Arcane Howitzer
Serial Arcanist
- Location
- United States
Wouldn't that be 'Mrs. Rose'? I don't think Taiyang ever remarried.
Radiant Rebirth (Hollow Knight x RWBY)
- Thread starter Naron
- Start date
- Crossover
- Location
- Earth
Technically yes, but I feel it can be left as is. Ozpin rather remembers his student than the married woman, so I leave it in as a slip of the tongue.
No promises
No promises
Have a funny, it's the closest to a screaming face I can give.
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
No ghost/the knight role at all in the climax. do you plan to address them later?
- Location
- Canada
I'm surprised the Ghost never showed up for the big fight (unless it was there and I didn't notice/forgot). Logistically it makes sense, they're probably hanging around in the city drawing maps, but it's still probably the toughest fighter on Remnant.
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
If they're P5 all binding radiant hitless-level of skill, nothing can stop them.
Lord_Anthrax
Daemon Prince of Nurgle
Honestly with how humans are. They might get worse without the existential threat of the Grimm forcing everyone to play ball. The worst aspects of human nature might flare up again.
2.15 Epilogue - Sol Invictus
- Location
- Earth
The Belladonnas had woken early for reasons unknown. Ghira was not a superstitious man, but he swore he could feel a shift in the air. The ocean winds seemed subdued and something about the faint orange glow at the horizon appeared the tiniest bit different. He would have disregarded it normally, but Kali also woke early and could not quite find sleep again.
They were having tea when Lumina arrived, sudden as always. Ghira grunted as her bright light hit his eyes, but elation drowned out everything else. She had come home after all!
"Welcome back," he greeted while blinking the spots away. Knowing that Mt. Kali was about to erupt, he figured the poor girl deserved at least a warm welcome first.
"Finally! Do you have any idea how worried we were, young lady? You have been out of touch for... where are your clothes?"
He saw it at the same time as his wife, their eyes finally adjusted. Lumina stood in her birthday suit, apparently completely at ease if a little sheepish. Ghira scanned her from head to toe just in case, but found no bruises or scars on the girl. Then he kept his eyes on her face until Kali found a blanket to throw over her.
"I'm back," the young woman announced herself belatedly, glancing between them. "You may want to sit down. A lot happened this last month."
The Belladonnas exchanged intrigued looks; Ghira was amused that Lumina pre-empted Kali sitting her down by doing the same. His wife seemed more wary than anything else, but she did as requested. He sat next to her facing the bundled-up girl. "This better be good, or you will be grounded for a while. Huntress or not," he joked with a knowing look to Kali, whose nostrils flared in annoyance.
Lumina's mouth opened, but nothing came out at first. Her brows furrowed as she seemed to get lost in thought as usual. At least their girl was still the same. "How odd," she finally murmured. "I did not think I would grow so attached to actually appreciate being back."
Her comment made Ghira's heart ache and soar at the same time. The poor thing really deserved better than she got before she got to Menagerie. He cleared his throat nonetheless, dragging the girl back to the subject at hand. Lumina nodded.
"Sorry. The short of it is that I died, made my allies steal several ancient artifacts to lure out the one responsible, killed her, and took over her body to use as my own." She ticked each point off on her fingers, uncaring for or unaware of the Belladonnas' incredulity. What was more, she said it so matter-of-factly that Ghira was almost willing to believe her.
Kali arched a brow, clearly not amused. Yet where Blake, Selina, or most other children would have relented under a mother's disapproval, Lumina merely mirrored the gesture.
Ghira did not like where this was headed. Both women at this table were incredibly headstrong; he really did not need to start the day with a large fight and quickly intervened: "How about you start at the beginning and explain in some more detail?"
"That was my plan, yes. There is something you two ought to know." Lumina hesitated there, frowning ever so faintly. "Perhaps I should have spoken of it far sooner."
Then she began to speak and the pair's understanding of existence was expanded. Kali and Ghira both needed a while to comprehend, much less accept their ward's nature. In the end they did believe, however. Be it the foreign knowledge Lumina brought them, or perhaps meeting the elusive Grimm some time later.
Maybe even the fact word of the Great Moth began to spread across Remnant over the years. And true to her predictions, the world slowly began changing for the better.
It happened in various places, small and vast.
Jacques Schnee was slowly but surely pushed out of Schnee Dust by his own daughter. Where Weiss herself took up the mantle of Huntress, she entrusted the company into capable hands from within the ranks. In line with what Selina once suggested, she picked a team comprised of humans and faunus to lead and tasked them with improving working conditions without regard for lost profits.
Her brother Whitley was part of this new board, eyes on the inside but also a proponent of change. Many assumed Whitley's pivot to more faunus-friendly policies had to do with the company he kept; Whitley was occasionally spotted meeting Selina and they remained in contact for many years, much to Weiss's alienation. Even when distant they never stopped exchanging messages, be they counsel, jokes, or recent events. The avalanche of gossip surrounding their relationship did not help Weiss come to terms with it; Selina simply laughed it off when confronted, regardless of if it was by her friend or a reporter. Whitley simply kept his mouth shut about their own private joke.
Selina's tale, meanwhile, was a curious one. She passed Beacon with flying colours through extensive tutoring sessions, both with friends and the faculty. In fact, she went above and beyond by obtaining a teaching license. After graduation, the now-Huntress returned to Menagerie and set up a training program for aspiring hunters. As a certified combat instructor, she set the foundation for a new generation of protectors.
