Hey guys! Sorry I didn't end up getting this out last month, too much going on unfortunately. And I still managed to get it out by the end of the first day! Happy April Fools! I hope you all had a few laughs today, whether at your expense or someone else's. Thank you once again for sticking with me as long as you have, it's very much appreciated.
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
"Speech"
Thoughts
"Telepathic Speech"
Overlapping Speech
Chapter Fifty-Two: Salt The Wound
The world had come screeching to a halt, the very atmosphere had grown heavy, crackling with tension. Tai swallowed, his hands clasped in front of him, imperceptible tremors wracking through his entire body as he watched the reactions of those around him. Oscar and Penny were understandably shocked by the recounting of Summer's final hours, but they were more concerned with their friends. Qrow's hands had tightened into fists, his teeth clenched, staring off out the window, pure rage running through his veins. Slade's eyes were distant, hands covering his mouth and nose, breathing in and out as he processed the new information. Yang's eyes were red, tears threatening to fall, one hand rubbing Ruby's shoulder in an effort to comfort her, while the other was clenched so tightly, her knuckles had turned white. Ruby's mouth hung open, she felt like she couldn't breathe, her heart hammering against her ribcage. Her hands trembled, sliver eyes glistening, sparking from the intense emotion, the shock. She was the first to break the silence.
"Mom... lied..."
Tai's frown deepened "Yeah..."
"She wasn't the only one" Qrow growled out.
Oscar sighed "Raven"
"All this time she knew, she knew" Yang flashed Tai a look of disgust "How could she do that to us?"
"Summer wanted her-"
"Damn what she wanted!" Qrow slammed his fist into the wall, cracking it in anger "They lied to us, both of them! All this time I knew Raven had been holding something back, but Summer?!"
"Qrow, I know you're upset"
"Upset?!" he shouted "We're far past that! I need a... I need a..." he groaned in annoyance.
"That's the last thing you need right now" Penny chimed in.
"Who asked you?" he shot over his shoulder.
"Qrow, that's enough" Tai barked.
"Whatever" he stormed off "I'm going for a walk" he called as he swung the door open.
"Qrow-" the door slammed behind him, shaking the cabin.
"Mom lied to us... she left us" Ruby muttered.
Tai sighed "Yes, she did. To me, to you and Yang, to Qrow and Ozpin. She lied to everyone... because she thought it was for the best-"
"Well it wasn't the best for us" she snapped, surprising her father "She died for nothing"
His eyes narrowed "Ruby, you know that's not true"
"Then what the hell did she die for?" Yang countered.
"I know your mother, and I know she would've fought with everything she had, for you. Both of you... even if she was wrong to take this fight alone"
Ruby got to her feet abruptly "She may not have planned this, but she left US to win this fight! When she didn't even have to!"
"Ruby, you have every reason to be mad-"
"Mad is the smallest word for what I am, Dad"
"Your mother wanted to protect you-"
"Great job, Mom" she spoke just above a whisper.
"Ruby!" Tai snapped.
"What?! None of this matters anymore! Mom is dead, Pyrrha is dead, Ironwood is dead! We're no closer to stopping Salem! She can't even die!" she turned to Oscar "Thanks for leaving that little tidbit out, Oz!" she snapped.
"What?" Tai's eyes widened.
"Ruby-" Yang moved to her side.
"No" she shrugged her off "Don't, just... don't" her tears were finally falling. she turned away from the group, rushing up the stairs to her room.
"Ruby!" Yang called after her, receiving only a slammed door in response.
Tai turned to Oscar "Is that true?"
"It's... more complicated than it sounds. But yeah, that's the long and short of it"
He scoffed "Great, that's just great" he sighed, shaking his head, rubbing his eyelids "Yang"
"Yeah?"
"Are you... okay?" he asked carefully.
She shook her head "I think it'll be awhile for that, Dad. I just... can't forgive my mom for keeping the truth from us"
He nodded "I understand" his gaze shifted to Slade, still motionless, staring at nothing "What about him?"
She frowned, concern etched across her face "Slade?" she called, but recieved no response.
Penny frowned "Slade" she called louder, still, unresponsive.
Yang moved in front of him "Hey" she knelt down in front of him, one hand now resting on his shoulder.
He blinked, snapping out of the trance he was caught in "What? Did you say something?"
Her hand moved to cup his cheek "Are you okay? That was a lot to process, about Summer and your grandpa"
"Yeah, I, uh... I'm okay" his hand moved to hers, trying to reassure her "Just... can't believe he was really working for Salem"
She took his opposite hand in her own, pulling him to his feet "Slade" she gently wrapped her arms around him.
He returned the embrace "Hey, shouldn't I be the one comforting you here-ow!" she yanked on the bottom of his ear to shut him up.
"Shut up" she whispered "Grief isn't a contest"
He frowned "Yes, ma'am"
Oscar looked to the stairs "Is Ruby going to be okay?"
Tai sighed "I don't know, kid"
Yang pulled away from Slade "I don't think this is something she can just shake off"
"Qrow too, for that matter. Summer was family, one of the few people who ever truly accepted him. This is hitting him pretty hard" Tai explained.
"He's not the only one" Yang replied.
"I'll go keep an eye on him" Penny offered.
Yang smiled "Thanks, Penny"
She smiled back "Happy to help" then marched off without another word, leaving the cabin behind.
"Oscar" Tai called.
"Sir?"
"You and I need to have a talk, Oz has some explaining to do"
That's an understatement Ozpin noted.
You said it Oscar agreed.
"I'm gonna go check up on Ruby" Yang announced, making her way up the stairs.
Tai led Oscar into the kitchen, pulling the chair out on one end for him, then moving to the opposite end and taking a seat for himself. Oscar sat down, folding his hands in front of him. His eyes glistened for a moment, handing control over to Ozpin, allowing him to explain.
