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The Nine Chapter-Things

Part 1

  It was the day. It was really the day. Oscar couldn't believe it, feeling so nervous that Oz was reminding him to take deep breaths. So, he did. Oscar took a deep breath, tapping on the top of the cane. It didn't help though. The boy was still on the sidelines of the spectacle, watching as Raven approached the place where his team would come back through.

  "Don't worry, this'll work," Nora reassured him, sounding a lot more confident than him. Oscar nodded absent-mindedly, not even looking at her. All of the boy's energy was focused on the moment about to happen. Especially as a red portal was sliced open in front of them, followed by the sound of a cawing Raven. They'd be none the wiser.

  "Any minute now, kid," Qrow said calmly, looking at the portal just like the rest of them. "Just be patient." Oscar gulped, clearly nervous. This was one of the most terrifying, yet good, moments of his life. But he was fearing the possible bad that could happen. Even though he'd been told it would work, he still wasn't sure.

  Finally, they came. Team RWBY, Jaune, and Neo stepped out of the portal, looking around briefly. Oscar felt his heart start to race as he spotted the one person that he had wanted to see more than anything. Ruby locked eyes with him, gasping happily. She ran to him, hugging him tightly as she started to cry. Oscar reciprocated, sighing in relief.

  "Neo!" excitedly greeted Emerald, walking into the area with Mercury. The young man appeared mildly uncomfortable. Around Ruby and Oscar, everyone was reuniting. Essentially, they were ignoring one of the happiest reunions. The two teens were gazing happily at each other, obviously happy to know the other was there.

  "Are you okay?" Ruby asked nervously, starting to squeeze his arms. Oscar just smiled at her, as they were standing just over a foot apart. "It is you, right? It's Oscar?" The boy chuckled, then reassured her it was really him. That was clearly all she needed to hear. "Oh, good!" She hugged him again, purely relieved.

  "I really missed you," Oscar softly admitted, starting to nuzzle his face into the nook between Ruby's jaw and shoulder. The boy tightened his grip, pausing briefly. "I really, really missed you."

  It wasn't long before they got caught in a conversation, talking over all that had happened to them.

  "They haven't left each other's sides in an hour," Blake said, looking a bit curious. The three teammates gave each other looks, as if secretly having a conversation. JNR, on the other hand, looked too relieved by the event to even complain.

  "Yeah, maybe we should do something about that," Yang agreed. Jaune sat up straight in shock, staring at them with an incredulous look on his face. Ren and Nora looked at each other with nervous faces, not sure what was going to happen next. They had done so much to keep the anxious boy in a calm state. And it seemed Jaune had been doing the same for Ruby while they were gone. The members of team RWBY, that were there, glanced at each other curiously. "What?"

  "That's not a good idea right now," Jaune warned all of them. "They've been separated for a long time, and they need their space. Let's just allow them a few more hours, okay?" Now that he had explained it to them, the others agreed with him. It had been a long time since Oscar and Ruby saw each other. "We have to keep something important in mind about them for now, just while they're taking it steady. Oscar thought Ruby was dead, and Ruby was terrified that he wouldn't be here when we got back." Ruby's teammates were shocked, their jaws slacking slightly. "She asked me not to tell you, she thought that it was for the best." Thankfully, that part was one they understood.

  "What matters now is that we're all together again," Nora said. Ruby said something to Oscar, he nodded, then she came toward them. She had a slightly embarrassed face, and it really looked like Jaune was egging her on to tell them something.

  "I couldn't do it, I didn't tell him," Ruby admitted, her face pinkening a bit more. She gave them an awkward smile. "I don't think I can, it'll change everything too quickly."

  "Don't worry about it, "Jaune reassured her, patting her shoulder. "You have all time in the world now, okay? Take your time with it." Ruby nodded, agreeing to follow through with his statement.

Part 2

  Every word that left the other's mouth seemed to draw them further into the conversation. Ruby and Oscar just couldn't escape the pull, talking more and more over what had happened since they saw each other. Oscar was careful to only mention the good things, while Ruby just babbled over the scenery and their journey. They were both amazed by what the other had to say, caught up in a whirlwind of pure joy. Then Qrow came over.

  "Hey, we need to go fill in Professor Theodore," he told young Oscar, causing quick silence. Oscar quieted, his spark of joy dimming as he nodded. The boy didn't appear happy to be going, but Qrow had an idea to keep the calm. "You can continue talking when we're done." Oscar, much to everyone's relief, brightened slightly.

  "Good luck!" Ruby chirped, waving as they walked away. She was left alone, but it wasn't going to be forever. They knew that they'd see each other again soon. Sadly, there were many minutes that passed before they could return to their conversation. And, once again, they were outside. With their friends nearby. Was that a problem? That remained to be seen. However, they were still overly amazed by each other's stories. They had gotten suck into the whirlpool again.

