RWBY: Roses Can't See

CH 7: The Rift

The sound of guns cocking surged through the air as many bandits aimed their weapons on the blond brawler whose foot dug into a pile of their fallen brethren she stood upon. Yet, Yang couldn't care less about these small fry. All her eyes red with rage were fixated on was her friend Weiss and her butler tied up next to her "mother" who had her red blade at their throats. The word in regards to Raven Branwen was spat out in her head like venom, Yang just couldn't say them with love like Summer after all the years this hag had left her and Dad, and for what? To lead a tribe of murderers and thieves!

"Get that damn sword away from them, or I'll-" Yang grunted before an arrogant chuckle from Raven cut her off, infuriating the blonde.

"Or what? You'll smash down all my men and your dear mommy before I slit their throats? You really never were bright, were you Yang? Guess that's one thing you and your pathetic Father and Sister have in common." Raven said with a smirk.

At that point, Yang's hair caught flame as she huffed and began slowly walking towards Raven, filled to the brim with murderous rage.

"HEY! Freeze this your last warning!" A grunt yelled, his finger itching to pull the trigger of his rifle and fill Yang with holes…..until Yang bent down to his confusion.

"What the hell is she doing?" Another grunt said before Yang used as much strength in her legs as she could to skyrocket into the air, leaving a massive creator in the ground she once stood. The bandits, Weiss and Klein stood in awe at the amazing jump she just performed while Raven just rolled her eyes and sighed unimpressed.

In mid-air, Yang cocked her robot arm, sending her aura into it as part of one of its features to enhance its strength. The wind blew through her hair as she descended, giving off a mighty war cry as she plunged her mechanical fist into the ground, creating a massive seismic shake that threw everyone but Raven off balanced and caused the ground around Yang and the bandits to erupt in an explosion of dirt and fire and send flying the latter into the wooden walls and tents around them, shattering their aura's and leaving many bloodied, burnt, and bruised. Yang felt her arm tremble from the recoil, her yellow aura flickering as it protected her from the impact for the most part. With a heavy grunt she pulled her dirt covered robot arm out of the ground, panting a bit as embers flew off her hair as it began to return to normal, yet her eyes remained red as they fixated on Raven, who stilled did not sheave her blade and glared at her. Yang could only smirk in response.

"Ooooooh. The big bad leader still needs her sword out to deal with a weak teenager. Guess you and these losers I sent flying have a lot in common." Yang said sarcastically with a smug tone. It felt really good to give this bitch that abandoned her a taste of her own medicine, yet Yang hoped it would serve to draw her into attacking Yang and forgetting about Weiss and Klein. Yang knew as long as that blade was so close to her friends throat she'd have no chance at winning and have to surrender.

"Take the bait, take the fucking bait already!" Yang begged in her mind, careful not to lose her cocky smirk to keep up the show.

"Even a moment loss of cool and their dead. Come on Raven…. Just come get meeeeeee." Yang pleaded in her head before her composure was broken and her eyes widen by something unexpected.

Raven was laughing.

"She's…. actually laughing?" Weiss said, confused by this stern woman's change in attitude. A few more bandits that regained consciousness also looked at their leader amazed and perplexed. Not once in the many years they served her did they see her laugh.

"The chief has a sense of humor?" one bandit said before suddenly Raven ceased her laugh but didn't stop smiling. Yang and Weiss wished she had, as it would make what she did next less chilling to their spines.

Raven suddenly dashed past Yang in an instant, too quick for the brawler to even react. All she heard was the sound of a blade swishing in the air making her skin crawl as she nervously turned around to see the grunts that regained consciousness have their heads flying in the air and their severed bodies laying on the ground limp in a pool of blood.

Raven had some of that blood splatter on her face, but everyone watching went pale as she didn't lose stop grinning madly.

Yang gulped as she clutched her throat with her human hand. She couldn't even see her move, it was an instant no time to react. She realized then and their if Raven had taken her bait, she would have lost her head instead.

"Glad to see a bit of me wasn't smothered by those wimps in your family. Now, come to my tent, the both of you." Raven said, instantly appearing behind Weiss and Klein as she snapped their rope bindings off with her blade to their surprise.

As Raven got to her tents entrance she turned back to see her daughter instantly run up to Weiss, hugging her and frantically asking if she was okay. Raven rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Guess your still too soft." She thought as she darted to the duo and kicked Klein in his sides, knocking the wind out of him as he clenched his waist and wheezed.

"Klein! You rotten old hag!" Weiss roared as her eyes flared blue, a giant white knight appearing behind her.

"Whoa Weiss! You've been eating your Wheaties huh!?" Yang exclaimed in shock at her friend's power. Suddenly a whip wrapped around Weiss's neck, sending a shock of electricity to her and making the knight disappear as she screamed in pain, struggling to stay conscious. Yang eyed the source, a tall bandit woman who looked a bit older than her. She was skinny and had a small buzzed haircut and was ripped. She glared at them with an amused smirk, obviously enjoying tormenting the Schnee.

