A/N: This brings Season 4 to a close.
What...a crazy road it's been, honestly. Between this week, a bunch of side drama, and the majority of chaos starting in March of last year, I never thought we'd get here in one piece.
Gemstones should return by the time the weather gets warmer- every so often, there will be a side chapter. I have to finish a big one, so...expect that one soonish. Maybe on my Birthday.
Special thanks to Tricia, William, Roxy, Kyle, Taylor, Domenic, Blu, Michael, Entrerriano, and Jeremy for your hard work.
Special thanks to Alex, Matt, Ian, Dani, Blake, Martin and Seth for keeping me sane during our VCs.
And a very, very special thanks to William.
You know why~
From atop Beacon Tower, sparks lit up the darkness as Ozpin and Salem fought. After a clash, Salem slid back. She used her hand to melt the floor below her and summoned ice crystals from the newly-formed substance, hurling them towards Ozpin. He deflected them all by moving at superhuman speed, before darting forward and delivering multiple strikes at Salem with his cane, with the last blow launching her back.
Salem skidded to a stop and smiled. "Still haven't changed a bit, have we, dear? You still hold back."
"Probably because I still have a heart," Ozpin snapped, focusing his energy into his cane. Green and black lighting jumped around it, and Ozpin charged at Salem, driving it right through her chest.
Salem smirked. "Oh dear, that almost hurt." Black mist pooled out of her hands, and Ozpin quickly jumped back. The mist formed into the skull of a Grimm Dragon that snapped at Ozpin. He narrowly escaped its jaws.
Ozpin's cane charged up, and the skull dissipated. He repeatedly stabbed the air, bolts of lightning shooting out the tip of his cane. Salem apathetically blocked them with basic magic shields.
"We've done this dance a million times, dear. You know how it ends, I know how it ends..." Salem sighed. "So, I hope you don't mind me inviting a friend."
Ozpin felt a chill behind his back. He swung his cane around and bashed Zs'Skayr in the face. The ghoul flew back, shocked that Ozpin managed to hit him.
"Impossible! My body is invincible when intangible!" Zs'Skayr spat out. "How did you-"
"When Tennyson mentioned you couldn't possess people with active auras, I pondered whether or not aura enhanced weapons could hurt you." Ozpin smirked. "It appears I was right."
Zs'Skayr drifted over to Salem. "A clever man you are, Ozpin." He crossed his arms and eight steely coffins appeared around him. All of them had the same design, a nightmarish pink eye on the 'cover', and each were linked by a chain.
"What an unorthodox weapon," Ozpin commented.
"One of these caskets will be your resting grounds, my dear," Salem said with a smile. "At least, if we meet again."
If? Ozpin grimaced as he charged up his weapon again. Salem began charging up her magic as Zs'Skayr lunged at the professor. Ozpin was quick to block the spectre with his cane, but he couldn't protect himself from the coffins now surrounding him. Multiple tentacles shot out of them, ensnaring Ozpin. Zs'Skayr gave a nightmarish, fanged grin, before turning intangible. From her fingers, Salem shot out a beam of energy that rapidly flew across the stage to reach Ozpin-
But the blast was quickly blocked by a green, spherical shield that simultaneously caused all the tendrils holding Ozpin down to vanish. Ozpin barely tanked the blast, causing him to move back, almost to the edge of the building...
But Ozpin grinned as he turned his shield into a reflector. The blast of energy shot back at twice the speed and pierced Salem right through the heart. She didn't bother to scream in agony, or even react. She just continued to glare at Ozpin.
"Zs'Skayr," she hissed.
The spectre reappeared behind her, his caskets open once more. Instead of tendrils, eight dragonic heads shot out. Ozpin once more raised his shield to block them. Instead of them just weakly bouncing off, the heads all merged together to form one massive dragon that roared as it bit down on the shield, causing it to break ever so slightly. Ozpin's eyebrows narrowed as the creature dissipated.
Salem, now fully healed, didn't even bother to attack. Why?
"Did that little distraction work?"
Ozpin turned around to see Zs'Skayr flashing a fanged grin. Before Ozpin could react, he grabbed the man by the arm and phased him through the floors, slashing and slicing into his body all the way down to the bottom of the tower.
Zs'Skayr threw Ozpin against the tile, shattering the floor upon impact. The spectre grinned as he opened his coffins once more.
"No one stands on the top of the world, Ozma," Zs'Skayr rasped. "One who does that...takes it with him."
Ozpin struggled to stand-
"What's wrong?" Salem asked as she stepped through a blood red portal. "I'd be willing to give you some time to come up with a new plan."
"And let...you prepare as well?" Ozpin mumbled, using his cane to prop himself up.
"Fear is necessary to achieve evolution," Zs'Skayr mused. "But it can also be used...to achieve perfection. To make sure every step of the plan goes right. And if one tiny mistake is made..." He snapped his fingers, and two tendrils pierced Ozpin in the stomach. "The whole plan will go right out the window." Zs'Skayr's weapon disappeared, as did the tendrils.
Salem smiled as Ozpin clutched his fatal wound. "I thank you, Zs'Skayr. It is thanks to your presence that I have finally succeeded in phase one of the plan."
"The forerunner of these plans is the last to take the fall," Zs'Skayr said. "And by far, the most satisfying."
Salem knelt down over Ozpin's bleeding body. "I'm so sorry we had to end things so soon, my dear," she teased, placing a kiss on Ozpin's cheek. "May we be reunited soon."
And with that, she and Zs'Skayr disappeared into a blood red portal, as Ozpin's blood pooled on the ground...
Ben blinked, staring up at the white ceiling. He knew some time had passed, but he didn't know how much. He could remember the arrow hitting his chest, but he was still confused about the pain he was in, and, most importantly-
Why he couldn't feel his legs.
Ben immediately ripped off his sheets- his legs were still there, thank god, but the fact he couldn't feel anything horrified him.
"Calm down," a voice yawned. "The paralysis is only temporary." Ben glanced over to see Ruby sitting up in her own bed. She had some bandages on her face and arms, her hair matted and unkempt. "Doctors said you'll walk again. Just...don't expect to move anywhere without a wheelchair for some time."
"What happened?" Ben groaned.
"...we all got wounded pretty badly." Ruby said quietly. "No one escaped unscathed. Ceres broke some ribs, Yang got her prosthetic destroyed, Kylie's shoulder was dislocated thanks to that Hazel guy, Kevin's facing some repercussions from the fusions..."
"...damn."
Ruby closed her eyes. "We're just lucky to be alive. 30% mortality rate. Yeah, 70% survived, but still, that's still so many..."
Ben was at a loss for words. He didn't often have to deal with mortality rates, especially civilian ones. Zeta Squad had always done their best to keep injuries to a minimum and, if Ben's shock was anything to go by, it showed. And team RWBY was no slouch in that department either- they mainly focused on Grimm and criminals enhanced by aura and Dust, therefore injuries were at a bare minimum. They were all good at what they did.
They really weren't kids anymore, where they?
Suddenly, the door opened. "Ah, you're awake."
Ben looked up to see a doctor standing in the doorway. She had bright green eyes and dark brown hair tied up in a high bun. She wore an orange turtleneck shirt with a dark grey vest. On her waist was a deep brown utility belt paired with dark pants and knee-high boots.
