Ruby and Cale laid down close together on a mat, at the top of a small grassy mound some distance away from her house, with their picnic items consumed and tidied up. It was only an hour past noon; Patch's rustic scenery was as calming as it always was, and a warm sun plus a cool wind every now and then completed the comforting atmosphere. This wasn't exactly what Ruby thought she was going to do ever since her mom died, but here she was, a week after the fact, enjoying her time with her boyfriend.
"What's on your mind right now?"
"A lot of things." Ruby forgot that she had been silent for a long time now. But she was more at ease than she expected. She definitely made the right choice to go along with Cale's idea to eat outside. One of the many good things he had done for her these past few days. Coupled with his perseverance in doing various odd jobs here in the village for income – not wanting to rely only on her father's allowance – Ruby knew that he thought long term about their relationship, and she appreciated his efforts. "I know I haven't been motivated to leave my room, so thanks for still inviting me for a picnic. To be honest, I didn't think the change of scenery would help. But I guess I was wrong on that."
"It's ok. Your mom was a hero, but losing family is never easy, so I figured eating out here would help clear your mind, and I'm glad you finally agreed."
"Yeah…" She got the details from her dad, who arrived only two days ago. He said that her mom saved her team from a Grimm ambush, using illusions of her created by her Semblance to help her allies escape. It was comforting news to hear. Ruby was proud to know that her mom didn't go down without fighting and protecting others. "I cried so much that my tears have dried up."
"Your dad feels the same."
"I know." Her dad gave her the affection she needed, but the fact that he showed up late and left the next day for some mission only soured the memory. But he made her promise to understand, so she did her best not to dwell too much on it. "How many did you guys drink, by the way?"
"We both only had two, nothing serious. I just thought of it as your dad's way of setting the mood, and I guess it's to help him as well. One of the first things he told me to do was protect his little kiddo, his lovable pipsqueak."
Ruby nodded. Her dad also visited Cale to talk, just the two of them. But she wouldn't have known that even happened had Cale not told her about it. Her dad kept it secret, only going out of their house once she had cried herself to sleep. And by the time she knew, he was long gone, having left in the morning. "He told you about those nicknames of mine as well, huh?"
"Among other things, yeah."
Right at that moment, a yellow butterfly passed by them. It was common to see one around these parts, but there was something about how it appeared that caught their attention. The butterfly landed right between Ruby and Cale, staying on the ground for a few seconds, before finally flying off.
"I've been thinking about death lately." Well, she did want to talk about something else other than her dad. But maybe this was a bit too much. Feeling regret in saying it, Ruby looked at her boyfriend. Cale didn't seem bothered at all by the shift of topic though, so she decided to continue. "I read something online a few days ago. It said that people who don't remind their children of death, and that they would pass on before them, have failed as parents."
"I don't think your mom failed you on that."
Ruby felt a sharp pang in her heart; realizing that her eyes were starting to water, she quickly calmed herself down. "Sorry. Just when I thought my tears had dried up…"
"You have nothing to be sorry about."
"It made me think back about what my mom used to tell me, every time I told her I wanted to become a Hunter. It's funny how a lot of things only become obvious in hindsight. Makes me think what was wrong with me to not have thought of it like that sooner, while she was still alive. Like, how was I so dense not to even see it…"
"Ruby…"
They went quiet for a while before Ruby spoke up again. "I want to be like my mom too, when my time comes. Not backing down in the face of death, die in battle as a hero. Or sacrifice myself for others, maybe to atone for any mistakes I've made. Preferably both."
"Oh c'mon. Stop saying that." Cale's tone quickly became curt and rough. "You're not going to die on the battlefield, you hear me?" His Semblance avatar flashed; a monstrous right arm burst out of his shoulder, and clenched its clawed hand. "I won't have any of that. I'll tear apart anyone that even thinks of touching you, Grimm or otherwise."
"I know you will. Then again, you never know what will happen. It might not even be a Grimm that takes me out." Ruby then saw Cale frown. She couldn't remember the last time he did that, and there was something about his gesture that was different as well. She wasn't afraid or anything like it, but given his frown and his Semblance, she felt uneasy at the sight. "…I'm sorry, forget what I said. I just have a wild imagination right now. Don't take any of it seriously."
"Don't feel guilty either." Cale's face quickly softened, as if regretting his own outburst, and his Semblance vanished as quickly as it came. "I know what you're thinking, believe me. I know it's hard. But know that none of this was your fault, and your mom would much rather want you to live your own life, rather than mope around like this."
But Ruby couldn't deny to herself that she did feel guilty, and she had said as much to Cale in the past few days. A part of her wished she could turn back time to say her goodbyes to her mom properly. Knowing that was impossible, she felt compelled to make it up in any way she could, even if it was unhealthy for her in the long run. A bunch of emotions swirled in her heart. "I'm just rambling nonsense again, aren't I?"
"When I say that I'm here for you, that means I'll always be listening."
"You always do, Cale. Thank you for that. And to think, I've been giving you a hard time recently…"
"It's ok, just know you're not going to be alone again. Not anymore."
Not alone anymore. Yes, she was fortunate enough not to be. If her mom had passed away without her knowing Cale, and her dad still leaving the way he did yesterday… She stopped herself from going any further. No, she didn't want to entertain the possibility, not one bit. "By the way, did my dad tell you why he couldn't stay?"
"…no, he didn't."
"I figured. He also couldn't tell me why, other than it was about a mission, and that he'd contact me as soon as he could." She should have known that he wouldn't tell Cale anything either. She couldn't help herself from asking, though. She promised her dad that she'd understand, and that she wouldn't dwell on it, but… "I'm happy he arrived, but a part of me wants to be angry at him. I mean, why did he have to leave so soon? Did he go out of his way to prove me right that he'd leave right after?"
"I'm sure your dad has his reasons."
"You don't have to defend my dad," she said wryly. "I don't care if it's about work or anything else. I don't think he's even serious about what happened. He couldn't even tell me when he'll be back."
"He did tell you that he'd message you when he was ready… And it's not like he's not hurting, Ruby. He cried when I was with him, and he said he cried with you too. Isn't that proof that he's taking your mom's death seriously?"
The two fell silent, and Ruby bit her lip. She was caught there; she knew what Cale said was true. For her to think that her dad wasn't hurting at all… What the hell was she thinking? What was she even saying right now? Ashamed, Ruby shook her head. "…I'm sorry, you're right. I'm just being stupid again, for not seeing it that way."
"But you're being honest, at least. I also don't know why he left, and why he couldn't give you a date when he'd be back, but I'm sure your old man knows what he's doing. I'm sure he has a reason for all of this. I don't think he's that kind of guy you're thinking about, not after I heard him cry."
Ruby was at a loss on what to say next. She then found herself wiping away a tear from her cheek, which made her chuckle. Didn't she just say that her tears had dried up? She then found the only words she could say. "…I guess you're right about that too."
"I know you're holding back on a lot of things, so go ahead." Cale then hugged Ruby while both of them were still laying on the mat. "You can tell me everything at your own pace, and I'll help you get through them."
"I…" Ruby took what he said to heart, as she recalled instances when she acted less than loving to him. Strong emotions once again stirred in her heart. "I'm sorry for the times when I pushed you away, when I didn't want to see your face, even though we're together now. Even after how well you treated me, even though I can't bear to lose you…"
"You just needed some space."
"You don't have to put it so nicely like that, because I was completely wrong. Whenever I tried to sleep by myself…"
"I believed you when you told me you were having nightmares. For a sleepyhead like you, you wouldn't be calling me late at night otherwise."
"Maybe I deserve those nightmares. Maybe I deserve every misfortune out there. Maybe I–"
"Shh…" Cale said, cutting Ruby off, and rubbed her back with his hand. "Don't ever think that."
"Why shouldn't I?"
"Because you deserve to be happy, just like everyone else. Don't you believe that?"
"I…" Ruby was at a loss for words.
