Protest Too Much (New)
Protest Too Much
With Professor Ozpin gone to question Cinder, and Sunset and Pyrrha gone to manhandle Cinder down to where she could be interrogated, everyone else was left waiting.
Ruby got the impression that there was no one it wasn't a little bit awkward for.
Certainly, it felt awkward for her, and from the looks on Jaune's and Penny's faces, it was a little bit awkward for them too.
It wasn't the adults’ faults that they were here, Ruby understood that they'd wanted to see for themselves that Cinder really had been taken into custody — although she was less sure why they all wanted to stick around here now — but it was making things kind of awkward. It was hard to talk to Jaune and Penny with Professor Goodwitch, General Ironwood, or the First Councillor of Vale all standing so close by, casting their shadows over them.
As it was, Ruby found her thoughts turning inwards. Professor Ozpin hadn't said so — yet — but she was starting to doubt that Amber would be coming with her and Yang to Patch. Professor Ozpin had decided to send her there because Cinder was on the prowl, and, well, she wasn't on the prowl anymore, was she?
Just as she wasn't looking so smug and superior anymore, with that stupid smile on her face like she knew some big secret.
But more importantly than Ruby's own sense of smugness at the downfall of someone who would have irritated her even if she hadn't been evil was the fact that Professor Ozpin's emergency plan to safeguard Amber was no longer necessary.
That was a bit of a pity for Ruby, since it would have been cool having a house guest, someone to show around Patch, someone who would have enjoyed the woods and the wilds and the view from the cliffs, but at the same time, it was pretty good, really good, for Amber, and that was what really mattered.
Amber could … she couldn't quite do what she liked. Pyrrha thought that Amber would be able to visit Mistral or Atlas, and maybe she would, but privately, Ruby had some doubts. She was still the Fall Maiden, after all, and if Cinder had known who she was, then there was nothing stopping Salem from sending others after her.
If she had any others to send. She might not, Pyrrha seemed to think that she didn't, Sunset seemed willing to accept that she didn't, and even Professor Ozpin seemed to agree that it would take Salem a while to move on from this, to find someone else to smirk like they knew things you didn't and talk like they were smarter than you and go around like they were so high and mighty when really…
Anyway, the point was … maybe they were right. Maybe Salem didn't have any substitutes lined up. Or maybe it would be Emerald trying to end the world next week, and Pyrrha and Sunset and even Professor Ozpin were all just engaged in wishful thinking because they wanted it to be done, or if not done, then at least put on hold for a little while. They wanted to believe that they had put a period on something.
Ruby wanted to believe that too; it would have been great to be able to believe it.
She just couldn't be certain.
It did make sense, she supposed. If you were never going to die, then you had all the time in the world to think things through, and if they still didn't work out, then there was nothing to stop you from taking a little time to work out what went wrong and what could you do better next time.
Maybe choose a right-hand woman who isn't so full of herself next time.
But, if the Maidens were usually kept secret, their identities hidden, then it would also make sense to strike while you knew who the Fall Maiden was in the hope that you could get the powers before Amber died and there was a new Fall Maiden whose name you didn't know.
All of that being said, Pyrrha had been prepared to take Amber to Mistral even before they caught Cinder, so … perhaps that wouldn't bother her even if Ruby brought it up.
She just didn't want Amber to have to hide and get shut away for her own safety.
Ruby could get that. It didn't sound like much of a life, and she knew better than some that restrictions weren't made easier to bear by being placed on you by someone who meant well and thought they were doing the right thing.
But the risk…
Ruby didn't know. They had won tonight, after all. Pyrrha was absolutely right: they had won, no buts, no drawbacks, no qualifications; they had won.
However long or short it lasted, this triumph could not be taken away from them.
She just wasn't sure how long it would last.
And she really wished that she could have talked to the others instead of being stuck in her own head like this.
Ruby supposed, while she was stuck with her thoughts like this, that the important thing was … was what was important. Important to you, or important to everyone, just generally.
Like, Pyrrha had decided that she was going to take Amber to Mistral, even before they'd gotten Cinder, way before, because Amber wanted to go, and Pyrrha had decided that Amber's happiness was more important to her than Professor Ozpin's desire to keep everything hush hush.
And Ruby … Ruby could appreciate a blow struck for freedom of the individual, and as she had said to Sunset at the time, if you were going to have a principle like that, then you couldn't quibble when it came to following through.
So let Amber visit Mistral. They'd all go — go back, in the case of Jaune, Sunset, and Ruby herself — to Mistral.
But they owed it to Amber as well as to themselves to be prepared for the possibility of trouble once they got there.
But what about it? They'd just proven, with extra emphasis and the seal of undeniable success, that they were prepared to deal with trouble. And you couldn't stuff people away in the dark just because it was more convenient for you.
You could do almost anything you wanted, provided you were prepared to face the consequences, and provided you didn't hurt anyone else in the process.
So if Amber wanted to see the world, they would show her the world and guard her while she saw it. And then…
Then Amber would have to go back into the dark because Team SAPR couldn't protect her forever.
They'd have next year's classes, for one thing.
Not to mention, as much as Ruby liked Amber, she didn't want to devote her whole life to the Fall Maiden's protection.
Not to mention, how likely was it that Amber was going to want them around for the rest of her life? Eventually, she and Dove would want some alone time.
And then she would want as many aunts and uncles around as she could get, the way Uncle Qrow was always coming over when Ruby and Yang were little.
Well, not exactly like that, because Amber wouldn't be gone, and neither would Dove, and there wouldn't be another woman … or another man. But the point was, she'd probably want some help once they got to that point.
Ruby's memories of those days were a little fuzzy, but the implication that she and Yang had been a bit of a handful had been more than confirmed by Uncle Qrow's stories from that time.
Did that all make sense? Ruby hoped that it made sense, but it might not. It felt … it felt like it was three in the morning, and she was awake with only thoughts that might or might not be sensible for company.
Except she didn't feel dehydrated.
General Ironwood broke the silence, for which Ruby was very thankful. He clasped his hands together behind his back as he said, “Mister Councillor, General Blackthorn, since we’re all here, I wonder if I might have a word with you regarding the gathering grimm concentrations—”
“'Grimm concentrations'?” Ruby asked, her ears pricking up — not literally, although Ruby sometimes thought it might be pretty cool to have ears that pricked up like Sunset or Blake — at the mention of such a thing. “Where?”
General Blackthorn said, “Nothing that a child—”
“The grimm are massing beyond Vale,” General Ironwood interrupted. “Aerial reconnaissance shows that their numbers are growing; at present, they are holding their positions, but more grimm have been mustering all day, and the day before when we really began to notice it. Even if Miss Rose were a child, a child would know that such things can’t be ignored.”
“Where are they coming from?” asked Jaune. “I mean, after the Breach, I thought that most of the grimm … I thought they were weakened?”
“Not all of the grimm in the southeast took part in the Breach,” Professor Goodwitch reminded them. “As I believe you found on your second trip to Mountain Glenn recently. In particular, I believe — and no doubt Doctor Oobleck would agree with me, if he were here — that the older grimm, wiser and more experienced, would have been reluctant to take part in a direct assault against one of the kingdoms thus. Grimm who survive that long tend to know better than to hurl themselves against mankind’s defences.”
Jaune frowned. “I know that Mountain Glenn wasn’t empty when we were there, but it was a lot emptier than it had been, and a lot of grimm did go down the tunnel after us. And besides, if what you’re saying is right, wouldn’t the old grimm who don’t want to risk a direct assault hang back from this as well?”
