RWBY: Rose Reborn
Chapter 6: Remember Ruby
"You can't exactly have a burial for someone without a body…but even if it was fake, it still hurt like hell." Qrow thought with a grimace as he reentered the City, sparing the tombstone outside of Vacuo one more glance before the gates closed. It was Nora's idea to give RWBY, Penny, and all those they lost in Atlas their memorial on the outskirts to avoid drawing too many Grimm to the city from the swell of negativity, not that Winter minded as Qrow noticed an explosion of ice outside, followed by the screech of a couple Chimera.
"Ice Queen still misses you princess." Qrow thought sadly as he imagined Weiss beside his niece Ruby. He wanted to think of them smiling brightly, hopeful for peace like Ruby always said…but just couldn't find the strength to.
As he stood upon the rooftop of Shade Academy, ignoring the lovely sunset and the blistering hot desert air, Qrow laid eyes upon what came out of his sister's red portal in total shock. His breath hitched as he saw what should have been impossible.
"Ruby? Yang? Your alive!?" He thought in disbelief as they appeared, sure his bad luck semblance was simply causing a mirage to screw with him. After all, Ruby certainly looked different; she was taller and wore armor while the other girls and Jaune looked exactly the same. Plus Winter herself said Cinder Fall killed them, that the witch had dropped them into the abyss with no way out of that dimension. But Qrow's eyes flooded as he heard one of his nieces soothing voice after so many months of mourning, proving to him this was no mirage.
"Hey Uncle Qrow. We missed ya." Yang said softly as she wiped tears from her own eyes.
"Oh my god. It is you…GIRLS! I can't believe I-" Qrow gasped in shock as he began to slowly advance towards them and their friends. He was desperate to hug his nieces, to feel their smooth pure skin he was deprived of since that final hug Ruby gave him on the airship.
"See ya soon Uncle Qrow!" Ruby had said with a smile.
Suddenly, Qrow paused his advance at the reminder of that encounter. His smile descended rapidly as his heart began to race. A surge of guilt overcame him just thinking of his niece. She had such a high opinion of him, yet he had failed to be there for her when she needed him the most. Worst yet, he began to consider if he was unworthy of her or Yang's loving embrace as he eyed Clover's pendant, the last memento of the friend he got killed by Tyrian Callows.
"This has gotta be a trick. No way I'd deserve to have you back after all I've done." Qrow whispered with a grimace, before suddenly finding himself tackled in the gut by the taller Ruby, her head's force nearly cleaving his stomach in two as his aura actually shined to protect him.
"When did she get this strong!? I'm gonna have to start calling her Wrecking Ball instead of squirt!" Qrow thought as he winced painfully as he plopped to the ground, before feeling a warm pair of arms snuggled around his neck and a soft cheek rubbed up against his own scraggly beard.
"Nope!" The girl retorted his doubt confidently. There it was, the hopeful and bright tone of the Ruby he knew and loved; except it sounded more mature, like hints of Summer's tone mixed in.
"Agh! I guess you did some growing up, huh Ruby?" He sighed painfully as he forced themselves up. He soon saw he wasn't the only one in pain as he noticed the sheepish or downright sad looks etched upon Yang and the others faces as Raven left.
Rose, for her part, merely gave him a confused glance for a moment that befuddled the hunter, not realizing this wasn't the Ruby he was expecting in more ways than one. She didn't truly know him that well, merely having vague memories of him training her predecessor.
"Sorry I tackled you sir. You just seemed like you needed a hug." Rose said softly as she flicked her ponytail sheepishly. Her words further confused Qrow; Ruby never once called her sir even when he scolded her in training, which was frequent.
"Hey Kiddo, what's up going on with you? You don't look or sound different, you're acting different too." Qrow asked her, a bit of fear and agitation in his voice as he wanted answers, especially as he saw Yang's lip quivering at that question; she was obviously scared to tell him something.
"W-Well….Qrow this isn't really-" Yang sadly began to say before a sudden cry from behind her Uncle cut her off to her start. He turned around to see the source, a shocked Nora along with Ren, Emerald, and Oscar/Ozpin eyeing the group in disbelief.
"YOU'RE ALIVE!?" Nora cried out before she covered her mouth with both hands, tears soon drenching them as she was overwhelmed with joy. Her leader and her friends has survived! If Nora wasn't in total shock, needing a joyous Ren to hold her steady as she struggled to stay conscious, she'd have tackled the group and lock them into a bare hug, and would never want to let them ago again.
It turns out; she wasn't the only one who had this idea.
"Salutations everybody. We're home." Rose said as her eyes watered for a moment. Nora and the others gasped as they saw what they thought was Ruby before them, visibly confused yet impressed by her sudden "growth spurt" and wardrobe change, especially Emerald who gave a small smirk and eyebrow raise as she looked over the silver-eyed girl.
"Little Red's not so little anymore…I like it." Emerald thought blissfully. This new Ruby honestly looked a lot like Cinder in figure, with a bright kind smile to counter the negative feeling the comparison had tagged along. That's why she was the only one of the 4 not to be aghast when suddenly Rose charged at them, beating Nora to the punch as she wrapped all of them in a bear hug that nearly squeezed the life out of them, just enjoying her soft skin and bosom rubbing up on her own.
"T-This is…nice." Emerald squeaked as her face flushed, not sure if from lack of air or out of fluster from her admission. Either way, it brought a huge smile from the new Ruby.
"Glad to hear it new friends!" Rose cried out joyfully, making everyone but her team and Jaune eye her in confusion as she set the group down.
"Wait…"new"?" Nora said confused.
