Disclaimer: Own nothing. Don't seek to gain any profits from this. Just borrowing my favourite characters for some fun.

A/N: Thank you so very much all for the favourites and follows!

KageSinon, thank you for taking the time to review.

3: Gloomy Grey

The irony is cruel; she must give answers when she needs them most herself.

The bright red and orange flames reflected in her unblinking eyes. Looking at the bright embers reminded her of Pyrrha, and the emptiness within her only became more pronounced. She had failed to save her friend. Whenever she closed her eyes, images flashed before her mind's eye unbidden. It was as if she was reliving those moments all over again, the pained sighed and gasps of her friend echoing through her very being.

Pyrrha was a good person and a brave warrior; she did not deserve an end like that.

Had her mother?

She unconsciously clenched her fists, keeping tears that had long since dried at bay. It did not matter, ultimately. They had to find Cinder and make her pay for everything she had done. She could not explain what drove people like her to do what they did. The Grimm were mindless, but what excuse did humans have?

Ruby recalled her conversation with Ozpin a few nights before the Vytal Festival Tournament had begun. Before everything had gone to hell. She could have scarcely imagined such a future then, but in retrospect the words spoken that night seemed almost prophetic now. Did Ozpin always have some idea about what had been going on? Going by her Uncle Qrow's words, there was no doubt that he did.

Then why had things come to this?

Her only option was to think that he failed somehow, because to think that he had wilfully abandoned them was unbearable to even consider, let alone think of as an actual possibility. But if he had failed or had been captured, she didn't know how to feel about that. She knew it was stupid to be angry with him for failing, but...

She realized she was probably projecting anger she was feeling for her own self.

For her own failure to save everyone, when she wanted nothing more than to help those in need, when her silver eyes meant that she could help when no one could. Her Uncle and Ozpin always seemed to put their faith in her, and she couldn't help but feel that she had not done that faith justice, that she had let them down.

Except this time, the consequences were not trivial.

And Ozpin's gentle voice wasn't around to guide her, to tell her that things would be okay.

Right now, she would give anything to hear his voice, so she could know he was okay.

That he was alive.

Everyone seemed to tiptoe around what had become of Ozpin, what with nothing of him left behind except his cane, which seemed a bad sign, if anything. Despite this fact, everyone seemed to vehemently insist that he was missing, as if their fragile hopes rested on the truth of that one word – which ironically only implied that things were worse, not better. Perhaps nothing else could more starkly reflect their dire circumstances than the reality of their hope being pinned on someone being missing; even if it meant that said someone was either held captive by the enemy or had abandoned them.

She exhaled heavily and turned to lie on her back. She only had to crane her neck a little bit to see Jaune's leg dangling from the tree above; he had elected to take first watch. She really was unable to get much sleep in at night and only slept towards the wee hours of the morning, and wondered if it was a better idea to take everyone's shifts earlier in the night. At least she would be making herself useful that way, instead of lying around not getting any rest and thinking of questions to which there were no answers.

She decided to get up and dusted off her skirt before ambling over to Jaune who waited until she was within earshot to address her.

"What's the matter, Ruby?" The blonde asked, his shimmering blue eyes looking down at her with genuine concern.

She laughed. "Ah, haha, it's nothing. Just uh...can't sleep," Ruby replied, looking up at him. "I was wondering if I could take my shift now?"

"But it has barely been fifteen minutes!" He exclaimed, and then his eyes softened. "Go get some sleep."

Her eyes shifted to her feet, then returned to meet his own in a determined gaze, just a few moments later. "I'm not sleepy Jaune, and it would be a waste for two members to be awake at the same time."

He sighed. "You sure?"

"You've been pushing yourself hard, Jaune," she said with a sad but uniquely appreciative smile.

And it was true. They were all grieving in their own ways, but Pyrrha's demise had impacted Jaune the hardest, and throwing himself into their mission to find the enemy was his way of coping. He tried to do more than his fair share in everything from fighting off the Grimm they met on their journey, to staying up more hours to keep watch. Ruby knew well the urge to fill the void within, and she also knew that it never led to anything good.