"Because I do, at least. And you should too."
"I'm sorry…" Ruby felt another pang in her heart, and sniffles came soon enough. "…I should be a lot stronger than this. But it's hard for me to move on. Maybe you've noticed this already, but I've always found it hard to get over my mistakes. Maybe that's why my mom tried her best to prepare me for death. For someone trying to become a Hunter, I'm still…" Ruby snuggled closer to Cale, and finally allowed herself to sob, her emotions pouring out. So much for having no more tears to shed. She was so confused and tired these past few days. Silently brooding at one moment, then lashing out the next. She was a wreck, and she could only hope that what Cale said about her getting better was true. Already she counted herself lucky that he was so patient in dealing with her pains and outbursts.
"I'll never leave your side, Ruby. I know you can make it through this, and I wouldn't say that if I didn't believe it. Words have weight, after all." Cale then rubbed the back of Ruby's neck. "I believe in you, so believe in yourself too, ok?"
Ruby embraced Cale tighter, hanging on as if he was about to be taken away by some unseen force, and she closed her eyes. Cale's warmth was such a comfort. "…ok, I will."
"Oh, you're awake now. How was your sleep?"
The sky was now a bright orange, and Ruby's eyes widened upon seeing it. She had fallen asleep without even realizing it. Then again, with her being in Cale's arms, was it really that much of a surprise? Cale meanwhile was sitting on the mat some inches away, and so she immediately went by his side. "I'm good. Did you sleep too?"
"I was awake the whole time. I was busy watching you sleep, actually. You're just that beautiful to look at, you know?"
"But I can't help it, you know that." Ruby blushed. "I didn't even notice I was falling asleep… It's bound to happen when I'm with you."
"Yeah I know, and it's all good. You're my sleepyhead regardless." Cale smiled warmly, then turned towards the horizon. "Besides, you woke up right on time. Look at that right there. It's a nice sunset, don't you think?"
Ruby looked at the sunset together with him. The sun was almost halfway down the horizon, which included the walls that protected Patch from the Grimm, and the clouds were in the right position to form sunbeams. It was indeed a pretty sight, in more ways than one. And in a way, it reminded her of her mom, who was amazing and beautiful as well, right until the end. "Yeah, it really is."
The two continued to watch the sunset. She was sure they spent at least an hour doing that. They kept quiet throughout, which was fine; she thought deeply of what she needed to do moving forward. Failing Beacon, and her mom passing away… They highlighted just how weak she was both physically and emotionally. She needed to get stronger, that much she could be honest to herself. But the road to that goal wasn't clear to her at all. She could train harder as a start, but doubt still lingered in her mind.
And so Ruby asked Cale about it. "How does a person move on, Cale? They say time heals all wounds, but no one talks about the scars."
"I don't have a quote for that, but what I do know is that moving forward is more about living with the pain than anything else. Some choose to hide their scars, while others let it show, but everyone eventually has to come outside. It's about how people carry themselves that matters, I think." There was a brief silence, then Cale scratched his head. "Sorry, I probably didn't make any sense."
"No, you made perfect sense. It'll be hard for me, but I think I can do it, as long as I'm with you." Her sleep earlier was dreamless, which in hindsight was a blessing, compared to what she was getting the past few nights. No horrible images of how her mom spent her last breaths, and no embarrassing recollection of her failed attempt to enter Beacon. Maybe she was thinking too much into it, but she may really be getting there, just like what Cale said. "Just never give up on me, no matter how difficult I get. I don't have my mom anymore. And with my dad gone for who knows when, you're the only one I have left."
"I'll never leave you, no matter how long this takes, I'll always be by your side. And I'll protect you with all the power I have."
There was something about how Cale said that last part, but Ruby didn't pay too much attention to it; she just nodded. "Swear that you'll never forget about me too, ok? Because I swear I won't, no matter what happens. My heart is yours always."
"I'll never forget you. I swear it."
Ruby smiled softly. "I love you, Cale."
"I love you too, Ruby."
Cale then gave Ruby a kiss. It was a long, sensual one, and soon enough Ruby embraced him, searching for every scrap of warmth she could get. She smelled his scent, and her sense of touch soaked in the feel of him. A few low sounds escaped her lips; she wanted more. He then caressed her, and Ruby trembled; gasping for air, her cheeks reddened as she ended the kiss. "Cale…"
"I know we should be going home now…" There was passion in Cale's eyes, and Ruby could feel his heart beating wildly, same as hers. "…but can you stay with me here, for just a bit longer?"
"Yes…"
The two embraced each other as the sun continued to set.
Ruby woke up, her dream ending abruptly, and a white ceiling filled her view.
"Good morning, Ruby."
She found herself lying in bed, in a room she had never been before, and that there was someone to her left. A tall man with messy silver hair in a black suit. Her eyes turned to him. "…Ozpin?"
"Glad to see you're finally awake." Adjusting his glasses, the man gave her a warm smile. "How are you?"
"Tired…" Morning light pierced through her room's windows. With her dream gone, she began to remember what happened. "…where am I?"
"You're in Beacon's medical facility. You were in bad shape, but Jaune managed to patch you well enough to keep you stable, and the doctors did the rest. You were out for around two days."
"Oh."
"That was a crazy day of fiery dragons and rampaging Grimm, wasn't it?"
Ruby slowly recalled what happened during the trials. It explained her inclined bed, bandages and hospital gown, as well as the IV on her right hand. But she somehow managed to survive all of that, which was a shock to her, given all she did to protect her friends. And now that she thought about them… "Where are the others? Are they ok?"
"Don't worry, your friends are fine. Your three roommates are at the waiting area outside, actually. The doctors mentioned that you should be regaining consciousness at any time since last night." Ozpin then grabbed a chair and took a seat right beside her bed. "It's their first time seeing you since you've been admitted here. It won't be long before your friends are allowed to visit, and they'll have a lot to say now that you're awake."
Ruby breathed a sigh of relief.
"Forgive me for pulling a few strings and sneaking ahead of them, though. I have a busy schedule, so I needed to visit you as soon as I could. I took a chance that you'd be awake within my free time, and it seems my gamble has paid off."
"I understand," Ruby said. "I won't tell the others."
"Thank you." Ozpin paused, his eyes looking straight into Ruby's, then he cleared his throat. "Well, first things first. I'll give the news to you straight. For your commendable actions on the battlefield, I'm proud to announce that you've passed the Hunter trials with flying colors. Congratulations."
"…what?" Ruby was caught completely by surprise. "I… I passed?"
"All of your friends passed as well, of course. But no reason for you to be surprised. You were the only one out of the whole batch who successfully led a group to victory against the Class Two Grimm, after all. That feat doesn't come normally to recruits, and it speaks volumes about your true capabilities."
The news struck her hard. The thought of finally becoming a Hunter hadn't crossed Ruby's mind at all. To think she would wake up to something like this… "Thank you, thank you so much!" It sounded too good to be true. But Ozpin's words couldn't be clearer. Just like that, she was all set for graduation, finally getting the very thing she had worked so hard for all her life, and it felt like a huge weight was lifted off her heart. Tears fell down Ruby's cheeks. I did it. I finally did it, Cale. After everything, I finally kept my promise.
"It's good to see you so happy. It's what you've always wanted. You deserve it."
"I never thought this would happen…" Was it a coincidence she dreamed about Cale right before this? Her tears had now turned into sobs, so she reached for the tissues on the desk near her bed. "Sorry, just give me a minute here…"
A good number of minutes passed before Ozpin spoke again; he waited for Ruby to calm down first. "That was a brave thing you did, leading the charge against those monsters. You should be proud." He showed a small smile. "Both the graduation ceremony and ball are scheduled three days from now, by the way. You don't have to be there, but if you find yourself strong enough by then, I can put you on the front row together with your friends, so that it'll be easier for you to receive your award."
