There was little in the way of distraction that could so thoroughly rattle a teenage girl than the thought that her seemingly innocent and socially awkward little sister was vying for the same crush.
C'mon, it was Ruby. Ruby.
Yang was more likely to believe Ruby had seen a giant cookie and grew infatuated with it rather than be able to approach a random boy from Signal let alone Archer. She stutters when caught at the center of attention and loses whatever confidence she has if abruptly called out on anything. The worst was during first meetings and when she was trying to impress new friends which in a combat school meant only one method: Combat.
Let Yang be the first to say this, but in terms of combat Ruby was…special. Uncle Qrow had offered to start teaching her fighting lessons only after she'd finished her custom weapon to make sure she wasn't useless if she was ever disarmed. Tiny Ruby in unarmed combat? It was a nightmare both to her and to her opponents for reasons known throughout her year. The majority of her time in Signal was spent at the lowest fighting rank. Her sour grades and short attention span had teachers discussing whether or not being a huntress was a viable future occupation for her.
Depressed and dispirited, Ruby coped in her own creative way and developed a case of eighth-grader syndrome to stand out.
Yang blamed all the comics, cartoon, and her late mother's bubbly imagination.
Ruby had gotten better since Qrow started training her, but the tendency was still there. But enough about combat classes, she was getting side-tracked!
Ruby was Ruby. Socially awkward Ruby who eeped when called out in class, or trapped in a crowd of cool girls in the girl's washroom while in a stall. 'They move in herds, Yang,' she'd complain after being too self-conscious of herself to be anywhere near the popular kids to escape.
How could she possibly have approached someone as mysterious and attractive as Archer?
Yang was going crazy. She was biting on the nail of her thumb and pacing back and forth enough times that the floor would creak beneath her. She'd actually feel bad if Ruby's first crush was the same as her first crush. Worse, she was guilty of steeling people away from Ruby at Signal because she was the cooler big sister. How could she do that to her little sister?
Now hold on!
Ruby was the one going after her man after she'd explicitly called dibs on Archer with how clear it was that she liked him. Ruby was the one breaking the sister code, not her. Moreover, Ruby even had the audacity to avoid her before she could grill her for answers.
Yang spotted the cookie jar at the far end of the room while pacing, a vindictive light flashing over her features before she walked over. "No more cookies for you, Ruby," she said while taking the cookie jar. She walked around the kitchen and grabbed all things sweet which she placed into a plastic bag. "No candy, chocolate bars, or anything else either until you tell spill the beans."
In a single motion, she emptied the cookie jar, and then moved to the fridge.
"You get only vegetables!" She began filling the cookie jar with anything she could get her hands on. "Broccoli! Peas! Peppers! Mushrooms! Be healthy!"
She even hid the baking ingredients for good measure.
The thing about siblings, was that each knew exactly what ticked off the other, and for Ruby it was sugar. Ruby would cave eventually, and it was only a matter of waiting until she gets home.
Nodding solemnly to herself, Yang pulled out a folding chair and positioned it right in front of the front door. The moment Ruby came back, there would be no escaping.
Ruby was probably just making things up after she'd heard her gossip about how much cooler Archer was than the Huntsman of Red, but could Yang take the risk? Hell no. She was going to get to the bottom of this.
A boring hour later, and she heard the front door's lock turn.
Her father and her uncle were school teachers which meant that there was only one person it could possibly be that was returning home.
"Ruby!" In slow motion, Yang forced open the front door, saw a different face, then slammed it closed. "…Not Ruby."
She took one breath, then two, before gingerly opening the door again with a sheepish face.
"Uncle Qrow?" She didn't even try to look guilty for her actions. Qrow merely raised a brow before allowing himself in. If he had a question about why she had a chair facing the door, or why she'd called out for Ruby on a school day, he didn't ask.
"Don't you have like classes to teach?" Yang asked as Qrow made himself comfortable in the living room couch.
"I've actually got a different job for the time being," Qrow was forthcoming.
"Huntsman stuff?"
"Mountain Glenn stuff. If it hasn't fallen already, I was asked to help around its defences. Should the settlement be unable to last however, I'm tasked with escorting civilians out."
Qrow was nonchalant, but the fact that he didn't have to come visit was not lost on Yang. He was a pro Huntsman and lived in his own apartment. He was independent, and if he ever needed help on the field, Tai was the better choice than Yang unless it was a training mission? In which case, this was the worst.
"Why are you telling me all this if you know I can't go?" She pouted.
She'd not been able to leave home in weeks, but it was her who refused to step out into public. How could she after what her father had done?
