Arc 2 - Chapter 17 - Smart Choices

It was two days later that Jaune and Neptune were summoned to Peach's office for the ever anticipated briefing, with an additional high chance of a scolding for disobedience.

Master and ex-apprentice now stood before a big whiteboard, standing on either side, like a pair of fastidious teachers intent on educating their unruly classroom. Peach was perhaps the most emblematic of this, pushing up her classes, clearing her throat, tapping at points of interest on the board as she spoke, a trace of frustration in her tone. Cinder, much the opposite, smirked like this was the realization of all her dastardly plans. And most especially aimed that grin at Jaune, occasionally blowing a kiss when Peach wasn't looking.

Jaune did his best to ignore her, but she was wearing a blouse with an uncomfortably generous neck, the bottom fastened in a knot above her stomach so it was exposed. Jaune thought to avoid this by looking down, but that was no safer. Jeans that hugged her round hips like they were made especially for her. No belt needed. Such pants as they were, could come off smoothly. Easily.

Jaune pressed his legs together, tried to shake off the feeling that someone's hand was between them, trying to shake off the fascination of such an idea, and focused on his aunt. In the corner of his eye, Cinder's smirk edged just a little wider.

Peach tapped a circle drawn in marker on the board. There were four of them, all separate, four names written in neat script inside them. The names of the Rose-Xiao Long family. Peach said, "Each one of these is a Heart World. All of which have developed differently, operate under different rules, varying wildly from one another. They all have their own keys, their own Alters."

She waited for Jaune and Neptune to nod, then flipped the board over to the other side, stopping it with one finger. "This is what happens when one or more worlds interact with one another directly."

Now the board presented a picture of four circles all connected by their corners like a chain of rings. The same names written in them.

"As you can see plainly, their corners overlap. This means that the world's themselves have overlapped. Bridges have formed between them, allowing traversal between the two without needing the key, but also causing the rules and aspects of the worlds to interact, to merge, to clash. This rare phenomenon is called Partial Convergence. Are you two understanding me so far?"

Jaune was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that such a thing could happen, however rare it was. He pieced his question with those which Peach had asked on their way out of Ruby's world, and cut right to the point of the discussion. "You're saying Ruby's and Qrow's hearts are like this?"

"I would take it a step further and assume this is the case for the whole family. It would make the most sense, considering our respective dive points were much further apart," said Cinder.

Then they found Qrows key, instead of accidentally using Ruby's. "Where did you dive from?" he asked as innocently as he could.

Unfortunately, they were not fooled. Peach frowned deeper and Cinder smiled wider, but neither of them gave him an answer. Figured.

"So, how does it happen?" asked Neptune, oblivious to the tension in the room, or perhaps very aware and trying to hurry past it. "How do different worlds cross over like that?"

"Through Spillage." said Peach, drawing some squiggly lines in the section between Qrow's and Ruby's circles. "It creates a bridge between both worlds, only it's more like a broken drainage pipe emptying into a bucket. It's not only the Despair that leaks in. Like I said, aspects of the world itself, however strange or incompatible their internal logics may be, will over time blend together into a bigger, more coherent world that takes on the illusion of order and plausibility."

"Or sometimes absolute chaos." Cinder added.

"Or that. However, it seems the world you boys explored was not in chaos. It probably once was, because the process of Partial Convergence takes time. Years, at least. And only between people with significant relationships to one another."

Jaune and Neptune exchanged glances, and Jaune wondered if they may be thinking similar things. Jaune spoke their thoughts. "Then, I guess it's more likely to happen in families?"

"Precisely. It seems Summer's death not only broke the family apart, but in a twisted way brought them closer together." chucked Cinder, as if this was all some joke for her personal enjoyment. Jaune couldn't help but think about how both kissable and punchable Cinder's face was. But then, if he did that, she might just laugh all the more. Maybe even enjoy it. "Qrow's Despair spilled into the hearts of his family. The worlds connected through him, and over the years, slowly developed that kingdom you explored into the complex system it was. This Kingdom of Ever-Summer, so it is called, is the unconscious culmination of their hearts, centered around the axle by which the family turned. At least that's our theory."

"What about the Alters? How would they be affected?" asked Neptune.

