The sound of birds singing was what awoke Ruby Rose from her deep slumber. Silver eyes flickered open as she took in her surroundings. Her head buzzed angrily as she moved it, scanning the room she was in.
Her eyes landed on a figure sitting in a chair, facing her. It was a man with tanned skin and blonde hair, dressed in a pair of brown cargo shorts, a beige shirt and dark brown vest. Her Dad. She managed to sit up with a groan, pushing away the covers of her bed.
She blinked a few times as her location finally caught up with her. She was in her own bed, in her own room, in her own house. She was home. She was safe.
"Ruby!" Her father smiled widely, suddenly awake and immediately rushing over to her side. "You're awake!" He knelt down next to her, gently laying a hand on her bed.
"What, what happened?" Ruby asked, her mind still filled with static as she looked at her father.
"Your Uncle Qrow found you, unconscious. He got you outta there though; he brought you home safe." Taiyang explained.
Ruby's eyes seemed to linger on her father's blonde hair, as a memory suddenly shot to the front of her mind. "Wait! Yang! Is she alright?" She remembered landing after the battleship, where she made her way to the docks.
She finally found the rest of her team, only to see her sister laid out on the ground with a bleeding and missing arm. Taiyang hesitated, unable to meet his daughter's eyes. "She's uh, she's gonna be alright."
"I think she's just, I think it's just gonna take some time for her to get used to things." Ruby's head fell, the rest of her body feeling leaden as she absorbed her Dad's words. "She's too strong to let this stop her."
Taiyang brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, as he let out a quiet sniffle. "I'm just glad to have my girls back at home." He rested a hand on Ruby's leg over the sheets, but despite the affectionate nature of his gesture, the young girl still had more questions.
"What happened to the school? And Vale? Were they able to clear out the Grimm?" She shot off questions rapidly, unable to keep it all bundled inside her anymore. Taiyang accepted the outburst with the patience he had come to grow as a parent.
"Things at Vale are under control. Apparently, some crime boss let a lot of civilians into shelters they had." Taiyang explained. "And once Ironwood's robots stopped attacking people, they went back to fighting Grimm instead, before they all shut down."
"But, the school…" He hesitated, trying to think of the right words. "It's, it's not that simple."
"That thing, whatever it is…" "Kevin." Ruby interrupted. Taiyang looked at his daughter with concern, wondering why she decided to name the creature that attacked her school. "Kevin." Taiyang tested slowly, his blue eyes analysing Ruby carefully.
"Kevin doesn't seem to be dead." He said, ignoring the ridiculousness of the statement. "Don't get me wrong, you did a number on it. But, it's not disappearing. It's kind of… frozen." He met his daughter's eyes.
"I know that doesn't sound too bad, but it keeps attracting more Grimm to the school. But, with all the Huntsmen still left around from the festival, they're managing to gain more ground every day." He finished his explanation, hoping it would be enough. Enough to keep her satisfied, and safe. The blonde's eyes seemed to bore a hole into the bedsheets, as he focused on the fact both his children were alive.
"I did what?" Ruby asked, with a slight tilt of her head. Taiyang blinked as he refocused on Ruby. "You said I did a number on it. What do you mean?" Her silver eyes stared at him, leaving Taiyang swallowing roughly.
"I…" He couldn't bring himself to answer. "That's not important right now. We can talk about it later." He let out a sigh as he gently pulled at the red bandana around his arm. "Things are just, kind of a mess."
"It's always a mess." A new voice countered, causing Taiyang to whip around as Ruby looked to her door. Her Uncle Qrow stood by the frame, draining the remains of his flask. "Mind if we have a minute?" He wiped his mouth before looking to his old teammate.
"What? I can't stay here?" Taiyang seemed angered at the request, his blue eyes narrowing.
"Tai. Please." Qrow asked. With a short huff of air through his nostrils, Taiyang relented. He stood, the floor creaking as he leaned down to Ruby.
He placed a gentle kiss on his daughter's forehead, before backing up. "I'm glad you're alright." He told her. "I'll go make us some tea."
Ruby's chest suddenly felt very tight at the word. But she couldn't understand why. Why was tea giving her heart palpitations? She was distracted, thankfully, by her uncle pulling up a chair by her bedside and leaning back into it.
"So, how you feeling?" He asked.
"Like shiiiii-shomeone hurt me. All over." Ruby trailed off, ending the curse she nearly said and changing it. Qrow's red eyes were wide with surprise, before they softened, apparently realising something Ruby did not.
