Disclaimer: RWBY belong to Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth. GrimGrave owns nothing.
So I've read all comments and mulled it over and this is going to be a timeskip, eventually anyway. But I might write separate fics based on the other alternatives since they're too good to be passed up and some people wanted to see those.
Anywho, enjoy.
Wither
Route 1
Chapter 1 – To Leave Everything Behind
It felt like hours already – hours of Semblance-infused leaps as far away from beacon academy as possible. With her weapon and bags in tow as well, with the adrenaline pumping in her ears, Ruby fled as if her very life was at stake.
Civilians be damned, she needed to get away regardless of the obstacles. Like lightning she flew over the city in a crimson torrent of rose petals and out into the wild, for whatever reason that subconsciously directed her. Perhaps she wanted to avoid civilization all together just so there was no way she would run into Weiss.
By the time she finally had no energy left and hurtled into the ground, you couldn't even see the city in the horizon.
Ruby crashed through grass and mud, her belongings scattering around her. She whimpered and her mind was racing. Her vision swam still and it felt as if her heart was about to burst. All alone in the woods, the sun having crossed the horizon hours ago, Ruby wept into the dirt.
`Why?´
Why had Weiss done it? Why had she broken her trust – her love – like this? Why had Blake involved herself like this?
Had the heiress been unhappy with their relationship? Unsatisfied even? Ruby had always been willing to indulge in Weiss' fantasies and vice versa. If their opinions ever clashed they talked it out and they rarely ever argued.
So why?
And Blake…did she hate her? Had she meant to betray the trust they had as teammates? As friends? Had their friendship meant that little – been so easy to discard – that she happily indulged Weiss in whatever she had desired?
Nothing of it made sense. Was it just another one of the fencer's fantasies, had Blake really been that easily persuaded that she willingly did…that…behind her back?
Having…sex. Had they laughed about how their leader had been kept in the dark? Mocking her as they shared a bed?
Ruby tightened her hands into fists. Her whole body ached. This had to be a nightmare and yet it was alarmingly real. Weiss was cheating on her and who knows for how long it had been going on. It was their anniversary and the night before graduation! It was supposed to be a romantic night and she just-
She screamed out into the night in equal hatred and anguish.
"How could you do this, Weiss?! How could you, Blake?!"
Mud splattered as she slammed her fists down. Her heart hammered against her chest.
"How could you…"
Thunder rolled in the distant skies. It flashed, lighting up the sky for a quick, fleeting moment before it was dark again and a roar followed up. It was going to rain. Ruby remembered hearing about it from the weather forecast and having thought herself lucky the anniversary date would be indoors unlike their previous one.
"Stupid…stupid…stupid…"
The tears would not stop running down her cheeks. Her world was upside-down and crumbling. Everything hurt and she wanted to scream her lungs out, but managed only a miserable whimper.
The ground trembled periodically. Another bolt of thunder rolled across the sky and its roar followed swifter this time. Cold droplets began to fall, pelting Ruby's tired body and wetting the dirt beneath.
The ground trembled again. Just a few seconds in-between each thumping and increasing. Ruby looked up, her eyes misty, and saw in the darkness an all too familiar shape blending in with the shadows, its red eyes and pale bone-like protrusions giving away its location. It stared right back at her, observing her. Waiting.
And Ruby didn't care – didn't move for her weapon. It seemed pointless. She could easily handle the foe before her, but to what end? What was she supposed to do or say if she went back? Pretend this hadn't happened and everything was fine? And what of graduation tomorrow?
`That'd be one uncomplete team graduating´, Ruby thought. `Sorry about that, sis.´
With a sorrow-addled mind, she simply cried and closed her eyes as the shadow drew closer, snarling and licking its chops. Then it leapt with a roar with fangs and claws ready to tear into her flesh and Ruby welcomed the thought of a death that never came.
