Chapter 55: Into Motion

A normal Huntsman, or even an off-the-books warrior, would tread lightly when approaching a bandit camp. Especially if they knew said camp was home of the Branwen Tribe. Harrier, however, is no ordinary Huntsman. A small army of nameless bandits are mere ants to him, and even a Maiden is just a mere bump in the road. He's here for one thing, one question, and if Raven or her followers decide to oppose his desire they will be put in their place. He has no intention of killing anyone, but he won't lose sleep over it.

The cloaked man approaches, getting the attention of the gate guards.

"Hey, who do you think you are? Get out of here!" The bandit with the red bandana commands, his voice getting deeper and gruffer than what Harrier heard before. Clearly to sound more intimidating.

"You have no business here," the other one states.

"I do," Harrier responds, not wavering in his movement. "I'm here to speak with Raven Branwen."

"Fat chance, buddy," the man with no bandanna scoffs, holding his weapons towards Harrier. "Get out of here, last chance."

"Would you prefer to alert her with your screams?" Harrier stops a short distance before them, making a triangle with their positions.

"You threatening me, you bastard?" One raises a gun at the trespasser. "Why don't I just shoot you? That's a good noise!"

Harrier remains deadpanned, completely unaffected by his threat. The Huntsman approaches the armed man, watching as his confidence wavers despite the gun in his hand.

"I-I said don't come closer!" He shakily aims at Harrier's head.

Harrier doesn't stop until the barrel of the gun is right up against his chin. The two guards are drowning in the very fear that Harrier should be having. Even someone with Aura wouldn't just walk directly up to a gun.

"Go tell Raven," he pauses. "Harrier Slater is here to see her."

"Harrier Slater?" The man with the sword, who was ready to fight Harrier, lowers his stance. "Hey, you shouldn't mess with him. That's-"

"Don't care! Go tell the gods you're here to see them!" He shouts, firing the gun.

It's shot echoes through the area, getting everyone's attention from inside the compound. The two guards outside are in shock as Harrier hasn't moved after being shot, after having a hole blown clean through his head. The man who shot him watches as Harrier's skin, bones, flesh, all reconstruct themselves in seconds. It's as if he had never shot in the first place.

"I'll let myself in, then," Harrier grabs the shooter by the throat, lifting his body above him. "If you have an Aura, I suggest you activate it."

Raven, who's standing at the front of her tent with her second in command, Vernal, watches the gate for any activity. All of the bandits in the camp have already prepared for either the all-clear or someone attempting to break in. A final party, the lone Weiss Schnee, tries to get a grasp of the situation from within her confines. She was unfortunately captured by these bandits after a destructive battle with a Queen Lancer and has been biding her time. Perhaps this is a rescue party, or maybe a rival group trying to ransack what Raven has collected. Weiss is ready to go either way.

The first thing they hear is a sharp scream before the doors blow open with unbelievable force. The screaming guard crashes on the ground, rolling to a stop before his Aura shatters. Harrier casually strolls in, met with the shots from every bandit wielding a gun.

Raven should call them off, should tell them it's useless, but Harrier being here has stricken her with fear, freezing the experienced tribe leader in place. What's he doing here? Is he intending to wipe them out? Should she just sound for a retreat now? There's no way a battle would go well for them.

Harrier stops moving and looks down at his cloak, quickly being riddled with holes from both sides. Some of the bullets go right through his body, others collide with his bones only to be immediately pushed out by his body's regenerative process. It isn't until his glasses are knicked that he decides to react. Slowly, with little urgency, Harrier undoes his hole-filled cloak and lets it flop onto the ground. He then grabs his sword, hoisting it up while getting a read on every person who still dares to fire at him. In a swift motion, unseeable by all, he deflects a bullet per shooter, sending the projectiles right back into the guns and jamming them.

This cuts off the loud firing noise, now replaced with annoyed grunts or confused questions. All those are silenced when they finally register the now apparent silver-eyed warrior, shirtless, armed, and unamused.

"Raven, tell your pawns to stand down." His voice is cold and commanding, sending shivers down the spines of everyone who hears it. The way he speaks combined with the feat he just displayed shows he's truly on another level than any of the grunts within the camp. Whether consciously or not, it's in their minds that they're nothing to Harrier, no more important than the dirt on his shoes.

"Is that..?" Weiss tries to get a look at the assailant, but he's directly on the other side of a tent. She recognizes the voice, though. Her evaluation of the situation has changed drastically from his words alone. She concludes it's best not to be noticed by Harrier. Who knows what he'll end up doing to her?

"Stand down!" Raven calls out, finally mustering the courage to speak in front of this inhuman presence. "Harrier... what do you want?" She aggressively asks, making sure to keep her authoritative persona in front of her people.

