Revised on: August 4, 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 Two: Earth
Chapter Fourteen: The Earth Queen
"Guys, is that it? Please tell me I'm not seeing things," Jaune said, rubbing his eyes for good measure. "Is that… Vale?"
"It is!" Ruby yelled, jumping and landing on his shoulders haphazardly, nearly knocking him over. "We're here! Finally!"
"It hasn't been that long," Weiss said dryly. "We left the North Pole just four months ago."
"Whaat?" Ruby looked at her in disbelief. "It feels more like a whole year!"
"Pff. Nonsense," Weiss shook her head lightly. "We would have to be severely incompetent to take that long to get from there to here."
Ruby shrugged. She didn't mind how much time had passed, not anymore. They had finally arrived in Vale! She was getting excited just looking at the approaching walls. Somewhere behind those was the Earth Queen, the person that was going to help them drive back the Fire Nation once and for all.
"Don't get too excited," Cinder said, staring sharply at the city. "Take a good look. We might have some trouble getting inside."
Ruby got off Jaune – who nearly fainted in relief – and followed Cinder's gaze. She immediately realized what Cinder was referring to. At the bottom of the walls was a gate that led into the city, but it was currently occupied by a huddled mass of people. Ruby heard distant shouts and the clinging of metal, and instinctively she reached for her staff.
"Don't." Cinder caught her wrist. "They're only refugees."
"Oh." Ruby frowned. Weeks of traveling with the fear of stray Grimm and Fire Nation patrols had conditioned her to fight at the slightest notice – but this was not the time for that, clearly. "All those people are refugees? But… how can that be? We won the back at the Rift!"
"That was just one victory, Ruby," Weiss said. "It shifted the momentum of the war, but it certainly didn't end it."
"If anything, people are more afraid now than ever before," Cinder added. "A defeat would have been devastating, but a victory means the war goes on even longer. And the more drawn-out a war is, the more collateral damage happens."
Ruby bowed her head solemnly. Ever since the Battle of the Rift, she had felt like they were finally on the right track to end the war, but she hadn't thought about the smaller effects of that fateful day. Now she felt quite badly about it – what kind of Avatar was she, so easily forgetting about the people she was supposed to be protecting?
"Don't feel guilty," Cinder said firmly, drawing even beside her. "You can't protect everyone. And letting the Fire Nation win would have made things even worse for these people. You did the best you could."
"Did I?" Ruby said. "I could have done more… The Fire Lord was there during the battle, wasn't she? If I had gone after her…"
"You would have gotten killed!" Weiss interrupted furiously. "Get that idea out of your head! You tried it once before, remember? You were lucky the Fire Lord let you go unscathed."
"Yeah…" Ruby sighed. "You two are right, it's not like there was anything else we could have done. I mean, despite the refugees and the Grimm and all that, I think we're actually doing pretty good!" She smiled, her eyes sparkling with renewed determination. "And if we want to make things better, I guess all we need to do is talk to the Earth Queen, and that's what we've come to Vale for!"
"That's more like the usual Ruby," Weiss said, nodding. "Everything will be fine. Right, Cinder?"
Cinder didn't reply immediately. She didn't seem to have been paying much attention, which was rather unusual for her – but Ruby supposed she was as tired as everyone else after all the travelling.
"Yes," Cinder said, her gaze returning to Ruby. "Believe in yourself, and you can do anything."
"Uh, okay," Ruby blinked, turning to look at Weiss. "She's really dramatic sometimes, isn't she?"
Weiss raised an eyebrow at her. "You're only now noticing?"
"Daaaaaaaaad! Heeeelp!"
Taiyang dropped the bundle of clothes on his bed and ran out of his room, nearly tripping and breaking his neck as he raced down the steps of Sun's house to reach the entrance room. He looked around and saw the end of Yang's legs sticking upward from behind a sofa and jumped there, panicking.
"What?!" he nearly yelled. "Are you hurt? Did you rebreak your arm or something? Did you put something on fire?!"
"Nope," Yang said simply, looking up at him, upside-down. "I'm hungry." She waved at him with her good hand, while her broken arm laid lazily against her stomach. "Need food."
Taiyang's face darkened. "Let me get this straight. You yelled for me from the other end of the house, like you were in mortal danger… because you're hungry?" He huffed. "I thought you were dying!"
"But I am dying." Yang pouted. "Dying of an empty tummy. Food, please?"
"Are you serious?" He shook his head. "You could have gotten food yourself. Just get up from the sofa and walk to the kitchen."
"But can't you see I'm injured?"
Yang made a pained expression and curled up a little, moaning exaggeratedly. Taiyang just stared at her emotionlessly for a moment, then turned and walked away.
"I'm going to work."
Yang sat up and turned to look at him, dropping the act shamelessly. "Work?" she repeated. "What are you talking about?"
