Hello again!
First, this will be the last chapter of the Silver Garden before Ruby wakes up. As much as I enjoy making Ruby stronger, she does have a life. Also, while I do like developing Ruby's character, she's not the main character. So...I wonder how the new Ruby will interact with everyone after waking up? I hope you're looking forward to it!
Second, fans of a certain underrated show should enjoy Ruby's new Semblance! While it's an old anime, it has been one of my favorites for a long time. I will say right now that her Semblance isn't a copy-paste of the power featured in that anime; there will be many similarities, but it will also have just as many differences and won't act exactly like the original power does. I'm also directly altering things about it too, for a reason that may or may not be apparent much later in the story.
Third, a story and author shoutout: Prince Belphegor's Guide to Parenting, and its author AllThingsVaria. What, you thought I was going to advertise just RWBY fanfiction? Nope! As a bonus, this guy has an account on both this site and AO3, with the story also on both sites. It's a very enjoyable read for me, and should be for those who are fans of 'Katekyo Hitman: Reborn!' and 'Harry Potter'.
I always look forward to seeing new readers! As of this update, MotSS has received...25 reviews, 145 favorites, and 200 follows! On AO3, it's received 28 kudos (13 of them being users), 6 bookmarks, and 601 hits! I don't care how good that is compared to other authors, I'm happy about every single one I have and am excited for more in the future. To old and new readers alike, I thank you again for reading my fanfic so far.
So, as I always say: until next chapter~
~Chapter 11~
Ruby stood across from Meredith, practically vibrating in her boots (which, upon checking, were thankfully not melted from her first usage of her Second Semblance) in anticipation for the next trial. She said it was 'about motivation'...she wondered exactly what she would be required to do to pass.
"Are you ready for your next trial, Ruby?" Meredith asked.
"Yep!" Ruby answered, complete with thrusting her fist in the air. "So what kind of stuff are we doing? I'm motivated for anything!"
"We aren't going to be doing anything. You are."
Ruby blinked, thrown off. "Uh, what now? I thought you said I wasn't going to have it easy?"
"You're going to be training your Semblance, by yourself. I'll be watching and giving tips when asked, of course, but your trial will be to use your Semblance and train until I'm satisfied. And until you know how to bring it out consistently, it won't be easy."
"I don't know anything about my Semblance...that's true."
"Do you think I knew anything about mine when I first used it? What about Brunnya or Summer? Your father? What about when you unlocked your first Semblance? None of us know anything about our Semblance when we receive them. You should consider yourself lucky you're here receiving guidance in the first place."
"That's true, too...I'm sorry, Meredith."
"It's fine. That's what this trial is for, anyhow."
"What do you mean?"
"You know close to nothing about your new ability. A lesser person would sit around and do nothing until they're given tutelage by a sleazy cheapskate. But you're not a lesser person. What would you do to combat this, knowing absolutely nothing of how to use it?"
"...Experiment."
"Exactly. Your Semblance is a clean slate right now, which means that you don't know its limits. For all you know, you have no limits. And what does that tell you?"
"That I'm free to push my boundaries?"
"That, and you're able to make this power your own, completely. You understand what I mean by this, right?"
"Make it my own...? Isn't my power already mine?"
"Would you say your abilities with the scythe are yours?"
"Well, yeah...I mean, I learned how to wield Crescent Rose from Uncle...Qrow...oh. Oh!"
"Do you get it now?"
"It's the freedom to totally develop it how I want! How much power I use it, what fighting style fits it best...you're right, this is gonna be fun!"
Meredith smiled, knowing she got her point across. "That being said, please don't be afraid to come to me if you're stuck. I'm the one issuing your trial, after all...the others will teach you how to use your Semblance in their own ways later."
"I understand, Meredith!"
"Please, call me Merry. I feel so old when you call me that!"
Ruby giggled. "Okay, Merry! I'll do my best!"
As Ruby ran off a short distance to start practicing on how to bring out her Semblance again, Meredith couldn't help but laugh to herself. "Such a spontaneous girl...it makes you angry to know she has such darkness in her, doesn't it Marsen?"
The man nodded as he walked up to his wife. "Indeed. And she will have more in the future waiting for her. I pity her future enemies...let's just hope it'll be enough for Salem, too."
"Ha! She'll be a storm of wrath by the time we're done with her!"
"By we, you mean Brunnya, Summer, and I. You think yourself clever by taking the passive approach, but she'll see through your deception for what it is eventually."
"Oh hush, you. We all have our own way of doing things."
"Quite so, I of all people don't have the right to judge."
Meredith looked apologetic. "I'm sorry I stole your thunder. I didn't want her to learn too much about her abilities before restoring her work ethic."