She won an award? That was also unexpected. Then something clicked in her mind, and her passing the trials suddenly made a lot more sense. No wonder Ozpin went through the effort of sneaking in. Not that she could take this against him, of course. She understood why. Wiping away the last of her tears, Ruby now had a good idea of what all this was really about. "…I just did the right thing. What I thought was the right thing, at least."
"Maybe that's the reason why you got those powers."
"I don't know about that." There it was. Ruby sensed that Ozpin was just waiting for the right moment to bring up the topic, and she appreciated his restraint. Being the first person in the world to teleport, it was inevitable that she would be asked by other people about how she even got her powers. But she knew the answer to that; she knew deep in her heart why her Semblance had evolved. Recalling the time when she accidentally blinked to the mountains, that reason was painful, and very much personal. "Who knows why I got this in the first place."
"Who really knows, right?" Ozpin's voice trailed off.
"…Ozpin?"
"Just thinking of something," the man said. "Anyways, your fatigue aside, did it hurt whenever you teleported?"
"Not at first. But the more I used it, it felt like my body began to fall apart."
"I see." Yet another pause, and this time Ozpin briefly glanced at the windows. "Sorry if this sounds too abrupt. But I just have some questions I need to ask, if it's ok. I don't mean to spoil your rest."
Ruby shook her head. "It's alright, Ozpin. I can barely make sense of any of this either. I take it your job's not an easy one, so I guess that's why you're here, right? I think that's why you began by telling me I passed, to start things off on a good note."
"That's a good way of looking at it." Ozpin chuckled to himself. "Thank you for understanding. And yes, the job's never easy, not one bit."
He asked more questions, and Ruby answered them as best she could. She didn't take any of this against him, given her newfound powers. And Ozpin was the headmaster of Beacon too, home to many students without any idea of what was going on, so it was only natural that he did his duty. Their conversation was actually a lot less awkward than she expected; he acted as if it the topic at hand was as normal as any other Semblance.
"Do you think that you can teleport again?"
"I think so." She believed she could once she had fully recovered. Not that she wanted to do so anytime soon of course, given what happened to her, but her blink was still there. She could feel it in her bones.
"Noted," he replied. "And I'm glad to see that you're taking my questions well, Ruby. Thank you for that. It's not everyday someone manages to break all we know about physics." This time he looked to be in deep thought, and that made Ruby wonder what he was thinking about. "But you're not alone in having your powers change, Ruby. There are records of unexpected Semblance growth happening to other Hunters who were put under great stress…"
"I wanted to save my friends, even though I couldn't get up after being hit by the shadowball…"
"What I mean to say is, was there anything else that came to mind during those moments, other than the immediate threat? Like a memory, perhaps?"
This time it was Ruby who went silent. She didn't want to say it. It meant she would have to talk about Cale, and what happened that night in Patch… She suppressed the memories. Already she felt her heart aching. No, she didn't want to say it. This was something for her alone. She unconsciously clenched her bedsheets. As much as she appreciated Ozpin's help in getting her to Beacon, and as much as she understood why he was asking questions, she just couldn't bear to bring it up to anyone else.
"I understand. That'll be all," Ozpin said, nodding back and with a quick look at the wall clock. "It's fine, you answered as much as you could."
Ruby was caught by surprise. Was Ozpin actually about to leave now? Had their conversation really been that long? It felt so abrupt for him to just end it like this. A part of her even wanted to keep it going, just as long as they could talk about anything else – any topic at all, as long as it didn't lead to her past – but she ultimately remained quiet.
"I know you have a lot in your mind, but there's no need to rush things, especially when you're still healing. I've spent a lot of time talking to you this morning anyways, and there's always another day. Having said that, the man stood up and set aside the chair he used. "Just be careful with your new powers. There's a lot we don't know about it, so don't get carried away. Keep that in mind always."
"I will. And I'm sorry I can't answer as much."
"It's ok, Ruby."
"Though if I may ask one thing…"
"What is it?"
"…did I pass just because of my teleport?"
"It's more than just that," Ozpin said. "Rest assured, you passed the trials due to your own merits, not simply because of your powers."
"…alright."
"Well, that's it for today, then. Thank you for your time, Ruby. I'll be in my office when you feel you want to talk again, or at least Glynda will be there to schedule a meeting." Ozpin adjusted his glasses. "In the meantime, rest as much as you can. It would be great to have you at the graduation ceremony and ball. It's not mandatory to be there, but new teams will be announced during the day, as well as clearance to do missions the day after, so it's in your best interest to bond with your new teammates immediately. Not to mention that the buffet at the ball's pretty good… If your body will allow it, then please attend."
"Well, that depends…" Ruby chuckled. "Do you guys serve roast beef at the buffet?"
"Tenderloin steak, even. Though that tends to run out rather quickly."
"Heh, I can't miss out on that, now can I?" Ruby chuckled. "Yes, Ozpin. I'll rest up, and I'll try to go. I promise I'll try."
"Very good." Ozpin smiled. "And Ruby…"
"…yes?"
"Congratulations again on being a Hunter. I'm glad that we met that night in the forest, and I'm happy that you decided to be here in Beacon. You'll do well, and you'll make both your parents proud."
"Thank you, Ozpin… That means a lot to me."
Ruby waved a small goodbye as Ozpin went out of the room, leaving her to gather her thoughts in private.
She was thankful for him checking up on her, though it still felt strange that their talk ended so abruptly. But perhaps he had judged that he got what he could from her today, and was waiting for a better time to get more answers. That made sense the more she thought about it, and she was ok with that. Ruby was even ok with the possibility that they really let her pass simply because she was the first ever to teleport; she considered it the moment he began asking his questions. But whatever the reason, she passed at the end of the day, and she had no reason to doubt Ozpin's word.
Cale… I made it. I finally made it.
But Ozpin was right about one thing. She did have a lot in her mind. She always did, ever since that night in Patch. The memory had burned itself so deeply in her head that she had spent the last two months repressing it.
She then found herself gripping her sheets; she quickly let go. No, she wasn't ready. She probably would never be. Because to do so meant that she would tell her mistakes to someone else, and that alone was too much. She just couldn't. She was sure she would be shunned by anyone if she dared to tell them. And yet… Ruby wasn't sure how long she mulled about it.
Three knocks on her door took her out of her thoughts, and in came three very familiar girls.
Ruby quickly showed a smile and waved. "Hey guys, nice to see you again. How are you all doing?"
"Ruby! You're finally awake!" Weiss went straight towards her, carrying a basket; Blake and Yang followed suit. "We're ok, no one had any lasting injuries. But how are you doing yourself? You feeling better now?"
"I just woke up, actually. But yeah, I'm doing better. Thanks for stopping by."
Weiss breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good to see you're doing better," Blake said.
Yang simply nodded.
"Here, we brought some food for you, just in case you get hungry." Weiss placed the basket she carried on the nearby desk, and revealed an assortment of fruits. "These should help you recover faster and put some variety in your diet as well, so feel free to dig in. And since we're here, do you need anything else? We can go pick it up for you."
"Thanks for the food." Ruby was quick to tell them that she was fine, and that she didn't need anything else; their presence was more than enough. "By the way, how's Jaune and the others?"
"We didn't get to talk to them," Weiss said. "They left shortly after you were admitted here. They didn't look like they were in the mood to talk at that time anyways, and we haven't seen them since. But who knows, maybe they'll stop by here sometime. Maybe Pyrrha at least, from what I know of her."
"Well, I'm sure we'll meet them again."
"You really are ok though, right?"
That voice was Yang's, and there was something in her tone that immediately caught Ruby's attention. She turned to look at her, and found that she had a worried look on her face. "I'm ok, Yang. I really am." Ruby couldn't help but feel that something was amiss, and so she did her best to assure her friend. "Just need to rest more to get going, but that can wait while I still have you guys around."