She would not lose another friend to the cause.

Although Jaune was JNPR's leader, Ruby naturally assumed many leadership responsibilities. It was not something she consciously did, but in the event of a disagreement, everyone acquiesced to her better judgment. This situation was no different as Jaune proceeded to jump down from the branch on which he was perched and stood before Ruby. Before he could say anything else, she put her small hand on his shoulder.

"We're going to get to the enemy, Jaune."

He sighed, blue embers burning in his eyes. "We're already too late."

She shrugged. "Maybe we are, Jaune," she let her hand fall from his soldier. "But it's not like we're giving up."

Jaune's eyes widened momentarily before falling to the ground as the true implication of Ruby's words sunk into him. He was angry, she knew all too well. There was a time when her helplessness and lack of understanding had fuelled an unrelenting anger to fill the emptiness within her.

"We're going to make things right, I promise you."

He walked away without a word, sparing her but one look.

A look which spoke of the chasm between them. A look which told her that he could not trust her or her words, that he could trust no one but himself. She gazed at his retreating back for a while before quickly occupying the position he previously held. Not being able to reach out to Jaune only increased Ruby's own hopelessness. Her own team was scattered, and she couldn't quite connect with JNPR the same way, although they were all friends. It was as if things were broken beyond repair with everything that had transpired that ultimately culminated in Pyrrha's death.

What would a true hero do, in such a situation?

"And who is a hero?"

She wanted to move, to scream to alert her teammates, but she found herself held in place. She felt panic rise in her chest, but the feeling went away as soon as it came, as she felt a familiar, calming presence envelope her. Slowly she regained the use of her voice and the use of her limbs, unable to process entirely what had just come to pass.

As many times before, shining silver met deep brown.

"O-Ozpin?" She whispered, her mind convinced that this had to be an enemy's trick, although her heart insisted otherwise. Despite herself, her hand snaked behind her back to reach for Crescent Rose, but froze in place as soon as the cloaked man standing with an easy grace on the branch before her spoke again.

His eyes were sad, but warm as they looked down at her. "I'm sorry, Ruby." He crouched down so that their eyes were level, the branch shifting slightly under his weight. "Please."

Her chest clenched painfully, and she felt her eyes burning. "H-how do I know it's really you?" Her voice quivered.

He gave her the barest hint of a smile, filled to the brim with sadness, imploring her with his eyes. "You know that Ruby."

"Why?" She sounded so small, and so lonely.

In response he only held his arms open for her, beckoning her to him, for the first time at a loss for words of comfort and only being able to offer the most basic of tangible human support: touch. No sooner did he open his arms did she launch herself at him, catching his midsection in a vice grip and almost tackling him down. Her small fingers clawed against his shirt and the fabric of his cloak as he felt her sob uncontrollably against him. He shushed her and patted her hair.

She quieted down eventually and neither of them moved for the longest time. Then Ruby slowly shifted against him, bringing her chin to rest against his chest as she attempted to look up at him from her awkward angle. He could have let her go at this point, but he adjusted his arms around her to hold her better and she didn't complain.

"What's going on...?" She began. "Where have you been? Why did you leave?" Her voice was light but steady, barely above a whisper, almost as if anything more would make the moment shatter to oblivion. "Why did you – "

He brought a finger to her lips, stemming her litany of questions.

"You must forgive me, Ruby," he told her just as softly. "I will answer your questions," she felt him sigh. "But you must give me some time. There is a right time."

Her eyes betrayed her anger and dissatisfaction before her head shifted to occupy its previous comfortable position against his chest. And although they were no longer looking at each other, her grip on him had only tightened, almost like that of an angry child, who refused to listen to their parent but equally well declined to let go of them.

"Ruby – " he started.

"I don't want to hear it," she mumbled against him. "If you don't have anything to say why are you here now."

"For you."

"Why me? Why not her?"

Or.

