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jadekitty777 · 4 years

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One Last Mission

It’s here! It’s here!! Welcome to my only entry for STRQ week! Did I have plans to do more? Maybe. Did I have the time or motivation? Not at all. But uh, this one is a bit of a monster of a story so, hopefully, it’ll make up for my lack of participation.

Day 2: Team Mom @strqweekblastoff

Rating: T

Words: 10k

Summary: All her life, Ruby wondered what had become of her mother on that last, fateful mission that took her away. The wrong question to Jinn might just provide the answer she’s sought for so long.

But knowledge always comes with a cost, and this time, the price is too high to pay.

Ao3 Link: One Last Mission

The end of the world was held in five simple words:

“What knowledge do you seek?”

Panic filled her headspace as Ruby struggled to break the grip of the Grimm arms holding her, pleading with all she had, “Jinn, don’t answer her!”

As the ethereal being spied her over Salem’s head, she could almost pretend the look on her blue face was sympathetic. “I told you the next time I was summoned, I would be answering a question. I never said it would be yours.”

“But-!”

Any further protest she may have had was cut short, as with a wave of Salem’s hand, Ruby suddenly found herself pitching face first into the ground. Her aura, already flagging, crackled across her face, and she felt the sting of the blow, the dizziness in her brain. She heard her name get yelled by more than one voice – blending together in a garbled cry that she couldn’t begin to decipher. Had that been her uncle’s raspy shout? Weiss’ piercing wail? Jaune’s weakened whimper? She couldn’t even begin to tell.

The first thing she could did understand as the ringing in her head dimmed was Salem’s commanding tenor, “-Trust that none of the rest of you will think to interrupt me.” Then, to the genie, “I apologize for their manners Jinn. There will be no further outbursts. Now, you have one question left.”

“That is correct.”

“A pity, that, but I can work with it.” A deep breath, then, “I wish to know: where is the Relic of Choice hiding?”

The shakiness in Ruby’s vision cleared just in time for her to see the way the thick blue smoke filled the room, clouding everyone else out of view until there was nothing but herself and the vision before her. The familiar sight of Ozpin’s circular office greeted her, nearly the same right down to the cogs turning from above with the nostalgia of easier times. The only thing out of place to her own memory was the desk, crafted out of wood rather than the metalwork and glass she knew.

Behind it, a much younger Ozpin took shape as more smoke willed him into existence.

“It all started with a plan.” Jinn’s omnipresent voice filtered in from what seemed to be everywhere.

Ruby heard footsteps approaching from behind, spotting how the last wisps faded into a stark white cloak as the person stopped beside her. Already knowing who she’d see, it took all of her strength to look up.

There Summer Rose, her mother, stood. Decked head to toe in combat gear and more serious than she ought to be, her voice held little of the warmth Ruby recalled. There was only firm resignation as she spoke, “You know this is our best chance, Oz. My semblance is the only alternative we have. You have to trust me.”

“I do.” Her former headmaster heaved a deep sigh, laying his arms across his desk. “But I can’t ask this of you.”

“Then it’s a good thing you’re not.” Was her mother’s clipped reply.

He shook his head. “We don’t even know if this intel is fresh. It could very well be years before she enacts it. Or it might even be a red herring. A way to get the relic out in the open.”

“And if it’s legitimate? We can’t take those chances. And we certainly can’t hope for ten years when we might not even have tomorrow.” She waved her arms outwards, her cloak billowing around her with the impressive gesture. “If an attack is coming, the relic cannot be here. You know as well as I do that if she gets Choice, this is all over.”

“Summer, please. Consider what’s at stake. Not for the world, but for yourself.”

Her mother took several steps forward, until she was right in front of the desk. “I have. That’s why I have to do this. I refuse to let my children grow up in a war and I especially refuse to lose another family.” She reached out, placing a hand on his forearm. “So please Oz, let me do my part.”

Though his eyes were hidden behind the glare of his glasses, Ruby could clearly see the grimace across the old wizard’s face. “Very well. I’ll summon Olivia.”

“Thank you Oz.” Summer said, her body bowing a bit with relief. “Thank you.”

They dissolved away into smoke as Jinn’s voice flooded in once more. “And so, with a final goodbye to her loved ones…”

Ruby sucked in a sharp breath as she found herself in her own home, surrounded by furniture she barely recognized and family pictures on the wall that had long been changed out in her youth when the pain became too much for dad.

It hurt, watching him embrace her now, not even a pinch of worry to his face. “Now don’t you worry. I can handle things until you get back.”

“I won’t.” Her mom replied as she pulled away, reaching down where Yang was clinging to her leg. “Because my big girl is going to make sure daddy stays in line, aren’t you?”

“Hehe! Yeah!”

“Mama!” Ruby’s eyes fell back to the floor, where her smaller self stood, barely three years old and still wobbly on her feet. “I wanna upsies!”

Summer reached down, scooping her up into her other arm, cradling them both against her. “Mommy’s gonna be back soon, she’s just got to save the world first, okay?” She kissed the tops of their heads in turn, murmuring, “I love you.”

“…and with false reassurances…”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Her uncle asked as walked her to the port where the ferry to the mainland was waiting.

“No, no. It’s a simple thing, really.” She laughed. “Tai’s going to have more of a handful than me. I can trust you to watch out for them while I’m gone, can’t I?”

Qrow sniggered as she looked up at him beseechingly. “Alright, alright, no need for the puppy eyes.” He wrapped an arm over her shoulders. “I’ll hold the fort until you get back.”

“I know you will. I’ll be back before you know it, promise.”

“…The brave huntress set off on a journey that even Oz knew not her path.” The next scene was brief but haunting, seeing her mother standing at the aft of the ship, watching Patch disappear on the horizon as silent tears tracked down her face.

“Her travels led her far from home and not without strife. Alone, she faced the monstrosities of the world drawn by the hidden relic she was transporting. Worried of the weight she carried, she rested little and moved often, always straying from towns whenever possible. Yet, it was neither her exhaustion nor the Grimm who would begin her end.”

“Hey there sweetheart.” A tavern blinked into view, a man who looked more like a grizzly bear leering down at her mom. “Those are some beautiful eyes you got there.”

“It would be man.”

The tavern morphed into a grassy field, her mother standing still as she faced the same grizzly man. Beside him, another person appeared next to him. Then another beside them. One by one, the shady characters materialized, until they formed a tight ring around her.

Summer looked left. Then right. Then back at the first man. “Beautiful eyes, huh?”

He grinned wickedly. “Nothing personal doll. They’re just worth yer weight in lien.”

“If only it were your weight in lien, then it might be worth the beating I’m about to give you.” She replied as she reached for the weapon at her hip.

All at once, the mob attacked. Ruby could hardly keep up as she watched her mother weave in and out of strikes from her opponents, her return blows equally devastating but with a tinge of desperation to every movement as she used every opening given to her. But for every person she managed to bring down, two more stood in their place.

“She fought valiantly and on a better day, she may have even of been victorious. But fighting is not always about who is stronger.” The chilling sound of her mother’s scream sent shivers down Ruby’s back. “Sometimes, it’s simply about who is lucky.”

She watched the ringleader deliver a swift palm strike that caused her mother to go flying across the field. Energy crackled furiously across her body as she struggled to get back to her feet, more uncoordinated than a newborn deer, and though Ruby knew it had to be a semblance of some kind, she couldn’t say what had actually just been done.

“Alright,” The leader panted, waving to the few still standing. “Clock’s running. Gouge her – carefully. Our collector isn’t going to want damaged goods.”

Summer scrambled for her weapon, panic clear on her face as the bounty hunters approached her.

Even as her stomach twisted with sick, Ruby couldn’t look away.

“And sometimes…”

Jinn’s voice was nearly overtaken by the windy howl that cut through the field, clouds of black and red appearing in the sky before a figure dropped from the heart of the storm, bringing down a rain of fire and fury as she landed between Summer and her opponents.

“…It’s about who will aid you in your greatest time of need.”

Ruby had to wonder what her sister was thinking right now. Her own mind seemed to buzz uselessly, unable to comprehend the woman now there. Unable to believe the way Raven rose from her crouch, stepping forward across the scorched grass with a look of ferocity that was a direct mirror to Yang whenever she most wanted to protect someone.

“Branwen.” The man spat the name like a curse.

“Griff. You and your little ragtag team are awfully south this autumn.” Despite her expression, her voice was calm. In control. “Would you care to tell me what your ugly mug is doing in Branwen territory?”

He scoffed, though his eyes strayed warily as her hand rose to her sword. “Just leaving, actually.”

“But boss we can take her and get the-!” One of his lackeys started to protest.

One that was cut off by a solid smack to the back of his head. “Shut yer trap! Only someone who doesn’t value their life would say something that dumb.”

A screech in the distance punctuated that statement, far enough away that there was time, but too close to ignore.

Grimm.

Griff gave the horizon a disdainful look, before snapping his fingers and waving his recovering team into action. “Alright ya lowlifes, lick yer wounds and get along already.” As they started to pick themselves up and retreat, some of them having to help their limping fellows, he gave the bandit one final look. “Enjoy being at the top while you and your lot can, Branwen. It won’t last forever.”

Raven only smiled patronizingly. “We’ll see.” Once they had all disappeared, she shifted her head to the side, asking, “What’d they do, steal your wallet?”

“Hah, funny.” Summer grumbled, only to hiss in pain as another crackle of energy sparked along her frame.

Raven turned, the bravado she carried falling away as quickly as she fell to her knees. “What are you doing here? Didn’t Qrow give you my warning?”

“Actually, what he told me was a mysterious informant tipped him off about there being a suddenly high demand for silver eyes on the black market.” She replied cheekily. Her face smoothed into something softer as the other woman grasped her hand, staring intently down at her palm. From her angle, Ruby couldn’t figure out what was there. “It’s nice to know you care though.”

Raven blinked, before scoffing, “Don’t read too much into it.”

“I also won’t read into your unusually well-timed entrance.”

Despite everything, Ruby couldn’t help but crack a smile. She never knew her mother’s sense of humor was so sarcastically sassy.

The mirth didn’t last long, as another ear-splitting screech drew their attention southward again. Raven frowned, standing and helping Summer to her feet. “Come on. I’ll get you somewhere safe and then I better tail after Griff.”

“Well… getting away might be the hard part. What with this trinket and all.” Summer murmured and from the folds of her cloak, produced the hidden relic.

Raven’s eyes nearly fell out of her head, her voice three octaves higher, “What is that doing here?!”

“We’ve got a lot to talk about.”

“And so,” Jinn spoke up as the scene shifted from a field to a forest, where her mother sat on a log while Raven paced to and fro restlessly. “With her options limited, Summer informed Raven of the secret plan she and Ozpin had agreed upon to remove the relic from its original housing and relocate it in hopes that their enemy could not so easily discover it.”

“How reckless can you get?! Doing this alone? I can’t believe-” Whatever Raven couldn’t believe was cut off by her own frustrated growl.

Her mother averted her gaze to the foliage between her feet. “We couldn’t risk it. The more people who know, the more chances this’ll fail. And I didn’t want Salem to be able to follow any obvious leads.”

She paused in her pacing, turning to her. “So why tell me?”

“Because I have a feeling this is bad news.”

This time, when Summer showed her hand, Ruby got a good look at what had Raven so preoccupied before. Right in the center of her palm was a stain of red glowing numbers. 170:24:32. As she stared at it, she noticed the last number shifting from 32 to 31. Then 30. Then 29.

Ruby felt her throat close up with sudden clarity just as Raven spoke up, “It is. Griff’s semblance is a death counter, but it has a trade-off. He gives away a portion of his lifeline to put a time limit on someone else’s. He’s always been a high-risk, high-reward kind of guy – but even he doesn’t tend to use that trick unless his target’s being particularly difficult.”

“Heh, well that’s a compliment.”

“Summer! This is serious!” She’d started pacing again, a franticness about her as she carried on, “I don’t even know if there’s a way to undo it. No one he’s ever used it on has ever come out of it alive, that’s for sure!” She reached up, gripping her sword tightly. “That’s why I need to go track him down, beat him into turning it off if I have to.”

“And if he can’t?”

“Then I’ll slit his throat.”

The declaration was said with such certainty it made Ruby’s stomach drop, but her mother continued on, nonplussed. “Raven you can’t just murder all your problems away.”

The look she shot her screamed ‘Wanna bet?’

“There’s also no guarantee that’ll work. It might just keep going or, worse than that, go all the way down to zero.”

“Yeah but-”

“But none of it matters.” Summer spoke over her – but what she said next left the world in silence. “Because I never planned to come back after this mission was complete.”

It felt like the ground below her was forever tipping, leaving Ruby permanently unbalanced as she took in those fatal words. Even knowing Jinn couldn’t do so in what she presented, she so desperately wished this was all a lie. Because this couldn’t be real, right? Her mother wouldn’t abandon her family; not like…

Raven’s gaze had darkened considerably. “What are you saying?”

“I thought about it the entire time. I knew when I locked the relic away, I was the biggest liability in all this. If Salem figured out it was me, it wouldn’t take much to get me to talk.” She laughed, but it sounded hollow. “As you’ve always told me Rae, my heart’s a little too big. I’d crack the minute she even so much as side-eyed Yang or Ruby. And if I went home, I’d lead her right to them.” She trailed off, looking down at her hand. “But now with this and you, it solves everything. My connection to this will be gone and you’ll be the key. It’s per-”

Face twisted with rage, Raven crossed the clearing in seconds, gripping Summer by her cloak and yanking her up until her feet didn’t even touch the floor. “DO YOU EVEN HEAR YOURSELF RIGHT NOW?!” She shook her vigorously. “You’ve lost your damned mind! You’re asking to die Summer!”

“I’m not afraid of that.” Despite hanging in the air, her mother never seemed more steady as she met the other woman’s gaze. “The only thing I fear is failing the people I love. If I have to give my life to make sure theirs aren’t miserable, then so be it.”

“Mom!” The cry left Ruby almost involuntarily, forgetting for a moment she was only a vision.

“You, stupid-!” Raven tossed her down to the dirt. It was hard to tell what emotion she was shaking with, most of her face hidden behind her dark hair and only the grit of her teeth visible. But when she looked up, the sheen in her eyes was obvious. “Do you really think so little of yourself Summer that those who love you won’t miss you when you’re gone?”

Summer stared back, before she lowered her head. “Of course not. You know, it’s funny almost. I thought there was nothing I wanted more than to live my life out as a huntress; but when I became a mom, I found another happiness I wanted to keep just as much. If I could have it both ways, I would take it in a heartbeat.” She rose to her feet, their gazes meeting. “So yes, it tears me up inside, knowing how much our family’s going to hurt when they realize I’m not coming back. It’s really awful of me to put them through that.”

“Then don’t! We’ll figure something else out, okay? So you can stop all this nonsense talk about-”

“But,” She interrupted, clasping a hand around Raven’s arm, “This is about more than just me and what I want. Everything and everyone is at stake. People I vowed to protect to the end.”

