Snippet 181

Sharp Shards – Cracks in the Mirror 7

Gerne: Angst/Drama/Dark

Pairs: Past one-sided Arkos, Cold Colours (Whitley/Neon), Black Sun (Blake/Sun), Pink Lotus (Ren/Nora), Emerald/Mercury (Jaded)

Parody: RWBY

AU-Type: Canon-esque AU (Post Fall of Beacon)

Tags: Character exploration, TW: Alcoholism, TW: Death, Dealing with Loss, Internal Strife, Deconstruction, Mental Issues, Guilt Eats You Alive, Camp Camp Cameo, Ruby and Rose finally talk it out, Adapting Out Maria

Note: Whitley is a bit older in this verse, a bit closer in age to Weiss.

The rest of the train ride was relatively uneventful as Ozcar did what he could to help Ruby with her Silver Eyes. His one regret was having the means to preserve one of his previous bodies' Silver Eyes. Despite this, it was growing clearer that Ruby was proving more and more unwell. Talking to herself, flinching, and bouts of aggression. Ruby refused to look into a mirror and seemed unable to sleep.

Weiss was keeping her distance, Blake was wallowing in guilt over Yang, and Yang was trying to help Ruby. JPNR was just trying to keep everything together with Qrow.

"I finally got Ruby to sleep." Yang said as everyone looked at her disbelief. "Now I know I had to put sleeping pills in her juice…but she's at least not going to be flipping out for a while."

"Why do you have those anyway?" Nora asked concerned.

"I…I used to have trouble sleeping myself when I was dealing with losing my arm to Adam. I'm mixed on how I feel he killed himself. I was all training to face him again…and he just up and died." Yang said throwing a blanket over Ruby's body. "It feels like a twisted joke."

"You need to understand. Adam was not always a monster…but what happened to him twisted him into one. Under his mask…was an SDC brand over it." Blake said as Weiss looked horrified. "He never talked about how he got it…but what he used to scream in his sleep. It fucked him up."

"Doesn't excuse what he's done." Ren said as others agreed.

"It doesn't, but remember Cinder forced him and his branch to help her. Ilia explained to me everything…and I'm glad she's leaving it all behind." Blake mused as Yang shook her head.

"Well, that's just fan-fricking-tastic, I can't get my revenge. I felt nothing but hollowness confronting Raven. My reputation is probably still in the shitter." Yang said plopping down on a seat with her face in her palms.

"Not really…I mean the world knows Mercury's in with Cinder's terrorist group. Your rep can be salvaged at least." Jaune said trying to make Yang feel better.

As they talked, Ruby was having a bit of a conversation within her own mind.

-o=O=o-

Rose and the Chibi-Ruby were having the usual argument. What to do moving as the regular Ruby sat far off watching them fight. But then…someone crossed the line.

"Mom would be disappointed in what you are." Chibi-Ruby yelled to Rose.

Rose recoiled before slapping Chibi-Ruby looking at her with fury and hot tears. Chibi-Ruby seemed to realize she may have overstepped a boundary.

"I may be filled by anger, but I still love my mother. If we were killed or even Yang, and mom saw it happen. She would have hunted down Cinder and ended her. Do you think Summer never took a life? We're huntsmen, not only killing Grimm but any evil that threatens the innocent." Rose said fuming.

"But that doesn't we have to be mean about it?" Chibi-Ruby said. "We don't have to be borderline psycho!"

"You want to talk psycho! Denying everything wrong and forcing a smile on your face isn't healthy either. Are you any better?!" Rose asked as Chibi-Ruby stuttered.

Before either could speak, Ruby grabbed Rose and Chibi-Ruby by their ears.

"For days, I have been unable to sleep or function peacefully. Can you just stop fighting each other?" Ruby said before both looked at her.

"The only way that can happen is we all truly. Not taking turns in controls, but we truly become one. We need…" Rose said as Ruby finished. " To admit that we all screwed up. I let myself crumble…"

"I let anger consume me." Rose said forlorn before the two looked at Chibi-Ruby.

"I…may have tried to deny anything bad happened." Chibi-Ruby said disdainfully.

"And I let myself end up like this with you two racking my brain for months. Team RWBY needs a leader, and I can't be falling apart at the seams. I won't do that, and if I have to accept loss…then so be it." Ruby said as Rose and Chibi-Ruby began to glow bright silver. "Better than the alterative…any last words?"

"Try not to be a jerk about things." Chibi-Ruby said.

"Try not to revert to what you once were and…keep moving forward." Rose said as they both began to fade away into nothingness.

-o=O=o-

Ruby woke up feeling not exactly whole again, she felt different. She was not what she was before, but that was something she had to accept. She looked out to see it was evening before walking to the dining chair of the train. Her friends, her teammates, Ozcar, and her uncle had not expected her to wake up. She took a seat with them and sighed.

"Guys, I want to apologize. I haven't been a good leader lately…I've been wrapped up in my sea of issues after everything that's happened. I kept saying to deny anything was wrong to be the infallible beacon of hope, but I was all torn up inside. I did not want to admit it and I nearly let it drive me insane. I'm not going to really be the same…I do want to rip Salem to shreds and I can't try I regret avenge Penny and Pyrrha…but I'm not going to lose my head over it. Side note, sorry Jaune…for hogging the Cinder killing." Ruby said earnestly.

"It's not a problem. At least she suffered." Jaune said sheepishly.

"Regardless, killing Cinder may serve as a benefit. Because now Salem doesn't have anyone to use as a container for the Maiden power." Ozcar said knowingly. "But there's Emerald to worry about."

"I don't think Emerald's going to be an issue…trust me on this." Blake said as Yang gave her a suspicious look.

"We should still be weary of Salem in case she tries anything." Qrow said smartly.

"Can she? Ruby pretty much killed most of her goons singlehandedly." Jaune remarked.

"But she can get more if she looks hard enough…" Ozcar said looking at Jaune worriedly. "She and I…got nothing but time…"

"The most we should do is secure the relics and publicly out her…because going so could unite the people." Ren said before Nora pointed out the risk of a panic. "And that's a risk, we'll have to live with."

"I suppose it's better than nothing." Nora said. "Are you sure we don't have any enemies left who want to come after us?"

"Unless Neo is somehow alive and following us? I don't think so." Ruby said before a creeping voice at the back her head whispered, "There wasn't a body found…we can't confirm she's dead. I maybe should be vigilant."

(A/N: Where's Neo?! Well, because Cinder's dead. Neo may have a bit of a harder time getting to Atlas with the lack of speaking and resources.)