Anniversary 

(Caution this is a long one)

A state of decay, a rough patch within the tranquil Emerald Forest, stood out like a sore thumb. Destroyed makeshift fencing and houses littered the small village amongst the worn, broken weapons. To the three students of Beacon Academy making their way towards the town, it reminded them why they needed to be Huntresses.

“So why do we need to meet Weiss here again?” the short girl with a flowing red cape asked.

The blonde gemstone that looked every bit as rough and tough as beautiful rolled her eyes, sighing in frustration at hearing the question. “For the ninth time, Ruby, we don't know. She said it was urgent, and we needed to come alone.”

“But doesn’t that seem strange, Yang?” Ruby asked, glancing back at her teammate. 

“Honestly. Weiss would never let us walk into a situation without intel.”

Ruby and Yang turned towards the tall, slender feline Faunus, her cat ears folding slightly as she glanced towards Yang. 

“I forgot you actually speak,” Ruby muttered. "Maybe try not being the quiet one for a change." She gave a hearty chuckle as Blake shook her head.

“Don’t worry yourself, Blake. We’ll deal with whatever Weiss wants, and afterwards, we’ll teach her….” Yang paused, clearing her throat. “We will teach her the proper manner and etiquette in revealing information to her teammates before asking them to come blindly into danger!”

Ruby snorted, unable to hold back her laughter at Yang wagging her finger about as she put on an impression of their other teammate; even Blake gave a slight chuckle.

“I think it needs to be more posh anyway,” Ruby stated, squeezing her thumb and index finger together.

Yang shook her head. “You really want me to lose brain cells just to get it right?!”

The trio shared a laugh as they entered the ruined village. Ruby stopped in her tracks, staring at the shattered wooden sign, its name reading “Emerald View” underneath the graffiti of “Only dead live here!” A sharp chill ran down her spine as she drew her eyes towards the destroyed homes.

“You okay, Rubes?” Yang asked, looking over with concern. 

Ruby quietly gulped, nodding. “Yeah, let’s just find Weiss and get some answers.”

They moved deeper into the village, keeping their eyes peeled for their friend whilst Ruby cried out. “Weiss!” at the top of her voice. 

“You team RWBY, right? What’s left of them,” a female voice spoke with a heavy scoff. “How underwhelming you children are!”

The trio turned towards the person you had spoken to, becoming taken aback by the abundance of leather and spikes on her attire. The female flicked the black section of her hair away from her left eye revealing the three dark red piercings in her eyebrows. The old wooden beams creaked under her weight as she stared down at them.

“I’m sorry,” Ruby said, eyeing the red and white camo-printed leggings and heavy black platform boots. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Seems the boss was right. Strike at one, and the others follow like good little Huntresses,” the woman stated, “The names BB and my boss sent me with a message for you twerps.”

“Your boss?” Ruby asked, “Are they Huntsman?”

“Huntsman,” BB retorted, spitting onto the ground, “There are other jobs besides being a hero, but that’s what my boss needs you for.”

Blake folded her arms, “Well, unfortunately, your boss will have to wait until our teammate is missing, so she’s our priority.”

BB chuckled, “Well, if she’s such a priority, then you’ll have no trouble getting the fragile damsel out of my boss’ little game.” She drew out a white cased Scroll crested with the Schnee emblem and threw it down at Yang’s feet. Ruby quickly picked it up, eyeing it momentarily before tucking it into her pouch.

Yang gritted her teeth, the yellow shotgun gauntlets unfurling around her hands and forearms, “What do you mean by that? Where’s Weiss?”

Ruby and Blake drew out their weapons, eyes narrowing at BB, who stood unphased by their actions. BB blew up a small bubble with her blue bubblegum, allowing it to pop as she looked at each girl closely.

“I wouldn't dare hurt me if I were you. If you so much as lay a finger on me, my boss will see to it that damsel will never see the world again,” she stated coldly, “If you wanna see her again, you’ll come to see my boss.”

“What’s to stop me from beating the hell out of you?” she snapped, “After all, information can be beaten out of punks like you!”

BB threw a small holographic card at Ruby’s feet as Yang inched forwards. A smirk crossed BB’s face as the amethyst jewel on her black choker glowed brightly. Yang leapt towards the woman, throwing a punch through the smoke that surrounded BB as she slowly faded from view. 

“What the hell was that!” Yang exclaimed.

Ruby didn’t answer. Instead, she picked up the card, eyeing it closely as the details shone brightly on the blue screen, “Director Manor: A Show of A Lifetime. Will you be the one to rescue the damsel? Come as soon as you dare.”

“Director Manor,” Blake mused, leaning over Ruby’s shoulders, “That’s the old amusement park attraction in Lower Caine, isn’t it?”

Ruby nodded, “Yeah, Dad used to take us there when we were little. That was before the Grimm rolled in.”

“Well, I’m certain we’re going to have fun either way, whether it’s punching BB or this boss of hers,” Yang called, cracking her knuckles.