"I believe the chief gave you a command, now follow it before she commands me to punish you more." The girl said.

Yang clenched her fist and began to charge at her before a red blade pressed against her neck, freezing her in her track.

"Vernal's right. I said…. Get. In. The Tent. Now." Raven said coldly and sternly before pulling away the blade and giving a death glare to her lieutenant, who instantly retracted the electro whip from Weiss neck, letting the girl gasp for air as her body trembled. Yang quickly put her off her shoulders with Klein, their combined weight nothing to the brawler as she quickly followed her biological mother into her tent.

As they entered the tent, they strangely saw no sight of Raven. All they saw was a modest tent filled with a teakettle, a small portable bed and pillow and a lamp for heat. It made sense considering bandits often moved after a few days to avoid detection so they'd need to pack light, but what didn't make sense was why it was empty when they just saw Raven entered it. Yang put Weiss and Klein down after the former tapped her soldiers and assured her she could stand. Weiss darted her head around, her huntress instincts telling her they were being watched.

"Where… did she-" Weiss said with a rasp tone, her throat still sore from that electrocution and choking earlier, before being startled by a Raven bird fluttering before them and landing in the center.

"A bird?" Yang said confused before her and Weiss's eyes widened to see it consumed by a flickering black light and cloud of black feathers and transformed into Raven herself.

"Ta da!" Raven said sarcastically as she waived her hands in the air in a bored fashion smirking, obviously amused by there perplexed look.

"I- I don't… how did?... Wha-What?" Weiss stuttered confused while Klein and Yang's jaws hung open amazed by what they saw.

"This old "haaaaag" learned a few things at Beacon, unlike you brain dead children it seems." Raven arrogantly said.

"They can teach you to become animals!?" Klein asked bewildered before they were all silenced by a sharp death glare from the Branwen woman.

"Enough small talk! Tell me why you're really here daughter! Not for a family reunion I presume." Raven said annoyed, not yielding her piercing gaze. She honestly loved the look of terror it brought the butler and teenagers, but Yang saw this sadism and it made her sick to her stomach. She knew she had to fight it for Weiss and Ruby's sake or they wouldn't leave her alive, or at least Weiss and her butler wouldn't. Honestly at this point, Yang wasn't 100% certain Raven wouldn't kill her. But there was one thing Yang was certain of, her goal to reunite with her true family, not this woman who abandoned her long ago.

"Ruby is somewhere in Mistral with Uncle Qrow, take me to her." Yang said seriously. Raven groaned and rolled her annoyance at the mention of her brother,

"She just had to mention him and ruin my fun." Raven thought, soon remembering the talk she had with Qrow weeks ago.

Bad Blood

Qrow was drinking in a bar like he usually did at night while watching his niece's team stay at an inn at a small Mistralian village. His face grew solemn as he saw her smile, honestly perplexed by how she has kept her cool despite her blindness.

"I'm honestly surprised she isn't always tired though, she must see nothing but darkness everyday." He thought to himself, before taking a swig of a shot glass. He soon saw a beautiful waitress dressed in a Chinese-like dress with a knot tied in her black hair waiting at another table with a cloaked figure carrying booze.

"Hey sweet cheeks, another shot-" he said before she placed a really fancy looking glass with malt liquor and ice before him before he could finish.

"I uh… didn't order that but thanks." He said perplexed before she gave him a flirty wink.

"It's from the lady over there. Enjoy". She said coyly before walking away.

Qrow however, soon narrowed his eyes and groaned in anger as he saw the cloaked figure wearing a red mask, instantly recognizing their identity and almost tempted to hurl the glass at the ground or the hooded figure. He didn't put it past them to poison or drug him considering their past.

"Heya sis. Thanks for the present, now what do you want?" Qrow asked annoyed, preferring to skip right to the point. He knew his sister never wanted to be around him unless she wanted something and hell, the feeling was mutual. Raven soon walked up to his table and took off her mask and hood, before placing the former on the table and sitting while giving off a fake smile as he could tell.

"What? Your sister can't buy her brother a nice drink out of the goodness of her heart?" She said sarcastically but he didn't stop glaring at her.

"You don't have a heart, if you did you'd visit your daughter. Did you know Yang lost her arm?" He asked bitterly. Raven grit her teeth with rage at the low blow.

"That's not f-" before she could retort the perceived indignity Qrow cut her off, already aware she was about to make half-assed and hypocritical excuses and he wasn't in the mood to hear them.

"Rhetorical Question! I know you know, it's just obnoxious of you to come here and talk crap like "family" when you pretend like your own daughter doesn't exist." Qrow said sarcastically while rolling his eyes, ignoring the red ones hoarse with rage from Raven.

"What gives you the right to judge me when you know the demon we can't hope to face that's after us!?" Raven thought.

