The Wild Geese: A RWBY Story

Chapter Nineteen - Downfall

As the battle intensified in Haven Academy, Jaune rushes to Weiss who was mortally injured by Cinder's attack. Jaune quickly gets up and runs past Cinder. Oscar watches Jaune approach and pick up the unconscious Weiss from his position. He then looks over to the unconscious Ruby. Angered, he smacks Lionheart with The Long Memory, causing him to fall down the stairs and into Hazel, who remains unfazed as Lionheart falls to the ground. Oscar quickly runs over to Ruby, with Nora joining him.

Hazel: You're lettin' that boy make a fool of you.

Lionheart: That's not just a boy! It's Ozpin. He's already reincarnated!

Hazel drops Lionheart and looks over to Oscar, who is still trying to nudge Ruby to wake her up. He then notices The Long Memory being held in the young farm boy's hand.

Hazel: Ozpin?

Suddenly, the usual calm demeanor of Hazel slowly turns infuriated. Ruby stirs for a bit.

Oscar: Ruby! You--

Hazel: OZPIN!!!!

Ozpin(Voice): Oh no...

Hazel: You thought you could hide from ME?!!

As Hazel charges at Ozpin, a rain of gunfire was at Hazel. 

Pip: RUN!

As Pip  fires on Hazel, he splits up from the Wild Geese, engaging Hazel in a battle. Meanwhile, Cinder overhears this and is enraged at this. Pip was finally able to run out of cover and rush at Hazel, firing his assault rifle at him. Hazel is seemingly unaffected by this.

Pip: Son of a bitch! 

Hazel then throws Pip over the balcony. As Pip slowly gets up, he sees Cinder entering the Vault. He then sees Yang attempting to chase after Cinder only to be confronted by Mercury and Emerald.

Emerald: You wanna get to them? You're going to have to get through all of us.

Emerald uses her Semblance to create multiple copies of Mercury, which surround Yang. As Yang was surrounded, Pip begins firing on them, allowing Yang to move into the Vault. 

Mercury: You're really starting to piss me off, merc!

Pip: Good! That means I'm doing something right! 

As Pip battled against Emerald and Mercury, he realizes that he needs to enter the Vault. Seeing an opportunity, Pip drops a grenade, forcing Emerald and Mercury to retreat. As the grenade explodes, Pip rushes into the Vault. When he enters the Vault, Pip was stunned by what he was seeing. 

Pip: Holy shit....

As Pip explores the Vault, he begins looking for Yang and Cinder. To his shock, he discovered that Raven Branwen was the true Spring Maiden and that she had double crossed Cinder. Cinder was quick to notice Pip's presence as he aimed his revolver rifle at her.

Cinder: You're relentless, mercenary. 

Pip: That makes both of us. I thought Ruby took care of you back at Beacon. Looks like I'll have to finish the job. 

Without warning, Cinder attacks from all sides. She unleashes a firestorm with her Maiden powers. Raven counters the firestorm with an ice blast. During the attack, Cinder knocks Yang back with a fire blast. Before Cinder could deal a finishing blow, Pip tackles Cinder. The offensive was short lived as Cinder unleashes a devastating fireball attack which blasts Pip back several feet. As X-49 struggles to get up, Cinder approaches him, ready to incinerate him.

Cinder: You will suffer the same fate as Nikos! You will die for nothing!

As Cinder was about to kill Pip, the mercenary captain kicks Cinder off of him. He then fires his revolver at Cinder, landing several on her left arm. Cinder screamed in pain as she clutched her left arm, revealing it to be a Grimm arm. Cinder lashes out at Pip, but Pip severs Cinder's Grimm arm with a combat knife. It was in that moment that Raven uses the opportunity to launch a final devastating attack that disintegrates Cinder's eye mask and sends her flying over the Vault floor's edge. Raven freezes Cinder's body with her Maiden powers and watches her fall into the abyss. As Cinder was defeated, Yang checks on Pip.