"You mean… they've been here? This whole time?" Qrow asked, leaning against the kitchen counter, one arm crossed while the other massaged his temple.
"Unless Berthelotii renovated while we were at Beacon?" Offered Yang.
Her father shook his head. "From what I remember, the last time she did was… fifteen years ago."
The blonde's eyes widened before darting toward her sister, who had raised her chair to sit at some point, now holding her head down, eyes wide, and staring at the bullet in her hand.
"Weren't you…"
She couldn't finish her sentence when the older woman burst into a cloud of petals and darted out of the house, leaving a strong gust behind. Once the wind settled, Taiyang sighed while fixing a picture frame of him and his daughters on the wall.
"There she goes... again."
Qrow tidied up the various kitchen utilities knocked on the counter. "I give up. There's no catching up with her."
Yang picked up the chair, which had once again been knocked over by her sister. She gained a doubtful expression before facing her father. "We're not off to a great start…"
Her comment made the others, with the exception of Pyrrha, gaze away with various unsatisfied expressions. The red-haired woman's eyes shifted between each of them in confusion.
"I assume you're not talking about our summer break?" She asked the blonde.
"Not… exactly." She hesitantly replied with a shake of her head. "I guess we didn't tell you guys. It's about something the headmaster asked of us when we had that meeting in his office Monday morning."
"Well, Oz? We're all ears." Said Qrow, his gaze focused intensely on the gray-haired man.
Tension filled the air. Some would gaze nervously toward the elevator, fearing that the ravenette could somehow still hear them. Others unconsciously held their breath, awaiting whatever the man was about to tell them.
Ozpin leaned back into his chair and picked up his mug. He took a short sip before smirking humorously at them.
"I'd like you all to make sure she has a relaxing summer."
"Huh?!" They all exclaimed, staring at the man incredulously.
"Seriously, Ozpin. Couldn't you have phrased it less seriously?" Said Taiyang with a sigh of relief.
The headmaster chuckled guiltily. "Forgive me. I must have been overtaken by the atmosphere."
"What brought that on anyway?" Asked Yang, causing her a few curious nods from the others.
With a few presses on his scroll pad, his desk lit up before displaying holographic images of various incident reports, headlines, and the warehouse's fight. All related to Ruby in one way or another.
"It is obvious, now more than ever, that Miss Rose is a crucial individual for the survival of mankind against our enemies, hidden or not." He then enlarged a few pieces of interest. "However, recent events point toward the possibility that the overwhelming amount of events surrounding her is beginning to weigh on her mind. If left untreated, I fear that her rash behavior will only intensify from now on. Especially with her recent diagnosis."
"Oz, we've barely been able to sit her down ever since she was ten. She won't listen to us, no matter what we say." Argued Qrow with a regretful scowl.
"Then don't speak. Act. Rope her into activities that could distract her from her responsibilities. She's a determined woman; I can recognize that much, but every living being desires rest one way or another."
Sun scratched his head pensively. "Wait, how am I supposed to do that?"
"Considering your relationship with Miss Rose, it wouldn't be surprising for her to check on your progress. You could use this opportunity to distract her."
"Uh, sure. I'll do that." He replied before sitting down on a nearby chair.
With a nod, Ozpin faced the others. "Can I leave this task to you all?"
"Of cours-" Said Weiss, only to be suddenly interrupted by the brown-eyed man.
"It doesn't simply end after the summer break. The path Miss Rose is following will most likely extend for years to come. Without the support of those she trusts, who knows how far off she could stray?"
"I… I see." Muttered Pyrrha before pointing toward the direction Ruby had left with wavering confidence. "Then this is rather bad, isn't it?"
Patch's main street was bustling with life as it always did, albeit slightly less now that the island was closed to tourists. The inhabitants shopped around, conversed and laughed with one another, and gave a helping hand wherever they could. This peaceful atmosphere would be temporarily distributed as a wave of rose petals darted down the street, dodging the pedestrians to the best of its ability. It eventually came to a halt before clumping together, forming back into Ruby, who glared intensely at the florist a few paces in front of her.
A few bystanders began to circulate the onlookers away from the ravenette, who approached the flower shop. Her eyes would oscillate in brightness, one of her fists clenched tightly in restraint. Once she reached the counter, where the owner sat patiently, she raised her fist and dropped the now-crushed bullet onto the counter. The old woman glanced at the object before meeting the silver-eyed woman's gaze. They stared at one another in silence, neither moving nor showing any sign of weakness to the other.
"How long?"
"That's not what you want to ask."
Ruby clenched her fists at the reply. Her jaw tightened as she leaned on the counter, her head hanging low.
"You taught me how to take care of the house when my dad couldn't. I've seen you around our house almost as much as I've seen him." She muttered. "You taught me how to clean, how to take care of our plants, how to organize myself so I could focus on Yang."
"Mister Burgundy taught me how to cook since Summer couldn't be bothered." She growled. "Him and his wife—I can't even count how many times I've been to their place to prepare food for the week."
