Chapter 39

Summer felt keenly aware of Blake's presence, silent footfalls following her steadily as she conversed with Pyrrha and Ren. The Mistrali were as expected - well spoken, religious and kind. It was rare to find those that deviated in more than one aspect. Blake, on the other hand, was quite different from most Faunus. Summer had worked with many over the years, from all walks of life, priestesses, cooks, soldiers, tradesmen...the troubled. The Faunus population of Patch had always been unsteady, with many coming and going as the years passed, but she remembered them fondly.

Summer had never met a Faunus who acted like Blake. They were usually loud and proud, at times defensive, but wore their emotions on their sleeves. Blake seemed smaller than she could be, reserved, skittish, vulnerable, like an abused...oh...dear.

"Religion was a minor concern during Jacques' reign." Pyrrha explained. "Part of Weiss' company overhauls included heavier consideration. The Medical Facility chapel was moved and given proper care, and others were constructed in the main building. She chuckled. "It caused quite the stir in the papers when word got out, among other things. Don't you remember Ren?"

"Weiss Schnee, Religious Zealot?" Ren responded mockingly. "Consideration for religion was never strong in Atlesian corporate environments."

"But no expense has been spared since." Pyrrha continued. "The shrines are quite beautiful, if sanitized."

"May I ask whom you follow?" Summer inquired.

"We walk in the light of Spring, as my mother, and her mother before her." Pyrrha replied.

"My parents followed Autumn, but Spring's teachings drew me away." Ren answered.

"And what of you Blake?" Pyrrha asked, stopping before a set of doors to face the Faunus.

Blake tensed, eyes flitting between Pyrrha and Summer. "Winter."

That interested Summer. Many Faunus followed Autumn for strength in trying times, Summer for prosperity and Spring for health. Winter was among the least popular overall because of its negative associations, but even more so for the Faunus. Winter was steeped in shame and redemption, perseverance through the bitter cold of failings to emerge in a better tomorrow. Faunus did not follow Winter lightly. Blake must have suffered in the past, and continued to do so before her. Perhaps she had failed someone before. Ruby had brought that pain and guilt to the surface. Perhaps she feared Summer's reprisal. The poor girl.

"I admire that." Pyrrha admitted. "So few follow her, yet she holds great purpose in life."

"Mmn." Blake grunted.

With the attempt at further conversation failing, Pyrrha opened the doors, beckoning them through. "I love to come here. The priestesses were painted so wonderfully. At times I find myself lost in their eyes."

The chapel was a sight for Summer, her prior experiences having been rather low budget in comparison. The chapel at Patch General was just a repurposed conference room, but the SDC had spared no expense. The room resembled a cross between a Valean church hall and a Mistrali shrine. Dim in atmosphere, the walls were painted a rich crimson, warm amber lighting illuminating the room. A woven carpet stretched down the middle of the room, flanked by two rows of four pews each. A podium sat at the end of the room, only to be dwarfed by the wall behind it.

Four large portraits hung at the far end of the room, gently lit by soft down lights, a priestess of Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn each depicted with reverence. Winter stared stern from upon her throne, the Atlesian queen respected for her leadership and faith, who had unified the country and asserted control over it's war-like nobles. Spring lounged upon her throne of leaves, a chalice of petals held aloft. She was a soothsayer who had cared for refugees and victims from the civil wars that preceded Winter's rise. Summer stood, arms raised to the heavens, for it was she who had led the church's resurgence in the modern era. Autumn looked on stern and strong, her uniform pressed, her gaze proud. She had brought democracy to Atlas, leading the movement that forced the nobles into figurehead roles via a bloodless revolution and given power to the people.

Atlas' history was no less storied than that of any of the other kingdoms, steeped in military dogma, the seemingly endless struggle for control, through faith and fire. Summer never ceased to feel awed by the great accomplishments of her faith, nor the women who embodied them. Vale's history may have been more peaceful, and Patch downright tranquil, but they too had their heroes, holy and secular, sometimes one in the same.

"If I may ask, were you named for Summer?" Pyrrha's inquisitive voice asked as they walked.

Summer chuckled, shaking her head. "I was named for my birth, on the Summer Solstice. My parents left me with an orphanage."

"Oh my, I apologize for prying." Pyrrha backtracked.

"There is no harm in curiosity Pyrrha." Summer waved away her concern. "My name led me to the faith, I thank the gods every day for that blessing."

"All the same." Pyrrha smiled, approaching Spring's shrine, her partner joining her, linking his hands in hers. "I thank the gods for our presence here this day."

