When Qrow had come to them in his search for Ruby, Yang had worried immensely about her younger sister when the Huntsman informed them he been unable to find her anywhere on Campus.
Blake and Weiss had barely managed to calm the blonde down enough that she was able to settle down to sleep by promising that the cat Faunus would stay up until the young redhead returned from Ozpin's office. The raven haired girl wasn't sure how long she had been waiting by now seeing as she had locked herself out for their dorm room five cups of coffee ago when she had left her scroll next to the book she had been reading to stay awake.
Luckily her heightened caffeine intake had sufficed to keep her awake, but like the four times before now, Blake found herself debating the pros and cons of leaving the door to get a new cup of the black liquid keeping her functioning at the moment and risk missing Ruby's return.
Just as she had made up her mind and turned to leave for the small kitchen shared by their floor, the cat eared girl saw the half Grimm in question walking towards her in the hallway, Zwei at her heel as the wolf tailed girls Grimm like eyes widened in surprise, most likely surprised that Blake was standing outside their dorm room.
'Wait since when are Ruby's eyes black and red?' Blake asked herself confusedly, her confusion only growing once she caught a glimpse of Ruby's paler than normal skin.
Stepping towards the redhead she immediately spoke up both with that confusion and concern.
"Ruby are you alright?"
"Yes, everything is alright." The half Grimm replied, sounding just as cheerful, although a little less energetic, than always.
"So what did Ozpin want with you?" The dark haired Faunus asked carefully as she stepped aside so Ruby could open the door for them, staying away from the little corgi on the girls other side.
"He-" Ruby began enthusiastically, before she suddenly stopped herself as her expression grew thoughtful before she continued as the door opened before them.
"He had met some of my mom's relatives and wanted to introduce us, as they had only learned about her death from him."
"Well." Blake began before a tired yawn interrupted her as the two stepped into the room. "That sounds nice enough, but where were you? Yang was going to worry herself sick until I promised her to wait for you."
Again Ruby took an uncharacteristically long moment to answer.
"I was taking care of my pack, seeing as we had used them as simple lookouts for our training earlier." The half Grimm finally replied, her tail hitting the doorframe once as she stepped into the room after Blake.
"So then what happened to your eyes?" Blake asked pointedly once they had closed the door behind them.
This time the time Ruby spent thinking over her answer was even longer, her ears and tails twitching nervously. She even seemed to mumble to herself once or twice before she finally answered.
"I'm not sure how much I can tell you, but I will tell all of you as much as I can in the morning."
Seeing as Ruby had yet to run away from them when she promised an explanation, Blake decided to trust their leader to tell them everything important in the morning and headed to sleep herself after wishing her a good night.
After Blake had fallen asleep Ruby lay in her own bed, trying her best to be quiet so the rest of the team could get the sleep they needed.
'No I am not keeping Yang in the dark about you' Ruby shouted at her mother mentally as they discussed what Ruby could and would tell the her teammates in the morning.
'But what about the rest of your team? Do you really trust them enough to tell them about the Maidens?' Summer replied, relenting on the point that Ruby would tell her sister no matter what the last maiden would tell her daughter.
'Yes' Ruby replied without hesitation. 'But I was thinking to make it out as something specific to our family and me being part Grimm unless they see what I can do as a Maiden now.'
The redhead finished her reply, obvious in her desire not to antagonize Ozpin by going against his wishes.
'That could work, and it wouldn't technically be a lie.' Her mother agreed before she continued excitedly after she had an idea. 'Did Ozpin give you that story of Rakka I told him a few times? Maybe explain it from that.'
Bringing her hand up to scratch her ears, Ruby thought over what her mother had said for a short moment before she spoke again. 'Like Fafnir's curse affected the blade that is now in Crescent Rose as well, so it caused both my new look and got you stuck in my head?'
'Yes that would work nicely' Summer said, happy with the excuse her daughter had managed to think up.
'So now that we have some time and nothing to do, how has your time at Beacon be so far?'
'It's been really amazing so far.' Ruby said cheerfully before she began to summarize her first semester.
