Note: Before we get back to Plot Street, we're gonna take a little detour through Backstory Boulevard for the next three to four chapters.
First up is a Remnant with a few characters in new places, along with a key change right at the start. Warning: Seriously tragic scene ahead (about 2/3rds of the way down).
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Designation: [Remnant-0011]
Status: No instability detected. Economy, environment, government, all stable and fully functional. Small distortion found late in timeline, effect unknown.
Condition: Green
Recommendation: Investigate method used to maintain stability and research potential uses of said methods in other worlds.
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It wasn't supposed to be this way.
The funeral service ended half an hour ago. Most of the guests had gone into the chapel for the reception and to quietly discuss the lives of the departed in hushed tones. A few of the more optimistic souls wandered outside to marvel at the late spring weather – the island of Patch was absolutely gorgeous around this time of year. The sky was cloudless, the breeze soft and cool, and the birds in the surrounding trees simply could not keep quiet. It was the kind of day that could lift even the most sour of moods.
It didn't have a chance in hell of cheering up Summer Rose. Not today.
Not when the rest of her team was laying six feet underground.
She stayed in her seat after everyone else had left, staring at the three pristine white tombstones. Each bore the name of one of her teammates; Qrow Branwen, the charmer and eminent drunkard… Raven Branwen, the dark and silent warrior… Taiyang Xiao-Long, the sweetest bear of a man she'd ever met…
All gone. Dead. Killed on their final mission as members of team STRQ… and leaving Summer all alone for the first time in her life.
They'd graduated from Beacon Academy nearly four years ago and never once considered breaking up the team. Everything they did, they did together. Except for sleeping in one bed – that was where Raven drew the line. Good times. Summer had been working on getting through Tai's thick skull these last few months, hoping she could finally convince him that she wanted to take their relationship to the next level… but…
Now it was too late; she'd never have the chance to tell him how she really felt.
Too late; now she'd never have the chance to tell Qrow how much she wanted to have a few drinks with him sometime, if only to just shoot the breeze. Too late; now she'd never be able to form a deeper connection with Raven, a friendship that could have been so much more.
Now she had nothing. No one. Summer sat in her chair, staring with empty eyes at the final resting place of her family. She felt… hollow.
She didn't cry, however – it seemed as though she'd run out of tears.
"Miss Rose?" a gruff but gentle voice spoke from beside her, "…Are you okay?"
She could barely summon the strength to turn her head, but when she did she found James Ironwood watching her with concern. She didn't know the man personally, but she did know that he was Qrow's best friend; the two of them often shared brotherly banter within earshot. No doubt he was taking the loss particularly hard.
Summer didn't even bother to nod. She simply stared for a moment before returning her gaze to the three stones in front of her.
The chair beside her creaked as Ironwood's weight sank into it. "What will you do now?" he asked as gently as he could.
Summer didn't respond. She didn't have the strength.
"I know you're hurting, but I just wanted you to know… if you ever need help, or just moral support… I'll be here for you."
She turned to look at him, her eyes brimming with new tears. His words had stirred something within her. His gentle expression, a strange look for his angular face, was enough to renew a tiny spark of hope in her heart.
Without thinking, Summer leaned over and put her head against the man's chest. He hesitated a moment, then put his arms around her shoulders in a hug. He held her for several minutes, neither of them willing to move first.
Something within her shifted in that moment. Something important. Sitting there, in the arms of James Ironwood of Atlas, Summer Rose felt a peace wash over her unlike anything she'd felt before. The pain was finally fading. Warmth, like the rays of the sun, spread throughout her body. In that moment, she knew where she belonged.
James began to pull his arms away, "I think we should-"
"-Stay right here," Summer finished for him, grabbing his arms and holding him in place. "And don't let go."
Even without seeing his face, she could tell he was surprised at that. And nervous – she could now feel his heart beating harder in his chest. But soon enough he relaxed, shifting his arms to get more comfortable. He even started running his fingers through her deep red hair, causing a wave of goosebumps to run down her back. She sighed as the last of her pain and anxiety simply melted away. Ahh… She could get used to this.
"How long do you want to do this?"
"Maybe… forever…?"
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(5)
"You know…" Daddy said with a clear tone of irritation, "I'm usually the one who's supposed to win at these games."
Ruby grinned her cheekiest grin. Sure he usually won, but that didn't mean she couldn't make his sweat once or twice.
Her full name was Rubicon Rose Ironwood, but everyone called her Ruby for short. Everyone. Even Mommy and Daddy, the two people most likely to use her full name when she got in trouble (she'd heard them say it a few times, and it was scary). She and Daddy had played chess against each other for quite a while now, but Ruby had gotten the hang of the game very quickly. Some would say… too quickly.
Mommy came into the room then, looked over the board with a grin and said, "Looks like she figured you out, doesn't it?"
Daddy sighed as he gave her a look of his own, "Whose side are you on, anyway?"
Summer Rose, also known as Mommy, set down a fresh cup of coffee next to the board. James Ironwood, also known as Daddy, took a careful sip before turning his attention back to the game.
