Vale was a busy city-state, the center of the kingdom's business and trade, there was hardly a lack of events and new sights.
Real-life superhumans walked around on the daily. New items and services bred by technology and the planet's mysteries were regularly being introduced. Monsters could descend from the sky on a bad day and tear everyone's favorite pastry shop to pieces while trying to eat the chef. The occasional celebrity drama would make its way around. Loud and vibrant festivals lasting for days nonstop would flood the streets during special times.
In other words, the citizens of Vale weren't fazed too easily. Still, many had to gawk at a certain pair of foreigners one Sunday morning.
A young woman remarkably well endowed in all aspects with exceptionally long hair and piercing eyes walked up the stairs. A cute child in a red cloak slept soundly on her back. A shining, red metal item vaguely resembling a sheath was strapped behind her.
The foreigner woman used her right arm to support the girl on her back while she used her left arm to carry something like a purse. Ah, not to say that the item resembled a purse, but that the woman carried it with similar ease.
She carried the motorcycle up the stairs with seemingly no effort. Not once did her balance waver nor did she pause. The bike seemed to be of an old model, a cross between a cruiser and touring. Taking in the materials and large engine, it was made of it must've weighed in at least six hundred kilos.
Paying no attention to any of the stares she received, Yang began to poke Ruby's cheek.
"Ruby... Ruby, we're here. Wake up, will you? You shouldn't miss this."
As a growing girl, Ruby needed lots of sleep. She must've had at least seven naps a day. When night came, it would take nothing less than an earthquake's worth of chaos to wake her up again. Luckily for her sister, it was now day.
She spotted a cat lying beneath the shade of a tree. Yang approached the feline, catching its attention. The cat yawned and stretched its body. Its glossy coat shimmered even in the shadows. The beast's sky-blue eyes seemed to twinkle.
"Well, aren't you a handsome creature," Yang coaxed as she gave the cat a scratch behind a tuft on its neck. "You seem to be having a fine time here. I know my sister would love to say hi if she was awake." She switched from a simple scratch to a full massaging rub down its back.
It loved the attention it was receiving. It raised its front paw to halfheartedly bat her hand away but gave up upon a little insistence. Twinkling eyes peered down at a sleeping little human, sleeping without a care in the world for the majestic beast present in front of her.
First, it purred to get her attention. Then, it thumped its tail against the grass. Finally, it roared in her face, releasing a wave of wind and immediately waking her up.
"Waaah!" Ruby screamed as she was met face to face with a massive leopard three times the size of her bed. It resembled a leopard, but its fur was a dark shade of blue and patches of its pelt almost seemed to disappear into the air like a phantom. "Yang!"
"He's not gonna eat ya, little Sis, he just wants some attention." Yang gave her shoulders a gentle shrug upwards to release Ruby to the ground.
She landed nimbly and adopted a defensive position behind the most durable object in her proximity, which happened to be her sister.
The leopard crouched down in front of her before suddenly licking her on the cheek.
Ruby giggled when her cheek got licked a second time, leaving the feline to sit back on its haunches with a satisfied look.
Yang took Ruby's hand and guided it towards a ruffled patch of fur beneath the leopard's throat. "This here is a caelus, a wind spirit. One of the friendlier beasts you see around the world, so long as you don't provoke them. Also, they're a little vain."
The caelus purred pridefully, clearly feeling self-important.
Ruby felt the wind spirit's soft fur and the powerful muscles that relaxed underneath. It looked as if it had walked straight out of one of the story books she kept in a chest under her bed.
When the clouds parted and the sun moved further across the sky, the shade offered by the tree shifted away. In a heartbeat, the caelus disappeared into a gust of wind and blew towards the sunny sky.
Ruby felt Yang's arm hook around her and give her a hug.
"Welcome to Vale, land of wind and water!"
For the first time this beautiful morning, Ruby looked around at her surroundings. She wasn't asleep anymore, nor was she in her wooden home.
