And we're back and checking in on the Rose/Xiao Long family. Well, technically, we're checking in on Qrow and his travel crew first, but since he's very much part of the Rose/Xiao Long family, it counts.
Fun fact and a bit of a "What Could Have Been", this chapter was originally gonna be called "Struggle of the Sisters" and focus solely on Ruby and Yang, but then I got the idea to also showcase Qrow's travels and the name changed to what you're reading now. Not quite sure if it's a good name and I don't think it has the same ring to it as the aforementioned title, but I think it should fit the chapter overall.
Should also mention that I actually finished this chapter not too long after I finished the last one, but I needed it to be Beta Read first to make sure there weren't any notable issues. If any readers can spot any problems in spelling/grammar or the like, please let me know and I'll get to correcting them when I can. This applies to any of the prior chapters as well.
Don't forget to visit and help add to the TV Tropes pages, and don't forget to leave a review, comment, or thread post depending on where you prefer to read this story.
Speaking of which, special thanks to SwapAUAnon and Teen Spirit for Beta Reading this chapter.
Additionally, if you're a fan or RWBY and Transformers, SwapAUAnon also started a new crossover titled "Dust and Decepticons", where a battle with Optimus sees Megatron's broken body landing on Remnant to be discovered by Ironwood on his first day as General of Atlas. If you have the time and are interested, go give it a read. I think it's been pretty interesting so far.
Chapter 79: The Struggles of Siblings
Qrow huffed as he slashed the last of the attacking Grimm to ribbons, the broken moon hanging overhead. The sound of sheathed steel and fading energy behind him made it clear that Jubei and Luna had just finished off their attackers as well. At least he assumed it was Luna, given that she was the one in control before they were jumped.
"PHEW! That was tough!" Sena's voice chimed in. Either he'd been in control for the whole fight, or Luna handed the reigns to him near the end. For Qrow, it was hard to tell which.
"You guys good?" Qrow asked as he sheathed Harbinger and turned to face his companions.
"Nothin' much," Jubei replied as he walked up, the fading bodies of Grimm far behind him. He turned to Sena, who seemed a lot more shaken, and asked, "You kids alright?"
"Facing them isn't as bad as it used to be, but I froze up a few times," Sena admitted, looking down shamefully, "I'm not really cut out for fighting Grimm. Luna and Miss Trinity are better at it."
"If that's the case, why wasn't your sister fighting the whole way through?" Qrow bluntly asked. He could at least understand why Trinity wasn't fighting; the kids needed to learn, and she'd only take control if she had something to say or in case shit went FUBAR. Luna, however, was always eager for a fight, and was at least passable for a rookie.
Before Qrow could further question, the kid's face scrunched up with anger as Luna's annoying voice came out and yelled, "Hey, fuck off, Branwen! Sena did fine! He asked if he could fight by himself for a change, so Trin and I let him."
Qrow tried not to wince at the scorn she placed on the name, instead leveling an even glare at the reminder. Naturally, when you travelled with people for a common goal, you got to know them. He already knew Jubei's deal, given that he'd worked with the old cat Faunus before on assignments given to them by Ozpin, but Luna was another story. It didn't take long into the journey to Haven for him to learn that she was the victim of his sister's actions Yang was talking about, with the kids just as quickly learning about how he fit into all that.
It was surprising that Sena didn't seem to hold anything against him, at least outwardly, given how quiet he tended to be. What was unsurprising, however, was Luna being passive-aggressive about the whole thing. Most of the time since, she ignored him or kept her distance, but then came the rare outbursts where her hatred for the Branwen tribe reached the forefront.
Not that I can blame her anyway, Qrow thought, Even if they didn't do what they did, tribe's a bundle of scumbags. Better if people keep their distance from any of them, former or otherwise. Besides, I'm nothing but bad luck for everyone anyway.
"I wouldn't knock yourself down too much, kid," Jubei patted the kids on their back, "Even if combat ain't your forte, you're doin' a lot better than you started."
The kid's face scrunched up in confusion as Sena asked, "Wait, how'd you even see what I was doing?"
"Ha! I may be down an eye, but I can see better than you'd expect," Jubei laughed, Qrow joining in with a chuckle.
"Thanks," Sena smiled, looking less downtrodden, "So, should we start moving again?"
Qrow and Jubei nodded, with the three (technically five) of them continuing down the dirt road. While they had a map, Qrow had been keeping track of where they were on Anima and the distance to the next village based off road signs and landmarks. Right now, their main objective was to find a village with airship support to take them straight to the city of Mistral and by extension, Haven Academy. However...
"Any chance you guys can tell me why the vampire lady ain't teleporting us straight to Haven?" Luna asked, causing Qrow to groan in annoyance.
"Kid, didn't we talk about this earlier?" Qrow's question was met with a shaken head.
"Nope. That was on why we weren't trying to find a train station to Mistral alongside why we couldn't borrow an airship from Vale. But then you and Master Jubei went all," Luna coughed into her hand and did an impression, "Listen kid, we can't go on any trains 'cause their ain't any across most of the contine-" suddenly she started having a coughing fit. Jubei moved to help by patting her on the back, but she held out her left hand and took deep breaths, right hand to her knee as she calmed down. Once that was out of the way, she stood up straight and gave her adoptive father a look, "How do you manage that kind of voice? It's almost like gargling a bunch of broken rocks."
"Just how I sound. Plus havin' had it longer than the kingdoms have been a thing helps," Jubei chuckled before his gaze grew stern, "But if you're lookin' for a repeat, well, like you were about to say in my butchered tone of voice."
"Oh come on! It wasn't that bad!" Luna said indignantly.
"Yes it was," Qrow snarked, prompting an angry glare from Luna.
