Conversation Six

The red cloak and hood contrasted starkly against the light snow that covered the woods. The small figure wearing the cloak made its way along a well-trod path, stopping every few minutes to listen to the forest sounds around it. Finally, the woods gave way to a strip of open land, where odd blades of dead grass poked through the shallow snow cover. The figure made its way to a stone marker, near where the open land ended at an abrupt cliff. Sparing a quick glance to the winter forest in the valley below, the shadowed face turned to the marker.

"Hey, mom," Ruby Rose pulled the hood from her head. "I know that I haven't visited as often as I'd hoped, but I should be able to come by more often, now. I'm now the commander of the Patch Island Guard!" She got a more somber look on her face, "I know I told you a year and a half ago, that we were going to put in another year on the road before moving into our house. Well, we got tied up in another mission and this one was special, and not just because of the pay. The Vale Council is going to try to re-open Mountain Glenn."

"I know...it failed once before, but this time it has a good chance of working. We spent close to a year making regular patrols through the place, hunting down any grimm that were there. After that, we patrolled while a strong wall was built and the first settlers moved in. So far, so good."

"Since we took down Salem, the grimm activity has slowed some. That's a good thing, because our side took an awful lot of casualties, as well. Anyway, re-opening Mountain Glenn proves that we're moving forward."

"Jaune and I are going to move forward, as well," the young woman told her mother. "We got married! Since we're going to be living so close to dad, we got married in Jaune's hometown! Dad, Yang, Qrow and the rest of Teams RWBY and RNJR all showed up. So did Jaune's parents and his seven sisters. It wasn't a very elaborate ceremony; I remember telling Ozpin once that I wasn't much of a fancy, pantsy...dancey sort of girl. Still, not many couples have one of the seasonal maidens bless them. Nora's still so much like she's always been, I just wish we could see her more often."

"Jaune and I exchanged necklaces," she pulled a necklace from under her blouse and displayed a pendant that depicted two arcs. "Now I wear the twin arcs and he wears a red rose wherever we go."

Ruby snorted. "His sisters spent some time with me before the ceremony and even though they aren't huntresses...well, I thought Nora and Team RWBY could be a wild bunch! If they take after their mother, I can see how Jaune wound up with seven sisters!"

"We're not planning on that large of a family," she admitted to the stone. "But we've started to try. At times, I feel like I was really living when I was out there and at times I feel like life was passing me by. I know that it sounds like they're opposite feelings, but somehow, they actually work together. Anyway, dad's adjusted to 'losing his little girl' and comes over to visit at least once a week."

"Speaking of dad, he just became the headmaster at Signal. He wanted to offer Jaune a job as an instructor, but he was concerned that someone might accuse him of favoritism. The Vale Council actually stepped in and gave him the official okay. I guess the old saying is true, you marry your father; Jaune and dad are both really good at taking someone who's never fought before and teaching them the fundamentals."

"As for everyone else, Uncle Qrow has moved to Beacon and has become an instructor," Ruby continued. "Yang and Blake are founding a combat academy in Menagerie, so I guess she won't be around enough to be the favorite aunt like she planned."

"There's not much more to say," Ruby concluded. "We seem to have a grip on things and we all seem to have a plan for the future. I'll stop by before too much longer and let you know how things are working out. I miss you, mom."

Ruby turned and pulled up her hood before stalking back through the winter woodlands, her red cloak making her visible for a long time as she passed through the sleeping trees.

Conversation Seven

Four figures, two male and two female, halted at the edge of the woods. They were difficult to see until they were almost clear of the trees, as both the spring foliage and the drizzle obscured their forms. After a muted argument the smallest figure, covered in a red hood and cloak, left the others and walked across the new grass to the stone marker near the cliff. Another male figure emerged from deeper in the woods and joined the other three.

"Hey, mom," Ruby greeted the memorial, pulling her hood back. She ignored several shouts from behind her and relished the feel of the chill water in her short hair.

"I thought I'd get you up to date again," she continued, after offering a short, angry wave to the four people behind her. "Yang's back for a few days. The Combat Academy she and Blake have set up in Menagerie is doing well, so Yang's making a tour of the Huntsmen Academies, to make it easier for her graduates to move on for more training and education. It's nice to have her here, but you can tell she misses Blake. The two of them have adopted a boy and a girl, but I haven't met either one, face to face. Sometimes growing up means growing apart and our lives have taken us to different places."

