Once Upon A Time

WARNING: At one point in the chapter, it's going to contain self harm. If you feel uncomfortable feel free to skip over it.

***

-Sometime Ago-

On a cold night in the forest, teams RNJR, CRMS and Roman had set up camp and most of them had been practically next to each other for warmth. They had traveled down the road for at least hours and hours for almost the whole day without stopping. They all passed out the moment they were done with their dinner and instead of sleeping separately they were huddled together just for the night.

Most of them tossed and turned in their sleep, trying to get comfortable, while the others slept still, breathing softly. It wasn't long till Ruby stirred from her slumber when she heard something rather unusual.

It was of someone singing.

"Somewhere over the rainbow

Way up high

There's a land that I've heard of

Once in a lullaby"

Ruby groaned as she sat up and stretched, groaning slightly as she did. She turned in the direction of the recorded voice and saw Roman by the dying fire, keeping it lit as he looked to be holding that of a tape recorder. He had been laying on the log as he had his gaze to the sky. She threw a blanket over her shoulders and approached; the blades of grass crushing under her feet softly.

He had noticed her presence beforehand but chose not to say anything so he continued to listen.

"Someday I'll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far behind me

Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops

That's where you'll find me"

"Somewhere over the rainbow

Bluebirds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow, why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow

Why, oh why can't I?"

With a click the recording came to an end and there was silence between them as Ruby sat against the log. All that was heard was the sound of the crickets and wood popping in the fire. Finally after a few moments Ruby broke the silence, "That was a beautiful song."

"Yeah." Roman said as he looked to the sky, "Trinity used to sing it all the time. She even recorded this just in case she was out of town. I found it in my apartment--Well what was left of it. It's a miracle it wasn't broken, but… In some ways, I'm glad."

"Did you often play it for Cristal?" Ruby asked.

"No… It was… Actually for Destiny." He replied, "Whenever she had a nightmare, or was upset about something I played this for her." He let out a sigh, "These days, I play it for myself, just to clear my head."

Ruby soon noticed something in his hand, as he had been holding a photograph which had read, "Our First Date". Her gaze softened slightly at this.

"Is… Something is bothering you?" She asked with worry.

Roman didn't reply at first as he ran his hand through his hair finally sitting up while he removed his hat. "Roman, we're friends." Ruby said, "It's okay to let things out sometimes, and… I really do want to help you."

He let out a sigh, "I just… Had a trip down memory lane, when Trinity was about to have Cristal. I just remembered something she said… That's all."

Ruby could see that he was having a hard time saying what he wanted to say although he was hesitant. "If you don't want to say it, then, that's fine too." Ruby soon told him, "Whenever you're ready you can talk, I'll be here to listen."

Roman didn't say anything again; he took out his cigar case and placed one between his lips before letting it flame with his lighter. Silence came over them again as he felt the breeze blow by. Once again, Ruby broke the silence again, "You know… After they told us about you, they often talked about you nonstop whenever we brought you up. Though neither of them talked about Trinity. What was she like?"

Roman only chuckled, "She had your stubbornness for one when it came to helping people. She was also talented, and smart. Though he wasn't really the best fighter. I had to teach her how to use a gun when we were teenagers."

"Really?"

"Believe it or not, everyone in the world can be as talented as you are when it comes to combat. Though, that didn't stop her from trying. Even with her flaws she had her own ways of improving and improvising. You should've seen her when she showed off her skills. One time she was almost robbed by an amateur thief, but let's just say she showed him who's boss. Left me speechless when she gave him one hell of a nose job."

She laughed amusingly at this, "Sounds like she was a toughie."

"That she was." He replied, "You would've liked her." He scoffed, "Who am I kidding? You two would've been best friends."

Ruby chuckled at this as she turned the log over.

"We actually came from similar backgrounds if you can believe it." Roman said, "We both hated our own families. I hated my old man for what he put me through, and she didn't like her step parent because of what he turned her family into, after her real father died. We both had a hard life, but strangely enough, that lead us to find each other. Through thick and thin we had each other. She helped me open my eyes to the real world, and I protected her from the darkness that would threaten to hurt her, and then eventually--"

"--You two fell in love!" Ruby couldn't help but say with a kitten-like smile.

Roman cleared his throat as he was trying to hold back a laugh, "Okay, I can't take you seriously when you're making a face like that."

"I can't help it! It just sounds adorable!" She said,

"You sound like Destiny when I told her this." He said, removing his cigar from his lips, tapping it slightly to get rid of the ash, "I think she might've rubbed off on you."

Ruby couldn't help but giggle before she had a thought come over her.

"Wait a minute…" Ruby said, "... You said that Trinity hated her step parent, because of something he did? Why? What did he do?"

After taking one last puff he removed it from his mouth, crushing it. He than tossed it into the dying fire, as what remained of the firewood remained burned.

"Red…" He said, "... Sometimes you shouldn't dig into things that are meant to stay secret. They're some things I'm not ready to share. Myself and Trinity's life was like before we got together."

"Didn't she tell you why she left?"

"Of course she did. Though after she told me, she asked me not to tell anyone about it. Even now I kept her word."

"Why?"

"Because I know firsthand the cost of what happens when you open your mouth and talk. People end up getting hurt. When that happens, it comes back to haunt you for the rest of your life."

Ruby said nothing but read the expression on his face; she saw that he had a look of solemn guilt. As if he had read her thoughts, he explained his reasoning.

"The first person I let down was my best man." He said, "I told him about what my old man did to me throughout most of my childhood when my own mom took the cowards way out. He said he would go straighten things out and get proof. He did in the end, but my old man ended up paralyzing him from the waist down. The dogs from Atlas told me he was tortured for days before he got a confession out of him."

Ruby couldn't help but gasp as she placed a hand over her mouth at the mere thought of this. She had no idea the man she encountered in the Dust Shop, the man she once considered an enemy had endured so much. She knew what it was like to lose someone for sure, but… To hear something like that from a once known thief. First she heard about the death of his wife, now the guilt she had heard in his voice. She could tell just from thinking about it, he was hurting. She placed her hand on his shoulder as her own way comforting him.

"I'm sorry…" Ruby said with solemnity in her voice, "... I didn't know."

Roman looked Ruby in the eyes and said nothing, not even a thank you. Instead he cleared his throat as he stood up, "It's still late out." He said, trying to hide his expression, "We should get some sleep."