  "What else was there?" Oscar asked, his hazel eyes lighting up. Ruby knew that look, and it made her feel warm. She didn't know what else to tell him other than the truth, which is probably what he wanted. But, there was a problem. What had she not said yet? Certainly there was plenty more, right?

  "There was this giant tree on a mountain, and it was really hard to get to it." That was really all she had left. The others that had been there, besides probably Neo, could tell him more. But then, strangely, the young man hesitated. Why was he hesitating all of a sudden? Soon, very soon, it all became clear.

  "There's something I want to tell you," Oscar said. Ruby felt her heart flutter, feeling unusually hopeful about what he was about to say. Had Jaune really been right? Did Oscar have feelings for her?

  "Um, I have something to tell you too," she replied. "You can go first though, I don't mind." Oscar let out a loose chuckle, his perpetual blush darkening into a red color. But, despite the physical appearance of something on his mind, he smiled at her in a way that she'd never noticed before. It was the same look he'd given her since the day they'd met.

  "Ruby, I love you." For a moment, Ruby's mind wasn't sure what just happened. Her heart was racing, so shocked that she couldn't remember how to smile. It was a surprise. She'd been hoping for it, but he surprised her.

  "I…"Ruby tried to say, her mind spinning. "I…" Once the spinning slowed, she had a special surprise for him. Oscar wouldn't see it coming, none of them would. It was the perfect idea.

  Ruby grabbed Oscar's arms and leaned forward, their lips pressing together as their eyes closed in split-second panic. They relaxed, realizing that this was it. A wonderful and very magical, yet somewhat sickening, feeling rolled through them. They knew that the other wouldn't let them go, not as long as they were feeling that way.

  "No!" Qrow shouted somewhat angrily, unable to believe what was going on. The others were shocked as well, but it was a happy shocked. All but Qrow was happy for the two teens.

  "Yes!" Yang exclaimed, feeling like she could jump for joy. This is something she'd been hoping for. Something that she'd been waiting to witness or hear about for a while now. It was exciting.

  "Finally!" Nora expressed, mainly exasperated. It was an event they had been waiting for since the two teens had met. The two slowly separated, their eyes opened just as slowly. Oscar and Ruby laughed, both feeling overwhelmingly happy.

Part 3

   It had been months since they'd seen each other, and several hours since she'd arrived in Vacuo. Yet, somehow, they had  failed to run into each other. Or, perhaps, Sun just hadn't known that they were attempting to bring the missing team back from the void. After all, he hadn't been there that morning when the others had.

  And yet, there they were. Standing face to face with each other, the first time since they'd said farewell. There was a bit of a tense air to them, somehow. As if he was seeing a ghost. Not that she could blame him, after all. This was probably quite a shock to him. Briefly, she wondered if he recognized her at all.

  "Hey," Sun greeted, sounding awkward. That proved it to her that he recognized her. So, she smiled slightly. As warmly as she could. It was the least she could do after such a long separation. "It's, uh, been a while. Hasn't it?" Maybe this wasn't the best conversation, or time, in the world. Oh well.

  "Just when I was getting used to not having you around," Blake joked, only slightly meaning the teasing. Without any of his previous hesitation, Sun smiled back. Then, to her surprise, gave her a large hug.

  "I'm really glad you're alive." Blake gently returned the hug, having overcome her initial shock. The hug ended slower than it began, and they looked at each other for a few seconds. Silently having a conversation. "Has anyone showed you around Shade yet?" She shook her head, as no one had. Oscar had shown Ruby around, of course. But that was about it. "May I?"

  Still smiling, perhaps more than before, she nodded. Then she took his arm, then they began their walk.

  Watching from a distance, seemingly hidden from their friends, Neptune and Weiss waited. Even when the two finally left their sight, they didn't look away. Somehow, it had been a long-awaited reunion. A reunion that had gone just a little less than perfect. But Weiss had decided that was for the best. Not everyone could be Ruby and Oscar, after all.

  "You know, I'm kind of glad they're together again," Neptune admitted, a small smile spreading across his face. Weiss nodded, agreeing with him. "Even though he'd never say it, he was a total mess when he though she was dead." She looked up at him for a moment, seeing an emotion come upon him. Maybe Sun hadn't been the only one of team SSSN to be upset.

  "I don't doubt that," Weiss finally concurred.

Part 4

  Somehow, they had managed to lose track of Blake. No one knew how, but they'd managed to. She had seemingly came back to the dorm without anyone noticing, and then left early that morning without anyone being any wiser. Perhaps she hadn't returned to the dorm at all? Maybe she went off on a solo mission? No one knew.

  "Has anyone seen Blake today?" Yang wondered, entirely confused. The others looked around, as if questioning before answering it themselves. Then all but Weiss mumbled that they hadn't seen her. It was almost dinnertime. Where was she and what was she doing? It wasn't like her to disappear without reason… Well, not anymore.