Harrier sheaths his sword while approaching Raven, causing the leader even more stress. Not that distance really matters with him. He stops before Raven, completely ignoring Vernal, who's staring daggers at him.

"Do not look at me like that, Raven," his voice is a little lighter out of respect for his old ally. Though, that was a long time ago. "My being here is your fault."

"My fault?"

"Indeed," Harrier leans closer, getting right in Raven's ear, not wasting any of his time. "Why do you want Jet's sword?"

Raven's eyes widen for a mere moment.

He doesn't know.

This would normally bring a certain childish pride for Raven that, for once, she has the leg up on Harrier. But, as Harrier leans back and examines her reaction, his curiosity grows. He could question her with his already concluded deductions and see how she reacts. Questioning why she cares now about Crimson Blaze, after being aware of the blade for decades. Why has she chosen to go after it NOW, after knowing you were in possession of it for eleven years.

Raven's hesitation to answer shows Harrier she's trying to come up with a reasonable answer that clearly isn't the truth.

"You disappoint me, Raven," Harrier looks down on the woman, his silver eyes shimmering. If not for the absolutely intimidating gaze they give off, his eyes would be seen as beautiful. "How many of your bandits do I have to kill? How valuable is this information to you?"

"You-"

"What will it take, Raven? Will it be a growing pile of corpses stacked behind me?" He places a hand on his sword, pulling it out slightly. "Will I torture you in front of your spineless soldiers, let them hear your screams while unable to help? Or perhaps you have some sort of warrior to fight me?"

"Maybe we do," Vernal takes a step towards Harrier, putting her foot between him and Raven.

"Is that so?" His eyes don't leave Raven's fearful gaze. "I don't see anything that would threaten me. Not your bandits, not your leader, and not even your Maiden."

The fact that he knows makes Vernal back up, but Raven isn't even surprised that he's already aware of her powers. Whether he's known for years or he pieced it together when she momentarily used her abilities against you. It doesn't matter. It changes nothing.

"I've been more than pleasant to you for old time's sake, Raven, but that pleasantry is not endless. I will ask you one more time, and if you tell me a single lie, I will wipe out your pathetic family," Harrier unsheathes his blade, reinforcing his threat.

Raven's eyes shiver as she thinks about what to do, but every route she comes up ends with death. All but the one Harrier is allowing her to go down. Her face shifts, showing Harrier she's ready to tell him, but not aloud. Harrier leans forward, but not enough for Raven to simply whisper. He purposefully spaces out so Raven has to lean up to him, raise to his ear, and tell him what he wants. Begrudgingly, Raven obliges and leans up to whisper in his ear.

The words don't carry beyond Harrier, so all the watchers, even Vernal, are left in the dark. Harrier, the only one who can hear this information, does not react as someone normally should. He retains a stoic demeanour, processing the information that's been told to him. When Raven stops and leans back, nervous in her uncertainty of Harrier's reaction, and the Slater, whose eyes are blank as he processes it. Had his semblance not been able to suppress his emotions, he'd be flabbergasted, perhaps even angry. But, as of now, he's only impressed by such a bold plan.

With his goal achieved, Harrier has nothing left to do here. He turns around and sheathes his blade in one fluid motion before walking off. He says not a word until he's far beyond the compound, out of sight from everyone. Weiss exhales, knowing she's safe, well, safe from him at the very least.

But she was never in any danger to begin with. Harrier knew she was there the entire time. He has no interest in harming one of your allies. He has no interest in harming Salem's enemies.

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You stand on the long balcony of your rented house, panting as bits of sweat drips off your nose. It's clear from this small training session that your combat prowess is suffering right now. You never thought you'd be so conflicted that your fighting abilities would wane. It's not the thought of fighting the Maiden, you're dedicated to that, but this entire situation with Ruby and everyone else that is weighing on you. Even if your conversations with all of them have gone relatively well, even if you're trying to be a bit more upbeat and cheerful, your mind has still not settled on the matter.

You take in a deep breath and close your eyes, thinking of a place where you can wind down and maybe just talk aloud. Your mind weaves out to Mistral and... something comes to mind. Your view swiftly approaches Tukson's shop, revealing he's still there.

A book... might help. And some conversation.

You leap in front of the book store, taking a moment to breathe. There are a few civilians that're startled by your sudden, shadow-shrouded arrival. They recover quickly, but it's still something that gave some a small scare.

Though one person immediately recognizes you; Osiris Nucifera, who's been left to his own accord by Vani and Arthur Watts. Your appearance here is surprising, but not completely unexpected. Your existence in the city was already made aware to him and Vani, but your exact reason for being here, at a bookshop of all places, is quite interesting to him. He has no personal grudge towards you, even if Vani has painted an extraordinarily messy picture of your personality for him. But from his own experience and the small tidbits which Harrier spoke of, Osiris needs more colour to add for his own portrait of you. Perhaps this is the perfect opportunity.