"Roman…" Ruby said standing up, stopping him, "I'm glad you told me, really. I know it's not that easy to tell me these kind of things, but… I just want you to know that despite our differences in the past--That myself and everyone will be here for you. Whenever your ready."

Roman still had his back to her, but she saw him turn his head slightly to her, "Let's just… Try to get some sleep."

Ruby gave a smile as she nodded, "Okay!"

***

-Present; Hours After Battle-

After everything between the named Tyrian and his mysterious partner Elise, the whole group quickly left the town and carried their wounded in a hurry. The teams tried to search for their enemies to get more information on who they were, or capture one of them and interrogate them then. However no matter where they looked or how high they searched they couldn't find a trace, not even so much as a footprint.

Scout attended the wounded after they found a place to camp for the night. They pitched up tents which she was able to pack for Roman so that he wouldn't get his wound infected. She offered to pitch one for Qrow, though he kindly denied her request.

Once everyone settled and everyone calmed themselves, Qrow soon explained the meaning behind his question.

"What's your favorite fairytale?"

He told them everything that he and Ozpin told Pyrrha on that same day during the Vytal Festival. It took them the rest of their day to listen to what he had to say while Scout took care of Roman who still remained unconscious. Senka remained by Cristal's side throughout the duration as he was there to comfort her while Frosty laid at Melody's feet with her makeshift arm cast.

Everyone of course was left speechless by everything Qrow told them. Qrow himself was surprised at the fact they were quiet.

"What?" He said, "You all don't have questions?"

"Of course we do!" Jaune said, "This… This is just a lot to take in."

Qrow let out a sigh, "Sure, of course."

Rosario awkwardly raised her hand, "Is it a bad time to say that I did kind of know about this?"

Everyone gave her an awkward look as Rosario slowly put her hand down, "I'm just saying."

Ruby twiddled her thumbs as she turned to her uncle, "So these… Maidens are like Cristal in a way. They're powerful fighters that don't need Dust to use magic."

"Yeah." He replied.

"And… They're always four of them?" Nora added.

"Yup." He answered, "Always."

Ren started to say, "Which means that whenever one of them dies, their power transfers to someone--A female that they care about?"

"Whoever is in their thoughts last." Qrow clarified, "Important decision. The best option is to pass it on to someone we can trust. Regardless, their souls are combined in a way."

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

"Jaune." Melody told him, "Calm down."

"The previous Fall Maiden Amber was attacked." Qrow explained, "She was young, inexperienced. And her assailant, who we now know is the one responsible for kidnapping Cristal and Destiny, somehow managed to steal her power, but not all of it. We were afraid if we didn't do something, the rest of it would go to her as well."

"That might've been my fault…" Rosario said with guilt in her voice, "... Sorry."

"You couldn't have known what was going on." Cristal said.

"That doesn't change the fact you were trying to force it on Pyrrha!" Jaune said with anger in his voice.

"Take it easy." Melody told him, "No one said she was forced."

"Really!? Because it sounds like she wasn't given any other choice!"

"You don't know that for sure!"

"Well you don't either because you were busy out here on some wild goose chase instead of going to school like a normal person would!"

This time Melody had a glare of her own as she looked to Jaune; Qrow took notice of this while the others were surprised by her sudden tone as she stood, "Don't you DARE bring my life into this like you know my story!"

"We don't know your life because you've been hoarding that information to yourself!" He said, returning the glare as he himself stood.

"Cut it out! Both of you!" Qrow said, stopping them, "We can all agree that we've been through enough fighting for one day." Melody and Jaune looked to one another before she averted her gaze before she sat herself down next to Ruby.

Qrow turned to Jaune, "Look, we didn't force this. We explained the situation and we gave her a choice. And she chose. You were there. You heard her."

Jaune clenched his hand and hung his head for a brief moment before he turned and gave himself distance from the group. No one did anything to stop him, not even his own teammates.

Rosario let out a sigh, "Okay… I'm just as baffled as everyone else. Considering that I worked with Cinder and she failed to mention that little detail. But… In terms of magic… I thought Cristal and her sister were the only ones who were born with them.

"Wait, but--" Ruby said, "--What she did, that was a semblance wasn't it?"

"No." Cristal replied, "It wasn't. I sensed magic from her. It's the same presence as Destiny's, just colder and lost."

"I'm as surprised as you are, trust me." Qrow said, "And I honestly wish I had the answers to that but--I'm sorry to say, I'm as confused as you are."

Cristal sighed, "That's what I was afraid of, but it didn't hurt to know."

"Tyrian and that girl Elise…" Ruby soon said, "... I can understand why they're after Cristal but… Why did they want me?"

Qrow took a moment to drink from his flask, "Well you definitely painted a target on your back after what you did at Beacon. It's like I told you, having silver eyes is a rare trait. The fact that you were able to use them seems to have upset some powerful people. I've been keeping an eye on you since you guys left Patch, and when you all got together to keep you safe. All of you."

The whole group looked to one another, slightly unsure of something. "Than… Why not just save all the trouble to travel with us, like Roman and Cristal did?" Ruby asked her uncle, "It seemed like that would be a whole lot easier."

"He was using you as bait." Jaune said, shocking the group.

"You don't know my father like Ruby, Yang, my sister and I do!" Melody said with anger in her tone, "So you don't have a right to say that about him! He would never use his own loved ones as bait! He cares about his family!"

"Melody, take it easy." Qrow said to her calmly yet with a stern voice. He soon turned to Jaune, "And to answer your question, it's a bit more complicated than that."

Jaune finally turned to face him, "What IS all of THIS!? Destiny and Cristal ended up getting taken by these people, Ruby's being hunted by those same people, Roman could've been killed and all for what!? WILL YOU JUST TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON!?"

Qrow looked at Jaune, letting out a sigh as he rubbed his eyebrows. "Would you sit down?" He said, "You're stressing me out."

Jaune took a seat as Qrow himself took another sip from his flask; after wiping his mouth, he began to tell them a story. One Cristal had been all too familiar with.

"Not many people are religious these days. This world has been around for a long time, long enough that people have created dozens of Gods. But if you believe in Ozpin--Two of them are actually real. It all began with two brothers. The older sibling, the God of Light, found joy in creating forces of life. Meanwhile, the younger brother, the God of Darkness, spent his entire time creating forces of destruction. As you can imagine, they both had pretty different ideas about how things should go. The older one spent his days creating water, plants and wildlife. At night, the younger brother would wake to see all the things the elder made and become disgusted. To counteract his brother's creation, the God of Darkness brought drought, fire, famine, all he could do to rid Remnant life. Life always returned. So one night, the younger brother went and--"

"--Created something that shared his desire to destroy anything and everything." Cristal soon said, "A creature created from the darkest part of his soul…"

"... The creatures of Grimm." Ruby said.

