章 757: 100
Chapter 100:
It was a bit strange, channeling his Aura into his lips, given it was a part of his body that he wouldn't ever use for attack or defense. So it felt both silly and awkward. But those feelings fell away as Jaune lowered himself down over Ruby, and pressed his lips to hers. His Aura spread out across her body in a wave of white and warmth, washing away the lingering vestiges of pain in Ruby's body, her strength returning to her limbs.
The light subsided, and Ruby felt as good as new, better than that even, though that was mostly due to the fact that, even though the contact had already served its purpose, Jaune's lips were still pressed against hers. Ruby's hands slowly made their way up to tangle in the hair at the back of his head, in order to pull him in closer. Jaune made no effort to resist, slipping an arm around under Ruby's shoulders to lift her up off the bed slightly, allowing them to deepen the kiss even more.
Neither of them heard the faint click of the door as Kyo took his leave, allowing them to have their moment in privacy. He didn't go far, maintaining his vigil from the hallway, allowing them to enjoy some peace for a little while longer.
Finally, the two of them pulled apart, their eyes remaining locked together. Jaune raised his free hand up and gently cupped Ruby's cheek. "I love you," he said.
"And I love you," Ruby replied.
They kissed again...and again...and another time. Finally, after more than a dozen kisses later, they were sated. Jaune allowed Ruby to lay back down, and she released him with a happy sigh. Ruby slumped back against the pillow, letting out a long breath. Jaune stayed beside her, holding her hand.
"Feels like we're getting awfully familiar with this place," said Ruby wryly.
"It would be nice to see if we could go without visiting for a while," said Jaune with a chuckle. "How are you feeling now?"
"Way better," said Ruby, sitting up with a groan, then stretching her arms over her head, making her shoulders and spine pop.
"That's good," said Kyo, entering the room again, now that their moment of intimacy was done.
Ruby's stomach growled loudly, and she hunched forward slightly, grimacing. "Also...really hungry. I'm starving!"
"Well, it has been a while since you ate," said Jaune. "Best hamburger in Vale or not, it can't keep you full for that long."
"What day is it?" asked Ruby.
"Monday," said Jaune. "You were out cold all night, and most of the morning too. I think it's almost lunchtime."
"Let's go get some grub," said Ruby, before pausing and looking down at the flimsy hospital gown she was wearing. "Well...I guess we should get a change of clothes first."
"Weiss and Pyrrha brought clothes," said Jaune, who had already changed into his. He gestured to Ruby's combat outfit, which lay, folded, on a nearby chair, with Akaibara lying on top of the bundle, secure in its sheath.
Ruby grunted, swinging her legs off the side of the bed. Jaune helped her, making sure her balance was all right. Fortunately, there were no lingering aftereffects of the drug she'd been hit with or, if there were, Jaune's healing had taken care of those as well. So Ruby quickly made her way into the bathroom to change.
While he waited, Jaune stared at the door slightly, a troubled look on his face. "It's scary...just how dangerous that was," he said.
"Medicine and poison are two sides of the same coin," said Kyo. "Likewise, the Healing Arts, which interact with a person's body and Aura on an extremely intimate level, can be used to cause terrible harm. Doing so intentionally amongst the Mibu is a transgression warranting the severest of penalties. That is why, despite their destructive potential, Sasame does not use them in battle."
"And what about what I did?" asked Jaune warily.
"It's tricky to say," said Kyo. "Since there was no malice behind your action, the worst punishments would be off the table entirely, of course. In fact, considering the circumstances, you might not be penalized at all, beyond remedial instruction. I can't say for sure, as that is not my field of expertise. The laws governing the misuse of the Healing Arts are varied and intricate, and each offense is judged on a case-by-case basis. One of the Chief Physician's duties is constructing, enacting, and enforcing such legislation."
"So...will I be in trouble, when Sasame gets here?" asked Jaune nervously.
"Not at all," said Kyo with a laugh. "At most, she will sigh and tut disapprovingly. But she won't hold it against you. You aren't a citizen of the Mibu, nor are you in Leng, so it isn't as though we can hold you subject to our laws in your homeland."
"That's a relief," said Jaune.
The door clicked open, and Ruby stepped out, fully dressed, sliding Akaibara into its usual resting place on her sash. "Let's get going," she said eagerly.
"I shall meet you later," said Kyo. "Since you are now recovered, I can return to assisting Amber-san."
"Good luck, Kyo-nii," said Ruby cheerfully.
