A/N: Chapter 72 of REKT. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or teams of RWBY, they belong to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum. What I do own are the characters and teams of my OCs: REKT, GTSY, KACE and DAZE. I also claim Ingrid, Teo, Reina's parents, aunt, and the Inui siblings.
Special thanks to the reviewers and to the readers who Fav/Alert this story, I really appreciate it.
Chapter 72: The Voice
Somewhere in the wilderness...
"We should be coming up to another town soon." Jaune announces while he looked over the map with a critical eye, keeping a tight grip so the wind wouldn't blow it away. The map was the only one they could salvage from the ruins of the library that had been bulldozed through by the Grimm invasion. "Seriously, we've come a long way since the beginning...from when we started this journey together back at Beacon. It's honestly astounding."
"It's been awhile since I've seen you almost speechless, Jaune." Nora chuckles as she plods along the road by Ren's side, folding her arms behind her head. The ginger-haired huntress had been in a cheerful mood, whistling a tune while she was packing up her stuff, Ren himself had been occupied with cooking breakfast for the group that morning. "It is a nice change of pace to be honest, too many depressing emotions really puts a damp rag in the atmosphere."
"Heh, don't get too comfortable with this behavior." He told her somewhat cheekily, his fingers subconsciously clenching the map tighter than he would have imagined. "I just think that it's better to start the day off on the right foot rather than a bad one. But who knows how long that will last."
"Thinking positive thoughts will no doubt boost everything you do in an upward slope. It's as Nora said, it's a nice change of pace." Ren adds in his own two cents, walking along the path with his arms by his side. "It's a good first step."
"Thanks guys, I wouldn't be here without you two." Jaune smiles at his teammates, a genuine smile that hadn't graced his face ever since the Vytal tournament. "Of course, I also have to give credit to Pyrrha as well. Without her guidance I would still be a bumbling idiot. Of course, I feel like I'm still the same since...but–"
"Uhhhh, guys? Do you see that?" Nora spoke up, interrupting whatever it was that Jaune was about to say. The tone of her voice captured their attention immediately, and the blond hastily folded up the map and stuffed it in his bag. The ginger-haired huntress had ran along the head of the pack like the free spirit that she was, so it was evident that she'd be the first to experience anything.
"What's up?" Ruby asks as she, Jaune, and Ren caught up to the other huntress. Nora simply lifted an arm to point at village in the distance, her facial expression somewhat grim. A group of lanky teenagers were throwing bricks into what looked like a blacksmith shop, five boys and three girls. The males were shouting nasty slurs as their female accomplices stood on the side lines egging them on, making Team RNJR come to a full stop and watch; they weren't expecting to see this amount of discrimination before. "...oh."
"Definitely...not the kind of hospitality I was looking for when we came across another town. Witnessing this kind of behavior is really wrong." Nora adds just as one of the bricks decimated a window with a sickening crack, the broken glass falling everywhere like snow. The ginger-haired huntress shook her head with distaste. "Seriously, where the hell are their parents? And for that matter, they actually encourage this behavior?"
"Go back to your country, faunus scum!"
"The Grimm that has been roaming around our town is a major pain in our ass! No one wants to go outside to play anymore!"
"They were probably drawn here due to your smelly odor! Faunus and Grimm are just nasty animals!"
"If you offered yourself to the Grimm then we'd be rid of your stench! And perhaps we'd be saved in the end!"
"Hahahaha! Stupid faunus! Holing up in your shelter to save your own hide isn't gonna save you from us!"
"Just get out of town!"
"Hey, that's enough. Knock it off you guys!" Jaune speaks up, getting their attention immediately. Ruby, Nora, and Ren looked at the blond as he continued to speak. "What you're doing is so impolite and rude, decimating the life of others just reflects on what kind of character you are. Besides, helping is better than–"
"'That's so impolite and rude'! Blah, blah, blaaaah!" One of the tormentors stuck his tongue out, taunting the way the blond spoke as well as interrupting him. "Give me a break, god you sound like a nagging mother! How annoying! Are you the leader of your band of merry weaklings? Who the hell would follow your lead?"
"He's got such string bean arms! He's not a tough guy at all!" Another jostled along, pointing out Jaune's physique with a slim finger. "Gosh, these guys are such a mess! It's like they dragged themselves through a shit hole!"
