Chapter 44: The duality of Ruby Rose
Ah, I'm so dead
Ruby Rose, 15-year-old Huntsman in training…no, Huntswoman? Huntress? She wondered why that was even bothering her, given her impending predicament. But such frivolous thoughts were her only company in the lush dense forest she found herself in, amongst the group of soulless Grimm zeroing in on her, Crescent Rose lying uselessly a few meters away from her. She considered using her semblance to move in, but realized her aura had shattered a while ago, and in the panic, she'd forgotten.
Her body made attempts to fight back, to flail and move out, but her mind had seemingly given up at this point. The disconnect between her mental state and her physical survival instincts were not playing for her. Yet, the latter was stronger. Even without her weapon, her body did not give up, in whatever tiny way it could, even without the reassuring protection of her aura.
Stupid, stupid stupid! Stupid Ruby! Stupid! Moron! Idiot! Nincompoop!
Her inner voice was scolding her as she ran, in whatever way she could, running from the pack of Ursas chasing her from the front. And to make things worse, this just HAD to happen in the vicinity of a nest of Nevermores. The Ursas, she could probably have taken them on, with some effort. But the Giant Nevermores? Guarding a nest? That's when she knew it was game over. Utter stupidity, she scolded herself, as she nearly cried. It was a mistake to come here by herself to train, not waiting for her teammates. She knew that even before she started out on this suicidal venture, but even so, her desire to improve, and prove herself to her team was stronger still.
But in her mind, she had calculated the risks; they HAD been through a lot since her arrival in Beacon; they had faced off enemies and situations that were probably(?) worse than her current one. And she planned to bail the moment things went south. She was confident in her ability, her semblance, in doing so.
Ahhh….I'm so dead, I'm so so dead….Yang is gonna be so mad
Yes, she was scared, even when it looked like half her face had the most awkward smile one could imagine on the dark-haired teen. It was taking her all her wits to convince herself otherwise. Ironically calling herself an idiot and nincompoop did help clear her head of the alien fear that was creeping up on her. All of the times she had been in any kind of danger before, things had usually worked out. Someone would save her, or she would somehow manage to get herself out of whatever mess she got herself into. Not to mention, the number of times she was in any real danger had been few and far. But even now, her heart was unnaturally calm, but she did feel dread, an awkward half-smile adorning her face. Like a child caught with her hands on the cookie jar and making excuses.
Perhaps it was the suddenness of it, or how unprepared she was for the possibility that one day, she would just happen to find herself in mortal danger.
She felt a sharp, stinging pain on her back, and she felt warmth that contrasted the cold, wet fabric on her body. It also sent her hurdling to the ground. She could see the Ursas right up against her, with blood staining the claws of the one nearest to her. One of the giant Nevermores landed right behind the Ursas, with the other two swooping down right behind.
She tried to kick her way back and away from the hoard, but she made little progress. Even so, her body had refused to give up. The nearest Ursa lunged again, and while she did try to move away, in her state, the best she could do was move away a little bit, and the end result was her receiving a big slash on her left thigh.
The shriek she let out sounded just as inhuman as the creatures around her. She wasn't sure if her leg was connected at all. But her enemies would give her no time to recover. Out of the corner of her eye, as she winced from the pain, she could make out the fangs of one of the other Ursas closing in.
All she could do was cover her face feebly out of reflex.
The last thing she remembered was calling out Yang, Blake and Weiss's names in her mind. And wanting to see them again, one more time.
And then, everything was silent.
Unnaturally so. In the darkness as she shut her eyes firmly, all she could hear was her own bated, labored breaths. Yang's face was still firmly burned on her mind, for what seemed like an eternity.
It was only when her wounds started to wince and throb painfully that she slowly opened her eyes.
Gone were the Grimm, gone was the wet, slurry ground, the dull green trees and the smoky gray sky, as well as the rain.
Instead, she found herself in an ornate garden of sorts, with what appeared to be a garden tea table adorned with all sorts of assortments, porcelain teacups, saucers, plates and other cutlery. The scent of cookies, savories and other delicious treats invaded Ruby's nose, as though calling to her.
The garden itself seemed to be in a large grassy clearing with shrubs and bushes in the horizon, a cloudy overcast sky dyed whitish gray and trees further beyond. The transition from the smell of death, rain, gunpowder and muddy earth to that of hot tea with some cookies was overwhelming, nauseating almost.
And Ruby Rose was quite exhausted, to say the least. The whole thing seemed far too surreal. Maybe she HAD died, and this was heaven. Maybe the whole, horrible mishap was just a nightmare, and this part of her dream was a more pleasant turnover of her sleep. What else would explain her fully healed body and repaired clothes? Not to mention having her trusty Crescent Rose by her side?
Regardless, she knew what needed to be done. She promptly picked herself up from the ground, almost as though the scent of cookies were physically carrying her over to the table. To her delight, she could even see a cup of milk right beside a plateful of cookies, as though it was made just for her.
