It was just a routine patrol. Beowolves. A few Ursai, no big deal. That was ten minutes prior. It was a bloodbath since then. Team RWBY and Team JNPR weaved through the snow-filled Emerald Forest as the Grimm pursued them.
"Which way's Beacon?!" Jaune yelled out as he ran.
"I-I'm pretty sure it's this way!" Ruby replied as she ran at the same pace, her Aura practically depleted and her Semblance too taxing to use. The Grimm were approaching with every passing moment as the two teams ran and shot their weapons behind them in the hopes of taking out as many as they could. They didn't have any other choices. Only a few of them had any Aura remaining, certainly not enough to survive too many hits from the dozens of Grimm chased the young Huntsmen and Huntresses-in-training. Ren was being stabilised by Nora as they ran, allowing Ren to use StormFlower to fire at the Grimm. Blood continued to pour from the many wounds that the teams had sustained, especially Ren's injured leg. Pyrrha glanced around at the trees before her eyes widened.
"Wait, this place looks a little familiar!" Pyrrha called out. Jaune passed a glance at Pyrrha before realising what she meant. He also felt a sense of familiarity from their current location. The two teams came to a halt outside of a cave that once housed a Death Stalker that Pyrrha and Jaune had encountered during their initiation. Only Nora, Yang, Pyrrha and Blake could stay on their feet. Their teammates fell to their knees, the pain from their wound starting to take their toll. Weiss and Jaune tried to get to their feet again, only to fail, their faces contorting in pain as they did so. They were surrounded and didn't have the strength to fight back and the ones that did didn't have enough to take them all on.
"We can't kill them all." Blake said with dread in her voice, bringing everyone's attention to her. Yang responded by walking ahead of her and raising her fists into a combat stance, Ember Celica at the ready.
"…Then, we take as many as we can with us." Yang replied with a stern, stoic expression. Ruby turned her gaze towards Yang as tears began to fill her eyes. She knew what Yang had meant. She was going to take the lead and kill as many Grimm as she could before one of them would get a lucky shot and deplete her Aura completely. However, Ruby noticed something that Yang didn't. One of the Beowolves that was covered in snow, camouflaging it with its surroundings, hiding it from Yang's sight. It raised its claw with the intent of slicing Yang to pieces. Yang turned and time seemed to slow in her mind. The claw was coming at her at a terrifying speed. One that she couldn't react to in time. The claw met its mark with an audible, disgusting slice.
…As a rose petal floated past Yang's face.
Yang stood, frozen as Ruby collapsed in front of her. Her little sister's blood flowing out of the large wound the Beowolf had caused. Blake threw Gambol Shroud between the Beowolf's eyes, killing it instantly before pulling it back and attacking another Grimm as Yang slowly crouched down and turned Ruby over in her arms. Ruby's beautiful, silver eyes were shut and showed no signs of opening. The small body in Yang's arms remained motionless as Weiss, Jaune and Ren stared in shock, the other three of Yang's teammates too occupied with the Grimm to notice what had happened. Blood continued to drain from Ruby's body as Yang gently shook her with a look of horrified shock etched onto her face.
"…Ruby? …Ruby?" Yang's voice was so quiet that nearly none of her teammates heard her. Ruby gave no response.
"…C'mon, Ruby, this isn't funny… You gotta get up…" Yang spoke again, her expression not changing, but tears were forming in her eyes. Ren changed his look to one of sorrow as Jaune had already descended into tears. Weiss looked on at the scene with a look of complete disbelief that was slowly devolving into one of horror.
'No… No… Not… Not Ruby… How could… How could I let this happen?' Weiss thought in horror. Yang continued to cradle Ruby as if she was trying to gently wake her up from a nap.
"C'mon, Ruby… You can't be a lazybones… You grew out of that when you were eight…" Yang's look of shock had slowly changed into one of pure misery as reality was slowly setting in for her.
"You… You've gotta get up! Who's…? Who's…?" Yang's sobs made her words get caught in her throat before she looked back at Ruby's lifeless face.
"…Who's gonna be my hero if you're not here?" Yang said before she started sobbing into Ruby's bloodstained chest. Yang sobbed quietly for a moment before letting out a heartbroken scream that caught everyone's attention and even caused the Grimm to stop for a moment. Everyone was suddenly aware of Ruby's lifeless body as Yang gently laid her down on the red-stained snow. Yang's hair obscured her eyes as it began to glow and small flames began to ignite within it as her little sister's blood stained her face. Yang opened her eyes to show that they were glowing blood red, far more brightly than they had ever shone before, as her hair became a burning form of flames. Yang's teammates began to shuffle away from her as the snow directly around Yang melted and evaporated within seconds as she looked at all of the Grimm once more. The look of absolute fury in her eyes as her tears evaporated also caused the Grimm to freeze and falter slightly before Yang raised her fists.
