A/N: This idea hit me while I mull over a plot for my next multi chap fic. These mini fics are not in chronological order by any means.
A: Alone.
Her partner lay unconscious, limb ripped from her by evil. Her team leader seemingly unharmed yet unconscious. Her normally cheerful face twisted in sorrow. Nora, Ren and Jaune collapsed in heaps around the circlet of their teammate. Weiss's father somehow already here to collect his daughter. She's not sure when they boarded the bullhead, it all blurred together in her head. They land, a tall blonde man rushes to the ship. Qrow carries Ruby, reluctantly handing her to the man. Yang walks silently beside head down. They disappear down the road. Her team, her friends. They are now scattered and she is alone. It's better this way, safer she decides as she takes to the rooftops. She whispers a goodbye and slinks into the shadows.
B: Bright.
Nora was undeniably a morning person. The prospects of each day endless and exciting. With Nora around you never need an alarm clock. Ren and Jaune were accustomed to the energetic red headed girls antics. Ruby however was not. They had been traveling for over a week and the tiny reaper was beyond exhausted. Ruby was sound asleep, the only one not already up and at 'em. Jaune tried gently shaking her awake, the tiny girl not stirring in the least. Nora shakes, jostles and shouts her name, she even resorts to tickling. The dark haired girl only rolls over nuzzling deeper into her sleeping bag. They really do need to get going soon. They discuss other ways to wake up their sleeping leader when Ren announces he has an idea. He kneels beside her red sleeping bag and whispers something. She shoots up wide eyed. Nora loves every second of it. Jaune isn't sure if he's impressed or terrified right now. "Uhg, it's too bright." Ruby whines as her eyes adjust to being awake.
C: Closure.
The last thing he expected to see was his partner. Destiny had something else in mind for here he was standing staring at the memorial statue in her likeness. He becomes so overwhelmed white guilt and grief, so overwhelmingly so he feels the need to leave. The beautiful solemn face of the monument feeling like a slap to his face. A stranger with vibrant red hair, glittering green eyes and a voice so familiar it hurts appears suddenly. He will never know where she came from or where she went but her kind words and gentle soul soothe his heart, releasing him from some of his self loathing and guilt. Nora and Ren find him shortly after. The three of them finally brave enough in her presence to bare their souls. The moment bitter sweet. Their broken hearts mending just a bit more. They've gotten closure at long last.
D: Daydreams.
They would be setting out tomorrow, heading for Atlas. Travelling has taught her that you never knew what lies around the next corner or over the next hill. Ruby sits atop the house that has been their home these long weeks taking the time to just appreciate the hard won peace. She thinks to the future, daring to do so for the first time in a long while. She imagines Beacon rebuilt, she plays through scenarios in her mind. She dares to hope she could return and finish her training there. She imagines it taking longer as well, in these scenarios she cant help but imagine her teams as teachers. The thought of teaching the next generation is something she decides she really likes the thought of. The tiny girl is soon joined by her uncle. The entire group had been looking for her. When he asks what she's been up to she simply answers "Daydreaming".
E. Exciting.
Ruby and Jaune were thrilled to learn that Ren and Nora were FINALLY an official couple. Having finally put to rest a part of their past seemed to open the doors to their logical next step. Nothing much really changed in their dynamic as was expected. Jaune would notice the way Ruby's eyes would dance with excitement when she would talk about the two love birds. He always knew she was a hopeless romantic but her excitement was rubbing off on him.
F. Friends.
"What did you call me?" Ruby remembers the cybernetic girl cornering her that day. She pulls out the remnants of one of the girls swords, just the hilt remaining. Smiling fondly at it "Friends" she will never forget the happy little robogirl.
G. Geist.
"We hit it harder!" If they hadn't been in the middle of a battle Ruby would have laughed at the uncharacteristic way Ren sighed looking defeated. The plan honestly did sound ridiculous, but, over the last few months she had learned to implicitly trust the blonde boy. They hit it harder Ruby getting the pleasure of finishing it off with a well placed dust round. That geist never knew what hit it.
