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 Three: Fire
Chapter Three: Into Hot Waters
Winter's royal ship glided along the water, the sound of its engines barely noticeable over the waves that crashed around it. It was a sunny morning, but the ship remained unseen nonetheless as it gently made its way towards an island, skirting around its shores.
"This should be far enough, yes? Any farther, and we risk stumbling into patrolling ships," Winter whispered, standing at the ship's prow.
Her hands rose and fell as she manipulated the steam surrounding the vessel. She took great care to not let it gather too closely to the ship, as that would only make its approach more conspicuous. At the same time, she had to keep the fog from spreading too far and dissipating. It was a constant balancing act, one she maintained quite easily.
"Your thoughts, Taiyang?" she asked. "This is your homeland. I defer to your judgment."
Standing beside her, Taiyang scratched his chin, looking thoughtful, before he shrugged and waved at the island.
"Can't say I've got any experience skulking around these waters like this," he said. "I'm gonna defer your judgment right back at you, if that's good with you."
"You make a fair point… I suppose." She gave him a skeptical look, then stopped her bending for a moment to gesture to her crew. "We'll make our landing at that shore. Find a secluded spot. Keep the engines running – we won't be staying for long."
"Bummer. And I was so sure you were starting to warm up to me," Taiyang said, pouting.
"Oh, Taiyang, there was never any need for warming up. You're a dear, compared to your brother-in-law," Winter said, her lips quirking ever so slightly. "Now go wake up your daughter. You know how she can be in the morning sometimes, and we can't afford to dawdle here."
"Yes, captain," he said, and bowed his head in deference. "I cannot thank you enough for bringing us this far, Winter."
"I was only doing my rightful duty. An alliance is only as good as the bonds of trust and companionship at its core," she said.
"Hmm… Still." Taiyang took her hand and blew a soft kiss on it. "It was a pleasure and an honor."
He nodded, then headed to the ship's sleeping cabins to gather the Avatar and her friends. Once he was out of sight, Winter allowed herself a smile, and turned her attention back to disguising their approach towards the island.
"Flatterer. If only she took after him a little more…"
They docked the ship behind a cliff overlooking the western shores, hiding their presence from the rest of the island. The boarding ramp was lowered, and after a quick farewell, Taiyang, Jaune and Pyrrha went down to the beach. Ruby, however, took a little longer to leave.
"Uhm, Winter?" she said, lingering at the top of the ramp. "I've got a favor to ask you, if you don't mind…"
Winter sighed. "I suppose you want a farewell hug?"
"Oh?" Ruby's face brightened. "Yeah! Farewell hug!"
She practically jumped on the older woman, nearly knocking her to the floor with how careless she was. For her part, Winter appeared unfazed – though Ruby didn't fail to notice that she did hug her back, if only for a couple seconds.
"Okay, that was nice, but I wasn't actually going to ask you for a hug," Ruby said as she hopped away.
"You weren't? Well. That's, ah…" Winter cleared her throat. "What is it, then?"
"You know how I'm leaving my staff behind, and Pyrrha's leaving her shield? Because it would be way too easy to identify us if we carried them around with us?" Ruby asked.
"Yes, I am aware," Winter said. "If you have another belonging like that you think you should leave behind, there's still time for you to drop it in your room."
"Time's not the issue…"
Ruby bowed her head, biting her lip. Slowly, she brought her shaking hands to the knot of the cloak around her neck, and undid it. She folded the fabric in her arms, then held it out for Winter.
"This cloak is very important to me. I didn't wanna leave it behind, but I know I have to, so…" She looked up at Winter, her eyes wavering. "Could you keep it safe for me, until we meet again? I know it's silly, what with-"
Winter raised a hand to silence her. "It's not silly. I'm honored you're trusting me with this, Ruby." She took the cloak gingerly and nodded. "I'll hand it back to you myself, without a tear on it. This I swear to you, as your teacher, and your friend."
Ruby brought her hands to her mouth and bit on her knuckles. "Winter… I want another hug!"
"Another?" Winter gasped exasperatedly, then spread her arms. "Fine. Bring it in."
Ruby wrapped her arms around Winter in a bear-hug, then hopped back and nodded, all nervousness gone from her face.
"I'll be back before you know it," she said. "And I'll have Weiss with me!"
Winter smiled. "I would expect nothing less of my best pupil."
Ruby watched the ship sail away from the island with a nervous tingling on the back of her neck. She was worried for Winter. Though they hadn't faced much trouble on the way here, there was no telling what could happen on the travel back to the Earth Kingdom. There was always the chance of discovery by a Fire Nation patrol. Not to mention that Winter and her crew were still unwanted on Earth Kingdom soil.
But, if she were to be honest, she was far more worried about herself. While she was still on the ship, the idea of delving into the Fire Nation in search of Weiss and Yang had been just that, an idea. A dangerous adventure, but Ruby had had plenty of those just in the time since she'd been broken free of that iceberg on South Pole waters.
Now, with her feet on unfamiliar shores, and Winter's ship shrinking in the horizon, the reality of the situation was beginning to set in. This was no simple trip with a promise of safe haven at the end. Coming across enemies wasn't a matter of chance anymore, it would undoubtedly happen. She was the sworn enemy of the entire Fire Nation.
Maybe she should have asked Winter to wish her good luck, even if she knew her teacher didn't believe in things like that…
Ruby shook her head and took a deep breath. There was no good in worrying herself sick already. She had barely taken a step yet. She could save the freaking out for later, when it was a little more warranted.
She turned around and walked further inland, leaving the sandy shores to join her father and friends at the grassy terrain of the island. "Alright, guys! We're officially in enemy territory!" she said cheerfully. "So, what now? How do we find Weiss and Yang?"
"Hey, now, let's slow down a bit," Taiyang said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I want to find them as badly as you, but we're not gonna be able rescue them if we're captured too. We have to take some precautions first."
"But if we're captured, there is a chance they would throw us in the same prison as Weiss and Yang, right? And then we could break out together!" Jaune said, and looked at the others for approval. When even Pyrrha showed no signs of agreeing with him, he sighed and slumped his shoulders in defeat. "I mean, usually my plans aren't that much better than that, and they work… most of the time…"
"Let's shelve that idea for now," Taiyang said. "First order of business is, we have to make sure nobody recognizes us. Ruby and Pyrrha left their weapons behind, but I don't think that's gonna cut it. We have to blend in, like we're really Fire Nation. So, we're gonna need new clothes."
"Perhaps I should do something about my hair," Pyrrha said thoughtfully. "You too, Ruby. Actually, that would seem even more important with you."
