Xion decided to start a break as both Velvet, Coco and Yang needed a restroom break. So she gave everyone a menu for lunch. Few minutes later, everyone's lunch came in as everyone took their seats. The newcomers were shocked at seeing the servitors bring their food. Ruby takes a sip of her Nuka Cola and finds that she is handling it better than last time. She turns and notices Coco, Sun and Neo having one, she begins to feel nervous until she notices a paper bag next to their seats.
Ch.15 Strike up the Band
The screen focused on Ruby as she slept soundly upon the floor. As she slept soundly on the floor the lights quickly turned on causing her eyelids to squint and shift before slowly opening them. As she did so a hologram of the lady back at the fountain was standing over her, it started to glitch to look like she was trying to shake her to wake up before vanishing entirely. Soon after Ruby begins to slowly stir, she notices that she is inside the Madre now. The air inside was dusty to say the least but at least it was much easier to breath compared to outside. As she looked around, she noticed that Six and Weiss weren't around and began to panic when she felt something moving by her arm. She quickly looks down to see Weiss was passed out next to her. Ruby breathes a sigh of relief as she tries to pull her hand away, but Weiss was like a tiger. Once she got a hold of her it was difficult to break free from. Ruby struggles to remove her hand from Weiss grasp. As she pulls Weiss moves with her hand before letting out a small moan.
Ruby's brow raised high at the sight of the hologram, again it acted less like code and more as if it was a ghost. The others notice that as well, but were soon caught off guard by Weiss' moan.
"Mm, Ruby don't leave yet. It's still my birthday." She mumbles as she begins to stir causing Ruby to pull back in shock.
"What?" Barely came out of Ruby's mouth as Weiss had a shock blush on her face.
"What?" Ruby asks, completely dumbfounded as Weiss begins to wake up. As Weiss opened her eyes, she noticed Ruby was blushing like crazy as she picked herself up from the floor.
Weiss spoke up with a little fury tone. "What was I dreaming about?"
"Ugh, Ruby are we late for Professor Port's cl..." Weiss then realized that they weren't back in the dorm but rather back in the Sierra Madre. She was about to let out a sigh of disappointment when she noticed how much Ruby was blushing. "What?"
"What? What the fuck were you dreaming about?" Yang glared at her teammate who turned to the brawler.
"Believe me, I want to know as much as you do." This only made the blonde's eyes turn red. "Not like that you brute."
"Um, you were talking in your sleep." Ruby answers nervously and embarrassedly. Weiss gave her a weird look before remembering what she was dreaming about begins to blush in embarrassment. Before either of the two had a chance to talk Six walks through a door with the world's casino written above it. His right sleeve was torn off and wrapped in alcohol-soaked bandages. As he walked out, he had under his arm Ruby's B.A.R and in the other a bottle of scotch in the other.
Weiss was now glaring at her in the story self. "Are you telling me, I have romantic feelings for Ruby in this story?"
Xion nods before explaining. "Yeah, dad is not a big fan of this." Weiss seems to expect the answer and plans to talk with the man later.
"Oh, good you two are awake." Six remarks as he walks over with a small limp in his step. He pauses for a second to take a swig from the bottle. Once finished he looked down at the two, noticing that they were both blushing. He stared at the two before making an assumption on what they did. He then pinches the bridge of his nose in annoyance before muttering. "Wait, did you... ugh, I can't even leave you two alone without hormones adding to the list of problems."
Weiss starts to growl as she grinds her teeth as she starts making plans on how she'll hurt the author.
The two begin to blush thinking of different ideas Six had. For Weiss she dreaded the idea that this Six person will spread baseless manner that she had interacted inappropriately with a minor, while Ruby thought he was going to tell her sister that Weiss has a crush on her. Before either of them could say something in their defense the radio turns on, and the sound of a microphone adjusting can be heard over it. Soon Elijah's voice spoke overhead.
Yang and Weiss look to each other before giving a silent nod to each other. As this happens Penny feels a strange feeling in the back of her mind, but hasn't placed what it could be.
"Aw, good. It seems not only did you manage to awaken the Sierra Madre but also it seems your friend is awake number twenty-one." Elijah said in an excited yet cautious tone. It then changed into a serious tone as he explains the next step to breaking into the Madre. "Now I had hoped that with the power you do kindly activate would allow me to access its system, especially the sound archives. But it seems your crew's collars are interfering with the system, making it impossible to open the entrance into the Vault below."
