Yea so sorry for the bit of delay. I am trying to give myself Friday nights or the weekend to update. Oddly enough too I sort of sidetracked myself by writing a chapter that won't appear until a bit later in the story:
My brain was like 'Hey I want this to happen! Let's work on it!'
I was like 'Ok, but how about we write this part first and build up to it?'
My brain was like 'Ok makes sense.' that lasted for all of maybe thirty minutes before it was like 'Ok I want this now! Let's write this now! Quickly let's go, let's go, let's go!'
That is how it played out for maybe more than a day. Never the less I do have an outline going, and for the most part that chapter my brain decided to hijack from me will not appear until later. Since I do have tomorrow off and, if I am able to swing it (depends how much studying I can get motivated to do), I will perhaps update tomorrow as well.
Also I want to say thank you all for the support. I never imagined getting this many reviews or alerts for this story. It hasn't happened to me in quite some time. So thank you all again!
New Divide
Please forgive me for the sorrow, for leaving you in fear.
For the dreams we had to silence, that's all they'll ever be. Still I'll be the hand that serves you, though you'll not see that it is me.
So many dreams were broken and so much was sacrificed.
Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind? So many years have passed; who are the noble and the wise? Will all our sins be justified?
Within Temptation 'Hand of Sorrow'
It was pushing two in the morning by the time Qrow had made his decision to finally settle and call Ozpin to give his report. As he finished up there was a moment of brief silence before it was broken, "So you found them." Qrow sighed into his drink as he heard Tai's voice on his scroll. He did not like the brokenness in his friend's voice; despite the underlying sense of relief.
It had been hard on him when he heard that Ruby had seemingly vanished from Beacon, but that was elevated by Yang's disappearance not even twenty-four hours later along with six other teenagers, "Yes." Qrow responded.
"How's my sister?" He now heard Winter's voice. In all the years he had known the Atlas Military Specialist, he had never heard a soft tone from her mouth; especially when talking to him. In fact he had never seen her so livid when she heard the news that her younger sister went off with her team to go find Ruby themselves; but just like when Tai had gotten the initial news, he knew it had come from a place of worry.
Qrow sighed and took another sip of his drink and rubbed his face while looking up at the ceiling in the bar he was at. He thanked whatever gods were out there that this bar was fairly close to the teens that he had left in the woods. His mission was to find them and assess the situation, and that is what he had done, "She is alright, or about as alright as she can be."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" both Tai and Winter asked at the same time. Tai worried for all their sakes (mainly Yang and Ruby) and Winter worrying about Weiss.
"It means that for being on their own for two months in the wilderness fighting Grimm that they were in no way prepared to face, they are holding their own just fine." Qrow answered in his typical drawl.
"But Ms. Rose was with them." This time the voice was Ozpin. Qrow wondered if he was there having been quiet while Qrow gave his report; he left out some of the information that he had overheard, but he gave them the gist of what he observed.
Qrow nodded and responded, "Yes she was with them." He hesitated for a moment.
"What are you not telling us?" Ironwood's hard suspicion tone came on now.
"Ruby wants to find Raven." He knew that he had to reveal this part, but then lied through his teeth, "What for? I do not know."
Silence greeted him now. They had known something was wrong when Ironwood recovered the mostly damage security footage of Mountain Glenn. What was salvageable, they saw that it was Ruby that had gone in, the explosion, and then Ruby leaving the area and not even five minutes later a woman with pink, white, and brown hair crawling out of the debris before disappearing and the footage going permanently dark. They had tried to trace the call that they had received that had led them to that area, but that lead had amounted to nothing. However what Qrow did not voice is that he had a strong suspicion it was Ruby that made that call to them just after that explosion. What she had been initially planning in that moment though was lost to him…until now.
He heard Tai sigh, "Well send us their coordinates and we will go and bring them home while you find Raven."
Qrow bit his lip as he thought about what he heard from Ruby. His niece knew things that she shouldn't…in fact things he hadn't even known and shared it with the rest of the kids. What troubled him the most was that clearly Ruby didn't think she could trust Ozpin at the moment, and he didn't need his bird instincts (or his years of hunter experience) to know there was something wrong right now.
"Qrow? Still there?" Ozpin's voice came through.
"I am here." He said slowly and took his finger and ran it around the glass he was drinking, "But I am going to wait this one out."
"WHAT?!" Thundered Tai and Winter.
"Those are my daughters." Tai growled out.
"That is my sister." Winter retaliated.
"They are children." Ironwood stated.
"Why?" Ozpin asked, his tone not showing his feelings.
