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rachetmath · 2 months

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Favorite Jaune Ship

Okay, let me do this. My Jaune ships. Other ships I’ll do later.

Lancaster/SilverKnight (Jaune x Ruby);

This ship still holds a special place in my heart and to me was supposed to be one of the factors of the show. Jaune and Ruby's relationship started at Beacon. Jaune was Ruby’s first friend and was the first thought of being a part of a team besides her sister. Unfortunately, she was stuck with Weiss and Jaune had a crush on her. Ruby has times when she and Jaune talk but were always cut short for reasons. However, after the fall of Beacon, I was happy to see her and Jaune team up. But my hopes were short-lived when Weiss and Oscar came onto the scene. Now, because of them, the one relationship I could support died because the story tries its damndest to push Whiteknight and Rosegarden together. (Like seriously, this is one of the reasons why I hate Oscar to this day. Volume five, to this day, I believe Jaune should have unlocked his semblance for Ruby instead of Weiss.)

DragonKnght/GoldenKnight/DragonSlayer(Jaune x Yang);

Now normally this is a crack ship. This ship is just two people boning for almost no reason, but I can see a story behind this ship with Jaune and Yang being an alternate version of Tai and Raven. Jaune is Raven because both have supportive semblances, use swords, and have a distaste for Ozpin’s methods. Yang is Tai due to mainly being raised by him alone. Throughout the story, we see how Jaune and Yang interact and how their relationship differs from Tai and Raven’s. How Tai and Raven fell apart and what they should’ve done to maintain it. How Jaune and Yang handle situations differently they’ll always find a way to bounce back by talking it out and giving each other space. Though I believe Bumblebee fans would be offended and probably say, “Blake could add that same effect”, I still stand by this.

SilentKnight(Jaune x Neo)

Cute, deadly, and very sad. I haven't read the book but I have heard about it. Also, I wish they made a movie starring her or gave us an episode but… okay. Back on topic, I find this ship enduring. They have only one thing in common but that's enough to create a dynamic between them. However what makes the ship sad is that Neo will be the only one hurt. Image Neo trying to be Ruby just to be with Jaune only for him not wanting to be with her. Loving and caring for Ruby more than Neo. Neo hates and becomes jealous of Ruby because unlike her Neo has no friends. Roman died. And Cinder betrayed her. Jaune probably being the best thing in her life but she will never have. So sorry folks, Silentknight was a no-go.

Topaz (Jaune x Emerald)

Same as Silent Knight except it's Emerald’s loyalty to Cinder getting in the way of her having any relationship with anyone. Jaune probably would talk to her but trusting her could be too much of a stretch for him. Emerald might as well be one of the few who could talk to Jaune one-on-one and be real with him but still, I don't think neither of them is looking to like each other.

Knightshade (Jaune x Blake)

These two never had a single one-on-one conversation. Like really they barely interact with each other. I would not be surprised if they both got drunk somewhere and were found sleeping in the same bed by accident. But I believe they are good friends.

Knightfall (Jaune x Cinder)

Okay, this can go either way. Jaune is done playing the good guy to a bunch of girls who are favored by everyone and want to destroy the world. Cinder decides to be a good person and wants to redeem herself. I highly doubt this would happen but I love the concept. Imagen Jaune has to tell Cinder to chill out all the time. Then having to be the most patient with her especially when following a plan. Cinder trying to be nice but pushing her feelings down so she doesn't show weakness is funny, sad, and insane.

Martial Arc and Nora's Arc(Jaune x Ren x Nora)

You two do not deserve him. You had four volumes to talk with this man but you didn't. Ruby knows your leader better. Yang treats your leader better. Shit Weiss treated your leader better. Ya’ll barely maintain a relationship with each other. How will you two be in a relationship with this guy if you can't contribute or commit to it? F*** the both of you.

Whiteknight(Jaune x Weiss)

Okay, now this may be my f*** all worst ship. First, I’ll admit Jaune was just a fanboy seeing his female idol for the first time in real life. But as he continues he eventually gets over her a bit. Then in some way, he does try to get with Pyrrha, who was an upgrade. What I don't like about this ship is unlike Lancaster it feels forced. Like in volume five Weiss got stabbed by Cinder for no reason. It should have been Ruby considering Jaune traveled and spent more time with her than Weiss. And Cinder hates Ruby. Then in volume seven she basically used the man to get away from Bumblebee. And the only time she ever acknowledged this man was in volume nine when he turned out to be her favorite character in a story. I may be wrong but no, this is not my favorite.

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bestworstcase · 17 minutes

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theory question: what would rwby have to be like, do you think, for "summer is dead all along" to be a satisfying reveal? like, you know those math questions where it's like 'come up with a problem that makes this solution', what would you as a writer do if your job was to make a narrative where Summer Rose Dead is good & ideal as an outcome, if you could change everything else for it?

oh i love counterfactuals. honestly?

i think if the plan was Summer Rose Dead For Real the optimal thing to do is just. they found the body. no ambiguity whatsoever that she is dead-dead. when the story begins ruby and yang are more upfront about what happened to her—mom died on a mission, killed by grimm, her mission partner brought home what was left of her and then quit and we don’t hear from aunt raven anymore—and then we treat this as a tragic but completely non-mysterious open and shut case of huntress dies in the line of duty until, oh, about v5 when raven lets an odd detail slip that doesn’t quite fit

and then slowly build up to the reveal that summer didn’t just get killed by any old grimm, she got killed by salem personally.

the central narrative mystery here is thus not “what exactly happened to summer rose” but instead “how and why did summer wind up dying in battle against salem” – in this scenario i think the most interesting way to handle it is for the kids NOT to be brought into the loop by ozpin/qrow. maybe qrow dies at beacon, maybe he’s just not in the inner circle either and didn’t know anything about summer’s and raven’s work with ozpin.

so… hm. after the fall of beacon RNJR travel to haven, intending to enroll to continue their education there when the next semester begins. qrow is either with them to watch their backs (if he’s ignorant) or dead. their first hint about salem is the bizarre encounter with tyrian, which gets no follow-up. (if qrow’s dead, either raven has a bond to ruby and blitzes in and out to save her or ruby does get captured and instead of a much needed talk we get an episode about ruby escaping / JNR coming to rescue her)

they get to haven. no one is there but the headmaster, which seems really weird and… not right. these kids are still rattled after beacon. they start poking around to try to figure out what’s going on. meanwhile yang and weiss have their chat with raven and her ultimatum is less “ask me or ask qrow” and more “stay here and i’ll tell you what i know, qrow doesn’t know anything”, yang brushes her off. instead of a trap/ambush, either:

raven tips the kids off to be at haven so they can foul cinder’s plan, or

the kids are breaking into the school to investigate because something really doesn’t feel right, and trip over cinder’s crew

either way at the end of all this, they know that something big is happening, that cinder isn’t calling the shots, and that raven took off with some weird treasure that was in a vault under the school.

they cross paths with oscar on the argus express. ozpin is like “fuck fuck fuck” and reveals himself at this point. they get ozpin’s sanctioned version of the story and don’t have the lamp to fact check him

v7-8 then is more focused on unpacking these Revelations as the kids get looped in but in a context where they figured out haven on their own and are perhaps warier of ozpin. and then “your mother said those words to me” is a freight train because that’s the first hard confirmation we get that summer was involved in any of this at all. part of the shock is “wait, mom worked for oz?! and he didn’t think it was important to tell us that?!”

and from there the mystery is about unravelling that secret affiliation - why did summer work for oz? why did he send her after salem when he knew she couldn’t win? do we trust his word that he didn’t send her? why did raven run off with the lamp? etc

you just have to shift the story around so “she’s dead” is unambiguous but “she worked for ozpin?” is a surprising reveal

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razorblade180 · 4 years

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Actor AU

Ruby:*looking at cameraman* You know in the show how we ham up the fact Blake likes fish? Well actually.... *points behind her*

Blake:*stuffing down sushi roll*.....What?

Ruby:Absolutely nothing changes. That sushi bar is her playground.

xxxx

Nora:Aye cuz, you ready for your big scene!?

Penny:*getting face painted* Time to die! Wooo!

Nora:Woooo! *whispers* she’ll be back. Ssssshhh!

xxxxx

Blake:Now most people might think Yang and Adam would cause some friction offset with all drama in the show. *looks at food bar*

Adam and Yang: *dancing while eating doughnuts*

Blake:*snickering* They are the biggest clowns here. Ruby, come get your sibling before they choke!

Ruby:Real or fake one!?

xxxxx

[Vol2]

Weiss:*balancing on chair* Boom! Told ya I could do it. All balance baby.

Yang:This her fifth attempt. Please tell me we got the second one on film?

Bloop!

Weiss:So Blake, What is wro-aaah! *smacks against the door.*

Ruby:Weiss!!!

Yang:HAHAHAHAH AHAHHAAAAA!!!!

Bloop!

Yang:*wiping her tears* God that was hilarious. Her body just went wham!

Weiss:Shut up!

xxxx

Weiss:Psssst! Look at this bitch over here. Practicing for his debut.

Whitley:*reading his lines*......!? *flips her off*

Weiss:*smiles* He’s gonna do great.

Whitley:Imma steal all your light. *smiles* They’ll make me the new ‘W’ for RWBY.

Weiss:Brothers, I tell ya. I don’t know if he’s more annoying on or off set. Got a whole ass trailer with his name on it. Such a diva. I’m so proud.

xxxx

[Vol2]

Ruby:I just wanna say I’m the greatest sister ever. I got connections and influence so... *points to set*

Coco:*winks* Surprise!

Ruby:I got her a small part. Got siblings all up through this set.

Adam: *chilling on a roof* I actually earned my part!

Ruby:Somehow! “PerFect! SeT THe ChARgeS!” What kind of line delivery!? Hahaha!

Coco: “YaNG! IS tHat yOu!?”

Adam: “YAng!? Yaaaaaaaannnnnng!”

Ruby:*red* Shut up!! That was my first read and I was younger!!!

xxxx

[V5]

Weiss:Your mom kidnapped me!?

Yang:You kidnapped her!?

Raven:And proms tomorrow!? Yes I kidnapped her! I’m a god damn bandit!

Yang:*keeping it together* Y...You fiend! How could...hehe. H-How.....

Raven:*snickering* You...you good?

Yang:Why prom!?

Raven:I don’t know!?

Vernal:*activley laughing*

xxxxx

Pyrrha: You know I asked my girlfriend is she ever misses me on set. *smiles* Smart ass said if I did then you’d be alive.

Cinder:*barges in* Am I wrong though!?

xxxxx

[V8]

Emerald:You just can’t go to Vacou! Cinder-

Mercury:Forget about her. You’re backing the wrong horse here. She doesn’t care! See ya around Em. *kisses her and walks away*

Emerald:......*looks at camera, then the hall* Di..he didn’t realize..?

Tyrian:I don’t think he has!

Crew:*laughing*

Mercury:*walking back* Did I just kiss you?

Emerald:*holding laughter* Took you long enough! It’s only been what fans wanted forever! Eight volumes Mr.

Mercury:*face palming* My bad everyone.

Tyrian:I was just stunned! I thought I missed part of the script! Couples, focus man! I know you love your girlfriend but I need ya too hate her a bit right now!

Emerald:*laughing* Please put this in features!

xxxx

Salem:*controlling grimm*

Oscar and Neo: *flossing off camera*

Salem:....Fuck *smiles* Damn you two! Let me be serious!

xxxx

[V8]

Ren:You cheated your way into Beacon!

Jaune:And you cheated on Nora!

Ren:WHAT!?

Jaune:WITH ME!

Ren:IT WAS ONE TIME! *hits bike* I WAS SO AFRAID, AND YOU WERE SO WARM!!!! *tears up*

Yang:*Amazed and confused* And the plot thickens!!!

xxxx

Oscar:James, you need to calm down. Now I know you miss Oz-

Ironwood:I miss no one. *shoots Oscar* No one.

Ozpin:*off screen* Nooooooooo!

xxxx

[V8]

Oscar:I’m not upset you left. I’m upset you came back.

Ozpin:Fine I’ll go get some milk and cigarettes. Shit, wanna be alone so much.

Oscar:Oh my god hehe...d-dad no! Wait! Haha c-come back! What do I tell mom!?

Jaune:And that was the last time Ozpin ever showed up.

xxxxx

Cinder: You know I hope I get another fight scene with you Jaune.

Jaune:Why’s that?

Cinder:You know, took your partner’s heart and rearranged your crush’s guts. *smiles* Jealous?

Nora:My lord...

Jaune:This is who I deal with off set. Cinder unchained. Witty as hell.

xxxxx

Penny: *dancing with Oscar*

Nora:You know...starting to think my cousin wasn’t excited to comeback for me. Fine, I’m not salty. I bet Cardin would love to come back. Get the whole family up in here.

xxxxx

Soldiers:*aiming guns*

Ironwood:Making progress? *strokes beard*

Watts:*strokes mustache*.........Yeah.

Ironwood:......?

Watts:......Huh? Oh are we filming!?

Ironwood:Oh my-yes! Haha! For like a minute.

Crew:*laughing*

Watts:My bad, zoned out.

Ironwood:Man is just stroking his mustache out of character as guns are pointed at him! *nudges him*

Watts:I..I got nothing. *face palms*

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aspoonofsugar · 4 years

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What is your opinion about the Maidens in RWBY and their importance?

Hello anon!

I like the Maidens and especially how they explore two main ideas:

1) The concept of cycles and generations.

2) The trope of the chosen one.

THE CYCLE OF SEASONS

I think it is clear Ozpin created the Maidens partly because he wanted guardians and partly as a way to grieve his four daughters. He has symbolically dragged them into the cycle with him and Salem.

In a sense, the story keeps repeating. Salem kills Ozpin, he is reborn and his daughters are victims of the conflict between them.

Because of this, the four Maidens have become one of the many symbols of this endless cycle, which is clealry breaking its protagonists more and more.

This is well conveyed by the Maidens having a season theme. Seasons are in fact linked to the repetition of time aka one of Ozpin’s motifs:

At the same time, the idea of an older woman passing the torch to a younger one can be easily read as a metaphor for a mother-daughter dynamic. This is not always the case, but so far this interpretation is important for two of our four Maidens:

Penny receiving the Maiden’s powers from Fria is important on multiple levels and it plays on Penny alluding to Pinocchio. Fria (The Blue Fairy) recognizes Penny as a real girl, something she has been struggling with since the beginning:

Penny: Ruby... I'm not a real girl.

And is still struggling with:

Cinder: I don’t serve anyone. And you wouldn’t either, if you were built that way.

That said, Penny is not only struggling with enemies that consider her a robot, but also with the (understandable) overprotectiveness of people who love her:

Pietro: I lost you before. Are you asking me to go through that again? No. No. I want the chance to watch you live your life.

Penny: But dad… I am trying to.

She is not only a robot, who wants to prove she is a real girl, but also a daughter, who wants to grow into her own person.

This idea is made even stronger by Penny having been “created” through Pietro’s aura. She is a part of Pietro becoming someone completely different and independent from him. Still, isn’t it what all children are?

Raven is instead Penny’s opposite since she is not a daughter, but a mother. Not only that, but she is a mother, who fails three times.

She fails her biological daughter Yang by abandoning her and putting her in danger.

She fails Vernal, who dies for her.

She fails the previous Spring Maiden, who clearly looked up to her and was betrayed:

Cinder: Vernal was a decoy the whole time. The last Spring Maiden must've trusted you a great deal before she died. I bet that was a mistake...

