Ruby XXI

The crucible was burning with the heat of several dozen furnaces. It was remarkably busy that day because it was the last day of the semester and the place would be closed during winter break. Luckily I managed to find space to work. For hours I did nothing but hammer an alloy of iron and Mage's Metal into shape. With each stroke it came closer to resembling that elusive shape I dreamed of, a blade that curved like the waning of the moon. Once the blade was done all of the pieces were in place. My weapon was finally finished

A scythe that could double as a sniper, with enough firepower to take the wall off a house with a single shot. Fixing the blade to the top of the weapon was harder than I expected, but after a few hours I managed to make it work. The beast of a weapon was seven feet long from end to end, with the blade itself being about four.

"This'll do," I giggled to myself. I hoisted it up and admired its crimson hue. By the time I was done the crucible was practically empty. The only people left were me and Pietro. He scuttled over to me to see what I had been working on. Words couldn't describe the surprise on his face when he saw it.

"Well isn't that thing pretty? Who's the buyer?" He seemed to think that I planned on selling the weapon off to some manor housed lord. I suppose I can understand where the confusion was coming from. When I had asked him for advice on finishing the weapon a few days ago I never did specify that it was for me. Perhaps he assumed from the start that the project was something I planned to sell for profit.

"Sir, if you ever see me trying to sell a weapon this nice, you have the right to kill me, on the spot," I grinned, "No, a weapon like this should be in the hands a hunter, a real hunter, like your's truly,"

"I take it you plan to make this thing your signature weapon? Why doesn't that surprise me? It's an amazing piece of work, but if you plan to use it I have some… concerns. For starters, isn't it a bit too big?"

"No, no, it's perfect. It needs to be big so that the barrel of the rifle can help with accuracy. Sure, the kick will be a monster, but I have a plan for that too. If my calculations are correct then the blowback from each round it fires should be strong enough to push me. I'll use that momentum to maneuver around Grimm,"

"I'm sorry, what? The scythe has a barrel?"

"Don't all rifles?" When I said that a light flashed across Pietros's eyes and he immediately seemed to get it. He even seemed somewhat proud, like he was glad that one of his pupils had come up with a weapon that used its drawbacks as a benefit.

"That's clever, it's very clever in fact! However, what will you do when you want to actually hit something with it?"

"I'm glad you asked! When I want the bullets to actually hit something I'll plant the blade in the ground. That way it'll be stable. I already have a name for it too. It's called The Crescent Rose!" I was proud. It took a lot to finish making it. I used all of my savings and even sold my ax to afford the materials. Through a clever trick I convinced a merchant that the ax was magical and that the magic inside of it was the reason why it always returned to my hand after I threw it, not the cursed glove that Emerald gave me.

"Huh, Crescent Rose, I like it! how'd you come up with that?"

"Wouldn't you like to know!" I flew off with my new scythe in hand. As I left the Crucible my first thought was to test the weapon out, but finding Grimm would take quite some time. I'd have to leave Beacon and explore the outskirts. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, it's not like my days were particularly busy. However, there was something, or rather someone, who demanded my attention. Cardin had yet to heal from his injuries and I was treating him while he slept on our floor. In fact, he hadn't even woken up yet. For days he was completely knocked out. I went to check on him everyday and even changed the bandage on his eyes on occasion, but he still showed no signs of waking up.

After I knocked him out I swore to make sure that he didn't die, but I never expected the recovery process to take this long. Sure, his injuries were dire, but you'd think his aura would help him heal. As soon as he woke up I planned on kicking him out.

I opened the door to our dormitory to see Cardin lying in the corner of the room and Blake making Coffee on the stove. She was wearing a short purple nightgown with bloomers to match. Clearly his unconscious body didn't bother her.

"Greetings," Blake raised a hand in a sort of lazy wave, "Coffee?"

"Bleh, I can't stand that stuff. Do we have any milk?"

"We should," Blake rummaged through the ice box while I stole glances of a rather lewd sight when she was bent over to look in the box, "Do you want it warm or cold?"