“One can hope,” Professor Goodwitch said. “Grimm are still, however old and experienced they become, creatures of instinct, and sometimes, those instincts cannot be resisted. Sometimes, forces stronger than the caution of age compel them to act.” She paused. “But I don’t know what General Ironwood’s pilots have been telling him. Reports of the gathering grimm have been so scarce and well-concealed that my information is very limited.”
“There are grimm coming up from the southeast,” General Ironwood confirmed, “but in limited numbers, confirming your belief that the majority of grimm in that region were either wiped out in the Breach, or else, as Professor Goodwitch says, they’re too canny to run straight towards our guns. From what we’ve observed, the southeastern concentration is the weakest of the grimm forces—”
“'Forces'?” Penny repeated. “You mean it’s not just one group?”
General Ironwood shook his head. “At first, there were several smaller groups, seven in total. Some of those groups have now merged, but we can still observe four groups: three around Vale, one that came up from the southeast, one due directly east between Vale and the mountains, and one to the northeast; there is also a fourth group coming down directly from the north, but whether it will turn aside to join the northeastern group or remain independent, I can’t say.”
“You talk about them as though they were an army,” Colonel Sky Beak observed. “As though they have a commander pondering whether to have four slightly weaker assault columns or to use their reserve to reinforce the three units they already have in position.”
“I’m not sure about that,” General Ironwood said, “but in some ways, they are an army, and although they may not have a general and his officers pondering that choice, in some way, that choice will be made, and there will be reasons why it was made. They may not look like us, they may be more instinctive than we are, but in many ways, they are an army, an army equally capable of wielding the subtle knife or the blunt hammer, depending on the circumstances.”
An army under the control of Salem? Ruby wondered. How much control over the grimm does she really have? Is she the one who will make the choice about the northern grimm?
Is this because she’s angry that we captured Cinder?
No, no way, the grimm have been gathering before that, General Ironwood just said so.
Then … was Cinder supposed to do something, with the grimm, and maybe now that we’ve captured her, the plan has been spoiled?
So what will the grimm do now?
Unfortunately, it looks like Salem isn’t ready to step back and lick her wounds just yet.
“But where are so many grimm coming from?” asked Penny.
“It appears, although we need more confirmation and observation to be certain, that they are pulling out from the villages that they’ve been passively threatening for some time, and moving to Vale instead,” General Ironwood said. “At least three huntsmen providing security for rural settlements have reported that the grimm are gone; I’m sure if we asked, we’d get more such reports.”
“So they’re leaving the countryside and heading here instead?” Jaune asked. “What are they going to do, are they going to attack again?”
“It doesn’t matter what they’re going to do,” Ruby declared. “What matters is what we’re going to do about them.” Her silver eyes flickered between General Ironwood and Professor Goodwitch. “What are we going to do?”
“I was just about to ask the First Councillor if he would reconsider granting permission to commence an aerial bombardment of the grimm,” General Ironwood said. “I know that you’re worried about causing panic, but even leaving aside the fact that engagement with distant grimm will be far less panicking than another attack on Vale, the boost to public morale provided by the news of Cinder Fall’s capture will surely outweigh any negativity caused by the sounds of my bombs dropping.”
“Are you sure that you don’t just want to drop bombs before you go home so that you can say that you accomplished something, General Ironwood?” asked General Blackthorn.
“My forces already accomplished something when they saved Vale during the Breach,” General Ironwood replied blandly, “although I would like to make sure that Vale was still safe before my fleet returns to Atlas.”
“Vale is safe,” General Blackthorn insisted. “Are the grimm moving towards Vale?”
“They have moved towards Vale,” General Ironwood pointed out. “Otherwise, they wouldn’t be here.”
“But they’re not getting any closer now, are they?” demanded General Blackthorn.
“No,” General Ironwood admitted. “They’re holding their positions as they are continually reinforced, which Colonel Sky Beak may recognise as the tactics of an army maximising its advantages before—”
“As you said yourself, General Ironwood, they are not moving!” General Blackthorn snapped.
“So do you think they’re just going to sit there forever?” Ruby demanded. “Or decide to turn around and go home? Why would so many grimm come together around Vale like that except because they were going to attack? And even if they don’t attack, with so many grimm around the city, how is anyone or anything going to reach Vale by land? No one will dare risk it. They’ll cut the roads, and maybe even the railway line. And that will cause panic, and that will draw even more grimm.” She ignored General Blackthorn, who seemed like a complete idiot, and focussed her attention on Councillor Emerald. She took a step forward. “I understand that you’re worried that the sounds of a battle might scare people, but it’s like General Ironwood said: some things are scarier than the sounds of a battle, and those scary things will come to Vale unless something is done now. It may not seem like it, but now is the time to defend Vale, not when the grimm decide that they’re ready.”
General Blackthorn scowled, but didn’t say anything.
Councillor Emerald, meanwhile, adjusted the fit of his dark green jacket, although it had looked fine before, so Ruby thought that maybe he just wanted something to do with his hands for a second.
“No doubt General Blackthorn will rebuke me for allowing a girl of your years to sway my opinions, Miss Rose,” he murmured, a touch of amusement creeping into his voice like one of the grimm creeping towards Vale, “but I think there is some force in what you say. Of course, I’m not an expert on the behaviour of the creatures of grimm.” He looked over Ruby’s head towards Professor Goodwitch. “Professor, as a more experienced huntress than Miss Rose, perhaps you have some insights to share on what we might expect from these monsters?”
Professor Goodwitch was silent for a moment. “With no disrespect intended to Miss Rose, I have known grimm to approach a settlement without attacking; they changed course before coming into contact with the defences. I think they wanted to make us sweat a little, but at the same time knew that they were not strong enough to overrun the settlement itself. However, I have never seen such behaviour with a horde, only with more modest groups of grimm.” She looked at General Ironwood. “Are we talking about a horde, general?”
“It’s looking that way,” General Ironwood replied. “I’d put it at Class … Three, maybe Four. By tomorrow morning, it might be a Five; their numbers are rising all the time.”
“In that case, I would be very surprised if they moved off,” Professor Goodwitch said. “Where would they go? If they meant to go anywhere but Vale, they would hardly have come to Vale, and with grimm coming in from all directions, it would be strange if any of them turned back the way they had come.”
“I see,” Councillor Emerald murmured. “So … what would you advise that I do about this situation?”
Professor Goodwitch cleared her throat. “Professor Ozpin is the headmaster of Beacon, and sits on the Council; he should advise you, Mister Councillor.”
“Perhaps, but since he isn’t here at the moment, perhaps you wouldn’t mind giving me the benefit of your thoughts,” Councillor Emerald pressed.
Professor Goodwitch said, “Attacking the grimm risks provoking them to attack in return — you cannot simply expect them to hold still under bombardment — but that, in itself, might prove to be a blessing, if they attack before they have gathered their full strength.”
Councillor Emerald nodded. “So you think that I should allow General Ironwood to attack?”
Professor Goodwitch paused a moment before she said, “Yes, Mister Councillor, I think that might be for the best.”
“I see,” Councillor Emerald murmured. “Thank you for your advice, Professor, but I have other ideas.”
“But—” Ruby began.
