It was time.
Cold air bit into his skin, the night growing cold and dark. Animals quieted, save for the few that could fly, or was otherwise safe against the rampaging Grimm. Moonlight filtered through the canopy, providing the sole source of light for Adam and his followers. He could hear the gentle murmurs and shuffling of an army behind him, all ready to fight and die on his command. A smile came to his lips. This was what he dreamed of, fought for, and bled for.
Turning around, he raised a black gloved hand. Every soldier in the clearing stopped what they were doing, and turned to him, an identical sea of masked faces. A few kept their eyes outwards, ensuring that they wouldn't suffer any surprises. Clearing his throat, Adam began to speak.
"Today, my brothers, my sisters, we strike at the heart of our enemies! The Schnee's use our fellow faunus like slaves, forcing them to work without pay, and without mercy!" He pulled out his sword. "Today! We will give them our pain! We will carve out our justice from their flesh, and show them who! We! Are!" He finished with a cheer, holding up his weapon. The crowd mirrored his movements, lifting swords and guns in celebration.
They began to move out, packing up with practised ease. Fires were put out, tents packed, and the few wounded (two sprained ankles, and the idiot who drank from the poisoned water) were set on stretchers. Adam walked down the small hill he had made his speech on, and up to Blake's jail cell, a thick tent with plastic windows. Two guards, the only people in the camp not moving, flanked the two flaps that served as the door. Both were some of his top men, trusted beyond anyone else.
Except for his Viola.
Giving them both a brief glance, he stepped inside, the two flaps closing behind him. His eyes took a moment to adjust, the darkness intense, even for a faunus. When it did, he saw Blake's prone form, tied up in enough cables to stop a train. An unsuppressed smile grew on his face. All these years, after everything she'd done… he had her.
Nowhere to left for her to run.
He walked over to her, and crouched down by her head. Her arms and legs were both tied, and a gag crossed her mouth. There was no possible way for her to escape, or do anything but turn two terrified eyes towards his. He grinned.
"Hello Blake," he cooed, placing a hand on her cheek. Her nose blew open as she tried to draw in more air, and her skin turned hot and wet. "You ready to talk?" She squirmed under his fingers, trying to escape, or perhaps simply to show her displeasure. He silenced her with a kick to the stomach, relishing the pain as his toe connected with the metal cables.
"I'm not. I'm not even close to ready." He kicked her again, this time in her chest. She closed her eyes, tears welling the corner. Adam felt a tidal wave of disgust rise within him, spilling out through his mouth.
"So this is what you've turned in to, is it?" he roared, smashing a boot into her head, watching the rubber sole come away red. Her head wasn't caved in, much to his displeasure, only a thin cut where the binding had dug in. "A pathetic excuse for a warrior, writhing on the floor, crying!"
Words failed him as he continued to wail away on the girl below him. There was no questions, no attempt at communication. Just raw, inhuman rage, expressed in its most pure form. Every blow relieved an urge he never realised he had, making his body feel lighter, more free. One of his feet hit her in the mouth, ripping through the relatively thin cloth. She spat it out.
"Why?" she asked, her voice barely audible. Adam stopped, his foot hovering over her nose. He bent down; close enough to feel her breath as it sped up. Her eyes darted to his mask, the red seemingly glowing in the darkness. His lips slowly parted.
"Because you destroyed me." He stood up, and then pulled out a small roll of fabric he kept on hand for emergencies, and tied it around her head, blocking her mouth. "I'm just paying back a debt." He walked to the door, and threw the two flaps to the side. Glancing back, he saw her amber eyes staring at him, wide and… confused? He gritted his teeth. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!" He nearly stomped over, to deliver some "reminders", when he felt a tap on his shoulder. .
"Sir?" one of the guards said, jerking his head towards the main camp. "Torchwick wants to speak with you."
Adam bit out a growl. Leaving the tent, he zipped up the two flaps, nearly ripping the zipper off. Both the guards hung back, pointedly keeping their stares pointed elsewhere. His hands were shaking, and he realised just how much Blake's continued defiance was messing with his mind. He let out a slow, heavy sigh, regaining some measure of calm.
"Where is he?"
The guard gestured towards a small tent, the only one still standing. "Over there."
"I'm on my way."
"Torchwick," Adam said as he entered the tent. It was slightly smaller than Blake's impromptu jail cell, although perhaps that was simply the two cots, bookshelf, and large table with a map of Vale than anything else. The man himself stood at the other end of said table, right next to his diminutive bodyguard. When he heard his voice, he smirked and lifted his cane.
"Good evening, Mr. Taurus." He pointed his hand towards him, his palm upwards. "Now say, 'Good evening, Mr. Torchwick."
Adam crossed his arms, not-to-subtlety letting his sword swing out. "What do you want?"
Torchwick sighed, shaking his head and muttering, "Kids these days, no respect." Slightly jutting out his chest, he continued, "Our little business venture here, well, I don't believe you can pull it off."
"You little—!"
He held up a finger. "Alone. You can't pull it off alone."
Adam closed his eyes, resisting an urge to strangle the man in front of him. His pink and brown coloured bodyguard watched him with a focused glare. "Fine, what do you suggest?"
"Well…" He twirled his cane around, stopping it so it pointed at the girl. "Neo here volunteered herself as a… consultant." He grinned, and rested his cane on the ground.
