Chapter 3: Ours is the Legacy
"You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy. Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to…"
The guardian ignored the rest of the automated welcoming speech, having no desire to pay attention to the rehearsed nonsense fed to the young and uninitiated, instead brushing a thumb across his hunting knife to test the sharpness of the blade as he glanced out the window from his leaned posture beside the glass. Outside he could see the sprawling municipality of Vale below him, the architecture a strange blend of cultural influences that reminded him of old English settlement from Earth, much like the ruins he had visited in his travels across the desolation left in the wake of the collapse. He had not seen the city in over ninety years, and it seemed as if things had remained largely untouched. Off all that time no visible progress had been made, the walls had not expanded and the population remained stifled by the confines of the city that sheltered them from the darkness that lingered past their steel palisades. Stagnation appeared to be a collective quality of the human spirit.
But he supposed in that way it did remind him of home.
"I know what you are."
"I know the truth you so dearly wished kept secret."
He grimaced, dragging the bottom of his thumb across the edge of his blade. Flesh split with disquieting ease as he used the pain of the self-inflicted wound to keep him landed, to prevent him from lingering on the impudence of that annoying man that called himself the headmaster of this school. In that moment he wished that he had driven off that annoying drunkard and the problems he would bring to his door. But he knew that would not have prevented anything, as much as he would have liked to believe it would.
"I know what you have done."
The blade bit deeper, gouging bone as his lips peeled back into a snarl of rage that was only just contained by his immense discipline. If not for his current location amidst so many students, he might have vocally expressed his irritation. Ozpin insulted him with the position he offered.
"You owe a debt to mankind that I would like to see fulfilled."
His thumb had been riven from tip to palm, the rush of blood from his torn flesh soaking into the cloth in the hand he left unmutilated.
It was not working.
Pain didn't mean anything to him anymore, except to allow him to recognize when his body had been damaged. It was at most a fleeting deterrent, before he instinctively disassociated himself from the sensation.
"A debt…" He muttered in disgust. If the headmaster of this school really did know as much as he claimed, then the bastard would know just how much he had sacrificed to protect the people of this world from the mistake he had made.
Once he had owed the humans of this world a debt.
But he had paid that in full ten times over.
Guardian… he is not entirely wrong.
The man sighed, all of his hate and rage departing him as he stashed away the blood soaked rag and took in the sight of unblemished skin. That was perhaps the root of his misplaced rage. In a way he was responsible for a great deal of the inflictions that plagued the people of this world, His inaction was as much a crime as if he had committed the deed himself. Titans were naturally prideful, it was as much a part of their ethos as the quest for eldritch knowledge was for a warlock.
Professor Ozpin was a man much smarter than he appeared to be.
"I wonder who we're gonna meet! I just hope they're better than Vomit Boy. Oh, Yang, gross! You have puke on your shoe!"
He glanced away from the approaching site of Beacon Academy, studying the rather… energetic individuals that conversed animatedly with each other about five yards from his current position. They didn't seem all that important, at least the one that zig zagged back and forth around her sister, red hood flapping wildly in the wind she generated with her rapid movements. If not for her eyes she would have been the spitting image of any spirited adolescent.
The sight of the young girl speaking so dynamically, as amusing as it was to observe, reminded him of the conversation that had dropped this mess in his lap, only because it had not been conducted with nearly as much enthusiasm.
"I know what you are."
The guardian examined the strange man sitting across the table from him. He didn't appear overly conspicuous, moderately tall and dressed like a teacher or middling-aged professor, and that was perhaps his greatest strength. For the person sitting at his table was far more than he appeared to be. He had been able to tell as much the moment he stepped off the small airship that landed in the field in front of his home, disrupting the quiet he had struggled so hard to maintain. And he had known then that something had changed, the world was once again set in motion, and this time he would not be able to stand on the side lines.
Here was someone with an objective; plans weaved within plans, an omnipotent web of intrigue that sought to change the face of Remnant forever, carrying dedication and resolve not seen since the days of the last valian king.