“What I propose,” Councillor Emerald went on, “is that if these grimm are moving away from the outlying settlements to come here, then we must in turn recall all the huntsmen who went out to those settlements to protect them in the first place. We will stuff their mouths with lien to bring them here, if need be, and carpet the job board so thick with ‘come to Vale’ postings that no other work will get a look in. And then, once the Vytal Festival is over, and the Atlesians and all our other guests have departed for home, then we will unleash our Valish strength upon the grimm. The huntsmen that we have hired in bulk will spearhead the attack, with the Valish Defence Forces and our new warships for which we have paid so handsomely in support. General Blackthorn, please begin drawing up plans of attack immediately.”
General Blackthorn drew in a sharp intake of breath. “Yes, Mister Councillor, as soon as Cinder Fall has been safely taken into custody.”
“And now, Miss Rose,” Councillor Emerald said, smiling down at her, “I believe you were about to be outraged.”
Ruby laughed nervously. “Well … I guess it doesn’t matter now,” she admitted. Truthfully, she felt like this whole ‘Valish, not Atlesian’ thing was kind of stupid — they were all people, and they were all fighting together against the grimm, after all — but, apart from that … it wasn’t a bad plan. Yeah, it meant waiting for all the huntsmen to show up, which might take a few days, but having them around would be great, and they’d be way better at fighting the grimm than General Ironwood’s soldiers, so, yeah, why not? It all sounded like a pretty good idea to her. “I know it doesn’t matter, but … thank you for doing the right thing.”
“It is what politicians strive to do, as much as it might seem otherwise,” Councillor Emerald replied.
“And we can help too,” Ruby added. “My team and I, I mean; we’d be glad to join the push, wouldn’t we?”
“I’m sure that Professor Ozpin would be amenable to some training missions in support of this hypothetical offensive,” Professor Goodwitch said. “For experienced and exceptional teams.”
“Well,” Councillor Emerald said, “I’m sure that—” He stopped, interrupted by a buzzing coming from his breast pocket. “Excuse me a moment; this might be important.” He turned away, putting one hand into his trouser pocket as, with the other, he reached into his jacket and pulled out his scroll. As he walked away from the wider group, he opened up the scroll one-handed.
He hesitated a moment, looking down at his scroll, before he pushed a button and then put the device to his ear.
“Novo,” he said, “I’m a little surprised you’re still—” He stopped abruptly. “Novo? Skystar what?”
Ruby frowned. Skystar? Was she in trouble?
“The press?” Councillor Emerald said. “But how did they—?”
“Excuse me, viewers, just one moment.”
The voice of Lisa Lavender, issuing out of screens mounted on the corners of the squadroom, drew Ruby’s attention. It had always been on, a late night news broadcast, including the news that they had captured Cinder Fall, but because it had either been stuff that Ruby knew — like today’s Vytal fight results or the fact that they had captured Cinder — or hadn’t been interested in — like Countess Coloratura’s troubles with her management — she hadn’t really paid it much attention. But … maybe it was because Councillor Emerald had mentioned the news, or maybe it was just because Lisa Lavender’s words hinted at something surprising to come, but either way, it caught Ruby’s attention in a way that the rest of the programme hadn’t.
Judging by the way that he let his hand fall to his side, still holding his scroll, and turned towards the nearest TV screen, Councillor Emerald felt the same way.
Lisa Lavender had her head down. She had just been passed a note by someone in the studio, and she appeared to be reading it with intense concentration.
She kept her face still, she didn’t frown or scowl — or smile, either — she was acting a lot like Cinder had been acting before Sunset and Pyrrha took her away, she was wearing a mask over her face just like them, so that you couldn’t make out what was going on underneath.
She raised her head, and her face was still as expressionless as ever, though her voice was grave.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I apologise for that, but I have just been made aware of a late-breaking news story,” she said. “Only minutes ago, this studio, along with other reputable news outlets, received, from an anonymous source, an email, addressed to us and to our fellow news outlets, written by the Amity Princess Skystar Aris but later deleted without being sent. This email, recovered and sent to us by someone who, in their own words, felt that the public have a right to know, accuses student huntress Sunset Shimmer of having caused the Breach and, thus, the deaths of six people, by detonating the mine in the tunnel underneath the city, creating the hole through which the grimm emerged.
“What?!” Penny cried. “What are they … why would anyone say something like that?”
“Sunset Shimmer, a student at Beacon Academy,” Lisa Lavender went on, as Sunset’s portrait appeared on the screen behind her, her smirk seeming obscenely inappropriate in light of what she was being accused of, “will probably be familiar to viewers as a contestant in the first two rounds of the Vytal Tournament. Miss Shimmer is the leader of Beacon Academy’s Team Sapphire, which has gained a reputation in certain circles for being unusually active for first year students. Their achievements include the foiling of a major dust robbery at the docks, the capture of the wanted criminal Roman Torchwick, being present at the defence of the Breach and, as we were reporting on only tonight, the defeat and capture of the anarchist Cinder Fall as she attempted a terrorist attack at tonight’s Vytal Carnival.
“The Breach is the name given to the incident in which an explosion originating in the abandoned subway tunnel linking Vale to the ruined city of Mountain Glenn allowed grimm to emerge into Lost Valley Square. Six people lost their lives in the incident. It is now alleged that Sunset Shimmer caused that explosion.”
“That’s insane!” Jaune said. “It was Cinder who did that, Cinder who blew the mine, Sunset … why would Sunset … why would Skystar just make this up?”
“And why would anyone believe her?” added Penny.
“According to the account delivered to us, Amity Princess Skystar Aris was present when Sunset Shimmer confessed the truth to First Councillor Aspen Emerald, then Councillor for the Interior, and former, then current, First Councillor Novo Aris. This was on the night of Novo Aris’ resignation as First Councillor, and we have confirmed from eye-witnesses that Sunset Shimmer did visit the First Councillor’s official residence that night.”
“But that doesn’t prove anything!” Jaune said. “I mean, just because Sunset was there doesn’t mean that she said … that! Why would Sunset confess to something that she didn’t do?”
“Why indeed?” General Blackthorn asked, an ugly smile upon his face. “Or we might ask why Skystar Aris would make up such a lie? Mightn’t we, Mister Councillor?”
Councillor Emerald’s chest rose and fell. His face had gone pale, but his voice carried sharply as he turned to face the general. “I don’t think I care for your tone, General,” he declared. “I don’t appreciate snide insinuations based on—”
“According to Miss Aris’ testimony, Councillor Emerald and former Councillor Novo agreed to keep the truth a secret. As yet, no other evidence has been produced to substantiate these allegations,” Lisa Lavender went on.
“Baseless allegations!” Councillor Emerald declared, pointing at the television. He looked around the room, prompting Ruby to do likewise: the eyes of all the police officers present were either upon the televisions, or upon the First Councillor, or upon the remaining members of Team SAPR.
Their looks were wary, suspicious, in some cases, downright hostile.
Ruby could understand why. If the allegations were true…
If the allegations against Sunset were true.
If the allegations against Sunset that Jaune and Penny had just dismissed out of hand were true.
“Nevertheless, that was not the last time that Sunset Shimmer has been observed visiting the First Councillor’s residence,” Lisa Lavender went on.
“It isn’t?” Jaune asked. “When did Sunset—?”
Councillor Emerald raised his voice. It carried across the squadroom. “Quite frankly, I am disgusted at the low journalistic standards being displayed by our press tonight; I had thought that Lisa Lavender at least was above this sort of thing, which would shame the lowest gutter tabloid on the market. An email, an email that was never sent by its so-called author, but which we are asked to take on faith despite the sender being anonymous, despite the fact that the author deleted it without showing it to anyone … can anyone find any of this remotely credible, even before we get into the story itself?
