Gamer4 in. I expressed my excitement that a conclusion was imminent, only for Goodwitch to chastise me. "Sometimes, we must restrain ourselves, and take the time to appreciate small things in life. Coffee, strawberry pie... a poem as lovely as a tree."
As the night wind blows,
The boughs move to and fro.
The rustling, the magic rustling
Brings on the dark dream.
A dream of suffering and pain.
Pain for the victim.
Pain for the inflictor of pain.
A circle of pain.
A circle of suffering.
Woe to those who behold the pale horse.
Chapter XVIII
Warning
The sun was up in the sky, and Ruby, Ren, Fox, Maria, and Arthur were waiting in the lobby of the police station for Yang's go-ahead, sipping some coffee- or guzzling it, in Ruby's case.
"Alright, everything's ready!" Yang announced as she entered, coffee mug in hand.
"A large house, made of wood, surrounded by trees. Many rooms, each alike, but filled with different souls night after night," Arthur repeated.
"Everyone in the lobby?" Ruby asked.
"Yup. They don't know why, but they're cooperating," Yang nodded. "Ren, you got the warrant?"
"Of course," Ren nodded. "I'll be on my way to Ms. Polendina's as soon as I finish my coffee."
"Ren," Ruby spoke up, "Maria told me about some-"
"REN, I'D LIKE TO INFORM YOU THAT THE PAGES FOUND NEAR THE BLOODY TOWEL DOWN THE TRACKS FROM THE CRIME SITE WERE FROM A JOURNAL!" Maria announced.
"...Yeah," Ruby sighed. "Sun said Penny has a journal- a second journal of Jaune's, that he kept secret. That's your main goal." She then turned to Maria. "So, Maria I- ugh- MARIA, YOU SAID YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY TO ARGUS?"
"NO, I'M ON MY WAY TO ARGUS! OFFICIAL BUSINESS- TOP SECRET! MAY THE GODDESS OF FAIR FORTUNE SMILE UPON YOU ALL!"
Maria downed the remainder of her coffee and was out the door.
XXXX
A group of Navy officers on shore leave seemed to have found their way into the Austin Hotel, and spent the entire morning marching around the Gold Room, bouncing balls against the floor in perfect synch.
In the lobby, all the guests and staff of the hotel were being marched past Arthur, one by one- Arthur seemed to be growing increasingly flustered. "No... no... no... no..." As man, woman, and child passed before him, with no sign of the one harboring Cinder.
Of all the people to miss out on the memo, it happened to be Willow, who was currently marching down the hallways in aggravation.
She arrived at around the same time Arthur was being presented with Wu Ya. "No."
Before she could even speak up, Arthur began grunting and groaning, thrashing around in a manner not unlike Torchwick before Arthur had appeared.
"Yang! Yang, get ahold of him!" Ruby quickly rose to her feet.
"What is this, what's going on, what the hell is going on here?" Willow demanded as the crowd began growing unruly. Arthur let out a scream and fell to the floor- Fox was already calling for Dr. Wukong.
"Somebody tell me what the hell is going on!" Willow continued demanding of the ether.
And still, the Navy officers continued their dribbling.
XXXX
It didn't take long at all for Ren to locate Penny's house. He reached up and knocked on the door. "Ms. Polendina? Penny Polendina?"
No answer. Finally, he tried the door- to his surprise, it was unlocked.
The inside of the house seemed to have been ransacked- several flowers had been thrown carelessly around, their pots shattered, leaving dirt and dead flowers everywhere. Furniture had been overturned and, in some cases, broken apart.
He looked up towards the back of the room, to the window looking on the greenhouse.
On the greenhouse's floor was an overturned chair.
Above it was a rope attached to the ceiling.
And dangling from that rope was the lifeless body of Penny Polendina.
XXXX
Jacob Arc awoke the next day to the sound of Life Could be a Dream crooning from the record player downstairs. He smiled as he headed down.