Qrow nodded before he continued.

"The older brother finally had enough. Knowing that their feud couldn't last any long, he proposed that they make one final creation… Together. Something they could both be proud of--Their masterpiece. The younger brother agreed. Their last great creation would be given the power to create and destroy. It would be given the gift of knowledge, so that it could learn about itself and the world around it. And most importantly, it would be given the power to choose, to have free will to take everything it had learned and decide which path to follow--The path of light, or the path of darkness. And that is how Humanity came to be."

"But…" Ren soon said, "... What does this have to do with any of us?"

"Well, that's the kicker." Qrow answered, "See, the four gifts to mankind--Knowledge, Creation, Destruction, and Choice aren't just metaphorical. Each of them exists in a physical form, left behind by the Gods before they abandoned Remnant, and each of them are extraordinarily powerful. If someone were to collect all four, they'd be able to change the world. That's exactly what the enemy wants. The Huntsmen Academies were created to train generations of Humanity's protectors, but they also had another purpose… Guarding the Relics. When Ozpin's predecessor's founded the schools, he built them around the Relics to act as a fortress. Not only would they be easier to defend, but they would constantly be surrounded by trained warriors. The hope was hiding them would keep mankind from using them against itself… And of course, keeping them out of HER reach."

Cristal gritted her teeth at this as she retained a look of hate. Qrow only shrugged as he said, "And that's about the jest of it."

"Her…" Ruby said, "... You mean Salem, don't you?"

"Yeah…" Qrow said, "Not much is known about her, and quite frankly that's not what matters. What matters right now is she is after the Relic's and Roman's daughters. If she gets them, than it's not going to end well, for all of us."

"But I still don't understand…" Cristal said, "... Why was it worth killing my mom? Why get me and my little sister involved in all of this!?"

Qrow looked at his flask seeing what little was inside before he took another sip, "If you want my honest opinion… I'm not entirely sure. But the fact that you and your sister were born with your magic, and not being a Maiden entirely seems to have some value to Salem."

"Not enough to kill though." Rosario said, surprising most of the group.

"What makes you say that?" Nora asked.

"From what I'm understanding about Salem is that she finds value with those with power." Rosario said, "Unlike that former boss of mine, Cinder, when she sees a pawn, she'll find a way to exploit it. If she wanted Cristal or her sister dead… She would've done it the night she killed their mom."

Cristal couldn't help but grit her teeth at the thought, though none seemed to notice that she had gripped her chest as she felt it throb slightly.

"You're right." Qrow said, surprising them again, "Salem does see value in the two of them. And from what we saw from Tyrian's partner, she has some value too. No doubt she most likely has virtually the same power as you and your sister do. You said it yourself, she has the same presence as her."

Cristal couldn't help but have another thought. Senka nudged her slightly with his beak as if he had been encouraging her. "These powers… I got them from my mother…" She said to Qrow, "... And yet she killed her in cold blood. I remember Salem saying that Destiny and I weren't the same as her… Can you tell me anything about where she came from?"

Qrow rubbed the back of his head as he sighed, "I could, but honestly… I think it's best if you hear it from your father, when the time is right."

Once more the group was silent as they took in all of this information. It was all hard for them to process for sure, though they had their own way of taking in this sort of news.

Finally, Jaune was the first to speak up, "Alright… Let's say we believe all of this. There really is this crazy evil behind these attacks, and not just some thugs trying to become powerful. That and she's the one responsible for infecting Destiny with Grimm. Why doesn't anyone else know? Why doesn't the world know? Why isn't Atlas going after them? Or Mistral?!"

"And why aren't we in more of a hurry to get to Haven?!" Nora said.

"What if they're next on the list!?" Melody said, "We should hurry and warn them of the coming attack!"

"You don't think the other Headmasters are completely unaware of what happened do you?" Qrow said, "He's not dumb. After he saw what happened he'll be on his guard. Besides, it takes time to mobilize forces like that. Do you really think they planned that attack overnight?"

He soon turned back over to Jaune, "And to answer YOUR question, it's the same reason why we kept quiet about the Maidens. If the whole world knew about the Relics, about Salem, there would be chaos. We would have another Great War on our hands, only this time… You'd have to fight."

Jaune turned away from Qrow, crossing his arms over his chest as he did.

"Look…" He started to say, "... I had the same questions as all of you did. But ol' Ozpin always puts his foot down. ''We can't cause panic,'' he would say." He couldn't help but laugh slightly, "Can't tell you how many times I've heard that. Salem's smart. She works in the shadows, using others to get what she wants so when it comes time to place the blame, we can only point at each other. She's trying to divide us--Humanity, and so far… She's done a pretty good job."

Qrow leaned back slightly, his head tilting back as he looked to the shattered moon above. He grasped his wound that had been wrapped in a set of bandages as he heaved out a sigh. His attention was drawn from the sky as he heard his niece say, "Alright… So what do we do?"

Everyone looked to the Huntsman for an answer, but he only chuckled. "I don't really know." He replied, "Ozpin has put a lot of trust in the other Headmasters. Like I said, the schools are important to stopping Salem. Atlas is going to be on high alert after the last attack and Vacuo, is--Well Vacuo. It'll be hard to hire thieves and scoundrels to fight. Take that, and add Cinder, and her crew who claim to be from Haven is most likely their next target. So… We're on our way to the Headmaster. Haven't heard from him in awhile, even before the attack. And hopefully, he'll help us in finding out where Destiny is."

Qrow soon stood up as he stretched and let out a groan, "Alright, it's getting pretty late. It's about time you kids get some sleep."

"Uncle Qrow…" Ruby said standing up, "... This is… A lot to take in. And it all seems crazy, but--" She looked to Cristal, as she looked to her, "--Two sisters once told me and my friends, that a criminal was their dad, they could talk to Grimm, they could take away the anger and pain they felt, and they themselves could use magic. I did what I could to help them, because I trusted them. Just like than, I'm willing to trust you. But there's one thing I want to understand… Why couldn't you just travel with us instead of this secrecy? Maybe you could've--"

"Ruby." Melody said, cutting her off, "There's a reason my father decided to lag behind and keep an eye on us from afar. It doesn't have anything to do with trust."