"ANYWAY!" Jubei cut them both off as he looked to Luna and continued, "Look, there just ain't any trains out this far in Anima thanks to all the Grimm makin' it a pain in the ass to build tracks and stations. Huntsmen and Huntresses can only do so much."
Qrow saw fit to step in and add, "As for why we need to find a village with airship access, all the ones back in Vale are being restricted to sending people from out of Vale back to their home kingdoms and only for that. Unfortunately for us, we don't qualify, so we gotta find an airship out here. Odds are, the closer we get to Mistral, the better our chances."
"Doesn't explain why we don't get Rachel to just bring us there," Luna muttered, crossing her arms.
"Rachel's got her limits when it comes to teleportin' people," Jubei explained, "For starters, she can only teleport a few people at a time, and only to places she's been given invitation to. Oz practically handed her the keys to Beacon, so she could come and go as she pleased. Used to be able to do the same for Haven and Atlas under past Headmasters."
"Used to?" Sena took over and asked, "You mean she can't do it anymore?"
Qrow shook his head, "I don't know what's going on with Leo, seeing as we weren't exactly in contact even before Vale went under, but the fact that Rachel's invitation to Haven's been revoked is a pretty bad sign. As for Atlas..." he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Let's just say that Rachel and Jimmy REALLY don't like each other. Not exactly shocking that Ironwood never gave her an invite to Atlas in the first place, no matter how many times Oz told him to."
"Great," Luna drawled out sarcastically before yawning and rubbing at her eyes, "Look, it's not that I completely hate all the walking, and I'm good with kicking Grimm ass. I just wish we could get there faster, y'know?"
Jubei nodded, "Yeah, trust us, we know. But personally, I think the way we're headin' works for you kids' benefit."
Once more, Sena took control and asked, "Why's that, Master Jubei?"
"To help you two grow," he answered, much to Sena's confusion, "Things are only gonna get harder from here on out. You two gotta be prepared for what lies ahead, and a fast track to our destination means you'll be missin' out on opportunities to get better as fighters."
"I'd take the old timer's words to heart if I were you," Qrow interjected, getting the kids' attention, "May not look it, but a day out here's worth a week in any Academy. You're both still rookies, but you've lasted this long, so I'll say that counts for something. Of course, if you want to go far, then you have to keep improving, and you'll only manage that by getting more experience against all the crap the world wants to throw at you. Could be Grimm, could be one of Salem's agents, could even be your average bandit looking to make a name for themselves."
Sena nodded, but suddenly his whole demeanor shifted and Qrow was met with crossed arms and a bitter glare to the floor, making it clear his sister was in control now. For a moment, Qrow wondered what brought this out, but he quickly realized the problem and mentally slapped himself, Note to self: Don't use the word "bandit" around the kid.
For a moment, Luna was quiet, but finally sighed and said, "Okay, fine. You have a point. Sorry for the fuss," she yawned again before looking to her adoptive father, "Think we can find a spot to call it a night?"
Jubei looked between them, rolling his right shoulder as he replied, "Yeah, sounds like a good call. Bones are startin' to ache. You good with settin' up camp, Qrow?"
Qrow shrugged, not having any issues. Plus, like his companions, he was also feeling exhaustion creep in, even if he hid it well. With their minds made up, the group continued down the path in search of a good place to set up camp, Qrow offering to take first watch for the night in case any Grimm decided to try anything.
Luna, Sena thought to his sister as he rested on the grass and turned his head to the side, staring into the campfire, I think you should try talking to Mister Qrow.
"No," came Luna's immediate answer.
"Luna, I have to agree with your brother, maybe-"
Before Miss Trinity could go any further, Luna cut her off, "Look, I get why you guys want me to do, but I just don't feel comfortable around the guy. Just...just let me do this in my own time? Please?"
Okay, but I don't think holding it off is gonna help anyone, Sena sat up and looked into the tree above their makeshift camp site. He knew Master Jubei was on watch for any attackers right now at the height of said tree. Tilting his head down, he saw Mister Qrow sitting against the tree trunk and holding Ozpin's cane in his hands. If Sena recalled correctly, its name was supposed to be Long Memory. He wasn't exactly sure why though.
"Can't sleep, kid?" Mister Qrow suddenly asked, continuing to stare at the cane.
"S-Sorry," Sena stuttered in surprise, "Didn't mean to bother you, Mister Qrow."
"Don't call me 'Mister'. I ain't that old," Mist-Qrow looked at him, annoyance in his eyes.
"I beg to differ," Luna snarked.
"Luna, is that necessary?" Miss Trinity chastised the girl, falling into a hushed, mental argument with her as Sena fully sat up. Crossing his legs, he rested his hands in his lap as he tried to tune them out. No longer being able to find rest, he looked back to Qrow and once more saw him stare at Ozpin's old weapon.
"You're gonna give that to Ozpin when we find him, right?"
Sena's question got the Huntsmen's attention, as he looked at him and answered, "I plan to, but that's if we find him."
"What do you mean?" Sena asked, causing Qrow to sigh and look up at the stars.
"Oz doesn't exactly have what you'd call consistency when it comes to reincarnating, at least from what I understand. I only ever knew him as Ozpin, but he's told me about some of his past lives," Qrow explained, reminding Sena what Trinity told them about the incarnation of Ozma that she fought alongside, Bloodedge. Putting that aside for now, he returned his attention to Qrow, who continued, "He also told me how his reincarnating operates, and how long it takes for him to be reborn. It tends to vary, and it could be anywhere from a year at least to centuries at most. Other than your master, odds of us meeting him again are pretty damn slim unless we get lucky."
Sena went silent for a moment, pondering on that fact. When he and Luna first heard about Ozma's rebirth process, they didn't think much of it at the time. Of course, now that he was killed and they were left awaiting his return, it felt a lot more daunting. If anything, even if it only took him a year to come back, they'd need a lot of luck on their side to survive that long to see him again.