"Morning, Jacob," Nichole beckoned him over to the sofa where she and her husband were sipping some tea.
"Morning," Nick nodded.
Jacob nodded and sat at their side- Nick provided him with his own teacup.
"Uncle Nick... Aunt Nichole." Jacob took a deep breath.
"You sleep alright?" Nick asked, flicking through a newspaper.
"Yeah- a lot better than I thought I would," Jacob nodded. "Umm..."
"Something you wanna say?" Nick asked, smiling at her out of the corner of his eye.
"Yeah. I've been thinking... I've really enjoyed my time here, but... I think it's about time that I headed home. I'm gonna catch the bus tomorrow morning. I've got a job and an apartment to get back to, y'know. I've got a friend looking after my axolotl, and I can't just keep them both waiting. I came for the funeral, I think it's about time I got back to my own life."
His aunt and uncle smiled understandingly. "We'll miss you," Nichole acknowledged, running a hand through his hair, "but don't worry. We understand."
"You do?"
"Absolutely," Nick nodded.
"You've been such a great help to us the past couple weeks," Nichole agreed. "But you've got to think about yourself, too."
"You have your life, we've got ours," Nick nodded. "Besides, it's not like you can't come back and visit every now and again."
"Oh, absolutely!" Jacob nodded, smiling. "I love this town- I'm sure I can clear up some time in my schedule around holidays, at least!"
"Exactly," Nichole laughed. "I mean, it's just Argus- it's not exactly at the far end of the universe."
"Less than a day's drive away," Nick chuckled.
"And we do have these wonderful inventions nowadays called 'scrolls,'" Jacob joined in. "You ever need me, you call me up, alright?"
"Yup," Nichole nodded. "Everything's gonna be okay. Just remember how much we love you, alright?"
Jacob nodded, tearing up slightly. "I love you, too."
XXXX
In less than an hour, police were swarming around Penny's house and taking evidence, despite the rather open-and-shut nature of the case. Ren was picking up several pages all over the floor- a mishmash from various books that had been kept on the shelf, but he was concerned more with the idea that Jaune's journal may have been torn up.
Yang, meanwhile, had discovered a note clutched in Penny's hand. She placed it on a nearby table, smoothing it out so that she could read it out loud. "'Why did God create a dual universe? So that he could say, 'Be not like me, I am alone,' and it might be heard.' Sounds like something out of the Bible."
"No," Ruby shook her head. "It's from a book- HOUSE of Leaves." She picked up a copy of the book in question, several pages torn out, but she was able to locate the quote nonetheless.
Yang glanced sadly back towards Penny's body. "Poor girl... I'm just glad Nora didn't come along for this one."
Ren stood up straight, a book in his hands. "Found it," he called out softly, attracting the sisters' attention.
Ruby nodded when she saw the first page. "This is the journal of Jaune Christopher Arc. Paydirt."
XXXX
Cardin and Velvet weren't having nearly as good a time, as they fought to get through Velvet's bills with the pittance they had been given. Adam was no help, sitting silently and motionlessly in his chair.
"The bills," Velvet announced, "total a thousand fourteen lien."
"And including the insurance money," Cardin grumbled through his cigarette, "we have... forty-two lien left over."
"Forty-two lien," Velvet repeated looking down at the table.
"I mean, it's a start," Cardin shrugged.
"Forty-two lien in a month?" Velvet challenged him. "Cardin, this isn't good- how can I make it on forty-two lien a month?!"
Cardin drummed his fingers nervously. "I can't keep telling my parents that I'm spending the night at Sky's. I'm missing classes right now as is."
Velvet's ears arched in agitation. "Cardin, you said you'd take care of us- Adam and me."
"And I will!" Cardin swore. "I'm... thinking-"
"We can start by returning this necklace," Velvet decided, removing a necklace Cardin had just given her a day or two before.
"No need to go that far!" Cardin interjected.