“We have to remember Weiss is our main objective. We can’t let them hurt her,” Ruby stated.

Blake patted Ruby on the shoulder, giving her an encouraging smile, “We’ll follow your lead, Ruby.”

“Then let’s head out!” Ruby cheered. 

Wagtails chirped out their song as they sat upon the old run-down Ferris coated in vines and moss. Blake's long creaking groan of the gate being pushed open sent the birds flying frantically away. 

“This is Director Manor,” Ruby stated, looking up at the black-bricked manor.

Blake glanced around at the overgrown courtyard and festive rides, the dark greens covering the rusted metal. She turned her attention to the manor; the paving stones along the path looked brand new and spotless, much like the brickwork, “This place looks strangely well-maintained.”

“It won’t be like that when we’re finished with it,” Yang retorted, activating her weapons.

“Yang!” Ruby said, “Let’s play this by ear for now; maybe this boss will be reasonable.”

Yang gave a disappointed look, “Negotiation, really?”

“Yang, we need to follow Ruby’s lead. The last thing we need is Weiss getting hurt because of rash actions,” Blake said.

“Why are you so eager to beat something up anyway?” Ruby asked. 

Yang sighed, “I’d be the same way with you or Blake. No one messes with my friends or family.”

“I respect that, but sometimes there are alternatives to problems,” Ruby replied sweetly.

Yang gave a reassuring smile to her sister, watching her closely as she walked up the path, following her shortly after. A set of wide double doors clanged as gears ticking filled the air as the trio ascended the tall steps; they looked at each other bewildered as torches fixed on the wall began to burn brightly.

“Looks like we were expected after all,” Blake stated, staring into the large foyer.

Cautiously, with weapons drawn, the trio stepped through the door. The doors began to close whilst the Huntresses looked around at the foyer. Purple carpet lined the floor with a golden cover protecting large black cables that ran to the large gold circular podium in the centre of the room.

“Is this it?” Yang quizzed aloud, the clang of the doors locking echoing around.

“There’s not even any stairs or other rooms,” Blake observed. 

“Indeed, there isn’t, as this is only the start,” a female voice said as a hologram of a rabbit Faunus appeared from the podium. 

“You're the boss, I presume,” Ruby said, eyeing the smart attire strewn around the Faunus’ body.

The boss smiled sweetly, stroking the lapels of her blazer. “Indeed I am. Call me Miss Velvet Jay, and it’s such a pleasure to meet the famous team that took down Roman Torchwick. Though you're no Team STRQ or CFVY, you’ll do for now.”

“Do for what?” Yang asked.

“Where’s Weiss?” Ruby added.

Miss Jay waved her hand to the right, seemingly summoning another hologram. Ruby’s eyes widened at the sight of her friend strapped to a weird contraption that looked like a gurney fused with the layout of a tanning bed.

“Oh, don’t worry, she’s safe and will hopefully be that way. Provided you play along Huntresses,” Miss Jay stated.

Blake hummed thoughtfully, stroking her chin. “You said we’ll do. Do for what, Miss Jay?”

“A test,” Miss Jay replied. She clasped her hands together. “I recently came into possession of an elegant toy that I’ve been playing with, and now that I understand it, it’s time to play with it.”

“Enough!” Yang snapped, “Just give us our friend back or….”

Miss Jay clicked her fingers, cutting Yang off. A strong gust of wind whipped up beneath them as the floor began to pulse beneath them, becoming more transparent with every flash. The Huntresses cried out in shock as they fell through the floor, their cries echoing around them as darkness consumed them. A bright flash blinded them as a glow surrounded their bodies, slowing their descent until they hovered above a large silver floor.

“Now you have no choice but to play.” Miss Jay’s soft voice echoed around them as the glow disappeared, dumping them on the floor. 

Yang growled in frustration, clenching her fists.

“Yang, that's enough!” Ruby snapped. “I get it. We’re all frustrated that this has happened, but if we’re going to save ourselves and Weiss, then we need to do this with clear heads and together as a time, so please…get your head in the game.”

“There’s the fire of a leader,” Blake thought, smiling. 

“Okay, Ruby.” Yang agreed. “Let’s do this.”

“Great! So let’s play. Firstly you’ll have to fight through scene one and defeat the evil beyond the door,” Miss Jay explained. “I will not help you further. What happens next is up to you.”

A dull series of clangs and whirs echoed around as a section of the wall opened, and a blinding white light poured through the growing crack. The Huntresses gathered their weapons and headed through the gap, ready to face whatever Miss Jay was about to throw at them. Blake glanced back as the door closed behind them. “Guess there really is no way out of this.” 

“Wowzers!” Ruby exclaimed.

Blake turned, eyes wide at the expansive, cramped room, the walls bleached with bright white light that glistened the silver flooring like treasure. Tall, board silver containers with cables running down the sides made the girls feel very small. All of the wires and cables disappeared into grated flooring running towards a round machine with a large hourglass structure sitting upon it. 