Grabbing one, she sank her teeth right into it, followed by a sip of delicious milk. From start to finish, nothing else mattered to Ruby Rose as she relished the chocolatey snack. She reached out for the next one.
"You really are in a world of your own, aren't you?" came a feminine voice. "As wrong as that feels, somehow it also brings a smile to my face"
The young huntress in training yelped sharply, knocking over several plates, cookies, cutlery and nearly toppling the table over.
"OHMYGOSHI'MSOSORRYIDIDNTMEANTOEATTHEMWITHOUTASKING!"
One second Ruby Rose was mouthing off an ultrafast apology, and in the other, she yelped again, sharply this time, when she noticed the owner of the voice. Her eyes went wide, as she jumped back several feet, reaching for Crescent Rose, her head retreating int0 her hood.
"Ahhh! A G-grimm!" she stuttered. One second she was a bubbly, bumbling klutz, and in the next, the color in her eyes completely changed, embodying only the intention to kill the Grimm in front of her, lacking any emotion whatsoever. Without a second thought, the young Rose huntress charged forward, following up with fast swings from Crescent Rose, maneuvering with practiced moves, her bright silver eyes focused on her opponent.
However, every single swing of hers hit nothing but air. The Grimm seemed barely perturbed, merely stepping aside as if avoiding people as she moved about in a crowd. And then, with a bored motion, she caught Crescent Rose with her bare hands.
Wide eyed, Ruby tried to pull back her weapon, only to find that she could barely budge an inch.
The 'woman' had a humanoid figure that was almost fully covered in deep red fur with black colored spots, and her midriff up to her neck was exposed. There was a huge gaping hole in her abdomen, and a long tail, with her 'hands' and 'feet' possessing animalistic claws. But the most distinct feature was the skull covering her entire face, with two red lines coming from the eye sockets to the base of the skull like the markings of a cheetah. And peering from within the eye sockets, Ruby could see silver eyes, just like her own, except, only her iris was visible.
"First thing, I'm happy you attacked someone that looked like a Grimm. Looks like your instincts are still there. That's good. However, you're still lacking experience in judging your opponent. Never rush in such cases, it'll get you killed, kiddo" said the Grimm, surprising Ruby. Its voice sounded like that of an adult woman. "And next, I'm not a Grimm…this is a mask, yes, and normally I can take it off, but I can't here, in this place, for some reason. Well actually, now that I think about it, I suppose in your world I might be, but it's not the same. I'm not your enemy in any case"
"You can talk. I've never met a Grimm that could talk" she acknowledged, her innocent looking eyes still giving off a childlike bloodlust devoid of any emotion but still filled to the brim with the simple intent to end her. She still couldn't pry her scythe away from the Grimm, but that wasn't about to stop her.
"I'm not…." she sighed, but gave up, knowing there was no convincing the young huntress in training "Listen up kiddo, if I was really your enemy, I wouldn't be waiting this patiently while you gobbled up cookies. And I wouldn't bother talking like this, now would I? Here, I'll even let go of Crescent Rose" she said, loosening her grip. The young Rose huntress protectively clung on to Crescent Rose, putting distance between herself and the Grimm, carefully observing her opponent.
Ruby then paused for a moment, accepting that there was some truth to her words. Her eyes then went wide, gasping in realization.
"Wait…does that mean all Grimm could talk all this time? And how do you know about Crescent Rose?!" she asked, her eyes narrowing on her once more. Ruby could hear the Grimm chuckle, much to her surprise.
"As I said, I'm not a Grimm. Got that? I. Am. Not. A. Grimm" she repeated slowly. She stayed silent until the rose huntress in training nodded in return. "And no, they can't. You really are in your own little world, aren't you? You do remind me of my kid. I used to think I was different, but I guess you really do shoot first and ask questions later, just like Yang" she stated.
"Wait, how do you know about my sister?" gasped Ruby.
"All will be made clear soon" stated another voice, male this time. Ruby swerved around to see a slim humanoid man with curved, segmented horns on his head that arched back and curved upward. His form was a deep purple that seemed to draw in surrounding light. The most striking feature was how utterly devoid he was of features, though she could make out humanoid contours. Ruby retreated her head back into her hood further, her gaze shifting between the Grimm and the man, while keeping distance from both of them.
"It's fine kiddo" assured the Grimm. "That's the God of Darkness. You know of him, don't you? I assume mom and Yang told you the tale of the brother gods a couple of times"
But Ruby realized that was the wrong thing to tell her younger self, evident from her reactions.
"Damn, I forgot he isn't exactly on the bright side for the kids" she cursed internally, before turning her attention to her younger self. "Look, I know that might seem scary and he's called 'the big bad evil god' and what not, but trust me, it's nothing like that. He's not here to hurt you or me for that matter. Right now, he's the one that saved your life from those Grimm"
"That is correct. I am here, because you sought help in your desperation to see the faces of your companions and family once more. And I have decided there is a suitable opportunity here for a contract of mutual consent" he added, promptly restoring the ornate table to its former, elegant state, the cookies included.
