Capítulo 822: 165
Chapter 165:
"You're going back to Leng!?" exclaimed Weiss.
Ruby nodded. "There are some things I need to take care of over there."
"You mean...getting a new sword?" asked Pyrrha.
"...Something like that," said Ruby, shifting uneasily.
All told, it would have been nice, if she could have returned and commissioned a new sword from Murasame. But the Mibu Blademaster didn't work by commission, at least not from someone outside the Taishiro. Ruby would have felt guilty, if she'd borrowed Makoto or Sora's authority to get that. Besides, she wasn't sure that a commissioned piece would ever mesh with her spirit as well as Akaibara had.
Still, there were the swords she had gotten during her training years, the ones she had placed into storage, after she'd learned how to use Akaibara. She could easily take this opportunity to get those out of storage, and use them. They were nowhere near as powerful, but were fine works in their own right, even if they weren't strong enough to stand up to the Raikoken. Ruby hoped that, eventually, she could obtain a blade that would be capable of that much.
In the meantime, she would simply have to rely on the blades that had seen her through many attempts on her life, back in Leng. Of course, in order to get them, she would have to go back to the palace. Sure, perhaps it would have been easier to just have a smith in Vale make new swords for her. But there was something special about the swords that Ruby had used, back before she'd received Akaibara. The vagaries of Aura meant that familiar objects were more receptive to use than new ones. Ruby felt there was more value in retrieving her old and trusted swords, rather than trying to forge a new bond with brand new ones that she had never touched before.
Then again, maybe she was just being sentimental, and looking for an excuse to go home for a little. It wasn't as though there was any definitive reason to spend the entire time until the next school-year waiting around in Vale. Sure, the arrangements made by Glynda had ensured that they would be able to take missions, in the time that passed, but Ruby wanted to have her swords back in her hands, before she did that.
Hence she had announced her intentions to her teammates, and Ashley, when they had come over to Yukimura's home for dinner. Jaune had been happy to pitch in in the kitchen to help Ruby's godfather produce a meal that would feed five growing young-adults, along with himself.
"Are you okay?" asked Ashley, looking at Ruby worriedly.
"I'm fine," said Ruby, smiling back at Ashley. "Why are you asking that?"
"Well...it's just...you came back from seeing your father, and suddenly you're talking about leaving the Kingdom," Ashley pointed out worriedly.
"It's not forever," Ruby countered. "I'm going to be back before the start of the next school-year, that much is certain."
"So it would still be a couple of months, all told," said Jaune. It was now towards the middle of October after all. "Your birthday is at the end of the month. I was hoping we could spend it together."
Ruby paused, thinking about it. "W-well...maybe...um..."
"I want to celebrate your birthday too," added Ashley, Weiss and Pyrrha nodding their agreement.
"I mean...that's nice, but..." Ruby looked down at the table, unsure of what to say. She wanted to head out to Leng soon, but understood her friends' desires as well. While she would be sure to spend a wonderful birthday with her family back home, Ruby would have liked to spend it with her friends too.
"Well...if there's no helping it," said Jaune, "then I'm coming with you."
"Huh! What?" Ruby looked up at Jaune with wide-eyed surprised.
Jaune gave her a warm smile. "I'm not letting the girl I love leave without me," he said firmly. "And I want to see the place you grew up in. I want to meet the people who helped raise you. So I'm going with you."
"Well said," said complimented Yukimura, patting Jaune's shoulder approvingly.
"Then I'm going too," added Pyrrha, giving Ruby a supportive smile.
Weiss' gaze wavered, drifting back and forth between Jaune and Pyrrha, a faint tremble in her posture, as though she wanted to say the same thing as them, but was stopping herself for some reason. With Ashley sitting right next to her, Ruby figured she had a good idea of what that reason was.
But then Ashley had leaned over, and Ruby thought she could hear her friend whispering into Weiss' ear. "Just say it already, silly."
Weiss sighed in resignation. "Then I will be going as well," she said, giving Ruby a look that was almost defiant, as though she was daring Ruby to try and stop her.
"Are you sure?" asked Ruby, staring back.
Weiss drew herself up, letting out a haughty scoff, the kind of behavior that had been far more typical of her, back when they'd first met, but was now nothing more than an amusing quirk that popped up occasionally. "Of course I'm sure. If Pyrrha and Jaune are going, then so am I. We might as well make this a team excursion."
"Normally, I'd recommend we wait until Team Rainbow gets back, so that we could invite them too," said Jaune. "But, it'll probably still be a little while before they can get here, and I don't want to take too long."
"What's the rush?" asked Ashley.
Jaune adopted a sheepish expression, grinning as he rubbed the back of his head in that gesture Ruby knew and cherished so well. "Um...Well...I did sorta promise my family that I'd be home for Yule."
"You promised Marigold in particular," added Ruby with a sly smile.
The thought of breaking a promise to his dangerously adorable youngest sister was the sort of thing that had Jaune breaking out in shakes, as he imagined the disappointed tears welling up in her eyes, and the quivering of her little throat, the sobs building...
Shaking his head vigorously, Jaune slapped his cheeks to banish the thought from his mind. "That's right," he said. "Besides, I think it would be good to treat Ruby to an Arc-Family Yuletide." He looked to Weiss, Pyrrha, and Ashley. "You're all invited too, by the way."
"I...might just take you up on that," said Weiss. "I certainly couldn't imagine going back to my own home for Yule, this year. While I think Whitley and I would be able to tolerate each other well enough, I've pretty much burned my bridges with Father."
"I don't know," teased Pyrrha. "I could see you and Ashley going to Atlas to rub it in your father's face that you're dating a faunus."
"Yes, and I doubt the house would still be standing, when everything is over and done with," said Weiss. While she figured that would be no great loss, she also figured that, now that she had turned over her inheritance to Whitley, it was best not to make things any more difficult for him than she needed to. If he wanted her to start some mischief, Weiss wasn't averse to that, but she wouldn't operate under the assumption that he did.
"What about you and Winter?" asked Ashley.
"That will be up to her and her schedule," said Weiss. "Back when I was still living in Atlas, we would go out for dinner either before or after Yule. I could see if she wanted to rendezvous with us in Ansel. But that would be dependent on whether or not she could find time away from her work for the General to come down."
Ironwood, Winter, and their forces, along with a reluctant Team CPPR (especially reluctant in Penny's case) and all the other students from Atlas had returned to their home Kingdom, once they had finished helping secure Vale and its settlements against the aftermath of the battle against Salem. Given that she was no longer staying in the vicinity, it was only natural that Winter and Weiss would have fewer chances to get together as sisters.