"Yeah, that makes sense, after what you did." He gave a small chuckle as he crossed his arms, which only served to summon a frown across Ruby's brow.
"Both of you keep saying that! That I did something. What are you talking about?" She asked, her silver eyes staring at her uncle.
He leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees as he met her eyes. "What's the last thing you remember?" He asked.
Memories unwillingly flooded Ruby's mind as she looked away. "I ran up the side of the tower to help Pyrrha. And when I got to the stop, I-" Her blood suddenly froze, as she gasped and turned to her uncle.
"Pyrrha! Crue! Are they…?"
Qrow couldn't meet Ruby's gaze as he spoke. "The champ's alright. Well, I doubt she'll be fighting anytime soon. An arrow hit her heel and messed her up pretty bad. Some fancy Mistraltans came to pick her up, didn't even get a chance to let her see anyone else."
He stopped talking, eyes burning a hole into the floor. Ruby's eyes watered as she looked at her uncle. "What about Crue?" She asked, her voice breaking as she feared she might already know the answer.
The older man let out a sigh that seemed to age him several years, as he reached behind his back. "I'm sorry Ruby. I really liked that kid." He answered, before bringing out an item that caused Ruby's breath to come out in shallow gasps.
It was a pair of broken sunglasses. A pair Ruby recognised all too well. "This, this is all I could find." Qrow set the glasses down on her dresser table, the cracked lens creating a strange refraction of light. Ruby began to sob, as she tried to speak.
"I-I… I got to the top. And I saw Crue. And Cinder." Her tears flowed freely, dampening the blanket below her as her fists tightened around the fabric. "And then everything went white."
"Anything else?" Qrow pressed. He wanted to give her time to mourn, but it could come later. Right now he needed Ruby to understand what she had accomplished.
"I remember, my head hurting." Ruby answered. That was an understatement. Her head felt as though it was in a vice, and a hundred torches were focused through her eyes.
"The night you met Ozpin, what was the first thing he said to you?" Qrow asked. Ruby wracked her brains to try and remember, but it was such a long time ago.
"I don't know…" She wasn't sure why Qrow was suddenly so interested in the topic. "I think it was something about-" "Silver eyes." Her uncle interrupted.
"That's an extremely rare trait."
"So?"
Qrow looked downward, reminding himself that his niece had just been through a traumatic event and to allow her some annoyance. "You're special, Ruby. And not in a 'Daddy loves his special angel' kinda way."
"You're special the same way your mom was." Ruby blinked in surprise, as Qrow continued to explain. "Remnant's full of old legends and stories. Some true, some made up. But there's one Oz told me, from a very long time ago."
"Back before Huntsmen, before Kingdoms. It was said that those born with silver eyes were destined to lead the life of a warrior. You see, the creatures of Grimm, the most fearsome monsters mankind had ever encountered, were afraid of those silver eyed warriors."
"They were the best of the best." He went on. "It was said that even a single look from one of these fighters could strike a Grimm down." He laughed to himself, shaking his head. "It's a ridiculous story."
"But, you think that I might be…" Ruby trailed off, all of this information now swirling in her mind. Along with a strange memory of her fight atop the battleship.
"Well, a giant monster's currently frozen on top of Beacon tower. And you're here. Safe in bed." He got up from his chair to walk over to the window, staring out at the autumnal leaves.
Ruby had several questions, but one stood out to the rest. "How did you know what Ozpin said to me? The night we met?"
Qrow leaned on the windowsill as he lowered his head. "All those missions I go on, all the times I'm away in some far off place. It's been for Ozpin." He raised his head back up. "But he's missing now."
For some reason, his words struck Ruby as odd. Missing. Not gone. Not dead. "Something's been set in motion, and with Oz gone, I'll have to pick up where he left off." He seemed to be staring beyond the trees outside the window.
"Then what can I do?" Ruby asked quietly. "If I'm so special, then I can help. Right?" She looked to her uncle with determination. She wanted to help. She needed to. If not because it was the right thing to do, then to avenge who they lost.
"You really wanna help?" Qrow asked, taking a few steps towards the bed. "Get some rest. You're in no condition to go anywhere right now." He made to leave the room and allow her to rest, before pausing and turning back to face Ruby.
"Besides. Our enemy's trail leads all the way to Haven. That'd be quite a trip for a pipsqueak like you." He gave a soft nod and began to exit, before Ruby spoke up.
