Hello and welcome back to another chapter of this fic. I hope you enjoy it.
I don't own RWBY, please support the official release.
One week later
Taiyangs POV
'Summer, where are you?' I thought to myself as I was starting out of my bedroom window. It has been a week and she hasn't reported back or anything. Even if the local radio towers were down, a runner should of already reported back that Summer arrived. She should of sent back a report herself, but knowing her and her big heart, she is probably helping around the village. Probably forgetting all about standard procedure. Yeah, that is probably it, she does that a lot, after all.
Throwing my anxiety to the wayside, I head downstairs and make my way towards the kitchen. Maybe some water will calm my nerves a bit.
After getting my water I then proceeded to the living room and plopped down on the couch. I then retrieved the remote and turned on the T.V. It seems that the news is still on, something about how White Fang attacks have gotten more violent recently. That's a shame, I was really hoping they didn't resort to retaliating with violence. Now the damned racists have ammo against them. But, I guess everyone has a breaking point, and it seems the White Fang have reached theirs.
With my already bad mood getting even worse, I change the channel and, to my surprise, find a movie I really like. It was the movie Summer and I watched on our first date. Checking the clock, I see that the girls have about five hours of school left. With nothing else to do I sit back and start to watch it. A desecration does seem nice right about now.
An hour later
About halfway through the 2nd act, I hear knocking coming from the front door. That's odd, it's still to early for the girls to be home and Qrow should still be at work in Signal. For some reason, dread spread through my body. Why do I get the feeling that my world is about to shatter? With a hurried pace, I make my way to the door and stand there for a second too get my bearings straight. After a bit, I open the door and it reveals... No one?
That's odd I know I heard... I didn't get to finish my train of thought. Not because I saw something out of the corner of my eye, not because I heard anything, but because of what I saw at my feet. Laying there, is a small wooden box, with the word 'Surprise!' written on top. The feeling comes back tenfold and with shaking knees and hands, I pick up the box and head towards the kitchen.
As I made my way into the kitchen for another time today, I lay the box down on the table and just stare at it for a moment. My body feels like it weighs ten times what it should and I'm starting to develop sweat on my forehead. Why am I so shaken? It's just a box, just open it!
I go to open it, but my hands stop mere inches away and start uncontrollably shaking. The feeling of 'my world was going to shatter if I open this box' returned with a vengeance and I'm left standing there like a deer in headlights. I really don't want to open this box, but curiosity finally got the better of me. As I lifted the box with shaky hands, I spy a note on top. Curious, I pick up the note. It was at that moment my heart stopped beating, goosebumps shot through my body like a lightning bolt, and my knees turned too rubber. It wasn't the note that made me feel this way, it was what laid beneath. There, before my very eyes, is five roses. All different colors and painted in blood.
Red
White
Black
Yellow
Silver
I stumble backwards and I hit the fridge. My breath is getting erratic and heart feels like it's beating out of my chest. I can barely see anything it is so blurry and all I can hear is ringing in my ears. My mind is going a mile a minute and I can barely focus. Barely. The only clear thing going through my head is the night one week ago.
Flashback
One week ago
I watch as Summer heads down the porch and makes her way through the yard. I just continued observing, watching as she was heading to do her mission. The way she moved when she went on one has always been a sight too observe. The sheer commitment in her stride and posture was always enough to raise my morale at least. It was probably why she was selected as the leader of Team STRQ back then. The aura she exuded was something very few learned and would usually have to be born with. The feeling of everything being fine. That's what it is. It was that aura that I knew all to well that tipped me off to something not being right.
Because instead of that unrivaled confidence, all I saw was worry in her visage. Her head was lowered more than usual, her steps were unsteady, and the aura that spewed so naturally from her was silent. It looked as if the weight of the world was upon Summers shoulders. I didn't like the look. It was to unnatural for Summer, she has never looked like this. She has never looked so... conflicted.
She stopped and looked to her right, observing the roses the girls and she planted. She stood there for but a moment, and headed towards the flowers. She then got on a knee and took a rose of each color.
