(A/N): Got a mostly uneventful update for you guys this time - a nice, chill, calm chapter focused on the characters and their feelings. After having almost non-stop plot-relevant stuff for so many chapters straight, or in-depth character study segments, it's important to take a break, relax, and have some low-stakes fun. (Also, I couldn't resist writing a White Rose date at the beach before things got too hectic, so expect lots of fluff in this chapter!)
Minor trigger warning about referenced abuse in Cinder's scene, though - feel free to skip that if it's too much.
Cinder Fall was in a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad mood.
She sat in one of the many windows of Evernight Castle, legs pulled to her chest as she stared out the colored glass panes like a princess brooding in a fairy tale tower. Not that she had many other things to do at the moment - the Grimm material in her left arm was currently fused to the ground underneath her, keeping her in place until Salem decided she was done being mad at the Fall Maiden. It didn't hurt as much as the actual torture her mistress inflicted on her, but in a way that almost made this feel worse. By casting a curse on her and leaving to do other things, by abandoning her for days on end, Salem was implicitly saying that Cinder wasn't worth the time it would take to punish her.
Maybe that was the real torment all along. The shame of being ignored.
Then again, this wasn't much of a change from their usual dynamic. The odd duo had rarely seen eye-to-eye, even before the attack on Beacon. Cinder had spent a lifetime starved of power and control, while Salem had gorged herself on both for thousands of years. The immortal witch had gone mad in her grief, yet she still projected an aura of cool, ruthless calculation that most others were fooled by. The Fall Maiden, by contrast, was a roaring inferno of hatred and rage, angry at the world that had mistreated her and determined to claw back what was rightfully hers. Both saw the other only as a means to an end, as either a pawn to be discarded or a queen to overthrow, and that led to constant clashes between the two - which almost always ended in Salem getting whatever she wanted anyway, and in Cinder either submitting to her will or finding new ways to rebel.
If she were capable of introspection, Cinder Fall may have realized that she'd fallen right into the same abusive lifestyle she'd once killed to escape.
But she didn't want freedom. She didn't want redemption, or forgiveness, or whatever empty promises the world had in store. There was only one thing she wanted. The same thing she'd always wanted. The one thing that mattered more than anything else on Remnant.
Power, at any cost.
And Salem seemed hellbent on denying her that power, even after securing two Relics in her name.
It's bad enough that she won't let me go after the other Maidens, seethed the fire-spewing woman. But she won't let me have my vengeance, either. Or leave the castle. Or even walk.
Sure, maybe she was at least partly to blame for her current predicament. She'd knowingly and willingly lied to Salem in an attempt to curry lost favor, to redeem herself in the eyes of her mistress after falling so far from grace in Mistral. She'd kept up that ruse even after it became clear it couldn't be maintained forever, when Mercury and Tyrian started reporting things in Vacuo that contradicted her story - things that she'd never bothered to share with Salem herself, just to continue the narrative she was desperately clinging to. It was no surprise that the queen of Grimm had reacted this way; as much as Salem hated failure, she hated being lied to even more. Especially if the lies came from Cinder. Especially if her lies backfired in the most embarrassing, disgusting way possible.
But the story she'd spun after the Fall of Atlas hadn't been too far from the truth, right? Team RWBY (and their new friend) had fallen right into a magical abyss, victims of their own plan with the Staff of Creation. The odds of them ever returning to Remnant, she'd figured at the time, had been somewhere between 'slim' and 'none' - and Neopolitan was finally out of her hair for good measure. So what if the brats had, in actuality, been transported to some alien world? That shouldn't have mattered, especially if the unknown planet had all sorts of dangers and perils that a Huntress wasn't prepared for. If Ruby Rose had just been a good little girl and died when she was supposed to, then that would've just corroborated her lie. Everything would've turned out just fine, Salem would've been none the wiser, and Cinder wouldn't currently have part of her Grimm arm fused to the floor like a literal ball and chain.
Of course, the stupid little brat couldn't even do that right.
And of course, Mercury had to open his big stupid mouth right when Salem was listening, without giving Cinder a chance to do damage control. Dammit. Why couldn't anyone just do what she told them?
At least the Skrall's contact said that there's no sign of Ruby or her spoiled little partner in Vacuo right now, thought Cinder with a dark smile. So who knows? If she's really gone back to…wherever she went the first time she disappeared…then maybe that world will have a second chance to kill her. Then all my problems will finally be over.
The thought was comforting, and amused her enough to forget her torment for a brief moment. So she indulged in that train of thought, putting aside her feelings of loathing and rage until she was free enough to act on them. A sadistic smirk graced Cinder's lips as she imagined Ruby Rose dying in so many horrific and incomprehensible ways, trying to decide which one she liked best…and which one was the most likely to be happening at that very moment.
"Weeeeeiiiiisss! I'm so bored right now!"
Ruby flopped down onto the sandy shores surrounding Ga-Koro, silver eyes flitting from the village on the seas to the Scroll in her hand. The former was crawling with little blue-armored Matoran fortifying their seaweed huts and carving disks and spears from bamboo, while the latter displayed the beautiful face of her partner framed by an ivory ponytail. Thanks to Doctor Polendina's work on stabilizing the network around the island, the signal was strong enough for video calling to be effective - though the grainy, slightly pixelated visage of Weiss Schnee still paled in comparison to the real thing.
"How can you be bored?" asked the heiress as she trawled through a snowbank. "For that matter, what are you doing on dry land? I thought you were helping Gali track the Gahlok swarms in the depths of Lake Naho."
"Yeah, but the pod we were tailing went into Gaaki's Ravine," groaned Ruby. "That's like…really, really deep, Weiss. There's no way I could survive down there now that I don't have a way to breathe underwater, so Gali went to investigate on her own. She dropped me off here at Ga-Koro this morning, and I've been bored ever since."
Weiss rolled her eyes. "Well, why not help the Matoran then? Surely they must have something for you to do?"
Ruby sighed. "That's what I've been doing ever since I got here. I helped Marka and Kai tune up the boats, went patrolling with Pelagia and Macku, and made flax with Amaya and Hahli. Heck, I even helped add some extra armor to the Tidebreaker's pump mechanism, to make sure that it can't sink again! I wanted to keep helping, but Turaga Nokama was all like 'you must rest your soul as the sea comes to rest along the shore' or something like that, and booted me from doing any more work in the village today. I guess technically I'm on guard duty, but so's half of Ga-Koro right now - and there hasn't been a single Bohrok in sight!"
Her partner frowned. "Hmm…I mean, it is important to take breaks, so I can't disagree with Nokama's logic there. But it's weird that the Bohrok haven't come there yet…you'd think that the Gahlok would've set their sights on a giant floating village first."
"Maybe they don't consider the ocean part of the island?" proposed Ruby with a shrug. "Or maybe they're saving it for last - Ga-Wahi's pretty much just forests, beaches, and bluffs, so it should be pretty easy to tear down. Certainly easier than leveling a giant mountain, or an active volcano, or a huge jungle." She shook her head. "N-not that I'm saying I want to see it get torn down! Or attacked! I just…"
A slight whimper escaped her lips as she pulled herself up and hugged her bare legs to her chest, tucking her chin beneath her knees. "…I just don't want to be useless and alone, Weiss," she wailed mournfully. "And right now, I feel like I'm both."
The pixelated gaze on the other side of the screen softened, then a thoughtful hum escaped her Scroll's speaker. Weiss looked out of frame for a moment and ducked out of sight, quickly swapping a few mumbled words with someone other than her partner. When she returned she had a shy smile and a faint blush spreading across her face, tugging the edge of her scarlet bandana with a coquettish look in her eyes.
"You know…it's been a while since I've gone swimming. How's the water over there?"
Ruby's spirits started to rise slowly as she realized what her girlfriend was suggesting. "Absolutely perfect. You gonna call up a Summon and fly over just to see me?"
"No need for that. We're already almost there."
"…we?"
Weiss's face disappeared from her Scroll with one more smile.