And there was nothing more dangerous than a man with the motivation to change the world.
He knew this from experience.
Which was why the guardian believed that this man knew exactly what he was, just who it was he spoke to. It was the eyes that made this assertion more concrete than speculation; they were nearly as old as the ones he saw when he looked into the mirror.
"What is it you want with me?" He asked, eyeing the other man that stood off to the side of his companion. The drunk was much like his friend, exuding an aura meant to deceive others from discerning their true intent. These figures were far more than they appeared to be, and it would be wise to take caution.
Together, if they so desired, they could very well be a legitimate threat, granted if they cooperated. Yet the guardian figured that they would not have gone through all this effort if they simply wanted to kill him.
No.
What they wanted would no doubt be worse.
"What I desire is very simple." Said the man that introduced himself as Ozpin, the headmaster of a prestigious school that had trained the next generation of huntsman for many cycles. "I would like to request that you once again contribute to the salvation of mankind… oh and the faunus of course." He added with a small laugh. "Nowadays people seem to favor divisive thought."
The guardian snorted, pushing away his bowl of food as he leaned into the back of his chair, his boots kicked up onto the table. "I've already done what I can for your people. If they insist on withering away behind the perceived safety of their walls, then there's nothing else I can do for them. They've made their choice. And they'll face the consequences of their actions."
The headmaster thoughtfully tapped his cane against the floor. "Not everyone has given up like you think they have, or even as you've seemed to. The older hunters and civilians may be stuck in their ways. But hope still lives inside the youths of this world."
At that the guardian chuckled. "Children? You would trust the fate of this world to kids barely able to tell which end of the sword to swing?"
"No." The man refuted with a shake of his head, almost as if disappointed with the guardian's response. "I would trust the fate of this world with the one that had first saved it, to someone that could help guide and inspire those you might call children."
If he was uninterested in the man's spiel before, he was openly opposed now.
"You're barking up the wrong tree, Headmaster. What you're looking for, I can't give you." He had sought isolation for a reason. He had caused enough damage already. The last thing he wanted was to be put in a position to make another mistake.
"Oh but, Sir." Ozpin curled his lips into a pleased smile. "That is where I believe you are wrong."
Stepping off the airship and onto the main road of that man's academy, the guardian had no choice but to admit that the bastard had been right. If anything, Ozpin could be surprisingly persuasive when he put his mind to it, though that may have been because, as all children tend to, he had played the blame game.
Oh it won't be so bad, Guardian. Just think of this as an opportunity to experience the wonders of the higher system of education.
As usual, his ghost insisted on putting a positive spin on a bad situation. Though, this time he was somewhat correct. Back in his first life he had not been afforded the opportunity to have a formal education. He had only been taught what he needed to survive in the legion. As a guardian he had faced a similar situation. His tutelage had been more the course for a trial by fire, where death was only a learning tool, and not a permanent state of being.
However he was probably somewhat overqualified for whatever courses they might have here. Then again the guardian supposed that was not important, since he had not been inducted into this school to learn history or to become a better warrior. He had been sent by the headmaster to ingratiate himself with the newest class of huntsman and huntresses who would be graduating from this institution in the next four years. And while he was here, he was to watch over those who Ozpin was particularly invested in.
An explosion broke the concentration of his inner musing, and the guardian turned to look upon the two students currently bickering with each other as a haze of fire and ice dust drifted away on the breeze, the familiar red hood and bubbly personality marking at least one of them as a person of interest. However he did not recognize the other, although perhaps he should have considering her very unusual appearance.
That was a lot white for one person to wear.
Seeing that there would be no physical confrontation, the guardian turned away, intending to find the assembly hall before the headmaster would give his speech. The man paused, wondering at such an unusual thought. The morning before had started off so well, just another day to while away in isolation, and yet here he was on the morrow, aiming to spend four years at a learning institution that could not teach him anything. Had he been mortal, he might have been annoyed to waste so much time.
