RWBY AU: Rose Rebirth
Chapter 1: Bloom
"You don't know what you want to be, don't you?" (Blacksmith)
"Those words pierced my very soul, it was like all my failures, all my losses were just thrown right back in my face as this strange robotic weaponer questioned my very existence worth." Ruby sadly thought, soon feeling a creeping voice touch her ears as she recoiled a bit in fright.
"You…should have never existed." Cinder Falls words, the ones she heard just before the fall the witch put her through that deprived her a chance to save Penny, soon echoed in her head, as did many other horrible ones that shook Ruby to the core.
"Do you know what it feels like, to be let down constantly by someone who meant the world to you?" Penny's, really Neo but it sounded so damn realistic, tormented me so. Ruby thought as her eyes watered. Just the memory of those clones words as they circled her; giving her those venomous looks as they condemned her stabbed her viciously. It was one of the reasons she gave up and died.
"What made you think you knew what was best for everyone?" (Clone Ironwood)
"I-I tried to save everyone I-" (Ruby)
How many more people are going to die because of you!?" (Clone Pyrrah)
That javelin striking her skin made her tremble, still feeling the impact that was almost as painful as those words just like Ozpin's.
"How many more lives. Do you have to ruin. Before you realize. You're not cut out to save ANYONE!" Clone Ozpin yelled viciously as he beat her with long memory, drawing blood from her mouth she spat out with each strike.
The pain was overwhelming Ruby, as were her teams as she soon heard their words resonate.
"I've always looked up to you" (Blake)
Oh God! More expectations!" Ruby bitterly thought, the weight on her chest growing heavier as her heart began pounding like crazy, making it hard to breath.
"I don't even have a home anymore." (Weiss)
"W-Weiss I…I'm so sorry. It's all my fault!" Ruby thought as she covered her face with her hands and cried.
"Ruby…when we got here we said we'd follow your lead but…Things haven't really worked out." (Yang)
"My sisters cold words hurt me the most. Yang why!? Why did you lose faith in me, YOUR MY SISTER, YOUR SUPPOSE TO LOVE ME!" Ruby thought painfully. Being blamed for everything that went wrong was a low blow, but being from her own sister tormented Ruby. She couldn't help but think now her sister may have been right.
"Yeah right. Why should anyone have trusted me? How could I have ever been a hero for them when I lost a freaking kingdom, lost Penny?" Ruby thought as she whimpered in a fetal position before the blacksmith, who crouched down and gently patted her back motherly.
"There, there child. It'll be okay. You have an endless road of possibilities ahead of you." (Blacksmith)
"*Sniff* W-What are you talking about? I drank the tea because….I wasn't expecting there to be ANYTHING after." (Ruby)
The smith frowned a bit hearing this.
"I did sense a heavy burden on you when we last met. Were your troubles too much to handle going forward?" (Blacksmith)
"Yes. None of this was fair. I was suppose to be able to handle it you know. I was meant to be a huntress, a leader, a hero just like my mom and the huntresses she told me about in those stories. I was suppose to protect Little but they!….*sigh* I don't think I can do this anymore, I don't know if I was meant to be all that. Because who I am now…she just can't cut it." (Ruby)
The sight of Little the mouse's crushed corpse by her hand was the final straw. She had been right there, but she was at death's door, helpless to save a friend from a tragedy she should have prevented. The guilt consumed her spirit, that's why Ruby Rose chose to die with that drink.
The smith eyed Ruby solemnly as they heard this shocking bit of information. They had sensed torment within Ruby's soul when they first met at the market place, but honestly wasn't expecting her to ascend so quickly. The news she had given up on life, the intense self-loathing and uncertainty before them honestly brought sorrow to the spirits soul. It was never pleasant for them to handle such damaged souls before them, they were the hardest to fix. Nonetheless, she had a rough idea how to get Ruby to open up and consider moving forward, even if not as herself.