"Oz" Tai greeted "Is it true?"
Ozpin sighed "Yes, it's true. Salem cannot be killed"
Tai stared across the table at him, eyes wide "Salem... can't die..."
"Yes" Ozpin answered.
"How can you be sure?"
"The Relic of Knowledge houses a being, Jinn. She answers any three questions posed to her by the user. When I asked how to kill Salem, she told me I couldn't"
"You're sure? Could she simply have meant you individually? Maybe-"
"Believe me, Taiyang, I wish she had only been so literal in her response. I've reduced Salem to ash, and still she returns in mere moments. She heals from any wound inflicted upon her"
Tai was silent for a moment, processing before he asked "Who else knows?"
"The rest of the team from Atlas, they told Winter and James when they arrived in Atlas. Beyond that, just you, Raven, and all who serve Salem" he answered.
"Why? Why would you keep this from us? From Summer? We trusted you!" he shouted, getting to his feet.
Ozpin looked away in shame "Because I believed no one would willingly face her if they knew. I feared you would lose hope, or worse, take her side. But I was wrong"
Tai closed his eyes, struggling to maintain composure "Oz... do you actually have a plan to stop Salem?" he asked as his eyes opened.
He breathed deeply, exhaling before he answered "No"
Tai slammed his fist down into the table "Dammit, Oz! You're risking my daughter's lives without even a plan?! What the hell is wrong with you!" he shouted.
"I don't blame you for being upset. But I haven't forced Ms. Rose and Xiao Long to do anything. They have chosen to continue the fight against Salem, even knowing of her immortality. James was no different. He sacrificed his life to protect your children from her, and stop her from destroying his kingdom"
"The academies, the vaults, the Maidens, everything you've done to stop Salem from claiming the Relics... we became Huntsmen to stop people like Salem from killing innocent people. If Salem can't be killed, that means she can't be stopped. If that's true, THEN WHAT THE HELL WAS IT ALL FOR?!
"Tai, I'm sorry-"
He advanced on Ozpin "What else are you hiding from us? Huh?!" Ozpin's eyes met the floor. "OZPIN!" he shouted, reaching for him.
Tai was suddenly thrown back into the counter behind him, Slade stood between him and Oscar "That's enough" he declared.
"Enough?! He-"
"Lied, I know. Believe me, I understand how you feel, more than you know. But he is not the enemy here"
"Well he's certainly no friend" he spat.
Yang rushed into the kitchen, getting between them "Dad, stop!"
"Yang, I cannot allow you to face someone as dangerous as Salem-"
"You're not allowing us to do anything, Dad. Ruby and I are both old enough to make this decision for ourselves"
"But-"
"Dad" she forced him to look at her "We're not little girls anymore. You know that"
"I... I know..." he took her hands in his "But Salem... if she can't die..." he let the sentence hang.
Slade cleared his throat "Why don't we table this conversation for now. We've all got a lot to process"
"That's one way to put it" Tai muttered.
Winter sighed deeply "Councilor, I understand what you're saying. Frankly, I don't have time to concern myself with further elections for the remaining council seats. Until the threat in Vacuo has been handled-"
"How do you intend to handle this threat when Theodore remains uncooperative?" Radcliff asked.
"The same way we handled Branwen when you were uncooperative. By not leaving him a choice"
"Forgive me, General. But that sounds more like a threat than an offer of aid" he replied.
"I will not force my way into the kingdom and take over as my predecessor did with Vale. I won't repeat his mistakes. However, I will not stand by and allow Salem to obtain the Relic beneath Shade. If and when she makes her move, I'll be there" she declared.
"And Mantle?" Jacques asked.
"So long as you remain within the dome, the city will be safe from Salem and the Grimm. For the time being, I am trusting the two of you to handle local affairs, and to keep me in the loop if necessary. Beyond that, I wish to remain focused on Vacuo. At least until the danger has passed" she explained.
"Local affairs?" he asked surprised "You mean to focus on military action alone?"
"I intend to lead my people from the front" she answered "I'm not returning to Mantle. Not until we've secured Vacuo"
"I see..." Radcliff sighed "Then I wish you luck. You're going to need it to deal with Salem... and Theodore"
"You have no idea" her Scroll began ringing, she produced it from her pocket and looked the device over "If that will be all, Councilors. I have to take this"
Jacques nodded "Be careful, my daughter"
She smiled "Always. Give Whitley my love"
"Of course" the holographic display vanished as the call ended.
Winter quickly answered the call and placed it to her ear "Schnee" she answered.
"Winter, it's me"
She frowned at his sullen tone "Qrow? What's wrong?"
"It's, uh... about Summer"
"Summer Rose? Your old teammate? What of her?" Winter asked.
"Raven went to see Tai... told him how she died... that Salem killed her"
Winter understood immediately "I see. That's awful"
"Yeah... all these years wondering. Now I know..."
"Ruby and Yang?"
"Yeah, they know too. I'm sure they're taking it pretty hard"
"You don't know?" she asked surprised.
"I needed some air, to be anywhere but there... I just can't... I can't..."
"You don't have to say anything more if you don't wish to"
He let out a sigh "Thanks, Winter. I just... needed to hear your voice"
She smiled "I understand"
"So... how's everything coming with Theodore?" he asked, trying to distract himself.
She huffed "He's being his usual uncooperative self"
"Sounds like Theodore. Still not taking your calls?"
"Didn't give him a choice this time. I landed in his courtyard"
Qrow laughed "That's my girl. How'd he take that?"
