AN: Merry Xmas/Happy Holidays, guys! I hope COVID hasn't wrecked your year too bad. I know everything has been super hectic everywhere. I had actually planned to update this on Halloween, but everything was so busy. Weddings, bdays, and moving – it's been nonstop. Seriously, is everyone born in October? I know at least 14 people and five of them are on the same day! Like, HOW! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE! WHAT ARE THE ODDS! Anyway, this chapter is like 9300 words… Enjoy!
ooOOoo
"Fuck!" Winter stumbled down the street, narrowly avoiding the lights. She ducked into an alleyway to avoid the Night Patrol and leaned against the brick while, sliding the rest of the way down. She'd used far too much energy regenerating her arm, so it was no wonder that girl had gotten one over on her. "Tch…" She didn't have the strength to fully heal the wounds she had, which meant she needed to feed, as much as she hated it… but power was power and it would get her that much closer to her goal… and then maybe she'd be able to get her revenge. Revenge for the way she was living now, revenge for her sister, but most of all, revenge against the ones who fueled the fire that started all this. It wouldn't fix things, but damn it would feel good.
In her hand, she held a blade she'd been gifted with a long time ago - a sword built alongside another. Years ago, she and Weiss had trained under Team STRQ, with Raven Branwen as their master. Oh, how they had both idolized the woman. She was incredibly ruthless in battle, but she had a softer side that they witnessed only when she was with family. Winter recalled that their time spent with Team STRQ was one of the few times they had truly felt warmth and this sword reminded her of the few times that she had been allowed to be herself – to be Winter.
Twins – there was nothing worse in the world that having a twin. Each family was different, but the Legend of the Twin Curse was much more than a story. No matter what, tragedy always befell them in some way or another and they became just another bad omen. Their master had been a twin and lost the love of her life and Winter's life wasn't much better… because while the Branwen family's curse entailed bad luck, the Schnee's curse was one where one of the children would die at an early age… and they'd been foolish to think they'd found a loophole around it.
Winter had been raised all her life to be Weiss. Even when they were born, it had been kept quiet. It was unusual though. Normally, wouldn't it have been the first-born that was named first and gone on to become the heiress of their family's dynasty? But no, not when it came to Winter.
Despite Winter being born first, Weiss had been born with an absurd affinity for Lightforge. They decided that she would be the one to carry on the family lineage, named her, and placed her on a pedestal… but all that power had a cost – her vision. Weiss couldn't see, which meant that Weiss couldn't make public appearances, which meant that Weiss needed Winter and Winter would always be Weiss' eyes… and despite having everything stolen right from under her at birth, Winter loved her with every ounce of her heart. She'd meant everything to her, but now she was gone and Winter was wandering around almost aimlessly. The only thing she had was her revenge.
Winter squeezed the hilt of her sword as she thought about the exact moment her entire world had changed. She'd been knocked out cold, so she still didn't know the full story, but when she had woken up, Weiss was gone and Ruby was still there. The only thing worse was that Ruby couldn't even tell the difference between them anymore.
The first time Weiss had spoken about Ruby, she was so happy. Winter had thought the girl was an idiot, but somehow, in a world where everyone seemed to think they were the same person, Ruby Rose was the only one who could tell the difference… and now she couldn't. How ironic. Heh, Winter wondered how Weiss would feel right now if she heard Ruby call her by Weiss' name. No doubt, she'd be absolutely shattered.
"Your blade is your partner, but just as you have a twin, so too does your partner! They are sister blades, forged from the same metal and enchanted with the same gifts. The only differences are their names and the story you will carve out for yourself with it. Think hard on their names – they'll be with you for life."
Addon's Adder – she had named it as a perfect foil to Weiss' own blade, Persephone's Chrys. Her sister had hastily named her own after flowers that represented the love and hope she represented, and though Winter loved her, she spitefully named her own after the venomous spite she felt toward her own existence. It was around the time they'd been gifted with these swords that Weiss began to no longer need her and Winter began to outlive her usefulness to Weiss… Weiss could see, which meant Weiss no longer needed her… and then Weiss replaced her with someone new… someone who used to know they weren't the same person… Someone who's blood Winter so desperately needed and was now under the protection of the worst fucking nightmare Winter could possibly dream up.
Why the fuck was the Bandersnatch in town? This was a disaster!... Winter grit her teeth so hard, she almost snapped them, but stopped herself before she could do any damage. Calmness – she couldn't afford to waste anymore energy. She needed to conserve her strength for now until she could find some convenient bystander.
"Help!" Speaking of…
Using Addon's Adder for balance, Winter hoisted herself up and made her way to the other end of the alley where a man was harassing a young woman with short orange hair and a strange sense of fashion. She narrowed her eyes at the girl and suddenly it dawned on her why she looked so familiar. This was Penny Polendina – quite possibly Ruby's best friend… and James Ironwood's daughter…
"L-look, I'm just looking for my friend," Penny back away nervously. "I don't want any trouble." It would be a real shame if something happened to her while she was out with Ruby. "Please, leave me alone."
"No can do, Sweetness," he adjusted himself as he approached her. "I've been waiting all night for someone like you. You can't go just yet!"
"I-I'm not the type of person you want to mess with," Penny stammered. "You don't know who my father is!"
"I might not, but what I do know is you're just my type!" He grinned as he grabbed her.
"And you're just my type." Suddenly, he was jerked away from Penny with a sudden force that caused him to rip the sleeve of her dress. A white haired girl had pulled him back and was now attached to his neck. Though her mind screamed for her to run, Penny's body refused to obey her and she stood there, frozen. His body went limp and she let him slip from her grasp lifelessly. She stood up, leaning back, basking in the moonlight as her injuries healed. "There's just something so special about O-negative. Don't you think, Miss Polendina?"
