AN: So, we got an announcement for Kingdom Hearts 4 this week. Pretty cool stuff, but I've seen people in the fan groups I'm a part of that seem to think the game is coming out within the next two years. Mark my words, it'll be at least another 5 years before we actually get the game.

I also have something I want to get off my chest. I've had a couple of people actually tell me that they were planning to skip certain chapters. Like I had someone tell me that they skipped over the Lost Fable section, and some people told me that they weren't going to read the stuff coming up. I just want to say that telling me you aren't going to read a chapter is actually kind of rude. I work hard on these chapters, I don't think certain people realize how insulting it is to be told that the chapter I worked so hard for is going to be skipped over. You can skip a chapter if you want to, but it's rude to tell me that you're going to.

Sorry. Just needed to get that off my chest.

Anyway, onwards!

Chapter 123

Ruby sat up from her perch on the staircase to check on how the others were doing. Her teammates were all huddled around the fire, Weiss leaning her head on Yang's shoulder, evidently having finally taken the blonde up on her offer the snuggle and share her elevated body heat. Riku, Tifa, and Miss Calavera were sitting on a sofa, with the older woman quietly reading a book. Ruby noticed that the color seemed to be returning to Riku's face. It looked like going out to get some fresh air with Uncle Qrow had done some good for the boy. She also noticed Oscar pacing impatiently back and forth. She left the living room and walked towards her uncle, who was watching out the window with his feet propped up on the dresser keeping the door closed.

"Storm's cleared up for now," he said. "We should be able to leave by morning."

"That's good," Ruby said.

"No… I don't have a good feeling about this place, especially with me around…"

Ruby look down at the floor and noticed that there was a wine bottle next to his chair, with his hand hovering near it. "Are you…okay?"

He scoffed. "Sure. Tell everyone to get some sleep. I'll wake you guys up just before sunrise."

Ruby spared one last worried glance at the bottle before turning around and heading back into the living room.

"It's a diary?" Oscar asked as Maria sat in her chair reading a book labeled III.

"The head of this household, Bartleby," Maria explained. "Apparently, he and several other families founded this little settlement to try and live on their own. It sounds like it worked, at least for a spell."

"Grimm?" Oscar asked.

"Just one of many hardships. Slowed down their farming, made everything harder… It's a shame, really. He seemed like quite the ambitious fellow, always thinking of new schemes to overcome the odds."

"I wonder what went wrong," Tifa said. "Clearly whatever they tried stopped working eventually."

"The diary will probably say something about it eventually," Riku said.

"Hey guys," Ruby said, walking back into the room. "Uncle Qrow said we should get some sleep. We're gonna head out early tomorrow."

"Thank goodness," Blake said.

"Hmph, the last thing you'll catch me doing is letting some kid tell me what to do. 'Go to bed!'" Maria said with a mocking tone, before scoffing and continuing to read the diary. Ruby and Oscar looked and each other, and shrugged.

Qrow looked around in confusion, finding himself floating in the air in what appeared to be a child's bedroom. The first thing he noticed was the loud, indecipherable yelling coming from downstairs. It sounded a lot like two people having a fierce argument, if not a full-blown fight.

Taking a look around, he noticed a little blue-haired girl sitting on the floor in the corner, holding her ears tightly to try and drown out the yelling. The jumbled yelling increased in volume, and there was suddenly a loud crashing sound that made the girl jump. After a few seconds of silence, the girl started to silently cry to herself.

Qrow floated down towards the girl, and tried to reach out his hand to comfort her, but he passed right through her.

"Aqua…" he said sadly. The door slowly started to open, drawing both his and Aqua's attention to her mother entering the room. Qrow noticed a bruise around the woman's eye, and growled angrily, looking at the bedroom door.

He was starting to wonder if it was a good thing that Aqua couldn't remember her parents if this was what her home life was like.

Aqua looked up at her mother, and ran into her arms.

"Oh, honey," her mother said. "I'm sorry you had to hear that."

"W-Why does Daddy do that?" Aqua asked.