"Ugh…did the call drop again? I thought Doc said that wasn't an issue anymore -"
The air around Ruby suddenly felt about twenty degrees colder, as a silvery-white blur rushed towards the water and skidded to a halt. Kopaka's golden Akaku scanned the area for threats, then their lenses fell on the red-caped Huntress currently flailing around in shock. Eventually Ruby managed to scramble back onto her feet just in time to watch the Toa of Ice take a knee, allowing his human passenger to easily disembark like a princess being dropped off at a royal ball.
"I'll stand watch alongside the other Ga-Matoran," said Kopaka icily as he rose back to his full height. "Come find me when you're done swimming, and don't take too long - we should be moving by the next time the sun sets."
"Will do." Weiss smiled at her taller ally. "Thank you, Kopaka."
"Of course." The Toa of Ice nodded to her once, bowed his head to Ruby, and then he was gone in another silvery-white blur.
"Hi Kopaka!…er, bye, Kopaka." Ruby giggled. "Still as talkative as ever, huh?"
"He's…improving," said Weiss with a soft smile as she turned to face her girlfriend, arms already open and inviting her in for a hug.
Ruby took her up on the offer instantly.
She lunged at her partner and wrapped her arms around Weiss's waist, breathing in deeply as she brought the smaller woman as close as possible. Holding her like this reminded Ruby just how much taller she'd gotten over the course of a year - or maybe Weiss had shrunk? Whatever the case, the heiress's forehead now perfectly lined up with her lips, which made kissing her bangs and her crown that much easier as her partner returned the embrace.
"I missed you."
"It's only been a few days since we all split up."
"I still missed you."
She could feel Weiss rolling her eyes even as her face buried into her bare shoulder. "…I missed you too, Ruby."
After a moment of simply holding each other, the pair finally withdrew with warm faces and warmer hearts. Ruby fidgeted with the hem of her cloak, silver eyes suddenly more interested in every little grain of sand underfoot. Weiss was nowhere near as awkward, but she was more focused on her satchel - her hands disappeared into the white canvas bag, and she kept muttering to herself as she rummaged around.
"Let's see…ah, here it is. I forgot to give this to you before we all separated at Ta-Koro. Coco picked it out, so if you have a problem with the design or if it doesn't fit…take it up with her when we get back."
She passed a bundle of black and red fabric over to her partner, who unfolded it to reveal…
"A swimsuit, Weiss?" The little rose laughed in disbelief as she stared at the frilly, two-piece black bikini adorned with red petals. "Really?"
"Yes, really," she said calmly, pulling out a lacy sky-blue bikini for herself. "I certainly don't plan to go for a swim in my underwear this time, and these clothes smell terrible when they get wet. So yes, I brought swimsuits in case we needed them. I also brought bandages, towels, tissues, medical ointments, and protein bars - including all your favorite flavors. Packing basic supplies like these was one of the first things I did when we got back, because I didn't know if we'd ever need to come here again…or how long we might be staying."
Ruby grinned. "So you've just been…carrying swimsuits and all that other stuff around with you the whole time we were in Vacuo, just in case an emergency comes up on Mata Nui?"
"Yes."
She pulled her beloved in for another tight hug and a second gentle kiss, this one right on the lips.
"…I love you so much, my queen. My crazy, resourceful, overly-prepared queen with packing methods I can't even dream of understanding."
Weiss blushed, but rolled her eyes and patted her partner on the shoulder. "Go get changed, you dolt. We can save the sappy stuff for later."
Whining like a puppy denied its favorite treat, Ruby nonetheless giggled and disappeared in a burst of rose petals to do just that.
"Control your breathing. Focus your mind. Feel your power."
Petra huffed and kept her shaky arms steady, aiming her palms at the wall of an empty classroom as Miss Winter paced around her. When the white-haired Huntress had said she'd train her and teach her how to do magic, she thought it would be a lot more fun and a lot less tiring. Before their first lesson together, Petra had even been excited to learn how to be a Maiden. Now, after their third coaching session this week, she'd come to find them a lot harder than any of her other lessons. Even Miss Rump's history tests weren't this bad.
Of course, it didn't help that no matter what she did, she wasn't making magic.
"That's like three different things, Miss Winter," protested Petra with a petulant pout. "Which one should I be doing?"
"All of them," said her teacher icily. "Our magic is intent made manifest, the power of the elements brought forth by our imagination alone. Not by Dust, or by Semblances, but by the raw fury of Remnant itself. Think of how a fire needs fuel, a spark, and a burst of air to burn properly. Your mind is the flint, your power is the fuel, and your breath…"
Miss Winter inhaled sharply and swung her hand, creating an arc of blue fire that struck a stone target dummy and set it ablaze.
"…is the burst that makes it all happen."
Hazel eyes sparkled as she watched the practice dummy burn. "That's still the coolest thing ever…" she breathed.
"And it'll be even more impressive when you do it. Try it now."
Petra took a deep breath and held it for as long as she could, stretching her arms palm-first as she tried to imagine fire coming out of her hands. Yet no matter how much she strained or screwed her face in concentration, nothing happened. Eventually she lowered her hands and let out a long sigh, annoyance and frustration washing over her.
"The breathing thing isn't working," she groaned while shaking her head. "I just don't…feel anything."
"Hmm…" Miss Winter stroked her chin for a moment, then whirled back around. "Here, let's try something else. Follow my lead, and do what I do."
The white-haired woman took one bare-footed step after another across the slate floor, arching her legs and posing with her arms each step of the way. Petra held in her giggle as she mirrored the movements - clumsily at first, but eventually she got a feel for Miss Winter's rhythm as the two danced around the classroom. Eventually the girls were spinning with each step and leaning into each reaching position, and Petra could feel something moving deep in her soul with the motions.
"I…I think I got something!" she said proudly. "I feel something!"
"Good, keep going. Keep up with me."
Petra couldn't fight the giggle as she watched Miss Winter do a slow pirouette. "You look funny when you're dancing."
"It's not a dance," countered the older woman as she continued her steps. "It's a set of movements dating back to the first Maidens of Remnant, one that was passed down with each successive host. I learned this from Fria, a Winter Maiden before me, who herself learned it from the Maiden before her. By doing these ancient exercises, you'll be able to feel the flow of magic within yourself - and be able to better call upon it, should you need it."
Hazel eyes rolled so hard they almost fell out of Petra's face, though she kept up with the movements all the same. "I still think it looks like dancing!"
"Well, everyone's entitled to their own opinions. As long as you keep practicing it, you can view it however you -"
"What's it called?"
Miss Winter blinked. "Huh?"
"What's the exercise called?" Petra asked glibly. "So that I remember to do it outside of lessons."
"Oh. Well, it's called the Dance of…" Her teacher trailed off for a moment, looking down in embarrassment. "…the, um…the Dance of the Seasons - look, do you want to learn magic or not?"
After letting out one more giggle, the little Maiden focused on mirroring the movements of the older woman, feeling a warmth spread throughout her stomach. Was this magic? Aura? A bad case of gas? She wasn't sure, but she kept dancing all the same. Miss Winter finally came to a stop, bowed, and swept her arms out to unleash a gust of wind. Petra followed the last few steps, spun in place, bowed while throwing out her hands, and -
Nothing.
The warm, fuzzy feeling inside her stopped as soon as her body did.
Petra blinked several times as she caught her breath. "Aw. The, uh…gah…the dancing thing didn't work either."
Miss Winter glared at her. "Impossible…surely that would have triggered something within you…you're sure you don't feel anything?"
"Pretty sure…" panted the little girl as she doubled over, wiping her brow and shaking off hot little drops of exertion. "Oh! Wait! Miss Winter look, I made water!…no, wait. That's just sweat. Wow…I'm really thirsty…"
Her teacher groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose - something she did a lot around the Summer Maiden, Petra noticed.
"…wait here," she finally said as she slipped her boots back on. "I'll go and get you some water. Sit perfectly still here on the floor, and don't move until I get back. Try looking inside and finding the magic, just like we practiced yesterday."