"I think there is- we need the money."
"You can keep the necklace!"
"And when would I wear it?" Velvet objected. "When I'm giving Adam a bath, or spoon-feeding him oatmeal?"
Cardin snapped his fingers. "That's it- Adam! He doesn't need his truck anymore, does he?"
"The police have it," Velvet shook her head.
"Then we'll get it back!"
Velvet sighed. "According to the police, if it was used in a crime, the kingdom takes possession."
"But he wasn't charged!" Cardin objected.
"And I don't make the rules!" Velvet pointed out. "This isn't my fault, Cardin!"
Cardin lowered his voice. "I'm not blaming you, Vel- I know this isn't your fault."
He turned back to the papers scattered all over the desk. "...Adam had his fingers in all sorts of pies. All for money."
"The kitchen is missing a wall," Velvet pointed out. "How much money could he have had?"
"I'm sure he did," Cardin nodded. "Look at this book- he wasn't using a bank, that's for sure. He has to have had money, but he was... hiding it somewhere."
"AAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!"
"AAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!"
Adam had suddenly let out a loud, groaning yell, prompting a shriek of terror from Velvet, and sent Cardin to his feet, standing between the two.
Just as abruptly as it began, Adam fell silent, and allowed some spit to fall from his mouth. "New shoes..." he muttered.
"He's alive!" Velvet squealed, cowering behind Cardin.
Cardin slowly walked towards Adam, reaching out and nudging him. The bull faunus hadn't moved throughout the episode, aside from his mouth- even his eyes remained closed.
"Nah... he's still in dreamland."
"But... but he talked!"
"More like a burp," Cardin speculated.
"A burp?" Velvet asked disbelievingly.
More spit fell from Adam's lips. "New shoes."
Cardin turned to Velvet. "Did he... buy some shoes recently, by any chance?"
"No," Velvet shook her head. "The only thing I remember is him making me take in some boots for repair."
Cardin perked up. "When was that?"
"Last week."
Cardin leapt to his feet. "Do you still have the receipt?"
"Well, yes- what's going on?"
"I don't know," Cardin shook his head, "but I'm gonna find out. Get the receipt."
Velvet nodded and hurried away, leaving Cardin to look at Adam one last time. "New shoes, huh? This goes well, I'll get you your own personal cobbler."
Adam responded by spitting again. "New shoes."
XXXX
Weiss was finally back on her feet- and the first thing she did was head into Willow's office, where she had a roaring fire going. "Mother," she announced before Willow could even ask, "I know about the Widow's Web."
Willow paused, slowly closing the folder she'd been perusing. "I don't believe I know what you're talking about," she attempted to brush aside.
"I know about the Malachite sisters, and Shane Corman, and Scarlet David, and... about Jaune."
Stubborn as Willow was, she knew when to fold them. "Very well... and what of it?"
"I was there. I saw you and Father. I'm sure he told you about Peach Faron- the girl who refused to service him."
Willow's stony look gave way to an expression of horror as she pieced together exactly what had happened. She looked away, folding her hands and staring fixedly on a bird outside the window.
"I believe I am entitled to some answers," Weiss pressed.
A long silence ensued- Willow seemed to be mulling over her options.
"...Ask. I will decide whether or not to answer."
Weiss wasted no time. "How long have you and Father owned the Web?"
"...Five years."
"Did you know that Jaune worked there?"
Willow's hands were shaking. "That was... some time ago, and for less than a week."
"So you knew!"
"Yes! Yes... I knew."
Weiss's eyes narrowed in anger. "Did you... encourage him to work there?"
"No! I had no hand in his application process! He asked for a job at From Dust til Dawn, Corman scouted him out on his own."
Weiss did not let up. "Did you sleep with him?"
Willow did not answer- with the bird gone, she had taken a surprising fascination with her hands, trembling as if it were snowing in her own office.
Weiss allowed her about thirty seconds. "Did you?"
