Treason and Plot

"It looks like our next match will be Penny Polendina from Atlas vs. Pyrrha Nikos of Beacon!"

Pyrrha and Penny stood at the opposite side of the stage; both were prepared to face each other in the one on one match. Penny looked excited to be there; she was practically jumping for joy. While Pyrrha on the other hand seemed to have her mind on something else.

"Salutations Pyrrha Nikos!" Penny said with a smile, "It's an honor to finally meet you!"

Pyrrha had said nothing to her as her thought had been elsewhere at the moment. She looked at her hands as they shook; though she could've sworn she saw the scenery change around her once more. She didn't even take notice that one of the petals on the flower glowed red.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Penny said with energy.

Like Ruby had told Destiny she had sat with the rest of Pyrrha's team. While the rest of JNPR looked excited, as they were cheering Pyrrha on, Destiny had a worried look on her face as she held the corgi plush close to her as she looked onto Pyrrha.

"I don't know what will happen… I don't even know if something will happen, but… If there is someone watching from above with mom… Then please, let nothing bad happen tonight…"

***

Mercury.

Mercury Black was standing right before Ruby's eyes.

She knew that it was impossible, and yet here he was before her. All the questions kept forming at the top of her head; each answer she came up with was more confusing than the last one.

"Mercury?" Ruby soon began to say, "What are you doing here? You were hurt! They said you went back to Haven! Why are you--?"

Ruby soon noticed the room that Mercury had come out of earlier. The door that had been labeled on it, had said staff.

"What were you doing in there?" She soon asked, "Did you do something?"

Mercury said nothing to her; instead he only smirked, which ended up irritating her.

"Fine." She said, "If you're not going to tell me the--"

Just as Ruby was about to make her way around Mercury, she saw him move in the same direction she did. She tried again though it only ended up being the same result as before. Ruby knew she was limited on options; without her weapon, she wouldn't last long, if Mercury engaged in a fight. She could try to use her semblance to escape, though whether she would be able to get through or not was another story altogether.

"Fighters! Are you ready to begin!?" She heard Professor Port say just outside.

Ruby had a look of worry.

"I have to find a way out! I have to save Penny!"

***

Penny and Pyrrha had gotten themselves ready, just as Oobleck began the countdown.

"3… 2… 1… BEGIN!"

Penny had been the first to make a move.

With strings attached, a few of her many blades came out of her bag, and formed a circle. She soon set them flying towards Pyrrha, with a wave of her hand.

Pyrrha quickly retaliated as she jumped through the gap of her swords, blocking a couple of others with her shield when they came flying towards her.

She started to run towards Penny, despite the fact that a couple of swords that she had knocked down, started to follow behind her.

***

Ruby and Mercury heard the sounds of blades clashing with one another, and at this, her eyes widened.

"Oh no…"

"Showtime." She heard Mercury say.

Ruby attempted to run to get away from Mercury, though he kept following her despite the fact that she had changed her direction.

"SCREW IT!"

Ruby activated her semblance and started to fly as an attempt to get past Mercury, however he proved to be quicker than she. He managed to knock her down with a kick, causing her to fly back.

She soon took out her scroll from her skirt pocket to call for help; She jumped when it had been shot off her hand, breaking it.

"Let's just keep this between us friends." Mercury said tauntingly.

He charged at Ruby and started to kick at her. Though she may have not been good when it came to close quick, this time she proved to be quicker as he started to throw his kicks at her.

The very minute she saw an opening, she took it, as she activated her semblance again; this time she had been successful. She practically bounced off the wall, and back onto the floor as she started to run.

"Hold on Penny! I'm coming!"

***

"My word! What a tremendous display by Miss Poledina!"

The pattern had kept on going on between the two. Everytime they would attack each other, they would prove to be too quick and block one another. It helped with Penny that she had more to work with thanks to her swords, as she had finally been able to push Pyrrha back; though she soon distanced herself as she thought of a perfect counter measure.

With her sword and shield armed, and after she had recovered, she started to make her way towards. As the swords came flying at her, she jumped on top of them, before doing the same with another as to get closer to her.

Ren and Nora cheered for there teammate, while Jaune and Destiny watched the fight closely, not saying anything.

"GO PYRRHA!" Nora cheered.

Destiny watched as her friend fought and fought, though as she did a strange feeling seemed to have come over her. She heard the sound of a bell, as her head began to feel fuzzy. Not to mention that she started to feel nauseous. She slumped over as she let out a groan, getting Jaune's attention since he had sat next to her.

"Destiny?" He said, putting both of his hands on her small shoulders, "What's wrong?"

"I… Don't feel so good…" Destiny said as Jaune helped her to sit up properly. It hadn't been long before a thought came over the child.

"This feeling… It's different from before. It feels… More intense… It can't happen again… Not again."

