Arc 2 - Chapter 24 - No Longer Needed

Ruby woke up tired. One of those things that always made her wonder how it worked. Any idiot would reasonably think that the entire point of sleep was to make you untired, even just a little. Common sense, really. Yet, her body and mind insisted that she stay laying down and forget about the real world. To resume that strange dream where she was playing blackjack with a gang of giraffes, and was damn close to winning the whole betting pot of expired dog treats. As compelling as such a story might have been, Ruby sat up despite herself, cringing in pain, squinting about her surroundings as her eyes adjusted.

It was raining, that was the first thing she'd noticed. It was an almost magical sight since there had not been anything like a weather change since entering her uncle's heart. It could not be denied, though. The rain fell hard, hissing and spraying as if the angels had all come together to piss on the world, and with as much spite as possible. Ruby might have lamented at her luck - being caught in that downpour - but she was surprised to be dry and warm.

She was in a house. A small and mostly ruined house with the most obvious feature being missing front wall - looking bitten out by a giant monster and giving a theater screen view of the thick fog and heavy rain. The rest of the place was scattered with debris, but was dry at least. Ruby had no idea how she'd gotten there, and thinking about it sent a jolt of pain through her eyes. Made her press her hand against them.

"Ruby!" She heard footsteps padding up and nearly summoned her weapon, but was just Neptune, who upon seeing her looked relieved. "You're awake."

"And alive." Ruby said, gratefully. "Thanks for having my back."

"Always," he said, squatting down beside her. Which only then did she realize she'd been laying on the floor, on the tarp of her tent. "How are you feeling?"

It was all coming back now. The cramped ruins, the horde of Grimm, the painful struggle, the welcome rescue. Everything they were fighting for. What they'd lost in the process. What more there was still to be done. "Considering everything… I'm still together, I guess. I don't know how long that'll last though."

He nodded. "Well, I've got good news."

Ruby perked up. "Really?"

"And some bad news, too."

She sighed. "Well, tell me the bad stuff first."

"We still haven't found Jaune."

Ruby swallowed, having half expected that. Where would you even start when you hear that your friend ascended to space out of nowhere? "Okay… what's the good news?"

"The Wolf and Cinder brought back Peach a couple of hours ago. Alive."

Relief fell hard onto Ruby's shoulders like the very rain outside. "Is she okay?"

He scratched his head. "I think. Heck, she'd cleaned up all those Grimm and been headed our way by the time we were found. So she's not hurt - "

"But is she okay?"

Neptune lowered his head. "She won't stop crying."

It made Ruby think of her dad, and how he hadn't stopped crying for months. Sometimes, it broke her heart, sometimes it annoyed her, made her angry, even. Then being annoyed or angry about his mourning made her feel guilty. Peach had lost her nephew and, as Neptune had so reminded her, they were no closer to getting him back. Strange how it hadn't gotten old by now, this feeling of uselessness.

"Is she awake?"

"Yeah. Right now, all of them are in the other room. Talking about what to do next. Except the Wolf. He's scouting."

"What to do next?"

Neptune nodded at her. "The Princess says we're close to Qrow's Alter."

Sure enough, Peach was awake. It was her, Cinder, and the Princess all gathered around a small fire, the flickering orange light pushing the encroaching darkness into the corners of the walls. The Princess turned suddenly toward them as they came in, probably having expected someone, but finding disappointment at it only being them, which was certainly no boost to Ruby's withered self-esteem. Oddly, the Princess's eyes were covered now. All wrapped in a tight blindfold cloth as though her eyes were in danger of falling out of her head. Ruby was not naive enough to think it had nothing to do with that awesome power she'd displayed back in the ruins. That power which had reduced thousands of Grimm to ashes in seconds. A power which, if the Princess had it…

Peach, thankfully, looked more relieved to see them, having gotten quickly to her feet, hurried over and dragged both her and Neptune into a strong embrace. Ruby met her half-way and hugged her tight as she could, feeling just for a moment that things would be alright. A short escape from reality,because when they pulled apart and she looked up at the older woman, it was much less reassuring.

Putting it sensitively, Peach looked awful all over. Her hair was out of its usual near bun and was a long mess about her face. Her eyes were red and raw, no doubt from the ceaseless tears. One of her lenses was cracked, making it seem like half her mind had broken with it.

Over her shoulder, she saw Cinder glowering at them with a surly set to her mouth, like the jealousy of a dog owner whose pet was giving a stranger more attention.

"I'm glad you two are alright. How are you?"

"Holding on," said Neptune.

"We should be asking you that," Ruby couldn't help but say.

