18Hey, this is my first ever fanfic. If you like it, let me know. Constructive criticism is appreciated. That said, I hope you enjoy my creation (read: abomination).
Light Reincarnate
Chapter 1:
Ruby Rose walked down the sidewalk, her hooded, red cloak being moved by the evening breeze. The streets of Vale were quiet, occasionally broken by the sound of a car's engine.
Ruby was wearing her Huntress outfit; a black, long-sleeved blouse with a high collar and red trim, over which was a black waist-cincher with red lacing up the front, and a matching skirt with red lining. Over her legs were a pair of thick, black stockings, which led down to a pair of black combat boots with red laces, red trim around the top, and red soles. Her cloak was attached to her blouse by a pair of silver cross pins, and attached to her belt was a silver rose pin.
Ruby's silver eyes glanced over at the figure keeping pace beside her; her older brother.
Lux Rose was a few inches taller than Ruby, and, like Ruby, had hair that started out as black at the roots, then changed color closer to the tips. In addition to red, Lux's hair also had white, dark purple, yellow, and silver, and it flowed down a little past his shoulders.
Lux's outfit was much simpler than Ruby's; a pitch-black, short-sleeve shirt over his torso. Over each forearm was a black, leather vambrace, with silver flame designs, and silver laces. A pair of black cargo pants, with silver patterns of thorny vines running down from top to bottom, covered his legs, leading down to his black combat boots, each with laces and soles that were silver in color.
To top it all off, Lux wore a black cloak with a beaked hood. While Ruby's cloak was plain, Lux's cloak had silver patterns of thorny rose vines along the edges. In the middle was Lux's emblem; a pointed, vertical oval with two circles, resembling an eye. The middle circle, meant to be the pupil, was gold; the second circle, meant to be the iris, was silver; and the area outside of the iris, meant to be the sclera, was gold. Above the oval were five gold, teardrop shapes extending away from the eye. The cloak was attached to Lux's shirt by a pair of pins, designed to look like his emblem, except without the teardrop shapes.
"Are you sure you don't want to come inside with me?" asked Ruby.
"I'm sure," replied Lux, nodding. His voice was boyish, yet the start of change was evident. "Besides, there was something I wanted to look into."
"Is this another one of those 'I can't tell you what it is, but I'll tell you about it at some point in the future' kind of things?" asked Ruby, giving Lux a questioning look.
"Yes, it is," answered Lux. He let out a long breath. "Don't worry. It shouldn't take me very long. I'll meet back up with you at the store, after I'm done."
Ruby nodded, and gave a small hum, allowing silence to fall over them once again, as they continued walking along the sidewalk.
It was a peaceful Saturday night, but Ruby's thoughts were rampant in her mind. Yang would be leaving for Beacon the next morning, leaving Ruby and Lux behind at Signal. Of course, Lux wouldn't be too far behind, and then Ruby would be all alone for her final year at Signal. And although Lux told her many times that it wasn't set in stone, and that there had been cases where people were invited to attend early, Ruby knew that in those cases, the person being invited early was in their final year at a preparatory school. Considering she still had two years left, Ruby didn't expect she would be invited to any Academy two years early, especially since it was the night before the new school year.
However, Lux never doubted her, always saying that she'd be one of those special cases. And while Lux never said it, Ruby had a feeling that Lux meant that she would be an extra special case.
She had a lot to thank Lux for. Thanks to his special training, Ruby was ranked top of her class at Signal. She was more focused during spars, and although she had yet to master any of them, the neat little tricks she learned were definitely a plus. Ruby found it amazing that Lux still had yet to master the techniques that he had made - what few there were - and was constantly refining them.
Some techniques took an incredible amount of mental focus, compared to some others, putting a lot of strain on the mind. Lux had instructed Ruby not to rely on the techniques, no matter how easy or how powerful they were. Use the simple ones if she was in a pinch, and the powerful ones only if necessary. Lux had also instructed her to avoid just using her power outright, as it would most likely put a large amount of strain on not only the mind, but the body as well. Ruby knew Lux was working on something new, too. Lux hadn't said what it was, but she could tell by the number of headaches he'd been having recently that it would be more of a powerful technique than a simple one. Ruby was somewhat dreading having to learn whatever it was, because if Lux; who had more control of his power than Ruby had on hers; was having trouble, it would be worse for her.
I know Uncle Qrow's been helping him with whatever it is, thought Ruby. Whenever him and Lux go off to train together, he's always helping Lux inside the house, after they're done.
For now, though, she wouldn't worry about it. When Lux felt he had gotten whatever it was to the point of it working to the specifications he wanted, he would bring it up to her.
Ruby and Lux rounded another corner, and Ruby could finally see their destination. From Dust Till Dawn was a Dust shop that Ruby frequented, as it had some things that the Dust shop in Patch didn't. She had placed an order, consisting of ammunition for Crescent Rose, crystals and vials of Gravity Dust for some of Lux's weapons, as well as the newest issue of Weapons Weekly.