"The grimm attacked Mountain Glenn again," Ruby sighed, after a few minutes of sad contemplation. "But all of us rallied to the town and we kept them out. I think it's going to be a long, hard fight before we finally can say that it's a secure town. Still, progress is progress and it provides a good testing ground for Beacon students."

"Speaking of Beacon students, Headmaster Oscar gave Yang, Blake, Jaune and me our diplomas." Ruby declared, much happier. "He said the experience we picked up with all of the field work more than made up for the classroom time we missed. The rest of the faculty agreed with him. Being a graduate doesn't mean as much to me as I thought it would when I first started but it's nice to have that paper on the 'I love me' wall."

"Weiss took another path," Ruby continued. "Apparently, her little brother proved to be just as much of a scoundrel as her father so she booted him out as head of the Schnee Dust Company. It's all hers now. According to her, she has a lot to learn but she's picked a board of directors that are more than just a bunch of yes-men. Their profits are still solid and their reputation is getting better. Still, a reputation takes a long time to regain. Her father did a number on it."

"Nora's still the Fall Maiden," Ruby smiled at the stone. "And it's driving General Ironwood up the wall. She refuses to live in seclusion and Ren is with her wherever she goes. The two of them love to travel Remnant, dropping in on old friends and the headmasters, looking for trouble and putting an end to it."

"I miss my friends," she admitted. "Back in Beacon, it seemed that we would be a team forever! The four of us could take on anything, especially with Team JNPR ready to back us up. Now, we're scattered all over the world. I feel the most sorry for Weiss, since she doesn't have any of the old teammates with her. I guess you can have it all, but still have nothing. At least Jaune is here with me."

"Well, someone else is here as well," she now sported a broad smile. "Six of us actually came out here today, you just can't see the youngest one yet!" She placed a hand on her still-flat stomach. "I don't know if you're going to have a granddaughter or a grandson, but I've got the little one with me, right now!"

"I've been walking out here to talk to you for years," she continued, with an irritated look back towards the figures waiting for her. "Now you'd think that I was some fragile, helpless little flower! As soon as I let Jaune know I was coming out here, he told me that I couldn't be out in the rain! The next thing I know, he insists on coming along and Dad, Yang and Uncle Qrow want to, as well! Uncle Qrow won't come within fifty feet of me anymore! Just how helpless do they all think I am?"

"At least they mean well," she confided. "So I can live with it. I really wish you were still with us, so the little one could see you. I miss you and I'll be happy if I'm half the mother you were."

Ruby turned and walked a few steps back towards the woods before suddenly turning. "I swear, before the baby is born, I'm going to figure out why your cookies always tasted so much better than mine do." She declared, then turned again and walked to those who were waiting for her.

Conversation Eight

It felt like old times. Ruby Rose, accompanied by Nora, Jaune and Ren approached the edge of the woods. While the other three waited, Ruby walked through the snow towards the marker.

"Hey mom," she greeted the stone. "I know it's been a few weeks since the last time I visited and most of the times before that were just quick little chats, but I have someone I want you to meet." She opened her coat to expose a bundle. "I'd like you to meet your first granddaughter, Peridot Rose."

"You'll have to trust me on this, but she has silver eyes," Ruby continued, after a few moments. "I'm not about to wake her up; it's rough enough to get her to go back to sleep."

As if in answer, the infant offered a wide yawn. Smiling, Ruby tucked the infant back into the warmth of her coat.

"I don't really know if I should be happy about the eyes or not," Ruby admitted. "I know the world needs us, but they carry a pretty harsh legacy. While I'm happy I became a huntress, I don't know if I want her to be one. All of us fought so hard to save this world that I was hoping that our children could know some peace. Haven't we done enough? We lost Pyrrha, Neptune and Sage! Yang lost her arm! Haven't we earned the right to have one generation be safe and just do something like be carpenters or pilots or something like that? Isn't that what we fought for? Isn't that what you, dad and Uncle Qrow fought for?"

Neither the stone marker, nor the gently drifting snow offered an answer.

