"As I mentioned before, the positive side of the Animus can personify an enterprising spirit, courage, truthfulness, and in the highest form, spiritual profundity."
Von Franz in Carl /jung'sMan and His Symbols
Cinder turned to her left sharply. She saw a pagoda, red and black in color, and inside of it was an ornate table with three chairs. Resting on the table was a tray that had a jaded tea pot and cups. Standing next to it was a woman, she was wearing a black dress that had a white stemmed rose with three blossoms. The rose spread up from the bottom left corner of the dress and grew upward, the first blossom was slightly off center of her pelvis, the second rested on her stomach and the third on her right breast. Her alabaster skin was almost flawless, the only thing that disturbed its perfection was her right arm. When Cinder saw Ruby's right arm she gasped and covered her mouth with her right hand. The entire arm was covered with a massive burn scar, starting at the fingertips Cinder's eyes drifted up Ruby's arm to where the scar ended with the last strands of it rested on her neck.
"Sorry if it's a little ugly." said Ruby, she was well aware of how discomforting it could be to people when they first saw it.
Cinder came back to herself and appeared to be quite flustered about her behavior. "I apologize, I just wasn't expecting…"
"A Queen to allow herself to be disfigured?" A small, sad smile graced Ruby's face.
Cinder bowed her head, looking at Ruby's feet. "...Yes."
Ruby giggled at her embarrassment. Cinder looked up about to defend herself when she finally saw all of Ruby. Her legs were longer, her hips wider, and breasts bigger. Her hair came down over her shoulders, and her face was thinner. She's beautiful thought Cinder, and that she was. A year and a half had done wonders for Ruby's body, many of the qualities that had made her adorable had developed into the very things that made her beautiful. She was no longer the innocent, naive, cute little girl she had met in the halls of beacon that day, she stood tall, proud and perfectly aware of her magnificent figure and what it did to people. Cinder locked eyes with Ruby, who was wearing a knowing smile and gestured for her to join her at the table. "Now why don't we have some tea while we wait for the others."
Glynda was annoyed by how fast she had lost sight of Cinder. The woman had been just in front of her when she went around that turn and then bam! She was gone. She didn't understand, one second the girl was there and the next she was gone, and the path continued in front of her. Then suddenly she moved into a clearing and saw the very complex she had stayed at when she was younger, during the reign of the last Guardian. She briefly took note of the little changes that had been made to the heard people talking and turned to her left to see Cinder and a much more mature and attractive looking Ruby. "Where did you go?" She asked demandingly.
"I came straight here, following the path." Cinder responded calmly.
"So did I but yet here you are." She retorted annoyed.
"I wanted to speak to her in private so I had the forest take you on a different path." Ruby said authoritatively, leaving no room to question her motives.
Glynda settled for that answer but that didn't mean she was pleased by what had happened. Ruby then asked "Would you like some tea Professor?"
Interested Glynda responded "What kind of tea? I can't imagine that it's easy to get things out here."
"The tea is homemade. But as far as other supplies, whatever I ask for can be arranged." Ruby said without missing a beat.
Glynda sat down at the table and sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. She was tired, having planned this trip months in advance, it had been some time since he got a full night's sleep. "I think I'll try it."
"That's all that I ask." Ruby poured some tea into the cup. It was reddish brown in color, and steamed a little bit. "I would let it cool a bit. I just got this off the heater."
Glynda blew lightly on the liquid, it smelled sweet, but not in the same manor as Nora or the old Ruby. "Thank you Miss Rose." she said cautiously, not wanting to overstep her boundaries, but also wanting to seem above others. She lifted the cup to her lips, the tea was sweet, but not overpoweringly so. It was rather calming and soothed her nerves.
"I wonder how long the others will be." Cinder said, not really asking but rather pondering.
"They shouldn't be long. They're already in the forest." Ruby responded while looking ahead blankly.
"Hmm, it seems you really have synced with the land and become the next Queen." Responded Glynda.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Ruby asked, a little confused.
"I was thinking that Ozpin might have been wrong, you're so different from your predecessor." She responded.
"Maybe I am, Haven't met too many people who talk about him. He seems to be disliked."
"Indeed he was not a very kind man, rather cruel towards anyone who did not serve him."
"But even so he is my predecessor, so be careful what you say."