Loud heavy metal footsteps sounded out with a well-timed marching beat. A platoon of silver and black androids with glowing green eyes moved towards the Huntresses, blades glinting curved blades attached to the outer portions of their legs and arms glinted in the light.

“Orders understood. Terminate Huntresses!” they echoed in unison.

Before any of the girls could speak, the androids broke formation and charged towards Huntresses. Yang leapt forwards, charging in hard and fast, firing off several shots timed her punches, shattering the metal bodies whilst Blake Ruby followed suit, cutting their way through the machines. However, as they disposed of the threat, more androids funnelled out of the device.

“Miss Jay sure as hell prepared for this!” Blake cried out.

Ruby grunted, speeding forwards with her Semblance, craving her way through with the war scythe form of her weapon. “Maybe she prepared for STRQ or CFVY or worse, Goodwitch!” 

“Well, we’ll show her what we're made of,” Yang said, ripping off one of the android’s arms. She chuckled, smashing other androids with the stolen arm. “Team RWBY will be the best team Remnant has ever seen!” 

Blake glanced around at the mass of androids, deflecting their attacks with Gambol Shroud. “There’s far too much for us to deal with. We can’t waste time on these metal soldiers!”

“But how do we stop them?” Yang asked.

“We need to find what’s controlling them and shut them off at the source,” Ruby said. “But what is controlling them?” she muttered, trying to focus on the surrounding area whilst dispatching more androids.

Ruby glanced up at the large hourglass structure pulsating brightly as the cables stretched into the floor and ceiling shook gently with the power surging through them. She leapt back, firing off several rounds of Ice Dust at the androids to give herself room. “That structure connects to the round structure spewing out these androids.”

“Guys. I think I know what to do!” she called out, jumping back as two androids attempted to cut at her body.

“Let’s hear it!” Yang called out, raising her voice to be heard of her shots firing out of her gauntlets, destroying the heads of three androids.

“That hourglass up there may be some sort of control device for these androids like in that Sci-Fi flick Metal Feels,” Ruby said, slashing away at a few mechs.

“Ruby now isn’t the..” Blake began.

Yang grunted, ripping off the arms of an android and beating the disarmed hunk of metal with them, “She may be right. I’ll get up there and check it out.”

Before anyone could say anything else, Yang charged forwards, fighting through the androids, reducing the metal and circuits to smouldering scrap. To her surprise, the androids didn’t pursue her as she leapt onto the higher ledge.

“That makes things easier,” she declared, jumping into a hole and landing inside a large chamber under the hourglass. She stared up at the vast, tall hourglass covered in circuits and wiring, “Ruby wasn’t kidding. This does look like something out of a movie, but I doubt just destroying this will stop the androids, but it’s worth a…” a loud grunt escaped her mouth halting her speech as something heavy slammed into her back.

She swung round, fists clenched, ready to meet the wannabe attacker, only to stagger back in surprise at the fourteen white mechanical arms tipped with three claws hovering in front of the entrance. The claws snapped as the arms flew towards Yang, the blonde Huntress crying out as she fired shots to deflect the claw, a smirk crossing her face at the sparks flying as three claws were ripped apart by the fiery blasts.

Six claws slammed into Yang’s chest, pushing her back until she slammed into a circuit panel, her back arching, colliding with the hot metal and wiring as the other claws pinned her arms or at least tried to as the feisty Huntress gritted her teeth, pushing against the claws.

“Is that all you got?!” Yang cried out; glowing orange flames engulfed her hair and body as a bright crimson filled her eyes. 

A fiery explosion erupted as Yang threw her arms outwards, ripping the mechanical components apart. She turned around, a determined, triumphant smirk spreading across her face, followed by a loud scream as she slammed her fists into the hourglass. An alarm blared out, glass shattering around her as sparks flew from the cables and walls. A thunderous boom echoed around her as she was thrown to the ground by a bright white shockwave, whilst a second boom sounded out as a bulkhead door slammed down, sealing her in the chamber. 

“What a kick!” Yang chuckled, getting to her feet as her Aura shattered, causing her to groan, “With great explosive power comes a stupid drawback.” She cracked her neck, focusing on the following situation, unaware of faint purple wisps trailing under her skin.

Outside, Blake and Ruby cut through more androids as the explosion rang out, but to their dismay, the androids kept attacking them.

“It didn’t work,” Blake stated, leaping above a couple androids, slashing them with her weapon’s sickle form.

“Of course, it didn’t,” Miss Jay’s voice called out over the intercom, “I’m not a stupid cartoon villain. Who would have their power source out in the open.”

Ruby jumped back, firing off a few Ice Dust bullets at the androids, “Then what did we destroy?”

“Simply my nanite reactor for repairing my lair,” Miss Jay replied, “Whilst I’m sad about losing it and having to repair it, it’s not relevant right now.”