"I saved her life." She retorted bitterly, but Qrow wasn't impressed.

"Once. Because that was your code, your tribes that meant more to you than your own daughter and husband. You chose them first, a pack of murderers and thieves." He said in a matter of fact tone.

"They were our family, and you abandoned them first." She retorted, her voice almost showing a hint of sadness.

"You have a very warped view of that word." He said with venom in his tone. To him, family was people like Yang and Ruby, moralistic people who loved and cherished the time you spent with them. People who respected the sanctity of life and bonds they others forged. He could have considered the tribe to be important like that, even without blood ties, if only they didn't relish in the torment they caused in separating those bonds and destruction that followed. That's why he was disappointed in Raven the most, she chose them and that lifestyle and threw away the second chance he and her got with their loved ones and that was unforgivable, that's why he wasn't giving her intel she wanted about Ozpin.

Raven later left the inn, completely furious her brother never yielded Intel, in fact she inadvertently gave him Intel why not telling him about the spring maiden, it allowed him to figure out she was a member of the tribe. She was just grateful he didn't figure out it was really her. She couldn't let anyone know, that's why she had vernal pose as it in case. She couldn't let Salem get her, it made even her shiver thinking of those evil black and red eyes that pierced her soul. It's what caused her to kill the last maiden to get her powers. She thought she'd be strong enough to protect herself from her, but Ozpin told her when she got the power to transform it was foolish, because Salem is immortal. What was the point of fighting? What was the point of staying with her daughter and husband if having this power would make them a target for Salem to get to her? That's why she wanted to hear about Ozpin, she had to get the relic of Beacon from him to use as leverage. It was her tribe, her families last hope.

As she drew her red blade to go back to camp, she then eyed the inn across the way, noticing a blind little teenage girl sitting on her bed by the window.

"Summer's daughter?" she said quietly. She couldn't help but be curious about her deceased teammates daughter's condition. She no longer possessed the same silver eyes as summer. She saw them in Ruby only once, the night Summer left on her last mission and never returned. Even she couldn't help but find them adorable on the child, but now they were blank, devoid of life whatsoever. This only made Raven more perplexed, if she was so disabled, why was she traveling with her brother in a dangerous country filled with Grimm?

Even Raven felt a tiny bit of pity despite herself for the blind girl's plight as she saw her motion her arms around to find the curtains to her room, closing them to get privacy before bed. Raven soon shook her head disappointingly.

"Why even bother kid?" She whispered, it was a fools errand for her to fight like that, just as she felt it was a fools errand to oppose Salem. These were the negative thoughts that filled Raven as she summoned a portal to go home to her tribe before they attracted a Grimm horde, that's how bad she was feeling now.

Back in Raven's Tent….

"Did you not here me!? I said take me to Ruby NOW!" Yang yelled furiously, snapping Raven out of her recollection.

"What makes you think I know where she is?" Raven asks coldly, but Yang scoffs.

"I know you don't and that you don't care because she's not your family, God is she lucky. But I also know how your semblance works thanks to dad." Yang said with a smirk of smug satisfaction seeing Raven frown and groan annoyed.

"Your semblance lets you bond to people and summon portals to meet with them. You got one for me, for dad, and for Uncle Qrow. He promised to watch over Ruby so I know he's with her in Mistral, now summon me to her!" She ordered, but Raven merely folded her arms dissapointingly.

"Why should I?." She bluntly said.

"Because were family mother" She said sarcastically as she mockingly placed a hand to her chest, actually earning a chuckle from Weiss and a smirk from Raven who shook her head.

"You really did take after me and Qrow huh?" Raven thought.

"Why do you care so much for her anyway? She's blind and weak. She out to be thrown to the Beowulf's if she can't protect herself, at least then she wouldn't burden you or her equally worthless Uncle and Father." Raven said spitting venom in her tone.

Weiss cowered behind Klein at this mention, she knew insulting Ruby would trigger Yang, hell she still remembered her sending Cardin flying 3 stories high with an uppercut when she caught him talking shit about her and spreading false rumors like her bribing Ozpin or being on cocaine to humiliate her. Ruby was off limits, and Yang made that perfectly clear as her hair caught flames.

"Don't…. You ever…. INSULT OF MY FAMILY AGAIN!" She roared, but Raven merely chuckled and shook her head before taking out her sword slowly. Weiss motioned for her saber, which she reclaimed from the unconscious bandits earlier but felt her hand freeze, remembering the speed and power Yang's mom showed earlier and knew it was foolhardy to oppose her.

To their surprise, Raven merely formed a red portal before them, instantly confusing Yang as her hair began returning to normal, though still retained a yellow glow ready to flare up again.

"I'm only obliging because you'd burn my tent down even if I disciplined you. Now get out!" Raven ordered.

Yang waved her hand at Weiss and Klein to go through while she took the chance to look at her biological mother longer.

