This one was originally supposed to be the fourth installment for this one-shot fic story, but the original third... went nowhere. So It's on hold until I can figure out what to do with it. Instead, you get this. First of... at least three of this kind of one-shot. They'll be spread out so they won't be back to back to back.
"You're sure about this?" Brom asked as he crossed his arms.
Summer nodded. "Unless Lord Lardil and his people intentionally tried to mislead me, yes."
Brom sighed and placed his palms on the table in front of him. "I have seen your weapon at work. I know it can kill the Forsworn. But that is the only one of its kind. It will likely come down to me and you against all of them."
"Ah well." Summer shrugged. "It was going to come down to something similar where I'm from. I'm not worried."
"If that came from anyone else, I would call that arrogance." Brom nodded and rolled up the map on the table. "We will need to ride now if we are to intercept them before they retreat to Urû'baen."
"I thought so. I'm already-" a knock on the door interrupted Summer. She and Brom faced it. She rested her hand on Sun's Light's hilt as Brom approached the door. The magician peeked through a crack in the door and fully opened it. The person on the other side was one of Brom's few resistance operatives.
"What is it, Guilli?" Brom asked.
"I came right from the tavern," Guilli said. "A married couple gave Harl the code phrase of our contact in Feinster."
Brom raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" He glanced at Summer. "It appears we have other duties before we ride."
Summer nodded. While it would be nice to kill four of the Forsworn and their dragons in one go, it was more important to make sure their network didn't crumble before it was even fully set up. "I'm right behind you."
Their contact led the former Rider and Summer out of the hut and into the streets of Cithrí. Compared to the ones Summer knew, loved, and missed on Remnant, Cithrí was a small, dirty city. It didn't help that there was no electricity or indoor plumbing. As far as Alagaësia was concerned, this place might as well have been Windpath. Only here, the seediness was because people flooded to the city from the 'Empire' to the north. Most were civilians trying to escape the new totalitarian rule Galbatorix set up. Enough were criminals trying to escape harsher penalties to make it feel like the whole city was infested. Summer still wasn't sure if that was good or bad for the fledgling Varden.
It was also probably unbearably hot. Summer remembered what it felt like before she inherited the power of the Winter Maiden from her mom. Despite sharing a name with the hottest season, she absolutely hated the heat. That was definitely one perk she never took for granted. That went double for that day since she wore chainmail between two layers of tunics.
On almost the opposite side of the city, their man entered another building and opened a door inside. "They are in here."
Brom nodded. "Thank you." Someone gasped in the room. Brom walked inside with Summer right behind him. The woman looked over at the two people on the ground. A young man and a young woman. Both wearing middle-class clothing. A man stood behind both of them with a knife to each of their backs. The man stared at Brom with raised eyes. "Now who is it who knew…" Brom locked eyes with the other man and he straightened. His eyes widened and his mouth hung open. "Impossible."
The young man smirked. "It's good to see you again, Brom."
The woman snapped her head toward her companion. "Wait, this is the guy we've been looking for?"
"Yeah. I didn't expect we'd find him this quickly either."
Brom took a step backward and rested his right hand on the hilt of his sword. "No. Aaron Benson is dead. Kialandí killed him ten years ago."
Aaron shrugged. "Tales of my death have been greatly exaggerated." Summer stiffened. That was a phrase she never heard in Alagaësia. That line, or some variation, was in numerous movies and TV shows back home.
"We're doomed." The young woman sighed and shook her head.
"Prove it." Brom drew his sword and pointed it at the other man. His eyes narrowed. This was different. Brom never drew his sword and pointed it at someone unless he planned on sparring or running them through. But if this was the Aaron that Brom occasionally talked about… what did all this mean?
Aaron's face leveled out and he started speaking the 'Ancient Language,' or Elvish as Summer called it. It only made sense. She only understood a handful of words and thought she caught a few names but she didn't understand the connections.
Brom though lowered his weapon until it pointed at the floor. He faced the woman. "And you?"
The woman straightened up as much as she could while kneeling. "Weiss Schnee. Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company." Summer had to hold back a gasp. Those names she knew well and definitely weren't from Alagaësia. She looked 'Weiss' up and down. Besides the hair, which could have been dyed brown, she looked like she could be Willow's daughter. Weiss continued speaking but Summer didn't catch another word. She was too surprised to see someone else from Remnant. And with someone who Brom called a Rider?