You steel yourself and walk in, hearing the classic bell ring when the door swings open. Tukson, who's doing some leisurely reading of his own during this quiet time. He looks up, immediately recognizing and greeting you with a warm smile.

"Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade."

"Really?" You look back, witnessing the door shut. "I thought it was just a bookstore?" You refocus on the owner, getting closer to the desk.

"To others, yes, but to you?"

"It's the home of every book under the sun," you say with a chuckle. "It's good to see you, Tukson," you stop at the desk, firmly shaking his hand. "You're growing your hair out," you eye his slightly longer hair. It's shorter than Jaune's, but far more than the tight cut he once had.

"I should've done it long ago," he takes his hand back, taking a relaxing stance. "You look..." He stops, examining you more thoroughly. "Well, you look... tired," Tukson says with honesty.

"Right," you shake yourself a bit. "I was doing a little training. So, what've you been doing? The daily grind been doing you well?"

"You could say so," Tukson nods. "The store is doing well. Lots of people are looking to books for support. Escapism from the..." He thinks towards not just his own strife, but others within Mistral. "Unfortunate times we're in. I can imagine you're doing your best to make things better? Well..." Tukson taps his hardcover book a few times. It's not an easy topic, but one of the roots of people's unease does stem from your actions. "Can I ask a question?"

"Sure," you roll your shoulders.

"Everything... with, well," his tapping increases, showing some nervousness.

"Tukson, you can ask me whatever you want," you give him a reassuring nod.

"The Tawnys," he sets the stage for his topic, giving you a slightly uncomfortable pit in your stomach. "Everyone knows about it... I... I just wanted to hear your side of it all."

You exhale, taking a step back and coming up with how to talk about this. You can't necessarily say they were conspiring with a woman that wants to destroy the academies.

"They were my family... did anyone tell you that?" You give him a quick glance. "My mom's side. But... Tukson, just trust me, whatever front they were putting up they were NOT fighting for Mistral. Hell, they were against the world," you shake your head, getting slightly frustrated. "Idiots."

Tukson slowly nods, eyes wandering as he processes your words. "What does... that mean? The world? Like what happened at Beacon?"

"Yeah, pretty much. They didn't have anything to do with Beacon itself," you say with a head shake. "But," you let out a heap of air. "They may have been planning to do the same thing in Mistral."

"Here?" Tukson's posture straightens, his anxiety spiking. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," you lean on the desk, staring at the wood as you remember your deranged family. "Maybe I could've seen it if I wasn't so happy to finally meet my other family... tsk," you shake your head, bite your tongue, and look to the side. "I didn't even think about it before, and yet...," you return focus to him with a smile. "Don't worry. As long as I'm here nothing will happen. That's a promise. Had any more gang trouble?" You try to shift the conversation to something else.

"One moment," Tukson raises his finger while walking to the back room.

There's a moment of rustling in the background, silence, then Tukson returns with two chairs. "Thought it'd be better than standing," he gives a slight shrug.

"Ha, sure," you walk around the table while Tukson sets both chairs down. You take a seat on one, leaning back and relaxing. "So, any problems?"

"If I said yes, you'd leave."

You chuckle. "Fair enough. But, really, it's been months. I... have a few things too."

"Fair enough, well..."

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Shortly after you disappeared from the house, Neo shows up. She didn't wait for the others, so she's got the whole place to herself. She expected you to be here, but your absence doesn't bring down her mood at all. She suspects you're off doing something extremely important or completely monotonous. Either way, she hopes you're having fun. But she has to focus on herself right now. You're going up against Raven's Tribe, and Neo has to be prepared for whatever may happen. If everything goes well, she imagines you'll be in and out without a problem. But if a problem occurs, if something goes wrong, she'll be ready to help you. She hasn't seen Qrow in action, but if he's on par with Raven then she'll trust his capabilities.

So, Neo takes her place where you once were, on the expansive balcony, and begins training. She doesn't have lightning to dodge, she doesn't have a weighted suit, but that doesn't mean she can't exercise her skills at all. Without you to directly compete with, she closes her eyes and creates a massive, open landscape for this battle. Using purely her imagination, she conjures up a version of you, sword ready. You both run at each other, eyes completely locked until you meet. You swing your sword, watching her body shatter to bits of glass while she appears behind you, in the air, coming down to kick you. You spin around, catching her leg and throwing her away. Neo elegantly twirls in the air, landing gingerly on the ground with a cheeky twirl of her weapon and an even sassier smile.

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Team RNJR finally returns to the house without the elder Huntsman, who decided to spend his night in solitude. It's unfortunate that you had to leave on your own, making RNJR take a long way back, but it allowed them to pass by some noteworthy locations in Mistral.

