Star Wars Remnant Wars
Trial of Insight Part 2
The air was tense in the Beacon Halls after Weiss's explosive blowup at Ruby. None of the students, or even teachers, dared exit the classrooms. There was no need, they could all vividly hear what transpired, and could tell with someone still around it wasn't a good time to intrude.
Ruby sighed heavily as she leaned back against a marble statue, gripping a stone Beowulf claw as she did so. A mix of relief and worry ran through her as she did. She wasn't sure why she was feeling a surge of anxiety right now. She got what she wanted, Weiss and the others hated her now and would no doubt petition Ozpin to remove her as Team REWX's leader or even from the team itself. She snickered a bit as she pondered that thought.
"Captain Rex always said he'd hate to be a commander. Just wish I didn't have something in common with a clone." She thought.
Ruby's smile quickly faded as she felt a chill in the force. She only felt that when Grimm were nearby or when Aura was flaring too much near her.
"Guess Yang's blowing something up right now. Glad that hothead can't touch the force like me. She'd be a Sith in no time." Ruby whispered to herself.
"Indeed, though she may not be the only one at risk if you keep crushing that claw Miss Branwen."
Ruby gasped as she recoiled hearing Ozpin's voice. She nearly cut her hand on the stone claw as she broke it off.
Looking down she sheepishly giggled as she took note of her handiwork, hiding it behind her back, before it crumbled to dust. Her hand was glowing a red aura as she did so.
"S-SIR! I didn't mean to but stop sneaking up on me like that! She demanded.
Ozpin just laughed it off as she wiped the rubble on her skirt.
"Apologies Miss Branwen, call it a mean streak. Though it's easy to see I am not the only one on a mean streak today. You want to tell me what's the matter?" He asked raising an eyebrow curiously.
Ruby felt her gut twist at that question. She didn't need the force to read his expression or thoughts, he already knew what she did and just wanted her to talk about it, confess to what she did and "learn" something.
Ruby folded her arms and glared at the headmaster, not deterred from her plan in the slightest.
"Guess I'm keeping the streak going. I know you know already, so why the hell do you want me to spill it out?" She asked annoyed. Her annoyance growing stronger as he just kept chuckling.
"The way of the elderly I guess you could call it Miss Branwen. After all people do need to reflect on their actions when wrong." Ozpin countered joyfully.
"Well then, since we both know about the horrible way I treated those girls, guess an appropriate punishment is due. I guess I wasn't worthy of this leadership like Weiss said after all." Ruby said as she have off fake tears and rubbed her shoulders, though strangely felt arm arms tense for real. "Maybe she'd better get the lead, why don't you change the roster?"
"Now why would I do that after only 1 bad day?" He asked coyly.
Ruby grunted as she knew instantly he hadn't bought her ploy.
"Come on Oz. You know what I went through, what I failed to do. I am not fit for this job. What the hell were you thinking!?" She yelled.
"Your experience as leader before means your all the more perfect for this job in my experience miss Branwen." Ozpin argued calmly.
Ruby's face scowled as she heard that. What experience could even this old bag of bones possibly have compared to her 2 years in the war? To the bloodshed and screams she was forced to experience, some even from her own hands.
"You never went through anything like what I did." She muttered darkly as she clenched her fists.
Little did she realize, as her frustration grew so did the hot feeling in her fists.
"Not much my personal experience, but more so that my old friend Tai mentioned, getting worked up over not getting what we want can make our aura flare too much." He said as he pointed to her hands.
Ruby looked down, gasping a bit as she saw not just blood red aura healing some blood spewing from her fingernails gripped so tight, but a small cackle of electricity.
Her fiery temper subsided as a cold chill ran through her spine, making her shiver a bit as she stepped back. She took heavy breaths as she tried to regain her composure.
She couldn't believe it, force lightning! She almost used the dark side.
Ruby gagged into her hand at this realization, tears threatening to fall from her eyes as her body shook as she fell to her knees.
"Sir…this is why I shouldn't be in charge. I'm not good enough. I can't even handle myself how can I handle 3 other girls?" She asked. Shame overcame her. She allowed in a moment of frustration her emotions to swell and overcome her reason, she almost went down a very dangerous route. How in the universe could she be trusted with anything?
Ozpin stood there, firm yet silent, as if pondering himself the answer to this question.
