Revised on: April 25, 2018
Water. Earth. Fire. Air.
Long ago, the four nations coexisted in harmony. Together, they stood against the forces of Grimm, creatures of nightmare hailing from another world.
Only the Avatar could master all four elements. Only he could banish the Grimm. But when the world needed him most… he vanished.
Remnant learned to truly fear the Grimm. And just as it seemed like things couldn't get any worse… The Fire Nation attacked.
Fifteen years have passed since chaos descended upon Remnant, but now a new Avatar awakens: my daughter, a young airbender named Ruby. And although her airbending skills are great, she still has a lot to learn before she's able to save anyone.
But I believe that Ruby can save the world.
Book One: Water
Chapter Twelve: The Grimm Lady
Yang woke up to faint whispering and the distant crackling of fire. She was lying down on layers of soft fabric in the ground, and as her eyes wandered upwards, she found the ceiling of a huge orange tent.
Under normal circumstances, she would have been freaking out, not knowing where she was and how she had gotten there, but instead she felt so… relaxed. She hadn't even thought about it before, but suddenly she realized she had been on the road for weeks now, without ever getting any actual rest.
She felt renewed, so much so that she couldn't help but smile. With a soft humph, Yang jumped to her feet, then began to stretch her arms above her head. Her clothes had been changed, from her worn Fire Nation uniform to a gray and white one. There was a little emblem engraved in it, though she couldn't quite figure out what it was from her point of view.
Carefully, she walked to the tent's entrance and parted it with her hands. She was immediately greeted by the sight of a trio of men sitting on logs around a bonfire, surrounded by a thick forest. It was night, and the stars and the moon were hiding behind cloudy skies.
One of the men was her uncle Qrow, downing a chug of some alcoholic beverage down his throat. All at once, her mind caught up to the events that had led her to… whatever this place was. And she was all the more confused for it.
"Hey, look who's up!" Qrow lifted his mug welcomingly. "Thought you were never gonna wake up."
"How long was I out?" She sat beside him, frowning worriedly.
He shrugged. "Only two days."
"Two days?!"
"And a half."
The other men laughed, then nodded knowingly to each other and got up. Before they left, Yang caught a glimpse of their attire, realizing it was the same design as her own. This time, she could easily identify the engraving as a circle made of white petals.
"Who are those?" she asked in a low voice.
"Associates of mine. Or should I say… underlings…" Qrow smirked. "Whatever the case, they're friends. You can trust them."
"Alright. If you say so," Yang looked at him, her eyes wavering slightly. "It's been so long. Where have you been, uncle?"
"Ah," he leaned back and laid his mug down on the dirt. "So nobody's told you. I'm not surprised. Taiyang always was a softie, obviously he couldn't stomach doing it. And my sister… Well, she has her pride," Qrow spread his arms and bowed his head. "I'm a deserter and a rebel. Got out of the army a few years ago; now I'm fighting against it, for the good of the people and all that."
Yang stared at him for a long time, trying to discern if he was being serious. He had always been the jokester in the family, after all. But… there was conviction in his eyes as he waited for her reaction, and the uniform he wore… it wasn't Fire Nation, not even close. Maybe she was remembering him wrong – she was just a kid the last time she had seen him.
"Why?" she asked, resisting the urge to get up and walk off into the forest.
"Yang. You cannot pretend to not have seen what is going on here. What our nation is doing. Homes burned, children left parentless, Grimm running wild after all the destruction…" Qrow snorted with derision. "All in the name of protection, of the greater good. But I know better," he leaned closer to her, staring right into her eyes. "You do too, you just can't admit it. Not yet, anyway."
Yang looked away, not knowing how to feel anymore. She had been dealing with so much for the past months, collecting more and more doubt each day that passed, and all that seemed to be pouring down on her all at once, like a dam broken loose.
How was she supposed to know who was right? Her mother, who had been nothing but distant towards her all her life? Her father, who, for all his kindness and support, still seemed to be hiding so much from her? Or her uncle, who now turned out to be a traitor to the nation?