While the young Rose huntress in training could only watch in awe, the 'Grimm' merely took a seat with a practice motion, as though it was normal happenstance. The former did join them on the table as well, when the 'Grimm' casually hinted at her to do the same.
It was a scene straight out of a fairy tale, with humans and non-humans sitting and enjoying tea at a garden table in an outlandish backdrop. It did make the younger huntress in training's heart flutter a little, despite the imposing presence given off by her companions, and despite how outlandish the whole situation was. Still, she kept her guard up. She knew she was completely outmatched against either of them, if the stories about the God of Darkness were anything to go by, but it helped keep her mental state up.
Without a word, the Grimm casually helped herself to some of the treats on the table, and it was scarily relaxing for Ruby to watch something so inhuman make her feel so at peace. The man on the other hand, then proceeded to give a lengthy explanation of things. It WAS going over her head, but occasionally the Grimm would give her a dumbed down summary of things in a nonchalant manner, as though expecting it. This included a recollection of her current situation, the God of Darkness's offer to help save herself for a price, a short summary of who the 'Grimm' was, as well as the conditions for the 'contract'.
Ruby was taking it all in, about the God of Darkness being a MUCH more reasonable person….god, she corrected herself, than the stories about him made him out to be, but it was very obvious that this 'god' was very much capable of erasing their world if he so desired. As well as the fact that-
"You're…..me?!" sputtered Ruby, unable to contain her obvious surprise. "I-you're telling me when I grow up I'll become a 'Hollow'?! As in, someone who dies and has their soul corrupted?" The fear and apprehension in her voice was very evident.
"That's not wrong, but you're making it sound way worse than it sounds. For one, I DO have a soul. Therefore, by definition, I'm automatically NOT a Grimm. So take that out of your mind first" sighed the older one. She gently reached out to her younger self's face. The young Rose did flinch for a moment, but loosened up when she realized the older one was merely wiping down the milk and crumbs on her face. She could feel an odd sort of familiar warmth, and the gesture did put her mind at ease.
"In a different future, if you go through the same things I did, then yeah, you would be. But that will never happen to you. And besides, how rude! I did mention that this is just how my soul looks like for now, didn't I? I do have a human like form you know"
Ruby almost imagined her older self to be pouting underneath her mask, atleast from how she sounded. Whatever it looked like underneath the mask, that is. She took another long sip of delicious milk from her cup. It did help her calm her nerves, but Ruby had to admit, her older self (as much trouble she still had in accepting that), appearances aside, sounded cool. Awesome, even. And dangerous.
While it appeared that her older self had skipped a lot of details, it was clear much needed to have happened in order for her to end up the way she did. Be it the Grimm like appearance, her manner of speaking, but most importantly, her presence. Never in her entire lifetime did she ever imagine that a version of herself would be out there, giving off such a capable, strong and reliable presence. It was the same kind of presence she remembers Yang having, and her mother from long, forgotten times. Except, much more profound.
It made her feel small. Jealous even, perhaps. Her older self was strong, and intimidating, straight out of a storybook. Words that felt so alien to herself when describing herself. She couldn't help but look down, lost in thought. It only served to further cement the idea that she and herself couldn't be further apart, despite a god himself insisting that they were once, one and the same person.
"Don't think too much about me kiddo" assured the older one, gently stroking Ruby's head, as though sensing her thoughts. "You have so much more going on for you. It's unfair to compare yourself to me, when our circumstances have been so different. Plus, I had a lot more time than you do. At your age, I was…hardly anything myself"
And oddly enough, Ruby swore she too, could feel her older self's emotions. They were kind and gentle, warm but most importantly, she too, could feel a lingering feeling of longing and envy from her older self, towards herself. A fact that puzzled her. But it did help in trusting her, if only a little. While Ruby's own wariness was obvious, she detected no animosity from her older self.
"The choice is yours to make" reminded the God of Darkness. "Should you refuse, you shall be promptly returned to your world, and all will be as it is. And your world will continue to move on in the same path it always had been. However, a different path will be available to you, should you choose to accept this offer. Of course, this only applies should your older self agree to these terms as well"
"There's no force here, kiddo" reminded her older self. "I won't blame you, nor will anyone else if you don't want to do this. I'm telling you that myself"
"But you just told me that Yang, dad, uncle Qrow and the others will…." said the younger one, almost choking on her words.
