As One
Ruby was seven months pregnant. Ren had helped she and Pyrrha with the same magic he had used for Weiss and Blake. During that visit Nora had been pregnant with the couple's second child but she had since given birth. Just a month and a half removed, she was already as energetic and bubbly as ever. Ren and Nora stopped in Rosanne to visit Ruby and Pyrrha on they way home from their latest sojourn to the capital.
Holding her belly, Ruby walked unsteadily to the front door of the manor to greet Ren and Nora. Pyrrha was there to help, even if Ruby still insisted she was just fine getting around on her own. "Ruby!" Nora cheered. "You're so...big!"
"That's Pyrrha's fault." Ruby laughed.
"I'd say Ren's, but what does it matter?" Pyrrha joked.
"How have you been?" Ren asked.
"Good." Ruby replied. "Being pregnant is kind of a pain, and really nerve-wracking, but it's worth it."
"It sure is!" Nora exclaimed. "Kids are the cutest!"
"You didn't bring Chrys and Freyja?" Pyrrha asked.
"I wanted to but Ren says they're too young for such a big trip." Nora explained. "May's keeping an eye on them! She's the best."
"Their names are a bit...different." Ruby observed. "Do they have special meanings?"
"Chrys is short for Chrysanthemum, a type of flower." Ren replied.
"What about Freyja?" Pyrrha asked.
"That comes from one of Nora's dreams." Ren answered.
"Hey...could we go sit down?" Ruby asked. "My feet are killing me."
"Oh, where are my manners?" Pyrrha gasped. "You two are our honored guests. Come in, make yourselves comfortable."
The group headed into the manor, relaxing in a lounge room. It was already late, almost time for dinner. "So what brings you to Valm?" Ruby asked.
"We came for the tournament celebrating Yang's being made Count of Steiger." Ren explained. "Nora competed."
"I lost." Nora sighed. "Yang kicked my ass in the final. She's even stronger than the last time we fought. I was surprised you two didn't go. I mean, Ruby can't fight, but Pyrrha, you're like the best tournament fighter ever!"
"Oh, well, my ankle is still acting up." Pyrrha said. "And I didn't want to leave Ruby alone."
"There's more to it than that." Ren said.
"Yeah, there is." Ruby confirmed.
"I'm...we're...tired of violence." Pyrrha said. "After everything we saw, everything we did during the war...even something like a tournament is a reminder. We want our daughter to be able to grow up in a peaceful world."
"So that's why your lance and shield are hanging on the wall." Nora said. Ruby's legendary bow - Nidhogg - was in a glass case below Pyrrha's weapons. "Where's Ruby's scythe?"
"It's in the armory." Ruby replied. "I'm still a duchess, and that means I have military obligations if the empire goes to war."
"Well this conversation got depressing." Nora said. "Ruby, how do you like being pregnant?"
"To be honest, I'm not thrilled." Ruby sighed. "It makes it hard to move around and I'm always so achey. I'm always so nervous too. I just don't want to do anything that could hurt the baby, you know?"
"Really?" Nora asked. "I was even bigger than you and I was still climbing trees."
"Naturally I was terrified." Ren said without a hint of emotion in his voice. "But I have spells to prevent a fall."
"Your kids are going to be indestructible." Ruby laughed. "If they can survive nine months in you they can survive anything."
"I can be a little rambunctious." Nora admitted. "I don't do anything too crazy though."
"You had special armor made so you could still fight while you were pregnant." Ren countered.
"With extra armor for my baby!" Nora protested. "And it's not like I actually used it."
"I found her testing it out by hitting herself with a hammer." Ren said.
"I wonder if I could get armor like that…" Ruby thought aloud.
"I'll tie you down if I have to." Pyrrha said. "We're not taking any risks."
"I know, but it would look pretty funny." Ruby said.
"And now that I'm not pregnant, I can stuff all kinds of snacks in the empty space in my armor!" Nora cheered.
"Yep, definitely getting a suit made." Ruby laughed.
After dinner it was quite late and everyone retired to their rooms to sleep. Ruby sighed as she sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing her bulging belly. Being pregnant was rough, and not just physically. She was even more nervous about the whole thing than she had previously admitted. So many things could go wrong, even if she did everything right. To say she was on edge would be a massive understatement. She lie there awake long after Pyrrha had fallen asleep, just staring at the ceiling, worrying.
Crash! A loud shattering sound cut through the nighttime silence. Ruby screamed and shuddered. "What was that?" She gasped, shaking in terror.
Pyrrha snapped up to a seated position, her eyes wide. "Protect…" She grunted. She leapt out of bed and charged out of the room, heading toward the source of the sound.
