章 736: 79
Chapter 79:
Day 6:
Throughout my life, I lived within the cycle of life and death.
Through my life, I lived through much death.
Through living, I witnessed death, and was death to others.
By stepping beyond life, I learned to see the cycle from without.
By seeing and living the cycle, I came to know the One.
To know the One is to touch the One.
To touch the One is to obtain the power of the One.
Touch the One and take It in.
Make yourself the center.
Call upon the One as thunder...
And so it went...
Ruby stared at the scroll, a scroll she'd read so often that she'd practically memorized the words. However, just as she'd been told long ago, being able to read it was not the same thing as understanding it. The words were cryptic and vague, nigh incomprehensible. Yet, somehow, within them was the clue, the key to learning the truth behind the technique she sought.
What does it mean to live within the cycle of life and death? wondered Ruby. I've lived through so many dangerous things, which must be what it means to live through death. And I've seen people die, and killed people myself. But how do you step beyond life? What does it mean to know the One? What is the One, anyway?
"Whatcha reading?" asked Jaune, leaning over her shoulder.
Ruby jumped with a yelp. "Jaune!" she shouted, turning around and glaring at him, though there wasn't much force behind it.
Jaune just laughed and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Normally, you'd already notice me. I guess I get to say I took the great Ruby's back for once, huh?"
Ruby blushed furiously and pouted at him, making Jaune laugh harder. He looks a bit like Kyo-nii, when he rubs the back of his head like that, she noted, canting her head slightly. Does that mean I prefer boys who are like my brother?...Nah. That sounds a little creepy.
Finished grinning and laughing, Jaune's expression softened to one of curiosity. "So what is it that's got you so entranced. I didn't think you were such a heavy reader."
"I'm not Blake," said Ruby, sighing. "But...I've been working on this for a long time."
"What is it?" asked Jaune.
Ruby showed him the scroll, letting him look over her shoulder as she unrolled it. There wasn't much to it. It was a fairly short work, consisting of a scant few lines of writing, accompanied by a few illustrations that were barely more than stick figures depicting stances and actions. Jaune looked at it, his gaze brushing over the kanji characters. "Yeah...I've got nothing," he said.
Ruby giggled. "I'm not surprised," she said. "This is Old Tongue, after all." She frowned, turning her attention back to the scroll. "This was a gift for my tenth birthday. It's a scroll that describes a really powerful technique. I've spent the last five-plus years trying to learn it."
"Five years...for you?" Jaune blinked in surprise. "Given who you are, I'd have figured that you would learn it pretty easily."
"Not everything is that easy," said Ruby with a sigh. "Of course, part of that time was spent simply learning the Old Tongue, and reading kanji. That was three years on its own."
"But, even though you can read it, you're still having trouble," noted Jaune.
"Yep," said Ruby frankly, staring dourly at the words. "From what my teachers told me, it's hard to learn techniques like this, mainly because you need to reach the same level and state of mind as the one who wrote it. Otherwise, the words just come off as gibberish."
"So...you're not there yet, huh?" asked Jaune.
"Nope," admitted Ruby, sighing.
"I'm surprised someone gave that to you for a birthday present," said Jaune.
Ruby smiled, recounting the story of how she'd come across the scroll with her friends, and how Dougal had arranged to have it, and several other such texts, transcribed as a present for her birthday. It was one of the most wonderful and thoughtful gifts that she'd ever received, only exceeded by her sword.
As she talked, Ruby unconsciously began to lean back. Before either of them had really noticed, she was leaning back against Jaune's chest, while he wrapped an arm around her midsection, resting his chin over her shoulder, the two of them leaning their heads together.
"What kind of technique is it?" asked Jaune.
"It's called the Raikoken," said Ruby. "It's a technique that allows you to control lightning by channeling it into your sword."
"But...can't you do that already?" asked Jaune.
"Well...I can convert my Aura into electricity and harness it," said Ruby. "But that's not the same thing as lightning, at least...not where this technique is concerned."
"What's the difference?" asked Jaune.
"Controlling and wielding lightning is more than just electricity," said Ruby. "It's supposed to be about commanding the raw power of nature itself."
"That sounds...pretty awesome," said Jaune, though he was having trouble wrapping his head around the conceptual difference. After all, lightning was just another kind of electricity, wasn't it?
Ruby giggled, and nuzzled her cheek against Jaune's. "It does," she agreed.
"Well...maybe if you talked it out," said Jaune. "I mean, since I'm here, you could just bounce ideas off of me."
"Are you sure?" asked Ruby, moving her eyes to glance his way.
"Sure," said Jaune, his hold on her tightening. "After everything you've done for me, the very least I can do is be your sounding board."
That made Ruby smile contentedly, and she turned her head to gaze out at the rippling expanse of blue that passed in front of them. It had barely been a day since their harrowing battle against the pirates. The Atlesian military vessels had stayed with them long enough to ensure that RASP and Winter recovered from the battle, before turning back towards Solitas.
Now that the expected danger was over, the mood across the ship was much more relaxed. The crew no longer went about their tasks with the tension of those expecting a messy demise. The captain no longer expressed doubt in, and subtle contempt for, those who had been tasked with protecting his vessel. For her part, Winter clearly no longer doubted Ruby's capability in battle...and appeared to be rethinking the capability of the Mibu, after seeing what one of them was capable of. Ruby admitted to being skilled and talented for her age, but also made it clear that she was a long ways from the peak of what the Mibu were capable of.
