AN: Thanks again everyone for the many reviews and also for the many, many Faunus!Ruby suggestions! Nothing else to say other than: Enjoy!
Masane: You seriously made a bet on my update time? That's hilarious. Glad I could make you win. As for Rina: you'll have to wait and see. And Neo? She's too cool to not be in this story.
Star's Keyblade4114: It is hard for Yang, though, isn't it? First she had to live for years in guilt over being the reason for her sister's possible gruesome death, then she's back all healthy, then she's nothing like Yang hoped for he to be and on top of all that she's having more and more questions and no answers. But you are right, the way she is going about this thing is definitely not the best way.
JackTheSpades: Oh, yeah, was kind of obvious in the end what you meant, but don't you worry, I do have plans for that moment. And yes, post-Breach will be different. Remember when you were worried about this turning into more of a canon retelling with just a few differences here and there? I hope those worries are put to rest now :P And yeah, Rina will have a role, she's not just shadow-people-ish. Things will happen with her.
Also, yes, wolf Ruby is really the go-to faunus type when you want it to just work but there are sooo many of those. Don't worry though, I doubt I will go super exotic when that time comes, even when I gave myself a giggle imagining a chameleon Ruby with chameleon eyes moving each eye independently and freaking people out.
Ruby held Thorn at her side, nothing about her betraying the myriad of emotions rolling through her. They had a year together, a single year, and that single year when Ruby had to adjust to so many changes, to so many new things inserted into her life and so many old things removed, she was there. When Raven didn't tutor her, she was there. When other kids picked on the new girl, she was there. When she felt lost and alone in that entirely new environment, she was there.
And then she was gone, as was a good chunk of the tribe's money and food.
Only killing her own kin or another member of the tribe would have been considered a worse crime.
At first, Ruby didn't really understand just how bad Neo's actions against the tribe were. All she knew was that, aside from Raven, the first of the tribe to openly care for and look after her left her. Without a message, without a goodbye. It hurt and the feeling of loneliness she felt at first after telling Raven she wanted to stay and to be strong like my mommy returned with a vehemence that was unexpected.
After not being able to see her big sister she thought she had gained another, even bigger sister. But then she was gone.
And, once she started to fully grasp the idea, the value, the rules and the loyalty of the tribe that took her in, all those feelings were amplified with the realization of the magnitude of Neo's betrayal.
Not only did she abandon the tribe without reason or cause, no; she stole from their hard earned loot.
And now, after almost nine years, there she was.
Ruby slowly aimed the blade of her katana at Neo's neck, lifting up the necklace with its tip. "I can't believe you kept this."
Neo remained unmoving, her face not betraying any emotions.
"I made one for you...one for Raven."
As soon as Ruby spoke out that name, Neo looked spooked, if only for the shortest moment.
Chuckling, Ruby withdrew her weapon before sheathing it. "You have every reason to be scared of Raven. She was furious. Not once since you left has she been that angry again." Putting a hand on her weapon's grip, Ruby locked her gaze once again with Neo's. "Before we begin, I want to know why you did it. Why did you run away? Why did you steal from the tribe? Why did you leave me?"
Neo gave Ruby a sad look before shaking her head slowly. Reaching into her pants' back pocket, she pulled out her scroll and quickly typed something. She then tossed it to Ruby, who caught it before reading the message.
'I had my reasons but they don't matter anymore. What's done is done but I never meant to hurt you, Ruby.'
"Fair enough," Ruby shrugged and tossed the scroll back. "But for the record, getting my foot almost bitten off by some Vacuan Grimm did not hurt nearly as much as you abandoning the tribe and me did."
Neo just gave Ruby a confused look before shrugging and resting her parasol on her shoulder and smirking at Ruby.
Ruby gave a low chuckle. "I'll show you what I've learned, alright."
In the blink of an eye Ruby charged at Neo, drawing her katana and slashing at Neo in one sharp move. Her attack was blocked by the parasol, the force of it making the heeled girl skid back a few inches. Smirking at Neo's surprised look, Ruby resumed her offense, alternating between slashes and thrusts. Neo, however, was able to keep up with the younger girl's relentless attacks as she was forced deeper and deeper into the train.
In the middle of another combination of attacks Ruby then activated the fire dust, causing Neo to feel the heat off Mist Thorn's blade as it barely missed her face.
A few strands of singed hair floated down to the ground as both girls took a quick breather. Neo pulled her scroll out again and tossed it to Ruby after typing her message.
'I'm impressed. Never thought that little runt from back then would ever be able to fight like this. You have yet to hit me, though.'
Ruby scoffed before tossing the phone back. "I got your hair. That counts as a hit."
Neo just shook her head and wagged a finger in denial.
"It does count!"
