[7:13 p.m.]
Summer: "Where is she?"
Raven: "Upstairs in her room, she hasn't been her usual self since coming back, I should have went with her."
Qrow: "All of us should have went with her but we didn't, we just let her go off on her own like she was our superior officer."
Summer: "Don't worry just give her time to recuperate, she'll bounce back in no time."
Qrows scroll went off, he took it out of his pocket to see ironwood calling.
Qrow: "Hello?"
Ironwood: "Stop whatever you are doing and look at the sky."
Qrow walks toward the window and sees nothing but the fading light of the sunset.
Qrow: "The sun is setting, big whoop."
Ironwood: "It's easy to spot keep looking."
Qrow let out a sigh in irritation, "I'll be right back." He opens the door and left the house to continue looking.
Ironwood: "Do you see it now?"
Qrow: "No, what am I even..."
Completely stunned at what he saw Qrow ended the call with Ironwood then called out to Raven and Summer. Both walk outside and stare at the same thing that had Qrow mesmerized.
Summer: "That doesn't look normal."
Raven: "What the hell is that?"
Qrow: "I don't know but something tells me it has something to do with Ruby."
Immediately after saying those words Qrow earns a death glare by Raven.
Qrow: "Don't give me that look all I'm saying is that she could be linked to whatever caused that tower of light."
Summer: "As much as I cherish her like a close friend Qrow is right."
Raven: "Seriously now you too."
Qrow: "Look Raven I know how kindhearted Ruby is, her kindness is what has me questioning whether or not she's linked to whatever caused that catastrophe over there."
Summer: "It's logical to suspect her, she returns home and hours later a tower of light shows up out of no where."
Qrow: "That and she won't talk about her mission."
Raven: "Will you both shut up, I understand why you suspect her bu-
Raven was interrupted by a shockwave hitting everyone.
Qrow: "This is crazy, that thing looks like it's a hundred miles away yet the shockwave makes it feel like it's right there next us."
A notification buzzed on everyone's scroll. They took it out to see a message from Ozpin labeled urgent notice.
Summer: "I'm assuming you two also got the same notification labeled urgent notice."
The Branwens nod, Summer clicked on the notification and a voice message played.
Ozpin: "The council has requested assistance from the four kingdom's headmaster's, we are to send our top teams of huntsman and huntresses to the ocean waters of Menagerie to fight against a rising threat to our world. All who receive this message are to standby for extraction, this is a worldwide emergency I repeat, the council has requested assistance fro-."
Summer ended the voice message.
Summer: "Seriously? Raven we can't leave our daughters home alone."
Raven: "I know.."
Taiyang comes running into the area where the three are.
Taiyang: "Did you guys also get that unsettling voice message?"
Qrow: "Yeah we did, the current dilemma for these two is how are we all going to Menagerie when one of us has to stay here and watch over the children."
Taiyang: "What about Ruby, is she back from her mission yet?"
Raven: "Yes but she is considered a huntress just like us so I'm sure she got the same voice message that we received."
Silence entered the area as the four think about what to do with little Yang and Summer's daughter Ruby. Taiyang broke the silence with a sigh, "I'll stay behind to watch over them."
Summer: "Are you sure?"
Taiyang: "Yeah don't worry."
An atlas drop ship arrives and landed in front of them. The door descended open and a woman walks out of the ship staring at Qrow.
??: "Not you again."
Qrow: "I'm hurt, and here I thought we had a stable friendship."
??: "Don't start with the snark remarks Qrow..."
Qrow: "Lighten up Winter, you're always so serious."
Raven: "Brother cut the chatter, we need to go."
Summer: "What about Ruby?"
A loud noise from inside the house startles the group, with haste Qrow walked inside to see what it was. Raven gripped the hilt of her weapon, Qrow sees his slightly injured niece on the floor with Summer's daughter crying on her arms.
Qrow: "Yang are you okay, what happened?"
Yang: "I'm fine, someone came inside and attacked us, they are still upstairs."
Qrow: "Okay go outside to your mother I'll deal with the intruder."