Now she and Jaune were leaning back against the wall of the upper deck, simply taking it easy, waiting for the ship to make it into port. Operationally speaking, nothing had changed. They were still on standby, in case an attacking Grimm made it past the ship's primary defenses. They continued to sleep in watches. But the relaxed atmosphere was a far cry from how things had been at the beginning of their voyage. Jaune, Weiss, and Pyrrha still practiced controlling their Auras under Ruby's eye. But now it was simply a way to stave off boredom and pass the time, rather than a means of keeping them from going crazy under the tension of an attack they knew was coming, but had no idea of when or how. It also served as a sort of therapy, a way to keep from dwelling too much on the lives they'd taken.
Ruby translated what the scroll said, speaking the words aloud for Jaune to listen. When she finished, she glanced over to see the most adorably pensive look on his face.
"Yeah...that's pretty cryptic," he said. "I mean, why can't this guy just explain things, step by step?"
"Well...it's probably not something you'd want just anyone trying," said Ruby, giggling. "By making it so weird-sounding and hard to understand, you make sure that the person who's learning this is skilled enough to do it properly...and mature enough to use that kind of power responsibly.
"Also...I think it has something to do with the foundation."
"Foundation?" asked Jaune.
"It's like learning any technique, in a sense," said Ruby. "Before you can just swing a sword, you need to know how to hold it, where to put your feet. You need to know how to step, even how to breathe. It all comes together, and that's where technique comes from."
"That...makes sense," said Jaune, thinking about how Ruby and Pyrrha had instructed him in using his sword.
"So...understanding things like this life and death stuff, or what the One is, are sort of the foundation to learning this technique," said Ruby. "But...I get the feeling that it's not really something you can just put into words that would allow somebody to instantly understand what you're talking about. There's something there...something that plays a role that words can't on their own."
"What do you think that is?" asked Jaune.
"Experience, maybe," said Ruby. "The guy who wrote this lived a long time ago. I've done some research on who he was, to see if there's something about him that could help me understand what he's talking about here."
"What did you learn?" asked Jaune.
"The guy who came up with this technique was named Sarutobi Sasuke," said Ruby. "A loooooooong time ago, he was this famous shinobi."
"What's a shinobi again?"
"It's another word for ninja," clarified Ruby.
"Oh...like Blake then."
That made Ruby laugh out loud, her body quaking in Jaune's arms. "I guess that's true," she agreed. "And Ren too, I guess."
"Cool! What else did you learn?"
Ruby rolled her eyes upward in thought. "Well...there's some confusing stuff about him. I get the feeling that a lot of info about him is missing. The histories said that he was of the Mibu, but not one of them."
"Maybe he was adopted, like you were," suggested Jaune.
"Maybe..." conceded Ruby with a frown, before continuing. "One of the big things I learned was that he was a serious prodigy. He'd supposedly created this technique by the time he was twelve."
"Seriously!?" gasped Jaune.
"Yep," replied Ruby. "I mean, I've had a lot of people call me talented, which makes it hard to keep from getting a swelled head. But I can't imagine creating such a powerful technique...out of nothing, and all by the time he was three years younger than I am now."
"Well...there's no point in comparing yourself to him," Jaune pointed out. "I mean, you were talking about experience earlier, right? Maybe he just had the kind of experiences he needed to come up with this technique by that time, and you haven't. If it was just a matter of talent, then I doubt it's something that could really be taught to others."
Ruby's smile returned, and she gave Jaune a quick peck on the cheek. "You might be right. Thanks."
"No problem," said Jaune, blushing while wearing the goofiest grin imaginable. Recovering from his brief state of bliss, he thought silently for a moment. "But, you know...that life and death stuff reminds me of something."
"What?" pressed Ruby.
"You ever get those lectures in elementary school...you know...the ones about the cycle of life, and all that?"
"You mean the one about how animals that eat the plants get eaten by other animals, and how those animals die, and their bodies get broken down into nutrients for the plants?"
"That's the one," said Jaune. "Maybe that's what this Sasuke-guy is talking about in the beginning there."
"That's what I thought too," said Ruby, making Jaune slump, as he now realized that he hadn't come up with something that Ruby hadn't already. "In fact, I'm pretty sure what those first couple of lines are talking about.
"People aren't exempt from that cycle after all. We die too. When we die, our bodies return to the earth, and become part of it." She pursed her lips. "I guess that's what it means to live through the cycle of life and death. But is that what he really means?"
"I think so," said Jaune. "He talks about surviving death too, and...killing people...I guess."
"Yeah," agreed Ruby, nodding gravely. "I just wish that didn't sound like I need to kill a bunch of people to really understand what he's talking about."
"Uh...You didn't seem to have t-too much of a problem with it," Jaune noted, his mind drifting back to their battle, remembering Ruby cutting through the pirates like a hot knife through butter.
"That's...different," said Ruby. "I don't want to kill...just as a default. But, sometimes, there's just no way to protect the people who need it, if I'm not willing to. If I were more skilled, that might not be the case-"
"Don't," said Jaune simply, cutting her off.