After parting from Kyo, Ruby and Jaune headed for the dining hall. It was a little earlier than their usual lunch period, so their friends would still be in class. Technically, Ruby and Jaune probably should have gone to class, now that they'd discharged themselves from the infirmary. But their hunger trumped everything else, even though Jaune had been able to take breakfast that morning.
"I guess we'll join the others in class after lunch," said Jaune.
"If there's time," said Ruby.
"Time...?"
Ruby nodded. "After we eat, we need to see Professor Ozpin."
Jaune's eyes widened, and he nodded slightly. "Ooh...right. I guess he's gonna want to hear the details."
Ruby nodded. "But he can wait until we're full. I'm famished."
After a substantial, if quick, meal, the pair of them made their way to the base of Beacon Tower. A moment later, they were admitted to the elevator that would take them up to Ozpin's office. The doors slid open, revealing Ozpin's office in all its glory, complete with a pair of chairs set in front of his desk.
Where the heck does he keep those? wondered Jaune, looking around in confusion. He didn't see anything that looked like a closet, or any other kind of storage space in the office. And how does he always somehow manage to set out exactly the right number of them on such short notice?
In the end, it was probably one of those mysteries destined to remain forever unsolved.
"It's good to see you both well," said Ozpin, smiling over the desk at them. "I trust you feel rested."
Ruby and Jaune nodded.
"Good," said Ozpin. "Now then, Ms. Soleil and Mr. Elric gave me an overview of the situation, along with a more detailed account of their part in it. If you would please fill me in on the rest..."
Ruby and Jaune nodded, relating their story. They started with their time at the restaurant, Ruby realizing when the attack had really started.
"It must have been in the milkshake," she said.
"You did mention that it tasted off to you," said Ozpin. "And your symptoms began shortly thereafter. So that is the most likely theory. I will have the restaurant and their staff investigated, though it might take a little time to get any information.
"Although, I do find it quite remarkable that you were able to detect the drug. Our toxicology reports indicated that the drug in question, which does indeed work through ingestion, is quite potent, but also virtually odorless and tasteless."
"I guess Sasame-nee and Kyo-nii trained me really well," said Ruby. "If you're in a new environment, you don't always have a body of knowledge to work from, when it comes to determining what's safe to eat or not. That being the case, they taught me to learn how to test potential food with my tongue. It's not necessarily a matter of flavor all the time, really. But, with training, you can use your tongue to sense something almost like intent from food." She paused, thinking for a minute. "I guess you might say that it's the taste of a threat."
"Fascinating," said Ozpin with genuine admiration. "Such a skill would be incredibly useful, if we could teach it to our students here."
"Um...I'll ask Sasame-nee when she gets here," said Ruby. "Maybe she could help set up a few lessons on it."
"I look forward to it then," said Ozpin. "Now then, continuing on, give me all the details you can about your attackers."
"Don't you have them yourself?" asked Jaune. "Rain and Ciel caught them, didn't they?"
"They did indeed apprehend the culprits," said Ozpin. "They were taken by ambulance, and sent to a hospital to be treated for their injuries, before they were to be processed for interrogation." His expression darkened. "However...the ambulance never arrived, and the hospital's records indicated that one was never actually sent out. In fact, the call Ms. Soleil made appears not to have been picked up by any emergency services personnel in the vicinity."
"So the bad guys just...disappeared?" asked Jaune, his eyes wide.
"That is probably the best way to put it," said Ozpin. "Because of that, we don't have any information on them, beyond witness testimony."
Ruby and Jaune looked to each other nervously. After a pause, they recounted what they could remember. Their memories were hazy, a consequence of their drugged state at the time. However, what details they could recount were disturbing. Jaune, in particular, remembered some of the statements the men had made when they were trying to wrestle Ruby into the car.
Ozpin listened carefully, his frown deepening. "I am not sure what to make of this," he admitted.
"You really think those jerks were going to...?" asked Ruby, barely able to bring herself to even think about the possibility, much less say it.
"They talked about 'having fun' with you," growled Jaune.
"Yes, but you noted that their words indicated that they were 'permitted to'," added Ozpin. "Considering the nature of this abduction attempt, starting with the drugging of Ms. Rose at the restaurant, and the quick execution of the attempt itself, I would say that defiling Ms. Rose was not the objective behind her abduction."
"That would be pretty risky to pull with a Huntress," said Jaune, "even a student."
"Yes," agreed Ozpin. "Granted, amongst more...illicit circles, Huntresses and Huntsmen can be quite desirable. Thanks to their training, they are nearly always in peak physical condition, which as you have no doubt noticed, often affords them a great deal of appeal on an aesthetic level."