"Will you buy it if I say it's because you're my favourite niece?" Qrow answered and grinned before tussling her hair. She didn't like the action and growled, but it only caused her uncle to smirk and flick her on the forehead. "Easy firecracker, I actually came to visit with something else in mind."
"You did?" Yang rubbed at her forehead to ease the dull ache while glaring. Aura or not, her uncle's flick was strong and she could still feel it, but she supposed that was the point.
"It's a surprise though," Qrow said cryptically before opening a window and whistling. Moments later, something the size of Qrow's head flew in.
"See, look Yang, I got you a pet bir- ow fuck off Rave that's my ear."
"Rave?"
"Yeah, it's short for Raven," Qrow answered, clearly tempted to glare at the bird perched on his shoulder but choosing not to even as it pulled on his ear with its beak. "She's the leader of a tribe of 'vultures' so she's not much of a home pet. I got her for you and would appreciate if you can spend time with it while I'm out on missions. She'll be in and out of the house based on her mood, but don't expect her to stick around long."
Yang hummed. She could see some sort of tension between Qrow and the bird on his shoulder. Moreover, there was something about the bird that spoke of intelligence. The feeling kind of reminds her of Zwei? You know, a smarter than average pet? Though unlike Zwei, the bird was far less cute and maybe less awesome than her family corgi.
"Can I hold her?" She asked, extending her palms forward.
Qrow didn't answer and instead gave Rave a look to see what she would do.
Rave hopped onto Yang's hands, the two staring each other in the eyes.
"Behave," Qrow said sternly.
Yang didn't know whether her uncle was talking to her or the bird, but why would he be talking to a bird?
"I am behaving," she said snidely. "It's not like I'm going out anytime soon anyway. Dad's practically homeschooling me."
"Don't get mad at your father. You're the one who insisted you couldn't go to school," Qrow cracked a grin, a chortle escaping his throat. "The hair cut reminds me of someone else I used to know who fucked up a robbery. Good thing good old Taiyang knows a thing about escaping the cops, right?"
Both Yang in her short bob-cut and the bird were suddenly glaring daggers.
"Not. Funny."
Qrow shrugged and was soon out the door. He had a job to do.
Left alone, it was only the bird and Yang.
"Hello Raven?" Yang tried to be friendly.
D-Did the damn bird just try to flip her off?!
Well fuck you too.
The situation in Mountain Glenn hadn't fared well since the day of its founding. They had walls and fortifications, but nothing could replace the lives of the huntsmen and huntresses lost in battle. The longer the duration of time that passed, the fewer protectors the settlement had until even that began to dwindle. This investment was a failure. A horrid failure that would sink more and more lien and good lives into a boat with a hole torn in the bottom.
Mountain Glenn had never been about if it would survive, but when it would fall. Prominent huntsman families came and went like the changing of seasons. Many come intact, yet leave broken and a shadow of their former selves.
Of the Verdant family of Huntsman and Huntresses sent in from Mistral, no more than two remained separated by an entire generation. No father or mother should be able to attend their children's graves, but Priam Verdant had been forced to attend the funeral of every single child she'd born.
She was old, numb, and hardened. A scowl was constantly over her face, and any happiness she'd once had was diminished to a fraction of what it what it once was. She was a mother to her murdered children, and a wife to a deceased husband. All she had left were the memories of a large family rivaling the Arcs, and in this memory were remnants of a glorious time. Reality was crippling. Everywhere she looked, she found unachieved dreams and worldly possessions left behind by her loved ones.
Do you know what it's like to enter your child's room, stare at their teddy bears, drawings, and crowning achievements, and then realize that your child was dead and never coming back? Do you know what its like to stare at a family picture, look at each face, and then regret your own inability to save what mattered most?
It was pure agony. Every second was a form of torture.
Priam's hair had grayed and lost the pigmentation that had once made it a vibrant orange. It was now matted and held in a small authoritative bun. There was hardly any life in her face, replaced instead with deep wrinkles and frown lines. She always appeared as if she was in pain, the perpetual narrowing of her eyes making her seem like an old war hawk. Thus, was the nature of a former active Huntress that had lost almost everything. Bitterness could be found beneath all her actions.
This damnable city had cost her the lives of almost all of her family.
All that she had left was herself and her grandson, and for this reason alone, she was still defending Mountain Glenn as its chief commander representing the Verdant family. The Arc's had come and had taken control of key positions, but out of respect, Nicolas Arc had yet to assume chief command from her. Regardless, the breaking point had been reached.
"Send the order for retreat," she said, her voice throaty from old age. She held a walking cane in her hands which she thumped against the floor of Mountain Glenn's command tower. The others inside flinched. "Mountain Glen can not hold."
"We're abandoning the city?" An aid clarified; his tone hesitant.
