For whatever reason, I had the urge to write what I thought happened in-between Ruby freezing the Grimm Dragon and her waking up in Patch. I changed a few things from the information provided to us by the show, like what happened when Blake left and who actually took Weiss from Vale, and I'm not actually sure how many people actually knew about Cinder, but whatever. Also, I don't really like the whole "Silver-Eyed Warrior" explanation that Qrow gave Ruby, so I'm just saying she's the Winter Maiden and was lying to Ruby. Chances are the Silver-Eyed Warrior crap is really how the show is going, but this is fanfiction so it can literally be anything I want it to be until the show says otherwise.
Blake wasn't sure how everything had gone so wrong so fast. Just yesterday they were cheering Yang on as she fought Mercury in the singles rounds. If she had to, she'd say that was the moment that ruined everything.
Actually thinking about it; everything that happened in the last few months, the actual tipping point was the moment Ruby accidentally ran into Cinder in the hallway. If she hadn't come to Beacon, none of this would happen.
Speaking of their fearless leader, she had truly lived up to that title as she and Weiss had gone off to find Jaune and Pyrrha by themselves. That was almost forty minutes ago. And it's been about ten since that huge light erupted from the top of Beacon's tower. So far the only good thing that happened today was that Grimm Dragon was now frozen atop the tower.
Thanks to a transmission from General Ironwood, the last airship waited for her teammates to return, the few students and soldiers still able to defending the injured from any straggling Grimm. Eventually, Ruby and Yang's uncle Qrow (Riding on a Griffon before killing it) came to Beacon to find his nieces. One mutilated and the other missing. Blake couldn't even look Qrow in the eyes as she explained what happened; so racked with guilt knowing Yang's injury was at least partially her fault.
Qrow offered little comfort, as he took off for the tower after hearing where Ruby was. He returned several minutes later with Weiss following closely behind and holding an unconscious Ruby.
"Ruby..." Blake tried to limp over to her team leader, but was held back by Sun.
"What happened?" The boy asked.
"Not sure." Qrow said, turning towards the young heiress, "Think you can fill us in a little princess?"
Weiss looked at her assembled friends, all battered, bruised, and tired. Yang was still unconscious, Blake needed to lean on Sun just to stand, and whatever happened at the top of that tower had apparently put Ruby into a coma. Weiss actually felt a little guilty that she was the only one in her team that hadn't sustained any serious injury.
She cleared her throat, speaking as she fidgeted with something behind her back, "Well...uh...On the way to the tower, we got a call from Jaune. He's fine, by the way." She informed a relived Ren and Nora. "He told us that Pyrrha had gone to fight Cinder, but seemed sure she'd lose. I helped Ruby get to the top of the tower where it sounded like they were fighting, and...And then that light appeared and..."
Seeing Weiss slowly breaking down, Qrow decided to continue the story, "Weiss was waiting at the base of the tower for Ruby to come back when I found her. But when I got up there, Ruby was knocked out, the Dragon was frozen in place, and Pyrrha and this Cinder girl were both gone."
The students were silent after Qrow finished. "You didn't find Pyrrha, right?" Nora eventually asked. "So...She could be okay? Couldn't she?"
Qrow looked away from the girl, suddenly finding the cracked pavement very interesting, "It's possible..." He turned to Weiss, nodding in Nora and Ren's direction. She walked over to her friends, looking and feeling like she's about kick a puppy in its face, and handed Nora Pyrrha's headband. "...But I wouldn't count on it."
Nora took the headband in trembling hands, "No..." She burst into tears and clutched the last reminder of her friend to her chest, "Oh god, no! No, no, no..." Ren held her close as she sobbed openly, tears also streaming down his own face.
The news that the supposed Invincible Girl had fallen caused all in attendance to weep at the loss. Though none were as loud as the anguished cries of the normally energetic ginger.
Qrow continues to cradle Ruby in his arms as he walks forward, "We need to get out of here. Regroup somewhere safe." He walks into the airship, the students slowly follow after, and the ship finally takes off.
