In the dream world, the sun rose and fell in the sky, but it never felt like it did so in regular timing. Sometimes, Raven would wait hours upon hours for night to come, and other times, daytime seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
Yet somehow, Ruby managed to build a schedule for herself. Perhaps it was General Ozpin's influence on her, Raven theorized. Every time the sun rose, Ruby left their little cave and went off to who-knows-where, then returned at dusk. What she did in-between was a mystery, and Raven wouldn't question her about it – she had come up with some decent answers by herself, anyway.
While the young redhead was away, Raven occupied her time with planning on how to send her back to the real world. They had tried a few times already, but either nothing had happened, or Ruby had been launched into a distant, foreign dream, as she described it. Raven worried that another failure would lead to the girl never waking up again.
But Ruby wouldn't give up, and neither would Raven. In the dream world, they could do anything, if they only had the will for it. Like any other challenge, it would take time and effort to succeed… but they would do it.
Life was tough. Of course, Weiss had never been naive or stupid enough to think otherwise, but even so, the sudden change in her lifestyle was dizzying, to say the least. There were no soft mattresses, no punctual meals with exotic ingredients, no personal physicians and bodyguards to see after her person.
There was just… living.
Everything about the Arc family was just astounding to her. Miss Arc – or Joanna, as she insisted Weiss call her – was constantly busy with one task or another. She had a job as a launderer, it seemed, and that had her out of her house for most of the day. She had to work hard to keep her children fed.
Children who – and that was the most shocking revelation Weiss was confronted with – also left for most of the day to work. The younger ones stayed home, being cared for by the oldest of that bunch – Julie, currently, who was eight-years-old. The rest – Jill, Jaqueline and Jean – went with their mother.
And Jaune… Weiss had seen him but once since the night of her escape, when he had returned home after checking for Pyrrha. The look on his face had spoken more than a thousand words. He left shortly after, leaving her no chance to question him about the Pyrrha's condition.
Not that she needed any confirmation.
Weiss stayed inside, all day, all night, feeling useless and sorry for herself. She tried to help Julie with the children, but she couldn't cook, or sow, or make a scratch more bearable. Julie didn't say a word, but Weiss knew she was being a nuisance, so she resolved to let the girl do her work and not inconvenience her anymore.
Not once did Miss Arc question why Weiss had to take refuge in her house, or how long she would be staying. She didn't even demand that Weiss do anything but eat and rest. It made her wonder if Jaune had somehow told his mother who she truly was. That would explain the special privilege.
With so much free time, Weiss had plenty of opportunities to plan for her future. She was a queen exiled in her own city, with no allies but a lowly soldier boy who had broken all contact with her and a general who she had betrayed and condemned to death.
She had power of her own, of course, but would it be sufficient? If Summer sent the entirety of the Guard at her, would she be able to fight them off? Did she want to fight them off? They were her people. She should be fighting for them.
And in the end, if she did manage to surpass the Guard, Summer would be there, sitting on her throne, wielding her own vile magic at the height of her capacity. The magic that had brought Ruby Rose and Pyrrha Nikos down – and her sister.
Weiss began to think that, perhaps, staying with the Arc family would be her best bet. Not a permanent solution, she would not leech their food for any more time than was necessary, but… She didn't have to fight. She didn't have to rebel.
Evil or not, Summer had earned Vale's throne, and so far, had she done anything wrong with the power it gave her? No. As for the Schnees…
She felt ashamed to even consider that possibility, but she couldn't lie to herself. It was tempting. Easier. Less blood would be shed that way.
Or so she liked to believe.
The harsh truth came out of the blue one day, as someone knocked on the front door. Julie went to it and opened it slightly, and Weiss stayed outside of view with her head down, just out of caution – and that payed off immensely.
"Miss," a gruff voice reached her ears, and she could easily imagine the soldier it belonged to. "I'm sorry to bother you."
"Uh, it's alright," Julie tilted her head, cheeks reddening at an alarming rate. From the way her eyes darted up and down, Weiss assumed the soldier was very impressive-looking – at least to a child's eyes. "Can I help you with something?"
"I hope so. We're searching for a missing girl," the soldier responded. "She is seventeen-years-old, with white hair and blue eyes. Have you seen her recently?"
Weiss tensed visibly and stared unblinkingly at Julie. The Arc girl gave her a brief look, saw her shake her head, then shrugged.
"I don't think I've seen anyone like that," she smiled. "Sorry!"
"It's alright. If you see her, contact the Guard as fast as possible. This is an urgent matter. Have a good day."
Julie closed the door and turned to Weiss. The exiled queen looked away, feeling the other children's fixed staring also.
"What was that about, Snow?" Julie asked, seemingly only out of curiosity, and nothing else.
"Nothing important," Weiss smiled shakily. "You… you shouldn't concern yourself with it right now."
Julie's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but after but a few seconds, she danced away from the door, humming a little tune beneath her breath. Weiss let out her breath, not having noticed she had been holding it before.
