The New Rose

Epilogue: The Future Flashes Before My Eyes

A/N: Quick Note. This is the last chapter. Enjoy reading it. See y'all at the end of the chapter!✌️

As she smelled the ashes of a once brave and kind friend she treasured dearly scatter away, all Ruby could see was that brilliant shine that encased everything after the deed was done. She closed her eyes painfully as she held her hands over her chest, the burning sensation within them was nothing compared to the aches her trembling heart was experiencing.

"What if I mess up again? What if I'm not ready for this?" Ruby thought with fright.

To say this was the hardest moment of her life was an understatement. The uncertainty of her inner strength to handle this great battle she was about to enter was consuming her. She had many horrifying and dangerous experiences in life; learning to live without her hero mother, losing faith in her team and cousin, losing the use of her arms for a while, all were horrendous to say the least, but none more so than….

"Losing her." Ruby tearfully thought as the blank lifeless eyes that once belonged to her friend Penny etched into her mind, making her shudder as she remembered Cinder incinerating them after.

"One second; just one freaking second too late to save her! How can I be strong enough now when I wasn't then?!" Ruby thought bitterly. Penny chose to bear Ruby's burdens to protect her, to give her a better chance for a bright future and look where it got her.

"Because I didn't take the power when I had the chance, you lost your life fighting the one who got then instead, against a foe you couldn't hope to win against. Why Penny? Why did you keep fighting?" Ruby sadly thought, keeping her tearful eyes closed as her spine chilled at the thought.

"You said I had a heart and soul, right?" Penny's words echoed from within her.

Ruby's breath hitched as she felt soft hands on her back, as well as muffled voices that sounded familiar and oddly….as warm as the Penny's right now. Almost instinctively she reached for her sides, hoping to grab Crescent Rose for comfort only to gasp when she did so.

"T-That's…that's right. She did have a heart. A big one that wanted to help others like a true huntress. Oh jeez! If I was actually one I wouldn't be doubting why we fight even at the risk of our lives. Penny did it because she loved me, she loved all life and wanted to protect it. She gave me this chance even if it cost her everything because she wanted too." Ruby thought with a smile as her hands finally loosened up and her breathing grew steady.

She realized then and there if Penny could be so brave in that battle, then Ruby needed to grow a pair and be brave for this one. She took a deep breath as she braced herself for the most frightening thing imaginable before her. She slowly opened her eyes to meet her most fearsome foe head on. It was not Cinder nor the Witch Salem though, no! It was herself in the mirror wearing make-up and a white dress with roses enveloping it.

"Ease up Ruby! Your gonna knock him off his feet with that look." Weiss said with a smile as she applied some light pink blush to her partner's cheeks.

Ruby was outfitted with black eyeliner, lipstick as red as the roses on her dress, red glitter on black nails she had done for this event, as well as the blush Weiss just patted on her cheeks that were red right now as her friend's words made her more anxious and embarrassed.

Normally for events like these Ruby would squirm and resist so much, but she couldn't do so now, not on a day like this. She had to remain strong to overcome her own anxiety for such things to head down that alter and meet her fiancé head on.

"She's right Ruby, just breath. You look so natural in that so you'll do great." Her other bridesmaid Blake said soothingly as she rubbed Ruby's back.

Her warm touch and breathing exercises helped the bride calm down a bit to her relief. She knew despite all the crimson reaper's skill with that Scythe in beheading Grimm, she was likely losing her own head over how scary this upcoming moment was going to be. It was moments like these she had to be there for her friend, especially as she eyed the scar on her right shoulder bitterly.