"Miss Laurel helped me study since I barely had time to do it myself. I can still remember the late nights after playing with Yang. She would tutor me while Yang slept nearby."
She took a deep, shaking breath. "When I needed money, you would all give me jobs I could do. When I needed help with Yang when Qrow wasn't around, I could always count on one of you to be there for us."
She gripped the counter, barely able to hold herself back from crushing it between her fingers.
"You're telling me that all of that– that this whole time– How much of it was–" A sob escaped her as a few tears fell from her eyes. "I–"
When a pair of arms wrapped around her shoulder, Ruby realized that she had fallen to her knees through the course of her rant, allowing the florist to take her into her embrace.
"Why couldn't she just have stayed home!" She wailed through gritted teeth only to break into cries by the end of the sentence.
A rough hand placed itself against her back, causing the ravenette to raise her head toward its owner. A large, bald man with a thick mustache knelt next to her with a sympathetic smile.
"Mister Burgundy…"
"We would have helped you back then, even if we weren't associated with them." He muttered in a hushed tone. "It just made the process simpler for us."
Ruby's gaze fell to the ground. She watched as her tears soaked the tiles she knelt on, her mind in a turmoil of so many thoughts that it felt as if she wasn't thinking at all. Her hair hid her face from those around her, but her tremors were enough for the two older adults to remain by her side. Once she eventually calmed down, she calmly stood up, revealing the blank stare she cast onto the crushed bullet still on the counter.
The florist and butcher glanced at one another, both acknowledging the other as the elderly woman approached the ravenette once more. It was then that Ruby gazed over her shoulder toward them, bullet in hand, before asking in a low tone.
"Do you think Mr. Bigornia will allow me to use his workshop?"
Harsh winds harmoniously paired with heavy rain while Ruby marched with exhausted steps along the paved road to her family's home. Despite the downpour, she couldn't see the urgency of stepping into the abode; her clothes were already soaked anyway. A part of her still lingered on everything she had learned today, and another couldn't help but feel irritated. Frustrated that the longer time passed, the less she felt hopeful of ever returning to the normal life of a huntress she had dreamt of for herself and her sister.
"Good thing they made that drape of yours waterproof, huh?" Said Jessie from her side.
"Yeah, I… know…" She replied, trailing off when she met an empty space. With a deep breath, she ran a hand over her face, as if wiping away her exhaustion, reminding herself that her drape was now reduced to ashes at the warehouse.
"C'mon, Miss Rose! Mister Ocher said that we're almost there!" Shouted Kim from behind her, causing her to turn around only to be met with nothing but the expanding forest.
With a grunt, she raised a hand to her head and shut her eyes with a pained expression. She then heard the familiar warcry of Alexander in the distance. Turning in its direction, she could see a large cloud of smoke in the distance.
"No!" She shouted before darting toward it with the help of her semblance.
Along the way, she could have sworn that she perceived shadowed figures watching from the trees. Despite their lack of features, she could feel their glares, their hatred, their desperation, their dread.
She barely managed to keep her balance when she finally reached the burning village. Other than the fierce blaze and the shadows' screams, she couldn't find any sign of her partners. Suddenly, a few figures burst from a burning building, running sporadically in her direction while clawing at the air desperately. Their legs seemingly gave out before they could close in on her, forcing them to crawl through the mud, not bothering to roll around to douse the flames charring their flesh.
She could see their eyes now. The various gazes sent her way. The same as those from the forest. She fell to her knees, reaching out to help them, barely noticing the silver moss crawling along their bodies before a large metallic object crushed the skull of the closest figure. She froze, recognizing the weapon. A thurible adorned with wicked spikes, both along the chain and censer. Instead of the soothing aroma of incense, her nose was assaulted with a putrid, poisonous fume, only increasing the dread washing over her.
"No…" She muttered, her gaze following the chain to its wielder. "That's– that's impossible. You're dead!"
In front of her, a rather young-looking man with bloodstained, messy white hair stood with a manic smile on his lips. With an effortless tug, he brought the censer back to him before letting it swing playfully. He took a few steps toward her, the bottom of his pure white robe dragging through the mud and viscera. His glowing silver eyes stared down mockingly at her, taunting her.
Ruby shook her head and roughly rubbed her eyes. "No, you're not real." She then raised her head once more, meeting his crazed gaze.
With shaking hands, she took out her bottle of pills from her storage space. Popping the lid open, she could see how only a few remained, remembering her recent increase in intake. Cursing under her breath, she tilted her head backward and swallowed what remained. She then glared back at the silver-eyed man, a single tear trailing down her cheek.
"None of this is." She muttered, slowly standing up.
In a flash of silver, the same thurible the apparition wielded materialized into her grasp. She pulled the chain taut, then spun the censer. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the spiked vessel hurling toward the man, who now cowered away from her, his weapon now gone. As soon as the censer pierced his skin, he, the shadowed figures, and the village suddenly vanished, revealing a pack of beowolves that had surrounded her.