Petra groaned. "Aw, the sitting thing again? But I hated that! And it didn't even work!"
"Well, I won't have you wasting time while I'm not here," snapped Miss Winter. Her gaze fell on the big black dog watching from the corner of the room. "Toto will keep an eye on you, and tell me if you did it or not. Isn't that right?"
"Bork."
"Good boy. I'll be right back."
With that Miss Winter stepped out of the classroom, at which point Toto immediately tucked his face under his butt and fell asleep.
Another groan escaped the little Maiden as she flopped down on the floor, feeling her arms and legs ache from all the exercises that morning. There had been…so much work within the last few days, so much training, and not all of it was as fun as the dancing. Swimming lessons. Running exercises. Lectures. Quizzes. Miss Winter had tried to teach her so much over the last few days, all about how to use magic and how to fight, but most of it went over her head and the rest of it didn't work. Her bones felt like jelly. Her brain felt like mush. And her chest felt like it was about to burst with all the screams she'd been bottling up.
Remember what Dad said to do when you get angry, she thought to herself with a deep breath. Let it out a little at a time, like a big balloon with a hole in it. Find something to squeeze as hard as you can. And if you still feel like breaking something after doing that…pick something no one would miss, and make sure not to hurt anyone.
Her eyes fell on a bit of loose stone that Miss Winter had summoned as part of an earlier demonstration, which still faintly glowed with blue light at its edges. Pushing herself off the floor, she crawled over to pick it up and squeeze, gripping it so hard her palms hurt. Petra focused on that prickly feeling against her skin, on the ripple of something radiating around the conjured rock, but when she tried to look for that same feeling in herself she came up dry.
Yep, she was still angry even after breathing out for a few moments. Oh well. Time to throw things! That usually made her feel better.
"Ugh…why is magic so hard?!" Petra wailed and flung the chunk of rock into an empty corner of the classroom, watching it sail clear across the room and waiting for the impact. Stone usually broke when it hit another stone…but that wasn't quite what happened this time.
CRACK! went the rock.
"Ow!" went the wall.
"Ow?" went the Maiden.
"Yes. I repeat, ow."
Petra blinked in surprise as the wall seemingly talked to her, and when her eyes opened again she saw that the classroom corner wasn't empty anymore. A woman with dark skin and mint-colored hair was suddenly standing there, rubbing her head with a wince and a pained expression. The little girl's breath hitched as soon as she saw a pair of deep green revolvers slung across the small of her back, but one glance at Toto's reaction - or lack thereof - told her that this wasn't someone to be afraid of. If it was an intruder, her loyal friend would've been on his paws in a heartbeat - and on top of the attacker in even less time.
"Hell of a throwing arm you got there, kid," she muttered through a hiss. "And of course you chuck it right where I'm standing. Again…ow."
It finally clicked in the Summer Maiden's mind who this was - and why she suddenly felt guilty. "O-oh! Miss Sustrai! You're one of Mister Oscar's friends! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there!"
"Yeah…I know. You were never supposed to see me. That's the whole point of hiding in plain sight." The other woman sighed and stepped forward. "Oh well…guess the cat's outta the bag now. Call me Emerald, kid - or just Em. Either one works better than 'Miss Sustrai,' and doesn't make me feel old as hell."
Petra nodded while tucking her feet under her splayed skirt, idly rocking back and forth. "So, Em…how long have you been standing there?" she asked with a curious tilt of her head. "And how'd you do it without me seeing you?"
"Been watching your lessons this whole time as a favor to your dad," explained Emerald as she sat on her haunches across from her. "He wanted someone sitting in on the magic training, to make sure Winter wasn't doing anything mean or underhanded…and to be there in case bad guys tried to sneak in and hurt you. I've, uh…got some experience with that kind of thing."
Hazel eyes blinked slowly. "Oh…so you've stopped sneaky bad guys before?"
"…sure, let's go with that." Emerald shrugged, then gave a small smile. "As for how you didn't see me…well. I think I'd rather show you than tell you. What's your favorite animal?"
Her answer came immediately. "Dogs!"
"Besides dogs."
"Big dogs!"
Toto chuffed in his sleep.
Emerald rolled her eyes, but smirked all the same. "You're really making this too easy, kid…alright, fine. Close your eyes, then open 'em when I say so."
She did as requested, screwing her eyes shut with a small laugh. As soon as she heard Emerald speak again, she opened them to see a very big dog with shaggy green fur sitting in front of her. It looked a lot like Toto, except for the color of its coat - and the red eyes, and the guns, and the emerald affixed to its collar…
Oh.
Oh!
"Whoa…that's amazing!" breathed Petra. "You can turn into a dog!"
"Yes, I can - wait, no."
She gasped at the sound of Emerald's voice. "You can turn into a talking dog!"
"That's not what's happening - ugh." The dog sighed. "Guess I set myself up for this one. Y'know what? Here. Reach out and take my hand. Er, paw. Whichever one you can see."
With a small giggle Petra once again did so, reaching out just as the dog raised its front leg. Instead of coming into contact with a big fuzzy paw, however, she found her fingers tracing along a hand that was worn and firm and surprisingly warm. She blinked again, and the dog disappeared, allowing her to see that Emerald was holding her palm with a small smile before sheepishly withdrawing.
"Wow…" The Maiden's eyes shimmered. "How did you…do that?"
"Neat trick, huh?" Emerald tapped the side of her head with a smirk. "That's my Semblance - my Aura power. I can make people see and hear what I want them to see and hear, or what I think they should be seeing and hearing. I mostly just use it to hide myself in a fight so I can get the drop on bad guys, or to make 'em attack things that aren't really there…but it's got a few other cool things it can do, too."
"Like turning yourself into a dog!"
The green-haired Huntress laughed with a roll of her eyes. "Yes. Like turning myself into a dog."
"That's so cool…" Petra giggled, then flopped against the floor again. "I wish I had a cool Semblance like that. Or an Aura. Or magic that I can actually use. That way Miss Winter would stop yelling at me, and stop trying to make me into the perfect Maiden…"
Emerald laid down on her side next to her, resting her head on her hand and looking down with a small smile. "You don't have to be perfect - just gotta be good enough. You're a smart kid, and you've got a good head on your shoulders. I'm sure that you'll get all of those figured out eventually, no matter what Winter says."
"I know," sighed the little Summer Maiden, "but at the same time…she makes me so mad sometimes! It's always 'Petra, do this!' or 'Petra, do that!' or even 'Petra, you're not trying hard enough!' Why does she keep talking like she's better than everyone else? Like she's better than me just 'cause she can do the magic thing?"
"Because that's what Atlesian 'specialists' are best at, kid." The green-haired woman smirked and laughed softly. "They've been at the top of the food chain for so long, they've forgotten what being on the bottom feels like. Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself - or to call her out whenever she's acting like a self-righteous, arrogant bitch."
Petra giggled, her anger forgotten for a moment. "Dad says I'm not allowed to use that word. He says it's mean to women."
"Well, then it's a good thing your dad's not here right now." Emerald winked. "Seriously. Go on and say it, see how it feels. I won't tell anyone."
She blinked slowly as she sat up and fidgeted for a moment, trying to grapple with the choice in front of her. On the one hand, saying naughty words was bad…but on the other hand, Miss Winter being mean to her was also bad, according to Emerald. And Emerald was an adult too, right? So if she said that it was okay, then that meant nothing bad would happen. Right?
"Okay…um…" Petra took an uneasy breath, then mumbled quietly. "Miss Winter is a bitch."
A shiver went down her spine, and she didn't know if it was a good or bad shiver.
"There you go!" Emerald laughed and rose to her feet. "Say it again!"
Her chest didn't feel so tight this time. "Miss Winter is a bitch!"
"Louder!"
Petra let herself smile. "Miss Winter is a bitch!"
"I can't hear you!"
A shameless grin took over her face. "MISS WINTER IS A BITCH!"
Naturally, Miss Winter chose that exact moment to walk back into the classroom with a glass of water, a gasp of disbelief, and eyes widened in shock.
