Arc 2 - Chapter 20 - Before the Void
Ruby stumbled back from the massive swipe of a bear demon, feet sliding in the cold mud. It came at her again in a mighty lunge, great arms wide as if it was after a hug, rather than her blood. In the space of a second, a couple of things happened in rapid sequence.
She panicked, first of all - how could you not, really - the whole fighting for her survival and all. Next, she closed her eyes ready and unready for death, but this time remembered to swing what was in her hand. Then, actually swung it instead of running away. And finally opened her eyes in time to see the top half of the bear's head fall to the ground, the rest of its bulky body following close behind. Ha! All according to plan.
Ruby yelped as a new demon bear replaced the old, and had to dive out of the way so that it murdered the tree behind her instead, for which she was sorry but not that sorry about. Not a graceful escape, but better than being torn to pieces. She whipped her scythe around, accidentally cutting the monster across the belly, then purposely brought it round again and buried the blade half into its shoulder. Not enough, though. These things were made of muscle. Ruby ripped the blade out with all her strength and managed to take its arm off, then chopped down again, this time on the bear's head. With a sick crunch, it was at last laid to rest.
That was only two, though. And there were more to come.
She saw three now, trampling down the brown road to join the skirmish like a few randos showing up to a party late. The Wolf and Princess were occupied with their own crowds, and this pack of triplets set their crosshairs on Ruby, no doubt singling her out as the weakest. That was true, most likely. But three of these things she could handle. Hopefully.
They fanned out, one keeping straight, the other two flanking her left and right sides. A tactic she'd seen and fought a couple of times by now and so wasn't as terrifying as it once was. Ruby took a huge breath as she tried to do that weird thing with the wind she'd done a few days ago. Tried to recall that feeling. Being scared, naturally. No one had been close enough to save her and nowhere to run. No choice but to fight, then. Stomped the ground to convince herself to do it. Had to fight.
Without really thinking, Ruby stomped the ground with one foot once she heard the two flanking bears charge, hoping with her everything that it worked. The air fluttered for a moment, then burst into a spinning circle around her, whipping and cutting and making her hair and cape flap about. The left bear was picked up off the ground like a leaf in the breeze and sent skidding through the dirt. The right one had only held its ground for a moment longer but was eventually sent back the way it came, roaring indignation. A short-lived victory, that, and none of them were dead yet. The yet unharmed demon bear was coming now, and fast.
Ruby had never thought herself much of a fighter, despite considerations of being a police officer. Didn't much like hurting things, if she didn't have to. But being transported to another world full of monsters could convince a person to become whatever was needed if they wanted to survive. Best to take that for what it was.
Ruby cut a wide arc in front of her, encouraging the air around her to blow at the charging bear, lifting it right off its feet. The left one was back now, dirtier than before, and Ruby quickly backpedaled so its claw only touched dirt. Then she swung hard and fast, taking a clean chunk out of its neck, spun around so she could use the weight of her weapon to her advantage, and smacked the bear across the face with the back end. The right one jumped at her and Ruby dipped back so she could take off its leg mid-air, leaving it to crash in a heap. With a deciding dig into the back of its head, the beast was silenced. That third one now, and eager to see the end of this fight. Ruby did not disagree.
Somehow, it clicked with her. This thing's movement. She understood its speed, its power, its range. Was able to dodge accordingly. Even managed to scrape away some of its attacks with her own. Without realizing it herself, this creature was dead already. It was only a matter of moments.
It raised a meaty arm to claw at her, but Ruby had already brought her scythe in a mighty backward arc, slicing off its big paw. Unfortunately, she'd misjudged the strength of her swing, as well as the sweaty grip she had. The weapon shaft slipped out of her grip and went clattering away, while the Grimm bore down on her.
In another moment of panic, Ruby tried to hurry after the weapon but was caught in the back by the Grimm's failing arm, and it sent her rolling - earth and sky flipping over and over around her. Couldn't stay down, she heard the bear coming up fast. She dodged back as the enraged beast swung wildly at her, despite the loss of its hand. One thing Ruby had learned was that wounds only made these things more vicious, and running or trying to escape only enticed their appetite. You had to face them, you had to return the aggression twice-fold. Ruby had not grown less scared of them. Didn't think she ever would.
But perhaps fear was good in this case. She was alive because of it.