Raven jerked back some, shaking her head. “What do they matter? It’s not like they’ll ever even know.”

“It’s not about the recognition, it’s about doing what’s right.” She sighed, looking down at her hand where the clock was still ticking. “Look, I know you think I’m just throwing away my life – but it’s never been about living long, Raven. It’s about making it count.” She curled her hand, tucking it against her heart. “My story might be ending here, but I never lived it meaninglessly. If this is the last thing I’ll be able to do for everyone, then I’m happy.”

It was strange. Ruby had always known her mother had given her life for the people. Growing up, she’d even idolized it. Wanted to be just like her and all the other heroes of fiction her sister used to say were just like mom. Knew without doubt, that if their positions had been switched, she might even be saying these same exact words.

So why did she so desperately want Raven to change her mother’s mind, right here and now?

Instead, she sighed, the look of acceptance breaking Ruby’s heart. “You’re really not going to change your mind, are you Sums?”

“Afraid not!” She replied, oddly chipper. “So what do you say? One last mission together?”

“Tch.” Raven looked thoughtfully towards the trees, eyebrows drawing down. “…Fine. On one condition.”

“Name it.”

Like the words were a cue, the bandit made good on her name as she suddenly darted forward and faster than Ruby could catch, Raven unclipped the relic from Summer’s belt and leapt backwards. “We’re doing things my way first!”

“Huh-!? Raven!” Summer cried, trying to chase after her – but it was futile for the other woman had already tossed the relic into air, shifting after it. The raven cawed as it flew over the treetops, her mother giving chase as everything fell away into smoke.

“It was a desperate hope that had Raven calling upon my sister that day.” Jinn orated, the new scene revealing itself like a theater curtain being dropped. The forest slanted upwards, the trees leaning forward with the weight of gravity. On a large boulder that jutted out from the hill’s peak stood Raven. As she peered down from her perch, so did Ruby.

At the base of the hill, her mother stood. She was completely out of breath, one hand pressed against her chest while she braced the other on the trunk of a tree. Still, her gaze did not waver from Raven’s own. “So? What are you going to do now? Force me to cooperate with you?”

Only Ruby heard the snort and scathing grumble, “Don’t think even a relic’s strong enough for that.” She placed the crown atop her head, saying louder, “You can go hermit yourself into whatever corner of this pitiful world you want. But I’ll be damned if I let you just kill yourself.” She tapped the blue jewel in the crest of the diadem. “You in there, choice… creature?”

“You need to say her name.” Summer instructed, seemingly having accepted her fate as she sat down on the ground.

A pause, then Raven said with tentative uncertainty, “Moirai?”

The reaction was instantaneous. The gemstone on the crown suddenly glowing so bright Ruby had to shut her eyes or fear she might go blind. A soft, shifting noise filled her ears, barely perceptible yet definitely there, like the sound of a running hourglass that she could only hear if she held it close. Once the light in her eyelids was gone, she dared a peek, looking around for the ethereal being.

It took her a moment to spot Moirai, lounging atop Raven’s head. Where Jinn was larger than life, she was but a small speck of a thing, barely larger than a blue jay – the same shade as one too. Her face was obscured by a hood that covered most of her face. Upon her back rested a wooden wheel that seemed to of come from a seamstresses’ antique workshop.

The fae rested her hands underneath her chin and in a voice as tiny as she was, asked, “Oh it’s been so long since I’ve been out to play! Whose fate do you wish to change?”

Despite her obvious surprise, Raven didn’t hesitate. “I need you to have Griff release his semblance on Summer.”

Ruby’s heart jumped with hope.

“I’m afraid this is something I cannot do.”

Those words broke it a second time.

Raven’s fingers curled into fists, demanding hotly, “What? Why not?”

“I am only able to complete requests within human possibility.” Moirai explained. “The one you call Griffith Grayson harnesses a semblance of which there is no reverse. The trading of his lifeline to bring death to another is permanent.”

“What if I told you to make Griff stop breathing?”

The wheel on the fae’s back turned once. “It is something I can do, but it will not bring the result you desire.”

Raven’s eyes darted about as she thought. “Then… make it so Summer doesn’t die when the timer runs out!”

“This is something I cannot do.”

“No. Nonono.” She shook her head, pacing along the rock.

Moirai hummed. “Is there perhaps another’s fate you wish for I to change?”

“I… I need to think.” Raven muttered.

The fae began to fade away into luminescent glitter. “When you wish upon my services, speak my name once more.”

“There has to be something…!”

“Though Raven would try again and again to find a way around this cruel and deadly fate,” The blue fog drifted across the forest, revealing evening had fallen. Raven had settled down on the rock, hunched over. Her hand was pressed against her forehead, mumbling frantically to herself. “Even with eternity, she would not have found the answer to Summer’s plight. For there was none. And eventually there was no choice left-”

A hand appeared in a cloud of smoke, held out to Raven in clear askance. As she looked up at it, the rest of Summer appeared, looking down at her with a solemn smile. “Come on. We need to go.”

Defeat slumped her shoulders and Raven took her hand.

“-But for her to accept it.” The forest was gone in a blink. “With their time limit clear and their destination just barely within reach, they made their way across Anima together.” Ruby lifted her head as the sky formed above her, watching a raven coast through the clouds. “Alone, the distance would have been impossible for Summer to manage on foot. However, Raven’s transformation, gifted to her from Ozma, and her own kindred linking semblance cleared the many miles they needed to traverse.” Rock shot up around her, forming a great cavern. A few feet away, her mother stood, brave and tall as a dozen Grimm all leapt at her at once “All the while, Summer’s own ability kept their way clear and safe.”

A familiar, bright light filled the area and everything disappeared.

“It was on Summer’s final hour that they finally reached their journey’s end.”

Though aged with time, the land that spread before her was one Ruby was shocked to realize she recognized. The stone path had weathered and cracked, vegetation growing over most of the brick and the stairs that had once been so immaculately placed in the face of the rock of the canyon now lay broken and uneven. Yet still, the yellow flowers were still the same, spreading out like a golden blanket across the land and the snow-capped mountains in the distance had the same, unmistakable jagged peaks.

This was the God of Light’s former domain.

A scraping noise drew her attention to the left, seeing her mom huddled on the bottom step. She was trying to draw her hood more tightly around herself. Her face, having lost almost all color, nearly matched the white fabric and her eyes seemed unfocused and dim. Yet, a cawing from above drew her gaze skyward before she struggled to her feet, having to support herself against the rock just to get up.

The minute she let go, she began to fall.

The raven dove and in a flurry of feathers, reformed into human as Raven caught her just in time. “What about stay put don’t you get?”

Despite her failing health, Summer laughed. “Sorry, sorry. Spot anyone?”

“Not a soul.” Raven took on more of her weight, slinging one of her arms over her shoulders. “You were right, no Grimm for miles either. I can’t believe a place like this exists.”

“I wanted to bring Ruby here, one day. This place was always so safe and pure. Without silver eyes, it’s impossible to bypass the Grimm that surround the borders here. But my people would travel here every year to pray to the God of Light and bath our newborns in the fountain. Before, well-” She breathed deeply. “We should get moving.”

Raven snuck a glance at the pale hand laying limp against her collar, expression hardening, “Right.”

The inside of the canyon had seen the most change. The tree was completely gone and the once grandiose lake of a fountain had become nothing more than a mere piece of decorative stone in the center of the area, no larger than the one that had once stood in Beacon’s courtyard. The two were now sitting on the basin’s edge. Raven’s eyes were drawn down to the water, seemingly mesmerized by the random spots of golden light that bloomed across its surface. Her gaze drifted to Summer’s reflection, watching as she pulled out the relic and dropped it into the fountain.

The single ripple that disturbed the surface echoed across Raven’s face, leaving sorrow to settle. “Summer…”

“I’m sorry.”

The apology was so unexpected, both Ruby and Raven looked at her simultaneously – though only Raven could follow with, “For?”

“I had thought,” Her mother’s sentence was broken by a sigh, “Of all the people I knew who would miss me, I wasn’t sure you were still one of them.”

“Oh… I suppose I earned that.”

She shook her head, discreetly rubbing away a tear budding at the corner of her eyes. “I’m sure it feels like I’m just trying to get back at you in the cruelest way possible. I’m sorry for putting you through this. But it’s been nice, really. I’ve missed being around my best friend.”

Before she could say more, a hand was offered to her. She looked to it, then the woman offering it.

“Didn’t I always tell you to save the sentimental speeches for after the mission?” That telltale sheen was back in her eyes.

Summer chuckled wetly, reaching out to clasp Raven’s hand in her own. “I guess I can listen to you just this once.”

When Ruby had first learned what semblances were, she remembered how she had pestered her father all day about every single one he’d ever encountered. Though, he never told her the name of the person it belonged to. It was rude, he had explained, like telling other people’s secrets without their permission. So, Ruby didn’t pry too hard – except for the one she wanted to know the most.

Watching it now, she could hear her dad’s long ago words playing back in her mind.

“Your mom’s semblance was like nothing I’d ever even heard of before. She called it Aura Lock, and that’s basically what it was. She could take a piece of her aura or someone else’s and turn it into a key that she used to lock something else up – and only the person whose aura was used to lock it could unlock it again, even if it was months later. In fact, from what we tested, it didn’t seem to have a time limit at all. As long as whoever was the key was still alive, whatever was locked up would stay that way.”

Red flowed down Raven’s arm, collecting around where their hands were joined. As Summer pulled her hand away, she tugged the aura up with her until, like a rubber band stretched too thin, it snapped away from its original owner. The glowing energy condensed together, taking the shape of a skeleton key, the bow of it designed like Raven’s emblem.

Her father’s narration continued.

“When she first told us, I thought: No way was that useful. But your mom was always creative and smart. She could lock up weapons’ gears so they couldn’t transform. Or stop guns from firing. Or dust canisters from ejecting. One time, she even locked up a beowolf’s jaw so it couldn’t bite. But even when she wasn’t using it on the battlefield, she found other uses. We made a habit of locking away our supplies in tree trunk hollows during long missions or in inn closets when we were in less trustworthy towns.”

As she watched her mom lower the key to the water, the glow of aura spreading delicately along it’s smooth surface and climbing up to overflow along the sides of the rim, the last of her dad’s words faded to memory.

“It’s part of what made her a great leader and an even greater person. She always knew just what to protect.”

The aura dissipated, making the fountain appear no different then before. Summer reached for the water once more, fingers gliding unnaturally along the water as if it had become as solid as ice, crackles of red light following her touch. A perfect, impassable barrier.

In the reflection of the water, Ruby could see the clock as it ticked down into the final ten minutes.

Summer drew back. “Okay. It’s done.” Then, as if gravity had become twice as strong, she drew back further.

Raven caught her before she could topple onto the concrete.

Jinn’s voice, almost forgotten, made Ruby startle as it boomed all around her like a knell. “With her mission complete, Summer passed on the last of her duty to Raven.”

The scene vanished to white only to partially reform with nothing more than the fountain and the two women, no longer sitting on it, but on the ground before it. Raven’s back was braced against it, looking down at Summer whose head was resting in her lap. The sight tore at Ruby’s soul.

“And said goodbye.”

“You know.” Raven murmured. “There’s still time. I could bring you back.”

“And let this be the last they remember of me?” Her mother’s words were coming out stilted and slow, like she couldn’t quite find the energy to speak. “No. I can’t do that to them.”

“But…”

“It’s okay. Really. I want their last memory of me to be something good to hold onto.” A pause. “You remember what I told you, right?”

She nodded. “I do.”

“Tell it to me.” She urged softly.

“Summer-”

“Please. One more time.”

Raven exhaled heavily, reciting out, “Salem is going to locate a vessel to take in the powers of the four maidens. When she does, the fall maiden will fall and Beacon will be next. When Choice is discovered missing, she’ll turn to Haven for Knowledge. I need to make the spring maiden go missing before this. No matter what.”

Summer hummed in agreement. “If all else fails?”

“Get Knowledge out and keep it from Salem’s hands.”

“Good.” She breathed, eyes falling shut. “You’ll make the right calls, I know it.”

Raven’s laugh was more of a sob. “I don’t know how to do that without you.”

“Sure you do. You did it today. You’ll do it again.”

Ruby felt tears slip down her own face just as they did on Raven’s. The woman bowed her head, praying for an answer, “Why do you have so much faith in me, huh?”

Summer smiled, a bit of that sassiness still shining through. “Can’t say I was wrong, seeing as you’re the one here now.”

“You’re insufferable!” She cried.

“I love you too Rae.” Her head lolled, coming to rest against the other’s stomach. “Hey uh I’m… really tired.”

“Rest, then.” Raven reached out, taking her hand in hers. “I’m right here.”

“Thank you…”

As the two disappeared into smoke, Ruby doubled over, feeling the weight on her chest that had always been present since the loss of her mother become inexplicably heavy.

The last words of Raven’s words trickled in with a breaking whisper:

“Summer? …Summer.”

It all was lost to the static in her own mind, the weight growing and growing until all she could do was scream.

Ruby never saw Salem’s domain reappear into existence as silver light flooded forth from her eyes.

Then there was nothing but darkness.

Consciousness came back slow to Ruby, spurred on by a high-pitched whistle. Everything came back at a snail’s pace, with the aching of her body and in her head being the most prominent details. The rest of it followed. The warmth and crackle of a nearby fire. The fading scent of Weiss’ expensive perfume clinging to the blanket she was wrapped in. The sound of talk, becoming clearer by the second, around her.

Her sister’s voice was closest and came back in first. “-Think she’ll ever come?”

“Are you going to be okay if she does?” Weiss, somewhere to her left.

“I… don’t know.”

“No matter what happens, we’re here for you.” That was Blake this time, further away. “All of you.”

Ruby blinked away the blurriness in her eyes as she opened them, asking groggily, “For what?”

That turned all attention onto her immediately. Yang, sitting right beside her, exclaimed, “Ruby!”

The noise went straight to her headache. “Too loud.”

“Sorry! Sorry…” She placed a hand on her arm, the cool metal wracking free a shiver. “How are you feeling?”

Ruby took a moment to take stock of herself. It felt like all her nerves were on fire, leaving her skin aching. “Everything hurts.”

It was a strangely familiar feeling. She’d felt it only once before.

…Right after the attack on Beacon.

The memories flooded back all at once and she jerked upwards, ignoring the protest in her muscles. “Wait, what happened?! Where-” She took in the walls of the refinery office around her, the sight quelling some of her panic but only increasing her confusion. “We’re back at the base? How did we – where’s Salem?”

“It’s okay Ruby.” From the other side of her, Weiss’ calm tone cut through her fearful fog. “We got out, thanks to you.”

“Me?”

Yang’s hand was on her back now. “Yeah! You blasted Salem good sis.”

“I did?” She knew her eyes had activated, but to think it had had an effect… “Where is she now?”

