Chapter 28) A Light in the Dark
A/N: Just in time for the end of the year! Happy New Year to you all! Now let's end-off 2023 and see in 2024 with the Volume 2 finale!
…
Everything hurt.
Her legs, her back, her arms… but especially her head. It felt like…
…
… Well, like she had just been in a train accident.
With much more effort than such an action should have required, Ruby opened her eyes.
"Ow…"
Above her, she could make out several dark, twisted shapes, and an occasional flash of dim light that flickered from somewhere, providing little in way of useful illumination. Creaks and sparks and various other noises echoed in the air around her, mixed in with the vague sound of people talking and moving about somewhere nearby.
Wincing, and forcing down a sudden surge of nausea at the motion, Ruby pushed herself into a sitting position and tried to take better stock of her surroundings.
Jagged metal and rugged stone. The warped remains of what looked like rails below where she lay. Chunks of debris on all sides, the wrecked walls and carriages of the train that had been…
Ruby's mind caught up with what she was seeing, and she immediately leapt to her feet, swaying with dizziness as she did so but nonetheless surging with fresh adrenaline as her memory replayed what had happened before on fast-forward.
They had done it. They had stopped the train. Well, Yang did. By punching it. The crash must have thrown them all over the place, landing who knows where amid the wreckage, since as far as she could make out, Ruby was alone, not one other person in sight, even though she could certainly hear people nearby, faint and fuzzy-sounding as they were.
Shaking her head a little and lightly slapping her cheeks to regain a bit of focus, Ruby felt the heavy fog of her most recent concussion slowly recede, and the sound of voices became clearer. Voices that were nearby, familiar, and all calling out for her.
"Ruby, where are you!?"
"Say something, you dolt!"
"Please, Ruby! Just tell me you're OK!"
They were close, just behind the fallen rocks and the remains of the carriage that were blocking her view of the rest of the tunnel. A cursory glance told her that there was no easy way around, though. No gaps to slip through.
"I'm h-here!" Ruby called back, her voice a little raspy but otherwise clear enough. "I'm OK!"
Frantic footsteps indicated several people moving behind the wall of debris, followed by the sound of knocking against the metal.
"Ruby!" Yang yelled. "Is that you!?"
"Y-yeah," Ruby replied, leaning against the wreck and pressing her forehead against the cool metal to soothe her head a bit. "It's me."
"Gosh, don't scare me like that!" Weiss snapped. "For a moment there I thought you had-!"
"Can you see a way to get through to us?" Blake cut Weiss off quickly. "Any openings we can't see from this side?"
Ruby gave the area a second look, but again found no path she could spot, and informed her teammates as such.
Blake sighed. "Alright then, you'd better stand back a little."
Ruby took several steps backwards, and watched as Gambol Shroud sliced through the sheet metal, the twin blades of Blake's sword and sheath glowing faintly purple, indicating her channelling extra Aura into her slashes in order to get the job done. Soon enough, a roughly triangular doorway was carved out for Ruby to duck underneath and pass through, whereupon she was quickly pulled into a one-armed hug by Yang.
"You're not missing any pieces, are you?" Yang asked, sounding only half-joking as she spoke.
Ruby shook her head. "Not th-that I can tell… unless y-you count Crescent Rose."
Ruby heard Weiss cough awkwardly, drawing her attention.
"Well, I can answer that one…" she began, pointedly avoiding looking at Ruby. "I found it while looking for you, and… well…"
Weiss shifted from foot to foot, and Ruby began to feel her apprehension build.
"Is she-?"
CLANG!
Ruby whirled around to face the source of the noise, instinctively reaching behind her back, then adopting a fighting stance after a moment's pause. Weiss pointed Myrtenaster towards the dark tunnel, and Blake stood on guard with both blades at the ready.
Yang, however, only cocked her left gauntlet. Her right arm remained limp at her side, and Ruby realised with alarm that her sister was bleeding considerably.
But the footsteps were getting closer. Whoever was approaching was running at them in a full sprint, and there was no time to tend to their wounds.
So Ruby pushed all her worry and pain aside as much as she could, and prepared to defend herself and her team with whatever strength she could muster.
A lone figure emerged from the shadows. Their clothes were tattered, and their mask was gone, but it was clearly a White Fang soldier, gripping a sword in one hand as they ran out of the tunnel and directly towards the four of them.
Weiss was closest, so she moved into position and prepared to intercept whatever attack was about to be directed her way-
The soldier ran right past her, not even sparing a second to so much as acknowledge her presence.
In fact, the soldier ran past all four of them without pause, ducking through the newly-carved doorway and into the area Ruby had woken up in moments ago.
Two more soldiers emerged from the tunnel then, and they too ignored the girls and ran onwards, following after their comrade.
A fourth soldier. A fifth, carrying a six slung across their shoulders. A seventh and an eighth, both looking bloodied and bruised. A ninth limped behind them, and a tenth staggered and fell and were picked up by an eleventh…
"It's a dead end!" one cried, one of the ones who had run past them. "We're trapped!"
"No, there has to be a way out!" another screamed. "We can't die in here! Not like this!"
"Oh Gods, oh Gods I don't wanna die! Please, don't let me die here!"
More shouts, more screams and cries for help as more White Fang soldiers poured into the dead-end cave. A few began frantically hammering on the solid rock of the collapsed cave that barred the way onwards.
Ruby looked around at it all, at all of the people who were crowding into the tunnel. Many no longer wore their masks, and Ruby could see their faces clearly.
So many looked so… young.
A young man who couldn't have been more than twenty years old, helping another person prop themselves up against the wall to catch their breath.
A girl not much older than her sister, hysterical as she hammered at the rock and screamed her lungs out.
A boy, a teenage boy, perhaps only a year older than Ruby herself, had collapsed to his knees and was crying, calling out for his mother, sobbing out apologies to family who weren't there to hear them.
In her mind's eye, Ruby saw a crowd of people just like this, screaming and crying and clawing at rock and dirt as they were all left to die… the people of Mountain Glenn, just like Professor Greene had told her had happened.
