(Volume 5) Chapter 7: Together at last...

(Early in the morning, Ruby's POV)

I wake up...I really couldn't get any sleep, and though sleeping in (F)'s embrace eased my troubles...I don't know, I just can't seem to get a break. I look up to see (F)'s deep in sleep, he mumbles a lot in his sleep...not nightmares though, I listen to the mumbling and it's him speaking to his family a lot of the time, I hear constant mumbles of Raiden and his mom Luna...and I used to hear him mumble about his father too...but now he doesn't speak about him at all. Odd...anyways I slowly pull away from his warm embrace and get up without waking him up. I head outside...jeez...really is early, sun's barely out. I lay down, looking up at the sky in thought...sooo much has happened...and now Team RWBY is almost fully back together...except we don't have Blake and Raiden, I mean like I know Blake will come back eventually, but Raiden...I don't know honestly, we may have a permanent loss in the team...gah! Stop thinking like that Ruby! Ugh...we miss you Raiden and we miss you too Blake. Well here's to hoping that we'll see them again. 

Moving on, it seems like Yang's awake as well. She walks out of the house and comes over to me

Yang:"You're up early." I smile at her

Ruby:"Hey sis."

Yang:"Boop." Yang lets her hair down and uses it to tickle my nose. I giggle at my big sis' ability to make me laugh during bad times. I sit up as Yang sits down next to me. I sigh

Ruby:"What are you doing up?"

Yang:"Can't fall back to sleep."

Ruby:"Ah, me neither."

Weiss:"Well, fortunately, coffee exists." I look back to see Weiss carrying a tray with four cups of coffee and walks over to join us. She lowers the tray down so Yang can grab a cup. She then lowers the tray for me, I wave my hands to show that I don't want it...unless she put cream and sugar

Ruby:"No, please!"

Weiss:"Don't worry, I put in blasphemous amounts of cream and sugar, just for you." she holds the cup out in front of me

Ruby:"Oh yeah! Nice Weiss strikes again!" Suddenly, Weiss pulls the cup away from me just as I was about to grab it.

Weiss:"I will pour this on you and it will burn." She hands the cup to me as I nervously giggle. Weiss sits down next her teammates and grabs her cup of coffee after placing the tray down next to her. Making sure the last one doesn't spill.

Ruby:"Who's that last one for?"

Weiss:"Though it's definitely against my better judgement, it's for (F)." Yang and I look at her as if she's gone insane...my love just can't handle caffeine.

You(Sleepy):"Are you sure that's a good idea?" We look back to see (F), seems like he just got out of bed, as he's still in his pajamas. We all giggle looking at his insane bed-head. He realizes this and ruffles up his hair...it didn't make the bed-head go away...actually made it worse.

You(Sleepy):"Ha-ha. Laugh it up. Now the coffee, Weiss?"

Weiss:"Well even though you're hyper enough already, I thought since I was making coffee for everyone else, I might as well do it for you." (F) rolls his eyes walking closer to us

You(Drowsy):"Aww, look at you actually being nice." Weiss picks up the coffee and holds it out for him, again before he can take it she pulls it back before giving it to him

Weiss:"You know I can throw this coffee in your face right? It'll wake you up either way." (F) chuckles

You:"Yeeaah, I'ma go with just drinking this if that's okay with you?" He swipes the coffee out her hands and takes a sip "Thank you." He seems...off.

Ruby:"Why are you up early (F)?" (F) sits down next to me, just looking at the sky.

You:"...Eh...nightmare woke me up." Yang chuckles

Yang:"You still have problems with those?"

You:"Sorta, definitely not as bad as in Beacon buuut these one's are new so...yeah."

Weiss:"Makes sense, I mean...you were almost killed by-" She looks towards Weiss "Well...you know who."

Yang:"Raiden. Just say Raiden..." (F) looks down at his coffee, not wanting to answer

You:"Oddly enough, the nightmares aren't about him anymore."

Ruby:"Then what are they about?" (F)'s quiet for a bit

You:"Meh, doesn't matter. Let's stop talkin' about me and my needs for once and let's just enjoy the time we have together." Yang, Weiss, and I glance at each other a bit before going back to drinking coffee, He...definitely seems off. After a while Yang actually speaks

Yang:"Can't believe we're actually in Mistral."

Ruby:"That's what you can't believe?"

Yang:"Well, yeah! And all the other magic and stuff. But... Okay, you know what I mean!"

Weiss:"I honestly wasn't sure if I'd ever see you three again."

Yang:"Well, here's to defying expectations." Yang and Weiss clink cups together, while I just gulp down all the coffee in one go, I glance at (F), who...hasn't drank his coffee yet.

