#my heart breaks for both ruby and jaune

[howi99]

Prince of Vale 9

A less serious "chapter"

RWB__NPR: *looking as Jaune and Yang fight each other for practice*

Weiss: *Stunned by Jaune's performance* Whu...

Ruby: *looking at both of her flags, one with J and the other with Y* Gosh, who am i supposed to root for!?

Blake: *not focussing on the fight, texting to her parents instead*

Nora: *turning to Weiss* Yeah, turns out he's a lot better with a saber. He's also excellent with a rapier, like you!

Weiss: B-but his other fights!?

Pyrrha: *chuckle* He never learned to fight with a sword and shield. He was completely unbalanced.

Ren: *nod* His moves are more akin to a dance. A terrifyingly beautiful dance.

All the girls: *look at Ren*

Ren: *still focussing on the fight, not noticing the attention*

Weiss: I didn't think you'd swing that way.

Ren: *taking his eyes off the fight* What?

Nora: *drying a false tear* You are breaking my heart Ren, going for our leader.

Ren: ... What?

Pyrrha: *putting one hand on his shoulder* Don't worry Ren. I too find Jaune mesmerizing.

Ren: Wait, hold on-

Ruby: We support you Ren!

Ren: But i'm not-

Blake: *furiously writing a yaoi fanfic*

Ren: I just said he's fighting style was beautiful! I never said anything about him physically!

[ficretus]

*Alternate version of Volume 9*

Weiss: You saved us... Who are you?

*tries to take off his helmet, accidentally flexes his muscles and destroys entire armor*

Jaune: Sigh... not again...

Weiss: Jaune?!

Yang: Vomit Boy?!

Blake: At this point that's Vomit Man.

Ruby: Jaune what happened to you? You look like... a lump of muscles with head sticking out.

Weiss: Lump of very nice looking muscles mind you.

Jaune: It's a long story. I'll take you to my home.

*they enter the village full of sentient gym equipment*

Jaune: These are my friends, Pump Irons and that over there is Juniper. She was my mount, but now she... she can no longer carry me.

Yang: Colorful bunch.

Jaune: I adventured with humans Alyx and Lewis... and a Cat. Long story short, Alyx betrayed me and slipped me some kind of white powder in the tea. Juniper saved me and brought me to this village.

Weiss: This sounds oddly similar to Girl Who Fell Through World and Rusted Knight.

Blake: Don't be silly Weiss, this is clearly a tale of Roided Knight.

Yang: Roided Knight? I guess that makes sense.

Ruby: Look Jaune, Roided, Rusted or whatever Knight, we need your help.

Jaune: Sure, lets go.

*One of the Pump Irons starts grumbling*

Jaune: What is it Coach?

*more grumbling*

Jaune: Oh. Sorry, I need to complete two more sets before I go with you.

Ruby: *groans*

*some time later*

Ruby: *looks at knocked out Neo* Could you have at least held back a bit Jaune?

Jaune: I was holding back.

Yang: Meh, that bitch had it coming.

Weiss: That was hot.

Blake: Lets go to the portal.

*team RWBY passes through portal*

Weiss: Where is Jaune?

Jaune: *heads pops through portal* This is bit awkward, my body is too swole to pass though. Can you help me out?

Ruby: *groans*

*in Vacuo*

Tyrian: Impressive defenses Noble Knight, but how will they fare against sting of death?

*his stinger breaks against Jaune's skin*

Tyrian: But how? My Semblance bypasses Aura!

Jaune: That's not Aura.

*knocks out Tyrian with a single punch*

Mercury: I wanna switch sides

Jaune: Smart choice.

Ruby: *groans*

*in Evernight*

Cinder: Fufufu, how pitiful. Knight without both shield and sword. Wouldn't you agree, your Majesty? *looks behind her, Salem is gone* Your Majesty?

*Jaune knocks out Cinder with a single punch*

Jaune: That's another one down as well. It seems Salem teleported to another dimension, so we are done here.

Ruby: What the... heck was all this?

Jaune: What do you mean?

Ruby: You... you... defeated Neo... and Tyrian... and Cinder... redeemed Mercury... scared Salem into running away. You found Relic of Choice... somehow.

Jaune: I just walked through that wall.

Ruby: It's a pocket dimension Jaune! How? Just how?

Jaune: Just prayers and vitamins Ruby... and copious amount of steroids... and heart attack... *collapses*

Ruby: *groans*

[brokentrafficknight]

Wholesome au cinder breaks a vace by mistake ands to ptsd from the madame she falls begging fir forgiveness from her new parents witch leads to group hug and lots of parental head kisses and " its okay mommy and daddy are here"

There is no feasible way for me to do this with just chibis lmao

Have poorly written fanfiction instead c:

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The crash came before Cinder even had a chance to turn and catch her mistake. She’d been told countless times not to chase Ruby through the house and now, as she turned to see just what they had done, the rush of playing with her sister had died. Scattered across the floor of the living room were the pieces of her mother’s vase.

“Oooh…” Cinder didn’t have to look back to know Ruby was peeking her head out from the kitchen, no longer confused why their game of tag had been abruptly cut short. “C-Cindy—”

“Get the broom, Ruby,” Cinder choked the words out, head held low as she counted the shards of porcelain. Her hands balled up into shaking fists until her whole body started to tremble. She could already hear Jaune, Pyrrha and Summer’s footsteps approaching. Their words were drowned out by the sinking feeling in Cinder’s chest as memories of the Glass Unicorn resurfaced.

A shaky hand clutched for the Madam’s collar, waiting for the shock to come as her throat tightened and every breath became more and more difficult to take in. Tears welled in Cinder’s eyes against her will. Poisonous words filled her thoughts and dropped her to her knees scooping up the broken vase together into a pile,‘This is my fault, they’re going to hate me.’

‘They’re going to put you back in a collar. How could anyone love someone like you?’

‘You’re nothing. Broken. Unwanted. Unwelcome.’

Gentle hands took hers and gently squeezed, snapping her out of the fog as she looked up into warm, deep blue eyes. There wasn’t a hint of the anger and hate that she had been dreading, only the concern and care of her father. Jaune’s voice was calm and soft as he said, “You’re okay, just breathe.”

“I’m sorry… I’m so, so sorry… Please don’t hate me, I’m–” Another hand covered hers and Cinder’s eyes met her mother’s, Pyrrha’s. Her mother merely smiled and shook her head at every apology Cinder made. Her hand yanked away from Jaune’s to clutch at her collar, only finding the jewel pendant they had given her for her birthday.

Summer drew her into a hug, rocking her back and forth just whispering, “It’s going to be okay, Cindy. We love you.” Hot tears streamed down Cinder’s cheeks, stinging her face as she broke into weak sobs and clung to Summer for dear life. Jaune and Pyrrha hugged both of them tight, laying soft kisses to Cinder’s head and rubbing her back as she began to catch her breath. “It’s just a vase.”

----

The pieces of the vase were gathered up after Jaune carried Cinder off to the kitchen to get her some water and a snack. The table the vase had sat on would go without it for a month before Pyrrha would proudly set a ‘new’ one there. The cracks were sealed back together with a powdered gold lacquer. Standing behind the rest of her family, Cinder admired the work from far nervously.

Amber eyes met emerald green and Pyrrha smiled brightly, motioning for her to come closer, dropping low to be closer to her daughter’s height. Cinder approached slowly, cautiously, before being pulled into a warm hug that she couldn’t help but smile. When Pyrrha whispered into Cinder’s ear, she felt her heart swell, “Something precious being broken doesn’t mean you have to throw it away. Not when you can fix it. I think it looks prettier like this.”

[spahhzy]

My I request more dragon slayer angst. Maybe a bit of unrequited love

*I'm finally getting to these*

Ruby: Yang?

Ruby entered the bar looking for her sister... she heard a couple of folk saying they saw a young woman with yellow hair come to this bar.

Walking up to the bar, she spoke to one of the bar tenders.

Ruby: Hi, uhm, have you seen this person? *shows a picture of Yang*

Bartender: Yeah... she's currently hammered playing pool at table 13.

Ruby nodded and slipped the bartender some lien for the help and went on her way.

???: Again!

???: Again? Listen lady... that like the 10th game in a row I've beaten you... maybe you should lay off the alcohol and -

???: I said AGAIN.

???: Alright alright sheesh...

Ruby made it to the table to see her sister, drunk, clumsily racking the balls before backing away from the table as the gentleman she was playing against made his break.

Ruby: Yang?

Yang just turned her head and waved at her sister.

Yang: Hiya Ruubes!

Ruby: What are you doing?