"(Y/N)!" Ruby calls out, waiting a few moments for any sort of reply. "That little..." she crosses her arms, dismayed. "Where did he go? I swear, if he went on his own I'm going to shove my scythe-"

"Ruby!" Jaune cuts off.

"What?" She turns to Jaune, looking innocent as ever,

"Put my sword there too," he raises the sheathed blade.

The group laughs, save for Ren who heads towards the back of the house. Everyone else is into the conversation, but Ren can filter it out and focus on the commotion outback. He reaches a window, staring out at Neo as she makes full use of the balcony.

"Guys," he calmly speaks loud enough for everyone to hear.

No other words are necessary for the group to converge on Ren and bear witness to Neo's training.

They watch for nearly a minute as Neo dances around the battlefield with her eyes closed, attacking, parrying, dodging, whatever is necessary for this imaginary fight. Her speed is unbelievable at times – she'll be easy to follow one moment, then completely across the balcony the next. It's easy to tell from the little speed she's showing off why they were unable to hit her, and that's not even mentioning her incredible dexterity and acrobatics. She's beyond what Ruby fought at Beacon, which is only a testament to how far both you and Neo have evolved since then.

But that sparks a little knot in Ruby's heart. All this improvement... with her? She's so strong, she's the one who you'll take on a mission over her. Sure, it's clear that Neo is far more capable than the hooded girl, but that doesn't mean Ruby has to like it. If anything, that just sparks Ruby's competitive nature. Whether she recognizes it or not, Ruby views Neo as not only an adversary in battle but a competitor for you. That's a battle she will never lose.

Ruby marches away from her friends and towards the door.

"Hey, Ruby!" Nora calls out, but it doesn't shake Ruby's focus.

The young girl marches onto the balcony, pulling out Crescent Rose and aiming it at Neo.

"Whoa, whoa," Jaune instantly panics, making a break for the door. "We have to-"

"Hey!" Ruby shouts before firing.

Neo opens her eyes, using her spinning momentum to evade the bullet. The umbrella-toting girl locks eyes with her attacker, curious if this is the moment she can use to kill Ruby in complete self-defense where she surely has no choice.

"Fight me instead," Ruby repositions her weapon, turning it to scythe mode. "I want to get stronger too."

Neo raises a brow, noting the girl's confidence and intentions. This isn't a grudge match or some way to even the score. This is purely for self-improvement. Now, Neo isn't the biggest fan of helping Ruby in any capacity... but the idea of consensually beating her down is enticing. Neo rests her umbrella on her shoulder and gestures at Ruby to come forth, which is all the scythe wielder needs to engage with a scream.

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Leonardo Lionheart hasn't moved from his desk since your group left. He's unsure what's heavier, the weight of his betrayal or the pressure Salem is inflicting on him. If only he had said something... perhaps you and Qrow... no. Salem is far too powerful. There's nothing you, or anyone, could do to free him from the collar of fear that chains his body.

And that weight only increases when Watts, followed by the lone Tawny. Vani refuses to sit around, left in the dark while Watts parades around. Whether the elder wanted it or not, Vani came and will be here for all of this. Though, in truth, he wasn't expecting the Headmaster of Haven to be working alongside Salem. He thought all the Headmasters were loyal to Ozpin – on your side – but that's clearly not the case.

Leo rubs his temples, even with footsteps approaching. He dolefully looks up, his eyes drifting to the unexpected presence of Vani. He knew of Vani, even before the Tawny incident you stirred up, but to know that he's continuing his father's work is... slightly disappointing. Just another soul chained to her madness.

"Are we ready?" Watts calmly asks, his voice followed by the door closing.

He gives Leo a toothy grin, taking immense pleasure in making the Headmaster squirm. Without questioning Vani's reason for being here, Lionheart leaves his chair and approaches one of the bookshelves along the right side of the room. Pulling one of the books, which acts as a lever, splitting the wall open to reveal a dimly lit and narrow passageway. Watts comes up behind the Headmaster, letting his cowardice lead the way. Vani keeps at the back, watching and gathering information.

The first thing he realizes is how pathetic Leonardo Lionheart actually is. As they walk, Watts keeps a very straight posture with his chin up and hands behind his back. Leo is very closed in on himself – hunched forward with his shoulders up, hands fiddling with themselves while he constantly looks at Watts as if he's about to be backstabbed. It's just sad. Vani isn't very friendly with Leo, but he's the Headmaster of a Huntsman Academy. They should be prime examples of what their schools can do. But this one? No, he's a weakling.

As they press on, the small group reach a circular room with a Grimm, or what Vani assumes to be a Grimm. It has tentacles, yet an orb-like head that more resembles an altar than a creature. Having halted his approach, Watts pushes Leo towards the Grimm.

"After you."

Leo takes a few steps forward, weakly speaking to the orb. "Your grace... are you there?"

The orb of the Grimm swirls until a nearly perfect picture of Salem, and in the background, Cinder is visible.

