RWBY: Moon Reflection

Blake stared at Crimson, her throat tight, struggling to find the words to respond. His cold gaze bore into her, and his words had cut through the carefully constructed walls she'd built to shield herself from the guilt and regret that had been eating away at her. The sight of the corpses surrounding them, the lives extinguished so quickly, made her stomach churn. She had faced battles before, seen violence firsthand, but this... this was different. The carnage was too much. And in this moment, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was complicit in it all.

Gihara, her father, stood beside her, watching the scene unfold with a grim expression. His eyes turned to Blake, concern flashing in them as he took in her hesitation. He had been quiet for a moment, processing everything. Finally, he spoke, his voice cutting through the tense silence. "Who is this guy?" he asked, his gaze shifting to Crimson with suspicion.

Blake swallowed hard, her voice faltering as she spoke. "Crimson Rose," she said, her words reluctant. "My teammate's brother."

At the mention of the name, Gihara's face darkened. He had heard enough from Blake and the many rumors surrounding Crimson to know that this was no ordinary human. The stories of Crimson's strength were well known, especially among the faunus, thanks to the White Fang's propaganda. His nickname, "The Moon Demon," was infamous, as was the one about his role as a slayer of faunus. Meanwhile a shudder ran through Kali and the rest of the faunus present as they recalled the whispered tales of Crimson's cruelty. The strength he wielded was matched only by his ruthless disregard for faunus life, and that was something no one on this continent would forget easily.

Ghira's frown deepened as he looked at Crimson, sizing him up. "Why are you here?" he asked, his voice steady but laced with anger. "Why are you attacking innocent people?"

Crimson's gaze remained cold, unwavering, as he replied, his voice low and emotionless. "I didn't attack anyone," he said, a sharp edge to his words. "I merely defended myself. And that's the only reason so many of them are still alive." He let the weight of his words hang in the air, his eyes scanning the crowd.

He paused, letting the silence settle before he continued, his tone turning even colder. "I'm here for the White Fang. It's better for everyone if you point me to them."

Ghira's eyes narrowed as he processed Crimson's words. His fists clenched at his sides, a growing anger rising within him. He wasn't about to let this human think he could just walk in and do as he pleased. "What you've done won't help you," Ghira said sharply. "All you've done is make things a lot worse. You need to lay down your weapon."

Crimson's lips twisted into a cold smile, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous intensity. "I'll find them, regardless of what you or anyone on this continent wants to do," he said, his voice dripping with certainty. "It would be ironic, wouldn't it? Many members of the White Fang have families here. Those same families will be wiped out by Grimm, just like they did to Vale."

The words hung in the air, heavy with menace. Blake's heart sank, and Ghira's expression shifted to one of shock. The thought of the Grimm descending upon Menagerie, a continent already on the brink of destruction, was enough to send a wave of dread through everyone present. Blake's hand trembled as she reached out, her voice weak as she tried to protest.

"Stop... please, stop this madness," Blake begged, her voice shaking. She couldn't fathom how things had escalated so quickly, how Crimson could say something like that with a straight face.

Crimson's gaze was unchanged, as he continued, his voice chilling in its casual tone. "Of course, you can point me to my target. Or, I'll simply keep killing. And eventually, Grimm will come. And when they do, it won't matter who you are."

The fear in the air was palpable, and the faces around them grew pale with the horrifying realization of what Crimson's words meant. The threat wasn't just to the guards, to the White Fang, or to Menagerie itself—it was to everyone.

Ghira's hand clenched into a fist as he took a fighting stance, his voice rising in anger. "For the last time," he warned, his voice filled with fury, "put your weapon down. This is your final warning."

The faunus around him shifted into stances of their own, preparing for a fight, their expressions filled with fear, but also determination. They were willing to defend their home, to protect their people, no matter the cost. Blake's eyes darted around as she noticed Sun moving to stand beside her, his posture tense. But it was Blake who spoke next, her voice filled with desperation.

"Please, don't do this," she pleaded, her gaze locking onto Crimson's. "This isn't the way. It's not too late to stop."