Ruby was certainly winning – her white pieces outnumbered his black by three-to-one. By her estimation, he was only four moves away from checkmate. It would be Ruby's first win, and she was giddy at the prospect.
Daddy moved his last rook as he said, "I figured she would start beating me after she turned seven… eight at the latest."
"Age is just a number," five year old Ruby replied sagely as she casually captured his rook with her bishop. Mommy giggled as Ruby declared, "You're finished."
"Not yet," he moved one of his knights to take that bishop, a move that Ruby instantly countered by taking his knight with her queen. Wow… was he even trying anymore?
"All you have left is a few pawns," Ruby said, fighting back her victory cheer. "It's only a matter of time before-"
"Checkmate," he said as he moved one of those pawns.
Her elation came crashing back down on her head like a ton of bricks. How did he… where did that pawn come from? How did he sneak it past her defenses? She panicked as she desperately studied the board, hoping he'd left a way out for her suddenly cornered king. She couldn't lose now, not like this!
But no – she was trapped. By her own pieces, no less. She sat back in her seat, deflated, and tipped her king over in a show of defeat.
Daddy took a sip from his coffee cup as he said, with an annoying degree of calmness, "How did I beat you?"
"You're better than me," Ruby pouted. "Of course."
"No, that's why." Daddy pointed, "I asked how."
"I don't know!" she crossed her arms, frustration bring her dangerously close to tears.
"It's very simple… once you captured a few of my pieces, you stopped paying attention to your own king. I kept your focus on my side of the board while planting a few of my pieces on yours. After that, it was easy to spring my trap. I call it Classic Misdirection."
"Meanie. Why don't you ever let me win?"
"Think about this: if I had let you beat me, you would've been happy at first, right? But what if you looked closely at the board and suddenly realized I let you win? How would you feel then?"
Looking at the pieces left on the board, Ruby suddenly realized that he was right. The only way she wouldn't have seen his trap was if he'd quickly cleared the pieces away after the game was over. She would have seen it, she would have realized that he let her win, and she would have felt…
"Cheated," said Ruby, stunned, as the truth of his words washed over her. The man was always right, wasn't he?
"Exactly," Daddy said in a kind voice. He stood from the table and came around to pick Ruby up in his arms. "I love you too much to cheat you like that. When you win, it'll be a victory you earn. That's the only kind of win that matters."
Her anger and sour mood simply vanished in Daddy's big, strong arms. She wrapped her own tiny arms around his neck in a hug, saying, "I love you too, Daddy."
"But I love him more," Mommy said as she came up behind her and wrapped them both in a hug. Ruby giggled from the center of the Family Sandwich™.
Little Rubicon had a long and illustrious life ahead of her – Daddy already had her registered for enrollment at Atlas Academy now, more than a decade early – but right now, this was what mattered; Mommy, Daddy and herself, together forever. One big, loving family.
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"You never once lost control of that game, did you?"
"Why, darling… whatever are you talking about?"
"Don't you act innocent with me, James. I'm onto your tricks; you were leading her on right from the first move. 'Realized I let you win' my foot."
"You give me too much credit."
"You give yourself too much credit. Admit it: You only play against Ruby after losing too many times to Oobleck, don't you?"
"…That's a low blow."
"So is playing your hardest against a five-year-old at chess."
"Touche. But in my defense, she is getting better. That child has a natural eye for strategy."
"I hope she only picks up your good habits when she gets older. You know, if she's even half as charming as you, she'll have half the academy worshiping the ground she walks on before she's even a second-year."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"The one thing she doesn't need is that silk tongue of yours."
"Nor would I give it up. Didn't you say it was one of the 'perks' of being married to me? Last fall, if I remember correctly?"
"I… I didn't… I… J-James Ironwood, go to your room!"
"You are so adorable when you blush."
"GIT!"
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(17)
Ruby now understood what it felt like to compete against real skill. Compared to this woman, Dad was a rank amateur.
It was her first holiday from school, so Ruby was home for a long weekend. It just happened to be the day when the Headmaster of Beacon Academy, a school over in Vale, had come to visit with Dad. They were old friends, apparently. And much to Ruby's delight, the woman was also an avid chess player.
And a bloody good one. Dammit.
"While I admire your defenses," said Salem with an easy tone, "…they won't last." She took yet another of Ruby's pawns with casual ease, leaving only one to fend for itself. The enemy pawns were the only thing Ruby had managed to make a dent in during the whole game, while her own line looked like a bomb had gone off in the center of the board. She'd been totally overthrown for the first time since she was six. Ruby pouted as she stared at her dwindling pieces, trying in vain to work out how best to salvage her game and at least take a few of Salem's good pieces down with her.
Ruby wore her casual clothes today, a mostly black getup that she preferred over Atlas Academy's white uniform. Salem, however, was dressed more formally; as the headmaster of a Huntsman Academy, she was expected to make a statement wherever she went. Or something like that. Mom tried to explain it all to her once, but it just went over her head. All Ruby knew for sure was that Miss Salem was quite pretty.