She let out a weak roar of her own - battle screams didn't really work for her so it just sounded weird - and she jumped after her scythe, taking it up and swinging it around in a full arc with all her strength. It caught the beast in the crook of its neck, crunched into flesh and bone, then cleaved it down straight to the waist, shearing it fully in half, its top half spinning away.
Ruby slumped then, having to place the head of her scythe down and lean on it as she caught her breath. Having to fight and now knowing somewhat how to was good and all, but that didn't mean it wasn't hard. Honestly, she had no idea how she'd fought this much when she hadn't done any meaningful exercise in years. Unless scarfing down sweets every day counts. She'd be the fittest girl on the planet in that case.
Still, her two companions had cleared out the majority of them, which at this point Ruby had grown from simply appreciating to wishing she could do more to contribute. She had been a fighter for maybe two weeks in this crazy world, meanwhile, they were long-time residents and probably had been fighting for years. She sighed at that. A few days of this. Already she was getting pretty used to it. Even if her nights were still dedicated to missing home.
But if you're stuck somewhere, you'd best make the best of it. Or something like that.
Once she caught up with the Princess, and what few wounds sustained were taken care of, they returned to the track. The snows and deep forests were far behind them now, and the lands had given way to a great rocky wild, strewn with flat dusty plains, old stone structures from civilizations long past their golden days, and jutting boulders poking out of the ground like stalagmites, craggy and towering and going on for miles. It was practically a forest all its own. The mountains were close enough now that Ruby could see more of them, no longer faraway shadows, and all stretching into a great long chain down both ends of the distance.
It was a few hours later that they finally came to their destination. And it was a strange reveal, after much anticipation.
The road had simply ended, and not just one part of it. The entire plain had simply come to a halt there at a smooth edge, as if the very earth was still in the process of growing out further. In the distance, the Princess pointed out a dark spot half shrouded in a thick fog, at what might have been the other side of this titan of a gorge. Ruby looked down and had to swallow. So far down that she couldn't see anything. Nothing obstructed her view, it simply went so far that eventually no light reached her eyes, and only darkness awaited at the bottom. If there even was a bottom.
"Are you sure this is where you need to go?" Ruby asked the Princess, who looked on rather unfazed.
"Yes," she nodded. "My uncle will be beyond this canyon. Once it is crossed, we will be in the Shadowlands."
"How are you gonna get across?"
The Wolf had stepped up to the canyon's edge now and raised his arm level, pointed his open hand forward like he was beckoning a distant beacon. The air shimmered above the canyon, the air seemed to fizzle and crack, gradually taking on a translucent frost, growing more solid by the minute, until at last a bridge of dull gray ice took form, stretching out and beyond the fog on the other side of the pit.
"Like that, I guess," muttered Ruby.
"My husband and I will go on," said The Princess, paying Ruby a gesturing nod back toward the road. "Go back the way we came. Do you remember that crossroads we passed? Take the path east and it will lead you to the colonies. It won't be longer than a day's wall, I assure you."
Ruby had to admit to a little bit of hesitance. A day's walk was nothing like bad, at least not anymore. But being alone? That was a far more worrying prospect. Still, she couldn't ask them to stay with her any longer when they had a mission to carry out. They'd been plenty generous taking her this far. This was where they had to part. Ruby was to go on alone.
The Wolf had put a hand on her shoulder. So heavy, so strong, but comforting. " Fight when you must, run when you must. You will make it, I am certain."
"Will the two of you make it back? What if you get killed? Aren't you scared?"
They looked at each other, seeming like the idea had only just now occurred to them. Then the Princess said, "I am afraid, yes. We may be killed trying to rescue my uncle. We're both aware."
"But, you're still going to go?"
"I believe that is what one does when one loves their family."
Ruby slowly nodded, and found herself envying the Princess, which was for many reasons ironic. The Princess had come up and taken Ruby in a hug, which was also strange for a couple of reasons, but it didn't stop her from hugging back. When they finally pulled apart, the Princess smiled at her. "Luck to you, Ruby Rose."
"You too, uh, Princess Ruby Rose."
Hand in hand, The Wolf and she went off together across that long ice bridge, it steadily crumbling the further away they got. Ruby stood there watching until she could see them no more, then until the bridge was gone, and even for a bit longer at that faraway place they could very well not come back from.
Then she turned back to the track, took in her bravest breath, and ventured off alone.