“I am not only the First Councillor of Vale; I am also a patriot. I love this kingdom, this kingdom that welcomed my grandparents when they fled out of slavery in Mantle, this kingdom that has given me the opportunity to rise to become its leading representative and its chiefest servant. Yes, servant. I have always served Vale with all my heart, and I would not — I would never — participate in a cover-up of this nature. If I knew of such a crime as was suggested just now, I would not hesitate for one second to drag it into the light!”
“And Sunset would never do something like that either!” Penny cried.
“No, no she wouldn’t,” Jaune said. “Sunset … Sunset wouldn’t … that’s not her.”
Isn’t it? Ruby thought, and felt a little dirty for the thinking.
It felt wrong to think it. It felt wrong to doubt Sunset, to consider that these allegations might be true, but…
Well, she did.
It would have been nice, it would have been great, it would have been wonderful to have been able to be like Jaune and Penny and just denied it, just heard it and immediately gone ‘no, Sunset would never.’ It would have been nice to have that much faith in her, to have thought that highly of her.
Maybe that’s how you were supposed to think of your team leader.
But Ruby … Ruby liked Sunset, most of the time, but at the same time, she couldn’t help but think about all the things that Sunset had said, and all the things that Sunset had done, and the people that Sunset cared about, and the people that she didn’t.
She couldn’t help but remember how Sunset had looked ill when they boarded the train heading down that tunnel, how she hadn’t wanted to go and had practically had to be bullied by the others into doing it.
Ruby couldn’t help but remember that Sunset had been all alone at the front of the train when the mine blew up; she’d gone on ahead to try and stop the train.
Ruby couldn’t help but remember that if the mine hadn’t blown up, then they would — probably, most likely — all have died down in that tunnel, died fighting the grimm, died fighting like true huntsmen and huntresses, died doing their part to keep Vale safe.
But Ruby couldn’t help but remember that Sunset never showed much appetite for dying, under any circumstances.
Ruby couldn’t help but remember all that, and so as much as she would have liked to have been able to believe in Sunset the way that Jaune and Penny could, instead…
Instead, Ruby found that she could believe in the allegations.
She could believe in them very easily indeed.
Is it true, Sunset? Is it true that you did this?
Did you really do what they’re saying you did?
Were you really just a monster all along, and we never saw it?
Cinder was walking now. In fact, she was walking with as broad a step as the shackles on her ankles would allow her, no shambling, shuffling gait, but a proud stride as though she were on her way, not to be taken away to prison, but to an appointment that she had been looking forward to and anxiously desired.
Her back was straight, her head was up, and she affected not to notice Sunset or Pyrrha, who yet held her by the arms — not that they needed to drag her or lead her on; if anything, it was they who were restraining Cinder at times.
She did not look a captive, other than the shackles and the fact that she was bound between … alright, yes, she did look a captive, but she did not look … she did not look as one might expect a captive to look. There was no trace of shame, no trace of defeat, there was no sense in her bearing, in the expression on her face, in her posture or her motions, that this was something that she did not desire or even welcome.
Perhaps she did welcome it; after all, the reverses that she had suffered did make her long for the release of death, but Sunset doubted it. Rather, she thought that this was another act that Cinder was putting on, another mask she wore, another show — for Sunset, for Pyrrha, even for Professor Ozpin, and eventually, for everyone else who might see her as well.
Equestria did not have a tradition of conduct going to the gallows, for the simple reason that they did not have gallows at all, or any other means of executing prisoners. Amongst ponies, to punish your enemies at all was seen as very gauche indeed, the behaviour of a less advanced, more barbarous race like dragons or griffons. Amongst ponykind, amongst sophisticated, civilised folk, it was the height of the aforementioned sophistication and civilisation to forgive those who wronged you, and even if they had done things too great to be forgiven, done wrongs that could not be dismissed with the wave of a hoof, then you shuffled them off to some far away place and forgot about them.
Sunset had sometimes wondered where she got her touch of the barbarian from; she had even contemplated the possibility that she might have some dragon blood in her, although Princess Celestia had told her that was impossible. The more unwelcome possibility was that ponies were not as civilised and sophisticated as they liked to think, and that in the absence of their cosy Equestrian lives and magical comforts, they could become as violent and bloodthirsty as the wildest of dragons.
No, no, that couldn’t be it; that fault was in Sunset herself, not in her kind.
In any event, the point was that the Equestrians had no tradition of how one was supposed to bear up in the face of impending death, or at least not in the face of impending public execution, and so, Sunset had been surprised to find out, on arriving in Remnant, that in this world, there was just such a tradition.
It hadn’t been quite as surprising that there was still such a thing as a public execution, but in any case, it had still been somewhat surprising to learn that the very same people whom kingdoms and citizens had condemned to be put to death were admired for the manner in which they met it.
After the Great War, when the last King of Vale had laid aside his crown, a relative of his — not one of Jaune’s ancestors, but a closer cousin to the royal family, a branch that had been snipped away to pave the way for the primacy of the Arc claim — had claimed the throne and sharked up a list of lawless resolutes to press it by force. He had been defeated, captured, and sentenced to death. And then, when he had gone to the gallows to be hanged, he was said to have borne himself so nobly, and given such a fine speech, that many of those watching had been swayed to his side and wished that they had flocked to his banner while there was still time.
The authorities had hanged him quickly to prevent a riot.
And this a man who had tried to overthrow the democracy, and yes, democracy was a wretched system that empowered the very worst sorts, but the Valish seemed rather pleased with it on the whole and did not cry out for the return of the autocratic monarchy, even though that return would be in their own best interests.
They did not cry out for it, that is, until its representative was about to die and given the opportunity to spin a few pretty words before he died.
Unless Sunset was very much mistaken, and she doubted that she was on this occasion, Cinder was attempting to stand in the same line; she wished to go, or to be seen to go, to her death as nobly and as proud as a princess, and with a grace and bearing that would make all who had opposed her regret they had not been her servants. She probably had a speech prepared.
All this, in spite of the fact that she was not, in fact, going straight away to her execution, but only into confinement.
Although it might be the death of her nonetheless if Cinder spoke true.
If Cinder spoke true.
None of them spoke about it; on their way back from the cell, neither Sunset nor Pyrrha nor even Professor Ozpin said a word about all the things that had passed between Cinder’s black-painted lips, and most especially, they did not talk about her laundry list of accusations of those who had embraced the cause of Salem.
Professor Lionheart, Tempest Shadow, Bon Bon, Amber. Amber. Amber most of all.
Sunset did not believe that. Sunset could not believe that. She could believe it of Professor Lionheart, by simple virtue of not knowing him and not caring whether he turned out to be a villain or not — Professor Ozpin might have a harder time of it — Bon Bon was a little strange to even think about, Tempest Shadow was another one Sunset had no opinion on except to note that she was one of Trixie’s teammates, but Amber? Amber?
Their Amber? Sweet Amber, lovely Amber, romantic Amber, fragile Amber? No. No, there was no way; she did not have the temperament to do such a thing, nor even to attempt it? Amber a traitor? Amber, a servant of evil? No. No, no, no, it was impossible. If Cinder had wanted to be halfway convincing, she should have named someone who had, in the nicest possible way, greater reserves of courage and fortitude, not to mention someone who could stand to see others hurt.
One or the other, at the very least. Amber had none.