"Please let this be to Ruby and not a trap." Weiss internally begged as she took a deep breath and left through the portal with Klein. Raven glared at her daughter, but Yang refused to be intimidated again as she walked towards the portal as well.

"Thanks for the help "mother"' Yang said sarcastically as she left, she couldn't ever call this woman mother sincerely even if helped, she had done too much, put her through too much pain to deserve that love.

"Just be warned sweetie. Next time you see me, you might not want to." Raven warned her with a small but dangerously angry tone, but Yang couldn't even find it in her to spare a glance at her angry gaze as she left through the portal, coming out the other side to see her Uncle drinking on a tree stump outside a cottage near Mistral Academy. He was certainly a little drunk considering he wasn't too shocked with Weiss and Klein by his side already.

"Heya Firecracker. Glad to see ya get back in the game." He said warmly as he pointed to her robot arm.

Yang couldn't help but smile warmly at this affection, it was as great change of pace from that bitches death glares and coldness.

"Honestly, how are you and mom even related?" She thought.

Inside the cottage….

Ruby was in the kitchen helping Ren, Nora and Jaune cook lunch. Well…. She was trying to help at least. Her walking stick kept smacking everyone, bring mild irritation to them that they refused to let out knowing the blind girl was trying not to bump into them or sharp tools as she felt for ingredients and spices for stir fry.

"Ruby, were really fine. You don't have to cook you know." Nora said sweetly, trying to cover the annoyance that smack to the leg Ruby's stick did, but Ruby could tell by her heartbeat she was irritated a bit. She frowned a bit as it brought her more discomfort.

"Please Nora, I got to. Might as well get better in case I'm ever by myself and get the munchies right?" She asked, putting on a confidant smile but Ren could sense it wasn't sincere. Not being able to cook, bake, sew, or even walk normally were some of the many problems his friend was dealing with in the months she lost her sight, and he knew she was trying to overcompensate to avoid looking weak to them. They knew she valued their opinions of her and wanted to make sure they stay high, so he knew it was useless arguing with her so he decided to do something safe to help her.

"Come here then Ruby, follow my voice and grab this. Reach out your hand." He said as he gave her a spoon once she slowly walked over to him, barely avoiding smacking his foot with her stick to his relief.

"You can help me by stirring these onions and beef cubes while I make some tea. If you start smelling smoke just press this button to turn the heat off and move the forward away from the burner." He instructed as she nodded, putting on a bright smile that made everyone happy, glad to see her confidence restored.

"Thanks guys, I really needed this." She thought as she began stirring. It was definitely hard these past few months adjusting to her blindness, it made her feel weak and worthless many times. What irritated her the most was having a hard time eating until her sense of smell sharpened, allowing her to know how much was on a plate and if it was likely good. She couldn't tell people how many times in the first month she missed the plate's food and stabbed the dish or the table with a fork, it was embarrassing. The sweet smell of onions and salty beef filling her nose did bring relief, as her stomach started growling. Soon they could have a meal she helped made, and that made some of the pain of her insecurity go away. She had to get stronger, she couldn't let this ruin her. Not just in battle, in life itself she had to be strong and competent, she hated being cared for like a baby. The last thing she wanted was to burden anyone like she did with Yang growing up. After mom died, Dad shut down mentally so Yang stepped up to care for Ruby, making her breakfast, taking baths with her to make sure she stayed clean and healthy, and sewing giving her hand-me-downs and using allowances to buy nice toys and books for her when she was feeling upset.

"Yang… you really were the best big sister ever.'' Ruby warmly thought as she recollected these loving memories, ignoring the calls from Ren about the stir-fry needing to be stirred or else it would burn.

True enough, the smoke from the pain snapped her out of it as she realized she burned it. She sheepishly smiled at her team, actually grateful for once she was blind as she was sure they were glaring at her for that.

"Sandwiches then anyone?" she sheepishly asked.

My Big Sister

Outside the cottage, Qrow stood in front of the door to the living room, not sure Ruby was in there or not. He had to make sure Yang and Weiss knew about her condition before entering.

"Qrow, what's going on, why can't we see Ruby yet?" Yang asked confused. Qrow winced a bit, it pained him to tell her about this.

"You know that medicine you dad bought a shit load of for Ruby's eyes?"

Qrow asked hesitantly. Weiss didn't pick up on that hesitance and gasped a bit as she felt some false hope.

"Medicine? You mean Ruby's eyes could be cured?!" Weiss asked, her tone a bit bright as Yang's eyes widen and she smiled.

"Wait, are you trying to surprise us? Did it work? Is Ruby-" She said brimming with joy before she was shocked as Qrow raised his hand and cut her off by taking a huge chug of his flask. He really needed a drink after getting their hopes up, knowing this would crush them now.

