there have already been several theories that raven can sense when someone she's bonded to is in mortal danger. RWBY beyond even showed raven in the vacuo meeting room, probably finally motivated to help for once after finding out her daughter was dead.
and after all of that, i genuinely cannot wrap my head around the fact that no writer has sat down and written a story about how raven found out yang had died and what happened afterward while living in vacuo, considering she's most likely staying there with qrow.
i've only ever found one fic where raven arrives in vacuo and finds yang's grave, but the author stopped after chapter one in 2024 and never updated it again.
like, guys??
that conversation yang had with raven in the vault—the last time we ever saw raven in the show—probably changed her in so many ways. especially considering that in the volume 5 post-credit scene, we see her in bird form visiting the family cabin. after that, yang was probably the biggest reason raven started changing at all.
and it's not just raven. qrow finding out that the only two things left in his life that he still thought were worth fighting for had died, and somehow nobody has written a long, complex character-driven story about any of this?
i'm not even going to mention taiyang because considering the cct tower went down again after ruby's warning, and he probably wasn't staying at home with everything that was going on, nobody really had any way of knowing where he was to at least send him a letter updating him on everything.
anyway, if anyone has read or seen any fics that focus on this topic, please drop them in the comments. my desperate need to read something like this would be greatly appreciated!
Summary: Weiss & Ruby find solace in eachother after a night of fighting Grimm.
Pairing/WC/tags: post!volume!9!Weiss x post!volume!9 Ruby / 761 / wlw fluff, feelings admissions, partners to lovers, post volume nine
A/N: for the last day of @whiterose-fans-blog and for day 15 of @fluffyjuly sleepy/‘hold still a moment’. Thank you all for 800 followers :)
Ruby has always been good at moving, and the worst part about coming home is that there’s finally time to think.
She’s good at running toward danger, towards the next mission. Running toward anything that keeps her from sitting still long enough to feel everything she’s carrying.
But after hours of fighting Grimm in the freezing wilderness, there’s nowhere left to run, especially not with Weiss sitting across from her.
They’re both exhausted, the tiredness settling deep into their bones. Ruby’s muscles ache, and Weiss feels dirty, grime and sweat caked to her skin.
Neither of them says much, because they’re too tired, or maybe because they both don’t want to face what needs to be said.
Ruby glances over, and Weiss is sitting on the edge of the bed, carefully cleaning a cut along her arm. Her hair is falling out of its usual neat style, strands framing her face.
“You’re staring again.”
Ruby immediately looks away. “I’m not.”
Weiss raises an eyebrow, her mouth twisting. Even when she’s exhausted, she’s still Weiss.
Ruby sighs. “Okay. Maybe a little.”
A tired smile pulls at Weiss’s lips before she looks back down at her arm. “You should shower and rest.”
“So should you.” Ruby counters and Weiss looks up again.
“I was here first.”
“That doesn’t even make sense.”
“It does in my head.”
Ruby laughs quietly, folding her arms as the silence returns. It could be comfortable, maybe even relaxing, but then Ruby remembers Weiss throwing herself in front of an attack earlier that day. Weiss remembers Ruby taking a hit meant for her. They’ve both done it too many times, both almost lost each other too.
“You scared me today.” The words leave Ruby before she can stop them, and she clenches her fingers into her palm.
Weiss inhales through her nose. “I’m sorry.”
Ruby shakes her head. “That’s not what I mean.”
Weiss looks away, her bravery failing her. She knows what Ruby truly means. They’ve been dancing around this for months, maybe years. Every almost-confession, every lingering touch, every moment where they stand just a little too close and pretend it means nothing.
Ruby takes a closer step, her boots quiet on the carpet flooring. “Weiss.”
The way she says her name makes Weiss’s expression falter. “What?”
Ruby has faced down monsters bigger than buildings. She’s fought battles where the odds were impossible, and yet this feels harder.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with how much I care about you.”
Weiss sits up a little straighter, and the room is suddenly stifling. “Ruby…”
“I know,” Ruby whispers. “I know we’re tired, and maybe this isn’t the time.”
Weiss’s fingers curl slightly into the blanket. “But you’re doing it anyways huh?”
Ruby nods. “I almost didn’t get to.”
The room goes painfully quiet, and Weiss looks down. When she speaks, her voice is barely audible. “You’re impossible.”
Ruby gives a small, shaky laugh. “Yeah.”
“No, I mean…” Weiss exhales. “You’re impossible because you make it so hard to pretend.” Ruby feels her chest inflate but Weiss keeps going. “I’ve spent so long trying to convince myself that you’re just my partner. My teammate. My friend, and… I’m very tired of lying to myself.”
