Price of Living Ch. 7: Troubles

I'M BACK! Really happy to be back in action, and we'll see how long this lasts. I will say this, my pace is going to be fluctuating from here on out. With the lingering uncertainty of my health and my other side things {which will be included in the self-promitonal A/N at the end}, that'll slow down my pace from what I was doing to maybe one update a week per story. But hey, I am writing again. I'm also sorry for not including that you should NOT review that update, as I always delete those. I had plans for something y'all may wanna review the next chapter for all 4 of my fics, but oh well. Thank you to everyone for getting this story over 40 followers while I was away! Glad to see this little story is growing a bit. Let's resume.

One foot in front of the other. That was the way that he had been living, and that was especially true after moments like this. Joshua wasn't the first man that Ozpin had mercy killed, and he certainly wouldn't be the last. After watching his friends be torn apart so violently, a mercy kill seemed to be a fair thing for them to receive. It amazed him that more people didn't request it. They always wanted the same thing, but it was never what Ozpin wanted. Why should he bother wasting his energy for them?

Murville

Russell carefully carved a small symbol on the door of the house, and closed the door.

"Looks to be the last of them," Russell said gratefully. "We've got everything inventoried and all of the valuables taken away. What do you think?" Sun just turned around, and started to walk away.

"I say that I want to eat and sleep," Sun joked. "Of course, I'll be delayed in that last part but regardless, I just want to rest a bit."

"If you say so," Cardin replied. He hefted his mace onto his shoulders, ensuring to keep it close just in case anything unexpected happens. "I can take first watch tonight, if you'd like."

"Nah, I'm good," Sun replied. "Besides, you're not a late night person. You're best left off early in the morning. Then again, you're not really a morning person either." Sun grinned back at Cardin, who just sighed.

"You've made that joke before," Cardin said boredly.

"C'mon, I don't have a lot of material to go off of." Cardin sighed again, and kept up a solid pace forward. Sun picked up his own, and jogged towards the building.

Cardin and Russell really need to lighten up soon, Sun thought. This can only get worse right now. And if we are not already rock bottom, I'd hate to see what is.

Fireston

Jaune walked through the door, and only just managed to drag himself over to the couch before collapsing. The entire day had been spent going through every single home in Fireston, he was determined to finish up by tomorrow. Well, he had gone a little bit ahead of pace. They had finished the last house just as the last light was fading.

Now, Jaune was exhausted. Everyone was exhausted. From early in the morning to now, they had searched through homes. Nora had taken on the early shift, so she had been up even longer. Luckily it was Nora, she never seemed to run out of energy. But even tonight, she seemed a little... Off. She was quieter then normal. Actually, scratch that she was just quiet. Nora was hardly saying a word, which was uncommon for her. When Pyrrha had asked Ren about it, he replied by saying she had been like that.

"What a day," Pyrrha said, attempting to rally people. "But it's not over yet. Ren, shall you and I cook?"

"Why me?" Ren asked idly.

"Because you're the only other one here that can properly cook," Pyrrha replied easily. "We've got some rations that we can make something out of. Come on Ren." Pyrrha walked into the kitchen, and Ren sighed.

"I'll be back," Ren said softly. Nora and Jaune just nodded, and remained seated.

Ren walked into the kitchen, and looked over at the stove. He saw that Pyrrha already had a small, impromptu campfire setup arranged. They had gotten good at setting up a small campfire within a structure. If it was outside, the smoke would potentially attract attention {though sometimes they had to take that risk}. If the fire was too big, then the building would be uninhabitable for a brief period of time. The trick was to find the medium.

"Ah, good," Pyrrha said happily. "We have a few old cans of beans along with some Grimm meat that we haven't yet eaten. Why don't you get started on the beans and I'll deal with the meat?" Ren nodded, and opened up one of the cabinets.

"Why'd you really call me in here?" Ren asked patiently.