The ride in the airship was deathly quiet, save for a few errant sobs and sniffles of crying students. Ruby and Yang were both placed on the floor next to each other with Blake and Weiss sitting nearby in case one of them woke up. Weiss sat with her head in her hands, trying in vain to stem the tide of tear that refused to end, while Blake stared out the window surveying the destruction of the city. "How could things possibly get worse?"
Then it hit her like Nora's hammer to the gut. "I will make it my personal mission, to destroy everything you love." Adam's threat had finally, really settled itself in her mind. She turned to Yang lying on the floor...without her arm. She was the first victim of Adam's vendetta against her, but the others would follow soon. Weiss, Ruby, Nora, Ren, Jaune, Sun...None of them were safe from Adam as long as they were around her. The idea made her sick to her stomach. That her friends, her new family, would be put in danger because of her old partner's psychotic obsession with her. She needed to keep them safe. She couldn't let Adam finish what he started with Yang. She looked at Weiss, already knowing the heiress wouldn't take what she had to do easily.
The airship landed and the students filed out into a refugee camp in a relatively Grimm free section of Vale. Qrow and Yastuhashi took Ruby and Yang respectively to a triage unit that had been set up by Atlas, so they could better recover. Weiss watched silently as two of her best friends were taken care off, feeling utterly useless. Sun continued to help Blake get off the airship, but when she spotted her white haired teammate, she insisted he let her go.
He reluctantly obliged and the cat girl hobbled over to her friend. "Weiss," The heiress turned to her with tears still fresh in her eyes. Dammit that just made this harder. "I...I..." Unable to form a coherent word, Blake just leaned in and pulled Weiss into a tight hug. While surprised at first, Weiss figured Blake was just feeling emotional and returned the hug fully. Until Blake whisper in her ear, "Tell Yang...tell her I'm sorry."
Before Weiss could ask what she meant, Blake disappeared in her arms. A shadow. It was a shadow! Blake wasn't...She...nonononon...Weiss frantically looked around the immediate area to find any trace of her friend. "Blake? Blake!? Blake!" She began pushing people out of her way as she searched for that familiar black bow, refusing to believe what just happened. "Blake! Please! Don't do this, not now! YOU PROMISED, DAMMIT! BLAKE!" Weiss continued to hysterically scream Blake's name until she was forcibly restrained by Sun, Neptune and a few Atlas soldiers. Meanwhile, Blake had escaped to a roof of a nearby building, completely hidden from everyone on the ground. Silently crying and repeating "I'm sorry" over and over again.
A few hours passed as people began to settle down and let all the tragedies of the day sink in. Surprisingly, considering all the negative feeling in the camp, very few Grimm tried to attack. They simply circling it, seemingly waiting for someone to be stupid enough to try and leave the safety of the masses.
Most of the teams that had somehow been split up during the battle were able to come back together, including the remaining members of JNPR. Jaune hadn't taken Pyrrha's death any better than Nora or Ren. In fact his reaction seemed to be the worst of the three. Nora had given him Pyrrha's headband, and the boy hadn't put it down since he got it. If you walked by JN_R's assigned tent you could still hear sounds of soft sobbing and gentle comforting.
Weiss sat outside the triage tent just kinda...numb. Penny and Pyrrha were dead. Blake ran away...again. And Yang and Ruby were both unconscious still. She didn't want to say "things couldn't possible get any worse" because that was exactly when things got much worse.
"Weiss!" She recognized the voice calling her immediately as her sister and looked up to confirm Winter briskly walking towards her. The younger Schnee quickly climbed to her feet in time to be engulfed into a bone crushing hug. "Thank God...I thought..." She pulled back a bit to look her baby sister in the eyes to see them red from crying. "...I thought you..." Winter just pulls Weiss back into her. "I'm just glad you're okay." Weiss squeezes her eyes shut. She didn't think she could cry as much as she had today, but she'll be damned if more tears weren't rolling down her cheeks.
The Schnee sisters held each other for some time longer before Weiss pulled back, by keeping her hands in her sister's. "Thank you for coming back, Winter." She said with a wet smile. Things may be at their absolute worst, but having her amazing sister around always makes her feel better.
Winter looked away from Weiss's bittersweet smile, a pained look on her face, before turning back with a strained smile. "Of course Weiss." She strokes her sister's cheek, "I'll always be there for you."
