div id="djs-foo" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"In the grand probability of endless potential and opportunity, there exists a timeline where everything goes right, rather than wrong. A timeline where events play out as close to the current one, yet key subtle differences alter and change the fates of those touched. Within the endless reaches of time, space and opportunity, we find ourselves at break of day at the Work Shop, Lively Carpenter's place. Where, having finished his work, the Carpenter came from their workspace and headed to their bedroom, passing by the guest room, fighting the urge to take a peak. And failing as they snuck a look inside. Three sleeping entities, whatsits and whatchamacallits. Blonde hair, black and white. The other one was awake. Ruby noticed them peaking in and gasped, yet the entity merely put a finger to their wooden lips and shushed her, becoming her closer. Reluctantly, Ruby got up and met, face to face, with the Carpenter. They were just as tall as she was, making no sense cause how can this small entity make such incredible works of art?/div
div id="djs-51dj1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Are you a human?", they asked, melodious voice anxious and trembling with excitement and curiosity. "Yes…like Alyx"/div
div id="djs-cu2mo" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?", the Carpenter turned their head at Ruby, an intense piercing gaze in their vivid yellow eyes, eyes that were organic, if not for the wooden aspects in the iris. "Excuse me?"/div
div id="djs-1r2f9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You're excused my dear", the Carpenter said as they took Ruby's hand and wandered towards the kitchen once more. Outside the window, Ruby could see the night was still going, she hadn't slept at all, not since Atlas, three days ago. "Oh care for a sprout of tea?"/div
div id="djs-drqqi" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I…", not wanting to be rude, Ruby couldn't finish her rebuttal before a tree was put before her on the table. A tree that had actual teapots for fruit?! She gave a puzzled look at the Carpenter who was still walking between the furnace and dinner table, setting it vigorously! "...don't know…"/div
div id="djs-6q5b3" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Off course you don't…you're thinking!", the Lively carpenter turned to Ruby, holding a chisel and grabbed a teapot fruit from the small tree on her plate. Then cracked it like an egg and 'poured' her a full cup of tea, the strong air of strawberries wafting about in the air. Ruby pulled her nose up. Sure she loved strawberries, but how…, "Sir Knight told me all about your tastes and pleasantrees. I must say, one artist to another, that Crescent is something special!"/div
div id="djs-6vhdv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Really?! Yeah I really used…", used…not still? Ruby's expression soured. She hadn't touched Crescent Rose all night, kept awake by her pondering, worrying and thinking. Festering like an open wound, infecting her. She could feel her bright morning day vanish. And so did the Carpenter. "Oh…oh no please don't cry. It's not lively at all…Oh! I know what always enlivens me when I'm dour! I'll chizzle some breakfast! Please..enjoy your tea!"/div
div id="djs-bspl1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Thanks…sir…", Ruby slowly took a sip and indeed, it was strawberry tea. How had no one ever tried this in Remnant before, it was rather delicious! "Oh Carp, please! All my friends call me that! Which is only Rusted Knight…"/div
div id="djs-cbf06" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Carp?", Ruby had watched how Lively Carpenter had stopped slicing a stake, literal cheese was scraped upon a plate, chopping a wooden pole somehow generated carrots, a different type of wood styling and sharpening turned to salads. Out of a wooden cooking pot came prepared beans in tomato sauce, bacon and eggs and a whole slew of other things. Half crescent shaped sticks were thrown on the table and magically became croissants. Watching them work was like magic, making the whole sudden full stop and silent expression on their face all the more weird and worrisome. Yet when she called their name, the Carpenter's eyes flashed towards her. And from a whispered voice their reply simply said: "Fine…I'm fine…"/div
div id="djs-8sn7l" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You…sure?", Ruby didn't know why she asked, the gaze of the Carpenter kept looking at her, before their yellow eyes blinked once, changing the colour to orange. And a second blink made them red. Suddenly the Carpenter dropped their wooden tools making a small racket, as their eyes focused on Ruby. "Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe. Beware the Jabberwalker, Red like Rose, with jaws that bite and claws that catch. Souls be lost endless and alone, fate worse than caught by the frogerous Banderstanchy. Yet more dangerous still, is the hatter most mad, having leashed them thusly"/div
div id="djs-buisj" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-db5sf" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Ruby was horrified. Not because of the ominous words sprouted in that same harsh and different accented voice from yesterday, before they had entered the Work Shop. It was absolutely terrifying how this kind and warm personality suddenly became distant, harsh and obsessive. Ruby swallowed hard before she put her wooden cup on the table, making a dull wooden bonking sound as she tried to run away, only for the Carpenter to blink three times once more. The red of their eyes changing to orange and yellow, before they gulped. "Oh my…must have had a little dream"/div
div id="djs-8jli" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Dream…?", Ruby who was almost out the dining hall, turned to look, the Lively Carpenter was back in charge it seemed. She slowly walked back, what did that mean? Dream? Wait, "did you…even sleep?"/div
div id="djs-5frun" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Sleep? Oh no! Such dreadful actions. One cannot sleep, when inspiration and lively actions strike, one must act. One…MUST ACT", seeing the half set table and started working even more lively. Obsessively even. Then suddenly they slowed down, as there was a heavy amount of food on the table and looked at Ruby, "but you've lost your purpose, haven't you..? Something about you…is missing…different than before, forever changed. And you're wasting away. Like Time. Always ticking ever onward. No end in sight, never to come back"/div
div id="djs-4b9a" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""TIME?! OH no I'm late!", with a heavy clattering and lots of noise, Jaune staggered to his feet, bumped into a pile of wooden junk that had not been there when he went to bed and caused it to collapse into an even bigger pile of junk. Rushing, his armor croaking and groaning, he saddled himself on Juniper and went to make his rounds! The Carpenter, anticipating Ruby's worried questions, simply smiled, shining pearly teeth of wood, "Oh sir Knight does this every morning, checking for traces of the Banderstanchies. Yet those have died and moved on. Only danger out there now, is the Jabberwalker"/div
div id="djs-amos5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Hey what's with the noise?!", Yang had appeared, along with Weiss and Blake who looked at the mountain of food and the chaotic patrolling of Jaune outside, checking the fences for damage, footprints and all the works. Addressing their guests, Carpenter took the word; "Rusted Knight has their routine!"/div
div id="djs-65p0b" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""So he won't join us for dinner?", Weiss asked while Blake was already oogling up a tuna salad dish! With everyone freshly rested and hungry belly growling, Carp simply giggled, "come come, eat up! Let's not waste good food"/div
div id="djs-7h0j5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-64r96" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"…/div
div id="djs-d5jgv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-46t3n" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Sorry…I'm just never usually that late", Jaune huffed as he appeared a near full hour later. slowly sauntering towards a chair and beginning to gorge himself on the food. Yang looking at him confused, "late…for what?"/div
div id="djs-1gf40" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""To check the perimeter. Despite having slain most of the Banderstanchies, you can never be too careful", Jaune says, proving his obsessive nature. Especially since last time they heard, all of those banders were snatched away. "Weren't all of them gone?"/div
div id="djs-atpa" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Yes quite right, Ruby Rose, something I've tried to explain to Knight myself", Carp added in before simply walking over the table, stepping on pots, pans and cups which vanished from the table and appeared in the cupboards and closets, washed and ready for a new serving, as the Lively Carpenter stood besides Jaune and looked over his armor once more. Causing Jaune to mutter; "Yeah well…in this place nothing is as it seems"/div
div id="djs-ba27r" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Which reminds me, Rusted Jaune…", Carp giggled before they started fixing dents and scrapes in the armor, "I saw an odd bird fluttering about. Would you kindly stake it for me? Something about it is…mad…and unnatural to this Acre"/div
div id="djs-cojjm" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""If I catch it…sure thing Carp", Jaune says, wolfing down another set of sandwiches and soup. Clearly famished. Come to think of it, aside from Ruby herself, everyone had utterly stuffed themselves with food that would be far too much on a normal day. "Right then…back to work…never a dull moment"/div
div id="djs-d41mh" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"With that, the Carpenter vanished in their workshop once more. Ruby sighed, she wasn't hungry, hadn't slept, and wasn't holding her weapon either. "Oh right, RUby…don't forget this"/div
