Art by Dishwasher 1910

RWBY is owned by RoosterTeeth.


Taiyang Xiao Long had heard weird things throughout his life. He heard how Yang had wrecked an Ursa at the age of five with her bare fists. He heard a story of ruby buying cookies from twelve different bakeries in vale in less than five minutes (it made sense when he found out her semblance was speed). He had even heard how Raven Branwen was interested in him.

He had laughed that one off for awhile.

As he reflected on the absolutely insane story that these two supposed gods who looked exactly like Ruby and Yang were telling him he wondered if he was of sound mind. Partially because he believed it and partially because he had no better explanation, Orkams razor told him the simplest explanation was the best, or was it oakams? Well whatever, he didn't have a better or more reasonable explanation for two girls to fall from the sky at terminal velocity and still be alive.

"So, that's when Blake went through and we followed. Which is how we ended up here." Yang finished reclining back into the stuffed leather chair.

The three were in Taiyang's living room. A brightly lit room with large windows. A lightly varnished coffee table was set between them, with three cups of coffee steaming on small coasters. Yang and Ruby both sat on the two leather chairs across from the linen covered couch Taiyang sat on. It was an alien feeling for Taiyang, who was used to seeing the two sisters snuggle on the couch with ruby sometimes falling asleep against yang during a romance movie. The memories brought a smile to his lips.

"What's so amusing?" Ruby asked stoically. Taiyang frowned. This ruby, whatever had happened to her, she wasn't the bright happy girl who had so recently left for Mistral. This girl was quiet, distant and lacked the vibrancy of his daughter, the passion for life and adventure.

It broke Taiyang's heart.

"I'm just processing this. It isn't what I expected."

"What did you expect? Your daughters to show up out of nowhere and claiming to be Grimm?" Yang snarked, a playful smile on her face.

Taiyang shook his head. "I'm not sure. I certainly wasn't expecting this."

"We weren't either. To be fair not everything is the same here. Supposedly Summer is dead in this-" Yang stopped as she saw Taiyang's face become pale. "is something wrong?" She asked dumbly, knowing full well that something as indeed wrong.

"Summer's alive?" Taiyang asked.

"Not the Summer from this world. But yes, my mother Head Commander Summer Rose is alive." Ruby responded. Yang winced at the cold and callous explanation.

"That's… not all." Yang added, deciding it better to explain everything now rather than later.

'What happened? What are you talking about?" Taiyang asked, still reeling from the surprise that Summer, well not his Summer was alive.

"You died several hundred years ago during a Grimm invasion of Vytal." Yang explained quickly.

"What?" Taiyang responded as he slumped back in the couch. He supposed it would make sense, If Summer was alive, he would likely be dead, cosmic balancing and all, but it sucked to hear nonetheless.

"You saved lives, like heroes should. You were buried with full honors." Ruby explained. Taiyang turned to her shocked that someone who resembled her little rose could be so…

Different?

Cold?

Stoic?

Taiyang couldn't place it, but something was very clearly wrong. He didn't know what, but there was something that was not right with her. She was clearly broken.

Ruby stood, "I will scout the perimeter. Yang stay here." She ordered before quickly walking off. Taiyang went to stop her only to have Yang raise her hand.

"I think it's just an excuse to be on her own." She said. Taiyang looked at her.

"What happened?" He asked simply. Yang's expression changed, her eyes were downcast as she looked away wistfully.

"After you, well died. A lot of stuff happened. Summer didn't show up at the funeral, she had stuff to do, eliminate the remaining Grimm and stuff. Things improved a bit, Weiss and Ruby got really close and then a long time later Weiss went MIA." Tears welled in Yang's eyes. Taiyang sat in Ruby's chair and listened silently.

"It was bad, Ruby basically lost all confidence in herself as a leader. She searched the area for weeks. There was no sign of Weiss. Blake and I kind of accepted that she was probably dead, killed by Grimm, but Ruby, I don't think she's really ever accepted it you know? She can't give up and her failure haunts her. She started to improve, Blake helped a lot." She said calmly. Before a thought crossed her mind "You know who Weiss and Blake are right?" She asked cautiously, comforted by his almost immediate nod.

"Well, things got a little better, she was laughing again. And then Blake…" Her voice hitched as she mentioned it "Blake was possessed or something. It was kind of like a Grimm fused with her. We call it corruption. Usually its causes the one possessed to become pretty much crazy. But for Blake… nobody knows why but it didn't happen like that. We ended up locking her up in a cell." Yang shuddered at the thought. Taiyang could see her discomfort, but also her desire to explain everything.

"Ruby blamed herself again. It was really bad. She demanded to go out on missions alone, so that nobody else she cared about would get hurt. Summer said no. Ruby said she'd go to Ozpin about it. Summer pulled rank. If anything that was kind of the final straw. She changed a lot after that. She's sometimes considered the gold-standard for what a guardian should be…" Yang paused, exhaling. "But she isn't the person she ever wanted to be. In fact I think she's the complete opposite." By this point tears were dripping form yang's eyes. Taiyang wanted to wrap her in a hug.