Ruby:"I just wish Blake and Raiden could be here with us."

Yang:"Yeah, well, Raiden's not coming back and Blake made her choice."

Weiss:"What's that supposed to mean?" Uh-oh...

Yang(Angered/Annoyed):"Raiden. Do I even need to mention him? He flat out betrayed us and tried to kill (F). And Blake...BLAKE!? I mean she could've been here if she just stuck around. It's no big deal though. We'll be fine." Weiss and I have concerned expressions on our faces. (F) just looks down.

Ruby:"Don't you want them here?"

Yang:"Why would I want them here?" I uh...don't know what to say now...

Ruby:"W-well Raiden i-is...the guy who loves you right? And...are...you still mad at Blake for leaving?"

Yang(Pissed off):scoffs "If he loved me so much then why didn't he tell us the truth!? And as for Blake, oh! Whatever gave you that idea, Ruby? No, I'm totally fine. I'm great." She doesn't seem great...

Weiss:"Okay, calm down."

Yang(Furious):"Don't tell me to calm down!" Her eyes turn red as Weiss and I look at her startled. I hear the sound of something breaking, in the corner of my eye I see (F) has shattered his cup. Hot coffee pours down his hand...yet it just seemed to have made him more angered.

You(Snapped):"Yang! That's enough." (F) has his hand on Yang's shoulder. I can see the blue flames coursing through his left eye. His hair is...becoming grey?

Ruby:"Whoa, Yang." Yang realizes what she did, and her eyes turn back to normal. Her hand shakes while holding her cup. Yang looks back at (F), she sees that his right arm is trembling on her shoulder.

Yang:"Whatever. Just remember who did that to you (F)." She takes his hand off her shoulder before getting up and leaving. We watch her go before Weiss and I exchange worried looks with each other...poor Yang...(F) just sits there, silent

Ruby:"Y-you know wasn't serious about him and Blake, right (F)?" (F) sighs as he calms down, looking at his ever trembling arm. His flames douse and his hair is back to its regular color. He seems to be in a very bad mood though as he gets up immediately, wiping off the pieces of the broken cup off of him, he looks somewhere far off in Mistral and warps away. His cosmic blue trail fades as I now feel terrible...what a great way to start off the day...

(The Fall of Beacon, Raiden's POV)

I get flung back as I lose the grip on my weapon. The golden Beacon coming from (F) would've completely blinded me if I didn't always have my visor on me. But it seems that it's usefulness has ended as it shatters. I can barely look straight at it...so this is the power of the Leviathan. I look towards Shiro, he was also blown back by the sudden Beacon. We nod at each other as we both run back towards the Chronicle, attempting to end this. But to no avail as the massive shock waves keep pushing us back. We see airships coming towards the Colosseum and we have no choice but to leave our target that we've planned for months to acquire...damn it, Shiro and I run out and warp down to the ground beneath the floating Colosseum, we run towards the collapsed tower...what the hell? The Dragon Grimm is...frozen? Was this Ruby's doing? Gah, it doesn't matter, we warp quickly to the top of the tower to see...Ruby collapsed on the ground, and Cinder badly wounded. The entire left side of her body has been burnt? Her eye's gone as well.  

Raiden:"Cinder!?" I rush towards her, I notice that...Pyrrha's headpiece that she always wears is on the ground, the shattered remains of her weapons is scattered...but where's the body? I stop as I look at the headpiece... "S-she's gone..." My eyes widen, the lavender flames surrounding my eye fades as a weak red comes in "N-no. What have we done?" I pick up her headpiece, I tremble in place. N-no I shouldn't be h-here." I feel sharp pains in my head, screams ringing from everywhere. I collapse to my knees holding the headpiece, tears rolling down my cheek "P-Pyrrha...I-I'm so-." Shiro sees the doubt in my eyes and hears the brokenness in my voice and yells

Shiro:"Raiden. The Queen demands that you join her in the feast." Immediately the primal instincts within me kick in. I twitch, the voices go deep in my head. It's maddening...but it reminds me, that I made my choice long ago. I look at the headpiece...just...another...person in the way...but did she really need to die?

Raiden:"I'm...sorry..." I manage to say in my last grips of free will before succumbing to the traces of Serpent within me...the lavender flames return as I place down the headpiece of the brave fallen Pyrrha and pick up the injured Cinder, she's conscious...just barely. She's in tremendous pain. I feel some pity for her, even if she had just murdered an innocent girl I once called friend

Cinder(Very Weak/Raspy):"..Ne...e...d.....t-to....l..e..ave...." She holds her throat in pain as she coughs out blood, she falls limp, finally going unconscious. Shiro looks over at Ruby, he conjures his blade as he begins to walk over to the Red Hooded girl, at that moment a crow dives in from the sky. Qrow lands, his Scythe pointed at us, my back is faced towards him, he can't see who I am at the moment.