"Uncle Qrow." She waited for the man to pause in the doorway, angling his head so that she knew he was listening. "You said, silver eyed warriors were special. That they were able to defeat Grimm just by looking at them."
Her own silver eyes stared at the tattered cape of her uncle. "What about people with golden eyes?"
She saw Qrow tense. It was a miniscule thing, something she would've missed if she hadn't been looking for it. "Golden eyes?" He repeated, questioningly.
"Yeah. I fought someone on Ironwood's ship, and her eyes kept turning gold." Solaris was ridiculously strong for one person, even when she was working with Torchwick and Pol- Neopolitan. A scowl suddenly flit across Ruby's brow, remembering how she was lied to.
"Stay away from anyone with golden eyes, Ruby." Qrow warned seriously. "They're no good. And gold and silver don't tend to get along well." With that, he left, leaving Ruby alone in her room.
She looked straight ahead, to a mirror on her wall that she could see from her seated position. Her silver eyes stared back at her. It wasn't just Solaris that Ruby had on her mind, as she recalled the moment she stabbed the Nevermore to protect Pyrrha and Penny.
"But, I got along with Crue…" She whispered to herself, remembering the boy's eyes meeting hers as they fought the Grimm. They weren't their usual blue, instead a deep molten gold. She didn't have time to think about it when it happened, but now, with what her uncle had said swimming around in her mind…
"Who were you, Crue?" She asked her reflection. It didn't give an answer. Ruby realised she would never get one.
…
Weiss Schnee stalked the halls of the Schnee Manor with a deep frown. Her father had stolen her from Vale, returning her to Atlas where she would be 'safe'. She didn't feel safe. She felt alone. And cold.
The cold had never bothered her before, but after spending so long in Vale, with the warmth of so many people who cared for her, the coldness and emptiness of her house weighed down on her more than it had before. She revisited that thought, before deciding it was correct.
This was her house. Not her home. Her home was in Beacon. In a dorm room with dangerously arranged beds, and four others that she could always count on. She swallowed, letting a hand rest on the handle of the weapon on her right side.
Setanta did not fit her grasp properly. She wondered if it ever would. It was the only thing she was able to bring with her from Beacon, before her father spirited her away. The metal was cold to the touch as her fingers wrapped around the hilt.
Holding Crue's weapon like this was probably the closest she'd ever be to the Faunus again. Her face hardened as she forced her emotions down. She wasn't the only one to lose him. And she wouldn't dare say she would miss him the most.
To think such a thing would be to spit on his friendships with the rest of her team. With the rest of his own friends in Beacon. He cared for them all, and they cared for him. But as she made her way to her room, which several maids assured remained exactly the way she left it, she could not help but feel like she would miss his warmth the most.
Physical affection was far from commonplace in the Schnee household. And Weiss thought herself above wanting such a thing. She was content with the occasional reassuring hand on the shoulder from her sister.
But, with her team there were moments where they were unceremoniously squeezed together in a group hug. And Weiss hated them. At first. But the more her friends casually rested a hand on her, or rubbed shoulders, the more she craved their touch.
Crue was always the worst offender for it. Hugging her, patting her head, letting her scratch his ears and resting against him when she was tired. His presence was gone from her life. From her friend's life. And she was alone.
"Good afternoon, sister." Not as alone as she would've liked, however. The Heiress turned, her frown deepening as she looked to the one who had broken the silence.
"Whitley." Weiss' pale blue eyes met a brighter blue, as her younger brother stood before her in the hallway. In that second, her frown disappeared as she stared at him. Brother. The term had new meaning to her now that she had Crue for comparison.
Unfortunately, comparing Crue to Whitley was much too easy given his attire. A white dress shirt with a light blue waistcoat. The colours might have been different, but the style was too much the same. "I noticed you have picked up a new weapon." Whitley continued, looking to the blue hurl on her waist.
"Spoils of war?" The question was innocent. There was no way he could have possibly known where it came from.
It didn't matter, as Weiss' eyes narrowed, and a snarl grew on her face. Anger bubbled within her, as she prepared to scream away all her frustrations on her brother. It died in her throat, as she witnessed her brother's face suddenly become fearful.
"No." Weiss said softly, looking away from him. Her hand gripped Setanta tightly. "No... It, it belonged to someone I cared dearly for. And who cared for me in turn." She returned her gaze to her brother, his expression one of genuine shock.