"Are she and Summer, are they talking?" Taiyang asked. Yang shook her head. "Nothing outside of basic orders. Ruby hasn't celebrated a birthday in years, sometimes summer asks her out for dinner, kind of a peace offering I think, like what raven does with me. But, Ruby always says she's busy, summer doesn't push."

Taiyang noted Yang's mention of Raven, but decided that it needed to eb dealt with another day. "That's just… wrong." He said gently. Yang nodded in agreement.

"Ruby's still hurting and I don't think she'll ever really forgive herself. She wanted to be a hero and she thinks she's failed miserably."

Taiyang was reminded of his daughter with only one arm, still sitting in her room upstairs. He knew it was selfish but he decided to ask anyway. "Yang, would you do me a favor?"

'Sure what?"

'I'll talk to Ruby, but in return would you talk to yourself?" yang looked at him strangely. 'I mean my daughter. She's not in a great place right now and maybe you could help."

Yang smiled, her eyes were red, but she clearly was happy to help. 'Sure, Where is this little blonde bombshell?"

Ruby walked along the beach of patch, ignoring the strange stares. It seemed that most of the people on the island were called Hunters, they had a similar job to the Guardians, killing Grimm. She saw a family, a father a mother and a young child. She stopped and stared. The child was smiling with a grin larger than any she had ever seen. The two parents were smiling as well, clearly enjoying the time with their child.

She didn't notice she was crying until a tear dripped down her face. She rubbed her eyes. Why was she crying? She had no reason to. She hadn't lost a friend today, or a battle. She hadn't made a mistake that got people killed. She heard footsteps behind her. She turned her attention towards the approaching figure.

"Mr. Xiao Long." Ruby said politely. Taiyang had his hands in his pockets and was slowly walking towards her. His face was passive, except for a mild grin. "Somebody isn't the Ice queen they act like." He said, deciding to solve the problem with a verbal equivalent of brute force. Hey, it worked in fights and it worked with summer (he used to have bruises to prove it), why not Ruby?

"A leader must be dispassionate at all times. That way they can make objective decisions leading to better outcomes and the achievement of objectives."

"If that's your excuse, my daughter is a thousand times the leader you are."

"And so?" Ruby asked a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"What did you do when Weiss vanished?" Taiyang asked bringing out the big guns. "Did you look for her because she was your subordinate?"

"Weiss was my friend, my failings as a leader let her down."

"Bullshit. I herd the summary from Yang." Tai retorted. It felt strange calling these two by his daughters' names. They looked exactly like them, but experience and maturity wise, they were miles apart.

"I let her head off alone. I waited rather than acted when she didn't respond to the first call. Fifteen minutes I waited. One minute makes the difference between life and death. It was a foolish mistake."

"Did you know exactly where she was? What if she was already dead? There was nothing you could have done."

"That's not a excuse. I should have acted."

"And then Blake got infected or something, that your fault too?"

"I didn't take adequate precautions."

"No wonder you're so dispassionate. If you let yourself feel anything you'd break." Taiyang said with a hint of disgust.

"Huh?"

"You're weak. You shut yourself off to so you wouldn't have to deal with the pain. Let me tell you, You're doing it wrong. All you're doing is hurting the people around you."

'I'm protecting them."

'From who?" Taiyang asked a deep rage boiling inside him.

"Those who would hurt them."

"And what does Summer think about that?"

"What the head commander thinks is none of my concern."

At that Taiyang's will to not beat the crap out of her broke, He launched himself at Ruby, who nimbly sidestepped the attack. She drew her weapon. Looks like he would actually use Brute force. Well he was sort of trying to make a little girl cry, not exactly the most heroic thing but hey, whatever works.

"What Summer thinks is none of your concern? Damn how deep did you bury Ruby inside your delusion? You aren't a leader; you aren't saving anyone. If anything, You are causing your sister more pain. Weiss would roll over in her grave id she saw you now. She'd be disgusted with you!" Taiyang shouted. Ruby swung her scythe the blade arcing down on Taiyang's neck. He barely dodged.

"Damn! Your fast." He said prepping himself for a nasty fight. Ruby stood there unguarded, unbridled hatred in her eyes.

'Take it back and I might let you live." She threatened.

"Sorry, no can do. I'm not a liar." Taiyang said with a smirk, praying he knew what he was getting into. Yang, or er god Yang Divine Yang I'll come up with something later. Anyway, I hope you know what your doing, because I sure as hell don't.


So this wasn't supposed to be this weeks chapter, but i decided that the chapter revealed a little too much a little too soon (plus it needed a lot of work) So you got this instead.

Tell me what you think, good, bad, downright horrible, next great american fanfiction? Seriously, I need improvement and any advice would be appreciated.

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