Winter takes a step back, trying to get back into her regimented, military persona, "So..." She began, straightening her posture and folding her hands behind her back, "How...are things? How are you holding up?" Weiss sighed heavily and began recounting everything that happened after Penny's death had been televised. "Swear I knew nothing about Penny. I just thought she was a student the General had taken a special interest in." Winter quickly interjected after seeing the sideways look Weiss was giving her while talking about the robot girl.
She decided to believe her sister and moved on to the Grimm attack, the White Fang invasion, the Atlesian Knights and Paladins turning against everyone, the Grimm Dragon appearing, the strange white light and Pyrrha's apparent death. By the end Winter had Weiss wrapped into another hug. "God, Weiss...I can't imagine what that could have been like. And you're only seventeen. No one your age should have to go through something like this."
"Unfortunately, we don't always get to choose what we have to do." Qrow's grizzled, slightly drunken slur caused the two Schnees to jumps and turn in his direction.
"Qrow..."Winter immediately assumed her usual overly superior posture and tone as she addressed the drunkard, "What are you doing-"
"Are they alright!?" Weiss interrupted her sister and sprinted to Qrow's side, worry clear in her eyes, "Ruby and Yang did anything happen with them?"
Qrow sighed and took out his flask, "They're...stable. For want of a better term." He takes a swig only to realize the flask is empty. It had been a trying day. Pocketing the container, he says, "Yang's awake, but she's not too happy. She didn't take everything that happened particularly well. Losing her arm...Blake running away." He knew for a fact, Blake leaving actually hurt more than losing her arm. It probably just reminded her of Raven. Damn that sister of his. She didn't even do anything and she's still hurting her daughter. "Ruby, on the other hand...God I could use another drink...She still hasn't woken up. Hasn't even moved since I found her."
Weiss sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. "Do you at least know what happened?" She looked at him with a pleading gleam in her eyes, "What that light was?"
Qrow looked into Weiss's eyes then off to the side, scratching the back of his head, "No. No I don't. Sorry..." He looked back at Weiss, her shoulders slumped in disappointment. Winter, however, was glaring at him. She knew when Qrow was lying at his best. And this was not his best. "Why don't you go see how Yang is doing? It might cheer her up knowing at least one of her friends hadn't abandoned her." Weiss glares at Qrow for a split second before running towards the tent Ruby and Yang had been placed in.
Qrow was about to follow her when Winter places her hand firmly on his shoulder, "What happened, Qrow? I know you know more than you saying. What was that light everyone saw?"
Qrow violently shrugged out of Winter's grip, but didn't turn to her, "Don't ask."
"Don't ask? After everything that happened today, if you have an answer that could shed at least some light on this situation, no pun intended, why would you keep it to yourself?"
"Winter..." He said her name with a slightly broken voice, like the source of the light was something painful to him, "Just let this go. Please."
Winter considered this for a moment, and relented, "Alright, fine. I'll let it go. For now." The two walked back to Yang and Weiss.
Yang had only been awake for less than an hour and she already wished she was still unconscious. She had only been out of it for a few hours, how the hell could everything go completely to crap in a few hours?
The only thing she could be even a little grateful for was the fact that Uncle Qrow had been there to help her through everything. Like the sensation that every part of her body hurting...Except her right arm. "In fact, I can't even feel my..." It's an interesting feeling waking up, looking down at the stump that used to be your favorite punchin' arm and remembering that some extremist douchebag cut it off. Part of you wants to scream, cry, and punch the first living being within striking distance. Another part of you wants to just curl into a ball, close your eyes and pretend whatever just happened was all part of some messed up dream.
Yang had, of course chosen the former option, but at the moment was indulging in the latter as well. After dusting himself off and sitting next to her again (She actual knocked Qrow over Ruby's bed) he was able to calm her down...Until she noticed Ruby lying in the cot next to her. Qrow explained that Ruby had gone to find Jaune and Pyrrha but was too late to save the red headed warrior from Cinder. He mentioned the light that frozen the Grimm Dragon but feigned ignorance on what caused it.