The gentlemen broke, and the balls spread out amongst the table, none making a pocket, leaving the table open for her.

Yang: Ah, you know... I'm just playing some pool.

As she says this, she stroked her pool stick into the cue ball, letting it roll until it struck the yellow 1 object ball.

Ruby: You missed Jaune's party...

Yang: Yeah... just wasn't my style, you know? Hey, wanna drink?

Yang offered her a shot glass, to which Ruby declined as her sister shrugged her shoulders and downed the liquid before she leaned across the pool table and sunk another solid.

Yang: Ya know, sis, I am finally able to see why Jaune liked this game so much, such a calm but tense game.

Yang reached over and hit the cue ball again, watching as it hit another of her solids, sinking it into a low corner pocket.

Yang grabbed another shot and downed it quickly before continuing her turn as she sunk another solid.

Ruby: I think you've had enough shots, Yang.

Yang: Nonsense! The night is still young, and I'm celebrating Jaune's party in true Yang fashion.

Ruby: By playing pool and drinking yourself to death?

Yang just rolled her eyes.

Yang: Do I lecture you on how to party?

Ruby: That's because the Yang i know is always the life of said party...this isn't a party it's just you and the bottle.

Yang didn't say anything as she reached over and once again sunk another solid, leaving her just one before the 8ball.

Ruby: I know you're hurting Yang, but this-

Yang just let out a drunken mirthless laugh.

Yang: You don't know anything Ruby...you have Oscar, Weiss has Emerald, and Blake has Sun...

Ruby: Yang...

Yang: But who does Yang have!? No one! The one guy who i really liked, who I've tried flirting with, giving him signs, and who he even taught me how to play this game is getting married.

Leaning over, she hit her final solid into pocket, leaving her with her last ball, the 8ball.

Yang: What were all those times we shared together? Did it mean nothing to him? How was she just able to walk back into his life and take him from me! Why wasn't I enough!

In her anger, she hit the 8 ball too hard, causing her cue ball to go careening in a different direction, and at the same time, both the cueball and 8ball had both fell into the pocket.

She lost again.

Yang just collapsed into a seat as she stared sadly at the ceiling lights.

Yang: I just wanted to be enough for him...

And with that, Yang fell asleep, with tears running down her face.

The dragon had been defeated, finally lost after suffering a broken heart.

Ruby looked at the other gentleman.

Ruby: I think you should go.

The man nodded, not needing to be told twice as Ruby called Oscar, advising him to get the spare bedroom ready, as she wouldn't leave her sister alone when she needed someone.

-

I leave the mystery of who Jaune is marrying up to you.

[epic-arc]

Jaune interview: Fusions!

Jaune would be in his room arranging a scroll on a table and he would turn it on and wave at the camera.

Jaune: Oh well, I'm making these recordings to show my girlfriends what they are like during fusions and their personalities because whenever they break up the fusion they become curious about what they are like or how they act.

Jaune would smile at the camera and press a button changing the video to one where he and Nyrha would be sitting on the same bed.

Jaune: So who has more dominance in the fusion? I always had this doubt.

Nyrha would let out a light giggle and pull Jaune to sit on her lap, making him blush because of the difference in size and the ease she had in pulling him onto her lap.

Nyrha: Well jaune-jaune in terms of my shape I say that pyrrha is more dominant in my personality and a combination of the two my cute leader!

Jaune would blush slightly at Nyrha's comment and take a paper from his pocket that had other questions on it.

Jaune: Well you are a fusion of pyrrha and nora, So you are attracted to both me and ren so you like both of us equally?

Nyrha: Hmm I would say I like you both equally! Well, it varies when it's just the two of us alone~.

Jaune would be slightly confused by Nyrha's response until he felt her giving his thigh a light squeeze, which he would do and he blushed slightly.

Jaune: W-Well l-let me turn off the cam-

Jaune was cut off because Nyrha would pull him to the bed and you could hear kissing noises and some moans. The video cut to a few hours later and Jaune would have messy hair and some kiss marks on his face.

Jaune: W-well Pyrrha and Nora this w-was the fusion of you two n-now I'm going to lie down for a bit just to breathe.

Jaune would press the button on the scroll showing another video where he and Burgundy would now be in the room but she would be on the floor on her knees, Jaune would see that and be a little confused.

Jaune: Ah Burgundy, don't you think it's more comfortable for you to sit next to me so we can continue interviewing?

Burgundy would hear that and would have a sadistic smile on her face and she would continue on her knees looking at Jaune as if he were some kind of god.

Burgundy: Don't worry about my well-being, my master, the important thing is that I'm here with you and I will answer anything you ask me or make any order from you~

Jaune heard that and would be confused and slightly uncomfortable but he let it go and took the paper from his pocket that contained some questions.

Jaune: Ok.. Ah Burgundy, I hear that many of the other students don't like it when you're around even though you're a very strong fusion but can you tell me why?

Burgundy listened to Jaune's praise and felt her body having a rush of dopamine making her face blush slightly with hearts in her eyes.

Burgundy: Simple, my master, others cannot understand your greatness as I see it! Your strength, beauty and intelligence, you are a god among mortals!

Jaune would be confused by what he was hearing and would try to say something but Burgundy would jump on him and the video would cut to a few hours in the future with Jaune with very messy hair and some nail marks on his chest.

Jaune: O-Ok look, she is really strong, but we have to pay attention to this issue of the obsession she has on me because this is very worrying.

Jaune would press the button on his scroll and change the video and he would now be sitting on the bed next to a new fusion being made by Ruby and Weiss (Rosaria)

Jaune: Wow, you two formed a really cool fusion! Could you tell me more about yourself?

Rosaria would blush slightly and let out a few giggles of joy but then she would look at Jaune smiling.

Rosaria: Well I can use semblance and ruby ​​and weiss but I can combine them! Like I can create grimms made from rose petals, they're not very strong but they're great for distraction!

Jaune: Ohh how wonderful Rosaria! This is an incredible ability I must say and I must comment on the idea of ​​your scythe being able to change the type of dust on the blade is incredible and quite creative!

Rosaria heard that and would blush more and then she hugged Jaune which would make him blush and hug her back. Jaune pressed the button showing him with some kiss marks on his face and a big smile on his face.

Jaune: Hehe I must say this new fusion is very creative and I must admit very cute heh.

(Nyrha e Burgundy made from @evenmorefatallyobsessed )

[ruins-of-tragedy]

Volume 8 of RWBY has finished me. Tried to sleep off the emotional fragility, but it still won't budge. The devastation is haunting me, myself and I.

- Space bun girl scrubbing floors. Is this the Cinder backstory? The art here looks freaking incredible!!!

- Regular movements of cleaning turning into Cinder's Grimm hand scratching at a seat... Good GODS. How long was she stuck doing that? Enough to classify as a default, almost soothing maneuver.

- Emerald and Mercury got makeovers too. Good for them!

- Cinder didn't want Emerald's big reunion. Oooof.

- "Without you, I am nothing." Whoa. This Fall lady was either brainwashed well, or something happened. Either way, Salem has one relic. Atlas is surrounded by Grimm. Neopolitan will be working with Cinder and her cause. FUCKITY fucking fuck.

- What's left of Mantle is suffering from the Grimm-pocalypse. Ironwood. Just. Die already.

- You know it's bad when Nora doesn't give crushing hugs.

- I like Joanna. She is tall and looks butch and her hair seems nice.

- People in small places vs big picture. Break-up imminent?

- GODS. Yang being reluctant to follow Ruby's lead must have hurt. Not only her sister but herself too. The fuck. This volume is going to end me.

- Weiss' reaction to Yang's remark is so relatable. Hand over her mouth. Even she didn't expect that.

- Yang vs Ruby. Ren vs Nora. At least they are all still trying towards the same goal. Keeping folks safe.

- The transition from being beside the person leading an idea to supporting their point when they are talking it over... I love it.

- Thank you Jaune and Oscar!!! Both the new factions emerging within the team wants to help. Both are good reasonings to go forward and work towards. Both should be done. No more conflicts within. Pwease.

- RWB with Nora. JR with Oscar and Yang. Holy hell. These are kids. FUCKKKKK. I hope they all make up soon over their differences. All of their hearts are in the right place.

- IRONWOOD. BLAMING EVERYTHING THAT MAY OR MAY NOT FOLLOW ON THESE LITTLE CHILDREN. ON PENNY. YOU INCOMPETENT BULLHEADED FUCK UP. TALK TO SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE!!!!

- Is Penny okie?

- Clover is alive! YAYYYYYY!!! ...Wait. He is, right? The way they are talking...