"Again, like everything else, they would reshape and reintegrate into the new construct that is the overlapping world. It's possible that Alters could interact, and even be amongst one another. That Warrior-Princess you encountered? It is very possible that it was Yang Xiao Long's Alter, rather than a construct of Ruby's heart."

Perhaps that realization shouldn't have given him pause, but still Jaune wondered if he had left too early now. Had freezing the Princess to be with her lover helped Yang's possible Alter? Or sent her deeper into Despair? He could only hope the choices he'd made then were the right ones.

Peach took control of the conversation again. "But Qrow is who we're focused on right now. You said Princess Yang mentioned the leader of her band of warriors, this Black Blade Qrow?"

Jaune nodded. Already having a guess where this was going.

"That is Qrow's Alter, most likely. Integrated seamlessly into the joined world. What more do you know about him?"

"That he's supposed to be in a place called the Shadowlands. A place beyond the mountains north of the capital."

This time, Peach and Cinder met eyes, both hard and serious. They seemed to come to an understanding without needing words, and Jaune feared that might be the end of what he was privy to know. He'd be damned to be left in the dark after everything he'd done. "So why was Cinder with you in there?" he demanded of his aunt.

"Jealousy sits well on you," tittered Cinder.

"She's my backup. Qrow's Alter is likely strong." Peach's frown deepened. "Very strong. More than two apprentices are capable of facing, even with help. So no, Jaune. You cannot help."

"But—"

Peach raised a silencing finger, cutting him off right away. He noticed that her frown had now turned into something close to a snarl. She had to hold back a hiss as she spoke through her clenched teeth, which served to make Jaune feel that much less in control. "Don't you dare 'but' me, young man. Thank the Brothers that I have withheld from punishing you two for diving into Ruby's heart without my authorization."

Jaune felt a spike of anger in him. No acknowledgement that they'd done a good job? No respect toward their capabilities? It just felt so unfair. He wanted so badly to argue, but did not want to test her patience further. He'd noticed that she looked more stressed lately, and had asked why, but she refused to tell him.

"We're sorry, ma'am." said Neptune. "Both of us."

Peach let out a breath, and it was like the world itself had finally allowed itself to breathe now too. "Your part is over, boys. Let Cinder and I handle the rest. Now out, all of you. I need to get back to work."

And Jaune, Neptune, and Cinder vacated without another word. Jaune simply dropped into a chair, hands over his eyes, trying his best to hold the L he'd just been handed. Neptune patted his shoulder, letting Jaune know he had to go, and would catch up with him later during training. It was a rare moment that Jaune wished that he would stay, if only to protect him from Cinder, but imagined that his presence would hardly stop her. He bid Neptune off, heard him close the front door behind him, leaving him and Cinder alone in the quiet living room.

He might have retreated to his room, but Cinder had already started talking, damn her. Jaune kept his face behind his hands so at least he didn't have to look at her. "Smith Recycling. It's a scrapyard downtown." she said.

Jaune dropped his hands and looked at her without thinking, hating that he'd been baited by her so easily, but too interested in what she'd said to care. "What?"

"The car was supposed to be scrapped, after the accident. But it seems Qrow called in a favor from an associate who owns that scrapyard, and had him keep it. Apparently, that's where he goes when he's intoxicated. To sit before that car and stare at it. For hours, so I've heard."

Jaune rose from his seat. "You mean the key is—"

Cinder came up and put a finger to his lips. Jaune did not doubt for a moment that she'd simply used that chance as an excuse to touch him. "The car is ruined on the right side, practically caved in, you couldn't miss it. Master Peach plans to make the dive by midnight." Cinder leaned up, placing her hands on his shoulders as if she needed the help to boost her up, nails on his skin. Her whisper was closer than his own thoughts. "If, somehow, a pair of apprentices were to dive into such a heart. There'd be no way to force them out. Why, I do believe my beloved Master would be forced to take them with her, for fear of their safety."

Jaune had to step back, since he could feel Cinder's thigh brush up on the inside of his own. "Why are you telling me?" he asked.

Cinder, thankfully, pulled away finally, but kept her hands on him, batting her fine lashes up at him. "Can I not do my fellow apprentice a favor? The real question is, how will you reward me?"

Jaune swallowed, wanting to get away, but also not. "Is a thank you enough?"