"Sorry Firecracker. The medicine didn't do shit after all these months. I'm afraid Ruby's still blind. She's gonna stay blind forever." Qrow sorrowfully said. Yang and Weiss covered their mouths and gasped, tears strolling down Yang's as this revelation broke her heart.

"But don't worry too much, your badass Uncle trained her to compensate. She's like a goddamn superhero now. Just… don't try to pity her okay? That would only piss her off. She hates pity believe me." Qrow said, earning slow nods of confirmation from Yang and Weiss, despite still seeing the sadness in their eyes.

With a heavy sigh, they he slowly opened the door and peaked his head through, seeing no one in the living room.

"Okay, come in slowly, I'll call her. It's gonna be a big surprise for her okay?" he asked the teens who nodded.

"Hey Ruby, come in the living room I got a gift for you!" He yelled, alerting his niece as she grabbed the tray of tea. Despite Jaune's concerns, she had memorized the layout of the living room by now and knew from her position she was near the kitchen door and was confidant she wouldn't trip for the 200th time she chuckled.

"Coming uncle! Your just in time, we finished making lunch, I helped!" she said proudly.

"Yeah, helped ruin the first batch and make a few make-up sandwiches." Jaune snorted, making her blush a bit.

"Hey! Even a broken clock gets it right twice a day!" Ruby yelled embarrassed before pausing once she got into the living room. Her sinuses flared up as she began sniffing something strange yet familiar. She smelled oil and gunpowder then a stronger smell of fancy perfume that made her honestly feel a bit sick and tempted to drop her tray and cover her nose.

"What did you get me Uncle, an old arcade game you sprayed with air freshener or something? This room smells weird." She exclaimed confused.

Yang and Weiss meanwhile eyed their sister and leader solemnly. It really tugged their heartstrings seeing her blind. Yang still felt the same burn in her chest when seeing it for the first time after Beacon fell, it brought tears to her eyes that her family lost so much. It felt so damn unfair she got a robot arm to easily replace the lost one, but what Ruby lost couldn't be restored, that medicine gave them false hope and now Ruby was paying the price for it.

"Damn it! Why couldn't I have been there for her? Why did I push her away!" Yang thought bitterly.

Weiss fought with all her willpower not to whimper and give herself away. It shattered her when she read that letter, hearing about Ruby's condition, but nothing could prepare her for the horror she was seeing her friend live through. For all her past pride as a Schnee, her support abilities as a huntress that gave her the confidence to be the best partner for Ruby, it was all evaporated into thin air as she gazed at those blank eyes.

"I was there with her and I couldn't stop this. What the hell kind of partner am I?!" She yelled at herself in her mind.

Seeing Ruby draw closer to them, they knew they couldn't put it off anymore and had to let it out.

"Heya Rubes." Yang stuttered. Ruby gasped as she heard her sisters voice and dropped her tray, shattering the tea and alerting her new team who came out the kitchen and were shocked to see Ruby's teammates before them.

Ruby was paralyzed, fear and confusion overtaking her, making it hard to even breath as she stuttered her speech, trying to say something as she felt Yang slowly approach her. The fear grew stronger, making Ruby step backwards and quiver in fright with each step she heard. Yang cried as she saw this,

"She's…. scared of me?" Yang whimpered in her head. She knew she pushed her away, yelled once but didn't think her baby sister would retreat, she thought she'd squeal and jump into her arms with joy.

Ruby on the other hand, feared something dangerous would happen and had to express it to get away.

"I know what your gonna s-say Yang." She tearfully started saying.

"H-How could I just waltz out of there and leave you and dad without a goodbye. You know d-dad would stop me. I had to go. I had to avenge our friends. I had to avenge you. And before you get on me you weren't even really there. There was nothing I could do to get you out of you bed even!" Ruby cried, retreating into a corner as she felt her back press against a wall, going into a fetal position as she became desperate to run away.

As she heard Yang approach her, she heard as well the sound of her hands clenching into fists. She hear the heartbeat pounding from Yang and could just imagine those red eyes of rage she showed before and knew a beating was coming. Why not? Ruby left her like Raven did, to Yang she must deserve it.

"Well Yang, get on with it. Yell, punch me, KILL ME EVEN, just stop scaring me PLEASE!" Ruby cried as she waved her arms out in terror, desperate for the nightmare to end before she was caught off guard by a sudden hug, feeling Yang's tears drip down onto her shoulders and the warmth of her sisters heart she hadn't felt in months.

"I love you too Ruby. I love you." Yang tearfully said.

Ruby gasped, tears drenching her cheeks as she heard this. She gasped a bit and choked on breaths as she slowly returned the hug.

"Y-You idiot. It took you months just to say that to me!?" She cried, having desperately wanted that wish fulfilled when she was rejected that day.

Soon Ruby felt another person hug her, wet tears drenching her shoulder as well as the smell of perfume got stronger.

"It's okay now Ruby. Were not leaving you alone this time." Weiss said tearfully.

