Damn. it's been almost a year since I last updated this story. That's kinda embarrassing. Honestly, I don't have a big reason for not doing it, I just kinda lost interest. I'd forget about RWBY for a while, remember it for like a week, just long enough that I'd get interested in starting this story up again, then get distracted by something else. Didn't help that I got a new gaming pc months ago and thus spent a solid half a year distracted by that.
Whatever. It's here now, and hopefully I'll manage to crank out a few more chapters this time before I'm dragged off into the realm of procrastination and apathy. Hope you enjoy this chapter after the long wait.
"What did you want to speak about?" Weiss asked professionally as Ruby drifted along behind her. General Nikos gave a kind smile and gestured for the ex-heiress to fall into step beside her.
"It will help if I show you around the camp first. Do you mind?" Pyrrha asked Weiss, who shook her head no in response. "Excellent. If you'll follow me, I'll show you to our first stop."
As Pyrrha and Weiss walked through the bustling camp, crowds parted to let them pass wordlessly. The place was a buzz of motion, yet their walk was never obstructed by the rebels. On the contrary, it seemed that there were several collisions precisely because people were avoiding trying to bump into them.
Unfortunately, the same courtesy did not extend to Ruby, who had to push through the crowds that quickly reformed as the two living members of their group passed by, a feat not made easier by her inability to actually push anyone.
Numerous times Ruby was forced to dissolve into flames to slip through a crack in the wall of bodies to catch up. As such, she was only able to hear snippets of their conversation. Fortunately, it seemed that they were merely exchanging basic pleasantries and not talking about anything important.
"You said you were from Argus, yes? How did you end up in Mistral?" Unspoken went the obvious question about how Pyrrha had come to join the Oniyuri Rebellion.
"Argus may have its own problems, but I cannot turn a blind eye to such blatant injustice. Argus is at the mercy of Mistral as much as Oniyuri was, and if we don't stand by them now we may very well suffer the same fate."
"And is this sentiment shared amongst all the people of Argus?"
"No."
Like Ruby had said, nothing too important was being discussed. The pair continued their discussion on the small city-state on the northern tip of the Mistralian continent Anima while she followed behind, only catching bits and pieces of their conversation.
Eventually, the pair came to a stop. To their front were rows upon rows of tents, set up in an almost organized fashion. They were made of a variety of materials and were in a variety of sizes, but it was clear some effort had been put in to make them appear to be in order.
"Here is our first stop. These are the soldiers' tents. At least, the soldiers under my command," Pyrrha explained as she gestured to the sea of cloth that undulated in the soft breeze. Ruby couldn't help but float into the air and take a peek at how far they stretched out.
"Woah. There's got to be at least a thousand of them!" She thought giddily to herself. She'd obviously seen more people than this before; she'd been to Vale before, of course, but it was still impressive to see so many soldiers in one place. There was just one slight problem.
"Hey, Weiss! Ask her how many soldiers there are in the entire Rebellion!" Ruby ordered her friend, who glanced briefly at her to acknowledge her word before repeating the question to her guide.
Pyrrha winced. "While I can't give you exact numbers, I can say that there are about four thousand under my command, with a similar number taking orders from General Daichi."
Weiss and Ruby shared a brief look. While neither of them had fought in a war, they both had learned a lot, Ruby from her family and Weiss from her tutors. Eight thousand soldiers wasn't even a fifth of the size of Mistral's standing army of fifty thousand. And that wasn't including conscripts, mercenaries, or the private guards of the various nobles.
Pyrrha noticed the look on Weiss's face and nodded, her mouth set into a grim line. "I think you can see the problem. We lack the numbers to oppose them in open warfare, but we aren't small enough to simply slip past their guard like a tribe of bandits."
"Then how do you expect to win?" Weiss asked with a cocked eyebrow. Ruby bashfully rubbed the back of her neck. While she had been thinking the same thing, she wouldn't have phrased it so... bluntly.
