RWBY: Rose Reborn
Chapter 5: You'll always be my Sister
Back at the tree, Jaune and the other's were left in stunned silence as they saw the dark void from the massive hole Dragon Yang left when she took Rose with her.
"T-There both gone…because of us." Weiss whispered horrified.
Jaune winced as he heard this, averting his gaze from her, but especially Blake as she saw the girl stare at the hole horrified. She clearly couldn't handle the burden of losing her loved one and friends. As much as he knew how that felt, he couldn't find the reason to comfort her. Not just from the impossibility he knew, but because he felt he had no right to even try. He lost Pyrrah and Penny at his own hands, he blamed himself not just for killing Penny, but by not being strong enough to save Pyrrah when he had the chance. He glanced at Neo, picking up their swords off the ground and averting her gaze shamefully, knowing it wasn't her place to help them mourn. For all his anger at seeing the pink haired woman who caused all this by torturing Ruby to death, Jaune couldn't help but ignore her and focus on those blades.
"Now all of us are guilty. Why the hell did this have to happen? Can't we catch a break?" Jaune bitterly thought. It was bad enough only he was plagued with sin, now his friend's had to suffer that same burden. Was there any silver lining to all this?
As if fact sought to answer him immediately, the group was startled by a sudden quake. Wary of the hole before them, Jaune grabbed Blake and Weiss, still too shocked to move, and yanked them away as he hung on to them with Juniper for stability. Suddenly, roots covered the hole he feared would doom his remaining friends, and to his and everyone's absolute shock, 2 tree's started to form. One massive one in the shape of a dragon and a much smaller in the image of a tall young woman they all recognized.
"Rose, Yang?" Blake said as she got out of Jaune's arms and crawled to the two statues, her legs still too weak from all the stress and fatigue she put on herself.
"Does this mean, they could come back or-" Weiss began to ask the first hopeful thing that popped into her before covering her mouth, realizing her insensitivity as she eyed Blake's tearful eyes.
"P-Please. Come back." The cat girl tearfully whispered to the statues.
In the Void
Ruby stared bitterly at her sister as she struggled to accept the reality before her. Though she honestly didn't know why she was surprised.
"She could never accept reality. Why would now be different?" Ruby thought, barely having time to hear her sister's response.
"I…killed us?" Yang asked horrified. Ruby just nodded with a disappointed glare, making Yang's skin pale.
"How did this happen? How are we even here? I bet that's what your thinking." Ruby asked sarcastically and Yang slowly nodded, no longer having the strength to speak herself.
"You took my weapon and a bunch of others and transformed into that monster over there. You wanted me back so much you had to murder me and force me to ascend again so you could have It all back. Well guess what? You forced our friends to kill you in doing so, you stained their hands with our blood!" Ruby yelled.
This revelation shook Yang to the core. Her friends, Blake even, had to kill her to save Rose? She could hardly stand as her body grew weak hearing this. Clenching her head, Yang just pressed her face to the floor and cried out in despair.
"NO! YOUR LYING!" Yang yelled out in fright. Ruby just scoffed at the pathetic display her sister gave off.
"I'm not. This all happened because you just couldn't accept the fact I changed. That I wanted to become something better." Ruby bitterly said as her image morphed into that of Rose, the arm under the dragon's corpse fading as she did so. Yang looked up but recoiled seeing this, a wave of anger and fear washing over her as Rose appeared.
"NO! TURN BACK PLEASE" Yang cried out as she crawled towards her meekly. Rose just gave her a look like she was an idiot in response and scoffed before morphing back to Ruby to Yang's relief.
"See THIS is what I was talking about! You couldn't accept I changed into something better because your selfish!" Ruby yelled. Anger flared within Yang as she heard this. Who the hell was Ruby to say that to her after what she pulled.
"I'M SELFISH!? You're the one who killed herself right in front of her sister and changed without even asking any of us if we'd be sad if you did!" Yang roared. Ruby, for the first time here, actually frowned as she thought of the reason for that.
