Chapter 5: Work Through the Pain
Back where they sat, it had been hours since they fell through, Jaune, Yang, Lie Ren, and Blake. All four of them had been given access to some food and a shower. Although in the room they were being isolated for now there was one person standing by the door with a white mask on their face. They looked at him as he stood guard though Yang being the bold one broke the silence, "So where are we?"
"Tython," the guard answered calmly not giving much more, "Surik will explain more." The guard added. Yang looked befuddled by this, her mind was troubled, Lie Ren noted this and added.
"Don't worry, I am sure Ruby is fine, Yang, she was probably knocked away by the blast," Ren stated, hoping for the best, as he seemed saddened by all that had occurred. Though the guard looked at the four teenagers sighed and stated.
"I know it isn't much coming from me, but let go of all that you fear to lose," the guard stated, his voice muted by his mask though his statement still struck true. Especially as another Jedi entered the room and began to speak to the guard.
"The council has decided their fate," he stated as the Temple guard looked back and nodded. As the four looked at the guard a little bit of fear glanced over them. Hoping they were not on trial for murder.
The day after the funeral put the team into the weekend and thusly free time well even more free time. Weiss was the first to be awake, troubled by the night prior's conversation or so she thought, though seeing Ruby sitting on the floor told her that she was not. Weiss looked down at Ruby, "Hey, what is going on?" Weiss asked as she sat up and looked down upon her.
"Pondering," Ruby answered coldly, her voice icy as she looked up at Weiss. "My mother told me, anger, rage and hatred were all things that could lead to darkness, but I feel those and, is it wrong to feel those emotions?" Ruby asked as Weiss could see Ruby's hands were balled tightly, and she looked sad, almost like another crack had formed in her worldview.
"It is natural, there was a reason why I hated the white fang, did I take it too far at times, yes but it is not wrong until you take it out on those who are undeserving," Weiss said recounting the lesson that Blake had taught her. "It isn't a good thing to dwell on though Ruby."
"I see…" Ruby said as she looked back at her partner. "In a way, it is comforting knowing that I have someone to bring to justice though, I have a goal," Ruby spoke, her voice muddled with pain. "I want to end the White Fang," Ruby chuckled in a way that was conducive to someone who was under extreme mental duress, especially as a smile curled on her lips. Her silver eyes were wide. Weiss had seen this sort of thing before, even pertaining to the White fang too. Seeing this on Ruby made Weiss concerned as she realized, She needed to get Ruby out of this room today. This made Weiss look to Ruby, and say.
"Hey, do you want to try to rebuild Crescent today?" Weiss asked though this got Ruby's head to snap up and she then smiled looking at her partner.
"I don't want a scythe anymore, I think I want to try a sword." This made Weiss look at Ruby, it was alien to hear her want to give up a Scythe. Though wanting to be a good partner and helpful sighed and then stated.
"Okay, no matter what, I will support your choices," Weiss decided to try to capitalize on this to take Ruby's mind off the pain. So she continued with, "You want to go and try some swords?"
"Sure… Wait, you want to come with me to look at weapons?" Ruby said recognizing that Weiss was offering to go looking at weapons. Ruby was flat-out shocked that Weiss was giving her the time of day for this. It honestly made the girl happy to hear. She shot up and wanted to grab Weiss and just pull her out of the room and go to the school armory.
"Yes, let's get ready then," Weiss stated as she quickly scratched out a note to leave for the team as they got ready. The early morning was calm, slightly cold but not too harsh, especially as the morning dew coated the grass as they walked out of the dorm building. Ruby smiled lightly as they went to the school armory. It was across the Campus of beacon but it was an enjoyable walk as Ruby said.
"Yang always told me to stay away from here, that I would lose my mind," Ruby stated, her excitement tempered by the grief she felt for the death of her sister. She sighed and then asked, "Can you help me pick out a sword, Weiss?" Ruby asked as they got to the Armory.
