Unexpected Incarnate (RWBY Ozpin Incarnate SI)

Zack's POV

I have to admit, despite the smell of alcohol in Qrow's bag because, of course, he would stash his bottles in here, it's surprisingly cosy to hide in. I know we're boarding Argus Limited, but something's off. I just know of it. Firstly, I didn't spot either that fool Dee or his buddy Dudley when Ruby accidentally crushed me and forced me to stick my head out of the bag.

Secondly, there's that strange woman with the top hat I caught a glimpse of before I had to retreat into the safe confines of Qrow's bag before everyone boards the train. Just who is she? Perhaps just a random Huntress? But I suppose I can get my answers later as the bag I'm in shuffles again. I've been busy before we leave. Mainly purchasing some additional armour for myself as well as other stuff like more Dust, which has gone costly thanks to the General's embargo of Dust to my annoyance.

Also, Oz and I managed to finalise the designs of my emblem, which is relatively similar to what we intended with his cogs and a fox curled up inside it. Moreover, it was made purple, as we agreed on. At first, I had an idea to sew the new emblem onto my jacket, but we figured that having it on a white armband on my right arm was a better way to do it without damaging the leather jacket my parents gave me as a final gift.

And secondly, well… I'm nervous, you know?

I know we're moving on to Volume Six, but the timeline has changed due to so many factors that my foreknowledge is slipping away. In addition, I realised that I should trust my friends to do without me around, since they could become reliant on me for what happens next. Even then, the changes I made in Volume Five will have a ripple effect, and what happens in Atlas could be turned upside down fast.

"Hey, kiddo, it's safe for you to come out now." I heard Qrow's voice before the whole bag shook. I had a feeling that he had placed it on the floor, and I was correct when Qrow unzipped it. Furthermore, once I crawled out of it, the first thing I saw was Ren, Nora, and Jaune looking over at me while Qrow was calmly leaning against the wall. Though… my joints ache from curling up that much, and a quick stretch does sound nice to have.

Once I was out of Qrow's bag, I quickly shook my entire body before I stretched. I couldn't help but let out a satisfied chirp as everyone watched me. Ah… It feels much better to stretch my back in this form now. I wonder if it's because my vulpine form is more flexible than my Faunus form. Whatever the case, I changed back into my Faunus form with haste, and some of the new stuff I mentioned earlier was on me.

Besides the new armour, I've got one that covers my chest and the straps that used to be on my legs were replaced with metal armour not too similar to Jaune's but less bulky in form. Still, they serve their purpose to protect me more from harm should my Aura shatters. Like hell, I'm making the same mistake again. What happened to me with Cinder will not happen again!

I swear it.

One more thing, there's a hidden quirk with my transformation ability. For reasons beyond me, if I happen to wear or have something physically touching my body like a bag, they would disappear with me once I turn into my fox form, and they would reappear onto my back again once I revert into my Faunus form again. To say the least, this baffled just about everyone, including yours truly, and we all wrote it off as magical bullshit in action.

After all, what could explain that but straight up magic at work.

So, abusing this quirk well and not to my advantage but to everyone else's, I ended up carrying several suitcases strapped to my back and the combined weight of it all proves quite unbearable I must admit. "Okay!" I squeaked out before kneeling on the ground as I did my best to support myself with a hundred plus kilograms on my back, "I think you guys can start unloading all these cases off my back! Also, can someone get team RWBY here so they can take their stuff?"

"Sure thing." My ears perked up as every one of my friends in the bunk we're in got up and helped me unload all these heavy ass suitcases off my back, while Qrow grunted as he left the room. No doubt to do what I request. But honestly, when we first discovered that I could do this with my transformation, I was so against it. I mean, come on!

Must I become the pack mule with this ability? I mean, yes, they disappear with the rest of my stuff once I turn into a fox somehow, but really? Even Weiss approves, to my horror, and she justifies it that it is more efficient for me to carry everyone's stuff that way.

This is just child labour, I tell ya!

I unconsciously bit my lower lip as my friends slowly took the suitcases off my back, and it didn't take long before team RWBY arrived behind me. "Sweet. Thanks, Zack, for carrying all our stuff." Yang was the first into our room as she uttered, while I rolled my eyes in response. Glad to see that at least someone's enjoying the scene…

"Thank you!" I heard Ruby add in before her partner butts in.

"Give him a break, will you?" Weiss butts in as the load on my back loosens to the point I can stand with relatively no issue. "He agreed to help carry all our suitcases with misgivings on his part." She pointed out while I stretched my back again. You know… Having Aura does boost one's strength, but I guess even that has its limits when you have a tower of heavy suitcases on your back.

"Well, I'm glad that at least you guys are happy about that." I groaned out while my tails wagged a bit with the weight finally off me.

"So… now what?" Nora asked before an announcement blared out from a nearby speaker which, I believe, was coming from the hallway.

"Attention, passengers, Argus Limited is departing the station in five minutes, please remain in your dorms until further notice." Okay. I guess I'll have to do this in a couple of hours… I can do that.

"We rest in our dorms, once we can move around the train, then I need everyone to meet here. Besides," I glance at Ruby as she tilts her head adorably at me. "It involves Ruby's silver eyes. Assuming the person is on the train with us." I uttered as everyone blinked at me.

"And who is this 'person' Arakan?" Weiss asked me with her arms folded, while I smirked as everyone looked to me for answers.

