The carriage rattled to a halt inside the city gates, the every-busy market of Faralda flowing with travellers and residents alike. Salem yawned as she hopped out the wooden buggy, her eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness of the sun. Yin was next, the cleric rubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes, Sasha ruffling his hair. Then Ozpin, who was sucking down his hot cocoa.
When Verde stepped out of the carriage, she stayed off to the side as Vao carried the egg out, hugging it happily.
"I'm gonna give this as a gift to mum! I want to see her smile."
"You're so sweet," Salem said to him. "But how will you explain where you got it?"
"I'll just lie, I guess. Not much else I can do," Vao muttered. "... Still trying to figure out why Poppy wants me to keep it, but not eat it..."
He seemed to think before shrugging his shoulders. "Well, wotever. I'm going to see mum! Let's go, Love!"
Verde nodded. "Okay."
Sasha chuckled before she stopped. "... Love?" The giant elf's jaw dropped open in shock, her hands shaking. Yin looked at her worriedly.
"Are... You alright?"
"Yes! Yes! YES!"
Ozpin twisted open his thermos, staring into the tin cup. "Ugh... I'm going to buy more cocoa..." Without another word, he walked away with a wave. The others waved back, Sasha still celebrating.
Yin sighed, looking over his hometown. It felt like years since he set foot in the city. It had been a long... How long had it been? Glenroy was more than happy to scream it. "Where is he!?" The Knight Commander roared from behind him.
"S-Sir Glenroy!" Salem shrieked in surprise. The Knight took a more calm approach, bowing respectfully.
"Apologies, Your Highness," he muttered. He turned back to Yin, taking a less formal stance. "Where is that thieving brother of yours? I require him at once."
"He went to see his mom," Yin answered. "Why?"
"The Festival of Light is in two days! He promised he'd help me set up!"
Yin looked back at the market. He felt stupid for not noticing them before. Not only was it busier than usual, but banners and tapestries with the Church's insignia had been hung on stores and stalls, and workers were moving supply crates back and forth. If the Festival of Light was in two days...
"T-two months," he stammered. Sasha raised a brow.
"What?"
"We've been gone for two months!" Yin screamed. "My mom is going to KILL me for not sending a letter! And I don't even want to know what Aunt Raven is doing to Vao!"
The cleric took off running, Glenroy following to find Vao. Salem sighed. It was hard to believe two months had passed. It felt like time had flown past. She turned to Sasha, giving her a curious stare. "... You and Yin seem to be getting along," she commented. "Didn't you hate him before?"
The elf nodded, walking alongside the princess as they wandered into the market. "Yeah, I did. But before we left that place, he ran into me. Looked like a nervous wreck, then asked if I wanted to hang with him. Kinda wanted to see where it was going, next thing I know he's apologizing."
"He... A-apologized?"
"Yup. Startled me, too. I think that place did wonders for him," Sasha grinned. "Kinda makes me happy, though. He's a good dude."
Salem was happy that Yin had calmed down. It still didn't erase what he did to Verde, but he was getting better. Maybe in the future, they could all be friends. But that would take time, something Salem was aware of. Her vision of the Second Timeline's Verde came back to her, what the artist had said. That the plan of the Gods was already in motion. With conviction, she swore she'd stop it before it happened. After all, she was here, and Yin's racism was slowly being undone.
At Yin's house, he was getting a warmer welcome than Vao was. When he burst through the front door, his father was already on top of him. "Yin!"
"D-dad!?"
Tai was moved to tears, crying shamelessly in front of his own kid. "Everyone thought you guys were dead! We heard you went into the mountains towards the Sea of Sand! What were you thinking!?"
"D-does mom know!?"
Tai just nodded. "Y-yeah... She's upstai-"
Yin was tackled to the ground, his mother joining his father in sobbing. She grabbed the front of his robes, her silver eyes tinted red. "You've no idea how sick everyone's been!"
"I-I'm sorry! Please stop crying, I feel awful!"
Summer sat up, wiping at her eyes. "W-we're sorry... It's just been so quiet in the house," she said with a quiet stammer.
Confusion hit Yin. "Quiet?" He echoed. "What about Ruby?"
Tai wiped his eyes, taking a deep breath. He looked proud. "... Ruby left Faralda about a week after you left," he said. His voice was still a bit shaky. "You'll be so happy to hear what she's accomplished, Yin!"
Summer nodded, beaming like the sun. Yin shrugged. "... What happened?"
His parents looked at each other, and then back at him. "You see," Tai began. "Ruby was invited to the Royal Capital. She's become the Archbishop's apprentice! Since you're in the Church, we figured you'd be ecstatic."
Normally, he would. To work under the Pope's right hand man was huge. So why? Why did he feel such a heavy sense of dread?
...
Leaf growled as he looked at the sky, watching the clouds pass. He never liked waiting. He growled a second time, lighting a cigarette and taking a deep breath. Not far away was the Church's carriage that would take them to the Festival of Light in Faralda. Inside, Rojo and Iris waited patiently. Leaf was beginning to grow very annoyed.
"Where the fuck is Ruby?" He grumbled under his breath, taking another drag off his cigarette.
Earlier, Ruby had told him she'd be visiting Jack. He noticed the serial killer taking an interest in the young adventurer lately, and every time she came back she'd be out of it. Unfocused, quiet, it was enough for Leaf to be uncomfortable. And what was worse was she kept bringing dolls back, and would always try to give him one. Leaf found it odd, to say the least.
He turned when he heard the footsteps, he fired a nasty glare. Ruby was walking towards him, her dress shoes almost silent against the dirt. Jack was beside her, his smile still ever present. "Bonjour, monsieur," he greeted in that calm voice.