"It could be. If presented the right way." Cinder stepped away, and that was as much a disappointment as it was a relief. "But for now, let's say you owe me one. You are a man of your word, I trust?"

Jaune nodded hastily, unable even to get out another word.

Cinder headed out the door, giggling to herself, sounding genuinely excited, like a little girl who'd been told she was going to an amusement park. "I wonder if you're prepared for such a challenge as we are about to face? I doubt it." She turned and grinned. "But, that may just make this adventure of ours that much more exciting."

It was with a healthy degree of guilt that Jaune sat on a rock in a great empty plain, and waited for his aunt to show up and yell at him.

Two days in the real world amounted to about two months in a heart world, and winter was well into itself by now. Where exactly they were in relation to Ever-Summer, he couldn't be sure. Neptune had scouted a while ago, but there was nothing but snowy plains for miles.

Neptune now paced nervously, hands wringing together, probably more afraid of Jaunes' aunt than he was.

"You don't need to be here, you know." Jaune told him. "We did our mission. You shouldn't get in trouble because of me."

"I'm good. Really." Neptune chuckled unconvincingly. "Besides, who else would be here to keep you out of trouble?"

"It's gonna be dangerous. More dangerous than before, most likely."

"Thanks for the reminder, I'm half-way to shitting myself. I'll stay though. Gotta protect you and all that. If you died, then I'd have to deal with Sun's crying, and that's torture all by itself."

Jaune glanced at the disant white hills. A great bulging distance that looked like giant white bubbles half-floating on the surface of a lake. Further on, the shadows of great mountains, seeming so small from so far away that he could crush them between his fingers. Jaune thought about the Princess and the Mad Wolf. Were they still together? Were they still protecting each other, loving each other? Love. The word made him feel queasy. How long could a fickle thing like love even last?

Naturally, that sequence of topics brought his tired mind back to the most significant occupant of his thoughts, Ruby. He thought about her in ways he never would have expected. Ways he knew were wrong. He thought about her face, her hair, her body. He thought about her lips. He'd noticed she had a tendency to bite her bottom lip. It happened often when he was around her. Jaune had started to think that he would have minded having a little chew on that lip himself.

Jaune palmed his forehead, trying to calm a surge of excitement. Focus on the mission, damn you. Think about Ruby's lips later. Or no, don't. Stop thinking about it entirely. It is wrong and bad and not okay in any way. Then a devilish thought slipped in. So wrong that it's right? So bad that it's good? No, damn it! Jaune hit his head again. Why was he thinking about this now when he had an Alter to fight? A powerful one that would likely kill him. Ruby was living in his head like no one had before. Or rather, a small few girls in his life had.

"Neptune," Jaune asked, waiting for him to turn. "How'd you ask out Weiss? I mean, what made you?"

His friend looked confused for a moment, and Jaune dreaded a question in return, to which he had not come up with any lies to answer with. Instead, Neptune blew out a breath that made his lips flap."I kinda just approached her in the hall one day. Our lockers were close by and shared some classes. Just went up and asked. I didn't really think." He scratched the side of his face ashamed. "I mean, back then I was mostly looking to… you know. But yeah, I just went up and asked. Why? There some girl you're looking at?"

Damn, how did he explain himself out of this? "Just asking. Hypothetically."

Neptune grinned, hurrying over to sit beside, all close to Jaune like this was the latest gossip spreading around the school. "Who is it, huh? That girl you're always texting?"

Jaune froze. He almost wished it was. "Maybe. Again, hypothetical."

"Sure, sure," said Neptune. "So, you like her? Hypothetically?"

"It's possible."

"Then what's the problem? Shoot your shot."

He made it sound so simple, if indeed Jaune liked anyone that way, which he definitely didn't. "I can't just ask. How do I know if I even should?"

"Well, because your feelings tell you so. I mean, you can't tell me you haven't faced a rejection before. Even I have. You still gotta try, man."

"It's not that." Jaune said, then he looked at the ground. "I mean, how do I know if I should?"

Neptune stared at him for a moment, seeming to wait for him to elaborate. He didn't rush Jaune, which was more appreciated than he could ever know. Jaune tried to settle his thumping heart, forcing his quivering voice to steady.

