Chapter 44: A second life
It is not uncommon that one is often so overwhelmed by the events and stimuli around them that they tend to be blind to the occurrences closest to them. To Ruby Rose, this was one such moment.
"Tight" she voiced her thoughts aloud, finally noticing something that had been pricking her in the back of her mind ever since she woke up in her bed. That's what it was. That constant feeling that was gnawing at her head, like the faint noise of an insect buzzing about that you weren't even sure was around, until you notice it. And in this case, she now wondered how she'd missed how tight her PJs were, but could also see why. It wasn't suffocating, but it was uncomfortable and noticeable enough. Her arms, legs, they were all begging for liberation from the fabric she wore. Indeed, as she'd just taken the place of her sleeping self, she was in her PJs, which merely consisted of a loose-fitting t-shirt and pants. But more than her limbs, her back was strangely…uncomfortable. No, that wasn't doing it justice. It was as if a part of her body was stuck in a wrong position and she wanted nothing more than to drop her pants and remove that wrong feeling.
Summer snickered from within. "Looks like someone's grown. For once, I can't believe I'm more excited to see what you look like now than seeing all of your old pals and mine"
"Yeah….I mean, I remember the Soul King said something about my body adapting to my soul or something, and that I'll find out when I get here. Not to mention….Beacon…it's still…here. There's no city-wide chaos with elder Grimm and the tower is still here too" remarked Ruby, looking at the towering structure in front of her. There was just so much they were out of the loop about and so much they needed to find out. But Ruby agreed that she would start with her own self.
And so, she quietly made her way back to her room, making sure to make no noise as she closed the window behind her. Glancing at her friends who were still asleep, she let out a silent sigh of relief.
"Hmm….Zwei isn't here" she thought to herself. And another look at Blake and the ribbon she wore told her that this was definitely a long, long time back. Things that were good to get a head start I suppose, she mused to herself. She locked herself behind the bathroom, dropping all of her clothes to get a good look at herself as she was now.
Ruby raised her eyes curiously. "Huh"
She looked older, much more so than she remembered her younger self to be, but still a lot younger than how she was back on Earth. If she had to guess, she appeared to be around 18 like Yang and was about as tall as well. But what really caught her attention were the two red markings running down her face from her eyes to the base of her chin, as well as the two animalistic furry, pointed ears, colored deep red and black in place of her human ears, just the same as how they were when she used her resurreccion. And the relief she'd felt the moment she got rid of her PJs now made sense. Because swinging behind her was a long tail, colored deep red with three black bands near the tip, the same as how her tail used to be as a Vasto Lorde and in her resurreccion. The rest of her features looked human.
"My daughter become a cat-girl! Mein Gott!" said Summer from within, and Ruby could almost picture her mom making a fake surprised reaction based on the tone she used. Crescent on the other hand voiced her excitement at how nice her mom looked.
"Well…...I think the term you're looking for is Faunus mom…..and…technically I'm a cheetah but….that's….not what I expected when he said my body would change accordingly….." thought Ruby out aloud to herself, more curious than surprised. "Oh well…..at this point, I've had so many different forms that I can't even bring myself to be that surprised…I have…no idea how I'm going to explain myself though….and to be fair…. it's a bit weird looking at my younger body like this…."
She could feel collective nods of agreement from Summer and Crescent. But just the same, it was true that at that point, her current form was hardly anything to ponder about. It was just one out of many, and she rather liked how she looked currently. But she was in no way going to wear her current clothes. Buying new clothes was definitely on top of her to do list at the moment, but for now, she needed an alternative. And so, she made her way to Yang's wardrobe, helping herself to her T-shirt and pants.
"Hmm..it smells like Yang….I've missed this" she mused to herself, the thought bringing her a certain warmth. Guess I'll ask Blake tomorrow for stores that sell Faunus clothing, noted Ruby mentally. Oh man, she's going to get the surprise of her life.
But there were still other things to do, much more important than making herself comfortable. She grabbed her scroll, which she found near the shelf by the window.
"Ack, dammit, of course I don't remember my password….." she cursed internally, after trying a few times.
"I mean….it's been a few years right….? Not to mention you having to literally experience the millennia I spent in hell…I'd be surprised too if you could remember anything at all from centuries ago…" chuckled Summer awkwardly.
But the home screen was visible, and it told her some vital pieces of information.
First, it was around 3 in the night. There wasn't much time before daybreak but there was no way she was getting sleep now, not with all that was happening around her and all the things she wanted to do. And second was the date.
"Oh boy…" gasped Ruby lightly, her eyes raised. Ruby did the math, and while it took her a few seconds, she did have it figured out, using her own birth date as reference. "This is just after the start of the second semester…."
"Oh…..so you were right….this IS long back. But to me…..this is many years into the future…..strange huh…..?" remarked Summer. "And yet, all three of us are going to be just as lost"
"Yeah.." replied Ruby. "I, for one, don't have the slightest idea of what went around this time. I mean….it's been sooo long….hmmm? What's that, sweetie? You think we should go out and gather information?" she asked, listening to Crescent.
"Well…...as your super-duper doting mom, I'd say we should just sleep it off since there isn't much time before the kids wake up but then again….….there's no way in Hell any of us can get any sleep now. Might as well have some fun outside….and besides….I think you could take the time to see if any of your abilities are different" suggested Summer.
Ruby nodded. "True…..now that you mention it. But you know mom….before anyone else…there's one place I need to go…no, scratch that. There's one place we all have to go to first. Before I…before these guys….I have to see him..before I do anything else"
"Him..?….Ah…" Summer paused mid way, going completely silent and mellowing down. Ruby could picture a melancholy smile on her face. "After my little sunshine who's grown up so much…..his face was the one that came to my mind next. And….after what that being told us, I've been wanting to see him so badly. But I didn't want to rush you. I knew you'd go and see him eventually too, so I wanted to give you time to see your friends here. I'm glad….I'm not the only one thinking about him"
"Yeah…there's still enough time. I'm sure we can make it back without raising an alarm" suggested Ruby.
"But sweetie…..Patch is so far away and I'm not sure anything runs this late. How do you….wait…don't tell me we're going to..?"
"Actually, I have an idea, mom" said Ruby, quietly exiting the window once more. She gave one last look at her still sleeping teammates. Despite how little noise she made, she could see Blake's bow twitch slightly. Ruby chuckled. "I'll be back guys. Real soon. Till then…just sleep well"
She was just about to jump out, when she remembered something. She then turned around, going back to what was clearly her desk, and retrieved the familiar looking red object.
"Sweetie! Look! It's you! OG Crescent Rose!" whispered Ruby to herself, excited. "Ahahaha damn! Now this is something that brings back memories! Remember when you were like this?" she asked, and she could feel her daughter's embarrassment as well as her excitement. "What's that? You're embarrassed about how you look? Come on darling, you look cute! If I can't manifest you as I did back at home, I'll need something to fight with. I mean sure, I could use my hands and reishi, but I do like holding a weapon. And there's no way I'm fighting alongside with someone else other than my darling. You don't want me to because it's not you? I know darling, but until we figure out a few things, let's try and adjust, k? Right, then, let's get going"
And so, she jumped down to the floor below, after closing the window, and then took a quick look around to make sure no one was around. But even that was unnecessary considering how many different reishi signatures she could feel around herself. Most were about the same level as her teammates. In fact, those were harder for Ruby to detect, considering how much weaker they were compared to her own. But there were some stronger signatures here and there.
"Probably Ozpin and the rest of the staff…" she thought to herself.
"Still…they're all constantly putting out reishi…no…this is just their aura we're sensing. But it's almost like….since their aura is always active on the surface…makes sense though. As far as aura is concerned, it's something that's there always, as a passive presence. There are some rare hunters that can control their aura to a very limited degree but otherwise, it's really not under your control. Makes sense that they're just flaring out their reishi all the time…I mean aura…."
"Yeah….hmm…? What's that sweetie? You want to try doing stuff before trying to go back?" said Ruby, answering for her daughter. "Well…I suppose we could. I won't take too much time and I'm also curious to know a few things. It'll be good to know exactly what we can and can't do as we are now. I know just the place where we won't have to disturb anyone"
Going back up the roof once more, she spotted the patch of green she was looking for.
"It feels weird to be doing this in your PJs" chuckled Ruby, before using Sonido.
*BZZT!*
A few seconds later and she was already within the Emerald Forest.
