RWBY: Tale of Two Roses

Chapter 2: Birth of a Huntress

Summer gone, Yang off to school, her father teaching at Signal. Left Ruby a lonely girl. She spent her days in an empty house. She had plenty of things to play with, and her uncle Qrow would stop by to watch her between missions. One day while Qrow was over the young girl asked "Qrow, why did you become a Huntsman?"

"Well, just did I guess. Me and Raven were tight. She wanted to become a Huntress and convinced me to join her. Honestly it was one of the best choices I've made."

"Why's that?"

"Well, I got to meet your mom and dad. Then I got to meet you ya little twerp." He ruffles Ruby's hair causing her to laugh. "Are me and Yang sisters?" Qrow is stunned by the question from the little redhead. "Why you ask?"

"She's always holding a picture of some lady. She looks alot like the woman in the picture but not like me or mommy."

"It's complicated Ruby. Yes you two are sisters. Always remember that. But you're not full sisters like me and Raven were. But you two are tighter than we ever were."

"What do you mean?"

"Tai is your father, Just like Yang. But her mother was my sister Raven. Your mom was Summer."

"Oh."

"Like I said don't let that get in the way. As far as anyone should be concerned you two are just as much sisters as any two kids born of the same two people."

"Do you have a picture of my mom when you two went to school together?"

"Here, I got a picture of all four of us. Team STRQ. Lead by your mom Summer." He pulls out a picture and shows it to Ruby. "Is that Raven?" Ruby asks, pointing at the girl with long black hair and red armor.

"Yep, that's my sis." Ruby stares at the picture. She points at her mom's hood and says. "Can I have one of those?"

"What? a hood?"

"Yeah! I wanna be just like mommy!" Qrow can't help but snicker. "Sure thing kid. C'mon I'll take you into town and we'll have the tailor make one for ya." They head into the small town of Patch. They stop in at a tailor shop called "The Spinning Wheel." Qrow walks up to the counter and says "Hey Mary." Out walks an older lady. She wears an old dress with flowers on it. "What can I do for you two? You need another patch job on that cape?"

"No actually my niece here wanted a hood just like her mom wore."

"Oh you mean Summer. She was a good lass. It's a shame what happened it really is. Well follow me little rose." Ruby nervously follows the lady. Her uncle close behind to keep her calm. "Have you thought of a color? I know your mom wore white with a red inside but I can make it any color you wish." She thought hard on it for a moment. Then she remembers a story Yang used to tell her. The little girl vs the big bad wolf. Red riding hood. "Red! Just like the girl from my storybook."

"Oh little red riding hood. I loved that tale when I was a wee girl. Hold still and I'll get it all measured up." she gets all the measurements and writes them down. "Now go and sit in the lobby I'll be right out. They sit in two of the chairs in the front lobby. Moments later she walks out with the hood in her hand. Ruby leaps up and runs to the older lady. She takes a moment to bring the hood around. she draws it to the middle and secures it with a single cross pin. "There ya go! And she just looks so precious in it."

"So how much will it be Mary?"

"Oh you know what, she looks so good in it, no charge this time Qrow, now about that cape."

"Nah it's fine. The tears on this cape were made trying to make this girl happy." A few months ago while Qrow was zonked out on the couch, Ruby took the cape from the coat rack and was running around outside with it. She tumbled and accidentally tore the cape. She felt so guilty she ran in with the cape in her hands crying her little eyes out. Qrow simply gave her a friendly smile and ruffled her hair. "It's fine, It actually looks better this way." She stopped crying and looked up at her uncle. She saw his friendly smile and returned it. Now she had her own hood to tatter. But she wouldn't. She'd cherish this hood for the rest of her life. Because it was more than it a hood. It was like a safety blanket. When she's in it feels like her mother has her arms around her. She felt safe and confident. As long as she had that hood, she was untouchable. Qrow took one look and knew she was going to follow her mother. And indeed Ruby followed her mother. She started at signal two years after Yang. It was kinda cool going to school with her sister. She did pretty well in most of her classes. There was one she really stunk at, sparring.