'During Initiation I saved Weiss, that's my partner in case you forgot, by taking over the local Beowulf pack when I knocked out their Alpha. But when I went to check on them that night, Ozpin found out about what I am, he told me the next day.
Then there was the time I got to angry in a fight and wounded a racist idiot, which lead to some extra research I had to o for Professor Goodwitch.
Oh and after we found out Blake was with the White Fang we helped the police to protect a large Dust shipment and helped catch Roman Torchwick in the process.'
'All that really does sound exciting' Summer replied as she thought back to all the things team STRQ did during their time at Beacon.
'And I didn't even begin to tell you about our mission to Mountain Glenn and how Glynda and my team found out about what I am.' The wolf eared girl said happily as she continued to tell her mother all the memorable things that happened to herself so far.
The next morning, team RWBY got up bright and early, even though they would be fighting in the afternoon bracket so they could see who they would be up against in the singles round, and more importantly, because Ruby owed them some answers.
Thus once all of them had finished their morning routine they sat down on their beds and waited for Ruby to speak up, her face hidden from their direct view by her raised hood.
"So why did the headmaster call you into his office yesterday?" Weiss asked, glaring at her partners shaded eyes.
"Yang, do you remember that story Professor Ozpin sent me, that one about the elder Grimm?" Ruby asked carefully, laying Crescent Rose, for now folded up, on the ground between the students.
"The one with the sword like mom's?" Yang asked, slightly confused.
"I found out yesterday that at least some of it is true" Ruby said as she let Crescent Rose unfold carefully until everyone could clearly see the Grimm like blade fitted to the Scythe. "There really is a blade that is passed down by Rakka's descendants, until I touched it yesterday, the pieces making up this new blade were part of my mom's sword." She continued over the surprised looks her teammates gave her.
"Okay, but how did your eyes change?" Blake asked after she regained her bearings.
"Well the blade wasn't the only thing that changed when I touched it." With those words the half Grimm pulled back her hood to reveal her now Grimm like eyes and bone white skin.
"Do you have any clue why this happened?" Weiss asked Ruby as the redhead put her weapon away again.
"Not really." The half Grimm replied before she turned to her sister. " Also Yang there is something I need to tell you in private."
Taking the hint, Weiss and Blake made their way out of the room. "We'll meet you at breakfast then." Blake said as she closed the door behind herself.
"What is it Ruby?" Yang asked concerned as she moved closer to her sister.
"I am so proud of you my bright little dragon." Ruby said, seemingly confused and unsure about what she just said.
"What did you just call me?" Yang asked surprised to hear the nickname Summer had called her all those years ago.
"I don't know, mom told me to say it." Ruby said rubbing her arm nervously. "She's stuck inside my head since I touched the blade." She quickly replied, her tail swishing from one side to the other.
"Really?" Yang asked, not sure if her Sister was telling the truth or just pulling a fast one on her.
"Yes, really, I can explain it better if you promise not to tell anyone else." Ruby replied, her expression dead serious.
"If it gets me an explanation, sure I'll not tell anyone about this." Yang said without a second thought. "Now spill it."
"Did mom ever tell you the story of the seasons?"
"The fairy tale with the old geezer and the four girls?" Yang replied confused, unsure what an old story could have to do with their current situation.
"Well it's not just a tale." Ruby said as her eyes were wreathed in crimson flames as a small globe of ice formed over the palm of her hand.
"Mom was the last Winter Maiden before me, and is in my head to help me with these new found powers." Ruby finished as she let the globe evaporate.
"So Mom is really in there?" Yang asked, pointing at her sister's head.
"Yeah, anything you want to talk about with her?" Ruby offered, but Yang immediately shook her head.
"Yes but Weiss and Blake are waiting for us, let's do this after I get into the singles round." The blonde said as she jumped up and began to move towards the door. "Now come let's get something to eat before the first matches start."
Following after Yang, the half Grimm wondered what was going through her sister's mind at the moment.
So thanks for reading, any and all feedback is appreciated.