“Retreated, for now. It’s giving Mantle and Atlas a chance for a breather.” Blake was the one to offer from the opposite side of the fire. Held in her hand was the culprit of what had awoken her – a tea kettle.

Ruby looked from it to the room once more, giving it a more critical sweep. She spotted Oscar sitting on a crate nearby, seemingly deep in thought as he stared unseeingly at the ground. Talking with Ozpin then. Her uncle was pacing back and forth on the upper level of the refinery, everything about him restless and angry.

No one else was around.

“Where’s Penny? And Jaune? And- everyone?”

“They and the Happy Huntresses are collecting as much hard light dust as they can to surround the crater with.” Yang explained. “With the heat off of us for now, it’s the best chance we’ve got to fortify some of our defenses before Salem strikes again.”

Ruby frowned, realizing everyone else was out working hard while she’d been tying up the rest of their team. She started to get up. “Well then what are we doing? Let’s- ow. Owowow.”

Weiss guided her back down onto the roll out mat. “You need to recover first, you dolt.”

“But-”

“She’s right kiddo.” Her uncle called, leaping down from the catwalk to their level, striding over. Her whining must have caught his attention. “Your aura’s practically at nothing. Take some time to rest, okay?”

She knew even if she tried to disagree, there were at least four other people who would leap up to agree with him, so she just pouted and said, “Fine.” A glint of something in his hand drew her eye. “Uh, Uncle Qrow? What’s with the knife?”

“Tch. Just trying to call my dumbass sister.” He tapped the tip of the blade to the palm of his opposite hand. She realized sickly both it and the blade were covered in blood. “It’s an old calling card of ours.”

Ruby processed that, recalling how Raven had leapt from the sky when her mom was struck down, the timing too perfect to be coincidence. Yang had mentioned something similar when she’d come to her rescue after Neo had knocked her out. “Her semblance tells you when you’re hurt?”

“Yeah, and how much too. So, she definitely knows I’m trying to tell her that I’d like to be graced with her presence.” Qrow replied with a roll of his eyes.

“I mean,” Yang spoke up, fire burning underneath her tone, “If she doesn’t want to answer, then why bother?”

He frowned at her. “Firecracker, I ain’t gonna tell you how to feel ‘bout all this. I don’t even know how I feel. But, she needs to know she’s in danger.” He strode away, slicing the knife harshly along his hand. “Now if she’d just stop being so damn stubborn-!”

As if to spite him, the world split into black and red before their very eyes, the telltale howl permeating the space.

Noticing how immediately Yang tensed up, Ruby shifted closer to her sister until their arms were pressed against each other’s. She herself tried to put on a brave face as she waited for the woman to emerge.

“Finally.” Qrow grumbled under his breath as he tossed away the knife, before raising his voice enough to be heard over the din, “Come on out Rae. You’re safe.”

Despite the assurance, Raven still walked out of the portal with her hand on her sword, inspecting the room guardedly. Wherever she must have anticipated walking into, a broken-down factory in the poor slums of Mantle was definitely not it, but it did get her to relax minutely. The second sweep of her eyes was completely focused on them, though it was hard to say what she was looking for.

Ruby could feel the shaking of Yang’s hand start up, when Raven lingered on her the longest.

“Miss Branwen. Good to see you.” Ozpin, roused by her presence, greeted jovially.

She only returned the sentiment with a suspicious, “Oz.” Her grasp finally fell away from her weapon though as she turned back to Qrow. “Alright little brother, what do you want?”

“Just had a question.” He replied with a flippant casualness that Ruby recognized in herself when she was purposely trying to irritate her own sister.

“You bothered me for an hour to ask a-”

He spoke over her tirade, “So. When exactly were you going to tell me you knew where the Beacon relic was this whole time?”

Quick as a whip, Raven snapped back, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure.” He drawled. “Just like you also don’t know that the intel you gave me after Amber’s attack came from Summer, right?”

It was devastating watching the speed in which Raven put the pieces together, the mask she wore more heavily than the one on her hip cracking as she did.

She looked from Qrow, to Yang, to Oz. “Where’s Knowledge?”

The room was abruptly stifled with regret and shame, easily seen in her uncle’s slumped shoulders, Blake’s lowered ears, Yang’s grit teeth, Weiss and Oz’s averted gazes.

Ruby, with failure crushing her heart and remorse constricting her tongue, could only stare back when the woman’s questing eyes met hers.

It was all the answer Raven needed. “How much does she know?”

“Enough.” Qrow answered shortly.

“All of it.” Ruby corrected. Then, because it was only fair she knew, added, “We all saw it. Salem asked the question right in front of us.”

Her face went pale. “She’s here?!”

“Withdrawn, at the moment.” Ozpin interjected, his tone heavy as he looked to one of the industrial-sized picture windows that lined the walls. What a picture it was, the masses crowded and huddling together while the skyline beyond them had grown dark as night, scarlet electricity sparking along the darkness erratically to reveal the features of thousands of Grimm that made up the miasma. “But I fear it won’t be long before she and her forces regroup and swoop back in.”

Raven took a few steps forward, her horror mounting. “That’s – No. This doesn’t make sense.”

“Oh, let me guess? More information from Summer you were hiding?” Her uncle’s hands curled into fists. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me any of this Raven!”

“Not telling you was the point! If no one knew where Choice was, then she’d never find it.”

He threw out his arms. “Oh yeah, great plan! How’s it working for you?”

“Why does it even matter right now?” She waved back to the window. “Nothing Summer knew had anything to do with genociding an entire continent!”

Qrow stalked over, getting right in her face. “It matters because we could have made different decisions. We led her right here – but we could have put Knowledge back!”

“Where there were no Huntsman left to protect it? She’d only come back for it!” It was uncanny how similar they looked at that moment, eyes blazing and teeth bared. “It was safer to take it away.”

He scoffed. “Was it? Or were you just trying to protect yourself a little longer? I’m sure Summer would be so proud.”

Ruby opened her mouth, about to protest – but Raven’s rage was quicker, shoving her uncle back. “Oh so that’s how you want to do this, huh? Alright, fine. Why don’t you fucking explain to me what you think you’re doing dragging our kids into this war! Really just spitting on her grave, aren’t ya?”

That seemed to be the final straw that had Yang surging to her feet, voice bellowing over the room. “Seriously?! You’re saying that now?”

“Don’t-”

“No, you don’t! You don’t get to come waltzing in here after twenty years and think you have any say in how I live my life!”

Raven rolled her eyes, “First of all, you’re nineteen. You’re also,” She held up a finger, ticking off more as she listed out, “Untrained. Sloppy. High-tempered. And way in over your damn head!”

“You don’t know that!”

“Bullshit I don’t! You signed a death certificate without reading the fine print! I told you,” She glanced to her brother, “I told all of you, that we were fighting a fight we couldn’t win. But no one bothered to listen to me.”

“Well maybe if you acted like you cared about anyone besides yourself, we would have! But that’s too hard for you, isn’t it mom?” Yang spit the last word like it was a curse.

With how angry her uncle and sister were, Ruby knew they missed the split-second glimpse of Raven’s expression falling to hurt before she schooled it back into something cold once more. But that was enough for her to finally get to her feet, speaking over them all firmly, “That’s enough.”

The reaction was instantaneous, the room falling quiet as everyone turned to her.

“Look, we didn’t ask you to come here to yell at you.” She gave a pointed look to Qrow and Yang, before her gaze landed on Raven. “We wanted to tell you that you’re Salem’s new target. So, you could know you needed to run away.”

The laugh that left Raven was as broken as the one she’d once given her mother. “Kid, I don’t think you understand.” She turned back to the window, staring into death itself. “There’s no where left to run anymore.”

When Ruby was young, the word ‘Raven’ was like a curse in her home. So much so, she started to equate this unseen and unknown woman to an earthquake. The mere mention of her would shake up the household like nothing else, and who it affected most depended on the day. Sometimes it was Yang, who wouldn’t find peace until she broke something. Sometimes it was dad, who would sit on the porch steps for a long time, completely silent. Sometimes it was Uncle Qrow, who would leave the house and not be back until all the bars closed.

Despite the years, it seemed Raven still had that nature about her, if Qrow’s abrupt absence and her sister gearing up to follow had anything to say about it. Her only consolations were that at least her uncle would return sober and Yang would only break some Grimm rather than her toys.

“You’re sure you’ll be alright?”

Ruby was thankful for the teacup she could hide her face in, just so Blake couldn’t detect any of the irritation she was feeling. She didn’t want to seem ungrateful to her friend’s honest concerns.

But she also just… didn’t want to be around anyone right now. A hard task to accomplish, when in an overcrowded safety zone, but she’d make do.

“It’s fine. I’m fine.” She reassured once she’d lowered the cup. “Yang needs you too. I think I’m just going to rest some more.”

Blake frowned. “Are you sure that’s,” She spared a wary glance towards the second level, “…Safe?”

Ruby followed her sightline to the small office where Raven had holed herself into after the argument. Whether it was to hide away from them or the entire situation was hard to say.

Ozpin had gone up to see her awhile ago. The fact he hadn’t been kicked out yet was probably a good sign.

“Blake, you saw it all too. Do you really think she’s nothing but a bad person?” She asked. Blake didn’t know Raven the way she did or Yang did or hell, even how Weiss did. This was the first time she’d truly met her and Ruby felt she could trust her friend’s opinion to not be clouded by emotion like it was for nearly everyone else in the room.

As she’d suspected, her teammate contemplated the question for a long, quiet moment before answering in slow measure, “I think… that even the worst of people can still do good things. What she did for your mother was noble, but it doesn’t mean the bad she’s done doesn’t need to be atoned for.”

“Right…” It wasn’t quite the answer she’d been hoping for, but maybe that was why she needed to hear it.

Blake started to say something more, but a shout from across the room interrupted her, “Blake! You coming or what?”

Her ears flicked and she looked over her shoulder, then back to her questioningly.

Ruby only smiled. “Go on. I’ll get in touch if I need anything, promise.”

“Yeah, alright.” She agreed easily enough, before she hurried across the room where Yang and Weiss were waiting. “Coming!”

The doors shut with a clang and she was alone.

Ruby sighed, flopping over onto the duvet. She stared up at the ceiling, listlessly tracing the metallic rafting while her thoughts swirled together in a chaotic mess. What were they going to do now? While her eyes may have bought them some time, it was fleeting. They had a few more hours, a day at most, before Salem’s forces came for them. They had to be ready, because now with Knowledge’s power safely in her hands, she wouldn’t hold back a second time. The hard light dust Robyn’s crew had managed to pilfer would only hold so long.

How were they possibly going to protect everyone here? It wouldn’t even be comparable to the situation at Argus. With only a little over a dozen of them to face off against the threat, there was no way they could be everywhere at once.

People were definitely going to die.

Ruby’s idle eyes looked back to the office.

Unless…

She sat up, heart jumping with sudden hope. Raven’s semblance was tied to dad. They could evacuate everyone, right now! Between that and Jaune keeping her aura up, they could probably get it done in a few hours. But they had to get started now, before Salem was on the move again.

Determination zinged through her as Ruby rushed for the stairs.

She got about halfway up them before she paused.

But, was that the right call?

With everyone suddenly just gone, it wouldn’t take long for Salem to figure out what they’d done. Even if they had Raven go to Patch with the citizens, once their enemy deduced that Raven was willing to come to their aid… how quickly would she shift their targets to Yang or Qrow? After everything her mother had sacrificed to keep them all safe, was it right of her to so willfully put their lives in the crossfire that way?

Would she have to convince Yang and Qrow to leave as well? Would they even go?

Then, there was Raven herself. She was a wild card that Ruby had yet to understand. Even if she persuaded her to help them, which she was certain she could, would she willingly leave? She thought the answer was obvious but, after all Ruby had learned today, she wasn’t as sure on that as she once was.

She started up the stairs once more, slower than before. She didn’t know, but she was on to something. But even she’d admit she always led more with her heart than her mind. It was easy to stand for what was right; it was knowing the best way to do so that tended to trip her up. She knew if she brought it up to the others though, they’d help to finetune it.

Until they got back though, she could get started with the hard part – the part she was good at.

As Ruby reached the door, she was surprised to find it was open a crack, just enough to hear Ozpin’s voice slipping through.

“-Really quite unexpected, knowing we had another helping hand at Haven. I was wondering why things went so oddly well.”

A scoff. “Spare me. If I was that good at manipulating things, the little heiress wouldn’t have gotten stabbed.” The next part was so low, Ruby almost missed it. “I told Vernal to go easy.”

“Ah yes, plans never do go quite according to one’s machinations, as I’ve well discovered over the centuries. Such is the plight of allowing people to make their own choices, but I think we’d both agree that’s a gift that can’t be forsaken, yes?” After months without him, hearing that familiar mirth and kindness was like meeting an old friend again, leaving Ruby yearning with nostalgia for simpler times, when the world wasn’t at stake and her biggest enemy was her test scores.

As the silence held on, she shook off the memories and reached for the doorknob, deciding now was as good a time as any to interrupt. Light spilled into the dark room, almost touching the crates that Raven and Ozpin were sitting on. They both turned to her, their forms illuminated in the gloomy shadows cast from the gray clouds that clung to Solitas in a permanent storm.

“Hello Miss Rose, is everything alright?” Ozpin greeted her, gentle but guarded.

She wondered if he thought she would blame him for her mother’s choices too. “Yeah. Everyone’s gone off to help with the defenses.” She shifted from foot to foot. “I was hoping I could talk to Raven for a bit? Alone?”

The two shared a look, but when Raven nodded Ozpin got to his feet. “Of course.” As he passed her, she caught a flash of yellow, then Oscar was whispering, “Good luck.” She smiled back at him until the shutting door separated them.

She turned back around and was immediately pinned by that blood-red glare.

“Come to lecture me?” Raven asked sharply.

Ruby took a slow breath. Remember, she’s not as scary as she pretends to be. She squared her shoulders and strode forward. “No. Though you probably should be ready to hear it from Yang and Uncle Qrow again when they get back.”

“Oh, believe me I know.” Her eyes rolled back to the window, frown becoming more pronounced.

Ruby took the spot Ozpin had vacated. “I’m sorry they were so harsh. They’re just angry.”

“Yeah well, can’t say I didn’t expect it. Or that I don’t deserve it.” She sighed. “Figured you’d be the same.”

She sounded so weary.

Ruby tried to hold onto the advice Blake had given her or to mimic the way her family felt or even pull up the misgivings she’d had back at Haven.

Instead, all she could see was the woman her mom believed in, the one she entrusted her last request with.

“It’d be easy to be angry with you. Because you’re here.” Ruby clasped her hands between her knees, murmuring like she was telling a secret, “But it’s mom I’m angry at. Isn’t that awful? She gives her life for the world and I’m mad at her for it.”

She heard the crate creak as Raven shifted, leaning back on her palms. “You kidding? I’ve been mad at her for fifteen years. Always told her that her kindheartedness was going to kill her, one day. I hate that I was right.”

“Do you… hate her?”