"I mean, should I even ask if I'm… the way I am. I'm not exactly…" Jaune sighed. "I don't have my shit together. So maybe it's just not worth it, if that makes sense."

"Let me ask you this… do you want to be with this girl, hypothetically?"

Jaune frowned, then nodded.

"And do you think you're ready for a girlfriend? For a relationship like that?"

Jaune paused. He hadn't really considered that, and that made him feel both irritated and embarrassed. "How am I supposed to know if I've never been in one?"

"Relax, dude. I'm not making fun of you." Neptune explained calmly. "You don't need to have dated to know if you're ready to. I won't say it's easy to know, and I can't say what the right answer is for you. One thing I learned after me and Weiss broke up… was that maybe a girlfriend wasn't what I needed. Not that I regret it, I think I was at my happiest when we were together, but my parents divorce, and how things were with my dad, I think that messed me up a lot more than the breakup. And even though things are getting better now, neither me or Weiss are sure if we want to get back together again. I'm kind of… alright with how things are right now."

"What are you saying?"

"I mean that just because you like someone, even a lot, doesn't mean you have to try to date them right there and then. If you think you aren't ready for that step, then it's okay to just let it go, if that's what you want."

"What if that's not what I want?" Jaune said, without thinking, and feeling embarrassed for it. "What if I feel like I want something with her, but that I may not be ready right now?"

"Then, you have a choice to make. Follow your heart, or do what's right for you. A lot of times, they're not the same thing. We can't help how we feel, but we can choose what to do with them, you know?"

Jaune really hated and respected how simply Neptune had made his predicament. He'd felt so tragic and confused, as if this kind of situation was entirely unique and had never happened to anyone but him, when in reality, this was a problem many people faced. There were solutions, and that couldn't be denied. If these… ideas… of his were genuine, then Jaune knew they could become a problem. It wasn't as if he hadn't asked anyone out before, been rejected before. Those feelings weren't exactly new. But it had been so long since the last time, and it felt so distinctly different from the feelings he had for Mystery, which he had already been in the process of questioning.

Jaune knew he had problems, and he was not naive enough to think a relationship wouldn't add to that already hefty pile. His father had taught him about such things, even if he was still a long way off from truly understanding them. Relationships took commitment, investment, honesty, loyalty, strength… vulnerability. That last one was particularly important, his dad had said. Jaune had only days ago started to use the word friend, and even that still left a bitter taste of regret.

Logically, it made the most sense not to act on these feelings. He had to see to his own health first. That was the smart thing to do. It made perfect sense. And yet…

And yet, the heart was a difficult organ to convince toward logic and facts, when the fantasy of something more, something full of potential, was so very close to hand. To like another person that way, to be liked by another person that way. Even as a thought, it was disturbingly captivating. Imagine the real thing. And then, what if he did the smart thing and chose not to act on his feelings until he was ready? It could be too late by then. He couldn't expect Ruby or Mystery or whatever girl he possibly liked to simply wait for him.

So what was the right choice? Put away his feelings in pursuit of the betterment of himself? Or risk a chance on something new, that could bring him a happiness he'd never had before? The choice was almost impossible to make. He wished he didn't have to. But Jaune knew he'd have to choose one. And soon.

"I don't know which choice is right." Jaune admitted.

"That's because neither one is." said Neptune, an understanding, even pitying smile on his face, doubtless knowing very well how Jaune possibly felt. "It's just that no matter what you pick, you're gonna risk losing something. You just have to learn to be okay with that. No need to make a decision right now, though, alright? Give yourself some time to think."

Jaune gave him a nod, was just about to thank him, if he hadn't seen two figures descending from the hazy sky. No going back now, it was time to face a reckoning. Peach and Cinder floated down with practiced ease, and with little else for miles to distract them, Peach saw him immediately. Her eyes went wide, then narrowed sharp as she stormed toward them, stamping through the snow like it too was guilty of disobedience. Jaune simply stood there, like a criminal knowing he was caught and having no choice but to own it.

"How did you even—?" Peach uttered. "How did you get here before us?"

Cinder gave a little smarmy whistle and half raised her hand. "Don't blame your nephew, master. I'm afraid I have a loose tongue."

Peach turned to her with a look of utter betrayal. "What were you thinking, Cinder!?"