H. Heist.
He knew the plan was crazy, maybe the craziest plan he had ever come up with. The baby even laughed at him. He was confident in it though. It could work. It would work! They just needed a way onto the airfield. Qrow shut him down, his confidence falling and the ever present hopelessness settling in the pit of his stomach. She surprised everyone standing up for him. He always knew that the tiny silver eyed girl was amazing but never had she shined brighter in his opinion. The heist would officially begin the planning phase.
I. Identity
Yang had always known who she was. The golden haired brawler capable of winning nearly any fight with her own two fists. That's who she WAS. That was in the past. She glared at the prosthetic arm, a gift from General Ironwood. The metal glinting at her in the sunlight seeming to mock her. She was not someone to be trifled with. In an act of acceptance and defiance she painted the arm her signature yellow. Now it felt like hers. Fitting the arm onto herself she flexed its fingers. Standing strong she reclaims her identity.
J. Justice.
There was absolutely no way to track down the ones responsible for the fall of Beacon and the death of her friends from the comfort of her own home. Try as she may she couldn't enlist her sister to join her cause. She sent out a letter to her fellow team leader weeks ago. Today they meet her at her door, ready to seek justice.
K. Kindness.
They will always remember her kindness. The invincible girl had been the kindest person they had ever met. Team Ranger sits around the camp fire on the three month anniversary of the fall. Ruby doesn't want to see them drag themselves down in despair and regret so she changes the direction of the conversation and they swap stories of her kindness.
L: Laughter:
She was laughing. Her first real genuine laugh since they started this journey together. If he thought about it probably since before the day Beacon fell. Granted it was at his expense, but she was laughing! Sure she had chuckled or chortled sometimes even giggled over the months but this, this, was the first time in a very long time he had seen her completely lose herself in unadulterated laughter. It could have been the shock of the cereal mascot on the front of his shirt. It could have been because she had figured it was a plain hoodie and the bunny under surprised her. He will never know for certain. He protests a bit, just to save his dignity of course. She laughs harder still falling backwards having laughed so hard she was breathless.
The sound was music to his ears and a salve for his still very broken soul. Looking to Nora he sees a new spark in her eye, a weight of worry dropped off of her shoulders. They had all begun to worry that day had stripped the tiny reaper of something they considered a core aspect of her personality. Suddenly he is very glad he hadn't left the sweatshirt behind in favor of a different one, he had debated before leaving home. Pumpkin Pete earning yet another place of honor in his heart. Her laughter quietens. Ren comments that not everything has to be outgrown. causing her to laugh just a little more. It's never really clear if the dark haired boy is talking about his hoodie, or gently reminding the girl on the floor that it's still ok to be implicitly, irrevocably childish and let loose once in a while. He decides it doesn't matter, after all she was laughing!
M. Miscellaneous.
No matter how many times over the months that they've packed and unpacked their gear Ren is still always fascinated at the seemingly random things his teammates bring along. Ruby has a small beowulf figurine she keeps with her. It was a gift from her dad, one of those silly random gifts for no reason. She smiles at it each time she brings it out. Jaune has a small picture of his family in a hard plastic frame. The back is covered in heart and unicorn stickers. The knight always has a few specks of glitter on his hands when he takes the picture out. Nora has her small wooden hammer tucked away safely. It is never brought out but he knows it's there nonetheless. He of course has his fathers dagger. When he makes up their supply lists he always adds miscellaneous. He never tells them why. It's his secret joy.
N. Night.
She was really just the tiniest bit jealous of her companions being able to sleep through the night. She couldn't remember the last time she had a whole nights sleep. The dreams and memories waking her up well before dawn. Tonight the sound of a familiar voice causing her to trek silently through the woods. She sighs watching him train with his partners ghost. Nights must not be easy on him either she decides.
O. Oxymoron.
Ruby and Jaune arguing over whether or not the word extraordinary was an oxymoron was the highlight of Ren's day. Nora was in agreement with Ruby, after all, you cant be extra and ordinary at the same time. Ren was staying out of the argument, but it would forever be one of his favorite memories.
P. Polarity.
If Ruby really stopped to think about it, and it's something she tried not to think about too often. Their fallen friends semblance couldn't have been any more fitting. The day it happened causing the world to split into two sides. The threat of war hanging ever in the air. There were two sides to everything of course just like the polarity of a magnet.