"Weiss? Your back?" Ruby weakly whispered, unsure if this was a dream or reality, but Weiss's soft hand grabbed her cheeks and pulled her to her chest. Hearing the heartbeat of her partner calmed Ruby a bit, before she looked up as saw something shocking. She could see a bit, she could see blurred images of them. She saw their blonde and white hair a bit, making her realize she had really regained her sister and partner after all these months. She had gotten back a part of herself she had lost.

"Y-You idiots. Wha-What took you so loooooooong!" she cried and screamed as she buried her crying face into their chests.

The next day….

It was a peaceful autumn day at the inn. Ruby laid on a bed of soft grass on a hill with her sister enjoying the cold wind and the peace and quite after yesterdays emotional rollercoaster. Yang turned her head after hearing her sister sigh, to her confusion Ruby was wearing a new red bandana she didn't wore yesterday.

"What's with the eye fashion Rubes?" Yang asked coyly.

"Oh this? Just more comfortable then shades for the sunlight, plus it looks cooler on me don't yah think?" Ruby said puffing her chest as she tried to look intimidating, but was shot down with a chuckle from Yang who tussled her hair to the red heads irritation.

"Not bad, but an eye patch would have looked cooler." Yang teased.

"For both eyes? I don't think so." Ruby denied, but little did Yang know, being edgy wasn't Ruby's real reason for the bandana. Ruby had started seeing blurry images and her eyes irises began coming back at times, before fading away.

Ruby wasn't sure if her eyes would ever be fully restored, but after hearing the cries of Yang and Weiss yesterday, she decided against letting anyone know to avoid getting their hopes up. Ruby had trained for months to compensate for her blindness to the point it honestly scared her to get her sight back. She wasn't sure how she would react to it. The feeling of powerlessness over her own bodies changes tormented her constantly, and now it felt even worse with what she couldn't choose to define as a blessing or as damnation.

Ruby was jostled out of her negative thoughts by the sound of Weiss's heels digging into the dirt, followed by groans from the shacking girl.

"Damnit! You girls just had to have coffee on the grassy hills. My heels don't mix with this thick ground. If I spill any coffee on my dress you're both paying for a new one!" Weiss declared with a glare, but Yang and Ruby laughed it off, irritating her more.

"Yeah, yeah rich girl, just give us our coffee already." Yang chuckled.

"Careful, I'll pore it on her head hot head." Weiss warned, making Yang pout to Ruby's amusement, though really from the joke rather than the facial expression as she couldn't see it.

"And for Ruby a caramel coffee with a blasphemous amount of cream and sugar. Honestly your gonna be more hyper than Nora if that's even possible." Weiss said, causing a cheer from Ruby as she waved her arms in the air, almost knocking Yang's coffee out of her hands.

"Yah! Best Partner EVER!" Ruby yelled as she slowly reached out to grab the coffee, Weiss making extra effort to gently place it in her hand to she didn't drop it or burn herself.

After a few sips, the girls took in the scenery, it was a great view of the lake with a few trees and an open plain nearby. Nature was truly beautiful, which only added more to the pity party as Yang and Weiss solemnly glared at Ruby as she enjoyed her coffee and lay back, due to not being able to see the scene.

"It's so unfair she doesn't get to enjoy this. She deserves better." Yang thought bitterly.

Weiss decided to break the tension before a nevermore swept down and ruined the mood more with their negativity.

"It really ugh… feels good getting to relax with you girls after all these months." Weiss said with an awkward smile, kind of grateful Ruby couldn't notice it.

"Yeah, I bet you were really lonely up their in Atlas." Yang said dejected.

"You have no idea, really wish dad would let me bring you all to the last concert I did." Weiss said bitterly, before being surprised and almost dropping her coffee as Ruby bolted up.

"Oh yeah! I heard you sing a little while ago on the live stream, you were so awesome partner!" Ruby exclaimed.

Weiss smiled a little, it felt good to hear Ruby's praise and calling her partner after so many months.

"Those words are more music to my ears then my singing I'll have you know BFF." Weiss chuckled, making Ruby giddy from her friends happiness, it was truly infectious.

"*Sigh* It's almost perfect right now. I really wish Blake could be here to enjoy this with us." Ruby said with a small smile, which soon formed a frightened frown as Yang groaned in anger and frustration.

"Well she's not here, because she didn't think we mattered enough huh?" Yang groaned making Ruby and Weiss's eyes widen in shock to hear such cancerous words.

"Yang don't say things like that. You don't know why she left." Weiss said sternly, but earned a scoff from Yang in response.

"She didn't have any reason! She just left us and never bothered to check on us after all the crap we went through. I thought she'd care enough to stay with us, stay with her partner after she lost her freaking arm!" Yang exclaimed, tightening her metal fist harder as the memory of losing its processor flushed her mind, making her pant a bit in anger and exhaustion her sister could tell. She had to do something to calm Yang down and put a calming hand on her shoulder.