Crossing the street, Ruby and Lux stopped in front of the Dust shop. Ruby gave Lux a small nod, then walked up to the door, and entered the shop. Lux turned away from the shop, and walked away. He looked around, checking for any people passing by. Further down the street, Lux could see a group of men walking towards the shop. Leading the group was a man with orange hair, a bowler hat, and what seemed to be a cane.
I'll need to be quick about this, thought Lux. I'll probably have to wait until they're on the roof. If they even get that far, that is.
After checking the group of men once again, seeing how close they were, and how fast they were approaching, Lux activated his Semblance, disappearing, leaving behind only a small cloud of silver rose petals that drifted off into the night sky.
Ruby walked up to the shop counter, nodding to the shopkeeper, who was standing patiently behind the counter.
"How may I help you?" asked the man.
Ruby pulled a piece of paper from one of her pouches, and handed it to the man. "I placed an order," she stated. "I'm here to pick it up."
Looking over the contents of the paper, the man nodded. "I'll bring this out immediately," he said, then walked towards the back of the shop.
Deciding to look at some of the other magazines, Ruby walked over to the magazine rack in the back, and put on her headphones. While Lux told her to be alert at all times, every once in a while, she needed to calm her mind. Ruby looked through her music on her scroll, and decided on a piece of piano music Lux had composed. It was a sonata, and Ruby had to admit, it was good.
So, since Ruby was lost in her own little world, she didn't hear the sound of the door chime going off.
A group of men entered the shop. The majority of them wore the same attire; black suits, black shoes, red ties, red sunglasses, and black hats. Each one wielded a sword, but one held a gun. The man leading them, Roman Torchwick, wore black dress shoes, black dress pants, a black shirt; over which was a white suit with red lining inside; a small gray scarf, and a black bowler hat with a thick, red line. Roman's fire-orange hair blocked one of his dark green eyes, and in his right gloved hand, he held his weapon; Melodic Cudgel.
Roman's eyes scanned the interior of the Dust shop, coming to rest upon the unmanned counter, and the bell that sat atop it. He looked to one of his henchmen, and motioned towards the bell with his head. The henchman walked up to the counter, and rang the bell, then stepped back to his original position.
"I'll be with you in just a moment!" yelled the shopkeeper, who was still in the back of the store, getting Ruby's order together.
Must be getting something from the back, thought Roman, rolling his eyes. I can wait.
A few minutes later, the shopkeeper exited the storage area, and walked to the counter, setting the box he was carrying to the side. The man spotted the henchmen, as well as the weapons they wielded, and did his best to remain outwardly calm.
"How may I help you?" he asked, giving Roman a polite smile and nod.
"Let's just skip the formalities," said Roman, sighing, then nodded to the henchman wielding a gun. The henchman brought his gun up to point at the shopkeeper, who immediately raised his hands in surrender.
"Please, don't hurt me! Just take my Lien and leave," pleaded the shopkeeper.
Roman quickly shushed the man. "Hush, now. Calm down, old man. We're not here to take your money," he said. Looking to his henchmen, he nodded. "Grab the Dust."
The shopkeeper's eyes widened, and his heart sank. He had heard about a recent string of Dust robberies, and had hoped the person responsible would be caught. It seemed, however, that his hopes were in vain. If Roman took all of his Dust, it would take a long time to recover from the loss. A part of him wanted to protest and plead for Roman to stop, but he remained silent.
The henchmen quickly went to work, grabbing empty Dust canisters, and filling them with Dust powder. As one of the henchmen went to fill one, he heard a sound off to his right. Ruby was still in her own little world, and still unaware of her surroundings, with her music at a loud volume.
The henchman drew his red blade, and pointed it at Ruby. "Put your hands in the air," he ordered. When Ruby didn't move to comply with the demand, or react to the henchman's voice, the henchman advanced slowly. "Hey, kid. I said hands in the air! Now!" Still getting no reaction, the henchman reached over and tapped Ruby's shoulder.
Ruby turned around, her mouth open to speak, only to stop when she saw it wasn't her brother. Ruby raised a questioning eyebrow, to which the henchman responded by pointing to his ears, motioning for Ruby to take off her headphones. Ruby rolled her eyes, but took off her headphones anyway, letting them rest around her neck, and paused her music.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"I said put your hands in the air!" exclaimed the henchman, pointing the tip of his sword at Ruby, who barely even flinched.
Of course this happens when Lux isn't here, thought Ruby as she internally sighed. This is what happens when I don't pay attention. Guess I should fix this.