The accusation was so supremely unconvincing that just about the only thing it had going for it was the argument that it was ridiculous that why would Cinder make it up instead of a more convincing alternative?
No, there were definitely parts of Cinder’s account that Sunset did not believe, just as she did not believe for one minute that Pyrrha or Professor Ozpin believed a word of them either.
But there were other parts of what Cinder had said that Sunset could believe, most particularly the bit about the siren. Pyrrha and Professor Ozpin — and the others, when they heard it — might not get it as instinctually as Sunset did because the idea of a siren was alien to them, but to Sunset … to Sunset, it all fit perfectly. So perfectly that she was mentally kicking herself for not having thought about it before — the only excuse she could make for herself was that she hadn’t expected them to be in Remnant.
Although I probably should have expected that too, all things considered.
Starswirl the Bearded may have been the greatest mage in his day, but he was not very considerate, and he has much to answer for.
Regardless of that, the point was that Sunset could well believe, could perfectly believe, that there was a siren in Vale, stirring up discord against Atlesians and faunus alike, and that she had some part to play in the plans that Cinder had devised and that … someone, not Amber, but someone, Tempest Shadow perhaps, or maybe the siren herself, would carry forward.
They needed to find her. They needed to find her quickly. Sunset would need to convince the others of the urgency of it — and of the need to wear earplugs.
She would need to convince Professor Ozpin that this one part of Cinder’s story, at the least, was worth taking seriously.
It seemed to be getting chillier in here, for some reason.
Or perhaps it wasn’t actually getting colder; perhaps it was just the looks that the cops were giving them as they led Cinder into the squadroom.
No, not them, her. Sunset thought at first that they were looking at Cinder, but no, they were looking at Sunset herself. She didn’t know why they were looking at her like that, but they were looking at her with hard eyes, with the looks of those who had just spotted a serpent slithering in their garden, with tight mouths, scowls crinkling their faces.
With hands that were twitching as though they wished to knot them into fists.
It was enough to make Sunset frown herself. What had she done?
They were approaching the others: Ruby, Jaune, Penny, General Ironwood and Professor Goodwitch, Councillor Emerald, General Blackthorn and Colonel Sky Beak. The Valish officers, with their soldiers behind them, were standing facing Ruby, Jaune, and Penny, with Professor Goodwitch and General Ironwood standing just a little behind them.
Councillor Emerald stood in between the groups, like a man caught between a rock and a hard place.
What was going on?
“Is something wrong?” Pyrrha asked as they drew near.
It was as though they had suddenly realised that they were there; perhaps they had only just realised that they were there, and they had been too distracted up until then by whatever else was going on. Whatever was the case, alerted by the sound of Pyrrha’s voice, they turned to them.
They turned to Sunset.
Everyone was looking at her. Even Jaune, who could normally be relied upon to look at Pyrrha first, looked at Sunset first, and his eyes lingered there.
Eyes that were wide; Jaune and Penny were both looking at her like they were frightened of something, eyes wide and mouths open; Professor Goodwitch’s eyes were narrow behind her spectacles; General Ironwood’s brow was furrowed.
Ruby was … Ruby was staring at her intently; her eyes were wide too, but without the open mouth of Jaune or Penny; no, her mouth was a hard line, turned slightly downwards at the corners.
Her hands were shaking.
“Sunset,” Penny said. “They … they’re saying—”
“A reminder of our breaking news story,” Lisa Lavender said, her voice issuing out of the screens mounted in the corners, issuing out from all four corners of the room to surround Sunset. “Amity Princess Skystar Aris has accused Sunset Shimmer of causing the Breach, and First Councillor Aspen Emerald and former First Councillor Novo Aris of covering up this fact.”
Now it was the turn of Sunset’s eyes to widen, to widen like saucers as she stared up at one of the television screens and at the images of Sunset and Skystar that now flashed up on either side of Lisa Lavender.
They both looked inappropriately happy; the smirk on Sunset’s face would have looked inappropriate in almost any circumstances, but neither it nor Skystar’s happier, less satisfied beam of joy seemed appropriate in the context.
Skystar? Why would you … and why now?
“This information was obtained from a deleted email written by Miss Aris and sent to various news outlets by an anonymous source.”
Sunset’s mouth opened. It hung there for a moment. This was … this was … this was the work of…
Cinder was right. There is someone still out there. And they have done this.
They’ve done this because they want people to be looking at me, instead of for them.
I think it’s working.
Everyone was staring at her, except for Pyrrha and Cinder, who were — being as new to the situation as Sunset was — staring at the television.
What do you have to look at, Cinder? You know it’s true.
“That…” Pyrrha murmured. She made a scoffing sound out of her throat. “That’s preposterous, of course,” she said, leaning forward to look around Cinder at Sunset. “That’s ridiculous, isn’t it, Sunset?”
Sunset knew that she had to answer. She knew that she ought to answer. She ought to agree with Pyrrha, to say that, of course, it was preposterous, it was all nonsense, that it proved Cinder right about continuing dangers waiting for them, trying to drive them apart. She ought to deny this for a load of nonsense, fabricated, forgery. She ought to challenge them to ask Skystar if she had even written this.
She ought to deny it.
But she could not.
She could not deny it, she could not … she couldn’t say anything, she was … the words caught in her throat.
She couldn’t muster the strength to get them out of there.
“Well, Miss Shimmer?” General Blackthorn demanded. “Is it ridiculous? Or should we be taking you into custody as well as Cinder Fall?”
“General Blackthorn—” began Councillor Emerald.
“You are not free of this either, Mister Councillor, certainly not free to pontificate,” General Blackthorn snapped. “I asked you a question, Miss Shimmer: are these accusations true or false?”
Sunset said nothing. Her words … her words were turned to dust and ashes.
She glanced at the screen, her eyes flickering between General Blackthorn and the television. Between her accuser and the picture of herself as she had been once, all smirking arrogance, all ego, careless in her pride and heedless in her conceit.
She hated that picture so much that she wanted to blast the television apart with a bolt of magic.
She could say nothing. She could not deny it.
She knew that she ought to deny it; if she was going to confess, then the time to do it would have been … some time ago, to be quite honest, and certainly not now. She had left it too late, if only for the sake of Councillor Emerald, who would be destroyed by this if it came out, having hidden the truth for so long.
But at the same time … it was true. It was all true. It didn’t matter if Skystar had written it, or Tempest Shadow, or someone else altogether; it was true. Sunset had caused the Breach. And the fact that she had left it this long to confess … she wasn’t sure that she had the energy to perpetuate the falsehood, to deny it further, to deny it to the faces of her friends.
She didn’t have the energy to lie, she didn’t have the courage to confess, and so, she stood silent, and by her silence, she condemned herself.
“Sunset?” Pyrrha said softly.
“Sunset?” asked Ruby.
“Of course it’s nonsense!” Cinder declared, shaking her arm free of Sunset’s loosening grip. “Thin, contemptible, unbelievable, arrant nonsense! Slanderous, vile nonsense, to dare suggest that there was anyone responsible for the Breach but I when there was not! No hand but mine, no ambitions but mine own, no design but my intent to spread discomfort and a plague of fear upon this kingdom. I will not stand here idly by and suffer to be robbed of all the infamy that is my right, as though I am a mere factor to store up fear and hatred before it may be idly plucked from off my brow and bestowed on Sunset’s head, no! I will not suffer it, I say—”
“Silence!” snapped General Blackthorn.