"…Burn." Yang said simply before she let out another scream before launching herself at the horde of Grimm, her body ready to fight, but her heart only ready to cry.
Ruby gasped for breath as she coughed and launched herself to her feet. She looked absently at the darkened environment around her before memories began flooding back to her. She gasped as she pressed her hands to her chest, only to find no wound. Not even a trace of one. She exhaled slowly to calm herself as she looked around again. She was standing on a ground made of grey stone slabs and that was all she could see as she was standing in a spotlight that darkened the rest of the room. She exhaled again only to see her breath condense into a fog as it left her mouth, allowing her to realise how cold it was. It confused her that it was colder in that strange place than in the Emerald Forest when it was filled with snow… Ruby suddenly realised that she had to make it back to the forest to help her friends, but a voice in the darkness made her freeze where she stood.
"I wouldn't move out of that circle. Your fate has yet to be decided." The voice said as a figure began to step out of the darkness. The voice was definitely male, as it was too deep to be female, but it didn't have any gravel to it, leaving it with a more… melodic tone. Ruby was put on edge by the voice as it reminded her too much of Torchwick, but she also knew that it wasn't his voice. The figure itself was draped in a full length, black, leather cloak with leather gloves and boots to match. The figure was carrying a large scythe, that was as large if not, slightly larger than Crescent Rose. But, it was just made of wood with a single blade. It didn't look like it could turn into a gun, to Ruby's relief and disappointment. She did still like weapons, after all. The figure had the cloak's hood draped over his face, obscuring it completely as he absently ran a leather-clad finger over the deck of card in his hand.
"W-where am I? Why am I here?" Ruby asked, wary of the figure. The figure stopped a few metres away from Ruby before replying.
"Simple. You are deceased, my dear." The figure replied. The figure's words made Ruby freeze once again as tears began to flow from her eyes.
"…No…" Ruby said breathlessly, not wanting to believe the figure's words as she fell to her knees.
"As I was saying, your judgement is upon you." The figure said as he lifted his hand, causing the cards to fly from it and float behind him in order, revealing that they were Tarot cards rather than playing cards.
"First, though… Ruby, yes? What is your surname?" The figure said as an unrolled scroll made of parchment appeared before him and he skimmed through the names written on it.
"…R…Rose…" Ruby replied pathetically as more tears rolled off of her face.
"Ruby Rose. Ru-… Hm…" The figure's confused tone at the end of his sentence caught Ruby's attention.
"What? …What is it?" Ruby asked, still crying. The figure seemed to be looking through his scroll again before it vanished along with the Tarot deck and the scythe.
"It seems that you are not on the list, Miss Rose." The figure said as he approached Ruby slowly.
"Wh-What does that mean?" Ruby asked, frozen in fear as the dark garbed figure drew closer. The figure stopped in front of her shivering form… before he extended his hand to offer to help her up. After a moment of hesitation, she took the hand and got to her feet.
"It means that we have a bit of leeway here." The figure said as he took a few steps back to give the shorter girl some space.
"L-leeway?" Ruby asked, still wary of the figure.
"Indeed. Your fate is now in your own hands, Ruby Rose." It may have been Ruby's imagination, but she could have sworn that she heard a smile in the figure's melodic voice. For some reason, despite how cold the room was, she felt slightly warmer at his tone.
"Okay… What do you mean by 'my fate is in my hands now'?" Ruby asked, her hesitance slowly ebbing away.
"You weren't scheduled to die today. The fact that you have died has given me the power to guide you either way." The figure replied.
"'Either way'?" Ruby asked. The figure gestured behind him to show a doorway that was draped in shadow. Ruby couldn't see beyond the frame itself.
"Forward, to the next life. Whether you go to the land above or the land below is reflected on the way you lived. Or…" The figure halted his explanation to point behind Ruby, revealing another doorframe, identical to the first one.
"…You can go back, to the realm of the living. The choice is yours." The figure finished. Ruby's eyes widened as the figure explained.
"I-I-I can go back?! For realsies?!" Ruby asked excitedly. The figure let out a single amused chuckle.