"I got a gig here at the lower ring. I'm pretty sure the guy who hired me is half-blind, because he didn't recognize me from the wanted posters. Or maybe he hired me because I'm on a wanted poster." Taiyang paused for a moment, humming thoughtfully. "Anyway. It's just lifting some heavy stuff, carrying boxes, that kind of thing."
"Okay." Yang frowned. "But why?"
"What do you mean, why?"
"Why did you get a job?"
Taiyang turned slowly, hoping his daughter was joking. But no, she was looking at him as if he had presented her with the greatest mystery in the history of the world. "Because… we need food. And to get food, we need money," he said patiently. "And to get money…" He tilted his head, giving her the opportunity to finish for him.
"…Okay," Yang sank a little on the sofa. "But… do I need to work too? Because that sounds like a lot of… err… work?"
Taiyang couldn't find a proper response to that. He would be embarrassed for her, if he weren't so amazed instead. That was an impressive lack of sense for a girl as smart as her.
He was saved the need of replying by Blake, who came down the stairs at that moment, looking more than a little puzzled. "Good morning," she said. "What are you two talking about?"
"Dad's going to work," Yang said, as if the concept was truly fascinating to her. "Maybe I should get a job…"
"…Right," Taiyang said. "I'll be going now. Blake, do me a favor and educate my daughter on the basics of modern society."
Blake's eyes widened, but before she could say anything in protest, he turned and left the house through the front door, leaving her standing perplexed in the entrance room. A moment later, Yang got up and walked to her, patting her on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, Blake. My dad's very gullible, and I'm an excellent actor," she said, going to the kitchen. "Of course I know what jobs are. I mean, I'm spoiled and all that, but I'm not that out-of-touch with reality."
Blake followed her, amused. "I admire your honesty."
"Thanks! I'm very proud of it myself!" Yang exclaimed cheerfully.
She started going through the drawers and cupboards of the kitchen in search of something to eat. When all she had to show in the end was a couple of apples and a half-eaten slice of cream cake, her bright expression turned sour.
"Oh, man… We really are in trouble…" she muttered. "Man, poverty sucks! I don't wanna get a job!" She turned to Blake. "Tell me I don't have to get a job."
Blake shrugged. "Sorry." She smirked. "Now I understand why you say you're spoiled."
"Hey! I resent that," Yang said. "How difficult would you say it is to get a job?"
"I don't know. It's usually very complicated," Blake said. "For a start, the opportunity is not going to come looking for you. You need to go out there and find it yourself."
Just as she finished speaking, they heard the front door open, and a moment later Sun appeared, eaten a banana sprayed with pepper. He leaned on the kitchen doorway and looked at them, his tail swinging slyly behind him.
"Hey. You two ever thought of being waitresses?"
Yang looked at Blake, smiling widely. Blake could only sigh.
"For the record, this is not how the process usually goes."
Going through the gate was as troublesome as they had expected. The process was particularly difficult for Ruby, who was more than a little uncomfortable amidst the mass of refugees. Weiss had to stop her several times from going to help one person or another, eventually growing so annoyed that she asked for Pyrrha to contain her – and that was why Ruby currently found herself being carried over the earthbender's shoulder.
"Sorry," Pyrrha said to her for the fourth time since.
"She brought this on herself," Weiss noted, looking back at them pointedly.
Ruby groaned. "She's right…"
They kept walking, seemingly getting nowhere in the crowd. Ruby closed her eyes, trying to vent her frustration by doing some impromptu meditation, but her surroundings were too loud for that, and the position she was in didn't help either.
After a few minutes, she started to feel they were moving faster, but when she opened her eyes, she realized she was mistaken. They hadn't gotten much further, it was Pyrrha who was turning constantly and tapping her feet on the ground, looking around with an anxious expression on her face.
"Pyrrha?" Ruby called. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Pyrrha said. "I'm looking for… Nevermind. It's silly."
"What?" Ruby tried to hoist herself up, wishing she could face Pyrrha. "Come on, I'm bored here. And you know I won't judge!"
"I'm wondering if my parents are here, or anyone from my village," Pyrrha replied hesitantly. "They were planning to evacuate when we were leaving, remember?"
"Right. But that was a long time ago," Ruby said. "They must have arrived here well before us. I bet they're safe and sound inside the city!"
"I hope you're right. If something happened to them and I wasn't there, I don't know what…" Pyrrha's voice trailed off, and she stopped fidgeting as she had been before, her eyes now glued to the back of Weiss' neck in front of her.
Ruby wished she could say something to make her friend feel better, but she had a feeling it wouldn't be so easy to ease Pyrrha's mind. This was new territory to Ruby. Jaune had never expressed any concerns about leaving his family, and Weiss' only relative she cared for was Winter, who needed no one to protect her. But Pyrrha loved her parents dearly and had protected her village for nearly all her life. To leave all that behind so suddenly…
Ruby's mind wandered to her own family. It was still strange to think she had one again, after years of thinking she was all alone. Was Qrow safe, wherever he'd ended up after the Battle of the Rift? And what about Yang and Taiyang? The last time she'd seen them was at the North Pole, and she hadn't known they were related then. She hoped they were doing well, but she knew that was wishful thinking.