She noticed how her strike had accidentally obliterated one of the grimm courageous enough to have approached her. Gripping the thurible's chain, Ruby closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
These visions always felt so real, like twisted memories. No matter how unsettling they would be, she couldn't prevent herself from being sucked into them, forced to relive those nightmares. Powerless, helpless, her only option being to take pills like some sort of sick patient. She wasn't ill; she couldn't be. There was still so much to do. So many problems she had to deal with.
So many she had to kill.
She could feel the beowolves creeping closer with wary steps. Their bloodlust filled the air, bathing her in rage.
The pack would fill their lungs with her blood.
Her eyes shot open with a sudden gasp. The world appeared to come to a near standstill. Raindrops descended at a sluggish pace before her eyes. Beowolves were leaping through the air, their claws outstretched, glinting faintly in the scant light piercing through the clouds. Her short exhale seemed to resonate through the surroundings, merging with the rattle of the chain in her grasp.
Birds took flight in the distance, startled by a powerful shockwave that reverberated through the air, followed by a deafening crash and the toppling of trees. The ravenette stood there, arms outstretched, breath heavy, her unfocused eyes fixed on the direction where a horde of beowolves had evaporated in a smoky haze. Only when the rain resumed did she lower her arms and dismiss the thurible. She swept a soaked strand of hair from her face and took a few slow steps away.
A deep rumble abruptly halted her progress, its vibrations coursing through her very bones. She concentrated on her senses, attempting to pinpoint the source of this unusual tremor. As it gradually faded, the sound strangely shifted into what she could only describe as an animal's groan. Without hesitation, she turned toward a direction that might have seemed arbitrary at first glance, yet an inexplicable intuition assured her that she was right.
"What are you?" Asked a voice close by, attracting the silver-eyed woman's attention.
Her breath caught in her throat at the sight waiting for her.
The floor was littered with corpses as far as the eye could see in an ocean of ravaged flesh. From the civilians she couldn't save on her voyage to Vacuo to the band of mercenaries she called her partners.
She blinked, finding herself alone once more in the damaged clearing. A sob escaped her as she leaned on a nearby tree. She slid down the trunk, hugging her knees, then broke into full-blown cries, their sound drowned out by the rain.
She spent the next few minutes sitting there, the cold rain blending with the warmth of her own tears.
Yang shut an opened window, gazing anxiously at the falling rain.
"She's still not back…" She sighed, lazily throwing herself in the middle of the living room's couch, then opening her scroll to browse through her social media.
The sudden arrival caused Blake to almost drop the book she had been reading, barely catching it while keeping the page she had reached. She glared at her teammate, shuffling to reposition herself while raising her book back up.
"I'm sure she's fine." She replied with a sore tone.
On the blonde's other side, Weiss sent a similar glare while fixing her skirt, repositioning herself along with Zwei, who laid on her lap. She then turned back toward Pyrrha, who sat on a nearby recliner in her usual refined manner.
In the kitchen, Qrow sat at the dining table, leaning against his fist while wondering why he had to sit all the way over there when he was the only one watching television.
With a groan, he leaned back against the back of his chair, then turned toward Taiyang. "Want me to look for her?"
The blond man shook his head, focusing on preparing his kitchen to cook tonight's dinner. "You know how she is. Headstrong like her mother. She'll be back before I'm done."
As the words left his lips, the front door opened, filling the room with the stench of humidity and the sound of the rain. Crossing the threshold, Ruby stepped onto the doormat, her drenched clothes and skin stained with mud, while her tired gaze slowly panned across the floor.
Most of the rooms' occupants stood up in surprise, the two Xiao Long rushing to the ravenette in worry.
"What the hell happened?"
"Are you okay?"
The silver-eyed woman remained silent for a few seconds; her glimmering gaze seemed unfocused, staring at some invisible, distant view. She then faced her father before uttering the most shocking words the man has heard in his entire life.
"Where's Summer's grave?"
Thunder roared while the wind shook the trees as they marched through the woods. Leading the group, the three adults trekked silently with Ruby holding onto an umbrella, while the younger members followed further back, shielded by those carried by Pyrrha and Yang.
Somewhat confident that they were covered by the sound of the rain, Pyrrha turned to the blonde.
"I understand that this must be personal, but there seems to be a rather complicated history between Miss Rose and her mother."
"Honestly? I don't know much about it myself. Kinda happened before I was even born." She replied with a solemn sigh. "When Ruby was… about four, I think, her mom left without a word and never came back. The next thing they knew, someone delivered the news of her death along with her torn cloak."
They spared a glance toward the ravenette before focusing back on the brawler.
"From what dad told me, she still loved her for a few years afterwards, even when my mom got involved and after I was born." Her eyes dropped downcast. "Then… my mom left, and dad took it… pretty badly. He spent most of his time… not all there, you could say."
She shook her head when her teammates placed a comforting hand on her shoulders.