"Your father…has some problems," her mother said. "He acts out sometimes."

"Don't make excuses for him," Qrow said, floating down next to them.

"I don't like him," Aqua said.

"I know," her mother said, hugging her tightly. "I know." After a few seconds, Aqua's mother picked her up and carried her to the bed. She sat Aqua next to her, and picked up a hairbrush. She positioned herself behind Aqua, and started brushing her hair. Qrow watched the tension start to leave her face. "I'll always protect you."

"I love you," Aqua said.

"I love you too, sweetie."

A sound suddenly startled Ruby awake, making her sit upright where she had been sitting. She looked around, seeing the others still sleeping, except for Miss Calavera, who was still reading the diary in the corner. Ruby rubbed her eyes and got up, walking up to the window and throwing open the curtains.

Sunlight suddenly flooded the room, despite the fact that her Uncle said he wasa going to wake them up before sunrise.

"Close the window!" Weiss mumbled angrily, half-asleep. Ruby narrowed her eyes and walked into the entranceway, seeing her uncle asleep in the chair with three empty bottles on the floor next to him. She picked one up before walking over to him and shaking his shoulder.

"Uncle Qrow," she said. "Come on, get up."

"Leave me alone…" he grumbled.

"We overslept," Ruby said. Instead of answering, he shoved Ruby away. She looked down at the bottle on her hand, and angrily threw it at the wall. Her uncle shot awake at the sound of the glass shattering.

"What?" he asked. He took a look around, noticing Ruby standing there, looked at the broken glass on the floor, and then had to shield his eyes from the sunlight. "Oh, right. Sunrise."

Ruby let out a deep breath, and hugged her uncle. "You know, you can talk to me about stuff. Yang too."

"Let's just get out of here," he mumbled, getting up from his seat.

"There," Weiss said after using fire Dust from her sword to weld a hitch to the back of Bumblebee.

"Can we just go back to bed?" Oscar asked, sitting on the front steps of the house next to Blake.

"Did you not sleep well?" Blake asked.

"I don't know," Oscar said. "I just still feel really tired."

"Me too," Yang said.

Ruby and Qrow approached the group, pushing the flatbed into position behind the bike. "You guys got the bike ready?" Ruby asked. Instead of answering, Yang just half-heartedly gestured to Bumblebee.

"Well, it's done now," Qrow said, resting his foot on the side of the flatbed. "So let's hook this thing up and—" he was interrupted when a tire on the trailer suddenly deflated. He groaned in frustration, and then bent down to check on the tire.

"You people are just beacons for bad luck, aren't you?" Maria asked. Qrow wordlessly stood up, walked over to a nearby fence, and sat down with his arms crossed.

"I'm starting to think the universe just doesn't want us getting to Atlas," Yang said.

"It's just a flat tire," Ruby said. "I'm sure there's a spare."

"It's not just that, it's everything. Storms, crashes, monsters…" she sighed. "I'm so tired."

"Me too," Weiss said. "I'm starting to get sick of the life-and-death struggles."

"Yeah," Ruby said. "But that's what we signed up for."

"We signed up to try and save the word, not just… delay the inevitable," Oscar said.

"Last night, I…" Weiss said. "I couldn't stop thinking. Why are we even going to Atlas?"

"Weiss, we have to," Ruby said.

"Why?" Yang asked. "Ozpin hid the Relics behind giant doors under enormous schools, but… how long would it take Salem to find a Lamp in the middle of nowhere?"

"What? The Grimm might—"

"They'd find it eventually, sure, but bury it or just throw it down the well, it would take years. It might not even happen in our lifetime. But we could be done with it now."

"So that's it, then?" Tifa asked. "Just give up right now? After everything that's happened, just toss the Lamp down the well and go home?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Yang said.

"I can't let that happen," Riku said, walking up to Yang. "Look, I understand that you want to get rid of this, but we don't have the luxury of just going home and stopping. We might not know how to deal with Salem now, but if we quit, then she wins anyway."

"And?" Yang asked. "Do you have any bright ideas, mister Keyblade Master?"

