Blades Of A Rose

Chapter 44: A Much Needed Talk

A/n: Hello guys! On a good schedule of 4 hours of sleep and doing school work all day. Anyway, that's not the point. Finally! Vol 5 is out, but if I manage to finish Vol 4 before they finish Vol 5, I'll work on another story or create a new one until Vol 5 is done. Hope you guys Enjoy this Chapter!

Around a campfire, Ruby, Qrow, Jaune, Ren, Pyrrha, and Nora sit on four logs positioned in a square. Qrow just finished telling the story of the Maidens. There is silence and Qrow takes a swig from his flask. He has a bandage wrapped around his abdomen over his clothing.

"Really? No questions?" Qrow said, surprised

"Of course we have questions. This is just... a lot to take in." Jaune replied

Qrow sighed "Sure, of course."

"So these... Maidens... They're powerful fighters that don't need Dust to use magic." Ruby said, expecting an answer

"Yeah." Qrow replied

"And there are four of them?" Nora said, also expecting an answer

"Yup. Always." Qrow answered

"Which means that, whenever one of them dies, the power transfers to someone - a female - that they cared about?" Ren said

"Whoever was in their thoughts last. Important distinction. Best option is someone we can trust. Regardless, their souls become combined, in a way." Qrow said

"And that's what you were trying to do to Pyrrha... the night the tower fell. You were trying to turn her into one of them." Jaune said

"However, Jaune, the power left me and transferred when I became too weak to sustain the power." Pyrrha said to Jaune

Qrow then returned to his story.

"The previous Fall Maiden, Amber, had been attacked. She was young, inexperienced. And her assailant, who we now know is Cinder, somehow managed to steal some of her power, but not all of it. We were afraid that if we didn't do something, the rest would go to her as well."

"So you forced it on Pyrrha." Jaune said, looking angrily

"Jaune, they did not force anything on me. I choose to become the maiden. You heard me say it." Pyrrha said to him

Jaune hangs his head for a brief moment before getting up and walking several feet away from the group. Qrow watches him go and Pyrrha gets up and goes after him.

"That guy, Tyrian - why was he after me?" Ruby asked

Qrow sighed and said "Well, you definitely painted a target on your back with what you did at Beacon. I told you having silver eyes is a rare trait. And the fact that you were able to use them seems to have upset some very powerful people. Not many people know about the silver eyes. Those that do aren't very happy that one has surfaced. That's why I've been keeping an eye on you in order to make sure you were safe. All of you."

"Well, then, why not just travel with us? It seems like that would've been way easier." Ruby said

Jaune then answers her loudly enough to be heard, but with his back still turned to everyone. "He was using you as bait."

"Look, I wouldn't put it like that - it's complicated." Qrow said

Jaune turned back to face him "What is all of this? Ruby's being hunted, the schools are being attacked, all for what?! What is the point of all of this?! Will you just tell us what's going on?!"

Qrow stares at him then slouches over with a sigh. "Would you sit down? You're stressin' me out, 'kid."

Jaune sits back down on his log and crosses his arms. Qrow starts to take another swig but changes his mind before the flask reaches his lips.