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bestworstcase · 1 year

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[most predictable man in the world rn] do you think neo is gonna come back at some point and if so, is she going to be neo, or someone else entirely? i know you put on your bingo card that she's just taking the scenic route home but it felt very...final to me. also i cried over the cat. i wanted to see the little baby come to remnant :((

what’s striking to me about neo’s send off is—well, a whole handful of things:

1 - through roman’s simulacrum, she states a very clear and specific emotional desire (“to have what they have, huh? what a thing”) and this is what incites her decision to ascend—right after he says this, she goes to the edge of the platform to consider, and roman again vocalizes what she’s thinking (“so… that’s it, then? …yeah. i know. i’m not real.”) so that’s a really, really overt narrative statement of character intention. neo ascends because she wants to find real connection, real love, not the empty facsimile she’s been clinging to, and team rwby is her model for what that looks like.

2 - this is paired with multiple beats of ruby pausing to turn back for neo, including one where ruby clearly does not feel Great about leaving her crumpled on the ground, and ruby is also the one who affirms that neo can find herself and deserves that chance. so neo’s dawning realization that she wants to be loved the way ruby is loved coincides with ruby realizing this sympathy for her and being hesitant to leave her. (and ruby has also just had this very healing experience in the tree herself; “she’ll find herself” is grounded in that experience).

3 - neo cannot get what she wants in the ever after. she wants human connection. she craves the kind of love team rwby has for each other. the ONLY place she can get that is remnant.

4 - the way neo gestures before she bounces read VERY STRONGLY to me as “you haven’t seen the last of me yet.” that emphatic point at ruby with hush? neo does that exact gesture to convey violent threats (at least once off the top of my head, to cinder in 8.13, but i’m fairly certain that’s not the only time). but this time she does it as a preface to the curtsy, which reverses the threat into a promise.

and 5 - all of this occurs in tandem with the parallels between neo and alyx being brought to fruition via neo being the alyx that jaune COULD protect. helping neo heals the wound of failing alyx. alyx chose to stay behind because she wanted to set things right before she went home. but she did still want to go home. what this says to me is neo, like alyx, realizes that she cannot go home yet. there’s things she needs to fix, first, and the first step is facing herself honestly. she also knows that the tree can help her do that, because she can plainly see how it helped ruby. and if neo is the healing of alyx’s story, the setting of the broken fairytale… it follows she’s going to get the ending right, too. fix what’s broken in herself, perhaps make amends with the cat and the jabberwalker, and then return home to finish her journey.

there IS a certain finality to the scene, but it came across to me as the ending for neo’s character as she existed up to this point—a send-off for neo-the-villain as she chooses to open the door to the neo who looks at team rwby’s embrace and thinks i want that. i know what i need to do to get it, and i’m ready to change.

we’re also two for two on characters from remnant ascending whilst still alive and returning as themselves, memories intact, which is a pretty strong point in favor for thinking the same will be the case for neo; certainly she’ll change a lot more significantly than they did, but we’ve already seen the shape of that change. she lets go of roman, she lays down her petty quest for vengeance. her ascension is about affirming and settling those choices so that she can grow into them.

i think there’s also a pretty decent chance that neo will come back accompanied by the cat. alyx broke the cat’s heart by breaking her promise -> the cat tried to twist neo into the fulfillment of that promise by using her as a vessel -> neo kills the cat (thus sending the cat to the tree where they can finally heal) -> neo decides to let go of vengeance and find herself before returning to remnant -> neo completes the healing of the broken fairytale by fulfilling alyx’s promise to the cat. yeah? it all tracks.

#rwby v9 spoilers

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knight-princess · 9 months

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Willow month: foreshadowing: Jade being a Bone Reaver

So at the beginning we see Kit and Jade sparring and they wear these masks (which we don’t really see again - Kit’s never, and Jade’s very briefly). And while they’re both wearing them, they’re quite different in their design, with Jade’s being distinctly more skull-like. Rather like the bone reavers skull helmets

Image credit: the first four stills are @alyx-stills and the fifth and six are taken from google

Oh also somebody made a post a little while ago pointing out that in the scene at Nockmaar where Jade is shown a vision of her family’s deaths, the fletching on the arrows looks suspiciously like Tir Asleen fletching such as we see in Kit’s quiver. Which suggests that either Jade remembers that detail and wasn’t seeing/ wasn’t wanting to see the significance, or Nockmaar was showing it to her deliberately. If anyone can find that post that would be amazing because I looked for ages and I cannot find it and it’s killing me so credit to whoever made it for pointing that out that is an awesome detail I never even noticed

Edit: it was @acre-of-wheat! Thank you @libertyeveningsun for finding it! And also for the link to the original post in the notes!

“Jade’s a Bonereaver. I don’t know what that makes her now . . . Conflicted, I imagine.”

So I’m not sure if Elora’s comment counts as foreshadowing, but it’s what I feel like talking about sooooo I’m just gonna go head and do it

Conflicted is exactly the right word because this revelation puts Jade in a really awkward spot when it comes to her allegiances. Her newly rediscovered family, vs the love of her life. She’s a character who’s driven by duty, and for the first half of the season it is unwavering duty to the country and throne. She is the knight to Kit’s princess in every sense of the word (and a bit more). But the episode five rocks that to its very core. She was not benevolently adopted by Tir Asleen when her family tragically died, but was stolen. What does that mean, for her self identity? Who she perceives herself as? It changes everything. They start exploring this during the second half of the season, and I particularly love how at the edge of the world, when Jade is justifying wanting to go over after Kit she starts talking about “for Tir Asleen and Sorsha and-” and Willow interrupts with “Because you love her.” The themes of duty vs desire and service vs love are explored so well with Jade and I really hope if when we get a second season they’re explored further because we have really only scratched the surface of where this conflict could lead

#willow 2022 #willowmonth2023 #jade claymore #save willow #savewillow

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bluearc009 · 2 months

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The Promise

Inside a cabin with a group of people all with a sad expression on their faces, a young man is looking at rain through the window.

?: it's almost as all of Remnant is crying.

Just then a woman came out from another room and walk toward to the young man.

Woman: my grandfather would see now.

The young man walks into the room and saw an old man laying in his bed breathing heavily.

Old man: I'm sorry I forgot what's the name this one again?

?:(smile) it's oswald but you know you can call by my real name.

Old man: good to see again Ozma.

Ozma: it's good to see you to Lewis.

Ozma took a seat next to bed

Ozma: I came as fast as I could as soon as I got your letter.

Lewis: I ain't got much time, what I'm about to ask you would be hard to believe.

Ozma:(giggling) Lewis, I'm an immortal Who Sold possess a new body after dying, I think I will believe what you're about to say.

Lewis: there's a young man(coughing)...his name is Jaune Arc, I request that you accept him into Beacon.

Ozma: I will, this Arc kid must be really special where did you meet him.

Lewis: this is where the hard to believe part comes in, I met him in the Ever After.

Ozma: that's impossible you were 17 when you went to the Ever After and the only other human there beside you and Alyx was(realizing) The Rusted Knight.

Lewis: I didn't realize till after I return to Remnant but I think Jaune came from the future.

Ozma: what make you think that?

Lewis: because I ask him where he learn to fight, he said he use to go to Beacon Academy.

Ozma expression change to shock.

Lewis: when Alyx and I fell Beacon Academy was build but wasn't open yet, so how did he become a huntsman?

Ozma: Unless he came from the future.

Lewis soon started having trouble breathing then grab Ozma hand.

Lewis: ......promise....me...you will accept...Jaune Arc.

Ozma: I promise.

Ozma called out to Lewis family as they came into the room, Lewis breathing less and less.

With his last breath Lewis tell his family that he loves them all and just like that he was gone.

Ozma: I promise Lewis.

-------------------------------------------------------

200 years later

Now as Ozpin, He is looking through transcripts for new students then glynda walks in.

Glynda: so have decided who to accept into the school.

Ozpin: almost.

Glynda: almost! Ozpin We got to start sensing Acception letters soon before the year starts.

Ozpin: Calm down Glynda I only got one spot left to fill I just can't decide who to pick.

He looked up and saw glynda was holding and on envelope.

Ozpin: what do got there?

Glynda: This is a late entry I was about to threw it away.