"…No," Riku said. "But just because it seems impossible now doesn't mean it is. Sora and I have faced tough odds before. Besides, you heard what the Master told Ozpin. When all of those Relics are gathered, the Keyhole will be summoned. I need it to get back to the Realm of Light."

"Well, you might as well just give up on it!" Yang yelled. "There's no point in gathering up the Relics if Salem can't be killed. This isn't worth it anymore!"

"So you want me to just abandon everyone I care about just because you want to give up?!" Riku yelled. "You want me to let my home and the entire Realm of Light die because you don't have the guts to persevere?!"

"That is exactly what I'm saying," Yang said, shoving her way past Riku and walking towards Ruby. She held out her hand expectantly.

"Yang, you're not acting like yourself," Blake said.

"Shut up," Yang snapped. "Ruby, give me the lamp."

"W-Why?" Ruby asked.

"Because if you won't get rid of it, then I will."

"I…" Ruby said, sending a pleading look at her uncle. He didn't answer, just taking a swig from his flask instead. "I… I'm tired…" she said, holding the lamp absentmindedly.

"Yang…" Riku said in warning, but a black glyph suddenly appeared at his feet, holding him in place. At that moment, Yang snatched the Lamp out of Ruby's hand, and before anyone could react, she threw it down the well.

"No!" Ruby yelled, running up to the well and looking down it. "No, no, no!"

"Ruby, it's okay," Weiss said, releasing her glyph and letting Riku go, the boy slumping to his knees in defeat.

"No, it's not!" Ruby yelled.

"Look, it's done," Yang said. "Let's just go."

"What's wrong with you?!" Ruby yelled. We can't just leave, we have to go down there! We have to get the lamp back!"

"All we have to do is fix this trailer," Qrow said, finally deciding to chime in. "Hey, farm boy, check the shed for a spare."

"I'M NOT LEAVING WITHOUT THE LAMP!" Ruby screamed, surprising everyone.

Yang sighed. "Ruby, it doesn't matter—"

"Yes it does!" Ruby yelled. "I'm going down there to get whether you want to or not!"

"Why is this so important to you?" Yang asked. "That stupid thing has been nothing but trouble!"

"BECAUSE MOM DIED TRYING TO PROTECT IT!" Ruby yelled, her eyes starting to tear up. "The last she ever did was fight Raven and Cinder to try to stop Salem from getting her hands on the Lamp. You might think she died for nothing because Salem can't be killed, but if we leave the lamp behind when she died trying to protect it, then she really will have died for nothing!"

The others were stunned into silence at that, and Yang at least had the decency to look ashamed.

"Now, I'm going down there to get the lamp, and then we can go."

"I'll go with you," Blake said.

Weiss sighed. "We'll go down together."

"…Yeah…" Yang said.

"Fine!" Qrow said, standing up and walking towards the house. "Get the stupid Lamp. Oscar, fix the stupid tire."

"Where are you going?" Maria asked as Qrow walked past her to get back into the house.

"Where do you think?" he asked sarcastically, shaking his flask.

"Stupid…" Maria said, and she looked down to keep reading the diary.

Ruby and her team landed at the bottom of the well, and she was surprised to see it connected to a large underground water system. Ruby and Yang took their scrolls out of their pockets and used the flashlights to look around. They looked down at the ground for the Lamp, but it was gone.

"It should be right here," Ruby said.

"Maybe the current carried it away," Yang offered.

"I was afraid you were going to say that," Weiss said.

"It's just a dark tunnel," Blake said. "I'm sure it's safe."

"…If you say so," Weiss said.

They continued walking further into the tunnel system for several minutes, but saw no sign of the Relic.

"Oh, come on, where is it?" Ruby asked, her voice becoming more shaky.

"Maybe turn off your lights and look for the glow?" Blake suggested.

"Okay…" Ruby said nervously, before she and Yang turned off their flashlights and Ruby summoned Crescent Rose and the Master Keeper. They creeped forward, Ruby holding her weapons up defensively.