Ozpin took a glance outside, smiling a bit as the answer came vividly to him.
"Miss Branwen, no one is perfect. I myself have made grievous mistakes, more of them than any man, woman, or child that have costed the lives of equally many. You know better than anyone but me that kinda burden, but it only gets that's stronger because we dwell on the failures more than the successes."
"Oh right what successes have I got to my record? A dead giant bug? A saved spoiled princess?"
Ozpin points a finger out the window
Ruby sees velvet taking down Cardin in a grapple throw
"While I don't think you should use mind tricks here at school for your covers sake, I'd say this is a good exception that helped another.
"I just made her grow a spine and fight back. She'd get eaten here before Port let the first Beowulf out of its cage if I didn't."
"Indeed, and that was a swell method of teaching her to defend herself. "One must have the will to fight to be strong" I think you said. Might as well make them have the will. For a Faunus like her who was abused so much, learning to fight back is especially hard, so thank you." He applauded her. But Ruby remembered something from the praise, something that made her skin crawl.
"Speaking of Faunus," Ruby looked around as she made sure to whisper this to his ear carefully. Ozpin actually raised an eyebrow, curious as to where she was going with this.
"Why in the hell is the original White Fang Leaders daughter here? You know Blake's last name isn't Eve, its Belladonna right? She asked sternly.
Ozpin sighed, realizing how she got that out Blake. He couldn't say he approved, yet likewise knew why she would be less than receptive of a girl hiding who she was like Salem did as Chancellor before she betrayed the Jedi.
"Oh, another mind trick I see. Can't say I like how you used it against your partner miss Branwen." Ozpin said sternly as he scolded her.
"I trust no one easy. You know that already so answer what I don't know Oz.
"Indeed, and I feel that's what Miss Eve feels as well. The reason I let her in is because, like you, I felt she just needs a second chance in life. I believe miss Eve is capable of learning from her mistakes and of those around her back then to become a better person or set good examples.
One tip, putting leadership aside, a good person has a responsibility to be sensitive to others pain and insecurity. I saw them in the courtyard earlier and Miss Belladonna has been doing that swell for your team in your absence, I just hope since you've taught Velvet something, perhaps your team can teach you now?" He asked, though it wasn't truly a question.
"Learn? Learn what exactly? Ruby asked incredulously.
"Learn how to UNDERSTAND the feelings you sense. I understand how you feel because I was able to earn enough trust for you to explain it. Shouldn't you try to let them earn that same trust? After all, they had plenty of chances to slay you or leave you for dead in initiation. But they did not. Isn't that worth something to you?"
Ruby frowned as she looked to the ground, wanting to argue, but simply couldn't. She couldn't resist pondering his words, nor the results of her recent actions have had.
"Is he right? I did hurt them on purpose. Was it for them or just because I was scared to trust again?" She thought to herself.
Since Order 66, Ruby never thought she could trust easily again and that was fine to her. Yet, she never once thought how that might not be fine for others. She knew not everyone supported wicked deeds or would betray her like the Chancellor did, yet she couldn't shake the fear that denied that knowledge. Her holo disk she used to see the galaxy's news showed nothing but praise for the new Galactic Empire…..
As well as decrying the Jedi as traitors to peace, some few she saw even had dead Jedi strung up on stakes, parading their murders while citizens cheered.
Ruby hated those people, the ones she was trusted to protect yet they abused that trust. Yet, Remnant did not know about Jedi or the Galaxy at large, save for a few Ozpin advised her. As much as she doubted trusting others, she began to doubt more these teenagers who risked their lives for her then would know….maybe wouldn't even care.
"I know leading didn't work the first time Ruby, but this another chance you've been given. You know as much as you don't feel ready for your team isn't capable of it. Just take some time to consider what kind of leader you should be for them. Because regardless if you want this great burden Ruby, it's one they need you to bare." Ozpin said as he began to slowly walk down the isles leaving her to that thought.
Meanwhile…
Weiss sat by the fountain in Beacon's courtyard. Her face had a deep scowl almost glued to it as small tears ran down her cheeks.
"T-That absolute jerk, that insolent cur. Where the hell does she get off saying that I'm a spoiled brat. I didn't go to Ozpin demanding some change, I didn't buy this school to be admitted. I work hard for my way, for what I deserve." Weiss muttered to herself. The water behind her in the fountain then gave off a small fog, small clumps of ice forming in the pool as if reacting to her aura.