Ruby sits down on the bed beside her, and takes her hand. “Weiss…”
“Hold still for a moment.”
Ruby blinks. “What?”
Weiss’s thumb brushes over her knuckles, her eyes soft despite the exhaustion. “Just… hold still.”
To her credit, Ruby listens. She sits stiff as a board, and lets Weiss pull her closer, lets their foreheads rest together, lets the silence speak for them.
The kiss is slow. Careful, and Ruby wonders if she’s half dreaming. Weiss twists her head, the pressure deepening, and Ruby mimics her, barely moving her neck even though her hands ache to touch her.
When they finally pull away, Ruby’s eyes are already heavy.
“You’re falling asleep,” Weiss murmurs.
Ruby smiles faintly. “Maybe.”
“You’re impossible.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Isn’t it true?”
Ruby showers first, her short hair sticking to her neck as she slides into bed. Weiss showers next, ignoring the crumbled towel Ruby had left on the floor, the material that was lucky enough to touch her partner’s naked skin.
Exiting the bathroom, she smiles when she sees Ruby is already asleep. Quiet as night, Weiss slips in the covers beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist and dragging her closer. She kisses Ruby’s neck, behind her ear. The girl sighs, settling closer, and when Weiss closes her eyes, she swears she smells roses.
(While on a mission clearing out Grimm in regions east of Vacuo, Team RWBY come upon...)
RWBY: Professor Goodwitch!?
(Only Glynda doesn't look like the way she did in Vale. Her clothes are both torn and poorly stitched together. Her hair is tangled and messy. The end of her riding crop is almost broken off. This is a woman who has been through the wringer)
Goodwitch: (Stunned) Team RWBY... (Composes herself) It's good to see you again. I'm glad to hear that the reports of your...demise...were clearly in error.
Blake: Professor (Glynda flinches) Goodwitch, You haven't been seen since Vale fell.
Yang: What have you been doing out here?
Goodwitch: Fighting the Grim, of course. I've been making sure they can't approach follow the evacuees to Vacuo.
Ruby: But...Grimm have attacked Vacuo. Several times.
Goodwitch: (Flinches) Yes, well, not from Vale's direction, of course.
Weiss: Right... why don't you come with us? There's a town nearby where we can recuperate-
Goodwitch: (Quickly) That won't be necessary. I've set up a camp of my own. It's in a safe area that's shielded from the Grimm. (Starts to leave) If we hurry, we can get some rest before another Grimm arrives.
(Team RWBY watch her go.)
Yang: Yeah, I'm getting a major 'Rusted Knight' feel from her.
Blake: But why keep herself alone for so long? Even Jaune tried to find other people.
Weiss: She's clearly unsettled by everything that's happened lately.
Ruby: Well, we're not going to get any answers talking to ourselves. Let's follow her.
The song 'Friend' Re-Imagined as A Message Left to Ruby by Penny
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/71147326
After listening to the song on repeat for hours and crying my eyes out, I had to do SOMETHING for Ruby and Penny to heal my broken heart.
How can you hear the lyrics "you saw my soul through the nuts and bolts" and NOT start sobbing?
Penny calling Ruby her "one kind soul with a heart of gold" and confessing that she started feeling more human the moment Ruby first called her a friend?
Then I started watching volume 7 and 8 specifically looking at the Ruby and Penny scenes and I noticed that Ruby initiates physical contact with Penny more than any other character.
Even when Penny is hacked and everyone else is hanging back, Ruby rushes in without a care to put her hands on Penny's shoulders.
...anyways. The fic was written in the dead of night from about 3:01 am to 5:40 am. It can be read as platonic or romantic, though the part two I'm working on is steadily getting more and more romantic undertones.
I hope you enjoy and ALSO check out this little preview of part two:
It had been several weeks since the return from the Ever After, team RWBY and Jaune were given question upon question on what happened to them. Along with the revelations of what had happened after the portals had closed. There were some tears, long hugs and even contacting family once the initial shock of their return happened. Though Jaune noticed a slight shift with the group; in his time away he noticed that Nora and Ren had more or less accepted Emerald as just a member of the team, and along with Oscar had functioned as a true team, something that was hard fill for a long while. Now that he had returned and explained what happened to him, not only Nora or Ren but also team RWBY wouldn't leave him alone for more than a moment.