She had been lucky in so many ways. The soldier could have demanded to search the house. Julie could have ratted her out. Summer herself could have been standing outside.
Weiss had a feeling she wouldn't be so lucky the next time someone came knocking on the door.
Blake recovered fast – so fast, she felt a bit disturbed about it. The White Fang's healers told her they had used some special kinds of herbs on her, but their answers sounded rehearsed, as if they were repeating a lie someone had ordered them to say.
She was free to wander inside Fort Blacknight's walls, but she did little of time, preferring to stay on the small room that had been assigned to her, reading. No matter how she felt about the White Fang, she couldn't deny they had an impressive library. Well, perhaps not impressive, but she had never seen something like it before. The royal library was probably a hundred times bigger… but she hadn't gotten the chance to explore it, in the end.
Blake only left her room to eat. Every member of the White Fang, except Adam, lunched and dinned together on the main hall, where a dozen or so tables had been set up. There were hundreds of faunus there, yet Blake always managed to sit alone.
Because of that, she had plenty of opportunities to examine those who surrounded her. Most of them seemed normal; faunus who had been wronged by humans in the past and, though some way or another, had joined up to rebel against them. They were just like her.
There were others who were more outspoken on their hatred. They couldn't wait to have the chance to conquer and kill humans, and they weren't afraid to say it – not that they should be afraid, considering their company. Blake wanted to hate them, or at least feel some disgust at their demeanor, but she couldn't. Deep down, she admired them, and she felt ashamed about it.
And then there were the four humans.
Roman Torchwick, who she had already met. He was the owner of Fort Blacknight, or so she had heard. It made sense. Why else would the faunus put up with his presence and assistance?
He had an assistant, a second shadow, always following him around, knives flashing in the dark along with a wide, sadistic smile. Neopolitan. To say Blake was disturbed by her would be an understatement.
Mercury Black. Just a mercenary, as far as she could tell. Perhaps he was an underling of Torchwick's. There was little to wonder about him.
And finally, Emerald Sustrai. Whenever they met eyes, Blake could practically feel the tension crackling between them. Blake didn't doubt that the thief would slide a dagger between her ribs if she got the chance, and, frankly, Blake didn't feel much differently.
These four's presence spoke volumes to Blake, especially when she realized that the faunus never complained about them. They were smug, arrogant, sometimes outright disrespectful, but they were allowed to stay.
And Adam always had an eye on them.
One day, when she was reading, Adam knocked on her door and entered shortly after. His sword was at his hip, and his face was somehow more serious than ever before.
"The time has come, Blake," he said. "Today is the day you prove yourself as one of us."
She stared at him in silence for a moment, then closed her book.
"Where are we going?"
Ruby skipped over a small stream, her feet clanging against the rocks beneath her. Briefly, she wondered what would happen if she slipped and hit her head – or something equally tragic. Maybe she'd die, or maybe she'd wake up.
With each passing day in the dream world, it became clearer to her that it was best not to think about such matters. If ever she should wake up, it would be because of Raven's efforts, and not because of some semi-suicidal endeavor.
She wasn't the kind of girl to do that, anyway. Just the thought of it terrified her.
Ruby arrived at the other side of the stream and hit the snowy soil of the plains again. Despite of the shiver-inducing weather, the water hadn't frozen. Weird, but, once again – dream world, best not to think about it.
She had taken a liking to exploring this strange land. Not only did it always lead to many astounding discoveries, but it also gave her an excuse to leave the cave. Raven wasn't unpleasant company, but she was so focused on their mission, Ruby felt useless next to her.
At least outside, she could learn, get smarter, hone her skills. That was something she could only do by visiting some memories that Raven perhaps wouldn't want to remember. From being charmed by a warlock, losing a brother, and watching her daughter grow up without being able to so much as touch her… Raven had suffered enough already, and Ruby didn't want to cause her any more pain.
Thankfully, the blizzard of the plains wasn't as fierce as it had appeared to be from far away. It was certainly different from the one that plagued Vale's winters. Ruby could walk easily through it and clearly see what was ahead of her. Shades crossed her path sometimes, but she wasn't scared of them. If anything, she felt pity for them.
She had never wandered so far away from the cave before, and she was a little worried she wouldn't be able to find her way back. She didn't want to give up just yet, though, as there was one very particular objective to her current journey.
Earlier in the day, as she finished her training, she caught a glimpse of something shiny within the blizzard, a dazzling beacon of light piercing through the veil of the snowstorm. She had no idea what it was, but she was drawn to it, and despite the dangers, she didn't hesitate to go looking for it.
She kept her goal in her thoughts at all times, and somehow, she knew she was going the right way, ever deeper into the blizzard. Maybe she was just imagining it, but the cold was starting to sting her unprotected face and hands. Ruby pulled her cloak closer to her and leaned her head down, trying to warm herself up.