Qrow:"I'm only going to say this once...stay away from her." Shiro speaks, he takes his hood off. Qrow grimaces at him "...You look like (F) and Raiden...who the hell are you?"

Shiro:"(F) and Raiden would know me as Ardyn. But you may call me Shiro..." Qrow realizes that this is (F)'s and my dad...or at least used to be.

Qrow(Grim):"Where's Pyrrha..." Shiro cackles, before pointing at the shattered weapon and headpiece. Qrow's expression grows furious at the horrifying realization, I slowly put Cinder down carefully, I create a portal to Salem's Palace, I stay there, waiting for something to happen "I'm going to kill you, you son of a bitch!" Qrow dashes at Shiro and goes to slam his Scythe on top of Shiro, but I warp right in front of Shiro, grabbing the Scythe with both hands. My hands bleed as they hit the sharp end of the blade. Qrow quickly redraws the blade. Qrow looks at me absolutely shocked yet livid. "Raiden!?" His Scythe is now pointed straight at my neck. My lavender flames flicker as I try to regain some of my free will, I flinch in pain and grab my head. "What the hell are you doing with them!?" Qrow's words begin to break me "Why would you do this to Penny!? To Pyrrha!? To Yang and (F)!?" I tremble in place as the lavender flames fade.

Raiden(Panicked):"Q-Qrow...I can't...c-control......" I try to talk through the immense pain going through my head. "P-please...protect (F-F)..."Shiro becomes furious and warps over to Qrow as he was not on his guard and kicks him back, Qrow slides back, looking furious at Shiro. Shiro grabs me by the shoulder, flames surrounding his hand, my lavender flames return...and they remain there for good. The last bit of freedom I had...gone...  

Shiro:"He didn't have a choice...I recommend not following us..." He points back to the shining beacon coming from the Colosseum, I'd hurry to where (F) is...after you tend to Miss Rose. As he's in a...broken state." I walk back to where Cinder is and pick her up. Shiro waves tauntingly as he enters through the portal. I begin to walk through it before Qrow says one final thing. 

Qrow:"Raiden. I'll protect (F)...but...just know...when you go through that portal...I will show no mercy the next time we meet." I try...I try to yell at him, I only wanted (F) safe, that I wanted none of this whatsoever. That Serpent floods my heads with tormenting thoughts...that... 

Raiden(Struggling):"I...wanted...to be with Yang...I wanted...p-peace...I became...a monster...to keep...(F)...s-safe but...I n-never wanted this." I barely manage to say as Serpent takes over and I step through.

(Present Day, Your POV)

You sit on the roof of the home you're all living in...you warped and had to go cool off somewhere so you wouldn't have done a Flare Smash on one of the walls of the house. What Yang said, it definitely got to you. You say you've gotten over it, over the fact Raiden's gone, but when something like that happens, when you hear the brokenness in Yang's voice...you realize, that your brother still leaves a big hole in your life, and the lives of Yang, Ruby, and the others as well. If and most likely when you meet Raiden, you wouldn't be surprised if he was hell bent on destroying you...and honestly, when that day comes...you feel like you wouldn't be able to kill him. Despite all that, he is and always will be your brother. But what's so strange is that somehow you feel closer to him. At least in terms of spirit, something about that encounter with him, despite the absolute pain you had in your head due to the two entities being so near to each other...there was still something off. Something familiar, not with him, but perhaps the Serpent itself.

Luna(Sub):"(F)...you've been up on this roof for about an hour now, maybe you should talk to Yang?"

Cole(Sub):"Do so. She is obviously very overwhelmed by the stress, I felt it within her that she's going through much emotional trauma."

You:"...I really don't feel like talking to her right now...sorry. What she said about Raiden was true...but...there's something within Raiden...something off." You sit down, close your eyes and enter into your Soul. Luna in her Ruby form looks at you surprised.

Luna:"What is it?"

You:"Are you in anyway connected to the Serpent?" Cole sighs as he walks beside Luna.

Luna:"...Why do you ask?"

You:"Because as Raiden called himself 'Doragon' and was overflowing with Serpent's power and the fact I still felt something that connected us, I tend to notice." Luna sighs, her golden flames flicker from her eyes.