"Yeah, like I said," Jaune's voice woke her from her thoughts. "I'm with the Avatar."
"Right. And I'm the Earth King."
"I'm serious!" Jaune insisted. "She's right there – just look!"
"What's happening?" Ruby asked, squirming in Pyrrha's hold.
"Jaune is talking to the guards, trying to get us inside. He's… having some trouble," Pyrrha explained. "Weiss is giggling behind his back, which I think is very mean… and also a little disturbing," she added bitterly.
"What about Cinder?" Ruby asked. "Just tell her to take over, we'll be here all day at this rate!"
"Oh, I'm enjoying the show too," Cinder said, appearing beside them with a smile on her face.
"You are all unbelievable," Pyrrha sighed. "Here. You're free to go, Ruby."
She put her down on her feet, and Ruby held back a victorious shout. She went to Jaune's side and leaned on his shoulder, smiling to the guard he was talking to.
"Hey," she said. "Avatar here, just passing by."
The soldier stared at her blankly for a good while, then shook his head and stepped aside, waving them through. Ruby gave him a thumbs-up as they passed.
"You could have helped!" Jaune said, turning to glare at Weiss.
"I could have, yes." Weiss joined her hands coyly and smiled. "I just didn't want to."
He shook his head and turned to look at Cinder, intending to chastise her for not helping him either – but the words died in his throat when she leaned towards him, her eyes narrowing, as if daring him to carry on.
Jaune cleared his throat. "Yeah, good thing we're in. Let's, uh, let's go!" He made an awkward little curtsy, then marched after Ruby.
They walked through the gate entrance, all very relieved to get out of the crowd, able to stretch their limbs and breathe fresh air once again. But before they reached the end of the gate, another soldier approached them.
"Avatar! Here, with me!" he beckoned, and Ruby followed, surprised. "I apologize for the inconvenience! If we had known you would be arriving today, we would have turned away the crowd for your sake!"
"Uh, I'm happy you didn't, actually," Ruby said, a little irked by that remark. Maybe he was flustered and had gotten some words mixed up? "I mean, these people need help a lot more than me…"
"Of course! Just a turn of phrase!" the officer bellowed. "Anyway, you won't need to deal with any more hindrances. You'll have a shuttle ride to bring you directly to the Earth Palace!"
"Shuttle ride?" Ruby repeated hesitantly. "But I like walking, and I want to see the city. Can't we just-"
He walked away, not giving her a chance to finish.
"Well that was rude," Weiss said, crossing her arms.
"And terribly unsurprising. The Queen, and everyone under her - they will be very selective about which parts of the city Ruby sees," Cinder said. "It wouldn't do for her to see something she wasn't meant to."
"Is that so? And how did you come to that conclusion?" Weiss asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
"The maneuver isn't very subtle, and you might remember I have some experience with people in high places," Cinder said. She looked at the officer, who had stopped walking once he realized they weren't following him, and was now gesturing at them to catch up. "Or maybe I'm too much of a cynic." She shrugged. "Shall we go?"
Ruby frowned. Why wouldn't the Earth Queen want her to see Vale? Wasn't she proud of her own city? How strange… She supposed she would find out the answer to that mystery soon enough.
"Yeah, I know, I know, it's not really that big of a thing, but… It's cool, right? And the business does great! We broke the sales record a couple months ago – before the guys left and I was locked out of the city – but now I can get back to work, and with some help, we're gonna do even better!"
If Yang could find her breath, she would have responded, but she was too stunned by what she was looking at right now. Of all things Sun could have shown them, she hadn't expected this. Maybe a little stall at the corner of a street, or some decrepit old house… But no, he had a place as big as a rich person's house, with several tables for customers and a kitchen at the back that could rival some she remembered from the Fire Nation.
"Sun, is this some kind of joke?" Blake asked, just as floored as Yang. Her eyes were scanning the ceiling slowly, as if expecting to find someone laughing at them from above.
"Uh, no," Sun said, rubbing the back of his head self-consciously. "Sorry, I know this must come as a surprise… I'm very proud of what I got here, but if you don't wanna have anything to do with it, that's fine. I won't hold it against you."
"Are you kidding!" Yang exclaimed, finding her voice at last. "This is amazing, Sun! You should be proud!" she walked past him, spinning around to take everything in once again. "How did you get this place?"
"I bought it," Sun said. "I mean, we bought it. Me and my best pals – Scarlet and Sage. You'd be surprised how well the banana business does in the big cities," he blinked. "By the way, that's the name of our restaurant. Banana Business. We were going to have it be Monkey Business, but the guys were uncomfortable with that, for whatever reason."