Priam shut her eyes, her brow furrowing in concentration as she thought. When she opened her eyes again, and looked down at the status report in her hands and at the view she had of the destroyed northern wall's artillery by Nevermore, she visibly wilted. Her back hunched, her grip over her cane trembling.
Many times, she'd had the option of abandoning Mountain Glenn and taking her grandson back to Mistral for better training, but she could never make the decisive choice. To flee was to abandon any efforts her family had made for Glenn, making their deaths meaningless. She'd never been able to do it before, but faced with the current situation, her options were limited.
"There's no other choice," she clicked her tongue. "With the northern artillery gone, the Grimm will be able to gather in larger numbers and force through the northern walls. Not to mention if more Nevermore fly over, the entire city will be at risk. Begin by evacuating the citizens, then by pulling the Huntsmen and Huntresses at the east, south, and west walls back to Vale's tunnels. We'll send help to the north if able, but when that wall falls, we'll lose the surface of Mountain Glenn."
Mountain Glenn had a surface level and subterranean level located by the underground subway to Vale. There was only one way into the subterranean level, and this was where they'd make a final stand. They'd have to try their luck holding the Grimm back in the underground gallery, but failing that, there would be no other choice than to collapse the subway tunnels to prevent Grimm from invading Vale. If the evacuation isn't fast enough, thousands of people were going to die.
"By your order!" The aid typed furiously over a monitor in the control room, bringing up a holographic screen which sent a transmission to the scrolls of Mountain Glenn's residents.
A wave of panic swept over the settlement at the news, and from where Priam was standing, she could see crowds of people fleeing their homes and stampeding towards the subways to Vale. They were kicking and shoving, some toppling others to the ground where they were stomped on until the nearby Huntsmen arrived and forced order.
This was how it should be. They'd need a couple hours to evacuate everyone, but she feared that there wouldn't be the time.
Inhumane as it is, Vale will have to be notified of the possibility of blockading Glenn's tunnels.
Priam felt a shudder travel down her back. One word was all it would take to send the message, and knowing the paranoia of Vale's council, the tribunal would certainly block the passage immediately without care for those escaping.
She'd have to wait for a bit longer, but was this the right choice? Millions of people lived in Vale compared to Mountain Glenn, but she'd grown selfish in her age. Her scroll with a direct contact to Vale's council remained untouched despite the situation.
"Where is my grandson?" She asked abruptly.
The silence that answered her caused no end to her trepidation.
"He was running supplies to the northern wall with a group of others…" The answer finally came like someone dropping a glass cup.
Priam felt like she'd just been punched in the gut, her airways constricting.
"Shall we get in contact with Vale?"
"NO! Those sorry old sods will not block that tunnel!"
Not yet. Not till Ector is boarded on the subway.
"Ma'am, there's something happening at the northern wall."
No? No, it can't have fallen yet?!
Priam's gaze snapped to the holographic image of Mountain Glenn displayed on an overhead screen, and instantly noticed it hadn't refreshed. Rather than wait, she walked past the central table and moved to a window to stare directly at the northern wall.
She blinked. "The Arc family still hasn't fallen?" She wet her lips, her throat suddenly dry as a plume of smoke and debris exploded in the distance. "What's happening there? I need a report!"
The others in the command room scrambled to get in contact with the combatants at the wall, but none could reach the people there.
In the midst of the hurried scrambling, the ground continued to shake and tremble before only silence remained.
Shockwaves of compressed air and heat sent pebbles of dust and debris ejecting outwards from craters spanning the size of tennis courts. It was a veritable mine field with bursts of orange glows illuminating patches of earth with only smoldering ruins left in an explosion's wake.
Contrary to the mindless nature of Grimm portrayed in the history books, the Grimm retreated in the face of superior fire power and revealed a remarkable level of what some could dare say to be intelligence. Those in the north backed off first, and as if as one, the Grimm from the east, west, and south retreated as well.
Silence was all that remained. Even those fleeing in Glenn's streets stood frozen while those in Glenn's central command tower remained utterly stunned.
Shirou stood straight with his bow in hand, ignoring the stares he could trying to bore a hole in his back. It may have just been his imagination, but he'd seen the humanoid figure of someone in the distance that may have been controlling the Grimm? Then again, there were humanoid type Grimm so he wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet.
Right now, what mattered was that the settlement was temporarily safe and he wouldn't have to act for much longer. He turned his attention away from the battlefield, and stared directly into the star-filled eyes of his Master. She was standing on the balls of her feet and bouncing up and down while gesticulating wildly with her arms. She could barely speak and finally just settled on latching onto his left arm after he'd dismissed his bow.
"You-you!" She stammered.
"I know."