Ruby was almost completely silent, her hands clutching her newest doll. Leaf never liked those things. They didn't look right. But Ruby loved them, always whispering to them. He was convinced that the Blood had driven her bat shit crazy. The Archbishop crossed his arms. "Your late," he growled. "You were supposed to be here ten minutes ago."
"... Good morning, Your Excellency," Ruby almost whispered. Leaf stopped. Something wasn't right. When she spoke, it didn't feel like she was talking to him. "My deepest apologies for my tardiness... I was making another dolly..."
Leaf glared at Jack, pointing at the adventurer. "Th' fuck is this?"
Jack hummed, shrugging his shoulders casually. He knew, but he wasn't going to tell Leaf. Not in public, anyway. As mad as he was, he wasn't stupid. The Archbishop groaned. "Whatever. Hey, dildo. Get your ass in the carriage before I take your stupid dolly awa-"
His heart almost stopped. The moment he mentioned the doll she held, she stared at him. And for a split second, Leaf could have sworn up and down that he almost saw something else entirely. It wasn't murderous. It wasn't angry. It just creeped him the hell out, like what Jack did. She stared at him for an agonizingly long three seconds before giving a small nod.
"... Of course, Your Excellency. I will wait in the carriage."
Leaf watched as she walked past him, climbing into the carriage. Leaf turned back to Jack. He knew he shouldn't have let Ruby be anywhere near him. He stepped close, lowering his voice. "Gulden... Just what th' fuck did you do?"
Jack's smile widened. "... I told you, mon ami. I gave her the Blood. And more recently, she has taken an interest in making the prettiest dolls... In just a week, she's gotten to be quite skilled..."
"Those dolls are creepy as fuck," Leaf hissed. "She ain't right in the head, I'll tell you that. What the hell did that Blood do?"
A small, calm laugh from Jack. "... It made her loyal," he cooed into Leaf's ear. "Is that not what you wanted, monsieur?"
"Not like that," he growled back. "She ain't Ruby anymore... She's... I don't even fuckin' know..."
Jack tilted his head, and eventually shrugged his shoulders. Turning around he waved to Leaf. "... Au revoir, monsieur..."
Leaf still wanted to press him for more information, but he was out of time. With a grunt, he climbed into the carriage, the horses beginning their march. Rojo was staring at Ruby's doll, his eyebrows raised in interest. "... You're bringin' toys? How fuckin' old are you?"
"... Good morning, Cardinal," Ruby spoke distantly. "I am a sixteen year old girl."
"... The fuck is in those cigarettes?"
"Nicotine and tobacco," Leaf answered gruffly. "Jack's been..."
He paused to close the tent flap, lowering his voice so the driver couldn't hear him over the rickety carriage as it bumped over stones in the road. "Jack's been givin' her that Blood shit."
"What?" Iris hissed. "I said that was only to be used on Yin and Vao!"
"... Jack never listens," Rojo muttered. He was staring at the doll that Ruby held. "And that thing... Gives me the creeps..."
Ruby looked up at the Cardinal, her eyes dull. "... Her name is Sara."
The three looked at her in silence. Ruby turned back to her doll, a small brush sifting through the well-woven hair. "... I met Sara when I was walking with Jack to his home. She was an awful woman. She yelled at me to get out of her way, saying I couldn't afford to even glimpse at her... An ugly personality. She then called Jack a horrible 'babysitter'."
"The hell kinda story is this?" Leaf muttered. Ruby continued, brushing the doll's hair gently, almost with affection.
"... I followed Sara to her home. I wanted to make her beautiful, so she wouldn't be so... Ugly and imperfect."
They stared at her in silence. And finally they looked down at the doll she seemed to adore. Rojo pointed a finger at his, his arm shaking ever so slightly. "I-is that... R-real...?"
Ruby looked up, her eyes flickering with confusion. "Of course she's real. Sara was such an ugly person. I only made her beautiful. I fixed her."
Leaf didn't feel good. He couldn't tell what the doll was made of at first. But the more he stared at it, the more he could see through the makeup. Ruby had skinned and shaved the woman, and turned her into a doll. A part of him wanted to say he was proud she finally grew a pair, and another part of him was grossed out. He was trying to get her to grow comfortable with having to kill, not turn her into some loon with a twisted perception of murder. She was like a little Jack, just more... Forward with her mental illness. At least with Jack you couldn't tell he was crazy unless you looked at his face. But with Ruby, he could hear the disdain she held for the world around her, her view on the world crippled by the effects of the Blood.
Iris looked like he just sucked a lemon. "... That is a very upsetting story."
"Thought Jack was the freaky one, eatin' bugs and shit off the floor," Rojo mumbled. "Nah. Nah, fuck the bugs. We got this bitch making dolls. Wish we brought Jack. At least he'd just stare at us."
"That is... Debatable," Iris whispered. "While Jack would stare at us, he'd do it the whole time. She doesn't even seem to notice what's going on around her half the ti- Cardinal, I swear to the God of Light above if you're thinking of assaulting your ally..."
"Too old for me, Your Holiness."
"... My day has been very upsetting."
Back in the Royal Capital, Jack paid a visit to Leaf's Cathedral. Knowing that the only eyes that would see the halls that stood in front of his office were the eyes of slaves that were forced into silence, he visited. And now, he stood in the blood-soaked halls, his teeth stained scarlet.
"Oui, oui... I think I like mademoiselle," he said aloud in that calm voice. "I have always wanted a little sister... But mère was only able to birth me... What do you think about that? Could Ruby be the sister figure I've been looking for, monsieur?"