Pyrrha had been sent flying nearly off of the stage, as she managed to stop herself. As she stood up once more, she looked to her hands as she could've sworn something had changed. Her sword and shield seemed to bend out of shape. The moment she blinked, she saw that it had been back to normal.

"What in the…?"

The train of thought soon left her, as Penny came flying towards her. She sent two of her blades flying at her, and Pyrrha was quick to knock them down. Though she had little time to react when Penny attacked her head on again. She used her swords to attack her on all sides, at one point she managed to get her in the air again. Though as she landed on the ground once more, she tossed her sword at her, causing Penny to jump back again.

Pyrrha went to retrieve her sword, but for a moment the scene around her changed again. She could've sworn she found herself back in the land of red, as it had been covered in a thick layer of fog. Once more when she blinked, she found herself back into reality; she felt dizzy again.

Penny came charging at her once more; with the help of her swords, she jumped high into the air and kicked Pyrrha, pushing her back with mere force. Pyrrha had been quick to recover, as she went to take the shot, her weapon was knocked out of her hand as well as her shield.

As she was about to use her semblance to get it back, Penny stopped her from doing so; as this time she had been able to knock her shield out of her hand. Penny prepared to finish the fight, though as she did, Pyrrha had a more fearful look on her face.

The ringing bell seemed to have gotten more intense for Destiny as she started to groan in agony, this time drawing the attention of Ren and Nora.

"Dessie!?" Nora exclaimed, "What's wrong!?"

"Are you okay?" Ren asked.

Destiny didn't reply as she didn't seemed to have heard their voices. As she picked up her head, her eye changed to white as the right side of the butterfly appeared on her forehead.

"What's happen--"

Destiny let out a gasp as she saw before her eyes most of her vision had been covered with red as she looked to be on the stage where Pyrrha had been standing. She could've sworn she saw Penny bearing at least a million swords; the minute insignia disappeared, and her eye changed back to green, she saw that she was back at the seats, and with Jaune and the others.

She saw that Penny only had five swords out, and Pyrrha staggering.

At this, she was quick to put together what she just saw.

As Penny launched her attack, she saw Pyrrha activate her semblance.

"PYRA! WAIT!" She yelled, catching Jaune, Ren and Nora by surprise.

But it had been too late.

Pyrrha sent them flying back in Penny's direction, only to see the reality of it all. The strings attached to each of her swords, wrapped around her body and started to tighten. They wrapped around her torso and both of her arms, causing Penny to be pulled back.

In a matter of seconds, Penny broke apart, causing the crowd to gasp and for Pyrrha to watch in horror by her actions. The swords seemed to have fallen to the ground as one of the blades ripped apart a piece of her clothing. Her eyes had become dilated as sparks flew out of her body as she had finally been no more.

Everyone had been put into shock, while Destiny shook her head in disbelief; tears started to form.

"No… No… No…" She said as she sobbed, "No…"

Voices began to overlap in her head causing her to freeze.

"The fear… The grief…"

"It hurts… It all hurts…"

"Kill… Kill…"

"KILL THEM ALL…"

"No…" The child said with a whisper.

Ruby ran straight out the door, and was about to make her way to the stands, but stopped when she saw what had been on all the screens.

She looked horrified as she fell to her knees, with her body shaking.

Tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"Penny…"

Finally she began to weep.

From where Oobleck and Port were they were just as horrified as the audience. Though they had bigger problems to worry about at the moment.

"Broadcast, what are you doing!?" Oobleck said over coms, "Kill the feed!"

"Somethings wrong!" They told him, "We don't have control over them!"

"How is that possible!?" Port exclaimed.

Just then they heard the sound of static; the screens switched from the stage to red as a black pawn appeared.

Finally, a woman's voice came over the feed.

***

"This is not a tragedy."

"This was not an accident."

***

Destiny now had a look of fear on her face when she recognized the woman's voice. Her small body shook as tears still formed.

"No! No!" She said as she grasped her head, in an effort to get the voices to stop.

"What's wrong?" Jaune asked her.

"I--I--It's her!" Destiny replied as her voice shook, "That's the woman who talked to our dad, before we were taken!"

The three of them looked at each other in shock.

"But it can't be…" Nora said.

The woman continued on.

***

"This is what happens when you hand over your trust…"

"Your safety…"

"Your children…"

"To men who claim to be their guardians."

"But are in reality, nothing more than men."

"Our Academies' headmasters wield more power than most of our armies, and one was audacious enough to control both."

***

Ironwood sat in one of the seats, gritted his teeth at the announcement. He stood up and proceeded to go where Oobleck and Port had been.

***

"They cling to this power in the name of peace, and yet, what do we have here?"

"One's nation attempt at a synthetic army, mercilessly torn apart by a star pupil."

"What would Atlas have for a soldier disguised as a little girl? I don't think the Grimm can tell the difference."

"And what I ask, is Ozpin teaching his students?"

"First a dismemberment and now this?"

"Huntsmen and Huntresses should carry themselves with honor and mercy. Yet I have witnessed neither."