"The Grimm were just wooosh! And then bang!"
"I know."
"C-Can I learn to do that?"
"I don't think so."
Ruby pouted, but it wasn't as if he was lying. Even if it were possible to teach her magecraft, his Tracing was unique only to him. There was no way she could create Noble Phantasms or high-level mystic codes, and this was basically all he knew. If his Master wanted to learn magecraft, she'd have better luck asking someone who wasn't a third-rate magus.
While Ruby clung to his arm, he gripped around her waist and carried her down from the broken artillery tower, and straight into a crowd of spectators who gave them a wide berth.
"Dust's sake, what the fuck did we just see?" Someone muttered while looking beyond the northern wall, then back towards Shirou.
Everyone was shaken in one way or another. What they'd just seen and experienced wasn't normal. Aura and Semblance were everyday occurrences for Huntsmen and Huntresses, but the scale of destruction was unreal. Should anyone else learn it was all caused by one man that seemingly worked as a mercenary, the repercussions weren't lost to Aurelia. A mercenary's allegiance could be bought, and the premise of an unaffiliated power that could pose a danger to the kingdoms was a political nightmare. Somehow, or someway, she was going to have to send a report about recruiting Shirou to become an official Huntsman. The problem now, was how? She didn't know how to convince him, causing her to fall into silent in contemplation. She felt a headache coming on, and part of it was due to her little brother.
"I'm more interested in what happened with the Aura," Jaune whispered while opening and closing his hands. "Is this what it's like to awaken?"
Ector who was beside Jaune gave no comment. He and everyone else were still in a state of shock and disbelief. Aurelia was the most affected about what happened. Her words were failing her, and her mind was taking too long to reboot.
In the meantime, Shirou watched as Ruby tentatively made her way back towards her new friends. She was awkward, but she was trying in her own way. Jaune and Ector saw her long before she was making her over which was why she'd approached them.
"Uhm, hi again?" She scratched nervously at the back of her head, a trait he'd impressed upon her in her adolescence. She looked at Ector before calling out to Jaune first, the one who looked easier to get along with. "You're ugh aura was white, and ugh it compliments white."
What did she just say?
Shirou watched Ruby's expression freeze as her mind slowly processed what she'd just said. He could imagine her making the 'kill me now,' face she'd used the last time she'd went to a family diner. Her waiter had served her food and told her to enjoy. She replied with "You too," and practically died inside when the waiter gave her a measured stare while Yang burst into laughter before being elbowed into silence by Taiyang.
Jaune just stared at Ruby for the longest time before Ector spoke up with a snort.
"My Aura was green, it compliments green," Ector said dryly.
"S-Shut up! Don't mock me! I-I made a mistake okay." Ruby flushed, digging her feet into the ground and groaning.
Jaune ever the kind boy, easily let the matter drop and shifted the subject. "We didn't know your partner was so strong. You said you're both mercenaries?"
Shirou watched as Ector's attention shifted towards him, then back to Ruby. Ector hummed in interest.
"How much would it take to hire you both?" Ector inquired. "Whatever you're being paid now, my grandma is willing to pay double, triple. You can even name your price."
Ector was directing his question more towards Shirou than Ruby who froze thinking of what she could buy with more lien that wasn't just from her allowance.
"O-Of course we're strong." Ruby let out a small laugh. "Out of curiosity, abooouut how much are we talking about here?"
Instead of answering, Ector pulled out his scroll and opened a blank cheque with a starting balance of $10'000.
Ruby made a sharp whining noise. "Cookies, gun parts for my baby…" she trailed off, eyes misting over. Jaune took one look as Ector added an extra zero and Ruby grew catatonic.
"Don't think about it Ruby," Shirou felt the need to step in now before Ruby slipped too far over the edge. "It's an enticing offer, but if we just abandon a contract for another employer, our credibility takes a blow. My partner and I will have to decline for the time being until we complete our mission of defending Mountain Glenn."
Ector nodded, putting away his scroll.
It was around this time that Aurelia and the others began recovering from their shock. Aurelia's first priority was to grab Jaune in a bone crushing hug to make sure he was okay before excusing herself to ascertain the safety of the Huntsmen and Huntresses at the Northern wall.
"All of you stay here for the time being," Aurelia gave a single command.
Shirou watched Aurelia go, but not before she gave him an unreadable stare and hurried off.
"Sorry about my sister. She's generally nice but she's too protective." Jaune called out to him. "I'm not much of a Huntsman in training and she might be mad that you helped unlock my Aura early which means dad will up my training difficulty."
Shirou nodded to Jaune to show that he understood. A silence stretched, and he became aware that everyone was crowding around him in Aurelia's absence. Then again, they must have felt safer near him after what he'd just done.
