RWBY: Moon Reflection

The grand hall of the White Fang headquarters was dimly lit, the flickering torches casting elongated shadows along the intricately carved walls. At the far end of the hall, Sienna Khan, the High Leader of the White Fang, sat on her ornate throne, her piercing golden eyes fixed on the figure approaching her. Adam Taurus, the infamous bull Faunus, strode confidently toward her, his red hair catching the dim light, and his mask concealing most of his face.

Sienna's expression darkened as Adam came to a halt before her. "Adam," she began, her voice cold and sharp, "what were you thinking? Attacking Vale without consulting me? Do you have any idea of the chaos you've unleashed?"

Adam inclined his head slightly, his voice calm yet firm. "I did what I deemed necessary, High Leader. There were... risks of information leaking if we delayed. I couldn't take that chance."

Sienna's eyes narrowed, her hands gripping the arms of her throne. "Risks? Do you realize what you've done? The kingdoms will unite against us now. The White Fang will be seen as nothing more than terrorists—a far cry from the movement goal we have worked so hard to build."

Adam nodded, acknowledging her anger without flinching. "I understand, and I accept the consequences. But there is more. I'm planning to target Haven Academy next."

The words hung in the air, heavy and shocking. Sienna shot to her feet, her voice rising with fury. "You have gone mad, Adam! Haven? After what you've done in Vale? Do you even comprehend the repercussions of such a reckless act?"

Adam shook his head slowly. "I had no intention of attacking Haven at first," he admitted, his tone measured. "But I've received troubling news. Crimson Rose—the Moon Demon of Vale—has gone to Menagerie. He slaughtered tens of Faunus there, even luring Grimm to replicate what happened in Vale."

Sienna froze at the mention of Crimson's name, her expression a mix of disbelief and fury. "What? Crimson Rose in Menagerie? And you dare to tell me about attacking Haven when this happened because of your action in Vale and the destruction of Beacon?"

Adam bowed his head slightly, acknowledging her reprimand. "It is my fault. I didn't anticipate this outcome when I attacked Beacon Academy. But now Crimson is our priority. We need to attack Haven and after we deal with him, I will accept any punishment you see fit."

Sienna's gaze bore into him, unyielding. "Tell me everything. First, what happened in Menagerie?"

Adam took a breath, his voice steady but grim. "Crimson went to Menagerie alone and decimated the entire branch. The Albain brothers, Yuma, Trifa—all of them are dead. Along with tens of Faunus who had no ties to the White Fang. Even Gihara was mutilated, his hand crippled. The sole survivor, Ilia, barely escaped and brought us this news. Crimson entered, killed, and left without anyone being able to stop him."

Sienna sank back into her chair, the weight of the revelation pressing down on her. "And how does attacking Haven solve any of this?"

Adam suppressed a smirk, careful to keep his expression neutral. "Crimson is heading to Haven to regroup with his allies. If we strike first and set a trap with my allies, we can eliminate him before he becomes an even greater threat."

Sienna regarded him silently, her sharp mind processing his words. "How reliable are these allies of yours?"

"They are formidable," Adam assured her. "Individuals whose strength rivals my own. Additionally, the Branwen Tribe has pledged their support for the operation. With their help, we will have the firepower needed to bring Crimson down."

"So you want to get rid of Crimson's allies first, but how can you be sure that we can set trap before Crimson meets with them?" Sienna asked

"He left Menagerie with a ship, near the same time Ilia came with the aircraft stationed there, accounting for speed difference,we will have a small window of time to carry on our operation and set the trap. My allies already began preparing for it"

Sienna's posture relaxed slightly at this information, though her expression remained stern. After a long pause, she made her decision. "Very well," she declared. "The White Fang will join this operation. But mark my words, Adam: once this is over, you will face punishment for your insubordination."

Adam bowed deeply, his lips curling into a subtle, unseen smile beneath his mask. "As you wish, High Leader."

Sienna's gaze lingered on him for a moment before shifting to the shadows of the hall. Her mind was heavy with the choices she'd made, but the promise of eliminating Crimson Rose was too significant to ignore.

_____________________________

The evening air was cool, but tension hung heavily as Qrow, Oscar, Ruby, Yang, Weiss, Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha approached the gates of Haven Academy. Their steps were purposeful, and their spirits were high despite the looming threat. They hoped the headmaster, Leonardo Lionheart, would manage to get the crucial support for the protection of Haven.

But as they neared the academy's main building front gate, the ground beneath them trembled. In an instant, a chain of violent explosions erupted, throwing the group off their feet. The shockwaves rattled through their bodies, and as the dust settled, many struggled to their knees, their auras flickering under the unexpected assault.

Ruby was the first to try and rise, Crescent Rose snapping into position, but before she could fully stabilize, another series of explosions detonated around them. These weren't just ordinary bombs—small devices scattered around the area pulsed with a blue hue. They emitted waves of energy similar to those used by Atlas police, stunning and disorienting the group. Ruby dropped to one knee, clutching her weapon. Yang gritted her teeth as she struggled against the debilitating effects, but even her resilience faltered.

Then, as if the trap wasn't complete, four walls of glowing hard light erupted around them. The barriers were seamless, rising high and surrounding the group in what could only be described as a luminous cage. The group exchanged frantic glances, desperation and confusion reflected in their eyes.

"What is this?!" Weiss gasped, summoning a glyph to test the walls, but she was struck by an electric shockwave bringing her down to her knees before she could even use the glyph. Ren moved to steady her, his expression grim. Pyrrha tried to use her semblance but she was shocked by the electricity as well.

