RWBY Avenge Me
Chapter 6: A Bright Reunion
As Ruby slowly began to close her eyes, feeling the dreaded burning that consumed her body finally ebbing away like her strength, she felt the massive glow enveloping her vision start to fade. What didn't fade, however, was the image she could see, the sight of her team, her friends and family all smiling at her warmly, though she knew it was an illusion, just some pleasant thought that consumed her like the flames roasting her, she didn't really care. The looks they gave off brought a pleasant warmth to her that squashed the painful one that slowly consumed her as Cinder roasted her.
Ruby soon frowned, however, as a dreaded thought soon overtook her, reigniting the burning pain she had ignored.
"I'm sorry….I know I failed. That I'm just hurting you all more than ever." Ruby sadly thought. She knew she couldn't survive what Cinder did to her, she did know, however, how devastated her sister and friends would be by their loss.
"Oh god Dad! How's he gonna even breath if I go-" Ruby thought with a grimace, remembering how her father shut down when her mother died before she screeched in pain as something stabbed into her left eye. With that the light faded faster, but the pain on her head intensified.
"PLEASE STOP! NO MORE! NO MORE PAIN!" Ruby cried mentally, not feeling a mouth to open for her to say her plea.
In the blink of her remaining eye, it was over. Her wish was granted, Ruby didn't feel anything anymore. Her body turned to ash, scattering to the wind towards the blood moon, as red as the Scythe she left behind, her one legacy of her sacrifice at Beacon. Ruby's spirit, however, felt no fear nor pain from this reality, she felt nothing at all.
But things change quite quickly in the blink of an eye.
"Ruuuuuuubbbbbbbyyyy." A woman's voice echoed, making the girl gasp.
Ruby jerked her body up, startled not just by the familiar voice, but by how light she felt. Wait? She felt!?
Ruby slowly opened her right eye, a strong light dousing it, yet it didn't sting. Weirdly, it felt warm and comforting, like the red and white rose petals that rubbed up on her hands as she gripped the ground to keep herself in place.
"W-Where am I?" Ruby whispered. To her astonishment, she saw a massive flower field in a bright yellowish orange sky, beget with purple clouds like the Remnant sky at dusk. Yet what really surprised Ruby was the fact she could only see with her right eye.
"Is…is it really-" She did not even Dane to finish that sentence. She weakly raised her left arm, shuddering as she realized she had one again, before its soft skin rubbed the socket that once contained her left eye. It was gone, empty, but what was more shocking was that she felt no blood, no pain whatsoever in it. She wasn't able to feel pain in fact, all she could feel besides a twinge of fear was a strange warmth she felt within, radiating off this environment as if infectious.
"What is going on here? One minute I was being burned by some witch and then GASP!" She cried out, before suddenly freezing as the reality began to sunk in despite her wish otherwise.
"A-Am I really?" She asked herself, but the answer came not from herself, but from a familiar cry she found herself shivering hearing. It just couldn't be.
"Ruby!" a woman's voice called out to her, almost harmoniously as the girl bolted out from her flower bed.
"No it…it couldn't be." Ruby whispered, her words denying what her heart knew to be true as it felt warm, but didn't pound. She couldn't breath either way as she grew even more shocked as a woman in a cloak of white slowly began walking to the top of a hill in the distance.
"Ruby." She called out to the one-eyed girl again. A tear soon descending from her sole eye as her face blushed seeing the figure.
(Land Before time Ost: just so fitting listen please) watch?v=vfkXHBHGJik
"Mom?" Ruby whispered, soon walking towards the hill. Her body felt light, yet she couldn't run. It was as if she savored or feared the moment at the same time, wanting it to be true while afraid it was a sick dream trick. But the closer she got, the more she felt the warmth of the woman's presence, the happier she became as she saw the familiar smile and silver eyes of the woman she lost years ago.
"Mom…mom?...MOMMY!" Ruby cried as she petal burst with all her might, crashing into the woman as she opened her arms up in acceptance.
"That's right sweetie!" Summer Rose cried out tearfully as she wrapped her arms around her daughter, rolling on the soft flower bed on the hill with her as her daughter cried into her chest.
"I THOUGHT I'D NEVER *HIC* SEE YOU AGAIN!" Ruby tearfully cried into her mothers chest. It felt just like the one memory she had of her, the night she hugged her goodbye before her last mission. But this one hug was filled with happiness and relief, no sadness or regret, at least from her.
Summer soon reluctantly broke off the hug as she sat her daughter in her lap, letting the girl wipe her tears off with her cloak. She took a moment to marvel at her daughter's growth, despite still small enough to sit on her hip.