"Then what if you had the chance to be, anyone else?" (Blacksmith)
The smith then waved their arms out wide as a large amount of glass cases circled the duo like dominos to a tearful Ruby's shock as she wiped her face. Countless weapons were in those cases, some small and light like daggers or guns while others were heavy and powerful like maces or swords. It honestly intrigued the young self-proclaimed weapons dork.
"You could put any of these on, and leave Ruby Rose behind." (Blacksmith)
This offer made Ruby's eyes widen in shock. It was as if she was being asked to commit suicide all over again.
"L-Leave…myself forever? Be someone else?" (Ruby) The offer was frightening for the huntress, but as the cold words of her friends and enemies reminded her of her failures, she honestly felt perplexed. As if a piece of her was calling to her to accept the offer and end the misery. But… could she do it? Could she abandon everything to be someone else who could cut it?
"The girl had a great question?" A familiar voice resonated behind Ruby. It was as warm and sweet as those hot plate of fresh cookies like she baked when Ruby was growing up.
"Mom" (Ruby) She whispered as she turned around and saw it. Sunder Rose, her mother's weapon long lost to the sands of time when she died years ago. Yet here it was, glowing bright yellow before Ruby. Her hands twitched a bit, feeling a powerful lure to the weapon of her mother. Soon she reached for it.
"What…are you?" (Summer's voice)
Meanwhile….
"WE HAVE TO GET HER OUT!" Yang cried out as she pulled out branches hanging from a wooden statue of…Ruby Rose!
After Ruby ended her life by Ascending, her spirit and body were taken to the great Tree, the pillar of life in the Ever After world. Jaune knew WBY and him were brought here after they accepted they lost. They lost Beacon, they lost Atlas, and worst of all…they lost Ruby. They were only a few feet away from her, the usually bright friend and leader they always relied on and believed in as she took her own life with that leaf drink. WBY and Jaune then realized their folly, they took her strength and support for granted, never once considering it was all too much for her. That's why Jaune had to stop Yang from trying to pry her little sister from her cocoon, it wasn't their right.
"Stop Yang. It might not be what she wants." (Jaune)
Yang snapped a branch with the Great Tree's rainbow leaf in half as she heard this. Her eyes red with rage as she was not willing to hear this. She had a chance to save her sister, the one she lost right before her eyes back there. She still kicked herself for driving her away, for not being empathetic to her pain when the young huntress rightfully let loose her fury on them for ignoring her sufferings. She had to make it right.
"What the hell are you talking about!? She needs us!" (Yang)
"Look at her Yang….she's crying" (Jaune)
Yang took a glance at the cocoon of her sister, finally noticing the wooden lines etched onto her closed eyes. She was crying but…why? This question made Yang's red eyes return to Lilac as she stammered, unsure what to say or think about this. Jaune knew however, he knew Ruby was unhappy. He felt that way many times, wanting to be better, wanting to end the pain. He had spent 20 years here wallowing in such misery, upset by his failures and by what he did to Penny. Losing his temper at Ruby and blaming her for that was his greatest shame though, he just had to protect her rights here and now to make it up to her.
"The tree brought us here because we accepted things. We accepted our faults and moved on. Ruby deserves that chance too." (Jaune).
Yang could only wince at this declaration, it shook her to the core.
"We tried out best to help her but…now this is up to Ruby. Whatever she chooses, whatever happens we just have to welcome that." (Weiss)
Weiss felt a tear flow down her cheek as she sadly said that. She hated to admit it, but Jaune had a point. As much as she wanted her partner and best friend back, Weiss knew it would be wrong to deny Ruby's feelings, they did that far too much in the past already. They had to move forward and hope Ruby could do so as well.
Blake helped Yang up off the ground, noticing her knees shaking and feeling weak from the proposal their friends gave her. It was hard for her too, but Blake understood what it felt like to hate being who you were. Many years of prejudice she suffered at humanity's hands for being born Faunus made her wish she was born human many times. She accepted herself, however, because of Ruby's love and acceptance of her despite all that. It was one of the many reasons she looked up to her and felt she needed to respect her choice in that same struggle, especially as she heard her lovers cries.
