Chapter 9

Aftermath

Muted sound and throbbing pain in her chest had Ruby gasping, her eyes fluttering open as her senses crashed into her at full speed. She groaned as she sat up, one hand rubbing her chest in attempts to alleviate the pain while the muted sounds grew louder and her eyes slowly focused from dull colors and blurred shapes to clear picture. The first thing she saw was-

"Ruby!" Yang crashed into her full force, almost bowling her off the makeshift bed.

She gasped as her sisters arms crushed her, and with a comical gasp Ruby shrieked, "Yang, air! I need air!" Her hands swatted at her sister shoulders, and the blond released her instantly.

Yang pulled back, and Ruby's heart dropped as she saw the tears falling from Yang's eyes.

"Yang?" She asked softly, careful to glance around the tent she was in. A dozen other beds laid about, filled with wounded though two beds had a single white sheet draped over them.

"I was worried," Yang huffed, wiping tears from her eyes even as a smile broke out, "sorry, just… every things a mess and I was afraid you wouldn't wake up."

"I told you she would, something as simple as exhaustion wouldn't have killed her, tch."

Ruby's eyes moved behind Yang, even as her sister bristled and glared back at the man standing behind her. At her servant, Archer. Assassin. Same thing!

The pain in her chest flared. She grimaced and gripped her chest.

"Ruby, you okay?" Yang asked, her voice fast and her eyes overflowing with concern. She looked Ruby over, eyes fixated on her sister as Ruby awkwardly coughed and looked back at her Servant, who in turn was staring at them with amusement.

"What happened?"

His amusement died.

The man glanced at the others in the tent; at the nurses and doctors rushing by, at grieving loved ones and the injured.

"This is why the War is meant to be kept secret."

Ruby huffed and slid her feet around the bed before standing. She stretched her arm out, but felt her vision swim for a moment. She breathed deep and her eyes bore into dull silver ones.

"What happened?"

Her mind flashed and she remembered fire. Amber eyes and fire.

"Where's Jaune!" She shrieked.

The man scoffed, "Master-"

"You're awake! Thank the Gods," A man haphazardly dressed in a white coat stained with blood, ran up to her with an exhausted smile, "how do you feel?"

She blinked and shrugged, "uh okay I guess?"

"Good good," the man nodded and looked behind him, "bring her here!"

He none so gently shoved Ruby out of the way, ripping the bed sheet off the bed she had been on while Yang angrily questioned the mans ethics, only for a pair of nurses to rush over with a woman in their arms. The woman was sputtering and half her body was burnt to a crisp.

Ruby's hand covered her mouth and Yang's protests silenced immediately.

The man, who Ruby figured was a doctor, turned and pointed towards the tents entrance, "Sorry, we need every bed. If you're okay to move please exit, we don't have the room." His somber smile and the way he rushed past her, calling to someone else in a panicked voice, had Yang pulling her along and while Assassin followed.

Ruby eyes roamed over the tent even as they left, the amount numbering in the dozens, and each one far more injured than she had been.

Sensing her confusion, Yang spoke up as they exited the tent, "they wanted you here just in case. The doc's weren't sure if you had a concussion or were in a coma."

"What about the others?"

Yang yanked her to the side as another pair or nurses rushed passed with man roaring in agony, "most with Qrow. Come on."

Her sister pulled her along, and Ruby's eyes grew wide at the sight before her; at the tent city sprawled before the hospital and the hundreds of people rushing about.

Smoke rose in the distance, while distant thunder reminded of the past storm. Buildings all around were in shambles, broken tatters and half charred skeletons of ash. It was a desolate sight, and the roving bullheads above the city, the police and soldiers rushing about, had her nervously chewing on her lip.

How bad had it gotten?

'The king of Hero's did not take kindly to the city. In all honesty, its a miracle half the city survived untouched. As is your own survival.'

She raised an eyebrow at her servants statement, but Yang didn't allow her to linger, pulling her through the throngs of people and towards the edge of the tents.

So many people moved about that Ruby was forced to watch her path with care lest she be knocked over and trampled. She spotted a green shirt and pink highlights. Ren. She smiled, "Yang, its Ren!"

Her sister didn't stop, instead only glancing over to where Ruby pointed to see the man in question helping a nurse load vials into a crate. Yang nodded, "yeah, Ren, Nora, and Oscar are helping wherever they can. The city needs everyone it can get."

Ruby grimaced as they quickly trudged around a large group of soldiers hefting a massive crate filled with obvious medical supplies.

"What about Blake and Uncle Qrow?" Ruby asked, glancing back to see that Assassin was gone. Her eyes went wide but Yangs response came first, "They're hurt, nothing bad," she added before Ruby could question, "but they're hurt enough the doctors are forcing them on bed rest. Separate tent from yours since theirs got full."

