Ruby Rose

Well, the Blood-moon was growing on her.

The entire clearing was being occupied, there were stalls with games and food forming rings around the bonfire in the middle, the main attraction was around the fire, people were dancing and having fun. The sun had only set an hour ago yet Ruby was sure at least half of the people over by the fire were drunk.

Speaking of drunk.

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby turned her attention from the cookie she was eating... ok maybe the free giant cookie stall was part of why she was enjoying herself so much. She bounded over and hugged the man who just chuckled.

"Hey kiddo."

"Qrow? Thought you weren't coming." Tai approached as well and Ruby felt a little bad for hugging Qrow so readily in front of him.

"Eh, I got a call from a certain snowflake, I'm here as security." Ruby tilted her head at that.

"Is that another nickname for Weiss?"

"Hey I thought it was pretty good." He patted her head and looked around. "Still, didn't expect it to be so big again this year."

"It's always a big event, why would this year be any different?" Tai seemed to focus his vision onto Qrow, studying the man for some reason. Thankfully, Yang arrived to defuse the apparent tension between the two men.

Namely by pulling Ruby out of Qrows hug by her hood.

"Ruby? You know you just left your cookie with Blake right?" The Rose let out a squeak of alarm before hurrying back over to the small 'table', she wasn't sure if it counted as a table because there were no seats and it was taller then a normal table, you were supposed to just stand around it.

"I'm suprised Qrow is here... apparently he hates these things..." Blake murmered, Ruby took another bite of the cookie she had to hold with two hands.

"Apparently he's here as security?"

"Security? Who would be dumb enough to attack this place?" Ruby tilted her head. "Not even counting myself, Yang and your father. This place probably has the highest average strength in most of Remnant right now." Ruby glanced around, everyone passing by looked just like a normal civilian... then again, so did Yang and there father.

She knew Tai was strong, not as strong as Yang, but if they fought there's a good chance he'd win, it wasn't exaclty fair though, he had his mastery form, and she didn't.

"Wheres Sun and Celica?" She asked offhandedly, she knew they were safe wherever they were.

"There being shown around by Caitlyn." Ugh, Caitlyn... great.

"Cool..." Blake smirked.

"Wow you still really don't like her."

"It's not a matter of not liking her... rather... well..." Blake shook her head.

"You don't need to explain Ruby. Trust me-" She took a sip of her tea and stared into the cup like it had insulted her. "I get it."

Yang, Qrow, and Tai had talked for a while. But once they had stopped, Ruby noticed a shift in behaviour.

Yang had already said that one of them would be with her at all times, but now rather then them all exploring, they moved as a group. It was weird... what had changed?

Tai had even called Caitlyn back with the kids... yay...

Caitlyn was Tai's eldest daughter, a good three hundred and seventy years old. She was older then Qrow! But she tended to view things differently from there father... in truth? She resembled Yang an incredible amount, only difference being very short hair and she looked a bit older.

"Hey! Didn't know Ruby was here! Should've come on the tour with the other kids!"

"Caitlyn..." Tai sighed out.

"What?" That was the main issue... she saw Ruby as a child. Not even on purpose. There was no malice or teasing behind the words, rather she couldn't wrap her head around the idea that the eighteen year old that was weaker then Sun and Celica should be treated like an adult.

She meant well... probably.

Tai took her aside to talk to her and the group continued moving along the different stalls, checking every single one out. Different meats being handed out, games that involved a lot of target practice, there was a particularly big area that was even fenced off to serve as one on one sparing matches, apparently people bet on them and it was easily the most popular 'game' so far.

When Caitlyn and Tai got back from there chat, Ruby had expected Caitlyn to back off a bit, watch her words or something... but no. The opposite effect. Caitlyn seemed to hover around her and glare down every passer by. Ruby felt even more like a child that was being protected...

"Oh... that's exaclty what there doing."

Ruby didn't focus much on many of the games and foods they saw after that. She jotted a few down to memory in case she got hungry later in the night, but after that she returned to the fire with the rest of the group.

She sat pretty far away from the fire, as far as she could really without leaving the 'party' area. This part of the festival probably had the most drinking involved. Ruby watched as different people danced and laughed together, a few Hellhounds even running straight into the fire and back out again at behest of a dare... they didnt even sweat.

Yang and Blake were dancing, they were having a good time at least. Sun and Celica had found a group of other kids, when Ruby saw Caitlyn walk over to them, she was sure that they would be told to include Ruby. Thankfully, Celica came to her rescue and defended Ruby's age, and for some reason Celica left it at that.

