#part of me is like. salem might not KNOW EITHER

[bestworstcase]

That's some compelling meta WRT choice and 'hey, wait, does Cinder *really* need or want the arm gone (again)?' I'll admit to swallowing the 'it's eating her like Grimm mold and has to be Dealt With sometime' premise for a while, but even if Cinder does (try to) break with Salem that'll be some time coming yet. As for a big cup of Optic De-Grimmer solving anything about Salem herself...Summer Rose probably tried just that and got nowhere 'cause Salem's had *eons* to think about All This.

hdkfbd on the subject of summer rose my favorite theory on what went down between her and salem during that initial confrontation is basically: summer hit her with the silver glare, and salem—who may or may not have ever personally been glared before but is of course intimately and painfully familiar with what GOL’s magic feels like on account of it being what makes her immortal—promptly went “ohhh that’s not *his* power, i… need to reconsider some things.” and summer was like. what.

because, yanno, if salem made the same assumption that maria did, killing SEWs was most likely motivated by a desire to eradicate or at least diminish GOL’s influence in the world… and if, upon experiencing it herself, she realized that that assumption was incorrect, the obvious response is to put a moratorium on hunting them down at least until she figured out where that power actually originated from and, well, here’s a VERY CONVENIENT silver-eyed huntress who ozpin VERY CONVENIENTLY broke to the point of taking off on rogue suicide missions and oh you have children? i’m so very sorry would you like to join me so we can stop ozpin from doing to your girls what he’s done to you?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

i have several theories on the grimm arm and why it’s growing; the main three i keep toggling between are:

1. “it can sense your trepidation; you must make it dread you” = the more afraid cinder feels of the grimm arm (and perhaps salem by extension), the less control she has over it, because after all it *is* a grimm, and the grimm feed on fear. hence why it starts to grow only after cinder disgraces herself and spends months with this worry in the back of her mind that she’s not going to be able to earn back her spot in the inner circle. if that’s the case, then cinder being on this trajectory of losing fear / getting bolder and more defiant is the best possible thing she could do for herself, because refusing to be cowed might measurably diminish the degree of control salem has over the arm and thus of her. (the symbolic appeal of this interpretation is…obvious gjdndjsk)

2. the growth and visual blending of grimm and human flesh coincides with cinder’s growing acclimatization to the grimm arm after the battle of haven. v4-5 establishes that cinder is having some trouble with the arm (apparently multiple sessions with salem trying to get it to take, the tremendous and exhausting effort of using it during training sessions, the habit she has of just letting it dangle stiffly at her side), and after her sleeve is ripped off at haven we see that the graft site is still very clean. after this point, cinder becomes gradually more at ease with the arm, hiding it less with every outfit change/adjustment, and her range of motion with it likewise becomes steadily more natural. by the time we see the growth up to her shoulder, the way cinder uses her grimm arm is indistinguishable from how she uses her human arm. thus: its growth might be a direct result of this physical and emotional integration; as cinder gets comfortable with it and masters it, it becomes more genuinely a part of her. (possibly this would explain why cinder seems so unconcerned, if she’s experiencing the growth as the arm feeling more and more natural, more like it *belongs* to her.)

3. …both…?

[shaunamilfman]

Witch!Lottie Drabble

Summary: "Witch!Lottie keeps stopping by your bookstore to buy shitty occult books as an excuse to talk to you."

Lottie Matthews was, hands down, your favorite customer. Not just because she was liable to spend a couple hundred any time she set foot in there, but you felt a strange connection to her that you'd never felt before. 

Your employee Jeff hated her with a passion, however. He claimed she was "Fucking weird." and that she often walked in, saw he was working, and left. It didn't sound much like the Lottie you knew, so you didn't pay much attention to him. You didn't care much for Jeff anyway, but he unfortunately was a model employee.

Sure, Lottie was a little strange. A little unusual. You think she might be a part of a cult, but that's not a crime. Hopefully. You had checked to make sure there weren't any unexplained missing persons in the area, just in case. So definitely not a crime. 

If that wasn't enough, all she buys are books on the occult. Honestly, you only order them for her. You heard her murmur about "Getting rid of revisionist history," more than once when she bought books on the Salem witch trials. 

You honestly didn't care what she did with them once she left the shop. You wondered if she realized she was creating her own problem by buying up the books she disliked so much. You wouldn't have stocked them otherwise; They really didn’t sell that well.

Still, the highlight of her visits came when she'd stand by the register afterwards and talk with you for hours and hours about everything and nothing. She'd always seemed disappointed in herself when you'd gently remind her that the store was closing soon, like there was something she wanted to say but didn't.  You had hopes that she'd ask you out, but you were admittedly too nervous to ask her instead. Lottie Matthews had always made an intimidating figure, even in school.

She brings you gifts sometimes, little trinkets. She brought you a flower from her garden a few weeks ago. You look at it in awe every time you see it. Not necessarily because it's the most beautiful flower you've ever seen, which it is, but because it still hasn't started to wilt in the slightest. It's like magic.

…

She came in on Halloween one day and actually stops in her tracks to look at your witch's hat. She gives you an immeasurably fond look as she shakes her head slightly in amusement. "That's cultural appropriation," She said. You laugh quietly at her as you lean across the counter to look at her.

"To who, witches?" You ask teasingly. She hums in acknowledgement with a smile just smug enough that you wonder if she knows something you don’t. “Well,” You say slowly, “If a witch would like to come and complain she could file it in the complaint box.” Her face lights up as she looks around and says excitedly, “There’s a complaint box?” 

You grin softly as her and glance towards the trash can. “Oh,” She says, deflating noticeably. You fake an offended gasp as you give her an affronted look.

“You were going to file a complaint about me?” You ask. Her eyes widen and she looks slightly panicked, like she just realized she put her foot in it.

“No, no.” She insists. “I was going to file a complaint about Jeff.” You can’t help the way you snort with laughter, head falling down on your arms as you muffle your laughter into the counter. You look up to see Lottie looking a mixture of surprised and pleased as she looks down at you. 

“Sorry,” You say, “It’s just that Jeff doesn’t like you either.” She smirks.

“Good.” She says. You shake your head fondly.

…

You remember the day you found out extremely well. You were standing on a ladder stocking books on the top overflow shelf when she stormed in the shop, obviously trying to get out of the heavy rain outside. You understandably were not expecting customers when it was raining that hard and startled so hard you fell back off the ladder.

You had your eyes closed waiting for the inevitable landing when you realized it had been an oddly long fall. You peaked one eye open to realize that you were floating in mid air. You looked around to find Lottie staring wide eyed at you with one hand out, soaked with rain and so cold she was shaking. 

You remember it so well mostly because she forgot to put you back on the ground as she confesses. You look fearfully at her before she suddenly realizes she hasn't set you down. "Oh!" She says, failing to hide her blush as she helped you down.

You weren't all that surprised honestly once you got over your initial shock. It seemed ironically on brand for what you knew about her. Once she sets you on the ground you give her a concerned look. You walk behind the counter as you search for the blanket you keep for when it gets cold. She’s watching you curiously as you walk back over to her and wrap the blanket around her, holding tightly around her shoulders. 

“You’re going to get sick being so wet and cold.” You chide. She smiles so wide it practically splits her face in two. “You need to go home and change into dry clothes.” You say.

“I will,” She promises. “If…”

“If what?” You ask.

“If you say you’ll go on a date with me.” She says, touched with a tinge of anxiety.

You sigh dramatically, as if it was a really hard ask. “If I must,” You say, but can’t help the way you smile widely back at her.

As she left the store you shouted at her to ask “Should I be looking for your car or your broom?” She turns back so that you can see the way she rolls her eyes. She says something about “Reductionist stereotypes,” but you were laughing too hard at your own joke to be sure. 

…

She never seems to be very showy with her magic. It's the small things really: you notice that her plants never die, her dishes are always clean, and her food never burns. You teased her for weeks after you realized that her popcorn always perfectly popped as well. 

She uses her magic most often as a sign of affection. Just a way to make your day easier and to remind you how much she loves you.  She'll pick up lunch or bring you coffee sometimes and it makes you think of her fondly all day as it stays perfectly at the right temperature. As if you could ever forget about Lottie, witch or not. 

Eventually you happily fired Jeff as Lottie spent so much time hanging out in the bookstore now that you just put her to work instead. She was overjoyed for weeks about it. She'd never worked a day in her life, you could tell, but she cheated so much with magic that it didn't matter all that much. You couldn't help but watch fondly as the books she 'unpacked' flew across the room into their proper spots. She grins ear to ear as she walks over and asks if she did a good job. You know she’s just fishing for a reward, but you give it to her anyway.

As you watch her fret over recipes as she brewed potions you couldn't help but to think that she really wasn't all that different from anyone else: She just had magic. Your life together was surprisingly more domestic than you had thought it would be, but you wouldn't change it for the world. 

[green-like-pine-trees]

Oscar’s eyes glowing green is weird. The sound effect is clearly the same from when they swap places, but his eyes typically glow gold/yellow. Question is: What’s happening?

And I think I might have an answer… and it requires reworking everything I thought I knew about the merge. 

The TLDR of my theory is: I think Ozpin uses magic to delegate control of the body. So, Oscar’s never been able to fully control the swapping process bc he couldn’t use their magic– he has always needed Ozpin’s help to do so. The magic in the epilogue might be trying to force them to swap, to force Oscar to take control of it. 

If you want to know how I got to that, keep reading. I’m excited to hear other people’s thoughts on this. ^_^

So, before now, I’ve assumed that their eyes glow because of the god of light. Even the white haired guy’s eyes glow when Ozma takes control for the first time. In the Lost Fable, during the divorce, Salem reforms with the same golden glow. 

I have also assumed that the eye glow indicated that Oscar and Oz were swapping places. I believe this notion might be incorrect.

My main evidence for this is V7's finale. Oscar is falling, knocked out by Ironwood. Then, Ozpin's voice wakes Oscar up, his eyes glowing golden as he takes control.

However, he isn't swapping control. Ozpin wasn't in control: neither of them seemed to be. Therefore, the magic must be more complicated than a simple swap.

Another moment that gives me pause is in V6C2. After the train derails, everyone's questioning Ozpin about the lamp. Oscar is able to push through, resisting Ozpin's control enough to provide Jinn's name.

As we can see, there’s no golden-eye effect. Although, we do hear something: the swapping sound effect. 

Usually there’s 2 parts to the swapping sound effect: a hissing sound and a lower echo-y undercurrent. It’s usually heard quickly, not lingering as the swap finishes and his eyes stop glowing. However, in this scene, the sound is drawn out as Oscar fights back– even as violins(?) start playing to amp up the tension. The moment all the music stops and the tension is released, we can assume Ozpin has regained full faculties. 

Based on these scenes, I concluded that the glowing eyes might indicate either one of them taking control of the body. In this scene, Ozpin is never not in control of the body. Oscar is just able to resist, holding the body frozen in Ozpin’s expression. But then I realized something. 

Outside of this scene, Oscar has never taken control over the body. 

Like, I cannot think of another time where Oscar forcefully took over Ozpin or clearly brought Ozpin to control. He’s been asked permission, sure. But, in control??? 

In these scenarios, Oscar’s role has always been framed as passive, with Ozpin as active. Ozpin can take over Oscar no problem, with or without permission. Oz even asking is a courtesy, if anything. Ozpin can also just swap out and force Oscar to be in control (see V6 when Ozpin hides from everyone as an example).

With this in mind, maybe the eye glow isn't for whomever is in control. It’s to indicate Ozpin’s state of control over the body. Ozpin swaps in– eye glow. Ozpin swaps out– eye glow. V6C2 is the only time Oscar comes close to forcibly taking control. At that point, it might even be impossible for Oscar to do so. Oscar can try to initiate, but Ozpin has to actually do it. 

This like. Drastically changed my view of how the Ozmosis works. It also might explain why his eyes are glowing green and what’s happening in the epilogue. So, I started thinking about what is likely the source of the green: his magic. 

We know for a FACT, Oscar didn’t gain control over Ozpin’s magic until V7. Given we know the god of light’s magic is what dictates Ozpin’s reincarnation, it would not be a leap to suggest that Ozpin is using that magic when he swaps. Ergo, if Oscar cannot use magic, he cannot fully control the swap. 