"Yeah Ruby, it's use Ren and Nora." Ren said a bit miffed. How could Ruby forget them even if she changed a bit…okay a lot but it still didn't make sense.
"Oh! So my gut was right! It did tell me you guys were familiar even if I don't remember you." Rose said as she drew back a little, wanting to give the others time to breath. It wasn't just her hug, the reason being she had a nervous feeling arise within her as this felt like how Yang reacted when learning of her ascension. She wanted to make sure they could handle the news, seeing as how her other gut feeling about them being Ruby's friends was correct. She had one more arise as Qrow walked up to her, fixing her a sad glare as he struggled to breath despite not being hugged.
"Ruby? What's going on?" He asked frightfully.
At this point, Yang sighed sadly as she ran up and got in between her uncle and Rose, knowing it was time to get on with the painful news.
"Qrow, everyone….this isn't really Ruby." Yang said sadly, her own heart still trembling as she said the fact that stabbed her spirit.
Over the next few minutes, Team RWBY and Jaune began to recount their experiences in the Ever After. Nora elbowed Ren to cough up the 20 lien he betted when they found out Yang and Blake were a couple like she guessed. Meanwhile, Nora and the others quickly filled them in on what happend back home. All the kingdom's forces united under Vacuo to fight Salem off, having heard Ruby's message to which her team gave Rose a playful hug to congratulate her. Blake was also thrilled to hear Teams SSSN and CFVY were helping to guard the academy and its hidden maiden from Salem's forces, even driving off Cinder at one point.
Not all was good news, however, as the group learned Ozpin had nearly completed his merge with Oscar's body to their sadness. The headmasters voice was much more profound then Oscar's own and his eyes occasionally glowed bright green. Even then, the headmaster did his best to assure them he still felt Oscar's influence and that he would live on through him, something that made Rose shudder a little, getting what the man was going through and how that impacted others, sheepishly eyeing her own team.
Worst of all, after Atlas fell Salem went on an all out assault on Vale, destroying it as well and getting the relic located their with Cinder as well. Vacuo was now the last stronghold for humanity, housing so many immigrants that kept drawing Grimm to it, leading it's hunters exhausted from the barrage and unsure if they could last much longer.
But Qrow largely ignored that and the minor details they rambled on about, such as the talking animals and storybook world setting, focusing solely on Rose, whom he couldn't believe wasn't Ruby; She looked too much like her with those silver eyes. That is, until their own widened in terror at what they heard from the team next.
"When we got to the manor, Ruby was really beaten up by Neo." Weiss said sadly as she clutched her knees in shame, feeling a surge of guilt for not getting to her partner in time to stop that horrible woman. She just couldn't continue after saying that.
"Where's that bitch!? I'll smash her legs for that!" Nora cried out as she cracked her knuckles, but settled down as Yang shook her head.
"Dead. But she wasn't the only one." Yang sighed, turning her friends skin's pale, except Emerald who kept her cool as she eyed Rose attentively, fearing what they began to suspect. Nora
"Ruby she….she *sniff* she…" Yang sniffled as she began to cry, unable to finish her sentence as Blake hugged her shoulders, her own eyes watering as her cat ears fell down in shared sadness.
"She drank a poisoned Tea. Rose told us Ruby just couldn't handle the torture anymore. She took her own life." Blake said bitterly, making the group gasp in fright.
"SHE WHAT!?" Qrow asked horrified, clutching his head with his hands as he began to hyperventilate, until Ozpin waved his wand, summoning a wave of green magical energy that drained the energy from Qrow, forcing him to settle down in a recliner as the headmaster had questions himself.
To say Qrow did not appreciate this would be laughable, he was straight up furious Ozpin was denying him the right to mourn his niece and protégé's demise. What fueled his bitterness even more was the fact she did it by her own hand, and that he wasn't there to help her through her turmoil.
"Then… whose this young lady before us?" Ozpin asked curious, though a bit hesitant as he minded the room's atmosphere. Qrow bit his lower lip in anger as he reluctantly pulled his scathing glare away from Ozpin to eye the woman in question, whom sheepishly rubbed her arm much like Ruby used to when Qrow admonished her. It only increased his unease around her, as he felt this was all a sick joke considering how much she acted like Ruby.
"M-My name is Rose. When Ruby d-died….I was reborn from her spirit." Rose said calmly, having been subtly told by Weiss to handle this revelation carefully to not overly upset anyone Ruby knew, reminding her of how Yang blew up in the Ever After.
"Reborn?" Emerald asked and Rose nodded.
"In that world at least, when one dies their souls get sent to the Great Tree where they are rebuilt as a new life form of their choosing. Ruby chose to become me, so I was born there." Rose replied, making Yang chuckle a bit as she calmed down from Blake's hug.
"She was born literally yesterday hehehe." Yang chuckled, but the rest of the room wasn't in a good mood, especially Qrow who eyed the woman intensely.
"You." Qrow growled a bit, bringing a chill to the room as all eyes fixed on him and Rose, who slightly retreated in fright at the man's anger. "you took over my Niece? You took away Ruby's chance to come back!?" Qrow yelled, fighting his exhaustion, making Rose shudder a bit to which Yang interceded him.
"NO! Ruby she….she made that choice for her. I thought the same once, but I was wrong." Yang sadly said. She then went on to confess her breakdown and Ascension into a dragon to kill and force Rose to try to resurrect as Ruby, only to meet her spirit in the tree and assert Rose was whom she wanted to be. She couldn't risk letting Qrow's grief put her new sister at risk again, she had to tell him exactly what she learned from it all.