- "No matter the cost." And then shoots an Atlas councillor. Ironwood. You fuckwad.

- Salem be hunting Ozcar. Shite.

- OH MY GODS. The opening has throwbacks to the initial beginnings of RWBY. AGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

- White Rose and Bumbleby weapons are showing up together. I know who my endgames are. 💖

- Will Renora be alright?

- Penny is definitely not okie. Her father is worried too.

- Schnee family in smithereens. Ironwood is alone. Our heroes are fighting alongside one another. I hope everything will be alright in the end.

- Emerald waved. Cinder didn't see it 'cause she has a blind side. Though am pretty sure she won't return the gesture even if she saw it. Neo can't care enough about the lady.

- "Happy? Ever Never After Again." Um. Oh no.

- The hideout our good guys were using. There was a portrait, I think. Who are the people in the painting? Robyn's parents? One of them had an eye-patch.

- Qrow and Robyn and Jacques and Watts. Now neighbours. Huh.

- Yang is on a bike again!!!! All is almost right.

- The Faunus live in the slums. And they are offering up their place to humans who probably secluded them there to begin with. And yet some of these folks have the audacity to act like entitled little kids. YASSSSSSSS!!! You tell them Yang!!!!

- Ren is not okie. I am scared for him. Oscar and Ozpin's talk has me somewhat cautiously optimistic.

- Ruby being there for Penny, and their hugs!!! Have my heart. ✨

- So many people in one place. Can become a hotspot for Grimm attacks. Shite. I hope the conflicts don't get too out of hand in the slums.

- Mutating Grimm has got Oscar. Must be Salem's special pet on a retrieval mission. Is this when Ozpin and his divorced wife begin talking about mankind and simple souls?

- Grimm can speak now. Mother dearest has been teaching them new tricks?

- YASSSSSSSS!!! Robo-girl has a name!!!!! ❤️‍🔥

- Ruby's proud little knowing smirk in the back was so funny. And sweet.

- Blake and Nora's hands on the hips is such a classic fruity pose to me. ✨

- Penny is giving science and semblance lessons. Ruby is being teased. I needed this.

- "Apologies for the delay. Today has been... busy." Yup. Having to hide evidence of murder and coordinating martial law, with a side of complacency for mass genocide, must keep Ironwood's schedule hectic.

- Wait. Watts is going through Penny's plans. Oh no. FUCK.

- Grimm JAWS handmade poster?!?!? 🤌🏻😂👏🏻

- Blake is having a bad day going on rides here. Wonder how she handles amusement parks...

- Weiss has a soft proud smile. Nora is in awe. Penny is ready to propose and squeeing too? Ruby is doing a hero pose. Group travel via rose missile. 🎊

- Pietro is Penny now. Weiss has sisterly insights. Nora doesn't know who she is without Ren. Time to find out, perhaps.

- I really don't like the Ace Ops anymore. How dare you all blame Penny for Winter's condition?!?!?

- Ruby knows where Qrow is now.

- Fucking Harriet. YOU will become a tin can when I am done with you.

- Nora still has electricity marks left over. But holy WoWie. ✨

- Watts has a message for Ironwood's operatives. No. I am terrified. Penny.

- The Ace Ops ran away with one of Penny's swords. Watts will use it. I need to get some air.

- The fuck. Penny will be MADE to work with Ironwood?!???! This fucker will murder everyone but the folks who should be killed. Fucking Watts. And extrafucker Ironwood. Match made in the deepest corners of rotting trash.

- Getting to see Zwei in the opening heals me a little.

- Robyn and Qrow are bonding. Yang and Jaune and Ren are following mutating Grimm with Ozcar.

- What gliding is Ren doing right now?

- Yang saving Jaune and riding almost in tune with the song. 🌟❤️‍🔥

- From Grimmgliding to rescuing his friends, Lie is going through it.

- Honestly, he is right. There are better ways to discuss this, but they are all kids. Ruby, even more so. Someone give these children a warm bed and a good life's rest. They are trying so hard. Have already done so much. UGHHHHHHHHHHHH.

- In such dire situations you just gotta keep on keeping on, I guess. Especially considering the circumstances. I hope they get loads and Loads and LOADS of therapy soon.

- Oscar is being tortured. First by Salem. And now by Hazel. Someone please bring his sister in to tell him how much of a bad brother he is being not only to her but to the ideals she lived by. Even if she wasn't old enough to take major decisions initially, the way he is acting would still bother her forever. This fucker. Deluded by his own emotions.

- Cinder keeps saying without Salem she is nothing. The irony is, with Salem she is nothing as well. Especially now.

- Emerald wants her mentor back so bad.

- Oh no. Cinder will intervene with Amity. For once I want her to listen to Salem. Fuck.

- Awwww. Jaune trying with Ren is good of him. Reminds me a little of what Pyrrha attempted, way back when. Feels like a million years have gone by since.

- Yang wanted to know if Blake thought less of her for not helping out with Amity. Jaune assumed she meant Ruby. GODS. 💖

- I think the sisters are secure enough in their relationship to understand this won't tear them apart. Yang and Blake however, have a new budding thing on the way. Of course Yang is worried. Plus, the missing piece for the motorcycle is purple.

- I agree with Maria. Penny should be able to make her own decisions. Calavera is the mother Penny needs.

- Neo vs Maria. Could never have thought that up actually.

- Fighting in the skies, Penny vs Cinder.

- I love Maria. She has still got it!!!! ✨

- That interaction between Pietro and Penny will never not leave me in tears.

- What did Watts do. Fuck.

- If something happens to Penny, I will kill everyone. And then myself. In conclusion, she is alright.

- What is Watts going to do now. He has that scroll thing Ironwood threw at him. FUCKKKKKKK.

- Grimm birthing juice. On its way. Oh no.

- Cinder's backstory is just TRAUMA. With mechanical torture and capital Ts.

- "Without you, I am nothing." GODS.

- A past so horrific, you cannot see yourself in the children you keep hurting now. This is what a person's history can do to them.

- Cinder got so good, she could somewhat keep up with Rhodes.

- She wanted to be a huntsman. That's the true tragedy here.

- Also, the song that plays during it all. FUCK. It didn't have to go as hard, but helps driving in the point across better.

- Oscar and Ozpin. Ozcar. Ospin. Infiltrating Salem's allies to make them their own. NOICE!!!

- It's the step-guardian situation all over again. Cinder. Fuck. Please leave. Salem ain't it.

- Why is there a Ruby statue in the evil lair in the end credits?

- Is this a Grimm whale? Spouting rivers of its kind...

- Yang, Jaune and Ren are under Winter's custody. Fuck.

- Delivering a bomb on foot into the whale Grimm. While Oscar is there still. Plus, this could essentially be a suicide mission. I hope you die Ironwood.

- Emerald is up to something. I love where this could be going.

- Ospin is landing some great mental hits. And has been hit so bad physically.

- Nora is bedridden. And she is asking what she is good for?!?!!?? GODS. What toxic productivity mindset is this. She literally saved Penny. Who is definitely okie. I cannot accept a different answer.

- May is trans?! NOICE!!!!! ⚜️

- Whitley heard the points made between RWB and May and a resting Nora. I hope he is able to help. Everyone could use it.

- Salem wants release from her curse. Hazel's sister is named Gretchen. Hansel and Gretel. Sometimes I forget the allusions are a thing.

- Ozpin revealed Salem's backstory. Oscar told Hazel the password. Emerald heard everything. Shared it with Mercury. Who left for Vacuo with Tyrian anyway. Fuck. I hope she still leaves. Please. ����🏻

- Ren spoke up!!! And exactly when they needed him. YAYYYYYY!!!! Best boy is back!!!!!!! Oh shite. He doesn't know what happened with Nora. Fuck.

- Lie levelled up his semblance! That pink petal. His emotions. Nora misses a pink petal in the opening. AGHHHHHHHH!!!

- Suppressing your feelings must be an occupational hazard of working under Ironwood.

- Winter said "I outrank you." 🤯. Gods. Am so gay.

- Jaune proposed a good plan. Which is actually working. Hopefully they are able to get Ospin out, with one another intact.

- Ren is giving out bitesize therapy before leaving. Winter and Marrow. Abandon Ironwood. Please. 🙏🏻

- Ruby wants to go free Qrow and Robyn. May wants them to choose. Klein is here!!!!! And he is a doctor? Whitley must have called him.

- Awwwwwwwww. Whitley did call him. Sibling hugs!!!!

- Penny. Landed in front of the manor. Fuck. At least she is still in one piece.

