I see more in you than the rest of them do, and I'm not gonna let you fall.
3rd person
Vale
"I just can't stand looking at it, it's driving me crazy!" Nora exclaimed
"there's nothing we can do, until vale starts to get back in order we just have to live with it" Ren sighed
"I heard they're working on a new tower, they are trying to expand the kingdom this time not going so far, just down the mountain" jaune said optimistically
"yes, but I think it's a very bad idea to build it there, we all saw that grimm come out of the mountain, who knows what could be hiding there" pyrrah interjected
Team jnpr all silently agreed with each other, it's been about a couple weeks since pyrrah woke from her coma and after that her recovery was quick.
The same could not be said for the kingdom of vale. Grimm flooded to beacon academy, the large stone dragon frozen on top of the broken tower. Anyone even near vale could see it from miles away. As team jnpr stared at the tower, large air ships flew overhead.
The old fashioned kind that could be found in vacuo and parts of mistrial. They quickly passed the kingdom of vale, and seemed to be headed towards atlas.
"What Was That!" Nora asked
"looks like trouble" jaune observed
"maybe it's a friendly visit?" Ren shrugged
"they look like they are heading to atlas" pyrrah pointed out
"there's talk of a war" coco said approaching team jnpr
"A War?" jaune said slightly confused
"word on the street is vacuo is taking the fight to atlas, they are teaming up with the kingdom of mistral. Or so I heard"
"sounds awful" velvet frowned
"We Have to Do Something!" Nora proclaimed
"like what? We can't do anything while we are stuck here" coco grunted
"she's right, besides it's none of our business anyways." Jaune sighed
"I just hope Weiss is okay" pyrrah sighed
Glynda marched over to the two teams, shoulders back and eyes full of annoyance.
"if you are done chatting, grimm have begun to leak into the city again, please we could use some help"
"right, sorry" jaune nodded
And so the two teams were off back to action doing whatever they could to keep vale from falling.
Atlas
"well maybe we should take a break" Blake quickly spat eyes full of anger and tears
"what! Why, all because I'm hanging out with my mom" yang yelled
"it's not that"
"that's exactly what it is isn't it" yang got defensive
"no, this is what I'm talking about. It's like I can't even talk to you anymore, you're too wrapped up in your own world to even see what's happening around you! You keep blowing me off and when we are together you're off in another world, completely oblivious to what I've been saying. You're not there for me yang, you're not there for ruby. Or Weiss, we are supposed to be a team."
"we are a team; I know I've been distant lately but if you need me I'm here always. Blake please"
"I'm sorry, I just need space" Blake pushed past yang leaving the bedroom.
"Blake wait,"
Yang grabbed her by the wrist.
It was late at night, the two shared a room in the Schnee mansion. Blake had just covered yang's watch shift, again. Only to come back to the room and find yang alone and asleep. This irritated Blake, she could have watched ruby, she could have given Blake a much needed brake, but she didn't. Blake was willing to let it slide, all she really wanted was to express her daily stress with yang, let her know what ruby's daily riffraff was today.
She went on about how ruby was being stubborn not letting herself heal sneaking out an exerting herself, Blake had to crack down on the girl, and chastise Weiss for allowing her to do it in the first place. She was half way through her story when she realized yang hadn't listened to a single thing she had said.
It was a simple question, one that only required half a mind to answer,
"can you believe her" Blake said shaking her head
Then she waited for yang to respond, a grunt, a huff, a light chuckle even would have been enough, but yang just gazed blankly at Blake. Then Blake had got the attention of yang, asking her a simple question, one she should know the answer to. What was ruby's condition.
Yang shrugged, "I don't know she must be doing okay, last I checked she was"
Blake found it unbelievable that she was more invested in ruby's condition than yang was, and yang was her sister!
Thus the argument ensued, Blake went on to say she wanted yang to start seeing ruby again, and she was tired of picking up her shifts. Yang said she would, but that she didn't see the big deal. Blake was astonished that yang didn't think Blake wanting a break was a "big deal", so she went on to explain why it was. Yang still didn't get it,
"if you were tired you should have just said something" yang shrugged
"I did, I have, every night for the past week I've mentioned it, now I know you haven't been listening to me at all!"