"I..." Sena stuttered, taking a second to find his voice, "I don't know him as well as you or Master Jubei or Miss Trinity, but I met him once, and he's pretty cool to be around. Even if he wasn't this super important person that we need for the fight against Salem, it's easy to see that you guys are friends. If I knew I had a friend out there, I'd want to do what I could to find them. Maybe we need to get lucky first, but I'm willing to hold onto that hope if you guys are."
His answer got a small, genuine smile out of Qrow, "Thanks kid. Y'know, you're a lot less chatty than your sister. Don't think I'm used to seeing you talk this much."
"I'm not very good with strangers," Sena admitted, bringing his knees to his chest and resting his chin on them, "And since this is Luna's body, it's better for us that she does all the talking."
"If it makes you feel any better, I think you're easier to talk to than her," Qrow said, putting the cane away, "Then again, she's also a bit of a shit."
"Asshole," Luna muttered, but refused to come out.
"But it's not like I can blame her," Qrow muttered just loud enough for Sena to hear, a certain sadness evident beneath the sardonic dismissal.
Clearing his throat, Sena said, "If it makes you feel any better, I don't think Luna hates you. At least, not entirely."
"What do you mean by that?" Qrow asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Sena, what are you doing?" Luna asked, sounding annoyed.
I'm going to talk to him, he thought back to her, Just because you don't want to doesn't mean I can't, sis. Please just let me do this.
"He's right, Luna. We all may share a body, but your brother can make his own choices," Miss Trinity threw her two lien in, agreeing with Sena.
"I...you...you both...ARGH!" Luna almost shrieked, but just as quickly calmed down and replied, "You know what? Fine. Get to know the fucking Branwen for all I care. Just leave me out of it."
Sena quietly thanked his sister, even if she was being bitter about it, before he gave Qrow his full attention. Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Look, you seem like an okay person and all, it's just that you're a...y-y'know. You used to be a-"
"You can say it kid," Qrow interrupted, a melancholy to his tone, "Used to be part of the Branwen Tribe. Believe me, I get it. It's why I don't kick up too much of a fuss when you're sister's being shittier than normal. She's got every right to hate me for what they did."
"But you're not part of them anymore, right?" Sena nervously asked. Sure, Qrow may have made it clear he was a former member of those monsters, but a little extra clarification never hurt anyone.
Qrow, thankfully, shook his head and answered, "Haven't been since I entered Beacon," a smile slowly formed on his face, "Made friends that showed me a better way. They gave me a family, a home, and a purpose beyond helping monsters that didn't deserve nothing from no one."
Sena smiled, thinking of how familiar that sounded to when he and his sister met Master Jubei. How the old warrior took them in, letting them truly feel like they'd found a home for the first time since Mom and Dad were killed. And now they were helping him and others try and stop the forces of evil from bringing ruin to the world. It was scary, but he wanted to do everything he could to help his newfound family. He could feel Luna grow less weary in the back of their shared head, now seeming to be at least listening in on the conversation.
"Gotta say, it's weird how you don't seem all that bothered by it," Qrow drew Sena out of his musings as he looked to the Huntsmen, who continued, "I mean, considering what the tribe did to you, I was kinda expecting you and your sister to be in the same boat."
In response, Sena shrugged, "I mean, a part of me is angry, don't get me wrong, but I guess I just don't have it in me to feel the same anger that Luna has. It's probably a lot worse for Luna since she's the only one of us who actually saw her."
"When you say her, you mean...?" Qrow asked, sounding worried and angry in equal measure, Sena able to tell where both were directed. Trepidation seeping in, he closed his eyes and felt sadness and rage radiate from Luna, both of them remembering that horrible night. He remembered the terror he felt as the woman's footsteps echoed in the bedroom, how Luna held him back and went to get a closer look, and how haunted they were for years to come. He didn't feel comfortable continuing the conversation, at least not without knowing Luna would be okay.
Luna, is it...can I talk about this?
"...yeah. You can," Luna responded, clearly wanting to be done quickly.
Sena nodded and opened his eyes, looking at Qrow and answering, "Yeah, I mean your sister. You said her name was Raven, right?"
Qrow looked into the fire bitterly and nodded, "I'm sorry for what my sister did to you kids. And anyone else the tribe's hurt for that matter."
"W-Was she always like that?" Sena asked, also looking into the flames, "A monster who doesn't care who she hurts or kills to get what she wants?"
"Believe it or not, she wasn't always," Qrow remarked, "When I left the Branwen Tribe, Raven joined with me. She could be a bit of a bitch every now and then, but she had her bright spots."
The two were quiet for a few moments, leaving Sena wondering what to say or ask. Before he could do anything, he felt his control slip away, Luna entering the conversation and asking, "What was your sister like?"
"Luna?" Sena asked, shocked that his sister was taking part in the subject.
Qrow, now looking at her in surprise, said, "Thought you weren't talking."
"Yeah, well now I am," Luna retorted, sighing as she repeated, "So, what was Raven like before she went all bandit bitch?"
"Well," Qrow began, "If I were to compare her to anyone, I'd probably say she was similar to you."
"I don't believe you," Luna glared at the Huntsman, clearly hating what he was insinuating.
Qrow shrugged, "Sometimes I have a hard time believing it myself, but that's what she was like: temper issues and a drive to prove herself. But she used to have a caring side too," he let out a mirthless chuckle, "Back in the tribe, I was beaten down almost every day, considered a blight on them. But Raven always tried to protect me, even if she got the crap kicked out of her in the process."
