Welcome to this week's chapter everyone. I don't really have much to say this week, so, on with the story.
Chapter 13
When Velvet, Blake and Yang get back to the camp, Velvet recalls what Yang had said earlier about the time she was learning to control her semblance. "Yang, I'm curious. You said the reason you caught on to Aura Sight so quickly was because it was almost exactly how you learned to control your semblance. Would you be willing to show me what you were talking about?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Yang moves around the camp and surrounding forest gathering dry leaves and twigs, forming a sort of mat upon which she sits. "You all know that when I activate my semblance, I, quite literally, catch fire, and if I'm not careful, I can set fire to my surroundings. Back when I was first learning about my semblance, I didn't have much control, and so, my father and uncle had to literally lock me in a metal room and couldn't really give me much in the way of comfortable surroundings because if I got upset, anything that was flammable would go up in flames. Even at the time, I knew it wasn't being done because they didn't want me around, it was for everyone's protection. If I'd lost my temper at home I could have burnt our house down, maybe even hurting Ruby more than I already had." Yang takes a shuddering breath and the others can see tears forming in her lavender eyes.
Blake is suddenly hunched down in front of Yang, looking into her eyes as she rests her hands on Yang's shoulders. "What did you mean by hurting Ruby more than you already had?"
The tears have now started leaking from Yang's eyes as she says, "When Ruby and I were younger, we used to play together all the time, but as I got older, I got more emotional. One day, when I was about twelve, this was after my aura became unlocked but before my semblance manifested, Ruby and I were out playing in my uncle's back yard. I forget what we were playing, tag most likely, and Ruby was always quick on her feet, even before her semblance, so I was having a tough time catching her. Finally I got close enough and tackled her, but as we went down Ruby hit me in the temple with her elbow. She was probably just trying to wiggle free and hit me by accident, and it probably hurt her elbow almost as much as my head, but I got angry and that's when my semblance manifested for the first time. Suddenly Ruby is screaming and crying in pain and I don't know what's going on. I thought she got hurt when I tackled her, but when I get off her I realize her clothes are smoldering and I'm literally covered in flames. To say I was scared is an understatement, I called for my dad and uncle and I tried to do that Stop! Drop! And Roll thing, but all I ended up doing was catching some of the grass on fire and the flames on me wouldn't go out."
Yang takes a shuddering breath and continues. "The next thing I know, I'm waking up in a hospital bed, and every inch of me is covered in some sort of jelly or something..."
5 years ago
Yang looks around after she realizes that she's covered in some sort of jelled substance and sees her Uncle Qrow standing next to the bed she's in. He's smiling at her, but she notices that his right hand is lightly bandaged. She goes to sit up, but her head starts pounding, and she utters a groan of pain as her hands reach towards her head.
"Easy there kiddo," her uncle murmurs. "Sorry about the headache, I kind of had to knock you unconscious. Oh, and by the way, congratulations on manifesting your semblance."
"M-my semblance? You mean when I burst into flames?" Yang asks nervously.
Qrow nods his head. "Yes, when you burst into flames. There's probably more to it than just the flames, but we don't know yet. One thing we're fairly certain of is that it can be triggered by strong emotions, which is why you're currently coated in that gel, it temporarily blocks your aura, preventing you from using your semblance. I know you don't want to go through life coated in goop, so your father and I are building a special room for you to stay in while you learn to control your semblance. otherwise we may end up with a repeat of what happened today with your sister."
"Oh god, Ruby! Is she okay? Did I hurt her? I saw her clothes were smoldering and wanted to help, but then I saw that I was on fire and freaked out." The scene replays in her mind, but this time, the clothes aren't smoldering, they're completely on fire and her sister is writhing around on the ground being consumed by the flames.