"But what if she isn't Ruby anymore when she comes back out?" (Yang)
As she said this, the herbalist's cocoon near Ruby's cracked open, revealing the once Caterpillar creature to have evolved into a humanoid insect with Butterfly wings. He stretched his four arms out and flapped his beautiful blue and purple wings, once an ugly brown and grey, and happily flew off into the sunset. It was a reminder to the group, change wasn't always bad.
"Maybe…that's not for us to decide." (Blake)
Her girlfriend's words jabbed Yang's spirit. The powerlessness consumed her as the normally strong willed brawler just couldn't find any way to refute those words. She knew they were true. It wasn't her right to force Ruby to stay the same or change; only she could do that. But damn it! She just wanted her sister back so much. Now she might just lose her forever. Such a possibility brought tears to Yang's eyes as she choked on sobs, Blake tenderly rubbing her face as her cat ears went down, hoping they wouldn't have to mourn Ruby much longer. They wanted her back soon and just had to hope for that.
They were all soon jolted out of their sadness by an ominous cackle above them. They looked up and saw Neo, or rather the Curious Cat, their former guide who possessed her after revealing they tried to torture Ruby into possessing her instead to get to Remnant.
"What a touching family reunion I say." NeoCat chuckled. Just his mere voice enraged Jaune as he gripped the end of his sword tight, readying himself for a fight.
"What are you doing here?! I thought you went to Remnant!?" (Jaune)
"Oh! I tried to, but you see this human is just as worthless as Alyx. She had no ties to Remnant like her so I couldn't go again." (NeoCat)
"W-What do you mean?" (Jaune)
"After I led her and her brother to that glowing door over there, rather than take me to Remnant like she promised, she suddenly had a crisis of consciousness. She said she wanted to go back and repair all the damage she caused, to you and to this world Jaune. So I made sure she paid for her deception" Neocat growled bitterly as they remembered this and what they did after. Blake's cat ears went down as she could guess what came next, but felt compelled to ask to see this monsters true nature for sure.
"W-What did you do to her?" (Blake)
"Well, *chuckle*, what anyone does to worthless pieces of trash." Neocat sad coldly as they angrily snapped a branch in half. The revelation they murdered a little girl, even one that betrayed him, enraged Jaune as he drew his sword at last.
"No, No you didn't you…YOU MONSTER!" (Jaune)
Neocat only laughed gleefully as they relished in Jaune's anguish. Soon they barred their claws and prepared to lunge for the group to alleviate their own for once more being denied their wish to go to Remnant. Suddenly, Neocat strangely paused their advance as their eyes widened in shock to WBY and Jaune's confusion. Their skins paled as they soon heard the reason why.
"She's still here." Neocat whispered in shocked as they saw Ruby in stasis, before giving off a mad grin and jumping for joy at the revelation she hadn't ascended yet.
"YES! All my work, it's not lost! Deep down that little girl wants nothing more than to return to Remnant and play hero. I can help with that." (NeoCat)
WBY and Jaune recoiled a bit hearing this, they knew what the cat wanted now and it sickened them.
"I just need to cut her out, and she will take me there!" Neocat roared gleefully as she barred her claws once more. Yang and the others stood between them and Ruby's cocoon.
"No! Whatever happens to Ruby now is up to her, not you or us. Were not letting you get to her." (Yang)
Neocat just chuckled in response before producing with Neo's semblance clones of a disfigured Ruby to the group's horror. They were zombie like and had mangled eyes as they either gave eerie smiles or painful frowns and wobbled.
"Why? Don't you want her back? If she comes out of that tree by herself….she might not even be your sister any longer!" Neocat chuckled. It's taunts and those clones enraged Yang. How dare he take her form or mangle it like that!? With a warcry she smashed all the clones in front of her to pink dust. Neocat just grinded his teeth annoyed at the defiance.
"Then I'll just put you all….In the ground!" (NeoCat)
Back in the void…..
