Author's Note:
Cover Art: Cruz7808
Story is crossposted on Wattpad, Ao3, and Quotev
S10E17- Remember Me How I Was
"I want Tex." Yang grinned.
Jaune laughed, "Not counting Tex or Alpha. I mean a fragment."
"Either way." Ren cut in, "We don't know much about Eta or Iota. We don't know what emotional fragment Theta is either. There's no way of guessing which A.I. the director would assign us."
Jaune hummed, "Good point, I hope we find out soon. After last episode, I want to learn more about the fragments."
" Remember Me How I was" appeared on the screen with the theme.
"That has to refer to the director and Allison, or Tex." Blake added.
Yang nodded, "Yeah, but he can't do that."
"If he could have moved on like Church, none of this would have happened." Ruby sighed.
Fade in to Valhalla, where Simmons and Grif are seen standing at Red base.
Grif: "Hey, Simmons?"
Simmons: "Yeah?"
Grif: "You ever wonder why we're here?"
The group chuckled and sighed, all remembering watching the first episode.
"The first time it was Simmons asking Grif" Jaune commented.
Simmons: "You mean metaphysically?"
Jaune chuckled, "And Grif thought it was a question about their god."
"It is a very profound question." Ren explained.
"Sometimes the question feels like the theme of the show, if there is any overarching theme." Blake explained.
Grif: "No. I mean why are we going through all this trouble just to find one guy?"
The group leaned forward.
"They're finally addressing it." Weiss mumbled.
" OUTPOST 17-B: VALHALLA. PRESENT DAY." Appeared on the screen.
Simmons: "I don't know. He's evil... or something?"
"He's evil." Ruby stated firmly. "Not pure evil, he only does bad things because he wants his wife back."
"I agree, but calling his actions 'bad things' is putting it very lightly."
Blake pointed out, "The ends do not justify the means, ever."
Ruby nodded, "I know." Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the screen, "Like I said, he's evil." She shivered, in her mind she could still hear Alpha's panic in her father's voice.
Grif: "Yeah. But so what? I don't have a problem with him."
Simmons: "Yeah, but he's the one that started all of this. You know. He's the reason we have to deal with the Freelancers, the A.I.s, and the Meta. I mean when you think about it, he's the reason why we're here."
"He's the one who set up the simulation bases, or gave the order at least." Weiss continued Simmons's point.
Blake chuckled, "I doubt he had a hand in the scenarios though, especially there's." She gestured to the reds. Referring to both the reds and blues.
Sarge emerges from inside the base and approaches the two.
Sarge: "Yep. He's a real dirtbag all right. But... even if he's six feet under, we'll still be in the same damn spot."
"He's right, killing him won't benefit them." Ren commented.
"The same is true for Carolina." Pyrrha added, "Project freelancer is over, he's only a fugitive hiding somewhere. While he deserves justice, revenge will do Carolina no good."
"So I guess what you're saying is.. revenge is a dish best not served." Yang raised an eyebrow.
Blake, Ren, Weiss, and Pyrrha chuckled.
"He could have some master plan." Nora pointed out.
"He could, but that's not their reasoning. Or Carolina's reasoning at least. The Reds and Blues are kind of just following along because they were told to." Blake explained.
Simmons: "Uh... sir?"
Sarge: "All I'm saying is we made it back to base in one piece, and even found the rest of our team. So do you boys really think running off again will make things any better?"
Cut to Washington eavesdropping on the Reds from the side of the base.
Sarge: "'Cause the way I see it, leaving this place is only going to make things worse."
Grif: "Hmm. I guess you have a point Sarge."
"This is one of the few serious conversations the reds have ever had." Weiss smiled appreciatively.
"Sarge has grown a lot." Blake added.
Nora nodded, "He has, I still think he should break the Director's legs but it's up to him. And for once, Grif is right."
Washington walks away.
Sarge: "Shut up, Grif."
Nora giggled, "He's still the same old Sarge though."
"I think Wash is coming to trust the reds and blues more and more." Blake commented, "First there was the moment with Caboose-"
Pyrrha nodded, "Where Wash learned that they were friends."
Blake nodded back, "And now this."