Adam took in the small girl with a practised eye. Her outfit was frilly, and overly complex, but no more than most huntresses or huntsmen. She held an umbrella in her left arm, nestled against her body. Her eyes were pink and brown, switching when she blinked. It was… somewhat disorienting. Her lips were curved in a mild smirk, and despite her small stature, she looked at him like he was a small bug. Adam curled his fingers into fists, a small growl leaking out of his throat.
"This is it?" he said, turning his head to Torchwick. "This is your 'help'?" He pointed towards Neo. "A tiny little girl, armed with an umbrella?"
In reply, Torchwick only smirked. Adam frowned, and turned to leave. Before he could take a step, he felt something pull on the back of his neck. Suddenly, he was on the table, his arms twisted behind his back. A weight pushed down on him, not large, and under normal circumstances, he could easily throw it off. However, his arms refused to budge, to the point where he felt pins and needles. Craning his neck, he managed to catch a glimpse of Neo's smirking face, her legs dangling over his back, and her umbrella, unfolded, sitting peacefully on her left shoulder.
Torchwick laughed. "Little girl, huh?" He leaned in, right next to his face. "Believe me, she's as much a 'little girl' as you are."
Adam jerked, trying to break free. Pain shot through his shoulders, eliciting a small gasp. Torchwick stepped away. "Alright Neo, I think he got the message."
Neo grinned, and stepped off. Adam pushed himself to his feet, rolling his shoulders to regain feeling in his arms. A snarl settled on his face, and he turned to Torchwick with a start. He felt a small amount of satisfaction at the way he flinched.
"Get her to the front lines," he said, jerking his thumb out the doors. "You cover the back. Think you can do that?"
Torchwick set his lips in a hard line, all jokes forgotten. "I'll get it done," he said, walking over to his cot. Shooting a quick glance at Adam, he crouched down, and pulled out a wooden box, a small, complicated-looking lock on the lid. He pulled out a key from the folds of his coat, and stuck it in. Lifting the lid upwards, he pulled out a small bag, made of red silk.
"Been a loooong time since I've used these," he said with a chuckle, before tossing it in to his coat pocket. Standing up with a slight twirl of his cane, he walked to the door, Neo following behind him. "Off to work we go..."
Adam glared at his back until he left the tent, then spit on the ground once they left. Neo managed to hurt his jaw during her demonstration, and his teeth felt loose. He raised a hand to his cheek, and then pulled away, grimacing at the slight prick of pain. She left a bruise too.
Gritting his teeth, he walked out through the tent doors. Two soldiers, waiting for him to leave, moved in to tear it down. He let them do their work, and set out to meet up with the rest of the men. He was behind now; very little of the camp was still standing. Most of the men had gone ahead, preparing for the assault. He set off at a brisk walk, hoping to catch up.
Ruby stepped into the small room, feeling the stale, chilly air wash over her skin. The harsh light from the single bulb burned her eyes, and forced her to squint. Her ragged breath was absorbed by the thick black walls, turning a simple room into a prison, stronger than any bars. In the middle of the room was a small table, with two chairs on either end. She ran a hand over its surface, felt the grainy plastic and the occasional crack. There was a mirror in the wall, showing her pale reflection.
Sighing, she took a seat. The folding chair creaked and groaned, and she felt the plastic bend under her weight, but it held. It did its job.
Not like her.
For a long while, nothing happened. Ruby sat there, her steady breathing the only sign she was alive, thinking. Her fingers curled into fists, gripped the side of her chair, or examined the many cuts and burns her poor combat skirt had suffered. She couldn't relax, of course. Her sweetheart was sitting in police custody, no doubt manhandled by those who did not understand her, Yang and Weiss were gone, most likely sitting in room similar to this one, and Blake…
Ruby stifled a cry. Tears filled her eyes, threatening to fall. Blake was still missing, still in the hands of a crazy psychopath who wanted her dead. They had no more leads, no more ideas, and even if they did, the police would never let them find her. She considered the idea of telling the police about her teammates kidnapping, but Yang's warning cut that idea off. If they went after the White Fang, Blake would wind up dead, killed once she grew too dangerous to keep. If anyone could save her, it was her team.
The same team trapped in a police station.
The door silently opened. Ruby caught a glimpse of the rest of the station, full of people going about their day. She could see the sun through a window, not quite setting, but clearly considering it. Straightening her shoulders, she looked at the man who stepped through.
He was tall. Not as tall as some of her teachers, or Yatsuhashi, but he still towered above her. His skin was lightly coloured, like he spent most of his time indoors, hunched over a computer screen. His hair was dark brown, shiny, and brushed back, keeping it out of his eyes. He pulled off a dark brown trench coat, revealing a similarly coloured version of the outfit she had seen detectives wear. He stuck out a hand.
"Detective Murrey," he said. His voice was… nondescript, if a bit gravelly. "I understand you've found yourself in some trouble?"
Ruby narrowed her eyes. He seemed friendly, open, trustworthy, but then again, so had Cinder. She didn't take the hand.
Murrey lowered his hand and sat down, pulling out a manila folder. He slid it across the table, the noise vaguely grating to her ears. With a polite smile, he said, "You've had a busy week, haven't you?"
Ruby exercised her right to remain silent.