"A… certain old huntress by the name of Maria Calavera. She had silver eyes, just like you, Ruby. And goes by a different title in her prime. The Grimm Reaper." And the reaction varies between my friends, but all were instant. Some like Weiss and Ren had an intrigued look on their faces, while others like Ruby and Nora had excitement, mostly for Ruby. But Qrow was the obvious one, since he basically worshipped her and is the inspiration on how he fights.

"Wait hold up! Did you just say The Grimm Reaper?!" Qrow's eyes shine almost like a beacon of life. "And this Calavera lady is her and could be on this train?" It was also during this time that I picked up Oz whispering in my ears again.

"The Grimm Reaper… I'd heard of her tales in my previous two incarnations… She was renowned for her skills with her weapons, Life and Death… In fact, stories say that her skills with the scythe were unmatched at the time. Able to fight off numerous opponents at once and hundreds of Grimm by her lonesome. Though, she suddenly vanished from what I've read. And you're saying that Maria Calavera IS the Grimm Reaper?"

I nod my head. "Yeah… But she isn't spring chicken anymore and age has caught up… And Salem…" I frowned. "If the memories were the same, Calavera lost her silver eyes at the hands of a crocodile Faunus named Tock, who died soon after her eyes were… slashed out."

"I see… That explains so much. But I never knew that she had silver eyes. If I did, I would have contacted her or ensured she's safe." Ozpin hums again before I feel him prodding my memories with curiosity related to Calavera.

"Yeah. Cos, she never revealed her identity to anyone. So, it's to be expected."

"Wait, what do you mean that she had silver eyes?" I heard Jaune asking behind me as I could only sadly sigh.

"She lost them in a fight. Against… one of Salem's agents in the past." I gulped as Ruby gasped out while everyone had horrified looks on their faces before I faced team RWBY.

"I suggest you guys return to your dorms; I'll see you guys in a couple of hours." With reluctance on their part, I watched as team RWBY and Qrow left JNR plus my dorm as I slowly faced my friends and I spotted the guitar that I found at the hotel and bought it from them. Yeah… I wanted to play some music before shit hits the fan and stuff.

"Well, best we get settled down and get some rest before everything goes wild." I said while my eyes gazed out the window as the train left the station, before I jumped onto the upper bunk on my left and closed my eyes for a bit.

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Elsewhere on Argus Limited…

Katharine swipes her scroll as she catalogues every single passenger on board before the page on it finds its way and displays both Team RWBY and JNR, a veteran Huntsman named Qrow Branwen and lastly, a young boy called Oscar Pine. Her eyes narrow down as a memory play when she reads her mistress's request weeks back. To ensure that the renovations of Argus Limited are successful and keep track of those individuals specifically while escorting them to Argus.

Though most did show up, the boy known as Oscar Pine was entirely replaced by a fox Faunus boy named Zack Arakan. Even more so, Katharine couldn't help but wonder why her mistress wanted these Huntsmen in training, plus that Huntsman and some boy she's sure was just a farm boy once they reached Argus.

All this is part of an annoyance she had with Celeste, her mistress is just too vague with everything and her reasons why were always shallow. Even then, she knows that her dear friend probably has good intentions behind them. "Oi boss? We've done what you asked for." Without even moving her eyes away from her scroll, Katharine nods her head.

"Good. As long as you do your jobs well, you will be compensated." She says as she narrows down on the photo displaying the white-haired fox Faunus on her scroll. Why does that boy bear a similar description to a friend Celeste told her numerous times when she once stayed in a town in Mistral? White hair, golden eyes, etc.

Perhaps there can be a time and place to find out why he's here, and why he seems familiar. Though another thing that surprised Katherine was Weiss Schnee's appearance on the list. She remembered seeing the Heiress numerous times during numerous events while she blended in within the crowd to watch over Celeste. Last she heard; the Schnee Heiress was in Atlas.

So how did she end up there, and why is she heading to Argus in the first place with her team?

"Uh… Boss?" Those two were still here? Katherine could only roll her eyes at Dee and Dudley, nervously waiting for her response. Ah yes, thanks to some connections and manipulations behind the scenes, Celeste had managed to make her in charge of the Argus Limited for a time and when those two fools were hired, Katherine made good work in putting those two idiots in their place and made them patrol the train.

"Continue your patrols. But keep your scroll running, should I have any orders to relay."

"R-Right! Let's get away from her!" Dee utters as both Huntsman hastily left the cabin, while Katherine continues reading through the logs. Though her mistress did state something that baffles her, and quote. "When you meet team RWBY and JNR, do not reveal your ties to me just yet, but watch over them and expect trouble to follow wherever they go, whether they be Grimm or something else entirely."

Honestly, her mistress and friend can be enigmatic at times.

Leaning back on her chair, Katherine found her eyes staring out of the window into the cold tundra. It took some time, but she read through the renovation's Argus Limited underwent and while most seemed pretty standard by giving it new upgrades and replacements for all equipment, others were more surprising. Like improved hull plating and advanced Dustlev system that lets it travel at much greater speeds smoothly.

"Attention. You may now leave your dorms and walk around the train." The announcer echoes out as Katherine stood up, she never liked sitting down and doing nothing when there were things to be done. She might as well begin patrolling the train, just in case anything happens on her watch. Alternatively, she could keep a close tap on team RWBY and JNR, as well as that veteran Huntsman and that fox Faunus that seem to have taken the place of her mistress's watch list.