Qrow sighed, "I know Ruby, and she wouldn't have done what she did without a good reason. We bring her…them back, there is no telling that she or they will pull this stunt again."
"They are children." Winter stated her tone icy and he could create the mental picture that she wants to impale him on her saber.
"Teenagers." He corrected.
"Semantics." Winter scoffed, but then her tone turned deadly, "I want my sister back Qrow."
"We all want them back." Ozpin stated more so talking to Tai, Winter, and Ironwood. There is a pause and he relents, "However Qrow is correct in his assumption."
There is silence and Qrow could sense the weight that Ozpin has on his shoulders, "Do you know what they are planning right now?"
Once again Qrow lied, "No. I didn't get that part. I just know that Ruby mentioned trying to find Raven."
"Do you know where she is?" Tai nearly growled out in disgust and he couldn't tell if it was because of Raven or the general situation, "Or have an idea why?"
"I do not." Qrow said feeling nearly sick with himself, "But I think I can find her."
Ozpin speaks now, his tone leaving no more room for argument, "Ok then here is the plan. We will keep protecting the Fall maiden here. You find Raven and then keep an eye on them."
Once again silence was created, "Fine." Winter said eventually, "But Qrow;" he listened and once again his body impaled on her saber came to mind, "anything happens to my sister, I will not hesitate to kill you. Slowly and painfully. Understood?"
"Yes." He said for once no attitude directed towards her.
"Same goes for me. Two of those kids are your nieces, my daughters." Tai's voice came now, the same deadliness in his tone, "Anything happens, it'll be on your head." There was a slamming of a door that was heard.
He heard Ironwood sigh, "I will try and keep you posted on things at my end as well for anything in your general area…whatever the hell it is you are at." Door closed once more.
Qrow purposefully left out where he was, in fact he went so far as to turn the tracking signal off his scroll so that there was not a chance of anyone finding him (both ally and enemy), "You still there Oz?"
"I am." Ozpin said slowly, "What else is there that you didn't want to say in front of the others?"
Qrow looked at the amber liquid in his glass and asked, "You've been straight with us right?"
It was Ozpin's turn to hesitate a moment, "What are you asking?"
"I mean you have leveled with us throughout this whole thing; like one hundred percent?" Qrow asked lifting his glass waiting for a response as he drained it. He motioned to the bartender for a refill. He heard movement and assumed Ozpin had either gotten up or sat down. He waited patiently for the response, almost hoping that whatever Ruby was wary of was misguided, "Oz?"
"Why are you asking me this?" Ozpin asked, not the answer or response Qrow was hoping for.
"No reason. I'll call when I have something worth reporting." With that he disconnected the call.
"Rough night?" the bartender asked refilling his glass. Normally he would have dismissed his guest, but the man had be paying nicely and quiet honestly he was having his own issues and didn't feel like being home.
Qrow laughed humorlessly and did a mini-toast to the man, "It's not over yet. In fact it's just getting started my friend." The bartender was about to take the bottle away, but Qrow waved him off, "Just leave it." The bartender shrugged and walked away. Qrow sighs once more and looks up at the ceiling when the odd sense of someone watching him comes to him.
It is then that he sees there is a window on the balcony seating area and a bird, a raven, flies in unnoticed by anyone and shifts into a familiar woman. She motions to him and he sighs.
"Mind if I takes these up there?" He asks the bartender.
The man turns and sees the woman and chuckles, giving him an extra glass. Clearly he thinks that she has been there the whole time, "Sure pal. Take one for your lady friend."
Qrow just smirks and makes his way up with the extra glass, "Yeah, friend." He mutters darkly.
Raven Branwen waits for him at one of the tables, her mask atop it, "Hello, brother." She greets as she accepts the glass from him and watches as he pours her a drink.
"Raven." He returns in kind as he pulls the chair that's beside her and drags it to a position across from her instead. With his hand on the back of the chair, he simply looks at her expectantly. Raven rolls her eyes and moves her mask to the side. Qrow sits down, "So you just saved me a lot of trouble of finding you."
"Glad I could help; but it was actually me that was looking for you." She answers and takes a sip of her drink.
"And what? You just happened to be the area?" Qrow drawls out leaning back, and eyes her critically.
Raven looks at him and asks, "Something like that. I saw you and I figured I'd catch up with my sweet brother."
"Cut the crap. Did you know that Yang ran away from Beacon to go after Ruby? Or better yet that Ruby is somehow looking for you?"
Raven leans forward holding her glass in both her hands, "I heard rumors yes, but if you really want to cut to the chase, then I will tell you that she knows."
Qrow's eyes widen allowing her words to sink in, "What?"
"The relics, she knows that they are looking for them." Raven looks away from him.