This is well conveyed by Raven’s case being the opposite of what should ideally happen. Normally an older Maiden should pass her power to a younger girl, so that the cycle keeps going and that a new generation can keep fighting for good. However, Raven steals the powers of the Maiden for herself, just like she uses her shape-shifting ability for selfish objectives:

Ozpin: Everyone has a choice. The Branwens chose to accept their powers and the responsibilities that came with them. And later, one of them chose to abandon her duties in favor of her own self-interest.

She presents herself as a mentor for young women, but in the end she is a failure because she is too self-centered.

In conclusion, Rwby is both a coming of age story and a story that deals with cycles. Let’s think about the many abusive cycles in the story or the damaging cycles present in society, for example. All these cycles need to be broken and I would not be surprised if this will be the case for the cycle of the Maidens as well.

THE CHOSEN ONES

Up until now, the person who should be a Maiden never becomes one.

a) Pyrrha was destined to be the Fall Maiden, but Cinder stole the power.

b) Vernal is foreshadowed to be the Spring Maiden, but Raven turns out to be the real one.

c) Winter has been preparing herself to inherit the Winter’s Maiden’s role, but Penny is the one chosen by Fria.

Why is that so?

The story is clearly playing with the idea of the “chosen one” and asking some questions.

Are people chosen by destiny:

Cinder: It’s unfortunate you were promised a power that was never truly yours.

Or do they choose it?

Red-Haired Woman: She understood that she had a responsibility… to try. I don’t think she would regret her choice, because a Huntress would understand that there really wasn’t a choice to make. And a Huntress is what she always wanted to be.

What if the chosen person is the wrong one?

Lionheart: She was determined, at first, when she inherited her powers, but the weight of responsibility proved to be too much for the child. She... ran. Abandoned her training, everyone. That was over a decade ago. There's no telling where she could be now.

Finally, is it even right to choose a person?

Weiss: Doesn't it bother you? He practically groomed your entire military career.

Winter: It did at first, when the General first proposed it to me. But the more I thought about it, the more I saw it as a privilege, a chance to do some real good for Atlas. For Remnant.

Weiss: But your destiny was chosen for you, without your input.

So far each Maiden has explored this concept in a different way. Moreover, the story has highlighted many problems with the method used by Ozpin and his allies to select their guardians.

First of all there is the machine used to transmit aura:

Ironwood: We've made... significant strides. And we believe we've found a way to capture it.

Qrow: Capture it and cram it into something else. (gestures to Pyrrha as she takes a second to realize what that means) Or in your case ...

Pyrrha: (to Ironwood) That's...

Ironwood: Classified.

Pyrrha: ... wrong!

This method has been presented in-universe as sketchy and unethical both for the person who is having her aura taken and for the person receiving it.

It is also interesting that this machine is basically the technological equivalent of the Grimm used by Salem and Cinder to steal the powers in the first place:

One is the product of destruction (The Brother’s Grimms), while the other is the result of creation (in-universe technology is linked to creation). However, they both do essentially the same thing. They steal another person’s aura and change the one absorbing it:

Raven: You turned yourself into a monster just for power.

Secondly, there is the fact that so far several Maidens have died or have been targeted in horrible ways.

Some of them were specifically attacked because young and less experienced than others, like Amber. Some others made their choice without truly understanding it, like the Spring Maiden. And some of them. like Pyrrha, were not even given all the elements to make an informed choice.

In short:

Hazel: You send children to their deaths for a cause that you know has no victory, no end!

It is true that Hazel is a hypocrite that feels anger for Ozpin sending students to their deaths only to be the one killing them. It is also true that he does not respect his sister’s choice:

Oscar: Did she know the risk of being a Huntress?

Hazel: She was only a child! She wasn't ready!!

Oscar: She made a choice! A choice to put others before herself! So do I.

However, the narrative harshly criticizes Ozpin for not giving people all the information, “the knowledge”, they need to make that choice:

Yang: There was so much you hadn't told us! How could you think that was okay?!

Finally, we arrive at the current volumes where we see how Ironwood has tried to control Penny, Winter and Fria aka all the three people involved in the passage of the Maidens powers...only to fail miserably.

And in this failure probably lies the true mistake which has been made over and over again. The whole point is that probably the whole cycle (thematically) can’t and should not be controlled to this extent:

Goodwitch: At first, the only thing that was certain was that the powers were specifically passed on to young women. But as time went on, it was discovered that the selection process was much more... intimate.

Pyrrha: ... Intimate?

Goodwitch: As we understand it now, when a Maiden dies, the one who is in her final thoughts is the first candidate to inherit her power.

The powers are passed from a person to another through emotions. It is not by chance that the last person in a Maiden’s mind is the one who gets the power. It is because the power is linked to emotions and to ties and you should not try to weaponize them.

MAIDENS AND RELICS

Finally each Maiden is clearly linked to the theme represented by her respective relic.

Pyrrha and Cinder are both linked to the idea of destiny and choosing. I have shared some thoughts on them here.

I would say that Cinder wants to be chosen. She wants to be special and to be given value. This is probably why she is serving Salem. It is because Salem has chosen her for an important role:

Salem: When I chose you as my vessel for the Maidens, I put my trust in you.

This is not positive. It is dehumanizing:

Salem: This game is not yours to win, Cinder, it’s mine. Just because you’re more valuable to me than a pawn, does not make you a player.

But Cinder sees this as a chance.

Pyrrha is instead a person, who chooses her own destiny:

Pyrrha: When I think of destiny, I don’t think of a predetermined fate you can’t escape. But rather… some sort of final goal, something you work towards your entire life.

In other words, Pyrrha has an active role in her own destiny, while Cinder so far has accepted it passively.

This might seem ironic because all in all Cinder has been a pretty active character. She was born as nothing and fought to free herself and to become more powerful. However, she is still leaving her own life in the hands of another person, who is specifically coded as an abusive mother-figure. It is probable that her arc will be about taking back the agency Salem is clearly stealing from her.

This might very well be why she is the Maiden of choice. It is because in the end she’ll make an active choice to get her own freedom back.

At the same time, Pyrrha being active in her choices still leads to her demise. This is because she represents a choice without knowledge, as I have stated in the meta linked above:

She had been explained only a fragment of the truth, while the whole point is that one should learn, meet creation and destruction and then make a choice. This is why we have yet to meet the relic of choice.

As a matter of fact it is clear that knowledge and choice are complementary, just like destruction and creation.

This is highlighted also by their respective relics. On one hand the Lamp offers knowledge of the past. On the other hand the Crown gives its user a vision of a future choice.

This is because one has to know the past to change the future:

Bartholomew Oobleck : History is important, gentlemen! If you can't learn from it... you're destined to repeat it.

In a sense, knowledge is the passive condition of choice, while choice is the active goal of knowledge.

This is why one needs both to contribute to the world in the most effective way possible. If one acts without knowledge they might make the wrong choice. At the same time, knowledge without choice is just passiveness, as shown in The Indecisive King fairy tale.

Too much knowledge might lead to indeciveness or even cynism. This is why Raven is the Spring Maiden. It is because she is Pyrrha’s opposite aka knowledge without choice:

Yang: Which is it, mom? Are you merciful, or are you a survivor? Did you let me walk into that trap because you knew I could handle it, or because it meant you could get what you wanted?!

Raven keeps making decisions only to run away from them immediately after. Knowledge did not make her braver, but just a coward.

Finally we arrive to Penny and the idea of creation.

I have mentioned Penny in the meta linked above:

Penny is an artificial human, a creation who was given life because her father loved her so much that he sacrificed a part of his aura for her… twice. She is at the centre of the theme of creation and it represents the good sides of it. She is a creation with a soul, a child, the fruit of parental love. It is because of the love she received that she is willing to protect creation.

Penny is at the centre of the theme of creation in two ways.

a) She is a child, who wants independence.

b) She is a good declination of technology.

On one hand children are new lives that join the world. They are the embodyment of creation.

On the other hand technology is an expression of human creation and a way humans have to change and influence reality.

Penny is both. She is Pietro’s girl and a robot with a soul:

Pietro: When the General first challenged us to find the next breakthrough in defense technology, most of my colleagues pursued more obvious choices. I was one of the few who believed in looking inward for inspiration.

Ruby: You wanted a protector with a soul.

Pietro: I did. And when General Ironwood saw her, he did too. Much to my surprise, the Penny Project was chosen over all the other proposals.

Ironwood choosing Pietro’s project over others is very interesting and ambiguous. Did he choose this project because at the time he understood the importance of “a protector with a soul”?

Probably consciously yes, but the way he has treated Penny since volume 2 suggests also something different. It suggests a desire of domination. The idea that putting a soul into a metallic body would make it easier to control it.

After all:

Ironwood: For the past few years, Atlas has been studying Aura from a more scientific standpoint; how it works, what's it made of, how it can be used. We've made... significant strides. And we believe we've found a way to capture it.

Each one of humanity’s gift has another side of itself. Knowledge can lead to fear and choice is linked to passivity/agency. When it comes to creation, this gift brings with itself the temptation of control.

Why shouldn’t a creator “own” theis creation? Why shouldn’t they be entitled to it? Why should they share it with the rest of the world?

If one looks at Ironwood, at Atlas and at the other protagonists of this volume this way, a lot of things resonate.

Atlas is the most technological advanced kingdom, but instead of sharing its resources it closes off. Ironwood’s embargo is just another declination of this same idea of losing control.

Similarly the Ace Ops and Winter are all repressing their emotions. They want perfect control over themselves. They are taught they should be like drones.

Technology itself is often misused by the characters. Technolofy should be like Penny. It should have humanity and a soul, but Ironwood likes it because he sees it as something logical that can be controlled (and of course he keeps losing control over it). Ironwood wants to become like he thinks Penny is aka a controllable soul. He fails to understand that Penny is special because she has her own free will.

Finally, this same desire of control is present also in familial relationship. It is not by chance that the Schnee Family is in Atlas. Weiss’s story has always been about exploring this specific idea of a family. A family, which is cold and controlling, just like ice. Weiss’s arc is about melting this ice, in herself first and now in others as well.

Technological control and the control of people. In short, the control over two aspects of creation. This is the the idea Atlas represents and this is why it is currently falling.

In short, the creation must be free and it is not by chance the world is in its current predicament because the Gods tried to control their creations with disastrous results.

CONCLUSION

These are my main thoughts on the Maidens so far. That said, they might chance since the story is far from over as the arcs of all the maidens we have met so far.

As a final note, I find interesting that so far none of our four protagonists is a Maiden. It is an interesting choice and I think that it lets the series make a good use of its ensemble cast.

That said, I wonder if our four protagonists will end up calling back the original Four Maidens instead.

The fairy tale is interesting on multiple levels.

In-universe, it is interesting because it tells us something about how Ozpin was probably inspired by the original Four Maidens to try to save the world again. Ozpin is inspired by four normal people, who are just trying their best to help others.

This is a recurring idea in Rwby and this might be why none of the four protagonists has been selected to be a Maiden yet.

If read as a stand-alone, the story is an interesting tale on how to overcome depression.

The story starts with the old man closed in his house and it shows how he progressively opens up until he himself is able to help others.

Winter is the one who teaches him how to work on his own interiority even when the world is cold.

Springs prepares the terrain for him to come out. It makes the garden more welcoming. It is like when a person has to find the right environment to open herself up.

Summer is the one who finally drags the man out and gives him energy.

Finally Fall is the one who makes the man realize he can now share his new found energy with others.

Theirs is a virtuous cycle and I would say it is very different of the tragic cycle that sees the current Maidens as protagonists. Who knows? Maybe it is about going back to that virtuosity.

Thank you for the ask!

#rwby #rwby meta #maidens #cinder fall #raven branwen #penny polendina #pyrrha nikos #asksfullofsugar #anonymous

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onewomancitadel · 3 years

Note

Don't you think that if Knightfall happens in the show, the community and Reddit would explode? knowing how their opnions about Cinder and Jaune are(at least some part), though that depends if they do Knightfall right or they fuck up in the pacing or execution.

I don't think they care lol. They committed to killing Penny (which made sense) and that obviously made a lot of viewers unhappy. People who don't understand why Penny didn't die properly the first time, and why she had to die properly. All that sort of thing. It just depends what thematic thread you're interested in following. But I think one of the last asks you sent me, we had a little disagreement over whether the show is following through on its ideas, and I think I have a different approach.

I'm not going to say I'm totally right all the time lol, I'm very prepared to be wrong, and to be quite honest in the case of BB they pleasantly surprised me, for instance. I had thought it made sense, and Yang's longing for Blake was unusual, and all of the stuff with Yang and Raven plus Raven/Tai made sense for a Yang/Blake romance. Idk, I felt like it made sense but I was uncertain if they'd commit. The Raven/Tai was a big thing for me when I was considering the ship, and this was an early notion (for me) of legacy themes, of course Salem/Ozma became a realised thing in V6:E3 lol. There was all the Beauty/Beast stuff, but I was less sure exactly how much they were committing to it then. It seemed to be more internal Blake stuff.

So yeah, I always reserve caution. But on that front, there were a lot of vocal Blake/Sun shippers. It was a horrible shipwar. It was terrible. They paid little heed to it, if anything they stoked the flames lol. I do wonder to what end Cindemption being seeded for as long as it has been, and to the audience eyes' since the V7 finale (like, two separate instances, there's the Cinder vs. Winter and Penny fight, THEN Ozpin's voiceover asking if you'll forgive them/understand why they did the things they did) is supposed to be rehabilitating her fandom perception along with Cindemption.

As I've sort of said, not to be repeating myself, but I reckon they don't care about causing a ruckus. Look at the people upset about Ironwood.

I do think Knightfall is possible to do well, and good Knightfall is probably contingent on good Cindemption, and good Cindemption is contingent on continuing to write her in an interesting way. Obviously they're my two favourite characters and I currently love the direction with the two of them, so I'm not complaining. Jaune has some meaty development, and Cinder's at her highest.

Although I've got to be honest with you. I'm not a very good person. Sometimes I want to live out the smugness of being a Knightfall blog this early in the canon, see it canon, and just bask in the satisfaction. That would feel really good. But I must put away ego and not be a bad person. I'm prepared for it not to happen as much as I am, if you know what I mean. I am willing to go with the story they're telling, I would just be disappointed if they went about-turn on their themes. There are just a lot of mechanical working parts of the story pointing in favour of Knightfall that it's too hard to ignore.

When I sit down and feel sad and try to convince myself out of shipping it, like when I'm thinking about the likelihood of Jaune/Weiss, I'm still just like... but that ship makes no sense. That ship breaks everything... all of the ships so far work to the themes and patterns I'm looking at, even BB which I didn't expect to happen. BB I didn't expect to happen partly because I was unsure for obvious reasons and I wasn't sure if they'd commit to that especially with the main cast, and then also there was some genuine Blake/Sun kind of baiting going on, because that's the anime-trope romance. Weird how all the anime-trope romances have failed but the fairytale ones haven't.

Knightfall is very fairytale lol.

With that being said though... don't you think Knightfall is actually a great way to legitimise both Jaune and Cinder in the eyes of fandom? Like, think about it: it gives something really important for Jaune to do, the thing I think is probably the most important thing he could do in the story and makes perfect sense for his character, and genuine interactions with her from someone who cares and isn't getting anything out of it would humanise her? Like, in a way it almost makes sense because it seems so unlikely, because they're characters with such particular... fandom reception, which I've talked about before, on many sides. It's almost like the perfect solution to showing the audience exactly why these two are the way they are lol.