Ruby's hands shot to the top of her head, and she looked at Pyrrha like she'd just said they should just cut it off her neck altogether. "What's wrong with my hair?!"
"Nothing! It's very pretty, really," Pyrrha said gently. "But I'd say it's even more recognizable than your staff. I've never met anyone with natural red tips like yours."
Ruby puffed her cheeks. "It's not like I am iconic on purpose."
"Iconic…?" Pyrrha repeated, looking perplexed.
"I could grow a mustache!" Jaune exclaimed genially.
Ruby turned pale as she imagined what he'd look like if he actually went through with that suggestion. She looked at Pyrrha and saw that she was smiling supportively at Jaune, though she also seemed about to faint at the same time.
"Okay, children, I'm glad to see you engaged and excited and all that, but let's not get ahead of ourselves," Taiyang said with a mediating tone of voice. "Let's take it slow. We can go to the town on the south shores, see what we can do about the clothes situation there. We're gonna have to pay it a visit eventually, anyway."
"Why's that?" Jaune asked. "I thought the plan was to stay away from people, for the most part."
"Yes, but I'm afraid we can't avoid civilization forever. That town's got something we need," Taiyang said. "A boat."
"A boat?" Jaune said, turning green. "But we just got out of a boat…"
"No. We just got out of a ship. A boat is way less secure and comfortable!" Taiyang stated. "It's a small distinction, but an important one. Don't forget it."
Pyrrha patted Jaune's back. "Yeah, I don't think he's going to…"
They trekked through the southwestern corner of the island, passing through the small mountains and spiraling rocks in order to stay hidden from unwanted eyes. When they came out into the open again, they were on a cliff overseeing the town below. It had looked small from Winter's ship, but Ruby was surprised to find it was actually quite lively, with several commercial and residential buildings, and a port that spanned almost a third of the southern shore, with barely a vacant spot for a ship.
They carefully descended from their heightened position, then approached the town from the side, where it was likely for them to be spotted. When they crossed into the limits of the settlements, it was directly into the backyard of a large house. The place seemed deserted, but there was a clothesline raised close to the porch on the back. The clothes seemed to have been hung up just recently.
"Well, isn't that convenient," Taiyang said. "Take your picks, kids."
"Wait, we're not gonna steal those clothes, right?" Ruby asked, her eyes widening. "We can't! We don't even know who they belong to. Can't we just buy some instead? Or, uhm… I don't know, anything else but stealing?"
"I wish there was another way, Ruby, but we have no money, so this is the only option." Taiyang sighed. "If it makes you feel any better, these people look well-off. I don't think they're even gonna notice anything's gone missing."
"No, that doesn't make me feel better," Ruby grunted. "Whatever. Let's just get this done with quick. And we're only gonna take what we need!"
Taiyang rubbed the back of his head, his eyes fleeing hers. Ruby frowned, regretting that she'd made him feel guilty. It wasn't like he wanted to steal from people, that was obvious. So why explode on him like that?
She wracked her head for something to say that would make the situation better, but then she felt two hands lay softly on her shoulders.
"Here, Ruby," Pyrrha said, guiding her over to the clothesline. "Let's find you something nice to change into, okay?"
Ruby opened her mouth to say that she didn't want something nice to change into, but stopped herself. She might not like what they were doing, but there was no reason to be petty about it. And since had absolutely zero fashion sense, she appreciated Pyrrha helping her out.
Ten minutes later, the four of them had all changed into their new clothes. Jaune and Taiyang had opted for a simple combination of red and white shirts, short pants and shoes, as was common of Fire Nation men. Though Taiyang was the Fire Lord's former spouse, his face wasn't all that recognizable to most folks, but for good measure, he took a hat that disguised his features a bit.
Pyrrha changed into a sleeveless red top and a black skirt, then ventured around the house in search of a reflective surface like a window or a pond. A short time later, she returned with her hair cut to the top of her shoulders. It looked a little rough around the edges, since she hadn't had much time to make the cut properly, but after a promise to herself that she'd fix it up later, and a reassurance that she still looked as stunning as ever from Jaune, Pyrrha didn't seem bothered at all by the change.
Finally, there was Ruby. She took pretty much the first options Pyrrha suggested to her, a white shirt and a red skirt. Her hair was a trickier matter. It was already short, so cutting it like Pyrrha wasn't a solution, and a hat wouldn't cover its red tips.
"Maybe we should just take the risk?" Ruby said nervously. "I mean, I don't see a solution here…"
"You could cut it all off," Jaune said.
Ruby glared at him. "You're just full of bright ideas today, aren't you?"
"Really, Ruby? You would rather be captured than go bald for a little while?" he asked, putting his hands on his hips.
"Actually, yes, I think I would," Ruby said. "How about you go bald, Jaune? I mean, it's just for a little while! No biggie!"
Jaune sighed in resignation. "If it's for the good of the world… If I must…"
"D-don't try to guilt me! This is so unfair!" Ruby shouted.
"Calm down, Ruby. You don't need to go bald, I think I have a solution," Pyrrha said. She went to the clothesline and returned with a new item, and handed it to Ruby. "Try this out."
Ruby eyed the clothe weirdly. It was a light red coat, but its sleeves were nearly nonexistent, not to mention that the whole thing had barely any weight at all. She put it on, but aside from its color, she might as well not be wearing anything at all over her white shirt.
"I don't get this thing," Ruby said quietly. "This isn't just me, right? Fire Nation fashion is weird as heck."
"I think it looks cool!" Jaune said.
"You think your mustache looks cool, so…" Ruby shook her head. "Pyrrha, how is this thing supposed to help me be less… me?"
"Funny you should say that, because I happen to think that this…" Pyrrha said, walking around Ruby to stand at her back. "…is very much you."
She flicked a hand up, and Ruby felt a light weight fall on her head. Her eyes darted up, then to the sides – and she smiled.
"A hood…" she squealed. "I take back everything I said. I love my new coat. Even if it was acquired in a morally questionable way and it should be returned as soon as possible."
"How quickly we forget…" Jaune muttered.
"You probably shouldn't wear it up all the time, though," Pyrrha said. "That would look suspicious for a whole other reason."
"Pyrrha." Ruby grabbed the hood and pulled it up even further. "Never say those words again."
"Okay…" Taiyang stepped in, dragging Ruby away from Pyrrha for everyone's safety. "Now that we're outfitted, we need to take care of our second problem – acquiring that boat. That means going out in public. Let's try and act like we belong, everyone."