Trapped underneath his foot with his stomach cut wide open laid one of the slaves who didn't run fast enough. An elf the Church had abducted from the city slums, and one that Jack had his eye on for quite a while. He couldn't have been older than fourteen, gasping for breath. Blood squirted from past his lips, staining Jack's pants. The cannibalistic serial killer stared at the dark red spots, smiling in silence.
"... How... Very rude, monsieur. But so very interesting at the same time. Isn't it beautiful in a way, how life struggles to continue against such odds?"
The elf had no idea what Jack was going on about. He looked further down the hall, staring at the closet his sister hid. Jack caught his gaze like a hawk stalking mice in a field, his smile growing. "... Is there something in the closet, monsieur?"
He was already walking towards the oak door, the elf's last desperate attempts to stop in kicking in. Holding his insides with his hands, he shakily stood to his feet. "S... S-shish...!"
He looked into Jack's eyes. Those yellow eyes, usually filled with some degree of calmness. But not anymore. They were wild.
"Oh la la," he cooed. His voice shook. "I love it when they fight back."
Inside the closet, an elf no older than eight covered her ears, tears spilling from her cheeks. No matter how hard she pressed, she could hear her brother crying, the sound of Jack's teeth gnashing together. As much as Leaf was a maniac who would kill them in a rage, he wouldn't draw it out like this. And if he did for some odd reason, it would be under orders from the Pope. Leaf didn't like torture, he liked killing. But Jack didn't seem to want anything. The sounds outside fell silent, and the only thing she could hear was her own breath.
CRACK! CRACK!
She let out a shrill shriek with the head axe tore a hole into the wood, landing on the ground with a heavy thud. Jack peered through the hole, bits of flesh still stuck between his teeth.
It took less than a minute for him to break open the door, and less than ten to murder her like a trapped rat. When the life faded from her eyes and she took her last breath, Jack let out a sigh. He almost sounded disappointed.
"So very fragile... I find it so very interesting that some fight, and some do not... Everyone is so different, yet all I see is red... Hm?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Different... Come to think of it, I wonder what Little Sister Ruby's Reality looks like?"
He looked down thoughtfully, smiling at the corpse with those yellow eyes that seemed to glimmer with thought.
"I so very much hate being alone. Perhaps I will visit Faralda, too..."
...
The carriage rattled to a stop in front of the city, the Pope and his inner circle stepping from underneath the safety of the tent, staring into the merchant town. One day until the Festival, and Iris was pleased with the results so far. Rojo only felt pride when he showed off the city that fell under his jurisdiction.
"Rojo, I must say the decorations are splendid," the Pope complimented. Rojo blushed like a jackass.
"D'oh, this is nothing, Your Holiness! Apparently Glenroy couldn't get ahold of the guy we scheduled, but he said he found someone better. Looks like I was right to leave him in charge! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm just going to find my daughter-"
"You're not going anywhere," Iris interrupted. "We had an agreement. You're staying with us for the entirety of the Festival to ensure everything goes smoothly, not indulge yourself. A witch is not worth the danger that Yin and Vao pose."
"Well, Vao is a fucking idiot," Rojo muttered. "Kid set himself on fire three years ago, ran into someone's house for help. That caught on fire too, because he was on fire. Panicked, ran to the next house. You get the idea."
"That is the funniest shit I've heard all day," Leaf snickered. Rojo nodded, fist-bumping the Archbishop.
"Yeah, and Yin's too busy babysitting him to really do anything. And he's with the Church, loyal through and through."
Iris disagreed. "We will not underestimate them. The God of Light mentioned all four, but made it very clear that Yin and Vao were to be treated with caution!"
As they bickered, Ruby had wandered away with her doll clutched tightly in her hands. Her black dress with the scarlet frills and ribbons hid her footsteps, making it appear as if she were gliding on ice.
Her makeup made her stand out among the crowd, with perfect pale skin. With her desire for a perfect world, she was almost unrecognizable from the hick who left town. Her eyes scanned the market, finally spotting who she was searching for. One of them, anyway. But even though he had been marked as a target, he wasn't the one she was after. After all, she was certain he didn't know about the Church's dark and hideous truth like she suspected the other one did. Regardless, she approached him quietly.
Vao and Verde had their backs turned to her as the thief rifled through the wooden crate, struggling to count how many were inside. Verde didn't have a clue what he was doing.
"... Glenroy said you could pull your own performance for aiding him in decorating Faralda, correct?"
"Yeah, why?"
"What are you going to do with this? It's just a crate of sticks. And why did you give me matches?"
"I'm gonna try to juggle torches. It's been a while since I tried. Last time, I did it in my room and set my bed on fire. Mum gave me the shovel and took me into the backyard and screamed at me to dig my own grave," Vao laughed at the memory.
"Is that why your blankets smell burnt?"
Vao stopped his failed attempts at counting, looking at her with a confused gaze. "... Why are you sniffing my blankets?"
Verde looked for a way out, finally spotting the girl behind them. "Oh, Miss... Ruby?"
Vao glanced over, eyeing his sister up and down. "... Wot's with the getup? You dressing up in a costume this year?" He asked. "Looks cute, but..."
Verde gasped when he poked her nose. "I like wot Verde wears better."
Ruby glanced between the two blankly, her eyes unblinking. She looked back at Vao. "You figured it out," she said softly. "Sara and I are so happy for you. You'll be last."
"Who the bloody hell is Sara?"
Ruby held up her doll in front of her. "Sara, my doll."
Vao and Verde shared a look. They never noticed Ruby liked dolls. In fact, the only time Vao ever saw her holding a doll, she was beating the hell out of it with a stick for 'sword practice'. She was only seven at the time, so it was completely understandable. Verde had never even heard Ruby mention dolls before. Cautiously, they looked back at the toy.