After explaining that Ruby was physically okay, but for some reason still hadn't woken up, Qrow tried get a bit of information about what happened. Blake had been rather tight lipped about Yang's maiming. Apparently Yang had come across some guy from the White Fang stabbing Blake in the side and she literally launched herself at the jerk. And that was the last thing she remembered. She didn't know who the guy was or why he was after Blake...Or how he managed to cut clean through her Aura. She had barely worked up a sweat taking out the White Fang, Grimm, and Atlesian Knights that she came across in her search for her friends. There was no way a single attack could drain her Aura like that. So he must have been to be able to just...Cut through it somehow.
The fact that someone with a Semblance like that was after Blake scared Yang to no end. But when she asked Qrow how the black cat was, he suddenly got very quiet. He eventually told her what happened with Weiss, and how she just disappeared. Yang couldn't believe that Blake would just run off like that again. She thought they were past this. That Blake had finally gotten it through that thick skull of hers that she could come to her friends if she need to. How could she just leave?
Qrow got up to find Weiss and give Yang a moment to think. But she didn't want to think. She didn't want to think about losing her arm. Didn't want to think about Blake leaving. Or the Grimm swarming Beacon. Or Cinder winning. Or Penny never being able to stay at Beacon like Ruby said she wanted to. Or Ruby being in a coma. Or how much she wanted to find some deep cave, hide there, and never leave.
Yang heard someone enter her tent but didn't turn to see who it was until Weiss called her name. She was relieved to see her in one piece. Just a few bruises here and there, a bit dirtier than usual, but still Weiss. Yang was just glad at least one of them got out of this whole thing relatively unscathed.
Yang rolled over to look at her teammate with a comforting smile on her face, "How's it going princess?"
Weiss smiled genuinely for the first time since the battle ended. There just had to be something in Ruby and Yang's family, at least the part that didn't involve Qrow, which made you smile after talking with them for all of five seconds. Admittedly it took her longer than most to really see that part and appreciate it, but now she couldn't imagine a day without Ruby babbling like an obsessed freak about some new gun or broadsword that's on the market, or Yang making some distasteful joke at someone's expense (As long as it wasn't hers).
She sat down next to her blonde teammate and glanced at Ruby sleeping peacefully next to them. She grabbed their leaders hand and held it for a bit. "She's okay...Right?"
Yang sits up and looks at her little sister, sleeping soundly like the whole world isn't going down the crapper thanks to someone she thought was a friend. Yang really felt sorry for Cinder when Ruby got her hands on her for betraying them like this...Actually, no she didn't.
"That's what Uncle Qrow says. But if she was hit by that same light that the drove Cinder off, who know?"
"Do you think that light, y'know, took care of Cinder?" Weiss asked, still holding the red head's hand.
Yang shrugged, "I don't know if she's dead. But considering what that light did to Ruby and the Dragon, I doubt she'll be at one hundred percent at the moment." Weiss nodded but said nothing, running a thumb over Ruby's knuckles. "Hey, how are Jaune and the others handling, y'know, Pyrrha?"
Weiss sighs and puts Ruby's hand down, putting her full attention on Yang, "They're... Handling it. Jaune...I think it hit Jaune a lot harder that Nora or Ren because he was the last one to see her alive."
"That and they were totally into each other." Yang said with knowing smirk.
Weiss giggled softly, "It was a bit obvious after the dance."
Yang chuckled herself, before the reality of the situation made itself know once again. "Just another thing we lost in all this. The chance for Pyrrha and Jaune to be happy together."
All traces of happiness fell from Weiss's face, "They would have made a cute couple."
"They wouldn't have been the only ones." Yang says looking longingly at her sister.
"Right. Ruby and Penny." Weiss glances at Ruby as well, placing a hand on the younger girl's arm, "Did you know Ruby wanted to ask Penny out if she got to stay at Beacon?"
"Really?" Weiss nodded, turn back to the blonde. "Too bad." She kept her sympathetic gaze on Ruby for a moment before looking down at her remaining arm. "Do you think Ruby knew what Penny really was?"
"Who knows," Weiss shrugged, "My sister didn't know about Penny either, so it was probably a big secret. Still, Penny and Ruby were pretty close, so I guess she could have known." A thought crossed Weiss's mind then, "Now that we know she was a robot, well first of all it make a lot of her odd behavior easier to understand," Yang couldn't help but nod in agreement to that. "But it also makes me how dating Penny would have actually worked. You know, like kissing, and sex and what not."