Now that she thought of it, maybe going to Ozpin was the right call. Ruby showed she wasn't considerate of Weiss's feelings in the slightest. All she did since coming her was fight one Grimm after piggybacking off Weiss's idea and rebuke the heiress's pride and ideals. She ignored a girl's, granted a Faunus but still a girl, plight against a bully and seemed more annoyed saving her than proud. Such a girl couldn't be leader let alone a huntress.
"That's it then. First thing I'll do is go to Ozpin. I'll even ask him to expel her, she doesn't deserve to be a huntress if she can't even be happy helping others." Weiss thought to herself.
Before she could get up she then saw a despondent Yang walk by, Blake rubbing her back as the blonde brawler wept a bit.
Yang's hair flickered embers as she rubbed her eyes, constantly switching from purple to red. Eventually Yang let loose a scream, nearly making Weiss jolt out of her spot as Yang smashed with her fist a marble statue in the courtyard. Weiss shuddered a bit, feeling a bit sorry for the statue.
"It's gonna be fine Yang." Blake tried to assure her but the Blonde just took a big inhale and brushed Blake's hand off her back.
"I know, I know it's just…why did Ruby say those things? How could she-" Yang whimpered.
Weiss grit her teeth at the mention of the girl, not able to resist putting her two senses in.
"Oh great, she mouthed off to you to huh?" Weiss asked, though felt she didn't need to get the answer. Blake bitterly glared at the heiress in return.
"That's one way of putting it. She basically called Yang a slut and told her to go away. What the hell is her problem?" Blake said annoyed.
"I…I don't know. I get she was looking out for Weiss, but-" Yang meekly tried to say, having a vague hope Ruby had good intentions but Weiss shot her down instantly.
"Looking out for me?! By robbing me of my efforts? By….talking about my family like she knew what I actually went through?" Weiss yelled before shuddering. She and the other's eyes widened, realizing what happened back there.
"W-What did she mean by "you do this for your family?" Did you know Ruby before Weiss?" Yang asked her partner wearily.
"I, I never met the dolt before. But it felt like she knew what I was gonna say, or rather what I was feeling when I was thinking about it. Like she knew I wanted my family's honor back really." Weiss said fearfully.
Yang raised an eyebrow
"Honor? What happened with your family?" Yang asked.
"The Schnee Family as you know is the highest proprietor of Dust, naturally because they own the majority of Dust Mines. That leverage gave them a tone of political power." Blake chimed in. A small part of her reveled though at explaining though, as if guessing why Weiss was feeling angry for real.
"Weiss's father, Jacquee Schnee, took charge of the company years ago and since then used that power to get away with morally questionable practices in those mines. Faunus Labor camps were made near the mines, cheap materials are given to them to save some lien for Jacquees at the expense of many injuries or even death for the laborers. For those reasons the Schnee's have started gaining a negative reputation, particularly around Faunus." Blake added, the last part she had a bit of hiss in her tone thankfully Weiss didn't catch on.
"Yeah, my father married into the family and sullied its name to get rich." Weiss concurred.
Blake actually felt a twinge of shock at that. She did not know Weiss's father wasn't a blood Schnee. Did she perhaps misjudge the family then?
"And from that those mongrel White Fang terrorist goons began targeting ALL of my Family, and people cheered for them to do it. They cheered animals!" Weiss screeched.
Blake took that back, anger rising within as she heard her former brethren being called that.
"So I went to Beacon hoping for a chance to become a huntress and earn back the respect he took from my family. Yet Ozpin made that lazy cur leader over me. What was he thinking made her more qualified than me, someone willing to work and fight for others?" Weiss vindictively asked.
"Despite claiming to want to earn something, you seem pretty insistence on it just being handed to you Miss Schnee." A woman called out calmly.
EWX turned to see Glynda Goodwitch approaching the trio with her riding crop in her hand.
With a stern glance at Yang as she saw the shattered statue courtesy of her tantrum.
Yang recoiled as she saw the cropped aimed near her as it glowed a purple aura, but Professor Goodwitch's aura shined around the marble ruble, beginning to form back into the statue of Arnold Arc, one of many noble Beacon Graduates who became Huntsmen, something she began to doubt these girls would become if they kept acting like this.