"Ruby's not gone though, she is still a part of Rose, just like Oscar's still a part of Ozpin." Blake added as she pointed to the headmaster who shrugged his shoulders before averting his gaze. Though Ozpin seemed to have settled down a bit, he was honestly still a bit disappointed.
"I can't believe she's gone. How could she just give up?" He could swear he could hear Oscar's voice within say, nodding in response.
"Indeed, but from the sound of it, all the pressure and torment was simply too much for her poor heart to take. Another in the long list of failures of mine." Ozpin thought sadly to his shadow. He himself had given up numerous times in his past lives, even destroying himself by his own hand like Ruby did. He chose Ruby to lead this war because he saw the spark of hope within her that ignited people's inner fire, he believed she could right his wrongs and succeed where he failed. Now he was left feeling with dread as he realized it once again he had been wrong; Neo battered and broke Ruby. Worse, he felt himself to be responsible for that loss. He had told her leadership was a great hardship and weight to carry, something he had felt crush him many times before.
"If only I hadn't wallowed in my own misery and rejoined the fight sooner. Perhaps she wouldn't have had such burdens, ones I placed as well, destroy her from within as well." Ozpin sadly thought.
"Don't do that. Ruby she…always tried her best to see the best of things, hoped for the best, even to the end when things didn't go her way." Oscar retorted, but Ozpin sensed the doubt within Oscar's words, not that he blamed him. If even Ruby could give up, what point was there for Oscar to keep hoping?
Oscar wasn't the only one riddled with sadness at the news of Ruby's suicide. Nora was left in tears, sobbing into her boyfriends chest as he rubbed her back tenderly, but unwilling to say any words. He knew there was no point; nothing could be said to make the pain go away.
"Why!? Why did that idiot have to leave us like that!? She comes back as this girl and gets our hopes up too!?" Nora thought as she grinded her teeth in grief-filled anger. As she eyed Rose slowly reach out a hand to her, it took a soothing massage of her arm from Ren to resist gripping and crushing it.
"Don't." Nora demanded coldly, freezing Rose in place. "Just don't bother." Nora finished as she buried her face in Ren's shoulder.
"Sorry. This is all really too sudden. I think we just need some time to breath." Ren said calmly, but Weiss could tell this was the closest he was getting to losing his temper.
"*Sigh* I think it might be best if we do leave." Weiss said sadly as she stood up and grabbed Roses hand gently.
"I think so to. They look pretty sad." Rose said softly as she nodded in agreement, drawing a scowl from Qrow that startled her, earning a squeak.
"Sad? We're freaking pissed kid, no thanks to you. Now scram." He bitterly said as he gripped the recliners handles. Yang fixed her uncle a massive stink-eye, but ultimately held back, understanding his rage-filled grief from experience.
"Fine. Come on Rose. Lets go check out Vacuo." Yang groaned.
"It would be best for us to get familiar with the area we're going to be protecting." Blake added. At that point, Emerald chimed in, still eying Rose as she neared the door being slowly pushed by Yang. She didn't want to lose this chance.
"I can show you girls around. Besides, I'm not exactly close with Little Red, I doubt I could say anything to cheer these guys up." Emerald said bluntly.
"Nothing will." Nora retorted.
"Fine. Jaune why don't you go out tomorrow? You probably want to catch up with Nora and Ren right now, after being gone so long right?" Blake asked, trying to avoid another blowup, and Jaune took an extremely large exhale at the notion.
"Probably? Try waiting 20 years yourself then ask me again." He bluntly said, fixing her a blank stare that made her scratch her cat ear sheepishly.
"Eh-Right! Sorry." Blake muttered apologetically before bolting out of the room with her team and Emerald, leaving a dark quite room filled with sadness no one could find the words to bring up this moody atmosphere.
Jaune honestly felt like going with team RWBY right now and avoid this awful mood, but as he eyed his teammates weeping profoundly, he knew he didn't have a choice and went over to hug them. It was his duty to comfort them in times like these, having shared many tearful hugs and sleepless nights like this during the months they mourned Pyrrha. The only difference now was that they were once again short a girl that meant the world to them, one that was like family to them when they traveled together, and it stung their every being as they embraced each other in mourning over that horrible fact.
"Ruby…please watch over me and give me the strength I need for this again." Jaune pleaded in his mind, hopeful his friend's spirit would answer.
What the Hell Hero!?
Within the streets of Shade Academy, Rose's eyes glistened as she stood in awe of the massive fortress city she found herself in for the first time.
"WHOOOO! This is a city!?" Rose cried out.
Weiss nodded as she giggled in amusement over her friends behavior. It was truly uplifting after that depressing news flash they gave to their other friends.
"Yup. Welcome to my world Rose." Weiss said cheerfully, despite feeling natural in this environment, being an Atlas native after all.
"Oh thanks for letting me go to Remnant with you girls! I can't wait to see everything here!" Rose cried out as she darted around the area. Her teams expressions grew sullen at the reminder.
"Oh right. It's literally her first time here." Blake sighed.
"Yeah, she acts so much like Ruby did when she visited Vale the first time with me and Dad." Yang whined a bit seeing Rose's pure joy visiting many tents filled with food, weapons, and even stuffed toys of Grimm for refugees and their children.
"Ooooh Yang! What's that!? And this!? Oh is that a sword shop?! Lets Go! Lets Go!" The memory of a 4-year-old Ruby flashed before her mind, making Yang sob a bit as Rose squealed the exact same words. Suddenly Yang gasped as she realized something from this.
"DAD! Oh my god I gotta call him! He probably still thinks we're dead!" Yang cried out as she reached into her pocket for her scroll. After she dialed up his number, she groaned in frustration as all she met with was static.