Under this scenario, my first example makes more sense. Either Ozpin was waking up Oscar (forcing him into control) OR Oscar was able to take control because he tapped into Ozpin’s magic for the first time. 

When I watched the epilogue, it reminded me of the V6 scene. The prolonged sound effect, the clear struggle. He sounds like he's in pain. :(

He says he's resisting the merge, but the merge... it's not exactly tangible?? The merge is a process not a thing. For instance, if I put a dam on a river it stops the water from flowing. The merge is the flow here. What's the water?

I have two guesses as to what these episodes are:

Less likely, but it could be his magic activating uncontrollably. Him resisting Ozpin's influence might make it harder to control. He can't use the magic, bc of course, it makes them merge faster. Doesn't necessarily explain the sound effect, but their first on screen swap was a green color.

The merge is trying to force them to co-pilot, and/or force Ozpin into control of the body. Oscar collapses both times. We could assume it's from the pain, but it could also be because he momentarily loses control of his body.

I'm leaning towards the second. There's only so much we can take from an animatic, with things getting changed in the final product.

Anyways, those are my main thoughts right now. I'd LOVE to hear other people's thoughts or opinions!

[chatterkat]

Saw you in a dream

Are you who you seem?

Was it always in the cards for me to be aimless?

No direction

Nothing pulling me down from the sky

It seems like I always get too high

Ruby in a bit of shock from the vision she got from her mother, questions who she really was. She lied, she wasn’t perfect. Ruby’s been idealizing her mother her whole life , and been trying to be just like her, but Ruby has also struggled with what that means for a long time as well. She thought she needed to be like her mom, but how she doesn’t know what to think.

Oh, the air is cold

I don't know how to breathe

I'm begging, can you

Guide my way out

Of this place?

Ruby wants answers, but she isn’t going to get them from the person she most wants them from.

Red like roses fills my dreams

Calling back to the previous red like roses, we know that this refers to Ruby’s nightmares of her mother’s bloody demise. However it’s also again just representing the nightmare that is Ruby’s struggle with her own identity.

Open wide

You were born to hypnotize them all

They said their prayers

(Can you, can you)

Can you hear me up there?

Now this is interesting! It sounds like a response from Summer. Much like how she responses in Red like Roses II. In that song it’s unclear whether it’s a Summer from elsewhere feeling those regrets (I think there is surely a good chance she had become like the hound) or if it was an imagined response by Ruby. It was almost ghostly, like the dead trying to answer the living but unable to actually communicate with each other.

It’s possible it is Ruby still in this lyric since the can you hear me up there part, might make sense from Ruby having fallen down though the world talking back up towards Remnant. However the other lyrics in this section don’t make sense as much sense then. I think it could easily be Summer again speaking from wherever she is dead or alive? Perhaps she is part of the tree and that is what she means by up there.

Open wide might be a reference to Sky is Falling(as it may be a song for the hound) as the opposite of what the song there says which is to “close your eyes my friend” (and the hound is a SEW so…)

Anyway the usage of the word hypnotize is interesting. It’s not just their silver eyes that hypnotize, it’s their whole self. They may hypnotize their enemies(“they said their prayers”), but also If it’s indeed Summer talking about Ruby, then she has certainly hypnotized the world with her message given what we see in Vacuo. Ruby has that spark that charisma that gets people to follow her. It works too if it were a Ruby to Summer lyric in the sense it could represent Ruby’s idealization of Summer, but again it makes more sense IMO to be from Summer to Ruby.

Alternatively it’s Ruby talking about herself trying to hype herself up. She could be saying “can you hear me up there” as a threat to the cat or to Salem, that’s she’s gonna get them, but it seems too early in the song for that confident conclusion about herself

What survives

After all the dust is gone?

Were you there 'til the end?

(The end)

Were you at least called a friend?

These seem to directly call back to the volume 7 song Until the End which seems to be about Ruby(either from her POV or Summer’s) declaring she would be there until the end. It seems to refer to Ruby giving up briefly this volume with the tea. Would she be called a friend by others after giving up?

Or it could be Ruby questioning if her mom was there until the end, if she was a good person a friend in the end?

Otherside,

Did you mean to make me half or whole?

Will I ever be

(complete?)

When will I become all of me?

This is obviously back to Ruby’s perspective, as she questions whether she can ever truly be herself or always in her mother’s shadow. Ruby questions “otherside” and I’m unclear if that mean the otherside where her mother is or if otherside refers to the Ever After. Where the Ever After has both broken her and pushed her to become something new.

Guide my way out

Of this place

I can't define

Would it even be enough

To change my mind?

Your memory everlasting

At war with my foolish pride

What is left?

I know it's you and I

When I look inside

I'll be who you were

And I'll be even more

Ruby looks into herself and now realizes her idolization of her mother doesn’t gel with reality and her “foolish pride” of trying to live up to a standard that more illusion than reality. Interestingly she realizes she still carries this will or memory of her mother, but she no longer wants to be just like her, but rather both her and something greater…herself. She chooses herself.

A moment of quiet is all it takes

To reclaim a life and a promise made

I am the reflection of who prevails

I'm what inspired the fairytale

The emblem symbolizes the promise made, which Ruby never said what it was when she traded it away, but I have the feeling she thought it was a promise to come back, but in reality it was “I love you, just the way you are” Ruby reclaims the promise, hearing that echoed again from her mom is what let her finally be able to to choose herself. So Ruby also reclaims the emblem when she returns from the tree. I also think it symbolizes that part where she is who her mom was but more. Summer surrenders the emblem, and Ruby is truly defining it as hers now.

A moment of quiet is all it takes

To reclaim a life and a promise made

I am the reflection of who prevails

I'm what inspired the fairytale

(I'm what inspired the fairytale)

I think what is meant by this like is that Ruby is now being the one that would inspire a fairytale, she is being who she wants to be finally, and defining her own story her own fairytale instead of just living through others(her Moms, Alex’s)

Guide my way out

(I'll be free)

Of this place

(I'll escape it, I will guide my way out)

Guide my way out

Of this place

In the end Ruby will guide herself out, with this new understanding of herself and her mother. Her mother still helped guide her in the end with her promise and her truth that broke Ruby’s image of her, but now Ruby is breaking away from that and doing it her way.

If you got his far thanks for reading my analysis. Let me know what you think! I’ll be doing a rewatch soon if the series and hopefully more song analysis so stay tuned!

[strqyr]

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, Ik Sacrifice wasn’t exactly written to be Raven’s theme but it’s kinda crazy how well it fits her. Like yes, it’s vague enough that it could apply to Cinder or Salem, this is not a new discussion at all. But the line “the moon will sadly watch the roses die in vain, lost no gain, but you're not taking me” hits harder after the flashback we got in V9

yeah, 'sacrifice' is definitely... it's one of those songs, ya know? doesn't really strike as For This Character Only. it has range; it plays during the V2 credits, which were in part preceded with team rwby not having answers on who the Mystery Girl™ on the train was (which. only really leaves either raven or neo, but they've already met neo before, so...?) and followed by the after credits scene that fully reveals raven; but, as a leitmotif it has only appeared in two scenes, at least based on this video.

"the moon will sadly watch the roses die in vain, lost no gain, but you're not taking me" definitely hits harder, especially when 'when it falls', the next song in line as the V3 opening, has lines like these:

"there'll be no rest. there'll be no love. there'll be no hero in the end who will rise above. and when it ends, the good will crawl. the shining light will sink in darkness, victory for hate incarnate, misery and pain for all when it falls." // "swallowed by the darkness, soon the moon is bathed in black. the light of hope is taken and discontent is the contagion."

and more from 'sacrifice': "you can't have my life, i'm not your sacrifice. you can try, but i'm free, and you won't conquer me. i won't crawl, most of all, i won't fall for you."

like. this paint such a vivid picture of what might have happened on summer's mission: perhaps she fell into a grimm pool trying to fight salem (or someone else, idk) -> "the shining light will sink in darkness // swallowed by the darkness // the light of hope is taken" and in raven's mind, it was all pointless: "the moon will sadly watch the roses die in vain, lost no gain // there'll be no hero in the end who will rise above." and that while the good (summer) will crawl and fall, she won't. she will be free of it all, not wanting anything to do with either ozpin or salem.

and if ozpin, without outright saying it but left it up in the air, allowed all of team strq to think that silver eyes were the answer, that summer could end it all and take the fight up to salem if given an opportunity—though i'm certain had he known about summer's intentions, or if summer actually brought it up with him first, his answer would have been a strong "No"—, well. you've got your potential 'sacrifice' angle right there, because that's how it easily comes across; ozpin willing to risk a life of a silver-eyed warrior for a chance to defeat salem without properly informing them what it is they're really up against.

anyway. after all these years, 'sacrifice' continues to live in my head rent-free. amazing song. hopefully we'll get the answers to it one day lmao

[howlingday]

Do you think Salem has hobbies if she does what kind of hobbies would she have? What would her inner circles hobbies be?

Let's see... Going for jokes and whatnot, let's see what kind of hobbies Salem and her inner circle probably has.

Salem is literally making Grimm all the time in her black pool. That said, I could see her also being really into cooking and might even watch cooking shows and cooking along with them. She then has her Grimm dispose of what's left of the meals when the inner circle is done eating.

Up next, we have Cinder, who is constantly plotting and scheming of way to become more powerful. It's kinda hard for me to say what she likes to do since most of what she does is all in the interest of serving the purpose of a later goal. That said, I'm having trouble thinking of anything since most of it would be more what she considers a waste of time... except gardening. She has her own personal garden that she plants seeds for and waters until they grow into beautiful flowers or food-stuffs for Salem to cook with. It may also better solidify her ties with Salem.

Tyrian is Salem's oldest and most faithful servant, serving as her tracker and hunter for the Maidens and the relics. Since murder isn't considering a viable hobby, part of me wants to say hunting, though I can't really see Tyrian as a hunting guy. Not with long range methods, anyways. Now fishing is a different story. I could see him dipping his tail into the water, using it was a hook until he yanks up the hapless fish. He also provides Salem with her cooking supplies. Am I just making up a Salem cooking AU? Who know.

Watts is Salem's tech guy, and he is very good at hacking and other computer-based things. Aside from that, I could also see him into other intellectually-driven pursuits. Not chess because chess is too important to the story of RWBY. No, I'm thinking more like crossword puzzles and sudokus. His morning paper is all he needs to have a good time. And if he screws up, he can just erase it because he's not an idiot who fills out the crossword in pen! YOU HAVE PENCILS! USE THEM! ...Wait, what were we talking about?

Hazel. Oh, Hazel, how sad it was to see you go after coming so far. Judging by his size, you'd think he'd be big into weight-lifting and some kind of martial-arts routine, but I think he instead picks up where his sister probably left off with her hobby. I'm thinking things like books or movies or maybe even like tiny horse figurines. Stuff you wouldn't normally associate with an eight-foot-tall brickhouse with an immunity to pain and an unquenchable desire for hate.

Let's see, who else is in Salem's Inner Circle? Looking at the Wiki, it's... Oh no. Ohoho my god... Evernight Castle? No, that's not what it's called, is it? Oh, it is! Oh my god, and it's located in "The Land of Darkness". Yeah, no, Hazel is definitely an MLP fan and he joined the villains to avenge his dead sister. Just... Oh my god... This cannot be real! Ugh... Anyway, who else is there?

Wait, who the hell is Vermillion Raddock? Oh, RWBY: Grimm Campaign. Yeah, one of these days I'll actually see it or hopefully play it, but good golly, will it be a while. Did they ever sell Grimm Campaign merchandise, or was it just a podcast that we had to be members of RT to watch? Oh well, questions for later.

Let's see... Tock... Unnamed female warrior... Oh, Mercury! I guess Emerald isn't a member, either, huh? Or even a member at all? Anyway...

Mercury is probably the easiest to figure out for me. Judging by how he's into sniffing boots and recording genocide, I'm gonna guess he's a blogger of some kind as a hobby. He's not in it for the money, just for the reactions he can get out of people. But then again, I may have a bias against the guy who recorded people being murdered with a smile on his face. Seriously, fuck this guy!

But I could be wrong on all accounts for these characters. What do you guys think?

[fantasies-fairytales-n-fics]

Code Blue Ch. 37- Little Boy Blue

Summary: A Lee and Josie chapter full of emotional revelations and a sweet love reunion. Craig plays hardball with a nemesis. Jo has another nightmare that shakes her entire soul. Lee comforts her and makes a promise.