Sienna smiles at the former Elder's plan falling because of his 'oh so careful planning.'
That's when Ruby noticed that indeed there was no one here. Dean, DoG/GoD, and Christine were missing. Before she could even ask it seems that Elijah could figure out what she was going to ask and answered it in an annoyed answer. "Unfortunately, it seems the Sierra Madre has a long memory. It remembers specific guests, based on their voice or looks they were moved to different floors of the casino, interesting how the white noise built inside them has blocked out the music. Interesting, yet problematic at the same time. As easy as it is for me to just detonate your collars, it seems I require your assistance once more. The way the Sierra Madre was designed was definitely tricky, or perhaps intentional. It seems for the collars to detonate one must be on the same floor to do so. So, I need you two to find your crew and kill them before leaving the floor before detonation. Don't worry about you losing your heads, as long as you make it quick and you are fast you can survive. Then once I get what I want, you two can go. Just like you wanted."
Everyone just stares at the message before agreeing unverbaling, 'Ball Shit'.
That was the last thing he said before the radio cuts out leaving the three in silence. Ruby and Six gets a message from Elijah with a local map of the places that the rest of the group ended up. It was a rather grim moment for the three, Elijah may be none the wiser about Weiss but he demanded that the three kill off the people they had worked with. As they stood their Ruby was about to say something when Six beat her to it.
"Oh, hell no. Like hell that's going to happen." Six remarks in a gruff before walking over to the receptionist desk. He then started digging around till he grabbed ahold of a pen and an Eight of Clubs. He wrote something down on the face side of the card before walking over to Ruby and Weiss.
Neo raises a sign. 'Okay, boss. What's your plan?'.
"Look, I am sick of the old man and I'm sure neither of you want to kill our 'Friends'. So, I have an alternate solution to our problems." Six said as he handed Weiss the card. "If we were to reset the collars frequency that would eliminate the white noise for a week."
"How do you know so much about Slave collars?" Weiss asked as she memorized the instructions with ease.
Weiss does raise an eyebrow at that, so far the only group of people she saw in the wasteland that used slave collars were Elijah and the Legion. Weiss was not liking the latter option of the mind set.
"When you have amnesia, you try questioning if you know something or not. Alright then snowflake." Six said sarcastically getting a dirty stare from Weiss.
Weiss just glared at Six, not buying the amnesia even more than when they started the story.
"Ok so who do we see first? GoD, Dean? Oh, can we help Christine first?" Ruby asked as she looked over the instructions for resetting the collars.
Ruby and Coco were hoping yes to Christine while Weiss was hoping for Dean.
"We split up and individually help them." Six answers as he looks down at his Pip-Boy.
"Guess that would help. Have the ones with the most trust with them and tell them the plan. It'll both be faster and more effective." Jaune said out loud to no one particular, which got some nods from the assassin and high leader.
"But wouldn't that be dangerous?" Weiss asks.
"We haven't seen the inside of the casino yet. For all we know, it's safer than outside." Jaune counter, which the heiress expects.
"Um isn't that dangerous?" Weiss asked as she pulled out her last cigarette.
"Thankfully not really compared to the outside. Only thing that is trying to kill us here is just malfunctioning speakers and holograms. No ghost people meaning you will have more freedom to roam than us." Six said as he pulled out his own cigarette and made a motion to borrow her lighter.
"An even better point." Jaune adds, this time Weiss throws a potato chip at him. At that moment, Coco started to feel a little sick before noticing some saltines on her plate as Sun and Neo rushed to the bathroom.
Penny turns to the original group before asking. "What happened to them?"
"Nuka Sickness. Happens after the first time you drink a Nuka Cola. I just had a stomach ache, the saltines helped." Ruby explains.
"And I had to make a lake." Nora added a little too much info.
Weiss thought about it as she took a drag from the cigarette. She was the only one without a collar and living in the Villa for a week with Dean had taught her a few things. Besides, splitting up can make the task at hand even easier and quicker. She has her own reasons for breaking in and with the help of Ruby and Six she could have a better chance of escaping with what she sought for. A chance to begin again.
Weiss notices something was off, she starting to wonder what she after in that vault now.
"Alright then. How should we choose to split up?" Weiss said in an agreeing manner from there the three talked out which person should deal with the other
"Six goes to DoG/GoD, Ruby to Christine and Weiss goes to Dean." Nora counted the fingers on her hand. "That would work out because of the relations we've seen so far." No one could doubt Nora's reasoning.
