Hi ya folks ETH here this will be a longer chapter than the most of the other ones in this fanfic so yeah, sorry if I haven't exactly been on my game it just I was out for school and trying to spend time with my family before christmas break was over so yeah and Happy New Year!
The next scene that the group from the past and future Oscar saw took place in a small meadow in the middle of a the forest on Patch which Ruby and Yang called out since they had played in it countless times when they were little.
They all then saw Ireland as a small toddler, she wore a small black skirt and top, was barefooted, her hair was half pulled back into a small braid, and of course she also wore a dark green cloak and hood.
The little girl was under a fold up table that had Ruby's folded up scythe on it along with a big plate of cookies. Little Ireland gave a small laugh as she put both of her hands to her mouth. She then reach up to snag a cookie from the plate. Ireland looked around carefully, got out from under the table and got her hand closer to the cookies. Closer…. Closer…. Closer….
"BOO!" yelled a young woman's voice, making everyone from the past including future Oscar jump a bit. The owner of the voice grabbed little Ireland who giggled as she got tickled by her mother; young future Ruby, who was wearing a black and red combat skirt, top, and boots. Her hair was still styled the same way teen Ireland's was and she wore her red cap and hood.
"I saw that you little cookie monster, nice try" young future Ruby teased as she blew a raspberry on little Ireland's cheek, who shrieked with laughter. "We'll have cookies as soon as daddy gets her, okay?" asked young future Ruby, making Ireland pout.
"Don't wanna wait!" the little girl moaned cutely, making everyone from the past put a hand to their chests.
"Aww…." they cooed, Ireland was absolutely adorable.
The scene then showed young future Oscar coming over to young future Ruby and Ireland. And young future Jaune and Weiss were behind him with a toddler version of Whistley, who then toddled over to to Ireland, who did the same and once the two kids were close they hugged and then started to play tag, and in that moment Ireland seem to forget about the cookies her mother had promised for her when her father got there and decided to play with her best friend instead.
Young future Oscar, Ruby, Weiss and Jaune watched the two children play and smiled.
"Whistley is the only one who can make Ireland forget about cookies and to me and Ruby that's a miracle" stated young future Oscar, putting his arm around his wife and kissing her head, which made Oscar and Ruby of the past blush.
For a little while everyone from the past along with the hologram of future Oscar saw scenes with Ireland and her parents. There was one when the couple took care of her as kid when she was sick, one where they taught her how to ride a bike and put bandages on her cuts afterwards. When the scene flipped after those visions it then showed a pre-teen Ireland practicing with her bow and using it to hit a nearby target.
The group from the past couldn't believe how focused Ireland was.
"She's trying just as hard as Ruby did when she started out" Yang observed breathlessly as the scene showed how hard Ireland trained to get into Beacon, both with her Semblance, hand to hand combat, and of course with her bow.
The scene then flipped again this time it showed Ireland at her present age using the silver light from her eyes to take out a giant Ursa that had knocked her bow out of her hand.
"Ireland was often picked on because of what her eyes could do and was told by bullies that she would never be as powerful as her mother, but that only made Ireland push herself harder" said the hologram of future Oscar feeling pity for his little girl since she seemed to work too hard. Everyone looked at him shockingly, except for Ruby who looked down. Now she pitied Ireland even more.
"Poor kid, she must feel like she has a lot to live up to " stated Yang feeling guilty about the way she treated Ireland.
"Yeah, I mean her parents did save Remnant" added Blake.
"That poor girl she was and still is under a lot of pressure. Not only to be like her parents, but to fix her big mistake" said Weiss putting her fingers to her lips.
"Yeah, even I kind of feel sorry for the kid" stated Qrow as the scene flipped again, this time Ireland was her present age, she was sitting in a living room on a couch in Ruby and Yang's childhood home and was brushing little Pyrrha's blond side ponytail, while Whistley was sitting next to Ireland herself.
"Thanks Ireland" said little Pyrrha looking back at her ponytail making Ireland herself smiled.
"No problem Pyrrha like I always tell you; your like the little sister I've always wanted" stated Ireland, making Whistley frown.
"Hey, Pyrrha! Don't forget who your real older sibling is!" he scolded as Pyrrha and Ireland giggled.
"Come on Whistley you can't be jealous of me, I'm your girlfriend and best friend" stated the green cloaked girl, scooting closer to the messy white haired boy who gave a small smile.