Translation, training tended to grant Huntresses and Huntsmen knockout figures and good looks. Jaune blushed slightly, glancing sidelong at Ruby, who smiled back. He could easily admit that her training had given her a spectacular figure.
"That being said, their value as merchandise in human trafficking is also dependent on their...ahem...freshness, I suppose," said Ozpin, trying to find the most tactful way to phrase it. "If they had indeed been trying to secure Ms. Rose for such an end, they most certainly would not have been given permission to do anything more than the bare minimum necessary to subdue her. It would be extremely ill-advised to...sample the merchandise...as it were."
"So they didn't try to kidnap Ruby to sell her off to someone," said Jaune.
"So why did they?" wondered Ruby.
"That is the question, which is also tied intimately to the question of who arranged this," said Ozpin.
"I'm guessing we're not figuring that out anytime soon," grumbled Jaune, "not if the guys who tried pulled a disappearing act."
"Well, there are several things we can infer about them from what we know," said Ozpin. "First and foremost, they knew the two of you would be at that restaurant yesterday. The question is how? It is beyond the ken of any organization to have agents secreted away in every kitchen in Vale, in preparation for such an affair, or for them to have that particular drug on hand on such short notice. That would imply some foreknowledge of your activities that day."
"But we were winging it, for the most part," said Jaune.
"Yeah," agreed Ruby. "In fact, the only thing we knew we were going to do ahead of time was going to that restaurant, because Jaune had to make a reservation."
Jaune gasped. "Oh!"
"I agree, Mr. Arc," said Ozpin. "Since you made a reservation, that action must have been noticed, allowing whoever planned this to know you would be at that location at that time, giving them an opportunity to act.
"That, combined with the fact that they were able to intercept Ms. Soleil's call to Vale's dispatch, and send out a fake ambulance to collect the attackers, and subsequently make them disappear, would indicate they have substantial information monitoring and control capabilities."
Jaune frowned. "Like...if they had a virus on the CCT network that could allow them to access pretty much any system in Vale."
"Does that mean Salem was behind this?" wondered Ruby.
Ozpin hummed softly. "From what Dr. Polendina has learned about the virus, that would be within its capability. He is also still working on a counter to it, so it remains active in our systems. And yet...this doesn't strike me as having Salem's hand in it."
"How come?" asked Ruby.
"Those working directly for Salem are few in number," said Ozpin. "You can see that in how they infiltrated Vale and Beacon to begin with. Cinder Fall only had two direct subordinates of her own. When they first came to Vale, they made inroads into the underworld via Roman Torchwick, and into the White Fang via Adam Taurus, both of whom they subordinated with the threat of violence, backed by Cinder's partial acquisition of the Fall Maiden's magic.
"Through those means, an operation thrown together on such short notice would not be so thoroughly coordinated and carefully executed. Assuming that someone at Cinder's level of organization had noticed your reservation through the virus, they would send their orders through an intermediary, who would then have to come up with an operation of their own. It would have been much more...dare I say...sloppy, I think."
"Yeah, now that I think about it, that attack went like clockwork," said Ruby. "After we left the restaurant, they hit Jaune with the dart, and the car was there immediately after that. I was caught from in front and behind. If it weren't for the fact they didn't know about Jaune's healing ability, they would have gotten away with me."
Admitting that made her shudder. Jaune reached over and gripped her hand tightly.
Ozpin nodded. "Such a well-coordinated operation suggests that it was closely managed by the one who made such decisions, with both the means and manpower close at hand. Therefore, this threat is almost certainly a homegrown one, I believe, one rooted in Vale itself."
"Could it be crooks?" asked Jaune.
"I don't know..." said Ruby, looking down at her knees. "This seemed a little too...polished, I guess, to be crooks. I feel like it would have been sloppier, even if they did have knowledge ahead of time. These guys were a little too...professional."
"Well, that doesn't rule out Vale's criminal element entirely," said Ozpin. "Roman Torchwick was the premier criminal overlord in Vale, but not the only one. There are a number of criminal syndicates active in the Kingdom. A few of them, particularly those based out of Mistral, do have a very professional flair to their activities. But I would still rule them out, considering the information monitoring that would have been necessary to learn about your plans in the first place."
"So...what does that leave us with?" asked Jaune.
"Some rather troubling possibilities," said Ozpin. "The most troubling of which is that they are actively monitoring you, Ms. Rose."
"Me...why?" asked Ruby.
"There are a number of reasons," said Ozpin. "You have been much more active than most Beacon students, particularly other first-years. You've been heavily involved in affairs that have had a tremendous effect on the Kingdom's safety and security. You were admitted under exceptional circumstances, and have gone on to do exceptional things, despite being only a first-year student. But the most significant factor could well be..."
