[#] YES! Its finally here, the polemic chapter, "Ruby doesn't like cookies?". She's not a clone, she's not mind controlled, and it's not even a joke. I won't go into details to avoid spoilers, I hope you like it.
[#] I have some news to share at the end of the chapter, a mix of professional and personal updates that will affect my release schedule.
[#] You can join my discord server:discord.gg/52MmzuEQhR
[#] As always, Ko-fi subscribers have access to 5 chapters ahead, plans start at 1 dollar.
COMMENTS:
ThunderBasilisk[questionablequesting]:
I get the feeling things are going to go bad real fast soon
Avip:
He-he…
Sir Borks-a-Lot[questionablequesting]:
Is it bad that my first thought upon seeing the chapter title was "Every man when Glynda pulls out her riding crop"?
Avip:
It means you're a man of culture as well.
---------Chapter Cover---------
[Point of view: Weiss Schnee]
Our steps echo softly through the quiet village street. Ruby's cloak drifts behind her, catching the pale moonlight. I glance at her side, silver eyes scanning the surroundings with alert focus.
I remember at the first time I met my leader, once, her eager antics used to irritate me, stoking my frustration. I craved perfection, precision, control. I wanted to be the leader, to be the unwavering beacon of competence amid the chaos of ineptitude. But Beacon has a way of testing your perceptions, of forcing you to look beyond the narrow confines of your own desires.
Now, Ruby's growth is clear in her confident stride. I no longer see her as a reckless, eager girl. While I may not voice it, there's pride in having her as my partner, in us, in how far we've come.
The village feels worlds apart from the bustling cities I know. Yet there is a quiet charm to its simplicity. The houses, rustic and weathered, are carefully maintained. The streets are clean, the air crisp and fresh. It lacks Atlas's opulence, but there is beauty here all the same.
"Sooo…" Starts Ruby getting my attention. "Wanna talk?"
I narrow my eyes, suspicious as I glance at Ruby, she's grinning, that cheeky, lopsided grin she wears when she's up to something.
"What exactly do you want to talk about, Ruby?" I ask, my voice measured.
Ruby's grin widens, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Oh, you know, just about that 'massive crush' you have on Professor Luna."
Heat rushes to my cheeks, my face burning with embarrassment.
"I-I do not have a crush," I stammer, my words tripping over themselves. "I merely respect and admire him as an educator and professional Huntsman."
Ruby laughs, a soft, teasing sound.
"Respect and admire?" she repeats sarcastically. "Weiss, you light up like a glow stick whenever he's around. If I've noticed, then it's clear to everyone… I mean, everyone but you."
I bristle, turning my gaze straight ahead, trying to hide my flustered expression.
"You're imagining things, Ruby. Even if I did, it wouldn't matter. He's a professor, and I am a student. It would be inappropriate."
Ruby's eyes sparkle with that familiar glow, the one she gets when she's lost in one of her fantasies.
"Come on, Weiss, it's so romantic! The forbidden love between a student and teacher. It's like something straight out of 'Ninjas of Love'."
I stare at her, bewildered.
"Ninjas of Love?" I repeat, surprised. "Ruby… have you been reading Blake's books?"
Ruby's cheeks flush a deep red, visible even in the dim moonlight. She stammers, tripping over her words.
"I-I was just... I ran out of comics, and I didn't have anything else, and Blake said her stuff was good, so I thought, why not?"
A smug smile tugs at my lips as I point my finger at the reaper.
"So, you like reading 'filthy'."
"Giah!" Ruby yelps, tugging her red hood to hide her flushed face.
I laugh, relief washing over me. Despite her growth, Ruby's still the same girl at her core.
But our little banter is cut short by the sound of footsteps. I signal Ruby, and we both turn towards the approaching sound.
"O my," I whisper, coming to a halt.
It's a small girl, maybe around six or seven. She's dressed in simple clothes, a worn-out dress, scuffed shoes, and a tattered scarf wrapped around her neck.
The girl steps closer, her eyes wide with curiosity and a hint of fear. As she gets closer, I notice the sharp angles of her cheeks, the hollows beneath her eyes.
She's far too thin, her clothes hanging loosely on her small frame. A pang of sympathy hits me. I've seen poverty before, but always from a distance, behind the safety of a glass window or the tinted glass of a scroll.
But never like this, never close enough to see the gaunt shadows on a starving child's face.
"Are you here to help us?" she asks, her voice soft, barely above a whisper.
