《The Hidden Secrets (Rwby fanfic)》 Prologue for “The Hidden Secrets” REWRITTEN Secrets are hard to keep when shared out but they become a burden when contained, but in this world secrets are only temporary. ??? P.O.V Hey bro you alright? asked someone who betrayed me ...Yeah Im fine... So why do I always come back to talk with him? Look son, I know I always ask so much from you but Im broken, my legs don''t work, my heart is weak not to mention Im fat and old. So when I ask you to do something please just do it especially when I know you can and your mom isn''t going to do it, okay. cleaning others'' mess again great Okay dad. What do you mean you can''t sleep? Just go lay down on your bed and sleep, hahah! stated the friend who would later nearly accidentally kill me. Mate Its not that simple. I want to sleep but when I try I just can''t, then when I do sleep I don''t want to wake up. probably because your dreams are better than facing reality. WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS MORE THAN YOUR FAMILY! said my sister when she was 7 and I was 9. WhY dO yOu cArE abOut YoUr FriEnDs moRe thAn YouR faMilY! I mockingly asked my sister 7 years later when she tried running away from home because she was grounded for not cleaning her room so she couldn''t have a sleepover. Hey Bro guess what? asked the person I viewed as a brother even though we haven''t talked for nearly 3 years. What? Im going to be a Dad!! WHAT no way! Yeah man, here''s some pictures of the ultrasound, Its going to be a girl!! Really Im so happy for you man do you know when its due Ill definitely visit. Its due in around 6 more months, anyway how have you been? ... Ive been alright just tired. damn hes only 16 and already has a job and now is going to have a kid and wife what am I doing with my life. I was 16 as well. In a room there was a soon to be 21 one year old male sitting on an old but comfortable chair, in an hour he would be 21 currently he was streaming or should I say graduating. The comment section were saying their goodbyes. 45 minutes later he was now sitting alone just giving the final touches to the 3 letters on the table one for his sister another for his brother and the last one to the people that might still potentially remember him. In the last few minutes of his life there wasnt any flash of his entire life, just an unusual amount of clarety and the little amounts of regrets in his life. He also wondered if we would be reborn when he died or maybe be in a different world. Just before he fell asleep he remembered his dads words when they thought the newborn kitten was going to die. As my Dad was staring into the kitten''s eyes he suddenly said you know when you were a child you had eyes of just pure trust and care for life and just everything. 2 days before, me and my friend went to Newcastle only for me to nearly be killed in an alley and while this was happening my friend was just standing there watching me barely trying to interfere. (How did I escape your wondering, well it was quite simple they tried to drag me into the alley but I was able to go and run in a shop asking the manager for help and hiding in the disabled toilets then the police came and brought me home and of course I got the blame for the situation.) Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. As my dad continued I hid my slowly growing anger like always Im just worried for you. You''re always so trusting of everyone so please start using your head and be less trusting of people. Falling asleep but when he turned 21 he died, it was unknown how he knew that he was going to die that night but what little we did find was his shadow reminiscent of a nuclears effect on people when they were too close to the explosion MC P.O.V the body that the soul is in has recently died, his body is similar to when people died from malnourishment. Opening my eyes when I felt that everything was different especially my mind everything just seemed to be clearer, my mind seems to also remember things easter for example Im able to tell what condition my body is in and It seems Im now way younger Im around 3 nearly 4 years old though it seems harder to recall this bodies memories and everytime I try too theres just loud shouting leaving me with excruciatingly painful head-achs. As I tried to move I realised that Im in some sort of bag, maybe a body bag since Im completely naked and seem to be malnourished as Im just a skeleton right now not so different to my original body though how did the brain survive it''s the body meant to eat itself from fat to muscle and more? and it is true I had plenty of food but just rarely ate leaving me looking like a skeleton with barely any muscle''s. As I tried finding where the end of the zip was using my hands and feet I found that the zip is at the top of my head and was just barely able to open it as I was starting to lose the little amount of breathable air left in the bag. Thankfully somebody else opened the bag for me wait somebody else shit... looking at the other person it revealed that the prison Im looking at is a younger Roman motherfucking Torchwick. Roman Torchwick is someone from the RWBY series. A tall and well-toned male with orange hair, short haircut with a weft of his hair covered his right eye. With his dark green eyes, he looked at me with a light smirk as if he were plotting something. He was wearing a black turtleneck with a grey ascot tied around his neck. He also wore a white trench coat which consisted of only three black buttons and the coat had a black collar to it. It contrasted from his dark pants and dark dress shoes. On top of his head was a black bowler that had a thin crimson-coloured lining. After a few seconds of him plotting something, he suddenly points his cane at me and threateningly says You work for me now and well if you try to refuse Im sure you can tell what will happen. Roman says before his cane glows red at the tip and an iron-sight pops out. Seeing no other answer than to accept I nodded and shakily got up and used the body bag to cover my private parts by wrapping it around my body. C-canca-n I a-ask what yo-our na-ame is? I tried saying before finding my voice incredibly hard to use best to make sure he really is Roman Torchwick. Roman was surprised that the kid could even get up let alone speak when he looked like a walking skeleton clearing his voice and saying Well you can call me boss or sir and maybe if you live long enough then youll know my name. Walking slowly as the stones and other body bags littered the ground and me being practically a skeleton makes it extremely painful every time I did either stepped on a stone or kicked a body accidentally, so I just painfully followed Roman down this path littered with painful stones and dead bodys along with the shattered moon above the sky... Chapter 1: I know what to do REWRITTEN Previously on The Hidden Secrets our Mc has been rescued by our 2nd favourite thief. (we all know who our favourite is, hint: Icecream.) During their time together two months have passed, during that time he was a part of his gang for only one month then after being taught the ways of how to live off the streets they both had to part ways when heading to vale. Hey kid, what''s your name? asked Roman after a week of working with him, probably thinking that I would die in the first two days. My name its umm Edward. That was the first name that came to mind probably because of my past life and Im a creature of habit. Well kid this is where we part ways, lets hope that the Spiders won''t get you. after Roman said that he walked into one of the five different bullheads that lead to Vales different air ports not caring to look back at the kid hes been working with for nearly two months. *Time skip to where Edward has arrived at vales air port that is located in the industrial district with only a few pieces of clothing in his backpack and other things* As Edward is walking through the airport''s doors he is greeted with the sights of shady people scanning the newly arrived people Probably looking for people to easily steal. continuing his walk with confidence to discourage the nearby thieves while also giving them a warning look telling them that he knows what there up too. Heading away from airport 6 Edward heard all sorts of shouts and screams, the few others that were around also heard this and all quickend their walk along with grabbing their belongings tighter all of them ignoring the cries for help Ignore it youll only make things worse Youll only make things worse like all the other timesaww FUCK IT. and with that last thought he turned and headed towards one of the unknown ally. With his heart beating and his face showing an odd amount of carmines, Edward approached the alley and peaked his head around the corner and saw a man robbing a woman who looks to be no younger than 23. The man is wearing baggy cargo pants and a tank top that barely fit, he has a few scars that that seems like hes been in a literal cat fight his eyes were that of a misty black almost as if he is blind, in his hands there a knife which is also a gun, the blade was pressed up against the ladys collarbone and the tip of the knife was rested against her cheek drawing a small bit of blood. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The woman is wearing a tank-top that squished her decent sized chest together along with a dark pink pencil skirt that matches her shoulder length pink hair She reminds me of a slutty Sakura getting rid of the useless thoughts. Taking the time to think of ideas that could save the woman from this situation, there are only a few things he could do: try and help her himself or try and get the police and huntsmen to come and help but it will probably be too late by then. Looking around and finding a bin he quickly thought of a plan: grab the bin-lid, throw it like a frisbee, hit the arm holding the dagger-gun making it fall to the ground then quickly tackle the guy to the ground and steal the dagger-gun then drag the woman away to safety. Grabbing the bin-lid and enacting the plan, everything goes as planned until the man who was tackled to the ground grabbed his leg and slammed him to the floor but it wasn''t over Edward determined to survive and save the woman sat up and gripped the dagger-gun and stabbed the the mans wrist over and over and over again until the mans hand is severed severed. The blood flew everywhere as the once shocked man realised that he couldn''t feel his hand as he wiggled and thrashed waving his stump in every direction letting the blood fly covering both Edward and the woman in droplets of blood Ill never be able to get used to the blood Edward said with a slight shiver Stumbling but still managing to get up the mans blood pouring out like an overfilled cup the waving didn''t help with the blood. The man is flopping around like a fish out of water. Edward P.O.V Dragging the shocked blood covered woman out of the alley and towards the police station that was down the street was nerve racking especially when people started staring and pointing. When we did get to the police station the woman does something that I wasn''t expecting she picks me up and brings me to an ally and slams me into the floor making me shocked then stab me in the fucking leg with a hidden knife she had on her it seemed to be a regular knife. What you did back there was very noble kid unfortunately you cut my bosss hand off and you see its going to be bad for me if I dont bring back a souvenir soooo if you can just give me this le- I cut her off by stabbing the dagger-gun into the side of her head and letting a round off blowing her head apart and sending my arm flying back from the recoil Dumb bitch forgot to check if I was armed saying that and pushing her useless body of me which Is harder than I thought as the pain in my arm from the recoil is still there, it wasn''t long before I started feeling the fatigue from the experience it also doesn''t help that Im still not fully healthy as the long term effects of starvation are no joke. Walking away from the body and flicking / wiping off any remains of the woman that got on me I started turning corners and just walked till I found a somewhat clean Bin and hid underneath it using a cardboard box that I slid underneath and climbed inside protecting me and hiding me especially when the flaps were closed. Soon it felt like I was forgetting something but as I was falling asleep I realised the knife wound was still leaking blood however it was too late as I started falling asleep and soon I was in my favourite place dreamland Chapter 2: going through memories. REWRITTEN Previously on The Hidden Secrets our Mc cut off the man''s hand letting him go and save the woman only to be dragged and stabbed in the leg in an alley near the police resulting in him having to kill the pink haired woman and walking away from the scene and hiding in a cardboard box under a bin. When Edward was in dreamland he was able to go through his memories making him be reminded of his mistakes and regrets, some are worse than others. Edward''s first chance at life would be best described as decent after all he never faced terrible trouble just faced what everyone has faced from bullying to friends leaving, depression, pets dying and family arguing that was Edward''s life until the day he died at the age of 21. The reason Edward died at 21 was because of a promises he made when he was 14 all because of a meme, Edward''s life starts with the first memory he can remember and it is when he was 2 or 3 maybe 4 but it was a memory that changed him, on a night that was cold for Thailand he needed the toilet so walking to the toilet he was stopped by what he saw and it was his mother but it didn''t feel like it, that day he learned a life lesson that mothers are just women who abandoned their dreams for there children and that was all he can remember not what happened or what he did next.... just....his mother.... crying.... on the bathroom floor. Then the next memorable moment in Edward''s life was when he was 5 turning 6 and his family consisting of Edward, Mum and sister had to move over to England so they could live with their dad who could only use video calls. When Edward was 10 his grandfather died and that impacted him immensely as when he was a baby he always treated his grandfather in a very poor way and he was... still hasn''t been able to get over that so he tried to become more peaceful and not do any overly aggressive things to people after all you don''t know when your given a chance to apologies. At the age of 15 Edward got into his first slightly true fight and it started because his bullies pushed him a bit too hard and Edward had enough of the 4 nearly 5 years of bullying so he fought back this time giving his bully a busted lip and although he would say Edward lost because he was pushed onto the floor Edward received no injuries not even brushing. The next biggest event was when Edward was 15 and only less then two months away from turning 16, he agreed to have a fight that his bully''s friend wanted and Edward diced to lose on purpose since if he won then he would need to fight more people in the future and also the fact that more attention would be on his life when all he really wanted was to be left alone with his group of friends, when Edward lost he could already tell that this was the wrong choice since if he had won then people would actually start to respect him and less people would bother him sometimes. As time continued Edward life seemed to become more dull and troublesome from nearly having a fight with a girl that just seemed to want trouble and when revealed that he was fully ready to attack back if attacked first, the police came in between them that was when there was less than 20 days till his 16 birthday. When he became 16 his life seemed to take a swan dive as arguments became more frequently and money seemed to be getting used without people noticing resulting in more than nearly 2K pounds worth being lost and some day in November his first cat died TIgger was his first cat and he felt responsible for it as he was the one to make him leave the house and not knowing what killed him was the worst part. After Christmas things seemed to be calming down however the tension was still there and with not even less then a month past and his sister "attempted" to kill herself with hay-fever tablets swallowing 14 tablets and later she did it again with painkillers so when she returned home she refused to go to school for nearly 4 weeks and when she does go to school it would be later in the day and then moved house to stay with their half-sister and a few weeks later Edward discovered why she was refusing to go to school it was because she had become a sort of alcoholic drinking two bottles of strong wine which contained close to 15% alcohol and one bottle was completely empty with the other one having only one and a half wine glasses worth the small wine glasses, and a few days later Edward, dad and mum discovered where the money was going and what is happening with it, it seems that his sister took Mum''s credit card and started buying things for her and her friends from clothes to toys and even a bed extension frame and probably more. Edward being in his nearly mid 16 was about to go through his GCSEs so the burden of his family issues were not helping the fact that his friend group aren''t even that good of a friend didn''t help as they still brought up about the fights he had and how he always loses them, so child care workers and social workers started getting involved and at this point in life many wouldn''t blame Edward in joining his friends and start smoking weed and doing crack along with all sorts, however he didn''t and just stayed in his dull boring routine as his body is already decently damage from his younger years when he used to go out and play outside and is now feeling the consequences from knee pains and joint pains along with worsening eyesight he was just too tired of it all too the point he thought of coming suicide either by jumping of a bridge that was less then a 20 minute walk or just grab the knife downstairs it would have been so easy. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Edward choose not to commit suicide as there is still his parents that care for him especially his dad who has told Edward that he''s only staying alive because of him, this was because Edward''s dad who is more then 65 years old and has faced countless hardships from family, school, government, other countries, health issues, mental illness and even his own daughter''s who he loves but they never seem to care about him as after a ruff divorce that claimed he''s not allowed to take his daughter''s and instead will be sent to there mother left him empty so he decided to travel again and with his experience in the navy it was easy so thinking of going to the Caribbean''s to have a break from all his hardships and just relax. Edward''s dad however instead of going to the Caribbean''s decided to go to Thailand all because of a coin flip according to the story''s Edward has heard, even if it was more likely to probably be because of either the weather or the people on board the ship, only planning to stay for around 6 months as he still had stuff to do was able to write a book in English and Thai that was published and in the future be mentioned in a YouTube video of a decently sized Thai channel. When he was about to leave one of his best friends invited him for a wedding that he would be having in Thailand that was in 2 months deciding to agree even though he was already pushing it with his job as he was meant to be back by now decided to say Fu*k it and stayed in Thailand even if he was already starting to become crazy by the people he''s surrounded by in Thailand as the two months get closer he found a girl that he was starting to fall in love with decided to ask her out and she agreed after the wedding of one of his best friends he also told his friends that he might be getting married in the next 2 months. When Edward''s dad did get married it was revealed that his mum was already pregnant before the marriage and is due in around 5 months until baby Edward is born, Edward''s dad however had to go back to England before his visa in Thailand runs out and the fact that he was starting to become crazy from the people in Thailand he chose to leave 1 month after the wedding with Edward''s grandfather taking care of Edward''s mum and came back to stay in Thailand for a few more months just before Edward is born on the 14th October 2007 and stayed for a few months before leaving and when possible visit on one of these visits Edward''s mum got pregnant again and the birth of Edward''s sister came when he was three. Many things happen in Edward''s dad''s life however that''s enough about dad and let''s go back to Edward, so Edward deciding to not kill himself but instead self harm but not by blades as that was possible so instead used a needle as that brought more pain if hit in the right spot like the hands for example it is also easier to clean up so he used needles instead of a blade which proved useful when he was sent to the doctors for a check up because of his constant tiredness which was probably become of his depression which wasn''t shown as Edward seemed to be quite happy most of the time however that was an act from Edward''s part since he didnt want to bother people with his problems when there are others that are facing much worse like abuse, rape, explosion and more so he didn''t want to bother people. When Edward was almost forced to go to counselling because of his unknown mental health Edward didn''t open up much at first as he felt like they were only here because it was their job and not because it was for him so he answered with a dodging answer until he did start opening up. After Edward''s GCSE''s he still continues to do counselling even if it felt like it was just there job it''s just that it''s becomes routine for the counselling to happen, during this another one of his cats died his name was Spot because of his spots Dad came up with that name and it just stuck, when Edward was 17 he uploaded his first video about retelling a story about many things also did streaming. When 18 he won his first tournament in a game while live streaming he would also be told that hes a perfectionist about himself meaning he wants to be the best he possibly can from not hurting people to at sort have the cleanest file or so he was told. When 19 his dad of nearly 69 years died leaving his will in my name from his amazing collection of tank models to his photography book alongside many other things as his dad is quite the collector and leaving only the stuff legally required for Edward''s sister to have. When 20 his mother died leaving behind her stuff and belongings to Edward''s dad to decide and since he gave his stuff to Edward mum''s things are also left to Edward. When both the people he cared for most died Edward didn''t know what to do anymore so remembering a promise he made when he was younger that he would die by the age of 21 he decided to do that so he continues to make videos and live-stream however this time exporting the world with a count down till he becomes 21 all the stuff give to him will be going to his best friend, a brother from a different family someone who Edward knows would have his back for anything and so all the stuff goes to him and his family. There were also a lot of memes, storys, songs, music and a whole bunch of useless information. For example male Koalas have 2 Penises and females have 3 Vaginas & Pouch crazy right damm if the zoofilias must be going crazy about this fact. He then proceeded to write out his final goodbyes and personal statements; the one he struggled most with was for his best friend as he would no longer be there to support and help him, then exactly when he turned 21 he passed away. Wake Up~ Chapter 3: limping forward REWRITTEN Previously on The Hidden Secrets our Mc was relieving his past life and remembering his many regrets some worse than others but at the end something told him to wake up. Edward''s P.O.V Waking up and observing my surroundings I found that I was in a cardboard box Right Im in the show of Rwby or maybe an AU of it suddenly I felt a pulse of pain and a weird sensation on my right thigh it was cold yet hot, wet and sticky it was all just weird, seeing the wound snapped me out of my daze Shit the wound!!. Seeing the wound I realised that although its bleeding a lot it wasn''t actually that deep which makes it worse as that could mean the cut hit an artery yet strangely I don''t feel like dying and also the wound already started to scab over though it seems to be quite jelly like probably fresh. This is great and horrible as this means bacteria is no longer going to potentially invade my body however this means that whatever bacteria is in the this scab could kill me from likely a scab infection since I was and am currently laying under a bin and theres a go-oum knows amount of bacteria. Getting up and shuffling out of the cardboard box and from under the bin which was difficult as the pain was still there but now I can feel it mainly on my leg and back probably from being slammed on the floor luckily my head was fine. looking around I see that there''s only rubbish like empty crisp packets and a drinks can along with a empty cookie bag and seeing that there''s nothing I decided to just relax for a bit, while relaxing I steered at the moon in the sky in its broken state leaving behind chunks of moon rocks next to the permanent crescent moon, which makes zero sense as the gravity should bring them closer together because of gravitational fields along with the sea becoming wired. Ill never get used too that view After being done with that thought I started checking my backpack and hoped that past me remembered to pack bandages checking and checking again showed that no I did not pack bandages great. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Taking my belt along with ripped pieces of cloth I started wrapping it on the wound in a sort of X shape with the makeshift bandage absorbing any of the escaping blood even if its practically dry and the belt keeping the pressure on so it won''t get loosened, now with my leg becoming numb and my hands being covered in blood alongside my ripped clothes I looked like a psycho especially when theres still some chunks of flesh. Now that my leg wound is dealt with and Im not having to run away I can finally start thinking of what Im going to do when this world is filled with negativity and death alongside two immortals who are having a shadow war while the two different Races are fighting over themselves because of the racism, alongside the MC''s not actually solving anything well except for blake she did sort of fixed the racism. ''Just fucking great I''m in a world full of death, great why can''t I just live my life in peace unbothered by people so I can sleep and dream happily *sigh*'' struggling to get up I carefully make sure that my thigh isn''t too pressured so that way it wouldn''t get more injured. Using the walls as my support I slowly make my way out of the alley while also being careful to listen out for anyone who might be looking for me, especially the police as Im covered in blood. Right Edward, you need to start thinking of a plan. One you''re injured, two you''re covered in blood and will be suspected of murder so first wash the clothes as best as I can then look for knowledge. Thankfully I packed spare clothes that I can wear, unluckily theres probably going to be some blood on those clothes. Taking off my bloody clothes and throwing them in the bin I grab one of the spare T-shirts and use it as a wipe to hopefully remove all the remaining blood on me even if most of it has dried. Once changed and there''s slightly less blood on me even if it was painful to scrape and peel off all that dried blood it does however slow me to look less like a psychopath. Leaving the alleyway and limping my way down the street I start thinking of what I would need at the library First I need to know what''s common knowledge in this world and what''s not. Second is how dust works and why there isn''t an alternative energy power source, though Im pretty sure Yang had to refill her bike in volume 5, if there is a different source of power then I might be able to create something that can use them. Then I guess Ill have to get books about engineering, electrical engineering, smithing, forging and coding and of course anything that''s interesting. Sigh This is going to be tiring, thankfully I know a bit about most of these, Thank you random videos that I watched. I started in a slight mumble with relief. With those last words I started making my way to the library even though I have no clue where it is. Chapter 4: finally arrived REWRITTEN Previously on "The Hidden Secrets" our Mc patched himself up from the conflict with the woman and also started thinking more about what he should do in the future though it''s only for the first few months as he still needs to think of his long term plans he is now wandering around hoping to find the library. Lucy''s P.O.V ''Just another day in the library were the only people who come here are the young and they are only here because there parents wont give them a Scroll so they decide to use the computers here and the books that we do have here are just the old and donated ones and now the books that people do want are fairy tales that can be bought at the shop and nobody really come here since I''m a Faunus.'' Lucy is a fair young girl who seems to be in her mid-20''s with bandages around her arms almost as if hiding something. The door opened suddenly as if someone collided with it, forcing it to open and what followed was a boy no older than 5 Lucy guessed with a dirtied suit jacket and a bloodied backpack that is smeared in it almost as if trying to wipe the blood off and the once white shirt now dirty with bits of blood spread around the shirt and the pants having one leg being wrapped with cloth and a belt with the child having a limp from that leg probably a wound maybe a stab wound and the child has one hand in his pockets with it seeming to be clutched around something and he has dark almost black hair which is actually brown and brown eyes that resemble hot chocolate and having darker parts in the eye that resembles the shape of a star it also held a scene of maturity however if you weren''t trained in info gathering then you wont have noticed, with a flare of my aura I sensed that he hadn''t unlocked his aura yet however he was quite close as if his soul wanted to escape? No It wanted to leave?!! Edward''s P.O.V Limping towards the faunus lady at the reception desk that was looking intently at me so I instinctively grabbed whatever was in my hand which was the dagger-gun in this case and I feel like she noticed, ''wait what was that feeling?!?!?!'' Now limping AWAY from the scary lady as I do not want to know how she did what she did and I''m not ready for whatever that was since I''m injured and all I really wanted was the books in this library so that I could learn something new like about the grim''s biology since there''s a lesson about it in beacon then there must be books about it along with, semblances, aura and history... Yayyy. "Hey kid, where are you going and what are you doing?" ''Lady, why do you think I''m going to do it in a library like honestly come on.'' "I''m just looking for information Lady and maybe a few stories and some books." "Seriously, what do you think I''m here for?" "Look kid your injured and you need professional help so why don''t you stay there and let me call the hospital" ''Finally a decent hum-faunus being who is worried about a kid though I did purposely hide from people so it''s no wonder they didn''t try and help me'' "Look lady I might not look at it but I know what I''m doing and besides if you did call the hospital then the blame would be on you since you''re a faunus and although I appreciate you trying to help others wouldn''t so it''s best that you leave me alone though if you have a med-kit here I hope you wouldn''t mind if permanently borrowed some items." Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ''Damm the kids right and there''s really nothing I could do so the med-kit would have to do.'' "Well kid you''re right however if you wait I''ll get the med-kit and tell me what book you want so I can get it for you." "That... thanks it would be helpful as for the book I want umm how about things on aura and weapons and their techniques you know it would be helpful if you got me books about all the basics " "Humm alright kid just stay there also if your trying to be a huntsman then when your 10 come to be and I''ll unlock your aura for you however if somebody else that you trust wants to unlock your aura then don''t to me, anyway just stay there while I get the med-kit." "Wait what''s your name I don''t really want to call you Lady or something like Deery and I''m not trying to be a racist it''s just a nickname that I-thought-of-OK-I''m-going-to-shut-up-now." *Time-skip brought to you by the author wondering if you can give him ideas about what he should do for his other story since he''s out of ideas.