v. Illuminations on the sky

It was sleeting outside and the air was bright and sharp with the approach of dusk. Surveying the empty beach from the pier with her hood up, Ruby decided that haste would do no good in hunting down Ormolu; he had nowhere to run on an island this small, and being a calculating sort, he likely had a defensive plan of engagement. Jaune and Qrow stood behind Ruby as her eyes flicked coolly between the peaks and the flat-roofed buildings of the station. She took stock of her options. Given that the mystery arsonist still remained in the facility, Ormolu was either taking an extraordinarily reckless action out of impatience and desperation, or he was acting on information she didn't possess; and the former seemed unfeasible.

In other words, it was probable that Ormolu was quite aware of what caused the fire and had reason to believe he could use it to his advantage.

'You two stay here and question the others,' said Ruby. 'I'll scout out the building. I think he's planning something.'

'Alone?' asked Jaune.

'I won't get too close and keep outside if I can. And I can get back to the beach quick.'

'So can I,' said Qrow. 'Don't forget I can always—take wing, so to speak.'

Ruby scratched her ear thoughtfully as she considered the dark windows of the main building. 'I'll admit a crow stands out less. Could you try and get a look through the windows or are they too dark?'

Qrow squinted at the terrain around the station. 'See what I can do. I'll start in the trees and approach carefully.'

With a curt nod, Ruby turned back to her companions. 'Crows aren't exactly seabirds and I'm not going to put it past Ormolu to know more than he should about you. Promise you'll be extra super careful, okay?' She looked at Qrow seriously.

'Sure.'

'Say you promise.'

'I promise.'

'Promise what?'

Qrow pinched the bridge of his nose. 'I promise I'll be careful.'

'Extra…'

'…Extra super careful,' Qrow said in a defeated tone, though he managed a weary smile at Ruby's cheek. 'Don't let the other three out of your sight, alright?'

'Count on it,' said Ruby.

'Alright. See you in a few.' With a cocky grin, Qrow took a running jump off the pier, shifting seamlessly into his secondary form in midair. The great black wings spread, and the crow dipped and soared into a high arc, bending towards the beach. Ruby watched as he slid leftwards to the copse by the gate, and shifted her weight restlessly from one foot to the other.

'Can't say I expected to see you of all people making someone promise not to be reckless.' Jaune came up to stand parallel with her, hands stuffed in his pockets.

'Very funny,' said Ruby. 'Do you have any ideas on what part of the puzzle we're still missing here? I'm starting to get a handle on it, I think, but I'd like to know your thoughts.'

Jaune sucked air through his teeth. 'I do have an idea but—let's talk to Claret. I have a feeling about him.'

Ruby agreed, smiling politely. 'Your feelings usually have something to them.' Jaune answered with a noncommittal grunt, shivering as the breeze picked up. Somewhere far away, thunder growled in response to the surging sea.

Ruby and Jaune returned to the apologetic Ulrich Blau in his office, who directed them to the cabins below deck.

'The Faunus is in the bed and the other two are attending to him,' he said. 'Old man seemed morose, the woman—Chrysoprase, was it?—I don't know about her. Wrapped up in her own thoughts, I s'ppose.'

In silence they descended to the lower deck; Ruby stared absently at the blue funnel looming over them as she thudded down the stairs, running her hand down the wet iron of the railing. At this distance, the buildings of the research station, boxy and stout, looked like little grey models from a board game. Qrow, of course, was not visible. The smell of salt began to wear on Ruby's nerves.

Below, the hall swayed strangely with the stormy tide; the lights flickered. Ruby approached the door to Claret's cabin.

'Look sharp,' she said to Jaune. 'You ready?'

'Let's go.'

Vere Claret was lying on top of the blankets, still dressed in his clothes, his charcoal waistcoat unbuttoned and his belly a little protrusive beneath the white shirt. His breaths were ragged and his eyes unfocussed. Pelles sat by him in his navy waterproof gear, looking at the dirty cream wall behind the bed. On the opposite side of the room, Major Chrysoprase leant against the wall near the desk, arms folded and face shrewd, unreadable.

'Good to see you made it, Ruby Rose,' said Pelles. 'He went back to the station, didn't he?'

Ruby interlocked her fingers and cracked them, ignoring his comment. 'What's wrong with Claret?'

'Chronic back pain,' said Pelles, looking at Ruby ironically.

'Let's be real.'

