Ruby

It was nice for Ruby to be out again with her friends. Sure it wasn't some fun getaway trip, but being with Nora, Lie Ren, and Jaune after everything that happened in Vale. It felt right. They were her friends; they wouldn't fail her, and she wouldn't fail them.

But there was also the elephant in the room: Archer, the mysterious warrior from another world who could take on both Uncle Qrow and Ruby's own father, both of which were highly skilled Huntsmen. But while he didn't seem to have any intention of causing trouble, Archer also wasn't there for Haven Academy and the Relic. His sole purpose in Remnant was to find the Holy Grail. Now on paper, finding and using the Grail to prevent Beacon from ever happening sounded like a good idea. Instead of going on this enormous fetch quest all across the map like one of her video games, they could just snag the Holy Grail and be done with it. But as Archer had informd them, nobody knew the location of the Grail, not even which continent it was on. Only that it was on Remnant. Nor did they have any idea where the other six Servants, not even Archer had any general idea. Still, Archer said he would tag along to help her as Ruby's Servant.

"So Archer, where are you from?" she asked him while on the boat from Patch, her childhood home that she was brought too after Beacon.

"I'm...it's nothing you don't have to worry about it." Archer replied.

"Come on, we're partners now Archer. We have to get to know each other." Ruby said nudging him. He gave her a look that made her shrink a little.

"Earth. I'm from Earth." Archer told her.

"Earth? I don't think I've ever heard of Earth. Is that a town?"

"No its not a town. It's a planet, like Remnant." A planet? Ruby's jaw dropped to the ground in awe.

"HANG ON, YOURE FROM ANOTHER PLANET?!?!" she cried out loud. It got some people's attention but more of because a 17 year old was screaming nonsense and not because there was an extraterrestrial being on the ship. It did, however get the attention of the other members of the group.

"Why are you yelling?" Ren asked. She looked over to them.

"He's an alien!" Cried out "a real life alien!!! They exist! Other life on other planets!!!" Ruby grabbed Archer and started shaking him back and forth.

"Why didn't you tell me your from outer space!?!?!?" she cried out. Archer gently pulled her off and placed her down in front of him.

"It didn't seem relevant. So I didn't think you'd need to know that."

"Uh are you kidding? We're traveling with a real live alien!" Nora said, fully in awe of Archer now. Archer had an annoyed expression on his face that Nora clearly didn't see.

"What's it like on Earth?" Nora asked him.

"Nice, I suppose." Archer told her.

"What happens on Earth? Do you have Dust? What's your Semblance? Do you have a Semblance? What school did you go to? Do you have a boyfriend? A girlfriend? Anyone-friend?"

Archer went silent. Ren seemed to understand something Ruby and the others didn't.

"Maybe we shouldnt be asking all these questions." Ren said placing his hand on Nora's shoulder.

"I want to knowwwwww." Nora whined as Ren dragged her away kicking and screaming. Archer let out a sigh of relief and when no one was looking, vanished into thin air into his Spirit Form, where he could recharge his mana. And to be all by himself.

Ruby looked out into the tiny dot that was Patch. The last time she left that place was on an airship to Vale. Now she was going to Haven Academy and find the Artifact of Knowledge.

"So what are you thinking about?" Jaune asked Ruby.

"Everything." She replied "Beacon, our first day, the teams."

"The dance." Jaune said "remember that?"

"Weiss was so obsessed with trying to score a date with Neptune." Ruby said "and you! You just walked in the dance floor with that dress!"

"Well I did have to keep my promise on that bet." Jaune and Ruby started laughing over the dance.

"And I still can't believe Phyrra never got asked out once." Jaune's smile vanished and he looked down at the water.

"Yeah. She never did. And I was so caught up trying to get with Weiss that I never figured it out." Ruby places a hand on his own.