"This is the Aaron Benson you talked about?" Summer asked Brom.
"It is." Brom gestured at the two guards. "Let them up. They are of no threat to the Varden." The guards backed up and their former prisoners rose to their feet. Brom gestured a hand at Summer. "Aaron, Weiss, this is one of my associates-"
"Sola Sharp," Summer interrupted with her alias. As much as she wanted to talk to someone else from Remnant, she didn't know if she could trust Weiss. If she turned out more like her grandfather, she'd tell the truth. More like her father, not so much. Plus, if her disappearance got any coverage back home, it wouldn't do to claim who she really was with her hair and eyes magically dyed brown.
Brom nodded without hesitation. "She is one of the best people I know to get information in and out of the Empire."
Aaron stared at Summer and looked her up and down. He locked eyes with her for a second before shaking his head. "I've heard your name before. A dragon named Irolon told me about how he met you. He said you were a fascinating human."
Summer smiled. "Fascinating, huh? He just called me 'interesting' before. I guess I got upgraded at some point." This time Weiss joined Aaron in staring.
Brom cleared his throat and he and Aaron carried on their conversation. The important bits were that Nalia, Aaron's dragon, was alive and well, and that Kialandí and his dragon were dead and gone. Summer sighed to stop herself from pumping a fist. One down, too many more to go.
Weiss cleared her throat and elbowed Aaron. "Aaron, aren't you forgetting something?" Aaron turned to look at his companion. The heiress held a thumb over her shoulder. "Our backup?"
"Oh yeah…" Aaron's gaze took on a thousand-yard stare.
Brom glanced at Summer and Summer nodded. She left through the door she entered and climbed the stairs to the roof. She crawled across the wood and peeked over the edge. No one currently stood in the alley beneath her. But across the road, two people appeared to be moving toward her. One of them had very red hair. It stuck out but it wasn't too uncommon. The man with her was well built and had a sword at his side…
Wait a minute, that sword, or rather the scabbard. Two golden moons... Summer blinked and dropped her jaw. An Arc? she thought. Whether or not that man was from that family, she knew that sword and shield. She backed away from the edge of the roof and returned to the rest of the group. "Two people, a man and a woman."
"Are they that obvious?" Weiss asked, hands on her hips.
"Only to someone who knows what they're looking for." And the fact that I know who that sword used to belong to.
Brom stared at the two who held Aaron and Weiss captive. "You were followed?"
"Maybe, maybe not." Summer looked Weiss up and down. She had an odd bulge on her left hip. A Scroll? Ammo? Something else?" Brom raised an eyebrow but said nothing else.
Three knocks came from the door. The Varden warriors looked at each other, before one of them opened it. Sure enough, the two people Summer saw before stood on the other side. They walked in and looked around the room. The man locked eyes with Aaron. "Everything go smoothly here?"
"As well as it can." Aaron shrugged.
"Why were you two out of contact for so long?" the redhead asked.
"The initial encounter wasn't the best." Weiss glared at her former captor. "We were held at knife point for most of it, then Brom came in and sorted things out." She gestured at the man in question.
The man's shoulders relaxed. "We found him already?"
Aaron held a hand out toward his old friend. "Pyrrha Nikos, Jaune Arc, meet Brom Holcombsson. Former Rider of Saphira Hvasskrob, and one of the last surviving members of the old Order." Aaron shifted his arm toward Summer. "And… Sola Sharp, one of Brom's associates." He shifted his arm to the newcomers. "Jaune Arc is the leader of team JNPR, and slayer of the Kraken of Windpath. Pyrrha Nikos is the champion of the fortieth Vytal Festival Tournament and…" Aaron hesitated before his next words, "…one of the few magicians of Vale."
Magicians in Vale? Was Summer dreaming? An Arc, a Schnee, a… probable daughter of someone she used to work with, and magic in Vale. The only magic on Remnant she knew about was the… Maidens. Is she…
"When will you be ready to leave?" Brom's words brought Summer out of her thoughts.
Aaron looked around his group and nodded. "We never planned on staying in the city more than a day. We are ready to move when you are. The rest of our group will meet us after dark."
Brom narrowed his eyes. "How will they know where we are?"
Aaron smirked. "We have our ways."
Summer quirked her lips. Night vision goggles? She faced Brom. "I tacked my horse before I came to talk to you."