He flicked his tail, then went walking towards the kitchen. Yang looked back at Blake, raising an eyebrow, then went after him.
"I've already gotten hold of our old cooks and suppliers in the city. That's what I've been doing this last week. I'm sure you were wondering about that," he said. "But not everyone could come back. One of the waitresses hurt her ankle pretty bad slipping on a banana – not work-related, mind you – and won't be able to work for a while. And our guard dude had an epiphany and decided he wanted to be an artist. He's a pretty good painter, actually, but it still sucks that he left."
"I guess that's where we come in? You want us to fill in for the people you lost," Yang said. "I'm in. I fell kinda bad Dad is having to work to keep us fed, so I want to help out. Plus, work is supposed to build character or something."
"I suppose I could use some work too," Blake said, less eagerly. "This business is faunus-friendly, right?"
"I'm the boss, so yeah. And I find that people are very quick to put aside their racist views when they want a chocolate sprayed banana," Sun said. "Blake, you're going to be the guard, obviously."
"Obviously? What is that supposed to mean?" Blake asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Because of that look you just gave me," Sun replied matter-of-factly, then turned to Yang. "And you are going to be the waitress. You have all the attributes for the job!"
"Okay, what is that supposed to mean?" Yang asked fiercely, Blake nodding in support behind her.
Sun looked at her nervously, then turned away. "You have, err… you have that radiant personality, you know? Charming and all that. You're a people person! And what more could you ask of a waitress?"
"Hmm," Yang scratched her chin thoughtfully, then smiled widely. "You're right, I am a people person. When do we start?"
"In an hour!" Sun declared joyfully. "Good thing you agreed, or else I'd have to double as waiter and guard, and trust me, that never works out. Your clothes are on the back, and we can talk about payment later – now, I gotta make sure Sky the cook is not going to stick his head inside a stewpot again!"
He entered the kitchen in a hurry, spewing orders at the top of his lungs, and the staff inside stood in attention. Yang nodded, having to admit she was impressed by him. She turned towards Blake, who didn't seem to mirror her sentiments exactly.
"Cheer up, Blake. This is good for us!" she offered a hand for Blake to high-five. "For character-building!"
Blake glared at her.
"Yep, you are going to make an excellent guard."
"The Earth Queen will receive you in a moment. Please wait patiently until she is ready."
Ruby nodded at the servant, then tried to get a look into the throne room as he retreated into it, but the doors closed before she could see much of anything. Frustrated, the Avatar walked back a little, drawing her cloak around her.
This day was not going like she had wanted. Sure, she hadn't expected to be greeted with a feast or a festival or anything like that, but everyone seemed to either want her gone as fast as possible or for her to never have shown up in the first place.
After the shuttle ride, which had taken them in a straight line above the city, making it virtually impossible for them to see any of it, they had arrived at the Earth Palace to a cold reception. There was only one servant waiting for them, and they disappeared quickly too, leaving them in an empty waiting room. Ruby couldn't even explore the rest of the palace, as the servant had made it very clear that the Queen would be very happy about that.
"This whole thing seems fishy," Weiss said in a quiet voice, looking around the room slyly. "Barely talking to us, leaving us by ourselves like this… I can't be the only one suspecting something bad, right?"
"Normally I'd say you're being paranoid, Weiss, but I'm with you on this," Jaune said, sticking close to Pyrrha nervously. "We don't know a thing about this place. They could be setting up an ambush or something! What if the Fire Nation has infiltrated Vale?"
"I assured you, the Fire Nation has not infiltrated Vale," Cinder said. "Be patient. The Avatar has arrived at the Queen's doorstep with barely any notice - we shouldn't be surprised if she takes a little time to prepare."
"A little time? It has been well over an hour," Weiss mumbled. "Pyrrha, can you feel anything unusual?"
Pyrrha tapped her foot on the floor, then shrugged. "Just earth and stone. And people in the throne room. Nothing weird."
"Ruby, any input?" Weiss asked.
Ruby held back a sigh. Her sensible side was telling her to agree with Weiss. Maybe it was because they had been travelling for so long, but everything about this felt off. Yet another part of her – a part which, admittedly, did not belong entirely to her – was telling her that everything was fine and would continue to be so. There was nothing and no one to fear inside this Palace.
"I don't know," Ruby said. "We can't be sure of anything. I agree with you that this is strange, but I also agree with Cinder. It's not like we're a regular party. And…" She scratched her head. "I trust the Earth Queen."
"You don't even know the Queen," Jaune pointed out. "How can you trust someone you don't know?"
"Avatar Ozpin knew the Queen very well," Ruby said. "I have a good feeling about her. That's all of it, really. Let's just agree to be cautious – if something goes wrong, we'll be ready, but otherwise…"
"Hmm." Weiss eased up a bit. "A sensible approach."