That sounds almost like... Sena though back to all the times Luna protected him, both before and after their parents' deaths. No matter how many times she got hurt, she always stood by him. Even Luna realized this, looking away and getting lost in her own thoughts. Seeing that she was done talking, Sena stepped in, retaking control as he asked, "What happened? Why'd she leave her family and go back to being a bandit?"
"Can't say. I got no idea what's running through my sister's head even at the best of times," Qrow shook his head, leaving Sena to wonder on that possibility. If Raven stayed with her family and never returned to her tribe, maybe things would have been different for him and his sister. Maybe their village never would have been attacked. Maybe their parents would still be alive. Maybe he never would have died and-
"Speaking of family, kinda surprised," Qrow interrupted Sena's train of thought.
Sena looked to the Huntsman and asked, "About what?"
"When Yang told me about you two, she said your sister freaked out before everyone calmed her down," Qrow answered, "Considering who her mother is, I'm grateful that Luna isn't holding anything against her."
Once more, Luna took over and replied, "I mean, it was a lot easier for me to get used to her. Easy to tell she wasn't anything like that monster," she gave Qrow an indifferent glance, "Besides, unlike you, she was never part of that band of bastards in the first place."
"Fair enough," Qrow shrugged as they entered another silence, though this one far more relaxed than before. Sena allowed his thoughts to wander again, the mention of Yang briefly reminding him of the last time they met; when she was watching over her sister.
"Uh, Q-Qrow," Sena assumed control and asked, "Since you brought her up, how do you think Yang and Ruby are doing?"
Qrow looked into the fire for a second before sighing, "When I left, they weren't exactly in the best spots. But they're strong, more than I'd be if the roles were reversed. They'll pull through. They have to."
Ruby yelped as she was sent flying back into a tree, groaning as she fell to the floor, "Owww."
"SHIT!" Yang cursed, Ruby hearing her older sister's footsteps run to her. Within moments, Yang was helping her stand up and profusely apologizing, "Rubes, you okay?"
As she stood up, Ruby shook her head and smiled, "Yeah, I'm a-okay sis."
"Your Aura fizzed out at that last punch. You sure you're okay?" Yang asked.
Smiling as brightly as she could to hide her frustrations, Ruby cheerily answered, "Trust me, I'm all good. I promise."
Ruby tried her best not to wince at how forced her answer sounded and silently prayed her sister didn't notice. Yang hovered around her, clearly trying to see for herself that nothing was damaged, but she thankfully relented and gave an approving nod. As she turned away to get the water bottles from the other side of the impromptu training ground, Ruby sighed in a mixture of relief and exhaustion. She leaned against the tree and sat down, getting some rest from the morning sun within the shade. When she heard footsteps, she opened her left eye and saw her sister return with drinks in hand.
"Here ya go!" Yang handed her the drink before taking a sip of her own. Ruby gave a thankful smile as she opened the bottle and took a couple large gulps. As she placed it down next to her, she looked at her hand and saw that, while it still shook, it wasn't as bad as it used to be over a month ago. The sight gave her a bit of a confidence boost as she stood up, seeing her sister taking another long sip.
"Hey Yang," Ruby got her sister's attention as she whipped out Crescent Rose's rifle form and said, "Think we can head over to the shooting range? I've got a good feeling about this time."
Yang stopped and put the bottle away, briefly looking at Ruby with a flash of concern, "I don't know. We've been at this since breakfast, not to mention it's almost lunch time. Think maybe you should get something to eat after all that sparring?"
"But I'm not hungry!" Ruby groaned, only for her stomach to have the worst sense of timing and growl louder than Uncle Qrow's snoring. The look Yang gave her left Ruby rubbing the back of her head with an awkward laugh, face a bright red, "Okay, maybe I'm a little hungry. But can we please go so I can get some target practice in? It'll only be for a little bit anyway!"
Ruby did her patented "Sad Zwei face", which was technically Yang's invention, but since she perfected it, she was the true owner of the technique. And thankfully, her missing eye did not diminish her ability to pull it off, as Yang quickly caved in and said, "Okay okay! We can go!" before turning and muttering, "Gods, why did I teach you how to do that?"
Snickering, Ruby followed behind Yang as they made their way to the shooting range their dad made a while back. Compared to the grounds they were using to spar, it was much closer to the house, so she could get some practice in and be back for lunch in no time. As Ruby and her sister walked, she reached up and felt the right half of her face. Gone was the medical patch from before, and in its place was a standard black eyepatch.
Even over a month after what happened, and she still had trouble processing the fact that her right eye, and a part of her Aura, was gone. Sometimes she still heard that bastard's maniacal laughter before stomaching it and throwing herself into something else, usually practicing with Crescent Rose, working on her Semblance, or just about any household chores she could manage. But no matter what she did, she had to face the constant problems brought about by her missing eye, which only reminded her of-
"So, Rubes," Yang interrupted Ruby's train of thought and awkwardly said, "You did pretty good in the last spar."
"Thanks," Ruby nodded, but her smile faltered just as Yang turned and continued leading the way. Despite her sister's words, that spar ultimately just reminded her of what she was trying to ignore. All their spars did, as her impaired depth perception made it much more difficult to judge distance and track her opponent's movements. Because of this, connecting hits that she easily would have managed in the past was now a task and a half.
"Ruby, we're here!" Yang once more drew Ruby out of her musings to see they had arrived at the shooting gallery, a series of trees in front of them with targets hanging from their branches. Gentle wind caused them to sway a bit, which was followed by Yang giving another concerned look, "Uh, maybe I should take the targets down and put them on the tree trunks? Can't have that pesky breeze messing up your shots and all that."
No sis, I can do this, Ruby shook her head and smiled, "Nah, it's cool. I can manage."