"What about you and Dove?" asked Jaune, looking to Pyrrha.
"I'm...I'm not certain," admitted Pyrrha. "I would love to be there, of course. I'd be happy to invite Dove too. But I'm not sure if he has other commitments."
"Well, you'll only find out by asking him," Ruby pointed out. "Of course, he might want to do something special with just you."
"If that's the case...I might agree to that," said Pyrrha. "I will want to do something special with my parents too, though."
With respect to her parents, Pyrrha had been relieved to learn that the clinic they had been moved to had been fortuitously located within the safe zone that had been established after the Grimm outbreak triggered by Salem's agents. As a consequence, they'd survived the resulting battles unscathed, although they were still undergoing therapy to rein in the absurd spending habits that Pyrrha's agent had gone out of her way to cultivate in them. Now that they were no longer obsessed with leaching off Pyrrha's fame to enrich themselves, her relationship with them had improved by leaps and bounds.
"Well, with all this, I think we can come up with a pretty workable game-plan," declared Jaune.
Ruby nodded, before looking to her godfather. Yukimura smiled cheerfully at her. "As long as I get to see you moving forward, I certainly have no objections," he said. "Just be sure to drop by to see me before the end of the year."
"Of course I will," said Ruby, smiling cheerfully.
Yukimura got out of his seat and moved to hug her from behind. "Whatever else, you will always have a home in this house, no matter how far you go or what you do." He kissed the top of her head.
Ruby beamed happily at that knowledge. Hugging Yukimura and getting fatherly kisses from him had been comfortable to begin with. But it was a feeling that only grew more and more welcome and natural every time he did it.
After taking a second to bask in her godfather's affection, Ruby returned her gaze to her friends. "In that case, I'll talk to Sasame-nee about it. She's going to be heading out soon too, so leaving along with her would probably be the easiest way to go about it."
"Well...if that's the case, I think you shouldn't bother," said Sasame, when Ruby and the others had come to propose their plan.
"HUH!?" Ruby and the others wound up exclaiming unison.
"Well, it seems to me that, since you're going next year, it would be a little superfluous to go over there, return, and then wind up going right back. Since the Mibu don't have the transportation infrastructure the Kingdoms do, the traveling back and forth would be rather tedious, I should think."
Ruby blinked furiously. "Wait...what are you talking about. Why would we be going to Leng next year?"
Sasame giggled like a mischievous child who'd pulled off a clever prank. "Oh, don't tell me you've forgotten, Ruby-chan...the little arrangement we made with Ozpin-dono and Beacon..."
The gears in Ruby's mind where spinning at full-speed as she tried to piece together Sasame's hint. However, it was Jaune who hit upon the realization first, mainly because he had been the unwitting catalyst that had set it into motion. "The exchange!"
"That's right," declared Sasame cheerfully, her wagging tail betraying her excitement.
"What!?" exclaimed Weiss. "We're still going through with that?"
Her confusion was understandable. Given the absolute chaos that had befallen in the wake of Salem's attack on Vale, and the unrest that was still being dealt with, any thought of the exchange between the Mibu and Beacon had been driven from the minds of Ruby and her friends, with them assuming that the current state of affairs had forced those in charge at Beacon to set it aside as well, mainly because the driving force on Beacon's end of things had been Ozpin, who was now considered dead, as far as the rest of the world was concerned.
"Glynda-dono and I have been working on it for a little bit now," said Sasame cheerfully. "Besides the potential benefits you all stand to reap by spending a time with our people, and learning some more about our styles and techniques, we believe it might be good if you were to...take some time away from Vale...as it were."
"Why is that?" asked Weiss, frowning.
"Well, the fact of the matter is that most of the world is not aware of the role that you all played in Salem's downfall," said Sasame. "What the other Kingdoms and the people know is a generic story of victory, of Vale and its allies triumphing over Salem's armies, and ultimately Salem herself. However, the particulars are almost as much a secret as Ozpin-dono's current condition."
"I don't see why that should make us want to spend time away from the Kingdom," Pyrrha pointed out.
"It's the 'almost' part that is the sticking point," said Sasame. "There were quite a few witnesses to to you and your friends departing to face Salem directly, alongside Ozpin-dono. Particulars, like who did what and who struck the final blow, are still unknown, even to those witnesses. However, it doesn't change the fact that you all are essentially the heroes who brought down Salem. And many of those people will be returning to Beacon at the beginning of next year, sharing their stories, and spreading them to those who will be arriving."
"Ooooh..." said Jaune and Ruby simultaneously, while Pyrrha's complexion paled considerably. She'd worked so hard to decouple herself from the celebrity image she'd been forced to build up in Mistral, only to find herself being recognized as a celebrity for a completely different reason now.
"I see..." said Weiss. "Spending some time away might well give the hype around this whole affair to die down, so that we can worry less when we return at the end of the exchange."
"What about the Council?" asked Pyrrha.
"Considering the events of the past few months, the Council's view on the Mibu has softened considerably," said Sasame, smirking. "Strangely, when Glynda-dono pitched our proposal to them, there were no objections whatsoever."
"Okay then..." said Ruby dubiously, wondering if that was due to the Council's changed attitude, or the fact that Glynda had been the one making the proposal. When Glynda Goodwitch put her will behind something she wanted, refusing the imposing woman was all but impossible.
"Glynda-dono and I have been working to hammer out the particulars, before I depart," explained Sasame. "As such, we were making plans for how to accommodate your learning needs as students of Beacon, even as you spend time in a foreign land with very different standards of education. Thanks to that, you won't have to worry about being buried in makeup-work, when you return to Beacon. Although, I imagine Ruby-chan has fond recollections of that sort of thing herself."
"No thanks," grumbled Ruby, remembering how she'd been forced to spend her time, after her extended training excursions with her siblings, doing makeup-work for her own schooling in Leng, which had involved spending entire days writing essays and filling out worksheets. That had been nothing short of hell, as far as she was concerned.
This time, it wasn't just Sasame, but her friends as well, who were giggling.
"That being the case, then this is the arrangement we have come to," said Sasame. "You shall all remain in Vale for the remainder of the year, and are free to do as you see fit with your time here. At the beginning of the next school-year, you will depart from Teleri, and travel across to Leng, and then to Onmyo, where you will be spending at least two semesters, possibly the full year, learning with us. Team Rainbow will, of course, be joining you, by the way."
"Sounds good," said Jaune, Weiss and Pyrrha nodding their heads along with him.
Ruby was about to nod, but froze. "But my swords!" she exclaimed, realizing that she was missing the chance to pick up her old weapons.