"Hey, kid. Don't have a breakdown on me, alright?" Qrow punched her lightly in the shoulder. "I ain't gonna tell your mother anything. Hell, if she somehow learns we crossed paths, I'll let word slip that you tried to tear my head off or something. That ought to make her proud."
"Sure," Yang said hesitantly. "Thanks, I guess."
"Anyway," his expression turned serious once more. "You're a crazy little imp, you know that? Running around at night like that, alone, just waiting to come across either a horde of Grimm or an Earth Kingdom Patrol… And the Avatar is still days away."
She turned to look at him, perplexed. Just how many surprises was he hiding in that smug attitude of his?
"Don't look at me like that. Intelligence was always my expertise, you know that. I've had an eye on you ever since you landed a foot in the Earth Kingdom," Qrow said. "So, yeah, I know you're trying to catch the Avatar. What are you planning to do with her if you succeed, anyway?"
"Take her back home so she can stand trial for her crimes," Yang replied readily.
"Ah. Of course. Well, maybe I can help you with that," Qrow got up. "But first, you gotta help me with something."
Yang pursed her lips. "Does it in any way involve fighting the Fire Nation?"
He rolled his eyes, then nodded anyway.
"…Fine," she sighed. "What are we doing?"
"First things first," Qrow looked around the camp, "You're gonna need a disguise."
Roman Torchwick hummed happily under his breath as he walked the hallways of his newly-conquered fortress. Two days ago, it had been the base of a small troop of Earth Kingdom soldiers, but these had been disposed of rather handily by his men – ignoring a loss or two.
By all rights, he had done a tremendous service for his nation, and he would rejoice in glory and rewards once the Fire Lord got word of it. But that was not why he was happy. No, no, all of that was just a bonus.
Because hidden in the deepest room of the fortress, immobilized by unbendable steel chains, was the Avatar herself. His investment on that bounty hunter, Neopolitan, had more than paid off, though he suspected he could have done the job on his own. That pest of a redhead had been begging to be kidnapped, wandering around alone like she had been.
Oh, yes. After this, he would have enough money to live a lavish lifetime three times over. But first… he had to gloat.
He arrived at the door of the Avatar's prison and inserted the key. The lock opened with a satisfying click. Then, Roman brought up his usual smile and strut inside the room, making sure to hold his hand high with the keys dangling from his fingers.
"Well, well, well, Red," he said loudly, his voice echoing in the mostly empty chamber. "Seems like someone got a little careless."
Ruby's head snapped up, her chains rattling from the sudden movement. She reached forward with her whole body, but was launched back immediately. "You jerk! Let me go!"
"Why don't you let yourself go?" Roman chuckled. "Oh, sorry, I forgot. There's no water around here for you to use… And I doubt your silly air tricks can cut through steel."
"Oh, yeah? Bet on it!" Ruby's eyes narrowed, and she took a deep breath, her cheeks puffing up with air.
Roman watched her amusedly, waiting for her to try and prove him wrong, but he was surprised when she released the air like a miniature tornado. Too slow to react, he was struck and knocked against the wall.
He groaned and stumbled forward, rubbing his head. "So that's how it is, then?" He exhaled angrily. "Fine. You can throw as many tantrums as you want, Red, they won't free you from your chains. And the more you hurt me, the more I'll want to hurt you before taking you to the Fire Lord."
"You wouldn't do that," Ruby muttered. "You're not that much of a jerk."
Roman laughed lightly. "Oh, Red. Still so naïve," he tilted his head, staring at her mockingly. "Remember the first time we fought? I told you then I only wanted to capture you for the prize and privilege that came with it, but now… Now I'm actually enjoying this just for the sake of it. I could have you in chains here for the rest of my life and never grow bored of it."
Ruby stared at him in shock. In response, he just curtsied and backed away, reaching for the doorknob behind him.
"The world's a cruel place, Avatar," he said. "The sooner you learn to deal with that fact, the stronger you'll become. Take the advice from someone with experience."
He tipped his hat, then exited the room. He shut the door and smiled, still hearing the sound of jiggling chains at the other side of it.
"Jaune!"
Weiss gritted her teeth in annoyance as she shook her companion by the shoulders. His head rolled right and left uselessly, and he refused to talk back to her. He had been like this for almost two days now. The area around his eyes was grayish, his lips were visibly dry, and the only movement he made was an occasional spasm.