It took her a day to find the crossroads again - on account of her taking a night to rest, then waking up and walking a few miles in the wrong direction before getting her bearings again. So it was with some relief that Ruby crested that tiny hill to look upon the crossroads down below. Four paths of packed all leading to anywhere. East, the Princess had said. But wait, East from the duration they'd come, or the east Ruby was facing now? Why the hell didn't she ask her back then?
Ruby nearly started panicking again, but spotted someone coming up from one of the adjacent paths. A woman, it looked like. Hopefully, one that knew the way to these colonies.
Ruby made her way down the hill, calling out to the stranger. She was wearing a lab coat, one side white and the other black. There was something familiar about her pinkish-blonde hair. The woman turned around, wearing a slightly puzzled, slightly annoyed look. The first thing Ruby saw was how tired she looked. As if completely done with the world as its ridiculousness. The second thing she noticed…
"Miss Peach?" Ruby blurted without thinking. But it couldn't be the real one. Just the version of her in this world.
Peach narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Twenty-Fifty Red Ridge road?"
Ruby blinked. That was her home address. "How do you know that?"
Peach's face drained of color, and in the space of a second, she'd come up to Ruby and looked down at her with horror. "Your uncle, what's his current condition?"
Ruby swallowed. "In the hospital… for alcohol poisoning. Are you… the real Miss Peach? I mean, the one I know?"
Peach's face grew very grim, which was an accomplishment given how she'd looked before. "Yes, Ruby, it's the real me. How in the world did you…" Peach massaged her temples. "No, forget that for now. You'll have to come with me. I'll explain on the way back to the others."
"Others?" Ruby said, following behind Peach as she pulled ahead. "Who else is here?"
Jaune felt the corners of his lips twitch - a mockery of a smirk - as he drove his sword biting into the Yeti's skull, got stuck there for a moment, then ripped out full, taking half the bastard's face along with it.
The grimm's brothers had no time to advance, for Jaune would not allow it, did not allow it. He shattered one's teeth with the backswing of his shield, then chopped so hard into its head that he felled it to its knees like a slave before the master. Jaune booted it away and relished the feeling of sending something so big rolling across the rocks with such ease. How could he not, when he had finally gotten a taste of what he could truly do.
Another one was fast upon him, as fast as it could be, but Jaune's eye was well adjusted by now and the beast was practically wading through a bog coming at him. Jaune danced aside, smiling all the way, putting the Grimm out of its misery with a blow to the head. He unleashed a Bulwark that carried its body forward, barreling into two of its fellows, resulting in a tangle of stupid hairy animals.
It was a pure sequence from there, a haze of action that Jaune found himself lost in. Cutting and ripping, bashing and thrashing, withering corpses everywhere. His sword became an ax simply because he willed it on a random stroke of inspiration, and that did better at rending the beasts than the sword did. Jaune banished his shield, then he was holding two axes, whirling them around him in wide and deadly circles, stirring the wind, lightning in his muscles, cleaving through Grimm one after another. Roars of unfairness from mindless monsters echoed in his ears…
And Jaune laughed at them. He laughed like their demise was the funniest thing in the world.
Jaune sprang off the ground, totting two spears now, then a shorter one in his mouth like he'd seen Zolo do in Pirate King, though that had been with swords but whatever. Wasn't that practical, really. Couldn't swing the damn thing at all. Still, he flipped in the air like he was a gymnast in a zero gravity room, a wheel of steel, piercing and sawing through every foe that entered his blurry field of vision. Laughing inwardly, due to holding that blade in his mouth and all. Seemed a stupid idea now. Maybe he wouldn't try it anymore. His opponents might agree, seeing as they were doing poorly as it was against one sword.
He landed on an Ursa's back and stabbed it through the head, launched at another and pinned it to the ground. A moment later, a thunderbolt pierced the spot where the monster had once stood, evidently too slow on the mark. Neptune, of course. Why the hell was he casting so late? Tired maybe. He should take a break. Leave the rest to his partner. Jaune could do this all day.
Jaune wielded two Shields now just for the novelty of it, then barreled through a duo of Beowolves like a bull through a wall of plaster, tossing them in the air, not unlike dolls carelessly flung across the room. "How's that for ya!?" he jeered.
He had never felt so strong before in his life. Never felt so capable. Cinder had been right. He needed only to change the way he thought about battles in order to make improvements. To awaken the potential he thought to have lacked all this time. No longer was he slow and needing to plan constantly, no longer did he need to think, nor worry about not matching the measure of his contemporaries. Now he was a warrior. Riding on guts and instinct, putting down enemies at a faster, more efficient pace than ever before. Has there ever been a better feeling than this? If there was, Jaune didn't know it.