Before they could fully assess their predicament, figures began to emerge from the shadows and the surrounding paths. From all directions, enemies converged.

Cinder Fall, despite the disfiguration, strode forward confidently, her smirk cutting through the tense atmosphere. Emerald and Mercury flanked her like specters of doom. Raven Branwen appeared, her bandit tribe following close behind, weapons ready. Adam Taurus and Sienna Khan arrived with a contingent of White Fang operatives, the group's flags flapping ominously in the breeze. Leonardo Lionheart emerged last, looking hesitant and frail, followed by Neo, Hazel and the ever-manic Tyrian.

The trapped group stared in wide-eyed disbelief at the assembled force. Qrow's gaze locked onto Lionheart, his expression twisting with fury. "Traitor!" he spat, his voice thick with venom. Lionheart flinched at the accusation, unable to meet Qrow's eyes. His head hung low in shame.

Tyrian approached the glowing cell with a gleeful skip in his step, his mad grin widening. "Oh, how I would love to see you squirm, little heroes," he taunted, his voice dripping with sadistic amusement. "Alas, the good doctor has other plans for you. He insists we take precautions, laying the groundwork for something greater." He tilted his head, his golden eyes gleaming. "But don't fret; I'll savor watching you struggle."

Hazel's imposing figure loomed near the rear, his fists clenched tightly as he glared at Oscar. His eyes burned with unspoken rage, the intensity of his hatred palpable even at a distance.

Raven's gaze flickered between Qrow and Yang. Her sharp eyes softened momentarily when they landed on her daughter, but she quickly masked her emotions, closing her eyes to the situation. She had made her choices, but that didn't make this moment any easier.

The group inside the cage looked at one another, their hope teetering on the edge. They had walked into a perfectly laid trap, and now they were imprisoned and helpless with some of the most dangerous individuals in Remnant watching them.

_____________________________

Time passed as the imprisoned group remained confined in their glowing cell. They huddled together, their strength sapped and their hope dwindling. The sun dipped lower and the night came, the moon hung in the sky illuminating the battleground as tension hung thick in the air.

From the ranks of the allied forces, Raven Branwen stepped forward. Her stride was deliberate, her expression unreadable as she approached the glowing prison. The other factions, though watchful from their hiding places, made no move to stop her. Cinder's gaze lingered on Raven for a moment before she smirked, as if satisfied to let her proceed. Adam crossed his arms and muttered something under his breath, while Tyrian's unsettling grin only grew wider.

Raven stopped a few feet from the cell, her piercing gaze meeting Qrow's. "I warned you," she said, her voice calm but heavy with regret. "I told you the end would be bad." Her eyes flicked to Yang, softening ever so slightly. "And I told you not to get involved, Yang. This is why."

Qrow scowled, stepping forward as far as the barrier allowed. "Are you here to mock us, Raven? After you decided to sell your soul and join Salem's forces?" His voice dripped with venom, anger barely restrained.

Raven shook her head slowly. "I didn't join Salem," she replied. "I made a deal. For the tribe's survival, I agreed to assist them today." She paused, her gaze lingering on Yang. "And I negotiated your safety, Yang."

Yang blinked in confusion, her brow furrowing. Raven continued, her tone firm but tinged with something softer. "Once this is over, they've agreed to let me take you away— that's the best I could do"

The group froze, stunned by her words. Ruby's eyes widened, and Weiss covered her mouth in shock. Yang's shock quickly gave way to fury. "You coward!" she spat, fists clenching tightly. "You think I'd go with you after this? You think hiding is the answer?"

Raven sighed, her mask of indifference cracking just slightly. "It's not about cowardice, Yang. It's about survival. There's nothing in Remnant that can defeat Salem. This is the only way to stay alive."

"You don't know that!" Yang's voice cracked as she stepped closer to the edge of the barrier, her fiery spirit burning through her despair. "You're running away, just like you always do!"

Qrow narrowed his eyes, cutting through the heated exchange. "What are they planning, Raven?" he demanded. "What's the endgame here?"

Raven hesitated before answering, her voice low. "They're waiting for the last target. Crimson Rose."

Ruby's breath hitched, her heart pounding in her chest. "My brother? Why is he coming here? Why are they after him?"

Raven shifted her gaze to Ruby, her expression grave. "Salem's forces view him as a threat," she explained. "His actions in Vale earned her attention, and the White Fang despised him after what he did in Menagerie." She looked away, almost as if unwilling to meet their eyes. "He wiped out their entire branch there—and in the process, he killed tens of other Faunus. They view him as the enemy of Faunus kind"

Ruby staggered back, her mind racing. "Crimson…" she whispered, struggling to process the revelation.

Raven took a deep breath before delivering the final blow of information. "Crimson became aware of the attack on Haven. He's coming here as we speak. That's why they haven't killed you yet." Her gaze swept over the group, her expression unreadable. "Someone in Salem's group believes that if you're killed, Crimson will act smart—hunt them down one by one instead of facing an army head-on. But if you're trapped here…" She trailed off, her meaning clear.

Ruby's fists tightened, fear flashing in her silver eyes. "They're using us as bait," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Raven nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Yes. Even if he knows it's a trap, he'll still come to save his family"

The group exchanged grim looks, the weight of their predicament settling over them like a suffocating shroud. In the distance, the faint sound of footsteps echoed, signaling the beginning of something none of them were prepared for.