"You're such a… a…" Weiss rubbed her forehead. She couldn't even think straight anymore. "I told you not to go out in the rain. But you refused to listen. You always do."
She looked around the cave, her desperation sinking in even deeper.
Ruby was gone. There wasn't a trace of her anywhere. It was as if she had just vanished, plucked out of existence.
Except Weiss still remembered her. The only thing stopping her from leaving the cave to search for her was Jaune. She couldn't abandon him, weak as he was, even if he wasn't as important as the Avatar. It was her fault he was going through this. She had brought him along on a journey he had no business embarking on.
And, besides…
"You dork…"
She laid down beside him and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face against his shoulder. The fabric of his shirt was wet, and she thought maybe it was because of the rain or his sickness, but she knew better. The time of lying to herself was way past her, left behind on the shores of a lake beside a lonely road.
"Please don't leave me, Jaune."
Yang jumped off her ostrich-horse, her feet touching soft grass. The soil was not quite as wet as it had been before, but it was still easy to tell it had rained heavily before. The smell in the air was also a telltale sign of it. She wondered if another storm would be coming soon.
She turned and patted the ostrich's head. It lowered its body and let out a happy noise at her touch.
"You were always good with animals." Qrow said, a few meters in front of her.
"Yeah," she smiled, looking at him. "Who taught me how to ride, again?"
"Flatterer," he snorted. "Come here. We'll leave the ostriches where they are; they're smart, and trained not to wander far."
Yang gave her ride one last pat, then joined her uncle at his side. They were under the shade of trees, probably hidden from the sight of anyone who didn't bother to stare too hard in their direction. Just below them, after the steep descend of a hill, was a mighty-looking fortress, shining in the night with the light of dozens of torches. Fire Nation guards walked on top of the outer walls, watching carefully for trespassers and enemy forces.
"Since when do we have a fortress so close to Atlas?" Yang asked in surprise.
Qrow crossed his arms and gave her a firm stare. "We don't have anything."
"You know what I mean." She groaned in annoyance.
"Yeah, yeah. To answer your poorly-thought out question," he gestured at the fortress. "General Roman Torchwick recently overwhelmed the Earth Kingdom's forces that were stationed here. This fortress is very important. It's just a little ways northwest of Atlas, in a position that allows anyone inside it to intercept the road that goes into the city. That means that, potentially speaking, Roman could cut off half of the trade routes in the Earth Kingdom, effectively destroying its economy and winning the war for the Fire Nation."
"So…" Yang raised an eyebrow at him. "We're going to kick his butt and retake the fortress?"
"Not yet. Well, I mean, we are going to kick his butt," Qrow smiled. "But we don't have the power to retake the fortress; we're only two people. The main objective is to get inside the fortress and free the prisoners they've taken."
"Alright," Yang nodded. "I suppose of all the traitorous missions you could have forced me on, this one is pretty mild."
"I didn't force you to do anything. You agreed to this," he pointed a finger at her nose. "Besides, this is the kind of thing that builds character. You'll be thanking me in a few years."
Yang rolled her eyes, thinking that couldn't be farther from the truth, but she wasn't in the mood to argue.
Qrow went back to his ostrich and opened its saddlebags. "Here's your disguise."
He tossed a mask at her, and Yang caught it midair. She took a look at it, feeling a little creeped out. It was black and red, with a mane of feathers attached to it, which should extend well below her shoulders. The mask of a Grimm.
"And… here," Qrow tossed something else at her. "You'll need this."
She almost dropped the mask in her haste to catch the other object. Yang looked at it dubiously.
"You still know how to wield a sword, right?" Qrow asked.
"Yeah, you taught me that too," she said doubtfully. "But I don't need this. I usually fight using my fists and my firebending. Or a lance, if it's really necessary."
"Sorry, I don't carry lances everywhere I go. It's a soldier's weapon, not a spy's," he shook his head. "And, yes, you'll need that sword, for the same reason you need the mask. Unless you want to join me fulltime, of course."
"Surely you have firebenders in your… uh, rebel forces? The mask will be enough to hide who I am."
