RWBY: Rose Reborn

Chapter 6.5: Friendships Reborn

Time with Qrow

"Keep your axe up! It's easier to lower a blade then to raise it!" Qrow yelled as sharp metal clashed between him and his niece Rose.

All she could do was nod quickly as she ducked to avoid a side swipe, her axe scythe's blades cutting perfectly into the ground with her roll as she charged it up with a flame dust crystal. As the curved blades caught flame, Qrow couldn't help but wince a bit as he saw her fierce scowl through her mouse mask.

"I knew she needed to blow off steam…but this much heat?" Qrow thought as he heard her scream with furry and charge at him, twirling her axe to create a spinning wheel of fire he saw represented the frustration he saw festering in her, and for good reason..

These last few days have been quite tense to say the least. Qrow could feel how dejected Rose had been feeling lately. It wasn't just the crowds demonizing of her due to her resemblance to Ruby, something that brought a knot to his own stomach as he recognized his own guilt in that sin. No, what was truly killing the poor girl was the death glares Nora was handing her way whenever they so much as locked eyes. Qrow could see in her wrathful gaze the same bitterness he once felt towards his new niece, but couldn't bring himself to intervene despite seeing that same pitiful look of silver eyes watering that Ruby once had in Rose. When Yang questioned him upon noticing his observation, all he could do to excuse himself was say,

"It's not my place." He somberly said. He believed every word of it, he couldn't force Nora to accept Rose and move on from losing Ruby, hell it wasn't easy even now for Qrow himself.

Yang, however, saw it differently, fixing him a stern glare.

"Doesn't mean you should just take a backseat and ignore her pain. My team and I are trying but we need to go on hunts a lot lately, we can't protect her from Nora or those people its up to her Uncle to do so. Got it?" Yang sternly asked.

Realizing she was right, Qrow just sighed heavily and nodded, hence why he decided to have this little match with his new niece. As he quickly loaded a gravity dust bullet into Harbringer, he quickly transitioned into bird form to evade the rotating fire blade coming straight at him, not trusting his aura or reflexes to handle it.

"GAAH!" Rose roared in frustration as she missed him. Qrow smirked as he returned to human form mid air, firing the bullet near her feat. As it touched the ground, a black glyph appeared under her, making Rose feel immense weight pressed upon her from the gravity dust. Her mask glowed for a moment before fading, a shield couldn't protect her from gravity.

"I-I can't get loose." She bitterly thought, the weight on her keeping her from opening her mouth to speak or dodge this next attack she saw coming. Qrow transitioned harbringer to scythe form, whipping its curved blade around her waist and throwing her onto the ground hard, her aura shattering upon impact.

Rose weakly lifted her head, still heavy despite getting thrown out of the gravity well as her mask fell off. Her eyes widened on her exposed face as cold sweat fell down her face at the sight of the blade near her eyes.

"Checkmate kid." Qrow said with a cocky grin. Rose just groaned and plopped her head on the hard concrete floor in frustration.

"Darn iiiiiiiit!" She whined. Qrow chuckled as he heard this, she looked like Ruby and sounded like Ruby, which made this spar more enjoyable. The nostalgia mixed with excitement was welcome after all these depressing days.

"You did good kiddo." He said warmly as he offered his hand up.

Rose squeaked a bit as she heard this, getting a strange surge of joy arise within her despite being sore from her loss. Any bad mood she had lingering she oddly wanted to throw away as she heard this man's praise.

"Guess Ruby's acting up in me." She guessed in her head as she slowly accepted the hand up, before giving him a smirk as she picked up Furry Rose and her mask.

"You didn't praise Ruby much huh?" She laughed, making Qrow snort.

"She had a big head as it was, she didn't need me making her more cocky." He quipped.

"Pff! like your such a good role model, hitting little girls so hard old man." She teased, bringing an offended scowl to his face as he heard her retort.

"Well then, maybe hold up that axe for me to look at since I'm too old to carry heavy shit beansprout." He snorted before eyeing the scythe axe hybrid. It was secretly yet another reason he wanted to spar and he couldn't help but throw away any hurt feelings over the joke at his expense to eye it up close.

"Is my weapon unusual?" Rose asked. To her it felt completely natural, like a part of herself. She couldn't tell why anyone would find it weird, then again….