Claret made a sickly retching sound. 'Come now. I could pluck the most tragic indigent out of darkest Mistral and they'd never fall for that one.'

'I have to say,' Pelles said, 'you've got the acerbic sense of humour down pat.'

'I suppose I was born with it.' Claret's voice was thin and whispery, trailing off into a quiet, almost animalistic growl in the back of his throat. His polecat nose twitched desperately.

'Is it the hybrid causing this?' Ruby asked. 'Like with me?'

'No,' said Jaune before Pelles could reply. 'You and Qrow were fully unconscious the entire time. This is different. Definitely different.'

'But not entirely separate,' added Pelles.

Ruby's frown relaxed as comprehension flashed through her eyes. 'Jaune,' she began, 'do you think…?'

'Yep,' said Jaune.

Ruby nodded. 'Ormolu isn't just hypothesising that the hybrid completed its incubation, is he?'

'No,' said Pelles.

'Let me introduce myself,' murmured Vere Claret, not looking at Ruby, 'as subject zero.'

'I can't believe I missed a detail this big,' said Ruby. 'You used Jaune as the basis for the human part of the hybrid to give it an Aura boost, but I never asked…'

'What Grimm you used,' completed Jaune.

Ruby recalled Pelles' words in the basement. '"The real prize is in the aquarium." The Selkie. AMI. Intelligence and espionage. I'm an idiot for not seeing it.'

'I'd say you're doing well for a wee mite,' said Pelles. 'Dependent on your final conclusion, of course.'

Ruby said, 'Ormolu made a shapeshifter.'

'Correct,' replied Pelles.

'It infected Vere Claret and incubated,' Ruby continued.

'Correct.'

'This man here'—Ruby pointed at Claret—'is not Vere Claret.'

'Depends on your perspective,' said Pelles. 'He's got all the genetic material to be Vere Claret. But no, he isn't Vere Claret in the way you mean.'

The man on the bed groaned and retched again. 'I'm dreadful hungry.'

'We never should have come back here.' The deep, abrupt voice was Chrysoprase's; the room turned to her. 'Never should've trusted that snake Cinnabar and his filthy money.'

Pelles scraped his nails through his beard, gaze drifting. 'For what it's worth, I'm sorry.'

Rubbing short fingers over her hair, Chrysoprase tsked. 'Don't. The more I think about this, the worse it gets.'

'Ahem,' coughed Ruby, raising her hand. 'Pelles, start talking.'

Pelles shared a look with Claret—or the creature in his skin—and nodded. 'Few months ago,' he began, 'Cinnabar contacted the old team who worked here and told them he had the support and funds to revive the Selkie project. Where he found them is anyone's guess. There was some scepticism, understandably; but, once your friend Jaune's Aura was explained, they decided to take the risk. Pretty stupid, eh?'

'Go on,' said Ruby.

'Isn't it obvious?' whispered Claret. 'They made the hybrid and gave it to my unfortunate predecessor. It killed him and used his genetic information to become—me.'

'Vere Claret wasn't just given the hybrid,' said Pelles. 'He was tricked—by the man who's currently nursing his newer, better creation.'

'Ormolu? And the creation is…?'

Obscured by the beard, Pelles' smile was enigmatic. 'With regard to the creature that caused the fire, what you're thinking is probably correct.'

Jaune spoke up. 'Pelles, if I use my Aura on Claret, will it help?'

'Very kind,' said Claret, 'but you do know I'm Grimm, yes?' His voice and breathing had become raspier.

'Won't work,' said Pelles. 'His Aura's given up the ghost. The process of self-cannibalisation has begun.'

Glancing at the sweat beading on Claret's forehead, a pulse of nausea vibrated through Ruby. Cinder Fall, the most infamous hybrid of Grimm and man, had nothing on this. Nor did the Selkie's imitation of a child. The Selkie was a mere facsimile; this was a genetic human in private battle with his own destabilising existence, with a darkness at the heart of his being—a battle he was losing.

'Don't feel so bad,' Claret murmured. 'Although I will admit your emissions of negative feeling rather improve my state of mind.'

'A detail still bothers me,' said Ruby, looking at Pelles with direct eyes.

'Hmm?' said Pelles.

'Just who are you?'

Before Pelles could speak, there was a rap at the door.

'Huntress.' The voice of Ulrich Blau. 'Your uncle's back. And he's got—something like a message from the station.'

Ruby's expression, as it returned to Pelles, was knowing and defiant. The old man withered a little.

