Y/N and Weiss pushed open the doors to the News Department, looking around wildly. Lisa was nowhere in sight. Had it been a trap? There was no sign of an ambush; no police, no security. The building was devoid of all life. All life, except for Y/N and Weiss. They readied their weapons, taking a cautious step forward, followed by another.
"So you really came. How marvelous. How marvelous indeed."
They stopped as Lisa strutted into view on the catwalk above them, a wineglass in her hand. She was grinning again. Y/N prepared his katana, glaring at her spitefully. "What are you planning?" He hissed. But Lisa didn't answer right away. She took a long, slow sip of her wine, her throat moving up as she swallowed.
"... You've caused me quite the trouble, these past two days. Because of you, my Daddy is disappointed in me."
"Who's your father!? Is it the King!? Who are you, Lisa!?" Weiss demanded angrily. The woman above them just chuckled.
"Indeed, my father is King Iris. I'm... Well, for lack of better words, a royal bastard," she admitted. "I love him so very much, even if my illegitimacy means I could never have the throne. But now... He's upset with me." She finished her wineglass, holding it up with two fingers. "Catch."
Y/N swung his weapon as she threw the glass at him, shattering it to millions of pieces. Lisa began to pace back and forth, her hands folded neatly behind her back.
"You see, children, I was under strict orders to expose your identities. To not involve myself in a fight against you," she explained. "To play it safe, to quote my Daddy. But... Well, I believe it's easier to just be done with it and put you dogs down. Don't you think?"
"We won't go down without a fight," Weiss snarled. "You're just a news reporter. What could you possibly do-"
Lisa burst out laughing, her face bright red. All of her calmness fell in the blink of an eye, her fingers pulling at her hair. "What can I do, what can I do, she asks! Very well! I'll show you EXACTLY what I can do!"
Zzt. Zzzzt.
Y/N saw the sparks from the corner of his eye, shooting from the outlet. Gasping in shock, he tackled Weiss to the floor as the lights, the sockets, anything that ran on electricity, it all burst around them. Lightning arced through the air, the walls exploding to pieces as electrical cables swung around wildly, as if given life. He looked around wildly, his heart freezing when he didn't see Lisa on the catwalk. She had jumped, cracking the ground beneath her as she landed on her feet. Twin poniards were grasped in her hands, and the back of her heels lifted to reveal blades, concealed in the shoes. She threw her arms into the air, as if presenting something grand.
"Gooood evening Vale! This is Lisa Lavender with the latest! Tonight, we have a public execution!" She cried. In the blink of an eye she was sprinting towards Y/N, moving faster than he thought she could have. She moved like a Huntress would - with speed and power.
CLANK!
His arms trembled as he blocked the blow from Lisa's weapons, stumbling back. She leapt into the air, wrapping her legs around his neck and crushing him to the ground, sitting on his waist. She was smiling like a lunatic, the daggers gleaming as she raised them high in the air - and plunged them into Y/N's chest at blinding speeds.
Weiss rolled to her feet, making a mad dash for the villain. But Lisa knew she was coming. Raising her hand, one of the cables moved for the Schnee, wrapping around her ankle and slamming her against the walls, cracking the concrete under the sheer force. Once, twice, thrice, and then tossed her away like trash. Y/N took his chance to reach up and tug hard on Lisa's hair, throwing her off of him. With a cry, he tried to swing his katana, to cut her wide open...
... Only to miss by a long shot. Lisa weaved in between his strikes with grace, laughing at him.
"Oh, why didn't I fight you sooner!? This is fun!" She screamed. She backflipped away, and picked up one of the cables. Y/N didn't have time to get out of the way as she plunged it into his chest, his entire body lighting up with electricity. "You're Semblance, it's weak to anything that causes continuous damage, right!? How shocking!"
Y/N was blown back, rolling across the floor. His hair was sticking up everywhere, spit was dribbling from his mouth, and his entire body hurt like he was set on fire. He trembled as he stood to his feet, lifting his weapon again. Weiss stood by his side and tapped Myrtenaser against the floor, summoning a glyph around Lisa's ankle. The news reporter scowled.
"Ugly bitch!"
Another cable wrapped around Weiss's neck, lifting her off the ground and throwing her back out the door. When Weiss hit the building across the street, the glyph shimmered and faded, leaving Lisa free to love about how she pleased. She snapped her fingers, electricity exploding around the entrance. Rubble fell, preventing any sort of escape.
Y/N felt his heart rate accelerate. Lisa wasn't trapped with him, he realized. He was trapped with her. Whatever her Semblance was, it involved electricity - something Y/N couldn't heal from. Lisa was approaching slowly, twirling her daggers like a baton. She grinned, her eyes flashing darkly.
Y/N watched as his prosthetic dropped his weapon, reaching for his throat and squeezing tightly. Lisa burst into hysterics.
"Strangled by your own hand! That's hilarious!" She laughed. "Die, puke! Die like the dog you are!"
SLAM!
One kick was enough to send Y/N hurtling through the air, slamming into the ceiling. He didn't have time to fall. Lisa leapt up to him, her heels sparking and connecting with the metal. Static electricity. She plunged her poniards into his stomach, throwing him back to the ground, slamming her full weight into his body. Her bladed heels shredded through his combat outfit like it was paper, blood pooling on the ground as she stomped on him.