Ruby reached out for Sunder Rose, feeling her mother's warmth, her strength, her love grow stronger with each inch she neared it. Just as she was about to accept it and become someone she felt confidant could help her be a success instead of a failure who let everyone down, she heard a frightening voice behind her.
"That's right…Mom couldn't cut it either."
That sentence made Ruby pause. She recognized that voice, but it couldn't be, it was impossible. Slowly she jerked her head back and saw the image of her 15 year old self in her old outfit, eyeing her sadly.
"W-What is this?" (17 year old Ruby)
The blacksmith soon walked up beside the 15 year old Ruby image, resting a hand on her shoulder, though it didn't alleviate the young girls sadness that Ruby strangely felt in her own heart.
"This place reflects one's heart, their deepest secrets and doubts, all will be revealed as you make your choice." (Blacksmith)
Ruby winced as she heard this before soon scoffing, obviously offended.
"What do you mean "doubts"? I d-don't doubt mom! Summer Rose was kind, she was a loving mother and a terrific Huntress, she was perfect!" Ruby yelled furiously, but her younger self and the Blacksmith didn't even flinch, rather, they gave her a somber glare.
"Was she? Even she couldn't beat Salem. What hope do I have?" (Young Ruby)
Those words were truly the most painful, horrifying words Ruby heard today, because they had come from her own spirit. All this time she realized she had deluded herself by picturing her mother as perfect, invincible even. But just like Salem proved her wrong that night in Atlas, her own doubts had thrown the reality back in her face. Her mom failed, what chance would she have then. As the doubt and pain began to overwhelm her, Ruby's hands soon clasped each other and withdrew away from Sunder Rose entirely. The Blacksmith didn't miss this sight.
"You don't truly believe your mother can alleviate your burdens, do you?" the Blacksmith asked curiously. Ruby could only whimper and shake her head in denial. The sight of her older self-crying strangely made 15 year old Ruby's image shudder, not wanting to see this sight any longer.
"Don't worry, as long as we have this we can slice up anyone even that witch for what she did to mom!" Young Ruby yelled with glee as she waved Crescent Rose in front of her older self's face. Ruby could only grind her teeth in irritation seeing that.
"Shut. Up." Ruby bitterly groaned, making her younger self recoil in surprise.
"I'm not a hero, I'm not strong. I…I can't do this! I can't win anymore. I could never win. Just…go away." Ruby bitterly demanded, the image of her younger self and her scythe fading into a cloud of red mist with tree leaves circling them, soon revealing a case holding Crescent Rose glowing red. Sunder Rose soon glowed bright gold behind her as she tearfully eyed both weapons. This was all getting to be too much for her to bear. Soon a small earthquake shook the realm, knocking her off her feet as the smith's eyes narrowed annoyed.
"A great danger threatens your stasis outside. You must choose soon." (Blacksmith)
"What am I supposed to choose? Me? Mom? What if I don't want to be either?" (Ruby)
"You can choose whoever you want to be, it doesn't have to be either." The blacksmith said tenderly, making Ruby's eyes widen surprised.
"Really?" Ruby asked curiously, she never once thought to be anything other than the perfect image of her mother she once deluded herself. Even when marred by the painful reality she couldn't and was a weak naïve child, she couldn't help but cling to that realism; it still reflected the hardships she survived for the most part and grew from. She didn't want to lose her good memories, but the painful ones were becoming too much to handle, as was the weight of the responsibilities on her shoulders. She once thought she could abandon them all once she drank the tea, but was now regretting it as she was once more plagued with a new responsibility, choosing her identity. As she eyed both weapons glowing, she felt a powerful pull to both. They each meant the world to her as they represented the love of her mother, the cheers of those she saved, and unfortunately the stains of the blood on her hands that she drew from her failures with one. The other also put even more weight on her shoulders as she once more felt the pressure of expectation on her shoulders. To be strong like her mother, to be the perfect leader and huntress. But now she realized she couldn't do be those things….at least as herself. That's when Ruby got an idea as she eyed the tool bench near the smith.