div id="djs-59a42" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Right…Still waking up I guess", Ruby said, as she took the weapon from Weiss. Crescent Rose. Holding it didn't help her, not at all. Luckily she didn't need to pretend much more as Jaune took their attention. "Alright…so this is what I've been thinking on…"/div
div id="djs-e3sfa" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"As he explained, he rolled open a map. One he drew himself, by the looks of it, with many scribbles and notes added to the paper. Depicted among the scribbled notes was a big tree, the World Tree, on a large Acre. Surrounded by many more. The furthest away marked by the 'Hunter Mice', leading to the Red Keep Acre, which was connected to the most other acres, fixed with four bridges to the fields which they had traveled, the Work Shop they were in right now and the Acre marked Bazaar. Which Jaune had marked as 'ruined'. There was also Candy Cane Acre, Cake Acre, Farming Fields and Blob, a wild one that! Housing gelatinous cubes that encase whatever they find and dissolve it. Sounds absolutely terrifying! There's also Tea Party Acre, Volcano and Swan Lake. But the most dangerous one was the Acre just adjacent to the Shop: Jabberwalker Acre. Where the monster made it's home. And supposedly where the Banderstanchies lived./div
div id="djs-buffc" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""So that's about as far as I've managed, you won't believe how big some of these are. If I hadn't had Juniper to help me, this map wouldn't even exist", Jaune said, as they all looked at his scribbled notes. Ranging from 'dangerous surroundings' to 'puntastic food', "but now that all of us are together, I'm sure we can navigate towards the tree. I just know it"/div
div id="djs-6jbgk" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Is this what you've been doing all this time?", Blake wonders, impressed by his actions. He might have some better answers!/div
div id="djs-a4jto" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Mostly. After Alyx poisoned me I spend a few years recovering here, forgoing the Rusted Knight. Simply surviving", Jaune said, a dark reflection in his eyes. "Sorry…it isn't much…but I've been trying…alone"/div
div id="djs-1abbv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Not much…Jaune this is perfect! A solid plan and a way to execute! The best we've had in days!", Yang hugs Jaune's arm and give him a warm smile, further feeding the festering darkness in Ruby's heart. Oh so when he gets a plan you follow him? Sure, cause you love him and hate me, isn't that right sister?/div
div id="djs-aiqam" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Gotta admit, it's well structured and thought out. A clear leader's plan!", Weiss also praising him? Funny, weren't you always annoyed at him for trying to hit on you? Ruby rolls her eyes, slowly withdrawing from the conversation./div
div id="djs-3jjq3" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Not to mention efficient. We can cover more ground in pairs and report back here, where the Lively Carpenter can make food and repairs!", Blake smiles. While the Lively one is very fun to be around, Ruby recalled those darker moments. And what did Raven have to do with any of that? Why is Yang's mom like a writing desk? What even does that mean?!/div
div id="djs-73joh" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Thank you. After all those years…I was afraid I'd…gone crazy…", Jaune's darkened expression softened. Smiling at them when he reaches for a drink. Almost automatically, an act that made no effort or costed no mental energy, Ruby pushed the tea kettle towards him. Yet Jaune didn't take it. He shivered, reached past the kettle and took the empty one, stood up and went to fetch water from the well outside. Ruby's eyes flamed in fury! "What? Why is he…"/div
div id="djs-9kmop" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Poor Jaune…must still be reeling from the poison…", while Blake's assumption was right, it didn't mean Ruby would take it the right way. Oh so now Jaune thinks I'm trying to poison him?!/div
div id="djs-3quv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Can you blame him? If someone backstabbed me like that, I'd know I have trust issues. I'd figure you could relate, Blake", oh you'd have trust issues, huh sister? Nice one…I'll remember that./div
div id="djs-2n5un" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""So Ruby…what's your take on this plan?", Weiss looks at her, expectantly. Swallowing, she rolls her eyes and lets out a soft sigh. Thanks for pulling me in now, when the plan's said and done. "I think-"/div
div id="djs-do29p" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""See? Sis always knows what's right! Jaune's plan will work! And no stinkin' cat to trick us along the way!", Ruby kicked her chair away and stormed off, Yang's expression turning from joy as she had said those words, to confused shock. "Hey! Ruby that's no way to treat Carp!"/div
div id="djs-1pomn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Yes Hello! I'm here and…oh golly gee that was my favorite chair!"/div
div id="djs-e62p0" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-28scn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"…/div
div id="djs-fofq6" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-v1j7" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"It isn't fair! It's all so wrong and backwards! Kicking another wooden junk pile and causing it to topple over, the red streaks of Ruby's hair flicker around as she stomps over the courtyard. With the aid of Carp's intervention, she managed to sneak away with her thoughts, surveying the area and mulling over what she had heard. So her friends hadn't cared about her opinion. Big shock, Yang hadn't cared since Atlas and maybe even since Mistral. The Apathy was the first crack, sure but ever since then Yang had been a roadblock. A monkey wrench in her leadership. Not that her leadership had been stellar. She had trusted James, told almost every single thing that happened to him. Risked the lives of everyone in Atlas and Mantle. And it wasn't enough. Not to save the world and not to earn the peace of mind that she hoped to find. How did mom do it? Always keep going?! Who was Ruby kidding, mom never failed. It's the one thing dad and Qrow managed to agree on. Before they had their fight. Before Tai and Qrow became…distant friends. Mom…what do I do? But mom wasn't perfect. Mom lost, Salem got to her. So if she's not enough, how can I possibly hold a candle to her light? Her sunlight versus my measly candle…/div
div id="djs-3c0q5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Confused…little one?", Ruby rolled her eyes. Not another stupid Afteran! She looked at her collar but Little was sound asleep. Man, wouldn't that be the life, not a care in the world. No responsibility or obligations. Just be something that wasn't Ruby Rose, the prodigy who had to save everyone. Fight for what's right and die like a good hero in this stalemate between Ozpin and Salem. Except the Stalemate was slipping since Ruby's actions had caused the Staff and Lamp to end up in her grasp! Before Ruby could lose herself in her anger, she noticed a three coloured bird fly around her. A mocking jay, chirping and observing her. "What's it to you?"/div
div id="djs-e6ftf" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Nothing really…just curious", something about the bird was different. Ruby could see the brown wings, white belly and pink head. And talking?! Wow this was just like that one bully bird that had pestered her way back when. When Yang had lied about Summer, to cheer me up. Yang. Even back then she lied and disliked me. "Like a Cat eh? Fly off little bird!"/div
div id="djs-dtbbm" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""But what if I could help you? Make your life easier?", Ruby's eyes flashed with danger and anger, what would a bird be able to do? For all she knew, this could be the Cat! Wait, "Cat…is that you?"/div
div id="djs-cibup" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Shush now Ruby Rose…in due time…all will be made clear", the bird said. Well it sounded as complicated, overbearing and mad like the Cat. Ruby released her breath and sighed in a rather content manner. "Well…how do we get to the tree, Jaune has no idea what to do, but you can help us"/div
div id="djs-4si9k" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Well…If you want out…I'm sure I ca-", a loud scream escaped the bird as a rusted broken blade drove itself into it's belly and killed it. Ruby's scream was just as loud, causing the three other girls and Carpenter to rush outside and see what was happening. Standing at the base of the big tree, was Jaune holding his sword, Ruby on her knees and sniffling, while the bird was dying and vaporating in shards of familiar-/div
div id="djs-f3lvo" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Don't listen to talking birds! They're not worth your time and tell only lies, Carp…got that pesky avian for ya", hissing Jaune plucked his blade and wiped it clean. Even if it had rust, it was still razor sharp. A handwave from Carpenter, lively as the entity, meant to show thanks. Ruby's furious eyes looked up. "What about my Uncle!?"/div
div id="djs-klg1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""He's not here Ruby, use your common sense! And besides, even if a talking bird knew the way to the tree, it's still a bad end! Afterans want the tree, they don't understand it's just death!"/div
div id="djs-36pmh" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""No no, quite wrong sir Knight. The tree isn't death, it is rebirth. New purpose…new drive…new lively dreams!", Carp added as they skipped closer and checked the tree, instantly applying woodshop tools too it to fix the damage. "Why…before I was lively I used to be Madder than a-"/div