"She's right." Qrow added, "Besides… It's a long story."

"Really?" Nora said surprised, "NOW you're tired of telling stories?"

Qrow looked to the fire before kneeling over it. He took a stick nearby and started to turn over the logs within the flame, "Did you know that crows are a sign of bad luck? Old superstition, but… It's how I got my name. See, some people can burst into rose petals, some can absorb electricity and some--Are just born unlucky. My semblance… Isn't like most. It's not exactly something I can do. It's always there, whether I like it or not. I bring misfortune." He let out a bitter chuckle, "I guess you can call it a bad luck charm. I'll admit, it does come in handy when fighting an enemy. But… It makes it harder on friends… And family."

"Well… You're just a real bundle of help aren't you?" Jaune said in an aggressive tone.

Finally Melody had enough as she stood again, "What the hell is your problem tonight!?" She yelled, "He already told us everything we needed to know! What more do you want from him, huh!?"

"Well I'm sorry if I'm asking too much!" Jaune said still with a tone, "I'm just SICK and TIRED of everyone just being secretive with all the stuff going on right now!"

"That doesn't mean you have to have the attitude right now! These past few minutes as he's willingly telling us all of this, you've just complained and taken your anger out on a man who had his reasons for keeping this a secret from everyone! A DAMN good reason! Did you just magically go deaf!?"

"You guys, don't fight…!" Nora said.

Jaune ignored Nora as he continued on, "Like your one to talk! You and Rosario have been keeping things from us! How do we even know you're not telling the whole truth!?"

"They're reasons why people keep secrets!" Melody told him, "Didn't you ever stop to consider that--I don't know, that they were trying to protect you!?"

"Protect us!? What good is protecting us if you keep information like what he just told us from us!? People should know about these kind of things!"

"He just said why people shouldn't! It would cause a panic! Would you rather have people constantly looking over their shoulder if they knew some powerful lady is going after the schools for these Relics!? Are you seriously dead in the brain!?"

"As far as I know, I'm not the one who's dead in the brain! Maybe you are!"

"What EXACTLY are you implying!?"

"Jaune!" Ruby said getting in between them, "Don't!"

Jaune stepped around Ruby before he said to Melody, "Did YOU ever stop to think about going back to Patch after you heard the news about what happened!? Why didn't you go back to at least see your cousins were okay!? Were you too busy out here on your scavenger hunt!?"

At this Melody said nothing as the look on her face changed. Qrow noticed the look in her eyes before he said calmly to Jaune, "You need to end this argument here."

"No!" He said, "You know what, here's something that I want to make clear! You told us he looks out for his family, but what about you!? You could've gone back home to check on them, but you didn't! You just stayed out here, instead of going back! Why!? Do you even care about them!? Do you even give a damn what happens to them!?"

"JAUNE!" Everyone yelled at him to stop.

At this point the whole group was silent again as they looked at Melody. Her head was down and her hand began to shake. Finally she clenched her fist before she stomped over to Jaune. She grabbed him by the collar of his hoodie which took him by surprise before she headbutted so hard that it caused significant damage to his Aura, shocking most of the group.

When Jaune recovered, he saw Melody's eyes were different then her usual red eyes. Instead her eyes were of black, and her pupils were thin and narrow.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MY LIFE!?" She shouted, Jauned noticing a pair of fangs, "HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE ME OF NOT CARING ABOUT MY FAMILY! YOU DON'T KNOW ALL THE HELL I'VE BEEN THROUGH BEFORE I CAME OUT HERE! WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO MAKE SUCH ACCUSATIONS BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU THINK IS CRUEL!? WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO TAKE YOUR ANGER OUT ON OTHERS BECAUSE OF YOUR STUPID INSECURITIES, AND BECAUSE OF YOUR STUPID BELIEFS!? WHO THE HELL GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO JUDGE FOR WHO PEOPLE ARE?!"

"MELODY!" Qrow shouted before he pulled her from Jaune forcing her to let him go. They were all shocked when he put his arms around her, with his hand covering her eyes and his other arm around her shoulders. He soon said in a calming voice, "It's okay… Calm down, I'm here… I'm right here now…"

Melody took deep and ragged breaths; despite Qrows hand covering her eyes, they could tell she looked horrified. In a blink her eyes changed back to her natural red, but her fangs stayed. Without saying anything, or a second thought she shoved Qrow away before making a mad dash towards the forest, leaving behind her weapon. Frosty ran after her, having awoken from all the yelling.

"Melody!" Ruby called out, "Melody wait!"

She was about to go after her, before Qrow stopped her.

"I've got her kiddo." He said, "The rest of you, can get some shut eye."

"Is… She going to be okay?" Nora asked.

"There's only one way to find out." Qrow replied.

"Hey." Rosario said, "Is there anything else you want us to know?"

Qrow stopped halfway before he noticed a raven perched on the branch. It had cocked it's head to the side as he sighed. "Not tonight." He replied, "If you'll excuse, I'm long overdue with a father daughter talk."

With that Qrow went into the forest to where Melody had run off. The group had been startled slightly when a log rolled out of the fire suddenly. Finally Ren spoke up, "A word of advice?" He said to Jaune, "Next time someone tells you to end an argument, you should listen."

"Oh God…" Jaune said in realization, "... Did I really say all those things?"

"You… Kind of did." Cristal replied awkwardly.

Jaune did his best to calm his thoughts as he had regretted everything he had just said to Melody. He soon turned to Ruby, "I'm sorry--I didn't know what I was saying, I didn't mean to--Damn it! Why didn't I shut my mouth?!"

"I know…" Ruby soon said, "... We've just had a rough day."

Scout soon came out from the tent as she finally joined the group; she had been holding a few towels that were stained with red, and Roman's jacket and shirt were folded up nicely though it had been stained with red as well along with a set of rags. "Um…" She awkwardly said, "... Did I come at a bad time?"

"No, you just missed the storm." Rosario said to her.

"How is he?" Ruby asked as she went to the young Fanus.

"Is my dad okay?" Cristal asked as she stood.

Scout sighed and answered, "Roman's wound was a bit difficult to treat. I managed to cauterize his wound to seal it up. I applied some burn medicine and herbs so we'll get lucky if the wound doesn't get infected."