"Help!" Penny turned to run, but tripped over her heels and somehow managed to knock herself out… This was James' child prodigy… how impressive…
CLANG…. CLANG, CLANK
Which now raised the question of how she was standing in the basement of her own safe house, blocking flying cutlery with the sheathe of her blade. Seriously, she was trying to be nice. She didn't have to accommodate to her. A dish came flying at her and an icy bipedal wolf familiar stood between them to block it. The plate clinked against his icy skin, sheering off a chunk of the frozen material that grew back. It looked back at Winter with an exhausted huff and she supposed even these creatures grew tired sometimes.
With a cursory yell, Penny launched herself at Winter, swinging a broomstick. With a loud clack, it connected with the sword sheathe and Winter glared at her. She dematerialized the weapon and snatched at Penny's shirt, lifting her by the collar. With her free hand, she ripped the broom from her hand and sneered at it.
"Did you really think this would be effective?" Winter threw her to the ground and snapped it in half, tossing them to her as well. "Go on. If you really think wooden stakes will help you." The red-head looked at the remnants in horror. The broom handle had been made of a sturdy wood, but the vampire had snapped it clean in half with just her bare hands. There really was no point. "Believe me, this knowledge doesn't come from a lack of trying myself. Only Forge and Holy-infused items kill us. It's useless otherwise… We're apparently not like the vampires of the old days…"
"The old days?..." Penny's voice was a mix of wonder and fear, but she shook the thoughts away. She didn't have time for curiosity. "I've been trapped here for days with no food or water! This is torture!"
"Whose fault do you suppose that is?" The white-clad vampire sneered at her. "You've thrown everything you've been given at us."
"When my father finds me, he'll-"
"Ah, yes. Jim…" The piress mocked her in amusement. "He's the only reason you're still alive…"
"Jim… I thought it was weird back then too…"
"What do you mean?"
"You're not Weiss, are you?" Penny cocked her head and Winter's eyes went wide.
"That's preposterous!" She bit back at the accusation. "I am the only Weiss."
"Being the only Weiss and the real Weiss are two different things." It seemed Penny had found a sore spot for the vampire and maybe it would work out in her favor.
"That wouldn't make any sense," the vampiress scoffed at her in dismissal.
"Of course it does," Penny smiled, feeling at bit braver now that the vampire was caught off guard. "The Schnee aren't as good at hiding things as they think they are. They forget that my stepdad is one of their top programmers and that Dad is pretty much in the loop for everything, so I hear things…"
"That doesn't mean any of them are true," the vampire frowned at her. "Gossip is just that – gossip. You shouldn't believe every rumor that you hear. I am Weiss Schnee – that is undeniable."
"Huh, I'm pretty sure Dad told me that the Schnee family is one of the families under the Twins of Misfortune curse. It's not every generation, but I read the files. The younger one is supposed to die, so I guess that makes you the big sister?"
"A nice speculation, but-"
"I'm not speculating… I'm just repeating what Dad told me," Penny sat back as if to recall something. "You know, I met both of you separately and I knew you weren't the same immediately. Weiss always called him Ironwood, but you always used his first name. When I asked him, he said your name was… Win…ter…?"
"Jim speaks too much sometimes," Winter crossed her arms, wrapping them around herself. "…You knew this, yet you didn't say anything to Ruby the entire time?"
"Are you kidding? Ruby was already heartbroken over Weiss getting hurt for her. Can you imagine if she'd learned she actually died because of it?" Winter glared at her and Penny suddenly felt foolish. "Well… I mean, I guess you do know… Ugh!" Penny groaned and stood up, patting herself off. "I want to go outside."
Winter watched her for a moment before heading up the stairs. Behind her the Beowolf followed, leaving the basement door open. Were they really going to let her leave the room? Penny slowly walked up the stairs, peeking her head out of the doorway cautiously.
"Hurry up," Winter snapped and Penny jumped into the room – the Beowolf shutting the door behind her. "You're dismissed." With a huff, it shattered into a crystal powder that vanished as it hit the ground and Penny watched in awe.
"That was so cool!" Wait… She tried to contain her curiosity and reminded herself that the Grimm were literally the souls of enslaved humans that were either dead or had a soulless vampire counterpart… Great… "… Is he the only one you have?... Wait, no… Does he have a name?"
"Those are your questions?" Winter quirked a brow in amusement as she sat with her hands clasped in front of her. "Not why I'm using my sister's name? Not why I've decided to let you out? Not even, why I haven't killed you… You just want to know if he has a name and if there are others…
"Uh… yes?"
"Hahahaaaa!" Even in all the time pre-vampirism, Penny had never heard Winter laugh in a tone that wasn't condescending before. "It seems Ruby truly does surround herself with interesting individuals… No, he doesn't have a name."
"The unjustice!" Penny declared in clear offense. "If he's working for you, he should at least have a name! He clearly has personality! Just say the first thing that comes to your mind."
"…Gary…"
"Gary?" Penny's face twisted in disgust. "Now that's just boring! You're not even trying!"
"Well, excuse me," Winter growled. "But Hey You has worked perfectly fine, so far! I haven't exactly found myself in a situation where I need more than one Grimm at a time!"
"So there are more…"
"…" Winter needed to be careful. Penny was a lot more cunning than she had originally thought. Right now, Vale had very little information about the vampire known as The Ice Queen. They only knew that she had recently appeared and was amassing a small army. There was talk among the Underworld about her, but they knew nothing of her true intentions. They might laugh if they did.
In the long run, her plans went much deeper, but for the short term, she was intentionally antagonizing the Fire Empress and her coven. While Ruby turned out to be the key to something she desired, the fact that she was exactly what Cinder needed was just an added perk, but that also presented another problem. Cinder didn't know that Summer Rose had a daughter, and once Winter got what she needed from Ruby, Cinder would know that there was another Rose out there. If she wanted to avoid anyone else getting their hands on Ruby, she'd have to kill her, but that wouldn't be easy with Ruby's newest acquaintance… Then again, that could actually also work in Winter's favor.