Luna:"...Solar...that's the name of Serpent. And we are indeed connected, more so than I would ever want."

You:"And you're only telling me this now?" You asked very confused, Luna sighs

Luna:"I DON'T like going into the details as to WHY we're connected, (F)."

You:"It would've helped me when I faced against Shiro and Raiden!" Luna looks at you angered for a split moment but then looks at you a bit shocked. "...What is it?" Cole steps forwards looking you directly in the eyes

Cole:"Shiro, where did you learn that name?"

You:"During my fight with him? Weren't you guys listening?"

Cole:"No, as we were too busy keeping you alive from your lack of self control."

You:"Well why do you care? You know Shiro?"

Cole:"I reluctantly have to say this but, he is my son. Or as you know him the Fallen King." Your Soul glitches lavender as a very faint laugh could be heard...the hell? Cole and Luna look around before glancing at each other "We don't talk about Solar and my son to keep you safe from the small traces of Serpent within you."

You:"Why? I mean they're small traces, they wouldn't be able to take over a fully powered Leviathan and King of the Glaive."

Cole:"I wouldn't say fully powered Leviathan but true, the traces are indeed small...but there are certain...words we don't say, somehow in someway that we don't know of, Serpent can feel when you say something regarding her or her subjects. When that happens too often, Serpent can track your Soul in a sense and enter...and if that were to ever happen well...let's just say that even the Chronicle can't handle the pureness of the two mystical beings inside of him."

You:"B-but how!? Why are you and Solar connected!?" A faint lavender light grows in the distance of your Soul. Luna looks at you

Luna:"We can't say. Not now. She's searching for you, and since she's figuring that out, her vessel, also known as YOUR BROTHER is starting to figure that out!" A cold presence grows around the area. The laughter of a woman you don't know echoes around the room.

You:"W-what!?" Luna's eyes flare with brilliant gold flames and pushing you

Luna:"Leave now!" You are forced out of your own Soul as you breathe heavily, feeling an odd sensation in your chest. You catch your breath slowly as the sensation begins to go away 

You:"Great...not even safe in my own Soul."

Cole(Sub):"Your Soul is a gift...but there are many things that we do not know about it. Your Soul is a vital point of as to why YOU are Chronicle...but...not even we know the reason behind it...other than to destroy Serpent...we're not even certain if that's all there is to your prophecy...I'm certain you will find out eventually...but as for now...do not worry over it."

You sigh, you get up and head back in, you don't know what to do now, Shiro is Cole's son, Solar is Serpent's true name and you know that small trace of Serpent inside you could end up as your downfall if you're not careful on how you talk. You aren't paying attention to where you're going and accidentally bump into Weiss.

You:"O-Oh, sorry Weiss, wasn't watching where I was going." Weiss seems really off...then again last you saw her you warped away, she doesn't speak for a while.

Weiss:"(F)?" You look at her curiously

You:"Yeah?"

Weiss:"How...how can you deal with so much trauma in your life yet always...seem happy?"

You:"Well, I mean, I wasn't always like this, I used to be a very Blake-like person. But we all have our own version of loneliness right? You with your family, Ruby and Yang with their mothers, Sophie's...alone, and Blake with...well everything..." She looks at you curiously.

Weiss:"Right...where are you going with this?"

You:"Well, everyone needs to learn how to cope with it, or it consumes you. My way of coping with the lost of my family is being with you, Sophie, Ruby and everyone else. So the fact that I can confide in you all makes me realize that, even though I may be lonely, you guys will always be there for me. You guys are my family." She looks a bit surprised at this

Weiss:"But...what about times that we can't be there for you?"

You:"Well, at that point, I will be there for you guys for when you can't do the same, that's what families do...Also why do you ask this?"

Weiss:"Well, I wanted to talk to Yang..."

You:"Oh...you know usually Ruby would do something like that."

Weiss:"I know it is, but as her teammate I need to be there for her too, just like you said."

You:"Well, I know I need to talk to her, do you want me to come with you when you both talk?"

Weiss:"That's sweet of you, but no. I need to talk to her about this... you can talk to her about Raiden, you're his brother, so you must know the pain she's going through for that." You nod slowly, Weiss sighs as she walks past you "Thanks for the advice."

You look at her as she enters Yang's and her room and closes the door. You feel the difference within Weiss, you remembered when everyone despised her, and now she's a vital part of our team, placing others before herself. You're proud of her...you realize that you've been staring at a door for a bit and turn around to get some -and by some you really mean ALOT- food, only to see that your little Oreo is standing there...sorta just staring at you. She's...still in her hot pink pj's, She seems off.