Nora and Ren followed their leader to Menagerie, inseparable as ever. The three soon formed the core of the fifth kingdom's hunter teams. Pyrrha separated from them, however; she realised that she was not meant to be a huntress somewhere along the way. The team parted on amenable terms and remained in contact still, even as their final member returned to being a gladiator. Much in difference to before, she now invested most of her surplus earnings into improving human-faunus relations.
Seeing that these relations continuously improved, the White Fang's popularity plummeted over the years. The coup de grace was delivered when Blake did not return to the fold after graduating Beacon; four years of exposure to Weiss and Selina made her realise the organisation was not as credible as she once believed. Sienna Khan, high leader of the White Fang, saw all this and ultimately decided to dissolve the group. Its goal was reached, if not by them.
If anyone spoke of the sudden influx of so many faunus with combat training or wilderness expertise, it was relegated to bars or the privacy of their own households.
Blake herself went on to form a traveling duo with her partner Yang. They went across Remnant fighting creatures of Grimm, Huntresses indeed. Although few of their friends and family were surprised when invitations to a wedding fluttered in sometime later.
Not all was well, however. CRDL lost their L as Sky Lark fell on a mission gone wrong during their third year. The remaining three hunched ever closer together, becoming an absolute unit of camraderie in his honour. In fact, Cardin Winchester soon became known as a paragon of virtue, much to the surprise of those who knew him as a teen.
That surprise regarding him was only surpassed because nobody ever expected him to propose to Velvet Scarlatina of all people. Much less for her to say yes. Ten years after Beacon came to an end, the two had somehow gone from acquaintances over tentative friends to lovers. Time certainly knew to facilitate great irony.
Velvet herself became known as one of the Legendary Three, the three greatest Huntresses of her generation. Standing right next to Ruby Rose and Lumina among public perception, her confidence grew notably. Each of them thrived upon the field of battle and they remained in contact with each other. Oftentimes people across Remnant debated which of them truly was the strongest, but nobody could quite make their case. The three women themselves never cared to speculate and truly could not have cared less about the subject.
The remainder of Velvet's team CFVY scattered to the winds, each following their own aspirations. Fox returned to his hometown to protect it permanently, Yatsuhashi took up teaching at Haven Academy, and Coco began a curious modeling career to promote intermingling between the populace and their champions. Yet even as they were separated by distance, it never quite managed to erode the bonds they forged.
Of the big three, only Ruby and Velvet actually worked as Huntresses normally would. Lumina took to travelling Remnant and eradicating creatures of Grimm without comment or mission. Her anger slowly dissipated over time, eroded by content and sometimes washed away with solemn grief.
Ruby herself spent the years until Summer Rose's death happy. She fought and lived with great joy; when it was time for her mother to leave for good, she saw her off with a smile. This time properly, having met and gotten to know the woman who led the greatest team of the last generation.
Adhering to her bargain with Lumina, Summer spread word of the Great Moth wherever she went. She and Ruby were the first members of the Order of Light, with the moth as its insignia. Her tireless effort to hold up her part of the bargain set the foundation for a group that would eventually become prominent across Remnant.
When Summer's time came, Lumina personally walked her to the pillar of light. She left it at that however, unwilling to burden whomever her friend would become in her next life with this one.
She had much more to do than just tend to her friends, though. The city of Atlas was set down and dismantled before Lumina consumed the Staff of Creation. General Ironwood had come to Vale's aid when he heard of the Grimm migrations, so hiding the truth was never an option. He was not happy with the deception, much less the prospect of losing his country's capital city. Yet Ozpin managed to talk him around before age took him; the reality of Salem's death and a deity treading on Remnant again had Ironwood relent.
The spirits of Staff and Lamp both preferred to vanish with their containers, even though Lumina offered to weave them proper bodies to live in. When asked whether they wanted to live, they deferred the choice back to Lumina as one connected to their creator. The nascent goddess understood that neither was truly alive, simply a good imitation of life and personality. They lacked the ability to choose.
With the dismantling of Atlas however, far-reaching choices were made. The first belonged to Penny Polendina, Huntress of the realm, who revealed her status as a synthetic soul. Though it took Remnant by surprise, the overall reception was positive; her kindness and exuberance swiftly extinguished what opposition there may have been. Yet despite the general acceptance, no more synthetics were ever born; Pietro Polendina took the secret of his daughter's donated soul to the grave.
Soon after, the Maidens came out of hiding. With the woman threatening their existence gone, they could finally reveal themselves to the world. Others naturally still coveted their power, but few dared attempt to take it. Fewer still succeeded and none who did survived their allies or Lumina herself coming for them.
Revered as demigoddesses, the Maidens soon became part of the Order of Light's canon; people came to see them as guardians chosen by the Great Moth. Lumina never corrected them.
However, only the Maidens of Summer, Winter, and Fall were known for decades. The Spring Maiden never came forward and was never found. Her identity remained a secret that Summer Rose took to the grave. The power only appeared once passed on, when Raven Branwen herself had died. Until that day she fought herself more than anyone to become a better person; despite her countless sins she continued to put in the effort. Summer and later Ruby supported her until the final moment.