Brom nodded. "Aaron, we will meet you by the northern gates."
Aaron glanced at Summer. "Both of you?"
"Yes. Sola is one of the few people I can safely say I can trust with my life. She can follow me nearly anywhere."
Summer nodded at the other group. "See you at the gates." She turned and walked out of the room and building. Brom followed right behind her though she didn't stop to talk. She didn't even turn around to look at him. Now that she had time to absorb it… More people from Remnant? Here? She blinked to keep her eyes from watering.
They made it to their horses without incident. Instead of mounting her horse right away, she opened one of the saddlebags and pulled out a folded piece of parchment she asked Irolon's Rider to magically preserve. She opened it and stared at the picture painted on it. It was an imperfect recreation, yet it was even more beautiful because of the enhancements.
With only a quick look in Summer's mind, Rafye had recreated one of Summer's favorite pictures from back home. It was her and Tai holding Ruby and Yang respectively, only it was how Summer remembered them. Ruby and Yang were almost angelic. Tai was happy and still had some of his giddiness from during his time at Beacon. Summer herself looked almost as happy as Ruby. There were even a crow and a raven in the tree behind the family. The whole family together at once. Something that had never happened before.
"We need to get moving," Brom said, interrupting Summer's thoughts.
Summer nodded, folded the picture back up, and climbed onto her horse. "Sorry. Those people in there distracted me."
Brom raised an eyebrow at her. "You don't distract easily."
"No." Summer shook her head and she urged her horse forward and out of the stable. It hadn't taken her as long as she thought it would have to learn to ride. Maybe riding Bumblebee for years helped her out. Brom guided his horse to walk beside hers. "Those three with Aaron are from where I'm from. Aaron is from here, but he used a phrase that's used as a joke in stories where I'm from."
"Ah." Brom nodded. "I know what you are thinking. We need you here."
Summer shot him a look. "You're not the only ones in a war. My homeland needs me too." She snorted. "I certainly get more respect there." Brom didn't comment on that.
They beat the other group to the northern gate by a few minutes. When they regrouped, Aaron led the way northeast. His team stayed together up front while Brom and Summer took up the rear. The four up front chatted amongst themselves a bit but not much. All of them occasionally looked over their shoulders. At first Summer thought they were making sure the other two were still behind them. Then she noticed they were looking mainly at her. What was that about? They couldn't know her.
The group rode until after the sun had set. Aaron and Brom gathered wood from a nearby tree for a fire. Aaron lit it with magic. There wasn't much talk around the fire, mainly just between Jaune and Pyrrha. At one point during the conversation, Summer noticed they both wore engagement rings. Something told her that wasn't just for the act.
Some time later, Weiss turned to Aaron and asked, "Since we're not doing anything now, and we won't be hiding anymore, can you fix my hair?"
"Sure thing." Aaron moved over to Weiss' side and held his hands on either side of her head. He started chanting in the Elvish, and the brown slowly receded from the top down. Weiss shifted uncomfortably where she sat but did not interfere with the spell. As the last specks of brown disappeared from his teammate's hair, Aaron lowered his arms. Summer stared at Weiss. Platinum blonde hair, or maybe just straight up white. Definitely a Schnee.
Weiss looked over her ponytail and sighed in relief. "Thank you. It felt so weird having it like that-I see that smirk, Aaron! I am not as bad as Yang!"
Aaron raised his hands in surrender. "I never said you were." He sat down in the dirt beside Weiss. "I was just thinking you care about how you look almost as much as a Brightscales."
Weiss' jaw dropped. "If I was that full of myself, I would not be wearing this, much less be here! I would be back in an air-conditioned Atlas working for my father, where the biggest danger to how I look is spilling coffee."
"Are you sure you two are not in a relationship?" Brom asked from across the camp, a slight smirk on his face.
"Yes!" Aaron and Weiss replied at the same time.
Summer snorted. "Could have fooled me."
Aaron rolled his eyes and tilted his head up. His eyes grew unfocused again. A few seconds later, he blinked and lowered his gaze to those around the campfire. "Nalia just contacted me. They'll be here soon."
"Good to hear." Brom looked past Aaron and to the sky. Summer didn't see anything up there and it didn't look like Brom did either. But… what was that sound? It was a quiet droning she thought she'd heard before, but she couldn't place it.
Summer shook her head and looked over the newcomers. Now was as good a time as any. "I believe I heard you say you're from a place called Vale. What's it like there?"