* "Lad-Lucy it''s been like an hour and a half so why won''t you leave me alone, I''m trying to understand why people don''t infuse Dust into the metal of their weapons and are only coating the blade, even though it''s possible to infuse Dust into clothing." "Well you see Ed first your injured and as for the reason you for not infusing dust into metal is since Huntsmen and Huntresses use there aura on there weapon so its sharper, stronger and just all out better for combat however if you infuse Dust into the metal then it would cause a reaction in the Dust because of how aura reacts with dust though there is a book made by a theorist called Vastoking that aura should be able to do more one sec I''ll get you the book." After a few seconds Lucy brings out a book and turns it to the page were it says "I''m not too sure myself, but from what I''ve seen aura has shown properties of practically majority of energy types like electricity, light (still not sure if light is energy, been seeing alot of mixed reviews), kinetic and potential at the same time, in fact I would go as far as to say aura shows more properties resembling matter than energy itself. If something like that is true then it would need to be connected to the bodies nervous system to even begin attempting to control it at all, meaning that the way it''s controlled is through electricity which is what the human body runs on, granted it''s a lot more complicated and involves other stuff such as chemical and thermal energy that make it possible for said electricity to exist and do whatever it does that is where bio-electricity comes from I believe. Personally I''ve always had trouble understanding talks about energy in conversations with other theorists so I can''t really explain how it works. Everything depends on shape and movement for example the solar panel project that some theorists have tried to build so they could get a budget for it, that is if it''s even possible to convert solar energy to electricity, based on different shapes and moves. It''s able to be converted within the solar panels. My knowledge on these conversations are quite low so that will be the best way I could explain this. It was even theorised that you could convert aura into heat, kinetic or electricity, or even absorb other aura, and other things like it, this theory is made with the help of Pietro Polendina and Auther Watts along with myself." After reading all this all I could say is "Fair enough also I was wondering if there is a way for me to find work while being a 4 year old and also being an orphan and before you ask no, I''m only looking for work so that way I have more money and wouldn''t need to live in an orphanage filled with annoying kids that are filled with kids that complain or kids that try and use others so they could succeed and leave others behind." "I have no clue what you were thinking, I was going to ask but sure I''ll see what I could do to get you a job although it will probably be pretty bad seeing as I don''t have that many connections so if your willing to wait like 2 or 3 weeks then that''s when I should have something." "Okay you have a deal so I''ll see you in 3 weeks then and it''s also getting late so it''s best if I leave now, maybe also meet the head maiden at the orphanage so I guess this is bye for now." Chapter 5: Finding a home REWRITTEN Previously on The Hidden Secrets our MC has found the library and also a woman named Lucy who was secretly an information broker but something made her retire. The MC has also thought about whether he should join an orphanage or just use an abandoned house as his home. Vale is a major city on Remnant so there would obviously be some parts of Vale which is deserted because of the Grimm however after the Huntsmen clear the place out the council usually leave the place as it is this results in many people to be homeless and these deserted places are where we see Edward currently limping around. Edward after much thought has realised hes someone who absolutely refuses to be in the orphanage for at least 3 reasons and more one is that being at the orphanage would leave information about him which would make him no longer have a be invisible status to the people and the higher ups. The biggest reason is he has already grown up in a family so he doesn''t want to be adopted as that would give the adopted family fake love even if it would give him resources that he despondently needs like a safe place. The last main reason is that he has more freedom as he wouldn''t be attached to a family and would be able to do as he pleased for example train, steal, make connections, secret identities and more, the reasons he would make secret identities is because it would give him a layer of protection from those who might might be searching for him. The broken part of Vale consists of mainly Warehouse, small shops and common factory and since there unimportant the council leaves them alone, thanks to the information that Edward was able to get he knows that although it''s stated that there damaged it''s only a few walls or a collapsed roof which is fixable some of the factory electricity and water might still work so that''s were Edward will be going so he knows where those place''s are and will be able to survive. Looking around Edward can see that the first Warehouse that he has checked is full of rubble and rubbish along with rats and cockroaches along with having a second floor which is full of papers and a few Lien that was on the desk grabbing the lean and putting it in my backpack I also take some of the papers for kindell if I ever need a fire. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Going to the next house that''s was livable showed that all the windows were destroyed and that all the furniture was also destroyed this house also had a garage so checking that showed that in the back corner of the room were blood stains alone with bones and In front of the blood was a badly crafted metal spear as it was just a pipe with a sharp tip that could be used to stab things taking it and putting it in the backpack as it could be useful. Searching the cupboards showed that there was nothing useful and since it was almost midnight Edward chose to stay in this house and sleep in the relatively intact cupboards and search the house for anything that resembles a blanket or pillow if not he could always use his backpack. *TIMESKIP brought to you by a Chibi Edward sleeping in a cupboard wrapped in a torn blanket.* ??? P.O.V "Okay class today since it''s the first day let''s all introduce each other starting with the first row from my left please stand up and tell us about yourself, as for me you can call me Mr''s Hank and I enjoy reading stories." "Yall can call me Frank, Frank Teal and I enjoy... gaming, and if any of you want ta challenge mi then I well accsept." "Renesmee Hicran" "Antonia" "Osamu Raibeart" "Jovian Bernadett" "Castor" "Dujam ShannonIdo" "Wafula Shavonne" "Wilhelm" "Mahbuba" "Hello m-m-my n-names R-RUBY R-ROSE I-I-I L-Like w-weapons andcookiesandstorysandIhopewecanallbefriendsandmaybewecouldpaintournailsandtalkaboutcuteboysand..." (this continues for another 5 minutes) "MISS ROSE, that''s enough, thank you, now class today we have another student joining us today although he''s meant to be in the class above but because of his lack of knowledge in some class, anyway ENTER." Entering the class we see a boy with black hair and dark brown tips and hot chocolate brown eyes almost in a star like pattern he was wearing the basic male Uniform of black pants and a light green blazer with a light blue tie and light creamy white long sleeve shirt seems to be around 5 or 6. "Hello everyone my name is Edgar and I enjoy creating things along with cooking. My favourite food is barbeque ribs and I enjoy fighting. My dream is to be able to help people and become a great huntsman. "Right well Mr Edgar you can go seat next to Miss Rose since it seems she''s the only one without a partner, and since it''s only the first day we''ll take things slowly." Why does he seem familiar and Im sure I know that name somewhere maybe Yang would know. thought Ruby Rose. Chapter 6: Strange dreams? REWRITTEN Previously on The Hidden Secrets Edward was able to find himself a safe place to sleep for his second night in Vale as well as having a strange dream. Edward P.O.V Waking up in the cupboards was strange especially after that strange dream about... Signal and Ruby but why? Is this some sort of glimpse in the future but if it was then I would have to go to patch and if the vision was correct then it''ll happen when I''m around 6 so I better prepare and if that is true. Getting up and moving to the entrance as I hope that I can find a better home as although this ones good the fact that someone died and really don''t want to clean the house and not to mention the outside of the house is too intact so it would be one of the first places people would search if someone was living around here and the best place to make a base is probably a broken warehouse on the second floor as that would allow me to get a better view of my surroundings and I''ll probably make my own house on patch since that''s what Tai did and people seem to just accept that but for now I need to make money. In the late morning of Vale Edward can be seen moving towards the shopping district of Vale and although on the outside it seems like he''s walking fine on the inside he''s clenching his teeth in pain. ''Okay Edward, here''s the plan: look around, cause a distraction, steal Lien from the register and grab as much food as possible and stuff it in your backpack then run for it, the plan starts when the shopkeeper opens the register to get the change then its a simple grab and run. Walking inside the store I observe my surroundings, finding the cameras and how many people were there and if there was anything that could stop my plan. The only real obstacle is if the sliding door doesn''t open when I need it to. There''s also only 4 people that I can see in the shop so the outside is going to be the real challenge. Raising the scarf slightly higher above my nose hoping that it would hide my identity better before I start acting out my plan. (Give me name suggestions) P.O.V of someone who recently moved to Vale from the many unknown villages and is unsure what to do hes around 27 years old. ''Yeah, training really needs to st-''I let out a loud "Oomph!" and a grunt as I slammed butt first on the floor of the mall''s hallway. I couldn''t help but notice that whatever hit me had to be going faster than a normal civilian. "I''m so sorry mister!" Judging by the voice I could immediately tell that whoever slammed into me was a young girl. I picked myself up, dusting my pants. "It''s fine kid, just watch where you''re go-" I paused in my speech when I finally got a look at who hit me, I stared in disbelief at the girl in front of me while I finished my sentence before it got too awkward, "-ing..." On one hand, I did not necessarily have to stalk this tiny Summer Rose to know where she went, however I also know that summer went north-northwest so this must be her daughter. Not the worst thing to ever happen, and I''ll admit just a little bit of fangasming was going on under my cool looking exterior, after all, she probably isn''t a huntress in training just yet as she looks about 3 or 4. I did not like this. How do I plan around this? Is it possible it will affect things summer told me she has a plan but didn''t tell me what to do! Right now I simply couldn''t think that far ahead. Not yet at least. I needed to distance myself from this girl for now. But just looking into those big, silver, adorable doe-eyes... If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Taking a deep and silent breath through my nose, I couldn''t help but only think of one thing that could summarise this. ''Shit.'' "I''m really, really, really, really sorry!" Ruby repeated herself, apparently not convinced I didn''t actually care all that much. She continued her rather fast paced and very animated apologising, "My dad keeps saying I shouldn''t run around crowded places when my training to be a huntress as Im stronger than most people even if Im only 3 years old, that I''m going to hit someone, and then I did just now and I feel really bad now as he told me this would happen!" I finished dusting off my hoodie and replied, "Like I said, it''s fine kid. I''ve got aura, so I''m better off taking that hit than someone else." "Still" Ruby trailed off, looking down sadly. I mentally groaned at my misfortune, no one should have to see Ruby sad. And it''s not helping when I really just want to run up to her and hug the tiny Summer. Sighing lightly out loud I said, "Ok kid, you wanna make it up to me? Then how about you tell me why you were running around like that." While she was still looking down I discreetly pulled a cookie I bought from the cafeteria and waved it in front of her face, "Deal?" The cookie was promptly gone from my hand with a flash of movement from the girl, she really is fast. "Deal!" she happily chirped. Once the cookie was successfully shoved down her throat she began walking down the mall''s hallways, swivelling her head around as if trying to find something, me trailing along right next to her. "So" I prompted, trying to start the conversation. She started, "Oh right! I''m trying to find my dad, he''s a really strong hunter, and my big sis who just enrolled at Signal Academy! I lost them in the crowd a while ago after I got distracted." "I see," I replied, "So where did you last lose them at? This mall is pretty big, trying to find them at random will take a while." She blushed and rubbed the back of her head bashfully, "Ahaha... I don''t really remember. I wasn''t paying attention to the stores." Well, that made things more difficult than what was really needed. But I mean you have a loud, blonde sister and her big blonde father, I doubt things will be that difficult with those two frantically searching for Ruby. "Well kid, at least your family isn''t trying to tear up the mall to find you." Ruby paled as soon as I finished that sentence and held her head in her hands, "Oh my gosh! They would destroy the mall trying to find me! They get really overprotective sometimes!" I could tell she was panicking if her unintelligible and quick babbling about nothing was any indication. It wasn''t a hard guess to make and I didn''t think most of those words she was speaking were in English. I should probably stop it before it gets any worse than it already was. "Kid! Kid! Stop the panicking," I nearly shouted, taking out another cookie and shoving it in her mouth, effectively shutting her up. Ruby chewed the treat post haste and upon swallowing she sheepishly looked up at me, "Sorry." After a few moments she tilted her head to the side, seeming to think of something for the first time, "By the way, where are you getting those cookies from?" I couldn''t help but chuckle. I waved my hands mysteriously in front of her face, making sure to keep her attention on the fancy tricks while keeping my inventory open. "Magic," I said just as one of my hands went right past her head and pulled out another cookie with a flick of my wrist. Ruby''s eyes went completely bug-eyed, I could practically see stars sparkling around them as she nearly danced in place. "You''re a wizard?! That''s soo cool! How do you do it?!" I smirked and gave her the cookie, which she now looked at much more reverently, "Come on kid, I gotta keep some secrets." She pouted at me and looked about to say something else. Or she would have, at any rate, if she wasn''t interrupted before she had the chance. "Ruby!" came a sudden ecstatic voice as a small, blonde streak shot out of the crowd of people and that''s when things got crazy as... !BANG! Followed by loud SHATTERS! Noise. "EVERYONE DOWN I''M A LICENSED HUNTSMEN PLEASE DON''T PANIC!!" Edward P.O.V ''Shit. Of course there''d be a Huntsman here in a Shopping mall. I need to hurry and fast'' I thought as this was my first time robbing a place and I''m slightly panicking. Quickly getting the food and a handful more lien from the register I zip up the backpack quickly as everyone is starting to calm down which wouldn''t be good as they''ll soon realise that I was the cause of this. In the corner of my eye I see l someone guarding a red dressed girl with silver eyes who also saw me and I guess that she doesn''t have her semblance yet as she looks to be 3 years old but like most things in my life I was right yet wrong. Yes she doesn''t have her semblance but she does seem to be incredibly fast for a 3 year old though it would still take her some time to get me even with my leg wound as she''s chasing me and I have my escape planned for practically anything. Chapter 7: Im so unlucky. REWRITTEN Previously on ''The Hidden Secrets'' In the corner of my eye I see someone guarding a red dressed girl with silver eyes who is obviously Ruby Rose she also saw me and I payed that she hasn''t gotten her semblance yet and she doesn''t have her semblance but she does seem to be incredibly fast for a 3 year old though it would still take her some time to get me even with my leg wound as she''s chasing me and I have my escape planned for practically anything. Running... Running hurts, especially when 4 people are chasing you and one of them is right on my non-existent tail and I don''t even have aura so this hurts even more, not to mention how I would feel tomorrow, luckily they haven''t court me yet because of all the people I''m having to weaving through but this is REALLY HURTING MY LEG like come on it was just starting to heal. Seeing an opportunity that might allow me too escape I quickly took it and turned the corner and climbing the ladder as fast as possible, once up I quickly start parkour-ing my way back to ''base'' as fast as possible while trying to be safe, looking back after I feel like it''s safe enough too, I realised that nobody was after me anymore. Taking my time so that way I wouldn''t make my injury worse while also unwrapping the makeshift scarf that was around my face ,made from the cloth of my t-shirt, hoping that Ruby wouldn''t be able to recognize me even if she only saw half of my face but if she wasn''t able to recognize Cinder when she was 16 then lets hope a 3 year old Ruby wouldn''t be able to recognize me. (I know she was 15 but this is for the story) *TIME-SKIP BROUGHT BY RUBY TRYING TO REMEMBER DETAILS ON EDWARD* It took two days for Edward''s leg to heal, which felt abnormal as it was a stab wound and he doesn''t even have his aura unlocked, most of that time was spent in the library as there wasn''t much for him to do when he''s got a broken leg, Lucy was not happy when she found out what Edward was doing especially when he was being chased. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. After the long scolding that Edward received, he went to the history section in the library and found an interesting book about aura and semblance it was written by somebody called Monty Oum which definitely surprised him but he got the book and stated to read the section on aura "We know very little about aura however from my adventurers I have discovered that aura is the manifestation of the first or second layer of the soul, if somebody else ''unlocked'' your aura then the first layer is unlocked depending on how deep you allowed the person to go in your soul, if you allow them to go deep into your soul then somethings about you might change for example personality and you might start to copy some traits about the person that unlocked your aura." "Semblances are the unlocked when the second layer of the soul is released giving you the powers that is shaped by the mind, body and soul first the mind thinks about the semblance then the body makes it work for the body and last the soul that makes it unique for the being that was able to unlocked there soul, while some semblances may be similar they are never perfectly identical." "Hey Edward, it''s closing time so you need to leave, however if you want you could stay here since there''s a spare room that you could stay in if you want." Lucy asked as she was worried that he was staying on the "Hmm, it''s alright Lucy I managed to find a place that I like." The place that Edward is talking about is an apartment building that has the higher floors blocked by rubble and it''s mainly abandoned as the outside looks burnt and destroyed; he discovered this when running on the roofs. Surprised Lucy chose not to question it. "Well alright but if you ever need a place to stay let me know as I''ve said there''s a spare room that you can stay in if you want." Edward says no as he doesn''t want to feel attached to Lucy so he quickly lives but not before hiding the very special book under a marked shelf. Chapter 8: Its been a while... REWRITTEN Right, let''s get some things straight . 1. Ruby is 5 and hasn''t unlocked her semblance but has got her aura unlocked, Yang is 7 and has both aura and semblance unlocked. 2. Edward is 6 he robbed his first store when he turned 4 meaning Ruby bumped into The Man when she was 3 and her aura was unlocked because she begged her mum to unlock it after she returned from her mission in the north north-west area. 3. Edward has spent two years in Vale and has made some connections.Now let''s get into the story!! Strumming the guitar that Edward stole, from where that''s not important, he was singing a song that he liked from his past life, the song was however interrupted by the local thugs that patrol the poorer side of Vale so grabbing the tin-can and making a run for it so not to be robbed like before when he thought people would just ignore him. Running away from the street and heading towards the ''Red district'' but this world''s Red district can barely be called that it''s more of an area for pubs, clubs and crime, now you''re probably wondering why is he running that way. Well it''s simple because he has protection from thugs at Juniors Bar even though there''s an age limit Edward has his ways. The reason he didn''t go and head to the library is because he wants to keep Lucy safe as she''s been quite kind to him. It''s already bad enough that some of the Faunus are making Lucy''s life worse as they hate humans and how ''by protecting a human show he''s not a TRUE FAUNUS bla bla bla'' though he''s done nothing to gain the local Faunus'' hate, he might as well not make the problem worse and lead thugs to Lucy''s library if they decided to follow him. Running and arriving at the back door of Junior''s bar I knocked in a specific pattern being 2 knocks high and 4 knocks at the bottom, why that knocking patter well the 2 knocks high tell the person that we know the schedule as the person behind the door is Bob and his number is 2 and the 4 knocks at the bottom is for Bob to know that it''s me, 1 knock is for Junior showing he''s the boss then 2 means it''s Melanie Malachite and 3 knocks for Miltiades Malachite since she''s the younger twin sister and 4 knocks for me since the twins'' kind of treat me like there younger brother. Bob opened the bar and allowed me in, Bob is a nickname for Robert McGraw Jr he''s somebody everyone respects, mainly because a few year ago a rival gang tried to interrogate Bob but it was more like torture, Bob along with 4 other people were the only ones out of 45 to not break from the torture and Bob is the only one who is still alive so everyone respects him. "Hey Bob, how are you today?" Bob is a man who wears black combat boots and Atlas designed pants so it''s very militaristic along with a Vacuo designed shirt that has a image of a cactus and underneath is light armour that''s distended for huntsmen and huntresses he''s got scars all over his body especially around his hands, feet, head and eyes, he mainly covers all this with gloves, glasses and a blower hat. "Yeah I''m alright just waiting for someone to bring me my meds''. I could have done it myself but someone offered to do it for me and I accepted." It''s good that people still respect their elders. "Damn well I better get going also I have a surprise for you later, so if you can please come to the bar it would be appreciated." It isn''t much of a surprise I just convinced Junior to make the groups official outfit be reddish glasses and a blower hat just like Bob''s. "Oh is that what Junior wanted to talk to me about, yeh sure I''ll be there, I''ll even put a reminder on my scroll so if I fall asleep I''ll still be there." All I did was nod at that since he is old and needs his naps. *Time-skip given to you by Bob talking about the good-old days and a quick montage of his life* 13:38 22nd of July 70 years after the great war the spare room in Juniors. With my suitcase and backpack slung over my shoulder and my essentials checked off, I made my way down the glass stairs of Junior''s bar. The familiar sights and sounds of the place brought a pang of nostalgia. Every creak of the steps and murmur of the regulars in the bar reminded me of the countless nights spent here. "Hey kid, all set?" Junior''s gruff voice cut through the background noise as I approached the bar. He''s wearing the uniform that I suggested. (The same outfit he was wearing in volume 1) "Yeah, I think I got everything," I replied, shifting the weight of my backpack and suitcase. "Any chance my fake ID is ready?" Junior slid a small card across the counter. "Here you go. Don''t lose it, by the way your new name is now Edgar, a 6 year old who has had enough of the crime in vale so is going to Signal to become a huntsman." I chuckled thinking that it was kind of ironic since I don''t even know what I want to be, taking the ID anyway and tucking it safely into my wallet. "Got it, Junior. Thanks for everything." He nodded, a rare smile crossing his face. "Take care of yourself out there. Signal and Patch can be a rough place at times, especially for someone like you even if it is relatively safe." ''You''re just too trusting of people.'' "I will," I assured him. "I just need to find Lucy and figure out why she disappeared. Maybe I''ll even manage to get my aura unlocked." Junior''s expression darkened slightly at the mention of Lucy. "Just be careful. Not everyone out there has good intentions." With that ominous remark, I made my rounds, saying goodbye to the regulars. Some offered giftssmall trinkets and good luck charmswhich I accepted with gratitude. The atmosphere was a mix of sadness and excitement, everyone wishing me well on my journey. Finally, I stepped out into the street, the light rain misting down and cooling the air. I pulled up the hood of my jacket and began the walk to the port, each step echoing the bittersweet feelings of leaving a place that had become home. The road ahead was uncertain, but the promise of new beginnings and the hope of finding Lucy kept me moving forward. The port was bustling with activity as I arrived. Bullheads were lined up, passengers hurrying to and fro. I spotted the one heading to Patch and quickened my pace. The rain was starting to pick up, and I was eager to get out of the weather. As I handed my ticket to the attendant and boarded the bullhead, I found a seat by the window and settled in. The engines roared to life, and soon we were airborne, leaving the city behind. I watched as the familiar skyline faded into the distance, replaced by the vast expanse of the sky. This was it. A new chapter was beginning, and though the path was uncertain, I felt a sense of determination. Whatever lay ahead in Patch, I was ready to face it. ??? P.O.V 13:52 22nd of July 70 years after the great war. The gentle sound of clicking gears echoed, allowing the empty coffin to lower into the earth. In the coffin holds only a tattered, blood-stained white cloaka secret that the children don''t need to know. To them there''s a real body in the coffin, that and their mother will never be coming back to say goodnight or whisper a simple "I love you," and that heartbreaking truth is etched on the faces of everyone present. Six people are present, including a bird perched solemnly nearby. Among them stands a grey-haired man, his eyes a shade of metallic red. He wishes for the forgetfulness of alcohol, his attire mostly grey with a reddish-black cape along with a glove on his left hand in the same colour. As if mirroring his grief and bad luck, the sky opens up, shifting from a light drizzle to a heavy downpour. It gives the men an excuse for their tears, even if it''s a funeral. There are also two young girls standing besides each other. The younger, just five years old, has black hair with red highlights reminiscent of dark red roses. Her eyes, now a dull metallic silver, are filled with deep sadness, tears streaming uncontrollably. She wears a black dress with red accents. The other girl, seven years old, has long golden hair cascading past her shoulders, the longest strands reaching the middle of her back. Her eyes are a unique lilac that sometimes turns red when feeling intense emotions, flickering now between lilac and red. She, too, wears a black dress, but with yellow highlights. The final person is a blond-haired man with blue eyes tinged with lilac. He wears a black suit, formal yet casual. He''s on his knees, head buried in his hands, tears stream through his fingers as he lets out a heartbroken cry. His sobs ignite a wave of sorrow, uniting everyone in their shared grief. A loyal dog sits beside him, whimpering softly as if mourning the sudden loss of his master. The scene is one of profound loss and shared heartache. Each tear mixing with the rain, each sob a testament to the love they hold for the one they have lost as on the grave it states "Summer Rose / Thus Kindly I Scatter" it is a simple statement but one with a great history. The little ones were dealing with this the hardest, especially since this was when the 5 year old decided that it was a good time to escape, escape from the painful truth, that her mother was gone and she will never be able to hug again. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Qrow, the grey-haired man with metallic red eyes, sees Ruby dart away. "Ruby, wait!" he shouts, his heart racing with worry. He rushes after her, his movements quick and determined despite the rain pouring down harder. But Ruby was small and fast for her age, her aura being awakened decided that this was the moment that her semblance will be unlocked resulting in her going even faster while scattering red rose petals. It is just like Qrows luck that this would happen now. Ruby, not noticing this, continues to dashes through the forest, tears blurring her vision. She doesn''t know where she''s going; she just knows she needs to get away. The trees blur past as she continues running, her breath quickening and coming in ragged gasps. Behind her, she hears Qrow calling her name, but she doesn''t stop. She spots a thick bush and dives into it, crouching down and holding her breath. Qrow runs past her hiding spot because of the rain and mud covering the petals, his footsteps fading away slowly. For a moment, Ruby feels a pang of guilt, but she can''t face the coffin, the funeral, or the reality of her mother''s absence. Crawling out of the bush, Ruby stumbles and collides with a boy who was busy looking at his scroll while dragging along his suitcase. Both of them tumble to the ground resulting in both being covered in more mud. The boy is slightly older, with unruly dark-brown hair and chocolate brown eyes similar to hot-chocolate. He looks at Ruby with a mix of surprise and curiosity. "Who are you?" Ruby asks, brushing the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand while slowly sitting back up so as to not get more dirty. "I''m Edward," the boy replies after a moment of consideration. "Who are you?" he replied even if he already knew who she was but it was best to act as if not knowing. "Ruby, Ruby R-Rose" she whispers, her voice trembling when remembering that she is the only Rose left in the world as her mother is gone. Edward''s eyes soften when he sees the tears in her eyes. "Why are you crying?" he states out of genuine concern and curiosity as Ruby barely ever truly cry''s. Ruby''s lower lip quivers. "My mommy she''s gone." resulting in more tears being produced which Edward quickly wipes away with using a slightly wet handkerchief that was in his left pocket. Edward''s face falls. He knows that pain all too well. "I''m sorry, Ruby, I didn''t mean to make you cry... I''ve never had a mom or dad but that''s fine when I know I have myself and maybe others." As he speaks he puts up this act of not caring. Ruby looks at him, her silver eyes wide. "You don''t?" Ruby asks out of genuine confusion as in her mind that means he''s never felt what genuine love feels like. Edward shakes his head. "No. I live by myself." He grabs his scroll and suitcase then offers Ruby his hand. "Do you want to see where I live?" he asks, not wanting to continue the questioning further. Ruby hesitates for a moment, then takes his hand. Edward leads her through the forest to a small, makeshift house made of wood and leaves. It''s humble, but it''s dry and warm along with being a gift from Bob who gave it to him after finding out that he was moving to patch. "This is my home," Edward says proudly and happily as he will finally be able to get away from the rain, he was also thankful to Bob for giving him this house even if he has to clean it up a bit. Heading inside Ruby looks around, feeling a strange sense of comfort and warmth. "It''s nice." and she meant it. Bob''s house, which is now Edward''s house, is crafted from wood and leaves, is a small but ingenious structure nestled deep in the forest. As Ruby steps inside more, she notices the remarkable details that make the space both functional and surprisingly cosy. The walls are constructed from sturdy branches and logs, interwoven with thick vines and layered with large leaves to keep out the rain. The roof is a patchwork of leaves and branches, meticulously arranged to provide shelter from the elements. Despite its rustic appearance, the house feels secure and dry. In two corners, there''s a makeshift bed made from an array of animal furs and blankets. It''s covered with a large, weathered piece of fabric, likely scavenged from an abandoned campsite. It looks surprisingly comfortable and warm. A small wooden table stands in the centre of the room, fashioned from an old tree stump with smoothed surfaces. On it, there are a few handmade wooden utensils, a bowl for fresh forest fruits or foraged nuts. Next to the table, a couple of small stools made from tree stumps serve as seats. Shelves made of planks and branches line one wall, holding an assortment of collected treasures: smooth stones, colourful feathers, interesting twigs, and other small trinkets Bob left for Edward that he found in the forest. There''s also a crude but functional lantern made from a hollowed-out gourd, filled with fireflies that emit a soft, natural glow. In another corner, there''s a small fire pit encircled by stones, with a stack of dry kindling and firewood nearby. Above it hangs a metal pot, likely found or traded, used for cooking simple meals. The fire pit has a makeshift chimney made from hollowed-out logs to direct the smoke outside, preventing the interior from getting smoky. Various items are hung on the walls with twine: a handmade fishing net, a slingshot, and a small collection of foraging baskets. These tools indicate Bob''s resourcefulness and his ability to live off the land making Edward wonder who Bob is. Despite its simplicity, the house exudes a sense of ingenuity and care. Bob has created a safe haven for himself and now Edward and Ruby, with the limited resources available to him. The space feels alive, filled with the essence of the forest and the resilience of Bobl who has made it his home. There was even a bathroom that uses a pipe that uses the collected rain water which is filtered and stored in large barrels and 5 smaller barrels for emergencies. On the table these a letter that''s addressed to Edward, he moves in closer to the table leaving his suitcase and backpack under the shelf near the door while also inviting ruby in to read the letter with him in the letter it says: "To Edward, Hey Edward I''ve made you this house, I realised you were wanting to head to patch and attend Signal you''re probably also wondering who I am but that''s not important for now I''m just Bob and that''s all you need to know. The house is made slightly close to the Rose and Xiao-Long family though it is around a 5 to 10 minute walk so if you''re ever in trouble go and run to them and they''ll help you out (I''ve seen how fast you can run it''ll only take 30 seconds for you). The house is mainly made out of wood and leaf''s with the odd bit of hardened clay and metal so it should be quite sturdy but it is best to check on them just in cases, there is also a shower that does work but it''s mainly got cold water so if you want to heat it, make a small fire underneath one of the smaller barrels with metal so the heat can transfer into the small barrel there''s still a limit to how much hot water you get but hot water is hot water. From Bob P.S there is a small garden in the back that you can use to train these, also a shed that''s also a workshop. P.P.S Rose and Xiao-Long''s family has 2 girls around your age, you might want to get to know them. ;D Both Edward and Ruby blush about this though Ruby''s blush is more tame still not over her mothers death. P.P.S The house was made on the 26th June 70 years after the great war so it might need some cleaning." Edward didn''t know how to react about this yes he''s 6 and everyone thinks that ''he''s just a very smart 6 year old'' but in reality he''s 27 in mind that means by the time he turns 18 he''ll really be 39 so having a relationship would be weird although not as weird as Ozma being many millennia years old and still having wives and children so it should be fine. Deciding to distract himself he pulls out a custom made laptop, keyboard and mouse along with other tools all this coming out from his backpack each thing he pulls out has a personalised logo, ruby seems to recognize those symbols but is too focused on other things Ruby asks Edward "D-Did you make all this?" she would be amazed if he did do all this since he seems to be around her age, ''I''ll never be able to do this, but I can try right?'' This unknown to Edward inspires her to create things. Edward embarrassed replies "Hmm oh this, yeah none of the store around Vale had what I was looking for so instead I had to learn how to make it myself, it required a lot of reading and some of the books were quite old fashioned for example instead of a hard light keyboard and mouse it''s more real, though the software I made myself and it took what felt like forever to make even a operating system." *sigh* "By the way, do you have your scroll on you? If so, can I borrow it please?" Awkwardly Ruby thinks then says "Umm, yes I do have a scroll on me? Why do you want to borrow my scroll?" Ruby is very hesitant to share her things to others especially after those few times where her friends were just using her to either get to Yang or take her things, like her cookies. Edward, seeing the uneasy look in Ruby eyes, says "You uh don''t have to if you don''t want, I know how you feel really, I rarely ever give people my things especially things that can contain my personal information. I just thought that we could trade numbers so that we can stay in touch and if you ever want to talk then I''ll be here. How How about you go take the first shower? I''ll lend you some of my spare clothes and you can think this through in the shower." Ruby not knowing what to say just nods, adding even more complicated feelings into her life. As Edward heats up the small barrel so Ruby can enjoy her shower, Ruby is looking at all the missed calls on her scroll and decides to send Qrow a message telling him that she''s fine and is going to stay at a friend''s house for some time as she just wants some time to process things. Ruby then strips and leaves her mud soaked clothes in the middle of the floor and proceeds to take a nice warm shower where it wasn''t too hot or too cold allowing her time to process her emotions. Just outside the bathroom Edward was about to enter so he can give Ruby his spare cloths luckily (or unluckily, yeah right SHE''S 5 FOR FUCKS SAKE) he was able to hear the sound of muddy clothes hitting the floor before he opened the door then the sound of the shower running. Embarrassed, Edward just stood there for a few minutes then knocked on the door a couple times and shouted "H-Hey Ruby, I''ll leave these clothes near the door and some towels, also just shout for me if the clothes don''t fit and I''ll get another pair for you!" "Alright thanks Edward." Is the only response that could be heard from within the shower, Edward seeing how that''s sorted decided to do his daily meditation so he can one day unlock his aura by himself. Qrows P.O.V around the forest in patch, still looking for Ruby around 15 minutes after Ruby sent her message. "RUBY! Come on answer, answer dammit! You can''t just send me a message then not answer, how do I even know if that is you!?" Putting his scroll back and flying high to hopefully get a better view of the area he sees a house that he doesn''t remember being registered on the map deciding to go check it out he was just in time to see Ruby place a hand on a dark haired boy shoulder before closing his eyes because of a extremely bright light. Ohh cliffhanger be sure to make theories on what could happen next time even if this was a rewrite and you''ve probably already read the next part or you just don''t care to write one. Chapter 9: Am I Dead Now? REWRITTEN Previously on "The Hidden Secrets" Edward has spent two years in the criminal side of Vale gaining the protection of Junior by being the ''little brother'' of the Malachite sisters this allowed him to make meany connection one of them being Bob McGraw Jr who has made a house for him in Patch making Edward wonder who Bob is and why go so far for him. Summer Rose''s funeral took place on the same day resulting in Edward and Ruby bumping into each other when Ruby couldn''t take the pain of her mother''s loss. Qrow''s search for Ruby leads him to an unregistered house where Ruby and an unknown boy caused a large flash of light. Unknown P.O.V 10 seconds before the light. Just before the light, Edward''s thoughts were a mess he was thinking ''How much longer do I have to wait for my soul to show itself. I''ve looked everywhere in my brain and heart, hell even my Eyes, Lungs, Pancreas and the only reason I did that was so I could quote someone.'' 