"Don't tell me you bunch actually show compassion to the faunus, that's absolutely disgusting!" One of the females states with utter arrogance, eyebrows raised for dramatics. Her other female cohorts just chuckled behind their hands. "How can anyone like those filth? Makes me want to barf!"
"I heard they live on their own island away from society!" A male says, flashing a grin at his fellow friends. "Maaaan, what I wouldn't give to step a foot on that garbage land...and dump some more garbage!"
"That's enough! You all shut your mouths!" Jaune finally snapped, his hands balled up by his side. His older brother instincts kicked in, there was no way he's allow his seven sisters to talk in this manner. He wasn't about to let a few more snobbish kids talk him or others down. "How can you disrespect others like that?! Didn't your mother teach you anything?!"
"Well of course our mothers taught us right." Another female responds, not at all affected by the blond's anger which evoked snickers from her buddies. "Taught us not to believe the faunus, especially the White Fang, and taught us to mess with those with furry traits every chance we get! That's the duty of a first-class citizen, and we are just exercising that right!"
"Why you–"
Crack!
"Oh ho...is that how it is?" Nora grins as she takes two steps forward, the lightning cackling around her due to her Semblance. Her eyes sparked to life, making the group of human ruffians to step back wearily. "My grandmother taught me that it is my duty to stand up to bullies...going so far as to break their legs. So, according to your logic I hope you don't mind if I exercise my right and carry it out. I'll make sure the brutality will be as swift and painless."
The males took on attack stances as the females watched, but once the weapons came into play they all had second thoughts. Throwing out a couple more insults, the entire group decided to leave them alone. Ruby let out a sigh of relief, noticing just how fast her heart had been drumming within her chest. She didn't want to hurt children, that would have gone against everything her idea of a huntress stood for; she wanted to become one to help people no matter the age.
"Man those kids are such jerks." Jaunue shook his head in pity, calming himself down so that he didn't look too agitated. "It makes me sad actually, seeing them at that age already participating in such actions."
"If only they could see just how nice faunus actually are." Nora agreed, folding her arms over her chest. "They should have been sent to school instead of making their own entertainment by harassing others."
"I'm glad you didn't actually smash their skulls into the ground." Ren tells her with a slight smile on his face. "Violence is never the answer, but in the case where flight is not the option...then we must fight back to increase our chances of survival. However, those kids were just unfortunate to be brought up by their parents' hubris and disdain for a race not quite their own."
"It's just a sad, sad thing to witness." She replies, shouldering Magnhild with both arms. She knew she was borderline ready to sock the group without remorse, but she decided against it. "I wish I didn't have to see such manners...nor did I wish I had to threaten them..."
"Seeing but not doing anything about acts of discrimination just encourages those kind of acts even further." Ren notes, placing a supportive hand on her shoulder. "We stepped up to stop them from demolishing the building anymore, that's taking action. It'll just makes us just as bad as those kids if we just allowed them to do what they want."
"Well, c'mon then." Ruby says, walking towards the exact building that the kids were throwing rocks at. There was a sign hanging near the door that had spray paint over it, a derogatory word that didn't sit right with any of the students. The discrimination that was outside the realms of Vale...was worse than they could ever imagine. "We'll try to get some more information."
Taking a deep breath and raising an arm, the young huntress knocks. She steps back and waits patiently, noticing the presence of others standing by her side. There was the sound of shuffling on the inside before the door opened up slightly, a pair of guarded eyes peering at her in response. Slowly the door widened a litter further, and a burly male made himself present.
He had slick back hair and piercing golden eyes that reminded Ruby of Blake. His white-colored shirt was smudged dirty from the soot, hidden underneath a semi-open red vest. A pair of gloves covered his hands, reaching only halfway his muscular arms. There were two silver rings on his ears while two prominent horns were jutting out from his forehead.
"May I help you?" He asks them wearily.
"Uh, yeah! We were wondering if you could help our weapons since you are...uh, a blacksmith. Obviously..." Ruby tells him in a polite manner, pulling Crescent Rose out and showed him the jagged points along the blade's edge. "My friends and I have been on the road for quite awhile now, with no tool needed to do proper maintenance."
