It's been a while. Check AO3 for my blurb discussing where I've been. Sorry for the delay. This isn't abandoned, but the chapters will be coming out much slower. In any case, welcome back to:

REAPER IN RED
Chapter 58

Classes continued on as they always had. Now, well, as it had been for the last few days, there were just more people being packed into each classroom. And sweet Salem, were there a lot of people. I was in class, surrounded by my teammates and friends just as I always was, but there was the mounting anticipation in me of getting my territory claim back from Cinder.

Not that I minded her having it for a little bit longer.

Okay, I minded a little bit.

Maybe.

Urgh! It was very confusing. On the one hand, I felt naked without the claim. Which was strange because I barely noticed it before it was taken away. It had gone from me just feeling the slow trickle of my magic out and into the world and my boundary, to now feeling almost a sense of loss. Like, if I had found the perfect cave to call home, only to forget where it was, all while leaving my favourite cloak inside of it.

But on the other hand, I hadn't realized how weak I had been getting. I felt stronger again. Not by much -I was still coughing up a storm, and Professor Goodwitch wouldn't let me do any fighting in her class anymore- but I was definitely stronger. Had the process of claiming a territory truly take so much strength from me?

Oh definitely. It was remarkable that any Reaper would ever want to go through this. Which was funny, considering how Cinder said that claiming a territory was really, really nice.

Well Cinder?! Where is the really, really nice part? I demand the really, really nice part!

Well, I respectfully request the really, really nice part, because in truth, you are really old and can be really scary.

And confusing.

I missed mom.

She talked straight. It was never so hard to understand what she wanted to get across. And she didn't flip-flop between talking in riddles and pretending to not care about me, and then being hyper-vigilant and almost motherly. Mom was always motherly. And she was no nonsense either. The only time she told me riddles was in her stories. Because nothing is better than a story riddle. I lied. Nothing is better than finding out the meaning of the story riddle. The riddle themselves is tedious, and boring, and I hate it, and Cinder why can't you just talk normally and not like a headmaster Ozpin!

"And that wraps up our final unit for the upcoming test. Students, please prepare. While the Vytal Festival may be starting in earnest in the next few days, your parts in it are still some time away. Do not forget to study while you train! Beacon students, please be aware that your test is not at the same time as those from the other academies, so those of you who will be studying with your fellow classmates from sister schools should be wary of that." Doctor Oobleck -for once- was talking at a reasonable pace.

Well, maybe not a very reasonable pace, considering only those of us from Beacon thought he was talking slow. Sun Wukong -who had been making a habit of sitting with his team near us- kept on leaning over to ask Weiss to repeat what the doctor had been saying.

Weiss looked really frustrated at that. Her cheeks were getting red and everything. Ooh, she even bit her lip there. She was totally holding in a swath of harsh words and criticism. Don't worry Sun, you and me can be partners in our Weiss antics.

As we packed up our things, I felt my scroll buzz in my pocket.

It was Cinder.

"Hey, Blake?"

Pausing her conversation with Yang, she turned to me. "Yes?"

"It's Cinder -erm- Miss Fall. She wanted to talk to me after school today. Want to, want to come with?"

Blake's eyes darted to my sister, then she shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

"Hey!" Yang said. "Why is Blakey getting special treatment?"

"Because she likes me better than you, obviously." Blake replied with a quick smirk.

"You wound me," Yang said with a smile of her own. "You truly do. Next you're going to tell me that you think her hair is nicer than mine."

"It is."

"Them's fighting words, I'll have you know."

"Well, I've got some free time now, and I know your schedule is pretty empty," Blake shrugged and shouldered her bag.

Yang nodded. "Study period."

"Quick spar?"

"So on!

The two partners looked back to me, "I'll meet you at Miss Fall's."

"Have fun you two!" I said. It was nice that the two of them were keeping busy. I was happy that my team was still so close. Such good friends with each other. Maybe I should have some bonding time with my own partner.

It felt like forever since me and Weiss did anything. Had I been spending too much time with Blake? Had I been spending any time with Yang or Weiss? Or even Jaune, come to think of it. I felt like all my time was being spent in the medical wing, or with Cinder, -not that I minded- or on my own.

I gasped. Was I becoming a boring, staying alone, old-fart Grim Reaper? I looked at my arms. No, no wrinkles there. I wasn't old yet. I still had a few dozen decades before I would be worried about that type of thing.

I bet even Cinder wasn't yet worried about looking like an old crone of a Reaper. She still looked incredible and at the height of her power. Or very close to it. I shuddered. If Cinder wasn't at peak strength, then I didn't want to imagine coming face to face with a Reaper who was.

"Jaune!" I shouted instead, leaving behind all my worrying.

"Ya Ruby?"

"Want to hang out?"

Jaune frowned. "Oh sorry, I have basics of dust theory next and I'm already behind."

"Aw, maybe next time?"

"You got it," he replied, giving me a wink and a snap of his fingers into finger-guns. I returned the gesture with added vigour.

"Nora? Ren? Are you guys busy?"

Nora bounced up and down, throwing up her hands. "I am totally ready to boogy!"

"Nora, you have office hours with Professor Port." Ren said, a calming hand on her shoulder, holding her down. Nora slumped over, groaning and moaning. "Yes, you have to go."

"Fine…" Nora peered up, "sorry Rubes."

"Okay." My voice was small.

What was I gonna do now? I didn't want to be an old fart. And I was finally feeling better. Scratch that, I was feeling a bit better. I wanted to hang out and play, and do all the things that young people did. I'm still hip! Still cool. Still good with the ladies.