After a few minutes, Blake pointed out a faint glow from one of the tunnels ahead. Ruby sighed in relief and ran ahead to grab it. She turned the corner, saw the Lamp lying on the ground, and bent down to pick it up. "Guys, I—" she tried to say something, but when she looked up, her blood ran cold.

In front of her was a small horde of Grimm, thin and skeletal. Their movements were jerky, and they slowly turned to looked at her. She screamed, and ran out of the tunnel as fast as she could.

"Ruby?!" She heard Yang asked as she ran back towards her team. "What is it?" Ruby turned around and pointed Crescent Rose at the terrifying Grimm.

"Firaga!" she shouted, launching a fireball that took out several of the creatures.

"Simba!" Yang shouted, summoning her lion companion, but then one of the Grimm suddenly screamed. Simba disappeared, and Ruby felt her knees buckle, along with Yang and Weiss.

"Wh-What is this…?" Yang asked.

"What's wrong?" Blake asked, looking at the others.

"I feel so weak…" Weiss said.

"Dark Firaga!" Riku suddenly yelled, and a bright blue fireball flew past Ruby's head and took out several Grimm.

"Run!" Miss Calavera shouted as she, Riku, and Tifa ran up to the group. Tifa put her hands on Yang and Weiss's shoulders to guide them down the tunnel. Blake fired potshots at the Grimm while Riku helped steady Ruby and they all ran down the tunnel.

"Come on!" Riku yelled. They ran back towards the well, but saw more of those creatures appear. Another one of the Grimm screamed, and Ruby, Yang, Weiss, and Maria became unsteady on their feet. Tifa quickly kicked a support pillar, causing the roof in that passageway to collapse.

"This way!" Ruby yelled, sending the group down another path. After a minute, they eventually came out in what looked like a basement.

"Look, there's an exit!" Riku shouted, pointing at the stairs leading up.

Another scream from the Grimm brought Ruby to her knees. She heard others hit the ground around her. She saw Weiss collapse, and Maria and even Riku were struggling to stand.

"Yang!" Blake cried out. Ruby turned around…

…And saw Yang lying on the ground, completely motionless. Her eyes stared forward, unfocused, her pupils dilated. The Grimm were slowly advancing, surrounding her.

"YANG!" Ruby screamed. She felt intense pain behind her eyes, and a bright light suddenly flashed, vaporizing most of the horde that had made it into the room.

Yang's pupils returned to normal, and she suddenly sat up, flames erupting from her eyes.

"I've had it!" Yang screamed, launching a massive stream of fire from her hands. The fire engulfed the corridor in front of her, burning away scores of Grimm.

"Let's go!" Ruby yelled, grabbing Yang's shoulder and pulling her away towards the staircase. Riku stood at the bottom, and launched a fire ball up it, blowing open the cellar doors. The group ran up the stairs, coming out in a wine cellar.

"We're back in the house?" Blake asked. Ruby looked over and saw her uncle passed out at bar, his head resting on the counter. She quickly ran over to him and started shaking his shoulder.

"Uncle Qrow, get up!" She yelled.

"Hey! Get off me!" he said, slurring his words. "What are you doing here?"

"We're leaving, you idiot!" Miss Calavera shouted as she ran past him. "Come on!" The others kept moving to leave, except for Weiss and Riku, who stayed behind to make sure Ruby could move her Uncle.

Weiss looked back at the cellar door. "Not yet…"

"You have a plan?" Riku asked.

Instead of answering, Weiss started throwing bottles of alcohol at the floor near the cellar door, shattering them and spilling the alcohol everywhere.

"Hey…Hey!" Uncle Qrow yelled. "What are you doing?!"

"Good thinking!" Riku said, pointing his Keyblade at the floor. "Fire!" He launched a fireball at the cellar door, igniting the alcohol and creating a wall of fire for the incoming Grimm.

"Now we can leave!" Weiss said. Ruby and Weiss each grabbed one of Uncle Qrow's arms and started dragging him out of the room.

