RWBY: Pale Heart

Chapter 22: Snow And Sand

Jinx: "Would you like to see?" She walks in front of me.

(F/N): "I don't know... I think Salem would have a problem if I fell victim to you." She lifts her blindfold and opened her eyes, it was like staring into a golden cosmos. "Wow."

Jinx: "The part of men falling victim isn't completely true, it is merely the lesson of the story, to not fall for a woman for her beauty alone, or you might find yourself in a bad situation."

(F/N): "If it doesn't have that effect then why hide them?"

Jinx: "Look closer." I leaned in and looked deeply into her eyes but flinched backward when an image flashed into my head. "I can peer into the soul of all those I see, but it works both ways."

(F/N): "It's like..."

Jinx: "A seemingly infinite number of paths are laid in front of you."

(F/N): "Yeah, like that."

Jinx: "It is challenging at times, seeing the future, thankfully I have the knowledge to control when I see it and which paths I wish to watch."

(F/N): "Then the reason you have me walking this long journey, when we could have arrived at Vacuo sooner, is because you see a path I need to take."

Jinx: "Correct." She turns, facing off to the left towards a dune. "Speaking of that path."

As soon as she disappears I begin to see people walking over the dune. After a lot of talking, I convinced them I was a traveling Huntsman, and so I began traveling the sands once more, this time with more, arguably nicer, company. I spoke mostly with an older woman and man, both of whom were good people, each with their own likable traits. The man was rather comedic and energetic while the woman gave off this grandmother feel, as though she was just happy to see you. I asked some questions as it was the first time I had ever met nomads, asking how they survive in the desert, how they dealt with Grimm, and about daily life. When the sun started to fall they started setting up camp, I offered to help and was asked if I knew how to start a fire.

I was going to use my magic but instead did it by hand, it took me longer than the youngest of them to start one, by the time I had managed to get one going the other four fires had already been made. The old man, woman, and I sat gathered around the one I made, the man drank while the woman brought out a single stringed instrument and a bow that went with it. I asked her about it and the old man pointed out that I ask a lot of questions, the old woman told me it was alright and explained that she plays it to help the young ones sleep peacefully. Then when she started playing I heard a graceful tone come from the simple instrument, then when she began to sing the music began to feel richer, even the old man mumbled along.

The song was old, probably one of the first songs from the nomads, I wanted to listen to the story that it sang of, but I stopped myself and just enjoyed the moment while I could. On the inside I felt a calm warm feeling, it told me everything would be alright, that like the sands in the wind I was fated to rise and fall and to repeat, but that was not to say it would always be the same story, the same problem, and the same outcome. Thinking about what Jinx had said, I understood why I needed this path.

After a few days went by we crossed paths with a group of nomads, they warned us of Grimm in the direction they came from, when I asked if they had a Huntsman they mentioned a woman in a cloak had appeared, giving them time to run. While I ran in the direction they pointed I summoned the dragon Grimm and ordered it to deal with the Grimm, it flew overhead and beat me to the scene where I saw a white-cloaked individual. She looked on and watched as the dragon Grimm mauled the giant worm Grimm, I ran over to her taking down my hood.

(F/N): "Summer?"

Summer: "(F/N)? Is that you?"

(F/N): "Never fear, Metal Swarm is here... I hate everything that just came out of my mouth."

Summer: "It is you!" She pulled me into a hug, forgetting about the two Grimm currently fighting nearby. "How did things go back at Haven?"

(F/N): "I'll explain later, we should deal with the Grimm."

Summer: "Oh, right!" By the time we turned around the dragon had ripped the worm into pieces.

(F/N): "Okay, I guess I can explain it now." I started with what happened after we parted ways, what happened in Atlas, and introduced her to Jinx while we walked back to the nomads.

Summer: "Wow, you're so amazing."

Jinx: "Thank you."

(F/N): "Makes sense you'd get along with the child."

Summer: "Hey! I'm not a child!"

(F/N): "Sure, because Tai fell for your mature beauty."

Jinx: "Actually, he fell for her positive outlook, and caring side."

Summer: "Thank you."

(F/N): "Great, the girls are siding with each other, all we need is a fourth and it'll feel just like..."

Jinx: "Just like being with your team again?" I stopped.

Summer: "Jinx, maybe-"

(F/N): "I never asked but." I looked at Jinx. "What did they think of me? Did they blame me for their deaths?"

Jinx: "You finally ask... no, they did not blame you. As for the first, each of them liked you, both as a leader and a guy."

(F/N): "Leader? You could hardly call me that."

Jinx: "Auburn saw promise in you, so did the others. Remember, leaders aren't born, they are made, take Summer for instance."

Summer: "C-can we not?" She said as she got a little nervous.

Jinx: "She was a bumbling fool in the beginning, constantly getting lost in Beacon, facing disapproval from Raven, having to deal with Qrow who'd disappear without a word and end up wasted in bed. Her and her team were a complete mess, Summer, after taking some advice, overcame these challenges and so team STRQ became one of the top teams at Beacon." I look over to Summer whose face turned red with embarrassment.

(F/N): "That may be true, but unlike her team mine's gone."

Jinx: "Unlike your team, hers broke apart, when Raven heard about Salem she abandoned her team, leaving her child behind, wanting nothing to do with them, refusing to be Ozpin's tool. Qrow started drinking again, became more worried about his semblance burdening the team and left, choosing to work on his own. Tai couldn't do much, he had to take care of Yang, that was when Summer stepped in to help, and eventually Ruby was born."

Summer: "But then came the day I went on a mission, given to me by Ozpin, well, I was ambushed, nearly got away, nearly. A young Tyrian caught me, the poison weakened me, by the time I was brought to Salem there was nothing I could do. She cured me... told me about Ozpin, I didn't believe it at first, but there was a question in the back of my mind, and then another, and another, till I had more questions than I felt comfortable with."

(F/N): "Was one of those questions 'why'd he make an exception'?"

Summer: "Yes." I nodded my head as she gets an uncomfortable look on her face.

(F/N): "Hey." I caught Summer's attention. "Want to ride a dragon?"

After letting her ride the Leviathan back to the nomads, we told them about what had happened, that night they decided to celebrate. The old man shared his booze with Summer and me, which we tried to rejected but at that point most of the adults were some level of drunk and cheering. Not wanting to ruin the mood we gave in and started drinking, Summer was a complete lightweight and was drunk only after getting halfway through her drink, but I can't judge her because after just one I was in the same state she was. We danced to the music, ate our fill, we were all so busy having fun that even I didn't notice my hood fall down, have that it was all blank. Come morning I found myself waking up in a closed tent with a splitting headache and Summer sleeping peacefully on top of me.

(F/N): "Jinx, what happened last night? And is Salem going to kill me? ...Jinx?"