Raven was wrong. Taking care of Ruby was not going to be okay, she was very wrong, and that's not including the other two. Ever since Ruby came into her tribe. It's been nothing but, mischief and chaos. Ruby would be either pissing off other tribesmen or eating everything in sight. She had even tried to eat Neo's hair because, she had mistook it for cotton candy. Neo on the other hand would be bawling her eyes out or she would be dragged into Ruby's mischief. Now, Vernal, she was exactly what you'd expect from a teen. Brooding, and complaining about everything or she would yell at the other two, but they were mostly the best of friends when they weren't at each other's throats.

Raven sighed, rubbing her temples as she plopped down on her makeshift bed. There was also that one time last week where Ruby started crying because, Vernal had pushed her for some reason that Raven still hadn't figured out, and it led to Neo trying to calm her down but, ended up in Neo also crying due to not being able to shut Ruby up.

This was going to be harder then she had initially thought.

"Mommy?" Ruby interrupted Raven's whining midway.

Ruby had walked in he tent with Neo at hand, their hands interlaced tightly.

Raven looked up and gave a tight, tired smile towards the two, "Yes?"

The pair of children, shuffled shyly closer, their steps quiet and their heads hung low.

That was strange, they never looked this solemn before.

"Speak, children." Raven stated sternly.

"O-Oh, uhm, me and N-Neo, were wondering if-"

"Neo and I." Raven corrected the small girl.

"Y-Yeah, Neo and I, were wondering if you could train us.." Ruby finished quickly, turning and hiding behind Neo who also looked as equally terrified of what Raven would say or do.

"Why?" Raven was honestly curious as to what had brought this on. Why would they have the need to learn to fight.

"B-Because.." Ruby stepped out of Neo's shadow and stood up more confidently, "Because we want to help the tribe too!" Ruby puffed her chest out a bit.

"Ah, I see." Raven nodded sagely, cupping her chin with her hand.

"Do you really think you're ready? Do you two have weapons already in mind? Do you know the consequences of learning how to fight? Would you be able to hurt someone?" Raven looked straight into their little eyes and calmly said, "Would you be able to take someone's life?"

Raven didn't mean to sound harsh but, that's how this world was. The weak die. The strong live. Those were the rules. Not even children were safe from this rule.

Sniffle, Sniffle

Raven looked back down to the now crying girls.

Shit.

No, Raven had to stay strong for their sake.

"Why are you crying, there is no reason for tears." Raven said.

"B-Because-" Ruby stopped suddenly, realizing that she indeed had no reason to cry. The now quieting girl, looked over to her big sister and noticed that her eyes were glazed over but, had been denied its escape.

"We're sorry, mom." Ruby apologized for the both of them.

"Don't be, its only human to have feelings." Raven smiled softly.

"Now back to my questions, would you?" The hardened warrior took over the caring mother.

"If we have to, then we will." Ruby said with determination.

"And what of your weapons?"

A grin creeped onto the faces of the two children as they each presented a crude drawing of their future weapons.

Neo's was a simple drawing of an umbrella, a sophisticated one, with a hidden blade at the tip of the umbrella. There were bullets bouncing off the umbrella so Raven guessed that she wanted the umbrella to be extra resilient against things.

Ruby, now, Ruby had an interesting design. They seemed to be a duel wielding scythes and what seem to be a .50 cal. sniper rifle. At the bottom of the paper, there was a combination of her scythe and sniper rifle to form a scythe sniper rifle. Next to that was a drawing of two scythes attached to each other the ends, forming a double sided scythe. Now that is what Raven called a child prodigy. Although the drawings were crude, it was clearly visible that Ruby had thought this thoroughly. It was impressive, but she wondered where she got the idea of the scythe..

Qrow.

"Ruby, where did you get the ideas of these scythes?" Raven feigned clueless.

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby chirped excitedly.

"Tch." Raven sneered. She knew her brother would find out sooner or later but not this soon.

The woman inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to keep her temper in check.

"Okay, lets go see our weapon-smith." Raven lead the girls out the tent in a swift motion. They looked kind of like a group of baby ducks following their mother duck.


"My little cardinal, you have to get up now." Raven cooed for a bit, before shaking her daughter roughly, "I said wake up." Raven growled.

"Huh! Wha?!" Ruby snapped up, jumping out of her bed in a fighting stance.

"Pfft-" Raven couldn't keep her facade up, as she bursted out laughing like a maniac.

"Moooom!" Ruby dragged the word out in exasperation, "That wasn't funny!"

"Mm, yeah it was." Raven sighed in content, wiping a fake tear from her eye.

'That was mean, mom.' Neo signed, siding with Ruby once again.

'Thanks, sis.' Ruby signed back. She was glad she had someone like Neo in her life.

"Oh come on, not you too, Neo." Raven pouted. Both her 13 year old, Ruby, and, 15 year old, Neo, conspired against her like always.

The tribes' members weren't really surprised at Raven's childish antics as it was normal but, not often, more times then not, she was mostly the stern and business like Raven.

"Alright, alright, ready for your daily physical training?" Raven clapped her hands together.