div id="djs-45h4a" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"They'd never knew what madder than a what was gonna be said, since part of the fence broke in a blast as five individual Jabberwalkers appeared with a lust for blood in their eyes. Carpenter fled into the mansion, not wanting to take part in the fight. Jaune and Juniper rushed in to stop the attacking creatures, while Yang instantly got into it as well, wanting to stand by Jaune's side. Blake and Weiss followed after, forming the teams. As Jaune and Yang played exceptionally well together. his sword and tactical application played well together with the strength, mobility and range that Yang had achieved. Blasting a Jabberwalker away with the shield, how did he still have Gravity Dust in there?! Only for Yang to haymaker it and plant explosives and blow it up. Or Yang dashing underneath one, breaking its legs, having Jaune walk up all badass and stab the sword in its head. Blake and Weiss worked differently. With her lack of Dust, they both used one another to boost their strengths. Shadows that helped buy time for Weiss to summon, Gambol's ribbon to help each other stay mobile. Turning this into a dance. It was oddly beautiful. ANd then there was Ruby. Standing back, her hands trembling as she held the sniper rifle war scythe. She was…hesitating? Why? I'm a fighter. I've always been a fighter! To fight for what's right, to protect the innocent and save the day. Ever since I was born I was a fighter, but am I really? Did I choose this? Or was I simply forced? I don't know anymore. I can't tell what's right or wrong anymore. Fighting used to be simple, kill the Grimm, save the day. But now? She shivered, the clacking of metal as the parts slowly clicked against one another from Ruby's shivering hands. Mom would know what to do. She'd have a plan. And my plans end in failure. Ruby's thoughts were interrupted when a voice reached her ears: "Beware the Jabberwock Red like Rose, with jaws that bite and claws that catch!"/div
div id="djs-5vp28" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-a1vp3" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"A jabberwalker, one that had been blasted into the tree and landed nearby, sensing and turning its attention towards Ruby, had clawed at her. If she hadn't been warned by the Lively Carpenter, she'd be dead. Without a soul, her spirit sleeping somewhere cold. Sealed away into a realm of shadows, an endless void. Instinctively, Ruby burst into petals and staggered back, watching as the creature tracked her, she could see drool dripping from it's closed jaw, as if it was sensing a nearby meal that didn't fight back. "Missed…hatred…thinking…"/div
div id="djs-8u54k" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Ruby shivers, barely able to find the bolt of her sniperrifle, her fingers struggling to grasp it properly as the creature stalks her. Once she finally cocks the bolt back, the sharp sound causing the head of the Jabberwalker to turn in her direction. Before it changes, to the form of Aschen, goading her into attacking, the way she had done in the Inbetween. Ruby freezes fully. Aschen. Her failure as a leader and planner, staring her dead in the eyes. "Craving…tasting…oblivion…"/div
div id="djs-6mpce" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""RUBY", this time the voice wasn't the Carpenters. It was Little that woke Ruby from the horrors she was seeing before her mind's eye. She staggered to the left, narrowly dodging the claws that catch. Part of the tree she was standing near was torn clean off, revealing the hollow interior. Before Ruby had the chance to act, the image shifted once more. Suddenly the Jabberwalker had Penny's head. Possessed Penny. On the Schnee Estate grounds, attacking her, asking her to kill her. Self ending to give the power to Ruby. But why? I'm unworthy of it. Penny's life had ended, the power was gone. Ruby had no friends anymore. "Wanting"/div
div id="djs-1f355" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"A strong shove pinned RUby to the floor, none of her 'friends' had turned to check on her. Of course not, why would they? She was the younger prodigy. The girl who had skipped two years and managed to outshine some of her peers at Beacon. The girl that had pulled them through every disaster she had led them in. Overcoming the Nucklavee, she and Jaune pulled through and lead them all to safety. In Mistral her leadership, while strained, had rallied her team to take the fight to a newer level, Hazel was unstoppable, yet they slowed him down long enough. Brunswick farm? Easy save from their fearless unstoppable leader. Leviathan? Silver eyed magic powers. Prodigy figures on paper. And the Hound, even Yang admitted Ruby was one upping her. Ruby wanted to vomit. Is this what Pyrrha had endured? Isolation from a destiny that wasn't her own? Crescent Rose, still collapsed and compact, lay discarded, away. Truly alone. "HATING"/div
div id="djs-eh0t5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Salem's face. Ruby's will was gone. Salem?! She wasn't in the Ever After, but who's to say it matters? Ultimately her fate was to end as Salem's next Hound. A puppet to do as the Mother of Grimm wants. Mindless, stripped of everything individual. No longer Ruby Rose. As the Jabberwalker unhinged it's jaw, like a snake, droplets of drool fell down, just missing the terrified girl's face, slathering the ground underneath her, making it wet and terrible. Swallowing, that empty void meant the end of her life. No reincarnation from the tree, no happy ever after. She'd just…disappear. Like her mother. And with Jaune as a wiser and even more capable hero…who's to say her team wasn't better of with him than her? Ruby sighed, a dead and cold expression in her eyes as she lay still, welcoming the end as she sighed. "YES! READY! STARVING! TAKING!"/div
div id="djs-8u27a" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Ruby!", the Lively, warm and gentle voice of the Carpenter broke through her haze. She saw the tooth filled maw. The drool that dripped as it lunged in to consume her soul, the empty death staved off as the jaws sealed around the arm of Carp, who gave a pained yelp. An amber coloured sap leaking through the teeth marks, causing Carp to smirk, "Jaws that can't bite. Only claws to catch!"/div
div id="djs-dhpkf" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Antlers rammed into the Jabberwalker that had Ruby pinned, Juniper came to her rescue. The force of the blow, as the sharp antlers pierced skin and wounded the beast, tore it's sealed jaw free, ripping off Lively Carpenter's arm, forever sealed to the locked jaw of the Jabberwalker. Similarly, a big amber droplet formed on their left elbow socket, since the lower arm had been torn off. Which they quickly began putting a fire to, stopping it and crystallizing the resin. Ruby rose up, feeling horrified that her actions had caused this deep wound on a host that had treated her well. Yet before she could ask if they were right, the claws that catch and the tail that flails, slammed into Juniper. Red stained her fur, deep lacerations that leaked blood. Her pained scream alerted Jaune who rushed over. Him, Yang and Carpenter killed the final Jabberwalker, leaving the chaos of the fight over as only one remained. The final monster turning into a clone of Neopolitan who pointed a finger gun at Ruby before shattering. She couldn't climb up, frozen to the floor in the horror she'd almost willingly let herself get destroyed on a level that was unnatural. Yet she'd almost done it. "The walkers from the Market"/div
div id="djs-1fjre" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""This is far from her usual bag of tricks…how did she get so powerful", Blake and Yang argued as they saw the final one shatter into a Neo illusion and hurried over towards their leader. Weiss following close behind. "Well she didn't become stronger by being inactive..we need-"/div
div id="djs-24al3" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""WHAT THE GRIMM IS WRONG WITH YOU!", Jaune walked over towards Ruby, grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up. Still in her shocked mindset she doesn't register any of this, as she merely looks up at nothing, gazing at nothing, the million yard stare. Jaune's anger is visible. If he were Yang his blond hair would burn. Yet all he did was shiver and clench his hands in furious anger. "Juniper and Carpenter are HURT!"/div
div id="djs-6jqne" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Sir Knight…gently! I caused my wounds, not Red like Rose!", the Carpenter added, gently trying to pull Jaune away from Ruby who slowly woke from her mental shock. Juniper was wounded on one of her legs, licking the fur as Jaune rushed over to bandage her paw. "The Jabberwalker kills souls! If anything happens to her…and you!"/div
div id="djs-b0u8f" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""It's just an arm…I'm lively enough for one arm. So please, don't be at alarm", the Carpenter suddenly turned around, eyes shocked, "have I made a rhyme?"/div
div id="djs-9td2o" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Jaune's right…it's one thing to leave your weapon in the box when Jaune gives it back. It's another thing not to help your friends fight, sis honestly you-"; Yang threw Crescent Rose at her sister, but she merely jumped back, not taking the weapon and letting it fall to the floor. For the first time, Yang seemed to look at her sister's quivering lips and the dull dead look in her eyes. "Ruby…?"/div
div id="djs-9jktn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""What do you care!", the sudden venomous tone of Ruby's tone snapped everyone's attention to Ruby, as she threw an overwhelmingly vile look at her sister! "What's that supposed to mean!?"/div
div id="djs-co595" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Nothing, it means nothing, like you pushing me off, right? Oh I'm fine by the way thanks for asking! It's not like my own SISTER tried to kill me!", Ruby's tone was venomous yes, Yang could see that her sister was hurting, but she also wasn't gonna take anything lying down! "Back off sis, I didn't mean to do that, and you know it!"/div
div id="djs-54g18" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Do I? OR was I just in the way? That why you broke the team up in Atlas?!", Ruby stomps her foot, getting Blake and Weiss to ponder, while Jaune fixes up Juniper's leg. "That's what eating you? I said I was-"/div
