Chapter Text
Oscar hurriedly fired round after round from Due Process, taking out several Grimm attacking the medical squad he and Clover were protecting. “This is getting really hairy!!!” Oscar cried out.
“It’s not all that bad!” Clover replied, firing from his rifle. “I’ve nearly died at least eight times before this, and each one was fine!!!”
‘Oh dear, he’s bold AND stupid’ Ozpin said in Oscar’s head. Oscar went and fired another round at a tiny Deathstalker rushing up to their feet, before pulling the trigger again to hear it click.
“Shit, I’m out!!!” Oscar rushed over to cover, fumbling as he tried to reload the bullets given to him. “Come on…….” Oscar muttered to himself before getting the gun taken from him and replaced with the rifle.
“Just use this, I’ll get it!!” Clover told him, crouching and nimbly putting the bullets in. Oscar, gulping, brought the rifle up, aiming and quickly shooting at several incoming Grimm.
“I see Qrow and Winter!!!” Oscar told Clover.
“Cover them while they hurry to us!” Clover told him, standing and switching guns with Oscar again. Moving out from their cover, Clover aimed towards the other pair, firing rounds at any approaching Grimm to them. Winter and Qrow hurried towards the squad faster, before Winter began to fumble.
“No!!!” Oscar cried out before Clover dropped his rifle, pulling out King Fisher, and casting, latching the hook right on Qrow’s collar as he went to scoop her up. Reeling back hard, Clover quickly drug them back towards the squad. Oscar looked over, spotting a large Green and Red Creep with a massive horn rushing towards him. “Clover, look out!!!” Clover barely had time to react as he dropped his weapon, grabbing onto the horn and jumping as the beast ran with him away from the squad.
“Ngh! Feisty little bastard, aren’t you?” Clover taunted the Creep, before the Red portions of it began to bubble. “Uh-oh!!” Clover pushed away as the Grimm exploded, throwing him away at a rock cliff. Slamming hard into the rocks, Clover looked back to see several more Creeps like the one that had tried to gore him, circling him. Gulping, Clover tried his best to stand, before being forced to sit before them. “Looks like my luck’s ran out…..” Clover said as he saw the Creeps begin to bubble.
“NOT TODAY!!!” Before any of them could do anything, James rushed in, getting right before Clover and raising his left arm and leg, the skin on them growing and expanding before they stopped as they created a half-dome shape on each limb. James put both of them together, stiffenning this skin as his Semblance took the brunt of the Creeps exploding before them.
“James!!” Clover cried out, seeing his leader wince in pain. After a few seconds from the last explosion, the skin retracted, turning back into James’ arm and leg, albeit now emaciated. James chuckled as he reached over and grabbed onto Clover. “Why’d you do that!? You remember what happened last time?!”
“Because of the exact same reason as last time.” James said to him, pulling him close to himself.
“J-James, what if someone sees?” Clover nervously asked. James chuckled, moving his face closer to Clover.
“Let them see.” James said as he gently kissed him.
“Ruby!!” Weiss cried out, running over to her team, having met at the steps to Salem’s castle.
“Weiss!!! Penny!!!” Ruby cried out, handing the glass Crescent Rose to Cinder before rushing over with Blake and Yang, hugging their friends. “Are you guys okay?” Penny shook her head to them.
“Spyro gave his life so we could beat Watts, but Salem was the one that took him out.” Penny said, having Spyro’s faceplate resting around her neck, hanging on by a strap.
“Penny, I’m so sorry….” Yang said, hugging her tighter.
“Yang, what’s that?” Weiss asked her, pointing to Wilt and Blush, strapped to her back and tied shut with a torn red strand of cloth.
“Salem managed to bring Adam back. We managed to push her back, but doing so made Adam sacrifice himself.” Blake clarified.
“He wasn’t the only one.” Mercury shouted to them, landing with Emerald, her eyes puffy and Gretchen’s necklace on her neck.
“What happened?”
“Hazel…….tried to detonate her…...to give us some more time…..” Emerald slowly said, trying not to cry again as Mercury held her shoulder.
“You guys should head back to the camp, see who else needs help.” Ruby told them.
“No way.” Mercury told her. “Hazel gave his life to make sure that we could win. There’s no way in hell I’m going to just sit there on my ass twiddling my thumbs as you guys kill her.”
