To what failures are you referring?
"How can I be more clear?! 1. 2. 3. That's more than one." Nora, somehow despite being what felt like the whole forest away and shouting into the bud that hung in Ruben's ear, sounded like she was standing right next to him. Without the static of the bud spiking when she rose her voice. Ruben had to laugh, as she wasn't letting go of the team name becoming JNRR. Jaune, Nora, Ren, Ruben. Which, Ruben had to secretly admit, sounded appropriate given the situation.
Junior, like they were a team of Junior Hunters and Huntress. Enjoying the lifestyle of living day by day, job by job, the sunlight on their backs and new dirt under their heels.
With his back up against the trunk of one of the hundreds of towering oaks that infested the forest. Han and Gren's barrels brushing against the bark and the sword's tip digging into the wood.
A soft smirk curling in the shadows as Ruben wondered if Nora was ever going to let it go. With that head of orange locks as fiery as her own personality. With that black bomber jacket Ruben would bet Yin would have wrestled for hours just to try on. With her patented lightning hammer adorning it's shoulders. Wearing that same pair of white gloves and white shirt she work no more than a season and some weeks ago.
Her knee high white boots with the pink lace, topped with the pink and white frilled skirt and big pinky belt could only make Ruben chuckle. Someone had to be as devoted as they were insane to blast their favorite colors with both barrels. Even if it was just pink instead of Gold...
"But we are helping Ruben with his objective, wouldn't that make him the leader?" Ren, playing the role of devil's advocate in light of Nora's incessant notion of renaming of the team, vouched for RNJR as well. Unlike Nora, who's name would be constant reminder of their inexperience but wayward warriors whose devotion to the craft of hunting was nothing short of commendable, RNJR would be more of a title or achievement.
Ranger, sounded like they already considered themselves hunters. Even if they have not passed even two years of training, are out doing odd jobs for food and board, and facing increasingly insane and inconceivable beasts.
Ren had grown his hair considerably over the past few months, his black locks brushing his lower back and that pink strand now grazing the edges of his cheeks rather than flutter against his temple. His dark green sleeveless tailcoat reminded Ruben of something Winter would wear, though with a splash of white and blue. The tassels tied along his sides were something of an accessory, though for what purpose other than fashion Ruben hadn't the slightest clue. The black turtleneck left Ruben with a case of green eyes, as it seemed comfortable. Even on these cool spring days.
With the school gone, Vale lost to the Grimm and the White Fang taking no noticeable ding to the force they have been commanding, the four remnants of the teams RWBY and JNPR have taken it upon themselves to undertake the task heading out to Haven and going after Cinder and whoever else decided to put the final nail in the coffin of Beacon, Vale, and even Team RWBY. Breaking the already shaky table that was Ruben's old team.
Ruben had found himself sliding down the tree and his hands resting along his knees, his eyes staring off blankly as his train of thoughts was whisked away. RWBY had be unofficially disbanded, with all four members MIA and out of touch of each other.
R, as far as he knew, was on the trail leading out of Vale. With his thoughts persisting mostly of revenge, and justice. Finding that the line seemed to blur as the nights got dark and sleep got more restless. The road to Haven seemingly getting longer with each step taken.
W has excommunicated himself to the rest of the team. Holding up back in Atlas with Daddy dearest to cater to his every whim. Essentially turning his back on Ruben. Not responding in any sort of capacity. Not to the message pertaining to Yin's missing limb. Not answering if he had any idea where Blair was and if he was still alive. He was just gone, writing RWBY off like a bad weekend, vouching to never hear about it again.
B was MIA since the night of the attack. And, in a quick summary, Yin's grumbled words at breakfast one tense and moody morning, 'Irony is when I get stabbed in the back trying to save someone who was stabbed in the front.' So, there's that. Other than Ruben knowing he was gravely wounded, Blair had essentially dropped off of the face of the earth and was never seen again. Hopefully, he was breathing. And hopefully, he'll find his way back to Patch.
Y was...
