RWBY: Moon Reflection

As the group entered Essen, the settlement seemed calm, but there was an unmistakable tension in the air. A few villagers were scattered around the streets, tending to their daily tasks. Some paused to glance at the newcomers, their eyes lingering on the armed group and Crimson's distinct Atlas uniform. Others ignored them entirely, too focused on their own concerns to pay much attention.

Crimson walked with purpose. He approached a woman sitting on the side of the road, her gray cloak barely shielding her from the cold wind. She looked up at him warily as he stopped in front of her.

"Excuse me," Crimson said, his tone calm and polite. "I'm Specialist Rose from Atlas. We've been sent to assist with the Grimm problem around this region. Could you tell me who's in charge here?"

The woman hesitated, eyeing him and the group behind him. After a moment, she pointed toward the center of the settlement. "You'll want to talk to Bram Thornmane. He's one of the protectors of Essen. You'll find him near the main hall, likely in his office."

Crimson nodded, a faint smile on his face. "Thank you."

He gestured for Team RWBY to follow him as they made their way toward the main hall. Ruby walked slightly ahead, her silver eyes scanning the surroundings curiously, while Yang and Weiss followed closely, keeping a watchful eye on the villagers. Blake moved silently at the rear, her sharp gaze missing nothing.

It didn't take long for them to find Bram Thornmane. The man stood tall, his presence as commanding as his appearance was striking. His attire, primarily red with golden accents, gave him an air of authority and refinement. A red jacket with golden brooches and a chain adorned his shoulders, while a black vest beneath added to his formal demeanor. His beige slacks and white dress shirt completed the look, the dark red tie hinting at his connection to Atlas.

Crimson stepped forward, offering a professional nod. "Specialist Rose, reporting from Atlas," he introduced himself. "We've come to assist with any Grimm-related issues."

Thornmane's expression softened into a polite smile. "Welcome to Essen, Specialist. Your reputation precedes you."

Crimson noted Thornmane's eyes flicking briefly to the glowing orb secured at his waist. The moment was subtle, but Crimson caught it. His heart quickened slightly, and his back muscles tensed instinctively, though his expression remained neutral.

"We passed by Crossed Settlement," Crimson continued, his tone steady. "It was completely destroyed, overrun by Grimm. We've dealt with the Grimm around Essen and wanted to check if there's any information you can provide."

Thornmane's smile faltered briefly. "I see. Thank you for your efforts," he said. "How can you be sure the Grimm are no longer a threat?"

Before Crimson could respond, Ruby chimed in enthusiastically. "Oh! We used this orb on Crimson's belt to lure them all out and take care of them."

Thornmane's brow arched, surprise flickering across his face. "Fascinating," he said. "How does it work?"

"We don't know yet," Crimson interjected, his voice firm. "We found it in the ruins of Crossed. Our plan is to bring it back to Atlas for study."

Thornmane nodded thoughtfully. "That's a wise decision," he said. "Have you heard of Lieutenant Colonel Olive Harper?"

Crimson shook his head. "I'm relatively new to Atlas. The name doesn't ring a bell."

"She's a friend of mine," Thornmane said, his smile returning. "She has extensive experience with technology and weaponry related crimes. I'd suggest giving the orb to her for analysis. She's the best person for this kind of situation."

Crimson studied Thornmane carefully. "I will follow your advice, but do you believe someone might be behind this intentionally?"

Thornmane shook his head. "I can't say for sure," he admitted. "But we should keep all possibilities in mind. Harper is the best choice for handling something like this."

Crimson nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Got it," he said before his tone turned sharp. "Now, surrender yourself, Bram Thornmane."

The room fell silent. Team RWBY froze, their eyes darting between Crimson and Thornmane, who looked utterly stunned.

"What did you just say?" Thornmane asked, his voice low and incredulous.

"You heard me," Crimson said, his voice cold and unwavering. "You're the prime suspect in the destruction of Crossed. You'll be coming with us to Atlas for further investigation."