In fact, Ruby often found herself stealing glances at the woman throughout the game… so maybe that was why she was losing so bad? Was she just distracted? That silky blonde hair, those shapely legs, and those blue eyes that held no trace of malice… Hoo, gettin' warm in here.
Then came a moment Ruby would mull over all night. During another peep session, Ruby's eyes locked with Salem's for just a moment. The older woman looked away quickly and… blushed. As though she realized that Ruby had been staring at her. And she didn't say anything about it. Weird.
Shifting her attention back to the game, Ruby decided to abandon saving face and just go on the offensive. She only had one bishop and a knight to defend her king, so she moved her bishop and took one of Salem's two rooks. There was no way the woman would miss her chance to take that bishop.
But then… she almost did. In a moment that Ruby would remember for a long time, Salem reached for a pawn on the other side of the board, picked it up… and then remembered what she was doing, put it back down, and quickly moved to capture Ruby's bishop. The woman's blush had deepened, too.
What the…? Did Salem just… lose focus?
"S-Sorry," Ruby's mouth suddenly said without any conscious input from her brain, "Usually I'm better at this, but… I guess I'm more distracted than usual." What the hell was she even saying?!
"Don't be too ashamed," the older woman replied calmly. "Your father has trained you well, I'll admit. But even expert players don't last very long against me."
"I can see why – you're very skilled. I can't imagine anyone standing against you."
"You're too kind, dear."
"And in my defense, I normally play against either Dad or my classmates. No one as… stunning as you." Ruby took a chance, moving her last knight at the moment she said the word 'stunning.'
Salem's control slipped for a moment; she made a choking sound in her throat before saying, "I… *ahem* Be careful with your words, Rubicon." She was the only person who never called her Ruby. "Some would call that flirting."
"Does that make me wrong?"
Salem didn't respond, but instead moved another of her pieces… and didn't take Ruby's final knight.
Ruby stared in shock at the piece she just moved. The older woman jerked, reached for the piece, then pulled back with a soft grunt – one iron-clad rule of chess was 'no take-backs.' Those blue eyes gave Ruby an accusatory glare.
It took everything Ruby had to fight back a grin. She'd managed to make a dent in Salem's composure, and that was more satisfying than capturing her queen would ever be.
Not that it saved the game for her. Two moves later, Ruby's king had fallen. Checkmate.
Worth it.
…
"It would seem you've inherited you father's charm as well as his skill at chess," Salem mused over a fresh cup of tea. She was watching something off to one side, unwilling to meet Ruby's gaze. She wasn't mad, however. At least, Ruby hoped not.
"That's what Mom said before I left for school," Ruby admitted. Her own glass of water was already half gone. She was more thirsty than she realized, huh?
"She would know best, wouldn't she?" Salem smiled at the thought.
"I apologize if I made you uncomfortable."
"Apology accepted."
"I… hope you won't tell Dad I said any of that."
"Have no fear – I often get such praise from my own students. Many of them assume they can charm me into giving them easier missions. I'm used to it."
"Doesn't that make your husband jealous?"
"I'm not married."
"I find that hard to believe." Ruby's mouth was running away without her again, but she couldn't stop herself. Panic started to form in her chest. "Someone like you probably has a whole line of suitors waiting to put a ring on your finger."
Salem didn't seem bothered by the outburst, "There was one man who tried, a long time ago, but things didn't work out between us. Ever since, I simply haven't let anyone else get too close."
"Well that's a relief." Ruby wanted to clap a hand over her mouth before the next words escaped, but she was too slow. "Otherwise I'd be the jealous one."
Fuck.
Ruby bit down on her own tongue to get it to finally stop, but she saw Salem slowly look over at her with an unreadable expression. The woman didn't miss the implied meaning of those words, it seemed. Dammit! Why did she say that out loud? Hell, 'out loud' ?! Why would she even think such a thing?!
"…" The blonde woman simply stared for the next several minutes. Ruby felt a very real fear that Salem would report this conversation to Dad. She did not want to answer to him for something that.
By the time Salem had to leave, Ruby's tongue was starting to swell from keeping it firmly between her teeth. The older woman clearly noticed her discomfort and said, before leaving, "Cheer up, Rubicon. I'm not angry with you."
Ruby just looked away glumly.
"In truth… your words made me a bit… happy."
Strong fingers turned Ruby's face back towards Salem, who then leaned forward and planted a kiss on her forehead. Ruby's skin tingled from the contact.
"We'll have to have another game on my next visit. Be well, Rubicon." And with that, Salem left.
The door closed, but Ruby didn't notice. Her feet weren't even on the floor. If Dad came in now, he'd probably chuckle at how ditzy she looked.
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(18)
"How are you feeling, Ruby?" said Dad with a tone of concern.
Ruby touched the bandage over her face to remind herself it was still there. "Like a pirate," she said with a half grin. "Arrr…"
"Dr. Nightengale said your eye healed up quickly due to your Aura," Dad started removing the bandages. "Let's take a look, shall we?"