"... Is this sewn by hand?" Verde asked curiously. "It does not look like anything bought in a store."
Ruby's lips twitch into a small, approving smile. "Yes, I made her myself. My dear friend taught me how to make her. Sara was such a hideous woman, until I made her beautiful."
Something in her voice made them involuntarily shiver. It felt like she was hinting towards something they weren't supposed to know. But if they weren't supposed to know, then why even hint at that something in the first place? These were the things they shared in their minds. "That's... Cool, I guess," Vao said awkwardly. "... Wot do you mean By 'last' though?"
Ruby just gave that small smile again, her eyes shimmering. "... You'll be last, Vao."
"Bloody brilliant, that explains a whole lot," Vao muttered. Verde stared at Ruby in silence, the gears in her mind turning. She knew something was off about the adventurer, but she couldn't reach an answer. The witch peered at Ruby, her curiosity growing. "You never explained why you dressed in such a peculiar fashion," she said calmly. Ruby's attention turned to her, that soft smile falling.
"... Is there something wrong with the way I dress...?"
"Not at all," Verde replied. "I just never thought your taste in fashion would be so... Gothic, for lack of a better word. You look similar to a doll."
Ruby's lips curled into that gentle smile. "Really? That makes me happy."
Vao was giving her weird looks. "... I can't tell if you're talking to us or yourself..."
As dumb as he was, he was perceptive. Verde knew exactly what he meant. Ruby looked lost, like she didn't really know what was going on. But the girl spun around, her dress fanning out. "I must visit Mother and Father," she said quietly. "They have been expecting me. I still have yet to show them my doll."
"Alright, see ya," Vao called to her. He was digging through the box of sticks. "Honestly though, the doll looks really good. Almost like it's real. Never thought you knew how to sow."
"I didn't," Ruby giggled. "My new and dear friend taught me."
"Friend?" Verde echoed. Ruby turned back to her, her soft grin growing into a smile.
"Yes. My friend, Jack Gulden."
Verde felt her blood run cold. She only heard that name once, and yet it was an experience she remembered even several months later. The smiling man in the alley. He never told her his last name, but Verde had a suspicion that the disturbing figure who had approached her was the same one Ruby had befriended. The odd adventurer turned away. "I must really be going now. I will see you another time, perhaps."
"Perha... Wot? We live next door!" Vao shouted back. But Ruby didn't respond. She just kept walking. The thief groaned, struggling to count. "... Love, I hate to be a complete idiot, but... Wot comes after ten again? I don't have that many fingers."
When Verde didn't reply, he pulled his head from the crate, standing up worriedly. "Love? Are you having bad memories?"
Verde didn't answer right away. She only spoke after Ruby had disappeared from view completely. She slowly turned to him, a thoughtful glint in her green eyes. "... Vao, do you know anyone named Jack?"
"Jack?" Vao scratched his head. "... Doesn't ring a bell. Why?"
Verde just shook her head. "... Nothing. It is likely my imagination," she murmured. Vao looked a bit hurt.
"... You know I'll listen..."
"I know, it's... It's most likely that I'm overthinking things," she said truthfully. She didn't lie to Vao. She tended to overthink things a lot. But as they returned to counting the sticks, she still felt that nagging sense of dread, memories of the smiling man in the alley floating through her head.
...
Yin was sitting in the living room, sharing a cup of coffee with his mother and father, discussing his adventure in the mountains and into the Sea of Sand. Of course, he left out the several days they spent in the secret city, and didn't tell them that he unknowingly ate drugs from Vao.
"So when we got back to the mountains, we were running low on water," Yin lied. "Vao was holding the map upside down, and we got lost for a while."
Tai snickered. "Classic Vao, huh?" He joked. Summer frowned in disapproval.
"That's not a joke, dear. He's about to turn eighteen next week, and he can't even spell his own name. It's three letters long and he always forgets."
Tai just shrugged. "Part of his charm, I guess. I mean, Yin was just telling us how he finally got together with Verde!"
Yin had left many details out of that story. He only said that Verde confessed, and Vao felt the same way and never noticed her. That was all that needed to be said. Verde's childhood was not his place to share.
The soft, polite knocking on the door reached their ears. Summer jumped off her chair happily. "That must be Ruby! I'll get it! Tai, hide Yin! I want it to be a surprise!"
"Yin, go hide," Tai said lazily.
"... What if I don't want to?"
"Welp. I tried."
The cleric snickered at his father's antics. This was why he loved his father. Laid back, and generally enjoying his life. "I guess you could say you... Tai'd."
The older man looked at him with narrowed eyes and a smirk. "... Gonna try to beat your old man, Yin? My burns aren't ones you're gonna heal from."
Yin folded his arms, matching his father's smirk. "... I got nothing."
"Victory," Tai sighed happily.
When Summer returned to the living room, she gasped in anger. "I told you to hide him!"
"He told me no."
"Who is the parent, him or you!?"
"Me, obviously."
"Sometimes I wonder!" With a pinch of her nose, she sighed. "Well... Whatever. It's too late now. Ruby, come on in!"
Yin was eager to see his sister after so long, and to learn how she had reached such heights. If he could reach the same position as her or even higher, he could possibly begin working on cleansing the Church of people like Rojo. But when he saw Ruby for the first time in two months, he felt those hopes crumble.
The doll maker stared at him In silence, her lips curled into a slight grin that was almost invisible if he hadn't been paying attention. The makeup on her face left it paler than usual, but not unhealthily so. Her cheeks had a pinkish hue to them, and around her eyes was dark; eyeliner, though Yin was fairly certain he was mixing it up with mascara.