It seemed that The Bandersnatch was somewhere she shouldn't have been the other night and had brought Puritans into the Fire Empress' territory. She smirked to herself at the thought of how irritated Cinder must have been. Maybe if she planned things out right, she could get them to take each other out, or at least they would distract each other long enough for Winter to capture Ruby.
"You look like you're really lost in thought."
"Hm?" Oh right, Penny was still here. "Ruby has a new friend."
"Snow?" Penny shifted uncomfortably. "I wouldn't exactly call them friends. They just met at the club."
"…They seemed unusually close for two people that don't know each other," Winter eyed Penny suspiciously. That girl had been far too protective of her to just be an acquaintance. "Is there something you're hiding, Penny?"
"N-no," Penny swallowed. "It's just, she's an Atlesian - like you - and wears a jacket with an Elite's crest on the back."
"Elite crest?" Winter tried to think back to their encounter with one another. "I don't recall that, but it was fairly dark out… Still, that girl's abilities don't even resemble Lightforge in the slightest… Did you get her name?"
"Snow White," Penny nodded. "I, at least, got that part."
"You've really never heard of her?"
"Should I have?"
"Well," Winter thought about it for a moment. Maybe it wasn't that surprising. Penny may have been human, but she wasn't an Elite, so she didn't have to worry about her. "You're aware of the Elites' Most Wanted List, right?"
"Uh, yeah!" Penny chirped happily. She'd actually seen it while perusing some of the Schnee Corps more secured files. "It's a list of the most dangerous Inhumans, normally wanted dead. All the Vampire Elders are on it, with a few of their more notable Nobles. Right under them, you start getting into Faunus and Weres, but there might be a human or two in there somewhere… You're not saying she's on that list, are you?"
"That shows just how out of touch the Elites are with the Underworld," Winter sighed. "Junior's is really the only place you can get accurate information about who's who in the Underworld, but even then, good info has a price and it isn't always money."
"Winter…" Oh? The seriousness of Penny's voice actually caught Winter off guard and sent a shiver of excitement down her spine. "Is she on that list?"
"Heh, you really wanna' know?" The ivory vampiress leaned in closer, with a sly smile. "It'll cost you."
"My best friend is with an Inhuman who's pretending to be an Elite and you know who she really is," Penny said coldly, sending another shiver down her spine. "You'll have to forgive me if I'm not in the mood to play with you, right now…"
"Oh, you don't need to worry," Winter grinned, tilting her head to look up at her from her seat. "I think right now, I'm the one she has her eyes on."
"What does that mean?"
"You really don't know who The Bandersnatch is, do you?"
"Isn't that like a bedtime story that Inhuman parents tell their kids?" Penny frowned at the thought of the urban legend. There wasn't really any proof The Bandersnatch existed, but there wasn't any proof that they didn't. The file on The Bandersnatch was extremely thin and didn't even have any photographic evidence. They knew nothing about their gender or powers – only that displays of severe carnage were left behind – and that honestly could have had any number of other explanations.
"The stories go back ages and she's only recently made an appearance, but I assure you that she's very real," Winter backed up a bit. "And she's with your friend, which unfortunately for me, makes Ruby the most unapproachable person in the world. I'm not taking my chances against her again – not until I have more power. I'm honestly surprised I lived… She let me go, but I'm not sure why. I half suspect that she did not want Ruby to see her kill me… Which means that Ruby is a bit more than the bait I assumed she was."
"What are you even talking about?!" Penny shouted. "Bait?! They just met!"
"You're right, but I guess as a human, you wouldn't be familiar with the details of The Bandersnatch's tale and why Inhumans are so afraid of it," Winter said darkly. "It was said that in the old days, there was a witch that gained the power to warp the souls of humans and enslave them. They called her The Unholy Mother. With this power, she created the vampires of old, but what she did not know, was that they too would share the same power. You recall that I said I am not like The Old Ones, correct?"
"You mentioned that earlier, but what does that mean?"
"Well, you see, The Old Ones still had their hearts," Winter nodded as she spoke. "The Old Ones were what we would call Daywalkers. Simply put, they were humans with insane control over Darkforge. It warped them into beings with a cannibalistic bloodlust. Despite their power, they were not immortal and died very human deaths. That's where the belief that piercing them through the heart kills them comes from."
"Well, what about garlic and silver?"
"Hmmm, well," Winter thought about it for a moment. "Silver is a natural deterrent for Darkforge to begin with, so that's no surprise. As for garlic, it wouldn't surprise me if someone happened to be allergic to it and some farmer's gossiping wife over exaggerated the details. Old wives tales are named as such for a reason. Either way, the Coven Flame exists to limit the power of vampires."
"The… Coven Flame?"
"Yes," Winter nodded once more. "A vampire of old, in an act of defiance, consumed his own heart, making himself into his very own familiar. It is said that this preserved the last of his humanity. In its place, he stole the flame the witch cast her spells over and used it as his source of life. In her anger, the witch cast a spell that made it so all those he had sired would endure the same fate as he. Her flame infected every one of them, burning away their hearts and dooming them to the world of night for all eternity. They became vile and pallid creatures that warped the souls of their victims into beasts of shadow, not unlike his familiar. As the last of his humanity slipped away, the vampire ordered his familiar to destroy every last Childe of Night that he had created and to use whatever means necessary. He gave him a precious gem and told him that he would no longer be able to provide for him, but he would have free will… You really haven't heard this story?"
"No," Penny shook her head.
"Really now?" Winter seemed genuinely concerned. "It's the story of why amethyst prevents Inhumans from… oh shit…"
"What?"
"I lost track of Ruby moments after that girl took her away," Winter growled. "That's how she's hiding her…"
"Oh… well, not to point out the obvious or anything," Penny said nervously. "But Snow is… a girl…"
"Well, there's no proof his familiar wasn't a female. Ancient texts tend to use masculine descriptors in place of gender neutral ones. God forbid something physically powerful be feminine in nature without being a vengeful bitch."