"I, I am sorry. Weiss." He said, and Weiss was surprised that she believed him. "I did not know. Are they…?"
"Gone." Weiss answered, forcing back the tears that nearly escaped. "He died. Defending Beacon and those he cared about to his last brea-th." Her voice caught at the end, and she berated herself mentally for the show of weakness.
"I see." Whitley said, suddenly becoming very interested in the weaving of the rug beneath them. "Was he your, partner?" He asked, looking back up.
A lot of emotions ran through Weiss at that moment, but for some reason the one that came to the forefront was amusement. "No." The Heiress managed a small smile behind a laugh. "No, absolutely not." Her expression, coupled with her words, confused Whitley.
"No, he was more like…" She met Whitley's gaze. "More like a brother." His bright blue eyes widened as Weiss stepped forward. Physical affection was never given to her, or her siblings. She was going to change that. "It's good to see you, Whitley." And with that, she wrapped her arms around her brother in a tight hug.
The younger Schnee was at a loss for words, his body unsure of what to do in the situation. In the end, he awkwardly maneuvered his arms around his sisters back and tried to return the hug. "Th-Thank you, Weiss. You as well."
They broke the hug, as Weiss stepped back, her hand on the hilt of Setanta. "I think, I think he would've liked you." She let out a sigh, but somehow found it in her to smile. "He might have taken some getting used to, though. He had quite the sailor's mouth."
Whitley grew a small smile of his own. "I have overheard Father yelling at the board, I would like to believe that I am used to such vulgar language."
"You would think so." Weiss agreed. "But, I have personally witnessed him insulting General Ironwood directly. And I do not think even Father would say such a thing to him." She recalled when he stormed out of their dorm after explaining what he and Sun had seen.
Whitley's face was one of intrigue and disbelief. His eyes also held a sparkle to them, one that showed no matter how elite you might be, at his age if you had the chance to learn a new swear word you would take it.
Weiss recognised the curiosity and realised the only way to tell him it was to say it herself. Her face burned pink, as she quickly looked around to make sure it was just the two of them. "I cannot believe I am going to tell you this." She closed her eyes and took a breath, before leaning close to her brother's ear and whispering.
The effect was immediate, as Whitley let out a gasp as he slapped his hand against his mouth, his own face turning pink. "He called the General that?" He hissed in disbelief, removing the hand. "And the General didn't shoot him for it?"
"No." Weiss said with a soft laugh. "I think the General was too shocked to move."
"I very much would have liked to meet him, then." Whitley's smile was wide, before it died, and they both flinched as a door slammed within the hallway. From behind Whitley, their father stood, arms crossed behind his back with an unamused expression that was ever-present on his face.
"Whitley. You are late for your lessons." His cold blue eyes roamed over his son, before landing on Weiss. "Come now. I do not pay for the best tutors in Atlas for you to ignore them." He turned, not acknowledging his daughter.
"Yes Father. Coming, Father." He said immediately and automatically, sparing a glance at Weiss. His expression was sorrowful, but it disappeared as he turned his back on her and scurried after their father.
Weiss was left alone in the hallway once more.
Her face remained neutral, as she continued to her bedroom. Once there, she entered without a word and locked the door behind her, pressing her back against it. The room was as large as her dorm, but with only a single four poster bed.
Not that she would be sleeping. Every time she closed her eyes, there was a flash of red as the scarred face of Adam Taurus appeared in her mind. The product of her own company's horrific practices.
And the person who grievously injured her friend. If Weiss had been able to move. If she hadn't frozen like a deer in headlights upon seeing Taurus' face. Then Yang would still be ok. It was her fault. Her company's fault.
The company she was meant to inherit and fix. What a joke. How could she fix something like that, all on her own, in her bedroom.
The room felt empty. She was alone. Separated from her team. From her friends.
In the safety of her own room, she slid down the door and removed Setanta from her waist. She held it close, as Weiss Schnee began to cry.
…
Blake Belladonna was a coward. The Faunus tried to ignore her own thoughts, her own self-made description. But she couldn't. She ran from those who cared about her the moment she got the chance.
She ran across the rooftops of Vale, the city quiet in the wake of the destruction caused by the Fall of Beacon. She paused, looking at the shadow of the Dragon that was petrified on the side of Beacon Tower.
A dreary fog lay over the city, partially in thanks to the miasma generated from the Grimm. It suited her mood, Blake thought angrily. Here she was. Running again. Like Adam said she would. Tears stung the corners of her amber eyes.