*Warnings* Strong language, angst, supernatural occurrences, smut, mentions of murder plots and threats, mild violence

Stories Stories Stories Masterlist

Chapter characters: Lee, Josie, Craig, Ethan

Salem, Massachusetts

March 8, 2023

"Jason's what? I'm sorry, did you just say...hes' alive??" Lee asked with a raised brow and a tilted head as he peered down at your very serious and nervous face.

You were betraying your brother by telling his secret, but never again would you keep things from Lee, not even this and soon, you would also tell him about Jacob. Lee deserved to know that the woman he loves is also his son's aunt.

"Believe me, I know how insane this sounds but..."

"Jo...that's...not even possible...I...I saw him, treated him...h..how??"

"I saw him too...yesterday afternoon at my apartment, after I saw you. Well, he was at my landlord's apartment and I certainly wasn't supposed to see him. I came up the stairs and there he was in the hallway with Craig, both as shocked as I was. Let's go downstairs and get that wine. There's so much more I need to tell you."

You and Lee sat at the kitchen table for over an hour, sharing a newly opened bottle of red wine as you told him all you knew about Jason's resurrection and Elizabeth being Craig's ex wife, saving for the last, the part about your brother being Jacob's father.

"So then...who's in his grave?? I mean, there was a man in the ER that I tried to save Jo, believed to be Jason so who in the hell was it? Your mom, she identified him. She was certain it was Jason. She pointed out his necklace. God, this is mind blowing because you know what?...now it makes sense. He was unidentifiable. The man's head trauma was quite severe, his jaw crushed, including his teeth, probably from a beam falling on him I would suspect so a dental comparison was not possible and he was severely burned, including his hands, almost to a crisp so...no fingerprints. His DNA was not on file as well. Wow...it was all set up."

"Yeah...I don't know who we buried. The conversation didn't get to that but I'm going to guess it was either some innocent man that was just there that day having his lunch and is probably now considered missing, which is so unsettling. What if he had a family? I can't even imagine what they're going through if he did. This all pisses me off so bad that Jason did this and damn the consequences and whomever gets hurt all so he can get his revenge. I get it, I do, about that but he could have handled it without dying per se."

"I'm so sorry baby, that he did this to your and your mom. Does she know?"

"Oh believe me, if she knew, I would have heard about it by now. I wasn't even supposed to tell you, but there's no way I could, or would keep this from you, especially after everything we have been through."

"Thank you sweetheart. It means everything to me that you trust me with something so huge like that. And Elizabeth, I can't even. She's like a fucking plague. I remember telling you about how she got married and had a kid with the guy, but I never knew his name nor met him. I feel for this Craig a bit, considering he is possibly in the same boat with me, not knowing if his child is his child and the thought of her being Ethan's...I can't even...but at least he has an idea, where is I have no clue who Jacob's biological father is."

There it was. The moment you would have to break his heart all over again and it was making you sick to your stomach because Lee had been through so much already, especially today. What would this do to him? After everything, could you possibly lose him because it might just be too weird and too much to handle about you being Jacob's aunt? It was a risk you had to take so Lee could have some sort of peace over it all, although peace would be the last thing he was going to feel at first.

"Lee...I..."

You froze and Lee could see there was something you were dreading to tell him.

"Hey, baby girl...what is it? You know you can tell me anything." he sweetly said and reached over to lay his hand upon yours.

"I know." you smiled as tears began to well up in your fretful eyes. "It's just that...what I have to tell you, I...don't even know how to say it."

"Well, I find the simplest way to say something is to just say it. Just throw it all out there. Maybe try that, because...you're kinda scaring me here a little."

"I'm so sorry. Ok...I umm...I...I know who...Jacob's father is." you stuttered out and cringed while doing so.

Lee's hand slowly slid off of yours as he sat back and straight up in his chair, his eyes widened with instant grief.

"You...you know who? That...that means...it's actually true?"

"I...yes. I'm so sorry, I didn't want to have to tell you this. I..found out yesterday. Jason told me and.."

"Wait..Jason told you?? How would he even know?"

You began to choke up as you lightly gulped before continuing.

"He umm...Lee...it's...he knows because...it's...him."

Lee's entire body noticeably stiffened and you swore he stopped breathing for a moment as he gazed at you like a deer in the headlights.

"That...that can't be...I mean...how? Wait...what????"

"Elizabeth....she knew Jason, probably because of Ethan, I don't know really. She was in love with him I guess and well, Jason loved Britt as you know, so one night, out of her jealousy and drunkeness, Elizabeth told him the truth before Jacob died. From what I understand, she let Jason spend time with Jacob from time to time but Jason didn't want him to be a part of his life, only to protect him from the life he lived and then...when Jason ended up choosing Britt, Elizabeth snapped and Jason feels, just as you do, that....Jacob's death was not an accident. Jason thinks she did it to get back at him and he...he even thinks she had something to do with his so called death and...."

Your words were cut short by Lee abruptly shoving his chair back to stand and he just stood there, staring with gaping eyes darting around as his breaths accelerated.

"Jesus christ....that... that means...you....you are his.....THAT'S what he meant..he knew and was trying to tell me." Lee whispered loudly as he walked off into the other room.

"Lee, wait...that's what WHO meant?? And knew what??" you frantically asked as you hurried after him.

"Yesterday...." he gasped and paced about. "God, you're going to think I am fucking nuts. It..it was at the same time, the same time Jo, that you found out. I..I saw him...I saw Jacob..."

Lee paused as he panted, staring at you with desperation for you to believe him.

"Ok, ok baby, slow down and breathe. I believe you and would never think you're nuts. How could I not believe you after all the other things you have witnessed...what I even witnessed the day the windows blew out. Tell me what happened. Take your time. It's ok. I promise. Do you trust me?"

"Yes, of course...I...I was going to tell you...but..everything else happened. After I left you at Gordon's work, I decided not to wait for him to get back and I...I went to the house...I needed to stay busy and try to get more of Jacob's things. I..I just keep putting it off ya know....and...anyways." he said as he shook his head in frustration. "I...I was packing some of his tuff in a box, some books and...and his favorite stuffed animal, a monkey...he loved monkeys and..I always called him monkey cause he liked to jump in the bed in the mornings and wake me up and fuck I'm rambling."

Lee rubbed his hands down his face and sucked in a deep breath.

"Hey, look at me, look at me. It's ok. You can ramble all you want. I'm listening. I'm right here. Focus on me ok?" you assured him and took his hand.

Lee's eyelids fluttered a bit as he tried to gather his scattered thoughts and then he softly nodded and gulped before continuing.

He began to tell you as the look on his face told you he was reliving it in his mind.

"As I was packing, I..I had the music on...the song I put in your gift...time in a bottle...it was playing and I was thinking about you and...just as I was putting his monkey in the box....I felt like someone was there and when I looked up...he was there Jo. Jacob was standing right beside me and he pulled the box down and got out his toy airplane, the began running all around the house, holding it in the air like it was flying, just like he always used to do. I...I couldn't even believe my own eyes. I thought I was having some kind of break from reality due to all my stress. Especially when....when he ran through a doorway and then all of a sudden he was coming down the stairs on the opposite side of the house. I then...I...tried to touch him as he sat and played with the plane and...it shocked me...it shocked me Jo, like...it knocked me back on my ass. And then...he just looked at me and said...'where's mommy.' And then, he was just gone. "

(Enjoy the small clip below of that scene Lee is remembering. I added "Time in a Bottle" to it)

"After that, I went and took a long hot shower to wake up. I hadn't been sleeping well and literally thought I was hallucinating. So it was either the shower or I was going to drink myself to death. I...I wanted to call you but...I couldn't tell you something like that over the phone when I couldn't even understand what happened to even be able to try. Anyways...after my shower, I got dressed and I went into Jacob's room, looking at all of his things that I left just as he had left it. I couldn't bring myself to continue packing after what I believed I saw, because why? Why was he there? The way he took his toy out of that box, it was like he didn't want me to pack his things or maybe he just didn't understand what I was doing with them. So instead, I found myself straightening his room up, dusting off the bed and stuff, and then...he was there again. Right by his bed. Again, he said 'when's mommy coming back.' and then he got distracted by his tent fort that he and I built out of chairs and sheets and he ran into it."

"His smile...Jo it was so real. He even had the little chip in his front tooth from when he tripped over that same divot in the backyard that you tripped over. I...I just kept staring at him ya know? His baby blues sucking me right in. I used to also call him little boy blue, you know, the nursery rhyme? I would read it to him from one of his books that had a collection of all the old stories. You know, I don't see one ounce of Liz in him, strangely, I never did and his blue eyes, I thought he got them from me....that is until I was told he wasn't mine. I would look at him more often after that, wondering if he looked more like his father because I couldn't see myself in him anymore. Crazy to think I ever did when his blue eyes are of Jason's."

"He's your son, no matter what Lee. I mean, look, he comes to see you, not Jason. He sees you as his father and you are and always will be. He don't even go to Elizabeth, just you. Well, unless he really did cut her seatbelt because he knows what she did."

"But then why was he asking for her like he missed her?"

"I...I don't know baby, I wish I had all the answers. So, him asking for her, is that what you were talking about? That you knew what he meant and that he knows?"

"No...no...I mean, I thought that's what he meant then, until now....I...I crawled into his fort to see if he was still there...and he was, playing with some toys."

Lee's emotions were building as he closed his welled eyes and had to place his hand horizontally over his mouth.

Immediately, you pulled him down to you and held him so tight, laying your cheek against his. His arms reciprocated so fast and he held you even tighter.

"Heyy my beautiful sweet guy. You can take a break. There's no rush. I am not going anywhere, I promise. You can even stop completely if you want to."

His whimpered warm breath grazed your ear. "No...I...I need to tell you this...now. Jacob...he wants me to...You'll understand why in a minute."

You kissed his lips softly, then his forehead as you stroked his hair before he released you and resumed his supernatural story, although his hand still clung to yours.

"I watched him for a few moments while he played with his dinosaur figure and wooden train engine that I carved him as a birthday gift when he turned 4. And then I asked him if he knew why he was here. He said because he lived there as he continued playing."

"I then asked him if there was something he wanted or needed. He said...he said..."

Lee choked up and sighed heavily. "He said it was me that needed something before he rode the train back to his papa and mama. I asked him what he believed I needed and he said....you. He said you make me happy and him happy and then he randomly asked again about Liz, when's mommy coming back? I remember smiling at his words about you, but at that time, I thought you may never come back to me so I told him, I'm sorry monkey but I think it will just be me and you for awhile buddy."

"He said...'No. Mommy will come back. She's just afraid.' Can you believe a 5 year old little boy said something so grown up?" Lee aid as he lightly chuckled. "So...I told him that mommy did some not so nice things and wouldn't be coming back. I didn't know how else to explain it to him. I mean, I'm seeing a fucking ghost Jo. My son, he's a ghost. How do I make him understand, ya know? About what Liz really was and still is. But the thing is, that I realize now...he wasn't talking about her. He then said 'yes she will. The nice lady who loves you. She's family.' And then... he just... looked at me....and I just looked at him in confusion...and then, he was gone again."

"My god Jo, he was talking about YOU. I thought at first that when he said family, that he meant that he saw you in that way, and I believe that to be true but now I also know it was because you ARE family. He knew, he knows you are his aunt but...I think he sees you as a mother figure, even when he didn't even know you in life. He came to me at the same time you were finding all that out...God, this is all so damn crazy that I can't even wrap my head around it! I mean, what are the odds that you and I were brought together??? And you finding the bracelet I lost that he gave to me and you saving my fucking life when I had given up all hope. It was him, it was ALL him. That's why he is here Jo. For us. He wants us to be together. Look how that song came on in the kitchen that night we danced and almost kissed. The fucking radio was not even plugged in! And the windows blowing out in Liz's presence as we argued...He knows what she did and my god, that evil sadistic bitch fucking knew all along that Jacob was Jason's...and I...can't even speak about her right now because I want to tear her head off.... and...ALL that wasted time, if you and I had only met sooner...we all could have been a family Jo, you, me and Jacob and he would possibly still be alive because I would have left Liz in a heartbeat for you and we could have taken him from her. You could have been his real mother. You could have had the child you couldn't have...and it would have been with me and....and...."