Ruben felt his lips flinch as he tried to keep that ever resting scowl on his face with a hearty growl. The kind that was followed with the roll of his eye and knocking his skull against the tree trunk. His hands flexing and shaking as he rested his thoughts on Yin. The man who lost not only his arm back at Vale but it seemed his spirit was struck as well.
Ruben, somehow, missed hearing the dumb and loud opening songs from Yin's countless cartoons and Anime. All he heard most nights when it wasn't the clicking of keyboard keys was the stomping of feet and the rocking of the bed when Yin would throw himself onto the mattress. The gold hue that would burn with the fury and heat of a bone fire was now as warm and as inviting as cemetery fog. Yin would mumble 'good morning' and if Ruben was lucky, a simple 'goodnight' if the two would ever cross paths in their home. No warm words or laughs were shared when the winter season had come and before it passed. Just occasional stares from Ruben and purposeful disregard from Yin.
Y was not there, not even when he slept just a hallway away from Ruben. He wasn't there when they sat across the dining table from one another. He wasn't there when Ruben would ask him if he wanted to go out for a walk. He wasn't there when Ruben turned sixteen and had to spend his birthday for the first time without his brother's annual wishes and noogies. Or without the horrendous singing that could make him smile every year.
He wasn't there when Ruben wanted to try and get back onto speaking terms with him. He just wasn't there. Y was a husk now, not Yin.
Ruben's eyes mindlessly trailed over the golden cuffs that rode up on his thick forearms, giving his arms a quick wave and shake. Making the armor pieces jingle and clack. Something Yin would do if he needed some noise or move his hands. Ruben let out a huff, his eyes shutting for a moment.
Ruben had to ditch his old clothes after the unlikely job of swamp monster hunting. A webbed hand grabbing him by the ankle and dragging him through six feet of mud and gravel. Not including the extra fifteen feet of just murky lake water. A good stab with the sword wasn't the problem.
It was crawling through all the muck, then the swimming through the dimly lit waters. Ruben was resuscitated without any issues. But Ruben did find it hard to keep any sort of eye contact with Ren for the next week or so.
Ruben's now snow white high collar button up was covered in a onyx leather vest that was left unbuttoned. The ribs and straps of the vest loaded with shells for the quick reload. His old trench coat now forsaken for a worn and plain woven duster. A dark and bloody shade of red made up the color of the jacket. The edges of it's trail duster would knock against the backs of Ruben's boots. Which weren't his old school boots, but now these four strapped and buckle black boots that cut off just under the man's knee. Which made good for stomping or trail walking. Either or.
The scruffy muttonchops and goatee that were once neatly chopped and groomed now had grown outward and down. The mustache and filling of the rest of his chin soon followed. Giving the young man a short and thick gray bread. His hair, without the proper care of a barber, was now trailing down the back of Ruben's neck. The wavy locks had to be combed back to even get a glimpse of his face. Making this sixteen year old boy look as though he were a man in his late forties.
"Guys...we need to focus. Ruben-Ruben? Are you in position?" Jaune, for all things considered, sounded extremely calm through Ruben's ear piece. The golden haired, blue eyed ex student of the once and great school of Beacon. Now apart of team JNRR or RNJR, as Nora and Ren have been debating for hours over what the name should formally be called.
Not much had changed with Jaune, except for leaving his gear in town to be hammered and spit shined by the local blacksmith. Leaving him at the beckon call and aid of his teammates. Something Ruben had to eyer oll and pretend it wasn't the first time this was the case for Mr. Arc. Ruben opened his mouth to speak, cleared his throat and rose up from the tree's roots.
His eyes being blinded by this big and glowing red light. The annoying light was mere inches from Ruben's face. Ruben pulled his right hand back to swat the light away, only to hear the deep rumbling come from the light. Ruben's gaze bounced from the light to the amalgamation of floating rocks and boulders that soon gathered. The beast's eye coming very close to Ruben, the glowing beginning to go into a strobe light effect as Ruben's hand slowly unrolled from its fist and reached up to tap onto his earbud.