9 seconds until contact. ''"The soul can be unlocked by using two methods that have been discovered so far; one is for someone else to unlock your aura for you however the side effects of this is that you might gain some traits of the other person who unlocked your soul be it personality, semblance, slight telepathic bond allowing for easier understanding of one another and of course your aura changing colours the minor effects are a slight change on how you approach situations an example is instead of bending your back down to pick something up you bend your knees instead."'' 8 seconds until contact. ''"The second way is by doing it yourself some have stated that this is easy for them as it just require some soul searching resulting in you being able to find your ''echoes'' this method has the greatest effect as your sense of self is more apparent allowing you to not doubt yourself in tough situations, making you stay true to yourself, your aura and semblance will also be more instinctive varying from instant unlocking of the semblance or having a hint for what it could be an example is a semblance involving speed making the person want to run although it''s a very minor effect."'' 7 seconds until contact ''"A third way of unlocking one''s own aura that I have theorised is when some somebody is close to unlocking there aura but only requires something to push it into being ether a memorable and emotional that makes you think or don''t want to think, if you decide to think your semblance tends to be more physical or confrontational where as if you run then it would be more unique as it is based on the thoughts that you had in that moment from wanting to get a way or feeling useless making it so your potential semblances can be short teleportation at the expense of your aura or making things useless / unusable. This way has more resemblance to the first method as the world''s aura makes it so you wouldn''t just disappear as it links you to this world and this way also uses some of the second mothers as it''s more situational."'' 6 seconds until contact. ''"The third way can also use someone else''s aura to unlock however it merely needs the presence of someone else''s aura mainly through any form of physical contact allowing the person unlocking there aura to know what it feels like and thus unlock it themselves this has a minor effect of them being slightly bonded this bond can also be trained however it is harder the older you get."'' 5 seconds left just wait. ''Right THAT book, had a few words saying something about that so my solution is to either do it myself oooorrrrr get touched great seems like I''m going to have to be touched there goes my innocence.'' You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. 4 SECONDSSS! ''*Sigh* Wake the FUCK UP EDWARD WE GOT SHIT TO DOOO!!! HEY! YOu''re finally awake, good because now I can finally get my head out the gutter and start thinking about my solution. *Sigh* I''m talking to my head again, great'' 3 SECONDS A LITTLE MORE!!! ''So I could either brute force my way into my soul but that doesn''t seem like something you want to do when it involves our LITERAL SOUL but whatever stupider decisions have been made.'' 2 SECONDS!!! LET''S GOOOOOOOO ''The other way is to ask for help and I wouldn''t be opposed to this idea if it didn''t involve you know MY SOUL but the only way I see this working is if I asked for help'' 1 SECOND TILL CONTACT!! ''It looks like I have to ask but who?? There''s Candle who is Romen so he''s out, Lucy *scoff* yeah right she left like Raven did to Yang, there''s also Bob he''s chill and nice don''t really want to owe him anymore though. Ooh! There''s also the sisters and Junior but then I''ll probably have to work for them.'' 0.5 PRACTICALLY TOUCHING OH COME ON AUTHER wait that''s M ''Okay Who else do I know in this world? Romen, Lucy, Bob, Junior, The Sisters aaaand'' that was when he first felt contact on his left shoulder then there was an extremely bright light that he could practically see with my eyelids shut he was able to feel Ruby''s hand on his shoulder slide closer to his neck along with Ruby''s body collide with his and her unconscious body falling on top of him with their heads colliding and a loud coalition noise can be heard like two pieces of bone hitting each other. When the light was finally able to die down Qrow charged straight into the house not caring to look around all he saw was red when he got inside there was Ruby his d-NIECE his NIECE laying practically in the arms of a boy A BOY HE DIDN''T KNOW ABOUT?!!! It is still unknown if Qrow would have brought out Harbinger and cut Edward down where he was laying if it wasn''t for Ruby still being in his arms and potency hurting her but what happened after is what is important as Qrow yelled "THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!!" while slowly marching towards Edward. "I-I D-dOn''t KnoW, i waS J-jusT MediTaTing ThEn SoMeoNe-" "SOMEONE!!" "RUBY, RUBY. THAT WAS WHEN RUBY TOUCHED MY SHOULDER THEN BOOM BRIGHT LIGHT!!" As Qrow got closer Edward grew panicked until the sudden shout snapped Edward out of whatever THAT small episode seemed to be so he was able to speak normally but still a bit loud. As Qrow got within striking distance he first grabbed and checked on ruby noticing that she''s wearing boy clothes and that she was clean and had a slight dampness to her hair almost as if she just got out of the shower. "Where''s her Scroll and clothes?" The cold and killer like tone made Edward shiver slightly "The Bathroom down the hall." Tilting sideways, Qrow looked down the hall and could see the slight amount of steam moving up from the open door "Hmm." was all that Qrow said before turning his body back but now with his shoe coming at an astounding rate hitting Edward on the chin and launching him at a wall with his elbow hitting the shelf resulting in aura braking and his arm snapping and bending in the opposite direction luckily it was a clean snap at the elbow unluckily that means the pain is worse since when his finger moves more pain is shown Less then a second later as he''s falling Qrow follows and sends a kick upwards knocking Edward out cold along with breaking his nose leaving Qrow to satire uncaring at the boy before going to grab Ruby''s things and leaving not taking a second glance at him, worst is NOW THESE MUD EVERYWHERE HE EVEN LEFT THE DOOR OPEN!! Meanwhile with Edward''s soul that is laying on a transparent surface. "''Am I Dead Now?''" was the first thought he had when staring at the stars in the sky his vision being clearer then usual, looking at his hands he sees that he made of 4 different colours, one Red spreading from his left shoulder down, blue which seems to be mainly be in his body and at the throat there''s another that he can''t quite see but can feel it''s different and is also in his head. The last colour seems to be more like cracks or veins. It''s like purple or pink almost as if it is a mix of all the colours. As Edward looked at all these different colours he wondered if that meant he would have multiple semblances or if when all the colours merged together he would have one overpower semblance. Chapter 10: Semblance and a small guest. REWRITTEN *This chapter is made thanks to a collaboration with @HershMaster at Wattpad this chapter involves her Ocs'' so please check out her story''s. Thank you if you did go check her out. And thank you to Cr1mson_Hal0Ultra for their constant support. Okay so the semblance will be Delay it allows for slight time manipulation were anything he is touching will be delayed depending on how much aura he pours into the thing he''s touching I chose this decision based on many considerations from Ruby''s influence on his soul and considering her semblance is Petal burst and Penny reveals that her Semblance allows her to disassemble herself at a molecular level and reassemble at a chosen location. This allows her to go around obstacles or through paths that she would not otherwise fit. So the Delay is at a molecular level along with the aura or in this case the soul so in the future he will be STRONG. The boy''s original semblance was going to be Slow allowing for slowing things with his aura. As for Edward his semblance was going to be Recognition allows for the remembering of anything he dems useful from fighting techniques to passing information it''s always active and only deactivate when asleep giving a connection to his past life were he was both a insomniac and at the same time some one who could sleep for days if not for his body.* Previously on Hidden Secrets Qrow found Edward and Ruby in a complicated position after a random bright light resulting in Edward grating the beating of his life even if it was only 2 kicks and that resulted in a broken arm and aura making him fall into his soul which is a mess. Edward, unsure of what to do and considering the state of his soul and not having read far in the Monty Oum book about Remnant, since he''s been busy doing jobs for Junior. Decided it would be a good idea and act like a child and mix all the colours together making a dark shade of Eden revealing that Edward''s original soul was a green that resulted in the weird purple lines? Cracks? Disappearing showing that it was harmful to his soul he could only hope that it wouldn''t make a reappearance. Feeling wired, Edward started waking up soon to be aware of the falling girl but also being unsure of who he was thanks to his slightly new soul. Ed??? P.O.V Feeling hazy I slowly open my eyes only to see the bright light of the sun and a growing black dot. The black dot was revealed to be a girl, a girl that was falling at an astonishing rate! "LOOK OUTTTTTTT!!!" she screams from the sky while waving her arm around almost as if flying like a bird. Confused by the still forming new soul I didn''t know how to react resulting in a painful collision, though it didn''t seem to harm the girl much, as for me I''m starting to fall unconscious again. "owwwww. Hey, you okay?" she says looking down at me and then pinching my cheek and playing with them as if I was a cat. "oww." was all that I was able to gasp out along with a "Your heavy" Which I feel like I would soon regret. The woman just gave him a deadpan expression and stated that shes only "97 pounds and that isn''t a lot" she then said after getting off of him and reaching out her hand. "Lady, I''m 6?? Yeah I''m a 6 year old who just got his aura and was recently beaten, though it seems my arm healed." It took me quicker than I expected to recover thanks to my aura and soul. I said all this while getting up slowly. "woah your six? and I''m stillshorter-anyway you''ll be under my supervision then! also I get what you mean, I was beaten too, also watched my own mom get killed by my dad, so I get it, I hate that you had to go through that" She responded. Being confused and worried about what she went through when she seems to be no older than 10-no younger even maybe 6 or 7 but all I could respond with is an "Ok Didn''t need to know that, but I''m sure it''ll get better??ANYWAY YOU owe me a new roof!! Especially since a friend made this house for me." "pffft I''m not from here, I''m a bird actually, mhm definitely, I''ll pay you back in sticks!" She jokes trying to lighten the mood. Deadpaning at her excuse I just replied with a sentence even a child should understand "Look around" I was patient enough to let her "This house IS made of sticks and other stuff luckily you didn''t destroy the shower system." "yeah yeah" she says defeated and reaching into her pink backpack and pulling out some lien "ya win today kid" expecting me to go and buy the materials. Taking the money before she can take it back and stuffing it into my pocket "Good then that means you can go grab the extra planks and glass at the back and fix it." ''Silly Lady?? Child?? Silly child thinking I wouldn''t be prepared Wait Why was she on my roof'' If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "HEY WAIT!! Why were you FALLING or on MY roof?" "erm okay so I''m not from this universe, also hey I''m older than you! and do I have tooooooo? I don''t wanna fix it" she whined not wanting to do the boring job of fixing a roof. ''Did she read my mind? No wait, focus.'' "WAIT, WHAT!! You''re OLDER than ME by what 2 years?" There was a pause before I said "And yeah you''re right it''s probably best if YOU dont fix it, you could make it worse." Saying that and looking at the massive hole. "oh okay fuck you too" she says jokingly "also heyyyyyyyy I''m 14!" she then whispers "even Ruby thought I was younger" Just barely being able to hear Ruby''s name before a flash of pain struck my head and all I could mutter was an unintelligent "Ruby?" "erm ya, she''s like my mom, but likely isn''t the same one YOUR referring to" she says looking at the hole in the roof she made from falling. "Riiiiggghhhhttttt the whole different universe thing, thank god she''s only 5 here also its dimension actually if it was universe" I said sarcastically "then that would mean you''re an alien." "ooowhen you put it like that- just messing with ya, thoughwhat if" she goes behind him and wiggles her fingers next to my head "I''m an alien woooo" pretending to be scary. Unimpressed at the childish 14 year old, so all I did was reach into my right pocket then gripped the handle, aimed and fired a bullet from my Dagger-Gun that was aiming for her leg. "...now you''re lucky you''re only 6 or you''d be six feet underbrat" she says a bit agitated Smirking "Are you sure it isn''t because I''m cuteeee?... Besides you have an aura and unless aliens are able to use an aura that shows your human presence then I''m sure you''re not an alien, although your''s is weird" I carefully looked at her wondering why. She grits her teeth knowing Im onto her "That may be true but still you''re 6 and also I just have a lot of it Is all.." she says not being a good liar as I could tell shes lying. "Rrriiiiggghhtt" was all I said ''she is lying yet it''s true that she does have a lot best to be causeuse.'' "Okay question, what are you going to do now? And I''m not going to be under your supervision, especially since you''re more childish than me." "wha-! *sigh* fair fair, anyway I plan to stick with ya for a bit hope ya don''t mind, and if ya do too bad" she says patting her pockets looking for her portal scroll. Staring questioningly at her as she starts patting everywhere on her so I turned my back and controlled the growing blush on my cheeks. "W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!" "looking for my scroll!" she throws off her backpack and starts digging through it "no no no!" she panicked. Hearing the backpack zip and the rustling of something my mind when to a dangerous place "LOOK WILL YOU STOP PATTING YOURSELF OR TAKING YOUR CLOTHES OFF I HAVE A SPEAR SCROLL IN MY BACKPACK NEAR THE DOOR!" After I said that there was a pause that felt like forever "I''m not taking off my clothes, worms for brains! and it''s a special scroll, one of a kind it''s different" she says "... S-Shut up and besides if this scroll is so special then why didn''t you make sure it''s safe, also you were the one doing all that not to mention I don''t even know your name?" She gets up "my name is Violet Snow and it was safe until I portaled here, when I fell it also fell out of my hand and went flying out of my hand, and I dunno your name either" she says offering me a cookie from her backpack. Staring at the cookie hesitantly I take it and nibble a bit off finding that it tastes like chocolate-chip with strawberries. ''I Wonder if Ruby made this?'' "As for my name I''m I''m uuumm one sec." That is all I said before also patting myself trying to see if I could find any form of Identification. Finding it and saying that "I''m Edgar, just Edgar born in vale and hoping to be a student in Signal Nice to meet you I guess??" "Signal hm? that''s a good school, ya can do it!" she says smiling and finally grabbing her scroll from off the ground and saying "there ya are" Turning around to see what she was talking about then quickly looking away "What did you find on your Scroll?" "nothing" she responds putting it safely in her pocket. "Right Soooo what now?" I said looking back at her with a questioning gaze. "Because I''ve still got Stuff to do Fixing my roof for one." I said looking at the slowly darkening sky. "I''ll stay and help, besides, you''re young and need sleep so" she responds, trying to act like an adult or something to a mother. "Sigh. Look I''d appreciate the help but I''ve got the soul of a 21 year old basically anyway And unless you know how to run a business then you''re really not much help. Though you can stay for a while I guess." I say this so I could keep a closer eye on her to make sure she doesn''t do something in my sleep. "mmmmm" is all she said, a bit uncertain "alright" she responds after a moment of time has passed. "Great, then I hope you have a spare set of clothes since I really don''t want to give someone else more of my clothes. Sigh, let''s get to work." Grabbing a hammer and the planks and glass we started fixing the hole in the roof by the time we were done it was almost night time. She jumps down to the ground "I would still like to apologise for the roof by the way" probably feeling guilty that I did most of the work. "It''s fine you paid me and even helped me fix the roof now if you don''t mind I''m going to take the first shower since I didn''t get a chance yesterday." During our time fixing the roof I opened up about myself telling her that I''ve been an orphan all my life and that the person who made the house was named Bob. "Okay" she responds, her eyes fluttering probably from sleepiness. "Right well I hope you know how to cook using a fire pit since the most modern thing here is the bathroom." going inside and grabbing a spare set of night wear since it was getting late then I hoped in the shower. Violet P.O.V while Edgar is in the shower. I sat on the floor and scroll through-well my scroll looking for an apartment to buy Edgar, eventually stopping and looking around. I grab my backpack and take out a whole ton of cookies and snacks that Ruby packed for me and set them down next to where Edgar sleeps. I do the same with water and some more drinks as my backpack was loaded because of Ruby "Edgarjust who are you?" I ask myself as although his act was good some parts don''t add up. Just then I swear I just heard humming coming from the bathroom who knew he could sing adding yet another mystery onto the list. Check out @HershMaster at Wattpad. Just saying definitely don''t have a gun to your head or anything... me... nooooo go check out @HershMaster at Wattpad nnnoooowwww!! Chapter 11: walking around Patch. REWRITTEN *This chapter is made thanks to a collaboration with @HershMaster at Wattpad this chapter involves her Ocs'' so please check out her story''s. Thank you if you did go check her out.* Previously on "Hidden secrets" Edward fixed? His soul and the colour of his aura is Eden, (Yes that is a colour) when waking up from his new soul and identity a 14 year old from a different dimension named Violet Snow crashed through the glass part of the roof Edward now Edgar talked about himself or what he remembered, after fixing the roof Edgar takes the first shower. Edgar P.O.V after taking the shower. "Right Violet, I''m done with the shower, you can go take one if you want." "might wind up breaking the shower" she jokes "but I already took one before I got here so don''t worry" she then says. "Oh Alright by the way what are we" Seeing the cookies on the bedside table and guessing that is what we were going to have for dinner I deadpanned. "Yeah no we aren''t having cookies for dinner, no wonder you''re so short." I muttered under my breath. Moving towards the fire pit I grabbed the cooking pot and put it on the fire. I started boiling water and started making soup. "pshhhhhh I''m not short, I''m 6 foot" she jokes again "Ha ye and then I''m 8 feet tall." I joked back after debating on how I should act like when in the shower. "Anyway you eat dinner, I''ll be fine, you need it not me" she says. Glancing at her to see if she was lying or not I decide it would be best to be on her good side, grabbing 2 bows I fill them up and hand them to her anyway. "Let''s go sit and eat before it gets too late." "Like I said before I''ll be fine," she says showing she has a caring side even though she doesn''t know him well. "Too bad I''ve already made you a bowl so eat, It''ll be a waste if you don''t." sitting at the tale I started eating. "fine fine" she gives in and eats too. After we both finished eating I started heading to the grey bed and got ready to sleep. Vi, on the other hand, walked out and sat on the roof on patrol ignoring the spare bed in the other corner. Confused on why Vi would be patrolling when we were on patch one of the safest places on Remnant but then again I didn''t really care getting up and grabbing a jacket I leave and head towards the roof "Hey Vi you''ll get cold if you don''t wear a jacket or something." She takes out a hoodie from her backpack and puts it on "there, no need to worry" "Well alright then I''ll just go to sleep." leaving the jacket there just in case it gets colder. "I''ll leave this here anyway just in case." She stayed on the roof all night long not knowing when she did fall asleep. Waking up I realised that the slight haze on my mind was gone and also wondered if Violet was just a hallucination so after getting changed in the bathroom I head to the roof to see if she was there or not, what I found was a sleepy Violet that seemed to have just woken up. "So you are real" I mumbled. "yeah why wouldn''t I be" she says yawning and stretching from the uncomfortable sleep. "Oh nothing. Just thought I was hallucinating since you claimed to be from a different dimension. Yet you still haven''t proven it yet." the last part was said in a mumble. "Well what do you want to do now?" She hands me her super special portal scroll though it could also just be the other type of special one only for private and lonely nights however this one requires a fingerprint to use. "Guess that proves it right, I scroll through different versions of Remnant and just go to them when I''m bored" she explains as if a scroll with a fingerprint scanner proves everything. Taking the portal scroll I started going through the apps and seeing why it was so special, finding that there wasn''t anything obviously special about it though there was a fingerprint scanner. "Looks normal to me? What''s so special about it?" She puts her finger on the scanner "now look" There was suddenly a new app that appeared "so this is it, looks boring." it was just a list of worlds which caused it to look like a bunch of words. "seeeeee?" she says proudly happily that I finally admitted that it could actually be a portal scroll. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Why so proud when it looks boring?" I found it funny since she had this smug look on her. She has a look of both contemplation and surprise. "shhhhhh" is all she said not wanting to feel that he was right and that it actually does look pretty boring. "Sigh, To be honest there isn''t much point in travelling to different Remnants since it''s just going to be the same most of the time, why don''t you tell me about your travels" this should build some trust with the dimension jumper allowing me to make some sort of connection with her. "well there was this one world where humans were enslaved and faunus ruled the world, I was captured but managed to escape" she says thinking about more worlds she''s been to We spent around 20 minutes talking about Vi''s journey about going to other worlds and was interrupted by my stomach grumbling. Embarrassed, I got up and told Vi "I-It''s probably best if we get some breakfast in the town on patch, these apparently this boba shop that sells breakfast as well." "breakfast on me!" she says "Right, if you say so, I wouldn''t turn down free food." We both started heading towards town and ordered our food and sat at the table near the window but that was when I heard something interesting. Concern can be heard on the speaker''s voice that I seemed to remember hearing before when I was younger "Come-on Sis I''m sure you''ll find your friend soon." "..." "Sigh, look let''s head towards the boba shop okay?" "Okay" "erm? what was that about?" Vi asks "Hmm nothing, just thought I remembered that voice, they''re coming here anyway so we''ll know soon." We waited for a few seconds before it was revealed that it was both Ruby and Yang. ''Shit''. Yang looked at me when looking for a spot to sit while also asking Ruby "hey Sisss you said that he had dark chocolate brown hair and eyes like hot chocolate right?" "Yeah, Why?" that was also when Ruby looked towards my direction "EDWARD!!!" was all I heard before a rose missile rushed towards me. "Vi help" was all that I said before being hugged-tackled by Ruby. Vi just looked the other way whistling ''damn, so that''s what Mom looked like when she was youngerI wonder if this happened where I''m from'' she thought. Seeing Vi just looking away my only thought was ''Emotional damage!!'' since she just rejected me like that along with ''Ruby why did you have to shout my name!! My acting was going so well.'' Violet finally pushed the two away lightly "okay okay enough of that, you''ll kill him from hugging him to hard mo- I mean Ruby" she says. "Thanks, also introductions Ruby this is Violet Snow. Violet, this is the Ruby Rose I was talking about remember" staring at her to make sure she got the message. "yup!" she replies. Yang seeing Ruby start smiling again was happy especially since she thought Ruby would be more depressed about summer''s death. Walking towards the now forming group Yang says "So sis is this him?" Violet narrows her eyes ready for anything not really trusting them after what Edgar/Edward said about being beaten by Qrow. Ruby, embarrassed by being seen hugging Edward to near death, jumped off him and said "Y-Yeah Sis this is him, Edward this is my sister Yang." Violet just sits drinking her water enjoying the interaction between them. "Sooo Ruby, Yang why are you here I thought after" ''that was stupid of me it''s only been less than 3-4 days since the funeral, think find a distraction.'' looking around I find Vi just drinking. "Oh Ruby, meet Vi she''s someone who really wanted to meet you after I talked about you." "Wait, what? I did? That''s news to me- kicking her on the shin to go along with my plan and she agrees anyway hiya nice to meet ya I''m Violet!" she says quickly "Yeah they know that already Vi." This resulted in Yang and Ruby giggling at my statement. "oh erm right, uhhh I''m 15, and um I''m a female, uhhh i have white hair erm" Violet says awkwardly, not really sure what to say after being put on the spot. "Sigh We can see that dummie. By the way, Ruby, what happened to your drink and things that you ordered" that was also the time we were all kicked out of the shop. Resulting in us walking around the town. Violet walks with them eventually wandering towards a candy shop but before she walked in she looked at the three then to the sky, eventually deciding not to and continue walking with them "So hey, is it okay if I ask something?" she asks Edgar/Edward. Confused and slightly panicked about what Vi might ask, I hesitantly said "S-Sure? Ask away." "So what EXACTLY happened? why would you like living alone without these two?" she asks. Confused as I thought I already explained this I say "Well as I said I''m an orphan and ruby bumped into me when I was on my way home then closer towards midnight Qr- a man found me and apparently was Ruby''s uncle and then knocked me out and took Ruby away then you appeared." I said carefully so the story fits with what I said before and that it matches with what Ruby knows. she knew that something wasn''t adding up though she kept it to herself "ah sorry you had to go through that" she says. "Right if you say so." while this was happening Ruby and Yang just stared at the conversation wondering what was happening. Violet looks over at an apartment complex and hums to herself "Hey Edward." she says. "Yeah?" I was confused at why she was looking at the apartment complex. ''Shit she''s onto me she called me Edward and I RESPONDED! damit'' "how do ya feel about those?" she asks him ''welp looks like my yearly savings will be used, but it''s for a good cause so I don''t care, he''s only a kid so I''m glad to help him in any way I could'' she thinks to herself. "Why, you do know that I already have a house in the forest and it has everything that I need and if you''re worried about my safety then the house is quite close to Ruby and Yang''s so it''s fine." "Well at least let me upgrade your house, with like actual modern stuff, it''s to pay you back for letting me stay" she says trying to help. Ruby heard all this thought of something and just blurted out saying "Why doesn''t he just live with me?... And yang!" Ruby stated after a moment of thought. Vi looks at me and states "his choice" she says nodding in my direction. I don''t know what to say, on one hand Vi was offering to upgrade my house and on the other hand Ruby was also wanting me to live with her. "I-I''m fine, that house was only built for as long as I''m in Signal so there wasn''t much use upgrading it, also Ruby although I appreciate the offer, I''m good." Check out @HershMaster at Wattpad. Just saying definitely don''t have a gun to your head or anything and this definitely wasn''t just copy and pasted here... me... nooooo go check out @HershMaster at Wattpad nnnoooowwww!! Chapter 12: Confrontation REWRITTEN *This chapter is made thanks to a collaboration with @HershMaster at Wattpad this chapter involves her Ocs'' so please check out her story''s. Thank you if you did go check her out.