"Ben, this is Doctor Rebecca Holiday," Ruby introduced her. "She's been taking care of most of us."
"Oh, uh..." Ben scratched the back of his head. "Thanks."
"Just doing my job," she dismissed, walking over to his bed. "You're lucky that wound wasn't too deep."
"Yeah, from what I remember, it was a sucking wound. Those aren't normally life-threatening-"
"No, I really mean it," Holiday cut him off. "If that arrow had gone a bit deeper, you would have died."
"...what do you mean? It was in the lungs," Ben said faintly.
"We've analyzed some of the footage from that evening," the doctor explained. "We paid special attention to Miss Fall. Her Semblance allows her to super-heat objects and manipulate their shape."
"So, what's that have to do with anything?"
"She could have dissolved you into ash," Holiday stated bluntly. Ben felt a horrible lump in his throat. "We're assuming the Omnitrix counteracted that."
"That...makes sense." Ben looked down. "What about my legs?"
"A result of your injury," she explained. "The lack of oxygen in your lungs limited the blood flow to your legs. It'll be a few weeks of physical therapy. Don't expect to be using a wheelchair for long."
Ben grimaced. "Wasn't counting on it."
"Atlas' physical therapy course is one of the best. Ironwood funded it personally," Holiday reassured him.
Ben's eyes widened. "Wait, we're in Atlas? Like, right now?"
She nodded. "I apologize for leaving that detail out."
"Yeah...everyone got a free ticket to Atlas," Ruby said sheepishly. "A lot of injured people are here, though some were discharged after a day or two."
"I'll let you two recover a bit more," Holiday said gently, walking out. "I'll be back in a few hours to check in."
"Thank you again, Doctor Holiday," Ben called out as she shut the door behind her.
The two sat in silence for some time. Looking back… it all felt like a dream, the two of them completely detached from their memories. Ruby, as a whole, felt like she was dissociating every time she thought about Beacon's fall. Trauma had branded itself in her brain, but she couldn't process it yet. Ruby couldn't cry when a friend- no, a loved one, was nearly killed in front of her. And Ben hated that she was holding it all in.
Ben settled down in his bed. "...we're alone, you know. You can be yourself."
Ruby looked at him.
"Just let it all out."
Once that first tear broke free, the rest followed. Ruby tried rubbing them away with her bare arms, but they barely stemmed the flow. She felt absolutely awful, chest burning and painful. Ruby had fought against endless hordes of Grimm, lost friends, and had to witness the destruction of Beacon, her second home-
But she was still so young. Ruby Rose, fearless leader, was gone, and all that was left was a crying, hiccupping shell. Ben sat there quietly, unsure of what to say next.
But he had always been a man of action, and this time was no exception. Ben eyed the wheelchair next to his bed and ripped his sheets off. He lifted himself up, his muscles stiff and aching and damn near useless, and his numb legs touched the ground. Ben braced himself for the shock of cold tiles beneath his feet, but when it never came, he could feel his throat close up, devastation welling up inside him.
He heard Ruby sniffle, and he immediately shook himself out of it. Ben awkwardly threw himself into his wheelchair, which got his girlfriend's attention. He took a deep breath and tried to work his wheelchair. After a few failed starts he finally wheeled himself over to Ruby's bed, grabbing her hand tightly.
"I'm here," Ben said, eyes wet and voice beginning to break. "I'm fine. I'm here..." He repeated, tears falling down his face.
The breakdown was inevitable, but necessary. They had stifled their fear and anger and hopelessness throughout that whole battle, and had kept those feelings bottled up for days afterward. Finally letting it all out was ugly and loud, but ultimately cathartic.
Eventually, the two managed to calm down. Ben rubbed circles on the back of Ruby's hand, refusing to let go. He never wanted to let her go again.
"I..." Ruby began, her voice hoarse. She cleared her throat. "We almost lost you. I don't know what would've happened if she..."
"Don't," Ben whispered. "I don't want to think about that."
"Sorry. I'm scared, but not just for me," Ruby went on. "What happened at Beacon shows that whatever we're up against just...doesn't care if you're standing against her or not. She'll kill anybody, and that scares me most of all. I don't want to lose you."
Ben gripped her hand tighter. Her fingers curled around his hand, holding just as tightly.
"...I really, really love you," Ruby said sincerely. "I could have ten different lives. I could have been born in ten different towns, and had ten different careers, and... fallen in love with the same person, ten different times."
"...do you really think we would've met, each and every time?" Ben whispered.
"Yes," she declared, kissing him on the forehead. "We would."
A few hours later, Doctor Holiday came back.
"Sorry to bother you, but the headmaster wants to see you both," she told them.
"Wait, Ironwood?" Ben asked, raising an eyebrow.
Holiday shook her head. "No, Ozpin."
Ben and Ruby soon found themselves moving down the hall to the room Doctor Holiday had mentioned. Along the way, their friends joined them: Kylie's left arm was in a sling; Weiss had some bandages on her arms; Blake still looked exhausted, with some scrapes and calluses on her hands; Min's arm was still attached to an IV of blood (no one knew how that worked); Blonko's face was bruised; while Yang, Kevin, and Ceres all looked like a disheveled mess. Yang probably looked the worst.
"...so, how about that hospital food?" Ben asked, breaking the silence.
"Fuckin sucks," Kevin snickered. "How's your legs?"
"Numb. How about you?"
"Turns out it wasn't a heart attack," he explained. "The overall situation triggered a severe panic attack. Combine that with having two transformations going at the same time...it just messed my body hard."
"Damn," Ben said. "What about you, boss? How are you feeling?"
"Exhausted," Ceres sighed. "That bitch threw everything at me and nearly destroyed all my ribs."
"So, you're gonna kill her the next time?"
"Oh, absolutely."
Ben glanced over at Yang- her hair had been cut off, leaving her blonde locks cut at her neck. Ben thought the haircut suited her, but he knew how much Yang treasured her long hair. He was glad to see it hadn't slown her down. "What happened to you?"
"Cinder," Yang stated. "What about you?"
"Cinder as well." Ben quickly glanced at her forn. "Seems like you got off easier though."
"I'm missing an arm," she said flatly. "And my ribs were broken."
"...right you are," he stuttered, wishing his head would explode to avoid further embarrassment. His eyes then widened. "Wait, if your ribs were broken, how are you-"
"Aura can heal a lot of things," Weiss interjected.
"Hey, never said they were all fixed up." Yang lifted her hospital shirt to both flaunt her impressive abs and reveal a rib cast. There were also new scars on her torso, most likely Cinder's work. "I'll be healed up by tomorrow or the day after."
"I didn't think aura could heal from...all that," Kylie said, thinking out loud. "When I saw you a few days ago, you were in pretty bad shape...I even thought..."
"Well, somehow I survived," Yang grumbled. "I'm not gonna question it." Despite that answer, she blatantly looked over at Min.
"Don't look at me, I was more focused on Kevin. I didn't even know you were in that condition until the ride over to Atlas," Min told her. "It wasn't my magic that helped."
"Really? Then..." Yang paused, deep in thought. She had all these battle scars, but why had the recovery process been cut so short? She shouldn't even be moving right now.