Vast lakes and rivers surrounded her. The water leaped up and swirled around. A river floated right over a lake in its path and continued to the mountains. Up in the sky, a visible stream of wind weaved through the clouds. The clouds and blue sky somehow formed a perfect ring above them.
They stood in a field past the city gates. Even the city looks like something she'd imagine from a dream. Pictures and videos weren't enough to do it justice. Skyscrapers built from bricks of stone and steel rose to the sky. The buildings looked like miniature castles meshed together in different colors and designs.
A policeman who wore armor made from Kevlar fibers and blue alloy patrolled the street in front of them on a black mare with glowing green eyes.
The roads were cobbled and lined with copper, but river channels also provided an alternate method of travel. Automobiles and boats alike were driven around the city.
Jets and airships flew in the skies above.
This was only what Ruby glimpsed just after entering Vale.
Yang Xiao Long set down her motorcycle and picked Ruby up by the back of her hood before sitting her on the back seat. She got on herself by swinging her leg over the bike and kicking back the kickstand. When she clicked the switch on the handle, the engine hummed to life and vibrated the ground.
The bike originally belonged to their dad, though he never told them where he got it from. It was gathering dust in the shed next to their home until their Uncle Qrow decided to clean it up and handed it over to Yang for her sixteenth birthday.
Though the model was old and unorthodox, it had a powerful engine and resistant frame. Yang took time aside every weekend to work on the bike and make sure it would continue to work smoothly. She promised Ruby that she would show her how to ride it when she turned fifteen herself.
"Hold on tight."
Ruby hugged her sister's midriff and leaned in close. Yang put a helmet over Ruby's head and buckled it.
She blinked and squinted as her field of vision was narrowed and darkened by the goggles built into the helmet. "Where are we going?" Ruby asked.
Yang smiled over her shoulder, "Well, I guess you could call it a special place for hopeless romantics." Without another word, Yang applied the throttle and the bike sped forward into the streets.
The bike rushed along the city roads with great speed, but the ride itself felt very smooth for the little girl. She would continue to see more of the city. Statues were quite common, it seemed. Statues of iron and bronze were displayed in the middle of the intersections and on sidewalks.
There was a statue of a mighty lion facing a strong looking warrior armed with a sword and bow. Every fur in its mane was etched into detail. Every muscle was sculpted into a facsimile of the real deal. The warrior looked like he might step off the platform and head out to fight once more the moment he defeated the lion.
A playground featured copper children stopped in time whilst they were playing tag.
In one of the canals, a green serpent carved out of steel emerged from the water and arced over the entire pathway. It would've frightened her as a child, with its sharp fangs and ferocious eyes.
Seated on a bench made from oak and iron nails, a black statue was seated, head tilted back and downing a bottle of drink. It kinda resembled Uncle Qrow, but his weapon was missing and the hair was wrong.
They stopped at the entrance of a bakery. Ruby was hungry and happy to be at a place of good food, she was especially fond of sweets and meat, but her sister had made out the location to be something much more special.
This bakery was a lot bigger than the one back home, and the selection seemed a lot bigger as well.
Usually, Yang would only get her a single pastry or other baked good on the way back from school. If she did well on a test or the teacher complimented her in front of Yang, then she would get two. Though if it was her birthday, then Yang preferred to make something herself.
Her sister bought an entire basket full of baked goods, two bottles of cold milk, and the baker gave her a cookie on the house.
"Thank you, nice lady!" Ruby chirped while being pulled back outside.
The next place they visited was a flower shop. Ruby felt it seemed like a pretty romantic place. Dad always liked flowers, so did Mom supposedly. Dad had diligently planted a jungle of flora around their house over the years. They had trees and vines and bushes of flowers and fruit. Ruby got to have cherry pies during the summer harvest and blackberry pies during the fall harvest.
Her sister would occasionally braid her long golden hair and decorate it with flowers during the spring seasons.