Assassin, where are you?

'Spirit form Master. Better than dealing with the crowds of people.'

She couldn't help but agree, especially when a particularly large man and woman practically bowled her over in their rush. Their tear stained faces and hysterical chatter killed any retort she or her sister might have had.

Yang pulled her along, and fortunately it didn't take long for them to arrive to a far smaller tent, where Maria sat outside with naught but a frown etched on her face. The frown flipped as her mechanical eyes landed on Ruby, and the girl smiled in return as the old woman spoke, "glad to see you're in one piece. You're uncle was worried. Told him he was being a dram queen."

Maria waved off the comment off with a smirk and laughed chuckled lightly as Yang went into the tent.

"Is everyone-"

"Best you ask your uncle. A lot happened when you were stuck in that bubble I hear." The woman nodded to the tent and with a final smile Ruby followed after her sister.

Her uncles tent was smaller than the one she had been set up in. Six beds sat around the tent in two rows, a handful of nurses running about checking on patients, and at the end of each row sat Blake and Qrow across from one another.

"Glad to see you're awake pipsqueak," her uncles raspy voice greeted her, "your sister here kept crying about you. Had to kick-"

Ruby crashed into her uncle, rose petals fluttering about as she crushed him with all the strength her arms could muster, before she pulled back and eyed the bandages covering him as well as his one black eye. The man sputtered as she looked in his eyes with barely concealed worry ,"what happened Uncle Qrow!"

Her Uncle chuckled, running a hand through his hair, "oh you know, just fighting to the death with a Servant while catnip here fought with her clingy ex lover. Just a normal day."

Blake groaned at the statement, "normal is not how I'd describe fighting Adam and a servant."

"Yeah well you were apart of the White Fang. You're judgment is questionable most of the time." Qrow rolled his eyes with a scoff-

"Hey!"

-then continued,"either way, her ex here apparently has a Servant and I got my ass kicked. Plus the cities in ruins in case you didn't notice."

Ruby flinched and nodded, "it looked bad…"

"It is," Qrow huffed patting her shoulder as he leaned back on his bed with a wince, "not sure what's what, but according to the Ice Queen half the city's in ruins and at least two hundred dead."

Ruby gasped.

"And that's not even counting the fact six bullheads went down with their entire crews."

Silver eyes closed and her hands played with the hem of her skirt. Two hundred gone. Because of their fight. Because Cinder, wanted her dead. Then again, Cinder had torn down Beacon for Phyrra. What else could she have expected?

"How can I help?" She opened her eyes and firmed her lips into thin lines.

She heard a scoff in her mind, but ignored her Servants lack of empathy while her uncle smiled, "no idea kiddo, but your other friends went off to help with supplies, rescue and clean up."

"Jaune and Weiss went out to help with the clean up, but he mentioned going to his sister's house," Blake added, "think he was looking for them, but with everything being… well…"

It was going to be hard to find anyone. She figured that much considering how many people she'd seen walking around the make shift medical city.

"If you're feeling up to it kiddo, might as well help out," Qrow shrugged with another wince, "not much me and catnip here can do other than pout."

Blake nodded in agreement, "I know Ren and Nora went to help out with medical."

"Yeah we saw Ren," Yang replied, "no idea where Nora is though."

"What about Jaune?" Ruby asked, "you said he was helping with clean up?"

"Helping," Blake air quoted, "he went to find his sister remember."

"Duh well where's the clean up place? If I can help find survivors then I need to help."

Qrow huffed, "don't push yourself kid. Your sister would be better for heavy duty work. Plus you just woke up from a concussion-"

"It was my eyes."

Her uncle, sister and teammate all turned to her. Her fingers locked together behind her back and she rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet, "Cinder had me. And I… I did whatever I did in Beacon."

Cinders grin flashed in her mind.

"You used your eyes?" Qrow raised an eyebrow, and Ruby nodded.

The man sighed, "well at least you're okay. Cinder's probably mad as hell though, unless you finished the job?"

"She did not." The voice of Assassin had Blake jumping in her bed, Yang cursing,and Qrow narrowing his eyes.

Ruby on the other hand, was far more gracious in her response, shrieking only once while her cheeks flushed and her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. All in all, a usual reaction for the reaper when surprised.

Her Servant chuckled at her embarrassment as he returned to physical form in a shower of sparks, "ignoring your obvious distress Master, I will say that your adversary survived your encounter. However, she was wounded. You certainly achieved victory rather swiftly."

She heard the statement for the question it was. How had she beaten Cinder with her weapon broken?

"I used my eyes again," she chuckled mirthlessly, "guess it worked."

"Your… eyes?" Her servant asked, his tone low and one eyebrow raised in curiosity.