"How?" Qrow breathes out. He looks at her and slowly the pieces come into place, "Wait you were there? You heard-"
"I knew you were there as well. That is why I gave you a bit of time to tell that bastard." She motions to his pocket where is scroll is currently resting.
"Raven-"
"Do not look at me like that. You're the one who left. The tribe raised us, and you turned your back on them." She nearly yelled, but kept her voice low and deliberate.
Qrow shook his head, "They were killers and thieves. That is not the point-"
Raven looked at him disgusted, "They were your family and it is the point."
"You have a real skewed perception of that word." He retorted, "What about Yang? If you were there then you know everything they were up against or rather are up against. You told her what Ruby explained to them!" He slams his hand on the table, and growled out, "You betrayed us!"
Raven stands up, upset, "I lead our people now; and as leader, I will do everything in my power to ensure our survival." She turns away from him, "Also not really, just like you lied to Ozpin a little while ago I told a white lie to her too. So really you should be thanking me for buying you some time."
She now looks at him and warns, "Ozpin will fail. There is no way around this. If you want to still do the right thing, you will abandon this nonsense like I did."
Qrow looks at her and processes her words slowly. He glares at her and throws her words back in her face, "If you want to still do the right thing, you will join us. The only way we'd beat her is by working together. All of us."
Raven scoffs, "The weak die, the strong live. Those are the rules."
He shakes his head and looks up at the ceiling before looking at her critically, "Well, you've certainly got someone strong on your side. I've seen the damage."
Raven turns away, "We couldn't have known the Grimm would set in as quickly as they did."
"I'm not talking about the Grimm." Still not facing Qrow, Raven looks up, eyes widening slightly at his words, "And I'm not talking about you, either."
She shakes her head and recomposes herself, tone crisp and harsh, "You and I know where the relic is now. I am gave you a chance…time…do not expect any more of my help. Tell Summer's brat what I just said. I am not helping neither of you."
As she reaches for her mask, Qrow quickly leans over and grabs onto the top of it, "Look just help with this one thing. I do not know where the Spring maiden is, and neither does Ruby. Ozpin doesn't even know that Ruby is looking for her; but if you know anything, I need you to tell me."
Raven scoffs and looks at him, "And why would I do that?" She pulls her mask out of Qrow's grasp.
Qrow looked at her in surprise, "Because without her, we're all going to die." He said in a tone that made this response seem obvious, "And if we die, there will be no tribe for you to protect. You are already playing a dangerous game as it is for both sides just to stay what? Neutral?"
A moment of tense silence passes between them as a nearby lantern dies out, "Just tell Summer's brat what I told you and stay out of my way."
Qrow grimaces as Raven walks away. He looks up at the sound of her sword getting unsheathed. He gives her a displeased look as she walks into her red portal and disappears. He shakes his head and drains his glass, and not one for letting liquor to go to waste, drains her barely touched glass as well. He debates about pouring another glass before taking the bottle and throwing his head back, the liquid burning his throat; after all he was paying for it either way, what did it really matter?
No one really slept well after Ruby's stories/explanations. Especially after her questions that she had asked of them. They had stayed up all night talking about it, pacing around and debating. The sun was just barely kissing the horizon when they sighed deeply and looked in the general direction Ruby had taken, "When I said I wanted to honor my family's name, I meant it. But, it's not what you think. I'm not stupid. I'm fully aware of what my father has done with the Schnee Dust Company. Since he took control, our business has operated in a... moral gray area." Weiss was saying when Pyrrha had once again asked her why she wanted to be a huntress.
"That's putting it lightly." Blake said arms crossed.
Weiss shot her a glare, "Which is why I feel the need to make things right. If I had taken a job in Atlas, it wouldn't have changed anything. My father was not the start of our name, and I refuse to let him be the end of it." This was said with conviction and no one really spoke. So Weiss turned the topic on to Blake, "Well what about you?"
Blake sighed and sat back down next to the nearly dead camp fire, "All my life, I fought for what I thought was right. I know I mentioned Adam and really did not give much context aside from my main part in the Fang, but he was my mentor, actually. He always assured me that what we were doing would make the world a better place." She looked wistful for a moment, but then frowned and looked away, "You could see how that turned out. His idea of a perfect future turned out to be not perfect for everyone. I joined the Academy because I knew that huntsmen and huntresses were regarded as the noblest warriors in the world. Always fighting for good. But I never really thought past that. When I leave the Academy, what will I…how can I undo so many years of hate?"
Yang sat down next to her and said softly, "I'm sure you'd figure it out. You're not one to back down from a challenge, Blake."