Ruby smiled at her, glad that they were on the same page.
"I do wish they'd given us something to eat," Jaune said, rubbing his stomach. "I'm starving."
"The Queen extends her apologies. But that won't be a problem much longer."
The doors of the throne room had opened, and a man stood in the way. He was the perfect picture of an earthbender – huge in every way, with muscles at show and a look to his eyes that told he would not be moved, no matter what was thrown at him.
He stared at Ruby for a moment, then his eyes went over her companions – Weiss, Jaune, Pyrrha – hardening at Cinder – before going back to her.
"You are welcomed into the Queen's presence," he said, stepping aside and gesturing with his arm. "Please, keep your weapons withdrawn, and refrain from bending inside the room."
"Yes, sir," Ruby said, walking past him.
"What a weird guy," Jaune whispered behind her.
"He heard that," Cinder stated. Jaune gulped loudly.
At the end of the room was the throne itself, and sat on it was the Earth Queen. Ruby wasn't struck by her appearance – it was like seeing an old friend, though her blonde hair was starting to lose some of its luster. Still, she seemed stronger than ever – strong as the stone that was always at her command.
"Avatar." The Queen rose. "It an honor to meet you again."
"The honor is all mine, Glynda." Ruby smiled, then blinked and shook her head. "I mean, hi. Uh. It's an honor to, uh, meet you, Queen of the… Earth Kingdom… ma'am…"
The Queen raised an eyebrow. "Yes. That's been made clear." She paused. "I apologize for the long wait. I had matters to see to with my council, but now, I am free to talk to you, Avatar… Ruby. That is your name, isn't it?"
"Yep, that's me." Ruby waved. "Here to serve."
"Ruby, daughter of Summer?"
Ruby did a double take. "You knew my mom?"
"In a way. She was an ambassador of the Southern Air Temple, and a most graceful guest. The kids of the court loved her visits." Glynda bowed her head momentarily. "I extend my sorrow for her passing, and your people's. The world is a lesser place without the Air Nomads."
Ruby looked away, biting her tongue to keep herself from tearing up. "T-thank you."
The Queen stepped down, nearing them. "And your companions! I've heard much about your merry group, and not all good things, but…" She turned towards Weiss. "Weiss Schnee, princess of the North Pole. It's an honor to have you in my palace."
"And it's an honor to meet the Earth Queen at last," Weiss answered courteously. "I hope great things will come of this meeting."
"Likewise." Glynda went over to Jaune. "You."
Jaune looked around. "Me?"
"Jaune, of the Southern Water Tribe. I know of you out of necessity." She shook her head. "Please refrain from making a mess of my palace."
"Y-yes, ma'am," Jaune said. "T-thanks for knowing about me!"
She stared at him incredulously, and he covered his mouth and walked to Ruby, who patted him in the back for comfort.
"And Pyrrha Nikos! The Invincible Girl. Now that is a name I've heard much about." Glynda stopped before Pyrrha. "Your tales almost outshine the Avatar's. Words cannot describe the pride I feel."
"I-I…" Pyrrha seemed unable to speak. She started to bow, but Glynda held her by the arm.
"Please. There's no need for that," the Queen said. "A person of your deeds needs not bow to me."
"T-thank you, my Queen," Pyrrha stuttered. "Your words… I cannot express how much they mean to me." She looked away, hesitant, "If I may ask…"
"You may, of course." Glynda gestured welcomingly. "Whatever you need."
"The people of my village… They evacuated shortly after I left them, but the Fire Nation was awfully close then. I haven't heard of them since," Pyrrha said. "I realize this might be a little below you, but I need to know if they are okay. My village's name is Mistral… Or it was..."
"Mistral. I haven't heard of any refugees from there, but they may have escaped my notice. With everything that has been happening, I haven't been able to pay as much attention to the refugees as I would like." Glynda nodded solemnly. "I will ask my officers and get back to you. And… this is not below me at all, Pyrrha. I live to serve my people."
Pyrrha smiled gratefully, then bowed her head. The Queen held her shoulder for a moment, then left her to stand before Cinder. Their eyes locked, and Ruby saw both stiffen, like they were prepared to fight at the slightest notice.
"And lastly, you. Cinder Fall," Glynda said slowly. "I have heard much about you, too, but for the opposite reasons as Pyrrha's case. I won't lie – I don't like that you're in my city. Not at all."
"I understand that," Cinder said. "But if you've heard about me, then you know the Avatar has vouched for me. You know I only mean to help you and your cause against my nation."
"I don't know anything," Glynda noted. "The Avatar's word only goes so far. I tolerate your presence, and I will allow you to help – but I don't trust you. One step out of line…"
"Yes, that's been made clear to me…" Cinder looked towards Weiss. "Repeatedly."