She would have dwelled on it more, but they arrived at Ozpin's room.
"Well, here we go," Min said quietly as Blake opened the door.
Once they filtered into the room, they had to stop and stare. Ozpin was laying on a hospital bed, wrapped in bandages and on life support. To see one of the most powerful men in the world so helpless and corpse-like was as horrifying as it was heartbreaking.
"I'm glad you could all make it," a voice from the corner mumbled. Ironwood stood up from his chair. His left arm was missing, and he looked scruffier than usual. Next to him was Qrow, who was just as solemn.
"Dad..." Weiss questioned, stepping forward. "Is he-"
"He doesn't have much time left," Ironwood said, voice faltering. "He may not make it to the end of the hour..."
Ozpin coughed, grabbing everyone's attention. "I will...personally fight the reaper to make sure I can..."
"Headmaster Ozpin!" Ruby gasped. "What happened to you? Did that Cinder woman do this to you?"
"No...I faced off with someone...much worse," he croaked. "And I fear...you may have to bear my cross as well."
"What are you talking about?" Ceres asked, voice quiet yet stern.
"...it's a long story," Ozpin coughed weakly. "You witnessed a dark and empty sorrow that you shouldn't have had to see yet. This burden...is a heavy payload. It all started with...her. Once upon a time, there stood a lonely tower...that sheltered a lonely girl."
"Wait," Blake interrupted. "This is that old fairy tale, right? 'The Girl in the Tower'?"
"Yes...and I remember everything..." Ozpin said, closing his eyes. "Locked away by her cruel father, Salem was a girl who desired but one thing: freedom. She lived in a time when kings and their kingdoms were plentiful, when men and women were capable of greatness, and magic was a gift from the gods that all could wield. And yet, there she sat within her tower...alone...
"Until one day, a legendary hero came to brave the challenges within the tower's walls. The people of the lands knew him as Ozma."
"Was he related to you?" Kevin asked, arching an eyebrow. "What, are you from a lineage of 'Salem Slayers' or something?"
"I'm getting to that," Ozpin sighed. "Unlike those who had come before, this warrior was not driven by the prize of the young maiden's hand. He fought only for righteousness, and his pure heart and courageous soul prevailed. They escaped the castle, and yet something bound them together. Ozma had been ready to give his life for justice countless times, but now saw a woman worth saving it for. And Salem, to her surprise, found her freedom not in the outside world she had yearned for, but in the eyes of the man that had saved her...and she wanted to explore the world with him. The two fell deeply in love, planned adventures around the world, and lived happily ever after..."
"We know how this story ends," Yang interrupted. "So, why'd she go evil?"
"The story was...edited as time went on, most likely by her," Ozpin continued. "Years after Ozma had saved her, the legendary hero fell ill. And where all the beasts and blades of the world had fallen short, a single sickness prevailed. Salem... blamed the Gods for this. The Gods, brothers of light and darkness, creation and destruction. Salem prayed they would see the injustice that had befallen her love and make things right."
Everyone shared a glance. Gods?
"So, Salem journeyed to the Kingdom of the God of Light. The elder brother dwelled beside his fountain of life and creation. She begged and pleaded for him to bring Ozma back, but the God simply said 'I understand your pain, but you demand of me that which I cannot make so. Life and death are part of a delicate balance.'" Ozpin looked angry after that last line. "He asked her to let him rest, but she could not cope with that answer. So she went to his brother, on the other side of the world. None dare to enter his home, as men knew what monstrosities emerged from his blackened pools of annihilation..."
"The Grimm?" Ruby gasped. "We've been killing a God's creation this entire time?"
"Yes."
"...what the hell."
"The Dark Lord was surprised when he found a lone woman kneeling before him. Salem understood it well. She told him of her loss and professed that she knew only he could answer her prayers, all while careful to make no mention of his elder brother. Appeased, the Dark Lord returned Ozma back to her," Ozpin said.
"Ok, so, she got Ozma back," Ceres said. "Then what?"
"The God of Light eventually found out and smited Ozma on the spot."
"...what the fuck."
"He argued that his brother's ways were not those of 'creation'. The two bickered like children, both bringing back and destroying Ozma in an attempt to rationalize. Do you know what it's like? The pain of being erased?" Ozpin's weak voice grew stronger the angrier he became. "And because they found out Salem had gone to both of them, they punished her. They didn't care to enlighten her. They didn't care to even help her come to terms."
"What did they do?" Kylie asked quietly.
Ozpin grimaced. "They made her immortal. They told her, straight to her face, that her arrogant and selfish wish of getting just one more day...was wrong. So, for all of her pain, all of her tears and all of her issues...they told her that she would never see Ozma in the afterlife."
The tension in the room became suffocating. Moments ago, they hadn't cared much for Salem- some were even willing to condemn her as a monster, considering what little they knew about her beforehand. But now...being told that she was given such a severe punishment just for wanting to say goodbye, one last time...
"So, once more, Salem was a prisoner. Her fruitless attempts to reunite with Ozma eventually became nothing more than acts of spite and defiance against the gods...and in her anger, she rallied an army. Salem traveled from one kingdom to the next, telling tales of how she stole immortality from the Gods, welcomed any swordsman to cut her down, and demonstrated her powers. She told her story, sowing it like a seed in the hearts and minds of many," Ozpin continued. "And people...were angry. She pulled them deeper into her scheme: a revolt against the Gods. If the Gods were angry, terrible things could happen, and she was living proof. Their whims were utterly disgusting and unjust, especially for a woman like herself. And the Gods weaponized that against her."
Ruby felt sick. Her ears were burning, her legs were shaking, and her palms were sweaty. Ben could tell how uncomfortable she was just from her grip on his shoulder.
"A day before the planned revolt...the Gods did the impossible." Ozpin closed his eyes. "They wiped out all of humanity."
Weiss was the only one brave enough to break the silence. "...what?"
"You heard me. They wiped out all of humanity. Not a soul survived...at least, not a mortal soul. They destroyed the human race all because someone wanted to die. Salem had dreamed of dying for some time, in hopes of reuniting with Ozma...but she knew the Gods had fled, and because of that...she was alone on the planet."
"Wait, wait, wait," Ben interrupted. "How did she know the Gods left?"
"...the moon."
"I'm sorry?"
"The Gods took a chunk of the moon on their way out," Ozpin explained grimly. "They wanted it as a 'trophy', as a sick reminder of what NOT to do next time."
"...so, what happened next?" Weiss asked quietly.
"Salem cursed the Gods. She cursed the universe. She cursed everything, including herself. She wandered the face of the world, awaiting a death that would never come...until fate led her back to the Land of Darkness. This was it. This had to be it, the Dark Lord's Grimm, the pools of black that continued to give rise to horrific nightmares. If the fountain of life granted her immortality, then surely the pools of Grimm would finally take it away...but instead..."
Ozpin paused, as if he could hear her screams as she drowned.
"It created a being of infinite life with a desire for pure destruction."
The team could only stare in horror.
Ozpin sighed. "Eventually, the Earth's fate was put to trial by a race known as the Celestialsapiens. They moved to reinhabit the Earth, and they started with...a garden."