In the shop, the selection of flowers was worldly in a literal sense. Different chambers were regulating the climate and conditions of various regions to grow flowers from every kingdom.
"Yang, can I bring something back home for Dad?" Ruby asked her sister.
Yang looked around the store while touching her lips, "Mm… maybe when we come back…"
"We?"
"Oh?... Oh! Of course, did you think I was gonna make you head back all on your own? I'll just ace the initiation test and bring you back when I'm done." Yang was laughing. It was a pleasant sound that would make nearly anyone smile.
Ruby smiled, her eyes brightening. "Then can I stay longer? You don't have to bring me with you inside the academy. I can just wait outside." Then she immediately winced when her cheek was pinched and pulled up. Ruby uselessly tried to pry the culprit's fingers off.
Yang directed a stern glance at her while she looked through a selection of orchids. "I'm not letting my baby sister out of my sight at a school that between you, me, and Qrow, fails more than enough safety precautions. Do you think Dad will prefer this in blue or violet?"
"Violet!" Ruby squeaked out when her innocent and soft cheek was finally released from its cruel prison.
"Thank you," Yang pulled out a pot and checked the price tag before something behind it caught her attention. "My, this is nice too. Maybe we'll get both."
Before they left the shop, Yang bought a pair of flowers that each possessed hundreds of indigo petals on their twisting black stems. She also purchased an additional rose flower that she tucked over Ruby's ear.
They then visited a small candle store. An admittedly nice smelling candle store, but Ruby felt like she'd fall asleep out of boredom after a mere two minutes inside. Yang found a candle in a porcelain jar that she seemed to be happy with.
Ruby got to eat a grand meal at a chandelier lit restaurant across a colosseum. She dipped fresh baked bread into a hearty beef stew while musicians played many cheerful songs.
When the sun fell past the mountains, a little girl yawned as she walked down marble steps with her sister.
She had gone on something like an adventure. She had seen many new sights and saw many different people. The smells and sounds would remain in her memories, but she held her breath for something greater. Her sister had promised her after all.
Yang was bringing her to a place for hopeless romantics.
Ruby knew she was talking about Mom and Dad. She had seen it. Even a mere memory of her mother could bring out a warm smile from her father. Even if he was reborn a hundred times, he'd fall in love with the same love again.
The stairs became surrounded with lush bushes speckled with colorful red berries. They were inedible, but fairly pretty, nonetheless.
Strange, it was turning to night, but it seemed to be getting brighter. When they reached the bottom of the steps, Ruby started to wonder if the people of Vale could create pink moonlight, for that was what she saw.
It was no longer a city or a kingdom, they were in a forest that could not be truly painted with a brush or captured by a camera.
The grass was black like onyx and sparkled like diamonds. A full moon shined directly above them. It was an empty place devoid of any life that bore blood, be it butterflies or people. So quiet and calm, yet so stunning and radiant. It was the flowers that brought life and light to this seemingly hidden forest.
Perhaps a goddess had decided to grant beauty to the world with this creation. A boon to any who would see it.
Cherry blossoms gently fell from graceful branches of trees that held countless more like a cloud from the heavens. They glowed with a soft pink light and seemed to disappear when they had fallen to the black blades of grass.
If a flaw could be grasped, it would be that the air was strangely frigid.
Yang took her hand and brought her to a breathtaking tree on the side of a shallow hill. Its branches spread far and wide, yet the moonlight still shone through, merging with the light of the petals.
During a very special night, a singular tree stood firm and gracefully. A flame danced upon a candle place at its base. Indigo flora kept it company and brought it life. The tree stood for nearly a hundred years, and it may stand for a hundred more.
A child looked past thousands of flowing petals in the wind to see the moon surrounded by a sea of stars. She wondered if it was possible to count them. Though, such a task would be pointless and of no use or meaning to anyone, aside from someone who wishes to know how many stars there are.
Her silver eyes easily reflected the moon's light.