Qrow was practically hugging one of the many kegs. Ruby knew his flask was bottomless so long as he didn't use magic, what was he saving mana for?

Tai was operating one of the many grills around the perimeter, apparently he was in charge of burgers, Ruby kinda wanted to go get one, but she knew he had a long list of people to tackle first... she also knew he would jump her to the top of that list.

"As if that would help our relationship..."

Finally, Caitlyn had decided to come and join Ruby. Sitting next to her on the grass and handing her a drink... water of course, while she sipped on some kind of alcoholic concoction.

"How ya doing kiddo?"

"Fine... how about you?"

"Eh, I was looking forward to tackling Yang in the one on ones... guess that ain't happening." She gestured over to where people were dancing. The music playing was quite fast and party like, however, the two women seemingly couldn't hear the music, dancing calmly and slowly in each other's arms. Ruby snorted.

"You'd think they hadn't seen each other in years or something."

"I'm sure if they'd been apart for even a day thered be a lot of crying at the reuinion." Ruby could never tell if Caitlyn meant any insult to her comments or not, sure, Ruby joked about how close Yang and Blake were, but in truth? She was a little jealous.

"Aunt Ruby?" Celicas voice nearly made Ruby jump from her skin as she snuck up on them. Caitlyn barely held in a laugh at that.

"What's up kiddo?"

"I was wondering if you could tell me something." She moved over and sat between them, practically carving herself out a spot and making them both adjust there seating.

"Sure, anything." Well.. not anything.

"Why are me and Sun different?"

"Woah that's a loaded question."

"U-umm.. you see kiddo-" She glanced at Yang and Blake, still lost in there own little world. "When umm... when a mommy and a... mommy... love each other very much-" Caitlyn burst out laughing and shook her head.

"I'll answer for ya Celica." She went to speak but the tiny girl in the middle raided her hand up.

"I asked Aunt Ruby though."

"Well, yes, but I'm sure I could answer bett-"

"I don't care." Ruby wanted to hug this girl again.

Caitlyn seemed to get the memo that she wasn't wanted here after Celica stared her down. She quickly hopped up and went over to help Tai out. Celica sighed and leaned into Ruby.

"Let me guess... you weren't actually here to ask me a question?" Celica giggled and nodded.

"You looked uncomfortable."

"You're very mature for your age, you know that kiddo?" She nodded and hummed in thought for a moment.

"Could you... answer my question though...? I've never asked muma..." Ruby nodded and wrapped an arm around the girl.

"Your different cause your parents are different. Yangs a Hellhound like you, and Sun's a faunas like Blake."

"But why can't Sun transform? What's so different about a faunas...?" Ruby had really expected Blake to have told Celica some of this... maybe she had focused too much on Sun in that regard.

"Well... he kinda already is transformed." Celica tilted her head. "See, faunas are always in there mastery form, even from birth, they-"

"Whats a mastery form?" Ruby chuckled.

"Well, you know how you get stronger the closer you transform to your full Hellhound form?" The girl nodded. "Well, a mastery form is a full transformation in terms of the power boost, but in a form where you can still use your weapons or stuff if you fight like that." Celica nodded.

"Why has mum never used that form?" Ruby smirked at that.

"Yang can't yet-" She whispered the next part. "She's really embarrassed that she hasn't figured it out yet." They both shared a giggle and turned to look at the party again.

"Dosent that mean that mumma is stronger then Mum?"

"Nope... faunas may always be in there mastery form, but nearly all faunas species are weaker then Hellhounds naturally."

"So Sun is weaker then me?" Ruby winced.

"Well, for now? You guys are at the same level. As to who'd be stronger when your older? That's more of a question about what you guys decide to do... and, probably a question you should better save for your mumma." Ruby looked up. The smoke from the bonfire was raising high into the sky, no clouds could be seen, just the smoke, the moon, and the stars.

"Aunt Ruby...? Why didn't you become a-" Celica was cut off by sudden burp from next to them. Qrow drunkenly stumbled over and collapsed face first on the ground, laying down on the grass he let out a hiccup.

"Shift change..." He grumbled out. Ruby sighed and Celica smiled and hugged Ruby before leaving.

"You guys aren't even being subtle about it anymore."

"Only one that thought it was subtle was you kiddo..." Qrow rolled over and laid on his back, looking up at the stars.

