'Thought' "Speaking" {On the Phone}
Aqua opened the door to her hotel room and Emerald walked in. Aqua then placed down the bags of clothes she had Raven help her buy so that she and Emerald would be stuck wearing the same thing every day, plus Aqua knew she was going to need to change clothes if she was going to be here a while. She then saw that Emerald was looking out the balcony window at the night sky.
"Emerald, come on, let's get you cleaned up, then get some sleep." Aqua said, opening the bathroom door. Once Aqua got Emerald in the tube she started the shower up and saw the dirt wash down the drain then saw that Emeralds hair was really mint green not dark brown like she thought she had. 'They really did treat her kindly.' Aqua then saw a few scars on her back and felt bad for the girl. Once she was done Aqua dried Emerald off and got her into a plain yellow shirt and pajama pants with monkeys on them. "Now stay out here while I get changed." When Aqua left the bathroom, she saw Emerald standing in the exact place she left her looking at the bed looking unsure she should lay on it. Aqua then searched through the bags and found a monkey plushie. "Hey Emerald," Emerald immediately looked at Aqua scared she did something wrong till Aqua handed her the monkey plushie she picked out earlier. "Come on, let's get some sleep." Aqua put Emerald in bed and laid next to her. "You have nothing to worry about, I'll never let anyone hurt you again." Aqua then began to sing.
You'll be in my heart (movie version)
By Phill Collins
Come stop your crying
It will be all right
Just take my hand
Hold it tight
I will protect you
From all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry
For one so small
You seem so strong
My arms will hold you
Keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
Can't be broken
I will be here
Don't you cry
'Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more
Emerald eyes slowly closed holding the plushie tightly as Aqua stroked her cheek softly.
You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here
In my heart, Always
Aqua kissed Emerald on the forehead as she slept and turned the light out.
Always
Sinking was the best way to describe how Ruby felt at the moment. She opened eye slowly as her feet came to touch an invisible surface. Ruby quickly looked around not seeing anything then took a step back, the next moment the floor lit up. Ruby saw a flock of doves fly and to reveal the floor that looked like a round stained-glass window. It was mainly red with an image of a woman that looked to be Summer sleeping soundly, but the hair was different, and Ruby got the feeling it wasn't her mother.
"Is that me when I grow up?" Ruby said slowly, placing a hand on her face. "I look like mommy." Ruby then saw five circles near her head, one yellow, one blue, one white, one light green, and the last was a dark green. "I feel like they should have someone in them."
"So much to do, so little time." a voice said. "All in good time."
Ruby quickly looked around then asked loudly, "Who's there? Show yourself." Just then a light shined down near the center of the floor.
"Don't be afraid. Step towards the light." the voice requested. "Can you, do it?"
'Of course I can.' Ruby thought as she felt like the light was calling her and walked under it feeling its warmth. A rumbling sound then came, and Ruby looked around to see three pedestals appeared. A light soon shined down on all three with a sword appearing on one, a shield on another and what looked like a wand on the third.
"Great power sleeps within you," the Voice explained "It merely requires a form. So that you may use its strength. Choose well."
Ruby walked over to the shield and reached out her hand.
"The power of the guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all." the voice explained. "Is this the power you seek?"
Ruby looked at the shield then retracted her hand and said, "No this isn't it." she looked back at the other two objects. And walked over to the one that looked like a wand and reached out her hand once more.
"The power of Mystic," the Voice explained. "Inner strength, a staff of wonder and ruin. Is this the power you seek?"
"I don't understand that, but this is it either," Ruby said, moving her hand away. She then looked towards the sword. As she got the pedestal she reached for the sword.
"The power of the warrior," the Voice exclaimed. "Invincible courage, a sword of terrible destruction. Is this the power you seek?"
"This is the one that I want." Ruby said, taking hold of the sword. The sword quickly disappeared causing Ruby to frown. "Hey what happened."
"With your path set," The voice explained. "What will you give up in exchange?"
Ruby looked at the other two objects and said, "The shield was like kindness to aid a friend. Mommy always said, "Kindness is our greatest virtue"." Ruby then pointed at the staff. "I get rid of the weird stick thingy."
"You've chosen the power of the Warrior," the Voice claimed. "And given up the power of Mystic. Is this the form you choose."
"Yes." Ruby said aloud. Just then the pedestals sank back into the glass as it dissolved from the outer edge towards the center. Ruby could do nothing as she lost her footing and fell. As she fell, she saw below another round stained-glass window, but this one had her father TaiYang on it holding a bottle of happy juice and a look of purpose. He had three circles near his head, one showed Qrow, another showed Yang's mother Raven, and the last one showed a blurred picture of Summer Rose, Ruby's mother. "Mommy." suddenly the sword from earlier appeared in her hand.