She cozily sat in her sister's lap. She felt warmth seep into her despite the chill air around her. A chocolate croissant was held in her hands, one of many treats that she thoughtfully ate while waiting for the silence to break.
Though… it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. This was truly a wonderful place she was brought to.
With arcane eyes like purple stars seemingly lost in thought, Yang Xiao Long hugged her little sister a little tighter. Her long hair cascaded around her. She could feel the beating of her heart, as well as Ruby's.
It was only the two of them here. She never understood why such a place was abandoned like this. Hmm, perhaps it was better this way?
"This was where Dad proposed to Mom, beneath this very same tree under the moon." It was a memory clear as day for her. She felt Ruby's heart skip a beat. She wondered how much more she should tell her.
Yang felt her own heart begin to thump within her chest the same as thunder roared within the storms. "They were already like family with one another. Love was already between them, it just took a while to fully bloom.
She would blush when their hands touched. His eyes began to linger on her smile. During cold stormy nights when lightning screamed in the sky, they would cuddle up next to each other and just watch the rain…"
Ruby listened to her sister quietly. Her sister's voice always became delicately soft when she spoke of their mother.
"Mom was graceful as a fighter, but she was clumsy when it came to love. She'd forget how to speak when her heart would start to open.
Dad was even worse. Happiness was like a dream for him. He always worried that he might wake up and have it break down and come apart should he ever try to grasp it."
A child with eyes that reflected the moon felt her sister's gentle heartbeat. Even if she didn't see her face, she knew that she was smiling.
"But… even if they doubted themselves, they were always there for each other. Even if it didn't seem real, if Mom reached out her hand, a strong hand would hold it. If Dad looked over his shoulder, he'd see a pretty face smiling at him.
Sometimes, memories fade. The feeling of their hands touching, the sound of her voice, perhaps that'll be forgotten as well. But that love will always be remembered.
It's bittersweet, isn't it?"
The winds blew and more petals fell. The candle was extinguished. It seemed that a large thunderstorm was approaching. Vale was steadily becoming colder.
"Mm, the time for bed is already past. I'll bring you to more lively places tomorrow." Yang let out a deep breath and stood up after her sister.
Ruby did not know what words she should say. Still… when she grabbed Yang's hand and walked onwards with her, she heard a laugh.
Family was always warmer together. She wished her dad and uncle were here, but as long as her sister was with her, the girl felt safe and happy.
She wondered if this was something like how Mom felt.
龙与女猎手
Yang stared at the ceiling in an unlit room while something prodded at her leg.
Ruby rolled around on the bed, twisting and turning. Her head nearly rolled off the edge. Despite the heavy sweater she wore, her body shivered. The blanket wasn't heavy enough. It wasn't thick enough.
Her legs kicked around while she fussed about. She wasn't awake, but she was not yet fully asleep. She could not properly fall asleep in this unfamiliar bed in this unfamiliar room.
Yang pulled her sister towards her. She tucked the blanket around them and curled around the much smaller girl. She gently pressed her head to her breast with one hand while pulling the blanket over their shoulders with the other.
Her little sister felt cold to her, but not worryingly so. In a few moments, the troubled expressions on Ruby's face faded away and she stopped fidgeting. Her face was almost angelic. It would be a small while later before Yang herself would be able to sleep.
She had always done this without fail.
Ruby would have another frightening dream that night. She would see monsters that could never be hidden from, nor could she overcome them.
The nightmare would end, and her consciousness would drift towards another dream.
She was glad to have come to Vale with her sister. She was glad to have been able to see the place where her father proposed to her mother.
A sense of gratitude and comfort filled her subconscious for not being alone.
And yet, unknown to her, the gears of fate were already turning.
The cogs of destiny were being shattered and tossed into the void by a malevolent force.
The sins of the past would arise.
The girl did not know how terrifyingly close she was to the end of that story.
Ruby woke up in a cold place. The air was so cold she could see her breath. She was in a dark alley that creaked with sounds unknown to her.
She was alone by herself.