"I apologize. I am still new to this whole concept of you controlling this land and me being your inferior." She said with a hint of genuine shame. She knew she had stepped out of lin but was hoping Ruby wouldn't care.
"Just be more careful next time that's all." Ruby said with a smile on her face.
"I will try to be."
"Now then, I believe you haven't just come to try to convince me to return, so what is it that brings Beacon's best to my domain?"
"I think Ozpin wants for you to help them train and potentially become retainers of yours."
"Hoo, I never expected him to willingly give me students as pets."
"You are a very valuable asset if you so choose to join us, so the more incentive the better in his eyes."
"What prevents me from just taking them? It's not like you can control them if they come to me on their own."
"True be if you rape any of our students, I will see to it that you are destroyed."
Ruby laughed haughtily at that last comment. "As if you could beat me, in here of all places. But don't worry, I have no need to force anyone to serve me. So how do you intend to give me students if none of them are willing?"
"We don't, we will not force anyone into the life you promise."
"But that's a deal breaker for me." Ruby said.
"And why's that?"
"Because I see potential, potential that I can help bring to full strength." Ruy smiled hungrily while she spoke sending shivers down Glynda's spine.
"Then you'll just have to work for it."
"I think you underestimate the desire for power, the power to protect and destroy as one see's fit." Said Cinder this time, both women turned to look at her. Ruby looked in agreement with the statement while Glynda looked shocked at the words.
"It is truly a desire many fall to." Said Ruby wistfully, as if she was reminiscing. The conversation drifted towards the politics in the world after the unsuccessful attack on Beacon by Salem and the White Fang, an event Ruby had watched unfold from the comfort of her royal bed. Cinder and Glynda became very heated because of heavily differing opinions on the matter. Ruby absorbed all she could about the matter, gathering that Salem was growing desperate after the loss.
Then she spoke up, "They should be joining us at any moment." Just then the remaining three members of Team RWBY walked into the compound, each a different level of aw spread across their face.
Ruby giggled at the sight before saying "Ah! I need to water my flowers!" She bent down and picked up a watering can that neither Glynda and Cinder had noticed was there. She took a few long strides before she was at a bed of lilac tulips. Yang turned to look at Ruby, "Rub-" she started before she stopped to take in all that her little sister had become. As soon as Yang began to speak Blake ad Weiss turned around to join her in eyeing up Ruby's body. Yang resisted the urge to run up and hug the person who was currently watering flowers as if her step-sister who she hadn't seen in a year and a half didn't just walk in.
"Ruby." Yang said in the softest voice she could while still insuring she was heard.
"Hello Yang." Said Ruby in a pleasant but emotionally devoid voice.
"Ruby…" She said again.
"What is it Yang?" Ruby responded in the same voice.
Just then the rest of their group filed into the compound and saw her. The only two people who remained relatively unaffected by Ruby's appearance were Ozpin and Ren, the latter of which was astonished by how much se had changed and not by her new appearance. Then a woman entered behind them. She was wearing a red kimono with black shoulder guards and a black wrap that covered her abdomen, a clockwork longbow was strung across her back resting between two quivers. Her black hair was tied up in a ponytail and a white mask with red, Grimm-like markings covered her face. On her waist was a long dagger and her legs had black, skin tight shorts and red and black knee high boots.
"How was your hunt, Robin?" Asked Ruby.
"It went well enough, I got an eleven pointer and a doe." She responded, the deer carcases she was dragging coming into view.
"Robin, would you be so kind as to show our guests to their rooms, and give them a little tour, o and tell them about the basic schedule. I would like to speak with Professor Ozpin in private." Said Ruby.
Robin grunted and said "Follow me."
Everyone followed immediately, save WBY who lingered for a moment before being dismissed by Ozpin.
"Will you sit and have some tea?" Asked Ruby.
"I think I shall." responded Ozpin. "Although I highly doubt that you just wanted to serve me tea."
"And I highly doubt that you came here just to bring me 'home' especially since you are in such dire need that you brought so many students. Remember that there are two players in this game." Responded Ruby coldly.
A smile crossed his face, ah how she had changed from that little girl I accepted into the school early because of her skill. The look in her eyes told him that she knew of all the horrors of the world that he seeked to protect people from, hopefully that will help sway her to our side he thought.