Now he just hoped it might be more interesting than the last four.
As he stood there contemplating such an absurdity, he noticed the lack of conversation coming from his rear. Turning his head over his shoulder he was somewhat alarmed to see the girl now lying on the floor in the middle of the cobbled path.
Well come on then, don't just leave her there.
Sighing at his ill-fortune, the guardian composed himself and made to approach her, waiving away the tall blonde boy that appeared to possess the same idea. Nodding uncertainly, the student departed, no doubt with the intent to find where the rest of their ilk would be congregating.
Now alone with the unusual girl, he stood at a good distance away and made himself known. "Is everything alright, Miss?" He inquired with a hand offered in assistance.
With his shadow shading over her closed eyes, the girl opened them to gaze up at the man that towered above her. "Oh hello there!" She greeted him cheerily, if somewhat awkward in her utterance. For her current predicament, she appeared remarkably upbeat, unusual, but preferable to the bemoaning associated with young ages. Just because he was to work with children, did not mean he would easily tolerate their conduct.
The young girl taking the offered hand, he lifted her to her feet, the totality of her height barely reaching his pectorals as she craned her neck up to match his bemused stare.
"Thanks for the help up."
He nodded succinctly, releasing her hand and taking a marginal step back to keep a distance between himself and the apparently accident prone individual before him. Death held no fear for him, but he would have been mortified to be killed in a juvenile mishap. He held little honor left as a guardian and he did not intend for his demise to strip what it was he still possessed
"Think nothing of it. It was not particularly overly strenuous."
She giggled.
"You talk kinda funny."
"My… apologies?" He asked uncertainly.
He had not expected it, but his response seemed to push her over the fence from youthfully energetic, to energetically apologetic.
"Oh I didn't mean anything by it. I should be the one my apologizing. Ah jeez Yang is gonna kill me. First time someone helps me and I make fun of the way they talk. She was right I'm such a no brained klutz sometimes. This is why I have a hard time making friends. And Yang, she just left me here all alone, my own sister! And now I've exploded, made a princess angry, and I was mean to the nice guy that's… still standing right here… listening to everything I've been saying." She groaned loudly, smacking her forehead with an open palm.
The guardian took another cautious step backwards.
In all his years he had never encountered someone so… excitable.
"Think nothing of it Miss..."
The girl smacked her forehead again, apparently impervious or ignorant of self-inflicted pain.
"Oh right, my name's Ruby, Ruby Rose. What's yours?"
"Cassiel Aurelius." He answered with a curt bow, watching in slight amusement, as she visibly suppressed the desire to make note of his unusual title. He would have honestly been surprised if she thought nothing of it, considering it was a fabrication concerning ancient Christian faith and roman nomenclature, a religion and culture that had never existed upon this world before his arrival.
As far as he was aware his name did not fit into the bizarre color patterned terminology linked with their strange customs.
Not that he cared.
"That's a… nice name." She offered hesitantly, clearly attempting to make up for her recent blunder.
Not wishing to exasperate the situation any further than it already had been, he simply offered her a polite, if compulsory nod, and gestured for her to follow. It was probably for the best if he escorted her to the auditorium, lest she suddenly ignite in another detonation. She seemed like the type that might actually benefit from constant supervision, and seeing as that was quite literally the context of his assignment, he should probably get used to it sooner rather than later.
Not that it would have been much of a hassle in the first place as he had committed the entirety of the school's blueprints to memory, even the underground levels not included in the official draft. Ghost had been particularly helpful in that regard. And he would admit to some satisfaction at getting one up on that manipulator Ozpin.
Noticing his gesture for what it was, the young woman smiled and appeared to…. vibrate in place. "OOOHHH, DOES THAT MEAN WE'RE FRIENDS NOW?!"
The volume of her question caught him off-guard, and it was only involuntarily by this astonishment that he nodded once more in assent.