Pyrrha's lips curled into a slight smile. "Don't count us out just yet. Our numbers may be small, but in many ways that's a boon as much as it is a bane," the word 'bane' made Ruby feel a brief twinge of guilt. "Our army's size allows us to overcome any common soldiers we come across while avoiding the full might of the Mistralian Army."
Weiss brought a hand to her chin. "I see. Large enough you can't be beaten by random patrols, small enough that you can slip away from the central army. But while your size may help you defensively, it certainly isn't helping you do any lasting damage, and you can't win a war of attrition."
"Yeah. It's like when I used to wrestle with Yang as a kid. Sure, I was faster than her, but I wasn't strong enough to beat her, or escape once she grabbed onto me."
Pyrrha, obviously not able to hear Ruby, nodded at Weiss's summary. Indeed. However, it is important to remember that the tides of war are subject to an ebb and a flow, much like the ocean. Today's army will not be the same as tomorrow's."
Ruby gave Weiss a lost look. She somewhat understood what the red-haired general was saying, but at the same time, she didn't. Unfortunately, given the blank look Weiss quickly returned before returning her gaze to the general told her that she didn't understand either.
"I'm afraid I don't understand. While I get that you have a steady stream of recruits, surely there won't be enough to turn the tides of war. At best, you'll end up with an even sum of new recruits and casualties."
Pyrrha shook her head. "You're thinking in terms of the Atlesian army. Atlas not only has the budget to keep its soldiers deployed during times of war, it has the resources to do so. A small rebellion like us, however? We barely have enough to feed the army during the warmer months, let alone winter."
Ruby could feel the gears turning in her head. Glancing down at Weiss, she could see her friend was still confused. Deciding to help her out and not at all to show off how smart she was, she explained. "They have to send home a bunch of soldiers during the winter. But once it warms up and the snow begins to thaw, they rejoin the Rebellion, bolstering their ranks!"
Weiss's eyes widened, which Pyrrha took as a sign of understanding. "With winter coming to an end, our army's size will grow to around twenty-thousand. Still not enough for open warfare, but enough to be a threat."
"And with every victory you claim, more and more people are inspired to join the cause," Weiss surmised to Pyrrha, who nodded. "I see. Forgive my assumption. I misunderstood the situation."
"While you may have underestimated us, you certainly weren't wrong. Taking a few forts in Western Mistral is good, but we haven't had a substantial victory in years, and the people's inspiration is beginning to fade," Pyrrha explained. "That's part of why we need you."
Weiss opened her mouth to ask about that, but Pyrrha was already walking off. Ruby and Weiss shared a confused look before following after her as she walked across the sea of tents to a more open area that had numerous people rushing in and out of tents.
The air was filled with the sound of sizzling meat, clanging metal, and neighing horses. At that last sound, both Weiss and Ruby turned their attention to a makeshift stable where numerous horses were penned. In one of the stables was a familiar snow-white horse that whinnied happily upon seeing her master.
"Snowpea," Weiss murmured as she walked over and stroked a hand through her steed's mane. She had only had the horse for a short time, but had quickly become very attached to the mare and was thus happy to see it uninjured after their fight in Kuroyuri.
"She was worried about you the entire trip back here," Pyrrha explained with a smile. "She nearly bit my hair off when we tried to separate you two but calmed down once it was clear we were trying to help you. She's a very loyal horse."
"Good girl," Weiss whispered as she continued to tend to her horse. "I'm sorry I put you through all that."
Ruby had the strangest feeling of warmth as she watched Weiss and Snowpea. On one hand, it was adorable and Weiss was happy. But on the other, there was an inexplicable feeling of jealousy that she felt. And it wasn't Weiss she was jealous of.
"I apologize for interrupting, but may I continue?" Pyrrha asked politely, her green eyes softened into a kind expression. Weiss went stiff with embarrassment before nodding meekly.