"He's been taking their side more and more too." Ruby added.
Cut to another area of Valhalla, where Carolina is seen walking.
Carolina: "Church, can't this wait?"
Church appears.
Church: "No, it can't. Carolina, the guys are terrified of you."
Carolina: "What's your point?"
Church: "My point is that they think you're a killer psychopath and you can't be trusted! But I know they're wrong. I know why you're doing all of this. And I know you're not really crazy!"
"They just need to talk, that's all." Jaune reiterated.
Ruby nodded, "Yeah."
Carolina: "(sarcastically) Gee, thanks Church. You certainly know how to make a girl feel special."
Pyrrha and Yang chuckled.
Church: "What I don't know is what happened between you and Tex."
Carolina: "I don't want to-"
Church: "You mentioned her name back on the island."
"Whatever happened, York got involved." Blake stated the facts, "The way she said it made it sound as if York took Tex's side in something."
Pyrrha nodded, "And I worry that Carolina never forgave York until it was too late."
Carolina: "What does Tex have to do with anything?"
Yang snorted, "Pfft! Is she serious?"
Weiss rolled her eyes, "Tex has everything to do with her, she's obsessed."
Church: "Well, a lot apparently! Because every time I bring her up you act like you're going to put your fist through something. And then, you do sometimes."
Carolina: "That's ridiculous! I don't-"
Church: "Look, I understand you're angry. I'm angry too. The Director's a fucking dickhead and we're going to make him pay! But Tex was your friend, right?"
Yang snorted again and Pyrrha laughed bitterly, "Not even close."
"She hates Tex more than anything else in the world." Yang added.
"She may even hate her more than the Director." Pyrrha sighed.
Carolina: "(laughs) My friend?! Who the hell gave you that idea?"
Church: "Well... she did."
Carolina turns away.
Ruby sagged, "Tex thought they were friends? That's so sad..."
Yang nodded, "I don't think Tex is blind enough to believe that, maybe she hoped they could be friends."
"Still, it's sad. Carolina hates her so much and Tex thought or wanted to be her friend." Ruby explained.
"I think Tex considers her a friend whether she likes it or not, like me and Ren!" Nora grinned.
"For better or worse, I consider you my friend." Ren sighed with a chuckle.
Church: "Look, she was a total bitch. Trust me, I know. But she told me once she would have given anything to save you. I don't know what she meant exactly, but, if you really want to take down the Director, you gotta pull yourself together, you know. You gotta let it go."
"Tex would have given anything to save her? What made her so protective of her?" Weiss asked.
"I think she felt pity for Carolina, especially after the A.I. incident." Yang explained.
"I can see that. Tex and Carolina are similar in many ways. Maybe she saw herself in her too?" Pyrrha wondered.
Carolina: "You say that... like I'm sad she's gone, but I'm not. I hated her. I couldn't compete."
"So she admits it, she hated Tex out of selfish envy." Weiss stated matter of factly, with no hint of what she thought of it, she didn't know herself.
"Hey at least she admits it, if it were anyone else I'd expect a lie. Or something to make them look a little better." Yang shrugged.
"She admits it." Blake repeated Weiss's point, "That doesn't make it any better."
Yang nodded, "I know, I'm just happy that she did admit it."
"I can respect her honesty, but that's it." Pyrrha shook her head, "Her hate for Tex is as you said Weiss. It's disgraceful and childish as well."
"Yeah, it's like being a sore loser." Jaune agreed.
"If she admits it and works to better herself, then I can respect her honesty. If not, then her honesty is pointless." Weiss made a sweeping gesture. Ruby and Nora nodded together.
"Actions speak louder than words." Ren added.
Church: "That doesn't matter anymore."
Carolina: "But even she couldn't find the Director! Agent Texas; the best of the best. How the hell am I supposed to do what she couldn't?!"
Church: "Carolina, if she was really the best, then she would be standing here right now, not you. Let it go."
"He makes a good point, Tex wasn't the best. But neither is Carolina, the only reason Tex isn't standing there is because she's the fragment of failure." Jaune commented.