"alright, alright, I'm sorry if you want a brake fine. I'll start taking my shift again" yang relented
Bringing them back to now.
"please just don't" Blake snapped yanking her wrist back and walking out the door
It was a little past midnight, yang watched the door close, tears sliding down her face.
Blake made her way to ruby's empty room, sighing when she saw zwei occupying the bed, she sat next to him. Wiping frantically at her tears.
Zwei stood up stretched and wagged his tail at the sight of Blake. Then when he noticed she was crying his ears fell slightly as he whimpered, nudging Blake in the arm with his nose.
"Why don't you go lay with yang, you dumb dog"
Zwei tucked his tail and lowered his head jumping off the bed, this pulled Blake's heart strings.
"wait, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."
He looked up at her tail still tucked, Blake looked around to see if anyone was watching, then bent down to pick up zwei.
"if you tell anyone I'll deny everything"
He barked a happy bark licking her cheek. She smiled,
"thanks, I needed that"
The two cuddled up in the empty bed, zwei soothing Blake to sleep.
"hey sis, what's up haven't seen you in a while" ruby smiled as the morning sun shined through the window of her hospital room
When yang didn't answer ruby went on
"I mean usually Blake's here this early, but I'm glad she's not yesterday she went bananas after I snuck out to eat lunch with Weiss. I got a whole lecture and everything. She was all like, what were you thinking Blah. It was kind of funny actually because her ears— "
"can we talk about something else please" yang cut ruby off
"oh, okay is everything alright?"
"yep, everything's just peachy" yang said sarcastically
"yang?"
"Blake's mad at me"
"why?"
"I don't know; I did something stupid I guess" yang shrugged
"that's an understatement" Blake said entering the room with ruby's breakfast
"hey Blake, thanks" ruby smiled
"I figured I'd better get down here to see if she'd actually show, anyways see you later ruby" Blake turned to leave
"Blake wait" yang called standing
Blake left with so much as a glance at yang
"ohh, yeah she's mad at you. What'd you do to make her mad?" ruby asked around a mouth full of pancakes
"she's says I was ignoring her; I'm not ignoring her." yang said plopping back down
"I don't know" ruby shrugged
"why? What do you know, has she said anything" yang pried.
"just small hints, she can get pretty catty, see what I did there, catty" ruby chuckled
"uh rubes are you okay?"
"yep, they put me on some new pain meds, makes me all uh how can I say this,"
"happy?" yang offered
"I was going to say bursting with energy"
Yang shrugged
"anyways, every time I'd ask about you she's say stuff like why don't you ask her yourself, or I wouldn't know. Weiss said she asked where you've been going off to and Blake said where do you think, she gets really touchy on the subject" ruby went on
Yang looked down maybe she had been putting everyone off, they asked about her and Blake, Blake was the one who had to deal with it.
"yang?"
"I just don't know how I'm going to fix this, I messed up pretty bad" yang sighed
"you'll figure it out, Blake's just being Blake" ruby smiled
" I guess so, but enough about that how have you been?"
After Blake had asked her the question it had left a sour taste in yang's mouth and she knew she had to find out as soon as possible.
"okay, I guess. There are good days like yesterday, then there are other days. The not so good days. Dad says it will get better with time, uncle Qrow and Weiss are good at helping to keep me from going there…" ruby trailed off
Yang instantly noticed ruby's mood had taken a dark turn as her eyes dulled and her appetite all but went. Still she had to ask,
"there?"
"that dark place, surrounding me at all sides. Sounds of pain an anguish haunting me. It's so cold there, I always feel so alone." Ruby looked down poking her food
Yang could relate in a strange sort of way, after she had lost her arm she felt she was in a similar place ruby had just described, she had to pull herself out after she realized no one would do it for her. She saw that same sort of darkness in ruby's eyes, and a deep worry fell over her. Was this what Blake meant, ruby needed yang, and yang wasn't there. Yang felt guilty.
"it's tough, I've been, there. But you can't stay there, you can't keep going back. Ruby, that place has nothing to offer you. Take it from me, besides if you ever get stuck there I will make it my personal goal to come and get you, you hear me. We're sisters and I'd do anything for you"
"yeah, your right. Because that's what sisters do" ruby smiled her mood slowly going back to happy, though yang noticed that her Iv began to drip again. Almost like a perfect clock, right on the dot.