Leaving her room, the caretaker walks past numerous passengers in the hallway minding their own business. Or at least that was before she spots team RWBY leaving their bunks and into the room beside theirs, and that was after the Branwen Huntsman had walked in first. Shuffling slowly to not make any footsteps, Katherine leaned against the wall close to the door, and it was then that she picked up a conversation going on.

"Alright, Ruby, I can't exactly guide you due to my features, but I'm confident enough that you can take someone with you and meet Calavera in one of the carriages with no issue." Calavera? Yes… she remembered seeing that name on the booking list! Why does Ruby Rose need to see Miss Calavera?

"Really?" She picked up Ruby responding. "Then what should I look for?"

"Calavera's far from who she originally was, so in short, look for an elderly woman with dark skin and long silver hair. Though, her most defining features are her goggles like prosthetics with cyan coloured lenses. Once you have seen those prosthetics, you can't miss her." The voice beyond the door explains, as Katherine could only frown. Whoever they are, they nailed the descriptions of Maria Calavera in carriage seven. "Besides that, where's Neo?" The voice asks again before a gruff voice answers.

"Ice-cream girl's wandering around the train after we leave our dorms while disguised. No idea where she's holding up, but I'm sure she'll come or text us if there's anything." He explained before there was a beat.

"Alright cool. Can we get someone to go find her meanwhile? Also, Ruby, Calavera can be quite cranky, so do be careful with your words when you talk to her, kay?" Whoever this boy is, he knows much. But how, that's the main question. Though, the room got deathly quiet suddenly and Katherine knows that it's time for her to leave just in case they caught on that someone's listening in to their conversation.

It appears there's something off about these people. Perhaps this is why her mistress wants her to watch out for them.

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Back in the Evernight Castle, Salem found herself speechless as Ishmael sat on the opposite side of the table with a gentle yet knowing smile. As if she couldn't hate the Gods enough, and while there's a part of her whispering to not trust these old Gods for, they could be no better than the wretched Brothers, upon thinking through it all, there's some truth in her words. After all, the magic Ishmael wields is much more primal and older than any magic she knew in millennia, and she just told her the whole history of the world before the Brothers showed up and ruined it all.

The Witch Queen could only narrow her eyes. Such telling usually has a secret purpose behind it. What else would those old Gods of this ruined world tell her about its history? Or more accurately, the history the Brother's buried underneath their actions as they reshape this world. They must want something of her. "Why tell me this?"

"Simple really. I have to use it as an excuse to have you conveniently chase your followers out of here." Ishmael shrugged her shoulders while laying her head on her fist. "But now that they're away, we can get onto business." The smirk on Ishmael's lips fades away and is replaced with unyielding resolve.

"It is really simple. Should you accept our bargain, and we fulfil the ends of our deal without backstabbing each other in the process, my dear sister and I will free you from the Brother's curse of immortality and grant you the death you wish. In return, you play your part so we can take back what's ours." Ishmael explains, while Salem silently ponders through the Goddess's words.

"Why should I trust your words?" Salem couldn't help but show her distaste of the Gods. Yet, Ishmael doesn't seem that bothered about Salem's question, instead, the Goddess just smirks which just irks Salem even more.

"That's the fun part, you don't." Ishmael points out as Salem blinked, baffled by what the Goddess meant. "You already are doing it by going up against our champion whether you know it or not, and by definition, your dear husband. The Brothers are already aware that we're trying to take back what's ours and eventually, they will return to this world, all we ask is the four relics for they have our powers within when they stole it from us." Ishmael explains with the lack of her usual carefree yet patronising tone she showed earlier.

"Once the relics are gathered by your hand, should you manage to give it to us, my sister and I can take back our powers and expel the Brother's influence from this world. Once done, we'll free you from your immortality and give you a peace of death you wished for aeons." The goddess of the moon stood up, while Salem sat and barely moved an inch in contemplation. Though, Ishmael pauses and glances at the Witch Queen while reality breaks in front of her into the same realm she resides in.

"I'll leave it to you to think about it through. Whatever you do next is up to you, no matter if you heed my words or not." With her final food of thought to Salem, Ishmael walks through the cracks into reality before it fixes itself and leaves the Witch Queen alone in her meeting room. She needs more time alone to think through it all. A chance of freedom in death is insatiably tempting for Salem, and she cannot deny the possibility that these old Gods would fulfil their end of the bargain.

But to blindly walk in and trust them is foolish, as experience taught her. She would need a new plan since these old Gods or Sisters of Twilight as Ishmael had so helpfully told her of many things she didn't account for. Most importantly is the immense importance of the fox Faunus boy that has her dear husband inside to the sisters. As she suspects, the boy is growing stronger and that's indirectly doing the same to the sisters, but what she didn't expect was for Ishmael to tell her that should the merger between his soul and her dear husband complete.

He will instantly die without any intervention.

Though Salem cannot deny that it was tempting to let her dear Ozma purposely die again for her amusement by letting him complete his merger with his host, but doing that would risk passing the chance of freeing herself from her accused curse and likely earn the ire of the Sisters.