* Previously on Hidden Secrets Violet is discovering more about Edgar also known as Edward his slight amisha seems to have been just an act for Violet to trust him more but that seems to be failing as Ruby and Yang are interacting with him and he knew them, even though he was meant to have slight amisha. Violet seems to also be concerned at the fact that Ed lives alone in the woods even offering him a hotel room that she was willing to pay for him even Ruby offered for him to live with her and Yang. He declined both offers as he was already comfortable with where he lives. Yang P.O.V just before Ed declined both Violets and Rubys offer to where he could live. This Edward? Edgar? Egg , this egg I don''t trust him Rubys calling him Edward and Violets calling him Edgar I just hope Ruby will be ok when she finds out if hes lying or not. I looked at my sister in shock when she just suddenly asked him to live with us without even asking me or dad or mu Thankfully Egg finally spoke what he wanted. I-Im fine, that house was only built for as long as I''m in Signal so there wasn''t much use upgrading it, also Ruby although I appreciate the offer, Im good. That''s all he has to say why does this seem more like an excuse then anything As Violet and Egg argued I pulled Ruby to the side as I wanted to know what she was thinking and why, I quietly whispered at her RUBY WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? Hes pretty much a stranger and you''re inviting him to LIVE with us. What if hes a criminal or something, you didnt even ask me or Dad Its best if you ask me first though All Ruby had to say was a nervous I-I know Yang b-but hes got nobody except for a few friends. I I didn''t know that. Ruby, look I didn''t know that but you should still ask either me or dad first, you don''t even know if hes trustworthy or not especially when people are calling him different names to the one you know Fine, but hell be coming to Signal so we can keep an eye on him Its just I feel like I have this connection with him and it feels nice? Safe? Sigh. look Ruby that''s probably just a crush or something itll disappear when you get older besides we need to get home soon before dad burns the house down or worse. Eds P.O.V when his argument with Violet is over he won the argument. Sigh. Why is she so stubborn? Now where should we go? Because if nobody else has an idea then can we please go to the shopping mall because I want to make sure I have everything I need for Signal tomorrow. Sorry Egg-I mean Ed me and my sister need to get home before our dad burns the house down so this is where we have to say our goodbyes for now. Yang suddenly replied and Egg? Oh ur alright bye Egg? I whispered the last part genuinely confused. OH UR before we go, can we trade scroll numbers so I can text you later? Oh right we never got a chance to trade numbers man that night was hectic. Sure. and so we traded numbers leaving just me and Vi. Erm.. what now? Violet asks not sure what to do. Shopping I guess, I need to make sure I have everything for Signal and maybe you want something as a souvenir? After all, Vi won''t be able to stay here forever. Her home probably needs her or something. Right then, guess I''ll go back home when ya head to signal, but we could always meet again anyday! she says with a smile that shines like the sun. Right, who knows maybe one day Ill be in your world wouldn''t that be a surprise. not to mention it was nice meeting people like me even if she didn''t know that. She smiles well considering I''m on the brink of a war I would hope not, at least not yet anyway she says her smile fading slightly resembling the moon then the bright sun. Shocked, I said maybe a bit too loudly YOUR ON THE BRINK OF A WAR! how come she never told me this?! Yeeeeeeeee long story she giggles nothing to worry about she said trying to sound reassuring. NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT! VI you''re one of my friends now, OF COURSE I''M GOING TO WORRY, ITS A WAR! I mean come on whats next, shes the daughter of a demon lord and is on the heros side so the demon dad is angry and wants to destroy the world Hey try being the daughter of a demon king, I''m good though! she says trying to make it seem like it was nothing. Now with my eyebrows twitching can she read my mind or something slapping my forehead and rubbing my face all I could say to that was a simple If you say so Look I might not be much help now so how about when Im older Ill come and help, who knows maybe the whole dimensional travel thing messes with time so my world ages faster or something. The opposite was left unsaid. It''s very likely she says Though I don''t want anything happening to ya if you did come. She then follows up with all this while saying it in a motherly tone trying to sound much older. Rolling my eyes and finding this a little bit funny all I said was a Yeeessss Mooooommmmmm Ill behave and eat all my veggies''... Happy This was all said in my best baby-like voice. She giggles finding this fun Ill stick around a bit longer then so you do behave. she says continuing this act of being a mother. Smiling as Ive actually enjoyed our time together. Okay, don''t forget that you promised to train me. I continued the act as well since it was fun. I won''t forget. she said smiling. Okay, how about we go shopping then. I said happily, sounding like a kid who wants their chicken nuggets. Alright! she says, smiling that bit brighter. As we walked down towards the shopping mall, unknown to both of us there was somebody on the phone in the corner telling someone about our conversation, especially about the war. As they walked out of the shadows and continued walking it was revealed that the person was a Faunus. So do you need to buy anything considering all you have is in the backpack. I asked as the backpack seemed quite small since it only reached up to her knees meaning its really small. Well all I have in here is candy, ammo, dust, my weapon and headphones sooooo I dunno she says pondering the Idea. Right, yeah we''re going to have to buy you things, Ill pay since you paid for brunch and I have enough money to spend for both of us. It was true as well since I do own a company and some shares in a company. Ya sure? she asks not thinking that iI would have that much money since I lived in the woods. 100% as long as its not super expensive. I even nodded and smiled at her showing it was okay. Aww that''s sweet of ya kid, thanks she said with a bright smile probably glad that she doesn''t have to pay anymore. Looking to hide my embarrassment especially since that smile was toooooo bright. S-Shut up, it''s only because you bought brunch, okay Mmmmm ya sure about that? She teases me because of how I acted, probably thinking that I''m a tsundere or something. Tilting my head slightly to make it seem like I''m looking down on her and with a smirk Of course sshhooorrrtyyy~. I said teasingly before walking away faster. She sighs defeated got me there she says with a secret smile as it was the truth that she is short. Not noticing the secret smile I proudly say Of course, now come on we need to go buy things. walking away with a face full of smiles even if it was a little childish in how I acted. Violet hums to herself while walking So what do you want to buy first? clothes, food, toiletries anything else? I asked as Im not sure what to buy. Violet shrugs How about a one way trip to sleep? I''m still pretty tired and that other bed does look good?" She is half serious and half joking. Smirking slightly as I thought of a way to tease her Sure but that means unless you want to sleep in what you''re wearing then you are going to have to sleep naked. She looks away with a blush Youd be good friends with Blake Both of ya are pervs she says it as if it was a fact. Continuing my act even if it was pointless I say Blake? She''s probably talking about the ninja of love books. Why are she and I pervs? Mmm you''ll learn later she says, continuing to walk without giving me a good reason. Humming as I thought of ways to tease her back for calling me a perv You do know that means you''re a perv as well since you took that as dirty talk. and not giving her time to respond I ask So what should we go and buy first? Hmmmm maybe dust? Or a weapon for ya she says after a slight pause. Having a genuine question I said Wait, I thought we make those at Signal for an exam or something when we''re 12 or 14? Oh wait youre right, sorryyyyy she apologised as shes never actually been too Signal. Na its fine we should probably go buy some dust since thats always needed but what should we buy after?. Maybe some clothesthough I''ll be fine in what Im in now so it''s for you I mean she says. Smirking slightly I said Right~ whatever you say Itll be best to buy you some clothes as well since youll need different clothes to wear especially for my training. True true. Okayyyy she says, accepting that it was true and that I''ll have to buy her things. Right okay so our plan is to first get dust then clothes and lastly toiletries right? I asked as that seems like a good plan. Right she says, agreeing in the quick plan that I thought of. Okay then off to the dust shop. As we continued our shopping there were a few people who were secretly following us. ??? P.O.V Officer there''s 2 unknown individuals that seem to know about our plan to cause a war on patch. What should we do? Currently I have a few people following them, however they''re almost done shopping. Violet P.O.V We soon finish shopping and head out Soooo where to now? I wonder what to do. How about we go back to my home so we can offload the shopping then we could start my training? he asked eagerly, hoping that Would agree. Yeah I agreed as there was no point delaying this. Right, also did you notice that we were being followed. he asked the second part in a whisper trying to keep it quiet. We were..? I whisper back forgetting that I don''t have my bodyguard to deal with people following. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Sighing. You say you''re a Demon King''s daughter but you didnt even know we were being followed? You probably had a bodyguard that protected you right? he asked, still whispering it was as if he read my mind. ...erm spot on actually I gave a nervous giggle at how accurate he was about this. Yeah I thought so, I don''t think theyll attack now since we''re in the streets but once we''re in the forest we should be careful so get your weapon ready. he stated whisperingly while also getting his weapon ready sneakily. My eyes go pink as I activate my semblance ready . I declare forgetting that we''re meant to be sneaky. He nodded at me but then looked into my eyes seeing that its changed colours and asked Thats your semblance activating right? Man, I wish I knew what mine was. he whispered the first before quietly muttering the second part not knowing that I could hear him. You don''t know your semblance? I asked, feeling a bit sad for him not knowing what it was. Surprised, he whispered You could hear that? I then nodded so he followed with Yeah I don''t know my semblance, just before you crashed into me I had this weird dream of my soul being different colours so I just mixed them all into one colour it ended up looking like an Eden colour with small traces of purple and some red also what''s your semblance?. he asked me questioningly probably wanting to change subjects. Woah thats strange Ive never heard of that, as for my semblance it allows me to turn energy physical I say He thought for a second before saying energy into physical things sounds OP, also can you use every type of energy? Yup but I normally use my own as it''s a little difficult to use others I say, telling him about some aspects of my semblance. Yeeeeppp its official you''re overPowered with a capital O. he started even popping out the P. He then looked forward and surprisingly we were at his home. Oh, we''re here, you can umm put the stuff on the table I guess and when do you want to do the training? especially when there might still be people who followed us around here. he whispered. Yeah let''s just start with a little spar I say as I go to the table and set everything down But lemme go change real quick I say walking into the bathroom with the new training clothes we bought. Oh alright Ill just be in the backyard stretching. he stated before leaving. ??? P.O.V Sir, they led us to a house that seems to be handmade. Should we start attacking them now or wait for reinforcements questioned the lackey who was communicating to someone on a scroll. Wait for the reinforcements we need to make sure that they are gone, especially when the war is going to start in less than a week we must not have our plans leaked. DO YOU UNDERSTAND! the person on the other side of the scroll replied. Y-yess S-irr W-we UNDERSTAND was the reply that came through sounding scared and slightly determined. Eds P.O.V while stretching as to getting ready for the fight with Violet. As Im stretching I tried thinking of a plan to take down somebody who can turn energy into physical objects I wonder if she touched me then would my own aura turn physical and trap me. She did say it''s about harder to use so I''ll have only a slight chance to escape? That was also when I heard the back door open. She walks out and says alright I''m ready now she was wearing a simple dress that functions as a combat dress as it was form fitting. It was a simple mix of pink and black the black seemed like leaves or petals and the pink seemed to match her eyes when her semblance was active. Alright, also will we be using our weapons or just our fists? I asked as we still needed to save our energy for the fight later. Whatever you feel is right She says, allowing me to make the first move. Humm alright well start on the count of 3. 3 2 1 GO! Immediately I fired my knife-gun that was in my pocket and moved to the right. She deflects with a pink energy shield and throws it at me. I barely dodged the shield and taking a mental note that they move faster than they appear, fired a shot and rolled to hide behind one of the trees nearby. 4 Bullets left before having to reload. hmmmm She smirks and then the shield goes flying back to her but not before turning and aiming it at me again. Shit! Quickly jumping and grabbing a branch and then I started to climb quicker up the tree was then hit by the shield causing the tree some damage but the shield eventually broke after being stuck in the tree. Firing 3 more shots at Violet then jumping down while swinging my knife down trying to hit her Time to test if she can affect others aura.. When she had the chance she placed her hand on my chest and absorbed some of my aura making the knife-gun miss her head. Seeing my aura being absorbed and being slightly winded from practically punched in the lungs with the force of a sledgehammer I raised my leg and kicked her in the stomach and use her as launching board fired the last bullet making me go faster along with the knife-gun behind her head it resulted in me pulling it closer to her head, ready to stab her in the back of her head the allowing the momentum of my kick gave a bust of speed and power. She quickly travels behind me with a trail of pink energy Damn that was foul She says in pain from the force of the attack hitting her thankfully aura protecting her from the actual damage. Seeing her suddenly disappear in front of me only to see a trail of pink energy and a few pieces of cut hair from where she was then hearing her speak but not knowing what she said as I sensed danger thanks to the senses I developed when working with Roman. Everything okay? She asks, seeing the scared yet cold expression I had on my face. Turning fully behind me only to see that it was Violet I hop back before saying yeah Im okay just felt danger for a second when you were behind me. Wow ya dont trust me? She teases trying to hide the slight pain she felt from his reaction. What no its just I thought you would be angry since I cut a few pieces of your hair and then you were behind me Thinking of something To tease her with I say also I don''t know what you would do to me from behind~ then covering my chest as if trying to protect my innocence acting like a maiden in danger. You little perv She says with a slight blush from his statement along with how he acted. Sticking my tongue out at her and smirking, I say You were behind me that means you''re really the perv. Erm.. how so? She asks, playing dumb and no longer having the slight blush from before. Errrrmmmm Sooo are we stopping the fight? I asked, as I couldn''t actually think of a reason so tried changing the subject. Oh forgot about that hehe she chuckles, going along with my plan to change the subject. ??? forget what? I asked confused and innocently to see if she really is going along with changing the subject. The fight She replies before jumping on my shoulders thanks to her semblance and putting me into a headlock with her legs performing the Black-Widow take down perfectly Not anymore though, tap out she says tightening the grip on her legs. Struggling to find a way out from the head-lock with my eyes closed to make sure not to accidentally see something I shouldn''t like a gentleman, tightening the grip around my knife and stabbed her in the leg but her aura was protecting her so I just tapped out. She lets go and giggles hehe, I win she smirks in the face of her victory. In my mind many thoughts were going at almost lighting speed as my face slowly turned red but I accidently said I dont know if you won or if I won? before slapping my mouth shut as Im meant to be a 6 year old who was forced to develop early. Violet froze up from my accidental comment on how to process this as she did feel him breathing when trapped in her thighs so her face started turning red from embarrassment wondering if he saw anything. Seeing Violet frozen up I quickly thought of ways to change the conversation from this slowly growing awkward atmosphere. Luckily, that was when bullets started flying through the area, running and pushing Violet to the ground and shouted at her so she would snap out of it QUICKLY MAKE A DOME! this was also when I started thinking Was this the danger that I felt? Roman did have that uncanny ability to sense traps. She quickly does so SHIT she shouts before reaching up her dress and pulling out her gun that she has hidden who knows where Be ready for anything! she says. Ok! They seem to be in the trees reloading my knife-gun and getting ready for when the dome would fall. I aim at where the muzzle flashes are and where the bullets were flying from. The dome falls as Vi runs right and begins shooting so I moved left and followed her actions of shooting. Firing at where the shooters were I started rolling and then got up, I fired at where the others were, hitting most of my shots. Violet gets hit in her shoulder but continues shooting GO CHECK ON RUBY AND YANG!! she shouts, worried that they could have also followed them. OKAY BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU! I shouted as I ran inside and grabbed the dust that we just bort it was ice dust so there wouldn''t be a forest fire, looking at were most of the shooter were I threw my ice dust there and charged most of my aura into the dust so as soon as it hit the ground it exploded and captured most of them and I started running to Rubys house STAY SAFE!! I said while running and shooting, having to reload after my last shot. Violet keeps shooting but eventually runs short on ammo so continues fighting with her hands with her semblance acting as gloves, knifes practically anything though her aura is draining fast. Rubys P.O.V in her house watching the news about Vale and its current situation. *There seems to be a New criminal on the loose going by the name of The Big Bad Wolf or TBBW for short meany have deemed that there are 4 individuals behind this moniker as the letters match how the 4 academies create there team names however they have denied ever creating such a team and we at the news station believe them as the name doesn''t match with any of the academys naming sense.* Sitting on the couch with Zwei who was sitting on my lap when suddenly he raised his head and looked towards Edwards house. I wonder whats happening well whatever. *... The renowned Roman Torchwick was captured and arrested this afternoon at 13:18 by non other than officer Scarlet Arc on of the famous member of the Arc family which leads me towa-* Zwei then started barking and ran towards the door scratching it. This only continued for less than 5 seconds before dad said WILL YOU SHUT THAT DAMN MUTT UP! jumping slightly at Dads sudden loud shout expecting him to be kinder, he hasn''t quite been the same since mum left *... 7 Girls and only one boy who was born 7 years ago this has also provided evidence to scientists at atlas that the birth rate of men is falling and its estimated that in 11 years the chances between male and female birth would be 25% to 75% meaning more females would be born.* ILL DO IT! Yang shouted before I could and ran down the stairs and grabbed Zwei who was now trying to escape. Suddenly there was knocking at the door ILL GET IT! I yelled this time before Yang or Dad could shout and opened it and seeing it was Edward who looked exhausted Hi ED- Edward quickly asked, interrupting me Are you okay you haven''t been followed?! Hit!? Yelled at or anything right!?! He said all this in one breath before having to catch his breath again. Uuuu- AHH em What?... Is everything okay? You seem worried about something? I had to ask after all he''s covered in dirt, sweat and small drops of blood. Yeah, Im fine but are you okay and please answer Ive been worrying about you. That That''s so sweet, is it just me or did it get hot in here Not noticing how brightly Im blushing. Yang standing to the side while holding Zwei saw all this and realised that she would have to protect her sister from this manipulative rotten Egg. Y-yeah Im F-F-fin-e that was all I could stammer out before he recovered enough to say Okay, thats good Then he quickly ran back towards his house where there was a faint sound of gunshots?. WAIT ARE YOU Okay before I could ask him that question he was already gone Dam Bob was right he is fast. *...In one of Vale''s abandoned apartment complexes there has been a hidden base discovered and it was later reported that the criminal TBBW has been living there as there''s blueprints detailing how they have broken into those stores 2 years ago. Through further studies its believed that criminal mastermind Roman Torchwick has been training or mentoring this individual as police have identified that some of the techniques used Match that of Roman Torchwick as for now this has been Lisa Lavender of Vale so make sure to stay toon in as we discover more about TBBW and that''s goodbye for now.* Violets P.O.V As I fight all of them I see Ed run off just like I ordered DAMN THERE''S TOO MANY! As I punched the ground a huge pink shockwave emitted everywhere as I continued running behind a tree while bleeding from my arm resting as the shooting continued. C''MON YOU COULDN''T WAIT JUST A LITTLE LONGER? I yell this at the shooters jokingly hoping that this would distract them. WE DID WAIT, WE WERE HERE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE THAT AWKWARD SITUATION YOU WERE IN AND EVEN THE START OF THE FIGHT yelled one of the shooters. My voice goes dark Then you''ve waited long enough to meet your end and with that I prepare to attack. YEAH NO SHIT WAIT WHAT?! he yelled, not processing my words. There was a trail of energy behind him as I shot him and all the other people quickly. SHI- WHAT OU- MOVE! MOVE! MOV-! HOW THE FUCK DID SHE DO THAT! STATUS REPORT NOWW!! SHE TOOK 49 OF US OUT CAMANDOORREE! SHOULD WE RETREAT!? OF FUCING CORESE NOT GIVE THIS BICH HELL!! YESS SURE!! X 26 As they''re talking I was finally able to get my demon wings to emerge as I make a quick retreat though flying but my wing gets shot and I start falling fast. In the corner of my vision I see Ed line up his shot and fire at the shooters hitting 7 before they found his location, when they do find his position he changes locations by climbing into the trees and tree jumping. That was when I also crashed into the ground and passed out from the force of falling practically head first onto the ground. Eds P.O.V seeing Violet crash As Im jumping I quickly shoot at the shooter only able to fire the remaining shots before having to reload and trying to find a way to retrieve Violets body before the shooters find her location. HEY BOSS THE BITCH IS DOWN BUT I CAN''T SEE THROUGH THE DUST. Fuck theyll find her soon jumping down and running into the dust my aura starts to drain for some reason thankfully its at a slow rate as the dust seems to slowdown/delay its movement. Running closer into the centre I pick-uped Violets body and carried her here like a fire-man then started heading towards my house so I could get some shelter and not be shot. Running into the house when they were reloading I put Violet under the bed and made the bed messy so that it overhangs and covers her body. Seeing that the campfire is off I shimmy up the chimney and when I get to the top I Fire all nine of my shots each one hitting as they weren''t expecting to be shot by up high leaving only one guy left who seems to be the commander and he was at the opposite side to were the chimney was so using the roof as a climbing frame I get above the commander while hes yelling orders for a status report I fall on him and using my slightly aura enhanced fisted to hit the top of his head instantly dazing him but with another punch he gets knocked out. Not even 5 minutes later where I didn''t even get a break after caring most of the bodies into one pile showing around 30 while 25 bodies were just a mess but still identifiable there 19 of the bodies weren''t and the one commodore making up a total of 75 and maybe more. The police and some huntsmen were immediately on me bringing me down to the floor with me having no time to resist as they started securing the area also finding Violet who was still bleeding but much slower now Shit why didn''t I realise that she was bleeding! With the adrenalin dying down my injuries were also shown my leg muscles were torn but aura was doing its job along with a few bullet wounds that wasn''t deep but did get stuck in the body showing Ive been hit 21 times Dam my personal unlucky number, thankfully whatever my semblance is it seemed to have slowed the bullets momentum from piercing into my body too far. Tell me boy, why was there an injured child under one of your beds!? He asked calmly. OH I dont know officer MAYBE USE YOU FUCKING EYES Looking at his name plate and seeing it was Deku made it even funnier.DEKU!? HEY its OFFICER DEKU to YOU, now tell me what happened here. *This chapter is made thanks to a collaboration with @HershMaster at Wattpad this chapter involves her Ocs'' so please check out her story''s. Thank you if you did go check her out.* Chapter 13: Perv!! *This chapter is made thanks to a collaboration with @HershMaster at Wattpad this chapter involves her Ocs'' so please check out her story''s. Thank you if you did go check her out.* Previously on "The Hidden Secrets" Yang expressed her distrust of Egg (Edward/Edgar) as people seem to be calling him different names, Violet also told him more about her world and that there on the brinks of war and Edward couldn''t control his shock and ended up shouted it out loud which was heard by a faunus and later after the two''s shopping was done Violet agreed to train Edward/Edgar along with a group of faunus attacking at the end resulting in Edward/Edgar having to make sure that Ruby and Yang weren''t followed as well by the time he got back Violet was falling from the sky after her demon wings were shot leaving him to deal with the rest of the faunus and after the police showed up finding Violet under one of the beds along with a group of faunus piled on top of one another the officer that was questioning him was called officer Deku. Edward''s P.O.V an hour after the fight tied up in a hospital bed after the police were finally done with the questioning while wondering if Violet is going to be okay. Sigh ''I hope Vi will be alright. She looked like shit after that fight and I can''t believe I didn''t check if she was badly injured or not. Let''s just hope the doctor''s here will be able to help'' after a few moments ''wait if she''s a devil and the doctor is going to be running tests then Then THEY''LL KNOW SHE''S NOT FULLY HUMAN'' After that thought I started struggling more on my bonds trying to break free but that was also when the door opened and it was revealed to be Vi! who runs over to Edgar "Hey Hey you okay?" she asks frantically as if escaping from something. "Okay... OKAY... how are you? Y-you were covered in blood a-and the d-doctors t-t-they said you mi-might not make it!" I said this frantically while also crying slightly. She looks down at herself and she is still covered with blood but she hugs him "I''m okay, kid, I''m okay, I promise" she says. Trying to hug her back but can''t since I''m still tied to the bed "I-I''m n-not a-a kid" saying all this in between sniffs probably wasn''t convincing along with not being able to wipe the tears. She breaks my bonds and hugs him again acting as a sort of mother almost like Lu... Finally hugging her back and ignoring all the blood, I had to ask "H-How did you get here I-I thought the doctors had you?" after all she is covered in blood and I doubt they''ll just let her go. "That''s uhhmmmm I''ll explain later but for now, let''s run" she says them fireman carried me before just being dragged. "Hu wa-Hey" was all I could say as I was dragged through the halls while stumbling through looking back showed that there was debris and unconscious doctors along with pieces of dried blood from Vi''s cloths making a trail "Where are we going?" I said in between breaths. "home" she says in an ultra serious voice before turning to him "none of them are dead by the way, I''m not a killer, It''d go against my moral codes as an ang-" she stops herself still running. "Oh okay." I''ll just ignore that last part. "It''s best if we go somewhere else the police are probably going to be there considering there was a gun fight, w-we could go to Ruby she might help." I said that last part nervously. We keep running until I sprout my wing and pick him up flying into the forest Gripping harder onto Vi''s hand as I slightly hide my panic as I have a slight fear of heights "H-Hey Vi how much longer!" I said while shouting as the wind was blasting into my face. We eventually land at the house slowly walking toward the house as I start calming down from the slight fear I look around and see that it''ll take a while to fix this house as it is filled with bullet holes going inside and seeing this whole place as a mess I just grabbed me and Vi''s things it is mainly just our backpack''s considering I haven''t bort much. "Hey Vi I have our backpacks. Should we start making our way to Ruby''s now?" I asked just in case Vi had something to do. "don''t you go to signal soon?" she asks There was a moment of pause as I processed that thought then I grabbed my spare scroll from my backpack and checked the time. "It''s still the same day, it''s just been roughly an hour since the fight you were unconscious so you probably haven''t realized." "ohweird" she says surprised "Yep but we should probably make our way to Ruby''s since the police are going to be on their way here." I said all this trying not to sound insistent on whether we should go to Rubys or not. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. she looks at me with a certain unknown look "Okay" "Great also just so you know I think Tai might be slightly abusive to Ruby and Yang since there were bottles everywhere and the house looks horrible but I''m not sure." I said all this hesitantly while observing Vi''s reaction. "oh" her eyes darken Seeing Vi''s eyes darken I thought about what could happen and considering Vi''s the type to just go straight in without a plan which would be bad as then where would Yang and Ruby go. "Hey Vi what do you plan to do?" I asked hesitantly. "don''t have one" she puts bluntly "Sigh Yeah I expected that but you have to remember that this is still Yang and Ruby''s Dad so it''s their choice on what you should do." "that''s true" she says "Yeah and don''t forget that their mother just died around 3-4 days ago so he''s probably just grieving." I don''t quite know what to say as the conversation just ended up in silence. "Well here we are at Ruby and Yang''s house so what should we do?" "weI dont know" she says hesitant "Same I don''t know wha-" I was interrupted as the door opened and it showed Yang dragging along a cart while Ruby followed behind. "Oh hey EdwaaAAA-WHY ARE YOU NAKED!!" and it was true and wrong as I''m wearing the hospital gown and it had a split in the back showing my ass and I was facing Vi when the door opened. All Vi does is facepalm "Uurrmm, right forgot about that." Thinking of a way to make the atmosphere lighter from our last conversation I say "Vi you perv why didn''t you tell me." moving towards the side of the house I quickly get changed thanks to the spare clothes in my backpack that I always keep. "Well im not constantly staring at your ass am I?" she asks shaking her head. Yelling while putting on my hoodie "So you''re saying you did look, meaning your a perv!" then putting on my shoes and then walking back to the front of the house. "I''m saying the complete opposite- yknow not even the point right now" Vi say changing the subject. Deciding that it would be best to get to why we were here I let her change the subject "Right right, anyway I was just going to ask if you can let me stay here for a few days if not I understand allllsssssooo Vi wanted to talk to your Dad." then nudged Vi when I said talk. "Motherfucker wha-" Vi say quickly. "You wanted to TALK to their dad RIGHT." emphasizing the words so Vi can understand. "Ughhhhhhhh fineeeeeee" she says giving in and walking over to the couch to wait for their dad. Yang, confused at the whole situation tries to talk but keeps getting interrupted as first Egg had to get changed then Vi going into the coach and waiting for her Dad and Ruby is still all flustered about seeing Eggs ass. "Uuggghhh YOU KNOW WHATEVER COMMON RUBY!!" Then they started to leave heading towards an abandoned house that was supposed to have her true mother. "do..do i stop them" Vi ask being the oldest here and would feels responsible if they got hurt. Vi never got an answer as that was when Tai, drunker than Qrow, started yelling "YANNGGG WHERE''S MY BEER!!... RUBBYYYY GO GET MY BEERR!!" "Hey uh mister-mister sir, uhm so hows your day?" she asks awkwardly Tai now downstairs and seeing unknown kids ask drunkenly "Wh-hiccup-o Are yOu hiccup KIDS!" then got ready to fight "YOUR Roo-hiccup-BBERS!!" then launched a punch. She dodges with ease and pushes him down with one finger "just listen to me" she says "Ooohhffff" Tai, then more angry tried using his aura to get up "get OFF ME YOU ROBBING BITCH-hiccup-!!" She places her foot on his chest and says "stop being so difficult man, im tired and sure as hell not a robber" "THEN WHY ARE YOU IN MY-hiccup-HOUSE AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BEER BRINGERS!!" Tai yells acting more like a baby. "Look Tai, your daughters are safe, and im here to talk to you, so snap out if it" she says slapping him As I''m watching all this at the front door all I could mumble was "Talk she says while slapping the shit out of him." "QROW WHERE ARE YOU!! THEREs -hiccup- ROBBERS AND YANG AND RUBY ARE GON-hiccup-E!!" and that was when a loud sound as if someone is falling down the stairs revealing Qrow. Her eyes widen as she feared Qrow "ah hell" she then says Tai, seeing Vi scared smirks and laughs "HAHHAH BET YOU-hiccup-RE SCARED NOW BITCH!!" Qrow, not being drunk, says "TAI STOP ACTING LIKE A BABY THERE JUST KIDS!" She looks at Qrow and tilts her head while stepping a bit closer, analyzing him As this was happening I just stood there looking at the scene that was happening as hoping Qrow wouldn''t attack me again. Tai, seeing an opportunity, launches up and punches at Vi with an aura attack. Her senses kick in as her entire body turns to pink energy dodging barely while getting a bit away"Well uh thats new" she says discovering heightened senses Qrow, not expecting to be hit by Tai tries to doge but slips on a beer bottle and jets hit by Tai the only thing he could say was "just my luck." then gets launched. Vi awkwardly goes ovre to him and offers him a hand Instead of going towards Qrow I try and sneak up behind Tai and put him in a choke hold but before I could. Qrow who is grateful for the gesture of support nods but doesn''t accept it not wanting to pass bad-luck onto anyone else not after "TAI WAKE UP AND STOP ACTING LIKE A BRAT!!" then moved and slammed Tai onto the floor and also sending him flying towards Vi. Vi grabs his shirt and sprouts her wings dragging Tai along the floor and throwing him "Thats enough man cmon" she says flapping her wings in the air Qrow seeing all this could only whistle at how strong the girl is "Damm that''s one good throwing arm, best if I handle it from here you go look for Ruby and Yang I have a feeling they''ll be in trouble." "Me?" she asks "Yeah you and that brat trying to hide." Qrow says before leaving to go and find Tai then takes a swig of his flask. She retracts her wings and nod at Qrow "cmon lets go Edgar" she says As they were leaving, Qrow began to think of the girl as ''her aura feels weird and those wings don''t seem to be her semblance whatever.'' Outside "Where are we going? Vi." I wondered. "Honestly, good question" she says "..." unsure what to say I just stayed quiet then said "Best we follow the path and tracks." With that conclusion I started waking. Check out @HershMaster at Wattpad. Just saying definitely don''t have a gun to your head or anything and this definitely wasn''t just copy and pasted here... me... nnnoooooo go check out @HershMaster at Wattpad nnnnnoooooowwwwww!!!! Now try and tell the difference! Chapter 14 Revisiting the past I know it''s been a long time but I''m back also there will be more updates soon this time promise (for real this time) I''m still a bit stuck on what to do for my other story though. :C Anyway enjoy as it''s quite the long read especially compered to my other chapters though I thing the Colab chapters are still longer but whatever this chapter has over 4.5k words so enjoy there may also be another update in 2 hours if not then tomorrow, also warning I did use Chat GPT for some parts of the story tell me if you can spot were and you can have a Teddy-bear. In a similar room there is a tall sandy blond haired 21 year old man reading a letter that was written by his brother, even if they weren''t related they both considered each other brothers. In the room there is a bed with a living shadow as if a nuclear bomb had gone off. Sighing, the man pulled out a cigarette, lightened it and took a drag, he also grabbed the other letters and left the apartment. The police that the man had called arrived, "Sir are you the one that called?" The man was wearing a large military green coat with fur lining on the edge of the hood. It was the same colour as his hair. He had on his left wrist a fire starting bracelet that is mainly used in emergencies. The colour was lake blue matching his eyes, it was also his brother''s favourite colour. "Yeah I''m the one that called the room that you need to check is room 21, also you might want to send a detective whatever happened in there let''s just say it''s going to make the scientists go crazy like rats trapped in a rubber room." "Hmm, alright but we''re going to have to check it out ourselves just to make sure also we''ll need to question you on how this happened and if you know anything." The older officer going back into the police car so he can talk to the higher ups in private leaves the younger officer to keep watch of the man. Once the older person leaves the man speaks again "Mate, listen, I don''t have the time for this, so I''ll just give you my number and you can call me whenever you''re ready." The younger officer, not quite knowing if he should keep the man here or allow him to leave, simply accepted the card and stayed quiet allowing him to just leave with nobody trying to stop him. The older officer leaves the car only to look around and say "Where''d he go?" "Uuuummm he left sir.?" making it sound more like a question. "I know that Dimp but where?!" "Uuuummm, that way. I think" "Dammit OFFICER SUMMIT WHERE DID HE GO!" Came the reply of the easily angered old officer who has no patience. "HE WENT NORTHWEST SENIOR OFFICER SIR!" The clearly frightened officers said however the older officer angrily yelled back "ARE YOU CALLING ME OLD!" The man misreading the younger officer''s name as officer dipshit continued to laugh as he walked down the path making him look like a madman. After handing the letters to where they belong he returned home, the front yard had a lot of things kids and maybe even some adult would find entertaining from a somewhat big sand pit and a broken down swing-set then closer to the house there were a adult sized trampoline and a deflated child''s swimming pool on opposite sides of the path that lead to the house. This house where the man has lived for most of his life brought back many childhood memories looking at the trampoline. It brought back a painful but looking back incredibly funny with the words of his friend making him smile slightly. On the trampoline two 7 year old children are fighting with exaggerated movements however the fun stopped when the older of the two yelled "Jump, Jump KICK!" extending his leg the younger child decided to jump higher and spread his leg resembling that of a star jump. The problem with him jumping is that as he was starting to fall the extended leg began to raise as the older child jumped one more time doing a ''Jump, jump, kick, jump'' this resulted in the two boys crashing into each other with the extended leg colliding directly into his nuts while being completely unable to stop it as he had both arms extended to the side with is body in the stance of a star jump making him defenceless. This attack was so great that when the collision happened the two boys stayed in the air for a solid second. This was a result of both the boys'' rise and fall. Reflectively closing his legs he continues walking, after hours of signing paperwork and legal issues from the sudden acquisition of all his friends'' stuff thinking that it would be a good idea to have a look at all the items tomorrow he heads to bed. When opening the bathroom for his midnight piss however, it causes something that he has never seen before. Although he has imagined it he never thought it could come true. Remnant in the morning around 10 o''clock in Signal academy after the first lesson which lasted 2 hours students in class 21 were waiting for the teacher with one student even sleeping and the boy next to him was about to fall asleep as well. "Zzzzzz" the 7 year-old boy with pale skin that seems delicate matched with his blond nearly whiteish hair and the eye bags under his closed eyelids that shows his clear tiredness reminded people of the soft morning sun shine on freshly settled snow however the slightly visible scarring around his hand showed that he''s not new to hard work, the scars resemble that of burns. ''He''s either a cook or a blacksmith and from how the scars look old he has an aura so that''s why there''s no new scares or he got those scars when he was younger.'' thought the boy sitting next to the sleeping blond who was about to fall asleep himself. This boy with his black hair that was actually just dark brown his eyes resembled hot chocolate almost in a star like pattern in both eyes, he was wearing the basic male Uniform of black pants and a light green blazer with a light blue tie and light creamy white long sleeve shirt although there is no dress code as the students can wear whatever they want as long as it''s formal but for combat lessons they can wear anything Get your mind out of the gutter, these are kids! As the noise of kids chatting slowly drifted into white noise his eyes began to drift asleep allowing him a moment of relaxation from the constant paranoia, with Vi leaving earlier this morning after waking him up he didn''t know how to feel after all they were similar even if Vi didn''t know about his rebirth they were still pretty similar it''s just that she was a transmigrater and now she''s home As the boy was just starting to sleep he was suddenly and quite violently awoken by the sleeping blond punching him in the side of the face causing him to fall onto his left arm his right arm however was in the air searching for something to grab however he just ended up backhanded the blond boy causing both of them to fall thankfully in opposite directions. ??? P.O.V Being suddenly backhanded after waking up never feels good, I should know as it just happened along with the feeling of having six years of life shoved into my brain luckily my aura? Things stopped it from leaving any permanent damage. Laying on the ground for what feels like six years was also extremely awkward as the boy who I just remember punching when I was violently placed? Yeah placed feels right, when I was violently placed into this body is now staring at me and is probably wanting an answer. "Alright tuff guy you better have a damn good reason for punching me." He then started cracking his knuckles, giving me an unspoken message of what he would do. After thinking in my head for a few more seconds I''ve also realised I can think faster than usual, then I decided to tell the truth and doubt he''ll believe me anyway after all it''s a crazy story. Slowly putting my hand up I say "look I doubt you''ll believe me considering I''m as confused as you but basically my name is Lewis Smith though I guess its Lewis Ironsmyth now basically I was going to the toilet for my midnight piss like usual however when I opened the door there was this weird portal thing then I got sucked up pause and somehow ended up here." After my explanation there was a long pause before I was violently, again, pulled up and dragged into the bathroom. At this point I was starting to panic and worry for my life considering we''re in the same stall and he''s got me pinned to the wall "HEl-" he covered my mouth and now I''m starting to truly panic NOW HE''S REACTING FOR HIS PANTS!! Edgar/Edward''s P.O.V in the bathroom and is reaching towards his pants. ''Alright Edward don''t panic just reach and grab you''re gun then you''ll be able to neutralise this fucker then all you have to do is leave Signal and go to a different school and change you''re identity and everything should be fine'' ''HE''S GOING TO PULL OUT HIS COC WAIT IT''S A GUN THANK GOD I''LL BE FINE!!'' Thought lewis as he''s relieved, Edward however has no clue what Lewis is thinking as he''s too busy lost in his thoughts. ''Best to question him first so I would know more besides he might be If Vi was able to get on my timeline? Worldline? Universe? Dimension?... What ever if she was able to do it then who says others can''t which just means more problems for me, Fuck!'' "Alright fucker now you''re going to tell me everything about your self and about this portal and who you were before got it." I said while placing the gun under his chin with the handle resting on his collar bone, the other gun was transformed as a knife and is resting on his ribs. After a very long explanation from Lewis and realiseing that it was my Lewis the absolute greatest fucking friend ever I started crying having lived here on Reminent and being the only reincarnated person and realising that I couldn''t talk to anyone about who I truly I''m hurts especially when I wouldn''t even be able to fully trust anyone, not even Ruby as I''ve come to the realisation that secrets never lasted forever in the RWBY show and it''s how you deal with it that mattered. Putting away the weapons while holding back the tears I opened the bathroom door to make sure nobody was here and they wouldn''t listen in on our conversation, then something I didn''t expect happened. While my back was turned towards Lewis he took this opportunity to punch as hard as he could at the back of my head, maybe trying to knock me out? Thankfully my aura was still active and managed to block his attack otherwise I would have been unconscious. "Fucks sake Lewis-" haveing to stop my speaking as Lewis continues his attack with is usual combos from his upper-cut a he attacks the opponents legs to the fake opening he always the opponent to see before attacking again. "Damnit Lewis it''s me. Edward now. Will you. Please. Stop attacking!" That finally seemed to have gotten his attention as he paused for a second then went back in a combat stance and started asking me questions.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "How can I believe you after pulling a gun to my neck!? And if you were truly Edward then tell me something only he knows." "Fine, there was that time when we were playing in the field and threw your dad''s keys into the fields and it took us and a group of others forever to find it and when we did find them it was already near midnight." That seemed to have calmed him down as he walked towards me with his arms out for a hug. Accepting the hug I couldn''t help but comment "Your punches still hurt." Referring to his punch at the back of my head considering I was able to dodge and block his combo. Timeskip performed by E#**#* using "#)#"#"+-++"#"/#"6''#**: In the classroom where Edward and Lewis were sleeping. Edward and Lewis sat in their usual seats, half-listening to their teacher as she droned on about laws and regulationsthe dos and don''ts for Huntsmen and Huntresses. The teacher''s voice was a low murmur, an almost inaudible backdrop to their wandering thoughts. Lewis, as usual, wasn''t too bothered by the lecture. His mind was elsewhere. ''How do they expect kids to remember all this?'' he thought, mentally rolling his eyes as he continued to listen. ''If you choose to become a civilian, you can''t use your aura or semblance unless it''s for self-defence.'' Yeah, like anyone''s going to remember that in the future. Edward, on the other hand, was grappling with something far more complicated than his classwork. His thoughts were a tangled mess of doubts. Should I tell Lewis about the future? The question had been eating away at him for a while, a constant thought that''s always at the back of his mind. If I can''t tell him, then who can I trust? But... Some secrets are better left untold. Only one person needs to know. His hands clenched in his lap, fighting the urge to spill everything. Meanwhile, in a different classroom, Ruby''s teacher was giving the same lecture, but she barely seemed to notice her students. She was too preoccupied with her own thoughts to care much about what the class was absorbing. After all, they were just kids. What harm could they do? What the teacher failed to notice, however, was the subtle, cruel bullying Ruby was enduring. The whispered comments, the pointed stares, the occasional gigglesnone of it escaped Ruby''s notice, but she had grown used to it. Her pale silver eyes, a rare and unusual trait, made her an easy target. The teacher, however, didn''t see any of this. While Ruby sat silently in the corner at her desk with shoulders hunched, the teacher continued, oblivious to the bullying that was happening in her classroom only making Ruby think even more ''I thought that if I finally have a friend then all of this would stop but I guess, I really am a useless failure.'' Ruby tried to keep her head down, pretending to pay attention to the teacher, but the whispers were constant like knives stabbing into you. Every time someone looked her way, her stomach twisted. She wished she could just disappear, but no matter how hard she tried to ignore it, their attention only seemed to grow longer, more insistent as if testing her patients. In the other classroom, Edward''s gaze briefly flicked towards Lewis. He could see the resemblance between his Lewis and this new one, even if no one else was able to see the slight changes, the Lewis he knew would never be able to sit up this straight for so long or be able to pay attention to this teacher''s boring lesson for so long, the Lewis he knew would have been swinging on his chair with his legs on the table not giving a fuck about what anybody thought though I guess we haven''t been in touch for a while especially during our teenage years so he could of changed, this new Lewis still had some similar traits like the constant leg shaking and the closing of the eyes with his head tilted back as if resting his head on his arms along with the finger drumming on the table matching his heart beat. Lewis, however, was oblivious to the quiet judging from Edward. His mind was still focused on the teacher''s endless lecture. He shifted in his seat and nudged Edward with his elbow, whispering, "Do you think we''ll get graded on this? It''s all so boring... Who even remembers the rules for Huntsmen and Huntresses anyway?" Edward, startled by the sudden interruption, nodded absentmindedly and looked back towards the board. "I guess we''ll find out when the tests come around," he murmured, but his attention wasn''t on the lesson. He kept glancing back at Lewis, his internal struggle only growing with every passing minute. But then, the bell rang, signalling the end of class. The students packed up their things and filed out of the room, some chatting among themselves, others retreating into their own worlds. Ruby in her classroom was one of the last to leave, quietly slipping out the door, her eyes cast downward as she walked trying to forget all the horrible thoughts but only succeeded in pushing it down containing it in a small imaginary box. Edward, seeing Ruby in the hallway, felt a deep sense of unease settling in his chest. He hesitated before following her into the hallway, feeling an unfamiliar weight in his chest. The words he had been wrestling with for so long suddenly felt heavier. He could still remember the first time he saw Rubyher eyes shadowed with sadness from her mothers funeral, with the rain resembling the tears in her eyes and right now he was getting the same feeling from Ruby. Lewis, oblivious to the atmosfear he had already rushed ahead to catch up with some of their classmates. Edward''s gaze lingered on Ruby''s retreating figure for a moment longer before he sighed and hurried after her, knowing the pain of isolation she was feeling. Ruby had stopped in the hallway, leaning against a wall, her face hidden behind a lock of her messy black reddish hair. Edward approached cautiously, unsure of what to say he knew the wrong word could worsen the situation, but he felt like now was as good a time as any to start. "Hey, Ruby," he said softly, trying not to sound too forced but it came out more creepy. Ruby flinched slightly as if expecting someone else, but then turned to face him. She forced a smile, though it didn''t fool Edward who was used to wearing fake smiles. "Oh, hey, Edward. What''s up?" Her voice was almost too cheerful, a clear attempt to mask whatever she was feeling. "I... I just wanted to make sure you''re okay," Edward said, his words tumbling out before he could stop them. "You don''t look okay." Ruby stiffened, but her eyes softened. She wasn''t surprised by the questionno one ever really asked her this question, especially in school. "I''m fine," she said quickly, her words a little too quick. "Don''t worry about me." Edward frowned. He didn''t believe her, but he didn''t want to push. Instead, he stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You don''t have to pretend, you know. You can talk to me if you want I I know how you feel I''ve been there." Ruby stared at him, a mixture of surprise and confusion in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but then stopped herself. For a moment, neither of them said anything. The air between them felt thick with unspoken words. Slight traces of tears started to gather at Ruby''s eyes, not used to having such support so she didn''t know how to process it, but the moment was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. Lewis appeared in the hallway, his hands stuffed in his pockets just like on earth. He grinned at finding Edward but paused slightly when noticing the girl next to Edward making him remember when Edward had the same expression and although he could help the girl now he could tell what she needed now was a distraction so when she''s feeling better the questions can truly begin. "Come on, Edward, we don''t want to be late for lunch." then looking at Ruby asked "You okay?" Ruby quickly wiped away any trace of vulnerability and tears then forcing a bright smile. "Yeah, just fine." Then focusing her gaze at Edward said "Go on, enjoy your lunch with your friend I''ll be fine!" Edward, knowing what Lewis is trying to do, continued their unspoken plan "Oh right you two haven''t met yet, Ruby this is lewis, Lewis this is Ruby I''m sure you two would make great friends." Lewis looking at Ruby was still dealing with the surprising resemblance from someone he knew from earth but had more important things to deal with "As Edward has said I''m Lewis, Lewis Smith-Cough- sorry I meant IronMyth, Still trying to get used to that. Anyway nice to meet you, now how about we go and get lunch before it''s too late." saying that he offered a hand toward Ruby with Edward doing the same, making him reminisce about their first time meeting each other, where Lewis also offered a hand of help. Ruby, unsure of what to do simply simply accepted the extended hand of both Lewis and Edward while looking at both of the eyes of Lewis blue eyes or Edwards brown ones she couldn''t quite remember as the tears she was holding back were finally released and resulted in blurring the faces of her newly made friend and her first true friend. When they arrived and got their lunch the silence that followed felt heavy, but not in the way it had before. It was different now, more like a shared understanding. Ruby''s eyes lingered on Edward for a moment longer, as if searching for something. But when their gazes met, she quickly looked away, her fingers absently tracing the edge of her tray. Edward didn''t know what else to say, so he just let the silence settle between them. The tension from the earlier exchange hadn''t quite disappeared, but it felt less oppressive now. In some way, trying to help Ruby had lifted a small part of the weight from his chest. But it also brought a new, nagging feelingWhat if I can''t help her when it matters most just like..? Lewis, still aware of the drama that had unfolded, plopped a large forkful of mashed potatoes into his mouth and looked between Edward and Ruby. "So... what are we doing after school today?" he asked, completely shifting the mood with his carefree tone. "I was thinking we could hit up the training groundssee if I can finally land a perfect throw. I swear, I''m just a hair off every time." He said remembering and using the memories of the boy''s life. Ruby gave a small, forced laugh. "Sure, that sounds good." But her voice lacked the usual enthusiasm, and she didn''t meet his eyes. Instead, she poked at her food some more. Edward, sensing the growing discomfort, shifted in his seat. He felt like there was something more to the situation than just the teasing. He wasn''t sure what, exactly, but he could feel it in his gut. Is this really just about her eyes? Or is there something else going on? He glanced at Ruby, then back at Lewis, who was still excitedly talking about his plans. "Actually," Edward interjected, "maybe we should head over to the training grounds a bit later. Ruby, you okay if we give it some time? I know you''ve got a lot going on with the classes, so" Ruby''s head snapped up, her eyes wide, and for a moment, Edward thought he had said something wrong. But Ruby didn''t seem angrymore like... surprised. "Oh, no, it''s fine," she said quickly, her voice far too bright to be genuine. "I just... didn''t expect it. That''s all." Edward wasn''t convinced. There was more she wasn''t saying, and that feeling in his chest wouldn''t go away. Something was wrong, and Ruby was keeping it to herself. He wished he could reach out more, but he didn''t know how to, he could use the approach he used on Lewis but Ruby needed a more gentle approach. Before he could say anything more, the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch. The usual chaos resumed as students began standing up and gathering their things. Ruby quickly stood, her tray now empty, and gave a small, tight smile to Edward and Lewis. "Thanks for... you know," she said softly. "I''ll see you both later, okay?" Edward nodded, though he didn''t quite know what to say. "Take care, Ruby." As Ruby left the table, Lewis shot Edward a curious look. "Man, what was that all about? I swear, you two are like, the definition of awkward sometimes." Edward didn''t answer right away. His eyes lingered on Ruby''s retreating form, the way she kept her head down as she walked toward the exit. "You know something''s up, right?" Lewis pressed. "I mean, you''re usually the one to catch on to these things yet even I''m able to see it so what''s going on with her?" Edward glanced at his friend, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He wanted to tell Lewis everythingthe things he knew, the things he was afraid of, and maybe even the things that could change everything. But how could he explain any of it without sounding insane? How do you tell someone about the future and that was in an anime? Instead, Edward forced a tight smile. "She''s just... going through some stuff, probably bullying and her home life isn''t that great as well, at least they''re starting to care about her now." Lewis narrowed his eyes, clearly able to tell that Edward was keeping something secret. "Yeah, well, you two should talk more. And... you''ve been kind of distracted too. Everything okay?" Edward hesitated. The weight of the secret he carried, the things he couldn''t say, were making it harder to even think straight. But he managed a nonchalant shrug. "Yeah. Everything''s fine. Let''s get to class." The rest of the school day passed in a blur. Edward couldn''t focus on anything. His thoughts kept drifting back to Ruby and the strange distance that had settled between them. There was more to this than just the family problems and school bullies. He couldn''t shake the feeling that Ruby was hiding something, something that went beyond the mockery about her eyes. What if it''s not just the eyes? What if there''s something else? he thought. He wanted to help, but he had no idea where to start. Finally, the bell rang for the end of the day, and students spilled out into the hallway, ready to head home. Edward quickly packed his things, deciding he needed to do something. He couldn''t just sit on the sidelines anymore, waiting for things to get worse. But as he stepped into the hallway, his thoughts were interrupted by a voice he hadn''t expected to hear. "Edward!" He turned to find Ruby standing by the door to the exit. She looked hesitant, almost as if she was waiting for something. "Ruby?" Edward asked, surprised. "Are you okay?" Ruby nodded, though her expression was uncertain. She bit her lip before speaking, her words coming out slowly, as though she was trying to decide whether to say them or not. "Can we talk?" she asked softly, her eyes meeting his. "I... I think I need to tell you something. Something I''ve been hiding." Edward''s heart skipped a beat. For a moment, he was unsure if he should be excited or scared. Ruby was opening up to himfinallybut what was she going to say? Thanks for reading and sorry for the cliff hangers that I''ve been using so much tell me what are your thoughts of this new development especially with the introduction of Lewis. Also really sorry for the long break it''s just hard writing original stuff especially when the show doesn''t tell us much about Signal so I was doing research though some stuff will definitely be things I''ve made up also warning next chapter contains lots of... ha cliff hanger now BYE!! Chapter 15 Dealing with it Previously on The Hidden Secrets Can we talk? she asked softly, her eyes meeting his. I... I think I need to tell you something. Something Ive been hiding. Edwards heart skipped a beat. For a moment, he was unsure if he should be excited or scared. Ruby was opening up to himfinallybut what was she going to say? Now back to the story. Rubys words hung in the air, a mix of vulnerability and tension. Edwards heart pounded in his chest as he stood there, unsure of what to do next. This was the moment hed been waiting forthe moment Ruby would finally talk to him. But something in her voice made it clear that whatever she was about to say, it wasnt going to be easy. She glanced around the hallway, as if making sure no one was listening. Then, with a quiet sigh, she motioned for Edward to follow her. Come on. I think we should talk somewhere... private. Edward nodded, his mind racing. What could she possibly need to tell me? he thought, a thousand questions flooding his mind. He followed her as they slipped down a quieter hallway, away from the crowd of students rushing to leave. The distant hum of the school seemed to fade as they reached an empty classroom. Ruby stepped inside, glancing around nervously before closing the door behind them. She leaned against the desk, arms crossed tightly, her eyes avoiding him. I She stopped, took a deep breath, and started again. Im sorry Ive been distant lately. Its just... Ive been dealing with some stuff, and I didnt know how to talk about it. Edward stepped closer, trying to meet her gaze. You dont have to apologise, Ruby. I just want to understand. Whats going on? Ruby took a shaky breath, her gaze still lowered, as if trying to gather the strength to speak without breaking down. Edward could see the years of hurt, the years of being pushed around and made to feel like she didnt belong. Theyve been doing this for a long time, Ruby said softly, finally looking up at him, her silver eyes reflecting a mixture of sadness and a small amount of hope. Before I even knew you... before I even came to Signal, I was already dealing with this kind of stuff. The bullying. The teasing. It wasnt always as bad as it is now, but its been there, lurking in the background. Edward felt a knot tighten in his stomach. Ruby had always seemed so cheerful, so full of life, that the idea of her suffering in silence seemed almost impossible almost What do you mean? he asked, his voice a little rough, as if the thought of Ruby being mistreated hurt him more than hed anticipated. Ruby exhaled slowly, her fingers gripping the edge of the desk in front of her. At first, it wasnt that obvious. Just small things. People would make little comments about my eyes or call me ghost girl or vampire because of how pale I look. And, yeah, Id just brush it off. You know, I figured it was just my friends trying to be funny. But it didnt stay like that. Her voice faltered slightly as she continued, and Edwards chest tightened. It started with the looks. Then came the whispers behind my back. The way people would pretend to talk about something else, but Id catch their eyes flicking to me. I thought maybe I was imagining it, but then it just got worse. Ruby paused, her hands trembling slightly. I remember this one time... I was walking down the hall, minding my own business, when a group of girls from the other classes stopped in front of me. They didnt say anything at first. Just stood there, staring at me like I was some kind of freak. Then one of them, this girl named Eliza, started laughing. She said, Look at her. Who let a ghost into the school? Do you think shes some kind of monster? Im surprised the teachers havent kicked her out yet. Edward felt a surge of anger at the words, but Rubys face remained calm, almost resigned. I tried to ignore them, but Eliza kept going. She got louder and louder until the whole hallway was staring at me. I couldnt even run away. Everyone was watching. And the worst part was... no one stepped in. No one told her to stop, not even my friends, who kept borrowing my things. I only realised later that they were selling them. Ruby took another deep breath. That was just one of the first times. But after that, it was like the floodgates opened. Every day there was something new. Id find my things thrown out of my locker, or my homework ripped up and scattered across the hall. People would draw pictures of me with fangs and call me the vampire or worse... I even had some of the guys from the upper years accidentally bump into me when I was in the hall, just to knock me off balance and watch me fall. She clenched her fists, her knuckles white. Its like they get a thrill out of seeing me hurt. Edward felt a deep pit form in his stomach as he listened to Rubys words. How could anyone do that to her? The idea that shed been suffering in silence for so long, and he hadnt even noticed, made him feel like hed failed her somehow. Ruby looked at him now, her eyes full of something close to insanity. I didnt want to tell anyone. I didnt want to make a big deal out of it, you know? I kept thinking it would stop if I just ignored it long enough. But the more I ignored it, the worse it got. The bullying got personal Theyd make fun of my eyes every chance they got and about But it wasnt just about that anymore. It was about making me feel like I didnt belong herelike I was always going to be an outsider. Edwards throat felt tight as he took a step forward, unable to hold back the surge of protectiveness that had built up inside him. He wanted to say something, anything, to make her feel better, but words didnt seem enough so he just wrapped her up in a tight hug. Ruby let out a quiet, bitter laugh mist with small tears, though it held no humour. I dont know why they do this. I guess they think Im different. That my eyes are freaky. And maybe they think it makes me weaker, or easier to target. Or maybe its because they just enjoy making someone feel small. I dont know. But Ive learned to keep my head down, just keep going through the motions. She wiped away a stray tear but they kept falling for a while longer, her face turning slightly red. And then when you came along... I thought maybe things would get better. I thought maybe someone would actually care. But now, I feel like Ive just dragged you into it. You dont deserve to be around all of this Yo-you shouldnt be around a useless failure like me Edwards heart clenched. Ruby, you didnt drag me into anything, he said firmly, hugging her even tighter. This is not your fault. Youre not the one causing this. The people who are bullying youtheyre the ones who need to be held accountable. You deserve to feel safe here. And I... I dont care about your eyes. I care about you so never ever call yourself a failure or useless. Ruby looked up at him, her silver eyes wide, a mixture of disbelief and hope flickering across her face with tears falling again. Y-you really mean that? Edward nodded, his voice steady. I do. No matter what happens, Ive got your back. And if they dont stop, well make them. No one should have to go through this. Not you. Not anyone. Rubys breath caught in her throat, and for the first time, she let herself smilejust a little, but enough to make Edwards heart swell. You... Do you really want to help? Of course I do, Edward said, his voice softer now. We cant let them get away with this. But we cant do it alone. If they think they can bully you just because youre different... Well, theyre wrong. No one gets to make you feel like you dont belong, hell well even get Lewis involved. Ruby hesitated, glancing down at the floor, but when she looked back up, there was something brighter in her eyessomething that hadnt been there before. You really think we can do that? Stand up to them? I know we can, Edward said, more sure of himself than hed felt in a long time. We dont have to let them win. We just need to stand together. For the first time in a long while, Ruby let out a breath that sounded like relief. Thanks, Edward. I dont know what Id do without you. You dont have to worry about that, he replied with a small smile. Youre not alone anymore. Well face this together. The next few days felt like theres a quiet storm brewing