Chapter 13- Frost and Fae
Giving one last look of longing to Yang, Weiss followed Ruby outside.
She looked at Ruby. She had once thought that this girl was unfit to lead their team.
She has long since proven a capable leader.
It was her whimsical and light nature that kept her allured. She took in the profile of her partner and knew that whatever it was made the girl anxious.
Though as she looked, she noticed the subtle differences about her person. Her poor rose had faced some hardships in her absence.
"What is it Ruby?"
She asked with a warmth that was unlike her usual cold tone. Icy blues searching silver for answers.
"I know you have been spending a lot of time with Yang. I love that you guys are getting close, but I have been through quite a bit to kind of understand that I..."
"Yes?"
"I missed you more than I could've ever imagined."
"I missed you t-"
"No. Please if I don't get this all out or I will just end up messing it up."
"Go on."
"When we were in school, I thought I knew what I had signed up for. I loved it all for the most part. What I didn't expect aside from the school falling to ruin, my sister losing her arm, our team being split apart, and the whole magical mayhem that followed, I didn't know I could fall for someone underneath all of that."
She took a deep breath because, she knew she was rambling. Ok here it goes.
"Weiss when we finally started to find our balance, I realized I had a crush on you. Given our time apart I grew to realize that this was no mere crush. The more I missed you the more I thought of all the things I absolutely adored about you."
Weiss was speechless and what's more is that Ruby wasn't finished.
"I love that you put up a cold front and maintain it to all those who don't know you. I love that you don't miss the little things. I love your bite, the fact that you extraordinarily are good at almost everything I am falling in love with someone who I almost help explode on our first day at Beacon."
Weiss felt conflicted. On one hand she had started to fall for her partner in turn before the fall of Beacon as well.
All the things she couldn't possibly care for within the Rose had turned into things she had come to hold dear about her.
Yes she had missed Ruby, but wrote it off as a crush because she felt that her feelings wouldn't be reciprocated.
Then she had gone through her own journey and had started to develop feelings for Yang.
The dragon had shown her that she had grown. Would she have felt different had she been with Ruby instead of Yang?
She was grateful that she had been able to be apart of Yang's path.
Part of her craved to just be with Yang just once.
Yet, here was Ruby laying her heart at her feet. She had looked to Ruby as a leader who always had a plan eventually.
They learned to properly be partners in combat though nothing like Blake and Yang.
Those two moved as one in a dance of chaos. Given the chance would she be as good for Yang as Blake could be?
"Don't compare yourself. You could very easily adapt and be ice to my fire if you so choose. The choice is yours, if you still need time to think it over tell her."
"Thanks Yang."
"You're always welcome Weiss."
Taking a deep breath she looked at Ruby and noticed she was waiting for her to respond.
"Ruby, I too had a crush on you while in Beacon. I never thought you would reciprocate my feelings so I wrote it off as just a crush. We have both changed since then, and all I'm going to ask of you is to give me time to sort things out."
"Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but at least your not turning me down completely.."
"Silly Rose, I do love you, but to what degree? "
Ruby took Weiss by her left and and held it palm up.
Before her eyes with their hands intertwined and open she could she lines that slowly began to take form over their connected hands.
It formed a burgundy rose that had hovered over both and then tiny snowflakes of her family emblem appeared all over the rose.
It was beautiful and Weiss felt warm and fuzzy all over.
"Ruby what is this?"
I don't know, but I love it!"
Weiss rolled her eyes. As mesmerizing as it was she felt she had to let go.
She did and an unmistakable look of hurt was on Ruby's face when it all vanished.
Yang was just coming down with Pyrrha at that time.
"Ruby I-"
"Ruby do you have any idea as to what you where doing?!"
"I... no."
Yang's eyes where s draconic red and she was glaring at her sister. Ruby had hung her head in dismay.
"Yang?"
"Ruby there are some things you need to know."
"Like?"
Yang took a deep breath. "Ruby you have no idea what you are."
"I thought I was just like you."
Shaking her head. "Come with me."
"Weiss take Pyrrha and spar, she will catch you up on what we've learned."
Weiss nodded to Yang and looked to Ruby.
"We'll finish this later."
She left the sisters to their own devices.
They walked outside and went into the forest.
They then went over to a massive tree.
"Tell her to knock 3 times."
"Ruby knock 3 times on the tree."
Ruby did as asked and when she did the tree opened up a hidden door.
Both sisters entered and the door disappeared.
Weiss had gone to Pyrrha and asked if the warrior was up for sparring.
To which she was happy to oblige.
They squared off and circled each other.
After a few moments it was Weiss that made the first attack.
She moved swiftly in and out of range trying to get a good shot of the warrior, but Pyrrha remained relentless.
Pyrrha was about to close the distance between them when everything around them including Pyrrha froze.
Weiss looked around in confusion at first and then she turned and saw her grandfather was just standing there.
Nicholas Schnee stood tall and proud as he looked at his granddaughter
"Grandfather?"
"My darling snowflake. It's about time you saw your old Grandfather!"
She was speechless at first.
"Is it really you?"
"Excellent question. You have passed the first test."
Her grandfather shifted into a carbon copy of Klein.
"Klein please explain to me what is happening?"
"I could."
"Your not Klein. Though I don't know who you are... who are you?"
"That is the correct question. The answer to that is I am your grandfather."
"Prove it."
"I once told you stories of my adventures and in these adventures I had always told you in the end a true Schnee-
"-Never backs down and always adapts. It is you!" She wanted to hug him and yet she held back.
"I sense hesitation, my snowflake."
"What is this? Am I free to move? Is it safe?"
"My darling you are perfectly safe within the realm of Changelings."