Jaune understood the reason for it all, his partly white hair being the prominent reminder of his experience. At the same time, he felt disconnected from them, he was no longer the same age, and while it was good that they check up on him. It was an entirely different reason to call or message him every 5 minutes, and it only reminded him of his childhood. The constant worrying for his safety, when he's taking it slow to reacclimate to Remnant, and even more so when it came to the issue of his weapon.
He had to make a choice with crocea mors, it was a constant reminder of everything, his family, his honor, his legacy, and when he took Penny's life. Even in its broken state, it proved to be a formidable weapon, but now that he's back and finally having the chance to reflect with nothing much to worry about. It was time he crafted a weapon of his own, it had been on his thoughts ever since Atlas, and even more so now he had to find his identity again. Stripped of everything he was in the Ever After and given the role of the rusted knight, Jaune didn't know who he really was.
Jaune knew what he was before, a son, a brother, a leader, and a friend, but at the same time he was a fake for a while, he was reckless and he had blood on his hand...one that shouldn't have been killed but made a request of him. For a long time, he had focused on the failures he had, with Pyrrha and the lingering emptiness she left behind. She was the first person to ever believe him but didn't trust him enough to fight by her side. With Cinder, the immense feeling of rage and grief pushed him to find her, get answers, and maybe get vengeance for not only Pyrrha but for other innocents who were lost due to her plans. Now he was lost, he needed a change a new identity to be crafted that he could call his own.
In his thoughts and remembering his strengths, there was one aspect that he had ignored during his time in the Ever After. His aura, the light of his soul that was a constant companion to him, and his semblance helped make sure that he or others would be seriously injured if he reached them in time. Remembering the meditation practice Ren once showed him, that felt so long ago now Jaune would sit in the assigned room he reserved for training and started to concentrate on his aura. It would start slowly feeling his aura cloaking his body; from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet a constant shine of pale aura would emit. Once his entire body shined with aura, Jaune turned his thoughts inward as he lost touch with his senses.
First his hearing, then touch, then sight, taste, and finally smell as unconsciousness took him. Slowly opening his eyes Jaune sees nothing but black, an empty void that had stretched as far as he could see. Getting up he starts to walk in a random direction as he realizes something is wrong. Looking down he sees water coming up to his ankles along with a anvil that slowly came up from the water-bearing a hammer on top.
Taking the hammer in hand a bright light would overtake his vision for a moment, and as his vision came back a large flame stood before him. It was bright and warm, like the sun had suddenly appeared bringing light to his world. Reaching his hand out the flame would react as small whisps would coalesce, forming a ball in his palm. Just trying to look into the small ball was blinding in a sense, too bright for normal eyes, maybe even more so for faunus if he ever attempted this. Looking back at the hammer, and then to the anvil, an unexpected idea would come as he placed the ball on the flat surface. Raising the hammer up, Jaune would strike at the ball as hard as he could as sparks bounced from it. Looking back at the ball, it didn't bear any indents as he could tell, but he felt it was the right direction.
Raising the hammer again, he strikes the ball letting more sparks fly, and he would continue a few more times as no noticeable change had appeared. Raising the hammer one more time, Jaune thought back on what he was trying to make and what he needed. He needed a sword, a weapon he was familiar with in his journey and to some he called friends. Then his thoughts wandered to others wielding a sword, to Weiss with Myrtenaster, to Blake with Gambol Shroud, to Qrow with Harbinger, even to Cinder and her twisted and nameless Maiden blades, and then finally to Penny and the numerous Maiden blades she made with her power, to imitate those that had been made for her as an android. Striking the ball again, it would finally start to flatten yielding to the possibility of what it could become.
Jaune would strike the ball again, and again as the ball finally started taking shape resembling that of a tapered line of energy. With a bit of uneasiness, Jaune grabbed, what he was assuming was the handle as the 'blade' pulsed feeling his touch. Lifting the 'weapon' it felt right in his hand, it felt like him, that he was finally coming to an understanding to a part of himself he had ignored for a while.
A sense of fatigue would wash over Jaune as the 'void' he had put himself in started to fade. The anvil disappeared, the giant flame was snuffed out and finally, the only thing that remained was his 'sword' in his hand as it seemed to return to a ball shape and drop into his hand. Waking up with a gasp, Jaune looked around as a timer was blasting through his replaced scroll showing that his reservation time was up. Getting up from the ground, his scroll would ping him again, this time notifying his aura levels. Taking a look at the gauge, it had 25% left on the meter leaving him in shock. Looking at his right hand, Jaune would focus on his semblance allowing a sense of relief to wash over him as the flickering light turned into a constant glow.