"Indeed, as I'm sure Glynda has told you, we have come for many thing, one of which is to bring you home."
"What is your greatest desire, the one thing you want from me above all else?"
"Aside from your allegiance, I wish for you to train these students."
"And what do I have to gain by doing so?"
"Well that depends on whether or not they choose to join you."
"So you're asking me to take the risk of benefiting you at potentially my own expense, seeing as you never seem to settle down. Always looking for a new enemy to conquer never telling your servants the real reasons behind why."
"Yes, but if you benefit then you do so in a massive way."
"They must be worthy."
"I can say on their behalf that they are ready."
"No. They will pass my tests."
"And if they cannot?"
"And if they cannot then they will not receive any training from me, so I hope you are kind to the other inhabitants because they can train your people."
"Thank you your majesty, oh and your father misses you greatly."
Ruby smirked at that one. "There is nothing preventing him from visiting."
Robin was leading the group towards the back wall of the compound, having dropped off the deer earlier. "These are your rooms, each room fits eight so you will be sleeping together but I'm sure you're already used to that." She gestured at the door that lined the wall.
"What about myself and Professor Ozpin?" asked Glynda.
"You will be staying in the palace with the Queen."
"Oh? And why is that?"
"Because she considers you two to be special guests. This" she gestured to a set of large doors. "Is the hot springs, you should turn the sign so that your gender is on the outward facing side. It lets others see when not to enter."
"Are these the only bathrooms?" Asked Coco incredulously.
"This is the only place to bathe, toilets are in various locations around the place. This is the training area." She stepped through a large set of double doors and gestured to the area located behind the compound. There were many pieces of training equipment everything from dummies to sparring weapons. Then there was the room that jutted out from the compound. "And that's… the Temperature chamber. Unless you are told otherwise dinner's at eight thirty pm everyday. You are expected to be there, and you should be aware that the queen herself will often not attend."
"Is that because we're here?" Asked Blake quietly.
"Maybe a little bit, but she has many duties that she needs to attend to as well." Robin said, she wanted to be honest but she didn't outright lie. It was just that, although Ruby's presence had dipped slightly, she didn't like no eating with them, she would for the most part be there. But Robin suspected that that wouldn't be the case anymore. These people had taken something from Ruby and it had hurt her, they had driven her away. So she came to the only place where she could be free of all those pains, her Palace, a place where she could cry and wail and no one would hear her. Robin had been with Ruby the longest, appearing after Raven was blessed with the powers of the land, and had become the official leader of the clan Brawen, killers of the Queen. She had heard the wails of sorrow that filled the night air after the moon was high in the sky. They had long since passed from existence, but the emotions had yet to be mended.
"Oh… is that so…" Blake sounded remorseful, as if she was brimming with regret.
"You may use any of the equipment you like, also, if you wish to stay up past eleven pm you will have to inform myself or Auburn."
"Who's Auburn?" Asked Coco, speaking for the first time since they had arrived.
"Auburn is another of the Queen's servants, he is, like me, one of her protectors, her personal guard and task force."
"And where is he?" Asked Coco, wanting to meet the man.
"Probably meditating in the temperature chamber. I wouldn't recommend going in there though. If you have any questions you may ask myself, Auburn or Ruby, if you get the chance to speak to her. It is late, I hope that you will find your accommodations acceptable, Goodnight." With that she left them standing in the large doorway. Yang turned around to head to their rooms saw her, Ruby. She was sitting on a massive boulder in the rock garden, staring straight into the sky, moonlight reflecting off her eyes. Suddenly someone spoke up from behind her.
"Staring isn't a nice thing but I can understand why you'd want to take in all that she is." The voice was masculine but unfamiliar.
Yang whirled around to see a shirtless, sweaty, pale skinned man. He had silver eyes and brown hair, with a streak of red running through it. "Who're you?" She asked.
"The names Auburn, Auburn Rose." He said smiling.
A/N: Sorry that this chapter is late, I was busy and wanted to work a little longer on it anyways. It's double the typical length to make up for it a little bit. I am also working on two other projects that should be out before the week ends. Please tell me if you like the longer chapters, cuz I can do them at the same pace as previous.
Music-IDK whatever youtube was playing
As always Favorite follow Review and most importantly stay beautiful