Why her, and why not me?

He knew she hadn't intended for it to come out like that, which is why the spontaneous truth of it all impacted him all the more. The implied accusation, the hurt and betrayal, the consuming guilt: he felt all those emotions directed at him, unadulterated and unforgiving. He couldn't even bring himself to flinch.

But he found his voice.

"It was most regrettable, what happened," he stated, keeping his tone even and neutral. "I should have prevented that, and I failed you. That was a life wasted."

"It's not your fault," Ruby said quietly, though there was an obstinacy in the quietness. "I wish I was strong enough. A hero would have been strong enough."

"Ruby," his voice as stern as it was emphatic. "Do you think Ms. Pyrrha Nikos died a hero?"

Ruby was puzzled. "O-of course."

"No," he rebutted calmly.

It felt cold and cruel to her. "How can you even say that?"

"She was a good person, Ruby, and an incredibly talented warrior," he told her. "And she martyred herself. Only the loss of her life accomplished nothing – except well, loss."

"I don't understand."

"The world needs hope, not martyrdom. If she had lived to fight another day, the world would have been so much better for it."

"But she tried to do what's right, isn't that what a hero is supposed to do?"

"And is it right to throw away your life?"

"Isn't that true sacrifice?"

"For you, and your ideals, perhaps. But a hero is not one who does right by themselves, but right by everyone. Wouldn't you agree?" When she didn't respond, he continued. "You know this, don't you? Isn't that why you're trying to make Mr. Arc understand? Being a hero is not much different from being a leader. You cannot think just for yourself and your ideals."

He rubbed her arm in a soothing motion. "Talk to me."

"What if I fail?" She uttered eventually.

"You can only lose if you lose your hope. We don't fail because of the enemy, Ruby. We only fail because we let the enemy take away who we are from us." He ceased his comforting gesture for a moment and squeezed her arm. "I have seen far too many souls lose themselves. War or not, I will not have that happen to you. For then we would have lost even if we won."

"There's a war?"

"There has always been. It took your mother."

She sucked in a breath. "What do you know about my mother?"

"Much that I can't tell. But know that she would never want you to share the same fate as hers."

"Are you going to stay with us now?"

"I am unfortunately bound, I'm afraid. Have been for a while now."

"So you have to go?"

He nodded against the top of her head.

"Then please stay for a while."

"Of course," he said shortly, and she relaxed for the first time since their meeting, and closed her eyes, exhaling away months of anxious tension and despair in the warm cocoon she found herself in, both literally and figuratively.

Ruby woke with a start and took in her surroundings rapidly, confused. She was in her sleeping bag, and the same went for Jaune and Nora. The fire had reduced itself to glowing embers and the sky was slowly awakening with the first rays of dawn. She heard soft footsteps behind her.

"Good morning Ruby." Lie Ren kept his voice low so as not to wake the others.

The younger teen with bicolour hair rubbed her eyes sleepily, yawning. "Good morning Ren. I, ah.. what happened?"

He furrowed his brows. "Is something the matter, Ruby?"

She rubbed the back of her head. "Um, ah no. It's nothing. I was just wondering..."

"Wondering?"

"Did something unusual happen last night?"

"I did consider it pertinent to let you get some extra rest, you have seemed tired lately."

She smiled up at him. "Thanks Ren. I...I really appreciate it. I feel a lot better today." She stretched herself and began to stand. Beside her Jaune stirred, and Nora snored lightly. She shook her head, an affectionate smile forming on her face. Her aura had never felt brighter. From what she could gather, her exchange with Jaune hadn't happened last night. Next time, she knew exactly what she had to say to him.

Then had it all really been a dream, including Ozpin's visit?

She rubbed her arm.

It felt like magic.

Now more than ever, she knew that he was alive and out there somewhere. Waiting for her, and looking out for her, maybe? She would find him. And once she did, she would find her answers, she was sure of it. And for the first time in a long time, she could feel hope on the horizon, in every tomorrow until she reached her destination.

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