"A garden?" Blonko asked, confused. "As in the biblical sense?"
"That's right," Ozpin coughed. "From there, the Celestialsapiens slowly rebuilt society on one hemisphere of the world, reformatting the continents over time to subtly erase what the Gods had done...and yet, they couldn't erase the monsters the brothers made."
"But, what about Salem? Why didn't they do anything about her?" Ben interrupted.
"Don't you think they tried?!" Ozpin exclaimed. He was caught off guard, but the headmaster quickly calmed down. "The brothers were beyond their control. They could not remove the curse placed on Salem...nor the one on me."
"You?" Ceres' eyes widened. "Don't tell me-"
"...yes," Ozpin sighed. "The Gods...decided to torture me as well. They appeared to me, one day in the afterlife...they told me...to be a warrior. To stop my lover, my once wife, a shadow of her former self. They wanted us to be together on Earth, but not on the same side of good or evil...they wanted us to fight. And they wanted me to win. Until my task is complete, I would reincarnate."
"But that goes against everything they said!" Yang yelled, smashing her fist into a table.
"The whims of the Gods...are...cruel ones..." Ozpin coughed. "Salem can't die. I can't die. Neither of us...have a happy ending. We're slaves to fate, cursed to repeat an endless battle throughout time, having to watch allies of ours suffer and die...all for the sick amusement of those two...and now...I've dragged all of you into this..."
Qrow noticed Ozpin's heart monitor slowing down.
"I've tried everything to stop her..." he went on. "I tried...creating a lineage of magical hosts, but each one of them...failed...I tried to build up allies, I tried forgetting the pain, I even tried to reignite our love...I'm so sorry I had to do this to all of you," Ozpin said, tears in his eyes. "This is...all just one, big cosmic mess...and the worst part is...I don't even know if she's going through with her plan anymore..."
Beep.
Ben leaned in despite himself. "What do you mean?"
Beeeep...
"She always planned...to divide mankind, and lord over her fighting...to work from the shadows," Ozpin explained.
Beeeeeeeeeeeeep...
"But...she'd never...kill me...herself..." Ozpin's eyes opened one last time, wide with fear. "...oh dear God."
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.
In the blink of an eye, Ozpin was gone. The room went silent as everyone shared an uncertain, scared look. When a man's last words were 'Oh dear God' said in absolute horror, what else could they say?
Ironwood and Qrow both looked shellshocked, and the others quietly shambled out the door. It wasn't the best move, probably, but what else could they do? They all went back to their rooms in stunned silence.
Let's review what period of grief they were in.
Blonko was in shock- he simply stared up at the ceiling in contemplation and in slowly dawning horror. Never in a hundred years would he ever think he would be involved in something this big. It was a lot for a guy like him to go through.
Blake was numb- the poor girl. She felt disconnected from the world around her. The same world that treated two lovers like playthings. How could she possibly sleep well after hearing that those two cosmic horrors were still out there, possibly ruining another reality?
Kylie was in denial- she refused to believe a word she'd been told. It was all the crazy ramblings of a man on his deathbed. Her brain was rejecting everything, and she wanted to have some sort of SENSE in these crazy moments.
Min felt guilt- the Gods and Chaos Demons had worked with one another for some time. Yes, she joked about causing some historical events, and there was no way she knew Ben and Ruby were gonna hook up or else she wouldn't have lost the betting pool, but...had her ancestors had a hand in all this?
Weiss was yearning- yearning for all of this to be a bad dream. She hoped that maybe, just maybe, Ozpin would finally be at rest. She hoped that maybe the world could recover. But, given the news...she secretly doubted it would.
Yang felt nothing but anger- the whims of the Gods were fucking bullshit. Why would they do this?! Were they chess pieces too? Were they being played for fools? Was this another one of the Gods cruel jokes?
Ben was searching- there was no way this was real, right? His grandfather wasn't just a casualty in a thousand year war, right? The Gods can't be real, right?! (But once you know what the cosmos has, you have no choice but to accept it.)
Qrow was already depressed. This just worsened it. Ironwood, however, was stuck. He didn't know how to react; should he wallow in pity...or bottle these emotions up and carry on?
Kevin was uncertain- should he stay and fight in a war beyond his mortal comprehension, or should he just focus on himself and live with the burden of a man like Ozpin? The question should've been easy to answer, but he didn't know what to do.
Ruby felt sadness - She didn't know how else to say it. Ozpin didn't deserve any of what happened, and neither did Salem, in a weird sort of way. They were in love. Salem never said goodbye. Someone screwed them over. What else could you say but 'that's sad'?
And Ceres...Ceres had already accepted what was going on.
She was going to war again.
Salem's tower had been melancholy for the past few days. One would think they would be quietly celebrating the destruction of Beacon, but...considering how most of their forces had been wiped out, a very important team player having been knocked out, and...the Rose child using her silver eyes...
Salem sat in her palace, quietly reflecting on the battle she had with Ozpin.
"You should be happy."
Salem opened her eyes to see Zs'Skayr floating in front of her.
"I know I should," the queen lamented.
"Do you honestly regret killing that man?" Zs'Skayr hissed, voice dripping with acid. "It's because of guilt that people struggle. People are dying because of shame. You think you should have done things better in the past, or you wonder why you have done the things you did. People are ashamed because of their regrets. They are weighed down with guilt, obstructing their decisions and losing some sense of meaning. All attributable to the fragility of the human heart."
Salem said nothing.
"Are you human, Salem?" Zs'Skayr hissed. "Do you still have a heart? If I rip open your chest, will I find it there?"
"You would find nothing," Salem snapped, standing up. "I won't let anyone threaten my plans, regardless of who they may be! I have long since ripped out my soul. I have no burdens on my back. All that counts is our final victory. All that matters is that I move the pieces on the board one at a time, effortlessly trying to minimize the risks. Showing any sort of emotion, any sort of weakness implies that I am anything but invincible. People fear what they can't understand. If they empathize with me...we're just one step closer to losing."
Zs'Skayr paused as she sat back down.
"...I apologize, my mistress," the spectre said finally. "I had no idea."
"You have nothing to apologize for," the queen sighed. "Now let me be."
Zs'skayr disappeared, and Salem was once again alone in her throne room.
Alone in her tower, Salem wept for the death of her husband.
Elsewhere, someone else was crying too.
Neo hadn't slept in days, not since she heard the news. The only thing Cass gave her was his tattered hat. She didn't elaborate on what had caused Roman's death, but...she did give her a hug.
(Cass could care less about Roman. Neo, however...she was alright. The poor girl was clearly suffering, and for all of Cass' bitchiness, not even she could mess with someone when they lost someone important.)
Albedo eyeballed Neo. She had been in his office all this time, not wanting to show her face to the world. Honestly, he was at a loss for words. An experience like this was completely alien to him.
"I understand you're miserable after your loss," Albedo said finally, as Neo continued to stare at Roman's hat. "But you have to understand...our win is their loss. Even if we lost one key person. Their role in this operation was very sm-"
SMACK.
Albedo stumbled back, clutching a red cheek. Neo shot him a glare so cold and vicious that it pierced his soul. Albedo had never seen her so angry...and for some reason, he felt ashamed. He stared at her, at a loss for words.