Ozpin: can I see wouldn't hurt to take a look.

Glynda:(handed him him the envelope) can you pick someone already like her, Cinder fall look she'll make a good student........

As Glynda keep talking Ozpin open the envelope and was shock to see the name on the transcript Jaune Arc he couldn't believe it.

Ozpin begin reading it and could tell that this transcript is fake but couldn't help feel a little impressed in how Determine Jaune is to get into Beacon.

Ozpin: I decided he would be will accepted.

Glynda: but he missed the deadline.

Ozpin: true but as headmaster it's my decision.

He handed Glynda the transcript and she leaves.

Ozpin lean back into his chair and took a ship of his coffee, he doesn't know how or when Jaune would end up in the Ever After but All he cares about right now is that he finally fulfilled a promise to a friend.

Ozpin: Welcome to Beacon MR.Arc.

End

#rwby ozpin #rwby #rwby ozma #glynda goodwitch #jaune arc #rwby volume 9 #fanfic #fanfiction

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phoenix-fell · 1 year

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RWBY emotions and the stages of grief

Okay, hear me out and I’m sorry this is a long one but I’m just a bit intrigued by the emotions of our girls and how they’re being shown. (And a little tired of RWDE folk ripping it to shreds for the comedic outputs). I do feel like the girls mildly symbolise 4/5 of the stages of grief - which I’ll weave in throughout.

We have an obvious loss of innocence/purity and hope from Ruby - which I think is going to be especially interesting in the next couple of episodes, because while Blake has taken the reigns a little here and there, we know that WBY get shrunk and it’s going to force Ruby back into carrying her team (literally).

I quite liked in the last episode just how detached Ruby is from everything; from not noticing the Bees flirting, to not really engaging with the fact Yang is looking for her arm at the auction, to after the auction when she’s just completely oblivious to everyone’s conversation and focused on the sword. I think CRWBY have done a great job of framing her as isolated and detached, or ‘Depression’ - seeing as she speed-ran the first 3 grief stages.

Weiss, though, I feel might be just as interesting. She was framed alongside Ruby when the Bees were having a pun-off. She’s been thrust forward as the comic relief as she struggles to understand the world around her. I know Ruby is heading for a breakdown, but I don’t think Weiss is far behind.

Since the beginning, she’s been ‘Defiance’, a carefully put-together character who likes to be in control of the situation. But now, it’s not just that she’s somewhere unfamiliar; their entire plan fell apart, she watched her friend die in front of her, she has no home, no school, no idea whether she saved anyone and no idea how to get out of the world she’s been dropped into. When the cracks start to show, she’s often framed without her face, because she’s still keeping so much inside, trying to regain control whilst trying to process the fact she has nothing to go back to in Remnant. She’s had blatant evidence to suggest she’s in a fairy tale, but remains in ‘Denial’. Because, if she is, she can’t control that, right? She’s just walking through someone else’s story.

I feel like Yang has been extra ‘brawler’ the last couple of episodes which I feel is because her go-to is to exude strength in these types of situations, it’s her coping mechanism. The first time we see her she bursts into the scene throwing rocks at the Jabberwalker, her first interaction is an outburst because she failed to keep her sister safe and at the auction it’s clear she’s pissed at the Racoon, possibly because losing her arm is so inherently tied to her ability to fight and keep people safe. She seems to reflect ‘Anger’.

While Blake might just be coming out of a cocoon of character development - if she’s pushing forward a Bumbleby arc then I have to believe that feral Blake at the end of last season was when something snapped, but she’s having an easier time remaining composed because ultimately, the worst DID happen - and then she found Yang again, she has a second chance, away, removed from the chaos and war of the world they’ve fallen from and now has a second to breathe and let herself feel. Blake finds comfort in being in a story she knows, because she’s learned the moral of it, and wants to avoid the pit-falls that Alyx did - essentially, ‘Bargain’ her way through to a happier outcome.

I feel like either Ruby’s, Jaune’s, or Neo’s arcs (or maybe even all three, or everyone’s) will inevitably lead to Acceptance. Whether that’s accepting the loss of their loved one, accepting the love of others, accepting your own feelings, that you can’t always be the hero/save everyone or accepting you won’t always be in control.

#rwby #rwby 9 #rwby spoilers #bumbleby #yang xiao long #blake belladonna #weiss schnee #jaune arc #this took me longer than you'd think because I kept getting caught replaying the Bee moments

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blackestnight · 2 months

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lucky numbers

a very happy birthday present for @nuclearanomaly! set in her adorable bookshop au which i love (and with a cameo from @aethernoise, thank you again for letting me borrow alyx). i know estinien and nini had traded numbers by the first time she went to one of his shows and i know in my heart of hearts it did not happen without significant embarrassment, so, behold: the annual tradition of bullying the shit out of estinien.

The best part of having friends was recruiting them for free labor—well, labor at the cost of cheap pizza and cheaper beer. The worst part of having friends was everything else.

“I find one makes faster friends with their neighbors by actually talking to them, rather than staring out the window,” Aymeric said, and Estinien scowled at his reflection in the glass. Beyond both of their ghostlike doubles, he could see the lights over the front door of Page 64 flicking on as evening fell.

“Don’t know why I’d bother when the friends I do have can’t mind their own bloody business,” Estinien snapped, and deliberately turned away from the window to lean back against the cool glass. It felt like bliss on the back of his head, easing the headache that was starting to form from the overwhelming smell of paint that filled the shop. “Am I paying you just to annoy me?”

“I come with a peace offering,” Aymeric assured him, and held up a slice of pizza balanced on a newsprint sheet. Both the edges of the paper and Aymeric’s fingers were smeared with red paint, though the pizza at least seemed clean. Estinien grunted and took the slice. “Have you been by the bookshop at all?”

“Too busy.” It was true enough, at least. Trying to organize equipment deliveries and inspections around painting and cleaning and the thousand other tasks he had to finish before opening day kept Estinien on his feet from sunup to sunset, it seemed, and whatever free time he had did not fall within normal business hours. He only caught glimpses of the owner when she stepped in and out of her own shop’s front door, hanging posters on the window or setting out little chalkboards with quotes from old novels. There seemed to be some sort of fantasy theme on this week, because there was a shaky outline of crossed swords in the corner of the slate that had nearly been smeared away by passersby, with little yellow lines around them like they were meant to glow.

(Idly he thought they could use a bit of shading for a more dynamic effect. Yellow and blue, maybe, in keeping with the pastels. A pink dragon and dusty orange flames crawling up the opposite corner. Deliberately two-dimensional, like illustrations in old folktales.)

Aymeric, the fucker, waited until Estinien had a mouthful of pizza to clap a hand on his shoulder. “If I may offer a bit of unsolicited advice, my friend,” he said, without a pause for Estinien to swallow and tell him you may not, you dick. “Sometimes it does one wonders to be a tad selfish. Taking a bit of time for your own happiness can bring about miracles.”

He wasn’t looking at Estinien anymore—Aymeric’s voice had gone soft and wistful, and he’d angled himself to lean against the window so he could look across the room to where Alyx was crouched on the floor, cutting in the corners by the floorboards with an angled brush and snickering over something with Hilda. She looked up as if responding to her name, improbable as it was with Ysayle’s little speaker filling the shop with screeching guitar riffs, and answered Aymeric’s soppy smile with a wink and a wave from her free hand.

Estinien swallowed his mouthful of pizza. “If you make me vomit,” he warned, “I’ll be sure to aim for your shoes.”

“Just consider it,” Aymeric said, and strode across the room to join the ladies in their corner, where Alyx busied herself painting a lopsided heart on his forearm with a brush far too wide for the task.

Estinien folded the remainder of his pizza slice in half to shove it in his mouth, dusted his hands free of crumbs, and resolved to ignore the sunset washing the shop across the street in enticing golds and blues.

—

His resolve lasted exactly as long as it took to finish peeling the tape from the base trim, and then the paint fumes became overwhelming enough that all of them had to step outside—his fault for scheduling a painting day before the aircon system had been set up, he figured. Hilda and Ysayle planted themselves on the front sidewalk, leaning back against the building’s facade, and propped the front door open with Hilda’s backpack.

Aymeric of course took the opportunity to sling an arm over Estinien’s shoulders and steer him across the street, like an obnoxiously polite sheepdog.