"You have gained the power to fight." the Voice said. Ruby then saw movement in the corner of her eye. "There will come times where you have to fight." Soon the shadows from before surrounded her. "Keep your light burning strong and bright."
"What are these things doing here?" Ruby questioned backing away only to soon find that she was near the edge. "I can't fight them, I…" Ruby then thought back to the voice's words. (There will come times where you have to fight, keep your light burning strong and bright.). "Okay, I can do this. I need to be brave." Ruby held the sword with both hands and ran towards the Heartless. She clumsily swung the sword, taking out one of the Heartless. She went for another and connected but lost her balance and tumbled to the ground. The last shadow jumped at her. Ruby quickly rolled out of the way then stood tall and impaled the shadow in the chest, making it dissolve into smoke. The remaining Heartless soon returned to the shadows as Ruby jumped with joy at her victory. "Yes, I did it!"
"Behind you little one." the voice warned.
Ruby turned around to one last Heartless and quickly struck it, as it dissolved into a pool of shadow, more shadow pools soon appeared encasing the floor. Soon Ruby started to sink into the pool of shadow herself, she tried to struggle but in a matter of seconds the world went dark. Ruby's silver eyes opened wide as she gasped for air. She quickly looked around to see she was on a different stained-glass floor. This was a picture of both Qrow and Raven in a yin yang style with Qrow's head near Raven's feet and raven's head near Qrows feet, both holding their receptive weapons. Raven had two circles near her head as well: one of Taiyang and the other of Yang smiling. While Qrows head only had one circle, but Ruby couldn't tell who it was because it was so blurry, and in the center of the glass was a bigger circle with a picture of Summer Rose holding a baby Ruby.
'I really miss you mommy.' Ruby thought seeing the picture. Just then a lone white door appeared. Ruby softly walked over and opened the door blinded by the light, but she pushed through feeling something calling. As the light died down, she saw that she was now standing in front of her house with her father sitting on the steps of the porch, Qrow leaning on the railing to his left and Yang standing on the grass on the right.
"Hold on. The door won't open just yet." the voice explained. "First, tell me more about yourself."
"What are you talking about?" Ruby said back. "You're not making any sense at all." Ruby walked up to Yang and took hold of her hand. "Yang? Yang?!"
"What's most important to you?" Yang asked emotionlessly.
"What Yang, what are you talking about?" Ruby said, pulling Yang's arm. "What's going on?"
"What's most important to you?" Yang asked emotionlessly once more.
"Fine, my family and friends." Ruby answered somewhat annoyed.
"Are family and friends really a big deal?" Yang questioned.
"They help shape us into who we want to be." Ruby quickly said back. When Yang didn't say anything else Ruby looked towards Qrow who was leaning on the railing looking out into the woods. She softly tugged on his pants leg.
"What are you afraid of?" Qrow asked next with no emotion at all.
Ruby thought for a moment then answered, "Losing those that I care about."
"Is losing those you care for really that scary." Qrow questioned.
"I already lost mommy; I don't want to lose anyone else." Ruby mumbled sadly. She then looked at her father and tapped his leg.
"What do you want outta life?" Taiyang asked, looking towards Ruby.
"To be a Huntress like my mommy." Ruby answered without a second thought.
"You want to be a Huntress huh." TaiYang said calmly, making Ruby feel hurt that her father was supporting the clam.
"You care for your friends and family." the voice stated. "You fear losing those you hold close. You want to be a Huntress." Ruby then noticed that the world started to change once more. "Your adventure begins at dawn. As long as the sun is shining, your journey should be a pleasant one."
"The dose sounds nice." Ruby said.
"The day you restore the light, is both far off and very near." the voice explained.
The light from earlier soon engulfed everything forcing Ruby to close her eyes. When she opened then again, she saw a new stained-glass window under her, but didn't recognize any of the people in it. It had a boy with blond hair asleep holding a sword in his right hand, but the boy also looked sad. Near his head where three circles, one had a girl with long scarlet hair in a ponytail and green eyes with bit of blush on her face, the one to the left had another girl in it but with short ginger hair and teal eyes that looked scared about something, the one on the right had a boy with black hair and a serious look.
"Who are they?" Ruby questioned aloud. "All the others were of people I knew, but I don't know these ones." Then out of nowhere, a stairway of pure stained glass appeared. Ruby approached it looking to see where it led but it was too far. "Guess I'm going up."
As Ruby walked up the stairs she saw another round stained-glass window, but this one seemed different from the other ones. Once she was to the glass, she saw that it was Aqua who had three circles around her head. One was of a boy with spiky blond hair that seemed to be sleeping. Another was of a man that's hair was two different colors split down the middle, one half being brown and the other was pale white. The third circle was of a man with long black hair, but the picture was cracked.