"Don't get me wrong. I wasn't exactly at an age where I could remember most of it." Her gaze settled on her sister's back. "But Ruby was. She took care of me, as well as a child could, for a good while, though I don't know how long. Our uncle found out at some point and took over the house after convincing our dad to go to rehab."
"That's… I'm so sorry." Uttered Pyrrha. "I'm assuming that Miss Rose blamed her mother for all of this?"
Yang pursed her lips hesitantly. "Well, no one really knows when or why exactly she started to hate Summer. Apparently, our uncle came home one day and found every picture, or traces of Summer, damaged beyond repair. Except for anything that was in our dad's room. She could barely handle the mere mention of her mom after that. It did get better over time, but…"
The others nodded in acknowledgement, sparing one last glance at the woman up ahead before spending the rest of the way in silence. They eventually came upon a clearing by a cliffside overlooking a continuation of the forest as far as their eyes could see. Near the edge, a memorial gravestone laid in plain sight, its surroundings carefully maintained. A few words could be read on it: "Summer Rose / Thus Kindly I Scatter."
The entire group silently observed the ravenette, who took a few slow steps toward the grave after handing her umbrella to her uncle. The two men tried to follow only for her to raise her hand without turning away from the stone memorial.
The rain fell on her already soaked clothes, a feeling she had learned to ignore over the years. She then summoned her old, battered, hooded cloak from her storage, surprising the onlookers, and then observed the fabric in her grasp. With an effortless twirl, she wrapped the undersized clothing over her shoulders and raised the hood over her head.
Her family, along with the faunus, gained a smile at the nostalgic yet somewhat humorous sight.
Ruby then materialized a lever-action shotgun, which she hastily unloaded onto the grave, immediately shocking the others who stared incredulously at her actions.
"Ruby, what the f-" Her father attempted to yell, only for his mouth to be covered by Qrow.
"You chose to bring her here knowing how she is. Deal with it, Tai." He muttered through clenched teeth. Obviously, he shared much of the man's frustration.
The last shot rang around them through the rain. Smoke could be seen rising from the barrel, along with the vapor from the raindrops landing on the burning metal. Ruby sluggishly lowered the firearm before dropping it onto the ground. She raised her head toward the sky, taking a deep breath and running a hand through her damp hair with her eyes closed. With a long sigh, she let her hand hover over the rubble when a larger stone effigy appeared in a dim flash of silver light. A pedestal on which a statue, about half the height of the ravenette, stood in a form unmistakably familiar to the two men nearby.
A woman wearing a cloak similar to the ravenette standing beside the statue, slightly parted to reveal parts of a knee-length one-piece dress with crossed straps over the person's chest and a rose pendant where they overlapped. Considering the smooth texture of the sculpture's legs, it could be assumed that the woman wore form-fitting legwear like leggings that ended underneath high-heeled combat boots, in front of which a few words could be read.
"Summer Rose / May you prove a beauteous flower when we next meet."
"Woah…" Muttered Taiyang, recognizing the clothes of his first wife. His gaze trailed upwards, lingering on the pendant before suddenly realizing a critical part of the statue was seemingly missing. "Where's… her face?"
Ruby said nothing for a few moments, staring blankly at the untouched surface where the woman's face should have been. Over the rainfall, she muttered barely loud enough for them to hear.
"I don't know." She then met her father's gaze over her shoulder, slightly scaring them at the sight of her still glowing eyes. "How long were you planning on waiting before telling me?"
Confused, the man raised an eyebrow at her. "About…?"
"Veronica."
Her family tensed for a moment until Taiyang released a sigh. "I… didn't think it would have been a good idea to tell you as you were then… and now."
She glared at him, then turned back to face the gravestone, beautifully decorated with flowers. It read: Veronica Berthelotii / Her Passion, A Wildflower, Forever In Our Hearts.
"I still remember when you kids would sit at the dinner table, doing your homework." Said Madam Berthelotii from beside her. "I was so surprised when I learned that she had managed to become your friend. I had come to learn that it was quite an achievement for… well, anyone."
Ruby remained silent, staring at the gravestone with an empty stare.
"She talked about you. Quite often. The Rose girl did this in combat class; the Rose girl got the highest grade in that other class. Ruby and I were paired together for our latest project."
The elderly woman gazed at the horizon, seeing the dark clouds slowly settle over them.
"When her parents passed, I thought I would never see my little flower bud bloom as brightly as she was before. Yet, here she was, talking so passionately about the 'cool but weird' girl in her classes."
She kneeled down to cut the few dying branches from the small garden.
"You might not see it that way, but you both helped one another. For better or for worse." She lightly dusted the top of the memorial. "Then she learned of the Black Rose. It's not like it was something I could have hidden from her for long, nor did I want to. The determination she had to do everything in her power to help you…"
With a solemn shake of her head, she went back to stand beside the ravenette.
"When you left, she knew that the gap of strength between the two of you had long since widened to an absurd degree. So she focused on helping elsewhere, in the streets, much like you had at first."
She saw how Ruby's hands tightened into fists at her comment. She gently tapped one of them.