Then, on the other hand, who's to say that they won't fulfil their promise? She might as well stick to the original plan and summon the Brothers into this broken world and let them destroy it and her with it. Though she doubts the Sisters and those fools who follow her dear Ozma would allow that to happen without interruption. Honestly, it feels now that she's simply a chess piece in a game between the Gods.

A pawn to be cast aside once her purpose is fulfilled.

And she hates it.

But…

What if she takes those powers for herself?

Something to look into at a later date once she managed to secure one of the Relics… If the Brothers were able to syphon off the powers of the Sisters for themselves, could she do the same and then use those to end her existence without playing to either God's hands? Something to research on when she's not plotting to steal the Relics…

Salem could only close her eyes and think through it. It appears that this game of chess between her and her dear husband has become something greater and complicated, with the gods changing the rules to suit their needs.

The war between the heavens is brewing it seems, now if only she can find a way to twist it to her favour…

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Zack POV

After Ruby had left the room while taking her uncle with her to find Calavera, the rest of us remained in JNR dorm, which included me as well. I found myself staring deeply at the door. For a moment, I swore we had an eavesdropper listening in while I was explaining the details. It was challenging to pick up a heartbeat outside the door with all the noise and everything, but I had my suspicions that someone was spying on us and made everyone keep quiet.

Yet, it must be my paranoia kicking in because I suddenly jumped straight for the door and through team RWBY and took a peek outside. (Sorry girls.) Yet, I didn't see anyone nearby, nor did I detect any footsteps. And that's saying something with my enhanced hearing with my Faunus traits.

"Zack? Something bothering ya?"

"Hmm?" I perked up when I heard Yang calling out to me, and I soon realised that I had everyone's attention on me. "Oh, sorry. I was lost in my thoughts. For a moment, I swore there was someone listening in to us just now."

"Yeah, you leapt through us to get the door." Blake blankly points out as chuckles broke out, while I could only pout with my cheeks red in response. I apologised for that already? What else do you want me to do, Blake?

"I already apologised for that…"

"He did, though it's not much, don't you think?" Jaune cheekily added in, before I noticed his tone changing. "But now what?" He then asked as everyone soon glanced at each other while I leaned against the wall and pondered. Well… if things go relatively well enough, we should reach Argus with all of us intact, should we manage to fend off the Grimm upon us. But as we agreed back in Mistral, as soon as the Grimm showed up, Jaune and Ren would begin escorting the passengers to a safer spot on the train and combine their Semblances to hide their present while the rest of us by time.

Though… if we had to, we would have to sever the back of the train if needed. Though I'll hope for the best that we wouldn't have to do that.

"We keep our guard up, I suppose. The show didn't go into the exact details of when the Grimm attack, but it could definitely happen at any time." I said before my scroll let out a beep and once I pulled it out, I noticed that Neo had sent me a message.

(Yo foxy, found those two guys you told me about patrolling the train. Though, they look on edge for some reason. As if they're scared of someone, I think they recently were on the end of some thrashing.)​

Oh! Neo must have meant Dee and Dudley! Where the hell were they earlier? The gang told me that they never saw them earlier at the station. Also, they're on edge and appear scared? What's going on? "Looks like Neo found Dee and Dudley patrolling the train. Huh…"

"At least they're doing something right for once…" I heard Weiss muttering to herself while everyone glanced at each other in uncertainty. Though, before any of my friends could add their thoughts to the matter, my scroll beeped again as Neo sent another message to me.

(Also, there's this maid lady we saw earlier at the station patrolling around as well. Don't know what's her deal but watch out. I don't like the way she's looking at me.)​

"Looks like Neo spotted that lady you guys told me about." I hummed. "Though, she's getting nervous by the looks she's getting from her." Hearing what I said made Yang snort in response.

"Wish I was there to see her face." Speaking of Yang and Neo, they've begun to behave more positively with one another, which is nice to hear and see for myself. Now instead of actively trying to murder each other, both would engage in a friendly rivalry of sorts, or are they slowly becoming friends in a strange way.

Since well…

Yang really doesn't like Neo at all, while she's just a troll and finds Yang the most fun to mess with.

Well… Life works in mysterious ways, I suppose.

"There will always be chances for that to happen again." I hum while holding up the Relic of Knowledge in my hand. I've been thinking about some stuff recently. Most of them were rather trivial by my view, but even I can't help but wonder about how carrying these Relics would make me a beacon for trouble. Makes me wonder if the intensity would only get worse the more Relics I secure.

"Zack?" I heard Ren calling out to me as my ears twitched in his direction. "Are you alright?"

"Partially." I admit. Perhaps it's from the trauma I got in Haven making me like this, or my paranoia's kicking in. "Mostly thinking about the fight to come later on and how things will only get harder the more relics we secure."

"You're not fighting alone." Ren smiles at me. "You have team RWBY as well as JNR, Mr Branwen and Neo by your side. Perhaps even General Ironwood once we reach Atlas." That's… a reassuring reminder, you know, Ren? A smile crept onto my lips before Yang was suddenly by my side and began aggressively rubbing my head! Hey! It takes a while to make this hairstyle and watch the ears!

That hurt!

"Yeah! What Ren said, you're not fighting this battle alone, you got me, Rubes and the others right behind you! Now, don't go fighting by yourself or worrying that only you can solve all our problems, or I'll sic Weiss and Ruby on you!"

Uhm? What?

"Hey! You can't just say that to him while I'm here!"