"Because you wouldn't have listened even if I did." Ruby sadly said. Yang's eyes widened in horror as she heard this.
"D-Don't be ridiculous Ruby. Your all I ever think about." Yang protested, but was left stunned into silence as she was horrified by Ruby's response.
"Like when you lost your arm? Or when you fell for Blake?" Ruby countered with a bitter tone. Yang could only hung her head in shame as she had the blasted in her face.
"Exactly, we both lost so much at Beacon, but you pushed me away because all you cared about was your arm and losing Blake. What about your sister huh?! What about my pain!?" Ruby bitterly asked. Yang couldn't offer any retort no matter how angered she felt at the tone her little sister was using. She didn't have the strength.
"You didn't care Yang. Not about me or anyone else. I understood you needed to wallow in your misery for a while but…how could not even say you loved me for so long? How could you focus on your love for Blake instead when I lost someone I loved in Atlas too?" Ruby cried. Yang's lips quivered as she struggled to squeak out an answer.
"I-I t-tried to…comfort you. I-I hugged you and-" Yang weakly protested, but Ruby's tearful glare shut her up. She wasn't in the mood to hear it.
"You did, and it helped a bit, but did you really think a simple pep talk and hug would fix my problems? That I would just…forget my pain of losing Penny, one of my best friends to another friends hands?" Ruby yelled furiously.
"J-Jaune had to you know that Ruby." Yang retorted calmly.
"Because I was weak, worthless. I couldn't protect her, just like I couldn't protect anyone here as Ruby, I couldn't protect you on the bridge." Ruby sadly shot back. Yang recoiled hearing this, as if still feeling the slash on her stomach Neo gave her when she took a sneak attack aimed at Ruby. A sudden realization dawned on Yang that Ruby could see plain as day.
"That's right. You fell; I thought you were dead. That you…gave your life for me. We already lost Atlas because of me, did you really think I wanted that too Yang? To live with the guilt of losing you for my sake, why else do you think I killed myself!?" Ruby sadly cried.
"But I didn't die Ruby! None of us would of blamed you even if I did." Yang protested fearfully. She winced as she saw her sister rub her shoulders painfully, obviously telling the girl was in despair over this. As Yang reached out to give her a hug, she was not prepared to see Ruby retreat from her slightly.
"Yang." She whispered.
"W-What is it Rubes?" Yang fearfully asked, almost tempted to shut up and just cover her ears. She could sense something bad was about to be said. She cursed herself internally as locked eyes with her sisters watery silver one's and her prediction came true.
"You don't know the torment I died on." Ruby tearfully said. Yang froze in fright as she heard this. It pained Ruby to recall what she went through, but she knew it was the only way to get Yang to see her point of view so pushed through.
"When Neo ambushed me…she tortured me using you." Ruby bitterly said. Yang's eyes watered and she choked on sobs hearing this, retreating a few steps in response as a surge of terror and guilt overtook her.
"Penny, Pyrrah, Ironwood, and Ozpin. She used them all, their voices were just…so real. They blamed me for their deaths. Then as they were beating me to my own, I fought back. I struck one clone and…it became Oscar. He died at my hands, then she-" Ruby sadly began recounting before wincing, Yang was horrified to hear this, but kept quite as she did, knowing this was hard enough for her sisters spirit to recall.
"Then she changed them all to you and the others. You all looked at me with those same eyes you have now. One's filled with anger and contempt. You called me a murderer! A disgrace!" Ruby cried out.
"R-Ruby you could never be that it was just-" Yang tried to argue for her sake, but Ruby's scream silenced her as she recoiled.
"BUT I WAS!" Ruby yelled before huffing, catching her breath from her sudden outburst.