"That's good…" Yang's voice softened, and she lowered her head. "I'm glad…"
The room went quiet; the mood in the room had changed. There was definitely something about Yang, Ruby was sure about it. What was she missing here? She saw Weiss turn to Blake, looking as if she wanted the faunus to join her in a discussion. But Blake just shook her head, and Weiss relented.
Ruby looked at the blonde intently. "…Yang?"
"I…"
"What is it? Is something wrong?"
"…I'm sorry that you had to save me, Ruby. You're not supposed to be recovering here at all."
Ruby's heart sank, realizing what Yang meant. "No, don't be sorry, Yang. We knew what we were getting into, didn't we? With how the battle unfolded, we both just did what we thought was right."
"No, that's not it at all." Yang seemed to have difficulty expressing herself; Ruby saw the blonde's hands clench into fists. "I'm not mad at you, ok? It's just that… I'm the one who protects people, not the other way around. I'm supposed to be the strongest among us."
"You still are."
"You weren't supposed to blink in. You weren't supposed to save me. I even told you to leave me behind, but you went ahead even though your teleport could have backfired… You were spamming it way too much already."
"By the way, my teleport already went awry and sent me to the mountains… That's why it took me a while to get back to you guys during the fight."
"Goddamn it, Ruby…"
It hurt Ruby to hear those words – and to see Yang hurting over this, along with seeing the surprised looks of Weiss and Blake – so she did the only thing she could do. Ruby looked at Yang in the eyes, and gave her the best smile she could. "And I'm glad you're ok too, Yang."
Yang breathed deep. She was trying so hard not to show any tears. "I didn't think it would be this hard…"
"It's alright, Yang. You don't have to beat yourself up over this. Everything's ok now. You don't have to apologize for anything."
"But I should apologize, because you had to sacrifice yourself. I'm the one who's supposed to do it, especially when I have something like this." Yang showed her right arm, bandaged anew to hide her scars. She then made the deepest bow Ruby had ever seen from her. "I'm really sorry. This won't happen anymore. I promise I'll do better. I swear I will. None of you will have to go out of your way to save me ever again."
"Yang…" Ruby recalled how they first met. Her kindness and strong personality were obvious, but she had always felt that Yang was bothered by something. Now she saw firsthand the effects of it. What drove her to prefer dying by her own hand, rather than be saved by someone else? Ruby had a flashback of the flaming gold dragon that came out of Yang's right arm, and the awesome power it contained; she stopped herself from asking. She felt that now wasn't the time. Right now, she just wanted to make Yang feel secure about herself, as much as she could. "Alright, I understand. You'll become even stronger, I'm sure of it."
"…thank you, Ruby. Thank you so much…" Yang wiped her eyes, and after which, she left the room without saying another word.
"She's been like that ever since you were sent to the hospital," Weiss said, once it was clear that Yang was too far away to hear them. Meanwhile Blake was leaning on a wall with her arms crossed and her eyes closed; she made a slight nod.
"Is she ok?" Ruby asked.
"Yang's just angry at herself. Though to be honest, she's not the only one." Weiss had a small frown on her face. "She and I argued when you got sent here, actually. We argued for a long time, pointing fingers as to who was more at fault. Ultimately, we agreed that we both were, for our own reasons."
"But why?" It didn't sound like they took to blows, but it bothered Ruby nonetheless. "You guys don't have to feel guilty over me. I didn't plan on doing what I did, not at first, but I just saw it as the best decision I could make."
"Even if it meant sacrificing yourself too?"
"There was no other way to save Yang."
Silence fell between the three girls. Blake opened her eyes, though she still hadn't budged from the spot she leaned on. Weiss's frown seemed to worsen on the other hand. A stark contrast to how she looked like when she arrived. "Yang knew what she got herself into."
"Is that why you and Yang argued about?"
"…"
"They're not mad at each other," Blake finally replied. "They're ok now, after some back and forth. Isn't that right, Weiss?"
Weiss remained quiet. Back and forth. Ruby had some suspicions as to how their quarrel went; harsh words were definitely said. "Well, is that true? Are you guys good now with each other?"
"Yang and I are ok."
"You don't look ok though. Are you mad at me for not following you?"
"Do you really think I am?"
"Then what's on your mind right now?"
"I'm happy that you're doing well, Ruby. Believe me." Weiss's frown receded, replaced by a wry smile. "It's just the way you saved Yang…"
"Should that have stopped me?" Ruby remembered her mother; nothing stopped her in her final hour. "Hunters are trained to make the sacrifice."
"No one needs to sacrifice themselves if it could be helped."
"Like Yang, right?"
"That's different. Yang had her flame dragon wrapped in her right arm and never told us about it. And she didn't even have full control over the damned thing… Those kinds of Semblance mutations are rarely used for a reason. When was the last time you heard something like that go well? If Blake hadn't been there to reign it in…"
"I have an aura Semblance," Blake said levelly, sparing a glance at Ruby. "So I know a few things about how Semblances tick. Not that I think that I have a trump card of sorts, but I just hoped I could do something for Yang… Fortunately for us, the dice landed in our favor."
Weiss almost looked like she wanted to give Blake a piece of her mind as well, but she dropped it and turned back to Ruby instead. "Anyways, it was too dangerous to save Yang at that point, especially if it was you doing it. You only had your teleport on the same day, Ruby. It could have ended badly for everyone, and I don't want that to happen to anyone anymore. Do you get my point now?"
The room once again went silent.
Ruby slowly nodded. While Yang was ashamed that she had to be saved, Weiss was ashamed that she couldn't stop a newbie like her from doing the saving; their words and actions made sense in that regard. And recalling how she found Weiss crying in a room, Ruby began to wonder if all this somehow reminded Weiss of her past.
"Which reminds me, we need to check up on Yang." Blake said, breaking the silence, standing straight from leaning against the wall. "If she's not at the training rooms, then she might have gone off to burn something she shouldn't, just to blow off some steam. I'll go find her. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Ruby watched Blake leave. Someone needed to know how Yang was and where she went off to, that much was true, and Blake volunteering to go look for the blonde girl was no coincidence. Being the reserved, private person that she was – and maybe because of reading the mood in the room – it would be like her to do something like this.
"Well, it's just us here now." Ruby then turned to Weiss. "…I know you're still mad at me, so go ahead. You don't have to hold back." Weiss said nothing though, so Ruby decided to make the first move. "But I see now where you're coming from, Weiss. You're right. Even without knowing anything, I still went ahead. I'm sorry for that."
"…"
"…Weiss?"
Still nothing, and Ruby went quiet herself. But eventually Weiss stirred from her long silence, and started off by shaking her head. "You know how I am when I'm mad, and you know how I don't want to be angry like that anymore. Not if I can help it."
"I apologize for not listening to you. I–"
"It's ok," Weiss continued, cutting her off. "You don't have to apologize anymore. Like I said, I'm really glad you're ok now, especially when it could have been so much worse. But I just had to get these feelings off my chest… And there's a lot more where that came from." She took a deep breath, as if trying not to get distracted. "I know I've said a lot of things to you, but none of that changes the fact that you were the one who led us into battle, and that your plan was the best any of us could have made in those circumstances. And it was hard for me to accept that back then, Ruby. I didn't want to believe it. But deep down, I understood why you had to do what you did."
"You do?"
"I should, because I led a team before back in Laran as part of my training there. I've had some experience in making decisions for people." Weiss sighed. "But I've seen too much back in Atlas to just let you run off without saying a word, without doing anything. It's never easy to see someone go to their death."
"What do you mean?"
Weiss closed her eyes. Another quiet moment. Ruby let her gather her thoughts; she would give Weiss all the time she needed if it meant she could be more at ease, as handling death was never easy. Ruby then remembered that time when Weiss cried over her family. Could it be… She didn't dare to ask.
"I'm sorry. I might bawl right here and now at this rate." Laughing to herself, Weiss was clearly holding back tears. She paused for a few moments before continuing. "But I've already said my piece, so thank you for hearing me out. I just want to be clear that I don't hold any grudges. You made your decision back then, so I should have respected that. I'll do so moving forward. Just… Just be careful next time, ok? Just like what Yang said. It's all I ask."