"Nice! So Sonido works just the same" she noted to herself. "Hold on...I can't believe it...I can sense hollow reishi...here! No wait...it doesn't feel like hollow reishi either...this is more like...hell..."
"...yeah...I can sense it too...but it's not exactly hell reishi either. It's like a mix of both...kind of like our reishi...how strange..." Summer added.
Ruby went in further to investigate its source, only to come across a pack of Beowolves.
"Grimm...? That's what giving off reishi...?! But...without a soul how can they...?" Ruby wondered, confused. "And why do they have something that resembles hollow and hell reishi?"
"...I think I know sweetie. Remember when the God of Darkness was explaining the origins of our worlds? If we're to assume that the brother gods are the source of everything, then it would explain why reishi feels similar too. They may not have souls, but remember how he explained that Grimm were formed when the spirit particles of this world coalesced under certain environments? Which means they're still made up of spirit matter, just like dust and aura. And most people in our world couldn't sense aura to begin with, let alone spirit energy from other sources. You know...considering how Hell reishi allows one to share emotions...it might explain why Grimm are drawn towards high sources of negative emotions. On Earth, we have four different natures of reishi, which all came from four different parts of the Soul King, who in turn was made by the Brother Gods. And this world was made by the Brother Gods too. So..." Summer theorized.
"Aah now I see...yeah, that would make sense" Ruby agreed. "Well, that clears that. And now that these guys are here, I can test this one them…" Ruby said.
Making finger guns, she gathered reishi in her finger tips as she normally would, and fired away.
The near invisible blasts of red reishi punched straight through the beowolves and then through several trees before she could hear a distant sound of something colliding with a lot of force.
"…Uh…oops…."
"Ahahahah! I mean….if a tree falls in a forest and no one's around to see it, does it really fall? Let's just pretend we're not here…." Said a bemused Summer.
"That….was more than just 'a tree' though…." Said Ruby deadpanned. "Yeah….I think I'm good. If that worked, then I'm guessing a cero shouldn't be any problem as well. I don't want to end up deforesting everything in my line of sight by mistake. What else can we do then...Ah…Kido…" she recollected. "Well, this should be easier but I'm not so sure it'll work….only one way to find out" Ruby extended her palm, facing the trunk of a nearby tree. "Bakudo #4, Hainawa!"
Yellow reishi gathered around her wrists, before taking on the form of a long winding yellow rope and wrapping itself around the tree. But something was strange. Unlike how her Kido normally worked, this time, there was a disconnect between when she finished spelling out the kido spell vs when it actually came out.
"I think I know what's going on. Sweetie, why don't you try that again, but this time, don't say out the incantation. Just focus on channeling your reishi as you normally do" suggested her mother. And when Ruby tried the same, now she could see what was happening.
"Ah….it works even without an incantation, as long as the way we channel the reishi is right" noted Ruby.
"Yeah. I think I know why. Remember how the Soul King said that we'd be subjected to the rules of this world? If so, then Kido could be similar to this world's magic. When Salem used magic as I fought her, she didn't need any fancy incantations. It just worked. I assume it's the same for us as well" explained her mom.
"I see….that's surprisingly handy I guess. But I think I'm going to continue using the incantations…it doesn't feel right otherwise" said Ruby to herself.
"Yeah, I think that should be fine. But that means….we more or less have all of the abilities we did back at home" noted Summer.
"It's a bit strange though….I thought this would be more like being in a gigai, you know, since I'm inhabiting a living body. But this feels more like being in my sealed arrancar form. I wonder if it's because humans here have their aura out at all times" wondered Ruby. "Still…there's just one last thing to try. Ready? Mom? Crescent?"
"...My semblance, sweetie? Yeah, now that you mention it, how would that work? I do want to try it, but I have an idea of what it could be. If it's anything like my resurreccion, then I feel I should put it off for a bit later. As I said, I don't want to end up destroying the area here and cause a huge commotion. I'll get to it eventually. For now this should be enough"
After feeling the collective gestures of agreement from both of them, Ruby made the familiar gesture of opening a garganta in the air.
The space split apart before opening into the same familiar looking shape of a garganta. Ruby's heart was pounding, and her breaths were becoming somewhat labored.
"It worked…" she voiced out aloud. "Ah….I'm a bit nervous….even though technically 'I' just came back from vacation for the second semester after seeing him not more than a few days ago. But….here we go"
Stepping in as she would usually when traversing a garganta, Ruby expected to feel the familiar feeling of her feet making contact with solid ground as she pushed reishi to form footholds within the endless void. Instead, she found herself tripping and falling face down, her body embracing soft, grassy earth. The ex-rose huntress blinked once, twice, before she dusted herself and looked around, confused.
"Wait…hold on….this….this looks like home…" she remarked to herself slowly. A blanket of trees surrounding what appeared to be a wooden cabin-like house, with a small dirt path leading into the woods as well as to other similar houses further away. This was no doubt, home.
"…"
Summer remained silent, which came as no surprise to her. It was a place she had longed to visit ever since she disappeared all those eons ago. And now, as if being granted one of her deepest desires, she was able to be here again. So overwhelmed she was that she didn't even bother questioning why the garganta she opened brought them straight to their destination without needing to walk through it. Ruby slowly went up to the door, making sure to give a couple of good knocks on the door. No sooner had she done that, she could immediately pick up noises of feet scampering across the wooden floor, followed by a couple of excited barks. Though Ruby kept her head down, lost in her own thoughts, those sounds immediately put a smile on her face. Alongside Zwei's barking, she could hear mumbling and growling from further in. Ruby knocked on the door harder.
"…urgh….…..what is it now…?" came a sleepy and irritable voice from beyond the door. "…do you realize how late it is…? Ah dammit…..my head feels like exploding…..whatever it is, couldn't it have waited until morning…..?" came the man's voice, as he opened the door. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he tried his best to focus at the girl standing in front of him.
"Hrmm….and just who're you….?" He mumbled, trying to get a closer look at the Faunus girl and her grimacing face. "…huh…hold on…..you're…..!" he exclaimed, his eyes squinting at first and then going wide. "You look like…..you….Summer dear…..h…honey….is that…you…?!"
Before he could ask anything else, the girl dashed forward, grabbing him in an almost vicious hug.
"Wh..whoa…! What are you..honey….is that really you….why do you look like a faunus…say something..!" he stammered, unsure of how to handle the girl latched on to him like her life depended on it. Zwei on the other hand was excited to see the girl.
"Dad…..I've missed you…" said the girl, her brows arched upwards and her mouth curved into a smile.
Taiyang gasped loudly. "Dad…?…Wait…Ruby…?!"
"Yeah…it's me dad…" she said, smiling once more and looking up to him. And now, with his mind more or less awake and the girl's face in front of him clearly, he could see. Indeed, she did bear a strong resemblance to his younger daughter but her resemblance to Summer was uncanny too. For one, she didn't look as young as his daughter did. The faunus ears and tail were distracting as well, as were the two red markings on her face. But what really caught him off guard were her eyes. Those sharp, dull eyes were a far cry from the bright, round and innocent looking eyes of his youngest daughter. The girl then let go but still continued to look at him with the same smile on her face.
"…W…what's going on sweetheart…?! Is that…really you..? And…what are you doing here…this late? Shouldn't you be in Beacon now..? What's with those ears and tail…?" he questioned her, with more questions flooding his brain. She then went up to Zwei, lifting him up and hugging him close to herself.
"Oh Zwei….I've missed you too buddy…" For once, the welsh corgi was confused himself, letting out a low whine. She smelt like his mistress and yet, looked so different from his mistress. But ever her odor was different. And, his mistress was no longer as 'spunky' as he knew her to be. She was a lot calmer but Zwei could still feel the same affection from her, if not more.
"And I'm here too…..Tai-dear" said the girl, this time her tone very different from before. The blond instantly reeled from those words. He knew them. It was the same way his deceased wife used to call him all those years back.
"Summer….Honey….?" he called out slowly. The girl nodded, slowly walking forward and this time, she tackled him to the ground and started pounding away at him.
"Tai, you dummy! How could you start doing that to yourself?! Do you know how much I….how much I missed you?! I was gone for just a few years and you….aaaaahhhhh I'm not going to stop until you say sorry a 1000 times! Take that! And that! And that!" The estranged woman continued to playfully beat away at her husband, still keeping him pinned to the ground all while the retired hunter tried his best to figure out the situation.
