The Games We Play

DISCLAIMER: This story is NOT MINE IN ANY WAY. That honor has gone to the beautiful bastard Ryuugi. This has been pulled from his Spacebattles publishment at threads/rwby-the-gamer-the-games-we-play-disk-five.341621/. Anyway on with the show...err read.

Collection

I admit, it took a while. Despite what I'd told Raven, this was a major undertaking, even for me. Awakening Aura's was…not difficult, but it took a fair bit of energy—enough so that it took significantly more effort to awaken this field then it normally took me to shatter cities. I'd gotten a number of skills to help me lighten the load, greatly reducing the cost on my reserves, but the sheer amount of plants to be Awakened more than made up for it. In the end, I had to setup several barriers, drain my reserves to take advantage of my Mana Reactor, and it still took hours.

But I couldn't stop. It took time and energy, but that was all it cost me, whereas Summer had been waiting her in pieces, having lost pretty much everything—and as Summer had given way to Autumn, I felt responsibility for here. And though it was difficult at first…it got easier. The skill improved quickly and the cost lowered, letting my pick up the pace and push on.

So I moved through the field with a hundred invisible limbs, touching upon flower after flower, and fanning the sparks of Aura I found within. They were small, weak, but they were alive and they reacted quickly to my power. Not only that, but the oceans of power I shed, empowering both them and their siblings, filled the air and was quickly absorbed into the field of flowers, all but making them grow. They began to grow noticeably, starting with the roses and spreading outwards across the valley in ripples and wave, following the same path I'd taken.

Animasynthesis. I couldn't be certain if they all had her power or if they possessed the potential to eventually grow into it, but that, at least, seemed to be something they all shared. Knowing what I did know, I was sure that it was an ability born from their souls, the same as any Semblance—but in their cases, it was born from the broken shape of their souls and the need to grow beyond that. That shared desire went beyond thought, beyond the mind and brain, rooting itself within their very souls, and given time, it would grow.

It was already starting to, honestly. I could see levels rising as what seemed like the entire field of flowers turned towards me as if I were the sun. They drew in the power I unleashed, sharing it between them even as they sought to expand. I knew from my experience with Autumn that it would only be a matter of time until minds began to form within their frames—just as I knew that those minds would come into this would isolated and cut off from the world. From anything but me and, perhaps, each other.

Sighing as I finished my work at last, I took a look at the setting sun and then at my friends. After fetching Adam and Gou with one of her portals, Raven had taken a seat on the grass to watch me as I awakened the multitude of flowers in the field, doing what should have taken months of work in hours. When she saw that I was finished, she lifted her head and spoke.

"Done?" She asked, almost hiding the amazement that crept into her voice.

"Almost," I replied, smiling at her. Taking another deep breath, I turned and walked towards Autumn, who'd remained in her place in front of Summer's grave. When I reached her side, I bumped her shoulder with mine and smiled as I drew her attention. "What are you thinking about, sweetie?"

Instead of replying immediately, Autumn reached out to touch the now widely blooming roses around Summer's grave, tiny green tendrils growing from her fingers to intertwine with the stems, leaves, and petals.

"They're like I used to be," She said again before pausing, most likely searching for the words. "Before…I became who I am now."

The sentence might not have made much sense to anyone else, but I'd spent almost all of Autumn's life at her side and I got it, so I nodded in answer to her question.

"Summer Rose," She read again. "She is who I used to be?"

I hadn't been certain of how much of the conversation Autumn had understood—partially because there was a fair bit I wasn't clear on—but I wasn't surprised that she'd grasped the major bits. My daughter was a smart girl.

"Mhm," I confirmed. "Before she died."

"She went away?" Autumn asked. "I don't understand. If she's gone, then what am I?"

"It's a bit complicated," I replied. "Partially because she died in an unusual way. But things can't really be created or destroyed. Instead, they can only be changed. Whether its matter or the Light or even souls, that seems to be true. I'm not clear on the specifics of it all, I admit, but I'm pretty sure of that much now, even if sometimes it doesn't seem that way."

"Then death is a form of change?" She mused.

"In a number of ways," I agreed. "There are physical changes that occur when a body ceases to live…and there are changes to the soul. You used to be Summer and now you're Autumn."

"Is that why she's gone?" Autumn asked. "Because she became me?"