"Thank you for opening up this much to me, I appreciate it. Yes, I'll be more careful next time." Ruby cleared her throat. "But you and Yang really are ok, right?"
"We're ok, I promise. Besides, all the goodwill I've fostered over the past weeks had to amount to something, right? There was some back and forth, but yeah, Yang and I are good."
"I see you remember what I said about goodwill," Ruby said, smiling a bit. "I'm glad. I don't want us fighting each other."
"Me too." Weiss paused again; she looked like she was mulling on whether to do something else. "I still want to tell you more, to be honest… I want to tell you everything… But maybe after a few days, when you're better rested."
Ruby knew of Weiss's promise before, but it was still surprising to hear her so willing to continue that talk, when she herself dreaded to tell a single soul about her own past. It humbled to see Weiss be braver than her on that aspect, and it made her wonder if she should do the same, despite all of her apprehensions. She had just been thinking about it earlier too… For now, she slowly nodded back. "Alright. Just tell me when. I'll be there to listen, whenever you're ready."
"We'll talk at the night of the ball, just like I promised." Weiss smiled softly. "Speaking of which, we wanted to tell you the news later in the day, but since I mentioned the ball, I guess I might as well tell you the news now."
"News about what?"
"You passed the Hunter trials, Ruby. It was announced yesterday. All of us did."
"…I did?" Ruby felt bad she had to act surprised, but she didn't want Weiss to know that Ozpin was here earlier. Doing so would have ruined the mood, among other things. But her smile was genuine at least. She thought of something natural to ask as a follow up. "That's great… I honestly didn't think I would…"
"You really did, no doubt about it."
"Was I that good?"
"Of course you were, Ruby. You fought well, and they know that you made the battle plan that gave us the victory. I'm sure Beacon took those things into account. You deserve to be a Hunter along with all of us, so don't think otherwise."
"No, don't get me wrong, I'm happy that I made it. It's just that–"
"You're a good leader, so why are you still underestimating yourself? Remember what I told you about selling yourself short?" Weiss gently held Ruby's hand. "Not everyone could have done what you did, even with your blink. You weren't afraid to do what's needed, all while having our safety in mind, even when I told you to do otherwise."
"You don't have to butter me up, Weiss. We all pitched in… It was a team effort." But one look at Weiss told Ruby that she wasn't having any of it. She briefly closed her eyes, and decided to change the subject. "But if Beacon thinks I'm good, then you'll surely do a lot better as leader with your new team, given your experience at Laran."
Weiss shook her head. "I don't really want it, to be honest. I never said I was good at the role, you know." Weiss's comment was surprising; Ruby never thought Weiss would say something like that. "There are too many moments where I let my emotions cloud my judgment. That's why I don't want to pursue leadership if I could help it. Because in the end…"
"…in the end, what?"
The two paused.
"Ruby, if I may ask, who is… No, never mind." Whatever Weiss had in mind, she quickly changed gears. "What matters is that we all passed, and that you really should get some rest."
But rest didn't come easily to Ruby, so they talked more to pass the time, their conversation now on the more lighthearted side of things – which helped brighten the mood in the room – as they waited for Blake and Yang to come back. Those two certainly took their time, though. Ruby chuckled at Weiss getting annoyed and threatening to freeze them once they arrived.
Then both of their stomachs growled.
"This reminds me of last time," Ruby said. "Do you want to–"
"No, we're not getting corned beef again," Weiss replied. "What's with this diet of yours anyways? For the whole month we've been together, all I've ever seen you eat are burgers, pizza, fried chicken, steak, gravy fries, hotdogs, cheesecake…"
"What about them? They taste really good, and they fill me up."
"I don't know how you manage to keep yourself thin, but please eat something healthy for once. You didn't even eat the fish buns I offered you last time. That's why I brought these fruits for you." Weiss then rolled her eyes upon seeing Ruby's face. "No, don't give me that look. I already said we're not getting any fatty sandwiches. Ok, that's it. It's time for you to eat these fruits and put some micronutrients in your body." She grabbed two bananas and gave one to Ruby. "C'mon, eat up. Don't say no to it."
Ruby laughed as she began to peel the banana. She actually couldn't remember the last time she ate a fruit, so now was a good time as any; she took a bite. "Nope, not saying no at all."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Leon silently dispatched the last remaining guard with an aura arrow to the head, and withdrew his dustmetal crossbow sword Stalwart to his backside. That should take care of everyone in the facility that could cause him trouble. He already disabled the security cameras, and made sure that he would have to deal with the least number of enemies; he fortunately met no other difficulties. All the people he knocked out would wake up with awful headaches in the morning, but he would be long gone from here by then. He had been stationed at Atlas for seven months now, and a substantial report of their suspicious activities was sorely needed.
He released his Semblance, his brown aura dissipating, and he rubbed his hands for warmth. Somehow this place was almost as cold as the outside. He was convinced that these Atlas people could withstand a goddamned blizzard with their bare skin. What I wouldn't give up to enjoy Vale's warm sun right now. But after waiting so long, the opportunity he had been waiting for finally arrived, so being cold here seemed only a fair trade; he was at the Atlas military's computer mainframe after all, and the importance of this place couldn't be understated. Grabbing a seat, Leon took out his equipment from his bag, and began installing cables to connect the mainframe to his laptop.
Leonardo Lionheart – his full name – was a faunus man in his middle years, born with a lion's tail. He sported a gray beard and gray hair, the latter of which was so thick that it looked like a lion's mane, and he had dark brown eyes along with a tanned complexion. Wearing dark brown slacks, dress shoes and a brown coat over a white dress shirt, Leon's appearance ensured that he didn't stand out, and posing as a computer engineer proved useful in his infiltration as one of Vale's spies in Atlas. But he was the only one among them who had another objective in mind.
Alongside the mission assigned to you by the royalty, retrieve what you can from Atlas's military computer mainframe using the information I gave you. The royalty is underestimating their militarization, and they're bound to look at all the wrong places once they realize their mistake. We can't afford to wait for them. Too many funds have been diverted from Vale's intelligence team for so long now. But one saving grace we have is that they're smart enough to send you, so since you'll be there, I want to make sure that Vale doesn't fall behind in any arms races.
I know what you mean about being defunded. But you're really that concerned about Atlas, huh Ozpin?
I was once promised about something that would change the world, and not once did I think that it would be for the good of mankind. I never stopped hoping that things don't happen the way I fear they will, but you can never really know what the future brings, and I really wish I'm wrong on everything else I'm thinking about.
What do you want me to find?
Report to me anything out of the ordinary, Leon. You'll know it when you see it. But exercise caution as always. The royalty's mission comes first to keep appearances, but once you're done with it, stall your return as much as you can. I've told the others in our group. We'll rendezvous once a year has passed or as soon as enough data is in your hands, whichever comes first.
Leon opened his programs. He was actually done with his official mission a few months back, and he had been stalling his report to Vale ever since, waiting and biding his time to get the data that Ozpin needed to present to the royalty, all so he could convince them to better focus on the threat that he believed Atlas posed. Not that Leon didn't believe him; having been with Ozpin for a long time, Leon knew that Ozpin wouldn't bother asking him to do this if he didn't have a good hunch.
He and Ozpin were in the same batch of Hunter trainees, and they had experience working together on the battlefield, with him eventually making his career as a spy for Vale, while Ozpin became Beacon headmaster through immediate promotion. But the differences in their careers didn't stop Ozpin from forming his secret group, which Leon was a part of. Ozpin had strong opinions on how Vale was to be protected that didn't completely align with the kingdom's vision, and he secretly searched for allies to help him in his goal to reform the royalty from within. Leon was all for it, of course. They all were, with some having died doing what was right.