In the end and regardless of her past misgivings, Raven found solace in The Radiance's light. It soothed her ravaged mind. And after finally finding the courage to confide in her brother, the twins managed to mend bridges to an extent. They only realised they passed the same day when Qrow met his sister on the other side and they walked toward reincarnation together.
Leading up to that day, the Branwen tribe slowly shrunk as its members returned to the kingdoms, one by one or in small groups. If Raven encouraged this or not, only she would ever know.
As another reformed outcast, Hazel Rainard still died before even Summer did. With Salem gone and the eternal battle in the shadows concluded, he dedicated his life to protecting the weak; he fell stemming a tide of Grimm on his lonesome. The small hamlet he saved would remember his name for generations, elevating the man to a local legend.
Meanwhile, Arthur Watts went on to live a long life; having reemerged after his reported death, he swiftly became a premier member of Vale's computer science community. Others followed his example after the dismantling of Atlas, which led to a shift in technological superiority toward the central kingdom. Arthur never spoke another word with his old partner Pietro, but with time he was convinced of Penny if nothing else.
Years swiftly turned to decades as issues were identified and solved. Menagerie grew into a kingdom of its own right, home to Charms and aura arts; both descended from Lumina's original teachings. The kingdom prospered as mainly faunus but also humans continued to expand it.
The day Ghira Belladonna died in his sleep, he had reigned as a never official king for over fourty years. He left behind not perfect equality, but great steps made in the right direction. His aged wife followed him a day later.
For the unaging Lumina, this particular goodbye was perhaps the most solemn; the first of many and unlike with Summer, she never knew when it might happen. It hurt to see these two go. Yet despite the pain and the tears she shed, Lumina personally walked each and every one of her friends to the pillar of light; just like she did for Summer in the past. With a final embrace, they were sent off to be reborn.
The moth herself stood to Remnant as a saint of the light. Once it became apparent she did not age, her slow usurpation of the Brother Gods' place became much more swift. Religious canon shifted to include, then feature The Radiance even over the world's absent creators. Her cocoon began to swell throughout decades, just as She desired. The Radiance would return in time, even if it took a thousand or ten thousand years, maybe more for Her gestation to complete. But if Lumina had her way, then the distant descendants of today's people would be graced by Her true light again.
With Salem gone, there was no great mind impeding progress anymore. That did not mean Remnant suddenly became a paradise, however. The creatures of Grimm continued to wreak havoc, continually pushed back by the advance of science yet never destroyed.
Almost exactly sixty years after Salem's final day, it was time to say goodbye again. Only this time the occasion became rather unconventional.
An aged Ruby strolled alongside Lumina, leading the moth down a cobblestone path. Age had bent the silver-eyed woman, time took her vitality as far as aura would allow it. Yet the retired Huntress retained her good spirit and was content. She lived a full life, had three beautiful children of her own, and now looked toward death as the next stop on her journey.
"Few are as calm about their impending end as you," Lumina noted with a glance to her old friend. Ruby, in turn, huffed.
"Please. We both knew it was a long time coming. I'm old now and it's okay. I did everything I wanted in life and more."
Here she left a short pause to glance at Lumina. A hint of worry snuck into Ruby's voice: "You will look after them, right?"
"Naturally."
"Good. Then I don't need to worry in the slightest." The one subject of concern settled and her descendants in good hands, she put on an impish grin. "Besides, it's not like I will die."
A beat.
"How do you mean?" Lumina asked, confused how her friend meant to escape the inevitable.
Ruby's grin grew in response and the aged woman sped up. Her old bones protested the rapid motion, but she ignored them and turned to rose petals; they had never lost their luster and raced across Remnant with near unparalleled speed. Lumina followed, still bewildered. She only understood upon realising where her friend went, though it gave rise to a new sort of worry.
"Are you certain?" the moth asked once they both became flesh once more. "Such a choice can not be undone."
"Pah. I thought about it for years, don't worry."
They stopped in front of a magnificent, crimson tent. Two horses studied them curiously, then competed for prime position to get pets from Ruby. Lumina stood at the side, faintly reassured yet still concerned for her friend's sanity.
Grimm joined them a moment later as he stepped out of the tent; time had not changed him in any way, now appearing like a grandson of Ruby's instead of a brother. An easy smile graced his features at their sight. He offered his actual sister a nod before addressing Ruby: "Good time, my dear. The flames were lit and soon we shall perform once more."
The moth stepped back, a mere witness to this moment. Her friend made the choice and Grimm was the final arbiter of accepting her desire. When Ruby stepped forward, she was received with open arms; Grimm embraced her and the pair began to glow.
A singular heartbeat sounded across existence as the Nightmare Heart's pulse echoed into the waking world again. Crimson energy filled Ruby, mixing with her own silver power before sinking into her body.
The aged woman began to shift; grey hair slowly regained its luster, wrinkled skin smoothed out. Her spine straightened as youthful vigour returned. Within seconds Ruby Rose returned to her full glory; she stood as she had in her mid-twenties, a beaming smile on her face. Then she pumped a fist.
"Yes! I was hoping for something like this! Thanks, Grimm!"
Brother and sister shared a chuckle at the exuberance on display. Ruby's excitable nature never quite vanished, but time tempered it. Right now she seemed once again the woman of her youth. True to form, she then turned around to embrace Lumina, who held her tightly.
"It is forever, Ruby," she reminded her friend. There was no reincarnation, no rest, not even death for the other woman anymore. "Farewell, and good luck."