The scene in her mind then transformed, and she imagined herself amid the crowd, her and her friends and all these other people trapped and helpless, no hope of rescue, no hope of escape…
More noises could be heard echoing from the darkness of the tunnel. Heavier footsteps, and growling snarls.
The Beowolf leapt out of the shadows and sprang towards one of the soldiers nearest the opening, its claws grasping at the poor man's leg and dragging him down to the ground as he screamed in terror and pain-
BANG!
A single gunshot rang out, and the Grimm fell dead in an instant as its head was struck, its body beginning to dissipate right away.
"Everybody be quiet!"
With her weapon raised and her commanding shout echoing in the dark, Professor Greene stepped into the cavern. She looked as bad as they all did, clothes a mess and several bruises and cuts visible, her Aura having clearly been taken out in the crash. Unlike everyone else however, she looked less terrified and more absolutely livid.
She was also, with her other hand, dragging the unconscious body of Roman Torchwick behind her.
"If you wish to see another day, then listen to me and do exactly what I say! Only if we work together do we have a chance of getting out of this alive!"
One woman turned to glare at her. "And why should we trust you!?"
Professor Greene met the woman's glare with a colder one of her own.
"Because I've been here before."
She didn't yell, or even raise her voice much at all. Her statement was pretty vague as well, although Ruby knew full well what she meant.
Even so, the implication carried by Professor Greene's simple, five-word statement was clear. The woman quickly backed down, and everyone else in the cavern fell silent, all eyes upon the Huntress before them.
Ruby stared in awe.
"The Grimm will be on us soon. The wreckage behind us will slow them down a little, but that won't buy us much time, so we need to get ready now."
Professor Greene turned to Weiss. "Can you raise an ice barrier again?"
Weiss shook her head. "I used all my Dust earlier, sorry."
"Ice Dust?"
Weiss turned around. A blonde man was holding out a pale blue vial towards her. "Is this what you need?"
Ruby saw Weiss look at the vial hesitantly, saw her reach for it slowly, pause, withdraw her hand a little… Then she saw Weiss' expression harden, and she took the vial and began transferring its contents into the appropriate chamber of Myrtenaster.
Professor Greene turned her attention to the rest of them. "We can use some of this wreckage to form a secondary barricade, while the injured can take shelter behind the carriage at the back. Anyone who can still stand and fight, we hold the line until help arrives."
"If it even does arrive," someone muttered.
Professor Greene dropped Torchwick like luggage and withdrew her Scroll from her pocket, holding it up for everyone to see.
"We're close enough to Vale for my Homing Signal to get through," she said firmly. "I've sent the call out. All we have to do is stay alive long enough for them to come and get us."
For a few seconds, no-one moved or spoke as the Professor's words hung in the air. It was if no-one dared respond, in case any words they could say might jinx them all.
In the end, Blake was the first to respond. "You heard her, everyone!" she barked, moving to stand beside Professor Greene. "Let's get moving before the Grimm get here!"
Weiss finished reloading Myrtenaster and likewise stood beside their teacher.
After that, everyone else began to move as well, falling in step with the instructions given to them, moving wounded to the back and positioning larger chunks of loose rock and metal to barricade the tunnel. Someone even dragged Torchwick to the back of the cavern without a word of complaint.
Ruby, meanwhile, remained where she stood.
A look and a word and she got everyone to listen to her. Even as everyone was panicking, she got them all to look at her, to follow her and work together.
She must have been her team's leader.
Ruby stared at Professor Greene in wonder and amazement.
This must be a nightmare for her, being back down in this place again after so long, but she's still keeping herself calm. She's… amazing.
"I can still fight!"
The sound of her sister's protestations snapped Ruby out of her daze and brought her back to the present.
"Not with only one arm, you can't," Professor Greene responded. "Get behind the rear carriage and keep everyone back there together."
Yang clearly did not agree with the Professor, and Ruby could see that her sister, stubborn as ever, would not back down easily.
Alright then, time to step up and take charge myself.
"Yang, w-we'll need s-someone guarding the rear just in case," Ruby added, walking up to her sister and grabbing her good arm to get her attention. "S-so hang back, and w-watch all our backs."
Yang still didn't look happy with this, but Ruby did her best to look as stern and serious as possible as she spoke, looking Yang square in the eye and speaking as carefully as possible to avoid tripping on her words too much.
A few seconds of tense staring later, and Yang relented with a huff, making her way to the rear of the cavern and beginning to herd the rest of the injured together.
With that taken care of, Ruby turned to Weiss. "You s-said you found Crescent Rose?"
Weiss winced. "Well… some of it, at least," she said, gesturing to a small pile of what Ruby had initially assumed to just be scrap metal from the crash.
Amid the jagged odds and ends, Ruby spotted the black metal of her weapon's lower shaft sticking up from the pile. Grabbing it and pulling it free revealed that it was not attached to anything else. The rest of Crescent Rose had been sheared off, leaving only the pronged handle, less than a metre long.
Ruby stared at the pitiful remains of her weapon for a moment, then dropped her head and sighed.
"Welp, gonna h-have to rebuild her all over again… again."
She felt more annoyed than upset at the prospect of having to start over once more, but given their present circumstances, Ruby figured she should at least be glad she had something to fight with at all.
Especially since she could hear a lot of concerning noises approaching their position.
"Time's up, everyone get ready!" Professor Greene snapped. "Weiss, raise the barrier!"
Ruby watched her partner move out in front of them all and plant Myrtenaster point-first in the ground. A second later, a wall of translucent blue ice rose up to block the tunnel.
Ruby could see through this particular wall a little. It was thinner than Weiss usually made them, less robust. She must have lacked the Aura to make it as sturdy as normal.
But it would have to do.
Ruby stood with the broken end of Crescent Rose held out in front of her, held in a sword-grip with one hand. Blake stood beside her on her left, Gambol Shroud at the ready, while one of the less-battered soldiers stood on her right, aiming his gun directly ahead.