"But I was. I failed them; I failed you. I was always just a failure. How could I ever accept me if you all couldn't have?!" Ruby tearfully yelled. Her question shook both girls to the core. It
"I thought once I didn't need to be something special, just some normal girl with normal Knees. Then I became a leader and realized I DID need to be special. But each defeat, each friend we lost just kept making my heart so heavy I was suffocating. Penny was the last straw Yang, it broke my heart. I needed to have that pain go away. But what I needed the most really, was just... a second chance. A chance to become someone who wouldn't fail their friends again. That's why I changed; I needed to be someone I felt could deserve that chance. I CHOSE to become…this." Ruby said as she morphed back into Rose who eyed her with disdain.
As stunned Yang was by this revelation, nothing could shock her more than Rose just walking up to her slowly, staring her down bitterly, and soon wrapping her in a tight hug. Yang wanted to burn this girl, she wanted to push her away and scream for Ruby back but…her throat hurt too much. Everything hurt too much as tears flooded down her cheeks and she couldn't resist returning the hug. Rose felt her shoulders grow wet and sighed, thinking Yang was finally getting a clue.
"I was that second chance for her Yang. But I am not Ruby, and she is not me." Rose said firmly. Yang finally pulled away from the hug as she tearfully met her gaze, her serious face showed Yang she wasn't joking. Just as she was about to scream in anguish again, Yang was silenced by a sudden but subtle happy tone from the girl as she spoke.
"But we are still connected by a single heart. Not just her and myself, but all our friends and family…you too sis." Rose said as she placed a hand on Yang's chest.
"S-Sis? You'd really still want me as family? After all I *hic* did to you?" Yang asked. Rose just smiled and nodded.
"It's what Ruby wants and it's I want. Why deny her that at least?" Rose asked playfully as she tousled Yang's head. Despite the urge to smack the hand for touching her hair, the moment those soft warm hands did Yang's heart just melt. She felt it, the same warmth of Ruby's hands from before. Rose smiled brightly as she sensed the ease of Yang's spirit, her own telling her to do something for her sake.
"Let your sis give you one last gift then." Rose said as her body glowed red, morphing once again to Ruby to Yang's shock. What shocked her even more was that for the first time today, Ruby gave her a big goofy smile and big hug she was more than happy to reply in kind.
"It's time for you to go home now. Tell them I'll miss them, that I'll miss you Yang. With all my own heart." Ruby whispered. Yang couldn't help but shudder hearing this, the image of her sister drinking the tea and vanishing flashing through her mind. Worse, tell their friends the somber news, she wanted her to carry such a burden? She couldn't stand the thought, she couldn't stand to lose her again, she just had to make one last plea.
"Are you really sure we can't just go back as ourselves? Can't Rose be a part of you instead of the other way around?" Yang tearfully asked, but her heart sank as her sister shook her head in denial.
"My stories over Yang. Rose is a new one that deserves a chance to be written. Don't burn that book again please." Ruby softly pleaded as she pointed to the dragon behind them. Shame replaced sadness on Yang's face as she eyed her mistake, her selfishness personified. As much as it pained her to admit it, she couldn't deny her sisters wish any longer. It was no longer about her, this was about Ruby's happiness and future. As she thought this, Yang's dragon body vanished into thin air as she wiped the tears of her sisters face, vowing to memorize the feel of her touch one last time. The blacksmith, secretly watching the pair from the darkness of the void, smiled and nodded, happy they finally came to an understanding.
"Ruby." Yang said softly.
"Yes Yang?" Ruby replied in kind.
"I love you. Wether you change to Rose or not, that won't change." Yang said with a sad smile, eyes watering.
"I love you too Yang. I promise, I'll always be HERE for you." Ruby said as she placed a hand on Yang's heart making her choke a bit.
"I promise too. I promise no matter what, you'll always be my little sister." Yang said warmly as she began to glow yellow. Ruby glowed red as she tearfully smiled and nodded in return.
"Yup!" Ruby said as she hugged her sister as tight as she could as both were enveloped by a shine.