"A lot of this world and the Ever After is weird to me." Rose thought to herself. All she ever had of either world were fragments of memories from her incarnations Summer and Ruby, which didn't give her much clarity on geography.

"No I wouldn't say that. It's more of a personal thing." Qrow responded drawing a confused look from Rose.

"How's it personal for you? It was born a few days ago like me. It's also the first spar we've had." Rose said.

"Not really. I've had quite a few spars with an Axe user before. One I really cherished." Qrow retorted softly, drawing a sad smile from himself as warm memories surged. Rose's eyes widened as her jaw dropped a bit as she felt those feeling, a part of herself growing warm as she realized something.

"You…You mean M-Mom right?" Rose asked nervously.

"Yeah….good to know she's still "mom" to you kiddo. At least that's one thing that hasn't changed unlike your weapon." Qrow said with a smile.

"I was born of Ruby and Summer Rose's powers and some memories. I may be a different person, but in a way both were my mothers. I'll always love them like that, even if they did cause me some problems sometimes." Rose said with a sad smile Qrow caught.

"I know it's not fair, the way those people treated you, the way Nora and I had treated you kid. I'm sorry." Qrow said sadly.

"I know I shouldn't hate her, or Nora for losing her, but I can't help but also feel mad at Ruby for causing that pain and hate." Rose said bitterly, making Qrow sigh.

"When we give up hope, when we give up on our lives, we don't tend to think of the mess we make for others." Qrow wisely said, remembering the bitter lectures Tai gave him for getting drunk and neglecting Ruby and Yang when mourning Summer. It wasn't a proud time in the former alcoholic's life, but it did give him better insight in how Ruby felt, even if he didn't agree with her choice. All he could do now was make up for lost time to honor her and her mother, and he'd start by helping this girl through her problems like they no doubt would.

"I can't do anything about the city people, but….I think I have an idea to help you deal with your Nora problem." Qrow said with a grin, drawing interest from the teenage girl.

Time with Ren

"Your gonna burn it." Ren warned as he began to smell the chicken get smoky.

Rose was busy using tongs for the first time, trying in vain to get a grip on the chicken breast on the skillet.

"I…I got this- *POOF*" She stuttered before the skillet caught flame, blasting her face and leaving ash on it as she formed an annoyed scowl at the boy.

"Not….one….word." She warned him menacingly, making him laugh uncontrollably.

"Oooooh….I guess you both sucked at cooking huh?" He chuckled before she smack his arm annoyed.

"I said-" She roared before he gave her a smirk.

"That was more than ONE word wasn't it?" He snickered, soon drawing a blush on her as her cheeks puffed, trying to force herself not to laugh to no avail as she broke down, tears stinging her eyes.

Ren felt soothed as he saw her laugh. Despite the fact they'll both have a bad lunch as he put out the flames of the burnt chicken with a fire extinguisher, he couldn't help feel at ease seeing this girl so happy. It was just like old times at Beacon with Ruby, better times without any danger or doubt. He was glad Qrow asked him to cook dinner with her, seeing the man's goal from the start.

"Your…"mom" as Qrow said you saw it, wasn't a good cook either. Guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree." Ren quipped.

"Oh! I came from a pretty BIG tree. That apple would splatter like your brains will if you mock me again Renny." She warned but in a obvious joking manner as she poked his chest to his amusement. But one girl who passed by wasn't amused in the slightest.

"Don't. you dare….call him Renny." Nora bitterly warned, making the two gasp with a start as they saw the Valkyrie glare at them furiously. Her mouth was closed, but Ren could tell she was grinding her teeth annoyed Rose used the nickname Ruby and Nora used for Ren. To her, it was their right not this "imposter" who sheepishly nodded in compliance, not wanting another yelling barrage. As Nora left in a huff, Ren could only sigh as the mood darkened, seeing Rose shivering.

"Give her time. Ruby was like a sister to her." Ren warned with an empathetic sigh.

"She's taking it better than Yang did. She hasn't tried to crush me yet." Rose sighed sadly.

"So…why did you let me cook with you?" She asked a confused Ren.

"You asked didn't you?" He replied.