“I hope Yang’s alright.”

“Don’t worry, it’s Yang. She’s tougher than all of us put together,” Ruby called, “Let's just focus on dismantling these hunks of scrap.”

Yang gave a disgruntled sigh, eyeing the vast bulkhead doors blocking any chance of escaping the chamber, a faint crackling filling the air as small purple particles began to trace along the cables, steadily repairing any damage to them. She grunted in discomfort as tight cramps spread throughout her hands and fingers, her pained expression twisted into horror as she brought her hands up in front of her eyes, watching the definition of her bones becoming more visible.

“What the hell?!” Yang exclaimed, eyeing a purple colour in single lines under her skin running down her fingers, massing together towards the centre of the backs of her hands as a short black circular formed under the skin. 

Tears popped out of her eyes at the sharp pains flooding her arms whilst she tried to flex her fingers, the movements becoming stiff with each attempt. Her pale white skin hardened, the feeling fading from her fingers and hands as the skin became golden metal, and her joints became dark round metal. As her arms transformed similarly, metal broke around two black cables that snaked from her forearms, latching onto her weapons. Metal creaking tortured the Huntress’ ears as her weapons expanded, fusing to her metal arms. Two new barrels extended from her weapon as the Dust within dissolved from the shotgun shells.

“Come on, Yang!” she cried, “You got this. Fight…move something.”

Even as she spoke, resisting the growing numbness to her body, the leather of her boots stiffened, becoming harder and blacker. Yang gritted her teeth; the cold chill of metal grazing her skin was nothing compared to tight pinching as more of her boots turned to metal and steadily became more fitted and compact against her feet and lower legs.

“Ruby! Blake! Anyone?!” Yang cried out, squeezing her eyes shut. 

Pain flared in her legs and feet as she tried to lift her feet; the metal anchoring her feet, however, aided by the skin of her feet, remoulded into black metal. The skin on her legs pulsed, the outline of purple wiring pressing into the skin as the stiff, solid golden texture began to consume it. Yang yelped, her legs snapping straight, the feeling disappearing from her legs whilst her knee joints became rounder with support struts mirroring those extending from her elbow joints.

The numbness in her legs and arms concealed the hidden conversion of her muscles, the soft fleshy texture hardening into shells of black metal, becoming filled with wiring and circuitry. Her black shorts disintegrated, exposing the stiffening butt cheeks whilst her genitals and anus were hollowed out and sealed over by black metal.

“Can’t…move…need to…fight this….somehow.” Yang strained, pressure mounting on her chest as the soft, study material of her jacket compressed against her boobs and chest, the brown fabric darkening into a black whilst reforming, hardening into metal that sent cold chills through her chest and erected her nipples whilst her top was eating away into nothing.

Yang stared down at the black breastplate, the chill from the metal causing her to shudder whilst the nightmarish image of the unseen metamorphosis of her chest and back lingered in her mind. Within her chest, her ribcage fused into one metal shell encompassing her lungs and hearts whilst the remainder of her organs were dissolved. A mess of wires threaded between her lungs and heart branching out towards her legs and arms; all the while, her vertebrae had wiring weaved through them as they became metal and layered over each other.

“I don’t…feel…” Yang groaned.

A heavy gasp of air squeezed out of her mouth as the final vestiges of oxygen left her body. Her neck stiffened into golden metal as a single ball-like joint formed within the wires pushing towards her skull. Silence surrounded the machine as Yang’s mouth closed; a thin transparent block formed between her lips as metal crept up her face. Single black grooves formed in the metal running from the corners of the mouth block to just below her eyes whilst her nose sunk into her face.

Yang helplessly stared straight ahead as metal spread across her ears, wiring from inside the ear canals cutting off all sound around her. Darkness crept over her vision as a black lens formed over her blank eyes, hiding the travesty of her signature blonde locks falling to the ground from her metal scalp.

“This can’t be happening; I can't be turned into a machine; this has to be some sort of weird trip conjured by that rabbit bitch!” Yang thought.

A section opened in the back of her head, revealing a deep black indent in her head with a small silver socket as a cable slunk from the machinery and connected to the socket. “Got to keep it together ...can't let the villain win!” Yang cried out in her head as everything seemed to freeze, unaware of her brain becoming rounder and stiffer, littered with all manner of wiring and circuits. The whites of Yang’s eyes blackened as her pupils dimly glowed a bright red as the words “Standby” and “Uploading Data and Programming” appeared.
A twin section on her back opened up, allowing more cables to attach into sockets as the gentle hum of electricity transferring from the machinery to the metal body sounded out. The robotic Yang’s eyes glowed brighter as the cable detached from her head. “Programming installed. Unit Yang-001 online. Action….terminate Ruby Rose and Blake Belladonna!” it stated as the other cables detached from its body.