"Alright, you don't have to talk. I won't force you." He pointed towards the mirror. "My friends out there, on the other hand... well, it's getting late, and none of them have had enough coffee."
"You're not..."
His smile grew tighter. "No, I'm not that kind of cop, and never will be. My point is, Miss Rose, is that you, and your friends, have made a bit of a mess."
Ruby looked downwards, entwining her hands.
"Right now, we've found two bodies, both at crime scenes where you, or your teammates, have been spotted. I'm not saying you killed them, but we need to know what happened," he continued, placing photos in front of her. Each showed a body, sometimes the huntsman from the embassy, sometimes someone else. Someone burned to ash.
Except for the eyes.
She closed her eyes, trying to will the images away, but they didn't leave. Their eyes stayed in her mind, staring at her, taunting her.
"I wouldn't be there if it wasn't for you!"
"Some huntress."
"I was just doing my job!"
"This is your fault!"
"You did this!"
"You promised you'd save me."
Her eyes shot open, and she realised her hands were carving dents into the table. Murrey was staring at her, eyes switching between her face and her hands. Something hot fell on her arms. They were tears.
"I want my dad," Ruby said, her voice breaking on the first word. "I'm not supposed to be questioned without him, right? I'm fifteen, that's... that's too young, right?"
Murrey nodded. "O-of course." He coughed. "I'll get into contact with your dad." He got up and pushed the chair in. Ruby swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. Murrey's stare lingered on her for a few seconds, and then he turned and opened the door. Giving her one last sad glance, he sighed, and walked out. The door swung shut behind him.
Ruby let out a sigh, lowering her head to the table. Its cool surface absorbed some of her skin's warmth, gradually making her feel a little less panicked.
Time slipped by, hours turning into minutes, until she felt nothing.
Yang burst through the steel doors, her hair a wild mess. Her crimson eyes flitted between each corner, searching for anything moving. Darkness was then only thing she could see, broken up with the rare flashes of red, green, or blue metal. Sweat slicked every inch of her skin, and she felt feverish to the touch. Cuts and bruises dotted her skin, like some disturbed boy's voodoo doll. Her heart roared in her ears, deafening her to the sound of anything else.
Anything except her screams.
Her legs were little more than blocks of lead, but she managed to raise them and start running towards the sound. Colours flashed by, yellow and greys, but mostly red. Dark, dark red, splashed on the walls in thick, seeping puddles. Her gauntlets sat on her wrists, broken beyond repair, gleaming in the dark. The only source of light was her semblance, burning with the light of a thousand stars.
Rounding a corner, she found herself face to face with another White Fang soldier. His mask was coated with blood, fat drops falling off and spreading across the floor. Lying in front of him was a mangled corpse, so heavily beaten that it took her a minute to recognise the red cloak and rose emblem. She felt her fire rise, burning through her skin.
"Why weren't you here?" He said, pulling a gory mace out of her sister's head. His voice was distorted, like it was being sped down, but it sounded familiar somehow.
Yang leapt forward, tackling the man to the ground, and started smashing his face in. Every blow splattered blood across her arms and face, his or hers, she wasn't sure. He didn't fight back, didn't try to push her off, just laid there, and took the beating. His nose crumpled, caved in to the point where it became unrecognisable. A two-handed blow caved in the side of his head, and his jaw hung limply from his face. Her shirt was drenched with blood, soaking through to her skin.
She kept hitting him.
His head was little more than a smashed watermelon now, only the vaguest hints of the skull left behind. His jaw was holding on only by a thread, yet he managed to turn his head to face hers.
"Why couldn't you save me?"
Yang let out a roar, and smashed both her hands into his forehead. Bone, already weakened from her earlier attacks, gave way, and her fist crashed into his skull. Something jelly like oozed around her fingers and under her nails, squeezing into every line and crack in her skin. She pulled her arms out, now covered in grey goo. Her breath sped up, bringing the smell of the corpse below her.
More screams sounded out. Yang shot her head up, staring into the darkness, and with one final glance at the broken body, stood up and started running.
Every step echoed through her ears. The ground turned grassy as she burst through two double doors, and she nearly tripped on a small pile of rubble. Around her was bright, rainbow flames, steadily moving closer. Above the flames were buildings, tall and barely visible. She caned her neck, searching for the source of the screams. A gasp tumbled from her throat.
There, kneeling in the middle of the field was Blake. Her clothes were matted with blood, trickling out of cuts across her entire body. She tried to open her eyes, but the left one was sealed shut, swollen and purple. Her hair was badly burned, with spots that showed her skin. She flicked her left ear, unable to move the other as it was gone. Standing above her was... was...
Her, grinning like a madman, her hands soaked with blood and something unidentifiable. She lifted her head, shot her a terrifying familiar grin, her teeth peeking out between her lips, and spoke," Yang."
She stumbled back, wide eyes and half delirious. This... this wasn't right...
Her, the other her, lifted up a fist. Her gauntlet, although coated in dried blood, was still functional. She fired a shot into Blake's chest, spattering blood across the grassy field.
"NO!" Yang yelled, trying to run towards her partner, and her killer. Her legs wouldn't move, and when she looked down, she saw cables wrapping around them, and into the ground. She lifted her head, staring at her doppelganger.
