95

Chapter 95:

"Kyo-nii!" shouted Ruby, breaking into a run ahead of Sasame, rushing straight for her brother, who laughed and held out his arms to her. Ruby jumped into them, hugging him enthusiastically, Kyo returning the embrace with all the enthusiasm he could muster.

Per their plans, Kyo would meet up with Ruby and Sasame in the settlement of Ayame, on the western coast of Anima. Amongst other things, the town was also known as the "Gateway to the West," where many of the goods imported from Sanus were brought in. It was as good a place as any to find passage to a port in Sanus, where they could make their way across to Leng. If they were lucky, they might even be able to find someone willing to take them all the way to Leng.

It had been a long journey, one that had been made a few days longer by the detour Ruby and Sasame had wound up taking to help Oscar. As a result, Kyo had spent a few days waiting in Ayame for them. The residents certainly hadn't minded, all too happy to have a few extra Grimm-free days to enjoy themselves.

"You've grown some, since I last saw you," said Kyo.

"Of course," said Ruby proudly, throwing her shoulders back and resting fists on her hips. "Just because I've been traveling around doesn't mean I've been neglecting myself. I've been drinking milk in every place we went through."

Both Sasame and Kyo chuckled at that. "That wasn't quite what I was talking about," Kyo said, to Ruby's disappointed "Aaaawww..." His expression softened again. "You've gotten stronger again, Ruby-chan. And, unless I'm mistaken, your bond with your sword has grown too."

Ruby's disappointment was wiped out in an instant. She began to nod her head so rapidly that it was practically a blur. "Yeah! Guess what! My sword can transform!"

"Oh?" Kyo raised an eyebrow.

Ruby quickly stepped back, drawing Akaibara. A second later, she was holding two swords instead of one.

"My my..." said Kyo, an excited smile of his own appearing. "I know Murasame-sama had integrated some form of transformational component into his creation, but to think it was something that suited you so perfectly..."

"Of course it was," said Sasame, "it's a sword he forged specifically for Ruby-chan, after all."

Ruby nodded, bringing her swords back together, so that she could sheath it.

"In that case, perhaps a sparring match is in order," said Kyo, scratching his chin. "I'd like to see what you can do now myself."

Ruby began to hop up and down in excitement. "Oh yes yes yes yes yes! Please! Let's spar, Kyo-nii!"

Sasame laughed, resting a hand atop Ruby's head, forcing her back down to the ground. "One thing at a time, Ruby-chan. Let's get our things settled at the inn. Kyo, have you made arrangements for our trip out?"

"Not yet," said Kyo. "Seeing as I wasn't sure when you'd arrive, I didn't want to speak for anyone's time until I had confirmation that you were actually here."

"Then get that squared away first," said Sasame in a firm tone that brooked no argument. "Check and see who can take us across, and when. If you can find someone willing to take us all the way around Sanus and straight to Leng, so much the better."

"Awwwwww..." Now both Ruby and Kyo were groaning in disappointment.

Sasame muffled a giggle in the back of her throat. Like brother, like sister. "Once you get those things done, Kyo, then you can spar with Ruby-chan. But no sooner. I'm off to the hospital to do my part in earning our keep, so I trust you to do your chores as well."

"Yes, Sasame-nee," said Ruby, she and Kyo slumping in defeat, once again eliciting a restrained giggle from Sasame.

By the time Ruby had gotten her and Sasame's luggage, light as it was, settled at the inn, made arrangements to get her outfit laundered, and taken care of the other minutia that came with making a stop in any of the settlements on the course of their journey, it was lunchtime. Thanks to Kyo, the innkeeper had already been expecting her and Sasame, and was happy to provide Ruby with a meal. Ruby ate ravenously, especially hungry after several days-worth of field rations and forage. She'd learned a great deal about both finding and making her own food from Sasame, especially over the course of this journey, but that didn't change the fact that obtaining food in the wilderness was always a time-consuming chore, and it was rare that they had enough food for Ruby to truly eat her fill.

Her stomach full, Ruby sat back to enjoy a quiet afternoon, waiting until Kyo returned from his attempts to find passage for them.

