Arc IV - Linked Horizon
Chapter 27 - Summer Roses
"You're sweating." Iota spoke bluntly while I smiled warily, passing by the small stalls of Patch's village, the sunlight gracing us from the gaps in trees and from behind buildings
"Me? Sweat? Na, just, hehehe...meep." I spoke with Yang and Ruby spectating my breakdown with entertainment
"Your heart rate has risen, your mind is running faster than what Eric can sort through, and you're speaking out loud again." Oh, I was? Sorry. "Not my problem. Just stop overthinking it."
"I'm gunna die..." I cried into Yang's shoulder, her hand patting my back while we made our way deeper into the green forest and towards a large, wooden house just on the outskirts of a clearing as the light of day shined upon us through the green ceiling above, and it kind of reminded me of the Emerald Forest
"You'll be fine...it's Ruby who's dead." Yang pointed out, as Ruby froze, before pouting at Yang, but her eyes were giving me all the signs of fear. I wished that Deathstalker killed me now...with a train for a tail...covered in spiky kittens
"I-I'm fine!" Ruby protested before grabbing my hand with a reassuring squeeze, while it did help me relax, her nervous gaze up at my own displayed how unnerved she was. "I promise. Dad won't kill you...probably."
"Probably!?" I freaked, but by now, we've reached the house and I can't lie, it was quite inviting, almost as warm as the atmosphere around us. Then again, the reason I decided to join these two back to Patch was that Ruby wanted to show me something, that, and maybe convince her Dad to like me, and not kill me since he's bound to find out. "...I'm scared..."
"Ok, so, you've signed your will before we left, right?" Yang smirked, only to have mine and Ruby's glares drilled towards her. Without a word she gave a rhythmic knock to the door, then entered with Ruby leading me inside, even against my boots digging into the dirt path outside. Zwei quickly ran past us while I was dragged into the cabin. "Daaad! Were home!"
"Be right there!" We heard a voice shout back from within the home while I gave the place a look-around
The place looked like a cabin from some sort of camp back home, it was mostly wooden furniture with different greens decorating the curtains, seats, and other smaller items. It even had a holographic TV and fireplace. Yep, definitely a log cabin, minus the tech I guess. To my left was another hallway, just before that was the doorway to the kitchen.
"About time you two showed up! I thought I'd never see you two again!" At the new voice, I turned to see their Father. He definitely resembled Yang more than Ruby did. Short, blonde hair and blue eyes. On his right arm was a tattoo similar to a heart.
He wore brown cargo shorts with a dark brown belt, black shoes, a red bandana on his left arm, and a brown leather vest over a tan dress shirt with the right sleeve cut off. For armor, he was wearing a metal spaulder, leather vambrace, and a brown finger-less glove, all on his right arm.
"Dad!" At that, the three embraced for a short period of time, with Zwei happily running around the three while I stood in the background, then after he looked up, I soon felt like an arrow had pierced my soul, and shattered my will. I don't understand it, but I was utterly terrified of his gaze, and the frown that soon followed
"Girls, who's this?" He asked and as if sensing my fear, Yang chuckled a little with her arms crossed, while Ruby looked between her father and me
"Oh! Sorry, Dad, this is one of our friends-slash-teammate, Sky, Ruby wanted him to come along, so...here he is!" I'm dead. He didn't seem too convinced, and I don't think Cognitum was going to save me
"Uh - Hi, Sky Zaffre, nice to meet you." I quickly answered with a respectful bow, looking up to face him again. Soon, his body relaxed with a nod, while he held out a hand to me
"Well, it's good to see my girls making good friends." Why did I feel like that was forced? Whatever I just shook his hand, but the surge of aura was certainly present, Yep, he's gunna kill me. "Now, how about you three come and tell me why Ozpin sent me a letter about you all 'taking down an old enemy'."
At that, the three of us laughed nervously, as we followed him to the living room, and from that point, we explained everything that happened on the island, obviously leaving out some details within the story. But for the majority, we kept to the same script. Then, I felt Iota groan in the back of my head.
"I have a bad feeling all of a sudden." What? Is Taiyang giving us a death glare? "No, well yes, but something else..."
