"Throughout my life, I've been called weak. A burden. A shadow that never shined. But in the end, what really abandoned me? Was it my family, who fell to Salem's purge, reduced to ashes before they had a chance? Was it my friends, who chose to fight to the last breath instead of fleeing to preserve their lives?
Or was it Ruby... Ruby, who now looks at me with that vacant stare of a ghost, seeing the world through a single eye, as if I had torn the other away along with her hope, when I sacrificed Penny so that Cinder wouldn't take the power?
Or perhaps... perhaps it was me. Fool. Innocent. Blind. Always focused on my own problems, never seeing theirs. Always thinking I could save them... but never reaching out when they needed me.
In the end... maybe it's fair that I was abandoned. Because, in a way, I had already abandoned myself a long time ago."
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even notice the first punch. Or the second. I think it was when the third blow hit my ribs that I returned to reality. The impact reverberated through my body, but I didn't feel anything. Not really. The physical pain had become an old friend.
"Is this all you know how to do now, huh, Dean? Drink until you pass out while the village is attacked by Grimm?"
The voice came from one of the men. I don't even remember his name. It didn't matter. To them, I was just an easy target, someone they could unload their anger, frustration... their despair on. And I let them. Why? Because, deep down, I knew they were right.
"You're a damn failure!" another shouted, hitting me in the face. I tasted the metallic blood in my mouth, but didn't react. I could crush all of them with a single move. End it in seconds. But what would be the point? They just needed someone to blame, and I was strong enough to take it. Better me than anyone else.
Another hit, this time to my back. I stumbled, but stayed on my feet.
"Coward. You should be out there helping, not getting drunk like a useless idiot!"
I closed my eyes, letting the blows continue. They were right, after all.
One of the men shouted something about me being useless, blaming me for their negligence while the village suffered. Another delivered a heavy punch to his face. Dean stumbled, falling like trash into the alley. Until a hoarse, firm female voice cut through the air.
"Enough. You want to hurt yourselves for real? Because I'm dying to show you how it's done."
A dark woman in a jumpsuit appeared in the alley, pointing a makeshift weapon at the men. It wasn't the weapon in her hand that posed the threat, but the look in her eyes.
"You wanna keep going? Because if you do, I'll show you what it really means to be angry."
The men exchanged glances, hesitating. The former Huntress, though thin and worn, still carried a presence that couldn't be ignored. After a few seconds, one of them muttered something about "not being worth it," and they backed off, disappearing down the alley.
Seeing they had left, she put the weapon away, but her look at Dean was one of pure disdain mixed with exasperation.
"Get up, you idiot."
From his place slumped against the alley, Dean—or rather, Jaune—just smiled as blood leaked from his nose.
"Ayo... don't be so cruel, Ruby~"
"Let's go. Before I change my mind." Without responding to the taunt, she moved closer and roughly pulled him by the arm. It didn't matter that I was bigger or heavier; Ruby had always had a strength that surpassed her size.
She practically dragged Dean to her workshop. Inside, the space was dark, filled with rusty parts and makeshift machines. Ruby threw Dean into a chair with force, showing no care.
"You're pathetic, you know that? Letting them beat you like you're some punching bag! You could've taken those idiots down with a finger and you chose to take the hits. Why?"
Dean, head lowered, gave a weak laugh, almost as if it were an inside joke Ruby couldn't understand.
"People are suffering, Ruby. They just need a place to vent. I can take a beating. Better me than some innocent bystander." The old knight responded, sighing as he rubbed his face, the taste of blood still lingering in his mouth.
Ruby crossed her arms, incredulous, before scoffing bitterly.
"You've always been like this, haven't you? Always thinking you need to carry the world's weight alone. But you know what's funny? The world's already ended, Dean. No one needs you to be a martyr. No one needs you... period."
I close my eyes, but don't respond. She's not wrong.
She sighed, tired, and pointed to a table in the corner of the room.
"Anyway, your new arm's ready. And before you do anything stupid, there's another horde coming. Looks like Salem isn't going to give us a break anytime soon."
"So that's it... Time to clean up the trash." Opening his eyes, a smile began to form on Dean's lips. Not one of joy, but something wild, primal.
For a moment, I saw Ruby step back. Maybe it was the look in my eyes, or the intensity of the smile. I paused, noticing Ruby's discomfort, and shook my head, the smile disappearing as quickly as it came.
"Sorry. I... didn't mean to scare you." he said while scratching the back of his neck.
Ruby just sighed, tired. "Hurry up. Just try not to die this time. I don't have time to fix you again."
Dean stood up, taking the new arm and adjusting it carefully. It was functional, like everything Ruby made. Simple, but durable and with the firepower he needed.
"Don't worry," I say with a tired smile. "I'm not done yet."
As he left, Dean chose to ignore the silent plea from his old friend.
"Don't die on me... Vomit Boy..."
And he only replied in his thoughts: 'Not until I pay for every sin I've committed... every person I've let die... every word I said in the past to hurt you... I won't die... crater face...'
POOF
In a quick burst of aura, Dean moved toward the entrance of the village and—
'THERE IT IS!'
a horde of Beowolves and Goliaths were charging toward the village.
Stopping in front of the village, Jaune observed from a distance.
'Hmm… 20 meters to the village behind me... that should be enough.' While thinking, Dean casually dodged a claw attack from behind and, seemingly without noticing, destroyed the Beowolf's skull with a single slap, disintegrating it and sending the debris flying with the shockwave.
"Alright, you little shits... I'm REALLY pissed off... so... LET'S HAVE SOME FUN!"
And with that, Dean flexed his fingers and activated the battle mode of his new arm, which created a saber in it. A wild smile appeared on his face as his aura grew stronger.
"Well, well... How many of you can I kill before this arm breaks?... LET'S TEST IT!"
And so, with a burst of speed, a yellow lightning bolt infiltrated the horde of Grimm, shredding them like paper. Dust and debris flew through the air as the roars of Grimm and Dean himself blended into one, far from everyone, tears of rage and frustration running down Dean's face.
'I'm a failure, a piece of shit that deserves to disappear in place of those precious friends of yours... but as long as I have this shitty life... I'll use it to protect what's left of this decaying world... until my body is completely destroyed, I'll fight until I lose all my limbs and my life. For every sin I've committed.'
Away from there, in her workshop, Ruby smoked while watching with lifeless eyes as her old friend once again fell into madness, sacrificing his body recklessly.
"That idiot," Ruby grumbled as she let the smoke enter and exit her lungs. "I'm going to have to drag him back again... why can't you just give up, Jaune?... it'd be easier... I'd hate you... please... Ja—Jaune!" Tears fell from her one eye as Ruby grunted, wrapping her arms around her knees, crying as she looked at the picture of Team JNPR and RWBY. The only physical reminder of those good times.
And in the midst of her own self-destruction and hypocrisy, Ruby burned her lungs with another cigarette.
"What kind of people have we become, Jaune?"