The Queen fell silent, examining Cinder as she would an approaching snake. Ruby laughed nervously, walking over to Cinder and shaking her shoulder.
"Okay, then! We're all introduced, so…" she said. "Maybe we can get to the part where we plan how to kick the Fire Lord's butt?"
"Ruby! Goodness sake!" Weiss hissed at her. "Look who you're talking to!"
Ruby blinked a couple times, then muffled a yell as she realized what she had just done.
"All in due time." Glynda raised a hand. "For now… You must be exhausted from your travels, not to mention hungry. We will treat you to a feast, and then General Hazel will show you to your house in the Middle Ring. The official business can wait until tomorrow. Is that agreeable, Avatar?"
"Uh, sure, that's fine," Ruby said. "Just so you know, I'm a vegetarian. Weiss is too. And Jaune eats pretty much anything."
"As for me, I eat little children for breakfast," Cinder said dryly.
"Y-yeah? That Cinder, eh? Such a joker! We've been trying to get her to shut up all the way here!" Ruby elbowed Cinder lightly. "Oh, this is not going to be fun…"
Yang exited the restaurant, taking in a deep breath of the fresh air outside. It wasn't hot inside by any means, but she was beginning to feel a little claustrophobic with all the people inside. Sun hadn't been kidding about how much business he got – there must be at least twenty people eating there, and it wasn't even lunch time.
"Having fun?"
Yang looked to the side and found Blake leaning back against the front of the restaurant, under the shade of a nearby tree. She was a little hard to see, eyes aside. If Yang didn't know better, she would think they were glowing in the dark.
"Yeah, it's been fun. Exhausting, but fun," Yang said, walking to her. "I messed up a few orders, but Sun didn't get mad at me. He said it's normal for newbies like me. As long as I don't do that often, I'll keep getting paid."
"Reminds me that we still don't know much we're getting paid," Blake noted. "Not that I mind much. Little pay is better than none."
"That's the spirit!" Yang smiled. "I guess you've got a lot of experience with this kind of stuff, don't you, Blake?"
"In a way."
Yang turned around to look at the street. It was almost disturbing how different they were to those on the outer ring. They were so clean the sun reflected off them, and the water that ran alongside them in thin canals was perfectly pristine. Her father hadn't been exaggerating when he'd explained how the city worked – the middle ring folks really had it going good for them. And to imagine the inner ring was even better…
"This is… something else," Yang said. "Is it weird that I prefer the outer ring? Not as a place to live, just… This place feels too clean, almost."
"I get what you mean. The place might look nice, but that's a trap," Blake shook her head. "I've been standing guard for a couple hours. How many dirty looks do you think I've gotten?"
"Seriously?" Yang frowned. "That sucks. I'm sorry, Blake."
"Don't worry about it. I'm used to much worse," Blake said. "I'll take dirty looks over people trying to lynch me, thank you."
"Man, that's so messed up…"
Yang looked at the streets angrily. She hated this city. How could people stand to live someplace so awful?
Her father had mentioned something about Vacuo, the Fire Nation capital, being just as bad, but she didn't remember it so. Maybe she just hadn't been able to see it – that city had been there all her life, she was used to it, unlike Vale. It must be the same way with people of this middle ring.
"Yang, I mean it. You don't have to be upset for me," Blake said. "We're in a good place right now. Focus on that."
"Okay, okay. I'm not going to be grumpy," Yang sighed. "But don't expect me to be all happy like nothing's wrong."
"Sure. I would be worried if you never complained again," Blake's ears shifted a little. "Wait…"
"Hmm? Blake, what's…?"
Blake raised a hand, asking for silence, and Yang followed her gaze. There was no one on the street, but she could hear footsteps, and a conversation she couldn't yet understand. It didn't take long for a couple to appear, holding hands and speaking excitedly.
"But are you sure? You know how Amy likes to run her mouth. Remember last time, about the dog-skunk with wings?"
"It's different this time. She said she was on duty in the shuttle station, the Palace one, and she stepped out, and she had a bunch of people with her. Sadly, Amy couldn't get a good look before they all went inside the Palace."
"You're serious. The Avatar, in our city. And she's meeting the Queen! That can only mean good things!"
"I think we're going to hear good news about the war soon, honey."
They passed the restaurant and walked around a corner, their voices fading in the distance.
Yang stared into nothing, a range of emotions striking her in quick succession. First, relief. This was the first she had heard of Ruby in a long time. She was safe and sound.
Then, happiness. If Ruby was in Vale, that meant they could finally meet again, and this time, as sisters. There was so much Yang wanted to say to her…
And to end it, dread, and shame.
"Did you catch that?" Blake asked, walking to her side. "Your sister's in town."
"Right…" Yang replied, feeling a little sick all of a sudden. "I have to go back inside. Break time's over, and I don't wanna get fired on my first day."