"-And then, just before the Deathstalker was about to strike Ruby, Sky swooped in and stopped it mid-strike with his bare hands!" Yang continued, but this time she didn't stop. "He even yelled out, 'You dare lay a finger on her and I'll kill you!'"
And like that, Ruby's face grew brighter, a small, touched smile on her face, as I felt the brakes in my mind halt all forms of thinking, I heard something smash in the distant corners of my head; I turned to look at Yang, then I deadpanned.
"Yang, if I live, I'll let Iota end you, like with a fork." I muttered while Taiyang's brow rose at the quoted line, all while his eyelids closed a little
"Is that so? And why was this? Just some sort of retort in the middle of a fight?" Oh shit. Red alert, Red alert!
"I - um-well...you see..." I was failing horribly at this, man...it was getting kind of hot in here, hehehe. Then Yang groaned after the tense few moments, latching her arms around me and RUby and pulling us close to her. "Yang - Please, I'm begging you..."
"Ugh, I can't take it! Look, my darling little sister here has herself a boyfriend now, my buddy Sky here being the lucky guy!" And like that. I was going to be burned alive. Taiyang's face turned into a steely glare, leaning forward slightly, his eyes fixed on my own. Then Yang caught on. "Oh...bad time?"
"I'm dead." I gulped
"Ten seconds. Fifteen if you're lucky." Taiyang warned me, as I tried to look for any hope of freedom, and to be honest, he probably knows this island off the back of his hand, I don't, even with Cognitum's GPS. "You're certainly older than any normal student at Beacon, even the way you carry yourself is different, so tell me, how old are you?"
"Umm..." Something shifted again, my eyes felt distorted again - oh no, no-no-no-no. "Why should that matter?"
"Come again?" Taiyang stared at me dangerously, while I felt my control shift back and forth
"Iota, please don't anger the man anymore..." I muttered helplessly, while Ruby facepalmed, Yang just watched with a neutral expression
"No. I'm not sitting here and letting him instill fear into us just because he has overprotective issues," Iota argued, crossing his arms. "Even if it is Blonde and Red's father."
"I think I have that right-" Taiyang attempted to cut in, yet Iota was quick to shut him down angrily
"I've had to watch for years! Seeing Kai suffer without any sense of happiness! You think I'll let you take that away, this single chance of happiness? I'll be damned if anyone takes that away from him...from US!" Iota snapped back, pointing with a thumb towards Ruby. "We had nothing...so much jealousy, pain, and suffering...it would have been easy to off ourselves."
Iota, and in turn, me, turned to look at Yang and Ruby, both staring with startled expressions. "They saved him. I did everything I could to say otherwise, to convince Kai that they would betray us like all the rest, use us, yet...every moment Kai pushed them away, they only seemed to grow closer...especially Re - Ruby."
I finally had control again, and my hands were clenched together on my lap. "Ruby saved me...when no-one else could or would, I owe her everything...sir."
Taiyang said nothing, only continuing to glare at me as if challenging me to do something to push him to attack, yet he did nothing, instead, Yang moved, and beside me, a familiar warmth was placed on my hands. I turned with a perplexed sense of worry, yet Ruby sat there with a confident smile of her own, softly squeezing my hands.
She took a large breath then talked. "Dad...When I was going through the trail, I found a pack of Grimm-" Wait...is this... "At first, I was just going to blow steam off, I didn't really think of anything else, but when I saw how they were walking, I saw that they were surrounding someone."
"So, I saved them, and before long, I ran to see if they were ok, thankfully, they woke up. But when I looked at his eyes, I didn't know what I was seeing, he looked lost, afraid...scarred. I don't know why, but from that day forth, he only seemed to show me how different he really was to me."
"Inexperienced, constantly doubting himself, and above everything, he was afraid of the pain he carried, he was taken from his home, and I couldn't do anything to help him," Ruby... "But. When I was unsure of myself, the burden I held, or when I was in danger, he always came to save me, even if it cost him something, he always protected me."
"He had hidden his real name from us, where he came from, the scars he had...but not once did I feel I was in-danger around him, I just felt happier that I could learn more about my best friend!" Ruby smiled brightly at that, all while Yang gave me a wink of her own, I still sat with no real way of expressing any form of gratitude
"I never realized it until only a while ago, but he cared for me, and our friends' lives, and I could never begin to thank him for everything he's done for me." Then, she gave me a heart-felt smile with her eyes closed, she was an angel. "But I know he'll always be there for me."