The height of the decibels she reached in that moment nearly rattled the bones in his chest.
Some minutes passed before the ringing stopped, and by then she was already poised to assault him with more questions.
The guardian was beginning to question the validity of his mission. The headmaster should count himself fortunate that he still put stock in the quality and legitimacy of his word, or he just may have jumped from the cliff and taken his chances in the emerald forest.
The Grimm were not as irksome as a child could be.
"Hey, Cassiel, wanna see my weapon?"
Before he could even procure a response she had already flicked the crimson device out from behind her back, the jangle of shifting plates and mechanisms filling the air as it cohered into a familiar shape.
Is that…
"A scythe…" The guardian muttered thoughtfully under his breath as he carefully examined her weapon, taking in the detailed artistry of its construction and the notes of personalized labor worked into its components. The last weapon he had seen like that was….
"Pretty cool huh?" Ruby waggled her eyebrows proudly as she propped the weapon on her shoulder. "It's also a customizable, high impact sniper rifle. I made it myself!"
The girl's expression deepened with pride as he extended a hand out and asked to hold it, and she effortlessly twirled the cumbersome weapon in her palm as she tossed it towards him.
He caught it by the haft with deft experience, fluidly transitioning into a coiled twist, testing the weight and balance with a moderately impressed smile. It would have been a decent weapon, even for a guardian.
"Then you are a talented craftswoman, Ruby Rose." He offered his tenuous praise as he flicked the scythe one last time before returning it to her, the girl's smile widening to a disturbing elasticity, as if overcome by some alarming revelation.
"You… you like weapons too?"
"I have been known to dabble in their making on occasion." He admitted with a thin smile. To be true he had spent an inordinate amount of time in the forgeries of the Iron Temple, constructing era period weapons from his first life to distribute amongst his closest allies. It had been a way to stay connected to his past, and it served as well to protect those he had come to respect in his life as a guardian.
"Can this day get any better?" Had he not enhanced hearing, he may have not picked up on her hurried and whispered words of wonderment. Instead of remarking on it, he acted as if they had gone unnoticed.
The fluctuant rattle of gears signaling the disassembly of her weapon, the young black haired woman eyed him with a strange tenacity, only made stranger by the unusual color of her irises.
"You… are officially the second, no third coolest person on this planet."
Third?
He was not sure whether to be thankful or insulted.
"So, what's your kit like?"
He looked to the wooden weapon slung across his shoulder.
"I have a bow."
"A bow?" She repeated, her expression and tone not that of someone overawed by that discovery as she finally noticed the comparably pitiful item he carried.
"A longbow… and a knife." He added helpfully.
"That's…. cool." She answered neutrally.
He shrugged, feeling no need to defend his choice of equipment. He had reason enough to keep to his primitive trappings, though if she could see what wondrous technologies he call upon for his discretion, he doubted they would be just… cool.
"They've worked well enough for me." Aboriginal or not, they could pierce ancient Grimm hide and full plate just as easily as her hybridized platform no doubt could. Even if he abstained from utilizing the equipment of a guardian, he was no less a threat to anything that would stand against his might.
Skill at arms, not weaponry, made the soldier.
"They must have if you've made it this far. So… did you go to Signal? Because if you had I'd swear I would have noticed someone like you."
He shrugged casually. "No, I'm from Sanctum over in Mistral."
The story he had picked would work well enough. Considering he had lived in every kingdom at some point in time, he knew more than enough to play the role. His decision was made easier since mistralian culture very faintly resembled ancient Greco-Roman civilization.
"Sanctum? That's pretty cool. Did you by chance ever Meet Pyrrha Nikos?"
His confused expression must have been enough to answer her question, as the young girl drifted seamlessly into another topic. Her personality appeared to directly correlate with her attention span.
He weathered the relentless diatribe of her with practiced poise, remaining polite and composed no matter the inanity of her wandering mind. Her questions were as varied as they were rapid, extending from the quality of homemade cookies verse store bought, and the precarious nature of the geopolitical landscape of the four kingdoms.