"Yang," she said, lifting up an arm. Her hand opened, showing a small pool of blood. She curled her finger, gesturing for her to come forward.
"Yang, Wake up."
Her eyes flew open, her arms slamming into someone's body. The impact jarred her shoulders, too hard for a Grimm or normal person. That meant aura. She rolled off the bed, her arms attempting to activate her gauntlets. Of course, she didn't have them. The police had taken them. The wood bench behind her could work in a pinch, if she could pry the bolts off. Bars running across the eastern wall could be used as a bludgeon, but they were most likely reinforced. An excess of dust littered every surface, useful for blinding her enemy, but little more. Weiss stood in the far corner, her eyes wide and fearful, and a hand covering her mouth. Yang wasn't sure how useful she'd be in a fight without her rapier.
The person she hit, a man, stood up, rubbing the side of his stomach. He raised his head, staring at her, with wide, familiar eyes. Blond, short hair rested on his head, mirrored with a thin patch on his chin. Burns ran up his arms, spreading onto his chest. Yang felt a surge of shock. She knew this guy, very, very well.
"Dad!" she yelled, dropping her arms. He nodded, an easy grin coming to his face.
"Hey Yang," he said, wincing. "Guess I shouldn't surprise you anymore, huh?" There was a noticeable wheeze to his voice, a tightness to every breath. Guilt settled in her stomach, pulling down the corners of her lips. Dad took notice, and pulled her into a hug. "It's okay… I'm fine."
Tears fell from her eyes, landing on her dads shoulder. Yang pulled him in tighter, eliciting another wince. His warmth gently eased her shoulders, reminding her of beautiful days spent at home. His hand patted her hair, running down it and to the base of her spine.
"It's okay… I've got you…"
Taiyang stood in Ozpin's elevator, staring at his weary face in the reflective walls. Beneath his eyes were the beginnings of two identical bags, born from a lack of sleep and general exhaustion. He pushed his hands against the wall, letting his head sink against it.
What a mess.
It had taken him an hour or two to get his little girls out of the police station, and a few calls to Ozpin. Afterwords, he had driven them back to Beacon, none of the three acting very energetic. Weiss responded when he asked her what happened, but she spoke in clipped sentences, almost like she was afraid of divulging too much. Ruby was nearly dead to the world, slipping in and out of consciousness. Yang… Yang spent the entire drive staring out the window, refusing to respond. Or perhaps unable to respond. Still, between Weiss and Ruby during her rare bouts of lucidness, he managed to get a pretty good idea of what happened.
Which was why he was in the elevator, watching the numbers tick by as it crawled upwards. Worry for the girls mixed with sheer, unending rage towards the man above. His teeth were sore from how tightly he clenched his jaw, supressing the urge to start punching things. He had a much better grip on his temper than his eldest daughter, but there was no denying that they shared it. Even the other teachers, badass as they were, stayed clear. Papa Tai was on the hunt, and no one wanted to get in his way.
Finally, the door slid open. Taiyang stepped through, his arms straight as rulers. Ozpin sat at his desk, gripping a coffee mug like it might disappear at any moment, and staring down at his desk. He could videos playing across its surface, most of them displaying the White Fang. A few had recognisable glimpses of yellow and black hair.
"Taiyang," he said, standing up. Drops of coffee spilled out of his mug,s plunking on the floor. Shock showed through his face, before a mask of practised patience came on. He stuck out a hand. "It's good to see you back."
Taiyang didn't take it, instead crossing his arms. "Don't give me that shit. You know why I'm here."
Ozpin dropped his arm, and set down his cup. "Yes, I do." A hard breath fell from his lips. When he grabbed his cane, his arm was visibly shaking. "I'm…"
"What, sorry?" Taiyang walked over to his side, his teeth showing between his lips. "Sorry isn't what you promised me when I left!" He pointed at Ozpin. "You said they'd be safe! Well guess what?" He spread out his arms. "This sure as hell isn't safe!"
Ozpin looked down, unable to meet Taiyang's eyes. His grip on his cane grew tighter, and his voice sounded little like the normal tone he used when he spoke, "I know. I didn't… I wasn't aware this would happen."
"Of course you weren't," Taiyang spat, his voice turning venomous. "No one ever plans for this. Except you." His breathing was far faster now, and he tried hard to clamp down on his raging emotions. Ozpin glanced at him, and then walked away, towards the window. He stared out into the city below, and then closed his eyes.
Taiyang huffed, and started walking towards the elevator. "I'm going to find Blake. Help me, or don't. I really don't care."
His finger was on the button when Ozpin spoke, "We both know that's a bad idea." Anger surged up, and he wheeled to face the older man, now standing at the foot of his chair.
"A bad idea?" he said, stomping over to his desk and slamming his hands against the glass surface. "A bad, idea? Do you know what a bad idea is?" He leaned in. "It's letting her stay with those… people, although I loath to call them that. That's a bad idea!"
Ozpin didn't twitch. "You've studied hostage situations, even if that was many years ago. You have to know what will most likely happen if you move in now."
"I can't do nothing!"Taiyang yelled, all his emotions coming to the surface. Rage and fear showed clearly threw every twitch of his fingers, through every breath he took. "You don't know these people like do; don't know they did to her."
Ozpin raised a brow. "I'm well aware of their record."