"Same to you. Keep an eye on everyone."
Lumina blinked and they were gone. She could see the crimson Essence trail skyward, winking back at her.
Wiping off a single tear, the moth nodded. Her hand clasped around Event Horizon's handle; a sword Ruby once crafted for her, ornate more than practical, yet appreciated. A final memento of her friend.
"Yes," she told the empty air. "I will."
She remained there for a time to reminisce of past decades, but eventually turned away. There was one other matter that needed to be taken care of. Saying goodbye to Ruby reminded her of the one last actor in this entire mess.
"Intriguing," Oscar capped off her recounting of Ruby's choice and departure. "But as long as it makes her happy, I am not going to judge."
A scant few weeks had passed since that day. Lumina imagined that Ozma's latest reincarnation would be capable of sympathising. He remained content to stay in the background during this life, though she could find him regardless.
"I concur," she agreed. "Now, would you walk with me?"
"Of course?" Though a question was implied, he received no verbal response. Lumina wordlessly opened a rift into the realm betwixt worlds, surrounding them with dancing motes of Essence. She motioned for him to go ahead and followed right after, then the pair walked across an ethereal road of yellow bricks, seemingly headed toward an emerald city.
"Where exactly are we going?" Oscar asked, now hesitant.
Lumina simply offered a solemn smile. "To the end," she said.
It took some time, but he followed after her. The pair walked amongst the shades of people, a steady stream as before. Compared to their respective previous journeys down this path however, they were older. Less youths, fewer children passed them by. Only Oscar took notice of it, though Lumina had an inkling that something was different.
The moth spoke after some time: "Are you content with the way Remnant develops?"
"Yes," Oscar answered without hesitation. A faint smile found its way onto his face. "I have to thank you again, for doing what I never could. I lost hope so many times, but never before has it been fulfilled after I regained it. Thank you, truly."
His praise was genuine, an almost palpable sense of gratitude made manifest by their surroundings. Lumina simply inclined her head, accepting it with grace.
They kept walking in silence after that, down the yellow brick road. The emerald city passed them by as well, from where they could see the pillar of light. Soon enough The Radiance's silver cocoon became visible; it was the only other landmark at this point. Many a shade paused on their way at its sight, silently paying respect to the nascent goddess within.
"I know this place well," Oscar mused out loud. "But I never thought I would come here before another death. Your time with us has certainly been turbulent in every sense of the word."
Lumina chuckled in response. "It figures you would know," she said, no mind given to the rest of his statement. Then her tone grew serious: "But now to the reason I brought you here, Ozma."
His head swivelled back to her at the sound of his original name. Even through a hundred lives he never forgot the beginning. Lumina was looking upon him, not with malice but the utmost gentleness.
"It is time to rest. You have done well."
Her meaning was clear. Remnant's final dream seemed to grow still for a moment as Oscar hesitated; his eyes wandered between Lumina and the light. Then he slumped, allowing himself to let his fragile self be seen.
"Yes, that does sound good. I have lived longer than any human should, much like she did. I feel... thin, after all this time. Emaciated. Is this really something you can do for me?"
Lumina embraced him wordlessly. Her light seeped into his body and aged soul, filling it with warmth. Something within him dissolved, hardly felt as the moth undid what another had wrought so long ago. Ozma was free of the endless cycle, his mission complete.
Once she finished her work, Lumina gently pushed the wizard into the pillar. He did not resist, smiling until his body was fully dissolved.
Nobody would ever know that the last witness of Remnant's halcyon days had passed. The days before the fall, times of great kingdoms and heroes. Only Lumina stood witness and she was the one who would keep this secret.
In these minutes, a being of the void made their final trek across Remnant.
Ghost wandered for many years, going this way and that without purpose. Sometimes they interacted with humans again, once they even met Penny. The gynoid had been overjoyed and kept Ghost nearby for a full year; in the end however, they left to wander once more. They learned new skills along the way, thoughtless and without any aspirations. Only that the call of the void grew stronger in time.
Grimm was gone. The Abyss of Remnant grew restful; there was no enemy left to fight, nothing agitating it. Nothing to consume.
Hence why Ghost approached one of the pools of void matter now; the closest they had found along the way. They stepped inside without hesitation, losing coherence; the void was united once more. Their accumulated possessions dissolved with no thought spent on them. The godslayer's memories followed as they transcended the emptiness of space and returned from whence they came.
And far above where Ghost vanished, dawn broke. A new day had begun for Remnant.
They were having tea when Lumina arrived, sudden as always. Ghira grunted as her bright light hit his eyes, but elation drowned out everything else. She had come home after all!
"Welcome back," he greeted while blinking the spots away. Knowing that Mt. Kali was about to erupt, he figured the poor girl deserved at least a warm welcome first.
"Finally! Do you have any idea how worried we were, young lady? You have been out of touch for... where are your clothes?"
He saw it at the same time as his wife, their eyes finally adjusted. Lumina stood in her birthday suit, apparently completely at ease if a little sheepish. Ghira scanned her from head to toe just in case, but found no bruises or scars on the girl. Then he kept his eyes on her face until Kali found a blanket to throw over her.
"I'm back," the young woman announced herself belatedly, glancing between them. "You may want to sit down. A lot happened this last month."