Jaune didn't know how it happened, but one of the Grimm had grabbed him. Seized him in a crushing hug, putting them both face to face. It roared in his face, corpse-rotten breath and hot spit in his face, blowing back his hair, but Jaune only scoffed. Why did these idiots never just take the deciding blow instead of wasting time making threats? Jaune knew exactly how to educate this one.
He bashed it in the face with his forehead. Felt his mind rattle. Didn't stop him though. Billy-goat charges. Crack, crack, crack, caving its face in with every nasty crunch. Eventually, the monster's grip loosened, and Jaune landed on his feet precisely as if it had let him down gently. It tottered drunkenly, dazed and near dead on its feet. Jaune tapped it with the tip of his sword and it went dropping into the dirt like it was taking a nap. How disappointing.
More. He needed more things to fight.
"Jaune! Run!" called Neptune, and Jaune looked up to find that his partner was retreating toward him, something on his heels. A Minotaur.
Neptune looked rightly afraid, given the ass-kicking these monsters had given them some time ago, and Jaune did not blame him for that. But that time seemed far away now. There was no horrific demon before him now.
There was only practice.
Jaune sprinted after it, long and fast strides, arms whipping back and forth, so fast that it felt automatic.
"I meant run away!" Neptune called.
Jaune stopped before the Minotaur, having seized its attention, and now figuring to give it something of a chance. God, he hoped it didn't start roaring first. Thankfully, this one was not a total moron, and was already mid-swing with its tree trunk of an arm. With a harsh backhand of his shield, Jaune pawed the claw away, snapping its wrist backward. The beast howled and gripped its ruined hand, staring at Jaune with equal parts shock and horror.
Jaune tilted his head forward and grinned most devilishly, taunting the monster to try again with one curling finger.
That's when it did give its embarrassed roar, but Jaune was already upon it. He cleared that jump to its face in an instant, driving a sword into one eye. He left it there and flipped up onto its horns, slid down its furry back, and, rather perfectly, landed behind its foot. Two swords in hand he cleaved right through the heel bone, damn near took the hoove off. He dashed toward the other just as the beast fell to that knee, then chopped out the other foot, ensuring it kneeled forever.
Then he jumped into the air, weapons vanished as he raised both hands together. A heavy shaft formed in his fists, and he descended on his enemy, his prey. With a thunderous crack to the back of its head, Jaune knocked the Minitaur flat onto its face, the ground shaking from its weight, from Jaune's strength. The shining white gavel was bigger than the monster's head, practically made of its target a pancake. Jaune might have grinned all the wider if he wasn't suddenly so tired.
"Hows… how's that?" he heaved. "Shit…"
He stumbled off the monster. Lost his balance, then fell onto his ass like a baby just learning to walk. He felt no need to move immediately and started sucking in the sweet air, as if he'd been without it for a long time.
Neptune came jogging up to him, hair slick with sweat, dirty-faced and looking pretty tired himself. But then, with so much constant fighting, being tired was normal. Being dirty was normal. But there was something else to his expression now. His eyes wide, his mouth slightly parted, staring down at Jaune like he didn't recognize him.
"What? I look that ugly?" Jaune asked.
"That…" and Neptune paused for a moment. "And I've never heard you laugh before."
Jaune blinked. "I was laughing?"
"If you can call it that."
Cinder came striding up next, looking a little winded herself, and a few scratches on her now. Even so, she was beaming with pride as if all the defeated Grimm were her work alone. "Superb," she said, "You looked like you were enjoying yourself out there."
"Was I?" Jaune found it hard to remember. Distinctly, he did remember feeling some kind of joy, only now it seemed more disturbing since it was all over.
"It was good work. Well done," said Cinder. "You're a lot more pleasant when you take some joy in your work."
Neptune gave Cinder a sidelong glare, like he was sick of her nonsense by now, then rolled his eyes and helped Jaune up. "Well, now that the fun's over, let's get back to camp. Miss Peach should be back soon."
"And with company," said Cinder, who'd looked off and adopted a frown most sour.
Jaune turned where she was looking and saw that Peach had returned already. But not that they had been coming up walking, but rather that she'd been there a while, watching. She wasn't alone, either, as Cinder had said.