"... why is it that I can never stay mad at you?" asked Whistley, pulling Ireland into an embrace.
"Because you love me" proclaimed Ireland simply with a sly smile, that made everyone from the past want to gag, while the hologram of future Oscar frowned.
"I never approved of those two as a couple. As friends sure, but nothing more than that!" the hologram snapped as the scene continued with future Oscar, who looked like the hologram with the group of the past, walked into the living room from the kitchen.
"You three can come in now, Zia, Zwei's granddaughter had five healthy pups" said future Oscar, making everyone from the past eyes widen.
"Zwei has descendants too!?" questioned Ruby.
"Who's Zwei?" asked Oscar of the past.
"He's me and Ruby's dog back on Patch, he's a corgi" replied Yang as the hologram of future Oscar nodded.
"Yes, this day that we're seeing was a few months ago from today, Zwei had mated with a light chocolate lab so the dopey ears were past down to his children and his children's children and of course you';ve also seen them on of of his great grandchildren; Piper" stated the hologram. Everyone's eyes widened.
"So wait, Ireland's puppy that we saw earlier was one of Zwei's great grandchildren?" asked Weiss as her mouth dropped open. The hologram of future Oscar nodded.
"Ruby and I couldn't keep all the puppies, but we let keep one since someone her age could have use for an animal companion" he stated as the scene continued. The group from the past saw Ireland in the vision holding a newborn, light brown puppy in a small towel.
"Aww, this one is so cute" Ireland squealed lightly while future Ruby help Pyrrha and Whistley hold a puppy as well. Future Yang was also there petting the tired mother dog. Future Oscar sat next to Ireland , whose puppy started to squeak.
"Aww!" everyone from the past and in the vision cooed.
"I can see why you guys named her 'Piper'" prompted Yang crossing her arms and smiling.
In the vision Ireland then held the noisy puppy close to her and giggled happily.
"This is the one I want to keep" she proclaimed as future Oscar and Ruby smiled.
"That's wonderful" said Ruby of the future.
"Have you thought of a name?" asked future Oscar, petting Ireland's puppy gently. Ireland looked at the squeaking little pup in her hands and thought for a moment, then her smile widened.
"Piper, will be her name. Since she's a little squeaker" stated the green cloaked girl making everyone around her smile, as her parents hugged her and Piper, making everyone from the past watching especially Oscar and Ruby want to cry in happiness, but when the scene flipped their teary smiles were soon replaced with concern.
This scene unlike the other ones was not happy. The three people in the vision had frowns on their faces, it was Ireland and future Oscar and Ruby, they…. Were fighting.
"What's up?" asked Blake as she rose one of her eyebrows.
The hologram of future Oscar cringed and looked down.
"This is the day Ireland set Salem free" he replied unesaily.
Everyone form the past looked at him, while they wanted to be surprised they weren't they had expected something like this. "Now that you've seen a little more of Ireland, you all now have to see her mistake and help her fix it" stated the hologram of future Oscar.
"And we will" proclaimed Ruby, making everyone looked at her. "We'll help Ireland fix this, she's me and Oscar's daughter and we've cared about her since the moment we met her and now we know why" stated the red hooded girl reflecting on all she had learned about Ireland.
Oscar nodded.
"Yeah, we promise me and Ruby we'll help protect Ireland and help her fix this" the former farm boy stated, making the hologram of future Oscar smile.
"Thank you" he said as they all went back to watching the vision, where Ireland was fighting with her parents.
"Bella and Regina didn't deserve detention!" Ireland yelled at her parents.
"Watch your tone young lady, we've been over this; your teammates may have stood up for you when Cardin Winchester's daughter Katherine was picking on you, but they also beat her up!" Future Oscar yelled back as Ireland growled.
"So, Bella used her Semblance to put that jerk to sleep and Regina used hers to drench her in toilet water, why didn't you put me in detention too?!" asked Ireland.
"Because you didn't do anything bad- future Ruby started but was cut off by Ireland.
"That's right I didn't "do" anything, I should be punished not my team!" she shouted as her parent's frowns became deeper.
"You could've asked for help, instead of letting Bella and Regina do what they did!" shouted future Oscar.
"There you go again trying to do the right thing, when really there's nothing right about it! Like the way you tell nobody, not even me what's in that crystal fortress mom here made with her eyes!" Ireland yelled nearly screaming, making future Oscar and Ruby's eyes widen; that was completely unexpected.