Y/N realized with horror what Lisa was doing. If she wanted to kill him, she'd have done it already. She was torturing him. His face was turning blue from his prosthetic, and he quickly reached up and disconnected the device. The limb released it's grip and fell to the floor uselessly, leaving him free to grab Lisa's ankles and twist her off. When she hit the ground, he scrambled desperately for his katana, holding it out defensively.
He was fighting with his off hand. He was at a crippling disadvantage compared to Lisa, who hadn't even taken a scratch. He let out a scream and tried to swing his weapon, but Lisa blocked it with ease. She snickered, punching him square in the mouth. She hit hard, bowling him over in a heartbeat. Teeth flew across the room, leaving Y/N to spit out his own blood. Lisa was laughing again.
"Come now, hero! Is that all you've got? I'm surprised Salem killed Vao, but not you!"
Y/N coughed violently as he stood back up, brandishing his weapon again. And with a furious cry, he charged at Lisa.
...
The car screeched to a halt when Weiss came flying from the building, the entrance quickly barricaded. Junior and Winter scrambled from the van, followed quickly by Sasha, Raven, and Cardin. "Weiss!" Winter screamed. They crowded around her, shaking her awake.
"Li... Light... Ning..." Weiss panted. She pointed a shaky finger towards the building, her eyes growing wet. "Lisa... She... C-can kill Y/N..."
Sasha stomped her foot, sprinting at the wall and punching it as hard as she could. The concrete broke away, but not the steel beneath. She reeled her fist back painfully, Yang's motorcycle screeching to a halt behind her with Qrow on the back. The Huntsman growled frustratedly.
"All government buildings are reinforced in the case of Grimm attacks... You can't break it! It's two feet of solid steel!"
"Then what do we do!? Let Y/N get killed!?" Cardin screamed furiously.
"Damnit, let me handle this!" Raven screamed. She drew her Omen, slashing open a portal. But before she could jump inside, a cable shot out and pushed into her stomach, electrocuting the woman. As the portal snapped closed, they could hear Lisa laughing. Raven stumbled to the ground, twitching violently. Sasha growled, staring at the concrete she had broken - and then an idea came to her mind. She dug her fingers into the stone, climbing the building like a ladder. She could hear the others cheering for her. With a grunt, she launched herself higher, climbing the seven stories with sweat falling from her head.
If she couldn't get there in time... She didn't want to think about it. She didn't know if she could watch another one of her friends die.
She flung herself onto the rooftop, slamming her fists into the ground before bolting for the stairwell, kicking the door off its hinges and stomping down. She had to be fast. The lights over her head exploded, sending glass twinkling into her hair as she ducked. The giantess looked up, eyeing the sparks in surprise.
"H... Huh...?"
She didn't have much time she realized. She started leaping down the stairs, the lights around her exploding with electricity, catching ablaze like a match near foam. The ceiling crumbled above her, nearly crushing Sasha under the rubble. The dust pushed her back, rocks painfully embedding themselves into her skin. Sasha hissed, kicking open the door and sprinting out of the stairwell. She was somewhere on the fourth floor - she needed to get to the first. But how? She wasn't strong enough to break through. And even if she did, the fall could still kill her.
... Of course. Sasha felt like it was the stupidest idea she ever had, but she couldn't think of any other way. She ran to the elevator, mashing the button. As she expected, it didn't work. Something was messing with the circuitry throughout the building - meaning she'd have to jump down the shaft. She growled, digging her fingers in between the doors and prying them open. The elevator was above her on the seventh floor, sparking dangerously. Sasha groaned, grabbing the cable that hung in the middle and jumping into the shaft, sliding down as if it were a rope.
"Oh... If you die on me Y/N, I'll drag you outta hell myself!"
...
Y/N was crawling on the floor, trying to get away from Lisa. The twisted, deranged reporter poked him with the cable, laughing to her heart's content when he screamed.
"Ha ha ha! Pay, pay, you ugly little puke!" She cheered. "Pay with your fucking life!"
She grabbed him by the legs, swinging him like a flail before throwing him through the concrete wall, sending him tumbling into the waiting room. Y/N didn't have time to get out of the way, or even blink before Lisa came flying through the hole with a river of electricity flowing behind her, poniards gleaming in the flashing lights. She drove them into his gut, his body beginning to steam.
He could see his skeleton. He never could have imagined someone would have a Semblance like this. Sure, he met strong people; Rojo had a Semblance he needed to work his way around. But Lisa didn't seem to have a weakness - as long as there was electricity, she could use her Semblance as long as she wanted without any strain. Lisa pulled the blades out, reaching into her pocket and retrieving something awfully familiar. One of Vao's adrenaline shots. She drove the needle into her arm, pumping herself full of energy.
"Do me a favor, Y/N! Thank your drug dealer brother for me! Thank him for selling this shit! With this, I can use my Semblance all I want!"
She raised her weapons again, the blades beginning to spark as Lisa conducted electricity through the steel like a musician. Y/N felt horror bubbling through his body. He was going to die if she struck him again. With the amount of electricity coursing through his body, there would be no way to heal in time. Lisa's smile stretched to massive lengths, drool dribbling from her chin. "Die! Die! Die!"
