Chapter 67: Making light of a moment

Doom. Doom has come unto the Cyanide.

The terrors of the dreams (Weiss Schnee)

She was tied down.

She was tied down and she couldn't move. The feeling that she had of being touched, given intimate prodding by fingers, the symbol of Atlas on the walls and people in medical coats starting to do things to her, her eyes spotting the symbol on their coats again. A mark of the hospital facility of the military district.

"Time for your fifth child, Miss Schnee. It's all for Atlas, in order to make the world a safer place."

There were markings on her flesh, identification markings. Her name, tattooed into the flesh, and she was… maybe twenty? Maybe twenty-five? A brief glance in one of the surfaces showed that the scar was still there, that there was still something that she could remember, even with her hair shorn off and the bed being the only place where she had been laid on for years, the manacles removed from time to time.

'No, this isn't good, this isn't happening.'

She awoke with a scream, her mother startling aware in the chair at her bedside, as she breathed heavily. The darkness of the room was comforting, and her mother's eyes looked like they wanted to inquire, her fingers brushing through her hair.

"J-just a bad dream."

Her mother's eyes looked guilty, and Weiss knew that there was no reason for mother to be guilty, because she was not responsible for the bad dreams. Ever since the listening device had been found, she'd been having bad thoughts. The White Fang had hurt her, but mother did not trust the General at all. The thought of the man wanting to get his hands on a Schnee was… not very optimal. He had Winter, but she was alone with her mother.

She wanted to have a hint of security, someone that she could look at and hope that they'll protect her. A boyfriend, even if he only wanted to make use of her reputation. Sex wasn't the first thing, but security was.

"You are safe, Weiss. Nobody would be able to attack us from the outside, and mama is watching for anyone who dares to attack from the inside. You are safe, my little snowflake."

The words were comforting and warm, and she allowed herself to relax just a little. She was going to get better. She was going to be alright again, mama was there with her and she didn't want to lose her mother. The thought of her mother being gone was something that was terrifying, scary and not very great, the look on her mother's face as warm as it could be, her eyes glinting with that hint of motherly love and care.

"I had a bad dream."

Her mother's arms wrapped around her and the woman gave a soothing sound as she rubbed over her back.

"Do you feel a little better?"

She didn't feel like her arms hurt as much, but it was still bothersome. The worry in her mother's eyes was real, as her mother reached out, Weiss shaking her head lightly. It still ached, it still burned a little and the dreams did not stop, but there was more than enough time for her to think that things would be getting better.

"A little. I want to move around again, to walk…"

Her mother's smile was warm as she brushed a light kiss against her cheek, Weiss feeling her mother's warmth.

"You will, my little Weiss. Winter will be around again soon. I enjoyed the tour that the general gave me."

The pot in the corner would catch the conversation, she knew, and she saw her mother's face frown somewhat, her fingers moving somewhat in a wriggling pattern, as if she were telling someone out of her sight to do something. The shadows seemed to deepen for a moment and there was a faint rustling, as her mother reached out and took out a small bottle, a little straw poking out for her to drink from and she suckled on it, enjoying the cool water.

Mother was caring for her, making sure that she was safe. Her mother's eyes glinted in the darkness, as her mother leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Are you going to meet with the general again? He sounds nice."

Her mother's face showed a dark expression, her eyes glinting a little, her voice kept level.

"He is. After your father died and my companions dropped me off at Mistral for your grandfather to retrieve, things have been a little stale in my life. Perhaps I should date again."

Her mother's eyes were dark and angry, making her feel a shudder of disgust and something more shoot through her. Her mother's face was shrouded in shadow, a set of golden-yellow eyes opening above her mother's head, peering at her, the fear inside her shooting up.

"M-mother?"

The eyes peered into hers and there was something that seemed to move, the shadows darkening until they were like a dark blot, her mother's pale hair glinting in the light.

"I love you, Weiss. I want nothing but the best for you. A stepfather might not be exactly in the cards, but I wish to be no longer alone."

Pale hands wrapped around the woman's shoulders and the darkness peeled away, revealing a ghostly pale Blake, looking at her with those terrifying eyes. For a moment, her mother's appearance flickered to that older version of herself, with Blake leaning over her. Weiss shuddered, knowing that Blake was strange in the head.

'No… I don't think-'

Her mother looked concerned, and the shadows were now gone, there being no pale arms around her mother's shoulders, no ghostly Blake looking at her.

"Did you doze off, Weiss? Do you want something to eat?"

She was a little hungry, indeed. She could do with some food. Her tummy rumbled.

"A bit to eat might be nice."

Mother's smile was warm, as she went to make something for food. A set of golden eyes watched her in the corner of her gaze, gone the moment she peered at them. She felt afraid, she was scared. The fear seemed to seize her with icy cold tendrils and her heart beat faster and faster.

"Don't be scared, Weiss. We're safe here."