Yang was starting to suspect that maybe the "medicine" wasn't for pain, and maybe ruby was worse than what she was letting on, and maybe this is what Blake was trying to tell yang for the past week. Yang felt sick.
"you should eat up rubes, you need all the sugar you can get in this place" yang forced a smile
"your telling me, they say too much sugar can affect me because of the medicine I am on, can you believe that, too much sugar! Is there even a thing as too much sugar" ruby shook her head in disbelief
Yang chuckled
The nurse walked in syringe in hand,
"alright Ms. Rose you know what time it is"
"but, my sisters here, plus I'm still eating, just a little longer please, please, please"
"fine, but only ten minutes we have to stick to the schedule" the nurse sighed
"schedule?" yang questions
"every morning, after breakfast they put me to sleep, says it quickens my healing process. Anything to get me out of here faster I say is fine by me" ruby shrugged
Ruby shoved the last of the pancake in her face, chugging her milk. Yang smiled at her sister's milk mustache.
"okay done, which gives us 8 more minutes to talk" ruby smiled
The nurse had left to attend other matters, leaving her chart laying at the foot of ruby's bed.
"how's your mom, she still hanging around?" ruby asked
"yeah, I think she plans to hang around for a while. Or I hope so at least. I'm going to meet with her after my shift"
"that's good, I think. Anyways did you know Weiss hired this guy on to her team of trustees as she calls it, he totally likes her, and she is completely oblivious to it. He was like, thank you Weiss, Weiss he called her by her first name, all the others call her Ms. Schnee. He smiles at her funny, I don't like him" ruby pouted
"relax rubes you know Weiss is a one-woman girl, she only has eyes for you."
"still, he's all handsome and buff and good looking, and I'm-"
"over reacting, chill Weiss would never you know that" yang cut ruby off
"still, I don't like him." Ruby crossed her arms
"alright Ms. Rose times up, ready?" the nurse asked coming back in.
ruby smiled, and nodded. She laid down getting into a comfortable position as the nurse injected the contents of the needle into ruby's iv.
Then she yawned as the nurse wrote down her time and data and left.
"I'm glad you came yang; you should come more offtennn…" ruby drifted into a deep sleep
Later that night yang went to find Blake, she was in ruby's room reading a book.
"hey" yang tried
Blake sighed but didn't say anything pretending yang wasn't there.
"um, so you were right. Maybe I have been distant" yang walked over to the bed, zwei getting up where he lay next to Blake stretching then jumping off, walking, out of the room to wherever zwei goes.
Blake turned the page in her book, ignoring yang.
"Blake please, I'm sorry"
"did you say something?" Blake raised an eyebrow, pretending she hadn't just heard everything yang said
"look I get it, I was ignoring you, now you're ignoring me. I'm sorry okay"
Blake sighed and set down her book,
"yang, I just wanted you to see that you can't just disappear all the time with your mom, ruby needs you, I need you."
"I know, I know I'm sorry, after today I realized that, I was so caught up in what my mom was doing, it's like I've spent my entire life looking for her and here she is, and she's not the villain I made her out to be in my head. She's actually kind of easy to relate to and that's scary. Part of me is still clinging to her, hoping she won't just leave again. I'm being pulled in two different directions, and I don't know what to do, I'm just confused"
"I'm not asking you to stop seeing your mom, just, I want you to pay more attention to everything that's happening around you. When you said ruby was doing okay, that just made me so, ugh."
"I know, I saw, she seemed fine at first, but then"
"then the medicine wore off, a couple weeks ago after ruby and Weiss were attacked by grimm, I was in the room with her when she told me she could hear Salem talking to her, she said that Salem was laughing at her. At first I took it seriously, Weiss and Qrow we all looked into it, but…"
"but?"
