RWBY Through Worlds (End)

BC57: Capital Loss (Raven's team & Co.)--1

[Opener AMV to "Oh no" by yournewlodger]

"Was Neo okay?" Oscar asked Ruby when they regrouped after the meetings were over.

"I've never seen her so shaken up since Tyrian broke her arm in Vacuo." Ruby rubbed her arms. "But I'm sure she'll be okay eventually. It's over now."

"This is getting more concerning than I thought," Oscar mused. "I have a strange feeling those pirates won't just stop at stealing. If they can control Grimm like that...well, we know what the last person who could do that did."

"Destroying towns already sounds like Salem," Ruby said. "Maybe we should be working on this too...but we're too visible. I just hate not being able to help. Yang gets to!" she huffed.

"We don't live in Argus; it's harder for Raven to send us around," Oscar said.

"She wouldn't anyway. She doesn't like me," Ruby said.

"Oh...I'm sure she likes you..." Oscar said uncertainly.

"No, she doesn't." Ruby shook her head and brushed her hair back. She still had it short, but she styled it now so that she looked more like Summer than ever, just with red tips still. 

"You ever think it might be more about your mom maybe?" Oscar said. "Not that that's your fault, just that she might feel weird about it."

"Oh yeah, I thought of that years ago," Ruby said. "I'm not stupid. But I thought maybe she'd get over it, you know? Start thinking I'm not my mom, and we are family...but she always acts cold to me. I swear, Winter is more like family."

"I'm sorry, Ruby." Oscar knew to avoid saying anything cliche. "Raven has a hard time with family. I think there's just some things out of her depth.... She's tried hard to work things out with Yang, and maybe Qrow, but maybe that's as far as she knows how to go. She's a very complicated person. Your dad is right about that."

"I just think I would like her, if she let me," Ruby said. "She seems cool. But I never get the chance to even talk to her."

"I know...but you can't force it. You know that doesn't work," Oscar said regretfully. "At least you did what you could.... Have you ever talked to her about it?"

"No...where would I start?" Ruby said.

"I...well...she's not as cold-hearted as she used to pretend to be. Maybe if you just told her how you felt, she'd...soften."

"No, I think she'd just think I was trying to guilt trip her," Ruby said. "Anyway," she changed the subject, "did Cinder seem a little tense to you?"

"For her...maybe," Oscar said. "I would be too after that, though."

"I haven't had a mission go that bad since we were still on different sides," Ruby said jocularly. But then more seriously, "Do you think they'll be okay with it?"

"Maybe we should check in later," Oscar mused.

* * *

Cinder didn't get that much sleep, and by the next morning she had a headache.

She wondered when they'd get news about the Belladonnas' investigation.

Since she couldn't settle down, she composed a long letter to Shine and Wally about what had happened...and her subsequent reflections. Easier to tell them than anyone she'd have to see in person. In that way, the letter writing probably worked for her better than for some of the others.

Suddenly someone rang the doorbell of the apartment.

Cinder looked out the peephole, expecting an enemy, but instead she saw Oscar.