136

Chapter 136Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"Hey kid. Been a while, hasn't it? Just thought I'd keep you company. Sorry I wasn't here for your birthday, there were a lot of grimm to clear out, even with you pullin' most back here when you blasted the hell outta that Wyvern. You've… You've been asleep for about four months now. Can't believe Goodwitch pulled this shit on me, told me to keep an eye on the school instead of going on the Relic hunt- why her? She's the responsible one. She's the administrator… why the fuck is she going off to fight assassins and throw herself against Salem's forces when she knows how to handle the responsibility better? I'm barely keeping myself afloat here, even with Barty and Peter's help. Fuck… I wish none of this had happened. I don't tell you this enough but…"

Qrow sighed, shaking his head as his monologue ran out of steam. He took a deep breath, mulling over his words for a long moment as he leaned his head back and let it thump against the cool, crystal surface that kept a barrier between his dearest niece and the world. Sometimes it felt like he was her dad more than Tai- even with the fact that they'd jointly raised the kids after her grimmification, Ruby was the one that spent more time with him. Looked more like him. Acted… like Summer. She was pure and good and all the best things in the world and Qrow missed her so much even after so many years since her disappearance. "I miss you kid. Tai's been going kinda insane now that the house is empty again, throwing himself into missions in the area. I know he hasn't been back to see you lately, I'm sorry. I've been trying really, really hard to get him to come but… I think he needs a little more time. He's… he's still trying to process the idea that you're still here . That this isn't a coffin or a grave, that you can hear us. Talk to us. I know it. Yang knows it. Cinder knows it. Penny knows it. So… wake up as soon as you can, alright? I don't want you to miss out on too much while you're under."

He paused, taking a swig of his drink- water, sadly, because he'd sworn off alcohol for the most part after that bastard Marcus Black had taken his Semblance, and while he really, really wanted a drink now… he still had a school to run. Still had things to do. Because for some godforsaken reason, Glynda had decided fuck responsibility for the first time in her life, shoved her access codes at Qrow, made him tell her what contingencies he was supposed to know, took The Long Memory from Ozpin's corpse, and made plans to go hunting for relics around the world.

"Yang, Weiss, and Blake ran to Menagerie to get away from Weiss' shitty dad. They were supposed to just go there on vacation and let Blake's parents know she's fine, but I guess they're spending extra time away from Vale to make sure he doesn't find them. Bastard'd never go so far as to land in a colony full of faunus who all hate him. They're doing alright. Apparently Blake has better parents then just about anyone else we know, me n' Tai included. Penny's still in Atlas putting in all that work you two planned out but never got around to. She says hi, but that she can't really talk much because she's busy protecting Mantle while James does some stupid plan of his to try and turn the Amity Colosseum into a mobile fortress or some shit… Team JNPR and CMNE went relic hunting with Goodwitch… gods… and here we are, still rebuilding, still making sure everything's okay. At least the relic here is safe. At least the CCT's back up and things aren't as bad as they could have been," Qrow mentioned, continuing to let his head thump against the crystal of Ruby's prison, grimacing as he thought about the new school year coming soon. New students to conduct Initiation on, new faces in the crowd, Beacon returning to life after a messy end to the semester… who knew how many people would actually come. Thank fuck the automated system for sending out acceptance letters hadn't triggered until after they'd gotten the CCT Tower back up and running… 

"New school year's coming up. Kinda hate the idea of actually being a temporary headmaster while Glynda's away… can't imagine why she left. Soon as you all get back together, by the way… whenever it happens, I'm putting you in whatever year you're supposed to be. Second, third, fourth- Ruby, you're strong enough now, skilled enough that you're damn near the best. You could pick up a Huntsman license right now and be cleared to fight… even if you'd be a little behind on your studies. Whatever. You already know just about everything you'd need to anyway, 'cept how to fly a Bullhead or whatever."

Nothing but silence and darkness answered him, the echoing walls of the grimmstuff castle continuing to be stalwart and silent for all that they continued to move around him- a carpet of thorns worming around and protecting the rose in the center of the throne room, walls that occasionally opened up with unseeing eyes that looked around before closing again, bone structures warping and twisting in ways that no normal structure could withstand as they twirled in and out of existence… Gods, what a nightmarish thing that Ruby's subconscious had created. A thing that exemplified annihilation in the form of the grimm, harsh lines and jagged spires and hateful, burning eyes… but those eyes seemed a little less hateful now. Wherever Ruby was, something was happening to her. What it was, Qrow didn't know. Why it was happening, Qrow couldn't say.

Idly, he withdrew his scroll from his pocket and checked his messages- the last thing Glynda had sent him weeks ago was the documentation that he'd need for just about every facet of his job, including how to hire on an assistant should he be unable to keep up. He might as well get Tai for the job, given how shit he was at handling his own responsibilities.

Gods.

"I'm sorry, Ruby. I'm so fucking sorry. I couldn't protect you in the woods, I couldn't protect you while you were gaining your humanity back, I… I ruined your childhood. I turned you into a grimm killing machine, yeah, but… you should have had the chance to be a normal girl. What was that joke you and Yang had? A normal girl with normal knees? I wish you had been. A normal little girl who got to grow up in a happy family with a good dad, an amazing mom, the world's best older sisters, a second mom who actually got her head out of her ass for once, and a cool uncle who wasn't a drunk piece of shit bastard," Qrow grumbled, a single, solitary tear beading down his face as he continued to thunk his head against the crystal rose, just rambling and reminiscing now of random things because… really, he'd said all the important things already in the past days, weeks. He was just repeating himself, even with how much he was beating himself up now. His hand dropped, scroll clattering to the ground as he went all but limp and stared at the darkened ceiling, which occasionally pulsed in swirls of red and the occasional green spot. 

What a fucking mess.

It hadn't been anywhere near as bad as it could have been, but… fuck.

Qrow sighed once more, groaning as he tried to keep track of everything and everyone that he needed to keep tabs on. The Vale council, the school, the Atlesian Ace Ops and Specialists that were still in Vale, Tai and Zwei, the professors, the students… gods. Dammit Glynda- of all the times to grow a fucking need to run away , it had to be now .

"I'll come back tomorrow with something nice for ya. I know how much you like Valeburger, even if it's garbage. I'll get you as much as I can, make sure you've got a feast to make up for missing your three favorite holidays in a row," Qrow promised, pushing himself up as a message rang out on his scroll- Winter Schnee, demanding access to his office so they could plan out their next steps in securing Vale from further attack and also to talk about the conspiracy that she'd been inducted into at some point.

As he began to walk away, Qrow could have sworn he felt a pulse of Aura behind him- something that brought the scent of rose petals to the air as the thorns around him slowly cleared a path back to the entrance of the castle. He smiled, if only just. 

"Thanks for listening to me, kid. And… here. It's not much, but… I know how much you like this song, so…"

He turned and set down a small music player- red, of course, and with a custom silver rose logo sprayed onto the plastic shell, because Qrow refused to give something so important to Ruby without making sure she knew it was hers- onto the floor, activating it and letting it play out Ruby's favorite song. He turned, then, and walked away as the sound of guitars and heavy rock music began to push away the silence in the castle walls, bringing with it the scent of roses and life.

Qrow didn't look back, but if he had… he would have seen one of Ruby's ears twitch ever so slightly as the vocals of her favorite song kicked in.

"The dream that you've always dreamed is suddenly about to flower-!"

Notes:

I'd have used a more melancholic song but uh.... This Will Be The Day is what Ruby was listening to in V1E1 so fuck it we ball