Willow took a deep breath. "I... did."
Bile rose within Weiss's throat, but she had one final question to ask. "Did you kill him?"
Willow still refused to meet her daughter's eyes- she settled for slowly shaking her head from side to side. "I... loved him."
Weiss nodded, slowly rising back to her feet, unable to look her mother in the face any longer as she took her leave.
XXXX
"Coco, can I talk to you for a second?"
Coco looked up- she'd been counting receipts when a rather teary-eyed Velvet appeared before her, kneading her hands together and looking very unhappy about something. "Of course you can- what's going on?"
"Well... with Adam coming back home, and all..." Velvet was clearly fighting back tears. "I... need to be there and watch him, so... well, it seems this will be a full-time thing. So... I was thinking..." The tears broke through. "I... I have to quit! For... for a little while, at least. I- I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I promised myself... that I wouldn't do this!"
Coco wrapped her arms around her employee. "It's alright, Vel."
"I just... feel so bad..." Velvet cried into her shoulder. "I love you... and I love this place! I don't... wanna let you down!"
"Never," Coco shook her head, running her hand along Velvet's ears.
"...Never?"
"We've all got our own lives to worry about, Vel. I'll be fine."
"You... you're sure?"
"Absolutely. You take care of yourself, alright? When you're ready, you come on back- I'll always have a place open for you. You can step right in like you didn't miss a day."
Velvet pulled away, a smile forming behind the tears. "I'm welcome back?"
"Try and get a job somewhere else," Coco challenged with a smirk. "I dare you- see what happens."
The tears were still coming, but they were of a happier caste now. "I... don't know what to say!"
Coco's smirk turned to a warm, almost motherly smile. "Then don't say anything."
Their conversation was broken up as the jukebox changed from a lighter song to fast-paced rock.
Listen up, strap in, notify your next of kin,
You're about to take a ride, little on the crazy side!
Yatsuhashi had entered, with Neon right on his tail- she seemed to be responsible for the change of music. "Yats, I wanna sit at the counter!" Neon declared happily as she took one of the seats an spun around in glee. Yats sat silently at her side. "Oh, I'd kill for a chocolate shake right now!"
Before Yats could respond, Neon spotted Coco. "Oh! Coco, over here! Over here, Coco! How long have you been working here?"
"...Twenty years, in April?" Coco answered, befuddled.
Yats looked at her with wide eyes, as Neon burst out laughing. "Oh, Coco, you're such a kidder, ain't she, Yats?"
Yats forced a laugh. "She just got hired about six weeks ago, right, Coco?"
He looked pleadingly at her, wordlessly promising to explain later. "Six weeks, right, Coco?"
Coco didn't know how Neon could have possibly missed her name proudly emblazoned over the diner, but decided to play along. "Yeah, that's right, but the boss-man says if I keep up working hard, I might own the place someday."
"Go figure," Neon sighed dramatically. "Your parents drag you over to Atlas for a month, you get back, and it's like you were away for thirty years!"
Velvet and Coco exchanged looks of confusion, Yats maintaining his silent oath to explain once Neon was out of earshot.
"Can we get a couple chocolate shakes, Coco?" Neon implored.
"Make mine a coffee," Yats whispered.
"Extra whipped cream!" Neon crowed- then her eyes fell on Velvet. "Oh, you're a little cutie, aintcha? What's your name?"
"...Velvet," Velvet answered, suddenly feeling remarkably uncomfortable.
"...Aren't ya in my class at school?"
Velvet glanced at Coco and Yats, then licked her lips. "I... don't think so?"
Neon kept gazing at her with a wide grin. She glanced at Coco. "Er... I'll get their drinks." With that, she retreated into the kitchen.
Coco kept her attention on Neon. "...Atlas?"
"Yup! They loved it so much, they're still there! They said it was okay for me to stay with Yats!" Suddenly, something seemed to register with her. "Wait- is it your parents' house, or mine, Yats?"