"You don't exactly make a good case for the not being vengeful part…"
"Did I ask for commentary?" Winter snapped and Penny jolted upright. "Still, I don't see why a familiar can't change its appearance. After all… Gary doesn't only appear as a Beowulf. He is whatever I want him to be…"
"Aaaaah," Penny gasped in excitement. "You called him Gary! Oh… but what if Gary is female? Should we call him Greta, then?"
"Ugh, don't be absurd," Winter rolled her eyes. "What kind of name is Greta? Clearly, it would be Geri or Garnet or something like that! What does it matter anyway?"
"I mean," Penny fiddled with her fingers. "I just would have thought that you would place importance in names." Suddenly, a cold feeling went over the room and Penny realized where she'd gone wrong. "I-I didn't mean to say that. I… that was uncalled for…"
"You have the audacity to say something like that," Winter's voice was laced with an icy poison that dropped the temperature of the room even further. "And you can't even look at me when you say it." Winter grabbed her by the arm and dragged her toward the door. She swung it open and threw her out onto the patio and stormed past her.
"The legend also says that The Bandersnatch is a huge, hulking wolf-like beast of shadow that will come for those with impurities in their hearts," Winter hissed. "As wicked as you are with your words, maybe after she's done with me, she'll be interested in a bit more than saving you."
"Well, that seems rather counterproductive," Penny said and Winter glared at her.
"Cheeky, aren't we?"
"N-no, I didn't mean me. It's just that you said vampires don't have hearts," Penny rubbed at her knees and noticed they were full of gravel and bleeding. "S-so how can they have impurities there? Isn't fire… purifying? "
For a moment, Winter's anger muted itself and she felt something akin to her heart skipping a beat, or maybe she should say that her own flame wavered with some sort of non-existent wind. Whatever it was that vampire's equated the feeling to, she was speechless. Even as a human, she'd never considered herself to have pure intentions. All she'd wanted was to be at her sister's side – to protect- not be her… and she gloriously failed at that on multiple occasions.
Instead, she'd been left alone and often had difficulties telling where Weiss ended and she began. She'd had so much misplaced anger and rage over the years, but as long as Weiss was there, it was alright. She was needed… and the only person that mattered to her knew that she was Winter and not Weiss, but now she was gone. So very gone… and Winter was so very alone and held to a standard she couldn't meet… and then she died because her murderers had mistaken her for Weiss, just like everyone else in the world...
That's right. Maybe Penny had pegged her correctly. She was just wrong about who it was she was after. In the grand scheme, Ruby was just small fry. Winter had come back to see this city burn, along with all those who had made her suffer. The Fire Empress and her crew? They would be among them, but she had a special hatred reserved for any and all involved with her neglect. Elites, family, friends, enemies – it didn't matter. For her, hell had literally frozen over and she would drag this city down into the depths with. There wasn't a single soul left in this world that cared about who she was or wasn't… and she would spare no one.
"Winter?" And then there was this one…
"…I won't give you this chance again. Be gone before I get back," Winter growled, refusing to look back at her. "I can't stand you making me question myself…" Winter took off into the night, disappearing in the tall grass of the meadow and Penny shoulders sagged.
"But I have no idea where I am…"
ooOOoo
"…Hnnnnnnnn…."
Who was whining? Ruby sat up from the bed and looked around. Save for the moonlight that cascaded over the room, everything was dark. Beside her, the bed was empty. She recalled that Snow hadn't gone to bed at the same time as her. Instead, she'd told Ruby to go ahead of her. She'd been in a terrible mood after meeting with the headmaster earlier. Whatever exchange they'd had, she'd clearly been upset by the outcome.
"Nnnngh…"
Having adjusted to the darkness, Ruby's eyes ventured toward the source of the sound, where she found a figure wrapped up on the couch in the center of the room. She sighed and pulled away the covers, heading toward the sleeping figure. When she arrived, she found Snow trembling as she grunted in her sleep. It was strange to see her so perplexed.
Ruby had figured that Snow probably didn't have the best dreams from the other morning, but this was most definitely a nightmare. She reached out to touch her and Snow seemed to calm down almost immediately. Maybe her argument with the headmaster had set her off? From the corner of her eye, something shadowy suddenly moved and she snapped her head around to look at it… but there was nothing.
Instead, what she found was a white uniform in pristine condition – an Elite's uniform. Though she had initially played it out, Snow hadn't seemed keen on being mistaken for an Elite. She had made sure to correct Ruby when she'd gotten a chance and Ruby wondered if this was the cause of the argument she'd vaguely overheard. The details weren't exact, but she'd heard something about Snow's safety not being guaranteed. Truth be told, Ruby had hoped to snuggle up to her, but Snow had been very distant and upset through dinner, so here she was: watching Snow have a nightmare on a couch while she slept in an unfamiliar bed… alone…
As Ruby stared at the uniform, she found herself unaware that she had zoned out until something Ruby caught her eye. It was like a pair of eyes that stared back at her and her hair stood on edge. Startled, she wiped at her eyes to make sure she wasn't just seeing things, but it was gone when she opened them again. Instead, something bushy and tail-like trailed out the bedroom door… Strange, she'd thought Snow had closed the door before they'd gone to bed.
Against her better judgment, she peeked her head out the door and found nothing. The lights around the hallways had been dimmed low enough to make her away around, but no one else was awake at this time of night.
Pat pat pat
A low growl came from below the landing, alongside the sound of paws scampering across the ground. Did Oscar have a dog? She hadn't seen one the entire time she'd been here, but maybe it had been outside and they had only let it in at night? A strange feeling of nostalgia crossed her mind. It wasn't the first time she'd felt like she was being watched by something here, but the last time, she'd met someone who became very important to her.