Adam had caused so much pain to those she cared about. Because of her. And he would have done worse, had that monster not suddenly appeared, chasing him from the cafeteria. She came to a stop at the edge of a building, remembering the fear she felt from being in its presence.
The same monster that killed Crue and Penny. The thought brought a fresh set of tears to her eyes. Penny was gone. Crue was gone. The Faunus had been a part of her life for less than her team had, but that didn't mean it hurt any less.
He had been a friend to her. And even when he learned she was a part of the White Fang, he took it with nothing but kindness and a hug. Blake wrapped her arms around herself, in a pale imitation of what she once experienced.
Ruby had said he was her brother. She had never had a sibling before. And now, he was gone before she could even properly explore the term. The only family she had left now were her parents. The same parents she ran away from, even after they warned her of the White Fang and Adam.
She curled into herself atop the alley, pressing her eyes into her arms as she realised what a mistake she had made. Weiss had nearly died because of her. Yang lost an arm because of her. How could she face them again. Tears began to flow, as she wished she could turn back the wheel of time.
She wasn't the only one.
Her ears flicked beneath her bow, as she heard the sounds of someone else crying within the alley. She dried her own eyes as she stood, peering over the edge. They alley was completely deserted. But her ears weren't playing tricks on her, now that she focused, she could definitely hear someone sobbing.
Whatever ghostly wails haunted this alley wasn't any of her business. She had enough worries, without concerning herself with a mysterious mourner. She had no reason to extend any form of kindness to whoever was crying.
"Hello?" She called unsurely into the alley. There was a soft gasp, and the sound of shattering glass echoed. Immediately, her eyes locked onto a figure in the corner of the alley that looked up to her in shock, as her pupils narrowed into slits.
"You?!" Blake cried, leaping down from the building and bringing Gambol Shroud out to point at the figure. She recognised her as the one who fought against Yang during the Breach, all those months ago. An ally to Torchwick. The diminutive form of Neopolitan stared back with brown eyes that had quite clearly been crying.
They filled Blake with rage. "What do you have to be crying over?! What have you lost?!" She jabbed her sword to Neopolitan's throat, the girl leaning back slightly, before her own expression mirrored Blakes.
Anger. Rage. Sorrow. Guilt. It was unnerving to see the similar emotions expressed on one who was her enemy.
"Same as you, Kitty Cat." A voice suddenly spoke up. Blake whirled around, taking her blade away from Neopolitan to point to the entrance of the alley, where she saw… A stranger.
A man she didn't recognise entered the alleyway, holding a newspaper in one hand. He wore a long brown trench coat, with a pair of blue slacks under it. A trapper hat covered the man's head, where a pair of green eyes stared at her.
Eyes that held a distinct use of eyeliner. The nickname suddenly clicked in her mind.
"Torchwick!?" Blake suddenly leapt back, trying to put an equal distance between the criminals.
"Damn it. Was it the eyeliner? There are some things that are just harder to get rid of." Torchwick sighed, before coughing and changing his voice. "Uh, I mean no. I am Rory Fusely. Roman Torchwick died in the attack. Swallowed whole by a Griffon." When Blake didn't respond, or lower her weapon, he sighed once more.
"Put down the knife, Kitty Cat. You might hurt yourself." He approached, as Blake backed away from the thief. "I'm dead. So don't bother killing me."
Blake looked him up and down, and as she could not see through him, she was inclined to disagree. "We can all dream." She said shortly.
Torchwick frowned, the action looking odd now that Blake had clear view of both his eyes. "Dream all you want. As far as I'm concerned, my part in this nightmare is over." He held up the scrunched-up newspaper.
"An official list of all those who fell in the attack." His words caused Blake to freeze, as Neopolitan looked to him pleadingly. He couldn't meet her eyes. "I'm sorry, Neo." He threw the paper to her; the tabloid being snatched out of the air halfway.
Instantly, Neopolitan's eyes began to scan the list of names. She froze, as the paper began to crumple beneath her grasp. Curiosity overtook Blake, as the girl fell to her knees, clutching the paper tight as she let out a scream. An actual, genuine sound came from her throat.
It sounded like a heart being torn in two, before it cut off as Neo began to wrack with sobs. Almost immediately, Torchwick crouched down and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Blake watched the scene with a sorrow that she didn't believe possible and could only think to say one thing.