"No, no! I mean….when you heard the news, I knew you were taking it badly like the rest did. What changed your mind about me?" She asked Ren, whom stood in silence, ignoring his vegetables as they also began to char, not that he cared. The answer was an easy yet painful distraction.

"I hurt my friends with my actions once. I just…got tired of doing that. I didn't want to hurt Yang and the others by hurting you anymore." Ren sadly explained, the memories of his fight with the Knucklavee and argument with Yang tugging at his heartstrings.

"Thanks…doubt Nora will ever feel the same. Yours is burning too by the way." Rose said sadly as she rubbed her arm.

Suddenly Ren's eyes widened as her words sunk in, he frantically threw the burning pan into the sink and hosed it down.

"Phew! Guess we both burned out." Ren quipped, making Rose chuckle slightly, then he got a light bulb as this gave him an idea.

"Maybe Nora just needs an outlet to burn out her anger." Ren surmised to Roses confusion.

"I don't think hitting me would solve that issue. It took Yang killing us both once to solve our differences, and here on Remnant you don't get second or third chances in life." Rose pointed out, making Ren chuckle.

"Nora's a lot like Yang, she thinks with her fists not her brains much, so talking may not help much but this is isn't a gladiator ring. You don't have to beat or cut up each other to settle things, but you will be doing something like that." Ren explained.

Time with Nora

Nora and Rose were outside the city walls of Vacuo, covering some supply crates being driven in. Ren had insisted Nora bring Rose alongside her, saying he and the others were busy as a lame excuse. When she called bullshit on that, Ren took her aside and told her something that shook her to the core.

"Why not give Rose a chance? I know you miss Ruby…we all do, but Rose didn't do anything wrong. Who knows, maybe a bit of the old Ruby might come out while she's killing Grimm with an old friend?"

Nora didn't know what irritated her more, the fact Ren was almost always right or the fact she had to cover the new girl who, in her eyes, knew absolutely nothing about fighting Grimm like Ruby. Her style was similar, using a speed semblance to close in and deliver a volley of slashes, but that stupid axe scythe meant she was more clumsy and destructive, nothing like the Ruby she knew. Worse, despite the crates being safely delivered, Rose didn't yield her destructive assault to retreat behind the walls, she just kept cheerfully swinging the weird scythe axe Fury Rose, ignorant to the hordes of Grimm surrounding her.

"YOU IDIOT!" Nora roared as she charged in behind Rose, delivering a lightning charged to the head of a centipede Grimm that crawled behind her, splattering its face into a cluster of black dust.

"Thanks bolt girl!" Rose cheered as she smiled gleefully. To her, that act proved the Valkyrie truly did care for her safety…not that she was in danger in reality.

"Best not tell her little's shield would have covered me huh?" Rose thought to herself. Her thought proven true as Nora simply grinded her teeth and groaned at her.

"In case you haven't noticed…WE'RE FIGHTING A GRIMM ARMY! KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED!" Nora yelled furiously.

"I can't peel off my eyes, that would hurt." Rose said confused as she nonchalantly slashed another centipede the second it burst out of the sand. "Why do you think I can't fight?" She asked genuinely curious, making Nora fume.

"Because your not fighting like Ruby. She would have kept moving and never would have let those demons encircle her!" Nora retorted.

"But I did keep moving. I swung my axe around going swish swish foom foom!" Rose countered dramatically as she swung her axe and twirled it to slash and behead some small Death Stalkers. "Besides…I like fighting enemies on all sides, its more fun that way. Ruby never fought like that?" Rose asked before covering her mouth in shock. The sight of Nora shivering with rage, face flushing, showing her she asked an insensitive question.

"GAH! Your….your unbelievable!" Nora yelled as she heard this. She hated how this girl knew nothing of Ruby despite supposedly being reborn from her. How could the Valkyrie ever have gotten her hopes up she'd see the old Ruby again. As this frustration festered, Nora heard the screech of a nearby Grimm drawn to her negativity. She bit her lower lip as she morphed her hammer into a grenade launcher, eager to blast something to shreds since she couldn't do it to this annoying girl before her. She quickly began blasting a bat Grimm that flew nearby with a volley of grenades, but in her anger, the flash from the massive explosion stunned her eyes, causing her to wince painfully.