"Hello, Leonardo. Do you have something to report?" The deathly pale woman asks.

"Of course, ma'am. I wouldn't waste your time if not."

Watts slowly approaches, examining the Grimm. "I'm still just so fascinated by this creature," he gets right in the way, unknowingly taking up most of the view. "Cinder, dear, are we coming through?" He condescendingly asks while tapping the orb. "Can you see us clearly? Well, as clearly as you can?"

"Shut. Up," Cinder retorts.

Watts' face drops. "Oh, goody, you recovered."

Vani takes position to Leo's right, assuring all three men are in view. Salem takes note of the young warrior's presence. She has questions for him. But first...

"Your report," she quells the bickering. "What is it?"

"I've... I've found the Spring Maiden," Leo speaks, hoping for some positive recognition.

"Is that so?" Salem says with a bit of joy in her voice. "Well done... Arthur. Had I known how useful you'd be in expediting this process, I would've sent you long, long ago."

Leo, completely shattered by the lack of praise. He turns to the side, looking at the and stares despairingly at Watts.

"As much as I'd love to take credit, ma'am, I can't say that either of us are to thank for this development. I guess you could say a little birdie told us."

"Explain," Salem asks with elegance.

"You see, ma'am," Leo turns back to the creature. "Qrow Branwen arrived at Haven Academy earlier today. He believes Spring has taken residence with his sister's tribe."

"And you know of the tribe's location?"

"Yes, ma'am, but you have to hurry!" He becomes more desperate in his words. "Qrow and (Y/N) have already-"

At the whim of Salem, one of the Seer's tentacles wrap around Leo's neck and bring him to his knees. The Headmaster coughs, struggling to pull the tentacle away so that he can breathe.

"If I may," Vani steps forward.

"You may not," Salem's eyes glow red, lighting up the red on the Grimm. "You still failed my task of bringing (Y/N) Slater to me, and I also know you had intentions of blatantly disobeying me and killing him."

Vani clenches his teeth, shifting his gaze at Watts who looks proud of himself.

"Oops, did I let that slip?" He looks away, examining his hand.

"Either way," Vani manages to keep his cool. "The Headmaster isn't talking nonsense. Slater and Qrow are planning to kidnap the Maiden, bringing her away from the camp and making her vulnerable."

"What could they possibly do to a... oh," Watts chuckles, eying Cinder in the orb. "Right."

Cinder clenches her fist, both at the thought of you being so close in reach but of you also getting another leg up on her.

"I'm saying his concerns are justified," Vani finishes.

"Mm..." Salem ponders this a moment. "This would not have been a concern if you had accomplished your mission. How did you fail that, exactly?" She asks, completely disregarding her choking prisoner.

"He... his allies appeared on the battlefield. We were outnumbered and nearly depleted of Aura."

"A similar tale to Tyrian's. Speaking of tales, Arthur..." She commands the Grimm to release Leo, letting him fall to the ground, coughing heartily. "I'll need you to create a new tail for Tyrian."

"What happened to his old one?" He rubs his moustache. "Oh. How humourous. It will be done."

"Vani, your team will watch over (Y/N) Slater and his allies."

"For what reason? Why don't we just-"

The Grimm extends its tentacle towards Vani, but his improved reaction time makes it easy, even without his Semblance, to catch the fleshy string. It wriggles in his hand, attempting to attack.

"You are not meant to question my orders. Your father never did. But, if it makes you compliant, I wish to know whether they are successful. If (Y/N) and Qrow bring back Spring, we will need to act swiftly. Cinder," Salem turns her head slightly to the Maiden. "Gather your team and regroup with Dr. Watts in Mistral. If (Y/N) does collect Spring, both of you," she looks back at Vani. "Will collect her. If he doesn't... then you'll pay Raven Branwen a visit, and convince her that assisting us is ensuring her tribe's survival."

"Fine," Vani lets the Grimm's appendage go, letting it slither back.

Without waiting for the others, Vani turns away and heads for the exit.

"Vani," Salem calls out. "Do tell, where is Harrier?"

"I don't know," he bluntly answers without stopping.

"Mm... Arthur, please make it a side project to find his whereabouts. He would..."

The further Vani gets, the quieter the conversation gets. It doesn't matter. He needs to both find where you're residing and watch it. Tomorrow is when you planned to go after Spring, so he needs to know where you are before you're back. So, it's time to find the street rats of Mistral.

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You and Tukson are still in his bookstore, even as the sun has set. The biggest difference is the leftover garbage from your food and the drinks you both have in your hands. Tukson is completely focused on you as you ramble on and on, talking about the most recent battle with Merlot's creation and the history behind that. But as you've talked and talked, Tukson noticed a pattern – a strange complaint about your friends, mostly revolving around them being in danger. It seems strange to him since, as he's gathered, all of your friends are Huntsmen and Huntresses-in-training. Danger is the first thing you're told about when going into that lifestyle. You've talked about a few adventures at Beacon, mostly going on a tangent about the Mutated Grimm, and purposefully avoiding the Beacon incident. He understands the latter. That would be difficult for anyone of any age to cope with. But your protective, nay, overprotective nature, is something new. Not once did he ever pick that up about you before.