  "Yesterday, Sun offered her a tour of the school," Weiss admitted, having seemingly come up with an idea. "But I haven't seen her since then." They all exchanged looks. "Maybe she got lost in the library?" Yang mumbled that it was possible, then said she'd go check. After all, that was the one place she hadn't looked yet.

  However, the library was unusually unhelpful. The last time Blake had gotten sucked into something, she'd been found in the library. But, somehow, Yang was strangely unsuccessful. By some twist of fate, however, she managed to run into both Weiss and Neptune. They seemed to be walking around as well, as confusing as it was. Maybe Neptune knew where Sun and Blake were? So, in the hope that he'd have the answer, she asked.

  "Haven't seen them since dinner yesterday," Neptune admitted, sounding just as lost as she was. "Sorry." Yang thanked him anyway, as he'd still given her an answer of sorts. "Just give them a few more days. I'm sure that they'll sort everything out by then." That was a decent piece of advice, actually.

  "Yeah," Yang agreed, nodding absent-mindedly. "You're probably right." Not sure what else to do, she decided to go back to the rest of her team. Her teammates were still talking about everything that had happened since they were separated, with Ruby and Oscar stuck in fits of giggles combined with whispers. It was cute, but different. Yang was glad for them though. They were happy and together, and that was what mattered most in that moment.

  By the time dinner arrived, Blake and Sun were still "missing". It didn't make sense why they weren't around, but none of them were going to question it. Eventually, the two would return. Eventually, everything would go back to normal. Yang was just going to follow Neptune's advice and assume that they were just sorting things out.

  Finally, the moment came. While everyone was eating and chatting, Blake came in with Sun. She was laughing, as if he'd just said something that was entirely worthy of being laughed at. Yang didn't quite understand what had happened over the past day, as it was a slight shift. Blake hadn't laughed like that in a while.

  "If I knew that was happening, I never would've thought that!" Sun blurted defensively, revealing the topic. They had been discussing what had happened before the Battle of Atlas. "I'm sorry!" Blake's laughter slowed, choosing to merely beam at him now. It was a gentle smile, her eyes gazing back at him as if the conversation was absolutely hilarious.

  "Until the election, you were correct," Blake calmly revealed, laughing a little. "It was, surprisingly, like a dream. A dream full of luxury." Sun smiled, finally quiet again. Yang found herself watching the conversation, even noticing the effect of it when they sat down and started to eat their dinners.

  "Huh," Yang said, her tone slightly blank. "She looks… happy." She smiled faintly, feeling it was a well-deserved moment.

Part 5

  Jaune sat on his own, the night sky flying above him like a blanket of darkness. The blond stared down at the ground that sat between his feet, wishing that he could sleep for once. A blood-covered sword flickered across his vision, causing him to wince. There was a shuffle that then caught his attention, only for him to look over and see that it was not a threat.

  "Oh," he said blankly, a little surprised. "Hey, Oscar." The young man sat down beside him, sighing. It was as if the weight of the world was sitting on his shoulders as well. "What are you doing up?" Oscar looked exhausted.

  "Couldn't sleep," he responded simply, sounding tired as well. Jaune asked if it was a nightmare or insomnia. "I'm not sure. Maybe a bit of both?" Oscar smiled weakly. All Jaune could do was laugh weakly back. "What about you?" The blond looked down again, feeling that was a far tougher question.

  "There's just… a lot on my mind right now." Oscar's smile faded, seemingly understanding. "I know Ruby's not mad at me for what happened, but I still feel terrible about it. If there was a way, any way, I could have saved her…" Jaune trailed off with a look on his face that seemed to describe a pain that probably only a few of them would feel then.

  "It's not your fault." Jaune looked at him in surprise. "Cinder was the one who caused her injuries, which she unlikely would have survived past unless you interfered. But, given your time constraint, you probably wouldn't have been able to heal every wound. She knew that. It wasn't your fault."

  "Still feels like it is," he commented, still feeling as terrible as when he'd woken up on the island. Oscar sighed again. "You know, there's something you need to do if I'm letting go of my guilt." The boy gave him a raised eyebrow. "You have to let go of your own." Oscar looked away again, the eyebrow falling. "I'm not kidding. If I feel guilty over what I did, then you probably feel guilty over what happened with the whale." There was a pause. "It wasn't your fault."

  "Yes it was!" Oscar exclaimed, nearly shouting. Jaune placed a hand on Oscar's back, and the boy quieted his voice. "I didn't know it was going to do that, but I should've known. If I'd known, I never would have tried to do that. I never would have let him convince-" Before he could say anymore to devolve into a spiraling doom cliff, the blond hugged the boy.

  "It's not your fault."

