"How you holding up, lass?" The all too familiar voice of Captain Alcove was a soothing experience for the conflicted woman. Even so Ruby didn't really bother to face him, keeping her eyes set to the skies ahead; her mind ever wandering through the deepest recesses of doubt.
After having tucked Pebble in bed for the night, she decided to relax on deck, to watch the stars and experience some level of peace. That peace however would not come easy, and in its absence there was a hefty tide of worry washing her thoughts away. The dread of previous revelations did nothing to quell her worries, which had now nearly reached their breaking point.
The faith she had in her mission was the last bastion of willpower Ruby possessed, and if it were to fall she'd be left with nothing.
"Fair." She said, letting her body slump against the railing. "Just... a little worn out."
"Aye." The man was a little more prominent in his energy, with his cane now set at his side as he leaned over and took a deep breath in. "The dead of night often brings out a sense of peace to many, even I can't quite spit at its beauty." A small smile crossed his lips, which was something Ruby only noticed as her intrigue was prompted from the stark dull tone he spoke with. "But, as you've well discovered for yourself, the silence of it all allows some of our more... precarious worries to fly to the surface."
"Yeah, I guess it does." Ruby agreed, looking out again.
The land below was blanketed in shadows, with nothing but the shattered moon's light to bring about any sense of color. They were passing over the main lands, some hours off from the ruins of Aether. The memory of that particular genocide wasn't very impactful for her; just another atrocity on the way to salvation. What did all those lives matter anyhow, especially if they were damned regardless?
All of this was just field dressing in the grand scheme of things, a scheme now in question for the woman.
Ruby Rose was not a hero, nor was she a benevolent figure. Once upon a time she'd strived to be, but those aspirations had died off with each subsequent failure. Salem would get the relics, summon the divine, and bring about the end, with only Ruby being alive to go back. Always, as if on schedule, she herself would leap back to a different point in time, to try it all again.
Maybe it was all for naught; perhaps her use of the crown to break Remnant's natural limitations had damned her to an ever repeating cycle of failure.
"Hmm." Alcove chuckled a little, and his voice gained just the barest amount of spunk. "It's often said that man's worst enemy is himself, both inside and out."
"I can agree to that." Ruby allowed the admission to tumble out undeterred, feeling a sense of longing as she looked out at the midnight hues. "We are pretty poor when it comes to these things."
"Yes, we are." He said so with a brighter smile on his face, and once more Ruby's interest peaked. "And yet we're the dominant species of Remnant; barring the Grimm that is, but those buggers are more of a natural force than anything living, so I don't tend to count them."
"Now that isn't fair." Ruby slipped out a little grin of her own. "They have plenty of personality in how they destroy."
"Oh yes." His smile was now a smirk, and his voice jolly. "And me mother's a master assassin, least where our garden was concerned."
A light bout of laughter was shared between the two, and as it settled under the moonlight the man saw fit to speak up again.
"But despite their skill in destruction, we can still outplay them at their own game. In numbers their forces can outmatch us with raw power, but in smarts we counteract this."
"You seem to know quite a bit." Ruby smiled a little, pushing aside her more dreadful worries for the time being. "So tell me, what's got you in such a chipperly 'Grimm' mood?"
Alcove looked to relax a bit more, resting himself on the railing once again as the moonlight laid so peacefully against the side of his face. He offered a comforting smile, fully directed towards her, and yet holding within it an abandoned echo of loss.
"Tonight was a beautiful night, and I wanted to relax on deck. Seeing you here though... it brought back memories of my older days; and a particularly adventurous little lass who sought a brighter life." His voice lowered a little, but that spark of joy remained. "Alas, that's a long long tale, and one I'm not so sure is all that interesting."
"We've got time." Ruby said, leaning away from her resting place to face him properly. "Besides, the night is young, and I can do for a story that's not all doom and gloom."
"Very well, but try not to fall asleep too soon; my bones are too old to be hauling women around anymore."
A simple story about a simple girl, with a cute and uneventful ending; that was something Ruby found herself appreciating more than she'd ever admit.
.
.
Just what type of leader was she?