Qrow notices his niece begin to tremble, and realizes she's seeing images that never happened. "Hey kiddo, don't go there. Ruby's going to be alright, just a few small burns is all. Nobody's angry with you, but you can't see Ruby right now as both your father and I know that no force on Remnant would be able to keep the two of you from hugging each other for all you're worth and we really don't want to have to wash the gel off of Ruby, or it rubbing off of you and perhaps causing an incident here."
Present
"I was released from the hospital three days later. I wasn't actually injured, they just needed to keep me there and covered in that gunk until the special room was finished. I spent another month and a half in that room being coached by my uncle and some guy he knew on how to control my emotions and my semblance. Ruby would visit me quite often, but I couldn't touch her in all that time because her aura wasn't unlocked and couldn't protect her if I lost control for some reason. It wasn't until a couple weeks after I was allowed to leave the room that I found out what I had done to my baby sister." Yang's voice catches here, and she has to pause, looking away from her companions in an attempt to regain her composure.
"You know you don't have to continue, if you don't want to." Blake murmurs softly next to her and pulls the blond into a comforting embrace.
Yang returns the hug, welcoming the support, but shakes her head negating that option. "No, I need to tell you at least, because Ruby never will. Turns out, she had suffered minor second degree burns to the backs of her legs where I was laying on her, and moderate second degree burns where she had been pressed down against my hands. It's why she won't change in front of anyone, why she wears leggings all the time and why she doesn't go swimming or wear anything revealing. The scars on her legs aren't too bad, they're mostly faded and are hardly noticeable, but the ones on her stomach are hard to miss. It's not that she's ashamed of them, she just doesn't want anyone's pity and she doesn't want me to see them and be reminded of that incident, but how can I look at my little sis and not remember it. I know it wasn't my fault, and Rubes has never blamed me for it, even then. She was more excited for me that my semblance had manifested itself, almost as if she thought the pain she suffered was worth it for me to find my power."
Blake can feel her partner settling down, and moves back far enough to look into her eyes. "Are you starting to feel better now?"
Yang nods and smiles at her girlfriend, "Yea, much better. Thanks Blake. You might want to move back a little if I'm going to show you why I'm sitting on a mat of leaves and twigs." She steals a quick kiss before Blake can retreat, however.
Blake flushes slightly at her girlfriends antics and gently bops her on the nose with her finger, "Can't you behave yourself, even for a little while? We have an audience."
"How can I contain myself when I'm lucky enough to have the most beautiful girl in the world as my girlfriend?" Yang asks in a husky voice, and Blake's face becomes a deeper crimson than before at the compliment, but then Yang's grin becomes mischievous. "You're right though, if we're going to have an audience, we should probably charge for the privilege of seeing the two most beautiful women in all of Remnant kissing."
Blake pushes off of her partner as she backs away, stating "And there goes the moment."
"You love me though," Yang says with a confident grin on her face.
"For some unknown reason," Blake replies with an exasperated tone, but the twinkle in her eyes belies that tone.
"Anyway, while I was learning to control the outward manifestation of my semblance, one of the exercises I had to do was almost identical to what you had us do to activate our Aura Sight. I had to sit and meditate until I could feel my aura around me, but instead of directing the energy to where I wanted it to go, I had to channel it away from where I didn't want it, like the soles of my feet, no point in setting the floor on fire." As she speaks, Yang reaches down picking up two leaves from her mat and holds one in the palm of each hand.
"I'm so used to it now that I barely have to even think about it. The only time I have to think about it is if I'm doing something different, like this." As she finishes her sentence, Yang bursts into flames, but they stop at her wrists and halfway down her legs as she sits cross legged on the ground. "I can control it very well now as long as I'm calm, but in battle, it's a bit more difficult to have this fine a control." As she's saying this, the flame on her right arm slowly starts creeping across her hand until it engulfs the leaf and quickly consumes it. She deactivates her semblance, leaving the leaf in her left hand, as well as the mat she was sitting on, untouched.
"That's an interesting bit of control you have there, Yang. I'm curious though, have you ever tried projecting your flames?" Velvet asks.