To summarise: I'm not worried about fandom opinion and I want to be right always, all the time. I hope they do it well if they do it at all. To be honest with you I always thought Knightfall would be late, and Cindemption is being set up very early and as one of the most important redemption arcs in the show. But who nose. It could be even sooner than I thought lol.

Great ask though, I had a lot of fun replying. Thank you! <3 Hope you're having a good day.

#seraphina's asks #user: noscuarteto #stirring the pot

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coweggomelet · 3 years

Text

volume 5

im so sad please do funny things

i know what’s coming though so

i’ll be crying while i laugh

- i love how qrow walks he looks like he has back problems

- oooo pretty waterfall

- ruby gushing over weapons is my favorite thing

- ahahaaaa frozen background gays that’s representation babey

- oh shit he just wanted to finish the job and go home 😢

- wait are all the academy headmasters characters from the wizard of oz? like ironwood is the tin man, lionheart is the cowardly lion, oz is...oz. who’s the headmaster of shade? the scarecrow? dorothy? i am 100% sure that people have already connected these dots but that just occurred to me

- oh ilia you poor little lesbian

- ahahahaaaa qrow “i did it!”

-uggghh the new intro i need my babies to be back together

- ew watts don’t smile with your teeth like that it’s creepy

- oh yeah cinder can talk now! gimme that fun ominous banter-y dialogue pleeeaase

- floating islands babeeeyyy

- ooooh i love this pilot! he’s so nice and funny and he works well with weiss. so sad he dies in a couple minutes

- adam you are such an asshole siena was SO COOL

- AAAHHHHH he’s got dad reading glasses!! i love ghira

- i would DIE i would lay down my little life for oscar and ruby the BABIES

- fuck yeah yang!! you stand up to her!!

- WE GOT TWO OUT OF FOUR GANG TWO OUT OF FOUR

- awww hugs

- of course you’re more scared than you've ever been, oscar, you are a CHILD who worked on a farm!! it’s okay to be scared!! it’s okay to have to adjust!!

- SHE SURE IS REMARKABLE OZPIN

- uh oh ilia doesn’t wanna kill blake i smell a gay

- hehehe awkward backpedal

- ooohhh man the kid... fuck, all those people are just... gone. and we can guess what happened to them, it’s pretty obvious but we’re never told exactly what happened and it’s so sad and scary

- awkward tea time with mom

- ugh raven shut up you SUUUCK

- THREE OUT OF FOUR BABEEEYYY IM GONNA CRY

- they all love each other SO MUCH this is ILLEGAL

- yesssss arm wrestleeee

- ooooo the ticking clock is so ominous

- she’s gonna come back, yang, don't worry

- weiss i love youuuu you’ve grown so much i’m so proud!!

- oh ilia you poor thing

- oh boyyyy here we gooooo!! the fake out of the century!!

- mercury. shut up. you’re a good fighter and people underestimate you. but. you’re a kid. and there’s some real big players now. no one’s afraid of you. you’re not that scary.

- god this plan is so goddamn smart. raven wears her helmet. vernal keeps her eyes closed the whole time. so fucking clever. jesus. also?? vernal’s subtle showmanship?? amazing. great detail

- aang??!!?

- i really wanna know how oz hid the vault at beacon. there’s gotta be something about it other than he’s just old and powerful, there’s gotta be some shenanigans there

- god i love this theme it’s so good. casey really just gives it her all every time and i’m so grateful to her

- oh boy the fuckin lobby here we go

- siblings amirite

- boys and girls? really cinder? let’s be more inclusive please

- surprise y’all they’re murder teens sorry you had to find out this way

- fuck i forgot how much jaune’s lil speech hurts. he’s still just so sad and he’s breaking down a little cause he’s so good and can’t understand why or how someone could be so bad. god i love my lil sweet boy he’s breaking my heart

- qrow i think the time has passed for everybody to be cool. cinder’s already talking smack. there’s no going back buddy

- “who are you again?” CINDER ILL STAB YOU. but also… good— good line. absolutely devastating

- emerald’s like “gotta protect my mommy girlfriend”

- shut UP mercury

- siblings amirite part 2

- THATS MY BOOYYY GO OSCAARR

- ooooohhhhh this muuuussiiiicccc

- ope there’s an aura break oh FUCK weiss gets stabbed in this episode doesn’t she and JAUNEY BOY DISCOVERS HIS SEMBLANCE i love him

- AHAHAHAAAA fuck her uuuuppp ruby

- ohhhhh shit here it comes oh god oh no

- god with pyrrha’s spear too. cinder’s really got a taste for dramatics doesn’t she

- oh god and the spear dissolving like pyrrha did i CANT

- when i say i LOST MY SHIT i said no fuckin way they kill weiss right now NO FUCKIN WAY and my friend had the AUDACITY to say “just watch”???? RUDE

- oooohh GET HIM oscar

- HES DOING IT MY SWEET BOY I LOVE YOUUU

- ohhh the tree of knowledge! i just got that

- there’s the grimm elastigirl arm

- SIKE CINDER THERES NO POWER TO TAKE FROM HER YOU JUST KILLED HER FOR NO REASON

- GOD WHAT A REVEAL

- again i lost my shit

- the amount of times i lost my shit and my friend had to tell me to be quiet was… a Lot

- NORRAAAA I LOVE YOUUUU

- oh hazel. can’t wait for your Growth

- THERE SHE IIISSS MY GIRL WHAT AN ENTRANCE BLAKE

- uh oh hazel is disheveled that means he’s unhinged

- oh FUCK yeah blake you’ve LEARNED i’m so proud of all my babieeesss

- WEISS what a power stance!

- THE LOOK they’re so GAY

- ooooo i love this fight it’s maiden vs maiden babey

- poor vernal. she spent the last moment of her life helping a woman who probably manipulated her and used her, and she helped her try to kill someone who didn’t even end up dying. vernal deserved better

- OH HERE WE GO RAVEN ITS YOUR DAUGHTER BITCH AND SHES HAD GROWTH

- oooo get him blake

- ooof the shoulder check. raven she fuckin nailed you on the head and did not hold back and knew EXACTLY what to say and you did EXACTLY what she said you were gonna do— run away. she is SO MUCH better than you and you will never recognize that and that is so heartbreaking

- uh oh the clicky orb thing. you’re gonna die lionheart

- oh emerald my baby. she relied on cinder so much, was so dependent on her, that she was powerful enough to make that in like 8 brains at once. that’s grief babey

- it took them. TWO WHOLE VOLUMES. to all get back together. this is illegal. and also i’m crying

- this is not ALLOWED they can’t look at each other like that my heart can’t take it

- awww qrow’s default really is just taking care of kids. good guy

- i’m always so exhausted at the end of a volume

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wu-sisyphus-gang · 3 years

Text

Motion Sickness 35

Jaune’s life goes bad in this one.

pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq

We marched in Leonardo's empty stronghold, Qrow in front and with legs that were only getting stronger. And Oscar was in the back. We rolled up on Haven in force and fully expected things to go sideways. I hadn’t allowed my friends to go in thinking anything but. Anything else would only get somebody killed.

Not this time. Not my friends. Never again.

We pushed our way in through a set of double doors into a large atrium. It was huge and in Mistrali style. It had plants and art lining the walls all of which ran up to a set of double stairs around a single central statue.

“Why hello.” Lionheart greeted from the top of the stairs. He wasn’t waiting for us in his office like last time. Alarm bells went off in my head. My instincts screamed at me. Ruby walked beside me and her careful patience held me in check. Her own instincts had always been more on point than mine where non-Grimm were concerned. “Thank you for coming. There seems to be more of you than last time.”

“Yeah well you know what they say, the more the merrier,” Qrow inclined his head. “So what’s going on with the council.”

Lionheart appeared to be armed, for all that he was alone in a vast empty room. I suppose we were too.

A portal, same black and red swirling mass that I'd seen Yang and Weiss emerge from, opened beside Leonardo. Out started to step people. People I recognized.

"Raven…" Qrow murmured. "Jaune and Oz were right. It's a set up."

I witnessed the enemy line up. I started with the Scorpion, his eyes and mine met and he licked his lips. His gaze went past to Ruby and he glared, mechanical tail writhing in the air behind him. He looked fairly pissed. No doubt he wanted revenge for the missing appendage.

I went down until I stopped at a huntress with tattoos and claw-like weapons. I recognized her as Vernal from when we fought.

"You!" She recognized, looking at me. "You're that huntsman." She was the bandit from GaiLong with the wicked semblance. Or...

"Jaune?" Ruby asked from beside me, not recognizing the blue eyed girl.

"Vernal." I cleared the air, pieces fitting in my mind. "You're the spring maiden."

"You and I have unfinished business," she said, glowering. She'd have to get in line. I stared beyond her at Cinder. The two groups of hunters stood, sizing each other up in the middle of the atrium. Then out came Cinder's accomplices. Emerald and Mercury.

Raven herself never came through the portal. Instead it collapsed and Vernal's eyes flared with maiden power.

It seemed I indeed had unfinished business with two of the four maiden's if you counted Cinder.

"Steady Jaune," Ruby murmured. Easier said than done. I wanted to activate my semblance and fling myself at Cinder. But she had two lackyes beside her. They'd get in the way. If I wanted to do this right I'd need to be careful. If I wanted Cinder to die I had to play things straight.

Anything else and it would be my friends who suffered.

"You killed Pyrrha. I'm going to take you apart for that," I whispered.

"Who?" Cinder asked. "Oh the would-be maiden. You can hardly expect me to remember everyone but she does stand out to me."

I wanted to rush her. I wanted to charge my semblance and backflip up there and take her the fuck apart. Ruby reached out and grabbed me by my hand and my heart rate slowed down. I felt our aura's overlapped and the tension I felt in my heart eased slightly.

I remembered the words she gave me at the top of the Gold Saucer carnival ride. If I wanted to have that, if I wanted to be hers, I had to wait. I had to approach it like Yang had mentioned to me, slow and careful. I'd have my chance at Cinder's throat.

I would.

I heard a noise from behind me, the great double doors on the atrium closed as an enormous man shut them. "The Whitefang are setting up the charges. No one's getting in, an' no one's getting out."

"Leo I have to say I'm enormously disappointed in you." Oscar or maybe Ozpin said.

"That boy is Ozpin, he must be." Lionheart said.

"Ozpin is here?" Cinder asked.

"That's not a problem, is it?" Vernal interrogated.

"No. Leo, open the passageway to the vault." Lionheart pranced over and did something to the statue in the middle of the room. The dais began to descend, no guesses where it was heading.

"Ozpin?" The enormous man growled. "You're the boy from the train station." He growled and surged forward. Ruby got in his way and shot him. There was a whorl of petals and she blocked his approach.

I began to move forward as our two sides clashed in combat. The moment breaking like glass.

I approached Cinder, sprinting over the ground with a scream. She blocked with a summoned sword and we clashed again and again. She smiled at me, sharp calm in the face of my jagged anger. Vernal only stood off to the side.

I brought my sword down on her hard enough to crater the floor but she only stood firm, one sword turned sideways, her eye flaring up with maiden power.

“You better mean it,” she whispered.

“Boy do I.” I hit her with the diagonal forward slash where I whipped my blade and my hips into it and leaned back. She blocked it with a casual smirk.

"Stop messing with me!" I shouted.

"But it's so easy." She laughed. I charged a little and activated my semblance, bringing the sword to bear against her as wisps of blue flame clung to me.

"I'll show you," I growled.

We flew at each other, she was on a platform of red flames which carried her forward and I was propelled by my will with one arm stretched forward and the other back, holding the massive weight of Crocea Mors.

I surprised her by backflipping at her and I hit hard enough to send her sliding back. My strength doubled, my speed increased.

I struck out holding onto the mobility and muscle improvements.

She held out a palm and a torrent of flame shot at me but I skirted around it without traction and front-flipped at her bringing my sword down in a massive stroke.

I slammed her and her weapon shattered like, well, like glass. She fell back. Her aura flared as I bit deep into it. Then I finished the trick and Limit broke, a whirling of blue attacks stormed her as I went for the finishing touch and tried to take her down. I knocked her back into the statue hard enough that pieces of it shattered off her face.

She whipped to her feet, eyes narrowing as I stood stock still, flexing and charging my next semblance. She let out a scream and a torrent of air whipped over us all flinging us and her own allies about.

Without my semblance she put me on the back foot. She came at me spinning like a top with her glass weapons. She slashed at my stomach then tried to take my head off with a swing of her opaque weapon.

She summoned a series of molten arrows and the pieces stabbed my stomach and penetrated my aura hard enough to do some real damage to me. They were hot enough to leave welts behind where they struck.

She rolled over my back and dragged me down in a choke hold with her weapon around my neck. Getting choked hurts for those unaware. The blood in your head throbs in time with your heartbeat and it's a bunch of pressure on your neck.

The person doing the choking can control how much it hurts based on how hard they do the choke and you have one guess which decision she made about how to choke me out.

She made it hurt. A lot.

I kicked back at her and she dragged me to my knees. I managed to get my center of mass under my legs again and dropped my sword. I picked her up and slammed her into the statue. I did it again. And once more before she slid to the side and kicked off me, pushing me into the statue.

The back of my head rang like a bell against the hard stone.

When I got my bearings I slid baseball style and picked up my weapon. When I got back to my feet I faced another opponent.

Black.

I just had to trust that my friends had found their own opponents and we’d be fine. Together we can do this.

He gave me a leering grin. "Jaune, right?"

I said nothing, leveling my broadsword at him. I finished the last bit of charge and turned on Limit Breaker. It was faster to charge now than ever before. The result of practice or something more? I was unsure.

I wanted to get past him and fight Cinder again but she was descending in the elevator on a flux of wind and magic. Her eyes met mine and she gave me a beautiful smile, only marred by her half face. She blew me a kiss, promising vengeance.

Black kicked at me and pushed stepped towards me but I had my semblance activated and outmaneuvered him by hovering.

He tried to breach my space again but I timed him out with a tremendous swing of Crocea Mors. He blocked it with his legs but the blow sent him reeling. He stumbled back a few steps.

He reengaged me more cautiously the second time, without the arrogant smirk.

I struck Mercury back with my sword with a falling aerial attack. It was devastating and it rocked him on his feet.

We clashed again and he bounced off my massive blade. I rolled my wrists and another flying kick was met with the edge of my sword. He kicked off of it and tried to force me into the ground.

I was nimble with my semblance, though. I just rolled away from the pressure.

I spent my semblance while in mid air and hit him with all five hits of Cross Slash. He blocked them all arms and feet dancing about but I could tell the experience wasn't comfortable. I saw him wince, especially at the tremendous last hit. He tried to punish me but I hadn't over extended. It was all safe pressure and I punished his own jump kick by bringing my sword all the way around my body as I glid through the air.

Even without my semblance I had grown fast. Not fast enough to escape another snapping round kick. Then another from the opposite side. He'd penetrated my range and was seeing fit to make it hurt like hell.

He kneed me in the face and I managed to stumble back.

He tried to approach me and I swiped upwards. The move caught him and launched him airborne. I did it again and launched him a little higher. The tip of my blade tearing into him.

I bench pressed Mercury, juggling him with the massive sword. I hit the ground and swept the blade upwards, knocking him into the air again and I bench pressed him one more time.

