New Divide

Beat but I'm not broken

Guide me through with your hand

Lead with your words spoken

Show me, how to listen?

Let your light shine through me

Take this hate, I can't release

Help me make the blood see

Misery loves its company

-'Misery Loves its Company' Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Weiss was laying on her side, facing away from Ruby. She couldn't for the life of her sleep. Too many thoughts surrounding her head, all leading back to the grisly details Ruby had depicted to them, most notability being- "I reacted without thought. I still had Crescent Rose at my side. I just…I cleaved his head from his shoulders.His body crumbled to the ground, but his face forever stuck in his own sick mirth."

It was like a puzzle revealing itself to them finally. The events at the clearing that night when they reunited. The ease that Ruby would have indeed killed the scorpion faunus without a thought had Yang not stopped her. The deadly gleam in her eyes and the personification of Death that had enveloped her. The aura of darkness that she had felt when she had interrupted Ruby's mediation just mere hours before.

Weiss sighed, and rolled over on her back, the glare of Ruby's scroll catching the corner of her eye. She hears uneasy snores and breathing and knows that it is just her and her…friend? Can she still call Ruby her friend? At this point, she doesn't even know if she wants to really still be partners. After all, this Ruby is not really her partner. This Ruby is most certainly not the same young girl that she had first laid eye contact in Forever Fall during initiation. Her partner would not have been so quick to-

She stopped that train of thought in its tracks and instantly went from feeling anger and frustration to sadness. There were multiple events that had led up to Ruby's current predicament. She blew out an aggravated huff feeling more conflicted than ever, "Lien for your thoughts?" She was startled to hear Ruby's soft voice. Still not looking directly at her partner, she knows that Ruby too isn't looking at her, and is still focused on her scroll.

"I doubt you have enough Lien to even cover one sixth of my thoughts." Weiss answered just as softly so as to not wake the other half of their team.

Ruby chuckled sadly, "Yea I am not an heiress so I really do not have a lot to my name. I spent most of what I had on gaining intel for team SSSN's location, transport, and now lodgings."

"Apparently for whatever reason I have nothing as well, so point is mute." Weiss admitted recalling that she may be disinherited, which is why her card declined earlier in the afternoon when she tried to pay for their lodgings, "Anyway why are you still up?"

"Silence while to some may be golden," Ruby started slowly, "is also a gateway to loudness that cannot be escaped no matter how hard one tries."

"So your thoughts are a torrent of raging darkness that is screaming loudly in your head you cannot sleep?" Weiss asked summoning up Ruby's explanation.

Ruby placed her scroll down a bit, just enough to give some sort of light, but enough to show she was giving Weiss her undivided attention, "You ask as if you are experiencing the same thing Princess."

Weiss closed her eyes and shook her head, "I don't know if I like you being a smart ass. Who are you messaging so intently anyway at this hour?"

"Qrow." Ruby says lightly, "He is back in Mistral now."

"Well I suppose you were going to go to him immediately."

Ruby frowned, not that Weiss could see clearly, "No it's late. He is staying in another inn. He's going to look into a few things before meeting up with us later tomorrow. He was letting me know about Oscar and I let him know that the boy was safe."

"Oh." Weiss frowns, closing her eyes. Unsure of this feeling that had plagued her.

Ruby sensed there was more to Weiss wondering who she was texting and the possible solo mission to her uncle. Of course she had no intention of leaving in the middle of the night. One, the result would have been met with much unpleasantness, and two, she was too emotionally drained to deal with the state she knew her uncle was in. Sighing silently to herself, she has a feeling that she knew what it was that was bothering her partner and there was only one other option to help quell both their states.

When Weiss opens her eyes, the room is in blackness. She feels a shift in the mattress, and hears movement. There is light once more and she sees Ruby in her cloak, reaching her hand out to her, "Come on. Let's see if they have hot chocolate machines." Weiss looks at the outstretched hand and sighs deeply in acceptance.

As she throws her own robe on and grabs her shoes, she looks over to their black and yellow pair. Seeing this, Ruby shakes her head, "Let them sleep."

Weiss nods and they leave the room. The silence was deafening as they walked down the hallway towards the lobby. Ruby led her down another hallway and they came upon a small cafeteria area, "Ah here we go. Still open too at this hour." Ruby said in a pleased tone.

Weiss just hummed in response as they went to the machines and got their drinks. Before she could take her cash out, Ruby waved her off and gave the cashier the money before leading her towards a table in the corner. Of course in this late hour, no one was really up, but all the same Ruby wanted to ensure privacy. They sat in silence, just holding their cups in their hands, not giving eye contact. Weiss discreetly looks at the reaper and slowly sees the illusion fade away from Ruby's demeanor, "I'm sorry." Weiss blurts out, not giving Ruby a chance to speak, "I'm sorry." She repeats softly.