Part 6

  Even though she'd been back for a few days, Ruby could tell Oscar was still worried that she wouldn't be there. She felt bad that he was still that frightened, and that he'd felt so alone despite the people around him, but knew that he'd try to hide it the second that she mentioned it. That wouldn't help anyone.

  "Are you okay?" Ruby asked Oscar, worried. "Did you sleep well?" The young man didn't answer, not even looking her in the eye. "Did you get any sleep last night?" An embarrassed flush came over his face. Suddenly, she knew the answer, even if he hadn't said it out loud. It was still there. "Oh, Oscar," she added sadly.

  "A few hours, maybe," he admitted, appearing uncomfortable. Not that she could blame him. "I'm not entirely sure." Ruby seemed to crumble, saddened even more by the news. "I'm sorry, I really tried. I just couldn't sleep." At that point, he started to ramble. It went on and on until, finally, she hugged him.

  "It's okay." Oscar reciprocated her hug, somewhat melting into the embrace. "It's okay." The young man nuzzled his head into her neck, struggling to not cry. She could tell that he was struggling. "I've got you, it's okay." Then he gave in, the tears starting to flow. Ruby closed her eyes, relaxing a little in relief. "I'm not going anywhere." They both hoped it wasn't a lie.

Part 7

  It was the first day off since the others had arrived. Everyone was happy and gathered around, except for Yang and Jaune. They stood off to the side, watching their friends. Oscar and Ruby were curled up next to each other while reading, Weiss and Neptune were talking amongst themselves cheerfully, Ren and Nora were nowhere to be found, and Blake was reading while Sun shiftily attempted to read over her shoulder. Hilariously, he wasn't doing a good job of hiding it.

  "Ever get the feeling that, somehow, you're being-" Jaune asked, immediately getting cut off.

  "Left out?" Yang finished plainly, clearly understanding the feeling. The blond agreed. "That's what happens when you're in a team full of chemistry-bound people." She paused, realizing something that confused her. "Haven't you felt this way before? I mean, you were in a team with Ren and Nora before any of this mess ever came around."

  "Yeah, but it wasn't like this. I mean, yeah, I thought they were together for a long while. But who wouldn't? Nora was always hanging onto Ren, and he didn't seem to find it strange. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised if they'd kissed before that night at the election. All they had before become was each other, and that was all anyone saw. Their bond."

  "Don't you feel like you should be the one over there?" Jaune looked at the ground, thinking as she continued. "Don't you wish that it was you over there, and that it was someone else feeling left out?" Yang waited for a moment, then the blond responded without a second thought.

  "No," Jaune replied. Yang was, admittedly, a little surprised. The young man looked up, appearing to look at Weiss. "I gave up on that a long time ago." Yang looked at him blankly for a moment, then turned back to the rest of the team.

  "Good for you," she told him, genuinely glad that he'd figured that out. "I think I'm getting there too." Jaune, now looking at their friends as a whole again, smiled faintly. They were going to get through the strange awkwardness together, no matter what happened.

Part 8

  "Oscar?" Ruby asked in panic, her voice blurry and faded. Almost as if she was far away. Oscar felt the cold sand cradle him, getting more and more dizzy by the moment. "Oscar, can you hear me?" She shook his shoulder, but he didn't react. "I'm sorry, I should've gotten here sooner. I promise that the others are on their way though, just hold on."

  It was dark, and he was fading fast. There were no signs, besides his oozing injuries, that described the battle he had waged against the creatures of Grimm that had attacked him. It was hard to keep his eyes open, and the stars seemed to talk to him from way up where they sat in the hazy blanket of glittering dark.

  "Okay, I'm here!" Jaune called out, panting and also panicked. Oscar began to feel even more lightheaded, starting to gasp as he began to pass out. "Just hold on, Oscar." The ill young man barely got a moment to view his shimmering Aura before it all was too much and he fainted. Black covered his sight.

  When he awoke, he was back in his dorm room at Shade Academy. There was sunlight, gloriously painful sunlight, seeping through the window. Oscar was in his pajamas, with blankets drawn up to just below his collarbone. As he tried to regain the memories from the previous night, he became confused. Wasn't it dark before?

  "Oscar!" Ruby exclaimed, wildly excited. She sprung from her chair and pulled him into a relieved hug. "I'm so glad you're okay!" Trying to process still, Oscar slowly returned the embrace. Then she began to cry, the droplets making little imprints on his shoulder. Not that he cared, or had truly noticed, then. "I'm so sorry."

  "It's not your fault," Oscar reassured her, still a bit overwhelmed from it all. "I should've called for help sooner." Her arms tightened around his frame, as if she was terrified something would happen if she let go. It was clear now what she'd gone through since he'd fainted hours before. "I'm sorry that I scared you." Qrow then came into the room, perfectly calm.

  "Let him breathe, Ruby," he said, his tone kind and gentle. A tone that seemed strange for some reason. "Give him a little time to process." Ruby swiftly let go of Oscar, appearing startled and a little embarrassed. Then the man turned his full attention to the boy. "It's good to see you awake, kid. Gave us a real scare there." The boy looked down at his lap.