Peach chuckled weakly. "I'm sorry. My damn nephew. Always driving me up the wall."

"If it makes you feel better, he does that to everyone." said Neptune. "We're used to it. Sort of."

They joined the others at the campfire. A moment where all living things were still and the flames crackled on, would have gone immediately to talk to the Princess, but glanced at Cinder with some consideration. She was a complete bitch, and most likely a real predator, but you couldn't say she lacked basic humanity. It hadn't escaped her notice that Cinder never let her or Neptune fight anything they couldn't handle, because how else would they be alive now? It wasn't just the Princess and the Wolf who had saved their lives, and despite how much Ruby did not like her, such protection as it was, could not go unacknowledged. She approached the woman, fist clenched, settled on keeping her face neutral rather than trying to appeal to her. Best to be as honest as possible. Cinder stared back, even and uncaring, quietly daring her to utter even one word in her direction. "We couldn't have survived without you."

Cinder interlocked her hands, propped her elbows on her legs, then rested her chin on her clasped fingers, dark red fingernails touched by the firelight. "I suppose having a monster on your side can be useful. I suppose I should be happy to have played my meager part, villain though I am."

Ruby frowned. "I just wanted to thank you. For protecting me. For protecting both of us. We owe you that much."

Neptune blinked at her, sort of surprised, then he rubbed a hand through his hair and stared at the ground. "Yeah, um, thanks." he muttered.

Cinder held on to that frown of hers, and Ruby half expected a series of insults, or no response at all. It was brief. Very brief. But Ruby swore she saw those devil gold eyes melt just a little. Soften. And for a moment she was reminded of Uncle Qrow. Hard and crass and brutally honest, yet somehow unable to express love in words. She'd learned you have to look at what he does, rather than what he says. Maybe Cinder was similar to him that way. It didn't change the fact that Ruby did not like her, but it thinned the veil that she was some Saturday morning villain type. Just a little. "You are a weakling, Ruby Rose."

Ruby frowned. "Thanks for reminding -"

"For now."

Ruby paused. "What?"

"You are weak. For now. Struggle forward. With time, you will become… somewhat less weak, then perhaps I can be bothered to respect you."

Ruby wasn't at all sure how to take that. It was like a sandwich of insults, but with a thin layer of complimentary lunch meat. She couldn't feel offended or charmed, just more confused about Cinder than she had been before. "Er, alright then."

And Cinder gave her a curt nod as she got up and left the room without another word. Ruby glanced at Peach, who'd been watching the whole exchange, and now passed an apologetic smile, as if to say this was just the way her old apprentice was. Before she could develop a headache of it all, Ruby ambled on over to the Princess, who sat staring at the fire in silence. If she even was staring. Who was to say that power she used hadn't rendered her temporarily blind, or melted her eyes out of her skull. Surely something that powerful had some kind of cost.

Ruby sat beside her, clasping her hands together. "It's the second time you've saved my life."

She gave a strangely stern smile. "And the twelfth time you've thanked me for doing so. Think nothing of it. We are friends, are we not?"

Being friends with yourself in this context certainly carried a lot of questions about her humility and social skills, but still Ruby smiled back, hoping she could somehow sense it. Together, they watched the fire for a while, with only the low sound of Peach inquiring after Neptune's mental health through this whole ordeal.

"Princess." Ruby asked, "How did you know we needed help?"

"I'm afraid our happening upon you was only a matter of coincidence. My apologies."

"I doubt anyone's complaining. You saved us all. But, why were you headed back that way thefUncle…er, your uncle is further north? Isn't that what your journey was for?"

The Princess was still for a moment, then she said, "You are correct. I must find my uncle and bring him home, alive and well. Alive, in any case. "This was meant to be a mission of the highest importance, an ordeal of mine and my love's shared determinations." A third, far longer pause, in which the Princess touched the skin under the blindfold like she suspected tears to emerge. "But my love has received a new purpose. It came upon him some moons past, and has altered our once joined course of fate. Now - "

That was when the Wolf walked in. It wasn't sound that made his presence known, for his steps were silent as the dead, even despite all that armor. The very air grew noticeably colder, seeming to alert his presence, perhaps intentionally, with everyone looking to the door where he now skulked through, ducking under the doorway. Ruby had a strange feeling looking at him, but couldn't place what the feeling was or why she felt it.

The Princess and he exchanged a glance that felt like a true eternity. His expression shielded behind a helmet, hers resolute, if not deeply melancholic, like she was thinking about her fondest memories and wishing there was time to go back.

The Princess had been The Wolf's only concern out on the road. He'd tended to her every need, almost like a slave. A very willing one. Saying over and over how it was his purpose. And just now the Princess had been talking about a new purpose.