Yang nods then left the house carrying Summer's daughter. Qrow cautiously walked upstairs gripping the hilt of his weapon. He saw a broken window on the floor with shattered pieces of glass surrounding it. He walks over the broken window and saw a blue girl with a dark blue horn on her forehead holding an unconscious Ruby on her shoulder.
Qrow: "Who are you?"
The blue girl stood silent at the question. Qrow readied his weapon and dashed toward the blue girl. He swung his weapon at her only for it to be caught by her hand, immediately afterwards he was unable to move. She let go of the sword but Qrow's movements were still immobilized.
Qrow: "What the hell..."
The blue girl moves her hand in front his face and grasped it. In that instant he was launched outside at high speed, crashing near the atlas dropship.
Raven: "What the hell was that?!"
Winter went to check on what was in the puff of smoke the sudden crash unleashed. To her surprise she sees Qrow, his aura shield completely shattered by a mere shove from the mysterious blue girl.
Winter: "Qrow, what happened?!"
He brought up his hand and pointed at the house. Everyone turns their attention toward it, the blue girl broke through the ceiling and emerged on the roof.
Yang: "Mommy that is the person who attacked me."
Raven noticed the person the blue individual is holding, "Summer launch me up there."
Summer's eyes began emitting a radiant white light that poured out spiraling around her body materializing light gauntlets and greaves, "don't fail this time!"
Raven jumps up, Summer spin kicked her feet launching her toward the wall. Raven quickly drew her katana and sliced open a portal to go into. She reappears above the blue girl descending at great speed, she lunged her blade forward in an attempt to impale her target but she vanished, dodging Raven's attack.
Raven: "Damnit"
Summer joins Raven on the roof, "you didn't faceplant the ground this time, awesome."
Raven: "Look around, the enemy is still here."
Summer: "Right."
Meanwhile over the clouds directly above Winter and team STRQ the blue girl is staring at the horn she gave Ruby.
"It's time for you to wake up. I need you for an important task my dear daughter."
The blue individual formed a black orb emitting sparks of lightning on her hand and moved it near Ruby's chest. She infused it into Ruby which led out a shockwave followed by various lightning strikes filling the area.
It caught the attention of the group below. Summer and Raven look up and see lightning in the clouds raging out in the sky. Rain pours down followed by the sound of thunder, filling the atmosphere with a frightening aura.
Summer: "This doesn't look good."
The yin symbol materialized on Ruby's chest, her eyes flick open and a mass of energy raged out of her body splitting the clouds.
Summer: "Again... this doesn't look good."
Raven: "We have to get her back."
Raven slashed open a portal in front of her. Just as she was about to enter it Summer grabbed her arm to stop her.
Summer: "What are you crazy, we can't fly nor do we have the power to fight against something that powerful."
Raven: "Let me go!"
Summer: "I'm not letting you go up there to die."
Suddenly a high frequency noise entered everyone's ears, it was coming from the blue girl broadcasting her voice through telepathy.
The blue girl brought up her arms and opened them, indicating she wishes for Ruby to come closer.
"Come to me my dear child."
Ruby slowly moves closer toward the blue girl.
Summer: "Did she just say child?"
Qrow: "You heard that too huh."
The two turn around to see Qrow walking toward them.
Summer: "You're up and about sooner then expected."
Qrow: "Yeah though now I have a higher chance of dying if I receive a fatal blow."
Raven: "Then why are you here with us?"
Qrow: "To bring you two along."
Raven: "You don't seriously mean..."
Qrow: "Yep, we're leaving. Ice queen over there is getting the dropship ready for us."
Raven: "I'm not going anywhere without Ruby!"
Qrow: "Look I don't like this anymore then you do but we have no choice, even with Summer here we will still get decimated by what apparently happens to be Ruby's mother."
Raven: "I'm not changing my mi-"
Raven was cut off by Summer's hand slapping her face.
Summer: "I don't know what has you so worked up inside but you need to calm yourself and slow down. You have a daughter that needs you so stop being irrational and let's go!"
Raven's portal closed, Summer then grabbed her arm and began to walk to the dropship taking Raven along with her. She stood silent the entire walk.
As the trio enter the dropship, Ruby was gracefully embracing her mother's arms.
"I have missed you so much Ruby, I'm happy we are together again."