"Your mother would know," Qrow said, with a tone that clearly marked the end of the discussion. "Now, listen. You'll follow my every order. You won't hesitate. You won't argue. And, even if you don't believe they're in the wrong, you are going to treat those men down there like they are your enemies. Got it?"
Yang stared at him in silence. This was her last chance to walk away. She wasn't turning into a rebel, and she definitely wasn't betraying her nation… but, once everything was done, there would be no going back. She couldn't treat this mission as if it meant nothing.
"Well?" Qrow's eyes narrowed. "The ostrich is right there. It's yours now. Your father is on your ship, waiting in the eastern coastline near-"
"I got it," she interrupted. "Lead the way."
Once again, Roman found himself humming in happiness. After his brief conversation with the Avatar and checking if his head wasn't injured, he was somehow even happier than before. Perhaps it came from the knowledge that now the girl's head was probably swimming with thoughts of hopelessness and despair. He was just the type of guy who enjoyed the simple things in life.
As he walked atop the outer walls, admiring the fortress of his own conquer, a soft sound drew his attention – someone clearing their throat behind him. He turned around and was faced with Neopolitan. Well, not faced, really, because she easily stood two heads shorter than him.
She opened her hand and shook it near his chin.
"What?" Roman asked confusedly.
She groaned in annoyance and gestured at her belt, more specifically at her coin pouch.
"Ah. I already paid you, didn't I?"
Neo shook her head, then brought her fingers together and moved her hand up and down in a straight line, as if she were cutting something.
"Only half? But I thought…" Roman hit himself on his forehead. "I charged Perry with handling your payment, didn't I?"
Neo rolled her eyes, as if she couldn't believe he would do something so foolish. Roman walked to the edge of the wall and laid his hands on the railings.
"Perry!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. "There are three things I detest in this world! Pesky redheads! You! And when people don't get paid what they're due! If you don't show your face right here, right now, I'm gonna make sure by the end of the night there are only two things I detest in this world!"
He turned to look at Neo, who just nodded repeatedly in admiration.
"Heh," Roman chuckled. "I like you, Neo. You're my kind of bounty hunter gal. Maybe we should consider a permanent arrangement?"
Before Neo could mimic a response, an odd noise above their heads drew her attention. She narrowed her eyes and took a step back, her eyes fixed on the ceiling… Suddenly, she jumped to the side, off the wall, and grabbed the edges of the ceiling. Using her momentum, she vaulted upwards, extending her legs out in a double kick.
A woman screamed, then someone fell past the wall, landing on their back on the ground of the fortress. Roman looked down at them, perplexed, but he was suddenly pulled back.
"Hey," a man said in his ear. "Don't believe we've met. But word of me gets around."
Roman spun, his cane flying towards the caped man's head… but he ducked under it and jumped back, out of reach.
"The Fire Lord's traitor brother," Roman said. "What are you doing here? Trying to steal my fortress? Who's your friend?"
"Good thing you're a general, because you're a sucky interrogator," Qrow smiled. He reached behind his back and retrieved his scythe. "Relax, pal, I'm not here to take your fortress. I've something bigger in mind."
Roman's eyes widened. "Neo! Get to the prisoner's chamber! Don't let anyone in!"
She appeared, looking at him upside down from above the ceiling. She shook a hand at him, then formed a round shape with her fingers.
"You'll get double your previous payment!" Roman screamed.
Neo smiled and dropped down gracefully. Roman turned back to look at Qrow and tossed his cane away. Flames burst to life on his hands.
"You never answered my other question."
"About my friend?" Qrow leaned forward, his eyes sparking menacingly. "She's none of your business."
Yang rolled on the floor, pushing the front door of the fortress open with the weight of her body. She jumped to her feet and, in the same motion, drew the sword from her hip and turned around to face the soldiers that chased her.
"Back off!" she shouted throatily, trying to mask her voice. It was unlikely any of the soldiers would recognize it, but she preferred not to take that risk. "I don't want to hurt you!"
One of the soldiers leaped towards her and threw his spear, but she simply ducked under it, then kicked him in the knee while he landed. The man screamed in pain and fell face-first on the ground.
