Chapter 3: After

-Advanced Atlesian Medical Hospital

"What do you mean by that?" Qrow asked, did the nurse really just say what she did? "Unfortunate as it is, Mr. Branwen, Ruby's internal organs including her lungs and stomach have suffered severe trauma, and her spinal column has fractured, piercing other parts of her body including her heart, she was just barely revived, and we doubt that she will recover fully from this incident" the nurse concluded. At this, the atmosphere of the room darkened immensely, growing darker still as the nurse led them to where Ruby lay, who knew that the family needed to spend a while to process the information.

Yang wept openly, burying her head into her uncle and father's embrace, for they all knew just what the nurse was saying, and they would've kept going if it hadn't been for a weak but familiar squeaky voice breaking the somber silence. "Am I really going to die?" their heads all whipped around, Ruby lay at the bed, wires and pipes all over her body, scarred, but conscious with tears pooling at her eyes after hearing what the nurse said. The three were instantly at Ruby's side, with Tai ringing the bell for the nurse. The Schnees also came close behind, with Winter sputtering apologies to Ruby: "I'm so, so sorry…" Winter gasped.

Ruby didn't respond, as she was now looking wide eyed at where her right hand should've been: "where is my hand? W-w-why can't I feel my legs, why does it hurt to breathe?" the heart monitor started beeping faster, and a nurse quickly rushed in, urging Ruby to calm down, but how could she? She just heard that she would be dead at the end of the week, and the nurse saw no other choice but to tranquilize her.

Winter curled up and began sobbing further, seeing the normally cheerful and chipper Ruby have a panic attack did not help with her guilt. "This is all my fault, all my fault…" she kept silently repeating it, until she felt two hands on her shoulders. Looking up, she saw Qrow and Tai, who were still crying, but assured her that she could not have done better. The group spent the rest of the evening huddled together, with the nurses occasionally checking on Ruby, and they soon all drifted asleep, all except for Qrow, in his hand carrying a bottle of Chardonnay. He looked mournfully at the dark streets outside, and then left the room with a call to make, one that might just save Ruby's life.

-The Belladonna household

To say that today was stressful for Ghira Belladonna would be an understatement. If someone told them 2 days ago that their daughter would hand a young wolf Faunus a bomb disguised as a box in their name, and have it detonate in Schnee Manor, injuring the Faunus in the process and making headlines worldwide, he would've had the person checked for mental illnesses. But here they were, fending off reporter after reporter as their integrity was put on the line.

There was no question that it was Blake, the camera on one of the neighboring buildings had caught her face, but many people, Human and Faunus alike were confused by what happened on that very day. The official story is that Blake Belladonna came to Schnee Manor and left a box at the front gate, which was picked up by a young wolf Faunus who then picked it up, only to have it detonate as she opened it. The White Fang were unusually silent in this, which made the ordeal a lot more suspicious. Fortunately for the Belladonna patriarch, his resignation from the White Fang was public and documented, so it gave them more credibility when they told the reporters they had no part in it. However, the fact that their daughter had committed such an act in their name shook them deeply, Blake may not share their views but she was still their daughter.

-Unknown Street, Atlas

Blake looked blankly at the paper she held in her hands, written by the Atlesian Daily. she sat on a bench and read the paper with a hood on.

"White Fang commits terrorist attack on Schnee Manor, Daughter of the Belladonnas involved!"

Many citizens of Atlas call for previous leaders of the White Fang to answer to the heinous acts committed by the now terrorist organization. At around 12:00 Atlesian Standard Time A bomb detonated in Schnee Manor, injuring a young wolf Faunus, who is in critical condition and on life support; authorities have used cameras to trace Blake Belladonna, daughter to the previous leaders of the once peaceful Fang, as the perpetrator. The Belladonna family has been cleared of blame, due to an apparent fallout in the family that separated them from Blake. The perpetrator has cat ears, black hair and amber eyes, with a height of approximately 120 cm, perpetrator also has a fair complexion and athletic build. If you see anyone who matches the description, Call the local authorities and keep quiet.

Blake's hand shook, and ears fell on the paper. It wasn't supposed to be like this she thought, they didn't tell me there was a bomb inside, they didn't tell me that I was going to be bombing people!, she felt used, a hot anger swirling with her sadness as she read the paper. Her eyes rested on the passage regarding a young wolf Faunus, and she gasped as she recollected the cheerful little girl who picked up her package. The floodgates broke open, and Blake wept openly, silently cursing the White Fang for making her do their dirty work for them, and braced herself as she continued reading.

She read to the part about her parents, and she had to take a break once again, crying onto the paper. Would they want me as a daughter anymore? Blake wondered, her shame and guilt weighing down on her Not anymore, Blake put down the paper, and started to make her way to the Atlesian Airship Service. The White Fang was not the cause she would be fighting for anymore, never again.

-Atlas Academy

General Ironwood looked out across the training rooms of Atlas Academy. It was here that new generations of men and women would begin the training to be soldiers and protectors of civilization. He sighed, casually taking in the sound of steel crashing against steel in the background.

His Scroll chose that exact moment to start ringing, startling the General, who had almost dozed off. He picked up the scroll, and his eyebrows went up at the image of a person he'd never would have expected to call him, Qrow Branwen. He and Qrow never mixed well, only the efforts of Tai and Summer would have them be able to sit and eat lunch together at times, they haven't spoken face to face in 3 years. He answered: "Qrow Branwen, what is it you seek from me today?" The response from Qrow surprised him: "General, is project NH4 ready for use?" judging by a few factors, the General deduced that something must have gone terribly wrong for Qrow to call him General instead of his preferred "Jimmy", and for Qrow to ask of project Ammonium, a project he had openly condemned.

"Qrow, what would cause you to ask of that project?" He picked up a sigh from the other end of the scroll. "It's Ruby, Summers kid. She's been horribly injured, bomb blew in her face, she's not gonna make it" the huntsman's voice cracked at the end "Please jimmy, if not for me, then for Ruby and Summer, you have to try and save her soul, the hospital has already written her off…"

Ironwood was silent, pondering all he had just heard, some memories of Summer popping up in his head.

Ha! I shall defeat your Legendary Huntsman with my Giant Nevermore… wait no! My fearless soldiers!

Aw come on James, lighten up, Tai and I will get Qrow back for this, heck, we'll put him in a skirt!

Aw man that's so cool, where did you find that rock!? Make a wish and throw it into the pond!

Ironwood thought some more, remembering the times Summer supported him when he had a fallout with his father, when she saved him on that day when he lost his arm. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and gave his answer: "It is indeed ready, but you need the consent of Tai if you want Ruby to be the first official candidate of Project NH4, I will inform the Staff of the Hospital about the situation around Ruby."

Qrow took a deep shuddering breath, relief coursing through his veins. A part of him condemned him for bending the knee to the General and letting him turn Ruby into an android, but he knew that General Ironwood was a good man and his Lead Scientist Richter Polendina shared that trait. He looked to his left and saw Tai stirring, and he braced himself for the conversation that would follow.

It's 2 AM in the morning, I am going nuts