Finally, she arrived at her destination, and it was certainly the strangest thing she had seen yet. Thick layers of ice protruded from the ground, twisting and turning to form a sphere many times her size. Ruby narrowed her eyes and tried to see if there was anything inside, but the numerous layers and raging storm made it impossible.
Still, there was something there. She knew it, just as she knew it was important – important enough for her to risk getting lost in dangerous, unknown territory without a second thought. If only she could see…
Ruby pondered her predicament for a moment, then extended her arms beyond the reach of her cloak. A scythe appeared on her hands, and she lifted it above her head, eyes wavering in determination.
"Hah!"
She brought the weapon down with a mighty swing, but the ice was too resilient. Ruby stumbled back, her arms trembling from the impact of the blow.
"Well, that's just unfair," she mumbled, eyeing the sphere disappointedly. "How am I supposed to free you?"
She frowned and shook her head, surprised by her own words. So there was someone inside the sphere. Good to know. If only she could figure out who they were and why they were important… Or she could keep trying to shatter the ice and find out in a simpler manner.
Ruby raised her scythe again, but suddenly the ground started to rumble beneath her feet, making her stumble around, trying to regain her balance. Something akin to a roar reached her ears, muffled but still somewhat loud. When she looked up again, a wave of fear overwhelmed her.
At the other side of the ice, a lone figure stood, its features hidden in shadow, except for its burning, hateful eyes.
Ruby screamed, ran away, and never looked back.
As it turned out, Blake wouldn't be going anywhere with Adam, as he directed her to a group of roughly twenty faunus, led by no one other than Roman Torchwick. She was more than displeased by the turn of events, but she didn't dare to protest, seeing as how this would be her first mission.
They left the fort at night and stalked through the streets of Vale, hidden in the shadows. More than once, they came across guardsmen patrolling the town, but they were taken care of swiftly. Blake's resolve wavered when that happened, but she steeled herself and kept moving.
Eventually, they arrived at a wide open square, lined with plentiful trees and flower-covered bushes. A wall and a gate stood in their way, and behind those, a fort so massive it could rival the magnificence of Vale Castle itself. Soldiers patrolled its perimeters dutifully, but still far enough that they couldn't see the approaching White Fang.
"So, ladies, gentlemen…" Roman looked back at his troops with a slight smile on his lips. The tone of his voice made it very clear that he thought of them as anything but ladies and gentlemen. "Our mission is very simple. Climb over the wall, take out the guards, invade the castle. This beautiful thing belongs to some noble or another – alright, I'm kidding. I know exactly who owns the place. One does not become a crime lord by being an ignorant errand boy."
He tapped his cane against his shoulder and winked at Blake.
"Lord Port – yes, that is not a joke – won't be pleased by our visit. Someone will have to make sure he keeps his mouth shut, and by that, I mean kill him," he said. "Any volunteers?"
More than half of them raised their hands immediately, Blake being one of the few who didn't.
"Alrighty, then. Those of you who raised your hands get to kill the guards," Roman chuckled deviously. "Those who abstained get to kill Lord Noblepig. Afterwards, we'll free all the poor, poor slaves he has holed up in there."
A cacophony of groans and growls rose, but Roman put a stop to it shortly by unsheathing his pistol and spinning it around his finger leisurely, his eyes fixed intently on the small crowd in front of him.
Anger bubbled up inside Blake, and not for the first time, she asked herself why Adam gave so much authority to Roman Torchwick. Not only was he a racist, a human and a criminal, but he was now playing games on an important mission.
"Any objections, kitty?"
Blake looked up and met eyes with Roman. Her fists shook at her sides, close to the daggers on her hips. She took a deep breath and looked away.
"No."
"Good," Roman turned and gestured to the castle. "Now go! And make sure not to make too much of a ruckus yet."
The faunus parted from the shadows and rushed over to the walls, their steps echoing lightly on the paved floor. Even as they climb over the walls, the guards were unaware of their presence. Blake followed quietly with her daggers drawn.
One of her companions threw a knife, and it arced through the air until it buried itself on a guard's neck. Blood poured from the wound as the man fell to the ground. The other soldiers sprung to attention, swearing in anger and fright, but soon they too were engaged in combat by the faunus.
Roman stepped past Blake, spinning his cane distractedly, and kicked the front doors of the castle open. He entered with a slow walk, Blake and five other faunus following with much more attention.
They marched through the hallways of the castle with their weapons drawn, but for a long time, nobody stood in their path. Then a loud pistol shot sounded outside the castle, and people started to pour out of their rooms at once, screaming in surprise at first, then in terror as they realized the castle was being invaded by the ruthless White Fang.
"Leave them be," Roman said dismissively. "Unless they have a gun, of course. I wouldn't want your heads to be blown off."
As they climbed the stairs to the higher floors of the castle, soldiers appeared before them, wielding lances and rifles. Blake cursed and leaped to the side, quickly enough to avoid being riddled with bullets on the spot. Unfortunately, two of her companions weren't as savvy and rolled down the steps, dead.