The four people from Remnant looked amongst themselves. "Well," Pyrrha started, "from what I've heard, the weather here is roughly the same as it is there."
"Though the city of Vale is much larger than any one in the Empire," Aaron said. "I might be wrong, but I think it has a similar population to Tronjheim when full."
Brom raised his eyebrows. "Is that so?"
Time to drop the bomb. "Is the original Lenny's on Sixth still there?"
Jaune nodded. "Yeah. My team's been there several… what?" He blinked and his jaw hung open. His other friends had similar looks on their faces.
"My team stopped there so many times when we were at Beacon," Summer continued, crossing her arms. "They had all you can eat pancakes after eight at night. I was never able to beat the guy I'd eventually marry, though. One of the few things I can't beat him in." Summer smirked at the surprised faces. "Did I say something?"
"You're from Remnant?" Weiss asked.
"Born in Argus, attended Sanctum, decided to travel and went to Beacon, settled on Patch with my team." Summer stuck a thumb at Brom. "He knows a good chunk of that, including the Grimm."
Aaron rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess your name wouldn't be out of place there."
"Not a bit." Summer faced Weiss. "We actually met once, though you were just a baby. I provided security for one of your grandfather's convoys and met your family when it was delivered."
Weiss blinked. "Small world."
"It's about to get smaller." Summer turned her head to Jaune. "Your grandfather was one of my friend's mentors at Sanctum. I only talked to him a few times, but he seemed like a nice guy." She gestured at the sword and scabbard combo on his hip. "That kind of gave it away. You weren't that bad at being discreet."
"He, he, he…" Jaune rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess it is pretty distinctive."
Summer nodded and let her smile fade. "In all seriousness, if the Kraken of Windpath is the same one from when I was a kid, thank you for taking it out. I lost too many friends to that thing."
Jaune dropped his hand and nodded. "For the record, I just delivered the final blow. My team and the Shore Guard put in some work that day." He paused. "How long have you been here? The Kraken had been more of a nuisance than a threat the past five years."
Summer sighed and hung her head. "Seventeen years, give or take a month or two." Aaron blinked and squinted at Summer.
"You have a family there?" Pyrrha asked.
Summer nodded. "My husband I mentioned earlier… and two beautiful young girls." She looked over the newcomers. "They're probably about your age now."
Brom tilted his head toward the sky. "What is that sound?" Summer cocked her head. The sound had grown louder. Jet engines?
Aaron stared at Summer a few seconds longer before facing his team. "Jaune, you want to do the honors?"
Jaune reached into a pocket and pulled out a Scroll that looked ancient even from her time. "Knight to Lotus, do you copy?"
"Reading you loud and clear," another man's voice replied over the scroll. "I see your fire. How's the terrain down there?"
"It's mostly grass and the soil isn't dusty. You won't be kicking up a lot of dirt."
"Copy that. ETA two minutes. Looking forward to meeting our contact." Jaune's scroll clicked, signaling the end of the call.
"That Scroll looks a little old, don't you think?" Summer asked.
"Not at all." Jaune turned the scroll around. "Solar powered."
Summer raised her eyebrows. She knew about solar panels of course, but they were just theoretical or in the prototype stage. "Huh."
Brom glanced at Summer. "What is this magic?"
"Not magic. Technology." Summer stared at the sky. "Some pretty advanced stuff if I'm hearing right."
"What is going on?" Brom turned his attention from the sky to his fellow Rider.
Aaron shrugged. "As you just saw, we can use these devices to communicate long distances. We have other ways to travel long distances too."
Weiss pointed straight up. "In this case, in the air."
Summer searched the night sky again. She still didn't see anything, despite the sound growing louder. Then she saw stars disappearing and reappearing. A lot of them. Lights turned on, revealing the formation. Six titans of the air flew in a V-formation toward the camp. Four dragons took the lead with a large green one in the front. Probably Nalia. A smaller green one and a gold and a red flew on either side of her. On the ends of the V, two Bullheads flew, only these were more streamlined than the ones Summer knew and had jet engines instead of propellers.
"My stars," Brom breathed.
"Good to finally have air support again." Summer smiled as the formation came in for a landing.
Weiss turned to Aaron. "Can I borrow your scroll so I can guide them in?" Aaron fished his scroll from a hidden pocket and flipped it to Weiss. The woman walked away from the camp using two scrolls as visual confirmation for the pilots.