Ruby stares at her partner, "Whatever for? I should be apologizing to you. I should've been more…delicate in my explanations. Well actually there is a lot more to apologize for, but I am guessing we are talking about-"

"Yes, however I should have seen the signs and backed off more. I should not have grilled into you the way I did. I…" Weiss sighed and allowed a finger to run over the rim of the cup, "You may not be our leader, but there are traces of my friend in you. I saw you were getting stressed and I read the signs that you were slowly losing yourself, but I wanted answers more."

"You deserved those answers." Ruby replied, mimicking Weiss's behavior, "But I should have shown more control. It was unacceptable." Ruby paused and actually took a sip of her drink and winced, "Still hot."

"Well it isn't called 'hot chocolate' for nothing…dolt." Weiss said giving Ruby a small smirk.

Ruby smiled back and sighed, sitting back and this time choosing to stare up at the ceiling, "Do you mean it?" Ruby asked softly.

Weiss gave Ruby a questioning look as she just took a small sip of her drink. Gently placing the cup back down, she asks, "Mean what?"

"That I am still your friend?" Ruby was avoiding eye contact, "So far after everything you've found out about me…the things I've done; it's only the tip of the iceberg. There is still some more you'll learn. Some darker things that while I…don't regret, I am not proud of." Ruby paused allowing this to sink in, "So I guess after all this, will we still be friends? Partners?"

Again Weiss's thoughts drifted into the darker area of her mind. The train she had stopped running full throttle again. Can she still call Ruby her friend? Can she still be partners? This Ruby is not really her partner. This Ruby is most certainly not the same young girl that she had first laid eye contact in Forever Fall during initiation, "Please Weiss," Ruby's pleading tone now caught her attention and she took this moment to look at the time traveler, "don't try and sugar coat things. Be honest."

Like you were initially? Weiss thought darkly, but then again felt guilty knowing that she was channeling her own anger at the overall situation on just one person. A person that too had been acting on instincts developed from years of hardship and being alone with no one else to rely on, "It's hard Ruby." Weiss starts out as a way to dispel the tension around them.

"To be honest? Or this?" Ruby asks motioning between them.

Weiss stares into the hot liquid, praying it would give her the answer. Of course it stays silent, "Honest? Us? Both?" Weiss questions. Suddenly, in this moment, years of training to taking over her family's company was out the window. The acting air of confidence and poise, making your mind empty of emotion to talk about a situation, all those lessons not coming to the forefront of her mind as she tries to think rationally and not allow emotion to rule, "It's a lot Ruby. It's a lot of information, and quite frankly…I am not sure how to talk to you about this."

Ruby nods and just opts to sip her drink to think of a response, and she catches Weiss do the same, "Would you rather talk to someone other than me?"

"No. No of course not." Weiss said quickly, "I mean this is between…" She trails off and motions between herself and Ruby.

Ruby nods, suddenly understanding, "You feel how I felt…still sometimes feel. Like I am not your partner…" Looking up now, she sees Weiss's hurt and guilty expression, "No reason to look like that. Like I said, I understand. We are…separated essentially by ten years." She looks away now.

"Right. I guess I just mean that I am not your partner and you are not mine, and yet at the same time-"

"We are partners."

"Correct. Also there are intimate things that you know of me that I never shared before I'm sure." Weiss said, "Just as I am sure she knew things of you that I have yet to learn."

Ruby looked at Weiss sadly. It was one thing for her to separate her own teammates from her now current ones, but she didn't want Weiss doing that to herself, "You are one in the same."

"Am I?" Weiss asked, "Your…description…of her is of one that you held in high regards."

"I always held you in high regards." Ruby said, "Far back in my memories I always admired how…cool you were. How you always carried yourself with dignity and sticking up for your beliefs, how you pushed me to be the best person I could be. You still did that up until the end I guess you could say…" Ruby looked away, "There were times of perpetual silence that I still heard you voice: scolding me, comforting me, giving me advice. My point is that despite us not having gone through the same experiences, I still want to have you as my partner."

Weiss sensed there was something being left unsaid, "And?"

"And…" Ruby breathed out, running a hand through her hair, "and if you…or anyone else wants to leave after I've explained what you all want me to explain, I'd understand completely."

"Just what makes you think we'd abandon you? I mean hell I didn't just let you leave that compound did I?" Weiss demands not overly harsh, but enough to show that Ruby's logic was ridiculous.

Ruby chuckles softly, "No, no you didn't. I just mean that the option is there. I am not holding you here against your will. Besides I did tell you that if a Grimm sneezed wrong, I'd have you escorted back to Beacon."

Weiss also let out a small chuckle of her own, "Right I remember. Goodness that feels like ages ago."

"You get used to the feeling."

They stayed silent for a moment longer, sipping their now lukewarm hot chocolate. Weiss pondered the conversation they just had and realized there had been an insecurity to the way she felt. The difference between who she is currently, and who Ruby knew she would become. There was a sense of inadequacy, "You mentioned it a few times…" Weiss started, making sure Ruby was looking at her now, "My summoning."