"Sure thing, I think you should go for a slicing blade, not a piercing blade like mine," Weiss stated as they walked in and saw it was a small shop. The look inside told them it was more for maintenance than purchasing, though a person was manning the till, though they looked half asleep. Immediately Weiss looked for the swords before Ruby decided a Hammer or a lance would be a good option. Much to her surprise, Ruby followed closely. They saw the racks of swords, that they offered, a few rapiers, a few weird swords, like a Kopesh and Zweihander, something that made Ruby chuckle, reminded her of her dog. Though what caught the attention of Weiss was a Mistralan made Katana with a red scabbard. She picked it up and handed it to Ruby, who looked it over. It was weird, as Ruby wasn't really looking. What Weiss expected to take an hour, only took roughly five minutes as Ruby took the Katana up to the counter.
"Alright Student ID and form of Payment?" the Cashier said slightly startled from nodding off and being awoken by Ruby putting the Katana on the counter. Ruby quickly pulled out her student ID and Weiss pulled out a card before Ruby could even pull out the Card her dad gave her for emergencies.
"No, Ruby this is on me," Weiss smiled as Ruby looked confused by Weiss's wanting to replace Ruby's Scythe.
"No, it Ain't," The cashier spoke after scanning Ruby's Student ID, "Ozpin Comped it,"
"Pardon?" Weiss inquired shocked by the fact no payment was required.
"Well this is hers, also, I'm sorry for your losses." The cashier stated as he handed the new weapon to Ruby, as Weiss nodded and they left with a thank you. Stepping outside Ruby immediately drew the sword and got to work with her stance and started slicing the morning air. By mid-day, she was in the gym slicing at dummies and mats. Her form was good, as was her semblance. Her edge alignment was on point, mats were getting shredded as Weiss watched. She smiled as she saw Ruby work. Ruby was in there for a few hours, slicing mats. She was smiling, not with joy though. It was a smile Weiss knew all too well, it was a smile of malice, of hatred. Weiss sighed as she watched Ruby train, she was working out the anger and aggression. After a while, Ruby broke, she fell down and dropped the Katana. This got Weiss to lunge up and go check on Ruby who had started pulling in the air hard.
"What happened?" Weiss asked as she held Ruby, she could feel the ache in her chest.
"I just pushed myself too hard, imagining these were white fang." She said, her sentence broken by huffing and puffing. "Though if I - No, We are going to take them down, we are going to be our best," Ruby said as Weiss told her to rest for today. Ruby, only pushed herself harder, she focused, she started to study, and she started to learn. I must be the best, none of my friends will die again! She declared internally as her return to schooling had her coming to school prepared.
Weiss was shocked by how Ruby started to take things seriously, so she offered to help her, which Ruby took up. The partners of RW quickly became a common sight as they were cooperating on everything that they could together. Though after a few weeks it seemed that both were enjoying each other's company and amongst the team of PRWN it became notable. Especially to Pyrrha, who took time around lunch to pull Weiss aside.
"Yes Pyrrha," Weiss said, confused by the abruptness of this meeting. Though Pyrrha's green eyes locked with the icy eyes with slivers of silver frozen into them. Her tone was somber in her response.
"Weiss, be honest, do you have feelings for Ruby?" Pyrrha inquired, it seemed like she legitimately cared for her friend. Though Weiss was seemingly stunned by this inquiry, even recoiling slightly.
"What does it matter?" Weiss responded with another question. Though Pyrrha put a hand on Weiss's shoulder. Her eyes closed as a tear rolled down her cheek. Though Pyrrha quickly looked back up as she then said.
"Confess it to her, don't let it sit as I did with Jaune," Pyrrha said as she looked to Weiss. The white-haired heiress sighed. She thanked Pyrrha and started to plan, under the advice of Pyrrha. So Weiss had called Ruby aside to talk to her late that same night. After being back in class for a few weeks things were starting to calm down.