"Don't bother Xiao Long, their still working on restoring communications between the remaining kingdoms. He probably doesn't even know you guys fell in the void 6 months ago." Emerald said nonchalantly before walking towards Rose, ignoring the stink-eye she felt glaring at the back of her head in response. She heard vividly clear months ago Yang still blamed her for the loss of her arm, yet Emerald herself couldn't really care less. Yang lost her arm to Adam because she was weak in mind and skill, nothing less. What Emerald did find herself concerned with were the glares she saw directed towards Rose, almost feeling the bloodlust coming from the many people nearby wearing either rags befitting a mantle refugee, or damaged suits and dresses an Atlesian would wear. She was no stranger to a bad reputation, and she had heard how these people have been growing more and more bitter about their current living situation, if the dozens of Grimm attacks happening this month was anything to go by.
"Many people still blame Ruby Rose and her team for costing them the kingdom. If I don't watch her back this could get ugly." Emerald thought nervously. She knew from experience how low people desperate for satisfaction could stoop, and she didn't want such a thing to happen to this girl she found herself enthralled with. Her positivity, mixed with her similar appearance to the woman she thought she loved once, was a drastic improvement over her past relationship. She just had to have her.
Meanwhile, Rose ignored those glares, and Emerald's flirty look, as she was filled to the brim with excitement seeing many items she had no recollection of from her past life.
"What's this spiky cylinder?" She asked an old man at a tent carrying bins of various foods, who looked upon her with confusion.
"It's pineapple? A fruit, what you never seen fruit before?" He asked bewildered, especially as Rose's eyes widened.
"Fruit! We never had anything like this in the Ever After! What do you want in exchange for this?" Rose asked as she grew giddy, which served to irritate the man with her odd behavior.
"Either different food for me, weapons, or…clothing." He said annoyed before looking her over, giving her a wide grin as he was "impressed" to Emeralds disgust from afar. She knew what he was seeking.
"Oh! um…." Rose said a bit nervously as she looked over herself. She couldn't think to part with her few mementos, like Little's crest. "I only have my moms emblem and weapons and I can't give you either." She replied making him groan.
"Then no sale." He said firmly. Rose looked disappointed, but then her eyes widened as she got an idea. She instantly unstrapped her hair knot to Emerald and the man's awe. She looked incredibly attractive before, but as her black hair went completely down they lusted over its silky smooth black stream.
"Maybe this knot?" She asked as she hung it out.
"Uh…no but maybe something else we can arrange?" He said with a smirk as he slowly reached out towards her chest. That was que for Emerald to shine. She groaned as she used her semblance to change the image of Rose to look like Professor Port to the man's disgust as he drew his arm back, inadvertently dropping the Pinneaple she managed to catch before dragging Rose away with the goods before more damage could be done.
"Here ya go kid." She handed the fruit over to Rose who looked at her confused.
"What did you do?" She asked her savior.
"Used my semblance to make him see something off-putting. Be careful around men, they all want something from us girls." Emerald replied. Rose didn't fully understand but decided to nod anyway to keep things from growing more confusing for herself. She felt odd inside seeing that man look at her so bitterly then so lustfully, somehow feeling it similar to that cat monster in the ever after, something she didn't like just the same as that man's odd behavior.
"Well, I get he liked me I guess…but why was that man so mad at me earlier? All I did was ask some questions?" Rose whimpered, making Emerald sigh.
"Because what's new for you is common knowledge her on Remnant. Whatever fairy tail world you came from, this place operates different. So it's best you don't ask questions unless it's to me, okay? I don't want those creeps taking advantage or hurting you." Emerald replied with a wink, making Rose blush a bit to her own confusion. She didn't know why, but she could tell Ruby from within was warning her with anxiety to avoid this girl, yet she didn't want to; she felt curious about her strange turn from stern to curtsy in an instant and wanted to know more. She was about to ask about this strange feeling when suddenly a familiar one, pain, shot her hand as she remembered the fruit in her hand stinging her from the top of it.
"Ouch. So this fruit, how is it eaten if it's all spiky?" Rose asked curiously, yet whispered to avoid drawing eyes in case it was a common knowledge like she was warned. Emerald just smirked as she pulled out a knife and slashed the fruit in an instant as Rose still held it to her shock as the green haired girl grabbed the bottom half before it hit the sand.
"The insides are freaking awesome, if a bit a pain to deal with canker sores. So why don't I eat half to avoid the risk?" Emerald ask with a wry smile making Rose nod a bit flustered.
Soon the area was growing hotter by the minute, not by the dry desert air, but as Yang's hair began emitting smoke and heat waves at the sight of Emerald flirting with her sister. Blake and Weiss quickly back peddled, knowing it wasn't wise to get in between an overprotective and angry Xiao Long and what she wanted. They had just returned from buying water bottles to counter the desert heat, yet they soon boiled at Yang's temper flaring. The girls could the cause, she really wanted that girl to back off from Rose. Not that they could blame her this time, considering Emerald played a hand in Beacon's fall and the loss of Yang's hand.
"Lets see how this plays out." Blake whispered and Weiss nodded in agreement.
Before Yang could advance towards the pair to give a long awaited punch to her former adversary, she felt a hand grip her shoulder and jerked her body around to deliver it to whoever dared to touch her.
CLANG!
Her metal hand almost left an indent as it collided with a jagged blade, yet kept her at bay to her confusion at the wielders strength, before her own red eyes locked with the mans own.
"Take a chill pill firecracker." Qrow sternly said as he pushed her off his sword to her shock.
"U-Uncle? S-Sorry I-" She stammered as her red eyes became lilac, swept with guilt for almost attacking him before he cut her off with a groan.
