Those Of A Lifetime

Chapter 17: The Favor

*Author's note* Make sure you let the music play as you read the story!

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"Arrrggg!!!" Ruby screamed as Neo's blade pierced her heart. The sound of the puncture was so vivid and grotesque. Blood splattered everywhere. Neo wore a wicked smile. She turned to face Weiss, charging at her with her weapon at the ready. Ariel raced to Weiss' side, but as if Neo knew exactly what her plan was, she abruptly turned around and stabbed Ariel in the throat. Ariel's blade fell and all was dark.

She panted heavily as she awoke. Sweat dripped down her forehead that she didn't even bother to wipe away. She steadied her breathing and wiped away her dripping head.

This is the life we chose... she thought as she shook her head. It's bound to happen, but this... wasn't supposed to happen! She exhaled in frustration. No one could have prevented this... She reached for her glasses that was sitting by her night stand and just stared at them for a minute before placing them on. She looked at the time seeing that it was nowhere near the time for visiting hours yet; she fell back onto her bed with her eyes wandering the ceiling before sleep took her again.

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She had her back turned to him, he was reaching out to her, calling out her name, but she never turned around. Rose petals scattered the white space around them. Her red cloak blew steadily with the wind. Some moments had passed and it was as if his voice was a deafening sound. He wept in silence just watching her with her back to him and she finally turned around. She stared at him with emotionless dull dead eyes.

"Ruby?" he asked her, but she didn't reply right away.

"... Is it better this way?" she finally asked him.

Qrow Branwen awoke with an aching pain in the back of his head. He got up slowly clutching his head with his eyes shut tightly together.

"Kiddo, you better wake up..." he said with a gruff. "You've got a lot of people that you would be leaving behind..."

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"Hey Blake, it's alright... take care of Yang for me, please." Ruby smiled, then vanished."

Blake jolted upright blinking a few times and began to rub her eyes. That was a weird dream... Blake thought. But that also felt... so... real... she thought as she rubbed her temple sniffling a little.

Ruby, a good friend and sister. She'd listen to everything if you needed someone to talk to for advice even when she has her own demons to deal with. And even if you thought that maybe she could use her own advice, you just couldn't blame her for not doing so. That's just who she is. Brilliant, but can be quick to act upon situations and opportunities. But this... this was different. This was unpredictable. She still wasn't even sure why the White Fang were there, but she did remember seeing Neo present with them and assumed that she had some sort of affiliation to the White Fang. Maybe if she had payed more mind to Neo, but ever since she first laid eyes on her, she disregarded Neo. But who knew that it would've all come down to this?

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Unlike the others, Yang didn't sleep. She couldn't. She kept staring into the sky as if it could help her. As if the sky could speak to her and answer her questions. She just sat there and thought to herself, questioning the occurrence of the other day's event.

Why? Why did it have to happen? Why Ruby? Not that she wanted someone else to get hurt, but... she just couldn't believe that it had happened. She couldn't blame anyone. She didn't even know who exactly were in the forest and why they would even hurt her precious sister. No one was at fault for knowing what was to happen. And so why? What did they have against Ruby?