"I understand. Though I wonder why you were against her knowing about that yet? Secret or not, it directly correlates to her."
"I know, Marsen."
Marsen paused in his questioning, contemplating something. "You think it may be too early to tell her about the others."
"...Yes. Innocents were hung just for knowing about them, yourself included. I'll never forgive Oswald for what he did..."
"Neither will I, love."
"That usurper betrayed us and stood atop our graves as his throne!" she cried, breathing in relief that Ruby was too focused to notice her outburst. "Ruby needs to know everything, but it needs to be done right. If she goes down that rabbit hole too soon, she'll join us long before her time. That much is certain."
"So it was not to impede her discovery, but to stall to give us time to filter what she needs to know right now." When Meredith nodded, he looked at Ruby again. "Okay, then. Ruby has a few hours until she wakes, so we in turn have that long to brainstorm. It may be best to keep it between us, though. Brunnya will understand, but Summer will still take a lot more convincing; in this case, I would rather we ask for forgiveness than for permission."
"Seconded," said Meredith as she agreed, leaning into her husband as she saw Ruby's hands finally light on fire for the second time since entering the Garden, with ever-increasing size. "I just hope it's all worth it."
"When faced with extinction, every alternative is preferable. Let us just hope the only cost is her innocence."
Ruby decided to make the most of Merry's approach. Whether the woman knew it or not, Ruby knew a passive teaching style when she saw it — Uncle Qrow was much the same in her youth, especially during the times he was preparing to leave on whatever mission he was being sent on. She didn't blame either of them, though...honestly, after Merry explained the trial, she realized she liked her reasoning. Absolute freedom in developing her own abilities in a place she didn't need to hide her progress from others was something she'd be dumb to not take advantage of!
That being said, her Second Semblance was being a bit of a pain in the butt. She was starting to think fear wasn't what brought the fire out. She tried for the past several minutes to mimic the feeling to no avail. She knew she was doing it at least somewhat convincingly, because she felt a little of the pressure behind her eyes she was becoming familiar with as the Silver Eyes power, but there wasn't even a tiny rise in temperature. So fear was out, thankfully!
What else did she feel when she brought it out against her grandma? Anger, maybe? No...perhaps anger at herself, but not at Brunnya. She knows what true anger looks and feels like thanks to Yang, and this wasn't anger. So what was it?
She paced back and forth, thinking hard. What did her grandma say before...something about 'itching for me to notice it'? That helped back then...is it a sentient power? Does it feel emotion like she does?
She stared at her hand, clenching and unclenching it several times. It did feel, didn't it? The Semblance comes from the soul, and the soul is what makes her...well, her. It might not be her first Semblance, but it's still a part of her. It is her. She's it! So why doesn't it want to come out? Does she...not want it to come out? Is she afraid of calling it out? That's silly...right?
Almost as though her Semblance dug it out of her subconscious, she had a flashback of Pyrrha's death. Of Cinder killing her. Turning her to ash. With fire. With her hands! She looked down at her hands again, seeing how they were shaking. So that's why it didn't want to come out...because it reminded her of Cinder. It's scared of being rejected by her for reminding her of what Cinder did, just like she's scared of what her friends will think of her when she starts using it.
No, she thought, I told myself I'd stop letting fear control me! So what if it reminds me of her? There's plenty of people with fire-based Semblances, Yang's an example! Cinder doesn't hold a patent on fire Semblances, so there's no reason to let her hold me back! My Semblance is my own, I need it just as it needs me, and I won't let Cinder have any sway over me!
Need...she felt something strong with that word. She needs her fire Semblance, just like she needs her speed Semblance, just like both Semblances need her. She made a resolution to never forget that.
A flash of flame sparked from her fingers, so fast that she would've missed it if she blinked. Resolution...huh, so that's its secret. It made a lot of sense now that she thought about it. These are the fires of her soul, her determination made manifest! She needed resolve to call it out, just as she needed resolve to fight the forces of Grimm.
You want resolve? I've got plenty. A small flicker of fire ignited in her palm. You call that determination? I've toyed with a lone Beowolf with more gusto! The fire grew, now half the size of her hand and as tall as her pinky. You think this'll even dent Cinder? Salem?! The blaze grew bigger and hotter, now the size of her hand. This isn't enough. I need more. It became as long as her arm. More! Her clothes were starting to become singed as it doubled in size. MORE!
"Geez, and here I thought the dead couldn't feel heat," said a voice behind her. Startled, she lost her concentration and the warmth — the oh so warm feeling of rightness and passion and home — retreated inside her. She felt...disappointed that she couldn't continue, but she turned around and acknowledged Meredith with a bright smile nonetheless. She's done it!