"Professor Goodwitch? What do you mean by that?" Weiss asked hesitantly as she reeled from Goodwitch's scowl still fixed on them.
"It seems like you girls are doing nothing about a problem on your team, just badmouthing your leader and whining about not getting what you want." She retorted.
"We badmouthed her? Do you even know what she said to us?! What she did?" Weiss yelled indignantly.
"From what I gathered some choice words meant to rile you so you'd whine to Ozpin to become Leader like you wanted but were denied, hence why your really upset." Glynda countered.
"You know she said horrible things to them, yet your not going to do anything about it aren't you?" Blake asked annoyed, but Glynda shot her down.
"I will talk to her about language used later, but mind your tongue as well Miss Eve." She sternly warned the faunus who nodded reluctantly.
Glynda sighed at that. "Miss Branwen, I'll admit, has a rather complex history I am not at liberty to explain due to her privacy concerns. Yet I can assure you based on her history how she is qualified for the role as your leader, even if she herself doesn't agree."
"What do you mean "she doesn't agree."?" Yang asked.
"Miss Schnee, I get you want to become something great, and feel a leader is one of those things to become so, but Miss Rose has experience, experience you should ask HER about not me, and thus I can assure you makes decisions, questionable ones true, but ones with your interest at mind." Glynda said cautiously.
"How is hurting us, stomping over my ideals and worth as a huntress in my best interest?" Weiss scoffed.
"Girls, what do you know what being a huntress is really like?" She asked.
"Of course, pummel a bunch of Grimm and save towns or cities." Yang answered easily.
"Set good examples for others to live by." Blake added softly.
"And set forth the ideals and ways to be strong that can protect the weak till they get strong enough to fight as well." Weiss added firmly.
"Wrong." Was all Goodwitch said making them double back.
"H-How is any of that wrong? Aren't we supposed to do that?" Weiss asked in denial.
"That's what your taught to believe, and they are noble beliefs that themselves aren't wrong. But they aren't what being a huntress details. What happens when those 3 things you girls listed fail?" she asked.
Her question froze the girls in place.
"Fail?" Blake asked.
"Yes, fail. What happens when the Grimm overpower you or your allies?" She asked Yang who paled at that. Glynda knew exactly why but then turned to Blake, not needing to hurt Yang with explanation.
"What happens when others reject your preaching and continue to live deplorably, and more seems reciprocate those wicked ways? Like with Faunus discrimination." She asked the girl she knew was a secret Faunus, the girl bowing dejected at that. She knew from experience the White Fang's methods had grown violent and were no more than fear mongering, and as such while some people did show respect, it was more out of fear than understanding and noble examples like she had just preached.
Glynda saw the girls turmoil then turned to Weiss, shuddering as she knew her turn was next.
"And if you see other's fail? That they can't get stronger or get someone strong enough for them to protect their lives? What happens?"
As all three remained silent, their eyes wide and fearful as if begging not to be answered Glynda denied it.
"People die." She coldly told them. "And if they die despite your efforts to lead them or protect them then it's on you. What's important is you survive to try again. To not let that loss destroy your personal goals."
"Miss Branwen saw all that happen, that's all I can tell you without violating her privacy. But she knows better than even I, who also saw these things happen from experience as a huntress, how painful and soul shattering that failure can be. She hurt you, but it's my belief she did it to spare herself that torment again.
"She is here, she is given the chance to lead because Ozpin wanted her to get a chance to win, to rebuild herself back into a confident woman who can move past that one failure and become what you all described. I strongly urge you to consider that before you waste Headmaster Ozpin's time whining." Glynda said sternly before heading back to the academy.
All three couldn't even mutter a single word to rebuff that. Their shock and curiosity was more powerful than their damaged egos right now. Though they had all their ideals essentially mocked as naïve, they were curious what Goodwitch meant about how Ruby experienced that failure. Weiss especially, she couldn't help wonder if Ruby was just trying to help her. A part of her screamed not to accept it, to just go to Ozpin in defiance of Goodwitch's order and demand her rightful place as leader to spite her.
But she just couldn't. She wanted to know why Ruby was leader over her, and that meant knowing for sure why she hurt her feelings and wanted to give it up.
"Guess…we should go talk to Ruby then?" Weiss asked hesitantly.