Petra froze instantly, and it took a conscious effort on her part to scramble back to her feet. "Oh, um…Miss Winter, hi! W-we were talking about a different Miss Winter. One who's way more of a bitch than you are."
Her instructor recovered, then narrowed her gaze.
"N-not that you're a bitch! I mean, sure you're pushy and you're not very nice, but that doesn't mean…"
Miss Winter's eyes fell on the woman next to Petra, watched as she shrugged innocently, then burst into magical flames. Toto lifted his head briefly in the face of all the excitement, only to decide he'd rather roll over and sleep a little more than get involved.
"Okay, kid, time for your next lesson," whispered Emerald into her ear as she leaned over.
"What's that?"
FWOOOSH. Azure fire pooled into the enraged Maiden's palms as a show of force.
"Learning how to run!"
She grabbed Petra's wrist and darted out of the classroom's emergency exit with her in tow, continually muttering more bad words under her breath while ducking under hastily-lobbed fireballs. Miss Winter flew after them while shouting things like "Stop corrupting my student!" and "Come back here right now!" and even "Wait until your father hears about this, Petra!" Emerald responded to each shout with several rude gestures, earning more fiery blasts that she easily dodged. Despite the fact that they were fleeing from an angry woman with magic, the little Summer Maiden giggled the whole time.
I like Emerald, decided Petra halfway through their daring escape. She's fun and cool and makes me smile, all without even trying! I hope I can be just like her when I grow up…
Deep down there was a small part of her heart that wished Emerald was the Winter Maiden, so that she wouldn't have to keep learning from Miss Winter.
As Weiss finished tying the straps of her swimsuit around her shoulders with a hairband in her mouth, her fingers idly brushed against a bumpy and damaged stretch of skin. The sensation made her nearly freeze mid-motion, compelling her to start examining herself with a critical eye and a sinking feeling in her stomach. Most people looking at the former heiress would see a lithe, wiry nineteen-year-old Huntress with toned muscles and ivory skin; she wasn't overly buff like Yang or Elm, but she still had a tight abdomen and a strong back and long powerful legs, everything that was considered attractive by Atlesian beauty standards.
But all that she could see were the scars.
Marks of previous conflicts marred nearly every inch of her body, a painful reminder of battles won and lost and narrowly survived. While many of them came from Grimm who'd gotten in a lucky hit, the biggest and ugliest ones brought bitter memories to mind whenever she touched them. A long scratch across her back that matched the horn tip of a Kane-Ra, the first Rahi she'd fought on the island of Mata Nui. A circular puncture mark through her left shoulder that matched a shadowy needle, from when Makuta had wounded her during their final confrontation. And worst of all, two fist-sized patches of permanently burnt flesh on either side of her right flank - a "gift" from Cinder Fall's fiery spear, which had punched clean through her during the Battle of Haven and nearly killed her on the spot.
Really regretting that I didn't push Coco harder for a one-piece, thought Weiss mournfully as she slipped her Scroll into a little thigh pouch. There's a reason I kept wearing combat dresses after Haven…and it's not just because they have so many handy pockets. Anytime I have to look there…anytime I have to think about what happened there, it just brings me back to that moment where I was so sure that I…
No.
No, no, no. She shook her head to clear it. She wasn't there anymore. She knew she wasn't. She'd lived. She'd grown stronger. She'd learned from that entire disaster of a fight. Just like every other scar. Just like her first scar, the one over her left eye.
But knowing all that didn't make the permanent burn any less of an eyesore.
"Whoa…Weiss. You look…"
The heiress was pulled out of her horrific walk down memory lane by the sound of Ruby's voice behind her. She turned around…and instantly went red as her jaw hit the floor.
She'd seen every bit of Ruby's body, of course - it was almost impossible to shower together (among other things) without seeing her girlfriend naked. But the sight of her partner and team leader standing there, in a two-piece black swimsuit with scarlet frills, still made her heart skip several beats all at once. The sensation wasn't helped once she took in the well-toned upper torso, the modest bust, and the absolutely incredible arms that were currently folded coyly behind an arched back. In every regard the not-so-little rose straddled the line between muscular and lean, between curvy and slim, between her adorably awkward dolt and a warrior of a hundred battles. All of it was capped off with eyes of piercing silver, long red-brown curls that gently kissed her shoulders, and a smile that was almost as bright as the sun shining down on both of them.
"…beautiful," whispered the heiress, the hairband in her mouth long forgotten.
Ruby giggled as she stepped forward. "Yeah. That's the word I was looking for. Beautiful."
Weiss frowned and hugged herself, once again staring glumly at the scorch mark along her ribs. "I don't…really feel beautiful sometimes. Not anymore, at least…"
A sharp gasp escaped her lips as a hand gently brushed against the familiar scar, followed by a soft kiss to the warped skin. "Does…does it still hurt?" asked Ruby softly, looking up from her sudden kneeling position. "Even after all this time?"
"Not physically, no." She shuddered and shivered at the touch, which seemed to wake up the butterflies resting in her stomach. "In every other sense…yes."
"Oh, Weiss…" Ruby's eyes softened as she stood back up, then moved to give the shoulder scar a similar treatment. "You may not think they're beautiful…but I do. They're a part of you, a sign of how strong you are…each one tells a story of your bravery and will to live, even when it felt like the entire world was against you. Sure, people like Cinder and Makuta hurt you, but they were never able to break you. And these scars are proof of all those victories…proof that you're stronger than they could ever be."
She finished her declaration by trailing a fingertip down a familiar path along her back. "Every part of you is beautiful, Weiss Schnee. Especially to me."
It was hard to disagree with those eyes or that smile.
The pounding in her chest doubled in its intensity as the beautiful rose moved to kiss her collarbone, then her clavicle, then the edge of her chin. Ruby's hands, calloused yet soft in every way that mattered, came to rest on either side of her face, cupping her burning cheeks gently and allowing the heiress to lean into the touch. One thumb traced the long, jagged scar over her left eye; rather than go for another kiss on that first battle mark, the first proof of the life Weiss had chosen for herself, Ruby's mouth captured her lips with a hungry moan that was returned in kind.
I don't know what I did to deserve you, Ruby… thought Weiss as the kiss deepened, as the scent of roses overwhelmed her mind, but it wasn't possibly enough.
Once the pair separated to pant for breath and join their foreheads, the silver-eyed woman grinned. "…lastoneinthewatersayswhat?"
Weiss blinked. "What?"
FWOOOSH!
And just like that, her partner took off in a burst of rose petals and reappeared waist-deep in the sparkling sapphire waves. She giggled and pitched forwards while snapping her goggles into place, dipping under the surface and running her fingers through her hair when she came back up for another breath. Her laughs echoed across the coast as she started kicking backward, lazily floating further away while waving tauntingly at her flustered beloved.
The heiress scoffed. "Ruby! That's cheating! Also how dare you tease me like that!"
Her adorable partner blew a raspberry towards her and flipped over with a loud splash. "Come on out here and make me pay for my crimes, snow angel!"
…oh it was on now.
With a shake of her head she hopped and summoned a glyph in mid-air, angling it towards the woman who did her best to swim into deeper waters. Weiss released the stored energy and felt the wind whip through her long, untied hair while she sailed like a human missile - and tackled Ruby with enough force to make both of them plunge beneath the waves. A bubbly giggle rang out from her partner as they rolled and kicked around underwater; the little rose squirmed and wriggled to escape her girlfriend's grip, only for the former heiress to hold on even tighter with a playful grin.
No one may go up for air before the queen, she mentally decreed with a glib smile. Not even the lady-in-waiting.
Of course, she had no intention of actually drowning Ruby. Her partner had a bigger set of lungs than her, a natural consequence of traveling with a Toa of Water, so there was a good chance Ruby would outlast her in a straight-up breath holding contest. Plus, she was prepared to let go at a moment's notice if there was an emergency - and she would have, if the little rose hadn't opted to play dirty. Rather than continuing to struggle and squirm in the depths, or freeing herself with a pulse of her Semblance, Ruby twisted around in Weiss's grip and did the unthinkable.