"Got me. But let's be honest? If there was anyone who could make dating a robot work, it would have been Ruby."
Weiss bust out laughing at the statement, "That is very true." The two shared a good laugh at their leader's expense before lapsing into a tense silence. "So are you going to bring it up first or am I?"
"Bring what up?" Yang looked away from Weiss, her hand starting to fidget. She really wasn't sure what to do with her hand now that she only had one.
Weiss just sighed at the brawler's immaturity. Apparently that was a family trait as well. "Blake said something before she left. She said-"
"I don't care." Yang's hand had balled up into a fist and her hair had obscured most of her face. She was trying really hard not to punch Weiss right now. Yang knew the heiress couldn't take a punch like her Uncle. Least of all from her.
Undisturbed, Weiss just continues, "She said she was sorry."
"And I said I don't care!" She snapped at the heiress, her eyes turning red as she looked at the other girl.
Unflinchingly, Weiss stared Yang down, "Well, that's all she had to say."
"Of course it was." Yang said in an extremely bitter tone. "If she was so sorry she wouldn't have fucking left."
Weiss Leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on her leg, "Take it easy, Yang. We don't even know why Blake left."
"What does it matter!? She still left. Even though she promised you; she promised to come to us. To actually fucking talk to us when something's up. I still don't know who that asshole who cut my arm off is! And now we'll never know because Raven..."
"Raven?"
Yang's gaze snapped to her white haired teammate, and realized the mistake she made. "Blake...I mean. Blake's gone and...I don't care." She didn't seem angry any more, just tired.
Before Weiss could comfort her friend anymore, Winter stepped into the tent. Weiss got up from her seat and grabbed her sister's hand, "Thanks for coming." She said quietly, before dragging her over to Yang, "Yang, this is my sister, Winter. She works directly under General Ironwood. You missed her when she visited Beacon the other day." The younger Schnee said, glowing with sisterly pride.
Winter walks up to Yang's bed, extending her arm, "Yeah, Ruby mentioned that. Sorry we couldn't trade little sister stories." The brawler said, taking the offered hand.
Winter smiled slightly, "Yes, quite a shame, Miss Xiao Long. I'm glad to see you recovering well." She takes back her hand and folds it behind her back, "I am sorry for everything you've endured. I can imagine it all to be rather trying."
"Oh y'know, just branded a savage lunatic on international TV, and had my arm lopped off. Not that big a deal." The blonde joked, but with a clear bitterness behind her words.
Winter and Weiss glanced at each other before the older Schnee cleared her throat, "Yes well, In light of recent events, I'd say there is more to your...Indiscretion than it originally seemed. Hopefully a formal investigation of what happened here will prove your innocence as well."
"Right, 'cause god knows how long that'll take."
"Yang, Winter is just trying to help. You could show a little-"
"No, Yang's right." Winter softly interrupted her sister. "The investigation will take months, far longer with the CCT destroyed and cutting Vale off from the rest of the world. And even then, there is a chance we won't find anything to clear Yang's name." She turned to Yang, "You are my sister's teammate, so helping you would be a personal matter I doubt too many others would make a priority."
Yang just looked away from the older woman, understanding how empty her promise was. Weiss came to Yang's side and put a hand on her shoulder, then looked expectedly at Winter, "But, you will help her...right?"
"Of course. I shall everything in my power to clear Yang's name." Weiss smiled and patted the blonde on the shoulder, though her expression didn't change. The smile on her sister's face makes Winter grimace, knowing she can't put this off any longer, "Yang, I wish you good luck in your recovery. But I'm afraid we must go."
Weiss nods and hugs her sister, "Alright, I'll see you later. Give mother my love." She pulls away and retakes her seat next to Yang's bed.
Winter just sighs, "No, Weiss. I meant you as well."
Both girls sharply look at the older Schnee. "What...?" Weiss whispered, heartbroken.
"I'm sorry Weiss. Father contacted me before the CCT went down. After everything that has happened, he believes it's in your best interests if you come back to Atlas."