“If my shop gets robbed, you’re paying for it,” Estinien grumbled.

“Watching any would-be trespassers confronting Ysayle and Hilda would be worth the cost of admission,” Aymeric said. “Have a little faith, my friend. And be a little selfish.”

Aymeric was not so inelegant as to shove Estinien through Page 64’s front door, but it was a near thing.

The tinkling bell over the door disguised the sound of his stumbling footsteps, but didn’t entirely manage to cover the squeak of surprise from the front counter.

“Oh!” said the little shopkeeper as she pushed her glasses up her nose. “Hi, Mister Borel. I wasn’t expecting to see you or, um, or your friend.”

(Green eyes like fresh spring growth, and hair the color of lavender. The pastels really would suit her—suit her shop well.)

“My apologies for stopping in so late, Miss Ninira,” Aymeric said. “I happened to be in the area helping Estinien with his set-up, and he’s been so eager to come by”—Aymeric would have done his ballroom teacher proud, Estinien thought, with the way he pivoted to avoid having his foot stomped on— “so I thought I would join him. Have you finished the most recent Sirens?”

“Oh! No, not yet. I’ve been busy sorting new inventory…I like your, erm, tattoo?” Ninira said, with a fluttery little gesture to Aymeric.

“A new acquisition,” Aymeric said drily, and held out his arm for closer inspection. Alyx’s painted heart had blossomed rapidly into a field of truly shitty flowers, and eventually the entire inside of his forearm had been covered with a solid coat of red; Hilda had taken a Sharpie to the new canvas to give him a skull-and-crossbones ‘tattoo’ so awful Estinien had felt morally obligated to disguise it in a half-sleeve of boring but inoffensive thorns and roses. “Estinien’s work, actually. If you’ll believe it he’s actually far better in his preferred medium.”

“It’s really good,” Ninira said, and then looked up at Estinien. “Are you the owner of the place across the street?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Yeah. S’posed to open in a couple of weeks.”

“I always say that if I am ever possessed with the desire to be stabbed thousands of times by a needle, Estinien will be the only one I trust to do it,” Aymeric said. “I’m going to browse for just a moment before you close.” And with that the cur ducked around Estinien and vanished into the stacks.

Having friends was the worst.

Ninira fussed with the counter for a moment, dropping Estinien’s gaze. “I guess my shop must not look that impressive compared to yours,” she said. “I’ve seen the renovations—just, just as I pass by sometimes—and I can tell it’s going to look really…cool once you’ve finished,” she said.

(Dusky rose on her cheeks. Was she blushing?)

“No,” Estinien said, and flinched when it came out gruff. He cleared his throat. “Your place looks good, I mean. I like the chalkboards you do.”

“Really?” Ninira said, and looked back up so quickly he might have called it a flinch. “I mean, thank you. I’m not great at lettering or art or…things.”

“Really,” Estinien said. “I think they look nice. Readable.” Readable. Fury’s tits. “I mean—sometimes when people do hand-lettering it’s so gods-awful you can’t tell what it’s meant to say. Yours is nice though.” He scuffed his boot against the floor. “What kind of chalk do you use?”

Ninira uncapped and re-capped a pen. “Just sidewalk chalk. Kids’ art supplies.”

From somewhere across the aisles, he swore he heard Aymeric cough.

“I’ve got some chalk paints you could borrow,” Estinien said. “They’re more durable. Or—if you wanted,” he said, “I could do a couple signs for you sometime.”

“Really?” Ninira said again. “I’d—yes, if it’s no trouble. That would be nice. Thank you,” she said.

“Yeah,” Estinien told her. “Here, I have—” He rummaged in his pocket. His ‘business cards’ were nothing fancy, no use wasting money on nice ones before the shop was even open, and he found himself regretting his frugality when the card he pulled out was plain white and grubby from the dye on his jeans. Thank Halone there was another pen on the counter so he didn’t have to ask for the one from her hand. He scrawled his tomephone number across the back of the card and laid it on the counter. “You can text me or something when you want me to do one for you. A sign.”

“I will!” Ninira said. “I’ll text you now, actually. So you have my number.” Estinien twirled the pen across his knuckles while she wrested her tomephone from her pocket—it looked massive in her hands—and carefully tapped against the screen. After a minute his own phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out to show a notification: This is Nini from the bookshop! with a little smiley face.

“Thanks,” he grunted, and obligingly entered a new contact: Nini, and then, after hovering over the keyboard for a moment, the smiling emoji with the glasses. “Just let me know.”

“I will,” she said. “Thank you, Estinien.”

Aymeric reappeared then, a slim paperback held in his hand. “My apologies again for coming in so close to closing time,” he said, as Ninira scrambled to shove her phone away. “I hope the rest of your evening is peaceful, at least.”

“You’re fine,” Nini said, as she punched Aymeric’s purchase into the register. “Thank you for coming. I hope I’ll see you again soon?” But when she asked, her eyes slid over to Estinien.

“Naturally,” Aymeric said. “Both of us, I’m sure. Have a good night, Miss Nira.”

“G’night,” Estinien grunted, and ducked out of the door.

“Night!” Ninira chirped.

—

In a fantastic display of restraint, Estinien had managed to wait until they were back across the street before pulling Aymeric into a headlock, and couldn’t even bring himself to regret it when his phone buzzed that night with a new text. Would you like to come by tomorrow to do a sign?

Sounds good, he sent back, and went to grab his sketchbook.

#writing - mine #aymeric de borel #estinien wyrmblood #ninira #alyx #HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAYNE #i was going to do something else but then this idea possessed me #so. ENJOY

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hamliet · 1 year

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I have noticed this volume has been mostly highlighting Penny and Oscar's bonds with Ruby. What do you think of this?

Well, Penny, Oscar, and Yang. And also Summer. Basically, all of Ruby's important people, and all of her foils, are present, because Ruby is being primarily asked "what are you?"

Who is she? Who does she want to be?

The reality is that we are all somewhat made up of our loved ones. They really are a part of us. So, Penny and Oscar of course reflect this.

Beyond that, I do think Penny, to a degree, represents Ruby's child self. People aren't wrong noticing the parallels between Penny and Little, who is also Ruby's childhood self. Growing up can be painful.

Penny is present, becoming the past. Oscar is the future. But Penny is also a part of that future.

Let me explain. Penny represents a part of Ruby's life that, like Summer, she can never get back. But that doesn't mean that it can't come with her. Think of Lewis, remembering Alyx.

Penny and Purpose

From the moment Little was introduced, they asked Ruby if:

to Ruby Rose... is your purpose?

And when Penny appears this volume, it's usually to do with Ruby's purpose of being a Huntress and of being a friend. Let's look at what Neo's Penny says to Ruby.

Penny: Just like you were too late to save me at the Vytal festival. I died in Atlas too, didn't I? Can you imagine what that's like? To be completely and utterly failed time and again by someone who meant the world to you?

Of course, this isn't Penny. This is illusion!Penny, Neo's interpretation of Penny. Penny spent her whole life having someone else speak for her, decide for her, until the only decision she could possibly make was in how she wanted to die. It's tragic and wrong, but it's not hopeless. It doesn't mean Ruby failed Penny.

But, Penny's whole tragedy was that people kept reducing her to her purpose. The Protector of Mantle. The Winter Maiden.

Now illusion!Penny reduces Ruby to her role as a friend and implies that Ruby was a bad one, when of course that is not true. Penny and Ruby adored each other.

Alas, Ruby thinks she failed Penny. Penny was suicidal and offered Ruby her power. She offered Ruby what she thought her value was--her purpose.

Ruby refused and became determined to make Penny human. Alas, Penny being human meant that she could die more easily (and permanently, and also, everyone who is human dies).

But, Penny's death was not a suicide. It was a murder in a battle, and no, her murderer was not Jaune. Her death was not about purpose, but about affirming herself as Penny Polendina, as a friend, as someone who loved her friends.

As @aspoonofsugar recently said:

Penny's destiny is friendship. So, when the time comes she chooses to fight to protect her friends, even if it means putting the relic and the Maiden powers in danger. When Cinder strikes her and Penny has to choose who should get the power she chooses Winter (who she wants) over Weiss (who needs the power at the most in that moment)... Penny spends the majority of her arc by trying to be the hero and to balance what she wants with what she must do. Still, in the end she chooses her friends over her duty as a Maiden.

