Rwby: Child of Grimm: Volume 4

Chapter 20: Three Times the Harm

Team RRNJR has made camp in the forest, a few kilometres away from the nearest town. They sit restlessly as they periodically gaze at the heavily breathing Qrow.

[Ruby] "Guys, we should keep going. We need to get Uncle Qrow some help."

The team all look towards the injured man simultaneously.

[Qrow] "You guys...Need a rest...After what you've just been through."
[Ren] "He's right. If we were to meet another group like that or some kind of powerful Grimm, we would not survive."
[Ruby] "But-..."
[Qrow] "Look at them Ruby...They're as worn out as I am..."
[Jaune] "Uhh, guys? Where did Ryu go?"

During their conversation, Ryu appears to have snuck away from the group.

[Nora] "Don't tell me he ran away again?"
[Ruby] "Nora!"

Ruby nervously yells at the ginger girl, honestly scared that Ryu may have indeed left them there.

[Ruby] "I'm going to look for him."

Getting up from her seated position upon a fallen log, she begins to wander through the woods behind where Ryu was once sitting. Meanwhile, Ryu has found a secluded area within the forest where he can calmly think through the events that have taken place. At least, that's what he had attempted to do. By the time Ruby finds him, he has already been crying. His mask in his hands as his thoughts drift towards Pyrrha, Penny, Dan, Nul, Mirror and most recently, the little spider. All of them, he considered friends and all of them, are the ones he has already failed to protect.

[Ruby] "Ryu?"

Ryu doesn't answer, simply lowering his head further at the sound of the voice that once made him smile.

[Ruby] "Are you okay?"

As she gets closer to him, he begins to speak.

[Ryu] "Yeah...and that's the problem."
[Ruby] "What?"

Now sitting next to him, Ryu can see the look of worry on her face, while Ruby can see the markings that tears have left on his face.

[Ryu] "When Pyrrha...I was there. All I had to do was stop three arrows. But no. I moved, and I got her killed."
[Ruby] "That's-"
[Ryu] "Earlier today, that spider that I decided to bring with me, died because I was stupid and didn't make sure it was over."
[Ruby] "You-"
[Ryu] "Jaune was Right about one thing. People around me tend to die."
[Ruby] "What-"
[Ryu] "Ruby."

As he turns to face her, with tears welling in his eyes, the girls insistence to speak vanishes.

[Ryu] "He was Right about that but...I have lost people before. After all, I killed my father.

As the words leave his mouth, a sad smile appears on his face.

[Ruby] "Ryu..."

Knowing that no words would be of use in this situation, Ruby opts instead, to embrace Ryu in a hug that lasts well past half an hour. By the time she moves to end the hug, the sound of soft snoring fills her ears. She smiles, letting him rest on her for a little longer.

[Ruby] "So you were tired too."

Little did the pair know, that a certain blonde boy had been listening to their conversation. He slouches as he rests his back against the tree he had been hiding behind before returning to camp.