"So…it starts again," Brom mumbled. "But how and where will it end?"
Aaron smirked at his friend. "Did I hear some of Oromis there?"
"Possibly." Brom took his eyes off the dragons and looked at Aaron. "You found more Riders."
"Well, actually they found me first, but yeah. All three eggs in my charge hatched."
Brom's shoulders sagged. "So, they're inexperienced."
"Maybe, but we have advantages that the Traitor has never seen, and he can't possibly hope to defend against in time." The two Bullheads flew overhead and coasted in for a landing beside each other. "Exhibits A and B."
Summer caught sight of something on top of the Bullheads. They both had turrets on their roofs. "Oh, yeah. Those things'll tear the Forsworn to shreds." She couldn't help but laugh. "I think we might actually control the skies now."
Brom stared at the two flying metal boxes, then back at the dragons as they landed. "I never thought we'd stand this much of a chance."
"I didn't either until I met them." Aaron nodded at the other Riders. All three dismounted their dragons. Two had hoods over their heads, one brown one red. The one that dismounted the gold dragon wore heavy armor. The lights from the Bullheads didn't light them up so Summer couldn't see their faces.
Nalia stepped away from the line of dragons and approached Brom. She hummed happily all the way. Well met, Brom, she said. I couldn't have hoped to find an ally so soon.
"Well met indeed, Nalia." Brom rested a hand on the side of the dragon's snout. "I trust you have been well?"
Nalia's eyes softened. If she said anything else to Brom, Summer didn't hear it. Considering that Brom lowered his head and said, "Thank you," something passed between them.
The dragon snorted and glanced at Summer. Sola Sharp. Aaron tells me you are from Remnant.
"Word travels fast." Summer shrugged and smiled. "It's good to see another dragon again. It's been too long."
Indeed, it has. And as you can see, I did not come alone. She walked behind Brom and Aaron and settled down.
One of the hooded figures stepped forward along with the smaller green dragon. "Brom, Sola, I'd like you to meet Velvet Scarlatina and Vert Hvasskrob. Velvet actually has the most years of combat experience out of us, by one year. She can use any weapon she finds, as long as she has seen someone use it at least once."
Summer nodded. "A copycat." Velvet pulled her hood down. Two rabbit ears popped up as the fabric fell. "Or I should say copy bunny."
Brom's jaw dropped. "You're an elf?
"No." Velvet smiled and shook her head. "There are only two intelligent races where we're from. Humans…and Faunus, which I am."
Brom blinked. "Impossible. The pact with the dragons is only between humans and elves."
Velvet shrugged, her smile stayed in place. "I guess the differences between humans and Faunus aren't as big as some people make us out to be." Summer smirked. She knew of a few people that statement would infuriate.
She looked over the dragon and her eyes stopped on his right wing. "Whoa." She walked over to it and inspected the metal brace. "What happened here?"
Vert's head lowered. I have what's called Darnvængr, or shatter wing. Aaron does not know enough to heal it. Believe it or not, this helps me fly. Vert gently shook his right wing. I'm sure Ruby would love to explain how it works. Summer locked eyes with Vert. Ruby was a pretty common name, especially in Vale. Vert stared back and flicked his tongue out to taste the air. He snorted and shook his head. He and Velvet walked toward the fire.
The armored Rider and dragon stepped forward. The woman, if the hair was any indication, walked with a robotic swagger. As she approached the light, her hair almost glowed. Half of it was the same color as her dragon's scales while the other half was a very familiar blonde color. She stepped fully into the light… Summer blinked and her lips parted. The woman looked a lot like a younger Raven, only her eyes were lilac… and that confidence… Summer's eyes widened. It… can't be.
Aaron gestured at the woman. "Next, we have Yang Xiao Long-"
Summer didn't hear another word. Her arms hung at her side as she stared open mouthed at her daughter. Yang stuck a hand out to Brom who just stared at it. She made an embarrassed face and took her hand back.
Summer stepped toward her daughter without realizing she started. Yang turned her head toward her stepmom and smiled. While it was older and bigger than what Summer remembered, it was the same one her big little girl had all those years ago. "Hi. Nalia said you're from Remnant?"
"Yang?" Summer said barely above a whisper.
Yang's face stayed the same but grew confused. "Yeah. That's my…" She blinked several times in a row and her jaw hung open as she stared at Summer.