"No." Ruben said in a soft hush. Hearing the beast's appendages creek and rumble into place. It's eye growing noticeably brighter the more time Ruben stayed face to face with his mask. Seeming as though it were intrigued and curious than murderous and bloodthirsty.
"What-What do you mean? Are you not in position?" Jaune's voice seemed to rise, giving the beast's mask a fright as it shot back and knocked into the boulder. Ruben glanced over where he had last left them for this ambush, before returning his gaze to the beast. Ruben simply nodded, before flashstepping away from the tree and beginning his run.
"Change the plan. Change it!" Ruben shouted over the stomping of the beast's stone pillar legs. He peeked over his shoulder as he ducked underneath a low hanging tree branch, the knocking of boots against the hard dirt and fallen sticks snapping under his steps. The boy wasn't going through a leisurely walk through the woods, as he knew would probably a great and refreshing afternoon. Admiring the scenery instead of sprinting through it like a rabbit being chase by a fox. "I'm coming to you. Be ready!"
A four story tall, some sort of stone Golem that had been terrorizing this lovely little village not too far from where Ruben was the fox in this situation.
Ruben, in his unrelenting sprinting glory, was the gray haired rabbit.
"What?! What?! We didn't plan for this! We thought we could at least set up the trap fir-" Ruben turned his earbud off with a button press, his eyes rolling as he reached behind him and grabbed ahold of Han's handle. Finger itching to start pulling the trigger and blow pieces of it's rock hide away with his loaded buckshot. The smashing of branches and vines wasn't exactly the best way to kick start this new plan. Nor was it being the first one to go up in arms and volunteer to play 'bait'.
Ruben would have to sit down and make sure to fully think out every possible scenario that could occur next time he wants to start leading the next hunt back to the group. IE, hightailing it high speed through unknown forest with the booming steps and earth rattling knocking of stone that was keeping pace with him.
Ruben saw the cliff's edges, jumping forward and barreling out into a roll. His heels skating against the blue skies and running across the clouds overhead. Han's barrel aiming right for the Grimm's mask and it's glowing red eye.
The buckshot echoed out through the seemingly quiet forest, the beads soaring across the air and smashing against the beast's torso. Leaving eight deep entrance wounds in the stone. Ruben cackle, as he flicked the lever and started with shutting his left eye. Then the beast emerged out the treeline in it's full glory. Ruben's eyes both going wide and his jaw dropping.
The amalgamation had grown from what should have been a 4 story or so tall to about six. And with arms that could level whole homes in a single swing. With a slam that could turn Ruben into a mash of red and gray paste without even a real thought.
Ruben then found his back bending around a thick tree branch, Han now loose in his grip and his vision just a blur of greens and browns. Ruben roared, slipping off of the branch and falling back into freefall for a brief moment. Only for his stomach to catch yet another branch. Han spiraling out of his hands and towards the woodland floor below. Landing among the pine needles and cones.
Ruben, with a roll of his eyes, rolled himself off of the tree branch and tumbled onto the dirt below. Shoulder running over tree roots and fallen pieces of bark. The top of his boot sliding underneath Han, and kicking the shotgun back up into his hands. Ruben tapped on his earbud, glancing around the woodland.
"I'm here! Hello! I'm here!" He shouted into his bud, the two pillars that made up the Grimm's legs crashing into the ground right besides him. One of it's mighty arms taking a hard swing at the treeline and knocking them asunder. Uprooting at least half a dozen trees with just a single swing. Including the one that Ruben was currently standing under. Ruben glanced up, his eyes widening as one of it's massive pillars rose up off the ground and hovered over him. "Damn it."
As the flat of it's foot came rocketing down, Ruben's eyes shifted over towards the left for a brief moment. As a blur of white and pink bolted across the grass knoll and the booming noise of Nora's hammer knocking into the underside of the pillar. The beast was shoved back by the strike, Ruben took off in a mad sprint over towards Jaune. Who was taking cover besides a nearby tree with his hands curled at his side.