The soldiers started to reload, and the faunus unleashed their own attacks, taking the advantage as it was presented to them. The humans fell down, wounded by bullets and thrown knifes. Blake had to close the distance, but she was quick enough to make it there alive.
Her battle instincts kicked into gear as the lance-wielding soldiers tried to pierce her through. She snaked around their attacks and edged closer, stabbing one soldier at a time before retreating, never lingering for too long. By the time she was done, seven men and women were strewn around her, dead or bleeding to death.
"Damn, kitty," Roman whistled as he climbed up the steps. "You're one hell of a fighter. Remind me to save more girls from the brink of death in dark alleys."
"I wish you would shut up." Blake blurted out.
He only smiled and kept walking. Blake looked back and saw only one more of them had survived, a girl with short brown hair holding a knife in one hand and a pistol in the other. A furry monkey tail was wrapped around her waist protectively.
"Do you feel alive?" She asked breathlessly as she walked past Blake.
"No," Blake replied. "Not at all."
"Yeah. Me neither."
Venturing out at night in a place she was not familiar with was probably not the wisest decision Weiss had taken in her life – which said a lot, considering how many mistake she had committed recently. She had her rapier, and her magic, but using either of these would draw attention she most definitely did not want.
But she couldn't stay with the Arc family. Not tonight. With her son having practically vanished, Joanna was growing ever more worried, and Weiss had seen the woman was reaching a breaking point. So when Jill had come back home today and told everyone she had spotted Jaune around a certain tavern, Weiss insisted she gave her directions to it.
What she would do when she got there, Weiss had no clue. She wasn't the comforting type, and she wasn't sure Jaune would appreciate if she tried to be, considering the circumstances of his grief. However, she couldn't allow him to waste his life away in a tavern. Queen or not, she was determined to do one thing right for at least one of her people.
Fortunately, Jaune's tavern of choice didn't appear as horrible and seedy as she had imagined. In fact, it almost looked like a perfectly normal restaurant. The Moon Drinker. A bit blasphemous, but she wasn't about to make a problem out of that.
Her expectations were crushed when she entered the tavern and her nose was struck by the scent of heavy beer and cider. The noise inside was almost deafening, coming from what looked to be more than fifty costumers at once, spread in round tables or in seats next to the bartender's counter.
As she examined the drunken populace of the tavern, Weiss was glad for the clothes Joanna had supplied her. When she had first worn the leggings and woolen shirt, Weiss had felt repulsive and dirty, but now, she felt safe. A dress was not meant to be worn in such places – especially a dress that obviously belonged to someone of high class.
It took a while, but she eventually recognized Jaune sitting in a table at a corner of the tavern, alone and far away from the rest of the clientele. Weiss cleared her throat and walked to him, ignoring the looks that were being shot her way.
"Jaune." She said as she sat down at his side.
"Your Highness," he looked surprised for a moment, before his face turned somber again. "You shouldn't be here. It's really not safe for you."
"And who are you to tell anyone to stay away from this sickening place?" Weiss looked around them with disgust. "Blood and bones, this is repulsing."
Jaune just raised a glass of beer to his mouth and took a long sip of it. Weiss watched wordlessly, her disgust quickly being replaced by regret.
"I… apologize. I didn't mean to be so harsh. You certainly have your reasons to want to be here," she said. "How… How did Lady Nikos die?"
He continued to drink for almost a full minute, then finally laid his empty glass down on the table.
"I wasn't there to watch, but I saw her body being carried away," he muttered. "There was a huge hole in her chest, too big for a sword, lance, or any kind of gun. It was some other weapon I don't know about. I heard the guards saying General Rose killer her, though."
"That explain the wound," Weiss nodded somberly. "She used her scythe."
"Yeah, must have been that," Jaune agreed emotionlessly. "Word is, Pyrrha shot four soldiers in cold blood before Summer heroically stopped her. Unfortunately, the General wasn't fast enough to reach the queen and her kidnapper afterwards."
Weiss felt sick to the stomach, and not because of the stench of the tavern. Something felt wrong about the story. When she had left with Jaune, the last thing Weiss had witnessed was Pyrrha getting ready to battle Summer. So when would she have had the time and opportunity to murder four soldiers?
"So Summer managed to trick everyone into thinking I was kidnapped," Weiss said angrily. "That witch. Does she know you were involved?"
"I don't think so. I was never important enough to be noticed by the likes of her," Jaune shrugged. "They say the Guard is looking for you, searching everyone's houses."
"Yes. A soldier came by this morning. I was lucky he didn't come in," she shook her head. "I'm putting your family in danger. I'm sorry," Weiss raised her chin and turned her head to look him directly in the eyes. "Jaune, I need you to come back. You're the only ally I have left. It's only a matter of time before they decree me as a lost cause and Summer Rose becomes queen for good. We can't let her win."
"Weiss," Jaune sighed. She noticed that for the first time ever, he was using her real name, instead of a title. "Summer has already won."