It took them a few minutes but it was agreed upon that Six should talk with DoG/GoD since DoG likes the taste of children and GoD finds them annoying, especially Ruby. Weiss because Dean doesn't trust Six and will most likely backstab him. Finally Ruby will talk with Christine because she doesn't trust anything related to Dean Domino, especially Weiss.
"That too." Nora agreed as everyone felt sick of DoG's taste of children.
They went their different ways with the intention of meeting up on the top floor because that is where the only way into the Vault is located. So, Ruby took the elevator to the penthouse suite, Weiss to upstairs theater and Six to the downstairs Restaurant. Once the collars are reset, they can take the Vault elevator to the basement, where the wealth and treasure of the old world, the same treasure that so many had died in its pursuit, was located. Right there for the takings.
"I don't like the sound of that." Ren states, as Sun and Neo come back from the restroom.
With Weiss
Weiss enters the theater. Inside was a receptionist desk and posters of many prewar musicians and actors. One being Dean in his prime, right next to a poster of the Women that was a hologram at the center of town. Vera Keyes. Dean once mentioned and sure enough written below was the name. She observed the poster a little closer before making her way to the theater. She exited the waiting room into a hallway leading into the theater. It seems that the main entrance was locked from the inside. So, she went down a hall towards the bar entrance. The walls were lined with speakers that were malfunctioning.
"Good thing Weiss doesn't have those collars." Penny noted.
It would have been a problem for either Six or Ruby to get past but since she was collar free, she could wander down the hall worry free. Inside the theater she noticed the lights were dim from the collected dust over the light bulbs. But she could spot in the distance smoke coming from a sheet holder stand, near the stage. She approached the sheet holder cautiously while whispering aloud for Dean, to which he didn't answer. Still once she got to the stand, she could see a half-smoked cigarette laying on top of the stand. Dean was definitely here but the question is why?
That's when Weiss noticed the musical partiture was meant for Vera Keyes. The notes were starting to fade but she could make some parts of it. As she picked it up a key fell onto the ground at her feet from behind. As Weiss bends down to pick it up, a set of footsteps can be heard from above on the rafters.
"Finally, a friendly face! Hey, up here partner!" Dean shouts out as he staggers over to the railing while holding the side of his torso in pain as blood drips from a third degree burn. "Sorry to say that I am in a bit of a predicament. Had to duck backstage, take a powder break, the audience was a bit... murderous tonight."
Weiss' eyes narrow at that statement, you ever hurt one of her partners will get their share of it.
"Dean it's pleasant to see you again, but what happened to you?" Weiss asked in a more curious tone rather than concern as her raspy voice slowly returned.
"Well when you and your friends set off the event I was already halfway to the gates when the fireworks came to an end. Seriously I did warn you how many were crawling beneath the surface, quite frankly I would be surprised if any of you did make it here, even with the mystical shit. Still I digress, by the time I entered I was hit with some kind of gas only to wake up here. I could have sworn it was a fever dream but I saw Vera standing over me. Probably one of the holograms Sinclair instituted but I doubt that considering more came out of the wood works and got a lucky shot. Probably be back any second and when they do the doors will be locked tighter than a nun's panties, if you get my meaning." Dean explains as he falls down halfway through due to the injury he received.
Weiss nodded in understanding what Dean mean't, though she would have liked a little less innuendos added.
"Ugh, I get it." Weiss said as she rolled her eyes at the innuendo. "Well, do you have any suggestions for turning off the holograms?"
"Um, Yea. Backstage should be a tape. Vera loved my work and it really did help her whenever she was stung up on Med-X. Get it up to the projector room to your right and that should not only turn off the speakers but also get less hospitable ghosts in here." Dean answers as he turns his head to see Security Holograms entering through the sides. "Weiss, they're here, run already to the left!"
Everyone leans in to watch how well the heiress to the SDC is at sneaking around.
Weiss quickly raced to her left before Dean shouted his left. She nearly got hit by a few of the ghost lasers. When she got to the door, she quickly inserted the key into the lock and quickly entered as the laser nearly hit her directly in the back as she just slammed the door shut. After taking a quick breather she went down the hall backstage. She made her way to the other end of backstage with no trouble from the multiple speakers. At the end she entered Vera Keys' changing room to grab the holotapes. On the table were two holotapes both unfortunately were snapped in half.