"Yes, sir!" Jaune exclaimed enthusiastically. "Them's words that leave my mouth ain't gon' be suspicious not for a'momen', sir!"
Taiyang's jaw dropped. "Jaune, what… What are you doing?"
"Ah 'em puttin' on a Fire Nation accen', sir!" Jaune replied. "Issit good o' no', sir?"
Taiyang stared at him for a while, then smiled widely. "Yeah. It's great, Jaune," he said. "You're doing great."
"So, why exactly do we need a boat?" Jaune asked. "I see plenty of ships here… Don't they have ferry services in the Fire Nation?"
"They do," Taiyang said. "But the Fire Nation's a pretty big archipelago, and the distance between some of the islands is so great, it takes days to get from one to the other. We could rely on ferries, yeah, but that would mean subjecting ourselves to waiting around, and time's not exactly on our side here." He shrugged. "Plus, there's the issue of money. Unless one of you kids is sitting on a big Fire Nation inheritance, our pockets are pretty much empty."
"I don't think my coat has pockets, actually, which is pretty annoying now that I notice it. Why did you have to mention pockets?" Ruby said. She stopped walking for a moment. "Wait, Dad, do I have an inheritance? Not that I want one or anything, but, you're pretty much royalty, or you used to be. Does that mean there's a room full of gold waiting for me somewhere?"
"I… Err… That's an excellent question, Ruby," Taiyang said, rubbing his nose. "Look at those ships! So majestic, I must get a closer look immediately!"
He sped up, skipping past several houses on his way to the town's port. Ruby looked at Jaune and Pyrrha and shrugged. She'd lived fifteen years of her life eating from the fruits of the same trio of trees, so being short for money didn't seem like much of a big deal to her.
"Wow, there are a lot of ships here today," Taiyang said as they caught up to him. "Like, a lot a lot. I don't think I've seen ever this port so full before."
"Wait, you've been here before, Dad?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah, plenty of times," Taiyang said. "This town's a popular stopping point for ships. I believe it's the farthest Fire Nation island to the west, and if it's not, it's certainly the biggest one. You're practically required to make a stop here if you're sailing to or from the Earth Kingdom."
"Neat. I'm learning so much already," Ruby said. "This is like getting to know my second home." She pulled on her hood a bit. "I just wish it didn't have to be this way, and you could show me stuff without us having to worry about getting captured or hurt or… everything." She frowned. "And I wish Yang was with us."
Taiyang offered her a warm smile and passed an arm around her shoulders. "Well, I can still show you stuff. And what I can't show you, I'll tell you about." He chuckled. "As long as you promise to be responsible with the knowledge. Deal?"
"Okay. Deal!"
They continued to walk on the docks, passing by fishermen, merchants and soldiers. Ruby felt her father's hold tighten every time they passed by the latter, and though she felt she could probably protect him better than he could protect her, it still felt nice to have him looking out for her. It was like a hole was being filled in her life, one she didn't even know existed until now.
"So, Mister Taiyang," Pyrrha said, looking thoughtfully at the row of ships on the water. "What kind of boat are we looking for? I imagine we'd want something fast and relatively small, since we're only four people and we want to stay undetected. There are many like that here. If we could acquire one of them somehow…"
"Do you think any of those would hold up if struck by a light sea breeze?" Taiyang asked. "Figuratively speaking, of course."
"Ah. Well, if those people use them, I have to imagine they're at least somewhat reliable," Pyrrha said. "Though they might just stick to short distances. And since we're going to be traveling a lot…"
"You're not wrong, but that's not exactly what I'm thinking about," Taiyang said. "Hey, Jaune, when you picture a firebender, what's the first adjective that comes to mind?"
"Hawt, sir!" Jaune exclaimed immediately. "Firebenders are hawt!"
Pyrrha threw him the closest thing to a glare she was capable of. "What kind of firebender are you picturing, exactly?"
"Uhm… Le' me think of somethin' else, sir." Jaune rubbed his throat nervously, then nodded. "Scary, sir. Scary an' angery."
"Yes, you've nailed it! Angery!" Taiyang clapped his hands. "I mean, angry. Firebenders, and Fire Nation natives in general, are famous for their temper."
"I thought that was just a stereotype because of the war," Pyrrha said.
"Maybe a little. But anger and firebending have, unfortunately, been associated for as long as anyone can remember," Taiyang said. "Now imagine a whole nation of people with short fuses, some of them with the ability to shoot fire out of their hands and feet and mouths, and then realize that there's hundreds of miles of empty space around and in-between them… What do you think happens then, Ruby?"
Ruby stopped walking for a moment, taking her eyes off the ships to look past them, at the sea that seemed to stretch endlessly beyond the island. A sense of unease crept up her arms and neck, making her hairs stand on end. She felt small all of a sudden, and she wished she had her cloak back so she could hide inside it.
"We were safe on Winter's ship because, in general, the Grimm know better than to attack a vessel of that size and build," Taiyang said. "But if we set out on those waters in a measly fishing boat… Well, it ain't gon' be pretty for us. Pardon the accen', I'm slippin' back."
"Ain't nobody judgin', sir," Jaune mumbled, looking a little disturbed himself.
"What you're saying, then, is that we need a boat that is fast, discreet, and that can hold out against a Grimm attack," Pyrrha said. "That sounds like a tall order, Mister Taiyang. How are we going to find a boat like that, let alone acquire it?"
"Not by stealing it, I hope," Ruby said quietly.
"No. With so many soldiers around the place, I think we'd fail spectacularly if we tried something like that, and get our covers blown to boot," Taiyang said. "But I know a way to get what we need. No foul play necessary."
Ruby turned towards him, her curiosity peaking. He saw her looking at him and bowed his head, his hands limping restlessly at his sides.
"I'm gonna have to head back into town for that," he said. "Meanwhile, you three should stay around these parts. Try and lay low, but see if you can't investigate a little. There's so many Navy vessels here, and soldiers too… Something smells fishy."
"And it ain't be because o' dis bein' a dock, sir," Jaune agreed, dead serious.
"We'll see what we can find out," Pyrrha said.
"Alright. You kids stay safe," Taiyang said. "We'll meet again here in a couple hours."
He nodded, then started walking back towards the town proper. Ruby looked at Jaune and Pyrrha, biting her lip nervously. She should probably do as her father said, but…
She shook her head and blurted out a bye to her friends, then raced after Taiyang, catching up to him in seconds. He stopped to look at her, dismay clear on his face, though he also didn't appear surprised at all.
"Let me guess, you're coming with me and there's nothing I can say to convince you otherwise," he said.