Ruby waited calmly as the man worked to reveal her damaged eye. She'd taken a bad blow during a mission and lost her Aura shield moments before a blow hit her in the face. For a moment, at that point in time, she was sure she'd lost that eye.
Now, however, she would get it back. Thank the gods.
On the other hand, if she had to wear an eyepatch for the rest of her life, it would definitely have a skull and crossbones on it. No exceptions.
As they sat in her hospital room, Dad pulled the last of the bandages off, letting light hit the eye for the first time in almost a month. "There we go-" he cut himself off as he got a look at her, then breathed, "Whoa."
"What?"
He grabbed a mirror and handed it to her to see for herself. When she did, her breath caught as well. Her undamaged eye still shone a bright silver, just as it had all her life, but the other eye… was glowing slightly.
"Are you focusing your Aura right now?" asked Dad.
Ruby replied, "I always keep a little up at all times, as a precaution. It's part of my Specialist training."
"Let it go for a moment."
She did, and both of them blinked as the glow faded into nothingness. Her eyes now looked back at her from the glass with the same silvery sheen. Her right eye looked totally normal.
"Interesting," said Dad as he scratched his chin. "Looks like you focused your Aura a bit too hard, almost like you infused it directly into your eye. I wonder if this is related to your semblance changing?"
"I hope not." Although he was probably right – Ruby had been slowing down a lot this last year. Why did this man always have to be right?
She brought her Aura back up, slowly, and blinked as she noticed a tingling sensation in her right eye. Looking again, she noticed the glow had returned. This was good – if her eye glowed, she'd be able to feel it.
Dr. Nightengale came in a moment later and shooed Dad out of the room for a final examination of her patient. Ruby managed to drop her Aura before the doctor got a look at her eye, hiding the glow. For some reason, she didn't want anyone else to know about it. Not yet. Let it be a secret between her and Dad.
As Ruby was getting dressed to leave, the cerulean haired woman asked if there was anything else she could do. Without thinking, Ruby jokingly asked for a back rub.
It should be noted that Ruby had slipped back into her habit of keeping her Aura up at all times by this point. It was part of her training, after all. Her eye was tingling again.
So when the woman came up behind her and wordlessly started rubbing her shoulders, Ruby was a bit stunned. It was meant as a joke, but… she was actually doing it? They barely knew each other!
It might've been nothing, but… Dad needed to know about this.
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(22)
Due to Father's insistence, Ruby was pulled from Atlas Academy's training program early and placed in the prestigious Officer Training course. Today she had graduated from that course as an Ensign.
A lot of things had changed since the day her eye was opened.
Working together, Ruby and Father discovered that her semblance did, indeed, change on that day – now she was able to give commands to people that they were compelled to obey. There were limits; some people would not obey certain extreme commands and eye contact was necessary. Still, this was a lot of power for a teen.
And too much for a mere Specialist. Father quickly had her moved to Officer Training to better equip her for command. He made it no secret that he eventually wanted her to reach the rank of General.
To be honest, that didn't sound too bad.
The only problem with it all was that Mother… had drifted away from her. From both of them.
"You've really… moved up in the world, haven't you?" she said as they stood together in the kitchen of the house, sipping coffee. It was the morning of the day Ruby would begin her military career, and she was spending it at home. With a mother who didn't seem all that pleased.
"I do what I can," replied Ruby with a dry tone. Mother's hair had started to turn gray these last few years but the woman herself still had the fire of youth in her eyes. Those eyes were also filled with an odd kind of dismay.
It started at the end of Ruby's third year, around the time Father had her transferred. She could sense the growing tension between her parents, but was never around when they discussed anything. The few times she did overhear anything, it was almost always about her.
"I'm sure your Father is proud of you…"
Ruby paused at what that statement might mean. "Are you not?"
"No, that's… I am proud. You've done so well, gone so far in life… how could any mother not be proud of her child?"
"Then what's the problem?"
Mother paused, then carefully considered her words as she sipped her coffee. "You always wanted to be a Specialist," she said quietly.
Ruby sighed through her nose. "Are you still hung up on that? I told you before, I'm happy with how things turned out."
"I just… I can't help but wonder if this wasn't your idea at all…"
Ruby had become good at reading body language during her training, so she recognized how Mother truly felt during these last few visits. Eyes never looking at her too long, feet shuffling awkwardly, a slight tremble in her voice – Ruby felt like a stranger in her own home. Like her own mother didn't even know who she was anymore.
Father, on the other hand, had always been there for Ruby. He supported her in everything she did, even standing up for her in front of the Council when they were considering her for enrollment at the school. This was what she wanted to do with her life, and he'd been there every step of the way.
Mother had told her once, many years ago, that she and team STRQ wanted to bring about true world peace. They didn't really know how to do that, but they tried anyway. After three of them died, Mother married Father and had her, but… nothing else. She lived in Father's shadow for almost two decades, never doing anything remotely important again.
And now she dares to accuse him of such a thing?
Ruby came very close to throwing her mug as a red-hot spike of anger shot through her arms. "What are you trying to say, huh? Are you saying I didn't earn this? That Father carried me to my current position?"