Taiyang snorted, and shook his head. "Really? You know their record, huh?" He lifted his eyes, blue boring straight into brown. "Do you know about the time she couldn't go to a friend's sixteenth birthday party, because she broke his brother's hand when he snuck up on her? Do you know that she had a panic attack the first time I hugged her, because she had no idea what it was? Do you about the time she woke up in the middle of the night, coated in sweat and seeing monsters in the shadows, because she dreamt that he sent assassins after her? Do you know I spent all night, trying to comfort her, to convince that she was safe, even though we both knew she wasn't?"
By now his voice was breaking, sobs threatening to break through and consume him. These were old memories he drug up, of dark times and darker events. No one in the family liked to remember them. It was a struggle to get the next words out.
"Do you, Ozpin?"
He didn't have an answer.
Taiyang sighed, and stepped away from the desk. Fresh tears rolled down his cheeks, each drop splashing on the floor. He turned away, walking back towards the elevator. He punched in the number for ground level.
"Give me a few days," Ozpin said. "Enough time to figure out a plan of attack. That's all I'm asking."
Taiyang rested a hand on the door frame, the elevator door opening. Slowly, he turned his neck, and saw Opzin staring at him, coffee forgotten, and the closest thing to a pleading expression the man had plastered on his face. He let out a sigh. "Fine. Two days. After that, we won't have any other option." He stepped into the elevator, and closed the door.
Ozpin sighed, and leaned back against his desk. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his scroll and dialed the first number on his contact list. It rang several times, but no one picked up. Scowling, he threw it on his desk.
"Where are you Qrow?"
The dorm room had never felt so empty.
It lacked its normal sounds of gentle breathing, ruffling pages, small talk, and other noises that usually permeated RWBY's dorm and it made Weiss's skin crawl. She was lying on her bed, the normally soft and cool sheets feeling scratchy and hot. Perhaps that was simply her clothing, still on, and still clean, the only article her team had worn that was. Ruby had dumped off her combat skirt in the garbage, the holes already growing bigger simply from the act of walking. She pulled on a similar copy, and then claimed she was going running. Weiss saw her sitting on a bench outside their window.
Yang had also disposed of her outfit, but instead switched to a simple grey t-shirt and baggy sweatpants. They did little to hide her figure, but it was such an odd choice by the normally boisterous bruiser that Weiss couldn't help but stare. (Out of concern, mind you) Part of her kept expecting Yang to realise she was being watched, and bust out some inane pun, or start posing, but neither happened. She simply laid on Blake's bed, and stared at her own, her chest barely moving. It was somewhat creepy.
Not that Weiss was doing much better. She had tried to study, but concentrating on ancient history and tactics was nearly impossible without Blake next to her, pointing out tiny, minute details she never would have found. Weapon maintenance took minutes, so that left her with a sizable pile of books.
She made it three pages before she had to close the book, unable to see through the tears pooling in her eyes.
Briefly, she considered joining Ruby on her "run", but she wished to forget about Blake's absence, not constantly be reminded of it. She let out a sigh and gripped the side of the bed, pulling herself upright. Sitting here doing nothing was certainly not conductive to her mental state. Her feet swung past the edges of the bed, and she lowered them to the floor. Yang's gaze didn't move.
Weiss spotted Ember Celica sitting on the bedside table, and an idea struck her. Walking over, she grabbed a few of the ammo strips sitting next to it, testing the weight in her hand. Each "shell" seemed to be a pure fire Dust cartridge, surprisingly high grade, with detonator Dust controlling the reaction. A standard setup, although certainly better crafted than most. Should be easy for her to modify.
She turned to Yang. "Would you mind if I took these off your hands?" she said, lifting two strips. Yang didn't respond; her eyes remaining locked on the bed above her. Weiss frowned, concern overriding any annoyance at the action. She lowered her hand. "Yang?"
Suddenly, the brawler shook her head, hair flipping around her as if it was in blender. Her eyes locked on to Weiss, taking a few seconds to focus on her. "Huh?"
Weiss again raised the ammo strip. "I was asking if I could… modify these. Add some new effects," she explained. Yang's eyes glazed over, and turned them back towards the bed.
"Sure, whatever."
"Are you sure? I mean, it's not that big of deal if you aren't."
"I said it was fine!" Yang shot upwards, her fists slamming into the bed. The impact shook the entire frame, nearly causing it to fall apart. "Go away!"
Weiss stumbled back, taken off guard by Yang's reaction. Gathering the ammo, and a supply of Dust, she opened the door, taking care not to open it too quickly. Casting a quick glance back at her teammate, she saw Yang had resumed her earlier position, only now there were tears in her eyes, trailing down her cheeks. Weiss frowned, and slowly closed the door.
On the other side, she let out an exhausted sigh. Her hands were shaking, curling into and out of fists without conscious thought. She squeezed her eyes shut and grinded her teeth together, trying to gain control of the turbulent emotions raging inside of her. Normally, she'd simply take a deep breath and that was that, but today… today, that wasn't working. No measure of calm, real or faked, came to her.