Ruby nodded seriously. "That's it. I'm not gonna let you go anywhere alone. I know you can take care of yourself, but we're in enemy territory. We gotta look after each other."
"Is that so?" Taiyang said. "And I suppose curiosity wouldn't have anything to do with it?"
"Kinda." Ruby shrugged. "Or maybe I just wanna spend some time with you."
She looked at him sheepishly, and Taiyang grinned. "Fine. Let's have a father-daughter adventure, then," he said. "Just promise to be careful, okay?"
"Yeah, I'm always careful! Super careful! I'm the most careful person you've ever met, probably!" Ruby exclaimed.
Taiyang didn't seem very convinced. Regardless, he walked away and let her follow him without objecting.
Minutes later, they were standing in front of a house in the northern part of the town. It was quite a big building, especially compared to the other houses around it. It was a little lacking when it came to windows, though, except for a couple near the roof. Ruby wondered why that was. She thought most houses were bad enough with proper lighting and air circulation – she shuddered at the thought of going inside this one.
She still wasn't going to let her father go in alone, though.
"Now I know what you're gonna say, but I have to ask," Taiyang said wearily as he raised a hand to knock on the door. "Do you really have to come with me, rose petal?"
"Yup. I really have to," Ruby said. "And you calling me rose petal isn't gonna do anything. I mean, it makes me feel warm inside, but I don't see how that helps you any."
"I suppose I can't be upset about that." Taiyang sighed. "I do believe this would go better if you waited outside, Ruby. But I'm not going to force you."
Ruby shrugged. "You think making this sound scary is gonna make me not go in with you?"
"Okay, okay, I get it," Taiyang said, grinning despite himself. "Just let me do the talking, okay? And keep your hood on."
"You don't have to tell me!" she replied giddily.
Taiyang put on a serious face, then knocked on the door. A few seconds later, a slit near the top of it slid to the side, and an eye appeared at the other side.
"State your business," a gruff male voice said.
"I'm here to talk to your boss," Taiyang said, raising his chin importantly. "What about is for her ears only."
"Is that so?" the man behind the door said, then after a few seconds of silence, "Password?"
Taiyang blinked. "Wait, there's a password?"
The slit slammed shut. Taiyang turned and looked at Ruby, silently begging for her not to say anything. She decided to have mercy on him and just shook her head in disappointment.
"Drat. I knew this had to be harder than Qrow makes it sound," Taiyang said under his breath, then turned towards the door and knocked again, less surely this time. "Hey! Hear me out for a moment, will you?"
The slit opened again, and the eye reappeared. "Speak."
Ruby watched her father falter a little, as if hesitating, before he straightened up and spoke with a finality to his voice. "Tell your boss Taiyang Xiao Long is here to see her. She'll definitely be interested."
The eye stared at him for a moment, then the slit closed and they heard someone stomping away from the door.
"Dad!" Ruby hissed once the footsteps faded. "Did you just tell your name to a complete stranger? A shady, weird eye-in-the-door, stranger?" She gestured at her clothes. "What was the point of this, then?"
"There was no other option, Ruby. We need a boat, and for that, we need to get inside this place," Taiyang said. "And look at the bright side – at least I didn't tell him you're the Avatar! That would have been way worse."
"Yeah, I guess you're not wrong about that. But that doesn't mean you're right either!" Ruby frowned. "Ugh, now I get why Weiss gets annoyed with me so easy."
"Must run in the family," Taiyang noted cheekily.
"I don't know if we should be proud about that…" Ruby said. "Who's this person we're gonna talk to, anyway?"
"I'm gonna talk to," Taiyang corrected. "Just wait, and you'll see."
Ruby grumbled under her breath. She was starting to get tired of all this secrecy business.
A couple minutes later, a man opened the door, presumably the one who had interrogated Taiyang before. He took a long look at Ruby – and she made sure to stand in a way that her hood covered most of her face – then turned and gestured for them to follow.
Taiyang walked inside first, then Ruby went after him, keeping her eyes trained on his back. Like she'd thought, the lack of windows in the house meant there was barely any light inside it. If it weren't for a few candles scattered throughout the place and their gruff, wordless guide, they would have gotten lost almost immediately after taking their first step inside.
After a bit of walking, they got to a set of wooden stairs next to a wall, going downwards. As they descended, Ruby finally saw a hint of proper illumination ahead of them, though it was still dim. She discovered why when they reached the bottom. There was a sort of archway a few steps after the end of the stairs, blocked by various layers of purple and pink silk sheets that hanged from the top of it.
The man parted the silks, then nodded for them to go ahead. Taiyang cast a look back at Ruby, and she pulled on her hood a bit, then they went under the archway together.
They exited into a large saloon that could have belonged in a tavern or inn. A chandelier hanging from the ceiling cast light all across the room, including the bar at the corner with a man behind it, cleaning a row of glasses on the counter. Most of the floor was taken up by tables and chairs, with a few of them occupied by people so shifty they made their guide look like a schoolboy.
Seated at one of the tables was a large woman clad in silk clothes the same color as the sheets at the entrance. She had a shrew look about her, as if she could divine a secret from someone just by gazing at them. Ruby was immediately distrustful of her, even more so when she saw them and her lips parted in a wide smile.
"Ah, Taiyang Xiao Long!" She stood up and clapped her hands. "The actual Taiyang Xiao Long. What a pleasant surprise. Come, come take a seat."
She sat down again and gestured at the chairs on the other side of the table. Taiyang walked up to the table and sat down, while Ruby remained standing behind him. She wouldn't be able to hide her face from the woman very well if they were level with each other. Besides, she'd be able to act faster if something went wrong if she were on her feet.
"Hello," Taiyang said awkwardly, looking the woman up and down with a furrowed forehead. "You're Lil' Miss Malachite?"
"The one and only," the woman replied haughtily. "You seem surprised, Mister Xiao Long. Why?"
"Oh, sorry. It's nothing." Taiyang scratched his chin. "I guess I thought you'd be, you know… little…"
She glared at him, and he just chuckled nervously. Ruby pursed her lips, wishing she hadn't left her staff behind so she could smack him in the head with it.
"And you've brought a friend? A little friend…" Miss Malachite said, casting a sharp look Ruby's way. "You know, I don't appreciate unannounced guests, especially when they don't show their faces…"
"Oh, I'm very sorry. That's… Robin. She's my, uh… my niece," Taiyang said. "She's very shy, doesn't like to show her face. Took years for her to show it to me. And still, I've never heard her talk. So shy, so shy!"