"I'm saying you're becoming just like him!"
"…What?"
"I… I…" Mother's eyes suddenly brimmed with tears as she turned away, facing the window. "I'm just scared of losing my baby girl. I'm sorry."
Ruby dumped the last of her drink down the sink and muttered, "A bit late for that." She was already dressed, so she started for the door. She had to go. She just needed to be anywhere else.
"Ruby…" Mother tried again, "I… I love you. You know that, right? I love you, my daughter… but I've already lost you to that man, haven't I? You've become his puppet…"
The rage bubbled up so quickly it was a wonder Ruby's head didn't explode. "Don't you DARE talk about Father like that! If not for him, I would never have reached the top! I never would have made it this far! If not for him, I'd be nothing but a failure like you! Instead of leeching off his success like the parasite you are, why don't you just-"
tingle
"-shrivel up and die?!"
Ruby didn't stay in that house another second to see how much damage she'd done. She stomped her way out and slammed the door behind her, running down the road before the sound of her Mother's broken heart could reach her ears.
She didn't mean it. She didn't mean one word, but it was out there now. Regret chased her down the street like a rabid dog, nipping at her heels. Did she really say all that? Did she really think all that?
Pride kicked regret away, dusted her off and forced her to stand up straight and walk proudly. She would not show weakness, even now.
If she had even the slightest inkling that she'd never see her mother again, Ruby would surely have run back to the house and begged for her forgiveness.
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(23)
One year later, Ruby found herself back on Patch.
It was the very last place she wanted to be.
Mother had grown up on Patch, so after they married, she and Father basically moved between two homes throughout the year: the one on Patch and Father's house in Atlas (which Ruby preferred). The last time she was here was before the Officer Training. Back when she and Mother were still speaking.
Back when Mother was still alive.
Ruby stood among the crowd in a state of numbness, looking at the newest tombstone planted right beside three others, all slightly more worn down with time. One of Summer Rose's last wishes was to be buried with her team, and Father had made sure it was done. Team STRQ had been reunited at last.
But why… why was she dead at all? She wasn't that old, and only a year ago she looked as alive and healthy as anyone. So why?
Father wouldn't even look at her during the service. But he must know – he'd been staying with Mother every day since Ruby's blow-up. He never came to see Ruby after that point, but he did start bombarding her scroll with calls until Ruby simply blocked his number. She refused to make amends with Mother, and she knew that was the only reason he could have kept calling her.
Until a messenger came one month ago, bearing a short letter from Father, for Ruby's eyes only. It simply read: "Come home, Ruby. Your Mother is dead."
That man would not send a letter like that in jest. It didn't say 'come home Lieutenant' but Ruby. In other words, keep it on a civilian level.
She arrived at Patch (where the message came from) to find a funeral service starting. No one bothered to explain what happened, but everyone there stopped to wish her well and give her a hug.
Ruby was numb the whole time. Numb. It didn't feel real. It couldn't be real. Mother can't be dead. She can't be dead. She can't be dead. She can't be.
It was just… impossible.
…
Like Mother had been on that day, Father was starting to show his age. His hair had started out black, but the sideburns had started to turn gray some years ago – now his hair was a wonderful mixture of white and silver that reminded Ruby of the old head of the Schnee Dust Company, Jacques. Father pulled it off much better.
The pair sat in the living room of the old house, late in the evening, neither one speaking or moving. The events of the day had drained Ruby, but Father simply seemed haggard. Whatever had happened, it really took it's toll on him. She was deeply regretting how many times she ignored his attempts to reach her before now.
"After you… yelled at her…" Father spoke slowly, his voice cracking slightly, "…your Mother started slowly fading. I was by her side the entire time, and I tried my best to keep her alive, but… it was like she'd lost the will to live."
Ruby clenched her fists as the words she shouted back then began to echo through her head.
"I was right next to her… at the end. I heard her final words. She spoke of you."
Her heart was pounding so hard she imagined the man could hear it from where he sat.
"She said… Ruby wanted me to shrivel up and die, so now I have to die-"
He'd barely finished before Ruby shot to her feet, grabbed her chair and threw it across the living room with all her strength. It took out a lamp before hitting the wall, leaving a gaping hole in the drywall.
Father said nothing. He only stared at her with accusing eyes.
Rather than tears, Ruby was angry. She knew where he was going with this. "I know you're thinking it. You think… you think I…"
"Stand down, soldier." Father's voice suddenly recovered some of it's old strength.
Ruby started, then took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I didn't do this," she stated. "I did not give her a Command. She took my shouting too hard, too personally, and then-"
"-And then blamed you for it? I think not." James Ironwood stood to his feet without a hint of age slowing him down. Even though she was now taller than him, Ruby still felt like a small child when he wanted her to. "Your Mother was not someone who would shift the blame onto others for her own decisions. Unlike some people I know."
Indignant anger rose quickly in her throat as Ruby started to argue, but never made it that far.
"We both know how effective your semblance can be, young lady. And how untested it still is. Aura and semblance are things that never stay the same for long, you know that! All our scientists agree on that! I cannot ignore the possibility that you had… something to do with this!"