She had… fascinating interests.
Thankfully, before he would have to endure the next fusillade of demands firing from her mouth, they arrived at the entrance to the assembly hall. As they approached he examined the architecture of the building with an artisan's eye. It was a colossal edifice of creativity, much like the cathedrals of the roman Vatican or the majesty of Notre-Dame. While he had only heard about and seen the latter after the collapse, it had remained intact enough to be recognizable.
He had never seen Beacon from such a pedestrian standpoint. He had only ever conducted his business inside the city of Vale itself, and had only captured at most a curious glimpse of the school resting atop its cliff. Yet now he could at least admire the talent utilized in its construction.
Once inside past the lumbering shadows of the looming wooden doors, his companion was flagged down by the vibrant golden haired woman he had seen earlier onboard the bullhead that had taken them all to the academy.
He took that as his opportunity to fade into the crowd, welcoming even the brief reprieve from her deafening personality. After all it was not like he wouldn't see her again. They would be spending the next four years at the same institution.
She was rather nice.
I like her!
The guardian chuckled, shaking his head as he maneuvered through the mass of students towards the closest corner he could find in this roughly circular building.
"Oh, hey there I remember you!"
He stopped, noticing the blond haired youth from before as he approached with a broad grin, arm extended in greeting. Masking his irritation, the man accepted the teenager's offered hand with a courteous smile.
It seemed his search for peace and quiet would have to wait.
"Name's Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue, ladies love it."
"I'm sure they do. Name's Cassiel." He replied with a firm shake.
"Cool… nice to meet you Cassiel." Jaune winced as he pulled away from their handshake. "So how was Red?"
"She was fine, a little… talkative, but alright. She's over there if you want to speak with her." Inwardly he hoped that was the case, as the corner over there was looking more and more inviting by the second.
Jaune glanced to where he had pointed, and judging from his expression he mirrored the guardian's sentiment. It appeared as if the other girl from before, dressed in the shockingly white outfit, had entered the fray, the ferocity of their conversation audible from even the distance he had already gained.
"No… she looks alright. I'll take your word for it. So where are you coming fro….
The conversation disappeared from his attention as he allowed his mouth to function on autopilot. The guardian instead pondered on the disconnect he felt between himself and those around him. Physically he appeared no older than most of the students attending this academy, he spoke and if necessary, could even act like them. Yet they could not be more different. He was a blooded warrior. He had killed for the legion from his fourteenth to his twentieth name day and he had killed for The Traveler for centuries longer. He doubted anyone here could truly comprehend the vastness of his history.
In that moment he questioned what it was he was trying to even accomplish here. He had reason to fight, his mere existence was compulsory for service. It was the only thing that mattered to him anymore. He could sustain himself if he strived hard enough, but what existence was that really?
The only true sense of purpose he had ever felt was when he fought for a cause. In his first life it had been his dedication to the legion, then eternal servitude to The Traveler. And there had never been a cause nobler than that, the preservation of all mankind. What mattered the legion or the mortal whims of an Emperor? His life as a guardian had been the height of his existence. Every day after that was a lesson in despair he struggled to ignore.
That was why Ozpin's offer had been irrefutable.
The man may not have known everything about him. But he had known enough to correctly assume that he would be susceptible to a new cause. After the Great War he had lost belief in humanity on Remnant. After such a pointless conflict, one that had nearly crippled their society, they still had not learned to unify.
There was no other way to survive the darkness than to unite under one banner.
The Grimm were creatures of darkness, primitive and savage but nonetheless deadly for their unshakable conviction to snuff all things that lived in the light. And they would only become stronger, learning and adapting as the years passed. If left unchecked it was only a matter of time until the denizens of this world would not possess the strength to stop the hordes that waited outside their walls.
And he had wondered as he cast away his vestments of guardianship after the last battle of the war, when his days had been at their darkest, if there was even a point in protecting a people that would not take the steps needed to protect themselves.