"You really grew up fast, like your semblance dear." Summer chuckled.
"Yup! I drank lots of milk!" Ruby yelled joyfully.
"Yeah…though…." Summer said sadly averting her eyes as she struggled to find the words.
"Mom?" Ruby asked a bit scared. Suddenly the dusk sky turned dark, a few small bright stars being the only source of light that shined upon the mother and daughter reapers.
"Sorry sweetie its just…don't take this the wrong way, but I didn't really want to see you here so soon." Summer sadly confessed. Ruby's face grew somber as she frowned hearing this. It was confirmation to what she truly feared, yet ignored out of joy seeing her mother until her own sadness ruined the joy.
"So, I really died." It wasn't a question, it was something she knew was true. No one could survive what she endured after all, but seeing her Mother weep and nod just broke the poor girls heart, she just hugged her saddened mother, not bothered by the fact she couldn't hear it beat.
"I'm sorry I left you Ruby. Maybe this wouldn't have-" Summer wept before Ruby cut her off.
"Don't. Just don't." Ruby said firmly, despite the tear in her eye.
"Huh?" Summer gasped.
"If I didn't….my friend would have taken my place. I don't know if I could live through that. It was hard enough losing you mom. Please don't ever wish that." Ruby scolded sadly.
"S-Sorry dear. It was just…seeing you like this. One eye gone as well…it made me feel like I failed as your mom." Summer cried softly.
"Hey! You could never be anything more than the best mom I ever had. Never say otherwise." Ruby cried.
"Nope. I won't." Summer complied with a sad nod.
A few long minutes passed, neither saying anything as they just laid back on the soft ground like feather beds, enjoying the heavens shooting stars that flew by until Ruby broke the ice.
"How come I don't have an eye here?" Ruby asked curiously.
"I've been watching over you." Summer winced as she replied. Ruby looked away solemnly, knowing that meant her demise as well. "That monster took it before you went." Summer revealed.
"Why my eye? And wait…why did it flash and burn so much?" Ruby asked.
Summer then went on to explain how they were amongst the last of a rare race of silver eyed warriors who could freeze or vaporize Grimm with magical eyes.
"Why she wanted the eye, I don't know. It could be for the power it had, after all…you saved your whole school from that Grimm army and Dragon." Summer said, not even hiding the pride she felt for her daughter as she hugged her shoulders, eliciting an embarrassed blush from Ruby.
"I did? Well….did I go out like a hero then mom?" Ruby asked with a smile, one that descended when Summer shook her head.
"Mom?" She asked fearfully. Was her sacrifice actually in vain?
"Nope. You went out like a huntress sweetie. The best I ever saw. I'm so proud of you my little Rose." Summer sweetly said as she hugged her daughter's head.
In that moment, Ruby sniffled as all her concerns, all her fears for the friends and family she left behind to fight the good fight, all ebbed away as she felt her mothers warm embrace. Especially as Summer soon waved her hand, summoning a couple of strawberry chocolate chip cookies she handed to Ruby to enjoy with her. Her eye brightened up as she ate them.
"There just like yours!" She cheered.
"Yup, no baking time too. That's heaven for you Ruby, almost anything you want is yours. " Summer chuckled. Ruby soon grew solemn again at the thought.
"Almost…I can't have Yang or my friends here. That would mean…" Ruby sadly said, knowing the implication of a normally selfless wish.
"Not in person yet, but…." Summer countered, catching her daughters attention as she waved her hand again, summoning this time a little television that lit up. Ruby's eye did the same as she gasped in joy, crying as she saw her sister and friends on the screen, living out their lives at this very moment.
"You can still see them till then. It helps make the wait worth it." Summer said warmly as she rested her head on her daughters head.
"Thanks…*sniffle*…Mom." Ruby cried.
"Happy birthday Ruby." Her mom replied.
"Best present ever." Ruby quietly said, fighting the urge to doze off as she accepted her mothers loving gift and embrace, having dreamt of this for so long.
Authors Notes.
Short chapter, just felt a heartwarming Ruby focused chapter was due. I watched Land before time with my new nephew and just felt it was touching to have a mother heaven focus hence the ost link. It fits the reunion perfectly. We will see the future get ugly with life or death battles in this vengeance themed story line, but for now we can enjoy a mother and daughter reunited, not on pleasant circumstances, but loving at least as we all can relate, wanting to see out lost loved ones in heaven someday and make up for lost time. I urge the readers today then, read this short chapter quickly, then give your remaining ones a good long kiss goodnight, treasure them as long as possible.