User blog:Angren Túrë/Ruby Backstory episode; "Cloaked in Roses, Part 2: Summer Rose"

So in order to avoid thread hogging (which seems to be a common sin of mine these days), I am continuing a speculation I started earlier on the "Episodes you'd like to see " Thread. For those just joining us, "Cloaked in Roses"  is an extremely elaborate possible episode in the form of a White Cloak theory. In Part 1, "Troubled Sleep",  Ruby follows a dream up to the Cliffside Altar, where White Cloak's owner appears and reveals herself as Summer Rose. By doing so, she temporarily abandons Teams RWBY and JAUN while the two teams were on vacation at the Xiao Long house (assuming Ruby is the adopted one). Part 1 ended with Yang ordering the teams to gear up and help her find Ruby.

For the haters: This is meant to be a speculation,  NOT  a fanfic. And I don't intend to post this on the fanon page, because in all honesty, I really don't like that site.

WARNING: This part, especially the first real-time sequence will get really dark. Just remember, it's a speculation.

A few more things: I will be switching back and forth between synopsis and real-time, so hopefully you don't get confused. I will also be throwing in a quote from Lord of the Rings--see if you can catch it! Assume there are some Grim creatures that possses human intelligence and speech. This takes place after Ruby has acquired the Cross Clips (though she hasn't used them yet). And to differentiate between the Summer Rose Spirit and the Summer Rose Memory, the Summer Rose memory will always be underlined.

Now that I'm done with all that disclaimin'...

Cloaked in Roses, Part 2: Summer Rose
Part 2 picks up where Part 1 left Teams RWBY (minus Ruby, of course)  and JAUN, readying their weapons in order to go find Ruby. Yang notices that Ruby took Crescent Rose with her, so she assumes that Ruby left to find the significance of her recurring nightmare. However, Yang is at a loss as to where exactly Ruby went. Jaune, also fairly distraught over Ruby's disappearance, suggests that Ruby most likely made her way to the Snowy Forest. Jaune also forms a plan to have the teams split up: RWBY will attempt to track Ruby directly and catch up with her on foot, JAUN will return to Beacon and "borrow" an airship in case the search for Ruby takes longer than expected. Despite some disagreement between team members, the plan is accepted, and RWBY heads off in the direction of the Snowy Forest.

Meanwhile, Summer Rose's spirit explains to Ruby that the dreams were Summer's way of attempting to contact Ruby. Momentarily angry, Ruby asks Summer "Why didn't you just tell me instead of sending me nightmares for two weeks straight?!", to which Summer calmly replies that Ruby needed to understand the gravity of the current situation. Summer then explains to Ruby that she is Ruby's past life, specifically of five generations ago. Summer proceeds to show Ruby her life, in the form of a vision. Ruby sees Summer's early years, her first day at Beacon, her training there, her ordination as a full Huntress, and a few of her first assignments. Summer also shows Ruby a memory of her sparring with a close friend, whom Ruby recognizes as Jaune's ancestor Symon Arc, by his weapon and emblem. Summer explains that Symon was one of her closest friends as well as an elite huntsman. Ruby asks Summer about her future with Symon, but awkwardly breaks off mid-sentence, blushing.



The training room fades to black, and Ruby and Summer have returned to the Cliffside Altar.

Ruby: Wait, is that it? Aren't you going to show me more, like how---

Summer (sharply): Ruby.

Ruby (surprised at Summer's change of tone): Summer? What's going on? Did something happen--

Summer: I need you to brace yourself for what I'm about to show you.

Ruby (apprehensive): ...What are you about to show me?

Summer: I am about to show you how I died.

Ruby's eyes widen and she shivers a bit, but nods to Summer.

The cliffside fades out, and Ruby finds herself inside a large, torchlit cavern facing the only entrance in.

Ruby: Summer, where are--Summer? Summer!

'''Ruby looks around frantically for Summer's spirit, but sees nothing. With a determined expression, Ruby shudders, then faces the entrance of the cave.'''