Ruby was off-put by this sudden request, especially considering how nervous Weiss was when asking it of her. They left the training center at nine o'clock at night, early for ruby by this point. Though in all honesty, Ruby wanted to talk about something with Weiss as well Walking through the cold air, Weiss led Ruby to the dock that overlooked the city of Vale. Minus the few Atlesian Soldiers patrolling as their fleet hovered above the city along with The Amity Colosseum. Looking out towards the city Weiss smiled and spoke, "The White Fang is out there somewhere, and so is that bastard Adam Taurus," Weiss used a name that everyone in the team said with enough venom to kill an Ursa.
To which Ruby replied quite quickly with a harsh tone and gave her response. "We will crush them!" Her voice was quick, sharp, almost instinctual. It was an alien feeling response as it was filled with malice. Something Weiss never thought Ruby was capable of.
"I have no doubt about that," Weiss chuckled pleasantly, in a way that made her partner feel uncomfortable, "though that isn't what I wanted to talk about, Ruby," Weiss said turning around to face Ruby, fidgeting with her hands nervously, Ruby noted that immediately as there was very little to make her friend nervous like this.
"Then what did you want to talk about?" Ruby asked quite curious of what could have Weiss so nervous, "If your bastard of a fathe-"
"No. No. No. It's about us, Ruby, I am quite pleased with your grades, I'm sorry, I did look, and you are doing great with that Katana," Weiss stated rather weirdly as her face turned red, "at first I was denying how I felt but Ruby, I don't know you're going to take this, but I have feelings towards you, I thought you would like to know," Weiss said emptying her lungs, part of her felt awful about this due to Ruby still coping with grief, of loss. She tried to sound proper, but her nerves just got worse with each word. Ruby looked at her wide-eyed, which made Weiss's heart sink. Though Ruby's brain was in overload, Weiss, had feelings for her. Over the course of the few seconds, Ruby tried to respond, but Weiss sunk even further down into sadness, fearing rejection. Though, before she could fall to her knees Ruby's arms explode forth from under her black cloak and embraced Weiss.
"Well I have them too, and I thought you didn't," Ruby said finally getting the words out, "I thought you were into that idiot Neptune?" Ruby asked quite curious about what happened with that?
"He's a non-issue now," Weiss said sounding truly happy, as she embraced Ruby back, tears leaking from her eyes as they looked happily at each other.
"You know how you told me you wanted to be the best partner for me?" Ruby smiled as she looked at her newly minted girlfriend.
"Yes?" Weiss asked wondering why Ruby would be bringing that back. She looked confused as she realized a reason
"You are," Ruby stated then looks at Weiss and stated, "May the force be with us," Weiss said hoping Ruby would recognize it as Qrow told her that is what Ruby's Mother used to say a lot. Needless to say Ruby just kept hugging her. Smiling for the first time
With the deal sealed, that night had changed everything for the dynamic of the team. Pyrrha and Nora were happy for the newly minted couple, as it seemed to help them move past the 'incident.' Though another thing that had been occurring more and more frequently was the Visions they had been getting they had been lasting longer and showing them more, but they were always cloaked and they had energy blades, something Ruby felt was familiar though she couldn't remember it.
Falling, spinning, ripping through what felt like air but flowed like water. Ruby looked out into the void. it was a vortex of swirling energy, hues of reds purples, and oranges swirling around her. She felt a scalding pain on her body as she fell through it. She tried to scream but the roar of the vortex engulfed all sound that escaped her lips. Looking in front of her she saw Weiss, her face contorted with pain. They tried reaching out to one another. though the vortex ripped them apart. Ruby could feel the tears welling in her eyes as this happened, that's when the dream ended and she fell back to blackness.
It now had been quite a few months since the incident at the mine and Ruby woke up in a cold sweat again, "the same dream again, damn!" she hissed under her breath looking up at the ceiling seeing the way the light shifted into the room as she looked down at the mirror in the room and a noticeable speck of ice blue formed in her eye. As Glynda said, it was something that had come to full fruition a few days after the funeral. Brushing her slicked hair aside she laid and stretched her sore and tense muscles. She had been going overboard practicing with her Katana. She, unfortunately, had forgotten to thank Ozpin but she was too focused as she had been practicing with Weiss as of late. Training with Weiss was proven to be a godsend for Ruby to learn the proper techniques of using a sword.