Another came just after, running like his life depended on it. He opened his mouth and jumped, his face contorted heavily, as if he weren't very accustomed to physical exertion. "Perry Strike!"
Yang thought fast and closed the door before he could cross its threshold. The soldier smashed against it and blacked out immediately. "Sorry, Perry!" she screamed, forgetting herself for a moment, then turned and ran.
This hadn't been part of the plan. Well, not the first plan. Or the second or the third. Qrow had said that, if things turned sour quick, she was supposed to go inside the fortress and search for the prisoners while he distracted Torchwick and his men. The problem was, she had no idea where the prisoners were being kept. How was she supposed to find them?!
As she turned a corner, she almost clashed against a running pair of soldiers that must have heard the commotion outside. After a moment of hesitation, she hit one of them in the forehead with the pommel of her sword, then kicked the other one in the stomach, knocking him out too.
"Sorry," she muttered, then pressed her back against a wall. "Okay, Yang. Think. What would Qrow do… What would Dad do…" She closed her eyes. "The prisoners must be either high up, or far down…"
The fortress did not seem that big from the outside, at least vertically. So that meant that Torchwick probably wouldn't have put the prisoners on the highest floors. So that left the lower levels as the only remaining option.
She took off running, her heart beating fast inside her chest. The hallways of the fortress were undistinguishable from one another, but she kept her eyes on the wall to her left, to prevent herself from going in circles.
Soldiers crossed her path every once in a while, but she dealt with them easily, doing her best not to hurt them too much. She considered dropping her sword and using her fists instead, but Qrow had a point. The regular soldier wouldn't know, even Torchwick wouldn't, but her mother knew everything about her. She would figure out her identity if given even the slightest of clues.
Finally, she arrived at a different hallway. It was barely lit, and it had only one exit: a single metal door. Yang sheathed her sword and marched towards it. Either she had found her destination, or someone was about to be woken up very rudely… and probably punched afterwards. Casualties of war.
She turned the doorknob, but the door didn't open. "Yep, probably the prisoners," Yang smiled. "Unless sleepyhead's scared of nighttime intruders… which would be fair."
She took a deep breath and drew her right arm back. Fire enveloped her hand. Then, she punched the door. Upon impact, a small explosion occurred, and the door went flying off its hinges with a deafening screech. Yang winced and shook her hand, thinking there had probably been a better way of getting inside.
"Oh, hey! Uh, you're here to help, right?"
Yang looked up in shock. Chained in the middle of the room was none other than the Avatar. The blonde faltered for a moment, the world spinning around her.
"Are you okay?" Ruby asked worriedly. "You did just punch a metal door open…"
Yang opened her mouth, but cut herself short, realizing the Avatar would easily recognize her voice. "…Why are you here?" she fired back in a low tone of voice, hoping it would be enough to hide her identity.
"Monkey-feathers," Ruby huffed. "You're not here to rescue me, are you?"
"No, I'm not," Yang's eyes narrowed, an idea taking form in her head. "But maybe-"
Footsteps sounded behind her, and she spun around to face its owner. A girl with pink and brown hair – Neopolitan. Qrow had told Yang about her. Famous bounty hunter who never spoke a word, but nobody knew if it was because she was mute of she just didn't feel like speaking.
"That's the jerk that captured me!" Ruby yelled.
"Thanks for the information," Yang muttered, then drew her sword. "What do you want, you…" Neo stopped before her, and only then did she notice how short she was. "Uh… You're pretty small."
Neo smiled mischievously. The next thing Yang knew, she was on the floor, her legs hurting from a kick she hadn't even seen coming. Neo looked down at her, still smiling, while slowly raising a blade in her left hand.
"Aaalright!" Yang shouted, backing away. "We got off on the wrong foot! Let's try again! My name is… Uh… I'm the Grimm Lady!"
"Seriously? Grimm Lady:" Ruby asked. "I mean, that's kinda cool, but also kinda insensitive when you think about it."
"It's not my real name-"
Neo dashed at her, swinging her sword. Yang yelped and jumped to her feet. She felt air rush to her face as the blade narrowly missed her nose.