Yang sighed, "Yeah, you know I can imagine all of this with Tex. I mean she wanted to kill the director too, I can see her rounding up the crew... but eh I'm not going to complain more, she went out meaningfully. And despite everything, Carolina is pretty cool."
Ruby nodded, "With Church she shows her good side, I wish she was like this more often."
Carolina looks downward and pulls out something.
Church: "What is that?"
Carolina opens her hand and reveals a dogtag.
Carolina: "They're her dog tags... Wash found them in the crash."
Church: "Tex didn't wear dog tags."
"I knew they were important." Blake smirked.
Carolina cleans off some dirt from the tag with her thumb, revealing Connecticut's name. A USB then quickly pops out from the top. "Agent Connecticut 00572-84952-RT Blood Type: O Neg"
Carolina: "Connie?"
"Hm so that's not her first name after all." Weiss mumbled.
"What?" Ruby turned to her.
Weiss pointed, "See the end of the service tag? R and T are her initials."
"Oh that's cool, I wonder what her actual name is." Jaune commented.
"Maybe she's Reginald!" Nora gasped.
"She's not Wyoming Nora." Ren shook his head.
Church: "It looks like some kind of data unit."
"Yeah it does." Jaune paused, "Look, a drive or whatever it's called came out the top." He pointed.
"What do you think's on there?" Nora asked, "It's gotta be something super secret right?"
"It's something she wanted Tex to have, she must have put the tag in her locker." Blake added.
"Unless Tex took them at some point and kept them there." Jaune pointed out.
"Tex rarely, if ever went to the locker room, I think that may have been her first time. The other freelancers said so. It was the show's way of letting us know that C.T. is the one who left the tag there." Blake explained.
Carolina: "Can you tell me what's on it?"
Church: "Only one way to find out. And hey, if I'm not out... in like three months, don't bother coming in looking for me. Just... move on with your lives."
Ruby sighed with a sad smile, "He still wants to live in peace in his memories."
Brief pause
Church: "Okay, im gonna... im gonna go now."
Church disappears. Scene flashes to the past, where Tex is seen walking into the Freelancer classroom, holding the dog tag she found in her locker.
" FREELANCER CLASSROOM: MANY YEARS AGO..." appeared on the screen.
Tex walks up to one of the desk's and plugs in the data unit on the dog tag. A prerecorded message from C.T. appears on the screen.
C.T.: "Agent Texas... Allison."
"You were right Blake." Jaune quickly acknowledged.
C.T.: "If you're reading this, then that means I escaped. Or, well at the very least, I'm probably not around anymore."
As she says this, we cut to Tex's helmet showing C.T.'s reflection.
The group grimaced and sighed.
Cut to Washington's point of view, where he is seen lying on an operating table as his implantation of Epsilon is prepared. The Counselor and the Director can be seen standing by his side, along with equipment and several doctors.
Counselor: "He's ready."
Director: "Hand me the Epsilon unit, please."
"No.. we're going to see it." Ruby shook her head.
"This is going to be bad, maybe worse than Carolina." Blake sighed, "Remember, Epsilon kills himself in Washington's mind."
"You don't have to remind us, we're about to see it." Yang steeled herself for what was to come.
Cut to Tex overlooking C.T.'s message.
C.T.: "I wanted to leave behind all the data I've been collecting about Project Freelancer. I never could shake the feeling that something was wrong with the program; the secrets, the lies, the manipulation. Smoke. All of it. Obscuring a big damn fire. I did some digging, and now I know what the Director's been hiding. What he did."
Jaune chuckled despite the mood in the room and the tone in the show, "You know, it's still kind of funny hearing you sound so serious Nora."
Nora laughed, "It's freaky hearing my voice like that, but still cool."
Blake chuckled too, "I wonder why C.T. would leave all of this to Tex. What could be her reason?"
"I'm sure she'll explain, her message doesn't sound over." Jaune said as he hit play.
Cut to Washington in operating room.
Doctor: "Sir, agent Washington is prepped for Epsilon AI."
C.T.: "He broke the law, Allison."
Cut back to C.T. and Tex.
C.T.: "The one law they don't just slap you on the wrist for."
"What does that mean?" Ruby asked.