Fuck. You. Neo said. She gave Albedo a very well deserved middle finger and stormed off.
That was the last time Albedo saw Neo around Salem's domain.
(He wished he chose his words more carefully.)
Amidst all of the grieving that had been going on, Ironwood had been keeping to himself. He didn't know what to feel; the man that he saw as a partner to him, the one who got him to where he was today through blood, sweat, and the occasional tear, was now gone…and his parting words were that of agony toward the world that had been forced to war with itself because of the foolish mistakes of the gods that lived before them.
To put it bluntly, Ironwood was in quite the conundrum.
Inside his mind, the commander found himself sitting on a constantly moving train car, his head in his hands and the light of the sunset bearing down upon his back as heard a rather familiar voice calling to him:
"Hello again, James."
The voice belonged…to him? Well, not exactly. This was the version of James that he always talked to whenever the world seemed to be against him. It was the angel on his shoulder that guided him toward a better path…but at the same time it was also his greatest enemy, the kind of foe that no man could truly beat on their own…his own psyche.
"Tell me, James. The man that you called your best friend has now died at the hands of an immortal goddess who was slighted by the gods themselves. The kingdoms are in disarray, tensions are rising, and yet here you are, receding into your mind like a hedgehog balling in on itself. Why have you come to me of all times?"
That wasn't a question James could answer on his own. In truth, he never knew why he came here, but it was a place where he could truly talk to himself. But right now all that he could think of was the fact that Ozpin was gone and that he had to try and solve the issues pertaining to Salem. He had to make sure the children were reassured and that they could be given a place in his kingdom…but he wasn't sure how he would be able to truly tell them…
"The truth is sometimes better to hear than mere lies, James. If you are to be the one to bear the world on your shoulders…then perhaps it would be wise to give the children a choice."
…A choice?
"Let them fight. Let the children fight in a war that was started by the gods. They have gone far in making sure the world is safe…and yet right now, when the world is at its darkest, they need a guiding figure. They need a new Ozpin."
But how would James be a second Ozpin? He only knew so much about how Ozpin spoke, how he worked. Ozpin was a kind and gentle man who was always one to help others, whilst James was merely a general…and a strict one at that!
"Would you rather let them fall into despair? Or let them fight through the pain? It is your choice, James Ironwood. You have to bear the burden of the world now. Do not let this chance go to waste…"
As the voice faded away, it was clear that James had something he needed to say. Not just to Team RWBY, Ben and the rest of Zeta Squad, but to all the survivors of this tragedy.
The flashes of cameras could be heard as Ironwood stood at the podium, adjusting the microphone in front of him. He glanced out towards the enclave of reporters, Huntsmen, Huntresses, law enforcement…many people were here to hear what the mighty general of Atlas had to say. Yet even now as he stood there, James found that the words were simply too hard to recount…Oh dear god…those words still made him shiver.
"Address them, James. Let your heart flow."
Ironwood let out a soft cough, clearing his throat. He glanced at the cameras before speaking, sweat beginning to bead at his temple.
"I'll…keep this brief," he began.
Ruby and Ben glanced at the television screen, watching the broadcast live. The two of them were unsure about what was going to be said…but they knew Ironwood had been the quietest out of all of them.
"You are all here today because of a tragedy that has struck the very heart of our world. The massacre at Beacon Academy was one that we should all take responsibility for," Ironwood proclaimed.
Weiss listened close by as she found her heart pounding, the events flashing by her like a train crash in slow motion…but she kept strong, not only for herself, but for the people watching.
"The forces that led this attack, those that would cause such misery and despair among us, they know what they did. They knew the ramifications and yet they did not care. Innocent lives were brought to an end that day…but I stand here not as a general, nor do I stand here as the headmaster of Atlas Academy…" James trailed off for a moment, overcome with emotion.
Yang and Blake held each other's hands tightly as they watched him falter, the general's eyes looking on the brims of tears.
And then General Ironwood slammed his mechanical hand on the podium, the sound ringing across the room.
"I stand in front of you as a symbol. Someone who is here to take back what has been stolen from us. The peace that our world has been in for so long should not be tarnished by those who wish for its destruction! Salem, the woman who led this attack, we know who you are. And we have this one message to give you on behalf of the one who stands as the right hand to the late Professor Ozpin," Ironwood's voice boomed out as the crowd stared at him in disbelief.
Kylie, Blonko, Ceres, all of them were taken aback…but they could feel his determination as the one who had lost so much to Salem.
"The world will not cower in the face of adversity. Which is why I offer you, those who have fought in the battle of Beacon, a choice that will change everything," he exclaimed, blocking out the flashes and roars of the crowd.
"Huntsmen and Huntresses of Earth, do you stand and fight this threat for the sake of our world? You may fight alongside me and take back what is so rightfully ours…or you can survive and make sure that no one else has to bear the brunt of this war. Those who choose to not fight we will not shame, for they have lost more than any of us. Families, loved ones…all of them have experienced a tremendous loss because of this war and I allow them entry to my kingdom…no…our kingdom. Atlas shall be a kingdom for all who wish to survive! Salem's forces will not take everything from us again! This I swear. I swear on the souls of every man, woman, and child who has been unjustly killed by those monsters that took everything from us!" Ironwood yelled.
The crowd roared in admiration as the general found his heart pounding in his chest, but in his mind, he was calm and pleased with what he had said. As Ironwood turned and headed back towards the academy, he found himself thinking: no longer would he have to do this alone. There were those that stood beside him, and unlike Ozpin, James would not let Salem get the jump on him.
This he swore on the stars themselves.
The group sat silently in the meeting room. The last few days had been wild, to say the least. First, the school burnt down. Then, they learned about an unkillable demoness of a lady who was immortal, still most likely grieving, and had no real way of coping. Then there was the fact Ironwood revealed her existence.
It was a lot to take in.
"...so, are we doing this?" Yang said, breaking the silence.
"Doing what?" Kevin asked.
"Getting involved in a ten thousand year war?" she explained. "Against a lady that could snap her fingers and kill all of us?"
"I...do not know yet," Blonko said quietly, looking down at his hands. "My loss was eye opening."
"Blonko, you managed to take Mercury out with just your Proto-Tool," Ben countered. "That's a win."
"Actually, he took himself out with the Proto-Tool," he explained.
Ben blinked. "Did he aim it wrong?"
"Indeed he did."
"Knew it," Ben hissed. He had past experience. Let's just say being tased is not fun.
"But...it proved I have lost my way," Blonko went on. "I have been disconnected from my people for quite some time. I need to hone my skills before I can feel comfortable-"
"I...I dunno if I even wanna pick up a weapon now."
Everybody looked at Kylie. She looked tiny and sad and lost as she huddled in her chair.
"I know I'm the one to usually say 'we can do this', but..." Kylie took a deep breath. "She's immortal. And her minions...you saw what they did. That Hazel guy disconnected my shoulder THROUGH the aura. It just feels kinda hopeless."
"I'm with my sister on this," Kevin revealed. "I dunno if I wanna stay and suffer the same way Ozpin did. That's no way to live."
"What!?" Yang yelled, slamming her fist on the table. "How can you guys back out?"
