Chapter 1:
The Past and the Present
Pyrrha Nikos had died a hero's death. That's what everyone wanted to think at least. It was a fitting end to such a talented and strong student, even if she was still just a student. But she wasn't just that either. To the people around her, her family and her closest friends, she was so much more. And she deserved the world some of them would say. She deserved to rise to the top, to claim a destiny and title befitting of not only her skill but her kind and pure heart.
'But like some of the greatest of heroes, she died like one.'
Ruby's uncle, Qrow's words echoed in her head. It had been at least two weeks since she had heard them though she wasn't really keeping track of time anymore. Since the fall of Beacon Academy time just seemed irrelevant. But it wasn't because one of the greatest school's in history had been turned into a Grimm hunting ground. Or that Vale had lost one of its greatest landmarks that put it on the map as its own Kingdom. No, time stopped simply because, with the fall of that place, all the people around her… changed.
First it was her uncle. While her father tried to keep up a happy go lucky gait befitting his usual cheer, moments after Ruby finally woke from her 'likely' fatigue induced state she was visited by her uncle Qrow who instantly requested a private chat between him and herself. A lot of what he said made no sense to Ruby, but he defiantly didn't look like the man who would be willing to sit and play video games anytime soon as he had once been.
Then she saw Yang, with one arm and a broken spirit. She had bed ridden herself, and said crazy things. It was there that Ruby not only learned that her other team members, Blake and Weiss, were long gone, but that her sister didn't seem to care about them anymore. Weiss went willingly back to Atlas with her father. And Blake had just… left. But then Yang changed in another way. Usually she was cheerful, outgoing and charismatic and especially teasing when it came to her little sister. But for the first time in a long, long time, Yang had acted like a bigger sister than she was. Though Ruby held hope that things weren't that bad Yang got mad and even reprimanding, scolding Ruby for thinking like a kid. That scared Ruby the most.
As time passed all Ruby could think about was what she was going to do next. All while taking in the love she and her father shared for one another, and trying to patch things up with Yang. She didn't.
Then one day Jaune contacted her via Scroll, asking if she was ok. At first, she thought about teasing him for being so late with this call but thought it best not to. Considering Pyrrha, Jaune, as well as Nora and Ren of Team JNPR, had to be the ones who were hurting the most. Eventually time passed even further until the chills of Winter started to arrive, and it was then that Ruby and Jaune started getting serious.
Jaune had kept in contact with Ren and Nora easily enough, and eventually the three started planning something. Ruby had let slip that her uncle was running an investigation in Haven due to the now MIA Professor Ozpin, serious stuff. The other three wanted to do what they could as none of them really felt like sitting around. And like real hunters and huntresses, which the thought of would have made a post-Beacon-fall-Ruby proud, they snuck away to begin their trek. Of course, Ruby left behind a quick message in the early morning before any other residents of her house were up. Mostly it was to keep them from worrying. But a small part of her felt that Yang would come find her. One day.
And so Team JNRR… or rather, Team RNJR was born, and together Ruby Rose, Nora Valkyrie, Jaune Arc and Lie Ren set off on a mission to save the world. At least, they hoped.
Another day was ending as the sun set and cast its fiery rays upon the trees. Many weeks had passed since Team RNJR was born and the same team in question had set across Vale and eventually Mistral on their way to Haven. At any point in time, Ruby wouldn't have blamed the others for wanting to go back home, she herself thought that a trip like this would only take two to three weeks. Only for them to end up walking along the road to Haven for over a month now. Though she felt better knowing that the other three knew it would take a lot longer and so at least they knew of that aspect of what they signed up for.
The team made small talk as they usually did, not much was really happening. Since the fall of Beacon the news had spread that there were significant rises in Grimm appearances, especially in Vale. But something was happening in Mistral too that Jaune was careful enough to point out to the others before they left. And yet most days they travelled considerably Grimm free. Sometimes it felt like they no longer existed. Every now and then the team would run into a village in need of Grim specific assistance and those were the days they found to be fighting Grimm at all.
