RWBY: Moon Reflection-Chapter 102: Crisis

Crimson stood at the center of the room, the weight of the situation pressing down on everyone. His crimson eyes swept over the group—General Ironwood, the Ace Ops, Qrow, Ruby, and the others. Each face carried a mixture of tension, confusion, and unease. He broke the silence, his voice steady and calm despite the circumstances.

"Preparation is in order," he began. "Salem is coming, and we know her goals: destroy Atlas, take the relics, and, apparently... she hates me."

The bluntness of his statement hung in the air, and for a moment, no one spoke. Then Marrow, standing with the Ace Ops, couldn' take it anymore.

"She doesn't just hate you," Marrow said with a grim tone. "If Salem gets her hands on you, she'll gut you. You... you disturbed her. She looked genuinely unnerved by you."

Qrow scoffed, breaking the tension slightly. "Great. Now we know Crimson has the unique ability to disturb even an evil, immortal abomination." his voice dripping with sarcasm. "So... now what?"

Crimson turned to Ironwood, his expression serious. "We prepare." His words were direct, but there was a sense of urgency beneath them. "First, we need to mobilize all available soldiers. Every unit, every specialist. Next, we start evacuating civilians immediately. The people of Atlas and Mantle come first. Then we determine what's coming. We have scouts and a working communication system. Let's use them."

Ironwood looked at him, pale and visibly shaken. The general's hands trembled slightly as he processed Crimson's plan. His usual air of confidence seemed to waver under the enormity of the threat looming over them.

Crimson noticed the general's state and offered a small, reassuring smile. "General," he said, his voice softening, "when a man faces fear, his soul is tested. What he was born to seek... what he was born to achieve... his true nature will become clear."

Ironwood's gaze flickered to Crimson, the words cutting through the fog of his anxiety. He opened his mouth as if to respond, but Crimson wasn't finished.

"Order a cup of tea or coffee first," Crimson continued with a faint smile, his tone lighter. "Relax. A calm mind will take you far, especially in times like these. And remember, you are not alone."

Ironwood's hands steadied slightly, and he gave a small, reluctant nod. The room seemed to breathe again as some of the tension eased.

Crimson turned to the others, addressing everyone now. "This doesn't just apply to the general—it applies to all of you." His crimson eyes moved from face to face, landing on Ruby, Qrow, Winter, and even the Ace Ops. "We don't have much time, but panic will only make things worse. Stay calm, stay focused, and remember why we're here. We protect people. That's what we do."

The room was silent as his words settled over them. Determination began to replace the fear in their eyes, and one by one, they nodded in agreement.

Crimson's gaze settled firmly on Team RWBY. "Team RWBY," he said, his tone sharp yet controlled, "care to follow me? It seems you have a story to share."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and began walking away, his steps deliberate. The girls exchanged uneasy glances, a nervous tension filling the air. There was something unsettling about the way Crimson had looked at them—piercing.

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Crimson stood silently in the center of the room, his arms crossed over his chest, as Team RWBY filed in behind him. The tension in the air was palpable, every step the girls took echoing slightly in the quiet room. He didn't turn to face them at first, his gaze fixed ahead as if deep in thought.

When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, but the weight in his tone was unmistakable. "I told you before," he began, "I don't mind if you want to keep things from me. Everyone has their secrets, and I'm no stranger to that."

He turned to face them, his crimson eyes narrowing, the intensity of his gaze making the team shift uncomfortably. "But hiding something that could lead to disaster for everyone? That's where I draw the line."

Blake's ears flattened slightly, Yang crossed her arms defensively, and Weiss frowned, her usual composure cracking under the scrutiny. Ruby looked the most affected, her silver eyes darting nervously between Crimson and her teammates.

Crimson let out a sigh and continued, "You saw how the general and the others reacted earlier. Shaken, panicked—and that was after knowing about Salem's immortality and that she might be coming to us. Imagine what it would have been if caught off guard."

His tone remained steady, but there was an unmistakable edge of disappointment. "Their panic could have been far worse. And yet, you—Team RWBY—along with the others, asked for trust and help from General Ironwood and the people of Atlas. You can't ask for that and not return the same trust in kind. It's bad etiquette, to say the least."

The words hung heavy in the room, and the girls couldn't meet his gaze. After a moment of silence, he added, "Let me be clear—I'm not here to assign blame or listen to excuses. I'm not angry. I'm just... disappointed in all of you." His eyes swept across each of them before he added, "And yes, that includes the others."

Ruby opened her mouth, an apology already forming on her lips, but Crimson raised a hand, cutting her off. "Don't. Not right now." His voice softened slightly, though his expression remained stern. "Just tell me what you know about Salem. What did the relic show you? What is her real purpose?"

Ruby hesitated, guilt flashing across her face, but eventually, she nodded. The team exchanged glances, silently agreeing it was time to stop hiding. Ruby stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly as she began to recount what the relic showed them.

By the time Ruby finished, Crimson had moved to lean against the wall, his arms still crossed but his gaze thoughtful. The weight of the story hung in the air, unspoken yet deeply felt.

"Her goal... either destroying everything out of sheer spite or wiping it all out to finally end her own immortality. Or maybe it's both," Crimson murmured, his voice quiet but steady.