"Geez! It's gonna take hours to fix that indent. What's got you so worked up?!" He admonished her as he waved his damaged broadsword.
"W-Well…see…." She stammered before Weiss walked up to her side with Blake, both rolling their eyes as they pointed to Emerald feeding Rose some grapes now to Qrow's bewilderment.
"*Sigh* Firecracker, she's not your sister. Whom she bangs with isn't your problem now." He bluntly groaned, drawing a massive blush on Yang's face.
"The hell it isn't! And why we're you stopping me!? I thought you'd be drowning yourself in booze right now." Yang retorted before smacking her human hand over mouth, realizing she crouched upon dangerous territory as her Uncle's glare intensified.
"Losing you kids made that tempting, ESPECIALLY tonight." He groaned dangerously, making Yang shudder.
"Please forgive her Qrow. She still loves Rose like family, it's just in her nature to be hot headed about her." Blake pleaded with a smirk as she playfully tussled Yang's hair to her annoyance, soon drawing a chuckle from Qrow.
"Anyhow, why did you come down here anyway? Did the others calm down a bit….Did Nora break anyone's legs in a tantrum?" Weiss asked sheepishly, fully expecting that to be the case as Qrow rolled his eyes annoyed.
"She's still pretty upset…we ALL are." He clarified, making Weiss retreat a bit. "But you will be too when I show you something. Just you 3." He clarified.
"Why not them?" Yang asked as she pointed Emerald and Rose looking at knifes at a stand.
"It's something only you as Ruby's, and I mean the REAL Ruby's family and team deserve to see." He asserted as he beckoned them to follow him.
As they pulled around a corner of the academy's concrete wall, Yang and her team noticed Qrow's bitter look soon become generic, yet the corner of his eyes were reddened from obvious crying, something the Xiao Long knew was a bad omen. The last time she saw that face was when he informed her Summer died, and it made her dread the possibilities of what she could be heading into. Qrow soon held his hand up to pause their walk as they neared the end of the corner, cutting her off before she could inquire about anything.
"It took a while…but we all managed to finish this yesterday. Figured it was your turn girls." He said sadly as her waved his hand for them to go forward, which they reluctantly did so. Their eyes widened and watered as they locked on what Qrow was talking about.
"Oh my God." Yang gasped as she covered her mouth with both hands. Blake left speechless as she grew weak kneed and fell on them.
"You did this for her?" Weiss whispered as she reached an arm out.
What laid before them was a painting of the Ruby Rose they knew and loved before her Ascension. Her silver eyes radiating along with her smile, the two of many things about her that warmed their hearts more than the many lit candles surrounding the painting on the wall. Below the image of her was a red painted message,
REMEMBER HER MESSAGE!
"If it weren't for your sister, for you girls…we wouldn't be here right now. We all owed it to her to make this. She deserved it just like you 3 deserved to see it." Qrow said with a smile.
WBY were choking up as they huddled by the memorial shrine. Despite the swell of tears, smiles were bright on their faces.
"Thank…Thank you." Weiss stuttered" This means the world to us." She finished as she wiped her tears.
"Though…*sniffle* Ruby might have been embarrassed seeing a whole mural for just her." Blake chuckled past her sobs.
"True, she always hated attention…*sniff* my little shadow reaper." Yang sobbed as she pressed her forehead to her girlfriend, who locked her in an embrace followed by Weiss and Qrow.
Meanwhile…
WBY weren't the only ones hugging away their sorrows, Jaune was finding himself getting suffocated by Nora and, to a lesser extent, Ren and Oscar/Ozpin. Not that he was really complaining mind you; he did spend 20 years missing them every day. Even the pain of a lung about to burst felt relieving; it felt so real.
"Y-You don't…know how *gasp for air* how happy I am to see you again." Jaune groaned.
"The feelings mutual Jaune. I can only imagine 20 years without anyone to help you." Ren said sadly as he reluctantly ended his hug with Oscar.
"*Sniff* it felt like an eternity though here. We…I felt so alone all this time, thinking you were gone forever." Nora whimpered, refusing to let go. Jaune sobbed as he rubbed the back of her hair tenderly.
"I know how you feel. Really." Jaune sighed.
"I'm sorry about Penny and…Ruby. I wish we could have helped all 3 of you. Take on some of that pain." Oscar/Ozpin said sadly.
"Don't. It was my burden to bare. I was the one who failed them. But I'm not going to fail you now. I promise." Jaune said firmly as he wiped his tears.
Ren smiled as he saw it, the same indomitable spirit that held their team together like glue. Jaune's absence these months had all but destroyed their team. Nora was distant from everyone and rarely energetic unless she killed Grimm. In her own words, she felt scarred and broken. Oscar couldn't be there for them as much anymore, literally, as Ozpin's influence grew stronger each day. It brought a reluctance to see him anymore knowing it was only a matter of time before their team lost another member. And Ren himself…he just felt worthless. Weak in body and spirit to comfort them, to help anyone beyond killing Grimm. He didn't know how Jaune always fought that plague of doubt he saw tormenting the boy in Beacon.
But right here and now, with their leader back and firmly giving them assurance, Ren finally thought things were going to be alright.
*BOOM!*
Ren sighed as he heard the explosion coming from the Market
"Of course I'm always wrong." He groaned.
Market
Rose was walking hand in hand with Emerald, the latter saying to her it was to avoid getting lost while Rose gushed over weapon stands, ignorant to the sight of Emerald gushing over the back of her firm back and wavy black hair. It took all her will not to pull the same move that filthy man tried earlier now that Emerald warned Rose of such people.
