Depending on how the reception this receives, I might make this a multi chapter fic.
Buryx sat in the ruins of the Castle That Never Was, Bloodied Rose embedded in a piece of the floating castle's rubble, a dispassionate sigh came on her lips. She had really hoped the fake Kingdom Heart would have worked.
Or at least, she thought she hoped. Emotions were… Wonky, as a Nobody. Still, the Bloodshade Queen remembered when she had been human, whole, and this was like what she remembered disappointment felt like.
A low whistle came from behind a crumbled section of wall, and a man wearing a black hooded jacket came wandering out, "The kids really made a mess of this place, huh?"
"Yeah," Buryx sighed, standing up and drawing her sword from the slab of rocks. A shimmer went over it, revealing teeth carved into the brick-like blade, "good thing I was out when the attack happened."
"Yeah," the man snickered, "So, worlds are back, you going back to Remnant?"
"Yeah," Buryx grunted, sliding on a peacock mask and opening a corridor of Darkness, "I'd say it's been nice working with you, but I'd be lying since I don't really know what "nice" feels like. Do me a favor, don't call me again unless we have literally no other choice, Master."
"Aw, come on, where's the love, Burbia?" The Master whined.
"Nowhere," Buryx said, walking into the Corridor and passing into the snow coated ground of Remnant.
—
Tai was chopping firewood when the soft crunch of feet on snow approached. Looking up, he found a black hooded figure walking towards him, his grip on the axe tightened, and he raised it as if to ward off the stranger. Then she doffed the hood, revealing spiky black to crimson hair. Two silver eyes stared at him, and Tai couldn't help but feel his jaw dropped, she looked so much like her mother, it could only be-
"Ruby?" Tai asked.
"Hi, Dad," Ruby said casually, hands in the pocket of her leather coat.
Tai dropped the axe, rushing to hug Ruby.
"Where have you been!? You disappeared a year and a half ago!
"Around," Ruby said, and Tai noticed something foreboding.
There was barely any emotion to her voice.
"What's wrong?"
"Lotta friends died recently, I guess," Ruby said listlessly, as if it were the most simple thing in the world.
"I… Did you run off to join a bunch of unlicensed Huntsmen?" Tai asked. It wasn't unheard of. Teens, often around Ruby's age, got it in their head that they had enough training to be a Huntsman well before they were ready.
"Something like that," Ruby said, obviously hedging around actually answering Tai's question, "Point is they're all gone now. I'm all that's left…"
Ruby paused there, like she was thinking of something, before giving an exaggerated shake of her head.
"Do you want to… Make a graveyard or memorial for them?" Tai asked, realizing Ruby was clearly suffering from Huntsmen Fatigue.
"No," Ruby said shortly, "Nothing to remember us by, that's how we, those who don't exist, Nobodies, live… Lived. We died and the others moved on."
Oh, god, they had known what they were getting into. That was probably worse for Ruby's headspace. Knowing she might die and be unmourned and unremembered.
Ok, Tai, think this through. What did he need to help his daughter? Cast aside the desire to lecture her…
"Ruby, come in and have some coco," Tai urged, "We're gonna… We're gonna get things settled."
A smile that didn't remotely meet her eyes came from Ruby at that.
—
It had been a few days, and Tai had scheduled a therapy appointment for Ruby in a few more. Other than that, there had been some relative peace at the house, with Yang being off at Beacon. Ruby still didn't talk about where she had been or what happened, but had seemed content to eat meals and drink in news and mindless cartoons on the Scroll, so Tai considered that a win.
That was all interrupted by a knock on the door, which Tai opened to reveal an eyepatched man wearing the sake black coat as Ruby. He raised a hand casually, "Hey, is Ruby here?"
Tai tensed, staring at the man, only for Ruby to suddenly appear behind him, causing him to jump as she said "Luxu?"
"Hey, Purbia! Mind if we talk?" Luxu asked jovially, causing Ruby to crack another one of her not smiles.
"Yeah, sure," Ruby said, faking a tone for the first time, something equally vitriolic and joyful at the same time, "Do you mind coming in or…?"
"Nah, I was thinking we'd chat outside, give us a bit more privacy, squirt."
"Sure," Ruby ducked under Tai's arm and Luxu reached in, shutting the door in Tai's face. He fought the indignation that rose up at that, instead sneaking to the living room and quietly opening the window.
"-Well good for you," Ruby said tonelessly.
"So what'cha doing out here in the boons, Purbia?" The man said.
"Figured it was best, Master wants me off the stage for a bit," Ruby said.
"Well lucky you, I get to keep running myself ragged in keeping this game on track, you get a nice vacation," Luxu said dryly, "We're a pair, ain't we, Purbia?"
"The worst in the world," Ruby said, a hollow laugh coming from her lips, "So why are you here? I doubt it's to shoot the breeze."
"Xehanort is asking for you, he either wants you back with the new Organization, or me bringing back proof I erased you," Tai's heart stopped in his chest, and he got ready to jump out the window to defend his daughter, only for her to grunt and the sound of something being pulled from her jacket to come, "Yeah, that should be good enough. You wore that enough times as Freya he'd take it as a sign you're gone. Sure you're willing to give it up?"
"Just get it back to me at some point, Luxu," Ruby ordered.
"Deal," Luxu said, "Well, I should probably get going, Purbia. Got a lotta work moving the pawns around the board to do. Enjoy your vacation."
"Keep me informed," Ruby said, "If things get too bad for either side I'll retake the stage, but for now, I'm just going to try and figure out how to get my heart back."
