck Ruby's scythe with a violent burst, the explosion forcing the young Huntress to stumble back, smoke rising from her cloak.
They both stood their ground, glaring at each other. The air was thick with tension, a silent challenge passing between them. The beast stirred inside Ruby, and a low, guttural growl escaped her lips.
Before either of them could move, a soft chime filled the air, and the elevator doors opened once more. The sound drew Ruby's attention for a single, critical moment.
General Ironwood, his face a mask of confusion, stepped into the carnage.
A triumphant grin spread across Ruby's face. The fight was over. Cinder was caught. But when Ruby looked back, the space where Cinder had been was empty. The villainess was long gone, the only trace of her a faint, dissipating heat in the cold air.
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Cinder reappeared in a dark, empty hallway, the harsh light from the dance hall doors casting a long shadow behind her. With a subtle flick of her wrist, her combat clothes shimmered and shifted, the black leather and metal giving way to a flowing, fiery red dress. She reached up and pulled the black mask from her face, her confident smile on full display. With a look of utter disdain, she dropped the mask onto the tiled floor, crushing it beneath her heel with a sharp, deliberate crunch.
She opened the door and walked back into the ballroom, the vibrant music and cheerful lights washing over her. She moved with an easy, fluid grace, her eyes scanning the crowd with a predator's calm. Her smile faltered for a moment, and her eyes widened in a genuine, surprised look as she saw the person she least expected to find here.
With a newfound, confident stride, she walked over to Alex, who was laughing with a friend. She extended a hand, a silent challenge in her gesture. "Mind dancing with me?" Cinder said, her voice a low, teasing whisper.
Alex's laughter died in her throat. "Cinder..." she whispered, her eyes wide with shock. But without making a scene, she gently took Cinder's hand and allowed herself to be led to the dance floor.
They began to dance, their bodies moving in a slow, intimate rhythm. They were in perfect sync, their steps and turns a fluid, shared memory. A weird, comfortable silence passed between them, a silence that felt heavy with years of unspoken history.
Alex was the one who finally broke it, her eyes boring into Cinder's with a mix of fury and pain. "What are you up to, Cinder?" she said, her voice a low growl.
Cinder's smile only grew, becoming sly and mischievous. "What makes you think that I'm up to something?"
"Because I know you," Alex said, her voice hardening. "I know that look in your eyes."
Cinder's smile softened into something genuinely fond. She reached up and placed a hand on Alex's cheek, her thumb caressing the smooth skin. She then leaned in and kissed Alex softly on the cheek. Alex's heart skipped a beat at the sudden, intimate gesture. "Are you still mad about what I did?" Cinder whispered, her voice full of a tender regret.
Alex stayed silent, her eyes filled with a painful conflict.
Cinder patted her cheek lightly, her smile unchanging. "You can't be mad forever," she whispered.
Alex's eyes narrowed, a low growl rumbling in her throat. "I'll ask again..." she repeated, her voice sharp with desperation. "What are you doing here?" But Cinder didn't answer.
After a long moment, Cinder leaned in and whispered directly into Alex's ear, a cold, confident promise in her tone. "You will soon find out... And you will soon come back to me."
Cinder smiled, pulling away from Alex. "I think that's enough of a dance for me," she said, before she turned and walked out of the ballroom, leaving Alex standing alone on the dance floor.
Alex stared at her retreating form, a cold, sinking feeling taking hold in her heart. She knew that feeling. It was a bad one, and she knew a storm was coming.
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The top floor of the transmit tower was a scene of controlled chaos. Shattered glass shards from Cinder's first attack lay scattered across the polished floor. The faint, acrid smell of ozone and burnt glass still lingered in the air.
Ruby, still a little breathless, stood before General Ironwood, recounting the details of her pursuit. Her words came in a frantic rush—the figure on the rooftop, the knocked-out guard, the ruthless way Cinder had fought, and the chilling coldness of her attack. Ironwood listened in silence, his expression unreadable, his eyes scanning the debris of the fight with a professional, grim detachment.
"She was so fast," Ruby said, her hands gesturing wildly to emphasize her point. "And she used her Semblance, she made fire and... and glass! She wasn't just here to fight, she did something. It was like... like she was in a hurry to get it done."
As Ruby spoke, a single, black chess piece materialized and flashed on one of the large, main control screens. It appeared for only a second before vanishing, a subtle, unseen move in a game they didn't even know they were playing. It was a single, definitive click of a piece into place, a silent signal that a new, darker phase had begun.
Unbeknownst to them all, the dark time had now begun.