"For realsies." The figure replied. Ruby let loose a slightly teary laugh as she leapt into the air and cheered loudly. She began to jog towards the door back to life before slowing down and coming to a stop. The figure watched her stop and simply remained silent as he watched the young girl.
"…Can… Can you look for a person for me?" Ruby asked, almost too quietly for the figure to hear.
"I can find anyone. Why?" The figure replied. Ruby slowly turned around with a slight dark, sombre look in her once-vibrant eyes.
"Do you know someone named… Summer Rose?" Ruby asked timidly. The figure didn't respond immediately. He then raised his hand and conjured the scroll once more and rolled it in his hand scrolling through the names, the start and end of fading in and out of existence respectively. Ruby slowly walked towards him as the figure slowed down and held his finger over one name. Summer Rose.
"…Here. Summer Rose." The figure said, slightly wary of what Ruby's reaction would be.
"…Can you show her to me?" Ruby asked.
"…Should I?" The figure asked, causing Ruby to take on a look of surprise.
"Wh-what?" Ruby asked, confused.
"A moment ago, you seemed elated that you could return to life and now you seem more enamoured with the other side." The figure stated.
"I just want to see my mother! Is that so bad?!" Ruby yelled.
"And what is waiting for you back with the living?" The figure asked, making the scroll vanish.
"…My sister, Yang… My dad… All my friends… Uncle Qrow…" Ruby listed becoming more deflated as the list grew longer. She began to turn her gaze back and forth between the doors, weighing her options.
"Ruby Rose. There is only one way I can show you this person. I'd have to take you to where she is. When you choose one way… you cannot choose the other. Deaths are normally accurately scheduled. This kind of inaccuracy is a very, very rare occurrence. Another could happen tomorrow or only once in the next century. This kind of choice cannot be wasted. You must make the choice you won't regret. Go to your mother and leave your sister and friends where you left them? Or, live the rest of your life with them and re-join your mother when the time is right?" The figure said, placing a hand on Ruby's shoulder. Ruby suddenly wrapped her arms around the figure snuggling her head into his chest. She wasn't used to hugging someone so tall, but he was roughly the same height as Jaune and Pyrrha, so it didn't faze her too much.
"I… I just miss her so much…" Ruby said as tears flowed down her face.
"I'm sorry that I had to be so upfront with you, but it seemed like you needed to weigh your options fairly." The figure said sympathetically. Ruby slowly disengaged herself from the figure before wiping her tears.
"…Okay… I… I think I'm ready to go back now." Ruby said softly. The figure touched her shoulder gently and guided her towards the door. The stopped on the precipice of the darkness on the other side of the doorframe as Ruby began to shiver slightly. But, the figure knew that it wasn't from the cold.
"As long as you stay near me, you will be safe. Are you certain that this is what you want?" The figure asked. Ruby seemed to contemplate for a moment before nodding firmly. The figure took her hand gently as they both walked through the door and instantly vanishing.
Weiss, Blake and Team JNPR watched Yang in borderline horror. She was standing a few metres away, steam and smoke slowly emitting from her body. And piles of Grimm remains all around her. She seemed to be slowly coming down from the rage-induced state she was in, but it was enough to let her kill every last Grimm that helped take Ruby away from her…
Blood stained her body, hair and clothes… Just none of it was hers.
Jaune slowly got to his feet and slowly walked towards Yang, ignoring the apprehensive looks from his friends.
"Yang… They're gone. You can stop now…" Jaune said softly. Yang continued to breathe deeply, filled with rage.
"Not yet… They're not the only ones gone…" Yang replied. Jaune flinched slightly at her words.
"…But… This isn't what she'd want…" Jaune replied weakly. Yang suddenly grasped Jaune by the hoodie and lifted him into the air.
"How dare you?! How dare you say that! I loved Ruby! You've got no right to say that! I love my sister, damn it!" Yang yelled in Jaune's face. Jaune simply stared into her eyes.
"So did we." Jaune said as more tears left his eyes. Yang froze suddenly and slowly put him down as tears began to fall from her eyes. Her hands stayed clenched on Jaune's hoodie before she lowered her head to her hands and began to cry again, causing Jaune to wrap his arms around her. Suddenly, the cold wind began to pick up in speed around them, the snow around them being picked up by the breeze.
"What's going on?!" Pyrrha yelled out, the wind becoming louder. The wind slowly became a cyclone of snow ominously swirling in front of the two teams. Slowly, the wind stopped spinning, causing the snow to slowly fall.
…Revealing a leather-clad hooded figure standing in the centre. Ruby's expression became one of pure joy as she saw the people in front of them.