"Suffice to say, I felt it, and it feels strong."
Ruby rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "Hehe...guess I overdid it?"
"Maybe for someone normal. But it looked to me like you were more than comfortable unleashing that much firepower."
"What is it with everyone and puns?" Ruby lamented.
"Jokes aside, I'm pleasantly surprised you got the hang of bringing your new Semblance so quickly," Merry said. "I felt like you would end up taking all night with just that, but you only took a few minutes. How do you feel?"
"I feel great!" Ruby exclaimed excitedly, flexing and stretching her muscles. "I feel like I can spar with Yang without Crescent, or run up to the Academy and back without my speed Semblance! I feel so strong." Her eyes widened, as though realizing something horrible. "Is this the reason Cinder's the way she is? She feels so much power from within her that she loses herself in it?"
"I'm glad you realized that on your own, sweetheart," Summer said from behind her, startling her. Summer laughed at getting the jump on her daughter, earning her a glare that lacked any negativity behind it. "And I suppose you've found the physical resemblance between Cinder's Semblance and your new one? Yes, to the naked eye they might look the same...but you know otherwise, don't you?"
"Cinder doesn't have any passion. She's deceitful and craves hurting others, and I bet she'd betray anyone at the drop of a coin. Scratch that, I bet she has. She doesn't know love or loyalty...she's nothing but a monster. A killer.
"My flames," Ruby continued, looking down at a new ember cupped in her hands, "they're warm and loving, and desperate to protect...but there's something about them that craves freedom, too. I don't know whether they feel more like a campfire or one of Nora's hugs...call me crazy, but I feel like there's some kind of electricity in them too?"
"Electric fire," Brunnya pondered, before she laughed, "well tarnation! No wonder they roughed my chin up a heap! Girl, treasure that gift of yours; there's a load of hidden power just waitin' to be unleashed."
"Brunnya's right, Ruby," said Merry, "electricity and fire in one? Whatever that chant of yours did to give you this Semblance, you hit the jackpot. It'd be a shame not to perfect it."
"So does that mean you'll stop with your passive approach and teach me more directly?"
Marsen didn't just laugh, he guffawed in such a way that it put Professor Port to shame. "I told you that she'd realize it, Meredith! So quickly too, she's a keeper for sure!"
"Ahem, yes, well," Meredith muttered, having the decency to show a modicum of good-natured shame, "I truly did want for you to develop your Semblance on your own. I admit my approach was...not very approaching...and you haven't exactly put it to use yet other than reigniting it–"
"Oh come off it, Merry," Marsen interrupted, unexpectedly jovial compared to his previous level of maturity, "don't you see the girl wants a challenge? You knew from the beginning she'd pass your trial, and she wants to learn all she can from us. She took your lesson to heart; you didn't just restore her work ethic, you restored her desire to push herself. And she'll have plenty of time to develop her Semblance on her own in the realm of the living. What she wants and needs right now is a teacher, and you're a hell of a better one than even Goodwitch was."
"...Ruby?" Meredith shyly asked. "I...must admit that the reason for my passive approach was a lot more selfish in nature than I led on. I had...many students in Mantle before my death. Most of them died, and not in a pleasant way...they were murdered, and even now they haunt me. The point is, I desired to let you do things yourself because...because I was afraid to teach again. Everything I taught them never prepared them for what lay in store for them, and it cost both them and me everything...I didn't want to make that mistake with you.
"But I think, perhaps...if it's you, I can give it another go. Ruby, can you forgive me for misleading you?"
"Of course, Merry!" Ruby answered, her smile wide as she hugged her.
"And would it be possible for me to take you on as my student?"
"I think we can come to an agreement...with one condition!"
"Which is?"
"I don't want just you as my teacher." Ruby released her hold on Meredith and stood back, facing the rest of the Silver Garden residents. "When you guys asked me if I was willing to give up my innocence to learn everything I need to know from you, I didn't agree to it out of jest or because it sounded cool to say. I'm tired of letting people die when I could save them. I'm tired of being left in the dark because people think I'm a child...which I kind of still am, but that's not the point!
"Momma," she addressed Summer, "I know you probably didn't want me to be a Huntress. But being a Huntress is what I was made for, and there's nothing I'd rather do than protect people from bad and evil things. I know it's what nightmare-you said...but I want you to know that I'm not wasting my life in vain, and I will always love you no matter what. I'm going to be the best Huntress I can be...and I won't be the little naive girl that needs to be protected anymore. Do I, um, have your blessing–?"