"Warm please! And how is our guest doing by the way? Have there been any changes in his condition?"

"Well he's started talking in his sleep. It mostly comes out in groans and whimpers, but sometimes he manages to say a few words. 'No, Father! No! You can't send me back. It's not what it looks like." and things like that. He mentions his father a lot, in fact when he does speak that's mostly all he says 'Father… Father…' but there are a few other people whose names come up from time to time,"

"Well that's ominous," I took a seat at the table and looked over my shoulder at Cardin, still sleeping. Blake handed me a cup of milk and sat down next to me.

"He mentions Weiss as well; sometimes in anguished screams, sometimes in whispers, but always asking for something. He pleads to her for mercy, for guidance, and, sometimes, if you listen closely, you can even hear him pleading for something else. In those desperate whispers which escape his mouth you can hear him asking Weiss for strength, his pleas are so sincere they almost sound like prayers."

"It sounds like she was a cruel master, but I guess that's not a surprise. God, this is awful. What if he's on his last legs? What if this is just his mind reliving the past? If this keeps up he might never wake up,"

"Would that really be bad?"

"Blake!"

"What? Did he not try to kill you in a duel to the death? You're the last person who should be responsible for taking care of him. All he's ever done is hurt the people around him and call his peers degenerates. I know you feel guilty because you're the one who did this to him, but if it wasn't you it would've been someone else. Cardin had no shortage of enemies. Jaune's grown sharp with steel as of late, I wouldn't put it past him to take revenge on Cardin once he grows confident in his skills. If not him then maybe it would have been Fox Alister or Yatsuhashi who did the deed to defend the honor of that bunny girl on their team. Someone spread juvenile rumors that he slept with her for the price of only two coppers and a carrot cake. And according to that hearsay she sucks cock like a sinkhole. Should I mention that the person who spread those rumors was most likely Cardin? And what of the feud he fostered with Sage The Swordsmen back when-"

"Alright, alright. I know he's not a good person. I don't like him either, but why should I give up on him and not Weiss? Wouldn't that make me a hypocrite? The only reason I have to help her over him is that… I like Weiss, I really like Weiss. I only challenged Cardin to a duel because I thought that was what a leader should do. Hell, I did a lot of things just because I thought it was the proper thing for a leader to do. Honor was my modus operandi, but now I'm not so sure. I don't think anyone wanted me to turn out this way, especially not my mother. How could I claim that what I did was for the sake of upholding her legacy when, in truth, she never wanted any of this for me. For all I know, she never even wanted me to become a hunter in the first place. It's time I become my own kind of hero, I think,"

"And for your first heroic deed you chose to save a villain,"

"Right, I know, but don't heroes do what they want? To me a hero is someone who can balance their own desires with the needs of society. Drunkards who pay whores generously and parents who cut their dreams short for the sake of their children; to me they're both heroes in a sense,"

"I see," Blake laughed with her whole gut and nearly fell out of her chair. That kind of hurt, I really thought I had said something profound there, "You know what, I always knew you were an oddball but I never expected things to take a turn like this. You're really interesting, I hope you know that,"

"Interesting in a good way?"

"Definitely,"

"Alright, I think I'll try something then,"

"Oh,"

"Just watch," I went over to where Cardin lay unconscious and I placed my hands on his chest. Before long I felt it, it was like the night when The Brothers had us race through the forest and I cried silver tears, or the time when we fought the snake Faunus.

If Tyrian was able to heal people with his silver eyes then I should be able to do it too. I zapped him a bit and with a gasp he awoke. He sat upright immediately, as though waking from an awful dream. With great haste he ripped the bandages from his face, but once they were gone he kept scratching, clawing, trying to find more.

"Dammit all, someone get these things off me!" He shouted.

"The bandages are already off, they're off! Just calm down. You're alright,"

"That can't be right. If the bandages are off then why can't I see?" He looked at me and the milky blue of his eyes told me all I needed to know. Although I restored the original shape of his eyes I failed to heal his sight. Cardin was blind, and there was nothing I could do. I couldn't heal him fully, even with peak focus and ideal conditions on my side.