Sasame smiled indulgently. "That being the case, Ruby-chan, once I return to Leng, I will get your swords out of storage, have them refitted, then send them back to you by Shadowrunner."
"Th-that's a little much..." Ruby protested weakly.
She was surprised by the firm look Sasame gave her. "Come now, Ruby-chan...Salem aside, the fact of the matter is that you vanquished Mibu Kyojiro, an achievement that eclipses the efforts of our clan across our collective history. He is the final thorn we have been seeking to rid ourselves of for untold generations. Now that he is gone, we will be able to stand beside the other peoples of this world and walk, hand in hand, into the future together.
"Considering that, I believe this is a rather minor indulgence, don't you think?"
"You've certainly earned a few rewards," Jaune prodded her from behind.
"Learn to accept a little goodwill, Ruby," Weiss chided with an amused smirk.
"You've got nothing to be ashamed of," added Pyrrha.
Ruby looked around at her friends, seeing them all nodding in agreement, before letting out a resigned sigh. "All right..."
Sasame couldn't help but titter. "Honestly, Ruby-chan, getting so worked up over a simple delivery. You need to get more accustomed to people wanting to do nice things for you."
"Isn't that the truth?" asked Jaune rhetorically, while Weiss and Pyrrha nodded in agreement.
"Hey!" protested Ruby, bristling with irritation.
That got a laugh out of her friends.
It was only two days later that Sasame set out for Leng, her farewell just as breezy and light as it had been the last time they had seen her off. To help save time, Glynda had allowed Sasame to make use of one of Beacon's bullheads to travel directly to Anduin, where she would be able to procure passage to Leng, this time without needing to rely on smugglers. Given that, it seemed that her return journey would be much faster than it had any of the previous times Ruby had traveled with her.
That was a good thing, given that Sasame wouldn't be traveling alone. Much to the shock of Ruby and her friends, Sasame was departing with none other than Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black. It seemed that, amongst the many conditions she had negotiated with Glynda and Vale's Council, amongst Sasame's requests had been the request to take Cinder Fall's former-disciples back to Leng with her, where Sasame and the other Mibu would take charge of their rehabilitation and reformation.
"In some ways, they themselves were victims of Cinder-san," Sasame had explained to Ruby. "It may be selfish of me, but simply leaving them to languish, when there may yet be a chance to do good by them, was not something I was willing to do. Besides, Amber-chan and I did promise Emerald-chan that we would not leave her alone. But Amber-chan and Kyo deserve to have some time to themselves, so sending Emerald-chan and Mercury-kun with them wasn't tenable. So they will be coming back with me instead. Hopefully, they will be able to find new direction in their lives."
So it was that, less than a week later, Ruby's friends were startled when a black-garbed man had risen up out of her shadow. Taking in his bandaged appearance and the wolf-ears atop his head, Ruby was quick to recognize him. From there, it took a few minutes to calm her friends and introduce Dougal to them. Dougal's visit was brief. After introductions had been finished, he lingered just long enough to pass Ruby a long, narrow box, then exchange a small hug with her, before he sank back down into shadow and vanished.
Opening the box, Ruby felt a pleasant sense of nostalgia wash over her as she saw the two katanas she had relied upon, back before she had received Akaibara from Murasame. They had been removed from their shirasaya and fitted into brand-new hilts and set into equally new sheaths. And, from the look of the blades, when Ruby drew them, she figured that Murasame himself might have seen to their maintenance in preparation for returning them to her hands, though that thought made her feel guilty, as that would have entailed Sasame informing him about the death of the sword he had forged for her, a blade he had regarded as his own child. She would have to be sure to apologize profusely to him, when she and her friends finally got to Leng, next year.
A few days after that, Team RYNB returned from Menagerie. Ruby was disappointed to see that Sun was not with them, Blake informing her that Sun had returned to Haven to rejoin his team, though they intended to remain in contact as much as they could. They might have remained longer with Blake's parents, but Yang had been anxious to get back.
It was nearly time for Ruby's birthday, after all.
Yang had been adamant that she not miss her first chance to celebrate Ruby's birthday with her in the six years since Ruby had run away from home. For her part, Ruby now felt pretty guilty about her eagerness to return to Leng, forgetting about the fact that Yang would have missed this chance, since it clearly mattered so much to her.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RUBY!"
Ruby blushed reflexively at the cheer her friends and family raised, before she blew out the sixteen candles on her cake. To celebrate, Yukimura had brought them all to a well-regarded restaurant, one with a good reputation for hosting parties like this one. Given the raucous nature of the celebration, they would have wound up being kicked out, if they'd gone anyplace particularly high-class.
Aside from RASP and RYNB, Yukimura was also in attendance, presiding over the celebrations with an ease similar to that of Sora, making Ruby think that he and her adoptive mother might really hit it off, if they ever got the chance to meet. Aside from them, Ashley and her family were present too. Dove had come along with Pyrrha, with Qrow rounding out their numbers.
The collective presence of all of them filled Ruby with a warm sense of belonging, making her glad that she had accepted Ozpin's invitation to attend Beacon, all those months ago. Looking at the people in front of her made her feel incredibly grateful as she reflected on the precious friends she had made in the time she'd spent at Beacon, both among those present and those absent.
Even though they hadn't been able to attend in person, Ruby's friends from abroad had all taken the time to wish her well. Ruby's day had essentially begun in the CCT's call center, as she fielded calls from Team CPPR and FNKI in Atlas, NDGO in Vacuo, and SSSN and ABRN in Mistral. Even Oscar, Natsuki, and the rest of Team MNPS had placed a call from Tsubaki, with Oscar's Aunt sitting in as well. Shortly after that, she was congratulated by the members of Team CFVY, Coco and Velvet taking turns to give her enthusiastic hugs. Much to her shock, Dougal returned, this time carrying a set of letters, carrying the regards of her friends and family in Leng. Everyone's messages and well-wishes were reminders of just how widespread the connections Ruby had forged were, making her feel as though she were at the center of a massive tapestry that was woven around the entire world.
"Thank you, everyone," said Ruby, beaming at the friends currently assembled in front of her.
The party had been a great deal of fun. It wasn't quite the same as the ones she'd celebrated back in Leng. There were fewer party games, particularly since they were celebrating in a borrowed establishment. However, they had plenty of fun all the same. Ruby had plenty of fun just talking with everyone as they took this opportunity to speak about whatever struck their fancy. In some ways, it was little different from the dinners they had together in Beacon's dining hall. But it was a special and precious occasion to her all the same.