"That's true" said Ruby bluntly "There's no point hiding things. Things aren't that good if they remain as things are now. For both of us. They're as dear to me as they are to you. We are both the same, after all. I couldn't save them in my time. But, I can now, with your help. Of course, this doesn't mean you won't have your own life to live. Honestly I would prefer if we both got our own bodies and we could help each other but…I'm more than willing to go through with this compromise. It's a small small price if it means I can save Yang, dad and the others"
The younger one remained silent, absorbing it all in. Finally, in a meek voice, she asked. "I understand. But…tell me one thing. You're…really strong right? Like super, duper strong, right? You said we can help each other. But I don't know if I can really do much for you"
"Trust me, you'll be doing much for me just going on about your carefree little self, enjoying cookies and snacks without a care in the world" assured Ruby, playfully flicking her younger self's face. "And of course I gain something from this too. As I said, Yang and the others are very dear to me too. So being able to save them now, when I couldn't before…is way more than anything I can ask for. Naturally of course, this doesn't mean I'll just solve all your problems. I want you to lead your own life, with or without me. And I'll try my best to help you out, without encroaching on your life too much"
Ruby took another pause, but had a clearer expression on her face. "Well…alright. I have no reason to say no, big me. If it will help my friends back home, then I'll do it!"
"The pact is then concluded" said the God of Darkness, and as the two Rubys shook their hands, bright runes enveloped them. They faded as soon as they came, and all was silent again.
"Now that that's done, why don't you wait for a little longer here" suggested the older one. "I'd love to come help you out right away, but I do want to say goodbye to some of my folks back home before I do. Will that be alright?" she asked, and the God of Darkness and Ruby agreed.
And soon, she was left by herself, with her own thoughts, while the other two disappeared. It did scare her, a little. Even if she felt she should be happy about these turn of events, uncertainty about many things did make her second guess. And it didn't help that she had no one but herself to mull over these thoughts. Did she make the correct choice? Her heart was still in two places. There was a feeling of unease that she didn't usually feel.
After what felt like hours, the two figures re-emerged out of thin air once more, making her jump rather sharply.
"It's done. And what do you know, I can visit home whenever I feel like it. I'll be sure to show you around sometime. But for now, shall we head back kiddo?" asked Ruby, and the younger one nodded, clearly evident that she wanted to go back as soon as she could, over just waiting anxiously.
"Very well. I shall return you to the same moment I summoned you. Following that, you two shall possess the same body, but housing both of your souls. You shall be able to swap between each other freely. May you both find that which you seek in each other" said the God of Darkness, waving his hands and a darkness enveloped them.
The moment Ruby Rose's soul had left her body, time itself had frozen, like a snapshot of the world taken and preserved, with no observers to witness it. And just as seamlessly, time resumed on Remnant once more, and the world continued on, unchanging and unabated.
Except for the girl still known as Ruby Rose.
One moment, the fangs of Ursas had been mere inches away from her face, while her own self lay uselessly on the ground, her weapon lying several meters away from where she stood. And in the next, she was gone, leaving nothing but a whisper for the Ursas to bite on.
"Sorry about the sudden takeover, but I figured I'll need to pull you out of this pickle. But watch closely" said the older Ruby, while the younger one found herself in the most bizarre situation.
She could feel, hear, smell and see everything that 'she' did, and yet, she had no control over anything. It was as though she were piloting an organic bio-organism called Ruby Rose, but it was on autopilot while she looked out of its eyes in first person.
But more than that, she could also feel all of her other self's emotions as she moved with inhuman speed and reflexes, in ways she never considered moving her body. She watched as her other self swiftly moved around each of her enemies, grabbed Crescent Rose from where it lay and without any hesitation, dashed towards her enemies.
"This is…something" she could hear herself say. "I thought the rules might be different, and I suppose it is. It makes sense though. Luckily, I'm somewhat used to this. My balance is still a bit weird; this younger body has a different reach and muscle memory than my own body. So, I'll only be able to do as much as you're physically capable of doing, but just better than you since I have more experience fighting"
Moving around in circles while firing away with Crescent Rose towards the Grimm was a strategy the huntress in training had never considered. But it was working wonders; scarily so. Even outmatched, the Grimm had a hard time keeping pace with herself. And then in between Ruby would dash in, slicing and hacking away weak links amongst the Grimm's vital areas, such as joints in between claws, fangs, eyes and the like.
All in all, the huntress in training could do nothing but gape in awe.
And before she knew it, she was all alone in clearing, save for the torrential sounds of rain hitting the soft earth, already wiping away any evidence of battle. Even the Giant Nevermores didn't stand a chance against this young huntress. While it was no cakewalk for the girl, she barely had a scratch on her.
What DID catch the 5th Espada off, however, was the complete aural overload from her younger self screaming her lungs out from the inside in excitement.
"Oh my GOSH I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! You just took down Giant Nevermores by YOURSELF!"
The 5th Espada nearly yelped from the unexpected squealing that came from within her mind "Well, as I said, it's just a matter of experience really, I wouldn't really say I really did all that much to be honest. I'm not used to my younger body, and I'm only a third as strong currently, so I think I was pretty sloppy. I'm certain you can do this much as well eventually-"
"WUUUUTTT?! No way! There's no way I could do something that AWESOME! It took me, Yang, Blake and Weiss to kill one Nevermore! Does that mean….I'm secretly AWESOME?!"