'You have a hypothesis,' he said. 'Care to put it to the test?'

'Mr. Blau?' Ruby called, gaze never leaving Pelles. 'Let my uncle in.'

'Personally,' said Yang, 'I think the whole thing's a bit of a joke. No offence, I know it's your whole deal right now.'

'None taken. But what makes you say that?' asked Ruby.

It was dinner time: lamb chops, peas, cabbage and roast potatoes with plenty of gravy and mint sauce. A plain meal to which none of the four gathered at Taiyang's house would object, least of all Qrow. Ruby and Yang had cooked together; they hadn't anything like that since at least Ruby's Beacon days. Despite the intervening years, they still made a good team.

'Because,' began Yang, 'there used to be a time when a Huntress was considered suspicious for associating herself with a kingdom. Nowadays it's the opposite. Sure, you're helping people on the frontier, but at the end of the day, you're serving political masters at Vale.'

'You're not wrong,' Ruby admitted. 'I trust Oscar to represent us well enough on the Council, but honestly, I try to keep above the politics. Helping as many people as I can is more important to me than who gives me the paycheck.' With typical aplomb, she seized a lamb chop and bit into it decisively.

Yang took a draught of water. 'Blake wasn't always so comfortable working unaffiliated either. Think she only did because it was me.'

With a thoughtful expression, Taiyang tapped his fork against the plate. 'I might've objected to working for Vale in my younger days, but I can see Ruby's perspective too. It's worth trying to accept the things you can't control. What do you think, Qrow?'

Qrow started to hear his name. 'What do I think?' he said, muffled by a mouthful of cabbage. 'The world changes, I guess. You just gotta do what you can and stick to your convictions.' His answer elicited an affectionate look from Ruby and a chuckle from Yang.

'Gods, that's so you.' Yang speared a potato and stuffed it in her mouth whole. 'You know, Rubes, without my old storybooks and Qrow doing the hero routine, I wonder how you'd've turned out. Doing something safer, probably.'

'You're one to talk.'

Yang shrugged. 'I like the road.'

'You're still working alone?' asked Ruby.

'Yeah.' Yang gestured with her fork as she swallowed. 'Mind you, it's sometimes easier working alone. I spent a lot of time working with the Matsuda Syndicate when they moved HQ to southern Vacuo during the Mistral reforms. Difficult to get Huntsmen on jobs like that, 'cause the so-called international community doesn't approve. Blake wouldn't have liked it. Stuff like that reminds her of her past. But they're just trying to survive, y'know? They protect people that the state can't protect.'

'I remember you saying that,' said Ruby. 'The Matsuda Syndicate stuff. Was that when Blake was with that—stag Faunus, was it? From Mistral.'

'Nah, that was two years ago. This was a little under a year ago, last time we split.'

'Sorry, you must've mentioned it when we talked.'

'Yep,' said Yang, 'but I'm sure you were too wrapped up in your own little crush to remember the details.' She grinned, and Ruby tutted.

'Don't be like that.'

'Don't deny it!' Yang's tone deepened as she teased her. 'It's not such a bad thing. Even if it is Jaune.'

'Nothing's happened, Yang.'

'Maybe it should.' Yang waggled her eyebrows. 'Sure beats rolling round the slums of Vacuo by yourself.'

'Yaaang.'

'Blake really doesn't like Vacuo, you know.'

'I'm sorry,' said Ruby. 'I shouldn't have mentioned her.'

'Ruby.' The teasing was gone. 'Don't you want to talk about her?'

'No,' said Ruby. 'I don't. Can't we just finish dinner?'

'You haven't even asked,' said Yang. 'We haven't seen each other in six months and I thought you'd want to ask about her.'

Ruby exhaled slowly before speaking, staring at her remaining potatoes. 'It'd make us feel bad.'

'Girls…' Tai began.

'Ugh!' Yang slammed her palm on the table. 'The hell is wrong with you?' The plates shuddered, and Ruby laid down her cutlery to give Yang her full attention.

'Every time,' said Ruby. 'Every time it's the same no-win situation. I'm not going to play the game.'

'You think it's a game,' Yang spat. 'Of course you do. Little Miss Above It All. When did you become so selfish?'

Ignore the hurt. 'When I realised you weren't going to stop,' replied Ruby.

'Yeah, yeah,' said Yang. 'I'm the emotional mess running around trying to make you happy, and you're just so reasonable and detached with your high ideals, because you're the most perfect Huntress and the leader of team RWBY just like when we were teenagers. It's getting old. Just stop.'