Crimson regarded her and the gathered faunus with a cold gaze, his expression as cold as ever. "It's strange," he began, his voice cutting through the tense silence. "Strange that you're standing here, defending the White Fang. They're criminals by any standard, yet you're willing to protect them. And right now, they're the very reason humans are learning to hate faunus. Their actions are only bringing more danger to this continent . Yet here you are, making their problems your own." He shook his head, his lips curling into a wry smile. "And amusing," he continued, his eyes scanning the gathered faunus, "that you want to fight me, when most of you are shaking in your boots."

Ghira took a deep breath, his face hardening as he stepped forward to address Crimson's words. "Not all of the White Fang are responsible for what happened," he said, his voice steady but tinged with sorrow. "What you've seen—the bloodshed, the destruction—that was the work of a splinter group within the White Fang. The Vale branch. Not all of us are like them. You coming here seeking the White Fang won't help you." His words were firm, but there was an underlying sadness in his voice as he looked around at the chaos Crimson had already caused.

Crimson paused, his cold gaze shifting to Ghira as the faunus chief spoke. After a moment, he narrowed his eyes and asked, "Who are you, then? Are you the leader of this settlement?"

Ghira nodded as he answered, "I am Ghira Belladonna. I'm Blake's father, and I'm the chieftain of Kuo Kuana."

Crimson studied him for a long moment, his eyes unblinking. Then, a small, cynical smile touched his lips. "Ah," he said slowly, as though the pieces were falling into place. "Now I understand. No wonder Blake was so blind and stubborn. It runs in the family, doesn't it?" His words were deliberate, sharp, and carried an insult that stung.

Blake's face flushed with anger, and she stepped forward, her hands trembling as she took a step toward Crimson. "Don't speak about my father like that!" she snapped, her voice strained but fierce.

Ghira, however, remained still, his gaze hardening but not reacting to Crimson's barb. Instead, Crimson's words seemed to fuel the tension in the air even more.

The human's expression shifted, growing darker, as he regarded Ghira. "It's a simple decision you have to make, chieftain" he said, his voice flat. "You either help me find the White Fang, or you help me doom this settlement. It's your choice."

The air grew thick with tension. Ghira's lips pressed into a thin line, his resolve hardening as he glanced at his people. His fists clenched as his eyes locked onto Crimson. "You won't threaten my people," he growled, his voice low and filled with fury.

With a sudden surge of motion, Ghira charged at Crimson, his speed belying his age. Blake's eyes widened, and she reached out in horror, calling out to her father. "Dad, stop!" she cried, but her voice was drowned out by the rush of Ghira's movement.

In an instant, Crimson reacted. His katana blurred through the air in a dozen rapid, heavy slashes, the speed and power of the strikes taking Ghira completely by surprise. Each slash landed with precision, breaking through his aura in seconds, and the faunus chief staggered back, his eyes wide with shock.

Before Ghira could even recover, Crimson's final slash came with brutal accuracy. With a single, swift motion, he severed four of Ghira's fingers, sending them flying through the air. The pain was immediate and agonizing, and Ghira fell to his knees with a groan of anguish, clutching at his mutilated hand. His breathing came in sharp, ragged gasps, and his face contorted in pain.

The faunus around them stood frozen, their faces pale with horror. Blake's eyes widened, her heart hammering in her chest. Her mother, Kali, stood nearby, her face full of concern and disbelief as she watched Ghira crumple to the ground.

Crimson stood over Ghira, his gaze as cold as the winter wind. "How does it feel," he asked in a low, almost conversational tone, "to be cut like that?" He paused for a beat before continuing, his words deliberate and cold. "My sister had the same injury. It happened during the Fall of Beacon while she was trying to protect your daughter." His voice grew even colder, his words laced with a heavy weight. "And let me make something very clear to you. From this moment on, I won't be holding back. And everyone who still draws breath—" His gaze swept over the gathered faunus and Blake's horrified face, "—will die."

A shiver ran down the spine of every faunus present. The malice in his voice, the finality of his words, were palpable, and the reality of Crimson's threat hung in the air like a thick fog. No one moved, frozen by the gravity of his declaration.

But before anyone could react, the sound of alarms began to blare through the streets of Menagerie, the shrill ringing signaling the arrival of something far worse than Crimson.

Crimson's eyes flicked upward at the sound, his lips curving into a small, dark smile. "Well," he said, his voice almost amused, "that was faster than expected."

The arrival of the Grimm was no longer a distant threat. It had arrived. And the terror it brought would only add to the chaos already unfolding.