Blake laughed without much humor, "But I am! I do it all the time! When you learned I was a Faunus, I didn't know what to do, so I ran! When I realized my oldest partner had become a monster, I ran! Even my Semblance! I was born with the ability to leave behind a shadow of myself; an empty copy that takes the hit while I run away!"
Team JNPR didn't know how to respond to that, so they looked away reeling in their own thoughts. Yang shook her head and stood up, crossing her arms, "At least you two have something that drives you. I've just kind of always, gone with the flow, y'know?"
She looks away and shrugs, "And that's fine, I mean, that's who I am; but how long can I really do that for? I wanna be a huntress, not really because I want to be a hero, but because I want the adventure. I want a life where I won't know what tomorrow will bring; and that'll be a good thing. Being a huntress just happens to line up with that."
"It does beat sitting in an office any day." Nora commented lightly agreeing with Yang's perception.
Yang chuckled as did everyone else, glad for some light heartedness in what was essentially a heavy conversation. After the brief moment, Yang sobered up quickly though and looked towards the tree where she knew her sister was in keeping watch, "I'm not like Ruby, she's always wanted to be a huntress. Ever since she was a kid, she'd dreamt about being the heroes in the books. Helping people and saving the day, and never asking for anything else in return. Even when she couldn't fight, she knew that's what she wanted to do. I mean hell last night proved that…she's been on her own for two months and look at what she did."
"Well, she's still just a kid." Weiss said, but even when she said it she knew that somehow that wasn't really true.
"She's only two years younger. We're all kids." Pyrrha commented back, but sort of having the strange feeling that Yang's revelation about Ruby somehow makes it look like the young reaper is much older than they were.
Jaune scoffs lightly, "Well, not anymore. I mean, look where we are! Look at what we've done, seen, and were just told. Think Beacon could have ever prepared us for that or rather this moment right here? Sure Ruby's been on her own for these two months, but so were we."
There is silence for a moment as they reflect on the girls' perspectives and Jaune's addition to the overall situation, "It's the life we chose." Ren says softly looking at them, "It's a job. We all had this romanticized vision of the job in our heads, but at the end of the day, it's a job to protect the people." They look at him as he sighs, "And whatever we want, will have to come second."
There is another bout of silence and Jaune sighs, "So I guess we made our choice?"
"I think so." Weiss states looking at her team then back at Jaune's team.
"Just one thing." Pyrrha states looking at them, and then at the direction where Ruby is at, "I know Ruby admitted there is more she isn't telling us, but does anyone else have a feeling it's like a major bombshell?"
"Oh of course." Yang says, "There is no doubt about that, but…" The sting of what yelled at her last night about her mother is still raw; but as she looks back on it, she sees something in Ruby's eyes that makes her want to trust her sister's words, "I want to believe that she knows what she is doing. I want to believe that I can trust her."
Blake and Weiss nod, "Same, I am still pretty angry but Yang is right. If we want to be good hunters and huntresses, we have to put our emotions aside…for now at least." Weiss comments.
Team JNPR look at one another and Nora smiles, "Well cannot let you three have all the fun with Ruby."
"We've come this far, so again I am good with hands on learning." Jaune said also smiling lightly.
"You've improved a lot." Pyrrha said impressed with his skills.
"All thanks to you all." Jaune said as he scratched the back of his head. They start talking once more, conversation a bit lighter than when they had gone to bed.
By the time Ruby comes over to them; the sun has fully risen. She had found a small stream and had caught a couple of large fish for them to have for breakfast. She stops and admires them for a moment, suddenly seeing her own team from her own time…at least before the disasters struck. Throughout the night during her watch, she had been wondering if she had let them part of the way into the loop with everything too fast.
She did after all abandon them at Beacon, but at the same time she knew that they wouldn't have just let her leave after saving them in the town. Sighing, she supposed that this was fate telling her that she needed her team; or that the timeline was trying to right itself somehow with forcing her two teams to come together to make up the changes she was making. Either way seeing them sort of light hearted, especially after last night, makes her smile. She takes in this moment for a bit longer before making herself known, "Morning." She greets entering the area.
"Hey sis." Yang says meeting her. As she looks at her sister in the daylight, she sees just how much her sister had been through. She had changed her outfit, making her look more mature (A/N: her volume six outfit). Her red cloak that she had always kept pristine was tattered at the ends, and then she noticed a faded cross shaped scar on her left cheek, but the eyes…those were definitely different.