"Yes. I apologize. I simply wanted to..." She stuttered out, but the other woman was quick to hold up a hand to stop her.
"There is no need. It's always nice to see someone treat their animals with such care. It tends to show a lot about a person. But I digress." Pyrrha guided them to the middle of the open area and gestured around.
"This is our resource center. The large tents to your right are food supplies, to our left is the medical wing, up ahead is our blacksmith's tent and armory, and as you saw, behind us are the stables."
As she spoke, she pointed the tents out to Weiss, and unknowingly, Ruby. The ghost looked around in wonder before noticing the slight frown on her dear friend's face.
"Weiss, what's up?"
The noblewoman didn't respond, instead directing a question at Pyrrha as a form of answer. "Is this really all you have? I don't mean to be rude, but your supplies seem... lackluster, to say the least."
Pyrrha nodded. "Indeed. While there are numerous volunteers in the Western part of the kingdom who are willing to offer their lives and join our fight, we have always struggled getting supplies. We cannot impose a levy on the nearby villages, as that would sour their view of us and deprive us of recruits. But few of the merchants in the capital are willing to sell in bulk to us out of fear of the king's ire."
Weiss nodded. "And with King Lionheart's suppression of information regarding the Oniyuri Rebellion, you aren't likely to get any outside suppliers. At least, none of any significance."
"Correct. As such, we've been forced to loot weaponry from defeated soldiers and bandits, and pay pirates and smugglers to bring us food to keep the army afloat. And our medical supplies are lacking on a good day, let alone after a battle. This is perhaps our greatest struggle."
Ruby could see why. At first she hadn't noticed, but after Weiss had pointed out the lack of supplies she became curious and flew over to investigate. Most of the food was stale bread and rice, but there didn't seem to be much. The so-called armory nearly offended Ruby. She probably wasn't one to talk with her weapon being a modified farming implement, but using dull sickles and shovels as weapons wasn't a great idea.
At least her scythe had been made with the express purpose of killing, with farming being an afterthought. And she'd had Uncle Qrow teach her how to use it as a deadly weapon. The soldiers of the Oniyuri Rebellion likely didn't have someone as skilled as him to make up for their terrible arms.
With a heavy sigh, Pyrrha continued the tour, stopping briefly to call back to Weiss. "There's one last thing I have to show you, and then I'll explain everything." With that, she took off towards the direction they had started from, towards the generals' tent.
Taking a left just before reaching the tent, Weiss and Ruby found themselves under a large tarp. A makeshift stone table sat in the middle, smooth and flat enough to serve its purpose. Upon it were numerous scrolls that spilled over the edge and into the grass.
Pouring over all of these was a muscular man with a head of shaggy blonde hair. He wore crimson vambraces on his arm and an overcoat that might have once been white, but had clearly been used for so long that its color could only be described as dirty. Under that he wore no shirt, exposing his impressive abs for the world to see.
A wooden bo staff leaned on the table, made of lacquered wood and what looked to be either bronze or gold from the way it glittered at a distance. Looking up, the man's blue eyes locked onto them and he straightened up before walking toward them.
As he approached, Ruby took notice of a strange movement behind the man. Weiss had too, evidently, as Ruby noticed her eyes locked onto the yellow prehensile monkey tail that swished behind the man. He was a faunus.
"Weiss Schnee, meet Sun Wukong. Leader of the Stone Monkey mercenary company and head of our logistics division."
"It's an honor to meet you!" Sun greeted as he held out a hand, though Ruby didn't miss the brief look that crossed his face when he heard the name Schnee. Weiss simply stared blankly at his hand for a moment before she seemed to recollect herself and returned the handshake.
"Likewise. I assume these... Stone Monkey mercenaries are part of the Rebellion?" Weiss directed the question to Pyrrha, who nodded. "I see. But if you are mercenaries, why would you be promoted to such an important position, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Weiss!" Ruby hissed, appalled at her behavior. She had just met the man and was already implying he didn't deserve his rank. At least she hadn't made a comment about being a faunus.