“Ditto.” Emerald angrily said. “Plus, that place is a maze. You need someone who’s been inside before.”
“Not to mention we need-”
“Oscar!” Penny cried out. Everyone looked behind Mercury and Emerald, seeing Oscar and Team NRJN strolling up the hill.
“Hey guys!!” Oscar said to them, the groups uniting. “Is everyone okay?”
“We will be once we get the job done.” Blake said, balling her fists up. “So, how sure are we that she-” Before she could finish, several dozen black wisps shot up the staircase and towards the castle, angry screams following them.
“Guess that answers that question.” Weiss said. Ruby turned to the group, looking serious.
“Alright, the plan currently, is for Myself, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Penny and Oscar to head into wherever she is, and then take her out.” Ruby said to them.
“You still need a guide in there.” Mercury said to her.
“I know. Which is why I want Emerald to come with us to lead us through.”
“What about us?” Nora asked.
“We need someone to watch our asses.” Yang joked, getting nods from Jaune and Neo.
“Make sure you give her one for us, as payback. For Pyrhha and Roman.” Jaune told them.
“Done.” Blake said. Jaune brought his fist towards them, getting them joined by Nora, Neo and Ren’s. Ruby smiled, putting her fist to theirs as well, joined by her team, Oscar and Penny.
“What’re you two doing, get in on this!” Nora chastized Mercury and Emerald, who both blushed a bit before putting their fists in on either side of the circle.
“This is it guys. We take Salem out. Now.”
“This way.” Emerald said to the group as they entered the main Foyer of the Castle, seeing the building as dark and decrepit as she had remembered. Emerald snaked them through the hallways, listening as the Wisps collected and reunited. “She’s almost fully formed. She may not be as strong as she was due to this.”
“Where do you think she is?” Ruby asked her.
“If I had to wager a guess, I’d say Throne Room. It’s where we normally spoke to her.” Emerald said, leading them along. “Stick close, the Grimm are allowed to move freely in here.” The group travelled along the twisting and turns of the building, before getting to one dead-end room.
“Through here?” Ruby asked her.
“Yeah, just…..” Emerald paused, obviously terrified. Ruby walked up and gently put her hand on her shoulder.
“It’s okay, we’re almost done. Just stay here.”
“No way.” Emerald said. “I am not letting you all take her out and just stay on the sidelines.”
“Em, I love your enthusiasm, but this isn’t about who fights who.” Yang said. “This is about finishing Ozpin and Salem’s fight. And unfortunately, that doesn’t include you.”
“Why don’t you stay at the door, so if we need help, you can get Mercury, Jaune and the others faster. Is that okay?” Blake asked. Emerald glared, then nodded, opening the door for them. Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Penny and Oscar entered Salem’s throne room, seeing the Tyrant panting while reclined on it, her hair disheveled, her eyes narrowed in pain.
“Hurts reforming so many times in quick succession, huh?” Ruby asked her.
“Don’t…….tempt me, Girl…...I had your Mother killed once, I won’t hesitate to do the same to you.” Salem spat out, struggling to stand. Before anyone else could say anything, Oscar grunted as Ozpin forcefully took over.
“Enough!!” Ozpin bellowed, thrusting Oscar’s chest out to cause a bit of light to erupt, before appearing before them as a spectral Ozma once again, before Oscar collapsed to the floor. “Salem, enough of this.” Ozma stated to her, hearing her scoff.
“Don’t try to toy with me, Ozma. I don’t want to entertain your games anymore.” Salem spat out, glaring at him.
“No tricks, Salem. I figured a way out of his body to show you.” Ozma stated, floating before her. Watching her slowly stand before him, Ozma held out his hand.
“So what? You want to inhabit this perfect body? You had a chance before, I’m not letting any inch of you inside me ever again.” Salem scowled at him.
“It’s alright. I found a way to end your Immortality. A Spell I had long since forgotten about.” Ozma explained, seeing her face brighten up.
“Don’t lie to me, Ozma! I can’t take it when anyone lies anymore!!!!” Salem screamed at him, reaching for his coat, and showing shock when she realized that she was able to grip it. “Y-you’re tangible.”