Whatever that last one meant, but Yang liked saying it.

"Ahem?"

"Oh, hi Weiss." Now, what to do.

"Seriously Ruby? I am your partner, and you completely forget about me?"

"H-hey, I didn't forget about you." I totally forgot her. "I was just… joking. Ya, yes, just joking."

Weiss glared at me. Oh, I hadn't seen that glare in a while. I don't think I missed it. The glare was followed by a big eye roll. "Well, if you don't want to do anything with me, then that's fine."

"No!" I shouted, scaring some of the passing students who were leaving the classroom around us. "I totally want to do stuff with you. I'm so sorry, please forgive me."

"Ugh, fine. Just know that you are still a dunce of a partner."

"Yay!"

And with that, the Weiss and Ruby duo were back at it again.

"You've missed plenty of classes after sparring practice, I believe now would be the perfect time to catch yourself back up."

"Aww," well, there went all my joy and happiness. Thanks Weissy.

"I'll buy you a cookie or two…"

"Really gotta play with my emotions there," I harrumphed.

After a quick trip to the cafeteria for those oh so glorious cookies and only a small bowl full of strawberries, we were on our way towards the library. Why the library? Weiss liked the library and that was good enough for me. Though, she wouldn't give into my very well-made arguments that studying back in our dorm room would be a lot better.

"Once again Ruby, the best way to study is most definitely not tucked into your blankets with me reading it to you like a bedtime story." Weiss huffed, even as I noticed her lips quirk upwards. Ha! I knew I was getting through to her.

"Tell me that you don't remember all bedtime story times with your mother."

"I don't. Mother never read stories to me before bed."

"Oh," I rubbed my neck awkwardly.

"Winter laid claim to that position. Wouldn't let mother into the room even if she wanted to."

I fell onto my back -not tripped, I fell- and stared up at her with a glare I hope would do her's justice. "You did that on purpose."

"Of course."

"Then I'm right!"

Weiss rolled her eyes and held out a hand for me. "Sure, I will give some credence to your theory. But that only holds true to stories read by our family. Not so much Grimm theory or advanced weapon mechanics. Besides, the library is right there."

I leaned my head back to look behind me. Sure enough, there we were, me lying on my back mere inches from the steps into the library. With a smile, I reached up and let Weiss pull me up.

"Thanks Weiss."

"Don't mention it."

The library was quite busy, thanks to the dozens of students from multiple academies roaming the halls, picking out books and claiming so many desks. Even Weiss seemed a little put off by the number of people, grumbling under her breath about study rooms and missed reservations. I liked it. Still so much better than going at night. The main library was filled with hundreds of books, with many more in the side rooms which branched from the front room. It was split up and organized by some magical system of organization that the humans had made a few decades before I was a baby Reaper.

Weiss seemed to know where she was going and what she was looking for, so I did my duty as team leader and partner but following closely behind her and carrying any books that Weiss handed to me. By the end of the row of shelves, I was carrying at least a dozen and straining under the weight.

Salem was I weak. Curse you territory! Next you're going to tell me that this process never ends and territories will forever drain me of my magic. Would I trade the safety of a territory for the safety of Reaper-like strength, speed, and magical power?

I'd say yes, but the last thing I remember mom telling me was to run to her territory so I'd be safe. If mom trusted the power of the territory, then I would have to too.

"We're going to start by studying Grimm biology, before moving on to dust forms and finishing off with the physics of motion." Weiss said, grabbing the top book off of the stack and flipping it to the table of contents and then on to the correct pages. Shifting it towards me, she pulled out a second book for herself.

"I will be here should you have any questions, but since I know for a fact that Grimm biology is one of your better subjects, I will leave you to it." With that, it was like I no longer existed and she was sucked up into her own study world.

With a huff I got to work, reading through the textbook. Suffice it to say, it was dull. Boring. Exactly not the sort of hype up reading that I was looking for at that moment. I wanted action! Adventure! Not… chemical make-up of the bone masks of Ursas. It was bone! Sure it had a little more of one thing than another, but it wasn't like this was super useful. You hit the thing and it disintegrates into dust. And not the fun kind.

But, Weiss was giving me the side-eye and that left me with only one option remaining. I pulled out a notebook and started taking notes.

I was about halfway through the chapter on Beowolf hunting instincts when I saw Weiss stretching, groaning softly from the effort. "Hey Ruby?"

I turned to her. "Ya?"

"I… just wanted to say thank you. I know that studying, especially in libraries are not your 'thing'," air quotes and all. "but I'm grateful for you joining me. I feel like we haven't done much together recently. Not with your injury, or what's happening with your sister."

I frowned. "What's happening with Yang?"

Weiss froze. "What?"

"You said something was happening with Yang. Is there something wrong? Did I miss something?" I gasped, holding a hand to my mouth. "Is she in trouble? It's Professor Goodwitch isn't it."

"No!" Weiss let out. "Nothing is wrong with her. She's been… she had a cold. Yes, a cold."

I narrowed my eyes. "Uh huh." I shrugged. "Well, I hope she gets better then. I didn't see her in the infirmary when I was going there for my check-ups, so I hope she's feeling better."

"Yes," Weiss said, a little too quickly. "Now, let's get back to studying."

With that, our altogether strange conversation ended. Was there something going on with Yang? Was it Qrow Branwen's fault? I hoped not. If I could stay far away from him, the better it would be. I'd have to check Yang's memories later tonight to make sure.

I couldn't let that Reaper Hunter hurt my sister!