"Yang!" Ruby exclaimed, glaring at her sister in admonishment.
"Those Gods FUCKED with Salem. Those Gods are fucking with us. We can't just stand around and let those idiots divide us like Salem's been doing!" Yang countered.
"Yang, they're obviously scared!" Blake shot back. "If the Gods did THAT to Salem, what could they do to us? And what could she do to us?"
"You wanna know what the Brother Gods do?" Min said, her voice low and dangerous. "They see you as nothing but toys. They want to mess with you in every way that matters and at every possible moment, and that's why my people exist, to balance. I'm fighting against the wave. I'm gonna take down that bitch to show the Gods have NOTHING on my people."
"Alright, one person on board!" Yang crowed happily. "Anyone else?"
Silence.
"...Weiss?"
She looked up. "I...I don't know yet." She shared a look with Kylie- she agreed with her, but since her father was leading the charge into the abyss, she felt she needed to support him and Winter.
Yang sighed. "Ceres?"
She gave Yang a dark look and spat out, "I've already accepted that I'm going back to war. No need to rub salt in the wound." Everybody stared, taken aback by the sheer anger in Ceres' voice. That amount of fury spoke volumes about the situation, and brought about even more worry.
"You are just throwing away your lives if you go into the battlefield!" Blonko countered.
"It's better than being on the sidelines!" Min snapped. "I'm finally living life and not just reading about it. And I'll be able to help people while doing it! How is that throwing my life away?"
"Does all that refer to your thrill seeking, or just your shortening life span?" Kylie asked coldly.
"Oh, you listen here-!"
And the room exploded into an argument. All their friends were suddenly at each other's throats about where they stood- it was so jarring to see these usually laid back people so up in arms and angry with one another. Ben hated it...
And Ruby hated it more.
Her voice was still weak, and it took all of her strength to conjure up one very loud, one very angry sounding -
"SHUT UP!"
Everyone froze, turning to look at Ruby. Her face was flushed, her eyes focused...and Ben swore he saw the faint hint of tears. Ben had never heard her shout so angrily before- sure, she'd yelled countless other times, mainly in life threatening situations, but never like this. Ruby really did hate hearing people fight, especially her friends.
Ruby cleared her throat. "Are we done?" she asked.
Everyone settled down, but they still glared at one another hatefully. Ruby needed to say the right thing to get everyone on the right track. A shame her mind drew an absolute blank at the worst time.
But what could she say? Ruby couldn't admit it was a pipe dream stopping Salem. That they could make it possible to take down a Goddess that was nearly unkillable. Ruby didn't like all those angry eyes on her, or the fact she was probably being expected to say something cool...oh, God, what should she-
"Listen."
Ruby's eyes drifted over to the wheelchair-bound Ben. He sat up straight, face and eyes completely serious.
"I've got nothing fancy to say," Ben began. "The past few days have been such a blur that I can barely remember any of it. I can barely feel my damn legs, my chest still hurts...and my friends are at each other's throats."
"...kinda guilty trippy, but alright," Weiss muttered.
"No one should be asking you to stay. No one should be asking you to fight. What you do is your choice. I can respect that. We can fight Salem all we want. We can capture any number of her army. We can thwart any number of her plans. We are not the leaders of this entire operation. Fate is not forcing us to stay here. And if this situation is as hopeless as some of you are saying it is...I'd rather we lose together than lose each other."
The room fell silent as everyone looked at one another. Even Ruby was caught off guard. She expected a speech to force some sort of agreement for the others to stick around. Anything. Anything to fix this awful mood in the room.
"He's...he's right," Kylie said finally. "I honest to God don't know how I'd feel if...I just up and abandoned all of you. I'm not fighting just yet, but...I'm not leaving. I need to do my part as a Plumber."
Kevin sighed. "...and I'd feel like jackshit if I left the people that brought me up in the dust too."
Yang sighed, shoulders sagging. "I guess it's too early for all of us to make any sort of decision." The others made assenting noises at that.
"Nobody needs to leave. Nobody needs to stay," Ben continued as he looked at everyone in the room. For a second, he thought he saw Max standing behind Ceres' chair.
Max was smiling.
"But God dammit," Ben said, as tears rolled down his face. "I need everybody to stay with us..." Was it the stress that finally got to him? Or the realization that this wasn't the one and done 'victory' from when he was a kid? Whatever caused it, Ben was still hurting. Ruby immediately wrapped him in a hug, hoping it would help him.
The rest looked at each other- for now, they would put aside their differences. Everybody walked over and joined Ruby in the hug.
To be surrounded by such good, trusting people...
That just made Ben cry even harder.
Weiss stared out her bedroom window to the Atlesian courtyard. That meeting had been beyond stressful. It left her feeling drained; what she needed most was some time alone, and perhaps a warm bath and a good night's sleep.
...shame that Ironwood's dad instincts didn't pick that up.
"Weiss?"
She looked over her shoulder to see James awkwardly standing at the door. "Can I come in?"
Weiss sighed. "I suppose."
The general walked inside Weiss' room- perfectly cleaned and cared for while she was away. It hadn't looked like she'd left, honestly. Weiss continued to stare out the window.
"...that was a good speech," she finally said.
"Thank you," James replied. "I take it the meeting went...well?"
"...there was a lot of arguing," she admitted. "I'm sure Salem would've loved to see all of us at our throats."
"I see." James took a deep breath before he sat down in a nearby chair. The two sat in silence for a few moments.
"...were you scared?"
"Hm?"
"Were you scared while doing that speech?"
James paused. "A little," He lied. "To be honest, this is my first big crisis. This isn't just helping the Plumbers in a battle, it's...something that I don't really see ending anytime soon."
Weiss sighed. "Neither do I."
More silence.
James scanned the room before his eyes drifted over to Weiss' armor. "Ceres made that, right?" he asked. He searched his mind for a fatherly compliment. "It...certainly suits you."
Weiss gave him a look. "Dad."
James shook his head. "First time I've complimented anyone on their armor. If it was a nice suit or dress, I'd know what to say."
She shook her head. "You know, I did wanna talk about something."
"Hm?"
"When I was searching for you, at Beacon... I had an encounter with Emerald," Weiss said, looking down at her lap. "She used her Semblance on me, and...I saw these horrific images of my friends and family, accompanied by...him."
"...I see." James knew immediately who she was talking about. "She crossed a line."
"She did," Weiss agreed. "And it's because of that stress, that...I was able to summon something."
Her father raised an eyebrow. "On accident?" James had heard from Winter that Weiss was struggling with her summoning technique.
"I guess," Weiss admitted. "It was weird- it had Grandpa Nick's voice. It was kind, it...it made me feel safe, but it was also encouraging me." Weiss stood back up. "So, what I'm saying is...you encouraged me to pursue this Huntress life. And...I wouldn't be standing here without everything you've done."
Weiss wrapped her stepfather in a hug.
"...thank you."
Ironwood gave a shy smile and hugged her back.
"My pleasure."
Blake looked at her hair in her mirror- it was now short. Totally new. And...oddly fitting. Was it a sign of a new age? Maybe.
"Whoa."