"Yang, I-I'm sure she had a good reason to le-" Ruby said before Yang grabbed her shirt and got in her face to the formers shock, her eyes red with rage as Ruby could sense from the rapid heartbeat pacing in her sister, frightening Ruby as she sat their pale with fear.

"She RAN! And she left us because she didn't care anymore. She didn't care I lost my arm! She never visited me! She didn't even care you lost your eyes! She should have-" Yang yelled at Ruby before being feeling a stinging sensation on her cheek which became as red as her eyes. Weiss gasped as she saw Ruby, the one responsible, struck Yang with a fierce slap while gritting her teeth angrily. She never saw the two siblings fight once at Beacon, they were inseparable and now she was rubbing her own cheek, feeling her fathers hand on it as she could definitely empathize with the pain Yang was certainly feeling right now.

Indeed, Yang eyed her sister with fright, feeling terror and confusion worse than when she lost her arm once she saw the look of contempt she never thought her baby sister could give her. Her eyes turned back to normal as she began breathing hard and her skin turned pale once hearing her sister's venomous tone.

"Shut. Up. Yang…. Don't you EVER blame Blake for what happened to me. Quit acting like you know how others feel, when all you ever did was think about yourself." Ruby spat with venom as she slowly got up and grabbed her walking cane and crescent Rose to leave down the hill.

"Wa-Wait Ruby don't leave m-" Yang yelled, her hand trembling as she held it out for her sister who slapped it away to her fright.

"I'm going to train. ALONE. Now leave me alone." She ordered fiercly, Weiss and Yang trembled hearing her anger, it was almost soul shattering. Weiss couldn't just leave her alone with her blindness, something Ruby could sense in their thoughts as she heard them stand up.

"R-Ruby you can't go off on your own let us-" Weiss said before a yell silenced her.

"DON'T FOLLOW ME!" Ruby yelled while pointing at them, freezing them in place as she left, slicing a tree in anger with crescent rose while she was at it.

Weiss stood there in shock, never hearing Ruby yell at her like that before. It was worse then any verbal beat down that her dad gave her growing up, and that was saying something.

Yang on the other hand, couldn't say anything, she was filled to the brim with mixed thoughts of anger and sadness before screaming to let them out and throwing her coffee cup against a tree, shattering it.

"Well, there goes a perfectly nice coffee." Weiss groaned, but Yang merely ignored her and stomped towards the inn in a huff, but Weiss could see her friends tears in her eyes that she tried poorly to hide. Not that she could blame her after that fiasco, but she knew Ruby wasn't in the mood to mend the rift, so it was up to her.

Weiss went to Yang's room and knocked on the door.

"G-Go away, I want to be alone." Yang groaned past her sniffles Weiss could hear and sighed as she opened the door anyway. She saw Yang's room a total mess, her bed snapped in two and holes in the walls no doubt from her punching them in anger. But that wasn't the issue now, Yang needed a talking to and to get her head on straight for once.

"Yeah and you had 6 months alone, I think its time for a change, for you to change." Weiss said sternly, before meeting a death glare from Yang, her eyes red from crying.

"Yeah well I changed pretty much if you didn't notice." Yang retorted while waving her metal arm, but Weiss didn't cease her own glare.

"That arm isn't as hard as your thick skull. If it wasn't you'd realize your just making the same mistakes again." Weiss countered, making Yang raise an eyebrow offended.

"What mistakes?" She asked with venom in her tone.

"Your pushing Ruby away again for one thing." Weiss spat out, making Yang clench her fists in rage.

"She ran off again! She ran like Blake, like-" Yang yelled before being cut off.

"Like Raven?" Weiss retorted. Yang got in her face for what felt like to her was a really low blow.

"Don't you ever mention her to me again! She left me like those two did!" Yang roared. As much as Weiss's heart was screaming in fear right now, begging her to quiver or leave to avoid this onslaught, Weiss thought of her friends to keep herself firm, not willing to lose them again.

"Ruby and Blake left to HELP YOU! They are nothing like that murderer, like Adam." Weiss countered, making Yang's eyes widen in shock at the mention of her assaulter.

"Adam hurt you with glee like Raven did to those bandits. She doesn't care about you but those two did. Ruby left to avenge you and her friends she lost because she thinks about others first, even when she lost her eyes. Speaking of eyes, Blake's were fixated on that bloody stump where you lost your arm, she was begging to you for forgiveness but you were unconscious. All of that was because you charged in head first and lost it like an idiot because you don't think. You don't think strategy, you don't think about consequences, and you certainly don't think about others feelings that's for sure." Weiss ranted bitterly, making Yang's lips quiver as she sheepishly thought how to counter.

"Wha-What do you mean!? I think about them all the time. I think about how I almost lost Blake when he was stabbing her. I was there for her and she just ran away!" Yang yelled.

