RWBY Through Worlds

156: Tainted History

The team presented Shine and Wally with their decision, much to their surprise.

No one looked happy about it except Ruby. Even Pyrrha felt it was a little too hard fought for her to be really smug about it. Also the looming threat kind of made it hard to feel celebratory.

Shine and Wally didn't expect them to be really upbeat, though, and took it in stride.

"Just please tell us you have an idea," Yang said, hand on hip.

"Have you met her?" Wally put a hand on Shine's shoulder proudly.

"I did give it some thought while you were all talking." Shine said a thing that was starting to be reassuring to them after all this time.

"Remember you said you'd go with what we said," she prefaced it by saying. "This is what I want you to do. No ships will go to Haven, but they will probably go to Vacuo. Have Glynda get you one, go to the edge of the kingdom, but don't go into it. Can you manage that?"

"Duh," Yang said.

"And?" Penny said. "Won't the Grimm come for us?"

Shine gave her a look like, "I'm not done yet."

"Right, proceed." Penny waved.

"Since you brought the Relic, we'll have to make the most of it," Shine said resignedly. "Take the Crown with you. Off chance Salem may assume Cinder is still with you, she may refrain from attacking you as harshly if she thinks Cinder will just bring that thing to her. But I'm hoping that you'll only be waiting for a short time. Make sure you land somewhere stable, because we'll join you as soon as we can. Raven, you and Oscar will come with me and Wally. We are going back to Mistral. Wally will run us there."

"Why do I have to go?!" Raven whined at once.

"Because, Raven, if the others need a quick escape and I'm not available, you are the only one who can portal!" Shine said. "And you can portal through the black wall, which I can't. Tai will go with the other group, and Yang will come with us. With Qrow inside, that will cover every angle of the group, and you can go to whichever one we need. Simple."

Raven knew that was smart.

"Why does Yang have to go with you?" Tai was still not sold on trusting Shine.

"I'll do it." Yang was surprised to be included at all.

"Assuming we get everyone out of there," Shine said, "we'll rendezvous with you. If we aren't there by the end of the day, assume we're in trouble and come help us if you can. Don't enter Vacuo if you can avoid it. We're not sure what's waiting for us there."

"So far this is sensible," Winter allowed. "Though having two Maidens together... What about Cinder?"

"Cinder will follow you," Shine said. "If you catch her, I want her unharmed. You ought to be able to work out some kind of deal after before. Just tell her I said that we're planning to take Salem down and she won't want to miss it. That should do it."

"And if she still attacks us?" Vara said.

"If she forces you to, and only if she forces it, do I want her harmed," Shine said. "If I find out later that you started it, you are going to get it."

"Get what?" Vara said.

"It." Shine made that sound ominous.

"Okay..." Neptune said. "So far so good."

"And am I really going to be wasting my talents doing this?" Watts said.

"No, I have a special assignment for you," Shine said. "And it's kind of complicated so please don't screw it up."