"The people here are nice... I don't need this much protection."

"Sure, the people here are nice... but... that's not what I'm worried about. I got a call from your boss... her father... ya know, the king... he might be out to get you now..." Qrow was fully wasted, Ruby could tell that at a glance. In truth, even with him like this, Tai was good enough at healing magic that he could make Qrow fully sober in less then ten seconds... but, this provided a good opportunity.

"Why would the king want me? Does he know what I'm working on?"

"Yeah... but he dosent believe ya got the real thing. He's after you cause of your eyes..." He let out another hiccup and Ruby tilted her head.

"My eyes...?" Qrow turned to look at her and his own eyes widened. He blinked momentarily and put both his hands to his face. A soft green light flooded out from between his fingers and he let out a groan.

"I need to sober up..."

"Uncle Qrow?? What's special about my eyes??" Qrow sat up as he kept healing himself and Ruby saw Tai approaching, the light of healing magic wasn't exaclty subtle...

"Qrow? You alright?"

"Taaaaiii... help me sober up!" He was till slurring his words. Tai sighed and plopped his hand on top of Qrows head, a few seconds later and with a much brighter green light, Qrow looked much, much more miserable.

"Yay... sober..."

"I don't wanna know how much alcohol you just wasted." Tai sighed and Ruby looked to him.

"Dad? Do you know what my eyes are?" She watched the colour drain from the man's face and he glanced at Qrow momentarily.

"Umm... one moment." He dragged the now sober man off and Ruby watched from a distance as they had an argument. This was all pretty confusing... but the most confusing part?

"Weiss knew there was something special going on with my eyes? And she didn't tell me? Silver eyes... if they actually are Silver and not Grey... then... my Affinity isn't to Physical Enhancement magic...? What is it then..? Something powerful? Mum had it too... but she couldnt use magic either... is there a reason she stayed human...?"

Ruby's thoughts were racing, what was going on? This was all so strange...

Tai and Qrow returned and Tai gave Ruby a drink... Alcohol this time.

"Finally letting me drink?"

"Your an adult Ruby. And as an adult, I respect the fact that you'll want to be drinking when you hear this..." Ruby didn't like the sound of that... she downed a quarter of the cup immediately and Qrow gave a smirk of approval.

"So... what's going on?"

"Your eyes are Silver cause you have one of the rarest Affinities-" Ruby wondered if they should be telling her this at a party... though with the music and all the singing and drinking... people probably weren't gonna pay attention to this conversation. "Your Affinity is to Technical Magic. Rituals, enchantments, curses-"

"Magical items and clothing..." Ruby finished, putting the pieces together. This made sense... a lot of sense... too much sense. It was why she was so good at her research but struggled to concentrate on anything else... though, maybe boredom was a bigger part of it then that. "So all of my work and progress has been because-"

"Don't think of it like that kiddo. Your Affinity is a part of you, it's as much you as your mind, body, and soul. Saying you did good at magic just because of your Affinity isn't much different from back when you just thought you were naturally good at it. Honestly that's still true." Qrow chuckled when he finished speaking.

"That makes sense I guess... it's still me... nothing has changed... I can't think 'I wouldn't have been able to do this without my Affinity' cause... my Affinity is me... there isn't a version of me without it."

She nodded her head, she could accept that... she could accept all of this... so-

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't Weiss tell me??" Qrow grumbled and Tai sighed.

"I don't know all the details but Qrow told Weiss and Weiss... she... she made a mistake. She told her father in a moment of weakness." Tai knew more about this then Ruby had thought he would...

"That's not what I told ya Tai!" Qrow practically growled out.

"No, but it's what Yang and Blake agreed on, and frankly? If Blake trusts a Schnee then I trust her opinion on the girl." Well the conversation had finally gotten some attention, Blake and Yang had moved over, they had finally gotten thirsty after dancing for ages and noticed the conversation taking place.

"I don't know what kind of family conversation we're having but it looks like it needs to be had in private." Yang grabbed Qrow and Tai's shoulders and started pushing them away as Blake helped Ruby up and gestured for her to follow.

As they walked away, Ruby bumped into a random person a the party. She was quite short, having black hair dark enough to match Blake, and it was made into two pigtails. It reminded Ruby a lot of how Celica liked to do her hair, but this girl was obviously much older, probably around Ruby's age... if she was human.

"Oh, sorry." The girl smiled and waved it off, and Ruby noted her eye colour.

One was pink, and one was brown.