"Not to mention..." Jaune glances at his own weapon Crocea Mors strapped to his waist, and sighs. He had never felt so awful, he could talk bad to children, but talking smack on the battlefield wasn't going to save his life or the others. It sure didn't bring Pyrrha back. "I need some proper care for this baby. Perhaps...even give it a few upgrades."
"And why should I help you?" He questions, a subtle growl evident in his voice. "You guys are...human."
"If it weren't for us those other kids would've demolished your building." Nora speaks up, getting the owner's attention. "Seriously, you wouldn't have a work place anymore if we didn't step in."
"Oh, those damn...they've been trifling with and tampering with my business ever since I've been here. It's a wonder how this building is still standing. Besides I was working on other things in the back, so I couldn't hear much." The man lets out a sigh, ruffling his own hair with a hand before looking at the group of hunters. "Since that's the case, then I'll extend a brief thanks of gratitude."
"Are you...guarded around us because of all these discrimination against your faunus trait?" asks Ruby, her eyes briefly going towards the horns on his head. "I-I wasn't aware of how bad it was. Blake was right...this is perhaps the reason why she tried so hard to shelter her past from the rest of us."
"What do you mean by that?" The blacksmith inquired out of curiosity. He glances around and waves them in, stating, "Let us take this talk inside, if anyone were to see humans standing outside my building will bring nothing good. Around these parts...discrimination against faunus isn't as frequent as any of the other towns."
The group filtered in without needing anymore incentive, crowding around the spacious open area. The building was much larger than they originally expected, a back door leading to perhaps where large machinery were housed. A sign reading 'Employees Only' was plastered on the wall next to the door. The hearth smell of a forge in the back filtered through the walls, encircling its guests with warmth from the still burning coals.
"Now then...tell me what you meant by your statement earlier." The blacksmith states as he walks toward the counter, slipping his gloves off just so he could wash his hands. The original clear liquid turned tainted as soon as it flushed along his callous skin. "Sounds to me like you know...a little bit of the faunus history."
"Well you see, I have faunus friends and my own teammate is a faunus herself...and she came from a troubled past; we did touch upon faunus history during our class though. Anyway, my teammate had much more experience with the real world than I did, a lot more experience..." Ruby rubs her arm as she is reminded of her broken up team. Yang dismissing her back in the hospital, Weiss getting dragged off by force, and Blake running off...everything was coming down upon her. And she hated that feeling. "I never thought the treatment of others was this bad...i-i-it is nothing at all what I expected."
"I'm glad you're observing the pain of second-class citizens first hand, kid." The blacksmith speaks, letting out a small sigh escape between his lips. "You kids continue to surprise me, despite being humans. No one here in this village would give me the time of day, and even if they did it was extremely brief."
"...I'm sorry you had to go through all that." Ruby mumbles, casting her gaze down to the ground.
"Don't worry about it, it's nothing new anyway. You'll get use to it, this is what it means to be desensitized." He waved a hand dismissively. "It may not be ideal or right...but until there's a drastic change in regards to the treatment of faunus, I don't have too much hope."
"Is it just you...working here?" Nora asks the blacksmith, her arms raised and resting behind her head. "I mean, I know you have that sign over there...but I don't see anyone else in here with you."
"There aren't many faunus living here, we are in the minority faction after all. In fact I would be surprised to see one of my kinds wondering around the streets, but as of now, I am the only faunus taking up residency in this town." The blacksmith told them, releasing what sounded like a tired sigh. "That's why those kids find it funny to throw rocks and other objects at my business. They're trying to make me move back."
"Have you tried defending yourself? How come the other villagers just let it happen?" Ruby asks him.
"Kid, when you're in the minority your voice tends to be drowned out by the majority."
"But the parents–"
"Just allows them to do whatever they want. The others just watch on either out of amusement or they don't want to be picked on either." The blacksmith leans against the counter, drumming his fingers against the surface for a bit. Then he says, "I've seen the sympathetic expressions of my peers who linger in the shadows, but I mean...I'd endure this treatment if it means my fellow faunus can avoid it."
"I'm...sorry to hear that."