She was halted from her speech by Summer ramming into her, smothering her in a teary hug of her own. "A million times yes, my sweet flower! You've had my blessing since before you were born, and you'll never lack of it no matter what anyone says — even stupid nightmare fakes of me. And I will always love you as well. I think I say for all of us that the answer is yes, we'll all teach you. By the time you've learned all you can from us, Cinder'll be nothing but a stain under your boot."
"There you have it, Meredith," Marsen said, "looks like we have ourselves a promising new pupil. And you have someone to congratulate, hmm?"
"What?" Meredith looked confused for all of a few seconds before remembering where she was, "Oh, of course. Ruby? I think it's fair to say that you cleared this trial, wouldn't you say?"
"Guess so! Does that mean I'm starting the third trial?"
"We'll save that for another night," Marsen answered, "Before Merry's trial, I said that I had a possible explanation for why you were able to use your Silver Eyes multiple times against Brunnya. After what just transpired, you're more than deserving of knowing...with some limitation." When Ruby frowned in confusion, he explained his reasoning. "There are things we will eventually tell you that we're not willing to yet, but not due to lack of trust in you. I, and eventually Merry, were murdered by someone who we thought was a close friend of ours, simply for having knowledge about one of those things. The burden of that knowledge isn't something I want to place on your shoulders until you are well and truly ready for anything that comes your way. I just want you to know that when we refrain from telling you something, we're not hiding things from you, just...prolonging your innocence, if you will."
"I understand," said Ruby. She agreed, she didn't fancy the thought of someone in her future trying to kill her for having knowledge they didn't think she should have. Before the Fall of Beacon, she didn't think it was possible to be betrayed like that. Now I know better, she thought, reminding herself of Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury.
"Thank you. Now, in order to show you my secret, we'll need to walk a ways. This might technically be considered a dream, but it does have ties to the afterlife. This is why we have our memories and personalities, Ruby, and why we believe our theory of your temporary death is correct. But just as it has ties to the afterlife, so too does it have ties to the realm of the living — hence why you are able to still be here, living as you are. Are you with me so far?"
"So like purgatory?" she verified.
"In a sense. Come, I'll explain more when we arrive."
When Marsen said they needed to 'walk a ways', Ruby thought he meant a quick skip. This felt more like a journey. She wasn't really complaining, because it meant more quality time with her mom, but she was starting to get the urge to ask 'are we there yet'. At least the company was nice!
"You should've seen Raven's face," Summer reminisced with a fond smile. "I stirred the glue in her tapioca to cover my tracks, and Raven just looked at me like I was playing a prank on Ozpin! Then when Glynda sat down and started devouring the stuff, she lost it and started howling! That was one of the few times she let herself show emotion when we were still Team STRQ. It really hurt when she ran off...I hate to imagine how ghost-me dealt with it."
"You aren't connected to her?" Ruby asked.
"Nope, totally separate! I guess it's like...hmm. Look at it like...a cookie!" She smiled when she saw Ruby's own reaction to her idea. "Think of her like an outline; you know something used to be there, and if you can remember what it looked like, you can picture it being there. I'm more like a hologram; you can see me, but I'm not real...not really. Do you understand what I mean?"
"Y-Yeah, I guess...um, momma? Is it really okay for me to be here? Like, here with you..."
"My baby, of course it is. Why wouldn't it be? Unless you mean the Silver Garden, but the answer's the same. You wouldn't be here if it didn't want you to be."
"No, neither of those. I'm talking about...learning from you. Being told about things that no one living knows about. Being privy to your guys' skills and techniques. That doesn't seem really fair, right?"
"And who's the judge of that? No, sweetheart, you already know the answer. The world's pushed you down and will continue doing so as long as you let it, that's just the way life works. But you've been given a chance to start pushing back! And if you're able to save even one person because of what we're arming you with, it's not for them to judge either."
"Yeah...yeah, you're right," Ruby replied with enthusiasm, "I'm not doing this for my own gain, it's to protect others. I think you cleared the last of my doubts...thanks, mom."
"Thank you for confiding in me, Ruby. Oh, and just in time too!"
Ruby looked away from her mother's echo at the sight she was alerted to, and she didn't know whether her eyes or mouth were open more widely. She stood in front of what looked like a small house...except the door was part of the mirror floor, and the walls seemed more like a direct portal to a field of flowers. Moving to her left and right didn't disprove this, and in fact revealed that the other sides of the house were that same field. As Marsen issued for Ruby to follow (and only Ruby, for the others stayed behind), he led her through the "door", which revealed a dimly-lit room with candles lining the walls.
