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“It’s all about you!”
Jaune’s words silenced the group. Ruby’s eyes, ready to break much like the village’s dam, stared towards the ground in shame. The rest of her team were too stunned by Jaune’s words to intervene, not knowing how to calm the two leaders down. Water slowly covered the nearby bridge to the sunken village. The rusted knight fell to the ground in despair, eyes watering the dirt below.
“Jaune…” Weiss was the first to speak, reaching a hand out to him. Her eyes darted in multiple directions, whatever she had to say lost (or perhaps never found?). Blake and Yang looked to each other. Lilac met amber. There was only one thing to do… Blake stepped forward.
“I know things are bad but- “
“Shut… up…” Ruby interrupted the Faunus, her face downcast and eyes hidden behind her bangs. “He’s right. This is my fault. All of it.”
“Ruby,” Weiss spoke up, “This wasn’t your- “
“Everything has been my fault!” Ignoring Weiss, Ruby continued as she got closer to the knight, “You’re right, Jaune. The Jabberwalkers came here because of me. Neo wants me dead, and I’m just broadcasting everywhere I go for her!”
Ruby balled her fists as she kneeled down, her eyes leveled with Jaune’s. Ruby spoke gently, “And we’re here because my plan failed. That’s my fault, too.” Her eyes narrowed. “I didn’t plan on Cinder interfering like that. I didn’t plan on her having the lamp.”
Jaune’s eyes widened as he looked at silver. His skin paled ever so slightly.
“What was I supposed to do, Jaune?” Ruby asked. Before he could respond, she continued, “Was I supposed to surrender to Ironwood? Was I supposed to just sacrifice everyone on the off chance we escaped from Salem? What exactly did I do wrong?”
Standing up straight, Ruby held her stare, as did Jaune. The others quietly watched on. “How did she get the lamp, Jaune? Anything that I would’ve come up with would have been revealed to her if she asked it. What was I supposed to do against someone who could know everything at any time?”
Jaune’s hands gripped the dirt, desperate to hold something. He knew where she was going with this, if he could just find the right words-
“It’s because you failed to keep hold of it that she had the relic. I guess that is my fault.”
The words pierced into Jaune. His chest felt heavy, guilt ridden across his face. Breathing became haggard as he tried to provide an explanation. Vision darkened as memories seeped in like mud…
Ruby turned away from the man, uncaring of what her words had done to him. She marched closer to Yang and Blake, Yang standing in between the two.
“And you two…” Ruby started, her eyes having changed to what almost looked like regret. “I trusted you.”
“Ruby, I don’t know what’s gotten into you but we can- “ Yang started, trying to pacify her sister. But it was too late.
“You went behind my back to tell Robyn about Amity,” Ruby stated bluntly. “Both of you.”
“W-we had no choice! Ironwood wasn’t going to- “
“Shut up!” Ruby yelled, startling her sister. Tears threatened to break free from the silver. “Ironwood’s trust in us was lost because of me! I was the one who lied about the lamp, I was the one who hid the truth about Salem, and I was the one who trusted you to do the right thing!”
Not being able to bear the sight of them, or perhaps something else (shame?), Ruby turned away from the pair. Her eyes shimmered, hands clenching and releasing repeatedly. Teeth grinded as she thought over what had happened at Atlas, at what happened throughout their journey. Something had started to crack.
“Ruby…” Weiss called out, moving close to her partner. Placing a hand on the younger girl’s shoulder, who was shaking in her touch, she said, “We’re a team. We’re in this together, and you’re not at fault for any of this.” Weiss looked to Blake and Yang, and then to the crumbled Jaune. She stared at them, as if urging them to agree, or daring them to disagree. It didn’t matter. “It’s been… tough, but we’ll get through this. We can talk everything out. Together.”
Taking a few breaths to calm herself down, Ruby took in Weiss’s words. Her eyes closed; emotions hidden away. Not for the first time, Weiss wondered what went through her partner’s mind. Strategies, weapons, what to do after everything is all said and done? What secrets did Ruby have of her own, the demons she faced? Perhaps it was wrong to assume things were going to be okay. Perhaps they should have paid more attention to their leader.
Perhaps she should’ve been a better partner.
“No…” Ruby breathed out, stepping out of Weiss’s hold. The girl shook her head, as if clearing her doubts. “This is my fault. I couldn’t… I wasn’t fast enough. I never am.” She looked to the ground; shoulders trembled. “I couldn’t save either of them… and now look at us. Look at what I’ve done.”
Weiss was still close enough that she swore she heard Ruby sniffling. Before she could react, Ruby’s semblance activated as the young girl fled from her friends with one final statement:
“I’m not a huntress… I’m just a failure.”