Chapter 10: The Crow of Dark Tidings.

The road was long, a lot longer than Ruby expected as she and Jaune were walking carrying Qrow. The hills where they had split from Ren and Nora had opened up into a valley and the duo were now walking beside a river, having just passed a low hanging railroad bridge over the river and road. Finally; the end looked near as the cracked ruins of a gateway appearing in the skyline was Ruby's first hint that they were at Kuroyuri. Walking slowly, a sign stood firm but cracked as they passed it. The words could barely write out the town name.

Jaune spoke up first. "W-wow. I thought Shion looked bad."

Ruby looked at the stale water as they crossed over a derelict bridge into the former city proper, the only things that really grew now was moss and blackened lilies growing on top. Eventually she removed herself from looking at the streets and towards the wrecked buildings. "Jaune; do you think any of these buildings look like a pharmacy?"

Jaune shook his head. "Not really Ruby… it's kinda hard to tell; some of the buildings have burn marks whereas others seem just clawed down."

Ruby turned to see a cherry tree struggling in the center of the city. "Look there! A tree we can put Qrow under."

Jaune's attitude shifted to a happier tone. "That's good Ruby." His tone shifted back after seeing a broken bicycle along the scrap. "R-Ren didn't really want to come here. A-and I'm starting to think I know why."

As Ruby and Jaune made it to the center Ruby questioned him. "Yeah? You can't just say that and not tell me what you think."

"He's told me he lost his family at a young age and from the same age he and Nora have been on the run. That's all he's told me about himself. I-I think this place might mean something to him, after his outburst earlier; I've never heard him shout ever like that." Slowly; the duo lowered Qrow down and propped him up on the tree.

Ruby nodded as she wiped some sweat from Qrow's brow. "I have to agree, Jaune, I've never heard him like that before… I'm gonna apologize after we get to Haven."

Jaune just smiled. "I agree Ruby. Now let's go try to find some supplies or at least make a camp; we could use a fire signal; surely Mistral might have eyes watching over Kuroyuri."

Ruby tried to pull on a fake smile as they started searching; however her mind drifted on from here and back to more peaceful times, ones where Uncle Qrow's actions only gave him a slap on the wrist for breaking up courtyards.

The day of that event had started great; while JNPR had flailed a little during their match, RWBY and SSSN both made up for it, however, Ruby was more shocked and surprised when she, after bumping into a few visitors upon chasing Weiss to the docking bays, met Weiss's older sister Winter Schnee.

Ruby was a little saddened when the Schnee sisters started to depart without her. "I'll catch up- I mean, I will... reconvene with you both... at a later…-" Dang it brain; why must you never work when speaking formally, Ruby thought as she slapped her head a few times. "Juncture!" There it was. "I'll reconvene with you both at a late juncture.. Yeah." And they're not in earshot anymore… oh well. Ruby smiled to herself to cheer herself up as she walked down to the bus station; there's a small vending machine that she wanted to get a cookie out of!

After receiving the cookie; Ruby walked up to the courtyard; when a loud bird croaked. Ruby looked up to see a raven flying above her… Ruby stared at it; thinking she recognized it. Yeah; she's seen it before. It's the same damn birdbrain that lied to her about her mother when she was younger! How is it not dead yet!

The bird, having taken a notice of her swooped down, and flew towards the crowd; the sounds of fighting were becoming clear. Ruby chased after it; winding up meeting Weiss. "W-what's going on!?"

Weiss turned to Ruby and then just pointed to the fight going on, clearly annoyed. "Some crazy guy just started attacking my sister!"

"Oh no! Who would do such a th-" Ruby turned to see the fight; she hadn't lost track of the raven; it was now perched above, however her eyes lit up when she saw just who was fighting; her uncle, the famous Qrow Branwen. Well he wasn't really her uncle but actually only Yang's… he was a member of the same team as mom and dad, he counts as an uncle anyway. "That Is MY UNCLE!"

"What?!"

"Kick her butt Uncle Qrow!" Ruby cheered on. Sorry Weiss; even if that's your sister; Uncle Qrow is cool!