It was another couple of hours before Kyo returned. He'd had some luck on this day. There had been a couple of ships leaving for Sanus. Their captains had been reluctant to allow Kyo and the others to embark though, mostly because the captains had felt that the promise of a Grimm-free voyage wasn't worth the risk of being caught with a wanted criminal as a passenger. However, Kyo had gotten word of a captain, arriving in another two days, who was known to have looser standards and, more importantly, might be willing to make the longer trip to Leng for the compensation that Kyo claimed the Mibu Clan could provide them.

Her stomach having been settled from lunch, Ruby was more than happy to take up Kyo's offer of a spar, and the two of them had moved to an open area just outside the settlement, where they could fight without worrying about causing any collateral damage to the settlement itself.

Their match was brief, and Ruby could tell that Kyo was holding back to give her a chance to demonstrate everything she'd gained over the course of her journey. But it was still fun all the same. Seeing his blissfully proud smile at the sight of all she had accomplished was more than enough to make her happy, even though she was left on her back with his sword at her throat.

"You've gotten a lot stronger, Ruby-chan," said Kyo, beaming at her.

"But not strong enough," said Ruby, smiling in spite of her words.

"You'll get there, Ruby-chan," said Kyo, helping her to her feet. "I know that, no matter what, you'll keep moving forward. You've passed several important hurdles on this trip, and you still have more growing to do. The day when you leave us to go to Beacon is not so far off.

Ruby's face practically shined with joy. Little did she and Kyo know that the day she would go to Beacon was even closer than they'd anticipated.

In anticipation of a possible ride, the trio stayed two more days in town, before the captain who might have been able to take them to Leng arrived. When he did, Ruby was shocked to see that it was the very same captain who had taken them across the sea on her first journey to the Mibu homeland. True to the promise he'd made last time, said captain had agreed to whatever they wanted before Kyo and Sasame could even begin to articulate their request.

Fortunately, the journey to Leng was free of pirates this time, being completely uneventful. Again, upon their arrival in Leng, the captain and his crew were handsomely compensated for their willingness to go out of their way for the trio, and he reiterated his promise that he was at their service, should their paths ever cross again.

After arriving in Leng, it was a much shorter walk to get back to Onmyo, where Ruby's friends and family were waiting for her. Sora's Guards had gotten wind of their arrival, and gone ahead of them. So it was that, as soon as they set foot within Onmyo's city-limits, Ruby was beset by Natsuki, who tackled her in an excited hug, followed by Miyu and Setsuna. After trading greetings with her friends, along with promises to tell them all about what had happened during her journey, Ruby and her siblings were off to the palace to see their family.

They made their way unchallenged, all the way up until they reached the fourth gate, where Shinrei was waiting for Ruby, along with Sora and Murasame.

"Welcome home, Ruby-chan," said Sora, enfolding her adopted daughter in a warm hug.

"I'm back, Kaa-san," said Ruby, snuggling into the embrace.

After a moment of basking in each other's affection, the pair released each other so that Ruby could offer a proper greeting to Murasame. She bowed politely, while the Mibu Blademaster beamed at her.

"I hope that my child has served you well, Ruby-chan," said Murasame.

Ruby blushed. "She's a bit of a troublemaker," she admitted, "but we get along just fine. In fact..." Ruby stepped back so that she could draw Akaibara, before splitting the sword into Bara and Ibara, prompting an impressed whistle from Shinrei, and a pleased chuckle from Murasame.

"So...you're that far along already," he said. "Always exceeding expectations, Ruby-chan."

Ruby blushed, bowing her head slightly. Reaching out, Murasame fondly ruffled her hair.

"I trust you've experienced a great deal during your journey," said Sora. "I look forward to hearing all about it. Your friends will too. Unfortunately, we couldn't invite all your peers this time, but we were still planning on celebrating your birthday, once you got back."

"Ah...but that was two weeks ago," said Ruby.

It was unfortunate, but the prolonged nature of their journey meant that Ruby's birthday had passed while she and Sasame were on the road between settlements.

"But that doesn't mean your friends can't celebrate it with you, does it?" said Sora. "Even if it's later than usual this year, they still want to congratulate you on being a year older. And they have presents for you too."

"I...I mean..." Ruby fidgeted, lowering her head and tapping her index fingers together bashfully. "I don't want anyone to feel like they have to go through extra trouble."