"Su…summer hey..! What are you talking about..! How are you here…?! And…what happened to you…?! Woah there, hold on a bit softly dear, you're draining my aura...!" he tried to get her off, but the woman simply wouldn't let go. "Honey…!"
"Uwaaaaaah! I'm not going to let you go, ever…! Tai you big, big dummy!"
"H…honey, I'm just so lost…..J…just calm down for a sec will you? I have so many questions….I….I'm not even sure what to say here…." He stammered. "Please….honey….." he sighed. "Alright…..a thousand times sorry…now, why don't you calm down a little and explain things to me one bit at a time" he said, a small smile forming on his face.
"…..fine…" pouted Summer, getting off her husband. "…but go and brush your teeth first. They stink"
"Well, you did wake me up in the middle of the night. What do you expect?" he chuckled. "But alright. I don't think I can get any more sleep tonight. I'll do that and you stay here. Don't go running away just yet, ok?" Summer nodded.
A few minutes later after both Taiyang and Summer freshened themselves up, Taiyang got them two steaming cups of coffee.
"A bit early to be having coffee now" he mused to himself. "Still…..I never, ever thought I'd ever wake up to something like this…half of me still doesn't want to believe this is real"
"Want me to start pounding away at you again?" asked Summer playfully.
"I..I'm good honey. But…how are you here..? Why do you look like a faunus…? Don't tell me you're living inside Ruby or something…? Wait…is it like how Oz reincarnates with every time he dies? But no, that doesn't sound right, after all, Ruby seems to be there with you as well.."
"I am, dad" said Ruby, her tone different than Summer's.
"Ruby…!"
"I know….it's a lot to take in. Honestly, even if I started now…I doubt you'll believe everything. Not that I don't trust you or something, but it's just that outlandish" she replied.
"So….you're both there….?" He asked.
"Yeah…and Crescent too…" said Ruby.
"Crescent….?" Questioned Tai.
"Uh huh….my daughter. Well….your granddaughter I suppose…" she said.
Taiyang nearly dropped his mug of coffee from shock. "G..grand daughter…?! You have…a daughter….sweetheart..?! You're not kidding right…? Did a stork drop one off you or something..? Wh…who's responsible for…?"
"It's not what you think, darling" assured Summer with an amused smile. "She's her daughter, but not the way you're thinking. Ahahahahaha! Now that I think about it, I suppose it's more accurate to say that a stork did drop one off!….Aah~ah, thinking about it now, I think we were probably a bit hasty…"
"I am so confused…." He admitted, dropping back down to the couch.
"Dad, I know I….we're not really being clear" she called out to her father. "But honestly, that's not why we came home. After what happened and all the things we've seen, mom, Crescent and I simply had to come and see you and tell you that…..dad….you don't have to worry anymore"
"…!"
"You were feeling alone….right? After mom left and Raven disappeared…..the two of us and uncle Qrow were all you had. And Uncle Qrow is away most of the time too. I can imagine how painful it must've been being here all by yourself as you sent us away to beacon with an assuring smile on your face. Both Yang and I…well not 'I' but younger me probably didn't have a clue. I don't blame them though. At that age, you never realize things like this" Ruby then went up to her dad, putting her hand over his. "But now, you don't have to worry about anything anymore. I'll be here, and so will mom and Crescent. And we can come over whenever you want. You don't have to be alone ever. No matter what it is, we'll be there for you. And…..I promise that we'll even do something about Raven. We can be a real family again. I won't let you ever lose your wives or daughters, and Yang won't ever lose her mothers again"
"Ruby….."
"So yeah….promise me that you wont do anything reckless very again, ok? If there's anything troubling you, just let me know. And we'll be there with you. Ok?" she asked, locking her sharp eyes with his. Taiyang gasped lightly when she did. Any semblance of his daughter in the girl in front of her was completely gone. But that wasn't all. It wasn't just her. His wife had changed so much too. He couldn't tell much in terms of her appearance, but judging from how she behaved with him, he could only ask what in the world did his wife and daughter go through that made them change so much in just a matter of a few days. Gone was her innocent demeanor and anything resembling the traits that he knew belonged to his daughter whom he'd seen just a few days ago. Instead, she spoke with such maturity and clarity that it was hard to believe it was the same person. But that was already evident from how her eyes looked.
"Only if you promise to explain everything that's going on. As I said, I'm still so lost and I don't think I'll stop thinking about what just happened here" he replied.
"I will dad. I will. There's no way I'll be hiding things from you. But just not yet. It's just that...right now, I just want to enjoy my time with my friends and family here. For one, I want to take the time to properly explain things. And….I want to do this as a family. With all of us together instead of doing it like this. I wanted to tell you what I had in mind, and so I came here. But I will dad. You have my word. And that time, maybe I can bring mom and Crescent in a gigai too. That way, you can actually…." She trailed off.
"A gigai…?"
"It's nothing" replied Ruby, waving it off. "You'll understand when you see it. Actually….dad, can we go for a small walk? I'd really like to see Patch. It's been so long after all. And I'm sure mom would like to spend some time as well"
"Yeah sure…why not sweetheart?" he agreed, nodding his head. "It's a bit early, but Zwei could use some exercise too. Let me just put on something"
Within minutes, Tai, Ruby and Zwei were out, passing through the small walking trial around their cabin house. While Tai had a load of questions he still wanted to ask, he stayed his mind, respecting what his daughter told him earlier. But he found out that he would get no time to ask questions himself, for Ruby and Summer were keeping him asking their own.
And to his surprise, it was nothing about the world, the Grimm, Salem, Ozpin, Qrow, Raven or the academies. They were more interested in his daily life, how he managed, what he did to pass the time, what he cooked and so on. Knowing how much of a weapons maniac his daughter was, to say that he was surprised was an understatement. And that look in her eyes. He'd seen it before. It was the same kind of eyes that Raven and Qrow possessed, one that spoke of witnessing and living through bloodshed and horrors unimaginable to normal people after having raised as part of their tribe. But unlike them, there was also a small glint of softness, of understanding. It was almost as if his wife and daughter were soldiers, warriors who wanted nothing more than to enjoy a peaceful life after fighting war after war.
And often he would find himself wanting to comfort them, only to be assured by Ruby or Summer that such an action was something he had nothing to worry about with a smile on their faces. And at times, Crescent would take over, evident when the conversation would go completely silent and Ruby would behave rather high spirited, with her jumping around Tai, jumping over his shoulders making him carry her, or even using her tail to play with Zwei, reminding him of the daughter he used to know.
And eventually, they found themselves at the top of the hill where Summer Rose's grave stood, overlooking the sea. The duo stood there in silence, with Zwei running about sniffing the ground and flowers once a while.
"This is awkward..." Summer commented. "Even for someone like me..."
"Yeah...it is. Maybe this wasn't the best idea" Tai agreed, and the two giggled.
"Thus kindly I scatter...eh? Fu fu fu! It sounds so poetic, not at all what I would put on my grave. Well, not now atleast. Maybe back then, I might've thought it was cool...ok, it really is awkward, I'm gonna smash it"
"What?! Honey I don't think you should do that...somehow it doesn't feel right.." Tai protested.
"But I'm right here, aren't I? Don't worry silly, I solemnly promise I won't curse you or haunt you...people have told me that I'm a very fun and nice spirit to keep around the house" Summer huffed proudly.
"I...don't doubt that dear" replied Tai, sweatdropping. "But...no, you're right. It does look awkward knowing you're still out there. And besides, there's only an empty casket buried inside"
"Because you couldn't find my body...right?" Summer asked slowly, with a melancholy expression. Tai nodded. "Well...I...sorry about that. I promise to make up for our lost time together. If not immediately, then at some point, one way or another. Because I do want to give our honeybun some time to be with her friends too"
"I know, dear. I would want that too. And don't worry, just knowing that you're out there, alive and with our daughters is more than enough for me" Tai assured. "So you just go on and do your thing. We'll have time for ourselves"
"Then…..I think I we'll head back, dad" informed Ruby, switching out for Summer.
"I know. You'll be late to class, right?" he asked. "Well….I don't know what you've gone through sweetheart, but I'm glad this part of you changed. I never thought you'd be so…enthusiastic about going to class on time. Though your uncle would probably think I'm being too picky about these things. Well, it was always him you girls looked up to even when you were young. I may not be as cool as your uncle but…."