"Not well" Winter chuckled "Still, it forced his hand. JNPR and RWBY are inside Shade. I dropped Neo off outside the city. Assuming she can handle herself enough to get past any Grimm there, she should be arriving anytime now"
"Sounds like you've got it all figured out. He know anything about what Salem has in store for Vacuo?"
"Not a clue. If he does know anything, he's playing it close to the chest. It's up to the others to learn what they can and report back. Once you join them, it'll be even easier. Theodore trusts you"
"Doesn't mean he'll tell me, just means he won't kick me out of the kingdom"
"Hence Slade and Neo's role. We attack this from all angles, we're less likely to let anything fall through the cracks"
"Yeah... so, you're on your way back to Mantle then?"
She laughed "Theodore certainly thinks so. Qrow, you know I can't leave. Not yet"
"I figured as much. You've always been stubborn, you and James both"
"One of our best qualities"
"Whatever you say, Ice Queen"
"Qrow... be careful. Please"
"You too, Winter. I'll give you a heads up when we're heading out"
"Thank you"
"Don't mention it" he ended the call a moment later.
Lowering the Scroll from her ear, she had a single message notification from Neopolitan "I'm in"
The sun had begun to set, peeking over the trees. Qrow stood at the edge of a cliffside, overlooking the forest below. At his feet was the gravestone of Summer Rose. He glared down at it, hands stuffed in his pockets. The only sound around him was the rustling of the grass as the wind swept through.
"All this time... I thought it'd been an accident, or a trick by Salem and her thugs. But now... now I find out it was you. You chose to leave. You" he spat.
He recieved no answer, of course. Not that he was expecting one. All the years she had missed. Ruby and Yang growing up, birthdays, their acceptance into Beacon... the day it fell. Even getting their official licenses. All because she had chosen to go fight Salem on her own instead of trusting her team. Because she believed she knew better. Guess Summer wasn't so perfect after all.
"Dammit... Summer, we were supposed to be a team. Why couldn't you have trusted us?"
"She did" Qrow turned on his heels, meeting Penny's gaze.
"What? How can you say that? She left us behind" he argued.
Penny shook her head "She trusted you to look after Ruby and Yang. Was there anything else more important?" she asked.
His eyes widened "I..."
She smiled "I think she made the right choice trusting you, even if she didn't in leaving"
Qrow grunted "Maybe" he turned his head toward the gravestone "Maybe..."
"We can't change the past, Qrow. I died once, and I know I didn't regret a single second of that life... because of Ruby"
"Yeah..."
"She's hurting right now, she needs us to be together. To be united, strong... for her"
Qrow allowed himself a small smile "You're right. Thanks, Penny" he patted her shoulder "Come on, let's head back" he suggested, leading the way.
She nodded "For what it's worth, Qrow. I'm sorry about Summer" she offered, following behind him.
"Yeah, me too"
Qrow transformed into Corvid form, with Penny soaring through the air right behind him. They quickly reached the cabin, landing in front of the door. He changed back into human form, opening the cabin door. He found Slade on the couch with Oscar, who both turned to the door as they entered.
"Hey, kids" Qrow called "Miss me?"
Slade scoffed "Only if you're done damaging the walls around here"
"Yeah, you missed me" he smirked.
"Qrow, are you...?" Oscar let the sentence hang.
"I'm okay, right, Penny?"
She nodded "We're in high spirits, despite the grim revelations"
"What she said" Qrow agreed. He sniffed the air "Tai cooking?"
Oscar nodded "I offered to help, but I think he needed some space"
Qrow frowned, but understood "Ruby and Yang?"
"Upstairs" Slade answered "She can't get Ruby to come out of her room"
He sighed "Guess I'd better try talking to them"
"Good luck" he called after him as Qrow made his way to the stairs.
Qrow waved his hand over his shoulder in acknowledgement. He made his way upstairs, stopping at the top when he caught sight of Yang. She was on the ground, resting against the door to Ruby's bedroom. She tilted her head enough to see Qrow as he approached, and sighed. She got to her feet, turning to face him as he reached the door.
"She locked the door, and she's not answering. I was worried she might've left out the window, Slade checked for me, she's still inside" she informed him.
"That bad, huh?"
"I haven't seen her like this since she found out Mom died. Could you try talking to her? You knew Mom better than we got to, and were just as pissed at the news"
"Yang, there aren't any magic words that'll make this go away. And if there are, I damn well don't know them. She needs time, try talking to her later"
"But-"
"I'll talk to her" they both turned toward the stairs.
"Slade? Are you sure?" Yang asked.
"Trust me, I understand what she's feeling right now"
"Okay" Yang nodded "Then we just have to figure out how to get Ruby to open the-" Slade passed right through it "-door..." she stared after him "I hate it when he does that" Qrow laughed.
Slade had never seen Ruby's room before, it was larger than he expected. Her bed was pushed against the wall closest to the window, opposite the doorway. Her pillowcases were red but the sheets were white. Beside the bed was a bedside table with a lamp on it and a small wooden chair beside it. Beside the window was a bookcase with a few fairytale stories and several Grimm figurines on display. Opposite the bookcase was a mirror with a dog bed beneath it for Zwei. Ruby sat on her bed with her legs in front of her, pulling them to her chest in an effort to make herself smaller. Her entire body was wracked by sobs, her face buried in her knees. Slade took a deep breath and moved to the side of her bed, taking the chair in one hand and flipping it to face the bed. He plopped himself down into it, leaning back into it with one arm over the back and his right leg crossed over his left knee. Having heard the sound of the chair moving, Ruby's sobbing slowed, one eye peeking up to see him. He offered a two fingered wave with his left hand, she turned her head away from him.
"I'm sorry" he offered.
She lifted her head up "For what? Not like you got Mom killed"
"No, but my grandfather did"
She frowned "Slade, that's not your fault"
"I know. But I'm still sorry... I didn't know"
"Do you... remember him?" she asked.