Q. Qrow.
She loved and respected her uncle, maybe even on the same level as her father. His self loathing and drinking were now endangering himself and others. He had drunk himself into a stupor and they had overslept. Her hand shook holding one of the offending bottles of wine. Throwing it at the wall Qrow finally wakes. She gives him a piece of her mind.
R. Ruby.
The three of them were ready to call it quits. Ren and Nora were hours from going off on their own again and he would head back home. There wasn't a soul alive that would blame them. A knock on the door interrupted their packing. A letter from one Ruby Rose gave them purpose and hope. There is no way the tiny reaper would ever know how much it meant to them.
S. Stronger.
Weiss had always had to be strong. Schnees didn't have the luxury of showing any weakness to the world. The night her father stripped the burden of being the family heir from her was the night she looks back on when she decided to put all of her effort into being stronger. She will find her friends and she will reclaim her rights to her family name. She has some growing to do. She can be stronger still.
T. Taken.
She was taken from her team. She protested and railed against her father to let her stay until at least Ruby woke up, or until she was sure Yang and Blake would be ok. Her fathers cold tone denied her of putting any of her worries to rest. She had been taken from her home and forced to return to a mansion. The last thought she has as she escapes the cold isolation of Schnee manor is she will be the one taking things back from now on.
U. Understanding.
Team Ranger were welcomed into a small quaint village with opened arms. Traveling huntsmen always being good to have around even temporarily. The jobs they were asked to handle were easy, the pay usually food or lodging. The leathersmith of the town sending them on a three day job. They will never know it was all a ruse. He was one of the millions watching the festival that night. Hes recognized the four instantly. When they return he offers them their reward money and presents the tiny reaper a new sturdier battle skirt to replace her tattered and worn one with. He compliments them on their resolve telling them that even though they are still just kids they will be in his eyes always true hunters. Theres a far off look in his eyes as he explains he graduated from Beacon decades ago. Understanding settles over their faces.
V. Valor.
There will never be anyone as valiant as Nora, not in the eyes of Ren at least. He was ready to throw his life away fighting the nightmare beast. Nora literally slapping the sense back into him. She saved his life for the second time that day.
We:
It had been a mostly horrible day. Their only avenue to Atlas shut off entirely. Telling the rest of Team Ranger the awful truth. They were in the same house, but in many aspects she felt she had lost three of the most important people in her world. She understood their reaction to the news, they didn't react much better if she's honest. The farm boy went missing and they searched for hours. At least the search kept her mind occupied, mostly at least. She could not shake the feeling she would be traveling to Atlas without them. Team Ranger vanishing it wasn't fair, but she had to shelve her emotions for now. Qrow was very, very drunk lost to his own inner turmoil. She felt like another piece of her precious family was on the verge of abandoning the cause as well. Truthfully this had been a mostly horrible day, with the exception of her talk with Maria.
She's giving a mini lecture to her uncle when they walk up. They had no luck finding the boy either, hopelessness began eating away at the edges of her fragile optimism. "We aren't going to Atlas without him." With one simple word she felt her burdens lift exponentially. Half unbelieving she repeats the wonderful word. "We?" he confirms by apologizing to his sister. She wants to collapse in relief or celebrate in some way, but they're still short one. The door opens and the boy is showered with a chorus of good will. He's coming too. WE are all going together. She thinks "we" is the most wonderful word.
X: X.
Jaune will never forget the look on the face of Glenda Goodwich as she walked the triage area hastily setup on that horrible day. The color drained from her face as she shakily placed an X next to Pyrrhas name.
Y: Yelp.
Nora's favorite pasttime on the journey has become getting Ruby to yelp in surprise. She would launch herself from behind trees. Tickle the other girls arm from behind and yell SPIDER ROACH. Ren took note that the silver eyed girl hated bugs. Today however Ruby turned the tables on Nora, she hadn't expected to get launched into the air courtesy of Nora's hammer. That was the loudest she had yelped so far. When she landed Ruby whined about the unfairness of it all.
Z: Zen.
Ren was the most patient person in the world, but no matter how zen he was there was no way he was going to be able to teach Ruby to meditate. It just wasn't in her nature to sit still for too long. It honestly went against her semblance if he thought about it.
A/N: I snuck references from Reincorporating in just for fun.