Sorry this took so long to get out. I went wandering full ADHD and started a new fic (among other things).

—-X Ruby X—-

Ruby trekked through the destroyed forest, one hand holding the girl who caused all this by the shirt. She hadn't said a word the entire time, trying to keep her anger down.

A child, a godsdamned child had been used to summon a Primal. This was a new level of low, even for the Ascians.

Children had always been… not off limits, but collateral. Dying because of Calamities, Primal rampages, or sacrificed by the Beastmen without the Ascians urgings, but never actually used for the source of the summoning.

"...'m sorry," The Girl squeaked out as Ruby walked forward with heavy feet. Ruby stopped, looking down at her.

"I'm not angry at you, kid," Ruby said, before beginning to continue their movement. The spell to create a new Primal was too complicated for a kid her age to cast. Stifling a groan, Ruby pressed her finger to the Linkpearl earing in her ear as it went off, "Warrior of Light, make it quick."

"Did I catch you at a bad time, old friend?" Cid nan Garlond asked.

"No," Ruby said with a sigh, "just a bit moodier than normal. What's this call about?"

"News," Cid said, "and moodier than normal? That's a Calamity and a half, given than you've been in one mood after another since the Incident in Ul'dah."

Ruby cracked a smile, "No, it just seems that every time we see each other, things have plummeted straight to the Seventh Gate. What's the bad news?"

"I didn't say it was bad news," Cid said, "and I'm not sure it is. News is the only term I can give it, at this point."

"Then what's the news?" Ruby asked, stepping into the clearing where Y'shtola was kneeling over most of their team, worry immediately spiking as she dropped the girl in Lyse's lap, "Actually, give me a moment, Cid. What happened?"

"I don't know," Lyse said, shaking her head, "They just collapsed."

"Gods be good," Ruby muttered.

"They're fine," Y'shtola said, "Well, each except Jaune. He continues to draw breath, but is yet to move. Who is the child?

"Alright," Ruby said, the question sinking in a second later, and she answered it before returning to the Linkpearl conversation, "She was in the Primal. Alright, Cid, what's this news?"

"In the Primal?" Y'shtola said, "Like-?"

"I think we found Omega."

Ruby stopped, her grip on Chaos Blade growing tight, blood thrumming. In her conscious, she felt Midgardsormr begin to stir. Omega? "Where?"

"Outside Ala Mhigo," Cid said, "How soon can you get here?"

"Probably… not for at least a few weeks."

"Then we'll keep-"

"Excuse me!" Ruby ignored the interruption.

"-an eye on it, move in if we see anyone from Garlemald moving in. That machine took down Shinryu, I'm not risking my men if it went rogue.

"I understand," Ruby, "I'll try and get things done here as quickly as possible, so we can deal with i-"

"Excuse me!" Ruby snapped to attention at the ginger-haired girl around Blake's age waving at them from the corner of the clearing, hearing Lyse and Y'shtola shift behind her, "Salutations! I'm Penny Polendina, and I've been sent here to find the group responsible for the defeat of the creature known as Été!"

-X Penny X—-

Penny sat in the seat across from General Ironwood, CPU running through every combat program she had. The airship they were on, the Atlesian Mobile Command Center 1: Valor was moving at full speed, meaning they would be at their destination in five minutes and twenty-seven seconds.

"Penny," Ironwood said, looking up from the newest report, "I have new additions to the mission report."

"Yes, sir?" Penny asked.

"An advanced drone just confirmed that the people we're looking for eliminated Été. Instead of assisting, you are to attempt to convince them to return to Valor with you. If they refuse, do what you must retrieve Specialists Schnee and Bronzewing, then retreat back to Valor for support. Am I understood?"

"Yes, General," Penny nodded, mind running through scenarios, "Do we know their abilities?"

"Not entirely," General Ironwood said, "I can only say for certain that the one who killed Été is capable of manifesting black flames with their Aura. What those flames do is still partially unknown, but she did appear to use them to pull a Faunus from Été immediately prior to her defeat."

Penny nodded, taking the information in stride and compiling it… but not sure what that actually meant. How was that possible, and why would it affect the mission?

"I'll get going, then," Penny said, standing up and smiling at General Ironwood, who gave a curt nod back.

"Good luck."