"Is that's why you came back? To bring me to Atlas?" Weiss asked a clear look of betrayal in her eyes.
"No, no..." Winter started, but wavered when she couldn't completely deny her intention, "Well, partially...Yes. But I promise I would have come on my own accord if he hadn't told me to."
"More promises..." Yang mutter, barely audible to the other pair of sisters.
'Winter, I am not coming home. I'm staying here with Yang and Ruby." The younger girl stood her ground, refusing to leave her friends.
"I was afraid you'd say that." Winter said with a sigh. She snapped her fingers and two Atlas soldiers walked into the tent. "You will return to Atlas with us, Weiss. This is not a request."
Weiss looked at the soldiers, then her sister, then Yang who seemed close to shutting down completely. Before anything could be said further, Qrow came into the tent and punched one of the soldiers into the other, effectively knocking both out. Both Schnees turned to the drunken huntsman, Weiss looking in shock and Winter in her usual anger whenever Qrow was involved.
"Qrow, what do you think you're doing!?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing." He glared at her, looking surprisingly stable considering how much he's had to drink since coming to the refugee camp.
"You said you'd wait outside until I was done talking with Weiss." Winter said walking up to Qrow confrontationally.
"And if you hadn't sent your jackboots to take Yang and Ruby's teammate away I would have."
Winter stares him down, "Weiss is my sister. This is of no concern to you."
"She's also my nieces' teammate. That makes it my concern." He refused to back down from this. "Ruby's in a coma, Blake bailed; Weiss is the only one in Yang's team she has to talk to right now. She needs her."
"You don't think I know that!?" Winter shouted, genuinely surprising Weiss. "I don't want this, Qrow; but we don't have a choice. I am taking Weiss back to Atlas."
Qrow draws his weapon, immediately changing it into its proper scythe form, "No, you're not."
Winter draws her blades as well, a Glyph forming at her feet. "Wait!" Weiss grabs Winter's arm before the two huntsmen could start yet another all-out brawl in the middle of the refugee camp. "I'll go. I-I'll go back home with you Winter."
Winter look surprised by her sister's change of heart. "You will?"
"Weiss..." Qrow started, then looked over to Yang. She hadn't said anything or even looked up since he came in.
"I don't want you to fight. Too many people have already gotten hurt today. So if it means you two won't fight again, I'll go home." Weiss pleaded with them with tears in her eyes. She just wanted everything to be good again. Why couldn't things just be good again?
Winter recombined her blades and sheathed them. She pulled Weiss into another hug, "I am so sorry, Weiss."
Qrow put his scythe away and kicked the soldiers awake. As Winter helped the soldiers up, for once not sending Qrow any dirty looks (Now really wasn't the time) Weiss turned back to Yang. She looked so completely empty by this point it was difficult to really look at her. "Yang...I don't want to do this. You understand that, right?"
"Yea, I get it. It's fine." Despite what she was saying, the unbearable hollowness in her eyes spoke volumes of how this affected her. It was all just too much for Yang to take at once. After everything that happened; Her being framed, Penny and Pyrrha's deaths, the White Fang, the Grimm, losing her arm, Ruby's coma, Blake running, and now Weiss being taken away? It was the last straw: Yang had finally given up.
Weiss turned away from Yang to look at her younger sister. The little Red head still looked so calm and peaceful. Totally oblivious to all the awful going on around her. Winter walked up behind Weiss and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We should get going. Father's private jet should be at the airfield in the morning. You should rest and get cleaned up before he gets here."
Weiss's eyes hardened a bit at the statement. Sure she'd love nothing more than a nice hot bath to wash the dirt, blood and failure off, not to mention how amazing sleep sounded to her right now; but she wanted it for her own benefit, not to appease her father. Still she allowed Winter to guide her out of the tent after saying goodbye to Yang, depressed that Yang didn't say it back.
When the Schnee sister and the soldiers gone, Qrow returns to Yang's side, "Listen kiddo..."
"Uncle Qrow...Can you just...Leave me alone for a while. I'm really tired." Yang lay down on her bed and pulled the blanket over her shoulders, her back turned to Qrow.