The young huntress in training clearly wasn't having it and the older of the two simply sighed, allowing her to let out her inner enthusiasm. For nearly 10 whole minutes, she could do nothing but stop and listen to soundless cheering and praise from within, with nothing but the sounds of dying rain to give her company. And during that time, she was thoroughly questioned about everything she did, which the Espada was more than happy to answer.
"We should start heading back, don't you agree?" suggested the older one, finally finding an opening in between her younger self's endless excitement-filled fangirling. "I have no clue about why you were even here, but if I was Yang, I would be quite mad, you know"
The young huntress-in-training immediately toned down, internally gulping upon being reminded. In fact, even her older self's mental voice sounded scarily sweet, to the point that she shivered involuntarily.
"Of course, you're going to be the one to deal with that, junior" remarked the Espada, in a matter-of-fact manner. "I'm not going to let you escape Yang's sisterly wrath just because you can. That's my first lesson for you, kiddo. Always face up to the consequences for your actions" she snickered
"Awe you're no fun at all, big me. Meanie.." huffed her dejected younger self, much to the Espada's amusement "But…don't you want to see them? Hasn't it been years since you last saw Yang, Weiss and Blake? Don't you want to stay and look around longer? I….don't mind if you stay in control for a while"
"Well...I do want to; that's one of the whole reasons I agreed to this after all" replied the older Ruby. "I just don't think it'll be all that exciting. I haven't seen them in a long time. It didn't help that when I first arrived at Earth, I had almost no memory of anything from Remnant. I have my own family back home, with Ichigo, Karin, Yuzu, Tatsuki and the others at Karakura town. 15 years is a long time to be away after all. And mentally, I've…gosh, it's been so darn long. Even being in Remnant feels so fresh and new. Right now, home feels like…I mean, Earth feels more like home than here. Of course, I do care about my folks here, but…unconsciously, I wonder if my attachments for all of them have just faded over time. I just didn't want you to feel bad about that"
The young huntress-in-training merely returned a proud and smug mental smile "You're worrying too much, big me! It'll be fine, trust me! I think they'll be really happy to meet you too! Just leave it all to me! But…before that, don't take it the wrong way, but can I have my body back, big me? Um..it's…"
"Oh, you don't have to ask me for that, it IS your body" replied the Espada, sighing with a mental smile.
"Yes but, um….how do I do that?" asked her younger self sheepishly. The older Rose raised her eyes in mild surprise.
"Ah…right. I nearly forgot. I guess you're not really used to switching bodies ahahaha….well, it was so normal for me back at my place that I'd never thought about it! But..to be honest, it was strange in the beginning. Let's see here…why don't we just do that, and then.."
From an outsider's perspective, it would've been a strange sight to witness; a lone cloaked girl getting drenched in the rain as she made strange expressions with efforts from one of the souls inside her trying to regain control of what was hers. But after several minutes of trying, the younger huntress in training never succeeded in swapping with her older self voluntarily, unless the latter did it for her.
"Well…that sucks" groaned Ruby, dejected. "It's nice I can ask you anytime, but it just feels strange"
"Chin up kiddo, this is something you've never heard of or experienced. I think you'll get the hang of it with time. I can swap in and out for you, so atleast for the time being, let's just go with that" suggested Ruby. "For now, let's just head back, shall we?"
The twosome duo then made their way towards wherever the younger of the two was pointing to, owing to the older one's lack of directional awareness in the new environment.
Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna had been scouring the massive hallways, corridors and even the outer gardens and the nearby areas of Beacon Academy, in search of their missing roommate (sister in case of the blonde brawler) for several hours. Naturally they had tried reaching her scroll, but all they received was an automated message telling them nothing.
"If this is another idea of a prank, she's gonna be so dead" muttered Yang to herself angrily as she had frantically scanned every corner of the vast open outdoors surrounding Beacon Academy for any signs of her half-sister. It hadn't been the first time she'd caught her younger sister on secret outings for various reasons. Sometimes she would be out by the weapon's store, checking out the hot new tool or gadget to hit the market that week. Other times she would be out hunting Grimm or testing some new adjustment she'd made on her weapon. And other times yet, she would be out in an attempt to prank Weiss or Blake.
Each time the younger of the rose siblings would use her secret weapon of 'puppy dog eyes' to get away from the worst of Yang's anger, and to her dismay, it had almost always worked. And it had only encouraged her to keep doing what she did, without fear of repercussions. Sometimes they would have a bitter confrontation about it, but almost always, the blonde brawler would cave in to her sister's expressions, softening up to her.
"Not this time" thought Yang to herself, determined as she had continued to scan the surroundings for Ruby. Not only had she snuck out without telling them, but she'd done so without any note whatsoever, hadn't been reachable via her scroll, and was ALSO this late.
"Any signs of her?" asked Blake, concerned.
"No" replied Weiss irritably "Darn it, this is heights of irresponsibility! How many times do we have to tell her…just where could she have gone?! How did no one see her?!"