"That would only be a problem if it actually was trouble," said Shinrei, ruffling her hair playfully. "But, since it's for you, celebrating is the furthest thing from being trouble for us."

"Very true," agreed Sora, laughing as well. "Besides, it's a chance for all of us to hear your stories, and learn about your experiences. I'm quite looking forward to finding out what you've been through, since we last talked."

"O-okay," said Ruby nervously.

Despite it being well into November, Ruby had to admit that she enjoyed her small, belated birthday party. Besides Natsuki, Miyu, and Setsuna, Murasame and Shinrei were the only other guests. Makoto stopped by briefly, but that was it. It consisted of a dinner that they ate together, followed by cake and presents, then her friends stayed for a sleepover with her.

All told, it was the best welcome-back Ruby could have ever wished for. Being on the road and traveling another land entirely had been a wonderful experience. She'd seen and been through so much in the past few months. But she had to admit that it was good to be home, surrounded by her friends and family. After everything she had been through, it would actually be a shame to have to go back to egular life and training for a while. But Sasame and Kyo promised that they were already coming up with another trip for her. Ruby wondered if they'd be going through the deserts of Vacuo next, or maybe the icy plains of Solitas. However, that would have to come later.

While the other students in Ruby's class got to enjoy their winter breaks, Ruby was stuck playing catchup on the schoolwork she'd missed while she was away. It was a special arrangement, and one of the rare cases where her connection to the Royal Family afforded her an extra advantage. No one in her class really thought to complain about it though, once they saw how Ruby was stuck seeing tutors and writing papers day after day, while they were free to go out and enjoy the season. Still, seeing as it was an arrangement that had allowed her to take such a fantastic journey, Ruby didn't complain.

After that, it was back to business as usual, including the occasional assassin coming after her again. Their attacks were more infrequent, after she'd been gone for the better part of a year. Even though they had identified the ones who'd hired or sent assassins after Ruby, Sora and the other Taishiro declined to take action against them for the most part, seeing the assassins as an extra training opportunity for Ruby. It seemed that those who had sent the assassins interpreted such restraint as a sort of approval of their attempts to rid the Mibu of the "dirty outsider" who plagued them.

The only time they did take action was when an assassination attempt occurred right in the middle of class, with the assassin crashing through the windows, showering her fellow students with broken glass in an attempt to get at her. Following that, Sora had ordered the assassin and his master imprisoned for a full twenty years as a reminder that attacks that endangered others besides Ruby would not be tolerated.

Sasame stepped off the path that stretched between the first and second gates. Here, in this forest setting, she wandered amidst the trees, her way winding between them, until she reached a set of sliding doors that were set into the trunk of a particularly massive specimen. Within, she found a room that would not have seemed out of place in any normal house out amongst the Mibu. Tatami mats covered the floors, while sliding doors and walls partitioned off the space, including a bedroom, kitchen, and storage room. The storage room in particular hosted several jars that Sasame knew to be filled with sake.

"You called for me, Saisei-sama?" asked Sasame, kneeling on the floor.

"Ah, there you are, my wayward student," commented Saisei, emerging from the storage room, jug in hand, her black hair trailing on the floor behind her. "Have you come to your senses yet, or do you have still more larking about to do, before you finally take up your responsibilities?"

"I'm afraid I cannot succeed you just yet, Saisei-sama," said Sasame, her eyebrow twitching, in spite of the cheery tone she inserted into her voice.

The corner of Saisei's mouth quirked. "Is that so. I am beginning to think that you have no wish to enter the Goyosei."

"That is not true," said Sasame.

"So, in other words, you wish to continue wasting your time with that whelp you and Sora-sama have adopted," noted Saisei, sitting herself down. Unlike Sasame, Saisei adopted a much more casual posture, crossing her legs and leaning back.

"Please do not speak of Ruby-chan in such demeaning terms," said Sasame, her tail flicking behind her with agitation.

"Then you should cease using her as your excuse to avoid the responsibilities you once sought for yourself," said Saisei, leaning over to rest one hollow cheek against her fist. "You once sought my rank, because you believed in your duty to the clan. Yet now, you use that child as a way to escape that responsibility at every turn."

"I merely wish to help see Ruby-chan's training through to its end," said Sasame.