Blake winced, "I think it means execution. After all the Director broke a lot of very important laws."
"He was kind of confident he wouldn't be convicted because he only tortured a copy of himself." Jaune pointed out.
"That was arrogance, he did much more than that." Weiss rolled her eyes, "Much more."
- Book Crew- SS
"Hey Nep, what does that mean? There's not just one law that's worse to break than the others right?" Sun asked.
"I don't know it's kind of a weird thing to say." Neptune frowned, "I guess she means treason?"
"Don't look at me, you're the expert." Sub held his hands up.
"What makes you think it is treason?" Yatsuhashi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well.." Neptune flushed slightly, "Uh my mom's a lawyer and she talked to me about this a little."
"Warning him to not commit treason, heh!" Sun laughed.
Neptune shook his head, "You should be the one warned, anyway treason is one of the laws that is strictly defined. Meaning it's very serious, it is a crime directly against the government. I'm pretty sure it's a death penalty in all kingdoms except Vacuo."
"It can't be. The death penalty, really?" Velvet gasped.
"Yeah but treason is also rare, most of the time people are accused of lesser crimes and just thrown in jail for a long time. But for example, our old headmaster. He committed treason. I don't think he would have been executed though, no one has been executed since the war. Treason laws are mostly laws left over from the war that haven't been changed yet. The laws just aren't applied." Neptune explained.
"So what exactly did the Director do that's seen as treason?" Coco asked, looking over her sunglasses at Neptune while raising her eyebrows. Waiting for him to get to the point.
"He probably got charged with something like extreme misuse of military property. Destruction or manipulation of military property." Neptune hummed. "Something like that, I don't know their statutes."
"I shouldn't have asked." Sun sighed. "Nep's an intellectual, meaning a nerd."
Neptune raised his finger, "Knowing the law is important, barely anyone knows anything about the law and that is why being Junior detectives is so important. Knowing is half the battle."
Sun put his face in his hands.
"Anyway the thing the chairman was most upset about was the abuse of the Alpha A.I. And it's a high level asset so it's definitely treason to break it apart for his own goals that are not the militaries. And then he lied about it to the oversight sub committee. Plus everything else he did, it definitely adds up to treason." Neptune finished.
"That was very interesting." Yatsuhashi praised.
Neptune smiled, "Thank you, I'm glad someone appreciates this. Sun. "
"Hey I'm the one who asked." Sun defended.
C.T.: "I'm taking the originals with me as an insurance policy. I leave this copy for you not because you are the best soldier in the squad, but because I know that I can trust you the most. After reading these files you will understand why. Good luck. Your friend, Connie."
"So the data pad that they found with the leader..." Jaune paused, "We're about to see what was on it."
"Play it please." Blake begged, "I want to know why C.T. trusted Tex."
The message ends and new files appear on the screen containing all the data that C.T. collected: "AI Experimentation"; "Mission Logs"; "Personnel Files"; "Financials"; and "Video Surveillance".
Blakes eyes widened, "She collected a lot of information."
"Yeah she definitely did her research, she even went into the financials." Yang noted, "Boring."
"I'm interested in A.I. Experimentation." Jaune said as he hit play.
Tex opens the "AI Experimentation" file. A description of the Alpha AI appears on screen first. Too blurry to read.
"Can anyone read that?" Jaune squinted, "Blake can you?"
"It's too blurry." Blake shook her head with a sigh.
"That's disappointing." Ren frowned, "By no fault of yours Blake." Blake nodded, showing that she understood what Ren meant.
She scrolls to the next AI, Beta, but the file is password protected.
"Oh. That's why." Blake mumbled.
"She gave her the files because she found out the truth about her." Weiss nodded.
"Yeah, she called her a shadow." Yang recalled. "I guess she thought Tex would be the best one to learn about everything with the A.I. considering she is an A.I. and was once part of the Alpha."
Cut to Washington in the operating room. Cut back to Tex, who continues scrolling through the rest of the AI files along with the emotions each AI stems from: Omega (Rage/Anger), Gamma (Deceit), Delta (Logic), Theta (Trust), and Sigma (Ambition/Creativity).