Everyone else who could stand upright was likewise holding whatever weapons they had left at the ready. Several individuals with rifles were sheltered behind a length of crumpled metal wall. One woman with what looked like grenades on her belt was taking cover behind what looked like the damaged door of the carriage.
At the very front beside Weiss stood Professor Greene, and several other soldiers with close-range weapons, all taking defensive stances.
As they all waited for the inevitable to arrive, Ruby had time to consider the circumstances that they had all wound up in. They had all been fighting before, her and her team and their teacher versus the soldiers of the White Fang, two sides opposed as they all hurtled towards a terrible tragedy, each trying desperately to stop the other with everything they had.
Now they all stood shoulder-to-shoulder, braced to fight together against a mutual threat.
Beyond the translucent wall of ice, shapes began to approach.
Here we go.
The first to reach the wall were a mass of both Beowolves and Creeps, throwing themselves at the ice and causing it to creak and crack immediately.
Weiss grunted in pain, and Ruby saw her Aura flicker around her body as she strained to hold her focus as long as she could.
"Gunners, take aim!" Professor Greene barked, her and the rest of the front line moving slightly aside to clear the way. "Fire on my word! Weiss, get back now!"
Weiss lifted Myrtenaster and backed up several steps. The moment she stopped maintaining the ice, it began to give way.
It only took seconds for the Grimm to tear through and begin pouring into the cavern.
"FIRE!"
A volley of gunshots followed the single-word command, and the first wave of Grimm all fell down dead, their bodies evaporating. But the second wave was already moving over their fallen brethren, pushing on even as more gunfire raked over them.
One Creep made it through the barrage and lunged at the closest person it could find.
A second Creep charged straight at Professor Greene, its bulbous head lowered as it made to ram into its prey.
A Beowolf surged into the cavern and swiped at Ruby with its claws, and she could not spare any more focus on anything else.
Ruby was a scythe-wielder, not a swordswoman, but her Uncle Qrow had at least shown her the basics of swordplay when he had been helping her train. Additionally, over the years she had observed many a swordfighter, and recently had found herself paying close attention to how her two sword-wielding teammates fought.
Mimicking the motions and footwork she had seen Weiss utilise before, Ruby stepped forwards and thrust with her improvised rapier, stabbing at the Beowolf and piercing its torso. It howled in pain, but did not slow down, slashing at her again with its forelimbs.
Stepping back, Ruby avoided the swipe and prepared to lunge again, this time aiming for the creature's head. The tip of her weapon hit the Grimm in one of its glowing red eyes, and it went limp, dead.
More gunfire filled the air, intermittent and intercut with varied shouts from all sides. The sound of bladed weapons slicing and slashing mixed with the sounds of blunt impacts and pained shouts, both human and monstrous.
And the cavern itself grew darker, filled with thickening black mist as the dying Grimm evaporated where they fell. It tasted like smoke, and iron, and something else that could not be so easily described but made Ruby's throat and lungs burn from breathing too much of it in.
Another Grimm emerged from the darkness. Squat and stout, with long curved tusks and a piglike snout, the Boarbatusk ran at Ruby full-speed. She only just barely managed to sidestep the charge and avoid being gored. Before the Grimm could slip past her completely, Ruby swung her weapon at it, hoping to knock it over to expose its weaker underside-
Something else slammed into Ruby, knocking her over and, worse, knocking her weapon from her grasp.
The Creep looming above her prone form lifted its mishappen head and prepared to slam downwards, a blow that would surely break bone.
Ruby lifted her hands and braced, catching the hammer-strike of the Grimm and straining to push back, to push the Grimm off of herself so she could get up, get free, get her weapon back and do something.
Panicked shouts echoed all about her as the battle descended into chaos. The smoke in the air made it impossible to see anything clearly. The occasional flash of a muzzle only served to add to the confusion, to the disorientation of it all.
The Creep bore down on her with all of its weight. Ruby, her Aura spent and her every bone and muscle in pain, screamed as she pushed back with all her waning strength…
A yellow-gauntleted hand grabbed the Creep by one of its horns, and the Grimm was yanked away from her and thrown into the darkness.
"Get up!" Yang cried. "Get back behind the carriage! I'll-!"
Something else then emerged from the fog. Something larger, pure white with red eyes and long fangs lining its wide mouth.
Yang's words were cut off as the King Taijitu grabbed her with its gaping maw and withdrew, dragging her off into the dark with a strangled cry of pain.
"YANG!"
More screams around her, more cries for help. No more gunshots, the ammo was all gone. Snarls and growls as the Grimm swarmed all around them, their forms visible through the swirling black poison their dead left behind, chasing after the fleeing, terrified souls who had nothing left to defend themselves with.
"YANG!"
Her sister was gone. Taken. She couldn't see or hear her at all. No-one answered her desperate shout, they just shouted their own desperate pleas for help.
No!
Ruby moved, surged forwards, eyes unseeing, heedless of anything around her.
No more! You're not taking anyone else!
Her eyes… they felt hot… tears flowed freely as she reached out in front of her blindly.
Give her back!
Something was in front of her. She couldn't make it out, but it was there, in the darkness. Something just up ahead, just out of sight, just out of reach.
"Give her back!"
Her surroundings grew brighter. Light filled the cavern, pushing the smoke back and clearing a path for her to see clearly.
Up ahead, the white head of the snake. In its jaws, the limp form of her sister.
Her sister, bleeding and motionless and eyes closed.
"Give her back!"
The light burned. Her eyes felt like they were on fire. She could hear people screaming, Grimm roaring, someone calling her name.
None of that mattered. Her sister was all that mattered to her.
"GIVE! HER! BACK!"
Everything went white.
And then…
…
Nothing.
…
Everything hurt.
Her legs, her back, her arms… but especially her head. It felt like…
…
… Well, it felt like she had been in a train accident.
Again.
But that couldn't be right. She was pretty sure she would remember two trains crashing with her on them.
What… happened?
Where… am I?
With much more effort than such an action should have required, Ruby opened her eyes.