Penny stepped out of the office, heading for the hanger and running through all the ways this could go.

She didn't even begin to realize how flawed the data she had was until she met the Scions of the Seventh Dawn for the first time.

-X Y'shtola X—-

Y'shtola stifled the confused gasp as she looked at the girl. Her Aetheric makeup was... different, like a mammet. No, not like a Mammet.

Not for the first time, the Miqo'te was left to marvel at what people were capable of when separate from the ability to use magic. The Garleans had conquered a continent despite that weakness, Garlond Ironworks was second to one in creation, and now the people of Remnant, already equal or surpassing Garlemald, had done something approaching that of ancient Allag, created an artificial hyur, soul and all.

But was that truly surprising? Their journey so far had shown that, if anything, Ruby had forgotten much of what would have been hard for someone from Eorzea, from all of Hydaelyn, to believe. Adam and Blake's weapons, for one example. The closest that came to them were the gunweapons of the Garleans, rapier and focuses of the Red Mages, and Chaos Blade and Highway Star… which were also of Garlean make.

Now that Y'shtola thought about it, she wasn't sure where Alisaie had gotten her skill with red magic, much of the largest order, the Crimson Duelists, had been wiped out during the first, failed rebellion against the King of Ruin. Yda, the real Yda, had known a young man in them, Lam… something.

A question for another time, though. Right now, they had something else to deal with. Much of their party was out of commission, and now a girl of metal had come looking for them. But for what reason?

Ruby, evidently, had come to the same question, a flare of Aether letting her catch Chaos Blade and Highway Star. Y'shtola immediately called out in Eorzean, cutting Ruby off, "Ruby."

"I don't like this," Ruby said, voice carefully modulated to keep her thoughts from leaking through in the tone of her voice, "it seems too convenient."

"Most of our members are out of consciousness," Y'shtola said.

"Exactly," Ruby said, "then this girl just shows up? It's way too good to be true, completely opposite our luck."

Y'shtola hesitated, "Then make it clear we expect some concessions. Our weapons remain with us, our injured, the same. But we cannot afford to sacrifice a safe place to stay."

"Fine," Ruby said, before switching back to Remnantian, "Fine… We're the ones that killed… Été, I guess?"

"Yes, we were aware of that," the girl said, stepping forward, "General Ironwood would like to speak with you."

Y'shtola felt Ilia tense behind them, looking back and pressing a finger against her lips. Ilia's grip on the whip grew so tight it groaned, "She works for the Atlesian Military…"

"General Ironwood?" Ruby said, "Someone important then, good. We're willing to talk to your boss, but only if-"

"Lyse!" Y'shtola warned, letting Lyse wrap an arm around Ilia's torso as she tried to take off, hoisting the smaller girl off her feet.

"Let go of-!"

"Sleep!" Y'shtola called, pointing her staff at Ilia and sending the girl into a gentle repose.

Ruby didn't respond to the noise behind her, continuing on, "We get to take care of our own first. Until they wake up."

"I'm sure General Ironwood will understand that," Penny said, a wide smile in her voice, "I'm Penny Polendina, it's nice to meet you!"

"You already said your name," Ruby said.

"I did, didn't I?" Penny observed, slightly stilted, "What's your name?"

"I'm Ruby Rose," Ruby said, "And these are Lyse and Y'shtola. Where are we going?"

"The airship that brought me here is waiting half a mile out," she said, "They'll take us up to the Valiant."

"Miles," Ruby muttered under her breath, just loud enough for Y'shtola to hear, "I forgot they called Malms that…"

-X Ruby X—-

Ruby slid the bag over her shoulder, looking at the boat. Before she could take a step towards it, Louisoix held out Tupsimati, blocking her path, "What?"

"You do not need to go," Louisoix said, "I do not support the Forum's decision, and will fight against it on your behalf, as will Quan."

"You don't need to drag your name through the mud for me," Ruby said.

"Their decision was wrong," Louisoix said, eyes blazing with frustration, "fueled not by logic, but xenophobia, and a thirst to establish a precedent to allow them to continue to worship at that altar."

"It's fine," Ruby said, sliding her knapsack up higher, "Really, it is. Eorzea needs adventurers, and I want to go find out about Gridanian Conjury, I'll be fine."