"Is this what you felt like when I was born?" Ruby asked. "Did you wonder if I would grow up to face the grimm? Did you hope that I would never have to know what it was like to hack a living person apart?"

Perhaps sensing her mother's disquiet, Peridot fussed a little in her sleep. Ruby quickly regained her composure.

"Look at me," she chuckled. "She isn't even crawling yet and I'm wondering what her career will be. I guess I'll have to do what dad did, let her choose her path. I guess that's part of being a mother; worrying about the future."

Ruby gently bounced her daughter for a few minutes, collecting her thoughts again.

"It's nice having Nora and Ren staying with us," she finally said. "It makes me remember the days when we only had to worry about learning to fight grimm. Nora's just has enthusiastic as she ever was and somehow, Ren doesn't seem to be hording words anymore. They're fun and pleasant company."

"But the world keeps moving on, even while Jaune and I are taking a break from it," she observed. She then smiled. "I've heard from both Sun and Weiss. It seems some prospectors found more dust deposits in Vacuo, and Sun called his old acquaintance, who just happens to be heading the Schnee Dust Company. Weiss brought in some experts and worked out some deals. The end result is that the folks in Vacuo will get a solid and fair cut of the profits this time. After the deals, it seems that Weiss invited Sun to return to Atlas with her. Some of the society types in Atlas are scandalized about one of their prominent citizens keeping company with a faunas, but maybe it's good to shake things up every once in awhile."

"There's not much more to say," Ruby concluded. "The world is the same as it's always been, but it's nice for the three of us to be able to have some peaceful time to ourselves. See you again soon."

The young mother turned away from the marker and walked several steps towards her companions before a sudden thought prompted her to twirl and address the stone one last time.

"My cookies still don't taste as good as yours did, but I swear I'll figure it out someday!"

Conversation Nine

"Hey mom," the troubled young woman addressed the marker. "It's just me today. Dad's keeping an eye on Peridot while I'm here. I can make the trip by myself but if some grimm were to show up while I was carrying a baby? Not good news."

"Jaune's on a mission," she continued, her expression showing her concern. "The headmasters got some hints that Salem may be building up her power again, on the island that Menagerie is on, and they formed a team to deal with it. Oscar wanted either Jaune or me to go. Since Peridot isn't weaned yet, I'm more biologically suited to care for her than Jaune is. Dad wanted to go but his responsibilities as Signal Headmaster were too important."

"I'm scared, mom," she admitted. "I think I understand what dad felt when you left on your missions. I understand what he felt when I left for Mistral those years ago. When you leave your loved ones to go into danger, it can be hard but when you have to watch them go, it's so much worse!"

The warm summer sun gleamed off of the white stone, offering no answer or wisdom in return.

"What's it going to be like when Peridot turns thirteen and it's time for her to make the decision to attend Signal or not? What's it going to be when she turns seventeen and it's time for her to make the decision to move on to a Huntsman Academy? Did you worry about things like this when I was born? Did you worry about Yang the same way?"

"The world's at peace again," she sighed. "But we're still fighting. Fighting Salem and her grimm isn't what bothers me; it's the fact that we still have to fight people. Why are people still turning on each other? Is Salem being smart or are we doing something wrong?"

"Maybe there isn't an answer," Ruby concluded. "I still miss you mom. Oh, by the way, I finally matched your cookies! We can talk again soon."

Conversation Ten

"Hey, mom. This time I have some news for you." Ruby smiled at the marker. "First things first, Jaune is back home! He's back in the woods, with Peridot and dad."

Ruby spared a quick glance over her shoulder, where a toddler was gamboling around two adult men, before continuing. "My husband was gone for over a year and he came back missing his left leg below the knee. At least he's used to the prosthetic. Apparently, Salem is still creating stronger grimm and the party ran into some of them. It's a good thing Ren and Nora were there, otherwise Jaune might not have made it back."

"It's not right," she shook her head. "He missed Peridot's first words and her first steps. She didn't recognize him when he got home and she still gets restless when he holds her. That hurts him; it hurts him worse than the injury. Hopefully, time will take care of that."

"There's some good news," a hopeful smile found its way onto her face. "Weiss and Sun have twins! They have a girl named Vinter and a boy named Breen. The boy is a faunas and the girl is human! Imagine it, the Schnee Dust Company may wind up being inherited by a faunas, depending on what the kids grow up to do!"