Then immediately squeezed them shut again, the horribly bright lights above her being far too painful to let in. Ruby whined in discomfort as the pain in her head increased, stabbing at her skull like red-hot spikes.
She could hear voices, and movement. There were people nearby. A weight settled beside her, causing whatever she was laying on to sink a little. A hand was on her forehead, soft and gentle, pushing her bangs away from her face and soothing the pain in her head a little.
"Ruby?"
Slowly, cautiously, Ruby opened her eyes once more. She still winced at the bright lights, but she was able to keep her eyes open this time, allowing her to see just who it was who was sitting with her with their hand in her hair.
"Yang?"
Yang smiled, and Ruby saw her sister visibly sag with relief and let out a sigh.
"Oh thank goodness," she whispered. Then, a little louder, "How are you feeling?"
Ruby blinked slowly, her still-sluggish thoughts taking a moment to process Yang's question.
Ruby did not say anything as she slowly, carefully, lifted herself upright and into a sitting position. It took her some time, but she was able to manoeuvre herself so that her back was propped up against the rear of the hospital bed she was in.
She was in the hospital. Again. In a hospital gown this time, so she must have been out for a while. She was also in a private room, Yang the only other person with her. Her sister had her right arm in a cast and a sling, but she was not in a gown. She was in her normal clothes.
Yang looked very tired, and she was probably in pain as well if her arm was like that.
But she was here, beside Ruby, smiling a small smile at her and not being dragged away into the darkness…
Ruby hiccupped, a sob rising in her throat as her eyes brimmed with tears.
She threw herself forwards and wrapped her arms around her sister, clinging onto her for dear life.
"I th-thought I w-w-was going to l-lose you…"
Yang wrapped her one good arm around her, and Ruby let herself go, crying loudly into her sister's chest as her whole body flooded with relief that she was still here.
At some point, Ruby felt another pair of arms wrap around her as well, followed quickly by a hand finding its way onto her head.
Weiss and Blake, themselves looking quite a bit worse-for-wear, joined the hug as all four of them held onto each other, and Ruby continued to cry with relief that they had all made it out together.
"It would seem that Miss Xiao Long overclocked herself again."
Ann grimaced as she read the medical report Ozpin had handed to her. "I figured as much."
Ozpin sipped at his drink as he leaned back in his chair, expression as unreadable as ever. "What do you make of her prognosis?"
Ann read and reread the comments that the physician had written down, her mood clouding more and more as she absorbed them.
'Permanent scarring…'
'Loss of mobility…'
'Irreparable nerve damage…'
But most worrying of all was the last few lines.
'Patient exhibits degenerative trauma to both muscle tissue and bone. Estimate at most three-five years until permanent loss of function, barring further trauma sustained in future. Recommend surgical intervention to avoid worst-case scenario, chance of recovery below fifty percent.'
"Has she been made aware of this?"
"Yes," Ozpin replied. "As has her family, and her teammates as well. She is aware of her chances."
Ann closed the file and sighed. "How did she take it?"
"As well as could be expected," Ozpin mused. "She seems to be taking it in stride, and she herself says she is optimistic of her chances in surgery. We will, of course, be assigning her counselling regardless."
"I think they'll all need some of that," Ann snarked, although her voice lacked any energy behind it.
She was exhausted.
"I'm placing you on leave as well. You are welcome to remain at Beacon, but you are to refrain from taking any classes or any missions until you are cleared with the counsellors yourself."
Ann might have complained about that any other time, but on this occasion she was in agreement with her boss.
I need a break.
"Take as much time as you need, Ann," Ozpin said softly, rising from his seat and taking the file from Ann's hands, setting it on his desk. "I'm sure we'll be able to manage for a little while."
Ozpin moved to stand by the large window at the rear of his office, leaning on his cane and staring out at the setting sun.
Ann stared at his back, one hand clenching into a fist at her side.
"I trust you, Ozpin," she said slowly, carefully.
"I know," he replied.
"I know you have your secrets," Ann continued. "Things you keep from the rest of us. But I trust that you have your reasons, and I never question your keeping us in the dark."
Ann saw Ozpin's grip on his cane tighten, almost imperceptibly. "I appreciate your understanding, Ann."
"But I have to ask you this…" Ann took a breath. "Did you know about Ruby?"
"I did."
He answered her with the tone of someone saying they knew what time it was. As if what he was confirming was nothing of consequence.
"So you know how she did that?" Ann asked. "You know what happened? Because I sure as hell don't have a clue."
Ozpin turned his head to one side, glancing back at Ann out of the corner of his eye.
"I don't fully comprehend the specifics of what she is capable of, much less where it comes from, but I am aware of what she is. I've met people like her before."
Ann swallowed. "So what is she?"
Ozpin smiled back at her. "What she is, is a fifteen-year-old girl and a student at Beacon Academy, one who dreams of being a great Huntress one day, and whose talents we hope to nurture to help her realise that dream, like all of our students."
Ozpin's smile was not a comforting one in that moment. It was a smile that made Ann feel… 'worried' wasn't the right word, but it felt close enough.
"And does Ruby know about the power she has?"
Ozpin's smile fell from his face, and he once more turned to face away from Ann, staring out the window.
"She will."
Ann stared at the back of Ozpin's head, unclenching her fist and letting out a breath. "I assume you would rather I not repeat any of this to them? Or anyone else?"
Ozpin turned to face her fully. His expression was once more an unreadable mask.
"Do you still trust me, Professor Greene?"
I don't know anymore, Ann thought.
"Yes," Ann said. "I trust you, Professor Ozpin."
His face was unreadable. She hoped hers was as well.
Ann gave Ozpin a polite nod of her head. "I'll leave the rest to you."
Ozpin gave her a polite nod back. "Thank-you, Ann. Take care."
And with that, Ann turned and exited the office.
As the door closed behind her, she felt her hands begin to shake.
"As I understand, you've so far refused to co-operate with the local authorities in your questioning."