A girl who looked just like the Princess, or rather, who the Princess looked like. Only this could not be the case. That had not been the way the Alter looked the last time Jaune had seen her. Nor did she have that dignified posture, that air of command, that cool-headedness. This girl was dirty, looking pretty tired herself, and stared at Jaune like she could not believe she was seeing him here, rather than a look of by-chance meeting. It couldn't be the Princess.
Which meant…
Ruby had never seen or ever heard Jaune laugh before. Not once. In her stupidest of fantasies, she'd fancied the idea that she might be the first one to get a laugh out of him. That she'd be the first one to break that armor. She imagined that he had a pretty nice laugh, all things considered.
Now, she was starting to think that she might not want to hear him laugh again.
There was no time to wonder how or why, given Peach had only explained a few things so far, and those she was still trying to wrap her head around. Jaune was here and Neptune and some woman in black that… was that the mean nurse from the hospital? Why was she in this place with them? What in the world was going on here?
They all met up, a myriad of faces. Jaune and Neptune looked shocked, the nurse's face sour, and Peach's even more so. They all looked at each other, passing along unsaid questions, and every one of them lacked answers.
"Well," Ruby shrugged her hands with an anxious smile. "Anyone gonna catch me up?"
Ruby had to massage her temples, her head thumping at this latest vortex of enlightenment. For the past two hours, the truth of her current circumstances was slowly laid out to her, few if any details spared as far as she knew. Except it was a lot. It was like being served the meal you ordered, then being forced to eat more with a gun at your head.
"This is insane." Ruby shook her head in unrestrained disbelief. "This is… it's insane."
"Reality often is," said Peach, gesturing out to everyone around the unlit campfire. "Nevertheless, this is what we do and where we are now. You've accidentally dropped in - and that is probably due to Jaune's work here during his last visit."
Ruby's head was still working around that. Jaune had been inside her heart. Neptune too. Fighting monsters, helping the Princess, trying to save her heart. Because that was how it worked, apparently. Except it turned out they hadn't needed to since her heart was strong, which was quite the nice compliment, actually, given this new context. Oh yeah, and Peach was apparently the boys' master, and the nurse - whose name was Cinder - was her ex-apprentice, too. And it hadn't just been her they helped. Jaune had actually saved Neptune's heart too, and was instead stabbed with a trident, rather than being attacked by a serial killer lured by drugs. Jaune had never seemed a druggie to her, now that she thought about it. And then there was how her uncle was connected to all this.
About how it was his heart these Hunters were on their way to save.
"So, if you fight my uncle's… Alter, and free it from this Despair stuff. Then, will he wake up?"
Peach gave her a sad look. "It'll give him a chance, honey. In the end, it is up to us all to save ourselves. What we do only increases the chances for a better turnout."
Ruby nodded. Should have figured it wasn't like an anime, where you just beat up the big bad and everyone gets a happy ending. "Can I help?"
Peach sighed like she'd known this was coming. "Ruby, even my current apprentices aren't ready for this level of danger. I can't put you at risk, too."
Ruby had to concede that. She could fight those demons, sure - which were called Grimm, apparently - but according to Peach, the ones she'd fought were weak, even if it was impressive that she'd still survived without prior training. If helping meant staying out of the way, then she wouldn't complain. "Okay, I won't fight. But can I at least be there? I want to be there when you save my uncle. Please."
Peach looked across at Cinder, who only shrugged, despite wearing that sour look still. At this point, Ruby began to think that was just her resting face. Just constantly unhappy.
"Fine, fine." Peach said. "I'll want you with the boys. Your priorities will be to protect each other from harm, not to fight. Understand?"
The three of them nodded.
Peach grunted as she rose to her feet. "Alright well, based on what Ruby told me, the border to the Shadowlands is just beyond the crossroads a few miles ahead. It seems the Princess and this Mad Wolf have gone on ahead, so we'll have to expect to run into them. We'll rest for the night, then be on our way." And Peach went off, one hand against her face. Ruby swore she heard her whisper, "Fuck" as she walked away.
That left the four of them in a momentary, and heavily awkward silence. Ruby looked at Neptune and only found a shrug and a weak smile. Looked at Cinder and found that same bratty discontent, looking at Ruby like she was some insect in her bra. It was hard to tell what Jaune was thinking, as he seemed to stare into her like he needed to make some big and dramatic decision. In the case of that, Ruby could not say she wasn't weighing such a choice herself that involved him, even if now wasn't the time to bring it up.