As Ruby held onto her partner, allowing the woman to rest against her chest, the question grew most violent in the deeper cervices of her mind. She'd merely watched as her uncle lost himself to a sudden bout of rage, and in turn took out his anger on Oscar; a boy who's only mistake was having the misfortune of being Ozpin's next host. She thoughtlessly reached out for V, never thinking of how he was feeling beforehand or what even to say, and now he'd abandoned them too.
Now here she was, holding Weiss in silence, with the only shared ground being how Ruby herself understood the pain of losing those you cared for; something she understood Weiss was going through the moment their eyes linked.
At what point had she become so docile? Her state of affairs so often being to just go with the flow; something Yang used to do. Now the sisters had suddenly swapped places, and for the life of her Ruby couldn't figure out why. She'd previously resigned herself to being a more active leader, and yet she'd made no progress on that desire. Even here and during the battle with Adam, their main adversary on the way to Argus, she had remained mostly on the side, buying time for Weiss to put her idea into motion.
Just why was it she couldn't ever bring herself to make any form of decision; why was she so... nothing?
Ruby tried to bring up some sort of emotion, some sort of feeling from inside; a spout of anger or sadness. But still, as looked to be the trend of late, she couldn't find a thing; nothing but dulled variants of the real deal. She'd had plenty of drive back at Beacon, and with that drive she'd tried to help when the occasion called for it, but now she could only appear to move in reaction; something she decided to keep quiet on, as not to make the stress everyone was going through even worse.
At least she could still feel guilt in its fullest; perhaps the only thing keeping her alive in spirit.
The crunching of snow drew her eyes, and they settled on Qrow who reached down towards Adam's body. Now usually, reaching for a corpse was done to move them, most of the times in an effort to clear the area. In movies Ruby had seen the hero carry away the lifeless body of their friends and lovers, and it was almost always a dramatic moment of mourning; fake, but effective nonetheless. Qrow did none of this, only pulling away with something in his hand.
Adam's scroll glistened, and Ruby couldn't help but feel a strange sense of... nonchalance. Minutes ago the man bragged about having information on her mother, but right now, Ruby couldn't find the energy to care like she had then. Maybe the battle had gotten to her, and she was just tired, but this wave of fatigue was near immovable.
In fact, it was kind of...
.
.
Qrow found himself flicking through the few apps of the scroll, in search of any sorts of documents or secrets. It was strange compared many normal scrolls, and rather than any particular username, its host was defined as a number. He'd give them credit there; names tended to give away identity, and numbers were infinitely better than the moniker of known terrorist, even if it was still a tad weird and suspicious.
He was flicking through the files, mostly in search of documents, but he'd quickly found that almost nothing was present aside from the default few tutorial messages that came with most models. With nothing of value present he switched over to the photos section, wondering if anything substantial remained. And just like Adam said, there was indeed some interesting things to find.
Qrow would dare say he'd hit the jackpot.
There were hundreds of photos, and not a single one of them was of people. No, every picture taken was of documents. No... wait, this was also wrong. Qrow noticed that as he skimmed some of the words, the document pages he'd seen were more akin to a journal; at least in tone. However as he tried to read through one, he noticed how none of it made any sense, and looking at the dates muddied things up further.
It went back over a thousand years, which made it all the more wild.
"RUBY!" The collective cry ripped Qrow from his confusion, and he slipped the scroll in his pocket for later study. He turned, and saw how Weiss was now holding his niece.
Rushing over, Qrow came to a stop, facing the pale girl holding his youngest relative. The Schnee had lost her moment of agony, with nothing but a shocked fear on full display as she spoke.
"She collapsed, and I don't know why!" The girl spoke with a voice of panic, but her actions were fairly reserved. Qrow noticed how this calmer response was shared between the others as well; worried, but not jumping in panic.
At least they've learned how to handle themselves.
The same couldn't be said for him, in his own opinion anyway, but he was too focused on Ruby now to think about that. He reached down, taking Ruby's body from Weiss, and looking over her. He didn't see any major injuries, but there was something. The lowly purple glow between her fingers had him reaching to her hand. With a light tug it came open easily, and all of them were able to witness the dull blackened glow.