"What you saw back there was one of the Garden's defense mechanisms against trespassers trying to get out of here scot-free. Both the door we went through, and the walls surrounding the house, are portals. The one we went through is your way into here, and your way back to consciousness. The others, however, are a one-way ticket to the underworld; I trust you know not to go through the walls."
"Well that's morbid," Ruby said, shuddering, "but the Silver Garden is really important, I can't fault it for defending itself."
"There is something I must tell you about those walls," he continued. "When the Silver Garden senses intruders, the door solidifies and the walls gain a powerful gravitational force until the intruder has been...removed. Those with Silver Eyes are immune to the pull, but those without are not. And while intrusion is nearly impossible under normal circumstances, there have been those who have been able to get into the Garden without having Silver Eyes, even before there were Aura and Semblances. I will tell you more about it later, but from now on be extremely wary of people with sensory-altering Semblances."
"So people like Emerald...and if Cinder's up to no good, she won't be far behind. Thank you for the heads-up, Marsen, I'll keep my guard up."
"You're welcome. Now, to the reason for us being here. Stay here and watch my eyes very closely." As Marsen walked backwards into one corner of the room, Ruby noticed that his eyes — which remained bright even in the darkened room — shifted from their bright silver to cobalt blue.
"Whoa, what? How'd you change your eye color like that?"
Marsen walked back to Ruby, his eyes transitioning back to silver by the time he was near her again. "That, Ruby, was a secret only the others — and now you — know about. You see, while I was born with Silver Eyes, they weren't silver in color. The reason for this is that my family has always been born with blue eyes. While I don't know the reason for this, I was able to find out the science behind them; meanwhile, there were other Silver-Eyed Warriors before me. As they told me of their lives, and then Brunnya and Summer when they became residents of the Garden, I further realized something that separated me from them."
"And what was that?"
"That my eyes being blue wasn't just a cosmetic difference. Brunnya in her old age was able to use up to two bursts in battle before she was incapacitated, while Summer and Meredith could only do one. Before unlocking your Second Semblance, you were the same. I, however, was able to use three."
"Three?! How?! Did it...have something to do with your eye color?"
"Yes, and I believe the reason for it is that my family trait acted as a filter for my Silver-Eyed powers. I won't bore you with too many details right now, but I believe the reason I was able to use my Silver Eyes as much as I did was because it acted as a filter for the negativity to pass through as it reached my brain and out again."
"What does this have to do with me?"
Marsen walked back to the wall and took a candle. As he walked back to her again, the candle transformed into a mirror that glowed despite the lack of light in the room. "Activate your Semblance again, would you? And rather than direct it to your hands, let it travel throughout your body like you do for your aural shield."
"Sure? Let me just gather myself." Reaching inside herself for the resolve she had before, she managed to ignite it and let it wash over her like he asked. She had to admit, it felt really good to use it in such a relaxing way. As she opened her eyes and looked into the mirror, however, those thoughts quickly leapt out the window.
When she looked at herself in the mirror, she expected orbs of silver like she always saw since she could remember. Instead, what started back at her was a doppelganger of herself with orange eyes, with just a few specs of silver to remind her that the girl in her reflection was in fact her.
"What the fuck?! What in the actual fuck!" she uncharacteristically cursed, not even paying mind to it as she stood transfixed at her reflection. "My eyes are orange?! How's this even possible? Is...it's like my fire. My Semblance caused this? A-And...!"
"And you were able to use your Silver Light multiple times in Brunnya's trial without cause for concern. Yes...I believe that with the evidence laid out so far, there is little room to doubt that your new proficiency with the Silver Eyes is connnected with your fire Semblance."
"I-I don't know what to say. I really don't...this is weird."
Marsen chuckled. "Yes, I suppose it will be for a while. It's something for you to think about in your spare time. For now...I believe it's time for you to wake up."
Ruby's eyes widened. "But what about mom and the others? I thought I had to complete my trials?"
"Relax," he cut in, "now that you have been given access to the Silver Garden, you will always be able to find your way back. But you have spent long enough here for the time being; it's morning in reality, and you must be eager to talk with your friends again."
"You're right. I've been so eager to learn from you guys that I almost forgot I have a life out there. I'll be back as soon as I go to sleep again, then. Though...how do I get out, exactly?"
"Ah, that's easy. Just walk through one of these walls."
"...Huh? I thought you said doing that will kill me!"
"From outside coming in, yes. Inside going out, however, will do the opposite. It makes sense once you see the logic behind it."
"I'll take your word for it, I guess," she said, not hiding her worry very well. She gulped before she started to walk forward, stopping as she reached the wall. "Thank you all for giving me this chance, Marsen. I swear I'll make you and momma proud."
As she disappeared through the wall, she didn't hear his following response. "You already are."