"Hold on pause!" Blake ordered.
"I know I know." Jaune scrambled to pause, "Why did she have to swipe so quickly!"
Jaune quickly skipped back, "I'm going to slow it down. Someone look at it upside down."
"I'll do it!" Ruby grinned and laid down, leaning her head over the edge of a bunk. "Ready!"
Weiss facepalmed and Yang chuckled, Nora giggled.
Jaune hit play, the scene replayed at .25 speed. The sound was uncomfortable to listen to but it was working nonetheless. Ruby's eyes followed Tex's hand.
"Emotional core.. Rage/Anger, emotional core Deceit.. Logic, Trust, Ambition/creativity." Ruby read off.
"We know Rage, Deceit, and Logic are Omega, Gamma, and Delta respectively." Ren commented.
"That means Theta is trust and Sigma is both Ambition and creativity." Blake summarized.
"Theta is trust, it makes so much sense." Weiss winced, "He's so childlike."
"And we were right about Sigma, he was ambition too." Jaune added.
"Ruby, were you able to read anything else?" Blake asked.
Ruby shook her head, "Most of it was too small and too blurry, sorry." She shrugged.
Blake nodded and gestured for Jaune to hit play.
Cut to Washington in surgery, whirring noises can be heard.
Ruby winced, "I don't like that noise."
Nora grimaced, an intense feeling of unease washed over her, "Yeah it's really creepy."
"Unnerving." Pyrrha agreed.
Cut to Tex, she begins to scroll through a range of other available emotions. "Fear Unassigned, Memory Unassigned, Happiness Unassigned, Love Unassigned, Greed unassigned."
"Ruby?" Jaune asked.
Ruby nodded, "Already one step ahead of you!" She said as she maneuvered into an upside down position on the bed. "Ready!" Jaune slowed the show down and hit play.
"Fear Unassigned, Memory Unassigned, Happiness Unassigned, Love, and Greed. Both also unassigned." Ruby read. She flipped back up and stumbled, "Woah, I'm dizzy."
Yang chuckled, "What does it mean unassigned? Epsilon just got assigned and I'm guessing two of the others are Eta and Iota."
"This is all data C.T. gathered, when C.T. left all three were still unassigned." Blake explained.
"But she left before they were even harvested." Jaune pointed out.
"Maybe they knew which emotional cores would be segmented next." Ruby guessed.
Jaune hummed, "If that's true, then two of the four emotions might not have been fragmented yet."
"We can't know for sure." Ren sighed, "Although this is more information than we could have hoped for."
"It is, Jaune you're getting your wish." Pyrrha smiled.
Jaune nodded as he hit play.
Cut back to Washington as Epsilon is fully implanted, causing memories of the real Allison, who is wearing a marine uniform, to flash before the his eyes.
Allison: "(from memory flash) Stop it. Put that thing down."
Washington: "*screams in pain* Ahh! No god!"
Orderly: "Agent Washington's vitals are spiking."
Ruby flinched, "Not again.."
Yang growled, "Why is it screaming, for three episodes straight it's been people we know screaming in pain."
"This is awful." Weiss shook her head, "What was that flash we just saw?" She asked, avoiding the subject of Washington/their headmaster screaming in pain.
"Epsilon, he's casting off his thoughts and emotions." Blake sighed, "That must be Allison."
"An actual person." Jaune mumbled, "This is the first time- not counting the anthology episode, where we've seen an actual person."
"It's shocking to see that but, I can't get that screaming out of my head." Pyrrha closed her eyes and let out a breath in an attempt to calm her nerves.
"Hearing Professor Ozpin like that.. he sounds like a young Ozpin." Ruby winced. "I hope he never was in that much pain." "It's not him, and he is fine. Remember that." Yang assured.
Ruby nodded, remember calling dad she thought.
Jaune took a deep breath. "The quicker we get through this the better."
Cut to Tex searching through A.I. files. Cut back to Washington in the operating room, continuing to receive memory flashes.
Allison: "(from memory flash) Leonard, come on, stop it."
Washington continues to scream in pain, kicking away a medical tray in panic.
