Edit: Done with 12! Its being edited. Out in a day or two.

AN: I live! Sorry for the long wait, especially since this isn't that long of a chapter. I switched jobs and then some family drama started up that went on for months. Finally it's all over and I was able to get to work. From now on I'll drop an edit in the top AN to let everyone know I am still working on things. Unless I post a chapter stating that I'm dropping this, I'm not giving up on this story. I have too much plotted out to quit now. Enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 11: Awakening

A red blur zipped between the trees of Patch, leaving a trail of rose petals in its wake. The blur stumbled to a stop as a little girl gasped for breath. Despite her need for more oxygen, she couldn't suppress the giggles that bubbled out of her and filled the air. Nine-year-old Ruby hopped excitedly in place. She couldn't wait to show Ashen her new semblance. It had unlocked a few days ago while she was playing with Zwei.

She, the fearless Huntress, was chasing after the vicious Grimm—played by Zwei! Then, to her surprise, one moment she was chasing after Zwei's fluffy butt, and the next, she had him in her arms while rose petals floated around them. Her dad, who had been watching, was the one to explain to her what happened. Yang was excited for her and had their dad throw a small party for her.

It was embarrassing how over-the-top her family could get, but she was never going to turn down sweets—especially cookies! The fact that she could now zip around really fast was so cool. When she wasn't running into walls, that is. Which happened...a lot. Thankfully, after a few days of practice, she had a better grasp on it. She could run really fast in short bursts in a straight line for now. Her dad said that, as she became more familiar with her semblance, she should be able to use it for longer periods of time.

Right now, she had enough control that she felt confident in showing it off in front of Ashen. Taking a deep breath, Ruby dashed off once more. With her semblance, she made it to the cliff in record time.

Before Ruby could show off her semblance to Ashen, she had one person she had to see first. She came to a stop in front of her mother's gravestone, rose petals falling around her.

"Hi, Mom," Ruby greeted with a small smile. "Guess who unlocked their semblance?" She dashed around to demonstrate. "Pretty cool, huh? I can chase down bad guys and race to the rescue. The Grimm won't stand a chance!" To emphasize, Ruby began reenacting cool-looking martial arts moves she saw in movies. "Do you think Ashen will be impressed? I think it will surprise him. In a few months, he's going to help me become the best huntress that I can be! I promise that I'll make you proud, Mom. I'm off to see him now. Wish me luck." Ruby sped off with a wave behind her and a smile on her face.

Using her semblance, she dashed down the side of the cliff. Ruby stopped at the bottom—thankfully without stumbling and falling flat on her face, as she had done more times than she cared to admit. As much as she wanted to surprise Ashen, she didn't want to startle him. Her dad warned her about the risks of startling men like Ashen.

"Ashen! Look what I can do!" she called out before she turned into a red blur once more.

Let it be known that she did give him a heads up.

After the years they had spent together, Ruby had a good gasp of the distance she had to be within for Ashen to become visible to her. To her surprise, he wasn't waiting in his usual place.

"Ruby?"

Ashen was standing off to her side, still close enough for her to be within range. Ruby blurred over in a gust of rose petals. He flinched back in surprise, which caused her to smile.

Ha! You're not the only one with surprises.

"I unlocked my semblance," Ruby gushed. "I can run around really, really fast now."

"Ruby, now—"

"Just watch."

"Ruby, wait!"

Ruby sped away before Ashen could stop her. She ground to halt before she could reach the trees. Silver eyes blinked in surprise as they stared into a pair of red ones... at the end of a long snout. She shrieked as the Beowolf snarled and lunged at her. Its jaws clamped on rose petals and empty air as she ran away screaming.