"...Mine?"
Neon laughed. "Oh- Coco? I hope you're not mad or anything, about all this, are you?"
Coco bit her tongue. "No... why would I be?"
"Oh, no reason- Yats already told me you two broke up! It's just... I'm really sweet on him. He's such a great guy, you know?"
Neon leaned into his shoulder, sighing happily. Yats closed his eyes in exasperation. "Neon..."
Finally, Velvet returned with Yats's coffee and Neon's shake. Neon grinned as she reached out, cradling her shake in her hands. "Oh, I'm so happy-"
The glass shattered, sending shake and broken glass everywhere. Everyone jumped. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Neon apologized quickly, hardly seeming to notice the cuts the glass made in her own hands. "There goes another one!"
Yats glanced apologetically towards Coco, who quickly set about mopping up the mess, while Velvet took refuge on the other side of the counter.
"Must have been cracked already," Coco brushed aside.
"I'm not so sure," Yats sighed.
"Sorry," Neon apologized again, finally taking notice of her bloody hands. "I've been so... clumsy lately."
Coco sighed. "I'm gonna get a towel. Velvet! Get the first-aid kit!"
Neon continued spinning on her chair, finally turning to face Yatuhashi. "Oh, Yats- I'm so happy! I could just kiss you to death!"
She quickly made good on her promise, leaving Yats hoping- not for the first time- that she woke up before she made that literal.
XXXX
Cardin took advantage of Velvet's time at the diner to smuggle Sky into her house. Adam remained catatonic in the corner as Cardin laid things out. "There he is, Sky," Cardin noted, throwing a scathing glance in his direction. "The late, great Adam Taurus."
Sky leaned in for a closer look. "And... you say Hazel did this?"
"You bet your ass," Cardin nodded. "Hit him with a hand canon right through the window. Miracle the bastard even survived."
Cardin cleared his throat, removing a bag from his shoulder, and began speaking to Adam as though he were awake. "So, Adam, I headed to the shoe store. Showed 'em the ticket- you know what they gave me?"
"New shoes."
"No, no, dipshit, old shoes!" Cardin grumbled. He threw an apologetic glance in Sky's direction. "Y'see, Adam kinda gets fixed, can't move along."
"Yeah- he ain't the only one," Sky muttered under his breath.
Cardin knelt in front of Adam, glaring at him. "I know you, Adam- way better than I'd like. There's something about these shoes, isn't there? Some sort of secret."
Adam spit, but said nothing.
"Well," Sky mused, "I know that some people will hide stuff in their boots."
"What, you think I didn't check the damn shoes?" Cardin scoffed.
Sky rolled his eyes. "Just get a damn hammer, Cardin."
Cardin grunted, leaving Sky with the shoes before heading to the toolshed. "Don't go anywhere, Adam."
It wasn't long before he returned with a simple hammer and began banging away at the shoes' soles. As they came apart, he switched to the other side of the hammer to assist in prying them apart- and broke into a grin. "Jackpot!"
Hidden in the shoe's sole was a small tape.
"The hell is that?" Sky wondered.
Adam answered by spitting.
"You really gotta stop that," Cardin grumbled. To Sky, he answered, "Well... not money, but who knows? There's gotta be some reason the big bad bull was hiding it away."
XXXX
"Oscar, it's 2:47 in the afternoon. I'm in the police station's conference room, trying to put together the remains of Jaune's secret journal. Penny went to town on it before taking her own life, but from what I've seen so far, most of it is backing up Torchwick's testimony- Arthur's testimony? The One-Armed Man's testimony. He wrote about a woman named Cinder pretty often- he used the name interchangeably with Cindy. She seems to have been a threatening presence from a very early point in his life. She seems to have been a frequent abuser and... molester. He seemed to think of her as a friend of his mother's."