"...Very well," Loisoix said, moving Tupsimati away from her and resting a hand on her shoulder, "then all I request is that you remember that my home shall always be open to you. As is my council, should you find yourself in need of it."

"Thanks," Ruby said, touching his hand, "I should probably go before they raise anchor."

"Yes," Louisoix sighed, before pulling out a book and holding it out to her. Ruby took it carefully, staring at the scroll emblazoned on it, "Keep that with you. For my own peace of mind."

"Ok," Ruby said, adding it to the knapsack, "Take care of Thancred for me?"

"I wish you would tell him yourself," Louisoix said, "but understand why."

"It's easier this way," Ruby insisted, "He'd want to come with me, and I already did too much harm."

"You didn't do any harm," Louisoix insisted, "the Forum did. I wish you good fortune in your journey, Ruby."

"Thanks," Ruby said, stepping onto the ship's gangplank, watching Louisoix turn and begin to head back towards the city proper, and spoke under her breath, "for everything."

"Conjury?" Ruby turned, watching Matoya walk towards her, "that's your excuse girl? You barely can use the basics, the Padjal couldn't teach you anything that couldn't be taught here."

"It worked," Ruby defended, "I'm done with learning magic right now, I want to be an Adventurer, and Eorzea needs them. That wasn't a lie."

"It only worked because Leveilleur was willing to let it work," Matoya said.

-X Blake X—-

Blake came to consciousness with a stifled groan, rolling over and opening her eyes. Sitting across from her was Ruby, wearing, bafflingly, a black, long sleeved t-shirt with the symbol of Atlas on it. Compared to outfit she had worn on the train, to the armor she had worn after, it was... bizarre, to see her in something so 'normal'.

Finally, the older woman inclined her head, cracking a small smile, "Hey."

"Hi…?" Blake said, pushing herself up and asking the first thing on her mind, "Why are you wearing an Atlas shirt?"

"Because they stubbornly refuse to turn up the temperature on this damn thing," Ruby said, "but were willing to give me this. So this I wear."

Blake cracked a smile, before frowning, "but that implies…"

"We're on an Atlas ship? Yeah, sorry, but if I have to continue to put up with Lolorito, you're gonna have to learn to put up with these guys. Scions don't acknowledge borders, bar outstanding circumstances. Which I feel betraying us cou-

"Ok," Blake said, looking down and drowning out Ruby's complaining. She was surprised Atlas let them on, after-

"Want to talk about it?" Ruby asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Lyse and Arenvald told me what happened. With the Tempered. Want to… talk isn't the right word. Want to yell at me about it?"

I-"

"I'm not gonna be mad at you," Ruby said, handing Blake a glass of water from the sink. Blake's grip on it grew tight, shaking and-

"Why'd you send me to do it!?" Blake finally snarled, throwing the glass at Ruby's head. It missed, slightly, and shattered next to her head, several shards digging into the pale flesh and sending blood as black as pitch rolling down her face. One drop, two drops, then each wound sealed shut, scabs the same color sealing the injuries shut while Ruby continued to stand there without a flinch. Flames ignited in her hand, but she only hovered it next to her shirt, drying it before the water had a chance to let in, "I didn't- I shouldn't- I-"

"If you're expecting me to apologize for what you had to do," Ruby said simply, but not unkindly, "you'll be waiting a long time. If you expect me to apologize for you having to do it… well, that I can give you. It's horrible, and it's gonna haunt you for a very long time. If you're lucky, if we're both lucky, not as long as it haunts me."

What the hell did that even mean?

"I'm sorry, Blake, I really am," Ruby said, "but you did the only thing you could for them-"

"We could have them go!"

"So they could summon the Primal again?" Ruby asked, "and kidnap people to force them into being Tempered? Because that's what happens. There's a reason they can't be allowed to live, Blake. Their entire life, their entire existence becomes tied to how best to serve the Primal. If the Primal is gone, that means bringing them back no matter the cost. If the Primal is around, it means adding more to their worshippers."

"...How can you just say that?" Blake asked, voice shaking.

"Because I've seen it happen," Ruby said, silver eyes darkening to a sad blue, "I've seen races destroyed because too many are Tempered. What happened earlier, what you did… I won't try to convince you it was a good thing, or that you should feel like you did something to be proud of. But you did do the right thing."