"Uh…" Weiss, Summer saw, was shocked by what Ruby had said. "Teach him respect, Winter!" she eventually shouted; trying to encourage her sister.

By this point the fight had started to escape the ring of watchers as Qrow slammed into the pavement with Harbinger, creating a crater. 'Stupid Uncle Qrow; I can't watch if you're at the other end of the courtyard!' Ruby thought to herself as only sounds could convey the battle as they went to fight along the viaducts around the campus until finally returning to the pathway; with Qrow sliding back into the former ring as everyone cheered.

Eventually Winter it seemed that now was enough; as she pulled out her semblance, by the looks it summons- baby snow grimm! Tiny Nevermores flew around Qrow as he fought them, eventually he pulled Harbinger into a position Ruby could never forget from training: Qrow's normal position for transformation. Awww yeah; now you're in trouble! The weapon roared into life, it's gears turning and disconnecting the blades until it grinded to a halt. Wait why did it stop?

Qrow transformed the weapon back to its sword form and put it away. An 'aww' slipped from Ruby's lips. With a smirk; he stood up and just faced Winter. He then wiggled his finger signalling her to come. With a scream Winter charged towards Qrow, stopping an inch from his throat

"SCHNEE." Ruby looked from her uncle to see that General Ironwood had arrived; and trailing him was Penny! Ruby smiled towards her other friend, she hadn't seen her in a few days though since the start of the tournament week.

"General Ironwood, Sir!" Winter said as she turned to face him.

"What, do you think you are doing fighting?" Ironwood was cold, but not as much as Winter had been.

"He started the altercation, sir!" Winter said; trying to shift the blame.

Qrow just looked at her before putting his hands behind the back of his head. "I did no such thing, sure I might have collided with one of your knights, but she attacked first."

General Ironwood looked at the two, clearly unable to believe either of them. "Is that right?" Winter tried to speak but only nodded before looking down in shame. "I see.. And you?" Ironwood shifted to look at Qrow before walking up to him. "What are you doing here?"

Qrow just snickered. "I could ask you the same thing Jimmy."

"I-"

"Now now." Ozpin's voice floated into everyone's ears, shifting all focus to him. "There are possibly still sanctioned fights going on around the corner at the Colosseum, otherwise there will be fights tomorrow for you all to see. I can assure you it has better seats." Ozpin smiled. "-Oh and popcorn!"

Glynda had walked up with him, clearly glaring at Uncle Qrow and the General. "Break it up, everyone! We will take care of this mess."

Ruby saw the General leaving but was happy to see Penny was waving at her so she returned it. Within a second she then pounced onto her uncle. "Uncle Qrow!" Qrow turned to see her flailing her legs as she held onto his arm. "Hi. It's so good to see you! Did you miss me? Did you miss me!?" Summer could only hide her own squealing as she watched.

"Nope." Qrow said, as he rubbed Ruby's hair, he was about to say more but was stopped.

"Qrow." Ozpin said. Ruby felt Qrow's arm drip.. Nooooo that was the only thing holding her up…"Oof" was heard as Ruby fell. "A word, please." Ruby didn't watch but heard Glynda start to use her semblance to restore Qrow's crater.

Qrow turned to Ruby, as she was picking herself up off the ground. "I think I'm in trouble kiddo."

Ruby smiled at her uncle. "You kinda did destroy the courtyard."

Qrow smiled. "I did." he winked at her before fist bumping her. "Well catch ya later kiddo." As he started to catch up to the others.

"And suddenly your recklessness makes sense Ruby." a voice perked up, Weiss was next to her still. "You learned it from him."

Ruby just giggled as she nudged Weiss's shoulder. "You're just mad he whooped butt."

Weiss scoffed. "It was a tie at best Ruby."

Ruby grinned, it was rare to see her uncle fighting out in public outside of recordings of the Vytal Festival his team, the famous STRQ were in. "No it wasn't and you know it Weiss!"