“I told you, it’s a way for both of us to end our Immortalities.” Ozma replied, cupping her face, seeing tears welling from her eyes.
“Ozma…..” She sheepishly said, hugging him tightly, allowing it to linger before she noticed a giant Glyph appearing behind Ozma. “What?!” She quickly said before feeling Ozma phase through her and use his body to hold hers in place. “Ozma!! No!!!!! What are you doing?!?!” She demanded from him.
“Putting an end to both of us, by Sealing us away!!! NOW GIRLS!!!!!” Ozma shouted, seeing the Girls start preparing. Ruby making her eyes glow orange, Yang glowing hers Blue, Penny’s a bright Green and Blake’s a deep Purple, before they aimed their hands at the Glyph, blasting it with different Elemental Magic, then on the side that Ozma and Salem are on launching a pure white blast at the both of them.
“GAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!” Salem screamed out as pain racked her body. Ozma grunted, but held firm, feeling the pain she was feeling as well as the Spell he instructed them to help perform racked their bodies. Before long, Salem was trying to use her own Magic to force his back.
“N-no…..” Ozma struggled out as he did his best to hold onto her, looking back as the Girls added both of their hands to try to overpower her. “You can do this…..” Ozma said gently, before seeing figures start to appear.
Ruby struggled to keep her power towards the Glyph, focusing all of her energy to pumping out Magic. “Come on…..” She grunted out, trying to keep it up, before seeing a familiar hand appear beside her. Quickly turning her head, she’s shocked as she sees who grins back to her.
“Come on, runt! We can do this!” Cinder taunted to Ruby, increasing the power output of the Girls as more of the past Maidens appeared beside them.
“We’re all part of you all, so now let’s get together to force this through.” Summer replied from Ruby’s other side, holding her hands out to help boost the power as well.
“They’re…..all coming back…..” Weiss said, struggling to keep the Glyph together as she sees all of the past Maidens standing beside the current ones. Seeing Cinder, Summer and Amber beside Ruby, Raven beside Yang, Fria beside Penny, and Pam beside Blake, Weiss refocuses. “I gotta do my part too!” She states, forcing more of her Aura towards keeping the Glyph active.
“Ngh…...wha~?” Oscar said slowly as he propped himself up off the floor, before seeing the display before him. “Ozpin!? Salem?! What are you doing?!?!!” He said, shocked as he realized what was going on.
“Putting an end to this, by putting an end to both of us.” Ozma gritted through.
“Why’d you leave me to do that?!?” Oscar asked, trying to stand towards them before feeling a hand on his shoulder. Turning his head, he suddenly pales when he sees Raven shaking her head.
“If he stayed in your body, you’d lose your life kid.” Raven told him, keeping her hand held out.
“This is alright, Oscar. Now you can live your own life. Without me.” Ozma told him, feeling parts of their body start to turn to stone.
“...but….” Oscar weakly said as more and more of their bodies solidified.
“Damn you!!! Damn you Ozma!!! You lied!!!!!” Salem spat at him.
“I didn’t. For the first time, I’m being truthful. It’ll seal us both away, and end both of our Immortalies. Goodbye, Salem. Even after everything, I’ve still loved you.” Ozma said, fully turning solid as stone.
“….Oz…….no….” Salem said, tears welling in her eyes. Salem looked back amongst all of the past Maidens before her, seeing them appear and raise their hands in aid, before four right at the doors to her Throne Room appear, raising their hands and adding to the Power, surging it even more into her. Salem began screaming out in anguish as she turned to stone as well. Once they saw this, they let off their blast, each of them panting.
“It’s…..over…..” Ruby said, looking back at the other Maidens, smiling at them. “Thank you all for helping us out.” Ruby then noticed several of the other Maidens start disappearing, before seeing Amber herself wave and disappear as well.
“What is happening?” Penny asked, feeling Fria’s hand on her shoulder.
“It’s a rule of their Magic. If the caster dies, every Spell they ever cast that still was in place ceases. By Sealing them, the Maiden’s Magic is lost forever. Goodbye, sweet Penny. Being a part of you was just wonderful. It made me feel like a kid again.” Fria explained, smiling before disappearing herself.
“Don’t worry, kids. We’ll always be a part of you, even if the Magic’s not there anymore. And you, Little Dragon.” Raven said, shaking Yang’s shoulder, “Go make your girl happy.” Raven then looked to Ruby and said “Keep your Sister safe, alright?”