It was her uncle who coughed loudly and came to her rescue, "long story bub, but lets just say silver eyes are extremely rare and anyone with Cinder's power is uniquely weak to them."

The white haired man nodded once, "well, I may not know of this silver eyed power, but I can tell you your actions saved this city from a far worse fate. The King of Heroes was obviously displeased with this place after all."

"You called him that before…" Ruby asked, her fingers tied together behind her back, "he doesn't act like a king."

Her servant scoffed and crossed his arms, "he is an arrogant man of the highest order, but his strength lies in his armory."

"You mean the glowing portals of death?" Yang huffed with thinly veiled malice.

Ruby's servant nodded then continued, "he is the oldest heroic spirit, and his armory contains every weapon known to mankind. Every weapon in existence, past and present," Blake eyes grew wide and Ruby's eyes glistened for a moment before he spoke once more, "and his arrogance is his downfall. If he had wanted to he could've destroyed this city in a moment, and killed every one of you within the blink of an eye."

Ruby felt her breath hitch in her throat. A few days ago she would've considered his words an exaggeration, but after what happened...

"So why didn't he?"

Assassin shrugged, "cause his interests lay elsewhere."

Ruby raised an eyebrow, mouth half open to ask a question but Yang beat her too it, "And his interests are?"

The Servant sighed, "His interests lie with-" the mans head suddenly turned towards the tents entrance, his eyes wide and particles of light flickering down as a massive black bow formed in his hand, "another servant is heading this way."

With no more explanation he shot out from the tent far faster than any of them could react. Ruby 'eeked', spared a few confused glances at her friends and family, then burst into rose petals and followed.

"Ruby!"

She ignored her sisters call and let her roses fly out of the tent and into the medical city beyond it. She reformed outside, people yelling or jumping at her sudden appearance. She ignored them, silver eyes looking about and landing on her servant- who was running up the side of the hospital.

She blinked twice at the sight, sighed, then burst into petals once again and followed. She wasn't as fast, and she had to fade in and around tents and people, and even reform once more at the ground floor of the hospital before following him up.

Fortunately, the sheer amount of people and chaos in the tent city had mostly everyone ignoring both of them. At least she hoped. It was hard to tell.

Either way, reaching the top of the building had her huffing for breath, beads of sweat lining her forehead.

"A…Assa…assassin," she managed through a gasp, "is there another servant?"

He nodded from his spot in the center of the roof, but hadn't notched any arrows.

"Is it-"

"No," he spared a glance at her, his eyes narrowed and disproving, "the King of Hero's has gone. He is a man of his word if nothing else. This is someone else."

He pointed outward, and as Ruby trudged up to him with heavy pants, she followed his eyesight.

It was like a comet. Bright and glowing as it raced towards them from the horizon. It was easy to see with the dark clouds and night sky behind them.

Still, with the chaos below it was easily ignorable.

Her servants eyes narrowed and his shoulders dropped slightly as the light grew ever closer. His bow disappeared, and in his hands motes of light swirled around before forming a pair of swords.

Black and White. Yin and Yang.

Ruby's eyes widened at their obvious top notch craftsmanship. At the aura of… sheer agony, behind them. She stepped back from the man, eying him carefully as his left foot stepped back and his body tensed as the light grew even brighter, almost like the sun, before coming to a roaring stop only a dozen or so feet in front of her servant.

The light dissipated- was it a boat? A bow? A really large hangar?- Ruby shook her head, and watched as a blue and gold bow and arrow thing floated silently before them and on the back of the thing-

"Sun?" She blinked.

The boy in question, blond hair, abs, and tail, waved from the back of the giant bow, "uh, Hey Ruby! Fancy seeing you here!"

She smiled awkwardly and gave half a wave, "yeah, hah, fancy…" Her eyes traveled to the two others with Sun, a woman in a bikini like attire with sharp red eyes and a primal beauty about her and of course Neptune. Why was she not surprised Neptune was here too?

"So," Sun laughed as he hopped down from the roof, rubbing the back of his head, "I'm guessing you want to know how I got her on a giant flying bow?"

"She's your servant?"

"Well you see its a long story, she appeared form nowhere and Now I have these red marks and-" Sun stopped then coughed into his fist as her words sank in, "uh yeah… How'd you know?"

She threw a thumb over at her own servant, "that's mine."

"I knew you'd guys be in the thick of things!" Sun cheered.

"Yeah…" Ruby frowned and spared a glance at the chaos still reigning over Argus.

"Oh damn…" It was Neptune's words that carried any somber weight and she spared a quick glance to see the blue haired boy staring from his place on the bow with a look of horror at what was left of Argus.

"Ruby…" Sun's eyes were wide and and his mouth handing open, "what happened?"