Ruby just then walked with Weiss back to the main campus, while she would have wanted to wait on her Uncle Qrow; she knew she should chill out in the cafe with the other members of her team and with JNPR before the second rounds tomorrow. She would have plenty of time to hang out with her uncle after the Tournament and team RWBY's Victories!

Toxins swept through Qrow's system, and Qrow could tell; even in his sleep. He was losing time, if only that damn scorpion had never stung him, he wouldn't be on his deathbed now. Now where was he.. Oh right! The Famous Vytal Festivals. The last one had not gone to plan with Salem stepping in to throw it off course.

Qrow started to laugh. Not uncontrollably but… the walls around him shifted and contorted. What had been the nearly damn frozen Atlesian Festival Grounds slowly turned to a black ooze. He tried to touch it but it felt like nothing. The Void. The Void, a nickname he used to describe his mind, slowly morphed, shifting to him standing with a long familiar group of faces instead of his former teammates. He was face to face with the current General of the Atlesian Military: James Ironwood, he had been one of the best people in his class, and a few times Summer said she used to look up to him. "You... You think they're scared of your little ships?" Qrow laughed again at the General, as he slowly put a hand on his chest. "I've been out there and I've seen the things she's made, and let me tell you - they are fear."

Before Ironwood could retort; another voice spoke up, a calmer voice with what seemed like eons of experience behind his voice. "And fear will bring the Grimm." Both Qrow and Ironwood turned to face the speaker. Headmaster Ozpin. Qrow took a second to inspect the room, in over twenty years; Ozpin had barely changed his office, a glass panel formed most of the room's walls. Silently across from him was Glynda Goodwitch. He remembered her all too fondly. She was Ozpin's assistant now, but Qrow still thought of the teacher's aid that was too strict on him and his team..

Qrow turned to focus on Ozpin himself as he kept speaking. "A guardian is a symbol of comfort. But an army is a symbol of conflict. There's an energy in the air now, a question in the back of everyone's minds…" Ozpin moved his hands to the floating display of the Atlesian Air Division surrounding the Amity Colosseum, Qrow only looked at it in disgust.. "If this is the size of our defenses, then what is it we're expecting to fight?"

Ironwood said little more as he grabbed his scroll from Ozpin's desk, turning off the display. "So then, Ozpin. What do you plan to do?"

Ozpin looked over his glasses at General Ironwood. "I plan on finding our guardian."

Ironwood scoffed towards Ozpin, while Qrow kept his mouth shut. "Remember your last guardian? One Summer Rose was it not?"

Qrow just snarled at Ironwood, a hand quickly went to grab the scythe known as Harbinger, his hand now firmly grasping the handle. "What did you say?" Qrow could feel his aura starting to flare up, which was known to do when someone mentioned Summer Rose, or Ruby Rose for that matter, in a demeaning way.

General Ironwood turned to him, his eyes cold, as if he didn't care what he had stated beforehand, though Qrow would say it was the face of someone who had just shot a child. "Oh yeah, you were her team-"

"Partner." Qrow cut Ironwood off. "She was my partner so please, tread carefully with your next words, Jimmy."

"Qrow." Ozpin sighed, before taking a sip of his cocoa. "Settle down. Both of you. However Ironwood. Mrs. Rose chose to go on a mission by herself without even informing me, General-James. Unlike you; my Huntsmen and Huntresses; while I would love them to stay loyal forever, have their wills before my own. However; I have one candidate that I think might be… perfect for our maiden situation; and thus she could be our Guardian."

Ironwood turned to Ozpin, having remained fixated on Qrow, hands on his revolver, in case a duel was needed. "Oh? Is it one of the members of the reckless team RWBY?"

Qrow stared at the General, while Glynda only rolled her head. "Thin ice, Tin Man. That's my nieces' team you're talking about."

Ironwood nodded, unmoving from looking at Ozpin. "Ms. Ruby Rose, and Ms. Yang Xiao Long, correct?"

"Yes."