"Huh?" Ruby blinked in confusion.
Jaune stared sternly at her. "Don't put it like that," he said. "Don't make it about you not being good enough." He sighed, staring down. "To be honest, it scared me...just how easy it was, the first time. I...I wanted to become a Huntsman to be a hero, to protect people. But I had no idea that something like killing other people would be a part of that. But...I feel like we shouldn't let it get us down like that. Like it or not, we killed people yesterday. But they chose to attack us, they chose to threaten the people of this ship, so that's a risk they should have accepted as well."
"You're taking that pretty well," said Ruby. She sighed. "I was pretty much catatonic, the first time I killed someone."
"Um...I think I have an idea," said Jaune. "How old were you?"
"Nine," said Ruby. "It wasn't all that long after I started traveling with Sasame-nee and Kyo-nii."
"Those bandits in Barrowdown, right?" asked Jaune, vaguely remembering Ruby's previous retellings.
"Uh huh," said Ruby.
"Yeah...not surprising that you'd be pretty disturbed, killing someone at that age," Jaune pointed out. "I guess, you could say that Weiss, Pyrrha, and I knew what we were getting into, to some extent. It may have been a heck of a lot earlier than we were expecting to, but well...that sort of thing was going to come up sooner or later.
"Hell! Looking back on all our fights with the White Fang, it's kind of a miracle that we didn't kill at least some of those faunus, even by accident."
"True," agreed Ruby.
"But...I guess I'm saying that you shouldn't talk down about yourself like that, even if it is for something like killing," Jaune pointed out.
"Thanks," whispered Ruby, closing her eyes, leaning into his embrace once more.
"Still...I can kinda understand not wanting to kill a bunch of people to learn a technique," said Jaune, bringing them back from their tangent.
"Yeah," said Ruby tiredly. "But...I guess, I can get what it means. Killing people is basically returning them to the earth. But...how do you get out of that cycle? How do you get beyond that, and look at it from the outside?"
"Well...he mentions surviving death a bunch of times..." mused Jaune. "Maybe he's talking about near-death-experiences...or something like that."
"That...makes sense," said Ruby, mulling it over.
"I'm guessing you've had plenty of those too, though," said Jaune.
"Yes and no," said Ruby frowning. "I mean, there were some close calls when I was younger. My teachers and family were willing to take some serious risks with me. But…at the end of the day, I knew they'd be there for me, if I really got in over my head. When I was traveling on my own, or during our time at Beacon, I've only felt really pushed the edge a couple of times."
"Your fights with Adam?" guessed Jaune, rewarded by a silent nod.
"And Morgan...But...is that it?" wondered Ruby. "Do I have to fight those kinds of battles, where I'm really put at the edge of life and death?"
"I don't know," Jaune admitted. "But...that kinda sounds like what he's talking about. What do else do you know about this guy?"
"Well...things were different back then," said Ruby. "He used to live in the wilderness, in a place called Aokigahara."
"What's that mean?" asked Jaune.
"A rough translation is 'Sea of Trees,'" said Ruby. "But, it apparently had a nickname...the Forest of Death."
"Charming," said Jaune.
"According to the histories I found, Sasuke was basically born there," said Ruby. "He grew up surrounded by monsters, and had to fight for his life from his earliest years."
"That sure sounds like a situation where he'd have plenty of near-death experiences," said Jaune.
"Uh huh," grunted Ruby.
"So...If I had to guess, I'd say that those moments, like your fights with Adam, are the key," said Jaune. "It's not about how much you kill, or even about actually killing, but about that point where you really feel like you're about to die."
"You might be right," said Ruby. "Thanks, Jaune. That's a big help."
"Really?" asked Jaune, amazed by the idea that he could actually do or say something to help Ruby figure out what sounded like a really high-level skill.
"Yeah," said Ruby. "I mean...I've got an idea of what I need to focus on. There's not much else I can do but think about those moments. I'm not about to go around looking for death-matches right now, after all."
"Probably a good idea," said Jaune wryly.
She frowned pensively. "Kyo-nii would talk about that, from time to time."
"About what?"
"About fighting to the death," said Ruby. "There's something special about putting your life on the line against an opponent of equal skill. It's in that moment, where it's down to the wire, where the line between victory and defeat is the same as the one between life and death; where your awareness really grows. He always said it was like a drug."
"Have you ever felt that?" asked Jaune.
"A little...during my second fight against Adam," said Ruby. "At the time, I was fighting him in the dark. I'd given my cloak to Ashley. In order to fight him, I had to Extend my Aura to sense my surroundings. If he'd hit me like that, even a glancing blow could have fatally injured me. He was upset, because he couldn't touch me, but that was because I couldn't let him touch me. One hit, and I would have died. It was a crazy tightrope act."
"I...I never knew it was so close," said Jaune nervously. To him, and Ruby's other teammates, what of her fight with Adam they had seen, in between repelling attacks from Neo, had made it look as though Ruby had dominated him, rather effortlessly at that. But now, Ruby made it apparent that the fight had been much closer than anyone, including Adam, had thought.
"So...do you think that, if you think about how you felt back then, it might help?" asked Jaune.
"Well...it's an idea," said Ruby, frowning. "Though...I can't understand how thinking back to what I was feeling would help me right now, with what I'm trying to do."