"... Hello, brother."
Yin flinched. The way she spoke unnerved him. The way she dressed unnerved him. Everything about her unnerved him, right down to the tiniest detail. And something deep down told him not to ask about it. He could tell his father was weirded out too, but he didn't say anything. Summer, on the other hand and completely opposite of Yin and Tai, didn't notice a thing. "The family is back together!" She almost cheered. "Yin and Ruby are back, Yang's got Vao!"
"In more ways than one," Tai snickered. "Thanks for telling me that he kisses his sister, Yin."
"Dad, please don't say anything. Yang and Vao are going to hurt me."
"I'll keep quiet for a silver coi-"
"Stop extorting our kids! Go stand in the corner!" Summer screamed at him. Tai looked bewildered.
"N-no, not the corner! I was kidding!"
Summer just pointed. Miserably Tai stood up, walking to the wall and staring at it in silence. With another sigh, she was smiling again. "What have you got there, Ruby?"
Yin didn't even notice what his sister held in her hands. A part of him wished he didn't. Ruby held it out in front of her. "A doll. I made her. Her name is Sara. Once ugly, I made her perfect."
Summer's smile faltered for a moment. Ruby was beginning to affect even her. With a glance at Yin, she gently patted her on the back. "... Why don't you two go upstairs and catch up?" She suggested. "I still need to punish your father."
"I'm already in the corner!"
"Your time starts over for talking."
Tai started to tear up. Ruby smiled at Yin, tilting her head. "I would like that. Would you like that, Yin?"
Yin wanted to just walk out of the house and find a less dreary person to be around. Like Sasha. He doubted Vao would want him anywhere near Verde, and given he was in an argument with Vao to begin with, the thief likely wouldn't want to spend time with him anyway. Raven was probably already in a bad mood because Qrow couldn't stand up straight due to his liquor, and he didn't really feel like having things thrown at him. That, and he didn't know where Sasha was to begin with. Finding no excuses, he just nodded his head.
"S... Sure..."
"How lovely," Ruby said softly. "Then please, let's be on our way."
He felt that he shouldn't dislike polite Ruby. But at the same time, he felt that bitter wariness when she spoke. It was as if she had become a completely different person in the two months he had been gone. What happened under Archbishop Leaf's guidance? Yin was a bit curious, wondering if it was more strict than he thought. Whatever had made Ruby so polite must have been arduous, but beneficial. Even the way she carried herself was different - her back was straighter, her posture was better. In an oddity of a way, he was a bit jealous. The other bit was relieved it wasn't him, as selfish as it sounded; it was still jarring.
Slowly through the halls to his room, until they finally reached his door. When he pushed it open, he was unsurprised to find it clean, not a speck of dust in sight. His mother was a clean freak. He let out a sigh. It had been too long since he had been in his own room. This was where he felt like he could truly unwind.
So why was he still so tense? The answer revealed itself when he glanced back at Ruby, the strange girl looking around curiously, like she had never even seen his room before. She had been inside plenty of times when she'd be looking for something, or just wanted to talk.
Stepping up to his dresser, she carefully rested the doll on its back, wandering around almost aimlessly, her eyes inspecting almost every surface she could find. Yin took the chance to inspect the doll, bringing his face close.
Its leather skin was visible where the head connected to the body, and felt warm to the touch. Strangely, Yin felt like he had touched the material before. When he pushed down on the limbs, he could feel something hard inside. The same when he pressed his finger against the lips that had been stitched shut. It was as if the doll were a tiny person. Yin was a bit impressed by the detail Ruby gave even its insides. It was as if the doll had bones.
"May I cut your hair?"
He jolted upright, staring at Ruby in disbelief. "H... Huh?"
Ruby pointed at him. "Your hair. It's such a beautiful shade of blonde. But it's grown long and unkempt. May I cut it?"
He had never heard something so absurd from Ruby like that. "What kind of question is that?"
"A simple one."
There had to be a reason. Before he left for Ragna, Ruby barely brushed her own hair. And while that seemed to change now, Yin wasn't really comfortable with letting her cut it. He'd even choose Qrow to do it, and he couldn't even walk in a straight line most of the time. The cleric mustered up his courage, folding his arms in front of his chest like a shield. "... Why do you want to cut my hair? And I don't even have scissors in here anyway. They're in the kitche-"
"I have scissors."
His heart leapt into his mouth. From inside the frills of her dress, she brandished the twin blades in front of her, giving Yin a clear view. They weren't like the scissors in the kitchen drawer. They were sharper, and cleaned so well that he could see his reflection staring back at him like a mirror. He took a shaky step back, bumping into the dresser. Ruby didn't move. She waited for his response, staring him in the eyes. She didn't even blink. It was like staring at a...
"D-doll," he whispered.
"Pardon me?"
She was like a doll. From her strange new fashion taste down to her still, unmoving expression, her lips curled into that soft, tender smile. He was beginning to see just how unhealthy her obsession was. Something was wrong with her head. She wasn't well. Yin's backside was flat against his dresser now, his heart pounding inside his ribcage like a prison. Ruby repeated the question.
"... Yin. May I please cut your hair?" She cooed softly, like she was singing a lullaby. "It should be perfect. But instead, it is an eyesore. Allow me to fix it; to make it perfect."
Creak.
The floorboards groaned under her weight when she took a slow, haunting step forward. Yin could feel his fingers tightening around the edge of his dresser, his knuckles burning white. He felt like she wanted to kill him. And no matter how much he told himself that Ruby wouldn't do that, he couldn't convince himself otherwise. She stepped closer, his breath becoming more hitched and quick with each foot she placed forward, until her free hand moved above her head, caressing his cheek.