Qrow just sighed and turned to leave. "Sure thing, Yang. Sure thing."
"What are you doing?" In-between repairing some of the damage done to Vale, Glynda had taken to helping some of the medics in treating the injured and infirmed. She had returned to the tent that held most of the medical supplies to find Qrow scrunching for something among the various bottles of drugs and medicines.
"Looking for something strong enough to give me a buzz but not strong enough to kill me." He picks up one bottle and examines it. "You can drink morphine, right?"
Glynda shook her head and took the bottle out of his hands. "Qrow, why are you doing this?"
"Because I'm outta booze and I doubt any of the liquor stores are open." He snapped at her, taking the morphine back. "When did doctors stop using Opium, by the way?"
"You know what I mean, Qrow. I know I say you're always drunk, but this is a bit much. Even for you."
Qrow stopped trying to open the bottle for a moment and just stared at it. "You saw that light, didn't you? The one that froze the Dragon?"
"Yes, it had to have been the Winter Maiden. No one else could have done something like that." The teacher states logically.
"It's Ruby...Ruby's the Winter Maiden."
Glynda's eyes widen in surprise before returning to her usual clinical expression. "We...suspected this for some time Qrow. After Summer disappeared we all figured the Maiden's power would go to either Ruby or Yang. It was the reason Ozpin allowed Miss Rose into Beacon in the first place."
"Yeah, I know. I just...Summer's really dead then. Me and Raven kept hoping that...Never mind." He put the morphine down and sat down in front of the medical cabinet, "I just don't know what to do about Ruby."
Glynda kneed down next to him, "You don't know? Isn't it obvious? Once Miss Rose wakes up we have to tell her about the Maidens. About whom she really is."
"Yeah, and we all saw how well that worked out for Pyrrha."
"That's not fair, Qrow. We had no way of knowing what would have happened with Miss Nikos."
Qrow quickly stood up, knocking over some of the bottles in the cabinet; Glynda used her telekinesis to keep them from shattering on the floor. "What happened is that a seventeen year old girl is dead because of this Maiden crap."
"Miss Nikos was a huntress," She said while putting the bottles in their proper place.
"In-training..."
"And as a huntress she knew what the world would ask of her. What we all know would be asked of us in the same situation. To give her life to stop the forces of darkness."
"Except she didn't." Qrow shoots back, getting into Glynda's face, "She died fighting someone she could never hope to take. And now that person is running around with god-like power ready to do god knows what. And you want me to do what? Tell my niece with the Hero Complex that she has the same power? So she can follow her friend into death's door?"
"And what do you think she's going to do once she wakes up?" Glynda asked him back. "Do you honestly believe she'll just stay in Patch with Taiyang? She is going to try and find Cinder no matter what we do; you of all people should know that. If she knows who she is, she will at least be prepared to make whatever decision she feels she has to."
The two huntsmen glared at each other for a moment before Qrow turned away. "Tai lost my sister, and Summer. No matter how this plays out, there is the very real chance he could lose his youngest daughter when the smoke clears." He looks at Ozpin's right hand with a determined look in his eyes. "We let Tai decide how we handle this. If he doesn't want Ruby to know about the Maidens, I'll come up with something to tell her."
Glynda nods in acceptance of Qrow's Idea. "Fine, but what if Ruby still decides to look for Cinder; no matter what we tell her."
Qrow rubs his face and sighs heavily. That is a distinct possibility. "I'll look after her."
The witch nodded and moved towards the exit of the tent, but didn't leave completely. "There is one more thing I wanted to talk to you about." She comes back carrying a duffle bag and places it on one of the beds reserved for new patience. (Which thankfully there hadn't any for the last few hours) She opens the bag and pulls out Ozpin's cane. "I found it in the vault. Or what left of it anyway."
Qrow grabs the cane and looks it over. "And you couldn't find Oz?"
"No." Glynda looked down at boss and friend's weapon. "Ozpin and Cider fought. That much is clear. And it seems...Ozpin lost."
"Hard to believe, even against a Maiden, that someone could take down Oz."
"We don't know Ozpin is dead, Qrow."
Qrow scoffed "Right, this woman tore down Vale in one night, made the mother of all Grimm show its ugly face, and killed a student; but I'm sure she spared the Headmaster of the school she wanted to destroy."