div id="djs-58e5n" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I don't care what you said! You said you loved me. That you'd follow me because I always knew what was right! Yet as soon as the fight turned harder, you ditched me and ran off with Jaune and Ren! Just like that stupid MOTHER of yours!", Ruby pushed her sister who had gotten closer. But at the hearing of that jab, Yang's eyes flashed red. She glared at Ruby, hair slowly radiating; "Watch it Ruby…I'm not-"/div
div id="djs-ftrk3" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""But you are! And the gall! The nerve! You came back, then told me some sob story about how Summer was your hero. LIAR! Your mom at least is alive! Mine's DEAD! She's my hero! You have the other one, the one you are so desperately turning into! A Lying, selfish, cowardly bi-", the words of Ruby cut deep, yet the sound of a hand striking flesh was sharper still. A silence crawled over the courtyard, Carpenter even nervously looking at Jaune, wanting the Knight to chance and stop the unlively nature of this conversation. But Jaune was busy with Juniper. A red handmark remained on Ruby's face, the spot where Yang had slapped her. Ruby held strong, an almost victorious look in her face as Yang's cheeks turned wet from tears! "Shut up! I never wanted to hurt you!"/div
div id="djs-1leon" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Then why did you slap me Yang? Why did you punch me off the Inbetween space?! Angry I stole your childhood?!", Ruby's fury wasn't slowing down. In fact, the slap had given her just enough energy to push through. The darkness festered for too long. The isolation had carried its poison too effectively. And her friends hadn't noticed at all. Weiss raises her hand at Yang, trying to get between them both, wanting to end this fighting. "Stop it. Sisters shouldn't fight! We don't have-"/div
div id="djs-f1qk2" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Time for this? Like when I wanted the remnants of Penny? Her sword?! Gotta keep moving. Find help. Follow Jaune. SOMEONE who won't SCREW everything UP like me! But we got time to find love together, right?", the sharp edge to Ruby's words caught Weiss off guard. She swallowed as she straightened her back. She knew how to deal with someone having a breakdown. Heck her mother had many. She just needed to keep her calm and… "Ruby, that's hardly fair! You know what happened in the Schnee estate. We've all seen what Weiss went through!"/div
div id="djs-2i7fl" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Stellar work love, we need to work on your ability to read a mental breakdown, Weiss thought as she threw Blake a look, a thankful look for her kind words, before Ruby turned her attention on Blake? "Oh I'm so sorry Weiss. How could I forget all you've been through. Having siblings that actually care about you. A mother who is alive. Oh and a girlfriend whom I'm sure is dating you just to spite the white fang!"/div
div id="djs-4p7o3" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Now that's uncalled for", Weiss said, once more trying to calm the situation, "We just need to get some tea and coffee, so we can tend to the wounded and…"/div
div id="djs-7s47m" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Yeah, tend to the wounded. But not me right? Never time. Why do I always have to pick everyone up! I didn't ask to be leader! I didn't ask to be held responsible for every bad situation that happened since Mistral! I'm trying my best, but you all wanted to give up. Brunswick, I had to carry you all out, without me you'd all be dead! When James turned into a tyrant I had to come up with a plan. You all just depend on me to keep you going. Yet when I stumble no one cares! Yang even attacked me willingly!", There was no stopping now, once the dam breaks, the water flows. Yang's anger flares up and stomps to stand before her sister, "I'm sick and tired of having that held against me! I said I was sorry!"/div
div id="djs-dq789" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""And I said I don't care! What? Want to punch me now, firecracker? Because Jaune's imaginary friends got hurt!?", Ruby wanted the confrontation. She wanted to keep going, get this venomous feeling out of her heart. But she aimed at the wrong person./div
div id="djs-b1agt" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Juniper and Carpenter got hurt because of you! The Walkers came because of YOU. Because Neo HATES YOU! If you had taken the weapon, fought or even ran using that Semblance of yours, they'd still be alright! And not hurt!", Jaune got up and stared at Ruby, rage in his eyes. "So take some responsibility here, as a leader. You messed up. You failed! You froze up! I get that. We all make mistakes. It's time to grow up and learn from them. If that's one thing I've had time to learn down here is reflecting on and learning from my mistakes."/div
div id="djs-4v6is" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Jaune…", Weiss gave him a look. He seemed so much different from before. No longer the same aloof 'lovable idiot stuck in the tree', he had matured down here. Blake was lucky, if she'd waited a few days longer, who knows! Surely that would get through to Ruby! and yet…/div
div id="djs-nu1t" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I didn't ask for your opinion, Vomit Boy! Don't even try lecturing me about being a leader. Look at your team. One's a head case who turned his back on us, one nearly got herself killed doing something reckless and the one person with an actual brain crippled herself trying to be a hero and only survived because of me. You've been here for decades and accomplished nothing! At least the cat could have gotten us to the tree if you hadn't screwed that up too!", Ruby staggered back, Yang had pushed her away, stepping up to defend Jaune, "You want to talk about plans? We've been following your lead this entire time and look where we are! Jaune has been there for you since day one. Followed your lead when he could have gone back to his family. Even now he's trying to defend you. But I'm sick of it. You want to blame me for pushing you? For having a mother that's alive? Why don't you blame me for raising you too because I'm ashamed of how you've turned out! Qrow constantly favoring you and scorning me because I look like my mom. Dad shutting down because Summer died. I gave up my childhood for you. I've always supported you. I would have had my chance to live my life and be myself if you hadn't snuck your way into Beacon! Ozpin was always a fool. That's why he made you a leader. 'Oh Ruby's so special, Oh Ruby has silver eyes'. Well I have eyes too. And I can see just how much of a screw up you really are!"/div
div id="djs-a7bcp" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Yes. I'm at fault for everything. You're right. It's my fault you're a stupid daughter of Raven! It's my fault Blake and Weiss have no idea what's going on because they love each other. It's my fault Neo's attack dogs came after Juniper. Carpenter's arm, also totally my fault. Because I am a terrible leader. You're right sister, perhaps I should just get out of here and be a bother elsewhere. If I hadn't been born, you'd never have to live and raise me. I wouldn't be the sister you ditched at Beacon the first chance you got. You'd be free to do and live as you wanted. With me out of the picture, your life suddenly becomes better. Stellar even! Then you can cherrypick your mother and have dad all to yourself. You can even be a leader. If I'm gone. Maybe that's the exact right action I can take. And that way I'm no longer the worst thing that exists in life. I'll be out of your way. You disowned me anyway. So what's the point of carrying on now?/div
div id="djs-3l6qj" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Jaune quickly stepped between them. Having seen far too many fights between siblings and needing to meditate. "Yang! That's enough. Way too far. I appreciate you defending me but this not what we need. We all agreed to that plan. It's not on Ruby."/div
div id="djs-d9baa" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Weiss chimed in as well. "Jaune is right. We need to cool our heads. We're all family here after all…"/div
div id="djs-enbic" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""SHUT! UP. ALL OF YOU SHUT THE HELL UP", standing there, alone inside, a thing broke. Ruby who had followed the teachings of Coco, the 'naturally' gifted student of Beacon who had skipped two years and her innate skills had made her keep pace with the other students, even outpace them, the girl who wanted to save everyone and therefor had no idea how to save herself, needing a hero to hold her hand through the night, desperately for salvation as she drowned in her dark heart, snapped. Blake's eyes widened, Weiss raised a hand to cover her lips as she silently mouthed 'oh my', Yang who hadn't expected this from her sister, sure she had been pushing buttons and being 'extra' but she didn't expect this level of intensity, looked at the red handmark she had inflicted on her sister and suddenly felt shame, had she indeed gone too far? Jaune stood dumbfounded. Ruby, the paragon of leadership. His first friend, the girl that put him on the path of being a hero. Snapped. "Don't do that…just don't…"/div
div id="djs-3jc1k" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-2jgop" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"I need to get away from here. I need to get away! Turning on her heels, Ruby's heart breaking as she does, tears streaming down her face, she ran! But she didn't get far. A strong hand slapped on her shoulder. Yang, realising what she had said and done, had a broken look on her own face. Her snapping back, had effectively told Ruby she didn't wanna be her family anymore. IN a horrifying twist of fate, Yang who had always hated her own mother for abandoning her family, now pushed her sister away. She wanted to stop her, explain she didn't mean it that way. I was just angry. I didn't mean what I said! She gently squeezed Rubes' shoulder, yet before she could say anything, a sharp pain broke her hold as a collapsed and compact sniperrifle hit her in the face as Yang staggered back. Her fury gone completely. Sure she had slapped Ruby in a moment of powerlessness, her words had stung just so bad. Yet the weak way Ruby had thrown Crescent Rose into Yang's face, felt more painful than the slap Ruby had received moments before. It was a signature. Crescent Rose had been made by Ruby alone, she had guidance from Qrow, sure, but her weapon was her life. And now she had used that very important thing, thrown it into Yang's face as she broke into petals and burst away in the air. Yang's eyes broke in tears as she screamed after her sister! "RUBY I'M SORRY!"/div