"Don't be. I don't know how much of the treatment of faunus you all have seen, but some of us have it worse. Now then...about your weapons," The blacksmith looks at the objects in question, his eyes lingering longer on Jaune's. He strokes his beard thoughtfully, his eyes brimming with knowledge of various weapons. "Hmmmm, a swordsman with not only a generic sword but also carries an even generic shield. I can see the marks and dents, you've been in a lot of fights. I'm surprise they haven't broke after everything."
"This sword is a family heirloom, handed down to me from my grandfather who fought in the war. The shield came from the family as well." Jaune explains to the blacksmith, glancing at the weapon with love in his eyes. "As to how long I've had them...I feel like I've had them since I became of age, old enough to wield a weapon."
"...I would like to tell you something in regards to that statement. People – humans and faunus a like – believe that having a strong weapon would get them far. But I'll tell you now that sometimes it is not the weapon. It is its wielder."
"Excuse me?" Jaune blinks twice, his brain processing what the blacksmith had said. "Are you...referring to me?"
"Indeed I am. A weapon is how its wielder makes it to be, without a wielder...a weapon is only just a tool." The older male gestured with both arms toward the walls which were aligned with weapon parts, instantly getting Ruby's attention. "I could hold a stick, and depending on what I do, the wimpy stick could be the world's only hope."
"Oh my gosh! Look at all these awesome weapon pieces! Is that a carrier used to house cartridges upon cartridges of dust?! Just how big is it? Ooo! Ooo! And is that a scabbard for a heavy-weighted sword?! I mean, are those little holes for compressed air to filter through as the weapon is drawn, or are they there for dust?! Mister, you seem to favor making pieces for dust-infused weapons!"
"Now that's something new, I haven't had a customer who was so delighted with my work." The older male comments, planting both hands on his hips. "Let alone...a human customer. Honestly you kids are the most amount of customers I've had in awhile."
"Y-Yeah, I do geek out over weapons from time to time. It's been awhile since I've done that, last time I allowed myself to exhibit this behavior was...was my first year of Beacon...when I first stepped foot on the courtyard..." The young huntress says, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. She did her best to not let a frown appear on her face, although the tone of her voice conveyed her true feelings. "Sorry, please continue."
"As gratitude for driving off those misbehaved children, I'd be more than willing to lend you guys a hand no matter how small it might be. While the other weapons won't take long to fix, foraging an upgrade takes at most two days." The blacksmith wondered about, looking at the weapons each huntsman and huntress owned. "You'll have to stay in this town for the time being if you want me to give them the proper care."
"That's fine, we could use all the help we can get. A little detour is the least of our concerns." Ruby assures him before unfurling the map in front of her on the counter. "Oh, could you also tell us more about this Grimm those children were talking about?"
"You guys want to go geist hunting?" The blacksmith stops what he was doing, his eyebrow raised in questioning. "Are you serious?"
"Does it look like I'm goofing around? Helping others is the reason why I wanted to be a huntress in the beginning." Ruby stated with firmness in her voice, matching her stare with the blacksmith's. "It is the profession I chose to pursue."
"Geist? As in like, a ghost thingy?" Nora pips up with her questions as she places her hands on her cocked hips. "Sounds intriguing...as well as a little farfetched. We know ghosts aren't real...I mean, unless there are people who believe in the supernatural stuff."
"Lassie, if you came face to face with the faceless monster...you best believe me when I tell you that it has been the nightmare for everyone in this village the moment it came in." The blacksmith answers her, pulling out a writing utensil of sorts and made some marks on the map. "It has gotten so bad to the point where people wouldn't want to go outside. And even if they do, they wouldn't go alone without someone else."
"You can leave it to us, we won't fail." Ruby says as she folded up the map and tucked it away on her person. She planned on letting the others take a look once they head out to do the job. "We've dealt with Grimm in our line of work."
"Technically not all of us would be needing our weapons. Since he plans on doing more to his weapon, Jaune has been demoted to being our strategist." Nora answered before the blond could open his mouth. She catches his eye and added, "Seriously, the faster our friend gets onto your upgrade, the faster he'll be able to finish. Staying in this town wasn't on our agenda. I mean, aren't we heading off to Mistral? The faster we get there the faster we'll be able to complete Ruby's mission."