The others may have been counting this a lucky break but Ren didn't buy it. Nora liked to claim that he could be paranoid at times as every now and then, in response to thinking they were being watched, Ren would warn the others to keep their guards up. Though sometimes they brushed it off as paranoia because of Nora, Ren was glad that they headed his warning in small doses.
Ruby too was getting sceptical of the lack of Grimm but felt as though a guardian angel had been watching over them since their departure rather than something, or someone, else.
After a break in some random conversation the teens were having, Nora finally spoke up. "I'm pooped!" She declared, raising her arms into the air and lowering them dramatically, her upper body slumping with them.
"You say that every day, Nora." Ren pointed out casually. The other two weren't sure if he was teasing or pointing out a fact they themselves had noted. Seriously, the guy was hard to read most of the time.
"Well its true!" Nora insisted mockingly. At least someone got him.
"Well don't worry, I think we'll have a place to stay tonight." Jaune spoke up. As one half of the team's leaders, Jaune had been the one to hold the map, at least for today. "There's a town about an hour away from here. We can make it…"
"Too late!" Jaune's sentenced was cut short as Ruby cried.
Ren turned to her. "Don't tell me your tired too?" He said. Again, Ruby wasn't sure if he was teasing, rebuking or an odd combination of the two.
Ruby made to speak but Nora beat her too it. "CAMP OUT!" She called at the top of her lungs, halting her walk causing the others to do the same.
"But we can make this village right after sun down, that can't be 'too late'." Jaune pointed out, adding a drawl to the last two words.
Ren was ready to back him up but again Ruby interrupted. "But it's been so long since we camped out." Ruby had to admit it wasn't a strong argument. In truth, there was something else she wanted to check on. And so far, she felt as though it would only happen while the team camped out in the woods like they did occasionally. "Isn't it fun?" She questioned.
Nora jumped back to hug her. "Hell, yeah it is!" She claimed, fist pumping the air while Ruby copied her.
Jaune and Ren shared a look with each other. Though Jaune would admit he didn't know Ren nearly as much as would have liked too, even after two years the guy was still quite the enigma, but he knew enough to know certain things about reading his face. Ren seemed all for going on for the town but Jaune knew he had a soft spot for girls.
Jaune still wasn't sure. It didn't sit well with him even that Grimm seemed to drop off the face of Remnant when they arrived in Mistral. He had taken Ren's warnings to heart too about being watched… But he would have to admit, camping had its quirks.
He sighed. "Fine, guess we'll set up camp then." Nora squealed and Ruby followed in her example after a moment's hesitation. Jaune noticed that she wasn't as excited as Nora to be camping. Then why did she suggest it? He questioned to himself.
The sun set quickly from there. The team went about setting up, Ren unrolled the sleeping bags, Jaune took inventory, checking on what he'd need to grab from the village tomorrow, Ruby went into the woods to get firewood, making sure only to chop down a tree in an area that seemed rather crowed, and that left Nora with dinner duty. Ruby came back to set up the fire and Ren had insisted on helping with the cooking. Ruby rested for a bit while Jaune continued with inventory.
Ruby looked over from Ren and Nora to Jaune, smirking slightly. "You've checked that bag three times today." She quipped.
Jaune didn't look up. "It's coming loose at the bottom." He stated, checking once more if the loose stitching hadn't become a hole within the last five seconds. He seriously need to get Nora to patch up her stuff.
"Come one Jaune." Ruby whined teasingly. "You do this all the time. Just relax for a bit." She commanded while sitting up, cross-legged, and pointed to Jaune's own sleeping bag.
Jaune still didn't look up, his eyes fixed on the notes in his scroll and Nora's bag. "I'll sleep soon enough." He said, not losing any ground when it came to checking stock.
Ruby knew that was a lie but she didn't say anything, it wasn't time for that chat yet. Instead, she huffed and lay back again, this time thinking of something to do to keep her busy before dinner. Then she cursed herself for almost turning into Jaune.