"Guys!" Ruby said excitedly. The figure turned to Ruby.
"I'm sorry, my dear. They can't see or hear you." The figure said. The two teams shared looks of confusion as they tiredly drew their weapons.
"Who are you?" Weiss asked as the hand she was holding Myartenaster in was shaking from exhaustion. The figure looked back to the group.
"I have been given many names. But, I have grown accustomed to a name I have adopted in recent years. Aura." Aura replied, before turning his gaze to the cold, unmoving body of Ruby Rose. Yang followed his gaze before her face contorted in rage.
"Stay away from her!" Yang screamed before thrusting her fist forward to punch Aura in the face. The punch caused Aura's hood to fly backwards to reveal Aura's head. Or…
Where his head should be.
Yang froze as her fist hit thin air and nothing more.
"E-e-empty… N-n-no head…" Yang stuttered under her breath, her shock rivalling everyone else's. Aura slowly crossed his arms before taking hold of his hood again and draping over the air above his shoulders, hiding it completely again. Oddly, though, there was a definite shape underneath the clothes, just not without them. His gaze turned to Yang causing her to flinch.
"That was just rude. I have no time for you." Aura said as he lifted his hand, causing it to glow a light azure. Suddenly, none of the hunters and huntresses could move. They made evident struggles, but to no avail.
"Wh-what did you do?!" Ruby exclaimed.
"Worry not. They'll be fine." Aura replied. Aura walked over to Ruby's body, much to Yang's rage.
"I said, stay away from her!" Yang screamed, still unable to move. Ignoring her, Aura raised his hand as it began to glow azure again. Ruby's body began to glow a soft azure as her wounds began to close and then seal completely, leaving no scars. Ruby watched in awe as her body healed before her eyes. The two teams continued to watch Aura mend Ruby's body in confusion. After Aura had finished healing Ruby's body, he turned back to her.
"So… how does this work?" Ruby asked gingerly. Aura simply raised his hand again.
"Remember to breathe." Aura replied simply.
"Wait, wha-?" Ruby sentence cut off as her vision was suddenly enveloped in a bright light. After a moment, Ruby's body jolted into a seated position and released a loud gasp, inhaling as much oxygen as she was capable. Aura stood and looked down at Ruby as she tried to regulate her breathing.
"Ugh… I'm all stiff…" Ruby said in a slightly rasping voice.
"Muscles stiffen after death, if you just keep moving normally, it will pass." Aura replied, before turning back to the restrained teenagers. They were in a completely stunned silence as they didn't move their gaze from Ruby as she continued to breathe slightly raggedly and stretched more to loosen her muscles. When she finally stood up, Aura raised his hand again and released his hold on Team RWBY and JNPR, allowing them to gather around Ruby as Yang wrapped her in her arms and squeezed her tightly. Yang showed no signs of letting her go as Ruby returned the squeezing before looking over her shoulder to see Aura walking away.
"Wait!" Ruby called out, causing Aura to stop in his tracks.
"Will I be able to see you again?" Ruby asked. Silence fell before Aura slowly turned around.
"You… want to see me again?" Aura asked, confused. Yang held onto Ruby a little tighter, as if to send a message to her sister that she didn't trust the figure.
"Yeah, I owe you for what you did for me. Besides, we're friends, right?" Ruby concluded, causing Weiss, Blake and Yang to flinch, memories of Penny's… 'vibrant' personality flooding back to them. Aura remained silent for a moment before summoning his scroll again. In a flash of light, the scroll had transformed into a black, mechanical Scroll, similar to the ones that the students and staff use. He gave a few taps on the translucent screen before turning back to Ruby.
"It's about time I had an upgrade anyway." Aura said as Ruby's Scroll began to vibrate. Ruby reached into her back pocket, muttering a small complaint about girl pockets as she did so and pulled out her own Scroll. She wiped off a few specks of blood that were staining it before activating it and seeing the notification. It read: 'Aura sent you a friend request. Accept?'. Ruby quickly accepted it before seeing Aura right in front of her.
"I'll talk to you soon!" Ruby said merrily as her friends remained in their shocked silence. Aura's hand flashed azure again as it summoned both his scythe and Crescent Rose to his hands. He handed Crescent Rose to Ruby, which she happily accepted, before the two gently clanged the blades of their scythes together in a friendly manner, almost like a high five.
"We reapers have to stick together." Aura said with a definite smile in his voice which Ruby returned as Aura slowly faded away.
It was just a routine patrol. But, even when everything goes wrong, some good can always shine through.