Cursing her luck Weiss kicks over a trash can and out falls another one, this one being intact. Quickly picking it up she noticed in the vent next to the trash can a box. Quickly removing it she found inside a few empty needles of a powerful morphine like substance. Some were unused but what caught her eye was a super stimpak. She remembered when Dean administered the drug when she lost her fingers to the ghost people. Quickly grabbing it she walked to the right door to the theater and unlocked it.
Taking a quick peak outside she saw the multiple security guards walking about, but she also saw the projector room up above. So, taking in a deep breath she raced out of the room and used her glyphs to make steps upwards towards the projector room while dodging the laser blasts from the security guards.
After diving into the projector window barely dodging the lasers, Weiss quickly inserted the holotape into the projector. This caused the ghost to change from security to people. On stage another yet familiar ghost appeared. It was of a prewar Dean Domino who begins to sing to the crowd.
Everyone let go of the breath they didn't even know they had, seeing the event the most action pack for the arc. But begin to listen to the music which helps with control.
Play The Impossible dream Andy Williams
To dream the impossible dream, To fight the unbeatable foe, To bear with unbearable sorrow, To run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong, To love pure and chaste from afar, To try when your arms are too weary, To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest, to follow that star, No matter how hopeless, no matter how far, To fight for the right, Without question or pause, To be willing to march, Into hell for a heavenly cause, And I know if I'll only be true, To this glorious quest, That my heart will lay peaceful and calm, When I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this, That one man scorned and covered with scars, Still strove with his last ounce of courage, To fight the unbeatable foe, To reach the unreachable star.
Weiss smiles as she puts the song to memory to bring this beautiful music back to Remnant. Sienna joins in the claps with everyone else when the song ends, likely the meaning.
Once prewar Dean's ghost finishes the song the ghost begins to clap for him as they all fade away. Weiss was almost incited to clap along with but didn't want to alert the ghost to her position. So, waiting to make sure they won't reappear she quickly used her glyphs to practically race on air over to the rafters where Dean was bleeding out.
Weiss feels a tinge at her heart, sure Dean was an ass to Six but he seems like a better music manager than Jacque.
"Ah, I always loved that song. Got me into this shindig when I was just a boy." Dean said, reminiscing as he was suffering from the blood loss.
"It was rather awe inspiring." Weiss said as she pulled the Super Stimpak from her utility belt and injected it into Dean's leg. "I might have to borrow it the next time I perform. Hopefully at my father's funeral."
Weiss couldn't stop the corner of her lip to rise at that, something that the Khan took notice to.
Dean couldn't help but chuckle painfully as the wound slowly stitches itself up. "Aw to be young and rebellious again. I actually wouldn't mind being part of the audience, granted our definition isn't the friendliest. Especially compared to those in the Villa."
The heiress sighs but before giving a small nod with a happy smile. She always wanted to meet someone with her talents and honest, making them a kindred spirit, who knew she would find one in another word.
Dean begins to let out a blistering laughter before grabbing his chest in pain. Once he stops laughing, he looks towards Weiss before removing his glasses to reveal a set of old and regretful blue eyes.
"Heh heh, ugh... You know, I'm not a good man. I had lived my life by the skin of my teeth and the expense of others. Don't get me wrong I don't regret anything, but being back inside the casino after so long... it just makes me think. I always wanted to tear down Sinclair, bring him down to my level while being on top. Still to think, that after all this time trying to get into that cursed vault I feel like I missed something. Something important, until now I didn't know what it was. Guess I should thank my lucky star that it was sent to me as a snowflake. Heh heh heh Cough Cough ugh" He couldn't even finish without chuckling madly to himself. Once the painful chuckles had ceased, he hands Weiss the sunglasses with Ace clubs. "My former partner gave me this the night we were going to rob Sinclair, but seeing I won't be able to make it inside the accursed place all I can do is get my partner in my place."
Weiss was not likely Dean's mumbling but understood what he was saying.
Weiss was uncertain on what Dean was mumbling about but she did take his sunglasses and the card. Just as she was about to pull back Dean pulls her close and whispers into her ear before falling unconscious. "Just do me a favor, make sure Sinclair will roll in his grave."
"Sure thing partner. It will be sweeter with my father joining in." Weiss whispers with only the ear faunus hearing it.