“Silence yourself, churl; fall to your prayers!” Cinder shouted. “Cut out my tongue if you would silence me, for otherwise, I’ll speak with most miraculous voice and chew through any gag that you might place upon me.” She paused. “You have defeated me. You have captured me and bound me, and you will kill me too, but while I live, I’ll speak my piece, for I am a fair, plain-speaking villain. Yes, I am a villain, I do declare it and confess it. I am a villain. I have done villainy.
“I have done murders. I have murdered Phoebe Kommenos, I do confess it. I killed the Purifier, I confess that too, though if any mourn his passing, I have not heard of it. I caused the Breach. I and I alone, I do confess it, though confession would not be necessary if it were not for these continual, base efforts to steal my credit—”
“'Credit'?” Ruby demanded. “'Credit,' for what you’ve done?”
“Aye, Ruby Rose, for what I have done, I and no other,” Cinder replied. “For what I have done, for I have done such things which, though they may be wicked in the extreme, have nonetheless possessed a power about them, a glamour borne of darkness, or why else do we discuss them now, why else does it lead the news? If I have done nothing of note, why does it lead the news that Sunset is said to have done this deed which I committed?
“This is not the first time that this has happened to me, you will recall; it was not so long ago that some scurrilous rodent, sneaking about to send in anonymous tips to muckraking magazines, suggested that Pyrrha and I were in cahoots together, with Pyrrha, of course, Princess of Mistral, Evenstar, Pride and Glory of that ancient realm reborn, she was the prime mover and I was her errand girl despatched out into the wilds to do the dirty work. Pyrrha and I disproved that charge with a ferocious combat; well, give me a sword! Set a blade in my hand and let Sunset draw Soteria, and I will prove it a second time that these accusations are false; she is no friend of mine.”
“But you were friends, once,” Professor Goodwitch said quietly. “Weren’t you?”
Cinder raised her chin. “No,” she said firmly. “No, there could never have been any true friendship between Sunset and myself, because I never let Sunset see the truth of who I was and what I was; she never met me as myself, and hence, she could never truly call herself my friend. How can one be friends with someone one does not know, will some wise fellow answer me that?
“I am the victim of repeated disgraceful allegations, and if I may say, this second set of allegations are more disgraceful seeming for the looks upon your faces. Did you ever look at Pyrrha with such suspicion? Or did you take it for granted that the great and illustrious Pyrrha Nikos would never stoop so low?
“I am the victim of repeated disgraceful allegations. I am continuously beset by them, which should tell you something about the nature of these slanders so carelessly and casually thrown about. Who will be my next master? Who will be the next amongst you to have been secretly holding my leash? Will it be you, Ruby? Or you, Jaune Arc? Or perhaps it will be…” She gestured at Penny. “I’m sorry, I keep forgetting your name.”
“Penny,” Penny said. “My name is Penny.”
“Penny, yes, P is for Penny. Rosepetal: R-S-P-T, P is for Penny. I’m very sorry,” Cinder said lightly. “I do not know what it is that makes me so unacceptable to the popular imagination as a villain, as a mover in these things, that they must invent co-conspirators, and superiors giving me my marching orders, as if they know me so well that they have judged I could not possibly have made my own decisions. I would blame the snobbery of it, but that would only explain Pyrrha and not Sunset. Nevertheless, these tiresome accusations vex me sorely, and are each as false as the other, you may depend upon it.
“I am no noble creature. I am, as I confessed, a villain. I have done things … such that it were better that my mother had not borne me. I have smiled, and murdered while I smiled. I have betrayed the faith of those who trusted me and hurt those who thought they cared for me. I have spread misery where’er I have been, and I daresay none will weep for my impending passing. Yet though I have shown little enough virtue, I nonetheless demand the dignity of my vices, mine to me. All that I have done, I did, of my own initiative, and neither Sunset nor Pyrrha nor any other played any part in directing me or assisting me or any other part that you could name or define … save in opposing me, and in the end, in bringing me down.
“And for that, Sunset deserves better credit than suspicion.”
Cinder stopped and half looked as though she were hoping to get a round of applause from someone. No applause came, but Sunset saw some of the police officers in the corner of her eye nodding thoughtfully.
For that matter, Jaune nodded too.
Did you say all that because you were trying to help me out, Cinder, or because you really are upset at the idea of losing the credit?
Sunset felt a hand upon her shoulder, a gesture which made her jump, so sudden and so unexpected was it, and in such a shredded state had the news rendered her nerves in so short a time.
But it was only Professor Ozpin, resting one hand gently on her shoulder as he smiled benevolently over her head.
“I must admit that I am very loathe to agree with the likes of Miss Fall on anything, and certainly, I do not agree with her that there is any such thing as the dignity of vice, or any sort of glamour that accrues to the doers of wicked deeds, but in the broadest terms, I must agree that those who look upon Miss Shimmer with suspicion on the basis of this … well, on the basis of what appears to me, I must say, to be much ado about nothing … show less sense and good judgement than would be hoped for by people in serious, in some cases exalted, positions.
“Is Miss Shimmer perfect? No, which of us is? Does she yet have room to grow? Yes, of course she does, so do all of us; almost all of us, at least. But is she of low character, is she a villain? No. No, she is not. She is … Miss Shimmer is a brave girl; intelligent, if not as wise as I might always hope for; loving, to a fault; loyal to her friends; generous to those in need when she encounters need. She is, in all her faults and in her glories, a credit to Beacon Academy. She is a huntress I would trust with my life.”
Despite the fact that she knew with her head that he was saying what he felt had to be said in order to get her out of this trouble, despite the fact that, with her head, Sunset could note that he had avoided flat out saying that she had not done what she was accused of doing, despite the fact that, with her head, Sunset spotted that he had managed to subtly point out a few of her faults, or at the very least, damn her with faint praise … despite all of that, despite all that she knew in her head, nevertheless, in her heart…
In her heart, Sunset could not help but be touched. Touched that he would stick up for her in this situation, though he, too, knew her to be guilty.
Touched that he would say those things, and in that way.
You would … you would trust me with your life? Truly?
True or not, it is very generous of you to say so.
“Professor,” she murmured.
“And on the evidence presented,” Professor Ozpin went on, “well, it hardly seems worthy of the name, does it?”
“Indeed it does not,” Councillor Emerald said. “Until and unless anything is brought forward to substantiate these — I hesitated to use the word — allegations, the only crime that I see before me is that someone has hacked into Skystar Aris’ emails and obtained this from her deleted folder. If, indeed, she wrote it at all.”
“And if she wrote it, then deleted or not, do you not think we are entitled to ask why?” asked General Blackthorn.
“I suggest that she should be given the opportunity to answer that before you start arresting people,” Councillor Emerald said sharply.
“For once, Mister Councillor, we are in agreement,” Professor Ozpin said. “Certainly, as her headmaster, I could not allow Miss Shimmer to be taken into custody upon such flimsy grounds.”
“Don’t worry, Ozpin, that won’t happen,” Councillor Emerald assured her. “Let the press … no, I don’t think I shall let the press prattle on, not for long, but for now, they may say what they like — but without consequence.” His eyes fell upon Sunset for a moment, but he said nothing to her and swiftly looked away.
That was probably for the best, all things considered.
“In any event,” Professor Ozpin went on, “there are more important matters to concern us than a few words bandied about regarding Miss Shimmer. I have just learned from Miss Fall that there may be another attack on Vale planned imminently. I know you like to be kept abreast of these things, First Councillor.”