"So… He'll be okay?" Nora asked.

Scout nodded, "The only thing we would have to worry about is him doing anything drastic. Other then that, he'll live."

Everyone sighed with relief as Cristal looked the most relaxed. "Scout… I don't know how much to thank you for saving him. I don't know what Destiny and I would do if we lost him."

"It's no problem." She said with a smile, "I'm just glad I could help."

"Are those Roman's?" Ruby asked, referring to the clothes she had been carrying.

"O-Oh yeah." Scout said as she had gotten nervous again, "I was going to go to the river to get this cleaned up and was going to ask Melody to come with me but…"

She looked around for a moment, "... She doesn't appear to be here. Did I miss anything?"

"Why don't you and I go take a walk?" Rosario said, putting her arm around her shoulders. Just as she walked in the direction of the forest in front of them; though not before she grabbed Jaune by the hoodie.

"You're coming too blondie." She said as she did this.

"CH--CHOKING! NOT BREATHING!" Jaune exclaimed.

The remaining teens couldn't help but watch as Rosario went off with Scout while dragging Jaune behind her.

***

It was always like this for Melody for as long as Qrow can remember. Everytime something like that happened she would run away scared of what others would think of her when they saw her lash out the way she did. It would make the other kids run the other way, that's for sure, that is… Except for her twin Maize.

If he knew his daughter well… He would know exactly where to find her.

It wasn't long before he heard the sound of pained whimpers and muffled cries. He followed the sounds till he had gotten to a fallen tree with moss and vines growing around it. He noticed that Frosty had been sitting outside of it, as he looked to be shaking and letting out a fearful whimper.

He couldn't help but wonder why that may be, that is… Until he noticed a set of bandages sitting outside with Frosty. When Qrow looked within the hollow tree trunk he was met with a surprise.

He saw Melody there on her knees, but she looked to be biting into her own arm, opening a set of wounds with the fangs she bore.

"Melody!" Qrow exclaimed, "What the hell are you doing!?"

Melody didn't seemed to have heard him as she continued to bite into her arm; now bleeding profoundly. Qrow quickly went in as he grabbed a hold of her shoulder and pulled her away a bit too roughly, though it was better then what she was doing.

"Stop it!" Qrow yelled as he did this, "Wren!"

Melody started to take deep breaths as she looked to her father with a horrified look in her eyes. "Wha--What are you doing here?" She said, "You can't be near me ! Not while I'm like this!"

"And what, do you think I'm just gonna leave you out here, without your weapon!?" Qrow told her, before noticing the scars and other closed wounds on herself, "Is this what you do to yourself, everytime THIS happens?"

At that point Melody didn't answer; He felt her body shaking in his hands, as tears began to start to form.

"Wren please, answer me!" Qrow said to her, "I don't like seeing you this way, and I especially don't like seeing you hurting yourself! How long have you been doing this? How long have you been--?"

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO!?" Melody soon yelled. Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she let out choked sobs, "I--I feel it--! I can hear it--Trying to break free! I have to keep it under before it makes me--!"

Melody stopped herself as she couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence. It wasn't long before Qrow felt her try to push him out. "Dad! I'm begging you!" She told him, "You have to leave! You don't know that THING like I do! It wants to hurt you, Ruby, Yang, Uncle Tai, Maize! That's all IT wants! That's all IT cares about!"

"Melody--"

"Please just leave me here! I don't want to KILL you!"

Qrow took her hands and started to shush her gently. "It's okay. It's alright." He said, bringing her into a hug; her face was against his chest, "I'm not going anywhere. Not this time."

He brushed her hair in a comforting way as she continued to cry. For a long time, they stayed like this, Qrow held onto Melody in his arms as Melody herself leaned in against his embrace as her cries started to soften. "Ruby…" Qrow started to say, "... That was her first time seeing like that wasn't it?"

He saw her shift her head, as she had been nodding. "Did you tell her about it?" He asked.

"... And let her be scared of me… Like Celia?" Melody soon asked.

"But you saw it…" She said, pushing herself out his hug, "She had the same look Celia had when she left… She left us--Left YOU because of what happened… I don't want any of them to run away because of something I can't control… I didn't ask for a shape-shifting semblance! I sure as hell didn't ask IT to have ITS own mind! I didn't ask for IT to hurt them, to hurt anyone, that talked to me like they knew ALL about me, that made fun of Yang, Ruby and Maize, that said those awful things about Aunt Summer when she didn't come back!"

Qrow seemed to understand what she was saying, even though she wasn't direct, "... You aren't just out here to find Raven, aren't you?"

Melody rubbed her eyes, trying to prevent herself from crying even more, "... Before I found Rosario and Scout… Before I was reunited with Ruby… I was doing fine. I was learning to control it, learning where it came from… But after seeing what I was about to do Jaune, after what he said to me… I know I can NEVER be in control!" She laughed a little, "It's just like your semblance huh? It's always there whether I like it or not… I think… I'm better off alone after all."

"Wren…" Qrow said, "... Look at me."

Melody turned away, refusing to look into her father's eyes. He moved her towards him, as he had cupped her cheeks, "Listen to me very carefully. I know you want so badly to let it be known that your the boss and your the one in charge, but it's not going to help you if your out on your own like this. It's not going to help you by being away from people you love all the time."

"But I can't hurt anyone if I'm alone."

"That maybe so, but in the end, you'd only hurt yourself. Trust me… That's never the way to do things."

Qrow wiped away her tears as she looked to her dad with her cheeks all puffy from crying. She turned her body so that she was sitting in his life and rested her head on his shoulder. She started to sniffle as she was trying to calm herself.

"You don't need to have this kind of life." Qrow told her, "I can definitely say this doesn't suit you. If you keep doing this, you won't get anywhere at all."

"You're saying that I should go back…" She said, "... How could they help? How can you even help?"

"Because we're your family." Qrow told her, "Families never leave each other behind. They don't let others carry the weight by themselves, and they sure as hell don't sit back and let others suffer. That's something your mother didn't seem to get when she ran out on us. I don't even think my sister understood that when she left Tai and your cousin."

Melody didn't say anything to Qrow. All she did was listen to what he had to say.

"You've got people you love back home." Qrow said, "But the longer your out here, the more you block them out. I know you have your reasons for not coming back or even doing so much as making home visits but messages and video chats aren't enough. I've been trying to tell you that… But you kept on ignoring my calls."

"There was a reason for it… Because not even you can help me."