It felt like a bad matchup for him and I seemed unstoppable. He backed off when he finally hit the ground and shot at me with his legs. I had range on him and I was brutally strong. Even without my semblance I was fast enough to combo him.

I countered with a blade-beam. We found ourselves staring the other down, our projectiles canceling out.

I heard Nora cry out somewhere to my side but I couldn't let my focus waiver. I had to have faith. Ruby let out a grunt behind me as I continued to glare at Black. When I last got a peek, Ruby was engaging the tall man with Yang and Qrow. I heard him let out a bellow as he fought my friend and girlfriend and mentor.

I supposed that left Weiss, Nora, and Ren fighting the Scorpion and Lionheart with Oscar. Oscar being one of the weaker members of our own squad I felt a flash of concern for him but I could ill afford the distractions.

I stood still charging my semblance, my aura flaring as I approached the tipping point. Black got the memo. He had to approach me or I would become an even bigger threat.

I'd kill him too. Black deserved it for what he put Yang through.

He came at me pushing off the ground with a flare of his boots. He kicked at me high which I deflected, then he tried low and I punished him with a rising aerieal attack. I side-flipped at him bringing my sword around my body in a massive swing. He was forced to block it and I had him trapped beneath me.

I backflipped in place, threatening Mercury the entire time I was airborne. When I hit the tile I reached out and grabbed him where he was blocking, picked him up off his feet and slammed him into the ground.

He leapt back up to his feet but I was already airborne and threatening another devastating landing aerial attack the entire time. He watched me with a wary look in his eyes, he knew how dangerous my falling attacks could be and while he wasn't quite scared he was over respecting me.

I hit the ground once more and reached out and slammed him into the ground again. If he thought he could just block against me, he'd have another thing coming.

I backflipped in place and was seriously going to do it to him a third time in a row when he boost-kicked off the ground and hit me in the face.

I fell back but caught myself on the tile, flipping back to my feet.

Cinder was back up the vault shaft, Vernal wasn't with her, and she had what I could only suppose was the Relic in her hand. A dangerous sly smile on her face as she flexed a hand and blue power flared around her one remaining eye.

A sniper shot struck Cinder's hand and the relic went flying. Her gaze snapped to Ruby who must have fired the shot. Her eye flared with power. Vernal was dead, then. I wanted to stand between her and Ruby but I held my position against Black.

Leonardo Lionheart picked the lamp up.

"Jaune stop him!" Ruby called out, she had her eyes on the prize. I was closest to acquiring the relic. The relic was what mattered.

I disengaged Black, hitting him with a triple sword swing, the first two attacks holding him in place before the last, blinding fast, flung him away.

"I got him!" Yang called out, communicating with me that Black wouldn't be free to harass one of my friends in the back.

I activated my semblance and chased Lionheart. I slashed at his shield-like weapon with Crocea Mors.

I chased him down the school corridors, the swings of my sword tore up the hallways as I sprinted after him. He fired dust back at me which I narrowly dodged again and again. I hovered in place and threw a blade beam at him but he blocked with his shield.

He retreated down a narrow passageway away from the rest of the fighting, the relic still in his free hand.

I kicked him back and threw him into a room and inside there was this glowing, hovering, Grimm, thing. It had long sweeping tentacles beneath a large orb. Before I could spend my semblance on either it or Lionheart a woman's voice boomed from it. The voice was quiet and calm but it seemed to come from inside my head as well as the orb. I collapsed as my forehead pulsed with pain.

"Now what's this?" I heard the voice say. I felt it too within my head. It was a woman’s voice and I heard it all the time.

I recognized it intimately. I knelt on the ground in front of the Grimm and looked up through my throbbing eyes.

"What have you brought me, Leo?"

"M-m-m…" I stuttered out. "Mother!?"

I'd heard that voice in my dreams and beyond. In my worst nightmares that voice terrorized me. I recalled a thousand horrible dreams as I crouched on the floor of that room.

"Oh you must be Merlot's." The voice purred. I could see her face through the orb. "And haven't you done well for yourself. For us. Hush now. Don't speak."

The voice in my mind commanded me and I bit down on my tongue rather than utter a word. Blood welled up from it in my mouth. I couldn't fight the compulsion. No matter how hard I tried to speak or move I couldn't. I had to obey the thing on the other side of the Grimm. I tried to scream out, the agony in my head far worse than the middling pain coming from my mouth yet all I managed was a quiet moan.

Salem.

"We expected you to fail. I expected you to be thrown out by Ozma when he discovered you didn't even have aura. Yet here you are," Salem's voice went on. "You will bring the relic to me." She decided.

"But your grace…" Lionheart tried, he'd regained his footing. The Grimm thing lashed out with one of its tentacles and ripped his throat out. Blood poured out over the room as Lionheart choked on nothing but blood and his own gore.

"Bring me the relic, child. My child. Long have you and your sisters filled my dreams. Jaune Arc, was it? Yes, I know your name."

I could still say nothing. Blood poured over my lips as I trembled beneath the thing. She was reaching out through it and controlling me so thoroughly I managed not a single other thought.

Obey me. The compulsion demanded. It shook something loose inside my mind and I thought I was going to go mad. I reached out and picked up the relic. With trembling hands which slowly grew smoother I strapped it to my waist by a belt.

"Jaune!" It was Nora at the door. "Ruby did something to Cinder, she and Emerald are-" she broke off. She looked down and saw me with Lionheart's corpse, kneeling before the tentacled Grimm. Ren stood behind her, shocked looks on both their faces.

"Kill her," the voice purred from the orb and in my mind. "And the boy."

I couldn't help it. I whipped to my feet and struck against Nora. I spent Limit with intent to kill. I caught her by surprise and blew her off her feet and through the adjacent wall.

Ren cried out in fear. He drew his blades against me but I swept them aside. I charged Limit between our clashes and soon I would have it again. We collided and I laughed madly in his face. Soon I could kill these two and be on my way to Mother. Nora lept from the crater I'd put her into and tried to bring her hammer down on me.

"Jaune why are you doing this?!" Nora screamed. "What's going on?!" I slashed at her with the long edge of Crocea Mors. She ducked and backed off, spinning away from me with her hammer in hand.

I choked on blood and my own mangled tongue worked in my mouth. Parts of it were hanging on by threads of flesh. "Because Mother told me to," I cried out, voice warbled by my destroyed tongue. The words were indecipherable as they exited me. I couldn't stop my movements anymore than I could stop the sun in the sky.

It was something ingrained in me. Deep in my bones. I slashed at her twice before I chased after Ren. I knew he would give me the greater trouble. I brought the sword down on him in a massive overhead slash which slammed him into the ground. Nora's hammer pinwheeled and caught me center of mass and threw me into a wall but she was holding herself back.

I could feel her holding herself back. She clobbered me again and once more. Around the shoulders and chest. She was still not giving it her all, though. If she kept that up I'd win and kill them both.

She had to stop me.

She had to kill me.

"Jaune what did that thing do to you?"

I gargled blood and babbled out something unintelligible. I laughed and tried to scream at the same time. I was sure I was frothing at the mouth besides. All I could think of, all I could focus on, was the desire to kill my friends and if they kept holding back I'd succeed.

I hit Nora like a ton of bricks. I slashed into her aura and bit deep. I cut at her again with a horizontal slash that flung her to the side.

"No!" Ren cried out.

He slashed at me and rained bullets as he jumped over me. I caught one of his blades and hit him like I was swinging a home run. It caught him in the chest and I saw his aura flare up.

"That Grimm must have done something to him. Jaune you have to snap out of it! How do we help him?!"

I knew all their weaknesses. I slashed a golf swing at Ren which nearly put him through the ceiling and ripped a long cut in the paper walls besides.

I was all over him with my sword. Swinging away and chipping at his defenses. I'd break through eventually and then… and then… and then…

I muttered madly under the pressure I felt in my thoughts. They were going to die. They must die.

"I don't know," Ren grunted under my assault. "Jaune please," he begged.

I brought my sword down on him tearing up the thin papery walls. He blocked again and again but he wasn't fighting to kill me like I was him. Instead he tried to disarm and subdue me but I backed off. Warding with the long blade, I swept it at his face.

I flew at him like I was a monster and slashed low then high then back and forth in front of my body. I brought the blade all the way around my body and down on him, trying to crush him if I couldn't slice him.

Nora came at me and I caught the handle of her hammer by my free hand and threw her into Ren. They collided and went tumbling down, over the headmaster's office desk.

Nora jumped up at me but I met her in the air with a massive helmsplitter and knocked her through a few walls with an expenditure of Limit Break Braver.

I stood in the middle of the room then. Just charging and waiting for Ren to rise. He came at me low, having seen what kept happening to Nora when she went high but I knew all his moves and never let him get close enough to grab me. I side-flipped and slashed him into a wall. Then I hammered him into it again with a giant swing.

Nora came at me again and I ducked under the swing. She reversed it and tried to catch me up in it but I blocked with the side flat of my blade and swept down towards her fingers. It forced her to back off and I climb-hazard her up onto the next floor and slammed her back down again. My blade flashed and sung through the air as I pounded her.

Ren came at me screaming and I kept him off me. I was fighting to kill him and he was fighting just to stay alive. It showed. I backflipped over him, jumped off one of the narrow walls and Limit Break Cross Slashed my friend in the back as I hung upside down in the passageway.

I hung in place as I delivered the terrifying attack. There was nothing he could do being caught up in it but grunt under the weight of the blows.

One. A slash to the side. Two. An ‘x’ across the legs. Three. A blow to his ribs. Four. A horizontal slice across his chest. Five. The last of the kanji hung in the air.

Each of the five hits struck true. The second to last one shattered his aura and the last one cut him so deeply at the stomach I knew he would die. I severed his spine and he nearly fell into two gasping halves.

"No!" Nora called out. "Jaune how could you?!" She kept at me with tears in her eyes. She brought the hammer down on me and I bounced off the floor. I slashed at her while she stood guard over Ren and relentlessly whaled on her while all she could do is block.

Some hits got through. She couldn't block everything and, even with Ren dying behind her, she still wasn't fighting back to kill me.

I reared back, took aim and thrust forward with Crocea Mors. It slid through her crackling pink aura and blood welled up in a fountain as I ran her through.

She softly touched my face as I speared her all the way to the base.

I slid my sword into her small body all the way to the hilt and with a last shudder, she died.

She fell back onto Ren and they passed together.

Like that I was the last member of team JNPR.

I wanted to claw my eyes out, I wanted to scream, all I could do was start walking in the direction I knew, knew, Salem to be. I snuck out of the school through the entrance we'd come in on that day we met Lionheart, tearing my way through the walls. I snuck away from the rest of my friends.

She'd looked so much like the blonde woman I knew to be my Mother… but her skin was ghostly white like Grimm bone and her eyes were red instead of pale blue.

pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq

-WG

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rwbyvein · 3 years

Text

Firen Lhain: Chapter 612: Tin Woodsman: Part III/III

"If you don't mind?," Ironwood asked, "I'd like to get down to business." He looked around the room, a more serious atmosphere appearing almost insantly. "Is the relic safe?" he asked, and Ruby reached under her cloak to pull out the lamp. Ironwood just stared at it for a few moments. "Well, that answers a few questions. The Spring Maiden?" he asked, and almost everyone looked at Raven. Ironwood, Winter, and Taiyang followed their gazes. "I?.." Ironwood, "really don't know what to say to that."

"Yang and I had a bit of a chat." Raven stated, "She pointed out that Salem was after the Relics. The only way for me to get out of the fighting was to give them the Relic, and disappear."

"Then?.." Ironwood asked her, "if you don't mind if I ask?"

"Why I'm here?" Raven asked, "Oh, that's simple, I used my portal to get to Tai. He was really the only choice I had."

"And then what happened?" Yang asked her.

"He might be a fool, but I still love him." Raven stated. "I thought I was strong enough. I thought I was over it. I thought I was independent."

"Aaaand?" Nora asked.

"What?" Raven asked, "I was wrong. The only home I had left was Tai, and he wanted to make sure his daughters were safe."

"What about our house?" Yang asked.

Raven then looked to Tai, "I'm sorry, Tai, but that little house on Patch?, not really good enough to get me to stay still."

"Then?.." Taiyang asked, "why did you?"

"Wasn't it obvious enough?" Raven asked, and stepped towards him. She grabbed his hand and pulled it behind her back before kissing him on his lips.

"Seriously?" Yang asked, "we're right here." This caused Qrow to scoff.

"Do you guys have ANY idea what it's been like for at last month?" Ironwood put his foot heavily down, and everyone looked at him again.

"Again, I'm sorry." Ironwood stated, and Raven pulled away from Tai, turning to him.

"No, we have a lot of important, world-ending things to talk about. If I have to die, it might as well be here."

"On the airship?" Nora asked, and Raven just glared at her. Ren put his hand on Nora's shoulder and she covered her mouth.

"How are things in Atlas?" Qrow asked.

"I honestly don't know." Ironwood stated.

"The giant army, and you don't know anything?" Qrow asked.

"To be fair," Weiss stated, "we only really knew anything about Beacon because Ruby is unfathomable."

"I'm really big?" Ruby asked.

"What?" a surprised Weiss replied.

"Also fathoms." Ren stated, and Weiss turned to give Ruby as questioning look.

"You are - to put it mildly, difficult to understand." Weiss said to Ruby.

"That's pretty much why we're all here." Jaune said, "Ruby seems to know where she's needed."

"And where we're needed is Atlas!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Academy?" Ironwood asked.

"I guess?" Ruby said and shrugged.

"That targets would likely be the reliquary and the CCT." Ren stated, "like it was with the other Academies."

"But that doesn't mean that's where we need to be." Jaune said, and everyone looked at him.

"If you could elaborate?" Ironwood stated.

"It's kind of hard to hide an army of Grimm in Atlas." Jaune stated. "I'm assuming. It's like, one giant city, right?"

"It is quite densely populated." Weiss affirmed.

"And?" Jaune asked, looking at Blake, "that Atlas doesn't have the the White Fang?"

"The White Fang are all on Solitas." Blake stated, "Not in the city of Atlas. Not to mention that..."

"They've been defanged." Yang said, and snickered. Blake looked at her, rolled her eyes, and then developed a smile.

"So?," Jaune asked, "whatever happened is going to happen on Solitas."

Ironwood developed an extremely sour, pensive look.

"Do you disagree?" Ren asked.

"No." Ironwood stated, "That's the problem. If we're not looking at Atlas, but the continent, that's a LOT more space to cover. Atlas' army is vast, but..."

"It doesn't matter how big the army is," Qrow said to him, "does it?" Ironwood looked at him, the look becoming a bit softer, but a bit more confused.

"Then what do you want me to do?" Ironwood asked.

"Oh, I don't know?" Qrow asked, "open the borders?" Ironwood gave him a completely lost look. "Do you really think your borders are going to stop the Mother of Grimm?" Qrow asked, and Ironwood still looked lost at him, "All you are doing is blinding yourself to what they are doing. Do you know what Salem calls me?"

Ironwood looked around for a moment, "An Eye, right?" Ironwood said. Qrow gave him a knowing look as it dawned on Ironwood. "Use your giant Atlas military to TRACK people coming in, or something. Then at least they might be good for something."

"I know..." Ironwood said, and paused a moment for thought, "you don't like the military..."

"I think it's pointless." Qrow said. "All it does it make you THINK you are safe, but Mistral thought it was safe, and it was only a bunch of kids wandering away that stopped them."