"How awful. Hopefully you will grow out of that, sweetie," Miss Malachite said, obviously unconvinced. "She's your niece, you said? That'd make her…"
"Qrow's kid." Taiyang nodded. "Yup. She's definitely his kid. The rumors were right, who woulda thought!"
Ruby really wished she had kept her staff.
"Well, then. Moving on from your niece," Miss Malachite said. "You've come here to ask something of me, yes? Unless you're just dropping by for tea and a chat." Her eyes narrowed. "Which would make me very disappointed."
"You're right. I'm here for a favor," Taiyang said. "I'm in need of a boat. A boat that can house four people and take them quickly and securely across the Fire Nation. Can you get me one of those?"
"Can I get you one?" Miss Malachite repeated in a mockery of his voice. "Yes. You wouldn't have known about me if I couldn't." She leaned on the table, tapping her fingers against each other. "But you realize my business doesn't work like that, yes? I don't do favors. When you ask a service of me, I require something of equal valor in exchange."
"Of course. So what price do you think would be fair for you to procure what I need?" Taiyang asked.
"Normally, acquiring a boat like that would be a trifling matter. But we are not living in normal times," Miss Malachite said. "You must have seen the state of the docks. The Fire Lord has sunk her claws on nearly every ship in her blessed territory. That doesn't make them inaccessible, not to me, but…"
"How much money, then?" Taiyang asked.
"Let's not beat around the bush, Mister Consort," Miss Malachite said sharply and straightened up. "You are no longer the man of station you used to be. If you have any money, it's not nearly enough to compensate me for my troubles. Even if it were, I wouldn't be satisfied with such a payment. I don't need money, especially not from you. What you can give me…"
"…is information," Taiyang said, smiling bitterly. "I imagined as much."
"Yes, and we both know you're desperate enough to give it. You wouldn't have come to me if you had any other choice," Miss Malachite said. "You've walked the halls of the Vacuo Palace, and you've been inside its throne room countless times, listening, watching. For the longest time, the Fire Lord's will was your will… That means you know things, Taiyang Xiao Long, that most people don't." She smiled. "And I would like to know those things too."
For a long while, Taiyang was silent, staring down at the table between them. Then, he opened his mouth…
Ruby punched his shoulder.
"Agh! Ru -Robin!" Taiyang exclaimed. "What was that for?!"
Ruby leaned next to his head and glared at him, so close there was no possible way he couldn't see it, even with her hood up.
"Seems like your little shy friend has something to say to you. Or gesticulate. Whatever she's more comfortable doing," Miss Malachite deadpanned. "Please, take your time. I'm not going anywhere."
Ruby hummed gratefully and grabbed her father by the ear, then dragged him to a corner away from the conniving woman in purple.
"Ruby, what the heck?" Taiyang said, rubbing his aching ear. "You're making a scene. What's this all about?"
"You lied to me!" Ruby hissed. "You said there was a way to get us a boat, no foul play necessary! And here we are, negotiating with… with her!"
She gestured at Lil' Miss Malachite, who seemed very content to watch them from afar.
"I know it seems bad, but it's just a little information sharing," Taiyang said. "It's not like before with the clothes. We're not really hurting anybody."
"No, Dad, it's even worse than before! You're giving precious information to a… a thug! That's what she is, a thug!" Ruby said. "What do you think she's gonna do with that, Dad? Build an orphanage? Feed the poor?"
"I don't think she's that altruistic," Taiyang said. "Ruby, I don't like this either. I hate it. But do I hate it more than I want to find your sister and Weiss?" He shook his head. "Do you?"
Ruby clenched her fists. "That's not fair."
"I know. But it's the price we'll have to pay if we want to get them back," he said softly. "You knew this was going to be tough when you asked me to come with you."
He was right. She'd known from the start. But she had imagined it would be dangerous like everything else had been dangerous before. Fight and flight kind of stuff. She'd never imagined things would be tough this way.
"Okay…" she whispered. "Whatever we have to do."
Taiyang rubbed her cheek under her hood for a moment, then they returned to the table and he sat back down.
"Well then, now that you're done with your little meeting…" Lil' Miss Malachite said. "I assume you're ready to pay the fee?"
"As long as you can provide what I want," Taiyang said.
"We have a deal." She smiled. "You can start talking."
Jaune and Pyrrha's investigation of the port didn't deliver them any answers as to why there were so many Fire Navy ships there. After nearly being caught in a couple of compromising situations by the dozens of soldiers there, they decided to drop the matter altogether and leave the immediate area. No matter how careful they were, and no matter how much effort Jaune put into his accent, being close to the enemy forces was just too risky.
Hopefully Ruby and her father would have better results with their task than they'd had with theirs.
"Would it be too much to hope for that the Fire Navy is just having a massive ship sale?" Jaune suggested as they walked away from the ships. "Kinda like an igloo sale?"
"I'm sorry, a what now?" Pyrrha said, looking at him in confusion.
"An igloo sale. You know, when someone has a lot of stuff in their house so they set up a day to sell everything off to the neighbors at a discount," Jaune said. "You've never heard of an igloo sale?"
"Jaune, I think you're forgetting that I didn't have igloos where I grew up," Pyrrha said. "Most people didn't have them where they grew up."
"Oh, right. I did forget that. The heat must be getting to my head." Jaune rubbed his forehead. "Either that, or it's the accent. It takes a lot out of you, maintaining two totally distinct but equally colorful personalities, you know?"
"I can tell."
Pyrrha looked away from him and towards the town, where Ruby and Taiyang had gone off to, and Jaune saw her shoulders slump ever so slightly.
"Hey, Pyrrha," he said, inching closer to her. "You okay? You look a little bummed out."
Surprised, Pyrrha looked at him again. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry, Jaune. I'm okay." She paused. "I'm just… Well, I'm a little worried about Ruby. She seems a little on edge lately."
"I know what you mean. She's kinda been that way since Vale," Jaune said. "She just misses Weiss. You know how much she means to her."
"I know. And she lost Yang too, just when they were getting to know each other," Pyrrha said. "I just wish there was something we could do for her. I mean, we're here for her, but that's not going to help her. Not really." She sighed. "I'll be honest with you, Jaune – this whole thing has been making me feel pretty much useless. I know it's selfish to feel that way, but it's the truth."
"I get that. I wish I could fix all of this with my sword, but that's not gonna cut it this time," Jaune said. "I guess all we can really do is work hard to get Weiss and Yang back. Everything will work out in the end."
Pyrrha smiled. "That's a very positive way to look at things, Jaune. I think I'll just follow your example and keep my head high throughout this ordeal."
Jaune smiled and nodded, happy that he had managed to cheer her up, even if only a little.