"Come on Weiss, you're a Schnee! Act like it," she whispered to herself, and if she could focus on that idea, being a Schnee, she could do it. Wrest the storm within herself; keep the thoughts of Blake and Ruby away—
There it went. She groaned, raising both her hands to cover her face. Why was she acting like this? It wasn't the first time someone close to her had been kidnapped by the White Fang, or worse. Not even close. It was practically a bi-yearly event. So why was it affecting her so badly? Why did every time she thought of Blake, trapped and alone, turn her stomach into a roiling sea, ruining her appetite and slowly driving her insane?
CRASH!
Something glass broke behind her, and she heard Yang, stumbling around the room, a rampaging Grimm trapped in a tight space. She heard thuds as her fists hit the wall and crashes when they broke through. Her hand went to the door, but she held back. Yang wanted to be alone, and her jumping in would most likely make her angrier.
And, she noted with a hint of guilt, there was no guarantee she wouldn't decide she was a better target than the wall.
Letting out a quiet breath, she ran her hand down the grain of the door. She closed her eyes, and then turned around and left, Yang's ammo tucked under her free arm.
The crashes followed her through the hall.
The sun was beautiful.
Ruby stared at it from the bench, swinging her feet in time with some invisible rhythm. A cool breeze wafted through her hair, making it stick against her face. Her hand gripped the underside of the bench, as if it was the only thing holding her up. Her back rested against the cold wood, her cloak warming it and keeping her from getting chilled. Squirrels chattered in the trees, birds sang, and Grimm roared. A normal spring evening.
It was far better than she deserved.
A twig cracked behind her. Faster than a bullet, she jumped to the top of the bench, Crescent Rose unfolded and in her hands. She pointed the barrel at the noise, her finger brushing against the trigger. A blond man, shorter than her father, quickly raised his hands, eyes wide with fear. He didn't dare breathe, didn't dare move either.
Ruby lowered the gun. "Hey Jaune," she said, her voice quiet and apologetic. "Sorry about… this." She raised her gun, and then put it away. Without another word, she dropped back onto the bench.
Jaune lowered his arms, and stepped around the bench. He stuck his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "It's cool." He turned his head towards the sun. "That looks nice."
"It is," Ruby agreed, her gaze directed towards her feet. Jaune sighed, and sat down next to her. His hands threaded together, he stared at the sunset. Neither of them talked for a long time.
"I heard about Blake," he said, turning his head to face hers. "I'm… I'm sorry."
Ruby snorted. "Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong…"
"I'm sorry to hear it happened," he explained. "I… I can't say I know how it feels, but I know it can't be good."
"That's one way of putting it," she said, her voice surprisingly bitter.
Jaune took in a breath, gathering confidence. "Do you… do you want to talk about it?" he asked, trying to keep his voice light.
Ruby gave a bitter laugh. "Not really."
Jaune smiled softly. "Yeah, yeah I get that." He looked down at his hands. "Do you mind if I talked?"
Ruby shook her head. Jaune closed his eyes and took in a breath. "Did I ever tell you about my family?" He winced, and slapped his forehead. "Of course you didn't, you've only known her for a week!" he mumbled, eliciting a small giggle from the red-clad huntress.
"Seven sisters, right?"
Jaune whipped his head around, fast enough to cause whiplash. His mouth hung open, and his eyes narrowed slightly. "Um, yeah. Yeah, seven sisters, Mom, Dad, and Granddad. How'd you know?"
Ruby paled, her eyes growing the size of small plates. If her grip on the bench was any tighter, she would likely snap the thing in half. Why did she say that? Stupid, stupid, stupid! She wanted to run away from Jaune and back up to her room, where she could hide, but his questioning face demanded an explanation, and she wasn't sure how long it would take before he'd forget. If he ever did. "Um… I, uh…" she stuttered, staring down at the ground. Her heart battered against her rib cage, rattling so loudly that she was sure he could hear it. "I heard it, from someone. Yeah."
"Who could have…?" He sighed, and raised his hand to the back of his neck. "You know what? I don't care. It doesn't really matter anyways." He let out a shaky breath, and then pulled out his sword. "I take it you know where I got this from then?"
Ruby nodded.
"Well," he said, lifting up. Orange light gleamed off its surface, marred by dents and nicks from a lifetime of fighting. "My grandad, he… he was a war hero, back in the Great War. You know, chest full of metals, T.V. interviews, all of it. But…" His eyes grew cloudy, and he seemed to be talking to himself as much as her. "He never liked actually talking about what he did. He'd… you know, tell us about his unit, where he fought, some of the stuff he saw, but… if you asked him about what he did? What happened to his buddies, to the places he went, he'd get really quiet." His head turned to her. "Kinda like you."
Ruby opened her mouth to respond, but he continued before she could, "My dad, he grew up on those stories. He always wanted to be a soldier, felt that it was his destiny. So he joined the army, just after he married my mom." Something dark came over his expression. "This was just before the faunus uprising."
Ruby's mouth dropped. Jaune took notice. "Yeah, I know. It's… not something he's proud of. I… I don't know what happened, exactly, during his service, but… when he got home he…" His eyes closed. "He drank, all the time. Strong stuff, the kind you don't get unless you want to forget. It took him years to find another job, he refused to teach any of us how to fight, and…" His face bloomed red. "Well, he kept on having kids, so… you know."
Ruby did know, and snickered softly. The act relieved some of the weight resting on her chest. Not all, but enough to breath just a little easier. Jaune rolled his eyes.