I could only stare flabbergasted with my mouth open at Yang while Weiss sputtered behind her. "Sicking Ruby and Weiss on me? What the hell does that even mean in the first place?" My thoughts wander in sheer bafflement by my blond friend's choice of words, but it appears that I'm the only one not getting the joke because I could see my friends chuckling at it, including Ozpin to my earnest surprise to hear him openly chuckling in my head.

Well, everyone except Weiss, who seems more embarrassed than anything.

"Why can't I? Last I checked, you're-" Whatever Yang was about to say was quickly interrupted as we froze upon hearing a thud above us. I immediately raised my hand into the air as my ears twitched. Something's big on the carriage.

Could it be rocks?

"Did you guys hear that?" Nora said, while I frowned as my tail began twitching again.

"Yeah." "Uh huh."

Jaune and Blake agreed before we calmed down when there were no other thuds in the next few seconds. "Okay… could it be rocks falling onto the carriage there?" Ren suggested while I could frown, only for my scroll to begin ringing in my hand! Shit Qrow's calling! This must be it.

"Hello?" I answer as I set my scroll to speaker mode so that everyone in the dorm can hear.

"Oi kiddo! We got manticores coming for the train right now! Pipsqueak is with me now, and Neo's getting the Civvies to safety!" Qrow yelled out of my scroll as I can see my friends tensing and nodding at each other. I suppose it's time we execute our plans now. I had hoped we would have more time to relax before it happened. Furthermore, I swear, why did the Brothers purposely make the Relics a bloody beacon to Grimm, of all things?!

"We're on our way, Qrow! Just hang on, help is coming!" I yelled back before keeping my scroll to Jaune, Ren and Nora rushing off to get the passengers to a safer position, with Blake and Yang soon leaving the room, while I grabbed Oathkeeper off the wall and turned into my fox form and jumped onto Weiss's arms, who carried me out of the room.

It did not take long to reach the end of our carriage as Yang was the first to open the door before we all took a gust of cold wind and snow to the face! Thank God for Aura keeping us warm, or we'll be suffering from hyperthermia! "Come on!" Yang yells as she was the first out of our carriage and onto the ladder that would take us to the roof of the train, with Blake following close behind her.

"Are you sure you wish to join us?" Weiss asks as I look up at her and nod. I have to. Like hell, I'll let my friends fight without me. They got my back, and thus, I got their back. Besides, it is time that I test my new abilities on some real targets. "Alright, then hold on to me." Weiss said as I did and clung close to her scarf rather tightly as I felt the cold air encompassing my small frame while Weiss slowly made her way up the ladder.

By the time Weiss made it up onto the roof of the train car, manticores were littered all over the god-damn place and screeching while I could see my friends engaging or beginning to engage, but what surprised me was the lack of Dee and Dudley up there. Where the hell are those two idiots at?

Whatever.

Leaping off Weiss's shoulder, I immediately turned back into my Faunus form in the air and did a roll before pulling out Oathkeeper and a Gravity Dust crystal smaller than my fist, which took a chunk out of Weiss's pocket money. But she doesn't seem that bothered by that in the slightest, which I am still thankful for. Though I suppose I should have expected the sudden aggro the Grimm had on me thanks to the Relic of Knowledge dangling off my belt as two Manticores flew over my friends and headed straight for me.

"Zack, you got company!"

I heard Yang shouts as she slams her fist into a Manticore's face and knocks it back, while I could only click my tongue. "Tch. Clearly." I muttered before absorbing Gravity Dust through my body and I could feel its effects resonating with one of my tails while Weiss was soon by my side.

"Ready?" She asked as I smiled at her.

"As I ever will be."

"Do say that only after the fight's over." She snarked back while I could only groan before we split up as Weiss engaged one of the two Manticores headed our way as I handled the other. Though… It wasn't really much of a fight for me, as I threw my hand forwards as a bolt of purple came out of my finger and slammed into the manticore's face and when I threw my hand to the side, I…

Ripped its head clean off.

Whoops…

I meant to throw it out of the train, not rip its bloody head off completely like that! Can you imagine if I do that to a living, breathing being?! "Holy shit, that's dumb." I could only mutter as I turned to see Weiss summoning a Lancer familiar as she prepared to engage the foe. As for me. I fired another bolt of purple at the Manticore and accidentally ripped that into half, much to Weiss's shock.

"What in the bloody blazes is that?!" She just about screeched in my general direction while waving her arms around before pointing at the disintegrating Manticore near her. "What did you just do?" She then asked after pointing Myrtenaster at the other Manticores as her Lancer moved in to deal with.

"Apparent new Semblance ability of mine." I mutter as I glance at my tails to see one of them is purple and has balls of energy orbiting around it. Kind of like planetary bodies in a way. "My original intention was to help you out by pulling it back. Not ripping it into half like that. Kind of did the same with mine when I happened to pull and accidentally decapitate it."

"Clearly." Weiss rolled her eyes before her eyes narrowed, as did mine, as more Manticores flew in our direction as we got into our stance. Only for another shot to ring in our ears and hit one of the Manticores directly in the eye!

What the?!

Even more, the next second a blur went past Weiss and me before the woman everyone saw and told me about appears before one of the Manticores and decapitates it before using its body as a jump pad and leapt at another Manticore and did the same!

Where did she come from?!