"We eventually managed to take it down, so hopefully Mistral should be a little safer for any wanderers," you lean back in your chair and stare up at the ceiling. "I just don't know what Ren and Nora were thinking... they almost died."

"You also said that you almost died," Tukson points out with a raised brow.

"Yeeeeeaah, but I wouldn't have if my Aura was fine. It just proves me right. I could handle myself better than them even without my Aura and they expect..." You put a stop to that line of thinking. "And they... aaaaah," you throw your head back and huff.

"So... I have a question," Tukson speaks up.

"Another one? My goodness," you joke. "I guess we can do another one."

Tukson stares at his cup, carefully considering his next words. "You... seemed down. From the moment you came in," he drifts his eyes to you without moving his head. "And the way you talk... something's wrong, right? If not, I apologize, but you do seem... stressed, I suppose."

"Heh..." You put the cup down and take a deep breath. "I feel like everyone thinks that. It was easier to hide when it was just me and Neo."

"Because... you were happier?" Tuckson throws out.

"No, no... I mean, I love Neo, she's a good partner, but..." You let your head fall back and huff. "I don't know. Maybe having everyone bugging me about my feelings is just so exhausting. Neo didn't do that much."

"So, you're happier with your friends but not as happy that they ask about your wellbeing?" Tuckson nearly laughs. "That's a way to look at it."

"Is it?" You lazily flick your head forward.

"Well, if one of your friends were down, would you leave them alone?"

You think back on Dylan, how you kept bothering him to be your friend for weeks. There may have been a single hiccup after the village incident, but your tenacity won him over in the end.

"No... no, I wouldn't," your eyes wander as you think on that. "You know..." Your heavy heart, your clouded mind, after all this talking you start to release what's on their mind. At this point, you're unsure whether you're even speaking directly to Tukson. You're just speaking.

" I was a pretty lonely kid. After my parents died I was shipped all around remnant. From one Huntsman academy to the next, but everyone there was 17 or older, and I was barely in my double digits. I didn't have friends; I didn't even really have family. All the foster homes I was put in..." You snicker, shaking your head. "I wasn't a happy kid for them. How could I be? My parents were dead and all I did was just...train. I was depressed, I was exhausted, and... nobody ever comforted me how I needed it. I don't even know what exactly I needed, but I know I didn't get it. Not one person asked me about my parents, you know," you chuckle. "Not one person asked if I was okay, if I needed to cope with it, process it. Probably the reason I was so scared of Beowolves back then. I... feel like I was just seen as an object, a thing to get stronger. They just shipped me around," you push off the bookshelf, aimlessly walking while using your hands while you speak.

"Family after family, academy after academy, teacher after teacher, I was just... I don't even know what I was. I got friendly with the teachers but, still, nobody was really my friend. The headmasters, sure, I knew them. There's some of the teachers like Qrow and Winter that seemed to care, but it wasn't until my second time around at Vacuo that I even felt like I belonged. I resented all the people who ever took me in because... heh, I was so dumb. I thought they didn't care... such a stupid kid. Obviously, I wasn't their real kid, obviously, they knew I was going to leave them eventually, but I didn't. I stupidly thought every new place I went was where I'd stay, where I'd be happy. But it was ORKD, my friends, my first real friends... and even then... I was so skeptical that I would just stay with them... and I didn't. I left, AGAIN, and then I'm at Beacon. I..." You start to think of everyone, EVERYONE at Beacon who you connected with. "Beacon... that was where I was told to call home. That's where I started to build everything up. I met team RWBY, Dylan, you, Ozpin and Glynda," you frustratedly twirl around the room. "So much there and then it was TAKEN AWAY! AND," you approach him, clearly not mad at Tuckson but mad at yourself. "I couldn't stop it! For the first time the idea of actually living as normal as I could, with people I cared about, it was ripped from my hands! No matter how hard I tried I lost everything!"

"Nobody was expecting you to win the day by yourself," Tuckson calmly points out.

"I did!" You quickly counter. "I'm so strong, Tuckson. I know it, everyone knows it, it was the goddamn purpose of all that training! Yet I couldn't win. And these people want to tear apart all the other academies. What if my friends are around again and this time I lose more than just one of them? I can't save them then? What if they die because they're not strong enough? Because I'm not? Everyone, everything goes wrong around me. I got my parents killed, I've dragged my friends along with my stupid, idiotic, almost life-ending antics, I couldn't even stop what happened at Beacon! I ignited that spark and couldn't put out my own damn fire!"