Ruben threw back the lever on the shotgun, glancing over his shoulder at Jaune. Who was simply watching the beast as it scanned the area of his gray haired prey. Ruben knocked his elbow into Jaune's. Who pulled his sights off of the Grimm and rested them on Ruben.
"What's the plan? Cause! We didn't plan for a reverse surprise attack!" Ruben stomped his foot into the floor, his voice rising to a shout as his eyes rested on the golden haired warrior. "Well, Jaune?"
"Let me think!" Jaune glanced over at the beast, watching Ren's bullets bounce off of the huge arm of the beast. The Grimm's huge arms tossing up to deflect the bullets that were aimed directly at it's face plate. Jaune's eyes narrowing as he turned over towards Nora.
The woman in question was sprinting along the outside of the beast's range, her hammer in hand before bolting up into the air. Somersaulting using her immense strength to counterweight her hammer's head. The beast's mask jolted over to the pink warrior's shrill battle cry, the arm swinging around to cover it's mask as the hammer struck hard against what would be it's hand.
Jaune let loose a soft chuckle as his lips began curling to a smile. His hands clapping together before turning to Ruben. "Its protecting his mask! That's probably its weak spot!"
"Thanks! Stay safe!" Ruben slammed a few shells into the tube of his shotgun, giving the lever a quick swing and rolling out into the cover. As Ruben shut his left eye, the tree trunk thick leg slammed against Ruben's side, dragging him up off of his feet and catapulting him off into the distance. His gun going off in his hand as he was shot into the base of a massive oak tree. The wood splintering and bark getting shredded off as Ruben remained dug into the trunk like an axe.
Ruben's eyes shot to the smoking barrel, before his gaze suddenly jumped to the now prone Nora. Who was very much standing just before Ruben was kicked. Her body was convulsing with electrical pulses and little fuzzes of blue crackling along her skull and arms. The gray haired man's jaw dropping as Gren dipped out of his hand and landed onto the forest floor below. Ruben's hands clapped his hands against his skull, eyes dropping to needle points.
"Oh my God, I shot Nora." Ruben rattled off, before seeing a pink fingerless glove shoot up into the air, the fingers flexing at least a hundred miles a minute and the jittering and the shaking. Nora shot up from her laying position, her eyes wide and her expression wired. She grabbed up her hammer, her lips going from a plain face to a huge glistening smile. "I...shot..."
Nora zipped right across the battle field, her body spinning around like a top and the head of her hammer slamming dead on into the mask. Driving the mask right into the stone like a nail. Smashing it into a bunch of tiny little pieces. All at once, the beast fumbled onto the floor. The stone appendages smashing into the dirt and grime, remaining still as they should.
Nora's eyes were still strained, her hammer held firmly in her hands. Her teeth barred and her labored breaths sounding more as though she were ready to crack and wreck loose. Her energy crackling around her and her muscles palpitating every few seconds.
"Let's..." Jaune clapped his hands together, back tracking few paces as he let out a soft chuckle. "Let's let her calm down."
"Calm down, yeah." Ren agreed, glancing over at Ruben for a brief moment. Hands on either side as he tried to pull himself out of the tree trunk. Ruben, after much strain, got out of the trunk. Landing onto the forest floor with a nasty tumble.
"We killed it. We killed it." Ruben's arms were wrapped around his abdomen, his right eye twitching and his unbending frown making the Priest raise a brow. Unlike his companions, who were all more or less beaming with a smile on their faces. He was sullen, with a dark gaze and a unwavering scowl. A look that made it seem like he was the angriest person in the whole village. And seeing the look of relief on every towns person's face, it seemed he was. "Now, for our end of the deal-"
"Our finest smith has been working diligently on the pieces left to him the moment the job was assigned. I'm sure you'll be impressed." The official saw Ruben's legs give out, the boy sitting among the dirt and and grass with his hands resting in his lap. His shoulders slouched and his eyes shut. Ruben shrugged his shoulders, glancing over at the other members of team RNJR or JNRR. Ruben gave a few heavy puffs, nudging his head over towards the blacksmith. Nora and Ren bowed to the man, Jaune's eyes trailing over to Ruben. Who's hands retracted to his pockets and began his trudge through the town's street. His silver eyes resting on dirt.