I think knowing that, in the end, Penny did have the power to make her own choice about who she wanted to be, even if that choice was so cruelly limited, will give Ruby what Penny wanted for Ruby: hope. Penny believed in Ruby.

Oscar and Ruby Rose

Oscar's whole struggle in the story is his identity. He is terrified of losing himself, of becoming just another one of Ozpin's lives. Ruby is the one who tells him that he will be okay, who comforts him

Ruby: You're your own person.

In the Neo hallucination sequence, Ozpin then beats Ruby with a cane screaming that Ruby isn't cut out to save anyone. In other words, she is beat up by proof her words were wrong, and by the idea that Oscar Pine no longer exists. Only Ozpin does.

But in this scene, Ruby screams back at him, grabbing her scythe and--

Ozpin: How many more lives do you have to ruin before you realize you're not cut out to save anyone?

Ruby: NO!

What happens then? Turns out it's the exact same trick the Curious Cat pulls on Weiss the very next episode in getting her to "kill" Jaune this past episode (in case the parallels between Bumbleby, White Knight, and Rosegarden weren't immensely clear this volume.) Neo transforms into Oscar, showing Ruby that all her efforts to save herself actually just kill Oscar.

And all Oscar says to Ruby is her name.

Oscar: Ruby...?

Ruby isn't enough. Penny quotes Ruby's stated purpose (which is the same question Little asked her)--saving people. Oscar quotes her name as his dying words. Even if she can't save him, is it still enough to be herself?

The vision says no. Essentially, by using Oscar, Neo tells Ruby that she will never save anyone, and that being Ruby isn't enough. Even Oscar in the end will realize that, and it will kill him to realize it.

Losing Penny means that she will not be able to save Oscar--in fact, she specifically won't be able to save him from becoming Ozpin, since in trying to stop Ozpin from beating her she kills Oscar. It's not worth trying when it just hurts, and makes the people you love feel betrayed.

Ruby finally drinks the tea when, in her vision, Oscar dies. This is symbolic of Ruby's dreams for the future evaporating. Now, while I do think the story strongly indicates endgame Oscar/Ruby, I don't think Ruby is in any way ready for romance right now (as shown by her bewilderment over Bumbleby and missing Weiss flirting with Jaune while Yang and Blake tease Weiss over it).

But story-wise, Ruby seeing what she fears--someone she loves (because she loves all her friends) dying just like Pyrrha, just like Penny, just like Ironwood, just like Ozpin--convinces her she doesn't want to go on. When she believes she's killed her own future, she drinks the tea.

But none of it's true.

That isn't what happened to Penny.

Being Ruby Rose is going to be enough, even if she can't save everyone (and I do think later on, in the last volume, Ruby will face having to accept the loss of Oscar--only to then get him back because, well, it's like the oldest fairy tale trope in the books).

The memories of Ruby's loved ones--like Summer's weapon in the Blacksmith's vault--can inspire her to be herself. They don't have to punish her. They can be a cloud of witnesses cheering her on.

Side note: Oscar and Penny (and Yang when falling) masking Neo also (like again with the Cat using Pyrrha and Penny against Jaune and then masking Jaune with himself to trick Weiss) offers a thematic punch too. What if your enemy is your friend? What if your friend could be your enemy?

What if they're human, too, and matter to someone?

These are themes I very much expect to be explored in Vacuo, through Mercury, Emerald, and Cinder.

#ruby rose #rwby volume 9 #rwby meta #oscar pine #penny polendina #rosegarden #i guess #curious cat #rwby 9 #rwby vol 9

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rwby-encrusted-blog · 11 months

Note

When jaune got young again that mean croceas mors come back too? And how would his reunion with Myrtenaster be?

So, Romance isn't really a focus of the AEBMO au, so I'm doing Crocea coming back in general.

~~~~~

The Group stepped through the door, into the odd chamber in which the Blacksmith Resides.

Said Blacksmith was holding tongs, letting a far, far smaller figure hammer out something on an anvil, before they held a finger up to the group.

After a few more minutes the Blacksmith handed the stout form the tongs, letting it dunk what seemed like half a Sword into a cooling bath.

Blacksmith: This is your best yet young one. For now, we have guests we should attend to.

Turning to the group, The little one looked shocked - then sprinted over to them, peeling off the smithing gear.

Alyx rushed forward, hair tied into a thick braid trailing behind her, tears streaming down her face as she slammed into Jaune's waist - it was as high as she could reach on him.

Alyx: Knight! I- I'm So sorry *Sobbing* I-*HIC* I- *HIC*

Jaune: ALYX! Alyx! I should've- I'm Sorry too - how are you- why are you-

Blacksmith: The Curious Cat had attempted to end her, but Alyx is a wily young girl, and, even if she learned her lesson, she had not lost her instincts, and managed to come here. As for why she's here - whenever she tried to leave, she would simply walk back into this place. I've been teaching her blacksmithing. She would like to give you something back.

Jaune: What-

Alyx: Crosh More! or, whatever it's name is! I've been trying to forge him again - But They're not letting me do more than half a sword!

Jaune: Uh, any reason why?

Blacksmith: Well, I couldn't very well Replace Him. I need what you have of him.

Jaune: *Pulling the Half-Blade from his sheathe* This?

Blacksmith: Yes.

Jaune: *handing Crocea over* Will he be Different?

Blacksmith: Are you the same after all you've been through?

Jaune: ... I'll love him all the same.

Blacksmith: That's just what I thought I would hear. Alyx, We'll need your Dagger.

Alyx: Okay?

The Blacksmith and Alyx took the piece they had, Melting down the dagger, heating the unfinished ends of Crocea and the sword they had been working one. The blacksmith pressed the open ends together, Pressing the molten Dagger into cracks, filling any missing chips with it.

Then there Crocea was. Whole again, a small, carbon-steel chunk in it's side, branching throughout the blade.

Jaune: ... Hey ... You in there buddy?

Crocea Mors:

Jaune: ...

Crocea Mors: ... I don't know that I can call you kid anymore, Jauney.

Jaune: Crocea! *Crying again* Buddy!

Crocea Mors: *forms to Human* Yep! Though, You seem a little worse for wear. I'm sorry I couldn't save you from this fate.

Blacksmith: And that Brings me to my second item. An old ... Friend ... Gave me something to hold onto for yourself.

Jaune: What is it? *Youngifies* W-wait! I! I'M Young again!

Jaune: ... Is this what my voice sounded like?

~~~~~

Stepping through the portal, five Weapons, five Wielders, and a Girl the Fell through the World walked into the Vacuan Desert. A new lease on life, and eyes once again fresh, full of hope, they looked upon the fruits of their labor.

All four kingdoms (Or what was left of Atlas) Stood united.

#rwby #jaune arc #crocea mors #AEBMO au #the blacksmith #rwby alyx #alyx #asks and answers #anonymous

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decks-writing-blog · 26 days

Text

Emotional Support Gnome

Summary: Alyx helps transport the gnome.

[A/N] In my recently completed play through of the HL2 Ep 2 VR mod I found the gnome (I didn't in my play through of the normal game) so I decided to get the achievement. It was fun until I reached the car but then it got better when I figured out how to glitch the gnome into being much more secure in the car. Also, I didn't know you could leave the gnome behind when going off with the Vortigaunt to get the stuff to save Alyx (I only know now because I looked up tips for the car bit which only kind of helped and skimmed through and found that tidbit of info) and thus because of the way climbing ladders works in the VR mod, getting it out of the pit that you fall into in that part of the game was a bit of a pain but I managed. While I was there I came up with the idea to write a fic about Gordon transporting the gnome in which Alyx and the Vortigaunt helps him with said gnome because that's a neat idea. It provides some nice championship opportunities which Gordon desperately needs.

Also, Lamarr gets dragged out of the rocket because I'm sad she gets sent to space. I love her with all my heart and soul and want her to live. Gordon probably doesn't like her but Kleiner is his pal so he saves her for him.

After hanging up the call, Alyx turned to face Gordon again. Whatever she’d been about to say vanished from her mind at the sight of him though. “Is that a garden gnome?” She’d seen garden gnomes before so it wasn’t that out there but turning around to see him of all people randomly holding one made it a bit more strange.