"There was no note or anything" frowned Yang, her voice laden with worry. "I couldn't reach her scroll either. God fucking dammit, Rubes, how many times do I have to-"
"Woah easy there, don't get so worked up" advised Blake. Weiss visibly flinched at the sudden change in tone and language. "Ruby's not the most mature one out there, but she's hardly foolish, Yang. I doubt she'd ever get into a situation she couldn't handle on her own. Maybe her scroll just lost signal, or she's busy fighting something to look at her scroll. And she's not that weak either. I'm sure she's just running late"
"Maybe she's somewhere in the Emerald Forest?" suggested Weiss "We still have sometime before sundown so..we could do a quick look around before curfew. Worst case, we'll have to let the professors know. Stupid, stupid Ruby! I swear I'll if we get into trouble with the professors because of you I'll-!"
"Not if we're back before sundown" said the black-haired teen of the group "But not alone. How about we get some help? Maybe team JNPR could-"
Blake froze in her words, when she noted the familiar red cloak that stood out even amidst the dim orange-red hues of twilight. And evidently, so had her teammates, for not a second later, a yellow blur sped past her before she breathed a sigh of relief. She knew Ruby was about to get the scolding of her life from both of her other teammates, but atleast she was back in one piece, seemingly unharmed.
As the three of them rushed towards their teammate, it was evident something seemed off. Yang had made no effort to conceal her anger, and yet, the dark-haired girl seemed to be in a calm daze. Her bright silver eyes, which were usually filled with life and light, appeared almost tarnished and dull, but seemed to possess a strange glint that almost made them halt in their tracks. It was as though her eyes were seeing right through them, peering into their very souls.
"There you are! Where the hell have you been!? We've been looking for you for hours! Not cool, sis! How many times have I-"
If her eyes hadn't done so, then what Ruby did next certainly did stump Yang, Weiss and Blake. Reaching out slowly with her hand, she lightly caressed Yang's cheek, still sporting the same lost, melancholy look on her face. Without saying a single word, the girl continued to caress and stroke the blonde brawler's face, lovingly, and gently.
"..."
"...Ruby…what..are you?" questioned Blake with a confused look, while Yang had gone completely speechless, and looked concerned. As if breaking out of her daze, Ruby then locked eyes with Blake, and then with Weiss, giving both of them the same, lost, melancholy look, before stroking both of their faces as well, in the same gentle manner. Weiss nearly slapped away her hand out of reflex, the scene too surreal and strange, not to mention the uncanny familiarity with which Ruby gazed at her. And yet, she couldn't.
The silver eyed teen then grabbed all three of her teammates in a strong hug, surprising the trio once more.
"Ru-ruby, what the-?!"
"H-hey, what's going on-?!"
"Wh-wha..that was sudden, what's going on?! Explain yourself Ruby!" demanded Weiss, her expression half-concerned and half-annoyed and yet, the scythe wielding girl merely continued to hug them without saying a single word.
"Sorry about that, I hope you don't mind kiddo. I couldn't help it"
That was all her older self said, but Ruby Rose needed no further words to understand.
"No….it's alright" was all she could muster mentally. Her mind was overwhelmed by the sheer depth of emotions she could feel from her older self. She never ever considered just meeting her friends and family like any other day could bear so much weight to someone. And that she would feel something so strong, so heavy, about a fact that she'd clearly taken for granted.
15 years. When her older self had explained it to her prior, it was hard for her to grasp just how significant that timespan was. And yet, the sheer well of emotions she could feel from her other self told her enough. Mentally, she could feel tears pouring down on her. Yet there was not a single drop of tear on her face. Almost as though her older self simply lost the ability to shed them.
Yang on the other hand, visibly concerned.
"Oy…say something! Ar-are you hurt somewhere? Let me see-woah! What is that?!" she exclaimed, noticing a rather large rip on her cloak, the clothing on her legs, and even some on her skirt. Her boots were caked in dirt as well.
"Did you get into trouble again?" sighed Weiss, still confused about being bear hugged by her younger teammate. "And what is this, an emotional reunion for the ages?"
"It's alright, everything is fine now" assured Blake. Clearly her teammate had gone through something extremely life threatening, or something thereof but managed to come back scared, but otherwise alright. Though it did puzzle Blake as to how her leader looked fine physically even though her clothes indicated otherwise. "I don't know what happened Ruby, but I'm glad to see you back unhurt. Whatever it is, it's fine now"
The youngest member of team RWBY slowly retracted from her friends with an amused smile.
"Hehe, I can't say I've missed this! Don't worry, it's nothing. I guess she…I mean, I did get into some trouble, but it's all good now. I was just training, and got into some unexpected trouble with some Grimm. All good, sis" she said cheerfully, patting Yang's head. Her dull grey eyes were still focused on the three of them. "Sorry about that"
"You're….really weirding me out, you know that?" commented Weiss, giving her a suspicious side eye. "I can't say I know what happened, but you're just about the only person I know that would be this cheerful after nearly escaping a nasty encounter with Grimm. But now that I think about it, that's just like you"
"Why didn't you answer any of our calls?! What did I say about not having your scroll with you, Rubes?" asked Yang angrily, though it was clear her anger from before had subsided substantially, replaced by worry.