Neptune was the first to break the quiet, taking on a knowing smile. "Well, I'd better go set up my tent. Ruby, you don't have one do you?"
"The Princess gave me - "
"All good. You can just share with Jaune, right?"
Jaune blinked at him, lips pursed, but then he quickly answered. "Oh yeah, I guess."
Ruby would be the last to say she wasn't fond of that idea. But it seemed Neptune was more pleased by it, for he smiled at both of them, then at Cinder for the longest time, before heading off.
That left three, and Ruby still feeling plenty awkward, looking across at Cinder, who'd crossed her arms now, sticking her tongue in her cheek like she had something pretty nasty to say but was trying to restrain herself. Ruby half wanted her to say something, but her better half simply wanted her to go away.
Jaune, ever her hero, told Cinder, "Mind giving us a moment?"
Cinder did not look at Jaune. Her dark amber eyes zeroed straight at Ruby as if it were only the two of them there. She didn't answer for a while, then stood and stalked off, making sure to drag her hand across Jaune's shoulder in a way that Ruby could not say she liked. They waited until she was a good distance away - thankfully having gone off into some trees - while Neptune was working out his tent far out of earshot. They were alone together now, and that made things much less awkward.
Ruby tried to think of a joke to break the air. "You should've tried asking first, if you wanted to get inside me this badly."
Jaune managed a faint smile, scratching at his cheek. There was a scar there now. Looked like it had just healed. "Sorry."
Ruby got up to sit beside him, taking the spot Cinder had, actually, and she sat as close as she could, half-hoping Cinder was watching. "So, you were assigned to me?"
Jaune looked like he didn't want to answer. "Yeah, that's how it started."
"So I was just a job?"
"At first."
"What changed?"
"I guess, I started to care."
That gave Ruby a reason to smile, even if the idea of being a task assigned to someone else to work on still rubbed her roughly. Yet, it made sense. Maybe it didn't matter the reason why, or how things had gotten to this point, since he'd gone so far as disobeying his aunt just to help her. And as he said, things were different now. He cared. Ruby had already figured such, but it was nice to hear him say it. Him, especially.
Ruby blew out a breath. "So, we're off to save my uncle, then we can go home?"
Jaune nodded. "Unless we get killed first."
"Don't worry, I'll protect you."
He chuckled at that, and it was not at all like that laugh she'd heard earlier. This felt more like him, at least from what she understood. What did she really know about him, anyway?
"Are you mad at me?" asked Jaune. "For all the secrets? For lying?"
Ruby shook her head. "Everyone's got secrets. I don't blame you for that."
"Is there something you do blame me for?"
Ruby looked at him and he looked at her, and she thought about just how good he looked somehow, never really noticing it until then. Those harsh eyes, that semi-permanent scowl, neither were so scary now that she had seen and felt how soft and warm he could be. More than that, she thought about all that time missing him and her family, and now knowing things would be okay, provided none of them got killed. Life and death situation now. The closest she'd ever gotten to that was almost getting hit by a car one time. Somehow, she figured what they were headed into would be several times more dangerous.
Ruby scooted even closer. "I blame you for not hugging me yet."
Jaune nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty messed up."
And then she was in his arms. So big and warm, and so strong. She laid her cheek on his shoulder and it felt so fine. So utterly and perfectly fine. It was just them again, together for the longest time, saying little to nothing, a tiny piece of heaven after so much hell overcome.
"Thank you, Jaune," said Ruby, breathing in his scent.
"For what?"
"You know, just… for the hug. I needed it."
And they sat in silence together, awaiting the night, the morning after, and the battle ahead.
It has to be done. You know it. You have to tell her.
Jaune had left Ruby asleep in the tent and now paced around by the fire, mind tormented with indecision. What's done is done, he told himself. There was no point wondering or dreading how this had happened when it did not change the course. He knew what had to be done. But can I do it? Am I brave enough? Am I strong enough? Damn it, I should have refused that hug. I should have kept my feelings out of this mission in the first place. What the hell is wrong with me?
Jaune would find a surge of confidence and stride toward the tent, ready to wake Ruby up and tell her how things would be. Then he'd think of her face and the confidence leaked out of him like water from a broken faucet. Such was his process for a steady hour, halfway to pulling hairs in trying to make the right decision. Only what is the right decision? The one that's the most advantageous to me? Sounds about right. But advantageous in what way? For my mental health? Not getting to kiss a girl is probably not going to improve my mental health. The opposite, actually. What do I want more though? To be a functioning and stable member of society, or to trade spit with Ruby? God, she looked so pretty. Even despite all the dirt and scratches and scars. Or maybe even because of them! Am I attracted to dirty and wounded women? Maybe. That could be a problem. Wait, why am I thinking about this now? I have a decision to make! You know what you have to do! So just do it, damn it!
