The Pale Rose of the Tides {Bloodborne X RWBY X Arknights}

Chapter 2 Old Scars Part 01

Chapter 2
Old Scars
Part 01

In the quiet stillness of the night, a wooden cabin nestled deep within the woods on a rural island, west of the former city of Vale; stood aglow under the pale light of the shattered moon. Inside, the warmth of the Fire Dust-powered stoves filled the cozy space with a comforting hum followed with the occasional cracks of flame, and the inviting aroma of dinner being prepared wafted through the air.

A blonde man stood at the kitchen counter, his brow furrowed slightly, focusing at his task as he rolled out cookie dough, carefully shaping it into round pieces and placing them on a tray. His hands moved with the practiced ease of someone who had done this many times before, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

"Where are those two?" he murmured under his breath, glancing toward the door. The late hour gnawed at him as he worried about his daughters, Ruby and Yang, who still hadn't returned home. The gentle crackling of the stoves and the sizzling of the main dishes cooking did little to ease his mind as he wondered why they were late.

Outside the cabin, the night was alive with the subtle sounds of the woods. The gentle chirping of crickets filled the air, creating a rhythmic lullaby that blended with the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze. Here and there, small clusters of fireflies danced among the trees, their faint glow adding to the ethereal atmosphere of the forest.

He paused for a moment, listening to the distant sounds of the woods outside, and glanced once more toward the door. The sight of the fireflies flickering in the darkness through the window brought him a brief moment of calm, but the concern for his daughters, Ruby and Yang, lingered as the night deepened.

The blonde man’s hands moved almost automatically as he shaped the cookie dough into neat, round shapes on the tray, but his thoughts were far from the task at hand. Yang, his eldest, was a young adult now, capable and strong-willed. He had taught her well—everything from puns that could break the tension in any situation to the skills she would need to pursue her dream of becoming a Huntress. She had grown into someone he could trust to handle herself, a point of pride but also a source of comfort. He knew Yang could take care of herself out there, even if the night grew long.

But Ruby… Ruby was different.

His youngest daughter was still so young, so full of innocence and wonder, but also so heartbreakingly naive. She had been raised in a sheltered world, far removed from the harsh realities that Yang had learned to face. That sheltered lifestyle had only intensified after Summer’s death. The memory of that night came back to him vividly, the night his baby girl was taken from him.

It was a night he would never forget. His four-year-old Ruby had been forcefully taken away by her great-grandmother—his late wife’s grandmother—in the middle of the night. It had been so sudden, so shocking as he was still grieving for his loss. He remembered those once steel-grey eyes that had turned feral, blood-red and bloodshot from grief, glaring at him with a fury that chilled him to his core. Her eyes had been puffy from crying over Summer’s loss, and yet they had held a fierce, almost inhuman determination.

The memory of that wet, choking sensation in his throat came back to him, a visceral reaction to the helplessness he’d felt as he and Qrow had tried to stop her, demanding an explanation. But she had been unstoppable, her grief and resolve overpowering their protests. She had taken Ruby away without a word, leaving behind a family torn apart and a home that felt emptier than ever.

Yang had been so scared that night. She had tried to stop Ruby’s great-grandmother, tears streaming down her cheeks as she cried and begged the older woman to stop and let Ruby go. He remembered seeing his daughter's small hands clung desperately to her leg as Ruby was being dragged away. But her pleas fell on deaf ears.