“No.” She shook her head, smiling for the first time. “I admire her.”

Ruby blinked. “You do?”

“Always.” When Raven looked at her this time, the heat that had been there every time before had dissipated, leaving something almost kind in its wake. “You know, when I first came to Vale, I was sure I had the whole world figured out. That people were all terrible and only looking out for themselves. So, when I met Summer I remember thinking, ‘no way is this girl for real’.” She chuckled. “I couldn’t fathom someone like her. I thought she had to be naïve, clueless. Lost in some fantasy she’d made up, where people were intrinsically good. It was kind of annoying, really. She’d be the type of person to trust a pickpocket to hold her wallet – which she did once. Took me hours to track the little bastard down and get it back.”

None of what was being said was news to Ruby. Whenever dad or Uncle Qrow spoke of her mom, it was always with that same sort of reverence – until the person she imagined in her head was nothing short of perfect. But while Raven seemed to hold her up to a similar standard, her words sounded borderline exasperated, as if her mom’s antics had been truly exhausting.

It kind of made Ruby wonder if this was the same way Weiss viewed her, even as she brought her coffee after a brutal cram session.

The thought made her smile. “So, what made you change your mind?”

“Honestly, I think she was just so persistent, one day I just gave up.” Raven snorted, idly pulling at the red beads around her neck. This close, Ruby could see they had designs, faded from time, etched on them. One with feathers, one with dragons, and one with roses. “But also because… I started to understand. It wasn’t that she thought everyone was good, but that they all had an equal capability to be good. She’d tell me all the time that just because you make a bad decision one day, it doesn’t mean you can’t make a better one tomorrow.”

Ruby perked up a bit, at that. “Dad used to say that to me a lot, when I was a kid. I didn’t know it came from mom.”

“Oh Gods, it was practically her motto. It was so aggravating! But...” Her fingers curled around the rose beads. “It was also nice. Summer and I may not have seen eye to eye on, well, almost everything really. But no matter what, she always thought the best of me. She made me want to be that person she believed I could be and so, I tried. And, for a time… I found I liked the me I was.”

The omission of what came after that time needed no clarification.

Yet, the fact Raven was saying it at all told Ruby a league of things she once could only guess at.

…She hoped Yang might one day be able to come to those same conclusions. Maybe then, she could finally put her own turmoil to rest.

“I think you should try and like the you that you are now, too.” Ruby told her confidently, pleased with herself when Raven just stared at her in surprise. “And thank you, for telling me all this. It’s always nice to hear about mom.”

She followed her gaze when it drifted back to the sight outside yet again. “Not like I have anything left to lose.”

Whatever small levity they had found died out, as they stared at the overwhelming impossibility before them. Just as Salem’s army did, dread and terror also edged closer, threatening to overtake them.

“We’ll stop her.” Ruby assured.

“No. We won’t.” Raven bowed forward, coal dark hair so like Yang’s tumbling forth until it hid her face. A fire long gone out. “I tried, when we had Choice. I had to of made a thousand different requests. But every time when it came to Salem, the answer was always the same. ‘It can’t be done’.”

She sucked in a sharp breath. That was why, back at Haven, Raven had seemed so certain of what she was saying. She had known the truth well before any of them – and the cruelest twist of fate was, she couldn’t tell them how she’d come across that fact.

“How are we supposed to beat someone beyond even the Gods’ powers?”

That question, the weight of it, felt like it could crush them. Without the solution, there was no relief from the pressure. As Ruby got to her feet, she knew she could only stand against its attempts to hold her down as she said, “I don’t know. But I do know giving up is the wrong call.”

She turned to the other woman, seeing in her desperate, beseeching expression what the years of holding onto her mother’s last hope had done to her.

“I know how hard it must have been for you, holding onto that secret this long. It must have been so lonely. I wouldn’t blame you if you want to stop fighting. No one can ask more of you than you’ve already given. But,” As her mom had all that time ago, she held her hand out to her. “If there’s still something inside of you that wants to keep going, then we’d be happy to have you on one last mission.”

Raven looked from the offer to her. A smile pulled at the edges of her lips even as she shook her head. “Heh. Alright.”

She reached out, clasping their hands together.

“One more time.”

#ruby rose #Summer Rose #raven branwen #rwby #fanfiction #Chase Firekitten's Tale

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bssaz97 · 4 years

Text

Meeting Xing and Citrine Part 2

Part 2 of a collab I’m having with @tanakaclinkbeard, hope you all enjoy this as much as we did. 😊

(Last Time)

Yang: WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR ARM?!!

(Present Time)

Xing pulls his prosthetic hand, a bit surprised. Citrine jump up in fear as well at Yang yelling.

Xing: Huh?

Yang: Your arm! Why do you have a prosthetic? Did something happen? Did someone hurt you? Who did this to you?!

Ruby: Yang, please calm down, you’re scaring them.

Xing: Oh. Uh. I was born without my arm.

Yang: ....oh.

Ruby facepalmed at her sister’s response.

Xing: Sorry. *looks down*

Yang: Oh no, nononono, there’s nothing for you to be sorry about lol guy. I’m sorry, I just got spooked is all.

Ruby: *whispers* Yang!

Citrine: ...But it's cool right?

Yang: Um, yeah! It’s like super cool! Look we even match, see?

Yang shows off her own prosthetic arm.

Citrine giggles a bit.

Citrine: Mama told me Auntie Yang thought that her lost arm was why Xingy didn't have one!

Yang: Wait is it?

Ruby: Yang.

Yang: Sorry. So... Xing, do you wanna come inside?

Xing turns to Citrine who nodded Xing turned back to Yang.

Xing: Okay.

A few minutes pass by since the two children were welcomed into their small home, Yang is seen in the living room with the boy and girl.

Ruby then walks in with a plate of sandwiches in hand.

Ruby: Here we are, I’m sure you two must be very hungry.

Citrine gasp and went to grab a sandwich.

Ruby: I hope you like them, I know I might not know your taste buds, but if you’re like your brother and sister I think you’ll like it.

Citrine looked up a bit confused.

Citrine: Brother and Sister?

Ruby: Oh right! You haven’t met them. *takes a frame from the fireplace* Here they are sweetie, this is Rowan and this is Summer, they’re fraternal twins. Or twins that are not a bit different.

Citrine takes special attention to Summer.

Citrine: She looks like me!

Ruby: That’s right, isn’t she pretty?

Xing: How old are they?

Ruby: Well, they’re a bit older than you two are. They’re both thirteen years old.

Xing looks at them more.

Xing: They look nice.

Ruby: Thank you. Do you have any siblings Xing?

Xing: *shakes head* No ma'am.

Ruby: That’s ok sweetie, I’m sure Citrine loves to spend time with you though.

Citrine gives a cheer and runs up to Xing and gives him a kiss on the cheek, resulting in bits of the sandwich staining his face. He wipes it off and grabs a sandwich for himself.

Xing: Gross Citrine.

Ruby: So cute… 🥺

Citrine: Where Uncle Zwei?

Ruby/Yang: ...Uncle Zwei?

Xing takes out his scroll and shows a pic of himself, Citrine and someone around 17-18 with Silver eyes and similar red and black hair to Ruby's wearing a white cloak smiling into the camera.

Xing: Him. *pointing at the third person in the image*

Ruby: *stares in amazement* Whoa…

Yang: Yeah…

Xing had a basic idea of what’s happening but Citrine still looked confused and repeated her question.

Ruby: Um, he’s a... he’s currently on a mission! Right Yang?

Yang: Yeah! He’s gonna be away from home for a long time.

Xing stares at the sisters clearly not believing them, while Citrine goes back to eating more sandwiches and toning them out.

Xing: ......

Yang: So Xing, what do you two like to do for fun? Any games that you play?

Xing: ...I play soccer. My mom said dad use to play it.

Yang: Your dad? ...I see, well then. You kids wanna play some soccer?

Xing shakes his head and turns to look at Citrine.

Xing: She's a sore loser then it comes to Soccer. It's weird.

Citrine: I'm not a sore loser!

Xing: Sore loser.

Ruby: Awww, that’s ok sweetie. What games do you like to play?

Citrine: ...I like Sonic and Pokemon.

Ruby: *gasp* Me too!

Yang: She’s a sore loser too, just so you know.

Ruby: Am not!

Xing smiles and laughs a bit.

Yang: ...Say, I’m gonna go get something, and I’ll be right back. Ok lil man?

Xing: Kay mom.

Yang makes her way upstairs, after a few minutes pass, Yang comes back holding something behind her back.

Yang: Hey Xing, guess what I got?~

Xing: Hm?

Yang: *shows off a soccer ball* Ta-da!

Xing eyes light up and he jumps up and speed-walks up to Yang. He does yell but it goes above his usual quietness.

Xing: Ball?

Yang: Yeah, ball ⚽️

Xing: Can I hold it?

Yang: You sure can 😁

Xing grabs it and begins to juggle it between his feet.

Yang: Say, nice moves.

Xing: *continuing to juggle the ball and then bounce it on his head* Thank you!

Yang: ....Huh, so this is what motherly pride feels like.

Ruby: Yup, it’s great ain’t it?

Citrine stopped eating her sandwich then walks over to her mommy and began to climb her.

Ruby: *tilts her head down* Hm, where are you going missy?

Citrine: Up to your head!

Ruby: *giggles* You wanna see up high?

Citrine: Yeah!

Xing: She climbs everything.

Yang: Oh so she’s a lot like you were sis when you were her age.

Xing: Uncle Zwei was also like that.

Ruby: Must be a Rose thing I guess. Sweetie, you wanna go really high?

Citrine: Yes Yes!

Ruby: Ok, but you better hold on tight, this may get a bit bumpy, Kay?

Citrine: Okay!

Ruby: Ok, here we go!

She activates petal burst and she uses her semblance to fly around and go outside to fly high above the trees.

Citrine shrieks in joy as they fly around.

Finally Ruby settles back to the ground, deactivating her semblance and returning to her physical form, carrying Citrine in her arms.

Ruby: Did you have fun?

Citrine hugs her tightly.

Citrine: Yeah! So much fun!

Ruby: Glad you did... wanna go again?

Citrine: I wanna tell daddy first!

The smile on Ruby’s face begins to gradually fade and her smile slowly falls. Her... daddy.

Xing stops bouncing the ball when he say the look on his face.

Xing: ... Auntie?

Ruby: Daddy... he uh... he’s not here right now sweetie.

Xing once again catches on faster than Citrine who only looks at her mom in confusion and tears begins to form in his lilac eyes.

Citrine: Is he on a mission with Uncle Zwei?

Ruby: ...Yes, Yes! They left on a mission together, so he’s not going to be here for a while.... I’m sorry sweetie.

Ruby hugs her new daughter tightly, kissing her forehead.

Xing turns away from them and begins to walk off so Citrine couldn't see his face and sat on the floor pulling his knees up to his face as tears started to fall desperately trying to hold them in.

Yang sees him wandering off, deciding to follow after him. Once she finds where he was sitting, she sits down beside her new son, hesitating a few moments before wrapping her prosthetic arm around his shoulders.

Yang: Hey lil man, what’s got ya blue?

Xing: ‘sniff’ He's dead, isn't he?

Yang: ....Yes, he is I’m afraid.

Xing could stop himself from letting a quiet sob as the dam broke and a stream of tears began to fall. He couldn't control himself despite his attempts to stop himself.

Yang brings her other arm to wrap around the boy, rubbing his head and whispers sweet nothings to him.

Yang: Shhh, I know baby I know.

#rwby #ruby rose #yang xiao long #rwbabies #citrine arcrose #xing xiao long #collab #tanakaclinkbeard #rwby lancaster #lancaster

24 notes · View notes

zerolympiustrife · 5 years

Note

Jaune Arc Future Family AU, but with the children bonding with their grandparents/aunts/uncles (such as Taiyang, Winter, Kali, Ghira, Raven, Jaune’s sisters, etc.)

Hoo boy, this is gonna be a long one!

A very, very, VERY, long one.

————————————————————

Anonymous asks: Jaune Arc’s Future Family AU Spin-off series: Extended Family Edition!

Also, for this particular AU, I’m gonna bring Summer Rose and Roman Torchwick back from the dead. Why? Because I brought Pyrrha back from the dead in my previous miniseries for the sake of giving her an Arkos Future Family AU.

————————————————————

~~~>Lancaster

Summer (holding Lily): Does Lily love granny?

Lily (smiling): I love granny!

Summer (hugging her): And granny loves you~!

*Lily giggles*

Tai: Does Lily love grandpa?

Lily (turns to him): I love grandpa!

Tai (hugging her): And I love you too, Lily.

Qrow: Does Lily love grandpa’s half bro?

Lily (running up to him): I love mommy’s uncle Qrow! *Hugs his leg*

*Qrow chuckles, pats Lily on the head, and Jaune, Yang, and Ruby are watching this scene from a distance*

Yang: Y’know, vomit boy, I’ve had my doubts about you at first, but I’ve never been more happier to be proven wrong. Welcome to the family! *Grabs Jaune and ruffles his hair*

Jaune (struggling): Agh! Yang! Don’t call me that!

Yang (lets go of him): You’re right. I’m sorry, vomit man. *Snickers*

*Jaune glares at her, but Ruby grabs his arm, pulls him towards her and peck him on the cheek*

Ruby (blushing): I love you, my knight.

Jaune (blushing): And I love you, my rose.

Summer: Is there anything else you love, Lily?

Lily (loud and proud): I love cookies and milk! I love red roses and fancy weapons! I love mommy and daddy and my awesome auntie Yang!

*Yang, hearing this, smiles and blushes*

Lily (smiling): I love grandma and grandpa and my mommy’s uncle Qrow! I love my whole family!

Tai (chuckling): What about grandma Raven?

Lily (still smiling): Nope!

*Ruby’s eyes widened, Jaune spits out his drink, and Yang covers her mouth to muffle her laughter*

Summer (shocked): W-What do you not like about grandma Raven?

Lily (pouting): She never shows up for any family events! Last week, she promised me that she’d be here, but she never came! I hate her!

*Tai and Qrow’s eyes widened*

Ruby (walking over to her): Hey, hey, hey! Maybe the reason why she isn’t here is because she’s super busy right now. But I’ll tell you what: Next time I see her, I’ll make her keep her promise to hang out with you one day. I’ll even go as far to have me and daddy drag her over here. And I won’t take no for an answer.

Lily (hugging her): You will? Thank you, mommy! Can I have a cookie?

Ruby (carrying her): You’re welcome and of course you can! Actually…I think it’d be better if you tried granny’s cookies. They’re out of this world!

Lily (gasping): G-Granny?

Summer (giggling): Of course, sweetie.

Lily (smiling): Yay! I love you, granny!

*Everyone laughs, but little does everybody know, Raven is hiding behind a door, contemplating on her granddaughter hating her*

Raven (frowning): …Hearing that hurts me more than anything. N-Not that I care or anything… *Starts to shed a tear*

————————————————————

~~~>White Knight

Frost (yelling): Uncle Whitley! Aunt Winter! Butler Klein!