The Belladonnas exchanged intrigued looks; Ghira was amused that Lumina pre-empted Kali sitting her down by doing the same. His wife seemed more wary than anything else, but she did as requested. He sat next to her facing the bundled-up girl. "This better be good, or you will be grounded for a while. Huntress or not," he joked with a knowing look to Kali, whose nostrils flared in annoyance.
Lumina's mouth opened, but nothing came out at first. Her brows furrowed as she seemed to get lost in thought as usual. At least their girl was still the same. "How odd," she finally murmured. "I did not think I would grow so attached to actually appreciate being back."
Her comment made Ghira's heart ache and soar at the same time. The poor thing really deserved better than she got before she got to Menagerie. He cleared his throat nonetheless, dragging the girl back to the subject at hand. Lumina nodded.
"Sorry. The short of it is that I died, made my allies steal several ancient artifacts to lure out the one responsible, killed her, and took over her body to use as my own." She ticked each point off on her fingers, uncaring for or unaware of the Belladonnas' incredulity. What was more, she said it so matter-of-factly that Ghira was almost willing to believe her.
Kali arched a brow, clearly not amused. Yet where Blake, Selina, or most other children would have relented under a mother's disapproval, Lumina merely mirrored the gesture.
Ghira did not like where this was headed. Both women at this table were incredibly headstrong; he really did not need to start the day with a large fight and quickly intervened: "How about you start at the beginning and explain in some more detail?"
"That was my plan, yes. There is something you two ought to know." Lumina hesitated there, frowning ever so faintly. "Perhaps I should have spoken of it far sooner."
Then she began to speak and the pair's understanding of existence was expanded. Kali and Ghira both needed a while to comprehend, much less accept their ward's nature. In the end they did believe, however. Be it the foreign knowledge Lumina brought them, or perhaps meeting the elusive Grimm some time later.
Maybe even the fact word of the Great Moth began to spread across Remnant over the years. And true to her predictions, the world slowly began changing for the better.
It happened in various places, small and vast.
Jacques Schnee was slowly but surely pushed out of Schnee Dust by his own daughter. Where Weiss herself took up the mantle of Huntress, she entrusted the company into capable hands from within the ranks. In line with what Selina once suggested, she picked a team comprised of humans and faunus to lead and tasked them with improving working conditions without regard for lost profits.
Her brother Whitley was part of this new board, eyes on the inside but also a proponent of change. Many assumed Whitley's pivot to more faunus-friendly policies had to do with the company he kept; Whitley was occasionally spotted meeting Selina and they remained in contact for many years, much to Weiss's alienation. Even when distant they never stopped exchanging messages, be they counsel, jokes, or recent events. The avalanche of gossip surrounding their relationship did not help Weiss come to terms with it; Selina simply laughed it off when confronted, regardless of if it was by her friend or a reporter. Whitley simply kept his mouth shut about their own private joke.
Selina's tale, meanwhile, was a curious one. She passed Beacon with flying colours through extensive tutoring sessions, both with friends and the faculty. In fact, she went above and beyond by obtaining a teaching license. After graduation, the now-Huntress returned to Menagerie and set up a training program for aspiring hunters. As a certified combat instructor, she set the foundation for a new generation of protectors.
Nora and Ren followed their leader to Menagerie, inseparable as ever. The three soon formed the core of the fifth kingdom's hunter teams. Pyrrha separated from them, however; she realised that she was not meant to be a huntress somewhere along the way. The team parted on amenable terms and remained in contact still, even as their final member returned to being a gladiator. Much in difference to before, she now invested most of her surplus earnings into improving human-faunus relations.
Seeing that these relations continuously improved, the White Fang's popularity plummeted over the years. The coup de grace was delivered when Blake did not return to the fold after graduating Beacon; four years of exposure to Weiss and Selina made her realise the organisation was not as credible as she once believed. Sienna Khan, high leader of the White Fang, saw all this and ultimately decided to dissolve the group. Its goal was reached, if not by them.
If anyone spoke of the sudden influx of so many faunus with combat training or wilderness expertise, it was relegated to bars or the privacy of their own households.
Blake herself went on to form a traveling duo with her partner Yang. They went across Remnant fighting creatures of Grimm, Huntresses indeed. Although few of their friends and family were surprised when invitations to a wedding fluttered in sometime later.
Not all was well, however. CRDL lost their L as Sky Lark fell on a mission gone wrong during their third year. The remaining three hunched ever closer together, becoming an absolute unit of camraderie in his honour. In fact, Cardin Winchester soon became known as a paragon of virtue, much to the surprise of those who knew him as a teen.
That surprise regarding him was only surpassed because nobody ever expected him to propose to Velvet Scarlatina of all people. Much less for her to say yes. Ten years after Beacon came to an end, the two had somehow gone from acquaintances over tentative friends to lovers. Time certainly knew to facilitate great irony.
Velvet herself became known as one of the Legendary Three, the three greatest Huntresses of her generation. Standing right next to Ruby Rose and Lumina among public perception, her confidence grew notably. Each of them thrived upon the field of battle and they remained in contact with each other. Oftentimes people across Remnant debated which of them truly was the strongest, but nobody could quite make their case. The three women themselves never cared to speculate and truly could not have cared less about the subject.
The remainder of Velvet's team CFVY scattered to the winds, each following their own aspirations. Fox returned to his hometown to protect it permanently, Yatsuhashi took up teaching at Haven Academy, and Coco began a curious modeling career to promote intermingling between the populace and their champions. Yet even as they were separated by distance, it never quite managed to erode the bonds they forged.