Lee was so worked up at this point that he became very distressed.

"Now that I've seen him, I'm afraid if I leave that house with his things and don't go back, I'm never going to see him again!"

He then began to heavily sob and now you were too. You reclaimed him in another embrace and you just held him and gently rocked him, as if you were dancing again. Now you knew. Your fears had been chased away. Lee was not going to leave you and he had confirmed that by his wishes that you all could have been a family. God how you wanted that with him. He was your forever, til death shall you both part.

"Lee, I am soooo sorry for what I have put you through today when you were holding all of that inside. God, this hurts so much that you're hurting like this. You're right though. I believe he is here for us. He is team JoLee." you laughed and sniffled as you gently wiped his tears from his broken eyes. I remember that nursery rhyme very well. i don't know if this will make you feel any better or worse but I feel it's another sign. My aunt Olivia, my mom's youngest sister who I would call Olive because I couldn't say her name right, used to watch us kids when we were little while mom and dad worked and she read that to Jason and even called him that too."

Lee actually smiled as he was now starting to relax, for you were truly the only one that could keep him grounded.

"It does make me feel better because it's all part of our story, our destiny, Jacob's too. You...you always make me feel better. No matter what I am going through, you make it all go away with your witchy magic spells that I have helplessly fallen under. Team JoLee huh? I love it...I love you...so fucking much. If you only knew."

"I do know." you softly squeaked as you tenderly traced his bottom lip with your thumb.

"The first time....ever I kissed your mouth..." Lee softly sang in a whisper and then brought his lips to yours.

It was done. The desire, the longing and out of this world love for each other eliminated everything else as your lips pushed firmly back into his. Lee's arms locked around your back and he he lifted your feet from the ground, holding you against him as he trailed butterfly kisses down your neck as you kicked your boots free. Once they dropped, Lee took one hand and grabbed behind your thigh, pulling your leg up his side as he backed you through the air and against the wall. Your other leg then followed suit and clasped with your other one behind his back in which he groaned intensely as he instantly grinded his solid length over your entrance that dampened your thin leggings.

Your fingers found his shirt buttons and undid them in a swift perfect sequence until his bare sculpted chest was exposed to your wanting hands. You gazed at his beauty as your palms ran down his pecks and over his rippled abs that sucked in to your touch followed by his deep gasp of yearning. His lips came back to yours, your tongues making love as you glided his shirt down his arms, letting it flow to the floor. Your shirt was next and then your bra. A heavy sigh released his lips as they found your aroused nipple while his hand graced your other breast with a soft caressing motion of his thumb.

You then unhooked your legs and stood up for him to yank your pants down and clean off. He buried his face into your stomach, kissing every inch, working his way down until you felt his tongue delve between your folds with a long slow lick from bottom to top, sending a sonic boom through your core as he grazed over your bud.

Your head arched back and your fingers dove through his locks as he teased a swirling flicker over the highly sensitive spot. Suddenly, his arms bent up under your thighs and you were lifted and held firmly in a leg spread seating position by his muscular limbs as he knelt on the floor with his palms planted on the wall and then...his tongue thrusted into you, dancing about in your heated taste. The combination of his darting plunges and bellowing moans broke your unstable dam, sending a flooding rush of climatic pulsating waves over him.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! God Leeeeeeeeee!!!"

Your scream was so insanely high pitched, you wouldn't be surprised if Lee's distant neighbors heard it. His back heard it alright as your nails dug right up his shoulder blades.

"Damn baby." he panted as he licked his lips and smiled up at you with a curled pouty lip, then let your shaking legs rest on the ground while he still supported you, or you would have fallen smack dab on your ass in your weakened state.

"Hold on to me." he quickly said and hoisted you onto his lap, then stood up as you squeaked out a giggle. Lee then carried you to the couch and gently laid you down, unable to move for a moment as he took in the radiant vision before him. The vision of him was quite mesmerizing as well as he stood above you, shirtless and the head of his seeping cock breaching the waistline of his jeans.

Watching him remove them was another joy all in itself, causing your core to relight like a match strike. He lowered himself over you, kissing you deeply and passionately, letting you taste yourself as he took his knee and pushed your leg up, then without warning, Lee thrusted into you, ripping your mouth from his as a squealed gasp came powering out.

Your wetness allowed him to fill you up instantly and he wasted no time rocking into you hard and steady with his foot propped on the floor and his other one stretched out down the couch. His arm slid under your other leg and pinned that one up too, bringing every inch of his straight to your sweet spot with his grinding sways. His bursting gasps and groans were in sync with his magical movements, bringing you both over the edge together.

"Leeee...I....oh my...g..god..." you cried, bucking your hips up like a rabbit.

"Jo...fuck...J..Jo baby...ah...ahhh...AHHHH!!"

He slammed against you, his hips vigorously jerking, his arms flexed and shaking profusely as he released into your release. The magic this man had to easily unhinge you in such ways was like no other ever had or could. He was meant for you and you for him...forever.

Lee kissed you tenderly, toying with your hair as you stroked his perspiring face.

"I'm sorry about today." he whispered.

"I'm not." you replied and smiled, making him smile and kiss you again, then you both shared a a gaze of looking into each other's souls.

"Jo...I did not wait for you. I wish I had but I didn't know you were coming. When you walked into my life, I didn't know it was you because I didn't know there was a you. You were never a list, a goal, or an expectation, only a dream. You were a surprise, a gift, an adventure, a beautiful new beginning to a story I never thought I'd have. As cheesy as this might sound, you complete me. I was empty before I found you."

"Right back at ya babe."

Lee chuckled, as did you, at the short but meaningful phrase you and he always spoke, then he kissed you again and got up, handing you a blanket.

"How about some dinner and music my girl. I'll go see what I have on hand to whip up. At least we got it right this time and made love first so the food don't burn like the last two times."

You wrapped up like a burrito in the large plush material as you laughed at his remark.

"Mmm yes please, I'm starving. Lee?" you called to him before he left the room.

"Yeah beautiful?"

"You don't have to leave or sell that house if you don't want to."

Lee softly smiled in awe of your understanding. "God I love you."

He blew you a kiss, clicked the music on and went to dress, then make dinner as you laid there for awhile in the afterglow of his love and during that time, you fell asleep with your relentless nightmares returning.

"Have you successfully picked up the package?" Craig asked into his phone as he steadily stared at one of his unfinished art pieces due to his lack of inspiration.

"Good. Bring him up." he continued in a wicked tone and hung up, then sipped his wine while anticipating the arrival of his guest.

The door opened and in stumbled an extremely agitated Ethan being shoved by Craig's men. Corinthos may have been his Kingpin employer, but Craig handled his own business in his own way.

"What the fuck Parker??!!" Ethan reeled when he saw the calm and cool Kiwi enjoying his usual blood red vintage paired with the eeriness of dried paint on his hands resembling the same murderous hue.

"Well, here comes the blushing bride...or should I say groom, one of them anyways."

"What the hell are you talking about and why am I being drug here and man handled by your thugs??!! I don't have any business with you!"

"Oh on the contrary, yes you do. Man handled, that's kind of your thing yes? And thugs? Hmmm, pot calling the kettle black don't ya think? Considering what you are? Don't be rude now. They can hear you." Craig quipped as he gave the two brawny men a grinning glance.

"Cut the witty bullshit Parker. It's like nails on a chalkboard and it would seem you're the one in black, taking over Jason's role. The new, but not improved Stone Cold wannabe. You're no better than me."

Craig sat motionless with a locked on predator glare at Ethan as he gritted his teeth, wanting to paint him red for knowing of his part in Jason's hit, but he couldn't reveal that he knew. As far as Craig being like Jason, he was in one particular way. He could be just as stone cold as him. Stone Cold Jason Morgan, a well deserved epithet given to him by the moniker making Damion Spinelli, a geeky, undetectable computer hacking genius and loyal, good friend of Jason and Craig's who aided Craig in this little treasure hunt.

"Jason's name will never cross your lips in my presence again or I'll remove them with a box cutter and display them on one of my art pieces. And as far as you are concerned, that is where you are wrong. You see, you and I are not the same. The reasons for my madness are for the greater good where is yours are solely that of being both a masochistic and sadistic piece of shit. So now, let's get down to business. You're stinking up the place."

Craig went over to his desk, put his glasses on as he sat down and searched for something.

"Now where is...ahh yes, here the little sweet bit is."

Craig picked up an envelope that was sitting in clear view on the edge of the desk, for if there was one thing he enjoyed doing, it was toying with people like Ethan.

"Here ya go. This will probably be worse than nails screeching down porcelain enameled steel." Craig daunted as he eagerly handed his dug up skeletons to Ethan with confidence.

"What is this??"

"Well, unless you're psychic, you'll have to actually look at it."

Ethan pulled out the single 8 x 10 folded paper and began to scan it. As he did so, his chocolate eyes slowly widened. Craig then walked over to the coincidental chalkboard that hung on his wall and ran his nails over it, Freddy Krueger style as he leered at Ethan with an ominous raised brow while chanting a one liner from the notorious Elm street tune..

"One, two, Craigy's coming for you."

"H..how did you know..."

"How did I know about that little tidbit of juicy info?? Well...you can thank my ex ball and chain for that, for she told me something long ago about you, knowledge that I believed to be totally useless to me at that time, but you know Beth and her big mouth, always blabbing people's business and always sucking your cock with it, etcetera etcetera."

"Now hold on a..."

"I'm not finished." Craig snapped, then sat in his painting chair and continued his taunting tale with great satisfaction.

"Seems you have a big trap too and should be more careful what you relay to loose lips Lizzy and believe me, there was completely a pun intended there. Anyways, I suppose since her and I had just gotten hitched, she thought she would share your happy news as well of how you married HER ex and then he filed for divorce soon after. What was the matter, you couldn't get it up? They have drugs for that you know? SO...recently, it all struck my urge to go digging through the dirt since I now know who your ex is. You see, slugs like you always leave a slimy trail. But that's all irrelevant really. What matters here is that I found out your dirty little secret that you kept hidden after the fact."

"What do you want? Why the fuck are you doing this?? This has nothing to do with you."

"It's always the same old questions, what do you want, why are you doing this blah blah blah. To be clear, it has everything to do with me, maybe not directly, but hopefully your measly mindless brain will soon catch on. Does the name...Josephine March ring a bell?"

Ethan's eyes rolled up from the damaging document to meet Craig's dilated devious ones.

"What does that little whore have to do with this?"

"Easy..." Craig snarled though his clenched teeth as his entire body stiffened up like a cat ready to pounce.

"Ohhh...I get it now. You know her because of Ja...umm...her brother. You're just another sucker that's fallen under her spell. So again, what does she have to do with this?"

"For a second there, I thought the light came on but it would seem there's an electrical short somewhere most likely due to your man bun being too tight. Let me spell it out for your grade school mentality. I learned that your ex is her man and that you're terrorizing her. She's off limits to you from here on out. If you even so much as look at her, I'll be there....and I'll gladly offer this info to her boyfriend...whom according to one mysteriously missing document...is still your husband. A divorce certificate that does not exist. It all just vanished, poof, into thin air, along with any records of Lee's filing and by whom? After some light digging, it would seem it's none other than your big wig attorney, one E.J. Dimera. Yeah, I know about his dealings with you and your butt buddies, the Zacharra's. Everyone in Salem and the entire state of Massachusetts clear to Boston know what the Dimera's are capable of accomplishing. How many zeros did you pay for it all to go away as if it never happened? I mean, I am sure a judge must have finalized it with his signature and seal of the courts so Lee had a copy. Is the judge in your pocket too??? And better yet, what I can't wrap my head around is what exactly are you hoping to gain out of going to all the trouble? Are you that pathetically desperate just to keep a man bound to you that don't want or love you?? Are you saving the little time bomb for some opportune moment of some sort?? If you think he despises you now, well...I think you can see how it will all play out if he learns the truth. Such as, say...he tries to get married again. This only prolongs the inevitable. What is this all going to DO for you?"

"You can't prove any of this. It was obviously just carelessly overlooked. Maybe Lee forgot to file with all he was going through because I was never even served. Simple as that."