Ozpin smiled at the two. "Well, while Ms. Rose seems to have inherited her mother's Silver Eyes and her semblance, and Ms. Xiao Long has the will of her mother with the strength of her father, neither of them are actually the student I am referring to. Ms. Rose's role in this chess game was chosen already, by herself." Qrow scoffed at what Ozpin meant. Ruby was the one to always take lead, having nearly captured, and later successively captured, the Valian crook Roman Torchwick. "I am referring to one I figure you already know greatly, James."

"Ms. Schnee? I am aware of her sister's powers."

"No, but you're on the right student year, my friend. Ms. Nikos, former champion of Mistral's Junior Championships Three Years in a row. She is from Argus, so I figured you heard of her through your branch in the city?" Ozpin said with a smile before taking another sip.

Ironwood nodded again towards his contemporary. "I am aware of Ms. Nikos's natural talents, Oz. Me and Leo both looked into her deeply, and yet she chose your school."

"Perhaps it was destiny, or luck."

Ironwood scoffed, as his scroll rang. "It's late; we'll discuss this tomorrow. However I agree; Ms. Nikos would be a perfect Guardian for us in our time of need."

"I agree; it's best we wrap up and discuss more soon." Ozpin.

"Agreed, we should discuss tomorrow morning before the Tournament starts the doubles rounds. Goodnight." Ironwood said with a forced smile as he turned to walk to the elevator. Once the elevator closed, Ozpin sighed and slumped in his seat before taking a long sip of the cocoa.

"Can't believe he went that low." Glynda said looking at the two men in the room, who turned to her. "What? To call out Summer like that? He was provoking you Qrow."

Qrow sighed, finally letting go of Harbinger. "I-It's just, with Ruby here now, she's growing up, I should be happy. But every day I slowly feel like I'm going mad, as all I can see in her is Summer. It's annoying, to put it lightly."

Glynda moved over to put a hand on Qrow's shoulder. "Qrow. You lost her; and are still grieving, it's alright."

"I-It's not just that though Glynda. I think I'm going mad, today I saw her. Silver Eyes, Black and Red hair, Wolf Ears? All of it while I was fighting Tin Man's little Ice Queen."

Glynda looked at him. "You sure you didn't see Ruby and just picture Ruby with wolf ears by mistake?"

Qrow sighed. "I-I can't be sure. But I recall them both being there. Oz.. do you think I've gone mad?"

Ozpin looked from his monitor, while his face moved, his body was focused on something on the computer. "When did it start Qrow? Today?"

"Yes why?"

"Because." Ozpin pulled up his screen and turned it around. "At 8:48 Today I got a message on the camera system James had me install after RWBY's recklessness in Vale with the Paladin. Here." He pointed to two figures, both marked Ruby Rose. "As you can see…-" He moves to other cameras a few minutes later. "One Ruby Rose used her scroll to get into the Huntsmen Seating, while the other used lien. And as you can see-" Ozpin pulled up the camera overlooking the section of the courtyard where Qrow and Winter were fighting. Both Ruby and 'Ruby' could be seen at the same time.

"So I wasn't just winking at no one." Qrow said; slowly pulling out his flask and taking a nice sip of his drink. Relief, was a word Qrow thought would never describe him, but here it was again. "Do-do you know if it's actually her?"

Ozpin looked at Qrow from above his glasses. "I don't know. She's an enigma, this system has never done anything like this before; even with twins in Atlas. I can't say for sure, but I want to rule out illusion semblances as a whole. They don't work long on cameras, and it's not doctored; I pulled it live. However, her appearance is a worry, no less. I fear as if she could be a storm bringer."

"Storm bringer?" Glynda was the first to question.

"My apologies; it's an ancient shipping term I learned a long time ago. It means someone or something arriving before the storm itself. The storm being sometimes a literal one, but mostly; the person or object's past or issues, or even future events. We do not even know if she is Summer Rose. I will investigate myself."

"Yourself? Oz you can't be serious?" Qrow's face dropped; though; Ozpin had taken time out of his life to talk to Summer personally when they were students; so it is a little normal for him.

"Headmaster!" Glynda retorted. "You can not be seriously contemplating pulling a reckless behavior like that."