"That I'm from the Mibu," said Ruby softly. "You think someone figured that out?"
"I find that a troubling possibility," said Ozpin, "considering that you have had a substantial public presence, thanks to your bout with Ms. Nikos, people may have been scrutinizing your activities more than we thought, and those with the knowledge of what the Mibu are capable of might well have figured out the truth."
"So they tried to kidnap me because of that...why?" asked Ruby.
"Though it was many decades ago, there are still those who nurse the legacy of the egos bruised by Vale's disastrous attempt to subjugate the Mibu," said Ozpin. "A legacy of resentment, borne from suffering distanced from their own experience, can lead to terrible actions.
"Aside from that, there is also a certain degree of threat in what the Mibu are capable of. With your Aura, Ms. Rose, you are able of performing feats that match, or even exceed, that which is possible through Dust. Even more recently, you have shown yourself to be capable of feats matching that of magic, performing actions that surpass the limits of what should be humanly possible."
"Well...yeah," agreed Ruby. "But it's not like I was just suddenly able to do that because I decided to live with the Mibu. I worked for years to develop those techniques."
"True," agreed Ozpin. "However, that also makes it true that such is possible for anyone else as well. Theoretically, anyone, if they sufficiently applied themselves, would be capable of the same. Even if such skills were never mastered to the extent you've developed them, if they were disseminated widely enough, the consequences would be substantial."
"What kind of consequences?" asked Jaune.
"Possibly a reduction in the value of a certain resource, previously considered invaluable to the safety and prosperity of the Kingdoms," said Ozpin.
"Dust," whispered Ruby.
She thought back to their very first day in class. Studying in the library, Weiss had completely lost her temper at the realization that Ruby was capable of using wind and lightning without Dust. Back then, Ruby had merely thought about it as another manifestation of Weiss' resentment over not being named leader of their team. However, it had also been about Weiss feeling threatened by the realization that Ruby's skills represented a threat to the value of her family's chief product, the source of their fortune.
It was ironic, in a sense. Jacques had felt threatened by the idea of Weiss being in a relationship with a faunus. However, it was the actions of Weiss' teammate that he should have regarded as the real threat.
"So...what do we do?" asked Jaune.
"At the moment, there is very little we can do," admitted Ozpin, "at least until we know more. We need to discern the identity of those behind this attack, and what their aim is. All we have now is speculation, based on the very little that we do know.
"I will, however, advise you be cautious, and remain on your guards. There is no doubt that, whoever attempted this, they will try again. They will likely revise their methods, and refine their approach, which will make it all that much more difficult to counter.
"For that matter, you should advise your teammates and friends to be on-guard as well. Whoever this is, they may take a similar approach that Cinder Fall tried with you, Ruby."
Ruby swallowed nervously, remembering the gut-wrenching fear that came from knowing that Jaune had been in Cinder's hands. It could have been any of her friends. The possibility that terrified Ruby the most was the idea that whoever was behind this might go after Ashley. Ashley and her family had already had their lives upended by Cinder and the White Fang, just for the crime of being Ruby's friend. Whoever was behind this now wouldn't care that the Forrest Family had suffered enough already. They would be willing to resort to whatever it took to obtain their goals.
"I would advise you remain out of Vale," suggested Ozpin. "However, I will not mandate it. It would be unfair to confine you to Beacon, when you are more than capable of defending yourself. Still, I do ask that you exercise caution."
"All right," said Ruby. "Is there any chance we could bait them into trying again?"
Jaune gave Ruby a shocked look. However, Ozpin merely hummed, tilting his head downwards thoughtfully. "That is a possibility," he said. "However, they are not likely to try the same thing twice, even if we set up a similar scenario, like having you make a reservation at a different restaurant. They wouldn't even need to look very hard to see the artifice in such an action. If we had some idea as to their means, we could maybe contrive a situation to draw them out, but we lack that information at this juncture."
"All right," said Ruby reluctantly.
"Just be careful, Ms. Rose," said Ozpin. "If there is anything we've learned from recent events, it is that not even Beacon is a completely safe haven from these sorts of threats. They may yet have allies or agents amongst the staff or students."
Here we go again, thought Jaune. It was bad enough, when they'd realized that Cinder, the mastermind behind nearly everything that had been going on before, had been masquerading as a visiting student. The thought that there might still be infiltrators in Beacon was enough to drive a person into constant paranoia.
"Is there anything else?" asked Ruby.
"Not at the moment," said Ozpin. "You are free to go. Thank you for coming to see me so promptly."