"So?!" Ironwood shouted at him, "What do you want me to do?!" He then paused, and breathed in deep.

"For one," Qrow said, "stop trying so hard." Ironwood gave him a completely confused look, "You can't save the world, at least not by yourself. The only thing you can do is the best you can do. All you have to do is ask yourself, HOW can your giant, gaudy military help you save the world?"

Ironwood started to pace the width of the room. "I could use them to canvas the cities and villages. I could put our effort into protecting the major trade routes, it would give us the ability to inspect everything that's going on."

"There." Qrow said to him. "That's thinking like an Eye." Ironwood looked at him, and did a combination of shrugging his shoulders while pointing at Qrow with his right hand, stopping half way through each motion before adopting a neutral stance.

"That said," Qrow voiced, "when the attack comes, it's going to come big, and your shiny airships will probably have a lot to do."

Ironwood then spent a few more moments pacing. He then paused and looked at Winter, "We'll start attaching Specialists to special hunting units. The Specialists are the only ones I can really trust to think on their feet."

"Yes, sir." Winter said.

"You're just going to agree with him?" Jaune asked her.

"Have you met my sister?" Weiss asked.

Jaune looked at Weiss and shrugged, "That one scroll call." he said, and looked at Winter.

"That was you?!" Winter shouted, turning a combination of both light and dark blues. She immediately evened out her breathing to return her natural white hue.

"See?" Jaune said, as he pointed at Winter.

"Pardon?!" Winter aggressively asked him.

Jaune was still looking at Weiss, "I told you that you were beautiful." Both of the Schnee sisters turned light blue. Winter evened out her breath to get rid of it, while Weiss just kept hers.

"Sister?" Winter asked her, and Weiss just smiled back at her.

"My fiancé did just call me beautiful." Weiss said with glee, and Winter was uncertain of how to react to that. Thinking to her childhood, she had to go back twenty years to find something between her parents even vaguely related to what was happening.

Ironwood looked between the sisters. "This is the most I've seen her smile." he stated, then turned to Weiss, "It's good to have you back in Atlas. Thankfully, this time under better circumstances."

"We are trying to save the world, aren't we?" Nora asked.

"Yes." Ironwood simply stated. "This time, they won't have to be at home. Pardon this," Ironwood said, looking between the Schnee sisters, "but you two can do much more as Huntresses than you could as Dust executives. I'm proud to be working with you." He then looked at Weiss, then between the rest of RWBY and JNR, "You've done far more than could be expected of you, then could be expected of anyone." He then looked at Jaune, "And I want to thank you for explaining your reluctance to work with the Atlas military. I promise the Atlas military will respect your independance as Huntsmen. We'll establish communications protocols for you to coordinate with the Specialist units, if and when you discover anything."

"You just kind of assume we'll find something?" Nora asked

"Yes." Ironwood, simply and profoundly stated. He then paused before continuing. "I know you don't want to work directly with the military, but I still want to help you. We can find you an old building in either Atlas or Mantle for you to use. I also want to get you an airship."

Nora raised her hand, "But... none of us can fly?"

Ironwood developed a weak smile, "And a pilot. Military pilot." Jaune looked like he wanted to say something, "Former military pilot." James said with a weak smile. "But now for the most important element, what do we do with the Relic? My first thought is to put it at the centre of an army..."

"But?.." Qrow grumbled.

"But?," Ironwood continued, "that would reveal exactly what we're dealing what... and somehow... I don't think it would work. But, if the reliquaries don't work, and an army won't work, what will?"

"Maybe what Ozpin put his faith into?" Qrow asked.

Ironwood looked around the room. "But, they're... they've accomplished so much, but?.."

"Simple," Qrow stated, "she needs all four. So, you have the one in Atlas Academy, surrounded by your army, using ALL of Atlas as a fortress. The other one is protected by the ones who saved both Academies. And there's always the one that only Oz seems to be able to find."

Ironwood breathed in deeply as he looked around. He very visibly did not like the idea, but he didn't really have another choice. "On one simple condition, if you lose it, for any reason, you tell us immediately, and we'll send the army in to try and recover it."

"And how?," Qrow asked, "do you expect to do that without telling the entire army about the Relics? Once again, Ironwood breathed in deeply, but didn't seem to have an answer. "How about this, the adults stay in Atlas. If anything happens, we can swoop in to save them."

"Qrow and Taiyang are instructors in Vale." Ironwood stated. "It would be simple enough to pass them off as guest instructor in Atlas Academy, though... you would have to teach."

"Yeah-yeah." Qrow stated, "I know the rules, no drinking at school."

"And Raven?" Ironwood asked.

"She is my wife?" Taiyang stated.

Raven developed a wicked smile that shocked nearly everyone there, "I'm sure there are plenty of drug dealers, murderers, and mafia members I can... speak with."

"And Oscar?" Ironwood asked.

"He's not Oz yet." Qrow stated, "but compared to everyone else his age, he is exceptionally skillful."

"Which means?" Oscar nervously asked.

"That you would be receiving special instruction straight from the masters." Ironwood said to him, "Remember, no one is forcing you to do anything, but..." he continued as Oscar cut him off.

"I know I'm going to have to fight. I know I'm going to become Ozpin, or however that works. I'm ready to train."

"But," Ironwood said to him, "this is just training. No one is going to force you to do anything. And Ozpin..."

"He wants to be around you." Oscar asserted.

"Probably thinks you could use some advice." Qrow quipped.

"He's right." Ironwood soundly stated.

"I would like to make a simple additition." Aurora said, nervously stepping forward. "I have compiled a list of known associates we should be looking for, at least one, Arthur Watts, used to be a prominent member of Atlas society."

"Used to." Ironwood stated.

"Are you so sure about that?" Qrow asked him.

"If we can find any sign of him associating..." Winter voiced, and Ironwood's eyes lit up brilliantly, as if he finally had a shred of hope.

"Winter," Ironwood said to her, "that will be your primary responsibility."

#rwby #firen lhain #faunus au #pollinated knight

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good-rwbyaus · 4 years

Text

Destiny - [ Epilogue : Oscar ] - mod lilac:

[ Part 1: Pyrrha ] [ Part 2: Jaune ]

Oscar visits the final resting place of Pyrrha and Jaune.

// An epilogue for Destiny. It’s more or less a monologue from Oscar, but it’s been demanding to be written for weeks now before I move onto another project. I hope you enjoy the final piece.

=============================================

Dark stormy clouds hovered over the Emerald Forest, a torrent of rain spilling into the trees. A green-clad figure slogged slowly though the grounds, heading for a specific destination. Guilt shone on his face.

----

Shielded from the storm outside, a pair of angel statues carved in marble stood in the small shrine. On the altar was a small picture frame where a young knightly blond and a young amazon-like redhead grinned into the camera.

“Sorry I’m late, Jaune,” Oscar said quietly as he wiped the droplets from his hair.

“Ahh, sorry. Forgot to introduce myself,” Oscar chuckled apologetically, “I’m Oscar Pine, Miss Nikos. And there might still be a little bit of Ozpin left in here, but...” He grinned before sighing, “it’s probably just me now.”

“I sorta know you because I have Ozpin’s memories, but I wish I could’ve met you,” Oscar said with a smile, “I wanted to see the person who my best friend admired so much.”

“As for you, Jaune, we need no introductions,” he smiled, a hint of pain in the gesture. His gaze locked onto the grave with Jaune’s name on it before turning his head to stare at the forest around him.

“Nora really chose a nice place,” Oscar admired, “I guess it’s true what they say, a quest ends at its beginning - suppose that must be doubly true for a knight.” He brushed off some dirt from the grass before he sat down cross-legged. Giving the scenery one last lookover, he smiled mischievously, “From what I recall from Ozpin’s memories though, you probably didn’t enjoy your experience here at the time.”

“Whooosh.” He swung his hand dramatically towards the ceiling.

“Haha,” he smiled, “I guess you’re tired of me embarrassing you in front of your significant other, even though she probably knows all this given she nailed you to the tree that your grave’s leaning on.”

“You probably already heard it from everybody else, so I’ll just go over the highpoints,” Oscar continued as he grinned. “We won. We beat Salem.”

“All of us lived for the most part,” Oscar paused before shaking his head, “Not to say any of us died. It’s just - well it’s complicated. Lemme give you the good news first.”

“Nora and Ren got married. They’re expecting a child anytime soon,” Oscar clapped in excitement, “And asked the doctors not to tell them the gender. They want it to be a surprise.”

“Yang and Blake are going to get married too. At least after their dads get the testosterone out of their system. I think they secretly enjoy arguing about how “your daughter isn’t good enough for mine” and boisterously telling embarrassing stories in front of their kids. Yang’s threatening to elope, and Blake’s mom is encouraging her.”

“Unc- I mean, Qr-. You know what I’m going to call him Uncle Qrow, “ Oscar said, “He’s family to everyone. He probably kept us from falling apart after you died. Told us not to blame ourselves. You brought Cinder down with you because you loved us all. You did what you did, just as we would’ve done for you.”

He sniffled.

“Ah, sorry. I...Let’s just wait. I’ll tell you the reason why I came here later. Let’s just enjoy this moment.” A pained smile lingered on his lips, “Anyway...”

“Qrow gave us the choice to leave the group with no questions asked- he felt it was the right thing to do after what happened. You fought to keep us safe; it’s only right that we were given that choice.”

“No one took him up on his offer,” he smiled with a bit of pride.

“A bit of unpleasantness did happen after we used the Relic of Knowledge,” Oscar rubbed his cheek, “But it’s all water under the bridge now.”

“Glynda is now the Headmistress of Beacon. Well, will be once all the rubble is cleaned up. She and James are an item now. Haha. That’s one unlikely couple right there. They’ll argue until their voices become hoarse and their faces turn red, but if someone insults one of them within earshot of the other... Well, some soldier made the mistake of trying to kiss up to James by insulting Glynda. And now he’s probably still running laps around Mantle.”

The smile on his face slowly turned into a grimace, the guilt that’d been weighing him down returning once more.

“I....I admit that I came here not just to catch you up on things,” Oscar hesitatingly said. His hand waved, and four items, glowing ethereally with power, flickered into existence in front of him.

Lamp, Crown, Staff, Sword.

Knowledge, Choice, Creation, Destruction.

“It’s funny. Everyone thought they disappeared after Ruby came back to life,” he whispered as he watched the Relics revolve around him, “She sacrificed herself to save the people of Mantle and Atlas - when our fight between Salem and her forces dropped Atlas out of the sky.”

“Even with the knowledge that she would die using the combined power of the Relics, she still chose her own destruction so that others may live. Thus, the most mysterious of the relics - Creation - returned her to us.”

“Not many people realized that a goddess descended that day. Only Salem and I knew, for we were the only ones who’ve ever been in the presence of a god.

“When Ruby spoke after becoming a goddess, her words became edict. And with a single utterance, she vanquished Salem. Begone,” he said, eyes glazed in remembrance of that moment, “One word, nothing else. Time stopped for everyone but a goddess, myself, and a disintegrating Salem trying to resist her fate.”

“...Salem really hated Ozma. It’s what kept her alive all this time,” Oscar sighed, “Magic and spells fade, even those cast by a god.”

“The immortality given to Salem was never meant to last,” he said softly, “But when the God of Light gave Ozma his orders, I don’t think the God realized how much it would make Salem hate the man to the point where she would literally defy death to ruin everything Ozma wanted to protect.”

“I don’t quite know what Ruby did to separate Ozpin from me, but the last thing I remember was Ozpin’s shade walking over to Salem. I remember bits of yelling and crying, but after the man left my head, I think I was frozen in time like the rest. No longer god-touched, I guess. By the time we all came to, both Ozpin and Salem were turning into motes of light.”

“Despite how much misery Salem gave us, I hope she found peace. Ozma too,” he sighed.

“As for Ruby, she’s been off since that day. Though she no longer has that divine power, she seems more ethereal, more disconnected from the world,” Oscar sighed, “As if she’d leave us at any time. Disappear and vanish.”

Oscar then chuckled, “luckily, we have two dorks Weiss and Penny, originally at odds with each other for taking up too much of Ruby’s attention, now working together to keep Ruby grounded...so I think Ruby will be okay.”

“Oh yeah, Penny never actually died, Pyrrha. They were able to put her core - the essence of her soul - into a new body, so I hope you rest more peacefully knowing that.”

“In any case, everyone’s doing okay... but you two.”

He slouched over, palming his face. “Ugh, sorry. I guess I keep on delaying the inevitable. I’ll tell you why I’m here right now.”

“After the Relics found their way over to me, I wondered... if the Relics could produce a God, could it turn back time to save you? So I asked the Relic of Knowledge...”

“And Jinn said yes. That the Relics could send back a single soul without their future memories or skills - only a faint impression without any details, just a whisper of destiny - back to a very specific point in time, a couple hours before the Fall of Beacon.”

“After getting over my shock, I naturally asked about a future where you lived,” Oscar looked away from Jaune’s grave, “and that future was bleak. In the past I saw through Jinn, we went after the Relic of Creation after Knowledge. And as a result, Atlas fell upon Mantle and destroyed the entire Kingdom. Out of hundreds of thousands of people, only we and the rest of the team survived, and it was only because of Raven’s aid.”

“It was completely different from what actually happened to us. After you sacrificed yourself to kill Cinder, you caused Emerald to become the Fall Maiden. And somehow that caused me to get kidnapped by Mercury, allowing me to convince them both that staying with Salem will only lead to more pain for both of them - and they left her for us. Learning Salem’s future plans through Emerald, we went after the Relic of Destruction in Vacuo instead and then returned to the Emerald Forest with all the chess pieces to obtain the Relic of Choice - And then we had our showdown at Atlas.”

Oscar uneasily shifted his foot on the ground, now completely unable to look at the grave in front of him, “I’m not sure how it dawned on me to ask my last question. Maybe it’s because Jinn only showed me a future instead of the numerous possibilities it should’ve been, but...”

“I asked if I turned back the clock before.”

“And Jinn said I did.”

“I think,” Oscar hesitated before continuing, “I must’ve sent you back after almost everyone died beating Salem in the past Jinn showed. I don’t think it could’ve been anyone else because only you acted differently compared to how events should’ve turned out - so...”

“I'm the one responsible for your death, Jaune,” he choked out, “Even if it wasn’t actually me; I still can’t help but feel that way, so I’m trying to figure out if you would want me to right my wrong or be content with the future you’ve sacrificed yourself for.”

“Would you resent me if I tried? To undo everything you’ve strived to do. Or would you resent me if I left you for dead - to not even try?”

“I admit I don’t think I could do any better - I know I probably should be content, but not knowing hurts. You are literally my best friend - a brother. So please..."

“Just give me a sign.”

He bowed his head down, tears falling - conflicted between his sense of duty to the world he lived and his deepest bond of friendship.

Oscar paused as he heard something - or rather the absent of something. The torrent of rain that’s been present had slowed to a stop. Gazing outside, Oscar gasped quietly as he watched the shadows from the overhead clouds quickly giving way to rays of sunlight.

Running outside, the green-clad boy got to witness the dark clouds visibly fade into the blues of the sky, leaving only sunlight and the beauty of the Emerald Forest behind.

Feeling the warmth of the sun on his face, Oscar whispered quietly, “Is this... your answer?”

He heard no response, but something in his heart settled in that moment. A sense of peace. Like he’d been forgiven. That he need not carry his burden any longer.

