RWBY: Moon Reflection

Crimson finally reached Beacon, the school now barely recognizable amidst the chaos. The air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke, and echoes of battle still lingered in the distance. As he made his way toward the center of the grounds, he noticed a large group of students huddled together. Their worried murmurs reached his ears, punctuated by a desperate shout from Yatsuhashi.

Pushing his way through the crowd, Crimson's crimson eyes swept over the scene. The students stepped aside, parting instinctively to let him through. As he approached, he saw Velvet Scarlatina on the ground, her trembling form clutching her chest. Her teammates knelt beside her, their faces etched with panic. Blood streaked her cheeks, her eyes wide and glassy, as if caught in a terrible nightmare.

Crimson's frown deepened as he took in the sight. [That state…] he thought grimly. He had seen this before. Velvet's condition wasn't a mystery to him—it was the result of a breathing style backfiring, the strain pushing her body beyond its limits.

He knelt beside her, his presence commanding attention from the crowd. "Calm down and hold your breath," he said in a steady, reassuring tone. "Give your lungs time to recover."

Velvet's panicked gaze flickered to him, and despite her agony, she obeyed. The other students exchanged uncertain glances but said nothing, their focus riveted on the scene unfolding before them.

A few seconds passed, and Crimson's voice broke the tense silence again. "Now," he instructed, "inhale deeply and slowly, then exhale at the same pace." His voice was calm but firm, the kind of tone that demanded obedience. Velvet, still struggling, began to follow his directions.

The seconds stretched on as Velvet repeated the exercise under Crimson's watchful eye. Slowly but surely, her trembling lessened, and her breathing began to stabilize. The suffocating tension in the air eased as the color returned to her face.

The students remained silent, their eyes wide as they watched the transformation. Velvet's coughing subsided, and she finally slumped forward, exhausted but alive. Her teammates helped steady her, relief washing over their faces.

Crimson, still kneeling, turned his piercing gaze toward her. "Who taught you a breathing style?" he asked, his tone neutral but tinged with curiosity.

Velvet blinked at him, her voice weak but audible. "I... I copied you," she admitted. "My Semblance lets me mimic other people's movements perfectly... but it doesn't include their Semblances or physical abilities."

Crimson nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "Don't ever copy me again," he said bluntly, his voice carrying a warning. "My Moon Breathing is deadly."

Before anyone could respond, Ruby stepped forward from the crowd. Her silver eyes were wide with both concern and curiosity. "Moon Breathing?" she asked. "What's that?"

The murmurs among the other students grew as they, too, looked to Crimson for an explanation. His gaze shifted to Ruby, and after a brief pause, he answered.

"It's a way to change your breathing patterns," he began, his voice measured, "to match the phases of the moon. It increases overall body functionality—speed, strength, durability, reflexes, mental faculties, and even stamina."

The realization dawned on Ruby and the others. Those who had seen Crimson fight and Velvet's sudden power burst now understood why Crimson seemed so far beyond them in combat. His incredible speed and overwhelming strength—it all made sense now.

Crimson noticed their expressions and continued, his tone sharpening. "I didn't mention this before because it's deadly. It can kill the person who tries to use it. I created it for myself—it's tailor-made for my body. Anyone else who tries to use it will suffer a backlash or die painfully"

The crowd fell silent again, the weight of his words sinking in. For the first time, many of them realized the cost of the power Crimson wielded so effortlessly. They looked at him not with envy, but with newfound respect—and perhaps a hint of fear.

"Wait! All that strange moon gazing and meditation is how you created this breathing style? And we've been wondering about that strange ritual the entire time!" Ruby asked with a shocked face.

This was one of the few times Crimson's face twitched. Ruby describing his drawing inspiration from the moon and meditation as a "strange ritual" hit his pride. "It is not a ritual, and this is not the time to discuss this topic. But yes, as the name implies, it was created based on the moon."

While most of the students didn't understand what Ruby was referring to, Weiss did. She looked at Crimson as if he were a strange creature. He had been developing something like this since he was a small child. The realization struck her: this was why he was so absurdly strong even without formal training. Now, she understood that Crimson's talent was on a level mae even the likes of Pyrrha look like normal people.

Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet trembled violently as a sudden earthquake struck, followed by a powerful, guttural roar that echoed from the distance. The atmosphere turned tense as every student froze, their senses heightened. Crimson, who had been standing silently, immediately became alert, his crimson eyes scanning the horizon for the source of the disturbance.

Moments later, Blake appeared, supporting Yang, who was clutching her hand tightly. Blood poured through her fingers, staining the ground with crimson streaks as tears streamed down her face. The sight made the students gasp, their unease growing. Without hesitation, Crimson and Ruby rushed to Yang's side. Crimson knelt to examine her injured hand.

When he saw the damage, his face darkened. Four of Yang's fingers had been severed, leaving her hand mangled and bloody. Ruby's eyes filled with tears as she choked back a sob at the sight of her sister's injury. Meanwhile, Crimson's anger—already simmering from the night's events—began to boil over.

His voice, cold and commanding, cut through the air like a blade. "Who did this?"

Yang, still crying, looked up at him. For the first time, she saw a look of unrestrained rage on Crimson's face, a fury so intense it made her tremble despite her pain. Her voice wavered as she stammered, "Adam Taurus... the leader of the White Fang."

"Where?" Crimson demanded, his tone making everyone around him shiver.

"Near the cafeteria," Yang whispered in a smaller voice, her dread of him outweighing even the pain in her hand.

Before anyone could react, Crimson was gone, a blur of motion faster than anything the students had ever witnessed. Ruby, startled by his reaction, hesitated for only a moment before steeling herself. She turned to Yang and said firmly, "We will be back." Then she ran after him. Weiss, seeing Ruby's determination, sighed and followed her friend, unable to leave her alone in a moment like this.

A minute later, Ruby and Weiss reached the area near the cafeteria. The sight that greeted them stopped them in their tracks. Crimson stood in the center of what could only be described as a carnage. Around him lay a dozen White Fang members, their bodies sliced apart in ways that left no doubt as to Crimson's rage. Blood pooled beneath the fallen, the metallic scent heavy in the air.

In Crimson's grip was another White Fang member, dangling helplessly as Crimson held him by the neck. The man's lips moved as he tried to speak, but his words were too weak and garbled to be understood. Crimson's eyes narrowed as he stared at the man, his expression one of icy disdain. Without warning, he dropped the man to the ground. The girls barely had time to process what was happening before Crimson waved his blade and, in one swift motion, beheaded him.

Ruby and Weiss clung to each other, frozen in fear at the scene before them. The cold, unflinching way Crimson executed a person sent chills down their spines. Crimson turned to face them, his frown deepening when he saw them standing there.

He approached them, his movements deliberate, and the girls instinctively flinched. However, Crimson ignored their reaction. His voice was devoid of emotion as he spoke. "You shouldn't have followed me. Turn around and leave. You don't need to see this."

Ruby and Weiss exchanged a nervous glance but obeyed, retreating from the grisly scene. Before they left completely, Crimson spoke again, his tone heavy with frustration. "Adam left before I arrived," he said. His voice carried an undertone of anger, and both girls could tell he was furious at having missed the chance to confront Adam. They had no doubt that if Adam had been there, he would have met the same fate as the others.

As they walked away, Ruby's scroll suddenly rang, breaking the tense silence. She jumped at the sound, startled, before fumbling to answer it. "Hello?" she said, her voice still shaky.

Jaune's panicked voice came through the speaker. "Ruby! You have to help us! Ozpin was killed and Pyrrha's heading to Ozpin's office to fight Cinder! She's alone—she thinks she has to do this by herself!"

Ruby's heart sank, she forgot the scene she just witnessed, her new fear for her friend giving way to a surge of urgency. "We're on our way!" she responded. Ending the call, she turned to Weiss and Crimson. "We have to move—now!"

Without a word, Crimson took the lead, his expression unreadable. Ruby and Weiss followed closely.