"Yin... Sit down."
She pointed her scissors to the chair seated at his desk, her voice firm but lacking aggression. His legs moved on their own, obeying her words out of fear. He could feel the cushion underneath him as he lowered down into the chair, trembling as he heard her boots from behind him. "I-I d-don't have a b-brush," he tried to protest. But Ruby only giggled softly.
"I have one, Yin... Relax..."
He could feel her fingers pulling gently at his blonde strands, the soothing sensation of her hairbrush slowly sifting through, undoing the tangles with care. He closed his eyes, trying to think of a place. Any place. As long as it wasn't here.
Snip.
"... Do you wish to hear a tale, Yin?"
"W-what?"
Snip.
He could hear Ruby breathing behind him, her breath tickling his earlobe as she leaned closer. "Once upon a time, there was a woman named Emily. A simple beggar in the cold, winter streets of the Royal Capital."
Snip.
"From a poor family in a slum, her father was nothing more than an abusive lout who wasted what little they had on alcohol, which he cherished more than the welfare of his wife and daughter. Her mother, an awful woman obsessed with vanity."
Snip.
"When Emily's abusive and cruel mother fell ill, they couldn't afford medicine. She died of illness, her disease-ridden corpse left to rot in the street."
Snip. Snip.
"Facing her father alone, Emily took it upon herself to be the source of income for her father's nasty habit. She sold matches."
Snip.
"M... Matches...?" Yin echoed. Ruby reached around him, pressing a finger to his lips.
"Shh. Listen to the story."
Snip.
"... No one would buy her matches. No one would look upon her sick and frail body sitting in the snow. Fearing that her father would beat her if she did not sell at the very least a single match, she stayed in the cold. And to keep warm, she struck a single match."
Snip.
"The flame burned, and it kept her warm. But it was only a single match. The flame soon shrivelled and died. And so Emily lit a second match."
Snip, snip, snip.
He could hear his hair hitting the floor as it fell, the soft strokes of her brush pulling away at the tangles she found.
Snip. Snip.
"And soon, all of her matches were gone. There were no more matches to keep poor Emily warm. She was too cold to muster the strength to return home."
Snip. Snip. Snip, snip.
"... She died. Frozen, she succumbed to the cold, her mind finally shattering. She died with a smile on her face. She died, having not sold a single match. The Little Match Girl died, hungry and alone. Her lout of a father starved to death, too lazy to find work to the bitter end. He became food for the cockroaches and rats."
Yin hated this story. Ruby cut away again, leaning down to his ear. "Not a single person cared for the Little Match Girl. Even when they pulled her stiff, frozen corpse from the snow, they didn't bother burying it the moment they saw her pointed ears."
Yin could feel his breath catch in his throat again. An elf. Ruby had told a story of an elf.
"The world is such an... Ugly and unforgiving place, isn't it?" She cooed. "What I have learned is this; that the world is imperfect, and riddled with ugly people. But it can be fixed. I intend to fix it. To make it perfect."
Yin's mind immediately raced back to the doll on the dresser. He could feel the horrific suspicion rising in his chest. Was that doll... Was Sara once a living person?
He immediately chased the thoughts away. Ruby would never do something that demented. Not in a million years. She was, and always would be the adventurer who wanted to explore and help others. Right?
Right?
Ruby's lips curled into that smile, he hand reached into one of the frills of her dress. And from underneath, she held the small mirror in front of him. "... One step closer to being perfect, Yin..."
He stared in silent horror at his reflection. Tears trickled down his face. His hair didn't look terrible. It looked like it had been done by a professional, even. That wasn't what scared him.
It was the blade of Ruby's scissors pressed gently against his neck.
With one movement, she could cut it open. Through the mirror, she stared at Yin with that immovable soft smile. "... Do you not see it, Yin? I want to rid this world of its imperfections and ugliness. I want it to be perfect and beautiful, like a doll. Just like a doll... Doesn't that sound so wonderful?"
He couldn't move. He just sat in silence, engaging Ruby in her staring contest. It was almost like she didn't need to blink.
Yin was slowly beginning to realize Ruby wasn't unwell. She was batshit insane.
He could feel his lower body beginning to relax itself. He was about to piss from the terror. The color had drained from his voice, his lips faintly moving in an utterly silent prayer. He didn't want to be turned into a doll. He didn't want to be murdered.
It was only then, when he was on the verge of soiling himself in front of the madwoman that he heard what he could have mistaken for the voice of an angel.
"Yin! Ruby! Dinner!" Tai called from downstairs. Ruby's smile faltered.
"Oh, dear... It seems we have lost track of time."
Yin let out a shaky, desperate gasp when he felt the blade pull away from his neck, his hands clasped over the skin as if it had been cut. But there wasn't a scratch. Ruby tucked away her tools into the scarlet frill of her back dress, gently cradling her doll in her hands again. With an annoyed glare she turned to him.
"... Wipe away your tears, Yin," she cooed firmly. "It was only a joke. Take it like a man."
Joke? Joke? Yin had never had anyone threaten his life like that for a laugh. Not even Vao's over-the-top pranks came even close. And Vao was known for setting things on fire! If his father hadn't called them for dinner... He didn't even want to know what would have happened. He doubted Ruby would have pulled the scissors away. He doubted she was joking. He watched the silent, doll-like adventurer leave the room, the door wide open behind her. He waited until he was absolutely positive she wasn't waiting for him around the corner.
As Ruby's black boots gently rested on the stairs with each step, she moved her doll closer to her ear before humming quietly. "... So close, Sara," she crooned.