"Not like you have much else to do at the moment," Jaune pointed out.
"I guess you're right," admitted Ruby.
Jaune smiled and pulled her tighter up against him, settling Ruby's head into the crook of his neck. She nuzzled against him, closing her eyes and relaxing, allowing her mind to drift back to that harrowing battle, trying to recapture the sensation she'd experienced there, on the edge between life and death.
It wasn't an easy thing to do. Before Ruby even realized it, she found herself drifting off, rather than reminiscing. Rather than fight it, she instead allowed herself to relax even more, falling asleep in Jaune's arms, enjoying the impromptu nap. She would slumber peacefully for about an hour, until she was awakened by the ship's guns taking out another incoming Grimm. Until then, she decided to enjoy the quiet time, before they arrived back in Vale.
"How are you two feeling?" asked Winter, looking over Weiss and Pyrrha.
"You're asking us that?" asked Pyrrha, somewhat wryly, taking in the bandages that were wrapped around Winter's arms and legs. More were hidden by her clothes. Between her sword and her five-tailed whip, Morgan had inflicted quite a bit of damage on the Specialist. Winter's Aura was helping her to recover faster. But it would take more than a single day to get over so many injuries, especially after her Aura had been depleted and broken in the battle where she'd acquired them. After they'd recovered their own Auras, Jaune and Ruby had offered to speed things up, but Winter had declined, citing the need for them to be prepared for possible Grimm attack. If Jaune or Ruby had spent their Aura healing Winter, who would have been exhausted by the treatment, they wouldn't be in a position to help, should a severe attack occur. Better that only one of them was hampered, rather than three.
"My issues are purely physical," said Winter, gesturing herself, before wincing as the motion jarred one of her still-healing wounds. She fixed Weiss and Pyrrha with worried look. "However, seeing how this is the first time either of you has killed someone else, I was worried about how you were taking it."
Weiss swallowed, staring down at the plate of food in front of her. The mess' food was, by no means, the pinnacle of cuisine, but it was palatable enough. But, right now, Winter's question was making Weiss' appetite curl in on itself and disappear.
"I...when it was happening...I didn't really have enough time to think about it," she said.
"That's often how it goes," said Winter. "In battle, questions of morality behind such actions wait until after it has played out. If you allow yourself to be distracted by them, then you often wind up not surviving long enough to address such ethical quandaries at all."
"We did the right thing, didn't we?" asked Weiss.
"Seeing as your mission was to protect this crew and ship, I would say so," said Winter. "That's what matters. Whether pirates wound up dead or not is secondary...at best."
"That's the first time I've ever killed someone," said Weiss, "or several someones, for that matter."
"That doesn't surprise me," said Winter. "A Huntress' first kill is often not necessarily some dramatically singular event. It often happens in the heat of an intense situation, where you're quickly forced to move over to the next kill, simply to keep going, and survive to fulfill your mission."
Weiss nodded, seeing the logic in Winter's words.
"And you, Ms. Nikos?" asked Winter, her gaze going to Pyrrha.
Pyrrha shuddered. "It felt so strange," she said. "I trained as a tournament fighter. So my mind kept defaulting back to the rules that we observed in the ring. Injuring an opponent that was already out of Aura is the kind of action that could ruin a person's career. Killing someone would be completely beyond the pale."
Winter nodded. "Even in your sparring matches at Beacon, you've been required to pull back, when you reach the critical zone, in order to avoid injuring or killing your opponent. However, in real world battles, hesitating to push beyond that point, and finish your foe, can lead to death or failure."
"Are you saying Beacon is wrong?" asked Weiss.
"Of course not," scoffed Winter, gently rapping the top of Weiss' head. "Sparring matches in Atlas are governed by the same rules. Foes in the field are one thing, but no one wants to push students to murder one another in the ring. The important thing is being able to make that distinction, to know when restraint is a liability, rather than a virtue."
Pyrrha shuddered. "It's strange. After the first one...it got easier."
"It always does," said Winter. "It is a difficult line to walk. As you face more situations like this, it becomes much easier to deal with death, and accept the necessity of inflicting it. That being said, it will always be your responsibility to not become callous about it, to not stop looking for ways that avoid killing those you might find yourself in conflict with. I believe Ms. Rose's thoughts on the matter are a little overly convoluted, because she wants to avoid thinking of it as a necessity, but I can understand the importance of viewing the act of killing as a choice. It's not something you should ever do thoughtlessly, mindlessly."
"I don't think I could ever do something like that thoughtlessly," said Weiss, swallowing again.
"Like I said, killing becomes easier, the more you do it," said Winter. "So that will be a risk that will stay with you, throughout your careers. That having been said though, as Huntresses, your focus will be primarily upon combating the Grimm. Situations like this one, where you will be expected to come into conflict with other people, will be fewer and farther between."
"I don't know...we've been on quite a few of those missions already," commented Pyrrha.
"I suppose you have," admitted Winter, smirking. "Your experience at Beacon, thus far, has been rather atypical for students at your stage of development. I would be worried, save for the fact that your actions over the course of this mission have assured me that you can handle that kind of strain."
"Thank you," said Weiss, straightening up, her discomfort shrinking in the face of Winter's praise.