"Not really. I remember what he looked like, I remember how his voice sounded. But I couldn't place him in any particular memory I have if I tried"
"And your sister?"
He grunted "Hasn't said a word"
She rolled her eyes "Of course she hasn't"
"Sometimes the people we love do things we don't agree with, or keep secrets they shouldn't. Hindsight and all"
"Yeah..."
"It sucks, finding out that the most important person in the world to you was keeping things from you. More to find out they died because of them. But..."
Ruby turned fully toward him "But?"
"I don't think your mother died for nothing"
She furrowed her brow "How can you say that? She failed, Salem-"
"She failed to stop Salem, true. As your friend Pyrrha failed to stop Cinder back at Beacon. Do you think she died for nothing?"
"That... I... I don't..." she sturggled to find her words.
Slade sighed "Ruby, we're Huntsmen. We take risks everyday, and every time it could be the last time. But we still do it, because our work is important. Pyrrha knew she might not come back from facing Cinder, and she went anyway. Your mother knew Salem might be stronger than her, but she fought anyway. The same way we have"
"But they both failed, they didn't have to die"
"I would argue that even in failure, their deaths had purpose"
Ruby blinked "How?" she asked, moving closer, legs hanging over the bed now.
"If Pyrrha hadn't died, you never would've frozen that Wyvern over Beacon. You wouldn't have learned about your powers. You wouldn't have set off to Mistral with Jaune, Nora, and Ren. You wouldn't have met me, or stopped the attack on Haven. We never would've gone to Atlas. All of these things happened because of her death, not in spite of it. Everything we've accomplished, was only possible because of her"
Ruby processed everything he told her "And... Mom?"
Slade smiled "She failed to stop Salem, certainly. But she did succeed in delaying her plans to attack Beacon for several years. She inspired you to become the Huntress you are today, and she left you an incredible teacher in Qrow to show you how to wield a weapon as advanced as Crescent Rose. I'd say those are all pretty damn important. And that's just scratching the surface"
Tears fell down her face, she crashed her weight against Slade's, who merely enveloped her in a comforting hug, rubbing her back with his right hand. He let her cry into his shoulder for several minutes before she was all out of tears, having relaxed against him. She pulled back, looking into his eyes with a small smile.
"Thank you, Slade"
He nodded "What're friends for?"
"Yang's really lucky to have you"
"Pft. Are you kidding me? I'm the lucky one"
She nudged his shoulder "Come on, let's go join the others"
He nodded "Sounds like a plan"
Ruby unlocked her door and led the way downstairs. She could smell whatever her dad had cooked was more than ready to eat. Poking her head into the kitchen, she saw Qrow, Oscar, Yang, and Penny gathered around the table while Tai stood at the sink with his plate, back to the counter as he ate. Qrow was making exaggerated hand gestures as he told a story to the rest of the them.
"So I cut down the Beowolf and asked him 'What took you so long?' and he says 'Driving lessons'" he laughed "Ruby pops up and shouts 'I DROVE A CAR!'"
"God, I can only imagine how that must've gone" Yang laughed.
"I've seen her without a car, I'd hate to see Ruby drive-Ruby!" Tai called suddenly, noticing her presence.
She gave a light wave "Hi"
Qrow quickly got to his feet, pulling an open chair back for her "Sit down, sit down. I'll fix you a plate"
"Already on it" Tai announced.
Before she had a chance to reply, Yang already had taken her by her shoulders and placed her in the chair, with Qrow pushing the chair in for her. Tai dropped the plate off with Penny moving faster to place a fork and knife on each side of her. Oscar placed a freshly filled glass of water in front of her as well. Ruby shook her sister off her with a small laugh.
"Guys, guys, cut it out. I'm fine, you don't have to fuss over me so much" the others relaxed in response, retaking their places.
Qrow leaned forward "It's good to see you smiling again, pipsqueak"
"Yeah, we were worried about you" Oscar added.
"Sorry, I don't usually get mad like that. I just... it was a lot to process"
"No one blames you, it's perfectly natural to react the way you did" Slade assured, standing beside Yang, who's hand was now interlocked with his.
She smiled "Thanks, I appreciate it. Really"
"Anytime" he replied.
"So, Ruby. What now? I mean, this changes things, right?" Tai asked.
She shook her head "No, Dad. Nothing has changed. Vacuo is Salem's next target, she'll send an army just like before. We need to be there to meet it"
"Hell yeah!" Yang agreed, pumping her open fist into the air.
Tai rubbed his temple with his right hand "And there's nothing I can say that'll change your mind?"
Ruby smiled "Do you even have to ask?"
He sighed "Well, at least this time I'll get more than a note"
She gave a nervous laugh "Yeah, sorry..." she rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.
"We'll keep an eye on her, sir" Oscar assured.
"Count on it" Slade agreed.
"Affirmative" Penny saluted.
Qrow gave Tai a knowing look "You heard 'em"
He nodded "Alright. I won't argue, but I'd be happier if you had a solid plan to stop Salem instead of blind optimism"
"We stopped her in Atlas and Mistral, we'll stop her in Vacuo" Ruby declared.
"Still, neither time resulted in Salem's defeat. Winning one battle doesn't win us the war" Oscar offered.
"Oz has stopped her before. Just because we can't kill her, doesn't mean we can't stop her" Slade offered.
"Right?" Yang asked directing her gaze to Oscar.
His eyes glistened for a moment, handing control over to Ozpin "In the past, I've managed to use my magic to imprison her. Though she eventually broke free as my magic weakened"
"Which means you can only stop her temporarily" Tai argued, moving over to the table.