"It's been quite some time since Ruby and her dad left," Pyrrha said. "We should probably head back to the meeting spot and see if they're there."
"Sounds like a plan," Jaune said. "And if they're not there, maybe I can start teaching you the accent. It would be kinda suspicious if only half the group had it – though I'm not sure Ruby can pull it off."
"Yeah… Wonderful idea, Jaune…"
They walked away, so distracted that they failed to look at the notice board they went past, and therefore didn't notice the four wanted posters nailed to it… and the familiar faces they depicted.
After meeting back up and explaining what each pair had accomplished, the group left the town and found a quiet place in the mountains near its limits. There, they had a modest meal with the provisions Winter's crew had given them, and then they planned for what was ahead.
"Lil' Miss Malachite will be delivering us our boat after the moon comes up," Taiyang said. "Presumably, she needs a little time to get a hold of it first before she can get it to us. She'll bring it to us herself, around the same beach where Winter dropped us off."
"Can we really trust her to do hold up her part of the deal, though?" Jaune asked. "I'm not doubting you, Mister Taiyang, it's just that, from what you and Ruby told us of her, she doesn't seem like a very honorable sort of person."
"You're right, we shouldn't trust her," Taiyang said. "But we should trust her to at least deliver us what she promised. If there's one thing Lil' Miss Malachite prizes more than information and money, it's her reputation. If she breaks a deal and word gets around, it's her business that hurts the most."
"And what exactly is her business…?" Pyrrha again.
"This, and that."
"He means shady stuff," Ruby said. "I'm gonna go practice my waterbending."
She stomped off, leaving the rest of the group in an awkward silence.
Night fell, and they headed out of their temporary camp, taking another route through the mountains towards the west. Some twenty minutes later, they came out into the beach. From there, they followed the shoreline north, until they came across a pair of rocks in the sand carved into the shape of a spider – Malachite's symbol.
"Doesn't look like there's anyone around here," Jaune said. "Maybe she changed her mind?"
"Let's just wait and see. She may have had some trouble finding a boat after all," Taiyang said. "We'll give her a couple hours. You guys good with that?"
Jaune shrugged. "It's not like we've got anywhere else to be."
"I think I can get a better look from up there," Pyrrha said, pointing at a formation of rocks close behind them. "Wanna come with me, Jaune?"
"Sure," he replied immediately, then took a longer look at the rocks. "Just, uh, you'll hold onto me up there, right?"
"Yes. I won't let you fall, my knight."
She giggled and led him away by the hand. Ruby turned to her father and opened her mouth, then put a finger inside it, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly.
"I swear, those two are gonna make me puke someday," she said. "It was cute at first, but it's getting to be a little too much now."
"You'll get over it," Taiyang said, grinning. "They'll get over it, too, and then you'll wish they went back to just being cute."
"Yeah, I don't think that's gonna happen," Ruby said. She looked down at her feet, and a little smile appeared on her lips. "I'm happy for them."
"That's good, rose petal. That's good."
He patted her on the back, and Ruby leaned her head on his arm – then shuffled away, a terrible feeling of guilt washing over her. How could she enjoy her father's presence, how could she smile, when she knew that Weiss and Yang were out there, suffering alone?
She needed to find them quick.
"Hey, Dad," Ruby said quietly. "You don't think we could ask Lil' Miss Malachite about Weiss and Yang, do you?"
"I wish we could," Taiyang said. "But we've already risked too much telling her what we have. She knows something is up with me. If I went and started making more questions, then she'd surely connect the dots."
"And who knows what she'd ask for in return." Ruby nodded. "I guess we'll have to find Weiss and Yang some other way."
"I already have an idea, actually," Taiyang said. "I know a guy, his name is Leonardo Lionheart. If anyone can help us locate them, it's him."
"And he'll help us like Miss Malachite helped us, or…?" Ruby asked warily.
"No, he's a good friend. You don't have anything to worry about there."
Ruby hummed, his assurance setting her somewhat at ease. She'd been ready to accept Lil' Miss Malachite's help if necessary, but she hadn't been the least happy about it. Having a cleaner alternative was a big relief.
"Ruby, Taiyang!" Jaune yelled behind them, and Ruby looked back to see him and Pyrrha returning from their vantage point on top of the rocks. "We saw a ship coming. It's probably her!"
"Good. Don't let your guards down," Taiyang said. "Ruby, you know what to do."
Ruby pulled her hood up and stepped back so she was standing a little behind Pyrrha, where she was less noticeable. She drew a deep breath as her arms limped uselessly at her sides. She would normally fiddle with the edges of her cloak in such stressful situations, but that was not an option anymore, for obvious reasons. With no outlet to that nervous energy, all she could do was worry about what was about to happen.
She felt like she was going to explode if she had to wait any longer – until Jaune called her attention by tapping her leg with the back of his foot. He looked back at her and tapped his sword's sheathe, then nodded encouragingly. After a moment's hesitation, Ruby returned the nod and looked ahead again with a strengthened resolve.
Finally, the boat came into view, skirting around the spires that rose from the seafloor around the island. As it came closer, Ruby got a better idea of its size – it looked to be about a third of Winter's ship in height, not counting the sails, and a fifth of it in length. The hull and the passengers' cabin were made of metal, but most everything else was wood. It was a far call from the ships Ruby had traveled in so far, but that was hardly a negative – if anything, the boat looked cozy.
The boat did lose that image when it landed on the beach, and the person standing at the prow became visible. Lil' Miss Malachite looked at them from on high with a haughty smile, seemingly content to just watch for a while, before she turned her back and began her descend to the beach through the boat's boarding ramp.
"That's Lil' Miss Malachite?" Jaune whispered. "I thought she was supposed to be… err, little?"
Pyrrha gasped. "Jaune!"
"What? She's a crime boss!" Jaune said, raising his hands defensively. "And don't pretend you didn't think the same thing!"
"Still, you should never say something like that about anyone!" Pyrrha admonished.
"She's absolutely right, Jaune," Taiyang said, shaking his head sadly. "It's unbecoming of a young man like you to say things like that. You've got some things to learn when it comes to being sensitive towards others."
"R-right…" Jaune bowed his head. "I'll work on that, sir."
Ruby really wanted to say something to expose her father's blatant hypocrisy, but she kept her lips shut tight as Lil' Miss Malachite walked from the ship and stopped before the group.
Her hands joined behind her back, Miss Malachite studied each of them in turn. Though she barely payed Taiyang any attention, her eyebrows did raise when she examined Jaune and Pyrrha – and then her eyes lingered on Ruby, so long the girl suspected she was imagining things due to how nervous she was feeling.