Her mother could be trusted, yes. She knew that there was nobody else here, that she was just sleepy. She'd had a bad dream, and bad dreams happened sometimes.

The wishes (Rowena Onyxia d'Arc-Night)

They were weak, fragile and untrained. They moved with the grace of baboons with rocket engines strapped to their back, their motions not as elegant and agile as they could be, as she drew their stares.

The urge to cut a path through their weak fleshy bodies was rising, as she stared at the woman ahead of her, the educator moving with a steady tread, the damages done during the fighting at the Breach having unbalanced the woman's Semblance according to the intelligence that had been delivered.

These days, the teachers were weak and the blades were unsullied with the blood of those who defied the orders from above. Jaune would have grown up to be weak, should he have continued the studying at this place.

"Professor Arc's class is through here, Miss Arc."

A honed blade did not rust. A honed blade did not fail to slice through the heart of the enemy in a single thrust. A honed blade did not falter, and a honed blade did not make mistakes.

"Thank you, Professor Goodwitch."

The politeness that was expected of her was something that she could not banish, aware that the summons had been to her personally. The orders had come from upon high, her father's wishes not to be denied. It was how the world worked.

The scythe's blade had been sharpened again, a past-time that she busied herself with when she was not in combat. A scythe cut and mowed, reaping the lives of those who intruded on the order of the world that she had created, which had been cut through with the anger within her heart at the situation she was in.

Pushing open the door to the class, she caught the last syllable of her father's voice, resonant in its timbre and emotionless in its delivery. She caught the students that were paying attention to the lecture shift their gaze to her, and she stood there, leaning against one of the blank white walls, as white as the stones that were erected in the memorial field from the Great War.

"You are dismissed, class. I expect three pages on combat tactics in my mailbox in three school days. The smallest step is sometimes the thing that is most crucial."

Her father's eyes were cool and calm as the man regarded her, and she straightened, the dress that she wore nothing like her combat outfit, which had been a spare version of Qrow's cut for the feminine form.

"Daughter."

The word was spoken with as much emotion as the man could muster, which was none. Rowena Arc smiled at her father, as the man's grim features remained as they had been. The look in the man's eyes was still as bland and blank as it has always been.

"Father."

The man motioned to one of the students.

"Rose, stay back for a moment."

Her eyes looked at the inheritor of the eyes of the saviour, belonging to the Rose clan of the Order, the bloodline kept pure with the occasional addition of fresh blood into the clan, and the bright silver eyes darkened a little.

"My daughter is a scythe-mistress, and you will learn from her how to be more efficient."

The words were more of a command, a relaying of the orders from the Grandmaster, as her father straightened himself out to his full height, eyes glinting with that hint of emotion that had faded, his eyes holding a hint of pride within them, the students looking at the three of them, as she turned her gaze to the young girl at her side, the silver eyes narrowed, giving her a look.

"I will observe."

The man sat himself down at the student's section, as Rowena moved with the grace that was allowed for her, the dress fluttering a little, the large weapon in her hands twirling once, as she stepped into the changing room.

"I don't like you."

The Rose girl said, and she smiled to herself, the silver-eyed girl giving her a look that held personal emotions, as Faunus Mors was set to the wall. She ran a hand through her hair, letting herself wonder about whether she could make it look more appealing to Jaune. He deserved something beautiful.

"Personal feelings don't matter, when you're a part of the club, Miss Rose."

The pout and the biting of the lower lip were childish, and it wasn't something that she should really be worried about. Ruby Rose might have become a great scythe-wielder one of these days, but she was still a weakling who let personal feelings interfere with the mission, who believed that fairytales were real.

"You're evil. Who would wield such an evil blade, make a mockery of what a Scythe is supposed to be like? We're the good guys!"

She shook her head softly, aware of the delusions of the girl. Good or bad, it mattered very little in the grand scheme of the Grand Wizard. The man had plans to deal with the Shadow, and there would be another Ruby Rose, or someone like her, in a few decades.

"So you say. Weaklings do not get to challenge me or what I am, Miss Rose."

The formal speech was annoying to use, keeping her emotions flat, as she hung the dress in the locker and turned to the Rose girl, the combat outfit pulled out of the pocket she kept it in, her body twisting a little as she fit herself with the garments like a queen should.

A glance in the mirror that hung at the side confirmed that she looked good, a confident grin on her face as she pulled the red cloak on, the heavier weight of her own cloak a comfort once more. She could feel the presence of the girl in the background, seeing that the Rose girl hadn't changed her position once.

"Personal feelings do not matter when you graduate, Miss Rose."

The creed, the words that had been instrumental in forming the world as she saw it. There would be no deviation from the plan, no weakness in the flesh. Her Semblance was strong, her love was stronger and there would be obedience.

'It would be wrong of me to let infestations fester…'

She was a d'Arc-Night, after all. A mere 'Ruby Rose' was nothing in the grand scheme of the Grandmaster, as far as she knew. The Summer Rose was as lethal as they came, with her burning will to destroy.