Ruby paused her analysis to bite into a donut and wash it down with some coffee. Her eyes widened as she picked up one page in particular. "Oscar, this is it! This entry is dated two weeks before Jaune's murder! 'Someday, I'm gonna tell the world the truth about Willow Schnee. I'll tell everyone who she really is.'"
Slowly, she dropped her recorder, just in time to hear a knock at the door.
It was Weiss, looking haunted as she stepped in. "Weiss?"
"I had to see you," Weiss explained quickly. "I apologize if I'm interrupting-"
"No, no, it's fine!" Ruby cut her off. "How are you feeling?"
Weiss took a deep breath. "I just had a conversation with my mother. She slept with Jaune. I don't know the details, I don't know how long- maybe once, maybe for quite a while."
Ruby's eyes widened. "Holy smokes!"
"He worked at the Widow's Web," Weiss continued. "My parents own the place- that's what I found out."
"Willow told you all this?"
"Yes."
Ruby drummed her fingers against her thigh.
"Hey, Weiss- what're you doing here?"
Yang had arrived, looking confusedly between them.
Finally, Ruby came to a decision. "Weiss, keep quiet about this, okay? Don't tell anybody."
"I understand," Weiss nodded.
"Go home, and act normal for now, okay?"
Weiss nodded again, and made her exit.
"Alright, what's going on?" Yang demanded.
Ruby met her eyes. "Did you notice, Yang? When Arthur passed out, he was clutching at his arm- and it all happened right when a certain person walked into the room. We're gonna need a warrant- for the arrest of Willow Schnee."
XXXX
Nightfall, and owls were hooting over the Austin Hotel as Willow worked to finalize her plans with Wu Ya. "Good news, Mr. Ya- my husband has spoken to your people in Anima, observed your references, and we are very happy to accept your proposal."
"We appreciate your promptness," Wu Ya nodded.
"On behalf of Vale, I am very pleased to welcome you into the Hienton project," Willow smiled that false smile of hers.
If Wu Ya noticed, he didn't care. "Thank you... very much." He produced a paper from his case. "Contract. For your approval."
"I will be happy to-" Willow began- only to be distracted when the door to her office opened and in poured Ren, Fox, Ruby, and Yang, a solemn air about them all. "Sheriff? What is this?"
Yang glanced at Wu Ya. "Police business. Probably best to talk in private."
"Very well," Willow muttered in agitation, "but I'm in a meeting at the moment. I'm sure it can wait."
Yang stepped forward. "You're wanted for questioning in the murder of Jaune Arc- I think that's more important."
Willow stood up straight, a furious look on her face. "Is this a joke? Perhaps you should stick to the puns, Xiao Long." She turned to her newfound business partner. "I assure you, Mr. Ya, this is some bizarre mistake."
Yang refused to be ignored. "You gonna come quietly, Schnee, or are we gonna have to drag you through the lobby in handcuffs?"
"Are you people insane?" Willow scoffed. "Ms. Rose, you'd best reign your sister in, or so help me-"
"Do what she says, Willow," Ruby shook her head, crossing her arms.
Willow kept her gaze steady. "Leave. All of you. I am going to get some supper at-"
Before she could exit through the back door, Ren and Fox had her, pinning her arms to her sides and marching her back through the hotel, screaming protests all the while. "You can't do this to me! You can't do this to me!"
"Already done," Ruby muttered, following them out, leaving Wu Ya on his own.
XXXX
This is the water, and this is the well.
Drink deep and descend.
The horse is the white of the eyes,
Darkness within.
XXXX
Willow had finally fallen silent as her escorts finally got her into the police station. "Get her into a holding cell," Yang ordered. Ren and Fox nodded, continuing their march.
Ruby watched them go, before realizing that they were being watched. She turned to see Goodwitch, her log in her arms. "Is... something wrong?"
Goodwitch approached them slowly, severely. "Would you accompany me to the Crow Bar?"
"What's happening?" Yang asked.