Saisei huffed softly. "Truly, what a remarkable child she is. Goyosei and Taishiro alike seem drawn to dote on her, as though she were some holy thing. I wilt with disappointment every time I hear another assassination attempt has failed."

"That is an unkind thing to say of my sister, Saisei-sama," said Sasame.

"And yet, I cannot help but notice that, Outsider or no, that child is an impediment to the proper governance of our clan," said Saisei, her words making Sasame twitch. "Shinrei diverts his duties and redistributes his workload amongst the rest of us so that he might train her. My apprentice; who once expressed so much eagerness about taking my place, who once waxed on for hours about all the good she wished to use this position to do for the clan; has seen fit to use her as an excuse to put off promotion to that selfsame position for several years. Murasame-sama has seen fit to bestow upon her an honor that many born into the clan would sacrifice their lives for. Even Sora-sama, for all that she at least does her own work, apparently sees fit to allow these lapses to occur with nary a remark."

"Because we believe that Ruby-chan is important," said Sasame.

"Important…to whom?" asked Saisei. "You all must remember that, from beginning to end, you have sworn to serve the Mibu. When you take actions, when you make decisions, those must be weighed against the scale of your clan. That child, these favors, these indulgences; where do they rest on this scale? If you have the intention of serving this clan, then your actions must be in service of that service. Tell me, how does spending so much time and energy on this one child serve the Mibu?"

"In multiple ways," said Sasame. "In the near-future, Ruby-chan shall attend an Academy, and become a Huntress."

"What of it?" asked Saisei. "We have no use for the products of the Kingdoms' Academies amongst us. I ask you again, what benefit is that to the Mibu?"

"I believe that Ruby-chan shall become a bridge, between the Mibu and the outside world," said Sasame. "Even though, as a Huntress, she will be serving the people of the Kingdoms, she will do so as one who was raised by the Mibu, and shall represent us to the rest of the world, a connection that we can use to forge deeper bonds in the future."

"You seem to be operating under the assumption that we, the Mibu, wish to forge such bonds in the first place," said Saisei. "Last I heard, the stricture against engaging with the Kingdoms in any meaningful fashion, save for your and Kyo's sojourns, was still in place. We have no need of them, and they have no regard for us. So long as they do not intrude upon our territory, I do not see any reason for us to seek such bonds."

"Sora-sama thinks otherwise," said Sasame. "We believe that the Kingdoms have much to offer us, and we them."

"And yet, the opinion I just expressed is still the majority amongst the Mibu," said Saisei, "at least, amongst those who care enough to have and opinion."

"Ruby-chan will benefit us there as well," said Sasame. "Already, she stands amongst her peers as a sterling example of a truly good person, regardless of where she originated. The bonds she has forged amongst her friends and classmates will serve as a foundation for changing that viewpoint."

Saisei's throat bobbed. She twitched, then threw her head back in a haughty laugh. Sasame grimaced, her tail flicking behind her. Finally, after over a minute of laughing, Saisei calmed back down.

"Well now, Sasame…I did not know you were seeking to become a clown, instead of taking my place. You should have told me."

"I speak in earnest, Saisei-sama," said Sasame.

"Then you speak in folly," said Saisei, her smile disappearing. "If your words held any weight, then those insipid fools would have given up on their assassination attempts by now. Yet they stubbornly send killer after killer. And do you know why?"

Sasame said nothing, casting her gaze downwards.

"Because the bonds that this child forges with other children mean next to nothing," said Saisei. "True, in the years to come, those children might become the heads of their families, and use their changed worldviews to soften their own children's attitudes towards outsiders. But what of the families of those who have not been in contact with your sister? I suppose that means you intend on making this plan of yours come to fruition in another century or so. I know that, to us Mibu, that doesn't mean as much as it would to an outsider. But I had thought you were looking for something more immediate."

"I…am," said Sasame.

"Then why do you dither?" asked Saisei, her expression hardening. "You know full well a way to affect greater change, more quickly, than this nonsense you have regaled me with. You know what you truly need to do, if you wish to achieve your aims."

Sasame swallowed.

"Without question, Saisei of the Goyosei would be able to do infinitely more to achieve your aims than Mitarai Sasame, sister of Ruby Rose. Yet you delay…Take your place. Accept the duty you once sought. Work towards the end that you seek. Take on the responsibility you were once so eager for, before Kyo and that child corrupted you."