Of the big three, only Ruby and Velvet actually worked as Huntresses normally would. Lumina took to travelling Remnant and eradicating creatures of Grimm without comment or mission. Her anger slowly dissipated over time, eroded by content and sometimes washed away with solemn grief.
Ruby herself spent the years until Summer Rose's death happy. She fought and lived with great joy; when it was time for her mother to leave for good, she saw her off with a smile. This time properly, having met and gotten to know the woman who led the greatest team of the last generation.
Adhering to her bargain with Lumina, Summer spread word of the Great Moth wherever she went. She and Ruby were the first members of the Order of Light, with the moth as its insignia. Her tireless effort to hold up her part of the bargain set the foundation for a group that would eventually become prominent across Remnant.
When Summer's time came, Lumina personally walked her to the pillar of light. She left it at that however, unwilling to burden whomever her friend would become in her next life with this one.
She had much more to do than just tend to her friends, though. The city of Atlas was set down and dismantled before Lumina consumed the Staff of Creation. General Ironwood had come to Vale's aid when he heard of the Grimm migrations, so hiding the truth was never an option. He was not happy with the deception, much less the prospect of losing his country's capital city. Yet Ozpin managed to talk him around before age took him; the reality of Salem's death and a deity treading on Remnant again had Ironwood relent.
The spirits of Staff and Lamp both preferred to vanish with their containers, even though Lumina offered to weave them proper bodies to live in. When asked whether they wanted to live, they deferred the choice back to Lumina as one connected to their creator. The nascent goddess understood that neither was truly alive, simply a good imitation of life and personality. They lacked the ability to choose.
With the dismantling of Atlas however, far-reaching choices were made. The first belonged to Penny Polendina, Huntress of the realm, who revealed her status as a synthetic soul. Though it took Remnant by surprise, the overall reception was positive; her kindness and exuberance swiftly extinguished what opposition there may have been. Yet despite the general acceptance, no more synthetics were ever born; Pietro Polendina took the secret of his daughter's donated soul to the grave.
Soon after, the Maidens came out of hiding. With the woman threatening their existence gone, they could finally reveal themselves to the world. Others naturally still coveted their power, but few dared attempt to take it. Fewer still succeeded and none who did survived their allies or Lumina herself coming for them.
Revered as demigoddesses, the Maidens soon became part of the Order of Light's canon; people came to see them as guardians chosen by the Great Moth. Lumina never corrected them.
However, only the Maidens of Summer, Winter, and Fall were known for decades. The Spring Maiden never came forward and was never found. Her identity remained a secret that Summer Rose took to the grave. The power only appeared once passed on, when Raven Branwen herself had died. Until that day she fought herself more than anyone to become a better person; despite her countless sins she continued to put in the effort. Summer and later Ruby supported her until the final moment.
In the end and regardless of her past misgivings, Raven found solace in The Radiance's light. It soothed her ravaged mind. And after finally finding the courage to confide in her brother, the twins managed to mend bridges to an extent. They only realised they passed the same day when Qrow met his sister on the other side and they walked toward reincarnation together.
Leading up to that day, the Branwen tribe slowly shrunk as its members returned to the kingdoms, one by one or in small groups. If Raven encouraged this or not, only she would ever know.
As another reformed outcast, Hazel Rainard still died before even Summer did. With Salem gone and the eternal battle in the shadows concluded, he dedicated his life to protecting the weak; he fell stemming a tide of Grimm on his lonesome. The small hamlet he saved would remember his name for generations, elevating the man to a local legend.
Meanwhile, Arthur Watts went on to live a long life; having reemerged after his reported death, he swiftly became a premier member of Vale's computer science community. Others followed his example after the dismantling of Atlas, which led to a shift in technological superiority toward the central kingdom. Arthur never spoke another word with his old partner Pietro, but with time he was convinced of Penny if nothing else.
Years swiftly turned to decades as issues were identified and solved. Menagerie grew into a kingdom of its own right, home to Charms and aura arts; both descended from Lumina's original teachings. The kingdom prospered as mainly faunus but also humans continued to expand it.
The day Ghira Belladonna died in his sleep, he had reigned as a never official king for over fourty years. He left behind not perfect equality, but great steps made in the right direction. His aged wife followed him a day later.
For the unaging Lumina, this particular goodbye was perhaps the most solemn; the first of many and unlike with Summer, she never knew when it might happen. It hurt to see these two go. Yet despite the pain and the tears she shed, Lumina personally walked each and every one of her friends to the pillar of light; just like she did for Summer in the past. With a final embrace, they were sent off to be reborn.
The moth herself stood to Remnant as a saint of the light. Once it became apparent she did not age, her slow usurpation of the Brother Gods' place became much more swift. Religious canon shifted to include, then feature The Radiance even over the world's absent creators. Her cocoon began to swell throughout decades, just as She desired. The Radiance would return in time, even if it took a thousand or ten thousand years, maybe more for Her gestation to complete. But if Lumina had her way, then the distant descendants of today's people would be graced by Her true light again.
With Salem gone, there was no great mind impeding progress anymore. That did not mean Remnant suddenly became a paradise, however. The creatures of Grimm continued to wreak havoc, continually pushed back by the advance of science yet never destroyed.