"Hm?" Pyrrha asked idly. While Ren's question may have seemed offhanded, Pyrrha was used to this. Ren almost never spoke, especially since after the darkness had returned. That being said, he noticed things faster then most others did. Asking why Pyrrha had called him in for a task that she was more then capable of accomplishing on her own was not very hard to deduce the actual reasons for why Pyrrha had asked for his help. Ren simply crossed his arms, his patience not willing to be tested.

"Alright, fine," Pyrrha said. "Two things. The first, Nora. What exactly did you say to her? Because I know that she is not too tired to talk." Ren thought for a brief moment, and then sighed.

"I put our world in perspective," he began. "Remnant is not Remnant, this is the darkness' world right now. Nothing can be wasted, not even words. I had to put some things in perspective for her."

"Not surprising," Pyrrha mumbled. "I'm more surprised that it took you this long." She cleared her throat, and raised her voice slightly. "Second thing is about Jaune."

"No anger towards what I told Nora?" Ren questioned.

"This has really become you," Pyrrha continued. "We all kind of needed that. You just know what this is, and we need that." Ren nodded, allowing himself a small smile. Everyone had their own way of being indispensable.

"But you mentioned Jaune," Ren continued.

"Yeah," Pyrrha said. "He has a death wish, I think. He keeps trying to ensure he dies first. He mentioned that he thinks he's the most dispensable member of the group. I was just wondering if you could... If you could talk to him."

"You have?" Ren asked. Pyrrha nodded. "What makes you believe that he'll listen to me?"

"Because you can make a better argument then me," Pyrrha said. "He doesn't believe me. He doesn't believe that he is our best bet at surviving this. Come on Ren, I know you believe me."

"I do," Ren said slowly. "I will do what I can to keep Jaune alive, as I will do the same with you and Nora. That being said, I can't say that he will change his mind."

"B-."

"Tell me Pyrrha, which one of us would you not sacrifice yourself for?" Ren challenged. Pyrrha paused, and slowly opened her mouth.

"No one," she said sadly. "I would give my life for any of you."

"Jaune is merely asserting a more aggressive role," Ren said. "You have to trust in his leading abilities to keep him alive." Pyrrha set aside the piece of Grimm that she had been prepping, and stared at Ren.

"I can't watch him throw away living," Pyrrha said sadly. "I can't watch him die. I just... I can't..."

"And you never could," Ren replied. "You've never tried to hide it all that much." Pyrrha sighed, and kept preparing the meat.

"We'll all try to keep each other alive," Ren started again, as he returned his attention to the beans. "There will be a day when we can't. Whether it'll be from starvation, or Grimm, or people, or disease, or hell even just age, that day will come. All we're doing right now is buying time, you know that, right?"

"It's an empty way to live," Pyrrha said sadly.

"So then it comes down to us to make it more full," Ren replied calmly. "Do you think you can help all of us do that?" Pyrrha nodded. "Good, because I certainly can't. I just provide helpful insight."

"Hey, you're more then fun... Sometimes... If we can read minds." Ren smiled at the joke, and Pyrrha nudged him slightly. "Let's finish up our cooking."

Lisantros

Ruby slowly looked around the darkened town with her scythe's scope, and sighed. What Weiss had said earlier still rung around in her head. Was Weiss right? Was she being too serious?

"Bah," Ruby muttered. She shook her head, and looked around the town a few more times. After she was done ensuring that the longer range was clear, she moved aside her scope, and leaned back. Weiss wasn't right. Ruby knew what she was doing. She was their leader. Her team had to survive.

"Mind if I sit here?" Someone asked. Ruby turned around, and saw Weiss standing right behind her.

"What're you doing up?" Ruby asked suspiciously.

"Sleep has never been easy to come by," Weiss said absently. "It doesn't even matter that we're safe now. My shift is after yours, so I figured i might as well I should stay up. Mind if I sit with you?" Ruby shrugged, and continued to stare out the window. Weiss took a seat nearby, and looked at Ruby.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Weiss started.

"It's fine," Ruby replied.