Roman gave the tall, imposing figure of General Ironwood before him an unamused look. "I know this may come as a surprise to you, Sir, but I'm not exactly the biggest fan of local law enforcement."
The General drew himself up to his full height. "How about the world's strongest military power?"
Roman glanced around at the stark white walls of the interrogation room he was presently in, casting his eyes over the spartan furnishings, the sole masked guard at the door, and the complete lack of anything else of note.
He hummed. "First impressions? Not great, I'll admit. Could use a little more…" Roman gestured vaguely with his cuffed hands.
The General scowled. "Let's just get to the point, then." He leaned forwards and placed one hand on the table in front of Roman. "Where is Adam Taurus?"
Roman placed a finger on his chin and stared up at the ceiling, as if deep in thought. "Adam Taurus… Taurus… I'm sure I've heard that name somewhere before-"
A fist slammed hard enough on the table to cause it to crack, and it took as of Roman's impeccable skills at the art of the bluff to avoid jumping at the sound.
"I'm not interested in playing games with you, boy," the General growled. "If you can't give me what I want, I'm more than happy to have you transferred to general population when we drop you off at prison. How long do you think you'd last in there?"
Roman quirked an eyebrow at the General. "OK, first of all, don't call me 'boy'. I am twenty-nine years old, thank-you very much. Second, I think gen-pop would be fine and dandy for someone like me. Plenty of old friends to keep me company in there."
The General scowled again, before schooling his expression once more and standing upright, folding his hands behind his back.
"Vale City Council has agreed to allow me to keep you here on my ship for the duration of my stay in the Kingdom. So you can make yourself comfortable. We'll have plenty more time to talk before I hand you back to them."
Roman smirked. "In that case, can I get a TV in here? Don't wanna miss the Tournament, after all. I'm really looking forward to seeing a certain band of brats get the tar beaten out of them."
The General simply turned and walked out of the room, gesturing for the guard to follow after him.
Said guard lifted their visor and gave Roman a wink, their eye turning pink for a moment before they lowered their visor once more and exited the room, the door closing behind them.
Roman allowed himself a small smile at his sister's gesture, but his mood quickly crumbled now that he was alone, and his façade vanished as he lowered his head into his hands and let out a shaky, shuddering breath.
Everything was spiralling out of control.
And yet, the Taurus boy's master plan was still going ahead, and from where Roman was standing, it looked like it was going to actually work.
He could have sabotaged it, if he were bolder. He could have walked away, if he were smarter. He could have given the General all the info he had, if he were a better man.
But Roman had done none of that. He had gone along with it all out of some mad notion of being able to at least have a hand on the wheel of this out-of-control vessel. A foolish, idealistic notion of at least being able to steer events in such a way as to allow him and Neo to come out of the carnage on top.
He should have known better than to put stock in silly fantasies.
The world was cruel, after all.
For a moment, Roman considered telling Neo to just get out of here, get away and leave him behind.
But he knew she could never do that. She cared for her brother too much.
And he was to selfish to sacrifice himself, even for her.
What a piece of work I am, huh?
Roman lifted his head and stared up at the ceiling.
He could do nothing else at this point.
He could only wait, now.
Wait for the end.
DAD
Blake sat with her back against the wall and stared at her Scroll, finger frozen above the single word as she pondered her next action.
"You OK, Blake?"
Blake looked up to see Weiss looking at her worriedly from where she was knelt on the floor in the middle of the dorm room, her sword disassembled in front of her as she meticulously cleaned each individual part.
"I'm alright," Blake replied. "Just… thinking."
Weiss hummed in understanding, turning her attention back to her weapon maintenance.
Blake looked back down at her Scroll, at her father's contact info. She hadn't called before, everything else had gotten in the way. But now…
Now, she had no excuse.
And truth be told… she wanted to talk to him. Him and Mom both.
She still had no idea what she was going to say. Nothing felt or sounded good enough. But after everything that had happened recently… after how close she had been to never being able to speak to either of them ever again…
No more running.
Blake was so tired of running and hiding and ignoring her problems. And it never even worked, anyway. She had run away from Adam, and he had found her regardless. She had left the White Fang behind, and then they had shown up and dragged her back into their mess all over again.
She had run out on her team, her friends, and almost gotten them all killed when they came after her.
No, running away had not solved any of her problems.
"… face your past with your head held high…"
Professor Greene's words from that night in the Glenn echoed in her mind, as they often did these past few days when she was alone with her thoughts.
Could she do that yet? Face her past? Hold her head up high and accept everything, warts and all?
"Hey, Weiss?"
Blake spoke without thinking, not intending to call out to her teammate, but a part of her it seemed did want a second opinion.
Weiss placed the barrel of her weapon down and gave Blake her full attention. "I'm listening."
"Am I doing better?"
The question spilled out of her without her meaning to ask it, but there was no taking it back now. All she could do was cringe inwardly at the awkward phrasing and wait for Weiss to respond.
Weiss, for her part, seemed to give it some serious thought.
"I can't speak for what you were like before I met you," Weiss began slowly. "Like I said before, I can't deny that your past bothers me still to consider sometimes, but I want to draw a line under that and leave it behind."
Weiss then faced Blake fully and smiled a small, but genuine smile. "So, comparing who you were at the start of the year with who you are now… yes, I'd say you're doing better."
Blake felt a rush of emotion as she heard Weiss say that to her.
Who would have thought I could ever call someone like Weiss my friend, and I hers?
"Thank-you, Weiss," Blake replied, trying and failing to conceal how choked up she sounded. "That… that really means a lot."
Weiss hummed and returned to her work. "However, if you're asking me whether you should call your parents, I should point out that I am perhaps the least qualified person to give that sort of advice."
Blake chuckled. "Fair point." Rising to her feet, she began to make her way towards the door. "I'm gonna find somewhere quiet."
"The classroom at the end of the east corridor on the first floor is always empty," Weiss offered.
Blake raised an eyebrow. "You can remember where one specific room is, but still get lost trying to get back from the library by yourself?"
Weiss did not look amused. "Don't make me take back the nice thing I said about you just now."