Eventually, Ren and Nora called for dinner. Jaune thanked the two for the meal while Ruby dug right in to her salted fish with peas and corn. Ren followed his old family tradition of thanking his religion's god for the meal. Nora almost quipped again about him being the one who made it but instead joined him in prayer like she did sometimes.
The food went down quite fast and not to mention well. Again, Ruby complimented the chef before Nora got out Marshmallows.
Out of the corner of her eye Ruby caught Jaune reaching for his scroll. "And you would be doing what exactly?" Ruby inquired sweetly, leaning over to him.
Jaune was surprised at Ruby's sudden closeness and his cheeks tinted red appropriately. "Umm…" Was all he said, out of a combination of uncomfortableness and the fact that he knew Ruby already knew what he was doing.
"Come one Jaune." Ruby repeated from before dinner. "Relax and have a 'mallow." She requested sweetly, holding up a pink marshmallow in her hand in offering while stuffing two white ones into her mouth.
Not even toasting them!? Jaune screamed at Ruby in his mind. He had claimed on their first camp out that he was an expert when it came to 'toasting the 'mallow'. For sure, Ruby had been paying attention.
"Fine." He succumbed to the silent challenge. He kind of missed that night anyway. At first it had reminded him of camping trips with his family, the one where he got his own tent. His sisters had all marvelled at him for being so good at 'mallow toasting and since then he rode that ego train any chance he got.
The night went on like this, Ren and Nora getting into their usual conversations while Jaune and Ruby battled to the death in marshmallow toasting. Eventually Jaune won out and Ruby promised she'd wake everyone up the next morning as punishment.
Jaune was about to go back to inventory checking before Ruby called for bed time. Nora had already slumped against Ren who was quite calm about the situation. He helped the unconscious girl into bed while Ruby scrutinized Jaune's every movement with a glare.
"What?" Jaune finally asked Ruby, as he was climbing into his bag. "I'm getting into bed."
Ruby just started.
"I'm not taking inventory like you think I am."
Still staring.
"I swear I won't when you fall asleep either, I'll pinkie promise."
"Stare." Ruby drew out the word menacingly.
Eventually Ruby won out. Jaune cracked a smile before taking a mock-horrified expression. "Wh-what do you want from me!?" He cried, silently as to not wake Nora.
This caused Ruby to finally smile and break her scrutinizing of Jaune. "Just sleep well and I shan't ask for anything else." She joked, holding her hand up under her chin, daintily.
Jaune laughed. "Good night, Ruby." He said before snuggling down into his bag, facing away from the light of the fire.
"Good night, Jaune." Ruby replied in earnest, lying on her back. "Sweet dreams." She said, more too the whole group than just Jaune but in a whisper. Though Jaune was the one she really meant it for.
She may have not known if the other two were having bad dreams while they slept out here. Though she saw bad enough things Ruby was certain Ren, Nora and all the others had seen some pretty bad stuff at the fall of Beacon. But she knew, most of all, that Jaune needed this wish. A wish for happy dreams.
Because it had come to Ruby's attention that Jaune didn't sleep all that often in any case.
(A/N) Hey Everyone Reading
So this is a new short story that was going to be a one shot and cut off around Chapter 2. However, my original inspired scene for the story didn't end up happening with what little room I had so I extended it. So far I have two chapters with a third one in the works right now and I may have a fourth one later down the line. For now, let me know what you think of this and Chapter two will be up within the week considering feedback is good.
So with that, I hoped you enjoyed whats already here and show me your support for more chapters with a review and some follows and favorites. Thank you so much in advance.
(IMPORTANT) The cover is not entirely my own as I did not draw the character art and the scarf behind 'RED'. The rest of the graphics are mine but again the petals were taken from the same picture. And lastly i can not seem to find who the credit goes to for an amazing piece of character art.
Anyway, See you next time!