Red
White
Black
Yellow
Silver
A immense feeling of dread then descended upon me. Like a bad omen of some kind. Summer has never done this before, she has never took a flower from that patch, so why is she doing it now? Just as I was about to open the door, she takes off like a thief in the night and heads towards her destination.
I should stop her. I have a REALLY bad feeling about this. At the very least I should go with her. The girls are old enough to take care of themselves for a little bit, they also got Qr-...
I stop myself, I still have the girls to take care of. She will be fine, Summer is the best huntress/huntsmen of our generation. I'm sure everything will go smoothly.
But no matter how much I try to convince myself, the feeling of despair won't fully go away. I probably just need some rest, I have been with Qrow all night and had to make sure he got home safe. Yeah, that is probably it, just need some rest.
She will be back in no time at all. I'm sure of it.
Present time, Taiyangs POV
I fill a sudden wave of nausea slam into me. With all my strength I heave my way to the trash can and open it up. I instantly start puking.
I should of gone out there. I should of stopped her. I should of made sure she was alright! I SHOULD OF DONE SOMETHING!
I may feel like the worst person on Remnant right now, but I must focus. There was a note there after all. Maybe she is just captured. That thought brought me back to my senses and I grab the note at lightning speed. As much as the thought disgusts me, captured huntresses are a prized catch for any bandits or criminals. The things they usually do with the captured is absolutely despicable. Hoping against hope, I read the note to see what the conditions are for her return. I just wish that is what it was, instead it just confirmed my worst fears.
Too whoever is reading this,
I must say, she fought well. So well in fact that I decided to send the weeds she had on her back to you. But don't let my kindness fool you, if you come for me again, I WILL hunt down every last loved one of yours. They will not be so lucky as your dear friend.
It was short and straight too the point. I drop the note to the side and just sit there in utter defeat.
She's gone. I could of stopped it, but I didn't. I have lost one of the most important people to me. I will never feel her embrace again, I will never get to talk to her again, I will never get to spend time with her again. And it's all my fault, I could of done something. I should of done something. But I had to take care of the girls...
...
...
...
"Oh, oh gods no. No, no, no, no, nononononono! the girls, what am I going to tell them!?" It took me a second to fully grasp the thought. My daughters, my little girls, have just lost their mother. My mind raced and flew. When they learn about this, it's going to absolutely crush them. Just imagining the look on their faces, it brung tears too my eyes.
I need to calm down, my breaths are getting shaggy and darkness is starting to fill my vision. I make my way to a chair in the kitchen and plop down, trying to calm myself even a little. It took me a few moments, but I was finally able to calm myself down enough to get my scroll. I need to message Qrow, he needs to know what is going on.
Hours later, Ruby's POV
It was the end of the day and I was waiting out in the front of the school. I watch as the kids pass me by, going to their parents or just hanging out with their friends. It's nice to see all the smiling faces, the best part about school is the end of the day! Now, all I have to do is just wait on the others. Why do they have to be on the other side of the school? It would be so much better if they we're closer.
I thankfully didn't have to wait long, as within a minute, Weiss, Blake and Yang came through the doors with their backpacks slung across their shoulders. I smile as they make their approach, they are the best sisters anyone could ever ask for. Kind, caring, beautiful and a whole lot of other things. There are very few people in this world that match the love I have for them and they can all be counted on one hand with fingers to spare. They really are the best.
They finally notice me and smile my way, they make their way over and I give each of them a hug. It's always nice to see them again, even if I just saw them not even a few hours ago for lunch. They are my only friends after all, other people are just so... not them? Yeah that sounds about right.
"You ready to head home Rubes?" Yang asks me while throwing her arm over my shoulder, pulling me close to her. It's a habit she recently developed, and I must say, it feels nice to be this close with her. It makes me feel safe and loved. I lean into her and respond "Yeah, I'm ready, what do you guys want to do when we get home?" I ask them all.