"News flash. Avoiding being served, which is what you did, does not stop a divorce. And fucking please, is that how you're really going to try and get out of this with that dumb ass explanation?? The good doctor did not forget something of such importance. He was too determined to end it before it ever began and he's far too intelligent to make such a mistake. I guarantee you he has copies of everything after he filed, including the final decree but of course he probably never thought he'd actually need to prove anything because things like this only happen in books, movies and soap operas. More importantly, the courts don't just carelessly overlook these things. Not without a hefty bribe or blackmail from someone of high threatening stature, which is where we once again come back to E.J.. Simple...as...that." Craig retorted as he nonchalantly multi-tasked with organizing his art supplies to distract his intense urge of having Ethan take a swan dive off the roof.

"You really shouldn't go around tossing those kinds of accusations about someone like E.J....."

Craig's cocky laughter cut Ethan's words short and only proved even more to him of Craig's fearlessness and that he was up shit creek without a paddle.

"Someone like E.J. Ooooo I'm shaking in my ass kickers man. How bout this? I'll just give the good old Englishman E.J. a call and accuse him myself then. I'm not a pansy ass coward like you are....obviously. I'll also be sure to let him know that you ratted him out as well. Three, four, better lock your door." Craig jested, trying not to smile as he turned around to face a confounded Ethan.

Ethan momentarily dropped his head, knowing Craig had him by the balls, but kept on with his lame argument.

"Again, you can't prove it. There's no trail. You have absolutely nothing."

"The wheels on your short bus go round and round, yet you still can't comprehend that I DON'T NEED TO PROVE IT! The proof is all right fucking there in black and white, a marriage certificate that has no supporting divorce decree ANYWHERE and THAT PROVES your farce of a marriage is not legally dissolved, which is all that really matters here and it's all that WILL matter to your clueless hubby. I'm not out for E.J. unless he gives me a reason to be and I'm not looking for legal action upon you, I mean, you and I both know things don't get handled legally in our world. Simply comply with my terms. Stay the fuck away from Jo or Lee learns the truth and goes all Satan on you. Five, six, grab your crucifix."

"Ok, enough man. You ask what's in this for me. Well what the hell is in this for you Craig??? Josie will never want you if that's your end game somehow. First of all, she's so fucking far up Lee's ass and vice versa that nobody can tell where one begins and the other ends and second, what do you think she will think of you if she knows you kept this information from her just to torture me huh??"

"Now see, that's none of your concern because SHE is none of your concern anymore. It's not to torture you, you self-absorbed Shirley Temple haired sleaze! My end game is simply to keep her safe from the narcissistic likes of you and that's ALL I care about. The last thing she needs right now is to know about this, which I just know you're itching to tell her. I mean, I COULD just do her and Lee both a favor right now and wipe your ass all over this floor and then have my men dispose of you down in the boiler room where your dying embers will forever remain, which THAT don't only happen in movies, BUT..." Craig sighed. "Karma wants and deserves that honor more than I do."

By karma, Craig was referring to Jason. As bad as he wanted to make good on his threat, he would not deny his friend the long awaited and carefully planned take down of Ethan Bloom, just as Ethan and his goon guild had done to Jason. But the fact that Jason was biding his time in doing so was getting under Craig's skin because it allowed Ethan all the more time to torment you and he wasn't going to allow it to continue, even if he knew he was going about it the wrong way by keeping Lee's marital status a secret from you, especially when he swore to you he would do everything in his power to earn your trust back. It didn't matter though really. Craig knew he would never have you, but what ever feelings he had developed for you still made him want to keep you safe.

"Karma wants me huh? Well, aren't I getting that now? I will say, I do like the part about you wiping my ass all over this floor. Maybe we could come to some...agreement. I could enjoy that." Ethan stupidly offered with a sly grin as he randomly envisioned a shirtless Craig holding wolverine claws due to all the Freddy talk.

"Did....you just...fucking hit on me????? The only hit you ever send in my heterosexual direction better be the kind that fucking kills me. I'm into God given tits and warm cherry pie, not a shit stained cock that even your precious Lee didn't want anymore!" Craig fumed as he picked up a long and thin paintbrush, then rushed over to Ethan.

"I can only imagine this when I look at you! This...this isn't a cock. It's like your limp little dick!" he then loudly raged with every bone and vein protruding from his neck as he held the brush up in Ethan's face.

"You talk a whole lotta smack about dick's for someone who claims they don't swing that way. Why don't you just kill me instead of all this huh?? I can tell when someone is afraid to leave the closet and..."

A gasping grunt was heard as Craig grabbed the back of Ethan's neck and hurled him across the floor with one swift shove, then he graced Ethan's gut with a hefty football kick.

"You audacious little fuck. If I was ever into men, I still wouldn't touch you even while wearing a fucking hazmat suit!! Now get the fuck out of here before I shove this paintbrush so far up your dick hole, you won't need Viagra anymore! You're the one who should be afraid. Seven, eight, better stay up late. Nine, ten, never sleep again!!!"

Craig then sat back down at his desk and put his glasses on as his flushed face slowly regained it's natural tone. He then looked over at his lackeys, becoming highly annoyed.

"Why are you still here??? Get him the fuck out of here! Out the back."

Once Ethan was removed from his sight, Craig resumed his wine consumption as he cranked his music, wishing to release his frustrations out on a new canvas. As he stood, staring blankly at the white board, trying to take your advice and find inspiration through his daughter, nothing came to him as usual. So, in his anxious state, he headed out to his terrace with a new bottle of wine and drank his frustrations away instead.

After Lee had dinner cooking in the oven, a quickly mixed up meatloaf and potatoes, he noticed you had fallen asleep, a vision he could look at for hours upon end, but he decided to pry himself away and go outside to tend to his small garden so he wouldn't do what he wanted to do instead, call Liz and cuss her ass out, although he wanted to do much much more than that. The rage he felt inside over what she had done to him and Jacob sent his mind spiraling to a very dark place and if you hadn't been there at that moment, he would be downing a bottle of Jack, then stupidly driving to confront her and most likely winding up in jail. Once again, you kept him grounded.

As Lee began to snip a few scarlet red roses, you were succumbed in a nightmare that seemed far too real to only be a dream.

You could hear a train's horn in the distance and the railroad rumble of the wheelsets nearing closer by the minute. Standing alone in the foggy dark night, you could see a blurry vision of the hospital cutting through the murkiness and the word 'emergency' lit up in bright crimson letters that flickered as if it had some kind of short.

"Lee!!!" you called out, your voice echoing into the night as you slowly turned in circles in your search for him but he was nowhere in sight. The pale moon was full and cast only enough light for you to see a few feet in front of you.

You felt the anxiety creeping over you as your voice became muffled out by the roaring but invisible locomotive quickly approaching.

"LEEEE!!!!" you screamed as tears flowed like a waterfall over your chilled cheeks, but no sound came from your trembling lips, only a cloud of your warm breathe escaped them into the crisp air.

You could suddenly see movement in the distance, shadow figures appearing within the mist. Faint laughing soon meshed together into howling cackles and they sounded so familiar.

Something touched you and as you spun around screaming, you saw Ethan with these steel razor like nails, wiggling them at you and then another touch was felt, a hard poke in the rib cage of your back. Spinning around again with a squealing gasp, there was Elizabeth, holding a knife. Both had you sandwiched and both were glaring at you with terrifying frozen full toothed grins, like something out of the movie Smile. You were then touched again on the back of your leg and as you spun around once more, this time you saw the blinding light of the train. Ethan and Elizabeth squinted and ran as if they knew what was coming and then, there was a tug at the hem of your shirt. Gasping, you jumped back a step to see.....Jacob with the train's light glowing all around him like a fiery eclipse.

"Don't be afraid Mommy. Daddy likes to ride trains. It will come soon."

"J...Jacob?? What...what is happening?? Where...where is Lee?"

Jacob gazed at you in silence with his big blue eyes, then turned and walked away into the light to stand beside someone. A very tall someone who's face became visible, also from the train's light....it was Lee.

What sounded like a crack of thunder exploded through the air, only you soon realized it was not thunder, but the familiar sound of a gunshot and you then saw Lee holding his bloodied abdomen just under his ribs in which he was staring down at in confusion. He then raised his head, releasing a sharp gasp and looked directly into your eyes, his brows furrowing.

"Who are you?" he whispered.

The train horn blared again, so deafening you had to cover your ears as you screamed for Lee once more and then... you woke up screaming his name for real.

Lee came racing in the door and came to a surprised stop as he saw you standing there, partially wrapped in your blanket and crying and shaking like a leaf while looking as if you had seen a ghost. And in your quivering hand was a steak knife.

"Baby...you alright??" he calmly asked, hiding his fear for your sake as he slowly approached you and carefully reached for your hand.

"Jo, sweetheart...It's me...Lee....I don't know what's happening..but... can you give me the knife baby?"

Your gaping eyes darted down to the knife that you didn't even realize you were holding, nor did you recall picking up.

"I...I...I...I....I..." you sputtered. "I...don't...I don't know where I got this...or...or how...I got..."

You paused and gulped in panic as you dropped the knife and leaped into Lee's arms, whimpering and clutching him like a vice grip.

"Shhhhhh....shhhhh baby. I've got you. Sweetheart, you were asleep on the couch when I went outside. I...I think you may have been dreaming. I..I heard you scream for me. Do...you remember?"

You planted your eyes shut as you cringed.

"Uh..huh....E...Ethan...E.E..E..Eliz...they...were...I saw them....I saw them and...I saw you an an an an and J..Jacob...A train...blood...oh god, Lee, let me go, I think I'm going to be sick."

You slapped your hand over your mouth and ran up the stairs, tripping over the blanket and then you just dropped it and kept going.

Lee stood there for a moment, quite befuddled as he gazed into the living room where you had fallen asleep. There, on the coffee table was a plate with an apple core on it where Lee had sat the day before, cutting up his favorite fruit up with the knife that now laid upon the foyer's floor. He then could hear you gagging and bolted up the stairs.

"Jo! Babe...can I come in?" he asked in concern as he tapped on the bathroom door of his bedroom.

You began to cry so he hurried right in to find you huddled up on the floor beside the toilet.

"Heyyyyy sweet girl." Lee softly and sweetly whispered as he knelt down and stroked your hair from your face. "Talk to me. Are you alright?"

"I...I think so now...I...god I'm sorry. I feel so stupid."

"Nope. No feeling stupid. Something scared the hell out of you and that's nothing to feel stupid about my love. Come on. Take a hot shower and relax, gather your thoughts. I'll wait right here in the bedroom for you so you feel safe and then we can go downstairs and you can tell me about your dream while we eat. Yes?"

His smile....god you could never resist that, especially this one, the soft closed lip grin that had a slight upward slant on the right side.

Lee wrapped his arms around your waist and lifted you up to stand, kissing your forehead upon completion, then he leaned into the walk in shower and turned the water on.

"There baby, plenty of soap and shampoo in there. Take as long as you want and need. I'll lay on the bed and read out loud so you can hear my voice. I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you and I'll help you through this like you always help me. I...I won't let you fall."

You kissed him long and soft as you held his face, then entered the sizeable shower.

You stood motionless under the hot steam, now remembering ever bit of the day terror. You've had your share of nightmares in your 30 years but never one quite like this, so realistic, so vivid. Was it Jacob? Did he visit you with a message? Jesus christ, was Lee in some kind of danger? How would you tell him about it??

Your mind raced with all these thoughts as Lee's voice of beautiful words danced around them, making it all go away. Of course, you had to cover your mouth as you burst into laughter over what he was reading. It must have been one of Jacob's books.

"How do you spell love Pooh?" Piglet asked.

"You don't spell it Piglet, you feel it." said Pooh.

You walked out to Lee while towel drying your hair to see him propped against the headboard with his cute wire rimmed reading glasses on and his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles with one of his button down shirts at his feet, most likely for you to wear.

Lee had been in the middle of reading when his words were abruptly interrupted by the sight of your bare form before him. You had to giggle at him lowering his glasses down his nose to view you in his state of awe.

He flipped the book up through the air and whipped out of bed to scoop you up into a swing around, making you squeal in laughter.

"God you are sexy as hell." Lee raved and then kissed you deeply. "Now, with that said, I suggest you put that shirt on or I guarantee you dinner will burn again."

He watched you with great resistance and a half smirk as you slipped the way oversized shirt on that came down to your knees, but to you, it was a perfect fit once you rolled up the sleeves.