"but ruby wasn't making much sense it's not like we didn't believe her we just couldn't prove that what she was saying was true, she freaked out, had a meltdown in the middle of the hospital lobby. She was screaming we were all in danger and that Salem was coming for her, and that no one could be around her, or they'd get killed. We tried calming her down, she was out of control, we called your dad he came, we tried to call you a bunch of times but you never answered. Finally, the nurses had to sedate her. Yang ruby is suffering from a psychotic break, she says she hears things and she's paranoid all the time. She thinks we don't believe her; she gets really depressed. Sometimes she doesn't speak or eat, other times she's screaming we are all in danger. The doctor put her on a light dose of anti-depressants to help, it seems to be working. Weiss says the only time ruby seems like her normal self is when she lets ruby sneak out with her. She's been asking about you every day for the past week, and it's just hard to keep lying to her. I tell her your busy, or you had an errand to run, then I get here and you're asleep in the bed. Ruby is improving but she is far from okay, the longer she stays in that bed the more frustrated she gets, she tried to convince your uncle to give her back her scythe. You can't keep putting this off, ruby needs you. She's struggling to keep it together, I'm doing everything I can, but I can only handle so much"
"I'm sorry I had no idea, I didn't mean to put you in this situation" yang wiped her tears
"but you did,"
"I know, god I'm so stupid"
"you're not stupid yang, just blind. Weiss wants to get ruby out of there, she said ruby being in the hospital isn't helping her anymore, I disagree, we've been arguing back and forth, Qrow thinks we should give it more time. Yesterday she was off her meds all day because she snuck out with Weiss, Weiss claims ruby was fine, acted normal, but I know she's hiding something, that expression on her face said it all. Ruby needs to be in the hospital, to fully recover. I know if Weiss takes her out, then she'll put herself right in the path of danger again, three times is lucky, there won't be a fourth if she keeps acting like this. This is why I need you to start watching ruby again, see who's right, me, or Weiss. Help ruby realize you're there for her, and everything will be okay. Can you do that?"
"yes, I will. I'm sorry Blake, I really am."
"I know,"
"so are we cool then?"
"yang I didn't really want to break up with you, I just wanted to force you to open your eyes, and I think it worked. So I'd say were okay" Blake gave a faint smile
Yang sighed in relief,
"don't scare me like that, I thought I was going to lose you"
"ignore me again, and I might not be so forgiving" Blake stood book in hand
"I'll never ignore you again, I promise" yang said grabbing Blake by her waist and spinning her toward her, and wrapping her arms around her
Blake smiled placing a light peck on yang's lips, yang deepened the kiss, before the sound of someone clearing their throat could be heard at the door, yang sighed in annoyance.
"if you two are finished, I think we have a problem" Weiss spoke up forcing the couple to break apart
"what is it?" Blake asked
"ruby snuck out again, this time alone"
"what, where is she?" yang said alarmed after everything Blake just said
"your uncle is trying to find out, he said he thought she was asleep so he went to the restroom, when he came back, she was gone. The nurse said she went in to check on ruby, when ruby used her semblance to run past her, we have to go look for her"
"I told you encouraging her would lead to this" Blake hissed running to the car, yang and Weiss on her tail
"we'll find her, I'm sure she just went for a walk or something" Weiss said optimistically
"or she's right over there" yang pointed over to the garden
"see, perfectly fine" Weiss sighed in relief
"she walked all the way to your house from the hospital I wouldn't call that perfectly fine" Blake grumbled
The three walked over to ruby who held a white rose in her hand, seemingly off in her own world.
"ruby, what did I say" Blake started
"huh? Oh hey you guys, it's pretty cold out here, I overheard the nurse say it was about to snow, I wanted to see it. Look one's still alive" ruby held up the white rose
"you should have called me, look at you, you're going to catch a cold" Weiss chastised
Yang took her jacket off and slipped it around ruby's shoulders
"you could have been attacked, or worse what were you thinking" Blake went on
"rubes their right, you should have at least let uncle Qrow come with you." Yang sighed
Weiss sent a message on her Schnee scroll to Qrow, that they had found her.
"look" ruby pointed up
Snowflakes slowly falling to the ground,
"okay, we should probably get you inside" yang smiled
Ruby flashback
"but you said we could" five-year-old ruby pouted
"I know rose bud, but mommy's got to work. How about this I promise that when I get back we will make a whole bunch of cookies so much that our belly's get real fat" summer rubbed her belly with gusto
Ruby burst into a giggling fit
"sound good?"
"when are you coming back?" ruby asked
"I should be back before the first snow flake hits the ground" summer smiled her signature smile
"how do I know you'll keep your promise" ruby asked looking skeptic
"because, I got you this" summer pulled out a small red hoodie with a cape.