Blake shook her head, "This is the moment when everything changed for him. He loses so much and takes so long to get better."
"At least he gets better." Ruby took in a breath, "This is almost as bad as hearing C- Carolina."
"They're both having the same reaction." Ren added. "
Cut to Tex, who scrolls back to the password protected "Beta"
A.I. file Cut back to Wash in the operating room as he continues to scream and panic.
Director: "Secure him! Get him under control!"
Blake snarled, "He knew, he had to know something. Why else would he personally come for the implantation? He didn't for Carolina."
"If he knew something why would he let this happen? He wouldn't want anyone learning about what he did." Weiss pointed out.
"As Carolina said, he forgot to take some extra variables into account." Jaune sighed.
"A massive oversight on his part, though everyone is lucky he made it." Weiss sighed.
"And don't forget, Wash was also able to gain their trust after the fact." Blake added. "By refusing all A.I."
Cut to Tex attempting to figure out the file's password. Cut back to the operating room.
Allison: "(from memory flash) You're going to make me late."
Wash continues to scream in pain.
"Allison is pretty." Yang noted, "And she sounds so sweet."
"Even though the Director is doing all of these horrible things." Ruby shut her eyes, "This makes me feel bad for him." She admitted.
"I understand it is hard for him to let go, but I can't feel any sympathy or pity for him. This is too much." Blake shook her head.
Yang nodded, "I can understand better why the Director wants to bring her back. But no, he went too far. And he clearly can't remember her right, at all."
"She's completely different from Tex." Jaune nodded.
"Maybe we just haven't seen this side of Tex." Ruby suggested.
Yang sighed, "Maybe.. maybe."
Cut back to the classroom, where Tex correctly enters the word "ALLISON" in the password box, resulting in the log of the Beta A.I. and various images of Allison to appear on screen.
"She was a soldier." Weiss noted.
"The Director said she died in the war all the way back in season six. It looks like she wasn't special ops or anything like that." Yang commented.
"It's so weird seeing an actual person." Nora added.
Cut to the operating room, where Washington continues screaming and falls to his knees.
The group winced again.
"I know professor Ozpin is okay." Ruby chanted to herself, "I know he's okay."
Allison: "(from memory flash) I have to go."
"I think this might be the last time he saw her." Jaune's eyes widened.
Ruby nodded, wiping her eye. "I think so too."
Yang took a deep breath and steadied herself. Dad and Mom's last time seeing each other was probably like this. "It's a weird wholesome moment too, he's just taking a video of their goodbye before she goes off to.. to war I'm guessing."
"I can't think of the director as a normal guy with a girlfriend." Nora shook her head.
Cut back to the classroom, where Tex reads over the Beta A.I. profile. Off to the side a panel reads "Emotional Core, Full A.I. Spontaneous. (See Journal)"
"Wait, what?" Jaune frowned, "Full A.I?"
"The director always said she was something else." Yang's eyes widened, "Church was wrong, she's not the Alpha's failure."
"A full A.I. made another full A.I. That must be why the Director believed he could bring her back." Jaune realized.
"And this is why she always seemed like a full person... unless." Yang frowned, "The Director was wrong."
Ren nodded, "He may have believed she was a full A.I. so he treated her as one. Church may have been right after all."
"I don't know, Tex didn't fail at everything." Ruby frowned, "And she seemed like a full person in the first few seasons."
"Yeah, I think Church was wrong." Yang decided, "It says it right there. Tex is a full spontaneous A.I. But again, the director couldn't remember her right. So she became Tex, not Allison."
"Then Church and the Director could both be right, she's a full A.I. that has the aspect of Alpha's failure." Ren explained.
Tex then examines an image of Allison.
Cut to the operating room.
Allison: "(from memory flash) But don't say goodbye..."
Scene flashes back to the classroom, where Tex calmly moves her hand across an image of Allison.
Allison: "(voice over) I hate goodbyes..."
"Tex and Allison, they both hate goodbyes. Maybe those were her last words to the director. That could be why Tex inherited it." Jaune commented.
"I guess Tex remembers how she was." Weiss added.