You:"Hey lil' Oreo. How long were standing there for? And how much of that did you hear?"

Sophie:"Big bro, I could be standing anywhere in the house and I'd still be able to hear you." She points to her bunny ears AND...human ears? "I HAVE FOUR EARS! TWO OF THEM THAT ARE HIGHLY SENSITIVE!"

You:"Right.....er anyways. What's up?"

Sophie:"Well...is your team usually this...dramatic?" You sigh

You:"Not usually no...well sort of, but usually not this much, but there's been a lot going on so it's been...intense to say the least." Sophie looks at you curious "Something else on your mind?"

Sophie:"Well I had a bit of a nightmare involving you...eh I'll tell you about it later." Yeeeaaahhh....something's off in her. But you won't push any further if she doesn't want to talk. 

You:"Hmm...alright." Odd...the nightmare you had involved her, hmm this day just keep getting weirder and weirder. 

Sophie:"Also uh...can I borrow some Lien to get some food? Haven't had breakfast yet soooo...." You now know how Raiden felt...you sigh as you Conjure up Lien and give it to her "Thanks big bro, you're the best!" She runs off as you turn back towards the door of Weiss' and Yang's room. You activate a bit of your Semblance as your flames flicker and you listen into to their conversation.

Yang:"I know she's our teammate, and I know...Raiden was a person I held dear but I'm not just going to change my mind. I'm sorry, I just... I don't think you know what it's like to be left. You have a giant family, recitals to perform at, dinners to attend. I didn't have any of that. My mom left me. Ruby's mom left too. Tai was always busy with school and Ruby couldn't even talk yet. I had to pick up the pieces. I had to keep things together. Alone." ...There's a bit of silence "Weiss, if you have something to say, then say it." More silence happens when she finishes. You want to help out Weiss but refrain yourself from opening the door.

Weiss:"When I was ten, my dad finally admitted to my mom that the only reason he married her was for the family name." She sighs...that father's a real piece of crap."It was actually on my birthday. He missed the big dinner, she got mad, he finally snapped. I think she already knew. Looking back, I think I knew too. But hearing him say it finally pushed her over the edge." A brief pause occurs.

Weiss:"First it was separate lunches and dinners, opposite balconies at my recitals, a glass of wine here, a glass of wine there. Then, it was no dinners, no recitals, a bottle of wine here and... well, you get the idea."

Yang:"I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have assumed."

Weiss:"You're right though. I don't know loneliness like you do. I have my own version. We all know Raiden has his, I'll bet Blake has her own version too."

Yang:"She doesn't have to be alone though. I was here for her. We all were! She chose to leave us. And...wasn't I enough for Raiden? Enough to combat his loneliness? To have him tell us the truth?"

Weiss:"Raiden was always shrouded in mysteriousness. There are MANY things you can fake, but I know you can't fake the look he always gave you while he was around you. I'm sure Raiden didn't have a choice, based on what (F) told us...I can't really speak for Raiden but...as for Blake, why do you think she did that?

Yang:"Hm?"

Weiss:"The entire time Blake was at Beacon, she was afraid to open up to people. She tried to keep her past separated from us. She tried to protect us. Eventually, those walls she put up came down. And the moment they did, the one thing she was afraid of actually happened. The universe proved her right."

Yang:"No one blamed her for anything! If she had just talked to us, she would've known that! How could I be there for her if she doesn't let me? What if I needed her here for me?" Your heart aches after hearing that as you hear Yang start sobbing quietly. "Why...wasn't I enough for Raiden to stay."

Weiss:"I know it's not easy. I wish neither of them left too. The only thing we can do now is be there for them when they are ready. When they come back." Ruby walks by you, looking at you oddly. You place a finger to your lips in order to keep her from speaking.

Yang:"If they come back."

Weiss:"They will. Yang... You, Ruby, (F), and even Blake and Raiden are more like family to me than my brother or even my own father. I would do anything for you five, and I'm willing to bet Blake feels the same way. So, when she's ready, I'll be there for her. And I know Raiden's fallen, but we need to be there for our friends even when they're in their darkest times. And I know we're not as close, but... I'm here for you too." You sigh happily as you gesture Ruby to actually open the door now. She knocks on the door before opening it.

Ruby:"Is, uh... everything okay?" You don't enter the room but you are observing from behind Ruby.

Yang:"Yeah, it is." She smiles before looking at you. "(F)...we need to talk later if that's all right with you." You shrug

You:"All right." You wonder what she has planned...

(Not all that much in this chapter happened in terms of Chronicle, but I can assure that this will not be the case with the next upcoming ones...)