"You're wrong! They always matter, and I don't understand how Jaune could have such a monster for a mommy! You're evil!"

The urge to make the girl's heart explode was rising. It would be natural, if she was still a little crazy. A little blood clot and the girl would pass out and perish…

'No… I don't think it's your time yet, little Rose.'

The children were still innocent… Her little protégé would be needing to be tested first for loyalty…

Hate and love were so close in nature, after all. She loved her son and she hated her father.

"I am a blade, with a cloak and a mask. There is no emotion, there is just the task assigned to me."

The official creed of the Rose, as it had been spoken of by her father, the man's introduction to the clans of Vale having started with that, first and foremost. It was a slow but laborious moment where she let her gaze rest on Ruby for an instant longer than before, a pity rising within her for a brief instant before it was squashed.

"That's evil! You're evil!"

It was the official Rose creed. The girl would learn, but until she was dismissed, Rowena D'Arc-Night would teach Ruby Rose the Scythe.

"That is subjective. You may think I am evil now, yet you are yet a mere initiate, whereas I am a full member of the Order. There is still respect for your elders, child."

The pout was not adorable. She might think it'd suit Jaune decently, in a cute way, and he'd definitely need to pout at her once or twice when she denied him his favourite dinner treat, but…

'I should go and offer him something nice for dinner when we meet up again.'

There wasn't anything wrong with spoiling him. The mission came first, the son came foremost. She'd have to see about making some sweet pudding and adding some extra cream.

"- unfair, you meanie-weenie! How can you just say that I need to respect you, because I am a student at Beacon, and I-"

She shifted the cloak on her shoulders and grabbed Ruby's cloak, the girl giving a little squeak as she was dragged out of the changing room, walking in stride with her after a moment of adjustment, the cloak tugged out of her hands.

"I don't like you."

She wouldn't voice her own mutual dislike, but for the sake of keeping up appearances, she would make sure that the girl was taught, even if the disrespect was starting to grow tiresome.

"I'm still going to train you, child."

She stepped into the sparring ring, Faunus Mors unfolding behind her back, the clicking of the blade into the 'ready' position like a familiar tune. She could just close her eyes and hear the familiar whirring of the machinery in the distance, shifting into place around her body and making her perceive the world as it was, the beat of the girl's heart speeding up a little, her father getting into position.

It was easy to just destroy the girl, to strike when she was young and relatively untrained, to shred through the heart and to make the girl bleed before her life was snipped with the reaper's scythe. Her blade had reaped many lives and had pulled souls from the world of the living into the realm of the dead.

"Hee-yah!"

The girl called out her attacks and her blade shifted, glancing off the scythe's edge, the click of the mechanism warning her that there would be a bullet launched, the recoil making the girl jolt a little. She had not opened her eyes yet, as the bodies in the room were perfectly located to her senses, her body shifting, a hand reaching out and seizing the uniform of the girl and then slamming her against the ground, her eyes opening as she looked down at her.

"You're weak. Do not do that again."

It wasn't 'training' the girl, but it was 'educating' the girl. She would do what the Grandmaster had asked of her, and the girl would learn, yet it would temper the girl's expectations. Her father made an approving sound, clearly approving of the style of teaching. It was much like how Summer Rose had taught her the way of wielding her sword, the constant beating and the striving to surpass her mentor. Summer Rose had not cared for blood or for wounds, just urging her on to be better.

"Get up."

The girl got up, Rowena's blue eyes meeting the silver, and the girl was screaming something in her frustration, even with the sudden attack missing by a few centimetres, her eyes dispassionately looking at the girl's screaming, as the petals flashed and she batted the scythe away.

"Focus more on your opponent."

A twirl of her blade sent the other scythe glancing off, and Rowena pirouetted, the blade of the scythe whirling in a perfectly horizontal cut, the girl caught in the blade, the blunting effect of Aura making the girl feel the pressure, without the damage, the motion assisted through the spin she put into it.

"Woah!"

The scythe scooped the girl up, raising her in the air and Rowena's hands let go of it, the Scythe raised with the girl, as she seized the girl's body whilst it was in motion, bringing up her knee and then letting the girl bear down on it. A cracking sound, as the girl's body creaked and there was a shriek of pain. She glanced up at the aura levels. It would hurt, but that was how you learned.

"You are too dependent on your weapon. When you lose it or your opponent outplays you with a move you don't expect, you don't recover. You could have dodged it by dashing backwards, and your balance is unsuitable for the Scythe."

The girl was crying. Rowena supposed that she should have used some kindness, but a harsh teacher spurred on their students to be better. As far as she could guess, Ruby Rose might actually start to equal her in about three decades… at the level that she had been at twenty-one. She was better now, and a girl who believed such fairytale notions of good and evil…

"Hey there, Rowe… Mind if I join you for a spar, show Ruby a bit about how a graduated Huntsman uses his scythe?"