"Got to play it cool, get her used to me first. Used to Remnant actually." Emerald thought as Rose brandished a red katana.
"Look! It's red just like me and your eyes!" Rose said gleefully, making Emerald's face flush as red as the blade.
"What's wrong? You sick?" Rose asked. Emerald became a stuttering mess as she tried to form an excuse. It was not helped as Rose pressed her forehead to hers to check the girls temperature, making her tremble as the heat and desire rose within her. As this happened, however, both girls were clueless to a pair of eyes belonging to a cloaked figure baring down on them furiously.
"Your burning up, maybe I should take you to-" Rose began saying but the moment she did all Emerald could think she heard those words after feeling that soft skin rub against her was-
"TAKE ME!" Emerald thought as she did the first thing that came to her mind, force a full mouth kiss to Rose's lips to her surprise. Her mouth felt warm and moist, a strong thrust of a tongue and heat blasting her own as she drew back in shock. Emerald's own eyes widened as she realized what she did, seeing the flushed and confused look on Rose from her laps in control.
"I…ugh…I just felt…" Emerald stuttered, but her dark skin paled as Rose tilted her head in confusion, dreading what she heard next.
"What did you just do? It felt weird to me?" Rose asked. Emerald sighed at the naivety that soon killed her lust, though wasn't sure if she should be disappointed at her loss or grateful as she eyed the people watching her in shock at her public kiss, making her blush and crouch as she clasped her head.
"Oh Gods kill us both now!" Emerald yelled in her mind.
She soon figured out she should be careful what she wished for as she heard a yell nearby, one filled to the brim with bloodlust the former assassin could sense instantly as she drew her head back up to see a robed blonde woman rushing at Rose and her with a knife.
"HOW DARE YOU!" The woman yelled as she thrust the blade towards Rose's neck, but before Emerald could leap and draw her blades to intercept, Rose's mouse mask glowed gold and emitted an aura shield, blocking the blade before it could near it's master, who instantly pulled Fury Rose and delivered a slash to the woman's hand, cutting it off as she gripped her bloody stump and crouched, screaming in agony.
Rose gasped as she heard those cries, saw the blood oozing from the woman's hand, the image of Yang at Beacon after she lost her arm swelling her mind as she dropped her scythe axe.
"I…I'm so sorry Yang." She whispered. But the cloaked figure grinded her teeth in anger as she heard those words.
"S-Sorry…doesn't cut it! I'LL CUT YOU!" She roared as she grabbed the dagger with her free hand and advanced, only for Emerald to act this time, parrying the blade before it could stab the sullen Rose and kicked the woman in the chest. Emerald fixed her a death glare for her attempt, seriously considering finishing her off.
"Who the hell do you think you are attacking Ro-" Emerald growled before her eyes widened in shock as the cloak off the woman fell, revealing to her astonishment non other than Glynda Goodwitch!
"T-Teacher?" Rose whispered as she eyed the woman. Ruby's memories of the fall of Beacon were stabbing her brain painfully, but she remembered somewhat this woman gallantly defending the streets of Vale, a firm figure that frightened and impressed the warrior with her stern yet heroic resolve to help others.
Yet now all she was an emaciated and scarred woman, looking like she hadn't eaten in days as she snarled at Rose as she talked.
"You don't have any right! Right to be here, right to call me your teacher, and especially to be in love after all you took from us!" Glynda roared, drawing more people to the tents. Some even began nodding as they heard the woman's rant and saw the victim of her scathing words.
"It's her." One man whispered.
"Why isn't she still rotting in the ground where she belongs?" A woman whispered.
Emerald shuddered as she heard them speak, knowing things were getting even uglier than Glynda's claw scarred neck and stump. She got in between the ex teacher and her friend, forming a defense as best as she could hope for.
"What did Rose possibly take from you?" Emerald asked.
"All she did was ask for help, but gave non of it! It's because of her and your friends Atlas fell! Then Salem came for Vale next!" Glynda countered.
"We…we had to save the relics or else-" Emerald weakly replied but Glynda was having non of it, her aura flaring and closing her wound before it shattered weakly. Emerald saw other than her scathing glare as she got in her face was wobbling from the woman. She was obviously weak, but her fury was strong and frightening and left her paralyzed.
"You gave up our kingdoms for toys and failed! We lost everything because of you, BECAUSE OF HER!" Glynda roared.
At this point the crowd devolved into a full blow riot, Emerald saw the glares of the countless angry people wearing Atlesian and Mantle clothing began bearing down on Rose as those words echoed in her mind.
"Why? Why did you do this Ruby?" Rose whispered. At this point, Emerald back towards her as she saw Glynda get backed up by many more in the crowd. She knew things were too dangerous, she could smell the vengeance radiating from them. In that moment, Emerald's eyes shined as she summoned an illusion like the one she used to escape from Haven, one that sent chills down the crowds spines as they and Glynda froze in terror.
"SALEM!" They cried as they collapsed on their butts or passed out, allowing Emerald to grab Rose and run towards the academy. She stole a glance to see the girl weeping into her bosom, muttering silent apologies.
"I should be sorry. I've made mistakes too, like not helping you sooner. Not this time!" Emerald firmly thought. Just as she neared the Academy, a huge explosion nearby rippled through the air, almost making her drop Rose.
"WHAT THE HELL!?" She yelled, before she eyed the source. The prison was being bombarded by blasts of fire coming from flying Grimm!
Winter flew in, eyes glowing bright blue from her maiden powers, as she summoned a flurry of ice shards and lightning bolts that struck the Manticores and Bat-like Grimm, eliciting painful screeches as they disappeared.