After dinner came the presents. Ren and Nora got her a new sharpening and polishing kit to help her maintain her swords. Blake, being Blake, had bought her a book, the next installment in a series Ruby had been reading. Ashley had gotten Ruby a box of Bruno's honey-chocolate-chip cookies, which had her salivating even more than the cake did. Ruby accepted their gifts gratefully, looking forward to what came next.
Yukimura didn't disappoint. He'd noticed that Ruby's current outfit had been getting a little threadbare. To that end, he had designed and made a brand new one for her. Ruby's new outfit consisted of a black kimono with a short skirt, practically identical in shape to the one she'd been wearing before. However, the hem and sleeves were an off-white color that contrasted pleasantly with the black of the rest of it, and the red of the broad sash, which was almost wide enough to resemble a corset, when it was tied around her. He'd even reforged her pauldrons and tassets, making them with the same advanced alloy that he'd used for the armor on Jaune's outfit. However, unlike the ones Ruby had worn before, these armor-pieces sported a more organic appearance, the layered plates being forged with curved, rippling outlines that made them vaguely resemble flower petals.
Much to Ruby's shock, as soon as she'd touched the garments her godfather had made for her, she'd sensed more than just Dust-treated cloth and metal. In the process of the creation of these pieces, Yukimura had actually infused his Aura into them in a manner similar to that of the Mibu artisans Ruby had gotten her previous equipment and clothes from. Yukimura was happy to explain that he'd applied the fruits of the training he had done with her, experimenting thoroughly over the past few weeks, before putting all that experience to work in the creation of her new outfit. The realization of all the work he had put in for her moved Ruby to tears of joy.
Yang went next. It was more than a little ironic that the person who'd had the most trouble figuring out a present for Ruby was her own sister. But Yang came through in the end. When Ruby unwrapped the package that Yang presented her, Ruby was shocked to find that Yang had obtained a backpack to compliment the new outfit her godfather had gotten her. Yang had even worked with Yukimura to modify the pack so that it could be easily slipped on, even when Ruby was wearing her cloak. It was sturdily made and contained a number of compartments, both large and small, enabling Ruby to carry more than her original traveling pack had allowed.
Qrow went after that. When Ruby unwrapped the small parcel she got from him, she found herself looking at a silver emblem depicting a blooming rose. It was an accessory that would serve as a clasp or a buckle, depending on how she used it. However, she was struck by the sense of something familiar as she stared at it. "Is this…?"
"It's Summer's," Qrow answered, drawing a startled gasp from Ruby and Yang. "It's one of the few things we have left with her. Everything else is a bit too bulky for you to carry with you, or disappeared along with her. I figured this was as good a time as any to give it to you."
Ruby felt tears leak from her eyes as she cradled the silver emblem in her hands. "Thank you," she whispered.
Qrow gently ruffled her hair. "I know she'd want you to have it."
Ruby smiled and nodded. Later on, when she wore her new outfit, she affixed the emblem to her sash, where it sat just off to the left of center.
Then there were the gifts from her own team. Jaune went first, producing a small box. Upon opening it, Ruby gasped, finding herself staring down at a black choker, decorated with red vines, twining along its length to meet a surprisingly elaborate clasp. It was the same blooming-rose emblem as the one Qrow had given her, but made from gold filagree, into which had been inset cut rubies to form the petals. It was a thing of incredible and intricate beauty, while also being designed in such a way that it would not interfere with Ruby on the battlefield.
"It's beautiful!" exclaimed Ruby.
She allowed Jaune to fasten it around her neck, before quickly leaning in to share a kiss with him. They spent a moment in their own little world, before a clearing of the throat from Weiss, drew them back to reality. Still holding onto Jaune, Ruby turned to face Weiss and Pyrrha, who looked on happily.
Ruby's other two teammates furnished rather ordinary presents. Weiss had gotten Ruby a new casual outfit. Given that she no longer had access to her family's enormous assets, Weiss had been forced to be a bit more…economical…in her selections. But Ruby appreciated the effort all the same.
Pyrrha's gift was a new formal outfit for Ruby, which seemed a little superfluous, given that there wasn't going to be another ball or dance before the end of the year, with the two teams heading to Leng at the beginning of next year, a place where formal fashions were quite different. However, Ruby was glad to have it, though she was a bit confused by Pyrrha's hint that she'd get a chance to wear it sooner than she thought.
It wasn't until later that evening that Ruby learned that Pyrrha and Weiss' gifts had been a smokescreen, the pair not wanting to give Ruby their real gift in front of such a large audience. Instead, they would present their gift to Ruby and Jaune after the festivities had wound down.
"Was it a good birthday?" asked Jaune, wrapping Ruby in his arms as she leaned against him on the couch.
Following the party, the group had broken up. Team RYNB (Yang included) returned to Beacon. Weiss was escorting Ashley and her family home, while Pyrrha and Dove had left with RYNB. Qrow had disappeared off to…wherever he went off to, when he wasn't with his nieces. And Yukimura was apparently finishing up a late-night project, down in the workshop beneath his home, where Jaune and Ruby were presently reclined in the living room.
"The best," Ruby replied.
"Even better than the ones with your family in Leng?" asked Jaune, a bit surprised.
"Well, I didn't have a loving boyfriend back then," said Ruby, turning to give him a kiss. "But then I also got to spend a proper birthday with Yang again, and all my new friends at Beacon." Her contented smile widened. "Of course, it could be better."
"How?" asked Jaune.
"Next time, I want to have my birthday with everyone," said Ruby. "Kaa-san, Yukimura, you, Yang, all my friends…I want everyone to share it with me." She paused. "I guess that's a little much."
"Well, at this point, you are talking about coordinating the activities of people spread across three different continents," Jaune pointed out with a wry grin, "four actually, depending on how broad your definition of 'all' your friends gets."
Ruby giggled at the thought, admitting to herself that having absolutely everyone she had befriended over the course of her time with the Mibu and her time at Beacon and during the Vytal Festival would be the tallest of tall orders. Despite that, the thought of how expansive her birthday celebrations might get, if such a thing were to happen, filled her with a warm feeling at the thought of having made so many incredible friends.
"But you know…it's still your birthday now," Jaune pointed out, his tone getting a little lower, something in his voice making Ruby's heart pound. "I think we still have a little more celebrating to do…just the two of us."
"I agree," said Ruby, turning her face towards his.