"Last chance," she said. "We can work toge-"
A lone strand of blond hair hovered in front of her eyes.
"Forget that." Yang drew her sword and thrust at Neo, who simply stepped aside, letting the blade pass harmlessly.
Yang stumbled forward, her balance lost. But she was angry now, and she had a pretty clear target. She spun and swung with her sword in the same movement, trying to catch her foe off-guard. Once again, Neo dodged with ease, ducking beneath the attack. Her smile seemed to actually grow.
Yang grunted furiously and tried again with a vertical slash, but Neo glided off of reach with apparently no effort. The firebender pressed on, and on, and on, but Neo always dodged, never striking back. It was as if she was just playing, treating the fight like a silly game – while to Yang, it felt like her whole life hinged on its result.
Attacks started to blur together. Yang's vision turned red. Sweat poured down her forehead, tracing half-circles around her eyes. She had to summon every last drop of willpower in her not to start firebending. It would have been so easy. Just a few seconds without restraint, and Neo would go down, surely.
Just as Yang was about to give up and resort to that, an odd noise broke her off her trance. Chains rattling together… followed by a soft gasp. Yang turned her head lethargically, feeling as if she was immersed in a huge pool of water.
The Avatar's eyes bore into hers. Silver, like the moon. Yang had known their color ever since they met; it was one of the first things she asked about when trying to locate the redhead's whereabouts. But now, it felt like she was seeing them for the first time. There was… something different in them… A mixture of emotions Yang wasn't used to seeing from anyone other than her father and her uncle.
She was being cheered on, against all odds.
Without thinking, Yang threw her sword with all her strength, sending it flying in the Avatar's direction. Ruby yelped in fright, but the blade missed her entirely, instead slicing through the chains that bound her right arm.
Neo made a startled noise and started to run towards the redhead, but Yang tackled her, catching her off-guard. The bounty hunter went rolling on the ground, no technique or grace being enough to surmount the difference of weight between them.
Yang turned to look and was pleased to see Ruby had already picked up the sword and freed her other arm. Unfortunately, she seemed to be having difficulty regarding her legs.
"Let me," Yang took the sword and cut through the chains. "Go, go, go!"
She grabbed the Avatar by the wrist and ran, practically dragging her along.
"Wait! I don't have my staff!" Ruby screamed.
Yang turned a corner and slid to a halt as she almost clashed against a salvo of soldiers, all holding their lances, ready for battle. The blonde closed her eyes, expecting to be skewered like a pig… but a sound akin to a tornado made her look again. The soldiers were all on the floor, dazed or unconscious.
"What was that about your staff?" she asked.
"I can make do without it." Ruby grinned, then grabbed her by the wrist and took off running.
More soldiers tried to stop them on the way, but they fought them off together, Yang with her sword, and Ruby with her bending. Yang tried to remember the way back outside, but it was hopeless, so she let the Avatar lead with her instincts only.
That decision paid off, as they found their exit, Yang kicking the door open. Fresh air touched her face. Ruby jumped in triumph. Nearby, a dazed Perry rolled on the ground.
Their moment of victory was stopped abruptly as a group of soldiers surrounded them. Ten, fifteen, twenty – too many for them to count, much less fight on their own. Lances hovered in front of their faces, the moon reflecting on their shiny metal tips.
"Can you still make do?" Yang asked.
"Nope," Ruby replied immediately.
"Thought so," Yang nodded. "We're fine. Just wait a few seconds… One, two… A bit more…"
A shadow passed over their heads, and suddenly, the soldiers just in front of them fell in a heap on the ground. Qrow stood up slowly, not bothering to step lightly on the men and women beneath him, and apparently not worried about the remaining lances that were now pointed at him.
"That's not polite, you know?" he smiled, then kicked the nearest soldier to him, sending her tumbling back against her companions. "Ladies! Run!"
Yang and Ruby ran past him, heading towards the fortress gates. A massive set of double doors made of wood stood in their path.
"I got it!" Ruby shouted, looking at a nearby well from the corner of her eye. She slowed down and gestured with her arms, and a torrent of water rushed out of it, hitting the doors at high speed. For a moment, they held together, but then the wood broke into splinters, freeing their passage.