Blake rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "I'll see you later."
A short walk later, and Blake was seated at a desk in an empty classroom, Scroll in hand and her father's contact info highlighted once more.
No more running.
She hit the call button.
A few rings, and a click, and then, "Hello, Belladonna residence, may I ask who's calling please?"
Despite her nerves, her anxiety, her guilt, her fear, her worry, her doubts…
Despite it all, Blake smiled as she heard his voice.
"Hey Dad… It's me."
Glynda closed her folder and clasped her hands together. "Team RWBY is no longer on formal probation as of today."
Open with one piece of good news to soften the blow.
The four girls arranged before her all lit up upon hearing her words, Miss Xiao Long in particular breaking out into a wide grin.
"For real!?"
"Yes Miss Xiao Long, 'for real'," Glynda echoed, allowing herself a tiny smirk as she parroted her student's words back at her. "In light of your efforts, the faculty of Beacon have decided that you all deserve to have your slates reset once more as a token of appreciation. On behalf of my colleagues, I give you our collective thanks and congratulations."
Miss Schnee sagged in visible relief, while Miss Xiao Long swiftly gathered her teammates up in her one good arm in an awkward, but no-less endearing attempt at a group hug.
"Thank-you, Professor Goodwitch," Miss Belladonna said with a smile of her own. "That's a real weight off all our shoulders."
Glynda inclined her head in acknowledgement, allowing the four girls to enjoy the moment for a little longer.
And now for the bad news.
"That is not the only reason I called you here today, however."
The girls all became serious once more, Glynda's tone bringing the mood down again.
"Considering the injuries sustained by Miss Xiao Long, as well as the need for Miss Rose to undergo additional medical examination herself, the decision has been made to withdraw Team RWBY from the Vytal Festival Tournament."
Miss Schnee looked stunned, eyes wide and mouth agape. Miss Rose looked crestfallen, her expression dour as she shuffled her feet and resumed fiddling with the hem of her cloak. Miss Belladonna looked disappointed, but resigned as she nodded her head in understanding, her mouth a grim line. And Miss Xiao Long…
"What the hell!?"
"Language, young lady," Glynda reprimanded her. "I know this is not what you wanted to hear, but your personal wellbeing must take priority. Until we can be certain you have all four of you made full recoveries, we cannot in good conscience allow you to risk injuring yourselves further."
"But that's not fair!" Miss Xiao Long cried. "The Tournament is a month away still! I'm already booked in for my surgery next week, we can still make it!"
"Miss Xiao Long, be realistic. Even assuming your procedure goes perfectly, it will take longer than a few weeks for you to complete your physical therapy afterwards."
The blonde girl began gesticulating wildly, offering up half-thought out solutions and possibilities as she ranted at Glynda, who allowed the girl to vent for a bit before raising a hand to silence her tirade.
"I'm sorry, Yang," Glynda said, referring to her by her first name as she spoke in a softer tone than normal. "But I will not allow you to risk your future as a Huntress for the sake of this one event. You have too much promise."
Miss Xiao Long seemed to want to continue arguing her case, but was out of words to say. Instead, she simply scowled at her feet.
"Um, Prof… Professor Goodwitch?"
Glynda turned her attention to Miss Rose. "That goes for you as well, young lady. Attend your appointments, and focus on making a full recovery."
Miss Rose shook her head. "Uh, actually, I w-w-was going to ask if… Weiss and Blake could s-still compete."
It did not surprise Glyda that the young girl would try to advocate for her friends instead of herself, but it made her feel a tad guilty regardless.
"I'm afraid not," Glynda replied softly. "This year requires teams of four for the first round. A pair cannot enter, they would be at too great a disadvantage."
Before anyone could respond to this however, the door to Glynda's office opened, and three figures entered, one of which was…
"Well, Professor Goodwitch," James began. "If a team of four is what is required, I may have a solution for you."
Glynda fought down the urge to telekinetically throttle the man in front of her, settling instead for glaring at him with all her might.
"I would have thought that eavesdropping on private conversations would be considered conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman, General."
James had the gall to smirk at her, even as he raised one hand in apology. "I did not intend to eavesdrop, Professor. I was already on my way to offer my suggestion, I was unaware you had company."
"Penny? Ciel"
Miss Rose looked a little more cheerful as she greeted the other two girls accompanying James, while Glynda was already putting together what he was about to suggest.
Ozpin, if you put him up to this…
"I happen to have a pair of students here who are without a team of their own," James continued. "May I introduce to you Miss Penny Polendina and Miss Ciel Soleil."
The pair of girls bowed politely, but Glynda's attention was focussed squarely upon James.
"They are Atlas students, and Team RWBY are Beacon students," she pointed out, stating the blindingly obvious. "They would be unable to represent one Academy."
"Then they would compete as a joint Beacon-Atlas team, or perhaps as an independent team. I believe there is precedent for both cases, if I am not mistaken?"
There was, which only made Glynda more frustrated.
Making a scene at the expense of my students, students who have already been through enough for now…
But Glynda knew that she would be arguing against more than just James if she put her foot down over this. And besides, this really wasn't her decision… or his, for that matter.
"If Team RWBY and your students all consent, then I will allow it. But the decision must be theirs, without any influence."
Glynda rose from her seat and made her way past the six girls and towards the door.
"General Ironwood and I will return in an hour. Take the time to discuss this between yourselves and decide what you want to do. Whatever your choice, we will respect it."
With that said, Glynda opened the door and all but dragged James out with her.
July 14th
Dear diary,
Well, I'm not going to be in the Vytal Festival Tournament. Neither is Yang. She's not happy about it, but it makes sense. At least, Professor Goodwitch made a lot of good points. Yang's arm needs a lot of time to get better, and I'm not in any state to be competing either. I still get tired at random times for no reason, and the doctors can't explain why. They think I might have done something to my Aura like Yang did when she broke her arm, but they're not sure, so I need even more tests. I'm kinda scared that they'll find something really bad, but I'm trying not to think about it too much. I have enough horrible dreams already without adding anything like that to the pile.