That led to a conversation of what we wanted to do. Yang wanted to work on her martial prowess by practicing some kick boxing moves when she got home. Weiss, Blake and I agreed that it was a good idea and decided we would practice with her. My hand to hand could be improved a little bit I guess. Weiss said she was going to practice her singing afterwards. I immediately asked if I could join. Weiss had the voice of an angel and was so in tune with herself while singing that it just left you mesmerized. Anytime I had trouble falling asleep I just asked her to sing. The soft melody of it can put me to sleep almost instantly.
She agreed just as fast as I asked to join. I noticed that a lot recently, anytime I asked to join any of them in any kind of activity, they would jump at the opportunity. Wired. I didn't mind though, spending time with them is always a fun time.
Blake spoke afterwards about how she plans on practicing her gymnastics. Before she even got into it, she was already the most flexible out of all of us, so her partaking in it just made it completely unfair to all of us. Sure, we all may be flexible, but Blake takes the cake in that regard. I also wanted to practice with Blake, but I was concerned that it would interfere in my time with Weiss. Thankfully that worry was shot down, as Weiss said she intended to take a shower after practicing with all of us. So, with a bright smile on my face and plans for the evening we continued our way towards the exit of the school. Nothing was going to ruin this day!
As soon as that thought passed, we heard the sound of a familiar voice calling us. I turn around and I see that it is uncle Qrow! Why did he sound like that though? He sounds... melancholic? I think that's the word. I was about to run up and hang off his arm like I usually do anytime I saw him, but I stopped. Not because I didn't want to, but because of the look of him. He didn't look well at all.
He had been drinking, but that wasn't a surprise, he is always drinking. No, what caught my attention was his eyes. They had a far away look, as if he wasn't even there. Im pretty sure it's called a 'thousand yard stare', at least, that's what I remember Blake calling it. She did say she got that information from a psychology book, she was reading, so I'm willing to believe it.
"Uncle Qrow, are you alright?" I question him, with concern clear in my voice. At that moment, the look in his eyes goes away and he turns them towards us. What I'm seeing isn't much better. His eyes, who just a moment ago appeared as if I'd they wasn't even there, done a complete one-eighty. The look in his eyes now was one of realization, grief, and... pity? At that moment my heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach. Something bad happened, something horrible.
"Ruby... yeah, yeah I'm alright." Uncle Qrow said, even though he said he was alright, I can tell he is lying. He sounds like how I imagine a corpse would talk. I was getting extremely worried and the others apparently agreed.
"Uncle Qrow, what's wrong? What's happened?" Weiss questioned, sounding slightly agitated and scared. It was a feeling I shared along with her, and if I had to guess, Blake and Yang too.
Qrow looked too her and responded "Your dad has something to tell you girls. Come on, it's something you need to know." He finished with a sigh. Something isn't right, he's never looked this... defeated.
I turn to look at my sisters, trying to gage their reactions. They all have the same look I'm sure I had right now. The look of realization that something terrible must of happened. They looked so scared, and it wasn't a look I liked on them. It wasn't natural whatsoever.
We all looked at each other and with a hesitant first step, I took the lead of us. They followed soon after and we stood side by side, walking towards home. I leaned into Yangs shoulder and she instinctively placed her arm around me. Blake followed soon after and leaned on the other shoulder of Yang, who done the same to her. Weiss followed and placed an arm on my shoulder farthest from her. I pulled her in and was now tightly secured between the two. Any other time this would make me feel better, and it did to an extent, but I just couldn't shake the feeling of dread I was feeling.
We made our way home in utter silence, the feeling of despair was thick in the air and it would of been worse if I didn't have my sisters with me. They really are the best, the comfort they bring me could not be understated and I hope I bring even a fraction of the comfort to them that they give me.
It wasn't long, we didn't even live twenty minutes from the school by foot, but that twenty minutes felt like twenty hours today. The closer we got to the house the faster my heart started beating faster, I was starting to get jittery and I could feel the others were to. I pulled both Weiss and Yang in a little closer to me, with Yang doing the same for Blake. It made me feel a little better, but it wasn't much.
As we made our way into the opening, I spied the house. A place that would bring such joy and comfort to the others and myself, now made me feel the complete opposite. My legs were starting to shake and I had to lean onto the others for support. I can feel them doing the same.
