AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. Thank you for all the support you have shown this story, it means a lot to me. I have a very emotional chapter, showing off a lot of serious stuff the character has went through. This one has two big payoffs for villains of Rwby that I liked writing. Hope you enjoy this chapter, let me know what you thought or if you have any suggestions, and have a nice day.

Chapter 52 – The Talk

Ruby.

Yang and Blake walked into the courtyard to see Weiss and Ruby at a table. The blond berserker smiled and waved as she sat across from her sister, "Hey, the gangs back together." Yang said as relaxed in her chair, "Between classes and other stuff, the four of us have barely been in the same room together."

"I know, so much has happened in a couple of weeks" Ruby commented, "…That's why I wanted to talk with you three."

"This isn't another one of your attempts to have me meet Lobo, is it?" Blake asked as she glared at her team leader, "I'm serious Ruby, I will have a heart attack if I see him."

"Nononono," Ruby frantically defended, "I wanted to chat with you three about our experiences here."

"Well, I've had some fun," Yang said as she half closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, turning to Weiss, "Just yesterday, I went on a little adventure with Mor, your nemesis, and my new golden boyfriend."

"Oh, good for you and Gilgamesh," Weiss responded, "But, you do know Pyrrha hates that guy. In fact, most of this school is annoyed with his attitude."

Yang shrugged as she grinned, "I find it charming," She then glanced over at Blake, "How about you? Make any progress with Achilles?"

"I still don't know what you mean by that." Blake responded before her face turned to one of sadness, "But, Chiron has told me that I haven't been progressing in our training recently. He says I'm not getting any stronger through his lessons."

"He doesn't know what he is talking about?" Yang said as she patted Blake on the back, turning back to Weiss, "What about you?"

"My training is in an interesting point," Weiss said with a sigh, "Semiramis shirted my focus into learning spells that allow me to use my glyphs more efficiently. She even taught me a way to minimize the dust I normally need in my attacks with new magic." The heiress then had a look of disappointment as she continued, "However, this is all so I can devote more energy to mastering summons. But, nothing we have tried has worked."

"I'm sure you'll get it, sooner or later," Yang said before turning to her sister, "And what's new with you?"

"I…," Ruby said as her team went silent, "I… I can make a reality marble."

"A what?" Yang responded.

"It's a high-level magic technique." Weiss commented, "That's the simple version, explained the rest would take too long."

"She's right, and she found out about it back when I got Lobo," Ruby added on.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Blake asked, speaking for Yang also.

"Why didn't you tell us about your past right away," Weiss responded as she crossed her arms, causing Blake to go silent, "The important thing is she is telling us herself when she felt ready."

"True," Yang agreed with Weiss, but turned back to Ruby, "So, what does this reality marble do?"

"Well, my eyes glow and it teleports me to a place where everything is white," Ruby responded.

"Oh, cool." Yang said with a smile before looking at Weiss, "I guess you would be practically invisible there, wouldn't you." She said with the heiress glaring at her, "I'm kidding."

"Actually...," Ruby continued, causing the other to look at her in confusion, "Each time that I have taken people there, a new person gets added to the reality marble. It's always someone in white that can move differently in that space."

"Who?" Weiss asked, "Who else is there?"

"The time you saw me use it back when I meet Lobo, that's when it made Blanca" Ruby responded, but she started to break eye contact, "The time before that when I first used it in a sparring match…it made my Mom." She said with each of her team going into a quiet shock, "I learned that it makes the person based on someone's own loss of a loved one. Making that feeling and memory a physical being in my reality marble."

"…When you say loss, what do you mean?" Yang asked before her mind went to who she lost in her life. It went right to the image of Raven, leaving her as she walked into a red void of nothingness. Blake's mind went to something similar. She looked as she saw Adam placing the White Fang mask on his face, a hateful aura radiating from his body as he glared at her. Weiss remembered a person, not as a loss, but someone she felt she never had. The image of her father Jacques looking down on her with his hands behind his back before walking away.

"I think it is someone who's dead." Ruby responded, "That's what all the people so far have in common. And it's how Professor Iskandar's reality marble works." She said with the others mind's returning to the conversation at hand, looking at Ruby, "I don't know everything about this power, but I know I can't abuse it. Making people see something like that…I don't think it's always positive. For a second, I thought this was some kind of curse," She then had a slight smile form on her face, "But, in order for me to use this reality marble, I have to remember why I need it." Her smile grew bigger as she looked at her team, "It's so I can protect people, so they can return to people they care about." She said with the rest of Team RWBY smiling.

"Well, can we go there?" Weiss asked with a smile, "I wouldn't mind seeing your mother, just to see how much to take after her."