"You mean like throwing fireballs or breathing fire? Heheh, uh, yea I have. It didn't work out so well for me." Yang stares into her lap, but Velvet and Blake can see the blush that is spreading across her cheeks.
"Oh, what happened? Did the mighty dragon singe her snout?" Blake teases.
"No." Yang mutters, "I wasn't foolish enough to try and breath fire. If something were to go wrong I could have damaged my hair, and that would have been an epic tragedy. Instead, I tried to project the flame from my hand." As she's saying this, Yang is unconsciously flexing the fingers on her right hand. "The thing is, it got about a foot away from me and exploded. It knocked me back and onto my butt. It also singed the palm of my hand, nothing major, it looked like a nasty sunburn. Fortunately I had been smart enough to wait until after we had a soaking rain to try it or I may have burnt the forest down that ran out back of our house. Uncle Qrow thought it was funny, but my dad had me doing Ruby's and my chores for a month, and all Ruby wanted to know was when the next time was that I was going to try that, so she'd know when she could lounge around the house again. If the lovable little twerp hadn't gotten into Beacon two years early, she'd have had those two years of doing the combined chores by herself, and then it would have been my turn to laugh at her."
"Looks like Ruby foiled your plans as well as a robbery." Blake smirks at her girlfriend.
"Ha, ha, very funny Miss Belladonna." Yang replies as she gets up, dusting herself off, and walks over to the Faunus girl who stole her heart. She sits down next to Blake, pulling her into a side hug and pecking her cheek. "Honestly, though, I wasn't looking forward to being away from Rubes for those two years. I'd always been there for her when she needed a shoulder to cry on, or someone to go to for help when the other kids would tease her. Although, that didn't happen too much after she started at Signal, probably because she was spending most of her free time with Uncle Qrow, perfecting her combat technique."
As Ruby and Weiss came back to themselves, they realized they were no longer at the clearing with their friends. Sitting up and looking around they see Glynda already up and moving around what is obviously her campsite.
"Professor Goodwitch, what are we doing at your campsite? Why aren't we with the others at their camp?" Ruby asks, still a bit groggy.
"We're here to preserve Miss Schnee's health. A certain person back at the other camp probably would have done some serious damage to Miss Schnee had I not brought the both of you here." Glynda replies as she looks at Ruby as if she should have known the answer already.
"Ugh, Yang. Always trying to protect me, and not always thinking about the consequences. Let me guess, you had to restrain her, and even then she kept trying to get at Weiss. I'd wager you ended up having to threaten her before she finally started listening to you." Ruby shakes her head, realizing she's going to have to talk to her sister about this.
"She was quite adamant about getting to Miss Schnee, I finally had to give her a choice between ceasing her assault on my barrier or spending the next few day unconscious." Glynda says in a nonchalant voice.
"That sounds about right for Yang. She tends to push thing a little too far sometimes." Ruby tilts her head inquisitively. "Did she back down, or is she unconscious back at their camp?"
"She decided to back down." Glynda responds calmly.
"Good, then she's learning." Ruby smiles as she says this.
Professor Goodwitch motions towards the ration packs and water bottles she set out earlier. "I suggest you have something to eat, then we can begin your training in defending your thoughts from each other."
Ruby nods to the professor, then turns to Weiss. "I still can't sense you through the link, can you sense me?"
Weiss shakes her head. "No, Professor Goodwitch must still be blocking us."
"Indeed I am. I told you that until you were adequately defended against each other I would not allow the two of you direct mental contact. To that end, I have not relinquished my control over your link. I suggest you eat now, unless you want to start your training on an empty stomach." She motions towards the ration packs.
Ruby and Weiss pick up the rations and begin eating in silence, knowing that Professor Goodwitch would soon be teaching them to defend against mental intrusions and attacks. Both knew there was really only one way that it could be taught effectively, and each was worried about the consequences if they failed, not for themselves, but for the other.