Anger made its uncharacteristic appearance in steel eyes. 'Then you stop trying to make everyone in your life responsible for your feelings and damning them when they stop needing you. It's not my fault we don't see Blake anymore.'

'Girls, please' said Tai. 'Ruby, your sister's been through a lot—'

'She's always been through a lot, Dad,' said Ruby, tears prickling. 'But I'm sorry.' She turned to Qrow. 'I'm sorry for messing up your birthday.'

Qrow waved his hand dismissively.

'Oh, you apologise to him, of course,' said Yang.

'Please don't,' said Ruby. 'I'm going to see Mom. I need a timeout.'

'I think that's a good idea,' said Tai.

Ruby paused to stabilise her feelings once she was a dozen yards clear of the claustrophobia. The ragged light of the afternoon made her squint, the sky the colour of paper. The beech trees murmured in the wind like gossiping friends. She breathed the cool air, her wet eyes drying in the November chill.

A hand touched her shoulder.

'Oh, it's just you.' Ruby forced a smile for Qrow. 'Kinda awkward to come after me and leave those two, isn't it?' The responding smirk guided her expression into authenticity.

'My turn this time,' said Qrow. 'They were staring daggers at me so I figured I'd make my excuses before I ended up dessert. They'll feel better for being able to talk it out in private. Besides, the woods are dangerous, right?'

'Not half as much since Salem,' said Ruby. 'But thanks. I feel bad they're blaming you for my mistake.'

'Don't worry about it.'

Ruby continued, 'Pretty lame, huh? Never saw this part of the story coming.'

'No one does, kid.' Qrow tousled her hair. 'You just gotta live with it. Happens to the closest of friends. Some point you're lucky if you got one or two people who are on your wavelength.'

'I guess I got one or two.' Ruby couldn't repress a sad, pointed little smile at her uncle. 'But it seems unfair on them.'

'What's unfair,' said Qrow, 'is that I'm out here and not Tai.'

Ruby hugged him again. Qrow made a mild protest as he returned it.

'Damn it. Thought that deadbeat would've learnt some new tricks by now.'

'Is okay. He loves me. Not his fault.' Ruby's grip was fierce. 'He just feels guilty for the times he wasn't there for Yang.'

'And who was there for you?'

'Yang was.' Ruby rubbed Qrow's shoulder. 'And you were, too.'

'Then whose fault is it?'

'After that drama,' said Ruby, 'who cares? It's your birthday. Today should be about you.'

'You know I don't care about that stuff.'

'I do.' Ruby released Qrow and stepped back. 'You're always thinking of me. Let me treat you nicely.'

'You're a real wet blanket,' Qrow grumbled. 'Anyway, I've been meaning to mention: teaching out here in the sticks can get pretty boring, so if a real exciting job ever comes up in Vale, give me a call, okay? I might just consider coming for a little visit if you made it worth the trip.'

Ruby rolled her eyes and grinned at his reticence. 'Thanks. Happy Birthday.'

'Alright,' said Qrow, 'we gonna go see Summer? Hope you don't mind me hogging her for a few minutes.'

'Knock yourself out,' said Ruby. 'As long as you return the favour.'

Summer's grave was on a cliff overlooking the wildest northeastern forests of Patch; the path there snaked through the region with the highest concentration of Grimm on the island. It was forty minutes of rough ground even from Tai's place and few had the skills or the wherewithal to make the ultimately futile journey. But with Salem gone, it was a pleasant and solitary walk, its infamy alone keeping away most ramblers.

And so too was it solitary on Qrow's birthday. Despite or perhaps because of the spectre of that house behind them, all its loaded looks and sighs of omission, the walk was consolation to Ruby and Qrow alike. Without needing to speak, both realised that their burdens were equal and shared; without noticing when the change had happened, they now related to one another as adults.

As they walked, evening turned down the overcast off-white above them to a dim peach. The trees that had been dulled with night rains were now illuminations on the sky; leaves the colours of brandy and red wine complemented the pink mists of the heavenly dome. Ruby and Qrow halted before the thicket that concealed Summer's grave.

'You first,' said Ruby.

'She'd want to see you.'

'She will see me,' Ruby replied. 'Go on, birthday bird.'

Qrow groaned. 'That was corny even from you. Just one more thing.'

'Hmm?'