She was too clumsy so she was easily outmaneuvered. On top of that she's still learning how to control the bursts of speed she gets from her recently unlocked semblance. One day after class her instructor, who happened to be Qrow, pulled her aside. "Hey kid, you okay? You took quite the hit today."

"I'm fine."

"Hey what's eating you?"

"I just feel like I don't belong here at all."

"Why because you're not the greatest fighter?"

"Exactly! Ugh I'm complete garbage. Maybe Leo was right, Little girl like me doesn't belong here."

"So what you just gonna give up?"

"What other choice do I have."

"Y'know, Your mom had the same problems in school. But one of our teachers gave her a helping hand. If you'd like I can help you out a bit."

"Really!"

"Sure. Anything for one of my girls." He says as he ruffles her hair. "Meet me after class in the clearing." Classes end for the day and Ruby does as Qrow asked. "So you given any thought into what weapon you want to use?" Ruby jumps as she hear's Qrow's voice in the otherwise silent woods. "Don't, do that."

"Sorry kid, so have you?"

"I don't know. I'm not really good with any weapon."

"You ever tried a scythe?"

"Uhm..."

"Here, try this one out." He throws her a basic farming scythe. "It's kinda funky."

"You're making a common error, here one hand on the main pole and the other goes here." She takes a few swings and grins. "I kinda like this."

"Okay now put it down for a minute. I wanna focus on semblance for a moment. I notice during a fight you panic and accidentally trigger it causing you to lose control of a fight really fast. Now I want you to relax and concentrate." Ruby closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Now, concentrate and start running, when you're ready trigger it. And go full force. Ruby starts running. She goes faster and faster. She triggers her semblance and rose petals fall behind her. She leaps up and her hood encapsulates her. She reaches her max speed then releases the semblance. She turns around to stop against a tree but she goes right through it and the next one. She tumbles and has to endure the power of her own turbulence. The wind stops and she slowly gets up. "Owie! That fluffing hurt." Qrow finally catches up and looks her over. "You okay? Didn't mean to push you into something you weren't ready for."

"Qrow."

"Yeah?"

"That, was, awesome! I wanna do it again!" She goes to step forward and a sharp pain lights up in her back. "Aah!" She falls over and Qrow catches her. "Easy now, you just went through two thick cedar trees I think you may need to rest a bit first."

"Fine! Same time next week?"

"Sure thing. Maybe you'll have a weapon forged by then. By the way if I was you. I'd use momentum based attacks." Months of grueling training flow by. Slowly but surely she grows as a fighter. Her weapon, the Crescent Rose, catching a few curious looks every now and then, It's a black, red, and bare metal scythe that doubles as a high impact, bolt action, customizable sniper rifle. The confidence alone has boosted her scores in her combat class. The guy that'd been picking on her all semester, Leo, Is called to choose a sparring partner. "I choose, little red!" Ruby looks up from the notes she'd been studying. She closes the binder and walks down. "Choose your weapon." Leo goes with the mace and Ruby chooses the halberd. For training purposes the weapons are made from foam and PVC. Leo runs forward triggering his berserker semblance. He starts to glow red and takes on an almost beastly appearance. Ruby side steps and spins around the head of the halberd. She comes to face Leo again. He leaps into the air raising the mace. She brings the halberd around and hits him in the ribs knocking him to the side. Even with training weapons that still hurt. Leo gets up and now he's pissed. Fingers contort like they have claws and his teeth almost look sharper. This makes Ruby uneasy. Then she thinks about it. He's behaving just as any beowolf wood. She smirks and raises the halberd again. Leo charges again and goes to swipe with his hand and she brings the halberd up hitting him square in the side of the head. He stands there dazed for a moment then falls over. She puts the weapons back on the rack and sits back in her seat. Qrow walks to the middle and says. "Leo made the mistake of underestimating his opponent. This caused him to get cocky and act without thinking. Which we all know can be a fatal error in battle. Class dismissed." Few weeks later she heads to "Dust until Dawn." to buy the new Casey Lee Williams CD when a group of thugs attack the place. That was the night that changed her life forever.