Ruby took a deep breath in through her nose, then let it out through her mouth. She activated her Semblance, slid her left foot back, and brought her fists up in a defensive position. Ruby quickly delivered a snap kick to the henchman's abdomen, the resulting force of the kick lifting him off the ground, and sent him flying into one of the shelves at the front of the shop, immediately knocking him unconscious.
While she wasn't as good at hand-to-hand combat as Lux or Yang, she knew some, thanks to Lux basically forcing her to learn it. It helped that, at its base, her Semblance was speed, as it made her movements much quicker, and helped to add more force to her blows. Lux had helped her practice with it, and while she was getting better, she could tell that there was more progress to be made. Hand-to-hand combat was a little easier than swinging Crescent Rose around, but she wouldn't admit that out loud, especially around Yang.
Another henchman, the one with a gun, ran into the aisle, stopping a few feet from Ruby.
"Freeze!" yelled the man.
Ruby rolled her eyes. Activating her Semblance again, she rushed towards the man, and delivered a drop kick to his chest. The two of them went flying out the front window, shattering the glass in the process. As soon as the man's body impacted the street, Ruby leapt off, turning her body in the process. She landed in the middle of the street, now turned towards the Dust shop.
Roman looked at Ruby through the window, his eyebrows raised in slight surprise. He then looked over to his henchmen. Although they had their weapons at the ready, they were still dumbly standing around.
"Okay," Roman drawled. He stared at his henchmen for a few moments, but his patience was waning very quickly. "Get her!"
The henchmen all rushed out the shop door in a hurry to charge Ruby, though one; who held an assault-rifle; stayed back a good distance. With swift movements, Ruby reached down to the back of her waist, underneath her cloak, where Crescent Rose sat in its storage configuration. Ruby drew out Crescent Rose, and unfolded it into its scythe configuration, holding it so that the main blade was behind her, and the rear blades faced away from her.
Three on one, thought Ruby as she ran forward to meet the henchmen head on. Easy.
Nearing the first henchman, Ruby ducked under his telegraphed swing, transforming Crescent Rose down into its sniper configuration to allow for some extra mobility, and as she rose back up, she transformed it back into its scythe configuration, catching the henchman in the jaw with the rear blades in an upward swing. The henchman was sent flying as his sword clattered on the ground. The next henchman immediately charged in, and Ruby dodged to the left with her Semblance, and brought Crescent Rose around in a tight arc. The rear blades impacted the henchman's back.
Already off-balance, the man was sent sprawling, his sword released from his grasp. The third henchman charged in as well, bringing his sword down in a diagonal slash. Ruby continued with the swing, bringing Crescent Rose around to her left, and met the henchman's slash with the rear blades, hitting the sword close to the hilt, knocking it out of the man's hand. Ruby once again brought Crescent Rose around in a tight arc, and caught the henchman in the side, sending him rolling across the ground. Sparing no time, Ruby turned her attention to the final henchman, who immediately shot the assault-rifle's entire clip in her direction.
Ruby dodged from side to side, using her Semblance as she zig-zagged towards the henchman, leaving a trail of red rose petals in her wake. She came to a stop on the henchman's right, and planted the tip of Crescent Rose's blade into the ground. Ruby brought her body up and around horizontally, catching the henchman in the face with her combat boots, and sent him flying. His gun fell to the ground as his body came to a stop in front of Roman, who was already bringing his cane to bear at Ruby, with an aiming reticle popping up. Ruby's eyes widened as she saw the hole in the end of the cane, and realized what it was for. Immediately, she was pulling Crescent Rose's blade out of the ground.
Roman pulled the trigger with a smirk.
Lux watched from a nearby rooftop as Ruby dodged a shot from Roman's weapon, then having to avoid a second and third.
If Roman is captured and arrested now, how much will change? he thought. Who will take over stealing Dust? Taurus? Lux hummed to himself as he looked at Roman, who was now running away from the Dust shop, and towards a ladder on the side of a nearby building. Lux understood the concept of the butterfly effect; the theory basically saying that small actions or things can have non-linear impacts, whether large or small, on a complex system. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't. I'll just need to make it to where they have to retreat, like in the original.
Down below, Ruby chased after Roman, using a shot from Crescent Rose to give herself a boost up onto the roof of the building the master thief had fled to.
Ruby came to a stop as Roman turned around towards her. Quickly, she collapsed Crescent Rose into its sniper configuration, bringing it to bear at Roman, not aiming at his head, but the center of his chest.
"Alright Torchwick, you've got nowhere to run," stated Ruby. "Surrender."
"Well, Red, I don't have to run," said Roman, chuckling and spreading his arms out wide in a dramatic fashion.
Ruby's eyes narrowed. "What do you mea-"
Her question was abruptly cut off by the sound of a bullhead's engine, and Ruby watched in surprise as a bullhead rose up behind Roman out of a large alley. Its searchlight turned on, and Ruby had to shield her eyes in order to avoid being blinded. When her eyes finally adjusted to the light, Roman was already in the bullhead, grinning widely at her.
