RWBY: The 13 Elemental Forces. *ON HIATUS*

Volume 9 Chapter 10: Tea amidst Terrible Trouble

*WARNING* This chapter will have a lot of heavy topics throughout the chapter, some serious items of discussion that may be a lot for some.*

(Play Opening)

The opening scene begins where the last one left off as Hercule is seen yelling out for Ruby, who had just ran off from the group after her breakdown.

Hercule: RUBY! RUBY, COME BACK! Dammit.... she's gone.

Yang: I should've been paying more attention...

Hercule looks over to see Yang looking down at the ground with a sad expression on her face. He walks over and gives her a hug, while stroking her hair.

Hercule: I know, we all neglected how she was doing.... After everything, it's been hard to find time.

Yang: But I'm her sister, I should've noticed it sooner.

Hercule: Hey...

Hercule lifts her chin up as they look into each other's eyes.

Hercule: We'll find her and make this right, okay?

Yang nods as everyone else was in agreement while Jaune was seen kneeling over the water as he holds a piece of wet paper in his hand.

Jaune: Fine... I guess there isn't a reason to stick around anymore.

Jaune stands up from the edge of the flooded village as Hercule hears the remark.

Hercule: Jaune... Just shut up. Okay, just for once, shut up.

Jaune: What? What did I say....

Hercule: We all suffered, and we all failed to acknowledge that Ruby was suffering the most of all for everything. And what you said, didn't help with that.

Jaune scoffs as he grabs his gear from the ground.

Jaune: She'll be fine, Ruby's going to bounce back just like she always does.

Hercule: There might not be any "bouncing back" Jaune, don't you see that? She's still younger than all of us and was forced to make all the decisions for everything. Ruby is out there right now in pain, and Neo could be there too! We need to move out now if we want to keep that from happening.

Hercule turns and walks away as Zeke, Yang, Blake, Weiss and Jackson start to follow as Jaune trails from behind.

Jaune: (mumbled) Hmph, now you want to give orders. Where were you when we need help against Ironwood?

Zeke's ears pick up the sound and the words as he turns his head to glare at Jaune.

Zeke: What did you just say?

Everyone else stopped as even Hercule looked at Jaune with anger.

Zeke: So? What did you say, Arc?

Blake: Zeke...

Hercule: No. I wanna hear what he said.

Hercule walks up to Jaune as the two stand infront of each other, Hercule keeps his glare while the two stare each other down.

Hercule: If you have something to say, say it to my face like a man. I was on the verge of death back at Atlas, and I could only wish I was able to wake up sooner but I couldn't. But let me ask you this... Did you come up with any ideas doing that time? Any at all?

Jaune looks down as he stays silent.

Hercule: Just as I thought. Ruby was looked upon as the one with all the ideas. Because we placed that pressure onto her that she needs to be perfect. And we neglected that when it mattered most, and she was never to blame for us being trapped here.... Not like you were doing such a great job in searching.