Heavy, clanking footsteps accompanied the humanoid movements of the robot as it made its way down the stairs to the lower chamber, its eyes focusing on Ruby as it marched out of the section and into the room. The other androids ceased their attack and stood to attention.

“Yang?” Blake asked shakily as she eyed the new robot, the yellow and black metal reminding her of her old friend.

“What the?” Ruby’s voice cracked slightly as she eyed the robot.

“Yang-001 is an improved Yang. Humans and Faunus are fleshy rodents that must be eradicated as per the Elite Program.” Yang-001 stated.

Quick as a flash with pounding footsteps, the robot charged towards Ruby drawing its arms up. Ruby froze, whimpering at the sight of her teammate and sister barreling towards her as bright flashes emitted from the barrels of the weapons.

“Yang don’t!” was all Blake could get out before Ruby was struck by crackling energy bolts. A crack of green light flashed in the corner of Blake’s eye, drawing her attention briefly to a new doorway opening. “RUBY! Ruby, come to me. We have to go!”

Ruby shook her head, dodging the fierce punches from Yang-001. “I can’t leave her!”

“It’s not Yang, not anymore. If you want to save her, you must be alive for that. Now come on!” Blake cried out, configuring her weapon into its pistol form.

Loud shots rang out as Lighting Dust rounds zipped past Ruby as she scurried towards Blake.

“I’m sorry, Yang,” they said in unison, tears trickling down their faces as they ducked through the doorway and into a narrow enclosed corridor. The door creaked and clanged behind them as Ruby dropped to her knees.

“What the hell happened to my sister?!” Ruby screamed, her rage flowing like her tears. “Whatever that is, it's not possible, not in reality!”

“I don’t know,” Blake muttered. “But that thing’s words confirmed it wasn’t Yang anymore, not mentally.”

“That would be correct, Blake. Blimey, you really are the second smartest person on the team.”  A hologram of Miss Jay appeared before the two girls.

“Forget the compliments; what did you do to Yang?!” Blake asked, narrowing her eyes.

“I did nothing. This whole place is my doing, but did I tell Yang to attack the machine? Did I put Yang in that situation without knowing what was happening?” Miss Jay folded her arms, glancing over at Ruby.

Ruby looked up, wiping the tears from her anger-filled eyes. “This was you're doing? You made it so you're responsible.”

“So, from your view, I ordered Yang to attack a scarce piece of cybernetic equipment containing nanites that converted Yang into a robot and reprogrammed her precious fiery brain.” Miss Jay stated, shaking her head. “Take some responsibility, Miss Rose. You're the one who sent Yang in there, but we can argue about that later; if you want a chance to save both your friends, then I suggest you keep moving.”

The hologram faded as Blake knelt beside Ruby, resting a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder. “You couldn’t have known this would happen. The best thing we can do for them is press on and stop this once and for all.”

“But what if I make a mistake that costs you? I don’t think I can do this one alone, Ruby muttered.

“Ruby Rose. You stood by me when we needed to stop the White Fang and Torchwick. You’ve always been an optimistic, bright light in a bleak world. You can…no, you will save Weiss and Yang and bring Miss Jay to justice now, shake a leg and let’s be Huntresses like in those stories, like your mother!” 

Blake patted Ruby’s back as the young girl wiped her eyes furiously on her sleeve. She gripped Crescent Rose tightly, getting to her feet, her anger shifting into glinting determination.

“Right then, what’s next!” Ruby exclaimed.

“Scene two, of course!” Miss Jay stated as a doorway opened with a dull, murky brown light pouring through it.

Carefully and together, Blake and Ruby pushed onward through the door. A strong putrid smell assailed their noses, overpowering them to the point they gagged and coughed.

“What the hell is that smell?” Blake asked, glancing around at the decaying, thick overgrown grass and shrubbery amongst the decaying trees. 

“It smells and looks like a swamp, but how is this under a fairground?” Ruby trudged forwards, the wet mud squelching under her boots. She jumped as crows cawed in the distance, scattering from the trees in response to the loud clang of the door closing.

“So I guess this will have a threat in it too.”

“Maybe Blake will be ready for anything.” Ruby gestured towards the path. “We’ll stick to the path to be safe.”

Blake nodded in agreement, walking with her leader as they walked on. They hacked and slashed, cutting through the overgrowth that blocked the path until they eventually reached a crossroads branching over in five different directions around a bubbling black swamp.

“Which way is the way?” Ruby squinted, slowly scanning each path, seeing no direction difference. She gasped with fright as dozens of glowing green eyes appeared in the darkness.

The overgrowth rustled and cracked as dull, raspy groans filled the air as tall monstrous-looking humanoid plants stalked towards the Huntresses; green sap trickled from their overbite mouths as spiked bark fingers creaked. Twin-clawed toes dug briefly into the ground, providing them nutrients whilst bark armoured their chests and backs. One drew closer to Ruby, outstretching a hand towards her as vines ripped out of its body, lashing at the human. 