While training they also took Glynda's advice on mastering the other's semblance, Weiss quickly mastered speed, while Ruby became proficient in the Schnee Glyphs. One of the major differences was Ruby's glyphs appeared floral instead of the snowflake of Weiss's glyphs. Flicking her finger Ruby opened a small glyph and flicked it to make it go away, something Ruby did now for fun as the Glyphs made for neat party tricks. Though, She like Weiss was struggling with the summoning element, though it was something she looked forward to mastering, with Weiss.
It was after that when Ruby smelled the air she noted the smell of tea, a key sign Weiss was up. Ruby still couldn't believe what Weiss told her a month and a half ago. She was still over the moon with her partner, well now girlfriend. Figuring it was time to get up as today was a big day, Ruby groaned as she sat up in her death trap of bed. She saw Weiss sitting at the table they had set up with a dim reading light on it. Ruby took a glance at the damned digital device that told the team it was time to get up, she saw it was only four in the morning. Groaning again, she flopped back onto her bed, which lightly thudded against the wall from her motion.
"Ruby? You up too?" Weiss asked quietly being careful not to disturb the other still sleeping teammates. As she set down the papers she was reading and slid them back into the manila folder they came in.
"Yeah another nightmare," Ruby responded, deciding it was time to get up, she rolled to the edge of the bunk. once at the edge of the bed she quietly hopped down from the bunk and walked over to Weiss at the table and quietly took a seat.
"Same, Same one?" Weiss asked, tired of these recurring dreams and visions their entire team had been having. Taking the teapot Weiss poured a cup for her partner, who less than graciously gulped it down before replying.
"Yeah," Ruby Replied bluntly as she set the cup down with a muted clack, "I think we just couldn't stand losing each other," Ruby chuckled as she reclined back in the chair. "I mean first that merged aura thing, now our dreams let's face it, I think that is fate saying you aren't getting rid of me, especially with your hair like that," Ruby teased Weiss with a big playful smile. As she looked at Weiss who dyed her hair as to have a blue color halfway up.
"Thank's, and I Wouldn't try to," Weiss said calmly as only a few months ago she would have never said anything like this, though times had changed for her. She was quite happy with her relationship with Ruby now that it was more or less in the open. Also, she kind of liked the feeling of rebelling against her father's ideals, and her hair was part of that.
"Good cause I wouldn't either," Ruby said in a very amorous way with that ever-present smile. Though she remembered the fun fact of today pertaining to her partner, "Happy Birthday by the way!"
"Thank you, Ruby, Happy birthday to you too" Weiss replied with a faint smile, as the team agreed to celebrate Ruby's late birthday on the same day as Weiss's birthday though Weiss tapped her finger on the file on the table, she switched topics to the file on the table, "Also, Ruby, I did some digging and I think I may know why that mine was so hidden,"
"Why is that?" Ruby inquired, quite curious about what Weiss could have dug up.
"Distortion Dust," Weiss said bluntly, continuing to her explanation quickly and quietly, "it was unique to that mine, and it has a potential to distort Space, time, matter, even DNA to an extent though that's all theory."
"Now that's a scary form of dust and you think the White Fang could have a stock of it?" Ruby her voice concerned as she leaned in listening intensely.
"By this point, I wouldn't doubt it, and the best bit is if it detonates, it literally can remove something from existence," Weiss said alluding to the 'Incident.' Ruby was shocked by the fact such a form of dust even existed. she quickly caught on to the allusion and responded.
"Like Yang and the others," Ruby replied with a light gasp as she thought of the potential of such dust.
"Correct" Weiss smiled. Recently Weiss had come to really appreciate Ruby's growing intellect and adherence to study. It was even to the point where she was getting A's in her classes and delving into her studies. To Weiss this change would always seem alien, and out of place. Though as the Heiress looked up at Ruby something changed while she looked at her it was there and it flashed away.