*The two Schnee siblings and Klein stand at attention*

Whitley/Winter/Klein: Yes, my niece/lady Frost?

*Frost walks over to Whitley*

Frost: Uncle Whitley, I’ve heard you were attempting to pull a hurtful prank upon mother. Is that true?

Whitley: N-No.

Frost (angrily): Oh, is that so? Because I heard from my servants that you placed a cold, hard, steel bucket over an open door that would’ve given mother a concussion!

Whitley (internally): …Oops.

Frost (glaring at him): Is this how you repay her after she and father saved your life from a group of bandits the other day?!?

*Winter and Klein’s eyes widened, gasp, and turn to Whitley with a glare*

Klein (eyes turn red): Whitley! Is this true?!?

Whitley (muttering): Yes, it’s true.

Frost (angrily): Speak up!

Whitley: Yes, it’s true!

Frost (points to the ground): On your knees, uncle!

*Whitley groans and obliges, as Frost takes a glove and slaps him across the face with it*

Frost: We do not repay kindness to our loved ones by pulling hurtful pranks! Do I make myself clear, uncle?!?

Whitley (rubbing his cheek): Y-Yes, my niece.

Frost (crossing her arms): Good! You are dismissed.

*Whitley walks away, and Frost walks in front of Winter*

Frost (calming down): Aunt Winter! It appears you have, what my father calls, a “secret admirer”!

*Winter’s eyes widened, and her face turns slightly red*

Winter (blushing): W-What makes you say that, my niece?

*Frost snaps her fingers, and a couple of servants brings her a bottle of alcohol with a heart-shaped card*

Winter (internally): Goddamnit…this isn’t a good time, Qrow…!

Frost (reading the card): “Roses are my niece, violets are your sis, one night with me, and you’ll get more than just a kiss”?

Klein (eyes turn pink): Oh my~! *Starts fanning himself*

Winter (holding her face in embarrassment): Oooohhhh noooooo! *Falls down to her knees*

Frost (surprised): Hm! I wasn’t even going to demand you to get on your knees. Is everything alright, aunt Winter? Should I get mother and father to solve this issue?

Winter (puts her hands down): Th-Thanks for the concern, Frost, but…this is more of a personal matter. I appreciate the offer, but I can handle this.

Frost (crossing her arms): Hm, very well. You are dismissed.

*Winter leaves, and Frost walks in front of Klein*

Klein (eyes turn yellow): What can I do for you, lady Frost?

Frost: Butler Klein, kneel. *Points to the ground*

*Klein obliges, then Frost starts patting him on the head*

Klein (surprised): W-What is this for, lady Frost?

Frost (smiling): For being the most wonderful butler my mother’s ever had. For that, I wish to repay you in kindness by doing what my father would do to me. *Continues to pat his head* I thank you dearly.

Klein (eyes turn pink): Oh, i-it’s nothing, my lady! All in a day’s work, as they say!

Frost (stops patting): You are dismissed.

Klein (eyes turn yellow): Thank you, lady Frost! *Leaves*

*Weiss and Jaune watch this from a distance*

Jaune (chuckling): Heh. That Frost…

Weiss (blushing): I can’t help but feel a little embarrassed by our daughter acting like a queen.

Jaune (pecks her on the cheek): Shouldn’t that be you?

Weiss (blushing more): D-Don’t do that all of a sudden!

*Jaune giggles, then feels something hit his leg*

Frost (hugging his leg): Father! Do I make a good ruler?

Jaune (picking her up): You make a wonderful queen. Moreso than your mother.

Weiss (offended): H-Hey!

Frost (confused): Mother? Is this true?

*Weiss starts making angry tsundere noises, while Jaune giggles and Frost still looks confused*

————————————————————

~~~>Knightshade

Kali (squealing): Kyah~! She’s so cute! *Eskimo kisses Melanie*

Melanie (giggling): Granny! Your nose tickles!

Kali (kisses her nose): Mwah!

*Melanie purrs, this freaks Kali out (in a good way)*

Kali (blushing madly): Aaaaahhhhh~! Blake! Sweetie!

*Blake and Jaune enter the room*

Blake: Yeah, mom?

Kali (cuddling with Melanie): She’s so precious! She’s too cute! I feel like I’m going to be slain by “cuteness overload”, as the humans say! You’ve made me so happy, Blake!

Blake (chuckling): You’re welcome, mom.

Kali (hands Melanie over to Ghira): Honey, isn’t she adorable?

Ghira (smiling): She is! Ah! *Melanie tugs on his shirt and starts climbing all over him*

Melanie (climbing him): Grandpa! Play with me!

Ghira (laughing): Ahahaha! Ok! Ok! I’ll play with you! *Melanie sits on his right shoulder*

*The three laugh, and Jaune and Blake huddle together watching this*

Jaune: Well, looks like you’ve made your family very happy.

Blake: Correction: WE’VE made our family very happy. I can’t take all the credit.

Jaune: Heh, good point. I was scared of your father for quite some time ever since you told me you were pregnant.

Blake: Worry not, my love. My parents couldn’t be more happier to have a grandkitty to play with.

Kali: Jaunie~!

Jaune (walks over to her): Yes, Ms. Belladonna?

Kali: Oh please, call me mom. Anyways…come closer.

*Jaune leans in closer to Kali and she whispers into his ear, then his face turns red*

Jaune (blushing): I- Wha- Um- Huh?!?

Melanie (confused): Huh? What is it, daddy?

Ghira (confused): Something wrong, son?

Blake (raising an eyebrow): What is it, honey?

Jaune (blushing): …Kali wants another grandkitty.

*Ghira laughs, Melanie still looks confused, and Blake’s face turns red*

Blake (blushing): MOM!!!

Kali: I’m just saying, it’d be nice if Melanie had someone else to play with in this household. And someone else for me to spoil.

*Blake groans loudly*

Jaune (changing the subject): Aaaaaaaaanyways…anyone up for some chicken or fish?

*Ghira and Melanie stand up, all excited*

Ghira/Melanie: Yes, yes, yes!

Kali (leaning in closer to Jaune’s ear): Remember. Second child. I want more grandkitties.

*Jaune’s face goes red again and Blake facepalms hearing this*

————————————————————

~~~>Dragonslayer

*Raven, who’s hands are on her hips, and Yin, who’s crossing her arms, are glaring at each other in a DBZ-like fashion*

Raven: You’ve been glaring at me for quite some time now.

Yin: …

Raven: You’re gonna put wrinkles on your face the more you do that.

Yin: Look who’s talking.

Raven: What’s your problem?

Yin: Apologize to mom.

Raven: What?

Yin (getting angry): Apologize to mom!

Raven: And if I don’t?

Yin: I’ll punch you.

Raven (raising an eyebrow): You’d punch your own grandma?

Yin: You left my mom when she was a baby!

Raven: I had a tribe to look after!

Yin: Who cares about your stupid tribe?!?

*Both continue to glare at each other, and Yang, Jaune, Ruby, and the rest of the family are watching this from the sidelines*

Ruby: Sheesh, Yin seems more angrier than usual.

Summer: Hm…

Yang: Honestly, it’s my fault. Maybe I shouldn’t have told her the stories of her grandmother.

Tai: Hey, it’s alright. We all make mistakes.

Qrow: But at least you’re not like your mother, Yang.

Jaune (wrapping his arm around Yang): Hey, hey. It’s alright, honey. I’m sure your mother has a good reason for being here.

Yang (sighing): I have hopes in- huh?!

*Yang sees Yin punch Raven in the stomach, and she holds her stomach in pain*

Yang (runs over to the scene): Yin! Why’d you do that?!

Yin: Because she asked for it.

Yang: What do you mean “because she asked for it”?!

Raven (coughing): Yang…calm down.

Yang: Huh?

Raven: It’s true…ahahaha…I told her to punch me as hard as she can. I wanted to test out how strong she is…

Yin: And did I disappoint you like mom did?

Yang: Yin!

Raven (chuckling): Quite the opposite, actually…that was quite a punch. *Slowly gets up* I like you.

Yin: Flattery will get you nowhere, grandma.

Yang: YIN!!!

Yin: What?! She left you, mom! I-I was only trying to defend you…

Yang (sighing): …I appreciate you defending me, sweetie, but…

Raven: Yang!

Yang: Huh?

*Raven holds out her hand, Yang grabs it, then Raven pulls her in for a hug*

Yang (surprised): Whoa! Mom?

Raven: Ssshhhhh…I’m proud of you, Yang. You and that boy have come a long way, and given birth to a strong, little dragon.

*Yang doesn’t say anything but frowns a little*

Raven: I’m not expecting you to forgive me when I say this, but…I’m sorry. I’m sorry for leaving you. I’m sorry for leaving you and your father for the sake of my tribe. I’m sorry leaving you two because I’m such a selfish, stubborn, cynical, hypocritical, cowardly individual!!! *Starts to tear up*

Yang (tears up as well): O-Oh…mom…

*Both women start crying, and Yin looks conflicted upon seeing this*

Yin (softly): …Mom…? G-Grandma…?

*Jaune and Ruby walk over to Yin*

Yin: Dad? Aunt Ruby? I…I don’t know what to feel about this…

Ruby (patting her back): I think we should give ‘em a moment to reconcile.

Jaune (ruffles her hair): Yeah, what say we go inside and prepare a more warm welcome to grandma?

Yin (looking down): Um…I…I don’t know…

Jaune: Alright, how about we stay here and wait for them to stop sobbing?

Yin (contemplating): Hm…hm…alright, dad.

*Jaune and Yin stay in place, Yang and Raven stop crying, and Raven properly introduces herself to her son-in-law and granddaughter in a more friendlier manner*

————————————————————

~~~>Arkos

*Jaune’s sisters - who are now aunts - are currently playing with their little brother’s sons and daughters*

Perseus (groaning): Dad! Tell my aunts to stop pinching my cheeks!

Athena (groaning): If I gotta suffer, so do yo- Ow! Not so rough!

Arc Sister 1: He’s so cute!

Arc Sister 2: I wanna dress him up!

Arc Sister 3: I wanna braid her hair!

Pallas (giggling): Dada!

Apollo (giggling): Ababa!

Arc Sister 4: Ah~! She’s so adorable!

Arc Sister 5: Thanks for letting us play with them, Jaune!

Arc Sister 6: I’m happy for my little bro right now. Married a hottie and she pops out a cutie!

Athena (running away): Stop! Please!

Perseus (running away): Run, sis!

*The Arc sisters give chase and catch them, all the while giggling*

Athena: Nooooo! Somebody save us!

Perseus: Mom! Dad! HELP!!

*Apollo and Pallas giggle some more as the Arc sisters dress them up*

*Meanwhile, downstairs, Jaune and Pyrrha are bonding with Jaune’s mother, father, his sister Saphron, her wife Terra, and their son Adrian, who’s now older. Also in the room are Jaune and Pyrrha’s third daughter and son, Jeanie and Jamison, who are infants*

Mama Arc (cradling Jamison): I couldn’t be a more happier grandmother, son.

Jaune (embarrassed): Mom…

Papa Arc (cradling Jeanie): What can we say? Our son knows how to pick a woman!

Jaune (hiding his face): Oy…

Saphron (giggling): Seems you went a little overboard, baby bro.

*Jaune glares at her*

Terra: Saphron, please. I think we’ve teased him long enough.

Jaune (rubbing his eyes): Yes…thank you, Terra.

Adrian: Grandpa? Can…can I carry Jeanie?

Papa Arc: Only if your uncle Jaune and aunt Pyrrha are okay with it.

*Adrian looks to the duo, and both nod*

Papa Arc (hands her over): Alright, here ya go.

*Adrian cradles Jeanie, he smiles, and Pyrrha sighs while clinging onto Jaune*

Jaune (smirking): …Happy?

Pyrrha (nuzzling her face into him): More than that.

Jaune (smiling): Well, if you’re happy, then so am I.

*Mama Arc kisses Jamison on his forehead, and he coos happily*

Mama Arc (fawning): Eee~! I love you, my little angel!

*Jeanie giggles, causing Adrian’s grin to grow bigger*

Papa Arc (grinning): Is there anything that could make this day more better than it already is?

Pyrrha (very fast): JauneI’mpregnantagain.

Jaune (head piques up): …What?

————————————————————

~~~>Blackguard

Whitley: You’re so cute, Frost!

Winter: Yes, she’s adorable!

*The Schnee siblings are playing with Frost, who’s giggling happily, while Jaune and a 6-month pregnant Bleiss are watching from the sidelines*

Bleiss (pouting): Hrgh…

Jaune: What’s wrong?

Bleiss: I don’t like the fact that my siblings are stealing my little girl away, darling.

Jaune: They’re not stealing her away. They’re just playing with her, is all!

Bleiss: Looks more like stealing to me. Now, get me a custard tart, darling. The baby inside me demands it!

Jaune (throwing his arms): Ok, ok! Sheesh. *Goes into the kitchen*

Bleiss (glaring at her siblings): Hmmm…

Whitley: Frost, who do you love more, mommy or daddy?

Frost: I don’t have a favorite! I love both mommy and daddy!

Bleiss (fawning): Aahhhh~…that’s my girl…

Winter: Whitley, ever noticed that Bleiss has gotten slightly happier ever since Frost was born?

Whitley: I don’t know, Winter…I feel she’s currently in the middle of her mood swings because she’s pregnant again.

*Whitley looks over to Bleiss, who’s giving him a VERY hateful glare. Whitley shudders in fear upon seeing this*

Whitley (shaking): Sheesh…if looks could kill…I’d be dead right now…or be turned into an ice statue. *Looks away*

Frost (confused): Huh? *Looks over to Bleiss, who gives her a warm smile* Eee~! I love you, mommy!

Bleiss (blushing): Mommy loves you too, sweetie!