You and Lee shared more wine, a white one this time as you devoured three helpings of the mouthwatering meatloaf and potatoes, for the only thing you had eaten in the past twenty four hours were Orlando's piece of toast and two bites of your ham sandwich. Once you had finished, Lee started a fire in the living room as you slipped on your leggings due to the chilly evening and then you cuddled on the couch with a blanket and wine and Lee's arm of safety around you as you then reluctantly told him all about the dream.

Once you had gotten it all out, you gazed up at him with welling eyes.

"Please...please Lee. Stay away from Elizabeth and as hard as I know that it is for you, please don't tell her or anyone even that you know the truth about Jacob's paternity. She only told Jason as far as I know and if she knows you know, she'll figure out he's alive and she'll run to Ethan about it and it will ruin whatever plan Jason has and it will even put him in more danger. As mad as I am at him, I don't want him to die for real. Just please, for now...promise me you'll stay out of it all. I..I know it was just a dream but I'm still scared nonetheless because I think Jacob was warning of something.... I...I can't lose you, I just can't. One week without you damn near killed me. Please promise me Lee!" you begged as your building tears finally flowed over.

"Hey, hey...I promise, I promise baby. I can do that for you to give you some kind of peace. All I really want is just to be with you, just like this and shut the fucking world out. Liz and Ethan, I believe, will be handled by karma and in the meantime, I will never ever let them hurt you." he sweetly assured as he wiped your tears.

"Here...I'll give you a symbol of my promise and my love for you." Lee continued and then reached over on the side table to pick up one of the red roses he brought in. He tore off a single petal and began to fold it into the shape of a heart as your hand laid gently upon his. Once he finished, he laced his fingers into yours.

"I think you can spell love." you told him as you peered up in his sapphire eyes. "For you just did with that beautiful heart."

Lee laid the heart petal down and pulled you against him where you laid your head over his own heart and listened to the distinct soothing sound that no other could match.

"How about a movie my girl? Maybe something funny or...romantic?" he said with the cutest smile.

"Ok. Anything that will keep me awake because I...I don't wanna dream any more."

"Well then...how about a Lord of the Rings trilogy marathon. There's some comedy in them and some love here and there."

"Perfect. My favorite movies are fantasy ones anyways and I love this one...the Hobbit too. You know? You'd make one damn sexy elf."

Lee bellowed out a hearty laugh. "Is that so? Even hotter than Legolas, Haldir or Thranduil?"

"Oh...waaaaay hotter babe."

"Mmmm. Alrighty then...I'll go make some popcorn!"

@redeemer46

[anretoga]

Day 6: First kiss

Talking about it

After RWBY+J arrived at Vacuo everything was almost like perfect. As the Tree said they were just in time when they were needed. It was amazing how all the kingdoms were united for the war against Salem. Hunters and huntresses united for the cause. Everyone organising for the day/s that this will take. It took just some time for RWBY+J to also be part of this. Everyone were so relieved that they were alive. However, during that time Jaune noticed something odd and he was finally able to talk about it with Ruby.

Jaune: Hey Ruby, can we talk for a moment?

Ruby: Oh... I-I need to talk to my team I’m sorry—

Jaune: I’m sure they’ll understand. Please just listen to me

Ruby: ... okay

Jaune: Are we... *sighs* Are we good?

Ruby: What do you mean?

Jaune: You know what I mean. In the Ever After we—

Ruby: Jaune of course we are. Don’t worry alright? Can I go now—

Jaune: Then why you don’t talk to me? Ever since we arrived every time I wanna talk to you, you aren’t available there’s always an excuse just like now and when you want to tell me something is either your team or someone else who does it for you. It’s like you’re avoiding me and I can’t help but think it’s because of what happened in the Ever after-

Ruby: It’s not that. It’s just...I-I don’t think this is a good time-

Jaune: Then when would it be a good time? We are about to face a war and it’s better to settle things now.

Ruby: Please it’s not what you think. I-I’m sure we can talk it later. It’s not that much important now-

Jaune: It is important to me! *sighs* Ruby I’m sorry for what I said in the Ever After I wasn’t in my right mind. You’re an special friend to me and I need to know if you could forgive me, if we could be friends just like before..

Ruby: Jaune... neither of us were in our right mind I also hurt you back there. I’m the one who feels sorry. The thing is.. I don’t think our relationship is going to be the same as before. Whenever I see you I think about us arguing there, I can’t face myself talking to you like before, it hurts me that I hurt a dear friend and that I might do it again. Because I know I’m not perfect and you don’t deserve a friend like me-

Jaune: Ruby.. You know I understand for what you went through. I don’t need a perfect friend. No one is but that’s the risk we take when we trust in someone. If I could go back in time I would choose you as my friend again without a doubt because you’re just the friend I need.. just the way you are.

Ruby: *sniffs* Why are you doing this? Why does it matter now?

Jaune: It matters to me because I care about what you think, I care about you. In my hardest times you brought the best out of me, and also to the people around you. Perfect or not I loved that you were capable to give hope in any circumstance and you’re still that person! I want to remind you I still trust you and nothing it’s going to change that even if something happens during the war, you can count on me

Ruby: Stop... *sniffs* You know what you are doing. *sniffs* You know me so well and that’s the thing you knew where to hurt me but you also know how... *sniffs* y-you also know how to-

Jaune: Ruby?

Ruby: You also know how to make me feel things! Things I never experienced before. It’s so strange *covering her face* How can you say those things so easily? I can barely look you in the eyes. Is it because I’m the only one feeling this?

Jaune: Ruby... *getting closer to her*

Ruby: *takes steps back* To be honest with you I can’t be your friend again without feeling uneasy about these feelings. I just can’t pretend that nothing changed because it did and I can’t ignore it. Whenever I see you, I feel overwhelmed, I feel angry, sad, fear, relieved, happy, nervous then again angry, sad-it’s like an endless cycle. I have a lot of thoughts and all of them get in a conclusion.. but I shouldn’t feel like this. We are about to face a war that depends on everyone’s life I can’t- I mustn’t feel like this. That’s why I distanced myself from you. I didn’t wanna make you feel uncomfortable so we can stay focus on what’s more important. I know it was selfish I’m sorry for putting you through all this..

Jaune: You... You are not the only one dealing with those feelings.. *gets closer*

Ruby: *raises her head* I- No- D-Don’t look at me like that. W-we can’t. What if something happens? What if someone dies? What if I have to make a sacrifice? I don’t want to see you suffer again I want you to be happy even if it’s not with m-

Before she could finish Jaune kissed her. Instantaneous yet so gently. His hands were around her face, kissing her shaking lips softly, evoking from her sensations she had never know she was capable of feeling.

Jaune: Wouldn’t be better to have something to look forward after the war? And if you want to know I’ll choose you to spend the rest of my life with *smiles*

Ruby smiled at him with teary eyes and before he could say something, she kissed him back with a swift gradation of intensity that made him cling to her as the only solid thing in a dizzy swaying world.

[itsclydebitches]

The thing that gets me about the 'Remember her message' crap is like... Remember what? Her message wasn't some inspiring speech or moral lesson, it was essentially saying "Shit is going down, here are people who know more. And Ironwood is a bitch ass mother fucker.". What, does Winter think people will forget the important details?

Though Ruby's message is definitely generic, I personally have no problem with that. Generic can be great when it plays to a genre's strengths and the audience's expectations. Ruby does spend the second half of her broadcast asking the people not to panic, telling them to pull together, and reassuring them that they can in fact beat Salem. On paper, it sounds like a pretty solid speech that, yes, is worth keeping in mind after she's supposedly perished and things have well and truly gone to shit. Hell, part of what Ruby asks is that the people of Remnant keep moving forward even if Atlas falls, with the implication being that she may die too, but they should heed her warnings even if she's no longer around to remind them. The scraped epilogue shows the people doing just that.

The problem—multiple problems, really—is that this message within RWBY's specific context is nonsensical. I spoke a lot about this back when Volume 8 first aired, but it's worth repeating in light of the epilogue. Ruby's speech is heard as one unbroken transmission, yet Ruby skips over a ton of crucial information, implying that the people of Remnant have heard it off screen... yet, given how this is written (both that unbroken stream + they have literally one shot at this message with Penny buying them time), that's simply not possible. Ruby admits that the Maidens and the Relics sound insane, but she never told the people what those are. She reassures them that Salem can be beaten even though she can't be destroyed, but she never tells them that she's immortal in the first place (which is HUGE given what went down with both Ozpin and Ironwood). Ruby announces that Ironwood can't be trusted, but provides no reason or evidence for why that's the case. She further tries to provide reassurance by saying that they must be a threat to Salem because if not, she would have attacked long before now, but that's another huge, baseless assumption. (Plus, the viewer knows there's no in-world weakness that Salem is hindered by, one that Ruby is strategically alluding to. She just didn't attack earlier because the show didn't start earlier. Salem, as a character, waited around for Ruby to grow up enough to fight her.) Perhaps most damning from our perspective, Ruby talks big about stopping Salem without once even considering how they might beat her, let alone coming up with a viable plan to present to the people.

In short: she's pulling an Ozpin. Ruby knows that saying, "Our enemy is immortal and we have no idea how to stop her, but you should keep fighting anyway!" is a very bad gamble, so she doesn't lie exactly, but implies that she has a much better handle on the situation than she actually does. She is, on a literal level, doing precisely what Ozpin did to the girls except on a world-wide scale. And unlike Ozpin who at least offered information that made sense to people based on what they already knew, Ruby references things on the fly that are either a) meaningless to the people or b) entirely unpersuasive. This is a kid who hacked every screen in the world to say, "Hi, it's me, someone you've never seen before. An entire kingdom is about to fall to grimm, but it's okay! See, everything bad that's ever happened in history, from those grimm to the White Fang to random crime around Vale, is all orchestrated by a woman named Salem. We can't beat her, but we can totally beat her. How? I won't say. Also, a world leader is evil now. How do I know this? I won't say. Also also, "maidens and Relics." Don't worry if those words don't mean anything to you. So see? If you just band together everything will be fine!"

And then the world... did that, with the side benefit of not panicking and drawing grimm like everyone agreed would happen back in Volume 7. But that's a writing decision entirely separated from the reality RWBY's built. From the perspective of Remnant, Ruby's speech is unsubstantiated nonsense. At best it comes across as a conspiracy-theory obsessed child playing a prank. At worst it's panic-inducing without providing a shred of explanation or reassurance. If there was ANY consistency in the show the girls would arrive in Vacuo to find the majority of the people going about their daily lives because... wait. You actually thought we were going to listen to you when you spouted all that ridiculous stuff? Meanwhile, a handful of believers are now ready to fight ... because they think Salem can, in fact, be beaten. She's an enemy, yeah? We're brave! Let's go kill her! All Ruby would have done is put those people in the same position they were pre-Volume 6, with information they probably should have been able to use to figure things out (how is Salem still around after centuries if she's not immortal?) but more likely they just jumped to the easiest, most reassuring conclusion. You said there was an evil lady controlling everything, but that we could beat her. So... let's go beat her? And Ruby is standing there, sweating, because oh yeah, she has no idea how to beat Salem. She is ACTUALLY speed-running Ozpin's choices except she pulled the entire WORLD in instead of just a few, choice hunters already committed to half the fight and instead of damning her for that like Ozpin was the show goes, "Yes. This was a lovely message worthy of murals in her honor."

So Ruby did have something akin to an inspiring message alongside the "Shit is going down, others know more, Ironwood is an asshole" spiel. But it's only an inspiring message when removed from eight Volumes worth of world-building and arcs that show precisely what happens when people do this. In that light, Ruby's message isn't inspiring at all, it's just another lie undermined by her giving no explanations and no proof that she can back up her reassuring claims.

[hamliet]

Didn't realise you watched RWBY, hamliet. Pleasant surprise! Who would be your favourite character from it, and why? Just curious.

Drumroll...

Mercury Black!

This will shock no one who has followed me for any length of time. Give me a character who is angry at the world, who has been through hell and just wants to survive, who cloaks fear and trauma in anger and armor, who desperately wants love and safety but doesn't even realize it themselves.

Mercury's internal conflict is fascinating thus far. He deeply cares about Emerald--that much is obvious. People call Mercury crueler than her, but I don't see that at all. He's been protecting her from their very first scene together, and this extends to protecting her from Tyrian (an obvious stand-in for his father). He even is upfront with Emerald about Cinder's abuse of her.