"It doesn't feel right," Blake said, voice hollow.

"I know," Ruby said, crouching in front of Blake, "I really do. I've had to kill people important to me because they were Tempered. I've seen that Tempered had families before it happened. Right probably wasn't the… well, the right word, but it was necessary."

Blake clenched her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face. Ruby wrapped her arms around Blake, "it's not… I don't… don't make me do that again, please "

"Not if I don't have to," Ruby said, "I've got something for you."

"Wha-?" Blake blinked as she stared at the crystal Ruby was offering her. It was black with a red circle in the center,"What-?"

"Soul Crystal," Ruby said, shrugging, "It was a gift from Shun, but I could never get it working. Maybe you'll do a bit better with it?"

Blake carefully took the Crystal, feeling her Aura wrap around it. For a second, a vision flashed of a woman on a frog holding a pair of oversized shuriken, then she stared up at Ruby, storing it, "Thanks."

"Don't thank me," Ruby said, "it's better if someone who could actually use the damn thing used it."

-X Jaune X—-

"The Exarch is free to see you," the silver haired rabbit Faunus said to Jaune and… the white haired and blue haired men, gesturing for them to follow her. Jaune followed, only to stop at the look she gave him. Oh, he was in so much trou- "And he apologizes for your state of dress when you arrived, it was… to quote him 'a completely unforeseen scenario.'"

"Is that what he calls being wrenched from the bodies we inhabit suddenly, only to be dropped naked in a forest?" The blue haired man asked with a laugh, "because I'd be quite worried if it was a foreseen scenario, if I'm completely honest."

The woman cracked a small smile, glancing at them with a sly look in her eye as she took in the trio, "Well, he's either being honest, or it was a very strange attempt at getting me into a courtship."

Jaune blushed and coughed, realizing the jab was more at him than the other two given his… reaction… but the blue haired man jumped on the grenade for him, "I'm flattered, madam…?"

"Lyna," she said.

"I'm flattered, Lyna, but priorly committed," the man said, smiling with a set of pearly white teeth, "and at the cost of mocking the very nature of my birth, very faithful to that commitment."

What?

"So you're not allowed to take offense if I call you a bastard?" The white haired man drawled.

"Your sister might," Blue said.

"Which is the first reason to call you one," White said, eyes narrowing, "because if you're who I think you are… she mourns for you, visits your grave whenever the opportunity arises."

"I'd be at her side if I could. Was trying to reach it, before this rather inconvenient summons," Blue said, "and I could level the first half of that at you, Thancred Waters. She fell to the bottle, after losing the Scions of the Seventh Dawn."

Thancred huffed a laugh, inclining his head, "and that's a point to you, I suppose, Haurchefant. Though she never did the same within sight of me, following your death, so I suppose that shows which of use she worries for more."

"Ah, but twasn't just you, was it? Twas Y'shtola, Minfilia, Yda and Papalymo too."

"He did say the person they're debating over is Thancred's sister, did he not?" Lyna asked Jaune, "because it certainly sounds like they're fighting over the favor of a lady."

"Do not blame them, Lyna," all four wheeled around to look at the man standing in the center of the room. Jaune's mouth dropped open, "Even if it's just familial, it's very easy to want to be the center of Ruby Rose's world… though I freely admit to bias on the topic."

"Oh, joy," Thancred deadpanned, "another one."

"Yes, another one," the man laughed lightly, lifting the hand that didn't look like it was made of pure crystal and gesturing towards them, "Please, come in you three. And I truly am sorry for the… abrupt and rude nature of your summons. It wasn't meant for you, but for Ruby herself. I required her assistance with a matter of urgency, and unfortunately grabbed you instead."

"What kind of matter?" Thancred asked, eyes narrowing.

"A Calamity," the man said, "what others would call a Rejoining. The annihilation of this world, and a chain reaction greater even than the Seventh Umbral Calamity on Hydaelyn."

"...Buggery," Haurchefant said, "You're exaggerating."

"I wish I was," the man said, "unfortunately, Ruby was… well, she was herself. Too headstrong and unswaying to answer the first call."

"Then call her again!" Thancred snapped.