Even more, I don't know how she's doing it, but she has this aura of fog that spreads ice all over the place near her! Hell, the corpses she left behind had a layer of ice over them before they disintegrated or fell out of trains! Weiss and I could only be in awe at how efficient she was, and her move set reminds me of Ruby's in a strange way. Except more elegant and esoteric.

"Well… no sense in wasting time stuck here, let's move!" Weiss broke out of her stunned state as she nodded as we pushed onward to the next car before fireballs rained down on the train from above, with most missing the train! Damn! The Sphinx is here now with even more Manticores flying by its side. Did we just fend off only the first wave?!

"More incoming!" I heard Ruby yell out as she changed Crescent Rose into its sniper form and began firing, as those able to shoot from a distance began doing the same. Including that woman who did not say anything at all but simply assisted in the defence. Though we did get some help when several turrets emerged out of the carriages suddenly and began firing round after round! Each shot letting out thumps every second as I can feel my ears aching from it!

Did the train get refitted with autocannons?! And they're relatively silent? The hell?

Ah! Who am I to care! They're thinning the herd and won't attract more of them, that's all that matters now!

But that quickly changes when an ear-aching screech echoes before tens of fireballs begin raining down and some of the Manticores begin bombarding the train we're on! "Incoming! Brace for impact!" I could only yell out before we're showered with fireballs that exploded and to my and everyone's horror, one of those fireballs blew up near Weiss sent her over the edge while she screamed!

"WEISS!" Every one of my friends could only yell in horror while I felt my body move on my own and with the feeling of my blood turning to ice as I pushed my knees to the extreme and barely managed to catch her hand before she fell out of the train! Oh, thank God! I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if that happens!

"I got you and don't you dare let go of my hand!" I yelled while I began pulling her back up as she stared at the edge of the cliff below before looking up at me with her pretty bright light blue eyes that glowed under the sun. And I felt myself pausing and felt something in my chest.

I felt scared.

Not the kind of scare I got from Cinder nearly ending my life… But from losing her. Losing Weiss. But why? No. I can wonder about this later, after we make it through this in one piece. Gulping some air in, I used all my strength to pull Weiss back onto the roof of the train before Ruby suddenly appeared before us in a flurry of roses.

"Weiss! Are you alright?!" She asked as I sighed in relief as Weiss did the same.

"I am, thanks to him." She smiled at me as I nodded at her.

"Yeah. I had hoped we had this under control." I said before my scroll suddenly rang as Jaune called me and I picked it up. "Jaune! Is something you need to share? Kind of busy up here!" I said as Ruby and Weiss got ready to fight as Jaune answered me through my scroll.

"Zack! We got everyone close to the front carriage of the train and Ren's using his semblance to hide them! How's it going up there?" His voice echoes through my scroll, though I cannot deny that it's challenging to hear him due to the cold winds blowing loudly into my ears.

"Ehh… Not good? We got some help, but the second wave is here with a Sphinx leading it!" Another fireball barely missed me as it exploded right in front of me, and it threw me back onto the floor! Ow! My ass! "Damn! That was too close! "I'm good! Can you send more support up here? Actually, never mind that! Better question! How much longer until the tunnels?"

I heard some scuffling in the scroll before Jaune answered me while the battle continued to rage in the background. "Uhh… you got around five minutes!" Five minutes?! My head snapped and, in the distance, I could see the tunnels in the distance! Damn, I had hoped we would have cleaned them up by now, but that's not the case here.

"Got it! Thanks for the heads-up." I quickly kept my scroll and took a deep breath, "Everyone! We got five minutes before the train reached the tunnel! Make it count!" And that got an immediate response as every one of my friends doubled their effort while I kept my scroll with a ball of purple energy gathering in my hand. Time to see if I can do something to thin the herd!

Bringing my fingers closer together in a crushing motion, the purple ball in my hand slowly begins to compress, and I feel it growing more unstable by the second. Yes. I never noticed it ever since I evolved, which is quite embarrassing on my part, but I can feel the Dust as strange as that is to say. I hadn't had much time to explore it further, but I can tell the current volatility of them in everything that has them. Yes, that means I can sense the Dust within my friend's guns, as well as the gravity Dust on the tracks below us.

Swallowing the nervous feeling in myself, I dashed as fast as my feet could carry me before doing a fast ball directly at the Sphinx, who happened to be leading the second wave of Manticores! But as much as I hate to admit, the Sphinx could tell danger was heading straight for it as it swooped up higher into the sky as my dust projectile missed it completely before it finally reached critical levels and exploded in the middle of the Manticore wave!

The shockwave was so sudden that it drew everyone's attention to it, as it struck me as well as everyone when we all saw it. At the epicentre of the explosion, was a Black Hole the size of a basketball, I think! Yes! That Black Hole born from a dead star that sucks everything into itself! And it so happens to have taken the explosion's place and the Manticores near it were forcefully sucked and crushed to death by the gravitational force before it fades to nothing as if it weren't there from the start!

Except for the Sphinx that saw it coming.

It was still high in the sky flapping its wings, though mostly staring at where its buddies used to be.

Focus on the used to.

But seriously, in a single attack, I just obliterated an entire wave! And I just did that by making Gravity Dust go critical by crushing it with itself and creating a Black Hole! What the hell! "Holy… What was that?!" I picked up Yang yelling out as even the Manticores not caught by the blast or were busy fighting my friends appeared stunned by it.