Of course, Ruby felt both the safest and most comfortable near him and was trying to inch back towards him. Unfortunately, he felt that this was a great time for her to step further out of her shell. For each step she took towards him, he took two steps back until Jaune and Ector noticed what she was doing. From any other perspective, it seemed as if she was trying to distance herself from them. A rude gesture in any culture.
"This isn't what it looks like!" Ruby said frantically, her eyes darting back and forth while thinking of an explanation. "It's not you guys, it's me, or actually no; forget I said that. Y-You!" She suddenly pointed at Ector. "You were the one talking about hiring us, so yes that's it! I was moving away to give enough room to demonstrate Archer and I's capabilities."
Ector raised a brow, the unsaid 'go right ahead' lingering in the air.
Shirou took one look at Ruby and just knew what this wasn't going to end well. She was panicking and that was already the worst sign. She'd only just begun her training with Qrow after completing Crescent Rose meaning that she was still a greenhorn and definitely, definitely, trash in unarmed combat. Worse yet, her social anxieties were kicking up, and he could see swirls beginning to form in her eyes.
Everyone was looking at her with expectation after seeing what he'd done earlier, but Ruby wasn't him. Ruby and expectation shouldn't even go in the same sentence.
This was bad. Very bad especially with Ruby in the spotlight.
It was Signal combat classes all over again.
Jaune and Ector waited, then waited some more with everyone else.
"Uhm, Ruby," Jaune wet his lips while trying to think of something to say, wincing when Ruby sharply snapped her face up to stare him down. "You don't have to feel pressured into doing anything. I think Ector's just messing with you."
Oh no. Here it comes. He knew that face.
Shirou winced. He considered intervening now, but it was already too late. It had begun. His Master's coping mechanism when pushed too far into a corner.
"A-Are you doubting me? Do you dare to doubt me?! I have anxiously awaited this test from those such as yourselves! I have seen the dark path, but I always tread in the light!" She flourished her red cloak.
…O God please nooo.
Shirou smacked the palm of his hand over his face while watching Jaune and Ector glance at each other unsurely. Everyone seemed unsure.
"This isn't a test, Ruby." Jaune clarified in confusion, Ector more so, but Ruby ignored them and blubbered on.
"Grimm fear me, I am the future strongest kickass Huntress in Remnant, Ruby Rose!"
They already knew your name.
Shirou felt his shoulders begin to sag, meanwhile Jaune shrugged and just went with it.
"…aaaand?" Ector dared to drawl.
Ruby felt blood rushing up to her head in embarrassment. She definitely must have caught her own mistake, and was just saying whatever came first in her mind due to anxiety.
"I'm a killer of all Grimm! Slayer of cookie monsters! I. Drink. Milk!"
Why not just stop? You're only making it worse.
Shirou heard the crowd murmuring and knew that this was only going to dig the hole Ruby was digging deeper. Back in Signal when she was at the bottom of combat class, she'd often resorted to far fetched boasts about her hidden powers not unlocking yet, or a random curse dulling her movements in order to delude herself into thinking that she wasn't trash.
Where had she even learned this from?
"Did you hear that?! That's my daughter and she's just like me! I taught her everything she knows! Every hero needs their cool entrance!"
Shirou stiffly looked to the invisible floating woman throwing blind praise at Ruby and stilled.
It was yooouuu!
Even before Summer had 'died,' she'd read Ruby way too many comics and stories when she was younger, and Ruby's retained such knowledge throughout her life.
"Are you going to get started?" Someone called out to Ruby. "We thought you were going to show us something!"
Ruby mechanically stood straighter, her words coming out in stutters as she slowly began to realize how screwed she was. "S-So, you too desire to gauge my forbidden strength? I-I'm warning you all, but even I can't fully control it. L-Last chance!"
"Get on with it!"
Ruby eeped. Shirou didn't miss the way her eyes glanced at him pleadingly. He sighed, and got ready to bail his Master out.
"Dude, where'd she get the petals?"
Everyone watched as random rose petals danced in the air, a breeze blowing over the area. As for Ruby, she suddenly perked up when she noticed him agree to help her out a little. A self-assured grin came across her face before she put aside Crescent Rose of all things and balled her hands into fists. O god her confidence in him was making her take things too far. She was trying to emulate Yang who she probably saw as her coolest Signal role model. She was definitely asking herself 'what would Yang do?'
Suddenly he didn't feel like helping her anymore.
"The flowers dance in the cool breeze. I stand alone. A rose has thorns!"
Ruby's gaze focused on a piece of debris in the small circle that the others had cleared around her. "Hiyah!" She punched a large rock.