She started smothering her neck in bubbly nibbles and kisses.
A wave of pleasure rushed over Weiss, one as real as the sunlit sea around her and just as overwhelming. Ruby was not shy or merciful in her smooch attack - she kissed her clavicle, her collarbone, her throat, her jaw, all the places she knew her girlfriend was sensitive and loved being lightly nipped the most. Overwhelmed by the blood rushing to her face, the heiress released one long bubbly moan after another, letting the ocean and her partner steal away her breath.
"Mmmgh…" gurgled Weiss amidst each deluge of lost air. "Hngh. Mmmbl. Hmbl…gluh!"
Weiss released her grip on Ruby and clamped her mouth with both hands, shooting a dirty look at her partner before kicking frantically. The sudden tightness in her chest and the burning sensation in her throat (and face…and thighs…and pretty much everywhere else, really) bid her to return to the surface, only abating when she thrust her head out of the still waves with a sharp, flustered gasp. Her little rose appeared behind her a moment later with a soft gulp of air, hugging her around the waist and gripping her gently with bell-like laughter.
"I win," she whispered breathily, lips already poised to pick up where she left off.
"Only because you cheated," huffed the flustered heiress, who crossed her arms and pouted.
"Hey, it's not my fault you've got such a kissable neck." Ruby giggled and started paddling across the surface, dragging Weiss gently along with her as she drifted backwards. "Mmm…this is nice, right?" she asked after pushing her goggles back onto her forehead, revealing those silver eyes Weiss adored so much.
Nestling her head back into her girlfriend's soft chest, Weiss hummed in agreement. For a calm moment the pair were simply content to float together, bathing in the sea and the mid-day sun and the warmth of each other. She just now realized she'd never taken a moment to put her hair into a ponytail before entering the water; Ruby didn't seem to mind too much, if the way she giggled and toyed with sopping ivory locks was any indication.
"You're so pretty with your hair down…" mused the little rose with a soft blush. "Well, I mean, you're pretty all the time of course…but it's nice seeing it flow all free and loose."
A blush crept up to Weiss's face as she laughed softly. "Thank you, Ruby. I'd wear it down like this all the time for you if I could…and if it didn't get in my face during fights."
Ruby giggled, shaking her own decently-long bangs out of her face. "Tell me about it! I used to let my hair grow allll the way down to my butt while I was still in Signal, and I'd refuse to let anyone style or trim it. That worked out pretty well until I started practicing with Crescent Rose - my hair kept getting tangled up in the joints whenever I'd swing or form-shift it! I threw such a temper tantrum when Dad finally took me in for a haircut, but it was either that or let Qrow shave my head - and I wasn't that committed to the 'scythe life' just yet." Another cute, joyful laugh rang out. "A shame, though…I thought I looked pretty cute…"
"I'm sure you were adorable," whispered Weiss with a wistful sigh, imagining what Ruby would look like with crimson locks as long as her own and blushing once more. "If you'd shown up to Beacon with as much hair as your sister, I probably would've fallen for you that much sooner."
"Even if I still sneezed on your Dust and blew us both up?" quipped the rose.
The heiress blinked slowly, humming thoughtfully. "…I'm pretty sure I only have myself to blame for that, what with me waving it around like it wasn't an explosive compound."
"Yeah, that probably didn't help much," said Ruby glibly. "But hey, at least now we have a funny story to tell our kids when they ask how their moms met!"
Weiss's face burned. "Our…kids?"
"Yeah, we're gonna have a million beautiful little babies after we beat Salem and save Remnant! Or however many you want. Right?"
Biting down the encroaching blush, she looked back at her red little rose and smirked while raising an eyebrow. "And what if I don't want to have any babies, hmm? Or what if we can't? What will you do then?"
"Oh, then I'll probably just dote on my inevitable nieces and nephews," replied Ruby with the biggest grin her face could hold. "Yang and Blake already have, like, a dozen baby names picked out…and when everything settles down, they plan to get very busy."
"Of course they do." Weiss smiled softly as she nuzzled deeper into the embrace, letting the water and Ruby's arms lap against her chin. "I'm not opposed to the idea, mind you. There are ways to make that kind of thing happen, even between two girls like us. I just…need time to decide for sure what I want. I don't know what the future holds, after all."
Or whether or not I'd even be a good mother… she thought bitterly.
Ruby seemed to sense the sudden crestfallen thought, because she hummed softly and kissed her crown. Weiss's smile instantly returned as she spun around, leaving a trail of smooches that led from the little rose's shoulder to her waiting, puckered lips. She could taste the overwhelming saltiness of the sea with each kiss, like making out with a cured salmon…but she didn't back off or even wince. Her girlfriend deserved to be loved, especially when she was so full of love for others.
After they separated once more with a shared moan of longing, Ruby grinned and adjusted her goggles once more. "So…I never got to see what the waters around Ga-Koro look like when things aren't super stressful, but according to Penny the bay is absolutely gorgeous. Wanna go check it out together?"
"I'll follow you anywhere, Ruby Rose," whispered Weiss.
The pair took a deep breath and slipped underwater together, hands still joined as they kicked and paddled into the shallow depths. Schools of silvery metal fish swam up to meet them, only to dart away when they realized they were neither food nor foe. Along the sandy floor clusters of tube-like anemone danced amidst forests of seaweed, while Ussal crabs no bigger than Weiss's palm sidestepped out of the salmon-colored seashells they were squatting in. A shark that had the appearance and texture of a vacuum hose slithered through the water, earning bubbly giggles from Ruby as it brushed playfully against her abdomen. Weiss took it all in with eyes shimmering in wonder, determined to keep taking in the beauty of the natural world - no matter how much the salt water stung her eyes.
Penny's right, thought the heiress to herself with a small smile. It is beautiful. Even with the Bohrok running around, I'm glad peaceful places like this still exist on Mata Nui.
An eager elbow nudged her side, and she looked to see Ruby gesturing in Valean Sign Language with a bubbly smile. Be right back! Gotta catch up with an old friend!
With that the little rose pulled away and kicked towards the metal shark, gently pulling its scarred snout to face her and nuzzling her forehead against its crest. Surprisingly, it didn't bite her head off. Even more surprisingly, it returned the affectionate gesture before flicking its tail forcefully, tackling Ruby in what she could only assume was the oceanic predator's version of a hug. Her partner laughed loudly and clearly into the water, each peal of joy carried upwards on clouds of bubbles as she spun alongside the shark in an improvised underwater dance.
That must be the Takea shark she befriended last time she was here, Weiss realized. Wasn't it hunting above Gaaki's Ravine, though? Why would it be here?…
Her thoughts - and the enjoyment of the aquatic show - were interrupted by a spasm in her stomach. A burst of air escaped her throat against her will, followed by a frustrated groan. While it wouldn't be an issue to reach the surface, Weiss didn't want to go up for another breath just yet - especially not when Ruby and her aquatic friend were in the zone together, putting on a once-in-a-lifetime performance she dared not miss.
So she pulled out her Scroll, navigated to the mask powers menu, and tapped the Kaukau.
Immediately she felt the tension in her chest fade as she blew out the rest of her air, and despite every instinct telling her otherwise she filled her lungs with a much-needed breath. The familiar effects of the Mask of Water-Breathing washed over her; not only could she gulp down seawater without drowning, she could perfectly see through the waves as if she was wearing a dive mask. It allowed her to watch Ruby's impromptu performance in perfect detail, to take note of every adorable expression and seductive pose and each bubbly flip that framed her hair and face just right…
Weiss moaned into the water and rubbed her thighs together, blushing despite her best attempts at self-control. What right did Ruby Rose have to be so beautiful?
After dancing with the shark for a little longer, her partner swam over and pointed up to the surface with puffy cheeks and a slightly blue-tinged face. Weiss just shook her head and gestured at her Scroll, then made a show of taking another deep breath and blowing out a torrent of bubbles. Ruby looked glum for a moment, giving a look that shattered the heiress's heart…then released a burst of air and zipped off to the surface, returning a moment later in a ball of floating rose petals.