"Don't be snide, Qrow" Glynda rips the cane out of Qrow's hands. "Whatever happened, the fact is Ozpin is gone. The school is destroyed, the students must be sent home, and Vale is in shambles. There is a lot of work to do; and without Ozpin..."
"Someone has to take his place." Qrow said, taking the cane back.
"And you think you're the one to do that?" Glynda gave her cohort an incredulous look.
The drunken huntsman looked at the cane in his hand for a moment before answering, "No, I don't. But you need to stay in Vale and help with the rebuild. I'd be genuinely surprised if Ironwood doesn't get canned when he gets back to Atlas. And there's no way Tai would leave Ruby and Yang right now. I'm the only one to look into this."
Glynda just sighed; annoyed that Qrow was actually right about something, "You're right. I hate to admit it, but you're right. So, when will you start?"
"When Ruby wakes up." Qrow said, "She'll need as many people helping her through this as possible."
"A day or two after Papa Schnee took Weiss back to Atlas, Tai showed up and we carted you and Yang back to Patch."
"You were out for another week before you finally woke up. You had us so scared, Ruby." Taiyang finished Qrow's story while taking his daughter's hand gently in his.
"And as far as I know, that's everything." Well, everything he was willing to tell her. He left out most of his conversation Goodwitch and the stuff about the Maidens. After talking about it with Tai, they decided to leave Ruby in the dark about who she really is. Qrow instead coming up with some crap about Silver-Eyed Warriors. It wasn't total crap, silver eyes are very rare, and the Winter Maiden does have the power to freeze Grimm...The two have nothing to do with each other, but Ruby didn't need to know that.
At least that's what Tai thought. As time went on, Qrow was starting to think Glynda had a point. Ruby was going to go after Cinder no matter what happened...She was Summer's daughter after all. But if there was even an outside chance that keeping the truth from his niece will also keep her safe, what else could he do.
For Ruby's part, she wasn't sure what to think. After Yang basically kicked Ruby out of her room, she still couldn't quite figure out what happen at Vale after she froze the Dragon. Her sister told her that Blake had run off and Weiss's father had taken her back to Atlas, but her curiosity hadn't been satisfied. So she asked her dad and uncle if they knew more. And they did. And now Ruby wished she hadn't asked.
Things were so much worse than she thought. And it all happened so fast. Everything they worked for over the past year had been reduced to ash. Ruby and her friends had spent months struggling to do good, to make the world better for everyone...And Cinder managed to destroy everything in one night.
"How could this happen?" Ruby asked to no one in particular, "Why did Cinder do all this? What was the point?" Fresh tear began streaming down her round face.
Tai pulls his youngest into a tight hug, "I don't know sweetie. I don't know."
"I'll go check on Yang." Qrow stood up and excused himself from the room, letting Tai comfort Ruby.
Dear Dad,
It's been a few months since Vale fell. And I can't just sit back and do nothing anymore. I just keep seeing Pyrrha's death play out over and over again in my head, and it just makes me more and more angry. I've never wanted to kill someone before, but I want to kill Cinder and Emerald. I'd like to say, if I ever see them again, I'd be able to control myself. And maybe I will be, but not if I just stay here and let my hate fester. Ever since Uncle Qrow told me that mom and me were these Silver-Eyed Warriors from legend, I knew there was something I could do that not many others could. I can help stop this. Whatever Cinder is planning, I can help make sure it doesn't happen. I know mom dying made you sad. But I also know that you were proud of her. That she gave her life protecting people. And I know that me leaving will make you sad too, and maybe a little angry. But I hope you'll be just as proud of me, as you are in mom. I love you, daddy. And I'm sorry. Tell Yang that I'm sorry, and that I love her too.
Ruby had spent the better part of the last week trying to write this note. She had already written five versions with different variations of the same sentiments. She still wasn't sure if everything in this note properly conveyed what she wanted to say, but Jaune, Ren and Nora would be here soon, she needed to finish this.
For all the different way she thought about this letter going, there was one thing she knew had to go in:
For everyone we lost, I'll make sure we get our Happily Ever After.
Love, Ruby.