'That Jaune kid really does start putting the moves on you, you tell me so I know who needs a late-night visit, yeah?'

'Go and see Mom, you doof.'

Qrow's laughter was unreserved as he set off through the corridor of trees to the cliff's edge, his aspect soft under the rosy canopy.

From a perch buried in the hardy pine trees that clustered like curious animals around the entrance to the quarry, a crow observed the buildings of the Corbin Military Research Station. The flat, intelligent eyes perceiving no danger, it hopped and fluttered carefully through the branches, attentive to any sign of movement within and without the compound. The jagged cliff, towering over the enclosed area, shone against the storm clouds, bare stone amphibiously white in the icy rain.

The coast was clear. Diving into the wind, the crow flew low, arcing by the windows. No luck: they were dark and reflective, entirely opaque. Qrow released a low, irritated warble. Lightning tore through the dusk; the startled bird flew to another conifer at the eastern edge of the quarry and landed on a shadowed branch. The main building and the warehouse were both visible from his vantage point, but the interiors remained obscured. Ruffling his feathers, the crow prepared to leave.

Then the back door swung open.

Qrow halted. Watchfully, he lowered his wings. A low murmur drifted from the building, although rain obstructed the voices. One of them was female.

Ormolu appeared first. His gracile form shimmered in the sleet as he opened an umbrella for his companion. She was dressed in plain, oversized clothes and her features were a little blurred by the weather, but there was no mistaking her identity.

She didn't seem interested in the proffered umbrella. A hand rose, palm up, to feel the droplets. Her hair looked black under the smoky clouds, and the rain flattened it against a small face with ingenuous, epicene features. The head tilted up, scanning the stony enclosure from left to right, settling finally on the crow resting in the pine trees.

Large, familiar silver eyes met his gaze.

Before Qrow could summon a reaction, the girl had turned and was striding purposefully towards the warehouse alongside Ormolu. As they vanished into the building, Qrow moved as if to fly, but thought better of it. He recalled Percy Violet's story: the warehouse housed the weapons.

The pair returned outside after a few tense minutes; as Qrow had suspected, they'd retrieved arms. The girl carried an Atlesian Dust-activated sabre, Red Hilt-class: a curved sword with a single-handed ergonomic grip. In the other hand, she had a crossbow, while Ormolu carried a sniper rifle. They were, Qrow reflected, probably the same weapons she might've chosen—excluding the crossbow.

As if to clarify that decision, the girl raised the weapon and aimed it at him with the practiced speed Qrow had learnt to expect from only one Huntress. He jerked out of the way, but the arrow rushed safely past his position and hit the trunk of the tree. There was a note tied to the shaft.

Qrow looked at Ormolu and the girl—they were moving back towards the main building. Gripping the arrow in his talons, Qrow pulled it from the tree, and flew.

Back at the Galahad the storm jostled the vessel in an easy rhythm. Descending directly onto the deck, Qrow returned to his human form as he landed, grasping the arrow in his hand. He discarded the projectile and unrolled the note. As he inspected the short message, his distant, shocked expression drew into a grimace.

Ulrich Blau was pacing about below deck. When he saw Qrow, he pointed to one of the cabin doors.

'They're in there.'

'I need to see them.' Qrow raised the little square of paper. 'Something from our friends at the research station.'

Blau nodded, then turned to knock on the door. 'Huntress. Your uncle's back. And he's got—something like a message from the station.'

A few moments. 'Mr. Blau. Let my uncle in.'

The atmosphere in the cabin was tense. Pelles and Ruby were staring each other down. Jaune stood behind Ruby, arms crossed. Claret was moaning quietly on the bed.

'Sorry to interrupt,' said Qrow, 'but you'll want to see this.'

'Got some news of my own, actually,' replied Ruby, still looking at Pelles.

'Ruby.' Qrow held out the note. 'Read it.' Hearing the urgency in his voice, Ruby broke her gaze and took it.

The paper had got a little wet and the ink a little smudged, but the words were quite legible—not least because the handwriting was altogether too familiar to Ruby. Her expression tightened and she straightened defensively as she read the short, childish message:

HI MOMMY

I'M WAITING FOR YOU

LOVE RUBYROSEGRIMM

'Corroborating evidence,' said Ruby, showing Pelles. 'You weren't lying about the project, at least.' Pelles twitched his brow nonchalantly, an element of his ironic manner returning.

On the bed, Claret's groan rose and rose to a strangled shriek, inhuman and predatory.