"Stop it!" He yelled. "Stop! What's wrong with you?! What's…"

He finally saw what they had been running from, as the forms of the Grimm tried to follow after them, only to be consumed by the flames. He said nothing else, his eyes wide in shock as he was dragged to safety.

The others ran out the front door and hopped onto the flatbed of the trailer, Ruby and Riku using their Keyblades to continue launching fireballs at the house.

"Go!" Weiss yelled to Yang once everyone was safely in the flatbed.

"FUCK THIS PLACE!" Yang screamed as she started the engine of the motorcycle and took off, sending the group away from the burning house.

Ruby hopped forward, landing on the seat behind Yang and wrapping her arms around her.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she said, hugging her sister tightly.

"Yeah…" Yang said. "Me, too."

"The Apathy," Maiss Calavera said after the group had gotten a comfortable distance from Brunswick Farms. "They're not strong or ferocious. They drain your will to go on. Bartleby's estate was hemorrhaging money towards the end. He wanted to cut costs on Huntsman protection, but in order to do that, he needed everyone calm… always."

Osar picked up the journal and started reading from it. "'Managed to get two away from their pack. Hike back was miserable, but got the bastards in the cellar. Wife thinks I was out sealing the waterway entrance. I'll do it tomorrow and tell her the truth once these things take the edge off of everyone. I'm tired.'"

"The next page proves that he did," Miss Calavera said. "But not before the rest of the pack followed their missing pair all the way home. My guess is they made their way beneath the estate the water tunnels that Bartleby sealed up the next morning. Bartleby's plane worked." She took the book from Oscar. "No one was angry or sad or scared. No one was anything. And then… no one was left."

"So, they just drained the entire town's energy until they just got in bed and waited until they starved?" Tifa asked.

Miss Calavera nodded. "I should have known. The signs were all there, but I'd never seen an entire settlement withered away like that. I suppose my mind just isn't what it used to be."

"…I want to go home…" Riku said. Yang looked down sadly, before she hit the brakes.

"…I'm sorry," Yang said. "I threw the stupid lamp down the well, but it really might be your only chance to go home. I forgot you weren't used to stuff like this."

"It's fine," Riku said. "You weren't yourself."

"And I'm sorry for what I said about giving up," Weiss said.

"Me too," Yang agreed. "We can't quit until the lamp is safe."

"It's not your fault," Blake said. "It was those… things."

"Speaking of," Ruby said. "Why didn't it affect you or Tifa? Or Riku?"

"I honestly don't know," Tifa said. "What about you?"

Blake shrugged.

"…I might have an idea about why they didn't affect me as much as the others," Riku said. "The Grimm are creatures of darkness, right? Well, I gave into the darkness once and got possessed by Xehanort."

"You did?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah. Long story. Anyway, because of that, I've been told that my heart has been up a kind of… tolerance to the influence of darkness. Maybe that has something to do with it. But, that doesn't explain why Tifa and Blake were totally fine."

"Weird," Ruby said.

"Actually, I've been meaning to ask," Riku said. "Ruby, what was that thing you did with your eyes? You vaporized all those Grimm."

"Oh, I—"

"Are your eyes silver?" Miss Calavera asked, surprising Ruby.

"Yeah," Ruby said. "You know about them?"

"Know about them?" Miss Calavera asked with a chuckle. "Girl, I used to have Silver Eyes!"

AN: So, that's the Apathy done and over with. God, I hate those things. They're probably the genuinely most terrifying Grimm they ever came up with. Hence why Riku is so shaken by it. I wanted to make things different by having Ruby basically only use her eyes once, since three people could still move. But to make her more desperate, she panicked when she saw Yang laying motionless. That actually means that in this story, she's only used her eyes twice, and it was in response to a family member being hurt. The first time was her seeing Aqua buried under rubble at Beacon, and the second time was just now with Yang.

So, we're finally off to Argus next chapter, and something very, very special. I can't wait!

I want to remind everyone that this story now has a Tv Tropes page!

As always, thank you very much for reading, and I'll see you all next time!