"What happens…if I choose both?" Ruby asked curiously. The smith eyed her curiously, her pause chilling Ruby with fear as she was afraid she asked too much, before she was startled by a chuckle from the Tree avatar.
"That's an interesting idea. I guess I could whip something new up!" The blacksmith said enthusiastically as she summoned both weapons from there cases to their hands and walked over to the bench, their creative spirit in overdrive now to Ruby's amusement. Though she was still unsure what she was going to be, she knew it was going to be interesting for sure.
Outside Ruby's Cocoon…
NeoCat unleashed a flurry of slashes from his bluish purple aura claws at Blake. She gave off a nervous sweat as she struggled to parry each slash with her sword; they were wild and uncoordinated. It was so difficult to predict them, especially since the speed and weight of each slash was overwhelming. Soon a stray claw slashed her chest, flickering her aura and staggering her before NeoCat delivered a round-house kick to her stomach, knocking the wind out of her and her away from Ruby's cocoon.
"Purrfect!" Neo cat purred as they made a beeline for Ruby, only to see a shine in the corner of their eyes. Jerking their head up, they saw a white Glyph in the sky and an annoying blonde girl glowing yellow and propelling herself towards them. Performing a backflip, they nearly avoided a glowing fist that shook the ground where they once were.
"You're going to pay for that!" (Yang)
Yang soon unleashed a barrage of grenade shots at NeoCat who summoned more copies of zombie Ruby to take the blows in their place, exploding to Yang's shock. NeoCat grinned madly as they enjoyed seeing Yang's unease, fully intending to take advantage of her weakness as they bore their claws at her.
"Yang!" Weiss cried as she summoned a white bird from her Glyph to catch Yang by the shoulders with its talons to dodge the attack to NeoCat's annoyance. As they landed nearby Ruby's cocoon, Weiss gave Yang a nod, Yang returned it as they both knew what combo to do now, Freezerburn!
Weiss took out her lance and formed a glyph to enhance Yang's grenades, covering them in a stream of fire as they exploded near NeoCat, staggering them as Yang launched herself at the monsters. Weiss formed ice on the floor as she jabbed her lance into the ground, letting Yang skid towards their enemy as she plunged her fist into the ground unleashing an explosion of fire and ice shards that propelled the afteren away a few feet. As they groaned in pain, NeoCat grit their teeth, rage fueling them at the interference and screamed.
"SHE WILL TAKE ME THERE!" (Neocat)
A stream of energy erupted from NeoCat's mouth that blasted the girls painfully, shattering their aura as they landed by Ruby's cocoon. Seeing their groaning in pain, Neocat smirked as they knew it was the perfect time to strike Ruby. Soon she would be cut out and they cold possess her to finally go to that world, the one full of mysteries. The curiousness that cursed them for years once more fueled them as they charged for Ruby, only to pause as they saw a large tree branch with rainbow leaves crash in between them.
Everyone looked up and saw Jaune with his sword smirking at the cat to its annoyance and Yang and Weiss's glee. Their joy was short lived as Neocat sent an energy beam at him this time.
"Look out Jaune!" (Weiss)
Suddenly a black whip wrapped around Jaune as Blake tugged from underneath the tree branch he was standing on, sending him crashing into her and shattering their auras, but sparing him from that deadly beam as it missed. Yang was enraged by the sight of them being hurt, about to charge at the cat again until Jaune told her to aim for the tree branch, so she launched more grenades at the tree near NeoCat. Rainbow smoke leaked from it as the flames enveloped it. Neocat mockingly took in an inhale of the smoke, knowing what jaune was after.
"Smells wonderful, but you don't think that can really affect me do you?" (NeoCat)
Jaune only smirked amused in return.