I freeze, her words wrapping around my heart, squeezing tight. My throat constricts, choking off any response.
Ruby, thankfully, has no such problem. She steps forward, kneeling down so she's eye level with the girl.
"Yes." Her voice is soft and gentle. "We're definitely here to help. What's your name?"
The girl's eyes widen, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"I'm Lily," she says, her voice gaining a touch of strength, a spark of hope.
Ruby grins as her left hand reaches for the pouch strapped to her belt.
I watch curiously, an eyebrow quirked, as Ruby rummages through her pouch. She pulls out a small, slightly crumpled paper bag, holding it out to Lily. The girl takes it, her tiny hands trembling as she opens the bag with caution.
Her eyes widen staring at the bag's contents, her face lighting up with pure joy.
"Cookies!" she squeals, her voice echoing through the quiet street.
She takes one out, biting into it with gusto. Crumbs tumble down her chin, her eyes close as she savors the treat.
Her happiness is so intense that I'm taken by surprise when she starts crying, fat tears rolling down her cheeks, mixing with the crumbs.
"T-Thank y-you," she sobs, her voice choking, thick with emotion. "I w-was so hungry."
Ruby stands, grinning, her eyes reflecting the girl's happiness. Lily takes another cookie from the bag, holding it out to Ruby.
"Want one?" she asks, her voice still choked with tears.
Ruby shakes her head, her grin softening into a warm smile.
"No, thank you," she says. "I don't really like cookies. But I'm glad I found someone who does."
Lily wraps her tiny arms around Ruby's leg, squeezing tight.
"Thank you," she murmurs again, her voice muffled against Ruby's leg. Then, with a final wave, she darts off, disappearing into the darkness.
Ruby watches her go, a soft sigh escaping her lips. She turns to me, her smile fading, eyes reflecting the moonlight.
I frown, glancing in the direction Lily disappeared.
"Ruby, why was that girl in such a horrid state? She was so... thin."
Ruby's expression darkens, her jaw setting in a grim line.
"A lot of factors, but you can sum it up as the Grimm fault," she says, her voice flat and serious. "When they start attacking an area without any defense, people flee their homes, their farms, seeking refuge in walled villages like this one. Hunters and gatherers can't go out to find food, so they're left to starve and whiter away, hoping help arrives before they..."
She trails off, but I understand her meaning. A shudder runs through me, the reality of our world crashing down.
This is too real, too raw, makes me understand why some people resent me for the sheltered life I've led.
Ruby's eyes meet mine, her gaze steady, resolved.
"But that's why we're here, Weiss. To help, to protect. To make a difference."
Her words strike a chord within me, resonating deep. I nod, determination coursing through my veins.
"You're right," I say, my voice firm. "We'll do everything we can to help these people."
[Point of view: Professor Luna]
I lurk in the shadows, eyes locked onto the chaotic dance of combat before me.
The beowolves silhouettes circle their targets, their growls a chorus of primal fury. CRDL's scattered across the clearing, each fighting their own battle.
Cardin's a whirlwind, his mace crushing skulls with brutal efficiency. But his back's exposed, his teammates too focused on their own fights. A Beowolf lunges, fangs slice Aura. He howls, more in surprise than pain.
"Argh!"
"Cardin!" Dove shouts, his voice barely audible over the snarls and grunts. He's pinned down, dual blades locked against a Beowolf's jaws.
Russel and Sky are back-to-back, but their coordination's off, movements disjointed.
I could step in, end this swiftly. But they need this, the struggle, the lesson. So I stay hidden, just observing.
Cardin crushes the skull of his tormentor and falls on one knee, breath ragged. He scans the field, eyes wild.
"Where's my backup?" he roars.
Russel risks a glance his way, his pistol blasting light.
"Busy, Cardin! Just like you should be!"
Cardin grits his teeth, drives his mace into the ground, and pushes himself up.
The fight drags on, minutes feeling like hours. Steel clashes with claws, Aura flares against fangs. But eventually, the beowolves fall, one by one, until the only sounds are the ragged breaths of CRDL and the distant hum of the wilderness.
I step from the shadows, boots crunching on the gravelly dirt. Four pairs of eyes, weary but alert, track my approach.
"Professor Luna," Cardin acknowledges, straightening up, mace still gripped tightly in his hand.
I look over each of them. Their Auras may be unshattered, but they're all in the red, and their bodies clearly exhausted.