"I don't blame you for her death, nor would she. She knew the risks, but she gave more importance to what she believed to be right than herself. It is as deplorable as it is admirable, but I don't need to tell you about that now, don't I?"
Thunder roared in the distance, causing the old woman to begin marching away from the grave.
"You're not alone in this, little Ruby. No matter how much you think you are."
The rain drummed at a rhythmic pace against her hood while she continued to stare at the statue's missing visage. The others remained behind her for a little while before slowly making their way back to the house, leaving her on her own with her mother's grave.
Suddenly, she felt someone wrap an arm around her own before leaning against her shoulder. Turning her head slightly toward them, she was met with her partner's cat ears in her face, surprising her for a moment before she removed her arm from her grip to cover her to the best of her ability with her cloak. The two held each other tightly, linking their hands together, standing silently under the rain for a moment.
The rain had long since passed, leaving a wonderful view of the setting sun when the two partners returned home. They were both laughing, a rather pleasant sound for anyone who could hear them, as they stepped inside, their wet clothes gripping onto their bodies.
"You'd be surprised how great a tree frog tastes when that's all you have to eat." Chuckled the silver-eyed woman while taking off her boots.
"Well, good to see you both so cheerful." Said Taiyang from the kitchen. "Why don't you take a shower while we finish setting everything up for dinner?"
Ruby patted Blake's shoulder. "I'll use the one in the studio; I'm sure Yang'll be glad to show you the way."
She then used her semblance to quickly go upstairs, then back down to where she stood, now with a towel and a change of clothes in hand.
"I dropped you girls' stuff in her room." She added before vanishing outside.
Blake blinked a few times before facing her friends, who were helping the man set the table.
"The studio?"
"Did you not see the house-sized shed outside?" Asked Yang with a raised eyebrow. "Dad built it for her when she started getting serious with her music."
"Well, I was also recommended to focus my mind on something for my rehab." Added the man nonchalantly, nudging his rice cooker aside when he noticed how the vapor had been shooting onto his cupboard.
"You went overkill with it, if you ask me." Commented Qrow from the couch, watching the news.
Blake hummed in a hesitant acknowledgement before facing her blonde teammate once more. "So, about towels?"
A few minutes later, the young adults sat at the dinner table, waiting for Taiyang to bring the food, while Qrow still sat in the living room. With a pleasant groan, Ruby entered the house, stretching in her loose white tank top and yoga pants themed to her hair color. A sigh escaped her as she sat on the nearest chair, coincidentally next to her sister.
"That felt great. What's for dinner, by the way?"
Her father smirked, a proud huff escaping him, before he dropped a large bowl on the table. "Good ol' Xiao Long chicken wings! I made a small batch without the spice for those who're not good with that."
His two daughters cheered, standing to serve themselves some rice while offering to do the same for the others.
"Qrow! You're gonna eat with us, or what?" He added, taking his seat at the table.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." Replied the dark-haired man, standing with a groan while raising the remote to turn off the device.
However, the news segment changed to something that caught his attention.
"...It is our pleasure to welcome Councilman Sable into our studio today…"
This attracted the gaze of the entire room, silencing them all as they attentively watched the unfolding interview.
"...thank you for taking time from your busy schedule to attend this interview. It's not everyday that we get to have someone like you on air."
"In Atlas, members of the council are usually only seen on public broadcast during the elections or when they have an important announcement to make. Is it any different here?" Wondered Weiss out loud, receiving a head shake from the locals.
"...Now, Mister Sable, considering your position as one of the few people leading this kingdom, are there any statements you would like to make about the rising concern of the population regarding the White Fang?"
"Well, now, I can't talk about council matters without the other members present, but I can certainly give my personal opinions. We may not have as big of a military presence as Atlas, but Vale hasn't been prospering for this long by some miracle."
"And would you comment on the rumors going around that Roman Torchwick has been working with the White Fang?"
"Please, Torchwick? If they truly associated themselves with a low-life criminal like him, then they can't be all that dangerous. This is but frivolous news to distract people from the real threat roaming our streets and influencing our youth!"
"I'm assuming that you're talking about Ruby Rose, correct?"
"Of course! This woman steps into our kingdom and instantly gets to teach our children to murder?" He gestured toward someone behind the camera. "You! I'm sure you can put up that picture of her assisting the Atlesian military on screen."
"I'm assuming you've voted against her being allowed to pursue her class?"
"Wh- yes, of course! I'll never understand what Ozpin was thinking, letting this maniac do whatever she wants. I'm sure you've heard of the incident at the airbus station? She publicly threatened civilians!"
Panic swept across the news anchor's face. "A-allegedly, people! Allegedly."
The picture requested by the councilman finally appeared on screen, prompting him to continue his rant.
"There! It's public knowledge that she's helped their military, yet no one realized that she most likely killed back then? I mean, seriously, people. Just look at that weapon of hers. Some oversized scythe like a reaper, but instead of collecting crops, she takes souls!"