Sasame looked down, curling her hands into fists against the floor.

"Well…" prodded Saisei.

"I…can't," said Sasame. "Not yet."

Saisei sagged and groaned. "So, you are still determined to shirk. It seems I will have to seek another apprentice then."

"Please," said Sasame, raising her head. "Three more years."

Saisei raised an eyebrow. "Three…you say."

Sasame nodded slowly. "Three more years," she pleaded. "Let me see Ruby-chan off to Beacon. After that, I shall immediately succeed your name." She bowed low, lowering her head all the way to the floor. "I admit…this is purely selfish indulgence on my part. But…I wish to spend as much time as I can as Ruby-chan's sister, before she leaves us. Please accept this foolish, selfish desire of mine. After that, I assure you that I will take your place, and serve the Mibu with complete devotion."

Saisei regarded her silently. "Truly…you are a fool," she said slowly. "I would be better served by taking the time to train a new apprentice with a proper sense of duty…"

Sasame said nothing, keeping her head lowered.

Saisei was silent a moment longer. Then she exhaled slowly, lowering her head. "Three years," she said. "Use them well. I will not accept anymore delays."

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Saisei-sama," said Sasame.

"That child must be affecting me as well," grumbled Saisei, taking a swig from her jug. "I am much too lenient for my own good."

The year went on, Ruby continuing to work in both classes and training. Even though she continued to study swordsmanship under Shinrei, she also continued to work on developing her own Manifestation. Her success with using wind had encouraged her over the past year, and she continued to refine that. On top of that, she also began to explore techniques for generating and controlling lightning. Despite her best efforts, understanding of the scroll that Sarutobi Sasuke had left behind eluded her, so Ruby had gone on to the next best thing, learning to convert her Aura into electrical energy.

To accomplish that, she joined Natsuki for a few lessons under Keikoku, learning the basis behind the fire-techniques of the Mumyo Homusubi Ryu. That had been an exciting experience. Granted, it was mostly a stopgap, which would allow her to understand the nature of lightning and electricity some more. But it was something she could work with. In fact, as Natsuki's skills continued to grow alongside Ruby's own, the two of them began to spar with one another. Occasionally, Setsuna joined in, with Miyu looking on, ready to heal those who were injured as part of her ongoing work as Sasame's apprentice.

Then Ruby happened upon a discovery…

"Look at this!" Ruby shouted, spinning in her black kimono with its red sash and short, slightly ruffled skirt. Combined with the black stockings on her legs, Ruby's new set of clothes looked to be a mix between the styles of the Mibu Clan and what the people of Vale typically wore, being a little like the dress she'd used to wear, before she'd come to Leng. It was accented by the armor she'd received for her thirteenth birthday on her shoulders and hips.

"You look nice, Ruby-chan," said Natsuki, frowning in spite of her words. "But…were you really spending so much time working in secret on an outfit? That's not like you at all."

Miyu and Setsuna nodded in agreement, where they sat, on one of the couches in the Royal Family's living room. It was reasonable to be confused by this. After all, getting Ruby to shop for clothes in general, much less anything fashionable, was like pulling teeth.

And yet, Ruby had been spending more time than usual apart from her friends lately, claiming she was working on something secret. After a few weeks of this odd behavior, complete with her dodging questions about what it was that she'd been working on, Ruby had called them up to the palace, gathered them in the living room, and appeared before them in this outfit.

Ruby pouted at the confusion she'd received in place of enthusiasm. "Well…do you notice anything in particular?" she asked.

"You left out your haori," said Miyu. "But I thought you liked it."

"I did," said Ruby. "But I found something better."

"Not wearing a haori," guessed Natsuki, a slight teasing inflection to her voice.

Ruby pouted at her, making Natsuki giggle softly, a sound that was echoed by Miyu, while Setsuna coughed politely into his hand.

Ruby's smile quickly returned though, becoming an eager grin. "This is cool, I promise you," she said. "Just check out this!"