He looked up at her for just a moment before turning his gaze back onto the gnome in his hands. Taking one hand off, he lifted it to sign a, “Yes.”

“Where’d you find it?” She would’ve noticed it if it were out in the open. It was fairly big and even with the faded paint, it was eye catching.

Gordon pointed to old rickety bed frame, angled down a bit. So under the bed. An odd place to find a garden gnome since one would think they mostly resided in gardens but with how messed up the world was why wouldn’t one somehow end up under a bed?

She almost stepped over and bent down to see if there was anything else interesting under there but… they had important stuff to do and the Combine were who even knew how close to finding them? They didn’t have time to goof off and look for hidden lawn decorations. “Uh, okay. We should probably get going.”

Switching his hold on the gnome to one armed hugging it to his chest, with it faced outwards, Gordon started for the door. Apparently the gnome was coming with them. With a shrug, Alyx followed. Who was she to question Gordon Freeman? Maybe he just liked gnomes. They were kind of cute after all.

And even if the situation was rather urgent it was good to see a less serious side of him finally. Before all this she’d have never thought she’d meet someone as cool and badass as the Gordon Freeman. But now they were somehow good enough friends for him to relax around her a little. How cool was that?

***

The fall shouldn’t have killed the Freeman. He’d survived much worse many times. And if his time were to ever come it wouldn’t be at the bottom of a pit. But still he was taking an awful long time to come back up. Time they did have – the others could keep the Alyx Vance stable for days if need be –but it wouldn’t be wise to push it if they could help it, especially with the Combine on the hunt for the Freeman and the Alyx Vance. … Perhaps the ladder didn’t descend all the way down and thus he needed assistance.

Abandoning the watch for antlions – none seemed likely to be coming anyway – they made their way over the edge to look down over it. … The ladder did seem to descend all the way to the watery bottom so that wasn’t the issue. Instead it was the little statue the Freeman had been carrying since they’d met up. He held it to his chest with one arm, twisting his wrist so he could grasp the ladder, allowing him to let go with the other and raise it to a higher rung. Not much higher though, too far and he’d likely loose his precarious grip on the statue. As a result, his progress was slow, he wasn’t even halfway up yet.

“Do you require assistance, Freeman?” They were not going to ask him to drop it. It was clearly important even if its purpose was beyond their comprehension.

The Freeman flinched at their raised voice, freezing in place. He then tilted his head to look up at them. But alas with his hands busy and his voice seemingly nonexistent, he had no means of giving an answer. Oh, if only he could connect to the Vortessence, eliminating the need for such paltry forms of communication.

“I will lower down a rope with a loop for your statue.” The least they could do for the Freeman was assist him in what was clearly an important endeavor.

Finding a rope long enough was surprisingly easy. Upon tying a loop at the end of it big enough to allow the statue to fit – all the Freeman would have to do was tighten it to prevent the statue from falling out – they lowered it over the edge. The Freeman had made it up a little further but not by much. Ever intelligent and dexterous, he managed to get the statue into the loop and tighten it while remaining on the ladder.

As he started climbing properly now, they slowly pulled the statue up, careful not to bump it against the wall. As a result, the Freeman reached the top a few seconds before the statue did. He stood by as they finished pulling it up to hand to him.

Before accepting it, he lifted his hands to sign, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” For humans repeating something meant emphasis, meaning this was quite an important statue indeed.

“We are glad to be of service. Now let us continue.”

***

There were not one but two giant fucking antlions. Did the deterrents work on them too? … Hopefully because Alyx was about to find out the hard way as the pain radiating up from the freshly healed wound in her back and abdomen made the prospect of continuing forward into the fray proper a very unappealing one. Lucky for her she had a vortigaunt and Gordon on her side.

Speaking of Gordon, he turned to her, his gaze intent. Checking on her? … No, to shove the gnome into her arms, giving her almost no option but to accept it. He then immediately turned away, pulling his shotgun off where it was magnetized to his HEV suit as he rushed towards the antlion guardians.

“What am I suppose to do with this?” She called after him.

He didn’t even turn back to look at her.

“One would assume he wishes you to keep it safe while we deal with the antlions,” the vortigaunt said as he blasted one of the braver antlions that had dared to approach a bit closer than the others.

Damn it. She wasn’t good for much else in her current state so she’d been put on gnome guard duty. “Fine, whatever.” Only because Gordon had asked her to though. At least she wasn’t completely useless; she could keep a garden decoration intact, no problem.

After the battle, Gordon returned to her. “You okay?”

“As okay as I can be.” She was still weaker than she’d like and would’ve appreciated a chance to sit down but they didn’t have the time to so no use complaining. “I kept your gnome safe too. See? Completely intact.”

“Thank you.”

“Can I ask what’s the deal with it though? I mean like… no judgment of course just… it’s a bit odd. Not that that’s a bad thing, nothing wrong with being odd, some people think I’m a bit odd and that’s fine. But like… you know.” She was messing this up real bad. Way to go her. “There’s a lot going on and it’s a bit much to carry around and stuff.” She’d have assumed he would’ve left is somewhere as soon as carrying it became inconvenient.

Gordon lifted his hands as if to answer but held them there for several seconds before finally doing so. “I don’t know.” He then took the gnome from her with the gravity gun before turning away and continuing.

“Wait. What do you mean you don’t know?”

He didn’t turn to respond. Odd as the gnome was, that answer was even odder. How could he not know why he was carrying around a gnome even despite all the problems keeping it intact was already causing? He was running around without a proper weapon out for Pete’s sake, there had to be a reason for that. But… they didn’t have time to sit around and talk about it. So with a sigh, she set into a light jog, about as fast as she could make herself go currently, to catch up.

Well if Gordon was wondering off into a toxic filled pit while Alyx was stuck up here… “You want me to keep the gnome safe for you?” The amount of times it had almost taken damage had seemed to cause him some distress. Not that he was easy to read, especially when he had the HEV suit’s helmet up, but he had looked the gnome over rather closely every time something almost happened to it.

He turned to face her, the gnome held by the gravity gun in his hands. Seemingly he thought about it for several seconds before nodding and lifting it up for her to take.

“I promise I’ll take good care of it.”

He lifted a hand to sign a quick, “Thank you,” before turning and heading through.

After closing the door behind him, she turned to the vortigaunt. Some of them came up with names for themselves that humans could pronounce, some didn’t. She’d have loved to have a name for this one after everything they’d done for her. Would it be rude to ask for one? … Possibly so for now she wouldn’t. Instead… “What do you think might be Gordon’s deal with this gnome?”

“It is clearly of great importance.”

“Well yeah, but why?”

“It is not my place to question the Freeman and what is important to him or why. Besides, you are both human. I feel your ability to understand him far exceeds mine.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s fair.” Understanding other people was never something she’d been particularly good at either though. She’d spent too much of her time growing up working in the lab to waste time getting good at interacting with people. “It’s just… at fist I thought it was for fun. Like it was something that was silly and not a big deal. That he thinks it’s cute or something so he wanted to carry it with him for a bit. But now I’m not so sure. And I’m not sure why but it just feels really weird. Like maybe it’s… not necessarily a bad thing but uh… like I should be worried about it or something.”

“Ask him when he returns?”

She could and maybe even should but… “We don’t really have time to stand around talking about stuff.” And she wouldn’t at all know how to ask without it perhaps sounding like she was suggesting he abandon the gnome which would be rather rude. “And it might be nothing, just him being a little weird. Which I think he’s earned the right to after everything he’s done for humanity.” She hadn’t thought about it before but he’d had an awful lot of weight resting on his shoulders for a while now. Even if he could bear it well and had so far fulfilled those expectations, it was probably still stressful. So why shouldn’t he be entitled to a little weirdness and an emotional support gnome?

Naturally, when climbing into the car with Gordon at the wheel, the gnome ended up in Alyx’s lap. She was quickly becoming just as much this thing’s protector as Gordon himself was. That was fine though. Even if it was a bit inconvenient at times, it was the least she could do. It still struck her as vaguely worrying but… probably it was just stress from the whole almost dying thing and the Combine being after them. Gordon was just a bit weird, she could respect that and it was rather charming.

