Chapter 27: Old Friends, New Light

The Tower hangar buzzed with its usual activity as the two ships touched down, their engines cooling with soft hisses of released pressure. Amanda Holliday paused in her work, wrench frozen mid-adjustment as she watched the passengers disembark. Her eyes widened as she recognized two figures she'd only ever seen in historical archives and worn photographs in the Tower's halls.

"Holy shit," she breathed, setting down her tools. "That's... that's Ruby Rose and Oscar Pine. The actual legends themselves."

Ruby helped Oscar down Nova's ramp, his steps steadier now but still careful. The hangar's familiar scents of oil and ozone washed over them, a homecoming neither had expected to experience again. Around them, the usual bustle of activity began to slow as recognition spread through the gathered Guardians and workers.

Lord Shaxx's thunderous footsteps approached from across the hangar, his massive frame casting a long shadow. "Ruby Rose!" his voice boomed, carrying equal measures of joy and disbelief. "I thought I felt a familiar Light! And Oscar—you clever bastard, you actually made it back!"

Ruby's silver eyes crinkled with a warm smile. "Shaxx. Still shouting, I see."

"And you're still understating everything!" Shaxx laughed, clapping a hand on her shoulder that would have staggered a lesser Guardian. "Centuries of silence, and that's all you have to say?"

"Some things don't need shouting," Ruby replied with a hint of her old mischief.

Oscar managed a weak smile. "Though you'll do it anyway, old friend."

A small crowd had begun to gather, drawn by Shaxx's booming voice and the palpable surge of Light that accompanied Ruby and Oscar's return. Older Guardians pushed forward, their expressions a mix of awe and recognition. Younger ones whispered among themselves, passing stories they'd only heard in legends.

A flash of blue light announced Ikora Rey's arrival as she transmatted directly into the hangar, her usually calm demeanor betraying hints of urgency. Her eyes locked onto Oscar, studying him with the intensity only a Warlock could muster.

"Your theories," she said without preamble. "About the spaces between realities. They were correct?"

Oscar straightened slightly, scholar recognizing scholar. "More than I knew. And more dangerous than I imagined."

Ikora's expression sharpened. "We have much to discuss. The Vanguard needs to know everything you discovered."

"The Vanguard can wait," Ruby interjected, her tone brooking no argument. "Oscar needs rest, and we all need time to prepare." Her silver eyes met Ikora's. "What's coming... we'll need to be at full strength."

Ikora studied Ruby for a long moment before nodding. "Very well. But soon." She turned to address the gathered crowd. "Give them space. There will be time for reunions later."

As the crowd reluctantly began to disperse, Amanda approached, twirling her wrench with practiced ease. "So," she drawled, trying to maintain her professional composure despite her awe, "I suppose you'll be needing ships for whatever mission brought legends back to the Tower?"

Ruby's lips curved into a small smile. "That obvious, is it?"

"The histories all mention that look," Amanda replied, her expression growing serious. "When Ruby Rose shows up with a purpose, worlds tend to shake. Whatever you need, you've got it. Maybe you can even tell me if half the stories about you are true."

"We'll need something that can handle the Dreadnaught's defense systems," Penny added, stepping forward. "Our current ships won't be enough."

Amanda's eyebrows shot up. "The Dreadnaught? Well now, that's not ominous at all." She shook her head with a grin. "Give me a few days. I might have something that'll work."

As the others discussed logistics, Blake noticed Adam standing apart from the group, his posture tense as he watched the reunions unfold. She approached quietly, her feet silent on the hangar floor.

"You could join them," she suggested softly. "They're your old friends too."

Adam's jaw tightened. "That was a long time ago."

"Time doesn't erase what matters," Blake countered, her golden eyes studying his profile. "Ruby proved that."

Before Adam could respond, Ruby's voice called out to him. "Adam! Get over here, you brooding idiot. We've got planning to do."

A ghost of a smile touched Adam's lips as he pushed off from the wall. Some things really didn't change, even across centuries.

The group began to move toward the Tower proper, their steps carrying them toward whatever challenges lay ahead. They had found each other across time and space, gathered warriors old and new for one final mission.

Now they just had to survive it.

Yang found herself at a table surrounded by eager listeners, a glass of something glowing and purple in her hand. She wasn't entirely sure what it was, but a boisterous Exo Hunter had insisted it was "traditional for celebrations."

"So you actually fought alongside Lady Rose?" a young Warlock asked, her eyes wide with wonder. "The Lady Rose?"

Yang couldn't help but grin. "Well, technically we just escaped a Hive-infested moon together, but yeah."

"I heard she once held off an entire Fallen house with nothing but a flaming scythe," another Guardian chimed in, his Ghost projecting old grainy footage of Arc energy cutting through darkness.

"The scythe part's true at least," Blake commented from her perch on a nearby railing, her ears twitching with amusement as she watched Yang navigate the attention.