"What about it?"

"What do you know about it that you can help me with it?"

Ruby smiled and leaned back, happy that Weiss was maybe coming to terms with herself, "Well Winter and you yourself once explained your semblance is hereditary. It's also like a muscle. You have to keep working at that specific muscle, other words your ability to summon."

Weiss was impressed, "Good analysis."

"Well as team leader I was privileged to a complex file of my teammates' semblances at Beacon. It also helps I've been with you all for…everything…" Ruby responded.

"Ok so what if I told you that I've been trying to practice, but it hasn't gone too well." Weiss said slowly, not liking to admit her failures.

Ruby knew where Weiss was headed with this questioning. Asking for help without actually asking, "You need to think of your fallen foes. The ones who forced you to push past where you were, and become who you are. You need to call them to your side. Allow them to be your allies." She paused, thinking hard on what her Weiss had told her the advice she received, as well as what Maria had told her about her own unique abilities, "Emotions can grant you strength. I know this fully well, and I am the last person to give this advice, but you must never let them overpower you."

Weiss nods along to this, "Wise words. Something my sister would say actually." Ruby smiled and got up. Weiss did the same, following her example. Ruby led them over to a trashcan where they threw their drinks out and slowly made their way back to the room, "Ruby wait." Ruby stopped in the middle of the hallway just a few doors down from their room when Weiss grabbed her arm, "To be clear, we are still friends right?"

"Of course. I never stopped being your friend…unless at some point you stopped being mine?" Ruby questioned.

"Never, and I am sorry-" Weiss found herself engulfed in a tight hug.

"Weiss please stop apologizing. I was in the wrong…for everything." Ruby's voice was muffled as she had her head pressed against the heiress's neck.

Weiss pulled away, "We'll get through this ok? I promise."

Not another word was said as Ruby nodded and led them quietly back into the room. Yang and Blake were still sleeping, cuddling in fact. She wanted to get a picture of this moment, but decided against it. Especially seeing with the dimness of her scroll, the unease of their sleep etched onto their faces. Ruby frowned deeply knowing she was the cause of this. Weiss crawled back into bed and Ruby followed suite. Placing her scroll on the night stand, the room was now encased in darkness and she too fell into an uneasy sleep.

Ruby's Dream-

She found herself in a brightly lit room. A mirror stood before her as she recognized her much older and war worn appearance, "Where am I?"

"You are in my domain." She spun around to see the bright golden dragon with silver eyes looking at her.

"How is this possible?" Ruby asked, "I am not dead. I-"

The dragon glowed brightly that Ruby shielded her eyes and once the light dimmed, there standing before her was the humanoid form of the God, "You have touched death multiple times. You are bound and connected through us. Especially through me." His deep voice radiated in the empty room. He walked towards her, and she took a step back, "I have come to give you a warning Ruby Rose."

"What is that?" She asks warily.

"I assume by now you have caught on to the fact that the future that had come to pass, is still coming to fruition. Meaning you will fail and humanity will be destroyed."

Ruby glared hard at the deity in front of her, "I am fighting it the best I can. I am trying to make the future that they had deserved…that they should have gotten."

"And yet there is a price for straying from the course of the river of time; and that price may still be paid in the blood of those who follow you." He responds, ignoring the harsh tone.

Ruby said nothing for a moment and ran her hands over her face in frustration before allowing them to rest on the back of her neck as she closes her eyes and shakes her head, "Instead of issuing me dire predictions;" she starts out slowly, her voice growing firm with each enunciation, "you might help me get back on track. Give me a hint! Tell me what I might change! Tell me something to guide me in stopping that bitch that you cursed!"

He sighs sadly, "Better to let the river carry you along, than to exhaust yourself fighting it." He cuts Ruby off before she has a chance to respond, "I cannot tell you. I am bound to my brother that there are things we cannot change nor divulge."

"Ten years." Ruby said glowing, "I have been fighting exhaustion for ten years. Everything I…everything I have ever done has been accomplished by fighting to exhaustion. I've come to know no other way."

"I am sorry, this was never meant to be your fight. However much like Ozma, we have given you and your kind another chance. I am giving you one more warning;" He towers over her and she feels a pull, "This journey…is entirely of your own making."

"Ruby." Yang, she hears Yang's voice.

"So know this-"

"Ruby get up!" Weiss…the room was fading now, the pull getting stronger.

"You will either lead us all to illumination-"

"Ruby come on, it's time to get up." Blake's voice.

Illumination-a spiritual or intellectual enlightenment. The God of Light was fading now. The pull was getting stronger. His last words that she hears before being pulled back into the land of wakefulness was, "Or into further darkness…"

Ruby continued to fall into the shadows and briefly she swore she saw a purple dragon flying right towards her, its jaws open as it neared ever closer, ready to devour her whole.