Blake turned around to see her girlfriend standing there. Yang had come back from getting a new arm from the general, and needless to say she was into the haircut. Blake smirked. "You like it?"
"I love it." Yang smiled...before her eyes drifted over to some packed bags on the floor. "Oh...are you..." She sounded disappointed, but deep down, she sort of expected Blake to leave. With what she'd learned about Blake, if she had been involved in such a shitty situation, she too would do her best to avoid everything about it.
Blake sighed. "I promised my parents I'd come to visit after the tournament was over with. To check in on them."
"Ah," Yang said. "How...how long are you gonna be gone?"
"A few days. A month at most. I'm not sure how long it'll be." Blake finished packing. "I need to take care of some unfinished business."
"I see," Yang said, averting her eyes.
"...you're welcome to come with, by the way," Blake told her. "My parents DO wanna meet you."
Yang's eyes lit up. "Wait, really?"
Blake nodded. "I've mentioned stuff here and there. They seem to really like you."
"Well..." Yang smiled. "I do need to take a little break..."
Ruby looked around the lab with eager eyes- it was full of all sorts of fancy high tech tools and upgrades beyond her wildest dreams. She already had 19 variations of Crescent Rose planned out in her head, just from looking at one single piece of deconstructed tech.
"Pretty cool, huh?" Ceres said, putting some materials on the table. "Ironwood gave me access to upgrade weapons and further my research."
Ruby grinned. "I feel like this is where you'll be hiding for the next few days?"
"Gotta get back in my element," Ceres said, putting her broken gauntlets on the table.
"Woah. Cass do that?" Ruby asked, eyeing the extensive damage.
She sighed. "Combined joint effort of me and Cass, actually."
"You never really explained what happened in that battle," Ruby told her, eyeing her tense shoulders. "If it isn't too much..."
"...Cass may be one of those maidens Ozpin talked about," Ceres sighed. "The bitch overpowered me, and...I had to switch into my final stand mode."
"Final stand?"
"It's an offshoot from our centuries of slavery," Ceres explained. "When the Paladinians were about to kill us, we'd shift into this nigh-invincible dragonic form and kill them first. The thing is, it puts an insane amount of strain on our bodies, which is why it is a literal last resort. Less than five percent of the Archimedean population can shift into that form at will, and only for a very short time before they start to die."
"Huh." Ruby scratched her head. "I knew you were an alien, just not a dragon alien."
"Remove the horns, and we just look like normal humans." Ceres smirked. "But I swear, if I see her again..." Ceres' eyes lit up dangerously. "I'll try to keep the bloodshed to a minimum."
Ruby blinked. "That's...the spirit."
There was a sudden knock at the door. Ceres rolled her eyes. "Blonko, you don't have to knock everytime. When the door is open, visitors are allowed."
Blonko poked his head in. "I am aware. I was just being polite." He walked in- he was not wearing his usual Proto Armor, but instead some sort of alien gi.
Ruby raised an eyebrow. "What's with the outfit?"
"Like I said before," Blonko said, "I need to hone my skills. And I need to start by picking off where I left my training."
"Training? Dude, you know all the fighting styles possible," Ceres joked, lightly punching him in the arm. "What training could you possibly need?"
"Are either of you familiar with Revonnah Kai?" Blonko asked.
Ruby shook her head. "I can't say I am, no."
"Why would you ask us if we know a thing from your culture?" Ceres said bluntly. "I mean, it's got 'Revonnah' in it. It's probably all you."
Blonko cleared his throat. "Revonnah Kai is my people's way of combat. I now realize it may be our version of what hunters call 'Aura'."
Ruby raised an eyebrow. "Wait, really?"
"Revonnah Kai was invented back when we were barely out of the stone age- our weapons could not break stone, so we looked within," Blonko explained. "My people quickly harnessed a tangible energy inside every living being, and used that energy to cut those stones standing in their way. Our energies can grant us heightened senses, create an armor around our bodies to protect ourselves, and increase attack potency. It is essentially our answer to your aura."
"Wait, so all this time, you really WERE going without using this cool superpower?" Ceres grinned. "Rook. Holy shit. You've got balls."
"How come you didn't use this stone cutting stuff earlier?" Ruby asked incredulously.
"To be honest, I never saw the need for Revonnah Kai," Blonko admitted. "My family rough necked it for generations, and a majority of techniques were outdated by the introduction of newer technology. But after doing some studying, I realize that these techniques may be more important than ever. So..." Rook placed the Proto Tool on the table. "I will be 'rough necking it' for these next few months. I want you to hold onto this."
Ruby's eyes lit up. "For realsies?"
"There is no one else I trust with my weapon." Rook said solemnly. "...aside from Ceres."
"You are wise to mention me," Ceres mused as she began taking apart the working parts of her weapon.
"When do you want this thing back?" Ruby asked.
"When I feel I am ready," Blonko said. "Which, knowing me, may not be for a year or so."
"Damn, a full year?" Ruby held the weapon up. "I'm gonna have fun for a full year. Maybe I'll find new ways to use this thing..."
"It would not shock me if you did, Ruby," Blonko said appraisingly before walking out of the room. Ruby admired the Proto-Tool before attaching it to her side.
"...how mad do you think Rook would be if I took it apart and integrated a few things into Crescent Rose?" Ruby asked slyly.
Ceres paused. "Well, I could easily replace that stuff. So..." She grinned back. "I don't think he'd mind at all."
Little known fact about Atlas- state of the art rehabilitation. Since Ironwood was disabled himself, he made sure to fund the best rehab center for those suffering from all sorts of injuries and helping them get accustomed to their new prosthetics.
...of course, this was only available to the rich. So Kylie felt a twinge of guilt knowing that others didn't have this privilege.
Kylie huffed as she held the shoulder length-long PVC pipe. She kept her elbows straight and slowly raised her arms over her head until she felt a stretch in her shoulders.
"Very good," Ari said, monitoring Kylie's progress. "The shoulder flexion thing is baby steps for right now, but it should help you get back in action soon."
"How soon?"
"About 12 to 16 weeks. You also need to avoid crazy shoulder stuff between 6 weeks and 3 months," Ari explained sheepishly.
Kylie sighed. "Just my luck. I got my weapon back too."
"Well, there are other things you could focus on other than your weapon, you know," Ari told her. "Your powers are pretty handy. Maybe you could practice with that?"
Kylie lowered her arms. "Maybe. I still don't know what I want to do."
"No one said you needed to right now," Ben called. Kylie looked over at him- he was walking, sort of. He was supporting himself between two parallel bars, walking slowly and carefully. Ari had a smile on her face as she strolled over to help him.
"Well you're coming along nicely," she commented, helping Ben as he got to the end.
"Thanks," Ben said as Ari handed him his crutches. "Though part of me wants to use magic to speed up the recovery time...but where's the joy in that?"
"Speaking of magic, where is Min?" Ari wondered. "I haven't seen her since yesterday. I figured I would've heard her by now."
"Heard?" Kylie repeated.
"Min's like a cat. If you can hear something rummaging in the next room over, that's her."
"She and Kevin went off to do some training with Ruby, I think," Ben explained. "That new fusion mode...Kevin's trying to get used to it. He's trying small doses, holding it for seconds at a time."