The way that she and Weiss had started off wasn't exactly the warmest, but at least she had tolerated her. Back then, Ruby recalled that the Schnee heiress was being treated by her mother for something, though she had never explained what. No matter how hard Ruby tried, Weiss kept to herself and was often mean to her. Even when they asked Weiss to keep an eye on Ruby, she tried to avoid her, but at some point that all changed and Weiss suddenly wanted to be with Ruby every waking moment. Weiss was always happy to see her, to the point that she would ask Summer to bring Ruby, and Ruby was always excited… but then Weiss got hurt protecting Ruby and everything changed… and then she died before they could ever fix things. Now, everything was back where it started, but worse.
Pat pat pat
The noise trotted around again and Ruby descended the staircase in pursuit of it. Oscar and Snow both assured her that she was safe here, but the sound of a dog was sort of alarming to her. What if the strange wolf had somehow gotten inside? But what she remembered was made of Darkforge. It would have to get through a lot of defense systems designed specifically to repel Darkforge. With a sigh, she reached the bottom of the stairwell and listened for any signed on the unidentified animal… Nothing…
Just beyond the staircase was a series of glass doors and tall windows that led to a luxurious terrace with an open view of the wooded area beyond. She looked around the entrance hall and recalled that behind her was the dining area she had been in earlier, but across the way was an entire other side of the house and it had been a while… and Snow said this place wasn't that big of a deal…
The guest rooms were in this area of the house, though they were considerably bare in comparison to Snow's room. Considering that she was a guest, she was almost surprised that she wasn't in one of them, though Snow had been very insistent about being in close proximity to her. It was kind of silly, but she remembered that when she met Weiss, she had also been staying in one of these rooms while Oscar prepared a room for her. Weiss kept this silly little UV nightlight back then and swore that it kept her safe. Somehow, that little memory felt important, but she couldn't recall why for the life of her. It was a long time ago and things between them had gotten so bad that, even if Weiss were still alive, she doubted she'd tell her.
Further down the hall, a door was slightly cracked open and she wondered if someone had gone in there. She casually made her way over and gently pushed the door open, just in case there was someone there, but it was empty. The room itself left her in the same state of awe that it did every time she'd been in it before.
Inside was a large two story library with bookcase upon bookcase. There were several tables and desks with lamps on them, aged maps, and boards with all sorts of information ranging from breakdowns of Forge to weapon blueprints and building plans. Part of her wondered if Snow studied here, as well… but then another thought crossed her mind. Though Weiss did not recognize her, Snow was familiar with her – even speaking to her in her family's language. In fact, Ruby was almost sure of it, even if Snow didn't want to elaborate on it. She'd just have to figure it out on her own.
As a child, she'd come to this room several time and old habits never changed. She climbed the stairs and walked lazily, dragging her fingers across the wooden shelves. Her fingers caught on several little bumps and crevices that hadn't meant much to her as a child, but as she grew older, she'd learned that Braille was a thing. Many of the books also had Braille markings and that told her that someone in the headmaster's family had been blind. She'd once gotten the urge to open one, but it was the strangest thing to her and it made no sense. She did wonder what kind of books they were and what sort of person they had been.
Coming to a stop, she reached her destination and looked along the different book titles until she found a section dedicated to Lightforge. Lightforge itself was something the young Rose never understood. Outside of the pre-loaded magazines, she'd never been able to use it when it came to melee weaponry. Unfortunately, the more advanced weapons required the user to be able to get in sync with Lightforge and she couldn't get the concept down. Yang couldn't do it either and had to resort to the EXO-system to keep up with Freaks, which is what Ruby would have to do if she ever hoped to get out in the field…
Then again, it might also help if she were able to at least finish a single night shift. Apparently, she wasn't allowed and they just threw her in the cage to work on weapons with Penny's dad. At least, she had a knack for it, courtesy of the hobby she shared with their Uncle Qrow.
"Miss Rose?" The silver-eyed girl jumped at the sound of her name and instantly spun around to find Klein at the door. He entered quietly and his eyes landed on the book in her hand. "Trouble sleeping?"
"Um… yes?" Ruby spoke with a nervous laugh. "I guess I'm just a bit antsy and I found the library and I'm bad at Lightforge, so I thought maybe I'd read up on it and try to learn something while I'm here."
"I see," the jolly man's mustache curved upward with his smile. "We have a room if you'd like to practice. Master Pine will not mind."
"Can I take the books with me?"
"As long as you return them," he said with a nod. "The Young Miss is very particular about keeping things in order."
"I'll put them back after," Ruby smiled back and he turned around to leave the room.
"This way," he said and she picked up her selection and trotted out of the room behind him. He entered a room that seemed like an armory-type room, but then he continued heading further inside and stood before a large metal door. He pulled it open with a heavy whining sound and motioned for her to follow him inside. There was a staircase that descended to basement area and he flipped a switch. Overhead lights flickered to life one after the other, revealing a room with several attack dummies, targets, and a firing range. Along the walls were several types of weapons and the walls were lined with both ammunition and a supply of Lightforge for practice with melee weapons.
"You'll be able to find whatever you need," he offered. "And don't worry about using too much. Master Pine often restocks, especially now that the Young Miss has returned."
"Thank you so much, Klein," Ruby chirped happily. "You, um, really respect Snow, don't you?"
"I do," he nodded proudly. "I've been under the young miss' employment since she was a baby, though I've remained here since she was sent away."
"A… baby?" Ruby tilted her head. "So, does that mean you were with her during her life before the headmaster?" For a moment, Klein was quiet, but that was enough for her. "I get it if it's something she doesn't want to talk about, but I just wanted to know a little bit about her when she was little… or like, why I don't remember her."
"You were both quite young," he offered with a smile.
"Oh," she was a bit disappointed with the simple answer. A small part of her had thought that there had been some sort of mystical element to it, but maybe she was giving it too much thought. "Um, you said that she was sent away?"
"Oh, yes," the butler nodded as he unlocked a cabinet with Lightforge vials. "She was sent away for training with the Birds of Prey."
"The Birds of Prey?!" Ruby's voice came out a bit loud and she shrank down, covering her mouth. "I-I mean, don't they hate humans?"