in the halls of Signal. Rubys confession had shaken Edward in ways he hadnt expected. Its one thing to have faced bullying but it was another thing entirely to learn that someone you cared about had been silently suffering, day after day, without anyone standing up for them. But now, Edward had made up his mind. He wasnt going to let this go on any longer. Ruby seemed quieter than usual, still processing everything, but there was a spark in her eyes that hadnt been there before. She was beginning to realise she didnt have to face this alone, and Edward was determined to make sure she felt that way, every step of the way. The next afternoon, they found themselves sitting in the cafeteria again. The same place where the bullying had started. Edward had invited Ruby to sit with him and Lewis, hoping that a little normalcy might help ease her nerves. The table was quiet for the momentLewis was busy with his usual antics, chatting about his latest training sessions and asking Edward if he wanted to join in on a sparring match later. But Ruby was lost in thought, poking at her food. Edward leaned in a little, his voice low but steady. Are you ready for the plan? Ruby glanced up at him, then nodded, though there was still some hesitation in her eyes. I guess so. I mean... I know its the right thing to do, but... I dont know. What if nothing changes? Edward frowned. Well make it change. We dont have to let them get away with it. Besides, if you dont say anything, theyll just keep picking on you. And were not going to let that happen. Ruby bit her lip, looking down at her plate again. She seemed lost in thought, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her tray. What if this just... makes it worse? What if they target you because youre helping me? Edward paused, considering that possibility. It was a valid fear. Hed seen how bullies workedthey didnt stop once they had a target. But that didnt mean they had to win. Ruby, he said, his voice firm, you shouldnt have to deal with this alone. And if they think they can make it worse for me, then they dont know who theyre messing with. He gave her a reassuring smile. Ill stick by you, no matter what. Ruby finally looked up, meeting his gaze. Her eyes softened, and a small, genuine smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Thanks, Edward. I dont know how you can be so... sure about all this. But I really appreciate it. Before Edward could respond, a voice from across the room interrupted them. Well, well. Look whos sitting together again. The Ghost Girl and her new little sidekicks. Edward stiffened, his head turning toward the source of the voice. It was Elizathe girl Ruby had mentioned, the one who had been tormenting her since the first day. She was flanked by two other students from a higher year, both of them wearing smirks that made Edwards blood boil. Elizas eyes gleamed with malicious intent as she strolled over blocking Edwards view of Ruby by leaning on the table. You know, she said, her tone dripping with mock sweetness, Its cute how you think youre going to fix anything. But everyone knows the truth about her, dont they? She then flicked her gaze toward Ruby, her smile turning cruel. I mean, its not like people want her around anyway. Shes nothing more than a pity case. Ruby flinched at those words, her face reddening, but she tried not to shrink away. Edward could see her fists clenching near her food tray, and for a moment, he thought she might snap just like when he was younger. But then, surprisingly, Ruby sat up straighter, her voice calm but steady as she spoke as though devoid of emotion. Youre wrong, Eliza. I do belong here. And Im not a pity case. So maybe you should think about that before you say anything else. Elizas smirk faltered, but only for a second before it returned, more venomous than before. Oh, really? Well, lets see how long that confidence lasts when everyone turns on you, freak. She glanced at her friends, who snickered behind her, obviously enjoying the spectacle. Edwards temper flared, but Rubys hand shot out to stop him before he could say anything. She shook her head slightly, giving him a look that said, Let it go, for now. She wasnt done yet. Listen, Ruby continued, her voice a little louder now, drawing the attention of a few nearby students, Im not going to fight with you. Im not going to waste my time with people like you. She stood up, her shoulders squared, her eyes meeting Elizas with an unflinching gaze. But if you think you can push me around forever, youre wrong. You can keep calling me whatever you want, but it doesnt matter anymore. Im done being scared. There was a brief, stunned silence as Elizas expression flickered with surprise. It wasnt often anyone stood up to her, especially not Ruby. But Ruby didnt back down. Instead, she grabbed her tray and turned to walk away, her back straight, her head held high. Edward stood up quickly, following her with one last glance at Eliza, who was staring after them, eyes narrowing. But he didnt care. What mattered now was Ruby and his plan. And Ruby had just taken a huge step forward in facing down the people who had been tormenting her. Once they were out of the cafeteria and in the quieter hallway, Ruby stopped and leaned against the wall, letting out a long breath. I didnt think I had it in me to say that, she muttered, half to herself. But... It felt good. Going against her. Edward smiled, walking up beside her and leaned on the same wall. You were amazing. Im proud of you.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Ruby glanced at him, her smile hesitant but real. Thanks. It wasn''t easy, though. But you were right. I dont have to put up with it. Im not just going to let them keep making me feel like Im nothing. Edward gave a nod of approval. Thats the spirit. And were not done yet. Were going to make sure they cant keep bullying you. Ruby looked at him, determined. Yeah. Lets do it. As Ruby was talking with Edward she seemed to have forgotten about Lewis who was also sitting at the same table as them, Edward however did not as this was going all according to plan especially when he heard the teachers yell of WHAT IN OUMS NAME HAPPENED HERE!!! Thankfully Ruby didn''t notice as Edward had placed his headphones on her and made her listen to some of his music of course she doesn''t know this only Lewis knows about who made the music. In the cafeteria when Ruby and Edward had left everybody has seemed to have forgotten about Lewis so clearing his voice he stated with hidden anger You know In the same tone dripping with mock sweetness that Eliza had used before going back in a serious voice Ruby might not be willing to fight with you or waste her time with people like you but that doesn''t mean her friends wouldnt. That was the only warning Eliza got before Lewis effortlessly flipped the table he had been sitting at, sending trays and cutlery clattering to the floor. The noise silenced the cafeteria, and all eyes turned toward him. His usually jovial demeanour had been replaced by an icy calm that made even the boldest students hesitate. Eliza blinked, clearly taken aback. "What do you think you''re doing?" she snapped, though her voice wavered just enough to betray her unease. Lewis stepped forward, his movements deliberate and precise, like a predator stalking prey. I think youve misunderstood something, he said, his voice low but carrying easily in the tense silence. Ruby might not want to fight you, but I dont have her patience. Youve crossed a line, Eliza. He repeated this time lacking any patience. Eliza glanced at her friends for support, but neither of them moved. They seemed just as stunned as the rest of the cafeteria. Lewis continued, taking another step forward, his presence dominating the room. You think youre untouchable, he said, his tone calm yet laced with malice. That you can say and do whatever you want because no ones ever stood up to you. But heres the thingyoure pathetic. And if you ever, ever mess with Ruby again, youll find out just how wrong you are. Eliza opened her mouth to retort, but Lewis wasnt finished. You see, Im not like Edward. I dont care about playing nice or giving you a chance to apologise. If you ever hurt my friends, theres no coming back from that. His gaze hardened, and for a moment, the confident bully looked genuinely scared. The cafeteria was deathly silent as Lewis turned and walked out, leaving the overturned table and the stunned crowd behind. Whispers started to spread as the tension broke, and Elizas friends awkwardly tried to pull her away, clearly wanting to avoid any further confrontation. Meanwhile, outside in the hallway, Ruby was oblivious to the chaos Lewis had just caused. Ruby was still leaning against the wall, her expression a mixture of relief and determination after listening to the songs, taking the headphones off she handed them back to Edward. Edward, she said, breaking the silence, thank you for being here for me. I dont know what Id do without you. Edward gave her a reassuring smile. Youre stronger than you think, Ruby. You just needed a little reminder of that. Ruby nodded, her smile growing a little more confident. Well, I guess its time to see how this plan of yours will play out. Edward chuckled, glancing down the hallway. Oh, I think its already in motion. As if on cue, Lewis appeared, his usual grin back in place as he strolled up to them. Sorry Im late, he said casually, though there was a glint of mischief in his eyes. Had to take care of something. Ruby raised an eyebrow, but Edward only smirked knowingly. All good? he asked. Lewis shrugged. Lets just say Eliza might think twice before trying anything again. Ruby looked between them, confused. What do you mean? What happened? Lewis waved a hand dismissively. Nothing you need to worry about. Just making sure the message was clear. He grinned at her. Youre not alone anymore, Ruby. Weve got your back. For the first time in what felt like forever, Ruby felt a spark of hope. With Edward and Lewis by her side, maybe things really could change. And maybejust maybeshe could finally start to believe in herself again. The trio walked down the hallway, the air between them lighter than it had been in weeks. Ruby felt the knot of tension in her chest loosen a little more with every step. It wasnt gone completelyEliza and her cronies wouldnt just disappearbut for the first time, Ruby felt like she could breathe. They reached the courtyard, where the crisp autumn air carried the faint scent of fallen leaves. Edward and Lewis took seats on one of the low stone walls surrounding the area, but Ruby hesitated, glancing around nervously. Relax, Edward said, patting the space next to him. Elizas not going to follow you out here. And even if she did He gave Lewis a pointed look. Lewis smirked, cracking his knuckles in an exaggerated display. Yeah, I dont think shes in the mood for round two. Ruby rolled her eyes but couldnt help smiling a little as she sat down. I appreciate you guys, but I dont want this to turn into a fight every time she shows up. It wont, Edward assured her. The point isnt just to shut her upits to show her and everyone else that youre not alone. People like Eliza thrive on fear and isolation. Once they see they cant corner you anymore, theyll back off. Ruby nodded slowly. It made sense, but that didnt make it any less intimidating. So, whats next? she asked, glancing at Edward. You said you had a plan. Edward leaned back, a thoughtful look crossing his face. Yeah. Step one was standing up to her, which you nailed today. But step two thats going to take a little more effort. Ruby tilted her head. Whats step two? Lewis chimed in, his grin widening. Taking away her audience. Ruby frowned. What do you mean? Edward explained, Bullies like Eliza rely on an audience to validate their behaviour. The more people laugh, agree, or stay silent, the more power she has. If we can show everyone that its okay to stand up to her, shell lose that power. Ruby raised an eyebrow. And how do we do that? Lewis grinned mischievously. Public humiliation works wonders. Edward shot him a look. Were not sinking to her level. Though Lewis can tell the hidden meaning thanks to their long friendship Alest don''t do it infront of Ruby was the hidden meaning. Fine, fine, Lewis said, raising his hands in mock surrender. Your way, then. as he didnt want to get in the way of Edwards plans with Ruby. Edward turned back to Ruby. Were going to start small. Build some support. Youre not the only one Elizas bullied, right? Ruby shook her head. No shes gone after a few other people. Mostly quiet ones who dont fight back. Exactly, Edward said. If we can get them to join usshow them that its safe to speak outthen Elizas going to have a harder time picking her targets. Ruby hesitated. What if theyre too scared to stand up to her? Thats where we come in, Edward said. Well back them up, just like we did for you. And once people see that Eliza isnt as untouchable as she pretends to be, the tide will turn. Ruby thought about it for a moment. It was a bold plan, but it made sense. She just wasnt sure if she had the courage to lead the charge. Do you really think this will work? Edward smiled at her. I wouldnt suggest it if I didnt. Youve already taken the hardest step, Ruby. Now we just need to keep the momentum going. Ruby looked at Lewis, who gave her a thumbs-up. Im in, he said reassuringly. Lets knock her down a peg. Ruby took a deep breath, steeling herself. Okay. Lets do it. As the lunch bell rang, signalling the end of the break, the trio headed back into the school building, joining the flow of students returning to their afternoon classes. Signal Academys halls buzzed with activity, the echoes of conversations and hurried footsteps filling the air. Ruby, a first-year at Signal, stuck close to Edward and Lewis, both second-years though Edward has only been in Signal for only two days. Their taller frames and easy confidence made her feel safer, even if she was still nervous about facing the rest of the day. Edward glanced at Ruby as they walked. Remember, he said quietly, were sticking to the plan. One step at a time. Ruby nodded, clutching her backpack and books tightly that she got from her locker even if it was proven not to be a safe place to store her belongings. Yeah. I just hope it works. It will, Edward assured her. Just keep your head up. Lewis, walking slightly ahead, turned to grin over his shoulder. And if anyone gives you trouble, well, youve got me. My reputation alone should scare them off. He winked as thanks to his memories he knows everything this body has done, and Ruby couldnt help but giggle despite herself. Thanks, Lewis, she said softly, feeling a little braver with them by her side. Their first class after lunch was Combat Theory, held in one of Signals spacious training halls. Ruby slid into her seat at the front, while Edward and Lewis took their usual spots near the back, exchanging waves before the instructor entered. Professor Wick strode in with her usual no-nonsense energy, her sharp eyes scanning the room before launching into a lecture about the fundamentals of combat. Ruby tried to focus, but her thoughts kept drifting back to lunch. Standing up to Eliza had felt incredibleterrifying, but incredible. But what if Eliza decided to retaliate? What if the other students just stood by and let her? She tapped her pencil nervously against her notebook, barely registering the words on the page. From his seat, Edward noticed Rubys distraction. Catching her eye, he gave her an encouraging thumbs-up. Ruby blinked, then smiled slightly, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She wasnt alone anymore, and that made all the difference. When class ended, they regrouped in the hallway before their practical combat session. Lewis slung an arm over Edwards shoulder. Think well get paired up for sparring today? he asked. I could use the workout. Edward smirked. You just want an excuse to show off. then elbowed him a little in the ribs. Guilty as charged, Lewis said, grinning. Ruby chuckled, the tension easing from her shoulders as the three of them headed for the training grounds. Signals outdoor arena was buzzing with activity as students warmed up and instructors set up for drills. Ruby felt a familiar mix of excitement and nerves; combat practice was her favourite part of the day, but she still struggled with confidence especially when her Uncle Qrow isn''t the instructor. Alright, everyone! Instructor Holts booming voice silenced the chatter, also making Ruby more nervous. Well be doing paired sparring today. First-years with first-years, second-years with second-years. Find your partner and get to it! Ruby glanced around, relieved to see that her partner was a friendly girl named Vera. The two of them exchanged nods before heading to an open sparring circle. Nearby, Edward and Lewis squared off, their playful banter drawing a small crowd of onlookers. The session passed quickly, with Ruby finding herself more focused than usual. Vera was a skilled opponent, and their match pushed Ruby to test her limits. By the time Holt called an end to the drills, Ruby was sweaty and tired but also exhilarated. She could see Edward and Lewis grinning at her from across the field, clearly proud of her. As they packed up to leave, Ruby felt a renewed sense of determination. She still had a long way to go, both in combat and in facing down Eliza, but with Edward and Lewis by her side, she felt like she could handle whatever came next. For now, though, she was content to savour this momenta small victory in a much larger battle. And as they walked back, laughing and joking, Ruby couldnt help but think that maybe, just maybe, things were starting to look up. 3rd P.O.V after Signal as Lewis is heading home in a bullhead lost in thought as he is still adapting to Remnant and his new body and memories. The low hum of the bullheads engines filled the cabin, a steady drone that might have lulled someone else into sleep. But for Lewis, rest remained elusive. His tired blue eyes, flecked faintly with green, stared out of the window at the drifting clouds of Vale''s sky, though his focus was somewhere far beyond. The body he inhabitedLewis Ironsmyths bodyfelt unfamiliar, even after spending a whole day of living in it. His pale, delicate hands rested in his lap, the faint scars on his palms a reminder of hours spent learning the craft of smithing. They felt foreign, like gloves that didnt quite fit. Every sensation, every movement, carried a dissonance he couldnt shake. In his past lifehis true lifehe hadnt been Lewis Ironsmyth. He had lived another existence, in another world entirely, with its own rules and realities. Memories of that life were a fractured mosaic now, edges blurred and pieces missing. But some things were clear: the warmth of his old home, the laughter of loved ones, and the simple comfort of being himself. Those memories haunted him, clashing against the reality of this new life; at least he still had Edward, someone who has stuck with him through everything. Lewis adjusted the cuffs of his formal shirt, the polished fabric as stiff and constraining as the persona he now wore. His reflection in the window stared back at him, the noble demeanour of the young smith in Patchpractised smile and all. It wasnt him, not really. It was Lewis Ironsmyth, heir to a proud family legacy, prodigy smith, and Signal Academy student. The bullhead jolted slightly, descending as it neared his home. Lewis barely noticed, lost in thought. His Semblance, Ownership, had felt like a cruel joke at first. It wasnt a skill or power he would have dreamed of in his past life. The ability to claim and summon what he owned felt absurdly fitting for a boy born into privilege and legacy. But it also felt disturbingly convenientlike this life had been crafted around him, rather than for him. The realisation hit him hard every time he used it. Each summon, each manifestation, carried a strange weight. The weapons and tools he summoned werent his, not really. They belonged to Lewis Ironsmyth, the boy whose body and name he now bore. The thought was a constant reminder of his displacement, of his stolen identity yet he was also able to summon things from his past life from the things Edward had handed to him to a whole house though he didn''t summon it he can instinctively feel what he will be summoning. Home loomed closer as the bullhead began its descent, the family workshop visible in the distance. The soft glow of the forges light spilled out into the twilight, a beacon of both comfort and pressure. Lewiss father would likely be there, hunched over some intricate weapon design. His mother, meticulous and patient, would be overseeing the finishing touches on an ornate blade destined for some noble or Huntsman. They would greet him with warmth, yes, but also expectation. How was his progress at Signal? Had he practised his craft? Was he living up to the Ironsmyth name? A lump formed in his throat. He knew they cared for him, but their pride in the family legacy was a heavy chain around his neck. And then there were his sistersif they noticed his struggles, they never said. Perhaps they thought his tiredness and oddities were part of his adjustment to life in Vale. How could he explain the truth to them? That the boy they loved, the son and brother they cherished, wasnt him? That the real Lewis Ironsmyth was gone, and someone else had taken his place? As the bullhead landed with a soft thud, Lewis rose from his seat, his movements deliberate and careful. The cool evening air greeted him as he stepped onto the landing platform, his breath misting faintly in the chill. He pulled his formal jacket tighter around him, the noble attire doing little to shield him from the coldor from the weight of his thoughts. The path home stretched before him, lined with the familiar sights of Patch. He walked slowly, his mind churning. Was it fair to live this life as if it were his own? To take on the role of Lewis Ironsmyth, to try and mould himself into a son worthy of his familys expectations? Or was he destined to remain an impostor, trapped in a story that wasnt his? The workshops light spilled across the path as he approached, and the sounds of hammers and metal greeted him. His mother stepped into view, her face lighting up at the sight of him. Welcome home, Lewis, she said warmly, wiping her hands on a cloth. For a moment, he hesitated. Then he forced the practised smile back onto his face. Im home, he replied, the words heavy with unspoken truths. As he stepped into the warmth of the forge, the mask of Lewis Ironsmyth settled firmly in place once more. But beneath it, the boy who had once been someone else grappled with the weight of his new lifeand the question of who he was meant to do he just hoped that Edward would have the answers he was searching for considering hes lived here longer then he has there was also the constant fear that he wouldn''t be able to protect Ruby just like how he failed to protect his own Ruby, his precious little gem of a daughter. Chapter 16 The Weight of Two Lives Previously on "The Hidden Secrets" Ruby reveals her bullied past and Lewis spends his first night at the Ironsmyths house where he pretends to be Lewis Ironnsmyth while wondering how Edward deals with all this. The heat of the forge wrapped around Lewis like a heavy blanket, the scent of metal and burning coal filling his lungs. It was familiar, yet distantanother thing that belonged to the life of Lewis Ironsmyth, not to him. His mother, Lydia, watched him with quiet scrutiny as he stepped inside, her sharp eyes flicking over his posture, his attire, the tension in his shoulders. "You''re later than usual," she noted, setting down a half-polished dagger. "Did something happen at Signal?" Lewis shook his head, forcing an easy grin onto his face. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Just a long day." That much was true, though it hardly covered the full extent of his exhaustion. She studied him for a moment longer, then nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Your father''s in the back finishing up a commission. You should go say hello before he gets too deep into his work." Lewis swallowed the lump in his throat but nodded. He turned down the familiar hallway, past racks of half-forged weapons and projects in progress, until he reached his father''s workspace. The rhythmic clang of hammer on metal reverberated through the air. Thomas Ironsmyth stood at the forge, sweat glistening on his brow as he worked a piece of hot steel into shape. His strikes were precise, each motion refined by decades of practice. He barely looked up as Lewis entered. "You''re back," Thomas said, voice steady. It wasn''t an affectionate greeting, but it wasn''t unkind either. His father had always been a man of actions more than words. "Yeah," Lewis replied, stepping further inside. He watched the hammer rise and fall, shaping something that would soon become a masterpiece. "You''re working late." Thomas huffed, setting the hammer aside. "Deadlines don''t care about the time. You''d do well to remember that." Lewis nodded, knowing full well it was an unspoken reminder of his own responsibilities. He had grown up with these expectationsto inherit the craft, to carry on the family name, to be a smith worthy of the Ironsmyth legacy. If only they knew the truth. Thomas finally turned to him, eyes assessing. "How''s your training?" "It''s... going well." A carefully measured response. His father nodded. "Good. You''re expected to start working on your own projects soon. The skills of a smith and a fighter go hand in hand, and I won''t have you falling behind in either." Lewis forced himself to hold his gaze. "I understand." Thomas studied him for a long moment before sighing, picking up a cloth to wipe the sweat from his hands. "You seem distracted." Lewis stiffened slightly. "I''m just tired." Another long silence stretched between them before Thomas finally nodded. "Get some rest, then. You''ll be no use to anyone if you''re worn out." Lewis nodded and turned to leave, but as he did, he caught his reflection in a polished metal blade hanging on the wall. The face staring back at him was still unfamiliar. Still not his. Later that night, in the quiet of his room, Lewis sat by the window, staring out at the stars. His mind drifted back to Edwardhis only anchor in this world, the one person who knew his truth. Edward had been here longer, had lived in this world as if it were his own. Did he struggle like this too? Did he wake up feeling like a stranger in his own body? And then there was Ruby. Not the Ruby of this world, but the one he had lost. His little gem. The pain of that memory settled in his chest like a weight he couldn''t shake. He had failed to protect her once. He wouldn''t make that mistake again. No matter what, he will be strong enough this time. Strong enough to keep Ruby Rose safe. Strong enough to fight against whatever this world had in store for them. Even if it meant continuing to wear the mask of Lewis Ironsmyth. Even if it meant pretending he belonged. Morning came too soon. The soft glow of dawn barely crept through the curtains before Lewis forced himself out of bed. His body achednot from combat training, but from the sheer exhaustion of pretending. Every day at Signal was a balancing act between being Lewis Ironsmyth and the person he had been before waking up in this body. Still, there was no time to dwell on that. He had classes to attend, and more importantly, he had to check in with Edward and Ruby. After a quiet breakfast with his familyfilled with the usual expectations and occasional scrutinizing glances from his fatherLewis made his way toward the airship dock, where students bound for Signal Academy were gathering. The cool morning air carried the distant sounds of Patch waking up: the ringing of a blacksmith''s hammer, the chatter of vendors setting up shop, the cries of birds soaring overhead. Standing near the edge of the platform was Edward, arms crossed, looking just as composed as ever. His dark brown eyes met Lewis''s as he approached, and there was an unspoken understanding between them.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Rough night?" Edward asked as they boarded the airship. Lewis exhaled, running a hand through his white hair. "Same as always." Edward didn''t press further. He never did. That was something Lewis appreciated about himEdward knew when to talk and when silence was enough. Once they landed at Signal, it didn''t take long to find Ruby. She was sitting outside the classroom, knees tucked up to her chest, staring at the floor with a far-off look. Lewis felt his chest tighten. She looked so small. So much like her. He pushed the thought aside and forced a smirk on his face as he walked up to her. "Oi, Ruby. Didn''t think you''d be the type to mope before class." Ruby looked up, her silver eyes flickering with surprise before softening. "Oh morning, Lewis, Edward." Edward sat down beside her, and Lewis crouched to meet her gaze. "What''s wrong?" Ruby hesitated, chewing on her lower lip. "I was just thinking about yesterday. About Eliza." Lewis''s jaw clenched. "She''s still bothering you?" "No Not really." Ruby sighed. "I just It felt good standing up to her. But I keep wondering if it''ll be enough. If people will really stop seeing me as some fragile kid." Lewis exchanged a glance with Edward before sighing and ruffling Ruby''s hair. "You are a fragile kid." "Hey!" "But," he continued, smirking, "that doesn''t mean you''re weak. You proved that yesterday. And if anyone still doubts you, well" His smirk darkened slightly. "They''ll have to deal with us." Ruby''s lips twitched into a small smile. "Thanks, guys." Edward nodded. "We''re a team. No matter what." A bell rang, signaling the start of their first class. Ruby stood up, stretching her arms. "Alright, alright. Let''s go before we''re late." As they walked inside, Lewis''s thoughts lingered on Ruby''s words. Would it ever be enough? For her, maybe. But for him? For the man who had already lost his Ruby once before? Lewis didn''t know. But he wasn''t about to take that risk again. No matter what it tookno matter how much he had to pretendthis time, he would make sure Ruby was safe. Even if it killed him. Edward P.O.V Edward had never been one for sentimentality. He''d grown up with the understanding that strength was something earned, not given, and that the only way to protect those who mattered was to make yourself into a shield they could rely on. It was why, when Ruby had looked up at him just now, her silver eyes still clouded with doubt, he hadn''t let himself falter. He knew that hesitation only gave people like Eliza room to strike. So he had done what he always did. He had stood beside her, beside Lewis, and reminded her that she wasn''t alone. And yet As they stepped into their classroom, something nagged at the back of his mind. Was it enough? Edward took his seat near the middle of the room, dropping his bag onto the desk with a dull thud. Across from him, Lewis leaned back in his chair, arms crossed as if he were trying to ward off exhaustion. Ruby settled into her spot a few rows ahead, still fiddling with her scroll like it held the answers to the universe. The lesson started, but Edward barely paid attention. Combat strategies, tacticshe already knew all of this. His mind was elsewhere. He wasn''t blind. He''d seen the way Lewis had stiffened when Ruby had spoken about Eliza. Seen the way his expression had darkened for just a fraction of a second before he covered it with that cocky smirk of his. Lewis was keeping something from him. That wasn''t unusualLewis was always hiding somethingbut this was different. This wasn''t just the weight of his family''s expectations or his frustration with his Semblance. This was something deeper, something personal. And Edward didn''t like it. His grip tightened on his pen. Because whatever it was, it had to do with Ruby. By the time class ended, Edward had already made up his mind. "Lewis," he called as they packed up their things. "Walk with me." Lewis blinked, then smirked. "What, finally decided you can''t get through the day without my charm?" Edward rolled his eyes. "Just shut up and walk." Lewis chuckled but followed without protest. They left the classroom, blending into the stream of students heading toward the next lesson. Ruby had run off to grab something from her locker, which gave them a few moments of privacy. Edward didn''t waste time. "You hesitated earlier," he said. Lewis didn''t respond immediately. He shoved his hands into his pockets, his usual laid-back expression slipping just slightly. "Did I?" Edward wasn''t in the mood for games. "Don''t play dumb. When Ruby talked about Eliza, you flinched." Lewis was silent for a moment, then sighed. "It''s nothing." "Bullshit." That got a reaction. Lewis''s head snapped toward him, his smirk faltering just enough for Edward to see what lay underneath. Pain. Real, raw pain. Edward exhaled sharply. "It''s about her, isn''t it?" Lewis''s shoulders tensed at that question. Edward wasn''t even sure where the words had come from. He had nothing concrete to base it ononly instinct. Only the way Lewis looked at Ruby sometimes, as if she were something fragile, something precious. Something he had already lost once before. For a long moment, Lewis said nothing. Then, in a voice so quiet Edward almost didn''t hear it, he murmured, "I won''t lose her again." Edward stopped walking. Lewis did too, his expression unreadable. The hallway around them was still bustling with students, but at that moment, it felt like the world had gone quiet. Edward didn''t know what to say. He had always known Lewis carried secrets. But thisthis was something else entirely. It wasn''t just about protecting Ruby. It was about saving her. Edward exhaled slowly, then placed a firm hand on Lewis''s shoulder. "You''re not alone in this, I''m here this time and I WE can do something this time." Lewis blinked, startled. Edward met his gaze, his own resolve hardening. "You hear me?" Edward repeated. "Whatever this is, whatever happened before you''re not alone this time." Lewis stared at him for a long moment. Then, finally, he let out a small breath. A breath that sounded almost like relief. "Yeah," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah, I hear you." Edward nodded once, then let go. The moment passed, but the weight of it lingered. Without another word, they continued walking toward their next class. Edward didn''t know everything yet. But that was fine. Because if Lewis was determined to protect Ruby Then Edward would be there to protect both of them. No matter what it won''t be the same as last time. (To be honest I''m surprised people still read this story considering the absolute horrible amount of bad grammar and the lack of any actual plot but if your wondering where I''ve been well I''m a streamer now on twitch and my name is Babbabear_Ed and I''ll be streaming on the Saturday 22 Feb 2025 it''ll be with a few other people who are mainly my Dads friends their also streamers at the end of each of my streams which are usually 2-3 hours long but at the end of each stream I''ll do some story writing be it this one or my other ones so I''d really appreciate it if you guys and girls come and watch also I would appreciate it if you helped me with my other story as I''m having a writers block on that story) Chapter 17 Stories Ruby Rose was not stupid. She knew what people thought of her. She heard the whispers, saw the exasperated looks when she got too excited, too loud, too eager about weapons and combat. She knew the names people called herchildish, dork, immature, naive. And