So what did that mean for the old one?

Instead of addressing his wife, as one might think, he approached and loomed over Neptune, who met his gaze with surprise. "Warrior of the Seas, you are without your companion."

Neptune fumbled with the words briefly. "Yeah, uh, he kind of vanished on us. We don't know why or how."

"You could not prevent his disappearance?"

"Cinder tried, but -"

And everyone turned to Cinder, who stood off in the corner, leaning against the wall. The Wolf moved on over to her, such a distance from the firelight half shrouding him in shadows, two red lights burning inside his visor. "You are a formidable warrior. I have seen it. You could not prevent the Shield Knight's abduction?"

Cinder flicked her head sideways to look at him, wearing perhaps the first blatant measure of respect that Ruby had ever seen on her face. "No." she said, No sarcastic tone, no chiding comment, just frank admission, and Ruby detected a trace of emotion in it.

If this upset The Wolf, it was hard to tell. He nodded, as if that was all he needed to know, then came over to stand between the fire and the door, like someone who came home only to pick up their hat and head immediately back out.

"You four have come to assist the Princess in rescuing the Black Blade. Is this not so?"

Ruby had no idea how he knew that, the four of them looking around at each other. Finally, Peach spoke for them. "What makes you assume that?"

"The Shield Knight and the Warrior of the Seas, defended the Kingdom of Ever-Summer from my assault. Doubtless, believing me to be a threat. Later, they brought my wife to me and cast upon the Kingdom of Ever-Summer a long and necessary winter. I must therefore assume their purpose was, and perhaps remains, to serve and protect the Princess. I see no other reason for those such as you to venture into these dark lands."

No one made argument with that. His claim made sense from his perspective, managing to sit perfectly between true and false at the same time.

Neptune raised his empty palms with a weak smile. "You caught us."

If the Wolf was amused, he didn't show it. "And so our destinies align. We are allies. But now, the Shield Knight has vanished. He has gone to a place he should not be. Lured there by my young master."

"Who is the young master?"

"He is my responsibility, and he has wandered from his place of safety. He seeks his eyes… again. Against my constant warnings. He is… a handful." Ruby had no idea what searching for eyes could mean, and doubted the Wolf would elaborate. It seemed like every time she talked to him, he grew even more mysterious. "I must find my young master. That is my purpose now."

Ruby glanced over at the Princess, whose face had not changed at that, and yet Ruby knew she had to be feeling something.

Peach certainly was taking some hope from this latest reveal. Her eyes wet with unfallen tears. "Then, Sir Wolf, do you mean to say you can find my… the Shield Knight? Can you return him to us?"

He nodded. "It is my purpose."

"Please, take me with you."

He shook his head. "This is a journey which only I can make. Those lands are dangerous. Far more so than here. I'm afraid you will slow me down, and I must make haste before it is too late."

Peach swallowed. "Too late?"

"The land the Shield Knight has been taken to is perilous, but the young master's presence will protect him." He paused. "But it is the young master himself that he cannot be near."

"Why?" asked Neptune.

"The young master seeks his eyes. That he may see what he cannot be allowed to see."

This felt entirely strange to ask, but still Ruby asked. "Where are his eyes?"

The Wolf raised two clawed fingers and pointed them at the glowing red dots inside his visor. "Here. With me."

And so Ruby had even more questions, but was realizing quickly that inside these heart worlds, more answers would ultimately get you nowhere. She was starting to think that these places did not exist to be comprehended in full. You could only go with the insanity, so it seemed.

"The young master will not find his eyes. As such, he will seek other means." The Wolf tilted his head forward. "He will take the eyes of the Shield Knight."

Ruby's heart dropped into her stomach. Faces of horror spread everywhere, even Cinder had turned to look with utter bafflement.

It went without saying that this was probably the realization of Peach's worst nightmare, and she looked on the verge of screaming, but managed to settle herself. "I'd certainly rather my boy be brought back to me with both his eyes. Please."

"The young master will not try to take his eyes until they reach the shore," The Wolf said. "For your part, can I rely on you to see the Princess's mission to fruition?"

Peach gave him a single sharp nod. "That's what we're here for."

"Then, I must depart soon. As must you all." The Wolf came over to the Princess, looming and dark. "Let us have our final hours together, my love."

The Princess looked up at him, and with her eyes covered, Ruby now had no idea what to infer from them. But was that even necessary? For what she'd believed to be two people entirely committed to each other on a long and hard journey, seemed now to be coming to an end. And at the most critical point, no less. Still, the Princess slid her hand into his, her fingers and knuckles all beaten and scarred from months of battle, and they headed for the door together. Ruby could only wonder what could be said in the time they had left together.