Yang was the first to speak.
"What... is that." Her eyes narrowed. "Wait, isn't that the same glow-"
"Weiss had, yes." Blake shot in, her eyes shifting to the heiress. "Weiss, do you know what's going on?"
"No." The pale woman replied with a hushed mask of worry. "She just collapsed."
Qrow slipped his vision back to Weiss, centered solely on her neck. The girl's own mark had died down, now just a patch of ordinary flesh, with hints of scarring if you looked close. His view fell again, and Ruby's mark continued to burn.
A blaring ring shocked them all momentarily.
Being the first to react, Qrow let his ears guide his hand, and he slipped it into the pocket along Ruby's waist. He pulled out her scroll, and saw it was receiving a call; the Arc boy's face glowing with his name underneath. He clicked accept, and the kid's call came through.
"Ruby, Ruby can you hear me?!"
"Jaune?" Yang said, to which the boy started to cheer from the other end of the line.
"Yang?! YES! We finally got through!" Before Yang could say anything, Blake chose to speak.
"Jaune, what do you mean?"
"We've been trying to call you for the past few days since we arrived." He'd calmed down somewhat. "But we couldn't get a signal. You must be close by now. Tell me where you are; My sister owns a small wagon, and we have Yang's bike here, so we can come pick you all up."
"You've got Bumblebee?!" Yang nearly shouted. "Thank Dust, how's she doing?"
"We've kept Nora from getting crazy, luckily, but she's in good shape, but..."
"Jaune." Yang's tone lowered. "That better not be a bad 'but'."
"It's not! We just... we need you to confirm to the police that we're all friends, and that you let us watch over your bike." He paused for a second. "They're not exactly buying it, and it'll be a problem if they take Bumblebee away."
"No worries, I will." Yang confirmed with a mild sigh of relief, before her speech evened out again. "And Jaune, bring some blankets with you."
"Okay... why?"
"It's Rubes... she's... she's not doing too hot."
"What! What happened?!" Yang looked to struggle a bit, but Weiss picked up the slack with a calm and collected voice.
"She passed out after a battle. We'll tell you about it when we all get there, just... just have a space cleared for her." Weiss looked back down to Ruby, brushing the young woman's hair from her sleeping eyes, which displayed a light layer of sweat across her skin. "She seems alright for now, but we're worried."
"Yeah, not a problem. We'll be there as fast as we can." With that the call hung up, and all eyes were back on Ruby.
.
.
She knew the woman was back before the doors to her throne even opened; the familiar dampening of the air flooded the atmosphere perfectly, the same as the day she changed the girl.
Salem watched with a sense of careless intrigue as the entrance was disturbed, and the expectedly manic woman wandered in. Her cracked smile reminded Salem of her loyal servant Tyrian, and while his insanity was often a mixed bag of usefulness, his ability to get most things done made him more than worth keeping around.
The others could learn a thing or two.
"My goddess." Steele bowed lowly on her knees. "I have returned."
"With fruitful news I expect?"
"Of course." The woman, with a smile, plunged her hand through the supple flesh of her lower stomach, wriggling around a little as tainted blood leaked and flowed downwards, staining the floor.
For some seconds she continued to re-arrange her innards before a grin cocked in place over her and she ripped out something. For a second the blood sloshed from the wound, however almost as quick as it began, the flesh stitched itself together again, and the life fluids lost started to evaporate. She held up and presented her offering to the awaiting queen of darkness.
Salem allowed an honest smile to grace her features, and she stood from her throne. Walking downwards she came to a stop at the bottom of the steps before Steele, and reached to take the small leather pouch from its place in the young one's hands.
"You've done well, child." Carefully Salem reached down to the woman, setting a hand on her head and giving a light ruffle of her hair. Steele audibly purred in satisfaction, and Salem released her, pointing towards the door. "Now go, I wish to be alone."
"By your command." Steele stood and left, with nothing but a look of pure childish glee on her face. Salem chucked a little at the sight of the grown woman's antics, but set her eyes back on her prize.
