RWBY: Moon Reflection

Crimson stood in the elevator, the soft hum of the machinery the only sound as he ascended to Ozpin's office. His mind was sharp, focused on what needed to be said and done. When the elevator doors slid open, he stepped into the office, immediately noting the atmosphere.

Ozpin was seated behind his desk, his usual calm and composed demeanor intact. Glynda stood nearby, her arms crossed, her sharp gaze fixed on him, scrutinizing his every move.

Crimson entered the room with a polite nod. "Professor Ozpin, Professor Goodwitch," he greeted.

"Mr. Rose," Ozpin replied with a slight smile, his tone welcoming but measured.

Glynda acknowledged him with a curt nod but said nothing.

"We've heard from Qrow," Ozpin began. "He mentioned this is a matter of some urgency. We're waiting for him and General Ironwood to arrive."

Crimson gave a small nod in acknowledgment. He remained silent, his expression unreadable, as he waited.

A few moments later, the elevator chimed, and the doors opened again. Qrow stepped out, his usual nonchalant demeanor intact, though his sharp eyes betrayed his seriousness. Behind him was General Ironwood, his heavy boots echoing as he entered the room.

"Crimson," Ironwood said, skipping pleasantries and getting straight to the point. "Qrow says you have something important to share. What do you know?"

Crimson didn't flinch at the general's brusque tone. His voice was calm and steady as he replied, "The one who infiltrated the communication tower was one of Mercury's team."

Ironwood's frown deepened, and his jaw tightened. "Are you accusing them because of your sister? To cover for her? This sounds like a convenient excuse, and I don't have time for baseless claims or pranks."

Crimson's expression hardened, his crimson eyes narrowing as he fixed Ironwood with a piercing gaze. "It is related to my sister, General. But unlike you, I have eyes that can see."

Ironwood's posture stiffened, anger flashing across his face. He opened his mouth to retort, but Ozpin raised a hand, cutting him off.

"Gentlemen," Ozpin said, his voice calm but firm, "let's keep this civil. Mr. Rose, please elaborate on what you've observed."

Crimson exhaled slowly, reining in his irritation before he spoke. "During Yang's match, Mercury's pain and cries were fake. Severe injuries like that come with shivering, voice trembling, and panic, but he had none. Also, Yang recounted the events, and I believe all of you are familiar with her story by now. Review the match recording and compare it to her account. She looked surprised, turned slightly with worry, then struck in anger."

The group listened intently, frowning slightly, obviously not taking his words at face value. Crimson didn't stop and continued. "And before the bright General over here comments, it wasn't the first time this happened during the tournament. It's the second time."

The general, visibly angered by his words, was about to voice his complaints when Crimson stunned everyone with his next statement.

"What do you mean by the second?" Ozpin asked, alarmed.

"In Coco Adele's match, she displayed behavior similar to Yang. As a matter of fact, why not call her and ask what she saw at the end?"

The room grew silent, the weight of Crimson's words settling over them. Ozpin nodded and brought out his scroll. A few moments later, Coco's voice came through the speaker.

"Professor Ozpin, how can I help you?" Coco asked.

"Ms. Adele, can you kindly recount your match against Emerald and Mercury?" Ozpin asked in a serious tone.

"What is there to recount? You can check the recording," Coco replied, her tone depressed.

"I want to know: was there something out of the ordinary? This is important," Ozpin pressed.

"Out of the ordinary... well, at the end, I saw Yatsuhashi behind me, but at the same time, it was announced he was defeated. I looked behind me again, and he wasn't there. Everyone says it must've been the nerves, but I know what I saw, Professor!" Coco said, her tone laced with anger at the last part.

"I see. Thank you, Ms. Adele," Ozpin said before ending the call. He looked around at the people in the room, all of whom were silent. They now knew Crimson was onto something.

"Now that we've confirmed this part, can we move to the next?" Crimson asked, clearly annoyed.

"Please, go on, Mr. Rose," Ozpin encouraged.

"At first, I wondered why they didn't aim for a win if they could create illusions, but then I remembered Uncle Qrow's issue with the General. He said that bringing an army would cause worry and fear, even though the extra firepower should offset that and prevent crime. In light of Mercury's team's actions, I believe they aim to create public panic or even incite a Grimm invasion. And you all know that in advance somehow. The General brought the army to fight against such a threat, but you are worried it might fuel it."

