LIONHEARTED ;

     being a sibling, whether older or younger, always instills some sort of an instinct in a person the moment a connection is made. whether close in age or separated by years, siblings share a feeling of familiarity & comfort unrivaled by any other relationship in the world. ruby & yang were bonded through love found within a hardship. she was the person ruby had been able to count on while growing up with a dysfunctional family, something that singled her out amongst other kids her age. that connection alone makes all the fear of not knowing where yang was overflow from her heart just by meeting her sister’s gaze.

     she hadn’t realized just how much she worried until she was confronted by it.

          ‘ i … i do, ‘ she murmurs, exhaling a shaky breath. it’s not a surprise to know yang was wishing just as she was. though their individual drives pushed them towards similar yet divergent goals, yang & ruby had always shared the desire to protect what was most important. that drive was the only thing that kept both of them sane when they had to learn to grow up sooner than anticipated.

     her body involuntarily shivers as the gust of wind blows past & up the back of her cloak, seeping into her clothes through folds & stitching until she felt as if she would freeze in place. she burrows her head further into the curve of yang’s neck, seeking out her warmth as she moved them out of the elements.

     even as they find themselves situated on the couch inside, ruby doesn’t release her hold on yang, fearing she may just disappear in a puff of smoke the moment her arms released her. ruby instead keeps herself situated atop yang’s lap.

          ‘ just by three or four months, i think, ‘ she chuckles, sniffling as her face pulls away from yang’s neck. ruby bumps her forehead gently against yang’s as she attempts to make eye contact. ‘ i know, i know. i just … i really missed you. ‘

     her body shifts slightly, almost squirming as an uncomfortable thought slithers & coils through her mind. ‘ i didn’t know if i would ever see you again. i mean, uncle qrow said you might be here since i was here & weiss is here, & blake, & even ozpin —— & i swear i looked around, but i couldn’t find you.

          ‘ i thought you might’ve gotten hurt, or — or lost, or something bad happened that made you not come with us. sometimes i thought … i thought you might not wanna be around again. i-i’m sorry. ‘ she makes an attempt to wipe at the excess wetness flowing from her eyes, heel of her hand rubbing skin near-raw. ‘ i love you, yang. ‘

     three months. this hits yang hard. the mere thought of her getting by in a place where loneliness & nostalgia seem to walk hand in hand grips at the dragon’s heart, & suddenly it’s almost too much to bear. few are the times in which her resolve falters, yearning for a more tender, vulnerable display of her self... however, allowing herself to be faulty after such period of nothing but absence is a luxury yang cannot afford.

     it’s a miracle how she manages to draw breath through the tightening knot in her throat. panic can be stealthy & it’s there right underneath your skin before you can do anything about it. her grip moves to ruby’s shoulders, grabbing onto them, her eyes filled with nothing but desperation as she tugs at the knot in her throat.

          ‘ i’m sorry ! ! ’  filled to the brim with guilt, the cup finally spills,  ‘ . . .if i knew you were waiting— if i knew you needed me here, i—— ’  a pause. a grip on her own soul as she realizes just how absurd she sounds.

     to fall back into that type of mindset after treading the long & straining path of recovery feels like smudging a painting you’ve worked to restore. self - sabotaging at its best. yang grimaces, an expression that lasts only but a second before fading away. a deep & well needed breath is drawn as she gets a hold of her emotions, freeing the poor girl’s shoulders in the process.

          ‘ it’s alright. ’  resting her forehead on ruby’s shoulder felt like a solace for the turbulent mind coming from a high.  ‘ i’m really sorry you had to go through this without me. it must’ve been scary. ’  her voice is soft. it holds nothing but concern, ridden of any and all intent of prodding at the other’s fears, it is here solely to convey love.  ‘ but i’m fine. we’re fine. i’m here now. ’

     making up for the words ruby didn’t get that day will be a lifetime thing, yang is well aware of that. to not feel wanted, that’s something yang can relate to an uncomfortable level, which makes it all more painful to be the one responsible for what ruby experienced. well, one day at a time. the damage can’t be undone, but yang will make sure to never let that happen again for as long as she draws yet another breath.

          ‘ i missed you so much. ’  she laughs into her shoulder.  ‘ it’s silly. i was just there with you on the ship, but——  i guess i can feel it through you. weird. guess it’s a sister thing. ’  she pulls back a little. and albeit dim, her smile is sincere. then, with her own sleeve, she proceeds to wipe her sister’s tears away; those never matched her, anyway.

Pale greys and stark whites have been the only colors which dominated the snowy horizon. Most days the sun was hidden behind thick clouds, dimming the sun’s rays. Even so, Winter was all but accustomed to the landscape, after all, she was from the coldest continent in Remnant.  All Eidolon was missing from its skies were floating islands and airships. 

And now in the monochromatic scene, entered a bright and lively beam of yellow. 

It was hard for Winter to hold back a laugh as she watched the girl awkwardly make her way over across the ice. “Not to worry, you’re not being creepy at all. I’m surprised that you recognized me, here of all places.” 

There was no mistake — she must be the one and only Yang Xiao Long that Winter had heard much about from her dear sister. The last time she was in Beacon, the specialist was only two teammates away from meeting all of team RWBY. 

“At last we meet, Yang. Yes yes, I’m Winter. It’s wonderful to finally meet you, and to see you here as well. How’ve you been finding things here?”

          ' glad you think so! i know, it’s kinda crazy actually, at first glance i totally thought you were weiss, but ‘yknow... you’re like, tall. ’ taller than yang, actually. she can’t help smiling at the height comment, though. if weiss were to know about that... oh no, she doesn’t even want to think about it.  ‘ er, we can keep this detail between us, right? ’

there’s no masking her bewilderment when the specialist seems know exactly who she is, and yet all she can do for a moment is blink in awe. at least they can skip the introduction step.

  The only thing that would make this scene more embarrassing for the poor girl is if Joshua was staring at her and taking a sip of coffee. Unfortunately, he finished his drink before wandering back towards the bunkhouses, thus rendering him to only watching her try and fumble her way out of an embarrassing situation.

  Considering this all gives him a flashback to his first day here, Joshua could understand if any feeling of sympathy swelled. Unfortunately, her attempts to try and excuse something as simple as falling on ice only makes an amused smile creep onto his lips.

  “ If you’re going to take a break in the snow, I would suggest more appropriate clothing so you don’t get hypothermia, ” Joshua comments. He has no room to talk, really; he got here and didn’t think about picking up his current wardrobe until over 24 hours later. “ Freezing to death where everyone will see it wouldn’t do well for anyone, hm? ”

  Is he going to offer a hand to help her up? Nope, he’s just going to pick up the shovel and stick it into the snow pile near her so she can help herself up.

     oh, great! that’s not embarrassing at all. not only she’s not getting any help, but also, she’s being judged big time. an audible sighs whisked past her lips before putting on the brightest of smiles.

          ‘ well. . . ’  taking another deep breath, she reaches for the shovel for leverage before pulling herself up; and though those are some really ungraceful few seconds, she manages.  ‘ maybe i made peace with the cold weather. maybe i like it and don’t really need warmer clothes. maybe laying on this beautiful blanket of white helps me clear my mind. but you wouldn’t know that, would ya? ’  

     no, not here without semblance. she can’t be the local toasty girl anymore. but that doesn’t stop her from posing like the human heater she wishes she were here.

blake had slowly grown used to wishful thinking again, with the help of her team that did anything but lose hope and especially with a partner like Yang around - even in her most dire moments, the thought in the back of Blake’s mind, however fleeting it was; ‘what would Yang do’, and it even applied to her current situation. to be ripped away from the blonde once again, even if it was her own will, fate never worked in a linear way - it was unpredictable and inescapable …

       but worries wash away when you’re here

“ yang! “ had she already said the other’s name? who cares. it’s nice to say, rolling off her tongue like second nature at this point. an expression of confusion becomes one of delight, leaning into Yang’s touch like it’s the most natural thing to do - and it is, in a way. 

a stray hand finds itself seeking one of the blondes’ own, finding comfort in the proximity and touch, fingers lacing together loosely whilst amber hues continue to look up, appreciating the brawler more and more with each passing moment - which she never thought could be possible.

 “ I’m fine, I promise, a lot better now that I know you’re here - it felt like only yesterday when I last saw you but also really, really long at the same time. wouldn’t recommend that feeling - “ said in jest but of course there’s an underlying anxiousness, just how much time had passed between their time on that airship and their arrival here - everything is all so vivid, their travels, their hushed tones … their battles.

     and then comes the question she didn’t really want to answer, but it wouldn’t be fair to Yang if she didn’t.

  “ I’m sorry … I should’ve worded it better. it’s more like Ozpin is here, we spoke earlier, I don’t know if Oscar is in there or if he’s gone but - I hope he’s okay. “ 

ears flatten and eyes cast downward, onto her sketch pad for a few moments, she knows the other’s feelings concerning Ozpin and she can’t say the feeling isn’t mutual. it’s a very touchy subject for them all, something she doesn’t really want to approach when there are nicer things to talk about, like the two of them, as selfish as it sounded.

   “ how’re you holding up though? have you been here long? i’m sad I only just managed to catch you but better late than never “ that’s code for, let’s make up for lost time, please.

     it’s not sudden at all, but yang finds herself thinking about how simply existing here might not be such a chore anymore. it’s like she had quite literally found the last piece missing in this puzzle. so, even if she has a duty to carry on back home, she feels like the great white can finally be the break they all so desperately needed.

     laced fingers and skipping heartbeats. lilacs falls to their hands,a smile tugging at her lips as she’s overcome with a sense of utmost comfort. it could be years from now, and yang is sure shell never not feel red creeping on her cheeks at these little moments they share together.

     the nervousness within brunette’s tone doesn’t go unnoticed, to which she addresses by giving her hand a gentle and reassure squeeze with her own. it’s a shared sentiment. 

         ‘ talk about it. i was wondering when you were gonna show up. ’  she says with utmost conviction, certain that blake would come around at some point; it was just a matter of time & trust.  ‘ . . .i’m glad the waiting time is over now. ’

     though there is a shift threatening to burst their bubble from the very inside, yang does her best to remain neutral & swallow her opinions dancing on the tip of her tongue to keep their peace intact. this is their moment & she would rather not letting an old man ruin it, plus it’s not like they can’t touch this subject later on, so....

          ‘ i’m fine, really. specially with you here. but i could really do without all the snow & cold, though. ’  and that’s another shared sentiment right there, knowing blake is from a warmer climate and all.  ‘ i think a month, give or take a few more days. you kind of lose track of time here if you’re not careful enough. ’  she’s missing all the thrill, but still glad there’s some semblance of rest going on here.

     not being able to serve as a human heater is the least of her problems. back in to their latest trip in remnant, the only thing keeping the brawler from shaking like a leaf was her semblance, it also prevented her from getting frostbite; so living here in the great white is just a big gamble. the longer she stays outside, the worse, so this is the perfect time to move this conversation elsewhere.

          “ above you! “

          peace isn’t something that knows how to stay around, flighty and unpredictable as it is. though, he would have preferred if it waited just a bit longer before everything had to go to hell. just what was the cause of this anomaly? from what he’s been told, the weather had played a part in it… but no one had expected it to descend into this kind of madness at such a rate. 

          he doesn’t have time to question it right now, especially when all hands are on deck in attempts to stave off this impeding threat. it’s just been one after the other, over and over and over again. he doesn’t know how many he’s had to fight off. he’s tired, but not tired enough to forgive himself if he turned his head away from this chaos.

          it’s easy enough to kick the creature away once he’s gotten a good enough foothold to force them away, the wizard landing deftly on his feet next to his companion. 

          “ my apologies for interrupting. “ ozpin says slowly, spinning the grip of his cane so that the end is facing outwards. “ are you alright, miss xiao long? “ with a sickening crack, the whistle slumps back into place, rising from the snow with a guttural moan. he can’t help but draw his eyebrows together at the sight– how disgusting. just like home, right? 

          “ i have to ask for your strength, just for now. “ already the noise has drawn another creature closer, uninjured and breathing out a cruel tone. “ if i manage to give you an opening, could you finish them off? “

( @solisdraco, it’s nice seeing you around here. )

     how many had it been by now? yang tried counting them, in fact, it was even a little entertaining to keep a count. but as weariness seeped through her muscles and bones, yang quickly lost track of her score. as long as the village - their current haven - was safe, then she’d keep on fighting until she couldn’t. which proved to be a rather straining task without her familiar weapons or powers. well... she’s a huntress, and adapting to the most dreadful situations is what she signed up for. rolling over now of all times surely wasn’t in her plans - she would come out victorious no matter what.

even if it meant teaming up with him.

     yang takes a few deep breaths, watching as the whistle contorted back in place. it’s disgusting. it’s familiar. and yang wants it gone. there’s effort in how she refrained from smirking at the first question, so she doesn’t even bothered answering, nodding instead as she gripped tighter around the ax’s hilt - which really isn’t a weapon she’d love to use again, but sometimes you just have to make do with what you have. 

Some days are just harder than others.

Brooding’s the only thing Qrow is really managing to accomplish, sitting there at the bar in the tavern. These days he usually gives the place plenty of leeway, but today for some godsdamn reason, part of his brain told him it’d be a good ‘exercise in willpower against temptation’. Half an hour later, he grumpily realizes it’s the same part of his brain just looking for an excuse to fall back into the habit. 

Whatever. With a sigh, the man downs another glass of water. At least he’s hydrating. Staying here for too long though just seems like an extremely bad idea. Honestly, the bird doesn’t know why he hasn’t left yet, except the annoying inner voice insisting they imbibe something after making it all the way here. When the door opens, then, and he hears a familiar voice calling out, Qrow considers it the first bit of good luck he’s had in a while.

“Oof.”

He can barely turn around in time to see Yang pulling him into tight hug. Hah, these girls and their hugs- “Woah there Firecracker, I’m still using these ribs you know,” the grin on his face and humor in his voice undermines the complaint completely. He returns the hug, hand squeezing one of her shoulders in the process. “It’s good to see you too.” She’s back.

His niece sits down next to him, still smiling, and suddenly just sitting there a while longer doesn’t feel as dangerous or heavy as it did a few minutes ago. Guess that’s family for you. Qrow shrugs.

“It sure seems like they are huh? Course I guess a lot of us have plenty to wish for these days,” he replies with a sigh, before deciding not to weigh down this reunion any further than that. “But I’m managing alright. This place takes some getting used to, as I’m sure you’re finding out already.” He scratches the back of his neck. “As for how long I’ve been here-” now that takes a moment of thinking or two- “Little over 4 months now.”

A hand goes back to reach for his glass of water, before realizing it’s still empty. Eh, he’ll ask for a refill in a minute. Instead, he rests his jaw on his fist. 

“So when did you get here?”

     a hearty laughter escapes the brawler as she freed the other from her trademark spine crushing hug. hey, she’s just really happy, okay? it’s funny. for someone who dreamed of a life filled with thrill away of dull days, yang often caught herself wishing for a break of sorts where, as brief as it’d be, she wouldn’t feel like her heart was about to burst. alas, wishing is what brought them all here in the first place, so she can’t ask for more - much less from a god.

          ‘ oops! was that a crack i heard? if i were you i’d get that checked out, wouldn’t want to get crunchy here of all places. ’  though age comes for everyone, but yang opts for that rare spare, for now at least.

     lilacs fall to his hand, following to his glass - what is that ? knowing her uncle, she wouldn’t be impressed if the contents of it were... well, the usual. but things happened in their journey, so much that it warranted him the benefit of doubt just this once. ‘ lute! can you get my uncle here a refill? oh, and a warm drink for me. anything will do. ’

          ‘ four months, huh? ’  jarring. it didn’t take long for yang to realize that time flows differently here, ruby explained it, but it’s still a lot to grasp.  ‘ only a few days, actually. sorry for making you wait, i hope you didn’t get too lonely, though. ’   she wonders why it took her so long to arrive. in a way, she kept everyone waiting, even if it’s something beyond her control, yang can’t help but hope she was there for everyone’s who’s been stranded here. specially in a place like this where loneliness is more tangible than ever.

     though young herself, ruby knows quite well how cruel & unforgiving both the world & the gods could be to the mortals which walk across their expanse of creation, within their experimentation with life & death & the existence of all things. diadem, it seems, smiles upon her once again & sees fit to reunite her with family. there is a warmth in her heart now, growing, a feeling that had long since grown cold with absence. ‘ you can’t believe it ?! i could say the same thing about you ! ‘

     ruby clings like her life depends on it, & for a moment she thinks it just might. now that she’s begun to bask in the warmth of the sun after months of wondering if it would ever return to her life, ruby isn’t sure she has the strength inside herself to let go. so she clings & she clutches, fingers grasping onto any bit of fabric around yang’s form that she can in order to keep herself anchored. she begins to feel the subtle sting of tears behind her eyes, though it’s mirth & not mourning that bubbles from between her lips like the fizz from sparkling sodas.

          ‘ yang, what are you doing here ? ‘ she asks, hoping her sibling can give her a better explanation than she had given herself upon meetings with others familiar to her own world. they were wanderers, wishing for things greater than they could receive back home.

     ruby sniffles. her cheek rubs against yang’s shoulder as her arms readjust & loop tighter around yang’s torso. even her legs have wrapped around elder’s waist, no longer plagued with the pain of a blunt object nearly crushing her toes. whatever yang’s explanation was, ruby didn’t really care to investigate deeply into it now amidst the range of emotions they shared between the threshold of yang’s bunkhouse.

          ‘ gods, it’s really you, ‘ she whispers into the crook of yang’s neck. ‘ it’s you, it’s you, it’s really you. ‘

          the relief is short-lived. it quickly turns into something else, sinking down her self & uncomfortably settle in the pits of her stomach like a rock. it stirs, violently bubbling up, surfacing as raw & unabashed worry for her little sister. what happened ? her mind races, aggressively revisiting their many years spent together, searching a memory that could rival with the anguish pouring out of that open wound. none. she can’t recall anything.

          anxiety closes at her throat with a tight grip. she fends it off, tries keeping it at bay by clutching the other. but all it takes to destroy the dragon is the passing thought of this heartache being prevented by simply being there for ruby. but she wasn’t & things clearly happened. is she even useful at this point?

         she manages a sigh, though shaky and an almost-like a painful noise, it is enough to anchor yang for a moment. this is not the time for self-worth issues, or the place to doubt their bond; they’re sisters, and nothing in this world could ever change that. yang doesn’t wipe her tears away, not does she masks her pain. instead, she seeks solace and comfort on her sister’s shoulder, making sure her grip is tight enough so they wouldn’t topple over. it’s alright, you little red panda.

            ‘ you know why i’m here. ’ wishing. she’s wishing for strength. to protect ruby. to protect everyone - even if it’s an impossible and unfair wish. it doesn’t matter. yang would accept this power in a heartbeat if given the chance to. so she’d fight for it. she thinks ruby knows, after all, no one knows her like ruby does.

          yang takes a deep breath, eyes stinging with tears, she plants her feet firmly onto the ground as a gust of wind threatens her balance. they were so caught in the moment that caring about something as the weather really didn’t occur her until now. so, slowly, she retreats back to where it’s warm an safe, carrying ruby into her bunkhouse. settling on the rustic couch covered in blankets and pelts, yang can’t help but feel those words sinking into her skin once more.

@solisdraco !!

amber hues continue to fixate onto the scenery ahead, barren and filled with white - Blake finds herself sat on a log, neatly perched with a pad an pencil in hand sketching out the local wildlife, in particular, a few jackalopes had congregated around some strategically placed food. if it wasn’t so cold this would be almost serene.

   though she resigns to the fact the cold will always creep up on her here in the form of casual shivers and numbing fingertips, the Faunus finds comfort in the peace that surrounds this place and almost becomes lost in thought, her hand working on autopilot from sketching out jackalopes to doing a brief outline of the blonde that happened to walk into the scene.

emphasis on the almost -

ears are quick to perk up and eyes narrow in suspicion, though all the more quickly to widen on the realization on who it is -

     “ … Yang? “ of course the tone holds a degree of surprise, still remaining quiet and soft despite her excitement - she really didn’t want to scare of her models after all. but here her partner was, after everything, she was still here and the instant relief that encompassed Blake was overwhelming, to say the least -

“ We really are never too far away from one another, huh? “ the trademark smirk is back and her pad is set down, if only for the moment, “ Have you seen Ruby or Weiss yet? – Oh and Oscar … It’s really weird, in a comforting way, to be together here. “

          yang didn’t dare say it out loud. hoping for someone as important as her partner to be here meant being selfish, & though she was more than just homesick, the dragon knew remnant needs its heroes now more than ever before. still, the thought lurked in the back of her mind whenever her guard’s down; memories of recent events playing on repeat as she navigated about her daily life in the great white. wondering about her whereabouts, hoping for her safety, & wishing her nothing but well.

         it is when she’s collecting resources for a merchant that it happens. for a moment yang feels like a deer in headlights, paralyzed, unable to do anything else but stare. was that a figment of her imagination? if so, wouldn’t be the first time something like that happened. but she looks so real & there. yang exhales, dropping the materials she’d be scavenging for the last few hours whilst approaching her partner.

     ‘ . . .blake ! ’  & it’s like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders, a bright smile tugging at her lips as she takes her partner’s hands; to make sure she’s real. ‘ hah, i guess. that’s what partners are for, right? ’ 

          her hands trails up blake’s arms for a moment before pulling back. despite how thrilled she may be feeling at the moment, she wouldn’t want to overwhelm the other.

          it’s not like yang expected her stay at the great white to be an ocean of roses the entire time, but out of all evil doers she’s aware of, she didn’t expect to see mercury; even though he did leave a mark of sorts in her life. even thinking about him leaves a bitter taste in her mouth & it feels like a bad omen - that worse things are coming up. after all, they’re never seen solo.

          a little voice in the back of her mind urges her to confront him, to drop everything she’s doing & just knock him cold now that he’s on his own. that would be fair after all the crap he’s pulled on her, right ? absolutely, but she’s grown a lot since then & still taking large strides in  controlling her temper.

          still, she walks over. he must have a wish, otherwise he wouldn’t be here, still, at the very least, yang needs to know if he’s flying solo this time, for the sake of her teammates & family.

          embarrassment aside of almost mistaking weiss for her older sister, this time yang is 100% certain that this is, in fact, her teammate. she looks cozy, as if she truly belonged in this frosty scenario; this isn’t a surprise, though. what strikes her is the fact that she’s here. all of team rwby is here, & though this greatly eases her mind about their whereabouts, it also makes her wonder: why ?

         all this wondering certainly can and will wait for a more appropriate time. for she’s totally going behind weiss for a dirty sneaky attack that, mind you,  would’ve worked just fine if she hadn’t slipped and grabbed onto the other to soften her fall. yeah, there they go right into the snow. way to go yang.

         being the type of person who always attempted seeing the bright side of things, it was exceptionally difficult for yang to accept how often she’s been complaining ever since she’d arrived. the cold? unforgiving & relentless. most of her teammates’s statuses? unknown. her prosthetic arm? messed up. not to mention how unforgiving this weather is, despite stocking up on proper clothing, yang still feels the frostbite right around the corner; she can’t stay out for too long, & therefore feeling like a burden to the locals. if only there was some dust to help balance out the arm situation... alas, that must be too much to ask from a god.

          though every outside task is complete with certain hastiness, yang feels slightly better about herself every time; it’s all she can do for now. & so after dumping quite the generous amount of firewood behind the tavern, she quickly gets in to warm up.

    ‘ hey lute! i brought some more firewood. it’s in the ba-- ’

yang blinks, mouth agape. there’s no mistaking the one and only--

          yang blinks in surprise. though the huntress looks like she’s exactly where she belongs, yang still didn’t think she would meet winter here. i mean, of all places it had to be in another world, right ? 

         though she’s never seen the other before, there’s just no denying the resemblance, in fact, yang almost mistook her for weiss; a passing thought that was promptly destroyed the moment she realized how tall the other is. weiss, sweetie, you gotta start drinking your milk...

         yeah, this isn’t a familiar face, but it’s someone familiar to remnant, & well... weiss is family, so it’s worth a shot. this better be winter, otherwise this would end up on a really embarrassing note.

    ‘ oh dad, you’re so full of bull’... blah blah blah, “ be a good kid and go shovel  ” he said ! “ exercising always makes you feel better ” HE. SAID. ’ her every word is punctuated by an aggressive swing of her shovel. 

          though manual labor was never been a problem for yang, it’d certainly help if she had the appropriate gear for this weather; her boots were still the same, in fact, all of her outfit was the same, save for a furred coat tossed over her shoulders. to everyone’s surprise, she’s still not frozen, for whatever reason it may be... what isn’t a surprise, however, is how she ungracefully slips on ice & lands on a pile of snow. if only her humiliation had stopped there -- she hears someone approaching.

     even in the blistering winds that chilled foreign residents of eidolon to the very bone, ruby can’t say she was bothered by the task of delivering firewood to other bunkhouses in the village. even in the middle of a mild snowstorm. she’d chopped down so much on her own, there was an overabundance back at her own cabin, & she & her bunk mates couldn’t find enough space to justify keeping so much of it on hand while it wasn’t necessary. the bright, shining paragon of virtue she was at her core, ruby saw it necessary to distribute a small portion of her stockpile to the neighboring villagers. ( some might be unable to do the physical labor on their own, she reasoned with herself, while others might have been busy with other duties. or perhaps, they were just too shaken to even try. ruby could understand the perspective, & as always pressed forward for the sake of others’ well-being. )

          ‘ hellooo – !! firewood delivery ! ‘ her knuckles rap against the door as other hand’s fingers loop through the thick twine holding a bundle of wood together. ruby looks away just as the door creeks open to make sure it’s secured properly, then lifts it with three fingers, much like a handbag. ‘ sorry to bother you, eheh. i’ve got a lot of left over firewood me & my bunk mates aren’t using right now, & we’ve got plenty for ourselves, so i’m just coming to drop – ‘

     her eyes finally connect with the lilac gaze intensely focused on her. a lilac gaze that’s all too familiar, & one ruby thought she might never see again, especially in this village. silver eyes widen instantly, & her fingers dramatically splay outwards in surprise, slipping from beneath the twine. ‘ y-yang !! ‘ the bundle of firewood lands right on her foot in the midst of her realization, & ruby suddenly yelps in pain, grabbing onto the appendage as she begins to hop in place on the other. ‘ ow, ow – !! gah. ‘ / @solisdraco.

          frustration is an old friend the dragon is more than familiar with, so deeply rooted within that any attempt on suppressing would certainly turn into a waste of time. the shock of finding herself stranded in a place coated in blinding white - at first she thought something had happened to their ship, that she was imagining things, that there are no such things as wishes granted by gods. no, that’s impossible. & that’s how she knows this isn’t remnant. eidolon... what a joke.

          attached to frustration's hip lives worry, seeping from her energy as the dying fire danced in front of lilacs, completely transfixed by it. a dying flame. looking around, she searches for wood & finds not even a tiny piece of wood lying around. now that she thinks about it, she hasn’t seen anyone until now & the bunkhouse is completely desert as of now. maybe she should go out & get some herself & even look for the teammates, her family. would they be here? or is that wistful thinking? it isn’t often yang feels gloomy or hopeless, but now --

          yang nearly jumps out of her skin. not because the knocks are loud or unexpected, but because that voice strung so close to her memory that there is no mistaking it. within a heartbeat she stands by the door, swinging it close as she prays for this to be real.