The daggers were already in motion. A screamed escaped Y/N's throat, his hand shielding his face. But just before the blades could pierce his ribcage, skewer his heart like a shish kebab, Lisa was suddenly pulled off him and slammed into the wall. When Y/N looked up, his eyes filled with relief. Sasha had Lisa in her hands, beating the hell out of the reporter. She tossed Lisa back through the hole, taking one step to reach Y/N's side and pull him to his feet. He wobbled in place, unable to keep his balance.
"Y/N! Shit, shit!" Sasha cried. When she looked at Y/N, she knew he wouldn't last much longer. She doubted his legs would hold out, either. His pant legs were burned to a crisp, his skin blackened underneath, his breathing raspy and exhausted. She pulled him onto her back, drawing Sandstorm and leaping back out of the waiting room. Lisa was already on her feet, electricity spiraling around her, her wounds closing.
Was she healing herself? Sasha took a step back at the realization. That meant even her monstrous strength wouldn't take care of her. Any villain they faced before paled in comparison to Lisa. The lavender haired woman clutched the sides of her head, screaming at the top of her lungs. The walls cracked, electricity spilling from the seams. She was trying to bring the building down on top of them with no regard for her own life. Sasha growled, charging at her with blinding speeds. But with every swing of her weapon, Lisa blew the sword back with lightning, her amber eyes filled with fury.
"So you're Sasha!" She growled with unkempt rage. "The Giant of Vacuo!"
"No one calls me that anymore!" Sasha roared. She plunged her weapon into the ground, digging up a chunk of concrete and hurling it at the villain. Lisa leapt into the air, landing on top of the boulder and jumping to the catwalk above. From the destroyed ceiling lightning came striking down, forcing Sasha to find cover. Lisa kept rambling loudly, as if driven to insanity.
"Hear this, Y/N! That friend of yours, she's no better than the people you've been fighting against! She's a bandit from Vacuo! Ever wonder why she's been so calm, even after Vao and Verde died!?"
Y/N looked at Sasha, his eyes pleading for an answer. Sasha growled, her teeth gritting together until you'd think they'd crack, her green eyes growing wet.
"She's a murderer, Y/N!" Lisa shouted. "Orphaned children! Killed children!"
"I... Didn't have a choice..." Sasha whispered. Lisa just started laughing.
"Didn't have a choice, she says! No choice! What a load of bullshit!"
A cable slammed into Sasha's hip, electrocuting the giant and sending her and Y/N flying back into the open. Chunks of the ceiling came hurtling down, threatening to crush them to juice. Sasha jumped to her feet, activating her Semblance to cut through the rock with her scimitar, sweat pouring down her forehead like a waterfall. She tightened her grip on her weapon, glaring at Lisa with fury.
"If I didn't do it, they'd kill my parents!"
"Reap what you sow, Sasha! Reap what you sow!" She taunted. "They put themselves in that debt! When they couldn't pay, you joined that gang to protect them! By killing others, you delayed the unavoidable! And for what? Just for them to be murdered anyway! You knew it would happen!"
Sasha felt Y/N crawling towards her, pulling himself back on her shoulders. She stood back up, looking around for Lisa. The reporter was no longer above them.
SLASH!
Sasha's stomach was bleeding when Lisa came spiraling past like a comet from behind her, blood dripping from her poniards as if dipped in fresh paint. She twirled them in the air, snickering darkly. "Come now, Sasha. Show Y/N who you really are. Fight me! Fight me with everything you have!"
Y/N pulled himself to Sasha's ear, his voice barely above a whisper.
"S... Sa... Sasha..." He breathed heavily. "Do... It."
Sasha sighed, setting him down on the floor. She couldn't believe she was actually listening to him. But deep down she knew if she didn't, they'd both die. She glanced back down at him, tears threatening to fall. "... Are you... Sure? She's right, Y/N. I'm... Not like you, or Vao and Verde..."
Y/N coughed, lowering his head to the floor. He was unconscious. Sasha let out a shaky sigh, turning back to Lisa. Except this time, her eyes held a different feeling. She lifted her weapon, pointing it at Lisa with murderous intent.
"... You're right, Miss Lavender. I am a killer," she muttered. "That's why I ran away from the gang back in Vacuo. Came to Beacon to forget the past. Seeing Vao die... And Verde, too... It's nothing new to me."
Lisa clapped her hands together, her smile stretching. "Yes, yes! Play with me!"
Sasha chuckled, her back foot shifting further. "... But you know what?"
Sasha reached behind her head and pulled away her hair tie, letting her red locks fall down her back. "I'm done. If I don't do something, you'll kill the people I care about. So, Lisa. You want a playdate... You got one."
Sasha lifted her foot, slamming it back down into the floor. The building around them trembled as she pushed her Semblance to it's full effect, her veins looking like they'd burst. She tilted her head back, her own smile nearly matching Lisa's. They charged at each other, Lisa nearly being sent flying back as she tried to block Sasha's weapon. The blades of her heels sparked as she slid across the floor, her smile growing.
"Ooh, finally snapped! Show me what made you stand out!" She shouted - no, she was begging Sasha to give it her all. To fight like she did in the past, before she applied for Beacon. Sasha blasted forward, leaving after-images with every swing. It still wasn't fast enough to hit Lisa, but it was enough to excite the reporter, fill her with drive.