And speaking of deaths, Leon thought of Summer. Her mission escalated beyond anyone's control, and her sacrifice hit them particularly hard. It was no surprise that Qrow vanished without a trace; even now, Ozpin didn't know where the man was.
Leon shook off the thoughts, focusing on the mission instead.
It didn't take long from his arrival here in Atlas to notice that something was off, that there was a strangeness to how their military behaved, apparently all starting when the kingdom passed new laws last year to put more of their budget to the military. Their boast two months ago in August that they would find new ways to defeat the Grimm stronghold in Solitas didn't help either. It was October now; what became of their announcement?
Coincidentally, it was also in August when Leon reported to Ozpin something completely insane, and he grimaced upon recalling it. What more could he find here in the underground bunker of Atlas's military, in the heart of the kingdom itself?
Leon took a deep breath. Critical to his operation here was the fact that he finally got access to the blueprints and security systems of this building, the shifts of the soldiers, and most importantly Atlas's encryption keys, which involved getting the Atlas chief security officer he spied on drunk enough for Leon to enter the man's house. Now who would have thought that the very thing a spy like him would look for was just lying around in a drawer somewhere, without so much as a lock and key to protect it? It was incredibly poor operations security, but he wasn't complaining. Finding this data was the breakthrough he needed. He put in his copied keys as soon as his programs prompted for it to break Atlas's encryption, then he waited for it to do its work.
Atlas's flag finally appeared in the background, which meant he was in. But while he theoretically had access to almost every bit of Atlas's information, he knew better than to loiter around in a foreign kingdom's network. The longer he stayed and dug up more sensitive data, the sooner he would cause his own death by allowing other users to trace him here, so all he did was search using the three topics Ozpin gave him. Results immediately pulled up; the first one was data on 'military weapon upgrades Year 2040'.
[[Atlas Army Report for October by Colonel Robyn Hill of the 31st Atlas Brigade Combat Team. 01 October, Year 2040.]]
[[In lieu of Atlas's recent announcement to exterminate the Grimm from Solitas, the request to upgrade Atlas military weaponry has been granted. All standard issue Knight 130 rifles will be upgraded to the Knight 200 for all infantry units within the week. However, Paladin 260 tanks are still deemed strong enough to withstand attacks by the Grimm, and our latest intelligence suggests that we are still at parity against the war capability of the other kingdoms. With Atlas's funding currently focused on other projects, the request for tank upgrades has been denied. Underneath is a detailed report for your perusal.]]
Reading the message, it was clear that this was just a normal monthly report, nothing out of the ordinary. And Leon had met Colonel Robyn Hill one time; a woman with white hair and tanned skin, with a direct and honest personality. The contents of the Atlas military's report here were surely already covered by the other Vale spies in Atlas and turned over to the royalty, but he downloaded a copy of their Year 2040 communications nonetheless.
Leon then went to the second one, which was 'Schnee Dust Atlas research excavation', and he saw automated status entries for its search results. Usually these contained only dates indicating when a particular machine was used, though the person in charge could choose to put in a few words too, often as a reminder or a marker of what they were doing. It seemed these entries were from a Schnee Dust excavator computer for some kind of Dust excavation three years ago. Naturally the system put in multiple entries, and there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary with the data at first glance. But three of them quickly caught Leon's eye.
[[30 July, Year 2037. Discovered unusual black Dust during Atlas excavation. Naming it as Underground Cavern Deposit.]]
[[13 August, Year 2037. Determined deposit's max depth to be at 5km. Obtained new Schnee equipment for research and excavation operations.]]
[[17 November, Year 2037. Beginning new operations. Creating as many notes and backups as possible to minimize impact of possible system crash.]]
A deposit of black Dust? Now there was something unheard of. Dust was normally colorless like crystal, but would get a color during the dustmetal creation process, depending on the Hunter's soul it encountered. But Dust that was black to begin with, deep underground? Of note was the depth of the excavation itself; at 5km, it far surpassed anything publicly disclosed to the world. Specialized heavy machinery was required to dig for Dust at this great depth, which explained why the computer logs and the excavator model itself had the Schnee Dust Company logo all over it.
Leon looked at the date of the last automated entry: 02 September, Year 2039… A period of almost two years had passed between the entry indicating 'new operations' and the final one. But he found it odd that the last entry had no notes in it, given the incredible find of black Dust. Now it was possible that the man who did this excavation had just finished what he started, but he considered that case remote. He doubted an unknown Dust material could be analyzed in five years, let alone two. It was also possible that every bit of black Dust had been mined already at that point, but Leon doubted that too. Like groundwater, Dust was more plentiful the further you went down, and to find a Dust deposit at 5km depth…
He looked at the date again. Could this have anything to do with the Schnee space program shutting down? It was coincidental that both events happened only a month or so apart, but coincidences weren't meant to be easily dismissed, as Ozpin was fond of saying. Setting aside his suspicions for now, Leon downloaded copies of these entries, then turned to the last batch, pulled up using the 'experimental engineering' query.
[[95th Report by Dr. Pietro Polendina to General James Ironwood. 12 July, Year 2040.]]
Now this was strange to see. Leon didn't know who this Polendina doctor was, but he knew of James Ironwood. He was the highest ranked Atlas army general, with a stern and harsh nature, infamous for arguing that Atlas needed to finish the job and eradicate the Grimm completely, regardless of their current status. Like ants that sometimes bite you, the Grimm should be eliminated as such, Leon recalled Ironwood saying in an interview in Atlas a few months ago, regarding the progress of Atlas putting more funds to their military. Ironwood also believed that Atlas was better served being protected from 'the new enemy', though he had yet to specify what he meant.
[[The test subjects in C Block we initiated experimental tests on using Class Two strains last week have not shown any recovery, and they had to be terminated. Nevertheless, I bring good news, General. As I've always expected from the start, M374 from B Block is finally showing great promise, far more than anyone else that came before her. Of note is that M374 has been given all necessary Hunter data and has suffered no side effects. This aligns with our discovery that using simple Class One strains produce the most tangible results, with beowolf and kodama strains performing best. Currently M374 is passing physical and Semblance tests admirably, with armament testing to follow suit. At this rate, if mass production becomes feasible, then our engineering project is nearing its final stages. Attached is a video for you to see our progress.]]
There was a video at the bottom of the report, and Leon frowned upon opening it. It was a young girl with long orange hair and an amputated right arm, trapped in a room surrounded by machines and with some sort of device attached to her chest. Could this be the same thing he saw last time, the one he reported to Ozpin about? Having recently accessed the house of one of the other people he spied on, he found a hard drive there with a video inside it, dated years ago, showing surgeons grafting Grimm parts to unwilling subjects. It was a failure of course – how they expected the appendages to stay without disintegrating, Leon didn't know – but as it was, that video could easily be dismissed as the work of insane doctors, and it wasn't enough to prove that Atlas was a threat to Vale.
There was a message hidden in that hard drive too, now that Leon thought about it, a note so buried he missed it in his first inspection…
The Merry Men always show their teeth.
Now if you didn't understand this, that's ok.
Just tell my sister I'm sorry.
Leon still had no idea what any of that meant.
Then the video panned to something else – a black misshapen thing with the texture of wood – and its red eyes flashed wide open. Live Grimm?! Leon was shocked at what he saw, but there was no mistaking the kodama that was beside the young girl, and the machines hummed on its shadowy body as the Grimm tried to break free from its shackles. After that, the girl raised what was supposed to be a stump for her right arm, but this time there was an actual arm in its place, black like a Grimm's flesh, and Leon watched as that arm was implanted with armor plates… Then a large blade popped up from the girl's now metallic forearm, the weapon going on and off much like a switchblade, and a dull glow, much like that of a Semblance, appeared on her right hand.