We passed the roses that we planted with mommy and we all took a unconscious glance at it. Was there fewer roses there now then there used to be?
The final steps to the door was the longest steps of my life. With every step, hours felt like they had gone by even though not even seconds passed. My heart was beating even faster and my legs now felt like jelly, something wrong HAS happened, I can feel it.
Uncle Qrow, who was in front of us the whole time, opened the door and headed inside. As one we all stopped and took glances at one another. They look what I feel like right now. Yang was shivering and was keeping a vice grip on Blake and me, with us reciprocating the grip. Blake's cat ears were shot up and was twitching like crazy, they always did that when she was scared or agitated. I can't blame her, I feel the same way. Weiss meanwhile also had a tight grip on my shoulder and was leaning in on me. The look in her eyes made my heart ache for her. She looked so scared, and taking another glance at Yang and Blake they had the same look in their eyes as Weiss and me.
With a deep sigh and shiver from me, we made our way into the house.
Upon entering, we all looked around, and it was instantly that I spotted dad. The state of him made my heart drop to the deepest pits of my stomach. His hair was disheveled, he was slightly slumped, he was shaking and the thing that made me fear the most, I could see that he was crying. That had to be impossible, dad was so strong! What could possibly make him cry.
My heart rate continued to skyrocket and my senses we're working overtime. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw Blake's cat ears twitch like crazy, she has been scared before but I never seen her so terrified. Both Yang and Weiss's vice like grips now felt like a King Taijitus serpentine body coiled around me. I'm sure my grip felt the same.
Dad looked up, and with a vast amount of effort, he got out of the chair he was sitting in. He looked and spoke "Girls, please, take a seat on the couch." The despair in his voice that he was trying to cover wasn't lost on any of us. We made our way to the couch, every step heavier then the last until finally we collapsed into it. At that moment, uncle Qrow turned around and headed for the kitchen. It seemed like this was meant to be between dad and us. Blake and Weiss, subconsciously, took the blankets folded neatly on top of the couch and laid them down on all of us. The grip I had on the blanket Weiss and I was sharing was death like.
We all looked at dad, the fear that I have been trying to keep down was unleashed at that moment. I am absolutely petrified and I'm starting to feel tears well up inside me. I heard the faintest sound escape my lips and it sounded pathetic.
With a deep sigh, dad opened his eyes that he had closed just a moment ago and looked at us. It wasn't a look in the eyes like he would usually do when speaking to us, he seemed to scared to do so at the moment. At that point the tears in my eyes started flowing and I'm sure I wasn't the only one.
"Girls... I... don't know how to say this... but..." His voice was breaking and it seemed as if time had crawled to a stop. He took what was not even three seconds to respond, but it felt like an eternity then and there. My heart felt like it was beating out of my chest and my breaths were getting shallow. The grip I had on my blanket was replaced at some point with the shoulder and waist of Yang and Weiss respectively. I was pulling them as tightly to myself as possible and they we're doing the same. If it was any other situation, the strength at which they were holding me would of elicited a painful response. But right now, their clutches felt like wet paper to me. My adrenaline was pumping that fast.
He looked up, with tears in his eyes and a voice that was holding back a sob he spoke "Mommy... shes... dead."
...
...
...
It took all of us a moment, but the words fully hit us. My eyes shot open and my heart stopped beating for a moment. The world had fully stopped spinning and time came to a crawl. I was just stuck there, not believing what I heard and the only thing I could do was respond, and with the weakest voice I've ever had I did.
"Huh?" We all echoed each other.
Yeah, I'm going to be honest, I don't like this chapter at all. It seems way to choppy for my liking. But worry not, next chapter will NOT be like that. I can promise you that.
I tried to make it as sad as I could and tried to capture that essence, but I personally think I failed in that endeavor. But, for all I know you could of liked it. Please let me know if you did or not. It helps me out.
Anyway, next chapter will (should) be the last one in the past. After that, straight to the events of the regular show.
If you saw any kind of grammar mistakes, please let me know. Until next time, and have a great day! :)