Out in the hallway, Nora - returning from a visit to the latrine - stood over the smashed remnants of what was probably a priceless vase. "Pyrrha's not gonna' be happy when she finds out." She groaned. She heard approaching footsteps and looked up. "Oh! Pyrrha! I'm really sorry, it's kind of dark and I just sort of bumped into it and…" Pyrrha screamed and charged at Nora.
"Eep!" Nora shrieked. She ran down the hallway with Pyrrha in hot pursuit. "Sorry! I'll pay for it!" Still Pyrrha chased her. "Oh, I get it." Nora giggled. What a fun game! She kept running through the twisting hallways until they ended at the longue. "Looks like I win!" Nora cheered. Pyrrha came barreling down the hallway and slammed into Nora. Nora tumbled back into the couch, flipping over it and causing it to tip onto its back. She got up and laughed. "So it's a wrestling match you want! Uh-oh." Pyrrha had taken her lance and shield off the wall and now held them at the ready. There was madness in her eyes as she snarled. "Uh...Pyrrha?"
Pyrrha reared back and threw her lance at Nora. Nora dove aside and the weapon just missed. She started to get up but Pyrrha bashed her in the face with the shield, knocking her back to the ground. Pyrrha lifted the shield over her head, ready to deliver another blow. Suddenly, she collapsed in a heap, leaving Ren standing just behind her, having just cast a sleep spell. "Nora, are you okay?" Ren asked.
"I...I…I…" Nora stammered.
"What happened?" Ruby gasped, waddling into the ransacked room.
"P-Pyrrha attacked me!" Nora shouted. "I'm sorry for breaking the vase. I'm really sorry."
"This is very unlike her." Ren observed. "Ruby, did anything strange happen?"
"I heard a crash and got really scared." Ruby said. "Then Pyrrha got up. She was in...in like a trance. She ran off before I could even say anything to her."
"Curious." Ren said. "Did the crash wake her up?"
"No, she woke up a few seconds after I started panicking." Ruby replied. "Maybe I…"
"So she reacted to your emotions?" Ren suggested.
"Maybe?" Ruby answered.
"Has anything like this happened before?" Ren asked.
"Yes...well...no...maybe?" Ruby struggled. "Not exactly like this but...sometimes we get these...I guess you could call them flashes."
"Flashes?" Ren pressed.
"Sometimes we can sort of...feel each other's emotions." Ruby explained. "It's weird and it hurts. It's been happening more since I've been pregnant." She sighed. "Pyrrha doesn't like to talk about it. She gets really worried. She can't fight them and she can't protect me from them."
"Hmm...I've heard of something like this." Ren said. "When was the first time this happened."
"A little after our honeymoon I think." Ruby replied. "We were out riding and I fell off Zwei. I was fine but Pyrrha got scared and...I could feel her fear."
"So after...okay." Ren said, nodding. "I think I know what's going on here, but I need to be sure. Let me do some research." He started walking towards the library.
"What about Pyrrha?" Ruby asked, gesturing toward her as she slept in a heap on the floor.
"She'll be fine." Ren said. "The spell should wear off any minute."
"What if she attacks again when she wakes up?" Ruby asked.
"If I'm right about this, that won't be a problem." Ren answered.
"And if you're wrong?" Ruby pressed.
"Run and scream." Ren shrugged. "I'll put her to sleep again."
"That's not very reassuring!" Nora protested. "Angry Pyrrha is scary Pyrrha!"
As Ren suggested, Pyrrha awoke after a few minutes. She was confused rather than angry. She groaned and sat up, looking around at the upturned furniture and lance sticking out of the wall. "Wha...what happened?" She asked, holding her head.
"You freaked out and attacked Nora." Ruby explained. "Then Ren knocked you out."
"I thought it was a dream…" Pyrrha trailed off. "Nora, I'm so sorry."
"It's alright." Nora said. "It was actually pretty fun until the weapons came out."
"Pyrrha...what happened?" Ruby asked. "Why did you do that?"
"I...I...it was like I wasn't in control." Pyrrha said. "I felt this surge of anxiety, then all my brain could think about was protecting you. I saw someone, I couldn't even figure out who it was, and I attacked. I didn't think about it. I couldn't think about it. It was like I was seeing through someone else's eyes."
"You should probably tell Ren." Nora suggested. "He thinks he knows what's going on."
"How would he…" Pyrrha started.
"I sort of told him about...about the flashes." Ruby admitted. "I know you don't like to talk about them and you wanted to keep them secret, but I figured it was important and…"
"No, you did the right thing." Pyrrha cut her off. "If this is related...gods...I don't even want to think about it."
"Maybe Ren can help." Nora said. "He's really good with stuff like that. Though he hasn't had much luck with my weird dreams."