Yang's face grew unsure as she looked away, but before Ruby could attempt to reassure her again, she looked back and gave a supportive nod. As soon as she stepped back, Ruby took her position and aimed Crescent Rose's rifle form at one of the targets, her left eye staring at it through the scope. She concentrated, trying to ease her shaking hands as she took a deep breath. The second the breeze stopped, she pulled the trigger.
The bullet flew with a loud crack, but instead of what she was hoping for, it impacted the target's corner rather than any part of the target itself. Ruby huffed as she took aim again, calming down as she let loose another shot at a different, slightly closer target. This time, the bullet just barely grazed the outermost circle, causing her another pang of frustration.
"Uh, Ruby," Yang gently touched her shoulder and asked, "You good?"
Ruby looked down at her hands and saw they were shaking more than when she began. Turning to Yang, she nodded and said, "Yeah, I'm good. Think maybe you should head back and start lunch without me. "
"Ruby, I think maybe you should head back with me. Y'know, take a break and grab a bite to eat before you train some more? Plus, I think it'd be a good idea to talk about-"
"Yang," Ruby sharply cut her sister off, the blonde's worried replaced with surprise. Realizing what she did, Ruby took a deep breath, calmed down, and said, "Sis, I know you just want to make sure I'm okay and that I don't push myself, but I really don't need you hovering over my shoulder all the time. I'll see you at the house in a bit, okay?"
For the next several moments, Yang's worried expression grew, with her refusing to leave Ruby's side. Ruby, for her part, stood her ground and sent the most reassuring look she could manage, letting her sister know that she would be completely and totally fine and that all the worrying over her wasn't necessary. If anything, Ruby felt a small part of her grow tired of it, if only because it reminded her of things she really didn't want to focus on right now.
"Okay," Yang relented, but not before enveloping Ruby in a firm, but gentle hug, "See you at home, sis. And I...I know you'll be just fine."
Ruby felt a smile return to her face, cheered up just a bit as she hugged her sister back. They remained in the embrace for a few seconds longer before Yang retracted and waved goodbye, Ruby nodding as she turned back to the targets. Looking down at her shaking hands, she took a few deep breathes and calmed herself, opening her eye to see that they were now just a little bit better.
"Good enough for now," Ruby unfurled Crescent Rose into full scythe form and planted the blade on the ground. Taking aim, she looked through her scope and concentrated on the farthest target this time. With bated breath, she pulled the trigger and a shot rang out, the force behind it pushing her back slightly. Much to her surprise, the bullet impacted just slightly above the center of the target; a near perfect bullseye, in other words.
"I...I did it," Ruby blinked, at first unable to believe the shot she'd just made. In all previous practices, she either missed or could only scrape by the outermost circles of the targets. But she'd actually managed her first bullseye since she came home from the Fall of Vale. Filled with excitement, she readied Crescent Rose again and felt a wholehearted grin etch across her face.
Aiming at another target, she pulled the trigger and fired again. However, her smile fell as the bullet zipped right past the target. She narrowed her eye to try and better judge the distance before firing again. Once more, it missed, instead hitting one of the metal chains that held the target to the tree.
"Dammit," Ruby hissed, shifting to a different target and opening fire. Like before, she missed. Her frustration grew as she continued to fire upon every target in the shooting range one after another. Somewhere in the barrage of sniper shots, she hoped to get lucky and connect a hit as her focus continued to wane. But as she ceased fire, she looked up from her scope and noticed that none of her shots hit at all. All she did was miss her targets over and over...
And over.
And over.
And over.
And over.
"ARGH!" Ruby screamed as she pulled Crescent Rose out of the ground, slashing away at the nearest tree. With a single swing, it fell to the ground, its crash echoing throughout the woods. On any other day, she would have shouted "TIMBER!" as it fell, but she couldn't bring herself to do it now. Instead, she folded Crescent Rose and holstered it at the back of her waist, leaving the shooting range with a huff.
As she walked down the path home, she brushed the dirt off her black t-shirt before putting her hands in the pockets of her jeans. A few minutes in, she kicked up a patch of dirt with her sneakers, still angered by her poor performance. Everything she tried to do was such a struggle compared to before, and she just couldn't adjust fast enough. Everyone said that she needed to take her time in recovering, but she always had to face that same feeling that'd been plaguing her since she got home. No matter what she tried to do, it always creeped up on her and she couldn't-
Stop it, Ruby shook her head, clutched at her right arm, and thought to herself, Tomorrow's a new day, so just keep moving forward. Don't worry about it right now.
After clearing her head, she continued down the path home and eventually arrived at the front of her house. Seeing the mailbox, she decided to check if her father, sister, or Mister Polendina had gotten the mail or not. Thankfully, they hadn't, as she opened it and saw a single letter inside. Curious, she pulled it out and read who it was from, smiling when she saw it was another of Pyrrha's letters.
"Better get this to Yang," Ruby said to herself as she pocketed the letter and walked up to the house. Yang always loved getting letters from her girlfriend, and Ruby tried to do what she could to help around the house. Even something as mundane as this helped get her mind off...troubling things, if only for a bit. As she stepped in front of the door, she took a deep breath, put on her best smile, and entered her home.
As she did, she stumbled on the living room, where Professor Goodwitch and her father were seated and having a conversation, the former in the middle of saying, "-and we were able to fully repair another of the main hospitals. Vale Central, I believe it was called."
"Man, got all sorts of memories of that place," Dad chuckled, "Especially when Qrow got so drunk that I had to drag him there for treatment. They tried to put him on rehab, but he just refused and flipped them off."
"Ugh, of course he would," Professor Goodwitch pinched the bridge of her nose, "To this day, I still don't know how you or Professor Ozpin managed to put up with-OH! Miss Rose!"
Ruby found herself the center of attention as both adults looked to her. Feeling awkward for interrupting, she smiled and waved, "Hi."