"(Y/N), you can't-"

"I know! It's so goddamn narcissistic of me but I just can't get it out of my head. It's just... I see all my friends, the people I love so goddamn much live lives that may not have been perfect, may have had hardships, but none of them seem as destructive as mine. I don't want them caught up in all of this but I don't want them to go away either!" You violently scratch your head, ruffling your hair. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH, I hate it! I know what I want but I'm too stupid, too stubborn to just grab it. I'm too..." You pause, breathing heavily. The air feels so thin yet so heavy for you. All noise ceases, all time slows. "I'm too scared... I'm really, really scared, Tukson," you finally return your gaze, tears now in your eyes.

"And with them... it helps... it warms me... and I don't want that warmth to go away."

Tukson shakes his head while coming up with something to say. At this point, he just speaks without thinking, hoping something useful will eventually come. Instead, he physically helps you. Getting out of his chair, he approaches you and pulls you into a hug.

"You don't deserve this, (Y/N). You may be one of the strongest guys in Mistral, maybe even in all of Remnant. You've gone through things that I can't even imagine... all this responsibility, all this stress, I can see it weighing you down... but you're only eighteen, you're still a kid, you shouldn't feel like this even if you are a fresh Huntsman. Life just... isn't fair, (Y/N). It just isn't. But you have your friends, people you love, and I know that I would regret it for the rest of my life if I abandoned them. Cause you know what, (Y/N)? If you're with them, you won't be scared alone. You won't have to face all this... well, forgive my language, but shit on your own. Nobody should be alone, (Y/N). Not even if you think you're just a warrior. You know," he gestures around to all his books. "There's not a single story in here that has a lone warrior. They always have someone waiting for them – a husband, wife, girlfriend, best friend, brother, all of it. You're no different," he gets out of his seat and places his hand on your shoulder. "Don't be scared to lose your loved ones. Just be determined to protect them. If you keep isolating yourself like this... then you've already lost them no matter what."

You don't fight Tuckson's hug, but you don't return it either. You're stuck processing what he's told you. It's not dissimilar to what you've been told before, and what you've sometimes thought of yourself. You don't want to lose anyone, none of your friends, but... but keeping them back is foolish.

You slowly return his hug. After all, you are only a kid. You need support like this. Besides... it reminds the Faunus of his own son. If he can help you, just as you assisted him, then he's happy. Tuckson only hopes that you can fight whatever it is you're going after. If what you said is true, then everything is on the line, and maybe it really is all on your shoulders.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

You leap in front of the temporary home, taking a deep breath to alleviate some of your nerves. It seems silly to have such anxiety over apologizing and telling your friends that they were right all along, that you let yourself descend into a mindset of being alone, dealing with everything yourself. In that sense, Tai wasn't so far off. That is what Harrier does, but it's not what your father did. If you're going to carry on the Slater name, you're going to hold the values of your father, mold them into your own, and hold them close to your heart until the end.

And to that end, you need to assure your relationship with everyone is still solid. You know they'll just laugh it off, tell you that they were right and let bygones be bygones; but you confronting them and admitting your error feels like something they'll respect and appreciate. Ruby especially.

You take another breath and open the door, seeing... absolutely nobody. Not a soul is sitting in the common area, not a body is in the kitchen.

"Hello?" You call out, but there's no answer. "How rude. I come here to tell them they've been right the entire time and they can't even be here for it," you throw your hands in the air then rest them on your hips. "I... huh?" You finally come into range of the back balcony, with a clear view of Ruby and Neo going at it. "Oh, WAIT!"

You step in between them, catching both their weapons mid swing. The pressure they carried pushes against you then flows out, whipping your clothes and hair around. You spin around, grasping their weapons and throwing them in opposite directions.

"The hell is going on?"

Neo lands gracefully on the railing while Ruby tumbles, rolls, and bumps into it. "I thought we were all on good terms," you start scolding the two, then look over at the others of RNJR, who're on the ground, a little scratched up, but otherwise okay.

Ruby rubs her head, setting Crescent Rose to the side before she stands up. "We are on good terms."

"That's a strange way of showing it."

"You should be a master at that, then," Ruby throws it right back in your face.

"Heh... right," you shake your head. "Either way, what're you doing?"

"Training," Jaune pipes up.

"Wait, really?" You say with clear surprise, looking to Neo for confirmation of Jaune's claims.

The girl, who's been on her way to your side since she landed, reaches her destination and nods.

"Oh..."

"You're the one who said we're not strong enough," Nora half mocks.

"So, we're trying to not be dead weight for you," Ruby tacks on.

You sigh, rubbing your head and almost laughing. You just went through this entire mental metamorphosis and now it's coming back to bite you. The fact that you molded this mindset into your friends almost disgusts you. Yes, considering the people you're going up against it's extremely important they're prepared. But dead weight? It's... insulting.