div id="djs-51dj1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Are you a human?", they asked, melodious voice anxious and trembling with excitement and curiosity. "Yes…like Alyx"/div
div id="djs-cu2mo" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?", the Carpenter turned their head at Ruby, an intense piercing gaze in their vivid yellow eyes, eyes that were organic, if not for the wooden aspects in the iris. "Excuse me?"/div
div id="djs-1r2f9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You're excused my dear", the Carpenter said as they took Ruby's hand and wandered towards the kitchen once more. Outside the window, Ruby could see the night was still going, she hadn't slept at all, not since Atlas, three days ago. "Oh care for a sprout of tea?"/div
div id="djs-drqqi" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I…", not wanting to be rude, Ruby couldn't finish her rebuttal before a tree was put before her on the table. A tree that had actual teapots for fruit?! She gave a puzzled look at the Carpenter who was still walking between the furnace and dinner table, setting it vigorously! "...don't know…"/div
div id="djs-6q5b3" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Off course you don't…you're thinking!", the Lively carpenter turned to Ruby, holding a chisel and grabbed a teapot fruit from the small tree on her plate. Then cracked it like an egg and 'poured' her a full cup of tea, the strong air of strawberries wafting about in the air. Ruby pulled her nose up. Sure she loved strawberries, but how…, "Sir Knight told me all about your tastes and pleasantrees. I must say, one artist to another, that Crescent is something special!"/div
div id="djs-6vhdv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Really?! Yeah I really used…", used…not still? Ruby's expression soured. She hadn't touched Crescent Rose all night, kept awake by her pondering, worrying and thinking. Festering like an open wound, infecting her. She could feel her bright morning day vanish. And so did the Carpenter. "Oh…oh no please don't cry. It's not lively at all…Oh! I know what always enlivens me when I'm dour! I'll chizzle some breakfast! Please..enjoy your tea!"/div
div id="djs-bspl1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Thanks…sir…", Ruby slowly took a sip and indeed, it was strawberry tea. How had no one ever tried this in Remnant before, it was rather delicious! "Oh Carp, please! All my friends call me that! Which is only Rusted Knight…"/div
div id="djs-cbf06" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Carp?", Ruby had watched how Lively Carpenter had stopped slicing a stake, literal cheese was scraped upon a plate, chopping a wooden pole somehow generated carrots, a different type of wood styling and sharpening turned to salads. Out of a wooden cooking pot came prepared beans in tomato sauce, bacon and eggs and a whole slew of other things. Half crescent shaped sticks were thrown on the table and magically became croissants. Watching them work was like magic, making the whole sudden full stop and silent expression on their face all the more weird and worrisome. Yet when she called their name, the Carpenter's eyes flashed towards her. And from a whispered voice their reply simply said: "Fine…I'm fine…"/div
div id="djs-8sn7l" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You…sure?", Ruby didn't know why she asked, the gaze of the Carpenter kept looking at her, before their yellow eyes blinked once, changing the colour to orange. And a second blink made them red. Suddenly the Carpenter dropped their wooden tools making a small racket, as their eyes focused on Ruby. "Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe. Beware the Jabberwalker, Red like Rose, with jaws that bite and claws that catch. Souls be lost endless and alone, fate worse than caught by the frogerous Banderstanchy. Yet more dangerous still, is the hatter most mad, having leashed them thusly"/div
div id="djs-buisj" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-db5sf" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Ruby was horrified. Not because of the ominous words sprouted in that same harsh and different accented voice from yesterday, before they had entered the Work Shop. It was absolutely terrifying how this kind and warm personality suddenly became distant, harsh and obsessive. Ruby swallowed hard before she put her wooden cup on the table, making a dull wooden bonking sound as she tried to run away, only for the Carpenter to blink three times once more. The red of their eyes changing to orange and yellow, before they gulped. "Oh my…must have had a little dream"/div
div id="djs-8jli" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Dream…?", Ruby who was almost out the dining hall, turned to look, the Lively Carpenter was back in charge it seemed. She slowly walked back, what did that mean? Dream? Wait, "did you…even sleep?"/div
div id="djs-5frun" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Sleep? Oh no! Such dreadful actions. One cannot sleep, when inspiration and lively actions strike, one must act. One…MUST ACT", seeing the half set table and started working even more lively. Obsessively even. Then suddenly they slowed down, as there was a heavy amount of food on the table and looked at Ruby, "but you've lost your purpose, haven't you..? Something about you…is missing…different than before, forever changed. And you're wasting away. Like Time. Always ticking ever onward. No end in sight, never to come back"/div
div id="djs-4b9a" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""TIME?! OH no I'm late!", with a heavy clattering and lots of noise, Jaune staggered to his feet, bumped into a pile of wooden junk that had not been there when he went to bed and caused it to collapse into an even bigger pile of junk. Rushing, his armor croaking and groaning, he saddled himself on Juniper and went to make his rounds! The Carpenter, anticipating Ruby's worried questions, simply smiled, shining pearly teeth of wood, "Oh sir Knight does this every morning, checking for traces of the Banderstanchies. Yet those have died and moved on. Only danger out there now, is the Jabberwalker"/div
div id="djs-amos5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Hey what's with the noise?!", Yang had appeared, along with Weiss and Blake who looked at the mountain of food and the chaotic patrolling of Jaune outside, checking the fences for damage, footprints and all the works. Addressing their guests, Carpenter took the word; "Rusted Knight has their routine!"/div
div id="djs-65p0b" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""So he won't join us for dinner?", Weiss asked while Blake was already oogling up a tuna salad dish! With everyone freshly rested and hungry belly growling, Carp simply giggled, "come come, eat up! Let's not waste good food"/div
div id="djs-7h0j5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-64r96" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"…/div
div id="djs-d5jgv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-46t3n" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Sorry…I'm just never usually that late", Jaune huffed as he appeared a near full hour later. slowly sauntering towards a chair and beginning to gorge himself on the food. Yang looking at him confused, "late…for what?"/div
div id="djs-1gf40" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""To check the perimeter. Despite having slain most of the Banderstanchies, you can never be too careful", Jaune says, proving his obsessive nature. Especially since last time they heard, all of those banders were snatched away. "Weren't all of them gone?"/div
div id="djs-atpa" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Yes quite right, Ruby Rose, something I've tried to explain to Knight myself", Carp added in before simply walking over the table, stepping on pots, pans and cups which vanished from the table and appeared in the cupboards and closets, washed and ready for a new serving, as the Lively Carpenter stood besides Jaune and looked over his armor once more. Causing Jaune to mutter; "Yeah well…in this place nothing is as it seems"/div
div id="djs-ba27r" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Which reminds me, Rusted Jaune…", Carp giggled before they started fixing dents and scrapes in the armor, "I saw an odd bird fluttering about. Would you kindly stake it for me? Something about it is…mad…and unnatural to this Acre"/div
div id="djs-cojjm" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""If I catch it…sure thing Carp", Jaune says, wolfing down another set of sandwiches and soup. Clearly famished. Come to think of it, aside from Ruby herself, everyone had utterly stuffed themselves with food that would be far too much on a normal day. "Right then…back to work…never a dull moment"/div
div id="djs-d41mh" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"With that, the Carpenter vanished in their workshop once more. Ruby sighed, she wasn't hungry, hadn't slept, and wasn't holding her weapon either. "Oh right, RUby…don't forget this"/div
div id="djs-59a42" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Right…Still waking up I guess", Ruby said, as she took the weapon from Weiss. Crescent Rose. Holding it didn't help her, not at all. Luckily she didn't need to pretend much more as Jaune took their attention. "Alright…so this is what I've been thinking on…"/div