- The mid-season trailer does not inspire a lot of confidence; "You are too late." Late for what?!?!!?

- "We said goodbye..."

- Just realised Ironwood's bit in the opening has Atlas within him. He is a product of his kingdom. GODS. I have sympathy for him, but nothing else anymore. Even that seems extreme now.

- Holy WoWie. Only now noticing the divide of the forces our heroes are fighting in the opening. Yang's end has Mantle and Atlas plagued with Grimm. Ruby's side has Salem's forces, also with Grimm. Penny flies to the Amity Colosseum in between. 👏🏻

- Big blast at Qrow's holding cell area.

- "One step at a time." One second, one minute, one hour, one day... Finally. An adult with good advice who is helping too. Klein. You da best. 🫶🏻

- Weiss and Whitely working together to use Schnee resources for good. YAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!! ✨

- Awwww! Blake looks up to Ruby. She reminds her of her own self. CUTE!!!

- Mutating Grimm is here. Oh shite. That's why Penny apologised after crash landing. Salem's pet is after the maiden powers. FUCKKKKKKK.

- Nora saved Penny from the corrupt bit in her, courtesy of Watts. This thunder girl is more than her power and hammer too. More than parts of others. Just like Penny. 🥹. I love this throwback to the girls' talk.

- Glad to know Willow chose her scroll over her spirits.

- Whitley stumbling back to approve the process while his life is in danger... The Schnees are really trying so hard. Jacques should never be allowed to take up that name again.

- Penny is in Watts' control. Going after the relic. AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

- The talking Grimm has a living being inside?!?!???! What.

- So the blast was Cinder. Qrow is living up to his name.

- The Hound Human's face sketch reminds me of Obito from Naruto.

- Ren and Jaune will be okie. Not sure about Yang's eyeballs though. Rolling them around the blonde guy must be a regular practice. 😂

- Oscar's arc is WoW. He wants to stay himself. And a person like him definitely should. I wish there was a way to retain both Ozpin and this little guy.

- Team FNKI refusing to wear helmets is so on-brand!!! Also, they look tiny between the adult soldiers. Marrow is right. Kids. AGHHHHHHHHHH.

- Hazel is turning over a new leaf. Emerald will be leaving alongside Ospin. YAYYYYYY!!!!

- Oh fuck. Neo saw everything.

- Ren giving out another therapy session. Yang needed it too. Jaune believes. His friends trust his belief.

- Did Marrow call Jaune, Juan? True fondness for your juniors is never using the person's given name. Apparently. 😆🤌🏻🥹

- Emerald really tried to banter when they met again. LoLL!

- Shite. Salem... I wonder if she thought Summer Rose worked at an orphanage or something. 'Cause to her, two random kids called that lady their mum. One did look like her, I guess. Yang doesn't share any physical traits with mama Rose though.

- "No more Gretchens, boy." Hazel is doing a double cross. YASSSSSSSS!!!!!!

- He ain't making it out of there alive, is he.

- What did Ospin do? Big white blast.

- Marrow has a good heart. Take him and run to your sister Winter!!!

- Watts implanted a virus in Penny?!?!?? AGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

- Of all the people, the scientist got to Cinder. Fuck. Hope she is okie. And that she changes sides.

- Second chances for Emerald and Ozpin. Oscar lays a worthy proponent for trusting those who are trying now.

- Kids were his last chance at blackmail. Ironwood has truly gone nuts with insecurity.

- AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! IT'S BEEN TOO LONG SINCE THEY WERE TOGETHER!!!!!! ALL OF THEM!!!!!!!!

- Ironwood. You. I. Have no words.

- Using an entire freaking populace as a bargaining chip. When your own population is safe now. No thanks to you. You. UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. 🤬

- I want to tear Ironwood apart. Limb from limb. What's left of them anyway.

- Winter has to be acting. Now way is she going to put Marrow in jail.

- Ruby is not okay. At all. Where are the fucking years of therapy?!?!!!???

- Ren is trying so hard. Jaune can read a room now. He has left the chat.

- Renora may not be together yet, but they will be someday. And I shall definitely be there celebrating. Plans of the future aside, they handled it quite maturely. I loved that. Am glad Lie was understanding. His semblance reading powers helped, but still. This is a guy just beginning to learn how to be open about his emotions again. He showed a lot of grace during this scene.

- The person in the Grimm had silver eyes?! I totally missed that. Fuck. Ruby. Yang. Summer.

- Give them at least ONE MORE MINUTE. PLEASE. THEY BOTH NEED THAT HUG. IT'S ALWAYS ONE THING AFTER THE OTHER. AGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

- Penny is asking them to kill her. That's. Um. That's not happening. Right? No. They. They wouldn't go that far. Fuck.

- Oh thank Gods. Aura amp. She is more than a robot. YAYYYYYY!!!! I was really terrified for a second there.

- Awww! Emerald is trying to be optimistic for them!!! In her own way. CUTE!!!

- Penny is now shown with Jaune, Nora and Ren. I remember telling my friend she could be the next member of Team JNR. 'Casue she has a genderbent allusion. Was this right? 🤯🙏🏻

- Oscar is starting to walk and somehow look a little like Ozpin? Probably the way he carried himself. Yeah. Huh.

- "Trust, is a risk." 💯

- Ren's petal loses its cold exterior. But Nora cannot catch hers because she hasn't figured out who she is yet. OOOOOOooooooooh!!! This opening is so GOOOOOOOOD.

- OH MY GODS. THAT WAS EMERALD!!! YASSSSSSSSSDSDD!!!! No Penny for you James.

- Wait. Did Winter really put Marrow in jail?

- Only Oscar and JNR are there. Where's RWBY? And Penny?

- Ayyyyyyy!!! That kick. Go Emerald!!!

- OOOOOOooooooooh!!!! Winter ain't doing anything to protect Ironwood. YAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

- And Marrow isn't in a cell. AGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

- It all came together so beautifully. Love this.

- Phase two. Oh wow.

- Ambrosious looks like a Dragon Ball Z character. I love his hair.

- CCT went out. So did the broadcast. Um. All the people heard was Atlas is falling. The fuck.

- Jacques will be saved too. Ugh.

- Penny is a real girl!!!!!!!! YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- I am too sleep deprived for the mumbo jumbo of the portals and the souls. Shall re-watch this later. But the dire warning... It's only episode twelve. Still have two more left. They will definitely be falling. That's where volume nine takes place. Thank Gods for some spoilers. Hopefully things don't get any more traumatic till then.

- Does Vacuo know of the amount of people they are going to get soon?

- Oh shite. Cinder is amongst the Atlas folks. Fuck.

- Sandstorm galore in Sun's area. Ooooof. And no signal.

- Some people fell. Shite. No. Cinder... Jinn. No questions left. Watts interrupted the broadcast. Cinder understands the importance of emotions. Her own breakdown must have helped. She is turning into a Machiavellian villain. FUCKKKKKKK.

- Things are going wrong. So bad. Harriet and Vine are fleeing on ships. Marrow's aura broke. Ironwood's cell just gave way. I am STRESSED.

- Jacques is dead. Sad that happened at James' hands.

- Yang falls saving Ruby. What a way to go down.

- Blake trying and failing to save her. Truly WLW. Women losing women. 😭

- Oh wow. I severely misjudged Harriet's motivations. She still wants to blow up Mantle. Thank you Vine.

- And she still went ahead with it. Fuck. Can ONE thing go right. Please.

- Ironwood vs Winter. No coming back from Vacuo. One way ticket. And that place has flying Grimm now. What the FUCKKKKKKK.

- Themes of death warning in the last episode. There's not a word that can describe my condition right now. Who is dying?!?????

- Salem is coming back. Ironwood is still ordering around Winter. Cinder vs Penny and Weiss. Blake has joined in too. Qrow wished on Clover's charm. No detonation. Yet.

- Vine took the blast. I didn't even know him well. But FUCK.

- Blake and Ruby have fallen too. Cinder. Why. AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

- Nora is in Vacuo. She can't return. No more back up. Oh Gods.

- No. No. No. She just. No. She just became a girl. This is not really happening. No. No. Please.

- It's done.

- Penny is greeting Winter in the white world. I am crying and still smiling because all of it's just so her. I can't. WHY.

- Is Jaune okay. Will he ever be.

- Oh I am so happy about the non-ceremonial manner Ironwood died.

- Winter has the gift of Penny in her. It's now a part of her. The tears are making it difficult to see everything.

- I just. She thought of Winter and got to say goodbye. She passed away on her own terms. But. FUCCCCCCCKKKKKKK. IT HURTS.