On the bright side, Weiss and Blake are still gonna be taking part! General Ironwood suggested that Penny and Ciel, who aren't on any team themselves, form a new team with Weiss and Blake so they can all compete together! They'll be representing both Atlas and Beacon! It's so cool! They'll be just like Team RRYL, a team of two Kingdoms!
Penny is so happy that she gets to compete. She and Ciel were just along with the rest of their class to watch and support from the sidelines, so getting to take part has her so excited. Ciel is as well, I can tell. They're gonna be so great! And I get to cheer on Penny as well as Weiss and Blake and Ciel! I'm so happy for them all!
It does suck that I can't take part, but really, that's probably for the best. I would have just gotten in the way. I just wish Yang could have competed as well.
Speaking of Yang, I still haven't told her about Raven. It didn't seem right to drop that on her while she was still getting her arm operation organised, so I've been waiting for things to calm down a bit. I think I'm going to try and get her alone tonight after dinner so I can tell her what happened. I'm not sure how she'll react, but she needs to know. Raven is her mom, after all.
I'm not really sure what happened myself.
I hope we can figure it out together. And I hope Yang doesn't do anything reckless when I tell her.
Ruby Rose.
RWBY Re:Mixed Volume 2
E-
"Miss Rose, may I borrow you for a moment?"
Ruby looked up from where she was writing in her diary, startled to see Professor Ozpin standing in their dormitory. She hadn't heard him come in at all, so focussed she was on writing.
"Uh… y-you need m-me for s-something?" she asked uncertainly.
Professor Ozpin smiled and gestured for her to follow after him… even though she was in her pyjamas.
"Uh, o-one second…"
Donning a jacket and donning her slippers, Ruby followed the Headmaster out of the dormitory and down the corridor, feeling very confused as to what was happening.
"Is… is s-something wrong?"
Professor Ozpin shook his head. "Nothing is wrong, per se. I simply wish to show you something, and provide a little explanation that you are long overdue."
Ruby did not know what to make of that, so she simply followed after Professor Ozpin without another word.
She followed him into the elevator, down to the entrance hall of the Academy, and out into the open where a bulkhead was waiting for them.
"Please, after you," Professor Ozpin said.
Feeling increasingly lost, Ruby nonetheless boarded the bulkhead and took a seat, Professor Ozpin seating himself opposite her as they took off.
"Professor, wh-what's going on?"
Professor Ozpin looked her in the eye and gave her a strange, unnerving smile.
"What's your favourite fairytale?"
Ruby blinked. "Huh?"
"Do you have a favourite fairytale?" Professor Ozpin asked. "One you still think of, even now that you are older? Was there a story you remember hearing when you were small that stuck with you, one that you loved to listen to above all others?"
Ruby gave the question some thought. Did she have a favourite? There were so many her mother, and later her sister, shared with her when she was little, and many others she found on her own as she devoured all kinds of books. Adventures, fantastical lands, magical people who did wonderous things…
"I like 'The W-Wanderer and the Town that Slept'," Ruby finally offered. "I mean, I l-like all of the W-Wanderer stories a lot, but th-that one I th-think is the best."
Professor Ozpin hummed. "Interesting. I would have thought one of the other Wanderer tales would have been your choice. The Wanderer hardly appears in that one."
Ruby shrugged. "I s-still like it."
"What about 'The Shining Hunter'?"
Ruby tilted her head in confusion. "I've n-never heard of that one."
Professor Ozpin smirked, folding his hands as he leaned forwards a little.
…
"Once upon a time, there was a boy who was scared of the dark woods around his home. Even though people came and went through the woods all the time, he was petrified of it. So much so that he refused to ever set foot beyond the treeline.
"One day, his father left their village to travel to the market in the next town. It was a journey he had made many times before, and on this occasion he attempted once again to convince his son to accompany him. He insisted that there was nothing to fear, because the road through the woods was safe, protected by a hunter who watched over them all.
"But still the boy refused, so the father set off on his journey, leaving the boy to take care of his younger brother as he had done many times before.
"One day became two, then three, and the father did not return. The other villagers were not worried. Such a journey sometimes took a little longer if there was a fallen tree, or if something in the next town required the attention of the father before he could return home. But the boy could not stop imagining his father being lost in the dark woods, and he had horrible nightmares every night he was gone.
"On the fourth day, while the boy was busy fetching water from the well, his little brother wandered into the dark woods alone. The other villagers organised a search party to find the little boy, while the older brother, wracked with guilt but still to frightened to follow the adults, remained behind.
"But the boy's concern for his little brother grew, and soon it outweighed the fear he felt. So, mustering his courage, he entered the dark woods in search of his little brother.
"He searched and searched, jumping and startling at every noise and every movement in the shadows, but searched nonetheless, calling out for his brother as loud as he dared.
"After many hours, when the sun had set and the dark woods truly lived up to their name, the boy found his brother curled up at the foot of a great oak tree, sleeping. But he was not alone, for a terrible monster was looming over the younger boy, ready to eat him up.
"The older brother cast his fear aside out of love for his little brother, and picked up a stick to attack the monster. But the monster was far too bog and strong for a simple stick in the hands of a simple boy to be driven away, and it turned towards the one who dared to strike it, teeth bared and claws at the ready to rip and tear this foolish boy to shreds.
"But then, a light shone from the depths of the dark woods, a light so bright it chased away all the shadows and sent the monster fleeing in fright. Amid the light, the boy could see a lone figure, axe in hand, light shining from where they stood.
"Then the light vanished, and the figure along with it.
"The boy returned home with his brother, and their father soon returned as well. And from that day on, the boy no longer feared the dark woods, for he knew, as everyone else had known, that the Shining Hunter would keep them safe from the shadows."
…
Professor Ozpin finished his story, and Ruby realised she had been leaning forwards intently as she had listened to him. Snapping back to normal, she returned to her seat.
It had been an interesting story, a spooky one to be sure, but Ruby was now more puzzled than ever. Why was Professor Ozpin telling her all of this?