"Certainly, but that may just offer us enough time to sort out a way to keep her imprisoned forever. If she cannot be killed or destroyed, then she must be contained"
"What about the Relics? Could they stop her?" Qrow asked.
Ozpin sighed "The Relics of Knowledge and Choice could provide insight, but neither could stop her on their own. I used the Relic of Destruction on her during the Great War, and she merely shrugged it off. As for the Relic of Creation, I suppose we could use it to create something to contain her. But without a blueprint, it's useless. I can't think of anything capable of containing the sheer power she wields, let alone the Grimm substance within her" he explained.
"So we're back to square one" Yang sighed.
"For now. But I'm confident we can develop a strategy to defeat her. Even if only temporarily"
"Temporarily isn't good enough anymore. We need a permanent solution, not one that guarantees our grandchildren will suffer the consequences. You might be immortal, Oz, but the rest of us aren't" Slade argued.
"Agreed" Ozpin nodded "But not tonight. I suggest we all get some rest, and set out in the morning. I'm sure we'll come up with something. After all, no strategy survives contact with the enemy"
Slade collected the finished dishes from the table "Sounds like a plan to me"
"Here, let me help you" Yang offered, taking some of the dishes over to the sink with him.
"Hey, I'm the guest here. I do the dishes"
"Remind me which of us wears the pants here?"
"You call those pants? They only cover one leg" he debated, nudging her shoulder.
She swung her hips into his playfully "Metaphorical pants"
Tai watched in silence, their playful debate going back and forth as Slade cleaned the dishes and Yang dried them off. He couldn't help a small smile from forming on his face. He had always worried about Yang, having been forced into a motherly role for Ruby since she was young. But now here she was, allowing herself to find happiness with someone. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Qrow smiling at him in amusement. He rolled his eyes, motioned for Qrow to follow, then moved out of the kitchen into the living room.
"I was beginning to think Yang would never date" he muttered.
"You're not the only one. I was worried about the poor girl. I mean Ruby, sure. She's awkward as hell, and was still pretty young at Beacon. But Yang?" he whistled "Spitfire"
"Somehow I managed to dodge the teen dating phase... until now"
"Yeah" Qrow chuckled "Well, at least she picked someone good"
"Right" he frowned "Qrow, how did he go from being hunted down by Huntsmen to actually being a Huntsman in a years time?"
Qrow sighed "It's... complicated"
"Then uncomplicate it. That's my daughter he's dating. I need to know, so I can be sure"
He nodded "I get it, I do. But it's not mine to tell. Suffice to say, he's suffered a lot of loss, and we didn't know as much as we thought we did about him. He and James had an arrangement. If you want to know more than that, you'll have to ask him yourself"
Tai quirked his eyebrow "Wow, Qrow. You must really care about him if you're actually respecting his privacy"
He chuckled "What can I say? Sometimes it's better to hear it from the source"
It was too much, she couldn't bear it anymore. The constant drain on her, the never ending helplessness. Another scream from the pack of Apathy around her only worsened the effects. Still, she would not give in, she refused to allow her to win. She looked up into Salem's gleaming red eyes, almost able to see her own reflection within them.
"Is that all... you've got?" she asked defiantly.
Salem scowled, with a wave of her hand, the entrapped Apathy vanished through the dark corridor engulfing them. When it dissipated, they had vanished completely. Salem stood over the chained woman, glaring down at her.
"Why must you be so persistent?" she hissed.
"I'll never... let you... win" she forced out.
"You already lost, years ago. I couldn't be stopped then, I can't be stopped now"
"Who're you trying to convince?" she asked.
Salem turned away from her "I destroyed Beacon, Ironwood is dead, Vacuo is next" she listed off "In the end, I'm going to win anyway. All you're doing is delaying the inevitable"
She laughed "And yet, you still haven't managed to get a single Relic"
"It's only a matter of time" Salem insisted.
"The only inevitability is your failure. You couldn't get the Relic from Atlas, you couldn't get the Relic from Haven and Lionheart practically opened the door for you. You can't even get the Relic from Beacon and the school is under your control!"
The more she talked, the more enraged Salem became "Enough" she hissed, black smoke rising from her shoulders.
"What makes you think Shade is any different-"
"SILENCE!" she screamed, turning back toward her and unleashing a powerful blast of magical energy.
The chains binding her shattered, her body disintegrating into ash from the strength of the blast. Salem hyperventilated, slowly regaining her composure. Her prisoner slowly began to reform in front of her, her body taking shape from the Grimm sludge within her. Without hesitation, she charged toward Salem preparing to strike at her. She slid to a stop mere inches away from her, fist stopping short of connecting with her cheek.
Salem growled "You are under my control, your will is mine to command"
She stood straight "You may command my actions, but you have no hold over my mind. My mind is my own"
"We will see just how obstinate you remain when your daughter's life hangs in the balance, Rose"
Summer crossed her arms "You'll have to capture her first. How's that going for you?" she taunted.
Salem grimaced "Defiant, even in death" a dark corridor opened behind her "What is it?!" she called back in annoyance.
The corridor vanished, a single black cloaked woman remaining behind. She was dressed identical to Summer, indicating she was another poor soul whom Salem had raised from the dead. Despite her demand, she remained silent, never moving from her place. Still, Salem seemed to receive whatever information she sought, Summer assumed it was telepathic, but couldn't be sure. She counted herself fortunate, having protected her thoughts so carefully, as to not unintentionally give Salem what she seeks.
"Await confirmation on her exact location. I want her alive" Salem commanded.
With a silent nod, the woman vanished into another corridor "Until next time, then?" Summer asked in a mocking tone.