Ruby cried out, hacking away at the creature with her weapon, cringing in disgust at the green liquid seeping from the severed limbs and vines but to her horror, fresh new monsters grew from the limbs.

“This is new and impossible!” Blake cried out as she leapt back from growing creatures.

Blake gasped with realisation, quickly loading in a clip of Fire Dust ammunition. She kept her hands steady, and her aim focused on the creatures. With thunderous cracking, a shot rang out around the area as the bullets tore through the air striking the creatures with a bright burst of orange that licked and spread across the creatures.

“We need a way out and fast!” Blake called out as the flames leapt from the dying creatures and into the overgrowth.

Ruby frantically scanned the surrounding area, the agonised snarls of the burning creatures ringing in her ears. “Found one!” Ruby called out, spotting an icy blue hue in the distance. “Follow me!” 

Blake hurried after her leader, following the crimson-caped leader but couldn’t see the exit Ruby was rushing towards but chose to focus on reloading her gun and firing off more Fire Dust rounds behind her.

Ruby panted, giving a small cheer as she scampered through the doorway. A loud thud echoed around her as Blake ran into an invisible barrier.

“What the? No.no!” Ruby shrieked, padding her hands along the wall.

Blake swung her weapon at the wall, crying out in frustration as she hacked and slashed at it, barely managing to scratch it. She briefly turned over her shoulder as her ears picked up a faint hissing as a wall of water sprinkled down from the sky, extinguishing the fires whilst also cutting the creatures off her. 

Green vines erupted from the ground, coiling tightly around Blake’s legs. Ruby could only watch as Blake managed to cut one of them before she was pulled off of her feet. 

“Blake!” Ruby cried out.

Blake moaned in discomfort. Not only was wet mud soaking her clothes and skin but mud mixed with green ooze leaking onto the ground stung her eyes and nostrils whilst entering her mouth. She coughed, spitting out the dirt as an acidic styled burn coated her tongue and mouth. “That wasn't nice,” she complained, wiping mud from her eyes.

The vines uncoiled from her legs and wrapped around her weapon, pulling them deeper into the ground as Blake staggered backwards, the world around her seemingly spinning. Cramps spread through her hands and fingers. “Ruby?” she wheezed, shaking as she got to her feet.

Blake cried out in shock as her feet violently cracked, her knees following suit, dropping her to the ground. She cried out, straining at the agonising pain accompanying the cracks and crunches of her bones. Her boots became taut around her feet, a singular bulge pressing into their backs as a growth grew from her heels. Her stockings tore around her knees, jaggily tearing around twin curves of blood-stained bark.

“What’s happening to her?!” Ruby shrieked, smashing her weapon into the barrier.

Giant ladders formed in her stocking as her leg muscles jerked and spasmed, ballooning with newfound strength. A dark green discolouration slithered down her legs as her stockings parted into several pieces. “It…hurts!” Blake cried out over the sound of the front of her boots bursting open.

Ruby gasped at seeing six of Blake’s toes receding in the foot whilst four thickened, shortening, thick bark claws grew from the malformed toes, forcing her nails off.  The seams of Blake’s boots protested, fighting to keep her tattered boots closed as her feet steadily elongated and swelled, breaking free of her purple stockings. Bones crunched as her feet took on a digitigrade, her heels rising into the air as the chunky heels of her boots dropped to the ground.

Blake cried out in pain, rolling onto her chest. Violent cracks and crunches filled the air as her back arched, the skin breaking on her lower half around seven thick vine-like tendrils that lengthened from her spine. The tendril tails lashed and whipped uncontrollably as moss and leaves seeped while barky points erupted from the tips.

Green sap dripped from her mouth, and a continuous guttural scream strained from her throat whilst the fabric of her vest and crop top jaggily tore around triangular growths of bark that ran down the line of her spine. Her back and chest skin turned a deep green that crept down her arms whilst they surged, growing broader. Her breasts sunk into her chest as thick bark seeped out of her green skin, forming together into makeshift armour.

Bark-like claws grew from her fingers, ripping her nails off, a faint yet increasing crunching of her thumbs and little fingers receding into her hands whilst her remaining fingers grew thicker and longer. Blake’s cries twisted into those of a pained monstrous animal as her lower jaw elongated slightly with a three-grooved overbite maw.

Darkness swallowed the insides of her mouth as a dark brown colouring spread around. All the while, a dark green colour slithered up her tongue as sap oozed from her tongue. Her black locks became wet with sap working through each strand, turning them translucent and green as branches grew from her cat ears, bark hardening over them. Her face turned a dark green mirroring the colouring eating away at her amber eyes. Blake shook her head, sap oozing out of her brain as a singular thought blossomed, “Humans are a threat!.” These words pushed her consciousness into a small pocket of her mind, sealing it away.

The creature snarled and growled, turning to face Ruby as it straightened up.

“Blake?” Ruby cautiously asked. “Please tell me you're still there.”