While now they shone with some type of brightness, it was like there was an underlying torrent of emotion that Yang couldn't quite place. In fact it made her feel guilty for the event that occurred towards the end of the night. She rubbed the back of her neck, avoiding her sister's gaze, "Look Ruby about last night…"
"It's alright. You do not have to apologize." Ruby said lightly. Seeing that Yang was avoiding her gaze, Ruby got closer and made Yang look at her, "It's alright. I mean I was a bit out of line too, I should have really been more careful and had some kind of tact about what I was revealing in regards to Raven." It was Ruby's turn to look away as she forced herself to spit out, "She is still your mother after all."
Yang noticed the underlying tone of disgust and wondered exactly where this dark attitude stemmed from, still not used to hearing this tone from her normal 'go-lucky' sister; especially towards a woman that Ruby hadn't even met before. Still though, she knew better than to ask right now and decided on saying, "What I did and how I reacted was uncalled for. You helped us, you answered our questions-"
"Mostly." Nora cut in in a sing-song voice.
Yang motioned to Nora as Ren elbowed her, "Right mostly. Anyway still I shouldn't have hit you like that."
Ruby could see that Yang was beating herself up and sighed, "Would you feel better if I took a swing at you?"
Yang chuckled, "Like you could land a blow." Ruby crossed her arms and raised one eyebrow. Seeing this and thinking back to their last battle at Beacon and the events of the night, she sighs, "Ok maybe you could; but maybe it would make me feel less crappy if you did."
"Too bad because I am not going to do that. Anyway have you all thought about what I said?" Ruby asked stepping passed Yang and looking at each of them as she took a seat and started the fire back up so they could have somewhat of a breakfast.
Blake eyes the fish and feels her ears perk with interest, "You got us fish for breakfast?"
Ruby smiles, "Yea, I know I was limited on rations as were all of you, so I went fishing. Want to help make it?"
Blake nods a bit too enthusiastically and starts to prepare it as they all retake their seats, "Well?" Ruby asks.
"We decided we are going to go with you." Ren says as he relooks at his team and then her team. They all nod in confirmation.
Ruby looks up with interest, "And you've all thought about this? About what I said?"
"Well obviously." Weiss stated in her high and mighty tone that made Ruby roll her eyes on reaction, "We came after you didn't we?"
"Coming after me, and coming with me are two separate distinctions." Ruby pointed out.
"Not the way we see it." Pyrrha said looking at her before Weiss could respond, "Look we want to help you, and from what you described it sounds like you will need it. So yes we thought about it, and we've come this far; so we are coming with you."
Blake stopped preparing the fish and noticed a steel look entering Ruby's eyes. She sighed and said gently, "Unless you told us all that and you hoped that we would turn you down; which sorry is not happening."
Some part of Ruby hoped that was the case. After all she promised herself thatt she would keep them all safe this time around. It would be breaking her promise if they tagged along, but looking at them, she realized that maybe; just maybe, this might work to her advantage. If they were with her at least, she would have a better chance at ensuring their safety rather than they were out on their own. So taking a deep breath, she clapped her hands together, "Alright then." They smiled at her, but she was not smiling back, "There will be rules though."
"Rules?" Nora asked, "What rules? No one said anything about any rules."
"Well I am." Ruby commented back, "First rule is that these two separate teams: JNPR and RWBY…no more." They looked at her shocked for a moment, "Its one team. No fancy abbreviated name. We are of one team."
Jaune looked at his team, who shrugged and nodded. He exchanged looks with Weiss, Blake, and Yang. They shrugged and he said, "Alright."
Ruby looks at her team and gives her a confirmation nod, and the rest on his team nods as well, "Ok, second rule what I say, goes. No ifs, ands, or buts. If I say hide, you hide. If I say fall back, then fall back. There is no arguing with me."
"So you will still essentially be the leader." Ren said slowly, "Of both teams even though we are now one team…that it?"
"Yes."
"So we cannot challenge you?" Weiss asked.
"Let's just say in the heat of battle, and when your safety is on the line, the answer is no. Any other time, open to suggestions." Ruby explained seriously.
"What would you count as our 'safety'," Yang put up air quotes, "being on the line?"
Ruby groans, why was this so hard to comprehend? "If a Grimm so much as sneezes wrong at you." She stated looking at Yang.
"Grimm can sneeze?" Nora asked raising her hand. Ren face palmed, and Jaune rolled his eyes, Pyrrha just chuckled lightly.
Blake, Yang, and Weiss looked at Ruby and could see that the reaper was not amused, "Ok fine. Whatever we can talk about that part later." Weiss stated quickly, "What else do you have?"