"Oh I wouldn't know about that dad" replied Ruby. "I mean, for one, you did date and marry both women in your team. You're quite the player, despite how you look" smirked the girl, elbowing him in the waist. "Plus…you're the sweetest dad I know. If you ask me, I think you're even cooler than uncle Qrow is!" she grinned with a toothy smile.
"Sweetheart…." He called out, grabbing his daughter in a hug, which she returned. They stayed that way for a few minutes, until Zwei felt he was being ignored for a bit too long. Which naturally caused the ex-Rose huntress to playfully pull him into an embrace as well.
"Oh and dad? Keep Zwei company here. Not that I don't want Zwei to be there at Beacon or anything but I don't want you to be alone. Yang and Weiss would probably complain if they knew I said that, but while I'm in Beacon, atleast you'll have Zwei here. And besides, I can visit anytime so…"
"You can? Now that I think about it, how DID you get here this late?" asked Tai.
"Like this" she demonstrated, by tapping the air with her fingers that opened a garganta.
"A portal….wait…is that like Raven's..?" he wondered. "Wasn't your semblance super speed…?"
"Hmm…yes and no I'd say. It's not my semblance, it's a part of my abilities. For one, I'm not limited by just the people I care about. I can go and come anywhere I want" explained Ruby. "Well….it's been great seeing you again after so long, dad. And I'll be back once in a while" she promised.
"And don't forget about me~~!" chimed Summer giving him one last hug. "I'm here so don't have your eyes for any other woman, alright? That means no dating anyone, no flirting with anyone or anything in that general direction. Otherwise….I'll date them first and get them to dump you! Even if that someone is Raven…..well, I don't mind if she drops by, but I call dibs on her first before you, 'k? After all, she and I have some really unfinished business" she winked, putting out her tongue.
"I…I only have eyes for you dear" he promised, unsure of how to react to his wife who sounded nothing like the woman he once knew. Finally, 'Ruby' tugged on his hair and then took a small nibble at Tai's ear before finally patting his head.
"Ow…thanks Crescent…." Smiled Tai, rubbing 'Ruby's head.
"She's just the cutest little thing isn't she..?" cooed Summer. "Well, not that you can see her as she really is now, but trust me, when you do, I can't wait to see it"
"You could atleast tell me who's the punk who messed around with my daughter…." Pleaded Tai, deadpanned.
Ruby gave an amused chuckle "Dad, again, it's not like that. If it makes you any happier, Crescent is a part of my soul after she fused with Crescent Rose and took on the form of a part of my powers. So no, I didn't, *ahem*, give birth to her. But she's my daughter and your granddaughter just the same"
"Oh, that's a relief. Wait, what now…?" blinked the blond ex-hunter, narrowing his eyes in confusion.
"See you dad…see you Zwei…take care now" waved Ruby, about to step into the portal. "And remember…..I'm always…we're always here for you, dad. And one day, I'll tell and show you everything"
"Yeah….take care, sweetheart" waved Tai, with a rather melancholy but still happy smile. "You know…..you look around Yang's age, which I'm still trying to digest, but from the way you speak, behave and those eyes….I can't help but feel that you're actually far older than that. Most adults I've met don't have the same kind of maturity and clarity you seem to have. As a dad, it makes me proud that my daughter has grown up so much. Heh, you've even grown out of milk and are joining me for a cup of coffee! Who would've thought I'd ever see the day? But at the same time….it makes me sad, knowing that I was never there for you for whatever happened to make you be this way. In a way…I regret that I wasn't able to watch you grow up"
Ruby slowly turned away, her eyes finding it difficult to maintain eye contact with her father. "….I…..I'm…."
"Don't let it bother you sweetheart" assured Tai, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Because those complaints are really small compared to how proud I am for what you've done for me today. You gave my wife back, the same wife I thought was dead. Sure, she may not be 'here' in the conventional sense, but I'm just glad she's even here to begin with, in a way that I can talk to her and be with her. I think it's rather fitting that she's with you. She was always very protective of you girls. And you've shown me what my daughter can be like when she's grown up. All within the span of a single day. As a father, nothing could ever come up to that. So you just go and do your thing, sweetheart. And if you ever need me, I'll be there for you as well. Judging from what little you told me, I can tell….that you miss seeing your friends just as much as Summer missed me. Go on"
Ruby's eyes went wide and then the ex-rose huntress broke into a chuckle.
"What's the matter?"
"Ah…it's nothing. I was just thinking of her. I was just reminded of a longing memory that already feels like it was from ages ago. Thanks…dad. Thanks, Zwei. Then, I'll be off. Take care…" she said, before finally walking through the portal.
That day would forever be etched into Taiyang's soul, though he would go on to do nothing more than cry tears of happiness, go around being jolly with the people in Patch and then spend the rest of the day watching rom-coms after Ruby's departure.
Ruby felt the familiar feeling of being surrounded by the numerous trees of the Emerald Forest before slowly making her way back to the dorm buildings.
"Sweetie…..will you be fine..?" called out her mom.
Ruby nodded her head. "Of course, mom. I should be asking you that"
"Of course I will be, darling. I'm just so happy I finally got to see him. I just wish I could've told him everything then and there. But….he's been depressed enough as it is till now. Our depressing stories from Earth would just make him and my little sunshine and your friends even more worried…" said Summer, voicing her thoughts. "Well, we did have happy times as well, but…it didn't always start that way, and…."
Ruby agreed. "Yeah. That's why I wanted to keep quiet about things for a little while. Thanks for going along with me, mom. But that's why….let's take things easy and slow for now. Though….I doubt combat training will be much use for me personally…."
"Oh I don't know about that! For one, you could show off your new skills! The faces they would make…ooooh! I'm getting excited just thinking about it!" Ruby could practically see her mother's eyes sparkle when she said that.
"I….dont think that's a good idea. I'm not really one for all that attention…" said Ruby, sweatdropping. "Right…..we're here"
Ruby used Sonido to go up to the window, keeping her sight on the outside and making sure no one saw a faunus girl climbing in through the window. With a quick, subtle movement, she slowly slid the window open, slipping in and quietly closing the window behind her, heaving a sigh of relief.
Only to turn forward and come face to face with her teammates. Who, from the half worn uniforms and disheveled looks, had just woken up and were getting ready to leave for class.
Weiss, Blake and Yang continued to blink at her, their eyes wide and mouths slightly agape. None of them spoke a word as Ruby continued to look straight at them with grimacing looks of longing and surprise, in contrast to the blatantly shocked and confused faces the trio had.
"R…Ruby is that you..?" questioned Weiss with a confused look.
Before Weiss could say anything more, the ex-rose huntress dashed forward, grabbing all three of them in a tight hug.
"Wh..wha….what is this..?! Hey…! Answer me..! Ruby….! Is that really you…?! What in the world were you doing by the window? Did you sneak out in the middle of the night? We were looking for you! What if Professor Goodwitch or someone else saw you?! Answer me..!" demanded the white haired heiress, trying to break free of her embrace.
"Yang…Weiss….Blake….it's been…..ah….It's been soo long….." mumbled the girl, not letting go.
"So long…? What do you mean…?" questioned Blake. "I'm not sure any of us understand what you mean….and what's with your getup…? First…maybe you could stop crushing the three of us? Not that I mind but I'm curious as to why you have those ears and tail. Are they accessories? Is that why you disappeared? Did you buy them somewhere..?"
"Rub….Rubes…..? What happened…? Why're you wearing fake ears and a tail? Are you joining one of those faunus movements or something? Oy you're not getting yourself involved in something dangerous like the White Fang and Torchwick, are you? I mean…sneaking out an' all…And….maybe I just imagined it but…you looked a bit older than I remember…anyways…I'm a little lost here, and while I'd love to hug you lots, why don't you let go for a bit and tell me what's going on, then I'll give you some extra hugs, k?"
The ex-rose huntress released her grip, looking at them with raised eyes. And then, she chuckled, feeling rather amused and nostalgic.
"Ku ku ku….You guys…..You haven't changed a bit" she remarked, her expression soft. "Still, I didn't think you'd be awake so early. But then again, it's been so long, so I don't really remember how we used to do things. And no, I'm not doing anything dangerous. I was just out for an... early morning stroll, I guess. I feel all better now. Don't worry, nobody saw me either"
"Uh….what..?" questioned Weiss, still sporting her confused look. "Wait a minute….Yang wasn't mistaken, you DO look older! Heck, those are her clothes!"