Weiss stood with a group of Warlocks who were practically vibrating with excitement as they discussed Oscar's theoretical works. Her attempts to maintain dignified composure were repeatedly undermined by their infectious enthusiasm.

"Lord Pine's papers on trans-dimensional physics were centuries ahead of their time!" one Warlock exclaimed, his robes crackling with barely contained Arc energy. "The implications for understanding the Ascendant Plane alone—"

"Are still highly theoretical," Weiss interjected, though she couldn't completely hide her own fascination. "And possibly dangerous."

"But brilliant!" another added. "The way he mapped the intersections between realities—"

Penny floated between groups, her wings catching the evening light as she shared her own observations. "Ruby's fighting style is absolutely unique," she explained to a cluster of rapt New Lights. "The way she channels Arc energy through that scythe—it shouldn't even be possible!"

Throughout it all, Pyrrha watched with quiet amusement. She'd been the subject of similar attention after the Red War, but this was different. This wasn't just celebrating heroes—it was witnessing living legends return.

A group of Hunters had started a friendly sparring match, each trying to replicate Ruby's distinctive fighting style. Their attempts at spinning Arc staffs like scythes resulted in more than a few amusing tumbles.

"They're going to hurt themselves," Blake observed dryly as another Hunter face-planted attempting a particularly ambitious spin.

"Probably," Yang agreed cheerfully, raising her glass. "But can you blame them? It's not every day you get to drink with legends."

"We're hardly the legends here," Weiss pointed out, finally escaping the excited Warlocks. "Ruby and Oscar—what they did, what they discovered..."

"Changed everything," Penny finished, landing lightly beside them. "And now we're part of it."

The celebration continued as the sun set over the Last City, casting long shadows across the courtyard. Music drifted from somewhere, mixing with laughter and excited conversations. Stories were shared, some true, some embellished, all adding to the tapestry of legend that surrounded Ruby Rose and Oscar Pine.

For one evening at least, the weight of their mission could wait. Tonight was for celebrating unlikely reunions, impossible returns, and the hope that came with both.

A massive Titan in weathered armor pushed through the crowd, his voice carrying over the festivities. "Lady Rose, Lord Pine's return is a miracle, but what of Lord Arc? Were you able to find him as well?"

The question brought a momentary hush to the surrounding conversations. Penny stepped forward, her usually cheerful demeanor taking on a more serious edge.

"That's our next step," she said carefully. "We found Lord Pine, but Lord Arc... that's a mission for another day."

The Titan nodded solemnly, understanding the weight behind her words. The music and celebration gradually resumed, but underneath it all was a reminder that their work wasn't finished. One legend was still lost, waiting to be found.

They found a quiet spot in one of the Tower's gardens, away from the enthusiastic celebration still echoing through the corridors. Ruby sat on a low wall, her legs dangling over the edge as she watched the Traveler's light play across the City below. Oscar leaned against a pillar nearby, some of his strength finally returning. The others settled around them, forming a loose circle in the peaceful evening air.

Yang couldn't hold back anymore. She started laughing, the sound bright and genuine.

"I'm sorry," she managed between chuckles, "but 'Lady Rose'? 'Lord Pine'?" She gestured at Ruby and Oscar. "You're practically drowning in fancy titles down there."

Ruby groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Don't remind me. I tried to get them to stop centuries ago, but it just made it worse."

"The more you protest, the more formal they get," Oscar added with a wry smile. "Eventually you just learn to live with it."

"But you're just Ruby," Yang insisted, still grinning. "Our Ruby. The one who used to put cookies in her ammo pouches."

Ruby's head snapped up. "That was one time! And it was a perfectly valid combat strategy!"

"The crumbs attracted Fallen," Oscar reminded her dryly. "We had to fight off an entire pack of dregs because they could smell the chocolate chips."

"Worth it," Ruby muttered, though her silver eyes danced with mirth.

Blake's ears twitched with amusement. "I noticed they all seem to have their favorite stories about you two. The young Hunters are particularly fond of the one about the flaming scythe."

"Oh Light," Ruby sighed. "That story gets more elaborate every century. Next thing you know, they'll be saying I took down a Kell with nothing but a cookie and a stern lecture."

"That was Jaune, actually," Oscar said quietly, his smile turning nostalgic. "Though it was a granola bar, not a cookie."

A comfortable silence fell over the group as they remembered their missing friend. Below, the celebration continued, but up here, they could just be themselves – not legends or lords or ladies, just friends sharing a quiet moment under the stars.

"You know what's really strange?" Yang said finally. "Hearing all these stories about you, about who you became after... after everything. It's like you're still our Ruby, but you're also this whole other person they all look up to."

Ruby's expression softened. "I'm still me, Yang. Just... with a few more centuries of baggage." She paused, then grinned. "And a much cooler weapon."

"Lady Rose, the Legendary Scythe-Wielder," Yang intoned dramatically, ducking as Ruby threw a small twig at her head.