Mercury is honest with Emerald because she meets him where he's at. The conversation between them in Volume 6 is one of the best scenes in the show--you'll note that Mercury only opens up to Emerald after she starts meeting his blows. In other words, Mercury opens up to Emerald because she meets him where he's at, in the language he understands, even if it's violence at the moment. This scene is so telling on not just Emerald and Merc's relationship, but about Mercury and how he sees love, family (the topic of the conversation), and connection. Violence to him is those things. Why wouldn't it be?

And yet, there's a part of him that clearly knows it's not how it should be. Tyrian calls him out on this in that very same scene, and Mercury also clearly snapped and killed his father. He was raised by an assassin who abused him, stole his soul, left his body injured permanently. He's now subject to Tyrian who gives off extremely disturbing vibes. Obvious subtext is obvious.

Yet, Mercury still defends Emerald from Tyrian. From Cinder. From Roman.

He's also extremely well written. Like, his arc is still largely ahead of us, but in each and every scene he's in? We learn something new about him. His arc has never stagnated, not for one scene. I don't think you can say this about literally any other character.

Mercury's arc has potential to be one of the best explorations of abuse in the show, and potential to be pivotal plot-wise, world-building wise, and theme-wise.

Plot-wise, I think Mercury realizing that he's still being abused by Salem, Tyrian, and Cinder would provide Cinder with a very necessary wakeup call. (Clearly, Cinder was hurt that Emerald left, but she wasn't woken up. At this point, Salem's approval and disapproval haven't woken her. Emerald leaving her hasn't either. Her Grimm arm and Ruby's likely compassion should play a part in waking her up, but Mercury's leaving her--hopefully with a callout that mimics Yang's epic call out of Raven in Volume 5--will jump-start her self-reflection.

World-building wise, I think it's pretty likely Mercury will get his semblance back, or develop a new one. Abuse does hurt you. It can damage you in some ways. But it can't take your soul, and even if what you have left feels damaged, you can still make something of that, and heal. Mercury's semblance being uncovered somehow offers massive potential for how we understand semblances.

Lastly, thematically. Mercury keeps acting out his own abuse. Not only through hurting and humiliating others, but through the relationship with Tyrian clearly being a stand-in for his father, through Cinder also being a stand-in for his father, through the Vytal Festival, too. Let's see, a boy whose father destroyed him body and soul and was completely ignored by society feigning the destruction before the entire world--wonder why he might enjoy that sympathy. But part of what RWBY is about is calling out the hidden truths--Salem, the treatment of the faunus, the disparities between Mantle and Atlas--and bringing them into the light. From what we've seen of Cinder and the children in cages, Remnant has a serious problem with child abuse. Mercury getting fake-injured in front of them all could have been a wakeup call. Plus, breaking the cycle--which I'm fairly certain he will do--is powerful itself.

[bestworstcase]

Does Ozma even have a semblance???

I mean, we know he has old magic and uses aura, but I don't think it's ever stated that he has one. I wonder if he doesn't because of how he thinks that mankind is lesser as it is now, or that his soul is too...murky??? on account of all the souls he's been forced to assimilate, or both.

(Would Salem have a semblance???)

Also, thanks for answering my asks, I like your takes, and I really appreciate it.

the framing in the world of remnant episode, with ozpin being the image of “just a man,” to me suggests that he does not have his own semblance. i tend to think this is less a matter of incapability (he obviously can and does wield aura and the idea that his and oscar’s aura are combined implies that ozma does have his own separate from his hosts) and more an issue of knowledge: semblances are individual, powers that either arise from or define your character. jaune’s effort to unlock his in v5 apparently involves meditation. oscar’s disappointment with not having discovered his semblance goes hand in hand with his existential dread and fear of using ozma’s magic. 

to manifest a semblance, i think you need to experience a moment of, like—clarity and unity of purpose. a moment where you know who you are and every part of you sort of coheres around a single locus. this is true of even semblances like qrow’s, which i imagine sparked from a moment where he felt like a curse and a burden all the way down to his soul. 

i don’t think ozma has ever experienced that, not since his first life. (and i don’t think semblances became possible until after humanity’s resurrection.) between what light’s curse does to him—changing him into someone else against his will—and his self-identification as an amalgam of countless people and the profound cognitive dissonance he’s buried himself under, he’s too lost and trapped to manifest a semblance. i do think his hosts might develop semblances through the merge that are functionally his for the rest of that life but those abilities fade as he reincarnates and the cycle begins again. 

as for salem,

if she still has aura after the pool of grimm and being grimm doesn’t just prevent her from using aura across the board (grimm flesh can’t be protected by aura, but grimm can siphon aura and use dust so i think it’s within the realm of possibility that she’s not been locked out from her own soul’s magic)… well. she’s older than dirt and if nothing else she’s been driven by unwavering conviction that the brothers are monstrous tyrants who must be overthrown for millions of years. assuming she is physically capable of manifesting a semblance, i would be sort of surprised if she didn’t have one?

there’s also just. the fact that salem’s magic does weird stuff no one else can do. like, magic is pretty basic? the maidens have raw elemental powers, the branwens can turn into birds, and ozma’s magic seems mainly like a juiced up version of defensive aura. and then there’s salem like… elemental powers yeah, but also flying around as a cloud of particles, and summoning grimm with grimm sigils, and spawning grimm out of the pools, and astral projecting through a dead seer, and the hound, and cinder’s arm, and she cracks open the continental plate under solitas overnight without apparent effort which might be elemental powers but holy shit. does the grimm stuff come solely from being grimm, or… might there be a semblance in the mix here?

and. like. if she does have a semblance, odds are she’s had it for thousands of years. look at how powerful masters like glynda can become within a mortal lifespan. look at ren’s semblance, and what the schnee semblance became through years of accumulated generational knowledge and experimentation. look at how landing in the ever after supercharged neo’s semblance. it’s not implausible that all of salem’s power might be derived from a semblance + raw powers of the two divine pools; semblances contain infinite potential and she has unlimited time. 

(generally speaking if you add semblance + magic i think the magic will augment the semblance rather than the other way around; certainly what makes cinder so absurdly powerful as a maiden is she’s just using the magic to overclock her semblance, which is also what she did with dust prior to getting the maiden.)

[ficretus]

Theory: Speculating about Summer Maiden

So far Summer Maiden is the only Maiden we have no whereabouts of. Not even Vacuo novels provide anything about her or her Relic. I wanted to throw some thoughts around who I think will be Summer Maiden by the end of the Vacuo arc.

CURRENT SUMMER MAIDEN:

As I said, no idea. But let me get one thing out the way, I don't think Summer Rose is Summer Maiden or that she'll be at any point in the story. This might seem relatively weird considering so far characters with season in their name did eventually become Maiden of their respective season, but I don't think this is the case with Summer.

First of all, it would be bit random considering that power is tied to Vacuo and Summer herself doesn't have any Vacuo connections we know of. Second, it is somewhat implied that Summer is still alive, likely being Salem's Grimm experiment. If Summer was Summer Maiden and is under Salem's control, why would Salem bother with Cinder? Summer would be loyal subordinate that is second to none in combat. Why would you need to groom new subordinate of questionable loyalty and lesser combat ability? Third, in case she isn't Summer Maiden and is just one of Salem's thralls, I don't think she can inherit the power. Chronologically she'd be in late 30s or even 40s, making her too old to inherit the power.

For Summer to be Summer Maiden, it would mean she became one ages ago and isn't currently under Salem's control (because that kind of creates plot holes in Salem's plan). But I feel that both kind of damages her character (she becomes another Raven, abandoning her family for her own goals) and wastes implications Hound creates. I think her fate will be revealed during Vacuo arc, during summer portion of the story, if that makes sense.

I suspect we'll have another Amber or Fria situation with current Summer Maiden. As in, minimally established character that will give away their power to more important character narrative wise down the line.

GATHERING CLUES:

First place I looked into is The Four Maidens, in universe fairy tale about Maidens. For those uninitiated, it's a fairy tale about recluse Old Wizard being visited by girls representing Maidens. They visit him in sequence of Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, each teaching him valuable lesson.

Maiden lessons are key part to focus on here. While in the story, they are something Old Wizard has to learn, in RWBY it's something Maidens themselves have to learn.

For example, Winter appears in front of Old Wizard's house, sitting in state of absolute tranquility. Wizard sits down and copies her example thinking about his own strange predicament. This somewhat matches Winter, who in her own moment of clarity realizes Ironwood is lost cause and turns against him.

Other two examples are much clearer parallels. Spring shows up and plants flowers all over Old Wizard's yard, turning a pile of dirt into beautiful garden. This implies Spring Maiden is all about fostering life. This matches well as a lesson Raven needs to learn as a Spring Maiden, someone who both abandoned her family and used her protege as a decoy.

Fall Maiden urges Old Wizard to be thankful for what he has. This matches Cinder who needs to learn to be grateful for what she already has, instead of seeking out all other Maiden powers.

Summer Maiden convinces Old Wizard to step outside. Upon doing so, Old Wizard starts laughing at himself for even staying indoors all this time. So whoever becomes Summer Maiden needs to have a flaw that makes them distrustful of the world. Their character arc needs to be about opening themselves to the world.

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All three current Maidens also have personal connection to the members of Team RWBY. This is either set up for eventual transfer of power to respective members of Team RWBY or they simply exist as dark reflections of respective team members.

Raven is Yang's mother, Winter is Weiss' sister and Cinder is Ruby's nemesis. This mean, whoever will be Summer Maiden needs to have some kind of connection to Blake.

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Lastly, all three current Maidens were at some point of the story antagonists. Winter was an antagonist during the portion of Atlas arc as Ironwood's most loyal subordinate, Raven was antagonist throughout most of Mistral arc and Cinder is still major antagonist. So whoever becomes Summer Maiden had to have been antagonist at some point of the story.

CANDIDATES:

First candidate I have is Gillian Asturias, one of the main villains of Vacuo novels. She is leader of villainous Crown faction, who seek to restore Vacuoan monarchy with Gillian in charge. She believes she is descendant of legendary Vacuoan kings, albeit this claim is based on delusion her father convinced her of.

Why do I think she might become Summer Maiden? First of all, she is an antagonist. While at the end of the novel, she gets imprisoned... it's RWBY prison, nobody stays there. Her Semblance allows her to siphon Aura which theoretically means she could take the power all by herself (since all transfer methods we've seen so far were Aura based). She also has a motive to become a Maiden, what better way to show you are true heir to the throne then seizing divine power that allows you to control the elements.

She also fits with Summer Maiden lesson. She is extremely traditionalist, avoiding the use of both Dust and Scroll. Crown members are also xenophobic to some degree. Both of these traits make her good candidate for a lesson about opening yourself to the world.

Issue with her is that she has no connections to any member of Team RWBY. While it's not out the question they might eventually interact, I am doubtful writers will have her establish some really personal relationship with Blake. I think she might become Summer Maiden, but more of a interim Maiden like Penny was.

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My preferred choice so far is Ilia. She matches all the criteria I've set up earlier. First of all, she is a former antagonist. Second, she matches well with lesson of Summer Maiden. As an antagonist, she was member of more radical version of White Fang that was no longer about Faunus equality and more about their supremacy. This "us versus them" mentality symbolically parallels Old Wizard refusing to leave his house, closed off from everybody else.

Summer Maiden lesson can also be manifested in another way. If you think about it, it's almost inevitable White Fang will appear in Vacuo to assist the good guys. And who else will be there? Ace Ops. Ilia will be forced to work side by side with people who represent abuse she suffered as a child. This could create interesting dynamic of Ilia and White Fang refusing to cooperate with them, creating an issue for good guys cause (in fact you can have entire Volume 10 be about previously opposed sides coming to terms with each other for the greater good considering you'll have Ace Ops, Happy Huntresses, White Fang and potentially even Branwen tribe all working together). Her character arc would be about letting go of her hatred and trauma and opening herself to the world, fulfilling the Summer Maiden lesson.

Of course, Ilia is also personally connected to Blake. Yeah, she is "just" her friend, but when you think about it, that's the most personal relationship Blake has outside of her team. Unlike her other team members, she doesn't have a sister, her mother is too old to inherit the power and her nemesis was not only male... he is busy being dead. Ilia becoming a Maiden would also diversify the roster by giving us Faunus Maiden. After all, if all kingdoms are coming together why not also have that symbolically reflected in Maiden roster.