Yet….
As he looked to the students here, children, however immature in the moment, willing to dedicate their lives to realize the very same role he had undertaken for his god, he allowed himself to consider that they could change, that they were willing to change. There had been no huntsman before the war, only soldiers in armies.
Here was an establishment created purely for the benefit of humanity, here was proof that not all was lost.
Here was a reason.
"Wow… the headmaster really put it all into perspective huh?"
The guardian drifted from his musing at the sound of Jaune's voice, the young student standing next to him with a thoughtful expression shared by the rest of the teenagers in the hall. He could see the stage as the headmaster stepped away from the microphone, allowing his subordinate to conclude the opening ceremony.
It would appear as if he had missed the highlight of this gathering.
Don't worry Guardian, I recorded everything.
Ah yes, Ghost, as helpful as ever.
He did manage to listen to the rest of the speech, what was simply a brief explanation of their temporary sleeping arrangements and a cautionary announcement of the test that was in place for tomorrow.
Unusual, but nothing he was overly interested in pursuing.
Instead he followed the mass of students towards the ballroom. As he walked he turned his consideration to the future, and whatever test it was that would be waiting for them come the next day. He was not concerned since he was confident enough in his skill to know that he would do well in whatever had been planned. He was just eager to rest for the night, as he needed compile his thoughts in peace.
He noticed that Jaune had decided to stay close to him, perhaps perceiving him as a potential alley. He did not pay the other man overly much attention.
The guardian was focused on the promise of a night of quiet contemplation.
"Hey Cassiel, it's me, Ruby!"
The moment he heard the young girl's peppy voice, Cassiel finally realized that he would probably never find a peaceful night's rest ever again.
He sighed.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance again, Miss Rose." He stepped away from the entrance to the ball room's facilities, a duffle bag of his clothing thrown across his shoulder, the coarse fabric of the satchel's sling scraping against the bare skin of his shoulder. Sleeping in his hunting leathers was not his idea of comfort, and seeing as Jaune had an extra bag and an extra pair of pants, he had put away his in favor of the offered gifts. Jaune was a good kid he supposed, if a little timid.
The guardian watched in confusion as her pale face turned a rather interesting shade of red, nearly as vibrant as the flower associated with her name. The girl looked extremely uncomfortable; though he could not for the life of him discern why it was she had taken such a sudden turn from her poignant disposition.
"Eeep!" Letting loose with a particularly high pitched whine, she ducked behind the taller figure of the woman standing next to her.
"Yowza! What renaissance artist chiseled you out?" The blonde haired teenager exclaimed with an amused smirk as she flicked her eyes up and down his figure. "You know, it's not a crime to admire art, sis." She admonished her sibling with a gentle elbowing.
"YANG!" Ruby screeched, slapping away her sister's elbow, face flushed with mortification. The aforementioned Yang endured the brutal flailing of Ruby's fists with a loud and triumphant chuckle.
The guardian endured their back and forth with a brow raised high in bewilderment.
Truly, the culture of younger generations had evolved beyond his understanding.
"Is… is something the matter Miss Rose?" He wasn't quite sure what to make of the unusual pair standing across from him. Their conduct and mannerisms said they were sisters, but he had never seen two women who appeared so starkly opposite. But then again he supposed there was more to family then blood.
"Nope, nothing, no problem here justpleaseputashirton!" She blurted, her response slowly devolving into an unintelligible babble.
"No please don't. I for one am thoroughly enjoying the show." The older blonde assured him with a low growl that while not inherently threatening, prickled the hairs on the back of his neck nonetheless.
Though he remained painstakingly confused as to what it was he bore witness to, the guardian decided to pay it no more mind as he shrugged and tossed his bag of clothing into the corner some meters away from the bathrooms.
"Is there any way I can be of assistance to you Miss Rose? If not, I believe I was just about to call it a night."