————————————————————

~~~>Silent Knight

*Inside a small room*

Roman: Alright, Neo! What’s our next target?!

*Neo holds up a picture of a fat, ugly middle-aged man*

Roman (confused): Really? This is our target? He doesn’t look like someone who’s keeping all the Dust.

*Neo nods*

Roman (baffled): Um…alright! Let’s plan this heist with caution! There could be more cops around his presence…and…and…I’m sorry, WHY are we going after this man again?!

*Neo makes a bunch of gestures*

Roman (raising an eyebrow): “It’s confidential”? C’mon, Neo! You can tell me anything! So what’s the real reason why-

*Vanilla, covered in food, barges in and runs up to her mom*

Vanilla (hugging her): Mommy, I’m home! Oh, hi, uncle Roman!

Roman: Oh, uh…hello, Vanilla.

*Neo makes a bunch of gestures to her daughter*

Vanilla: What am I doing here? We got home early!

Jaune (walking in): It’s true- Oh, hey Roman.

Roman: Hi, Jaune. So…you got home early, huh?

Jaune: Yeah. From what I was told, there was a large food fight going on at the cafeteria, and it escalated so badly that the teachers had to call all the parents to pick everybody up.

Roman: Hm…that explains why your daughter’s covered in food.

Vanilla: By the way, mommy…did you find that guy who was mean to me the other day?

*Roman looks confused, while Neo looks nervous*

Jaune (grabbing Vanilla): Vanilla, sweetie, I think we should let mommy do her business while you take bath to wash all this off.

Vanilla (pouting): Hm…Ok…bye, Mommy! Bye, uncle Roman!

*Jaune and Vanilla exit the room, Roman looks at Neo with a suspicion squint*

Roman: So…what’s the REAL reason why we’re going after this man?

*Neo sighs in defeat, then makes a long series of gestures while Roman nods his head in response*

Roman (pondering): Hm…alright. So let me get this straight: This guy threw your daughter’s ice cream to the ground, yelled at both you and her to stop eating sweets, made insulting offensive comments about how women shouldn’t be in charge to look after children, let alone those who can’t speak, then walked away?

*Neo nods in response while looking angry*

Roman (sighing): …We won’t get Dust for doing this, but…alright, I’ll help you kill this son of a bitch. Just for you and your family. *Smirks*

*Neo smiles and claps happily*

478 notes · View notes

incorrect-strq-quotes · 5 years

Text

Rosebird Week 2019

Day 3: Mother AU

@rose-bird-week Day 3 takes place in a sort of modern AU where Raven and Summer are both single mothers, and Raven and Yang move in next door to Summer and Ruby (feel free to ask for some more details about this AU, I’ve been sitting on it for a little while). This is pretty much 100% fluff, don’t worry.

Enjoy :)

—

Ruby ran over the short, patchy dirt path that connected her front door to the next house over. She was only five years old, and her short legs could only carry her so fast, but she was familiar with the route; one of the pairs of feet responsible for wearing it into the grass belonged to her, after all.

The smallest porch chair was sitting where it always sat, up against the house and right under the doorbell. Ruby was still short, shortest in all her class, and needed the extra step. She scrambled on top of it like she had done a hundred times before and pressed the doorbell with all the eagerness she could possibly fit in her tiny body.

It was a deceivingly large amount.

The lock clicked and the door swung open. Ruby spread her arms and cheered, “it’s Friday!”

Yang’s Momma didn't really look anything like Yang, but Ruby still liked her a lot. She didn’t smile very much, and couldn’t make cookies anything like Mommy did, but she was good at telling stories, and let her stay up way past her bedtime when she spent the night. “Yang’s in her room,” Raven said with an almost-smile that was as familiar to Ruby as the path to Yang’s bedroom.

“Thank you!” Ruby squealed, right now ‘loud’ and ‘excited’ her only two settings. There wasn't much of a difference between the two, really. She jumped off of the porch chair and darted inside past Raven’s legs.

Through the living room, past the kitchen, Ruby burst through the second door on the left. “Sleepover night!” she said as loud as she could, barreling into Yang and throwing them both on the floor.

Yang and her Momma had moved in next door just before Ruby started kindergarten. Yang was a whole two years older than her and the coolest person that Ruby knew. She was in second grade.

“I already have my bag packed!” Yang laughed, squeezing Ruby in a tight hug like they hadn’t seen each other just that morning when Mommy drove them to school. “You have to let me up to get it though.”

Ruby scrambled off of her and bounced in place as patiently as she could. “Hurry!”

Yang darted over to her closet and pulled out a bright yellow backpack, zippers almost bursting. “Your house isn’t going anywhere, silly,” she laughed.

“It’s a sleepover,” Ruby emphasized, because obviously Yang wasn’t getting it.

Yang laughed again as she looped her bag’s straps over her shoulders. ‘Okay, okay! I’m ready!”

They barreled through the house towards the front door, and were not expecting their parents to be standing right in the middle of the entrance way.

“Mommy!” Ruby said in surprise, though it was Raven she skidded into. She wrapped her arms around one of Raven’s legs and stuck her tongue out at Yang. “I win!”

Yang had a bit more time to stop herself. “I didn’t know we were having a race,” she said back, though she didn't look too put out; Ruby always won their races.

Summer laughed and hugged Yang to her side. “Are you girls ready for your sleepover?”

“Yeah!” Yang cheered, while Ruby bounced up and down, still hugging Raven’s leg.

“You’re coming too, right?” she asked, staring up at her.

“Oh. Uh-” Raven looked away from Ruby, up at Summer.

“I made more than enough for dinner,” Summer supplied.

This was one of those moments when Ruby could see exactly how much alike Yang’s Momma and Yang really were. Her happy smile completely changed her face, and Ruby knew Mommy always brought out Raven’s happy smile.

“Well in that case, how can I resist?”

The truth was, there was no way in hell Raven could resist. Summer’s smile turned dazzling at her words, and there was nothing that Raven wouldn’t do to have that look directed at her for as long as possible.

She was in so much trouble.

Ruby, who finally let go of her leg, and Yang bounced ahead and led the way nextdoor. The smell of spaghetti and garlic bread hit them like a wall as soon as they entered the house. Summer’s cooking was definitely up there on the list of Raven’s favorite things. “It smells delicious,” she breathed, “now I’m really glad I said yes.”

Summer shot her a smirk that Raven would have described as flirty if she didn’t know any better. Except the lines around them were getting so blurred lately that she didn’t actually know if she did know any better at this point. “Oh I see, you only like me for my cooking.”

“There’s a lot of reasons I like you,” Raven purred in response.

And that was usually where their banter ended, with the flush that colored Summer’s cheeks and made Raven’s heart skip. Except for tonight -except, except, except.

Tonight, with a red-face and brilliant smile, Summer winked at her. An honest to god wink, playful and teasing. Raven wasn’t one to exaggerate, but she swore she was going to die.

“Alright, girls,” Summer turned around like Raven wasn’t having an internal crisis right in front of her, “the pillows and blankets should already be set up in the living room. Why don’t we wash our hands and set the table for dinner?”

Raven had to give herself a minute to control her pounding heart before she joined them, because something was different. She wasn’t used to not being in the know, but if anyone could throw her off her game it would definitely be Summer. Since day one, almost a year ago, she had never been able to get a read on the other woman. She had surprised herself when she decided that she wanted to get close enough to try.

Now they were close. Getting closer. Raven was at a loss about where to go from here.

Dinner with both Yang and Ruby at the table was always an ordeal. Especially with something as messy as spaghetti. Raven was glad they only lived next door because Yang needed new clothes twice. And luckily Ruby lived here because she needed to change clothes three times.

“I don’t know how you always end up so messy,” Summer was laughing as she led her daughter back out to the living room. “Now you girls pick a movie to play while Momma and I clean up the table.”

Raven paused in picking up the dishes from the table, chewing on Summer’s words. She supposed that it wasn’t that odd for Summer to refer to her as Momma. It’s what Yang called her, after all. She heard that more times in a day than her real name. So why did it feel different?

“You okay?”

Raven picked up the last of the plates, spurred into motion at Summer’s words. “Yeah. I'm pretty sure we’re going to have to take the table out back and hose it down.”

Summer laughed, which was Raven’s goal. “That bad?”

Raven set the dirty plates in the sink. “Apocalyptic,” she replied flatly.

Summer wiped the table down -without the use of the garden hose -while Raven grabbed the last of the utensils. They met back at the sink, like they’ve done so many times before this.

“I’m really glad you decided to come over,” Summer told her as she started running the water. She said it like this one night was different than any of the other nights she’s been over since they met.

Raven was flooded with a sense of relief that she wasn’t just imagining things. “And miss your cooking?” she teased, sure that that relief was seeping into her tone, pouring out through her words, “un-fucking-likely.”

Summer handed her a now-clean plate to dry, directing the full effect of the smirk that danced on her lips at Raven. “And here I thought you just enjoyed my company.”

Raven knew she was being teased, knew that her words were meant to be taken as a joke, but she had accepted a while ago that she was weak when it came to anything that had to do with Summer. “I do,” she said, staring down at the plate she was drying like it needed all her attention. “You-” she started, stopped, started again. “I like spending time with you.”

Summer bumped her with her hip, drawing Raven’s attention back to her face. Not really a difficult feat. “Well that’s good.” She handed her another plate as soon as she set down the first. “I like spending time with you, too. You and Yang have become such a big part of our lives, I-” It was Summer’s turn to turn away, drop her gaze to whatever her hands were doing. “I really like you, Raven,” she said. “And Ruby really likes you, and-” Summer looked back up at her, and Raven wasn’t sure if she could handle the full force of her eyes staring into her soul. Wanted nothing more than to drown in the feeling. “I’m just really glad you decided to come over.”

Raven really, really hoped she wasn't reading the situation wrong. She didn’t want to mess anything up, but she had always been one to take exactly what she wanted and worry about the consequences later. “Sum,” she murmured, setting down her towel and turning fully towards Summer.

“Hm?” Summer hummed, and Raven waited until she looked up. Waited until whatever Sumer saw in her eyes caused her hands to freeze on the plate she was scrubbing.

Not wasting any time with theatrics, she kissed her.

It was nothing like any other kiss Raven’s given, because Summer was nothing like any other person she’s known. Soft, tender, warm. All the feelings Raven never could see herself on the receiving end of in this life.

Summer dropped the plate she had been holding in the sink, and the resulting plop splashed flecks of soapy water onto Raven’s face. She’s never smiled this much all at once, never ruined a kiss with one, and the gentle laugh that Summer gave as she used her thumb to wipe away the soap suds made her chest ache in a wonderfully unfamiliar way.

Raven caught Summer’s lips with her own again, chasing that feeling. All of them. She’s never felt so much. Summer leaned into her chest, hands still wet. Raven couldn’t care any less at this moment.

The second kiss lasted a little longer than the first, but it was just as chaste. Their daughters were only in the next room over, and were masters of sneaking up on you when you’d rather they didn’t.

“I, um,” Summer stammered when they broke apart, faces still very close together.

‘I’m really glad I decided to come over,” Raven offered breathlessly.

“Yeah. That.”

They stared at each other in silence for far longer than necessary. Raven knew that she had to have some kind of dumb smile on her face, but she found that she didn't care. Let her see what I’m thinking, she said to herself, let her see everything I have.

“Mommy!” one of the girls called from the living room, Raven wasn’t paying attention to who it was. “The DVD won't work.”

Summer took a deep breath, smile shifting to something impossibly softer. “I’m coming, sweetheart,” she called back.

“I’ll take care of the rest of the dishes,” Raven told her.

“You sure?”

I’d do anything for you. “Yeah. You go relax.”

Raven’s words earned her a peck on the lips, the action so automatic and natural it felt like something they choreographed years ago instead of seconds. It still sent a thrill of excitement through her core, and it was probably good that the feeling had her rooted to the spot or Summer may not have been able to escape the kitchen after all.

When the dishes were finally clean, Raven joined Summer and the girls in the living room. She didn't pay much attention to whatever was on the tv -some animated movie with an excess of musical numbers that seemed to be Ruby’s favorite genre at the moment. She was far too preoccupied with replaying everything that had happened in the kitchen over and over in her head.

Too distracted by Summer moving to sit as close to her as possible on the couch, not leaving a single breath of space between them.

Is this okay, silver eyes asked silently as they stared up at her.

Raven carefully wrapped an arm over Summer’s shoulders so she could settle more comfortably against her side. This was more than okay, more than she ever thought to ask for, but she didn't trust her mouth to be able to convey any of that. Not with Summer snuggling against her side like she was, with one arm thrown easily across her stomach and her breath warm against Raven’s skin even through her night shirt.

Ruby and Yang both burst into a fit of giggles at whatever was just said in the movie. Raven smiled.

“I’d climb a mountain for you if you ever went crazy,” Ruby said matter of factly to Yang.

Yang gave her a push onto the cushions next to her. “You’re the crazy one,” she giggled.

Raven looked at the TV. They were watching Frozen. Again. Of course.

Ruby rolled over until she was laying on top of Yang. “I’d do anything for my crazy sister,” she sighed, full of her usual dramatics.

“Looks like I’ll have to teach my crazy sister a lesson.” Yang dug her fingers against Ruby’s sides, causing her to jump off of her with a shriek of laughter.

Against Raven’s side, Summer started a bit at the noise. She had been drifting off to sleep and hadn’t even heard the words that made Raven’s heart race.

Sister, huh?

“They’re just playing,” she murmured against the top of Summer’s head.

Summer hummed in acknowledgement, an adorably sleepy look on her face as she looked up at her.

It was purely uncontrollable impulse that led to Raven placing a careful kiss on Summer’s forehead.

“Waiting until I’m half asleep to be affectionate is so unfair,” Summer complained quietly, either too tired or too content to move.

The warm atmosphere was making them both bold. Raven realized -let herself entertain the thought -that everything she could possibly want was in the room with her right now. Oh how quickly everything can change. “Not my fault you’re falling asleep at eight o’clock.”

Summer frowned, pouted. Closed her eyes and snuggled tighter against Raven’s side. She didn't think she could get any closer. “You’re comfy,” she sighed quietly. “I can’t help it.”

Whatever this was, Raven didn’t want it to end. “Well lucky for you, I’m not going anywhere.”

Summer smiled. “Good.”

Summer woke up slowly, languidly. She didn’t remember falling asleep. Didn’t remember a time when she was ever this content. Warm. She idly entertained the idea of just not moving for the rest of the day, but knew before the notion had even fully formed that it couldn’t last very long.

“Mommy,” a small voice whispered, right on cue.

Summer opened her eyes to find Ruby’s chubby face mere inches from hers. “Morning monkey,” she murmured blearily. It’s been a while since she’s slept this hard. “What’s up?”

Awareness trickled back to her mind slowly. They were still in the living room, she realized, but her couch wasn’t usually so comfortable.

“It’s breakfast time!” Yang piped up from behind Ruby, not doing quite as good of a job at keeping her voice down.

Summer looked at the clock by the TV, blinking the morning grogginess out of her eyes. 7:47. A bit later than she normally started her day. “Yes, breakfast. Of course.” She tried to sit up, and a soft smile overtook her face when the arms around her waist tightened their hold. It wasn’t her couch that was comfortable at all. “Why don’t you two go sit at the table? I’ll make pancakes.”