"See, Red?" Roman laughed. "Now, I'd love to stay and chat, but I believe this-" Roman brought out a red Dust crystal, and threw it towards Ruby, then leveled his cane at it, and fired a Dust charge. "-is goodbye!"
Ruby brought her arms up to cover her face, bracing herself for the impact. Only... the impact never came. Nor did the blast. Slowly, she lowered her arms, and gasped at what she saw. A woman stood in front of her, holding what seemed to be a riding crop. Blonde hair tied up into a bun, and bright green eyes set into a piercing stare, over which were a pair of ovular glasses. She wore a white, long-sleeved pleated top with a wide keyhole neckline, and gauntlet cuffs that flared in pleats at the wrist. Her top was tucked into a black, high-waisted pencil skirt with bronze buttons. Over her legs were black stockings, leading down to black boots with bronze heels. Over her back was a purple cape, stylized to end in flames and arrows.
A Huntress! thought Ruby. Wow. Okay. Get it together Ruby. You can freak out afterwards. Right now, you need to deal with Torchwick... and possibly the pilot. With one more glance towards the Huntress, Ruby stepped up beside her, and pointed her weapon at Torchwick once more.
Roman was still laughing, but stopped when he noticed the Huntress, as well as the unharmed Ruby.
Roman's eyes widened when he saw the end of the Huntress' weapon start to glow purple. Damn it! he thought, and rushed to the cockpit, where a woman; with long black hair and amber eyes, as well as a tattoo on her back, between her shoulder blades, wearing a dark-red, off-the-shoulders, v-neck mini dress with yellow designs; sat at the pilot seat, working on keeping the bullhead steady in the air.
"We've got a Huntress!" shouted Roman.
The woman got up out of the seat with an annoyed growl, and walked past Roman, leaving the master thief to scramble for the controls. Her glass high heels clacked against the metal floor as she walked into the back area of the bullhead.
Lux watched as the bullhead strained to stay in the air under an onslaught of a Dust-made storm, hailing giant ice crystals onto its form. A few buried themselves in the metal, and one had pierced through the glass window of the cockpit, though by the way the bullhead was still in the air, it was apparent that the one who was piloting it was fine. Lux spotted a figure in a red dress, standing in the back area of the bullhead, sending a wave of fire towards Ruby and the Huntress ;who, Lux noted, was Glynda Goodwitch; and his eyes narrowed, his mind easily piecing everything together with the knowledge he held.
Cinder Fall, he thought.
Lux backed away from the edge of the building a good distance, then sprinted towards it at full speed, and jumped. He fell for a few seconds, then activated his Semblance, disappearing, and leaving behind another small cloud of silver rose petals.
Ruby continued to shoot at Cinder, who's face was shrouded by shadow, the only visible part being her amber eyes. No matter how many times Ruby shot at her, Cinder somehow managed to block the bullets with a single hand. Up above, the storm that Goodwitch had created started to dissipate.
Suddenly, the sound of metal shearing through metal broke through the din of battle.
Ruby stopped shooting to look for the source of the sound, and noticed Lux standing atop the bullhead, with his weapon held in his right hand, and his beaked hood drawn up, so that the only visible part of his face were his silver eyes, which glowed in the moonlight. Lux jumped off the bullhead, executing a backflip in the process. Before his feet hit the surface of the roof, his form flickered for a moment, then he landed gracefully, barely even bending his knees.
Ruby turned her attention back to the bullhead, which was now billowing smoke from one engine. A few seconds later, the bay doors slid closed, and the bullhead pulled away, retreating into the distance.
Goodwitch turned to face Ruby and Lux, who looked back at her; Lux with an impassive expression, and Ruby with a look of pure joy and amazement.
"You're a Huntress," stated Ruby, her voice bubbling with excitement. "Can I have your autograph!?"
Lux snorted in amusement. He knew what was coming. And he also knew that Ruby wasn't getting that autograph.
"I hope that both of you understand that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly," stated Goodwitch, a harsh edge in her voice. "You put yourself and others in grave danger."
Lux rolled his eyes, though Goodwitch didn't notice, and she continued to pace around the room with her scroll tablet. It was a somewhat small room, with plain, cement walls. In the middle was a single metal table and two metal chairs, which Lux and Ruby were sitting in. It was an interrogation room, located inside the local police department. Of course, Lux and Ruby were forced to part with their weapons before entering the room. Lux parted with his without a problem. Ruby, however, had to be persuaded by Lux.
Really, despite her childish demeanor, she's a damn genius, thought Lux, internally chuckling. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have been able to make some of the weapons that I did.
Ruby made to speak, but stopped when Lux motioned for her to keep quiet.