Despite Gordon having been the one to almost end up as the Advisor’s meal – or whatever it had planned to do to him with its long tentacle tongue thing – he was the one helping Alyx to her feet. He had the HEV suit, yeah, but still.

“You okay?” he asked, his hands moving fast enough that she’d doubt she’d have been able to read it if it had been signs she wasn’t as familiar with.

“Yeah, I think so. What about…” She cut off as he turned and hurried away. Had he heard more Combine coming or… no, he was looking for the gnome. Which did at least mean he was probably okay… physically at least.

It didn’t take him long to find it. The bit of its hat that had been chipped off at the tip was a bit more pronounced now, the whole tip had broken off, noticeable even from over here. Gordon rubbed his thumb over it as he stared it.

“It’s mostly intact,” Alyx said as she joined him. “It’s got a flat tip now so uh… we could maybe paint over it later and it’ll look fine.”

He looked up at her for a moment, his face utterly unreadable, before looking down at it again. What he might be feeling was impossible for her to even guess but it couldn’t be good, could it? The gnome wasn’t just a silly fun thing if he’d been that worried about it. Before she could ask him about why it was so important to him though, a familiar thud of boots came from uncomfortably close to the room they were in, coming their way. “Combine.”

Gordon turned and quickly found a hiding spot for the gnome, turning back around just in time for said Combine soldiers to burst through the door.

A clatter and a familiar headcrab call drew Alyx’s gaze up to the rocket. Gordon was at the hatch, pulling Lamarr out of it. She wasn’t going easy but fighting and struggling the whole way. To no avail though, Gordon was far stronger than her, forcing her out without seemingly much effort at all. Then, holding her to his chest, he jumped down over the railing, landing with a clank that betrayed how heavy the HEV suit was. He then made his way back over to them and extend Lamarr towards Dad, clearly wanting him to take her as she squirmed and shrieked as loud as she could. Which was just loud enough to be annoying.

“Get that thing out of here or make it shut up,” Magnusson called from over by the control panel.

Dad let out a long suffering sigh as he accepted Lamarr from Gordon. She didn’t like to be held by him either but did calm down a little bit. “I suppose I’ll get her out of her before Manugsson gets any more insistent about it. I’ll finish catching up with you two later, okay?”

“Sure thing, catch up with you more in a bit.” Alyx might’ve gone with him but her curiosity about what Gordon was up to as immediately upon his hands being freed of Lamarr he’d turned head back up to the hatch again, was too strong. So as Dad left for the elevator, she followed Gordon.

There being only room up there for one she couldn’t follow him up it and thus couldn’t see what he did as he reached into the hatch. “What are you doing up there?” Was he doing some kind of super smart fix the others hadn’t caught? … Probably not. Likely he was just fixing whatever Lamarr had disturbed.

Either way he didn’t reply as he pulled back and shut the hatch before jumping down again, once more not bothering to take the safer way down. Hopefully once it came time for him to take the suit off, he’d remember to not do that anymore. For now though, she wouldn’t say anything as he sat on the railing surrounding the rocket. Instead…

“Where’s the gnome?” She looked around but… it was nowhere in sight. Gordon had brought it in as always and of course he’d had to have to put it down to grab Lamarr. But he should’ve picked it up again immediately like he’d been doing. Of course they were in a safe space now so maybe he was more okay with not holding it as much as possible but it still had to be nearby, right?

As she looked back at him for an answer, he pointed up towards the top of the platform by the rocket’s hatch. The gnome wasn’t up there though so… “In the rocket?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, uh… why?” That was the least safe spot for it around here.

He lifted hand hands and held them there for several second before replying. “I’m sending it to space. It’ll break if I keep carrying it around.”

Finally he was leaving it, making things easier for both of them. But… “Why don’t you just leave it here? I’m sure Dad would gladly keep it safe for you.”

Another long hesitation before Gordon answered. “I need to cut ties. It’s not a person so I need to stop and get rid of it but I don’t want to throw it a way or break it. Sending it to space feels right.”

Alyx’s hunch that the gnome had long ago ceased being a small fun thing was right. Whether it was a sign of something she should be worried about was still unclear. She leaned back against the wall as she lifted her hands to sign back. It meant she spoke a bit slower as she was still better at reading sign language than forming her own sentences in it but Magnusson was still on the other side of the rocket and if they finally had some time to talk, she wanted to do it without him overhearing if she could help it. “It’s okay to care about objects. Nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I know but… this isn’t that. It’s not normal. I need to stop.”

So… it was something to be worried about? Gordon certainly seemed to be implying it was but he was just so hard to read. His face was impassive and his hands as he signed weren’t particularly expressive. … He looked tired. She was too. Everyone was, right? Who couldn’t be tired when all of this was happening? They were getting closer and closer to freeing themselves of the Combine and that was great but as far as they’d come, there was still a lot to do. But he’d done the most out of any of them and was likely to do even more. And he was only human.

Everyone put him up on a pedestal, expecting so much of him. Even she had, how could she not after growing up hearing the ways people talked about him? After seeing from a distance the things he’d done that seemed almost inhuman? But the more time she spent with the more obvious it became that he was just guy like the rest of them. Smart and strong and blessed with a seeming endless supply of luck but still just a man. One who’d been through a lot. After the Black Mesa incident he’d been put into stasis and dropped into all of what was happening now.

“Are you okay?” How had she never thought to ask that before? She’d always assumed that he was despite how obvious it was was in hindsight that he might not be.

He lifted a hand but paused for a few moments before forming it into a, “No.” Sighing, he lowered it again, offering no further explanation.

Alyx pushed off the wall and walked over to stand next to him. “I’m sorry,” she whispered because she didn’t know what else to say. Putting a hand on his shoulder, the HEV suit’s metal was surprisingly somewhat warm, probably because of the power running through it. “Do you… wanna go find a place to sit down and rest a bit? We don’t have to talk about it or… anything if you don’t want to. But I think you’ve earned a rest.”

For the first time perhaps ever, certainly since she’d met him, his mask cracked, revealing the same kind of look a dying man gave a potential savior. “Please.”

Keeping her hand on his shoulder, offering whatever little comfort it could give when he probably couldn’t even feel it, she started guiding him back towards the elevator. Before they were even halfway there though, alarms started blaring as lights flashed, making both of them flinch.

Magnusson cursed, damn he was still here. “Gosh dang it. Gordon, since you’re still here, go make yourself useful and deal with that. It’s probably just crows again but maybe you can use your smarts to figure out how to make it stop going off all the time.”

Gordon’s face hardened once more as he pulled his crowbar off his chest and turned to obey. Alyx wanted to protest, insist he deserved a rest, let someone else handle it for once. But if it wasn’t a false alarm, he was still the best man for the job. It wasn’t fair but… life wasn’t fair.

[A/N] I imagine the way Alyx interacts with him following this is a bit different but ultimately the events would play out the same and this is about the gnome so I decided to leave it here.

#half life #half life 2 #gordon freeman #alyx vance #Gordon Freeman & Alyx Vance #freemance #can be read as platonic or romantic

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dragonking10 · 1 year

Text

You Made The Right Choice

WARNING: This story contains SEVERE ANGST and it WILL be sad, if your Lancaster Heart can't take it, I'd advise you to NOT read this. If you do, then have boxes of tissues ready. I hate myself for writing this.

Ruby was walking around trying to clear her head and felt regret for what she said to her friends, especially Jaune, as she was walking she heard a commotion going on near her and decided to quietly check it out.

When she got there she found Jaune with crazed rage in his eyes chasing down Curious Cat, after some time Jaune finally caught CC kneeled down with with one arm holding the cat in place.

CC: Jaune please you are unwell, you're not thinking straight.

Jaune: SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! THIS IS YOUR FAULT!!!

CC: Pardon my confusion but how exactly is this my fault?

Jaune: YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, YOU LED ALYX AND LEWIS TO THAT TREE BUT ONLY ONE MADE IT HOME. I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU DO THE SAME TO HER?

CC: Who?

Jaune tears welling up: RUBY!!! I'M NOT GONNA LOSE HER TOO!!!

CC: But you did that yourself when you chased her away!

That did not sit well with Jaune as his anger fulled up to a boiling point as he channeled all of his aura to his broken sword and raised it up preparing to strike the cat down.

