RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.
CHAPTER 38
"You okay down there, Ryland?" Alex called as he worked on top of the Corvette. They had gathered anyone they knew with technical experience to assist in repairing the EDC spacecraft. The process had not been easy so far. The Order had done their best to destroy the craft short of blowing it up. Wires and panels were ripped open across the entire ship, occasionally releasing showers of sparks. Almost half of the electronics on the bridge appeared to have been fried by someone with by a Lightning Aura, and would need to be replaced.
"It's a bit hard with one arm, think you can lend me yours?" Ryland shouted through a large hole in the bridge's forward viewing panel. Alex dropped down through the hole to help the younger soldier. The pair quickly went to work, Ryland guiding Alex through what needed to be fixed or torn out of the command console he was working on.
"I thought Yang was helping you repair your arm," Alex said, not taking his eyes off his work.
"She was," Ryland nodded. "That connector needs to go one slot over to the left. But, yeah, I woke up this morning and I couldn't find her."
"Did you piss her off?" Alex inquired.
"I don't think so..." Ryland put his hand under his chin. "Maybe she's doing something with Ruby?"
"Now that you mention it," Alex added, "I don't think I saw Ruby today either. She was volunteering to help out with the Corvette just the other day..."
"Well, whatever it is, they're probably fine," Ryland shrugged.
"I'm not going to lie, I'm a little concerned about Ruby," Alex replied. "If they don't turn up later, we're going to have to go looking for them."
"I kinda can't worry about Yang anymore..." the younger soldier chuckled. "Considering that I heard she went toe-to-toe with that Europa chick... it's a bit hard to worry about someone when they were able to hold off a Bloodline."
"I talked to Jerloh about that actually," Alex nodded slightly, using a welding tool to reattach a bundle of wires to their proper homes. "It sounds like Europa has more power than she was actually displaying during her attack. That ice maze was apparently the least of what she could do, it just turns out that she's a bit... lazy."
"Well, she did attack us with a bunch of clones at first," Ryland replied. He reached out to press a new computer chip into a slot in the console, when a flash and geyser of sparks erupted around him. "Gah! Crap!" Ryland patted out a section of his empty sleeve that had caught fire. The young soldier sighed at seeing the scorch marks covering the console. "Damn it..."
"Need to take a break?" Alex asked. "You've been at this since breakfast. The ship's not going anywhere."
"Nah, I can keep going. We need this thing ready to fly before the Order makes their next move, whatever it is."
"If you say so," Alex sighed. "Just don't push yourself too hard. The last thing we need is for you to reopen the stitches in your chest."
"Well, if nothing else, I'd die a hole-y man." Ryland snickered as Alex gave him a look of mock exasperation.
"Did you just take an opportunity to make a pun from me?" Yang's voice announced in false horror. "Ry, how could you?" The pair of soldiers turned to find Ruby and Yang standing in the doorway onto the bridge, the older sister placing a hand dramatically over her heart.
"Well, you made me this way," Ryland smiled, "I don't think you can really complain."
"Anyway," Alex shook his head, "we were actually just talking about where the two of you could have disappeared to."
"Yang asked me to help her with something this morning," Ruby answered, stepping forward with a wrapped bundle of cloth. Alex noticed she was cradling whatever it was as if it were a baby. The cloaked girl unveiled the object, revealing it to be a completed and polished prosthetic arm. "Congratulations, it's a limb," Ruby deadpanned. All four of the people on the bridge burst out laughing.
"Thanks, Ruby. You too, Yang," Ryland grinned as the younger sister handed him the arm. Yang moved to help slot the limb into the connector on the young soldier's shoulder. Upon being properly seated, Ryland moved the newly-repaired limb around in its socket. "Well, Bossman, no time for breaks. I've got two hands again, so we'll get this heap off the ground in record time."
"What can we do to help?" Ruby spoke up.
"Honestly," Ryland answered, "by fixing my arm, I think you've done enough for one day."
"Well, we already gave you a hand once," Yang smirked. "An extra two pairs probably wouldn't hurt."
"If you're still up to it, Yang, you can assist Ryland. Ruby, if you want, you can tag along with me," Alex said.
"Sounds good," Yang nodded.
"I can do that," Ruby affirmed with a bob of her own head.
"Alright," Ryland smiled and cracked his knuckles. "Let's get this thing flying."