"I believe the fact that I was not thinking is the problem, and your nephew can be so very scary. Like you, actually. If I hadn't told him, who knows what he would have done to me. I am a frail woman." Cinder said, tone dripping with evident self-satisfaction. "Still, what can be done now? They're here, and you cannot force them out, since this is not your world. We have to take them with us."

Aunt Peach likely knew it, too, but that only made her more upset. Jaune had underestimated how much though, because her eyes welled up with tears as though this was not the first time he had broken her heart. "Honey, why can't you just do as I tell you?"

Jaune lowered his head, ashamed. "It'd make your life too easy, I think."

"You'd better hope that Qrow's Alter is the end of you, because when we get home, you and I are going to have a talk. A very long one."

Jaune dreaded to even think about that, but if this was to help Ruby's uncle, he supposed that was a punishment worth taking. Depending on how serious the talk was. Still, it seemed his aunt wouldn't bite his head off today, which was a relief. "What now?" he asked.

"Cinder and I made our way south from here last time, which is how we came across you two. Since we now have you two to consider, my ex-apprentice and I cannot use our usual methods of exploration. We take the route that's safest." Peach raised an eyebrow, "Unless you also plan to disobey me in that? Well, nephew?"

Jaune shook his head rapidly.

"Good," she held out her hand to him. "Cinder, you're the caboose. You know what to do. Give me your hand, Jaune. That way I can keep you from running off."

It was humiliating in front of Neptune, and absolutely in front of Cinder, but Jaune did as he was told. The four of them headed off southward, across the rolling white plains that stretched on into the vast grey horizon.

Ruby sat in the abandoned garden of her backyard and thought.

It was hard to see at night, with the moon half-hidden and little else but the porch light above the back door to illuminate things. Still, the garden was the same from memory. One of the few things her dad continued to tend to, even after losing his wife. Strange, what things fall to the wayside, and which things don't. Ruby supposed you could never really know how you'd take a loved one's death until it happened. Would it be the same with Uncle Qrow? Would it be him they buried, whose grave they never visited, whose very name was hushed out of conversation? Those thoughts didn't accomplish much beyond making her want to cry again, so Ruby set them aside, tried thinking of other things.

"Hey you," Ruby turned her head to find Yang peeking out from the backdoor. "There some room for my butt over there?"

Ruby nodded her over, watched as Yang slipped out and then down beside her, in her pajamas, looking tired, smelling like sweat after a hard workout. Yang reached toward Ruby's face, wiped a stray tear off her cheek. "What's wrong?"

Ruby looked out toward the garden again, rested her elbows on her knees, her chin in her palms. "Nothing and everything."

"Sounds about right. How are you holding up?"

"I don't know if I am."

"Me either."

Silence for a moment. The wind blew through the garden, made the flowers hiss, made the pots and tools clink together. Two moths darted back and forth around the old lightbulb above their heads, which buzzed on in perpetuity, Ruby being quite sure it hadn't been changed in years.

"I'm gonna tell everyone." said Yang. "You know, about Sun and me."

Ruby looked at her, surprised. "Blake, too?"

Yang nodded. "Blake, too. Especially her. Guess it's about time, huh?"

"Yeah. So, what about you and Sun?"

"No reason to break it off if it's working out." Yang curled a finger through a lock of hair. "Maybe we can make something out of it. I don't know."

"Do you like him that way?"

Yang paused. "Honestly, I don't know for sure. Sometimes, I don't know if what I feel is real or if I'm just desperate. If I hadn't been so stupid, if we hadn't just been… comforting each other…"

"Having sex, you mean?"

Yang's neck straightened with embarrassment. "I mean, yeah. Did you have to say it like that?"

"Why wouldn't you just call it what it is?"

Yang chuckled. "You really are growing up."

"About time you noticed."

That brought on a guilty look from Yang. "I won't make excuses for how I've been treating you, Ruby. I was being an asshole. And a hypocrite. I know. I guess I thought if I somehow kept you young in my mind, I'd never lose you. Dad seemed to love work more than us, and Uncle Qrow definitely loves beer more than us. I didn't want you to find something or someone to love more than me. Does that make sense?"

Ruby sort of understood. The feelings behind that behavior, at least. Even if the treatment itself was hard to excuse.