Ruby panicked reached into her pouch that has her mags in it, she quickly pulled out a mag and load it into her weapon and aimed at Jaune's torso and slowly squeezed the trigger

BOOM

Jaune felt something hit his chest, he let go of the cat to raise his hand to feel his chest and felt something wet. The cat fled the moment he was released. Jaune raised his hand to see that it was his blood, he looked down to see a bullet hole on the left side of his armor and his blood pouring out, he slowly looked up to see who shot him, only to see Ruby with tears running down her face and her eyes widen in shock and guilt.

Ruby thought she loaded regular rounds that was meant to knock Jaune out, she knew regular rounds wouldn't pierce Jaune's armor. She quickly unloaded her weapon to see what round she put in. Her eyes widen in disbelief and sorrow as she stared at aromor piercing rounds, she must've loaded it by mistake, she looks up to Jaune as tears were flooding out of her eyes only to see... acceptance and relief in his eyes?

Jaune smiled at Ruby as blood started to pour a bit out of his mouth. Suddenly he dropped his broken sword and fell on his side with one hand covering the wound and the other just laying on the ground.

Ruby dropped her weapon and quickly ran to Jaune and took off her cloak and hold it against his wound trying to stop the bleeding and started to put her aura into him... but it's not enough.

Jaune: Ruby...

Ruby looks at Jaune

Jaune smiled trying to reassure her: You made the right choice.

Jaune frowned: I let you down.

Jaune started to cough up more blood

Jaune: I let everybody down.

Ruby: Jaune I.. I'M SO SORRY, THIS IS MY FAULT I DIDN'T MEAN FOR THIS TO HAPPEN I-

Jaune: No it's NOT your fault, it's my fault I was the one who chased you away, and I'm so sorry for what I said, I never meant to hurt you.

Ruby sobbing: Ma.. Maybe if I'd helped you save the Paper Pleasers you wouldn't have-

Jaune: No... They wanted to die... I was just so blind... so desperate to feel like a hero... but I never considered what they needed... I was selfish.

Jaune coughed up even more blood

Jaune: I... I thought I wanted this... asked for it... so many times... and now that it's happening... I'm scared.

Jaune coughed up blood again

Jaune: I'm afraid Ruby

Ruby quickly grabbed Jaune's bloodied hand to reassure him he's not alone.

Ruby: No... you don't have to be afraid... I'll always be here for you... just... just please... PLEASE HANG ON!!!

Jaune smiled: Oh you're... always good for a smile.

Ruby: Jaune... you will always be MY hero... I... I love yo-

Ruby cut herself off as she felt a sudden dread as he looked to Jaune's eyes that is glazed over with no sign of life

Ruby: J-Jaune?

No response. That was the last straw for Ruby as she screamed and sobbed hugging Jaune's body close. After some time she calmed down a bit as she noticed Jaune's broken sword. She slowly reached and grabbed the sword and stared at it.

Memories of the good times they had at Beacon, as RNJR and at Atlas. She stopped staring at the sword to look at Jaune for a moment and looked back at the sword. With her mind made up she grabbed the hilt and turned the sword around with the blade facing her torso. With one swift motion she quickly forced the sword through her chest.

Ruby coughed up blood and fell down on her side, her eyes were blurry and felt light headed with the amount of blood she's losing. She slowly looked at Jaune one last time and used all of her strength to slowly drag herself closer to Jaune. When she got close enough she slowly raised her hand to feel Jaune's face and slowly kissed his lips and put her forehead to his.

Ruby with her last breath: I'll always be there for you... wait for me... Jaune.

And just like that Ruby has also passed away.

#rwby lancaster #lancaster #lancaster angst #jaune x ruby #ruby x jaune #jaune arc x ruby rose #ruby rose x jaune arc #jaune arc #ruby rose #rwby #I hate myself for writing this

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pilot-boi · 1 year

Note

Sorry I made you sad. Here's something to balance it out:

Try thinking about Jaune escaping the Ever After and getting to see the skies of Remnant again for the first time in years.

Try thinking of Jaune, astride Juniper and wearing his helm, appearing to the refugees in Vacuo like a hero out of legend, asking if they were okay and needed help without thinking about it, because that's what he does.

Try thinking about their breaths being taken away, because a Legend came to save them.

Try thinking about Nora and Ren recognizing Jaune anywhere, and after the struggle to get the portal to l e t t h e m g o b a c k, tackling him in a hug and letting him know he's loved, no matter what he looks like.

Try thinking of him calling Saffron and Terra and seeing his sisters and nephew for the first time in years, and his sister saying "The Rusted Knight has always been a family favorite" through tears, while telling her son his uncle is a hero.

Try thinking of Ozma telling Jaune "one failure to a other, you've done so well", acknowledging the strength to KEEP TRYING that Jaune embodies.

Try thinking of Jaune, listless and angry and tired, reading an old book again and right there, whether it was written by Lewis or a repentant Alyx, there's a note at the end "Thank you JA"

Try thinking of an army of Huntsmen preparing to fight Salem, and they're all in good spirits. Because they have the Rusted Knight on their side, and they get to fight alongside their hero this day.

Try thinking of how much everyone will love Juniper; from Oscar, to Nora, to even Whitley and Willow getting to pet the fluffy Jackalope and how adorable it might be.

Try thinking of Jaune talking to Winter and her telling him that she has Penny's last thoughts in her head and all she could hear was "thank you, I'm so sorry" and Jaune being comforted like he deserves after so long.

Try to think of Jaune going home, and realizing that in what he perceived as failure, he became the hero he wanted to be.

Try to think of Jaune showering, shaving, and cleaning up, fixing his sword and armor, and gently, reverently picking up the red cloth he's held so dear and tying his hair back once more. "Keep watching over me, partner"

Try to think of how, even if he story is bleak now, there is still so much potential for happiness and love in the future.

Thank you ;-;

I needed this ;-;

#rwby #jaune arc #rwby spoilers #rwby volume 9 #mine #asks #anonymous

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stampy-offical · 2 days

Text

More of hells little darling!

Alyx is of course the one who first comes to come to grips with their feelings.

She finds this out through a talk with rosie.

It went like 'hey..Rosie?' "Yes sugar?" 'I was talking to friends about what kind of men or women we like...' "yes?" 'Well I was thinking a tall string caraing man..maybe even one who's good with kids and is a big softie..like he's a large teddy bear." 'Stampy.' "W-what?" 'You just told me you fell in love with stampy.' "...oh my lucifer." 'Don't worry honey. Girls get time to understand who they like before they become women. I wish you the best of luck!'

Stampy meanwhile Was oblivious and both him and husk were just laughing.

Husk:so...Alyx?

Stampy:huh?

Husk:come on you get a doopy smile chuckle a lot and you even get all stary eyed watching her fight.

Stampy:aye! She's just a very good and elegant dame. I like her cause she's smart hard working and a gentler soul. Simple. You however like angel.

Husk:huh? No I don't. I pity him.

Stampy:you make him special drinks save him from loan sharks shoot at any Vee employee who looks at him funny and baby his pet pig.

Husk:...he's good company and I like Nuggets..

Stampy:sure....

*five hours of drinks later.*

Stampy:*drubk as shit*..she doseny like me like that....I'm an old sun of a bitch...I'm a geezerr...she's a young strong lady...

Husk:*also drubk* im just...*hic* just sayikg..vall..Val dosent deserve angel I..I do I treat him roght.. I make him happy and all kinds of glad...I make him feel lovesd...

*both then pass out after another hour of drinks and pretentious finds them and while talking to them.*

Pretentious:I felt that way with Cherry bomb. Just be honest and hope for the best..

Husk:*Strugling to stand* i-ii I can do that..

Stampy:*grumbling about Later with his face on the counter.*

It took MONTHS of alastor and Dawn trying to get them together before they asked Nifty for help.

Nifty cracked her neck and grabbed Al's mic and yelled into it. "JUST KISS" "AND YOU GAYS NEED TO CONFESS! GET GOING!"

Charile then found out and started doing everything in her power to help while Vaggie and Rosie set up date ideas.

Rosie got stampy and alyx on a romantic walk in the most flowery part of cannibal town.

Vaggie meanwhile shoved Husk and angel into a restaurant the hotel denizens frequent.