Lightning burst around them, the building shook and cracked, falling to pieces as they battled. Sasha slammed her weapon down, Lisa stepping back just before she could be split in half. She laughed aloud, taunting Sasha again.
"Are you even trying?"
Sasha pushed the blade into the ground and kicked, vaulting herself into the air. She released her weapon and body slammed Lisa into the floor, crushing the reporter under her massive body weight. She didn't give the villain time to recover. She wrapped her light hair in her fingers, slamming Lisa's face into the ground. The floor cracked under Sasha's raw strength, and with the cry of a warrior, she threw Lisa through the rubble that blocked the entrance in a storm of electric hell. The mafia members dove out of the way as the reporter skidded to her feet, healing her wounds with ease. She hissed under her breath. The News Department wouldn't hold much longer - she need a new source of power, and she knew exactly where to find it.
She climbed into Junior's car, twisting the key and roaring down the street. Sasha picked her weapon and Y/N up and threw him back on her shoulders, sprinting out of the building just as it crumbled to rubble and dust.
"S-Sasha, is Y/N okay!?" Cardin tried to say. But Sasha didn't answer. She ran up to Yang and dug her finger into her shorts, fishing out the key to her motorcycle and pushing her to the ground. She hopped on the vehicle and slammed the key into the ignition, the vehicle rumbling to life. She could feel Y/N's hand move to her waist, holding on tight. She gunned it, popping a wheelie as she sped down the road.
"My fucking bike!" Yang's voice faded from behind her. Sasha gritted her teeth, squinting her eyes into the wind. She could see Lisa ahead, swerving like a maniac. The street lights fired lightning at them, Sasha swerving and dodging like a professional. After all, this wasn't her first time driving a motorcycle. It was just the first time she ever fought someone as strong as Lisa.
Y/N pinched his legs against the motorcycle, drawing his weapon and transforming it into its rifle form, pushing the side of the barrel against Sasha's bicep for support. He shot at Lisa's wheels, his arm jerking back with the recoil and nearly sending him flying off the vehicle. The bullet ricocheted off the ground, flying into the air and out of sight. He held back on to Sasha as Lisa drifted around a corner, the bike nearly touching the ground as Sasha followed.
It happened in slow motion for Y/N. As they drifted, Summer had just stepped out of the gas station, their eyes meeting. Her silver eyes went wide, and then they were roaring back down the street. When he looked back, he could see Summer chasing after them in a blur of rose petals and white. With her on their side, they'd stand much better chances against Lisa. He nudged Sasha gently.
"What?" She called back.
"W... What Lisa... S-said back there..."
Sasha nodded. "We can talk about it later. We need to focus on Lisa, and wherever she's going! I doubt she's just going to use the street lights, given how smart she is!"
Y/N finally looked around. They were heading towards the industrial district. But why? What could Lisa do in a warehouse?
His heart stopped. She couldn't be going there. Anywhere but there. If she reached that place, she'd have more power than Y/N could possibly imagine. He pushed his rifle against Sasha's arm again, holding down the trigger to his gun. The barrel swayed left and right.
Lisa ducked as the bullets came blasting through the rear windshield, filling her with fury. "Damn it! What do you got in here, Hei!? Mafia bosses always have something!" She screamed. She opened the glovebox, her smile returning. "Oh... How lucky..."
Sasha watched as something came flying out of Lisa's window, bouncing towards them. Her eyes went wide as she turned, swerving around the grenade as it exploded.
"Shit!"
Grenades spilled from Lisa's car as if it were a candy machine, the smoke blocking Sasha's view. And when the smoke cleared, she was on the sidewalk, dodging street lamps and trash cans. She pulled back onto the street, crossing a bridge. Lisa was further ahead now, her car screeching to a halt as she climbed out and ran to a gate, closing it behind her. Sasha gasped in horror.
"The electric power plant!"
If Lisa reached it, she'd have the power of the entire city at her fingertips. Sasha looked around wildly for anything to jump the fence. An I-beam was laying slanted against a pile, pointing straight at the gate. Sasha clenched her teeth. With how thin the I-beam was, if she missed they'd be grated through the fence like cheese. But she didn't have much of a choice. They had to catch Lisa. She gunned the engine as far as it would go, the bike hurtling through the air as it left it's makeshift ramp. Y/N and Sasha screamed in terror as the bike crashed into the ground, shattering to a million pieces and sending them bouncing across the dirt.
Sasha looked at the mangled vehicle, shaking her head and picking Y/N back up. She could feel his grip tightening around her as he held on, giving a grunt to show he was ready. Sasha nodded, sprinting into the electric facility. She could see Lisa above them, climbing a ladder leading higher above them. Sasha growled, pointing her finger at the reporter. "Don't do it! You'll destroy the entire city!"
"The people can live without electricity for a few months!" Lisa screamed back at her. "It doesn't matter! What matters is Y/N dies here! Salem promised my father his greatest dream; and I will ensure that dream comes to life!"
"You're insane!"
Lisa climbed on top of the platform, standing in front of the main power system. She threw her head back, laughing into the night sky. "That's right, Steel! I'm batshit crazy! Crazy for the King!"