"So close to fixing Yin's hideous cruelty, and making him beautiful..."
...
The chubby guard and the scrawny one sighed, staring into the nightlife outside the city. "... Hey, Chuck?" The thin one called to his partner glumly. The chubby guard looked up from his cigarette, raising a brow.
"What, Tim?"
"Was the princess right all those months ago? Are we always on guard duty?"
Chuck shrugged, flicking his cigarette. "I don't really think about it too much. We get paid either way, and nothing ever happens in this quiet city. Aside from Vao setting things on fire every now and then, with Yin apologizing."
Tim looked down at the ground, his smile never showing up. Chuck looked at him with concern. "... Tim?"
"... They aren't bad kids, you know... What Vao does is an accident, and Yin is very nice-"
"Tim, we are not having this discussion ten minutes into our shift," Chuck growled. Tim looked a bit upset.
"Then when? I want a family, Chuck."
"No you absolutely do not."
"That's you who doesn't want one!" Time snapped. "Sometimes, I think you're scared of commitment!"
Chuck's chubby eyes widened, the cigarette falling from his hands. "N-no, Tim! It's not that, it's-"
Tim was already tearing up. "Then what is it?"
Chuck fell silent for a moment, his shoulders sagging. "I... I'm worried, alright? What if they get bullied for having... T-two fathers...?"
Tim shook his head, wiping at his eyes. "... I... I don't know... Maybe we can ask Yin and Vao to help them... Maybe they can make friends with them..."
Chuck hated making Tim upset like this. He knew how much he wanted to start a family. With a hesitant sigh, he averted his gaze. "... Look, let's just see how tonight goes, and... We'll start looking for adoption, okay?"
Tim had that spark of hope in his eyes. "You... Promise?"
Chuck gave a small grin under his mustache. "Yeah... Promise, buddy."
They jumped when they heard the cart stop just ahead, the horses already returning from the direction they came. The cart left, leaving behind its only passenger. Chuck and Tim drove their spears into the ground in unison.
"Halt! State your intentions, traveller!" Chuck said loudly and clearly. The silent visitor looked in their direction, his face obscured by his hood. He didn't look very threatening, but something was... Off about him. Tim chose his time to speak as the man began to slowly walk towards them.
"Halt, we say! Under the order of the Church of Light, stop where you stand and state your intentions!"
But the visitor didn't stop. Instead he drew closer and closer, until his face came into view from the torchlight at the gates. His smile was wide and toothy, his calm yellow eyes piercing the darkness.
"Bonjour... Je m'appelle Jack. I am a wanderer who has come for the Festival of Light... May I pass?"
Chuck and Tim were frozen. This Jack was setting off danger flags. Tim leaned closer to his best friend and partner, whispering to the chubby man. "H-hey... This guy... What should we do...?"
"... Let me handle this," Chuck said gruffly. "I'll do the usual routine."
Tim watched in relief as the chubby man approached Jack, wiping the sweat from his brow. Chuck's armor rattled as he stopped in front of the smiling man, looking up at him. "... It's awfully late. Would it be alright if you show me some form of identification?"
Jack's smile widened, sending a chill down his spine. "... And what would happen if I don't, monsieur?"
Chuck steeled his nerves. He couldn't back down in front of Tim. "... We'll have you hauled away in cuffs," he threatened. "We take our jobs seriously, here. Identification, please."
Jack leaned forward, his foul breath creeping into Chuck's nostrils. The chubby man flinched, his hand immediately covering his nose. "What in blazes-"
"Monsieur," Jack cooed, his voice low enough so only Chuck could hear him. "I am feeling excited tonight. I have a new little sister that I wish to spend the Festival with tomorrow. And you, it would seem... Have a lover you wish to surprise..."
Tim. Jack was bringing Tim into this. Chuck was shaking. "I-if you even think of putting your hands on him, I'll k-"
"Monsieur," Jack interrupted softly. "What is this?"
Jack was reaching under his cloak, and with the rustling of parchment he pulled out Chuck's surprise for Tim. The chubby man could feel horror filling his chest. "W... Where did you...?"
"Why, monsieur Rojo, of course," Jack grinned. "That is his signature, is it not?"
It was adoption papers for a new daughter, signed by Cardinal Rojo. Chuck had sent that in secret, never telling anyone but the priests in the Cardinal's cathedral. Which meant the only way Jack could have gotten close enough to take a copy was if he were friends with the holy man. Jack's smile widened, his eyes flickering with a miniscule hint of excitement.
"It would be awful, wouldn't it monsieur? If something were to happen to your daughter? I wonder how Tim will look at you when you tell him the dead girl in the living room is your child? Perhaps with anguish...? Or maybe... He'd never speak to you again, and just... 'Disappear'..."
Chuck took a shaky step back. He knew Jack meant every word. Every word wasn't a threat - it was a promise. If he attacked this man, not only would he be endangering himself, he'd be endangering Tim and their daughter. Shakily he stepped aside, mustering as happy of a smile as he could.
"R... R-right... That should be all, then... Please e-enjoy yourself, s-sir..."
Jack hummed, pressing the adoption papers into the guard's chest. "Belle. Au revoir, monsieur."
Tim watched as Jack passed the gate, that smile never once faltering. He turned back to Chuck, feeling dread fill his chest. "Ch... Ch-Chuck...?"
Chuck just stared ahead, the spirit leaving his body. He felt like he had just let something horrible into the city. Something dangerous. When he stared into those yellow eyes, he could see it. Jack was a monster.
If only he had any idea. Jack stalked through the empty, decorated streets, humming to himself. "Oui, oui... Belle, merveilleuse. I'm going to enjoy myself... Aren't I?"