Sun surprised her by just laughing good-naturedly. "The Oniyuri Rebellion doesn't exactly have time to be picky, and I'm good at what I do. Plus, it doesn't hurt that I've been working with them for a while now."
"The Stone Monkey Mercenary company had a one-year contract with us in which they agreed to help train our soldiers in exchange for a rather small sum of money. That was three years ago. They have never once tried to ask for the contract to be renegotiated, and have proven themselves more than worth the price between their loyalty and their skill." Pyrrha offered her praise.
"Aww, come on Boss. You know there's no way we could've just left you after all that. And we can't ask you to pay a fortune just for a few ruffians from Vacuo to teach your people which end of a spear points away from them."
Weiss's opinion of the man seemed to increase at Pyrrha's praise, and Ruby could tell she respected him for his loyalty.
"I see. I apologize if I was rude. You seem to be a respectable man," Weiss stated with a slight tilt of her head. Her words seemed to both shock and relieve the two rebels, who Ruby suspected were anticipating more problems from the Schnee regarding faunus.
While Weiss certainly wasn't perfectly comfortable around unknown faunus, her interactions with both Blake and the woman who healed her back in Vale, Velvet, she was more prepared and aware of how her reactions could seem offensive.
"As head of logistics, Sun is the one responsible for communicating with our spies in the city. Regardless of whether or not you help us, we owe you for defeating the Scourge and saving our soldiers, so he will be cooperating with you to obtain the book you seek."
Ruby nodded in understanding. This Sun guy seemed pretty easygoing and trustworthy, and allegedly had leading experience from his mercenary company, meaning he was a good fit for his job.
"I see." Weiss said but still stared blankly at Sun's outstretched fist as though it were some new species of Grimm with only one leg and three heads.
"Weiss, he's offering you a fist bump," Ruby explained as she floated behind the monkey faunus. The white-haired girl startled before apologizing and giving Sun an awkward fistbump, something she likely never did with her peers in Atlas.
"Well, it's been a pleasure, but I have to get back to what I was doing. Our spies have reported a large number of people coming in and out of Haven Palace recently, so I'm trying to decipher their reports."
Pyrrha nodded. "We'll leave you to it. Weiss, if you'd follow me?" Weiss nodded and gave a respectful bow to Sun, who gave an eager wave back as the two women and one spectre left the tent and began to climb a nearby hill.
Sun was weird. She hadn't seen him interact much, but from what she had seen he reminded her of a male version of Yang who was more eager and less intelligent. Sun was a good kind of weird, she decided.
Eventually, the duo that was actually a trio came to the top of the hill which had a nice view of the entire camp from above. The soldiers below were hustling and bustling about like ants, but from this far they could only faintly hear the din of their conversations.
"So," Weiss began.
"So," Pyrrha responded. "What do you think?"
"I think you have yet to explain why you all want me to join so badly."
"About the Rebellion. Give me your honest thoughts." Pyrrha urged Weiss, who sighed deeply and closed her eyes in concentration. Opening them, she gave Pyrrha a skeptical look.
"My honest thoughts? You sure you want to hear them?"
Pyrrha nodded. "I'm a grown woman. I doubt you'll say anything I don't know or haven't been told before. Go ahead."
Weiss sighed once again before speaking. "I think there's no way you can win this war."
"That's harsh!" Ruby thought to herself as Weiss continued.
"You lack superior numbers to lay siege to a city, lack the supplies to win a war of attrition, lack the weaponry to oppose Mistral's vast armory of both enchanted and steel weapons, and lack the training to make up for this difference in arms."
Pyrrha nodded. "About what I expected. Anything else?"
"It's not so much that you've survived so long against Mistral in warfare, but rather that Mistral has been constantly thwarted by the Grimm."