"Yeah...you're right..." Jaune relents before handing over Crocea Mors and his shield so the blacksmith could get started. Rummaging around his bag, he pulled out Pyrrha's golden circlet and stared longingly at it. He'll never be able to see the red-haired huntress wear this particular gear ever again, and it hurt him deeply. Planting a kiss on it, he places the object beside his other belongings with care before pulling out a couple more pieces of metal salvaged from the CTT Tower. The gauntlets, the boots, the circlet, the armor...even Pyrrha's shield Akoúo̱ and pieces of Miló were pulled out.
"...I can see how significant that piece of metal means to you, it belonged to someone very dear to you. With just a glance alone...I knew it came as a set." The blacksmith spoke after he observed Jaune in silence, his own eyes sparing a glance at the metal piece. Ruby, Nora, and Ren also observed the blond in silence out of respect. "The other pieces...paints the entire picture to me. It must be difficult for you to be carrying them all the way here."
"Yeah...this was all that was left from that day on top of the tower." says Jaune, running his fingers one last time over Pyrrha's stuff. He didn't complain during the journey of shouldering the metal pieces in his bag, and he won't start now. "I'm sure she'll be okay what my decision here...She'd want me to do whatever means necessary to make use of these items."
"You must've loved her a lot."
"With all my heart. And it's my loss for not recuperating her feelings until the very end." Jaune curled his hands into fists by his side, before opening them back up and sighed. "Even in death she will still continue to aid me... A complete dunce turned team leader. No matter how much I think about it, I realize that I really didn't deserve her."
Whatever they had gone through is more than I will ever imagine, the hurt is quite clear to see. The blacksmith thought as he swept his gaze over the rest of the kids. Expressions ranged at varying degree, but the message they conveyed was completely unified. And at such a young age too, the world is a cruel place indeed.
"Please, just...put them all to good use." The huntsman requested to bring the attention back to himself. Behind the intense blue orbs the blacksmith could see a simmering flame flickering from within, a flame of the undying warrior spirit. "I want to utilize everything here as much as possible."
"Don't worry," The blacksmith assured him as he proceeded to maneuver the items towards the back, looking over his shoulder as the huntsmen were about to embark on their job. "I'll do everything in my power to forage you a better set, I didn't become a blacksmith for nothing. So until then, I wish you all the best of hunting."
Inside the Old Ruins...
I woke up to the sense of something different, the Aura signatures within my mind were calm before a storm. The hairs on the back of my neck as well as along my arms just stood up in attention. With my senses on alert I stood up and took a deep breath, watching as this one prominent signature wormed itself into my mind's eye.
Physically it was an anxious, nauseating feeling in the pit of my stomach. Mentally it was a garbled mess that I couldn't describe with words, it just needed to go. Shuffling towards the opening I followed my gut, more importantly I followed my dad's signature. The Aura was very prominent within my head, lighting up like a neon sign in the night. Before rounding the corner I could make out his outline, sitting by the table unmoving. The uneasy feeling still hasn't gone away, but there isn't anything I can do unless I make the first move. Taking a deep breath, I steeled my nerves and made my presence known.
"Oh, you're awake. I was just thinking about coming to wake you up myself, seems like that isn't needed." My father greeted me from where he sat, gesturing out with a hand to the bowels of food displayed in a circular pattern on the table. "Breakfast? I'm sure you're hungry. I took the liberty of scouting out some of the few edible fruits in the area."
"Thanks, Dad. Smells delicious..." I replied, taking a seat across from him with some caution. If it wasn't for the earlier premonition that woke me up then it was definitely the lack of emotion in his voice that was another red flag. Reaching out with a hand I scooped up a piece of fruit and bit into it. It tasted extremely bland – my tongue coming into contact with the sandpaper skin – but I swallowed nonetheless; there's no way I'd be picky especially when food is offered.
"Once you've finished eating, I thought it would be a good idea of continuing what we couldn't finish the other day." My father spoke as he kept his eyes on me, a behavior I wasn't too worried about. After that incident with my aunt, he made it a point to keep his eyes on me as I grew up; the only time he couldn't was the time of separation as I ventured towards Beacon. "We've only scratched the mere surface."
"I mean I had a hunch that'd be the case. Our family history extends before my time and perhaps even before you or Mom." I answered him.
"And as old as I am becoming, most of the knowledge has been fleeting. My memory isn't as sharp as it used to be." He scratched the back of his head and chuckles. "Sorry you had to come back to an almost senile old man."