"Wait you're right! Sis, what's going on…? Don't tell me you hit a sudden growth spurt or something..." wondered Yang, her expression half serious and half curious. "And those markings….wait….are those tattoos?!" she asked once more, this time more excited and concerned.
"No, that's not…" started Ruby. "Alright, guys, just hold up for a minute, will you?"
"Yang, I don't think that's how our bodies work. You don't just grow up overnight. Although….you DO look undeniably older. And taller" commented Blake, as Ruby watched the whole thing, exasperated and yet amused. "And…..I've asked you before but what's with those ears and tail? And those markings on your face? When you meant stroll, don't tell me you went around town to get those markings on your face….." she trailed off, sighing. "Ruby…I appreciate you doing things to support Faunus kind in your own way, but….you could have consulted me if you really wanted to help you know? I'd like to ask where you got the sudden inspiration to do that to begin with, but you know dressing up like that is just asking for trouble. Is this about our last attempt to stop the White Fang and Torchwick? After all…you've seen what happened with Velvet and the other Faunus in our school, not to mention me" advised Blake, tilting her head.
"Ah no Blake, it's not.."
"Hmm…." Remarked Weiss, going in closer to Ruby. "Something's…strange…"
"What do you mean..?" asked Yang.
"Well….I wouldn't mean 'strange' per se, but….somehow…she seems far more composed than usual. The way she spoke earlier is quaint too. Totally unlike her goofy, childish self. Usually she'd be all jumpy and annoying, especially if she's…well, gone through the trouble of dressing up like this, but today….." remarked Weiss. "I'd say she even looks far more intimidating. I'm not sure if that's because of those ears and tail of hers, or something else…"
"Um guys…"
"You're right….I thought something was off, but…" added Blake. "And your eyes….there's something about them. It feels as though….if you were to glare at me, I'd be frozen where I stood"
"Something about you is totally abnormal today….and scary" Added Weiss.
"Hey! Are you calling my sister abnormal?! Just because she looks a little sus?! I mean come on, we all have our own phases right? She's probably just going through her own phase after hitting a massive growth spurt like any other normal teenager out there!" protested the blonde.
"Yang, I seriously doubt this is anything like that" argued Weiss, skeptical.
"Guys" called out Ruby, louder this time. Weiss, Yang and Blake froze, going completely silent. Her tone wasn't exactly stern or angry, but it made them shiver all the same. There was something about the way she spoke, something about her demeanor that radiated an imposing presence. But it seemed to disappear just as quickly as it came. Ruby walked over to them, gently placing her hand on their shoulders.
"I know you guys probably have a lot of questions. And trust me, I have a lot of things I want to talk about as well. But let's not rush, alright? Look, we have class now, and I imagine you guys are starving. I, for one, can't wait to be done with morning class and then grab some breakfast. We can talk later after classes are done. I promise. That way, you don't have to worry about skipping class, and we can talk all we want peacefully. How's that sound?" proposed Ruby with a warm smile.
"….that was…uncharacteristically sensible of you" remarked Weiss. "And since when have you been such a stickler for rules and attending class? Normally, you and Yang would be the first ones to skip class at the earliest opportunity. And right now, given what we….have in front of us, even I'm tempted to call it quits until we're sure there's nothing wrong with our team leader"
"Please" pleaded Ruby, narrowing her eyes at Weiss, making her look away. The atmosphere around them went from somewhat jovial and relaxed to somewhat tense.
"A…alright, jeez. You don't have to look at me like that you know, you're scaring me" replied Weiss, somewhat startled. "But you'd better tell us explain things properly later on"
Her eyes softened, and Ruby caressed Weiss's head softly. "Thanks Weiss. I appreciate it. I promise", making Weiss look up to her team leader with surprise, confusion and embarrassment.
"Jeez, something is seriously up with you….it's like you drank a 'make me a good team leader' potion to make you less annoying and more reliable….what in the world happened to you overnight…" remarked Weiss.
"Sis…is…everything really alright?" asked Yang, her voice laden with concern. "You're….talking and behaving really strange….like….you're seeing us after a long time or something"
Ruby nodded her head in an assuring manner. "Yeah, you could say that. But I'm good, don't worry. Let's hurry and grab something to eat first. Oh..and I don't think my current clothes fit me. Can I use your uniform for the time being?"
"Yeah…of course sis" she replied. "You…wanna head out later today to buy you some new clothes…? Assuming you'll stay grown up that is…."
"Sounds like a plan. Actually Blake, I might need your help with that" said Ruby, turning to the faunus. "I'm…not exactly sure where you get your clothes, but at this point, I might need one where my tail isn't hanging like this. It's a bit uncomfortable to be honest, and I could manage, but…if I'm getting new clothes, might as well get some comfy ones. Ah but then again, you don't really need something special other than for your ears, so you probably don't go to one of those Faunus stores. Still, I thought you might know"
"Um….you could just not wear those accessories, couldn't you? Like I said, I don't think you should be out there wearing what could attract unwanted trouble and jeers at you. For starters, I don't think you should be wearing them in school. I doubt you want to stick out like a sore thumb. I can hold on to it for now" suggested Blake, grabbing Ruby's tail and yanking on it, only to meet unexpected resistance. What was more, the tail itself felt warm, soft and almost too realistic for her to believe it was an accessory. She narrowed her eyes in confusion at first, and then they went wide with shock. She ran her hand across the length of the tail, going all the way to the base, only to find her tail connecting to her back like any other faunus that would normally possess a tail.
The black haired faunus took several steps back in sheer shock, her hands shaking and her eyes quivering.
"Wh….what's…..what's the meaning of this…tha…that's not an accessory….that was a real….tail….." she stammered. "Don….don't tell me those are real ears as well…"
"But..ah…I never said they were accessories, Blake…" replied Ruby awkwardly. "They're real. Wanna touch them again?"
"Wait what…?!" exclaimed Yang, going over to Ruby and feeling her ears and tail, only to react the same was as Blake. "They're….they really are real…! Oy….what's going on…?! First you hit a growth spurt and then….you're tellin' me you've grown a tail and ears….."
"That's impossible!" huffed Weiss, coming over and feeling Ruby's tail and ears herself, only to go wide eyed herself. "Bu…but how..?! We saw her yesterday night and she was normal! And now it's like she's become a Faunus….how's the even possible…?!"
"Guys" called out the ex-rose huntress once more, grabbing their attention. "As I said, we can talk about it later in a more relaxed manner and in a better place. For now, I really just want to attend class, have lunch and go out and do what we usually do like any other day. After that, we can talk properly. Is that fine?" she asked. "But yes, to be honest, I didn't expect it either, but it does seem like I'm a faunus now. Kinda makes sense actually"
"Bu..But you can't just drop a bomb like that and expect us to pretend it's all normal…" argued the white haired princess, only to be shushed by Ruby.
"Later" she said, putting her finger on Weiss's lips. "Come on guys, this is probably not the worst thing you've caught me doing. Just suck it up for now, will you?"
"Ev..even if you say that, how do you plan on explaining yourself to the others?" questioned Blake.
"Doesn't bother me all that much" replied Ruby, waving her off.
"This is nuts…" said Yang, expressing a variety of different expressions which entailed confusion, concern and the slightest hint of anger. They could only watch as Ruby continued to casually put on Yang's uniform, keeping her weapon holstered to her waist.
Having no other choice, team WBY continued to put on their own uniforms and got ready for the upcoming day. As they walked towards professor Port's class, Ruby kept looking around, finding herself smiling once in a while at every single thing she happened to gaze at, which only further made the rest of her team members even more suspicious and uncomfortable. And that was not even mentioning the questioning gazes and whispers she received from those that passed their team by, which were mostly directed at Ruby. Which naturally, she chose to ignore.
"You're….really something you know" remarked Blake. "I'm still completely lost at what's really happening, but….I'm surprised at how easy you find it to go around with a tail and those ears while they all give you that look. As someone who's received such looks…..and with all the stuff the White Fang has been doing of late...I…."
"People have too much time and too little to do nowadays. You know, there was a time in my life when I might have let that affect me. But someone precious said this to me once, and so, I'll tell you exactly what she told me. Pay no heed to the looks of strangers. You shouldn't have to feel ashamed or bad about showing who you are. Because they don't know what you've been through and who you are, so why should you let them affect you?" advised Ruby, looking straight at Blake with an understanding expression.