"I'm sorry, Ruby." Yang said, eyes wet. "I guess Uncle Qrow isn't the only one who needs to get his shit together, huh?"

Ruby felt her wounded wrist tingle. Hated herself for resorting to it again when she'd promised long ago to stop. "I guess both of us do," Ruby took her sister's hand and gave it the gentlest squeeze she could. Yang put up a tough front most of the time, but she was made of softer stuff underneath. "But you're still my big sister. I don't think I can love anyone more than you."

As if Ruby had drawn those tears to the surface with a magnet, Yang began to cry. "Even after I've been such a jerk?"

"You're a jerk all the time."

Ruby felt Yang squeeze her hand back and they sat for a while together, just talking about things. School, Yang's boxing, Ruby's writing and fanfictions. It felt like how they'd used to be. Not quite the same, but then, things could never be the same again. Mom was dead, after all. Moving on meant accepting change. Ruby just hoped that change didn't involve losing her uncle yet.

Yang wiped her face with her shirt, sniffling. "I didn't see my best friend Jaune upstairs. He not here tonight?"

Ruby shook her head. "Said he has things to do."

"For a guy who claims to have no friends, he's always busy. Always running around. You'd think he was trying to save the world." Yang gave her a strangely inquisitive smile, like she'd uncovered a truth she was now ready to accept. "I know you like him. You know, like-like."

Ruby had a hold back a flush of embarrassment, but then Yang had always been good at knowing that stuff. It's happened before. Or maybe Ruby just didn't have the best poker face. "I… okay, yeah." It was all she could say. "I don't have to worry about you beating him up, do I?"

"If I do beat him up, it'll be because he hurt you. I'll just try to look away if you two kiss."

"What if we end up comforting each other?" Ruby teased.

A disgusted pout spread across Yang's face. "Well, you won't be able to tell if I beat up him or not if you can't find his body."

Ruby sputtered with laughter at her sister's no doubt serious promise, and eventually even she managed a laugh too. Still, it gave her some thoughts. About her feelings, about what she meant to do with them. If she should do anything at all. She had tried to ask him that day in the hospital, and while they'd been interrupted, Ruby hadn't been sure if she'd have gone through with it anyway. "I don't know if I'll tell him though."

Yang looked at her. "Not that I'm complaining, but why not?"

"Just because… our family, you know? After that talk with Dad, it seemed like we were gonna try to get better. All of us. Now Uncle Qrow might not wake up. We might lose him. That's a lot to deal with. It's too much." Ruby's shoulders sagged as she let out a sad breath, deflating like a balloon. "Maybe now isn't the right time for… boyfriends. For me, anyway."

"So you won't tell him?"

Ruby was earnestly hoping Jaune would ask her, so that she could give an easy yes and not have to think about the consequences. She sometimes caught him looking at her, with that intense but considerate look, like he was working out a puzzle. And she was happy to fall to pieces before him, if it got his hands on her. "Maybe. I'm still thinking."

"Choices like that can be hard. Relationships aren't easy, or guaranteed to be happy, only look at your dumb big sister for proof. Maybe the smart thing would be to take care of yourself and think about crushes later."

The thought of that made Ruby's lip curl. It wasn't as if she didn't understand the logic of it, but she was so used to simply doing as she felt, within reason. She'd sought isolation because she felt like she had no one, she'd sought friendship with Jaune because she felt he understood her, and now her heart ached for more. She couldn't deny it. She didn't want to deny it. Still, in this case, her sister was probably right. She had to let this go. Just focus on family for now.

"But," said Yang, drawing Ruby's attention again. "The smart thing isn't always the right thing. If you can't ignore how you feel, then maybe you need to seize what you want and try to make the best of it. It's not like Jaune can wait forever."

Ruby had been thinking that, too, and that only made the choice that much more difficult. She knew Jaune had some girl he'd been close with for a long time from what she'd overheard Neptune say once. A girl he probably knew far better, was much closer to. Then there was that Cinder woman, too. The thought of her made Ruby want to take Jaune for herself as fast as possible, to keep her claws off him. Sure, Jaune was big enough for anyone to get a piece, but Ruby rather liked the idea that all of him could be hers. The point was, Jaune wasn't lacking for options, whether he knew it or not. Could she simply let her chance go? The thought made her queasy.