She was forced out of her semblance when she collided with a wall. Before she could fall to the floor from the rebound, an arm wrapped around her, pulling her against a familiar source of warmth. Ruby managed to catch a glimpse of the Beowolf that attacked her, a sword speared through its skull, before her vision was blocked by Ashen's kite shield. Her heart raced as another Grimm impacted against it with a loud bang and roar of anger. The shield held firm, not budging an inch before Ashen flung the Grimm, an Ursa, off and into the trees. He then used it to bash the head of another straight into the ground.

No matter how many times she saw him fight, it was always awe inspiring to see how strong Ashen really was. A small group of Grimm rushed them, and to Ruby's surprise, he dropped his shield and held his hand out. It glowed a bright orange as wisps of flame danced over it.

"You may want to cover your ears," he warned.

The next instant, just as the Grimm neared striking distance, he flicked his wrist and they were devoured by a loud explosive ball of fire birthed from his hand. When the fire and smoke cleared, there was nothing left of the Grimm.

Before Ruby could exclaim her amazement, she was jolted as Ashen leapt to the side avoiding the pounce of an Alpha Beowolf. Ashen unleashed a stream of fire that engulfed the Alpha. It thrashed and screamed as the smell of burning fur filled the air. He closed his fist and the flames sunk into the Alpha's flesh. A moment later, its body erupted in an explosion. Ruby was forced to close her eyes as hot winds battered her face. When she opened her eyes, all that remained was a burnt out crater where the Beowolf once stood.

"That should be the last one," Ashe commented as he released Ruby. She spun around with a wide smile on her face.

"That was aw—" Ruby was cut off when Ashen flicked her on her forehead.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Need I say it?"

Ruby had the decencyto look embarrassed. "Always pay attention to your surroundings?"

Ashen sighed in frustration. "I fail to see the point in repeating myself if you never listen. This is not the first time this has happened."

"Sorry. I didn't notice what was going on."

"You did not notice that I had my sword drawn or the Grimm standing in front of the trees?"

"I was excited to show you my semblance," she defended.

"I noticed. You always seem to develop tunnel vision whenever you are."

"Yeah, but… but… I-I knew you would protect me and everything worked out in the end so there was nothing to worry about." She stood proud, like she had made some irrefutable statement. Ashen had half a mind to smack her with the flat of his sword, while the other half was amused by her audacity.

"And the fact you almost ran head first into the jaws of a Beowolf?"

Ruby sputtered as she tried to come up with a retort. "You're just using this as an excuse to tease me," she complained.

Ashen snorted. "Does not make anything I said less true." He sat down on the log while Ruby pouted at him. "If I am going to repeat myself, then I might as well have a little fun at your expense. So, now that there are no more threats around, how about you properly show me this new semblance you had been yelling about."

Ruby's pout melted into a smile as her annoyance was replaced by her excitement once more. Using her semblance, she darted around the clearing before she stumbled to a stop in front of him.

"What… What do you think?" Ruby asked as she panted for breath.

"I will admit that yours is not the first speed based skill I have seen, but I have never encountered one as… florid as yours." Ashen plucked a rose petal that was still fluttering in the air in front of him. "I have to say though, it is a bit on the nose, is it not?"

Ruby couldn't help herself as her face flushed red. "It's not like I chose for it to leave rose petals behind," she complained as she took her seat next to him. "I can't keep it up for long, but my dad told me that if I keep practicing, then I'll be able to go much further. By then, I won't ever have to worry about being late to the rescue when I become a huntress."

Ashen nodded his head in agreement. "A simple, but versatile skill. I knew many who would have coveted such an ability. The aid it can provide for a quick escape is invaluable."

"I'm not going to use it to run away," Ruby stated as she crossed her arms in defiance. "What kind of hero would I be if I did?"

"A live one," Ashen shot back.

She growled in annoyance at him. "Well, it doesn't matter because soon you'll be teaching me how to be the bestest hero ever!"

"...We will see about that."

Ruby rested her head in her hand with a pout. "Why do you hate heroes so much?"

Ashen looked at her surprised. "You think I hate heroes?"