Crimson's eyes scanned every face in the room. Their surprised looks told him everything he needed to know: he was on the right track.

"And why do you think Mercury's team is behind the infiltration?" Ozpin asked, the first to regain composure.

"You couldn't find the infiltrator because they stayed in the school. Where did most of the people mingle? At the party. That night, Mercury was dancing with a woman—white skin, golden eyes, and black hair. Sound familiar?" Crimson's words brought realization to their faces.

"That's troubling news. If your deduction is right, they were under our roof the whole time," Ozpin said, sounding weary.

"They claim to have returned to Haven, but if you check the records, I'm certain you won't find them," Crimson said.

Ozpin nodded. Ironwood, however, was furious. "I won't let them get away with this!"

"Hold on! There's one more issue you need to worry about," Crimson said, stopping the General in his tracks.

Ironwood, now listening intently, asked, "What is it?"

"I think your systems are compromised. That night, they did something to gain control. Coco's match proves it. Emerald and Mercury were the worst possible opponents for her. And Yang against Mercury? That match was easy to manipulate since Yang's fighting style revolves around punching. I refuse to believe it's a coincidence twice in a row."

The room went silent again. If Crimson was right, it spelled disaster not just for them but for the entire kingdom.

"If this is true, the consequences could be catastrophic," Ozpin said, his tone heavy with concern.

"That's impossible! Our systems are not so easily compromised," Ironwood argued, his confidence unwavering.

"Even if the possibility is slim, we can't keep the army near Vale! It's too risky," Glynda countered.

"I agree," Qrow said, unusually serious.

The three began arguing back and forth about the best course of action. Ozpin, observing Crimson's calm and detached demeanor, finally spoke.

"Mr. Rose, what do you suggest we do?"

The question caught everyone off guard, including Crimson. He frowned at the Headmaster while the others looked at him curiously, waiting for his answer.

"Why are you asking me? I'm a normal civilian, and the only reason I have gone this far is to clear my sister's good name. It's your job to figure out criminal activity and prevent it," Crimson replied sharply. To him, he had already been more than cooperative, gracious even.

His words brought guilt and shame to everyone except Ozpin, who remained unaffected. "I simply believe it's fair to hear the opinion of the person who uncovered this situation," the Headmaster said.

Crimson regarded Ozpin carefully, his dislike for the man growing. [Incompetence and shamelessness—a terrible combination] he thought. Taking a deep breath, he answered, "Disable any chance of remote control or sabotage. If you can't, then get rid of them entirely. With so many Huntsmen and soldiers gathered in Vale, you will manage even without the full army."

"But we will lose a precious combat power!" Ironwood objected.

"It doesn't matter. Better unused than used against you," Crimson countered with a shrug. "Also, you have Roman Torchwick imprisoned, right? Interrogate him and make him talk. If necessary, torture him. Cut him little by little. Make it so he either says something useful or dies in the process."

The group recoiled slightly at Crimson's cold words. He meant every one of them, and it unsettled them—especially Qrow.

"Crimson, don't you think that's too cruel? You're talking about a human being. This crosses the line," Qrow tried to reason.

"Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves. Right now, you are being the worst kind of good—wanting to save lives but refusing to get the job done. You could have avoided this entire situation had you not shown mercy to Roman. But no! You wanted to play nice!" Crimson retorted, his voice laced with disdain.

Qrow was left speechless. As much as he wanted to argue, a part of him knew Crimson had a point. The others remained silent, grappling with their own thoughts.

"I've shared everything I know. The rest is up to you. I expect you to clear Yang's name and apologize to her after all of this is done," Crimson said, heading back toward the elevator. As the doors closed behind him, he left them with one final remark. "Remember, mercy has a price."

Crimson memories swirled remembering Yoriichi's last moment, he couldn't shake the feeling that his brother that day didn't need the extra breath to finish him, he could have ended everything with a single strike but he showed mercy. That mercy allowed a demon to live centuries and slaughter thousands of lives. That was the price of his mercy.