"Who?" She asked.
"Already told you, Kitty Cat." Torchwick sighed, reaching up to his pocket, before playing the action off as brushing dust from his shoulder, having forgot he no longer had any cigars on him. His eyes met Blake's, surprising her with the lack of animosity within them. "Same as you."
It took a moment for his words to sink in, amber eyes widening as she stared at Neopolitan. "Crue?" She breathed out. The girl's breathing was hitched, as she angled her head to look back at Blake. "Why, why do you care that he's gone!?"
It was the wrong thing to ask, Blake realised, as Neo shot to her feet with a murderous glare. Her eyes were white, and she looked ready to attack, before Torchwick placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Neo." He said, surprisingly softly. The glare lessened, her eyes turning to pink and brown as she continued to stare daggers into Blake. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you can't kill her because of that. She doesn't know."
"Know what?" Blake asked immediately. Neo's glare returned for a moment, before fading. Her head turned back to Roman, silently asking something.
"How am I the voice of reason here?" He asked sarcastically, though it seemed to lack the usual bite, before removing his hand from Neo's shoulder. He let out a sigh as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Go ahead. Red already knows. Surprised she hasn't already told you yet."
Her eyes darted between the two. Ruby knew something about Neo and Crue? Before she could even speculate what it might be, Neo's form began to break from the ground up, freezing Blake's breath in her lungs.
"Polly?" She took a step back in disbelief, her amber eyes wide. Crue's ex-girlfriend stood before her. "You, were working with them? You lied to us? All this time?!" Her hand gripped her weapon as it shook with anger. The disguised girl's eyes, still pink and brown, looked to her.
She nodded. Blake's mouth snapped into a snarl as she lunged. Her sword stopped an inch before Neo's head, the girl refusing to move out of the way of the attack. "Damn it Neo!" Torchwick gripped Blake's arm tightly, before throwing it back.
"We were forced, damn it." He stood before Neo protectively. "You think we wanted this? Not much a point being a thief without a city." He growled, looking back to Neo as his expression returned to normal.
"Neo tried to go against Cinder in the end. But, apparently Queen Bitch saw fit to make sure that wouldn't happen, and sent someone to keep an eye on her." His hands flexed, searching for the cane that so often accompanied him.
It wasn't there. Faking your death was a difficult thing to accomplish when you had so many notable accessories. But, it was a necessity given that Cinder would probably hunt him down if she found out what he did. "That Wolf could've ran and left you all to die. He didn't. And neither did we when Red showed up on the ship."
Blake's fists were clenched as she stared at them. She didn't know why she was even listening, but her amber eyes sought Neo's. Still wearing the face of the one she thought a friend. "Was everything a lie?"
Her form shattered, reverting to her regular attire and she shook her head. Though, her clothing was dirty and torn, as if she hadn't moved from the alleyway for several days. Since Beacon fell. The change didn't help, if anything it made the Faunus angrier.
"You were our friend. We trusted you. We, we comforted you. Over Crue." Blake looked almost disgusted at her own actions. Neo shook her head, pleadingly. Blake's amber eyes narrowed, as she glared. "Did you even care about him?"
Neo's eyes turned white, as her breath seemed to be knocked out of her. She shook in anger, but her face was filled with grief as tears formed at corner of her eyes. Next to the mute, Torchwick laid a hand on her shoulder as he scowled at Blake.
"Low blow, Cat."
The expression on Neo's face almost made Blake want to apologise. Almost. "You pretended to be someone else from the start! How could I even believe you cared about him?!" She said through gritted teeth, her hands gripping the hilt of her sword.
Neo's eyes met Blake's, and she mouthed two words that caused Blake to freeze. "He knew?" She repeated. "What do you mean he knew?!" She asked.
"Wolf knew Neo was Polly." Roman answered. "Or, Polly was Neo. Take your pick." He waved, before leaning against the wall of the alley. "Knew Cinder's plans from the start. Did his damnedest to stop it, but…"
He trailed off, staring at a very faded stain on the ground. Blake's mind finished his words. "…but he lost." Her amber eyes stung, as she blinked away tears. She looked to Neo, who still held a pained expression on her face.
The same expression as her own. Her mind reeled with information. Crue knew Neopolitan was Polly, and now that she thought the names aloud, Blake was mad she hadn't realised it herself. Crue also knew Cinder's plans and tried to stop them.