'''The entrance darkens as  Summer Rose  enters. Her formerly happy features are gone, and the gray streak has appeared in her hair. Summer  is holding a scythe that looks like an antique version of Crescent Rose, without the Sniper Rifle function. '''

Summer  (shouting): Alright, you sick Grim bastard, here I am. Now show yourself!

'''There is no reply, except the echo of  Summer 's voice gradually fading. Summer  looks around and takes a deep breath, preparing to yell her challenge again, when all of the torches except the two on either side of the entrance gutter out. Ruby gasps, but forces herself not to look away.'''

'''The cavern is suddenly filled with laughter of several different voices and pitches, all coming from no apparent source. Summer  twirls her scythe, and slams the butt into the ground with a ringing sound and a green flash, causing the laughter to cut off abruptly. '''

Summer : Was that supposed to frighten me?

'''Laughter, this time belonging to one voice, rolls through the cavern from the opposite end of the entrance. A humanoid shape forms from the shadows and begins walking towards  Summer. As the shape draws closer to the torches, it appears to be a man wearing a business suit and a black Japanese Oni mask. Where his skin would be, there is only a dark grey swirling of smoke. Ruby panics at the sight of the mask, but eventually regains herself--to a degree.'''

 Summer  tightens the grip on her scythe and narrows her eyes.

Summer : Graurim. The "Lord of Ashes" shows himself at last.

Graurim (nonchalantly): If that did frighten you, you huntresses are made of even weaker material than I thought. (strokes his 'chin', as if in recollection) Who again was that girl that made you come after me here? Hmm? Wow. I can't even remember her name, and I only killed her--

Summer  (swings her scythe): You son of a bitch!

'''The scythe passes through Graurim's body with no noticeable effect. Even the suit is still intact. Ruby, from the sidelines, begins to tremble.'''

'''With an infuriated shout,  Summer  unleashes a barrage of Dust-powered lightning at Graurim. Graurim waves his 'hand' dismissively and the lightning arcs backward and hits  Summer, knocking her into the wall. Ruby's legs buckle and she sinks to her knees, still shaking.'''

Summer  (struggling to her feet): ''Fight back! You damned coward, FIGHT BACK!!''

Graurim (laughing softly): ...No. There is no pleasure in beating children. (sighs) But, I suppose I don't have all night, do I?

'''Graurim raises his right arm and makes a clutching motion. Summer 's scythe flies out of her hands and flies toward Graurim, who catches it with his outstretched hand. Summer  tries to attack Graurim with Dust, but Graurim's free hand extends to impossible length and grabs her by the throat. '''

'''Ruby is rooted to the spot, sobbing in terror, but unable to look away. '''

'''Graurim closes the distance between himself and  Summer, who is fighting for air. Graurim brings his face an inch from hers and raises the scythe. '''

Ruby (shaking her head, nearly hysterical): No...no, please...NO...

'''Graurim brings the scythe down in a diagonal sweep. Ruby screams in anguish and horror, then collapses face-first onto the cave floor.'''



Ruby comes to back at the Cliffside Altar, where Summer's Spirit explains the rest of the story. After Graurim killed Summer, he vanished back into the shadows of the cave, and since then has not been seen. A few hours later, a task force of Hunters led by Symon forced their way into the cave, but found only Summer's body, her scythe snapped in half and Graurim's Oni mask painted in blood on her stomach. Heartbroken (yes, Summer and Symon were a thing), Symon carried her body to a cliff in the Snowy Forest (the site of their first mission together) and buried her there. A few days later, he came back with a cairn he had made, with the words "Thus Kindly I Scatter" under Summer's name. After reading the inscription aloud, Symon used the sharpened Cross emblem Summer wore on her belt to cut all of his hair off (she had always loved his hair, odd as it sounds), then placed the Cross in a secret compartment he had made in the Cairn.

Symon eventually started a family of his own (though he would always still love Summer), while the Rose line would contine through Summer's cousins. Ruby is nearly overwhelmed by emotion at the end of the story, and the only thing she can bring herself to ask Summer is: "Why did you show me this?" Summer sadly explains that since she failed in her task to destroy the Grim in her lifetime, the task passes to Ruby, the Rose alive at the time of thr Grim's next resurgence. Ruby asks Summer how she knows the Grim will return in her lifetime, to which Summer replies: "They will return today, child. This very hour, I believe." As if in confirmation, Ruby sees a huge pattern of Smoke swirling around a clearing underneath the Altar, which eventually condenses and solidifies into several dozen Beowolves.