With those last words Dean fell unconscious from the shock, but he had a grin on his face. Knowing full well he has faith that Weiss, who was not interested in money, would fulfill his request and do what he wasn't able to do two hundred years ago. Weiss was absolutely speechless but silent before resting his collar. She then makes her way off the rafters leaving Dean unconscious but away from danger. As she leaves, she looks up at the rafters one last time before leaving. As she does so Vera's ghost appears on stage. Blinking for a few moments like she was watching her before looking back up at Dean before vanishing as the lights turned off.
"Okay, what is going on?" Ruby questions herself, that is the third time Vera's ghost showed up.
Weiss then exits the Theater and into the lobby now wearing Dean's signature glasses. She looked down at the card reading the two-hundred-year-old words written on it. As she inspects the card, she looks up while turning the corner to see Six sitting down next to an unconscious DoG/GoD with a few torn bodies of the Ghost people lying about.
"Oh, come on!" Sun yells with the others agreeing with the monkey faunus.
"I thought you said they wouldn't get in?" Weiss asked in a raspy tone.
"Well they just did." Six remarks as he takes a drag from his cigarette. As he does so he takes note of Weiss now wearing Dean's glasses. "So, did you manage to reset Dean's collar?"
"Yes, unfortunately he won't be able to follow us into the Vault. One of the holograms got him." Weiss explains before pointing to DoG/GoD. "What about him? Ruby explains to me that he ate his collar."
"Let's hope it's still in there." Sun added. No one was going to ask what he meant due to some thoughts that nobody would want to know.
"Yes, he did. Thankfully he had a crisis of personalities so I had to play mental doctor. I ended up doing some good for the poor fella. Sadly, I don't think he will remember me. Then again, he also won't remember this place either so I guess it's a take a good with the bad. Heh heh." Six answers with a guilty chuckle. Weiss couldn't help but give the same response. Once done Six takes a final drag of his cigarette before tossing it aside. He then stood up and looked upwards at the elevator to the hotels.
"At least he won't remember that bastard." Coco added in.
"True, he may even not have that hunger as well." Velvet hoped so the nightkin would be with others instead of isolation.
"(Sigh) Well, let's get going. Hopefully Ruby has better luck then us." Six remarks with Weiss agreeing albeit not likely.
"I sure hope so." Ruby said to herself.
With Ruby
Upstairs was no better or safer than it was downstairs. Ruby not only had to deal with a crumbling ruin that transformed the corridors into a hazardous maze but also speakers and radios that were guarded by ghosts. They were not normal security but rather holograms of the women from the fountain. She didn't just patrol the floor but also spoke. Begging would be more correct in her case. The ghost of Vera Keyes was begging for forgiveness.
"Sinclair?! Sinclair, I'm trapped. Please, oh god, the security systems won't let me out, they're keeping me here. Sinclair! Sinclair! We all pay for what we've done. I'm so sorry, Sinclair. Sorry, I... I should have trusted you. I'm going to die here, amongst the ghosts. I... I'm still being recorded by the holographic system. The doors, they're... they're sealed. I... I can hear the other guests, screaming to be let out, to let go. Let go? Let go of what? I came so far to be here... now, now I just want to leave. Please... let me leave. Sinclair? Sinclair, where did you go? Why did you leave me here? Why... Sinclair, is that you?"
Not a single word could describe how everyone felt at hearing Vera's pleads. The words tug at their hearts and cover onto their minds. Though Penny does have a word for how she felt at this moment, pity.
It may be holograms that recorded the words of a two-hundred-year-old actress; it was all the same disturbing to say the least. Still Ruby pushes on ever so cautiously before finally making it to the last room and opening up maintenance along with disabling security protocols from a computer in the maintenance room. Inside Sinclair's personal room was a luxury living room with a bar still stockpiled with high shelf liquor. As Ruby walks in she hears a faint voice coming from the other side of the bedroom door.
"The quick... the quick scribe... jumped over the lazy paladin. Ugh Sounds like I smoked a mile of cigarettes." The voice said from behind the door. It sounded a lot like the holograms outside making Ruby hesitant to enter. So, pulling out her detective pistol she slowly opens the door to find Christine on the other side.
"Wait, what?" Ruby raised an eyebrow.
"Christine?" Ruby asked out loads causing the women to turn around. She then turns around and sees Ruby. She gives a small smirk before opening her mouth and speaking.
"Aw, it's good to see you again, Ruby." Christine spoke in a sore but happy tone. Ruby couldn't help but lunge forwards and hug her.