"I guess. If you feel like it partner?" Yang asked as well, her shivering made it clear of her own uncertainty.
Blake didn't blame Weiss for not answering, she herself wasn't sure if she wanted to speak to her partner now after all this, but she did feel perhaps Ruby should at tell them why she was being such a bitch from her own mouth. Goodwitch certainly wasn't going to squeal.
"We'll see her at the dorms or class tomorrow at some point. We can ask her then. For now, I could use a nap."
The others nodded in agreement as they headed back to campus.
As EWX walked back solemnly and entered their dorm rooms, still reeling from that lecture by Goodwitch, the scent of incense blasted their nostrils as if fate was trying to make them feel even worse. Blake especially gave off a disgruntled groan as her extra sensitive smell nearly overloaded her senses and made her pinch her nose. Yang and Weiss were a bit taken aback as they saw Ruby kneeling in the middle of the room on a yoga mat, lite candles and incense pots, and a teapot, around her as she hummed in meditation.
Ruby gave a quite wave of her hand, the door behind EWX slamming shut to their start.
"Thank you for coming." Ruby sad softly as she slowly opened her eyes, focusing her gaze somberly on her teammates, who gave off bitter one's to her in return.
"Not that we had a choice, we live here too. Though that we're tempted to change." Blake huffed.
Ruby sighed to herself, knowing this task wasn't going to be easy. She wronged these girls from her selfishness. A simple apology or talk likely wasn't going to fix this, but she owed it to them to try.
"You mind blowing that stuff out its killing my nose." Blake added.
Ruby chuckled a bit, feeling that would be a good start as she quickly clenched her fists, the flames of the candles then instantly blew out and the pots of incense closed.
"Whoa! You can put out fire?" Yang asked amazed.
"Molecule manipulation remember? Without Oxygen no flames, got rid of the air molecules." Ruby pointed out.
"Geez. I suck air out of lungs easy with a kiss. Hope you don't go choking the life out anyone with that OP semblance girl." Yang snickered.
Yang went a bit pale as she and the others felt the air chill around them, or rather from Ruby as she grit her teeth and clenched her knees tightly. Little did they know, her brief risk of the dark side left her in a bad mood, a little more than usual Yang would quip if not scared of Ruby's trembling, realizing she had touched a sore spot.
"Wait…you didn't ever-"
"No! And look, this is hard enough for me, bowing down to you, I don't need anymore jokes Xiao Long I need to talk to you seriously." Ruby firmly said.
"Oh, is that another order?" Weiss asked annoyed.
Ruby took in a deep inhale as she worked to calm her nerves at that, realizing she was getting worked up again.
"No Weiss. This isn't an order, this is something that needs to be said that I hope you'll at least hear." Ruby said sadly.
Her soft tone actually surprised the Heiress, who felt her ire begin to douse a bit from it.
"Okay, speak then." Weiss said slowly.
Taking a deep breath, Ruby took the teapot and poured it into three cups and force lift it to the girls who reluctantly took it.
"Peace offering aside….I really am sorry. I know I hurt you and can't just take it back-" Ruby began.
"Damn right." Blake bitterly muttered as she sipped her tea. Not that Ruby blamed her. Even Yang's somber gaze yet silence showed she wasn't arguing that despite still sensing a lingering attachment to Ruby.
"But you should know WHY I felt the need to do so, even though now I know it was pure selfishness, pure fear." Ruby continued sadly.
"We met with Goodwitch, she didn't give us specifics but she said you went through something bad and didn't want to be leader. That you thought you were helping us by insulting us. Is that right?" Yang asked, a bit hopeful in her tone.
Ruby sighed. She was a bit grateful Goodwitch explained her feelings on the matter in non-invasive way, but still almost force vision a lecture coming her way. By the force were those unpleasant from her.
"Yes, at first I was scared. I was overwhelmed by this leadership thing and feared I was going to fail you girls. And that failure-
"Would get us killed?" Blake guessed, remembering Goodwitch's words. Her tone was a bit more sympathetic this time for reasons Ruby could guess, given searching her real name.
She simply nodded before bowing her head a bit, apologizing once more. "But I get I was just being a coward, and I took that fear out on you without trying to understand your feelings. I'm sorry."