"That's not- future Ruby started but was cut off by Ireland again.
"No we're past that! Why don't you tell me or anyone else what's behind that dumb fortress, here you two are doing something to Bella and Regina that they don't deserve and your also ignoring a question I've been asking all my life; "What's in that fortress?!" Ireland screamed, leaving her parents and everyone in the past, who was watching shocked.
Future Oscar blinked and shock off the shock to then gently grab Ireland's shoulders she she would look him in the eye.
"Ireland Summer Rose, listen to me. What that crystal fortress holds is a secret that is best kept that way, do you understand?" asked future Oscar firmly. Ireland bowed her head and bit her lip.
"Sweetheart, you have to understand that we are trying to protect you and everyone else, do you get that?" asked future Ruby with gentleness in her voice. When Ireland didn't respond future Oscar spoke up.
"Ireland do you understand?" he asked.
Ireland then looked up at her parents with a blank look on her face.
"No, no I don't, but the same can't be said for this…. You two are worse than Ozpin was…." stated the teen coldly as she took her shocked father's hands off of her shoulders and walked out of the house, leaving her parents shocked with Piper trailing behind her.
Oscar of the past bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from crying. Was he really as bad as Ozpin was when it came to stuff like this? the hologram of future Oscar looked upset as well as he walked over to his past self.
"She didn't mean it you know, Ireland was just very upset" he told past Oscar, who gave a single nod of understanding. "And your not the only one who feels upset" the hologram whispered to Oscar, who didn't quite understand at first until he looked over at Ruby who had a few tears in her eyes.
"What do I do?" asked the farm boy looking to the hologram of his future self, who shrugged.
"Whatever you feel is right" the hologram replied. Past Oscar walked over to Ruby, who was getting a comforting hug from Yang, and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, its ok Ireland didn't mean any of that. We'll fix this" he assured the crying red cloaked girl, who looked at him for a short moment and then rapped her arms around him in a hug. Oscar was shocked for a second even though this wasn't the first time he had been hugged by Ruby, but he hugged her back nonetheless. The two might have hugged for a long time if the scene in front of them hadn't changed again this time Ireland and Piper were in the huge, clear, crystal fortress and running out of a huge room and Ireland had a small black urn in her hands….
"Is that….?" Black trailed off pointing to the urn in the vision.
"Salem's urn? Yes, it is" the hologram of future Oscar finished as he nodded his head.
Ireland in the vision lended against one of the crystal walls and looked at the urn in her hands with a confused expression.
"Why would mom and dad keep this a secret, Piper? It's just a stupid dirty urn, what's in here any way?" Ireland asked looking at Piper, who stood beside her, but then unlocked the top of the urn and opened it.
"NO!" yelled everyone from the past as they then watched as black ash came from the urn, and in front of Ireland it formed none other than Salem, who Ireland looked at with fear and shock in her eyes. Salem looked at herself and then at her hands until she noticed Ireland in front of her. Past Oscar and Ruby held their breath and prepared themselves. Salem and Ireland's eyes met for a moment. Ireland's were filled with fear while Salem's held rage and hate as she noticed the urn that the teen had dropped and was now by her feet. Salem then looked back at Ireland.
"Ruby Rose, did you honestly think you could imprison me? The queen of death and destruction? NEVER! You and that ridiculous reincarnation of Ozpin will pay for what you've done!" shouted Salem. Ireland was on the ground at this point, she was so scared at the fact that she had released Salem, that she had lost her footing and she was holding a growling Piper back. At the same moment the group from the past realized something; Salem thought Ireland was Ruby!
"Please, Ireland only looks a bit like Ruby…. Ok I'm starting to see it now" stated Maira trailing off as she looked from Ruby then to Ireland in the vision.
"I-I'm Ireland and d-don't you d-dare talk a-about m-my parents like that!" shouted the shuttering teen as she grabbed her bow and an arrow with a built in bomb at the tip and shakingly shot it at Salem, who shot fire at the arrow, turing it to ash before it could hit her.
"Your parents?" asked Salem leaning over to get a closer look at Ireland, making Oscar and Ruby of the past cringe in anger and over protectiveness.
After a moment of a closer look of the teen before her Salem's eyes became wider.