Finally, Glynda broke the silence. "Would you two quit worrying so much, I can feel it permeating through the link from the both of you. Although, it is endearing that you both are worried more about your partner than yourself." With that said, she relaxes her grip on their link so that both Weiss and Ruby can sense each other's thoughts and emotions.
Both girls visibly relax with the renewed contact, but Ruby looks at the professor, 'Professor, are you still here?'
Glynda smiles at her, 'Of course I am. I did say I wouldn't allow the two of you to have unmonitored access to the link until I felt you could defend yourselves against the other. Did I not?'
'Then you can look at all my private moments as well?' Weiss's nervousness is easy to sense through the link.
'I can, but I won't. You need to trust that, to me, your thoughts and feelings are of no interest. I am only here to ensure your safety. The reason that Aura Therapy is done with someone you have the utmost trust in is because the technique forces your deepest thoughts and fears to the surface and shares them with the person you are linked with. Now, are you both ready to begin your training?' Glynda's thoughts are somehow both stern and comforting to the girls.
Both girls nod, but Weiss comments through the link, 'It's odd how easily I got used to this, and how unnerving it was when I couldn't sense Ruby anymore.'
Glynda smiles gently at the heiress. 'It's because the two of you were already so close. I can assure you that had you been linked with, say, Miss Xiao Long, you would feel quite differently.'
Weiss visibly shudders at the thought. 'Please, don't even joke about linking me to that brute.'
Ruby giggles slightly at the revulsion spilling through the link. 'I'm sure Blake wouldn't mind though.'
Clearing her throat, Professor Goodwitch comments aloud. "While the link may be extremely useful in certain instances, you do still recall that you will not be allowed to maintain the link once we return to the school, except on the weekends, during which, I expect you to perform the Aura Therapy sessions to assist in Miss Schnee's recovery. It should not be used to silently plan pranks to be used against your fellow students, and most especially not your teammates." Though her voice is stern, both Ruby and Weiss catch a mischievous glint in the professor's eyes.
"Of course not Professor Goodwitch. Weiss and I would never do such a thing. Isn't that right Weiss?" Ruby turns to the heiress. Though her voice was respectful, her eyes, when she caught those of her girlfriend, were filled with devious humor.
Smirking at her girlfriend and thinking this would be the perfect way to get back at Yang for all her teasing they would be subjected to, now that the blond knew of their relationship. Weiss was not above getting some preemptive revenge. "Absolutely, we would not dream of using the link in such a fashion."
While she keeps an outwardly stern expression, there is more than a touch of humor in Professor Goodwitch's mental voice. 'You do both realize that I haven't taught you to shield yourselves effectively, or at all in your case Miss Schnee. Now, shall we begin to remedy that situation?' Glynda gets enthusiastic nods from both girls this time. 'Normally, before I would begin teaching the mental defense techniques, there would be a long lecture regarding the circumstances where these techniques are useful. However, the mention of this type of link would not be in that lecture, as the techniques used to create it are more advanced than the normal level when mental defense is taught. Since the two of you are already linked, and I have taken control of that link, I think we can save some time and skip the lecture. Now, allow me to share a memory with the both of you to give you the basics for now.'
Professor Goodwitch extends a hand to each of them, which both girls take. Their eyes go vacant as they are drawn into Glynda's memory.
When Ruby and Weiss return to themselves, a half hour has passed in the real world. They both stagger a bit, and Ruby looks to Professor Goodwitch holding her head. "What was that? It certainly wasn't a normal memory."
Glynda smiles at the young Huntress. "It's gratifying that there are still a few techniques you haven't heard about. That was a moderately low level technique that allowed me to string about two weeks worth of classes into one long chain of memories. I'll expect to see the both of you in my Aura Manipulation class next semester if you want to learn more about it."
"I'd already planned on taking the class, and I'm fairly certain Weiss planned on it as well." Ruby bows her head to the professor.