"I can understand your surprise," he chuckled. "I, myself, was surprised, but your mother was well-connected to the current chieftess. One of the last things Summer requested of her was that she oversee the young miss' training. Back then, she was quite a danger to herself and those around her."
"A danger?" The Snow that Ruby recalled was respectful, reserved, her customs were foreign to her, and she appeared to be very in control. "I can't see that."
"You wouldn't," he shook his head and passed a vial to her. "I've noticed the changes in her though. Though she is still rather distant to others, she's always been more open around your family."
"And the headmaster," Ruby added. "They seem like brother and sister… are they?"
"Oh ho ho ho, heaven's no!" For the first time, Klein genuinely laughed. "It's not out of the realm of possibilities for them to be related distantly, but he is merely fond of her. The Master has a weakness for orphaned children, especially the ones that hold great potential."
"Oh," Ruby mouthed quietly. "Then why me? I have nothing."
"I think that you are special in your own right," he nudged a book closer to her. "You just don't see it yourself. With a little effort, you can overcome anything, even if it is not the exact result you were looking for."
"But I've never been able to use Lightforge…"
"I think that it's all about your perception," Klein chuckled once more. "We all perceive the world in different ways – some more unique than others. Take the young miss for example: she sees the world with more than just her eyes."
"She's resourceful, right?"
"Very much, Miss Rose," Klein grinned.
"I was wondering," Ruby mind went back the bookcase. "Did the headmaster have a blind family member? I noticed the Braille, but I never really thought about it. I guess my mind's just wandering a little more tonight."
"Oh, you don't know?" The portly man grinned beneath his mustache. "Well, you see, Braille was necessary in order to-"
"That's enough, Klein," a firm voice came from the entryway.
"My apologies, Young Miss," he bowed politely. "I was merely trying to satisfy Miss Rose's curiosities."
"You're dismissed," Snow crossed her arms in irritation and Klein offered a polite bow to Ruby.
"Have a good night, Miss Rose. I hope that sleep finds you well." The older man headed toward the door, stopping briefly as he passed her. "You've managed to capture her interest quite magnificently. It would be a shame to distance yourself now that you have what you want."
"You're overstepping, Klein," Snow tried to hide the redness in her face. "You can leave now."
"Very well, Young Miss," he spoke animatedly. "Enjoy the night!"
"Klein!" Snow stamped her foot as the jolly man retreated up the stairs with a mischievous chuckle. "I'm so sorry if he said anything strange," Snow offered as she approached Ruby.
"No, I was just asking about the Braille on the bookcases."
"The… Braille?"
"Pffft," Ruby snorted and Snow's expression twisted in confusion. "Yeah, on the bookcases. What, did you never notice? He made it sound like you were super OCD about the library, so I thought you'd have noticed it too."
"…"
"O-oh, I-I wasn't making fun of you," Ruby nervously brushed hair behind her ear. "I just wanted to know about you and stuff and I mentioned the Braille. That's all."
"Er," the redness returned to Snow's face with a vengeance. "I suppose OCD is right. It's just easier when I know where everything is."
"Then can I ask about this?" Ruby lifted up their hands together.
"About what?"
"You know what I mean," Ruby smirked and rubbed her thumbs over Snow's fingers. "You wear gloves, but not with me."
"Oh, it's uh," Snow shifted uneasily. "You're… special…"
"Special how?"
"When I was very young, I was taught that the world was mine and everyone was beneath me," Snow spoke distantly as she recalled her early memories. "I was supposed to become someone important, but then I made a mistake and suddenly the cherished daughter they had raised was now an eyesore, a blemish to their name – worthless. I was discarded like trash."
"I'm so sorry, Snow," Ruby squeezed their fingers together and held them to her chest.
"But then you came along," Snow smiled. "Like this little light that only grew brighter and I want it to keep growing." Snow turned her hands over in Ruby's, lacing their fingers back together. "For me, it's no longer a matter of whether someone is my equal or not. It's that touching others feels so invasive – so personal – like they're touching a part of me that I don't want anyone to know."
"So it's like a barrier between you and everyone else?" Snow nodded and Ruby started to pull her hands away. "I'm sorry! I've been so pushy with you! That's why you didn't sleep in the bed."
"That's not why," Snow tightened her grip and pulled her back. "It's okay when it's you… but I'm afraid of what that might lead to."
"Oh, I see," Ruby nodded slowly as she processed what Snow was saying. "O- oh! You mean… oh, um! I… I'm flattered! I've, um, thought about that too? I guess?"
"Thought about?" Snow gave her a confused look, but then it hit her and she turned redder than she'd been earlier. "Oh! Um, I meant that you'd be in danger being close to me, but… um… yes? That too? Maybe?"
"Oh my God," Ruby pulled her hands away and buried her face. "I want to crawl in a hole and die, right now! Can we just erase all of that and pretend it didn't happen?"
"But it did…"
"Not helping, Snow!" Ruby scrunched her face at her and Snow smirked. "Ugh, I was doing something before you came in here and got all distracting!"
"Hahaha, alright then," Snow stepped around to sit in a chair on the other side of the table. "Then carry on."
"Er, fine!" Ruby flipped through the book until she found what she was looking for and then scampered over to the wall where a combat knife was.
"Awfully small, isn't it?" Snow teased playfully.
"No one asked you!" While most Forgebearers used much longer blades, she felt that if she couldn't even manage a blade this short, there was no reason to try the longer ones.
LF Weapons, as they were called, contained silver inlays that helped to retain Lightforge as it traveled through the weapon. The handles were hollowed out a bit and fitted with a slot to insert vials of Lightforge. Ruby flipped open the slot for the cartridge and inserted the vial and closed it. Closing her eyes, she held the blade between both hands tried to concentrate… but nothing happened… and she could feel Snow's eyes on her. She peeked an eye open and found the raven-haired girl watching her intently.
"Don't mind me. Keep going."
"You… don't have to watch me everywhere I go," Ruby huffed. "I'm safe here!"
