Chapter 216: Last Call

Chapter 216: Last Call

DISCLAIMER: This story is NOT MINE IN ANY WAY. That honor has gone to the beautiful bastard Ryuugi. This has been pulled from his Spacebattles publishment at threads/rwby-the-gamer-the-games-we-play-disk-five.341621/. Anyway on with the show...err read.

Last Call

Once arrangements had been made, I left my grandmother to her workwell, really, it's more that I just dumped a lot of my work onto her shoulders, but the world was on the line and it was important to delegate. I didn't tell her much, mostly because I didn't know much, but she seemed to understand the basic idea. After that

There wasn't much to say that hadn't already been said. She'd reacted much the way that pretty much everyone else I'd told my plan had and it was hard to really blame her. She didn't know the specifics of my powers, not really, but it was pretty hard for her to miss the fact that pretty much every time I came to her for help, it was because there was something that hopelessly outclassed me on the horizon. First Raven, then the phantom menace of the Riders, then an actual Rider, and now thisit probably didn't send the best impression that every time we spoke to one another, I was preoccupied doing my best to survive some mess I'd gotten wrapped up in. As my grandmother, it was probably hard for her not to feel a little concerned.

Granted, I was pretty concerned. So far, most of those things had worked out in the sense that Raven was now on my side and none of the Rider's had killed me yet, but it didn't take a genius to understand the odds I was facing. Cinder alone had casually proven that she could muster an amount of power that I couldn't contest or withstand, and I'd barely survived when things had threatened to degenerate into violence. Even now, I really didn't like my odds against her and simply staying alive had necessitated sacrifices on my part that insured she was both aware of and interested in my existence.

In a way, it was similar to when I'd first met Raventhere was a force watching me who could very easily wipe me from the face of Remnant should she happen to feel the need; the only thing stopping her was the fact that she didn't want to. In the end, the only thing standing between me and a horrific fate at Cinder's hands was a pretty good bluff, and if she ever realized that, thenwell, it wasn't as though I could stop her.

She knew who I was. She knew what I was. She knew where I was. If it came down to a fight, I couldn't winand she kept herself close, watching my every move. There was an old saying about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer, but in this case, it really felt more like I was strapping myself to a bomb and fervently hoping nothing set it off. Grandmother knew I was in a situation where I could very easily die any moment, should the slightest mistake give me away, and there was nothing either of us could do about it except hope we didn't do anything stupid. Logically speaking, doing our best to stay out of Cinder's way would be a good place to start on that front.

Sadly, I didn't have much choice in the matter.

"Is it safe for you to be here?" Cinder asked, not even bothering to look up from her weaving as I appeared inside her room, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe.

Needless to say, I hadn't visited her as Jaune Arc, but as Jian Bing. Or rather, as Jian Bing pretending to be Conquest; my mask over my mask. It occurred to me absently that, for various reasons, my life was a rather confusing mess from the outside looking in. Honestly, I was kind of thankful for that; it was fucking hard to live, it should be hard to understand.

Still, she'd asked me a question, and while I didn't dare leap to her command, I couldn't afford to risk offending her too much, either.

"More or less," I replied. "He's currently discussing the details with his Grandmother, far away from here. You should have someone watching him besides those children of yours, sistereven if they might be able to keep something of an eye on him within this school, we can hardly afford to let him wander around freely. Who knows where he might wind up? In trouble, probably."

"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread," Cinder mused to herself.

"Do you think he's the fool, the angel, or both?" I asked. "I vote for both."

Her smile widened slightly at that.

"Regardless, I don't need any spies to follow him around," She said. "I have you for that, brother."

I snorted under my breath and sent back a cocky smirk she probably couldn't seewhich was still no reason to take chances with someone as dangerous as Cinder.

"I'd be offended, really I would," I answered. "But this seems fitting somehow; it's like we're doing a group project together, sis. I can just imagine what the credits page will look like when we turn it inresearch by me, speech by my, presentation by me. Hope it doesn't impact your grade."

She huffed out a quiet laugh and turned to glance over her shoulder at me, expression amused.

"It doesn't matter," She said serenely. "We can follow him all around the world and still learn nothingwhat matters is that we know where he'll end up eventually and are ready for it."