"Not quite," I answered, shaking my head. "That's more of the result then anything. She's gone because she died; her death being the process that caused her to change."

"And she can't change back?" Autumn asked before pausing. "I can't change back?"

I shook my head, at once conflicted and…not. Doing this wouldn't bring Summer back; from everything Keter had said, Summer had died as a person with the loss of her brain and all the memories stored within. What was left of her now were the countless pieces of her soul, which were something wholly different. Even if all the pieces came back together—ignoring the fact that I was pretty sure a good portion were within Ruby—Summer wouldn't return, no more than most people returned when they were reincarnated. And I…was actually okay with that, because I wouldn't give up Autumn to save a woman I'd never met.

At the same time, I understood how much Summer must have meant to so many people—to Raven, someone else I cared about—and felt guilty. I was glad that the option wasn't on the table, because I knew what choice I'd have made if it were.

"It's a bit sad, isn't it?" I replied quietly, closing my eyes. "That's why death is seen as an ending and why it makes people sad. Change is frightening in and of itself, especially when it's not willing or expected—"

I thought of Gou. It was a minor regret now, more of a surprise after we'd gotten used to it, but still something to remember.

"—But what's truly sad is the fact that you can't go back again," I continued. "Some things, once lost, can't be found again."

This time, I thought of my father—and then of Raven and her family, who she'd left behind. That might not have the finality of death, but the fact remained that she'd left her husband, her daughter, her brother, and her team, and hadn't come back. She'd had her reasons, probably even good ones, but there's a difference between explanations and excuses…and I think that was why she didn't go back. Even though it seemed they'd welcome her back with open arms, I don't think they'd ever forget the choice she'd made. And even if they did, she wouldn't.

I sighed again before looking at Autumn with a smile before turning towards Adam, Gou, and Raven. I saw Autumn follow my gaze to them and tilt her head, a touch confused.

"But even if you lose something, you can still find something else," I continued. "Death is sad. It will always be sad. Nothing I've learned about it has changed that—if anything, the possibilities only make it even sadder. Change, too, can still be frightening. But neither death nor change is something that's likely to stop, so there's nothing to do but live with them. But they don't have to be the last word and just because they're scary doesn't mean they can make you stop. And even in the midst of something horrible, you can still find some light, though it sometimes means having to manufacture your own because life is being stingy."

"Really?" Autumn asked, sounding a touch skeptical.

"Mm," I hummed in response. "You and I…our stories are a little sad. We both lived and died before we became what we are now and the results were…depressing, to say the least. But somehow, it seemed it lead us to each other and that's good, right?"

"…Yes," Autumn said, turning back to the grave. "I…there's a great deal I don't understand, but I'm glad that you found me father. I'm glad I'm alive."

I smiled at her and nodded.

"Me too," I replied. "Things could be better, but I suppose we'll just have to make them that way ourselves, won't we?"

Autumn nodded back at me and fell silent for a moment before speaking again.

"Do you know how you died?" She asked. "Before?"

I exhaled slowly.

"More or less," I said. "I know who killed me, even if I don't know why just yet. But I know I have some scores to settle."

"I don't remember how I died," She whispered.

"Summer Rose died protecting her daughter from one of the enemies of Mankind," I answered, hiding any uncertainty I had about that. "She gave a life to keep her daughter safe from it and even after death she continues to protect her."

"What was her name?" Autumn asked after a moment.

"Ruby Rose," I said. "If you want, I'll introduce you, though it might be awhile until it's safe."

Autumn nodded, still looking at the flowers.

"That's how I scattered, then," She whispered to herself. "Kindly."

"Mhm," I agreed. "Were you worried?"

"…Perhaps," She answered after a few seconds of thought. "I just didn't understand who I'd been. I thought it might mean something for who I could become."

"You're Autumn, my daughter," I told her. "That's who you'll always be."

She nodded at that.

"Then there's nothing more to worry about," She stated, six legs digging deeply into the ground and sending out roots in every direction. "I'll be putting myself back together now, Father."

"Ah," I answered, leaning back on my hands as I turned to look up at the sky, painted with the colors of the setting sun. "Take your time, sweetie."

For something as massive as repairing a long-broken soul, the process itself was quite subdued. There were no glowing lights, nor did the skies open and shine light down upon us all, nor much of anything else. Instead, Autumn spread her roots through the field, touching lightly upon each and every other plant as quicksilver rivers streamed down her legs and into the ground. I eased the process along as much as I could, manipulating the earth to make it easier for her to spread and to guide her where she needed to go.