Goodwitch stopped at the opposite side of the table, and fixed her gaze on Lux and Ruby. "If it were up to me," she said. "You would be sent home, with a pat on the back," Ruby's face seemed to light up at that, a smile adorning her features. That smile was quickly wiped away when Goodwitch's stare turned harsh. "And a slap on the wrist!" Goodwitch brought her riding crop down to hit the table with a loud smack. Lux remained impassive, as he already knew what was coming. Ruby, meanwhile, shied away from Goodwitch. Slowly, she brought her riding crop up off the table. "But, there is someone here who would like to meet you."
Goodwitch stepped to the side, allowing the figure behind her to enter the room. He appeared to be an middle-aged man, with silver hair and brown eyes, over which rested a pair of circular spectacles. His outfit consisted of an unzipped black suit over a dark green, buttoned vest and green shirt, as well as black dress shoes, and long, dark green pants. Around his neck was a dark green cowl, with a purple, cross-shaped pin on it. In his right hand was a plate of cookies, and in his other was a white mug bearing the symbol of Beacon Academy. His eyes met Ruby's and Lux's, though they lingered on Lux's for just a moment longer.
Ozpin, thought Lux.
"Lux and Ruby Rose," greeted Ozpin. He leaned forwards, as though taking a closer look at them. "You... both have silver eyes." Ruby gave a shy nod, while Lux remained impassive, only giving a noncommittal hum. Ozpin slightly raised an eyebrow at Lux's response, but continued on, straightening back up and looking at Ruby, and gestured to the scroll tablet in Goodwitch's hands, which was playing a video of Ruby's fight with the henchmen. "So, where did you learn to do this?"
"S-Signal Academy," stuttered Ruby.
Ozpin raised a brow at that. "They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?" he asked.
"Well, one of them in particular," answered Ruby. "Our Uncle Qrow teaches there, and he taught me how to wield a scythe. He also taught Lux how to wield a sword. Then, there's our dad, who also teaches at Signal. He taught us hand-to-hand combat. Well, mainly taught Lux, but I learned some from him." By the time Ruby was done with her explanation, her face was lit up once more.
Easily excited, as always, thought Lux, who chuckled internally at Ruby's usual antics.
"I see," said Ozpin, sliding the plate of chocolate chip cookies onto the table, a small smile on his face. Immediately, Lux grabbed the plate, and took three cookies for himself, then slid the rest over to Ruby, who looked up at Ozpin with with her head tilted in question. Ozpin nodded his affirmation to the implied question, and Ruby started to stuff the cookies into her mouth. Lux, meanwhile, took small bites, making sure to enjoy the sweet taste of the treats. Ozpin sat down in the chair across from Ruby and Lux, and sipped at his hot chocolate, hiding his smile behind the mug.
"So," continued Ozpin. "What are two young children, such as yourselves, doing at a school designed to train warriors?"
Since Ruby had her mouth full, Lux decided to answer for her. "She wants to become to become a Huntress, and I want to be a Huntsman."
"Oh? And why is that?" questioned Ozpin, a brow raised in curiosity.
Ruby gulped down the remnants of her cookies. "Well, I want to kill Grimm, as well as help people in general," she answered.
Lux nodded in agreement. "Basically the same for me," he stated. "The world has enough problems, as it is, without the Grimm baring their ugly faces. Of course, I'm also aware of some of the more... unsavory... parts of the job. I'm already prepared to face those."
Ozpin raised a curious eyebrow, but allowed Ruby and Lux to continue on.
"Yeah. I have two more years at Signal, and Lux has one more," explained Ruby, choosing to ignore the latter part of Lux's answer. "So, once we're done, we're going to Beacon. Actually, our sister is attending this year. So, we'll all be in separate years."
A smile crept onto Ozpin's face. "That can be changed," he stated. Behind him, Goodwitch let out a huff of annoyance.
"W-what!?" asked Ruby, her eyes going wide with shock.
Ozpin's smile grew a small fraction. "We can move you both ahead, to the point of being first-years at Beacon. You both are the tops of your respective classes. In my opinion, you both seem to have worked hard enough to earn it," he explained. "And I am the Headmaster of Beacon Academy. It shouldn't be too hard to create some transcripts."
Lux faked thinking about for a few moments to allow Ruby some time to digest what she'd just been offered. He already knew what his answer would be. He looked at Ozpin, then nodded. "I'll accept if she does." Ozpin nodded back, then turned his attention to Ruby, who looked back at him.
"U-um. Well..." Ruby paused and took a deep, calming breath. "Yes. I accept the offer."
Ozpin looked back at Goodwitch, who had her arms crossed. She let out a quiet, annoyed grunt, rolled her eyes, and looked away. Ozpin looked back at Ruby and Lux, and smiled.
"I will have Glynda create a form for you to sign, and then we'll take care of the rest," he stated.