"Look, I'm not… I'm trying to force you to do anything," he said, staring into her eyes. "But… if you need someone to talk to, then find me. Or Pyrrha, or Ren, or Nora, if you can hold her down long enough. Just…" He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't try and do this alone. You've got friends."
Ruby grabbed his hand, and gave him a soft smile. "I know," she said. She didn't move, taking silent comfort in his presence, when her scroll dinged. Scowling, she pulled it out and nearly swore. "It's my dad, he's… he wants to talk with us."
Jaune nodded, and stood up. "Yeah, I better get going too. It's getting kinda late," he said, checking out a plastic watch on his right arm. With a wave, he started walking towards the dorm rooms. Ruby stayed behind, staring at the sun as it crawled beneath the horizon.
It really was quite the sight.
She opened the door to her dorm room slowly, taking care not to make it squeak. Her hoots were muddy, a rainstorm picking up as she walked back from the bench. Even now, large droplets splattered against the window, filling the room with plinking sounds. Weiss was sitting on her bed, scroll in hand, anxiously tapping against the screen. She shot her a hope-filled glance, before it shattered and turned to disappointment. Dad was pacing in the middle of the room, his hands stuck in his jacket, a worried frown set on his face. The moment he saw her, a small smile broke through.
"Ruby!" he said, stopping his movement. His eyes traveled past her ears and to the hallway behind her. "Is Yang with you?"
Ruby tilted her head. "Um, no? I thought she was in here."
Dad's smile vanished, and he slammed his fist into Blake's bed in frustration. It shifted, the books supporting the second bed nearly falling out. "Damn it, damn it damn it!" he swore, before turning to Ruby. "Do you know where she might have gone?"
"Uh, no? Dad, what's going on?" A far too familiar stone of dread dropped into her stomach. Was Yang hurt? Was Dad hurt?
Dad sighed, and sat down on Blake's bed. The frame creaked under his weight, and the mattress itself bowed where he sat. He brought his hand up to his forehead, and rested his head against it. "It's nothing, sweetheart, just had to talk to about…" He took in a deep breath. "About Blake, and what Ozpin said about her." His free hand curled into a fist as he finished his sentence. "But I haven't been able to find Yang anywhere, and I'm… I'm getting a little worried about her."
Ruby walked over to her father and sat down, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure she's fine. Yang can take care of herself."
Something dark came over Dad's face, and he turned to stare out the window. Stars were beginning to peek through the fading sun. "I'm not so sure about that." He sighed, and turned back to Ruby. "Are you sure you don't know where she is?"
Ruby shook her head, but something came to her. A location that would undoubtedly be very important for her sister right now. "Actually, I... might know where she is."
Dad immediately brightened, and pulled out his scroll. "Great! Where? I'll get a Bullhead and—"
Ruby grabbed his arm, hard enough to shock him. Much softer, she said, "I don't think she wants company."
The same darkness from before returned. Dad's eyes met her own, pleading and vulnerable. "What she wants, and what she needs are not the same thing."
Ruby closed her eyes, and when she opened them, they were filled with determination. "I'll go. I'll bring her back, I…" She chocked on the final word. "I promise." Then, without another word, she ran off, her semblance kicking up a cloud of petals.
Dad sputtered and coughed. Reaching out an arm, he yelled, "Ruby!" But she was gone. He slammed an arm into the bed, a snarl on his face. "Damn it all." He lifted his head to look at Weiss. "At least I know you're not going anywhere."
Weiss gave him an awkward smile, and hastily pulled up her scroll.
The taxi driver almost refused to take her, requiring a substantial amount of money, and some haggling by her sweetheart to get him moving. The city was nearly dead, most of its citizens too scared to be caught outside their homes at night. It made for a quiet drive, and kept her from receiving too many odd stares. Stars glinted through the car's blurry windows, transforming the sky into a sea of white strings, all stabbing through her eyes. A wind howled through the streets, loud and cold. Even within the heated cab, Ruby still wrapped her cloak tightly around her.
Eventually, the car pulled up just before a stretch of police tape. Beyond it, Ruby could see several forensic trucks sitting on the grass, awaiting the techs in the morning. A few uniformed officers stood guard around the tape, with some in the scene itself, staring at something. Or someone. Big, black and yellow industrial lamps provided most of the light in the clearing. Ruby payed the taxi driver, wincing at how little money she had left to spend. He sped away without a word, leaving her to her fate. Whatever that may be.
The police officers stepped forward to stop her, but the moment they saw Crescent Rose strapped to her back, they let her go through. She felt a small amount of disappointment at their lax enforcement of the laws, but she was the one breaking them. It felt somewhat hypocritical to complain.
Walking past the first row of buildings, she found herself staring at the many craters and destroyed walls Yang and Blake had left behind. It was impressive. Yang and Blake were undoubtedly good fighters, but if she hadn't they were responsible for what she saw around her, she would have assumed it was caused by some large scale war, fought by armies.
It hadn't done Blake any good though.
She came up to easily the most heavily damaged building. Something tingled in the back of her mind, and an early memory of herself and Yang, going to a restaurant, surfaced in her mind. A gasp tumbled out of her lips. She knew this place, had been there when she was younger. Far younger. Shortly after Mom's death, she had decided, in her infinite six-year old wisdom, that Mom didn't die, and must be hiding somewhere. She figured that she would hide somewhere with roses.