Leon couldn't believe his eyes. Not only was this the first time he had ever seen a successful grafting using Grimm, but for them to go further than that and add weapons… This was what Ozpin had been looking for to present to the royalty as evidence. Leon tried to piece together the puzzle. Underground deposit of black Dust… Grimm experimentation that could lead to new military weaponry… With Ironwood at the helm? There were still some holes in the story he had in mind, but seeing just how systematic the operation was, and with more than ninety messages left to look at, it could very well be the truth. Having seen enough, Leon downloaded a copy of all the conversations. It seemed that Ozpin's hunches about Atlas were entirely justified.
Leon's tools beeped upon completing their tasks; he then cleaned up and walked away without looking back. He would have his answers eventually. For now, he needed to set up his escape route from the continent and meet up at Ozpin's rendezvous point immediately, as no doubt that Atlas would go on high alert once they realize that their data had been accessed from outside. He needed to be careful here. The encryption keys he copied alone were a great prize in their own right, and combined with what seemed to be the discovery of the century, he needed to avoid capture at all costs.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A young boy wandered on a beach somewhere, cold and wet under a cloudless night sky. He had just woken up; he didn't know how he even got here. He must have been involved in a fight somehow, if his tattered clothes were any clue, though that didn't explain how there was a metal case chained to his back that was bigger than he was.
But the case wasn't heavy or cumbersome at all to him despite its looks, and he never thought of getting rid of it, even without having any key with him. He was strangely ok with it. His mind in a haze, he knew there was a reason why he kept this case around, but he couldn't put together what that was. He struggled to recollect. There were many wounds and scars all over his body… He was running… No, he was being pursued…
Suddenly he remembered being shot, and he quickly looked at his left arm. But no wound was there, and he instead felt the cold touch of a broken pendant, tied around his right wrist.
It would be a shame to throw this away. We both know it's important to you, so find time to repair it while you lay low.
That voice. He racked his head for who said that to him – searching for a face, a name – but nothing came up.
There, that should do it. That should keep this thing tied up to you, even if you were to…
Those words were from a guy he had met, from a voice he just remembered now. But everything else about the guy was a blur, and he soon realized he had forgotten who that person was.
Don't worry, I'll be seeing you real soon.
No use. He knew he didn't have total amnesia, knowing his own name at least, but his memories of events were too scattered. With nothing to work with, all he could do was find shelter somewhere in this place. Tired and lost, maybe a good night's sleep in a warm bed – if he could find one, of course – would stir up something in his head.
But there was someone else that he did remember. A girl. He couldn't remember her name too, and his picture of her wasn't whole either, but already he could sense how important she was to him. She had been lingering in his mind the moment he woke up earlier on the beach. A promise. A pretty face, a fragrant smell…
"Hey, you! What are you doing here?" He looked to where the sound came from, and found a woman coming out from the bushes a fair distance away, walking towards him. "Stop right there! Identify yourself!"
He stopped as per her command, but said nothing, not knowing what to say.
"How did you even get here?" The woman closed in on him, and her eyes narrowed. "And what the hell is that thing behind your back?"
Face to face under the moonlight, he could clearly see her figure. She had dark skin, chin length hair, tiger ears, and tiger stripes around her arms; a faunus that looked to be in her early twenties, almost as tall as he was, and her cold yellow eyes didn't take kindly to his presence. Wearing gold earrings, and a gray – almost black – sleeveless dress along with a red cloak, she was much more presentable compared to him and his rags.
Wait. Red and black… The girl in his mind slowly began to form. He looked at the woman straight in the eyes. "…where am I?"
"This is restricted territory! Are you seriously telling me you don't know this? Are you making a fool out of me?" Her right hand slowly reached for something behind her back. "As authorized personnel, let me tell you that this isn't a place for people to take a swim while carrying unknown items. Who are you, what are you doing here, and what do you have there with you? Don't make me ask again."
Short hair, red cloak, black dress, roses. He remembered that much…
He suddenly noticed that the woman was reaching out with her left hand, trying to grab his case, and he instinctively held its chains tight, trying to protect the object from her. But somehow the chains broke in his grip, and the metal case he carried simply fell in the sand.
"What the…" Her yellow eyes widened in shock, then her face formed a scowl. "How did you…"
He immediately regretted what he had done, even as it surprised him; he didn't know how he managed to break his chains like that in the first place. He quickly sensed what was coming next. "No, I wasn't trying to… I don't want to–"
Too late. A silver chain whip came out from the faunus, with blades on each end of its three tails, launched with every intent to take him down. She herself was glowing with a russet aura from her Semblance. But as deadly as her movements were, they somehow looked so slow as well… He easily caught her weapon with his hand.
He didn't know how he did that too, and the woman was left shocked. He immediately let go of her bladed whip. "I don't mean any harm." He did what he could to make himself look less intimidating than he already was. "I'm lost, and I don't know how I got here."
"You expect me to believe that?" she snapped, trying her best to suppress her fear. "Do you know what you just did… You don't even have a Semblance! What the hell are you, anyway?!"
What was he anyway? He couldn't answer that even if he wanted to; how could he, not knowing who he was, other than his name? A tense silence fell between them, and all he could do was stand there and do his best to make himself as unthreatening as he could, hoping that the woman in front of him would understand.
"…you really don't know anything, do you?"
He slowly shook his head. "…my mind isn't exactly in one piece."
And one last thing, feel free to look for her as soon as you can. You'll need to, when the time comes.
That made him look up at the evening sky, at the shattered moon in particular. There was that guy again in his head.
Swear that you'll never forget about me too, ok?
Then came a girl's warm voice, and he felt something tug strongly at his heart. No, definitely not just any random girl. She was far more than that, he was sure of it. He could feel it deep in his bones. She was…
"Hey! Wake up, kid! You ok there?"
He realized he had gone silent staring at nothing, completely oblivious to his surroundings, and he didn't know for how long.
"Geez kid, that took you long enough. Just how wrecked is your head?"
"…I don't know." Did he just zone out so easily like that? The woman was eyeing him curiously now, and thankfully she didn't take this as an opportunity to attack him again. He then realized that she had retracted her whip and released her Semblance. She seemed less afraid too; it was good to see that his efforts had paid off. It was the least he could do for her. With that taken care of, he suddenly felt an urge to move on. Perhaps this was his signal. "I'm sorry, I have to go."
"Leaving already? Where to? You don't even know where you are."
"I'm just looking for a place to stay for the night. I'll settle for sleeping under a tree… It really doesn't matter. You know I'm no threat, right? So please let me through."
Because I swear I won't, no matter what happens.
His heart was crushed by the thought.
"You have a lot going on in your head, don't you?"
"I…" He realized he had zoned out again. "…I just don't want any trouble."
"It looks like you really need some help, kid. I take my job at the kingdom seriously, but that doesn't mean I don't know to make exceptions." So saying, the faunus sighed. "Alright kid, you want to know where you are? I don't know where you came from, but you're pretty much a few miles away from Vale, right at the western coast."
"Vale?"
"The one and only."
"You know the way to Patch?" His words caught him by surprise, though his face didn't show it. Being in Vale – he was born here, he was sure of it – was one thing, but he found himself wondering why he blurted out that last part.
"Hmm? Now you remember something, and it's down south of all places? Didn't think of you to have any business there at the countryside." She glanced at his metal case. "You can try to go there, but you don't want to risk being caught by the guards patrolling the border, let me tell you. You're very attached to that thing after all… Them noticing that thing you have will be the least of your worries."
That made him pause. Getting arrested was not something he wanted. He suddenly recalled being detained like that, but he can't remember where or when.
"Thinking of the last time you got into a fight?"
"No, I wasn't…"
"It's alright, I understand." She nodded as she looked at his ragged appearance, as if realizing something. "A fight's inevitable if you insist on leaving on your own, but I know that it's not what you want. But maybe I can help you out on that."
"What do you mean?"
"I can see now that you're honest, and I'm not one to leave honest kids behind. It'll take me some time to think of a way to smuggle you, so feel free to stay at my station for the night."