Rose's Little shield covered her face, so she wasn't affected by the shine, letting her see the hordes soon converging on the blinded Nora.

"NORA!" Rose cried in alarm as she tackled the girl, soon enveloping them in a flurry of rose petals as she flew them up high above the horde.

Nora's heart skipped a beat as the familiar sensation of Ruby's semblance overtook her. She slowly opened her eyes, shuddering as the masked woman was showing off that same smile Ruby always gave off in battle….no it was even more confidant. This was nothing compared to the shock when Nora slowly glanced down, noticing they were hovering in mid air above the army of Grimm, rose petals descending.

"Flower!? Ruby's semblance?!" Nora cried out, tears stinging her eyes at the nostalgia.

"YUP! A little parting gift she gave me. One I'm putting to good use!" Rose cried as she transitioned Fury Rose to cannon form, generating a red lightning ball that she sent towards the horde.

Nora winced as massive explosion of red light enveloped her vision, all she could hear was the death cries of countless bat, centipede, and snake Grimm below as they were vaporized.

When it was all over, Nora's jaw dropped along with her stomach as Rose quickly flew them to the charred ground below. After a period of dizziness, she noticed to her shock the city was fine despite that massive explosion.

"N-No damage to the walls? How!?" She asked out loud.

"I drew them towards me for a reason, so I could wipe them all out in one shot away from the city." Rose explained. "I figured the sand dunes would also absorb most of the shockwave. Did you really think I wouldn't have a plan?" she asked.

Nora stood there in silence, hanging her head in shame a bit which said it all.

"Sorry….about what I said before." She reluctantly said, leading Rose to give an empathetic sigh.

"Me too. I get carried away in my excitement and say the wrong words. I get its all a little too fresh, Ruby and all but-" Rose said sadly before Nora cut her off.

"But your not her. My friend is gone, and I need to accept it, just like I have to accept…this!?" Nora said with hints of sadness and defeat in her tone as she waved at her scars. She always saw how Ren stared sadly at her scars, it was an unpleasant chapter in her life that was for sure, though losing Ruby was definitely a worse pain, and a fresher one.

She was startled when Rose put a hand on her shoulder, slowly rubbing the lightning scars she had while giving her a sad smile.

"I didn't get to accept myself. I didn't get a choice in being made from her. That choice was made for me. At least…you got to make THIS choice for what you felt was right." Rose countered as she rubbed the scars.

"You didn't get to choose to be who you were when you ascended?" Nora asked, a bit hurt to see Rose nod.

"Ruby made it for me. She wanted me to take her place, handle the things she couldn't. But one mission she gave me after wasn't something I could ever succeed in, replacing her as your friend." Rose said sadly, bringing a tear to the Valkyrie.

"But that just means she's not really gone Nora." Rose said sternly to Nora's surprise.

"She's a part of not just me, but of those she fought for in her life, those she loved. She's a part of you Nora, and you'll only lose her for real if you keep feeling only sadness and anger when you remember her." Rose affirmed with a confident smile. It made Nora shudder as she took in those words, finding nothing false with them. What made her heart shake more was the fact this was sounding like a classic Ruby speech, one she couldn't help but feel drove the point home.

"Yeah….you can't replace her…just like no one could replace Pyrrah….or any of my friends and family. And I shouldn't have ever thought you were trying. I'm sorry." Nora sniffled as she wiped her eyes with her arm.

"So, I'm not your Ruby….but am I your friend?" Rose asked with a hesitant smile as she held out her hand. Nora didn't even need a minute to consider her answer, as she crushed Rose in a bear hug.

"Friends!" She affirmed, ignoring the choked gasps for air from the now red-faced Rose.

Time with an old friend.

Rose was feeling especially cheerful tonight. In the span of a single day she had an amazing training session with Uncle Qrow and managed to make up with both Ren and Nora, with the added bonus of saving the city from an army of Grimm she decimated. Though the people sadly still were giving her death glares, obviously not grateful despite this, Rose ignored them as the opinions of those she truly cared for were improving.

"Well then…that just leaves one person left." Rose sighed as a particular someone came into her mind, along with the memory of a painful set of words that stung her heart.

Later that night, as her team was gearing up to shower and change for bed, Rose excused herself, saying she wanted to go for a quick night run before showering, but this was part of her plan.