"R…ruby…" gasped Blake. It wasn't her words that surprised her so. Rather, it was the way in which she said it and her demeanor as a whole that threw off the faunus completely. There was such maturity in her eyes and her tone, it was hard to believe that she was talking to a 15 year old at all.
Ruby then slowly moved her hands to Blake's bow, gently pulling it away and revealing her cat ears for all to see.
"R..Ruby what are you…?!"
"You look pretty" complimented Ruby, with a warm smile. "You're a strong and lovely person, Blake. You should be proud. And you shouldn't let anyone else say otherwise, nor should you need to hide or run. You do look tense. You have dark circles under your eyes. Are you sleeping well, Blake? Is something troubling you? Are you eating well? Whatever it is, you can let me know. I promise I'll help you. But if this is about the White Fang, or Torchwick or even about you about anything else that you shouldn't be worrying about now, then don't. If this about your looks and you being a faunus, if you still feel ashamed or apprehensive of how you look, then I'll be here until you feel otherwise. Lucky for you, I can finally give you company" Ruby finished, pointing to her ears and tail.
The black haired faunus could do nothing but stare in awe as Ruby continued on as if nothing happened. But to Blake, it was perhaps the most amazing thing that had ever happened, atleast as far as Ruby was concerned. The two had never really interacted closely compared to the other members of her team, but she knew the rose huntress in training enough to tell that this was not the kind of person she thought she was. And though those passing them by did give Blake queer looks and muttered amongst themselves, Ruby being there physically and sharing in everything alongside her did give her comfort, one that she hadn't particularly experienced ever since she'd come to Beacon academy, especially not with Ruby. Yes, she did have a load of things plaguing her mind. Ever since their recent tussle with Roman Torchwick and the White Fang in one of their warehouses a few days back, Blake was hardly able to sleep, always worrying about what their next move would be and where the next dust robbery would be. School felt pointless when she knew there were bigger things happening out there. And yet, somehow, as mysterious as it was, the way Ruby looked and talked to her made her feel that no matter what was happening out there, things would be alright.
"Say…Ruby….are you really….a Faunus..?" asked Blake.
"Well….I think so. Though it does look a bit strange, since I seem to have more traits than a Faunus normally has. For one, I have more than one animal trait as opposed to you" she replied.
"How's it feel….to be one…?" Blake asked hesitantly. "Do you….regret…"
"I don't think I could've ever pictured myself any other way. In fact, right now, this feels more natural to me than if I just had my human body" she answered.
"…..!...Oh Ruby…..I….thanks..it really means a lot" said Blake.
"Think nothing of it" waved off the silver eyed girl, continuing to observe her surroundings. Blake slowly retreated to her other two teammates who had been watching the whole exchange.
"It feels so strange…..she looks so….mature now" commented Blake. "I know people often say that kids grow up before you know it, but overnight..?"
"Indeed…to a disturbing degree even, I'd say. I never thought I would see Ruby be so…capable" added Weiss.
"I never thought she'd be a Faunus one day…" said Yang dryly.
"Is that a problem..?" asked Blake.
"What..? No, that's not it. I just don't like how she won't tell me, her sister, anything. It's just…she seems so far away now. My cute little Ruby….it's like she's gone and never coming back…it's almost like…I'm looking at mom…" she trailed off to herself.
But before any more discussion could happen, they found themselves staring at the entrance of professor Port's class.
The following hour seemed to pass excruciatingly slowly, especially for team RWBY. But that wasn't to say that class wasn't interesting. For one, Ruby was getting far more looks than she did in the corridor, though most kept to themselves. What did surprise Ruby however, was how absorbed the rotund professor was in his work, so much so that he didn't even bother questioning Ruby's aged appearance, ears and tail.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the bell rang, signaling the end of class.
"Oof, that was something!" commented Ruby. "I'll admit, despite how….dry that was, it was still nostalgic all the same. But now I'm famished! Let's chow, guys!"
They then proceeded towards the cafeteria, with Ruby picking up some tea and a sandwich.
"Since when do you drink tea?" asked Blake. "I thought you didn't like tea?"
"Well, things change as you grow up and try new things, right? And besides, drinking tea reminds me of her" replied the ex-rose huntress. "Guess you have a new drinking buddy"
"Her…?" wondered Weiss to herself, as she picked up her own breakfast.
"Ah…I suppose so.." said Blake.
"And your plate looks….healthy….." questioned Weiss suspiciously. "Didn't you used to swallow a whole pack of cookies with milk and call it breakfast…?"
"Ah…I guess I did….I don't think I can imagine myself doing that now. Well, I do like cookies still, but a whole pack is still too much, even with coffee" said Ruby, sweatdropping.
"Wait….you drink coffee too..?" asked Yang.
"Uh huh….is there…something wrong with that…?" asked Ruby, tilting her head. Yang put down her head, a miserable aura hovering over her.
"What happened to my sweet little sister who used to jump all around and drink milk with cookies…she was the purest thing in the world made up of the sweet things she ate…what in the world has corrupted my innocent little sister..I'll…I'll…beat the shit out of whoever introduced my sister to the evil, adult ways of coffee and a healthy breakfast!"
"Th…that's not something to beat anyone over, sis, ahahahaha!" advised Ruby, patting the blonde on the head in an amused way.
"Mind if we join you?" came a very familiar voice, making Ruby instantly look up to the owner of said voice. Looking over them holding their own cups and wrapped breakfast in their hands were the members of Team JNPR, with the red-haired girl standing by their table with a cheery smile on her face. Ruby stood up rather abruptly, with a curious look on her face, surprising Yang, Weiss and Blake.
"…Ruby…is that you….?" Asked Pyrrha, confused. "You look…different. And…pardon me for asking, but why do you have a tail and ears..? Are those perhaps accessories? And your eyes…." She trailed off.
"Whoa it's really true! I thought those were just rumors but…." came the surprised voice of Jaune Arc. "Huh, now that I notice it, even you've let out your ears…I thought you didn't want to show them?" he continued, pointing to Blake.
"Jaune, I'm not sure it's appropriate to point at someone like that. Although….you're right. Ruby does look different" came Ren's voice immediately after, while the ever enthusiastic Nora pranced around and came right up to Ruby's face, closely observing her ears and tail.
"Ruby really put on a tail and ears! And…they…feel…so….soft~~"she said dreamily, caressing them with her hands. Ren walked over picking up the manic girl and away from Ruby.
"Nora, you shouldn't be touching other people's things without asking them" he sighed.
Ruby said nothing, and continued to look at them with a somewhat peculiar look on her face. Ren could see a small hint of pity, as well as the slightest hint of sorrow and happiness. Ruby placed her cup down, and then slowly put her arms around the four of them.
"Wh..whoa what are you…?" stammered Jaune, confused.
"R..Ruby..? Is something the matter…?" questioned Pyrrha, concerned.
"….this is nice…." said Nora, not questioning Ruby's actions and merely going along with the mood.
"Ruby, I do appreciate the gesture, but I'm not sure if you noticed that people are looking at us. So…uh…at the very least, mind telling us what this is about?" inquired Ren.
She then slowly let go, looking straight at Pyrrha with a small smile on her face. Putting her two hands on her shoulders, she spoke with a smile on her face.
"Hey there, Pyrrha. You seem to be doing well"
The red haired girl, although surprised by the rather sudden gesture, couldn't help but simply return the greeting in kind, with a smile on her own face.
"Indeed. You…uh, seem to be well yourself..! Ruby, if I may ask, what was that all about? Not to sound rude but….you looked as if you saw a ghost when you saw me" she asked softly.
"She did that with us too" answered Weiss. "And she still won't tell us why"
"Maybe she just can't have enough of us" commented Nora.
"But…don't we like see each other every day?" asked Jaune.
"And aren't the three of you her teammates? Even if we, for some reason, go by Nora's reason, why would she do that with you?" questioned Ren.
"Beats me" added Yang irritably. "It's not like she's telling us"
"Yang, I think you're being a bit unreasonable. Didn't she say that she would tell us after classes were done? Maybe she has her reasons, so I think you should-" argued Blake, before being interrupted by Yang.
"I should what?" snapped the blonde. "She won't even tell us the reason why we need to wait or why we need to be attending these stupid classes when we're worried about her! She's my sister! Just why am I supposed to stay quiet when she won't even tell me why she's turned into a faunus overnight!"
"She what..?!" exclaimed Jaune.