"You? No, but Neo is a different story." (Jaune)
Sure enough the curious cat was expelled from Neo's body as she struggled with the memories of her painful past thrown at her spirit. It was too much for either to handle as both were soon hacking in the smoke, Neo running out of it before collapsing unconscious away from the heroes, who felt their spines chill as they saw a large figure emerge from the tree as well. The Curious Cat was now a large tiger like monster with white and black stripes, and a huge row of teeth that fixed at them like those large claws. Thing were not going to be pretty for them, they just knew it.
"GIVE ME RUBY!" The Curious Cat roared as they charged.
Meanwhile….
A tall figure resembling Ruby, but with a long ponytail and wearing armor watched as the Blacksmith hammered at parts of both Crescent Rose and Sunder Rose. Each impact the girl heard made her heart flutter, it was exhilarating as each moment that past made her dream of the endless possibilities before her and her new body. After a few minutes, the smith smiled as they stood up, revealing in their hands a battle-axe scythe with gold and red trimming just like the girl's armor and clothes.
"This was indeed a fun little project you gave me to do, thank you child." (Blacksmith).
"My pleasure, I think since it's a mix I'll call it…Fury Rose!" The girl said ecstatic.
As the girl with silver eyes was about to take the weapon, the smith withdrew it a bit and held up a hand in denial to the girl's disappointment as she pouted.
"Not yet, first I want to give you a special parting gift." The blacksmith said as they soon picked up something else from the bench. The girl's eyes widened as she grabbed the gift given to her by the spirit, a gold mouse mask. It looked a lot like Little, the brave mouse who gave their life trying to save Ruby Rose as she laid bloody and dying at the hands of Neo. The girl wept as she felt overjoyed seeing their lost friends image again.
"When they past by here a little while before you did, their only wish was to be something that could protect you this time. I thought it fitting to give this to you before you left." (Blackmith)
The girl resembling Ruby rubbed her wet eyes and nodded, mouthing a thank you as she held the mask to her face. As she was about to take the scythe battle axe the smith put their hands on their shoulders before they could give it.
"Be warned, if you take this new weapon mixed with yours and your mothers, I don't necessarily know if you'll remember anything. This has never happened before. One thing I do know, is that Ruby Roses chapter will finally end." The blacksmith said with a cautious tone. However, the girl no longer had any doubt, she had enough of that as well as all the failure, the loss of her friends and loved ones, especially Penny.
"I tried so hard to save everyone but...I couldn't even save the people beside me who needed me most, I couldn't save her." The warrior Ruby solemnly thought, grateful the smith couldn't see her face through the mask. Looking weak would almost stab her heart as badly as remembering Neo's clone of Penny looking at her with sheer contempt for her death. It was so damn realistic. The pain made Ruby realize she had no doubts indeed, she knew she was to blame for losing Penny, because she was weak. She owed it to her memory to become someone strong like her, someone who protected and embraced life like she did. To do all that, she knew she needed to be resolute, brave and kind like Penny, and the answer to get all that was to take that weapon. And so... she didn't hesitate to grab it after giving the smith a warm smile.
"Then it's time for a new story." Ruby said as her silver eyes glowed and a gold light enveloped her body.
A Warrior Reborn
After smacking away WBY and Jaune, the cat huffed in annoyance at the interference it received. He was impatient to get to Ruby's cocoon and get on with his journey at last.
No sooner did he think this did everyone wince as they heard cracks coming from Ruby's cocoon.
"Ruby?" (Weiss)
The Curious Cat's jaw dropped as well as its ears as it understood what was happening. Ruby was beginning to Ascend.
"NO! NO!" The Curiout Cat yelled in panic as it lunged towards her cocoon to WBY and Jaune's horror.
"RUBY NO!" Yang cried in horror, vainly reaching out despite lying on the ground bruised and helpless to stop the monster from approaching her. The beast grew frightful as it saw more glowing cracks on Ruby's wooden statue, he knew there wasn't any time left and raised his claw menacingly.