"Don't mention it Dad, you don't need to apologize for something you have no control over. Growing old isn't something anyone has any control over." I paused for a few minutes before following up with, "Before we continue any further, may I ask you a question?"
"Sure honey." He replies, folding his hands over the table and leaning his chin against them. "You know you're always welcomed to ask me anything your heart desires."
"Can we sense or detect the presence of others over long distances? What I mean to say is...is it possible for me to see my comrades' Aura signatures even when they aren't near me?"
"I'm sure you'll achieve that kind of deep level as long as you practice. You'll become very proficient in manipulating Aura as well as reading the Auras of others down to the tiniest detail; however, in order to get to that point the bond and understanding of how your powers work will be tested. You must be prepared at all times."
"If that's the case, then why is your Aura signature different?" Immediately I noticed the shoulders tense up, and knew I had him. Even the signature I was observing flashed briefly within my mind. Furrowing my brows I said in a threatening voice, "Who are you and what have you done with my dad?"
"Looks like you caught on, slower than I imagined. Hello sweetheart." The shivers running along my spine intensified when I heard the voice from my nightmares. I nearly broke the skin of both palms as I curled my fingers into clenched fists. "Or at least, that's what I should say since we're kin. But I believe we both know that we can't coexist in this world."
"Raisa..." I growled, absolutely disgusted with how her voice was coming out his mouth. Imagine the grating of granite against glass, that was how she sounded to me. "What the hell are you doing here? What did you do to my dad?"
"Oh I've always been here, manipulating my brother-in law from the shadows until your arrival. I've waited for so long, anxious of the news that you'll come and seek him out. I will admit it was frustrating waiting day in and day out, but the fall of that institution was the perfect catalyst."
"...the first known scent I got from you was from the giant Nevermore back during my first year. Then there was the beowolf invasion over the summer...but nothing else happened afterward." Memories of both events resurfaced within my head, everything sharp as though they happened yesterday. "Despite those two attacks, why didn't you continue to send me your little pawns? Why did you only let those two incidents happen? If you knew where I was...all those years...why..."
"You're right to a certain extent. I only knew about your whereabouts once I took over Rikter's mind and body, before that I was left in the dark. The only reason why I didn't continue was because, well, it's all about the thrill. The best part of being a hunter, is being able to hunt a difficult prey and prolonging the chase. It wouldn't do me any good if you gave up too early."
I don't want to harm my dad at all if I can help it. I thought, weighing out my options and prepared to go into action. Although...getting my dad back isn't going to be easy...
"I know what you're thinking, and I'll tell you now that it won't work." Raisa's voice was taunting, as she manipulated her host's body like a marionette on a string. His right arm moved back before swinging forward, smacking soundly against my forearm; I winced with how hard the attack was and moved back to create distance. "I won't make the same mistake I did those years back. I plan on finishing what I started."
Near the outer perimeter of town...
The night temperature dipped as Ruby and team JNR found a location to hunkered down for camp. Without his fighting equipment anywhere on his body, the blond felt exposed. He felt naked, but he had complete faith and trust in his friends to pull through. Of course he would play his part by being the best strategist.
"So we throttle this Grimm, get our sweet reward, and head off to Haven. It's really no big deal! Easy as scarfing down Ren's pancakes!" Nora, ever the optimistic, smiles as she got a fire going. It always excited her whenever something right goes well in the world. "Sounds like a solid plan!"
"It's times like this Nora that I appreciate your bubbly attitude." says Jaune as he rolls out his sleeping bag, making sure he didn't accidentally unroll over a pile of ants. "Actually I appreciate you no matter what...I appreciate everyone who has accompanied me thus far."
"And we feel the same way." The four friends spent the seemingly beautiful night eating their dinner – consisting of fruits, nuts, and dried jerky – and enjoying the moment. It's not everyday they were allowed this kind of leisurely opportunity when the weight of the world was overwhelming.
"Well then, we better get some rest. Searching for a Grimm we have never encountered before can prove difficult, so the faster the better." Ren announces, turning his head just in time to see Nora slip into her sleeping bag. Shaking his head with laughter and slipping into his own sleeping bag, he says, "Good night."