"And you believe there is truly no hope of victory?"
"Of course. Guerilla tactics like those used by the White Fang won't work, as your fight is against the Kingdom and not its people. They'd only hurt your reputation and make you seem like the savage bandits Lionheart portrays you as."
"And you believe there is no hope of turning the tide?"
Weiss paused for a moment, seemingly considering something. "Maybe if Atlas or Vale were to declare war on Mistral you could become their ally, but other than that I don't think your odds look good. You'd need a miracle."
"Well, what if you were our miracle?" Pyrrha asked suddenly, her green eyes shining with a look Ruby couldn't place. Determination and some other emotion that Ruby couldn't recognize.
Weiss spluttered, whipping her head around to face away from the camp she'd been inspecting from above to gape at Pyrrha. "W-what's that supposed to mean?"
Pyrrha turned to Weiss slowly and gave her an encouraging smile, her face calm yet her eyes blazing with passion. "Weiss, don't you see? You can help us solve most of the problems you spoke of!"
Ruby was lost as Weiss's mind seemed to reel, trying to pick up on what Pyrrha was saying before she finally caved and asked. "How? I don't exactly have an army, and I'm sure word has reached even you of my running away. My father will offer you no aid."
Pyrrha shook her head. "It's not Jacques Schnee who's help I want. It's yours. You are the only one who can help us like this, Weiss."
The white-haired noble shared a glance with Ruby, who was as confused as a Beowolf in the middle of Vale. "Once again; how? What can I offer the Oniyuri Rebellion that no one else can? I slew one Grimm, which might inspire a few to join, but it can't have that much of an effect."
Pyrrha seemed to ignore her, looking off towards the sun setting over the camp, bathing the clearing in the glow of twilight. A gentle breeze rustled through the area, carrying the first scent of spring as Pyrrha turned towards Weiss and asked a simple question, eyes practically ablaze with that nameless emotion.
"Do you believe in destiny?"
"No." Weiss responded immediately.
Pyrrha didn't seem shocked or offended but merely quirked an eyebrow as if asking her to elaborate.
"I believe that each person is the culmination of their every decision, forged by the fires of circumstance and choice and shaped by time into who they are today. The idea that all beings flow towards some inevitable outcome is one I refuse to accept."
"Do you have proof that destiny does not exist?"
"No. Destiny is an abstract concept. By its nature, there can be no proof or disproof of it. I imagine you do believe in the idea of fate?"
"Hmm. I do." Pyrrha nodded. "I believe that fate guides us like a river, and though we may change which side of the river we sail down we cannot change where we are going."
"And why is this important?" Weiss asked the question that was on the front of Ruby's mind.
"Because I believe meeting you was destiny."
Weiss curled an eyebrow and gestured for her to continue. Pyrrha sighed and gestured towards the camp.
"Before you came along, I was seeking the answers to the problems you described, but I couldn't find a single solution to any of them. And then you come along with the solution to all of them."
"Sorry to beat a dead horse, but how? How is Weiss supposed to do any of this!" Ruby shouted at Pyrrha, who ignored her as if she couldn't hear her. Which she couldn't. Being technically but not quite dead sucked. It made life harder.
"You slaying the Nuckelavee is a story that will inspire countless people. A brave foreigner riding into battle against the Scourge of Mistral to save a handful of rebels, and emerging victorious? That sounds right out of a legend. But it's true."
"So I might inspire a new wave of recruits to join. How does that help with the other problems?"
"Because the story doesn't end there. People would've already traveled to our camp just to see if the rumors were true, but you being Weiss Schnee only makes our story all the more compelling!"
"How so? I would have thought the average Mistralian peasant wouldn't have heard of me. My father perhaps, but not me."
"Indeed. Had this all occurred a year ago. But your fleeing your father has generated quite a bit of interest in you. With your father offering a bounty for your return, your name is becoming known even to the average farmer in the middle of Anima."