Ruby and Jaune nodded, before taking their leave.
"You're not worried?" asked Amber, as Kyo pushed her wheelchair along the path that wound through the fragrant flowerbeds of one of Beacon's many courtyards.
Given that pushing and steering a wheelchair with just one hand would have been difficult, Kyo had been forced to improvise a new method of carrying his sword, tying a strip of fabric around it, and using it as a strap to hang his signature weapon across his back, leaving his hands free, though he found the position rather awkward.
"I am worried," said Kyo. "But that's essentially a reflex at this point. In order to avoid causing greater problems for Ruby-chan, I need to keep my interference in her affairs to a minimum. Just visiting like this has probably made enough complications in her life already."
"Are you really that disliked?" asked Amber.
"Wanted criminal, remember?" teased Kyo. It had been a short time, but he was already beginning to feel easier, when it came to talking to Amber. Their first couple of walks had been full of awkward silences, what few words he managed to force out nearly-incoherent stutters.
"And a Mibu," added Amber.
Kyo rubbed the back of his head. "Well...I'm not certain if anyone really knows that. I've never openly advertised my affiliation with the clan, seeing as my relationship with them as a whole is rather...tenuous. Yet I do wield the skills based in Manifestation, which are a hallmark of the clan, so there may well be people who have made the connection, though I'm doubtful, as I do most of my fighting out, in and around the settlements, where fewer people would be likely to recognize my skills."
"And what if they come after Ruby again?" asked Amber, turning her head to look over her shoulder at Kyo.
"That depends on the situation," said Kyo pensively. "As I said, my intervention has a likelihood of making things worse for Ruby-chan, in the long term. Even if that weren't the case, it may still be for the best for me to stand back and allow Ruby-chan to fight her own battles."
"Why?" asked Amber.
"Before Ruby-chan was invited to Beacon, she had been participating in a solo excursion, traveling across Sanus without us," said Kyo. "We arranged that because we were confident that her skills were sufficient to that kind of task. Even back when we were at home, in Onmyo, Ruby-chan was subjected to multiple assassination attempts."
"What?!" gasped Amber, her eyes going wide.
Kyo chuckled, his expression one of fond reminiscence. "Actually, the first time it happened was shortly after she turned ten. She managed to hold the assassin off for a limited time, before her teacher was forced to intervene. We threw a nice party to congratulate her on surviving her first attempt."
"What?!" exclaimed Amber again.
"I'm sorry if this seems alien and inconsiderate to you," said Kyo earnestly. "But all of that is part and parcel to how Ruby-chan has gotten as strong as she has. Her status in the Mibu Clan is...unique. Officially, she has been adopted as Sasame's ward. But rather than stay with Sasame's family, she instead stayed with my family, in the Palace, becoming the unofficial daughter of my mother."
"Your mother...?" inquired Amber. The more she learned about Kyo and his family, to say nothing of their ways, the stranger things seemed. Who throws a party to celebrate a person's first attempted assassination?
"Ah!" Kyo grunted as he realized that Amber didn't exactly know a whole lot about his family. "W-well...my family is actually the royal family of the Mibu Clan. My father is the Crimson King. My mother, through her own merit I might add, is the head of the Taishiro, the Four Elders, our clan's equivalent to the Kingdoms' Councils. My father's title is hereditary, so he has never felt confident in his ability to rule. Thus, he entrusted everything to the elders, so my mother is the effective ruler of the Mibu Clan."
"Okay..." said Amber, more disconcerted than ever. If his father is a king, then that should make him a prince, or something like that. Yet he and Ruby say that he was persecuted, because of his eyes. That doesn't make sense. Why would people persecute members of their own royal family?
"I can guess some of your questions," observed Kyo, "considering what you've already learned about me. But that's for another time. In any case, going back to Ruby-chan, she was unofficially adopted by my mother, living with my family in the Royal Palace. Such a privilege being granted to a complete outsider, with no previous ties to our clan whatsoever, was bound to cause discontent, some of it of a violent sort.
"Because of that, Ruby-chan's situation, beyond her being Sasame's ward, was kept secret in the months after her arrival. However, we knew that it could not keep forever. To that end, we-including Ruby-chan-chose to reveal that secret on our own terms. We tested the waters, by letting some of Ruby-chan's close friends learn the truth. When we determined that she would have those who would stand by her, regardless of her circumstances, we came to the decision to come clean entirely. To that end, Ruby-chan chose to invite her entire class to her birthday party, which was held in the palace, and hosted by O-Kaa-san herself."
"And then people started trying to assassinate her?" asked Amber.