"I miss her too." she said. He was the last person to figure out how Phyrra really felt about him only to find out she died hours later. And he failed to keep her safe. She was not only his friend and classmate, but a member of his team. A team he was selected to lead and protect. If Ruby had lost Weiss or Blake or Yang she'd feel horrible. Like a failure.

"Well, the best way to honor everyone who died is to take down Cinder." Ruby said reassuringly "we'll beat them. For Phyrra."

"Yeah, yeah you're right. For Phyrra." Jaune said with a faint smile. Ruby hugged Jaune.

"Don't give up okay?"

"Phyrra would hate if I did that."

Archer

Ruby Rose, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren, Jaune Arc. Thea four may be kids but it was clear from the weapons alone they were a formidable force.

Nora was a fair skinned girl with short orange hair, round green eyes and an always cheerful smile. She had a pink skirt, a white t shirt with a heart in the center covered by a black and pink jacket. Her weapon of choice? A giant warhammer and apparently had the ability to absorb electricity. Allegedly these powers aren't magic despite the similarities rather they're called a Semblance.

The next one was Lie Ren, a boy who looked like he walked right out of an anime. Black hair, sharp pink eyes, and wore a green tailcoat and light tan pants. He was quiet, reserved, and didn't say more than he had too. Archer respected that.

Jaune was a blonde boy with a black hoodie and jeans with two silver shoulder pads and a chest plate. How he survived this far Archer had no idea but he was tactician and apparently could make good plans on the spot according to Ruby. There was something bothering him. Someone he lost.

And finally his own Master Ruby and the youngest one there. Shirt black hair, silver eyes, skin pale as an Alter. She had a black shirt and skirt with a long red hood and cape. She was the heart, cherry and optimistic all the time. Even he couldn't help but find it endearing.

Jaune walked away, leaving Ruby alone. The day had turned to night and Remnant's shattered moon could be seen. It was strange seeing it that way to Archer. The moon from Earth was whole. A part of him was curious how it became that way but that answer could wait.

"You seem to care a lot for them." Archer said materializing next to Ruby. He startled her.

"Gah! Archer! You don't have to do that."

"Apologies Master." Archer said.

"You don't have to call me Master. Honestly I don't like being called a Master to anyone. So just call me Ruby."

"As you wish Ruby. You seem dead set on finding the Spring Maiden and the Relic?"

"We have to go and make sure everything is alright. For the good of the world."

"Ruby. May I ask you a question." Archer said.

"Of course. Anything you want."

"Why did you aspire to be a Huntress?"

"It felt natural. My Mom was a Huntress, my Dad was a Huntress. I just felt like I was destined to be one. And I want to help everyone."

"You can't save everyone." Archer looked away.

"Maybe not. But you can at least try."

"Don't say that!" Archer stopped himself. Ruby looked at him funny.

"What do you mean?" she said "why not?"

Do I tell her? Archer thought.

"It's nothing, Ruby. Just know this. That kind of mindset, being some altruistic hero of justice. It won't lead you down a good path."

"Archer, there's nothing wrong with being a hero." Archer looked back at her. This naive, foolish girl.

I'll keep going Archer. Even if it's hypocritical of me. I'll save everyone! The voice of that damn brat echoed through his head. Servants weren't suppose to remember their time during Grail Wars. So why did he? All the time in Fuyuki City. Teaming up with the other Servants to fight Kotomine and Gilgamesh, the corrupted Grail with Angra Mainyu. And everything that came afterwards like the Pact.

"Hey Archer. You ever played a video game?" Ruby asked.

"You have video games on Remnant?" Ruby's eyes widened

"Earth also has video games?!?"

"We do."

"Ooooooohhhh I wanna go visit Earth some time so badly! It sounds like fun!" She collected herself "anyways, I have a game I played a lot with Yang and Uncle Qrow. Come on!"

"I've never been a huge fan of-and she's already gone." Archer sighed. "I'll humor her. Maybe the games here are more fun than the ones back on Earth."