03-03-2015, 11:18 AM
Natural: A RWBY Ficlet
* * * * *
It was days after this that I found her in the Armory, just staring at the racks of weapons, shoulders slumped. It was obvious her mind was on her failure to find a weapon that she could wield easily, or really, at all. I made enough noise with my entrance that she turned to me, her silver eyes downcast.
"I want to be a Huntress... but I'm a failure." She turned and waved at the wall of equipment. "I've tried nearly everything! Nothing works! Nothing feels right! I'm two months behind everyone else, and the gap's getting wider every day." she moaned.
I approached her, and put my hand on her shoulder. "Signal isn't going to throw you out for not having a weapon, girl. Like your sister said, there's other options available to you." I gestured at the weapons, "Not every type is here, there's always some specialized piece we can think up. I know I had..." I trailed off, as a sudden thought hit me. "Nearly everything in the room, huh?" The tone in my voice caused my niece to look up at me questioningly. "Lets make that everything then."
I took my scythe from its holster, and expanded it to its full form. Her eyes widened at seeing it as I held it out to her. She tentatively reached out with both hands, and grasped it. I let go, letting her take the full weight, and took a step back. At first, I despaired, for she had taken it in an over-hand grip, off balance and shaky. It was only for a moment, though, as her right hand moved down the shaft, flipping around to an under-handed grip, supporting the weight of the weapon, leaving her left hand for control and direction. Her stance shifted, hips angling and feet moving to better control her new, lower center of gravity.
I shook my head in wonder as she unconsciously, unknowingly took a perfect beginners form, holding the weapon at the ready. For the first time since she had started working with weapons, trying to find her own, she looked... Natural. She looked at me, her eyes shining with disbelief, fear, and a smidgen of hope. I nodded at her, and motioned for her to take a swing. I could near hear her distressed swallow as her shoulders and back shifted the weapon - one larger than she was by far! - back and to the side.
The first swing wasn't picture perfect by any means, but it was a far better strike than any she had made before. Her feet lifted as she turned with the weight of the scythe, pirouetting on the point of her toes, then back down to continue twisting in another swing of the blade. I could tell she was alternating strikes, and could almost picture her foes as she danced with my chosen weapon up and down the Armory. What had started as a single clockwise strike had moved on to over- and under-hand attacks, counter-clockwise swings, and even a few double-swipes. I could tell that aside from just keeping the spiraling motion going, she was using her semblance to speed up her movements and help control the blade.
Finally, after twelve minutes of practice, she came to a halt, holding the scythe behind her back, right hand high on the shaft, left hand low near the head, the arc of the blade parallel to the floor. Her breathing was quick, her face flushed, but her eyes were bright with joy.
I stepped forward from where I had been watching, giving a slow clap and smiling at her. She grinned back, "I did it, didn't I Unc- Professor! It was so cool! I just couldn't help but move and I was all like Swing! Whoosh! Twirl! And- and-"
"That you did, Ruby, that you did." I held out my hands, and she reluctantly gave me back my perfect weapon, now a template for *her* perfect weapon. I collapsed it down to storage form, and holstered it on my thigh again. "We need to make a trip to the foundry, I think. You've got a bit of designing to do." I gestured for her to proceed me out the door. "Now, our weapon is difficult, probably one of, if not the most difficult..."
* * * * *
AN: So, dreamed this scene up last night, and put it to paper with little delay. I don't write that often so I know I've got problems. I had trouble deciding between first person and third person limited for Qrow, I kinda feel like I should have scenes leading up to this with Ruby trying out dozens of weapons to failure and growing depression, even trying out Yang's brawler style to tripping over her own feet.
And comments and criticisms are well appreciated.
* * * * *
It was days after this that I found her in the Armory, just staring at the racks of weapons, shoulders slumped. It was obvious her mind was on her failure to find a weapon that she could wield easily, or really, at all. I made enough noise with my entrance that she turned to me, her silver eyes downcast.
"I want to be a Huntress... but I'm a failure." She turned and waved at the wall of equipment. "I've tried nearly everything! Nothing works! Nothing feels right! I'm two months behind everyone else, and the gap's getting wider every day." she moaned.
I approached her, and put my hand on her shoulder. "Signal isn't going to throw you out for not having a weapon, girl. Like your sister said, there's other options available to you." I gestured at the weapons, "Not every type is here, there's always some specialized piece we can think up. I know I had..." I trailed off, as a sudden thought hit me. "Nearly everything in the room, huh?" The tone in my voice caused my niece to look up at me questioningly. "Lets make that everything then."
I took my scythe from its holster, and expanded it to its full form. Her eyes widened at seeing it as I held it out to her. She tentatively reached out with both hands, and grasped it. I let go, letting her take the full weight, and took a step back. At first, I despaired, for she had taken it in an over-hand grip, off balance and shaky. It was only for a moment, though, as her right hand moved down the shaft, flipping around to an under-handed grip, supporting the weight of the weapon, leaving her left hand for control and direction. Her stance shifted, hips angling and feet moving to better control her new, lower center of gravity.
I shook my head in wonder as she unconsciously, unknowingly took a perfect beginners form, holding the weapon at the ready. For the first time since she had started working with weapons, trying to find her own, she looked... Natural. She looked at me, her eyes shining with disbelief, fear, and a smidgen of hope. I nodded at her, and motioned for her to take a swing. I could near hear her distressed swallow as her shoulders and back shifted the weapon - one larger than she was by far! - back and to the side.
The first swing wasn't picture perfect by any means, but it was a far better strike than any she had made before. Her feet lifted as she turned with the weight of the scythe, pirouetting on the point of her toes, then back down to continue twisting in another swing of the blade. I could tell she was alternating strikes, and could almost picture her foes as she danced with my chosen weapon up and down the Armory. What had started as a single clockwise strike had moved on to over- and under-hand attacks, counter-clockwise swings, and even a few double-swipes. I could tell that aside from just keeping the spiraling motion going, she was using her semblance to speed up her movements and help control the blade.
Finally, after twelve minutes of practice, she came to a halt, holding the scythe behind her back, right hand high on the shaft, left hand low near the head, the arc of the blade parallel to the floor. Her breathing was quick, her face flushed, but her eyes were bright with joy.
I stepped forward from where I had been watching, giving a slow clap and smiling at her. She grinned back, "I did it, didn't I Unc- Professor! It was so cool! I just couldn't help but move and I was all like Swing! Whoosh! Twirl! And- and-"
"That you did, Ruby, that you did." I held out my hands, and she reluctantly gave me back my perfect weapon, now a template for *her* perfect weapon. I collapsed it down to storage form, and holstered it on my thigh again. "We need to make a trip to the foundry, I think. You've got a bit of designing to do." I gestured for her to proceed me out the door. "Now, our weapon is difficult, probably one of, if not the most difficult..."
* * * * *
AN: So, dreamed this scene up last night, and put it to paper with little delay. I don't write that often so I know I've got problems. I had trouble deciding between first person and third person limited for Qrow, I kinda feel like I should have scenes leading up to this with Ruby trying out dozens of weapons to failure and growing depression, even trying out Yang's brawler style to tripping over her own feet.
And comments and criticisms are well appreciated.