Bringing her hands up to the level of her shoulders, Ruby swept them back and down slightly. Red petals streamed out from her palms. Then, before the widening eyes of her friends, those petals merged together, transitioning from mere Aura into something much more…real. Before their eyes, Ruby's Aura wove itself into a red cloak that trailed down her back, to the level of her ankles. Moving her hands up behind her neck, Ruby shaped a matching hood, the entire garment adhering directly to her collar, despite a lack of any actual clasps.

Natsuki had to strain to close her mouth in the face of what she'd just seen. "Ruby-chan…" she whispered, before jumping to her feet. "That's totally awesome!"

Throwing back her shoulders, Ruby puffed out her chest proudly, most definitely gratified by her best friend's praise.

"This is…" Miyu and Setsuna were dumbfounded. "How…?" Miyu asked, shocked.

Ruby chuckled. "I worked hard on it."

Natsuki had already darted over, pinching the cloth of Ruby's new cloak between her fingers. "Whoa! This feels like real cloth, Ruby-chan. What did you do?"

"Well, you know how some manifestations can create matter?" asked Ruby.

"You mean like how Shinrei-sama can conjure water?" guessed Setsuna.

Ruby nodded. "Well, I was thinking about that, and I thought that…maybe…I could conjure something else. So I decided to make my Aura into cloth."

"That's…a bit of a leap," said Miyu, canting her head. "I…I suppose I've heard of similar tricks. But…I'd never thought of it being used like this."

Ruby nodded. "But it gets better," she declared. "Watch this!"

To the naked eye, nothing had changed. Nonetheless, Ruby's friends immediately perceived the difference, gasping in unison.

"You're using Suppression!" exclaimed Natsuki.

"But the cloak is still there!" added Miyu.

"It's tough to explain," said Ruby, ending her Suppression. "But it's neat. I figured out that, if I put enough thought into making what I made out of my Aura real, it would stay, even if I didn't keep maintaining it with my Aura. That's why this took me so long."

"It's amazing," breathed Natsuki. "That looks really good on you, Ruby-chan."

"Thanks," said Ruby. "This outfit is kinda based on what I used to wear. I feel like this might be what I want to wear, when I go to Beacon."

"That's still a ways off though," Setsuna pointed out.

"I know," admitted Ruby. "But…it still seemed like a good idea. I'm gonna use my next trip with Kyo-nii and Sasame-nee to check out how well it works."

"That sounds like a good idea," said Miyu.

Ruby grinned, already looking forward to her next training trip, wondering what her siblings had planned for her.

Little by little, they were all moving forward in their own ways. It was things like that that made those times some of the happiest in Ruby's life. She grew used to attending class, wearing the sword Murasame had forged for her. Now that she'd truly made Akaibara her own, she was proud to wear it, not minding the occasional jealous whisper. Granted, once people knew what she'd gone through to master the blade, they generally came to believe that she had earned it.

Days passed into weeks, weeks became months, and just like that, another year went by. When Ruby's birthday came around again, she celebrated it with her friends and peers once more. This year, there were no exceptional gifts on the level of the sword Murasame had granted her. But it was a fun occasion all the same.

Towards the end of the year, Kyo and Sasame came to her with their proposal for their next training excursion.

"By myself?" asked Ruby, shocked by the notion.

"Yes, we'll start on the northern tip of Sanus," explained Sasame. "Kyo and I will go one way, and you will go another. You're free to pick your own route."

Kyo picked up the explanation from there. "Our objective will be to make our way to the lands south and west of Vale. There, we'll meet up at Haradrim, one of the settlements just outside of where the terrain transitions into the desert regions. From there, we'll make our way through the territories around Vacuo."

"Oh!" gasped Ruby.

"The first part will be a test of what you've learned during our past excursions," explained Sasame. "You'll test your ability to sustain yourself as you make your way south. You can visit settlements, even Vale itself, as you head that way, if you want. But your objective will be to make it to Haradrim within three months."

Ruby had to admit, as objectives went, that was kind of cool. And while the idea of traveling without either of her siblings saddened her, she was excited by the notion of seeing just how far she could push her abilities on her own. It was the kind of training her father would have absolutely never allowed her, something she was certain that most students her age, back in the Kingdoms, would have never gotten. It was an exciting opportunity, and one she was eager to take advantage of.

"I like it," she declared.