Ren walked in carrying a tome. "Ah, Pyrrha, you're awake." Ren said. "And not trying to kill anyone. That's a good sign."
"I guess?" Pyrrha sighed. She explained the situation from her perspective.
"My theory was correct." Ren confirmed. "The two of you...how can I explain this...your souls...have become entangled."
"How?" Ruby gasped.
"Cinder's curse I suspect." Ren replied. "Her curse drained your life-force, effectively attacking your very soul. You were both cursed, so both of your souls were damaged. Because of the bond of love you share, your souls reached out to each other for support. When the curse was lifted and your souls restored, they...for lack of a better term...snagged on one another. They healed together, creating a fragmentary connection. Strong emotion is enough to bridge the gap, but the situation is unstable, hence the pain and fear you experience when the connection activates."
"Is there anything we can do?" Pyrrha asked.
"You and Ruby specifically?" Ren said. "No. This sort of thing cannot be fixed by normal means. But there might be something I can do. There's a magic ritual that may help, but I must do more research first. Something like this, something that deals with your very souls, is not to be taken lightly."
"Please help us." Pyrrha beseeched. "I don't...I don't want this to happen ever again."
"I'll do what I can." Ren promised.
Pyrrha and Ruby sat down in the longue with Ren. The setting may have been a relaxed one but the mood was not. "So, can you fix our souls?" Pyrrha asked.
"Yes and no." Ren replied. "I can't sever the connection between you without great risk, likely the death of one or both of you. I can, however, stabilize it."
"What does that mean?" Ruby asked.
"Right now the link between your souls is jagged and unpredictable." Ren explained. "If I were to create a permanent, full link, the flashes and pain would go away."
"So do it." Pyrrha said.
"There are side-effects." Ren warned. "Good and bad. You'll still be able to sense one another's emotions, pain included, though it should be less jarring and severe. That means you probably won't be able to lie to each other, since the anxiety of lying would give it away."
"Why would that matter?" Ruby asked. "We don't lie to each other."
"Everyone does." Ren countered. "When you say something that isn't true to make Pyrrha feel better, you're lying. Now that lie doesn't hurt anyone because Pyrrha gets to feel better and you feel good knowing that. But if she knew you were lying just to make her feel better, it may just make her feel worse."
"Oh...that's a good point." Ruby sighed.
"Furthermore, if you're separated, physically or emotionally, you'll both be weakened." Ren said. "It would be like trying to stand on one leg."
"I don't like the implication." Pyrrha said. "If one of us were to die…"
"The other would soon follow." Ren confirmed. "It would be a gaping wound in the survivor's soul, a wound soon fatal. But there are positives. Together you should be stronger. Knowing what the other is feeling could also have a positive effect on your combat effectiveness, or even in your daily lives. Still, it's not like you'll be able to read each other's thoughts."
"So if we stay together and stay alive, everything should be alright?" Ruby asked. "Things might even be better than normal?"
"It's possible." Ren replied. "But I can't make guarantees. I can assure you that the flashes and any incidents like the one last night will cease, but little else is certain. This is rare and extreme magic. There might be more side-effects that are currently unknown. The bottom line is that this is a commitment greater than even that of your marriage. If your marriage were to break up, it would be to your emotional detriment. If you were to separate after this ritual, it would destroy you emotionally and physically. You're also committing to immediately following your partner to the grave."
"I wouldn't want to live without Pyrrha anyway." Ruby declared.
"And I wouldn't want to live without Ruby." Pyrrha agreed.
"Very well." Ren said. "But take some time to think and talk it over, just in case. Besides, Nora is excited to...do something...as soon as possible."
"Something eh?" Ruby asked. "Where does Nora want to have sex now?"
"The armory." Ren replied. "She said something about armored sex being the safest sex. I think it was supposed to be a joke but I don't get it. I think she really just wants to do it somewhere we might get caught."
"I'll give the quartermaster a heads-up." Pyrrha offered. "So you won't be interrupted."
"Thank you." Ren said. "I think Nora's aiming for baby number three."
"So...do you think we should do it?" Ruby asked.
"I don't really see an alternative." Pyrrha sighed. "It doesn't sound all that bad anyway."
"It certainly seems like something I can live with." Ruby shrugged. "Definitely better than the flashes."
"And I certainly don't want to go losing my mind again like I did last night." Pyrrha said. "I guess we're decided then."
"Yep." Ruby confirmed. "Now we just have to wait for Ren to get back."
"That could be hours." Pyrrha said. "What should we do while we wait?"
"How about a bath." Ruby suggested. "My back is sore."
"That sounds wonderful." Pyrrha said.