- She. Penny. Was already more human than most people around her. Had a life within all that metal. So much so, she became flesh and blood. Human in every possible sense of the word. And. I CANNNOT.

- You take away her robotic shell and what's left behind is a warm soul. Forever trying to be a great friend. I will never look at green the same way again.

- Weiss has fallen as well. Winter saw it happen. Couldn't do anything to prevent it. What is this volume. Just trauma for everyone.

- Down goes Jaune now.

- The fuck. Ironwood is still alive.

- Some scenes in the show look almost realistic here and there. Especially the landscapes and the elements. Yes, this is an attempt at disassociation.

- Qrow. Fuck.

- "Face of a friend that won't leave..." The end credits music is making me bawl.

- "Do hugs always make you feel this warm?" STOP. It's Penny's song. Of course they titled it Friend.

- "Lucky and Beef Jerky!" Part of the security team.

- Ended on Crescent Rose near a beach with a colourful tree.

- Wait. Did Penny's body also land wherever RWBY and Jaune fell off to?

- Also, are there any other red-headed ladies whose names start with P? I need to start preparing.

- Anywho, if anyone needs me, I shall be busy drowning myself in RWBY Chibi. The laughs from that should help.

(You spoil me, I send you to Spain with a one-way ticket. And the 's' will be silent. You can greet me with salutations when you get here. Not combat-ready anymore.)

[rwby-encrusted-blog]

Ruby: MMmm-MH! Goooood Morning Yang!

Yang: *Brushing Teeth* M'rn Rbs!

Ruby: You're up bright and early. What's up?

Yang: *Spits in sink* Me and Blakey got a whole day planned-*Gargling & Swishing Mouthwash, Spits* We're gonna go for a walk in the park to get some pictures taken and do a little window shopping, then we're meeting up with her parents for lunch!

Ruby: You've got a whole day planned, Huh! Is there something special about to ... day ...

Ruby checks the calender - wednesday, Febuary 14th.

Valentines day

Ruby: Nonono! Not now! I haven't prepared!

Yang: Sorry Rubes! I gotta get dressed, so unless you wanna see me naked again, you should-

Ruby: I'm going, I'm going!

~~~~~

Ruby: Hey Weiss! Blake and Yang are busy-

Weiss: I have Dates planned Ruby! I'm afraid I can't help you.

Ruby: With- I'm sorry did you say 'Dates' as in Dates Plural?

Weiss: Yes I did.

Ruby: Isn't that kind of-

Penny: Salutations Ruby! I am here to see My Valentines for the day!

Ruby: Penny? You're going out with Weiss?

Jaune: I am too! We're going to be switching on and off throughout the day!

Ruby: What.

Penny: Knowing that you identify as 'Asexual' I inquired what romance felt like to Weiss, who was on her way to ask Jaune on a 'date.' Jaune brought up how Polyamorous relationships were uncommon but plausible, so Weiss agreed to spend her time with us both!

Ruby: ... Oh.

Weiss: Yes, and I still need to finish readying up! Please leave so that I may Dress!

~~~~~

Loud Thumping and groaning may be heard behind Ren and Nora's Door, along with slapping sounds.

Ruby: I dunno why I thought they'd be doing anything else.

~~~~~

Oscar: Hey Ruby! What're you up to?

Ruby: Finding you! Everyone else is busy with Valentines, so I figured "hey, Oscar hasn't seemed interested in anyone, and he know what romance is" so I looked for you so we could have a Totally Platonic hangout. Which, for Valentines day would be weird-

Whitley: *Barging in* Hello my Evergreen~ I brought Cinnamon raisin Oatmeal cookies for my most sweet of sweets~

Oscar: Uuuhh ... Sorry Ruby, I'm kinda busy?

Ruby: ￣へ￣

~~~~~

Ruby: *Knocking on Door* HEY UNCLE QROW!

Robyn: *Wrapped in a towel* Sorry kid, He's busy in the Bathroom.

Ruby: ... i though him and Clover-

Clover: I'm here Too!

Qrow: I got a big heart Kid! Now leave and let me bathe with these guys, or I'll tell them about your seventh brithday!

Clover: Now that I wanna hear!

Ruby: You wouldn't!

Robyn: *Holding Qrow's hand* He Would.

Ruby: ... Got it. Have a nice time. Please leave a sock on your handle next time this happens!

~~~~~

Ruby: ...

Emerald: How do they feel now?

Mercury: *Rubbing his legs, crying Slightly* They feel Real. They feel like they're back.

Ruby: Well That's sweet.

Emerald: We're trying. I'd talk more but concentration-

Ruby: And Merc seems like he needs you, have a nice day.

~~~~~

Ruby: Hey Winter-

Winter: ...

Cinder: *On Winter's shoulder* ...

Ruby: ... I'll be going.

~~~~~

Ruby: Hey Miss Schnee-

Willow: *sweaty and Flushed* Hello Dear! I'm afraid I don't have much time-

Kali: Willow~ We have time for one more round before me and Ghira need to see our Kitten~

Ruby: Just go-

Willow: I can take a break if you need-

Ruby: I'll be fine, i get it-

Willow: Seriously, If you need something-

Ruby: Thank you, but I'm good, all good, go have your fun-

~~~~~

TaiYang: Hey! You've reached the Personal Scroll of Taiyang Xiao Long! At the moment I am pounding someone's ass right now, and Can't reach you! PLease leave a message at the Tone!