Her protest was cut short however, when she was forced to dodge the end of the parasol, out of which she saw the protruding tip of a sharp blade.
Neo, now the aggressor, used her parasol expertly and Ruby had to wonder when she decided for such a weapon design. She didn't have it back at the tribe.
The elder of the fighters alternated between opening the parasol to block Ruby's vision and her attacks and close it to try and land jabs and misdirect Ruby's thrusts.
It was one of the most equal fights Ruby had to fight since she started training with Mist Thorn.
The noise of the battle going on outside drew closer as they kept moving from compartment to compartment.
Neither held back and neither used their semblance as this was a battle of pure skill and both fighters had such in abundance.
Ruby went for a horizontal slash and Neo dodged it with a low split before getting up with a swing of her legs, forcing Ruby into a jump or her legs would have been kicked away from under her. Neo, quickly back on her feet, then thrust her parasol at the still airborne Ruby, opening it mid-thrust. The force of the thrust pushed Ruby towards the wall behind her. Twisting her body around so she faced the wall, Ruby stretched out her legs and the moment her boots touched metal she walked up the wall before pushing herself off it and over the outstretched parasol, landing behind Neo with a flip.
With Neo's back towards her, Ruby activated her semblance, focusing it on her sword arm and, the movement not even visible, thrust at the elder girl.
What she did not expect, however, was the shattering of a physical illusion.
The clicking of heels on the metal floor made Ruby turn around with a sigh.
Smirking while typing away at her scroll, Neo tossed it once again at Ruby, who rolled her eyes at the message.
'Did you really think you are the only one who can play dirty? Please.'
"I've been wondering, Neo," Ruby began as they took another quick breather before tossing the scroll back to its owner, "what exactly is Torchwick getting out of working with a bunch of terrorists? He's your common criminal, so joining up with some political agenda makes no sense to me."
Neo didn't say anything for a while before her shoulders visibly sagged and she typed away again, this message taking the longest so far. Once finished, the scroll found itself in the air once more before being snatched out of it.
'We aren't working with the WF. We are just as forced into this 'partnership' as they are. There's a bigger player who promised us a lot of money- more than we could have ever made. We got greedy and now we can't get out. I'm worried about Roman and I'm not going to lie and pretend that we will live through this to spend a single lien of our promised cashout.'
"You know, if you really were promised so much...did you never wonder about the why? Were you never suspicious?" Ruby asked, tossing the scroll back.
Before Neo could type her answer, her scroll vibrated once and Ruby could see Torchwick's picture through the screen.
Closing the message and turning off the device, Neo put it back into her pocket before giving Ruby an apologetic look.
"You know I can't let you just leave like that," Ruby commented and dashed towards the mute girl with her semblance, slashing with her katana but ending up hitting nothing but another illusion. Sighing in annoyance, Ruby just stood there for a few moments before sheathing Mist Thorn.
"I hate that semblance..."
The battle outside of the train seemed to be pretty much over too, with only a few skirmishes between a few White Fang and the group's Atlesian helpers happening and those were quickly over once the huntresses in training joined the soldiers and mechs.
Ruby made her way back to the main hall in a leisurely pace, leaving the glory of a hard fought and won battle to those that actually fought it. She had her own job, which she finished, and even ended up getting at least some answers on a personal matter. Of course, knowing the actual reason why Neo ran away would have been the best possible outcome but it was to be expected as Neo always was enigmatic and secretive.
If she was honest, Ruby knew hardly anything about her. She didn't know where Neo was from, she didn't know if Neo was mute from birth or if her mutism was the result of a traumatic experience, she didn't know if Neo had any blood relatives, she didn't know anything.
All there ever was between the short girl and her was the care she showed for her when she felt lost and alone, the first aside from Raven, and that was enough for her leaving to affect her so deeply.
"There you are!"
Ruby nodded at Dew as the blonde walked towards her, although with a very obvious limp. "I assume the battle went well?"
"We kicked some serious ass!" Dew grinned proudly before wincing and throwing am arm over Ruby to support herself. "Though my ankle hurts like a bitch..."
"What happened?" Ruby glanced sideways at her partner, allowing the blonde to use her like a crutch.
"One of the Fang hit my ankle with what turned out to be some fancy Atlesian prototype rifle or something. Those guys weren't really thrilled that we were right there to see the surprise on their faces once they saw just what kind of toys the Fang got to steal from Atlas' military without them realizing."
"I can only imagine," Ruby nodded.
"Where were you though?"
"I had my own fight after I disabled the train."
"Was it that heterochromia-chick?"
"Her name's not that complicated, Dew," Ruby rolled her eyes at her partner's forgetting a three-letter nickname but effortlessly remembering a lengthy word like heterochromia, "but yes, it was Neo."
"Did you win?"