Winter's smirk became a more genuine smile. "No matter what Father might do or say about you, Weiss, I am proud of you. You've come much farther than I had ever thought, and I held you to a high standard to begin with."
Now Weiss was blushing, while Pyrrha tittered beside her.
"I also noticed that you appear to have gotten the hang of Summoning," added Winter.
Weiss looked down, her blush fading. "W-well...Ruby gave me a few pointers...and they were a big help."
"Ruby did?" Winter frowned pensively. "What kind of advice did she give you."
"A few things," explained Weiss. "She helped me with the steps to make the Summoning work...and she said things that made me rethink our Semblance."
"What things?" asked Winter.
Weiss looked up at Winter. "How did you learn to use the Schnee Semblance?"
Now it was Winter's turn to look down. She tapped one finger idly on the surface of the table. "Well...I had to discover it for myself," she said. "Mother was of no help, of course."
Weiss nodded. Even before she had turned to drink, Willow Schnee, mother to Weiss and Winter, had never been all that remarkable of a person, beyond her connection to the Schnee name itself. Of course, Willow had been given the finest upbringing available, complete with the Schnee Family education in all things Dust. But Willow had hardly ever been much for business either, one of the main reasons her father, Nicholas, had been convinced to allow someone like Jacques to marry into the family.
So Willow had never been trained as a Huntress, the way Weiss and Winter had been. She hadn't even had her Aura unlocked. So it stood to reason that she would be of no help, when it came to mastering the Schnee Hereditary Semblance.
Winter continued. "So I turned to Grandfather's journals. They explained the nature of our Semblance, how our Glyphs worked."
"How did you learn to produce the Glyphs?" asked Weiss.
"Well, they're a part of our Semblance," said Winter, "so they were always within me. Examining the images in Grandfather's journals allowed me to properly visualize them and bring them out. From there, I eventually learned how to invoke their power."
A soft gasp came from Weiss, taking Winter aback.
"Ruby was right," Weiss whispered softly.
"Right about what?" asked Winter.
Weiss lifted her head, meeting Winter's gaze. "Winter, our Semblance...it isn't a Semblance."
For a moment, silence reigned at the table. Then... "What?" blurted Winter, all pretense of class forgotten.
"Ruby pointed it out to me," said Weiss. "I couldn't learn to use our Glyphs, not until I was taught what they were, not until I memorized their shapes." She remembered faithfully sketching down each Glyph, over and over again, until she'd could call its shape to her mind with but a single thought. "Our Semblance, it isn't something we were born with. It's something we're taught; or taught yourself, in your case."
"B-but...that's not possible," said Winter. "It has to be a Semblance. What else could it be?"
"What Ruby calls a Manifestation," said Weiss firmly. "Think about it, Winter. Why would a Semblance be hereditary? What is it about the Schnee Family that would result in our Semblance manifesting the same way in each generation? Why just us?
"The reason is that our Semblance isn't a Semblance at all. It's a Manifestation, a power we've learned to create for ourselves. It isn't passed down through our blood, but through the teachings left behind by previous generations."
"That's...insane," said Winter, though her skepticism was faltering. "If that was the case, why has it always been known as a Semblance? That's what Grandfather called it, what his father before him called it, and so on."
"Perhaps because that's the only thing they knew to call it," said Weiss. "Manifestation is a term that's specific to the Mibu. But that doesn't mean that someone outside the Mibu couldn't come up with the same basic concept, but call it something different. Whoever created our Glyphs still saw it as a Semblance, because that's the accepted name for a phenomenon, produced by Aura, that allows the power of one's soul to interact with the world."
Winter was silent for a while longer. When she spoke again, her tone was still laden with skepticism. "I have a hard time accepting that, Weiss. Are you certain you're not allowing your leader's statements to cloud your understanding?"
"They haven't clouded anything," Weiss protested. "If anything, they've clarified things. The steps that Ruby walked me through are what helped me learn to Summon. With what she helped me to accomplish, I'm more certain than ever."
Winter's expression was uncertain. Then she shifted her gaze to Pyrrha, who'd been listening to the conversation with quiet fascination. "And you, Ms. Nikos? Do you agree with Weiss?"
"W-well...I'm not certain I can say," said Pyrrha, thrown by being drawn back into the conversation so suddenly. "I mean, my Semblance is definitely a Semblance, in terms of how we think of these things. But...a lot of what Weiss and Ruby says makes sense. I mean...when you think about it, it's strange that a Semblance would allow you to use so many different abilities."
Winter looked down, deep in thought once more. "I suppose this is something I need to think more about," she conceded. "If this is true, then I clearly do need to rethink a great many other things as well." She lifted her head, a wan smile on her face. "At the very least, I believe I owe your leader an apology."
"For what?" asked Weiss.
Winter sighed. "I disparaged her abilities, both directly and indirectly. Given the nature of her upbringing and training, I was under the impression that she was ruled by antiquated ideas and archaic skills that would make her a hinderance on the battlefield."