Her shoulders dropped slowly as she stared at him, waiting for an explanation.
"Pyrrha is dead. Ruby is as good as dead," Jaune listed, frustration coloring his voice. "General Ozpin is gone or dead. We have no clue what happened to Blake Belladonna. Summer has the entire Council and the Guard under her spell. It's over."
"No! No, it's not over!" Weiss exclaimed, drawing the attention of people nearby. She lowered her head and spoke again in a softer tone. "We can't give up. Not when so many people have given so much for-"
"It's over," Jaune interrupted firmly. "You need to accept that and move on. That's what I'm doing right now. If you're not happy with it, find your own way."
Weiss could do nothing but stare at him in desolation as he called a waitress and asked for another glass. The white-haired girl got up and walked to the front door slowly, feeling numb and powerless.
As she stepped outside, a rush of air hit her face and she felt tears stinging her eyes. Weiss halted and rubbed an arm on her eyes. Was Jaune right? Was everything truly over?
It surely felt like it.
She withdrew her arm and looked around. Her only choice was to go back to the Arc house. Before she began walking, though, something caught her attention. A pair or girls was nearing the tavern, one of them wearing a long cloak that concealed most of her appearance. Something about them was oddly familiar…
"Hey," the girl not wearing a cloak spoke impatiently as they reached the tavern. "You're in front of the door. Could you stand aside for a moment?"
"Oh. I'm so sorry. I didn't realize-" Weiss paused. "Wait. Coco. You're Coco Adel, right? The survivor from the watchtower breach."
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for reminding me of that," Coco muttered. "Come on, Velvet, let's go inside."
Both Weiss and Velvet froze in place in front of the tavern, their eyes locking in surprise and fright. Coco looked from one to the other in confusion, before realization hit her. Suddenly, Weiss found herself at the receiving end of a mean-looking pistol.
"You're the bloody queen. Kidnapped, right?" Coco spat. "Give me one reason not to shoot you right now."
"W-why would you shoot me?" Weiss stuttered. "You just said I'm the queen!"
"It doesn't really matter to me. Not since everyone I cared about died in that watchtower and you made it into some big conspiracy," Coco's eyes narrowed in anger. "Not since I found Velvet freezing in an alley because she had nowhere else to go. You were going to have her executed!"
"I-I… I…"
Weiss closed her eyes. She didn't know how to refute those words. Perhaps it was because Coco was right. The soldier had the right to be more than angry at her.
"C-Coco," Velvet whispered fearfully. "L-let's just go inside. Please?"
"She decreed your death." Coco said with finality.
"I know. Please."
Coco's eyes wandered from Weiss to Velvet several times before she grunted and lowered her gun.
"If I see you again, you're dead." She warned.
"…Thank you." Weiss managed to say as Coco and Velvet entered the tavern.
With her heart beating fast inside her chest, Weiss walked away from the tavern, one hand wrapped around the hilt of her rapier.
"And here is Lord Noblepig's quarters!" Roman announced merrily as they stopped before a huge set of double doors. He kicked them open and gestured inside. "Ladies first."
Blake entered, accompanied by the brown-haired survivor. They took three steps into a lavish room decorated with an enormous bed and several wardrobes and were immediately at the aim of a dozen rifle-wielding soldiers.
Blake dived to the side, dragging her ally to the ground with her. Bullets pierced the walls of the hallway behind them. Windows shattered. Her ears rang sharply.
Roman peeked from the corner of the door and shot once, taking down a single soldier. Blake followed that up by tossing one of her daggers, which lodged itself on another's forehead, bringing him down.
"Good kitty!" Roman began to shoot continuously, bringing down another three soldiers. The brown-haired girl joined his efforts with her own pistol.
Blake leaped to the soldiers and lashed out at them with her remaining dagger. The next seconds went by like a blur as blood splashed all around her, accompanied by pained screams and the dropping of metallic weapons.
Finally, she stopped. Blake took a deep breath and leaned down, retrieving her second dagger, then looked ahead of her. A man in luxurious clothes was pressing himself against a corner of the room, his eyes and mouth widened in terror. The buttons of his shirt were almost popping, and a thick gray mustache concealed part of his face.
Time seemed to slow down as Blake locked eyes with him. Her arms began to tremble, and she almost dropped her daggers. She could hear his ragged breathing as if he were right next to her ear.
"I-I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm s-so sorry, please don't – don't kill me."
"Well, kitty," Roman said behind her. "Are you going to finish the job or not?"
Blake closed her eyes, then leaned down and swung with a dagger. She was met with resistance briefly before Port's pleas stopped.
"Well done," Roman chuckled. "You might prove to be worthwhile after all."
Blake stepped away from Port and neared the doorway. She stopped briefly to look down. The brown-haired girl was dead on the floor, blood pouring from the back of her head.
The back of her head. But how?
"Well, we should get going," Roman said. "The others might still be fighting down there."