"There's not much more to say today," she concluded. "I'm just happy to have my husband back. It's time to put our family together again. I miss you."

Conversation Eleven

"Hey mom," aging woman addressed the stone marker. "I know we've talked a lot over the years, but this is some bigger news than usual. Peridot was accepted to Beacon and she'll be leaving in a week."

Ruby stood there for a time, simply reflecting on the years that had gone by.

"I wish that she hadn't," Ruby finally admitted out loud. "I'm proud of her, but I wish she had found another path in life. Jaune and I missed so much because of what we did. He missed her first words and her first steps. I missed her first day at school and her first friend. It seemed there was only one of us ever there for her birthdays. Jaune lost part of one leg and me..." She held up her left hand and looked at the empty space where two of her fingers should have been.

"And us," Ruby sighed. "How many anniversaries did we actually get to spend with each other? How many of our birthdays went by with one of us on the road? How many special times, the times you should spend with family and friends, were spent with one of us on the far side of the world, fighting the shadows?"

"Only the one child," she continued, sobbing. "We wanted more but we never managed it! We saw the doctors and they couldn't find anything wrong, but more children never happened. Is that too much to ask? After all we gave to this world, all we sacrificed for our cause, all we wanted was to be able to have and raise a couple of kids in peace and let them have quiet, peaceful lives!"

"That's the way of the world, isn't it?" Ruby finally concluded. "Because a few of us gave up the time, blood and friends to hold back the darkness, the rest of the world was able to really live. If the next generation doesn't give up some time, blood and futures, the generation after them will have to give up so much more."

"That's what being a huntress means," now Ruby was talking to herself rather than to the stone. "It means risking your life to protect the innocent and helpless but it also means giving so much of yourself that you can't have the life that those you protect enjoy. It also means watching your children follow your legacy, even though you wish they wouldn't."

"I look at the people in the towns, cities and villages," she continued, her eyes far away. "I see them raising their children, arguing about if they should fund a new school or a new section of road, or debating which movie they should see. I see them complaining about their taxes and regulations, I see them holding protests and near riots over wages and living conditions. I look at this and I think; do you know what it's like to have a grimm, three times your size throw claws and fangs your way? Do you know what it's like to sleep outside in the rain for weeks at a time, fighting man and beast nearly every day with no comfort waiting for you? Do you know what it's like to see your friends and comrades torn up, beaten down or even...incinerated? And you're complaining about your life?"

"The I realize that this is exactly why we put ourselves through it," Ruby finally admitted, now looking back to the stone. "It's because Jaune lost his leg while Peridot was taking her first steps that townsfolk in Vacuo can complain about a two percent increase in their taxes. It's because I lost two fingers on her first day of school that two friends in Vale can argue for an hour about what movie they should see. It's because Pyrrha, Neptune and Sage gave their lives that workers in an Atlesian factory can go on strike because they want a four percent wage increase. It's because we spent three weeks in the swamps in Anima, picking off leaches nearly every hour, that three neighbors in Mistral were able to take a fourth neighbor to court over what color he wanted to paint his house."

"All these things that seem so trivial to me are important to others because we did what we did," Ruby concluded. "And because people like Peridot are willing to step up and take over when people like Jaune and I are becoming too old to keep doing it. So mom, I'm proud of her. I'm proud of her determination and her persistence. I'm proud that she's willing to sacrifice so much so that the people who benefit from that sacrifice don't even have to know that she's doing it. I'm proud that I carried your legacy strong enough that the next generation felt compelled to take it up, in turn."

"I just wish, sometimes, that she had developed an obsession with accounting or engineering, rather than wielding the twin hooks," Ruby finally admitted, with a wry smile at her mother's grave. "So, I'll keep you up to date on her progress. I'm sure there's going to be times I'll be happy, times I'll be exasperated and times I'll be sad. That's life and without the down times, you just don't appreciate the up times. So long, mom. I still miss you, no matter how many years pass."

Turning to walk off, Ruby had one last thought and twirled again for one, last comment.

"No matter what, Peridot's cookies are never going to be as good as mine!"

A/N: Thanks to everyone who took the time to read and review. Big thanks to Joe Stoppinghem for his beta reading.