Ruby Rose stares at the moon through a window, sitting on the staircase. Snow is drizzling outside. Ruby checks on Blake Belladonna, Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xiao Long, who are sitting on the rug and staring at the fire from the fireplace. Erin Eclipse is curled into a ball in a corner of the room. Sky Grimoire and Rei Ferrari have returned outside earlier. Maria Calavera reads a book while sitting on the sofa and Oscar Pine is pacing back and forth. After checking on the others, Ruby stands up and walks toward Qrow Branwen.
Qrow is sitting nearby the window, looking outside with his feet propped on the drawer. "Storm's cleared up for now. We should be able to leave by morning." Qrow says.
"That's good." Ruby says.
"No... I don't have a good feeling about this place, especially with me around."
Ruby looks down at a wine bottle on the floor with Qrow's hand hovering near it, then looks at him. "Are you... okay?"
Qrow scoffs. "Sure. Tell everyone to get some sleep. I'll wake you guys up just before sunrise." Ruby walks away as Qrow drinks from the wine bottle. Ruby pauses and looks back at him before narrowing her eyes downward.
Outside Rei carries a sack out of one of the other houses he tosses it onto a stack of others. He sighs as the body is placed. "That's the last one." Rei says grabbing a box of cigarettes and with one hand putting one in his mouth. "Sky, thanks for helping." He says softly as Sky sticks her hand into the pile she focuses for a second after a moment they watch the glow and heat slowly build and build from the pile. Rei takes the cigarette out of his mouth still unlit, he brings his hands together clasped with fingers interlocked. "May your souls find peace in the EverAfter, and be reborn with a better fate." He says as the bags burn and tear open revealing the decayed bodies burning. Rei opens his eyes and separates his hand. He brings his hand up and Sky uses her semblance to light the cigarette for Rei, he offers her the first use, to which she shrugs and does so. The two stand over the corpses, enjoying the warmth slightly as they share the cigarette.
Back in the other room, the fire continues to burn. The book Maria is reading has a "III" on the cover, with the other two volumes on a nearby table.
"It's a diary?" Oscar asks.
"The head of this household, Bartleby. Apparently, he and several other families founded this little settlement to try and live on their own. It sounds like it worked, at least for a spell."
"Grimm?"
Maria hums. "Just one of many hardships. Slowed down their farming, made everything harder... It's a shame, really. He seemed like quite the ambitious fellow, always thinking of new schemes to overcome the odds."
Ruby walks back into the room. "Hey guys. Qrow said we should get some sleep. We're gonna head out early tomorrow."
"Thank goodness." Blake says. Everyone gets up to get ready to sleep. Maria hops off the couch.
"Hmph, the last thing you'll catch me doing is letting some kid tell me what to do." She then speaks in a mimicking voice. ""Go to bed!"" With a scoff, Maria sits on an armchair, turns on the lamp next to it and continues reading from the book. Rei & Sky enter the house and sit on the stairs together silently away from everyone else. Ruby shrugs and smiles before going to sleep herself. The fire continues to burn in the fireplace.
By next morning, the fire is out. Sunlight seeps through the curtained window while Team RWBY and Oscar sleep on the floor. Maria rests on the armchair, still holding the book she was reading. Erin is still in his corner shivering. Sky & Rei are asleep on the stairs holding each other. Qrow sleeps on the chair by the window, still barely grasping the wine bottle in his hand. A couple other wine bottles are also on the floor. The bottle slips from his hand and clatters on the floor, causing Ruby to wake with a start. She looks around before rubbing her eyes and getting on her feet. She walks over to the window and opens the curtains.
YOU ARE READING
The REDS of war
FanfictionFollow the team from their adventures from Beacon and onwards. (Ps. I do not own RWBY it is owned by Rooster Teeth and was created by Monty Oum) All I own are my OC's Wattpad please don't delete this! Volume 1 (Completed) Volume 2 (Completed) Volum...