He pushed off the wall and straightened, his expression unreadable. Without another word, he turned to leave the room.

"Crimson, wait!" Ruby called after him, her voice filled with a mixture of desperation and regret.

He paused in the doorway, his back to them. "Not now," he said softly. "You all need to reflect on this... on what you're keeping from the people you're asking to trust you. Trust is a two-way street, Ruby."

And with that, he stepped out, leaving the room in heavy silence.

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Crimson pushed open the doors to General Ironwood's office. The room was buzzing with activity—Ironwood stood behind his desk, far calmer than before, issuing orders to his subordinates. Winter Schnee was beside him, coordinating efforts, her eyes focused on the numerous monitors. Clover Ebi from the Ace Ops was a few feet away, speaking into his scroll, his tone calm yet urgent as he relayed instructions to the soldiers.

Ironwood's eyes lifted as Crimson stepped inside. The general's tense expression softened slightly as he acknowledged him. "Crimson," he began, his tone measured but curious. "What did Team RWBY have to say?"

Crimson crossed his arms and leaned slightly against the wall, his crimson eyes locking with Ironwood's. "Nothing useful," he replied bluntly. "They, along with the others, foolishly hid the backstory of Salem and Ozpin. For some reason, they thought keeping it to themselves was a good idea. All it's done is plant misunderstandings and, frankly, wasted time."

Ironwood frowned deeply. Crimson let the silence linger for a moment before continuing. "If you want to punish them, that's your call," Crimson said, his tone even. "But whatever action you take will have to wait. We deal with Salem first."

Ironwood gave a slight nod, though his brows remained furrowed in thought. "Agreed," he said finally, his voice low. "One crisis at a time."

The general took a deep breath, his hand momentarily resting on the edge of his desk as he steadied himself. "Thank you for being level-headed in all this, Crimson. I... I let my fear get the better of me earlier. That won't happen again."

Crimson's lips curved into a faint smile. "Good to hear, General. I'm glad I could help." But then his expression turned serious, his gaze sharpening. "Now, have the scouts reported anything about what's coming?"

Ironwood's slight relief evaporated. His shoulders tensed again as he shook his head. "Not yet." He barely finished the words when Winter's voice broke through.

"General," she said sharply, her pale blue eyes wide with unease as she stared at one of the screens. "You will want to see this. It's from the scouts."

The room fell silent as everyone turned to the monitor Winter pointed to. She tapped a few keys, bringing up a live feed from the scouting drones. The footage was grainy but unmistakable. An enormous Grimm, shaped like a massive flying whale, loomed in the sky. Its dark, grotesque form cast an eerie shadow over the ocean below. Clinging to the whale's back was another Grimm—an immense, writhing octopus-like creature, its tentacles latched onto the whale's surface. Below them, the ocean churned violently, and beneath the waves, a colossal black mass moved, its size suggesting an army of Grimm just beneath the surface.

Ironwood's face darkened as he watched. His jaw tightened, and he muttered, "This is... much worse than I anticipated." His hand clenched tightly "How are we supposed to handle that?" he asked, his voice tinged with a rare note of uncertainty.

Crimson's eyes narrowed as he studied the footage, his features unreadable. "She's bringing everything she has," he said grimly. "Salem isn't holding back this time."

Without another word, Crimson pulled out a chair and sat down, his gaze fixed on the screen. His expression was pensive, his mind clearly working through the implications of what they were seeing. The room buzzed with tension, but Crimson remained silent, lost in thought.

It was Clover who broke the silence. "Should we even be fighting this?" he asked, his voice low but steady. "We could evacuate as many people as possible and retreat. We have Atlas. We can use it to fly away, get people to safety."

Winter turned to him, her tone icy but controlled. "And what about Mantle? Are we supposed to abandon them?"

Clover glanced at her, his expression pained but resolute. "We get as many out as we can," he said. "We only have half a day at best. If we stay and fight that... we'll lose everything."

Winter's hands clenched into fists. "A few hours isn't enough. We can't just leave them to die."

Ironwood's conflicted expression mirrored the debate unfolding around him. He placed both hands firmly on his desk, leaning forward as though the weight of the situation physically pressed down on him. His voice, steady but resolute, broke the silence. "We can't lose Atlas," he said firmly. "No matter what happens, Atlas must remain standing."

Crimson, who had been quietly observing until now, finally spoke up. "Retreating is the worst possible option."

Clover turned to him, his brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

The room's attention shifted to Crimson, his gaze calm but unwavering. "Salem was right about one thing—time is always on her side. Right now, Atlas is at the peak of its strength. If we choose to run, Salem will pursue us relentlessly. We'll tire, lose forces over time, and she'll recover, using the other continents as her hunting ground. Vale is weakened. Haven is barely holding on. And Vacuo? It's already the most vulnerable of the kingdoms."

He paused, letting his words settle before continuing. "Wherever we run, the odds will only get worse. Even if we somehow escape and she doesn't chase us, Atlas as a symbol of resistance will fall. And with it, any hope of unity between the kingdoms. Retreating won't just cost us Atlas—it'll cost us the war."

His calm but firm tone carried the weight of undeniable logic, leaving no room for rebuttal. Silence blanketed the room as his words lingered, their gravity impossible to ignore.