Ruby gasped, "gimmie gimme gimme" she out stretched her hands summer handed it to her ruffling ruby's hair.
"it's just like yours" ruby said in aw
"now we can match" summer smiled
"I'm going to where it all the time"
"promise?" summer raised her eyebrow
"you bet, as long as you promise to make cookies when you get back" ruby smiled
"then I think we have a deal"
"no fair, how come ruby gets a cool hood" yang said jokingly
"don't think I forgot about you, you little firecracker, I figured this was more your style" summer handed yang a orangish yellow scarf
"now your father will think I'm trying to morph y'all into me" summer giggled
"wow thanks mom, it's perfect" yang smiled hugging summer
"you get in her too rose bud, I have to go, so this is goodbye" summer sighed hugging the girls
Holding tightly to her false promise
"I'll see soon" summer called
"before the first snowflake!" ruby called out
"I promise!" summer called back
Present
"ow" ruby pouted as a thorn pricked her finger, dropping the flower
"you okay there rubes you kind of zoned out on us" yang rubbed ruby's back
A drop of blood from her finger landed on the white petals of the rose, tainting its pure color.
"yeah, I was thinking" ruby sighed her mood greying
"let's get inside" Weiss ordered
Yang could over hear Weiss and Blake bickering in the kitchen as Weiss went to grab something for them to drink.
Yang starred at ruby who went silent and stared blankly at her finger, which was now wrapped in a small bandage.
"ruby?" yang tried
"yang, do you think mom knew she was going to die before she left us" ruby asked quietly
"what!?"
"she promised she'd come back, but, but she didn't. do you think maybe she knew she wouldn't" ruby asked looking up to yang
"well she was a huntress, I'm sure she knew there was a possibility, but I don't think if she knew she would have just left us"
"hmmm" ruby starred off again
Yang sighed and scooted her chair closer to ruby,
"ruby what's going on, Blake told me one thing Weiss says another what's really going on here?" yang asked gently
"I can hear her sometimes,"
"who?"
"cinder, she's yelling at me telling me what to do, ordering me around, then there are the other voices. Like Salem mostly she just laughs and mocks me. I hear mom sometimes, she's nice encouraging, I like her voice. Then in my sleep I can hear the grimm, growling at me surrounding me, there closing in on me. Blake thinks I'm crazy, Weiss doesn't say it but I think she thinks so too. Uncle Qrow says I just need time to heal. I try ignoring them, but sometimes they just get so loud and they make my head hurt. I'm scared yang" ruby admitted looking at the floor
"ruby look at me, you're not crazy. Those voices are your minds way of trying to make sense of everything that's happened to you, if ignoring them isn't helping then maybe you should listen to them see what your mind is trying to tell you. I know you're scared of them, but each voice is trying to tell you something, you are trying to tell yourself something."
"but when I listen I just feel like I'm in danger like I should be training like I'm running out of time. Then I start to panic" ruby made a wild hand gesture
"maybe that's it, your body still thinks you're in danger, you need to train your mind into realizing the worst is over, that the danger is gone. Look around you ruby, do you see any bad guys, any grimm?" yang asked
Ruby glanced around she saw Weiss staring lovingly at her, milk in hand, she saw Blake stare worriedly at her, tray of cookies in her hands. She saw paintings and expensive decorations. She saw yang with a faint smile on her lips,
"well?" yang asks
"no, I just see you guys."
"exactly, we are here for you ruby. So next time you hear those voices try telling them to shut up because they don't know what they are talking about. Now how about some unauthorized sugar"
"yeah, god I've been craving cookies for days" ruby moaned as she shoved the chocolate chip delight in her mouth
They all giggled and enjoyed the cookies the Schnee baker had made for them. No one the wiser to what waited at the front doors of atlas.
A/N: hey guys, hope you like the new chapter. For those who have been patiently waiting for me to update this and my other fic, thank you, also I am working on updating the others so don't worry. As always feel free to comment your thoughts, all is welcome. Also don't forget to go to rooster teeth and watch ruby vol 4. Not to toot my own horn but I was psyched that I had got some things right about the four kingdoms, like how mistral is the black market and producer of clothes, and how vacuo and atlas don't get along. I thought that was lucky, okay I'm done. More to come soon, till next time
-Batty