Oscar turned back to the shrine and smiled gratefully.

“...Thank you. I’ll make sure to make the most of the future you’ve let us have.

“Both of you can rest easy. I’ll be the one to protect everyone now.”

“We’ll see you when our time comes.”

#rwby au #rwby fic #oscar pine #ruby rose #jaune arc #pyrrha nikos #mod lilac #rwby

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itsclydebitches · 5 years

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I will personally never understand why the "bird conversation" happened. Qrow basically shut it down, by (I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure he did) saying they agreed to taking the ability. It feels like we're being told to take Raven at face value, despite other, more trustworthy charecters speaking to the contrary.

He did. Basic rundown of the conversation: Yang enters it pissed off, they learn all the revelations that the rest of the group got a few episodes back, Ozpin asks if this was “more or less what your mother told you,” Yang straight up ignores him and Weiss has to answer for her with, “for the most part.” This finally makes Yang angry enough to respond with “You forgot to tell everyone what you did to Qrow and my mother,” there are gasps and horrified looks from the group, but we get a shot of Qrow smiling and going “oh great”---he knows this secret isn’t a big deal but that convincing the others of that won’t be easy.

Ozpin explains about the power while Yang pouts on the couch. Nora angrily accuses Ozpin of “messing with us” (even though you all took way stranger things at face value... like reincarnation...), Jaune crosses his arm and adds “What else is new?” Despite these explanations with no downsides mentioned, Yang is still furious: “Why would you do something like that? I mean, what is wrong with you?”

She gets antagonistic enough that Qrow shuts her down and then explicitly states, “We made a choice. We wanted this.”

Ozpin then looks to Qrow and asks permission---“May I?”---in order to explain further, detailing that he needed allies to search for Maidens and keep an eye on Salem’s movements. The question heavily implies what should already be obvious: this was Qrow’s secret to keep and tell. Why is everyone gunning for Ozpin when Qrow, the person with the actual ability, likewise made the choice to keep that from his family? These explanations segue into the reveal that Ozpin created the first four Maidens and he ends his speech by admitting that “it was never my intention to lie to you.” He and Qrow share a knowing look as he admits that he “plays things close to the chest” which honestly, to me, reads as two war-worn adults acknowledging that this shit is complicated. You keep secrets, you tell lies, you do what you need to in order to survive and keep others safe. Look at these youngsters who think that non-stop honesty is always the way to go. Or is in any way easy even when it should be done:

Yang still looks pissed as hell despite thoroughly being proven wrong

and then makes her announcement that she’ll stay if Ruby stays, but no more secrets or half-truths. Ozpin agrees with “Understood.”

Which, obviously, the fandom has used as the go-to moment to damn Ozpin. You promised not to lie and then you did! Which yeah, that isn’t great. He should have been honest here in his inability to promise such a thing. However, that’s not the only factor in all this. We also have the fact that “no more lies or half truths” does not equal “tell us every single detail about this war right now that includes your very personal and traumatic history.” We have the issue that Yang and many of the others (notably Jaune) were unwilling to judge Ozpin fairly from the get-go. They decided that he was guilty before the trail even began and, when faced with evidence that proved all their assumptions wrong, decided to ignore it rather than admitting they were wrong. You’re going to trust a group like that with world-altering secrets? And we finally have the issue that Yang herself clearly doesn’t believe in her own ultimatums. Or doesn’t think they should apply to her. Keeping Raven’s Maiden power a secret? Turning on Ironwood to spill the beans to Robyn and letting her escape? I don’t put must stock in a character’s outraged, “You kept secrets and lied?” when they’re keeping secrets and lying too. The group’s inability to make the jump from “Wow. Sometimes we do need to keep information close to the chest” to “Oh. I guess it makes sense then that Ozpin would do the same thing” is one of the things that still characterizes them as naive, hypocritical, and downright dangerous given the stakes.

From a fandom perspective though, I’m not at all surprised that a completely unambiguous admission from Qrow---“We made a choice. We wanted this”---holds no weight. 1. Because he’s another adult that can’t be trusted (see: the group turning on him with their weapons in the snow) and 2. Because the concept of a “choice” apparently disappears whenever Ozpin is thrown into the mix. This is the same thing we’ve seen regarding Pyrrha, the claim that she couldn’t really make a choice. It was never a choice at all. She was manipulated/pressured/steered into being a Maiden so the choice is only a “choice.” Ozpin is still at fault. Now here’s Qrow, saying he made a choice, and fans tend to talk over that with, “No. You only thought you had a choice but I’m sure Ozpin did something off screen that puts him at fault” (see: Qrow saying straight out that Ozpin doesn’t know what happened to Summer and everyone jumping to, “No he definitely does and just lied to Qrow.” Ozpin’s off screen villainy is brought up with a shocking amount of frequency) The fandom takes headcanons and assumptions as fact, leading to an inability to attribute agency to anyone if Ozpin was at all involved in their choice. Ruby entering Beacon, Pyrrha deciding to take on the power, Qrow choosing to be a bird... all of it has been re-framed as Ozpin “forcing” them in one manner or another, which is not only untrue but a real disservice to all their characters. The only time Ozpin “forced” someone to do anything is when he forced Oscar to get involved in this fight, and that’s only “forcing” via unavoidable circumstances. Yeah, technically you could let the farm boy live out his life and just screw the rest of the world... but that would make you a villain via inaction. As someone who was given an actual uninformed choice via the God of Light, Ozpin does a great deal to make sure people know what they’re getting into. Checking at the very last second if Pyrrha is still willing to go through with this. Telling the group to leave now if they’re not wiling to help secure the relic. It’s just that he has to balance that transparency with the never ending risk of information falling into the wrong hands/someone else betraying him... which is no easy task. Do you look at the angry teenager who took her bandit mother’s words at face value and go, “Yes, now is a great time to tell them information that as of yet in no way affects them and would absolutely decimate their mental health at best and lead to them screwing me over at worst”? No. That’s stupid and dangerous and, based on how the group has reacted thus far, just going to make the whole situation that much worse.

#rwby #mymetas #oddnub

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strqyr · 2 years

Text

i know i said i would stop talking about v5 and all it entails but guess what?

i lied.

anyway, there are some things oz says in 5.3 and raven in 5.6 that sound not exactly the same but are close enough to raise my interest:

"the professor ozpin you all met" / "four lieutenants [headmasters] i can trust"

"the man you know as ozpin" / "and has followers inside every academy on remnant that are loyal to him and no one else."

essentially the first half of the information raven tells yang and weiss is more or less the same what oz already told rnjr few episodes before; it's the magic portion of it that is treated as new information, one that oz further explains in the following episode, 5.7.

and this is where the intrigue lies, bc after yang brings the topic up, oz first reaction is surprise, seeing raven giving up this secret so easily as a huge sign of trust.

why though? the maidens and their role as keys to the vaults are common knowledge to everyone relevant, and if salem's comment about ozma "diminishing" himself in v8 is anything to go by, ozma giving the maidens their magic is, if not common knowledge, then a secret not worth holding onto if salem already knows. so whatever the reason to the secrecy, it seems to solely concern only the magic ozpin gave the branwens; we can say for certain that outside of ozpin, raven, and qrow, at least tai knows, and if he knows, then there's a good chance summer knows, too; lionheart's reaction to raven's transformation in 5.11, however, seems to imply he wasn't aware of it, and whether salem or any of her followers know, well.. it depends on how you take the "little birdie" comments made by watts and cinder. i'm 50/50 on that since they're exactly the type of people to make those comments purely based on qrow's name rather than knowing he can actually shapeshift into one.

anyway, ozpin ends his explanation regarding magic with "there are just some matters i prefer to... 'play close to the chest'.", borrowing qrow's phrasing from 5.3 when they decide to keep the fact that oz has reincarnated and paired with oscar a secret from anyone outside the room for the time being. this paired with oz's earlier surprise definitely makes it sound like there's something worth keeping secret about that isn't just spy reasons.

which brings me back to the Close Enough™ similarities between oz and raven's wording; if oscar being the new oz, oz being able to give magic to others, and the branwens twins ability to shapeshift are on the same level of secret keeping, then.. um.

how would raven having a decoy for the maiden powers play into that? the above three don't have any decoy shenanigans with them, just simple old-fashioned "hey we'd prefer not to talk about this to anyone" secret keeping, so my mind obviously goes directly to another thing that is brought up in v5 in an episode that is perhaps fittingly called "true colors":

the crown of choice. the relic that oz went to extra trouble with to make it a bit more challenging to find.

so. is it not at beacon, making it "a decoy"? are the twins additional keys to the vault, hence the secrecy? did ozpin make them the only keys to the vault and cinder drew the short end of the stick?

okay, that's all. shutting up about v5 for realsies now.

#i admit this has very strong 'i connected the dots' energy #but that's just what v5 does to me

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rachetmath · 4 years

Note

Scenarios in which jaunes coping mechanism for tragic events happening to him is smoking?

Jaune smokes only when he's not in the mood or has a problem. 1. Dealing with own his problems.

Jaune: *sigh* Why was not strong enough?

2. Dealing with Ruby and friends

Ruby: Jaune, what should I have done differently?

Jaune: You could've told James the truth.

Ruby: But James was insane. Plus why you didn't you do it?

Jaune: Ruby I hate James because he's in Ozpin's inner circle. I've gotten to know your uncle but James never did crap for me. And I mean before we came to Atlas. I don't know him.

Yang: Jaune what should I do about Blake?

Jaune: I don't know, stop being Ren and just talk about your feelings instead of being Ironwood and Raven. Two hardass idiots who always bull shit and don't know when they are really making situation worse than needed.

Nora: Jaune, I don't know who I am without Ren.

Jaune: Woman. Your name is Nora Valkyrie. You like pancakes. You are strong.

Nora: I mean-

Jaune: Nora go read a book or something. Find what you like and dislike. It's that simple. You don't need Ren, in fact, now I'm surprised why you two are together at all.

Ren: Well-

Jaune: Ren, shut your want to be Ironwood lonely ass up. Talking about me cheating my way into Beacon, despite your years of training, your weren't ready to be a hunter. What did you expect was coming a vacation? Speaking of which, how many hunters have you seen, counting the ones who aren't dead?

Ren: Um...

Jaune: Exactly. Ren, even though I cheated, I survived pretty much everything, I know what my job is and even though I feel I'm not ready, guess what, it doesn't matter. Why? Cause Salem would have came regardless if we had our licenses or not. Basically, Ren, despite my lack of training, you are, right now, the most worthles display of a hunter. Grow up!

Ren: ... Okay.

Weiss: Jaune my younger brother is a stub-

Jaune: Are you serious? You two are in the same family! Just stop being Ice queen, sit with him and talk.

Oscar: Jaune, I want tell Ruby-

Jaune: What am I a therapist!?

3. When the situation gets worse. Jaune: *sigh*

4. Having to return to Argus after Atlas, now, knowing he has a lot of explaining to do his sister, even though she'll kill him regardless of his answer. Ruby: Come on. I'm sure Sapprhon will understand.

Jaune: *smoking right now while stressed* Crap-crap-crap-crap-crap, I am so screwed. She is going kill me.

Yang: No she won't.

Terra: Yes she is.

Weiss: But-

Terra: Sweetie, Jaune is my favorite out of all of wife's siblings. Why? He accepted us when was twelve. I have watched him grow. He was at our wedding. And mind you he was the only Arc at our wedding. He provided us a baby. So, understand when I say I have seen their relationship take a few curve balls.

Blake: Can't he stay outside.

Terra: Not without Saphron, coming out with a vengeance.

Jaune: No, I shall stand my ground. She will not break me.

Jaune knocks on the door. And Saphron answers it. However, all the fear immediately came back after seeing Saphron with her hair missed up, crows feet on her face, pupils grew smaller and with a hammer in her hand.

Saphron: Hello, my loving, cute and lying ass dear brother. Welcome back.

Jaune: Please let go of the hammer.

Saphron: Let me have a word with you.

Jaune: Okay but let me- *trys to run but Saphron catches him and throws him inside*

Saphron: Terra? *hands Adrian to her wife*

Terra: Yes dear. *grabs Adrian*

Terra then proceeds to sit on the stair case, covering Adrian's ears as the door close.

Ren: So...

Terra: 3. 2. 1.

Jaune: *screaming in agony*

Saphron: Boy, you must have lost your damn mind! First, you came to my house, not even to visit! Second, you and your friends almost destroyed the entire city! And now your telling me your involved on a mission of saving the world! What the hell!!?

Jaune: Okay I know you're mad but-

Saphron: Mad doesn't begin to describe how pissed I am! Do you not know how worried was!!?

Jaune: Saphron, please, I'm sorry.

Saphron: Well I'm sorry too. Sorry cause I going to stick my foot in your ass! Come here!

RWBY, Ren and Nora were shocked to hear that. Oscar on the other hand, having memories of aunt and what she do to him if she finds out cruelled up in fear. Terra: Told you.

#rwby #ruby rose #weiss schnee #whitely schnee #james ironwood #yang xiao long #Blake Belladonna #rwby bumblebee #Renora #rwby Lie Ren #nora valkyrie #oscar pines #saphron cotta-arc #terra cotta-arc #adrian cotta-arc

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fatefulfaerie · 5 years

Text

A Man With Two Souls II

Oscars' eyes opened slowly as he felt once more the floor beneath him.

He didn't say anything to the Cotta-Arcs, as they had been so hospitable, but if he were honest, the sleeping bag didn't do much. Besides, it was easier to attribute his inability to sleep to the cold floor beneath him than the worried thoughts in his mind.

He tossed to the other side, closing his eyes to try to get some sleep. Tomorrow would be a big day, and they had already spent most of the night planning the airship heist.

Well, it had mostly been Jaune and Ruby.

Oscar always felt that they were most fit to be leaders, which is why he listened attentively to their plans. Weiss, Blake, Yang chimed in every once in a while, but Maria was the most vocal with her many insults towards Caroline Cordovin. And, of course, Qrow, who sat silently on the couch that was farthest away from the group with crossed arms.

Oscar sat up in his sleeping bag with a sigh, looking out at them now, sleeping.

Of course they were sleeping, they probably fell asleep as soon as their heads met the pillow.

The guest bedroom they were given wasn't too small, Maria and Qrow taking the two beds and Jaune in a sleeping bag across the room from Oscar. Ren and Nora were between them, always starting out separate and then inching closer to each other almost subconsciously throughout the night.

At the moment, they slept with their hands clasped in each other, but Oscar wouldn't be surprised if they got closer.

He didn't know much about them, how they met, but he had a feeling that it was quite traumatic, and that they needed each other because of it.

Oscar slipped the sleeping bag off his legs before standing up and heading downstairs.

A small glance to his right was enough to see team RWBY as he descended, Yang sprawled out every which way on one couch and Weiss neatly curled up on another.

Ruby was the only one not on one of the three couches, the young huntress in a sleeping bag on the floor.

Oscar walked past them once reaching the end of the stairs, flicking on the light of the kitchen.

Glass in hand, he poured himself some water before looking into the reflection it gave, the tan, almost golden specs swimming in his green eyes. He'd almost forgotten what they used to look like before all this.

Life was so much simpler back then.

"Can't sleep?"

Completely taken by surprise, Oscar dropped the glass on the floor, turning around with a gasp.

"Sorry," Ruby said with a small smile.

"It's okay," Oscar said, still a bit flustered, "it's just water."

He looked down at his feet for just a second and continued,

"And some broken glass…"

"Here," Ruby said as she came forward, "let me help you."