"Yeah," Blake's eyes narrowed. Despite her best intentions, all her hatred was evident in her voice. "Let's make sure they're still alive."
Ruby raced up the spire, her cloak flying wildly behind her. She came to a halt before the cave, where she fell to her knees, breathing hard and fast.
Raven got up at the back of the cave and walked to her with a worried look in her face. Her eyes wandered curiously to the scythe in the redhead's hands.
"You look rattled." She said unceremoniously.
"I look rattled?" Ruby repeated breathlessly. "I am rattled!"
"Hmm. Poor choice of words," Raven smirked. "I warned you not to wander too far. What happened?"
Ruby waited a minute before attempting to speak again.
"I went searching for something weird in the blizzard," she explained. "It turned out to be this… big ice sphere-thing? I tried to smash it open, because… uh, I had a feeling that was the right thing to do."
"Ah, yes. That was a very sound approach." Raven said dryly.
"It wasn't!" Ruby exclaimed, not detecting her companion's sarcasm. "The ice didn't break, then… something showed up inside the sphere. It was looking right at me."
Raven frowned. What had sounded before like another silly adventure had become much more worrying.
"It looked at you?" Raven repeated. "Are you sure it wasn't a Shade?"
"I'm sure. It had big flaming eyes," Ruby paused. "Just like Cinder's…"
"…It was nothing. Probably another strange phenomenon of this world," Raven said slowly. "There's no use worrying over it."
Ruby swallowed dryly, then nodded and moved deeper into the cave, where she sat down and leaned against a wall. She looked at her hands and blinked in astonishment, seeming to only then notice she was still carrying her scythe. She concentrated for a brief moment, and suddenly it vanished, as if it had never been there.
"You don't have to hide that from me," Raven said. "Have you been using your mother's memories to learn how to use a scythe?"
"Y-yes," Ruby looked away shamefully. "I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner."
"Ruby, it truly doesn't matter. I had a feeling you were doing that, anyway," the red-eyed woman assured. "Besides, it's your mother, your legacy. I have no right to keep you from that – and I don't want to."
"That's… very nice of you," Ruby smiled. "It's easier than I expected. The hardest part is learning how to manage my weight when I swing the scythe, but once I got to that…"
Raven nodded and sat down in front of her.
"I had an idea about how to get you back to the real world," she said. "I know we've tried a lot already, but I'm confident on this method. Do you want to try?"
"Sure!" Ruby replied immediately. "I'm a little tired, but that doesn't change anything, right?"
"It shouldn't," Raven said. "So far, we've tried to lead you back by manipulating your dreams, but I don't think that's the right path. Cinder Fall forced you into this realm by using her magic, just as the Dragon did to me. I believe I can muster the same magic and send you the other way."
"Ooh! That sounds smart!" Ruby joined her hands anxiously. "Do I need to do anything?"
"It might help if you keep your thoughts focused on the real world," the red-eyed woman theorized. "Things like places, feelings, the people you care about. It could serve as an anchor on your journey. Are you ready?"
Ruby took a deep breath, then nodded firmly a single time.
Raven waited a moment, as if she were hesitant to follow the plan, then raised a hand and waved it in front of Ruby's eyes. A few seconds passed, but nothing happened. Raven shook her head, focused her mind, then waved again.
This time, Ruby's pupils shrank to half their usual size, and she began to fall on her back. Raven moved fast and caught her, struggling not to break her concentration. Ruby was still in her arms, still dreaming – not real.
"Ruby," she called softly. "Come on. Focus. Think of everyone's who's counting on you. Think of the devastation Cinder Fall will unleash on Vale. Only you can dismantle her lies. You are the answer."
For a while, it seemed like her words had some effect, but then, Ruby's pupils returned to normal, and she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Raven. The older woman pursed her lips, biting back an angry admonishment as she felt the redhead trembling all over.
"I-I'm sorry," Ruby whispered. "I was almost t-there, but I couldn't do it. I lost it! I mean, what do I have to get back to? Yang left the city, and I would have to tell her we aren't really sisters. Weiss thinks I'm a traitor. Blake might be dead, for all I know!"
"Ruby… You can't run from your problems," Raven said softly, leaning the girl back so she could look into her eyes. "If you stay here and hide, you'll never find out what's next. You'll never get to see your friends again. This, Ruby? This isn't life. You can try to pretend, you can conjure anything you want, but it won't be real," she smiled sadly. "I would do anything to meet my daughter, to touch her, to talk to her, even if she hated me, because that would mean I'm alive. That's what's important. Living."
Slowly, Ruby stopped shaking. Tears shone in her silver eyes as she looked at Raven.
"I want to go back," she muttered. "But I'll never be able to see my parents again."
Raven closed her eyes, for a moment completely out of words.
"It's alright, though," Ruby said, her tone growing more confident. "They've always been with me. Nothing's changed. I will honor their legacy… and I will make my own."
She clenched her fists.
"Raven. Let's try again."