div id="djs-e3sfa" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"As he explained, he rolled open a map. One he drew himself, by the looks of it, with many scribbles and notes added to the paper. Depicted among the scribbled notes was a big tree, the World Tree, on a large Acre. Surrounded by many more. The furthest away marked by the 'Hunter Mice', leading to the Red Keep Acre, which was connected to the most other acres, fixed with four bridges to the fields which they had traveled, the Work Shop they were in right now and the Acre marked Bazaar. Which Jaune had marked as 'ruined'. There was also Candy Cane Acre, Cake Acre, Farming Fields and Blob, a wild one that! Housing gelatinous cubes that encase whatever they find and dissolve it. Sounds absolutely terrifying! There's also Tea Party Acre, Volcano and Swan Lake. But the most dangerous one was the Acre just adjacent to the Shop: Jabberwalker Acre. Where the monster made it's home. And supposedly where the Banderstanchies lived./div
div id="djs-buffc" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""So that's about as far as I've managed, you won't believe how big some of these are. If I hadn't had Juniper to help me, this map wouldn't even exist", Jaune said, as they all looked at his scribbled notes. Ranging from 'dangerous surroundings' to 'puntastic food', "but now that all of us are together, I'm sure we can navigate towards the tree. I just know it"/div
div id="djs-6jbgk" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Is this what you've been doing all this time?", Blake wonders, impressed by his actions. He might have some better answers!/div
div id="djs-a4jto" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Mostly. After Alyx poisoned me I spend a few years recovering here, forgoing the Rusted Knight. Simply surviving", Jaune said, a dark reflection in his eyes. "Sorry…it isn't much…but I've been trying…alone"/div
div id="djs-1abbv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Not much…Jaune this is perfect! A solid plan and a way to execute! The best we've had in days!", Yang hugs Jaune's arm and give him a warm smile, further feeding the festering darkness in Ruby's heart. Oh so when he gets a plan you follow him? Sure, cause you love him and hate me, isn't that right sister?/div
div id="djs-aiqam" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Gotta admit, it's well structured and thought out. A clear leader's plan!", Weiss also praising him? Funny, weren't you always annoyed at him for trying to hit on you? Ruby rolls her eyes, slowly withdrawing from the conversation./div
div id="djs-3jjq3" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Not to mention efficient. We can cover more ground in pairs and report back here, where the Lively Carpenter can make food and repairs!", Blake smiles. While the Lively one is very fun to be around, Ruby recalled those darker moments. And what did Raven have to do with any of that? Why is Yang's mom like a writing desk? What even does that mean?!/div
div id="djs-73joh" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Thank you. After all those years…I was afraid I'd…gone crazy…", Jaune's darkened expression softened. Smiling at them when he reaches for a drink. Almost automatically, an act that made no effort or costed no mental energy, Ruby pushed the tea kettle towards him. Yet Jaune didn't take it. He shivered, reached past the kettle and took the empty one, stood up and went to fetch water from the well outside. Ruby's eyes flamed in fury! "What? Why is he…"/div
div id="djs-9kmop" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Poor Jaune…must still be reeling from the poison…", while Blake's assumption was right, it didn't mean Ruby would take it the right way. Oh so now Jaune thinks I'm trying to poison him?!/div
div id="djs-3quv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Can you blame him? If someone backstabbed me like that, I'd know I have trust issues. I'd figure you could relate, Blake", oh you'd have trust issues, huh sister? Nice one…I'll remember that./div
div id="djs-2n5un" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""So Ruby…what's your take on this plan?", Weiss looks at her, expectantly. Swallowing, she rolls her eyes and lets out a soft sigh. Thanks for pulling me in now, when the plan's said and done. "I think-"/div
div id="djs-do29p" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""See? Sis always knows what's right! Jaune's plan will work! And no stinkin' cat to trick us along the way!", Ruby kicked her chair away and stormed off, Yang's expression turning from joy as she had said those words, to confused shock. "Hey! Ruby that's no way to treat Carp!"/div
div id="djs-1pomn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Yes Hello! I'm here and…oh golly gee that was my favorite chair!"/div
div id="djs-e62p0" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-28scn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"…/div
div id="djs-fofq6" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-v1j7" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"It isn't fair! It's all so wrong and backwards! Kicking another wooden junk pile and causing it to topple over, the red streaks of Ruby's hair flicker around as she stomps over the courtyard. With the aid of Carp's intervention, she managed to sneak away with her thoughts, surveying the area and mulling over what she had heard. So her friends hadn't cared about her opinion. Big shock, Yang hadn't cared since Atlas and maybe even since Mistral. The Apathy was the first crack, sure but ever since then Yang had been a roadblock. A monkey wrench in her leadership. Not that her leadership had been stellar. She had trusted James, told almost every single thing that happened to him. Risked the lives of everyone in Atlas and Mantle. And it wasn't enough. Not to save the world and not to earn the peace of mind that she hoped to find. How did mom do it? Always keep going?! Who was Ruby kidding, mom never failed. It's the one thing dad and Qrow managed to agree on. Before they had their fight. Before Tai and Qrow became…distant friends. Mom…what do I do? But mom wasn't perfect. Mom lost, Salem got to her. So if she's not enough, how can I possibly hold a candle to her light? Her sunlight versus my measly candle…/div
div id="djs-3c0q5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Confused…little one?", Ruby rolled her eyes. Not another stupid Afteran! She looked at her collar but Little was sound asleep. Man, wouldn't that be the life, not a care in the world. No responsibility or obligations. Just be something that wasn't Ruby Rose, the prodigy who had to save everyone. Fight for what's right and die like a good hero in this stalemate between Ozpin and Salem. Except the Stalemate was slipping since Ruby's actions had caused the Staff and Lamp to end up in her grasp! Before Ruby could lose herself in her anger, she noticed a three coloured bird fly around her. A mocking jay, chirping and observing her. "What's it to you?"/div
div id="djs-e6ftf" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Nothing really…just curious", something about the bird was different. Ruby could see the brown wings, white belly and pink head. And talking?! Wow this was just like that one bully bird that had pestered her way back when. When Yang had lied about Summer, to cheer me up. Yang. Even back then she lied and disliked me. "Like a Cat eh? Fly off little bird!"/div
div id="djs-dtbbm" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""But what if I could help you? Make your life easier?", Ruby's eyes flashed with danger and anger, what would a bird be able to do? For all she knew, this could be the Cat! Wait, "Cat…is that you?"/div
div id="djs-cibup" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Shush now Ruby Rose…in due time…all will be made clear", the bird said. Well it sounded as complicated, overbearing and mad like the Cat. Ruby released her breath and sighed in a rather content manner. "Well…how do we get to the tree, Jaune has no idea what to do, but you can help us"/div
div id="djs-4si9k" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Well…If you want out…I'm sure I ca-", a loud scream escaped the bird as a rusted broken blade drove itself into it's belly and killed it. Ruby's scream was just as loud, causing the three other girls and Carpenter to rush outside and see what was happening. Standing at the base of the big tree, was Jaune holding his sword, Ruby on her knees and sniffling, while the bird was dying and vaporating in shards of familiar-/div
div id="djs-f3lvo" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Don't listen to talking birds! They're not worth your time and tell only lies, Carp…got that pesky avian for ya", hissing Jaune plucked his blade and wiped it clean. Even if it had rust, it was still razor sharp. A handwave from Carpenter, lively as the entity, meant to show thanks. Ruby's furious eyes looked up. "What about my Uncle!?"/div
div id="djs-klg1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""He's not here Ruby, use your common sense! And besides, even if a talking bird knew the way to the tree, it's still a bad end! Afterans want the tree, they don't understand it's just death!"/div
div id="djs-36pmh" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""No no, quite wrong sir Knight. The tree isn't death, it is rebirth. New purpose…new drive…new lively dreams!", Carp added as they skipped closer and checked the tree, instantly applying woodshop tools too it to fix the damage. "Why…before I was lively I used to be Madder than a-"/div
