New Divide
This is me for forever one of the lost ones.
The one without a name, without an honest heart as compass.
This is me for forever one without a name.
These lines the last endeavor to find the missing lifeline.
Oh how I wish for soothing rain, all I wish is to dream again.
My loving heart, lost in the dark, for hope I'd give my everything.
My flower, withered between the pages two and three.
The once and forever bloom gone with my sins.
Walk the dark path, sleep with angels.
Call the past for help, touch me with your love and reveal to me my true name
-Nightwish 'Nemo'
The rest of the night passed uneventful, and true to Ruby's word, the group was up at first light. Team JNPR sensed the small amount of tension in the air as they cleaned up their stuff and prepared a small breakfast. No one really spoke much and once the sun was fully up over the horizon, they started their trek, "So how did everyone's shift go?" Nora asked, wanting to end the silence.
"Not bad. Uneventful." Pyrrha commented uneasily. She then looked at Yang and Blake, "How was it for you guys?"
"Same." Blake commented, "Peaceful all things considering."
Yang shrugged, "Yea it was good."
Jaune nodded. He didn't by the explanation, but let it slide anyway, "That's good. Weiss, Ruby how about you guys?"
Weiss looked at her partner and saw that something was still bothering Ruby, "Fine." Weiss internally winced at Ruby's tone. Sure it tried to convey normalcy, but her team knew otherwise, "No issues or trouble."
"That's good to hear." Ren said lightly, knowing that something was wrong with the reaper's tone. The rest of his team knew too as they exchanged looks.
Ruby ignored them and looked at the map. They came to a clearing and she paused, making them all stop suddenly, "How much further?" Jaune asked.
"Shush." Ruby stated holding her hand up looking around now on alert, "Do you sense that?"
"What?" Yang asks as Ruby pockets the map and is reaching for Crescent Rose. This movement makes them all reach for their weapons.
Ruby looks around and didn't answer right away, "She is right. I can feel it." Ren comments, "We are not alone here."
They come together now, back to back, making sure to cover themselves as much as possible, "We know you are out there!" Ruby calls out, "Come out!"
"What are you doing?" Weiss demands.
There is laughter that could be heard and suddenly out of the cover of the forest, a group of bandits emerge, "Well, what do we have here? For once the prey comes to the pred-" They look at the man who spoke and instantly recognizes him as the man from the store from yesterday, "You!" He yells pointing to Ruby and is backing slowly away from them.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me." Ruby says lowering her weapon and easing up on her guard, "Seriously? You are part of Raven's tribe?"
"This is the demon child you were telling us about?" The other bandit comments as everyone relaxes their fighting position, "Dude she is like what? Twelve?"
"Excuse you!" Ruby yelled, "I'll have you know I am-" She stopped herself and was about to say that she was twenty-five, but instead grudgingly bit her tongue and said, "Fifteen. Almost sixteen thank you very much."
The man's eye twitched, "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for Raven." Yang stated, "Know where she is at?"
The bandits looked at each other and the one spoke up, "Yea, but what's it to you?"
Ruby was mentally counting the bandits that had them surrounded, "Is this everyone?"
The bandit that criticized her age chuckled, "Yes, little lady. This is it. Well, unless you count the whole rest of the camp back that way." He pointed behind him.
Weiss cocked an eyebrow and they looked at each other, "That way?" She asks pointing a finger in the same direction.
The bandits looked at one another in confusion and another spoke up, "Yes. That way."
Nora smiled cheerfully, "Good to know. Thanks."
"So if you will be so kind as to let us pass-" Ren started to say, but the bandits raised their weapons once more making him stop in mid-sentence.
"Oh no see you all came to us. There is a price to pay for that." This time a woman spoke up and looked at her partner who was still watching Ruby with a wary gaze, "Hey!" He looked at her, "She is a child. Get your head in the game."
"Look we don't have time for this." Jaune states, "Why don't you all just let us pass and we can forget this whole encounter ever happened."
"Afraid we cannot let you do that boy."
Ruby looked at her team and then the bandits, "And considering you really messed up our friend here mentally;" the other bandit spoke up now motioning to store-guy, "you're going to take your lumps."
"Alright if you insist on doing things the hard way." Ruby shrugged, she looked at the bandits, "Just remember, we didn't want this fight." She started to walk away from them and stood off to the side leaning against a tree looking bored.
"Wait what are you doing?" Nora asked incredulously, "You are not going to help us fight them?"