"I do, indeed, intend to take the class. I also plan to be at the top of the class, although, with her head start in the area, Ruby may give me some competition." Weiss glares at Ruby and continues, "Don't you dare hold back either, Miss Rose, else I shall never forgive you, dolt."
Ruby smiles into the glare, as she reaches up to caress Weiss's right cheek with the back of her left hand. Weiss closes her eyes, leaning into the contact and capturing Ruby's hand in her own right hand, as Ruby says. "I would never hold myself back in something I'm good at. My princess would be very upset with me if I did, and if there is one thing in the world I wish for, it is to never upset her."
Weiss opens her eyes, smiling back at Ruby, and the two lose themselves in each other's eyes.
Glynda averts her eyes to give them a moments privacy, but can feel their love and devotion to each other through the link before she blocks the sensations out as well. Looking off into the distance, her cheeks lightly flushed at having momentarily eaves dropped on the two girls' feelings, Glynda says, "Whenever you're ready, we can continue with the lesson."
Both girls gasp as they remember they are not alone. Her cheeks burning with embarrassment, Ruby stammers, "I'm s-sorry Professor Goodwitch. I g-guess W-Weiss and I g-got lost in the m-moment."
Her cheeks burning as much as her girlfriend's, Weiss says, "Yes, professor. I apologize for our behavior. It was most unbecoming of us to show such lack of restraint in your presence, and while you are taking the time to assist us in training at that."
Glynda turns back to the girls, lowering the block she'd raised to keep their emotions out. She senses no shame or remorse from either of them. Weiss is embarrassed that she displayed her emotions so openly while they were not alone, and Ruby is regretting that she could not have shown her feelings with something more than a caress to the cheek.
"It appears we should get started right away then. It would seem that Miss Rose's defenses are degrading quickly." Glynda says as she quirks an eyebrow at the younger girl.
Ruby's mouth drops open and her face turns a brighter shade of red than her cape as she realizes she hadn't brought back up the barriers that prevented her emotions and surface thoughts to trickle through the link. Looking at Weiss she sees that her girlfriend is almost as red as she must be. "I-I-I'm s-sorry Professor G-Goodwitch. P-p-please Weiss, d-don't th-think I s-s-see you l-like that all the t-time. It j-just popped into my head."
Weiss sighs in exasperation, trying to reign in her embarrassment as she says. "While this topic will make for an interesting conversation when we get back to the dorm, or perhaps after Professor Goodwitch deems us sufficiently adept at mental defense to allow us unmonitored contact through the link, now is not really the time to talk about it."
Glynda knows Weiss just wants to put the incident to rest, but the professor sees it as the perfect opportunity to prove a point to the girls as to how important their mental barriers are going to be, especially if they are going to be spending time linked as they are now. She raises her mental shield to block out their random thoughts, she absolutely does not want to see the images her next comment may elicit, but maintains the ability to sense their emotions, knowing she will need to block them from each other before things get out of hand. "It's quite alright Miss Rose. It's perfectly natural to occasionally think of your significant other in such a manner. At least in this instance you were both still mostly clothed."
The statement brings forth an "Eeep" from Ruby and an inarticulate gasp from Weiss. Both girls try to look away from the other quickly, but by the building emotional turmoil she's picking up from them, not looking at each other isn't helping to calm them, or prevent the flood of images she suspects are bouncing between them. She allows them to be caught in this cycle for a while, only blocking their connection when she senses the emotions are nearing dangerous levels. After the connection is severed, both girls collapse to their hands and knees, breathing heavily and their eyes dilated wide.
Ruby is the first to recover enough to ask, "What was that, professor?"
Glynda waits a few moments longer to ensure Weiss is sufficiently recovered to understand the answer. "That, my dear girls, was an emotional resonance. It happens when one person in a link has an unguarded thought that draws forth a stronger response from the other. The thoughts rebound between the individuals, growing in magnitude uncontrollably. If neither party can put a damper on the resonance, and there is no outside party to block the connection, it could build to levels that become fatal for both individuals. Now, I must apologize for using your relationship to bring about such a response, but I suspect you both now understand exactly how important these mental defenses you will be practicing are."