"What did you learn?" I ask in a stern tone.
Cardin's chest heaves, but he manages to lift his chin, pride etched onto his sweat-streaked face.
"We won," he pants. "That's what matters."
I raise an eyebrow, waiting. When he doesn't elaborate, I turn to the others.
"Dove?"
Dove glances at Cardin, then back at me.
"We...we could've done better. Communication was...lacking."
I nod, turning to Russel and Sky.
"And you two?"
Russel sheathes his weapons , running a hand through his hair.
"We weren't coordinated. Too focused on our own fights."
Sky nods in agreement, wiping sweat from his cheek.
"We need to watch each other's backs more. Be a team, not just four lone fighters."
I take a deep breath, weariness seeping into my bones as I turn back to Cardin. There's a hope, a small one, that he'll prove me wrong, that he'll show some growth. But he stands there, chin lifted, pride intact, oblivious to the pleas of his teammates.
"Cardin," I start, voice steady despite my frustration. "What would you do next? If CRDL were out on this mission alone?"
He blinks, confusion flickering across his face for a second. But it vanishes as quickly as it comes, replaced by that familiar stubbornness.
"We'd go back to the village, to rest, duh!"
I shake my head, disappointment heavy in my chest.
"And your Aura levels? What are they at?"
There's a shuffle of feet, a few glances exchanged. Then, one by one, they report.
"Fourteen percent, sir." informs Dove.
"Twelve." says Sky.
"Eight." adds Russel, pale.
"Fifteen." Cardin states last.
I scowl at the students, irritation clear on my face.
"A dozen beowolves and you're already running on fumes." I pause for a second, letting the words sink in. "What if another pack finds you before you make it back to the village? What then?"
Four sets of eyes widen, throats bobbing as they swallow hard.
Good, they're getting it.
"If you ever hit such low Aura levels on the first day of a mission alone, you either call for backup or ask for an evac. Understood?"
Dove, Sky, and Russel nod in agreement, while Cardin bristles, his ego bruised.
"So what?" Shouts the ginger in fury. "You think we're weak? You think we are hopeless?"
I step closer, my voice dropping to a low growl, staring down at my past bully.
"I think your pride and lack of teamwork is suicidal."
Cardin takes a step back, his bravado deflating like a pricked balloon. His shoulders slump, gaze dropping to the ground. The posturing, the arrogance, it all crumbles away, leaving behind a raw, unguarded moment.
"So, what do I do?" he mumbles, kicking a pebble with his boot. "What can I do?"
A small smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. It's a start, a crack in that thick skull. I can work with that.
"That!" I say pointing at Cardin. "Recognizing the problem is the first step." I clap him on the shoulder, firm, reassuring. "You're at Beacon to learn, and that's what you'll do. As your teacher I will show you the path, the rest comes with training."
His eyes lift, meeting mine. There's a spark there, a hunger and ambition.
"Good." I say happily. seeing some real change at him. "Now let's get back to the village."
[Point of view: Yang Xiao long]
I punch my flat pillow, trying to mold it into a shape that might cradle my head, or at least not feel like a bag of sand.
Surprise, surprise, I had no luck there.
I flop onto my back, staring up at the rustic wooden ceiling. Moonlight filters through the cracks, casting silver lines onto the rough planks.
This is pointless. Sleep ain't coming, not with my mind racing like Bumblebee after a fine tuning.
I kick off my sleeping bag, the fabric rustling loudly in the quiet of the communal wood storage. I sit up, rubbing my hands over my face.
I roll onto my side, facing Blake's sleeping bag. Her eyes are squeezed shut tight, body rigid like a wooden plank.
She's not fooling anyone.
"Blake," I whisper, "Are you asleep?"
"Yes," she deadpans, eyes still closed.
"Hilarious," I grunt, voice dripping with sarcasm.
Her eyes flutter open. "You're going to wake the others," she whispers.
I raise an eyebrow.
"Am I, though?" I point towards Nora.
The girl is snoring loud enough to drown out a chainsaw. She's got Ren in a headlock, but he's sleeping peacefully, despite Nora's thunderous volume.
"That's impressive," states the cat girl staring at Ren. "And a little enviable."
I glance at Blake, a small smile playing on my lips.
"Yeah, it's pretty impressive, isn't it? Ninja boy could probably sleep through a war."
Blake shakes her head, chuckling as she sits up on her sleeping bag. She hugs her knees to her chest, her eyes reflecting the moonlight.