Even after Ruby and Pyrrha finished their bath, it was still some time before Ren returned. He suggested they lay in bed beside one another, and the pair did so. "Alright, now hold hands." Ren said as he flipped the pages of his tome. "This ritual requires a physical connection in addition to the emotional one." He pulled a length of rope from his bag and used it to tie their wrists together. "We can't risk severing the connection during the process." Ruby and Pyrrha looked at one another nervously. "Are you ready?"
"Yes." Pyrrha confirmed.
"Uh...this won't hurt the baby, will it?" Ruby asked.
"No." Ren replied. "The baby will be unharmed."
"Then I...I'm ready." Ruby said.
"I need you to think about each other while I do this." Ren instructed. "Think about how much you love one another, what you love about one another, that sort of thing. We need the emotional connection to be as strong as possible."
Ruby turned to look at Pyrrha and Pyrrha turned to look at her. "I love you." Ruby said, her Silver eyes gazing into Pyrrha's green.
"And I love you." Pyrrha said.
Ren flipped to the relevant page of his tome. He reached out his arm toward the couple and began speaking the spell. They became bathed in light. Ruby and Pyrrha gazed into each other's eyes as their vision was overtaken by the blinding glow, then suddenly their worlds went dark.
"Are you sure they're alright?" Nora asked. "They've been out for hours."
"The process is exhausting." Ren repeated. "They just need to rest."
"But waiting is so boring!" Nora complained. "Can't we do something?"
"Why don't you run a lap around the manor?" Ren suggested. "Try to beat your time."
"I've done that like five times already." Nora said. "Ooh, maybe I can test out some of the weapons from the armory."
"You probably shouldn't...but I guess…" Ren started.
In unison, Ruby and Pyrrha inhaled sharply and their eyes snapped open. They sat up at the same time. "They're awake!" Nora exclaimed.
"How are you feeling?" Ren asked.
"Good." Ruby and Pyrrha said at once. They looked at one another. "That was weird. Ah! Stop that! Ah!"
"What's your favorite food?" Ren asked.
"Strawberries." Ruby replied.
"Grapes." Pyrrha said.
"Well, your individual minds seem to have remained intact." Ren said. "That's good."
"Good is an understatement." Pyrrha laughed.
"Roar!" Nora jumped at Ruby.
"Ah!" Ruby screamed, leaning into Pyrrha.
"Feel anything Pyrrha?" Nora asked.
"I don't have the urge to kill if that's what you mean." Pyrrha answered.
"Very good." Ren said. "Thank you Nora." Nora smiled widely as she rocked back and forth, unable to stand still. "I think it was a success."
"So our souls are fully linked now?" Ruby asked. Ren nodded. "Cool! Hmm...I wonder if you'll feel it too when I give birth."
"What?" Pyrrha asked.
"Labor pain." Ruby replied.
"I really, really hope not." Pyrrha groaned.
"Gods damn it Ruby Rose!" Pyrrha screamed. "Why did we do this?!" A few months after the ritual to link their souls, Ruby was finally about to give birth. Pyrrha was feeling her pain and anxiety, every little bit of it.
"Shut up!" Ruby shouted back. "This is your fault anyway!" They lie side-by-side, gripping hands as they suffered identical pain.
"I'm pretty...argh!" Pyrrha groaned. "Pretty sure this is Ren's fault! On both counts!"
"You're crushing my hand!" Ruby complained.
"You're crushing mine!" Pyrrha shot back.
"Just cast that spell you used on Weiss!" Ruby demanded.
"I can't!" Pyrrha yelled. "It hurts too much!" Both cried out as another wave of pain washed over them, this greater than any before. Then it faded. There was a cry, not from Ruby or Pyrrha but from their newborn. Some aftershocks of pain ebbed and flowed, but the worst was over. "I think...I think that's it."
"Yeah...I...we did it." Ruby sighed.
"That was...exhausting." Pyrrha complained.
"How do think I feel?" Ruby asked.
"I know." Pyrrha said. "I can't imagine. But I'll take the next one, whenever you're ready."
"Next one?" Ruby gasped.
"I know you won't be satisfied with one kid." Pyrrha laughed.
"I love you so much." Ruby said. She leaned over and kissed Pyrrha but quickly broke away on account of her exhaustion.
"I love you too." Pyrrha said.
A cleric brought their baby girl over, placing the child in Ruby's arms. "Do you...do you mind if I name her?" Ruby asked.
"Not at all." Pyrrha replied. "I have a feeling I know what name you'll choose anyway. Summer?"
"Yeah, Summer!" Ruby cheered. "Did you know because of the soul-linking thing?"
"No." Pyrrha laughed. "I knew because I love you, silly."