The moment she touched the main power system, her entire body lit up with electricity, bolts sparking from her skin. Lisa let out an ear-piercing screech as the entire plant began to light up, power surging around her. Sasha and Y/N had to shield their eyes as she glowed brighter, and brighter, until she could be mistaken for the sun. Behind them, Vale was going crazy. Lights flickered on and off, and power was shut down as it focused on one point - Lisa Lavender.
Sasha dove for the ground when bolts began to soar towards her face, covering the back of her head. Lisa turned, throwing her arms into the air. Lightning came crashing down as if a cloudless thunderstorm had brewed overhead. Sasha growled, running around blindly as the ground exploded within inches from her, trying to get closer to Lisa. But the twisted, deranged woman threw her hand to the side, bringing a tower high into the air. With ease she launched it at Sasha, the steel sizzling like bacon in a pan. The giant dove to the side as the giant structure was crushed into the ground like a can.
Lisa wasn't finished. She lifted her other hand, a bulldozer flying towards them. Sasha didn't have time to dodge it. She sheathed her weapon and moved her foot back, sliding across the ground as she caught the construction vehicle in her hands. Her bones screamed in agony as she strained herself just to hold it back, spit dribbling down her chin.
"I'll bury you alive!" Lisa sang. She lifted the vehicle again, slamming it back against Sasha. On the third slam, Sasha's left arm snapped, her sword arm. The giant screamed in pain, stumbling away. The vehicle rose into the air again, prepared to finish them off for good.
SLASH!
The bulldozer exploded in the air as Summer came hurtling towards them, her scythe dripping with oil. She breathed heavily, looking towards Sasha. "Get out of here! Find the others! You can't fight like that! I'll deal with this!"
"But-"
"Get the hell out of here! Keep Y/N alive!"
Sasha nodded, turning and sprinting towards the exit. Y/N shook his head desperately. He lived through this before. If Summer tried to go alone, she could end up just like Vao did. "S-Sasha, let me go!"
"No! You're worse than I am!"
Y/N didn't have a choice. He didn't want to see someone else die, not if he could do something about it. "... Sorry then..."
Before Sasha could question it, Y/N opened his mouth wide and sank his teeth into her broken arm, squeezing with all the strength his jaw had. Sasha roared in pain, and out of sheer instinct threw Y/N off of her. He soared through the air, slamming against the tower Lisa was on. He groaned, spotting Sasha sprinting towards the tower far below. He groaned, picking himself up and climbing higher. On the roof he could hear Lisa fighting his mother, laughing loudly.
"Hit me! Hit me! Oh, is this all that a legend can do!?"
Y/N's legs trembled as he tried to climb, breathing heavier and heavier. His knees felt like they'd give out any moment, and with how high up he was, the fall would kill him instantly. His safest bet was to go back down. But when Y/N remembered Vao, he gritted his teeth. Safety didn't matter if it meant he could save Summer. He pushed himself forward, watching as sparks flew left and right. A sudden jolt of electricity nearly sent him falling, his grip slipping. He bit down on the metal with his teeth, hanging on as if his life depended on it.
Summer was sweating as she swung her weapon, Lisa dodging with no effort. She was using her Semblance to move faster, dodging the scythe as if it were the slowest thing in the world. Summer leapt back, breathing hard. She needed a plan; a plan for a Semblance that could do things she didn't even think of. Cables soared into the air, dozens of thick wires with bolts flying out. Lisa smirked, twirling her poniards again.
"This is over, Summer. After I'm done with you, I'll kill Y/N! I'll kill Yang! Raven! Your husband! Every last one of them!"
Summer's eyes went bloodshot, her fury boiling over. "Eat shit, you psychopath!" She used her Semblance to dodge the cables, rose petals flying into the air. And when she got close enough, Summer launched a devastating kick into Lisa's jaw, teeth flying off the tower. She buried her scythe into Lisa's stomach, the tip poking through her back.
SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!
SLAM!
Lisa bounced across the tower with the fourth slam, the scythe dislodging from her stomach. Her Semblance was healing the wounds with alarming speed, a smirk forming across her face, quickly devolving into the smile of a killer as Summer charged forward. Lisa's hands sparked as she threw herself at Summer, grabbing the sides of her face and catching her off guard. Lisa lowered her voice, giggling maniacally.
"You couldn't hope to kill me with this power, dear."
Y/N finally reached the top just in time to see Summer and Lisa. His face went pale. Summer looked at him, meeting his eyes.
"Rosebud..." She whispered.
Y/N felt his world being crushed again. He didn't want to see this. Not again. Despite the pain in his legs, he forced himself to his feet, stumbling towards them with his hand stretched out. Reaching for his mother.
ZZZZZTTT!
Summer screamed as electricity coursed through Lisa's hands, blisters growing on her skin. Y/N let out a pained noise. He had to reach them. He had to save his mom. Lisa's eyes travelled to his, her smirk sly and grim. The currents grew stronger, the blisters popping, oozing with pus. Blood was dripping down Summer's body, sizzling away as she heated up. For the last time she looked at Y/N, the tears burning away as they attempted to fall.
"Y-Y/N... Rose... B-bud..."