"Don't you? You have no problem with Huntsmen and Huntresses, but the moment I bring up being a hero, you are suddenly against it like it's the most evil thing in the world."

"Is that what you have come to believe?" Ashen hummed in thought. "Maybe I should have made my standing more clear. I have no issues with the heroes themselves. I mentioned that I have fought beside a few myself, and in some rare cases, stood in for them. What I dislike are the stories told about them."

"What's wrong with the stories?" Ruby loved those stories. She never suspected that he didn't. The couple of times she had him read stories to her, something Yang still teased her over, he never once complained.

"They inspire," Ashen stated to Ruby's surprise. "The stories surrounding heroes are commonly twisted to inspire others to do the same. No matter how arduous the journey may be, it is eventually glamorized into something that seems doable with enough hard work and dedication." He couldn't help the self depreciating chuckle that escaped him. "I can tell you from experience that not a single one of them would wish for anyone to do what they did. Never is it mentioned how exhausted they are by the end. Others are left so broken that the only reason they completed their quests was because they had lost too much to let it all be in vain. Then, there are those who are declared heroes by a people they never intended to protect while failing to save their homes and loved ones. I know from what I have experienced and our time together that you are unsuited for the path."

A silence stretched out between them as Ruby fiddled with her fingers. She wracked her brain for a reason why before she quietly asked, "Is it because I'm weak?" It was the first and most obvious reason she could think of.

Ashen set a hand on her head. "It is because you are too pure." Ruby looked up at him, her silver eyes reflecting the afternoon sun. Her question hung unspoken in the air between them. "You care too much, Ruby," he explained. "You care for everyone around you, even those who have wronged you. How many times have you come to me with stories about the kind things you have done for others, all because they were sad for some reason unknown to you? That alone is reason enough for you to act. I wonder if you are even capable of holding a grudge. Individuals such as yourself are a rare blessing on this world that is too often taken for granted."

"But why is that a bad thing?" she asked as she fiddled with the edge of her cloak. "Shouldn't the hero be someone who is nice and cares about people? Why does that make me a bad choice to be a hero?" By that logic, it meant that her mother couldn't be a hero herself.

"Could you sentence an innocent person to death if it meant preventing a war between two groups of people?"

Ruby jolted, surprised by the question. "W-What?! Why would I hurt someone who did nothing wrong? Wouldn't it be better to make the people get along?"

Ashen chuckled and looked up at the sun. "If only life were that simple. A hero is not the person who makes the best choices, but the person who can make the hardest. They can commit evil in the name justice and the greater good. The greatest challenges they face are not of strength or mind, but of the heart. The more you care for others, the greater the burden you have placed upon yourself. A burden that makes it so easy for the world to hurt and eventually break you. As cruel as it may be to say, some of the best who endured were those who could sacrifice a hundred to save one person they loved or those who would sacrifice everyone for themselves." He sighed. "How I wish that was not so. Might and wit can be measured, lost and gained—but spirit, once broken, is lost forever. There is no coming back from that."

Ashen returned his gaze to Ruby as he felt her clutch his hand between hers. She took a moment to feel the warmth that bled through the gauntlet into her palms. Ruby recalled one detail she never forgot from a few conversations they had over the years.

"Then why do you call yourself a hero?"

Ashen went silent for a few seconds that dragged on like an eternity. "Because as much as I hate it, I would be spitting on the legacy of all those who stood before me on this very same path," he replied as he gently freed his hand from Ruby's grasp. He pretended not to see the hurt expression on her face. "I became a hero, not because I desired it—as I had already long given up on it—but through chance. I happened to be the one left standing at the end."