"Not right away," said Kyo. "The first to learn were the members of Ruby-chan's class, and their immediate families. Ruby-chan had spent the past several months making inroads amongst them, earning their respect enough that she was no longer considered an outsider by her classmates, at least. Because of that, it took time for that information to disseminate to those who would be inclined to take offense, and act on said offense. And, of course, they would stew over that for a while. By the time someone did take action, it was already into the next year."
"So you threw her a party," noted Amber in a deadpan tone.
Kyo chuckled. "Amongst the royal family and the Taishiro, assassination attempts are more frequent than you'd think. However, amongst the requirements for entering the Taishiro is that of transcendent strength. The Taishiro are not merely politically powerful, but also martially powerful, amongst the strongest members of the clan. In fact, O-Kaa-san is considered to be the strongest member of the clan, even stronger than my father.
"Because of that, assassination attempts are often regarded with amusement, even looked forward to, a brief workout, entertainment even. The legal consequences of an attempted assassination of a member of the Taishiro or the Crimson King are a slap on the wrist, compared to such an attempt on someone who can't defend themselves."
"But what about Ruby?" asked Amber.
"In Ruby-chan's case, we considered it a boon to her training," said Kyo. "Even though she came to Beacon Academy to become a Huntress, for the sake of fighting against the Grimm, she was still bound to wind up fighting against the darker elements of the civilized world, criminals in the like. Your own situation is the result of such conflicts."
Amber nodded, her face grim.
"We always knew that such battles would be a part of her future," continued Kyo. "To that end, allowing her to face potential assassins, and fight them herself, was an opportunity to practice applying the skills we were teaching her. We always monitored the situations, especially early on, and were prepared to intervene, if the situation mandated it. However, after just a few such attempts, Ruby-chan began to reach the point where she could fend off those assassination attempts on her own."
"That's...well..." Amber could see the logic in it, understand how it had made Ruby so strong. And yet...the notion was also alien. Kyo had claimed Ruby as his sister. Yet he, and the rest of Ruby's adopted family as well, had deliberately allowed threats to her life, for the sake of her training. That seemed to fly in the face of what Amber had always thought about what families were supposed to do.
"I can see that you don't quite understand," said Kyo. "In our own way, this was how we spoiled Ruby-chan, you could say."
"Letting people try to kill her is spoiling her?" deadpanned Amber.
Kyo laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "I know it seems odd," he said. "But...it is our way. My own experience was similar, thanks to the stigma against my eyes. I too have had to endure many attempts on my life, through my childhood. Likewise, I was largely left to fend for myself, for the sake of becoming stronger.
"In Ruby-chan's case, had her background been different, we might have been more actively protective of her. However...her circumstances are unique.
"In her past, it was an overwhelming desire to protect her from suffering that, ironically, was the cause of much of the suffering in Ruby-chan's childhood. She practically became a prisoner of her biological family, their desire to keep her from harm completely overriding any acknowledgment of her own agency and fulfillment. It was running from that kind of twisted, stifling protection that brought Ruby-chan into contact with us in the first place.
"So, as an affirmation of our love for her, we made the conscious decision to place her happiness and fulfillment above all else, even her own wellbeing. Since she sought a life fraught with hardship and strife, the best we could do for her was to ensure that she was fully prepared for the rigors such a life would have, by ensuring that she could make use of every potential experience to its fullest."
"That's..." Amber struggled to wrap her head around the notion. It seemed so strange to her. Yet, at the same time, it made perfect sense. She could practically feel the love that Kyo had for Ruby in his voice. That love was rooted in, and expressed through, a powerful respect for her strength, both in body and in will. And, from the way they interacted, Ruby clearly didn't resent her family for standing back while people threatened her life. If anything, she felt empowered by it.
Just who have I gotten involved with? Amber wondered to herself, trying to figure what she made of Kyo and his family, including Ruby.
"We're here," said Kyo, startling Amber out of her reverie. Looking up, she saw that they had indeed arrived at their destination, a small space set between trees, forming a sort of glade, with benches and tables set out for students who wanted to relax in a bit more isolated setting.
Amber set her eyes on the bench farthest across the clearing from where they'd entered. "All right, I'm getting up."
Kyo nodded, locking the wheels on her wheelchair. Moving to the side, he stood at the ready, but made no move to offer Amber a hand. For her part, Amber didn't ask, instead setting her hands on the arms of her chair, and pushing. With a grunt of exertion, Amber managed to slowly force herself up into a standing position. From there, she began to carefully make her way to the bench, step by step. It was slow going, and more than a little painful for her. Amber began to sweat from the exertion. She'd already been to her physical therapy session that morning, so she was already somewhat worn out, though she'd recovered most of her strength after a few hours' rest.