A loud crunch stole the room's attention away from the television, toward Ruby, who watched the television with little interest, a chicken wing in her grasp and her eyes still shimmering as they have been for the past day. The same sound would repeat whenever she would chew, prompting them to gaze at the food piece, where a peculiar detail made their eyes widen.
"Did… did you just bite through the whole thing?" Yang asked with a hesitant finger pointed at her hand.
She blinked curiously, looking down at the morsel in her hand, which had been cleanly bitten in half. She continued to chew once or twice before her eyes widened in realization.
She swallowed, then let a short chuckle escape her. "Back in Mistral, there was this one guy I was traveling with. His name was Alexander, huge guy, and I made chicken wings for the group at some point. He ate his share like fries, which we definitely thought was weird, but he convinced me to try, and I guess I've been doing it ever since."
She was met with an awkward silence, only broken when Qrow turned off the television.
"Right, I'm gonna stick to the normal way." He said before joining them at the table.
Blake handed the last plate to Ruby, who held it beneath the running water before scrubbing it, shutting the sink with her elbow. She and Pyrrha had volunteered to help with the cleanup when the ravenette forced her father to leave it to her. They went at a rather efficient rate, with her handing the dishes to the older woman while occasionally helping the redhead with drying them.
Ruby extended her hand toward her, demanding another dish while she gazed absentmindedly through the window, something she had been doing for a while since they started.
"Uh, we're done." She commented, gently tapping her partner's shoulder, snapping her out of her mind.
"Oh, I guess we are." The ravenette replied. She then quickly cleaned the sink before drying her hands.
"Is everything alright?" Worriedly asked Pyrrha, leaning next to her. Her eyes widened before her expression shifted into one of guilt. "I suppose this isn't the best question to ask."
Ruby huffed humorously, then patted the spartan's shoulder. "I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind right now." She gazed at the clock, then faced those resting in the living room. "Okay! Why don't you guys get a quick shower? I'll read you a bedtime story."
She was met with strange looks.
"Uh, Ruby? We're… kinda way past that age." Yang commented.
Her fellow students nodded hesitantly, sending various awkward smiles at the woman, who confidently stared back at them. She took out a book from her storage, one particularly familiar to her teammates.
"Trust me. I think you'll want to hear this one."
"T-that's-" Stuttered Weiss in surprise.
"Did you search through my stuff?" Accused the faunus with a betrayed expression.
"I had your luggage in my storage. It's not like I couldn't." She opened the book, browsing through its content. "You girls have some… interesting choices of underwear."
The young adults' faces flushed, turning their gaze away from one another in shame. Ruby closed the book and dismissed it before heading for the stairs.
"Come on. I'll start correcting the exams while you do that."
About an hour later, Blake, Pyrrha, and Yang laid on makeshift beds on the blonde's bedroom floor while Weiss occupied her bed, having stubbornly refused to sleep on the floor. Ruby sat at the foot of the bed with Ozpin's mysterious book on her lap as she made herself comfortable. Qrow and Taiyang were leaning against the doorframe, all waiting for the silver-eyed woman to begin her story.
She cleared her throat and started.
"Long ago, it was said that the gods gave humanity a great quandary. One that they would need to overcome in their absence. However, they wouldn't leave them without help. With their unfathomable powers, they left four guardians: immortal beings of incredible strength wielding mighty weapons, which they would use to aid humanity through their darkest hours. Warriors leading through the end times. It is said that they were given their powers and names in representation of humanities' greatest downfalls: Plague, Famine, War and Death."
She paused, catching their captivated gazes. With a humorous huff, she suppressed a giggle before continuing her story.
"For generations, they watched over humanity, safeguarding them while they attempted to complete their divine task. Of course, despite their celestial origin, they weren't immune from wanting some intimate fun once in a while~." She ended her sentence in a teasing tone, earning a few embarrassed expressions from the young adults while the two men groaned awkwardly. Not used to hearing such topics from the ravenette.
There was a rather curious fact that left most of them with a certain curiosity at the back of their minds. Not once had she glanced down to read from the book.
"Unfortunately, as their silver-eyed children aged, the strength inherited from their parents couldn't be ignored for long…"
Her eyes seemed to lose focus for a moment, staring into an unseen horizon.
"Humanity came to fear their guardians. Shunning them for the potential threat they could pose against them. Cursing them for the powers they could not wield themselves."
She blinked, her gaze now focused again, when she felt a hand on her shoulder, courtesy of Weiss, who sent her a sympathetic smile.
With a shake of her head, Ruby cleared her throat. "Seeing how their presence wasn't welcomed anymore, the guardians suddenly vanished along with their kin, leaving their persecutors to fend for themselves. A punishment for their pride, insatiable greed, and spiteful envy." She then raised the book, finally reading from its pages. "There is a looming fear that one day they might return not as protectors of humanity but as harbingers of their namesake, heralding the apocalyptic times they were once destined to avert."
She closed the book with a loud thud before setting it on the bedside table.