Qrow grabbed Ruby by her waist and lifted her. She tensed up, fearing she was being kidnapped again – but then she noticed the soldiers hot in pursuit right behind them. If Qrow hadn't done something, she would have been captured again.
"Where do we go?!" Yang shouted back at them.
"Just run!" Qrow replied. "Run like you've never ran before!"
And so they did, for almost half an hour. Eventually, they got to the top of a particularly tall hill, and when they looked down, the soldiers were slinking back the way they had come, their heads lowered in defeat and uniforms glistening with sweat.
Ruby sighed in relief and sat down on the grass. Her feet were sore, and her head was light, but she felt happy. Exhilarated. She had been kept prisoner for just a few days, but it felt like she had been without fresh air for months.
"Thanks so much, guys," she said, laying on her back. "Seriously. I don't know how I'll ever repay you."
She waited for a response, but instead, there was only silence. Intrigued, she raised her head. Qrow was standing with his back turned to her, while the woman – the Grimm Lady, as she called herself – glared at him through the holes in her mask.
"There were no prisoners from the Earth Kingdom, right? You knew she was there. You tricked me into rescuing her… Didn't you?!"
Qrow turned around, a smile gracing his lips. "If that's how you wanna put it," he said. "Trick is such an ugly word, though. It carries a bad message. And I don't see what I did as anything but good for you."
"Good for me?" the Grimm Lady repeated, her fists shaking at her sides. "I can't believe I trusted you – right after you told me you betrayed our family! You said you're some kind of spy, right? So you know exactly what I've been doing for months, and you manipulated me into – into…"
"Into a situation where you were forced to face reality. Not your mother's reality; not the Fire Nation's. Reality as it is, clear and simple," he walked closer to her. "So tell me… Can you honestly look at that girl over there – the girl who just helped you escape capture, dishonor, if not death, without as much as knowing who you are – and say with a straight face that she is guilty of anything?"
The Grimm Lady looked down. For almost a minute, there was silence. Then, she removed her mask, letting blond locks fall free around her shoulders.
"You don't get to lecture me."
Yang turned and marched towards Ruby, who was so astonished by the revelation, she did not even react. The princess closed a hand around her arm and lifted her up, then started to drag her away…
And then, the two girls were on the ground again, Ruby sitting in utter confusion, while Yang recovered from a blow to the head.
The blonde turned around and looked up at Qrow, who stood before her with disappointment in his eyes.
"Uncle?" Yang muttered.
"You don't get to uncle me. Not anymore. We're not back home, and you're not a little girl," he leaned down to look her in the eyes. "As long as we're standing on foreign soil, you don't get to cry. You don't get to whine. Because we all have problems we've gotta solve, and we all have a lot of blame to carry around," Qrow smiled again, and this time, there was no humor in it. "So I'm not gonna coddle you while you deal with your mommy issues. Trust me, I have way bigger concerns on my list."
Qrow walked away from her and offered a hand to Ruby. She looked up and hesitantly took it.
"Sorry you had to hear that. My family's a mess," he chuckled, casting a glance between the girls – as if there was another joke they were missing. "Just one more minute, and I'll take you back to your friends."
He turned his head to look over his shoulder, back at Yang, who was sitting in silence, tears brimming in her eyes. "A little advice, kiddo. Start listening to your father. Real closely, you know?" He shook his head. "I'm not the guy's biggest fan, but makes a few good points. It's past time you stopped dismissing them."
Yang got up and, for a few seconds, stood still. Then she walked away, not saying another word.
"That was cheerful," Qrow looked back at Ruby. "I hope you don't think I'm a big meanie. Or a Fire Nation bad guy… I guess the latter would be more worrying!"
"Uh… You saved me, and stopped her from capturing me again," Ruby said. "So I guess I trust you. You're… Qrow, right?"
"That's it, kiddo. Qrow Branwen. Spy, scout, grand strategist, badass with a scythe, and defender of the defenseless!" He curtsied. "You're also at least two of these things, as far as I know."
"Yep," she smiled. "And my name's Ruby. I'm the Avatar!"