"Eh no, I am being serious. I cannot…do not want to see you all get hurt. Do we have an understanding of each other?" Ruby asked. Seeing their doubtful looks, she adds, "If this is going to be a problem, I will order you guys back to Beacon. Even if I have to escort you myself; or better yet get a hold of Dad, Qrow, Ozpin, or Winter and they will come find you themselves and take you back."
"How do you know my sister?" Weiss asked slowly looking at Ruby as they all saw that she was serious.
Ruby paused, forgetting that while Weiss may have mentioned her sister, she had not formally met the Specialist in this time. They had not seen the battle in the courtyard between her and her Uncle; so in actuality it would have been odd to have Winter's information…not to mention that she was only fifteen going on sixteen and in no way that she should or would have access such sensitive information to begin with, "That is an excellent question." She expertly changed the topic, "No matter who I get, I will have them come for you all."
"You didn't answer my question." Weiss challenged as Blake talked over her as she started to put the fish on the fire, "You contact them, and they will come for you too."
"They'd have to catch me first." Ruby stated smiling lightly.
Jaune crossed his arms, "You do not know if we would stay put at Beacon. We will just come find you again."
"Or tell them where you were headed and they will find you from there." Yang put in glaring at her younger sister.
Ruby stood up from cooking the fish as Blake took over so they weren't overcooked, "Look I mean it. This isn't school. This isn't a Grimm controlled area like the Emerald Forest where for the most part the teachers know what was in there." Ruby balled her hands into a fist and glared right back, "I will not lose you." Then she turned her piercing dagger like gaze towards the rest of the group, "I will not lose any of you." She avoided looking at Pyrrha as she said this. She hoped to the gods that she would be able to protect her this time around, for both her sake and for Jaune's, "Now do we have a deal?"
"Ok deal." Jaune said as he looked at her. He heard something in her tone that set him on edge a bit, especially looking at her gaze he felt the hair on the back of his neck raise slightly, "Guys?" He prompted looking at his team.
"Understood." Ren said sensing the same thing Jaune was.
"Yes ma'am!" Nora said doing a mock salute, she still sensed the weighted atmosphere and hoped this lightened it a bit.
It worked because Pyrrha nodded with a gentle smile, "Alright. We understand."
Ruby nodded and then looked towards her own team, "Weiss? Blake? Yang?"
"You cannot protect us all the time." Weiss said softly catching something in Ruby's eyes, as she crossed her arms, "We chose a dangerous profession you know."
"Won't stop me from trying." Ruby said just as softly, mimicking Weiss's posture, "Well?"
The heiress sighed, "I wouldn't be keeping my promise at being the very best partner I could be if I said no, now will I?" Weiss asked after a moment or two resigning to Ruby's ridiculous two rules.
"We are with you." Blake said as she started serving the fish to the others.
Ruby looked at Yang. The brawler didn't like the haunted look in her sister's eyes during that small speech and knew that she had been serious that she would get in contact with their father or whoever she could about taking them back to Beacon. She also knew very well that if Ruby did not want to be caught, then there would be no way for them to catch her, "Someone has to try and keep you out of trouble. What kind of sister would I be if I left you?"
Ruby smiled, "Alright then. Let's have breakfast and then we'll make a list of things that we need to get in the next town."
Once breakfast was over, and they had their list in order. The team made their trek through the woods. It was mostly in silence, with Ruby being on alert. The rest of the team was in deep thought before Nora decided to break it, "Hey Ruby?"
"Yea?" Ruby responded looking back.
"Uhm…this Raven…I know from the conversation she is Yang's mother, but then does that mean she isn't your mother or did you not have a good relationship with her and that is why you call her by her first name?" They stopped as Nora asked the question.
Yang and Ruby looked at one another and then back at the group, "We are half-sisters. My mother was named Summer Rose." Ruby said slowly as she stole a glimpse at Blake who looked equally surprised at this revelation. So I guess Yang didn't tell her, she thought. It was then she recalled that they hadn't battled Torchwick's giant robot which caused Blake to become obsessed with finding a way to stop the White Fang. The faunus during that time had been tired and irritable at everyone that eventually Yang cornered her and told her what had happened.
Yang saw a strange emotion cross her sister's face and took over answering the question, "Ruby and I grew up in Patch, an island off the coast of Vale. Our parents were Huntsmen. Our dad taught at Signal, and our mom took on missions around the kingdom. Her name was Summer Rose, and she was, like...Super-Mom." Yang smiled sadly at this and looked towards her sister, who kept her eyes firmly on the path in front of them. Her smile fell a bit as for one brief instant she saw Summer in Ruby.
They continued walking now. Ren caught the looks between the sisters and nudged Nora giving her a look, "I am sorry if I was intruding."