Weiss bit into the food in front of her with a harsh, unlady-like chomp. In front her her lay an EDC tactical pad. She had Alyia and Jerloh to compile all the information they could think of on the Lords the Order had with them. Of course, her attention was fixed on one Lord in particular.
Golem. The Bloodline of Earth. Charles' killer... well, partially... Weiss had still been unable to shake the overwhelming feeling of guilt. She had replayed the situation in her head so many times... trying to figure out if there was something she could have done differently. Many times, her heart dropped as she realized that she could have just stayed on the Dustplane... that Golem would have been unable to copy her Semblance if she had stayed away. Charles might have lived if only she hadn't been so reckle-
"Weiss?" Anise's voice jumped the younger Schnee sister out of her thoughts. "You had a scary look on your face..."
"Sorry, Anise," Weiss sighed. "I'm just... thinking... That's all..."
"About Uncle Charles?"
"Yes..." Weiss looked down at the table before her sadly. "I'm certain there was something I could have done, but-"
"You did what you thought was right at the time, Weiss," Winter spoke up softly from her seat beside Anise. "I was ready to follow you when you jumped out of the transport to go save Charles... If General Ironwood hadn't held me back... That Lord could have just as easily taken my Semblance... As much as we want to change it, we have to accept that we tried our best when we had the chance." Weiss noticed small tears gathered in her sister's eyes.
"That's why I asked for all this information," Weiss said solemnly. "We can't go back in time to save Charles, but we can make sure his murderer is unable to hurt anyone else."
"Can we, though?" Winter asked sadly. "Bloodlines like Charles... could you or I even do anything to fight them? And what about Anise? If we were to both die, who would watch after her? I want to honor Charles' memory as well, but..."
"You're thinking about what General Evans said," Weiss stated. "About whether or not coming along was what any of us wanted or were ready to do..."
"Yes..." Winter nodded solemnly, "Weiss, let's be honest, I'm not the strongest fighter in our family. After losing Charles... I just want you and Anise to be safe..."
"So, you've decided not to go?" Weiss inquired, setting the tactical pad down.
"I was going to ask you to stay as well," Winter bowed her head. "I know it's selfish, but if I lose you too, I don't know what-"
"I understand your position, Winter," Weiss replied, "but this is something I have to do." She rose from her seat, taking the tactical pad with her. "If anything, I'm glad that you'll still be here to look after Anise while I'm away."
"But, Weiss," Anise spoke up, "what if you get hurt? What if you-"
"You two don't need to worry about me," Weiss did her best to smile at her family. "I'll come back. I promise." Without another word, Weiss turned and departed the table with a determined stride.
"Anise..." Winter said as she watched her sister's back grow farther away. "Take your time growing up, okay?" Weiss' form disappeared around a corner. "Because... it feels like I looked away for only a second... and Weiss became strong when I wasn't watching..."
"Father?" Pyrrha called as she gently pushed her way into the room Peleus had been staying in. "You wanted to speak to me?"
"Pyrrha," the Senator nodded softly. "Please, sit down." The redheaded girl did as she was asked, pulling up a small wooden chair so she sat across from her father, who was seated on the edge of his bed. "I know that you were determined to come with me to Mistral, but I-"
"You can't ask me to stay!" Pyrrha interrupted loudly. "You can't ask me to abandon my home and let Mother's killers just get away!"
"Pyrrha, trust me, I will not allow the Order to escape justice without a fight," Peleus said calmly.
"Then let me help you!" the girl cried. "I have as much reason to fight as you do!"
"Pyrrha," Peleus said her name sharply. "Would you ask me to bury you?"
"I-" the redheaded student's harshness vanished.
"I just want you to survive," Peleus reached out to place his hands on his daughter's shoulders. "Please... do not make me bury you as well as Thetis..."
"Father..." Pyrrha took a deep breath. She'd been on edge ever since the attacks, she needed to clear her head and calm down. "I know you're frightened for me, but would you ask me to bury you? I cannot sit and do nothing when my family and home is threatened. Just as you don't want to lose me, I don't want to lose you..."
"Pyrrha..."
"If I... were to help, but not fight..." the girl continued, "would you allow me to accompany you? I only need to do something..."
"I... That could work I suppose..." Peleus said defeatedly. His daughter's mind was made up, she would find a way to follow him even if he forced her to stay. The Senator sighed to himself. "Very well... but you are not to leave my sight... I couldn't bear it if something happened to you..."