Unsurprisingly, she never found anything.
Ruby stepped into the ruined husk of the building. Hastily erected scaffolding held up the roof in several places, to the point that it was likely the only thing keeping the building standing. Number cards sat everywhere, near a black scorch mark, a pile of rubble, what looked like a door. One such flare of yellow lacked the number, instead choosing a grey shirt, sweatpants, and messy hair.
Ruby put a foot forward, intending to greet her, but stepped on a piece of broken glass. Within a blink, Yang spun around, and pointed a deployed gauntlet straight at her face. She blinked, and then saw who it was.
"Ruby?" She brought her arm down. "I'm… I'm sorry, I didn't see you."
Ruby waved it off, a small smile coming to her lips. "We've all done it." It was meant to be a bit of a joke, something Yang could laugh at, and then they'd go back to Dad. Her sister didn't play along, instead turning her back on Ruby.
"This is where it happened," she said, her voice shaking. Ruby walked closer, resisting the urge to pull her sister into a hug. It wasn't easy. "Me and Blake were here, sitting down. Viola had just left, everything was cool, and then…" Her eyes closed, and Ruby caught brief glimmers of light as tears fell from her eyes. "Then she heard something, picked up a jacket Viola left, and said it was a bomb. She threw it, and… that's when everything went to hell."
Screw everything went tothe consequences. Ruby grabbed her sister and pulled her into a spine-snapping hug. Yang barely reacted. "I'm so, so sorry Yang."
She pushed her off. "Yeah, well, sorry doesn't bring her back," she said, stomping out of the building. Ruby followed her, nearly tripping over a pile of rubble. Yang stopped in the middle of the street. "Sorry doesn't make everything better!" Turning around, Ruby saw her eyes turn dark red, her hands clenched into tight fists at her side. "Why did you follow me? Huh?"
Ruby bit her lip and looked away, predicting her sister's reaction. "Dad wanted to talk to us about finding Blake and the plan."
"Why? So we can have another misadventure and solve jack-all?" Yang laughed harshly, the noise alien to Ruby. She shook her head. "Look around us!" She gestured towards the destruction around her. "Does it look like we're solving any problems?" She sighed and looked down. "What are we doing?"
Ruby stepped forward. "What do you mean? We're… we're stopping Cinder."
Yang let out a few harsh chuckles. "Look at how well that's turned out. Blake's gone, Cardin's in the hospital, two people are dead, yeah, we're doing a great job." She closed her eyes, and walked off, into the field.
Ruby started to walk after her, but felt an increasing amount of dread. Was she right? Were they doing any good, at all? Ever since they came back, things did seem to be going poorer and poorer. Weiss nearly died, Blake nearly died, and now all of this… Maybe Yang had a point.
CRACK.
Ruby looked down at her foot. She had stepped on something, presumably glass. She bent down to pick it up, and make sure she hadn't ruined her boot. Instead of a small shard however, her fingers found a smooth, glass and metal device, with a spider web of cracks running through its surface. She picked it up, and the lightweight device turned on. Pushing a finger to its surface, it showed the main menu of a normal scroll. Ruby pressed a small picture of a camera, and was rewarded with a picture of Blake, lying on her bed at home, reading. A surge of energy ran through her.
"We can't give up," Ruby said, drawing Yang's attention. "We can't stop. Blake's still out there, Yang. Cinder's still out there. We can still fix this. We just need to keep trying."
Yang took a deep breath. "How, Rubes? What've we got left to try? There's no more leads, no more spurts of good luck. We have nothing left to on."
Ruby clenched both her fists, her arms shaking. "I don't know," she admitted. "But we'll find something, we always do."
Yang smiled ruefully, and shook her head. It was a far cry from the angry tirade she was on before, so Ruby didn't comment. Suddenly, her eyes landed on the scroll. "What is that?"
Ruby held up the device. "I think it's Blake's scroll." She eyed Yang's hungry expression. "Do you want it?"
Yang nodded, and Ruby passed the device over. She stared at the same picture she was on, tears framing a small smile. "At least… at least we'll have pictures."
Ruby nodded.
Yang lifted the scroll, as if she was going to smash it into the ground. "I just wish I could call her or something! You know, go for an ice cream or do stupid stuff!" Her hand shook, and then she pushed the device against her chest, like one would hold a baby. "I…"
A thoughtful expression suddenly came on her face, and she lifted the scroll upwards. "Call…" She smiled, broad and gleeful. "I got it! Ruby, I got it!"
"Got what?" Ruby asked, confused, yet the good cheer of Yang proved as infectious as ever.
Yang started tapping away at the screen. "Blake called Viola just before she left. The numbers still on here. If I can get it, we can trace the phone— yes!" she shouted, raising a hand in the air. "Got it right here!"
Ruby's grin could've split the heavens. She rushed to her sister's side, tackling her in petal assisted hug. Yang threw her arms around the smaller girl.
Ruby pulled away. "Where do we need to go?"
"CCT," Yang said, pocketing Blake's scroll. "Call a cab."
Ruby nodded, and walked off, pulling out her scroll. Yang looked up into the night sky, grinning at the stars as the clouds moved off.
"Hold on just a little longer," she whispered. "We're on our way."