“I see you couldn’t give me much warning again,” Councillor Emerald muttered. “But I suppose this time it isn’t so much your fault.” He paused. “'May'?”
“Not all of Miss Fall’s information is credible,” Professor Ozpin admitted. “I am not sure how much of what she told me I believe. Nevertheless, there is no harm in caution. If what she told me is true, then there will be attempts to sabotage key Valish infrastructure, possibly coordinated with an attack by the grimm gathering outside Vale.”
General Ironwood cleared his throat.
“The answer is still no, General Ironwood, although if this attack does take place, I will be grateful for your assistance,” Councillor Emerald said. “I take it, General Blackthorn, that if the grimm attack before we are prepared to move forward, you will have no further objections to shooting at them?”
“No, First Councillor,” General Blackthorn said in a voice that was almost a growl. “None at all.”
“Then I will have the police beef up security around our infrastructure: power stations, pumping stations, the subway and the overground railway and the skydocks,” Councillor Emerald added. “I assume that you and General Ironwood will continue to take responsibility for the CCT tower, Professor?”
“I will indeed continue to take good care of it, First Councillor,” Professor Ozpin replied.
“Good,” Councillor Emerald said. “Then if anyone tries anything, they should find us ready for them. General Blackthorn, kindly take your prisoner, Cinder Fall, away.”
“Here I am,” Cinder said, holding up her hands. “Come, let’s away to prison.” She chuckled.
Pyrrha released her as two Valish soldiers walked towards Cinder, the others moving to train their guns on her.
“Pyrrha,” Cinder said, “I wish you good fortune in the wars to come. Seriously, do try and survive and win; it would be frightfully humiliating for me if someone else managed to kill you after I had failed at it.”
“Mmm,” Pyrrha murmured. “I will try.”
“You do that,” Cinder said. She looked at Sunset. “Be of good heart, Sunset, for you … for you have always had a good heart, in spite of what some people might tell you.”
Yes, Cinder, some people might disagree with you.
I might disagree with you myself.
But thank you, anyway.
I wish … I wish that I could do more.
Cinder did not look like she wished that Sunset could do more. She did not look like she wished for anything; as the soldiers took her by the arms and dragged her away, she held her head up high, looked, as she had done when Sunset and Pyrrha had her by the arms, as proud as a princess.
Sunset’s gaze followed her. A part of her would have liked to have actually followed Cinder, but a combination of what remained of her sense and the lingering shock over what had just happened meant that she stayed rooted to the spot, only her eyes following.
She did nothing but watch as they bore Cinder away, as General Blackthorn departed with his soldiers, leaving only Sky Beak behind; as they departed, taking Cinder away to an uncertain fate.
As Cinder was borne out of sight, dragged off to who could really say where, Sunset was forced to look somewhere else and was reminded that Cinder was not the only one facing an uncertain fate.
That was unfair; no one was going to kill Sunset.
Although there were a couple of cops who looked as though they might like to.
Pyrrha looked sympathetic to her presumed plight as a fellow victim of malign accusations, her head tilted slightly to one side, one corner of her mouth in a sheepish, slightly embarrassed smile, her eyes shining.
Penny had a confused frown upon her face, as though she didn’t understand why any of this was happening.
And Ruby…
Ruby was still staring at Sunset. Ruby was glaring at her Sunset, the normal light absent from her silver eyes.
Glaring at her like she knew she was guilty.
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Tempest made a horrible mistake in also pointing the allegations at a politician. They will loudly argue against accusations all the live long day.
Cinder, Ozpin, and even Emerald have averted the majority of the consequences. No one with any real authority can take action against Sunset now. Not even Ruby at her worst. In this, Tempest has truly erred. The effect this will have on Sunset’s efforts against Salem will be negligible at best.
Still, should Sunset still confess to her friends behind closed doors… well, my previous words regarding Blake still stand. And Sunset was thinking of how Yang and Tai would be devastated. That Lady Nikkos would fade away. That Jaune’s substantial family would weep. That all of Rainbow Dash’s many friends would never shine bright again. And that Jaune and Pyrrha’s love would be snuffed out. And beyond all that, Ruby and anyone must forever remember that the many thousands of lives they save in the future is only possible because of Sunset’s actions.
And on top of it all, we shall see how Ruby and others react when faced by the true traitors. Very soon.
I really hate that Ruby feels she has the moral high ground. Like, she has the audacity to call Sunset a monster after all Sunset has done for her and her team, not to mention her friends?
All because Sunset is not willing to die or lose the friends she cherishes? Because she’s not a “true huntress”? Just a reminder that, until recently, Sunset hasn’t really cared for anyone other than herself. Now she has those attachments, those connections she cherishes, and she’s expected to just let them go? Yeah, I don’t blame her for being afraid to lose that. And Ruby can get off her moral high horse.
*sigh* I miss the days when Pyrrha and Jaune were keeping Sunset straight from becoming a jerk and reverting to her old self, at least they had the moral high ground there.
I find it amusing that the three people in that room who know the truth besides Sunset all cover for her in some way. Tempest wants to take out Cinder? Cinder can foil her plans one last time. And I do like the assurance from Ozpin, that despite what she’s done, he still trusts her.
Ahh, this chapter might actually be one of my favorites. I was actually shivering while reading this.
Ruby doesn't give Sunset enough credit, doesn't she realize how much Sunset has done for her and the whole team. But.. I also understand that at the end of the day Ruby is a huntress more than anything.
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More accurate to say that Ruby does remember everything Sunset has done for her, and can't accept that someone so close to her would 'betray' the personal ideals that she considers sacrosanct.
I wonder how Rainbow Dash is taking this news, for she agreed with Sunset's decision because stopping the train would've killed Applejack. Heck, I even wonder how the rest of the original RWBY team will take this news. Yang won't hesitate to have Sunset's back for saving her sister. Blake would understand better than anyone, has no right to judge, and would fully support Sunset's efforts to move on and atone. And Weiss? Well, this latest scandal has suddenly taken the heat of the last scandal off her, and she still endeavors to rise above slander (however true they may be) in order to make things better.
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Honestly Ruby is just in love with the idea of dying for something. There are other huntsmen out there that would do the same; Rainbow Dash being one of them if Twilight had been on that train and she had gotten to the controls first.
On another note I am completely captivated by the rewrite, I honestly am not sure how any of this will play out. If a confession from Sunset comes out I know that Yang, the Mane six and Miss Nikos would be on her side.
The sad thing is... if Sunset decides to privately come clean with her team, Ruby will still reject her as a 'monster'... solely because Ruby does not value her own life and wishes to die in combat, selling it for as much as possible. I think I have said this before ages ago, but Ruby very much reminds me of Dwarf Slayers from Warhammer Fantasy: The idea being that these dwarves have committed some crime or offense either against the law, society or something they personally wish to hold themselves accountable for and swear themselves to the Slayer god (IE, the Dwarven god of war).
The oath the Slayers take, at its simplest, basically makes the deal that if the dwarf in question dies in combat then everyone (family, society, the Gods, ect) will accept that you died at some point before whatever crime or incident that drove you to seek redemption as a Slayer occurred, making it impossible for any wrongdoing to have happened and thus wiping the slate clean for both the dwarf as an individual and their family/clan.