Ruby shrugged, throughout this exchange she knew that she had nothing really to worry about when it came to these losers, "No. I think you guys can handle it."
"Wait, hold on." Weiss stated, "You, who were so worried about us and doing what you said when it came this tribe, are not going to help us?"
"Well that was before I saw what the bandits looked like, besides I was more worried about us interacting with Raven. Not these morons right here." Ruby pointed out now, "I mean unless you need my help. I think after last night I can use some use something to take my aggression out on."
"Enough!" The former drunk yelled and everyone looked at him, "They are right, you are just a brat. I was drunk before, so I think I will handle you myself."
Ruby looked him up and down, "I mean if you insist, but far warning I didn't lie or mislead you in anyway." She stepped forward, "I am who I said I am."
"Too bad no one ever heard of you. I asked around." He glared at her.
Ruby cocked an eyebrow, "Look we don't have time for this. One more time, let us through."
"Go to hell."
"Well the weather is lovely this time of year." Ruby commented airily.
The man growled and looked at his combatants, "Alright…get them!"
The bandits attack, their bullets flying into the group. They dispersed quickly. Yang starts firing off Ember Celica into the bandits before engaging a few of them in hand to hand combat. Blake leaves shadow clones in her wake and uses Gambol Shroud to attack the one female bandit with a sword. Nora smirks as she slams Magnhild towards the ground sending large amounts of earth towards her own attackers while Ren fires off StormFlower and then while his opponents are off guard swipes at them with the bladed end of his weapon.
Jaune and Pyrrha are back to back fending off their own attackers. Pyrrha using her semblance to amplify Jaune's attack with Crocea Mors while she used the rifle form of Milò to keep the others at bay. At another part of the clearing, Weiss summons her glyphs and a variety of dust elements at the remaining bandits, freezing them in their paths. Ruby is by her side waiting for her opening before transforming into a wild mass of petals and going for the drunk prick that started this fight.
Appearing before him, she smiles and starts her own mini battle with him, he is firing his gun and she is toying with him. Finally he runs out of ammo, "Seems like you are in a pickle." She comments as her team finishes with their opponents.
She motions behind her and he sees that his team is down for the count. He looks at her and smiles, "Look we can talk this out right?" He gives her a smile.
Ruby just smiles back at him, "Hey Yang!" Ruby called over her shoulder not taking her eyes off the man.
"Yea Rubes?" Yang responded.
"I've been working on my hand to hand combat." Ruby said still giving the bandit her brilliant smile, "Want me to show you?"
Yang was confused for a moment and then they noticed that not once did Ruby let out Crescent Rose once they found out who was leading these group of bandits, "Uh…sure Rubes."
"Come on kid…you are right no need for trouble. I'll take you to Raven." He said dropping his weapon and putting his hands up in surrender.
"Well now that would have been the smart thing from the get-go. However seeing your friends here lying in the dirt all battered and bruised while you are here looking half-way pristine seems rather unfair wouldn't you agree?" She didn't give him a chance to respond to this comment; quickly, she picked up his gun and threw it at him as a distraction and lunged.
He came at her with a blind jab, and Ruby (with a small bit of her speed added) managed to block it, and countered his move with a cross to his left cheek. Before he could even have a chance to recover, she discombobulated him by smacking the sides of his head. The bandit became dazed, and in a blind attempt at trying to get her, he swung at her with a wild hay maker.
Ruby was quick, even without using her semblance, blocked his futile attempt with her elbow and then putting most of her weight behind her fist gave him a body shot. He was getting mad, furious even and tried to come at her with a thorough left, which Ruby still managed to block. Yang just stood there as she watched her sister. It was like she was reading his moves and anticipating his reactions. It was something that she could not believe her little sister was able to do seeing that hand to hand combat was her weakness.
From Ruby's position she had a perfect shot to aim to the right side of his jaw with her elbow. Then to really fracture it, she managed to punch in that same area. He swung again, but she ducked and delivered another punch to his ribs, which she knew were already cracked from the body shot, so now his ribs were broken, "Ok remind me to never piss her off." Jaune muttered watching. She was quick, even when holding back on her semblance. Not only that, she was calculated in her moves.
"Yea same here." Ren said, his cool exterior breaking as he gave his friend a nervous smile.
"You teach her this?" Pyrrha asked Yang as they watched Ruby duck and gave another punch to the man's stomach area before aiming another punch to his jaw. She winced as she knew with that hit the jaw was now entirely dislocated.