"It's my choice, Glynda. If she came for one day, she's bound to be here for all three days of the Tournament. Well if she shows up tomorrow; I will find her and talk to her during the fights. No one will dare try to attack me during the Tournament itself, there are too many cameras." Ozpin sighs as he takes a sip of his cocoa, sloshing it around a little. "I will be fine, you two, Qrow… while I need to punish you somehow for your mess… you need to get some rest. I know you have a room you like to use on campus to sleep Qrow, and Glynda, it's late as well, you need rest to help me out tomorrow."

"Right. Take care Headmaster." Glynda said as she excused herself and opened the elevator.

Once the elevator closed, Ozpin opened a window for Qrow, causing Qrow to smile, if only a little. "There's that smile I haven't seen in a while. Qrow, tomorrow I want you to spend time with Ruby and Yang when you're not here. I am wiser than you, you know. I will handle this Summer lookalike. You need to deal with… your nieces. Now go, you need sleep."

Qrow nodded as he transformed and took flight; stopping on top of a small rooftop on one of the dorms. He remembered this place as he opened a door which was unlocked. There inside was what he referred to his home away from home...away from home. Taiyang had given him a bedroom in his house, which he was grateful for. He also owned a house in Mistral's capital from a time of crushed dreams, and yet, when he went on missions for Ozpin; he returned here. This had been a small room Summer had discovered one day while they were in their second year and they made it theirs, climbing onto a mat he had brought that morning; he softly went to sleep. He couldn't dream, for he was in a dream already, one that had more twists to come.

"Nothing."

Jaune's voice echoed around the scattered remnants of the city's buildings as he and Ruby searched for anything to help Qrow.

"Nothing here either!" Ruby shouted as a reply, tears falling as she walked. "Let's go back to Qrow!"

"Yeah- just a minute Ruby." Jaune said as he turned to face the remnants of a house looming over them. He turned to Ruby signaling to follow as he walked into the house. "I want to check this house first."

Ruby nodded as Jaune entered; the roof had collapsed over part of it; leaving what seemed to be the remains of a person half buried underneath. Jaune sighed as Ruby joined him. "Jau-oh." Ruby's voice cracked out as she saw the body. Jaune then, to get it out of his mind, turned to a cabinet and started digging around looking for anything of use.

Ruby turned to another part of the room when. Crack! She looked down at her foot and there was an image. A family, now a shattered one to put it lightly. She looked at it for a second before gasping.

"Ruby? You find… you found a photo?"

Ruby nodded and nearly shoved the whole photo frame into Jaune's face. After a few moments Jaune had gasped as well, as there was a face they recognized. One that they had been traveling with for nearly nine months, and known longer. The young boy in the photo had pale pink eyes with a magenta streak running through his hair. There was no mistaking it, this was a photo of Ren's family. "I-It's-This is Ren's home.. Oh my god that means that body-"

Jaune pulled Ruby close as they leaned on each other for support. "We'll dig through for supplies and then not tell a word, at least until after Qrow's recovered. Then we can return; alright?"

Ruby nodded in Jaune's arms. "Y-yeah."

By chance the next drawer Jaune had checked had painkillers in it. He turned to Ruby and showed her. Her smile returned as she grabbed them and bursted out of the house and over to Qrow to give them to him.

"H-here Uncle Qrow." Ruby said as she gave him the pills and some water she had in a container on hand, she needed to feed them to him, her smile grew a little as she noticed that he had moved his arm back over the cut, protecting it.

After Qrow had finished drinking down the pills, Ruby and Jaune sat down under the cherry tree. The winds were calm on the overcast day when all of a sudden an eerie wail echoed all around them, like a Grimm's wail but… different. Ruby looked around as Jaune got up instantly and put a hand on his sword before looking around himself. "Ja-Jaune it's alright, perhaps it was just the winds in the woods?"

"But that sounded like a Grimm, Ruby." Jaune said as a second wail was heard, only this time less echoey.

Ruby tried to smile up at him. "But if it is, the Grimm is far away."