The man was here. The girl from the Rose clan would get to witness how two experienced Huntsmen were squaring off.

"If you wish." There was a soft grin on Qrow's face as he helped the Rose girl up, dusting her off. The girl was still crying. Rowena knew that it'd be a beating if she showed such emotions during her training. A member of the Order did what had to be done.

"Beat her up good, Uncle Qrow."

It was a different game now, as she glanced at her father, the man nodding shortly.

'Time to fight…'

Fighting against a femme fatale (Qrow Branwen)

Ruby hadn't been manhandled too badly by Rowena, he had seen. She'd spared the girl the worst of the blows, another sign of her kind nature. The blonde woman looked stern and serious, as Ruby said that she should 'beat Rowena up good', his hand brushing over his scruffy chin.

"Gonna be a fight again, Rowe… Let's see how well you've learned the stuff I taught you."

She was better than him, he reckoned. More agile, more striking force and that Semblance of hers was something that was a beast. The smile on her lips was like the morning sun, the blue eyes stirring his emotions once more, reminded of that time when she'd sat there in the sunlight, speaking of the things she'd done in veiled tones, never speaking of the Order, but aware of what it meant.

"Let's see how well you need those pills to keep going, Qrow."

The teasing tone that she used definitely made him think back to that moment when she'd stepped off the ferry, when she'd… done that.

He'd loved her, or thought that he loved her, but this was now different.

"I don't see you dating anytime soon, Rowe. Unless you'd like to rekindle that flame we ha-"

The scythe's blade stopped in front of his face. That was dangerous, very dangerous. The tip nearly touched his nose, only stopped through the motion of her hands. He'd barely even seen the motion, but he smirked cockily.

"You fucking love me, sweetheart."

Harbinger batted the scythe away, Faunus Mors ringing with the blow. She came from the right, swinging her scythe in mowing arcs, a pattern that she'd learned from under him, easily parried with his own strength. He was stronger than she was, physically. It was that difference between a man and a woman's build, the way that they grasped their weapon. Rowena's blade was sharper, his blade was sturdier and more suited to the melee fighting. She could end it with her Semblance easily, if she so wished. He'd seen what she'd been able to do with it, the blood within the body hers to manipulate.

"You're tolerable at best, Branwen. I don't understand what an Arc would even see in an old bastard like you."

A glance at Azure, who'd struck up a conversation with Rowena's father, the man giving a small nod, starting to talk about something. Azure would keep her mouth shut about their little relationship, but Rowena had discerned it perfectly.

"Perhaps a cool guy with a cute niece?"

Ruby wasn't paying attention to him, but her attention was directed solely on Rowena, the baleful look moody and something that made him feel a little gross on the inside. Taiyang had fucked his baby girl, he'd fucked Ruby and gotten her pregnant, if he knew Rowena's hint well enough.

The scythe clashed with his own, as the grin on Rowena's face widened, the slashing of her scythe not as powerful as she could be. She was restraining herself, making the fight easier for him, making the observer be lulled into some sort of rhythmic dance. He followed suit, his eyes flicking to the father of his girlfriend. The man's cold eyes watched the two of them, but the man didn't seem to notice the cadence of the fight.

Rowena was still giving her best, but there was more to the motions that he'd reciprocated, something that only a scythe-wielder would notice. Rowena was giving him more ground, more time to wind up a swing. The blades of the scythes clashed together, the woman's body shifting a little as she yielded, and the weapon was torn from her grasp as he struck it hard.

"I yield. You're still better than me, Qrow."

She was better than him. If she'd been allowed to use her Semblance, she'd have him dead to rights. This was a show, this was something that made a show happen.

"Yay! You beat the evil lady!"

Ruby hugged him, and his hand patted her head, the look on her face cheerful, but Qrow could only see Summer in her. The silver eyes, the upbeat smile that she'd always have, the love that she'd showed him.

She was his daughter and he hugged her a little tighter to his chest.

"She's a good fighter, Ruby. If she's teaching you, you're going to learn from one of the best scythe-wielding women in the world. I'm a bit stronger than she is, but she's more agile."

The pout on Ruby's face was adorable, and he sighed a little, knowing that Ruby was a stubborn girl at times, and that Rowena would do what she had been ordered to, because she was that type of woman.

A woman who cared for the kids, a woman who wanted to be a mother, and who had lost her kid. He'd lost his kid, and he'd not even known it. It was painful to admit it, but he knew that he was missing fragments of his memory, and asking about it would make him lose more of it.

"She's a big meanie. I'd like to train with you, Uncle Qrow. The grandmaster said that I'm not going to learn very much until I'm up to speed with the others. Can't you talk to the headmaster?"

'Grandmaster… She slipped up there.'

He smiled at her, ruffling her head fondly. She was his daughter, so she'd have to suffer a bit more before he'd be able to get her out of this place.