Nora was cheering and Blake and Weiss winced with each blow Ruby landed on the guy. Yang did not respond to Pyrrha's question as she watches as her sister finishes the man off with a heel kick to his diaphragm sending him flying into one of his buddies who had just gotten up and was back down in the dirt with the drunk idiot on top of him groaning and trying to move, "Let's see…" Ruby comments slowly coming out of her offensive position, "Your jaw is possibly fractured, you have at least three ribs cracked with maybe four broken; and maybe a bit of diaphragm hemorrhaging. I am no doctor though so why don't we do this…" She looks around and points to the bandits who are recovering from their beat down, "You two grab him, and the rest of you can take us to Raven."
"You bitch…" the woman growls out as she struggles to stand, "Just who the hell do you think you are?" Before Ruby could respond, she says, "It doesn't even matter. When Raven finds out what you did, you're dead! You are all dead!" She yells now looking at each of them.
Ruby shrugs and says, "Possibly. But I doubt it. See that blonde over there?" Ruby points to Yang, "She is her daughter." Seeing the other bandits' faces drop open in shock, she says, "Now can we go see Raven?"
The bandits who were not too injured, gathered each other up and picked up their friend and started to lead the group into the woods, "Where did you learn to fight like that?" Blake asks as they followed behind them.
"I ended up picking up a few things; besides he wasn't worth Crescent Rose's time or energy in wielding." Ruby stated.
"You did a number on him. I mean yes we were fighting, but wasn't that a bit…excessive?" Weiss asked hesitantly, then she recalled Ruby saying how she needed to release some pent up aggression.
Ruby looked behind her and saw two of the bandits dragging the guy she beaten. She noticed his injuries starting to severely show and the changing colors of his bruises on his body. Normally being who she became, she wouldn't have cared. It had sort of felt good to show a bit of who she was without destroying the Grimm. The guy, in all fairness was asking for this. Now though, hearing Weiss's tone, she felt a glimpse of shame.
She had been alone, she didn't have to care what anyone thought. So seeing him and hearing him groan from time to time, perhaps she had gone overbroad. Raven's tribe in this time consisted of mainly being thieves. Their goal being just surviving by raiding villages. However in Ruby's time it eventually succumbs to Salem's darker purpose, despite Raven trying to protect it; that being said, the man didn't really deserve the beat down he had been given.
They completed their walk in silence with the occasional groan from the man being dragged. Once they finally reached the camp, they see the tribe watching them and their escorts. As they line up along the path they are on to the large tent in the center of the camp, they are suddenly uneasy at the enraged glares they are receiving.
"Yang?" Yang doesn't look at Ruby right away as she eyes the tent in front of them as she sees a young woman with short brown hair and tan-colored skin go inside. They come to a stop and Ruby places a hand on Yang's arm as the blonde roughly pulls away from her, "Please let me do the talking."
Yang finally looks at Ruby and gives her a nod. Ruby tries to give her a reassuring smile, but knows that there will be a talk later. Vernal steps out of the tent followed by another woman wearing a mask, Raven. Immediately her eyes go to Ruby, "Well I guess Qrow didn't talk to you." She said removing her mask frowning at the reaper. Then she sees Yang and smiles, "Yang." Ruby's blood started to boil at this. Every instinct was to step in front of her sister and block her from Raven's view.
Yang feels her breath hitch slightly, but responds, "Mom."
Raven continues to smile, but makes no move to go down and properly greet them, "So, after all this time you finally decided to visit me."
"Yang don't answer her." Ruby stated this time as she looks at the tribe leader, "We didn't come for a social call."
"Pity." Raven stated placing her mask on the stool and pacing before them. Then as if Ruby hadn't spoken, she continues the conversation with her daughter, "I was so happy to finally see you."
Yang looks at her and before Ruby could cut in, she says, "You had to have known that I was searching for you. I spent years looking for you." She knew she was supposed to stay quiet, but now the emotion of seeing her mother was strong and wanting answers was even stronger.
Ruby felt herself shaking and then felt an easy hand on her shoulder. She looks to see that it was Weiss, but then she sees the surprise and wariness in her ice blue eyes and knows that her own silver eyes are starting to glow slightly. Turning away she tries to focus back on Yang and Raven, "And you've found me; granted not by your own accord; however from what I heard you had guts to leave Beacon to begin with. True determination and strength on your part really." It was then that she saw the state of her people behind them, "Did you have to be so rough with my people though?"