A few minutes later Ruby and Lux signed the forms that Goodwitch created, then Ozpin told them they were good to go, and for them to make sure they grabbed their weapons on the way out. As Lux and Ruby walked out, something caught Ozpin's attention; namely, the emblem on the back of Lux's cloak. When their footsteps faded away, Ozpin turned to Goodwitch.
"Some very promising students," he commented.
Goodwitch nodded in agreement. "They are." Her brows creased, and her lip pulled down into a confused frown. "Although, Mr. Rose seems to have a presence about him. One similar to yours, though not as intense."
Ozpin nodded. "Then, there is the matter of the emblem on his cloak. It is very similar to Hers, albeit flipped around," he stated.
Goodwitch hummed her agreement. "We cannot assume anything yet, though," she admonished.
Ozpin nodded again, and took a sip from his mug. "We will have to wait and see, then."
As soon as Lux was out of the police station, he took a deep breath. Then let it out. He turned to Ruby. "Well... Yang's going to freak out, when she hears about this."
Ruby giggled. "Yeah. Imagine how dad will react," she added.
Lux thought about it for a moment, and found himself grimacing. Taiyang would probably be shocked at first, then there'd be a private call to Ozpin, asking why Lux and Ruby were invited to attend early; especially Ruby. Then, he'd be excited; then he'd cry, because all of his children would be leaving; then, he'd go back to being excited. "Let's... not think about that." Lux thought for a moment longer, then looked Ruby in the eyes. "There's... something I need to tell you about. But, that will have to wait until we get home. For now, let's head to the ferry docks. If Yang isn't there, we'll just have to wait. Don't want to make her worry."
Ruby hesitated, curious of what Lux wanted to talk about, but nodded in agreement. "Okay. Let's go, then."
Ruby walked off, and Lux soon followed after.
After waiting for Yang to arrive at the ferry docks, explaining the situation to her, then waiting for her to calm down, they took the ferry back to Patch, and started the journey back home. Yang asked many questions along the way; about the fight with Torchwick, the meeting with Ozpin, and other general questions. Upon arriving at the house, which was a two-story log cabin with a dull red metal roof, they found Taiyang waiting for them in front of the door. He was looking between Lux and Ruby, his lips drawn into a thin line, and a look in his eyes saying 'you have some explaining to do'. Meanwhile, Yang walked Bumblebee, her motorcycle, over to the shed, leaving Ruby and Lux to deal with Taiyang.
"So," started Taiyang. "Can either of you explain why I got a call from the police?"
Lux looked at Ruby with a small grin, then looked back at Taiyang. "It's... a long story," he stated.
Taiyang looked at them for a little longer, then let out along breath. "Alright. You can explain it to me after you get changed." He turned around and entered the house, followed closely by Ruby and Lux.
The center of the living room - which was the first room, upon entering the house- was dominated by a light green rug, which sat over the dark green wood floor. Centered on the rug was a wooden coffee table, as well as dark green couch and matching chair. Between the couch and the chair was an end table with a lamp on it, and at the other end was Zwei's dog bed; currently occupied by the black and white fluffball. At the end of the rug was a wooden TV stand with a holographic projector on top of it, and a potted plant at one end. In the wall behind the TV stand was the door to the kitchen, which Taiyang was walking through.
To the left of the couch was a large brick fireplace with small pictures on the mantle, and large landscape featured above the grate. To the right of the couch was a corner staircase leading upstairs, with the door to a cabinet and a pair of small landscape pictures underneath. A low bookshelf and another green rug lay along the wall at the end of the staircase, topped by another lamp. Three landscape pictures, stacked vertically, hung on the wall at the bottom of the stairs. Then, behind the couch was the front door, which Yang was just coming in through.
Ruby and Lux headed upstairs, while Yang sat on the couch, and turned on the TV. Taiyang, meanwhile, sat at the kitchen table. A few minutes later, Ruby and Lux walked downstairs, followed by Yang. Ruby wore a pair of gray sweatpants and a black t-shirt, and Lux wore much the same, except in all black.
The kitchen was a relatively large room, doubling as the dining room. On the wall to the immediate right of the doorway connecting the kitchen to the living room was a shelving unit containing various books, as well as another doorway, with a small landscape painting tucked away in the corner, and a shovel could be seen leaning the wall as well. In front of the archway was a large yellow rug, a mid-sized wooden dining table decorated by a matching yellow table runner. Four chairs with green cushions surrounded the table. A landscape decorated the wall next to a large window behind one of the chairs, on the wall opposite the archway, with cream curtains, next to a door leading outside. A coat rack was attached to the wall on the other side of the door.
The far end of the room contained a long counter that wrapped around the outer two walls. A large stove sat in the middle of the counter on the side and a sink occupied the center of the other side. Both were directly beneath a window, though only the window above the stove was curtained. The wall behind the sink was decorated with a brick-style splashback and also supported five overhead cabinets. A drying rack sat on the right side of the sink, and a large refrigerator was tucked in the corner against the wall opposite the sink.