div id="djs-45h4a" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"They'd never knew what madder than a what was gonna be said, since part of the fence broke in a blast as five individual Jabberwalkers appeared with a lust for blood in their eyes. Carpenter fled into the mansion, not wanting to take part in the fight. Jaune and Juniper rushed in to stop the attacking creatures, while Yang instantly got into it as well, wanting to stand by Jaune's side. Blake and Weiss followed after, forming the teams. As Jaune and Yang played exceptionally well together. his sword and tactical application played well together with the strength, mobility and range that Yang had achieved. Blasting a Jabberwalker away with the shield, how did he still have Gravity Dust in there?! Only for Yang to haymaker it and plant explosives and blow it up. Or Yang dashing underneath one, breaking its legs, having Jaune walk up all badass and stab the sword in its head. Blake and Weiss worked differently. With her lack of Dust, they both used one another to boost their strengths. Shadows that helped buy time for Weiss to summon, Gambol's ribbon to help each other stay mobile. Turning this into a dance. It was oddly beautiful. ANd then there was Ruby. Standing back, her hands trembling as she held the sniper rifle war scythe. She was…hesitating? Why? I'm a fighter. I've always been a fighter! To fight for what's right, to protect the innocent and save the day. Ever since I was born I was a fighter, but am I really? Did I choose this? Or was I simply forced? I don't know anymore. I can't tell what's right or wrong anymore. Fighting used to be simple, kill the Grimm, save the day. But now? She shivered, the clacking of metal as the parts slowly clicked against one another from Ruby's shivering hands. Mom would know what to do. She'd have a plan. And my plans end in failure. Ruby's thoughts were interrupted when a voice reached her ears: "Beware the Jabberwock Red like Rose, with jaws that bite and claws that catch!"/div
div id="djs-5vp28" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-a1vp3" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"A jabberwalker, one that had been blasted into the tree and landed nearby, sensing and turning its attention towards Ruby, had clawed at her. If she hadn't been warned by the Lively Carpenter, she'd be dead. Without a soul, her spirit sleeping somewhere cold. Sealed away into a realm of shadows, an endless void. Instinctively, Ruby burst into petals and staggered back, watching as the creature tracked her, she could see drool dripping from it's closed jaw, as if it was sensing a nearby meal that didn't fight back. "Missed…hatred…thinking…"/div
div id="djs-8u54k" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Ruby shivers, barely able to find the bolt of her sniperrifle, her fingers struggling to grasp it properly as the creature stalks her. Once she finally cocks the bolt back, the sharp sound causing the head of the Jabberwalker to turn in her direction. Before it changes, to the form of Aschen, goading her into attacking, the way she had done in the Inbetween. Ruby freezes fully. Aschen. Her failure as a leader and planner, staring her dead in the eyes. "Craving…tasting…oblivion…"/div
div id="djs-6mpce" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""RUBY", this time the voice wasn't the Carpenters. It was Little that woke Ruby from the horrors she was seeing before her mind's eye. She staggered to the left, narrowly dodging the claws that catch. Part of the tree she was standing near was torn clean off, revealing the hollow interior. Before Ruby had the chance to act, the image shifted once more. Suddenly the Jabberwalker had Penny's head. Possessed Penny. On the Schnee Estate grounds, attacking her, asking her to kill her. Self ending to give the power to Ruby. But why? I'm unworthy of it. Penny's life had ended, the power was gone. Ruby had no friends anymore. "Wanting"/div
div id="djs-1f355" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"A strong shove pinned RUby to the floor, none of her 'friends' had turned to check on her. Of course not, why would they? She was the younger prodigy. The girl who had skipped two years and managed to outshine some of her peers at Beacon. The girl that had pulled them through every disaster she had led them in. Overcoming the Nucklavee, she and Jaune pulled through and lead them all to safety. In Mistral her leadership, while strained, had rallied her team to take the fight to a newer level, Hazel was unstoppable, yet they slowed him down long enough. Brunswick farm? Easy save from their fearless unstoppable leader. Leviathan? Silver eyed magic powers. Prodigy figures on paper. And the Hound, even Yang admitted Ruby was one upping her. Ruby wanted to vomit. Is this what Pyrrha had endured? Isolation from a destiny that wasn't her own? Crescent Rose, still collapsed and compact, lay discarded, away. Truly alone. "HATING"/div
div id="djs-eh0t5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Salem's face. Ruby's will was gone. Salem?! She wasn't in the Ever After, but who's to say it matters? Ultimately her fate was to end as Salem's next Hound. A puppet to do as the Mother of Grimm wants. Mindless, stripped of everything individual. No longer Ruby Rose. As the Jabberwalker unhinged it's jaw, like a snake, droplets of drool fell down, just missing the terrified girl's face, slathering the ground underneath her, making it wet and terrible. Swallowing, that empty void meant the end of her life. No reincarnation from the tree, no happy ever after. She'd just…disappear. Like her mother. And with Jaune as a wiser and even more capable hero…who's to say her team wasn't better of with him than her? Ruby sighed, a dead and cold expression in her eyes as she lay still, welcoming the end as she sighed. "YES! READY! STARVING! TAKING!"/div
div id="djs-8u27a" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Ruby!", the Lively, warm and gentle voice of the Carpenter broke through her haze. She saw the tooth filled maw. The drool that dripped as it lunged in to consume her soul, the empty death staved off as the jaws sealed around the arm of Carp, who gave a pained yelp. An amber coloured sap leaking through the teeth marks, causing Carp to smirk, "Jaws that can't bite. Only claws to catch!"/div
div id="djs-dhpkf" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Antlers rammed into the Jabberwalker that had Ruby pinned, Juniper came to her rescue. The force of the blow, as the sharp antlers pierced skin and wounded the beast, tore it's sealed jaw free, ripping off Lively Carpenter's arm, forever sealed to the locked jaw of the Jabberwalker. Similarly, a big amber droplet formed on their left elbow socket, since the lower arm had been torn off. Which they quickly began putting a fire to, stopping it and crystallizing the resin. Ruby rose up, feeling horrified that her actions had caused this deep wound on a host that had treated her well. Yet before she could ask if they were right, the claws that catch and the tail that flails, slammed into Juniper. Red stained her fur, deep lacerations that leaked blood. Her pained scream alerted Jaune who rushed over. Him, Yang and Carpenter killed the final Jabberwalker, leaving the chaos of the fight over as only one remained. The final monster turning into a clone of Neopolitan who pointed a finger gun at Ruby before shattering. She couldn't climb up, frozen to the floor in the horror she'd almost willingly let herself get destroyed on a level that was unnatural. Yet she'd almost done it. "The walkers from the Market"/div
div id="djs-1fjre" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""This is far from her usual bag of tricks…how did she get so powerful", Blake and Yang argued as they saw the final one shatter into a Neo illusion and hurried over towards their leader. Weiss following close behind. "Well she didn't become stronger by being inactive..we need-"/div
div id="djs-24al3" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""WHAT THE GRIMM IS WRONG WITH YOU!", Jaune walked over towards Ruby, grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up. Still in her shocked mindset she doesn't register any of this, as she merely looks up at nothing, gazing at nothing, the million yard stare. Jaune's anger is visible. If he were Yang his blond hair would burn. Yet all he did was shiver and clench his hands in furious anger. "Juniper and Carpenter are HURT!"/div
div id="djs-6jqne" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Sir Knight…gently! I caused my wounds, not Red like Rose!", the Carpenter added, gently trying to pull Jaune away from Ruby who slowly woke from her mental shock. Juniper was wounded on one of her legs, licking the fur as Jaune rushed over to bandage her paw. "The Jabberwalker kills souls! If anything happens to her…and you!"/div
div id="djs-b0u8f" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""It's just an arm…I'm lively enough for one arm. So please, don't be at alarm", the Carpenter suddenly turned around, eyes shocked, "have I made a rhyme?"/div
div id="djs-9td2o" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Jaune's right…it's one thing to leave your weapon in the box when Jaune gives it back. It's another thing not to help your friends fight, sis honestly you-"; Yang threw Crescent Rose at her sister, but she merely jumped back, not taking the weapon and letting it fall to the floor. For the first time, Yang seemed to look at her sister's quivering lips and the dull dead look in her eyes. "Ruby…?"/div
div id="djs-9jktn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""What do you care!", the sudden venomous tone of Ruby's tone snapped everyone's attention to Ruby, as she threw an overwhelmingly vile look at her sister! "What's that supposed to mean!?"/div
div id="djs-co595" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Nothing, it means nothing, like you pushing me off, right? Oh I'm fine by the way thanks for asking! It's not like my own SISTER tried to kill me!", Ruby's tone was venomous yes, Yang could see that her sister was hurting, but she also wasn't gonna take anything lying down! "Back off sis, I didn't mean to do that, and you know it!"/div
div id="djs-54g18" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Do I? OR was I just in the way? That why you broke the team up in Atlas?!", Ruby stomps her foot, getting Blake and Weiss to ponder, while Jaune fixes up Juniper's leg. "That's what eating you? I said I was-"/div
div id="djs-58e5n" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I don't care what you said! You said you loved me. That you'd follow me because I always knew what was right! Yet as soon as the fight turned harder, you ditched me and ran off with Jaune and Ren! Just like that stupid MOTHER of yours!", Ruby pushed her sister who had gotten closer. But at the hearing of that jab, Yang's eyes flashed red. She glared at Ruby, hair slowly radiating; "Watch it Ruby…I'm not-"/div