Taking a risk with what he did in his dream, Jaune focuses his aura on his hand as a ball that fits into his palm is formed. Squeezing the ball, the aura would narrow, covering his hand up to his forearm as a blade forms reaching the length of a broadsword. A look of shock would come across his face as the end result couldn't be denied. He made a weapon... his weapon, one made by him. A door opening would catch his attention, making him turn to see a slightly surprised Winter Schnee giving him a questioning look. "Wanna explain that?" she asked him as she covered her eyes from the bright blade.
I got this idea stuck in my head after seeing the final episode of volume 9, specifically the flashback scene between Raven and Summer. So this is a short about how Summer's secret mission ended. Keep in mind, this is fic is canon compliant (if a little speculative about the nature of Summer's and Raven's relationship), so do not expect a happy ending.
Read on AO3
---
Raven could never say “no” to Summer.
Not when they were classmates.
Not when they were teammates.
Definitely not when they were married.
And even after that…
Team STRQ’s persistent leader had finally caught up to her. She was so sure that Summer would ask her to come back, and she knew - despite all her fears, she knew - that she would in a heartbeat.
She’d be lying if she’d said, deep down, that she wasn’t disappointed when Summer asked her for help instead.
Her old leader was so stubborn in holding back the details, making her make all sorts of promises before she’d tell her anything.
Still, Summer had a secret plan, and she’d come to Raven, because Raven could never say “no” to Summer.
---
The red portal sliced open with a hiss, cutting the silence of the clearing.
Raven stumbled out of it, dragging Summer behind her by the waist.
Her legs buckled as soon as they were through, Summer slipping from her grip as they fell.
She gasped for breath, doing everything she could to ignore the way her body ached as she pushed herself up to her hands and knees.
Summer rolled onto her side, her body barely moving save for one hand that clawed into the dirt as she tried to pull herself forward.
She let out a deep, guttural groan.
Raven’s focus snapped to her ex-wife. She scrambled over, ignoring the protests of almost all of her muscles, until she was at Summer’s side. Raven’s breath hitched as her eyes took in the sight of the woman writhing on the ground. With a heave, she pulled the red and brown-haired woman into her lap.
Teary red eyes met one familiar silver eye, and one…
…One not so familiar.
Summer’s right iris was no longer silver. Instead, it was a deep orange that seemed to glow as the white of her eye had darkened to a pitch black. Seeping out of the corner was an inky black substance that dribbled down her cheek like a cursed tear. It was corrupting the skin around it, small black veins growing out of it and digging into her once perfect skin.
“It-It’s okay,” Raven said, her voice shaking as her fingers danced around the edges of Summer’s face. “We’ll get you to someone who can help. Ozpin, someone–”
“No!” Summer rasped, her voice gravelly, weak, hollow, and nothing like the voice that had entranced Raven on so many late nights.
Raven’s eyes fell shut. Her mind began racing. Solutions began to half-form in her mind but then dissipated almost as quickly. Maybe they could get back to Jinn. Maybe one of Atlas’ scientists could help. Maybe…
Maybe…
Her mind crashed to a halt as she felt Summer squirm in her lap. She opened her eyes and looked down. A weak, sad smile met her, shattering Raven.
Their eyes locked again, and orange glow be damned, Raven couldn’t help but fall headfirst into that inviting pool of silver that she had so many times before.
The wind blew through the clearing, rustling the trees that surrounded them, and kicking up a strand of Summer’s hair. Pale blue light from the moon bathed them both in a cool hue.
For just a moment, peace settled over the clearing.
“Where are we?” Summer asked.
“Home,” Raven muttered.
“I… I don’t want them to see me… like this.”
“It’s late, and we’re far enough from the house,” Raven assured her.
“Good,” Summer hummed, a peaceful smile on her face.
She shuddered as a horrendous pain shot through her, corrupting that smile into a grimace.
“Summer!” Raven yelped, pulling the woman closer. “We have to—”
“Nothing’s gonna fix this, Rae.”
Deep down Raven knew. She tried so hard to ignore it, to fight it. But in the end, it was the truth, and it knocked the wind right out of her.
Summer held up her hand, letting out a small chuckle as she watched her skin bubble, and black welts began to form.
She reached up and cupped Raven’s cheek, her arm shaking from the effort.
Raven couldn’t remember the last time she had felt her ex-wife’s hand caressing against her skin. Years. In that time, she had almost convinced herself that she hadn’t missed it, but with one simple touch, that lie came crashing down. She leaned into it, craving the contact, basking in a warmth that she had been starving for.