Salem scoffed "You will not maintain such composure upon my return, this much, I assure you"
Without a word, Salem vanished as well, leaving Summer alone once more. Her mind wandered to Ruby and Yang. She feared for them, but desperately hoped they would be stronger than she was. That no matter what came their way, they would stand together and overcome whatever Salem could throw at them. In the end, that was all she could do.
"Dad"
"Ruby?" Tai called, searching for her.
"Dad"
"Yang? Ruby? Where are you?" he asked.
"Dad!" they called in unison.
He turned toward the sound of their voice and found them at last. But something was very wrong, he knew the moment he saw them. Their skin was ghostly white, and their eyes were crimson, the whites of their eyes were now black. Before he could think to say anything, a third face appeared between theirs, Summer Rose. Her appearance matched their daughter's, her hands resting on their shoulders.
"You were supposed to protect them" she hissed "Why couldn't you keep them safe?!" she screamed.
Tai's eyes snapped open, waking up in a cold sweat. He was thankful that it was just a dream. He looked over at the clock, it was four in the morning, still dark out. He sighed, swinging his legs over the edge of his bed. He was surprised to find the dog bed empty, Zwei almost always slept in his room. He figured the poor dog must've missed the girls and was with one of them right about now. Getting to his feet, he silently made his way out into the hall. Carefully he peeked into Ruby's bedroom, finding her sleeping soundly, with Qrow passed out in the chair beside her bed. Moving onto Qrow's bedroom, he opened the door and found Oscar still asleep. Finally, he made his way down to Yang's bedroom, carefully peeking inside. To his dismay, her bed was empty. He groaned in annoyance, he had given her only one rule to follow tonight.
Making his way downstairs, he glared at the couch. Swinging around to find them both there, he was surprised when he found Yang sleeping peacefully, and completely alone. His ears perked up at the sound of metal clicking outside. Following the sound, he opened the front door to find Slade sitting on the steps of the porch, a zippo lighter in his hand. He flipped it open, then closed it with a flick of his wrist, only to open it once more with a flick of his thumb. His open hand was gently petting Zwei, leaning against his left leg. Zwei lifted his head at the sound of the door opening, panting happily as he rushed over to Tai. He closed the door behind him, leaning down to pet the dog with a small smile.
Slade turned his head enough to look at him "Mr. Xiao Long"
"You know I gave Yang only one rule while you were staying here" he told him as he approached.
"Yeah..."
"Yet I find her sleeping where you're supposed to be" he crossed his arms with a stern glare "Mind explaining to me how that happened"
Slade smiled "You know how nurturing she could be. She came down to check on me... nightmares"
"Ah" Tai sat down beside him "I understand"
He nodded "I'll bet you do" he sighed "She stayed with me, at least until I'd get back to sleep. But she dozed first" he flipped the lighter open "I needed some fresh air" he flipped it closed once again.
"The last time I saw you, Qrow and I were hunting you down. How did you end up working with him now?"
Slade took a deep breath before answering "When we first met, I had lost nearly everyone that mattered to me. My brother Malachite, my parents, my sister Elise. Then my team from Beacon, Hazel, Dusk, and Willow... when I learned Oz had lied to me about Elise being one of the Maidens, that it was the reason she was targeted, I left. I just... I couldn't bear it, I wanted to kill him, right then and there, but... I knew he'd just come back. There wasn't any point to it"
"I'm sorry" Tai offered.
Slade nodded in acknowledgement "I started working with Roman Torchwick and his partner Neopolitan. We were close. I took the job from Ironwood to take down the Dragon in Atlas, which is when you and I first met, in exchange for pardons for the both of them. I wanted to get them away from Salem"
"The way I hear it, Roman was killed during the Fall of Beacon"
"Yeah... another loss" he sighed "I thought Neo had died too. Qrow was the only one left I still cared for, but he and Oz had kept too much from me for me to trust him anymore. I wasn't living anymore, I was just going from one fight to the next"
"What changed?"
He smiled "I met Yang" he answered.
"That's it?" he asked surprised.
"Sir, you have to understand. I didn't have any reason to live anymore. I was angry, at Salem, at Oz, at everyone. I spent my time hunting down Raven, for her part in my sister's death"
"Oh... I didn't know"
Slade closed his fist around the lighter in his hand "Looking back now, I fully intended to die when I confronted Raven. But when Yang came into the picture... I couldn't go through with it. Didn't really understand why, not at first. Pissed me off too" he chuckled "I needed her to find Ruby, I needed to see that everything would be alright for them. Even still, I planned to leave. I had no intention of getting involved in Ozpin's war again"
"But you did anyway"
"Yeah... I tried to leave it all behind. But I couldn't bring myself to go through with it. I couldn't let Yang get hurt or killed, not when I could stop it. So I came back. I've been with them ever since"
Tai folded his hands in front of him "Slade, do you love my daughter?"
He turned his full attention to him "More than anything, sir" he answered without hesitation.
Tai narrowed his eyes "You'll keep her safe?"
"I would die before I let anyone hurt her"
"What about Ruby?"
"Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Jaune, Nora, Ren, Oscar, Penny, Winter, Qrow, Neo" he listed off "They're the only family I have left. Anyone tries to lay a finger on them, I will tear them apart" he declared with determination.
Tai smiled, his conviction enough to convince him "I believe you" he replied, clasping one hand onto his shoulder.
Slade smiled back "Thank you, sir"
He nodded in reply "They're lucky to have someone like you to look after them. You and Qrow both"
"Believe me, I think they look after us more than the other way around"
Tai squeezed his shoulder "I don't buy it. The way I hear it, they wouldn't be here without you. You have more of an effect on them than you might think"
"You really think so?" he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"I know it. You talked Ruby back down from her room when she wouldn't even let Yang in. She never shuts Yang out. I don't think I could've done that. She respects you, Slade. Don't discount the effect that can have on her, or the others"
"I... guess I never looked at it that way..."