"I know Ruby, but Ren and Nora are still out there, what if they're being attacked and we're not there to help them?"

Ruby just stared at Qrow, unable to look at Jaune after that comment; this was all her fault. Without her here; they would have never of been attacked by that Tyrian guy; nor would Uncle Qrow have gotten poisoned, leading to Jaune never leaving his team behind! Tears started to fall from Ruby's face as she couldn't bear it, she needed to apologize. Ruby slowly rose up and started walking towards Jaune. "I-I'm sorry Jaune." her voice was soft and quiet but Jaune caught it.

"Huh?!" Jaune said, before turning to focus away from the potentially incoming Grimm to focus on the younger teenager now standing next to him with her head down. "For what?"

"For dragging you into this with me." Ruby said before looking up to him, her eyes already turning red from tearing up. "It's all my fault!"

"But you didn't drag us." Jaune's words were soft and gentle towards her. "We wanted to join you Ruby, don't think otherwise."

Ruby looked up to him, noticing his slight smile, it wasn't a harmful looking smile, but one nonetheless. It looked warm, soft and cute. Cute? Cute. Come on Ruby, focus on talking, not how cute his smile is, worry about that once we get Qrow to Mistral. "Bu-" Ruby stopped herself as her hand closed in on itself as she turned back to look at Qrow. "But you didn't know about Tyrian-or Sal-"

"Ruby." Jaune cut her off. "Focus on me, ok?" Ruby slowly nodded, unsure how not to cry. "Please don't cry either. I know how you feel. At the fall we-" Jaune sighed and turned away, even he was unsure about his own words. "We lost.." His eyes shifted to focus on Ruby but his head didn't. "We lost Pyrrha. You lost her, too. And Penny, and your team, and in a way…" Jaune's face had slowly turned to face her again, however Ruby did not return the gesture as her own face fell back to just stare at Qrow's legs. "You lost your sister in a way, Ruby. But you're still here, despite everything you've lost… and everything you could still lose, you chose to come out here."

"But because you felt like you could make a difference." Jaune kept talking, however Ruby slowly turned back to him, those words were filling her mind up, the actions they had done since going on this journey started to fill her head. The rescue of the Valian village from the swarm of Beringals, the trip to Domremy, to the ride over to Anima on the S.S. Pride. The village they saved from the Geist, to seeing Shion in ruins, to that village that they fought the Lancers and Manticores at even though they had detested Huntsmen and Huntresses. Ruby slowly looked up meekly to Jaune, her eyes beading up, not from tears of sorrow; but of joy.

"You didn't drag us along, Ruby." Jaune slowly drifted his left hand to place it on Ruby's shoulder as he smiled warmly. "You gave us the courage to follow you." Higanbana, even Oniyuri where she-they fought Tyrian with help from Uncle Qrow. To here, Kuroyuri. The remnants of JNPR had chosen her to guide them, and it's up to her to keep going for them, as RNJR.

Ruby didn't reply; only staring eye to eye with him for a few moments, before shoving herself into his chest and wrapping her arms around him. "I-I'm sorry, I-I just thought that I had thrusted this onto you all after the Fall."

Jaune had been taken aback by the sudden hug but gladly returned it. "But you didn't. We all chose to follow you here, sure there's been bumps in the road but I don't think any of us would want anything else for us. You're our leader now. We're members of RNJR."

Ruby and Jaune just stood there as Jaune wiped a few tears away from Ruby's eyes. "T-thank you Jaune." Ruby whispered as they held each other. Sure they may be far from home, and that they had all lost people, and even Uncle Qrow had gotten poisoned along the way, but they were together here. Jaune had been right; there was no other place for her to be right now, for she was the leader of RNJR, they depend on her now. A few more minutes of this and then they can get back out on the road.

Author's Note: I know I don't do this often but; I wanted to thank my beta reader; Riggyminus for all she did to help me properly write this chapter, I honestly think it would have been rougher without her help with all of the scenes. You're a great friend Riggy. Please; go check out her series!