The creature lunged forwards; though it bore the tattered clothing of the Huntress, it didn’t recognise Ruby Rose as a former friend. It lashed out, clawed and banged against the invisible wall whilst the room around Ruby felt like it was starting to descend.

“I must complete this. I must end this and save everyone,” Ruby muttered as the image of the monster that had claimed her friend disappeared from view.

A faint whirring filled the air as the room seemingly descended briefly. A white light erupted into the room as a large white holographic screen appeared; the image displayed was of the missing team member. “Weiss!” Ruby said, feeling a sense of hope swelling within her mind. 

The image was a paused video that began to play as Ruby stared at her partner. “Go on, Weiss!” she cheered as the white-haired heiress fought against robotic tendrils, their three-pronged clawed tips snatching at her.

The elegant girl twirled, summoning glyphs augmented with Dust to unleash various attacks, from waves of fire and ice to speeding around and striking at the tendrils from behind. Soon, Weiss became overwhelmed as the number of tendrils increased from ten to thirty to fifty. A bright blue beam shot out of one of the tendrils striking Weiss in the forehead. “NO!” Ruby shrieked as Weiss dropped her weapon, seemingly relaxing as she deadpanned at the tendril.

A pulse of red shot backwards along the beam as Weiss staggered, straining to move her body. The tendrils whipped in, gently grabbing her around the ankles and wrists, lifting her off the ground whilst a section of the floor opened up, and a sizeable ovoid metal gurney rose. Weiss offered no resistance as the tendrils manoeuvred her onto the gurney.

“Weiss never fails,” Ruby whimpered, “Why isn’t she fighting back?”

Thin metallic arms unfolded from the sides of the gurney, tipped with thin needles that poked into the exposed skin of Weiss. At the same time, another tendril hovered over her forehead, firing out a bright green beam into the Huntress’ forehead.

Tears glistened in Ruby’s eyes as she watched an assortment of machines cutting Weiss’s hair as a blackness spread down each strand. Her locks were trimmed and shaped into a chin-length bob with the right side shaved down. All the while, her fringe became jaggily cut, covering her left eye. The piercing yet soft icy blue disappeared under a cold, fearful deep red as a single arm clipped piercing through the right eyebrow, then the left as a clawed tendril shifted the fringe out of the way.

Ruby gulped, watching Weiss’s body jerk and spasm. Yet, her friend showed no emotion as her muscles across her body became more toned, the hips filled out steadily, removing the elegant hourglass mirrored by the familiar face of Weiss fading, cheekbones becoming more pronounced, nose crunching into a dainty one. Her signature crooked scar across her eye disappeared whilst a soft tan swept across her skin as her breasts swelled outwards.

The stranger stood up from the gurney as the procedure drew close; she swept her hair back and cringed at the clothing wrapped around her body. Without delay, she stripped down to her birthday and disappeared off camera.

“It can’t be?” Ruby said, her eyes fixating on the figure returning her outfit consisting of a pair of red and white camo printed leggings and a tall black platform. The spikes of the leather glinted like the studs on her boots.

“Oh, it is Ruby Rose.” BB stepped through the screen.

“You can’t be Weiss?!”

BB chuckled, swaying Myrtenaster about. “Oh, I was that pathetic heap of elegance and poshness, but then something wonderful happened.”

“No,” Ruby croaked, tears escaping from her eyes.

BB threw down the rapier. “Miss Jay awakened me. Make me tougher and edgy. I’ve never felt so much comfort in my life. My loyalty is sworn to Miss Jay when she told me about what would happen with you squares. I couldn't help but imagine what would become of Team RBY.”

“NO! This ain’t real. I can still change you back….I can still save you.”

BB rolled her, slapping Ruby hard across the cheek. “By the Gods! We should have picked Blake for this Miss Jay, not this crybaby.”

Ruby gritted her teeth, unable to stop the flow of tears streaming down her cheeks as she grabbed Myrtenaster. “There’s still hope, I will fix everything, and then I will bring Miss Jay to justice.” “Maybe even kill her!” she added in her head.

Petals scattered as her red blob sped past BB and into a white laboratory-style room. BB chuckled at the sight of blue and white energy crackling around the petal blob. Ruby cried out in agony and shock as she was ripped from her Semblance, crashing into the ovoid metal gurney.

“What’s happening?!” Ruby shrieked. She clutched at the sides of her head as her skin began to bubble and ripple.

“The most need change. One could say you’ve needed this for a while,” BB stated, studying the lengthening locks.

A soft, snow white colouring slithered down the locks as they rich the centre of Ruby’s back. Bones cracked under Ruby’s facial skin, the skull and face reshaping into a cute, elegant replica of Weiss Schnee. The icy soft blue slithered around the silver of Ruby’s eyes as a part of her face burned as a crooked scar carved its way down and over her left eye.