"I'll see whether I can get teaching rights, though Oz would be right if he said that Rowe's a better teacher. You don't want an old crow like me hanging around you, Ruby."

Ruby smiled, his daughter's angelic features making him feel even better about the decision to come and see her. She was under some kind of belief that the world was good and bad, and that it wouldn't matter… But he hoped that she would see the truth of the world, a dark and scary place, but where there was love.

Summer had said it, and she'd not had a chance to lie to him. He'd talk to Ozpin.

"I'll see whether I can get to talk to the man. Sage? You mind keeping an eye on lil' Ruby here for a bit whilst the big bad uncle goes to meet with the Headmaster?"

The man nodded, a small smile on his lips that didn't reach his eyes. He patted Ruby's head again, as Rowena got into the ready position again.

"Listen to her well, Ruby. She's almost as good as your uncle."

He had a man to see.

The plight of an agent (Ozymandias Pinnacle)

The people did not know how good they had it. In the war against the Grand Witch, he would have to use the people of the Kingdoms in order to ensure that there would be peace and tranquillity in the world.

It was regrettable that the Good Witch seemed to have lost her control over the Semblance that she'd been blessed with through happenstance, but the Lux Aeterna within her still pulsed without a hint of corruption.

The large image of Vale's district stood out to his eyes, as the body chafed and ached. It had been a long while since he'd shifted bodies. It had been close, it had been so close before the perfect fit had been found and now lost.

'They need to be guided, down the path. The little people do not know the terrors that she has…'

His hand rubbed over the Relic of Choice, disguised as a ring. It was a little tighter around his finger, knowing that another use today would likely tax the body more. The elevator dinged and he spotted Qrow emerging, his agent's loyalty nearly confirmed fully, unlike his sister. A regrettable loss, but nothing that could not be contained. It was a small shard of the power that he'd kept in reserve. Better one spy than both lost.

'Such talent… Such skill…'

"Qrow, my old friend."

The smile that was on his face was genuine. The young man looked like he was about to be asking a question that wasn't exactly proper, but he was sure that the right cause would be selected for Qrow Branwen.

The rearing of Ruby Rose was startng, and the man undoubtedly had met with Miss Rose.

"Hey Oz. I was wondering…"

The observation of Qrow had shown affection for young Azure, a woman whose willful nature would prove in need of adjustment. Of course, the children could find love where they had wished, but the bloodline was still trimmed close with the loss of the greatest of the Arcs, Rowena.

'A regrettable loss, as the beastmen toyed with her… Her mind lost completely…'

Another Good Witch candidate ruined, but that was not the issue. The little people did not think for themselves, as they would doom themselves once again into their own silly wars. It was deadly, brutal and uncaring…

'They need to be guided, they need to be taught that there is more to life than warfare…'

The Order would deal with the Grimm, the people who were reared to love the world more than they loved each other, the perfect daughters that he'd always wished to have… reminded of the loss that he'd suffered.

'Oh, he was speaking.'

"- hand in her training, if it's not too much of a bother?"

The man's caring side was an obstacle at times, but it would not make the world suffer for that simple love. The people needed guidance, his care… They needed to have their choices made for them, rather than to allow them to throw the world into chaos due to their own opinions.

"Of course, Qrow. I simply asked Rowena whether she'd like to lend a hand, but if your niece would thrive under your instruction…"

The man had earned a little reward. The children of this world were easily kept sedate. The Summer Rose was gone, yet she had left behind a present, a gift to the world, the child that had been hidden from him.

"Well, she doesn't really like Rowe."

A fancy from his best agent in the field. Perhaps if the girl calmed down a little and was willing to entertain a semblance of civility…

'No, she is not mentally stable. The last time, she nearly managed to kill this body.'

The children rebelled sometimes. The Lux Aeterna would keep him able to fend off the Grand Witch's minions, yet with the near-death of the Fall Maiden… Perhaps an ulterior solution would need to be sought. Miss Rose had indicated that Miss Nikos would be a great fit for her partner…

"All children have some distaste to someone who is older, Qrow. You were no angel yourself."

The young man had been seventeen. The interrogation had let him learn of the plans that the young man had, about the bandit tribe, which was growing to be a nuisance in Mistral. Out of the four tribes of bandits, the Branwen had been more militant and progressive in their raids, according to the last scouting that had been done by the Xiao Long.

'She made her choice… She will return to the children of the Order when it is time.'

The light within her would shine, as it always had. One would have to be stupid to deny the potential that Raven Branwen had as one of the very few people who had been inducted into the order at an older age. Her lethality was as perfect as it could be. Qrow's issues with killing were an acceptable loss.

'They do not know the world as I have… If they are not protected, then the innocents will suffer. The little people will always remain in need of their rulers… And so I have abolished them. It is for their own good.'