Even now he could recall with perfect clarity that ashen mountaintop. The numerous weapons standing vigil over the First Flame under a dark sky with a bleeding sun. It still feels as if he was just there. "When I stood there, I finally realized why all those before me made the choice that they did, the weight that none of them could carry… not even me. Even though I had planned beforehand to break the cycle... when I stood there faced with the ultimate decision... I realized that I would rather follow in the steps of the others and pass the burden on to another. I didn't break it because I reaffirmed my spirit, but because there were no other options. Everything was collapsing in on itself and I was forced to become the greatest hero that ever was. A hero that saved everyone… by not saving anyone."

Ruby had almost forgotten about this side of Ashen. It was so easy to see him as the invincible Huntsman, slaughtering any Grimm that challenged him. He was very patient with her, and curious, always asking about events of the present while dodging questions about his past or feeding her small snippets. The raw pain that he constantly tried to suppress was a reminder of the deep scars he carried. Now that she thought about it, as the time grew closer to Ashen's deadline, it bled through more and more. Suddenly, it clicked for Ruby.

"You're afraid," Ruby stated. Ashen nodded in response. "Why, though? What's so scary that you're afraid to tell me about yourself? I'm not going anywhere, okay? I don't care what you did in your past."

"I want to believe you—I really do—but I know from experience not to." Ruby flinched as if struck. As much as it pained him to see the betrayal on her face, she deserved that he faced her instead of turning away. "You are not the first to swear such words to me. You would not even be the second. There were others before you who I trusted... yet turned against me once they learned the truth about myself. Even some of my own students, orphans who I took under my wing and raised as if they were my own…" For the first time since Ruby met him, Ashen's voice cracked. "I-I was called a monster. They looked at me like I was the most vile thing to walk the earth. They even turned their blades against me." Ashen chuckled at Ruby's gasp.

"Yet, despite all of it, I do not resent them—for I understand their actions and fear. I would have done the same in their place. I have spent most of my life as the outsider, the silent observer, as the world moved on without me. Everytime I close my eyes, I am afraid that when I open them, I will find the world has changed once more. Towns and villages have risen and fallen while people grow old and pass on. All the while I am still here."

"For you, these last three years must have felt like a lifetime, but for me, I have barely blinked. I have enjoyed our time together, but it has only served to emphasize my position as an outsider. Everything that I once knew, that I fought for… is gone. The accomplishments made, the Heroic needs, the stories and legends of my time… gone. Dust devoured by the sands of time. I am all that remains of my time, all that is keeping it alive—until I, too, one day shall disappear. That's why I want to save you from this path you have chosen. To show you the truth about the threat you face, even if it means you turn against me. I will have at least left something that finally matters. I will miss you Ruby, but the ti—"

"Stop it!" Ashen flinched back from Ruby's outburst. Tears ran down her cheeks as she jumped to her feet. "Stop it, stop it, stop it!" she cried as she stomped her feet. "You matter! You matter to me. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you, so stop saying you don't. I'm not going to abandon you, so stop acting like I will. I'm not leaving!"

Ruby's voice felt hoarse from how loud she shouted while her shoulders trembled as her emotions warred between angry and upset. Her nails dug into her palms as she tried to restrain herself. This is the first time she had ever yelled at Ashen. Despite all the time they spent together and their occasional argument, she had never before been this angry with him. Hearing him talk bad about himself, her hero, just set something off in her.

"I'm staying with you."

No sounds other than her panting for breath filled the air. She waited for a response, but Ashen remained silent as he held her gaze. His response went unsaid in the silence between them.

You will not.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Ruby muttered as she stomped away. She could feel his gaze on her back, but he still maintained his silence.

Before she realized it, she activated her semblance to dash away. If she were more level headed, Ruby would have noticed that it was the longest she managed to keep it going. As she walked home through the forest, her mind kept focusing on her upcoming birthday in two months. She was going to prove Ashen wrong! Whatever secrets he had, she was going to face them head on. He was going to learn that Yang wasn't the only stubborn one in her family.

AN: You all know what's coming next. It's one of the big moments I've been wanting to write. Hopefully it wont take me as long as this one did. I really hope you enjoyed and feel free to leave a review.