"Don't you start," Ruby warned, but her smile remained. "I get enough of that down there."

"What I really want to know," Yang said, leaning back against a pillar, "is how you three actually found each other again. After everything..."

Ruby and Oscar exchanged glances, a centuries-old memory passing between them.

"Well," Ruby began, absently touching the silver tree pendant at her throat, "I wasn't exactly looking for them at first. I was a Warlord back then, trying to protect my settlement—Moroznyy Kray."

"A Warlord?" Blake's ears perked up with interest.

"Not all Warlords were tyrants," Oscar explained. "Ruby used her power to protect people. The settlement under her control was once wild, chaotic. Thieves would steal crops, families would starve in winter..."

"So I did something about it," Ruby said firmly. "Created safe routes, established order. The Rose Roads, people called them." She smiled faintly. "That's actually how I found Adam first, dying over and over from starvation in the Russian winter."

"And you two?" Weiss asked, gesturing between Ruby and Oscar. "How did that reunion happen?"

Oscar's lips quirked. "Jaune and I were Iron Lords by then. We heard rumors of a silver-eyed Risen on the frontier who wielded a scythe of Arc light. We didn't really believe it could be Ruby, but..."

"But you had to know," Yang finished.

"Adam shot at them first," Ruby added with a laugh. "Thought they were the same Iron Lords who'd tried to claim our territory earlier. There we were, in the middle of this ridiculous firefight, when Oscar just... stops, takes off his helmet..."

"The look on your face," Oscar said softly, reaching for Ruby's hand. "All that time wondering if we'd ever find each other again..."

Ruby squeezed his hand. "I invited them to my cabin. The villagers prepared a feast. And somehow... it felt like coming home. Even after everything that had changed."

"That's when Oscar tried to convince you to join the Iron Lords, right?" Blake asked.

"He did," Ruby confirmed. "But I declined. Chose to remain independent, like Shaxx. But I worked with them, especially with Oscar and Jaune. It felt right, the four of us together again."

"And that's when you two..." Yang waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Ruby groaned while Oscar chuckled. "Not quite," he said. "That took a bit longer. Someone was too busy feeling guilty about her Warlord days to notice I was completely in love with her."

"And someone," Ruby countered, poking his side, "was too wrapped up in his research to just say something."

"Our Ghosts had to intervene," Oscar admitted. "Ozpin finally got tired of watching me pine away—no pun intended—and Crescent practically locked Ruby in a room with me."

"Up on that hill overlooking the valley," Ruby remembered warmly. "Both of us stumbling over our words, trying to confess at the same time..."

Oscar touched the iron rose brooch on his belt. "I gave her my Iron Lord pendant..."

"And I gave him my Iron Rose," Ruby finished, fingers brushing the tree pendant. "Promises made under the stars."

The others watched this exchange with varying degrees of emotion. Yang looked like she might burst from containing her "awws", while Blake smiled softly at the enduring love that had survived centuries.

"But it wasn't all romance and happy endings," Ruby added, her expression sobering. "The Great Disaster, losing Jaune, the centuries of searching... every bit of joy came with its share of pain."

Oscar nodded solemnly. "That's what immortality teaches you. Every moment—good or bad—shapes who you become. The trick is holding onto the parts worth keeping."

The distant sounds of celebration drifted up to their perch, carrying fragments of stories and songs about the heroes who had returned. But here, in this peaceful garden, they were just family – separated by centuries but somehow still the same at heart.

The Tower had grown quiet, the celebrations finally dying down as night settled over the Last City. Ruby led Oscar to her quarters—a modest space high in the Tower that had survived the Red War. His own rooms had been destroyed during the Cabal invasion, though in truth, they'd gathered dust for centuries while he was lost between realities.

The door closed behind them with a soft click, and for the first time since their reunion, they were truly alone. No admirers, no questions, no weight of legend or duty. Just them.

Ruby reached up, her fingers brushing Oscar's cheek. His hand covered hers, and the centuries between them seemed to melt away. The silver tree pendant at her throat caught the starlight streaming through the window, matching the gleam of the iron rose on his belt.

"I missed you," Ruby whispered, her silver eyes bright with unshed tears. "Every day, every year..."

Oscar pulled her close, centuries of longing finally finding release as their lips met. They fell together onto the bed, holding each other as if afraid the other might disappear again. The kiss deepened, carrying all the words they couldn't say, all the time they'd lost, and all the love that had endured.

Tomorrow would bring new challenges. The mission to save Jaune, the threat of Savathûn, the mysteries still waiting to be solved. But for now, in this quiet moment, they had found their way back to each other.

And that was enough. As starlight painted silver paths across the Tower walls, two souls, separated by centuries of darkness, found their way back to each other's light.

When morning's first rays crept through the window, they found scattered robes and armor pieces creating a trail across the floor - evidence of a passionate reunion.