Kyo walked alongside her, keeping within arm's reach, but not offering her any help, knowing that Amber didn't want any. If she was in danger of falling, he would be there for her. But otherwise, he held back, and allowed Amber to help herself. When she reached the bench, Amber supported herself by resting her hands on the back, then slowly, carefully, lowered herself into a sitting position. At one point, she overbalanced slightly, while trying to turn around. But Kyo caught her, and helped her settle the rest of the way onto the bench.
Once situated, Amber settled back with a sigh, breathing in deeply as she soaked in the ambiance of the late-summer day. This was the real reason she wanted to get out more, not merely to speed her recovery, but to enjoy some fresh air, and the sounds of nature. Back before the attack, she had loved the experience of traveling between settlements, listening to the song of birds, the calls of insects, and the sounds of the wind moving through the trees. She missed those days, and hoped that it wouldn't be long before she got to experience them again.
Kyo sat with her, keeping a polite distance, not venturing any further conversation. At the moment, he could tell that Amber was just enjoying the scenery, and he enjoyed it along with her. In many ways, the silence was more comfortable than some of their attempts at talking. Talking about Ruby's "incident" had been one of their longer conversations lately. And Kyo had discovered that, sometimes, the best thing to say...was nothing at all.
It was a fine day, warm, but not too hot. In the shade of the trees, the air was pleasantly cool in fact, the faint breeze stirring their surroundings only serving to make things more comfortable. Beside him, he noticed Amber's breathing slowing, the harsh breaths of her previous exertions fading. Glancing over, he could see her eyelids drooping. Noticing his gaze, she smiled weakly at him. "Sorry...just a little tired."
"There's nothing wrong with that," said Kyo.
"I...I just need to rest my eyes for a bit," said Amber.
"In that case, you're welcome to lie down," said Kyo.
Amber blushed a little at the implication, but then did just that. It took a little effort on her part, but she managed to stretch herself along the bench, resting her head across Kyo's thighs, the contact making Kyo blush harder than Amber had. For her part, once Amber had laid her head down and closed her eyes, she was out like a light, her breathing softening.
Almost reflexively, Kyo reached down, tracing his fingers through the rich, brown tresses of her hair. As she'd laid down on her right side, pulling her hair back just a little gave him a view of the weblike scar that covered the area around her eye. Without even thinking about it, Kyo began to brush his fingers along the lines of the scar, feeling the difference in texture where it had been etched into her skin.
He lost track of time a little, and, before he knew it, Amber began to stir. Slowly, her eyes opened, and she shifted her gaze up to him, without lifting her head off his lap. "You really think it's beautiful?" she asked.
"I do," said Kyo.
"Why?" asked Amber. There were times where she looked at herself in the mirror, staring at the scar, the reminder of the pain she had suffered, feeling that it had marred her, sullied her even. And yet, Kyo was not repulsed by it, not even finding it ugly.
Kyo chuckled softly. "I...I suppose it's a trait of my upbringing," he said.
"Upbringing?
Kyo lifted his left arm out where she could see it, and pulled back his sleeve. She gasped softly, seeing that his arm was lined with scars.
"There are more on my body," said Kyo. "Most of them are from when I was a good bit younger. It's been a while since the last time someone landed a proper blow on me." He chuckled. "Although, that's not exactly what I was talking about."
"What is it then?" asked Amber.
"It's a factor of our culture," said Kyo, speaking of the Mibu. "I'm told that there are quite a few people in Mistral who hold a similar aesthetic philosophy. It's called Wabi-Sabi. It's difficult to translate the term exactly, but the general gist is that it is a sense of aesthetics centered around the beauty of imperfection."
"How does that work?" asked Amber.
"Um..." Kyo paused. "W-well, I've never had to explain this before, so how to put it..." He sighed. "Basically, it's the idea that an object's imperfections are what give it true beauty. They give it character, you could say. A vessel, like a cup, is molded by hand, giving it slightly misshapen qualities that actually enhance its appeal, give it the impression of something a part of the living world.
"An object that is perfect in shape and appearance, without any blemish or flaw; is flat, sterile, lifeless. A wall that has been weathered and discolored by the elements is more beautiful than one immaculate and untouched. Flaws serve to remind us of impermanence and the nature of change all things go through. Nothing lasts forever, and there is a special kind of beauty in that truth."