After the dates they got congratulations and gifts from friends.

Lucifer of course got them ducks.

Alastor gave Stampy the talk. Alo stampy did was laugh and say if anyone's killing him it'd be Alyx or Dove. Not Him.

Husk meanwhile sent a pic of a sleeping angel dust with a note 'He's mine forever. FUCK YOU! The casino master PS your staff are banned from my business'

The Vees still keep hearing the bitch fests Valentino has about it.

Vellette tried to harass Stampy about his engagement in a overlord meeting only for stampy to snap back.

Vel:come on you geezer isn't she a little young for you?

Stampy:isn't this position of power too much responsibility for you?

Vel:listen here you old fossil!

Stampy:and last I checked your love life wasn't better. Why are you here again? Oh right! Murdering your Ex! Which one was he? 1st? 2nd?

Vel:*ashamed* 4th...

Stampy:1st ex left her for her mother. 2nd left you for the neighbor. 3rd ran away with your dad. And then there's the men who used you to get to your cousins. Or your friends.

Vel:*turning red* SHUT THE FUCK UP!

Stampy:what was that old phrase? Always a bridesmaid never a bride? Well yours is worse. Always the matchmaker never the partner. I might have never dated in my living life. But at least I'm doing better then you.

Alastor:*who saw everything with the other overlords* This is a productive meeting!

Zesteail:*Laughing at Vellette*

That little dig resulted in 5 non stop weeks of vee attacks. All the while husk and stampy have the time of their lives mocking them.

Alastor meanwhile is with dove just enjoying the good married life and spending time watching their daughter enjoy her afterlife.

#hells little darling

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spahhzy · 1 year

Text

It just went into my head and poof.

Jaune stood across from the Possessed Neo, who had an eerie grin on her face.

"The Rusted Knight here to once again try and save the day," Neo said as she brought out Hush.

"You should have let Alyx kill you...alas I will enjoy finishing the job," Neo said, but Jaune just said nothing as he pulled out the broken sword of his family lineage.

"Alright, you guys... go save Ruby, this is between me and the Cat" a thump on the head as Jaune looked up to see Juniper looking at him and the back at the cat.

"No, Juniper, you take them to the tree they need you right now," Jaune said as he donned the helmet.

The jackalope whined as Jaune put his head to the animals ear .

"You've been very good to me, my friend...thank you and please do me this one last request okay," Jaune said to Juniper, who still whined but moved to where Yang, Blake and Weiss was.

"Jaune... you better be careful, " Yang said as she and Blake raced into the tree, Weiss looked hesitant, looking back at Jaune, she saw that Jaune was giving her a thumbs up and Weiss nodded to herself and haven't to go help save her leader.

"I tire of this story Rusted Knight truly I do...and who knows maybe when I'm done with this body...I'll take yours next!" Was all Neo said before charging forward as Jaune brought up his shield and prepared for what could be his final fight.

*I can't write a fight scene*

Jaune panted as Neo came in for another blow. Jaune brought up his shield before trying to bash the Possessed Neo's face, only for her to shatter before being kicked from behind.

Jaune fell down to the ground in a heap, and he was slow to get up.

"Why, Rusted Knight, why...why do you it?" She asked as suddenly more copies of Neo sprang forth each, turning into someone Jaune knows.

Nora.

Ruby.

Yang.

Blake.

Saphron.

Terra.

Ren.

Oscar.

Ozpin.

... Pyrhha.

...and finally Weiss.

"Why, why get up?" they all said as Jaune shut his eyes, trying to drown out their voices.

"Do you believe you're fighting for something?" said Ozpin behind him as Jaune tried to swipe weakly at him, but Ozpin vanished

"Can you tell me what it is do you even know?" Ren said to him as Jaune weakly swiped back at him, but he too vanished.

"Is it freedom or truth?" Ruby said, standing in front with a smirk as Jaune just stared at her before she kicked him down again.

"Perhaps peace?" Oscar said over top of him as suddenly he kicked Jaune in the stomach who groaned as his aura flickered.

"Or maybe you fight for love" Came the voices of both Pyrrha and Weiss as They both came into his view, and Jaune felt his breath hitch as he felt two weapons pressed up against his chest before they fired.

Jaune was sent flying, and his aura shattered.

Jaune weakly got up as he saw all the copies suddenly vanish as Neo stood infront of him.

"Illusions Rusted Knight, constructs of your broken mind, feebly trying to justify his own actions," She said as she began to stalk up to her prey.

"Can't you see it, Rusted...no Jaune.. it's pointless to go on, you can't win. " Jaune just breathed as he shakily stood back up." As Neo gritted her teeth.

"Why, Jaune, why why? Why do you persist!?" Neo shouted out in frustration as Jaune struggled, catching his breath before looking Neo with a small smile.

"Because I choose to"

The cat heard enough, and Neo, with Hush in hand, closed the gap as Jaune stood still with no movement whatsoever.

Hush found its way through Jaune chest.

Neo smirked.

"Now, Jaune, you can die, and I can go visit your friend Ruby -" Neo was cut off as suddenly Jaune hands grabbed onto Neo's shoulders.

"What the-" Jaune smashed his helmet into Neo's face, causing her aura to flicker.

"Stop! You what are you-"

Smash!

Jaune smashed his head against hers once more, causing Neo's aura to shatter.

Neo could say nothing as Jaune hands began to glow as suddenly Neo could feel a warmth within her as Jaune aura flowed through her.

"Wh-what how are you doing this!?" Curiosity Cat screamed out in pain as Jaune said nothing but continued pushing forth his aura as Neo/Cat screamed out loud.

Suddenly Neo's eyes glowed and out the same way he came in, the evil Cat was expelled from Neo's body.

Curiosity Cat looked at Jaune and Neo, the latter still processing what the hell just happened.

"Damn you, Jaune Arc!" was all the cat said as he ran in the direction of Team RWBY.

Neo looked at where she had hush and pulled it out of Jaune's chest and tried to keep Jaune upright.

"Heh-glad to see your back to yourself," Jaune said as blood dripped from the open wound.

Neo said nothing but had a look that said, 'why?'.

Jaune chuckled.

"I really... really hate that cat," Jaune said as he fell off Neo's shoulder, alarming the girl.

"Sides...you...you've been strung around by people... you know the truth now... your anger is misplaced at the wrong person.. I think you deserve a chance to try and be better. " Neo just frowned as Jaune just layed flat on the ground as he looked up at the tree.

"Go..help fight" Neo shook her head and pointed at him.

"Don't worry about me...go help them all for me" Neo eyes were downcast, but he nodded to him before starting to run in the direction of where the cat went.

Jaune breathing was beginning to get labored as he heard the sound of that damn cat screams fill the air as suddenly the tree began to glow bright.

"Heh... Curiosity really killed the cat"

"Mr. Knight?" Jaune weakly turned his head, and to his shock, their was Alyx looking at him with a soft smile.

Jaune just turned back to the big tree and chuckled.

"I really am dying, aren't I?" He asked himself as the form of Alyx sat down at his side to which she nodded solemnly.

Jaune just laughed.

"I'm sorry, Jaune." Said Alyx ceasing Jaune's laughter.

"You...ain't got nothing... to be sorry for," Jaune told her, and Alyx just shook her head.

"I do...I just don't know how to go about fixing it," Alyx said as Jaune didn't say anything as he was starting to feel very sleepy.

"Hey Jaune?"

"Hm?"

"What do you think you'll ascend to?"

"Up to the tree.."

"I know, but..what do you want to re-birth as"

"..."

"Jaune?"

Jaune eyes were vacant as the glorious glow of the tree was the only thing filling his eyes.

Alyx nodded to Jaune as she heard the sounds of footsteps coming her way, using the time to make herself scarce.

"JAUNE!" Came the voice of Weiss as she rode in Juniper.

"No," She whispered, seeing Jaune laying down and not moving.

She got to his side and gently raised him up before giving him a hug as tears fell down her face.

Suddenly, Jaune's body was enveloped in a ray of gold as he suddenly began to lift up away from Weiss grasp.

She tried futility to hold on, but she knew the truth.

It was his time to ascend.

And so...

She let him go.

#jaune arc #neopolitian (rwby)#weiss schnee

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