Blake had questions. Several of them. But, the only one who could answer them was gone. "It doesn't matter." She finally said, eyes flitting to the ground as she lowered her weapon with a sorrowful sigh. "He's gone. That monster saw sure to that."
Blake's definition of the word was different to Neo's. In the Faunus' mind, she saw the terrifying creature that attacked Adam and Mercury.
In Neo's, she saw Cinder. Her eyes turned white once more, as she watched Blake begin to leave the alley. The Faunus still kept her weapon out, trained on Torchwick. But she made no attempt to attack. The fight had been drained from her.
All she wanted now was to go, far from liars and thieves. Go to the only people who had a chance of welcoming her. She had lost her friends. Her family. She didn't want to lose any more.
She left the alley in silence, as Neo looked after the Faunus with a strange expression. Next to her, Torchwick sighed. "Go on then." He nodded after Blake. Neo blinked in surprise, looking to the disguised man.
"That Cat's a magnet for trouble. If you have any hope of finding Cinder, it's with her. And I know she was… nice to you in Beacon." His fingers drummed a tattoo into his thigh, as he desperately wished for his cane back. He looked to Neo, the girl looking conflicted on who to follow.
"Hey, can't die twice, right?" He joked, before kneeling down to Neo's eye level and placed both hands on her shoulders. "You were the best partner in crime I could ask for." The genuineness with which he said it seemed to be too much for Neo, who immediately began to tear up.
The smaller girl wrapped herself in Torchwick's arms, as he gently patted her back. "You better get going, and be sure to stab the bitch that made it so I couldn't walk you down an aisle." He came out of the hug, seeing Neo drying her tears on his jacket.
"Keep this safe for me, huh?" He requested, reaching into his jacket and removing a black bowler hat. He placed it on her hand, pushing it down slightly so it covered her eyes. It managed to get the smallest of silent laughs out of Neo.
She pushed up the brim so she could look Torchwick in the eyes. The man stood, a smile that didn't fit on his face as he looked to her. "I'll see you around, Neo."
Neo smiled sadly, and shattered into glass.
…
Pyrrha Nikos hated her popularity. She hated that people wouldn't see her for who she was. They wouldn't see Pyrrha Nikos, the girl who just wanted to have friends. The girl who was grieving. They saw the Invincible Girl who survived the Fall of Beacon. And as crowds cheered her return, she didn't feel very invincible.
Her right foot was encased in a cast, as she was wheeled out of a private Bullhead. Wheeled was the wrong term, as the chair she was in hovered out with nary a bump. Some technological innovation from Atlas that used Gravity Dust to assure the smoothest ride possible.
Nothing but the best for the Pride of Mistral. Pyrrha couldn't scowl. She couldn't look upset. She had to smile for the crowd, to let them know she was as glad to see them as they were her. They needed to see her. They needed some sort of good news to help combat the negativity that spread from watching Beacon be destroyed. And her arrival was just that.
She was meant to smile and wave and be happy to be back home.
She wasn't. She didn't want to be here. She wanted to be with her friends. Team RWBY. Ren. Nora. Jaune… Something burned uncomfortably in her stomach at the thought of her leader. What did he think of her now, she wondered.
Shoving him in a locker and sending him away, so she could storm a tower and fight the woman who killed their Headmaster. A fight that, by all accounts, she had lost. The painful twinge of her ankle was enough of a reminder of how close she had come to death.
She had never felt so weak before. She was always the strongest in her bouts, in the tournaments, in school. Always so strong. But when she needed it most, she was too weak. Too weak to tell Jaune how she really felt. Too weak to face him properly. Too weak to defeat the woman who nearly killed her.
She had accepted it. Her death. Not then, not even when Cinder broke her weapon. She accepted it the moment she had sent Jaune away. If Cinder could defeat Ozpin, the Headmaster of an entire school of Huntsmen, then what chance did she have.
Yes, she had accepted her death. And then, Crue. Several years worth of talent agents' lessons was what kept her mask from breaking. That phrase seemed apt for every interaction with the Faunus. 'And then, Crue.' The moment everything seemed lost, he fell from the sky with a roar of rage, wearing that strange disguise.
If Pyrrha thought herself resigned to death, Crue was the opposite. From the moment he landed, she could tell he had no Aura. Cinder probably could too. His body was bleeding, shaking and nearly at the point of collapse. But death was the furthest thing from his mind.