Yang and Ruby cheered and raced off towards the kitchen, leaving Summer to relax back down against Raven, melt against her, and wish that she didn’t have to move ever again.

She was laying completely on top of Raven, head resting on her chest, legs settled between hers. Raven didn’t seem to mind, judging by the death grip she had around her waist, the leg bent at the knee caging her against the back of the couch. Summer didn’t remember laying down. The last thing she did remember was curling up against Raven's side, soft lips pressed against her face. But, well… it’s not like she was going to complain about it.

Gently, Summer brushed Raven’s hair off of her forehead, ran her fingers through the soft strands until crimson eyes opened in tired slits. “Rae, baby,” the endearment slipped easily off her tongue, sending a thrill to the pit of her stomach. “The kids are up.”

The displeased noise that Raven made only widened Summer’s smile. Still, the arms holding her captive loosened their grip, legs stretched and untangled, allowing Summer to get up. Even if it was the last thing she wanted to do. “Go back to sleep,” she told Raven quietly. “I can handle breakfast.” The look on Raven’s face was warmer than her usual mask, open and vulnerable. Summer’s heart clenched with a longing to start all her mornings like this.

“M’sure?” Raven rasped, the hold that sleep still had on her evident in her voice.

Summer leaned down to kiss her on the corner of her mouth. “I got them. You need the sleep.”

Raven smiled, even half asleep managing to make it look like an alluring smirk. But her eyes were already closing again, her breathing evening out.

“Alright,” Summer said to Ruby and Yang as she stood up and made her way to the kitchen. “What kind of pancakes do we want?”

“Chocolate chip!” Ruby cheered immediately.

Summer dropped a kiss on the top of both their heads. “Chocolate chip pancakes sound good, Yang?” she asked as she turned on the coffee maker.

Yang beamed up at her. “Yeah!”

Summer gathered the ingredients as Yang started telling them all about her new friends in her class.

“I already made a ton of friends.” Ruby was a rapt audience, hanging on her every word. “But Blake’s my best friend. She was super quiet when I first said hi to her, but yesterday she picked me to be her partner in gym!”

“I don’t have friends in school,” Ruby supplied matter-of-factly. Summer frowned, but Ruby kept going. “Except- except I got a sister now and that’s better!”

There was so much excitement in her voice, so much innocent joy that Summer let it go. Didn’t comment on anything her daughter said as the girls continued talking and she mixed the batter and heated up the skillet.

She thought about it, though. Thought about it longer and deeper than she probably should. Ruby was too young to understand the implications of what she had said, but the thought of her and Ruby with Raven and Yang… a family. The idea of it filled Summer with a tender joy that she wasn’t sure she could stop herself from embracing.

The first two pancakes were finished and put on plates for the girls. Ruby’s cut up and drenched in syrup, Yang’s still whole because she was a big girl now and claimed weeks ago that she was old enough to cut her own food. “Eat up,” Summer said when she put their plates on the table, “I put extra chocolate chips in them this time.”

Yang and Ruby dug in, appreciative “thank you”s given through full mouths.

Summer finished up the pancakes, left them under a towel to keep them warm, and poured herself a cup of coffee before joining Yang and Ruby at the table. She was more than content to soak in the lazy morning atmosphere, watch Ruby get syrup all over her face, Yang insist on trying to cut her pancakes with the side of her fork like she’s seen the grown ups do. It was nice, and Summer found herself already used to it.

Used to all of it.

“You could have slept more,” she said quietly when a familiar pair of arms wrapped themselves over her shoulders. She couldn’t have prevented the soft smile that spread across her face if her life depended on it.

Raven’s breath ghosted across her neck and cheek, nose brushing her ear. “I smelled coffee.” Soft lips pressed the shapes of the words against her skin.

It was all innocent enough, but Summer still glanced over at the two pairs of wide eyes watching their every move. “Rae,” she murmured. A temporary warning, not a rejection. A what are we going to tell them? kind of thing. She cared for Raven, alot, but what the girls thought mattered too. Ruby’s words earlier weren’t exactly a confirmation that she would be okay with- …whatever they were going to call this.

Raven lifted her head to look across the table, her thumb slowly stroking over the soft skin left exposed by the loose neckline of Summer’s worn nightshirt. Like she couldn’t stop herself from touching some part of her. Goosebumps erupted down Summer’s spine but she wasn’t ready to tell her to stop.

She couldn’t see Raven’s face, but the lazy smile was clear in her voice. “Do you care if I kiss Mommy?”

Summer knew Raven had intended the question for Ruby, just by the way she froze when the choroused giggles of “nope!” from both girls answered her. Summer tried not to laugh, but she was too full of happiness to hold anything back.

Raven shifted a bit stiffly at the sound of her laughter. Leaned down, thrown entirely off her game now, to probably place a kiss against Summer’s cheek.

Raven being so unbalanced by something as simple as Yang thinking of Summer as her mom -her other mom -was endearing. Tough, confident Raven stumbling through her actions was not something Summer was used to, so she figured that no one could really blame her for turning her head and catching Raven’s lips with her own.

The kiss was clumsy, off center, broken by grins and too much emotion. Raven relaxed into it, whatever storm that had entered her heart calmed back down to gentle waves. Ruby and Yang laughed through complaints of “eww” and “yuck!” that weren’t meant at all.

“Are you always this affectionate in the morning?” Summer asked, hoping for a yes. Hoping for an always.

Raven caught her gaze, something flashing in her eyes too elusive to name. “I guess you’ll just have to find out,” she answered, her words sounding a lot like a promise.

#rosebird week 2019 #rose bird week #rosebird #oneshot #not a quote #!!! this one is getting its own tag because i would love to continue this au in the future #hmmm.......#working title:#without any strings attached #which is 100% ironic i promise #long post #whoops

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howlingday · 3 years

Note

first arc au) there was only one arc in the far distant annals of history. jaune arc... and also all his sisters but he was techiqually the first and thanks to his semblance he's immortal and never aging.

he's been quietly living in the forrests of vale for a few thousand years until he saved a woman named summer rose from being a grimm. now he is honor bound to see her home and back to her family

just how will the world react to this immortal knight well outside his time?

Knight

How long was he asleep this time? Two hours? Three?

When he fell asleep, the sun was setting. Waking now, the sky was dark with no stars above to shine down.

His throat was dry, so he wandered to the river, where he kneeled to the flowing water and scooped a handful to his mouth. The cool water chilled his throat, satisfying his thirst.

A piercing scream echoed through the forest. He stood up immediately, grasping Crocea Mors and heran, keeping the sword steady as he barreled through the thicket, snapping branches and scaring the inhabitants of the forests he passed.

As the screaming continued, he unsheathed the blade from its scabbard. It hissed as it scraped free.

He soon reached the source of the screaming, a young woman being mauled by a large, black creature. It had the sobbing woman in it's jaws as it tossed her to and fro. She wailed and screamed, interrupted only when her body was struck against the trees and rocks.

It released her, and pinned itself atop her body, it's massive paw cracking her ribs as it landed hard. A breathless gasp escaped her, ending the screaming. She wheezed as she looked into the eyeless terror illuminated only by the hovering moon. It lowered it's fanged maw to her head...

...Then touched it's forehead to hers, before tipping over to her side. The black and white of the beast's body scattered like ash in the wind, leaving behind only a decapitated corpse.

"Hm, that's new." The woman looked to a new figure in the moonlight. It was a tall, handsome young man, about half her age. He sheathed his sword, slick with blood, and knelt to the woman's side. "Can you speak?" She wheezed, but couldn't speak. He hummed in thought, then slipped his arms beneath her form. He carried her through the forest, taking care not to exacerbate her wounds any further.

He reached a road, then followed it until he saw the lights of a nearby town's street lamps. He reached the medical clinic and kicked the door hard.

"It's four in the morning," the doctor shouted from inside, "what could be so important that-"

"Her." The man answered. The doctor gulped, gesturing the man to enter swiftly. As she examined her patient, she asked him questions.

"What happened to her?"

"Grimm attack."

"When did this happen?"

"Hour ago."

"Do you know her?"

"No."

"Can you help me?"

Jaune thought for a moment. He wanted to go back to forest. He wanted to sleep a little more before he had to hunt for breakfast. But he knew the right answer. The same answer his mentor gave him when he was asked the same question.

"Yes."

The woman awoke hours later. She groaned in pain. She opened her eyes and saw she was in bed in a hospital, or some type of medical clinic. She grunted as she tried to lift herself up.

"I wouldn't." She stopped, looking to her right, where the young man from earlier sat. He was blonde with blue eyes, and a beard hiding his mouth and jaw. "You were gravely injured. The doctor said you were lucky."

"Thank you," she smiled softly, "but I have to hurry home. My daughters-"

"Can wait a little longer. Just one day of rest rest won't be enough."

"But my girls-"

"Will understand, I'm sure."

She sighed. Until this man allowed her to leave, she was stuck in bed. Normally, she would be reading to Yang or Ruby a bedtime story. Now, she had neither of her children, nor her books to read.

"Have you seen my scroll?" She asked.

"No." He answered. "I assume that monster tore up any papers you were carrying."

She blinked. "Papers?"

"Yes, papers. Unless your scroll was made of stone."

"Oh, no." She chuckled. "My scroll. It's my personal electronic communication device. I just open it up, and I can talk to whoever I want."

"How?" He asked, leaning close. "Magic?"

She laughed. He was right for her to stay in bed. Her body ached from laughing! She rubbed her side with a light moan before continuing. "No, not magic. I think it's electricity, and radio waves, and... You know what? It's better if I show you. Could you hand me find a metal tube that the doctor took from me?"

The young man nodded, and passed the tube to her from the personal storage at the foot of her bed. She pressed the center button, unlocking and expanding the scroll in her hands. He stared in awe, hand on his bushy chin, at the technological marvel. She dialed her home number, and the device rang twice before a sunny-blonde answered.

"Mommy!"

"Hi, Yang!" It was so good to see her smiling face again. "Have you been a good girl for Daddy?"

"Mhm!" She nodded. "Ruby and I have been eating our veggies, and brushing our teeth, and and sitting quietly, and and-"

Summer chuckled. "Okay, I believe you. Is Daddy there?"

"Daddy's still sleeping."

"Sleeping?"

Yang nodded. "Mhm!" She moved the camera from her face to show Tai passed out on the couch. "We stayed up late watching Pumpkin Pete!"

"Really? That sounds wonderful! I wish I was there."

"Mommy?" The camera returned to the girl's face, whose eyes seemed to shine. "When are you coming home?"

Summer gave a soft smile. "Soon. In about a few days, I'd say. So keep being good girls for Daddy, okay?"

Her smiled returned. "Okay!"

"Oh, before I go, I want you to meet someone." She looked to the young man and gestured him to get closer. "Yang, this is my new friend. He helped me out of a bad spot."

Jaune leaned closer to her side. He tilted his head with interest, both at the scroll's screen, and the girl within. Her eyes shined with curiosity. "Wow! Who are you, mister?"

"I'm Jaune." He replied. "Jaune Arc."

"Jaune," Summer repeated, smiling "thank you for helping me. I'm Summer Rose, and this is-"

"Mommy!" The girl whined. "I wanna say it!"

Summer chuckled. "Okay, okay!"

"I'm Yang Xiao Long! Nice to meetcha!"

"It's nice to meet you, too." Jaune smiled, for what felt like the first time in forever.

#rwby #summer rose #jaune arc #rwby au #the first arc au #yang xiao long

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keeptheslnc · 5 years

Text

The sound of crashing waves and the warmth from the sun would put anyone to sleep. Well, anyone but Ruby Rose. The little toddler ran around in the sand, giggling when a wave would almost splash her feet. When one suddenly rushed up to her, she squealed and ran away, heading for her mother’s outstretched arms.

Summer picked her up easily, giving a laugh as she spun in a circle. She treasured the moments she spent with Ruby. Her little girl was growing up so fast and she was afraid of missing too much, especially when her career already kept her away from her family so often.

Ruby began to wiggle in Summer’s arms. “More, mommy! More spinning!”

The older brunette just laughed before spinning once more. “Come on, petal. You need a break from the sun. Do you want water?” she asked as she walked towards a large umbrella.

“Like ocean water?”

“No, you can’t drink that. It’s salty,” Summer answered with amusement. She sat Ruby down in her small chair and handed her a red water bottle, a straw sticking out. Summer also took out a matching yellow one. “Yang, have some water, please.”

Just outside of the umbrella’s shade sat Yang, incredibly busy. “Wait, mom! I’m almost done burying daddy!” she said, continuing to shovel sand on top of a blonde man. She pushed the last bit into place and patted her hands in accomplishment. “Okay, I’m done!”

Tai was unfazed by the mountain of sand on his body. He was just grateful that Yang made a pillow of sand beneath his head, so he was actually quite comfortable. A light snore escaped his open mouth.

Yang left her father in favor of cold water, of which she eagerly took big gulps. She plopped into the chair beside Ruby, who was taking smaller sips through her straw. She reached out to touch her older sister’s fluffy pigtail.

“Don’t pull it, Ruby!” Yang reminded her. She was very protective of her hair, which neither Tai nor Summer knew the reason, but she wouldn’t hurt Ruby over it. “Gentle, remember?”

“Gently…” Ruby parroted in a hushed voice, continuing to pat the hair hanging on Yang’s shoulder.

They spent the next few minutes cooling down, but both were soon ready for more sandy adventures. Yang jumped out from her chair and headed for the water. Ruby copied Yang’s jump and clumsily chased after her sister.

“Watch her, Yang!” Summer called out, smiling when she heard a shout of acknowledgement. She still kept an eye on them, of course, but she knew and trusted yang enough to be a fantastic older sister and take care of Ruby if they weren’t nearby.

The two girls played at the edge of the water for a short while, digging holes and looking for sand crabs. Soon, something else caught Ruby’s attention and she started making her way to the rockier part of the beach. It was a level platform of rock with several pockets of water, revealed thanks to the low tide. It wasn’t dangerous to walk on, but Yang still held firmly onto Ruby’s hand in case of slippage.

“What are these?” Ruby asked as she crouched at the edge of a hole. Her eyes followed the tiny fish swimming around.

“They’re called tide pools,” Yang answered. “There are usually fish and crabs and stuff inside. Don’t touch them, okay?” “Okay! Just looking!”

They went from pool to pool, checking for any cool fish or anemones. Yang pointed out a large crab and Ruby squealed when it scuttled into a crack. They neared one that was closer to the ocean’s edge and were surprised when they stared down a hole so deep that they couldn’t see the bottom. Suddenly, there was a quick flash of white.

“Yang, did you see that?! There’s a fish!” Ruby called out enthusiastically. She knelt closer to the edge to find it again. “It was so pretty.”

“Ruby, get up! You’re too close!” Yang exclaimed with a little panic in her voice.

The brunette leaned closer instead, eyes peeled for that fish.

“Yang! Ruby!” Summer’s voice called out.

The moment that Yang turned her head to look back at the beach was the moment that Ruby saw the fish reappear, but along with its shimmering scales came flowing white hair. The bright blue eyes of a young girl stared back up at her and time seemed to stand still. Ruby was speechless at the sight, totally at a loss at what she was seeing.

