Through We Endure. (RWBY x OC)

A Forest Red Like Roses.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

((Opening))

Am I lost in a somber dream's embrace, Or simply numbed by stone's cold trace? A sliver of sense clings to my right hand, This throbbing power, my life's lone strand. In dreams, you linger, ever so near, Will my hiraeth bring forth your tear? Embrace me close, dispel my fright,

Erase the future once foretold, End this sorrow that I hold. Dreams of youth, now chains that bind, Drag me down, leave marks behind. In shadows cast, my form is etched, By your presence, forever sketched.

My blood's hue, a mystery untold—Red, black, or white, it's bold. Prepared I stand, foes yet unseen, Should chaos reign, will you intervene?

if I closed my eyes and tried to think again, Would i be stained with blood?
In my grasp, Deep rooted anger grows. . .

((Opening close))

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

. . . The couple of weeks that had passed since Hadryn's brutal lesson had crawled by for Jaune. The city lights, once a beacon of hope, now seemed to mock him from their lofty perch. The fight itself remained a blur of pain and desperation, the memory of Hadryn's relentless assault a constant weight on his chest. There had been no victory, no triumphant declaration of his newfound resolve. Just a desperate scramble for survival that ended with him clinging to a smokestack like a frightened squirrel.

Hadryn, for his part, had retreated further into his shell. He still appeared stoic and immovable, his presence a constant reminder in the halls of Beacon. But the fiery intensity that had burned in his single red eye during the fight seemed to have dimmed, replaced by a weariness that tugged at the corners of his lips. His interactions with Ruby, the sole exception, remained upbeat and joyful, though a flicker of something akin to... approval? might occasionally cross his features when he witnessed her unwavering dedication.

Here, outside the JNPR dormitory, Jaune found himself an unwelcome spectator. He pressed his ear against the cool wood of the door, the muffled sounds of conversation filtering through. Inside, Pyrrha stood gazing out the window, a melancholic air clinging to her. Nora's voice, normally a source of cheer, held a hint of exasperation as she internally questioned Jaune's whereabouts. Ren, ever the stoic observer, offered his own explanation, a theory that sent a jolt of shame through Jaune.

Ren: "He's become rather. . . scarce, since he started fraternizing with Cardin."
Jaune flinched at the accusation, the sting of truth bitter on his tongue. He hadn't intended to ostracize his team, but the guilt of his performance against Hadryn, the fear that he wasn't good enough, had driven him to seek solace in the one person who seemed to acknowledge him – Cardin. A terrible, self-destructive choice, a voice whispered in his mind. Pyrrha's voice, laced with a quiet anger that surprised him, cut through the conversation.

Pyrrha: "I'm sure our leader knows exactly what he's doing."
The protectiveness in her tone, directed towards him despite everything, sent a pang through Jaune's heart. He couldn't take it anymore. Shamefaced, his hand reached to open the door a crack, ready to face the consequences of his actions. But before he could press his fingertips on the knob, a voice filled the hallway.

???: "Hey, Jaune!"

It was Ruby, standing in her pajamas, She was wearing white baggy pokka-dot pants with red heart shapes, Black tank top with a Reddish mask from one of her favourite video games. a mischievous glint in her eyes. Her sudden appearance startled him, and Ruby giggled at his jumpy reaction.

Ruby: "Long time, no see! Did you lock yourself out again?"
she teased, tilting her head playfully.