"Good," said Sasame, she and Kyo nodding. "Then we'll set out shortly after the new year. I would have liked to take you to Solitas as well, but this will probably be the final excursion we'll have time to do, before you need to apply to Beacon."

"Maybe we should skip straight to the desert," suggested Ruby. "Then we could split the year between Vacuo and Atlas."

"Sadly, that would be fairly difficult to manage," said Kyo. "The positioning of the continents would make it difficult to transfer from one to the other."

"We could try to start in Vacuo, then make our way up through Vale's territory, then head to Solitas from the northern tip of Sanus," said Sasame, tapping her chin. "However, it would take most of the year just to make that transition, so it's best if we keep to our original plan. Besides, the solo excursion is the really important bit. We need to make sure you're fully capable of using the skills we've taught you in terrain you're already familiar with. Not to mention that our trip through northern Anima came close to the kind of environments you'd see in Solitas.

"Even if you went to Beacon right now, I'm certain that you have a breadth of training and experience that the vast majority of their applicants can't lay claim to. Not coming from one of their accredited Combat Schools, you might need that extra edge to get their approval."

Ruby nodded slowly. She liked the idea of visiting all four Kingdoms' territories, and experiencing every major type of terrain, before applying to Beacon. But she supposed there was only so much time in her life for such things. As it was, the idea that she might already be more than qualified for Beacon was quite appealing. If that was the case, she couldn't wait to see what the faculty there thought of her, when she actually turned seventeen.

The rest of the year went by rather normally. Before Ruby knew it, it was time for her and her siblings to leave for Sanus. They would take a ship to Teleri, and make their way south from there. The closer the time came, the more eager Ruby was to set out. In some ways, this was a chance to prove herself, to really try her skills as an aspiring Huntress, out in the world, in a real situation where she didn't have the reassurance of Sasame or Kyo to bail her out.

On top of that, it was a rare opportunity to visit Vale. Ruby hadn't been back to her home Kingdom since the day she'd set out with Sasame and Kyo to finally get the training she had been seeking. This time, she wouldn't have to worry about her father and uncle hunting for her. Qrow had already promised to not to reveal where she had gone, and she was certain that Taiyang had given up on her by now. She'd be free to explore all the places in Vale she'd been barred from before, maybe even sneak a peek at Beacon itself, before going on her way. It was all so thrilling that Ruby was practically hopping in place at the railing, when their ship came within view of Sanus.

At Teleri, they stayed long enough for the people to throw a celebration for Kyo's arrival. After that, Ruby went her way, while Kyo and Sasame went theirs.

It was lonely going, making her way through the wilderness on her own, with no one to talk to. Besides survival, Ruby was also testing her skills at navigation, using natural signs to make her way, rather than a compass. It was tricky. But, with each day she traveled, with each settlement she stopped at on the way, Ruby's confidence grew by leaps and bounds. She was doing it. Not even sixteen yet, two years too early to enter Beacon, and she was already doing what most Beacon students couldn't manage on their own. It was exciting and affirming, a continuous proof that her father had been wrong, that she did have what it took to be a Huntress.

In the second month of her journey, Ruby found herself staring up at familiar walls, walls she had left behind years ago.

This place hasn't changed all that much, thought Ruby as she made her way down the streets of Vale. Granted, she had only spent a couple weeks in the Kingdom, living on the streets, having only visited it occasionally in the years before that, so perhaps it was a little silly to think she could judge how much or how little the place had changed. Sure, everything looked more or less the same as it had when she'd left. But Ruby couldn't say that she was familiar with every shop and establishment. So it was just as likely that plenty had changed since she'd been away.

I guess I just want to feel nostalgic about something. After all, she was from Vale. So she felt as though she should have felt something more significant after coming back for the first time in years.

She was a little surprised at how easy it had been to get in. Having not been in the Kingdom since she was nine, Ruby had expected to have a harder time gaining entry. However, it had been rather easy to use her Suppression to slip past the guards at the nearest gate. They had been bored and inattentive, likely because foot-traffic was practically nonexistent these days, given the dominance of airship travel. The sight of Ruby might have been exceptional enough to gain their attention, had she not masked her presence before they would have seen her.