"We didn't want a fight." Jaune spoke up bravely as Raven's hard gaze fell to him, "Ruby tried to warn them, but they started it."
"Well, you certainly finished it." Raven said now glaring at Ruby, "Anyway Qrow told me a lot of things about you and since he clearly failed in delivering my message let me tell you myself: Ozpin will fail, she already knows about the relics, and I am not helping you; and before you give me some sort of guilt trip about your mother and what not," here she paused and looked Ruby straight in the eye, "I don't care that you are Summer's brat, I am not helping you."
Silence followed her statement and Ruby stepped forward, "So you already talked to Qrow?" Ruby asked lightly, but there was something behind her tone.
"We heard you that night when you lot reunited." Raven said, "Qrow flew off to tell your precious headmaster what he heard; and I think you know how she knows." Ruby reacted and in a swirl of petals Raven found herself pinned to a pole and the bandits suddenly surrounding her team; with Vernal's sword to Ruby's back.
Ruby didn't care though as she had Raven's throat resting on Crescent Rose's blade. Ruby found herself in a flashback, but with much effort pushed it aside as she managed to growl out, "You know I thought Cinder may have already gotten to you, but I didn't realize how quickly you already would betray us!"
"I am the leader of this tribe. As I explained to my pain in the ass brother, I will do everything in my power to ensure our survival." Raven then sees something flash in Ruby's eyes and suddenly senses that something was not right with the reaper in front of her. Something was off, and it was as if something was pulling within her. However she pushes those feelings aside for the time being and says slowly, "Just as you would do anything to save your family and friends I would imagine." She then notices Vernal behind Ruby, ready to strike, "You may want to let me go."
"Why should I?" Ruby demanded.
"For a number of reasons, one of them being your friends are about to die by my people." Ruby looks behind her and sees the bandits moving threateningly towards her team, "Vernal is about to kill you." Ruby notices the young woman now, and then in a low voice, she hears Raven give her the ultimate third reason, "And I do not think Yang would forgive you if you were to really hurt me." Ruby locks eyes with Yang. She is giving her a pleading look while trying to gauge her own situation with the bandits.
This time the memory comes to her and Ruby cannot hold it at bay as a different Raven's voice comes to her, "You wouldn't kill me because Yang wouldn't want you to." She had been about to. She really wanted to, and she had been so close, "My my, well now I am impressed. You are serious, you would really kill me." Right now in this time, it would save her a lot of trouble. She could do it and not have a problem with it whatsoever.
As soon as that thought came, it vanished. Yes she would have. Last time she hadn't cared, Yang was gone. Now though her sister was alive and here...closing her eyes and taking a breath, she lets Raven up and Raven waves off her people and Vernal, "Well tempers are extremely high right now, so why don't you all come inside and I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have? You can stay with us tonight. I'll even have the cooks whip up something for you all."
Raven was about to go inside the tent when Ruby grudgingly asked, "If you talked with Qrow, do you know where he is?"
Raven paused, "I do not. I am not his keeper."
"Well he must still be somewhere in the area I presume. We will hear you out, but you will take us to him." Ruby demanded.
Raven looks at her with arms crossed, "And why would I do that?"
It was Yang that answers this time, giving Ruby a wary look, "Because we're family."
"Family. Only coming around when they need something." Raven says under her breath. Ruby makes a fist, fighting the urge to cut the woman down again. Clearly even before the battle of Haven she had no regard for anyone but herself, "I have to say, I'm disappointed. After all, you found me, didn't you? Why bother coming here if you were just going to ask to find your Uncle?"
"Because we came to you for help." Blake called out this time, "Somehow we thought that you could help us, but if you are not going to help us the least you could do is give us information."
"Or take us to him." Ruby growled out, "We know about your semblance." She added motioning to herself and Yang.
Raven looks surprised, "How?"
"Dad." Yang answered.
Raven again swears under her breath and mutters, "Tai…"
"You can bond to certain people; and when you do, you could create a portal that takes you straight to them." Yang explains a bit smugly.
Ruby decides to add a bit of salt into Raven's visibly agitated wound, "You've got one for Dad, Yang, and you've got one for Qrow." It was Ruby's turn to be a bit smug, "So once again, we will hear you out; but then if you still will not help us, you will at least make a portal to our uncle and we will be on our way."