...And nothing except a massive shudder that travelled up her fist and down her body. W-Was she crying? Did she forget to coat her fist in Aura and just punched solid rock?
Back turned to Jaune, Ector, and everyone else, Ruby kept signalling Shirou with her eyes, frantically gesticulating with minimal facial movements and begging him to take action as tears of pain trickled down her cheeks.
Shirou sighed, equal parts amused and exasperated. Why didn't she just use her weapon?
"Are you not going to do anything?" Summer floated beside him.
You spoil her, Summer.
Ruby was beginning to sniffle the longer the silence stretched. Her face scrunched up and a part of her looked like she was dying, not in pain, but in mortification.
Carefully Tracing an explosive type mystic code in the shape of a sword behind the rock, he activated it and caused the rock to detonate into a controlled fiery blaze much to Ruby's relief.
"See? SEE!" She had alligator tears in her eyes. "This is just how I planned it!"
No one really seemed to believe her. Only Jaune. Instead, the observant ones had noticed something strike the rock from behind prior to the explosion based on the sound produced.
Ruby wiped her tears away before rushing up to Shirou and jabbing her elbow at him for taking so long. "Let me reintroduce ourselves! I'm the real Hero and this is my side kick! Are fights are legendary!" She boasted.
"Isn't it the other way around?" Ector shook his head skeptically. "Legendary fights? You mean one-sided?"
"N-No! You have it wrong!" Ruby shouted, scandalized and red faced beneath her mask. "Hmph, believe what you will, but if I unleash my super secret devastating ultra mega attack: fluttery sting like a bee float like a butterfly attack, you'll be sorry for ever doubting me!"
"You're an idiot," Ector said flatly. "I'd rather listen to Mr. Archer."
"Hey! Don't ignore me. Jaune not you too!"
Sheepishly, Jaune's gaze gravitated towards Shirou much like everyone else, granted Jaune was the nicest about it.
"B-But I'm the Master and he's the Servant…" Ruby trailed off, stomping her feet on the ground. "Haters! Haters all of you!"
Ruby went largely ignored, but if anything, she was drawing a smile from everyone. She was lifting the mood in her own way. Idiocy was contagious.
Around this time, Aurelia Arc came back after verifying the safety of the Huntsmen and Huntresses at the Northern wall. It was here when she realized a shift in the group's dynamic. Rather than look to her for guidance, everyone was captivated by a certain masked mercenary.
Aurelia looked conflicted suddenly having her position unofficially delegated, but grudgingly, she didn't make a fuss.
"What do you suggest we do from here Mr. Archer?" Someone asked.
Shirou hummed, staring first at the one who'd imposed the question, and then towards Aurelia Arc who remained oddly complacent to having her authority challenged. Well, if they were genuinely asking him and Aurelia had no problem with it, then who was he to deny his input and experience?
"The Dust artillery needs to be repaired before the Grimm return."
This was the first priority. With the artillery back up, he wouldn't have to be limited to a single area to compensate, and could move around as needed. "Do you have any engineers around?" He inquired.
Aurelia hummed and pulled out a scroll she'd been keeping strapped to her waist beneath her belt. She opened the interface and tapped a request icon. "Done," she answered, staring intently at her scroll before sending a 'all clear' message. "The military engineers should be on their way now that it's safe. Anything else you'd like to suggest?"
He nodded back in thanks. "For the time being, we should regroup back to a safe point until the engineers arrive. A few Huntsmen can stay behind to keep the area clear of Grimm while the engineers work. I'll volunteer if there's no one available."
"A good suggestion made by a brave man," a voice cut in.
"Papa," Aurelia greeted a gruff looking man who looked like an older version of Jaune except with a darker shade of hair and a more built upper body appeared. He was the same man who'd been spotted fighting over the northern wall.
Jaune perked up upon seeing the man, but didn't draw attention to himself as the man moved straight towards Shirou and patted him on the shoulder.
"Hello friend, my name's Nicolas Arc," Nicolas greeted. "I don't know how you did what you did, but it was incredible. That being the case, you must be low on Aura. Let me and a few others keep the engineers safe while you rest. You'll need the time to recover."
Shirou would've said that he was fine, but he could see that Nicolas was going to be insistent. The way Nicolas glanced at Jaune and Aurelia made it clear to Shirou that a part of Nicolas's insistence was due to a sense of safety his children would have by travelling with him. To a father, they would always cherish their children's protection.
"I understand."
"Good lad," Nicolas grinned. "Now hurry and go. We don't know how long it will take until the Grimm return."
Nicolas pushed Shirou lightly to follow Aurelia as she began herding everyone back to the center of the Mountain Glenn settlement. The man really was a caring father.