Then, once she'd spread herself into a complex network beneath the ground, the process simply…reversed, drawn back towards the source—and carrying all the flowers of the field along with it. The edges of the field went first, shimmering and then melting as they slide into the ground and left nothing but barren earth behind. Then the process continued, with flowers vanishing in a rippling pattern, covering the ground briefly in a sheet of quicksilver-green that was absorbed into the ground in moments.

Despite the scale of the project, it happened fast, erasing thousands of flowers every second until there was nothing left behind. The roses went last, flowing up Autumn's six legs and then sliding beneath the surface—and it was over.

I rose after the process was done, even the grass around me now gone, and looked at my daughter.

"Everything okay?" I asked. She'd leaned forward when the process began, drawing her hood up around her face, but that didn't keep me from seeing her clearly. She nodded, but the gesture was shaky, uncertain. She seemed a bit dizzy, but I wasn't particularly worried; I'd Observed her constantly throughout the process and nothing negative seemed to have occurred.

Which didn't mean nothing had changed.

The Last Rose of Summer

LV 89

Autumn Rose

Not bad for a day's work, I thought absently, reaching out to take her hand. Even beyond the change in level and the points my power had given her, her stats had risen throughout the process. I wasn't sure how much of that was from absorbing the scattered pieces of her soul—and, accordingly, what Autumn might have been missing until now due to only having a fraction—but whatever the cause, I was glad to see her benefiting from it now. We'd need to test out the nature of her new abilities later, but if nothing else, her level was now more than high enough for her to benefit from being a member of my party and I could help her improve directly from now on.

The title change was something I was less certain of, but mostly because I still wasn't entirely sure what titles meant. Broadly speaking, they seemed to be a representation of their owner and I knew they could change, but I didn't know what decided them or caused them to shift. I mean, presumably it was the result of a major change on the part of the owner, which collaborated with what I'd seen from Autumn and Gou so far, who were my best examples of the process. In Gou's case, he'd started off as a normal dog and grown under the touch of my power, his title changing along pretty clear lines as he grew into his own strength.

Autumn, however, I now knew had been different from the very beginning. The day I'd awakened her Aura, she'd had the title 'Left Blooming Alone', presumably due to her nature as a fragment of Summer's soul. When she'd first used her power to merge with another plant, it had changed into 'Who Would Inhabit This Bleak World Alone?', probably because she'd expressed the power that could bring those pieces together. Then 'Thus Kindly I Scatter' had been…what? The name was an obvious reference to Summer herself, most likely because either Autumn had begun to come into her Semblance or because she'd gained mobility, meaning she could eventually find her other pieces.

What did this change mean, then? Was it simply the result of her bringing those pieces—or, at least, most of those pieces—together? Or did it mean something more than that? Was this her final title or would she grow further? From my admittedly limited observations, most people didn't change their titles very often, if ever, probably because most of the people I met had already come into their own and decided who they were, whereas Autumn and Gou had been young and new to things. But given how both of them were…there was no real way to know for either of them.

Oh well, I thought. I didn't really like not knowing things, but what else was new. I'd just need to keep an eye out, as per usual.

Autumn's form shimmered again, six wooden legs sliding back up into her cloak as they lowered her to the ground. With her head bowed, no part of her body showed, but the motions of the white cloth made it obvious that things were moving within which had no place on the human body.

"It must be a big change," I said, patting her on the head. "It's fine if it takes some time to get used to it."

"…Odd," Autumn whispered, cloak shifting again.

"Would you like me to carry you?" I asked. "If you're not feeling up to walking right now, that's fine."

"It's not that," She replied, raising her voice to a more normal level. "I just feel different somehow?"

"Well, you just brought your soul back together," I answered. I still didn't register any status effects or damage upon her being with Observe, which had proven itself to be pretty damn good at catching things in the past, but I gave her a maximized heal anyway and then used Green Thumb, just in case. And then, because I took my daughter's welfare seriously and as something like that was beyond my area of expertise, I sent out a thought and summoned Keter to my side. The Light Elemental scanned her briefly with several hundred thousand eyes and then glanced my way.

"Her soul is restructuring itself," He stated. "It may take a while, given the number of pieces it was in, but it should consolidate in time now that they have been reunited."