"Mm," I hummed, the sound somewhere between acknowledgement and agreement. "I suppose that's true, in a way. Do you think it's time, then?"

She paused in her weaving, consideration touching her features.

"That's a difficult question," She replied. "It doesn't necessarily matterhe could believe himself ready even if he was ill equipped. The better question is whether he'd chose to try or if he's content to wait. Honestly, I'm not certain of that myself; it's difficult to say I truly know him. He hides himself carefully, within systems and worlds and roles."

"Unsurprising," I answered. "Considering who he is, the fact that he wears masks should come as no surprise."

"True," She admitted. "What of you, Conquest? You've observed him longer than I havewhat do you believe he will do?"

I considered my answer carefully, trying to decide what was best to say and what to simply imply.

"It seems obvious that he's planning to leave early for a reason," I said, choosing my words carefully. "Whether he set it all up from the beginning or simple decided to take advantage of the opportunity, I'm unsure, but the fact that he's going along with it says everything. As for why, there are a number of reasons. It's possible he's caught on to what's happening in Valeit wouldn't surprise me, really. While you were away, he took a trip to Beacon."

Cinder stilled for a moment at that.

"Oh?" She asked. "Did he do anything of interest?"

"He spoke to Ozpin," I said, pleased to note that she tensed slightly at the name. "Take of that what you will. Howeverwhile I was keeping an eye on him, I noticed several signs of that illusionist of yours; it's possible that he did, too."

"Perhaps," She allowed. "You suspect it's something in Vale that he's after, then?"

If something happened to my daughter

The floor trembled slightly as Gou rose from his seat and moved gingerly to Autumn's side, brushing his head against her side quietly in the hopes of reassuring her. We didn't glance at one another, but we didn't have towe both understood. Gou was this apartment's other main inhabitant, tasked with her protection; he'd tear apart this entire building before he let anyone hurt her, same as he'd slaughter the Grimm in her defense. He was my Familiar, after all.

Wellactually, I suppose he wasn't just my Familiar any more, was he? No, both of them had grown to be far more than what they'd once been, both to me and in simple truth.

The Last Rose of Summer

LV 123

Autumn Rose

Heavenly Dog

LV 125

Tiangou

By raising Familiar to level 99, you have gained the skill 'Tiryagyoni.'

Sephirotic Synthesis Complete. The skills 'Natural Bond,' 'Green Thumb,' 'Floral Communion,' and 'Familiar' have been combined successfully. The skill 'Preta' has been created.

I looked at them both and saw the markings on their soul, the signs of my touch and the strength they'd drawn from it. I just hoped it'd be enough.

"This is it then, huh?" Adam murmured, voice quiet as he drew a slow breath and glanced towards me.

"Yeah," I replied, even though it was pointless. We all knew exactly what was to comenow it was just a matter of facing it.

Adam nod once, expression unchanging.

"About time," He said, trying for confidence and mostly succeeding. As he spoke the words, even his emotions changed, rising to match the tone. He was worried, yes, and afraidbut at the same time, he was prepared. "Are we ready then?"

The question was layered and I took one final glance around, looking at my friends.

The Blood Prince

126

Adam Taurus

Memories of the World Tree

LV 175

Raven Branwen

"Of course," I answered, smiling easily. "It's us, after all."

"Good," He all but growled. "Stuff like this, it's the waiting that gets to me."

Raven hummed slightly, the noise somewhere between a chastisement and an agreement.

"You've finished your preparations, then?" She asked.

I nodded. Everything was in order now. I'd made my plans, I'd arranged our cover story, I'dhopefullyput Cinder's concerns to rest, and most importantly, I'd done all the grinding I could. My skills were sharp and I'd prepared for everything I could, brushing up on what needed it and restocking my Inventory for the fight. I felt stronger than ever, more powerful, and I knew my friends did to.

Looking at them, I feltproud, I suppose. Or perhaps simply assured. It wasn't something amazing or elaboratein fact, it felt really simple.

This was my team.

We'd win.

"Everything's in order," I said. "We leave tomorrow. Make sure you're readybecause we're wiping Jericho Falls off the map."