"No I'm fine thank you." Ruby guaranteed him with a hurried nod while she shielded her eyes from some perceived brightness that he could not fathom.
"Actually I think you can help us!" Yang declared as she played devil's advocate, sling an arm across her sister's back and dragging the smaller, helpless girl, to her side in a grip as unrelenting as iron. "We're looking for a place to set up shop, and Ruby here was wondering if you had any room over there."
He glanced backwards as the young girl whispered violently with her elder, a heated debate that saw the word friend tossed around like a live grenade. ""I'm certain there is more than enough space to accommodate you."
"No that's not really necc-"
"AWESOME," Yang exclaimed happily, following after him as he made for his spot, dragging a reluctant and reticent Ruby behind her. "Me and Rubes here were some of the last ones in the hall and we were beginning to wonder of there were any spots left."
"Then lay your worries to rest, there is adequate space here." He assured the both of them as he lowered himself to the floor, resting his back against the soothing coolness of the ballroom's interior wall.
Though the marble was hard and unforgiving, it reminded him of the legion. He had slept on more than his fair share of stone surfaces in that time and most anything that reminded him of the simplicities of his past was a pleasant experience. He closed his eyes, trying to recall the life he had once lived, the friends he had made and the battles he had fought for the glory of the Empire. Such things had seemed so important back then, and just went to show truly how small his worldly perceptions had been before he had become a guardian.
Oh how he missed such simple, uncomplicated times.
Uh… Cassiel… I think they're staring at you.
As Ghost's slightly amused tone cut into his musing, the guardian opened his eyes and looked to his left, where both Ruby and her sister had set themselves up with sleeping bags and an inordinate amount of pillows, their eyes burrowing into his forehead with unspoken curiosity.
Ah yes he had nearly forgotten.
Most… unfortunate.
The sigh he disguised as he sat up would have caused sails to catch wind with the heaviness of its release. He should have known better than to assume he would have even a moment's peace. Such was not his fate it would seem.
"Can I be of assistance?" He asked, though he hoped his tone would convey that he was not in the mood for courtesy.
"Well since you asked," Yang began eagerly, appearing to be utterly oblivious as to the intent of his words as she wormed a little out of her sleeping bag. "I've been meaning to thank you for taking care of my sister. She can be a little goofy sometimes," her assertion was abbreviated with the young girl's shout of embarrassment, "and I appreciate that you took the time out of your day to keep her out of trouble. You didn't have to do that."
He was somewhat surprised, not having expected the young woman to broach sentiments of gratitude given her apparent personality. It was a rather mature response that he found to be a breath of fresh air given the youthful inanities he had been dealing with.
"Think nothing of it Miss. I would like to believe anyone would do so when in my position. Mister Arc himself would have intervened had I not." He referenced the aforesaid individual with a tilt of his head as he emerged from the bathroom wearing a rather unusual set of attire.
"Ah yes…. vomit boy." Yang acknowledged with a grimace, although her expression was lightened with a smirk as she looked in his direction.
"Does Miss Rose have her own input in this conversation?" He asked with a small but curious smile, the younger of the two sisters having remained mostly quite throughout the conversation. If he was to engage in banter, he'd prefer that at least everyone present be forced to suffer through it with him.
"Yeah… I do." She stated timidly, wedging herself so tightly into her sleeping bag that if she tried any harder she might have cocooned on the spot. "Why do you talk like that… so properly I mean. It's kinda…" She paused clearly struggling for an adjective that would not be insulting.
"Weird? Unusual? More like a doddering old man?" He suggested impertinently, and she might have winced if not for the levity in his tone. Instead she managed a small giggle, slipping ever so slightly from her nest of pillows and blankets.
"Well… yeah." She admitted with an uncomfortable smile.
He shrugged. "Call it a force of habit if you will. Mistral is not a place that accepts self-determination. I was not much older than you are now when I was conscripted into the local garrison for my village. In a kingdom that tries to stifle freedom of expression one can only imagine how much harsher it was to serve in the militia."