"Yeah, you'd be surprised." Yang responded to the heiress with a giggle before turning back to her sister, "I can imagine how dad will react to this."

"I think I'll tell him in person. After this transfer program ends, I'll go home a visit him for a little bit." Ruby responded, "And I would love to take us to my reality marble, but I just ate and would rather keep my dinner this time."

"Can't you bring a person out of reality marble?" Blake asked.

"I don't think so," Ruby responded, "The only one who doesn't have a problem go in between everything is Lobo," Ruby said before she looked to her right. she then placed her right index finger and thumb to her mouth. She then whistled. A second later, Lobo appeared in a white flash as he howled. He turned to Ruby, who smiled, "See, not even phased." Ruby said as she looked back to Blake. However, the silver-eyed girl had a look of confusion at the motionless expression on her friend's face, "Blake…?"

"Ruby," Weiss said as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "She just told you this would happen."

"Hold on," Yang said as she looked over the cat Faunus, "This might just be her semblance and she ran off," Yang said as she took her right hand, extending her index finger. She then slowly pocked Blake in the cheek, her hand not phasing through an illusion. Instead, it rubbed against the cold skin. The blond berserker then looked to the cat faunus frankly sweating as she tried not to move. Blake's heart pounded like a drum for the rest of her team to hear. Her eyes were white as she looked at Lobo, who slightly growling at the scent of fear, "…Nope, it's not a fake Blake. She is legitimately having a panic attack right now," Yang said as before turning to Ruby, "You should probably tell Lobo to leave." She said with Lobo having a look of confusion, wondering what he did wrong.

Cinder.

The sun began to set as Cinder made her way the Einzbern Mansion. A few meters from her destination, she noticed Kiritsugu leaving out the front door wearing a black trench coat. The two then crossed each other's path, neither saying a word as they walked by. As Cinder walked towards the entrance, she noticed Iri at the door, "He has to go on another mission." The white-haired lady said with a weak smile, "He says it is just a quick one, but I thought he would be around longer this time."

"Then you have nothing to worry about." Cinder said with a smile as she entered, "Did you have a chance to find out more about his reality marble."

"Oh, that!" Iri responded, "He told me about the stress it puts on him and his body. I think there are some things we can try."

"Good," Cinder agreed with slight hesitation, "Where is everyone else?"

"Illya and Chloe are studying for a test and I'm not sure where Shirou is." Iri responded in slight worry, "He should be home, but I haven't seen him around."

"Well, we can look for him." Cinder responded, "You can search pantry and kitchen, while I take the roof garden." She said with Iri nodding. As Cinder walked away, she had a look of worry start to form on her face. Quickly, she made her way to the rooftop garden. Upon entering, she noticed Archer at the table they were at last night, "...I knew you where here," She said as she walked over to him, "This is where I left my laptop." As she walked over, she noticed her laptop was open with Archer watching a video, the video diary of Sakura.

"I still feel bad about my brother got kicked out of Chaldea. Now each of us is trying to catch up with only three members." Sakura said in the video, "We just got put on a mission to explore a town after an odd explosion. But, with Professor Pendragon at our side, we should be fine." Cinder then realized the date of the video Archer was watching, the date she knew was this girl's last recording, "Rin has been so angry about Shinji she's been taking out on Shirou during sparing. He looked so terrified in that fight." Sakura said with a slight giggle as she blushed, "…I have mentioned here before how I feel about Shirou, but I haven't told him yet in person. But…I think today is the day. And I know I have said that before." She said with a giggle again before she looked down at her hands, cupping them in one another, "I…I just…I lo-"

From behind the door to the room, the purple haired girl heard a voice call out to her, "Sakura are you ready?"

"Yes Shirou," Sakura said as her face turned red looking at the door. She then looked back to the camera and smiled before turning it off. As she did, a black screen showed a single message, end of recordings.

"Archer…" Cinder said as she looked over to him, seeing his face in depression as his eyes were a dried red, "Why do you do this to yourself?"

"…I failed her," Archer responded, "Even before I realized I couldn't save everyone, I wanted to make sure I could at least save her." While his eyes seemed drained, painful tears started to pour down his face, "But I couldn't save her, I failed her. If one person had to die that day it should have been me." He then looked to Cinder, "Now, I'm being tortured by her image everywhere I go: BB, these messages, … I remember her always looking at me with adoration. It's what motivated me to protect everyone, to live up to the person she saw. But, I feel emptier now than ever in my life."

"Archer…" Cinder said as she looked at him, sighing before continuing, "…I grew up in Mistral in a smaller section of the kingdom." She said with him looking at her in confusion, "My Mother ran a clothing shop as the head designer and face of the brand. My Father was a cobbler that made shoes for my mother to sell in her store. Their brand wasn't that popular, but it made then enough money to support a child."

