RWBY: Moon Reflection

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After showing Crimson's death, Jinn returned to the relic, her glowing form vanishing as the artifact's light dimmed. The room was silent, save for Ruby's anguished sobs. Her trembling hands clutched the relic tightly, and with each moment, her despair boiled over. Her cries turned to screams as she raised the relic and struck the table in front of her repeatedly, each blow punctuated by a heart-wrenching cry.

"Liar!" Ruby screamed, her voice cracking as tears streamed down her face. "You're lying! This can't be real!"

Qrow approached her with heavy steps, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. He wrapped his arms around Ruby, pulling her into a tight embrace as she screamed and sobbed into his chest. Though he tried to stay strong for her, tears began to streak his face as well.

Yang had collapsed to her knees, her head bowed, her golden hair shielding her tear-streaked face from view. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs, and her fists clenched against the floor. Raven, her usual stoic demeanor shattered, limped toward her daughter. For the first time in her life, she knelt beside Yang and pulled her into a protective embrace. Yang didn't resist; instead, she buried her face into her mother's shoulder, her cries echoing through the room.

The others were no better off. Weiss, Blake, Nora, and even the normally composed Ren had tears streaming down their faces. Ren lowered his head, his voice solemn as he broke the silence. "He didn't deserve such a cruel end." His words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of their truth.

Cheiron, standing to the side, had a sorrowful expression etched across his features. He shook his head slowly, his deep voice filled with grief. "I've met many warriors, but none as noble and strong as Crimson. To see his life end this way... it's a tragedy beyond words."

Pyrrha sat apart from the others, her face buried in her hands as her shoulders shook with silent sobs. Her mother knelt beside her, wrapping her in a comforting embrace. Though she hadn't known Crimson personally, she had seen his actions and his unyielding resolve. Tears streaked her face as she whispered, "He was a remarkable man. It's no wonder you admired him so deeply." Pyrrha only sobbed harder at her mother's words.

It was a dreadful day, the weight of sorrow pressing heavily on everyone in the room. The events they had witnessed were too much to bear. Ruby and Yang were hit the hardest, their pain palpable and raw, but no one was untouched by the grief. The horrifying memories of what they had seen would remain with them, haunting their thoughts for years to come.

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The next day dawned, but the weight of the previous day's tragedy lingered. Ruby sat on the edge of her bed, her face pale and gaunt. Her bloodshot eyes stared blankly ahead, the aftermath of a night spent crying. She clutched her knees to her chest, her small frame trembling as she replayed the events in her mind. Across the room, Yang sat on the floor, her back against the wall. Her lips moved silently, repeating the same phrase over and over. "It was my fault... it was my fault..."

The rest of their team watched helplessly, their hearts aching as they saw the sisters consumed by their grief. They exchanged glances, silently wondering if there was anything they could do to ease their pain, but the weight of the loss was too immense.

Ruby's mind was a whirlwind of torment. She had witnessed her brother's end in vivid, excruciating detail. She had watched as he fought battle after battle, enduring horrors that surpassed even the worst nightmares. The visions of their mangled forms, of Crimson's unrelenting suffering, played over and over in her head. And in the end, she had seen him die—a horrifying death she couldn't accept, no matter how many times she tried to convince herself it was real.

Yang was equally tormented, though her pain stemmed from guilt. She couldn't shake the thought that her actions had pushed Crimson to manifest that demonic semblance. And now, knowing that it was killing him as well, that he had lived every day knowing he would either die or become a monster, it broke her completely. Her mind replayed his actions with a new understanding, painting them in a light she had never considered before. Her brother had suffered so much, and yet he had planned to face it all alone, silently carrying the weight of his misery without ever burdening her or anyone else.

Yang buried her face in her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks. "He was always protecting us," she whispered, her voice trembling. "And I didn't see it. I didn't realize how much he was suffering..."

Blake placed a gentle hand on Yang's shoulder, her own eyes red and puffy. "No one could have seen it," she said softly, her voice tinged with sad understanding.

Weiss sat beside Ruby on the bed, her hand resting on her teammate's back. "Ruby," she said gently, her voice breaking slightly. "I know it hurts, but... he wouldn't want you to be like this. He loved you."

Ruby didn't respond. She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms as fresh tears streamed down her face. "I should've been there for him," she whispered. "But that night, I was afraid of him."

The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of their collective grief suffocating. They had faced countless battles and hardships, but this—losing Crimson—was a wound that would not heal easily. Each of them wrestled with their own pain, their own guilt, as they struggled to find a way forward in the wake of such devastating loss.

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Qrow sat at the edge of the campfire, a bottle of liquor dangling from his hand. Beside him, Raven leaned back against a tree, her expression unreadable, though the faint lines of sorrow etched her face. Neither of them spoke at first, the silence punctuated only by the crackle of the fire and the occasional rustle of leaves in the night breeze.

Qrow took a long swig from the bottle, his gaze fixed on the flames. His thoughts were a whirlwind of guilt and regret, the weight of Crimson's fate pressing heavily on his heart. "I should have been faster," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "If I'd gotten there sooner, maybe... maybe none of this would've happened."

Raven glanced at him, her crimson eyes reflecting the firelight. "And if you had been faster, do you think it would've changed his fate? Maybe the result would still be the same, Qrow."

Qrow turned to face her, his jaw tightening. "You think that makes it any easier? To know he lived his whole life like that—knowing he'd either die young or become a monster? That's not a life, Raven. That's torture."

Raven didn't respond immediately. She reached for her own bottle, taking a small sip before letting out a slow, heavy sigh. "I feared him," she admitted, her voice quieter than usual. "I thought he was a monster. But seeing him like that, seeing what he did and endured—he was braver and stronger human than I ever was."

She looked down at her hands, her fingers tightening around the bottle. "If I'd had even an ounce of his courage, maybe... maybe things could've been different. Maybe I wouldn't have abandoned Yang and Tai."

Qrow's eyes narrowed as he studied her, his expression softening slightly. "You are not the only one with regrets," he said after a moment. "I have spent my whole life blaming myself for everything that's gone wrong—for Summer. And now, for Crimson." He shook his head, his voice thick with emotion. "Maybe it's my semblance. Maybe I cursed him to a life like that. Hell, maybe I cursed all of us."

Raven frowned, her lips pressing into a thin line. "You think your bad luck is enough to explain everything he went through? You're giving yourself too much credit, Qrow. Crimson's life... it was shaped by forces far bigger than us."

Qrow let out a bitter laugh, though it held no humor. "Doesn't make it any less painful to think about. He deserved so much more. He deserved a chance to live, to be happy. Instead, he got... that." He took another swig, his hand trembling slightly as he lowered the bottle. "I can't stop seeing it, Raven. The way he died, the things he went through... it's like a nightmare I can't wake up from."

Raven remained silent for a long moment, her gaze fixed on the fire. When she finally spoke, her voice was softer, almost hesitant. "He reminded me of Summer, in a way. That same relentless determination, that same willingness to sacrifice everything for the people he cared about. I hate that I can't be like them" 

Qrow glanced at her, his eyes searching her face. "You have still got a chance to make things right—with Yang, with everyone."

Raven's lips twitched into a faint, rueful smile. "And what about you, Qrow? Are you going to take your own advice?"

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stared into the fire, his thoughts a tangled mess. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know if I can," he admitted. "But for Ruby, for Yang... I have to try."

The two siblings fell into silence once more, their shared grief hanging heavily in the air. For all their differences, for all the mistakes and regrets that had defined their lives, they found a fragile sense of understanding in their mutual loss. And though the pain of Crimson's death would never truly fade, that night, they allowed themselves to mourn together.