"Do you remember what happened when you were in that cavern, right before you passed out?"
Ruby frowned. "I r-remember Yang was taken… and everyone w-was s-screaming… and then… my head…"
Ruby closed her eyes and clenched her fists in her lap. "There w-w-was a light that burned…"
"And then?" Professor Ozpin pressed.
Ruby shook her head. "N-next thing I know, I'm w-waking up in h-hospital."
Professor Ozpin hummed. "In all the chaos, I imagine no-one else realised what happened either. But make no mistake, Miss Rose, you saved everyone in that cavern."
Ruby almost scoffed at that. "N-no I didn't. The Atlas s-soldiers saved everyone. I just… passed out."
"Because you used your power."
Ruby looked up at Professor Ozpin. "What are y-you talking about?"
The Headmaster levelled Ruby with a look that caused her to sit upright in her seat.
"You have silver eyes," he said. "Like your mother. Have you even known anyone else to have eyes that colour?"
Ruby thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Nope."
"They are a very rare trait," Professor Ozpin continued. "So rare as to have faded into myth and legend. But there was a time when warriors with shining silver eyes stood as protectors of the world. It was said that a single look from these silver-eyes warriors was enough to scare the Grimm away, for the light they carried inside themselves was capable of slaying even the mightiest of monsters."
The dots began to connect in Ruby's head, and she felt herself begin to shake. "Wh-what?"
Professor Ozpin gave her a small smile. "I understand that this is a lot to take in, but I assure you, I am speaking the truth. You are special, Miss Rose. Like your mother, you bear the Silver Eyes, and carry the light inside yourself. It was that light that drove the Grimm back in the cavern and saved you all, and if you learn to master it, you will be capable of even more than that."
Ruby took a shaky breath. "L-like what?"
The bulkhead touched down, and the engines cut out. The door slid open, and Professor Ozpin exited the ship and held out a hand to her.
"Follow me, and I shall show you."
They were at the base of one of the mountains that surrounded Vale. A small tunnel was cut into the side of the rock, covered by a gate and guarded by a pair of Atlesian Knights. The androids paid them no heed as they entered the cave, Professor Ozpin holding up a torch to light the way.
Ruby lagged a little behind, still trying to wrap her mind around what she had just been told.
Silver Eyes? A light inside of her?
Her mother… she had this as well? But she never said anything about this…
Was she going to tell me when I was old enough, but then…?
Ruby tamped down on that line of thought quickly, lest she start to get upset thinking about Mom.
"Professor?"
"Yes, Miss Rose?"
"Are you s-saying you can sh-show me how to use this… light I h-have?"
Professor Ozpin sighed. "I'm afraid not. As I understand it, only one who has the light can show another how to use it."
Ruby considered this. "Then do you kn-know s-someone who does?"
Professor Ozpin stopped walking, and Ruby almost bumped into him.
"I know someone who may be able to guide you. I cannot promise that they will do so, but I shall do my best to convince them to come to Vale and offer their wisdom. In the meantime, I would suggest you keep this knowledge to yourself."
Ruby blinked. "I can't even tell m-my team? Or Yang?"
Professor Ozpin shook his head. "I know little of the intricacies of the Silver Eyes and their bearers, but I do know that they are often targeted for their gifts by people who would seek to abuse their power. For that reason, I would urge discretion, at least for the time being, until we can learn more."
Ruby… did not like that. At all. She hated keeping secrets.
Professor Ozpin turned to face Ruby, and gestured for her to go on ahead of him.
"But make no mistake Miss Rose, if you do learn to control your gift, you will be able to do things like this… like your mother before you."
The Headmaster's words ringing in her head, Ruby stepped past him and looked into the cavern beyond…
Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and her whole body began to shake as she beheld the sight before her.
It was massive, bigger than most buildings at least, perhaps even as big as the tower at Beacon. It's teeth were as long as she was tall, and it's open jaw, open in a silent, frozen roar, was filled with them.
Claws like immense greatswords on its hind limbs. Horns on its head that towered like those immense stone pillars in the undercity of Mountain Glenn. Great, widespread wings that filled the space around them, paused mid-flight as if this beast had been about to escape before it was frozen in time, it's black body and bone-white skull all rendered grey as stone while its eyes were devoid of light.
Ruby stared in awe, shock and horror as she beheld the giant form the Grimm Dragon, frozen beneath the mountains of Vale.
END
Happy New Year to all of you, readers new and returning! Not Scot here, and Volume 2 of 'RWBY Re:Mixed' is at last complete after over a year of on-again, off-again writing on my part!
I'm really sorry this took so long, and I'm so grateful for how patient and understanding you've been with me. My resolution for 2024 is to set aside at least an hour or two a week to write stuff, so fingers crossed I'm able to get more done!
Especially since Volume 3 is next, and my plans for that are… well, I won't give too much away, but I will share with you the titles for the chapters as a little teaser:
On Your Marks!
Brawl in the Family
All's Fair in Love and War
Night and Day
Invincible
The Fall Maiden
World of Remnant Volume 3: Kingdom of Vale
Pyrrha Nikos
Heart to Heart
Final Round
The Fall of Beacon
We All Fall Down
End of an Era
[Yes, I'm reusing the title from the actual Episode Three of the show for my second chapter. Because some things just shouldn't be tampered with.]
Chapter 1 of Volume 3 won't be for at least a month though. I wanna try and get a bit ahead of myself this time around and have a few chapters ready to go before I start uploading them. Plus, I have a few other things I'm working on as well.
I'd say February, but knowing me that won't happen, so expect a March update at the earliest to avoid disappointment. Sorry in advance.
Before we go, I'd like to give a big thanks again to all of you for being so patient with me, and for leaving reviews and likes. Every notification I get is another little bit of motivation to keep on going, so thanks. It really means a lot.
Well, it's almost time to say goodbye to 2023, so for now I shall take my leave.
Until next time,
Not Scot.
P.S: What's your favourite fairy tale?