"Well, then," Miss Malachite said, looking at Taiyang again, and gestured grandiosely behind her. "Here is the boat you so desperately needed. Its build should be enough to take you anywhere you want in the Fire Nation regardless of natural conditions. As a bonus, it is faster than most Navy-approved vessels, so should you happen to be find yourself in a pinch and need to make a swift escape…" She smirked. "Though I don't see why such a situation would ever befall you, Mister Consort."
"Me neither," Taiyang said humorlessly, appraising the boat from afar. "And it can withstand Grimm attacks at sea?"
"Of course. To a reasonable degree. You'll still need to be cautious, but that would not change even if you were sailing the Fire Lord's personal ship," Miss Malachite said. "If I knew of a surefire way to deal with the creatures of Grimm… Well, I would not be doing business on a deserted beach at the dead of night, and I'll leave it at that."
"Fair enough," Taiyang said. "Everything seems to be in order, then. You came through."
"Are you suggesting there was the possibility that I wouldn't?" Miss Malachite asked, her voice deceptively sweet.
"It would be very stupid of me to suggest that." Taiyang offered his hand. "We'll be going now. Thank you for your service."
Lil' Miss Malachite shook his hand, and as she did, Ruby watched her expression sharpen, that thin veil of politeness being discarded in the blink of an eye.
"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mister Xiao Long," she said. "And now I'd like to suggest you another deal."
Taiyang took back his hand, his demeanor changing to match hers. "What are you talking about?"
"The terms are simple. I will allow you, and your two young friends there – the earthbender and the tribesman – to take your ship and leave without a problem. I won't tell a soul about you being here. You might as well have never set foot on this island," Miss Malachite said. "It would be so much harder to rescue your precious lost daughter if the Fire Lord and all her servants knew you were looking for her, wouldn't it?"
She raised a finger, then slowly lowered it to point at Ruby.
"In return, the Avatar stays behind, and I get to deliver her to the Fire Lord myself." Miss Malachite chuckled. "I think I might finally get to retire after that."
"You're crazy," Taiyang said, moving to stand between her and Ruby. "I don't know what you're talking about. The Avatar-"
"Don't treat me like an idiot! I have ears everywhere on Remnant, you think I haven't heard the rumors that the Avatar is secretly your child?" Miss Malachite spat. "I hardly believed any of that. It sounded like the highest type of nonsense people make up about royalty. But when you came in with her in tow, I began to have second thoughts… And now I am sure the stories are real!"
"Well, that doesn't change anything!" Taiyang yelled, alighting his fists. "I'm not letting you do anything to my daughter!"
Jaune drew his sword. "That's right, you're not laying a finger on her!"
"You'll have to go through all of us first," Pyrrha said, raising an arm to shield Ruby.
Lil' Miss Malachite looked to the sky and rolled her eyes, groaning loudly. Then, she took a step back and made a gesture over her shoulder. "I hate to ruin a good deal, but you leave me no choice."
Ruby felt the arrow cutting through the air before even hearing it. She jumped back in instinct, and the shaft buried itself in the sand between her feet. One frantic look around, and she found the bowman standing on top of one of the spires scattered along the beach. As soon as she saw him, more became apparent, other men and women wielding bow from similar positions – and then more thugs on the beach itself, appearing from the shadows with swords and spears in hand.
"Now, I know the dirtbender said I'll have to go through all of you first," Lil' Miss Malachite said. "But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume she didn't mean that literally. Let's start over, this doesn't need to end in a tragedy. Right, Avatar? You don't want all your friends to die for you, do you?"
Ruby lowered her hood and walked forward, pushing Pyrrha's arm away as she tried to hold her back. She locked eyes with Lil' Miss Malachite, her fists clenching.
"If you're really so smart," she said. "You should have known better than to threaten my family!"
She punched in front of her, and the wind came rushing in behind her, striking Miss Malachite and knocking her off her feet. The rushing gale sent the crime boss rolling throughout the beach, kicking up sand, until she hit the sea and dropped under the waves. Seconds later, she reappeared at the surface, flailing her arms as she simultaneously struggled to get back on land, and pointed furiously at Ruby and her friends.
"Kill her!" she screeched. "Kill them all!"
"Everyone on me!" Pyrrha yelled, raising walls of stone behind and to both sides of her. Ruby dived under her protection, as did her father and Jaune.
"I knew this was gonna happen!" Ruby exclaimed. "Those jerks! I'm gonna-"
"We can't fight them all off!" Taiyang said. "We need a plan."
"How about we make a deal with another gang of criminals so they can fight off this gang of criminals for us?!" Ruby yelled, glaring at him. "That sound like a plan to you, Dad?"
"Ruby, please," Taiyang said beggingly. "We can talk about this later. Let's work together here."
"Okay. Here's the actual plan – we beat these guys up! Done!"
Ruby kicked under her, propelling herself high up the air – and was immediately met with a salvo of arrows, none of which hit her, but they came dangerously close to. She landed back on her feet and dusted her knees, puffing up her cheeks in annoyance.
"Okay, we might need an actual plan," she grumbled.
"Actually, I think you had the right idea. Or half of it," Jaune said. "Maybe a third."
"Gee, thanks."
"We need to get to the ship, but we if just make a run for it, it's gonna end badly. We've gotta be smart about it," Jaune elaborated. "You and your Dad are our best ranged attackers, so you deal with the bad guys as we retreat. Pyrrha will give us cover. And I…" He sighed. "I'm kinda out of shape, so my task will be to not throw up from the effort before we get there."
"Oh, honey, don't say that," Pyrrha said, pouting. "I think you're in excellent shape, all things considered!"
"Thanks, Pyrrha, that means a lot. Also, you've never called me honey before."
"You don't like it?"
"No, it's just a little weird to hear, but once I get used to it, I think-"
"Guys, not the time!" Ruby interrupted, snapping her fingers in front of their faces. "Get to the running!"
They ran out of Pyrrha's makeshift stronghold, bolting straight towards the boat. They had barely five seconds before arrows started to rain down on them again, but they either landed away from them, or they were blocked by the barriers that Pyrrha raised as they made their advance.
The thugs on the beach realized what their plan was and tried to intercept them, but Ruby and Taiyang were prepared for that, knocking them aside with bursts of air or scaring them off with fire. When they were free, the father-daughter duo took the time to shoot back at the bowmen, making them take cover and stop their arrows temporarily.
When they made it to the ship, no one was injured, and Jaune had not thrown up. Unfortunately, there was another problem at hand.