"Hey, Ruben." Jaune spoke up, jobbing to Ruben's side. His eyes glancing away for a moment as he shoved his hands into his back pockets. "I was thinking I could ask you about something. It's kinda important."
"Shoot." Ruben's eyes peered over to a pair of children, one noticeably bigger than the other, grappling one another and dragging each other around. Heels running over the rocks and laughter echoing. Ringing almost, in Ruben's ears. The gray haired boy saw a glint of gold as the larger child threw the younger one over his shoulders into a suplex. The shrieks of joy chilling Ruben.
It wasn't like he couldn't imagine Yin throwing an arm around his throat, suplexing him into some some plywood and calling the match won by awesome. The last few months Ruben spent with Yin made him yearn for the body slams and the noogies. For the late night screaming and the games.
"You haven't told anyone...about what we are doing, right?" Jaune words rolled out in a mellow tone. Shoulders slouching and eyes focused on the crimson cloaked warrior. The way his eyes shifted from the ground up to him. the glint in the silver eyes made Jaune's skin crawl.
"No." Ruben muttered quickly, shifting his eyes up to the anvil sign that hung off of the door. Gaze turning to rest on the doors of the blacksmith's workshop. Ruben stopped for a brief moment,
"I haven't."
"It's just that with Yin and Vel-" Ruben knocked open the doors to the blacksmith's workshop, stepping to the side and waving Jaune through. His eyes averting the blonde haired boy's gaze as he leaned against the wall.
"I'll just...wait out here." Ruben mumbled, folding his arms over one another as he rubbed his shoulders against the wood. Jaune simply walked in without another word, Nora and Ren following him. Ruben's eyes rested along the dirt, watching the shadows dance.
Jaune had reason to worry, Ruben knew. The idea that anyone that Ruben cared about would have done anything to join his side and pursue this adventure wholeheartedly. With a sorrowful smirk, Ruben couldn't help but chuckle. His eyes shutting, bellowing out a hard sigh as he could see Yin reading the letter over and tearing it apart with his teeth. Like some sort of ravenous lion. Almost damning his little brother with the fury of any sort of blood-lusting warrior.
Blair would have understood the motives that weighed upon Ruben's shoulders. Would have vouched to have gone with the young man, and if the help was rejected, would hope Ruben will return when he was finished. Returning to his meditating, healing, all the while sending good thoughts to Ruben on the daily.
Winter would have packed his bags and chased after him without hesitation. Cursing his young leader and best friend for even consider leaving him in the dark to venture on some dangerous adventure without him.
Velvet-
Ruben's heart struck a cord when he physically cringed. Face contorting as though he were struck across the cheek by a hardened pair of knuckles. Vee, the faunus who had stolen his heart and ran with it, she had no idea where he was. Or even, has heard from Ruben. With everything that had happened, Ruben found little solace in anything. That included those talks that made the long days easy and the longer nights tolerable. With her pair of absolutely adorable rabbit ears, soft hazel eyes and milky white skin. A smile that could melt steel and a giggle that made his heart skip beats regularly. She is in the complete dark of Ruben's whereabouts.
She mustn't know of what he was doing, if not for her sake, for his own sanity. Where he was was suppose to be home and it would be until he would actually come home. Who he was looking for, whoever they are, couldn't have been named or she would have gone looking for him. She would rush to his side, and fight with him to whatever bitter end laid at the end of his journey. And where Ruben was going, he couldn't risk Velvet getting hurt. Not even for a moment.
"I still think a Grenade Launcher would have been more fitting." The doors opened and the knocking of boots awoke Ruben from his thoughts. His silver eyes glancing over at the shield in Jaune's hands. The gold laced along the edges of the golden haired boy's heater shield. The bottom of the shield made up of the very tiara that belonged to the late Pyrrha.