Jaune slapped his cheeks with both hands, tried to conjure up some manly bravery, if he still had any. He turned on his heel and would have marched right into his tent. That is, if Cinder hadn't been standing there.
"Can't sleep?" She whispered.
He didn't answer, but it seemed she hadn't been waiting for one.
"I would think that with your precious little toy at your side, sleep would come easily." She smirked, but it was a strangely weak one. "Unless you two have been up and busy with one another."
"Stop." Jaune almost yelled, then he had to calm himself to a whisper. "We're not like that."
"I should hope not. Do you remember what I said?"
"It's hard to forget. I don't need reminding."
Cinder frowned. "I thought I'd simply make sure. It's not my choice what you do, of course, but think about what's best for that girl. And think about what's best for you. Do not give yourself false hopes."
Jaune frowned back evenly. "I'm not."
"Good." And Cinder turned and headed back where she came, into the darkness. Leaving Jaune to get back to his thoughts.
He knew what he had to do. No choice but to do it. It was the right thing to do.
Right?
The next morning, Neptune pulled Ruby aside. And with just a few words, he'd ensured that Ruby's initial mild dislike for Cinder grew into a profound disgust. "She's what? Why haven't you told Miss Peach?"
Neptune sighed. "Jaune doesn't want me to. Plus, Peach is already stressed to all hell. Have you seen her? I don't think she slept the past few nights."
Ruby had to put her hand to her chest, trying to make sense of this new information. It seemed there was no end to it all. She hadn't had a good opinion of Cinder in the first place, but this certainly hurt whatever redemption she might have. She glanced across at Cinder, who was talking to Peach, and had to resist the urge to march up and slap her. Well, she didn't really have that urge, but she pretended she did. More likely she'd just yell at her.
But not now, when the possibility of them all being killed towered over all other problems.
"I've been trying to keep Jaune away from her," said Neptune. "But there's only so much I can do. I just wanted to let you know."
Ruby nodded. It looked like she would have to protect Jaune after all, just not from her uncle's Alter. Speaking of him, he was coming up from the trail now, a hard and ready look on his face like he was ready for a fight right then and there.
That brought everyone together and Peach took the lead in the conversation and the mission ahead. "Once we cross that chasm Ruby told us about, it'll be a different world entirely. There will be similar things, but no two hearts can ever be fully joined, so it will still be distinct, but likely more dangerous than here. Does everyone remember their orders?"
Everyone nodded. Nothing else needed saying.
Peach took a steadying breath. She really did look stressed. Like a twig on the verge of snapping, and no doubt the effects of which would fall on all their heads. "Alright, keep up. We need to move quickly."
Neptune followed after her first, and Ruby thought Cinder would not take a chance to prey on Jaune, but found she'd underestimated her. She immediately pulled up next to him, even stroked his shoulders with those claws of hers. Ruby seized that chance to take Jaune's hand and pull him away, hoping to use that chance to ask him why he hadn't told his aunt. She had to resist meeting Cinder's glare.
Once they were far enough ahead, she said. "Jaune, what's going on? Why are you letting her - "
She felt him pull his hand, snatch it away, actually. As though her hands were grimy and he couldn't stand touching her. "Not right now, Ruby. Sorry." And he went off ahead to walk with his aunt, his head down.
Ruby stared after him, a little indignant, and far more surprised. Did he need to react like that? She knew he wasn't much for affection, but she didn't think holding his hand could somehow be crossing a line, while sleeping together was fine. It stung, that he'd pulled away like that.
Cinder strolled on and past Ruby, turning her head halfway to shoot her the most tauntingly winning smirk imaginable, then strutted off like a peacock sure it was about to get its mate. Ruby did not doubt for a moment that she was behind this.
So, as Ruby trailed the group and stared at the back of Cinder's head with the hope that her hair would catch fire, she made herself a promise. When this was all over, she'd tell Miss Peach everything about this bitch, even if it got Jaune upset with her.
She doubted her smirk would last long after that.
Well, nothing more to say. Qrow's heart awaits.
ISA