"This is more for me… Your presence is soothing." Ruby blushed at the bluntness of her statement and tried to distract herself with the blade once more.
"Ugh," Ruby let out a frustrated sound. No matter what, she couldn't clear her mind like the teachers said. This process didn't make sense at all. How were you supposed to keep your mind clear in the middle of a fight when it was already this difficult outside of one?! A pair of arm came around her and slid toward her wrists and Ruby panicked. "Uh, wh-what are you doing?!"
"I heard you were an excellent marksman, Ruby… but your form with blades is terrible."
"Har har… I'm not trying to work on swordsmanship, Snow…"
"Why not?" Snow's question was genuine. "You are attempting to have a conversation with this weapon without understanding it… at least, this is how the Master put it to us."
"The… Master?"
"The person who has overseen my training since childhood," Snow spoke calmly as she repositioned Ruby's fingers. "Relax. Breathe." Ruby took a deep breath and let Snow's voice become the only thing in her head. "She was able to help me find my own path to clarity. Of that, I am certain."
Oh, that was right. The Birds of Prey were a group of Outsider Faunus known for espionage and guerilla tactics. They followed a strict hierarchy and applied the foundations of martial arts training to their very way of life. In the beginning, the Birds of Prey had sided with the White Fang, but the current leader had severed their ties, citing that they would not take sides in a war that did not benefit their own goals. Now, they were information brokers that sold to the highest bidder, so what was Snow doing with people like them? Even stranger, what had her own mother had to do with the leader?
"You mention paths and certainty a lot," Ruby noticed this over time. It was a little quirk that she thought was cute, at first, but now it seemed like something taught.
"As students, we are clean slates, waiting to have our stories written. It how the Master explained it," Snow explained. "She only gives us the tools to carve our own paths, but we must choose them and live according to them."
"And what did you choose?"
"I walk with certainty," Snow spoke firmly. "It is as I have chosen."
"Oh, that's what that means," Ruby frowned and looked back at her. "You've been reaffirming an oath this whole time, haven't you?" Snow nodded and Ruby sighed. "So your path is something important to you, right?" Again, she nodded. "So what does certainty mean to you?"
"My decisions are deliberate, with purpose, and will only be performed when I am sure of the outcome," Snow stated simply. "I do not take chances. It has cost me dearly in the past."
"So there are other paths?"
"Oh, yes, many," Snow nodded in confirmation. "My sister pursues the path of wisdom."
"Isn't that like the same thing?!"
"They are two sides of the same thing, I suppose," Snow shrugged. "Pursuit of knowledge, I supposed is our general path, but wisdom and certainty are two very different applications. To her, it means gathering the information and experience to take the correct action, but I don't have time for that. I need to take the most direct path to achieve my goal."
"And what's your goal?"
"…" Her new friend's emotions went blank and something dark started to emanate from within her and Ruby swallowed before she spoke.
"Snow?"
"Oscar's filled me in on the programs you're involved in," Snow changed the subject, throwing her off.
"Pr-programs?" Ruby went pale and gulped. Did that mean she knew about the testing the Schnee performed on her?
"With Ironwood – I heard you have a talent for working with weapons. Ironwood is considering making you an offer to stay once you graduate."
"O-oh! That! Yeah, but I can only do maintenance on regular weapons. I can't calibrate weaponry with an LF distribution system properly… I'm not compatible…"
"Hmmm… you're not compatible?..." She held Ruby tighter and nuzzled into her. "Or you're unskilled?"
"W-well," Ruby's poor heart started to race. At the rate her mind was wandering, she'd never calm her mind, let alone get back to sleep. "I can't b-be skilled with something I c-can't do…"
A hand slid down Ruby's left arm and wrapped around her own. The arm around Ruby's waste slid up her side, resting at her chin and tilted Ruby's head so that their eyes met and her heartbeat quickened once more. Despite the absence of the glow, Snow's eyes were still such a radiant blue filled with affection. She was so mesmerized that she almost didn't notice the presence of Snow's hand disappearing from her own.
"I like to think that it's all about perspective." A faint glow came from below, wavering as is came to life. The younger girl's eyes widened and the energy dissipated as she panicked.
"I… How did I… Did you?"
"No," Snow shook her head gently. "That was all you."
"That can't be," Ruby racked her brain for something that made sense. "They said I had to have a tranquil heart and mind!"
"Just another way to manipulate the grunts into becoming exactly what they want," Snow shrugged dismissively. "There's no one right way to do things, Ruby."
"But then, if that's not the way, then how?"
"Your heart and soul need to be in sync – that's why they tell you to aim for tranquility," Snow explained. "It's a concept that everyone can wrap their minds around, but it's not for everyone, in practice. The real key is desire. When our heart desires something, our minds are set on it. It's up to us to hold onto that feeling and figure out how best to channel it into something constructive," Snow grinned with an obnoxious confidence. "And it seems you had something very specific in mind."
"Ugh!" If she'd have know she was going to tease her, she'd have just gone back to bed already. "You're horrible!"
"And after all the help I just gave you! So ungrateful!"
"Do you have to be so mean?!"
"Your reactions are fun," Snow stepped back, offering her hand with a warm smile. "This is enough for tonight, right? Let's go back to sleep. You have to be up early."
Taking the mysterious girl's hand, Ruby nodded obediently, following behind her. Snow's hand was so warm and pleasant without the irritating texture of the glove. Ruby cringed at the thought of the roughness against her skin earlier and reveled in the smoothness as she rubbed her thumb along the back of her silky skin. She'd been so distracted that she hadn't realized they'd reached the room until they stopped to open the door and Snow guided her toward the bed. With a fond look, Ruby noticed the glow had returned to her eyes under the moonlight and Snow turned around to return to the couch.
"Ah," Ruby lifted herself partially to grab Snow's hand and the Outsider look back at her. "Stay with me?..." The dark-haired girl gave her an uncertain look, eyes darting between the couch she'd made her home on earlier and the girl who desired her presence beside her. Ruby squeezed a little more in emphasis and Snow let out a small huff, immediately followed by a smile and relaxed. Ruby pulled and Snow let herself be dragged toward her, laying beside her.