Raven gets over reaction to this quickly and smirks, "You know, it takes real strength to march in here and demand such a favor of me. I've got to say, I'm impressed. However whatever path you are, it's a lost cause."
Ruby, to her credit knew that Raven was partially right in this assessment. If she had allowed things to progress as they should have, then it was the truth; but she didn't believe what she was doing now was the case, "What does that mean?" Nora speaks up now with her arms crossed. Ren elbows her to be quiet, but she shoots him a look.
"You kids don't want to get mixed up in all of that. Ozpin is not the man you think he is, and Qrow is a fool for trusting him. I would know, I trusted him once, too."
"We are not following Ozpin, we are following Ruby." Pyrrha said.
Raven looks at Ruby, "I am not totally with Ozpin." Ruby answers to her gaze.
"Still you are a fool. Doesn't matter if you are totally with him or not. I heard you that night and the mission you are on is still suicidal." Then before anyone else could comment, she continues with, "Your choice is your own. All I'm suggesting is that instead of getting wrapped up in something too big for you, for any of us, that maybe you take a moment to wonder if you're already where you belong."
She pulls the flap aside after giving orders to Vernal to get the food and other spare tents ready, "All of you in my tent. If you all are still hell bent to go on this mission, then you need to know the truth about certain things." Raven enters her tent and the bandits go back to their own businesses. Ruby hangs outside of it, making sure everyone gets in. As they pass by her, they give her a look.
Yang stops and gives Ruby an analyzing look, "Do you know what she means?" Yang asks.
"Not really no." Ruby answers honestly. She recalls a bit of information Yang and Weiss had revealed back in her own timeline, but cannot recall all of it after everything else had gone down. Besides what she did hear was a second hand account, she was now receiving a firsthand account.
Yang sees something in her sister's eyes that she did not like, "Were you really going to hurt her?"
"If it meant to keep you safe." Ruby said honestly.
Yang didn't like that answer, just like she didn't care for Ruby's fight with that bandit. Impressive style? Yes. Coming from her own sister? Not so much. It just wasn't Ruby…and this further drove the point that she tried to make to Blake last night, somehow Ruby was too different, "I don't want you to."
"What?"
"Even if somehow I get hurt by her, please Ruby." Yang looks at her sister, pleading with her to understand, "Don't hurt her. I know for some reason that you are not telling us, you do not like her nor do you really trust her; but she is still my mother and you are my sister. I don't want the two of you to fight. Promise me."
"Yang-"
"Promise me Rubes that you will not hurt her." Ruby stands there and looks at her sister. How could she make this promise when technically she would have already broken it?
Weiss and Blake hesitantly poke their heads out, "Hey guys we are starting now." Weiss says softly. They overheard the conversation that the sisters were having and didn't really want to interrupt, but they were after all on a tight schedule and Raven was getting impatient.
Ruby continues to stare at Yang until she is no longer able to and takes a deep breath, "I-" She really can't. She really can't bring herself to make this promise. To make this promise now when it was already broken…
"Ruby?"
Ruby makes the mistake of looking at her and curses herself, "I'll try."
"That's not a promise."
"It's the best I can offer Yang. She has hurt you, I've seen it;" Yang may think that Ruby meant the past, but Ruby also meant the future, especially if it was already too late and things on Haven's end is already in motion, "I cannot and will not let that stand."
"Two wrongs do not make a right. You know this. Please Ruby I don't care what she has done in the past, please make me this promise." Then adding a dagger into Ruby's gaping guilt, she had to add, "I am trusting you this far with little to no prodding of what you are keeping from us. You owe me."
Ruby looks away and balls her fists at her sides, seeing every encounter she ever had with the woman until that final moment, the moment that Ruby was sure that was still with her. Looking at Yang she let out the breath that she didn't know she had been holding, "I promise."
Yang pulled her sister into a hug and whispered, "I love you." Then went inside with Blake.
Weiss was still looking at Ruby and had seen the flurry of emotion on the reaper's face, "That looked real painful for you."
"Thank you Captain Obvious." Ruby snapped at her.
Weiss let the comment slide and said, "Well Raven is starting. She really isn't a patient person."
"At least that is one quality that Yang got from her." Ruby said coming over to the flap, "Her patience or lack thereof." Ruby brushed past Weiss and joined her team inside the tent leaving Weiss to wonder what exactly was going through Ruby's mind that caused that guilty reaction she had been seeing.