Less than half of the group returned to Fort Blacknight with their lives. They were welcomed back with applause, but Blake ignored it and headed straight to her room.
To say she felt sick would be an understatement. It was as if every part of her body and soul was dirty with blood. Her mind kept wandering back to Port's pleas, her fallen companions, and Roman's perverse attitude.
Bloody Moon, just the thought of that devil had her trembling with ire. If it weren't for his position as a White Fang authority, Blake would have killed him already.
And that was the thing that scared her the most. What had she become? She had taken so many lives today. How many of those soldiers had had families? Did they deserve to die because of one Lord's cruel manners? Manners which he had not chosen, but had been born into.
Had Weiss been wrong to accuse her of being a murderer?
What would Ruby think of her if she ever woke up?
She stayed up late into the night pondering these questions. Just as the lull of sleep started to fall on her, the door of her room opened, and Adam stepped inside. She sat on the edge of her bed hastily, reaching for the daggers next to her pillow.
"Relax," Adam raised his hands peacefully. "I'm here to make a proposition."
"Again?" Blake asked bitterly. "I've already agreed to join your rebellion. What more do you want from me?"
"I understand your frustration. You had a quite distressful night, didn't you?" He said. "You met and surpassed all my expectations, Blake. I think you're exactly the person I was looking for."
Blake eyes him suspiciously as he pulled up a chair and sat in front of her. Adam leaned forward slightly and interlaced his fingers above his knees, as if he were about to speak of something that was meant for her ears only.
"It was not a coincidence that I put you under the command of Torchwick on your first mission. Believe me when I say I know all about his treacherous ways," he said. "I don't like him at all."
"Then why is he still here?" Blake asked.
"Because it's not my choice, unless I want to draw someone's wrath down on our roof," Adam explained. "You see, the White Fang did not rise to power on its own. We had the help of Summer Rose, as she calls herself, to free captive faunus and spread our influence across the city. She even allowed us to assassinate the King and Queen ten years ago," he shook his head regretfully. "In return, we agreed to help her secure her claim on the throne by serving as a public enemy. I planned to turn things around on her when the right time arrived, but she is too powerful, as you already know."
Blake nodded silently. Everything could be traced back to Summer in this town. She wondered just how far the witch's influence spread.
"Rose planted Torchwick and his companions inside the White Fang to keep an eye on us. I suspect she made a similar deal with him to obtain his loyalty. Roman made a name for himself around the time she established herself in Vale." Adam told.
"Alright. So you want him gone," Blake said. "Where do I come in?"
"I don't want only him gone. I want all of them gone – Emerald, Mercury, Neopolitan, Weiss Schnee, and most importantly, Summer Rose."
He grabbed a small pouch on his belt and showed it to Blake. Carefully, he opened it and deposited something on his right hand. The brunette's eyes fixed intensely on the odd object – a small gemstone as black as night, with seemingly endless depth.
"This, Blake, was a gift from our kind Regent," Adam smiled. "It can give a person great power, the likes of which could match her magic. You will use it to bring her down."
"But…" Blake mumbled, still fixated on the gemstone. "Why me…?"
"You have every motive to want them dead. Summer almost killed you, and the Queen… she turned on you in the blink of an eye, despite of your misplaced loyalty," he whispered. "You deserve revenge."
Blake reached forward, her hand wandering slowly towards the rock. Her fingers brushed the smooth surface, sending chills down her arms. She closed her hand around the gemstone, and suddenly, she was falling in the middle of a dark maelstrom.
Weiss opened the front door gently, trying to make the least noise possible. Time had passed faster than she had predicted, and midnight had already come and gone. She slipped inside with soft steps and looked around the house.
The kids were all sleeping already, bundled up near each other on a thick blanket on the ground. Their snores echoed lightly throughout the house. Sitting on a chair, still awake, was Joanna Arc. There were lines of worry around her eyes, but when she saw Weiss come in, they softened and disappeared partially.
"Snow," she whispered. "You're back. Did you find him?"
"I did. Jaune is having… difficulty, dealing with Lady Nikos' death, but he will persevere and return to you. I guarantee it." Weiss said. It wasn't a complete lie. She believed every word she said.
"That's great news," Joanna smiled. "There's some leftover soup from dinner. It's cold, but I can warm it up for you in a few minutes. You must be hungry."
"I… I am, but I won't accept your food, Miss Arc. Not anymore," Weiss bowed her head solemnly. "I appreciate that you housed and fed me without asking for anything in return, but I can't allow it to go on any longer. Every second I spend in this house, I put you and your children at risk," she paused, considering her next words carefully. "As Queen of Vale, it is my responsibility to see that you are safe. I must leave."
Joanna did not seem surprised. In fact, she even smiled a little, as if she had known the truth all along. Weiss frowned, thinking that she had underestimated this woman.
"If that's what you think is best, then I will not argue," Joanna said. "But where will you go? What will you do?"
"I will survive, somehow," Weiss opened the door. "Survive and move on."