I was stunned, nothing came from my mouth. Even Iota was frozen. I never knew she could see me back then, to everyone, I was a shadow among a crowd, and yet, no one saw my scars, the pain, the lies. But she did, she knew from that day we met. Damn, I was actually feeling tears almost begin to fall down my face again. This girl...
"...I see...Ok..." After a pause, Taiyang relaxed, giving Ruby a confident, fatherly smile. "You may be younger, but I know you'll never make a mistake when it comes to someone you trust. Just...no, nevermind. Ok, so tell me what happened next, Yang."
Thank you, girls, even if I can't quite get the words out right now.
Later that night...
I had no idea why I was up, must be my head, after all, my mind's a never-ending machine of questions and thoughts. So in the gloomy kitchen, I managed to acquire myself life's finest beverage. So, with water in hand, I just decided to take a look at the house a little, no harm came from looking.
"We live in a room with four girls, alot of looking would be considered wrong." Iota shut it, I'm looking. "Hmm, then what about that strange team photo over there?" Huh? "By the mantle."
Taking his advice, I peered over to see another picture of a team, it was a little old, but I could still see who was one it. One person was tall and skinny, holding a massive sword over his shoulder, the next looked similar to him, maybe they were siblings? She was black and red, with a katana, she actually looks like Yang. The third was too obvious since the man was glaring at me for the majority of the day as if I were a Grimm. But the last one...wait.
"This certainly explains alot," Iota added while I nodded at the picture. She wore a white cloak, with a black combat skirt. But that face was so similar, longer, crimson-black hair, and silver eyes. "So that must be..."
"Ruby's mom." I finished for him. As I stared at the team for a while, but then I saw the blue eyes reflecting from the glass, and like that, I nearly felt my skin fly off. My body turning sharply to face Taiyang again. "Umm - I w-was just-"
"It's fine. Just try not to make so much noise going back up?" Taiyang asked me, but I could hear the sadness in his voice, hell, not a single notion of venom was even laced in his words, but I just made like a leaf and flew. Leaving him to go back to whatever he was doing. Strange guy.
"But stranger past." True that. So within a short time frame, I was back in the guest room, not minding that the moonlight shined into the nearly black room. But I just decided to put my mind at ease, and go to sleep, I'm sure Eric would like that
"Hurry up...~" Yeah-Yeah...
So I did just that, turning to face the wall to my left, as I closed my eyes once more. The endless void sat before me, just like always, but it was less frightful, and I liked that. Or I would, but something caught my attention.
"Sky?" I heard a faint whisper behind me, so I turned, and opened my eyes to see Ruby, for reasons beyond my own. But she looked...scared? Just that made me sit up a little more to face her
"Ruby? What's wrong?" I asked, yet she kept an uncharacteristically low gaze to me
"C-Could I stay with you tonight...?" Huh? That was weird? We already share a bed at Beacon, but somehow it seemed like she needed this answer, so I just smiled and waved my hand for her to do so. Like I'd say no to her
"Your house. But yeah." At my answer, she smiled a little, before she made her way in beside me. But as she did, she moved in right beside me, to where her head rested against my chest, and she stared down at my chest. Ok, that's it. "Ruby, What's wrong?"
"I-I don't want to be alone right now...please." She answered softly, holding herself closer to me, so I couldn't help but relax a little. Whatever was wrong, I guess she'll tell me when she wants to. So I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her as close as I could, then, I gave her a soft kiss on her forehead
"Ok, if that's what you want, Rubes." I smiled, seeing her smile while I rested my head above hers, feeling my eyelids drop seconds later, becoming a traveler of the void quickly. Yet I saw it before my eyes fell heavy, the blue orbs staring at me from beyond Ruby's raven locks that closed the door
The Next Day...
We've all known someone for a long time, we know them both personally, and casually. But there's always something about them that we never knew, a side of them they hide, a trait they never share. Or, the pain that has always been there, but you never knew.