"That is if you believe what The Chosen say. Who knows what truly happened back then?" She stood up, patting Weiss' leg affectionately before heading for the door. "Sleep tight now, girls. You've got two whole months of vacation time to exploit!"
Before any questions could be asked, she turned the lights off and closed the door. Muffled by the door, they could faintly hear her tell the two men that they should also go to bed, making a passive comment that she had something to do first.
Once the adults' footsteps faded away, the students stared at one another, the room dimly lit by their scrolls.
"That was…" Yang trailed off hesitantly.
"Sudden?" Suggested Pyrrha.
"I was thinking more along the lines of weird."
Weiss turned to their faunus teammate. "You've read the book. How different was her—or I supposed it's The Chosen's—retelling?"
Blake reached out to grab the book, flipping its pages until she reached the tale in question.
"A whole lot. Ignoring the fact that them having silver eyes isn't mentioned here, this version pretty much says that they came out of nowhere and devastated the world before suddenly vanishing. Ending with the warning of them possibly returning later. Miss Rose added the fact that they used to be protectors to the last paragraph."
"At least, according to what these Chosen say." Pyrrha added. "You girls said that she lived with them for a while, right?"
Blake's fingers lingered on the written words, a pensive expression on her face. "The real story is most likely a mix of both."
"And both may have missing elements." Added Weiss, arms crossed and leaning against the headboard.
A moment of silence passed, each seemingly pondering on the Schnee's comment.
"Why do you think she told us?" Yang asked, laying down with her arms behind her head. "I mean, unlike all the other times, it's not like we asked her to."
Pyrrha laid on her side, holding her head up with one arm, while Weiss slid underneath her covers.
"Who knows? Maybe a sign of her trust? As you've mentioned, she has kept most of this close to her heart before." Replied the redhead.
Blake set the book back on the bedside table and followed after her friends. "Could be a warning. Of all things, she chose a tale of potentially the most powerful beings to have ever existed."
"If you ignore the gods." Weiss commented.
"Right…"
They laid in silence once more, broken only when a yawn escaped Pyrrha, who apologized immediately.
With a groan, Yang stretched before sinking deeper into her sheets. "The tests really burned me out. I think I'm gonna sleep now. G'night girls."
They each exchanged a short farewell before turning off their scrolls, closing their eyes, and wondering what their vacation had in store for them.
"Oh, and Pyrrha?" Added Yang, earning a curious hum from the redhead. "Sorry if we wake you up."
Blake blinked in confusion. She found herself standing amidst a crumbling town. Its citizens, who appeared as mere silhouettes, were running around in panic and fear, yet their screams seemed muffled to her. She noticed how some of them wore familiar masks—dreadfully familiar.
The mask of the White Fang.
The wet sound of a blade slicing through flesh reached her ears, making her turn to face its origin. Her heart stopped before sinking as she fell to her knees. Bloodied and torn, the corpses of her friends littered the ground, soaking it with their viscera. Standing at an angle from her, the broad, intimidating back of a tall man wiping his chokuto clean of the blood dripping along its edge. He then adjusted his dark gray tunic jacket while slowly turning to face her. Two short bull horns protruded from his red hair, curving upward toward the sky. His eyes and forehead were covered by a mask themed after the White Fang, where small lines allowed him to see through it.
"A-adam…?" She muttered frightfully.
She could feel his glare through the mask. "Did you think you could just leave? You can't escape me. No matter how far you go or whose cape you hide behind."
It was then that she noticed what seemed to be Ruby, kneeling in front of him, bruised and bleeding yet still alive.
This didn't make any sense. She knows that Adam is strong, but not that strong? The strength the ravenette displayed since the warehouse is beyond what anyone could ever match. Her eyes widened in dread once more as they gazed up at the man. Only it wasn't Adam standing behind her partner anymore.
With a disappointed frown, Samuel stood firm. His glowing silver eyes staring down at the woman. Sword in hand, he released a deep sigh.
"How unfortunate, Ruby Rose."
"No!" Blake screamed, hopelessly reaching out to them.
With a swift motion, faster than she could perceive, he beheaded the ravenette, sheathed his odachi, and then began to walk away from them.
Ruby's head slowly started to slide from her neck. However, right as it tilted to fall over, Blake woke up with a jolt, sitting on her makeshift bed, eyes wide, while breathing heavily. Her whole body was overtaken by tremors, only lessening once she tightly hugged herself for a few minutes. Taking a few calming breaths, she looked around the room, making sure that she had not woken up any of her friends. She released a sigh of relief before picking up her scroll, opening it to reveal that barely a few hours had passed since they went to bed.
She rubbed her eyes and stood up, then quietly left the room. Surely they wouldn't mind her getting a glass of water?
Entering the corridor, she noticed a sliver of light coming from a slightly ajar door. She then realized that Ruby's voice was coming from said room. Blake creeped closer and peeked through the crack.
Ruby sat at a desk in her bedroom. She spoke to the camera perched on top of her screen to some unknown individual.