The sight of a couple in prayer never failed to bring joy to Summer's heart. So many lost their faith in this day and age, where the Maidens' teachings alone failed to inspire, and miracles seemed few on the ground. The young were too world weary, and the old too bitter to accept change. Her own daughters held only the barest of beliefs, and she refused to force religion upon them, let alone the impressionable. Ruby at least joined her in prayer at times, but Yang had lost faith long ago. It was a regret for which Summer would never forgive herself, even if Yang had.

To Summer's surprise, Blake did not offer prayer to Winter, glancing her way as she instead headed for Autumn, ears perpetually flat against her hair, tense and uncomfortable. She gave the air of a child, uncertain and scared, like Ruby when she broke her statue of the Summer Maiden. It was a good lesson for the young Rose. Nothing was forever, everything in this existence was temporary, and material objects could be fixed. Humans were far less simple, and Faunus carried their instincts on top of that, but every journey started with a simple step.

Summer took that step. "May I join you?" She whispered, Blake's ears tilting at her approach.

"Of course." Blake murmured, stepping to the side, hands clasped before her in silent prayer.

Summer took her place at the Faunus' side, before raising her own hand in offer. Blake kept her head bowed, even as she slowly accepted, her grasp gentle and heated. Faunus blood always ran hotter than humans', hardy, resilient, passionate. When Ruby told her of Blake, Summer had expected many things, to hold her hand in prayer to Autumn - the embodiment of strength, of change - was not one of them. She wondered what Blake prayed for, Ruby's strength perhaps? That change in her life would bring more good than harm? Or perhaps Blake prayed for herself, that she might bear the burden placed upon her, to take care of her family in this trying time.

Summer knew what she prayed for - Ruby's happiness, above all else. That the seed of her heart may continue to grow, despite the harshest of winters thrust upon her. She prayed for her family, blood and bond, that all who cared for Ruby would find strength in their love for her, that their grief may give way to care. Finally, she prayed for the souls of the Fang, that they may one day find redemption, in life or death.

The pressure in Summer's hand grew, movement saw Blake's head rise the lights illuminating tear tracks upon her cheeks and sorrowful golden eyes, fixated upon the priestess' glowing visage. She was beautiful, young, too young to hold such pain. "I never believed that humans could be like you…" Blake spoke, low and steady. "Sun told me, and I doubted, because I was blind...until Ruby came along, and I couldn't look away." Her head bowed once more, her lips tight in a pained grimace.

Summer looked past Blake to see Pyrrha and Ren. With an understanding smile and nod, they turned, making their way down the hall, until with a gentle click, the doors shut, and she was alone with the Faunus. "When the doctor placed her bundle into my arms...I couldn't look away either…" Summer reminisced. "It was hard to let go, knowing the dangers of the world…"

"She didn't deserve this…" Blake declared.

"No one does, and yet here we are." Summer admitted, morose.

Blake turned to look Summer in the eye. "I'm sorry...I could not stop this."

"You are not at fault Blake." Summer insisted.

"All the same...I once held these views...I feel complicit, yet here I stand unharmed, while Ruby hides her suffering for our sake." Blake managed.

"You believe she is lying?" Summer asked.

"She already lied about her pain, even before…" Blake replied.

"Ruby always has had a tolerance for pain." Summer noted. "That came from her father's side."

"The idea of Ruby suffering out of stubborn care for others is-" Blake started.

"From my side of the family." Summer interrupted.

Blake deflated, sighing as she did. Summer could not help but chuckle. Many times she herself had had that same reaction to her husband and daughters' actions, a bruise here, a sprain there, a few shallow cuts. Being a Rose was suffering, and she had learned that long before marriage.

"Come sit down, let's get to know each other." Summer suggested.

Blake allowed Summer to direct her to a nearby pew. "You're a lot calmer than I expected you'd be."

"Tai panics enough for the four of us." Summer laughed as they sat. "In a family like ours, someone needs to be the grounding core, and I have the most experience to call upon."

"As in?" Blake inquired.

"In my youth, I found myself needing to mature quite fast." Summer answered. "Had I not...well, to say I may not be here today would be an understatement."

"I...can relate." Blake admitted hesitantly.

Summer took the Faunus' hand once more, giving it a gentle squeeze. Blake seemed to relax, if only a little. "I spent my childhood between foster homes." Summer began. "At the best of times it was pleasant, but more often than not I endured trials no one my age deserved, and yet there I was...until I met Tai, and Qrow and Raven, my first true family." She smiled at the memory, watching Taiyang play football from the sidelines, Raven leading the cheer squad, Qrow off drinking beneath the bleachers, and afterward they would all go out for dinner. Nothing could separate them...until something did. "I dedicated myself to preserving my family Blake, and Ruby followed in my footsteps. We endure pain, tolerate hardship, and love even when the object of our affections spits in our face. We're stubborn like that. So maybe Ruby lies about her pain, maybe it's difficult to accept, but I have faith that Ruby will pull through, as I did. If only to keep the people she loves happy, and it will be all the easier if those people accept this, and are there for her when she falls. Because she will fall, we all do occasionally, it's a part of life. Sometimes bad things happen, and there's nothing to be done but pick up the pieces." Summer held Blake's hand in both her own, mustering the biggest smile she could for the worried Faunus. "Smile, and be there for Ruby, by our sides or not, nothing will help Ruby more than simply believing in her."

