Road to the End, Volume 3
By: athrunzala
07: Calm Before the Storm
"Jaune, I told you not to worry about it."
Ruby was sitting across from her friend, the blonde still apologizing profusely to everybody else present for his actions almost a month ago. Despite them telling him that he did what he felt he had to, he still wasn't going to let it go.
"Jaune, you're better off dropping it. I don't think Weiss can take much more apologizing."
Ren said this in a matter-of-fact tone, placing his hand on his team leader's shoulder. The blonde male looked up at this, noticing the white-haired heiress getting more and more angry by the second.
"Good idea. I... I'm gonna go rest for a bit."
"You sure about that, Jaune," Ruby inquired of her friend. "We could sit and talk for a bit, if you wanted to."
"Nah," the swordsman waved his hand, dismissing the offer. "I just... I have a lot to think about, that's all."
The younger girl started to move after her friend, wanting to understand more about why he was in this slump, when she was pulled back by her girlfriend.
"Ruby, let him go, alright?"
"But..."
"Sometimes, Ruby," Ren came in with an assist, "it is better to let someone be alone. It can help them collect their thoughts."
"But is that what he needs right now," the younger human was slightly confused. She had been hoping to have people better figured out by now, but, according to Yang and Blake, she was a hopeless introvert who tried to force herself to be extroverted.
"Ruby," Weiss replied, "I'm sure he won't be rushing off again in the near future. Not... not like that, anyway."
The heiress then turned and walked away, motioning for Ruby to follow her.
Down in Vale, the situation was restless, but Glynda had overruled Ironwood, ordering the Huntsmen and Huntresses who had been working almost around the clock to get some down time.
In the tent they shared, Qrow and Winter were lying on cot, the taller huntsman's arm around the specialist's bare shoulder.
"We really should make it a public thing, Qrow."
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean about us. It is no secret among our friends any longer."
"Yeah...," the drunk's voice trailed off slightly. "But what about your..."
"Sister? And your niece? There is just enough distance between you and her that it shouldn't be a problem. Besides, I am a Schnee in name only, remember?"
"Yeah. Still..."
"Hey," she said, lifting her hand to move his head so he would look her in the eye, "I want to be with you, I really do. But I need to know that you aren't going to just run off at the first chance you get."
"You two decent?"
Slightly irked at the interruption, Qrow pulled the blanket up around both himself and his lover.
"What'cha need, Tai?"
"Just checking in is all. And... Oh."
The blonde male looked over at his friend, catching the irritated expression. His hand instinctually going for the back of his neck, which was one of the few mannerisms Ruby had picked up from him over the years.
"I... uh... I'll be outside. And Winter?"
"Huh?"
"He won't run. He's not the type."
Taiyang left the tent, leaving a very confused and irritated couple alone inside.
"Round two?"
"Bring it on, you drunk."
"Oh, your daddy's not gonna like this, I guarantee it."
"Let him complain."
Back outside, Taiyang was walking away from the tent, reconciling what he had just seen in his head. At the same time, memories of when he and Raven had been together came flooding back. Memories of the good and bad times were invading his mind like wildfire.
He was so lost in thought that he managed to bump into the cause of those memories.
"Do you mind?"
"Oh, Raven. Sorry."
"Sorry?"
"Just... don't go hunting for Qrow. He's... busy... right now."
The black-haired huntress looked at her former lover, and shook her head. She knew exactly what her brother was up to. So she chose to try to play nice for once.
"So... any word from Yang?"
"Nothing yet from Atlas. It's pretty stormy up there right now."
"I see. When will they get here?"
"Should be within the next two months. If I didn't know better," the brawler said, changing the subject, "I'd say you wanted to talk with her."
"I... we... I mean... ugh," she bumbled her words, snorted, and walked away, muttering a harsh "and to believe I wanted to try and help distract you" as she did.
The winter, which in Vale, passed incredibly slowly, was passing faster in Atlas. Of course, that was due to the massive amount of planning and work that everybody was doing, even Jaune, who was now more involved than ever.
The sudden shift was a welcome one, but scared the blonde's friends a good deal, as it was now almost the polar opposite of his previous actions. And, for reasons not unknown, they still missed the old, uncertain Jaune.
He was continuing to train with Dante, and, on occasion, Weiss, the heiress giving him stance pointers and other needless things that looked better in an organized match than served a practical purpose on the battlefield.
When the day came, all members of the group were at attention, ready to go, when they were joined by the members of Team CFVY, who were as ready to fight as they had been three years earlier.
"Three years ago, Beacon fell, and Vale was invaded. This year, we change that. This year, we take it back!"
Weiss was delivering a speech to her friends before they departed. She was cut short by her father, who placed a hand on her shoulder and pointed to the airship that was waiting to take them to the staging area in Central Vale. They passed by, one by one, thanking the corporate head for his hospitality over the past year.
As Ruby passed, he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Ms. Rose, you better take care of my daughter."
"I... I will, sir. And thank you again."
With what seemed like a knowing nod, he released his hold on the younger Huntress, allowing her to pass by and board the ship.