Thornmane's shock quickly turned to anger. "This is absurd! I've dedicated my life to protecting Essen. How dare you accuse me of such a thing randomly!"

"Crimson, what are you doing?" Ruby interjected, her voice filled with confusion. "He's the protector of Essen. We just met him!"

Crimson turned to her briefly. "He recognized the orb at first glance," he explained. "He's lying to us, and that so-called 'friend' of his is likely a partner or a mole within Atlas. He's connected to what happened in Crossed."

"That's ridiculous!" Thornmane shouted, his fists clenched. "You have no proof!"

Crimson's eyes narrowed. "Surrender yourself peacefully, Bram."

"I will never accept this absurd accusation!" Thornmane roared.

Crimson's smile turned grim. "Violence it is, then."

Before Thornmane could react, Crimson closed the distance between them in a flash. His punches landed with precision and force, striking Thornmane's chest and abdomen, leaving him winded and staggering. In moments, Crimson had Thornmane restrained with specialized capturing cables, the metal cable locking tightly around his arms and torso.

Thornmane struggled against his bonds, shouting protests and curses, but Crimson remained unmoved. He activated his communicator. "Aircraft, this is Specialist Rose. We've secured a suspect. Prepare for extraction."

The room remained silent as Crimson turned and began dragging the restrained Thornmane toward the exit.

Team RWBY stood frozen, struggling to process the sudden turn of events. Ruby's wide-eyed gaze darted between Crimson and Thornmane, while Yang looked like she wanted to protest but held back.

"I… what just happened?" Ruby asked, her voice almost a whisper.

Weiss, always the voice of reason, spoke up. "Remember? Crimson's eyes… they see more than we can. If he's acting this decisively, it means he saw something we didn't."

Blake nodded slowly, her brows furrowed in thought. "That would make sense. He's not one to act without reason."

Soon after, the roar of an approaching aircraft broke the silence. The transport landed, and Crimson, along with the restrained Thornmane and the rest of the group, boarded the aircraft.

As the aircraft ascended, Ruby glanced at Crimson, still unsure. "Are you sure about this?" she asked hesitantly.

Crimson's gaze was firm. "I don't make accusations lightly, Ruby. Trust me."

And with that, the aircraft sped toward Atlas, leaving behind a shaken Essen and a group of Huntresses with more questions than answers.

______________________

Hours later, the group found themselves standing in General Ironwood's office. The atmosphere was tense, the quiet hum of air conditioning the only sound as Team RWBY stood off to the side near Winter Schnee. All eyes were fixed on Crimson, who had forced Bram Thornmane forward. Thornmane, restrained and furious, glared daggers at his captor.

Ironwood rose from his desk, his face a mix of confusion and annoyance. "Specialist Rose, what is the meaning of this?"

Before Crimson could speak, Thornmane erupted. "This lunatic assaulted me and dragged me here like some common criminal!" he roared, his voice echoing through the room. "General, this specialist is insane! He has no authority to treat me like this—this is kidnapping!"

Ironwood's expression darkened as he glanced between Thornmane and Crimson. "Specialist, explain yourself. Why have you brought him here, and what is this about?"

Crimson stepped forward, his demeanor calm but his eyes sharp. He unhooked the orb from his belt and placed it on Ironwood's desk with a thud. "This," Crimson began, "is the reason Crossed was destroyed. It's an artifact that attracts Grimm from a distance."

Ironwood's face turned serious as he leaned forward, studying the orb.

Crimson continued, "We found it in the ruins of Crossed. After we dealt with the Grimm near Essen, we went into the village to gather information. That's when we met Bram Thornmane." Crimson gestured toward the fuming man.

Thornmane sneered. "You bastard—"

"Silence," Crimson cut him off coldly, his voice sharp enough to make Thornmane flinch. "When I presented the orb, I noticed something immediately—Thornmane recognized it at first glance. He lied to us, right to our faces."

Ironwood's brows furrowed. "Recognized it? Specialist, how can you be so sure?"