"Servants happened."

She swallowed and pursed her lips, looking over the smoke and rubble of Argus's western half. She closed her eyes and turned away, "Assassin, these guys are my friends. We're not going to fight them okay?"

Silence.

She opened her eyes and found her Servant staring at the woman standing atop the giant floating bow.

His hands and weapons laid limp at his side, as his silver eyes narrowed at the woman even as she floated down towards him, her own head tilted in confusion.

"Do I know you?" The woman asked in a critical voice that somehow held a emote of somber curiosity.

Her servant stepped forward, his swords disappeared, and his arms crossed, and if Ruby dared guess, there was the inkling's of a small, absolutely minuscule smile forming on his lips?

"Rin Tohsaka. Of course."

Jaune Arc stared at the spot in the ground. At the crater where nothing but ash and rocks remained. Actually, he would be lying if he told anyone thats all that remained, after all, there was a severed leg and chunks of flesh as well as clothing.

His legs gave out and he collapsed to his knees, hands gripping onto the floor as his blue eyes filled with tears.

"Jaune?"

The voice was soft, despite the firmness behind it. Once, he would've been head over heels at hearing the voice address him with such care. And he knew it was because she cared, but right now, he didn't care. Not even a bit.

"I.." He choked as his chest shuddered and his heart ached, "I thought she got out… Terra and the baby… They were at the hospital. I thought…"

"I'm so sorry…" A hand rested on his shoulder, and he could barely make out the white hair next to him, but he sniffled and turned back to the crater.

To the horrid sight before him.

What was left of his sister.

He knew it was her.

Why?

The severed head that laid off the the side.

Whatever could be said about the golden asshole that had attacked him, his weapons were effective. If his guess was right, a single sword had simply obliterated his sister into a million pieces. It would've been instant, quick.

Yet, that was of no comfort.

"Weiss… How am I going to tell them?" He shook as tears began to drop, "My mom and dad… my sisters… How…"

The Heiress said nothing and he felt his heart flip at that. It was unfair but he wished she could've said anything. Something.

Instead her hand remained on his shoulder,while her thumb caressed him in silence.

He grit his teeth and punched the ground.

Once again, he was utterly powerless.

He couldn't save his sister, and if Ruby didn't have her eyes…

The image of Cinder laughing as a lifeless Ruby with a sword through her chest toppled to the ground filled his mind, and he felt his stomach drop and his hands itch with heat.

Damn it all.

'Master?'

He ignored Saber's call. He needed to just… be, right now.

She was near, he knew that, but right now, seeing a Servant would set him off.

Servant's.

His eyes grew wide and they landed on the crater.

It was that Servant's fault.

The one Saber had informed him was called the King of Heros. That man wasn't a hero though, that much he knew. Ruby was a hero. Saber was a Hero. Pyhrra had been a hero.

Not him. Not that man who took his sister without any real reason.

He grit his teeth and stared at the ground with seething hatred.

"I'm gonna kill him."

"What?" Weiss's question was filled with concern, but he shrugged off her words and looked her directly in the eyes.

Blue met blue.

"I'm gonna kill the King of Heros."

A/N: A bit shorter than I wanted, but it would've been closer to probably ten thousand words If I did the next part. I'm trying for shorter chapters, nothing super long so I can actually updates every week or two rather than every month or two.

Hope you enjoyed this, not much action, more of catching everyone and seeing new friends arrive and Jaune's desire for vengeance. We know he wanted to avenge Pyhrra, and after the chaos that is a grail war, even after his talk with Ruby, he was shown how powerless he is. It only reaffirms his earlier beliefs, Ruby's words lost in the tragedy of his sisters death.

Yes, a few chapters earlier, if you were careful reading, there was a scene where Gil obliterated a poor blond woman. It was Sapphire Arc. It was written to show how unaffected both Saber and Gil have become to tragedy, where as Jaune and the rest of RWBY, minus Qrow and Maria, are still unused to it. Especially on the level a Grail War would cause.

Next chapter will have a few more revelations, but I felt this was decent place to end this one. Also remember, Ishtar is a Carbon copy of Rin and is a Pseudo Servant. So she is in Rin's body.

We'll get a look into Salem and Raven next chapter. Oh the plans I have for those two.

Also remember, for Ruby, she does know some tragedy, but she woke up after being unconscious and the bulk of the current tragedy is over, and everyone she loves is alive, the contrast of Jaune, who had to suffer through it all. Juxtaposition of the two.

Lastly, I don't normally bring up politics, but the only thing I'll say, love others the way you want to be loved. That's my advice to the world. Something I think Ruby Rose would agree with. \

Anyway, hope you enjoyed, please review, and God Bless.

- Metal4k