Ruby and Coco smile at the assassin, finally having a voice to speak.
"I'm so happy to see that you are alright." Ruby said as she hugged her. Christine was slightly hesitant but she replied by hugging her back. After a brief moment Ruby pulls back from the hug.
"Are you alright, also why do you sound like that woman? The one who was wandering around the hall?" Ruby asked
"Do I? It sounds off to my ears... hard to tell. Not to mention it... hurts like hell to swallow. Might be why I got moved off to this suite... it's hers." Christine answers before turning around and pointing to the corner of the room. There was a Skeleton sitting in the corner wearing a pristine noir dress with red trimmings on the side. Below the skeleton was a pile of Med-X's containers. "That's her over there, got trapped by security like I did. Just took a different way out."
Ruby, Weiss, Nora and Velvet cover their mouths while everyone else looks away for a second, suciude is an universal problem no matter where you're from.
Ruby was absolutely horrified at the sight. The woman must have killed herself so she wouldn't starve. Even more terrifying was a message, written on the wall above her bed, in blood.
Let Go
"My Oum." Ruby managed to say in absolute horror.
"Let Go." Sienna whispers along with Weiss, Blake and Yang for unknown reasons expect it to happen, while others are still shocked at what they see in front of them.
"Yea, from what I managed to dig up from the Auto Doc in her room was that she was terminally ill or something. Must have been hopped up on so many chems that she couldn't feel a thing. She must have used that to her advantage because the last request was for a few dozen of Med-X." Christine said, sounding strangely sad about this.
'At least it was painless.' Came from Neo's sign as she now just refuses to look at the screen which caught Yang's attention.
"Yea... um so what about your voice, is this permanent or something now?" Ruby asked, not wanting to think about the skeleton in the chair.
Everyone leans in hoping for some good news for once on this good forsake floor.
"It doesn't matter, and to be honest, I miss my voice." Christine replies.
"Oh, well I'm sorry about it." Ruby said, trying to comfort Christine.
"Yea well don't be, it's another thing that Elijah will pay for." Christine answer's as she crushes her hand in anger. Ruby noticed this and remembered that Christine was looking for him.
Coco's eyes narrow before speaking in a serious tone. "So, why do you want to kill the old bastard?"
"So, why do you want Elijah dead?" Ruby asked curiously.
"Those are my orders. I've seen what he's done, and I believe in those orders." Christine answers before biting her tongue. Her rage filled eyes turned to remorse before continuing on with why she is after him. "That's not all. He... cut me off from someone I cared about a long time ago. He used his status to break us apart. So, I had to find a new purpose, the same banner. Then he became unstable, leaving a trail of crimes across the wasteland. Once word reached us, I was ordered to kill him."
Nora notices the last bit of info before she adds two and two together before gasps. "Guys, Christine and Veronica were a thing!"
Though the newcomers were confused, it was Nora's teammates and sister team who understood what she meant. Weiss speaks up, wanting to hear Nora's finding. "All right, spill it."
"Okay, so we know Veronica has tides with and dated someone from the Brotherhood of Steel. When also knowing that something happened since she said the safehouse was used until something went bat-shit. Christine just said she needed to find something in the same banner, which is under Elijah's command at the time. But he did something that was against they're rules, so she could have volunteered to kill Elijah as revenge." Nora explained, everyone blinked before falling over with the weight of the information.
"Oh, so how long have you been tracking him?" Ruby asked, feeling more and more pity for Christine.
"Too long. Thought I might have had a chance to settle it before this event happened, but then the chance slipped away again." Christine answers.
"What happened?" Sienna asks as she gets back to her seat.
"What happened?" Ruby asked.
"I was trapped in a medical research center, in a place called the Big Empty. The name's deceptive, if you know where to look. Almost died or suffered a fate even worse than that there." Christine said as she shudders at the painful memories of machines digging into her skull with no anesthetic while still conscious. As she rubs her head scars, she then remembers something else about her time in the Big Empty. A courier. "There was someone else, though, who came along. Knew about Elijah."
The Big Empty felt like something that was either well known or foreshadowing events to come, for the viewers.
"Really? Who?" Ruby asked.
"No idea. A courier." Christine explains causing Ruby's eyes to widen.
"You mean Six?" Ruby asks, which caught Weiss attention.
'Hopeful some more information about our dear Six.' Her suspicion growing.
"You mean Six?" Ruby asked in complete shock.