They all sat at the table, Taiyang looking at Ruby and Lux expectantly, waiting for either of them to start explaining. Lux started off, explaining their trip to the Dust shop, then splitting up. Ruby picked it up from there, explaining the Dust robbery by Roman Torchwick, then the fight against his henchmen, then his escape. Lux continued from there, explaining the meeting with Glynda Goodwitch and Ozpin. Taiyang smiled at the mention of his old headmaster. Then Lux told him about the offer Ozpin made, and the smile disappeared.
Taiyang let out a long sigh. "And I'm guessing by the fact that Yang is currently bouncing off the walls that you accepted the offer," he stated. "Is that right?" Lux nodded, and Taiyang sighed again. "You do realize that this means you'll have more work than what you do now, right?"
Ruby and Lux nodded in affirmation. They were prepared to take on the challenge; especially Lux. He needed a challenge. He hadn't had a challenge when it came to school work in so long. So long, that he was starting to get bored. Some called him a genius. He knew he wasn't. The way he would describe it was that he had a head start.
It was silent for a few minutes, and Taiyang sighed again. "Well, I'm sad you'll be leaving so soon. But, I'm very proud of you two. You stopped a Dust robbery." Ruby beamed at that, and Lux allowed himself a small smile. "I'd say this calls for a celebration, albeit a small one." Taiyang walked over to the refrigerator, opened it, and brought out a bottle of sparkling grape juice. "I was saving this for a special occasion. I think this is a good reason. We can have a bigger celebration at another time. Maybe if I come visit on a weekend." He got out some glasses, and poured out some for each of them, and set them on the table. Taiyang raised his glass in a toast. "To all three of you, who are going off to Beacon, and starting a new chapter in your lives. May you have many adventures, and may you have good grades." Taiyang chuckled at his little joke. "Cheers!"
"Cheers!" echoed Ruby, Lux, and Yang.
They talked for a while, enjoying each other's presence. After a little longer, Lux looked over to Ruby and nodded, then back to Taiyang, and cleared his throat to get his father's attention. Taiyang raised an eyebrow in silent question.
"Ruby and I were going to do some training before bed. Not sparring. I've been working on something, and wanted to show her," explained Lux. Ruby nodded along, realizing what Lux was getting at.
Taiyang thought for a second, then nodded. "Alright. Just don't stay up too late. You need to pack in the morning," he said.
Lux nodded, offering a small nod of thanks, before walking over to the sink to put his glass in it, then walked out of the kitchen, and out of the house. Ruby soon followed, joining him beneath one of the trees by the house. They sat across from each other in silence for a few seconds, Ruby waiting patiently, while Lux thought about how to explain things.
Finally, Lux took a deep breath, then let it out. "Okay," he started. "You've learned about the Silver-Eyed Warriors. However, there are many other things you must know about, in order to understand why we must refine our powers, and become more powerful." Ruby nodded along, listening to Lux's every word. "Know that everything I'm about to tell you is true. Do you understand?" Ruby nodded again in confirmation.
Lux started off by explaining about magic, the Maidens, and how they were all real. Then, he talked about the Relics, as well as the Brother Gods. The whole time, Ruby listened with rapt attention. Finally, Lux talked about the war between Salem and Ozma, how it started, as well as making sure to reinforce the fact that Ozpin was the current incarnation of Ozma, and their role in the war. When he was finished, he gave Ruby some time to digest the information. After a few long minutes of silence, Ruby finally spoke.
"So... Ozma himself can't defeat Salem?" Ruby asked hesitantly. Upon Lux's somber nod, Ruby took a deep breath. "And Ozpin is... Ozma?" Again, Lux nodded. "And the maidens are real? The Relics and Brother Gods as well?" Lux nodded again. A complicated look passed over Ruby's face. "Why isn't this common knowledge?"
Lux sighed tiredly. "Some of it was at one point," he explained. "However, it was allowed to fade into legend. If people learned about it now, there would be panic, which, in turn, would bring the Grimm. Also, if people learned of the Maidens, they would be hunted for their power; either out of fear, or out of greed."
Ruby gasped. "That's horrible!" she exclaimed.
Lux nodded. "It is," he agreed. "Sadly, that's the way it is with some people."
"Are we going to tell Yang?" asked Ruby.
Lux shook his head. "No. Not yet, at least. I have a plan." Ruby nodded along. "Be sure to watch out for that woman we saw. The one who was stopping your bullets. She's dangerous, and she works for Salem. She has some of the Fall Maiden's power."
Ruby's head tilted to the side in confusion. "Wait. Some? How can she only have some of it?" she asked.
