Chapter 38: A Heart Breaking Reunion

Scarlet was crystalized, due to being infected by Krystal's semblance. However, she had lost her Maiden powers after Vest had took them from her. She had lost against the Summer Maiden, but what Vest didn't realize was the crack in the crystalized statue of Scarlet. She had already left the battle scene to catch up with Ruby and the others.

"Bring her inside." Klein said as he was checking on Nora as he had also saw the shape Penny was in.

"She's leaking." Ruby said putting Penny down. "Can you fix her?"

Klein scanned Penny with his scroll. "Hmm, her body is far more different from ours..I might be able to, but I can't promise anything."

The storm was getting worse outside as thunder crashed, explosions could be heard as well. Blake gripped her arm as she glances down.

"Hey, the others will be okay...I'm sure of it." Ruby said as she looked at her. "We need to get the power back on, any suggestions?"

"Hmm, we have a back up generator that would work." Weiss said rubbing her chin.

Willow came into the room looking a bit sober and upset. "Yeah...that should work, we need to make sure we don't freeze to death."

Weiss glanced over at her. "Oh...mom, you're here. I thought...never mind."

"Ah, Mrs. Schnee." Klein said.

Ruby thinks for a moment. "Let's go turn the power on, Keep in touch via scroll. If anything comes up, contact one of us."

Weiss nods her head a little as she watched Ruby and Blake leave the room, the only thing that needed to be focused on was Penny, Nora and something had to be done about Jacques computer.

~~~

Deity glanced down at the war going on, she stood on top of building that was far away from the fight scene Vest and Scarlet had done, she was in total shock. She didn't think Salem would arrive so soon, but then again Deity had a plate full.

"Something's not right." Deity said as she jumps down, she landed on the ground and started to make her way to the Schnee Manor, not knowing she'd bump into Vest on her way there.

Vest was still bleeding from the wound on her chest she had gotten from Scarlet. She clinched her chest and winches in pain, but she wasn't going drop dead from a mere flesh wound. "I need to hurry. The others need to know what happened Krystal."

Deity was on her way as she bumps into Vest, both girls looked at each other for a moment, not saying a word as they hurried off to the Schnee Manor.

Right before Ruby and Blake flipped the switch to turn the power back on, both Deity and Vest had shown up, right on time. Vest glances around as she looked at Deity. "I'll go inside and see what's going on."

Deity nods. "Alright, I'll check the generator room." She ran off as Vest went into the Manor.

"Okay, here goes." Ruby said flicking the switch.

The power to Schnee Manor started to turn on as Deity showed up to the generator room. Coming to a stop, Blake's ears dropped as The Hound tore it's way into the room and flung Ruby out.

Deity caught Ruby as she puts her down. "Stay with us Red, help arrived."

Ruby glanced up. "Deity!"

The Hound snarled as Blake jumped out of the building. "Took you long enough."

Deity smirked as she stood up. "This one's a new type, haven't seen this one before."

"What is it?" Ruby asked looking at The Hound.

"Its just a Grimm." Blake said running at it.

The Hound scanned Blake's movements as it dodged and hit her to the ground, it focused it's sights on Ruby next not paying Deity any mind.

"Looks like it's after you." Deity said getting in front of Ruby. "Stay behind me."

The Hound snarled and ran at Deity. Deity grins as she rushes towards it, she flip kicked the Grimm in the jaw sending it flipping backwards and onto it's back.

"Wow." Ruby said as she held Crescent Rose. "How did?"

Deity was silent as she watched The Hound stand up. "This one's tough.."

~~~

Penny had reactivated as her eyes were flickering from green to red, she started to scream as her Maiden powers acting up.

Vest rushed into the room as she saw the shape Nora was in, and noticed Penny. Nora reached out and grabbed Penny's arm.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Penny yelled as her eyes were flickering. "I can't stop myself!"

Nora looks at her. "No one is making you do nothing, it's just a piece of you missing. You can fight this."

Deity called in on the scroll for everyone to hear. "Heads up, company's coming your way. Keep quiet, got an intelligent Grimm coming for Penny."

Willow looked scared, she didn't want to die. It was bad enough Whitley was dead, she dashed out of the room and went back to her room and locked herself in.

"An intelligent Grimm? What was Salem not pleased with Scarlet being the only one?" Vest questioned.