She gets sheepish nods from both girls and so continues. "Very well, seat yourselves comfortably and begin by setting up the blocks to prevent your own thoughts from entering the link. Now, I will maintain the block between the two of you as I don't want Miss Schnee to be distracted by you Miss Rose. As you have already shown that you can perform this ability, I shall be sending images at you in random intervals while you attempt to erect the barrier."
Ruby nods her head and smiles accepting the challenge. Her concentration is broken almost immediately by the image that Glynda sends her. It is of her sister, her wrists and ankles nailed to boards set up in an X, her hair has been shaved off, and her body is covered with cuts and stabs. Ruby growls at the mental image, but returns her attention to putting her barrier into place.
Glynda continues sending images to Ruby. Always ones she knows will hurt Ruby, never images of Ruby being hurt or dying, as she knows the girl has already accepted the fact that she will be injured and most likely killed living the lifestyle she has chosen, but the injury and death of her friends and loved ones is something that she strives to prevent. Those are the images she bombards Ruby with. Images of team JNPR, Yang, Blake, her uncle and her father all either hurt or killed in some fashion are directed at the girl, but the professor intentionally avoids sending images she knows will break the girl's resolve to continue.
After a dozen or so failed attempts, each one getting nearer completion, Glynda allows Ruby to complete the barrier, but then sends two final images in quick succession. She knows these two images will make Ruby's barrier collapse so she reinforces the block between the two girls as well as ensuring the coming reaction will not filter back to Weiss from her own connection to the other girl. She lowers her defenses to Ruby, she knows the girl's training will burn the images she's about to send permanently into Ruby's memory, and refuses to lessen the backlash, accepting it as the least she can do for inflicting the damage she's about to do to the girl.
The first image forms in Ruby's mind. It is of a green field with trees in the background, a solitary figure lays in the middle of the field. It is covered in a white cloak, the breeze causing it to flap slightly allowing occasional glimpses of the red lining. A trail of crimson leads from the trees to the fallen figure, and a dampness spreads out around this person, their left hand underneath them the right hand, coated in red reaches out in front of the person, but has fallen just short of a lone red rose growing in the field.
The first image shatters, only to be replaced by that of a snow covered plain. A different figure lays in a spreading pool of crimson. Two sets of footprints lead to the person, and one set leads away. This person is dressed in pale blue and white, with some minor red highlights, her silver white hair blows in the wind and she is pinned to the ground by a massive red scythe through her back. The woman looks up, seeming to see Ruby standing there and reaches her left hand towards her, her eyes silently seeming to ask why as the light inside them fades and her head slumps to the ground.
A scream of terror and frustration is ripped from Ruby's throat as her barrier collapses, sending the full impact of her thoughts and emotions slamming into Glynda's mind. Glynda bows her head, several tears falling to the ground at the pain she has inflicted upon the young girl. She accepts the pain, fear and anger slamming into her, burning it into her memory. Glynda knows what she has done was necessary, but she also knows she will never forgive herself for inflicting so much pain on the girl.
At Ruby's scream, Weiss rushes to her side, holding her and whispering soothing words to her. She looks to Professor Goodwitch for answers, but sees her with her head bowed and tears falling from her eyes. "What's going on, professor?"
Glynda motions for Weiss to wait a moment as she turns her attention back to Ruby and starts sending soothing images to the girl, who begins to calm down, and soon slumps into Weiss's arms. "Are you back with us, Miss Rose?"
"Get out of my head." Ruby growls in response and Glynda ceases sending Ruby images and retreats behind her own defenses.