"Ah, sorry about that. I think it ran out of juice, or I was a bit too focused on getting away that I didn't really notice" she replied, fumbling around her clothes, until her hands felt something rectangular from within one of her pockets. She eyed the rectangular transparent looking tablet in her hands, as though examining an artifact from a long lost time, before fumbling around until the screen popped up.
"Did you hit your head too hard?" asked Weiss, raising her eye. "What are you doing?"
"Ah…sorry Weiss, I'm still a little dazed, just gathering my bearings that's all" she chuckled. "Anyway, as you can see, it seems busted. I really should learn how to be better prepared, even when training out in the wild" she sighed, nodding her head. "I promise I'll do better next time, and make sure to tell you guys if I do head out"
"You're…acting really strange. You….sure you're fine?" asked Yang, creasing her brows in concern. She began feeling Ruby's forehead for signs of fever, but the silver haired lass appeared to be fine, atleast on the surface. "This isn't like you at al-"
"It's fine, it's fine, don't think too much about it Yang" pressed Ruby, patting Yang's head cheerfully once more. "I'm just tired, I didn't think I'd make it back home in one piece, that's all. So…I'm just a little out of my head for the moment. If you don't mind, is it alright if we grab something to eat first? I'm starving, sis"
Blake paused for a bit, before answering "Yeah….sure. It's dinner time anyway, perhaps we can even talk over dinner"
It was clear something was odd, and all three of them had different reasons for their different levels of questioning looks decorating their faces. But the leader of team RWBY simply walked on, a small smile still adorning her face, unconcerned about said expressions on her friends' faces.
As the team headed off to the city streets to fill their bellies, Yang, Blake and Weiss did not miss their leader's enthusiasm as she observed the buildings and people alike, her eyes seemingly noticing things only she could see.
"It's so different" said Ruby to herself. "Everyone seems somewhat on edge, but life still goes on. I guess home would be the same too, if Hollows were visible to everyone"
Weiss raised her eyes, eyeing her companion "What are you even talking about? Still 'gathering your bearings?' "
"Something like that. So don't mind me, just for today. I'm just letting off some tension. And I was just thinking about how the Grimm could attack anytime, and yet, people here have accepted it as something so normal. And they seemed used to it too. I guess Huntsmen being a thing is assuring, but that alone wouldn't be enough to maintain a safespace like this" she replied.
"Yes but hasn't it always been that way?" questioned Blake, tilting her head. "You're talking as though you're realizing that for the first time in your life. I'm fairly certain most people grow up knowing this, let alone those coming here to train to become huntsmen"
"I knew you were a little too green behind the ears, but there's a limit to how sheltered one can be" remarked Weiss skeptically. "Perhaps I was wrong to think you'd grown up a little" she sighed.
"Heh, if only that were so, Weiss. Well, I mean, of course we're taught that, but still, when you see and realize it for yourself, when you really think about it, I can't help but be impressed at what people can achieve when they're really pushed to the limit" she said, her eyes scanning the streets and the people once more. "Unlike myself and Yang, both of you have, no doubt, seen many things in your life. Even so, there's many more things to learn, you two. And much more of the world to see. I wouldn't start getting complacent just yet. Learning about something in textbooks and actually experiencing it are two very different things, you know?"
The young Rose Huntress felt a light bonk to her head from her sister karate-chopping her. "Geez, since when did my 15 year old baby sister start talking like dad? Has he been teaching you stuff? Just what the heck did you do out there today? Are you REALLY ok, sis? Head feeling all good?"
"Ahahaha, sorry sorry, I just started rambling out of nowhere, don't pay too much attention to it sis" assured the dark haired teen. "Anyway, let's go and get something to eat"
There was a small pause, following which, Blake felt the need to speak up.
"Ok, I'm definitely not the only one thinking-"
"There's something up with Ruby" stated Weiss as though it were fact at this point, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at the red cloaked teenager as she walked on, lost in her own world. "Did I really get schooled by that little pipsqueak on how the world works?! Me, the second daughter of the Schnee family?!"
"That's…not what I was referring to" corrected the Faunus, "Although, that is a part of it. But no, I meant the way she spoke…I've never heard Ruby speak that way. Her mannerisms, her tone, and most importantly, her eyes. I've never seen her look so…."
"Adult like?" asked Yang, "Yeah, tell me about it"
Blake nodded her head. "Mhm. Well, that's one way to look at it, but..how should I put this? I…when I think about looking her dead in the eye, I almost cowered. I could feel my hair stand up at its end. If she'd glared at me, I would've frozen where I stood. If she'd raised her voice, she would've gotten my attention no matter what I was doing. She had this….presence. Call it my instincts, but….very, very few people have ever given off such an imposing presence"
"What? Are you being serious?" asked Yang incredulously.