"Um, Wolf?" Ruby asked.

He stopped and turned his head.

"This place you're going to? Is that your home?"

A pause. "It is."

"You told me you don't remember your home."

"I did not lie. It was not my purpose to know my home when we last spoke. Now there is and I must follow it. Yes, that place is my home, and the young master's as well."

"I guess I sorta thought that your new home would be here. With the Princess."

Ruby saw that the Princess's fingers tightened around his big hand.

"I am promised to the Princess for as long as I am needed." He squeezed her hand back. "And only for so long as I am needed."

They went off together, leaving the rest of them to look amongst one another, all faces wrought with questions, while knowing very well the answers were beyond their reach.

Ruby hadn't meant to come across them. Just happenstance, really. An accident. This was what she told herself, despite it being a complete lie, as she stood half hidden in the darkness, watching the last moment between the Princess and the Wolf with enough shame to feel guilty, but not enough to leave.

It occurred to her then that she hadn't asked where they were. Then again, she had never really asked before, nor thought it so strange when the terrain they explored varied so sporadically. From the snowy hills and forests, to the ashes desert and buried ruins, to that crumbled rocky terrain laid with graves, all in many ways fantastic and horrifying. This place, by comparison, was much more grounded, and somehow that much more disturbing. She was looking out at what had to be the widest modern highway she'd ever seen. She could see the lane changing lines to designate cars even through the thin mist, the median stretching down the middle, the heavy rains having calmed to a discordant drizzle, pattering the black concrete. That was all there was. Ruby had looked around a few hours ago, but according to Cinder this was all there had been for several miles. It was as if all the fat had been cut and Qrow's heart had elected to guide them towards the end, at last.

The Wolf and the Princess stood alone in the middle of the road, illuminated by the near-half moon. They stood close, holding each others' hands, her staring up and him staring down, for the longest time just looking at one another.

Eventually, the Wolf's voice came out slow and deep, as the moonlight grew a shade brighter. "It is time," he said. "You must continue your journey without me."

"Of course," said the Princess.

"You are upset with me."

"Upset, yes. At you, no."

The Wolf pulled her closer, so that she was forced to fold her arms and pressed them against his chest. She leaned back more to keep his eye. "Do you believe I have betrayed my vows?"

The Princess shook her head. "You have been by my side, as promised, until I am no longer in need of you. But, can you blame me for feeling slighted? Am I truly to face my uncle without you?"

"It was always your fight. Never mine,"

"Yet we are husband and wife, are we not? Is my fight not yours also?"

The Wolf said nothing to that. It wasn't at all like those times where he simply chose not to answer. It seemed he well and truly had no response to give. Ruby wondered if those questions were ones he thought about himself. Perhaps, was still thinking about. Finally, he said, "You are strong. You could not be my wife if this was not so. You must fight this battle, and I must rescue the young master. Our paths have diverged. It is the way of things."

"Will our paths cross again?"

"That I do not know."

"Do you wish for us to cross paths again?"

"It is not my purpose to wish."

The two of them drew closer still. "You are untruthful to yourself, my love."

"That is my way."

Quiet for a moment.

"When will the day come that you will be honest with yourself?"

"I only know that it is not today."

Ruby watched them, strangely captivated, and bothered by it all. To separate after only being together for so long, and for such vague and unfair reasons that she did not completely understand. And yet, all she could think of was the pure injustice of it as the Wolf slowly peeled out of the Princess's arms, the two of them holding a long look, before the warrior looked up to the sky. He squatted down, then burst off the ground and into the air, so fast and quiet that it only scattered a small spray of rain. Like a dark streak, he flew toward the black sky, fading away in seconds. It was almost unreal that he could be gone so suddenly. No ceremony, no drama, just vanishing like he was going to pick up milk or something. It was almost insulting how sudden it was. And it didn't look at all right that the Princess was without her protector, her love. Was it meant to be this way? Was their love, no matter how strong, only meant to last for so long?

"You may show yourself," said the Princess, without looking away from the sky.

Guiltily, Ruby stepped out and came up beside her. "Sorry for listening. I didn't mean to."

The Princess shook her head. And Ruby took that rare moment to think about how this person was her. Or at least, the state of her heart or mind or soul, and that made her wonder what all this had to mean. Strange, at times the Princess felt completely distinct from Ruby Rose. It felt like talking to just another person. Ruby had never been so strong and brave as her. Not even in her boldest moments. Such inner power couldn't exist within her. Could it?