They pressed together in another kiss, much more passionate than their last. Their tongues tangled together, and Jaune pulled Ruby up onto his lap, his hand running down to gently stroke and squeeze her thigh through the black legging that covered it. Ruby's hands twined behind his neck, before reaching up to tangle in his hair as she endeavored to pull him closer, Jaune reciprocating by tightening the arm he'd wrapped around Ruby's shoulders. His other hand moved up her leg, gradually sliding beneath the hem of her skirt…
"Ahem…"
The polite cough startled Ruby and Jaune out of their session, the pair springing apart. Ruby jumped all the way up to her feet, whirling around to see Weiss and Pyrrha standing at the entrance of the living room, their faces red at the implication of what they had almost walked in on. It would seem that, after escorting their own significant others to their respective destinations, Weiss and Pyrrha had returned to pay Ruby and Jaune one last visit.
Weiss gave Ruby a wry smile. "Getting a little ahead of yourselves, aren't you?"
"Weeeeeiiiiiiiisssss!" Ruby whined.
Pyrrha nearly doubled over with barely restrained laughter at Ruby's response, the muffled giggles echoing in the room.
"Honestly, the two of you still need to work on your choice of time and place," declared Weiss, resting her hands on her hips. "Us aside, can you imagine your godfather walking in on the two of you like this?"
Ruby turned bright-red at the idea. For as much time as she had spent with Yukimura, and how close they had gotten, seeing him as her father was still just the tiniest bit awkward. The notion of him walking in on her and Jaune in the midst of a make-out session, or whatever else it might have evolved into by then, was enough to invoke a near-crippling level of embarrassment in Ruby's mind.
"So…before you get a little too affectionate with Jaune, Pyrrha and I figured that you need the proper setting for it," said Weiss, smirking.
"'Setting'...?" Ruby tilted her head.
Weiss tapped her scroll, transferring something on it to Ruby's. Pulling out her own device, Ruby was surprised and confused to find a reservation in her and Jaune's names for a room at The Grand Silmaril.
"A hotel...?" Ruby looked up at Weiss and Pyrrha, both of whom were smirking now.
"We pooled our funds, and I called in a favor from Whitley," explained Weiss. "This is our real birthday present for you."
Remembering Weiss and Ashley's descriptions of the room they'd shared at Vale's most exclusive hotel, Ruby found herself nearly trembling with excitement. What was more, she and Jaune had been booked for a three-night stay. After a moment though, the real implications of what Weiss and Pyrrha had prepared began to sink in, and Ruby felt her cheeks heating up to the point where she feared they might catch on fire. A glance at Jaune showed her that he was going through the same situation.
Even Weiss and Pyrrha couldn't keep their cheeks from going pink. "We figured that the two of you deserved some private time yourselves," Weiss explained a bit nervously. "You've more than earned the right to enjoy some real luxury and…well…let's just say whatever happens happens."
Pyrrha nodded emphatically.
Ruby was reminded of Weiss' little "talk" with her and Jaune, after Weiss and Pyrrha had walked in on them when the couple had been on the verge of becoming…intimate. Now Weiss and Pyrrha had arranged a private venue for them, while also acknowledging that Ruby's age was no longer an issue. Truth be told, there had been a few more close calls in the weeks since that particular incident, where Ruby and Jaune had gotten caught up in their affections, and started to get a little bit…frisky. Those times had ended with their restraint barely hanging on by a thread, with a fair bit of frustration for both of them.
Though she was still blushing furiously, Ruby hugged Weiss and Pyrrha. "Thank you," she said.
"You're due to check-in tomorrow afternoon," Weiss explained. "We didn't want this to be too short of notice for you, after all."
Ruby and Jaune exchanged looks, their cheeks still colored, but their hearts beginning to hammer in anticipation of what was to come. They could understand why Weiss and Pyrrha had gone through the trouble of picking out more mundane (but still very nice) presents to give to Ruby during the actual birthday party, in front of everyone else. It was a true gesture of consideration for them to use this more-private moment to deliver their actual present to Ruby. In particular, Ruby would have been mortified if Yang and Qrow, in particular, had been present when this gift was delivered.
Weiss took Ruby's hands in hers. "Happy birthday, Ruby," she said. "I'm glad I met you."
Ruby pulled Weiss into another hug. "I'm glad I met you too," she replied. "I love you, Weiss."
"I love you too," said Weiss, hugging Ruby back.
Another, plaintive, cough drew Ruby's attention to Pyrrha, who was clearly hoping for a hug of her own, which Ruby readily granted. After that, Weiss and Pyrrha also hugged Jaune.
"Take good care of her," Weiss said to him.
"I'll do my best," Jaune promised.
After that, Weiss and Pyrrha finally took their leave. Jaune and Ruby were left alone in the living room, exchanging expectant glances. In the end, Jaune wound up spending the night, sharing Ruby's bed. However, they kept their desires in check, waiting in anticipation for the day to come, and their desire to use Weiss and Pyrrha's gift to its fullest.
Now Ruby understood why Pyrrha had said that she'd get use out of her new formal outfit sooner than she thought. Given the nature of Weiss and Pyrrha's present, Ruby and Jaune had basically decided to start things off with a date. They spent the day enjoying the sights in Vale, then going to see a movie. After that, they made their way to the hotel, where they checked in and changed clothes for dinner.
Besides the room itself, their stay also covered dinner at The Grand Silmaril's in-house restaurant. As expected of a restaurant attached to such a high-class hotel, the establishment was similarly high-class. Because of that, there was a dress-code that needed to be observed by patrons, which had Ruby slipping into the brand new dress Pyrrha had gotten her.
Said dress was a one-piece, strapless dress with a long skirt. It consisted silky fabric, dyed the same shade of red as Ruby's cloak. The bodice rose just high enough to cover most of her cleavage, while clinging tightly to her torso, accentuating the toned lines of her body, and leaving her shoulders and arms completely bare. A slit down the left side of her skirt showed off flashes of Ruby's legs with each step she took. The moment she'd appeared before him in her new outfit, Ruby found herself thanking Pyrrha in the back of her mind, noting that Jaune couldn't take his eyes off her. Pyrrha had even made a concession to Ruby's preferences, having picked rather light shoes that had no heels whatsoever, which would enable Ruby to walk normally.
Their dinner was excellent. As expected of such a high-class establishment, the food offered by The Grand Silmaril's restaurant was downright sumptuous. However, it was a little awkward, as Ruby had never gotten anything more than the most basic of education in dining etiquette, the closest being a brief rundown that Weiss had made her sit through once. Jaune, thanks to (as always) his seven sisters, had been much more thoroughly educated in how to mind his manners in a place like this one. He was happy to help guide Ruby through their meal, allowing her to avoid making any faux pas that might offend their hosts.
However, the meal itself was, ironically, little more than an appetizer for what was to come, as far as the couple were concerned. Finishing their dessert, they returned to the room, having to force themselves to walk at a normal pace to the elevator, then down the hallway to their door.
