Blades Of A Rose

Chapter 46: Taking Control Of Kuroyuri

Jaune walks up to Ruby and Pyrrha in the ruins of Kuroyuri. Both are looking dejected.

"Nothing." Jaune said

"We should get back to Qrow." Ruby said

Qrow leans against a dead sakura tree, groaning. Though not conscious, he holds a hand over his wound. Ruby crouched near his legs and Jaune and Pyrrha standing over them both. A creature makes a loud noise from off in the distance, causing Ruby, Pyrrha, and Jaune to turn. Jaune's hand immediately goes to his sword and looks around for the source of the noise.

"It's far off." Ruby said

"I know, but Ren and Nora are still out there." Jaune said

Ruby looks at Qrow before standing and approaching Jaune and Pyrrha.

"I'm sorry." Ruby said

"Huh?" Jaune said in confusion 

He and Pyrrha turn around to face her, though she is not looking up.

"This is all my fault. I should have never dragged you guys into this." Ruby said

"You did not drag us in. We wanted to come." Pyrrha said

"But you didn't know about Tyrian, about—" Ruby began to say

Jaune cut her off "Ruby. We lost... many things. You lost Penny, and your team, and in a way... your sister. But you're still here, despite everything you've lost, everything you could still lose, you chose to come out here."

Ruby turns to face Jaune and becomes emotional as he continues.

"Because you felt like you could make a difference." He continued

She lifts her head and looks at him.

"You did not drag us along. You gave us the courage to follow you." Pyrrha said

He puts his hand on her shoulder. She smiles at him, grateful, and he smiles back.

Ren and Nora begin running through the abandoned Kuroyuri.

"Not again, not again..." Ren said

They come to a stop after passing under an arch leading to the center of town. Ren is panting, but Nora is hardly winded. Ren lifts his head and his worried eyes change to ones smiling in relief. In front of them, Jaune Arc and Ruby Rose face the other way, but abruptly turn, Jaune putting his hand on his weapon. Qrow is propped up against the tree.

"What are you guys doing here?" Pyrrha asked

"Did you hear that noise? What was that?!" Jaune asked

Ren's eyes grow wide and he falls to his knees, clearly alarmed.

"No..." Ren said

"Ren! What is it?!" Ruby asked

The sound of plodding footsteps can be heard coming closer.

"Wait, you guys hear that?" Jaune said

Ren said in weak protest "No..."

"Ren?" Nora said

The footsteps come to a stop. A bone horse head breathes loudly, exhaling black smoke. Within the bones are glowing red lights and around it is the black flesh of a Grimm.

Ren lifts his head.

Weapons can be seen, stuck into a body that has bones sticking out perpendicular to its spine. Slowly, a torso raises, revealing a horned, humanoid Grimm. The horns and the front part of the face are bone while the mouth is merely thin strips of Grimm flesh stretching across an opening. The mouth, the bones, and the eyes all glow red. The Nuckelavee twitches its head and roars.