"Unbelievable…" I picked that woman with her tiny top hat muttering as well, and I couldn't fault her.

"Zack, I didn't know you could do that!" Ruby was next to add her thoughts in.

I'm- I'm aware of the Grimm that normally don't react like this with stunned shock, but… I must have made quite the impression that everyone was shocked by it. Can't say that I'm scared of my powers now… but I am. "Arakan, promise me you WILL exercise restraint with your semblance in the future… Good lord. What did you just do and what was that?" Ozpin's words echoed in my mind and I felt his disbelief at what I just did as I could only dumbly nod my head without even answering his question due to me still stupefied by what I've done.

"Duly noted Oz… Duly noted."

Though the silence did not last long as in a beat, everything went back to fighting with the Sphinx releasing an ear-tearing screech so loud that I thought my ears were going to bleed then it dived straight for my face. Oh, shit! It must have recognised the threat I pose, or it's attracted to the Relic of Knowledge on my hip.

Either way, I got a big-ass Grimm on me!

"Oi kiddo! Get out of there!" Don't need to tell me twice, Qrow! I instantly jumped back as the Sphinx landed before me and let out another screech before it tried to pounce on me, while I did my best to evade as I could see some of my friends pulling away to reinforce me. But thanks to that bloody snake tail/head it has, the Sphinx could see my friends trying to close the distance, and it instantly lashed out at them!

"Get ready guys!" I hear Ruby call out as all of us nod our heads as I draw an Ice Dust and begin absorbing it as Blake gets into position as did Yang. Back when we're still in Mistral, I told them how they managed to kill the Sphinx and mentioned how they were a bit too late as it destroyed the track in front of them. In addition, I told them how to defeat it and how the Sphinx's main strength was its unparalleled speed in the air and the fact it decided to ground and come after me was a blessing in disguise.

Now all we have to do is serve them before it takes off into the skies again.

Yet, as we got into position, the Sphinx must have noticed what we're doing as it immediately let out another ear-piercing screech and everyone, including I, winced at how awful it was. My ears, for fucks sakes!

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"Oh, come on!" The fox Faunus could only curse out as all the Manticores near the Sphinx immediately broke away from whoever they were fighting and straight for the Yang and Blake, who had the Sphinx pinned into place with Gambol Shroud.

"We got trouble coming in!" Zack could only grimly nod at Yang. Things didn't exactly go the way it has gone to canon. But it then struck him, with him carrying the Relic of Knowledge, all Grimm would be drawn to him. If executed right, he could buy time for team RWBY to kill the Sphinx. Taking a breath in before running straight for the Manticore horde coming towards them, much to his friend's surprise, the fox Faunus yelled at team RWBY and Qrow.

"Guys, focus your efforts and kill the Sphinx! That woman is fighting with us! She and I will buy you time, so you deal with it and do the finishing blow!" Yet, that earned protests with immediate effect, as the ex-heiress called him out.

"You reckless dolt! The Grimm will come to you with the Relic strapped to your belt!"

"That's the point! Kill the Sphinx while we buy time! Now hurry while I can keep them distracted!" Zack orders out again, while all of team RWBY (And Qrow) could only worriedly glance at each other before reluctantly nodding their heads. He's right, if they kill the Sphinx now, that would buy some breathing room to get rid of the remaining Grimm. And with reluctance, they focused on the Sphinx.

Simultaneously, Katherine could only dance around as she slashes or shoots any Manticore that tries to make a meal out of her. She had originally intended to call in Dee and Dudley for support, but changed her mind quickly as those two fools were not worthy in her eyes and would only get themselves killed from what she'd seen of them.

Defecting a swipe aiming for her head, Katherine immediately plunges Galatea into the offending Manticore's skull, with her eyes silently observing the team RWBY with Qrow and mostly on the fox Faunus in particular. He looks much different to the first time she has seen him back at the train station. Which was incredibly odd seeing how different he looked with the sudden appearance of fox ears as well as another tail and markings on his face. Can't forget about the fangs too.

Was it all a farce to hide his true form?

Even more, why does he look like this in particular? She could ponder the thoughts as the fox Faunus jumps over the Manticore's swipe as he then mounts before dodging again and making the Grimm sting itself with its stinger tail as the Fox Faunus cuts it off with his sword. Changing Galatea into a rifle, Katherine fires and nails another Manticore straight in the eye as it roars before Zack jams Oathkeeper into its skull, killing it instantly.

Yet more Manticores continue to fly or charge towards the Fox Faunus who knew where the wind was blowing and made his way out with a swarm only to be cut off and surrounded! But on the plus side, team RWBY had successfully dispatched the Sphinx with a decapitating strike with Qrow and without derailing the train in the process, though their victory was cut rather short-lived as they could see their Fox Faunus friend surrounded by Manticore with one managing to land a strike on him from behind.

"Ah!" Zack cried out as he recoiled from the sudden pain from his back.

"Stop hurting him!" Ruby cried out as she was one of the first to close the distance with her semblance and knock the offending Manticore back with fury in her eyes as she slashed its arm off as the fox Faunus sent a blast of ice from his palm and pushed much of the Manticores back. "The Sphinx is down!"

"Wonderful! Now we-"

Whatever Zack was about to say was swiftly interrupted when another Manticore suddenly showed up from nowhere and tackled him off the train and down into the forests below, much to everyone's horror. But unlike everyone else who were shocked and horrified, both Weiss and Ruby felt their bodies turned to solid ice as they watched as their fox Faunus friend plummets off the train with a Manticore on him with his screams echoing from below.