"...I don't know," Goodwitch admitted. "We don't know what will happen, or when... but the owls are gathering at the Crow Bar."
Ruby and Yang looked at each other- odd as it was, they both sensed something as well. "Something... something is happening, isn't it, Goodwitch?"
"Yes."
The moon was high overhead, and wind was blowing through the trees.
XXXX
Taiyang was in his kitchen, preparing a small dinner when he heard his door open and close- he turned to find Wu Ya standing across the room from him. He placed his food on the counter and approached. "Ain't you that guy from the Gold Room? What're you doing in my-"
Before he could react, Wu Ya lunged forward and... pulled him into a tight hug, the likes of which he'd only received from Yang before now. This was followed up by pressing their lips together- where Tai finally regained his wits and pushed him away.
"The hell is wrong with you?!" he demanded. "Who are you, and-"
"Since we met," Wu Ya interrupted, "I have been strangely attracted to you."
"You'd better get the hell out of here, or-"
Wu Ya interrupted again, in a different voice altogether- higher-pitched, far smoother, and much more feminine. "Something about your eyes, so warm an deep... blue as the sky."
Tai held his breath, hardly daring to believe it- until Wu Ya removed his glasses, revealing eyes of dark crimson. The moustache came with remarkable ease, and the removal of a dark wig revealed long, black hair.
Taiyang was floored- almost literally. Hesitantly, he stammered out, "R...Raven?"
'Wu Ya' removed the suit and several bindings, showing off her true self, her arms stretched wide.
Tai was caught between stuttering, crying, and laughing. "You... look terrible. Just... just..." The laughter was taking over. "Just terrible!"
This time, he initiated the hug, pulling his wife closer and returning the kiss he'd just shoved her away for. "Just terrible!"
XXXX
This is the water, and this is the well.
Drink deep and descend.
The horse is the white of the eyes,
Darkness within.
XXXX
The outside of the Crow Bar was surprisingly quiet- as was the inside. The same band was on stage that had been playing the night Ruby arrived- a group of biker ruffians, currently singing a slow, sad ballad about a ship that had been consumed by one of the largest lakes on Remnant.
The legend lives on, from the Chippewa on down,
Past the big lake they call Gitche Gumee...
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy...
Ruby, Yang, and Goodwitch settled for a chair near the entrance, where Ruby quickly began taking in as much as she could. She could spy Cardin sitting at the bar, not far from a man she recognized as Uncle Steve, the old man from the Austin Hotel. His uniform had been traded out for a flannel shirt and jeans, but otherwise, there was no mistaking him.
On the opposite side, settling into a booth, were Sun and Pyrrha, though she couldn't hear what they were saying.
"...You heard about Penny, right?" Sun asked, looking unnaturally crestfallen.
"...Yeah," Pyrrha nodded. "But that wasn't your fault, Sun. It's not anybody's fault- not yours, not hers. She had problems... problems you couldn't have known about."
"I still don't understand," Sun shook his head sorrowfully. "And I don't think I ever will. She was hurt- in a way someone like me could never..."
"Everyone has their own pain," Pyrrha agreed.
"But still..." Sun continued. "That house was her whole life, and I violated it."
"To find out what happened to Jaune," Pyrrha pointed out.
"Pyrrha... she's dead. She died for me to get my hands on a stupid book! Life... it's gotta be worth more than that! She didn't deserve any of this..."
The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound,
And a wave broke over the railing.
Every man knew, as the captain did, too,
T'was the witch of November come stealin'.
"Jacob's leaving," Pyrrha confided. "He called me today- he'll be on the bus home tomorrow."
"I'm sure we'll see him again," Sun assured her.
A basket of breadsticks found its way onto Ruby, Yang, and Goodwitch's table, and they wasted no time digging in.