"Will you be alright?" Ruby asked.

The Princess nodded. "I will have to be. I must be strong, if I am to save my uncle."

"I wish I could do the same. I'm useless." said Ruby.

"A person becomes strong when they need to be."

Ruby chuckled, unamused. "So, all those times I was about to be killed just weren't the right time?"

"It would appear so."

And the Princess did not sound like she was joking. It was as if she knew very well what Ruby felt and now knew the truth of the strength she now wielded.

Ruby lowered her head. "I can't really say I get it."

"You will. Once you have learned to forgive yourself."

Ruby looked at her. "Forgive myself? For what?"

The Princess passed her a weak smile. And only then did Ruby see that tears had squeezed out from beneath her blindfold. "I could not say. I'm not you. I suggest you take some time to think about what restrains you, as I did. For now, will you hold my hand? I don't want to be alone."

Ruby nodded, feeling like she might start crying from seeing her tears. Wondering if this was not the literal example of self-pity. She took the Princess's hand, making sure to give it a strong squeeze, hoping that would give the, both some strength. They would need it soon.

Right now, there were few people she could help with her power. Not Cinder or Miss Peach, or even Neptune. She had to accept that when it came to them there was little she could contribute for now. Even Jaune, as much as she cared, was simply beyond what she was capable of helping with. She had to hope that the Wolf could bring him back safely. But maybe she could help the Princess. To focus on rescuing Uncle Qrow from despair. Certainly, that had been her goal already, but then she hadn't understood just what that would require from her. Now, even if she couldn't fight, she wanted to be there to see her uncle be rescued, and to help however she could. Maybe that was enough.

Tomorrow, they'd all go up this long dark road. To where Uncle Qrow's Alter would be waiting. This was it.

Ruby liked to think that the five of them would be enough, but there was no way to know for sure.

There was sand between Jaune's toes, which was odd since he was quite sure he was wearing shoes. It wasn't warm, though - the sand. The opposite, actually. The sand was there, and yet it wasn't. Like a memory. Yes, it was a memory.

It was strangely easy to remember things, even while the world burned around him.

The Shards song had changed. No longer the angelic hymn of ancient ritual. Now, it was like their voices had harmonized into one single voice, who gave out a great hum, low and melodic, drowning in melancholy, tragedy, despairing upon truths best left unknown.

Jaune was still being led by the little eyeless boy as they ventured on. He wasn't sure where they were going. Only that they'd stopped a few times and he would look around for the boy's eyes, only to not find anything. He'd comfort the boy, saying they'd find them soon, but not really being sure how. How did you even find such things as eyes? He imagined they weren't easy things to replace.

All around the burning world, the Shards floated freely. Their big and bulbous bodies pulsing like heartbeats, their long tentacles trailing like the frills of expensive dresses. Many of them. He'd seen them ever since landing on the burning planet. One might think they were the dominant species here, and maybe young one too, since all they did was float around and sing. The rivers flowed with lava, the ground rumbled and cracked, the skies roared with thunder and vicious wind, and yet the Shards sang on like all of it was nothing to worry about. Maybe they liked things this way. Messy. Broken.

One brushed past Jaune and the boy, floating along, minding its own business, and that gave Jaune a good look at the Brain inside its transparent flesh. The thing stopped for a moment and stared back at Jaune. That Brain pulsing red, squishy meat thump-thumping steadily. Just for a moment. Then it moved away, probably having lost interest in him. Well, perhaps they weren't that interested in things that were already broken.

"We're almost there," whispered the boy.

"Why are we whispering?" Jaune said.

"I dunno," he shrugged. "If only I could see…"

Jaune did feel bad for the little boy. He really did. How could you ever get through life not able to see? It was unimaginable. If only there was something he could do for him. If only.

That's when Jaune had the greatest idea ever. "How about I let you borrow my eyes?"

The boy looked up at him with those dead dark sockets of his. "Really?"

Jaune nodded emphatically, wondering why he hadn't thought of it before. "Yeah. Let's get you to where you need to go, then I'll let you use my eyes. You just gotta make sure to take care of them, okay?"

The boy nodded happily. "I will. I promise! You're so nice, mister."

Jaune did like being nice. Just helping people, really. Besides, what did he need with his eyes anyway?

There was nothing interesting in this place to see, as far he knew.

So this chapter was late. Like I said last time, my laptop is broken and I haven't been able to get a new one yet. Plus, this is pretty much a transitional chapter into the remainder of the arc, and those are usually my weaker chapters. I have not been able to edit this chapter much, so I'm sorry about that. Well, nothing to be done now.

Next chapter, its time for answers.

ISA