(Had to do it, brother bear ost) ( watch?v=F6rBYtHlSAw)
The wooden statues back at the Tree soon began to crack to the heroes and Neo's shock. Realizing what was happening, the four soon remembered to close their eyes before they could open, not wanting to be blinded by the brilliant light enveloping the area. As they uncovered their faces, the four gasped in shock as tears ran down their faces (except Neo of course) from the sight before them.
Yang was hugging the taller Rose, they were back as themselves! Yang soon broke off the hug as she glanced up and down at her new little sister.
"Oh! Guess I shouldn't say little huh?" Yang sheepishly joked as she eyed the now taller Rose who chuckled. Both soon had the wind knocked out of them as they were tackled by Blake, Jaune, and Weiss, the group gripping each other for dear life, desperate to feel each other's warmth and skin, hopeful this wasn't a dream. Yang could only sob and yell like a toddler as they did so, overwhelmed with Joy and guilt for what she put them through.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I-" Yang cried but was shushed by Blake.
"We know. It's okay now, we're just glad your both back." Blake whispered as she tearfully rubbed her lovers back softly.
Neo watched their tearful display with Juniper by her side, a small tear flowing down one eye as she did so. To her discomfort, not only did Juniper playfully lick it, slobber rolling down her cheek to her disgust, but a familiar voice chose to make not of it.
"To have what they have huh?" A clone of Roman sang as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She just bitterly frowned as he did so. Normally his voice would be her sole comfort, but right now, seeing her mortal enemy alive and happy, tearfully hugging her friends and sister, it just made her realize something bitter.
"You don't think you deserve that love, do you?" Roman clone asked her. All Neo could do was nod in agreement. Why indeed? She had tormented a young girl, helped terrorists destroy 2 kingdoms, and what did she get out of it all? She lost Roman, she had no one in her life to love her like Ruby or Rose did. She was just a lonely loser of her own choosing.
"Hmm maybe then it's time to choose a new path in life?" Roman clone said as he patted Juniper before fading in a flurry of pink and blue lights.
Jaune noticed the lightshow and briefly looked up to see Neo putting their swords on the ground before climbing on Juniper's back.
"Hey! Where are you going with them!?" Jaune angrily yelled as he stood up. Before he could charge at her, a calming voice resonated throughout the tree.
"Neo is going to find a new purpose in life with your friend."
Yang and Rose rolled their eyes in annoyance as they heard the familiar voice.
"Here we go again." Rose groaned.
"Yup, more fortune cookie nonsense." Yang groaned. Weiss and the others just looked at them confused.
"I'm not the only one who heard that right?" Jaune asked fearfully, he had gone insane before, but never heard random voices like that in his head.
"The lady speaking in your head? No, I heard her too, question is where is she?" Weiss said confused as she looked around, not seeing anyone else.
"That was the spirit of the tree. She is in charge of creating new life here in the Ever After. She's what made me Rose from Ruby." Rose pointed out to their shock.
"Indeed. And though I don't know what a "fortune cookie" is, I do know that your friend Juniper will be fine. Neo has no ties to Remnant and could not go back with you to face justice for her sins. Rather, she has chosen to stay here and will become the new guardian that guides my people with Juniper's aide." The smith said through a voice in the wind.
"Good. I don't like that mean girl, but as long as she'd doing good and doesn't bother me I guess that's okay." Rose said cheerfully.
Jaune, despite his hatred of Neo, couldn't help but nod in agreement as he picked up their weapons. As sad as he was to see Juniper go, sadly glaring off at the footprint trail they left as they exited the area, he knew it was wrong to force them to leave with him and the others. This was his home, not Remnant. No sooner did Jaune think that did the door stationed within the tree creek open again. Darting their heads towards the door, they all covered their eyes as they were startled by a flash of light exuding from the door.
"Does this mean?" Blake asked in awe. Yang wrapped her fingers around her hand and one of Roses as she smiled at them in confirmation.
"Yes. She's saying we can go home now." Yang softly said. Rose squealed as she heard this, grabbing Weiss and wrapping an arm around her to her annoyance at the sudden motion before a blush of embarrassment flushed her face.