Pride fell over her as Ruby stood to her full height, no longer angry but ready to defend herself. "That may be, but I know my own power. I can't give Commands without having any Aura focused into my eye, and I had no Aura that day. All I was doing was shouting. I can control myself."
"Prove it."
Ruby was a Lieutenant of the Atlas Military, but facing off against her Father, a full General, was still more than she could handle. Her confidence wavered as she looked away from his eyes.
She could have done it – Commanded him to let her go back and forget about all this. But he would have known she did something underhanded. It would have proven her weakness.
And Ruby could not afford to show weakness in front of James Ironwood.
Ruby swallowed hard, then locked her eyes back onto Father's. His own gaze softened slightly as he saw Ruby's courage return. "Tell me, Father… is my eye glowing?"
He would know if her Aura was active by the glow. "No," he replied.
"That means it won't work when I say: take your own life."
It should be noted that there was no trace of a tingle in her eye. None. And she had become sensitive enough to feel even the slightest trace of her own Aura. She was rightly confident in herself.
And yet… before her very eyes, Father pulled his sidearm from it's holster, put it to his head and muttered, "Yes, ma'am."
And then he pulled the trigger.
The gunshot echoed through all of eternity.
In one horrible moment, the body of James Ironwood slumped to the floor. His brains decorated the side wall where he'd blown them out.
Ruby shook violently, her hand reaching forward as her vision swam. Her throat had completely closed up, but she still squeezed out one word. It was more of a whimper, but it carried the last of her innocence with it.
"… … …Daddy…?"
Her knees gave out, dropping the mighty Lieutenant to the floor to get a closer look at the body of her Father. The man who would no longer tell her how proud he was, would never walk her down the aisle one day, would never… would never…
Never hear Ruby's scream of terror and brokenness. Never see his own daughter try to bash her own head through a wall like a mental patient.
The man was finally reunited with the woman he loved the most. The woman who did not deserve the torture she'd received from her own daughter.
She'd killed them both.
But the real horror came later, when she realized why she never felt the tingle in that moment – her eye had been tingling all day.
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…
Somehow, at some point, Ruby made it home. She had no memory of doing this.
All she remembered, other than the nightmare images from hell, was waking up in her own bed back at Atlas. But it didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered. What was the point of even getting up out of bed?
"The official report is that the late General Ironwood succumbed to severe depression following the death of his wife and… took his own life. All autopsy reports will confirm this."
Ruby blinked as she looked around, wondering who just spoke. It was a familiar voice, one that carried older, happier memories with it.
"I was hoping for a more pleasant visit, but I had to make sure to get you home first. No one should be able to pin any of this one you, Rubicon."
Salem sat in a corner of the room, watching Ruby in the darkness. Even now, as old as she was, the woman was just as stunning as before.
What the Headmaster said bothered her. "You know about…?"
"I've known for some time. James decided to trust me with the knowledge of your power in case of… emergencies."
"What kind of emergencies?"
"To use his own words; 'In case she becomes a monster.'"
Ruby's eyes once again brimmed with tears as she remembered what happened. Dammit… even in death, that man was never wrong. Even about her.
Salem quickly made her way over to the bed and held Ruby as the younger girl started sobbing. "Go ahead," she whispered, "Let it out. Let it all out. No one will judge you here."
And she did. Safe in the arms of the Headmaster of Beacon, Ruby let loose every speck of despair and sadness in a wailing sob. Her voice ended up sore for three days afterwards.
"Get it out of your system now, Lieutenant. You cannot let this tragedy dissuade you from your destiny. Take it in… let the pain define you… and become stronger for it."
As Salem spoke, Ruby felt a calm slowly come over her. As the pain flowed out of her, it was replaced by a cold… hardness. Like she was turning into stone. She did not let go of the older woman, but let the peace and silence descend over her like a blanket.
"Rest now, Rubicon Rose Ironwood. Soon you will go back to your people, to the troops under your command. You must lead them with the strength of your Father… and the will of your Mother. I will be with you as long as I can."
Sleep came over her.
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(38)
The sun was setting as General Ironwood looked out over Atlas. It had taken her a long time, but she'd done it – she'd achieved the peace her Mother had always wanted.
The world was united under the banner of Atlas. More specifically, the banner of the Republic of Mantle.
Or, depending on who you asked, it could be said that Ruby had taken over the world.
The first major achievement of her career, at least upon reaching the rank of General, was to deploy mechanized troops all across the globe to systematically wipe out all the Creatures of Grimm. This culminated in a battle that cost her one arm… but won her the war. The shadowy man behind the Grimm had fallen beneath her blade. She never even learned who, or what, he was. It didn't matter.
Ruby set out to unite the world immediately after, riding the wave of fame she'd started. Mistral joined first, signing on as the first ally in Ruby's growing occupational force. They quickly recognized the fire in her eyes as something they didn't want to stand against. Vale was right behind them, but Ruby knew that Salem's influence was mostly to blame for that. Even though the woman had died some years after the union, nobody on Vale's ruling council made any attempt to cede from Atlas. Ruby never removed her custom made eyepatch after Salem gave it to her – it enabled Ruby to live without fear of causing any more 'accidents.'