…right, she reminded herself with a mental kick. Ruby can't use the mask powers with her new Scroll. That's why she's here, instead of helping Gali right now. Gods, how could I be so insensitive? I was pretty much bragging that I could do stuff she couldn't.
"Sorry," burbled Weiss, her words cutting cleanly through the cloud of bubbles. "I…didn't want to stop watching, even to take a breath."
It's fine, signed Ruby, though even she didn't look like she believed it. I'm fine.
Seeing the need for a distraction, Weiss swam forward and took Ruby's hand in her own, pulling her close enough to grab in a gentle spin. Bubbly grins spread across both faces as the pair began to dance slowly in the depths, twirling and flowing around each other like ballet dancers with no gravity. Ruki fish swam closer to watch their underwater waltz. The scarred Takea from earlier mirrored their movements. The dance culminated in a gorgeous and graceful pirouette from Weiss, which ended with her putting one long bare leg over Ruby's shoulder, hooking her heel around her neck and wrapping her other calf around her waist with a suggestive smile.
"Mmmbl…" burbled the burning rose, her cheeks practically boiling the surrounding sea as her partner demonstrated just how…flexible she could really be.
Ruby clearly wanted to stay there, to kiss Weiss's thighs and legs and every inch of her, but that irritating need for air struck again. Another look of frustration - not at Weiss, but at herself - took over her face, and this time the heiress would not stand or swim for it. This time, when she freed herself to surface and take another breath, Weiss shook her head and closed the distance yet again.
"Stay with me," she pleaded, gently placing her hands on Ruby's shoulders.
"Mmbl?" The little rose seemed confused but not alarmed, pointing up with one hand and making a slashing motion across her throat with the other.
"I know you can't breathe," she whispered huskily into the sea. "So let me breathe for you. If that's okay?"
Ruby's eyes widened behind her goggles, her cheeks turned even redder than before, and in the space of a few heartbeats she was nodding eagerly. "Mm-hmm!"
With a soft giggle Weiss shifted her grip so that one arm clasped Ruby around the waist and held her close, while the other reached out to take her by the hand. Bubbles spilled in streams out of Ruby's pursed lips as she rid her lungs of any stale air; as soon as they stopped Weiss carefully yet firmly leaned forward and captured the waiting rose's mouth in her own, breathing out slowly and deliberately. Some of the shared breath spilled out from the point where their lips met, but enough of it flowed into her partner for her to stop squirming. If the feeling of Ruby's chest rising to push against her own was any indication, she was getting everything she needed and then some.
"Mmmm…blbl…mmmm…"
After taking several deep breaths from Weiss, Ruby finally tapped her on the shoulder and broke the kiss with a bubbly giggle. The heiress's own cheeks felt hot at just how…intimate the act of sharing a breath like that had felt, and judging by how her partner played with her own free-floating hair the feeling was mutual. Still, she didn't look like she was about to drown anymore, and Weiss was willing to call that a victory.
"Looks like it worked," she burbled with a smile. "Just let me know if you need another breath like that, and I'll -"
Blooooooooooooooop.
Weiss leveled a deadpan stare as she watched Ruby blow away her new breath in one long torrent of bubbles, before clutching her throat with a playful whimper and a glib grin. Had she really wasted all her air like that, just for another kiss? Of course she did - this was Ruby, after all, the woman who could be an inspirational leader one moment and an affectionate puppy dog the next. Part of Weiss debated leaving her girlfriend to flounder for a few moments. The rest of her swam closer and took her back into her arms, rolling her eyes as her partner eagerly emptied her lungs for another round of buddy breathing.
"…you're insufferable, Ruby Rose," groaned the heiress in a bubbly sigh.
The little rose leaned forward, put her mouth next to Weiss's ear, and whispered in a tone that made her shiver from head to toe.
"I blub youbl."
…okay, that was pretty cute - cute enough to earn another puff of air, at least.
Their dive didn't last much longer than a few more underwater kisses, as Ruby's lungs eventually hungered for actual fresh air instead of whatever the heiress breathed out with the channeled Kaukau. So Weiss clutched her partner close to her chest as she willed a large glyph into existence beneath them, one that rose like an elevator and breached the shimmering surface of Lake Naho with a large splash. After taking a few deep breaths Ruby flopped down onto the construct of solid Aura, coughing slightly and shooting salty brine out of her nostrils while Weiss sat next to her and rubbed her back.
"Guess it's not the same as using the actual mask power yourself, huh?" asked the heiress, idly toying with the strings on her partner's swimsuit.
"Nope," sputtered the little rose as she carefully sat up. "Doesn't help with the water going up my nose either…ow."
"Well, at least we know that it somewhat works." She filed that away mentally in case of emergencies, then reached up to stroke soaked locks of red-brown hair. "Don't worry. I'm sure Doctor Polendina will figure out how to reverse-engineer that channeling app soon…then we can properly make out underwater without worrying about you running out of air."
"I'd like that." After nuzzling against her palm for a moment, Ruby grinned. "Heh…too bad the Toa's masks are all single-target only, huh? Would make things so much easier if the powers also affected anyone nearby. Like if Gali could share her water-breathing with me while we're diving, or if Tahu could protect everyone with his Mask of Shielding."
"That would solve quite a few problems," mused Weiss with a nod. "But then…why would they have needed to find all six masks, if they can just borrow the other powers from their nearby friends?"
"Maybe in case they were alone or separated?" Ruby shrugged her bare shoulders. "I dunno. I'm just…spitballing ideas here. Running my mouth, I guess."
A blush crept on Weiss's face as she seized the moment that presented itself. She pounced on Ruby and pressed her flat against the wavering glyph, eyeing her up hungrily and lowering her voice to a husky whisper. The little rose's breath hitched at the sudden move - but given how she didn't push back or squirm under Weiss's porcelain palms, it was hardly an unwelcome advance.
"…if you're okay with it, I'd much rather that you were doing other things with your mouth right now, Ruby Rose."
Gods, Yang would be so proud of her.
Ruby went as red as her namesake and gulped down several much-needed breaths. She bit her lower lip and met Weiss's half-lidded gaze with her own, anticipation and confidence flooding into those silver eyes that Weiss adored so much. Her chest rose and fell under the heiress's palm. One knee slid upward through the gap in slender thighs. And even though the eager little smile was as bright as ever, the light shining from moon-like irises drowned everything else out.
"O-oh?" Ruby purred coyly, her hands already trailing their fingertips over soft skin to find the knot securing Weiss's swimsuit. "Like, uh…like what?"
Weiss shuddered as a shiver raced down her spine. One hand followed lines of muscle to find Ruby's rough palm, gently removing it from her back and pressing it against her cheek. Her control over the glyph keeping them aloft faltered. Her long white hair was soaked in seawater and hung like a damp, ugly curtain around her face. Her body was stained with scars and uneven lumps of skin. Even her face bore a permanent reminder of the life she'd chosen for herself, a price she'd paid to earn her freedom. Yet she knew that to Ruby she was the most beautiful woman in any world, that Ruby loved her not because of her scars or even in spite of them. The little rose loved her scars just as much as she loved Weiss, and that was more than enough for the heiress who'd once upon a time called herself the loneliest of all.
And if given the chance to try again? If she could go back to those battles and do things differently? She would take every scar again a thousand times over, if it meant that she'd be able to fall in love with this beautiful rose.
"You're a smart girl, my love," she whispered as she planted a lingering, withering kiss against her partner's palm. "I'm sure you can think of something."
Ruby's grin widened and her blush deepened, her other hand winding the strings of a bikini strap around her fingers. "Does it involve…this coming off?"
Weiss smirked as she nodded with a small moan. She didn't reach for her Scroll to channel the Kaukau this time - she wanted Ruby to steal her breath away, just like she always did. Their shower stall in Vacuo had been a place of intimacy for the pair over the last few months, and now the seas surrounding Mata Nui would do the same.