"YOU WILL TAKE ME THERE!" (Cat)
Suddenly the chrysalis exploded before he could touch it, covering the area in a blinding gold shine that stung everyone's eyes. When the light soon faded, a warrior bearing red and gold armor, a silver rose emblem, and a mouse face mask appeared where Ruby once stood. The sight of the unfamiliar woman before them made WBY and Jaune shudder.
"I-Is that…Ruby?" Yang asked sheepishly, but Blake and the others knew by her fearful tone it was false hope. This woman wasn't anything like the Ruby they knew. She never wore armor or had a mask. She also wasn't so….tall and mature looking as Weiss thought as she eyed the impressive figure on the woman.
The Curious Cat monster was the only one who wasn't shocked by this transformation, rather he was enraged.
"All my work….it's all lost now! You were broken, weak, worthless!" The cat spat at the woman, who just ignored him as she glared at the monster through her mask bitterly. She sensed a great amount of pain and anger within her just looking at the beast, as well as an extreme sense of disgust in her chest area, as if it had been played with by the monster. She knew he was an enemy and deserved no mercy as she grabbed her Axe-Scythe from her waist to the group's shock.
"Whoa. That looks kind of like Crescent Rose only…"(Blake)
"Better!" (Yang and Weiss)
The girl soon proved them right as she gripped the weapons handle, making it's blade glow red as it twirl In a circle and she leapt at the cat who lunged back at her with claws drawn. He wanted blood just like her for denying him his dream.
"If I can't go home, neither can you!" was all the cat could roar before seeing his arm flying through the air as a streak of red past him by in an instant to his shock. All he could see after was a flurry of rose petals in front of him. Soon the shock subsided as an intense pain shot from a stump where his arm once was, releasing a stream of glowing ooze. Yang winced as she saw this sight.
"Been there unfortunately, can't say I feel sorry though" Yang thought. Still, she could help but find a small glimmer of hope arise in her at the sight despite it also reminding her of Adam and the loss of her arm.
"That was Ruby's semblance. That is her, she's alive!" Yang hollered with joy, bringing a smile to the others as they realized she was right. Sure Ruby looked different, but it must be her since she had her powers. They all cheered with happiness and relief as they realized this, but they weren't the only ones happy to hear it.
Despite the pain he was feeling, the cat monster laughed as he realized the truth too, and with it a new drive to go to Remnant. He cackled as he saw the warrior Ruby grip her scythe axe, ready for another strike.
"How Purrfect. My work's not lost!" The Curious Cat roared gleefully as it charged an energy beam and shot it at the warrior, who smacked the ground beneath her, unleashing a volley of trees roots that blocked the energy blast to everyone's shock. Ruby never had plant powers before!
"Guess Ruby got more upgrades then we thought" Jaune said in awe as the others nodded in shock.
Soon warrior Ruby used Fury Rose to slash away the vines and charged that the Cat, twirling her body to deliver a volley of slashes from different angles he barely parried before unleashing a claw strike at an opening he saw at her face, surprising her.
The cat was also surprised, as the second he connect with that face mask, it glowed bright gold and stopped his claw in its place.
"Thanks little, you really saved me this time friend." Warrior Ruby thought as she grinned, disappearing into a cloud of rose petals instantly.
Soon the cat felt a chilling wind on his back as he looked behind him to see the girl with rose petals around her whipping like a tornado. She gave a warcry as she pointed her finger at him menacingly, soon his eyes widening in shock as the petals flew at him as projectiles and slashed at his skin like knives.
"I-I said, you will… TAKE ME THERE!" The curious cat roared as he unleashed a wave of energy, knocking away the rose petal attack and everyone back a few feet from the impact, including warrior Ruby. She wasn't deterred, however, as she used her blade to plunge it into the ground, stopping her from flying and crashing and soon pressed a button on it, folding the blades into a compartment as the weapon transitioned into a cannon to the beasts shock.