"Oh, I know," he ruffled her hair playfully. "I've known for quite some time."
The sun rose for the fourth time since Ruby's disappearance, and she still hadn't returned. Jaune's sickness was worsening; Weiss had to get really close to hear him breathing, and what she heard did not comfort her in any way whatsoever.
She couldn't leave his side.
She couldn't afford not to look for Ruby.
It felt like she was being torn in half, and that was taking a toll on her sanity. Every little sound had her jumping to her feet, expecting to see Ruby standing at the mouth of the cavern, but it was never her – maybe a stray animal or a rock that had fallen from the ceiling.
Next time, she thought, there will be a Grimm waiting for her there.
So when she heard footsteps and the grass rustling outside, Weiss did not look up. She just kept her eyes focused on Jaune and her back turned to the entrance of the cavern. If she was going to go out, she preferred to do it quietly.
"Weiss!"
A pair of arms wrapped around her neck, and she felt warm skin rubbing against her own cheek.
"R-Ruby?" She jumped to her feet and turned around, and there was the dolt, with that silly smile and cheerful eyes of hers. "Where were you? I was so worried!"
"I was kidnapped by Torchwick, but I'm fine now!" Ruby replied, somehow managing to sound happy despite the terrible news. "Mister Qrow saved me!"
She pointed to the entrance of the cave, where a caped man stood. He waved at Weiss, then walked closer.
"Your friend looks like hell," he nodded towards Jaune. "Caught a cold or something?"
"I think so? I… don't have much experience with that," Weiss frowned. "He's been out for days…"
"Don't worry. I can tell it's not anything really serious," Qrow assured. "But he's lucky I'm here now. I always carry some spare medicine with me. You never know when you're gonna come across someone who needs it – especially with everything that's going on around these parts…"
He fiddled with his belt for a moment, then retrieved a small pouch and from it removed a pile of green herbs.
"Here. Ruby, make sure he chews and swallows these properly," Qrow said, then set his eyes on Weiss again. "As for you, princess… Get some proper sleep. You look almost as bad as Blondie Boy over there."
Weiss was so glad to hear his suggestion, she did not even fully register that he somehow knew she was a princess. She lied down on the ground and fell asleep immediately.
"Thanks, Qrow," Ruby kneeled beside Jaune and opened his mouth. "I don't know what I would have done without you."
"Give yourself some credit, kid," he said. "You would have figured something out. Now, if you'll excuse me…" He sat down and leaned back against a wall. "Even a master spy needs his beauty sleep. Wake me up if the sky starts falling."
Ruby grinned. Despite all the hardship she had gone through recently, she had never felt safer than now.
Neo stretched her arms above her head. She leaned to the left, then to the right, feeling her muscles loosen up. She laid her hand on the pommel of her knife. Finally, she opened the door to Roman's quarters and stepped inside.
"Neo!" The general turned in his chair to face her. "Good thing you showed up. Perry give you any trouble?"
Neo shook her head slowly. Last she heard, Perry was still recovering from the Grimm Lady's attack.
"Good, good. So, about that permanent arrangement I had mentioned before?" Roman smiled. "Well, I already have a very specific job in mind for you. Mind you, I will pay five times your original demand. Interested?"
For a moment, she hesitated, wondering if this was some sort of joke or trick. But five times? Well, that was worth a little risk in her book!
"Alright! Here's your contract!" Roman offered her a piece of paper. "You're gonna find that Grimm Lady… And you're gonna deliver her right back to my door, dead or alive."
Neo stared at the contract in disbelief, then ripped it from his hands. A vicious smile took form on her lips.
Forget the money. This was going to be fun.
And so was born the truest friendship in the world.
Fun fact: until a couple chapters ago, I was actually planning on Qrow being a firebender. He was supposed to have a similar role to Jong-Jong and teach Ruby some firebending. But my plans have changed... I have something in mind that should be even more exciting than that! But you'll have to wait a while. And by a while I mean an entire book worth of chapters. Mwahahaha!
Despite that change, Qrow is practically still the same as I intended before. He introduces a very important element of the world to the story, something which the Avatar-studied surely caught... And, oh boy, am I excited to write about that!
-Zeroan