"I see now..." Iota breathed, almost caught completely off guard by the sight as I was, my own mouth left ajar at the sight
"This...this isn't right." Eric huffed, a small breeze passing me and Ruby, we both stood at the edge of the cliff, overlooking a beautiful valley of forests, as the sun rose beyond the horizon. But I just stared down, Ruby merely continued to talk
"-Oh, and the person behind me is Sky or Kai like Weiss calls him, and yes, Dad almost tried to kill him...but I helped." At my name, I looked at Ruby, and even without Cognitum, I could see it, her eyes were showing pain, confusion, loss. So that's why she wanted me here, and like always, I manage to find some way of not realizing it before like a fool. "But together, we form Team RWBYS."
"And yes, before you ask, that does cause some confusion, that, and we're the only five-person team." Ruby smiled, all while I gazed at the words on the stone, with Iota reciting them
"Thus kindly I scatter." I wonder what it means? "Perhaps, like a rose, she may be gone, but she's left petals behind so that she's never really gone?" Maybe...
"Anyways, I made a bunch of new friends, and met some...let's just say, odd teachers." Ruby continued, before she looked at me, holding me tightly in a hug from the side. "And Sky's also my boyfriend, which is cool, but also very bad since Dad tried to kill him."
"I'd say more, 'tried to maim me'..." I muttered yet Ruby punched me lightly. But I decided to aid a little, so don't judge me. "Still, a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Rose, and don't worry, I keep Ruby in line."
"Hey!" She pouted while I chuckled a little, but continued, holding onto Ruby tightly
"She's probably the nicest girl I've ever met, I honestly can see why she's my leader since she always thinks of a way to save my ass." I chuckled, then I looked at her grave again. "But...If there's one thing I can do make up for all that she's done for me, its that I won't ever leave her, I'll promise you that."
I then looked to see Ruby smiling at me, as she gave me a quick, affectionate peck on my cheek, which felt like lightning was coursing through me. Then I decided to leave them alone for a while.
"It was nice meeting you, Summer," I added, leaving RUby's side for the tree line, their talk far beyond my hearing now. "I just hope this won't keep haunting her."
"It's not as simple as us, loss of sanity is one thing, but...I don't know how we can help her from this...I hate that." Eric muttered sadly
But before I could get a response, I felt the light tapping on my leg, so I looked down to see Zwei, happily panting as he looked up at me with onyx eyes. Then I saw Taiyang standing there, as he gave me a look, but sighed. Before looking back at Ruby.
"Promise to take care of my little girl, please." He calmly demanded, the sudden request already making myself, Iota and Eric smirk back at him, my eyes shimmering with red, purple, and white
"I believe she's the one who takes care of us," We said in unity, the man giving a small hum of amusement. "I promise I will."
"Good," Suddenly, he punched me in the arm and I held back the urge to cry out from the strength behind it, Yep, definitely Yang's dad! "Next time, don't drop in unannounced."
"Ruby's fault, not mine." I retorted, before adding. "Great leader, but...she can be a little distracted at times."
"So, she hasn't changed much." Taiyang shook his head in disbelief, then Zwei barked, as Ruby quickly ran to us, but she still stopped to say one last thing, then she joined us
"Hey, Dad!" Ruby greeted before she looked between us curiously with a finger drifting between us. "Wait, what were you two talking about?"
Me and Taiyang exchanged looks, then we both answered.
"Guy stuff."
*Woof*
"See? Zwei knows what's up." I confirmed with a stern nod, yet Ruby knew I was lying, her suspicious stare lasting for a moment. So, I quickly grabbed her hood and shoved it down over her eyes, the girl crying out from the startling action. "Ha! I win!" I ran for it
"H-Hey! No fair, you jerk~!" Ruby cried out, chasing after me with her arms swinging, all while the whole chase made me laugh aloud
"Sorry, Rubes! But all's fair in love and war!"I was gloating, yet the burst of red roses was clear in my eyes now. "Oh, shit."
It was funny. I don't know why, but when I left Ruby alone, the air was a little colder than I expected it to be.
To Be Continued...
So, the volume and arc to change the whole play of the game. I thought I just expand on the beginning, as Sky never knew about Summer, and I thought this would be a better way for their relationship to grow. Also, sorry if I couldn't write Tai right, he's...different, but i'll try in the future. And as always, see you in the next chapter Hunters!
Next Chapter: Strength of Bonds
The Vytal Festival is off with a bang, and Sky reminisces of the events leading up to his secret match after the final bout of the day.