Aftermath

Endings, returns, and new beginnings

[Author's note: This story follows the story Dragon, and is the eleventh and final episode of a fanfic version of volume 6.]

"Can you tell me anything more about my life ... before?" said Cinder.

"Not much," said Jaune.

They were sitting on a bench in the courtyard of Haven Academy, watching students walking around and doing student things.

"You can't, or you don't want to?"

"Bit of both."

"Are you afraid that I might recover my memory?"

Jaune considered. Eventually, he said: "Yes, I suppose I am. Because then we would be enemies again."

Cinder was quiet for a long time. "I ... have the feeling ... that I wronged you," she said. "Very badly."

Jaune took a deep breath. "The truth of that," he said, "is that you killed someone close to me. And you tried to kill another one. But that was a different you."

"Is that why one of the boy's voices wants to kill me?"

"I think that that is more of a general principle."

"So ... I was not a good person before. It sounds as if I was a very bad one. And that I enjoyed it."

Jaune nodded. "Yes, that is true," he said. "But what matters is what you do now. Today and tomorrow. You can look at this as a second chance."

She was quiet again, thinking. "I am not so sure," she said. "I feel that there is great power inside me, and it is not to be denied. I cannot pretend to be a normal person. I have to try and remember who I was. And decide who I am."

"Or," said Jaune, "you could put the past aside. Stay here. With me, maybe."

Cinder gave a little smile. "I can't be sure," she said, "but I don't think that anyone has made me such a generous offer before. But I regret to say, Jaune, that I cannot accept it. This is not my place. I think you know that."

For a while, they watched the students. Then Cinder said: "Did I tell you that I have chosen a name? After we went to the market. Sienna."

Jaune smiled. "Sienna. That's nice," he said.

She reached over and tenderly kissed him on the cheek. "And now I have to go," she said.

"I know," he said.

She stood up and walked away. Jaune saw her brush something from her eye.

"Goodbye, Cinder," he said softly.

"My dear friends, I have missed you so much!" said Weiss. She was standing in front of her open closet in the Team RWBY room at Beacon Academy. She touched each of the garments with a tenderness approaching reverence.

"No-one else could be that crazy," said Yang.

Blake was on her knees, sorting through the pile of books. "Where is it, where is it ... " she mumbled. "Please be here, please be here ... Aha!" She extracted Ninjas of Love from the mess and hugged it to her chest.

"Guess I was wrong," said Yang.

"Strange how untouched everything is," said Ruby, looking around. There was still one bed tied up with rope and another balanced on stacks of books. "Well, maybe not so strange. I guess the Grimm just didn't have a reason to come inside."

"What is so special about that book, Blake?" said Yang.

Blake gave a little smile. "Maybe I'll read it to you, and you'll find out," she said.

Ruby's scroll buzzed. She looked at it. "Glynda says there is a celebration about to happen at the Vale cafe," she said. "Let's go."

A short time after, they were at the cafe, with the others. There had been no casualties, but everyone was bruised and battered.

"What now for Beacon?" said Ruby to Glynda.

"I guess we try and put it all back together," she said. "This war is not finished, and we still need to train Hunters."

"And the location of the Summer Maiden is still unknown," said Nora. "And the Fall and Spring Maidens, for that matter."

"Ruby, Ochre gave me this to give to you," said Ilia. She handed her The Book of Relics. "But much of it is written in a language I have never seen before. Like this part." She opened the book and pointed to a section.

"I don't see what you mean," said Ruby. "I can read it easily enough."

Weiss looked at the page. "Well, I can't," she said. "Maybe, Ruby, you can read it for the same reason you could speak to the Knowledge Relic. Whatever that is."

Ruby closed the book. "What will you do now, Ilia?" she said. "Are you going back with Nebula and Octavia to Shade Academy? Maybe train as a Hunter?"

"Yes, I will go back to Shade," she said. "But not to be a Hunter. To be a gardener. I think it will help me sort some things out."

"Dirt is good for that," said Sun.

"It is," said Ilia. "Ochre told us that the Creation Relic was taken away from Vacuo many years ago. To Atlas. She said she remembered a tall, handsome officer with a mechanical arm."

"Hmm," said Ruby. "Something to think about."

"A very big something," said Glynda.

"Hey," said Weiss. "Where are Yang and Blake?"

At that moment, Yang was falling back against the pillows in her bed in the guesthouse.

"Whoa," she gasped. "Momma."

"Oh yeah," said Blake, herself gasping. "Momma, indeed. So ... you're saying that it was worth waiting for?"

"Worth ... every ... moment," said Yang.

END AND AMEN (except for ... )

The portal opened and Emerald, Mercury and Adam fell through, landing together in a heap. The portal closed behind them.

"Damn, he sacrificed himself for us!" said Emerald as they untangled themselves. "Why would he do that?"

"Guess the lummox had a sense of honour," said Mercury. "Emerald, where are we?"

"I ... I'm not entirely sure," said Emerald. "It was all a rush, and so much was happening. But ... I was thinking of somewhere from years ago, when I was just a kid on the run. Nothing here seems familiar, though."

"Hmm," said Adam. "Well, that place over there looks like a bar. I could certainly use a drink. Quite a few."

The others agreed. They went in. In one of the booths was a familiar figure. She saw them and smiled an elvin smile.

Neo.

END