div id="djs-ftrk3" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""But you are! And the gall! The nerve! You came back, then told me some sob story about how Summer was your hero. LIAR! Your mom at least is alive! Mine's DEAD! She's my hero! You have the other one, the one you are so desperately turning into! A Lying, selfish, cowardly bi-", the words of Ruby cut deep, yet the sound of a hand striking flesh was sharper still. A silence crawled over the courtyard, Carpenter even nervously looking at Jaune, wanting the Knight to chance and stop the unlively nature of this conversation. But Jaune was busy with Juniper. A red handmark remained on Ruby's face, the spot where Yang had slapped her. Ruby held strong, an almost victorious look in her face as Yang's cheeks turned wet from tears! "Shut up! I never wanted to hurt you!"/div
div id="djs-1leon" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Then why did you slap me Yang? Why did you punch me off the Inbetween space?! Angry I stole your childhood?!", Ruby's fury wasn't slowing down. In fact, the slap had given her just enough energy to push through. The darkness festered for too long. The isolation had carried its poison too effectively. And her friends hadn't noticed at all. Weiss raises her hand at Yang, trying to get between them both, wanting to end this fighting. "Stop it. Sisters shouldn't fight! We don't have-"/div
div id="djs-f1qk2" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Time for this? Like when I wanted the remnants of Penny? Her sword?! Gotta keep moving. Find help. Follow Jaune. SOMEONE who won't SCREW everything UP like me! But we got time to find love together, right?", the sharp edge to Ruby's words caught Weiss off guard. She swallowed as she straightened her back. She knew how to deal with someone having a breakdown. Heck her mother had many. She just needed to keep her calm and… "Ruby, that's hardly fair! You know what happened in the Schnee estate. We've all seen what Weiss went through!"/div
div id="djs-2i7fl" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Stellar work love, we need to work on your ability to read a mental breakdown, Weiss thought as she threw Blake a look, a thankful look for her kind words, before Ruby turned her attention on Blake? "Oh I'm so sorry Weiss. How could I forget all you've been through. Having siblings that actually care about you. A mother who is alive. Oh and a girlfriend whom I'm sure is dating you just to spite the white fang!"/div
div id="djs-4p7o3" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Now that's uncalled for", Weiss said, once more trying to calm the situation, "We just need to get some tea and coffee, so we can tend to the wounded and…"/div
div id="djs-7s47m" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Yeah, tend to the wounded. But not me right? Never time. Why do I always have to pick everyone up! I didn't ask to be leader! I didn't ask to be held responsible for every bad situation that happened since Mistral! I'm trying my best, but you all wanted to give up. Brunswick, I had to carry you all out, without me you'd all be dead! When James turned into a tyrant I had to come up with a plan. You all just depend on me to keep you going. Yet when I stumble no one cares! Yang even attacked me willingly!", There was no stopping now, once the dam breaks, the water flows. Yang's anger flares up and stomps to stand before her sister, "I'm sick and tired of having that held against me! I said I was sorry!"/div
div id="djs-dq789" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""And I said I don't care! What? Want to punch me now, firecracker? Because Jaune's imaginary friends got hurt!?", Ruby wanted the confrontation. She wanted to keep going, get this venomous feeling out of her heart. But she aimed at the wrong person./div
div id="djs-b1agt" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Juniper and Carpenter got hurt because of you! The Walkers came because of YOU. Because Neo HATES YOU! If you had taken the weapon, fought or even ran using that Semblance of yours, they'd still be alright! And not hurt!", Jaune got up and stared at Ruby, rage in his eyes. "So take some responsibility here, as a leader. You messed up. You failed! You froze up! I get that. We all make mistakes. It's time to grow up and learn from them. If that's one thing I've had time to learn down here is reflecting on and learning from my mistakes."/div
div id="djs-4v6is" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Jaune…", Weiss gave him a look. He seemed so much different from before. No longer the same aloof 'lovable idiot stuck in the tree', he had matured down here. Blake was lucky, if she'd waited a few days longer, who knows! Surely that would get through to Ruby! and yet…/div
div id="djs-nu1t" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I didn't ask for your opinion, Vomit Boy! Don't even try lecturing me about being a leader. Look at your team. One's a head case who turned his back on us, one nearly got herself killed doing something reckless and the one person with an actual brain crippled herself trying to be a hero and only survived because of me. You've been here for decades and accomplished nothing! At least the cat could have gotten us to the tree if you hadn't screwed that up too!", Ruby staggered back, Yang had pushed her away, stepping up to defend Jaune, "You want to talk about plans? We've been following your lead this entire time and look where we are! Jaune has been there for you since day one. Followed your lead when he could have gone back to his family. Even now he's trying to defend you. But I'm sick of it. You want to blame me for pushing you? For having a mother that's alive? Why don't you blame me for raising you too because I'm ashamed of how you've turned out! Qrow constantly favoring you and scorning me because I look like my mom. Dad shutting down because Summer died. I gave up my childhood for you. I've always supported you. I would have had my chance to live my life and be myself if you hadn't snuck your way into Beacon! Ozpin was always a fool. That's why he made you a leader. 'Oh Ruby's so special, Oh Ruby has silver eyes'. Well I have eyes too. And I can see just how much of a screw up you really are!"/div
div id="djs-a7bcp" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Yes. I'm at fault for everything. You're right. It's my fault you're a stupid daughter of Raven! It's my fault Blake and Weiss have no idea what's going on because they love each other. It's my fault Neo's attack dogs came after Juniper. Carpenter's arm, also totally my fault. Because I am a terrible leader. You're right sister, perhaps I should just get out of here and be a bother elsewhere. If I hadn't been born, you'd never have to live and raise me. I wouldn't be the sister you ditched at Beacon the first chance you got. You'd be free to do and live as you wanted. With me out of the picture, your life suddenly becomes better. Stellar even! Then you can cherrypick your mother and have dad all to yourself. You can even be a leader. If I'm gone. Maybe that's the exact right action I can take. And that way I'm no longer the worst thing that exists in life. I'll be out of your way. You disowned me anyway. So what's the point of carrying on now?/div
div id="djs-3l6qj" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Jaune quickly stepped between them. Having seen far too many fights between siblings and needing to meditate. "Yang! That's enough. Way too far. I appreciate you defending me but this not what we need. We all agreed to that plan. It's not on Ruby."/div
div id="djs-d9baa" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Weiss chimed in as well. "Jaune is right. We need to cool our heads. We're all family here after all…"/div
div id="djs-enbic" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""SHUT! UP. ALL OF YOU SHUT THE HELL UP", standing there, alone inside, a thing broke. Ruby who had followed the teachings of Coco, the 'naturally' gifted student of Beacon who had skipped two years and her innate skills had made her keep pace with the other students, even outpace them, the girl who wanted to save everyone and therefor had no idea how to save herself, needing a hero to hold her hand through the night, desperately for salvation as she drowned in her dark heart, snapped. Blake's eyes widened, Weiss raised a hand to cover her lips as she silently mouthed 'oh my', Yang who hadn't expected this from her sister, sure she had been pushing buttons and being 'extra' but she didn't expect this level of intensity, looked at the red handmark she had inflicted on her sister and suddenly felt shame, had she indeed gone too far? Jaune stood dumbfounded. Ruby, the paragon of leadership. His first friend, the girl that put him on the path of being a hero. Snapped. "Don't do that…just don't…"/div
div id="djs-3jc1k" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-2jgop" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"I need to get away from here. I need to get away! Turning on her heels, Ruby's heart breaking as she does, tears streaming down her face, she ran! But she didn't get far. A strong hand slapped on her shoulder. Yang, realising what she had said and done, had a broken look on her own face. Her snapping back, had effectively told Ruby she didn't wanna be her family anymore. IN a horrifying twist of fate, Yang who had always hated her own mother for abandoning her family, now pushed her sister away. She wanted to stop her, explain she didn't mean it that way. I was just angry. I didn't mean what I said! She gently squeezed Rubes' shoulder, yet before she could say anything, a sharp pain broke her hold as a collapsed and compact sniperrifle hit her in the face as Yang staggered back. Her fury gone completely. Sure she had slapped Ruby in a moment of powerlessness, her words had stung just so bad. Yet the weak way Ruby had thrown Crescent Rose into Yang's face, felt more painful than the slap Ruby had received moments before. It was a signature. Crescent Rose had been made by Ruby alone, she had guidance from Qrow, sure, but her weapon was her life. And now she had used that very important thing, thrown it into Yang's face as she broke into petals and burst away in the air. Yang's eyes broke in tears as she screamed after her sister! "RUBY I'M SORRY!"/div