"This is hard to say, but during your fight with Weiss and I your eyes were destroyed. I tried to heal you, but it seems that there are some things that are even beyond magic. Although your eyes are back I don't think you'll ever be able to use them,"

"I don't even remember that happening. Stop messing around and fix this! Do you want me to beg? I'll do whatever you want, just heal me. Give me back my eyes, please!" Cardin grabbed me by the shoulders and pleaded with me, but there was nothing I could do.

"I'm sorry, I can't. This was the first time I've used the power on my own. It took everything I had just to wake you up. Even if I did use it on you again there's a good chance it wouldn't do anything, that's if I somehow manage to do it again," Cardin's hands fell from my shoulders and hit the floor. He was at a loss for words. His most important sense as a hunter was gone. When he started crying I knew I had to say something, "I didn't mean for it to turn out this way. At first all I wanted was the stone, but in the end I realized that I didn't even want that. Then you showed up and everything went bad. Getting into a fight was never a part of the plan and neither was hurting you like this. I'm sorry,"

"I don't know what you're talking about," He sobbed.

"It happened a few days ago, you found us in Oz's office and chased us through the city. It's not the kind of thing you just suddenly forget,"

"I'm telling you I don't know. I haven't been to his tower all week. I was only working for him to get back in good standing with the school," tears kept falling slowly from his face. I could hardly recognize the man I was talking to. In his voice there was neither bluster nor fury, only grief. I looked over to Blake, who was still sitting at the table, but all she did was shrug. With Blake content to just sit and watch the situation unfold, I was officially on my own.

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"A few days ago. We met at a tavern and he told me he was proud of me, that I was doing a good job as his attendant," He wept, "We had some drinks and then I went home, that's all, that's it. I couldn't have, there's no way I could have, how was I even there!"

"Well do you remember where you were that night, when I snuck into the clocktower?"

"Asleep! I was sleeping alone in my room, struck by a terrible dream. In it I saw myself ground to paste by giant brass gears, I saw myself wither with age until nothing remained but a skeleton, and I felt every moment of it,"

"You claim to have been asleep, but there you were. I saw you, clear as day, curious. To me it sounds like you were possessed by something. While you slept, you were overcome by a will that was not your own, most likely the work of a powerful semblance. The real question is: who did it?"

"There are a few students with mind control semblances, perhaps it was one of them. Like I said, he had no shortage of enemies," said Blake.

"Yes, you're right. They're few and far between as well. With a bit of investigation it should be easy to find who did this,"

"I won't be helping with that,"

"I had a feeling,"

"Do you hear yourselves? I don't care who did this. I just want my eyes back!" Said Cardin.

"That isn't going to happen. It can't happen. We both know that. My powers can bring people back from the brink of death. If it can't help restore your sight then nothing can, again, I'm sorry," when I said that he fell to the floor almost wretched. He begged me to let him stay another day and I obliged, on one condition. If he stayed he would owe me a favor, whatever I wanted, anytime, anywhere. However, as I went to leave and go check on Yang to see where she was, Blake stopped me.

"You shouldn't help him any further. He doesn't deserve it," she said.

"I know, but he's not himself right now. This isn't Cardin we're dealing with, this is just a scared blind man. I know I shouldn't help him, but I want to. Leaving him to fend for himself would make me feel guilty for doing this to him,"

"You're the boss so I won't argue, but this is a bad idea,"

"On that we agree," I left to go find Yang and maybe even Weiss if I was lucky. Tomorrow the hunt began, I had to be sure that Yang was of the right mind to come along. She had been heartbroken over the unworthy hunter Jaune Arc for quite some time. Whether it affected how good she was in a fight was still yet to be determined, so I was skeptical of bringing her with us. If she got hurt I could never forgive myself. To confess to the truth, in earnest, I have been a bad sister. My efforts to reach her and understand her feelings have been… mediocre. Although I tried to stay by her side I could never manage to reach her and because her pain was foreign to me I couldn't grasp it. A curse should be placed on me and my progeny for not lending aid, for four generations it should last, bringing woe to all those who bare its wretched mark.