Almost exactly sixty years after Salem's final day, it was time to say goodbye again. Only this time the occasion became rather unconventional.
An aged Ruby strolled alongside Lumina, leading the moth down a cobblestone path. Age had bent the silver-eyed woman, time took her vitality as far as aura would allow it. Yet the retired Huntress retained her good spirit and was content. She lived a full life, had three beautiful children of her own, and now looked toward death as the next stop on her journey.
"Few are as calm about their impending end as you," Lumina noted with a glance to her old friend. Ruby, in turn, huffed.
"Please. We both knew it was a long time coming. I'm old now and it's okay. I did everything I wanted in life and more."
Here she left a short pause to glance at Lumina. A hint of worry snuck into Ruby's voice: "You will look after them, right?"
"Naturally."
"Good. Then I don't need to worry in the slightest." The one subject of concern settled and her descendants in good hands, she put on an impish grin. "Besides, it's not like I will die."
A beat.
"How do you mean?" Lumina asked, confused how her friend meant to escape the inevitable.
Ruby's grin grew in response and the aged woman sped up. Her old bones protested the rapid motion, but she ignored them and turned to rose petals; they had never lost their luster and raced across Remnant with near unparalleled speed. Lumina followed, still bewildered. She only understood upon realising where her friend went, though it gave rise to a new sort of worry.
"Are you certain?" the moth asked once they both became flesh once more. "Such a choice can not be undone."
"Pah. I thought about it for years, don't worry."
They stopped in front of a magnificent, crimson tent. Two horses studied them curiously, then competed for prime position to get pets from Ruby. Lumina stood at the side, faintly reassured yet still concerned for her friend's sanity.
Grimm joined them a moment later as he stepped out of the tent; time had not changed him in any way, now appearing like a grandson of Ruby's instead of a brother. An easy smile graced his features at their sight. He offered his actual sister a nod before addressing Ruby: "Good time, my dear. The flames were lit and soon we shall perform once more."
The moth stepped back, a mere witness to this moment. Her friend made the choice and Grimm was the final arbiter of accepting her desire. When Ruby stepped forward, she was received with open arms; Grimm embraced her and the pair began to glow.
A singular heartbeat sounded across existence as the Nightmare Heart's pulse echoed into the waking world again. Crimson energy filled Ruby, mixing with her own silver power before sinking into her body.
The aged woman began to shift; grey hair slowly regained its luster, wrinkled skin smoothed out. Her spine straightened as youthful vigour returned. Within seconds Ruby Rose returned to her full glory; she stood as she had in her mid-twenties, a beaming smile on her face. Then she pumped a fist.
"Yes! I was hoping for something like this! Thanks, Grimm!"
Brother and sister shared a chuckle at the exuberance on display. Ruby's excitable nature never quite vanished, but time tempered it. Right now she seemed once again the woman of her youth. True to form, she then turned around to embrace Lumina, who held her tightly.
"It is forever, Ruby," she reminded her friend. There was no reincarnation, no rest, not even death for the other woman anymore. "Farewell, and good luck."
"Same to you. Keep an eye on everyone."
Lumina blinked and they were gone. She could see the crimson Essence trail skyward, winking back at her.
Wiping off a single tear, the moth nodded. Her hand clasped around Event Horizon's handle; a sword Ruby once crafted for her, ornate more than practical, yet appreciated. A final memento of her friend.
"Yes," she told the empty air. "I will."
She remained there for a time to reminisce of past decades, but eventually turned away. There was one other matter that needed to be taken care of. Saying goodbye to Ruby reminded her of the one last actor in this entire mess.
"Intriguing," Oscar capped off her recounting of Ruby's choice and departure. "But as long as it makes her happy, I am not going to judge."
A scant few weeks had passed since that day. Lumina imagined that Ozma's latest reincarnation would be capable of sympathising. He remained content to stay in the background during this life, though she could find him regardless.
"I concur," she agreed. "Now, would you walk with me?"
"Of course?" Though a question was implied, he received no verbal response. Lumina wordlessly opened a rift into the realm betwixt worlds, surrounding them with dancing motes of Essence. She motioned for him to go ahead and followed right after, then the pair walked across an ethereal road of yellow bricks, seemingly headed toward an emerald city.
"Where exactly are we going?" Oscar asked, now hesitant.
Lumina simply offered a solemn smile. "To the end," she said.
It took some time, but he followed after her. The pair walked amongst the shades of people, a steady stream as before. Compared to their respective previous journeys down this path however, they were older. Less youths, fewer children passed them by. Only Oscar took notice of it, though Lumina had an inkling that something was different.
The moth spoke after some time: "Are you content with the way Remnant develops?"
"Yes," Oscar answered without hesitation. A faint smile found its way onto his face. "I have to thank you again, for doing what I never could. I lost hope so many times, but never before has it been fulfilled after I regained it. Thank you, truly."
His praise was genuine, an almost palpable sense of gratitude made manifest by their surroundings. Lumina simply inclined her head, accepting it with grace.
They kept walking in silence after that, down the yellow brick road. The emerald city passed them by as well, from where they could see the pillar of light. Soon enough The Radiance's silver cocoon became visible; it was the only other landmark at this point. Many a shade paused on their way at its sight, silently paying respect to the nascent goddess within.