"Phoenix?" Summer forced the pet name through a clenched throat.
"Wha…" Yang stepped back and looked all over Summer's face, then body. "How… No…"
Summer whipped around and pounced to Brom's side. "Fix me! Now! Hair! Eyes! Everything!"
Brom stepped back and stared at Summer. "But you're trying to remain-"
"That doesn't matter anymore!" Summer slashed her arms in front of her. "You said you could reverse what you did easily. Do it! Now!"
Brom stared for another few seconds before speaking in Elvish. Summer's eyes and scalp started to itch something terrible, but she didn't move. She didn't even blink. Tears rolled down her cheeks but not from the itching. After about a minute, the itching stopped and Brom nodded. "It's done."
Summer swallowed and turned around. Yang gasped and took another step back. "Mom?"
A laugh pushed its way out of Summer without her urging. "I never thought I'd hear someone call me that again." She managed a single step forward before Yang pounced and pulled her mom into a tight hug. Summer returned it right away, one hand on Yang's back, one on her head. She closed her eyes and just held her daughter. Neither said anything, but there were a few sniffles… wait. Vert said Ruby made that wing brace. Summer held one of her daughters in her arms. Did that mean...
Summer opened her eyes and gasped. The last Rider she saw held her red hood behind her neck. It was almost like looking at her younger self. The only differences were the woman's eyes were slanted, cheekbones raised, and her ears were pointed. But Summer would know those glistening silver eyes anywhere. The rose emblem on the Rider's belt helped too. Summer's smile grew even more. "Ruby?"
Her baby girl launched forward and joined in the hug, pressing her face into Summer's shoulder. Ruby sobbed, but definitely not in a sad way. Summer pulled her right arm out from in between her two girls and wrapped it behind Ruby. She pulled both in close and kissed the tops of their heads.
After one more quick squeeze, Summer pulled away from her daughters, though Ruby felt reluctant to let go. Summer held onto one of their hands apiece. Ruby and Yang smiled at her with all the love she worried wouldn't be there. For the longest time, Summer thought they'd hate her for not being there, or worse, didn't recognize her at all. She laughed as she smiled. "Hi."
Her girls returned the laugh. "Hi," they said at nearly the same time.
"You've… both gotten so big." All three of them giggled at that. Summer turned her attention to the red and gold dragons a couple dozen feet behind the girls. "And you're Riders. Color coordinated too."
"Yeah." Yang shrugged. "It just happened like that."
"I have so much to tell you two." Summer sobered a bit. "And so much to catch up on."
"That's what campfires are for." Ruby squeezed her mom's hand. "We've got time."
Summer nodded but stared at her baby girl's hand. That felt… strange. She squeezed Ruby's hand. Her smile fell away. That did not feel like bone. She let go of Yang's hand and gently grabbed Ruby's left arm. Her daughter raised her arms at her mom's touch. Summer squeezed both hands. The left felt right, the other didn't. The mother ran her hands up her daughter's arms, squeezing as she went. Both only started to feel normal just above the elbow.
"Ruby…" Summer took her hands off her daughter's arms and cupped Ruby's face. "What happened to…" She blinked as she ran her thumbs over her daughter's face. Something besides flesh, blood, and bone was beneath the skin. Her heart dropped as she locked horrified eyes with her daughter's. "What did this to you?" she whispered.
Ruby's smile slowly disappeared. "The Nevermores." Summer stiffened. She may have unintentionally lowered the temperature around her a few degrees. Ruby's right pupil contracted, dilated, then returned to its normal size. "They got my right leg too."
Summer blinked several times in a row before pulling Ruby close again. She stared out into the night, looking for threats. It didn't matter if those bastards were on another world, dimension, or whatever. They hurt her baby girl. Nothing would hurt her again. Nothing could hurt her again as long as she remained in her mom's loving arms. Those bastards. Raven was supposed to take them all out. If Summer ever made it back to Remnant, her teammate would have a lot of explaining to do.
As she searched the area, Summer noticed something on the gold dragon's saddle that made her heart freeze again. She turned her eyes to her older daughter. "Yang, please tell me that wheelchair's for Ruby."
Yang shook her head. "I can't do that. Kialandí got me good. Paralyzed me, chest down. Ruby made me an exoskeleton soon after, and that's beneath all this armor."