"Yeah!" Ruby pumped her fist out.

'Yeah!' Neo signed.

"What are we doing today?" Queried Ruby.

Raven became quiet, and serious, "You are going to be put to the test today, children." Lamented Raven. She wasn't looking forward to this, but it had to be done.

"W-What do you mean, mom?" Stammered Ruby, her eyes widening in fear, knowing what was to be said next.

"You are going to take the life of someone," Raven then looked over to Neo, "The both of you." Raven declared.

"B-But I can't! Not yet!" Ruby blurted, as she shook her head wildly side to side.

'I'm not ready either, mother!' Neo signed frantically, making it almost impossible for Raven to read.

"You either do it or, you are out of my tribe." Raven threatened, even if it was not a complete lie. It was either showing her that they aren't weak and that they are strong enough for this cruel world.


"There they are." Raven started dryly, pursing her lips.

In front of them were two men kneeled, with sacks over their heads. Whimpering could be heard coming from them.

"Uncover their faces!" Raven called out to the twin guards that stood behind the captured men.

"Yes, chief!" They said in sync as they harshly pulled their sacks off their heads.

They winced in pain at the light of the sun, as if they hadn't seen the light of day in days.

"Please! We beg for mercy! We didn't do anything!" Beg the more bulky man of the two.

"We swear!" Pleaded the second one, the less masculine.

"Silence!" Raven sneered, grabbing a whip from one of the guards and slashing the prisoners. "You are not allowed to speak." She growled.

Neo and Ruby shook, although one from unexpected excitement and the other from fear.

"Neo. Come here." Raven snapped.

Neo scurried over, her eyes glinting in anticipation.

"I want you to pierce his chest with this." Raven held out a long dagger, almost the size of a machete.

"No! Gods please, no! I have kids!" The skinny one cried in terror.

Oh my gods, I-I can't do this!

Ruby couldn't notion the possibility of doing this!

Shink!

Gargled noises soon filled Ruby's ears, her eyes fixated on the choking man. The way the man clawed at his throat for air. His eyes wide, frozen in horror. It was etched in the mind of the young 13 year old forever.

Slump.

The man toppled over onto his side, with a thump, his breathing slowly coming to a stop. Ruby tore her eyes away to look at Neo, her dear crazed sister.

Neo had the most deranged glint in her eyes. She seemed to have found pleasure in taking the man's life away. It made her feel so good to be in control of the man's life. She was like a god. Having the control over who would die and who wouldn't. It was a dangerous feeling but, Neo loved it.

"Good job, my little rosefinch." Raven smirked proudly.

"Now, it's your turn, little cardinal." She nodded towards the more grown man.

He was shaking on his knees, he was already visibly sobbing. "Please, child, don't do this...We had to do it or she would have turned us into monsters, me and my brother were forced into it!" The man whispered in a harsh, hoarse voice.

"I-I have a baby girl, she's just turning 2 tomorrow," He continued to beg, "Don't leave my baby girl without a father, my little rose can't grow up without a dad."

Another little rose, huh, well she was once a rose, but like all roses, she wilted.

If Ruby thought she was doubting herself before, then she must have been clawing at her mind now, her thoughts conflicted more than ever.

Turning back to look at her mom, she only saw her nod over to the man and crease her brow in impatience, mouthing out the word 'now'.

Ruby breathed in a large amount of air and exhaled. It was either him or her. Maybe it was selfish but, she came in first. She would have nowhere to go if she didn't go through this.

"I'm sorry." Ruby said solemnly to mostly herself.

Grabbing the dagger from her still eager sister's hands, and into her own.

"I really am.."

Ruby dragged the weapon back behind her back and held it there for a couple of seconds before swinging it at full force towards the man's chest.

"No! Stop!" He screeched as the blade reached his heart.

He was still alive. Ruby panicked and tore it out of his chest, tearing out pieces of his flesh along with the dagger and stabbed him again. And again, and again, and again, and again, and again-

"Ruby, that's enough." Raven's voice cut through Ruby's actions and brought her to a stop, midway into another stab.

Ruby was panting, she was out of breath and she had not noticed she needed air until now.

It didn't feel as bad as she thought it would. It was actually...fun? It was exhilarating. Is this what Neo felt?

Feeling a plum chest against her arm, Ruby looked over to see Neo giddily jumping up and down, grinning widely knowing what exactly what Ruby was feeling at that very moment.

'It's a thrill isn't it!?' Neo signed in joy.

"Y-Yeah!" Ruby said less enthusiastically but, she still had a rush of adrenaline.

This feeling was scaring her, yet it made her feel more alive then she has ever felt.


A/N: The reason I'm making Ruby communicate with sign language with Neo is because, I thought that if she didn't then Neo might feel like an outsider being the only one who signed. Plus I think having Ruby being knowledgeable in every aspect possible is my type of Ruby ooc. I apologize beforehand because I know there are going to be parts where I rush, because im still not very good at pacing things, but I will try my best. Id appreciate any reviews that are left; I read every sign review that are left on my fanfics for tips and help and motivation to keep writing.