Vacuo held out longer, but after a massive show of force from the combined armies of Atlas, Vale and Mistral, their resistance crumbled overnight. Every kingdom on the planet now answered to General Rubicon Ironwood.
With the exception of Menagerie. The island kingdom of Faunus no longer existed.
One of the first things Ruby did after taking the position of General was recruit the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company, a woman named Weiss, as an advisor. The woman had been groomed for the job by her father, and was able to provide invaluable advice on business practices and labor laws. It was thanks to Weiss' input that Ruby fully realized how much of a risk the Faunus race actually was to the peace of the world. So she had them wiped out.
Thinking about this, General Rubicon grinned inwardly. Father had been right all those years ago – she'd become a monster, guilty of genocide.
That man was always right.
She turned away from the window and scanned over the papers on her massive desk. These were plans she'd written over the long years of her service, but everything had been copied into the database long ago.
Among the documents were all her plans on keeping the Republic of Mantle running smoothly for the next several generations. It covered all the bases: employment, food production, Dust production and distribution, law enforcement, immigration, imports and exports, taxes, and literally everything else. She had intentionally written everything with the notion of not needing her constant input. She knew her time at the top was coming to an end, so it all needed to be self-sufficient at the earliest possible opportunity.
In the center of her office sat her old chess set. All the pieces were in their starting lineup on each side of the board, all in their precise spots. A fine layer of dust covered it all – Ruby never moved a single piece. It wasn't there to be played, although she had been tempted a few times.
It was there to remind her of the past. Of sins she would never forget.
Fifteen years ago, Ruby had lost control of her semblance and accidentally caused the death of both her Mother and her Father, the former General of Atlas. Every single day after, without fail, she thought of them. Every time she woke up, she carried the pain with her until she went to sleep.
But the pain made her stronger, as Salem said it would. Made her hard, like a stone; unyielding, unmoving and powerful. Without that strength, none would follow her. No Command would change that.
But now she'd achieved the goal her Mother had wanted all those years ago. The whole world was finally at peace. Her job was over. The world no longer needed her to lead it into the future. She'd earned the ultimate victory with her own hands, the only win that mattered. No one handed her this victory.
Now… now she could rest.
She didn't speak as she moved to close the blinds of her windows, nor when she turned off the lights. The walls were soundproof, so no one would hear what she was about to do. No one had access codes to her office, so the evidence of her deed would remain undiscovered for quite some time.
Ironic – the gun she was going to use was the very same one… used by Father, all those years ago.
Is this what they called poetic justice?
Ruby sat on the floor, leaning against the wall by the door, and rested her head. She could have removed her eyepatch, but she chose to leave it – the thing had become part of her identity by this point, much like her mechanical arm. With the barrel of her Father's gun resting on the carpet, Ruby cast her mind back to happier times.
Back to the day she'd finally earned her first win against Father, at 13 years old. Mother had gone out of her way to bake a cake in celebration. Father wasn't even mad about it, choosing instead to shower her with praise.
Back to the day she started her schooling at Atlas Academy, and both of them made it clear just how proud they were of her, and what she wanted to achieve. Even then, they knew she was destined for greatness.
Both of them loved her so much… and she betrayed them in the worst way. Honestly, she deserved all the pain she got from that day on. But she'd united the world, and maybe even earned a bit of redemption in the process.
She had nothing else, now. With a tear in her eye, Ruby sighed and raised the gun…
But it didn't get very far.
An immense pressure suddenly burst forth from the center of the room, sending her chess set flying. She covered her face as a flash of blue-green light nearly blinded her, leaving spots before her eye. She could just barely hear the sound of crackling energy over the roaring in her ears.
As the noise faded, she noticed a new presence; a child had appeared.
She was short, about the size of an 8-year-old, and wore a red cloak with a raised hood. No detail of her face could be seen in the dim light, but Ruby was sure she noticed two glowing red spots where the eyes should be.
"Who are you?" Ruby asked carefully. If this girl was a threat…
The intruder turned and locked eyes on Ruby, giving the grown woman a chill. She tilted her head slightly, seemingly confused, and Ruby suddenly felt a twinge of pain from deep inside her head. Must have hit the wall during the burst of pressure…
"Rubicon?" the child spoke.
Ruby knew that voice. She knew it very well.
"Salem?! Is that you?!"
"You've grown well, I see," she said. "But I'm sorry to say that I… have not. It's a long story, but… I need your help."
"Of course!" Ruby was on her feet, the gun forgotten. "I'll do anything! But how… how are you alive?"
"It's… complex. The one who orchestrated my death believed it to be complete, but I have beaten death. I have ascended… but not completely. Not yet. I need someone who can carry out my will until I have gathered my strength. I require allies."
"And you shall have them! I can marshal the armies of the entire world to fight for-"
"No."
The child Salem motioned for Ruby to bend down, and the General got her first good look at the face beneath the hood. And her breath caught.