"Don't be." Ruby said, "Might as well know what else you are walking into. Anyway, one day she left for a mission and never came back."
"I am sorry to hear that." Pyrrha said softly.
Ren nodded his apologies, "It must have been rough for you guys."
"I am really sorry." Jaune added softly.
Weiss recalled the moment during initiation now with better clarity, "So that is what you meant…" Ruby and Yang look back at the heiress, "You said that you had lost someone important to you."
Ruby cocked her head and then she remembered. It might have only been roughly half a year for Weiss, but for Ruby it had been ten years since that day in the woods when they first laid eyes on each other and became partners. Ruby nodded and motioned for Yang to continue.
Blake stepped closer to Yang and placed a hand on her shoulder, "You guys don't have to explain if you do not have to."
"No we will." Yang said looking at her sister, once again not meeting anyone's gaze, "Anyway Ren you were right, it was tough. Ruby was still pretty young," she stole a glance at her sister, who now through her hood up and walked a bit faster so that she was ahead of them, but still within hearing distance. They stole looks at each other, but Yang continued the story, "Our dad just kind of…shut down. It wasn't long before I learned why. Summer wasn't the first love he lost; she was the second. The first... was my mom. He wouldn't tell me everything, but I learned that the two of them had been on a team together with Summer and our uncle Qrow, and that she'd left me with him right after I was born. No one had seen her since."
Blake looked at the blonde and asked softly, "Why did she leave you?"
Yang shrugged, and once again looked at her sister. She could see Ruby stiffen slightly and the things that she shouted last night came back. It wasn't much of an answer as to 'why', so she just said, "I didn't know an answer, but I was determined to find out. It was all I thought about. I would ask anyone I could about what they knew about her."
Ruby was feeling guilty at this. She knew the reason, and it was the very reason they were back on this path. She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to use her semblance as Yang once again speaks, "One day, I found something. What I thought was a clue that could lead me to answers, or maybe even my mother. I waited for Dad to leave the house, put Ruby in a wagon, and headed out. I must've walked for hours. I had cuts and bruises, I was totally exhausted, but I wasn't gonna let anything stop me. When we finally got there, I could barely stand, but I didn't care; I had made it. And then I saw them. Those burning red eyes of a pack of Beowolves."
They stopped for a moment, Ruby standing a few feet away from them, scanning the woods. She heard this story from their uncle when she had been old enough to train for Signal. Yang had even confessed to her what occurred that night. She was too young to remember the details, but still this further angered her, all because of Raven's selfishness, "If you can picture it, you have a toddler sleeping in the back of a wagon and a stupid girl too exhausted to even cry for help. We might as well have been served on a silver platter. But, as luck would have it, our uncle showed up just in time."
"So based on your reaction, you never got your answers?" Jaune asked looking at the sisters now.
"No. I kept looking though. Just being a bit smarter about it." Yang explained, "Which if I couldn't find the answers, how were you able to?"
Ruby stayed silent and continued to lead them on their trek. She glanced down at her scroll, her hood still up, "Perhaps I am more resourceful. Come on we have about another two hours of walking ahead of us and we can stop at a little convenient store that is supposedly there."
Once more they walked in silence. Time seemed to drag, but Ruby's mind was racing. She hoped that she was right about where they were headed, after all she was relying on not only her memories of what she had been told, but on the word from a dirt-bag she met in one of the towns when she had been able to stay in a lodge, "Ruby are you ok?" Weiss asked having picked up her pace to be along-side her partner.
"Fine." Ruby responded taking her hood off now so that Weiss could see her.
Weiss looked doubtful, but didn't question it further. Talking started up, conversations not too heavy. They went back and forth asking each other what they had done in the two months they were apart. Ruby smiled as Jaune explained this couple that needed help ridding their property of a small pack of Boarbatusk and how they started to learn that communication was important. Ruby took her turn and told them of the Death Stalkers she had run into along with a Geist on a farmer's property, "Yea that kind of hurt a bit. The guy was nice though, he let me stay in his guest room for a day while I recovered." She said as she had explained the hits she had taken when she was fighting the ghostly Grimm.
"Glad you were safe though and he let you stay." Yang said.
"Hey is this store you were telling us about?" Pyrrha asked pointing up ahead.
Ruby looked and saw the store, Just Rite, "Yup that is the one." They approached and went inside. The only person aside from the bartender was another man.
"Aren't you all little young to be drinking?" The bartender asked as he cleaned a glass, looking at Ruby and her gang.
"We just want some waters and some supplies." Yang responded going up to the bar as the rest of them pursued the shelves.