"They're putting their trust in you, the same as I am by letting you go tomorrow morning. Oz certainly must trust you a lot, letting you carry that thing around" he gestured to the lamp hanging off his belt.
"Yeah... you're right" Slade smiled to himself.
Tai got to his feet, releasing his hold on Slade "Why don't we head back in and get some rest. Vacuo is a harsh place, after all"
Slade got to his feet "Good idea" he yawned out "Gonna need my beauty sleep"
Tai rolled his eyes at his joke, but didn't comment. The two made their way back inside quietly, with Zwei happily following behind them. They stopped in front of the couch, Yang now completely sprawled out over it, snoring loudly. Slade smiled down at her, then turned his attention to her father.
"I'll take her back up to bed" he offered.
Tai nodded "Might as well stay up there. No sense leaving you on the couch, you need your rest too"
"But you said-" he stopped at the look Tai gave him "Ahem. Yes, sir"
"Just behave yourself, kid" he warned, before heading back upstairs with Zwei following behind.
Slade smiled to himself. He knelt down, hooking his hands under her knees and around her back, then lifted her off the couch. Yang grumbled, her arms moving around his neck to hold herself up. Her tired eyes fluttered open, looking up at him.
"Slade?"
"Shh" he kissed her forehead "Go back to sleep" he whispered.
"No" she whined "I want to stay with you" she tightened her grip on him.
"I'm not going anywhere, beautiful" he replied as he ascended the stairs "But you need your rest"
"Mm, sleep sounds good" she grumbled out.
He used his Semblance to open her door without using his hands, then used it to close the door behind them. Her bedroom contained a single bed with yellow pillowcases and white sheets, much like her sister's. Her bed was positioned next to the window, with a bedside table on the opposite side, a small lamp atop it. There was a circular white rug on the floor and a small bed for Zwei against the wall. Slade briefly noted the abnormal amount of dog beds in the cabin, but didn't dwell on the thought. He made his way over to her bed, placing her down onto it. She quickly rolled onto her side, settling into her pillow. He pulled the covers over her, tucking her into bed carefully. He leaned down, planting a kiss on the top of her head, she smiled in her sleep. His mind wandered to what tomorrow would bring. None of them had discussed their mission since arriving on Patch. His hand hovered over the Relic on his hip, wondering how exactly they would use it, or where it would take them.
"Professor Ozpin and I will handle everything" Elise assured him.
Finally, she speaks! he turned to face her, she was leaning against the door, arms crossed over her chest.
She frowned "You needed to process things on your own. You didn't need my help"
Whatever you say he rolled his eyes.
"You may not remember our grandfather, but I do. He wasn't a compassionate man, but he was a good man. Always did right by others. Working for Salem just doesn't make sense... but if Raven was telling the truth-"
Then our grandfather was no better than the rest of Salem's thugs
Her frown deepened "Yeah"
Did you want something? Or can I go to sleep now? he asked pointing his thumb to the bed.
"I... no" she shook her head "It can wait"
He nodded, turning away from her. Removing the Relic from his belt, he placed it onto the bedside table. He settled into the bed beside Yang, wrapping one arm around her from behind, pulling her close to him. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to drift off to sleep. Still, he wondered what exactly it was that Elise had kept to herself, and just how important it might've been.
The morning sun peeked in through the curtains of the Xiao Long cabin. Ruby's eyes fluttered open with a small groan, rolling away from the light. Qrow stirred, resting in the chair beside her bed. He grumbled as he forced his eyes open, lifting one hand to cover the light from the sun. Getting to his feet, he stretched his arms out to each side, a deep yawn escaping his lips. Ruby smiled, swinging her legs over the edge of her bed.
"Good-" she covered her mouth with one hand as she yawned "-morning, Uncle Qrow" she finished.
"Morning, pipsqueak" he rubbed his eyelids "Guess it's time to get moving"
"I guess" she mumbled.
He smiled "I'm gonna go check on the others"
He stepped out into the hall, making his way down to his own bedroom, finding the door open. He peeked in to see Oscar was already awake, which explained the smell from downstairs. He smiled, then moved over to Yang's bedroom. Opening the door, his eyes widened at the sight, Slade and Yang curled up together, sleeping soundly.
"Shit, kid" he whispered.
"What, what, what?" Ruby asked as she caught up to him, peeking in. She gasped "Aw, look at them!" she squealed.
"Ruby!" he hissed.
The noise was enough to disturb Slade's sleep, his eyes slowly opening. He caught sight of Qrow ushering Ruby away, closing the door behind them. He rolled his eyes with an amused smile. Yang stirred, rolling onto her back as her eyes fluttered open, staring up at him.
"Hey" she groaned out "You okay?"
"Never better" he answered, smiling down at her.
He pressed his lips to hers, giving her a quick kiss, which she eagerly returned "Mm. I could get used to this"
He laughed "Enjoy it while it lasts. We're not exactly going to be bunking together in Vacuo"
She frowned "I still don't like the idea of you being on your own. No backup"
He caressed her cheek with his thumb "Hey, I won't be alone. Neo will have my back the whole time. Besides, I can still call you if we get ourselves in over our heads, right?"
"I guess... but I'd be more comfortable if I were there with you"
He smiled "I know. I wish things were different. But with how I left things with Theo, well... better we don't risk it"
She pouted "Doesn't mean I have to like it"
He laughed, kissing her forehead "No, no it doesn't" he stood from the bed "Come on, the others are already up"
She groaned "Fine"
Slade gathered up the Relic, hooking it onto his belt once more. He waited for her to be ready, then headed downstairs with her, hands intertwined. They made their way down to the kitchen, where they found the others gathered around already. Oscar was sitting beside Ruby with Tai at the head of the table and Qrow opposite him at the other end. Each of them were digging into their breakfast or had already finished their portion and were working on their coffee. Penny was cleaning all the dishes that had been made in the process.