"You know, I think I would agree" added the snow princess. "Now I see why I felt so strange. When she was talking to you, Yang, and to the two of us, I was reminded of Winter. I thought that was really odd, and now that you mention that, it makes sense. Even the way she was patting you down, Yang. It felt like I was watching a mom school her child, not a pipsqueak being shameless about being caught with mischief like she should be"
Yang had a stiff expression on her face. "...that's crazy. What's up with that…" she trailed off, unsure of her own thoughts. "Are you telling me something happened to Ruby? You can't really be serious can you" she questioned her friends, half smiling, half confused.
"Yang! Blake! Weiss! What're you doing just standing here?" came a familiar voice, and they could see bright silver eyes staring at them, blinking with a questioning pout on her face. "I'm starving! Is something the matter?" she asked, tilting her head.
The three looked at each other with questioning looks, and then back at Ruby. No matter how they observed or looked, all that appeared to their eyes now, was the 15 year old leader of team RWBY, with the same naive look on her face, bright silver eyes filled with life, and a look that told them exactly that; Ruby Rose was indeed starving and impatient to get a bite to eat, as though the person they met before was nothing more than an illusion, caused by the shadows cast by the setting sun.
"Uh..yeah sure sis" nodded Yang, somewhat relieved. Blake gave one last glance at her teammate. Whatever presence she'd felt from her leader was gone.
"Geez, fine, let's go already. Ruby, you'd better tell us everything about what you were doing, if we get into trouble with the professors, I'll have you take responsibility!" insisted Weiss, and the four then set off.
The rest of the evening was uneventful, save for the earful that Ruby received from her older sister and Weiss at the dinner table for her private training session.
While Ruby left out the details of her fateful meeting with her older self, as well as the number of Grimm that had actually cornered her. Ruby Rose did call out to her older self for help, she merely received a 'No can do, you were the one who went out alone training, not me. And I'm not going to have you shy away from responsibility'.
Eventually, they were back at the familiar dorm room of Team RWBY, and Ruby couldn't help but stare at the scene that was once her home, the haphazardly arranged bunk beds, stacks of books scattered here and there, cosmetics, clothes and everything else a typical teenage all-girls room would have. It took her all her willpower to not examine everything in detail, to once again recover her memories of a time long gone.
"Something the matter?" asked Blake, picking up a book from her shelf.
"Oh…nothing really. It's just really nice to be back. I didn't think I'd make it here" she replied, staring out of the window, gazing at the broken fragments of the moon. "It's been a long day. I think I'll catch some sleep. Don't stay up too late either guys, it's not healthy in the long run"
"Yes yes mom, don't you worry about us" sighed Yang sarcastically, "And since when were you such a stickler for being such a goody two shoes anyway? You just worry about yourself, sis, I'm still mad about earlier so don't think you can get scoot free"
It didn't take long before each of the respective residents of the dorm room to fall asleep, each one doing so at different times before the room was finally silent, and the only thing illuminating it was faint moonlight.
"Can't sleep?" asked the 5th Espada.
"Mhm. I still can't believe so much happened. It feels unreal. But…are you sure you don't want Yang Weiss and Blake to know about you?" asked the younger Rose.
"To be honest, I don't mind either way. I don't really have a reason to hide it, but I just thought it would be nice to see your life as it is; that won't happen if I revealed myself. But in time, I will. Basically, if it happens, that's that. As I said, I don't really want to 'hide' myself, I don't have a reason to. But things are nice as they are as well" she replied.
"Oh..alright. But does that mean you want me to-?"
"I would love to explore Remnant as 'myself', but I don't mind doing it through your eyes. I also think that's for the best. I should help to make your life better, not stunt your growth instead. I think both of us need a bit of time to figure out how to make that work. For both of our sakes" suggested the older Ruby. "But until then, just take it easy kiddo"
Some more time passed in silence, but Ruby Rose simply couldn't fall asleep.
"How about I read you a story?" suggested the 5th Espada. "I say story, but let's just say these are based on real events" she winked mentally. "It started many years ago, back when a young huntress in training was still unsure about herself. And she was.-"
As her older self's soft, droning voice filled her mind, waves of sleep permeated her headspace. As the last bits of her vision faded into peaceful sleep, she could see a face that reminded her of her own, except looking older. But before she could make out anything more, her mind faded to black.
I've been a great deal busy, but thankfully I managed to finish this chapter.
I've gotten a lot of DMs from folks wanting to commission art, because they liked the story, but unfortunately I have no intention of commissioning anyone for artwork since I myself am an artist and hence make my own art for the fic, which I have done so in the past. So if you've sending DMs for promoting your art profile or art page asking me to commission you for artwork, I will ignore/block said DMs since it can be quite tedious when I get so many of them.
Thanks for the continued support and for the reviews! I do read them, but I want to avoid posting replies in chapters and keep more story and less of the author's notes and the like. I'll either reply to you in DM for reviews if you have an account, but I unfortunately can't do that for guest reviews. But know that I do read them and reflect on them. Thanks once again for the support!