His fingers reached down to trace the lines of her scar again. "Your scars show that you've lived, grown, and changed. You've experienced suffering, and you've grown from that. That's why I find it quite beautiful, really."
Amber sniffed, a few tears leaking from her eyes as she turned around to lie on her back, so that she could stare straight up at him. "Thank you," she said softly.
Kyo smiled back, still tracing the lines of her scars with his right hand, while his left reached out to take her hand in his own, meshing their fingers together. Amber closed her eyes, relaxing, finding herself actually luxuriating in the feeling of Kyo's touch, the skin of his fingers against her face.
Once again, they lapsed into silence, letting the time pass by. Still, before long, it was time to take Amber back to Glynda's quarters for dinner.
"Would you like to try walking back to your wheelchair?" he asked.
"Sure," said Amber.
Kyo helped her sit up. After an aborted try, Amber needed his help to stand as well. From there, she leaned on his arm as she walked to her chair, again needing Kyo's help to settle back down into it. After that, it was a quiet walk back to the staff quarters. Once there, he turned Amber back over to Glynda's custody.
Beacon's Deputy Headmistress was still more than a little leery of him, and not quite willing to completely entrust him with Amber's wellbeing. Yet there was no denying Amber's improvement. She smiled more freely, when Glynda saw her, and seemed much more at ease with herself.
After this particular outing, Glynda saw her in the bathroom that evening, staring at her own face in the mirror. It was something Glynda had seen before, Amber looking into the mirror with troubled eyes, running fingers over the scar that dominated the left side of her face. This time, however, Amber was smiling, tracing her fingers over the scar, and even letting out a small giggle.
I suppose Ms. Rose's idea might not have been so bad after all, thought Glynda, leaving Amber to her own thoughts.
Jaune yawned as he slipped under the covers of his bed, the sound of Ruby cleaning off in the shower audible from behind the bathroom door. Weiss and Pyrrha were already asleep in their own beds.
After their meeting with Ozpin, they'd returned to their room to find Weiss and Pyrrha waiting for them, Weiss having assembled the necessary notes to cover the classes the pair had missed during the day. After that, they'd wound up spending the rest of the afternoon catching up on their missed work. After that, they'd gone to dinner, where they were joined by RYNB and CPPR. Ruby and Jaune filled the others in on what had happened the previous day. Jaune had found himself shying away from Yang, when he'd had to describe how his effort to heal Ruby had wound up harming her instead. But they'd managed to get through it. Finally, there had been Aura-training on the roof, before they'd returned to the dorm.
Weiss and Pyrrha took the first two turns in the bathroom. For some reason, Ruby had insisted that Jaune go next. By the time he finished, Jaune had emerged into a darkened room the faint light of a bedside lamp providing the only illumination. While Ruby took her turn, Jaune had slipped into his bed, and gotten ready to sleep.
He'd nearly dropped off when the bathroom door opened for the last time that night. The floor creaked softly as Ruby made her way over it, heading towards her bed, and turning off the lamp. Then Jaune both heard and felt sheets being disturbed, because it was the covers of his own bed that Ruby was lifting up. By the time his tired brain had caught up with what was happening, Ruby had already slipped under the covers with him.
"R-Ruby...?" he whispered nervously, trying not to shift too much, though his eyes still darted to the next two beds, where Pyrrha and Weiss were asleep.
"Shh." Ruby placed her index finger on Jaune's lip. "I'm sleeping here, tonight."
"B-but what about Weiss?" asked Jaune, thinking about the rule Weiss had imposed.
"I don't care," said Ruby firmly. Even though she'd turned out the lamp, Jaune could somehow see the troubled look on her face. "I just...I just need you, right now."
Jaune understood. Even though they'd managed to thwart it, the kidnapping attempt the previous day had still left its mark on her. After a scare like that, Ruby was in need of some extra comfort, and cuddling up with the boy she loved was the best remedy. Truth be told, Jaune couldn't help but like the idea as well, despite his fear of Weiss' wrath in the morning. Being able to hold Ruby was a visceral reminder that she was all right, that she was still there. He supposed that they both needed this.
"Okay," he said softly, before leaning in to kiss her lips. "Just for tonight, though."
"Yeah," agreed Ruby. Given the circumstances, Weiss would probably relent this once, but they doubted she would rescind the rule in its entirety. Still, Ruby would take what she could. She kissed Jaune back.
They exchanged several more nearly silent kisses, before Ruby finally broke off the amorous activity, tucking her head in under Jaune's chin, and nuzzling her cheek into his collar. Jaune wrapped his arms around her, pulling Ruby close, the pair of them drifting off together, enjoying a peaceful night's sleep.
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット