𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖉 𝕽𝖔𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖊.

when tai returned, summer felt qrow guide her to go sit down, and she followed him quietly, waiting for either of them to elaborate on what she'd asked. sal--she had told her things, here and there, but she often lied or over-exaggerated things to get a reaction out of her. to this day, summer did not know what was true and what was a lie. but when qrow spoke, when he uttered the words she'd been most afraid of hearing -- she could swear she felt her heart stop beating.

" no, " summer shook her head, unable to stop the tears that spilled over. they couldn't have. did they know ? did they know that she could not be killed ? was ozpin letting them march to their deaths the same way he'd allowed her to ? we're qrow and tai allowing them to risk their lives, after seeing what had happened to summer herself ? " she -- she was ... she was right ? " she'd mentioned the fall to summer, yang's loss of her arm. but surely it was a lie. it couldn't have -- it shouldn't have --

but qrow never lied.

summer sobbed, letting herself collapse in her husband's arms. she cried, & cried, & cried, like her daughters were already dead. " she can't be killed. she can't -- " her voice hiccuped, her hands shakily hitting against qrow's chest. " ozpin, he -- he knows. he knows she can't be killed & he's letting them go after her. " summer's breathing stilled, then. a new thought came into her mind. she pulled back, trying her hardest to meet her husband's and teammate's eyes.

QROW'S HEART ACHED LIKE IT DID THE DAY HE HAD LOST HER THE MOMENT SHE BROKE DOWN INTO SOBS. It squeezed within his chest, a coil tightening around it with each frantic beat, like Salem herself was reaching into his body and gripping it with her hateful hands. His arms stayed wrapped around Summer as she sobbed, as her fists beat weakly against his chest. The last thing he ever wanted was to hear her cry like this, but he knew the moment that he got that call about her... that this was going to be the result of her learning the truth. Part of him felt responsible, as it always did, his Semblance was a curse on not only himself, but the people he loved. A Harbinger of Bad Luck. The reason those around him were sent into constant turmoil.

Taiyang hung his head, his hands gripped together so tight his knuckles were whitening. He kept his breathing as even as he could, licking his lips as he listened to Summer wail like their daughters were already dead. Maybe that was the appropriate response, but he didn't want to believe that Ruby and Yang would die for a cause they thought they couldn't win. The retired hunter's body went ice cold, the chill rushing through veins that were usually piping hot. Salem can't be... And Ozpin knew..? He knew he didn't have all the information, but he wanted to trust Ozpin, he had to, because he was the only one who knew what they were all up against.

But maybe that was a mistake. He had lost Raven because of Ozpin, he lost Summer because of Ozpin, was he really going to lose his daughters because of him too ?

Qrow, however, tried his hardest to keep his breath even. He met Summer's eyes when she looked at him, black brows furrowing slightly, " We... The girls and I didn't find out until we were already on our way to Lionheart. Tai didn't know anything until just now, I haven't had the time to tell fill him in. I went straight to you, " he exhaled the breath he didn't realize he was holding, moving his hands to try and hold Summer's, " Oz kept all of us in the dark about Salem. He... He's away right now, if that's even the best way to put it. It's... a little hard to explain, but if you want to hear it... I'll try my best. "

The blond's heart thundered in his ears as he listened, his teammates words being drowned out almost entirely. Before he could rationally think, he shot up from his seat, fists clenched at his sides, " Did you even try and convince the girls to come home, Qrow ? Or did you abandon them to figure it out on their own ? " He knew he wasn't being fair. He knew that, and yet... " They should be home, right now. God, I know you're reckless, Qrow, but-- "

" They all decided to still go after Salem, " the dusty old crow interrupted, looking up at Tai's angry features, " I know it's hard to accept, for both of you, but they are still willing to try. Right now... they're working with some very capable people, alongside their friends, because they know that Salem can't be dealt with alone. I wouldn't... " his throat tightened, pale red eyes moving to Summer, " I would never let them put themselves in danger if they really couldn't defeat her. I need you to trust me. Them. I want to believe that they can... finally defeat Salem. "

Everyone had feared the worst upon hearing the news that the winter maiden had been taken by Salem's forces. After everything that had happened, to lose yet another valuable asset had been a huge blow.

But to Ruby, it was losing another friend.

She'd burst into tears upon first hearing the news. She already knew that being a maiden was dangerous, but Gale was still a little kid. Even younger than her when she'd started at Beacon. To be experiencing such horrors...

So when Gale miraculously reappeared again, alive and well, Ruby had immediately given her the tightest hug she could.

"You're okay!!!" Ruby spun the little owl faunus as she held her close. "Oh gods, Gale, we were so worried!"

She soon put the little maiden down and knelt to be closer to her level. She knew Gale wasn't the most talkative, but the huntress was full of questions. "How did you escape?!"

Gale said nothing in reply. She simply pointed to the person standing behind her, and only then was Ruby finally made aware of their presence. She stood, lifted her head... and froze.

She was older now. Horrifically injured. Yet it was unmistakable.

Words remained caught in Ruby’s throat as she struggled to say anything. She had to be dreaming... right?

HEARING THAT HER PRECIOUS GIRLS WERE LOST MADE HER HEART CLENCH, BUT SEEING THE MEMORIALS BUILT TO THEM HURT MORE SOMEHOW. Summer saved the young Winter Maiden, Gale, but she still failed to save and protect her own daughters. She wept to Qrow about it several times over, often until she fell asleep. She fought to stay alive, fought to keep her own maiden powers with her so Salem couldn't torment another person, only for her whole reasons for fighting to disappear from her life the second she got it back. The months went on however. She got her hair cut short again, the style similar to how it was when she first entered the Grimm's belly, her facial scar on display alongside her tarnished, blind eye. She had gotten used to walking around with half her vision ages ago, but even her left eye was blurry and dark around the edges. She supposed she could look into getting some kind of Atlas-made glasses like Maria had, but that would have to wait for a very long time.

A few more months went by before team RWBY and Jaune reappeared in Remnant. When she heard the news, it felt like Summer was hit hard in the chest by several large Grimm, the air escaping her lungs in one fell swoop. Her eyes burned hot with tears despite her efforts to blink them away over and over again. Wrapped in a new stark white cloak, the huntress grasped onto her husband's hand and followed him to where everyone was meeting. Ruby looked so much more grown up than she could have ever imagined. She wasn't soiled by the never-ending war against Salem in the same way other's had been, but maybe that was because of her genetics. Her destiny. Summer squeezed Qrow's hand when Gale pointed towards her and Ruby's pristine silver eyes landed on her.

Another thing that almost knocked Summer to her knees, but she gazed at her daughter in awe, licking her drying lips as tears stung her eyes once more, " Oh, my precious Petal... " the mother's voice trembled slightly as she addressed Ruby, her hand abandoning the hunter's as she rushed to wrap her arms tightly around Ruby, a hand placed on the back of her head, cradling her close like the young girl was the one who needed comfort the most, " I've missed you so much. " She squeezed her, tears falling onto the top of Ruby's own cloak, the woman sniffling softly. She fit so perfectly in her arms, ones that had been empty and barren for over a decade, desperate to wrap her girls up, even if it was the last time all over again.

" Look at you, " Summer pulled back slightly, cupping the girl's face between her hands, thumbs brushing over her cheeks, " you've grown up so well, Ruby, " she took a moment to brush her fingers through the girl's hair, smiling with something between an amused chuckle and an amused scoff, " you look more like your father with this haircut. " But it suited her well.

" TUBE ROT " the irreversible physical or chemical degradation of the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) in vintage TVs. It most commonly refers to phosphor decay, resulting in a distorted or ruined picture.

TUBEROT is a DEAD DOVE. DO NOT EAT private program featuring horrors, villains and exploring the morally grey aspects of humanity. TUBEROT features love, betrayal, heartbreak, manipulation and downright gore.

VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

hosting TUBEROT is NEXUS. born in 1997 with a particular taste for the creepy, the outcasts and the worst of human nature. NEXUS has over 20 years of writing experience and specializes in graphic details. NEXUS has a strict set of RULES that others must read before agreeing to work alongside them. TUBEROT features over 260+ STAR EXTRAS, while having only 16 LEADING CAST MEMBERS. viewers can learn more about some of the cast members through these detailed interviews conducted by NEXUS themself, found here and here.

the most beautiful girl in the world