He was aware of the malcontents that followed the Grand Witch, the woman who he had once loved. It was regrettable that she did not see that the power had to be controlled, that the Gods had been there to institute the tools for them to use to right the wrong of the Grimm…

'Such a pity that you do not see things as I see them…'

The children needed him, even though they grew older and older with every new body that he took. They needed his guidance, because he knew better than them the dangers of the world. The Grimm and the darkness was lurking, and every single member of the Order knew that.

"Mind if an old Qrow helps out a bit? The kid needs her uncle's guidance in her life."

The Relic was raised, but the old wizard reconsidered. Another use of the Relic and he'd have to recover. Not now, and it definitely wouldn't be too much of a bother to let a loyal man teach his niece.

The people never could see that it was necessary. The little people would look up at the tower and beg for his help, even without words. They were fragile, unwilling to face the Grand Witch… and they were meek.

'They do not know of the truth, and they will not see it.'

The Order required his guidance. The people required his guidance.

'The little people need their guardian. Order will be restored.'

"Of course, Qrow. She will need guidance. She is a special girl."

Her child would serve the Order. It was how it has always been.

The straight edge (Rowena Onyxia d'Arc-Night)

The girl gasped once as Rowena pulled back, the punch to the gut knocking the wind out of the girl, her head shaking slightly in minor dissatisfaction.

"We're done here."

She had to go and wash up, after the exercise of beating some skill into the girl's skull. The mean looks that the girl kept giving her were of little importance to her right now, as the training session that'd come from the brief spar had come to an end.

"Work on your leg muscles more, become more agile through taking up dancing or something like that. It will adjust your balance better and allow you greater reach with your weapon if you're able to move in heels easily."

She knew that she had a perfect balance on heels herself. There were dancing lessons, as well as agility training that she'd underwent. It wasn't running full-speed through a corridor of blades with the occasional shifting mechanism like it'd been for her, but the girl would have to know how to place her feet.

"Those stupid lady-stilts."

She didn't care much about that, as she shrugged, the cloak rippling a little.

"Good job, Rowena. You are obedient."

The words from her father did not fill her with much warmth, making her aware of how close the man was to the Grandmaster, how the grand plan for the Order was unveiling within their lives. Jaune was the guiding light in her life, the reason why she was living. His heartbeat was far-off now, and he hadn't let anything be known from his side, but she peered down the tendril that connected her with him, finding his heart uneasy, the love within her burning brightly.

'It'l be just a while longer…'

She slinked off to the showers, wanting to get freshened up. Her uniform could be thrown in the wash a moment later, and she looked at herself in the mirror for a moment, her hair loose as it hung in front of her face, the features still cut short, the jacket wrapped up in the pants and then shoved into the bag.

She stepped under the spray, her hair washed with the heavy beam of water, Semblance reaching out to wrap it around her. The heartbeat of the silly girl was in the dressing room and she couldn't help but find a spark of amusement, as she let her gaze go over her body.

Full breasts, heavy and weighty, impressive for the family, clearly because of the birth that she'd given, her darling boy undoubtedly wishing to suckle on them again like when he was but a wee baby. Her fingers dove over her skin with the Semblance stroking over the flesh like a scrubber, wiping the sweat off and then pushing it into the drain without a fault, before she stepped back and turned around, the soap in her hands, foaming within the water's bubble that she'd made with a touch of her mind, splattering over her shoulders, suds dripping over the skin as she eased her control.

She let the water wash the soap off her body, the warmth of the water wrapping around her like Heather's semblance did when she needed a quick dry, the feeling of the skin slowly drying up as she shut the shower off and then stood there, the last few droplets plucked from her skin with a simple push of her mind, her eyes glancing at herself for an instant as she caught the fogged up mirror, the droplets removed.

She was a daughter of Sage d'Arc-Night, a sister to six other girls. A mother to a boy who was now seventeen and such a man already that it made her hurt inside. She saw the beautiful smile on her lips and knew that she'd have to make sure that he'd have a warm welcome when he returned. That comforting sensation in the back of her mind of feeling the connection, hearing the echoes of his feelings and the others that had been pulled into the web of emotions and thoughts, the burning light that surrounded the darkness within her leaving her to feel warmth.

'Nobody can stop me from reuniting with you, Jaune.'

She emerged from the showers into the dressing room, finding that Ruby had left already, pulling her dress out of the locker and seeing the shreds that it had been reduced to, a sharp-bladed edge, as it was fairly obvious as to who would have done such a thing.

'Petty girl…'

A sigh as she pulled out her combat outfit again and then focused her Semblance, creating a globe of water and then washing her outfit, deciding that she'd wear her 'work outfit' and bin the dress when she came back to the hotel. It was a shame, but she didn't think Jaune would like it much.

The outfit slipped back on, the jacket slipping back over her shoulders as she tied the vest, the undershirt still somewhat damp. She looked at herself in the mirror, the water pulled out of the outfit, and the dampness faded.