"I have been in a VERY bad mood today! Don't test me!" She roared as she saw another wave begin to fly towards the city. She had just visited Weiss's tombstone outside and had to guard a new group of refugees from Vale from Beowolfs , she didn't need this.
As she tore through Grimm after Grimm, drawn to the city more than usual for some reason she didn't have time to ponder, Winter began to pant heavily as she grew exhausted. Over the last 5 days she'd been working non-stop killing Grimm. Bags were formed under her eyes. She really needed some rest, yet found no end in sight to the hordes of flying Grimm before her, but couldn't find it in her to stop as she summoned with all her aura a Nevermore Glyph.
"Weiss wouldn't give up till the end, I won't either." Winter cried as she tearfully blasted the Grimm, only for the corvid glyph to consume only 2 Wasp grimm before fading. As she sighed at the wave approaching her, she heard a cry out for her that made her breath hitch. It just didn't seem possible.
"WINTER!" Weiss cried as she flew in on a Nevermore Glyph with her team and Qrow, who all soon began shooting at the Grimm approaching her sister. Winter's eyes widened as she froze in midair.
"Weiss?" She whispered as she ignored the Grimm and landed on the Glyph, taking her sisters face into her hands, rubbing those soft cheeks to make sure her eyes didn't deceive her.
"Win…ter…ret..go…me…face…K?" Weiss demanded through her muffles before Winter wrapped her in a tight hug. Crying profusely as she realized it was all true.
"You came back." Winter whispered tearfully as Weiss returned the embrace.
"I always do." Weiss said softly as she slowly waved Myrtenaster and had a goliath smack some more Nevermores and Wasps away, not wanting the moment to be ruined.
As the smoke died down and all the civilians nearby were safely evacuated by Jaune's team. Ren walked into the Prison as the fire was finally cleared away, meeting team CFVY in the scorched hallways.
"Yatsu, what's the damage?" Ren sighed, he was having a bad day enough as it is, then he knew it was about to grow far worse than simple repairs after a Grimm attack as he laid eyes upon a bitter glare from the man who handed him his scroll.
"Footage we recovered. I don't recommended watching though." Yatsu said coldly.
"Why not?" Ren asked bewildered.
"It will just piss you off like us." Coco grumbled before walking away.
As Ren reluctantly pressed the play button on the recording, his eyes narrowed with rage at the sight before him. Mercury and Tyrian were slashing and kicking open cell doors to prisoners of Atlas, some were rioters and thieves wanting more supplies out of entitlement, others were ex hunters turned murderers and drug dealers that they managed to bring in only after weeks of painful losses of supplies and hunters in desert wasteland, now all made useless by these monsters.
"So they used this Grimm attack to sneak in and get more allies. Damnit!" Ren groaned.
Ren gripped the scroll bitterly as he saw Tyrian in particular flipping him off through the camera, just wanting to find him especially and put a bullet through his beady little eyes for that.
"Ren! Come take a look at this." Velvet called out to him as she pointed into a broken cell. Ren slowly walked over, fully expecting a gory sight like a guard with a slit throat. His skin grew goosebumps as instead all he saw was an empty cell with the words scratched on the wall…
"No place for Royalty."
Ren sighed as he grew more disappointed by that message. Humanity still couldn't get over its own greed and arrogance despite the humbling losses they ALL suffered at Salems hands. They just kept ignoring Ruby's message. He thought that after Atlas fell, Salem's forces took a nosedive as well, considering they nuked a whole army of Grimm and killed Watts. But then Vale fell as well, and now all their efforts seemed to have been made worthless. Prisoners free, Grimm just keep coming, and now Ren felt all alone. Nora and his team were broken inside, his flame not even stomaching a meal with him on much occasion, always finding an excuse to avoid the problems between them. Ren honestly envied that wish right now, wanting to just run away from this nightmare right now, hoping this painful reality was all that it was.
"I wish I could dream happily like you could Ruby." Ren whispered to himself.
Later that night…
Qrow slowly walked down the halls of the Academy dorms, now used as the base for their hunters operations. Today was stressful to say the least. He finds out his nieces team survived, yet Ruby didn't and came back to life as some new girl he wasn't sure he could call family after taking her over. Then a Grimm attack and prison outbreak was just the nail on his coffin. It seriously took all Qrow's willpower not to drink right now.
"*Sigh* you'd kill me if you caught me drinking again Ruby, wouldn't you?" He sadly groaned. He gave up drinking for her sake after realizing how much it meant to her.
"I love you too." He cried as he heard her words echoing, her soft warm hug around his neck when she told him that before coming to Atlas, before he lost her. Then he recoiled as he heard what sounded like her voice for real, only it was sad and choked with sobs.
"Ruby!?" He yelled as he ran down the halls to the source of the crying, soon freezing as he saw what looked like her with long hair weeping on a bed, Yang petting her head sadly as Emerald and Ruby's team watched from outside the door. Qrow was speechless as he focused his gaze past them to Ruby….only to remember this wasn't her as she whimpered.
"I'm not Ruby…I'm not her…It's not fair." She cried softly. Yang looked up to see her Uncle, whose hearstrings tugged as they locked with tearful red eyes from the blonde who slowly stood up.
"I know. Give them time okay sis? They'll see that. Your FAMILY will at least." Yang firmly said as she walked out the room and fixed her uncle a scathing glare as her team left. No further words needed to be said for the hunter to understand what she meant.
"Damnit….what happened to her?" Qrow sighed. If he was expected to comfort Rose like Ruby, he needed to know for sure what was troubling her.
"A crowd tried to kill Rose earlier. They blamed your niece for losing Atlas and wanted "Justice". Emerald mockingly said. Qrow growled as he heard this, remembering why he kept the shrine for Ruby hidden from public eye.
