Ruby Rose had become accustomed to loss.
She had accepted the cruel fate within life from the early stages of her childhood, when her mother had been torn away from her and never returned. She accepted it when her new home at Beacon fell and her beloved team began to splinter off into shattered fragments, she didn't cry out at the injustice of it all when her only sibling fell into a deep depression.
Yet, as the near adulthood girl laid upon the soft mattress of her eccentric bed; fresh tears threatened to crack the dams she desperately fought closed and had been for the past month. It had nearly been that long since the reign of the Queen ended and peace was restored throughout the lands, even to this day people were still out celebrating.
Everyone wanted to move on and forget about the events that had transpired throughout the latest years, claiming to lead the newer generation into a better and more hopeful future. Perhaps most civilians and commoners would move on from the events, perhaps even some of the younger hunters would as well.
The memory of Salem kneeling before her was still fresh in her mind, Crescent Rose hooked under the monstrosity's chin with a sharp glimmer. Ren and Nora had been there with her, a soft nod of appreciation from the former and a spine-crushing hug from the latter when the witches' head rolled upon the floor.
It was a short-lived victory.
They found his body crumpled against a ruined pillar, the wounds from Cinder still fresh and running the dammed crimson liquid among his body. She screamed, shook, begged for him to wake up and allow them to save him one final time. Mind swirling in her own emotions, she didn't even register the energy-living Nora collapse to the ground with a thunderous sob, nor did she notice the quiet Ren comfort his childhood friend with a darkened expression. Time seemed to slow down for that hour she clung to his broken body, tears running amok of her face as she gripped tightly upon his charred body.
Even in his mutilated state, the soft smile plastered upon his face was still there as when he was breathing.
It took the combined efforts of her reformed sister and a few other stragglers to pry her off him, even then she fought against their grasp in a futile attempt to cling to his lifeless corpse.
To this day, a small selfish part of her mind tried to force her to believe he might still be alive; to believe that by some mystical force he had been brought back to them, to her. It never came however, and as she watched the coffin with the Arc family symbol be lowered into the muddied ground, the young rose found that she had no more tears to shed.
She hadn't spoken to either of the remainder of team JNPR since that event, however stories that she had overheard from those around her seemed to tell the tale of both taking a break from society together and living amongst themselves.
How she wished she could join them sometimes.
Her original team were constantly around now, Yang being a given considering they shared the same roof; however, both Blake and Weiss made constant attempts at small drop ins to check upon both siblings. She didn't want to be angry at them, nor did she want them to think she blamed them for anything; but seeing their smiling faces and constant attempts at cheering her up just left a bland taste within her stomach.
Only Ren and Nora knew about the relationship that formed between both socially awkward dorks within the previous years, and she intended on keeping it that way for somewhat selfish reasons. She didn't want the pity of others, already getting enough for losing a 'valuable friend' lest she need it to change to lover.
She couldn't keep moping for the rest of her life however; Yang wouldn't allow it, dad would nag about it and he would have wanted her to carry on being a super-duper-awesome huntress.
Head rolling to her side, the gleaming edge of the Arc symbol was proudly on display upon the cracked shield that he had once donned with courage. Now it hung from her wall as a constant reminder of what she lost, as a reason to keep fighting the good fight.
Besides, she was only entering twenty of age soon and she hadn't exactly been to any of the festivals that had been going on recently; surely it wouldn't be too late to partake in one? She'd even ask Yang to tag along as added company, it would a welcome change to talk with her big sister again on friendly terms.
"I'll keep fighting for both of us, okay?" She made a notion to give an affirmative nod towards the motionless shield, her body bent in a motion to strap her boots upon her feet. "Next time I visit you I'll bring some of those…Boquot-thingies!"
With that, the young rose practically vanished from her room, leaving only that of a shield that had long been overdue a repair; however, the rose petals falling among the cracks did make it seem slightly more melded.