***

Weiss, Blake and Cristal sat at one of the stands at the fairgrounds listening to the broadcast. Cristal's body shook with anger, while Weiss and Blake looked with disbelief.

Cristal couldn't help but let out a small growl.

"It's that woman…" Weiss and Blake heard Cristal say, "... She's the one that stole us away."

"But… That's Cinder…" Weiss said, surprised.

Cristal did a double take at this, "You actually know her!?"

"Yeah." Blake replied, "But why is she--?"

***

"Perhaps Ozpin thought defeating Atlas in the tournament would help forget his colossal failure to protect Vale when the Grimm invaded its streets. "

"Or perhaps this was a message to the tyrannical dictator that has occupied an unsuspecting kingdom with armed forces."

"Honestly… I haven't the slightest clue as to who is right or who is wrong. But what I do know is that the existence of peace is fragile, and the leaders of our kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves."

"As someone who hails from Mistral, I can assure you that the situation there is… Equally undesirable."

"Our kingdoms are at the brink of war, yet we the citizens are left in the dark."

***

Two Atlas soldiers stood just outside the city, listening to the broadcast via scroll. Though their attention was drawn to the forest. They were taken back when they saw that practically an army of Grimm appeared from the forest.

***

"So… I ask you…"

"When the first shots are fired…"

"Who do you think you can trust?"

***

The broadcast came to an end, from all around the city and all around the coliseum, there was nothing but static. After this Oobleck went to call for help, but had gotten nothing.

"The radio's are all jammed!" Oobleck said, "We can't get a signal out!"

"Will someone please tell me what's happening!" Port said.

They soon got their answer when they heard the alarm go off.

"ALERT. INCOMING GRIMM ATTACK. THREAT LEVEL 9. PLEASE SEEK SHELTER IN A CALM AND ORDERLY MATTER."

At this, the whole crowd began to scream and panic. They started to run as fast as they could, not caring who was in the way or who they pushed. Ironwood's voice was soon heard over the speakers.

"Ladies and gentlemen please! There's no need to panic!"

Just as this was said a Nevermore landed on top of the shield and started to claw and peck, trying to break into the frantic crowd below. It let out a tremendous screech causing everyone to scream.

"A Nevermore?!" Sun exclaimed.

"How did it get past the kingdom's defenses?!" Coco shouted.

"It wasn't alone…" Ren added as he stood.

Destiny's body shook as Nora held onto her. Tears had been threatening to fall as the voices from the Grimm became more intense.

"Daddy…" She sobbed as her face was buried into Nora's chest, "... Daddy…"

***

-Headmaster's Office-

Ozpin watched as more and more Grimm flew into the city and towards the coliseum. Qrow and Glynda entered his office.

"Oz!" Qrow said, getting his attention.

"Get to the city!" He said to the two of them.

"But--!"

"Now!"

Glynda and Qrow looked at one another before they left the office and hurried towards Vale.

***

-Coliseum-

The Nevermore continued to try and break into the shield. Ironwood watched helplessly as more and more Grimm seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. His scroll rang and saw that Ozpin was calling him; he immediately took the call.

"Ozpin!" He said, "The girl--I can explain--!"

Ozpin soon stopped him as he said only one thing over the scroll.

"You brought your army to my Kingdom James. Use it."

***

-Atlas Ship; Blue Four-

Several Nevermores flew to the ships above, and a couple landed on top of the ships and started to attack. Though the shields held out, the crew didn't know for how long.

"Damn it!" The Captain said before going to his scroll, "This is Blue Four! Blues Two and Three fall into a defensive position!"

"Roger!" His comrade said, "Blue Three in position!"

The Captain on Blue Four, realized that he didn't get a response from Blue Two.

"Blue Two!" He said, "Blue Two, what's your status?!"

***

-Blue Two-

"Blue Two! Blue Two come in! Damn it! Someone answer me!"

Little did anyone know, the whole crew of the ship were all dead. Only but one person had remained standing, and that was a certain girl with brown and pink hair that swirled just like that of ice cream. Neo walked to where the cells were, with a parasol in one hand and a cane and hat in the other. She opened one of the cell doors, spinning the hat with the cane.

"Well… It's about time."

On the outside, the ship started to face the others; it had begun to open fire onto the others, causing them to crash into each other.

"We're hit! What's going---!"

BOOM!

Each of the ships had been knocked out of the air, and crashed to the landscape below. Roman let out a laugh as he witnessed the destruction.

"Oh, it's so good to be back!" Roman said as he started to steer the ship.

***

-Beacon Ship Docking-

Ships began to appear at the docking area. The ships opened and it was revealed to be the White Fang, with Adam being among them. Adam lead them as he and the group jumped out of the ships.

"Bring them to their knees!" He had told them.

As the White Fang went to work the other ships opened and it was revealed to be different types of Grimm.

The Ursa among the army of Grimm, let out a roar, echoing throughout the night.