As he said this the whole place was glowing in an underwater type of way.
They were surrounded by blue whales and sea turtles floating through the air all around them.
It was a sight to see. They had no movement pattern a few would get close, but never be in the way.
It was a balm in the storm that had become her life.
She stepped closer.
"Tell me something."
"Anything."
"Why do you insist upon masquerading as my grandfather?"
"Clever. I expected as much."
The figure shifted and it turned into her sister.
"Winter?"
"Hello dear sister."
"You're not Winter either."
They shifted into a hippo at first and then it settled on Raven.
"Strangely I think that it's finally you this time around or maybe just someone I recognize to speak through."
"Well done young Schnee."
"Who are you really?"
"I am the original Changeling. In this semi-awakened state I get to educate you in all things that you are."
"Well can you take a different form than Raven of all people?"
"Certainly."
There was a shift and then it shifted into a figure of pure light with antlers coming from his head.
She had to shield her eyes at first but then she gasped.
"Wait is that the God of Light's form?"
"Yes."
"That is incredible."
It changed back into her grandfather.
"For now I will take this form only to instruct you on your first lesson. What you must know is that you may never reveal our species to anyone you don't trust.
You also have the choice. In this case it is between these two doors."
In front of them appeared to be two large and round doors.
The one to the left was a crimson red with a black ring around it. The one to the right was a white gold color.
"Care to explain?"
"Each door is a path on who you choose as a mate. This just shows you what it could be like if you made a definitive decision between a powerful pair of sisters."
"May I look?"
"Of course."
Knowing exactly which she wanted to see she took a step forward.
"Mind you, the rules state that you may look at only one and then make your decision as to which one you will go through. You will also be able to feel what you are feeling within the one you choose to look into."
She gave them a dubious look.
"Well that doesn't seem right."
"I only had a hand on making these rules. Though this is the way for all Changelings."
Meanwhile back in the tree.
"Ruby you are not part Dragon you are part fae."
"Come again?"
"Raven told me that you are not Taiyang's child. You are the offspring of Summer and Raven."
"How is that possible?!"
"The way she said it: you're basically a flower child."
Ruby gave Yang an: Are you kidding me look.
"I'm serious. I have never once lied to you and it turns out that if you plant a seed in your partner by way of being fae you have the result of your child growing from a flower. In this case that is you."
"We're still sisters?"
"Yes. That would never change regardless of who our parents are, you will always be my sister. We do share a mother, rather than a father. Though this does explain as to why Tai didn't claim you."
"How do you mean?"
"The familial bond is one that a dragon uses to mark people as family. I had thought that Tai had claimed you when you were born, but I was wrong."
"He raised me though."
"He helped from time to time when he wasn't so depressed, but for the most part I raised you.
"I... your not wrong."
"I just don't understand why he didn't tell is basically anything. "
"If it helps I don't get it either."
They shared look of understanding.
"You are still family to him, but you are not dragon-blood related is all. You are fae. This means you have a different set of rules and guidelines than I do. Apparently those rules and regulations can be found in this tree according to my inner guide."
"So am I supposed to ask the tree or?"
"No, there should be a great big book of everything somewhere around here. What is curious is the lack of knowledge my elders seem to have on Changelings."
"Changelings?"
"The reason why Raven could be with both my dad and your mom is she has the ability to adapt to her partner a common trait among Changelings. Though she also mentioned that Weiss could be one."
"We only know so much about changing or how to detect them because of a different blood pact altogether. The Faunus wanted a mating advantage, but the Changlings wanted a better way to hide especially when they had been hunted as they were."
"Makes sense. What do we know of the fae?"
"That we have a tumultuous relationship with them."
"Care to expand upon that?"
"Of the generations of Dragons there have only been a handful of mate pairings between that of our kind and fae kind. Those pairings were beautiful and are held near and dear to our hearts. For the most part the fae kind always interfere with our mating patterns by causing indecision in potential mates. Otherwise we tend to get along famously."
"Ok I see what you mean."
She really did as the images of each pairing were shown to her alongside the ones that seemed to be on the more mischievous side. Then she was shown the allies.
The pairs looked like something out of a story book with the majestic looks of each dragon and it's fae mate was an unearthly thing to see let alone know about.
The ones that had been against dragons to mate with someone they were both attracted to had almost a sinister and yet beautiful look to them.
The allies were adorable, but looked ready to fight.
The common theme of them all is they altogether had a lean and lanky look. She was shown that they did have the ability to shrink in size to what was believed to be a fairies actual size.
She shook her head at the notion that her sister of all people would even stand to be someone to get in the way of her mating.
They rummaged around the inside of the tree which looked much like the inside of a cottage despite its outward look.
"Aha! I found it!"
"Careful Ruby that thing is almost the size of you!"
Ruby gave Yang an unamused look.
She then opened the book only to find it be blank.
"Umm Yang?"
Yang looked it over. As she turned the pages she found that the rest of the pages were blank as well.
Then at the very back read a scripture: Those who be warriors or knights alike will never read another word and this book may strike, those who be Changelings or dragons may read as a friend, but those who be fae give just a drop and the words will never end.
"A drop of what?"
"Blood, also state that I am a friend if you want any help reading this."
"I, Ruby Rose, claim this dragon as a friend."
Ruby then pricked her finger on Crescent Rose a let a drop of blood fall onto the book.
Before their very eyes words written in elegant scripture appeared onto the pages.
As soon as they had been written the words would float up and off of the page to circle around the sisters.
It was dizzying at first , but then they were simply sucked into the book.
Author's note:
This took a while cause I'm not as in tune with the mindset of Ruby or Weiss as I am with the bumblebee pair. Please give me feedback! I hope you still enjoy this story!