"Really? Yang, did you hear what I – Yang!"
Yang ignored her, going inside and closing the door between them. Suddenly, serving so many people did not feel so overwhelming.
The feast went splendidly. Ruby had never attended such a big one before – even those in the North Pole had paled in comparison. There were all kinds of foods, and many important people close to the throne. In the end, she ended up listening and talking a lot more than she ate.
Compared to the last few weeks, today had been wonderful, but even so, by the end of the feast, Ruby wasn't exactly… satisfied. She felt bad for being that way – the Queen was being so generous. But although had been sat beside Glynda, the Queen refused to talk with her about anything related to the war or the Fire Nation.
Maybe Ruby had been expecting to much… Tomorrow, things would be put into motion. She just needed to be patient, that was all.
After the feast, the Queen bade her farewell to them, and General Hazel led them out of the Palace and back to the shuttle station. This time, they stopped at what the general said was the middle ring – whatever that meant – and there, he took them to a house at the outskirts of a peaceful neighborhood.
It was a big, beautiful-looking house, with a pond at the back and a porch at the front where they could rest during the day. For once, Ruby didn't feel uncomfortable about sleeping inside. Sure, she liked her tree branches, but she wasn't about to dismiss the Queen's hospitality.
"There are many restaurants and shops nearby, for all your needs. Inside, you'll find a gift from the Queen – enough coin for you to live comfortably for a full month, and when that runs out, you need only ask more," General Hazel said, stopping before the front door. "Should you need anything, a servant will be here daily to communicate any messages from the Palace. They will see to your requests."
"That's very generous," Weiss said. "Would you extend our thanks to the Queen once again, please?"
"It's our pleasure and obligation to help the Avatar and her allies," Hazel said, bowing slightly. "Tomorrow, we will be having a meeting regarding the next stage of the war. Avatar Ruby, princess Weiss, you are welcomed to join," he paused. "All of you we welcomed."
His gaze went to Cinder for a second, then he bowed once again and left.
"You know what, I take it back. He's not weird, he's just a boulder-like guy," Jaune said. "Classic earthbender, really."
"Yes, classic earthbender," Pyrrha looked at him weirdly. "Shall we go inside? I swear, I am so tired, I am going to sleep like a rock."
"Because you're an earthbender!" Jaune exclaimed. "Sorry. Just, you know, it's fitting."
"You're hopeless," Weiss said, opening the door and going inside.
Jaune and Pyrrha followed, leaving Ruby and Cinder on the porch. Ruby stood around for a while, looking discreetly at her latest companion. Cinder didn't look upset or anything like that, and that was what worried her.
"If you have something to ask, Ruby, go ahead," Cinder said, turning to look at her. "I am tired also, so if you could be quick about it…"
"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to keep you," Ruby dragged her foot along the floor awkwardly, wishing she hadn't been so obvious. "It's just, everyone was being very… cold to you, back at the Palace. And that's being generous. I think some of those officers didn't try to fight you only because the Queen was there."
"I like your usage of the word try." Cinder smirked. "You and I both know they wouldn't have had much luck."
"Well, yeah, but that's beside the point," Ruby said. "Aren't you upset? I would be, if I was being treated that way. I know you were Fire Nation and all that, but…"
"Ruby, I still am Fire Nation. That hasn't changed," Cinder stated. "My home will be my home, always. No Fire Lord, no war, will ever change that." She scoffed. "Besides, even there, I received the same looks… the same treatment…"
Her voice trailed off, and then she raised her head, looking sharply at Ruby.
"No, I'm not upset," she said, laying a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "But thank you for caring. Your support is the only one I need."
"O-okay. If you say so." Ruby looked away, hoping she wasn't blushing, or that at least Cinder wouldn't take notice of it if she was. "You said you're tired, so you should go to sleep."
"Aren't you coming?" Cinder asked, going to the door.
"In a bit. I want to stay out here just a while, to think…" Ruby said. "Good night, Cinder."
"Alright. Good night, Ruby."
Cinder closed the door, and Ruby was all alone on the porch.
Well, almost alone. She leaned on the wooden rails of the porch and looked up at the moon, focusing on its whiteness contrasted against the black sky, clearing her mind of all stray thoughts…
"Today was weird, wasn't it?"
It depends on what you are referring to. But yes, I would agree with the general feeling.
"You agree? And here I thought you were going to give me some guidance."
You are you, Ruby. I am me. I won't always have all the answers you need. If it worked that way, no Avatar would ever make a mistake – I wouldn't be dead today.
"Okay, thanks for that. Why do you agree, then? I know you were happy, seeing Glynda. And, by the way, it's just weird that I know her so well. I mean, so well. Can't I, like, block those memories?"
Sorry, I wouldn't know how to do that. As to why I agree… I understand why Glynda has changed the way she has. My death, and the beginning of the war following it, has certainly changed the needs of her people, and therefore the way she must lead. It's made her stronger, wiser – not that she lacked in those departments before.