Lux looked down at the ground, his eyes narrowed. "She attacked the Fall maiden." Ruby gasped, her eyes going wide with horror. "I know, it's horrible. She had a sort of parasite with her. One that allowed her to steal the Maiden's power. Luckily, she was stopped before she could get all of it. However, the current Fall Maiden is incapacitated, and currently lay beneath Beacon. If we want to restore her, we will have to kill the one who stole her power."
Ruby felt her heart shudder in disgust. "A-are you sure?" she asked, her eyes holding the silent plea of 'please be wrong'. However, lux nodded.
"I would rather not take someone's life, but that's the sad truth of our chosen profession; sometimes we have to choose to kill, in order to save. Take away, in order to give." Lux reached out and rested a reassuring hand on Ruby's shoulder, and looked her in the eyes, a soft expression on his face. "You don't have to kill. It's your choice. That's what it comes down to; choice. Killing isn't a necessity." Lux let go of Ruby's shoulder, returning his hand to its original position on his leg. "But you don't have to worry about that. I'll decide when the time is right.
It was silent for a few more minutes, as Lux silently watched Ruby's face flicker from one expression to another; no doubt a war of emotions going through her head. Finally, Ruby took a deep, calming breath. She looked Lux in the eyes, and nodded silently. Lux nodded back.
"Do you have any more questions?" he asked.
Ruby thought about it for a few moments, only finding one question to ask. "What about Roman Torchwick? Is he with Salem?" she asked. Her curiosity was evident in her eyes.
Lux shook his head. "No," he answered. "He doesn't even know about her. He's just a man forced into a bad situation. Really, he's just going to look out for himself. Survival is first, with him. So, in his eyes right now, not trying to escape is his only chance for survival. Anything else?"
Ruby shook her head. "No."
"Alright." Lux looked up at the night sky. "We should probably get back inside soon. We need to get ready for tomorrow," he stated, and looked back at Ruby, an apologetic expression on his face. "I'm sorry I sprung all of this on you, all of a sudden. I just... want you to be prepared. I have a feeling something will happen. Just... don't think about it too much, for now. We're going to Beacon tomorrow. That's something to be excited about."
Ruby nodded again. "Right." She let out a small giggle. "I'm a little nervous about it."
Lux nodded in agreement. "It is a little daunting."
After enjoying the cool, evening breeze for a few more minutes, Ruby and Lux went back inside the house. Taiyang was in the living room, watching a show on the TV, while Yang was already in her bed, asleep. Lux allowed Ruby to get ready for bed first, then got himself ready once she was done. Lux drifted off to sleep easily, but Ruby was having trouble. She did her best not to think about what Lux had told her, but it was hard.
In a small room, in a warehouse in Vale, Cinder Fall looked at the Grimm floating in front of her. Its small, spherical body was covered with white, bone-like plates, and long, red tentacles dangled down from it. It remained blank. Then, a few seconds later, the light shifted, and a video-feed-like image appeared on it. It was a woman's face, the color of the skin a deathly pallor. The sclera of the eyes were a jet black, and the irises a glowing crimson. Her pale white hair was styled into a large bun with six offshoots, each one holding an obsidian-colored ornament. In the center of her forehead was a black diamond-shaped marking. Her lips were pulled into a straight line.
"Cinder," a voice stated. It was the woman who spoke, and her voice projected out from the Seer. It was sultry and smooth. It had a deepness to it, though not like a man's voice. "A surprise to hear from you. How are preparations going?"
Cinder bowed her head in respect. "They are going well, Master," she answered dutifully. "I believe I have made a discovery, though I do not know if it is good or bad."
The woman raised an eyebrow at that. "Oh? Tell me, Cinder, what did you find?"
"Two individuals with silver eyes," replied Cinder, to which the woman again raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but allowed Cinder to continue. "What is more interesting is the fact that one of them wore a cloak bearing an emblem similar to yours."
The woman's brows rose a small amount in surprise. "Similar in what way, Cinder?" she asked.
Cinder thought about the memory for a brief moment, before answering. "It has the eye, as well as the teardrops. However, it is... " She paused, looking for the right word. "Flipped. The teardrops are above the eye, instead of below. I found the color scheme intriguing, too. The areas representing the sclera, pupil, and teardrops were gold, while the area representing the iris was silver."
The woman hummed in thought. Silence reigned while she thought, and Cinder could admit she felt a small amount of fear. Did she mess up? Should she have attempted to kill the person? Their face had been shrouded in darkness, and all she could see before the bay doors were shut had been those glowing silver eyes, eyes that promised death. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the woman spoke.
"Interesting indeed," she said, a somewhat amused smile appearing on her face.
Cinder hid her surprise, and instead focused on the important question. "What do you wish for me to do?" she asked.
"Leave it be, for now. Continue the preparations," the woman answered. "We do not know if they have unlocked their power, and it would be foolish to attempt an attack on them without knowing for sure."
Cinder bowed her head in respect one more time as the image started to fade.
"As you wish, Salem."