Ruby stumbled alongside Raven and Qrow, she wasn't used to how weird Raven's portal could feel and the Grimm that stood in front of them surprised her.
"Wow! So do you guys normally just find Grimm where they don't belong or is this new?"
Raven ignored Ruby's question, her eyes moving between Qrow's and Ruby's weapons.
"Great, now there are two of you." She spoke dismissively.
"Always gotta find something to complain about don't ya sis?"
"Shouldn't we be helping dad?" Ruby asked gesturing to the man who was single-handedly holding the attention of a leviathan. "I mean seriously, we're in a desert, you know that's a bit far from its home."
"I'M FINE!" Shouted back Tai, the strain in his voice not quite matching his words.
"See, he's fine." Agreed Qrow.
"But that's an aquatic type of Grimm?" Ruby asked still held up on how a Leviathan was this far from water.
Qrow turned to Ruby with a frown. "Aquatic? That Schnee is teaching you big words?"
Ruby frowned but before she could defend herself Raven interrupted.
"Congrats, you paid attention, at least in Professor Port's lessons. Can you Freeze it?"
"I've never managed to with something so big." She admitted.
Raven opened up a portal between Qrow and Ruby.
"Well choose your memory wisely, if you can freeze a small part we'll make do."
"When should I?"
Raven smirked as she shoved Ruby through the portal, her voice following after.
"Trust me, you will know."
Air quickly rushed past her as she fell through the sky, the Leviathan standing out below them thanks to its size, Qrow soon caught up turning from his Corvid form he positioned himself next to Ruby.
"Seriously, she's a maiden…" Ruby shouted through the air. "…Can't she handle it herself."
"Raven plays by her own rules."
Qrow pointed at the Leviathan that was rapidly getting closer.
"Do you remember before Beacon, that move you always wanted to do?"
Qrow smiled at Ruby's cheerful expressions as she struggled contain her excitement, her eyes widening even as they fought against all the rushing wind.
"Really!?" Ruby squeaked out.
"Just this once kiddo."
Ruby twirled Crescent Rose playfully as she focused her attention onto the Leviathan below.
"This is going to be awesome."
Qrow chuckled under his breath. "Just remember, silver eyes when it feels right, Raven will do the rest."
Ruby nodded in response, tilting her body forwards so she was descending faster than Qrow, Ruby heard Qrow's own weapon fire behind her as he sought to catch up, the roaring from the Leviathan reached both their ears and Ruby could make out her dad and Raven who seemed like small dots in comparison to the Leviathan.
"Ready?!" Ruby Shouted, turning her head upwards to look at Qrow who nodded.
Ruby brought her scythe up over her head, the blade standing proudly behind her, Qrow mirrored her stance a small distance away, their speed meant they didn't have to wait long as they rushed towards the ground, Ruby braced her arms for the impact as she flew to one side of the Leviathan's neck while Qrow directed himself to the other, their blades making a clean entrance thanks to their sharpness and speed, they both fired a shot to help maintain their momentums. Ruby and Qrow made a spiral each around the Grimm's neck, Ruby cutting her blade further forward than Qrow so the two didn't crash into each other, as they came back up the other side Ruby shifted her blades angle and fired again, Qrow followed suit and this time they both cut a line straight across the front of the monster creating a deep crisscross cut on its stomach, Qrow launched himself free his feet sliding across the desert sand as he created a small distance between himself and the Grimm, Ruby however pulled the trigger on Crescent Rose again feeling time slow as she continued her blades journey along the monsters skin this time traveling level across its stomach, she called on the powers deep within her.
Memories flashed before her eyes, she remembered how Qrow smiled when she showed him the blueprints for Crescent Rose, how her dad teared up when he gave Ruby her mother's old cape, how excited Yang was for her when she got into Beacon, how happy she was when Qrow walked into that Mistrali house with Yang and Weiss, how close to tears she was when Blake appeared at Haven and promised to stay, how they all reacted when she appeared out from the tree but most all she heard her mother's voice whisper proudly, she felt her cheek warm as if a hand rested upon it, Summer's words spoke softly but drowned out the world around Ruby.
"I love you… just the way you are."
A surging warming sensation rushed to Ruby's eyes and she opened them easily, her eyes let out a blinding silver light that struck the centre of the Grimm's stomach, the crisscross of her and Qrow's blades ensured that the light made its way deep into the Leviathan which released a painfilled screech that shook Ruby's eardrums, she pulled the trigger of Crescent Rose and it spun around her, she freed the blade from the monster and launched herself off and landed to the side of the Grimm.
"RAVEN!" She shouted.
Two bolts of lightning flashed down from the sky the tips taking the forms of swords as they landed into the remains of the Grimm's stomach that had taken the brunt of Ruby's attack, electricity cracked from them and through the Grimm, Raven quickly followed with a spear of fire piercing in between them easily cutting through the weakened skin, thunder crackled from the swords and jumped across the air making contact with the spear, the second it did the ground shook as the trio of weapons exploded out creating a cloud of dust and sand which slowly dissipated revealing a giant whole in the centre of the Leviathan.
Ruby felt herself relax as she watched the mist of Grimm smoke slowly spread from the wound as the Leviathan evaporated, the red hue leaving its eyes as it slumped forward kicking up a sand cloud as it did, Tai rushed over to Ruby and embraced his daughter surprising her.
"Wow dad…remember breathing?" Ruby sputtered out and eventually Tai relented as he released her and smiled proudly.
"Great job."
Ruby looked at Raven pointedly as she responded.
"Thanks dad, but it's like I said, if we work together we can win."
Raven rolled her eyes dismissively as she walked closer but she kept eye contact with Ruby. Qrow and Tai seemed to sense the tension and looked over at Raven who stood with one hand on her hip seemingly measuring Ruby.
Raven let out a heavy breath. "Not bad, Not as strong as Summer but not bad."
Ruby tilted her head slightly quipping back. "Not bad yourself…" She gestured over to Qrow. "…I've seen better from a Branwen but not bad."
Raven looked at Tai unimpressed.
"She gets that from you."
"Seeing through your façade, nah that's all Summer."
Ruby smiled up at her dad, before she could add anything though her scroll rang out in her pocket, pulling it free she saw Weiss had sent her a message, only one word but she understood.
RWBY
She turned to Raven "Get me back to my team."
"A please would go far."
"Raven!"
"…Fine."
As Raven's portal appeared Qrow and Tai shared a worried glance which her uncle gave voice to.
"Anything you need help with?"
"I'll let you know."
Ruby summoned a wave of rose petals dashing through the portal going back to her team.