35. Circe

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Ruby stood in shock as she looks at the woman that looks exactly like her mother, Summer Rose.

Ruby: M-mom? Is...is that you??

Summer smiles at her in a way Ruby remembers from her childhood.

Summer: Hello my little gem.

Ruby's eyes water up as she said that.

Ruby: H-how are you here?! You died!

Summer: Clearly that isn't the case.

Ruby: No, I suppose not.

Summer walks towards Ruby and embraces her in a hug.

Summer: I'm so sorry my little gem. I missed so much. Missed you grow up and start school and...

Ruby breaks down in tears in her mother's arms.

Ruby: Everything is just a mess Mom. Ozpin's gone, everyone is questioning what we're doing here.

Summer: You've gone through too much for someone your age.

Reaper reaches for top of the well and grabs on. He pulls himself out of the well and plops onto the snow while panting.

Reaper: There was...a lot more Apathy...than I thought...phew...

Reaper sits up and sees Ruby hugging Summer.

Reaper: What the-?

He then sees Summer trying to grab the Relic without Ruby noticing.

Reaper: RUBY, GET AWAY FROM HER!!

Ruby looks at Reaper with a confused face. "Summer" smirks and fires a ball of fire at Reaper, which sends him to crash at the well.

Ruby: Reaper!

Ruby feels the lamp being taken from her belt before being kicked to the ground. "Summer" then transforms into a young tan skinned woman with red eyes. She wears an outfit like the next picture.

(Not my design, but I liked this one)

The woman smiles at Ruby while holding the Relic.

??: Merci Mademoiselle Rose. Au revoir.

Ruby: No!

Ruby tries to get up before she is kicked in face by the woman's boot, knocking her out.

When Ruby comes to, she sees Yang and Oscar hanging over her with worried eyes. She then notices that she is inside the house by the fireplace.

Oscar: Ruby!

Ruby: What...

She gasps and sits up quickly.

Ruby: The Relic!

Qrow: It's gone kiddo. Whoever took you and Reaper down during the night is long gone.

Ruby looks at her uncle, who is sitting on the couch. He sighs has he takes a shot from his flask.

Ruby: Reaper...where is he?

Yang: He got hit pretty hard unlike you. He's still out as far as we know. Maria watching over him while Weiss and Blake ready the bike for us.

Ruby sighs and curls her hands into fists.

Ruby: That woman....she posed as my mom.

She grabs her hat from the ground and puts it on. Qrow looks at her with wide eyes.

Qrow: What?

Ruby: She seemed to have the ability to... I don't know, transform into other people. She also could shoot fire balls from her hands.

Qrow: A Maiden??

They all hear a raspy cough coming from the stairs. They look to see Reaper holding his ribs in obvious pain with Maria helping him stay up.

Qrow: Reaper! You shouldn't be walking around in your condition!

Maria: That's what I tried telling him but Reapers are stubborn like that.

Reaper looks over at Yang.

Reaper: Yang, looks like...I have need of your services.

Yang: Uh, yeah, I'll tell them what you tell me.

Everyone in the room looks at Yang as Reaper speaks to her since she's the only one here that can hear Reaper without the Relic.

Qrow: Was the attacker a Maiden? Winter or Summer?

Yang: He says.... "No, worse"

Oscar: "Worse?" What can be worse than a Maiden trying to kill us?

Yang's eyes widen at what Reaper says his next words to her.

Yang: Someone... Who's magic comes naturally to them... One of Salem and Ozpin's daughters.

Qrow: ....what?

Yang: Specifically the youngest one. Her name is Circe according to Reaper.

Ruby: Wait, wait, so the youngest daughter of Professor Ozpin and Salem is STILL ALIVE?!

Reaper silently nods.

Maria: Well, we did see Reaper pick her body up from the castle in Jinn's story. I'm just surprised she's still alive after centuries, and seemingly still young looking too!

Yang: It's because of Salem's immortality. Apparently, while weaker than her mother's, she still can live a long time but can still be injured and likely killed.

Qrow: So along with having magic, she's also immortal age-wise.

Reaper nods and summons his scythe to use as a walking stick as he walks to the door and opens it. Reaper walks out with Yang walking after him followed by everyone else.

Yang: Reaper?

Oscar: What's he saying?

Yang: He says we still need to get to Atlas.

Qrow: But what about the Relic?

Yang: He says not to worry about it. Circe hates Salem enough that she won't let her near the thing.

Weiss and Blake look up from Bumblebee at everyone else coming out of the house.

Weiss: Even without the Relic of Knowledge?! You guys really want to see my home, don't you?!

Ruby: Yep!

Qrow: Okay. Is the flatbed properly attached?

Blake: Yes, we're ready to go.

Reaper limps to the bike and climbs onto the flatbed along with everyone else as Yang gets on the motorcycle and starts it up. They begin driving off from Brunswick farms and onwards to Argus.

Circe watches from a distance as Reaper's group leaves the farm with her arms crossed. She smirks as she walks down to the road and follows them.

Circe: Still heading to Atlas? Hmm....

She chuckles at a thought she had as she takes out the Relic of Knowledge from her belt.

Circe: Anyway, I wonder what I should ask for the last question? Oh, it's no matter. I have the time unlike those poor kids to learn how to kill mother and father dearest.

She smirks as she hooks the relic back onto her belt and starts walking in the direction of Argus before teleporting.

End Part!

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