This construction was not entirely dissimilar to the truth. Life in the legion had been stringent, much in the way of Mistral, though they had little rules against emotional conduct off the field of battle.
"I see."
Ruby appeared somewhat saddened, though he could not understand why. Her mood picked up however as she considered something. "So, have you ever…" Her sleeping bag roiled with movement as she mimed what could only actions found in combat, or a mild stroke.
He chuckled, genuinely amused by her antics as he replied. "I don't think I would be here if I hadn't, Miss Rose." He paused for a moment, his smile fading as he began to remember. The weight of years was made only more oppressive when he thought of all the battles and wars he had waged for gods and kings both.
Just how much blood stained his hands? How many lives had he destroyed in the name of peace? Even in his first life he had known that not every foe to die by his spear had been put there because they were inherently evil. A cause was only unjust in the eyes of the opposition. Nor had he encountered the likeness of true evil until, as a guardian, he confronted the true enemies of mankind.
There… there had he seen what true evil could be.
Even now the marrow in his bones grew cold as he remembered the lovecraftian terrors that waited in the dark depths of space, horrors beyond human description or understanding. And it brought no comfort to him to know that his nightmares were based in reality.
"Cassiel?"
"Yes Miss Rose?" He turned to the young girl as she shared an uncertain look with her sister.
"Are you… okay?"
"I will be fine. Please do not concern yourself with me. I am not worth you trouble." He suddenly found his taste for conversation having turned sour, and though Ruby very much so appeared eager to press her worries, he returned his head to the wall and sealed his eyes shut.
"Good night Miss Rose."
Ruby frowned as she looked to the young man sitting across from her, her tongue peeking from in-between her lips as she channeled her inner Zwei. She didn't like when people were sad. And she especially didn't like when people were sad because of her.
She liked Cassiel.
He was the first person she might even tentatively call friend that was not her sister, and that was not something she took lightly. He seemed like a cool guy, even if he spoke a little strange, and he had an uncomfortable habit of sleeping in only a pair of pants.
She blushed and turned away from him, and straight into a pair of lilac eyes.
"Mwap!" A strangled noise of shock struggled to erupt from her mouth as she fell backwards, squirming as she tried to right herself inside her sleeping back, leveraging a burning glare at Yang even though she knew that the blonde menace had grown impervious to the stare.
"Yang!' She whispered viciously, making sure her voice wouldn't be loud enough to disturb the other teen wrapped up in his inner turmoil.
"I know that look." Her sister simply replied with an infuriatingly smug grim.
Ruby was mortified.
"This is not the look, this is the, oh jeez my potential first friend at Beacon is in allegorical agony look." She hissed.
"Yep that look, why Rubes, whatever look do you think I was talking about." Yang asked with an innocently poised eyebrow.
Ruby took satisfaction in the sound her custom ordered Zwei pillow made when it slammed into her sister's unsuspecting face.
She did not enjoy when she felt her sister's arms wrap around her shoulders and suck her out from the comforting warmth of her sleeping bag.
"Why Ruby, that is no way to act towards your sister." The blond admonished as she tucked her young sister under an arm with her stupid strength. "I'm just trying to help you make friends. In fact, now that you have one, we should work on getting you another. Let's try that girl over there, she looks like friend material!"
Ruby had not felt such horror since the no cookies for a month incident.
"YANG NO! YANG WAIT! YANG!" Her shouts of denial were ineffectual against the friendship making powers of her older sister, and the girl went limp with defeat in the stronger girl's arm.
And she could only brood on how much being the younger sister sucked.
AN: Still running pretty hot on this story, don't know why but its really falling into place for me. Not much else to update ya'll with other than the usual grammar disclaimer. Though I do hope I am getting the characterization right. For those of you who have a greater understating of the show feel free to correct me if I'm making any mistakes in regards to characters. I'd like to believe I'm doing alright so far though. As always reviews are appreciated!
Keep the faith!