Blake's lips curved upward, a small amount, but more than enough to have an effect. She looked so much younger, even if the fatigue never left her eyes. "I'll try my best." The Faunus promised.

"That's all I can ask." Summer responded.

There was more to this, Summer knew, but now was not the time to delve. Ruby was their priority, and perhaps in time Blake would open up more on her own. Or perhaps Ruby would beat her to it.

Ruby rarely dreamed. Those times she did they were a confusing, but often pleasurable jumble of sensations, tastes and smells. Flashes of color, gold, red and lilac, cookies and milk and alcohol, fresh baked goods, sweat and adrenaline, warmth and safety...the dreams brought little to Ruby, but she always appreciated the memories they inspired. A piggy back from Yang, cooking with her mother, fishing with her father, her first kiss, her first victory...memories she cherished, memories she clung to in the darker moments of her life. Now the sensations were different. Hostile, harsh, yellow and green, plastic and vomit, smoke and dust, antiseptic, fear and nausea...flashes of...blur...muffled yelling…

Ruby opened her eyes, blurry and bleary. The dim ceiling above did not need to be in focus, she had stared at it long enough to know. It was just another hospital room, just the same rhythmic beeping, just more warm pressure in her hand, just familiar dull agony in her lower body.

"Ruby?" A familiar voice called, and for a moment the pain lessened as blurry blonde curls came into view.

"Yang?" Ruby murmured, feeling a smile tug at her lips. "I missed you."

"I missed you too Rubes." Came Yang's teary reply. "I'd hug you but...I don't wanna' shift you or anything."

"Why, what'll happen?" Ruby laughed.

"Won't it hurt your uh…" Yang fumbled.

"Yang." Ruby sighed, reaching down with her left hand to find the bed's remote. "I wanna' hug from my sister." Pressing a button, the bed began to rise, slowly moving her upper body upright. The pain in her legs sparked and sputtered, severed nerves shifting, barely dulled by the painkillers in her system. She paid it no mind, Yang was here. "Hugs." Ruby beamed, reaching out expectantly. Yang laughed, meeting her sister in a gentle embrace, warm and firm, Yang's hair tickling her nose as she nuzzled within. She squeezed with what little might she could muster and breathed deep the calming scent of home.

"Gods I missed you." Yang declared.

"You said that already." Ruby observed.

"And I'm saying it again, I missed you so fucking much, you scared the hell outta' me." Yang's voice warbled as she pulled away, sitting back in her seat. "Are you...feeling okay? Do you want a drink?"

"I'd like a drink, thanks." Ruby nodded.

Yang sniffled, pouring water from the same jug on the bedside table from the prior day. It had been refilled at some point. "Are you in pain?" She asked, handing Ruby the cup.

"Yeah, but I can handle it." Ruby answered, draining the cup slowly, the cool liquid alleviating the stale taste that followed rest, and soothing what nausea remained from her dream. Letting out a deep breath, she finally took the time to look down at her lap, and the small lumps extending outward - what little remained of her legs. "Huh, weird."

"What?" Yang asked.

"It's just...they're small, and it's weird to look at." Ruby replied. "Like they're supposed to be longer, and they aren't…"

"Well...yeah that's...pretty weird, heh." Yang managed.

"Hey Yang...you wanna' see?" Ruby inquired.

Yang gaped for a long moment, glancing at the twin lumps beneath the sheets before swallowing. "Sure? I mean, you okay with it?"

"I know what to expect, I just...wanna' see, ya'know?" Ruby responded.

"Right, yeah sure, uh…" Standing, Yang grasped the rough sheets of the bedding, pulling them free. "You ready?"

"I was born ready!" Ruby exclaimed, clenching her fists in determination. Yang laughed and drew the sheets down, revealing… "Aw, they're all bandaged."

Yang let loose a silent sigh of relief, sitting back down as she stared at the remaining limbs, and the disappointed look on Ruby's face. "I think that's normal Rubes."

"Yeah, I just hoped maybe the anchors would be visible, 'cuz I've only ever seen them in videos and pictures and stuff, but oh well...they're kinda' cute." Ruby rambled.