"It's… not quite so simple," the man said, "the spell… to throw open the doors and collapse eons, it burns more Aether than I can safely give at the moment. And I can't return you home either, for the same reasons."

"How long is this going to take?" Haurchefant asked, "to gather enough Aether to try again?"

"Six months at the earliest, a year at the latest. I'm sorry, truely-"

"Six months?" Jaune asked, voice cracking. He was going to be stuck here for six mon-?

"There will be a distortion of time. I cannot say how long, but far less time will have passed in your home worlds. And as your bodies are left behind there-"

"No aging?" Haurchefant said

"Minimal aging," the man said, "it will only be noticeable to mister… ah…?"

"Jaune," Jaune said.

"Jaune. Between the rite the Scions put themselves through and your own state of being, Master Greystone, age is the last thing on either of your minds. Which, I suppose, leads me to a question. It is likely presumptuous for me to ask, given that this is my fault to begin with, but would you assist me in various ways? Three able bodies can be of incomprehensible assistance in a world like this."

Thancred trekked through the forest, eyes drilling into the back of Haurchefant's head. Finally, the boy, Jaune, spoke up, "Uh… why… why are you staring at him like that? Does it have to do with Ru-?"

The words died as Thancred's eyes jumped to him. The Archon's eyes softened, the boy hadn't done anything to deserve his scorn yet, "I believed him dead. More importantly, Ruby believed him dead."

"And in my defense," Haurchefant said, "I was quite dead. Twas a spear to the chest."

"Then how are you here?" Thancred asked, anger burned in his chest, "and what in the Seven Hells were you thinking, taking the blow for her?"

"Hydaelyn is how I'm here," Haurchefant said, "and I couldn't stand to see her har-"

"Your death did more harm to her than the spear would have," Thancred snarled, eyes blazing.

"And yours did more harm than the Brass Blades could have," Haurchefant shot back, "Be truthful, did you really think that, had you all stayed together, you wouldn't have been able to defeat the Brass Blades and traitors? After fighting your way to Lady Iceheart? After Ruby led a host of adventurers to fight Gaius Van Baelsar himself? After she layed low Lahabrea?"

Thancred hid the flinch, and couldn't help but wonder if Ruby had told Haurchefant that Lahabrea had been using his body at the time, or if it was an unintended jab on the other man's part. Before they could continue the debate, a cry rang out and something rushed from the forest. Before it could reach them, a chakram flew through the air, taking the head off in one blow.

Thancred and Haurchefant both drew the weapons they had been given with years of practice. Even if the weight of the pair of shortswords were different from his pair on the Source, he adjusted quickly.

Jaune drew his own weapon, a sword and shield, slower, and held them awkwardly. Thancred met Haurchefant's eyes as they reached the same conclusion.

Jaune didn't know how to fight.

Rushing to either side of him, the older men prepared to defend their new charge. Out of the forest came five more beasts, white winged gargoyles with the face of a human.

A second chakram flew out, cutting off one wing and dropping the gargoyle, before both flew backwards, as if on strings, and were caught by Lyna. She moved like a dancer from Thavnair, flowing into melee with the beast and decapitating it with a swirl.

Dodging a claw strike, Thancred impaled the gargoyle through the chest before putting the second through the head. The blood that covered the blades as he removed them from the body with a kick was a fluorescent white, and dried on the blade quickly.

Almost like Ruby's blood.

"What are these things?" Thancred asked, throwing one shortsword over another of their shoulders, and then rushing forward as they turned, slashing through the back of the throat.

"Sin Eaters," Lyna said, "They're… they were people once, before the Flood of Light changed them, destroyed the balance of Aether in their bodies."

"Jaune," Haurchefant said, "You don't know how to fight, do you?"

"I… what makes you think tha-?"

"You're holding the sword too tight," Haurchefant said, "and your grip is wrong. Lyna, I'm sorry, but I feel we should return to the city. Jaune isn't ready for this and-"

"You don't need to stop for me!" Jaume insisted.

"-I feel it would be better if we gave him that training."

Lyna nodded, "I agree, but we need to cull the herd. Thancred, would you be willing to stay and help me?"

"Sure," Thancred said, stepping away from Haurchefant and Jaune.

-X AN X—-

Thoughts, questions and opinions? Good? Bad? Meh? Probably meh right?