He stopped when he heard the sound of boots crunching against the dirt, stopping behind him. "... Bonjour, mademoiselle," he whispered. He began to turn, his smile growing when he met those green eyes. "We haven't seen each other in quite a while... Haven't we?"
Verde shook where she stood, her face as blank as always. But despite her inability to express herself, it did not stop the cold sweat from rolling down her neck. "I... Knew you were coming," she breathed. "The moment Ruby said your first name."
Jack turned around to face her, his eyes and permanent grin seeming to stand out from the darkness of his hood. "Oh la la... It seems I was right to approach you, mademoiselle. You're very smart."
Verde was beginning to regret coming alone. But she didn't want to rope Vao into this, and had left him sleeping in his bed. She knew Jack was hiding something, and she knew it was dangerous. She felt her legs tense up, prepared to flee if he moved towards her. "... Who are you, Jack Gulden? And what did you do to Ruby?"
Jack hummed, leaning back. "... Oh la la... Just as smart as they said. But mademoiselle, I didn't do anything to Ruby. You have my word."
"I doubt your words mean anything," Verde replied bravely. She knew she was playing on Death's doorstep now. "Ruby was different when we returned to Faralda. She mentioned learning to make dolls from you. That doll, Sara... I am no stranger to the dead. I had to kill many travellers when I lived in the Great Swamp to stay alive, to avoid being killed. Sara was fashioned from a corpse, wasn't it? You killed a woman, and forced her to make that doll."
Jack's grin widened. Verde felt her blood run cold, the demon that wore human skin answering her question. But he was all too willing to share with someone who already knew.
"I didn't help her. She made it all by herself."
Verde felt her legs lock up as Jack approached, leaning forward. "... It wasn't even I who took that woman's life. It was all Dear Sister Ruby. And, mademoiselle, I would do a lot worse than make a doll. Should I provide a demonstration with your precious first friend?"
He had her cornered. Jack pressed a finger to his lips. "... Keep it a secret, mademoiselle. I can't be caught. Many try. Many die," he cooed. "Stab, stab, stab, goes the Ripper's blade. Stab, stab, stab, until dear Vao's life will fade... Stab, stab, stab, goes the Ripper's blade... And Verde is returned to the Cardinal she forbade..."
"R... R-Ripper," Verde echoed.
She was staring at the Ripper. Her suspicions had been correct - if she said anything, Jack could do what he wanted and get away with it. The serial killer tilted his head curiously for a moment, his smile never once even twitching from exhaustion.
"... Are we understanding one another, mademoiselle?"
Verde swallowed, nodding her head. Jack moved away, turning his back to her and beginning to leave. But to her dismay, he stopped. He didn't turn around, but he spoke to her in that calm, collected voice that never once raised.
"... If you had chosen to attack me with that dagger..."
Her heart stopped.
"... I love when they fight back. Au revoir, mademoiselle. Enjoy the Festival, I truly mean it mon ami."
The hand she held behind her back trembled, the small blade falling from her grasp. He had seen right through her every move, countered everything from her interrogation to the dagger he couldn't even see. Jack wasn't just dangerous, he was intelligent. She had waited for his arrival believing she could protect Vao, but he was one step ahead of her, knowing she'd be waiting for him. She watched Jack disappear into the darkness, leaving her alone in the street.
She sprinted back to the Branwen house. Sprinted as fast as she could, a new fear awakening.
No matter what, she needed to make sure Vao was alive. Jack had seemed generally uninterested in killing Vao and more focused on visiting Ruby, but she had to see it with her own eyes.
When she burst through the front door, Yang choked on the late-night cup of water she had been enjoying. "Oh, damn it! It spilled down my shirt! That's cold!"
Past the drunken Qrow sleeping like a log in his chair, she flew up the stairs. Vao's room was in sight.
"Hold it."
Her boots skidded to a halt at the sound of her voice. She turned to see Raven standing in front of her bedroom door, her arms folded across her front. "... What are you doing out so late?" She growled.
Verde almost answered. She almost told her that a serial killer might have targeted her kid. But in that same instant, she shut her mouth. Admitting that would only be setting it in stone. "... I required fresh air," she lied. Raven groaned.
"Holy shit, kid... You're worse at lying than Qrow. Look, it's not my business, but next time you go outside be a bit more quieter. I was having the best dream I've had in months."
"What was the dream about, Mom?" Yang asked as she climbed the stairs.
"I dreamed I didn't have kids."
"M-Mom, why would you say that!?" Yang cried.
Loud banging from behind Vao's door, and in a matter of seconds it opened wide, the femboy glaring at them. His hair was a mess. "Bloody hell, wot's with all the yelling!? I was having the best dream I had in months!"
"What did you dream about?" Yang asked, sniffling away the tears.
"I dreamed that mum hugged me."
"Not happening, Sister Kisser."
Yang and Vao looked startled. The blonde was already furious. "Vao you told Mom!?"
"N-no, I didn't! Who told you, mum?"
"Your father!"
Vao scratched his head tiredly. "Ruby wasn't there... Oh, that little twat. Yang, it was Yin. Let's go stomp his balls."
The brawler nodded. "I'm down!" She agreed. The two stormed past Verde, racing down the stairs. Raven groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
SLAM!
Verde was left standing in the halls alone, still shaken by the experience. But at least Vao was still breathing. With that in mind, she returned to his room, still trying to catch her breath. She slipped her boots off, climbing back into her pyjamas that Vao stole for her when she first started living with the Branwen household. As she hung her hat up, she glanced out the window. Her blood ran as cold as ice.
From next door, she could see Ruby standing behind her window, staring at the witch.
And next to her was Jack Gulden.