"Hey Ruby," Dad waved back, "Yang said you decided to stay at the shooting range for a bit. Things go well?"
Ruby, not wanting to give anything away, kept her smile up as best she could before nodding. Wanting to keep her mind off that, she asked, "So what were you guys talking about?"
"About the current situation in Vale, mostly," Professor Goodwitch answered.
"We were just talking about the hospitals. A few of them are up and running again, and plenty of people have been moved out of the safe zones to get proper medical care," Dad added.
"That's good," Ruby answered, the troubles she didn't want to dwell on growing larger. She forced them down once more and walked over to sit down across from the adults, "So Professor Goodwitch, how have you been?"
The Headmistress of Beacon Academy, or whatever was left of it, looked down sadly and answered, "About as well as I can be in these circumstances. The school is still in ruins, and many students have had to transfer out to Shade Academy over in Vacuo. And while things are improving, in many respects, it doesn't feel as if it's fast or great enough to make a difference. With Ozpin gone, Vale's council has selected me to take charge of the city's reconstruction."
"Sounds like a lot to deal with," Ruby hesitantly said.
The professor nodded, "I won't lie, it's certainly a lot. It doesn't help that I don't think I'm the most qualified person for this."
"GG, what are you talking about?" Dad asked, Ruby stifling a chuckle at the nickname, "I don't think there's anyone in Vale more qualified than you to lead in rebuilding the place."
"If that were true, I'd have been able to prevent so much from happening," Professor Goodwitch replied, her tone completely forlorn, "The deaths of so many students and civilians, not to mention the captures of Roy and Miss Vermillion."
Ruby's breath hitched at the reminder of her teammate, how she was now in the clutches of a monster, how her friends were out trying to save her, and how she was stuck here instead of-
"Miss Rose, are you alright?" Professor Goodwitch's question made Ruby blink as she looked to her and Dad. The worry in their eyes was evident, especially with her father, as the professor's grew guilt-ridden, "I apologize. I shouldn't have said anything."
"It's fine, Professor. I'm fine," Ruby reassured, getting scrutinizing looks in return before she stood up and held her hands out, "Really, I am. It's just that I'm a bit hungry is all. You made anything yet dad?"
"Uh, no," Dad rubbed the back of his neck, "But check the fridge. Yang had some leftovers earlier before she went up to her room with Zwei, so there should still be some."
"Kay!" Ruby made her way to the kitchen, her father and Professor Goodwitch continuing their conversation behind her. Once more, Ruby huffed, having hoped that talking with Professor Goodwitch would put her mind at ease, but the topics at hand just made things worse. Since that didn't work and with her stomach still rumbling, she figured a good meal would help instead.
As she entered the kitchen to prepare something, Mr. Polendina greeted her, "Hey Ruby."
"Hey Pete," Ruby waved, briefly watching as he pulled out a fork from the cupboard and wheeled his way to the dining room table, plate of spaghetti in the opposite hand. Sure looks good, Ruby thought as she asked, "Any of that left in the fridge?"
Pietro shook his head before putting the plate down, "Sorry, but this ain't any leftover. Made it myself."
"Aw man! And I really wanted some," Ruby bemoaned, causing a light chuckle from Pietro. Walking to the refrigerator, she started sifting through for some lunch until her left eye landed on a delicious looking strawberry cake. A mischievous smirk made its way to her face as she pulled it out and headed for the counter. The act did draw Pietro's attention, so the moment she put the cake down, she raised a finger to her lips and whispered, "Don't tell anyone."
"I saw nothing," he smirked and whispered back, causing Ruby to giggle. Returning her attention to the treat, she started rummaging through the utensil drawer. It didn't take long for her to find a cake knife, which she took out to cut her piece, but before she could, she blinked. Suddenly, the cake knife was gone, and in its place was a butterfly knife that bore a disturbing similarity to-
"GAH!" Ruby gasped, dropping the knife and backing away, clutching the counter for support as the cackle of that monster echoed in her head for a few moments. She breathed all too quickly, trying to calm herself down as she heard a voice rush to her ears, quickly followed by more and a loud barking. She blinked and looked around see Pietro, Dad, Zwei, and Professor Goodwitch all surrounding her, worry evident in their eyes.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the halls as Yang rushed in, frantically asking, "Did something happen? I heard a scream."
Ruby took a couple more breathes before she looked down at the dropped knife, seeing that it was just an ordinary cake knife. She sighed in relief and relaxed herself as she looked to everyone and said, "It's okay guys. Just had a case of the ol' butter fingers is all."
"Ruby," Dad stepped forward, hands out in a coaxing manner, "We both know that's not what happened. You sure you don't have anything you want to get off your chest?"
Shaking her head, Ruby answered, "No, trust me, I'm good."
Professor Goodwitch stepped forward and asked, "Miss Rose, is this about your eye?"
"No, it isn't, I promise," Ruby partially lied, bringing a hand up to her eyepatch and hoping they wouldn't press it any further. Forcing a smile, she continued, "Plus, I've been getting better at doing things without it. No need to be worried. I just need a bit more time to adapt and all that jazz. You'll be seeing me helping you guys out in Vale in no time flat!"
"Ruby," Yang walked forward and did the same as their dad, "Please, just stop shoving us out and let us in! We just want to he-
"Yang, don't," Ruby sharply interrupted, her smile faltering as she brushed past everyone and picked up the knife, "For the last time, I told you I'm fine, and I meant it. I just dropped the knife by accident. That's it."
Everyone was quiet as she returned the knife to the drawer. She looked at her father, sister, Professor Goodwitch, and Mister Polendina, all of them still worried, but none pushing it any further. Turning away, appetite ruined, she sighed, "I'll be in my room. If you guys need help with anything, please let me know."