Summer's body began to swell, and with her last scream, she exploded into a mess. Y/N stood frozen as the blood of his mother coated his clothes, his body trembling where he stood. He felt a hard lump growing in his throat, tears dripping to the ground as his legs finally gave out. He reached down and touched the guts that covered his front, his hands shaking intensely.
"M... Mom..." Y/N whispered hoarsely. He clutched a bloody chunk of Summer in his fingers, feeling the sizzling blood dripping between his fingertips. It happened again. Just like Vao. Lisa looked down at herself in disgust.
"Eugh... What a nasty mess..." She muttered. She eyed Y/N again, her smile returning. Except this time, it wasn't filled with the intensity from before. It was confident, victorious. She stepped forward, her arms held out to her sides. "What did I tell you, Y/N? There's no hope for you."
Y/N looked at her, a croak escaping his lips. Lisa chuckled, lowering her arms. "I'll do anything for Daddy. Anything at all. By now you understand that, don't you?" Her smile fell, her face going blank. "... Goodbye, Y/N."
Finally Y/N reacted. He had never been so furious in his life. His teeth gritted together, shakily standing to his feet. "Li... Lisa..."
Lisa sighed, shaking her head lightly. "Now you take it seriously... After your body has nearly been destroyed and your mother killed. You're far too late, Y/N. Face it - you couldn't save anyone."
"Lisa... I-I'll... I..." Y/N's eyes widened, bloodshot and filled with depravity. Hatred, madness. He hated this woman. He hated that smirk on her lips. He hated her personality. But most of all, he hated Salem, Cnimbrerh, the creature that caused this mess. "I'm going to FUCKING KILL YOU!"
He dug his hand into his pocket, fishing out the item and throwing it at Lisa. The news reporter snapped her fingers, electricity coursing towards the object. It was only after she zapped it that she realized what Y/N had thrown.
A Fire Dust crystal.
The Dust exploded instantly, the power plant lighting ablaze as it blew up. Sasha, who had just begun climbing the ladder, was thrown to the side and sent skidding out of the compound, watching in horror as the structure began to explode like a bomb, smoldering debris lighting the night sky like flares.
"Y/N!" She screamed. And then she saw them. Y/N was flying under Lisa, his body burned and scarred, his legs flailing behind him uselessly.
It was slow motion for Y/N as he drew his katana, locking eyes with Lisa's shocked face. With a scream he swung his weapon, his arm nothing more than a blur as his blade drove through Lisa's body, severing her into pieces. Lisa wailed as she watched chunks of her body, her insides, spill out of her like a meat piñata. Y/N reeled back his arm, remembering everything he had seen. Vao's death, killing Verde, and now Summer exploding in front of his eyes. He wasn't going to let Salem get away with it. With a reason to fight, he screamed hatefully as he slashed her throat - and cut her head clean off.
He felt his hand release his weapon, the katana falling next to him as he breathed heavily. It was over, he realized. He killed Lisa. But it cost him. He couldn't feel his legs anymore. His mother died in front of him. But he killed Lisa, and by doing that he saved numerous others. He finally understood what Raven had meant when they attacked Innsmaw. Killing people was unavoidable. It was something he had to do, even if he didn't like it. By killing Rojo, Cinder, and now Lisa, he was preserving other lives. Being a hero was terrible, he realized. The guilt that followed, the guilt of killing, even if it was someone like Rojo, he knew it would follow him for the rest of his life. But that was something he was going to have to live with. If he didn't stop Salem, how many more would pay the price? It would be selfish to stop now.
His eyelids began to grow heavy, slowly closing shut. He wondered if his life would end here. There was no way he could survive - the fall was too high, and even then he had been far too damaged, far too exhausted to even use his Semblance. And finally he drifted off as he plummeted back to the ground, Sasha catching him in her arm. Sasha looked down at him, pressing her ear to his chest.
Th-thump. Th-thump.
His heart was still beating. But it was quiet and slow. Sasha gritted her teeth, giving one last look at the smoldering ruin before running away from the power plant. She needed to regroup with the others, and save Y/N.
...
He could hear voices. For a second, Y/N thought he had gone insane. Snapped under the pressure. But then he heard a voice he recognized.
"Mr. Xiao-Long, we're doing everything we ca-"
"No you're not! There's gotta be something you can do! You're Atlesian scientists, for Dust's sake!"
He didn't recognize the first voice, but he immediately recognized the voice of his father.
"... There is one option..." Ironwood's voice. "But I do not think you'll like it, Taiyang."
"Let me hear it!"
Ironwood was silent for a moment. "... His legs are done. Every nerve under the skin and in his flesh has been burned. He'll never walk again... Without help."
"Help? So prosthetics, right? You already gave him an arm! Give him new legs!"
"We can't. There are no nerves left to attach them to," Ironwood explained. "... It's cybernetics. His nerves from the waist up are intact, but... We'll need to perform cybernetic surgery to replace the waist down."
Tai was silent for a long while. "... S-so... You'll have to cut him in half...?"
"Precisely. It is a life-changing, dangerous procedure. But at the very least, he'll be able to continue fighting if he wishes, rather than run off on his own."
The doctor piped up again in a flawed effort to cheer his father up. "And look on the bright side! His penis remains fully functional! We could transplant it, and you'll still have grandchildren!"
"... Doctor?"
"Erm, yes General?"