"In answer to your question, Miss Schnee, while you built up your blocks to keep you from inadvertently sending out your random thoughts and emotions, I had Ruby attempt to do the same thing while I sent her disturbing images. I implied that I was doing this to provide distractions to her while she built her barrier. In fact, the images were intended as mental attacks such as one would use when trying to break a person prior to interrogation. Tell me, Ruby, at the point where you broke, what information would you have given away to make the images stop? How many of your friends and colleagues would you have sold out?"
Ruby is looking at the ground, still being held by Weiss, as tears flow from her eyes. Weiss glares at the professor. "How could you even ask that? Ruby would never betray her friends like that."
At this point Ruby starts shaking her head. "No Weiss, she's right. Dust damn her she's right. I would have answered any questions she may have wanted to ask by the time it was done. I just want to know something professor. Why did you feel the need to put me through that? I'd already said I would learn proper mental defense."
"You did, but you were not properly motivated to do so. Even the resonance and the images of you lying dead after the accident with Miss Schnee did not have you in the proper mind set. Now, however, you are absolutely dedicated to learning proper defense. Tell me, Ruby. If I were to refuse to teach you any more about mental defense, to what lengths would you go to ensure you learn to protect yourself properly now?" Glynda's response is delivered in a gentle voice, and she allows some of her regret to filter through the link.
Glynda's response, her question and the regret she's feeling all make Ruby reflect inward on her motivations. She realizes that the professor was right. While Ruby knew it was important to learn the defensive techniques, she hadn't really put much thought into what could happen if those defenses were breached. The incident with Weiss and the resonance between them had both been unintentional, the situations could be avoided in the future, and even if they did happen again, even a weak defense could have prevented things from becoming too serious. The concerted mental assault from Professor Goodwitch, on the other hand, demanded a strong defense, and the consequences of them being breached could result in the injury or death of her friends and loved ones. "Nothing, and no one will stop me from learning properly now. If you were to refuse me now, I would find someone else, no matter the cost to me. I cannot allow my weakness to cause harm to anyone else."
Professor Goodwitch looks at Ruby, seeing the fire and determination in the girl's eyes. "Good, that is what I'm looking for from you. In most cases, the images I sent you would fade quickly, but with your training, that won't happen. I've told you there is a technique to block memories, and, if you wish, I can lock those images away so they don't haunt you in the future."
Ruby shakes her head. "No, they are a part of me now, and I need to confront them so they can't be used against me in the future. They may be painful, but in the long run, I will be stronger for enduring the pain."
Weiss looks between the two and asks. "What did you show her that so completely broke her resolve?"
Glynda looks to Ruby, who looks away, obviously not wanting to talk about it herself, but also motioning the professor that it's alright to tell Weiss. "There were two images that ended up causing the break. The first was of Summer Rose, lying dead in a field with one bloody hand stretched out toward a lone red rose growing there. The other was of you, Miss Schnee, pinned to the ground on a snowy plain. It was Crescent Rose that had you pinned to the ground and Ruby watched as you died."
Weiss is shocked that the professor would have shown Ruby such images. "Ruby, let Professor Goodwitch block those memories for you. You shouldn't have to live with those images floating around in your mind."
"It's alright, Weiss. Like I said, learning to deal with those images will make me stronger. I refuse to hide from my weaknesses, and I don't think you would hide either. Let's get to work on those mental defenses. We've still got about two hours before sunset, that should give us enough time to get the basics down and then get back to our respective camps before dark. There are some things Shadow and I have to discuss concerning the training I'm going to be putting your group through." Ruby's smile is mischievous, but she had raised her barrier while they had been talking and was not broadcasting her thoughts.
Weiss is nervous at the thought of what Ruby could be planning, but nods to Professor Goodwitch indicating that she too is ready to proceed.
"Very well, you both relived the appropriate memories. Bring up the basic defensive barriers like you were shown, and then I will test them and help you strengthen them as needed." Her own barriers in place, Glynda allows the pride she feels in these two pupils free reign. They will be two of the best to ever graduate from Beacon, she will make sure of that.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter this week. Comments and reviews are always welcome, and as always Keep Moving Forward.