Years of fighting taught her how people expressed their thoughts and feelings through actions. Crue's actions screamed of someone who refused to back down. Refused to die. Who had already lost too much to even think of running. Of losing. A cornered rat will bite the cat, Pyrrha thought as she waved woodenly.
But a cornered wolf fought to his last breath to protect those he cared about. Pyrrha knew why. Even if Crue never said it to her directly, she had seen his family. The pocket watch he always had on his person contained a photo. She saw it once, by accident.
She had simply asked Crue for the time one day, and he took it out instead of using his Scroll. It was only after catching Pyrrha staring at it did he snap it shut and avoid talking to her as much as usual that day.
Even though they were Faunus, she could certainly see the similarities that Crue probably made in his own mind. Red hair and green eyes. An unfortunate combination that happened to be shared by both her and Penny.
Once more, the mask nearly broke. She had nearly killed that girl. Penny. It was only thanks to Crue's warnings of hallucinations that she managed to hold back. And then, it didn't even matter. Someone had told her, before she was whisked away by her agents, that Penny's body was found in Beacon.
She believed it might have been the girl that Penny fought alongside in the doubles, but she didn't have much time to remember. Crue was the one protecting Penny. He refused to leave her side, and it was only the fact that he appeared on the tower that gave any indication that something went wrong.
Someone killed Penny. Her mind recalled the three names he gave after protecting them alongside Ruby. Cinder Fall. Mercury Black. And Emerald Sustrai, the one who had tricked her. They were apparently from Haven. Her eyes rose to see the academy in question.
Two towers flanked a large building that had a red carpet leading up to it. The Grand Hall of Haven. She knew it well, having been given several tours with the expectation she would be attending there one day. She wondered how they felt now that she had no choice but to study there.
"Don't worry, dear." A voice came from behind her. She turned, seeing the caring visage of her mother. Pelé Nikos was a lifeboat in the storm of crowds and applause. With a similar appearance to her daughter, she lay a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"You'll be home in Argus soon. This is just for some good news." She squeezed Pyrrha's shoulder as she looked upward. Her chair glided up the steps with ease, and Pyrrha returned her attention to a man waiting at the top of the stairs with a warm and friendly smile.
"Haven Academy is honoured to host you until you are fit to return home, Ms. Nikos." A brown greatcoat swayed gently, as the Headmaster of Haven, Leonardo Lionheart gave a soft bow. "You will always, be safe here."
Well, that's how the story ends. Not with a bang, or blast. But the same way all stories end. All wrapped up in a nice little bow. The world carries on, for now, regardless of Crue's interference. He did an annoyingly good job of saving a majority of the characters. A shame this story didn't go to plan.
He was going to be a Hell of an ally for the side he was actually meant to be on. But, he never got the chance. Too focused on trying to prove to himself he could actually save someone for once.
And he actually managed to. The death count of the Fall was annoyingly low, given his actions turned the robots back. And with the amount of Huntsmen there, it's amazing anyone even died at all. It's going to be such a pain to reset this one. Speaking of, there's only one thing left to clear up now…
The Emerald Forest was finally silent. No birds sang. No crickets chirped. Not a single Grimm prowled the forest, all of the creatures being drawn to the ruins of Beacon Academy. And just for the Hell of it, a pin dropped in the forest. The sound echoed.
In the silence, a figure walked among the trees. Humanoid in shape, but no discernible features aside from a mouth upon a blank face. The figure glowed with faint white light, as it stopped before one tree in particular.
Lying against it, having been flung from Beacon Tower thanks to the light from the Silver Eyed Warrior, was a still body. Black jeans, with a black waistcoat over a white dress shirt. An emerald green cloak with the sleeves burnt away covered it all. One arm was completely seared, the skin pink, cracked and scarred.
Crue Cullen's blood stained all of it. Laying there, body broken, bleeding and missing an eye while the other remained closed, the glowing figure stood in front of him.
Before the figures non-existent eyes, the body twitched. Despite everything it had been through up until that moment, a spark of life remained. Some deep burning rage kept his heart beating until this very moment, where the figures very presence seemed to amplify it.
Crue cracked open his steely blue eye, as he observed the being before him. A humanoid figure, glowing white with only a mouth that was split into a wide smile. In its ethereal hands, it held a book and quill.
Crue growled, as he looked upon the figure with as much malice and rage his single eye could muster. "You…"
"Me." I agreed.
Well. I think it's time I made my appearance. Oh, and after this…
There won't be a next time.
-Friday. The Author.