  "There were just so many. Every time I thought it was over, another one was attacking me." The words didn't sound quite right, though he knew it was true. Qrow then reassured him that it happened even to the best Huntsmen. "I thought I was strong enough to handle it on my own." Ruby told him firmly that he was, and that it was just a misstep.

  "They are right, you know," Ozpin commented, probably trying to help stop the swirl of self-anger he'd collected. Not that the boy could blame the voice for being a little cautious. Or for attempting to calm the tornado that would likely cause all of them trouble for some time. Better to help than not at all. The boy didn't look up though.

  "We'll let you rest now," Qrow finally decided, sounding like he understood all of the turmoil. Oscar looked up just before Ruby pecked him on the cheek. Just before she scampered out the door to help Qrow with whatever was needed. Just before he was left alone to mull over his thoughts and how everything went wrong.

Part 9

  "It's true though!" Jaune exclaimed, surprised that anyone would doubt his word. "The newer Spruce Willis movies just aren't as good as the older ones!" They'd gone to see one recently, and he'd been less than impressed. But, it seemed that Weiss begged to differ. She gasped in shock.

  "No way!" she countered, arguing back. "They're easily on par with the older ones!" Jaune scoffed, wanting to ask how many she'd seen. But, before he could ask, Blake approached the table with a concerned look on her face.

  "Have you seen Sun today?" she wondered nervously. Of course, she wouldn't have noticed last night. She'd eaten dinner with them for the first time in days. They all looked at each other, silently wondering to their friends, then turned back to look at her. It seemed she really had no clue.

  "No, he's on a mission," Nora revealed, looking a little concerned. No other either, as it should've been obvious. "Didn't he mention it?" Blake's face began to fall as it quickly became clear that he hadn't said a word about. Yet, what would make him omit such a large piece of information from her?

  "Don't worry, he probably just forgot," Weiss tried to reassure her, though they weren't sure if it would work. "You know how he is." That was, unfortunately, rather true in Sun's case. But Ren looked at Nora, who looked back at him with the same vaguely concerned expression on her face. Hmm…

  "What's wrong?" Jaune asked, knowing immediately that he'd get an answer. It was in their faces.

  "Perhaps his disappearance is for more internal reasons than external," Ren replied, cryptic as always. Jaune asked for him to explain, feeling just as lost as Weiss and Blake seemed. Ren looked directly at Blake before talking, addressing her more than addressing the group. "Forgive my unintentional intrusion, but I noticed that Sun has felt increasingly guilty over the past days."

  "But why?" Blake wondered, clearly shocked. Not to mention the rest of them, who were all a little puzzled. "Sun's done nothing wrong, except for believing our time in Atlas was peaceful." Considering the circumstances, who could blame him on that. Besides, it wasn't that hard to forgive him for it.

  "Please apologize for me if I overstep," Ren continued, hesitating before attempting to say more. Blake nodded, then he began to address them all. After all, they were all a bit confused now. "I believe that he feels unsure whether he's begun to confuse Blake's possible need for him with his own want to be near her again." Blake when ashen, then pink.

  "Are you okay?" Weiss asked Blake, noticing the sudden change. The Faunus girl stammered a little bit, clearly flustered by the inclination of the statements. Immediately, Jaune knew this would take a while to process. But Sun would likely be back before she got the chance to understand.

  "E-excuse me," Blake nervously said, finally saying words. But then she turned around and headed off. More than likely, she was on her way to the library to hide away from the mess that they'd accidentally made. It was silent for several seconds.

  "I believe I have said too much," Ren sincerely worried, a mildly concerned expression wafting over his face. But there was one thing to be said to that.

  "She needed to know eventually," Jaune reminded him, all of them knowing it was true.

Part 10

  "Shh!" Ruby giggled, smiling as she handed over the plate of cookies. Oscar beamed back, taking the plate. She'd snuck off to make cookies, narrowly avoiding their teammates. After all, it was their second day off since the portal. "Careful, they're still really warm." Oscar cautiously tried to pick up a cookie, but decided burning his fingers wasn't worth it and set it back down. Ruby couldn't help but giggle at that. "Okay, where were we?"

  "We were about to go over how to play video games again," he reminded her, staring down at the scroll in his hands. She briefly went over how to play, as well as which buttons to press, but he seemed confused throughout all of it. "Maybe I should just stick with chess," he added, sounded mildly disappointed.

  "No, you don’t…" She thought it out a bit more. "I'm sorry, this probably is a little overwhelming for you." Oscar assured Ruby that he was fine, just confused. "It's okay if you don't want to play. We can try something else!" Despite appearing like he'd much rather prefer something else, he disagreed.