"Cinder?" Archer asked, "What are you doing?"

"I know so much about you," She said with a slight smile, "You should know something more about me." Cinder said with him going silent, "As I grew up, my parents wanted me it inherit the store. While they taught me more about fashion than proper business, I wasn't opposed to the idea of as a young girl." She then looked over to see the sun almost fully set over the horizon, "One day, a breach in the kingdom led to a few Grimm roaming the streets. One Beowolf made its way to the store as I was cleaning up. It attacked me and was the first moment in my life I thought I was going to die. My parents rushed to my aid, but they were not trained to handle something like that. The Grimm left my father without the ability to use his left arm ever again and my mother was scared over the left side of her face, losing an eye. Eventually, a huntress came and killed the Grimm in an instant. That was also a first for me, seeing true power on display." Cinder smiled as she looked over the setting sun, "I never learned who she was. Only that she was visiting Mistral for a while, and that her eyes were a silver I have not seen before."

"That's when you learned it," Archer commented as she nodded.

"I looked into many things after that, causing me to meet some people that put me on the path I walk today." Cinder commented, "My parents manage the store as best they can today, struggling more than before, but enjoying their work. So, I send them money through my operation to maintain their business. As far as they know, I have a high paying position in an out of kingdom corporation. They still worry about my safety, but I assure them in every note I send that everything is going according to my plan."

Archer then had a small laugh as she smirked at him, "Why would you tell me that?" He said as he wiped his eyes, "That's really unlike you."

"My point is that I haven't lost anyone like you have, so I won't lie and say I understand your pain." Cinder responded as she stood up, walking over to Archer, "But what I can tell, we are all shaped by the events of our past. The way we interpreted them is what forms who we are today. To move on, you have to accept certain things about yourself to push forward." Cinder said as she as her face was a foot away from him, staring into each other's eyes, "It's not needed to have someone tell you how to think." Cinder then slightly smiled, this one different than any other he had seen her made before, "But for you, I think it would help to have someone say what you're too afraid to even think." She said with a look of worry on Archer's face, "…You did not kill Sakura. She loved you, and you loved her." She spoke as Archer recalled what he saw earlier today. In seeing the White Sakura smile at him. Without saying a word, he felt her saying the same thing Cinder was telling him, "Stop telling yourself you failed her, you didn't. If you want to honor her memory, you have to move on with your life. It's what she would have wanted for you, for you to be happy." Cinder then took a step back as started to walk away, "I'll give you some time alone now."

Just as the black-haired archer made her way to the exit, Archer called out to her, "Cinder…" He said with her stopping, "Thank you." He said with a smile on his face. After a few seconds, Cinder resumed her walk out the exit.

As she closed the door behind her, Cinder discovered Iri, Chloe, and Illya all standing before her, "…You three were eavesdropping." She assumed with all three of them nodding in unison, casing Cinder to sigh, "So, how much did you hear?"

"All of it." Chloe responded with a smirk, "I guess that's why your good at sewing, isn't it?" She said Cinder smirking back.

"Do you think he will be okay?" Illya asked Cinder.

"Only time will tell," Cinder said as she glanced back at the door, "But, I like to think I go through to him a bit." She then looked back at the others with a slight smile, "He can be stubborn about certain things."

"Yes, he is," Iri said with a giggle, "Why don't we go have some tea." She said with Cinder nodding.

The two ladies began to walk away as Illya smirked as she looked at Chloe, who sighed, "…Fine, you win the bet. I'll do your homework tonight." She said with Illya giggling as she followed her mother and Cinder. Chloe then put her hands behind her head as she followed her, "I really thought she was going to kiss him."

Mercury.

Mercury sat the kitchen table with his head in his hands. His eyes closed as his mind wandered into the past. He remembered a time long ago, him getting kicked down by a large man with grey hair. A look of disappointed and hated filled his eyes as he looked down at Mercury convulsing, "And you thought you could kill your own father." Marcus said to Mercury, "You have the mindset that you can walk over anyone. But you are lazy, weak, and pathetic." He said as Mercury gritted his teeth, starting to get up, "Let me fix that problem of yours." Suddenly, Marcus lifted his left leg and stomped on Mercury's right knee. Mercury screamed in agony as the cracking of the bone echoed from inside his body and mind. Before he could place his hands on his right leg, Marcus stomped again. But this time, on the left knee with as much force. Mercury recoiled back and cried in agony, the lover half of his left limp and motionless, "Now, you do you know where you stand?"