"... Remove yourself from this room and socialize with people at once. Real people, not those weird annie-may games on your computer."
"Y-yes sir..."
The door closed, and Y/N presumed the doctor left. He could hear Ironwood turn around. "Well, Tai? With Y/N unconscious, we'll need the permission of a former guardian or parent to perform this surgery. And with Summer's passing, that leaves this choice to you." He could hear Tai let out a heartbroken sigh, and finally he gave his answer.
"... Okay... Let me see that damned thing..."
Y/N heard a pen scratching against paper, and then he faded into sleep once again.
...
Y/N's hearing slowly returned. He could hear something buzzing, and for a brief moment he saw surgeons. they were focusing on his midsection, pulling pieces of him away. He couldn't feel anything, not even the vibrations as they worked. He tried to say something, but his body wouldn't move.
"Hand me the bone cutter."
"Yes, doctor."
Y/N watched in forced silence as the silver tool was brought to his body, watching as the upper portion his left leg was pulled away, the lower portion long gone. He felt light headed and sick.
"Okay, that's the last of it. Time for the pelvic bone."
Y/N blacked out before he could watch, drifting into the land of dreams.
...
It was a month before Y/N woke up again. His eyes fluttered open, his jaw moving slowly. For a while, he felt... Nothing. Nothing at all. He was on a white bed, staring at the white ceiling. His thoughts and memories were a scrambled mess, slowly coming back to him.
He remembered Lisa. He remembered fighting her Semblance, and then watching his mother die. He remembered cutting Lisa to pieces, and then... Nothing. What happened? When he sat up, groaning as he stretched his long-unused back, he pulled the blanket away, staring at his legs. They weren't the ones he had always been familiar with.
Steel plated, they resembled legs, and when he wiggled his toes the artificial appendages moved the way he wanted. And then he remembered.
Lisa had paralyzed him from the waist down. Tai had signed the papers approving his cybernetic surgery. He remembered the doctors, cutting him in half. The door opened, and a bespectacled doctor stepped inside. He gave Y/N a friendly smile, closing the door and taking a seat beside his bed. A clipboard was in his hand, a checklist filled with words Y/N didn't know attached.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Rose. I am Doctor Scarlet."
"... After... Noon...?"
The doctor nodded. "Yes, Sunday afternoon. You've been comatose for six weeks."
"Six..."
Doctor Scarlet nodded, setting aside the clipboard. His smile faltered, giving way to a solemn, glum one instead. "... How are you feeling, Mr. Rose?"
Y/N looked back down at his legs blankly, shifting them around. "... Where's my legs?"
"We cremated them," Scarlet admitted. "You took quite the beating from that Lisa woman. You were lucky to even have brain activity by the time General Ironwood brought you in."
That brought up another question. Where was Y/N? He didn't recognize his surroundings at all. Doctor Scarlet seemed to read his mind. "Do not worry, you're in a safe place. You're in Beacon's basement. It was the only place to bring you, given your... Ahem... Current social status," he explained.
"Bea... Beacon...?"
He nodded. "Indeed. Professor Ozpin was the one who agreed to keep you here, to avoid detection from the police. Luckily for us, Beacon has its own power supply, no?"
Power... Y/N looked the doctor in the eyes, his brow beginning to furrow. Again, the doctor read his mind. He nodded.
"... After the power plant exploded, Vale has been in a blackout. There is no electricity anywhere in the city," he said softly. "But that is no fault of yours. If you didn't do something, Lisa would have escaped. By killing her, you saved potentially hundreds. You're a hero, Mr. Rose, even if the public doesn't know it."
Hero... What kind of hero was Y/N? When he reflected on it, he didn't kill Lisa because he needed to. He killed her because he wanted to. He looked back down at his legs, his eyes growing wet.
"... What... About the others...?"
"All safe. They've been staying in your old room, even if it is a bit cramped." The doctor reached over and picked his clipboard back up, drawing a pen from his pocket. "Now, I'm going to ask you a few questions before checking on your physical health to ensure you're ready to be discharged..."
The questions and check up were basic. He moved his legs the way the doctor instructed him, he breathed when the doctor told him, and he answered questions about his new body. And finally, the doctor checked the last box, nodding his head firmly. "And... We're done. Do you have any questions for me?"
Y/N was silent for a few moments, staring at his legs. "... What... Am I?"
Doctor Scarlet looked surprised. "... You're human, of course. Your legs may have changed, but that doesn't mean anything. You still have emotion, individual thought..."
Y/N nodded slowly, even if he didn't completely believe what the doctor was saying. Soon, he was discharged from the wing. And as he exited the basement, Ozpin was waiting for him. He wasn't smiling. He was staring at Y/N sorrowfully, listening to the clicks from underneath Y/N's pants.
"... Hello, Mr. Rose."
Y/N just stared at him, not really having an answer. The headmaster sighed, stepping to the side and handing him a scroll. "This will unlock your room. We can talk at a later time, but first... You should really talk to your family. They've been worried sick." He looked up thoughtfully, as if he had forgotten something. But then he snapped his fingers. "And do not worry about being seen. The students have been worried about you, too. Even if you have been labelled a terrorist, rumors were spread that it was staged. You've made a lot of alliances in your time here."