"No, he wore an Old-World flag on his back. He was the one who pulled me out there, told me where Elijah had gone. Helped me heal up, listened to my story. He... sympathized. He said he understood what it meant to track someone who had such a... impact on his past life. He said people were like couriers, sometimes never understanding the messages they brought. That's who he was hunting for... some courier." Christine explains. She always wondered where that Courier is, or if he managed to find who he was looking for.
"Hey, didn't Grim said that a courier with an Old World flag is Six's equal?" Jaune asks which causes everyone but the newcomers eyes widen at the memory.
"Oh, well speaking of Six. He gave me a way to reset your collar." Ruby remarks as she pulls out the eight of clubs that Weiss handed over to her. "Apparently there is some kind of white noise jamming a signal or something. If we reset everyone's collars then we don't have to kill everyone and can enter the Vault."
"Hmm, I see. I guess that's one reason beside seeing if I was alright." Christine said with a chuckle before kneeling down to Ruby's height. "Just don't set it off by accident."
Penny felt the feeling again. 'What's going on?' She thought.
Ruby nods and follows the instructions written on the card, successfully resetting the collar. Just as she finished up the double doors opened behind her and out walked Weiss and Six with sunken and disturbed eyes.
"You guys look like shit." Yang stated.
"I've noticed." Weiss says with a deadpan look.
"Hey guys!" Ruby calls out spooking the two. "Guess what, Christine's voice wasn't stolen but replaced."
"Um, hello. I guess it's good to see you two." Christine said, uncomfortable. The two looked at her with uncomfortable looks on their faces.
After a few moments Six speaks in an uncomfortable tone. "... You sound exactly like..."
"The women at the fountain, so I have been told." Christinae said, interrupting him. She already knows why he is creeped out, those banshees patrolling outside is not very, uplifting given the circumstances. So, seeing that the two are already upstairs then that means they have finished their job.
"At least she doesn't take offense to it." Blake smiles at Christine's understanding.
So, the question is where do we find the way down to the Vault? Thankfully Christine has done some exploring while trapped in the suit. She found an elevator that leads to the basement. Problem was it requires a password said by a certain voice. That's when it dawns upon Weiss that the code to call the elevator was Dean's old partner Vera Keyes. The password was written on the card. So, she quickly removes the card and explains everything. It seemed plausible so the four entered the back room where the elevator was located. There Christine approached the elevator communication box and spoke two words.
"Begin, again." Christine said aloud in the deceased scarlet voice.
Weiss gives a small smirk. "Dean, you slide cat." She whispers.
With that simple phrase it caused the elevator to activate. The lift soon arrived and the doors opened. Christine decided to stay behind. Elijah was many things, easy was not one of them. So, in case the three somehow fail to kill Elijah Christine will still be alive to finish the job. So, with a final goodbye the three entered the Elevator heading down to the casino vault below, filled with uncertainty. As they go deeper towards the Vault the elevator radio turns on and music pours out.
Sienna has to agree with Christine reasoning for stating behind. Though for some reason she has faith in the heiress and little reaper.
Play Begin again by Justin Bell and Vera Keys
The screen shifts to the outside of the Sierra Madre as the flood lights begin to lose power and the Madre lights up becoming a glistering light in the blood red cloud. Inside the image shifts to the Skeletal remains of Vera with her daunting message written over bedside manner. It's intention and meaning, forever forgotten to time itself. The screen then focuses on Vera Keyes bones as it closes into her dark sockets of her skull. Once the view went black after entering her blackened skull it then pulled back to reveal the bones of Sinclair. Laying in ruin on a pipe just above a bottomless pit filled with the cloud. Next to him was a box of mechanical supplies and a card that was facing down so no one will know. The screen pulls upwards towards the very thing so many people had died over, the untouched Vault of the Sierra Madre. Inside contains not only a bountiful amount of wealth, but technology of the old world itself. A slice of history just waiting for someone to just take it. As Vera's voice slowly finishes Vault slowly and silently unlocked. With the lock undone the door silently swings open a crack and Vera's ghost appears in front of the door. She flickers in the dark room before turning around and looking at you, the reader. She stares silently at you before mouthing the last words of her infamous song.
"To let go. Begin, begin again tonight."
Chills was the only way to describe the feeling of seeing the ghost look at them and 'spoke' at them. "Okay that's four! Is she a real ghost!?" Ruby shouted as she tried to understand the AS.