Hello everyone, it's ReaderWarrior here. I know you're probably all excited (hopefully) for the next chapter of Metal Like Roses, so I'll try and keep this short.
It has been two years since the first chapter, Prologue, of this story was publicized. It was my first ever chapter and I feel that it's thanks to its success, I have been able to reach this point. There have been difficulties either from rude criticism, which I dealt with maturely, or from real life events I had little to no control over. However, I still am pumping! I am determined to see this to the end!
So thank you all. From Desertjet to The Protector of the Universe (my first and most recent Follows). From Optical Wallbong to Surtr1994 (my first and most recent Favorites). And even from a simple guest to Jerk (my first and most recent commenters). And every single one of you in between.
You all mean the world to me. And it's thanks to you I was able to create this new world of fiction. So not only do I wish to offer you my thanks, but so do Vin, Ruby, Ozpin, and everyone else who's lives have been touched by your interest in their lives.
And a special thanks to my editor, who has stuck with my persterings for well over a year. You deserve a prize. Thanks a bunch Icarus.
While this story is technically on a break, I did want to try something for it's second birthday. So here's a bunch of missives from each member of team RWVBY in between the events we last saw them and where we shall see them next. From what we could tell, there's about a six-month gap between volumes three and four. So this takes place three months after Yang and her new team left.
I hope you all enjoy. And thanks again. :
Editor's note: N/a
Metal like Roses
By ReaderWarrior
I do not own Mistborn or RWBY.
Interlude
Beta'd by: Icarus720
As always, please comment! It honestly makes my day to read your thoughts and opinions.
Tell your friends!
Reviews:
Jerk - Thank you! When I first started watching Ruby, I found their similarities speaking to me. I hope you enjoy the next twists and pitfalls that I wrote after chapter 17 as well.
Ruby's Diary
To me,
Well, um, it's been a while, huh? Dad has been trying to get me to start moving out of bed these past few weeks, and I won't, so we settled on a compromise that I had to start writing my thoughts down each night. I think it's supposed to help with getting me to open up or something. Or maybe to help me understand what has been going on.
But I know what happened. I messed up. Even though Dad keeps telling me it's not my fault, I can't help but feel it is. I left Vin alone multiple times! The first time it was just because I wanted to go home and see Dad and Mom's grave. That's so stupid! What was I thinking?!
Then, to make it worse, we let her chase after this guy who's apparently some kind of Cosmerical traveler or something who had knowledge on my parent's team when they were Huntresses and Huntsmen!
… I still haven't told anyone about that. And the coin (a metalmind, Vin called it) is hidden in an empty magazine for Crescent Rose.
And with Yang gone… I'm not sure it's a good idea to 'activate' it again. Especially with everything that happened. How she saw Blake… She won't even talk about it. Just keeps saying she's gone.
Is that my fault too? I know Vin's capture is, but without her, would all of this have happened? Would Vale have fallen? Would Weiss have lost her arm? Would Blake still be alive?
Dad says no. And so does Pyrrha.
Oh, yeah. Pyrrha keeps coming by every few days. She says she's worried about me since there is nobody else I can talk to. Yang, Jaune, Nora, and Ren are too far away to call now and we haven't gotten a letter from them in weeks. I think she is hoping to hear something from Jaune.
I still can't believe she decided to stay behind. I mean, she could have gone with them and, with her powers, kept them safe! She's now a freaking Maiden! Which wouldn't be awesome if it wasn't so terrifying. Her control over them has grown a lot these past months. She practices a lot outside my window.
I think she's trying to get me to watch and come out.
But I don't want to yet. Maybe I will when she can fly. Pyrrha's been practicing with that these past few weeks but has had very little success. It's honestly kind of relaxing seeing the Invincible Girl get angry. Then apologize.
When she's not here, Pyrrha spends most of her days in what remains of Vale. She, Professor Goodwitch, and the other members of the Beacon staff are working together to fix what they can. There's still a bunch of Grimm everywhere and every day they keep finding more things to fix. Apparently, some people have elected to stay behind and help with the reconstruction.
Dad goes, sometimes, when Pyrrha offers to stay with me. I think he's worried that if he's gone I might do something… you know… But I wouldn't. Never. I just… I can't look at anything anymore and not see how dead or barren everything looks. With the Fall, everything is just so less colorful. And when I close my eyes… I see red.