"But?"
But she seemed… withdrawn. Like she had something else in her mind. Some other trouble that worried her even more than the Fire Nation. Something bigger, maybe – or something closer to home. Still, she is on your side, the side of good. You have nothing fear regarding her.
"I trust you, but you're one to talk, mister. Seriously, is there no way for me to block those memories?"
Sometimes, you have to accept some things will not go your way, and try to turn them into something good. Like lessons, for the far future. Or not so far future. You are growing, my dear Ruby, and it won't be long before-
"Oookay, we're done for today. Thanks, Ozpin, talk to you later."
Ruby looked away from the moon and blinked. Immediately, she felt the stress of the day and the travel before weighing her down, and a yawn overpowered her.
Things were unsure today. But tomorrow…
Tomorrow was a new day.
Yang lied in her bed, staring at the ceiling unblinkingly. She was tired, but she couldn't sleep, and though she had a lot to think about, she couldn't focus on anything. There was a storm brewing inside her, but not like it had been in the past, when she'd been angry at her mother, or her father, or the world. She wasn't angry, she was…
She wasn't sure what she was feeling, and that was the worst part of it.
A knock came to her door. Yang sighed, already knowing what was about to happen. Still, there was no point to delaying it. "Come in."
Her father opened the door, leaning sideways into it with his arms crossed. His gaze was of concern and confusion at the same time, as if he didn't know what to make of her.
"So… how was work?" he asked. "Big tips?"
"It was great. And, yeah, got some tips," Yang said. "Dad, can we not beat around the bush?"
"Okay. We shall beat the bush directly!" Taiyang smiled. "Big news today, huh?"
Yang rolled her eyes. "Blake told you?"
"I made her confess. Well, that's only half true," he shrugged. "It was obvious she was hiding something. I asked her, she refused to tell. A few minutes passed, yada-yada, she said she was worried about you, and the big news was revealed." he paused. "The Avatar is in Vale."
Yang didn't say a word. Opening her mouth would betray how she was feeling. Although, there really was no point to it. It was rather obvious one way or the other.
"You're not happy about it," he said, sitting beside her on the bed. "Why?"
"I am happy, Dad," Yang said. "Ruby is safe. That's wonderful! That really is such a relief…" she rubbed her arms uneasily, looking away. "I don't know, it's weird. If you want to go see her, I'll come with you. I know you want to, and I won't take that away from you."
"Yang, you should know a father's first job is to make sure his children are okay. Ruby, as far as I'm aware, is doing great. As for you…" he put an arm around her. "If you're not prepared, we'll wait. We'll wait as long as you need. And if the opportunity passes… Well, I've waited fifteen years already. What's a few more months?"
Yang didn't know whether she wanted to punch him or hug him more. How could be so kind, when she was being so selfish?
"Okay… If you're sure…" Yang swallowed dry. "I'm sorry, Dad. I just can't do it. Not yet."
"Hey, it's fine. Don't feel bad about it," Taiyang said. "Is it because of your firebending?"
"…Yeah. That's it, I think," Yang nodded hesitantly. "I can't show up in front of Ruby like this. I need to be… you know, better."
"Well, you can show up however, I'm sure she wouldn't judge you. But if that's what you need, then that's how it will be." He got up. "Train hard, don't stop trying, and one day soon, you'll burn brighter than ever."
"Hopefully not literally," Yang offered him a weak smile.
"Hopefully!" he laughed, stepping out of the room. "Good night, sweetheart."
"Good night."
He closed the door, and Yang fell back to her bed, somehow feeling even worse than before.
She hated lying to him like that.
Someone needs to WAKE YANG UP. Wake her up inside. SAVE HER. And all that angsty crap.
Nothing really to comment on this chapter specifically. Just some setting up, I'm sure you guys have some questions brewing because of it. Not gonna answer them here, of course. Hehe.
Although, I would like to address how Ruby sometimes talks with Ozpin really easily. That's not how it works in the traditional Avatar role - Aang needed a really spiritual place if he wanted to talk with Roku. And I did follow that rule in the beginning of the story. But I like to think Ruby's bond with her past lives has grown stronger as she has grown stronger herself. I think that's true to Aang in a way too - like in The Avatar and the Firelord (the episode about the Avatar and the Fire Lord, hope that jogged your memory), he doesn't need to do some spiritual mumbo jumbo, Roku just shows up and they talk (in a dream, yeah, but you know what I mean). Korra's also weird, Aang just shows up sometimes and he's pretty useful, so whatever, right?
Anyway. Thank you, everyone, for reading this crazy little love project of mine. Next time... ooooh, I am excited for next time. I assure you it won't take long, because it'll be my rendition of my favorite (AKA the best) episode of AtLA! Yeeeees...
-Zeroan