"Thanks," Oscar said as they both knelt, picking up the shards.

"Of course," said Ruby, "it is kind of my fault for startling you."

There was a pause before panic washed over Oscar, turning his head quickly and asking,

"Wait, I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No," Ruby said, "I…I was already awake."

She said those words rather quickly, Oscar hesitating asking why, and if everything was okay.

What a stupid question, the girl beside him had been through so much, of course everything wasn't okay.

So he didn't ask.

"I think that's the last of it," Oscar said as he stood up, Ruby gingerly wiping one hand off with the other above the trashcan.

"Mind if I join you?" Ruby asked.

"Join me?" Oscar retorted.

Ruby gave a small giggle.

"You were about to have a glass of water," she reminded him with a smile.

"Oh…right…" he said nervously, Ruby reaching into a cupboard and grabbing two more glasses.

Oscar watched as she refilled the first with water, but then reached in the fridge to fill the second with milk.

She handed him the first before taking her own, them both hopping to sit on opposite countertops to face each other.

Yet now it was Ruby who was looking into her drink and not drinking it, Oscar taking a sip of his water before noticing.

"Ruby…"

"Hm," she said as she tilted her head back up, her tone perky and joyous, as if the sad eyes she had just seconds ago never existed.

"S-sorry, I must have lost my train of thought for a second," she said before taking a gulp of milk and putting it down on the counter beside where she sat.

"How've you been holding up?" she asked Oscar.

"You don't have to do that, you know," Oscar said in reply.

"Do what?" Ruby asked with a slight tip of her head.

"Neglect yourself to care about other people," Oscar stated.

"Well, that's what being a huntress is about," Ruby argued casually with a shrug.

"And kill yourself in the process?" Oscar said sharply, Rubys' silver eyes blinking wide, "that doesn't seem very caring to me."

Oscar surprised himself that he had silenced Ruby, and that he was talking so outright with her now. But the opportunity was here now, he couldn't waste it.

"You keep pushing things aside to stay positive for everyone else," Oscar continued, "but what about you?"

"I'm a leader," Ruby said, that same casual and cheery tone now a bit quieter.

"You told me once that I'm my own person," Oscar said, "and while I can't say that it truly applies to me, it does to you. You need to think of yourself as a person first, and then a leader. It's not good for you to bottle up everything."

"We have to stay strong," Ruby said her eyebrows furrowing, "to keep people alive. I have to put my team first."

Oscar shook his head.

"This isn't strength."

"Staying optimistic and caring about others," Ruby started, a hint of frustration in her voice, "that's what you're nitpicking?! That's what the world needs! That's what all of us need!"

"I'm not talking about the rest of the world," Oscar said in reply, "I'm talking about you. Sure, in battle hope goes a long way, but what about now. Right here, right now. The moment you need to talk about something and you don't. Please, tell me what's wrong. If not me than anyone, Yang…Qrow…Weiss…this can't be healthy."

Ruby sighed, her eyes opening and closing slowly.

'You know, you don't give yourself enough credit'

Maria's voice rung in her ears, Ruby wondering if that's what she meant all along.

"You're right," she said, to Oscars' surprise.

Ruby took a sip from her milk before holding it in her hands, her head downcast and her eyes swimming with brooding thoughts.

"I've been thinking about my mom a lot recently," Ruby said in a voice Oscar had never heard before. Weak and vulnerable, but Oscar would only describe it as strong.

"Summer Rose," Oscar said, Ruby's head popping up in surprise.

"S-sorry," he said almost immediately, "it popped in my head. Ozpin must have known her."

"He did," Ruby said, "in fact that's why…"

Ruby stopped herself by biting her lip, remembering her present company.

But somehow Oscar didn't need to her to finish the sentence to catch her meaning.

"I'm sorry," Oscar said, his expression melting.

"It's not your fault," Ruby said with a shake of her head.

"But it will be," Oscar said quietly, silencing Ruby completely.

She didn't know how to argue with that.

"Qrow never talks about how she went missing," Ruby said, "what the mission was, but…I think he knows more than he lets on. Tai was home with us and Raven was long gone by then. I always figured Qrow had the answers but…he never brought it up, even when I asked."

Ruby looked up, as if to ward away tears, to deny that they were coming.

"I always thought she died a hero, for a just cause…I think Qrow did too…but now…"

She brought her head back level with Oscars' eye-line.

"She didn't know what she was really fighting for…and know that I do…I can't help but feel it wrong. I know we have to get the relic back to Atlas, and to protect the people of Remnant from Grimm, but…I can't ask my teammates to continue living a life of survival when the world continues to get more and more dangerous, especially when the way forward is so…foggy. I guess that's what concerns me the most…that my hope will run out."

"Look at me, doubting everything I've ever known," she continued, "you'd think one of the Apathy Grimm followed us to Argus."

"I'd think we'd notice if something was following us," Oscar mused.

Ruby let out a snort of laughter and replied with,

"Yeah."

"I wish I'd known her," Oscar said, "your mother, I mean. I know I technically did but…I don't remember much."

"I've been told she's a lot like me, so I guess you have met her…in a way."

Oscar nodded and smiled, finishing the last of his water.

"Hey, Ruby," he prompted.

"Yeah," she said in reply.

"Are you scared?" he asked.

"More than you realize," Ruby replied, inducing Oscar to nod slowly in acknowledgement.

"But hey," she continued, "at least we're trying."

"Right."

#rwby #team rwby #jnpr #team jnpr #Oscar Pine #ruby rose #yang xiao long #weiss schnee #Ozpin #nora valkyrie #lie ren #renora #rosegarden #rwby 6 #rwby 7 #summer rose #team strq #maria calavera #qrow branwen

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razorblade180 · 4 years

Text

Rosebud part 14

Some days go by fast. Other days go by incredibly slow. For Ruby, it was the ladder. Deep in the woods of Anima she sat on the porch of Ren and Nora’s orphanage with kids around the age of ten circled around her in amazement as she told them stories of her adventures. Each one more amazing than the last until the Sun was setting on the crisp winter day. Funny, she’d never particularly loved the cold but lately it was so inviting. Most likely because she was in comfy sweatpants and being pregnant made her body feel like she was a furnace. The phrase bun in the oven never felt more real. Soon it would be over though. In fact, it would be considered a day over cooked right now.

Ruby:Ok, story time is officially over.

Children:Awwww!

Little girl:But I wanna hear more about the food fight!

Little boy:Yeah! Also how do you ride a locker. I wanna try!

Ruby:Hehehe, now, now, I gotta save stories for later. Plus I bet Ren is almost done with dinner. Don’t wanna miss that now do we?

Children:Okay….

They all slumped down with puppy eyes. Ruby wasn’t naive. She’s seen this tactic; she might as well be the inventor of it. Yet it was working on her!

Ruby:Tell you what, wanna hear the song I sing to my baby? It’s practically one of the few I can actually sing well.

Children:Yaaaaay!!!

Ruby:*clears throat* Dream of anything. I'll make it all come true. Everything you need is all I'll have for you. I'm forever, Always by your si-

The front door opened and Yang came walking out with baby Kovu in her arms. The little guy has gotten pretty big in just about a year. He was wearing a black onesie and enjoying being swayed.

Yang:Ren says dinner is ready for you little ankle biters. You have five minutes to get to the table if you want dessert.

Terror spread on the children’s faces before they ran inside.

Yang:Wash your hands!

Ruby:Look at that. You have one kid and now you know how to master them all.

Yang:I think you’re forgetting who helped raise you. If anything, you’re my first child Ruby. It’s actually very comforting seeing it like that.

Ruby:It’s also emotional and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t make me cry. I’ll need all the energy I can muster when this little procrastinator decides to be born.

Yang:Like mother like daughter.

Ruby:Ah! I don’t remember giving you this bedside manner when you were blown up like a balloon. Kovu, your mom is being mean to your aunt.

Kovu does nothing but giggle and wiggles his ears.

Ruby:Fine, take her side.

Yang:He knows better than to upset his food supply. Soon you’ll be on straight solids mister and I can be free.

Kovu looks at Yang for a moment in silence. She’s a bit stunned that he might’ve understood that. Then Kovu starts tugging on her tank top and Yang’s eyes squint at him while Ruby chuckles.

Yang:I don’t think he likes that idea.

Ruby:He’s a simple boy. Boobs are his life.

Yang:Don’t lewd my son or I’ll make fun of….whatever gender your kid is. Why can’t you be a normal person and know ahead of time.

Ruby:I like the surprise. Nora knows but that’s because her and the nurse here have done basically everything. I’m surprised she hasn’t told Jaune.

Yang:He still on patrol with the others? He should really be right by your side.

Ruby:I wish he was but we agreed keeping these woods safe is top priority. Can’t afford to get careless; not this time.

Ruby rubbed her stomach slowly as she remembered a time very similar to this. Hard to believe it’s been three years. Even so, the ache still felt somewhat fresh. Yang reached out and rubbed her shoulder. A comforting smile eased Ruby’s worries and she returned the smile genuinely.

Yang:Now is the time to look forward. Wouldn’t want your anxiety to harm the baby. Aren’t you the one usually preaching about hope?

Ruby:Yeah, the curse of being a good leader strikes again. All my advice coming right back at ya.

Yang:Gotta bring it up all the good ones so you’ll remember it for your little one.

Ruby:My little one had to come out first! I’m tired of being pregnant Yang.

Yang:Yeah I went through something a little similar. Due date was coming soon and this little guy stopped being as active. I started eating ice so the cold stirred him up. Ghira even tried spooking me into labor. Oh! Let’s try that. Kovu, scare your cousin.

Ruby:You’re so ridiculous sometimes.

Yang crouches down to Ruby’s belly and holds Kovu to it. His tiny hand reaches out and starts tapping it.

The two sisters laugh at his attempt.

Ruby:Sorry Kovu. Good atte-

Yang:Ruby?

Ruby:Yang...go get the nurse and Nora.

Yang:*eyes widened* Really!?

xxxx

Out in the woods, Jaune makes his rounds around his designated area like the others. The only thing distracting him from the cold was the thought of his wife. This was all for her safety and peace of mind and for that reason alone, he’d put up with anything.

Jaune reached for his scroll and brought it up. He checked on his friends' aura levels. Still high; little to no fighting has happened then. That’s all he could ask for.

Jaune:Everyone okay?

Blake:Yep

Weiss:Naturally.

Qrow:All clear.

Raven:Not so much as a beowulf on my side.

Tai:Really? I’ve killed like five.

Raven:Stop worrying about everything and they might stop seeking you out.

Tai:Mmmm nope. I need the exercise anyways.

Jaune:You need any help?

Tai:I’m just fine. Don’t worry about me for one second.

Qrow:Says the worry wart. Besides, I think you have something coming your way kid. Can you see the sky?

Jaune jumps on a branch to see above the treeline. What he saw was plumes of black smoke and the sight of birds fleeing the scene. ”Someone’s killing grimm? In my area?” He said, confused. ”Who could be out here besides-”

His heart sank to his stomach and he gripped his tight. Without a moment of hesitation, Jaune darted towards the scene. “I’m checking it out now. Everyone be ready for the worst.”

“Roger!” They all said with conviction in their voice.

It didn’t take Jaune long to get where he was headed. Each step he took brought growls and the familiar sound of metal striking bone armor. ‘It’s not them, it can’t be them. We took every precaution.’ He kept telling himself as he slowed down and crouched into the shrubs. ‘Relax Jaune, don’t get impatient. Observe and go from there.’

He took a deep breath and parted the plants in front of him. There was a forest clearing. Dozens of Ursa laid fading away while a massive one stood on its hind legs and roared. Below him was a figure in a cloak. Jaune could only see his back but it was easy to see how worn out the person was.

The cloak was all covered in dirt and their shoulders rose and fell with an intensity that could only mean deep breathing. Still it looked like they remained calm. Their stance low and poised as their hands ready their cane to the side. Wait, Jaune recognized that cane.

The Ursa slammed its weight to the ground and a shockwave blew cloak back along with the person. Jaune popped up from his hiding spot. “Ozpin?” The figure turned around. Yep, it was him.

“Hello Mr. Arc. How-“ another roar interrupted the headmaster and the Ursa charged. Ozpin was caught off guard.

“Look out!” Jaune screamed as he cloaked himself in aura and rushed over there almost as fast as Ruby. He slammed his shield right into the Ursa’s head; making it stumble back. He kept up the momentum by spinning forward and chopping the head off in one swipe.

Ozpin:Nice form. Oh how far you’ve come.

Jaune:Oz, what are you doing out here?

Ozpin:I thought that was obvious. Killing grimm like the rest of you. She’s almost due, right?

Jaune:H...How did you know we were here in the first place? This was supposed to be tight lipped.

Ozpin:It is. The only one who was supposed to know I was here was Mrs. Rose herself but as you can see, things got a bit messy.

Ozpin took a knee and held his head down with his cane supporting him. If it wasn’t for the eye and white hair, He’d looked exactly like how Oscar did after training.

Jaune:How long have you been out here?

Ozpin:Not too long. About a month.

Jaune:A month!?

Ozpin:Yeah. That Ursa Major was number 257 by the way. All the office work is making me rusty.

Jaune:You know if the other’s saw you here then they might have some choice words with you right? I appreciate you being there for Ruby but your agreement-

Ozpin:I’m well aware. It’s why I’ve been trying to remain inconspicuous. This isn’t me trying to build good karma and I have no intention on asking anybody for anything. If anything this should be my way of thanking you all for your years of service and making sure you can continue living life the way you want. It’s the least I can offer. Besides some advice.

Jaune:I think I’m a little old to be your student.

Ozpin:Hardly. Humanity might as well be kids compared to my age. You’re never too old to learn regardless; you’ve all taught me many things for example. I’m grateful for that.

Jaune:....Fine, lay it on me professor.

He sat down in front of his old professor to humor him. Oz couldn’t help but smirk as he stood up like he was about to give a lecture.

Ozpin:This part of Anima is known for slow moving grimm that are spaced well enough apart that the success rate of a traveler running away is pretty high in comparison to other places. I imagine that is one of the reasons why the orphanage was built here.

Jaune:That’s right.

Ozpin:Not a bad idea. When I arrived, I killed thirty grimm at most in my first week. Next week they were more agitated and mobile. Makes sense; Mrs. Rose was here and so were you. Childbirth is an anxiety filled event that happens by nature. However, the grimm kept showing up by the dozens and I got very busy as you can see. Which means...

Jaune:More people showed up? I knew that. Practically everyone is here by now.

Ozpin:Yes but you have to think a bit bigger than that. More people showing up isn’t the problem. It’s everyone who showed up is on edge and attracting the grimm; you all are causing the dangers that you’re trying to prevent. No doubt you could handle them together but if it wasn’t for me then at least half of you would be needlessly exhausted. That would be a real problem if a grimm of frightening destruction showed up, or a rogue maiden out for blood.

Jaune felt his heart stop for a moment. Oz was right. He’d been so caught in his head that instead of being proactive like he thought he was being, he was actually just reacting to his own fears. The only reason the plan was working was because everyone was more than skillful to handle most problems.

Oz walked over to Jaune and got him on his feet. He put away his cane and rested his hand on Jaune’s shoulder.

Ozpin:Strength and diligence are very important but not the most important right now. You all have that in spades. I bet there’s a million things on everyone’s minds right now. All valid fears no doubt. Give them a chance to get it all off their chest. A leader protects the mind along with the body. Just you do as a husband, and just like you’ll do as a father. *smiles*

Jaune:You think that highly of me huh?