"...We would perfectly understand if you wish for actions to be taken regarding my place at Beacon or your daughter's. However, Miss Schnee is of mature age and therefore has the right to refuse whichever decision you make for her sake. As I mentioned earlier, the footage from our encounter along with the recording of my interrogation will be sent alongside this message. These are highly sensitive information which we would prefer to remain private, but I also believe that you have the right to know what dangers I've exposed your daughter to."
She ended her message with a professional send-off, stopping her recording before leaning against her desk, her face buried in her hands. With an elongated sigh, she pushed herself back up while combing her hair back with her hands, then started a new recording.
"This message is addressed to Mister Ghira and Madame Kali Belladonna."
Immediately, Blake gasped in shock, stopping the ravenette mid-sentence.
She stopped her recording. "Go back to bed, Blake."
The faunus pushed the door open, seeing no point in hiding herself at this point. She glared at the older woman.
"I doubt Beacon had my parents' contact information."
"It's not like they're that hard to reach." The ravenette replied, turning to face her. "They are the chieftains of Menagerie."
She shook her head, then stood to stretch. With a passive gaze, she opened her scroll to look at the time.
"In any case, I already had their contacts. I did live at their place for a few days after all." Ruby added, hand on her hip as she bucked them sideways.
Blake's attention wavered between her partner and the computer behind her. "Is it really a good idea to tell the Schnees everything?"
The silver-eyed woman raised a curious eyebrow, her glowing orbs giving her an air of lethal beauty. "I'm not sending it to her dad, if that's what you're asking."
This seemed to have been somewhat enough to ease the faunus' worries. "So, what now?"
"Ultimately, it's up to you girls. You're old enough to make your own decisions." She replied dismissively, crossing her arms before suddenly glaring at her. "Though you already know my feelings on the matter."
Blake glared back, an irritated huff escaping her as she took a defiant step forward. "Do I? You haven't been exactly clear on what those feelings are."
Ruby's expression faltered for a moment, not having expected her partner's sudden boldness. Subtly, the corners of her lips curled into a smirk.
"Haven't I? I could fix that right now if that's what you want?"
The cat-eared woman approached the older woman once more with great confidence.
"You're stalling. If you knew, like you claim you do, we wouldn't even be having this conversation."
"You've seen yourself how dangerous those I'm facing are. No amount of training will allow you to even graze their aura."
She gritted her teeth in frustration, closing the distance between the two of them. She glared up into the older woman's eyes, who slightly tilted her head downward to meet her gaze.
"That man… Samuel, he said that he would help us."
"He's also been helping me, and you saw how that's going."
Blake aggressively gripped the woman's shirt. "Damn it, Ruby! You can't do everything on your own!"
The ravenette opened her mouth to reply but suddenly froze. With a deep breath, she leaned forward to rest her forehead against her partner's. She then wrapped her arms around the young adult, pulling her into a tight hug.
"Is that what all of this is about? I told you back in the airbus, I'll take care of everything."
"But that's–"
"Just being able to see you girls is helping me more than you could ever imagine." She interrupted, running a gentle hand through her hair before scratching her cat ears.
Frustrated, Blake buried her head on her partner's shoulder. "I hate this."
"I know."
They remained in each other's arms for a few minutes until Ruby made them separate with a pat on her back.
"Come on. Let's get you back to bed."
Silently, they both returned to Yang's room, the faunus excusing herself to finally get the glass of water she had sought after. Making sure not to wake anyone, the silver-eyed woman tucked her partner in her bed then comforted her sister, who had begun to stir in her sleep. As she rose to leave, Blake grabbed her hand, wordlessly asking her to stay. With a heartfelt, defeated sigh, Ruby laid down between the cat-eared woman and the blonde, letting the former cuddle next to her before both closed their eyes, letting sleep overtake them.
Sunlight crept through the windows of the Xiao Long residence, waking Qrow from his slumber on the living room couch. With an irked groan, he stood up before heading for the bathroom. As he passed by the stairs, he caught sight of a light coming from Ruby's wide-opened room. Curious, he went up, catching sight of Taiyang leaning against the doorframe of his youngest's bedroom with a nostalgic, joyous smile on his face.
The dark-haired man scratched his beard while approaching the blond, peeking into his eldest niece's empty bedroom along the way.
"You seen Ruby?"
The father took a step aside, letting him see what he was staring at.
In the middle of the room, the five women were huddled up together—Pyrrha and Weiss having most likely woken up sometime during the night—sleeping soundly despite the illumination and slight disturbance from the two men.
"Huh, well, would you look at that?" Qrow muttered.
"Why don't we let them sleep in for a bit? They are on vacation." Suggested Taiyang as he grabbed the door handle, sparing a glance at his daughters with a smile before closing it.
Only took a month this time! (And a few days…) I had a whole arc planned for their vacation, but considering how this is supposed to be Volume 2, I'll most likely just make it a short story as part of the Beacon Days chapter I'll write for the vacation timeskip. Other than that, I have about 2 fully fledged chapters before the time skip to do.
I hope you guys will continue to read despite this slow-paced beginning!