Unfortunately, entering legitimately hadn't really been an option. Ruby had no identification, and was carrying a weapon. Those facts would have raised more than a few eyebrows, had anyone in a position of authority taken notice of her. The last thing Ruby wanted was for someone to start asking questions about who she was and where she came from, questions that might lead them back to the one person she wanted to avoid at all costs, while she was here. Because of that, sneaking in had been her only real option.

Making her way through the streets, Ruby took stock of her resources. She'd been saving up lien while making her way through the settlements, performing odd jobs here and there, occasionally doing a Huntress' work and killing Grimm for a fee, less than what a professional would have charged. While she hadn't been to Vale in years, she was aware of at least some things. One was that her usual tactic of bartering service for service wouldn't work so well in the Kingdom. In here, if one wanted something; be it food, shelter, or any other kind of service; one needed actual money. Aware of this, Ruby had been saving up on her way down.

Now that she was here in Vale itself, she planned on finding an affordable hotel to stay the night in, buying a meal at a local eatery, taking a quick look around, before making her way out the other side, and continuing on her way south and west. Some people might ask questions, considering her age. But it had been six years since Ruby had last set foot in the Kingdom, so she was willing to bet she could get through without causing any major disturbances.

It was late, so she was debating whether or not she could find a hotel that would allow her to check in at such an hour. In the meantime, she paused, noticing the window of a store still lit, despite how late it was. Looking up at the name, her eyes widened. A Dust shop!

How many times had she stared longingly into the window of the little Dust shop that served Signal Academy on Patch, knowing she could never set foot inside? Her father had used his clout as a professor at Signal to ban her from even entering the place, much less buying anything from it. But now, she was out in the world, on her own, with no one to tell her she couldn't enter this shop. What was more, it was still open-No!-it had only just opened a couple of hours ago. The hours for this store went through the night, before it closed up midway through the morning.

An irresistible compulsion surged through her, an excitement, almost as though she were indulging in some kind of forbidden vice...which Ruby technically supposed she was, if she was still considering her father's rules. She could go inside and buy herself something. The fact that she didn't actually need Dust, thanks to her training, was only an afterthought. It didn't necessarily need to be Dust. It could be something small and inconsequential, just something to prove that she'd been in there, a way of indirectly thumbing her nose in the face of her father's strictures, even if he wasn't there to appreciate how she was defying him.

It was also a way to kill time until morning came around, and she could book a room for herself. With her mind made up, Ruby pushed open the door and stepped inside. The chime in her ears, accompanied by the sight of the balding old man at the counter looking up at her, caused her previous confidence to disappear, her excitement wilting unconsciously at the prospect of dealing with another person, after spending so long with only herself for company.

"E-Excuse me," she stammered nervously, "are you still open?"

"Mmm-hmm." The soft grunt of acknowledgment was the only response she needed, Ruby glad that the old man apparently wasn't much for conversation either, not asking any questions about who she was or where she'd come from. Ruby supposed he might just have been glad for some company, given how lonely and quiet this store seemed.

Making her way through the store, she thought about what she might like to buy, when her eyes settled on a magazine rack, set with magazines catering to Huntsmen and Huntresses. There were magazines with articles about the latest weapon designs, the newest components, which special blends of Dust were popular lately. Ruby's heart thudded against her ribs in excitement as she made her way back, picking up the first volume, her breathing quickening at the thought of the forbidden material that lay just behind this cover.

Within minutes, Ruby was completely absorbed, glad that the shopkeeper apparently didn't feel the need to try and stop her. She was so absorbed, that she missed the door chiming again. She missed the sounds of conversation from the front. In fact, much to her chagrin, she didn't notice anything until a spike of dangerous intent appeared behind her, accompanied by the click of some kind of mechanism, and the sensation of something being lined up with the back of her head.

"Hands in the air!" snapped the man behind her.

Ruby blinked, feeling as though she was just coming out of a daze. "Huh?"

"I said, hands in the air!" reiterated the man behind her.

Ruby slowly turned her head, staring in confusion at the black-suited man standing behind her, a nasty-looking submachine gun pointed directly at her head. "Are you...robbing me?" she asked hesitantly.

The thug looked confused for a moment, as though he couldn't believe she was asking that question. Having his choice of possible responses to give to such a question, the man decided to go with the straightforward one. "Yes."

"Ohh..." said Ruby, her eyes going wide with understanding.

The rest, as they say...is history.