Ruby was about to say something when she felt a hand on her shoulder, distracting her from...whatever she was.

“Come on. Mom said it’s time to go home,” Yang told her.

“But, Yang, didn’t you see--?” She turned back to the pool, but the white hair and scales were gone. “Wait, where’d she go?”

“Who?”

Ruby pointed at the pool. “The girl! With the fish tail!”

Yang burst out laughing. “A girl with a fish tail? You mean like a mermaid? Ruby, those aren’t real. They’re just stories, remember? Now come on,” she continued, pulling Ruby to her feet and grabbing her hand again.

Ruby stubbornly whined. “I saw her! She’s real!” She pouted when Yang only laughed more.

Once they got back to their umbrella, Ruby recounted what she saw. Summer and Tai spared each other a glance.

“Are you sure you don’t have sun stroke?” Tai chuckled.

“What’s that? Ruby innocently asked.

“When you’ve been in the sun for a long time, you start to imagine seeing things,” he answered.

Ruby stamped her foot. “I wasn’t imagining her!”

Summer lightly smacked her husband on the arm before crouching in front of her younger daughter. “Tell me about her again.”

Little silver eyes lit up. “She had such a pretty tail! It was like covered in glitter!”

“What color?” Summer continued to humor her with a kind smile.

“White! Like her hair! And really blue eyes!”

“Like the ocean?”

Ruby thought for a bit before shaking her head. “Like the sky!”

“Sounds pretty fantastic, my petal,” Summer smiled as she picked up Ruby. “But remember, if you really saw a mermaid, you can’t tell anyone else, okay?”

“But why, mommy?”

“Well, they’re magical. They only appear to those who have a good heart and who are kind, like you,” Summer softly told her. “If you tell a lot of people about her, they might try to do something bad, okay?”

Ruby seemed to think for a few moments to understand. She eventually nodded enthusiastically. “I promise I won’t tell anyone else!”

Within the next few minutes, the family had packed up their beach gear and began making their way to the parking lot. While being led by her mother’s hand, Ruby looked back towards the tide pools, hoping with her little heart to see glittering scales.

Only the ocean waved back.

==========

So here’s another story! This time dealing with ~mermaids~ ooh special. I have no idea what I’m doing with it, but we’re just gonna work with what we got and cross that plot bridge when we get there. We’re getting over our art fear, folks.

#rwby #mermaid au #cryptid au #ruby rose #yang xiao long #summer rose #taiyang xiao long #my writing #let's get this party STARTED #i have no idea what i'm doing #also i can't think of a story title to save my life someone please help me

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codyswritings · 6 years

Text

Reliving Summer

Brunswick Farms. Finally, a place to rest and get away from this snow. It was a little eerie how it was abandoned, but at this point, Ruby figured it was better than nothing.

They entered the farmhouse, and were greeted with silence. The inside looked just as abandoned as the outside, with dusty old furniture, broken, boarded up windows, no sense of light anywhere.

“Well, it’s not pretty, but it’ll do for now.” Qrow commented, taking another swig of his flask.

“At least we’re finally out of that snow.” said Blake, rubbing her arms to keep warm despite wearing a coat.

“You’re telling me!” Maria agreed, already making her way down a hallway across from the entrance.

“Where are you going?” Yang asked.

Maria looked back and answered, “To find myself a bath.” and left of her own accord.

“We should all try and find rooms.” Qrow suggested. “It’s gonna be a long night.”

Everyone broke off in search to find their rooms. A farmhouse this big had to have a lot. Thankfully, they were right, and they each managed to find their own to sleep in. After a nice, hot shower, Ruby was grateful to finally be able to get some rest. Though, she was sad their weren’t any bunk-beds this time.

She was also upset she couldn’t sleep. So much happened in such a short amount of time, it was hard to push it all away. Ozpin and Salem, the Gods, immortality and reincarnation, so much was shown at once the moment Ruby spoke Jinn’s name.

The relic stood on a nightstand beside Ruby’s bed, emitting a soft blue glow like its own personal night-light. Ruby kept her eyes on it, watching it, wondering exactly what the final question she should ask be.

Salem was immortal, there was no beating her. Ozpin lied to them with no plan of attack. The most important questions she had were already answered. What else was there?

A knock on the door broke her thoughts, “Ruby?” Yang’s voice called from behind.

“Come in!” Ruby answered, shifting over to sit on the edge of her bed.

The door opened, and in walked the rest of her team, closing the door behind them. Yang, Weiss and Blake stood around Ruby, eyeing the relic.

“Have you thought about what to ask it next?” Weiss asked.

Ruby took a moment, “No.” and hung her head low.

“Well, if you ask me,” Yang spoke, crossing her arms, “I think we should it what to do with Ozpin.”

Ruby shot her head to protest, “Yang...”

“Ruby, he lied to us! He signed us up in a war against Salem, and she can’t even be killed!”

Though they both didn’t like it, Blake and Weiss had to agree.

“You saw what Jinn showed us.” Blake added. “And you heard what Ozpin said.”

Ruby hung her head again. She understood her team’s feelings, she felt them too. She was angry, and confused, and sad at the same time. How can they fight someone who can’t be beaten? How can they trust someone who constantly lied to them? Ugh, it was all so frustrating!

Weiss must’ve known what she was feeling, as she sat next to Ruby on her bedside, and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder.

“I know it’s not easy to comprehend, Ruby, so maybe you can ask the relic a question that doesn’t...” she glared at Yang, “...deal with immortals and Gods.”

Yang could only look at her boots.

“What kind of question should we ask it?” Blake wondered, kneeling down to eye-level with the relic.

“I’ve got one.” Uncle Qrow’s voice took their attention. Of course, he was drunk again. Pushing himself off the doorframe, Qrow stumbled and slurred, “How about you ask it why I spent my life... following a pathological liar. Or, how about why that liar... lied to me? OR...”

“QROW!” Ruby exclaimed, standing up from her bed. Qrow stopped in his tracks. The small leader sighed, “I know you’re all angry. I am, too! But this is something I need to think about! So, please, let me think.”

Every went silent. Qrow sighed, “Do whatever you think is best, kiddo.”

Ruby turned her attention to the relic, taking it in her hands. After a deep breathe, she spoke the name, “Jinn.”

From her hands, the relic floated, stopping at the center of the room. From the blue smoke, the blue beauty Jinn appeared, just as coy as before. “My, this is a surprise! I haven’t been summoned this before! So tell me, what knowledge do you seek?”

Ruby took a moment to think. If she couldn’t ask about Ozpin or Salem anymore, than maybe... “Jinn, you can answer any question.”

“Correct, little one. As long as it’s not about the future.” Jinn crossed her arms.

Ruby’s hand hovered above her chest, her eyes locked on her cape that was neatly folded on the nightstand behind her, next to where the relic was previously. “But you can show the past.” she brought her attention back to Jinn.

“Of course.”

“Than...” it was now, or never. “Can... you tell me... what happened to my Mom?”

The mood in the room skidded and crashed. Everyone was shocked, Yang, Weiss, Blake. Qrow’s flask fell from his hands, crashing to the floor with a clink and a thud. “Ruby...” was all he could say, before everything went white.

“Ruby...?” he called out into the void. “Ruby!” but nothing was there, until a wall of blue smoke ascended around him. After a moment of clarity, Qrow finally began to see where he was. He recognized the wooden structure, he recognized the kitchen, he recognized the furniture and the pictures...

And he recognized the white hood. “No...”

There, standing at the center of the living room with Tai, was Summer Rose.

“Mom?” Yang said in a state of shock. It had been so long since she’d seen her and Dad together.

“Do you really have to go?” Tai asked in concern.

“I’m sorry, Tai, but Ozpin needs me on this mission, and you and Qrow need to look after our daughters.”

Qrow was frozen. Summer was there, right there. He instinctively went to reach out for her, but pulled back remembering, even in his drunken state, he couldn’t touch her.

Tai sighed, lowering his head. “I don’t like it. I should be there with you.”

Summer placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, and smiled. “I know, honey. But you’re needed here. Besides, Yang needs to make sure you and Qrow are kept in line.”

They both shared a good laugh. Qrow actually forgot what her laugh sounded like. It nearly brought tears to his eyes.

When they calmed down, Tai only put his hands around her shoulders and said, “Just... be safe, okay?”

Summer smiled, “I promise.” and they both embraced. They would’ve stayed in each other’s arms forever, had Yang not ran in.

“Mommy! Mommy!” the little blonde in the orange t-shirt and pigtails shouted in excitement, a little Ruby behind her looking nervous. Yang was still, taken aback by how young she and her sister looked. But other than that, “I remember this day.”

Breaking away from Tai and crouching to look at her daughters, Summer asked, “What is it, sweetie?”

“Ruby wants to show you something!”

Summer’s eyes lit up, and her attention was on her littlest one, “What is it, Ruby?”

Yang’s heart strings were suddenly being tugged, “No...” she didn’t want to see it again.

The little Ruby, in her own red t-shirt and black skirt, held a piece of paper in her hands. She looked nervous, as if she was afraid her Mom wouldn’t like it.

“It’s okay, Ruby. You can show me.” Summer assured her, giving Ruby a smile neither Qrow nor Yang had seen in so long.

With a whimper, Ruby held out the piece of paper to her Mom. Summer accepted it, turning it over to see what it had. When she saw, she gasped. It was a drawing of her, and Ruby... together, with the words, “My Hero” written in crayon.

To anyone else, it would’ve looked crude and sloppy, bu to Summer, it was a masterpiece. One that brought tears to the Super Mom’s silver eyes.

“Oh, Ruby... it’s beautiful. I love it.” she brought her daughter in for a hug.

“Can-can I be like you, Mommy?” little Ruby’s voice tugged at Qrow and Yang’s heart even more, like they were being ripped out of their chests.

“Of course you can, my little petal. And when I get back, I’ll make you all the cookies you want!”

Ruby gasped, her little eyes lighting up with joy, “Really?!”

Summer separated from her daughter, “Yes, sweetie. I promise!” she then looked to Yang. “And you, Yang...” she placed a gentle hand on her daughter’s head.

Yang didn’t want to hear it again. “Please, don’t say it, Mom.”

“Promise me you’ll look after your little sister, for all your days. Remember, you’re my sunny little dragon, and Ruby is your treasure.”

“Don’t worry, Mommy, I’ll be the strongest dragon ever!” little Yang exclaimed, pumping her arms up like a champion.

Those words brought Yang to her knees.

“Yes, you will!” Summer giggled, and brought her beloved, laughing children in for a group hug.

Another cloud of blue engulfed the world, and Ruby found herself in a field. Only... the field was black, littered with... Grimm!

Ruby suddenly jumped at the sound of a beowulf’s roar, turning around to see it hovering over her, standing on its hind legs ready to strike. Whether on instinct or habit, Ruby went to reach for her scythe, but stopped when she saw a white blur zip past her, cutting through the beowulf like a knife through butter.

The Grimm fell in half, joining the pile, and standing tall, her own scythe in hand, was Summer Rose. Qrow watched his former teammate walk past with such confidence, it was almost scary. So many lay dead at her feet, and she barely had a scratch on her.

An army of Grimm stood before her. Beowulves, Ursa’s, Nevermore’s in the air, boarbatusk’s. It didn’t matter, in the end. As they charged towards the Silver-Eyed Huntress, Summer continued her stride, not a shot of fear evident on her face. She didn’t care how many there were, they would all fall.

To Qrow, watching Summer fight again was like reliving the past. It was as if he was there with her again, as teammates, as partners. The way she sliced off an Ursa’s head, jumped up into the air and manage to cut off a Nevermore’s wing so it crashed into a group of three beowulve’s, and spun on her back like a dance move to use her scythe to slice apart any Grimm that dared to get close...

For Yang, watching Summer only reminded her of Ruby. The way she moved, the way she fought, the way she smirked in the face of danger. Watching her Mother use her own scythe as a spear to chuck into two Beowulve’s and an Ursa, and somehow manage to dodge every oncoming strike around her like a cat, and then use that Grimm spear to flip herself over to smash it into a charging boarbatusk like a Grimm hammer...

It was like watching a ghost.

A number of Grimm still remained, and Summer found herself swarmed. With no other option left, she decided to bring out the big guns. Flashing her eyes open, just as the Grimm were ready to pounce on her, Summer’s silver eyes flowed, and a flash of light engulfed the area around her. When the light dissipated, all that remained was black dust, floating in the air, forgotten. Summer confidently walked through the darkness, stopping directly, coincidentally... in front of Ruby.

For Ruby... watching Summer... was the hardest thing to do. This was her Mother? This was Super Mom? A Silver-Eyed Warrior? Feelings of pride, of sadness, or joy, and sorrow, they all fought inside Ruby the same way Summer fought off the Grimm.

Summer phased through Ruby, the smaller Huntress never taking her eyes off her Mother, as she confidently made her way down the trail. A puff of smoke appeared in the distance, and in its place, was a massive cave.

Not a second later, the blue smoke took Ruby inside the cave, following her Mother. No source of light shined aside from the entrance, but the deeper they went, the darker it got. After a long trek inside, something rumbled. Ruby, startled, jumped when she heard a deep, menacing growl from the darkness.

That was when the eyes opened. Ruby gasped, watching those all-too familiar yellow eyes dart up high into the air, followed by a menacing claw just barely missing Summer as it stomped its way into the ground. From the darkness, Ruby could finally see what awaited her Mother...

A Grimm dragon.

The beast let out a menacing roar, while Summer readied her scythe, and her eyes started to glow. Ruby watched the whole thing as if it were in slow-motion, her Mother and the dragon charging, head-to-head, in a battle of light and dark, when her Mom’s Silver Eyes bathed the cave with light.

It took a second for the light to dissipate, but once it did, Ruby was left confused. She was... back in her room? Her team and Uncle Qrow with her?

“Wh... what happened?”

Jinn answered, “I showed you what happened.”

While Ruby was still overcoming her confusion, Yang was the first to speak, tears still running down her face, “What do you mean?! That can’t be it! You have to tell us what happened!”

Weiss and Blake were too shell-shocked to say anything. Qrow was left staring at the floor, still trying to come to grips with what he just saw.

Jinn answered, “I can’t show you what happened, because that’s all there was to show, and since you’ve already asked your third and final question, I’m afraid I have to leave now.”

And just like, Jinn disappeared into the relic, an angry Yang darting for her, “NO! YOU CAN’T JUST LEAVE US LIKE THAT! SHOW US WHAT HAPPENED!”

“Yang...?” Blake went to reach for her partner, now on one knee in a crying fit.

“Show us... please...” was all Yang could say.

Weiss turned her attention to Ruby, who hadn’t moved since they returned. She looked so... confused, broken. The red-headed Huntress had this look on her face Weiss couldn’t figure out.

“Ruby?” she carefully stepped towards her partner, just as Blake did for Yang. “Ruby? Are you okay?”

Ruby’s thousand yard stare scared Weiss. Where there was once the happy-go-lucky leader and friend she knew, now there was this... broken, speechless little girl, who couldn’t even form words, as tears ran down her face, and suddenly, the walls Ruby had kept up for so long, suddenly broke down, and she collapsed into Weiss’ arms.

Weiss could do nothing but hold her partner, as close as she could. Blake could only do the same. Qrow could only stand there, watching his nieces break down in front of him, unable to do anything, but pick up his flask... and take another swig.

#rwby #ruby rose #summer rose #yang xiao long #qrow branwen #weiss schnee #blake belladonna #jinn

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