"Oh my of course…. Yes I should've recognized those freckles and of course your eyes, but tell me child, why would you; the daughter of the greatest huntsmen who ever lived set me free?" asked Salem menacingly as Ireland split her bow into guns and pointed them at the evil queen.
"Go to back to hell, Salem!" she shouted as she started to shoot at salem and then back flipped over her and shoot at her back, which seem to work for a moment but in just seconds the bullet holes in Salem's body where gone.
"Foolish girl, apparently your parents didn't tell you that I can't die and that's why I was imprisoned!" said Salem leaving Ireland shocked, her parents were even bigger lier's than she thought! Ireland shook her head, there was no time to feel betrayed she had to stop Salem. Suddenly a woman's voice rang out.
"IRELAND!" it was future Ruby, she was running towards her daughter with her husband in tow. Both parents had there weapons ready to save their daughter.
"Mom! Dad!" yelled Ireland as she noticed Salem was distracted by noticing her parents so she took the opportunity to kick Salem off her feet and ran to her parents.
"You told me you killed Salem! Well she apparently can't be killed because when I shot her she wouldn't die!" Ireland shouted at her parents who looked at each other.
"Now is not the time, Ireland did you let Salem out of the ern?" asked future Oscar using his cane to block of a magical red blast Salem shot at him and Ireland. The young teen looked down then her head shot back up and tears were streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry!" Ireland shouted as she started to shoot at Salem again even though she knew it was useless.
"Ireland, it's okay sweetheart. We'll fix this together!" shouted future Ruby as she was about to activate her silver eyes but before the light could pour from them Salem shot a red magical blast at one of the crystal walls, making a giant hole leading outside.
"Very clever Ruby Rose, keeping my urn in a silver crystal fortress so if I were to escape I wouldn't be strong enough to fight to my greatest ability, but I'm not weak enough to escape!" shouted Salem as a Nevermore appeared at the hole in the fortress wall and the Grimm queen jumped on it's back.
"This isn't over you two, I won't kill you for now I'll only keep you at bay for a while so you can watch the world you saved die, then it'll your turn" stated Salem as the Nevermore carried her away.
Everyone from the past both felt relieved and nervous, they were happy that Ireland and future Oscar and Ruby were safe but also worried about what Salem was planning to do to everyone when the time came.
In the vision Ireland picked up Piper and hugged her puppy close while tears formed in her eyes.
"I'm sorry" Ireland shrieked "I was so mad and curious and stupid and-" she was then cut of by both of her parents rapping her and Piper in a hug after dropping their weapons.
"Are you hurt?!" asked future Oscar cupping his daughter's face in his hands.
"N-no, I'm okay" assured the green cloaked girl surprised at the question.
"Are you sure?" asked future Ruby putting her hands on Ireland's shoulders as the teen looked down.
"I swear I'm fine…. Aren't you mad at me?" asked Ireland looking away from her parents. Future Oscar sighed.
"We don't blame you we blame ourselves for not being honest" he said as future Ruby nodded.
"We lied because we thought as long as no one new where Salem was or that she was alive the world would be safe…. And so would you" she stated.
"Yes and we promise we'll tell you the full story on the way to Beacon. Call your teammates and tell them to bring their parents and their siblings to Beacon and to meet us in my office" ordered future Oscar. Ireland looked at him for a moment then gave a nod.
The scene flipped again this time it showed Whistley, Regina, Bella, Shadow, Night, Pyrrha, and Piper all getting into a crystal cellar in the vault under the school of Beacon. When everyone was inside it Ireland ran to it with her parents in tow.
"Hurry Ireland the wave will reach us any minute!" yelled future Oscar attempting to push his daughter into the cellar but Ireland pulled herself out of his grip.
"I'm not going in without you!" she screamed as the ground began to shake.
"Sweetheart you have to find out how to stop Salem for good, you can do it we know you can!" shouted future Ruby as she and future Oscar pulled her into a hug.
"But what if- Ireland started but was cut off by her parents.
"We love you" they said and in that next moment they pushed their daughter into the crystal cellar and locked it.
Everyone in the past then saw a big red wave coming towards future Oscar and Ruby who stood in front of the cellar making sure to guard it and their daughter.
Inside the cellar everyone in it heard a loud *BOOM!* and then…. Nothing.
"MOM! DAD!" Ireland screamed.
Cliffhanger "Maw ha, ha ha!" hope you loved it anyway love ETH! see you in the next chapter!