The sound of metal cutting through air and slicing through flesh, followed by a groan was alarmingly sharp and forced the sniper's eyes wide open. The sky flashed and revealed the fading corpse of the Beowulf and a tall figure; their garb was difficult to make out, but the figure had long hair and it looked like they had a mask-
"R…Raven…?" Ruby uttered before fatigue claimed her into the dark.
x.x.x
It was so clear right before her; the Scroll in her hand, the accidentally sent file, the bombardment of messages trying to undo something too late. Over and over this scene played out and each time Ruby screamed louder as the world spun lightning-quick around her.
She could hear them both laughing at her. She could hear everything.
"I'm so glad that we finally did it. I couldn't bear putting up with her a moment longer."
"She's not as good as I am, right? Tell me. In detail. All of it!"
"Stop it!" Ruby shouted into nothingness. Everything had been reduced to an ashen-white void and began to crack like glass. "STOP IT!"
The cracks spread and widened. Pieces of the world fell and shattered into dust.
"STOP IT!"
Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest. Ruby looked around, bewildered and frightened. She had bolted upright from a simple, plain bed in an equally plain room; wooden floor, wooden walls, a small table and a chair... So where was she?
"So you're finally awake, huh?"
Ruby turned to the source of the voice. By the doorway stood Raven Branwen – Yang's birth mother and the stain of the Xiao-Long name, a bandit/bounty hunter who left her daughter behind – with her arms crossed and gaze narrowed and trained on the girl.
"Took you long enough. You've been asleep for nearly twenty-four hours. The sun is setting you know."
Ruby groaned and clutched at her head. Her mind felt heavy and foggy. "Where am I…?"
"Far away from civilization," the older woman replied, still studying the girl. "You won't make it far if you try to escape, what with the ankle-cuffs and all. So I suggest you behave while you're here. I'm going to need you here for a little while after all."
"…What do you want with me?"
"Nothing in particular, but since I found you in the middle of the wilds the way I did, I imagine there's either a reward for your capture or a ransom to bring you back home. If it's the latter, then you ought to be gone for a little while, make certain people desperate." She chuckled to herself. "It may be a bit cruel to Tai, but I don't let opportunities go to waste, even if it involves Summer's own child."
"I don't want to go home." It took Ruby a moment realize that she had said that out loud. Even her captor looked surprised and even puzzled.
"You…don't want to go home?"
"No…" Ruby managed. "No, I don't…" Her voice began cracking. Image flooded her mind and suddenly she could not stop thinking about that image and she began trembling. Tears stung her tightly shut eyes. "I don't want to go back…! My girlfriend, she…she…she cheated on me! I don't want to see her again and if I go home, she might…"
"That's it?" Ruby looked up at the unfazed woman. "You ran away from your romance problem? Is that literally it?" Raven shook her head and sighed. "How utterly boring and childish of you. If Summer had heard this I don't know whether she'd laugh or cry."
"That's simply what I feel," Ruby replied. She stared down at her quivering hands. "She meant a lot to me up until now. Years of trust now ruined thanks to her. Years of…" She trailed off. "You probably don't understand. Sorry."
When Raven didn't reply, Ruby looked back up to find the woman gone.
Unable to get the image out of her head, the sniper fell back into bed and wept, unaware that her cries did not fall on deaf ears.
x.x.x
Later, Ruby got a short tour of Raven's base of operations; she found out that she had been resting in a makeshift guestroom (since when did Raven have actual guests?) on the second floor, with a small staircase leading up to what she assumed to be the attic and a staircase down to the first floor. A spacious enough living-room which's decoration and outfitting could be summarized as `disciplined´ and `laconic´. There was a kitchen right next to it and it looked modern enough from what Ruby could see from her seat at the low table. It looked more like a base than a home, but that was fitting enough for a woman such as Raven, the sniper mused.
"Here." A bowl of noodles, vegetables, and beef was set in front of her as the older woman sat down opposite her with a bowl of her own. "Eat up. Can't have you starve to death."