"Meaning people are going to know who you are when they say Weiss Schnee did all this heroic stuff!" Ruby cheered, happy her friend would be seen as the hero she always saw her as. Weiss seemed much less enthused, however.
"So me joining draws attention to the Oniyuri Rebellion? Isn't that something you want to avoid?"
Pyrrha shook her head. "You joining won't just draw attention, it'll legitimize us. With the recognition of a Schnee, nobles and merchants will be a lot more reluctant to ignore us and more open to dealing with us directly."
Weiss placed a hand on her chin. "I see. Slight problem, however. My father disowned me. Recovering me isn't a matter of necessity, it's a matter of pride. No one will risk my father's ire like that. And while I may currently be in service to the Valean crown, it is as a scholar and not a knight or diplomat. They will not go to war at my behest."
"I think you overestimate the intelligence of the average merchant and noble. While you may understand Jacques Schnee's intentions, most others don't. They might believe the disowning was a political move to allow you the freedom to join."
Weiss's eyes widened. "They'll suspect it's a ploy to profit off of this war. And once a shark smells blood in the water, it attacks. They'll throw themselves at your cause to provide support, believing themselves to have figured out my father's plan."
"Precisely. Even if only a handful of merchants fall for it, they'll still provide invaluable help in the short term, and in the long term help us to legitimize our cause."
Ruby's eyes widened as she finally caught onto what Pyrrha was saying. "As more and more attention is put on the rebels, people will start asking why they're rebelling in the first place. People Lionheart can't just silence. People like King Ozpin and General Ironwood. It's genius!"
Pyrrha held out a hand towards Weiss with a confident smile. "With your help, we can break past this stalemate we've been in for the past decade. We can light the fire that'll burn down Lionheart. And if we shake the pot enough, we'll gain enough support in the capital to break into the vault and get your book. Just act as our 'legendary hero' for a month or so. What do you say?"
Weiss held her hand out but didn't shake Pyrrha's, an unsure look on her face that caused the green-eyed woman to falter slightly. They remained that for ten agonizing seconds before Weiss broke the silence with a question.
"General Nikos, why did you join the rebellion? Why do you fight?"
Pyrrha's eyes widened in surprise and her mouth fell open. Ruby couldn't help but giggle at seeing the woman who had been so passionate before become so flabbergasted in a single question.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"I answered your question about destiny, didn't I?"
"I... that's... very well. I will explain." Pyrrha inhaled deeply and looked forlornly towards the mountains to the north; no, Ruby somehow knew she was looking beyond those towering mountains, towards the north of Anima.
Towards Argus.
"After the Great War eighty years ago, Mistral and Atlas were left in a bad position. Having been beaten by the Valean-Vacuoan Alliance, they were stripped of much of their power, and had their militaries effectively neutered."
Pyrrha clenched her fists tightly. "Morale was low among the populace, and faith in the military was lower than it had been in decades. They needed a victory. Still licking their wounds from their loss during the Great War, they decided the city-state of Argus to be a prime target."
Weiss nodded. "Of course. It's positioned right between the two nations, and is thus a lucrative trading center. The Grimm in the region are particularly deadly, but nothing an army couldn't handle."
"Yes. And thus Argus, which had spent its previous four hundred years of existence as a free state was crushed under its heel. We have always prided ourselves on our fighters, but a handful of legions cannot withstand the combined might of Atlas and Mistral."
The general's teeth clenched together as she continued. "Growing up, I saw the injustice imposed upon Argus. Its citizens were forced to starve as Mistral and Atlas reaped every lien they could out of the once glorious city. Ludicrous taxes, random tariffs, and numerous laws meant to benefit the citizens of the Four Great Kingdoms while pushing the people or Argus out of their home."
"This isn't just a problem limited to Argus, however. All across Remnant, people suffer at the hands of others. Despite the Grimm outside the kingdoms, humanity's greatest foe is itself. People everywhere crush others underfoot to get what they want."