Why does my favorite color make me want to cry?
Brothers, I can still hear it. The slice. The sound of her arm hitting the ground. The first droplets of blood. I can't remember anything after that, though.
Pyrrha has offered to take me out, to practice combat, or even just to show off the control of her new powers in an empty area. But I'm just so scared of what will happen. What if I get someone captured or killed? What if a Grimm shows up and I can't do anything?
I just… can't. Not today. Not tomorrow.
I can hear dad downstairs cooking again. I think I'll see if I can go downstairs and help. Baby steps, right?
I hope everyone is OK.
Weiss' Plea
Vin,
Why do you keep ignoring my calls? It's been almost five months since the day now known as the Fall. Four months since hearing you are in Atlas too.
Are you safe? What happened to you? I haven't been allowed out of the Schnee Manor at all since I first got here. And the few times people have been allowed in, Father wouldn't let me talk to them. They've only talked to me, saying that I must be lucky to have survived or that it is a blessing that Ironwood was there to save me.
Which is ridiculous. It wasn't luck or the Atlesian military that saved me, it was you all! If it wasn't for Beacon's students, everyone would have died.
I'm doing well, thanks for asking. Thanks to Atlas engineering, I have had a robotic replacement for my missing limb. It's… difficult. That's the best way to describe the feeling. I'm somehow stronger, yet also weaker. One moment I'll wake up, splintering my bed frame. And the next, I'm barely able to hold a cup and saucer without dropping them.
And it's cold. I thought I was used to that feeling years ago. But somehow, the entire appendage seems to get colder as I focus on it. And not just where my… stump meets it either. I'll feel a freezing sensation all the way down to my fingertips at times, even though I can feel them at all during most hours. It's like the replacement is resisting me. I know that sounds ridiculous.
Are you having any difficulties with your replacement? Winter warned me that you had been injured too and also required a cybernetic implant. I hope that my donations helped pay for the best one available. Father doesn't know, though, so it would be best to keep that a secret. He thinks I was buying new equipment to practice with my voice.
Oh, did I forget to mention he is trying to put me back on the stage again? Father thinks it'll enact 'emotional responses' from pitying parties to see me, his injured daughter, singing about loss.
Gods, I want to stab something. But he's also keeping my blade hidden.
Winter also said you were now in the military. Perhaps congratulations are in order? How are you enjoying the new lifestyle here? I know it is different from Beacon's teachings. What missions have you gone on? What rank are you? Has the general enrolled you at the Huntsmen school, or have you just been incorporated into his select service?
There is so much I feel I do not know. And without Klein, my butler, I have had less and less contact with the outside world. Father has ensured he is busy at most times and is no longer my private physician. To be honest, that is the one thing I find myself most upset at. My father may be a greedy, racist, bigot, but in some ways, he has always done it to benefit the Schnee Corporation. But him removing Klein from my service is petty.
But that's enough about me.
Have you heard anything from Ruby, Yang, or Blake? They both went after you were taken. Did they find you? Or did you break yourself out? I only know that you were rescued and were given a ride with me on my father's bullhead.
Please talk to me.
-Weiss
Vin's Report
Recording active
"This is Specialist Venture with a direct report for General Ironwood.
Today's mission is to be considered a success. The infestation of Manticores and Lancers have been neutralized and the entryways they used to get into Mantle have been plugged. However, there were complaints by its citizens that those areas were necessary for food production. The holes in the Mantle walls were directly connected to factories. It was easiest to destroy a section of the building to block it with rubble.
I recommend sending more supplies to Mantle to either help rebuild the now-destroyed factory or supply necessary foods. Flynt and Neon, who were assigned to this mission, assured me this level of damage was to be expected. However, they did seem more downhearted upon our return to Atlas. After that, they were told to return to their rooms, join their teammates, and rest. But I suspect they are taking their anger out on the Danger Room.
In other news, Specialists Polendina and Winter wished for me to comment that the A.C.E program has been moving at quicker-than-expected speeds. Out of the original twenty candidates, only eleven remain after the first week of assessments. So far, Clover Ebi shows the best responses to each assessment and is a natural leader. I recommend he be nominated for Ace ops leader. He routinely sacrifices himself for others and, when leading, always does so at the front.