Ozpin:Well you are the one who has done the most growing. Then again, that’s only natural seeing how you were….let’s say a late bloomer.

Jaune:That was almost a complete compliment.

Ozpin:Hehe, my fault. You know, I never had a son but looking at former students like you and Ren really makes me feel like…

Oz’s words trailed off and he stopped speaking. Instead he stood right in front of Jaune and examined him thoroughly. Hair, clothes, frame. He’d really grown from his first day. Jaune looked a little embarrassed and confused as Ozpin nodded and smiled with what seemed to be pride. Then, he walked off. Jaune said thank you and got only a wave goodbye. Class was dismissed.

Jaune almost wanted to call out to him but stopped; his scroll ringing nonstop like an alarm. Everyone was messaging him. Yang most of all. ‘How have I not noticed this?’ He thought answering Yang’s call.

Jaune:Hey what’s-

….

Jaune:RIGHT NOW!?

xxxx

Yang:Yes right now! I know we had this system in place but I think you should be-

Ruby:AAAAAAAHHHH!

Yang:I think you should be here for the birth!!!

Jaune:I’m on my way! We all are.

Yang:What about-

Jaune:I’d Cinder wants to show up then that’s her death wish. We’ll handle her together.

He hung up before Yang could even respond. The girl sighed to calm herself before looking over at her sister. Ruby was sweating bullets on a hospital bed they have gotten earlier. The nurse was going back and forth with clean attire for the baby and making sure Ruby’s vitals were okay. She’d been healthy all through the pregnancy but better safe than sorry. Natural births could get tricky sometimes.

Nora had the honor of actually being the person delivering the baby. She’d done it more than anyone around and it was showing. Her face displayed laser focus on the task at hand and she was dressed in proper hospital attire except for her hair which was pulled back into a bun. Truly she was the rock Ruby needed right now.

Nora:You’re doing great Ruby! Keep it up!

Ruby:Agh, you...you’d think this would be easier the second time. Hehehe….

Yang:*grabs her hand* Jaune’s on his way. All of them are by the sound of it.

Ruby:That’s good...wouldn’t mind some more happy faces in here.

Nora:Then let's make them really happy by making them to the party. How about they see you with a beautiful baby in your arms? Ready?

Ruby:*tightens grip* To get back to a life of combat skirts? You bet.

Nora:*smiles* One...Two...THREE!

xxxx

‘Almost there. I can’t believe this is actually happening.’ Jaune thought as he sprinted through the forest. Jumping over tree roots and gaining speed along the way. The man didn’t miss a step.

The sounds of his boots going across the floor began to get drowned out by other footsteps. With each passing moment a friend came into his peripheral that joined him in the journey back to Ruby. Weiss was the first, followed by Blake, and then Tai.

Blake:You nervous?

Jaune:Hell yeah, but it’ll all work out. I have you guys. I don’t know how far I would’ve made it otherwise.

Weiss:Think nothing of it. This has always been a group effort.

Jaune:Not Just with this. I mean everything. School, adventures, regular life problems, you’ve helped so much in so many ways. I couldn’t ask for better friends and family.

Tai:That goes both ways you know? We’re thankful for you just as much as you are for us.

Weiss:We love you, you dunce. I can’t imagine anything we wouldn’t do for you or Ruby honestly.

Blake:And we know it’s mutual. Now and forever, we’ll watch each other’s backs.

Jaune:Thanks guys. *smiles*

Tai:Hey, where’s Qrow and Raven?

On que a bird flies right past them and gains some distance. “That’s totally cheating” Weiss pouts as she can feel the heels of her shoes getting a bit worn. The bird flies around a tree and transforms back into Raven. “Need some help you slow pokes?” She grabs her sword and opens a portal. The group smiles and happily jumps through it. They come out the other side in front of the orphanage with Qrow leaning against the door waiting.

Qrow:Good thing I looked so you all could just leap. What if I was inside the house when Raven made that portal?

Tai:Sounds about on brand really. The kids would’ve had a good laugh.

Jaune:Never mind all that. Is Ru-

“Waaaaahhh!”

A cry from inside was heard loud and strong. Jaune’s eyes widened. It could’ve any kid. From the small kids to Kovu, but somehow, he knew it wasn’t. The cry, it belonged to someone new.

Jaune said nothing and walked towards the door. Everyone fell in line behind him with cheerful smiles on their face. They gave him space. It was his moment more than theirs after all. Ren stood with a child in his arms when he noticed them coming in. He gave his best friend and leader a smile then pointed upstairs. Jaune nodded then went right towards them; the crying getting louder as he got closer until it reached its peak with him right outside a wooden door. His heart felt like it was about to fly out of his chest. Jaune grabbed the door knob but felt too anxious to turn it. A fire in his chest that didn’t frighten him, but made this moment surreal. Then, a voice cut through it all.

“Don’t worry, I got you. Nothing will ever harm you…”

Without anymore thinking, he walked in. From that moment on, the winter night felt incredibly warm. There she was. His closest friend. His wife. Holding their newborn child in her arms with such grace and gentleness that it took his breath away. Despite what Ruby would probably think, Jaune doesn’t think he’s ever seen her look this angelic. She hasn’t even noticed him yet. Her attention focused on soothing the baby with the same song she used all pregnancy; the same song for Dustin.

“I’m close by, I’ll stay here. Through all things I will be nea- Hmm?” Ruby finally felt the presence of multiple eyes and looked up. It was a pleasant surprise to see so many loved ones staring in awe from the door while. Then there was Jaune. Speechless in front of her bed with tears in his eyes. Ruby had already been crying for several minutes and smiled back at him. Though she hadn’t realized just how happy he was; why they were all thrilled. It wasn’t just the baby. It was Ruby herself. Jaune was looking at deep pools of silver that shined like the moon’s reflection on a still lake. For the first time in a long time, Ruby finally looked like herself again.

Jaune:H...Hey…

Ruby:Hey there stranger. Looks like you were right this time around. Come say hello to your daughter Carmine.

Jaune’s smile grew even bigger. He’d forgotten all about that silly wager from long ago. Slowly he walked to Ruby’s side and she held the little one up so he could see the new addition to their lives. What he saw was beautiful. Carmine had come out with already a full head of blonde hair that grew darker and red at the tips. Her cheeks were all rosy; he’d assume from crying but he hoped that maybe she had a natural blush.

Regardless, what really captured him was when she opened her eyes. Purity couldn’t describe them. They were eyes that stole his heart in an instant. Maybe it was because he was already so emotional. Or maybe, it was because it was because they were just as captivating as Ruby’s. An intense silver that showed him anything possible.

Jaune:Hey Carmine Arc Rose. Welcome, to the best family ever.

Part 13

#rwby #rwby rosebud #ruby rose #jaune arc #ruby x jaune #rwby lancaster #weiss schnee #blake belladonna #yang xiao long #taiyang xiao long #raven branwen #qrow branwen #lie ren #nora valkryie #ozpin

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katcadecascade · 5 years

Text

Only Crows Rush In

Fair Game Week: AU/Freeday

RWBY Rock/Musician AU

Ao3

The concert hall is jammed pack with a roaring audience as Ruby shreds the final cords to War and along with her, Weiss is hitting her highest notes without a crack.

Yang’s drumbeats are literally fire as the pyrotechnics are going off. Safely of course, they are not making that same mistake like last time.

Blake’s fingers are blurry as they glide up and down her bass as the song ends with a loud cheer from the crowd.

The band pant out their exhaustion, wide grins on their faces as noise pulsates through the arena. Blinding lights shine from people’s phones and the stage lights as the instruments are set down and the band’s leader takes the front stage.

“Atlas you’ve been an amazing crowd but unfortunately that is the last song of the night,” Ruby announces into the mic. The crowd screams in displeasure, something she’s soon to fix as she grins, “But that just means we’re not the ones singing! Everyone you all remember my Uncle Qrow?”

Suffice to say, the audience cheered even louder as the legendary Qrow Branwen walks on stage.

He’s a man who wowed the world of rock music as he and his band amped up the genre with music of unlucky omens and fires of heated summers. Since the band has grown up, one of them left the grid of the world while the other three became mentors of newly born musicians.

Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long were a blessed result of the trio of STRQ along with the team up of Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna. They change the world of music but at this moment, Qrow decides now is the perfect time to do something a little different than his usual routine of being their manager.

Qrow gets to center stage to rub furiously at Ruby’s hair, “Do you really think people would forget about me?”

“Well yeah,” she teases, “you’re old.”

The audience ooh’s at that burn.

He rolls his eyes, “If this is how I’m being treated then maybe I shouldn’t give you all a final song.”

Again the crowd protests and then begs and chants for him to sing.

The man laughs at all the attention, a little giddy as he mentally prepare for this. All of this is a bit impromptu as he sees off to the side is a joyfully confused Clover Ebi.

Then again, amazingly Qrow and the kids managed to keep this idea a secret. He hopes he can pull this off. After all, he’s doing more than just singing a song in front of a thousand of screaming fans.

No, Qrow’s doing something much scarier.

Yang joins them with his intended instrument, further confusing Clover as he has never seen this in Qrow’s hands.

“As many of you know I taught the pipsqueak the guitar but also this little thing too,” Qrow gestures to the ukulele. “This is definitely something outside of my usual range so um yeah, I’m doing this.”

That’s said mostly to himself as he readjusts the mic on him and the standing one to aim at the ukulele. His girls have already left the stage, choosing to stand with Clover behind the curtain, elbowing him with knowing grins.

Gods they’re embarrassing, he thinks with a sheepish and nervous grin. He catches Clover’s eyes and winks just to get the lucky charm to blush.

Ha, serves him right after months of making Qrow blush furiously.

He plays a few notes as the crowd ceases their noise, eager to listen to the skills of a master guitarist.

“I’m sure some of you guys have seen my latest interview, if not then I guess you’ll be surprised to hear that I’m going sober.” Some people in the crowd whoop and politely clap. “Huh now that I think about it, maybe I should’ve rehearsed Coming Clean.” Qrow shakes his head, “No that’s a topic for another night. What I’m here strumming this ukulele is for someone important to me.”

Qrow stopped drinking for a number of reasons, his nieces being the top ones but also he needed to reassert some of his own issues. Clover somehow ended up in his life, a meeting through James about RWBY’s album schedule, and the rest of history.

“Let me tell you all, withdrawals are hell,” He continues, “and it nearly makes the whole recovery not worth it in the beginning.” Qrow shakes his head, physically getting rid of the nights where he was a shivering, gaging mess, “Like I said, hell, but I’ll go through it and back to have my old brain again.”

His fingers pick at the four strings, a quick melody of nothing in particular.

“I do feel kind of different, I don’t feel as old as my age is,” Qrow admits to the audience. They’re all listening, captured by the way he strums and picks at the small instrument. He should really get to his point before he loses his courage. “Aside from that, I have to thank that important person who’s really been a big change in my life.

“He’s this stupidly optimistic guy that just won’t leave me alone,” he complains and droops his head, “and his arms are as stupidly big as his smile.”

Some members of the audience cheer at that, knowing exactly who he’s talking about. From the social media of RWBY, there are some updates on Qrow’s growing relationship with Clover.

It all started with him tripping over the poor guy, sending them to the floor as Ruby nearly knocked over Ozpin’s lamp. After that it was meeting after meeting between Qrow and Clover, the assistant record producer of James’ record company. It was all business until Clover winked at him too many times to count and Winter of all people shoved them into a closet.

From there on out it has been dates that brought a weird fluff back into Qrow’s heart.

He just wants to return the favor as he finishes his mindless strumming.

For weeks he practiced this song to the point where his voice was raw and his fingers and wrists ache and his heart felt full.

Qrow takes a deep breath in the silence around him and risks a glance to Clover.

The brunet is patiently waiting and wondering what’s going on but there is this soft look in his teal eyes, something only reserved for Qrow.

In the beginning of their relationship, Qrow had no idea why or if he even deserved that smile. After weeks of talking it out, pouring his heart out to Clover and Ruby and a trusted therapist, Qrow is in a better headspace.

Yeah, he feels lighter than ever and he really wants to sing this song to Clover.

Sure there’s a grand audience as well but that’s mostly to get Qrow his confidence up, an old feeling he got when he used to perform with Summer, Tai, and Raven.

With all of that in mind, he strums the chords, “Wise men say, only fools rush in but I can’t help falling in love with you.”

A collective gasp comes from the people, a rising cheer before they quiet down to hear the gravel voice of Qrow.

“Shall I stay, will it be a sin?” He closes his eyes, asking, “If I can’t help falling in love with you?”

Qrow denied it at first. The intense feelings and longing that grew for Clover. He was everything Qrow was not, lucky and cheery and stable. It was like a cruel joke to meet him, to be clumsy and barely starting sobriety and he always gets hit with bad luck left and right.

It was simple stuff like cracked mugs or dying phone batteries. Clover was even there when Qrow just entered the recording booth and suddenly Weiss’ keyboard glitched and can only make dog barks.

Then there was the fateful incident where Qrow discovered one of Blake’s songs got corrupted in its data. There were constant technical issues Qrow dealt with in STRQ’s days but it felt even more devastating since it was something Blake has been pouring her heart into.

Qrow blamed himself for the delay in Nevermore song’s progress even if the girl assured him it was not his fault. Clover was the one to really snap him out of it, break through to Qrow that accidents can and will happen with or without Qrow’s input.

Sure he wasn’t convinced at first but it was nice to have someone hold him during one of his anxiety attacks.

In the present, Qrow sings, “Like a river flows surely to the sea. Darling so it goes. Somethings are meant to be.”

Clover enjoys it when he’s called lucky and he even joked that he was lucky to catch Qrow in his fall. He made way too many ‘fell for me’ flirts much to Qrow’s embarrassment so singing this song is a little bit of homage to their introduction.

But now it’s more than that as Qrow faces away from the crowd to look Clover in the eyes, “Take my hand, take my whole life too.” He swallows nervously, his voice wavering as he continues, “For I can’t help falling in love with you.”

Clover is jaw slacken, his eyes watery and without even looking, takes Ruby’s offered mic and strides over to Qrow, harmonizing, “Like a river flows, surely to the sea. Darling so it goes. Somethings are meant to be.”

Now the whole concert hall joins them but it is far from the world Qrow is a part of as he can only stare and smile at his boyfriend. Clover meets him in the center and since Qrow is busy playing the ukulele, Clover reaches one hand up to brush the hair out of Qrow’s eyes.

“Take my hand,” Clover’s voice is beauty, tugs at his heart and it clutches as they get closer to the point where their foreheads brush against each other. “Take my whole life too.”

“Cause I can’t help falling in love with you,” they harmonize together, the audience’s loudness becoming mere background noise that adds to the hum of their hearts.

“Cause I can’t help falling in love with you,” is repeated for the last time, drawing out the strength of the words as pulse through everyone but most importantly between Qrow and Clover.

Qrow’s fingers are red from the strumming, the ukulele in his weak hold as the music stops but the audience continues roaring but all he can focus on is the warmth and love from Clover.

He mumbles into Qrow’s lips, “But I can’t help falling in love with you, Qrow.”

That is all Qrow wants to hear as he wraps his arms around Clover, ignoring the rest of the world as they kiss.

#fair game week #fair game #fairgameweek2020 #qrow branwen #clover ebi #song fic #my fic

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