She opened up the small little thing, peering in as the nostalgia set in.
You never even spent a single coin; always the stubborn one. With an internal sigh she started off towards the door herself. Out in the blackened marble halls she followed the carpet along, until eventually she came to her personal chambers. The crimson moon shone brightly through the windows as she made her way inside, ignoring the resting space in favor of the door on the other side of the room.
With a small click she entered and shut the way behind her.
Ahead lay a wall of glass, with several items inside what appeared to be sealed off cubicles. Each had a plaque underneath with a name and date; a reminder of better times. Salem strode over to an empty one, and carefully pulled it open. The glass door came easily, and she set the small pouch in place before shutting it again.
With her nail she carved into the tiny bone plaque the date, as well as the words 'Untouched Gift'. Stepping back she observed the new display.
Strange... I never believed I'd hold it in my hands before we crossed paths again.
Salem could have left right then to continue with her evening, but what use was it? There was no rush, no innate urge to immediately fight. Watts would perform his duties in Atlas as by the schedule, and when he was done she'd be notified. It was only then she could launch the attack, not before; otherwise she'd actually have to expend effort, and she was not willing to do so when there was an easier and more effective method available.
Patience is a virtue she'd long since mastered.
As she observed the displays, relishing personally in times of brighter joy, her eyes settled on the space next to her newest addition. What sat was a simple bracelet, preserved within on a small stand. It alone was a reminder of the promise made, and the change of destiny supposedly offered by her choice. Salem quelled those memories however, as while it brought with it hope, there was also a suitable despair; fate was not so easily swayed, even with the involvement of the treacherous divine. Below it sat a plaque much like all the rest, dating back over a thousand years, along with its label...
'Maternal bonding'.
.
.
"Welcome to home base!" Roman called with a wide stretch of his arms at all that surrounded us. A few coughs echoed out from two women in a corner, who appeared to be playing cards. Silence stilled his bombastic show, and he chuckled. "Okay, so not as exciting as it may seem."
He could say that again, but really I wasn't so much bothered. Though not as boisterous and full as the previous bases of operation I'd been a part of, the place still looked functional enough to serve our purposes. I saw Robyn's shoulders slump as she looked to fight off a headache, with the woman next to her offering a hand of support on her back.
Despite all this, Roman cozied up to me again, whispering into my ear.
"Alright kiddo, this is the part where we make our big move." He saw me off with a wink, stepping back as he spoke loudly again. "Now that we're home, is there anything we should get; tea, biscuits, a sparse helping of revolution?"
He won no audible favors, but I assumed this was the window he offered me. Rather than speak immediately I reached into a pocket, fishing out the key card and speaking up seemingly of my own accord.
"This perhaps." I waved the valuable little bit of plastic dutifully, drawing a few eyes in. One of the first to react was the woman of the hour; Robyn herself.
"And just what is that?"
"A parting gift, from Adam Taurus." That shut them up momentarily, with Roman putting on his overly dramatic look of shock; it'd be real soon enough. "Since you've so suddenly diverted my course, I'm forced to use your resources to complete my mission."
"You really think that?" Robyn crossed her arms, forging a calm mask of challenge. "And what makes you think we'll help with anything you've been sent for?"
"Yes, I suppose you're right." I slipped the card away. "We should just leave the slaves be; let the mines be their tomb."
I withheld my amusement as her expression stiffened, and she huffed a little.
"Explain."
"As you wish." The rebel woman did not approve of my attitude, but I was too busy enjoying the little bits of annoyance my apparently sudden power over her offered. I didn't get too excited though, there was still work to do. "Before leaving him to his doom, the man told me of a particular mine somewhere here in Mantle. According to his word, there's a specific door deep inside with a matching number to the key. Inside are the slaves."
"And how would he know this?" Robyn questioned as her look of irritation began to soften. "Despite his abandonment of Mantle's wants and wellbeing, Ironwood was always the one to push for the punishment of slavery. As much as I hate his attitude, that's his one saving grace, and probably the only good trait of his."
"Because It was Adam's childhood home." The statement didn't get all that much of a reaction, with only Roman choosing to speak.