Yang snorted, hands running nervously through her hair as she recomposed herself. It was an all too familiar sight, Ruby in a hospital bed, bandaged legs...only this time the attitude was just...wrong. Ruby was devastated after the accident. It had taken weeks of non-stop encouragement for Yang to break her out of her depressive spiral, but here Ruby was, disappointed that her freshly amputated legs were too bandaged to ogle the implants… "Ruby." Yang began, waiting until Ruby was looking her in the eye before continuing. "Are you really okay?"

"I don't know Yang." Ruby admitted. "It's all just...you know I don't remember right? Anything. It's like nothing happened, just blank in my mind, I was walking to the subway and suddenly I'm here and my leg is gone, and everyone is worrying over me and...I just feel...I don't know what I feel Yang."

"Do you wanna' talk about it?" Yang offered.

"I dunno'...maybe?" Ruby shrugged. "I just don't know how to talk about it. I was there, now I'm here, and things look like they're gonna' get better, and that's all that seems to matter."

"But you lost your legs Rubes, it's kind of a big thing." Yang pressed.

"Yang...I never got over it, ya'know?" Ruby sighed.

"The accident." Yang suggested.

"Yeah...I mean sure, I got better, but only mostly." Ruby explained. "I loved studying cybernetics. It's an amazing industry and I think I'll do a lot more for the SDC than I ever could have running…" She leaned back against the pillow. "But I just felt so weak, my leg hurting after a day of classes, not being able to run or jump or climb because I'm afraid it'll break again, and it got way worse here, because I walked a lot every day...and yeah I wasn't supposed to be doing this job, but that doesn't matter!" Ruby growled. "I hated being like that, going to get drunk after work because I just wanted the pain to stop, sucking at something I used to be good at...and then I'd wake up, and it's either live with one shitty leg, or have two good ones. What kind of choice is that? Why should I feel bad about that? How should I feel about it? Because I'm sure everyone is expecting me to start crying all of the sudden because I have no legs, but the truth is I don't feel like I've had legs for years...I've only been pretending."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Yang asked.

"Because I thought I was being stupid, I thought it was going to pass, I thought I could deal with it." Ruby answered. "I was in denial Yang, and I didn't want to worry you again. I just wanted to keep moving forward."

"But that's what family is for Ruby, you can't do it all alone." Yang countered.

"But I can't keep relying on you to pick me up Yang." Ruby protested.

"Says who?" Yang scoffed.

"Says growing up!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Well good job there, now you're shorter than ever." Yang joked.

Ruby spluttered, bursting into surprised laughter. "Oh gods Yang!"

"I've got jokes too remember!" Yang cheered. "And now you can't run from 'em, because you ain't got no legs."

"You just wait, I'm gonna' get big long legs, and kick your butt with 'em for being insensitive." Ruby threatened.

"Well good!" Yang shouted. "I'll be there to see you get those legs, and then you'll just have to catch me."

"Fine!" Ruby yelled, poking out her tongue.

"Fine." Yang smirked back, crossing her arms with a satisfied smirk.

Ruby retracted her tongue, the smile slowly fading from her face. "You know I'm not going home right? I'm staying here, until I recover, then I'm going back to work."

Yang mustered a weary shrug, shaking her head. "I figured. Dad's not gonna' be happy though."

"I know." Ruby sighed.

"And he's a bit miffed you didn't tell us about the surgery." Yang added. "We didn't know when we arrived. Dad nearly had a stroke."

"Sorry." Ruby winced. "I was...just..wasn't ready."

"But you were ready for surgery?" Yang challenged.

"I wanted to get it over with Yang." Ruby explained. "My mind was made up, and you know how I feel about hospitals."

"Yeah...I know…" Yang shrunk.

"Where is everyone anyway?" Ruby asked.

"After you got out, mom and dad went to the hotel." Yang replied. "It was a long flight, and I was the only one who got any sleep."

"Mom?" Ruby exclaimed.

Yang winced at the shock in her sister's voice. "Yeah...we're...getting better." She shrugged. "I think she and Blake talked."

"About what?" Ruby inquired.

"I dunno'." Yang answered. "Mom's mom. She said hello to everyone, asked about the chapel, and Blake asked to come with." She shrugged again. "When Weiss said everyone should get some rest, Blake started arguing, and mom just put a hand on her shoulder, said something in her ear. She left pretty quietly after that."

"Huh, well, Blakey's religious, kinda'...maybe they bonded over that." Ruby guessed.

"She doesn't really strike me as religious." Yang observed.

"Not everyone's like mom Yang." Ruby countered.

"Yeah…" Yang trailed off.

A short silence ruled the room until Ruby cleared her throat. "What did you think of everyone?"

"I didn't really talk to anyone." Yang admitted. "I was...kinda' not in the mood."

"Oh...wait...you didn't hug Sun?!" Ruby gasped.

Yang rolled her eyes. "Of course I hugged Sun!"