"You will?" He took in what the woman just offered him, then bowed slightly. He didn't know what caused the sudden change in her, but he wasn't about to disregard it. "Thank you."
"Some info about that thing would be nice, though."
Don't let anyone else see what's inside.
That guy's voice came abruptly in his head. On instinct, he picked up his metal case and carried it on his back like a sling bag, holding it by the chains with one hand.
"I'm not taking that case away from you anymore, by the way. I think you've made your point very clear on that, so no need to brag about your strength."
He then realized what he had just done – how impossible it was for anyone to do without a Semblance active – and he shook his head. He wasn't trying to intimidate her with what he did, but perhaps it should be thought of that way. He had the thing locked and chained to him for a reason, surely. As confused as he was, he had a feeling that he should heed that person's advice. "I can't, I'm sorry."
"Still hesitant, huh? Yeah, I figured as much."
"You do?" He struggled to find the right words. "Then… Are you still going to help me? You don't have to if you–"
"It's alright. It'll just help a lot if I knew what that case was, that's all. I realized you were being honest when you spaced out on me twice. You wouldn't leave yourself so open if you have something to hide." She smiled. "What's with the face, kid? Am I really that hard to believe? Look who's talking." He fell silent, and the woman simply shrugged. "Besides, I already promised that you can stay at my place. And while I'm at it, it wouldn't be right to keep you all cold and wet like this, so I might as well lead you there now to dry up. C'mon, follow me."
She led him out of the beach and towards the bushes. The way was straightforward, eventually leading him to a prefabricated steel structure amongst the vegetation, not that far off from the beach. The place appeared to have been assembled by sappers; he recalled what she said earlier about the border guards. He would really prefer to avoid a fight with them if he could help it.
Opening the door, she allowed him inside and into her living room, a minimalist area illuminated by warm light. "Sorry I don't have any men's clothes lying around, but just hang tight while I get a towel for you. Make yourself comfortable in the meantime."
With some prodding from her, he finally sat in her leather sofa, placing his metal case right beside him. From attacking him just a while ago, she didn't seem to mind that he was sitting on her furniture all wet and dirty like this. He counted himself lucky that she was being kind to him at all, when she could have easily just left him behind. Did he really convince her that he was telling the truth?
I'll be there for you whenever you need me. Just don't close yourself off, ok? No one should have to suffer being alone in this world, especially you.
He suddenly remembered black hair with red highlights, and beautiful silver eyes; he could see the girl's whole figure now. Only her name escaped him…
"Spacing out again? I figured." The faunus arrived bringing drinks on a tray. The aroma of black coffee hung in the air as she offered one to him together with a towel, complete with a smile. "Just tell me if you're too young for this, kid."
"I'm not a kid by the way," he said as he dried himself with the towel; he spared a glance at his coffee. "I'm old enough for something harder."
"I suppose you are." That made the woman chuckle. "Thing is, I drank everything last night. If I only knew beforehand…" She chuckled again, and took out something from her pocket. "The name's Sienna Khan," she said, putting a card on the coffee table between them. "I'm one of Vale's agents assigned around these parts. Here, go look at it. I want you to know that I'm not pulling your leg."
He took a sip of coffee as he looked at her identification. It looked legitimate enough, not that he thought otherwise. "You're here by yourself?"
"Vale sent here around a week ago to do field research on Grimm… I'm currently studying Forever Fall here at the coast."
"But why are you here all alone? Don't you have a team?"
"I'm the only one qualified to be here, that's all. But don't sweat it, do I look like I can't defend myself? Well, maybe not against you, but I can take care of myself against Grimm." Sienna smiled at that. "My drones do their part in gathering data, but Vale's been thinking of expansion recently, and they need someone like me on the field to do all the analysis. The walls don't grow on their own after all, and the kingdom has no plans of limiting itself."
"I see."
"And those aren't the only reasons why this place is restricted territory." Sienna added, drinking some of her coffee. "I can't tell you any more details about my line of work, but being stationed here isn't as boring you might think, let's put it that way."
"It's alright, I get it."
"Good. Don't think that I can't help you, though. I have a few excuses ready in case I need to leave my station here for a while, and it just so happens that I have some business to take care of in Pharos. Since we'll be together, I might as well take care of some things I've postponed there too, right? Two birds, one stone… I hope you don't mind a few detours."
Pharos… That sounded familiar. But he would think about that later; he had a lot on his plate already. "…I understand. Thanks for your help."
"Alright then… Feel free to introduce yourself now, by the way." Sienna had a knowing smirk on her face. "Since you insist that you're not a kid, then surely you can be a gentleman and tell me your name too, now that I've told you mine?"
"Sorry." It was obvious that Sienna caught him there – for all the help she gave him, he had forgotten his manners – so he quickly acquiesced. "I'm Caelus Steel… You can call me Cale."
"Nice to meet you, kid." She took another sip of her coffee. "Now how does an insanely strong person like you end up here on the coast all lost and confused, with going to backwater Patch being the first thing on your mind?"
"I'm not trying to trick you." It was weird to him too, how he could remember his past but not the last few months, and as to why he felt so pulled to go to Patch. But he had a strong feeling he was supposed to be there, which grew steadily the more he thought about it. Absently, he grabbed the towel again to dry himself again. "I know I sound suspicious, but…"
"Never said you were. At least, not anymore…" Sienna had a look of deep thought. "I'll take care of things for us, don't worry. Just think of this as pro bono."
"Thanks." The thought of repaying her did come to mind; it was only right to do so, since he couldn't let her see what was inside the case, and it didn't feel right to leave her with nothing. But he had no money with him… Maybe he could find something in Patch to reward her? If not money… Would jewelry suffice? She wore gold earrings in both her human and tiger ears; it was a safe assumption. And now that he thought about it, the red birthmark on her forehead could easily be mistaken for jewelry at first glance. Her red cape would actually go along fine with…
"Trust me, Cale. My promises have weight. I'm not one to back out on these things."
Right then and there, with Sienna looking at him… That was when his memories of his life here in Vale flooded his mind. He remembered his family, his time living in Pharos since childhood, and his decision to live in Patch.
The full image of the girl then came to light, name and all.
Thanks again for sharing your story to me, Cale. Thank you for being with me like this, for promising to never want to be alone, and for helping me get into Beacon. I appreciate it so much. More than you know.
If the world was going to end tomorrow, what would you do today?
It's alright, I understand. But you don't have to hold back for me anymore… Because I need you too.
I love you, and only you, Cale.
"Hey, kid. You're still awake, right? You're lost in your thoughts again."
"…I'm fine." He remembered everything about her now. It shamed him that he even forgot her name, but that was quickly replaced by a burning desire to be with her again, now that he remembered. The day they first met, their time in Patch, and what ultimately happened there that night… Memories of what happened to him after that night were still unclear, but they paled in importance to what he knew now, and what needed to do next so that he could make things right again. Knowing the circumstances of how they were separated, Cale could only imagine the pain she was going through… "Just remembered something really important to me, that's all."
"I see. Well, it's good that you remembered that. Better late than never." Sienna took another sip of her coffee, a longer one this time. "Hopefully Patch has the rest of the answers you're looking for. But in order to get there, I'll have to make sure you don't get into any fights, of course. Because I can now see why you don't want any."
Cale noticed Sienna looking at his body, and he realized that his shirt was ripped in two. It must have come undone when he used the towel again. But that wasn't what really caught her attention. Rather, it was the huge diagonal scar on his chest, that had an unsightly overgrowth of raised skin. He instinctively put his hand on it, feeling its bumps. It wasn't the first time he noticed it since waking up on the beach. He had wondered then where it came from though, and now that he remembered, he knew exactly what gave him that. "Yeah…"
I'll never forget you. I swear it.
Cale breathed deep, stiffening his resolve. Having made sure she made it out alive during that night when the Grimm attacked Patch, he had no doubt that Ruby Rose was out there somewhere, and he needed to find her as soon as he could.