“….we aren’t Sisters…..” Ruby shyly said.
“I know. Still don’t want her unsafe.” Raven replied. “And tell Qrow…..sorry for everything.” Raven smiled at them as she disappeared.
“Well, looks like this is it.” Pam said gently. Blake nodded, smiling at her. “It was fun at least, seeing everything outside of Shade, helping people like we did…..”
“Yeah. It was a lot of fun. Could’ve done without all the death, though.” Blake joked. Pam smiled at her, hugging her.
“Make sure you visit Ahkara Village and make sure that Bill doesn’t go too crazy with everything gone, okay?” Blake playfully groaned, rolling her eyes.
“If I haaave to.” Blake joked, the pair of them sharing a laugh, before Pam disappeared.
Summer hugged Ruby tightly, rubbing the young Huntress’s back as she did so. “I’m sorry that I was out of your life for so long. And I’m sorry that, as we just got back together, we have to be apart again.” She said, crying.
“It’s okay, Mom. It’s like Aunt Raven said, even though we may no longer be connected by the Magic, we’re still connected. A part of you is still in me.” Ruby replied, tapping her forehead to her Mother’s.
“You have your Father’s Optimism.” Summer joked to her.
“And I have your eyes. It’s what everyone tells me.” Ruby responded, parting from her as she saw Summer wave before disappearing.
“Well, I can’t say I’m not very much irritated that all that struggle to stay in existence somewhat has been for nothing.” Cinder said, holding her only arm close to her and looking away from Ruby smugly. Ruby chuckled at this, grinning to her.
“Cinder, you can drop the act. We know you’re glad to no longer have to share part of me.” Ruby responded, getting chuckles from the others, making Cinder blush.
“S-shut up!!!” She responded, rubbing her side before Ruby pulled her into a hug, shocking the former Maiden. Slowly softening up, she lowered her head to Ruby’s ear and whispered, “I proved I could still be good, right?” into it.
“Yeah. You definitely proved that.” Ruby responded, hugging her tighter, feeling Cinder’s arm slowly slide around her to hug her back, before feeling Weiss, Blake, Yang and Penny join in on the hug. After parting and allowing Cinder to step back, Ruby waved. “See you Cinder. Maybe in another life, we can be friends.”
“…..I’d like that. See you, Ruby.” Cinder said, waving back as she slowly disappeared. The group watched as more and more Maidens left, before seeing four Women walk forward, each one smiling at them.
“Well, it looks like the end of the line has finally done it.” The one in Blue said to them.
“Uh, who are you guys?” Yang asked. The woman in the Pink poofy pants and suspenders giggled a bit at her question.
“We’re the original Maidens. I’m Margo.” Margo answered.
“I’m Denise.” The one in Blue, Denise, explained, hugging Penny. “I was originally the Winter Maiden.
“I’m Donna.” The woman in the Green Dress explained as well. “And I gotta say, I normally don’t wear black, but it’s definitely a cute look!” Donna winked at Blake, making her blush.
“And I’m Carrie.” The last Maiden, in the Orange-tinted Schoolgirl outfit, explained. “I just wanna say thank you all, for ending this nonsensical cycle.”
“Eh, it was nothing…..” Ruby meekly said.
“Don’t put yourselves down, it was great!” Denise said, giving them hugs as well. “And you, Miss Schnee. If there’s anyone from my bloodline I thought might have the spark of Magic I had, it’s you.”
“Wait, what?!?” Weiss asked, seeing her smile.
“I’ll say hi to Great-Great-Great-Grandpa for you, okay?” Denise said, smiling as she stepped back to the others.
“And that thing that Raven and Summer said about always being a part of you all?” Donna said, “That counts double for us too.”
“Really?” Oscar asked them, holding himself up on The Long Memory.
“Mhm! We were the ones who decided to show off with your Symbols!” Margo said, pointing to where Blake’s emblem tattoo would be on her own body.
“Really?” Ruby asked.
“Yeah. It was one way we could always be with you all. And we always will.” Carrie said, smiling as the four began to levitate with their Maiden aura around them, before disappearing, leaving the girls and Oscar alone with the stone Statue.