"Now your just talking nonsense. Your friends will be able to fight you through this. Myself, Tai, Ruby, Yang and your sister will help you through this. You just have to let us. Whenever your ready to tell them, we'll be here for you."

Melody shut her eyes as she took deep breaths; she soon hooked her arms around his neck as she started to choke on her sobs again; Qrow returned the hug to her despite the pain he felt.

"I've missed you dad…" She said, "... I've missed you so much…"

"... I missed you too Little Bird." He said as he placed a kiss on her head. Frosty's fearful whimpers have longed since gone away as he was now sitting patiently for them; the sound of crickets had echoed throughout the night, as they sat within the hollow trunk of the tree.

***

Scout, Rosario and Jaune managed to find a river with clean water, so that Scout could wash off the blood on Roman's jacket and the rags she was using to treat his wound. Rosario had mostly filled her in about what Qrow told them, and why Melody wasn't with the group at that moment.

"Wow…" She said astonished as she cleaned, "... That is a lot to take in all at once. Did you really know about this?"

"Not all of it." Rosario replied, leaning against a tree nearby, "Cinder did leave out the Relics part when she told us about the Maidens. Still, this is bigger then anyone could have imagined."

"I can understand why they would keep this all a secret." Scout said, "If this got out, everyone would lose trust in each other, and start making accusations. It would lead to nothing but blood shed."

Rosario huffed, "Never thought I'd say this even after all they did, but I'm really starting to feel sorry for the White Fang. Wait till they find out they're just disposable pawns."

"If you want my honest opinion, the White Fang are no better then Bandits."

"... You're not wrong there."

She soon turned to Jaune who had been sitting on a rock with his hands in his hair. "How are you holding up blondie?" She asked him.

"I--" Jaune started to say, "--Can't believe I said all of those awful things to her."

"You were pretty pissed, I'll give it to you there." She said.

"... I didn't mean to say all of those things… I know I didn't mean it but… I was just so angry…"

"People tend to say a lot of things when they're angry. Trust me, I know."

"What if she doesn't forgive me for this? I saw the way she looked at me, I heard everything she said…. Who am I kidding? She'll never forgive me!"

"You'll never know unless you talk to her."

Jaune turned over to Rosario, as he was just giving her a certain look, "You're not exactly helping."

Rosario gave a little chuckle, "I know. Truth be told I never did give a good pep talk to anyone. My brother on the other hand, he's better at that kind of stuff… Or at least he used to be."

Jaune looked surprised by her words, "... You never said you had a brother."

"You didn't ask." She said.

Scout looked to the two of them as she finished cleaning up everything as she sensed the atmosphere. "I should--Head back to camp and check on Roman." She said as she gathered up everything. She soon made her way back towards the campsite leaving only Rosario and Jaune.

"Did you know he's my older twin?" Rosario said playing with the hair of her pigtail, "You've most likely met him already. I mean, he did go to Beacon technically. We don't look much alike, sure, but there is one thing we do have in common. We both lost something that we can never get back, and for the record, I'm not just talking about limbs."

Jaune looked confused by this sort of statement. "I figured that wouldn't ring a bell." She said, "But come on! How many people did you know at Beacon that have the last name Black?"

Jaune still looked confused until he realized as to why the name sounded familiar. "Mercury Black?" He said, "He's your brother?"

"He is." Rosario replied, "Though as you can tell, even before the CCT was destroyed we haven't exactly been keeping tabs on each other. We… Grew apart."

"What… What happened?" Jaune asked.

Rosario took a deep breath before she explained herself, "Mercury and I didn't have a happy life like those lucky kids in Patch. We grew up in our own version of Hell. The Underworld of Remnant, ain't kind to anyone, especially kids. Our father Marcus Black, was an assassin for hire. He was good at what he did, which was more then I can say for at home. We didn't know what it was like to have a mom either. She died, while she was bringing us into the world. Every day, and every night our father would come home drunk, grab one of us by the hair and start to kick one of us till we started to bleed. We ended up getting our own fair amount. We did what we could to look out for each other. Hadn't it been for Mercury, I would've lost my sanity, and if it weren't for me he would've lost his smile. We promised each other that one day we would escape from him and start our own life. A life better than the one we had been living."

Jaune's eyes widened at this, "Rosario… I… I'm sorry that happened to you…"

"Don't apologize for something you had no control over." She said before continuing, "It had gotten worse when he forced prosthetics on us and started to train us. He was trying to make one of us his next assassin and made it in effort to break our mentality, he even went as far as to steal away Mercury's semblance. He didn't bother with me since…" She looked to the palm of her hand as she said, "... Well… I'm like you. I'm at the age of seventeen, and I haven't unlocked my semblance. Pathetic, right?"

"Really?" He said surprised.

Rosario only nodded, "One day… When we both reached our peak in our lessons, he told us to fight one another. The winner would be his successor. Unfortunately… That meant one of us had to die."

"He… Was forcing the both of you to fight…?"

She nodded again, "Of course, I told my father I wanted no part of it, and he snapped. When he did, Mercury ended up acting out and once I snapped out of it I backed him up. The might must've lasted for hours and we both took a pretty hard hit. We even ended up destroying what little we had of our home."

"What happened to him?"

Jaune saw Rosario look changed, as her look hardened yet she replied calmly, "... We killed him. His life was the first life we took… We didn't regret doing it. But wouldn't you know it? We only traded that Hell for another."

Jaunes look soon hardened, "Cinder…"

"Yeah…" She said, "... She showed up that night. She told us that we would change the world for the better, and back then I was stupid enough to believe it. That was until--"

"--You fought Amber. The previous Fall Maiden."

"Amber was pretty strong despite her inexperience. After we fought and the dust settled, I saw what she did to her, how she stole her power. I could never forget the smile she had as she took her life force away. It was like it was a game to her. It was sadistic and grotesque. Once I saw her for who she really was, I knew it wasn't the life I was asking for. So… I left and I tried to get Mercury to come with me but her poisonous word had already infected him. In the end… I left him behind. Not a day goes by when I regret not trying harder."