Ruby: *Hangs up* Safe to assume that's where Raven is.

~~~~~

Ruby: ... Hey? Hey Torchwick!

Roman: *Sitting at a table at a cafe* Little Red, I'm not in the mood for any of our games today.

Ruby: What do you mean?

Roman: Look, Neo's a free spirit, and on today of all days, she's reveling in Warm bodies rather than cold blood, leaving little ol' me out to dry, just cause the way I get down and Dirty is only ever stylish not sexy.

Ruby: ... yeah, I get that. Everyone I can think of is either being horny or romantic. It's annoying.

Roman: Oh-ho-ho! It seems the little nightmare for all the criminals in Vale is and Ace of Spades, huh?

Ruby: Well ... *Unfurling Crescent Rose as she takes a seat* Wrong Farm tool, but yeah, my flags fly white, gray, Green and Purple.

Roman: ... how about truce for today? I get the feeling if we stay out of each other's trouble our friends and family can have a nice day.

Ruby: No assault, theft from Mom and Pop shops, no murders, no trafficking and no destruction of property.

Roman: ... take off destruction of property.

Ruby: Hostile architecture only.

Roman: *Extending his hand* Deal.

Ruby: *shaking his hand* Sweet.

[citadelofmythoughts]

Ruby would be impressed with herself

Weiss would be very conflicted

Blake would be stunned by her future self’s happiness

Yang would be shocked by her loss of arm

(They both wouldn’t be able to wrap their heads around their romance)

Jaune would be deeply pained, but would still be hopeful (cause Jaune)

Nora would be saddened by her injuries and turmoil with Ren. Though maybe also happy to hear that she’s learning who she is apart from him.

Ren would also be saddened at his current rift with Nora, but also surprised that he’s finally opened up and accepted his own feelings.

Maybe Past Ruby would heed the lesson that Present Ruby would teach her to not shoulder the burden all on her own.

And yeah, Blake....it breaks my heart to realize that Past Blake wouldn't believe that her being this happy was even possible.

[the-wayward-arc]

Emperor: SO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME, THE INQUISITION AND A FEW ASTARTES CHAPTERS HAVE TRIED TO DESTORY JAUNE'S SECTOR?

Magnus: Well system, Jaune never did colonize out past his system for this very reason. Huh, and here I said he was being paranoid...but yes! But each attempt has failed disastrously for them however.

Dorn: ah yes, I remember the failed "Remnant Crusade" I don't know much information but I heard multiple chapters were severely depleted.

Emperor: HEY YOU SUNSHINE, TELL ME ABOUT THIS "REMNANT CRUSADE".

Kitten: yes of course, the Remant Crusade was an attempt on 765.M37 to puncture through the cosmic cloud that protected the system.

Magnus: ah the cosmic cloud, see they probably would've been able to do so if Jaune hadn't weaponized the thing.

Dorn: Weaponized?

EMPEROR: EXPLAIN MAGNUS.

Magnus: I can't get into too much details buuuttt Jaune's young friend at the time, The wannabe Tech priest Ruby, devised a plan to weaponize the cloud that surrounded their system by creating a defensive network within the cloud. To put it simply, it's like an energy minefield in the cloud where nothing surives unless you know the only safe route in and out.

Kitten: Ah so that's why so many ships were lost. They just tried to brute force their way in and well they were destroyed by said minefield. Huh. And a "wannabe" tech priest did that?

Emperor: I KNOW OF THIS RUBY, SHE WAS HIS BEST FRIEND WAS SHE NOT?

Dorn: yes, she didn't like the Mechanicus's worship of technology and sought to break that behavior within the 11th. She succeeded but was targeted by the Mechanicus for it but continue the previous topic.

Kitten: Of course, the crusade called upon five chapters; The Ruby Warhawks, The Lunar tears, The Battle heralds, The Iron Cohorts, and the Shields of Vaas. Both Ruby Warhawks and Shields of Vaas were utterly annihilated while the others suffered such severe casualties to the point the survivors formed one chapter to make up the losses. The Battle fleets also suffered intense losses due to the 11th's Flashship, "Juniper", engaging the fleet before disappearing back into the cloud. Primarch Jaune issued only one warning; "Leave". After that, all attempts were ceased by Order of the High Lords.

Magnus: Yet the inquisition still tried. Over and over and over again. Failing at every moment due to the fact they are trying out smart the one Primarch who rivals that of the Lion and Guilliman in tactical planning and strategies.

Emperor: IT WARMS MY BARELY BEATING HEART TO KNOW HE KEPT BRINGING THEM DOWN A PEG.

Magnus: Oh yes, it was quite nostalgic to plan a few of those with him.

Dorn: You still speak to our brother?

Magnus: I mean, yeah. He's my little brother, of course I'm gonna keep tabs on him! Infact, we were in the middle of a conversation when those blue berrie fuck nuts threw me in that box!

Emperor: MAGNUS, DO YOU STILL TALK TO HIM NOW?

Magnus: No, in the palace I cannot as I was using a powerful conduit that he and I created so we can exclusively talk to one another. I ensured that Tzeentch could never learn of it.

Emperor: DAMMIT, WELL THE YOU AND MY CARETAKER HERE WILL BE LEAVING SOON.

Kitten: Um...to where my lord?

Emperor: TO REMANT, TO BRING MY SON BACK TO MY FOLD ONCE MORE!

[reashot]

Connecting Tears.

Part 1: Ren Confronts Jaune

Papa Arc: Any suggestion on how to separate my idiot son and Summer's idiot daughter?

Ren: We might not have to resorts to such drastic measures yet.

Papa Arc: In case you didn't know I just saw my son and Ruby naked in the same bed! I think something drastic is what we need right now.

Ren: You don't have to tell me. I saw both them showering together.... *shudder*

(My loyal followers knows what Ren is referring to. 😜)

Papa Arc: Sweet founder...

Ren: Yeah I know I'm just going to ask him some questions first before we decide to break them apart.

The Next Day...

Jaune: Hey Ren, I seen your message on my scroll. You looking for me?

Ren: Jaune the reason I called you here is because I want to ask you.

*sigh*

Are you in love with Ruby?

Jaune: W-what? This again. I told you already I'm not in love with Ruby!

We're just friends!

Why do you keep asking me this?

Me and Ruby are nothing like that.

In fact Ruby doesn't even see me like that.

Ren: *sigh*

Okay. Let's say I believe you. That you and Ruby are just friend.

How would you feel if Ruby decides to one day date another man?

Jaune: !!!

(Ruby Dating another man?)

*imagining Ruby in the arm's of another man*

*starts tearing up*

*sniffs* I-If that is what Ruby wants then *sniffs* then I as her best friend will give them my blessing and wish for her to be happy.

Ren: (Ohhh Shi....)

Part 2: Blake Confronts Ruby.

Blake: Oh Ruby~

Ruby: What is it Blake?

Blake: *giggle* You like Jaune don'tcha?

Ruby: *roll eyes* Sure Blake...

Me liking Vomit boy.

Wow, very correct, much speculation.

At best I just see him as my dumb older brother and at worst as a golden retriever.

Blake: *Gagh!* (Right in my shipping heart) B-but I keep seeing you and Jaune together a lot lately. Clearly there must be something going on with you two? (Please, please let there be something!)

Ruby: Silly kitty.

There's nothing going on with me and Jaune.

While it's true that I enjoy being with him.

I mostly used my time to talk about games and comics with him.

And I can't deny that he gives the best headpat I ever received.

We're just friends. That is all.

Blake: *grrr* If you don't ask Jaune out. Eventually he's going to be taken away from you by another girl. Do you want that to happen, Ruby?!

Ruby: (Jaune with another girl?)

*imagining Jaune giving headpat to another girl*

I don't like it...

Blake: Nya?

Ruby: I like Jaune as a friend and if he finally have someone asking him out then it's good for him, but when I Imagine him being close to another girl. I can feel my chest starts to tighten for some reason. I don't know what caused it. But I will still be happy for him. But for whatever reason I can still feel something hurt inside of me.

It hurt..

I don't like it...

I know it's wrong...

But he is my friend...

And I want him to be happy...

Even if It's not with me....

Blake: NYA!!!!!

(Moe!!!)

Ruby: Blake!!!

Are you okay?

You lost so much blood!

Blake: D-don't worry about it...

In unrelated news. The new Knight's of Rose book become a major best sellers in Remnant in just few days.

[itsclydebitches]

This has got to be one of the most frustrating screenshots in RWBY.

Fans can deny it as much as they like that Qrow was not responsible for Clover's death but this screenshot proves that he did. Tyrian may have struck Clover through the heart, but Qrow was the one who allowed it to happen by fighting him and whittling his Aura levels down to dangerous levels before breaking it. AND there was literally no reason for Qrow to strike him, Clover had Tyrian restrained, the literal serial killer was ready to be taken back into custody and instead of stopping the fight and surrendering...he decides the best course of action is to attack the man restraining the serial killer. Okay. The worst part is Clover's death changes nothing, whether he lives or dies doesn't change the fact that Qrow still gets arrested and taken to James.

The concept of responsibility in the canon is so hopelessly skewed. Personally, I consider characters at least partially responsible for an outcome if their action meets three criteria:

Did this action directly allow for the outcome to occur, even if it wasn't the final step? e.g. Qrow breaking Clover's aura = Clover is now vulnerable to death via Tyrian. No punch = new outcome (Clover not dying then)

Did the character have agency in this moment? i.e. they're not mind controlled, not threatened into taking an action they otherwise wouldn't consider, not manipulated or lead astray by false information, etc.

Was the character aware that this action could lead to a horrific outcome? Are they reliably informed of the risks? e.g. Qrow ABSOLUTELY understands the dangers of breaking someone's aura, in the middle of the tundra, while a long-established serial killer is attempting to murder them

Now, note that when I say "responsible" I mean in the sense of, "You should be held accountable for this" rather than the equally literal and ethically simpler, "You just did the thing." I'm just plain old responsible if I knock a vase over like, "Yeah, regardless of this being a total accident I am the one who knocked it over. No one else did that. I'm the responsible party, but in a chill, very forgivable way." I'm accountable-responsible if I willingly throw a ball across the room, knowing full well it might hit something, but not really giving a shit for stupid, OOC reasons.