"Morning you two" Tai smiled, surprising Qrow.
"Morning, Dad"
"Sir" Slade nodded.
Qrow looked between the two and Tai "Uh, am I missing something?"
His teammate chuckled "Slade and I had a little chat last night, man-to-man. We're good"
"Oh..." he let out a breath in relief "Guess we don't have to worry about you trying to kill him then"
"So long as he doesn't break my daughter's heart" he winked.
"Dad" Yang whined as she took her seat.
"Kidding, kidding... but only a little"
Slade chuckled "Pretty sure you'd have to beat Yang to it, sir"
He laughed "Fair enough, kid"
Yang sighed "Don't encourage him, Slade"
"Well, it's good to see everyone getting along" Oscar smiled, taking a sip from his cup.
Qrow finished off his plate "Finish up, we've got a busy day today"
Tai stood from his place, handing his dishes off to Penny "Thank you" he nodded to her "We'll gather out front once you're all finished. I'll see you off"
He made his way outside, with Zwei following dutifully behind him. Once outside, he leaned against the wooden railing with his arms crossed over his chest. He caught sight of a raven watching the house from afar, a frown setting in on his face. It didn't take long before the door behind him opened with Ruby making her way outside.
"Ready to head out?" Tai asked.
She smiled "Yup! We packed light, so all we gotta do is hop on in!" she pointed to the airship.
"Well, at least it won't be parked on my lawn anymore" he chuckled. His expression turned serious "Promise me you'll be careful in Vacuo. It's dangerous enough without Salem's goons lurking around"
She nodded "I promise. Don't worry, I've got some pretty strong friends to watch my back"
He moved from his place against the rail "And they have you watching theirs. I'd say you're all pretty lucky to have each other"
Her smile widened, she wrapped her arms around him "I love you, Dad. And I'm sorry for leaving without telling you. And for saying what I did about Mom... and-"
"Apology accepted" he interrupted, returning the hug "I love you too, Ruby"
She pulled back, smiling up at him "Thank you, Dad"
Qrow cleared his throat, getting their attention "Well, good to see the two of you are wrapping up" he turned back to the open doorway "C'mon, kids! We're burning daylight!" he groaned "God I sound old"
"You are old!" Yang called.
"Enough of that!" he countered.
"Keep an eye on Yang. You know how she is" he whispered to Ruby.
She giggled "You know I will" she replied as she made her way over to the airship.
Penny was the first behind Qrow, stopping at Tai and Ruby "It was a pleasure to meet you, sir" she saluted.
Tai gave a two fingered salute back "Pleasure is all mine, Penny. You're welcome back anytime. Take care of yourself" he offered his hand to her.
She shook it with excitement, jostling the poor man "Of course, sir"
Oscar was up next, offering a polite wave as Tai straightened his clothes out "Thank you for your hospitality. It was nice meeting you, sir"
"And you, Oscar" he clasped a firm hand on his shoulder "As for Ozpin, well... you're going to have to earn my trust back. Rein him in, would you, Oscar?"
He swallowed nervously "Of course, sir. I'll do my best"
He nodded "You'll do fine, kid" he smacked his hand on his back, ushering him toward the others.
Slade and Yang walked out together, hands intertwined "Thanks, Dad. For everything"
He smiled "Part of the job" he wrapped his arms around her "Be careful, and keep an eye on Ruby. You know how she is" he whispered.
"Do I ever" she whispered back, returning the embrace.
He pulled back from the hug "And thanks for bringing home the boyfriend. Least now I can feel like I gave you permission to date"
She smirked "Aw, so you do like him after all"
He frowned "I didn't say that"
"You didn't deny it either" she sang with a wag of her finger as she stalked off toward the airship.
Tai rolled his eyes, an amused smile on his face "What am I gonna do with her?"
"That's just what I was thinking" Slade chuckled "I'll look after them. You have my word" he added, his tone becoming serious.
Tai smiled "I know you will, kid. Look after yourself too, I'd hate for Yang to lose you"
He nodded "As much as I am able"
"Good" Slade extended his hand out to him, which he accepted "Slade. Thank you"
"For what?" he asked confused.
"For making my daughter happy" he answered with bright smile.
Slade's smile matched his "She makes me happy, fortunately for me, the feeling is mutual"
He nodded in understanding "Take care of each other"
"We will, you have my word on that" he called over his shoulder as he turned to leave.
Qrow approached, the last of the group "They're a good bunch of kids" he assured.
"I can tell. But will it be enough?"
"It was in Atlas, we can only hope we'll get lucky in Vacuo too"
"Take care of them, Qrow"
He nodded "I'll make sure they come back, even if it means I don't"
Tai frowned "You'd better come back too, Qrow. You're family. I'd hate to lose you"
Qrow allowed himself a smile "Don't get all touchy feely with me now, Tai. You'll break our record of stoic silence"
He scoffed "Just be careful"
He pointed to himself in mock offense "I'm always careful"
"Bullshit" Tai muttered, earning a laugh from his teammate.
The group packed into the airship, which took off not a moment later. They waved to him out the side as the door slid closed. He waved back as Zwei barked at them from beside him. Once the ship was out of sight, his smile faded, replaced by a determined expression. He watched the raven, it remained in place as the ship departed, then took off in the opposite direction. He removed his Scroll from his pocket and made a call.
"Glynda, we need to talk"
That's all this time guys! Will we follow the team to their mysterious destination? Or will we spend some time in Vacuo with the rest of RWBY and JNPR? Hopefully you won't have to wait too long to find out!