Yang formed a gentle smile at that, her posture evening and her breathing mellow showing she was receptive. Even Blake, despite still glaring a bit, felt the corners of her mouth twinge a bit as she fought a smile. She was a bit happy to hear this.
Weiss however, Ruby could sense the turmoil. She needed more to consider the apology and her gut wrenched as she knew already why, but wasn't sure how to explain.
"Okay, I can get that, and if you don't want to talk about why you felt that, but there is something I want you to tell us. How exactly did you read my mind and know about my family?" Weiss asked, but her tone made it clear she really wasn't, she demanded.
Ruby internally groaned. She knew the semblance card with that was stretching it pretty far. Molecule Manipulation couldn't pass off all of the forces powers. If she were to answer that, it would have to be with honesty. Ruby couldn't do that much at least even for forgiveness.
"Sorry, but that's not something you have the right to know yet." Ruby firmly said.
Weiss huffed as she heard that, crossing her arms annoyed.
"Your telling us to forgive you yet you won't even trust us? How the hell does this work out in your dull little mind dimwit!?" She yelled.
Weiss had been beyond offended before having her body forcefully controlled and her mind read, but the sheer audacity of such a thing Ruby was doing, pussyfooting around wasn't helping.
"Because, I still don't trust you all." Ruby said calmly yet firmly.
EWX's expressions hardened as they heard those damning words. Ruby gulped, sensing their anger rise and desire to slug her. But she knew she had to be honest, even if it wouldn't be pretty.
"We've only known each other for a day and half, and half of that time wasn't pleasant. What? You'd expect me just be all giddy and tell you all my embarrassing secrets or ask you of that stuff?" Ruby asked.
"Since you can read minds you didn't need to ask." Weiss coldly countered.
"A mere accident. I can tell you those with Aura generally are closed off to that ability for me. But when you got all heated up it made your will vulnerable making you an open book."
Ruby raised her hand, but gave a calm nod, assuring Weiss when she recoiled this wasn't a force ability like before.
"Regardless, even if involuntary I am sorry I read your mind and pried into your family life. If I'm asking for forgiveness, I understand I need to start learning how to understand your feelings. If you were to help me with that, I know I will need to at least tell you all something about myself in exchange." Ruby offered.
She felt the curiosity rise within them. They nodded in approval.
"The reason I wanted you to force me out of the Leadership role by hurting you Weiss, is because I was in it once before. You know the White Fang right?"
Blake twinged a bit hearing that. Weiss narrowed her gaze at that question.
"So you're a member aren't you!? Some secret Faunus! I should have known! No way could a human have treated me like dirt!" Weiss began to hysterically rant.
Blake clenched her fist, angered to hear that accusation, obviously hitting close to home.
"No. I'm deadly but I'm human enough Weiss." Ruby snickered. "But I was once part of a group of….warriors who operated in the wilds often. Unlike the White Fang, we worked to solve disputes and protect towns. I won't give you their name but we acted sort of like bounty hunters, going around being hired to quell monsters bent on killing people, be they human or animal."
"You mean Faunus? Like the White Fang?" Weiss asked.
"We had our fair share of battles with non-human army's yes." Ruby replied. Droids existed on Remnant, to her irritation. But they only existed in Atlas and were fairly new to her relief. She couldn't trust any droid since she grew up in a Warfield surrounded by them. Regardless of here or in the inner rim worlds, their existence was a bane to Ruby. She couldn't say she fought droids since Atlas kept them in city's not wilds.
"And during one such battles, my group was betrayed and destroyed by one of our own." Ruby explained.
Soft gasps left her teammates. She herself had to fight the urge to hurl as the one bit of complete truth came out her mouth.
'I had my chances to lead in those days, not just that one where it all happened, and each time I watched those I cared for fall because I wasn't good enough. At least I could save some I always told myself."
Ruby then felt the tears fall from her eyes as she saw their somber expressions at her. She didn't even have the strength to push Yang away when the girl slowly got beside her and pulled her into a side arm hug.
"But that day, that battle….it was the one I felt my life was completely worthless. Everyone I ever knew, my family, my brothers and sisters in arms that depended on me, dead by someone I felt I could trust with my own life. He abused that trust, so that's why I can't trust people I only just met, that's why I pushed you all away, because I never want that nightmare to come alive again. I see enough of it in my dreams as is.