Jaune shut the door behind them. It closed with a completely mundane click of the latch and locks that, somehow, sounded strangely ominous in the quiet of the room. Turning to face Ruby, Jaune's heart thudded so loudly in his chest that the sound reached his own ears. From the rosy hue of her cheeks, he was guessing that Ruby was in a similar state of excited tension. For a few minutes, all he could was stand and stare at her, his eyes roaming over her, taking in every detail of the girl he loved.
"So..." he said, unnerved by the silence lingering between them.
"So..." Ruby replied, clearly feeling just as awkward as he did.
"Um...Are you ready?" He asked. "I mean...if you're not, we don't have to do anything right away...or at all, if you don't feel like it."
After all, as wonderful as the gift from their friends was, that didn't mean they were under any obligation to have sex, even if that was the express purpose behind reserving multiple nights in an exclusive hotel for their private enjoyment.
"Do you not want to?" asked Ruby, stepping closer.
Her nearness made Jaune stiffen up...in more ways than one. As she got closer, he got a whiff of her scent, including the floral scent of the soap and shampoo she'd used when showering earlier. That smell tantalized his nostrils, sending excited tingles running through his entire body.
"I want to," Jaune admitted, his voice exiting with a slight groan. "I want to so badly...But...I don't want you to feel pressured or uneasy..."
"Um..." Ruby looked away. "It's my first time, so it was gonna be a little awkward either way."
"I just want it to be perfect for you," said Jaune.
"It is, silly," said Ruby, giggling and stepping closer still, pressing herself up against his body and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "As long as it's with you, it's perfect."
"R-really?" asked Jaune, his own arms rising up to wrap around her waist.
"It was nice of Weiss and Pyrrha to do this for us," said Ruby. "But, even if they're so amazing; this room, this hotel...they're just window-dressings. It could be in my bedroom at Yukimura's place, our dorm at Beacon, or even out in the middle of the wilderness; as long as it's with you, it's perfect...because I love you."
"I love you too," said Jaune.
"Then don't worry," said Ruby, her smile widening. "Let's just do what feels right."
"In that case...I'm going to start with this..." With that, Jaune lowered his face to hers and took Ruby in a deep kiss, bending her back slightly as his arms tightened their hold.
Ruby returned the kiss with all the vigor she possessed. For several minutes, the room was silent, save for the smack of their lips, their harsh breaths, and soft moans muffled by their conjoined mouths. After several minutes of that, they pulled away from each other, their eyes locked, mouths hanging slightly open as they panted, as though they'd both been sprinting for an extended distance.
However, they couldn't stay apart for long. Just one glance, seeing the mutual excitement, want, and need in each other's eyes, they rushed straight back in, nearly slamming their lips together, kissing with even greater ferocity than before. Jaune's hands began to roam, his left hand sliding up Ruby's back, to the edge of her dress, while his right drifted around to her side, tracing its way up the side of her torso, fingers brushing ever-so-lightly against the side of her left breast, before sliding back down to her waist, then dipping lower.
Jaune's fingers found the slit in Ruby's skirt, slipping beneath the fabric and sliding across the smooth skin of her thigh. Hooking his fingers around her leg, Jaune pulled it up, Ruby reflexively wrapping it around behind him, pulling their bodies even more tightly against one another, with Jaune now holding Ruby up as she clung to him to keep from falling, even as they tangled their tongues with one another. Now his hand slid up, his fingers around to cup and squeeze Ruby's butt. Jaune began to gently grind up against her, the motion stoking an eager fire within Ruby.
Their excitement growing, Jaune released his hold on Ruby's behind, letting her lower her leg back to the floor. Still exchanging furious, heated kisses with her, he pressed her back, until her legs met the end of the bed. Only then did they let go of each other, Ruby allowing herself to fall back onto the soft comforter, and the mattress beneath it. Breathing heavily, and covered by a faint sheen of sweat that gave her face and shoulders a shimmering gleam, Ruby stared up at Jaune, her silver eyes sparkling with excitement.
For his part, Jaune gently kicked off his shoes, before leaning forward. Reaching down, he lifted Ruby's legs, still dangling off the end of the mattress, by their calves, then pulled her shoes off. Following that, he began to kiss her feet, before working his way up her legs, lowering himself down on top of her in the process, his lips pressing kisses against her thighs as he slid her skirt back, exposing the black panties she wore. However, Jaune stopped there, instead crawling up Ruby's body and hovering over her, taking in her eyes.
Grinning, Ruby reached up with her own hands, first undoing the buttons of Jaune's jacket, sliding it off his shoulders, Jaune having to shift his hands, which were holding him up, so that he could fully shed it. After that, her hands deftly pulled the tie around his neck free, before running down the line of buttons that held his shirt closed, undoing them one by one. Finally, she tugged Jaune's shirt open, pulling it free, Jaune once again moving his arms to slide it off.
Then Jaune took back the lead, lowering himself onto Ruby, pressing her down into the mattress as he took her lips in another searing kiss. Then he slid to the side, kissing her cheek, then her jaw, before making his way down her neck to her shoulder. At the same time, his hands slid up the sides of her chest, before reaching the hem of her bodice, and pulling it down, along with her bra, to expose her breasts. Resting his hands over them, Jaune began to gently knead the two mounds, his thumbs teasing her rosy nipples as Ruby moaned in pleasure.
Kissing his way back along Ruby's collarbone, Jaune finally descended on Ruby's breasts, taking one in his mouth, licking and sucking, while his hand continued to play the opposite. His free hand wandered back down to Ruby's lower body, sliding past her skirt, then down beneath her panties, gently stroking her, the stimulation setting Ruby to gasping, arcing her back, while Jaune slipped his other arm around behind her to hold her up and allow him to take even more of her breast into his mouth. Meanwhile, the fingers teasing Ruby from down below slid inside.
Sex, it seemed, was much like fighting. Jaune was no expert in the art of lovemaking, the particulars of that particular act being one of the few things his sisters hadn't schooled him in (much to his relief). However, though he and Ruby were unaware of it, they were applying many of the same skills they had developed for the battlefield, namely reading the tells of the other person, and responding in the best manner possible.
In battle, Jaune was supposed to read his opponent's movements, and determine how to best fend off their next strike. He'd spent so much of his training since coming Beacon on anticipating the course of an incoming strike, and shifting his shield to deflect it with minimal impact. To that, he had added reading when his defense would allow him to create an opening to strike at his opponent.
In a way, Jaune was doing much the same thing with Ruby, reading the reactions of her body, telling him what she liked and what she didn't (though he had yet to stumble on any particular examples of the latter). Reading Ruby's responses was allowing him to build a picture of what made her feel good, then move to make her feel even better. Because of that, even though he should have been fumbling like a complete amateur, Jaune's ministrations never failed to elicit a pleased reaction from his lover.