She instead crept up to the door of that person, her fist shaking as it hesitated to knock, the words pounding her ears as she just imagined doing it.

"Come on Rose…it has to be done. Rip it off quick like a band aide." Rose whispered to herself as she urged her arms forward.

It took a few minutes for her to work up the nerve to finally knock and utter the choked words.

"J…J-Jaune?" Rose cried out softly. In almost an instant the door opened, showing Jaune still in his armor except for his chest plate, making Rose giggle as she saw the Pumpkin Pete logo on his shirt to his annoyance.

"Hahaha yeah I get it." Jaune said deadpanned, not amused.

"S-Sorry its just….wow! That was a load off!" Rose laughed before taking a huge inhale. She really needed the distraction.

"So why did you come by?" Jaune asked, getting right to the point. Rose paused as she heard this, the realization she had to follow through making the weight on her chest return.

"Well, Jaune I….or rather Ruby she…" Rose stuttered, making Jaune's eyes widen in shock.

"Ruby? D-Did she talk with you!?" Jaune cried out, a bit hopeful.

"Not…recently." She retorted, making the Arc slump his arms solemnly. The mood now ruined, which only made this harder for Rose, fearing it was getting worse from here on.

"In fact, its about what she said before." Rose explained. Jaune's breath hitched as he heard this, realizing where this was going.

"Oh….she-" He hesitated to ask and she nodded.

"J-Jaune she…she just wanted me to tell you…how sorry she was for what she said!" Rose cried.

"D-Don't worry about I don't-" Jaune tried to wave it off but Rose wasn't having it, Ruby's guilt seeping into her heart like a parasite. She had to get it out before this killed her.

"Don't care? That's what Ruby's sorry for, she's sorry she felt you all didn't care about her more than the pleasers! She's sorry she was selfish and hurt you!" Rose cried.

"*Sigh* Guess she and I were more alike after all." Jaune groaned sadly to Rose's sadness.

"S-She told me she didn't blame you for what you said." Rose stuttered, but this just made Jaune wince.

"Because I made her think it was true. Because I was selfish, not caring about her pain the whole time." Jaune bemoaned.

"Guess you both were the same huh?" Rose said as she hung her head sadly.

Jaune hated to see Rose sad, more than he hated how right he felt those words were.

"Say, can you do me a favor Rose?" Jaune asked.

"What is it?" She replied hesitantly, before getting startled by a tight hug.

"Tell crater face I take it all back if you see her in your dreams, she was my best friend after all." Jaune said with a sad smile. Rose paused for a moment, unsure what to say after hearing those kind and strangely familiar words, before a strange warmth overtook her, making her smile as she instinctively knew what to say.

"Thanks for the help Ruby." She thought before saying,

"You got it….vomit boy." She teased with a massive grin before walking off, soon laughing as Jaune gave an exaggerated hacking sound saying he was sick of hearing that name.

Time with my Sisters! (WBY)

Though it was late, Rose couldn't bring herself to fall asleep, and her team moaned this fact as she got back to their room, her body shaking with excitement as she urged her team to get out of their beds.

"SLUMBER PARTY TIME!' She cried out.

"Rose…can we do it tomorrow?" Weiss whined as she rubbed her eyes.

"Yeah we all just fought off a shit load of Grimm." Yang backed her up, cracking her neck a bit as it was sore like all over.

"And...a bunch bad stares." Blake said sadly. Yang and Weiss fixed her a sad one themselves as they hugged her, feeling that pain themselves. Rose sighed as she heard that, knowing how they felt, yet she was determined to bring them up for that very reason. The Summer Rose in her was telling her now was the time to be motherly.

"Which is why we should just ignore those haters and focus on having a fun night with just each other, look at each other with joy. What do you say friends?" Rose asked hopefully, fixing them puppy dog eyes just like Ruby used to.

The girls groaned, trying hard to resist her stare, but like their leader before her, they found themselves helpless to resist.

"Okayyyyyyy!" They moaned in compliance, rolling their eyes. They weren't really in the mood, but saw they didn't have a choice, or feel it as they felt trapped as Rose locked them in a vice grip hug.

"EEEEEEHHHH! We're going to have the best night ever!" She screeched, almost making Blake pass out from sharp pain in her ear rather than lung.