Summer fought back a whimper. Both her girls? She pulled Yang close too. Her baby girl was dismembered and the girl she promised to look after like she was her own was paralyzed. That settled it. She was never letting them out of her sight again. She hardly wanted to let them out of her arms.
Both girls returned the hug "It's okay mom," Yang said. "We're-"
"But it's not okay!" Summer shook her head. "None of that is okay! No one should have to go through that! Especially not people as young as you two… And I wasn't there. I wasn't there to stop it or to help you through it."
"But you're here now." Ruby snuggled closer into her mom. "I feel safer now than I have in a long time."
That made Summer's heart flutter in the best way possible. She relaxed her grip on her girls and laid her head on Ruby's. "At least I'm doing something right." She smiled at the two dragons standing nearby. "I think those two can help with that."
"A bit, yeah." Yang pulled away from her mom and waved the two dragons over. "Come on, you two. Our mom wants to meet you."
The two dragons walked forward with wings and ears high and tails curled at the tips. Both hummed high and loud. The gold turned his head to the red. You thinking what I'm thinking, Cerise?
Make up for lost time, Halcyon? Cerise asked.
Halcyon nodded then looked at the three humans. Yang, Ruby, some room please.
Ruby giggled, let go of her mom, and stepped away. "Brace yourself!" Yang stepped away as well.
Summer cocked her head at the dragons. "What are you-"
Halcyon pounced paws first and pinned Summer to the ground. If it wasn't for the utterly joyful look on both dragons' faces, Summer would have struck back. They lowered their heads and rubbed their snouts against either side of Summer's head. The human between them couldn't help but laugh and let it happen. It was a bit rougher than being loved to death by dogs, but it was still awesome.
"Ooh!" Ruby said next to her mom. "Nora smuggled in smores!"
Summer jerked her head toward her baby girl then toward the fire. She didn't know who Nora was, but a girl with ginger hair held up a bag of marshmallows and… "Chocolate!" Summer teleported to the ginger's side, snatched the entire package of Gershy chocolate bars away, and teleported back to her daughters in less than a second. Her girls jumped as hundreds of white rose petals blew around them.
Cerise snorted. Of course. Aaron and Nalia said there's no chocolate here.
"Not one bit." Summer opened the package and took out a single full-sized bar. She handed the rest of the package to Ruby. The smell already flooded into Summer's nose. She opened the wrapper and that smell only grew. "Seventeen years without a taste." She broke off one of the rectangles and bit off the top right corner. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her knees buckled. A near primal growl burst from her throat. It was better than she remembered. "I am eating so unhealthy for a month if I ever get home."
"I think you mean when mom," Yang said.
Summer stared open mouthed at her oldest. She flicked her eyes to Aaron then back to Yang. "You can get back. We can get back."
"At any time." Ruby smiled, then winced. "Well, technically at any time. As far as we can tell, the place we come out on either side is random. It's not as much of a problem going back to Remnant as it is coming here. Don't want to risk appearing over Urû'baen."
"But… home?"
"When we're done here." Ruby nodded. The little girl that Summer saw up until that point was gone. She was replaced by a determined young woman who knew combat at the very least. She might even know what she's getting into. "When the Traitor and the Forsworn are gone, we'll go home. If anyone goes back before that, it's for resupply." She shrugged. "That's the plan Aaron came up with anyway. Seems pretty sound to the rest of us."
"That it does." Summer nodded and looked at the candy bar she still held. "So, I don't need to save this until it expires."
Yang laughed. "Nope. You are good to cram it in."
"As tempting as that is," Summer popped the broken off rectangle into her mouth, "that's still a waste. I want it to last a little longer than that."
"There's plenty more for smores!" Ruby waved the package. "Come on! We'll introduce you to everyone!" She pulled Summer toward the fire. Summer went with her without hesitation.
As she was dragged to the circle around the campfire, Summer looked around and couldn't help a laughing smile. Dragons had returned to Alagaësia in strong numbers. A path to Remnant was open. They had gunships on their side with the Bullheads. She had a bar of chocolate in her hands. Most importantly to her, her daughters sat on either side of her and they still loved her. Their dragons were an added bonus. Best. Day. Ever.
I don't think it's an exaggeration to say Summer is my favorite RWBY character... probably because the FNDM has essentially put her up on a pedestal as a perfect person. Something we need is more Summer!... er, not the season though. It's way too darn hot here... Give me winter any day over this.