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What are your thoughts? Do you have any other Maiden candidate you think is more likely? If you do, feel free to comment it.

[sytokun]

RWBY V9 Episode 1 first impressions. Some spoilers. Also RWDE.

The first scene, both shot-wise and sound-wise was super well directed. The first person view into Ruby's headspace was very creative, and also an elegantly concise but unique recap of the last finale. Disregarding the nonsense surrounding the actual events (Yang getting KO'd instantly, no one being able to catch her and all that), it was an excellently directed scene.

Which makes it a pity that the scene right after felt really plodding and tonally dissonant. Having the already painful low framerate and cartoony jokes is already bad, but after a scene like that is... not how you do it.

The Monochrome scene was well-animated and adorable though. Amazing how much chemistry RWBY can get from its characters when it's not actively trying to signpost it to your face.

Speaking of signposting, the Bumbleby hug was good. Blake's tender voice calling Yang's name, and just them hugging on the beach is a really romantic image. and I'm a sucker for that kind of thing.

It kind of irks me more because my enjoyment of this ship is actively sabotaged by this show's own refusal to engage with it unless it's a weird combination of too-loud subtext and the fact it relishes in its own plausible deniability. I don't know what to say if there isn't a kiss or proper declaration of love by the end of this.

OK Goodnight doesn't miss, and they didn't for this OP song, Inside, either. I personally was super excited Casey was brought on in full force and her band's involvement was the singular thing that excited me about Volume 9. I have this opening on loop for hours now.

I loved how the Jabberwocky monster thing was animated, but part of me felt the design fell a bit short compared to how creatively it moved. I think if it went through another design pass or two to really bring out its more unsettling qualities it'd land even better.

But it was that thought that stirred up an iffy thought I had as I watched all the colourful characters and setting that was showcased in the opening and trailers. I know the whole point was to show a visual contrast by having everything be bright and whimsical but...

Part of me just kept thinking throughout this episode, and I suspect will keep me thinking throughout this Volume... why couldn't have all the Ever After creatures have been sentient talking Grimm instead?

Like, we don't know the canon explanation for the Ever After yet, but assuming that anything just goes here... I would have been really interested in the idea that this was a parallel world where benevolent Grimm exist and formed their own chaotic but intelligent societies. It could be an interesting exploration into the nature of Grimm, which by extension includes Salem's nature and how the heroes could not only defeat her dark nature, but perhaps understand and reason with it as well.

I just keep looking at the visual direction they decided to go with this world and can't help but think:

"Damn, Grimm mice would be cool, and a lot more visually distinct and marketable/merchandisable to RWBY fans too. Imagine Ruby making friends with a cute little Grimm? Something she's been trained to kill since forever? How weird but interesting would that be?"

"Damn, this glitchy monster thing would be way cooler as a Grimm, wouldn't it? Imagine it writhing like that and talking, but with the trademark glowing eye trails and miasmic black smoke trailing from its limbs."

"Damn, that Wonderland smoking caterpillar dude in the opening would have looked cool as a Grimm, maybe along the vibes of Koh the Face Stealer from Avatar?"

"Damn, the Cheshire cat as a teleporting Grimm feline would be cool. Its design might be a lot less polarising too since a lot of people think it hurts to look at. Some Grimm like Geists are already pretty formless to begin with."

And at the root of all these what-ifs, it just all comes back to the same question that I think sums up a lot of RWBY's problems:

"Damn, this show would be cooler in all these little ways if it just played into the ideas that made it cool to begin with."

[nightmare-foundation]

So why is Oz being given the excuse of "being 14" when he isn't but RWBY are being demonized despite being only a few years older and having endured massive trauma?

I don't think you're being very even-handed here.

Thing is, I'm not demonizing team RWBY. I 100% see where they're coming from and why they're so upset about being lied to.

And I'm not excusing Oz's actions, it's just not as simple as "Oz lied for no reason about something extremely important"

Thing is, Oz had JUST been betrayed by someone who he genuinely thought was a friend (Leo). He was much more guarded and closed off because of this, reasonably so, and likely took it harder because this isn't the first time he's been betrayed.

And before someone says "He should have told them from the beginning!"- Oz barely knows team RWBY/RNGR/JNPR. For the entirety of the very short time he's known them, he's been their adult teacher and mentor, as well as leader. He's only known them for maybe 2 years at most, and again, at least HALF of that was as their teacher/Headmaster. He likely hadn't interacted much with them during the Beacon Era either, given he was their Headmaster and thus was busy. So technically he's only known them on an 'even' level for maybe a few months by v6, and even then he was a mentor figure.

So, there was absolutely NO reason why Oz would've trusted team RWBY/JNPR with that kind of information. If he couldn't even trust his own friends with that information, why would he trust a bunch of teenagers he hardly knows??

And before anyone says that Oz should've told them because he 'dragged them into it', reminder that it was QROW that told ruby that their contacts thought something was going to happen in Mistral. Qrow was the one who told RNJR the basic rundown of the truth that he knew. And no, Oz admitting Ruby into Beacon early doesn't count because she was going into Beacon anyways.

Also about Oz technically being 14- he no longer has an adult body. His mind might be that of an adult, but he possesses an underdeveloped child (unwillingly). Oscar is his current host, and Oz possesses EVERY part of him, including his brain. Teenagers brains are underdeveloped in certain parts, which results in irrational decisions and emotional immaturity. It's likely why Oz hid himself away after being verbally and physically attacked and cornered.

I personally think Oz wouldn't have run away had Yang and Qrow not attacked him. This was the ONLY time we've so much as seen Oz visibly upset, especially upset enough to cry. His trauma was laid bare in front of him without his permission; it literally showed the death of his children and how he was an alcoholic for lifetimes afterwards.

And, for the record, I DO NOT BLAME RUBY for using Jinn to get answers. I see why she did so, and honestly I would've done the same thing. She had no idea WHAT Jinn was going to tell her, so I can't fault her for asking the question.

However, I do judge Yang and Qrow for how they treated Oz, and by extension, Oscar. Yang was extremely fast to get hostile (I don't blame her entirely for it), and Qrow full on punched a 14 year old boy in the face and never apologized for it (oscar visibly was in a lot of pain when Oz dipped). Yang has always been hostile towards Oz, even getting mad over him giving the branwen twins the ability to turn into birds (willingly on their part). Yang seemed to take the word of Raven with seemingly no issue despite her history (or lack thereof) with Raven when it comes to Oz.

Blake, really the only issue is that she didn't try defending Oz considering Salem and Adam are extremely similar characters.

Weiss only indirectly compared Oz to her dad, which... is still a little yikes, but I don't have an issue with her.

Again, I don't have an issue with Ruby either.

And, saying it again, I see WHY they were hurt by Oz lying/keeping the truth a secret. I'd be pissed too if someone I thought was a friend/mentor lied to me too.

I hope I got my thoughts on the subject across clearly. I highly doubt anyone will read this, let alone agree considering people have such a string hatred for Oz lol. But if you do read it, and at least consider my opinion, I'd be happy anyways even if I'm still disagreed with. 🤷‍♂️

[deadbeatbirdmom]

What do you think of winter

The season? It's more difficult for my tribe. Resources can be harder to come by, especially if merchants don't travel. If there's snow on the ground, my tribe have to be careful to avoid leaving tracks back to the camp. That goes for other seasons too, but it's most obvious in snow.

If you mean the Winter Maiden who seems to have been named for her 'destiny' then I suppose she could be worse. She still has a stick up her ass, but Qrow tells me it used to be much longer.

She's a skilled fighter, I'll give her that much. I could take her if I had to, but I'm aware that Salem would love it if Spring and Winter fought. For the time being I need to work with Winter.

Theoretically we could make short work of Cinder together. The problem is actually spending enough time together to learn how to fight as a team without friendly fire. We're both very busy, and we get on each other's nerves. It's a fact of life that Schnees and Branwens can't get along.

I wonder if she knows I intended to ransom her sister. It might explain why there's some hostility on her side, but it might just be her general disapproval of the Branwen tribe and my leadership of it.

That and/or she doesn't like that I'm taller than her. No, I don't include her heels in her height, and I'd still be a little taller even if I did.

Someone should tell her white is a terrible choice for clothing, and she could do with dyeing her hair too. White shows blood and dirt like nothing else. Not that Summer ever listened to me either when it came to her cloak, and Winter's about as likely to take my advice.

Winter the Winter Maiden...

Why wasn't Summer the Summer Maiden? Was I supposed to change one of my names to fit with being Spring Maiden? That's what Cinder did, and it's pretentious. I wonder if Winter always had that first name...

What does the human behind this sideblog think of Winter?

I think Winter is an interesting character, and I like her a lot. She's a reminder of what Weiss could have turned out like if she'd been forced to turn to the Atlesian military to escape Jacques, but Winter has also come a long way from the blindly loyal perfect weapon Ironwood tried to forge her into, thanks in large part to Penny's friendship, but also to Winter's attachment to Weiss as well.

I have a very bad feeling that Penny's last gift to Winter might end up dooming her. Passing on the Winter Maiden mantle to Winter saved her life when Ironwood was about to kill her, but I fear Winter is living on borrowed time. Maidens in general don't have the best record in terms of life expectancy. Fria was an outlier and shouldn't be counted, she's Maidens Georg.

I guess Raven's been Spring Maiden for a fair few years by now, as she presumably acquired those powers before she hit 30, and she's uhhh 40 something now? How old is Raven? Anyway this question is about Winter, not Raven. Shoo, deadbeat birdmom. Although Raven is likely on borrowed time just like Winter. If they both survive the completion of RWBY I'll be amazed, and relieved.

[strqyr]

as far as how much oz told his followers about his task and what salem has told her followers about her plan, what interests me is that there is this... technicality, there. like what they're claiming is true, but it's, potentially, leaving part of the truth out as well.

qrow says that anyone who collects all four relics has the power to change the world. assuming this is what ozpin told him, it's technically true; bringing the relics together either means that the gods return to remnant once more, or there's another extinction event happening. either way, the world is changed.

salem also speaks of a new world order, with promises that her followers will be the "top dogs" in it. this is at least what mercury, and presumably hazel and cinder (definitely about the new world, not so sure about the "top dogs" part), believe. but, there's also a catch: "in pursuit of a new world, no cost is too great." once upon a time, salem amassed an army against the gods, and when the god of darkness wiped it out with ease, she promised she'd be back with a new army before learning that there was no humanity left.

i'm assuming ozpin didn't tell his followers about what happens if the gods judge against humanity based on how qrow talks about the relics, but with salem i'm undecided; on one hand, she did tell the gods she'd tell everyone of this massacre, but on the other hand, getting people to aid you in a plan that might just end with everyone dead and knowing that's a risk your immortal boss is ready to take might not go that well either—there's a reason ozpin keeps certain things close to his chest, and that's to ensure he has followers to aid him.

there is one other source for learning about that little tidbit of information: the fairy tale. in it, the judgement of humanity is present, and if anyone is aware of the story and has been let on the little secret that some fairy tales do hold nuggets of truth in them while also knowing that the four gifts embodied by the relics were gifted by the gods to humanity, it's. it's not a huge leap of logic to make that there's a connection there.

and that probably helps to explain why characters like tyrian and raven have a different view of things. tyrian, well, he's all about mayhem, and if he knows that salem is willing to risk everything to have a world without gods, him coming to the conclusion that salem is the destruction incarnate and that is exactly her goal isn't too far-fetched. similarly, raven thinks salem won't rest until humanity crumbles beneath her feet <- exactly what happened on the first go-around, so if she knows about that... yeah, not sure what exactly would be so different this time around that the gods, at the first sight of defiance, wouldn't wipe remnant off the map completely.

it's the "change the world" / "a new world" angle leaving a lot of room for interpretation. like... hazel thinks the new world won't be having kingdoms—that's a lot of people there ya know—or huntsmen academies, and like. that's. not too far from just destroying it all. sure there are smaller towns and villages, but those come and go already as is thanks to the grimm, and the kingdoms are a safe haven for those who do not want to deal with that.

and like. vacuo is already having to deal with destruction of two kingdoms and their refugees and it's causing so many problems to them, with grimm attacks being a constant issue, now imagine the situation where all four kingdoms are gone? the negativity would be off the charts.