She stepped outside and cast one last look at the children sleeping on the ground, a bittersweet smile appearing on her lips.
"Farewell, Miss Arc."
Cinder's fingers tapped on the arms of Vale's throne. She sat alone in the dark, eyes flashing from silver to red every few seconds.
She had never been so furious before in her life.
Everything was going right, yet at the same time, everything was going wrong. It was like she was reaching for something, getting close enough to brush her fingers against then, and then suddenly it rose out of reach.
She had the throne, but it wasn't truly hers. The damned Schnee girl had somehow broken her spell and ran away, and now she was nowhere to be found. Nobody seemed to know the identity of her blond ally. It drove Cinder crazy. How could there be such an important player she didn't know a single thing about?
And then there was Ozpin. Yes, he had disappeared for a month now, but she was wise enough to know he wasn't gone. He was waiting for her to drop her guard, and when she least expected it, he would strike. Cinder did not consider many people dangerous enemies, but Ozpin was one of them.
Yang Xiao-Long – that surname invoked a deep ire in her – was out of reach. After all the trouble Cinder had gone through to approach the girl, she just left. Her own blood, so dismissive to her call. She was more disappointed than angry at her, to be honest.
And now Ruby Rose was poking around places where she didn't belong. Even in sleep, that little rascal caused her trouble.
The more she thought about it, every problem she was facing had one common origin. Little Ruby Rose, so stubbornly naïve.
Her unpredictable emergence had casted the last drops of suspicion Ozpin had needed to discover who she truly was. Similarly, the girl had certainly had an effect on Weiss Schnee, bringing the likes of Blake Belladonna into her world. And Yang had left because of the loss of her supposed sister.
Yes. The Rose had more than its fair share of thorns, and Cinder had been pricked enough already.
The regent rose from her throne and walked away hurriedly, setting a determined march towards her room as she formulated her decisive revenge. It would be easy to get rid of the defenseless girl, but how could her sudden death be explained?
Easy. She cut her to pieces, enough so that her handiwork couldn't be recognized, and threw the blame at rebels who weren't content with her regency. Oh, sweet Moon, it was perfect! Not only would she not have to deal with the girl anymore, but it would serve as another tragic story to cement the council and the people's sympathy for her.
She almost knocked the door of her room off its hinges when she entered, so ecstatic she was about her plan. She would do it with the bloody scythe, too. What better weapon to kill Ruby Rose with than her mother's? It would be the perfect-
Where was the scythe? Cinder took a step back as she stared at the vacant space in the wall where she had hung Crescent Rose previously. Had a slave taken it for washing? Or had someone stolen it? No. It couldn't be. Who would have the guts to-
"Hey. Don't look so shocked," a familiar voice sounded nearby. "Seriously, that face does not fit you."
Cinder turned around. There, sitting at the edge of her balcony, was Ruby Rose, swinging her legs leisurely with a smile on her lips. In her hands she held Crescent Rose, its blade reflecting the pale moonlight.
"How… Why… You can't-" Cinder clenched her fists and took a deep breath, trying to regain a more composed posture. "I cursed you. You're not supposed to be awake."
"Well, you are not supposed to have my mother's looks. We are both upset," Ruby shrugged. "I hope you won't mind that I'm taking back her scythe. It belongs in the family, you know?"
Cinder growled and summoned two flames on her hands, then tossed it at Ruby. To her confusion and dismay, the girl disappeared from sight, as if she had never been there.
"The only reason I won't kill you right now," Ruby whispered in her ear. "Is because I have more important things to do first."
A flash of red appeared before Cinder's eyes, and suddenly, Ruby was on the balcony once again, this time standing up on the edge, her cloak billowing behind her.
"Do you understand?" Ruby asked, her cheerful tone morphed into something sinister. "Every night, from now on, you will go to sleep wondering if I'll show up at your side. You'll look at every shadowy corner, asking yourself… when will she come for me? Because, Cinder Fall, I will come for you," she smiled sweetly. "The Reaper is back. Sleep tight."
Ruby took a step back and plummeted down. Cinder stood frozen for a moment before she raced to the balcony, looking for the girl desperately, but there was no sign of her anywhere.
Cinder returned to her room and sat on her bed, her eyes wavering as she stared at the darkness surrounding her. For the first time in her life, she was feeling something she did not know how to deal with it.
She was afraid.
Aw. Yiiissss.
God, this chapter had some scenes I'd been excited to write since the very beginning of the story. Ruby coming back and scaring the shit outta Cinder was one I was particularly looking forward to. I hope you liked it as much as I did.
And, don't worry, Ruby hasn't turned into a soulless killing machine. She just really does not like Cinder. Nobody does, actually, but Ruby is in the Top 3 "People who hate Cinder Fall the most", definitely. Also, her awesome new powers will be explained next chapter (Blake's too! Hype!).
Oh, and Yang's still alive. I promise. She's important too!
-Zeroan