"Deep breath…now."
Her glyph finally flickered out of existence just as the knot came undone, as Ruby and Weiss's lips crashed against each other before they plunged into the sea.
In the afternoon air that settled over Ga-Koro, Kopaka stood at the village gate with constant vigilance. The lenses of his golden Akaku scanned the horizon, the nearby beach, and everything in between; he was on the watch for anything that looked vaguely Bohrok-shaped approaching the water-based settlement. What he found instead was perfectly mundane in every way - Ussal crabs burrowing and digging new tunnels for themselves, schools of Ruki fish darting through the water, and the glowing forms of Ruby and Weiss doing…something…in the depths of Lake Naho. (He briefly wondered how they could swim effectively with legs locked together like that, but moved on to keep his mind untainted by knowledge of human mating rituals.)
"Anything we should be worried about, Toa Kopaka?"
He snapped his gaze to the blue-cloaked Turaga that had hobbled over to his side, willing away the power of his Mask of Vision in the process. "Not unless my partner and her bond-mate are drowning each other out there."
A distant splash caught his attention, which was followed by the sight of Ruby and Weiss's heads poking out of the water. After taking several sharp gasps to fuel high-pitched giggles, the red-faced humans crashed their maskless lips together and tumbled beneath the waves once more. Several seconds later, a torrent of bubbles broke the surface…along with yet another article of clothing that floated along the waves before sinking out of sight. Kopaka idly hoped that the girls didn't expect him to retrieve their discarded garments - he was a Toa, not a diver, and he intended to keep it that way.
"They seem to be doing well for themselves," intoned Nokama with a soft chuckle. "So no Bohrok, then?"
Kopaka shook his head. "It's just like Gali said - they're on the move, but not towards Ga-Koro. This entire village should be one tempting target for the Gahlok, or any other Bohrok in the area. So why aren't they taking it?"
"They will," said Nokama gravely. "It is only a matter of time before the tides of conflict find their way here. I can only pray that we will be ready to weather the storm, when it eventually arrives…and that you will have finished collecting the Krana by that point."
"You seem to know a lot about these Bohrok," noted Kopaka icily. "All the Turaga do, for that matter."
"We have kept their legends for centuries before your arrival." The Turaga of Water sighed. "For a thousand years we have hoped that they were only that - legends. But the Bohrok are real…too real."
He hummed skeptically. "Funny how such a dangerous threat never made it into any of the stories you told us."
Nokama looked up at the taller figure with a sharp glare. "…I would suggest you choose your next words very carefully, Toa of Ice."
Kopaka got a sense that he was skirting a dangerous topic, like he was navigating a frozen lake in the midst of a spring thaw. Most lesser Toa would have backed down in the face of an angry Turaga, but not him. His annoyance at being left in the dark about a new threat to his people outweighed the possible scalding lecture.
"When we first arrived on the island, you and the other Turaga were the ones who guided us through our missing memories." His words were cold and crisp, his gaze chilly and focused. "We were told that it was our Duty to collect the Masks of Power, liberate the Rahi, and defeat the Makuta. But you never told us what we were supposed to do after our victory. You never really answered our questions whenever we raised them. And you certainly never told us anything about the Bohrok."
The Turaga of Water's glare didn't falter. "Our concerns at the time were primarily in giving you guidance to stop the Makuta -"
"Then what about after?" he asked pointedly. "What about all the time we've spent in peace, running errands until some new threat emerges? If you knew that there was even the slimmest chance of the Bohrok attacking our island, why didn't you tell us? Was sealing away the Makuta not enough to earn your trust?"
"Of course it was." Nokama's eyes were almost pleading. "We have always trusted you, even before you washed upon our shores. That has not changed. That will never change."
"Well it certainly doesn't feel like you trust us very much." Kopaka narrowed his eyes behind his mask. "I can't help but wonder what other secrets you might be hiding…what else might be waiting to threaten our home and our people. And if there's one thing I've learned from Weiss, it's that secrets always come to light when they can do the most harm. The fall of her own Kingdom is proof enough of that, and a similar fate might await Mata Nui -"
"Do not lecture me on this, Toa!"
The sheer force and venom in the gentle Turaga's voice was enough to crack even his armor, plunging him into a silence as Nokama's words took on an edge as forceful as a tidal wave.
"You know nothing of what we have endured," spat the village elder. "You know nothing of what horrors we faced as we awaited salvation at your hands. While you and the other Toa were safely slumbering in the darkness, we were forced to live through it. While you were lost and adrift in your dreams, we were plunged into one waking nightmare after another. Every secret we keep, every legend we carefully curate and preserve, every half-truth we tell within our tales…it is all done for the safety and sanity of our Matoran, to keep them and their hopes alive in a world that would see both die in the night."
Nokama shook her head and chuckled bitterly. "There is so much worse than Makuta lurking in the darkness…vicious and violent beings that make even the Bohrok look as menacing as Ussal crabs. If you knew even half of what we Turaga have seen and done…even half of what we know to be hiding beneath our island…your icy exterior would crumble like glaciers in summer, and you would beg for a merciful death. That is our burden to bear, not yours - let us do this, for it is all that we can do."
The Toa of Ice stared at the watery Turaga, waiting for her to continue her wrathful rant. Nokama leaned against her trident as she took several deep breaths, obviously winded just from reading him the riot act. Her sudden defensiveness and her vague words only confirmed what he knew - that the so-called wise elders of Mata Nui weren't being entirely truthful - but clearly their mental armor and willpower were stronger than he'd anticipated. For a moment Kopaka entertained the idea of interrogating the other Turaga, but silently decided against it. If Ga-Koro's chief, the one with the softest heartstone among the six, was this adamant about their secrets…how much more short-tempered and aggressive would Onewa be? Or Vakama? Or, Mata Nui forbid, Nuju?!
Much as it annoyed him to have even fewer answers than before, he could sense that this was one battle not worth fighting.
Not yet, at least.
"…fine," he relented with an icy scoff. "Keep your secrets, then - it's your conscience that has to live with that, not mine. If you're all this stubborn about your burden, by all means keep dragging it around with you. But the next time one of those shadowy threats rises to destroy the island, and endanger my people…a little more warning before it happens would be nice."
That seemed acceptable for Nokama, who nodded tersely. "We will, as always, do our best to arm you with the truths you must know for your battles. Our Duty as Turaga is to help you accomplish your Destiny, and until the Great Spirit awakens we shall do just that. But know that some legends are better off not spoken about, and others are best left undiscovered. For the sake of our people and their happiness, we can only hope that both of them will stay where they belong: in the darkness of the unknown."
As Kopaka watched Ruby and Weiss crawl onto the sandy shore - tired, breathless, flustered, drenched, panting, giggling, flopping down onto soft cloth squares without a care in the world - he started to understand the Turaga's reasoning.
But that doesn't mean I have to agree with it, he thought sullenly.
Of all the districts in the City of Legends, Po-Metru looked the most like its Mata Nui counterpart.
Penny took bare-footed steps behind Brutaka as they crossed dusty dunes and passed half-finished sculptures, looking around with awe in her gaze. It was not blisteringly hot like the sands of the Motara desert, but the air still felt arid and dry even without strong winds to blow in her face. Perhaps this was how the Po-Matoran worked best? That seemed very likely, given the expert stonemasonry on display around the Maiden, each one untouched for a thousand years yet still standing as firmly and strongly as the day they were carved.
I wonder how many of these Hafu used to work on, she mused as she followed the golden-blue titan into a small valley. They certainly bear some resemblance to his work on the surface…
Her heart once more ached for her faraway home and friends, making her slow her pace without realizing it. Brutaka turned and looked over his shoulder and snarled, prompting her to quicken her step to keep up with him. She was not afraid of him - even with his enormous twin-bladed sword and daggers as long as she was tall - but she knew that he was quite impatient. And when he ran out of patience, he tended to break things that she was trying to repair. So she had learned over the last few days that keeping him placated was quite important to her work, if she wanted Metru Nui to be fixed in a timely manner.
