A Broken Gem

Homecoming

Everyone sits silently as you play with the embers of the small fire you had been lighting for the past week. Even Robyn looks at you completely freaked out. As seasoned a Huntress as she was, it's clear that she wasn't expecting what you told her.

"So... really? No questions?" Myst glares at you, but instead of anger in confusion and frustration.

"Of course we have questions! It's just... a lot to take in." Your eyes widen and you nod, remembering how hard it was for you to handle when you found out. Scarlett looks at you and takes a deep breath.

"So... this creature... she was created by... you?"

"Yep."

"And she's an exact copy?"

"Down to the very last detail."

"And that means, that she knows everything you do, and the only way to kill her is by using your weaknesses against you..." You poke at the firewood some more and nod.

"Everything I knew at the moment I created her. Important distinction... small, but important. And yeah, that about sums it up." Sienna looks at you, confused and angry this happened to you.

"But why you? What did you do to deserve this?"

"Well... it's like I said. The Brother Gods had varying views of the world they had created."

"Right, we know that."

"Well... it wasn't like I was forced... rather willed in a way. Something called me to this place, a place where no man or woman dared to go. The Younger brother's domain. To the pit of destruction. It didn't take much. Just a little drop of blood into that pool, and that beast was created... I can't explain what happened that night. All I know is that it did." Mia looks at you, guilty of something, and you know why. She's asking the question your team doesn't want to ask.

"Why does she want to destroy you?" You put the stick you were using down and sit on a rock, looking at your hands.

"My... life hasn't been like most... it's caused too many hardships. When I went to that pit, I thought it'd be the end. I thought I'd fall in, and that would be it. No one could survive a second in that pool. With that mentality in mind, that pool creates masses of negativity. And I was dripping with it. She was created from my negativity. She was created by the part of me that wanted to destroy myself. And that's her mission. And there's nothing that will change that. Ever." Everyone remains quiet while you stand up and stretch a little, still holding your side.

"Where are you going?" You look over your shoulder at Robyn and give her a half smirk.

"For a walk. You all should get some rest. We've got a lot of walking tomorrow."

"But what about the..."

"Don't worry. They won't be there." You walk towards the mouth of the cave and walk through the one way rock that Robyn created. As you do, you see there's no Grimm, no mimic, no enemies to stop you. You pull out your scroll and send a text to Ozpin, then use your blade and dust to try and boost the signal.

"You're not smarter than me." You walk around the forest for a bit, hoping to find a place where the signal is strong and clear to call an evac. You know it's not going to be anywhere close to where you are, but it couldn't hurt to try.

Despite it being night time, Ozpin stands in his office, watching the Atleasian ships as they move into what appears to be set positions. Glynda walks through the elevator door and sighs, seeing him still up.

"I was hoping to see you would have gotten some rest."

"I was going to in a little while. Watching James' ships move helps put me to sleep." His small joke shows that he's in a pleasant mood as she walks over to him.