Moments after speaking to her beloved daughter she was impaled by Ruby's hand.
Astral Ruby: "Those words feel hollow, you are not the same Amira from the old days."
Surprised at what occurred Amira noticed the mark on her daughter's chest still giving off a radiant shine, "interesting."
She then slowed time and unleashed an electrical surge that was powerful enough to separate the two from one another. Now irritated at the failed attempt to control Ruby Amira opens her mouth to speak, "This is disappointing.."
Astral Ruby: "What? Me negating that mind control orb or the fact that your time manipulation does not work on me?"
Amira: "Both, I needed my daughter to serve as a sacrifice but I guess that is no longer possible."
As each drop of liquid slowly descended from the clouds above the mother stares at her daughter with a stern yet sad expression on her face.
Amira: "If only things had gone differently..."
Confused at what she meant by those words lightning raced down between the pair right before Astral Ruby could open her mouth to speak. Taking advantage of the slowed pace of time Amira rushes underneath the bolt of lightning and rerouted it's path to go toward her daughter. She moved to her left letting the bolt of lightning pass her.
Astral Ruby: "Slowing down time renders any kind of projectile to be useless, you should know that your action was foolish."
Amira grew a smile on her face knowing what will happen next.
Amira: "Yet your next action will make you do something just as foolish."
Astral Ruby immediately turned her attention to where the bolt of lightning was heading to. In the distance she can see the atlas dropship that Raven and the others are inside of.
She noticed the drops of rain beginning to speed up, the flow of time was returning to normal. Fearing the worst she made haste, flying as fast as she could with only a two second window to save Ruby's friends. She arrived behind the dropship at the same time of bolt of lightning, she quickly altered it's path but it still hit the left wing.
Time returned to it's normal pace and Amira's presence disappeared. The impact from the lightning strike made the dropship barrel roll uncontrollably, descending towards the ground at a rapid pace. Astral Ruby halted it's fall with telekinesis, landing the dropship safely on the ground.
Amira's voice echoed in Ruby's head, "next time we meet... it will be the last."
The dropship door opened allowing Raven, Qrow, and Summer to walk out.
"Ruby?"
Hearing the name of her host she turned around to see the individual who was calling it, it was Raven.
Raven: "Are you okay?"
The entity possessing Ruby stood silent at the question, rather then answering it she turns herself around again to look at the tower of light.
"I must go."
She slowly ascends off the ground ready to take off, Raven grabbed her arm to stop her.
Raven: "Wait please... don't go toward the light Ruby."
"I am not Ruby."
Confused by her response Raven took a moment to think.
Raven: "What... are you playing a trick me?"
"No"
Raven: "Oh... so who are you?"
"I am a being without a name..."
Raven: "You don't have a name huh. How about I give you one."
"Not necessary."
She quickly turns around to look at Raven, immediately giving her a hug.
"But thank you."
A light sparked within Ruby's eyes, the mark on her chest began to resonate with Raven's aura.
"I have to go now, I'm sorry."
She broke away from the hug and quickly took flight, heading straight to the tower of light.
Raven: "Damnit I have to stop her."
Raven grasped the hilt of her weapon, just before she was about to slash open a portal she noticed that the link her and Ruby shared has been severed.
Raven: "When did she... (that sneaky little.. fine I'll follow you on foot then.)
Summer: "After being so desperate to get her back you're letting her go toward the tower of light alone?"
Raven: "She severed the link we had, I can't create a portal to get to her. That is not going to stop me from following her though."
Raven turned toward her partner still gripping the hilt of her weapon, "Summer, if you stand in my way, I won't hold back against you."
Qrow: "This is not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves, especially when our world is in danger."
Summer took her scroll out and pointed it downward in front of her. She tapped on the screen and a few seconds later a locker crashes down in front of her. The locker opens automatically and reveals a silver scythe, glowing in unison with Summer's eyes.
She took her weapon out of the locker, "Qrow is right, so let's get going."
Raven removed her hand from the hilt of her sheathed blade, "You're not going to stop me this time?"
Summer: "Nope, I'm going with you."
A soft smile can be seen on Raven's face, "thank you."