"Yes you were there for her, and it got you hurt. You got hurt by someone that hated her because of it." Weiss retorted.

"I didn't blame her for losing my arm! No one blamed her for what Adam did!" Yang yelled.

"But SHE did. She blamed herself, hell she probably still is since she hasn't returned. Since coming to Beacon she hid because she lived a life of fear and pain. She felt when she met us she could be happy but she still kept that fear, a fear her past would attack her and us and guess what? It came true. Because you got hurt in front of her, protecting her, she blamed herself and now feels she has to stay away from us to avoid it happening again. She left like Ruby did to help you not its your turn Yang, your turn for once to start thinking from her perspective and stop projecting Raven onto her and see her as that scared girl whose hurt like you are." Weiss said before inhaling after that long rant.

Yang plopped on her ruined bed exasperated by what she just heard. Her metal fist trembled as she grabbed it to stop the shaking. She realized it was true; she was taking her anger with Raven, her sense of abandonment out on Blake and Ruby, God! She just pushed Ruby away again!

Yang clasped her head painfully as she began crying frantically from the bitter memory of yelling at Ruby and pushing her away months ago, just like she did today. But she still couldn't get the anger with Raven out of her head, it was like a virus in her heart and it filled her with rage,

"What do you know about others feelings Weiss? What do you know what any of this is like!?" Yang yelled.

Weiss groaned, she really didn't want to resort to this, but knew bleeding her heart out was the only way to reach Yang's.

"When I was 10, my Dad finally told my mom he married her just for the family name and fortune." Weiss sadly said, Yang's eyes widen as she heard this.

"He missed my birthday, when mom yelled at him for it, he just told her. No argument or yelling really he just….coldly told her he didn't love her really or care about me much. After that, it was never the same. Mom and Dad had meals with me without the other, they had separate balconies at my plays, and they slept in different rooms. As hard as it felt for me, it was no doubt worse for mom. What started after as a small glass of wine here and there soon began to become a bottle or two every day. She wallowed in booze and left me alone in her study while Dad was too busy with company to pay me or Winter any thought. So yeah, I don't know exactly what your loneliness is like, but I do have my own version." Weiss painfully said, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks as she bled her heart out.

Yang put bowed her face into her hands, she was disappointed in herself for accusing Weiss of not understanding her, it was the other way around.

"I-I pushed Ruby away when I lost my arm. I wallowed in misery alone like your mom. Oh God! I made Ruby feel alone when all she tried to do was help me when I lost my arm when…. Fuck! She lost her damn eyes and she still thought of me! I pushed her away, and I did it again today! Weiss how do I fix this!?" Yang pleaded, but Weiss remained silent, pondering her thoughts.

"Weiss please!?" Yang pleaded earning a sad sigh in response.

"That's a question that's more money than my dads fortune that's for sure. I think the best start would be to apologize to Ruby and try to learn to forgive Blake." She responded.

Yang nodded in confirmation slowly, but she was torn deep down. She didn't truly know if she could forgive Blake at least. Sure, Weiss was right in that Yang took her anger with Raven out on Blake when the latter was simply scared because of her, but she couldn't let it go yet. The pain was still too much to let go. Nonetheless, she knew she had to make it up to Ruby and went for the door to find her and do just that. As she opened the door though, she was shocked to see her sister right in front of her about to knock on it.

"Oh uh… hey Yang right? I assume its you, Nora said this was your room." Ruby sheepishly asked. Yang nodded before smacking herself remembering Ruby couldn't see.

"Y-Yes, It's me Rubes. Listen I-" Yang began to say before Ruby began fidgeting. Ruby had vented her frustrations, but the more she had swung her scythe at rocks and trees, the more shitty she had really felt. She wanted nothing more to apologize to Yang, a glimmer of hope in her that she would be forgiven (even though she really didn't do anything wrong).

"No Yang I'm sorry! I shouldn't have slapped you, I should never have yelled! I-" Ruby cried before Yang pulled her into a hug and shushed.

"Shhhh. It's okay. I deserved it. I'm not letting you again. I love baby girl." Yang cried as she tightly hugged her sister, whose bandana grew wet as tears wetted it and she collapsed on the floor.

Weiss stood back, not wanting to get in on the hug this time. She could only internally sigh as she wished she had that bond with Winter, with her family….

"I wonder how my sis is doing now?" She sadly wondered. She'd give up almost anything right now just to get a warm hug from any of her icy family.

Happy Holidays! Two in one week as a bonus. I am going on a cruise now so no new chapters for a while, a month at most sorry. So Ruby and Yang had a long way to go to repair their bond and Yang isn't keen on doing so with Blake and certainly won't with Raven. Ruby's sight may be emotionally impaired rather than just physically but she wants to keep it to herself to avoid false hope, she's had too much of that already. Next time Cinder and Co attack as an old ally reveals themselves as an enemy in Chapter 8