"What's keeping you up, Yang?" she asks, voice soft but clear. "Don't blame the accommodations, I've seen you crash on the dorm floor after ditching curfew and sneaking back late."
"Who do you know?" I ask worried.
"Night vision." She answers pointing at her yellow eyes, grinning smugly.
I sigh in defeat, ready to answer her question, running a hand through my hair.
"I dunno, Blake. I'm just too... excited, I guess. I mean, this is our first field mission, you know? Real fights, real stakes, real... everything."
She chuckles, shaking her head at me, giving me a cynical smile.
"And you're not even a little bit excited?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
Blake sighs wearily and turns her face away, avoiding my gaze as she speaks.
"I think I just used it from when I was on 'missions' with the White Fang," she says, her fingers tracing air quotes around missions.
"Ooooooh yeah." I mutter as realization dawns on me. "You were a terrorist."
Blake's eyes flash, and she leans in, her voice a sharp, whispered lash. "I. Was. Not. A. Terrorist."
I can't help but grin, even as her eyes well up.
"Come on, Blake. At least you were a radical revolutionary."
A single tear spills from her, tracing a shiny path down her cheek. Her voice trembles, seething through clenched teeth.
"This isn't funny, Yang." She whispers, voice filled with anger, sadness and most of all shame.
Her hands grip her sleeping bag, knuckles white.
My eyes widen as I take in the raw pain and anger etched onto Blake's face. Her eyes, those brilliant golden orbs, flash with a storm of emotions. I swallow hard, the reality of my words hitting me like a punch to the gut.
"Blake, I... I'm sorry," I stammer, my voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to-."
She looks away, her grip on her sleeping bag relaxing slightly. I reach out, my hand hovering near her shoulder, but I pull back, unsure.
"It's just... I don't think it's funny, Blake. I think you're awesome," I say, the words tumbling out before I can stop them.
Her head snaps back towards me, surprise written all over her face.
"What do you mean by that?" she asks, her voice barely audible.
I lean in, my voice steady and sincere.
"You fought for a cause, Blake. You saw something wrong with the world and you stood up to fight it. That's... that's pretty badass, if you ask me."
She shakes her head, her eyes cast downwards.
"I was wrong, Yang. People got hurt because of me, because of us."
I nod, acknowledging her words.
"Yeah, you were. But when you realized it, you left. You chose a new path, a better one. You didn't just give up, Blake. You decided to keep fighting, to make things right. That's what makes you a badass, Blake."
Her eyes meet mine, a hint of gratitude shining through the lingering pain. She takes a deep breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly. We sit in silence for a moment, the weight of our words hanging in the air.
The door slams open with a bang, making both Blake and I jump.
BAM!
Ruby stands there, panting, her eyes wide with urgency.
Weirdly she's alone, no sign of Weiss. But before I can ask about the heiress, Ruby gasps and shouts.
"The village it's under attack!"
E ai gurizada?
[#] You can join my discord server:discord.gg/52MmzuEQhR
[#] I hope you enjoyed this chapter, if you are interested, my Ko-Fi[avipbr] subscriber has access up to 5 chapters ahead:
Chapter 15 - Hydra and the Knight
Chapter 16 - Let's go to the mall
Chapter 17 - Love Rivals
Chapter 18 - Worthy of love
Chapter 19 - Best-day-ever!
[#] You can reach me on X/twitter, @AvipBr
[#] Good news: Landed a new job with solid pay, killer perks like food and transport allowances, health and dental insurance. It's rock-solid stable, it'd take a economic collapse worse than COVID did to shut it down. So now I can help out with family bills, which I'm really grateful for.
Bad news: New gig means less time for writing. Gotta drop from 6 posts a month to 4. More details below.
2 stories will be fixed monthly, the others will be bimonthly, alternating the other two slots. This is next April and May:
------------------
April:
[#] Multiverse Crafter
[#] Dick The Builder
[#] Anthro State Vs Isekai Hero
[#] Rusted Professor
May:
[#] Multiverse Crafter
[#] Dick The Builder
[#] Isekai Gamer: Monster Girl Harem
[#] RWBY NOT!
- Multiverse Crafter:
will have a fixed position, as it's my most popular story across multiple platforms.
- Dick the Builder:
will also have a fixed position, as it's my new original book project I'm working on [When the story reaches chapter 12, I will publish chapter 2 for non ko-fi subscribers].