The man nodded and got out some glasses and started to fill them with water as the rest of them came back with the supplies that they needed. They paid for everything and started to sip their water, "Are you telling me you're too young to drink? You look like a regular Huntress. And a beauty at that." The one man asked as he approached Yang laughing, he then noticed Nora, Pyrrha, Blake, and Weiss, "This one here I can understand." He looked at Ruby, who narrowed her eyes.
They gave him a scathing look and Ren stepped over to Nora placing a hand on her shoulder, Jaune did the same to Pyrrha. Ruby went next to Weiss and Blake rolled her eyes as Yang responded, "I think we are all good. Thanks, pal."
"Really though I mean what are you things of beauty doing with these losers and a little girl when you can have some real company…like me?" He purred out.
Pyrrha rolled her eyes, "Like him? I think I'd rather be in the company of some Beowolves."
"No, the Boarbatusks would be more civil." Weiss airily commented taking a sip of her water. This earned a chuckle from the others.
The man scowled and reached for Yang's hand, "Come on babe let's say we go somewhere more…intimate."
"I think you better back off." Jaune growled out stopping his hand from touching Yang's.
"I wasn't talking to you." The man growled out giving Jaune a shove.
"Hey knock it off!" Ren stated giving the man an equal shove.
Ruby finally had enough, and before any of the others could do anything she got up, "Hey we do not want any trouble." She looked at Ren and Jaune, "I got this, go sit and enjoy your water."
"Oh really kid?" He asked. He looked at her up and down, "What could you possibly have?"
Ruby sighs and pulls out Crescent Rose. Her team watches curiously as she enlarges it so that it is in its full scythe form. Pulling her hood up, she closes her eyes and focuses. The atmosphere suddenly changed and the energy they were feeling made them almost reach for their weapons. No one dared move towards her though, but Yang kept a close on the reflective window that showed a faint reflection of her sister. Reopening them, the man sees that Ruby's eyes are glowing silver with flecks of blood red in her irises. He starts to slowly back away, "Is this enough?" She asked her voice low and predatory like that has everyone on edge.
The man slowly backs away and Ruby takes a step forward, "Stay-Stay back…just what the hell are you?"
Ruby has him backed into a corner and whispers in a deadly like manner, "I had a lot of names, but the one that stuck was the Bloody Scourge of Remnant." She places the sharp end of her scythe on his throat, "Now you are going to do one of two things. First apologize to my team, the second thing is you will kindly fuck off. Do we have an understanding?"
The man nods vigorously and Ruby's eyes go back to normal and she lowers her hood. Forcing the man forward with her scythe, the man bows, "I apologize for my behavior." They looked at him shocked and he just stood there. Ruby coughed and sharply prodded him with her scythe, "Oh right. Bye!" He ran out the door.
Ruby sighed and folded her weapon back up and sat at the bar, "Well now I am thirsty."
"What the hell was that?" Weiss asked, "What did you do to him?"
"Intimidation can go a long way, perhaps better than using force." Ruby stated.
"Your eyes though…they were like glowing and red." Yang said, "How did you pull that off?"
"Who cares how she did it." The bartender said before Ruby could answer. He had come back with a basket of fries, and some burgers, "This one's on the house. He's been driving me crazy."
Everyone sent Ruby a look as if saying this wasn't over, "So, what brings you around these parts?" He asked sensing the mood shift as they had their small lunch.
"We are looking for someone." Jaune answered before taking another bite of his fries.
The bartender chuckled and started to clean up the drunken man's area, "Not too many people come out here. Too far from the Kingdoms. Only person worth notin' around here is... well, Ra-"
"Raven Branwen. We know." Ruby said taking a fry from the basket and inspecting it closely, "You know where she is at around here?"
He was suddenly nervous and Ruby had her confirmation that they were in the right area, "N-now, kids. You don't want to go messin' with bandits! They're a world of trouble!"
"Trouble is our middle name!" Nora said excitedly, getting a shocked look from the man.
"Do you know where she is?" Ren asked slowly as he shoved a handful of fries in Nora's mouth to keep her from speaking.
The man looked at them, "I do not want to cause any trouble, or rather get you all in trouble. Just eat your fill and please forget I mentioned anything."
"Sir, it is important that you tell us." Weiss said as she noticed Ruby hadn't spoken up in quite some time.
"There is going to be trouble either way." Pyrrha said gently as she reached out and took the man's hand that held a rag, "Please sir help us and tell us where she is."
"We won't let her know that you told us." Yang added seeing his contemplative look.
He looked resigned and almost devastated as he said, "Well it's your funerals."
"That doesn't sound reassuring." Jaune whispered as he started to draw a map in front of them, explaining the location of the Branwen Tribe.