"Are you sure?" Weiss asked. "Are you sure that you're fine with the way things played out? You don't want to say anything."

"You were out of line and you recognize that," Ruby replied robotically. "It's fine."

"Then you don't know what I meant," Weiss said sadly. "I'm sorry that you didn't understand what I meant, and that you still believe this cold shell is you."

"It's not me," Ruby agreed. "I've changed. I did what you wanted me to do, I grew up."

"You became more childish," Weiss said stubbornly. "But I know that I can't convince you of this. So I'll sit here."

"Why?" Ruby asked coldly.

"Yang is going to watch over you in the day," Weiss said distantly. "Whenever it is that our whole team is together, she will be with you and she'll talk to you. When you split us into pairs, I will watch over you and I'll talk yo you. At night, I imagine you'll switch my shift and Blake's shift, then she'll talk you."

"What?" Ruby asked in confusion.

"We're going to bring you back," Weiss said. "I don't want to see you like... Like this anymore. I want the old Ruby back."

"She's gone," Ruby said, her voice going to a foreign state. "We have to move forward."

"And I'll show you that sometimes you need a piece of your past to carry on," Weiss continued. "You can't resist our efforts forever." Ruby stared hostily at Weiss, and she sighed.

"Watch me," Ruby said harshly. Weiss got up and took a step towards Ruby, who just took a swipe at Weiss. "I'd appreciate it if you left," Ruby said blankly.

"Ruby, please," Weiss started. "You have to know that all of us care. We want you to be you, no exceptions. We know that you can keep us alive no matter what. Please Ruby, I-."

"Get out," Ruby snapped. "Get out and let me finish my watch. Go bother someone else if you can't sleep, and stop being a bitch." Weiss staggered back, and her eyes grew wide.

"R-R-Ruby?" Weiss asked.

"You heard me," Ruby said coldly. "Stop being a bitch, get out, and bother someone else." Weiss' face filled with anger, but instead of acting on it, she just left the room. The moment the door closed, Ruby sunk to the ground.

Why did I do that? She wondered.

Murville: The Next Morning

Cardin looked outside, and noted down the position of the sun. He sighed, and walked over to the other rooms. He tapped on the doors, forcing the others to wake up.

"Come on," Cardin called out. "Sun, you said that you wanted for us to be up to do something."

"Yeah, give me a minute to get the final preparations," Sun yelled out. "Being a leader isn't easy."

"Better you then me," Cardin called out. He knew that Russell was getting ready, and so he went back to the front. He looked out the window, and calmly leaned back. If he was lucky, maybe he could get a nap. It was always best to be at your highest for energy, in case anything happened.

Before his eyes could close, his eyes caught something. Cardin sat up, and he walked over to the window. He looked outside, and his eyes widened. He immediately pulled the blinds over the windows, and locked the door. He ran around the house in a few moments, and checked every window and door.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he mumbled. The doors opened up, and Russell and Sun walked in.

"What's with the blackout look?" Sun asked casually.

"This is bad," Cardin mumbled. "This is really bad."

"Slow down Cardin," Russell said. "What's bad?"

"Grimm," Cardin said. "There are Grimm."

"I have Dust now," Sun said confidentially. "I can kill them." Cardin didn't answer with words, and instead walked over to a window. He gestured for Sun and Russell to come close to him, and they complied. They looked out the window, and Cardin moved aside the curtain. Their eyes widened and their jaws dropped as they looked outside.

They were completely surrounded by Grimm.

End: Picking up the pace a bit. So self promotion. I have my YouTube channel still, /codynight22, which I am currently doing a lot for editing wise, including Cody Talks Fanfiction for those of you interested. I am also still going to be doing my weekly streams on twitch {except I didn't do it last week on accident}, also codynight22. Twitter, gotta love twitter, Codyknight22. And I have a group I'm doing videos with on YouTube, /XPHoarders. Anyways, these are all of my excuses apart from medical stuff. Questions, comments, follows, favorites, and feedback is appreciated.