"Weiss….there are some things far more frightening than the White Fang or Grimm…far more frightening than death."
"That's why you wanted Weiss to lead? That's why you hurt us?" Yang asked softly and Ruby nodded.
"Yes. But I now know that was selfish. Weiss, believe me, you do not want this burden like you thought. The burden of having other's lives on your shoulders and failing them. You had our lives on yours and helped carry us in the last battle. So I'll be damned if I let you carry that thing. I'm sorry rich girl, but that's the one thing you can't have." She said adamantly.
Weiss winced a bit, as if she'd been slapped. She heard that tone before, from her sister. It wasn't judgmental or cruel, mere assertiveness out of both experience and a firm resolve to teach her something important.
She knew what Ruby was saying was true, that she had done everything to help them all survive. While she had thought that was proof of her worthiness as leader, Ruby made it clear she was doing as expected as a teammate. It was a shared responsibility. Ruby, in her own twisted way, was doing hers in her mind by pushing them away to try and give Weiss the role through an appeal. Goodwitch was right, that all of Ruby's decisions, even one's a bit selfish or hurtful, were because she was truly looking out for others.
Weiss felt a pit in her stomach as she looked back during that battle. Ruby was the key factor to their victory, her sword, her powers, her judgments. Weiss only had one idea and prestige. She hadn't yet earned the title yet, and from Ruby's vague yet horrific description, leadership was quote a fearsome responsibility to have.
"Okay. I'll admit I was being a bit spoiled, getting mad at you for helping me back in class today. Since your telling me this I'll tell you why.
My dad ruined my family's reputation, hurt me and my mom and sister badly because of it. My childhood was horrible." She said vaguely, but the others refused to pry to her relief so she kept going. "I wanted to come here and become more the a Schnee, I wanted to be respected as Weiss a huntress and felt when you didn't let me fight my own battle it was going against my goals to restore my family's honor dad took away." Weiss explained.
Ruby's face scrunched when she heard that, feeling remorseful. "I know I hurt your pride, even if unintentionally. This bad plan I had was to ultimately keep myself and you girls safe to a degree. Even if you were leader to begin with, I'd always save you. I do respect at least your desire to save lives. That itself isn't wrong." Ruby said.
Weiss smiled a bit hearing that. "I guess leader or teammate I shouldn't expect then it to be only me who fights. That I should rely on others more and ask for help if I want respect."
"And I should be less of a bitch about giving that help or when others preach about offering it to the needy." Ruby chuckled, leading a slight one from the heiress as well to Yang's relief. It was nice seeing her partner begin to relax and patch things up with Ruby.
Yang felt it was her turn to share something. Ruby and Weiss bleed their hearts out, and if she were to help the team have some unity, she'd need to as well.
"Not to add to the pity part but…" Yang started saying, feeling pressured as all eyes drew to her. With a heavy sigh she continued as she looked down in lament. "I'm sorry Ruby if I was too pushy. It's just, when I was little my Mom Raven died."
The other's grew somber, giving pitying looks to Yang as she said that. They hurt almost as much as the memories, so Yang decided to make this quick like ripping off a band aide.
"Nothing spectacular, she was a huntress, fell to Grimm injuries like most who die in the field do. But despite it being what we expect now, back then; dad and I couldn't believe it. She was strong, fierce, loyal. We never thought we'd lose her."
Yang took a big gulp as she fought the urge to hurl saying these things. Ruby found herself cold feeling the pain and remorse off Yang. She didn't know why "Remorse" but she didn't press; it would be rude right now.
"Dad did his best, cut down on drinking to try and be strong for me when a….friend helped him. But I could see he was still hurting. I tried when I got older to find a new "mommy" for him, but he never wanted love again. Sometimes I feared he didn't even want his daughters love." Yang painfully said, tears forming in her eyes. "So, I decided I didn't want to end up like him, alone and scarred of love. I may be a lesbian, and I know I can be pushy, but that tends to show me who can put up with me, who I can learn more about after the first meeting. I just want to make sure who I be with is the right one so I don't end up like dad." Yang explained.
"I'm sorry I can't empathize with that or with you and your dad issue Weiss. Relationships, especially that kind, are foreign to me. I never met my parents."
They all were shocked to hear that part. Yang especially.