Shirou trailed near the back of the group, and naturally, Ruby stuck to walking beside him. The only difference this time was that Jaune and Ector weren't too far ahead. Ruby kept shifting her gaze from him to Jaune and Ector and back, her lips pursed. On one hand, she evidently wanted to make new friends, but on the other, she wanted to stay with him as well. Ultimately, he ended up making the choice for his indecisive Master.
"Ruby, go hang out with your new friends for a bit," he urged.
He felt her grip on his arm tighten for a moment, before he looked down at her and saw her silver eyes peering up at him. "Really? Then how about you?" She inquired.
"I have something I need to do, and no I'm not bringing you, I'm planning on going outside Mountain Glenn's walls to do some scouting."
Ruby's eyes widened before she pulled on his sleeve, prompting him to lower his head where she cupped a hand over his ear to whisper. "I can help too," she tried to be discreet, yet was failing to realize her actions were too conspicuous not to be noticed in the first place.
He felt Aurelia stare at him, but he nodded sheepishly and gestured for her to keep going. She acted uncertain, but after what he'd done, she treated him like a senior Huntsman and didn't question him.
His attention moved back to Ruby who was now looking more and more determined to follow then ever. He had to stop her now before she got any ideas. "Can you do this?" He raised a brow and let his hand de-spiritualize. "It would be safer if I go alone because I can be invisible. It will be safe for me." Technically, the Grimm could still sense him, but he was in no danger of any Huntsman or Huntress spotting him.
Ruby shut her mouth. Point proven.
"Alright Ruby, behave. I'll be back shortly."
When no one was looking, he took off his clothes, tucked them into Ruby's supply bag, and promptly dematerialized.
In truth, scouting wasn't the only motive he had for leaving Ruby behind for a bit. Grimm were hard to find in the midst of Vale, and he didn't have a reasonable excuse to leave Ruby behind before. Here out in the middle of nowhere and in Grimm territory though, he had the perfect opportunity to test something he'd been debating about with Summer.
A few minutes later, and he was far from the Mountain Glenn settlements walls, having phased through all obstacles in his spiritual form.
Grimm were soulless creatures by default. In a sense, weren't they just empty vessels? The fact that their bodies fade away in black mots of light gave credence to the theory.
A Heroic Spirit was just a familiar summoned into a host body made out of ether. The difference was the existence of a Spirit Origin which allowed a Heroic Spirit to maintain its existence. The key concept however is the distinction between spirit and body.
If a Grimm was a soulless vessel, then what happens if a spirit were to reside within it?
Shirou didn't dare try it himself as he already had a physical body granted to him as a Servant, but Summer was different. She was just half of a lingering soul who wasn't even sure how she'd died. If she'd get a physical body from trying to posses a Grimm, then why not try? She already had everything to gain, and nothing to lose with him around to bail her out if it got bad.
However, there were definitely risks.
Grimm were born of a tainted power of darkness. It would be simple to lose oneself in their corruption meaning that it would be a battle of will based on whether Summer could endure the process of possession.
"Are you sure you're willing to try this?" Shirou stood in front of a Beowolf pinned to the ground by four swords while talking with Summer. She was the one who was insisting on trying if only because she was sick of being able to do nothing.
"Yes. If what you said about souls were right, I just have to beat the Grimm's corruption. So…maybe easy? I have silver eyes."
"Again, I don't know what that means," Shirou rubbed his temple with his right hand. "Red eyes, green eyes, or silver eyes, why does it matter what colour eyes you have? What sort of justification is that?"
"It means I have a higher chance against Grimm, alright? Ozpin wasn't very forthcoming with information."
Summer looked nervous, but no matter how he tried to reason with her, her determination didn't waver. Slowly, she drifted her way to hover over the back of the growling Beowolf and tentatively placed her hands on it. She sucked in a breath and slowly began to meld herself. "Wish me luck."
As soon as Summer fully melded with the Beowolf, it just froze. It stopped struggling while the colour of its eyes kept flashing between red and silver. In truth, this was a risky endeavor that he wasn't willing to allow Summer to try again. No, it was something he abruptly realized she wouldn't be able to try again even if she wanted to.
All too quickly, the connection he had with Summer that anchored her to him was severed. He could no longer feel her presence, causing him to tense, but he couldn't do anything. He could only watch as the Grimm's eyes kept alternating in colour before it burst into a white smoke, waves of black and reddish light pulsing within.
He hurriedly released a burst of his magical energy to create a strong enough wind to clear the smoke.
There standing in front of him was a red-haired woman identical in appearance to Summer, but different nonetheless. Her skin was a sickly grey colour, almost white in complexion with angry red veins pulsing over her face. Bone-plate covered her body in light patches concentrated over her joints and a bit under her chin, but her most distinguishing feature were her wide red eyes.