The trick through, is that you have to sell your life for as much as possible. For example: A Slayer spies an Orkish horde marching towards a dwarven stronghold. They can't just cackle and charge the Horde, they are obligated to race towards the the threaten hold in order to warn them of the incoming danger. Once the warning is given, they are also obligated to defend said hold, as throwing ones life away when it could be spent protecting other dwarves means you don't get the redemption of dying as a slayer. Effectively the Slayer wants to die, but they have to fight and act as if they wanted to live. This tends to drive the few veteran Slayers that keep surviving battles somewhat insane.
Blake also seems to embody this idea as well. The difference through is Blake actively wants to atone for sins and crimes she has committed (both legal and personal) while Ruby seems to have embraced this path out of a child like zealotry. There is good, there is evil and all huntsmen should strive to fight and die to protect others before themselves.
And this marks the start of me liking Cinder more than Ruby
Huh
Ruby, with her obsessive desire to die for someone, born from childhood trauma that she is unable to face
What are you willing to do, Ruby, to Sunset, if it is right? Kill her? Hang her next to Cinder? Mmmmhm, look at that noble huntress willing to hate her friend, who did so much for her
Grrrr, I don't like Ruby in this so much. I understand why she is like that, but still
Cinder
Damn it, this speech was perfect, be the attention grabbing horrible thing that you are just to save on of the two people you can call friends
Someone in last chapter comments said that "good friends will bail you out, but true friends will help you hide the body" Well, it seems Ruby is unwilling to do either, she would rather be the executioner
I am sorry, if I am to harsh on Ruby, i am still veeeeeery angry with her actions in the "before the rewrite" story, emotionally manipulating Sunset and being aware of the fact
Overall, amazing chapter, can't wait for more
Reeeealy hope the others will take Ruby down to us mortals with no death wishes and healthy emotional attachments
Or she can go and fight the Grimm horde and die like a true huntress, as she so desperately desires. Oh, wait, the others won't let her because of these same emotional attachments, what a shame, eh, Ruby?
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Oh, you mean the “if you love me, you’ll do what I want” stuff? Oh yeah, that was just down right dirty. At that point, Cinder was looking way better than Ruby
Okay, last one for today, sorry everyone for boring you out with my poorly written comments (English is not my first language)
Yes, Ruby, you all would have died there, like true hunters
And every single person, whom your actions saved afterwards would be dead
Great outcome, there is no one to save amber, to prevent the hacking of the beakon tower, no one to free those faunases from SDC slavery, no one to prevent th fall of beacon and Salem taiking the Crown
Great job, sweetie, you failed math too
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Until i read the original, i never thought id find a story where i actually like Cinder, let alone more then Ruby. But she is so irritating to follow in this.
Ruby, I'm just gonna come out and say it: your holier-than-thou attitude pisses me off.
Reading this, I couldn't help but notice one fact that this particular news could push Amber to accept the deal with Salem. I mean, she might think that by accepting the deal with Salem, she could save the people she cares about... like Sunset. It would be quite ironic if Amber asked Sunset if she would have had a second chance, would she have made the same choice. And Sunset would have answered: "Always." What will ultimately affect Amber's choice and the result of this... well, we all know what the outcome will be after that.
Fuck i caught up again! Damnit it’s getting good!
Another detail that caught my eye. Ruby, in her last thoughts, noted that Sunset never wanted to die. Perhaps her accusation of Sunset is based on the point of view that Sunset preferred her own life instead. And that in any other situation where people's lives are at stake, Sunset will choose her own life, and not someone else's.
Of course, we all know that at that very moment in time, she was worried about something completely different, but it's quite curious that this is what came to Ruby's mind. And, of course, Ruby wouldn't even think about the fact that Sunset did it for them. After all, in her opinion, it was their duty, both to ordinary people and to the city, to die protecting them...
So now then begins the Ruby “martyr complex” arc.
I very much hope that this time around someone calls Ruby out for her obsession with dying as a huntress instead of living and saving more people than with her sacrifice. Ruby seems to have put her mother on a pedestal so high that she can’t seem to see Hunters and Huntresses as anything less than having to die to protect others, or else Summer’s death was in vain and she let her family alone.
It is kind of toxic if a mentality and, as I read once, the problem of being a martyr is that you can only do it once, and you never know the consequences of your death.
There is a lot of people that could give a pretty big speech to Ruby to make her understand why she shouldn’t elevate Summer’s (and by extension, all Hunters) Death so much: Yang, her father, even Lady Nikos. But, regardless, the rewrite needs to make Ruby more sympathetic and not as much of an asshole and hypocrite as the original story.
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The Dwarf Slayers also fight like legends in every battle, making them among the most formidable warriors in the setting. While they may wish to die, they would never roll over to embrace it. That would be unacceptable. Only with the mission fulfilled, only with the most glorious death, only with a foe mighty enough to overpower even a legendary warrior is considered enough to cleanse your honor. This version of Ruby doesn't have such standards.
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Math, indeed! Ruby completely fails to recognize (or perhaps selectively ignores) how their deaths in that tunnel wouldn't have changed a thing. She was already unconscious and has no idea how everything truly went down; the rest of SAPR was in the red for aura, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash in the same condition. Dead on their feet, alone, against an overwhelming horde of Grimm that required Atlas to unload heavy artillery to contain? They wouldn't have lasted longer than a minute, maybe. Any difference made by that single minute would've been absolutely negligible.
And we all can't forget that Cinder had a backup detonator. Those six people would have died no matter what Sunset chose.
And if that wasn't enough, Ruby desperately needs to understand that the day a silver-eyed warrior dies... is a day that Salem will celebrate.
Here's an important question to ask: Which angers Ruby more?
That Sunset apparently got six people killed? Or that she robbed Ruby of a chance to die like her mother?
I'm really pissed at Ruby honestly, especially since Cinder is at fault for the mess and gaslighted Sunset.
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I was going to make this point as well, but I see you beat me to it. Ruby's really turning out pretty contemptuous, instantly molding Sunset into the worst shape she could fit her into here. "Sunset didn't want to die" is a long way from "Sunset didn't want to kill all her friends". I wonder if she even acknowledges that condemning Sunset for her supposed actions is the same as saying she'd have killed them all in Sunset's place. It's one thing to not value your own life, but that's going a few steps further. I wouldn't want someone like that anywhere near me. I'd even go so far as to warn people away from her. She has a childish view of, well, everything from morality to mortality. It's only getting worse, too. I'm sure she'll have some shining moment of temperance, but it's a struggle watching her get there. The point is driven home time and time again that she really is too young for this, and thank god no one gave her any kind of responsibility over anyone but herself. She can't even handle that at this point.
All this isn't so much to say that Sunset was in the right, but she straddled a morally gray line. If not for the fact that Cinder would never have not let that mine go off, Sunset would absolutely be responsible for the six deaths that resulted from the breach. Then again, if Sunset hadn't pressed the button Cinder was going to and did anyway, she'd have been responsible for the deaths of everyone on the train. So Sunset chose to definitely save lives she cared about while also endangering some she cared less about. Anyone that's an easy decision for needs some perspective.
Tl;dr Ruby has zero chill, frfr
Would not squad
Edit*
Dammit I need some chill myself, I told myself I wasn't going to drop another brick of text...
Something that's been on my mind, and it may become relevant soon, is how Councilor Emerald's son Bramble will think of Sunset with this bit of news and especially if/when Sunset does admit to causing the Breach. Will Emerald assure his son that Sunset is still a hero and (taking Ozpin's words to heart) say she simply made a mistake in a troubling time?
I mean, it would heartbreaking for Bramble to be let down knowing what Sunset did, considering he's her first (named) fan.