My search eventually came to an end when I found Yang and Weiss in the school's greenhouse. The two were sitting under an arbor of roses: mostly pink and white. The greenhouse was humid and light refracted through its glass roof, brightening the room. It glittered with dancing sunlight and rainbow colored sparkles moved about the room.

"Yang! Weiss!" I ran to embrace them.

"Um, I just saw you yesterday. What is all this commotion about?" Asked Weiss.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just happy to see you two. I've been looking all day, is this where you've been all this time?"

"More or less. The two of us have been admiring the flowers for a while now, but we did take a break for food. We went to try some of the swordfish they were selling in the bazaar, on my recommendation. It was great, wasn't it Yang?"

"Yes, the fish was nice," Yang responded only out of courtesy. Were it polite to ignore the question and simply continue taking in the sights of the greenhouse she would have done it. I appreciated Weiss trying to help make her feel better, even if she did little more than drag my sister to places she didn't want to go to try food she had no interest in eating and sniffing flowers she knew little about.

"That must have been nice. Weiss, do you think I could have a moment alone with my sister?"

"Of course, don't mind me. There's a cluster of flytraps on the other side of the garden that I've been dying to look at. I'll be back later, you two!" Weiss skipped off, oblivious to what was happening.

"I hope she didn't talk your ear off," I said.

"No, no, it's fine. Weiss can be good company sometimes. Why did you want to talk to me alone though. What's wrong?"

"That's exactly what I was gonna ask you,"

"What?"

"You haven't been yourself lately. The hunt is fast approaching and I wanted to let you know that it's okay if you don't come with us. If you choose to bow out I've already arranged for a replacement. They won't be as good as you, but we'll manage just fine. So if you aren't feeling up to it-"

"What are you saying? I have to go,"

"But aren't your grades fine? What do you need the extra points for? Just stay home, it's better for everyone,"

"Don't worry about my marks, worry about yours,"

"This isn't about my grades, this is about your safety!"

"No, Rubes, you're off the mark, you're way off the mark. This isn't about me, this is about you. It's always been about you. You were too young to remember, but you're just like our mother,"

"Whole lot of good that's done me," I sighed.

"Aye, it has done you a great deal of good, you just don't understand. In you I see all of her best qualities and with each day you become more like her. You're brave, you're kind, and you always help the people who deserve it the most. Watching you become the person you are has been the best thing that's ever happened to me. Everything I do I do it for you, and sure I might be sad right now, but that won't stop me from helping my sister. Never think that you can't turn to me because I will always be by your side," Yang pulled me in for a hug and she smelled of roses. I suppose that made sense. She had been there all day.

I tried to speak but my mouth was choked with melancholy. My words turned only to whimpers and for a while all I could do was cry. This was the sister who I had abandoned, mistrusted, and ignored, but no matter what I had done, she still had a place in her heart for me. How could she have enough love inside her to forgive someone like myself? No matter what I did, no matter how cruel I was, she never doubted me.

"But what about you? What am I supposed to do if I ask you to come and then you don't come back? Stay! Just stay, we'll be back before you know it," I cried.

"I have to go! What if something goes wrong and you can't handle it"

"I always think of something. Remember that night we were falling from the sky?"

"That's different. I was there. I could have caught you! How am I supposed to do that if I'm stuck at home? I never planned to let you hit the ground, honest,"

"I know you didn't, it's alright. Are you sure you're ready though? It'll be dangerous,"

"I was born ready. After all, a hunter is a hunter,"

"I guess you're right,"

"Well come on then, say the other half,"

"And a hunter must hunt," I said, whipping my face clean off tears.

"Am I interrupting something?" Weiss came back with an empty vase in her hands, looking confused. We didn't know how to tell her what just happened as we were still processing it ourselves, so the two of us just laughed and said:

"It's nothing."