Crimson took a slow breath, his posture straightening as he spoke. "Because my semblance allows me to see more than what's on the surface," he explained. "I can see inside people—their blood flow, muscles, organs, even the rhythm of their heartbeat. It's as clear to me as a person's face is to the rest of you."

Ironwood and Winter's eyes widened in surprise, trying to process the new information.

Crimson turned to Thornmane, his gaze unyielding. "When Thornmane saw the orb, his heart rate spiked, his breathing changed, and his muscles tensed. He was uneasy, even panicked, but he tried to mask it. The change was subtle, but I saw it."

He continued, "When he suggested taking the orb to a 'friend' of his, I suspected him. So I went along with his suggestion, and his body relaxed. That was the moment I confirmed she's likely a partner or a mole working within Atlas."

Ironwood folded his arms, his jaw tightening. "And you believe Thornmane is connected to what happened at Crossed?"

Crimson nodded. "What remains to be confirmed—his motive and whether or not Salem is involved."

The mention of Salem made Ironwood's expression darken further. His piercing gaze turned to Thornmane. "What were you planning?"

Thornmane's face twisted with rage. "This is ridiculous! It's nothing but baseless accusations!"

Crimson took a slow step forward, his expression unreadable but his eyes gleaming with something dark. "Baseless?" he murmured, his voice soft and deliberate, almost intimate. "Atlas doesn't need your confession. There are people there who can taste lies on the air. You're already drowning—you just don't know it yet."

Thornmane's confidence flickered, his breath hitching for a moment before he forced himself to bark, "You're delusional! None of this makes sense!"

Crimson crouched, his movements slow, deliberate, as if savoring the moment. He stopped just short of Thornmane's eye level, his lips curving into a faint, humorless smile. "I love this part," he said, his tone low and venomous. "The point where the lies start to crumble, and the fear sets in. You can almost hear it, can't you? The sound of desperation, clawing to keep you afloat." He tilted his head, his smile twisting into something sharper. "I wonder how long you'll last before you break."

The room fell silent. Team RWBY stared at Crimson, stunned by his sudden change in demeanor. Even Winter Schnee seemed taken aback by his words.

Crimson continued in a slow, deliberate tone, his words cutting like a blade. "You know this is why I joined Atlas—for moments like these. In the end, I see it in the eyes of rats like you—the exact moment they realize I am their undoing. There's fear, yes, but beneath it, something far worse: that quiet, sinking horror of knowing their fall will be my finest creation."

Thornmane's face turned pale with fear, the tone and smile cutting through his composure. "Who do you think you are?" he shouted, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and desperation. "You stand there and enjoy this, but if your future, your hopes, were ripped away—if everything you cared about was taken away from you—you'd do the same!" He let out a bitter laugh, his voice shaking. "One day, everyone will see you for what you really are!"

Ironwood's expression hardened as he stepped forward. "So, it's true. You destroyed Crossed, killed innocent people, why?"

Thornmane laughed bitterly. "It was a necessary sacrifice to get rid of you!" he yelled. "You don't deserve to be a general, James Ironwood. Why are the Brothers on your side?!"

The general's eyes narrowed, and he turned to the guards standing near the entrance. "Take him away," he ordered, his voice cold.

The soldiers stepped forward, grabbing Thornmane and dragging him out of the room despite his protests and curses.

As the doors closed behind them, Crimson stood and turned to Ironwood, his grin replaced by a calm, neutral expression. "So," he said, tilting his head slightly, "how was my acting? Think I've got a future in theater?"

Ironwood sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Winter shot Crimson a sharp glare, though her lips twitched as if suppressing a comment.

Ruby finally broke the silence with a hesitant laugh. "You, uh… really know how to make an impression, Crimson."

Crimson smiled. "Sometimes, you have to play the demon—and luckily, I've had plenty of inspiration."

And with that, the tension in the room began to ease, though the weight of what they had uncovered still lingered heavily in the air.