Jaune took all of this new information in, from what Rosario told him. He heaved a sigh and looked at her, "Do you… Have a point in telling me this?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." She replied, "People have reasons to keep their deepest darkest secrets from people. I kept mine because I was scared that you would hate me. Melody had her own reason for keeping hers since she looked as scared as anyone else. And Qrow, Ozpin, all the headmasters have theirs. They keep it from others because they think it's the right thing to do. Sometimes, they're right. Sometimes it's better to give one white lie, then have a painful truth. Though that doesn't mean you had the right to judge people for their decisions on right and wrong. Anger can give us strength but it also tends to be our weakness. We push away the people we love and care about without knowing it. By the time we realize it, it would be too late to fix things. I think… That's what the Headmasters want to avoid too."

Jaune couldn't help but think about what she said. Now that he gave it some thought it did make sense. His rage, his anger he felt towards Qrow when they told them, he just felt like he couldn't trust him. He saw that's how people would feel from the start if they knew what the Kingdoms were really facing. Everyone would make accusations to the point where they would point fingers at the innocent people, instead of the enemy. Now he seemed to have gotten the idea as to why he didn't say anything from the start.

Scout was right, there would be nothing but bloodshed.

"Come on." She said holding her hand to him, "We should get back to the others. If Melody comes back you can apologize to her, unless she gives you the silent treatment."

"Okay." Jaune said, taking her hand and he stood up. They turned and just when they were about to start walking back to the campsite, Rosario stopped in her tracks when she heard Jaune speak up.

"Hey…" He said, "... Thanks."

All Rosario did was smile and give him a wink before they took the path they walked down earlier.

***

Ruby carried a bunch of firewood and tossed them into the fire.

As she brushed her hands and went to turn in she heard a groan from the tent nearby. She went towards it and pushed the curtain up and saw Roman sitting up, rubbing his head; His hair was untied so it was hanging loosely.

"Roman!" Ruby exclaimed gleefully as she went to sit by his side, "You're awake! How do you feel?!"

"Like I've had one too many drinks at a party…" Roman said as he cracked his neck, cringing slightly when he felt his wound act up.

"You scared us all half to death!" Ruby said, "We were so worried! Cristal especially! We didn't know if you were going to make it after that girl got you!"

"That explains the shoulder…" He said, "... Did I miss anything?"

"Well… That's a story you probably already know." She replied, "But don't worry, first thing in the morning we'll catch you up!"

She soon threw her arms around him, "I'm so happy you're okay!"

"Ow--!" Roman groaned, causing her to jump back. Ruby started to apologize as she bowed her head, causing Roman to chuckle a little bit.

"What happened after I passed out?" Roman soon asked, "Is my daughter okay?"

"Cristal is fine, but…" Ruby started to say hesitantly, "... That guy Tyrian, he got a hit on Uncle Qrow."

Roman's eyes widened slightly, "Is he alright?"

"Yeah… I think so." She replied.

Roman soon let out a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair, "What a day… Is there a plus side to any of this?"

"Well--" Ruby started to say, "--I shot off Tyrian's tail. That's sort of a plus."

Roman couldn't help but chuckle again, "I guess it's like that saying, payback is a bitch."

Both him and her shared a laugh at that remark, figuring that they had lightened the mood somehow. Soon the laughter ceased as Roman let out another groan, "It hurts to laugh."

Ruby looked at his wound and her expression softened at the thought of the former thief before her. She gulped as she looked to the ground as she felt tears come to her eyes. "... I'm sorry…" She said with her voice cracking.

"Sorry?" He said before he noticed she was upset, "Hey, what's the matter?"

"I'm sorry this happened to you…" She told him, "If I hadn't rushed in like that and listened to Cristal's warning, then you wouldn't have--" She started to choke on her words, "--I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Roman saw Ruby bury her face in her hands as she rubbed her eyes in an effort to get rid of the tears. Roman reached out and gave her a pat on the head; she froze at this sort of gesture.

"It's okay Red." He reassured her, "This isn't your fault."

"But you were hurt, because I didn't listen to Cristal!" She said, "It was because of me, you would've died!"

"Don't do that." Roman told her, "The last thing we need is for you to start blaming yourself. You couldn't have known about that girl, and that she would make her move at the last second."

Ruby finally managed to get the tears away as she sniffled a little. "Red. None of this isn't your fault." He told her, "If we were still enemies I would have blamed you for this, but not this time. It just relieves me to know that the people I care about are safe."

Ruby couldn't help but look shocked before she smiled, "Aw, I knew you cared!"

"Don't push it." He said.

Ruby couldn't help but giggle but soon took notice of his scars along his chest and arm; some of them looked similar to Tyrian's though she saw each one had a different story to tell. Most of the scars he had gotten in battle from what she could tell, and others were most likely ones from when he used to steal for a living. She couldn't help but wonder about something.

"Do they still hurt?" Ruby asked.

Roman looked confused, "Do what hurt?"

"Your scars." She clarified, "Do they still hurt?"

Roman looked over his scars before he let out a sigh, "Sometimes they do."

"How did you get some of them?" She asked.

Roman tried to sit back but ended up groaning from his wound; Ruby went to his side to support him. "Most of these are a reminder really." Roman replied, "Of what I went through when I was a kid."

He saw the look she gave as she showed sympathy towards him. "I just can't believe it." Ruby said, "After all this time… The encounters we had before when we were enemies… I didn't realize you had gone through so much in your life. You lost your wife, Destiny and Cristal's kidnapping, and what happened to you when you were a kid."

"There's no way of knowing who people are Red." He told her, "You can't just take one look and expect to know their life story at the drop of a hat."

"But maybe if I had known in the first place, I would've--"

"Help me? I don't doubt you for a second. Unfortunately the past stays where it is. We can't change what we've been through or what we've done. It's just how life works. We have to take a leap, and hope for the best."

"Even going as far to keep things from people?"

Roman didn't respond to her question this time. Instead, he gave his response as he rubbed his elbow, "Listen Red… I know we've gotten used to each other since the Fall of Beacon, but they're just some things I'm not exactly keen on sharing. But that's changed today… I feel like you deserve to know the truth."

"... Okay." Ruby said.

Roman soon took a deep breath and--

"Dad!"

Both of them jumped when Cristal entered the tent; she had a relieved look on her face as she couldn't help but threw her arms around him. "Thank God, you're alright!" She cheered, before she hit him in the arm causing him to groan, "Don't go doing that again! You scared me half to death!"

"Hey!" Roman said to her, "Shouldn't I be saying that to you young lady?!"

"Don't go pulling the parent card on me now dad!" She said.

Ruby smiled at this, before she went to make her leave, "I'll leave you guys alone. I was going to go hit the hay anyway." She went to exit the tent before she was stopped.