"What?" Ruby questioned.
Just then a light shined down near the center, Ruby slowly walked under it feeling a warmth.
"The closer you get to the light," the voice claimed. "The greater your shadow becomes." Ruby immediately saw that her shadow had extended all the way to the edge of the platform. The shadow then started to rise off the ground taking on a new form. "But don't be afraid. And don't forget…"
Ruby quickly backed away in terror soon reaching the edge of the platform, seeing her shadow now look like a woman with snow white hair, blood red irises with black sclera's and skin that was pale as a ghost with what seemed to be black cracks along her face wearing a long black dress.
'A monster.' Ruby thought, holding the sword with both hands.
Black clawed hands soon appeared out of the ground reaching for Ruby, but she moved out of the way and swung her sword destroying a few of the hands. She quickly took a step back but found her leg caught by one of the hands. Soon a pool of black gunk opened up, pulling her door as the women shrieked.
"But don't be afraid." the voice explained. "For you hold the mightiest weapon of all." Ruby began to struggle trying not to sink into the pool of darkness. "So don't forget:" darkness soon coved Ruby's face as her silver eyes stared at the women looking down at her. "You're the one that will return the light." Ruby saw nothing but darkness.
Ruby quickly shot up out of bed to see she was in her and Yang's room. She looked to the side to see Yang still asleep snoring. Ruby then crawled out of bed and carefully got into Yang's bed next to her and snuggled close to her sister. Yang soon rolled over and hugged Ruby close.
"It's okay Ruby, ... I'm here." Yang mumbled, still asleep. Ruby closed her eyes and hugged her sister back, falling asleep once more.
Aqua woke up to see Emerald soundly sleeping next to her holding her monkey plushie tightly. 'She really is an adorable little thing.' Aqua thought as she quietly got out of the bed. "Better start making something for us to eat when she wakes up." Aqua started making pancakes then added a few blueberries hoping Emerald would like it. She then heard the sound of yawning. "Well morning sleepy head, give me a minute and breakfast will be ready." Aqua started making pancakes then added a few blueberries hoping Emerald would like it. She then heard the sound of yawning. "Well morning sleepy head, give me a minute and breakfast will be ready."
"Okay." Emerald yawned as she took a seat at the table rubbing her eyes.
"Hope you like blueberry Pancakes." Aqua said, setting down a plate with three cut up pancakes on it for Emerald while she took two. "And don't worry I can make more if you want." The moment Emerald took a bite she immediately started eating like crazy. "Slow down Em, it's not going anywhere." Seeing Emerald eat brought a thought to Aqua. "Um Emerald, how old are you?" Emerald looked at Aqua then held eight fingers, Aqua then saw that Emerald was a little small for her age. "Would you like seconds?"
"Yes please." Em said, holding her plate out.
A knock soon came to the door as Aqua got Emerald another helping of pancakes.
"Who is it?" Aqua asked loudly, giving Emerald her refilled plate.
"It's me," a voice answered. Aqua then opened the door to see Qrow on the other side. "Just came by to see how you and the kid were doing."
"We're doing alright." Aqua said allowing Qrow into the room.
The moment Emerald saw Qrow clenched the monkey plushie and slowed her eating down.
"Still scared of me huh." Qrow asked, already knowing the answer.
"Not just you," Aqua said, cleaning her plate off. "She's afraid of most adults. When we were out shopping, she'd hold on to my skirt like it was her only hope of surviving."
"How does that work for you then?" Qrow questioned. "Unless you're younger than I thought."
"You shouldn't ask a lady her age, but if you must know I'm turning twenty in about three months" Aqua said back
'So young and yet she's that strong without an aura or semblance.' Qrow thought. Qrow looked back at Emerald then said, "Maybe you should bring her over to Tai's place. She can play with Ruby and Yang while we talk. Tai wants to make sure he understands everything you're going to be teaching his daughter, plus we could use the help in fixing the house."
"Okay, give me a moment to get us changed then we can go." Aqua said seeing Emerald get up from the table.
Qrow walked out of the room while Aqua and Emerald changed. After a while the door opened again with Emerald now wearing dark green overalls with a blue shirt and light brown shoes holding her plushie. Aqua had changed out her usual clothes and was now wearing the same black and blue high collared halter top with pink intersecting belts over her chest, but instead of her white sleeves she now had a dark blue open vest and black fingerless gloves that went to her elbows. She also traded her black shorts for blue while she had a long white cloth that went around her waist and opened in the front tied with a blue stripe of cloth to hold it up. She now had on a pair of blue combat boots with silver buckles.
"Ready to go?" Aqua said, closing the door.
"Let's move out." Qrow said, leading the way as the two girls followed.