Y/N nodded, taking the device and walking down the halls. As he passed his old friends, he knew he was being stared at, whispers behind his back. They continued as he finally reached his room, tapping the scroll against the door. It clicked open, slowly swinging to show the room inside. The beds had been removed, sleeping bags spread across the floor. The desks were still there, holding everyone's personal belongings. He didn't have time to even step inside when arms wrapped around him. Yang, Raven, Qrow, and Tai. His father looked at him guiltily, ruffling his hair gently.
"... Sorry, Y/N... I-"
"... I don't care," Y/N interrupted. Raven looked at him in surprise.
"But your legs-"
"I don't care."
They pulled away from him, Yang being the first to speak. "... A-are you... Okay?"
"I'm fine."
Weiss stood up, a devastated look on her face. "Y/N, we talked about this! You can't just bottle it u-"
"I said I'm fine! Just shut your fucking mouth!" Y/N snapped. Everyone took a step back. Weiss looked startled, her eyes brimming with tears. "Y-Y/N, I-"
"Just... Shut up."
Y/N pushed past his family, approaching Sasha. The giant looked at him from where she leaned on the wall, eyeing him blankly. He pointed his finger at her, his eyes hard.
"What Lisa said... Six weeks ago..." He panted. "Tell me your side... Like you said you would."
Sasha sighed, gesturing to the others in the room. "Can we talk about it in private? It's not an easy subject for me. Especially with my boyfriend right there," she pleaded. Y/N shook his head.
"No. We all have a right to know what you've been hiding from us. So tell me what Lisa meant when she said you killed kids," he demanded. Cardin looked baffled.
"Woah, woah, it was probably a lie to piss her off, Y/N. Calm dow-"
"Don't even dare tell me that," Y/N hissed. He turned back to Sasha, his eyes narrowing. "Back at the News Department... You said she was right. That you weren't like me, Vao, or Verde. But you also said you didn't have a choice. So tell us, Sasha. Who the hell are you?"
Sasha bit her lip gently, averting her gaze. "I'm... Sasha. The 'S' in FRSB..."
"Bullshit. Stop with the bullshit. What's the Giant of Vacuo?"
Sasha frowned, her anger beginning to spike. "I'm warning you, pal. Don't call me that."
Y/N snickered, lowering his finger. "Giant of Vac-"
He was sent to the floor when Sasha decked him, biting his cheek. He touched his lips, staring at the blood that stained his false fingertips. And when he looked back up at Sasha, he saw her foot coming. He nearly puked when she kicked him in the stomach, bouncing across the floor. It took everyone to hold Sasha back, to keep her from beating Y/N to a pulp. The giant growled, tears falling down her face.
"Fuck you, Y/N! You don't know what hell I've been through! Don't you dare act like you have it worse!"
Y/N staggered to his feet, spitting on the ground. He glared at her, raising his fist as he charged at her, screaming in fury. He punched Sasha in the stomach, but the blow didn't even faze her. She brought her knee into his metallic waist, dropping him to the ground. He coughed violently, and finally puked. Because he had been tube fed for over a month, all that came up was air and spit. His body heaved painfully as Sasha pulled away from her restraints, picking him off the ground and setting him back on his feet, dusting off his clothes. She still looked angry, and she wasn't being gentle, but she wasn't punching his lights out like she wanted to. She pushed him against the desk, crossing her arms.
"... You done?"
Y/N hissed, holding his fists up. Sasha rolled her eyes, leaning back on her left foot. "Want to go again? I'll use my Semblance this time. I'll put your ass back in the hospital, dickface."
"Cool it, you two!" Qrow shouted angrily. "You're teammates! Friends! You're on the same side, for Dust's sake! Infighting'll just get us all killed!"
Y/N hesitated, snarling as he threw his arms back down to his sides. Sasha watched him, eyeing his every move. "Why... Are you called the Giant of Vacuo?" He growled. Sasha looked at the others. Curiosity was gleaming in their eyes as they waited for her story. Sasha pinched the bridge of her nose, groaning loudly.
"... I came here to get away from all of that. I've helped you enough, haven't I, Y/N? I've been on this team since the beginning of Beacon. Even saved your life. Isn't that enough?"
Y/N shook his head. "Not when kids are involved. Tell us your story, Sasha. What have you been hiding from everyone?"
Cardin stepped towards Sasha, reaching his hand out towards her. He hesitated, pulling his hand away. The giant frowned, her lip beginning to quiver.
"... Please... Don't make me talk about it..."
He slammed his fist against the desk, glaring at her. "It wasn't an option!"
"Chill the fuck out, Y/N!" Yang shouted angrily. "What the hell happened to you!?"
"I watched my mother and my brother die in my arms, that's what!" Y/N screamed back. "I couldn't save them! I was always too late! I-"
"How about watching your whole family get fucking killed!?"
Y/N stopped talking, locking eyes with Sasha. She was trembling, her lips pulled back. "You're so fucking lucky, Y/N. You're so fucking lucky I'm not who I was back then. You want to hear my story? I'll give you my story. I'll tell you why I have anger issues! I'll tell you why I don't like holding grudges! I'll tell you every last detail!"
"Then do it," Y/N challenged. Sasha nodded curtly, her eyes filled with spite. She took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and let it out.
And then she began her story, from her early years in Vacuo, to when she applied for Beacon.