"Turn into a faunus…? Yang, are you sure?" questioned Ren, looking skeptical.
"Huh…now that explains why the tail felt real. It was warm and wiggled when I touched it" admitted Nora.
"Ruby..is….is that true? Have you really become a…?" asked a surprised Pyrrha.
"Yeah. But guys, I already told you before, I'll tell you when things are a little calmer and when we're not held down by our routine. Of course, that includes you too" answered Ruby softly, looking at Team JNPR.
"For once, I'm on your side" Weiss said, agreeing with Yang and continuing to look at Ruby. "This is all just too suspicious, I can understand us, but I can't think up of any reason she has to give you that look. Not to be rude and no offense here, but Ruby hardly ever interacted with Team JNPR in close terms. And yet, she looks at Pyrrha as if she's found her long lost sister and won't even tell her own teammates the reason for her silence. How are we supposed to work as a team if our own leader won't be open to her problems?"
"None taken….however…Weiss, I do think Blake has a point. Perhaps she has her own reasons. And wouldn't you say that it's better to wait until we don't have the pressure of missing class off our minds before we tackle something like this?" suggested Pyrrha. "They do say that there's a time and place for everything. After all, if you want to listen to her properly, it's better to do it when she's most comfortable talking about it, right?"
"…Fine….." sighed Yang, giving up. "But you better tell us whatever is on your mind, sis"
The white haired princess paused looking irritably at Ruby, before sighing and loosening her expression. "You have a point. My apologies for losing my temper. However, I hope you understand it is only because we are worried about you as a team"
"Of course. I know that better than anyone. And thanks, Pyrrha. I know I'm being a bit selfish, but I give you my word that I'll explain myself later. For now, let's just get through classes and the rest of the day. For one, I'd like to finish my breakfast before time runs out, I'd suck to attend classes on an empty stomach. So, shall we?" asked the silver eyed warrior.
Following that, Ruby was glad for the general change in topic as they started talking about everyday things and happenings as they munched on their breakfast. The chatter around them had returned as well.
"…Hmm….this is how it's always been. I've missed this. I had no idea until I took all these things for granted. I never could've known how precious these little moments could be" remarked Ruby, lost in her thoughts, her eyes looking elsewhere. "It's rather peaceful"
"What are you talking about?" asked Jaune.
"You sound like an old geezer!" chuckled Nora, amused.
"And I'm not really sure I'd call that peaceful" pointed out Ren. Behind him there were a few tables that were having just a little too much excitement over breakfast, with them tilting over their tables and arguing loudly.
"Ku ku ku, I suppose not" remarked Ruby, taking one last sip from her cup. "Well, in any case, I'm just gonna head over to the washroom real quick. Be right back!" Team JNPR and WBY watched the rose huntress disappear behind a line of students returning to their classes.
Ruby waited until the voices of her friends was drowned out by the noise of the crown passing behind her as she headed towards the restroom.
"…Mom…..I'm sorry" Ruby apologized to herself, looking at the floor. "I…know this isn't how you wanted things to go, I really messed up there, didn't I? Didn't think they would've been awake when I sneaked in through the window..."
"No sweetie, it's fine. I understand you and them. They're confused and of course they have good reason to be. Imagine if Tia or Nel changed drastically one fine day and refused to give you a proper answer or kept you waiting. You'd be pissed too right? And they're just kids. Don't take it to heart" her mother told her.
"I know mom, that wasn't what I was worried about. It's just that…I thought I would get to live that life I missed once more. You know, going to school, taking with Yang, Blake, Weiss, Pyrrha, Jaune, Ren, Nora and all the others just like any other normal person. But….it's already too late for me, isn't it? No matter what, it doesn't change the fact that I'm fundamentally too different from them. And…."
"Nonsense. You can live however you please and do whatever you feel like doing sweetheart. You shouldn't let such thoughts boggle you down. You've been given a chance. Most people don't even get that lucky. Just make use of it as much as you can. And don't worry about me sweetie. I know I'll get my time to baby my little sunshine" Summer advised. "And well...even like this, I can watch my little firecracker go about her life. She still the spunky little cutie I remembered her to be. She has your father's over protective nature and Raven's short fuse"
"Ahahaha…that she does. Yeah…..you're right mom. I shouldn't let these small things worry me too much" Ruby then firmly slapped herself in the cheeks with both hands, cheering herself up. "But still…..I'm just not in the mood to be fighting Grimm and going on missions to save the world just yet. I'll get to it, eventually. For now….I just want a little time with Yang and the others in peace"
After making sure she was gone, Pyrrha turned to her table-mates with a rather serious expression.
"I was reluctant to ask this in front of Ruby, given that she told us she would tell us herself later on, but….after seeing her…I just have to ask. Yang, Weiss, Blake, are you sure she wasn't like this yesterday?" Pyrrha inquired, edging in closer.
"Yeah, of course we are. We're just as stumped as you are. Why?" asked Yang.
"So I wasn't the only one who noticed" cut in Ren. Pyrrha nodded.
"Noticed what?" demanded Jaune.
"Those eyes…..there's no mistaking them. Tell me, don't you think there was something off about them..?" he asked.
Jaune replied back with a quizzical look. "Well….now that you mention it….yeah I guess…but….shouldn't we be asking why she's a Faunus to begin with?"
"Her becoming a faunus is the more obvious thing that's changed but to me, it's not the most disturbing one" replied Ren.
"I get what you mean" answered Blake. "But why are we discussing this behind her back again? Is it really that hard to wait?"
"I don't see why you're getting worked up" interrupted Weiss. "It's not like she told us not to talk about it amongst ourselves"
"You're right, Blake, and normally I wouldn't do something this low. But….this time, I just felt the need to make an exception. Because I think there's a lot more going on than what she let on" Pyrrha told them.
"What….do you mean…?" Yang asked, beginning to worry a bit.
"Her eyes….They…they have this presence to them. This…weight. As if they have seen and experienced things that we cannot possibly comprehend. Those were the eyes of someone who has no doubt undergone severe psychological and physical trauma and has faced many a battle on the battlefield and has seen bloodshed far beyond compare" explained Pyrrha, her tone completely serious. "Those were not the eyes of a 15 year old, nor were they the eyes of a child. They were no doubt the eyes of a warrior, a soldier with an unparalleled fighting spirit. In all my life, I always imagined veteran huntsmen to be of such stature. If one were to tell me she was one, I would believe it without question"
There was an eerie silence after Pyrrha laid out her thoughts to the table. Yang was scared and worried, Weiss gulped, a bead of sweat forming in her forehead. To get such an evaluation from the one considered one of the best huntsmen in training, it portrayed the heavy atmosphere the enveloped them.
"And that's not all…" added Ren, his face equally as grave. "Beyond all that, I could see it. This….bloodlust, hidden just beneath her eyes, like a deep, bottomless ocean covered by the sheet of ice above it. I don't mean to say that she was faking her emotions or her self. Her concern, her smile and her calm and composed demeanor were no illusions. But the dull glimmer of bloodlust I sensed beyond that was no illusion either"
*BAAAANG!*
The entire table went silent when the blonde stood up abruptly, swinging down with her fists onto the hard, wooden surface, her expression hidden.
"Just shut up….." Yang muttered, the rage and confusion in her voice evident. "Don't you dare say anything more about my sister…..there's no way…..there's no way she's….."
"Yang…"
"…..that's why I wanted to wait" Blake started slowly, "Because….I've seen those eyes too, back when I…..in my past. That same, sharp glint and that same intimidating stare…..but….I know she's not the kind of person to do something horrible that would make her look that way. I'm sure…..there's some reason for…well, everything regarding her. I we still have no idea why she became a faunus and why she's changed so much literally overnight. That's why I didn't want to further escalate the situation needlessly"
Pyrrha turned apologetic. "I'm sorry…it's only because I brought it up…"
"Aah, why the sour mood suddenly?" Nora cut in, still rather carefree. "I think you're all just jealous of Ruby's new makeover. Come on, does she really look like a murderous psychopath?"
"Th…that's not what I..?"
"And besides, you've been with her forever. And you're literally her family" she continued, looking at Blake and Weiss and then at Yang. "Have a little faith and just wait it out for her to say it herself. It's not like she's shadily tried to push you away tried keeping secrets from you. Just give her a little credit, won't you?"
"Well…yeah I suppose you have a point" admitted Yang, calming down.