“Feel the pain, Rubes; feel every part of your body turning into something new,” BB said, hovering over the deforming Huntress as she sprawled onto her back.

Her skin grew paler as her body slimmed down, shortening a couple of inches. Robotic tendrils lowered from the ceiling, snapping around Ruby’s legs and arms, hefting her off the ground, steadily tightening their hold as Ruby, though gripped with pain from her body changing around her, tried to offer resistance. Ruby’s hips curved, gaining the silhouette of an hourglass.

BB smirked, pulling out a small knife as she advanced on Ruby. She carefully removed Ruby’s boots before cutting through the skirt and tight. Ruby let out wheezing pleas as her neck narrowed with vocal cords twisting about inside whilst BB cut the waist clincher and blouse. A tendril snatched the red cape from the Huntress as BB removed Ruby’s underwear and bra, only replacing the underwear with soft, rich cotton lacy ones.

She grabbed an elegant posh white dress, holding it before Ruby. Ruby weakly eyed the garment as the final few crunches emitted from her body. The dress had a gradation to light blue towards the hem, which was scalloped like icicles, and a patch of black lacy fabric was fastened to the neckline. “It looks like the perfect dress Weiss had always called a combat skirt whenever Coco called her fashion choices into question,” Ruby thought.

BB slipped the dress around Ruby’s frame, chuckling as it fitted better than she thought it would have. Ruby’s breasts shrunk slightly. She continued dressing Ruby, fastening a white sash belt around her waist whilst the tendrils slipped on the flared-sleeved bolero and flared wedged boots. 

Ruby felt awkward in her friend’s clothing, but BB seemed to be enjoying herself until she cringed from behind her. 

“I can’t believe I used to wear such hideous things!” BB exclaimed, tying Ruby’s white hair into a high off-centred ponytail.

“Weiss, please, you can still fight this. You can still….” Ruby began, breaking off as the tendrils threw her onto the gurney.

Large clamps snapped shut around her waist, ankles and wrists. Small holes appeared in Ruby’s ear lobes allowing BB to attach a pair of red diamond-shaped earrings. “You know..” BB began clasping the apple pendant necklace around Ruby’s neck, “This place Miss Jay created is all part of her mind. Who'd thought nanites could make such an improvement to my mind and body. Now I don’t have to worry about being perfect or an heiress, but pretty soon, your mind will be as it used to be.”

A tendril lowered toward Ruby’s forehead, firing out a red beam. Ruby winced, squirming at the bright light burning at her skin. BB smirked, holding up a mirror for Ruby to see what had become of her; no longer was a crimson-highlighted, silver-eyed, optimistic warrior staring back at her; instead, the dainty, elegant young woman that was Weiss Schnee stood in the reflection.

Ruby yelped as her mind became muddled; memories of a loving mother who disappeared and a father who cared deeply for her twisted and reshaped into a mother driven to alcoholism who neglected her and a father who was strict, manipulative and the most hated man in Atlas at least from a Faunus’ viewpoint. Her sister, Yang, ever fiery and bold, became a tall, strict military commander that she would come to know as her sister Winter Schnee.

The red Aura of Ruby shimmered and flickered, becoming a light blue as more of Weiss’s memories spread like termites eating away the old ones of Ruby Rose whilst a heavy sense of loyalty and obedience to BB and Miss Jay swelled within her mind. Memories of being annoyed by Ruby Rose’s behaviour and childishness replaced those of being the optimistic leader with a strict perfect nature, replacing those of a leader struggling to her best whilst coming off as excitable.

Finally, the beam died down, and the clamps released the newly formed Weiss Schnee. 

“Is it done?” Weiss asked; her soft, angelic tone made BB grimace.

“It is. So who will you serve?”

“You and Miss Jay, of course. This fantastic place must continue.” Weiss stated, hopping off of the gurney and flicking her hair.

“And who will you reveal us to?”

“No-one. I will lure people in for Miss Jay to further test the relic.” Weiss walked over, grabbing her weapon.

“Excellent. Then go into the free world and bring us the next four subjects.”

Weiss holstered her weapon as BB took Weiss’s Scroll from Ruby’s pouch handing it to the heiress. “Who shall I acquire?”

“Velvet Scarlatina, Coco Adel to begin with. With Vytal approaching, we’ve selected Neon Katt and this new student of Mistral Academy named Cinder Fall. Miss Jay will have some fun scenarios for them and, if you’re good, a reward for you, princess.” BB explained.

“The writers will be done!” Weiss declared.

A doorway opened, revealing the outskirts of the Emerald Forest; BB watched and waited until Weiss had stepped through them, and the door closed before muttering, “Can’t believe I was once that!” 

“Me too, you're better like this BB, and now we must prepare and wait. I’d suggest you get acquainted with your new weapons and Semblance, as these next subjects are no pushovers, and I will be putting you into combat.” Miss Jay’s voice echoed around.

BB cracked her knuckles, “As the old stories once said. To be continued.”