Suddenly, something very odd happened- Ruby heard a rooster crowing, then everyone around her slowed, then froze in place. She looked up in surprise, to see that the band on stage had vanished. In their place was Ozpin, dressed exactly as he had been while visiting her in her room. Even taking the stage into account, he was a towering figure as he stood before the microphone. The light around her had faded away- all the light except for the bright spotlight shining down upon Ozpin as he gazed directly back at her.
"It is happening again," he said, and though his mouth was nowhere near the microphone, she heard his voice as loud and clear as if he were standing right next to her.
A moment passed, and he repeated himself. "It is happening again."
XXXX
This is the water, and this is the well.
Drink deep and descend.
The horse is the white of the eyes,
Darkness within.
XXXX
Ozpin maintained unbroken eye contact with Ruby for three minutes and forty three seconds before suddenly turning his head, gazing at something far away. He turned back to her, and she thought she could see a single tear tracing down his face before he disappeared, the lights came back on, and the people around her began moving again.
But not everything was back to normal- Ruby could sense it, within herself, within Yang and Goodwitch, within everyone in the bar, from the guests, to the staff, to the band. Somehow, a wave of sadness had rolled over all of them. Her eyes darted to Cardin, who had just risen with anger in his eyes when he saw Pyrrha at her booth- now, he was slowly returning to his seat, his shoulders bobbing as he lowered his face into his hands.
Pyrrha had broken into sobs, and Sun had embraced her, patting her back and rubbing circles, while clearly struggling to hold back tears himself.
Goodwitch was clutching her log tightly enough to turn her hands white, and even Yang was silently shedding tears. "Ruby... what is this?"
Ruby wished she had an answer to give- she felt a horrible sense of loss deep within her, as if something had been ripped from the world, but had no idea why.
She looked up when she felt a tap on her shoulder- Uncle Steve had approached her, and was looking down at her with sad eyes behind his large glasses. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, before straightening up. He looked as if he wanted to say something more, but instead, turned and hobbled back to the bar, leaving Ruby to ponder as she gazed around at all the looks of pain.
XXXX
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down,
Past the big lake they call Gitchi Gumee.
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead,
When the skies of November turn gloomy.
With a load of iron ore, 26,000 tones more
Than the Edmund Fitgerald weighed empty,
That good ship, and true, was a bone to be chewed,
When the gales of November came early.
That ship was the pride of the American side,
Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin.
As the big freighters go, she was bigger than most,
With a crew and a captain well-seasoned.
Concluding some terms with a couple steel firms,
She left, fully loaded, for Cleveland,
And later that night, when the ship's bell rang,
Could it be the North wind they'd been feeling?
The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound,
As a wave broke over the railing.
And every man knew, as the captain did, too,
T'was the witch of November come stealin'!
The dawn came late, and the breakfast had to wait,
When the gales of November came slashing.
When the afternoon came, it was freezin' rain,
In the face of a hurricane west wind.
When suppertime came, the old cook came on deck,
Sayin' 'Fellas, it's too rough to feed ya.'
At seven PM, a main hatchway gave in,
He said, 'Fellas, it's been good to know ya!'
The captain wired in, they had water comin' in,
And the good ship and crew was in peril.
And later that night, when the lights went outta sight,
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Does anyone know where the love of God goes,
When the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searchers all say they'd have made White Fish Bay,
If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her.
They might have split up or they might have capsized,
May have broke deep and took water.
But all that remains are the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters.
Lake Huron rolls, Superior, she sings,
In the rooms of her ice-water mansion.
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams,
The islands and bays are for sportsmen.
And farther below, Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Eerie can send her.
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know,
With the gales of November remembered.
In a musty old hall in Detroit, they prayed,
In the maritime sailor's cathedral.
The church bell chimed til it rang twenty-nine times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down,
Past the big lake they call Gitchi Gumee.
Superior, it's said, never gives up her dead,
When the gales of November come early...
Please R&R, constructive criticism, theories, and guesses welcome, Gamer4 out.