  "It's fine. I want to play." They ended up playing for some time, with Oscar furiously tapping the scroll in panic. Ruby was perfectly calm, possibly even trying to let him win. It wouldn't exactly be surprising, as they were… well, getting very close. Sadly, Oscar lost every round. Maybe she was too good to be his opponent.

  "Okay, maybe it's time we take a break from video games," she said, awkwardly giggling. Oscar smiled back, agreeing with Ruby. "Maybe we could draw? I'm actually pretty good." The boy agreed to try, and actually succeeded with okay results. "It's not bad, especially for not having a lot of experience." She watched him light up, clearly excited to have done well.

  For some reason, it was extremely hard to find something to do. Despite sparring being on the table, they were prepared to let it be their last resort. There had to be a less physical way of passing the time. So, various attempts to entertain themselves later, they ended up reading instead.

  "Wow!" Ruby exclaimed in shock, reading over Oscar's shoulder with amazed eyes. "That's crazy!" The boy chuckled, a grin growing further across his darling face. "Then what happened?" Her eyes lit up as he turned the page. She leaned over his arm even more. "No way!" Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, startling them both.

  "Hey, Ruby?" Qrow asked through the door. Then it began to open, Oscar freezing from panic. "Oh, hey. Didn't know you were here," he added, spotting the boy. The man didn't even appear concerned. Oscar blinked, the room becoming unusually uncomfortable. Then he turned back to Ruby. "The others were asking if you were coming, Ruby, but I'll tell them you're busy." That last part was with a small smirk. Ruby smiled gratefully, then the door closed.

  That night, Oscar stared up at the ceiling of his room. The whole day, it had been just him and Ruby. They were happy like that, and no one had disturbed them after Qrow's little intrusion. As he smiled back at the previous hours, he became aware of a familiar presence returning. The boy was no longer alone.

  "So, how was your day off?" Oscar asked in an amused tone. Undoubtedly, it would be a quiet one.

  "Fairly calm, actually," Ozpin replied, sounding just as entertained as he was. "Although, you clearly spend your time better." Oscar blushed, feelingly strangely warm, then agreed.

Part 11

  Just an hour before breakfast, Oscar finally found Qrow again. The two hadn't crossed paths since the intrusion the previous afternoon. But now that they had run into each other, Oscar felt the need to say something. The boy ran after the man, looking vaguely nervous. It was a worrying time, after all.

  "About yesterday… I can explain," he said, finally catching up to the man. Qrow looked down at him, raising an amused eyebrow. It all came tumbling out after that. "Ruby and I just wanted to spend time with each other without the others around. We didn't feel comfortable being… close like that around them." Oscar hesitated, pausing as he thought. "Well, I didn't feel comfortable." The boy awkwardly looked at the ground, his hand resting on his arm.

  "Kid, you don't need to explain," Qrow said, perfectly calm. Oscar blinked, somehow shocked. How had he not felt the need to get an explanation? "I was a withdrawn teenage boy once, I know what it's like. But I also know that nothing more than maybe a kiss happened in that room." Oscar flushed red. The boy was kind of embarrassed, though his blushing had very little to do with embarrassment. "At this point, I'm more worried about Blake and the whole situation with Sun."

  "You know about that?" The boy was mildly confused. How many already knew? And how much? Qrow scoffed, then said he knew a lot. "She seemed off yesterday morning, but I didn't think anything of it." Qrow pat him on the back, saying it didn't matter. Yet, somehow, it felt like it mattered still.

  "There's nothing wrong with a bit of worry these days. A bit of worry, without Grimm involved, is actually a good thing sometimes." Oscar nodded absently, clearly a tad lost. Qrow had lost him now, whether he knew it or not. "But, it isn't your problem to worry about her. Yang promised to deal with it."

  "Oh," he said, still fairly blank. They ended up just walked more. It was in silence, of course, but still walking. Oscar had so many things on his mind to say, especially questions about what would happen when Salem would inevitably attack. Yet, it felt like it was the wrong time to ask anything about that.

  "Anything else you wanted to talk about? Since we're just walking around and all," Qrow asked, trying to get rid of that terrified look on Oscar's face. It was clear he had things he wanted to ask, but he wasn't asking them. Oscar looked very uncertain for a moment. But then Qrow took over. "You know what, there's something I want to say to Oz. If you're willing, of course." The boy immediately clammed up.

  "Um, well… I-I'm not, uh…" The boy babbled a bit more, trying to communicate how much he disliked the transfer. Qrow knew immediately what all he babbling meant, and decided not to press further.

  "You know what, I'll just say it. After all, you can answer for him." Oscar agreed. "I'm sorry. How I acted after the Relic was terrible, and I'm sorry." The boy held eye contact for a moment, then looked down and to the left. A brief moment passed before he looked back at Qrow. The air in the man's lungs almost felt missing.