"Not wearing that pretty little dress, mean lady?"

She smiled prettily at the girl, her body shifting a little, her prominent chest pushing against the outfit, her cleavage a little deeper.

"I'm afraid someone mistook it for a scythe-cleaning rag."

The smile didn't drop from her face, her eyes looking into the girl's silver eyes. The power within those eyes was not active, as the girl looked at her.

"Well, that's too bad, isn't it?"

She smiled and ruffled the girl's hair, shaking her head lightly.

"I've got more dresses. I'll see you in a few days, Ruby. Let's teach you how to become a great huntress, alright?"

The pout was a small victory, as she caught her youngest sister's eyes.

"Azure, shall we go get a bit of food together? Bring Qrow. We need to have a chat about training schedules for lil' Rose here."

Another ruffle of the silver-eyed girl's hair, and Rowena d'Arc-Night smiled maternally at the girl.

'You're going to hate me, little girl… But don't worry, I'll beat the disrespect out of you.'

The angry look was just what she needed.

'And if you don't learn… Well…'

Children deserved to be spanked when they were naughty. Her Jaune might actually enjoy punishing the little Rose. She'd have to help a little.

"I don't like that smile on your face, you evil lady."

She smiled with warmth, flashing her teeth at the girl. She was beautiful in the eyes of those who could see how much she loved. All that mattered was Jaune's happiness.

"I think you are adorable, Miss Rose. Qrow is lucky with you and your sister."

The man was, in her view. He at least got to see his child and his niece. She had to fight for every moment she got with her father and mother, the 'vessel must not be disturbed' excuse always a mainstay. She could not help her love.

The two were now sisters to her, in creed and in supposed loyalty to the grand ideal. Yang was on the road to becoming her daughter-in-law, if she had guessed it properly. Jaune liked her, and she knew that look on his face, even with the nudie mags that he'd tried to hide when she was back home again.

The weight on her shoulders was the weight of years of work, of being a slave to the grand ideal, knowing that she had nothing but the hope for the great and beautiful future that waited for her.

She was the one who wore the cloak and the mask for the greatest mission of her life. She would protect and love her sister, her son and those sisters that obeyed her.

"You're not becoming my aunt! He's not into a woman like you!"

Qrow was, or at least, he had been. It had all been necessary. Jaune needed safety. Her body wasn't important, but her son was.

"Oh, are you jealous? Perhaps I should take his invitation to dinner…"

He was not sexually appealing to her in the slightest, but the Rose girl looked like she wanted to make a big issue out of it, the girl's teeth gritting already, as the silver eyes glimmered in the lighting of the room.

"But I've got different tasks to do. There is just the 'club', Ruby. We're both a member, and we'll be bringing the world to unity."

The formal line, as it had been taught to her. The girl should learn to accept the world as it was, rather than the world that the Grandmaster envisaged. The people who ruled this world did not care for the world's inhabitants, bringing only the death to the borders of the shelters that humanity had carved into the world for themselves, the Grimm an ever-present danger.

A girl who believed in fairytales wasn't worth looking at with the eyes of an adult who had been bleeding for the world since they had donned the cloak. A childish girl…

'The final mercy is your best gift, Ruby.'

The issue with friends (Ruby Rose)

It wasn't fair! She could do so much more than the others, and she was special! Why did Uncle Qrow have to look at the blonde woman like she was a good person! She was evil, she had an evil weapon and she was looking like a villain!

She was going to be a hero now, she knew! She'd make Pyrrha understand that there was nothing that could be done to the hope of Jaune returning! He was dead, and she had accepted that! She'd be the hero that people needed, and Pyrrha needed to understand that there was so much good that could be done in the world.

She settled herself down into one of the seats, watching uncle Qrow turn his head to her and smile. She brushed her fingers over her belly. She'd be showing sometime in the next month or two, that's what she'd heard. She was a bit older, but it would be beautiful. A perfect little life or so Grandmaster Oz had told her. She was special, because she had her duties to do.

Ruby Rose was a gifted girl, or so he'd said, as she listened to his lessons on how the Order had come to be. She didn't understand some parts about 'responsibility' and 'the Roses', but it was good! They were just training her to be better, to be faster, to be the best Huntress that she could be. Pyrrha would understand… probably.

Pyrrha was fantastic. She was so driven, so diligent, and she could kick people's hiney without even blinking! Ruby might've liked it more if she'd done things with Pyrrha rather than with her dad, but… well, it was what it was. A little bud was sprouting. It would grow.

It wouldn't be bad to try and talk to Pyrrha, after all, every good Rose needed a partner, and she was hoping that it would be Pyrrha. The girl was just ready to become a partner, since Jaune died.

'It'll be okay. He doesn't deserve to have an evil mommy. He died and left us all alone, but that's okay. He'll be okay in the afterlife, the Grandmaster said so.'