"Well... look, I... uh..." You struggle to find the words, which piques the interest of everyone around. "I... have something I want to say. Well, more... Gah," you slap your cheeks, frustrated at yourself.

This flustered state simply surges your friends' curiosity – Ruby to an even greater degree than the others.

"I'm... I'm sorry. For, well, everything. I reall-"

"It's okay," Ruby pats your shoulder with a wide smile.

You're dumbfounded that she just dismissed you that hard. Your quick glance towards the others shows them smiling and nodding.

"What? You don't even kno-"

"Yes, I do," Ruby answers instantly.

"But I don't get to say everything I-"

"We already know," she stares into your eyes, shimmering with understanding. After a moment of silence, she wraps her hands around you and tightly hugs you. "We always knew."

"I... uh..."

"Shut up, dummy," she whispers, her voice trailing up your chest. "We're saving you from saying silly stuff."

"Silly stuff?" You say, insulted. But, you do slowly return her hug. The acceptance of your other friends, even if it's just their facial expressions, brings that surge of warmth you've been scared of embracing. "But that's not satisfying."

"You'd just say things we already know," Jaune finally speaks up.

"Unless you say we can come with you to the camp!" Nora gets her hopes up.

"CAN WE?" Ruby leans her head back and stares up at you.

"No," you slam the rejection hammer on her head. "My point of Aura still stands."

"Well," Ruby lets you go, turns away, and crosses her arms. "Maybe I don't want to hug you anymore."

"Okay."

"H-Hey!" She instantly turns around, a little flustered, and points at you. "That was supposed to be a punishment."

"If I don't get to say sorry then you don't get me asking for a hug."

"Then how about I ask you to defend yourself!" Ruby bursts into pedals, swooping by her weapon to collect it and then perching herself on top of the house. She spins the scythe around, ending it by pointing at you. "You have committed the sin of being stubborn! You must be punished for this foolishness."

"I almost regret saying sorry," you huff. "But alright," you shrug. "If I win, you have to sleep on the floor."

"Wha-" Ruby catches herself breaking character, clearing her throat and returning to her tyrannical persona. "Tis an easy bet!"

"Alright!" You roll your shoulders. "I'll keep you to it. What do you guys think about dinner?" You peer over at the other members of RNJR. Seeing you're distracted, Ruby speeds towards you, spinning around a few times before swinging. You step forward, out of the range of the scythe's blade, and catch the handle, holding both Crescent Rose and Ruby herself perfectly in the air.

"I am kinda hungry."

"FEED ME, REN!" Nora grasps the poor boy.

"We do deserve a nice meal for our training. It's also late..." Ren concludes. He gestures to Neo, who's surprised she's being acknowledged. "Would you like to help?"

Neo raises a brow. You are going to be busy toying with the Rose, which would be extremely entertaining to her. But... if you're going to be more open with your friends, then she should at least try to tolerate them when you aren't present. After all, it's only Ruby she despises, not these other kids.

Neo nods, walking backwards to watch as you throw Ruby away, then proceed to dodge all of her follow up attacks.

"You're cheating!" Ruby screams.

"Literally how?"

"You're dodging!"

"Fine, I won't move."

Ruby smirks, going in for a sweeping attack only for her weapon to cut through shadows. Not expecting the momentum, Ruby wildly spins around a few times before controlling herself.

"Hey!"

"What? I didn't move!"

Neo smirks as you continue to teleport away from Ruby's attacks, making the young girl yell at you even more. The smile that you have, the fun you're basking in... it makes Neo happy too. She turns around, entering the building before the door closes. JNR is already in the kitchen, talking up a storm, so Neo starts to approach until she hears a knock on the door. That draws her attention, but the others are too caught up in their conversation to have noticed. Neo takes it upon herself to answer it, which isn't the best role for someone who doesn't speak.

With a few graceful steps, Neo reaches the door and opens it, revealing a young boy who's about roughly the same size as her. Dressed like a farm boy with a dirty white shirt, orange suspenders and gloves, and a patched up pair of tanned pants, this boy does not look like he belongs in Mistral, let alone in the higher district that you're all currently residing in. He's also very closed in on himself, fiddling with his fingers, looking down, and clearly very nervous.

"Um... hi. Is... there a Ruby Rose here?"

Sorry guys, I won't be posting a new chapter till next year. HA! I'm so funny with that original joke. But, honestly, I hope you guys enjoyed. I know it took a long time for the chapter to come out – waaaay longer than I'd hoped – so I can only pray you liked it. The next chapter is basically done. I'm just doing my own personal touch ups before having it edited. So it won't be too long till the story continues. I appreciate all your support for all this time and look forward to the two chapters I post in 2022.

Hope you all have a wonderful New Years! This won't get extremely dated.

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