  "Well, Oz forgives you," he admitted, entirely calm. There was a pause, where the boy smiled. "And I forgive you, too." A laugh ran out of Qrow's mouth, the tense air turning calm.

  "Thanks, kid," he told Oscar, ruffling Oscar's hair.

Part 12

  Any minute, Sun and his team would be back. Everyone knew this. Blake was pacing about, a book in her arms, mumbling phrases she could say to Sun. Any phrase that sounded right seemed appealing to her in that moment. Anything that might convey how she felt about everything. Weiss merely stood quietly off to the side, waiting for Neptune.

  "Are you sure you want to be here?" she asked, mildly worried. Blake froze, looked up, then gave Weiss a startled look. "You don't look okay. You're pacing." Blake sighed, looking down. "Are you worried about talking to Sun?" Perhaps that was it, as her ears slammed to the sides of her head as she became nervous.

  "Hey! There you are!" Neptune exclaimed, excited and beaming. As their team separated in all ways, Sun and Neptune came up to Weiss and Blake. "I thought we weren't meeting up till lunch?" Weiss smiled, then said that it was lunch. The blue-haired boy's face went blank. "Oh."

  "Hey," Sun greeted awkwardly, standing before Blake. "Sorry for not telling you about the mission." Blake awkwardly told him that it was okay. "I, uh, just needed a bit of time to myself." Blake finally looked at him, feeling nervous all of a sudden. Okay, what were all of the phrases she'd come up with?

  "That's fine," she replied calmly. "I know you've been… going through some things." Sun blinked, then gave her a nervous look. "Ren said that you were trying to figure out if you only wanted to be around me because I need you, or whether it's because you just wanted to be near me."

  "Well, he wasn't wrong." Sun appeared more awkward than before, and maybe a bit defeated as well. "I've been… pretty messed up lately." Blake hesitated, trying to think over the options, but just ended up giving him a hug.

  "It's okay." She let go, but raised onto the tips of her toes so she could kiss him on the cheek. Just like she had when they separated in Mistral. "Thank you for being honest." She lowered back down to the ground, trying to decide if that had been a good idea or not. Jury was still out on that account for the moment.

  "Well… I could be a bit more honest," Sun joked, leaning in slightly. Blake rolled her eyes, trying not to smile, then said for him not to push his luck. That didn't seem to stop him though. "Oh really?"

  "We'll just leave you two alone," Neptune said with a smirk, walking away with Weiss. They were chatting to themselves as they left the other two teens behind, stuck in the turmoil.

  "I'd rather push my luck than be afraid. It's just nature, you know." As if it helped with his case, he leaned in a bit more. It wasn't helping, and it was making her just a little frustrated with him. Didn't he understand what she was trying to say right then? It didn't really seem like he was understanding!

  "Well, sometimes it's better to stay on the ground than up in the clouds!" Blake fought back, lifting her heels slightly.

  "Dreaming is better than hoping for things that won't come true, no matter what anyone does," Sun continued, leaning in once more. Why did he keep leaning in like that?

  "That's not true, and you know it isn't!" She lifted her heels again. They were within three inches of each other, and Blake was getting worried that the inches would quickly fade. Did she want them to fade? Yet, at the same time as these wild thoughts, she knew that she had to make him shut up.

  "Maybe it is, but you still have problems believing it yourself." Another lean.

  "That's entirely away from the point!" Blake shouted, frustrated with him. "Of course hopes can come true, even if it's practically impossible at the start! I'm here, aren't I?" She pursed her lips, growled in annoyance, then briefly kissed him on the lips. It was more of a peck than a kiss. "Will you shut up now?!" Sun stared at her in disbelief, his jaw slacked. Blake quieted, realizing what she'd done. "I'm sorry, I thought that it-" she tried to say, mildly surprised at herself. But Sun had leaned in and kissed her. A much longer kiss than what she'd given him.

  There was a long moment after they backed away, or what felt like a long moment, where they just stared at each other in surprise. Sun gulped, taking in her incredulous expression.

  "Sorry, I wasn't thinking," he apologized, looking a tiny bit sheepish now. "Mixed signals and all of that stupid-" Sun sighed deeply, seemingly giving up on trying to tell her how sorry he was. "Maybe we should talk this out a bit. Does that… sound good with you?" Blake finally broke eye contact with him. The tension seemed to drop about a foot.

  "Yeah," she agreed softly. They then walked away to find a safer place to talk. Out in the open was not going to work.

Part 13

  The market was loud and crowded, full of various people. Citizens, refugees, students, basically anyone. Neo sighed, black locks of hair falling against her pale skin. Perfectly contrasting her green eyes. It was a disguise she hadn't used since she'd infiltrated the Schnee mansion. She briefly dusted off her coat, which completed her modest ensemble. It looked similar to the one she'd worn in Vale. And, perched on her head, was Roman's bowler hat.

  "No, Mr. Lightfingers," Emerald scolded, smacking Mercury's hand. They'd been bickering all day, it seemed. "We're trying to turn over a new leaf here." Mercury asked if she could pay for food. That was a point, though. If she couldn't pay, then they had to resort to other measures. "Actually yes." A pause. "And stop slicking back your hair, it's not a good look on you." Mercury had taken to slicking his hair back recently, making his forehead bigger. Not that she could say that.

  "I thought it looked cool," Mercury mumbled, sounding mildly hurt by the comment. Silently, he shook out his hair with his hand. It stood up like it normally would, erasing the previous hairstyle. Neo shrugged, not agreeing or disagreeing with Emerald. "Let's just go, I'm not even hungry now." Huffily, he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

  "Fine." She sounded kind of annoyed, not that anyone could blame her. She turned to Neo, dropping the anger. "Neo, are you coming?" Neo shook her head, silently saying that she had other things to look at. "Okay, see you later." A brief nod, then she walked away to the sound of Emerald grumbling at Mercury.

  Neo looked around curiously at the other people, cautious. They always had to be cautious these days, especially since they had teamed-up with the heroes. It actually wasn't that bad, all things considered. They had shelter, food, water, and, thanks to Emerald, moderate amounts of freedom.

  And yet, that seemed to shatter in Neo's mind when she spotted a cloaked figure. She froze, her stomach making a small attempt at twisting. Without her asking for it, she was reminded of a recent fall. The very attack that had led to all of this. It made her seethe, but worried her all the same.

  Deciding that it was required of her, Neo unfroze and followed the stranger. The cloaked figure dashed out of sight, quickly weaving through the busy market. She followed the figure through twists and turns that shimmied like a snake. The chase had to end soon. The figure had to reveal who they were. Finally, the figure found a secluded place.

  As the stranger looked around, Neo caught a glimpse of their face. The blood running through her veins simultaneously froze and boiled. How could such a devious person survive that? Who could possible take her down? Neo then recalled how expendable she'd been then, and realized she needed to tell someone. Her feet moved before she could think.

  It wasn't very long before she discovered Emerald and Mercury again. Although, the market had been farther from where the refugees stayed than she'd thought. By the time she reached them, she was nearly out of breath. Trying to get their attention, she tapped Emerald on the shoulder. Safer than alternatives.

  "Neo?" Emerald said, looking vaguely confused. Of course, it had been a long run. "Neo, what's wrong?" she added, a bit more concerned now. Neo pulled out her scroll, furiously typing to get the news out fast enough. Finally, she turned the screen to Emerald and Mercury. They both went ashen. "Are you sure?"

  "Vacuo was the next target," Mercury said, his voice wavering a little. "And with Tyrian on the loose, it's likely we'll end up in danger." Neo nodded, agreeing with a fearful look. This wasn't good for any of them. "What's the plan? Do we tell the heroes?" Thinking it all through, Emerald looked away for a moment.

  "They need to know." She turned to Mercury. "We need to tell them now." Finally, she turned to Neo again. "Thank you for telling us." Neo nodded, watching as they dashed off. Watching as the news changed from her responsibility to theirs. If anything, she was a little relieved it was their job.

  They must have searched the school for five minutes before they ran into anyone. And, when they did, it was only Blake and Sun. How big was Shade?!

  "Have you seen Oscar and Ruby?" Emerald asked seriously, eyebrows furrowed. "We need to tell them something." Blake briefly glanced at Sun, both looking vaguely surprised and confused. This was really serious, and it was clear they could tell now. However, it was clear the answer wouldn't be to their liking.

  "I haven't seen them since breakfast," Blake admitted, appearing a little nervous. "Maybe Yang or Qrow would know?" It was a start. Emerald and Mercury looked at each other, then rushed off. They needed to find someone who knew where the youngest members of the team were!

  Finally, after what seemed like forever, they ran into someone. Yet, it wasn't Yang or Qrow. It was Ruby and Oscar! They were sitting outside, talking to each other. Ruby was giggling, smiling. They looked happy. For a brief moment, Emerald almost didn’t want to tell them what they knew. Yet, she had no choice.

  "There you are!" Mercury exclaimed, ruining Emerald's train of thought. "Searched half the school to find you!" At least he wasn't exaggerating. Ruby and Oscar looked blankly back at them, with Oscar having been cut off mid-sentence. What had they been talking about anyway? What did normal people talk about?

  "We need to tell you something," Emerald explained, her tone both concerned and serious. Ruby and Oscar exchanged a worried look, then Ruby said they were listening. "Neo saw something at the market earlier. We came back early, so we didn't see it, but she's pretty sure about what she saw."

  "What did she see?" Oscar asked, starting to sound serious too.

  "Cinder. She saw Cinder." Ruby and Oscar's eyes widened in fear. All of their happy days were numbered now.

End of Chapter-Things