Ruben's eyes shut when he could see her. With her green eyes, fiery red hair, that ever helping and lovely smile. She was the only person he could ever imagine being not only a match, but could outright beat Yin in an even fight. Without a second thought, she could have lead this expedition to the certain doom with the determination and skill to back it up. Rather than the vengeance and rage Ruben seemed to be boiled with. Ruben glanced up at Jaune, his eyes glistening and his mouth running dry.
He could see her in his eyes. That look of horror when the arrow struck her heart. The way her body disintegrated into fiery ashes. Into flakes.
"Yeah...this'll do." Ruben's voice was rough, and tone fell flat. Jaune nodded, eyes glancing to the shield with a soft smile.
"She'd be proud." Ren spoke up from behind Jaune.
"And she'd protect you." Ruben knocked his knuckles against the steel, nodding his head softly. Seeing his own reflection in the glimmering shine of the shield. "Yeah...and she'll protect you, even now."
"Everyone knows that a pre-fight meal is the most important." Winter's eyes drifted off of the screen for a moment, hearing the humming of airship blades and the whirring of their engines as they came through the Atlas skyline. Just outside of Frost estate. Winter's eyes returned to the screen, his hands folded over one another as he rested his chin against the back of his hand. Eyes watching the screen as Pyrrha showed off the cereal, with all the different and colorful marshmallows bobbing around the milk like buoys in the midst of a storm. Struggling to stay above the white wavering seas. Winter ignored them, as he did with most things that were just noise to him. Like his father's orders or his sisters' calls or his little brother's annoyances. Which were both plentiful and infuriating.
"That's why I always turn to Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes before a match." Winter's finger moved to trace the edges of the screen, cleaning off any and all the dust that had begun to trickle onto the colorful and blinding screen. Winter sat still, eyes unflinching as he cleaned. His finger picking up a little mountain of dust. Before blowing it away with a hard gust of wind. Letting it seep into either the rug and trickle between the boards of furnished and shining wood.
"Mmm, taste that? That tastes like... victory." Pyrrha's rewarding thumbs up and the use of huge bubble letters couldn't sell the look of strain in her eyes. The way her mouth struggled to even keep that smile from faltering. Winter could see the edges of her lips twitch and tremble to not throw up whatever they throw into those boxes and keep selling it as they paid her to do.
"Mmm, taste that? That tastes like...victory." Winter muttered in sync with the young and able warrior, the huge play button flashing over the still image of Pyrrah still holding that thumb up and struggling to keep that smile. Winter's finger scrolled over the play button, ready to watch the commercial once again, there was a knocking at the door.
"No." Winter shouted, pressing the button down and began listening to Pyrrha once again try to sell this horrible excuse of a breakfast cereal. The knocking wouldn't cease to stop. Winter growled, turning the volume up louder. The knocking only getting harder. "What?!"
"Your father wishes to speak to you." Klein, as delicate as his voice can get, can and did raise to a shout. If only to beat the blaring voice that was Pyrrha. Winter leaned back in his seat, arms loosely hanging from the sides as he threw his head back. Now staring into the ceiling.
"My father never wishes for anything, Klein. " Winter corrected him, hearing the knocking cease. The boy glancing over at the video, tracing the way Pyrrha's cheeks framed her ever fake smile, and hitting the pause button. Just as Pyrrha took a spoonful of cereal. Her eyes squinting and her neck tensing. Trying to keep the food down and in her mouth. With his hands flexing and rolling into fists, Winter rose to his feet and walked over towards his closet. Glancing over the various outfits he could throw together since he was to speak to his father. Of course he needed to look happy and clean. Just like he wish he could be right now.
"Your father orders you to speak with him." Klein said, his voice dropping to a melancholy tone. Winter let out a bout of steam from his nose, hands moving to rest on his hip and glance over his clothes. Shaking his head softly, grabbing the edges of the door and barring his teeth.
"Yeah, that's what I thought..." Winter grumbled, shutting his closet doors with a hard slam and clearing his throat. Straightening his back, rolling onto the balls of his feet and wiggling his wrists about. Ready for whatever verbal sparring match this will surely turn out to be. "I'll be there shortly. Thank you, Klein."