However, as she started walking away, she heard Pietro roll up from behind, prompting to turn her head and face the worried man. She was about to once again repeat that she was fine, but before she could, he said, "Ruby, I know you're not exactly in the mood to talk about things. But I think I speak for everyone that when you're ready, we'll all be here."
Ruby turned her attention to everyone else, of whom her father and sister sent assuring, but sad smiles, while Professor Goodwitch's gaze remained the same; complete concern for her former student. Shaking her head, she turned and looked to the floor as she said, "Like I said, there's nothing wrong. But..." she sighed, "Thanks anyway. It means a lot."
She walked away, down the halls and rounding the corner to the stairs, but as she made it halfway up, she felt something in her pocket and paused, Oh crap! I forgot about Pyrrha's letter!
Activating her Semblance, she rushed back to the kitchen a flurry of petals, appearing right in front of Yang, who jumped back in shock and shouted, "Ruby, what the-!"
"Sorry, but I forgot to give you this," Ruby pulled the letter from her pocket and held it out, "It's from Pyrrha."
Yang's eyes widened as she slowly took the slightly folded envelope. She was about to say something, probably "Thank you", but by the time she opened her mouth, Ruby had already burst out of the kitchen and back up the stairs. The second she was in her room, she kicked off her sneakers and flopped into bed, dozing off and wanting the day to end already.
Before Yang could thank her sister for the letter, she'd already left the kitchen, petals vanishing in her wake. Zwei was already running after her, and Yang was about to follow suit, but her father put a hand to her shoulder. She turned back to him as he said, "Yang, it's best to just give her a little space."
"B-But Dad, she's-!" Yang stammered, looking to the floor as she muttered, "I just want to help her."
"I know, but she'll only push away harder if we force the issue right now," Dad said, looking somberly at where Ruby had exited, "I'll try talking to her later. Until then, how about you go read Pyrrha's letter?"
A loud cough drew everyone's attention to Professor Goodwitch, who crossed her arms and said, "I suppose I should take my leave now," she sighed and gave them all an apologetic glance, "I wish there was something I could do to help, but I need to return my focuses to Vale."
Before Professor Goodwitch could leave, Pietro stopped her and asked, "Actually, before you go, any chance I could ask a favor?"
Looking down at Pyrrha's letter, Yang walked into the halls just as her former teacher replied, "Certainly." What the rest of their conversation entailed, she didn't know. As she walked away, she heard Pietro mention something about needing "materials" for a project he was working on and asking if Professor Goodwitch and the other Beacon instructors could provide him with some. By the time she reached the front door, it was nothing but muffled background noise.
With a sigh, Yang walked out and sat under the nearest tree. She'd tried her best to help Ruby open up about what happened, but her sister always fought against it, usually by busying herself. Whether it was through helping around the house with chores or just constantly training to adjust to her lost eye, she refused to sit still and talk things out. The more Yang tried to help, the more Ruby buried herself, and making matters worse was her own anger.
"Terumi," Yang growled that name as it repeated in her head several times over before ceasing. With each passing day, her anger at the man responsible for the woes of Ruby's current woes grew. Every time she looked her sister in the face, she was met with that constant reminder of what he'd done. She'd tried her best to ignore it, but her rage just boiled up inside her. Even going out and fighting Grimm in Vale did nothing to help, and instead just magnified her hatred.
Feels like tracking that bastard down and making him pay is the only way I can help Ruby anymore, Yang sighed, eyes glued to the grass. If she could put a stop to him for good, maybe everyone, herself and Ruby included, could rest easier? Putting that question aside for now, she looked to Pyrrha's letter in her hand and smiled. Her letters never failed to help brighten up Yang's day, and before she left for Mistral, she said she'd be back in Vale after about a month or so. Since it'd been over a month since then, maybe she was sending a message ahead of time to let Yang know she'd be there soon?
Without further hesitation, she tore open the envelope and began reading the letter.
Dear Yang,
I hope this letter finds you well. Things in Argus have been more or less the same. Even here, so many were affected by the Fall of Vale, and what they saw has left them on edge. Communications being down also mean that if their loved ones are still out there, they can't get into contact with them unless by letter, which is a roll of the dice on whether or not it can make it. Sometimes I tend to forget how lucky we are that our letters go through to each other.
Yang briefly looked up in thought, having never once considered that in their letters. Looking back, with the increase in Grimm activity worldwide, that put messengers in a tighter spot than normal. Smile growing a bit brighter, she kept that in mind as she continued, now feeling lucky she was able to receive her girlfriend's words at all.
But on slightly brighter news, my mom's still doing fine (and she says hello, by the way). I still remember what an absolute mess both of us were when I first came home, but I'm glad things have calmed down. Before I forget, you remember Jaune (Vomit Boy, as you like to call him)? Turns out his sister lives in my home city with her wife and son! Can't say I expected that.
Huh, small world, Yang smiled before she continued reading.
Anyway, this next part isn't very good news, but I don't know how to say it. I'll just treat it like a bandage and rip it off. My original plan was to return to Vale and help you guys out soon. But something came up, I'm afraid.
At that part, Yang felt her smile slowly fade away. Nonetheless, she pressed on.
I was called by Empress Hades and told that the Mistral Council is putting together a group called The Praetorians to rescue and protect refugees across the continent of Anima. She asked me to join, and after some thought, I decided to accept her offer. There are just so many people here and so few Huntsmen to go around that I couldn't say no. I need to stay so I can help them, and I at least know that Vale's in good hands at the moment with you and Beacon's instructors still there. Now, I made it a point to know what I'm getting into and ask for time I could set aside to help you and the others in Vale, but I won't be able to take advantage of it for about two months.
I'm sorry, I know I promised I'd be there by now, but it looks like I won't be able to keep that promise. I won't make another one, because I'm scared something else will come up and I'll break it as well, but just know that I'll do everything in my power to be there when I can. And know that I love you.