Meanwhile, Blake (whose Fauna blood gives her excellent eyesight) has picked up Ruby's trail and RWBY is following closely, nearing the Snowy Forest.



Yang: There it is. The Snowy Forest. (to herself) Come on, sis, you better be in there...

'''Suddenly, a high-pitched screeching sound starts emanating from Myrtenaster, which then begins flashing spasmodically. Weiss, Blake and Yang all clutch their ears and scream in pain. In desperation, Weiss draws Myrtenaster and plunges it into the snow, cutting off the sound and flashing.'''

Blake: What just happened? What was that?!

Weiss just stares in shock at nothing in particular.

Yang: Weiss? Weiss! (punches her in the shoulder)

Weiss (still in shock): No, no... that can't be right... it's impossible...

Yang (grabs Weiss by the shoulders and shakes her roughly): ''WEISS! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF! ''

Weiss (snaps out of her trance): That sound, that was a Dust Shriek.

Blake's eyes widen in recognition, whereas Yang remains confused.

Yang: A Dust what? What's wrong with you, girl?

Blake: A Dust Shriek... no one's heard a Dust Shriek for over two hundred years.

Weiss: Right. Some Hunters, they made Weapons imbued with a sensitive Dust that would warn them if...(her eyes widen) no, it can't be...

Yang: Would someone please tell me what the hell a Dust Shriek is!?

Blake: The Shriek occurs when something causes an energy imbalance in the Dust's original source. And the only times that's ever happened...

Weiss: ...were at the beginning of a war with the Grim. They're back.

'''Weiss, Blake and Yang all hear what sounds like a female scream coming from a high elevation a long distance away. '''

Yang: ''Ruby! Come on!''

Without waiting for Weiss or Blake, Yang sprints towards the sound of the scream.

--Cut to Ruby and Summer at the Cliffside Altar--

Ruby (in despair): I wish that dream had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.

Summer (sad smile): So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. What we must decide is what to do with the time which is given to us. I was meant to die in order to lead you here, meaning you were meant to find me. (winks) and that is an encouraging thought, no?

Ruby (smiling weakly): Yeah. I guess so.

The pack of Beowolves begins howling. Ruby glances at them, then turns back to Summer with a resolute expression.

Ruby: Then I know what it is I must do.

'''Ruby traces the Rose outline on the cairn, which opens to reveal Summer's Cross emblem. Ruby removes the "scatter" emblem from her belt and affixes the Cross in its place. '''

Summer: Go, child. I trust you know what to do from here.

Summer Rose kisses Ruby on the forehead, then fades.



Ruby then descends from the cliff to confront the Beowolves, in the epic sequence of Crescent Rose Ass-kickin' that we refer to as the Red Trailer. Attracted by the sound of gunfire, Yang, Weiss, and Blake arrive at the Cliffside Altar, only to see Ruby effortlessly mowing through the Beowolves with terrifying skill. RWBY descends anyway, but by the time they reach Ruby, the Beowolves are all quite dead. Yang tackles Ruby in a fierce hug, and then scolds her (in relief) for running away like that. Ruby, exhausted, replies: "Thanks, sis. After today, I don't think I'll ever want to." As Ruby and Yang have another tearful reunion hug, Blake tosses a pouch full of coins to Weiss, who smiles and knowingly says: "See? Told you she wouldn't need our help."

Okay! So, I got a little carried away there, but whatever. I repeat, I will  not  be posting this on the fanon page.

If you start ragging on me for the bit about the Dust Shriek, I fully deserve it. That was an extremely weak means to an end, but I couldn't think of anything better to use.

If there are any inconsistencies or things I might have missed (and I'm sure there are) feel free to point them out! And just so we're clear...

I will  not  put this on the fanon page, as it is not by nature fanfiction.