"And I guess this also means Tex is blonde, score." Yang grinned as she fistbumped Jaune who laughed nervously. Yang took a deep breath to calm herself, hearing Ozpin scream made her feel uneasy.
Turning back to the screen, Weiss frowned. "There's something I don't understand, if C.T. trusted Tex with this information, why was she so hostile towards her at the shipyard?"
"Well Tex was threatening her." Yang shrugged in a 'what can ya do' manner. "You can't blame her for being hostile back."
"And C.T. left the tag in her locker, she probably expected Tex to have read it." Blake added, "But Tex didn't, maybe she thought she read it and ignored it."
"I hope that's not what happened.. but either way I don't think it matters now. C.T. is gone but her message got through to Tex at least. It sounded like C.T. expected to die anyway, I know that doesn't make it any better but..." Yang shrugged again.
- Salem's inner circle-SS
Salem bade complete and utter silence in her castle. Tyrian, Hazel, and Watts made no sound and even the Grimm outside had stopped howling at the simple flick of Salem's wrist.
" Play it again." Salem ordered in her sultry voice, she was pleased. In higher spirits than she had been in years.
Watts picked up his scroll, Tyrian allowed himself to giggle for a short time, but knew to stop himself as soon as the clip started.
The sound of Washington's screams filled the room, Tyrian tried and failed to stifle his excited giggles, Watts winced at the blaring screams which bounced off the walls, and Hazel sat with his eyes closed and a snarl on his face. His fists clenched, without his aura he would have surely made his hands bleed.
Salem sat blissfully taking in the screams, her eyes closed to focus her hearing. She wanted to savor the sound for all it was worth. " Again."
And again the clip played, no one dared ask when she would be finished. Salem was all too pleased to sit and listen. She sat back with her hands clasped together on the table. As the clip ended yet again she let out a long happy sigh and opened her eyes. "Watts." Watts looked up, startled for a mere moment. "Yes my lady?"
"I would like this video edited, take out the unnecessary talk and needless background music. Isolate the screams." She ordered.
If Watts was insulted by the menialness of the task he did his best not to show it, "Feh an easy task, I could do this when I was five."
Watts grabbed his scroll and began fiddling with it. While he did, Hazel relaxed his fists, I will make the real Ozpin scream like that one day.
"Done." Watts laid the scroll down and hit play, proud of his handiwork.
The room was filled with Washington's screams yet again, Tyrian cackled, "Well done doctor, well done!"
Salem smiled again, "Yes, well done."
Watts smiled, raking in the praise. "It was nothing ma'am, I-"
Salem raised her hand, Watts shut his mouth. All eyes met her face.
" Again."
Fade back to the operating room, where Washington has been fully sedated and is no longer moving. The memory flashes also cease. Several doctors begin to roll Wash out of the operating room on a stretcher.
Director: "Get him to recovery!"
Orderly: "Yes, sir."
Director: "Counselor, I'd like to speak with him as soon as he wakes up."
Blake breathed a sigh of relief, "It's over."
Ruby shied away from the screen, "I'm worried about who we'll hear next, I'm tired of hearing this."
"Maybe that was the last one." Jaune said hopefully.
Ruby didn't look too convinced.
Counselor: "Of course, sir. What was that he said about 'goodbyes?' Director?"
Fade back into the classroom, where Tex raises her fist and clenches it.
Counselor: "(voice over) Director?"
"Welp, she learned the truth and is now pissed." Yang noted.
"I think we all would be." Pyrrha pointed out.
Scene flashes back to present day, in Valhalla.
Church: "(off screen) Carolina?"
Carolina turns around.
Church: "I know where to find the Director."
Carolina: "What? How?"
Church: "I just remembered..."
Church vanishes briefly, then reappears in his full form.
Church: "... Everything."
The screen cut to black.
"He remembered everything? Like as in everything everything? Or just what was in the dog tag?" Ruby asked.
"Everything everything." Jaune answered, "I think it unlocked all of Epsilon's memories."
"So he remembers being the Alpha, he has it all back!" Ruby gasped.
"All of it up until he was ejected from the Alpha." Weiss pointed out.
"Remember Caboose told him stories, he got caught up on all of the events in Blood Gulch." Pyrrha explained.