"Then in exchange," Pyrrha said, "I will keep you safe." She wrapped her father in a tight embrace. "We will both make it home..."
"Arthur?" Emerald called softly as she entered their shared room. It once again struck her how quiet the dorm had become without Anika. "Is he not here?" The mint-haired girl could not shake a sinking feeling that she might never see the Guardian again. She was certain that he would leave for Mistral, and that he would not return. She had long since made up her mind that she would not go, she couldn't.
Emerald hadn't signed up to be a soldier. When Arthur had given her a second chance, she had decided that she was going to turn her life around to help others. After tasting the horrors of war two years before, Emerald decided that she would never participate in anything like that again. Grimm were one thing... but seeing Humans and Faunus slaughtered around her as if they were insignificant annoyances...To see the lights snuffed out from so many peoples' eyes... It had changed her.
After determining that Arthur was nowhere to be found in their dorm room, Emerald exited back into the hallway. She could hear the soft pattering of rain against the windows. She resumed her search for the blond Guardian boy, passing the occasional student or staff member in the hall.
Emerald had had a crush on Arthur ever since they had met. He had even seen right through her at the time, known that she hadn't been a good person... but he had still treated her with the most kindness she had ever felt. Since then, she felt like her affection towards the boy had only grown, and now she couldn't let him die. Even if she had to destroy their relationship to do it, Emerald would make sure Arthur lived.
The mint-haired girl continued to wander about the academy, checking every nook and cranny of the campus that she could think of, even going as far to start looking under tables. Suddenly, a flash of platinum-blond caught her eyes. Out in the rain, calmly standing beneath the downpour in the middle of the school plaza, was Arthur. His hair was plastered to the side of his head. Emerald ran out the nearest door, making a beeline for the Guardian.
"What are you doing!?" she demanded. "Are you trying to catch something!?"
"Em?" Arthur suddenly noticed her. His voice was muffled under the roar of the heavy rain. "No, I... I've always found the rain calming. I couldn't get sick even if I wanted to, though. One of the perks of being having a Regeneration Secondary." Something seemed to occur to the blonde boy. "Wait, but you can." Emerald found herself being abruptly hustled towards a dry spot underneath a large tree nearby. "What were you thinking?" the Guardian chastised her as he attempted wring the water out of her clothes.
"I was... looking for you..." Emerald muttered in embarrassment. She shook the sleeves of her Beacon uniform, tossing water droplets everywhere. She quickly abandoned the soaked black jacket with the academy's insignia, leaving her with a relatively dry undershirt and a damp skirt. She shivered as the cold air struck her. "I- I d-doubt you've got s- something dry or warm on you, right?" Emerald's teeth chattered together.
"I brought a bag with a towel with me," Arthur answered, pulling said article of cloth out as he said it. He proceeded to wrap Emerald's upper body in the towel, slowly bringing her shivering under control. The soaked Guardian sat down next to the mint-haired girl underneath the tree. The pair gazed silently out into the rain.
"Don't go..." Emerald said softly, hugging her knees to her chest.
"Kinda hard for me to go somewhere with the rain," Arthur replied. He smiled at the mint-haired girl, but the grin vanished once he saw the desperate and despondent look in her eyes. "That's not what you meant..."
"I meant... I don't want you to go to Mistral..." Emerald edged closer to the Guardian. "I have this... terrible feeling that if you go... you won't come back... I know you probably want to go to avenge Anika, but-"
"Em," Arthur held up a hand and looked at her worriedly, "I wasn't planning on going anywhere. I told Alex this morning that I wasn't going."
"Why?" Emerald asked in shock.
"Because Alex told me the most important person to me isn't going," the Guardian answered.
"What?" Emerald's heart fluttered as she looked Arthur in the eyes and caught his meaning. "Oh..." In that moment, Emerald's body acted on its own, and she and the Guardian leaned forward to kiss each other. Emerald discarded the towel of wrap her arms around Arthur's neck, no longer caring that she was getting soaked by holding him. The two broke away from each other after a few moments, Emerald leaning her forehead against Arthur's. "I... I guess this makes things a bit easier..." she blushed. "I love you, Arthur..."
"Love you too, Em..."
A/N:Shorter, fluffier chapter today.
Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.
REVIEW REPLIES
Cipher96: Thank you.
Skaana: I knew everyone would start picking up on that.