She was naked, but he had the decency to vehemently keep his eyes on her face while looking for something to cover her with except he momentarily forgot that they were out in the middle of nowhere. Cheeks gradually reddening, he coughed in a fluster and sharply turned his head to the side before choosing to unequip his red mantle to drape it over her. Said mantle was a size too large and managed to reach all the way to Summer's feet where they dragged on the ground.
She wasn't speaking. She wasn't moving. The way her red eyes shone almost seemed menacing. A guttural growl escaped her mouth as he tried to approach her again.
"Summer?" He said cautiously, muscles taught and ready to burst into action at the slightest sign of ill intent.
Summer stood perfectly still, and it was with careful observation that he began to notice the red seep away from her eyes to be replaced by a radiant silver.
"Summer, is that you?" He called out again.
Summer regarded herself silently, her lips pursing while her eyes focused on her hands, then her feet, then her body. She seemed stunned, shocked, almost fearful. "Sorry, I spaced out for a second," she finally answered.
"How do you feel?"
"I feel fine," she opened and closed her hands. "How do I look?"
Like you shouldn't try to walk on Vale's streets anytime soon, or Atlas, or Mistral, or anywhere with humans at all?
His silence was telling, a bitter smile spreading over Summer's face. "Do I look okay?"
"Define okay?"
Summer gave him the stare all females used against dumb questions. It's super effective.
"Look for yourself." He traced a nameless sword in front of Summer whose blade was as reflective as a mirror. She gasped at her own appearance.
"You're going to need this." He handed her a spare mask in case the one he was wearing broke. She would also be needing better clothes to cover the rest of her. His mantle wasn't the most appropriate as it hardly covered the front at all. Her naval was exposed while only the top of her pert breasts were covered. She didn't even seem to notice how close she was to immodest.
Summer gingerly accepted the mask, a flash of bitterness flickering over her features. "I'm not going to be able to see Ruby, Yang, Tai, or Qrow like this, am I?"
He wanted to deny that statement, and he did. If a family loved each other, their love wouldn't change regardless of what happens. This was especially so for her Summer's family who've yet to give up on searching for her. "You know that's not true. They're your family and knowing them, they'd never shun you."
But this was exactly the point holding Summer back. As a mother and a wife, she had her own concerns.
"Which is why I wouldn't want to burden them," Summer replied, her voice soft in direct contrast to how fierce she appeared in her current form. "If I show up appearing like this, even if they don't flinch away from me, everyone else will." (Who would trust a Grimm? I-I'm a monster no matter how you look at it.)
"Do you want me to try and turn you back?" Shirou offered. Of course, even he didn't know what would happen since he could no longer feel the anchor tying Summer to him. If he forcibly separated her, he may just end up killing her which is a risk he didn't want to take unless Summer insisted.
She did not.
"No." Summer cracked a wry smile, her current appearance making it look downright evil. Of course, he didn't point it out to her and just bore with it. "At least like this I can help without turning you into a woman."
Ah yes. The main reason Summer had been so insistent on trying to possess a Grimm.
"My gratitude knows no bounds," he said in the most genuine tone he could produce. He considered prostrating on his knees, but knew Summer wasn't the sort to like such a scene.
"This is going to take a bit of getting used to," Summer complained while rolling her shoulders. "I got too accustomed to floating."
"Well," he pointed towards a few Grimm in the distance. "What about some practice?"
Summer's attention abruptly focused on him as she put the offered mask on her face. "Can you make me a weapon?" She asked.
"What do you have in mind?"
Somehow, Shirou knew he'd asked the wrong question as a light glinted from Summer's silver eyes.
Summer's similarities with Ruby were all too apparent, more so because Summer always followed Ruby around if she was able. The both of them were weapon fanatics. Who did you think taught Qrow about weapon making?
The difference between Summer and Ruby though, was that Summer knew what he was capable of.
"Weeeell, since you offered…I may have a certain design in mind after watching my daughter make her weapon."
She was looking at him like a walking armoury.
Technically, she wasn't wrong, and damn she looked scary right now. Her transformation was probably affecting her in more ways than she may know.
She wouldn't be taking no for an answer.
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Summary of book:
Death. Grief. Ruin. Nothing was left unchanged after an unexplained tragedy led to the loss of millions across the world in key locations. Cities were reduced to wastelands of steel and concrete, and many were forced into migration. When events leading to the prior tragedy occur once more, Kevin Black was going to have to learn that sometimes mysteries were better left unsolved. Trapped with his friends in the world of a ruined city filled with monsters, the journey out would be far more perilous than the journey in.