She could trust the man with her life. He was the most important member of the Orders of the world, the Grandmaster who was going to lead everyone to safety when it was the time. She didn't really understand how that was possible, but the grandmaster hadn't stopped to praise her.

'It's a bit like having a grandfather…'

She would be a great member of the Order. There was only destiny to be completed, after all. She would bring the power of the Order to bear with her silver eyes and Pyrrha would be helping her. Surely she'd want to help Ruby fight against the evil, evil people who wanted to make the world a worse place to be in, right?

"Hey Pyrrha!"

The redheaded young woman looked up, the green eyes assessing her as if she was a threat. That was a handy skill, Uncle Qrow had said, and it was a sign of someone who would go far. She knew that Jaune's mommy was evil, so she didn't have to do much looking. Evil weapons belonged to evil people, after all.

"Hello there, Ruby."

The smile, polite and formal, made Ruby's heart leap a little. She could feel that sense of belonging, that little hint that her bestie Weiss didn't quite give her. This was a young woman who could become the best partner ever.

"Want to hang out? We can go for… for ice-cream!"

There was a hesitation, as Pyrrha looked at the members of her team present, Nora's eyes dark and spooky, creepy… That wasn't okay. There were pills for that, Ruby knew. She wasn't stupid, after all.

"I'm… Okay."

She knew that her friend would want to be happy with her! What else were friends for, right?

Thirty minutes later they sat down at the ice-cream shop that she'd been to before, the nice man behind the counter giving them an extra scoop. He looked a little familiar to her, but that couldn't be, right? No way that Roman Torchwick, the meany-mc-meanieface would be giving her an extra scoop!

"So… You wanna know a little secret?"

Pyrrha leaned against the table, the sundae that was in front of her chilled, her emerald eyes observing her. Ruby was pretty sure that Pyrrha would want to know about some of the things with the Order, but she had to say it surreptitiously.

"What kind of secret?"

A question that made her shiver a little, the green eyes looking at her. For a moment, she felt the tingle in her belly, aware that she was with a girl who could probably hurt her, the excitement inside her never fading, as she took a deep breath to steady herself.

"I'm special."

The look in Pyrrha's eyes changed little, a smile on her lips.

"I'd say you are. I'm just nobody special."

Pyrrha was a four-time winner of the Mistralian Fighting Circuit. She was a paragon, and she was special indeed! Jaune had been her team leader, and now she was the team leader of her own team.

"No, you are special too! You're amazing, you fight really well and make them all watch you. You're someone who stands above others, and I am amazed when you lead your team. You're so good…"

Ruby stopped, aware that she might be getting carried away a little too much, Pyrrha's modest smile something that made her feel comfortable. The champion's fingers grabbed the spoon and Ruby watched as some of the sundae was eaten by the champion, nice and red lips wrapping around it.

Ruby wondered whether she should want to put some on her fingers and whether Pyrrha would like to lick the ice-cream off her. A strawberry-banana-chocolate-chip-cookie surprise was amazing.

"I've… I've got nice silver eyes. They're- promise me you won't tell anyone else?"

She knew that Pyrrha would keep the secret. Pyrrha was amazing, and you needed a partner. You needed a partner that you could trust, and Jaune was dead and his mommy was evil.

"I promise, Ruby."

She could trust Pyrrha.

"They're very good against the Grimm. They make the Grimm die… and it's all because of the eyes."

Pyrrha smiled softly, brushing a hand through her hair.

"If only it was that easy, Ruby. I'm not saying that it's not a great gift, but…"

Pyrrha didn't understand, of course. It wasn't something she should say, but she had to at least… make Pyrrha understand that it was a secret.

"I trust my weapons and my strength to see me through. You're just Ruby to me, Jaune's best friend."

It all came back to Jaune, of course. Ruby smiled a little and took a little bite from the waver that'd been stuck in the ice-cream sundae. Crunching softly, she looked at the goddess who sat opposite of her.

"It's… It's just a secret, you know? I think I can trust you."

Pyrrha smiled at her, those green eyes looking at her with that look that made Ruby convinced that Pyrrha was just like her.

"I swear, Jaune is the only one who can make me give up your secrets."

Ruby smiled broadly. Pyrrha was the best. Jaune was dead, so she'd keep the secret. After all, she might've wanted to tell her bestie… But he was dead.

"Gee, thanks. H-hey… Do you want to go look at weapons attachments, a bit later? I- I could use a new scope. J-just to look, I-if you don't mind. "

Pyrrha's smile made her heart beat a little faster.

"Of course, Ruby. Jaune would want me to keep a very close eye on his best friend."

Pyrrha was the best choice, after all.

Ruby Rose smiled at the other teenager, who hopefully would become her partner.

This was great.

I got sick and decided to focus on reducing my update schedule whilst I dealt with several infections. Upper respiratory tract infections are a pain in the ass, and the hot weather is NOT conducive to my general state of healthiness, sadly. My immune system isn't super-duper great, sadly.