For the next 2 hours, it was indeed a fun night the girls had to admit. They gorged on popcorn and soda, Rose giving WBY a fun show of flying around the room from sugar rush. Weiss did everyone's hair, giving them each other's haircuts or ponytails. Yang proposed spin the bottle, but Blake and the others fixed her a stern glare, knowing who she really wanted and was just making an excuse for. Blake decided to break the ice by proposing each tell something amusing about their days.

Weiss went first.

"I managed to use my ice dust to make it snow for some kids in the south district. Figured a fun day would keep the Grimm away." She said with a proud smile.

"Good on you Weiss. No wonder there wasn't that many over their today." Rose cheered and the Bumbleby couple nodded.

"After Grimm hunting, Me and Yang got to sneak away for a personal date. We traded a little dust for some fruit we made smoothies out of with ice dust." Yang said next.

"And used one straw." Blake purred bringing a blush to Yang and the others face.

"TMI!" Yang yelled embarrassed as she slapped Blake's shoulder, making her giggle.

"Well speaking of dates…" Rose began to say. Yang couldn't help but feel her hair spark a bit, her eyes flickering with her semblance as she felt she knew where this was going. Rose may not be Ruby but she was her sister, and she didn't like the thought one bit.

"This morning…Emerald asked me out on one." Rose confessed, blushing a bit as she shook her shoulders nervously. Weiss and Blake feeling heat radiating off Yang as she heard this, fixing Rose a red eyed stare filled with protective anger.

"Over. My. Dead body!" Yang growled in a dangerous tone.

"I didn't accept…yet." Rose confessed, after seeing Yang simmer done at first.

"Yet?" Yang asked annoyed.

"I…I told her I didn't know anything about dates? I got flashes from mom's memories with…dad but-" Rose said sheepishly.

"Trust me sis, don't EVER go off on what dad does, you'll have a ton of bad relationships and kids then." Yang moaned, her mom coming into mind. She hated how this reminded her she would have to eventually come back to that discussion with her. But now she had to focus on Rose, whom WBY all saw was nervous.

"What did she say then?" Blake asked curiously.

"Take my time, she could wait." Rose replied.

"Well…don't keep her waiting too long okay? Yes or no she was brave enough to confess, you should at least think about this carefully but soon." Weiss urged and Rose nodded.

"I just don't really know how to treat a girl on a date, or what to do really. Well Yang, Blake, you two are a couple, any tips for me?" Rose asked honestly.

Blake slapped a hand over a visibly annoyed Yang, seeing the look in Roses eyes. They were just like hers, afraid of the truth in her heart before a scare (almost losing Yang once to Cinder) showed her she couldn't let this feelings be buried lest regrets replaced them. She had to offer guidance.

"Well Weiss can help you dress up right, as for me and Yang…I can offer you something." Blake said coolly, drawing Rose and also Yang in curiously.

"Which is?" Ruby asked.

"How about a double date? Like me and Yang's date earlier?" Blake proposed, lighting up both girls faces.

"THAT'S AWESOME! I'm sure a slow but fun date like that would be amazing for Emerald!" Rose cried out.

"Yeah!...*whisper* plus I can keep an eye on that bitch, make sure she doesn't lock lips with my sis too soon." Yang said quietly into Blake's ear, but Rose's hearing was also impressive, she blushed as she heard this, giving off a squeak Yang didn't fail to notice.

"Rose." She asked annoyed, telling her sister was hiding something. Weiss and Blake did too, fixing a teasing smile to their friend as she squirmed in her pajamas.

"O-Okay! Shemaybemightofkissedmeoutofnowhereinthemarket maybe!" Rose ranted fast, but Yang had been accustomed to Ruby's rambling, knowing word for word what Rose just confessed as Blake and Weiss's jaws dropped in shock.

"Okay, dates off. I'm going to kill her." Yang said deadpanned as she got up, her eyes red as fire as she headed for the door, shrugging off the pillow Rose threw at her.

"DON'T YOU DARE! I LIKED IT!" Rose whined, face red as fire too from blushing out of immense embarrassment.

Blake and Weiss just sighed annoyed at the sight of the girls wrestling out the door, it was going to be a very long night.