A/N: did someone say bonus chapter?
A few weeks pass, no one brings up the end of the night of the carnival. Things settle into their usual routine for the most part. The first few days traveling Jaune had been a bit distant when it came to Ruby. A quiet talk with Ren switching night watches had Jaune back to his normal self. Seeing Ruby visibly relax when he did made him feel a different kind of guilt. It quickly passes when Ruby smiles at him and whispers "Welcome back" She hadn't judged him, wasn't placing any expectations on him. She just waited for him to resolve whatever he was going through and return to her. It's a simple gesture that brings back the warm feeling again.
They are two weeks into what the map says should be a three week trek to the next settlement. The group stop in confusion when they run across a marker on the road. The town it says is near is not on the map. "Maybe its new?" Ruby offers, optimistic. Jaune shrugs they decide to push forward. The angry sounding caw of a blackbird goes unnoticed. When they finally push through the overgrown path their stomachs drop. The town has obviously long been abandoned. There are countless grimm crawling along the once bustling streets. Sensing their prey nearby several beowolves and nevermore cry out.
"We won't be able to out run them, we'll have to fight." Ren calls out.
"Everyone be careful, we can do this!" Jaune adds in.
"Lets do this Ranger!" Nora calls, forgetting the Junior Vs Ranger argument for now.
Ruby nods and the four of them are off. The angry caw of the blackbird ignored yet again.
They fight the grimm for hours. They are exhausted and low on aura. Several of the towns remaining standing structures have been knocked down, either due to Ranger knocking a grimm into a building or one of them being tossed aside. Ruby is currently on top of a very unstable roof. Nora is at the far end of the village felling grimm after grimm.
Ren and Jaune are fighting back to back while Ruby attempts to provide cover fire. She misses a shot at an alpha that's charging the two from behind. She yells for them to lookout. They're too far away to hear. The beast hits the two full force sending them flying in opposite directions, their weapons fly out of their hands. They are both surrounded in seconds. Nora charges towards them but Ruby knows she wont make it to either in time.
Ruby panics and jumps into her semblance her mind focused on her need to save them both. The blur of rose petals splits in two and surrounds both boys. They are wrapped up in twin rose tornados and deposited by Nora along with their weapons. All three stare with their mouths hung open. The two rose petal swarms circle each other and begin to merge into one. The second they are solid enough she's swatted out of the air and into a nearby buildings wall by an alpha. She lands with an oof aura broken. Her instincts tell her to get up but her body refuses to move. She vaguely registers her name being shouted. Nora's shout of rage as she and Ren finished off the last of the grimm barely register.
Jaune was at her side in seconds. She's conscious and still trying to will her body to move. "Sorry I missed the shot." She breathes out.
Jaune has a need to keep her talking fear of her falling unconscious driving him. "Don't worry about that. When did you learn to split your semblance like that?"
"Just now, I guess? I wanted to save you and Ren." She goes quiet eyes trying to flutter shut to rest just for a minute.
Jaune tries not to fixate on the "wanted to save you" line too much. Right now there's more important things to worry about. The town has grown quiet and Ren and Nora are at their sides.
"Is she okay?" Nora and Ren shout at nearly the same time. Ruby's eyes fly open at the commotion.
She manages to sit up with a little help. "We need to get out of here. I don't like the feel of this place."
"You need to rest, don't push yourself." Ren states but Ruby shakes her head no.
"The grimm claimed this town. we wont be able to fend off a second wave if more come back." They cant argue with her logic. She manages to get up with some difficulty. She leans on Jaune heavily for support. The group are quiet walking as far as they can before night fall. With every step the words "wanted to save you." Ring in his ears and pull on his heart. He has to get stronger. he can't lose anyone again. His heart sinks as the thought that he almost lost Ruby today finally sinks in. He looks down at her clinging to him, scratched and bruised, he frowns.
She feels his gaze and looks up at him smiling. "I must look terrible judging from the look on your face" she teases laughing lightly.
Hearing her tease Jaune releases a tension from Ren and Nora. It has the opposite effect on Jaune.
"I'm sorry." He whispers barely loud enough for Ruby to hear him. She raises an eyebrow at him. "Nevermind" He doesn't talk the rest of the hike.
The four find a suitable clearing and setup for the night. When Jaune takes his shift, he makes sure everything is safe. He finds a place he hopes is far enough out of earshot he pulls out his scroll. He stares for several long minutes before he gathers the courage to push play. The voice of his partner fills the clearing as he follows her ghosts instructions. He will become stronger. The blackbird shakes its head and flies away.
A/N: Jaune's a bit broody tonight.