"Does anyone know how to turn a docked ship around?" Jaune asked as he caught his breath.
"Uh, I'm pretty sure there's a, uh, a thingamajig, in every ship, that helps with that?" Taiyang said unsurely. "I have no freaking clue! Maybe we push it back into the ocean?"
"We push it? You are never allowed to criticize my ideas ever again," Jaune said.
At the edge of the prow, Ruby helped Pyrrha raise one last barrier down on the beach to stop the thugs from chasing after them. As Pyrrha left to bring the boarding ramp up, Ruby then looked down at the water, an idea starting to take shape. They couldn't push the ship, but they didn't need to, not when the ocean could do that for them.
Except she was just one waterbender, and the boat was so heavy it could take six to move it even a little bit. The only exception would be if they were a master waterbender.
If she had Weiss to help her…
"Ruby, what are you doing?" Jaune yelled, running up to her. "You wanna take an arrow to the forehead?"
For a moment, Ruby closed her eyes, clearing her mind. There was no time to be sad. No time to be helpless.
"I'm moving the ship," she said, and raised her arms in front of her. She thrusted forward, closed her hands, then pulled back, and opened her hands again.
No response.
She repeated the motion. Thrust, close, pull back, open.
Ever so faintly, the ocean responded to her command. She repeated the motion again, then again, getting into a steady rhythm, gritting her teeth in concentration…
If you stay tense like that, all you're gonna accomplish is a bunch of pitiful splashes. The ocean isn't impatient, but you are. Be like the ocean.
She unclenched her jaw.
Not just in this exercise, by the way. You could stand to be a little more patient in general.
The ship stirred.
What do you mean I should take my own advice? I am incredibly patient! I have to be, to deal with - you know what, forget it. Just get back to the exercise.
And then it came free. Ruby let herself fall into a sitting position, a gasp of relief escaping her lips as she felt the boat drift away from the island little by little…
"Alright, I think we're all set," Jaune said, coming out of the cabins into the dock with Taiyang. "We've figured out how to steer the boat, and we're now sailing east-"
"Probably east," Taiyang noted.
"-towards Sanctum Island-"
"Probably Sanctum Island."
"-where we'll find Mister Taiyang's friend, Leo." Jaune paused. "Probably."
"That's excellent news!" Pyrrha said, standing up and clapping her hands. "We're already on our way to finding Weiss and Yang. Isn't that great, Ruby?"
Still sitting on the floor, Ruby mustered a smile and nodded. She glanced at her father, and immediately looked away, her shoulders slumping.
Suddenly, despite the sound of the winds pushing against the sails and the waves rolling by, the boat seemed very silent.
"I think Jaune and I are going to take a look at our room," Pyrrha said, looking between Ruby and Taiyang uneasily. "Jaune?"
"Yup," Jaune said. "Just, uh… Call us if something's up with the ship."
They retreated into the cabins, leaving Ruby alone with her father on the deck.
Ruby brought her knees up against her chest and hugged them, training her eyes on the horizon. She heard Taiyang sit down beside her, but for a while, he said nothing at all. When she did venture to look at him, she noticed the pained look on his face and realize he was probably as lost for words as she was.
"Ruby, I… I get it if you're mad at me," he started. "You have every right to be. The things we did back there, you said you weren't proud of them. You told me loud and clear, that it was wrong. But I just didn't listen to you. I didn't respect your judgement."
"I think I've been so focused on taking care of you, and making sure we can rescue your sister and Weiss – for you, too – that I lost perspective. You're more than just my daughter. You're so much more than that. And yet…"
"I should have been better. I'm sorry I disappointed you."
Ruby bit her lip, feeling a shaking start from her shoulders, but she steeled herself and managed to speak calmly.
"I'm not mad at you," she said. "I mean, I was. That was pretty stupid, what happened, and I really wish you had listened to me… But I… kinda don't mind?"
Taiyang frowned with worry. "I don't think I get you, Ruby. You don't care?"
"No! It's not like…" Ruby punched her leg in frustration. She couldn't find an eloquent way to explain herself, so she was just going to say what was on her mind instead. "Weiss gets mad at me a lot, and I kinda get mad at her sometimes, too. But we're still, you know, we still really like each other. So I wouldn't change that about us, not for the world." She took a moment to breathe, feeling a lump in her throat all of a sudden. "We make each other better that way, I think."
She pulled on his arm and pressed herself against it, managing a small smile.
"If you weren't there with me today, I think I would have been miserable all day. But spending time with you was nice, even if stuff went wrong," she said. "I don't care if you make me mad, or you disappoint me, or whatever… As long as you're with me. As long as I get to know you. Does that make sense?"
"Yeah. I think I understand you," Taiyang said, smiling. "Though I'd like to think I'm more valuable to you than as just a lovable buffoon."
"Well, you're that way with Yang, but you also help her out a lot, right? I remember, even when we were kinda enemies and I didn't know you were my dad, you had this aura of wisdom about you all the time," Ruby said. "So maybe go back to being like that. Just be yourself with me. And I'll be myself with you. That's the only way we can really get to know each other, right?"
"Sure. Let me just reactivate the aura of wisdom, then!"
He screwed up his face and stuck out his tongue, shaking in place. After a minute, he stopped and shrugged.
"Sorry, I got nothing for you right now. Kinda super tired," he said. "Immah sleep."
Without ceremony, he lied back on the dock and shut his eyes. In a matter of seconds, he was snoring as loud as a rhino.
"Really? Right here?" Ruby murmured. "Well I guess that habit had to come from somewhere…"
Feeling drowsy herself, she lied down and hugged his arm, resting her head on his shoulder.
For the first night in weeks, she drifted easily into sleep, and dreamed of only good things.
If I earned a penny for every chapter I thought was going to be short and easy to write and then turned out to be long and way too complicated to write for no discernible reason... Then I'd have a lot of pennies. And I'd be getting a new penny right now, too.
The ending to this chapter was gonna be a lot more angsty originally. I'm much happier with the way it turned out ultimately, even if it meant rewriting a lot of stuff... Oh, also, I legitimately thought the character was Lil' Miss SPIDER right until I went to edit the whole thing and checked the wiki (funnily enough, to check if she was actually fat in the show and I wasn't remembering things wrong). Thank the Brothers for the find+replace function.
I don't have much more to say, the chapter kinda speaks for itself I think and I'm almost falling asleep on my keyboard soooooooo UNTIL NEXT TIME WE'RE GOING BACK TO YANG WOOOH I BET THAT'S GONNA BE SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS EH?
-Zeroan