Other than the glowing red eyes, this Salem looked just like her.
"This world can take care of itself, Rubicon. It is already saved. I need someone who can travel to other worlds and save them. War and chaos are everywhere, through all of the universe."
"Other… worlds?"
"Yes." The child blinked as she smiled and said, "Where I come from, we have a phrase: 'Crossing the Rubicon.' It refers to the act of passing a threshold and moving onto something new. How appropriate that your name fits this metaphor."
Ruby's mouth opened to speak, but no words came out. She simply stared dumbly as the child leaned forward and kissed the older woman on the forehead. In exactly the same way she'd done all those years ago, on the day they'd first played chess against each other.
"No longer are you Rubicon Rose Ironwood, General of Atlas and Commander of the Republic of Mantle. I name you Vermilion – a color of royalty in the ancient world, rare and valuable. Shall I count you among my allies?"
Ruby… no, Vermilion rose to her feet with a renewed sense of purpose. For the first time in more years than she could count, the will to live had been returned to her bosom. The fire in her soul had been re-lit, and she knew what she must do. "I am at your command," she stated without any trace of doubt.
"Come, General Vermilion," the child said as she turned and… tore open the fabric of space, revealing more of that glaring blue-green light beyond. "We have much to do."
Vermilion followed the child into the void. She never once looked back.
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Chapter 26:
The Commander
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Unknown World
Office of General Vermilion
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In truth, things hadn't gone all that smoothly once she got going. Vermilion should have had at least a dozen worlds 'saved' by now, but she'd only managed about four. Setting up a working government was harder than it looked.
Especially when she had to deal with people like this… Ruby Grace person.
"Explain to me how failing to take down your target still counts as a… successful mission," she said while trying to suppress the throbbing vein in her forehead.
"Because that wasn't the only thing I was supposed to do, obviously," the hooded girl rolled her useless eyes in a grand display of irony. "Gathering Intel is not something just anyone can pull off, boss."
"Assuming what you gathered is worth my time at all," Vermilion picked up the data card she'd been given, upon which was supposedly a recording of the conversation Carmine and the other Intruders had held after Ruby Grace made her 'escape.'
"It damn well better be. Do you know how hard it is to stay invisible when there's an empath in the room? One slip and they all would've been on me like flies on a corpse."
"And yet here you are."
"Because I'm the best there is, boss. I even got you a little present to make up for losing that Rose girl."
They'd picked up Rose at the request of Salem. Vermilion didn't think the kid would make a good team player, but she let her go on this mission as a test. The General needed a striker for the squad; if Rose couldn't handle a mission like this, she wasn't fit for the role in the first place.
"Her name's Crimson Thorne. Let me put it this way – Rose was Juiced up and at the peak of her game, having already taken on three of those kids at once, when Crimson downed her in just one bloody punch."
That got Vermilion's attention. Anyone who could land a blow on a Juicer deserved to be watched at the very least.
'Juice,' as it was known, was a substance that Vermilion didn't fully understand yet. In fact, most of the stuff Mirage had brought in was still unknown. Most of her time was spent researching potential uses for everything, mainly with Rue's help. All she knew about the Juice was how much it increased it's user's raw power and speed. And that most people couldn't actually handle the stuff.
"Does this mean I'm off your naughty list, boss?"
Vermilion stood from her desk with a grunt and glared at Ruby Grace with her uncovered eye, knowing the girl couldn't see it. "Only if she ends up being worth my time. This isn't a job fair – I need a professional."
A few minutes later, Vermilion had her transporter set to intercept the tracking device Ruby Grace had apparently planted on this Crimson. Sneaky little bitch… but undeniably the best. Without her, most of these operations would fall flat.
A tracking device… another of the toys of Mirage. One of these days she'd learn, dammit.
The machine flared up as that familiar blue-green light washed out everything in the room, and Vermilion was left facing a girl who looked eerily like a smaller version of herself. Finding a reborn Salem in a body like her own was bad enough, but it took a long time for the General to get used to seeing so many more.
As the new one-eyed redhead spotted her, she put on her best diplomatic voice and said, "You are called Crimson Thorne, correct? Welcome. You may call me Vermilion."
The girl took one look at her, then one look at Ruby Grace standing just behind her, closed her eye and growled, "Fucking Goliath BALLS!"
A professional, eh? Professional thug, perhaps. Wonderful.
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Author's Note: When you take Ruby Rose of RWBY and add a generous helping of Lelouch from Code Geass, along with just a hint of Grand Admiral Thrawn from Star Wars, you get General Vermilion. At least, that's how I intended it.
The idea that some villains are the hero of their own story is very much relevant to this Ruby. She is literally a good guy being led around by a bad guy. Right now, as I put this chapter up, the end of her story is unclear in my head – whether or not she gets a happy ending will depend on how sympathetic I make her before it's all over, I guess. Or on how much you guys like her or don't like her.
(Some Credits: Both Crimson Thorne and Dr. Nightengale are OCs created by The Layman and used here with permission.)
Next chapter: The embodiment of chaos…
=^..^=