It was another vision, though it was clearer than all those prior. What she saw looked like Ruby but much taller and meaner looking her face was scorched on her right side and her eyes were glowing a golden hue, but something looked beautiful about her. She had the body of an adult as well. Despite these daunting changes Ruby still looked very appealing to Weiss.
Little known to her, Ruby just saw a similar occurrence Weiss looked like a Dark woman with a burn on the left side of her neck three more scars under her left ice blue eye, and a scarab-like mark on her forehead. Her hair was shortened and there was an eyepatch on her left eye. though Ruby liked the look of the slight glimpse she got, though the sudden shift did still startle her, slightly.
"Well, that was interesting," Ruby spoke louder than she meant to.
"You saw that too?" Weiss asked concerned over what she had just seen. That was something that they didn't know about these visions, or hallucinations, as if they were predictions of a future, 'the future,' or pure grief-induced nonsense.
"So we saw a change in each other at the same time as the other?" Ruby asked, confirming the most recent vision with Weiss. When they occurred and others bore witness they tried to corroborate their side of things.
"I think so, you looked intimidating," Weiss said truthfully responding with a bit of shock, though there was an undertone that she was not scared, quite the opposite as someone with that kind of look, was a warrior, though the change in eye color confused the heiress.
"You looked pretty good to me," Ruby smirked, standing up and walking over to Weiss with a flirtatious look on her face.
"Knowing your new tastes, that doesn't bode well," Weiss chuckled at Ruby's new tastes of usually darker looks. Not that she minded Ruby's tastes, she just found them hard to pull off, as Ruby could. Though she found her new hair dye making that easier to pull off.
"So what did I look like?" Ruby asked curiously. She wanted to know what her partner saw of her.
"In a few words; tall, dark, and imposing," Weiss explained calmly recalling the vision.
"Tall! how tall?" Ruby inquired, leaning onto the table with intense curiosity and interest in what she could look like. Hearing tall though made her incredibly happy, as she wanted to be tall, like her sister.
"Taller than Yang tall," Weiss responds bluntly, shocked Ruby's genetics would allow for such growth in height, especially at her age.
"Oh Yes! that's good to hear," Ruby cheered, shocked she won't be short forever glad all that milk would eventually pay off. Though this cheer did seem enough to wake up another one of their teammates
"What are you two love birds up to?" Nora groaned as she raised from bed, "More weird dreams?" she inquired with a yawn.
"Yes," they both responded simultaneously, one of the odder things the PN part of the team still found creepy about their aura merge. they seemed to be in sync more than not by this point.
"What are they about? They aren't about sloths, I hope," Nora inquired curiously with some silliness and chuckling involved as she hopped out of her bed. Sadly after Ren's death, her obsession with sloths only grew, PRW thought it was old but let her keep it as it was something that was helping Nora's mental state.
"We both see the other being dragged away from us in some spiraling vortex, and no sloth involvement," Ruby explained with a few exaggerated hand gestures, while also dismissing the silliness of the hammer user.
"That's weird, any ideas?" Nora inquired about the meaning of the dreams.
"None," they both responded at the same time, again.
"Well I think we should get ready for today, Ruby" Weiss suggested with a bit of a smirk as she stood up and stretched. Well, today we can relax and have a good time, Weiss thought as she worked out the kinks in her muscles, as Ruby started to brush her teeth and get dressed, while Nora roused Pyrrha. Weiss smiled as she had quite a few strings pulled to get some interesting gifts for Ruby. The girls had themselves fully dressed by five-thirty in the morning and were ready to go out though they got breakfast and waited till the Airships arrived before fully heading out.
Returning to the dreary skies and crackling rain, the dark figure kept ruminating on what he had heard and the next vers went, "Despite these fates, They proceed together as friends and lovers, capable of knowing the pains of the other." This line gave him an answer to how such a bond formed. Love such a thing can push even the purest heroes or the most devious villains to do evil or good to protect their loved ones. This was a pain the dark figure knew well.
A/N: Wanted to show Ruby working through her grief a bit more and also taking up the sword.