It felt a lot better being able to appreciate the glow of her eyes from up close. Somehow, it felt nostalgic, like this had happened a while back and she wondered what it was that made them glow. Maybe it was the type of Faunus she was? But what proof did she have of her being a Faunus? The Birds of Prey were only Aven Faunus and Snow didn't seem to have any bird-like traits. She'd heard that Weres were welcome among the White Fang, but they were no longer a part of them.
"What?" Snow voice was soft as she gazed back with equal tenderness and Ruby blinked slowly, appreciating the moment.
"Were you ever able to use Lightforge?"
"Oooooh," Snow smiled slyly. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you're trying to fish for information about what I am."
"Can you blame me?" Ruby smiled tiredly. "I wanna' know how you got," Ruby's hand slid gently to Snow's cheek and she brushed her thumb across it. There was a slight indent across her eye, likely from a previous wound. As she glossed over it, Snow recoiled with an ashamed look and Ruby smiled warmly. "So perfect."
Several emotions flashed across Snow's face, first scared then grateful, and eventually she settled on something fond. The Outsider swallowed nervously and Ruby watched with a mix of concern and amusement as she lifted herself up. It was nice to catch her off-guard for once, but she hoped she hadn't said too much.
She hesitated at first, but Snow eventually reached across Ruby, sliding herself closer and trapping her between herself and her own arm. The older girl hovered over her with a conflicted look in her eyes. It was unsettling to see Snow at odds with herself and looking so unsure. Snow's eyes dropped for a moment and she bit her lip before looking away. It took Ruby a second to realize what she'd look at, but the she felt cheeks burst into flames.
"S-Snow…" Blue eyes ensnared her once more and Ruby shifted herself so that she was beneath the Atlesian and looped her arms around Snow's neck and pulled her in.
The contact was light and feathery when their lips first touched. It was nerve-wracking and Ruby wasn't sure if was Snow's heart or her own that she could hear slamming against walls of their chests. Their lips brushed together a second time and Ruby could feel Snow's nails graze across her cheek as her hand found its home on her cheek. By the third, Snow seemed more confident and her hand roamed freely to rest at Ruby's hip, but as her confidence grew, so did the pressure at Ruby's hip.
Snow pulled away briefly and Ruby chased after her lips, biting longingly and savoring the moment. Their gaze met through half-lidded eyes, but there was something predatorial in Snow's that excited Ruby. Her dark knight planted a knee between her legs and moved just past Ruby's lips, kissing along her chin and down her neck. Her hand slid up Ruby's back and pulled her closer, as if to meld them together and Ruby whimpered beneath her touch.
Snow returned to her lips, crashing into them with a newly lit fire and Ruby moaned into the reignited kiss. Ruby ran her hands messily through Snow's hair as she returned to her neck and gasped loudly, fueling the Atlesian more. Something wet brushed softly against her neck and she gasped as Snow's tongue trailed downward. She let out a soft gasp at the action, but suddenly Snow bit down and Ruby cried out in surprise.
Snapping out of it, the Atlesian jolted back with a fearful expression. Ruby held a hand to her neck and she knew she'd gone too far. She backed away, looking at her in horror at what she'd done and fled to the bathroom. This was exactly what she was trying to avoid…. She'd hurt Ruby.
ooOOoo
AN: Whoops. I guess Snow screwed up a… bit *badum tisk*! Just kidding, that was awful O_O. I basically gave you guys a giant lore dump. I actually like the way that Penny and Winter interact in this segment. She's more lucid when Ruby's not involved. Anyway, I wanted some input on something. I'll be updating some stuff in previous chapters. No major scene changes. Basically, I'm making this its own unique world, instead of working this into Earth's history. I've been using German as a substitute for Atlesian, but I've noticed some complaints about my using another language and not providing an immediate translation. I'm considering typing in English, but using italics every time they switch languages. There's a spin-off I wrote out with The Originator's story and Ruby's great ancestor is a character who often switches between English and Ancient Circadian. I probably won't post it for a while, since LF hasn't even gotten to introducing him yet, but I wanted to add a short excerpt below so you guys can see how I would be applying this and if it feels natural to you guys. Anyway, thanks a bunch for sticking with me, guys, and Merry Xmas/Happy Holidays!
"Hah! You call that drinking?!" Rose went pale as she heard her attendant's voice bellow across the tavern. "Circadian warrior? More like Circadian Lightweight!"
"Aaaah! Get down from table!" Rose ran to her drunken pupil. She was in no condition to get her home this late. At this rate, they would have to make camp in the woods and hope that the man-beasts were not out. "What am I going to do with you?!"
"Oh, Rose! Just in time to see me drink these bastards under the table!"
"No," Rose grabbed her hand and started to pull her down. "What you need to do is get off the table and sober yourself! It's a long way home!"
"Heeeee," Maria fell onto her and poked her nose, her voice turning suggestive as she spoke. "Did you talk to your Circadian Prince?"
"You are impossible!"
"Is everything alright?" Ozma walked up behind them.
"King will have to be jealous," Maria grinned wickedly. "King is not High Druidess' first kiss."
"Maria, this one has never ki-," the redhead was cut short as her attendant pressed a long kiss to her lips. Rose fought to push her away and when she finally freed herself, Maria fell into her, hanging limply from her. "Maria, what is wrong with you?! This is unbecoming of a Druid! Behave yourself!"
"Zzzzzzz…"
"Th-this one is sorry for attendant's rudeness," Rose stammered as she tried to hold her up. "Why are you so heavy?! This is first happening!"
"I think… our spirits are probably much stronger that yours," Ozma said as he tried to push the image from his mind. "I can help you carry her."
"Nonsense," Rose refused stubbornly. "Is my problem. Will be reprimand in morning!"