"Good night." Nora and Ruby whispers back in response. The ginger-haired huntress falls asleep instantly, the rumblings of her snores softly pierced the air. Ren was soon to follow as his breath fell into a steady rhythm, even in sleeping he was meticulous about his training. Ruby herself attempted to catch some sleep, drawing the cover of her sleeping bag up to her chin. In the end the concept eludes her and she's left awake and not at all tired. Fumbling around for a better position she finally gave up, and slipped out. Standing to her feet she spotted Jaune still sitting on a log by himself, his face softly illuminated by a small fire; his expression was one that was unreadable.
"What's on your mind, Jaune?" the younger huntress asks as she took a seat next to him, watching him carefully as he acknowledges her presence with a small greeting. "You seemed...extremely bothered since we left the town."
"I was just wondering...Pyrrha has always believed in destiny. She told me the day before her tournament match, and she was scared. I thought I was doing the right thing by staying by her side, but it didn't register in my mind that – that she was hurting deeper. And she was holding it back so that I or the other two weren't worried." He curled his hands into fists, before letting out an angry sigh. "I wish she was more open about things and told me her troubles...but then again, I wish I wasn't so dense and dumb. I don't want to believe in destiny if that destiny meant keeping secrets from others."
"Your life is what you make it to be, at least that's what Uncle Qrow taught Yang and I when we were younger." Ruby pauses as she played back what she just said. When was the last time she reflected on her childhood?
"Hearing you say that makes me feel a slight sense of hope. It's a weird feeling if I'm being honest." Jaune chuckles though the laughter didn't reach his eyes. It sounded a little forced, and he was just tired of everything. "You know I wonder how much I've come since when we first met, when I was vomiting from the bullhead ride."
Oh, now that's a fond memory. Ruby smiled in response, crossing one leg over the other. She mentally laughed when she remembered a little bit of the vomit got on Yang's boot, the hot-headed older huntress was thoroughly disgusted. Wow, it's been so long.
"Then after telling Pyrrha about how I forged my papers to get into Beacon...a-and the whole ordeal back in the Emerald Forest with the Grimm...it set into perspective that the world is so much bigger than I imagined. It makes all the other smaller details nonexistent, and I realize that I'm just a speck on this planet; I felt like every thing I did didn't contribute to anything." He reached over to where his bag was laying by his feet and pulled something out. "But I didn't feel small and insignificant when Pyrrha was here."
"Wait..isn't that..."
"It's the metal armband she wore, the only piece of metal that I didn't want to be used." Jaune glances at the object with adoration, running his fingers over the surface in a gentle nature. "Well, it was either between this and the crown. Before you say that this red sash around my waist was enough to remember her by..."
"Jaune, I know. We'll do all that we can to keep her memory alive." Ruby said, tearing her eyes away from the metal and focuses back on the blond. She felt that feeling of sadness wash over both of them, and it wasn't pleasurable. She wanted to make it go away.
"...Ruby, answer me honestly...do you believe we'll ever heal? Is there a chance we'll be able to put everything behind us?"
Ruby didn't answer him immediately, leaning her head back to regard the trillions of tiny diamonds in the sky. Her silver eyes watched as some twinkled brighter than others – individually or in a cluster – and it donned on her: the stars in the sky represent her predicament. She looks over at Jaune who was waiting for her to answer.
"Honestly...it's going to take time to get through everything that has happened. I don't believe we'll ever forget the Grimm invasion...nor will we ever forget what happened. Penny and Pyrrha...They'll never be forgotten. I agree with you, this world is much larger. But I'm going to disagree that you're small and insignificant. We're all stars."
"Stars? Like the ones hanging over our heads?" Jaune questions, and Ruby nods her head in response.
"You see them up there? Take that lone star over on the right for example." The red-cloaked huntress points with an index finger, continuing speaking, "You see how it has enough to just light up on its own, but there are others who don't have that much energy. However, a million stars together in a cluster allows us to see them clearly. We might not be able to point out each one individually, but we know that they exist."
"...huh, is that so. I never thought about it that way..." The male answers as he continues to look at the glittering stars.
"Mmhmm. As cliché as it is, we all have our own personal light that we shine as individuals. When we're around others...we shine even brighter than we could ever shine before."