"This is so exciting! I can't wait to see that old guy who trained me and meet all my old friends!" Rose cheered.
"His name is Qrow, he's our uncle sis and you definitely have lots of friends who are itching to see you again….well." Yang clarified, a somber frown etched on her face as she said this. She could only imagine how dad and Uncle Qrow would react to Ruby's death, but hoped they would at least take it better then she did. She caused so much destruction out of anger and selfishness, just like Alyx. Suddenly Rose released her hand to Yang's displeasure only to be shocked when the taller girl wrapped her free arm around her as well.
"COME ON! WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR!?" Rose cheered. Her friends and sister smiled, it was honestly a good question. They all decided to step through the door at the same time, step by step, inch by inch.
"One….two….three…GO!" They all said in unison as they jumped through.
On the other side of the door, all of Team RWBY and Jaune were a bit shaky as they struggled to adjust to the sudden increase in temperature. It was hot and unpleasant, dry winds mixed with sand and dirt slapping their faces as they rubbed them in annoyance. Their displeasure was soon replaced with shock as Jaune screamed, no longer feeling a beard of his face.
"Where did it go!" He cried. RWBY were shocked to see Jaune as his younger self all of the sudden. No more wrinkles, no more beard, and no more rust on his armor.
"Not mature anymore either bleh!" Weiss whispered in annoyance. Admittingly his adult self was handsome, but his old geeky self wasn't anything more than amusing to the girl. She had high tastes after all.
"How did this happen?" Jaune cried, before gasping for a reason beyond his age reversion.
"This…is what I sounded like?" He gasped in terror as he heard how high pitched he sounded. He couldn't fathom how long he'd have to wait for his older more mature voice he preferred to come back.
"This was a gift my boy. I returned you all, except Rose of course, to how you were before you entered my realm. I also sent you to a time and place you'd be needed most." The smith said from the other end of the portal as it slowly closed. RWBY and Jaune glanced back to look at the smith, waving to them cheerfully from the other side. Rose and Yang smiled at them as a surge of sadness and joy for what they learned and gained from them hit them hard.
"Thank you." Was all they could utter before the portal closed completely. After they turned around, RWBY and Jaune were stunned to see the place the Smith sent them to. They were at Vacuo's shade academy, now surrounded by warships! Weiss as pleasantly surprised the most.
"T-Those aren't just Vacuo models, their from Mistral and Atlas too!?" Weiss cheered.
"But how?" Rose asked. While she was confused by what a Vacuo or Mistral could mean, her eyes were shining brightly as she eyed the impressive battleships flying above her head. It was the most impressive technological display this new girl had ever seen, granted she was only born yesterday.
"Your message was heard….Ruby?" Qrow gasped as he saw his nieces team and Jaune turned around startled. But their initial panic was nothing compared to the older Huntsman as he eyed them. He thought he lost them months ago that night when Atlas fell. He just couldn't take his eyes off them, Rose in particular. He knew that was Ruby, little did he know, but her more mature look was shocking to say the least, it actually left him speechless. He would not be alone in that aspect though, as Nora, Ren, Emerald and Oscar walked out of a staircase to the roof as well, saying they were looking for him for an important meeting. Little did they suspect they would find their old friends alive after all. Rose and the others just smiled as they came face to face with old friends and loved ones. Rose, despite her jumbled memories from Ruby, couldn't help but feel warm inside, not from the heat of the desert, but as she slowly began to recognize these people she knew. They were her family.
"Salutation's everybody, were back." Rose tearfully said.
Author Notes
2 chapter bonus today. The heroes finally return home after growing more enlightened from their debacle with the hidden antagonist of this Volume 9 rewrite. Brother bear inspired the last ascension scene I just had to add the music hahaha. More chapters are on the way as we will have one where the characters react to the New Rose like her friends and Uncle, let alone her dad, and an epilogue chapter. Thanks for all your support in reading this. Be sure to leave reviews what you thought of chapter 4 and this.