"Guess that explains why he was always a hard-headed prick."
Robyn shifted her focus a little as the girl next to her walked past. I didn't know her name, but she looked at me with a queer expression.
"You said Adam was left to his doom, why? What happened to him?" The girl was sporting an overall soft look, both in expression and form. Something about her fluffy hair reminded me of wool; an oddly specific feeling to be coupled with her Faunus ears, or which animal I couldn't quite connect them to.
"He'd wronged some people, and he was too stubborn to just run."
"Oh... okay." With my curt words she returned to her leader's side, and I found myself wondering if she knew the man personally.
"Well?" I said, drawing their attention again. "What are we doing?"
"First of all, let's make one thing clear." Robyn shot a glare. "You do anything stupid or put my girls in danger; I'll rip that smart-ass mouth of yours clean off and you'll never talk again. Secondly, if this turns out to be bullshit, you'll find that I can be much less accommodating. And finally, you do what I say, when I say, exactly as I say it. I don't trust you even the slightest bit, but if there really are slaves being held in the mines, we can't just leave them there."
"That's a lot of requests." I smirked with a look designed to infuriate. "Are you really that frightened of me?"
"Cautious, not frightened; learn the difference." She stiffened her glare again. "Only an idiot lets someone as dangerous as you move freely." Robyn chuckled after that. "I'd say 'nothing personal', but with what you did back at the Vytal festival, I'm not so sure why you're even alive. Honestly I thought the general would have done you in himself."
"That wasn't me." I stated firmly, only for her to chuckle and take a solid breath. Robyn then rolled her eyes as she addressed me.
"Right, and I suppose there just so happened to be another Grimm looking Faunus who chose to attack the stadium."
I couldn't well retort, not without incriminating Roman at least. While I would have loved to throw more nonsense his way, currently the man had a better lay of the land, which made him my only real source of useful information. Roman was, in essence, mine to use as I needed, and he was a tool I didn't want to part with too soon. It was due to this I simply held my ground with a glare, and Robyn merely stared back. Her eyes narrowed again, and she spoke.
"You have an hour before we move out. Roman..." She faced the man. "See him ready and at the usual spot; until then, just keep an eye on him, or you'll be punished too."
"Please~." Roman wrapped an arm around me again. "Don't get your panties in a twirl. I got this."
With that he began to lead me away, deeper into this base of theirs. He kept up his smirk, but as he talked I could hear his voice cracking a little, which betrayed his honest feelings on the matter.
"You know, when I said to back me up I meant something small and discreet, not an invasion of Atlas property."
"I know." The reply came smoothly from my lips. "But you don't get a band of vagabonds at your beck and call everyday. So I thought I might take advantage of this while I could."
"By potentially putting us in the spotlight?" He cast a quick glance, his smile stuttering a little.
"Unfortunate side-effect." I gave, and he responded just as well as I expected; with a lowly grumble.
"Sneaky brat."
Sneaky or no, I meant what I told him. I'd be making good use of them while I could, at least until I got back to the general. I needed to get back to the goddess, the queen; Salem. She'd always tolerated and answered my questions, offering her wisdom free of illusion. I knew Salem would speak to me; I merely had to get to her. Hopeless though it might have been, I still held out hope Jinn was wrong, and as such did my best to rid myself of the blue bitch's deception. Part of me cried denial, while the other toiled in conflict. And while all of this may have been speculative in nature, there was one truth every inch of my being understood, as if by natural instinct...
Salem would have my answers, and she would speak them in truth.
Author's note
...
A more reserved chapter this time.
Ruby's not doing so hot, although I suppose that can be applied to both of them. Passing out probably wasn't the best of signs, but at least everyone had taken it like champs. Qrow has the scroll now, and you can probably guess how this might fuzzy up their current state of affairs.
We've gotten a glimpse of Salem once more, and she's still creepily toiling away. Shouldn't really be a surprise that a woman like her tends to collect and label objects reminding her of better times; hey, everyone has a hobby, even the destroyer of the world.
V also gets his time to shine again, and along with Roman they're setting up another break-in; ah... nostalgia at its finest.
See you soon.