"I know this place well," Oscar mused out loud. "But I never thought I would come here before another death. Your time with us has certainly been turbulent in every sense of the word."
Lumina chuckled in response. "It figures you would know," she said, no mind given to the rest of his statement. Then her tone grew serious: "But now to the reason I brought you here, Ozma."
His head swivelled back to her at the sound of his original name. Even through a hundred lives he never forgot the beginning. Lumina was looking upon him, not with malice but the utmost gentleness.
"It is time to rest. You have done well."
Her meaning was clear. Remnant's final dream seemed to grow still for a moment as Oscar hesitated; his eyes wandered between Lumina and the light. Then he slumped, allowing himself to let his fragile self be seen.
"Yes, that does sound good. I have lived longer than any human should, much like she did. I feel... thin, after all this time. Emaciated. Is this really something you can do for me?"
Lumina embraced him wordlessly. Her light seeped into his body and aged soul, filling it with warmth. Something within him dissolved, hardly felt as the moth undid what another had wrought so long ago. Ozma was free of the endless cycle, his mission complete.
Once she finished her work, Lumina gently pushed the wizard into the pillar. He did not resist, smiling until his body was fully dissolved.
Nobody would ever know that the last witness of Remnant's halcyon days had passed. The days before the fall, times of great kingdoms and heroes. Only Lumina stood witness and she was the one who would keep this secret.
In these minutes, a being of the void made their final trek across Remnant.
Ghost wandered for many years, going this way and that without purpose. Sometimes they interacted with humans again, once they even met Penny. The gynoid had been overjoyed and kept Ghost nearby for a full year; in the end however, they left to wander once more. They learned new skills along the way, thoughtless and without any aspirations. Only that the call of the void grew stronger in time.
Grimm was gone. The Abyss of Remnant grew restful; there was no enemy left to fight, nothing agitating it. Nothing to consume.
Hence why Ghost approached one of the pools of void matter now; the closest they had found along the way. They stepped inside without hesitation, losing coherence; the void was united once more. Their accumulated possessions dissolved with no thought spent on them. The godslayer's memories followed as they transcended the emptiness of space and returned from whence they came.
And far above where Ghost vanished, dawn broke. A new day had begun for Remnant.
While this is true, this is not the whole of it.
She definitely didn't get a life as a faunus that would be considered good, but her reaction is due to her not being just that.
Lumina has experience on that from Kali's side, contrary to the children.
A very important thing to remember when it comes to some corporations policies that is relevant here:
They don't always remove things because they don't create benefits, they sometimes do it because they don't create *enough* profits. (Just look at Wizards of the coast discontinuing the Portuguese version of their products for exactly this reason, despite it not being a net loss)
They don't want your money, they want all of it, and they don't need it, it's nothing but greed.
The problem is capitalism, as I once saw in a video discussing how Talos was wrong. It's incredible how you can apply this to a lot of domains and still be true.
Anyway, that means that Weiss can indeed remove some of the policies that are there to create more money without even going close to the red in finances.
People and assuming that any and all relationship between two person of different gender is sexual.
Interesting.
See? That's how a competent and intelligent leader acts, the goal is meet, who cares if you weren't the one to do it?
The Brother of light: "Wait, you can do that?"
Joining the troupes, I see.
We can now officially say it: Ruby left her family to work with a circus, how tragic.
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Yes, really
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Thank you for the story. A pleasure, as always, to read.
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It was a pleasure to read the Story.
Thozmp
Gets my kicks above the waistline, Sunshine.
It's been some time since I've watched RWBY, but we don't see a whole lot of old people in the show. While there is Maria, she's not exactly at her peak, even for her age, so it's hard to guess what an octogenarian huntsman/huntress is really like.
Thozmp
Gets my kicks above the waistline, Sunshine.
I know that one of the World of Remnants said that, but actual evidence of it is sparce, I'm also having trouble pinning down some actual ages to the characters that aren't RWBYJNPR.
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Aura delaying signs of age is one thing. Aura preserving one's peak (i.e. age 20-30) into their seventies is nonsense I do not ascribe to. I was honestly not even aware of that bit of worldbuilding because the show proper never gives any indicator of it; the only old people we see are Ozpin and Maria. The former never gets to show how fit he still is, and Maria is clearly far past her prime. She even shrunk down to half the size she had while young.
So no, there is no evidence that aura is some cure-all against signs of age.
So no, there is no evidence that aura is some cure-all against signs of age.
Nothing? I am not sure what you are on about, Ruby was still alive in her final scene.
No one said cure all, or that Ruby would be at her physical peak at 75, though honestly if you still rely on organic muscles at that point you're probably doing it wrong. What was asked was why she was doing her end of mortal life stuff at seventy five when she should be basically Remnant's version of the little ghost and able to put down any monster or foe you point her in the general direction of up to and including divine ones, and still have a solid 30 to 40 years in her easy, especially with remnant tier prosthetics and the option to just cut out most organs that go cancerous.
Given how much of the chapter dealt with the ends of peoples' lives I was under the impression this was Ruby at or near death. If she's doing this as a living woman then things make more sense.
Now my only question is: what exactly she's gonna do as a member of the troupe?
Given how much of the chapter dealt with the ends of peoples' lives I was under the impression this was Ruby at or near death. If she's doing this as a living woman then things make more sense.
Now my only question is: what exactly she's gonna do as a member of the troupe?