From,
Pyrrha Nikos.
"Pyrrha," Yang's voice was barely above a whisper, her smile having left her face. Tears fell from her eyes and stained the letter before she folded it and put it to the side. Wiping her tears away, she grew lost in thought at what she'd just read. Yang didn't blame Pyrrha for her choice. It made sense why her girlfriend chose to accept in the first place.
Do you believe in destiny? Yang remembered the question Pyrrha asked when they were discussing why they wanted to become Huntresses. She personally didn't believe in such a thing, but Pyrrha did, or at least her own definition of it. She knew exactly what she wanted out of her life; to become a protector of the world, just like Ruby. She'd been given an opportunity to achieve that dream, and Yang didn't want to fault her for it.
For a moment, her smile returned to that happy memory, as well as how starstruck she was when Pyrrha told her that. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel just a little bit inadequate with how Pyrrha had everything figured out compared to her. All her life, she just went with the flow of things, not really having a particular driving force for what she wanted to do. It was always about the thrill to be found in the heat of the moment, never knowing what would come next, and the lifestyle of a Huntress just so happened to coincide with those desires.
But now those desires were gone, a burning rage having taken their place and nothing to quell it. She wanted to be there for her teammates, but with them now back home for the long-term, that wasn't possible. She tried seeking the next thrill or adventure by helping remove Grimm from Vale, but that stopped working a long time ago. And then there was Ruby, whom she didn't know how to help, nor did she think she could help with how she was now.
"What should I do now?" Yang muttered as a loud caw emanated from above. Turning her head upward, she saw a raven with crimson eyes looking down at her, almost as if in expectation of something. The bird looked startlingly familiar, and it was then Yang realized this was the same bird as before; from her time at Beacon, to her date with Pyrrha, to even a few times at the Vytal Festival. For a moment, she remembered Pyrrha's story about animals being the spirits of their loved ones, and her eyes widened.
M-mom? Yang thought just as the bird flew away. Watching it go, she wondered if the bird really was Summer Rose looking out for her, but then shook her head of the notion. Sure, after what happened in Vale, it seemed just a little bit possible, but why would Summer watch over her when Ruby was the one who needed their mother the most?
"Yang?" Dad's voice snapped her out of her funk as she looked up.
"Yeah?" Yang asked as he walked up and kneeled to meet her at eye level.
"You read the letter yet?" he asked, clearly trying to lighten the mood.
Yang nodded, but her frown refused to leave, "Pyrrha's...she's gonna be in Mistral for a lot longer than we thought."
"Oh," Dad took a seat next to her, "I'm sorry. I know you were looking forward to seeing her again. Ruby was too."
"How is she, by the way?" Yang shifted gears, hoping her sister was doing better now.
Thankfully, her dad gave a smile and said, "Well, she's out of her room now and I told her to give Zwei a bath. Last I saw, she was laughing when he jumped out and started running around the house."
Yang lightly chortled, glad her sister was a tiny bit better, but her smile faded again as she yawned from the emotional exhaustion. This whole thing reminded her of when Mom first disappeared all those years ago. How her dad was in a complete funk, and how she had to take charge until he snapped out of it, only now things were reversed. As those thoughts entered her head, she looked down, hair obscuring her vision. There was one more difference between then and now, and that was the truth about Mom's disappearance.
She now knew why she never came back all those years ago. She knew who took her from them.
"Tired?" Dad asked, clearly in rhetoric as he stood up and helped Yang to her feet.
"No, I'm good," Yang lied, "Think I'll just work on Bumblebee for a bit before I head back inside."
Dad looked unconvinced, and was about to say something else before sound of shattered glass came from the house, followed by Ruby shouting, "NO! STOP RUNNING ZWEI! PETE! HELP ME GRAB HIM!"
"You should probably go check in on that," Yang said, gaining an exhausted sigh from Dad.
"Throw me to the wolves, why don't ya?"
"Anyway, I'll be tuning Bee up if you need me," Yang headed right for the shed just as more glass broke, prompting Dad to run back inside. A lot of crashing, shattering, and laughing could be heard as she worked on her bike.
Yang chuckled, glad that her father and Pietro seemed to have Ruby well in hand. At the same time, Yang wished she could do more for her sister despite her growing inability. With her friends gone and nothing driving her, she felt completely aimless. Sighing to herself, she continued working on her bike, all while the anger she tried to bury grew stronger.
In regards to Qrow and Jubei's talk with Luna and Sena regarding why they're travelling the way they are to Mistral, special thanks to SwapAUAnon and others on Tumblr for the details regarding trains and their presence (or lack there of) throughout much of the continent of Anima and why they need to find a village with airship access to circumvent travel to Mistral, which is easier said than done anyway.
Also, looking back on my prior writing for Platinum, I think this is the first time Sena's had a POV section on his own. So now all of the trinity has had their own POV section at least once in the story.
The bit regarding Vale's airships is something from Episode 3 of V4 (Of Runaways and Stowaways), with us learning from the news report Yang was watching that all airships are being relegated to evacuation of those who were from places outside of the city of Vale.
Plus, this is the first time I'm having a character explain in full detail within the story itself why they can't just have Rachel teleport them to Haven or Atlas rather than just in an author's note. Like I said back in the AN of Chapter 56, it's based off the old vampire mythology of them needing to be invited into someone's dwelling before they could enter.
Next time we'll be heading back to Atlas once more with Tsubaki and the Ace Ops, Jin getting out of the hospital, and the Happy Huntresses having to protect Mantle while dealing with Atlas' bullshit (well, dealing with more of their bullshit than usual). So I'll be seeing you then with Chapter 80: New Starts, High and Low.