"Everyone's training, actually," Kylie said. "Weiss went off with Winter to hone her Semblance some more. Apparently she managed to summon something by accident. And I know Lev is working with Atlesian techies about safeguards and cyber security- they apparently took him in as an intern for the time being. But, back to my brother. I'm surprised that little silvery shithead managed to come up with something cool," she huffed as she lifted her arms over her head.
"Well, technically, I had fusions first," Ben pointed. "When Psyphon used a DNA scrambler on me. But hey, Doppler stole it. Go figure."
"Aw, don't get salty. He's Doppler," Ari teased. "You're immediately better than him."
Ben chuckled, before he looked down to his hands. "Hey, Ari, I wanted to talk to you about something real quick."
"What's up?"
"...is it possible to scan to see if I have a Semblance?"
Ari arched an eyebrow. "Why, what happened?"
"Well, when I was...y'know," Ben pointed to his chest, "that Cinder lady tried to finish me off. I had this weird vision of... Grandpa Max, and then...I shot lightning from my fingers."
Ari and Kylie shared a look.
"Are you sure it wasn't, like, an Omnitrix self defense thing?" Kylie has to ask.
"No, I would've transformed if that activated." Ben sighed as he clenched his fists. "The whole thing was so weird."
"It is possible that Maria not only unlocked your aura, but also a Semblance," Ari hypothesized. "We'll have to test that in the future."
"For now..." Ben huffed as he turned back to the bars. "I just need to focus on getting these legs back in action."
Ben had to admit- for a rich people utopia, this place had a wonderful view of the icy tundra. It was utterly breathtaking. Ben felt comfy watching the sunshine on the rooftops- he would have to thank Lev for helping keep the building's shields up. Though considering the state Lev was in the last time Ben saw him, maybe he should convince the teen genius to take a break, or at least talk to someone. No doubt he and Ari were getting flashbacks to the last war they were in...
"Enjoying the view?"
Ben sighed. He turned around to see Qrow walking towards him. "I was," he admitted. "Till you showed up."
Qrow smirked. "Harsh." Ben half expected him to pull out his flask and take a swig, but surprise, surprise, it wasn't on his person. Ben raised an eyebrow, but shook off the thought.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Ah, just came back from a meeting," Qrow said casually.
"More Ozpin fallout stuff?"
"Different meeting, kid."
"...I see."
"...how's your therapy going?" Qrow asked. Ben was caught off by his friendliness.
"...it's going pretty well, actually," Ben said. "Um, if it isn't too much to ask, why are you being so nice?"
Qrow took a deep breath. "Listen. I still don't like you, but I'm trying to force myself to like you," he explained. "I've heard about Ruby saving people all the time, but...she certainly went all out trying to save you. I've never seen her happier. It's...good to know she's with someone..."
"Nice?"
"No, I don't wanna praise you that much," Qrow said, brushing off Ben's hopes. "But it'll do for now."
"I'll take it," Ben chuckled.
"I also heard about your little speech from Ruby," Qrow said, smirking lightly. "Remember what I said a few days ago? When you were setting up for the alien guy's family?"
"Dude, a few days ago feels like a month," Ben groaned. "Repeat it for me, would ya?"
"I'll just condense it for you, jeez," he huffed. "Three simple words: keep moving forward."
This time around, those words actually resonated. "I'll try."
Qrow chuckled as he ruffled his hair. "I know you will, Ben."
Qrow walked off as Ben went back to looking out at the horizon. These past few months...what a damn blur. It felt more like he'd been at Beacon for a full year rather than a single semester. The friends he made, the experiences he'd had, the memories forged, and, of course, his best friend becoming his girlfriend.
Speaking of which-
"So, how was your talk with Uncle Qrow?" Ruby asked as she (quite literally) appeared out of nowhere.
"Oh, you know," Ben chuckled. "He called me the wrong name again, said some weird stuff..."
"Sounds like Uncle Qrow," she lamented. "Wish he'd be nice to you."
The two stayed on that rooftop, one standing, the other in a wheelchair, both staring at the tundra before them. Ben reached out for Ruby's hand. "So, what next?"
"...I don't know."
"Me neither."
Silence.
"...but I sure as hell know my scythe is gonna kick some serious ass," Ruby said with a big grin on her face.
"Only you, Rue," Ben said fondly.
...
"Hey, Ben."
"Yeah?"
"Do you remember the first time we fought together?"
"Yeah, at Mt. Rushmore," Ben recounted, "You rode on my back when I was Eatle, you kicked some ass while I was stuck in a tree, and we kicked that Nevermore's ass."
Ruby chuckled. "Good times."
"Why bring that up now?" Ben asked, raising an eyebrow.
"...I dunno, honestly," she admitted. "I'm just shocked about how far we've come. This feels nothing like every other crisis or mission we've done before."
"...I'm scared out of my mind, Rue," Ben said softly.
"...me too." Ruby squeezed his hand. "I just wanted to remember a simpler time."
Silence again.
"...but there's no way we can go back to the old days, I guess," Ruby eventually said. "It's not like us to get hung over a crazy situation like this."
"...yeah." Ben smiled. "Keep moving forward."
"Oh, hey, there you are!" Ben turned his head around to see someone approaching them. He was a Hispanic kid with lightly spiked, slicked back dark hair. He was also very, very tall for someone that looked to be in their age group. Following him was a grumpy and rumpled Lev, holding a coffee cup and looking less like a model and more like an exhausted college student. "I thought we were training today. I've been waiting for like 15 minutes, tops."
"It was more like ten," Lev grumbled. "I should know, the techies threw me out of the lab so I could sleep." He pointedly took a sip of his coffee.
"You're gonna die like this, you know that, right?" the other boy told him.
"Ooooh, sorry!" Ruby gasped, eyes wide in realization. "I was just having a moment with my boyfriend."
"Thanks for ruining it," Ben said sardonically. His gaze softened when he saw Lev. It was so rare for him to be anything other than a well-dressed snarker, so to see him in this state… "I'm just glad to see you in daylight again."
Lev gave him a weak but genuine smile. "I suppose I was due for it." He gestured to the tall boy next to him. "Have you met this guy before?"
"No, they haven't," the kid smoothly interjected, making a faux salute. "Rex Salazar of the Ace Operatives, at your service. You're with the Zeta Squad members, right? I've been filling in for you while you're recovering."
Ben chuckled. "They're weird, aren't they?"
Rex nodded. "Yeah, they really are."
"Rex's been my sparring partner these past few days. I've been trying out my new weapon upgrades with him," Ruby explained. "You wanna see us fight?"
Ben grinned. "Hell yeah."
"Wonderful!" Lev cheered. "You do that while I either break into the lab again or break into the winery. I'll decide on the way," he said as he took out Qrow's flask and dumped the contents into his cup.
Ruby gaped. "Is THAT where that went?!"
It's gonna get harder from here
We've gotta get smarter
To get this all in line
Cause you say stop and we say go
To wake up knowing you've got the day
To take on without feeling okay
To make yourself unwilling to sleep away
(Sleep away the pain)
Don't take off running without my say
Don't pay that price
You thought you'd pay
You've got the choice
You've got the time of day
JUST DON'T SLEEP AWAY THE PAIN