Although…speaking of which…
"You still have not told me what we are fixing today," she said after walking in silence for what felt like hours. "I was originally supposed to help Axonn erect fallen Knowledge Towers in Ko-Metru…are we coming here for something just as important?
Brutaka's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing as they approached a canyon wall and finally came to a stop. The Maiden watched as her newest "ally" pressed his gauntlet against the stone wall, then twisted a hidden switch to various angles. A moment later a chunk of solid protodermis rumbled and sank into the floor, revealing a small cavern beyond illuminated by a few old lightstones. Whatever he wanted her to repair, it was clearly inside - he jerked his head into the hidden cavern, and she nodded and stepped past him.
As soon as her eyes adjusted to the low light, Penny gasped.
There, sitting on a table along the back wall, was a ten-foot-tall figure in dull gold armor. The figure was slumped over limply with various tools laying around it, as well as several scraps of metal that bore dried protodermis along sharpened edges. A crimson Hau stared listlessly back at her, marred with cracks that had been welded shut prior to her arrival. The only signs of life in the figure were an amber heartlight flickering faintly and the most shallow of breaths, clear signs of a mind deep in slumber.
"A…a Toa," breathed Penny, eyes shimmering with amazement and tears. "Another Toa. What element did they wield?"
"She wields Iron." Brutaka stepped inside after the stunned Maiden, almost forced to crouch-walk due to his absurdly tall frame. "A rarity, I know - most Fe-Matoran never make it to this stage of their lives, thanks to the Brotherhood targeting them when they're small and helpless. This one's unique in that, like Helryx and the Toa Mata, she was never a Matoran in the first place. She just showed up on Voya Nui one day while Axonn and I were stationed there…and now she's here for repairs."
The Maiden of Mata Nui blinked slowly as the pieces fit together in her mind. "You…you want me to fix her?"
Brutaka scoffed. "I couldn't care one way or another - Axonn's the one who wants her back on her feet, the big softie. He thinks that her element could be helpful in restoring the city, but none of us could get her fixed up. That power of yours might do the trick, though."
A pensive hum escaped her lips. She knew that Toa could be repaired if they were heavily damaged, and had systems in place to fix themselves while they were in stasis. From the tales her friends had told, the Toa - Toa Mata, she mentally corrected herself - had washed upon the shores of Mata Nui in literal pieces, pulling themselves together and allowing new organic muscles to regrow between their mechanical components. Why, Ruby herself had even replaced Gali's shoulder during their quest for the masks! So bringing this battered warrior back online should not have been an issue, especially for a Maiden with Technopathy like herself.
But what was a Toa of Iron doing in Metru Nui? And how had she gotten so damaged?
When it became clear that the Order member would not provide any more answers, she nodded tightly. "I…I see. I will do what I can."
"Get to it, then," growled Brutaka, idly examining his claws with boredom in his optics.
Penny swallowed the lump in her throat and approached the still Toa, gently laying a hand on her armored chest and pooling Aura into her palms. Wires of teal and green unspooled from her fingertips, weaving into the machinery desperately clinging to life. The reason for her stasis revealed itself soon enough - there were many, many deep wounds inside the chassis, in every servo and muscle, and the reservoirs of self-repairing fluid found in all Toa had long since run dry. It was a miracle that her heartstone still vibrated, that even in her slumber this Toa fought to stay alive.
But now she would not need to fight that battle by herself.
"Strange…" mused the Maiden of Mata Nui, her threads navigating broken protodermis. "The metallic and organic components are new…very new. A little over two years old, in fact. There should not be this much damage…or this much wear and tear. What happened to her?"
"You don't need to know that," snarled Brutaka impatiently. "Can you fix her?"
"I believe that I can," she answered with a nod. "It should be a simple matter of -"
"Then fix her. I'll be back to check on you in a few hours. Don't wait for me if you finish sooner…and if the Toa's still broken when I get back, I'm using you as Dweller bait."
With that pithy threat, the golden-armored brute took his leave and stomped back to the outside world. Making a mental note to tell Axonn that his friend was very rude, Penny shrugged and hummed and got to work. The damage to the Toa was extensive, certainly, but it was still largely focused on the mechanical parts; it was easy enough to flatten out dents and patch over rent tears and reconnect the organic tubes linking everything together. A pull of a string here, a snap of a joint there, and suddenly -
And suddenly she was six years old and training with a wooden spear and shield, hair tied back into a ponytail as she declared she wanted to be just as strong as daddy to an older redhead doing her best not to cry. And suddenly she was fourteen years old and standing on a champion's podium with a big shiny trophy in one hand, as a burly combat instructor held up her other arm while shouting in proclamation to a roaring crowd. And suddenly she was fifteen and sixteen and seventeen years old, standing in identical positions with each year she aged and each inch she grew. And suddenly she was on another podium as she addressed an auditorium full of classmates, all of whom alternated between beaming in pride and seething in jealousy. And suddenly she was waving farewell to her mother and all her fans, before boarding an airship while clutching a one-way ticket to Vale. And suddenly she was standing in the halls of Beacon Academy, marveling at the architecture and eager to meet her new classmates. And suddenly she was flying several miles high above a forest of green, throwing a spear at a flailing boy who clearly was not yet ready to soar. And suddenly she was coaching that boy on the rooftops in the dead of night. And suddenly she was dancing with that boy as both of them wore beautiful dresses. And suddenly she was kissing that boy and tearfully saving his life by pushing him away and breaking his heart. And suddenly she was staring up at a wicked woman who had her bow primed and drawn, summoning all her strength to voice what she believed would be her defiant final words.
"…do you believe in Destiny?" Penny finally whispered as the visions came to an end, tears pooling into her eyes.
A familiar voice, one that was warm and soft and comforting, answered back.
"Yes…but now I also believe in Unity and Duty."
She dared to look up and stare at the newly-repaired Toa of Iron standing over her, emerald eyes pulsing softly beneath her crimson Kanohi Hau. Dull gold armor gleamed in the low light of the workshop, an amber heartlight shone with a steady pattern in her chest, and every metallic object nearby hummed in the face of her ambient power. Penny reasoned that while she had been lost in the memories of another life, her Semblance had stitched the broken body back together and awakened the slumbering elemental warrior…and based on the events she had just witnessed, and the smile behind that mask, there was only one person this could be - as impossible as it seemed.
"Pyrrha?"
The Toa's smile only brightened. "Hello again, Penny."
That one phrase was enough to finally reduce the Maiden of Mata Nui to tears once more. Her old friend - Remnant's finest warrior, who much like her had died to Cinder's ambitions - instantly knelt and pulled her close for a much-needed hug, one that Penny did her best to return. Strong metallic arms held her with all the gentleness and care of their once-human counterpart. A mask nuzzled into braided burnt-orange hair. Freckled cheeks pressed firmly into protodermis shoulder pauldrons. Gods, she had forgotten just how warm a simple hug made her feel inside, but now that she remembered she did not want to let go.
She did not ever want to let go again.
"I…" choked Penny through tears and sobs. "I have missed you so much. Everyone has missed you so much. We all thought you…that we…you were…I have been so alone since I came to Metru Nui…"
Pyrrha shushed her gently and rubbed her bare shoulders, tracing lines between freckles as if they were constellations in the night sky. "You're not alone anymore, Penny. I promise, I'm not going anywhere. Seems I'm not the only one who's changed…I don't know how this is possible, but it's so good to see you alive and well - in every sense of the word."
Thousands of questions welled up in Penny's mind, of why and how and what and when, but right now all of them could wait.
An old friend, one long thought to be lost forever, demanded her attention and care and so many hugs.
(A/N): Hey, I said that it was a MOSTLY uneventful chapter - not a COMPLETELY uneventful one!
(If you're confused as to why Pyrrha's here, and why she's a Toa…I suggest you go check out Tales From The Via Magna: The Nameless Toa to get some answers. I didn't do all that writing for finger practice, y'know.)
Anyway, thanks for reading! Next time around is gonna be another Vacuo-centric chapter, so stay tuned!