"ZACK!" Ruby was first among many to call out to her friend as she herself felt her whole world falling apart. In fact, she was incredibly tempted to jump down after him and unleash her silver eyes if it wasn't for her partner who acted first.

"Weiss?" Ruby could only say after her partner jumped after the Manticore without any hesitation and against her own internal protests as she suddenly zipped by everyone and jumped off the train after the Manticore, who took the fox Faunus down below.

Then it hit her, her partner JUST jumped after Zack despite the height!

"Weiss!" Ruby felt her body move as she too was about to jump off the train after her partner and friend, but Yang and Qrow quickly grabbed her arms to stop her, though the little rose struggled to break their grip.

"Ruby! You got to hold yourself! Weiss can handle this."

"Oi Pipsqueak! Calm down! We can't go down there after them!"

"And leave them behind?!" Ruby screamed back with her fury barely kept at back as her uncle and sister struggled to hold her back from going after them. Even more were the tears starting to brim on her eyes. "We can't! We can't just leave them behind and alone in a place like that! I don't want to lose either of them!" But before she could continue ranting at them, Blake calls out with alarm.

"Guys? The tunnel's getting close! We need to get down to the cars now!" She yells out as everyone could only nod once they could see the mountain closing in fast. Yet, Ruby felt herself staring off the cliff where Zack fell with a Manticore on him and Weiss jumping after him. Why did she suddenly jump off like that? It doesn't make any sense, she knows that her partner would never do that and act this rashly. Then again, she's been acting strangely around Zack for a while now, like that other time she suddenly hugged him to snap him out of his breakdown after he nearly punched her in the face.

But…

Ruby couldn't help but worry deeply, not only for her partner's safety but Zack's too. He told them some details about what happened but never went into the finer details, though it was enough to grasp the full picture. Oz failed to mention the Relic's nature to attract Grimm and how they had to fight against Manticores being led by a Sphinx, which did happen. But the original thing that happened in the story according to Zack was that team RWBY plus her uncle and Miss Calavera would be separated and caught in a derailment.

Clearly that didn't happen as she and her team plus her uncle managed to kill it before it could try and blow up the train. Ruby could only nervously bite her lips as the cold winds continued to make her cape flutter against it with Crescent Rose still in her hand. This feeling she knows all too well, as it is the same one she felt when she found Zack at the hands of that red haired woman.

It's back again.

Only this time, the feeling's even worse than before now that she couldn't even see her friend nor her best friend and partner! Both have already vanished beneath the endless sea of white and there's a dark thought in her mind mocking her that she failed her friends again. Just as she failed Pyrrha all those months ago in the Fall of Beacon. Yet despite that, Ruby clings onto hope that both will be fine and will hopefully link up again in Argus.

No matter how long it takes.

With that, the little rose joins everyone back into the train with her heart praying and hoping that Weiss and Zack will be alright together.

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Zack's POV

"OH, FUCK! SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT! Where did that Manticore come from?!" My thoughts rang as if a fire alarm had been triggered and everything became a tense mess, as the cliffside which had Argus Limited on vanished from my eyes by a blanket of snow. Yet, I found myself completely at the mercy of this Manticore, which apparently decided to ambush me and take me off the train with its paws over my arms!

Which is incredibly bad for me, by the way, since I can't move or do shit to get it off me!

The Manticore snarls almost victoriously while all I could do is glance around panicky as its mouth opens, and I see a fire gathering! Shit! It's going to blast my head off! And I still have the Relic of Knowledge with me! So even if I somehow managed to kill it, I would have to survive not only the Grimm attracted to the relic, but the freezing cold and lack of food as well! Assuming gravity doesn't kill me in the process!

Pouring more of my aura into my arms, I began to struggle aggressively to hopefully break out of this situation I found myself in, but in the corner of my eyes, I spotted a Glyph far back from here. Wait. That's no ordinary Glyph, and I know only one person who has that!

That's Weiss's!

What's she doing here?!

Did she jump after me?!

Before the Manticore could blow my face off with a fireball in its mouth, Weiss came out of fucking nowhere as she dives like a god-damn missile and plunges Myrtenaster into the Manticore's skull with such fury in her eyes as it died instantly! "Weiss! What are you doing here?!" I cried out as the Manticore let out a dying roar before it began to disintegrate, freeing me! But we're still free-falling to the ground, and fast!

"Saving you, it seems!" She quickly snapped at me angrily before she grabbed my arm and pointed beneath us as a glyph began to form! "Now hang on!" She yells, but I could tell that she's too late, and we're going to hit the ground at lethal velocity at this rate! She's not going to have enough time to create her Glyphs to stop or slow us down fast enough!

So, I instinctively grabbed Weiss by her arm and pulled her into me, much to her surprise, before I wrapped my limbs and tail protectively around her and extended my arm towards the ground. "Zack! What are you-" She cried out in my chest, and then it happened.

I don't know the details exactly because everything was moving so fast and all of it was becoming a blur to me, but a purple barrier made from some sort of energy rapidly formed around both me and Weiss in it as did Weiss's Glyph as I eventually felt the barrier I put up soon crash against the ground alongside Weiss's Glyph, and everything went black.