"…Thanks." It wasn't until she brought the food to her mouth that Ruby realized how hungry she actually was. And it tasted so good too! It was like an explosion of flavours in her mouth!
"It's surprising to see someone else enjoy my cooking. I just eat what can bother to throw together," Raven said.
"It's good," Ruby replied." I could definitely go for a second bowl."
The older woman gave her a mild glare. "You eat enough so you don't starve and that's about it."
She didn't respond to that. She took her time eating while she stared out the window. They truly were in the middle of nowhere from the looks of it. Was Beacon that far from here? She couldn't help but wonder – wonder about what was happening right now.
"See something you like?" Raven dryly asked.
"I was just wondering what everyone else is doing right now, what with graduation and all. If things had gone differently I would've been there as an official Huntress."
"It doesn't matter what they are doing. What's done is done," the older woman stated and chewed one some broccoli.
"I guess you're right."
Raven ceased eating and eyed her. "You're agreeing with me?"
"I mean, you're right aren't you? What happened has happened. I can't undo Weiss cheating on me and I can't undo running away. It is perhaps childish to you, but…she was my first. In everything. I trusted her, loved her so much…and she threw it all away. Running away may not be the proper way to deal with the problem, but…I dunno, I just feel…free, I guess? Like I'm no longer kept in the dark. Now I know."
Raven scrutinized her and a small, lopsided smile curved her mouth. "I wasn't expecting that kind of reply from Summer's child. Perhaps you're a bit different from her despite the similarities."
Ruby turned to her. "What do you mean?"
"Never mind. So what was the deal with this Weiss girl? She's the Schnee heiress, right? Quite the moneybag."
"Money never was her priority," Ruby replied, forgetting her troubles for a moment as she went on. It was strange that she was casually talking to Raven like this. Was it Stockholm syndrome? "But she did like to spend a bit extra whenever there was a special occasion…she probably spent a lot just making reservations for our anniversary…and her new clothes…and her hair…" Why were her eyes misty? "…And I thought I should do the same to look pretty for her…and I had a surprise for her and everything…" Her body trembled. The food, Raven, everything was forgotten as Ruby buried her face in her hands. "Oh god…!"
"Hey, stop crying already. What are you getting upset over now? Are you that upset that you can't give her your surprise? Take the present and throw it away, unless you can get your lien back."
Ruby shook her head. "No…I can't."
"Shame. That money probably could've covered the food. What were you going to give her anyway?"
The silence that fell was deafening. Ruby barely glanced up at the older woman before it was cast back downwards and she clutched at her stomach. She wept and cradled it as she desperately tried to say the words that couldn't come to her.
The floor creaked as Raven got up and strode over to her, dropping to her knees and to Ruby's surprise hugged her with those strong, slim arms of hers.
"Let it out." That was the only thing she said as she hugged Ruby close and patted her head.
She didn't question why Raven did this nor did she care. To have anyone offer comfort, however small, was better than nothing. Ruby thought back to her dad and sister, knowing that she should've been with them instead, but the thought of meeting Weiss again frightened her. She didn't know what she would do if she did and she didn't want to find out.
Perhaps she wasn't right in the head, to put it bluntly.
Ruby wasn't aware of how long she cried in Raven's arms. The older woman didn't seem to let go until she had vented it all out of her system.
"Got most of it out of your system?"
Ruby nodded. "Y-Yes…"
"Good." Raven let go of her and stood up. "Understand this, Ruby; this world consists of both people who will understand you and those who will make things worse for you. Weiss is in the latter category. We'll do something about…" She gestured towards Ruby's abdomen. "That…later. It's up to you. For now, you should probably finish your meal, but don't misunderstand me; as soon as enough time has passed, I will bring you back to Tai for the right sum. Got it?"
For the first time since before everything went to hell, Ruby smiled and nodded. "Yes…Thank you. I'll be in your care then, Raven. Pardon the intrusion."
Raven eyed her before she averted her gaze completely and picked at her food.