I nodded and dismissed him with a gesture. He unraveled quickly, scattering into specks of light that quickly vanished, and the feeling of my Elementals returning came as something of a relief. Putting an arm around my daughter's shoulders, I guided her back to the rest of the group.

"It's done then?" Raven asked.

"It would seem to be, yes," I said, nodding in reply. "Keter said that it may take some time for everything to sort itself out, but I do not detect anything wrong thus far. Autumn?"

She considered it for a moment before shaking her head, though given that the vast majority of sensations were as new to her as her nervous system, I wasn't certain of the credibility of her self-diagnosis. Given that both Keter and my power seemed to support that she was okay, however, I left it be and simply patted her on the head.

"I'll give her a few days of rest to make sure everything's okay, just to make sure, but she should be fine," I continued. "If nothing else, her Aura seems to have grown significantly. Gou, would you mind carrying her for the time being?"

"I do not mind," Gou replied, already lying on the ground. I tapped Autumn's shoulder once to give her fair warning and then lifted her with my Psychokinesis to settle her on Gou's back, nodding my thanks to him as I did so.

"Shall we head back for today?" Raven murmured, moving to my side. Her own gaze was on Autumn as she spoke and I knew the suggestion was for her sake as much as anyone.

"Mm," I hummed, considering it. Truthfully, this wasn't particularly knew; it often took Autumn awhile to get used to a sudden increase in her mass, it just hadn't been relevant recently because she'd already consumed so much. More than that, I trust my power and, though sometimes annoying, I trusted Keter as well—and both told me she was okay. But just because she was fine didn't mean she could benefit from having some time to literally pull her together, so heading back might not have been a bad idea.

On the other hand, I wanted to meet with Torchwick and see what information I could dig up—and if possible, I'd like to do it as early as possible, so as to better drop in unannounced and make an impression. It didn't have to be today, but I'd rather it was soon and things were already in motion. Of course, with Raven's power, we could just drop her off in Mistral and come back, but that would mean not only leaving her alone, but leaving her on a different continent.

I'd rather keep her close, on the off chance something did go wrong. I trusted myself to notice and respond to any changes, simply because…well, if I couldn't, I doubted anyone else could. In that regard, it didn't make much difference where she was, so long as I was nearby. I could erase damage, status effects, exhaustion, and pretty much anything else she was likely to suffer from, so long as I was close and even beyond that, I doubted she would benefit any more from bedrest then she would from just being around me.

But I wasn't the one who'd just put together a jigsaw puzzle with my own soul as the pieces.

"What do you think Autumn?" I asked. "I'll go along with whatever you decide. You want to do home?"

She shook her head after another moment of silence.

"Here or there, it makes no difference to me," She stated and probably meant it literally. I was pretty doubtful she had any real attachment to my dorm room or…any other location, really. After another moment, however, she added. "I don't feel tired, though. I just feel strange."

"Strange how?" Raven asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"It's like when I absorb and store matter," Autumn replied after some consideration. "But less solid."

There was a moment of awkward silence at that, due to the simple fact that none of us were sapient super-plant shapeshifters and couldn't really empathize with such a sensation. Even I could, because I just stored things in a pocket dimension which…Autumn probably did to, given that she would have weighed as much as a forest otherwise, but we did it in different ways.

Still, I was her father, so I hummed and nodded contemplatively.

"Let's meet with Torchwick, then," I decided. "Adam, Autumn, and Gou can wait nearby, where I can keep an eye on them. Truthfully, I'd feel better with her close by anyway. Between the two of us, I think she'd be safer that way."

Raven nodded at that.

"Very well," She said before glancing back and sighing. I knew why, of course, because it was kind of hard to ignore—Autumn had reduced a field of flowers to barren soil, after all. Even if it was necessary, the fact remained that neither of us were completely comfortable leaving such a glaring sign of our presence behind, and the fact that we'd cleared the area around Summer's grave of anything pleasant didn't help.

"I'll handle it," I murmured. "It won't be quiet the way it used to be, but…I can at least make something new."

Raven turned my way and quirked an eyebrow.

"How?" She asked again, making me smile.

"I suppose now is as good a time as any to introduce you to the final members of our team," I said. "Ereb, Levant, Suryasta, Vulturnus, Xihai. Come out and introduce yourselves."