"See? And anyway, if you just want to see how strong she is, why don't you just spar with her? It's not like we can't do that. And conveniently, we have Combat Training next too! It's the perfect chance" Nora said, fishing out her scroll and showing them the time table.
"Yes…you're right! Between two warriors, there's no better way to understand each other than by crossing blades! And that way, we won't necessarily be disrespecting her wishes. Thanks Nora!" Pyrrha smiled. Nora returned a thumbs up.
"It's good that we've settled that and I don't mean to break a moment here, but…who's going to fight her exactly? It's not like we can chose who Prof. Goodwitch pits against us right?" Jaune asked.
"Well, if it's a fight you guys want to see, I wouldn't mind helping you out just like now. After what these two said, I can't wait to start pounding!" Nora said in an excited manner.
"I think Pyrrha should do it" suggested Weiss. "After all, she IS the one who noticed all of those details regarding our team leader. And she is the best of us, known as the 'pride of Mistral'. Not to mention that strange reaction she had to you. Given all these points, I think Pyrrha should be the one to do it. And I'm sure Professor Goodwitch will be more than happy to consider a request from her"
"That's not…I…I'm not really…" Pyrrha stammered, but gave up upon seeing the expectant looks that fell upon her, as well as the collective nods of agreement.
"Very well. I suppose I would be lying if I said I had no interest in crossing blades with her. In that case….I shall do my best to clear your doubts of her, for I believe that we are indeed making rash decisions prematurely. But if that helps in quelling the suspicions her team has about her, then I do not mind" the red head sighed. They went silent and nodded to each other upon seeing Ruby return.
"Sorry I took so long!" came Ruby's voice as she walked up to their table. "So…what do we have next?"
"Combat Training. Finally something exciting after old Professor Port's lessons" Yang chimed. Blake and Weiss looked at each other, impressed at how the blonde had managed to conceal her emotions regarding their discussion that happened literally seconds ago. Or perhaps it just how much Yang wanted to find out what was going on with her sister, even if it meant she had to pretend. Pyrrha and Ren were observing Ruby's reaction.
"Ah….I see…combat training…" repeated Ruby. There was a slight hint of disappointment that disappeared as soon as it had come, replaced by her usual smile. "Yeah, you're right! Well, if we're done here, let's get going, shall we?"
Following that, the two teams picked up their belongings, walking towards the hall where their classes monitored by Professor Goodwitch took place. Little would they know that they would see and witness far more than they ever asked or stipulated for.
In case it isnt clear, this is taking place in between vol 2 ep 4 and ep 5. A little missing on the action, I know. But I mainly wanted to write this chapter for two reasons. One, I kinda wanted to 'set up' a few things. Mostly regarding Ruby's demeanor, their reunion and a couple of other stuff. And second, I was actually planning to take a small break after the last chapter, since I have honestly been a little burned out writing fanfic. But I thought it wouldn't be nice to leave it hanging on such a note, so I thought I might as well write one chapter so you know that the story will continue. But I might want to take a break now. Perhaps a couple of weeks. So basically, you can expect to get back to the story in 2-3 weeks. I should also admit that my knowledge of Remnant lore isnt as extensive as Bleach lore. I honestly have trouble remembering some events and arcs, as well as locations and the like. But these 2-3 weeks I can use for catching up on that as well. So I do apologize I've made mistakes here and there. I'll try my best to keep things as accurately as possible, but if you do see anything off, please do let me know and I'll be happy to correct them.
Response to Reviews:
Rairi Valelira: Ahaha I guess!
Argorok: Thanks for the support as always! Indeed and well, I hope it was as you thought it would be!
rama alif: Thanks a lot! Well, we aren't quite there yet, but if I revealed it all right away, it would be rather anti-climatic right? But we'll get there for sure!
Mobian: Indeed. She didn't quite get some quality time now, but she will. Real soon. Qrow will enter the scene soon enough too. As for bleach characters entering Remmant, it will happen, but in a short bit.
firewyrm2: True. Salem is indeed ancient. Which means that her experience is off the charts compared to the others. But then again, it's not like she really 'fights' herself, so there's that to consider too. I could've had two different Rubys, but as you say, it might have been a problem.
MaxHD2490: Yeah, this is pre-vol 3. This is actually right at the beginning of vol 2. Yeah indeed. And well…..she is somewhat different, which in itself has caused a lot of….tension within her team.
Crimsongear: Indeed, it was one big ride even for me. Thanks a lot for sticking all the way through, and much appreciated for the review! Of course, she does have her abilities in one form or another.
PoofyOhio: In what way do you mean?
Lucian Naruto: Yeah….she definitely is going to swallow those words.
Monster King: Thanks, I will!
Spellflame: Oh for sure yes.
Guest-Questioner: Ahahaha thanks, I'm glad you feel that way! Thanks a lot!
Ninguem248: Yeah I suppose so, and we haven't even started.
Le type qui passe par la: Well, Karin and Yuzu can both use quincy arrows. Karin is offensive and Yuzu is defensive. Karin's zanpakuto is offensive melee and Yuzu's zanpakuto is like a reishi shield, which is defensive. Yuzu uses a lot of bakudo, Karin uses a lot of Hado spells. Karin can use Quincy völlständig, while Yuzu can use her bankai, which lets her form a thin layer of defensive reishi on everyone around her within a certain radius and she can manipulate this reishi to form whatever shape she wants. This is the short concise version of course.
ranjira1988: Yup, that would fit there. Thanks a lot!
cassnova5424: Haha yeah!
Dregley: Thanks, glad you felt that way and thank you for the support!
Fregreg: I will. Or rather, since it's a weapon she's used a lot, she will have a sword, apart from CR.
RandomName3064: Yes it was. Yeah I noticed that too, I tried correcting it this chapter, hope it came out better! And yeah, you're right. The GoD could've just BEEN the one incharge of everything. I just thought since the GoD has shown to be quite human, one who could be manipulated by his own creations and one with emotions, I needed to justify a reason as to why Remnant and Bleach verse exist and are connected. But I get your point totally. Yeah, perhaps her departure wasn't as dramatic, but well, I just went with the natural flow of things. And yeah, I can understand your concern. Ruby one shotting everything wouldn't develop the others, but well, if that will really how things will happen is another matter altogether. Thanks a lot for your support, always appreciated!
The-Killer40513: Raven…..well, I understand what you mean, but I don't want to kill her off. I think her character could be done better. I think she's like Aoshi Shinamori from Rurouni Kenshin, and I will likely handle her character in a similar manner.
L4 of the WEST: Thanks as always!
Cmedina1: Yeah I know. But well…it's always been obvious that the Quincy sternritter did draw a lot of parallels from that. So I just thought I'd include it in.
Mooniecat: Thank you so much, much appreciated for your support!
Robbie2413: Thanks a lot! I'm glad you feel that way.I only thought about going back to vol 2 because well….things weren't as chaotic as in the later volumes and the school is actually there. So it's a good time for her to be there. Ahaha of course, I understand!
NEGATARO: Thanks a lot as always!
Xeno01: Yeah indeed, I always believe that a little slice of life makes stories extra amazing and special, especially shounen ones. It's a great genre for character development and bringing out the human in many non-human characters. I'm glad you liked it! Yeah…she did I suppose! But I probably won't include any R18 scenes, since that's something I mentioned in the beginning of the story and I don't want to break that now. True, I compare Grimmjow to Vegeta when I write him and also handle his character the same.
Yeah, I understand. I was really contemplating how to tie in the two worlds and just went in with one that goes well with the story, even if it meant I might have to assume a few things regarding power scaling. True, it's ironic in a way. Ruby has the Ouken when she didn't want it while Aizen doesn't. But no, apart from the fact that she has the ability to traverse between the worlds, she has no other extra power. But oh yes, it does give her access to one more location, one she knows well.
Yeah that was the point. This way, she can save more lives and has the opportunity to do things better. Also gives room for characters to develop. I will try not to focus development on Ruby too much. To me, her character has already been developed quite a bit. Now it is time for some of the other characters to grow as well.
Well, she's in her human body now, so it won't exactly be the same. Plus, she can suppress her own spirit energy. Of course if she choses to release it, it's another story.
She's back at the start of vol 2, but I can tell you that it won't matter. A lot of events won't happen like in canon, since Ruby being there alone changes everything.
Yeah, the draft was too dark and too sad for Ruby. This version just flows well and isn't dark just for the sake of it. Thanks once more.