"You mean the same skills that allowed her to fight Pyrrha to a draw?" For the first time, Weiss felt a flare of genuine consternation towards her sister light from within her. Whenever Winter had berated Weiss during her training, it had always been apparent that such remonstrations were because Winter believed that Weiss could do better than she already had. Because of that, such remarks prompted Weiss to direct any frustration she felt from them at herself. But to hear Winter disparage Ruby, because Ruby's training was outside the scope of Winter's understanding and experience, prompted a wave of actual anger from Weiss, directed at Winter.
Granted, Winter wasn't in a position to have confirmation of all of Ruby's accomplishments. Weiss herself had initially believed that Ruby's early acceptance into Beacon had been a sign of favoritism from Ozpin. She could also admit that Ruby defeating Adam Taurus twice was something she'd have a hard time believing, had she not seen it with her own eyes (in the case of the second time, at least). But Ruby's fight with Pyrrha had become a viral sensation that had stirred up a media firestorm. Said fight had definitely been a rousing demonstration of Ruby's skill and ability. So it was absolutely galling to hear that Winter had discounted Ruby, despite most likely having seen that particular match herself.
Winter was torn between being surprised by the angry tone of Weiss' voice, and abashed at the remonstration she deserved. "I supposed I allowed my prejudices to cloud my vision," she admitted. "And, for that, I really do owe Ms. Rose an apology."
Weiss nodded, Pyrrha nodding along a beat behind her. "Please see that you do," she said, before catching herself and realizing that she was now the one scolding Winter.
To her surprise, Winter smiled. "It would seem that attending Beacon agrees with you a great deal, Weiss."
"I suppose it does," agreed Weiss, blushing and looking down.
Winter's smile faded. "On that note, I have one final inquiry to make," she said.
"What is it?" asked Weiss.
"I am aware of the reason Father forced your team to take this mission," said Winter. "During the formal ball, hosted by Beacon for the visiting students, you attended in the company of a young faunus woman, correct?"
Weiss nodded.
"From what I had heard, this was a means of striking back at the White Fang, as this poor girl had been victimized by them," continued Winter.
"That's right," said Weiss.
Winter's eyes narrowed. "Then...there is just one thing I want to confirm about this girl that you took to the dance."
"Yes...?"
"Are you and this girl...more than just friends?" asked Winter.
Weiss immediately opened her mouth to respond, only for Winter to forestall her with a raised hand. "Remember, you are answering me...not Father."
Weiss froze, her mouth still open. After a moment, she closed it, then closed her eyes, before taking a deep breath. "Ashley and I are more than friends," she said.
"As I thought then," said Winter, her own eyes drifting closed. "Honestly, Weiss...you really do have a gift for making things difficult for yourself."
"I know," grumbled Weiss.
Raising her hands, Winter brought her fingers to her forehead, and began to massage her temples. "I don't know what to say, Weiss. I'm sure you're aware of how this kind of relationship would complicate your claim to the SDC."
"'Complicate' is putting it mildly," said Weiss, earning a nod from Winter.
"And, on top of that," Winter continued, "I'm sure you are also aware how your position would complicate this relationship."
"I know," said Weiss, her face falling.
For a long moment, her sister was silent. Then Winter let out a slow sigh. "Still...if she makes you happy, Weiss, then I have no reason to object."
"She does," said Weiss, a faint smile reappearing on her face.
"Then I wish you luck...and discretion," said Winter.
"You aren't worried that this girl might have ulterior motives?" asked Pyrrha, not because she would ever think that kind of thing of Ashley, but because that was the kind of thing she had expected Winter to ask.
Winter gave Weiss' partner a wan smile. "I do not doubt Weiss' ability to spot those kinds of self-serving fools. For better or for worse, she has been approached by those sorts since the very first time she appeared in public. If anything, I suspect that Weiss' tendencies towards caution have occasionally chased away those looking to genuinely befriend her. If Weiss believes that this girl genuinely likes her, then I suspect that her judgment is sound."
"That makes sense," said Pyrrha, having been through that herself.
"That having been said, I do hope that I get to meet her, at some point," said Winter.
"I'll introduce her to you, if I get the chance," said Weiss earnestly.
They ate in silence for a little while longer. The shift in the conversation helped to distract Weiss and Pyrrha from their uneasiness over having killed some of their opponents during the battle, so they were able to eat a little more than before.
"So now what?" asked Pyrrha, after a few minutes.
"We'll report the mission as a success, once we arrive at Ulmo," said Winter "From there, the four of you will return to Beacon, while I will make my way back to Atlas, unless General Ironwood has need of me in Vale."
Silently, Weiss hoped that Ironwood had something for Winter to do in Vale, if only so she could get the chance to fulfill Winter's desire to be introduced to Ashley.
With any luck, the rest of their mission would proceed smoothly.
Fortunately, nothing happened during the remainder of their mission. Grimm attacks slacked off as they drew closer to land, and their destination. Winter made her apology to Ruby, which Ruby accepted as gracefully as she was able, though, once again, she had to suppress the urge to gloat.
As they drew nearer to their goal, Ruby found her thoughts straying to RYNB, and hoping that her sister team had been able to successfully do their part in the effort to foil the White Fang's planned attack on Vale. The majority of their trip had been spent outside the range of the CCT network, so it had been all but impossible to check on their sister team's status. The crew and soldiers aboard the Atlesian warships that had come to their aid had not been aware of conditions in Vale, though no news was good news, or so Ruby hoped.