"Hey Red?" Roman said, "Thanks for checking up on me."

Ruby gave a smile before she went outside of the tent as she soon set up her sleeping spot close to the fire.

***

-Outside of Mistral; Pine Farmland-

Oscar and Destiny sat in their room, as he was helping her to read as he usually did every night. Though as usual she was having difficulty in doing so. She kept tilting her head back and forth as she was trying to decrypt some of the bigger words that were in the book.

"I know dad and big sis taught me how to read, when I was like five but…" Destiny said, "... Most of these words seem like a different language to me."

"I know it seems that way, but it'll be easier when you get the hang of it all." Oscar said, "Trust me."

They soon heard Oscar's Aunt call out to them from downstairs.

"Oscar! Destiny!" She said, "Supper's ready!"

"Coming!" Destiny said.

"What are we having?" Oscar said with a smile.

"Doesn't matter, you're eating it!"

"I never agreed to these terms!"

"It's part of living under my roof contract! Read the fine print and come wash up!"

Destiny couldn't help but giggle, "I wonder what we're having tonight. I could go for an imitation burger!"

"We'll see." Oscar said, patting her on the head.

Destiny let out another soft laugh before she hopped off the bed; Despite the limp she had in her prosthesis, she was able to make her way out of the room and down the ladder. Oscar was about to follow until--

"We have to leave."

The voice, calling itself Ozpin, had come to him again; he soon went towards the door again.

"Oscar." Ozpin said, trying to get his attention, "Oscar!"

Oscar let out a sigh, "I've decided that you're not real, so you might as well just give up."

"I understand your feelings." He said, "I've gone through the same panic and confusion you have."

Oscar shook his head, before he noticed the books had been out of place and Destiny's bed had been in a bit of a mess; he went to set them back in place before he fixed up her covers. "It's not real…" He said to himself, "... It's not real."

"I can assure you, you're completely sane." Ozpin said.

"First a girl appears out of thin air...And I'm talking to a voice in my head."

"I didn't say you were normal, I just said you were sane."

Oscar let out a huff, before he went towards the door again. "I can assure you, there's a distinct difference between the--"

"SHUT UP!" Oscar snapped, "Do you think this is funny?! Because it's not."

"We are in complete agreement on that matter, I promise you." Ozpin said, "Believe me, I wish this wasn't the case. But it's as I told you before… Our Aura… Our Souls have combined."

"... I'm done listening to you." He said.

Ozpin was silent for a moment, and Oscar took that as his cue to leave.

"Tell me--" Ozpin said, "--Have you ever been to Haven?"

"I already told you, I'm not going." He said, "And I already told you, I'm done listening to you!"

"Do you think you can describe the Headmasters Office for me?"

"No. Why would I--"

"Just try. Right now."

Oscar couldn't help but huff as he didn't see the point in doing such a thing.

"I don't know it's--"

But when he shut his eyes, the image of the office couldn't be more clear.

"--It's… Autumn colored. With a mahogany desk. There's a small table with chairs in the corner. With a tea set… That I gave him…"

At this, he started to panic internally as he felt his head sting a bit. "Why do I know that? Why did I say that? How did I know that?!"

"Because I helped build that school." Ozpin replied, "And the tea seat was a gift to the man running it now."

Oscar sat at his bedside, as he was trying to process everything. "If you don't believe me, you can look it up." Ozpin suggested, "If I recall your Aunt has several books on Mistral downstairs. I'm certain you can find a picture in one of them."

"...That's…" He said in realization, "... That's right… I must've seen it in a book."

"Oscar--" Ozpin started to say.

"SHUT UP!" He shouted, "Stop talking to me!"

"I have a grave responsibility to uphold." He said, "For Cristal and Destiny's life, and everyone else's."

"Do you know those two!? Wait, I never agreed to anything!!"

"I knew her sister when she was a child, and I was acquainted with her mother. And I know you didn't agree to anything. Neither did I at first. But you have an opportunity."

"An opportunity for what?"

"Greatness hopefully. Greatness knowing that when the world needed help, you were there to reach out your hand. It won't come without hardship without sacrifice. I know that you don't want to live the rest of your life working as a farmhand in Mistral. And… I know you want to help that little girl. You feel like you owe it to their mother after you saw the sacrifice Trinity took in order to protect them."

Oscar's eyes widened at this as he realized what Ozpin did, "Did you just decide to read my thoughts!?"

"No." Ozpin replied, "... Well… They're our thoughts now."

Oscar let out a groan, before he screamed, "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!"

The door soon opened as Destiny peaked in, "Oscar?" She said as she stepped in, snapping him back into reality, "Is everything okay?"

"Destiny!" He said.

She soon took his hand, helping him to stand up. "Come on! Let's hurry to dinner before it gets cold!" She said with a smile.

Thus, she lead Oscar out of the room, and they both proceeded towards the dining area.

***

Morning came throughout the surrounding area, and the rays of the sun had gone through the leaves that had been above their heads, while the morning dew was seen on the grass. The whole group slept soundly in their sleeping bags and their only wounded slept in their tent. Qrow slept against a tree with his daughter Melody, her head resting on his shoulder; a blanket had been seen around the both of them to keep them warm and Frosty slept at her side as the fire had long gone out.

The whole group started to wake up with a groan; they sat up and stretched all the while they let out a yawn.

"Well look at that…" Rosario said as she fixed up her bed head, "... Morning already." She tied up her hair into her pigtails.

Ren sat up and got himself out of his sleeping bag, "We should probably get moving."

"Yeah." Jaune said sitting up before he removed himself from the sleeping bag, "Alright everyone, let's gather up our things."

Just then they were drawn to the sound of someone coughing. It had been coming from Qrow, as Melody had immediately awoken. "Papa!" Melody exclaimed as she shook him a little, "Papa! Wake up!" She soon noticed a purple liquid come out of his mouth causing her to jump back.

"SCOUT!" She yelled, "SCOUT COME QUICK!"

Scout quickly ran over to her side, as she looked him over before letting out a horrific gasp. "What is it!?" Ruby said, as she ran over to Qrow, "What's going--"

Ruby cut herself off when she saw what they saw. There along his abdomen where he had been patched up, purple liquid had bleed through.

"Well…" Qrow said, noticing it too, "... That's unfortunate…"

And just like that, his whole vision went dark; the last thing he heard was his niece and daughter calling out to him.