Ruby squirmed and wriggled beneath him, her hips bucking as Jaune's fingers moved inside her, searching for her sensitive spots and stimulating them, all while he continued to lavish her chest with attention from his tongue and lips. Finally, Ruby shuddered, jolting, her back arcing, a high-pitched whine escaping her mouth. Jaune felt something warm and wet splash across the hand teasing her from below. Jaune pulled his fingers out, and let go of Ruby's breast as well, allowing her to slump back onto the bed gasping for breath.
Still in a daze from her orgasm, Ruby was barely conscious of the tugging sensation on her clothes as Jaune slid her dress off her body, followed by her undergarments, leaving her naked on the bed. Then Jaune took the opportunity to remove the remainder of his clothes. Both of them completely naked, Jaune pulled Ruby all the way up the bed, so that she could rest her head on the pillows, pulling back the comforter and sheets in the process.
Following that, Jaune lowered himself down next to her, wrapping his arms around Ruby's back and pulling her naked body flush against his own. Then he gently pressed his lips against hers in a series of gentle kisses, waiting as Ruby came down from her high. Her leg reflexively wrapped around his own, pulling their waists together. The feeling of Jaune's length sliding against her was enough to stir Ruby out of her haze, and she began to return his kisses, wrapping her arms around him in turn.
"Ready to keep going?" Jaune asked.
"I guess...it's my turn, isn't it?" asked Ruby, her hand moving towards Jaune's shaft.
Jaune stopped her. "Not tonight," he said, resting his forehead against hers. "This is your birthday present. So it's all about you."
Ruby couldn't help but smile brightly at that.
Jaune rolled her over onto her back again, then positioned himself, spreading her legs apart and settling between them. He paused to take in the sight of her naked body; the sweat on her skin making her almost seem to glow slightly beneath the lights, the rosy hue of her nipples standing out starkly against the creamy color of the surrounding skin, the way her hair spread across the pillow, and the gleam of love and excitement in her silver eyes as she looked up at him. Ruby had never looked more beautiful to Jaune than at this moment, the happy smile on her face prompting him to take the next step.
Holding her thighs, he began to slide his length back and forth against her, prompting soft gasps from her, her face gradually growing redder. Finally, Jaune positioned his tip at her entrance, locking eyes with Ruby. She gave him the tiniest of nods and, slowly, Jaune began to inch himself inside her. Ruby let out a much louder, sharper gasp as his member parted the folds of her labia, her insides clamping tightly around it in a sensation that was downright heavenly to Jaune, even as Ruby herself was hit by the sensation of stretching to fit him.
Fortunately, years of intense physical training had already broken Ruby's hymen, so there was no sharp pain or bleeding from being penetrated for the first time. However, the sensation was still completely new to her. She wasn't the sort of person who watched "adult" videos on the network, so she had no idea where Jaune's size stood on the scale such things were supposed to be judged by. However, by Ruby's assessment, Jaune was definitely big enough.
Finally, Jaune's hips connected with Ruby's, Jaune having hilted his entire length inside her. Then, slowly, he pulled back out, then thrust back in, drawing another gasp from Ruby. Ruby gasped as he pulled out, then squeaked as he pushed back in. The sounds continued as Jaune repeated the act, then repeated again...gradually increasing the pace. His continual thrusting pushed and pulled Ruby's body across the sheets, Jaune holding her thighs and lifting her waist up to maintain his leverage. Gradually, as lubrication built up, Jaune found it easier to move in and out of her, and increased his pace further.
Ruby's gasps were now interspersed with sharp squeals of pleasure. Her breasts bounced in time with Jaune's thrusts. Gradually, Jaune released her thighs and move his hands up to them, squeezing down and toying with them, even as he continued to pump rapidly into her. Ruby's squeals rose in pitch. Jaune started breathing harder, feeling a pressure building up, the need to release increasing with each passing second.
"Jaune...!" Ruby gasped out his name, looking up at him plaintively and holding out her arms.
Recognizing the invitation for what it was, Jaune leaned down, wrapping his arms around Ruby's back, holding her tight against him, and seizing her lips as he continued to work his hips. Ruby's nails scratched tightly against the skin of his back, the protection of Jaune's Aura keeping her from drawing blood. However, the pain was an additional source of stimulation for him, which incited Jaune to thrust harder.
Finally, Ruby screamed into his mouth, her legs rising up to wrap around his waist, as her arms tightened to the point where Jaune could barely move. Her insides clamped down on him like a vice, and that warm, wet sensation returned again. The sensation of her orgasm was enough to push Jaune past the limit of his own restraint, and he came as well. Ruby felt a rush of warmth inside her, complimenting the pleasure of her own release.
Then it was over. The two of them collapsed, gasping for breath, but still holding each other tightly, Jaune lying right on top of Ruby. For several minutes, they did nothing but lay there, catching their breath. Finally, Jaune gave Ruby another slow, lingering kiss, before pulling back far enough to get a good look at the absolutely radiant smile on her face.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too," Ruby replied.
Jaune rolled off the top of her, but continued to hold her tight against him. "How was it?" he asked.
"Amazing!" breathed Ruby. She nuzzled her face against his collarbone. "I'm glad we did this."
"So am I," said Jaune, gently rubbing one hand up and down her back, feeling the ridge of her spine.
They spent another few minutes basking in the afterglow of their intercourse. Their breathing evened out, and Jaune could hear Ruby's breaths get slower and softer. Looking down at her, he saw her eyelids fluttering, Ruby clearly having to make an effort to keep them open. Smiling, Jaune let go of her just long enough to reach down and pull the sheets and comforter up over them, before using the controls on the nightstand to turn off the lights.
"Jaune..." breathed Ruby.
"Hey, there's no need to rush," he said. "We have all tomorrow, and the day after. For tonight, this is enough." He could have used his Aura to help Ruby to recover, but felt that letting her rest would be better. They would have plenty of time to explore this new dimension of their relationship, whether in the hotel or elsewhere.
They fell asleep, while the window display showed streams of stars shining down on them.
The following days were some of the best in the couple's lives. Ruby and Jaune took plenty of opportunities to enjoy one another's bodies; in the shower, in the hot tub, on the couch in the sitting area, even on the floor one time. They also made full use of the hotel's other amenities, enjoying room service for breakfast, then heading out into Vale for lunch, before returning to the hotel's restaurant for dinner.