"Ruby, your like a mystery novel to me, your intriguing but so vague its appealing. But I know I need to spend more time understanding you on your terms rather than assume who you really are. I promise I'll give you space so your comfortable with a bond like that eventually, if you at least allow me and the others a little more time with you." She asked.
Ruby nodded. "Alright, I can give you that much at least." She then chuckled. "I'm a mystery but you're an open book Yang, believe me. I don't mind having you around just give some personal space okay?" She asked nicely.
Yang sighed in relief as she heard this.
Then eyes drew to Blake in expectation. She felt herself get cornered like an animal, knowing what they expected her to do. She just sighed in exasperation.
"Look I get it, she's my partner and I should give Ruby another chance. Maybe even give some of my past? Well, I don't feel like doing that right now. My past is my business and I really don't feel too angry right now with Ruby to feel the need to empathize. I'll have her back but just give me some time and space to consider that as well, okay?" Blake sternly asked.
"Okay." Ruby sighed. "That's fair. Now then, seeing as how this atmosphere got too gloomy for one day, what's say we just go to bed and try again this week anew. When the weekend comes we can do a little team sparring, maybe we can even go to Vale for a fun day out, find places we can all enjoy?"
"Sounds like a fun date….I mean plan Rubes. I'm in." Yang sheepishly said as she caught herself.
Blake and Weiss nodded, more towards the thought of rest than to a fun day at vale or training.
"Well….maybe I could help you plan something then Ruby?" Weiss offered. "I-If you want help that is?" Weiss asked sheepishly.
Ruby smiled and nodded.
"I'd love that Weiss. Maybe we could try a bookstore for Blake, then an arcade for Yang for excitement after, then something to eat to sate us all?" Ruby offered.
Admittingly, all three girls thought that was swell, Blake herself felt a twinge of excitement going to a new bookstore. One thing she liked about Ruby was how the girl was a bit of a bookworm like herself, having notice a couple of old novels amongst her bag when unpacking last night.
Still, as night settled and all three girls retired to their beds, Blake still couldn't relief herself of a tight feeling in her chest watching the girl snore in her bed.
Ruby was an anomaly. She seemed insightful yet insensitive at the same time. A massive paradox. She had shown humility and remorse in her apology to them, yet still had a secret she admittingly kept from them and was still having them at arms length.
"I guess I should be grateful she isn't hiding that she's hiding something about herself. She isn't a liar like Adam but-"
Blake clenched her beds sheets just thinking of another fiery red-head. A man who struck fear into her heart. He had lied to her, filled her with false expectations. He betrayed her and made her feel she betrayed herself and her ideals Goodwitch and Ruby once rebuffed.
Ruby Branwen…..Blake knew she'd have to be on guard for now. Hopefully with time she could unravel the secret she had buried, and hoped as well it wouldn't be as soul-shattering as when she saw the depths of Adam's, and the rest of the White Fangs, true character a while ago.
As her eye-lids grew heavy and the darkness overtook her, Blake failed to notice Ruby's eyes begin to open wide and eye her with concern. Ruby felt something there, something frighteningly cold and familiar.
Author Notes
Sorry this one took so long. With work being so time and energy consuming I may have to limit my chapter releases to once or twice a month now. I'll do my best just like how Ruby and her new team will have too to form a bond. It's all at arms length like Blake did with TEAM RWBY in canon. They only just met here and naturally aren't close, just like how Weiss and Blake wouldn't be super close, even if friendly, to Ruby and Yang when just meeting each other even if fighting by each other sides. This chapter they are on the path to learning to respect each others feelings, but all acknowledge they need to earn the gory details of why they distrust. Also, Yang's mom raven dead before series isn't the end of her story, she'll play a part later especially in explaining Yang's desire for companionship and love, I just felt the standard she ran away was getting too lame and overused. Finally, Ruby sensed a memory of Blake's that will draw in a bad one for her.
Next 4 chapters, TEAM REWX each get a flashback chapter like in the Series preview chapters showing a past battle of team RWBY. First one in order starts with Ruby, and her time in the clone wars. Next is Blake and why she left the White Fang and Adam (hence her eve alias), Weiss and her childhood and her battle to go to beacon (with a twist opposed to canon trial) and Yang and her childhood and how she lost her mom.
Follow the series the get these chapters as soon as possible and leave reviews so I can improve my writing or get new ideas please.
Thank you!