"So I will oppose them. I will use the training I have received to fight for justice. Not justice for Argus, or Oniyuri, but for all! I wield my sword to protect the innocent and those who can't protect themselves! And if deposing Lionheart helps Oniyuri and Argus find justice, then all the better for it."
Pyrrha turned to face Weiss with the look in her eyes that she had bore when she spoke of destiny. Only now Ruby could place what it was. Rage. Righteous fury at the cruelty of the world, and defiance of that cruelty.
"I fight because there is evil in the world. So long as I can lift my sword, I will use it to protect the weak. So tell me, Weiss Schnee."
"Will you do the same?"
Weiss stood still, a deep contemplative look on her face. Ruby had been moved by Pyrrha's speech, so it wasn't a stretch for her to imagine Weiss felt the same. Eventually, Weiss gave a meek response.
"You know it'll be a lie, right?"
Pyrrha raised a brow. "What will?"
"That I'm a hero. That I'm fighting to save people. Helping others is nice, but it isn't why I fight."
"Then what do you fight for? Why do you lift your sword? What is the creed you live, kill, and die by?"
Weiss's brow furrowed at that question, and Ruby paused to think as well. The simple answer was that Weiss was fighting for her friend, but that... didn't quite seem right. Weiss's quest went a little beyond what could be considered a favor for a friend.
She didn't fight for justice or honor like the knights from Ruby's mom's stories. She wasn't a mercenary in it for the money. Was it pride? No, Weiss could be headstrong and prideful, but that wasn't what drove her to such lengths for Ruby.
Pyrrha watched Weiss as she pondered the question with a patient expression on her face. It was this moment that highlighted the difference between the two in Ruby's eyes despite their close age. Weiss was skilled, but so was Pyrrha. What separated them was purpose. Pyrrha knew exactly why she fought.
"I... don't know," Weiss admitted with a frown and a glance at Ruby. She was the reason for Weiss's quest, but why? What was it about Weiss that drove her to want to help Ruby?
Pyrrha smiled gently. "Then I'll help you find out. I promise you I will, if you just give us your aid. So I ask you again..." She extended her hand towards Weiss, a serene yet confident expression on her face. "Will you join us?"
Ruby could tell Weiss's curiosity was piqued by this conversation, but something in her nonexistent gut was telling her this was a bad idea. Sure, Mom had always said to fight to protect the innocent, but this situation didn't quite feel right, and the idea of Weiss fighting in a war was... hard to swallow. But it wasn't her choice.
"I'll do it. I'll join your cause, if only to get to the book. Deal?" Weiss said, grasping Pyrrha's hand in a handshake that betrayed her insecurity. Pyrrha responded in kind, though her handshake was much less timid.
"Excellent. We move out at dawn, heading westward. We'll set up camp near Shion village while we train the influx of recruits. We'll need your help especially during this time. Will you be up for it?"
Weiss responded with a nod as the pair began to head back towards the camp, Ruby following silently behind. The gravity of the situation was beginning to dawn on Ruby. Weiss was going to be fighting innocent people. Not just Grimm or criminals, but soldiers fighting for their home just like the Oniyuri rebels.
She didn't like this at all.
Oh boy. I bet that isn't going to cause any problems. The tension building between Ruby's disillusion with Weiss's actions and Weiss's tunnel-vision regarding her goals isn't going to blow up any time soon at all. Definitely not. There's no drama I can create using this that will both provide short-term moments for individual character growth and a long-term development in their relationship.
Anyways, I'm motivated right now, so I'm going to drop this chapter and immediately start writing the next one. As I said, hopefully it isn't murdered by my boredom and disinterest. Anyway, constructive criticism, kind comments, random tangents, and blatant hate are all welcome. I'll read it all, and take all but the last category to heart.
Good luck to all of you who have finals coming up, and I'll hopefully update again soon. Have a nice day.