"I'll kill you!" Mercury shouted at his father, who looked down at him in disdain, Marcus then lifted his leg again. He now stomped on the lower part of Mercury's right leg. The tibia and fibula snapped like branches of a dried tree, Mercury cry again before gritting his teeth, "I'll kill you!" he shouted again, but his father looked down on him without remorse. He raised his leg again and crushed Mercury's other leg the same way. Mercury screamed lower than before, his legs contorted, bruised, and unless to him now. Still, with tears in his eyes, he glared up at his father, "I'LL KILL YOU!" he declared once again.

"…Mercury?" A female voice called to him. Mercury moved his hands away from his head, remembering where he was. He looked over to see Jack in her pajama, rubbing her eyes, "What were you saying?"

"Nothing Kid," Mercury said as he rubbed his eyes, "I just was having a bad dream."

"Oh, we have those a lot." Jack responded, "Mommy always tells us a story after we woke up from one."

"That's nice," Mercury said with a slight smile before looking at his trembling hands, "I wish I had that." He said with her having a look of confusion, "…Listen, Kid, I think I need to leave this Kingdom." He said with Jack looking confused, "I learned that a person from my past is pretty close by. I thought I was done with him forever. But, that isn't the case anymore," He then turned to Jack, the smile gone from his face, "I can't see him again, and if he finds me…he's already taken a lot that I thought I couldn't lose before."

"What? You can't go?" Jack said as tears formed in her eyes, "What did he take?"

"Aside from most of my natural life," Mercury said before he lifted one of his pant legs. Jack looked in shook. For the first time, she saw the prosthetic leg, "Both of my legs are like this." He said as Jack reached for them, her fingers on the metal as her tears began to fall.

"…Did it hurt?" She asked as she looked at his leg.

"Yeah, a lot." Mercury responded, "Even though I have these replacements, every time they break, I'm reminded of the pain." He then covered up his legs, causing Jack to pull her hand back, "You're a good kid, you and Rhyme both are. Even that Atalanta is the nicest person I have ever meet." He then stood up, "I don't want any of you to get caught up in my issues. So, this is goodbye." He said before patting her on the head, "Take care, Jack." He said with a smile before walking to the door.

Suddenly, Jack jumped on his back, holding him tightly as tears fell from her face, "Please don't go!" She begged as she sniveled. As Mercury was about to shake her off, she said something that caused him to stop, "We don't want to lose you too." Jack said as Mercury remembered what has happened to this girl with the last couple of weeks, "We lost our Mommy, we don't want to lose you too." Jack said as she tightens her grip, "Please, Mercury, don't leave us."

"Jack…," Mercury responded as he closed his eyes, "If he comes here, I can't protect you."

"Then we will protect you!" Jack responded, causing Mercury to open his eyes, "We don't want to lose you. You're like our big brother." A tear began to form in his eyes as he spoke, "You're our family. Please don't go." Jack said before she buried her face into Mercury's back.

Mercury fell to his knees looking down at the ground as tears rolled down his checks, "Jack…" He said as he heard her crying, "…Okay, I won't go." He said with Jack rising her head, "Being here, taking care of you and Rhyme, going shopping with Atalanta, the four of us having dinner together." Mercury said as he smiled, the tears still coming down his face, "This is the happiest I have ever felt in my life. And, I don't want this feeling to end." He said with Jack smiling, "So, I'll stay, and I'll do everything I can to keep us together." Jack then let go of Mercury as he turned to face her. The two then hugged each other tightly, not wanting to let the other go.

Outside the room, in the hallway, Ushiwakamaru stood next to the door. Tears rolled from her closed eyes as she covered her mouth with her right hand to hide any noise. After a few seconds, she lowered her hand, a look of determination filling her eyes, "Brother, I now know the man who did this to you. The way you spoke, only one man is that heartless." She said as she walked down the halls, the image of Marcus returning to her mind "If our father does show up, I will make him pay." She said as she clenched her fists, walking down the halls of Chaldea, "I will protect you no matter what."

AN: There you go, an emotional chapter to say the least. Despite fifty plus chapters in, I rarely had all of Team RWBY meeting like this. This also explains why Blake is the one you see the least of, because she is making the least progress out of them all. You also see that Weiss is progressing, but not the way she wants. And Ruby tells them about the reality marble, while sending Blake to the infirmary in the process. You see video of Sakura again, this time fast forwarded to the end to hear her other last words. And Cinder tells her backstory, or at least what it is for the context of this story, obviously leaving out the more recent people she knows from her origination. It is fun to give her more context and showing a less manically side, while maintaining her nature as a character. And Mercury and Jack have a real heart to heart moment. Even I feel bad about how he was treated at the start of this story, but he is on a better path now. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.