Other notable recruits are Harriet Bree, whose record shows she is willing to do whatever it takes to complete a mission, and Tortuga, her brother. They seem to keep each other either in check or pushed to become better. Though I would like to arrange a simulation where they are split up from each other.
… Sigh. I am also doing well. While Ironwood wishes for me to report on my own thoughts and feelings, in exchange for not enrolling in counseling sessions, I still feel that this is a pointless exercise and that I am fine.
My days are tolerable. I wake up, exercise, shower, and change. Then, after daily briefings, I engage in tasks relating to Grimm eradication or citizen protection. When all of that is over, I make my report and then return to my barracks. Depending on the mission, I will either take part in a few Danger Room exercises or fall asleep. Even though I have Been offered medication, I do not need it. Sleep is only necessary if life allows for it. And I'd much rather spend my time in the field than in my cot.
I have also received another letter from Weiss. After reading it, I feel that my ignoring her has only led to more harm than good. I hoped she would stop pestering me, but that seems to only invigorate her.
She, like Ironwood, keeps asking how I am doing. I. Am. Fine. The replacement eye is working well and it no longer hurts. Thanks to Penny's check-ins, I have been assured that the implant has now completely merged with my nervous system, whatever that means. She says that's a good thing.
She also asks if I have talked to anyone from RWVBY yet.
I have not. Nor do I plan to.
It'll be safer for them this way."
End of recording
Blake's Letter
Yang… Yang Xiao-Long,
I know you're probably never going to read this. You're probably ignoring anything I'd send to you. But I need you to know I am so sorry for what happened.
Looking back, I guess I wasn't really thinking. Adam suddenly appearing in front of me made my mind completely blank. I just reacted. I should have realized something was wrong. Adam wouldn't have been hiding and Mercury had already commented he was leading the attack.
So why was he there? I guess it was his or Emerald's semblance. But that still doesn't excuse what I did. I should have realized it was a trick. But I didn't. I just acted. Like a fool.
And then I left. I killed Vin and I left. I'm so sorry.
I haven't changed at all. I just keep running. When you told me that I should go, I didn't hesitate. You were right. This has been my fault.
I just want you to know that I don't blame you. I'm currently heading home, where I won't hurt anyone else.
I honestly didn't expect this letter to be so small, but I think that covers it, huh? I have no excuses, only regrets and sorrows. So, again, I am sorry.
But I hope you and Ruby are doing well.
-Blake
Yang's Update
Recording active
"Hey, Dad! Hey, Ruby!
I hope you guys are getting this. But as we get closer and closer to Anima, the worse the reception gets. We're just about to reach a port that can hopefully have a boat that can take us to Anima.
So far, we've mostly been fighting Grimm. There haven't been too many bandits or other bad guys. And, to be honest, we haven't had to deal with that many Grimm either. A few packs of Beowolves and a stray flock of Nevermores attacked a few weeks ago. We had to detour a bit to take down a Goliath for some villages, but nothing we couldn't handle.
It's almost like someone is watching over us, hahaha. Maybe Pyrrha being the Maiden finally gave us some good luck.
Speaking of which, Jaune says hello. He's spending a lot of time on his scroll, watching those videos of you. Especially at night when he's alone."
"Yang! I swear if you leave that in-!"
"I'm joking. I'm joking. Sheesh.
Anyways, everything has been pretty good so far. We've gotten some new clothes for the cold weather. No offense to you, Dad, but Ren is a great cook. I can see why Nora loves is pancakes. They are delicious!
How are things going with you guys? Has Ruby come out of her room yet? Is she at least talking? We've heard whispers that the Vale cleanup has stopped since there might be a dragon in the area.
That can't be true, right?
I hope Pyrrha's gotten better control of her new powers and will be joining us soon. And hopefully Ruby will come with.
And Dad, how the heck did you deal with these things in the winter? They are freezing!
But I guess that's it for now. This has been team JRNY (Journey), signing off."
"I thought we were team YRNJ."
"Nora, for the last time, I DID NOT AGREE TO BE AN ORANGE! YRNJ DOESN'T EVEN SOUND LIKE ONE!"
"Ha! If you say it like a Vacuoner, it can be Ye-orange!"
"That doesn't even make sense!"
End of recording.
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Helpful supporter - Dalek2150.