Yang patted her shoulder as she stood. "Just take some time to think, eh? Whatever you choose, just know that neither is wrong, even if you might lose something for it. A lot of thought, okay?"

Ruby nodded and decided then to get to bed herself. It was late and it was best to get to sleep now so she could get up early. "What's for din—"

And the world was weightless.

The last thing she heard of her sister was a faint scream of her name as Ruby felt the ground vanish, seeming to evaporate into rushing, whistling air all around her. She plummeted through a dark space, turning round and round, as if in a tornado, so sudden and so fast that she could barely manage a scream.

Flower petals spun around her, somehow visible even in this space without light, with a sound like a high shrieking, wind howling faster and harder. Ruby's head pounded, she couldn't see, the universe was a blur to all of her senses. Until the sudden moment when it wasn't.

It was immediately cold where she'd landed, there on her elbows, almost as if she'd been asleep and simply woken up somewhere else. Was anything broken? Ruby shifted her legs and arms - couldn't feel anything out of place. That might have been a relief, but being wounded quickly became the least of her worries.

She was in a field of snow, barren and surrounded by trees on all sides. It reminded her of Patch when they visited grandma and all her extended family in winter. Out in the woods, hunting, listening for wolves, sledding down hills. Seeing this, of course, did not inspire those ideas. How had she gotten here? When?

But even that was reduced to a temporary concern when she heard heavy growling, deep and rumbling, the soundwaves making Ruby's spine quiver. Ruby looked behind her at what she thought was a wolf. It was, but most didn't stand on their hind legs like that, and weren't even close to that big. Her mouth dropped open as the beast glared down at her, massive teeth dripping, hot breath blowing out, massive paws giving way to claws long as swords. Ruby hadn't even found the sense to get to her feet, still lying on her stomach, her vulnerable fleshy back a perfect target for that hellspawn. Fear had her in its merciless grip, kept her legs from moving, despite every voice in her head telling her to run.

"Dad?" Ruby whimpered. But he was nowhere near.

The beast let out a roar that could frighten a tiger, seemed to roar in defiance of the very world. It leapt at her, long arms extended wide to ensure she could not get away, jaw so wide that Ruby did not doubt it could swallow her whole. Hoped it would, so she didn't have to suffer being eaten alive. All Ruby could do was close her eyes and curl up to protect herself, "Uncle Qrow!" she cried.

A moment passed, a moment too long, since the monster should have been on her by then. Had it given up? Had she scared it off somehow? Ruby doubted it. She looked around, found that instead of biting into her, the gaping jaw of the monster laid in the snow in front of her, tongue lolling. The head now separated from the body.

A soft voice spoke. "Are you alright?"

Ruby looked up to see someone standing over her. Someone in an extremely long red cape, billowing in the faint breeze. She carried a massive red scythe in her hands, the damn thing almost as big as her, much too big for a girl of her build, and Ruby would know it.

Because this girl looked exactly like her.

This was apparently not lost on the stranger, either. "How strange, it's like looking in a mirror in a way." The girl took the scythe in one hand, slung the blade to rest over her shoulder. She held out her hand to Ruby. "Are you alone?"

Ruby was still shocked, gaping like a landed fish, unable to get the words out. A snowy field, that terrifying werewolf, and a girl that looked like her that killed it with a gigantic scythe. This was a dream. It had to be. None of this could be real.

"You'll have to come with me. These demons are greater in number this close to the Shadowlands." Ruby's rescuer took her by the wrist and hoisted her up with surprising strength. "Have no fear, my husband and I will keep you safe."

Husband? A girl that looked exactly like her was married? Ruby could only let out a disbelieving chuckle, her head spinning with this overload of new information. A dream, it had to be. And a particularly intense one too. Once she passed out, she'd wake from this insanity. Absolutely. Ruby wanted to pass out, that's what happened in the movies with situations like this.

Instead, she gripped the hand of the warrior-girl with her face, who killed giant wolf monsters with a giant scythe, and was apparently married, through the snowy forest and hopefully toward safety.

Sheesh, well this was a late chapter. Ah well, this arc is still going strong and there's many things ahead. Let's keep at it.