Once there, Ruby unlocked the front door, alerting the black cat curled up on the back of a couch. “Jaspers was Rose’s cat back in the day. She loved him until the day she wasn’t Rose anymore. And maybe even then some.”

"Okay, I guess I’ll just start at the beginning. I lied when I said my fiance left because he was cheating on me. He left because Roxy was.. or I guess is…  a witch. And I know we’re supposed to be fighting witches, but Roxy is sweet and harmless. She had only ever been able to create things, and honestly I never even saw her so much as knock over a plate. But he was terrified, and he left before girls knew him enough to miss him.”

Ruby sat down and buried her face in her hands. She greatly preferred forgetting the last 16 years of her life. “Ugh, she was so little and didn’t know how to handle advanced magic, so she couldn’t mask her soul, and all these kids from the Academy would show up and try to take her soul. So I would have to get them out of my house and away from my daughter. We lived like that for years, it was maddening. And then one day two or three meisters came. I didn’t want to hurt the kids, but I couldn’t let them hurt Roxy. I was so preoccupied just getting them out, I didn’t even notice Roxy went missing. I spent the last decade thinking I let my baby girl die.”

Her voice was wavering as she prepared to completely ruin the only friendship she had left. “Spending years thinking everybody is out to kill your kid fucks with your head, Devin, please keep this in mind. Remember how I left to study soul compatibility at Skaia Tech? The project I was assigned to was to study the perfect meister/weapon team. Flawless compatibility, easy resonance: it was all artificial of course, human souls by nature can’t be 100% perfect for one another. When I quit to stay home with the girls, I kept up that research to the best of my abilities. I don’t know whether I made an error or whether the whole idea is just impossible but… I fucked up. I tried it on Rose.”

"I'm sorry he did that. But in honesty, it's best h did. If he couldn't love them, it may have ended with her never getting the chance to run." Listening to her go on to Rose, she sounded like the girl who attacked Dirk. But sure not?

He interrupted her,"Is Rose capable of infecting others with a parasitic form of  her weapon?" If she was, Lord Death needed to know. But he'd vouched Ruby's innocence and knowledge of how to fix it

Bro was still her loyal hound dog that slept  her porch, the only thing that caused question to his loyalty was the fact he ad more student's  to look after.

Once there, Ruby unlocked the front door, alerting the black cat curled up on the back of a couch. “Jaspers was Rose’s cat back in the day. She loved him until the day she wasn’t Rose anymore. And maybe even then some.”

For the past decade or so Bro Strider has raised Dave and Dirk, gotten a job at DWMA, and not forgotten his former meister.

His old meister had been someone he related to and enjoyed being around. He hadn’t found one to ‘replace’ her.

Walking to a local bar, not to drink but to listen in on the gossip, he went in side and placed himself upon a barstool.

She thought about Devin from time to time, and all it ever did was make her sad. She had a great life in Death City with him, yet she gave it up in a heartbeat to go back to New York. Sure, her life was fine at first, but it was such a stark contrast between then and now

"I mean, bar life is nice and all, but there are better jobs avalible. For a girl of your stature." Though she was his elder by a few years he’d always called her Lalonde or girl. At first as a sign of rebellion. Then a sign of mock respect. Then of friendship.

She leaned against the bar, pretending to wipe it down so her boss wouldn’t yell at her. “Far too much for me to summarize.” Or think about really. The wall of liquor bottles was starting to look pretty good.

"As for missing me that's the same for you. No one else has been able to use me. Those that could I didn't like." He said. Still the loyal pitbull that only looked tough.

For the past decade or so Bro Strider has raised Dave and Dirk, gotten a job at DWMA, and not forgotten his former meister.

His old meister had been someone he related to and enjoyed being around. He hadn’t found one to ‘replace’ her.

Walking to a local bar, not to drink but to listen in on the gossip, he went in side and placed himself upon a barstool.

She thought about Devin from time to time, and all it ever did was make her sad. She had a great life in Death City with him, yet she gave it up in a heartbeat to go back to New York. Sure, her life was fine at first, but it was such a stark contrast between then and now

"I mean, bar life is nice and all, but there are better jobs avalible. For a girl of your stature." Though she was his elder by a few years he'd always called her Lalonde or girl. At first as a sign of rebellion. Then a sign of mock respect. Then of friendship.