The show tries to play Qrow's choice off as just generic-responsible (when it's not irrationally blaming Ironwood), but he's accountable-responsible. He made a choice of his own free will, understanding better than most (as a huntsman and someone who has faced Tyrian before) the danger that choice presented to his friend, and that choice directly provided the means of Clover's death. Qrow didn't murder Clover, but he sure as hell was an accomplice.

And RWBY is full of these moments that, like with Qrow, the story ignores or forgives a character because the action in question is taken by one of the heroes. The above criteria is why I hold Ruby largely responsible for them ending up in the Ever After (you made a series of informed demands that directly lead to this outcome), or why I hold Jaune responsible for Penny's death (you made the choice to end her life without persuasive evidence that she couldn't be saved), even though both obviously have villains taking that final step: Salem is the one actually attacking Remnant, Cinder is the one who stabs Penny. Yet neither character has to grapple with their choices; the story glosses over them by introducing a new emotional focus that makes us feel for the character instead, not their victim(s): Ruby doesn't have to own up to her actions as leader because she jumps straight to crying over how hard it is to be leader; Jaune doesn't have to own up to Penny's death because he jumps straight to being traumatized by a lifetime of Ever After isolation. As a side-note, this is very similar to one of my biggest issues with Bakugo from MHA: too often the story has him engage in horrific behavior, immediately introduces something Bad in his life - he's kidnapped, injured, upset that All Might doesn't love him best - and saving/comforting him becomes the new focus, bypassing accountability. Or, fans read the Bad Thing as divine punishment for previous actions... despite there being no connection between the two and thus no growth. Meanwhile, in parallel world, Ruby helps doom Remnant but it's fine because she's upset about something and all the story cares about is showing Any Emotional Reaction, not one that will demonstrate that the character a) understands how their actions lead to this outcome, b) understands why that's an issue, and c) strives to change their behavior in the future.

RWBY also plays the Dramatic Emotional Card. Like, you know that person who when you correct them about something they become SO over-the-top upset about their mistake that you wind up comforting them rather than allowing them to sit with the correction? Yeah. There's no space to let Qrow sit with his responsibility because the show is too busy having him rail against Ironwood, or stare his Super Depressed stare at Clover's badge. The cue to the audience is, "He's so upset! Feel for him!!" not "Damn, he fucked up... how's he gonna grow from this?"

Then to round things off the responsible hero is always narratively forgiven. Qrow stops the bomb with an unprecedented spout of good luck: Clover from beyond the grave helping him in his time of need (not literally most likely, but in a thematic sense). Ruby returns to a world with her image painted in alleyways as a martyr: Remnant overlooking all the ways she helped cause their predicament and, again, positioning her solely as the injured party, rather than a victim and a perpetrator (which, frankly, makes Ruby more boring!). You're not supposed to hold them responsible, but if you do don't worry, here's a "hopeful" scene that explicitly says blaming them is a mistake.

[razorblade180]

9 Days of Lancaster Day3: Secret Relationship

Yang:Water?

Weiss:Check!

Yang:Gym clothes?

Blake:Check

Yang:Leader to guide/bond with us as we test our limits?

Ruby:Cry all you want. I can’t just change my plans. *grabs notes*

Yang:But you could!

Weiss:I can’t believe you got roped into helping Jaune study for his test.

Ruby:Weiss, it’s called “helping a friend.” Plus we made these plans first. It’s not like you’ll be alone.

On queue, a knock on the door made Blake open it. Nora came jumping in with her gym bag and already limbered up. Ren and Pyrrha.

Ren:She’s very excited about the new gym installed.

Nora:Today we sweat!!!

Pyrrha:Let’s try to leave the place intact. Ms. Goodwitch hasn’t forgiven us for the cafeteria.

Ruby:Is my naïve weapon enthusiast ready for me?

Pyrrha:He’s at his desk frantically writing notes. Y’know…if you need any help-

Ruby:I may not be a star student but when it comes to the history of weapons and their engineering, I might as well teach the class.

Weiss:Now if only you applied half that enthusiastic in Dust reaction experiments.

Ruby:Nobody can be perfect at everything.

Blake:The two star students of our year are literally in this room.

Weiss and Pyrrha: *all smiles*

Ruby:Pfft, so lightning struck twice? My point stands. Either way, I’ll have Jaune passing with flying colors in no time so don’t worry about it. Have fun everyone. We’ll join next time.

Pyrrha:If you insist.

Ren:It’s probably for the best.

Blake:Yeah we someone to save us from Yang and Nora’s routine ideas.

Yang:It’s not that bad!

Nora:The pain is weakness leaving the body.

Ruby:And on that threatening note… *grabs books* I’m off to across the hall!

Everyone funneled out of the dorm room and went on their way. Ruby waited for them to full turn the corner before knocking for times. The door was opened by Jaune and she gladly walked in. Pyrrha wasn’t joking; his desk had papers stacked and books opened.

Ruby:Wow, hard a work I see?

Jaune:I try. I’m just a bad test taker.

Ruby:We’ll have no fear! I’ve made mock tests and flash cards to drill all knowledge into you! Stick with me and-

The knight’s arms suddenly wrapped around her waist as he gently pressed his lips against hers, making Ruby jolt. A smile spread quickly on her face as she kissed him back harder while her arms hung off his shoulders. As their lips separated, Ruby couldn’t help but giggle as she went into for another chaste kiss. The slight grunt of approval he gave as he held her tighter made the girl shake her head playfully.

Ruby:Easy now. We should at least attempt to study. I talked a big about you passing. That means I should actually teach you. There’s an entire chapter dedicated to hand placements.

Jaune:Hehe, you are so ridiculous.

Ruby:Yet you looked intrigued. We can smooch later.

Jaune:It would be easier to get kissing out of the way now so our friends don’t potentially nterrupt later. Isn’t breaks an important part of studying? Besides, I don’t think I can survive an enraged Yang even if she’s tired and sore.

Ruby:Hmmm you drive a hard bargain, but I can’t have you too tired to learn. Tell you what, take the test and every correct answer gives you a kiss. FYI, there’s fifty questions.

Jaune:Oooo that is a good deal. Got a reward for if I actually pass the real test?

Ruby:Let’s aim higher, a hundred on the test earns you a date anywhere you want, my treat.

Jaune:And if I get the extra credit?

Ruby:*blushing* I’m open to ideas.

Jaune:What if…we did of this…

He raised her slightly, her feet struggling to stay grounded as he kissed her roughly. Ruby felt a tingle up her back as she refused to back down, deepening the kiss. His arms held her so close his scent both put her heart at ease and made it flutter.

Jaune:But a lot more?

Ruby:Deal~ but you’re getting ahead of yourself. *waves papers* Study time you dummy.

Jaune:Okay, you win. I’ll be a good student. *kisses neck*

Ruby: No flirting when testing is in progress!

xxxxx

Oobleck:Attention class! I have finished grading your weaponry tests and i must say I’m quite disappointed in the overall performance! Mr. Arc!!!

Jaune:Y-Yes…?

Oobleck:….Yours was not one of them.

He zips by everyone, giving them the grades they all earned. The usual suspects passed. Weiss, and Pyrrha even had a perfect score while Ruby on the other hand, waved around a 103%

Pyrrha:Congratulations. The extra credit stumped me.

Blake:I’m fine with a B

Ren:*holds 94* I’m very lucky all of you have varying guns I’ve seen in use.

Nora:*holds 88* Same hehe…

Weiss:It would be a tragedy if your hyper fixation didn’t help you pass with flying colors.

Yang:Why can’t you just say congratulations? A hundred questions and I got 99. But the real question is…*looks at Jaune*

Jaune:*holds 103* I owe a big thanks to my personal teacher.

WBYNPR:WHAT!?

Ruby:*dark red* Well would you look at that? Nice work.

Jaune:*smiles* Couldn’t have done it without you. I promise to pay you back in full.

Ruby:*internal screaming* Looking forward to it.

[pilot-boi]

As I'm seeing some cute/wholesome Twins AU asks, thought I'd add my own.

Can you imagine that, when he's in a better head space, Jaune tries to give Blake the 'You break my sisters heart and you're in trouble!' Talk and Blake is stood there trying not to laugh because she see's him go 'aw' with starry eyes every time she and Yang do couple stuff?

Like, dude, I KNOW you were the one with the wind dust gently blowing the petals Ruby was making to create a romantic atmosphere when we were on a date!

Yeah honestly

It’s also incredibly ineffective because unless Jaune is actually mad, he’s about as intimidating as a daisy

He tries though

He also turns right around and gives the same talk to Yang about Blake. Hand on the hip, finger pointing accusingly, the whole nine yards. They both find it equal parts touching and hilarious

[bestworstcase]

I'm just thinking about your points about Penny and dehumanization and the heroes essentially taking decisions away from Penny while trying to protect her. Penny and Winter don't interact until Penny passes the Maiden powers to Winter in Volume 8. But in 7 - the last time they see each other - Winter buys time for Penny to make her decision with Fria. Which I think puts a neat layer into Penny ultimately saving Winter in the Winter versus Ironwood fight.

You can read Penny being puppeteered as a continuation of the dehumanization and how Atlas treats individuals. And she never really has a chance to fight that personally. The whole Cinder blowing up the evac plan happens first. But Peny being the tipping point with Winter versus Ironwood, especially in the reading that they were both baring the weight together... The thing is it is very very hard to get out of bad situations solo. And Penny did get someone out. I hope this makes sense