Pressing the trigger on Fury Rose, the weapon's hole charged a red ball of electrical energy that went flying towards the cat to his shock, before he growled and charged a beam of blue and purple energy. Soon both blasts collided, creating a massive shockwave that nearly knocked everyone off their feet, except warrior Ruby who stood undeterred. She knew she had won and just casually walked towards the group of fallen heroes, waving her hand and erecting a barrier of vines to protect them from the impact as she saw her blast overpower the energy beam to the cat's horror.
"NO! I will go there, I will know everything. I-I NO!….NOOOOOOO!" The cat roared frightfully as the cannon blast enveloped his body in a ball of red lightning, disintegrating him to ashes.
Warrior Ruby sighed in relief as the threat was finally dealt with, the pain and dirty feeling in her chest finally washed away with the beast that tormented her body finally slayed. She eyed the cocoon of vines she wrapped the people she knew were her friends and unraveled it, revealing a shocked group of people eyeing her tearfully.
"Y-You…You won?" (Weiss)
The warrior nodded calmly, trying alleviate any shock or fear they might have had. She slowly took off her mask and placed it on her waste to show her face to alleviate them, revealing Ruby's face only a bit more mature to their joy. She then saw them smile at her warmly, knowing then it was foolish to have been concerned they were afraid, just as she knew they were her true friends. With that confirmation, she felt a powerful urge arise within her that felt vaguely familiar. She couldn't resist and so knelt down, placing a hand on the ground and smiling brightly at them to their confusion before they could finish getting up.
"Sal….U…TATIONS!" Warrior Ruby slowly cried as she lunged at them at breakneck speed with her semblance, crashing into them and wrapping them all in a big bear hug at once, threatening to crack their spines as they felt air escaping their lungs.
"And…and I thought Yang's hugs were bad" (Blake)
"Ha…*gasp* ha, very…*weeze* funny kitty." (Yang)
Weiss soon patted Ruby on the back, desperate for air.
"Okay R-Ruby, we need to breath please!" Weiss cried. The second the girl heard her old name she winced. Soon releasing the group and plopping them on the ground as they gasped for air and stepped back afraid for a moment. She didn't know why, but hearing that name filled her with a deep sense of sadness and self-loathing, as if it was a parasite that drained her courage.
Her demeanor wasn't unnoticed by Yang, who tried to get up and hug her but was surprised as the girl withdrew with each step.
"H-Hey….what's wrong baby girl?" Yang's frightful question snapped the warrior Ruby out of her fright, she knew proper intro's were in order for friends and loved ones, she couldn't be rude any longer.
"Sorry, sorry, got carried away I hope you'll forgive me." Ruby said, but surprised the group with her mature sounding tone. For Yang it almost sounded exactly like her mom, Summer. It brought a sense of nostalgia for her, still remembering her warm smile and those warm cookies her super mom made for her growing up. That joy was nothing compared to what she was feeling, having her sister back.
"It's okay sis! I'm just happy your still here!" Yang cried as she wept a bit. Her joy was soon replaced with confusion as she saw it on Ruby's face for some reason as she tilted her head curiously in response.
"Sis?" Ruby asked confused, and with it a sense of fear crept in Yang's heart.
"Y-Yes, that's what I usually call you." Yang said a bit scared, she didn't like where this was going, neither did her team and Jaune who eyed the two a bit worried for what was happening.
"Hmmmm, doesn't sound familiar. But anyhow where are my manners, my name is Rose, may I get your names new friends, it's nice to meet you all for the first time!" The girl called Rose said gleefully, but her friends and Yang were anything but happy anymore as they realized their worst fear had come true.
"Ruby's…..gone?...what are you?" Yang's heart sank as she said those soul-shattering words. This was no longer her little sister, she didn't know who this really was nor what she was going to do now.
Author Notes
Merry Christmas everybody! Though originally for after New Years, the wonderful amount of support I got on reddit for this new passion project just made me have to give this little Christmas present to you all. Now Ruby has ascended in this AU, how will each member of her friends and family respond at the shocking revelation Ruby Rose is dead and replaced by this new warrior Rose before them? Be sure to leave reviews and follow me to find out faster when ch 2 is released after new years. Happy Holidays!