"It wasn't Ruby's fault. And she's NOT my niece." Qrow pointed out, but Emerald just shook her head in disproval.
"And here I thought I was deluded when I thought Cinder loved me if we all thought you didn't care about blood ties over your loved ones." Emerald said disappointed as she walked off, fixing the crying Rose one somber look before heading off to bed.
Qrow winced as he heard those stinging words. He couldn't help but feel like a hypocrite for this. Here he had scolded Raven once for caring about her tribe, a pack of murderers and thieves, over her blood daughter and husband yet here he was essentially disowning a part of the niece he loved out of grief. Rose wasn't Ruby? Well maybe she did have a part of her within like Yang said. Maybe he just needed to give her a fair chance rather than blame her like those crowds have been doing.
With a heavy sigh, Qrow entered the room and sat down beside Rose as she just laid there, unresponsive to his presence.
"Heya…squirt." Qrow said awkwardly. Rose winced as she heard those familiar words.
"Not Ruby." She whispered so softly even he couldn't hear her. Yet Qrow could just see from the sobbing huntress she didn't say anything good.
"What's bothering you kiddo?" He asked as calmly as he could, despite the pain in his chest just looking at Rose's face, especially as she weakly bolted up and fixed him an angry look like the one Ruby's mother gives him when he screws up big time.
"I said…I AM NOT RUBY!" She cried out.
"I…*sigh* I know that." He said as he hung his head in shame but she just scoffed as she wiped the tears from her redden eyes.
"Then stop talking to me like them, like you see me as her!" She demanded but he clenched his fists in frustration.
"It's hard okay! It's hard not to do that when you look and sound so much like her! When she's a piece of you!" He argued.
"But I'm me! Why can't everyone see that!? Everything's so confusing right now!" Rose screamed. From Emeralds kiss to those peoples glares, Rose was filled to the brim with anxiety and confusion. She could only find one person to blame for all of these feelings bitterly.
"Why do I have to be the one guilty of Ruby's crimes!?" Rose yelped.
A few minutes of silence passed as Qrow and her froze hearing this declaration. Rose could see by the pain on her mentors face she screwed up with her word, while Qrow knew he had been unfair to her just like the others. Here sat a damaged girl like his niece, yet she wasn't her no matter how much he wanted otherwise. He hated talking about this, but knew if Rose was even similar to Ruby she would need to hear this to open her eyes to the reality of the fruitlessness of her wish.
"People…are selfish and greedy Rose." He replied softly, making her whimper.
"I know. Even my sister couldn't look past Ruby for me. She just wanted her back. But she accepted me!" Rose countered, but was silence by a blank stare from Qrow.
"After she killed you once." Qrow countered back making Rose hang her head. Qrow sighed as he fought his own awkwardness and discomfort, drawing his arm around Rose as he pulled her near his chest. She heard his heart beat rapidly, knowing he was under severe stress, yet was confused as she didn't understand why he looked so calm.
"I don't get anything anymore really. I get swapped in with Ruby and Summer with just…a few memories and a butt load of problems they expected ME to fix. Why did Yang and those people have to be selfish but not me? Why can't I just be happy and be seen as ME instead of being compared to either of them?" She asked.
"When people lose something precious to them, they tend to cling to that loss Rose. Those people lost a home, family, just like Yang and I did. And when we feel sad from our loss, sadness turns to anger. You got pretty angry with me remember?" He asked and she slowly nodded as she took in this info.
"And people can be selfish, especially when angry. It's a deadly combo. It takes time for that hate and pain to fade. It's not fair Ruby left you with that hate to deal with, just as I wasn't fair to you by not seeing your point." He said sadly as he tightened his hug around her.
"Then what do we do about it?" Rose asked hopefully, fear in her tone as she return the hug weakly.
"I don't know." He replied to her annoyance.
"But you're an adult! You're my teacher! You should know everything about dealing with these problems." She argued.
"That's Ruby's feelings you know?" He countered, making her freeze in fright.
"She's a part of you, but she's not you. You're not Ruby, your not my protégé. That's a fact just like the fact I don't know how to really handle this. I'm still hurt and angry too like those people, like Yang was. The past is impossible to ignore kid." He retorted.
"Then why are you talking to me if you blame me just like them?" Rose asked angrily and tearfully.
"Because….we're still family." Qrow whispered tearfully to her shock. Honestly he was kicking himself over this, remembering even Yang figured this out.
"B-But I…I'm not Ruby." She countered weakly.
"If a hot head like firecracker could still love you regardless, then I'm a dumbass for not seeing that sooner. You may not be Ruby anymore, but you can still be my niece. I can still love you like one." Qrow said with a smile as he hugged her, making her sniffle into his chest.
"You promise?" She whispered.
"I gave up booze for Ruby. I can give up being an ass for you." He chuckled to her amusement as she laughed, having heard exactly what she needed to hear. With that, exhaustion from crying swept over both the new Uncle and Niece, who collapsed onto their backs, allowing the soft cushion of the bed to bring what would be a new experience for Rose and the ailing Qrow after so many ragged months of mourning, a peaceful night sleep, knowing the next day would be better for them now that they had each other.
Author Notes
Happy Easter! Sorry this one took so long to update, was honestly pondering ending this series with last chapter, but with the release of the V9 Epilogue on rooster teeth before it ends inspiring this, and so many of you had been faving this series I felt it best to end on a high note for next chapter. Now that Rose is mending her rift with her new Uncle, she may soon find a new relationship blooming between her and Emerald. Next ch focuses on that and the groups final battle against Cinder and Salem.