what always gets to me is. winter panics when penny rescues her ("what are you doing?! my life doesn't matter!") because it puts fria and the staff in jeopardy. and then not five minutes later she makes what is clearly a conscious, deliberate choice to step back and let fria choose penny as her heir, throwing herself in between them and cinder with her aura still depleted, against ironwood's orders. it's such an important moment bc it reveals that winter absolutely meant what she told penny earlier about wrestling with her feelings because she values her humanity���winter is not mindlessly following orders or blindly self-sacrificial, but she is willing to die for what she believes is right.

(winter is also the reason we know fria's name, because she makes a point of saying fria instead of calling her the winter maiden. which is the moment her break from ironwood becomes narratively inevitable, that rejection of fria's dehumanization)

i think the way penny frames the situation to jaune is really revealing of her perspective on… everything that's happened to her since she became the maiden. in her eyes it snatched away what little autonomy she had; ironwood and the ace-ops pulled out all the stops to manipulate and then outright control her, and all of her friends collectively decided that the maiden power was too valuable and too vulnerable for penny to do anything except go hide somewhere they hoped salem couldn't follow. everyone puts so much emphasis and importance on the magic that when penny is being eaten alive by watts' virus she considers the situation in terms of "i can make sure the powers go to [ruby]."

so when cinder fatally wounds her--and penny recognizes that there isn't enough time to heal her (& there isn't, he had less than sixty seconds before cinder had weiss disarmed on the ground)… "let me choose this one thing."

it's weiss, or winter, or cinder. if jaune hesitates or ignores what penny tells him, cinder kills weiss and then him and then claims the power for herself; if he mercy-kills penny now, penny can make sure the power goes to weiss so that weiss can get herself and jaune out alive…

…or she can give it to winter, her best friend. who for all she knows is already in vacuo right now, as penny has no way of knowing that ironwood is free or that winter is in danger.

in many ways, winter is the wrong choice in that moment; weiss and jaune are in danger, cinder has both relics, and without the magic weiss doesn't stand a chance. winter is not here, and penny has no idea where she is--or even if she's still alive!--so the pragmatic choice, the "correct" decision, the thing she "needed" to do, was make sure the magic went to weiss.

penny's whole arc in atlas is about the unreconcilable conflict between what she needs to do and what she wants to do, and in the end--forced by horrible circumstances to make a binary choice--she chooses to do what she wants. to follow her heart. to think of her friend. to take a small moment of peace and happiness for herself by saying goodbye to someone she loves very dearly.

and that's the moment of triumph over ironwood, who saw his own humanity as his greatest weakness!! penny choosing to do something for herself, because it's what she wants. in coldly rational terms it was the wrong choice, but thematically it was the right thing for penny to do--the human thing--so it saves not only winter but also weiss and jaune, too (although both of them do fall, because penny took a risk and a central theme of V8 is that risks don't always turn out for the best).

it's such a well-constructed tragedy. and it's thematically so important that penny choosing her friend over her 'duty' is the only reason winter survives, bc that final battle between ironwood and winter symbolizes the ideological conflict of the atlas arc--is human feeling strength, or is it weakness? has he made hard but necessary choices or has he sacrificed everyone and everything that truly mattered?--so of course penny's humanity is his undoing.

[darksaiyangoku]

RWBY x DMC: Legacy

Dante and Vergil clashed their swords fiercely. Dante's sword burned gold, while Vergil's sword shone silver. On the ground, battered and beaten were their family; Nora Valkyrie, Neptune Vasilias, Sun Wukong, Pyrrha Nikos, Oscar Pine, Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna. The only ones who were unscathed were tied up by brambles; Lie Ren, Yang Ren and their mother, Ruby Rose-Arc.

Sun: *coughs* They're brothers. So why are they... fighting?

Blake: To see one's justice through, a man must fight for it. *coughs* Even if the one who stands before him is his kin.

Weiss: *pants* Th-That's ridiculous.

Blake: The brothers of blood disagree. On the very reason of their existence. They... must... fight..

Dante: *pants* I didn't think you'd stoop this low, Vergil. Attacking our family? You've gone too far.

Vergil: Family is a distraction. Our guard was down and now look at Remnant. Back in the hands of the Demons. *scoffs* Family weakens us. You should know that by now.

Dante: It ends here Vergil. *grips Amaterasu with both hands*

Vergil: You've been saying that for the last 4 years, you could never beat me. *smirks* Though let me make it easier for you. *stabs Tsukiyomi into the ground* You have one shof. Kill me right here and now. Go on. Do it. If you're that determined to stop me, then pierce my heart.

Dante: *powers up Amaterasu* Gladly. *breathes in* Goodbye, brother. YAAAAAAH!!!

Ruby watched in horror as she witnessed Dante charge towards Vergil. Her two boys, who brought her joy, were now ready to kill each other. Her eyes filled with tears. She remembered when they took their first steps, when they said their first words, when they crawled into her room after having nightmares, their first day at Beacon and Haven and their first mission together. Through her sobbing, she sang a song. The lullaby she sang to them many years ago.

Ruby: 🎶When those voices deep within bring you down to your knees again. Redemption calls onto all of those who persist with the strength of the few.🎶

Dante: Drive 1!

Ruby: 🎶Don't come to question all that you've known. Remember, you are not alone. I will be here, standing beside you.🎶

Dante: Angelic Flames! Amaterasu!

Ruby: 🎶There is no mountain too tall to overcome. We will be as one. You will rise again... This is your legacy!🎶

Dante was about to thrust his sword directly into Vergil's chest, ending his wrath once and for all.

SHOOM!!!

Suddenly, a pillar of light burst from the sky and knocked the twins back. When the dust settled, Dante and Vergil's jaws dropped. Standing between them was their father, Jaune Arc, adorned in white armour and with golden yellow wings.

Dante/Vergil: Dad!

Jaune: *sighs* You two sure love to make a mess, don't you?

Vergil: Stay out of this, old man. This is between me and Dante.

Jaune: Not gonna happen. Remnant's out there burning and here you two are fighting like children.

Dante: *stands up* He forced my hand. He attacked all our family.

Vergil: They were in the way in my pursuit of power. I told Dante this already, if you want to stop me, then kill me.

Jaune: I'm not gonna kill you... *clenches fists* but I can't promise not to break every bone in your body.

[howlingday]

So this may sound crazy, but do you think that Lancaster and BMBLB are parallel/foils to each other?

When I look at Lancaster, both Ruby and Jaune have a lot of character depth that romance was not their top priority or part of their character dynamic. He even treated her as a person and not a kid. And that over time, they naturally develop with one another that it doesn't seem forced, and they have a better understanding of each other, that they know what the other is thinking.

For Yang and Blake (I'm not going into full detail and rant as to why those two shouldn't be together), it seems more shallow. These two didn't have great chemistry for each other. Even after the end of vol 1, Yang (in my opinion) treated Blake more like a cat than a person. This could be evident in vol 5, Yang has been Blake's partner, yet she didn't know why Blake ran away until "Weiss" had to explain it. It wasn't til vol 6 that their characters devolved to being romantic interest to one another. And besides the trauma and RWBY, they have nothing in common or share any interest

What's your opinion?

Part of me wants to argue the "romance" bit simply for the fact that Ruby's favorite genre of reading material is romance, but I do see what you mean. Jaune and Ruby were definitely more focused on their own self-improvement, albeit for very different reasons, while attending Beacon. Ruby wanted to be a huntress like the stories she'd read about and like her mom. Jaune wanted to prove himself as a huntsman just like his father and grandfather and their fathers and grandfathers. And yes, every time Jaune and Ruby talk to each other, it's as equals, though Jaune will admit that Ruby is better than him in every way. If Lancaster were endgame, it would be a fantastic showing of true friendship blossoming into something more. Although it's more likely Rosegarden will be Ruby's endgame

I will also spare the rant since it's already been said to death about the significance of Blake and Yang being the endgame ship for their characters. Instead, I'll talk about BMBLB as a ship that was "set up" to be endgame. While I firmly believe that until Volume 5 and 6 that Black Sun would be endgame, I could honestly see them working out pre-Volume 3. Their heart-to-heart in the classroom after Blake was practically killing herself to find a lead on the White Fang was a very touching moment that showed me that Yang really does care about Blake not only as a partner and team-member, but as a friend.

"I'm not asking you to stop. I just want you to take a break."

This is such a beautiful scene and perfectly demonstrates their friendship. In fact, it's, in my opinion, THE BEST BMBLB SCENE EVER! Yes, yes, the forehead touch was very cute, but it felt so out of place for characters who "aren't sure about their relationship". Sure, the "I won't run away again, I promise!" scene is very touching, but it's soured by the fact that they just committed murder and don't acknowledge that fact at all, and it stands better as an acknowledgement of Blake staying with her partner and best friend, Yang. And teaching Blake to dance was a cringey moment that, sure, it could have been a BMBLB moment if we were shown MORE THAN JUST THAT! WHY DIDN'T YOU GIVE US AN EPISODE TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT?!

Ahem! Excuse me.

tl;dr: Lancaster would have been a great ship if it weren't being torpedoed by Rosegarden, and BMBLB might have made more sense if more effort was put into it in the first place.