Despite, or perhaps because of, their efforts to use their time to the fullest, said time seemed to go by very quickly for Jaune and Ruby. Two days later, they returned to Yukimura's home (which Ruby supposed was now her home as well), finding Weiss and Pyrrha waiting for them with knowing looks on their faces. It wouldn't take long for the news of Ruby and Jaune's experience to spread to the rest of their friends and family, which resulted in the pair being embarrassed by a wave of congratulations and teasings. Once the excitement wound down, Jaune made the decision to join Ruby in her room at her new home, with her godfather. There, the two of them tried their best to be discreet, with Yukimura never showing any sign that he took notice of their sessions, expressing nothing but warm approval for their relationship.
Then, a little over a month later, as the end of the year approached, RASP, RYNB, and a few guests took an airship out to Ansel, where they were heartily and enthusiastically met by the Arc Family, who took great joy in initiating Jaune's friends, Ruby in particular, into the Arc way of celebrating the Yuletide season. Parties were held, feasts were had, and gifts were exchanged. A good time was had by all, before Ruby and her friends returned to Vale at the beginning of the new year.
A few weeks later, as the winter snows receded, the beginning of the next school-year at Beacon Academy loomed. As they had planned, RASP and RYNB made their preparations for their journey to Leng, for the exchange. In addition to them, they would be joined by none other than Qrow, who had been inducted onto Beacon's staff as a special instructor for just that purpose. It felt a bit odd for Ruby to realize that her "cool uncle" was essentially going to be looking over the shoulders of her and her friends to ensure that they were doing their assigned schoolwork, which they would have to complete in Onmyo. But she couldn't imagine anyone else being able to adapt to life on Leng as well as he could.
Thanks to ongoing negotiations between Vale and Leng, the Mibu were even being furnished with a CCT relay, enabling them to interact with the outside world in a more active and immediate manner, which would also allow Ruby and the others to stay in touch with their friends back home. Said relay would take a few extra weeks to be set up, so it wouldn't be until they were well into their training that they'd be able to make use of it. But that was better than forcing Sora's Imperial Guards to carry missives across the sea. Ruby wasn't even sure how Shadowrunners got across the ocean, only that they somehow could.
So it was that, a week into the new school-year, Ruby found herself cresting a rise at the head of her group of friends, and found herself looking down at a sight that filled her with nostalgia, as the city of Onmyo spread out before her, leading all the way up to the gates of the palace that had been her home since she was nine.
That nostalgic feeling waned, replaced by trepidation as Ruby was hit by the realization that there was something she needed to do, first and foremost, someone she need to speak to.
"I had a feeling I would see you soon, when I heard you were back," said Murasame pleasantly, setting tea in front of Ruby and Jaune, the pair seating themselves on the mats that made up the floor of Murasame's home, just outside the palace grounds.
Everything about the room and the house were exactly as Ruby remembered, including the door that led to a tunnel that ran down into the mountain itself, where Murasame's forge was located, its furnace powered by the flames of the volcano.
"I'm sorry," said Ruby, bowing her head. "I should have come sooner..."
Murasame reached out, gently petting the top of her head. "Ruby-chan, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I was saddened, when Saisei informed me of what had befallen your sword. It is agony for any parent to lose a precious child. However, you are not at fault. Both you and she did as you needed to win a victory greater than that any Mibu has struck since the days of the First Kyo. Akaibara gave up her life for your sake. I am proud that the blade I forged was capable of such a deep love.
Ruby lowered her eyes, sniffling. Beside her, Jaune wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
"Now what?" he asked, looking back at Murasame.
"At the moment, there is nothing to be done," said Murasame. "Her sword is gone. I cannot bring it back. In time, I could forge her a new sword. However, I will need to take the time to do it properly. Her new blade must not be a mere replacement for the one she has lost, but one that stands as unique in its own right. I forged Akaibara when Ruby-chan's nature enkindled the flame of inspiration within me. That is not the sort of thing that can simply be forced.
"In order to find that inspiration, I believe that I will need to observe Ruby-chan, as she spends her time here. I will watch to see how her experiences out in the world have changed her, and work out the proper shape and nature of the sword that will suit the person she is now. Only then will I be able to begin the actual forging."
"You don't have to," said Ruby, looking up at him. Part of it was that she didn't want to bother him, or act as though she was entitled to having the Mibu Blademaster forge a sword specifically for her. The other was that she still didn't feel ready to take up a new sword in Akaibara's place.
"I want to, Ruby-chan." He paused, then got to his feet. "Come."
Ruby and Jaune stood up, following Murasame, leaving their tea behind as he led them to the door that led back towards his workshop. Ruby smiled at the sound of Jaune's gasp at the sight of the tunnel walls lined with blades of all shapes and sizes, each one unique, and each one an utter masterpiece.
Murasame looked to Ruby. "Tell me...can you still hear them?"
Ruby looked around, taking in the sight of the countless swords, spears, halberds, and myriad other weapons that surrounded her. Then she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, and opening herself up. Once again, just as she had so many years ago, she heard the clamoring of faint voices, each one seeming desperate for her attention. Smiling, Ruby accepted those voices, encouraging them to speak to her.
All at once, the countless blades around them blazed with light, the air filled with a sound like the ringing of countless bells. Jaune flinched back, his eyes going wide at the cacophonous display. The ringing was so loud as to be painful to his ears, and the light shed by those countless weapons was intense enough to bring tears to his eyes. Yet he made no effort to cover his ears or close his eyes. There was an indescribable beauty to the scene in front of him, which made him unable to look away.
Smiling wider, Murasame rested a hand on Ruby's shoulder. She opened her eyes, the light and sound dying down and ultimately disappearing. She looked up at Murasame with a slightly dazed expression.
"As I thought," said Murasame proudly. "You have grown, matured, and learned so much. Yet, deep down, you are still that same small and simple soul you have always been. A spirit as special as yours demands nothing less than my finest work. This is not gratitude for your accomplishments or sympathy for your loss, but my obligation as a craftsman. So long as you continue to nurture that special heart of yours, I will craft a blade to suit it."
Ruby sniffed, rubbing her eyes. "Thank you, Murasame-sama."
Murasame led them back out to the main house, seating them back in front of their tea, before taking his own seat in front of them. "Enough of such heavy matters," he declared. "Tell me of all the things you've seen and done in your time away. I'm afraid that Saisei only gave me a basic explanation. Now I want to hear the full details from you."
Ruby smiled, happy to oblige. The next few hours were filled with pleasant conversation, with Ruby able to put the final remnants of her guilt over the death of her sword behind her. Life would go on and, no matter what, she would become the very best Huntress she could. Living true to herself was the best way to honor Akaibara's memory.
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