"It was a draw," Ruby shrugged. She'd be lying if she said that fighting Neo like that wasn't the most fun she did have in a long time.
Dew looked surprised but didn't comment further as they had reached the rest of the group, all looking fine aside from the odd scrape and bruise.
"Miss Branwen! I hope you are alright?"
Ruby gave Oobleck a quick nod, confirming his hopes. "Don't worry, professor."
After also confirming her part of the job a success, the students and Oobleck were escorted outside by a couple mechs while the rest of the military personnel was waiting for word from Ironwood on how to proceed from there.
Ruby, though, was just glad that this mission was finally over.
Ruby was scowling. She was not happy at all. In fact, she was extremely unhappy.
Her team and team RWBY were being summoned by the wizard. She just wanted to go to relax. She wanted to shower, she wanted to sleep the day away and then, if she happened to be in the mood, she wanted to fuck.
What she did not want was to be squeezed in this elevator all sweaty, stinky and with an unpleasant taste in her mouth after not being able to brush her teeth, up on her way to the office of the very man her mother warned her about the most.
"I still do not see why this is necessary. All we did was-"
The quietest of team RWBY of all people was the one to finally crack, her amber eyes flashing in annoyance. "Can you please just stop and be happy that our effort has been recognized?"
"Tch." Crossing her arms over her chest, Ruby turned her body away from the group before the elevator finally stopped.
Oobleck stepped out first and was quickly followed by both teams.
"Professor," the man behind the desk greeted Oobleck. "It is good to see you all safe and sound."
"It certainly was more exciting than we first assumed, headmaster. But these young girls I was charged with will indeed ensure a bright future for our profession."
Team RWBY was beaming with pride as was NDGR...except for Ruby, who kept scowling and avoiding to look at the wizard and whoever else may or may not be with him.
"Indeed," Ozpin agreed with his teacher before eyeing both teams. "I wanted to thank both our own team RWBY and team NDGR of Shade Academy in person for the bravery you have shown today. Being a huntsman and huntress does not end with fighting the creatures of Grimm after all. While our profession does indeed specialize in fighting monsters, our goal above anything else is to protect the innocent and that is what you have done today. If what the White Fang had realized their plan and brought it to fruition the number of dead civilians would have been...dramatic. While they may never know it, do take pride in the fact that you have saved many, many lives today. In the name of the citizens of Vale I thank you for that."
Before the teams could mumble their own thanks, another voice spoke up, Ruby still avoiding to look at the direction of the wizard and his guests. "I would also want to formally thank you for discovering the White Fang's presence at Mountain Glenn and, as a direct result, for discovering our stolen Atlesian military equipment. Not only have you saved lives today but also prevented a massive political fiasco if the White Fang would have managed to attack Vale's inner city with Atlesian technology. So, in the name of Atlas and the Atlesian military in particular, I, General James Ironwood, would also like to thank you. You have done your peers proud today."
While Ruby refused to acknowledge any of the gushing praise they were showered with, the rest of the girls all mumbled shy thank you's, obviously proud but surprised.
Ruby couldn't blame them though. Both the wizard and the general did lay it on a bit thickly.
"That would be all, I believe," Ozpin spoke up again. "Go, take your well deserved rest. You have earned it."
Ruby barely suppressed a groan of relief.
Finally.
Late at night, at the Branwen tribe's chieftain's tent, a scroll was vibrating, waking up one sleeping Raven Branwen. With an annoyed huff, the chieftain picked up the scroll before rubbing her eyes and blinking several times, trying to clear her vision off of the sleepiness. She then looked at the scroll once more, reading its message, her eyebrows gradually disappearing under her bangs.
'I found Neopolitan. She's working with Torchwick, probably for at least a few years now. She seems to care for him. I fought her during a Beacon mission in Mountain Glenn and got some answers. She said she had reasons to do what she did, whatever that is supposed to mean. Did she see no other choice? Was she threatened? Forced? I'm not sure, mother, but I don't think she did it to actively spite the tribe. There seems to be more to it. Also, Torchwick and she are forcibly working with the WF. Neo said something about a big money offer- which they accepted out of greed- from some 'bigger player' that they can't get out of anymore. She is actually scared for Torchwick and doesn't think they will get out of it alive. I don't know what to think, mother. On one hand I want her to stew in her own decisions and mistakes, on the other I don't want her to get hurt.'
Raven sighed while running a hand through her thick locks, reading the message again.
"Why can't things be simple, just once?" Raven muttered as her finger hovered over the call button under Qrow Branwen's name.
AN: Now why would Raven consider such drastic measures, I wonder? Also, while Neo, Raven and Coco have similar or even the same necklaces I am 99% sure CRWBY just reused recourses there. Doesn't matter for fanfiction though.