maybe some of that was true. But stupid? No. Because Ruby Rose understood things. She understood how a sniper rifle could be perfectly balanced with just the right weight distribution, how a blade could transition between forms without losing structural integrity. She understood how to take apart and rebuild a mecha-shift weapon with her eyes closed. And most importantly, she understood her two best friends. Which was why, as she walked back from her locker, her fingers absently toying with one of Crescent Roses spare parts, she knew something was wrong with Lewis and Edward. They thought they were being subtle. They always did. But she could see itthe small glances, the way Edward was just a little tenser than usual, how Lewiss smirk didnt quite reach his eyes. Something was going on. Ruby frowned, gripping the cold metal in her hand. She hated this feelingthe feeling of being left out, of knowing her friends were keeping secrets from her. She understood why they might, of course. Lewis and Edward always acted like they had to shoulder the weight of the world. But she wasnt some fragile doll they needed to protect. Not again. Not this time. She spotted them just outside their next class, standing close, talking in hushed tones. Edward looked seriouswell, more serious than usualand Lewis had that guarded look he always got when he was pretending nothing was wrong. Ruby took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and marched straight up to them. Alright, spill, she said, crossing her arms demanding an answer. Lewis blinked. Spill what? trying and failing to act confused as though not secretly hiding something. You know what. Ruby demanded clearly seeing through the act. Edward sighed. Ruby Nope, she cut him off, narrowing her silver eyes. No deflections, no its nothing, no you dont have to worry about it. Im sick of being left out, you''re my best friends and I-I''m worried okay. Lewis and Edward exchanged a glance unsure who to speak first and what to say. Ruby I mean it, she said, her voice firm even if her eyes were tearing a bit. I dont know whats going on, but I know it has to do with me. A-A-And, I can tell it worries you. Lewis hesitated. For just a moment, something flickered across his facesomething like pain, or regret. Then, with a sigh, he ran a hand through his white hair and gave her a small, lopsided grin. You really dont let things go, do you? Nope. Edward crossed his arms. Shes not going to drop this. He said to Lewis allowing him to choose what to do. Lewis let out a slow breath, then finally met her gaze. Its... complicated. Ruby arched an eyebrow. I can handle complicated things. Still not giving up. Another pause. Then, finally, Lewis nodded. Alright, he said softly. Then lets talk but not here. And just like that, Ruby knew everything was about to change. The three of them didnt go to class. Ruby didnt even have to suggest itEdward and Lewis exchanged a silent look, and then Lewis simply jerked his head toward the airship dock. No words were needed between the two. She followed them without question, her heart pounding harder than it should have. Something big was going to be revealed. She could feel it. They walked in silence, the morning breeze cool against Rubys skin as they slipped away from the main building. The dock was mostly empty this time of day, save for a few maintenance workers who barely spared them a glance. They stopped near the edge, where the vast sky stretched endlessly before them, clouds drifting lazily over the shimmering blue ocean in the distance. Lewis leaned against the railing, staring out at the horizon. Edward stood beside him, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Ruby stayed back a step, watching them both. Well? she prompted, breaking the silence as she really wanted answers. Im waiting. Lewis inhaled slowly, then exhaled. When he finally turned to face her, the grin was gone. Ruby, he said carefully. What Im about to tell you is going to sound impossible. Maybe even crazy. Ruby snorted. Lewis, I build weapons that transform into guns. Crazy is kind of my whole thing. Lewis didnt smile. Neither did Edward. Thats when Rubys stomach started twisting with unease. Edward was the first to speak, deciding to just rip off the bandage. Were not from here. Ruby frowned. Huh? Were not from this world, Lewis clarified. Not originally. Silence. For a second, Ruby thought they were joking. But they werent laughing. They werent smirking or waiting for her reaction. They were dead serious. Rubys mind scrambled to process what she had just heard. Youre not from Remnant? she asked hesitantly. Edward nodded his head. Ruby let out a short, nervous laugh. Oookay. Sure. Lets say I believe you. What does that even mean? Youre from, what, another dimension? Something like that, Lewis admitted. Its complicated. We woke up in this world, in these bodies, with lives that werent originally ours. That part hit Ruby like a punch to the gut. These bodies? she echoed. Waitare you saying youre not actually you? Lewis hesitated. Then, with a slow nod, he confirmed it. Yeah, he murmured. Im not actually Lewis Ironsmyth. And Edward isnt Edward. The words sank deep, tangling in Rubys thoughts like a thorny vine. She opened her mouth, then closed it. She had a thousand questions, a thousand doubts, but the way they looked at herso damn seriousmade her hesitate. Ruby crossed her arms. And Im just supposed to believe that? Edward exhaled, rubbing his forehead. We knew this would be hard for you to accept. Hard to accept?! Ruby threw her hands in the air. Youre telling me my two best friends arent even real?! That I dont actually know you?! Small tears started falling at this point as ruby tried to stop the tears No, Lewis said quickly, his voice firm though slightly panicked. Thats not true. We are your friends, Ruby. That hasnt changed. Ruby shook her head. But you just said I know, Lewis cut in, his expression pained. But listen to me. I meant what I said. You do know us. Everything weve been through together, everything weve doneits real. Edward nodded. We arent lying about that after all I''ve been in this body long before we even first met ruby so what you know about me is mostly true and the same is true for Lewis though he''s only been here just before you first met him. Ruby stared at them. She wanted to argue. She wanted to call them liars, to say this was ridiculous, that people didnt just wake up in other peoples bodies. And yet The way Lewis looked at her. The way Edward never looked uncertain, but right now, he did as though he''s unsure what might happen next. They werent lying. She swallowed hard. Then who were you? Before all of this? Lewis inhaled sharply, then met her gaze. I was someone who failed someone just like you she... his eyes started tearing up with Edward patting him on the shoulder, his eyes filled with guilt. Sniffing Lewis continues I-I failed to save m-my daughter w-who shares your name. Rubys breath caught she wasn''t expecting that. The way he said it. The weight in his voice. The look in his eyeslike he had already lost her before, like he was terrified it would happen again. Lewis she whispered. I know its a lot, Lewis said softly after calming down. I know you probably dont believe me. But Ruby, I swear to you, all Ive ever wanted was to protect you. Rubys heart pounded painfully in her chest. Everything was starting to make sense now. The way Lewis was always watching her, always hovering just a little too close. The way he hated when people dismissed her, when they called her weak. The way he looked at her sometimeslike she was everything. Like he had already lost her once before. Ruby exhaled shakily, looking between them. I dont I dont know what to say. Edward, quiet as ever, finally spoke. Then dont say anything, he said simply. Just let it sink in and try to process everything. Ruby pressed a hand to her chest, where her heart was still racing. This changed everything. But at the same time She wasnt sure if anything had changed at all. Because Lewis and Edward were still them. They were still her best friends. And no matter where they came from, no matter who they used to be That wasnt going to change. Ruby didnt remember how long they stood there, the wind pulling at her cloak, the sky stretching endlessly before them. Her mind was still spinning, trying to grasp everything Lewis and Edward had just told her. They werent from this world. They werent even originally them. And Lewis he had lost her before. That thought hit the hardest. She looked at Lewis from the corner of her eye. He was leaning against the railing again, watching the horizon with that familiar far-off lookthe same one he always got when he thought no one was paying attention. A look full of regret. And suddenly, so many little things about him made sense. The way he sometimes looked at her like she was already slipping through his fingers. The way his teasing could turn sharp in an instant if someone doubted her. The way he threw himself into fights without hesitation, as if the idea of failing terrified him more than death itself. Ruby pressed a hand to her chest. How did she even respond to something like this? Isn''t this technically a confession? She eventually shook that thought away and concentrated on what''s important. She wanted to be mad. She should be mad. They had kept something this huge from her for so long. But they had told her now. And despite everything, they were still them. Edward, always steady, always watching, always keeping both of them grounded and as though he has a plan for everything. Lewis, always acting like a cocky idiot, but never once letting her face a fight alone as though he''s a loyal guard dog. They had never lied to her, not really. The feelings had always been real. The friendship had always been real. That meant something. Finally, Ruby took a deep breath and turned to face them fully. Okay, she said. Lewis however blinked and was clearly caught off guard. Okay? She nodded. I dont get it. Not all of it, at least. But She paused, searching for the right words. I know you guys. And if you say this is the truth, then I believe you. Lewis and Edward exchanged a glanceone of surprise, but also relief. Edward exhaled, nodding slightly. Thank you. Lewis, for once, had no snarky remark. He just smiledsmall, but real as though thanking god. Ruby crossed her arms, tilting her head. Buuut if you ever keep something this big from me again, I will whack you both with Crescent Rose. Just so were clear. Lewis snorted. Duly noted. A comfortable silence settled between them. Ruby stared at the sky again, her heart still racing. This wasnt the end of the conversation. She still had a million questions. But for now For now, this was enough. For now, they were still together. And that was all that mattered. The next day, things felt different. Not in a bad way. But every time Ruby glanced at Lewis or Edward, she felt aware of them in a way she hadnt before. Aware of the weight they carried, of the past they refused to let it repeat. And they were aware of her, too. It was subtle, but she noticed itthe way Edwards eyes lingered on her just a second longer than usual, the way Lewis stood just a little closer when they walked through the halls. She didnt hate it. But she also didnt have time to dwell on it. Because as soon as she stepped outside after class, she found herself face-to-face with someone she really didnt want to deal with. Eliza. The older girl stood in the courtyard, arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips. Behind her were two of her usual lackeys, both of whom Ruby had never bothered to learn the names of. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Rose, Eliza drawled, her eyes glinting. Youve been awfully bold lately. Ruby barely held back a groan. Not this again. Eliza, she greeted flatly. What do you want? Elizas smirk widened. Oh, just to check in. I wanted to see if youre still feeling brave after that little outburst the other day. Rubys fingers twitched. She hadnt forgotten the confrontation. The way she had stood up for herself, the way Lewis and Edward had backed her up. She was brave. And she wasnt going to back down now. Ruby met Elizas gaze without flinching. I said what I meant. Im done letting people like you walk all over me. Eliza chuckled. People like me? She stepped closer, voice dropping to a whisper. Ruby, you and I both know youre just a kid playing pretend. Rubys jaw clenched. I mean, come on, Eliza continued, circling her like a predator. Youre small, youre reckless, and no matter how hard you try, people will always see you as a fragile little girl. Rubys grip on Crescent Rose tightened. Eliza leaned in. Face it. You dont belong here. The words stung more than they should have. Because deep down, Ruby had wondered that before. But then A hand landed on her shoulder. She didnt even have to look to know who it was. Lewis. And on her other sideEdward. They flanked her like a wall, like an unshakable force. Lewiss smirk was sharp. Thats funny, he drawled. Because last I checked, Ruby doesnt need your permission to be here. Edwards voice was calm, but firm. And if you think otherwise then let me ask when the last time you looked in a mirror since all I see is a disappointment. Elizas smirk faltered just slightly. She took a step back, eyes flicking between the two of them even though there was a slight blush probably from anger Probably. For a long moment, no one spoke. Then Eliza scoffed. Tch. Whatever. She turned on her heel, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Have fun with your little fan club, Rose. Just dont get in my way. She strode off, her lackeys hurrying after her. Ruby let out a slow breath. She hadnt even realized she was holding it. Lewis nudged her. You okay? She glanced at themher best friends, her protectors, the people who had chosen to stand beside her no matter what. Ruby smiled. Yeah, she said. I think I am. Even though there was still that little voice in her head with the words fragile little girl on constant repeat. The three of them walked through the halls of Signal, the confrontation with Eliza still lingering in the back of their minds. Ruby had already shaken it offEliza had been a thorn in her side for a while now, and she had long since learned not to let the older girl get under her skin or so she wished. Lewis, on the other hand, seemed oddly amused by the whole thing. You know, I dont get it, he said, hands in his pockets as he walked. Elizas been on your case since we got here, but why? He glanced at Ruby. Whats her deal with you? Ruby shrugged. She just doesnt like me. Edward frowned. Thats not really an answer. Well, its the truth, Ruby sighed. I dont know why she hates me so much. Ever since I got into Signal, shes been like this. Edward crossed his arms. That doesnt explain anything. Did you do something to make her mad? Beat her in a fight? Outsmart her in class? No? Ruby tilted her head, genuinely thinking about it. I mean, I did score higher than her on that engineering exam last semester, but that cant be the reason Lewis burst out laughing. Oh, thats exactly the reason. Edward hummed in agreement. She does seem the type to hold a grudge over something like that. Ruby blinked. Wait. You really think she hates me because I did better on a test? Lewis shrugged. People get mad over way smaller things. Edward nodded. She might also see you as competition. Youre younger, but youre proving yourself just as capable as the older students. That could make her feel threatened. Ruby blinked again, then groaned, rubbing her temples. Seriously? Thats why shes been on my case this whole time? Because Im smart? Lewis grinned. Its a real tragedy. Ruby huffed but couldnt help the small smile that tugged at her lips. Well, thats dumb. Edward smirked. Yes. Yes, it is. As they continued walking, the conversation shifted, but Ruby couldnt shake the feeling that Eliza wasnt done causing trouble. The weeks at Signal blurred together in a steady rhythm of training, classes, and quiet moments in between. Combat training grew more intense, and Ruby found herself improving faster than she had expected. Edward was a natural strategist, always analyzing their sparring matches with a critical eye. Lewis, despite his cocky attitude, fought like someone who had years of experience beyond his age. And then there was Ruby. She wasnt the strongest, and she wasnt the fastestbut she was clever. She adapted. And she learned. Before she knew it, weeks had turned into months. The leaves outside the academy shifted from bright greens to warm oranges and deep reds. The air grew colder, the days shorter. Winter was approaching. And as Ruby stared out the window of the airship one morning, watching Patch shrink below them, a question popped into her head. So, she started, turning to Lewis and Edward. Whats your world like? Both of them froze. Lewis had been mid-yawn, stretching his arms behind his head, while Edward had been flipping through his notes. At her words, both of them pausedjust for a second. Then Lewis chuckled, leaning forward. What, suddenly curious? Ruby shrugged. I mean yeah. She looked between them. You guys know about my world. Youve seen it, lived in it. But I dont know anything about where you come from. Edward and Lewis exchanged a glance. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Edward closed his notebook and sighed. Its different. Lewis snorted. Thats an understatement. Ruby perked up. Different how? Lewis leaned back in his seat, resting his hands behind his head. Well, for one thing, no Grimm. Rubys eyes widened. Wait, what? Edward nodded. No Grimm. No Huntsmen. No Aura. Rubys brain short-circuited for a second. Thenhow do people fight? Lewis grinned. They dont, mostly. Ruby gawked at him. Butbut what about the creatures of darkness? The monsters? The things that try to kill you? Edward gave her a small, amused smile. Those dont exist there. Rubys mind reeled. A world with no Grimm. No endless war against creatures of destruction. No need for Huntsmen to protect people. She had never even considered that was possible. Lewis nudged her. I mean, dont get me wrong, its not all sunshine and rainbows. We had our own problems. Edward nodded. Many of them. Ruby tilted her head. Like what? Lewis hesitated, his smirk faltering just slightly. Edward glanced at him before answering. War. Corruption. People hurting each other for reasons that had nothing to do with survival. Rubys excitement dimmed a little. Right. Just because their world didnt have Grimm didnt mean it had been peaceful. She glanced at Lewis, whose gaze had turned distant again. Edwards voice was quieter when he spoke again. It wasnt perfect. But it was home. Ruby studied them both, the weight of their words settling over her. She didnt push for more. Instead, she smiled softly. Sounds like a strange place. Lewis let out a breath, then smirked again. You have no idea. Ruby grinned. Well, you guys are here now. So I guess that means youre stuck with me. Edward huffed a quiet laugh. We wouldnt have it any other way. Rubys mind buzzed with curiosity. A world with no Grimm? No Huntsmen? That alone was hard enough to wrap her head around. But if they didnt have those things, then What about fairy tales? she blurted out suddenly. Lewis blinked. Huh? You knowstories! Fairy tales, legends, mythsstuff like The Tale of the Two Brothers or The Silver-Eyed Warriors? She leaned forward, silver eyes sparkling with excitement. What kind of stories did your world have? Edward tilted his head, considering the question. We had plenty. Some were just old legends, others had deeper meaningswarnings, lessons. Ruby practically vibrated with excitement. Tell me one! Lewis chuckled. Geez, you really are a kid at heart. Ruby pouted. Hey! Stories are important! They help inspire people, and sometimes they have a hint of truth in them! Besides, you guys got dumped into a world that was just a story for you, so clearly fairy tales are worth something. Edward nodded thoughtfully. She has a point. Lewis sighed, rolling his eyes. Fine, fine. Lemme think He drummed his fingers on the armrest, then smirked. Alright. Heres one for you. Ever heard of King Arthur? Ruby shook her head, eyes wide with anticipation. Well, hes from an old legendone of the most famous in our world. A young guy, just a normal kid, who pulled a legendary sword from a stone, proving he was the true king of the land. Ruby gasped. A sword in a stone? Lewis grinned. Yep. Only the rightful king could pull it out. Everyone else who tried? Nothing. Ruby bounced slightly in her seat. Thats so cool! What happened next? Edward took over, his voice calm and steady. Arthur became a great ruler. He gathered noble knights, formed a powerful kingdom, and sought to bring peace and justice to the land. Rubys eyes sparkled. So he was like a Huntsman! A hero! Lewis hesitated. Yeah. At least, at first. That made Ruby pause. Waitwhat do you mean at first? Edward sighed. The story doesnt have a happy ending. Ruby deflated slightly. Oh. Arthur was betrayed, Edward continued. By people he trusted. His closest friend, his wifedepending on the version, different people played a role in his downfall. In the end, his kingdom crumbled, and he was mortally wounded in his final battle. Rubys heart sank. Thats awful. Lewis leaned forward, smirking slightly. But heres the interesting partsome stories say Arthur didnt die. They say he was taken to a mystical place, and that one day, when the world truly needs him, hell return. Rubys breath hitched. Like a sleeping warrior? Something like that, Edward agreed. Ruby sat back, processing the tale. It was so different from the stories she grew up with. There were no Grimm, no silver-eyed warriors, no Maidensbut it still felt familiar. She glanced at Lewis and Edward, realizing that they were kind of like Arthur in a way. Pulled from one world into another, forced into a story they hadnt expected. Maybe they werent kings or knights, but they were fighting for something. And somehow, that made Ruby smile. Okay, okay, she said, still brimming with excitement. What else? You guys have to have more cool stories. Lewis groaned dramatically. Youre gonna make me talk the whole flight, arent you? Ruby grinned. Duh. Edward simply shook his head, but there was a faint smile on his lips. Alright. Lets see Have you ever heard of Robin Hood? And just like that, the rest of the flight was filled with stories of heroes, villains, and legends from a world Ruby would never seebut one that, somehow, felt just as magical as her own. The hum of the airship filled the space around them, but Ruby barely noticed. She was completely engrossed, hanging onto every word as Edward and Lewis unraveled stories from a world so different from her own. Lewis had already told her about King Arthur and his legendary sword, and Edward had followed up with Robin Hooda rogue hero who stole from the rich and gave to the poor, outsmarting those in power with skill and clever tricks. Ruby had loved that one. But now, she wanted more. Edward rested his chin on his hand, thinking. Well if you want something really classic, theres Little Red Riding Hood. Ruby perked up immediately. Ooh! That one sounds promising! Is it about a brave warrior who wears red and hunts down monsters? Lewis snorted. Not exactly. Edward smirked. Its an old story, meant to warn kids about danger. It goes like thisthere was a little girl who always wore a red hooded cloak. One day, she was sent to deliver food to her sick grandmother, but on the way through the forest, she met a wolf. Ruby gasped dramatically. Oh no! What happened next? The wolf tricked her into telling him where her grandmother lived. He got there first, ate the grandmother WHAT?! Ruby nearly jumped out of her seat. Thats horrible! The poor grandma! Lewis chuckled. Yeah, old stories were brutal. Edward continued, undeterred. The wolf disguised himself as the grandmother, waiting for Red to arrive. When she got there, she noticed something was off. Grandmother, she said, what big eyes you have! And the wolf answered, The better to see you with, my dear. Rubys eyes widened, fully immersed in the tale. Then she said, Grandmother, what big ears you have! And the wolf replied, The better to hear you with, my dear. Ruby nodded along, already seeing where this was going. Finally, she said, Grandmother, what big teeth you have! And the wolf grinned and said The better to EAT YOU WITH! Lewis cut in, baring his teeth dramatically. Ruby let out a squeak, half laughing, half startled. Aah! Thats so creepy! Edward smirked. And then the wolf ate her. Ruby gawked at him. WHAT?! How is this a kids story? Thats so dark! Lewis laughed. Told you. Old fairy tales didnt mess around. Ruby huffed, crossing her arms. Thats such a terrible ending! She just dies? No last-minute rescue? No cool fight? Edward gave her an amused look. Some versions say a hunter showed up, cut the wolf open, and saved Red and her grandmother. Ruby relaxed. Oh, thank goodness. Lewis smirked. Other versions? Red just gets eaten. Ruby groaned. Ugh, thats awful! You guys had some seriously messed-up fairy tales. Edward chuckled. Theres more where that came from. Ever heard of Hansel and Gretel? Ruby tilted her head. No, but it sounds kinda nice! Lewis smirked. Oh, its not. Edward nodded. Two kids get abandoned in the woods and find a house made of candy. But inside is an old witch who wants to eat them. Rubys jaw dropped. WHY ARE ALL YOUR STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING EATEN?! Lewis burst out laughing. Edward, ever the storyteller, continued, The witch locks Hansel in a cage to fatten him up. But Gretel outsmarts her and pushes her into the oven instead. Ruby leaned forward, gripping her seat. Ooooh! So Gretels the hero? Thats cool! Edward nodded. In a way, yeah. She and Hansel escape, and depending on the version, they either find their way home, or they outwit more dangers along the way. Ruby beamed. Okay, that ones way better than Red Riding Hood. I like Gretelshe sounds smart! Lewis shook his head. I still cant believe youre getting this excited over old fairy tales. Ruby pouted. Hey! Stories are important! They teach lessons, inspire people! I mean, I grew up hearing about heroes like the Huntsman from The Tale of the Two Brothers, or the Silver-Eyed Warriors! Edward tilted his head. That is interesting. You actually grew up believing those stories were real. Ruby nodded. Yeah! And I mean, a lot of them are real, in a way. Like the Maidens! Most people think thats just a legend, but its true! Lewis leaned back, smirking. Makes you wonder, huh? Ruby blinked. Wonder about what? Lewis shrugged. If your fairy tales turned out to be real whos to say some of ours arent? That thought made Ruby pause. It was trueher whole world had been shaped by myths and legends that turned out to have real history behind them. Could the same be said for Lewis and Edwards world? Did their King Arthur, their Robin Hood, their Little Red Riding Hood have some basis in reality? She shivered slightly. I really hope the whole "people getting eaten" thing isnt real. Edward checked the time. Were landing soon. Ruby sighed, stretching her arms. Aww, man. I wanted to hear more stories. Lewis chuckled. Dont worry, Red. Weve got plenty more where that came from. Ruby grinned. Good! Cause I want to hear all of them. Edward smirked. Then youd better be ready for Cinderella. Ruby tilted her head. Oh! That one actually does sound nice! Its not about someone getting eaten, right? Lewis and Edward exchanged a glance. Ruby groaned. Oh come on. The airship descended, their laughter filling the space as they prepared to step back into their worlda world shaped by different stories, different legends, and a future still waiting to be written. In the air ship there was an old man that listened to all this and thought how even the younger generation are starting to go crazy. For example, the two boys are impatiently from another world and those nightmare stories are important for kids yeah right god I really do need to retire soon Maybe a dust shop? Chapter 18 Did you forget about Me? Yang Xiao Long had always been the type to keep an eye on her little sister. It wasnt just a big sister thing, Ruby had always been a little na?ve, a little too eager to trust, and way too excited about things that most people would just brush off she was just too willing to make friends. That was fine when she was a kid. But now? Now, Ruby was older, training to be a Huntress, and in a world that didnt always play fair and Rubys old Friends had to learn the hard way not to mess with her sister. That was why Yang had started watching Edward and Lewis. At first, she hadnt thought much about them. They were just a couple of guys in the same program, and Ruby''s able to make friends fast. But then she noticed how Ruby always seemed to gravitate toward them, especially Edward or was it Edgar, what a strange name as well. The way she talked to them, how they always seemed to be off in their own little world, trading jokes and whispersRuby didnt just like them. She trusted them quite easily as well, especially after what happened with her old friends. And that? That was what put Yang on edge after all she could understand Edward, Ruby seems to be having her first real crush for him after all even if they''ve only known each other for a few months but well crushes are made in a much shorter time than needed but she just couldn''t understand Lewis. Lewis was after all an Ironsmyth and that''s a name not many people say easily especially after what happened in the War or if that''s what she is lead to believe from the books and besides what would his family be doing here on Patch aren''t his family meant to be blacksmith or at least in that type of industry not being a huntsman. It wasnt that she didnt like Edward or Lewis. She just didnt know them well enough. And if Ruby was going to be hanging around them all the time, then Yang needed to know exactly what kind of people they were. Which led her to now. Ruby had gone off somewhereprobably running an errand or getting caught up in some conversation about weapons with another student or teacher. That left Edward and Lewis standing near the training field, talking quietly between themselves. Perfect it was time for the plan. Yang rolled her shoulders and strolled up to them, arms crossed over her chest when she was In Front of them. Alright, you two, she said, Time for a little chat. Edward raised an eyebrow. A little chat? Lewis smirked. Im guessing this isnt a friendly, Hey, lets all get lunch together kinda chat? Yang narrowed her eyes. Depends on how you answer my questions. Edward and Lewis exchanged a glance. Lewis sighed dramatically. Alright, shoot. Yang tapped her foot. What exactly is the deal with you two and Ruby? Edward blinked, honestly confused. What do you mean? Yang gave him a look. Oh, come on. Ive seen how she acts around you guys. She trusts you. A lot. And thats not a bad thing, but I need to know why. What exactly are you two planning to do with my sister? Lewis snorted. Wow. Way to make us sound like the bad guys. Edward, for his part, didnt seem fazed. He studied Yang for a moment, his usual unreadable expression in place. Were not planning anything, if thats what youre worried about. Yang didnt back down. Youre always with her. She confides in you. And dont think I havent noticed the way you guys are always looking out for her. Her eyes narrowed. I do that. Thats my job. So whats yours? Lewiss smirk faded. We just want to keep her safe. Yang frowned. Safe from what? She didn''t like that response, which clearly means they do have plans for Ruby. Silence. Edward broke eye contact first, glancing away might as well make her think she''s the one who''s stronger here. Yang folded her arms tighter. See, that right there? That is exactly why I dont trust you yet. Lewis ran a hand through his white hair, sighing. Look, Yang, I get it. Big sister instincts, right? But you dont have to worry about us. Then why did he say her instincts are saying something even he doesn''t know. Edward nodded. Ruby means a lot to us. Were not going to let anything happen to her. Yang exhaled, watching them both closely. Their words sounded sincere, but there was something underneath them. Something neither of them were saying. She wasnt stupid. These two were hiding something. But for now, shed let it slide. Because at the end of the day? Ruby was happy. Still, Yang wasnt going to stop watching them. Not for a second because she''s not willing to let history repeat itself. Yang walked away from Edward and Lewis with her mind buzzing. Their answers werent badheck, they were almost too good; however they weren''t more than good. But there was something off about the way they acted. Like they knew more than they were letting on. And Yang hated that. She wasnt some overprotective big sister who chased away every friend Ruby made, but this was different. Ruby wasnt just friends with these two. She trusted them, confided in them, and Yang couldnt shake the feeling that they knew something she didnt. The fact that Edward had avoided her last questionthat was the biggest red flag. Yang started paying closer attention after that. During training, Edward and Lewis always positioned themselves near Ruby. Not in an obvious way, but just enough that Yang noticed. When she sparred against Ruby, Lewis watched with sharp eyes, his usual smirk replaced with something unreadable. When it was Edwards turn, he didnt hold back, but there was a carefulness to his attacksa controlled precision, as if he was testing Ruby rather than fighting her. Then there were their conversations. Yang had caught snippets here and there. Ruby asked about fairy tales, her voice filled with excitement. Edward explains them with a kind of detached fondness, as if they were distant memories instead of bedtime stories. Lewis throws in sarcastic comments, but never dismisses Rubys enthusiasm. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. It wasnt weird, but it was strange. Like they were remembering something instead of just telling stories. And Ruby? Ruby lit up around them. Shed always been excitable, but there was something different about how she acted when she was with Edward and Lewis. A kind of quiet trust that Yang hadnt seen in a long time. It wasnt fair to be jealous, but Yang sighed, leaning against the training hall wall as she watched Ruby talking animatedly with Edward, probably about another fairy tale. It wasnt jealousy. It was just concern. Ruby had always been hers to protect. So why did it feel like she was starting to trust them more than her? Later that evening, Yang caught Lewis alone near the airship docks, leaning against a railing as he watched the sky. Perfect. Alright, Snowy, lets talk. Lewis glanced over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. Snowy? Youve got white hair, Yang deadpanned, crossing her arms. Deal with it. Lewis snorted. Fair enough. So whats up? Here to interrogate me again? Something like that, Yang admitted, stepping up beside him. Im gonna be straight with you, Lewis. I dont trust you. Lewis tilted his head. That so? Yeah. And its because youre hiding something. You and Edward both. Yang narrowed her eyes. So tell me. Whats the real reason youre so interested in my sister? Lewis went quiet for a moment, his usual smirk fading. Then, to her surprise, he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. Its not what you think, he muttered. Were not trying to hurt her. If anything, were trying to do the opposite. Then tell me why, Yang pressed. Because from where Im standing, you guys are acting way too protective for just being friends. Lewis hesitated. It was brief, but Yang caught it. Look, he finally said. I cant tell you everything. But we know how important Ruby is. And we dont want anything to happen to her. Yang frowned. It wasnt a lie. But it wasnt the full truth either. Before she could push further, Lewis gave her a lopsided grin. Youre a good sister, you know that? Dont try to flatter me, Snowy, Yang muttered. Im serious, Lewis said, his expression softening just a bit. Rubys lucky to have you watching out for her. Yang wasnt sure what to make of that. But before she could say anything else, Lewis stretched his arms and walked off, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Yang watched him go, her frustration bubbling beneath the surface. She still didnt have the answers she wanted. But one thing was clear: Whatever Edward and Lewis were hiding It had everything to do with Ruby. Yang didnt like loose ends. She also didnt like secretsespecially ones that involved her sister. Lewis had given her just enough of an answer to keep her from pressing further for now, but Yang wasnt stupid. She could feel it in her gutthere was more to this. And she was going to find out what. The next day at Signal, Yang decided to really pay attention. She watched as Ruby practically bounced over to Edward and Lewis before class, her silver eyes bright with excitement. They greeted her like usualEdward with his usual calm nod and a lazy wave along with Lewiss easy smirkbut Yang didnt miss the way Lewis subtly checked their surroundings before fully relaxing. What are you so worried about, huh? Throughout the day, she noticed other little things. How Lewis always made sure he was within reach of Ruby. How Edwards eyes sharpened whenever someone unfamiliar approached them and how he always brings his hand out of his pockets while also bringing out a compass that she just faintly saw. How both of them instinctively reacted whenever Ruby was in even the slightest dangerlike when she nearly tripped in the hallway, and Lewis caught her before she could even blink. Yang had to admitit was kinda impressive. But it was also weird. Yang also wasnt the only one who noticed, either. After classes, Yang saw her chance when Edward lingered behind near the training hall. Ruby had gone ahead to grab her stuff, and Lewis was distracted talking to an instructor. Yang immediately took advantage of the opening. Alright, Egg, she said, stepping up beside him. Your turn. Edward barely glanced at her. Egg? Then went back to look at where Ruby went. Well, Lewis is Snowy, so its only fair, Yang said with a shrug. Now talk. Edward sighed. About what? He seems to have just wanted to get this over with. You know exactly what. Yang crossed her arms. Whats the deal with you and Lewis watching Ruby like hawks? You act like shes got some huge target on her back. Edward didnt flinch. But Yang knew a trained fighter when she saw one, and she caught the slight shift in his stancelike he was preparing for something. We just care about her, Edward said evenly. Uh-huh. Yang narrowed her eyes. See, heres the thingI believe that. But what I dont believe is that you two are just some random transfer students who decided to become Rubys personal bodyguards overnight. Edward was quiet. Too quiet. Yang took a step closer. Look, I dont care what you guys are hiding. I do care if it affects Ruby. Her voice lowered slightly. So if theres something comingif you two know something I dontyou better tell me now. For the first time, Edwards carefully controlled mask faltered. Just a bit. And that was all Yang needed to know. Its not like that, Edward muttered, shaking his head. But He hesitated. Youre right. We do know more than were letting on. Yangs jaw clenched. Edward met her gaze, his expression serious. But I promise you, Yangwere not your enemies. We want to keep Ruby safe, just like you do. Yang wanted to demand more. But before she could, Rubys voice called out from down the hall. Yang! Edward! Whatre you guys doing? Edward immediately straightened, his usual calm expression snapping back into place. Nothing much. Just talking, you know, catching up with things. Yang frowned, watching as Ruby jogged up to them, completely oblivious to the tension that had just filled the space. Alright, she muttered. For now. Edward nodded, almost in gratitude. But this wasnt over. Not even close. Back at home, Yang lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Shed learned two things today. One: Edward and Lewis werent bad guys. At least, not in the way she had feared. Two: They were still hiding something. And whatever it was? It had everything to do with Ruby. Yang wasnt about to let it go. Not until she had answers or well proper answers, not half truths. Chapter 19: A Solitary Existence… Then Preparation. Immortality. For many, the concept was an enticing dream, a fantasy whispered in myths and sought after in desperation. To be freed from death, from decay, from the cruel hands of time itselfit was the folly of mortals to desire such a thing. A foolish, naive wish. Salem knew the truth however. She sat upon her throne, fingers tapping idly against the cold, polished armrest. The darkness of her domain stretched endlessly, a reflection of the void that had long since settled within her. How many centuries had passed since she first defied the Gods? Since she screamed at the heavens and demanded the return of the only one who had ever mattered? She had long stopped counting. The passage of time had lost meaning when it no longer carried consequence. What was a day, a year, a century, when none of it could touch her? When she would endure beyond it all, unchanged and unbroken? But that was the cruelest trick of all, wasnt it? Unbroken. No, she had broken countless times. Fractured and shattered, pieced back together only to splinter again. She had lost and lost and lost, and still she endured, as if the universe itself delighted in testing the limits of her suffering. Immortality was not the blessing that fools imagined it to be. It was a curse, a cruel jest played by uncaring gods. It was watching the world turn to ash and rise again, over and over, while she remained, a constant in a universe of fleeting things. It was knowing that nothing lasted. No kingdom, no victory, no creation. All of it would crumble to dust, and she would be left standing amidst the ruins, forever. She had loved once. A love that had burned brighter than the stars themselves, a love that had driven her to madness, to fury, to defiance. He was gone, and she was still here, a relic or more simply a byproduct, of a forgotten past that none remembered. A being that had outlived everything that had ever given her meaning. And so, she had forged her own purpose. If the world was destined to crumble, then she would be the one to bring it down. If nothing was meant to last, then why should she suffer alone? Her fingers stilled, her crimson gaze narrowing as she sensed the distant ripples of fate shifting once more. Another challenge. Another piece in the endless cycle of conflict and resistance. It did not matter. The world had always fought against her, just as she had fought against it. Let them try. Let them struggle. In the end, all things fell to ruin. And she would remain along with her Magic, the thing that has been with her through EVERYTHING from her time in the tower to her battles to her trying to heal her once beloved and to fighting the gods and now it lay dormant and waiting as she used it to observe the fabric of this story YXMgdGhlIGZvb2xpc2ggYXV0aG9yIHR5cGVkIGFuZCB0cmllZCB0byByZW1lbWJlciBoaXMgZHJlYW1zIHRoYXQgbWFkZSB0aGlzIHN0b3J5Lg (Have fun deciphering it, should be pretty easy) It had been a gift once, bestowed only to the few, to those worthy of wielding such power. It was not meant to be scattered like breadcrumbs to the desperate and the weak. It was not meant to be divided, fragmented, squandered. And yet, Ozmaher foolish, idealistic Ozmahad done exactly that. Salems lips curled into a sneer at the thought. He had taken his own magic, the power that had once rivaled even hers, and split it between four mortal girls. Four fleeting, fragile souls who would never live long enough to understand the depth of what they had been given. They were not gods. They were not eternal. They were mere pawns, carrying a burden far beyond their comprehension. It was pathetic. A desperate attempt to stack the board against her, to delay the inevitable. But Ozma had never understood the nature of true power. Magic was not meant to be shared. It was meant to be seized, to be wielded, to shape the world to ones will. The Gods had once tried to withhold it from humanity, and she had defied them. She had proven that power belonged to those willing to take it, to use it as it was meant to be used. Ozma, for all his wisdom, had never learned that lesson. He still clung to his foolish hopes, his endless cycle of reincarnation, desperately trying to defy the truth that he should have accepted centuries ago. The world was broken. And no amount of magic would save it. Her fingers curled into a fist, dark energy crackling between her claws. Let him try. Let his chosen ones fight and struggle and sacrifice themselves in his name. It would not change the outcome. She had eternity to wait. And in the end, all things fell to ruin just like how Ozma thought his silver-eyed pets could defeat her but now she had to wonder what he would think when she perfected her new creations and of course she would use the perfected version on her newly captured pet however for now she has to go back to the beginning so time to make Tyrian get her new test subjects maybe this time a male and female so she could breed for more test subjects Tyrian Salem whispered and yet it echoed throughout her castle almost as if it was alive and that the throne was its heart as it pulsated and expanded giving a slight vibration. A scuttling noise echoed through the cavernous halls before Tyrian emerged from the shadows, his wild grin stretching unnaturally wide as he threw himself into a kneeling bow before his goddess. His tail flicked eagerly behind him, anticipation thrumming through his form. "You called, my Queen," he purred, eyes gleaming with manic devotion. Salem gazed down at him, impassive. "I have a task for you, my loyal hound," she said, her voice soft yet heavy with command. "You have served me well so I need you to bring me 2 beings with silver-eyes a male and a female." Tyrians grin faltered slightly, confusion flickering across his face. "My Queen, do you want me to get children or adults with them being related or not? questioned Tyrian as he listed the questions as if making a shopping list. Salem leaned forward, resting her chin on one pale skeleton hand. "No, Tyrian. I require something different this time. I need strong ones to become a test subject. A male and a female, young enough to live for a while but not so young that they are useless to me. Bring them to me alive. They will serve a higher purpose." Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Tyrian let out a delighted laugh, rocking back onto his heels. "Ohhh, what fun! You wish to craft your own warriors, my Queen? To twist flesh and bone into something greater?" Salems lips curled slightly. "You understand me well, Tyrian." He pressed a hand to his chest, mockingly sentimental. "Your will is my delight, my Queen! But tell me what kind of prey shall I hunt for you? Those strong in Aura? Those gifted in combat? Or perhaps" his voice dropped into a giddy whisper, "those who think themselves righteous?" Salem considered his words, fingers tapping idly against the armrest of her throne. "A Huntsman and a Huntress if possible," she finally decided. "Ones with potential at the very least. Ones that will not break too easily under my hand." Tyrian''s eyes widened with excitement, his entire body trembling with eagerness. "Ohhh, this will be a joyous hunt indeed! Shall I bring them screaming, my Queen? Or shall I let them believe they have a choice?" Salem smirked, rising from her throne, the shadows twisting and writhing at her feet. "Bring them to me, Tyrian. Whether they come screaming or silent is of no consequence. I will break them all the same. If you find others with potential be sure to bring them too" Tyrian leapt to his feet, bowing low before scuttling backward into the darkness. His laughter echoed through the halls as he vanished into the night, his Queens command thrumming through his veins like a song. Salem turned, gazing into the swirling pools of dark magic at her command. Soon, she would have what she needed. Ozma placed his faith in mortalsfragile, foolish things that clung to ideals. But she would prove, once and for all, that true power was not granted. It was taken. And when the time came, even the silver-eyed warriors would kneel before her, and speaking of silver-eyes best to check on her new friend though she''s been quite static. -(SWITCHING SCENES)- Edwards P.O.V. The room was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the flickering candle atop the wooden table. Edward sat across from Lewis, his fingers interlocked as he leaned forward, his expression grim. We need to talk, Edward said, his voice low and measured. Lewis, seated with his arms crossed, raised a brow. About what? Edward exhaled through his nose, steeling himself. Our future. Where this is all headed. Lewis let out a small chuckle, though there was no humor in it. You sound like youve already made up your mind. I have, Edward admitted. But I need to know where you stand. For a long moment, silence stretched between them. Edward studied Lewis, looking for any sign of hesitation, doubt, or defiance. They had been through too much together to dance around the subject; their bond defied even dimension. We both know things cant stay the way they are, Edward continued. The world is changing, and we need to change with it. We either step forward and take control of our future, or we sit back and let others decide it for us as events unfold the same way. Lewis drummed his fingers against the table. And what exactly are you proposing? Edwards gaze didnt waver. Power. Influence. Security. We carve out a place for ourselves before someone else and besides Ive already got a few contacts though Im not sure if he and the Ice-cream will be willing to help us. Lewis sighed, rubbing his temple. And what about the risks were both still kids? You know as well as I do that this wont be easy. Edward smirked, though there was little warmth behind it he was beginning to feel less. Nothing worth having ever is. The flickering candle cast shifting shadows across the room as the weight of their decisions settled between them. Whatever choice they made now would shape their path forever. Edward leaned in just slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper. So tell me, Lewis are you with me Ill always let you have a choice? Lewis remained silent, his sharp eyes watching Edward carefully. Seconds stretched into an eternity before he finally let out a deep sigh. I suppose I always knew wed come to this, Lewis muttered. He reached for the candle, running a hand through the warm light before his fingers curled into a fist as though trying to feel the warmth. Youre asking me to step into a game where we might not survive, Edward hell at first I thought you didn''t. Edward nodded. I know. Lewis chuckled dryly. And you still expect me to say yes? Edward leaned back in his chair, his confidence unwavering. I expect you to not give up on our bond even when weve been placed in this new world. Weve fought through this beginning before even if it was in our original world. Were going to be better than last time. We have the experience now unlike last time. Lewis tapped his fingers against the table, deep in thought. Then, after what felt like forever, he looked up, meeting Edwards gaze. Im with you, Lewis said finally. But if we do this, we do it right. No reckless moves. No unnecessary risks unlike last time, especially now since anyone can have super-powers without us knowing. Edward smiled, his first genuine smile of the night. Agreed. The candle flickered once more as their pact was sealed, a silent promise between two men standing at the edge of a new future. One that they would shape with their own hands, for better or for worse. The first thing we need to do is gain the people of Vales favors if the people are willing to help us then well have an organization after that we make them think were profits with the knowledge from the show Ive only told you the basics so far so Ill have to fully fill you in later. Spoke Edward as he pulled out files from his home made desk in his hand made home thanks to Bob in the forest of Patch. For now however I believe it would be better to have us discover more about our Semblances and the world things that the show didn''t describe much of, said Edward as he continued going through files and writing plans Your also going to have to go home soon brother after all your from a noble family. Sighing as Lewis collapsed on the chair not caring for how he looks as he throws his arms up Yeah I know then it''s back to home filled with quite family diners and then school and repeat with little changes, although Lewis was complaining he was just happy to have his brother back even if they were truly related thought about Semblances I believe what mine could be. Edward looked surprised and now has his full attention on Lewis Truly, that''s great bro what do you think it''s about, any ideas? questioned Edward as he now has a big genuine smile for his brother. Excitedly Lewis practically screams Yeah, I don''t know how but when I was alone and started thinking about the past and the good old days I started having this feeling like that I could bring things into existence though it didn''t quite feel like creating but more like transporting HELL I even felt a house I think and every time I see this bodys fathers contracts I feel like I could sort of claim or own them? Edward tried processing all this and his thoughts when Lewis explained and at first he thought Lewis could just out right create things and that would have been overpowered if Edward ever heard it like seriously being able to create, oh he could make a lot of plans using that but then as he continued Edward became increasingly more confused. From what I can gather it seems like you''re semblance would be resolved around contracts and deals though if that''s the case then I don''t know why it counted your old contracts like the ones from our world so Im going to take a guess and say that the ones from our world would require much more aura or whatever you use as fuel WAIT, I just had a weird thought. After saying that he started writing a contract Tell me if you can feel your semblance working? what the contract stated is that: If in the case of _____s death there soul shall belong to ______ and ______ will be able to bring _____ soul back from death were _____ shall create or find a body for _____ to possess and use, however in the case of _____s death then _____s soul shall belong to Edward, there was even a blood print to confirm the true person so it wouldn''t go to a random Edward, Were he shall find a body for _____ to possess or allow them to switch places with the holder of _____s soul using there own body as a medium. This contract shall last forever even if both _____ and _____ were to die. Signed by ______ Singed by ______ DAMMM SON a cliffhanger though please reader what do you think about this new development and should it be allowed this is were you the reader will have a massive impact in the story as this is where things start getting real and this is just Lewis I wonder what your reactions would be to Edward I have given signs though there might not be obvious as they are quite subtle however I shall give you a hint go back to the VERY BEGINNING and tell me if you noticed it and that shall be all for now Thanks for reading as things are starting to roll now. P.S How long do you want the chaps to be and around what time should I post them also be aware that I am BRITISH. This is the last cliffhanger I swear I just really want people to talk to. Chapter 20: Time Flys Lewis stared at the contract before him, his fingers twitching slightly. He could feel itthat strange sensation, like threads waiting to be woven into something tangible. He hesitated, his mind racing. "You want me to sign this?" Lewis asked, his voice uncertain. "This is basically binding our souls together. Are you sure about this, Edward?" Edward nodded, his expression serious. "Absolutely. Think about it, Lewis. If your semblance does what we think it does, this contract could be our greatest trump card. Death wouldn''t be an end for us anymore. We would always have a way back. Wed be untouchable." Lewis exhaled, rubbing his temple. "Thats assuming it works. I mean, we still dont fully understand my semblance. And even if it does work" He trailed off, his eyes narrowing. "This is dangerous. A contract like this could have unforeseen consequences. What if the body we find isn''t compatible? What if our souls get stuck somewhere? What if someone else figures out how to exploit this?" Edward tapped the table. "Thats why we experiment first. Before we sign anything, we test your ability in controlled conditions. If it works like we suspect, we can refine the contract. We can set limits, safety measureshell, we could even create escape clauses." Lewis sighed, leaning back. "This is insane. Then again, so is everything else in this world." He sat forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Fine. But before we even think about using a contract like this, I want to see exactly what my semblance can do. No risks, no reckless gambles, no signing until we know for sure." Edward smirked. "Agreed. So, how do you want to test it?" Lewis thought for a moment, then stood up, stretching. "First things first, I want to see if I can claim something small. Maybe one of those contracts my father left lying around. If I can alter ownership, thatll confirm that my semblance affects legal bindings. Then we go from there." Edward nodded. "Sounds like a plan." The two brothers stood, their pact forming not through words or signatures, but through an unspoken understanding. This world, this lifeit was theirs to shape. And with their growing knowledge and power, they would carve a place for themselves in it. Later that night, Lewis sat alone in his room, an old contract spread out before him. He could feel the pull of his semblance, the invisible strings of authority woven into the document. With a deep breath, he focused, willing the contracts ownership to shift. The ink shimmered for a brief second. Lewis gasped as he felt something click into place, a strange sense of weight pressing into his mind. He had done ithe had taken ownership. His heart pounded. "Holy crap it worked." Before he could celebrate, a knock at his door startled him. He hastily folded the contract and opened the door to see his father standing there, arms crossed, eyes sharp. "Lewis," his father said, his voice measured. "I need to speak with you. Now." Lewis swallowed hard, suddenly feeling the full weight of what he was getting himself into. He had barely begun to understand his power, and already, the stakes were rising. Lewis followed his father into the study, the heavy wooden door clicking shut behind them. The room smelled of ink and old parchment, bookshelves lining the walls, filled with centuries of family history. His father sat down behind his ornate desk, gesturing for Lewis to take a seat opposite him. "I noticed some irregularities in my documents," his father began, his tone even but firm. "A contract was altered. The ink was still fresh, yet I dont recall making any modifications." Lewis kept his face neutral, though his mind raced. "Thats strange. Are you sure it wasnt one of the clerks?" His father narrowed his eyes. "Dont play coy with me, Lewis. I know our familys dealings better than anyone. Whatever is happening, I need to know." For a moment, Lewis considered denying it outright, but he knew his father wasnt a fool. He had to be careful. "If I told you that I might have discovered something something important, would you hear me out?" His father leaned back, scrutinizing him. "That depends. Are you about to tell me something useful, or something reckless?" Lewis inhaled sharply, then leaned forward. "I think I have a semblance. And I think it allows me to claim, modify, or even rewrite contracts and deals." A long silence followed. His fathers expression remained unreadable. Then, slowly, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Is that so?" Lewis tensed. He had expected skepticism, maybe even scornbut not intrigue. "This power of yours if it truly works as you say," his father continued, steepling his fingers, "then you may have just inherited the most valuable ability in our family''s history." Lewis blinked. "Youre not angry?" His father chuckled. "Angry? No, son. Im impressed. But tell mewhat are the limits? How far can you push this power?" Lewis hesitated. "I dont know yet. I was planning on testing it further, but" His father nodded. "Then well test it together. From now on, youll be working directly under me. If you can manipulate contracts, then you can help expand our influence in ways no one else can. We must be discreet, of course, but with proper refinement, your ability could make us untouchable." Lewis felt a chill run down his spine. This was not how he expected this conversation to go. He had feared reprimand, but instead, he was being ushered into something far bigger than he had anticipated. "Understood," Lewis said finally. "But I have my own conditions." His father raised a brow. "Oh? And what would those be?" Lewis met his gaze evenly and defiance as though daring his father to question it. "I work with Edward. He must be part of this too." His father studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "Very well. But know this, Lewispower is a tool. Use it wisely, or it will consume you." Lewis exhaled, feeling as though he had just stepped onto a path he could never turn back from. "I understand." As he left the study, his mind buzzed with possibilitiesand dangers. He needed to talk to Edward, fast. Because whether they liked it or not, they were now playing a much bigger game. Time has passed and now its October more specifically October 31st and that means its also ITS MY BIRTHDAYYYYYYYYY!!! Yelled Ruby Rose as shes finally turned 6 years old and is dressed in a adorably cute vampire while Yang was dressed like a character from Grimm May Cry as for Edward and Lewis well they were both wearing a batching pear of butler suits however in opposite colors mainly that of black and white the reason they chose this outfit is because its Rubys birthday so they chose to be her personal butlers. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The Rose-Xiao Long household was absolutely buzzing with energy. Streamers and balloons in shades of red, silver, and white decorated the walls, while a long table was piled high with all kinds of sweets and snacks. The centerpiece of the room? A massive birthday cake shaped like Crescent Rose, complete with tiny edible details that made Ruby''s eyes sparkle with delight. "Woooooow! It''s so cool! It''s even got the little silver edge on the blade!" Ruby exclaimed, bouncing excitedly as she admired the cake. "Of course! Only the best for the birthday girl!" Taiyang grinned, ruffling her hair. Qrow chuckled, adjusting the cape of Rubys tiny vampire costume. "Alright, little lady, you need to take it easy on the sugar this year. We all remember what happened last time." Yang snickered. "Yeah, you practically ran up the walls." "I was just testing my semblance before I even had one!" Ruby huffed, crossing her arms in an adorably dramatic fashion. Lewis and Edward, standing to the side in their matching butler outfitsLewis in a black suit with a white vest, Edward in a white suit with a black vestexchanged amused glances. "Alright, Lady Ruby, what is your first command for your loyal butlers?" Lewis asked, giving an exaggerated bow. Ruby tapped her chin, deep in thought. "Hmm I want A super-duper birthday cupcake tower brought to me with the most dramatic presentation possible!" Edward grinned. "Your wish is our command, Lady Ruby." The two brothers immediately sprang into action. Edward grabbed a serving tray while Lewis expertly stacked the cupcakes into a pyramid formation. Then, with a synchronized flourish, they dramatically presented the cupcake tower, Lewis kneeling and Edward extending the tray toward Ruby like it was a treasure fit for royalty. "Milady," Lewis said with the utmost seriousness. "Your cupcake tower." Ruby gasped, eyes twinkling as she accepted the first cupcake. "You guys are the best butlers ever!" Taiyang raised an eyebrow at Qrow. "You sure these two arent professional entertainers?" Qrow chuckled. "If they were, theyd probably be charging us for this level of service." Yang, watching all this, smirked and crossed her arms. "Okay, butlers, I have a request too. Since it''s a spooky season and all, I want you guys to tell a super scary story!" Ruby gasped dramatically, hugging her cupcake. "Ooooooh, yes! But not too scary! Just the right amount of spookiness!" Lewis and Edward exchanged another look before Edward stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, gather round, everyone. This is the tale of the Mysterious Disappearing Pumpkin." Yang rolled her eyes. "That doesnt sound that scary." Lewis smirked. "Oh, but you haven''t heard the twist yet." The lights dimmed slightly as the kids huddled closer, excitement and a hint of apprehension in their eyes. Edward took a deep breath and began, his voice adopting a slow, eerie tone. "There once was a pumpkin the biggest, roundest pumpkin in all of Patch. A farmer grew it, nurtured it, and planned to carve it into the ultimate jack-o''-lantern. But on the night before Halloween the pumpkin vanished." Ruby gasped, eyes wide. "Oh no! Where did it go?" Edward leaned in closer. "No one knew. No footprints, no drag marks, nothing. It was as if the pumpkin had gotten up and walked away on its own." Yang snorted. "Pfft, cmon, pumpkins cant walk." Lewis grinned mischievously. "Thats what they thought too. Until, one year later, on the very same night it returned. Sitting in the exact same spot. But this time, it had a face. A carved, grinning face that no one had made." Ruby clung to her cupcake. "W-Was it a ghost pumpkin?!" Edward nodded. "And every year since, the pumpkin disappears only to return, grinning wider and wider, waiting for someone to figure out what it wants." Silence filled the room, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Then Yang smirked. "Wait. What if it just really wants someone to make it into a pie?" The moment was broken as everyone burst into laughter, even Ruby, who had been gripping her cape in suspense. Lewis chuckled. "Thats one possibility. But would you really take that risk?" Ruby dramatically flopped onto the floor. "Nope! Id run so fast that the pumpkin wouldnt even see me!" Taiyang clapped his hands. "Alright, alright, before anyone gets too spooked, who''s ready for cake?" The cheers were deafening, and soon, the evening was filled with laughter, sweets, and playful mischief. For one night, at least, Lewis and Edward were able to set aside their growing responsibilities and simply enjoy being kids. And as Ruby blew out her candles, making a wish with all her heart, Lewis couldn''t help but wonderif he had the power to change fates, what would she have wished for? But that was a thought for another day. Tonight was about celebration, family, and most of allfun. After the cakes were devoured and everyone had their fill of sweets, Tai clapped his hands. "Alright, birthday girl! Time for the presents!" Ruby immediately perked up, her exhaustion vanishing. "PRESENTS! YES!" She zoomed over to the pile of neatly wrapped gifts and practically vibrated with excitement. Yang handed her the first present, smirking. "This ones from me." Ruby ripped it open, revealing a small, red hooded cloakjust her size. Her eyes widened as she ran her fingers over the fabric. "Yang its just like Moms!" Slightly tearing up a bit. Yangs smile softened. "Yeah. Figured youd want one of your own." Ruby threw herself at her sister, hugging her tight. "Best. Sister. EVER!" Next was a gift from Taiyang and Summer, a storybook filled with heroic tales of legendary Huntresses. "Youve been asking about being a Huntress a lot lately," Tai said gently. "So I thought this might be a good start, you Your mum knew shell be gone on missions a lot so she prepared presents for your future birthday, Yangs as well." Said the tearing up father. Ruby hugged the book to her chest. "One day, Im gonna be just like them!" Then came Lewis and Edwards turn. The two brothers exchanged a glance before handing over their neatly wrapped package. "This is from both of us," Edward said with a grin. Ruby eagerly tore the paper off, revealing a beautifully crafted toy scythe. It was small but had incredible details, resembling a miniature Crescent Rose. "We made it ourselves," Lewis added. "Thought you could use a practice weapon for when you start training." Rubys mouth dropped open. "YOU MADE THIS?!" Edward nodded proudly. "Yep. Took a while, but we wanted it to be perfect." Ruby practically tackled them both in a hug. "You guys are the BEST!" As the night wound down, Ruby sat surrounded by her gifts, a happy grin plastered on her face. "Best birthday EVER!" Edward however wasn''t done so pulling out another box this time much smaller he handed it to Ruby This one however if from me. When ruby ripped up the wrapping it revealed itself to be a ring clearly bigger than her fingers now so there was also a chain there to make it into a necklace on the ring is an exquisite detail of a rose with thorns going around the ring and a pink gemstone in the centre of the rose. Ruby, although confused as to why she was given jewellery still accepted it happily and even asked him to put it on her though Tai interrupted saying Youll have to take it off when you''re going to bed soon so best to leave it. though Edward was clearly unhappy at the interruption, still remembering how he used to treat Ruby so sent Tai quite a few killing intent filled looks. Lewis however gave ruby a card to his families shop saying how he knows Ruby loves weapons so much that he gave her the highest level membership card allowing her to have any materials she needs along with a lifelong magazine sponsorship earning himself a tight squeeze from the Rose. When it was time for both Edward and Lewis to leave, Ruby gave them both on last squeeze and a kiss on the cheek before dashing back inside, so as both the brothers walked there earlier expression of warmth froze away into one of ice with Lewis breaking the tension by asking. Why did you give her the Ring Edward, I thought we both agreed to not get her involved? The tone he used could make his Schnee ancestors proud because of how filled with furry it sounded. Edward could only sigh however as he replied Im not getting her involved, Im just making sure others know not to mess or even try hiring her. and although it did help slightly it still couldn''t bring the mood back up especially after Lewiss final remark. Thats what you said the last time, and now my daughters gone. As Lewis walked away Edward knew he couldn''t say anything in reply especially considering he was the one to pull the trigger so he simply walked away not noticing a black feather floating away as time passed.