Weiss nodded, "Hm, anyway so they know where to find the director."
"He's going to get what's coming to him, he better." Yang growled. "He let Carolina suffer, tortured the Alpha, and allowed Wash to suffer just like Carolina. He knew something would happen each time, just didn't take some extra variables into account ." Yang mocked. "All of that in just the last three episodes."
Ruby sagged, "I just want the screaming friends and family to stop, I hope that was the last of it."
"Me too.." Jaune frowned, looking down at Ruby. "Hey uh.. anyway what A.I. do you think the Director would assign you? We know a lot more now."
Ruby perked up, "Hmm I bet he'd give me.. Theta! Because I am very trusting."
"Woah, who wrote gullible on the ceiling?" Yang asked.
Ruby smirked and crossed her arms, "Uncle Qrow has done that to me too many times." She stuck her tongue out, "I'm immune to it now."
Yang laughed, "I am too, and yeah I can see you with Theta. If I'm being honest with myself, I bet I'd get assigned Omega. And I'm not just saying that because I like Tex. I'm saying it because.. well people have called me hotheaded before."
Team RWBY snorted, Yang rolled her eyes. "You call it being hotheaded, I call it taking the initiative."
"That doesn't even make sense." Weiss shook her head. She looked up and rubbed her chin, "I suppose if I were to take a guess.. I would be assigned Sigma. I don't think I'm creative per se but I am ambitious. I am the heiress to the SDC after all, I want to change the company and restore pride to the Schnee name."
Blake nodded, "It's very ambitious.. I'm not sure which A.I. I would get." Gamma, I lie about what I am every day.
Yang saw Blake's face and frowned, "Maybe love? You're the one obsessed with romance novels."
Blake flushed, "Never in a million years would I be assigned love."
Ren chuckled, "I suppose I would be assigned Delta, which I wouldn't mind."
"I'd probably be assigned happiness, whichever one that is." Nora commented.
"I don't know which one I would be assigned." Jaune frowned, fear maybe? Or Gamma. I cheated my way into Beacon and lied about it.
"Theta." Pyrrha interrupted his thoughts, "You inspire trust, Theta would be a great fit for you." Ruby nodded in agreement.
Jaune smiled, "Thanks, who do you think you would get?"
Pyrrha frowned, "Sigma, and not just because of Carolina. I am ambitious as well." She said to Weiss, "I want to become a huntress to well.. save the world, I know it sounds ridiculous but-"
"It's not ridiculous." Ruby smiled, "That's our job, we're like the heroes from the fairy tales."
Pyrrha smiled and chuckled, "I suppose so, we are the light and they are the darkness. I can't say I'm happy with my A.I. though."
"Me neither." Yang grimaced.
"I don't even know mine's name." Nora added.
"With Sigma I'd likely become my father." Weiss shook her head.
"And I think I'd be assigned Gamma." Blake admitted, "No thanks."
"I think Delta's probabilities would be interesting." Ren hummed. "I'm happy with Theta." Ruby smiled.
"Me too." Jaune chuckled, "You know.. I wonder. If Carolina had gotten Sigma, and if South and Wash got their A.I. ..Maine probably would have gotten Epsilon."
QUESTION: What do you guys think about how I write NORA? Good, bad? In character? Annoying? Does she add to the reactions? Etc.
- V8 Spoilers-
Don't read further if you haven't seen the episode
Yozza was right, and now Hazel isn't a dumbass! He tried to get revenge on Salem but couldn't, she kept letting herself be killed and he got tired. She manipulated him into hating Ozpin. Perfect, and Salem's goal makes perfect sense, I like it. Tyrian is still amazing, Mercury is getting better. Emerald too. Jaune is back to being the goddamn smart one again, FINALLY. Winter being completely rational, Ren's discovery with his semblance is great. Whitley is great, Weiss is still a bitch for ignoring her mother's words. But eh she hugged Whitley so whatever. Don't know gonna happen with Penny but I'm guessing Pietro will have to give himself up completely. All in all, good episode. Except why the FUCK would ironwood deploy all his troops on the ground and not on the wall. Basically used them as Grimm bait.