She hadn't known what to expect from the port town of Ulmo. There had been the mishmash of rustic and urban styles that had been Anduin, and there was the quaint, picturesque fishing village of Teleri. The one thing Ruby hadn't expected was for Ulmo to look so...cosmopolitan.
Indeed, it was a city, almost a match for the port of Soyuz, which they'd left behind on Solitas. As the only settlement on the eastern coast of Sanus with the facilities to handle full-sized SDC freighters, Ruby supposed she should have expected a more robust cityscape. But that didn't make it any less jarring. The skyscrapers that dominated the settlement's skyline were not as tall and imposing as the ones in Vale, but definitely gave the whole place a much more commercial and modern look. However, like Anduin, the city's overall design was a mix of architectural styles, with many buildings sporting the sloped roofs more and pagoda-like structures that were commonplace in Mistral and Leng.
According to Winter, this was because Ulmo was the main trading hub between Vale and Mistral, the bridge between Sanus and Anima, through which the plethora of goods and resources supplied by the largest (territorially speaking) of the four Kingdoms flowed. Back during the Great War, Ulmo had been one of the major points of contention, during the early days of the conflict. It had started out as one of those troublesome colonies, founded by Mistral on soil that had been officially claimed by Vale, one of the sparks that had eventually lit the fire of the largest war in recent history.
After the war, Vale had reclaimed Ulmo. However, the King of Vale had chosen to reach out to Mistral, as a conciliatory gesture, requesting the other Kingdom's cooperation in setting up the main port between the two powers. According to Winter, this was similar to the arrangement between Mistral and Atlas in the city of Argus. However, unlike Argus, Mistral had no military presence, and claimed no territory in Ulmo, even if several Mistral-based businesses owned a substantial portion of the property in the city.
All of that was nothing more than window dressings though. Ruby and the others found themselves heaving a sigh of relief, as their vessel slipped into its appointed dock. Once that was over, their mission was officially completed. Free to disembark, they immediately made their way to Ulmo's CCT facility to deliver their mission report.
"I am most pleased to hear that your mission was a success," said Ozpin, smiling through the screen of the terminal that Ruby and her team were currently gathered around.
"It's a weight off our minds too," said Ruby, smiling back, feeling the tension drain out of her. "Is everything okay over there?"
"If you are referring to the situation with the White Fang, then, yes, the situation was resolved successfully...though not in the manner we had initially anticipated," said Ozpin. "Your friends can fill you in on the rest, when you arrive. I think you will be pleasantly surprised, Ms. Rose."
"All right," said Ruby, wondering what was going on. The knowledge that RYNB and CPPR's mission had concluded successfully was a relief, especially the knowledge that the White Fang had not successfully launched an attack on Vale.
"I shall arrange for a bullhead to be dispatched as soon as possible," said Ozpin. "However, it will not arrive until sometime tomorrow. Your time, until then, is your own, as will be your remaining time, once you arrive back home, until classes resume on Monday. Consider this a well-earned vacation. Since this was technically an official mission, not merely a training one, you will be awarded a full bounty for your hard work, which, from the sound of things, you have rightfully earned. Arrangements for your lodgings have been made, and all expenses are being covered by the 'generosity' of the Schnee Dust Company, so please do enjoy yourselves."
"Thank you, Professor," said Ruby, as her friends laughed behind her at the continued 'punishment' being levied upon the SDC, Jacques in particular, by Ozpin and Ironwood for forcing them into this mission.
Granted, even if they were put up in the most expensive lodgings, and ate the priciest food they could, the expenditures were a drop in the bucket, compared to the value of the Dust they had stopped the theft of, not to mention the fact that they had successfully secured the SDC's sea routes against further piracy, for now at least, which meant that the SDC's profits would far outweigh the expenditures of four student Huntsmen milking their hospitality for every lien they could. However, given what Weiss and Winter had told them of their father's attitude, he would likely regard every extra lien spent as a personal slight against him, which was pretty much the point of all this.
However, Ruby set that at the back of her mind for the time being. Instead, after bidding goodbye to Ozpin, she chose to focus on the question of how to spend the remainder of their day in Ulmo. Given that its primary function was to facilitate trade between Mistral and Vale, Ulmo wasn't a tourist town, though it did boast a fair few entertainment venues, for the benefit of those who staffed and ran the businesses that made the settlement so affluent. It also boasted a robust marketplace, showcasing the exotic goods that were shipped in from across Anima. RASP figured that it was best to start their excursion there, allowing them to shop for souvenirs for their friends, back at Beacon.
All told, the remainder of their day was spent agreeably, with Winter capping things off by taking them out to eat at the most-exclusive restaurant in the city. It had come as a surprise to RASP, as they'd expected Winter to take Weiss off for a more private dinner, an opportunity for them to spend some more time together, before they parted ways. However, Winter revealed that there was no need to say goodbye.
While RASP had been reporting to Ozpin, Winter had been delivering her own report to Ironwood. Ironwood had been especially pleased by the results of their mission. He'd also dropped another bombshell. In the wake of the successful collaboration between Beacon and Atlas to bring down the White Fang's attempted terrorist attack on Vale, the Councils of Vale and Atlas, along with Ozpin and Ironwood, had agreed to a full collaboration between Vale and Atlas for the security of the upcoming Vytal Festival, a gesture meant to showcase the full measure of cooperation and goodwill between the two Kingdoms. But the real surprise was that, instead of being sent back to Atlas, Winter would be coming to Vale with RASP, and would be becoming a member of Ironwood's on-site staff for the duration of the festival, meaning that there would be no shortage of opportunities for her and Weiss to spend time together in the future.