The Hound busted into the Manor as it started to sniff around. It was sniffing for Penny's scent, Willow could see it through the camera's as she watched it, wondering where it was going.

"I see it." Willow said getting in touch with Weiss.

"What where?" Weiss asked curiously.

"It's sniffing around...near Winter's Room." Willow said. "It's looking for something.."

Weiss thinks for a moment as she wasn't sure what it was after, but remembered what Ruby said. "It's after Penny, keep an eye on it mom. I'll track it down and stop it myself."

"Bad idea." Deity said. "It nearly broke through Ruby and Blake's semblance." She rushed into the Manor. "I'll deal with it myself. Just make sure Penny doesn't try to leave, if it's after her. Then Salem likely wants her for something."

"It's coming." Willow said.

"I hear it." Deity said as she stood there, Weiss left to go back to where Penny was at. "There it is."

The Hound stopped in it's tracks as it spotted Deity, it huffed and snarled at her. It slowly walked over to her, Deity got ready to fight the Grimm.

"Get...the Girl..." The Hound spoke as it started to approach Deity.

"It...talked." Deity said as she clinches her fist tightly. "No matter, I'll put you down before you can get to Penny."

~~~

Penny's eyes went red again as she shoved Klein out of the way, Vest got in front of Penny. Pushing against her from leaving the room.

"You can't leave, that Grimm is after you." Vest said. "Snap out of it!"

Penny didn't say anything as she grabbed Vest's shoulders and pushed her down to her knees. She walked past Vest and out the room.

"Gahh...still not fully recovered from my fight with Scarlet." Vest said as she slowly got up. "Klein, stay here with Nora."

"Of course." Klein said.

Vest ran out of the room, to chase after Penny. "Penny wait!"

Ruby, Blake and Weiss were inside as they were watching Deity fight The Hound. Willow was also there watching, she noticed Penny approaching the fight. The Hound had stopped as it looked at her.

"Penny, get out of here!" Ruby said.

Penny's eyes were still red as she started to go down the stairs. "Must open the vault."

"No, you mustn't." Vest said.

Deity gritted her teeth as she punched The Hound in the face, but it grabbed her. Slamming her down onto the floor next to Ruby, The Hound then set it's sights on Penny as it grabbed her, slamming her down as well. Knocking her out, Weiss was ready to fight the Grimm to get Penny away from it, as well as Blake, Deity and Vest.

The Hound held it's nail up to Penny's neck, in a way saying. If anyone moves, the girl dies. It was indeed an intelligent Grimm none the less, but it made a poor choice.

"No, that's enough." Ruby said as she stepped past Blake and Weiss, her eyes glowed as she used her silver eyes on The Hound.

The Hound at let go of Penny as it stumbled out of the window, Vest quickly got Penny up and down to where Ruby and the others were. "Did we beat it?"

"No, I don't think we did." Deity said.

The Hound pulled itself up as it's mouth was ripped out revealing something. "Get....the girl..."

Ruby's eyes widen seeing who it was, she was shaking. Her heart ached as it felt like someone had took a sledge hammer and pounded on her heart with force.

"Get....the girl..." The Hound spoke as it slowly made it's way over.

Ruby started to back up, as The Grimm got closer. Willow looked around as she looked at the knight statue, she started to push on it a little. The statue slowly moved, but not much.

"Get...the girl..." The Hound spoke again.

Ruby started to slowly shake her head. "....No...."

Deity noticed, as she grits her teeth a little and punched The Hound square in the face. Once she had done that. Willow had pushed more on the knight statue causing it to fall over.

The statue fell onto The Hound as smoke and dust from the statue falling onto the Grimm had mixed up and got blown around.

"What...or who was that?" Blake asked.

Ruby was shaking still, the light in her eyes faded as she was traumatized. She was silent.

"Ruby?" Vest asked snapping her fingers in front of her face. "Darn it, who was that?"

"Summer." Deity said. "Summer Rose...Ruby's mother." She slammed her fist into the wall making it crack. "That Grimm was Summer."

A/N:[I can't take credit for Deity or Vest, credit goes to my friends on Discord. Also yes, I'm back to writing, I decided to get back to this after the cliffhanger I had left it on. Didn't want to keep the readers in the dark on what would become of Scarlet]