Of course, even with the deluge of positive news that had been delivered, both ways, Ruby couldn't quite shake the uneasy feeling that dwelt in the pit of her stomach. She hadn't expected Ozpin to say anything about the situation with Cinder, and Team CMSN. But Ozpin had been unusually sparse with many details concerning what was happening in Vale, omissions that Ruby couldn't help but notice. Ozpin usually played things close to the chest, she had learned. But he was being even more tight-lipped than usual. Strangely enough, she suspected the omissions themselves were a silent message to her...Be careful what you say. Such a message made her wonder if something else had occurred in Vale, during their time away.
Oh well, she thought, I guess we'll find out when we get back.
As it turned out, their bullhead would not arrive until early in the afternoon, leaving them free to sleep in. By the time it had arrived, they'd already enjoyed a pleasant brunch and spent some more time out on the town. The flight back was pleasantly brief.
When the airship touched down, the passenger bay doors opened to a group of familiar faces.
"Welcome back!" Nora cheered, sweeping Weiss and Pyrrha up in a bone-crushing hug, completely squeezing the air out of their lungs before either of them could think of protesting. Meanwhile, Ruby found herself swept up by Yang in a similarly constricting embrace. Jaune got off easily, trading a hand-clasp with Ren. However, his luck wasn't to last, as Nora quickly noticed that he hadn't gotten a hug, and promptly dropped Weiss and Pyrrha to give him one, giving him the full benefit of being hugged by two of her arms. In the meantime, Blake stood back, watching the proceedings with an amused smile.
RYNB weren't the only ones present. As soon as Yang released Ruby, the poor girl was bowled over by an overenthusiastic Penny, whose weight and strength were soon smothering the breath from her body all over again. In the meantime, Weiss traded pleasant, if neutral, greetings with Ciel, before trading more congenial ones with Piper and Rain.
Of course, CPPR wasn't on hand just to welcome RASP back. After trading polite greetings with Weiss' teammates, Ciel instead went to Winter. "Ms. Schnee," she said, standing sharply at attention. "General Ironwood has asked me to welcome you to Beacon, and provide you with directions to his lodging."
"I'm grateful," said Winter, one corner of her lips curling up in the tiniest of smiles. "The General informed me that you performed exceptionally well on your mission, Ms. Soleil."
To the shock of everyone watching, Ciel did the most uncharacteristic thing imaginable. She averted her eyes, blushing like a schoolgirl. "Th-that is very kind of you to say, Ms. Schnee. I'm deeply honored."
"She stuttered," Piper whispered to Rain. "I never thought I'd see the day."
"Well, she is meeting the person she idolizes," said Rain.
Winter's smile widened fractionally. "I have been asked to assist the General in overseeing security for the Vytal Festival. Considering your performance, I believe it would be prudent to have you assist me, Ms. Soleil."
Ciel gasped, her eyes going wide, looking like a child who'd just been given the best Yuletide present ever. "I...I would be honored, Ms. Schnee!"
Ruby sidled over and gently elbowed Weiss in the ribs. "Careful there, I think Ciel is aiming to steal your place as Winter's sister."
Weiss merely chuckled. "If Winter can get her to display a greater emotional range than a chunk of rock, then more power to her."
Realizing she was making a spectacle of herself, Ciel coughed, forcing her expression back to its usual neutral cast. "There is one other matter that I have been asked to inform you of, Ms. Schnee."
"And what is that?" asked Winter, her own smile fading.
"During our mission, we encountered a particular...individual," said Ciel. "At present, he will be staying at Beacon, for a little while at least. You might consider him something between a guest and a prisoner."
"What?" Now Winter was completely baffled. She wasn't the only one. The members of RASP were similarly perplexed.
"The General requested that I inform you, so as to ensure that you do not unnecessarily cause a scene, when you see him," said Ciel.
"And just who is this...individual?" asked Winter warily.
"That would be me."
Before she could even think of stopping herself, Ruby gasped at the sound of the voice, whirling around, her eyes going wide. A second later, she was gone, a flurry of petals marking where she'd been standing. A short ways away, a young man in a black kimono laughed and opened his arms, rocking as the red and black blur of Ruby slammed into him, setting him back onto his heels.
"KYO-NII!" yelled Ruby, hugging him with all her might.
"That guy's..." said Jaune.
"...Ruby's brother?" finished Pyrrha.
"Demon Eyes Kyo," growled Winter, her hand drifting towards the handle of her saber.
"Please," said Ciel urgently, resting a hand on the saber's pommel to keep Winter from drawing it. "As I said, he is presently in Beacon's custody. General Ironwood has said that we are not to interfere with him, unless he becomes hostile to us."
Winter directed a confused look at Ciel, before looking back at Kyo, who had picked Ruby up by the waist, and was now twirling her around, while she laughed joyously. "What is going on here?"
"Um...It's a long story," said Ciel.
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