“I should have been able to protect you,” Raven hissed through gritted teeth, the threat of tears pooling in the corner of her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
“We all… did our best, Rae,” Summer countered.
Raven marveled at the woman in her lap.
Some Grimm thing was eating away at her, and there she was still with honey-flavored words of encouragement.
One of the countless things she loved about Summer.
Images flashed in Raven’s mind; of warm days spent lazing on the porch; of cool nights spent stargazing; of loving silver eyes comforting her. They were images that Raven had worked hard to bury for a long time, but now she clung to them as if they were the only things holding her together.
Raven pulled Summer tighter into her lap, clinging to her. The woman she failed to protect from Salem. The woman she loved.
The woman she loves.
Tears that had been welling in the corners of her eyes finally ran down Raven’s face. A friendly thumb found its way up her cheek, wiping them away.
“There’s… one last thing I need you to do,” Summer said. Her hand slid down from Raven’s face, fingers slowly tracing down her ex-wife’s arm. They flopped onto the pommel of Omen, holstered in its mechanical sheath.
Raven’s eyes went wide. Her vision unfocused as the color drained from her skin.
“N-No,” she stammered.
“I’m sorry, but there’s no time. It needs to be you.”
“I can’t,” Raven breathed.
“Yes, you can.”
Summer reached back up to Raven’s face, and began tugging at it with what little strength she had left.
“No. No no no, don’t ask me to do this,” Raven squeaked through a sob.
“Please, Rae,” Summer winced as a fresh jolt of pain shot through her. “Please don’t let her turn me into one of those monsters.”
Summer pushed herself up out of the lap. Every inch of her screamed with pain, enough to force out a few winces, but she didn’t care.
Right now, all she could focus on were those quivering lips that had been her joy countless times.
Raven felt soft lips press against her own, and something in her took over. She slid her arm around Summer’s back and pulled her closer. Her other hand found itself cupping Summer’s face, fingers intertwining with auburn locks.
She pulled her ex-wife in as tightly as she could as they settled into a kiss that Raven had yearned for years to feel again.
Time seemed to stop as the world fell away from them, existence comprising of just the two of them.
Years of want and regret pushed Raven on as lips slotted together and tongues danced around one another.
All the love that Raven had been pushing down came roaring to the surface, pushing Raven even further. She couldn’t leave any room for doubt. She needed Summer to know just how she felt. How she still felt.
She needed Summer to feel the thousands of “I love you”s that she should have said.
She needed Summer to know that those words rang as true in that moment as they had on their wedding night.
Summer tugged away violently. She let out a grunt as more sharp pains shot through her. The only thing keeping her from collapsing was Raven’s embrace, which held her firmly in place.
And just like that, the world came crashing back around them.
Summer slowly looked up, meeting her former lover’s worried gaze.
Raven found herself frozen, clutching at the woman in her arms. Tears were beginning to pool in Summer’s unaffected eye, while more black ooze leaked out of her grimm eye.
“Please, Rae,” Summer huffed out through gritted teeth. She did her best to ignore the assault that was happening within her body and forced a soft, sad smile.
That damnable smile.
So many times it had given Raven comfort.
And now…
Now it was giving her permission to do the unthinkable.
The very thought made Raven’s whole body cringe with pain. She leaned forward, until their foreheads were pressed together, and closed her eyes as tears began to freely fall.
“I’m sorry,” Raven said, her voice shaky and hushed, the words having to fit in around the sobs that she was choking out.
“Me too,” Summer responded, her hand finding its way to the back or Raven’s neck, where her fingers played with errant strands of jet-black hair.
Raven let out another wet sob and looked up, again meeting those beautiful silver eyes.
“It’s going to be okay, my love,” Summer cooed.
Their lips found each other again for another kiss. Raven could feel the smile on Summer’s lips.
She chased that kiss even as she slowly lowered Summer down onto her back.
They separated with a sigh. Summer wiped tears away from Raven’s cheeks, and offered her one final smile.
The sound of the world seemingly fell away again, replaced by the single, concentrated sound of Omen’s sheath spinning to life.
Raven lumbered to get up, her entire body trying to pull her back down to the ground. She finally willed herself to her feet, the entire time refusing to look away from Summer.
Summer took a deep breath. Her body convulsed, causing her to wince again.
The whirring of Omen came to a sudden stop as the “click” rang out in the clearing.
Raven’s breath hitched. She gripped her chest, a sense of panic setting in…
…Until she felt a warm touch around her ankle.
She looked down, and saw Summer’s hand wrapped around it.
The warmth briefly spread through her entire body, calming her enough to carry on. Her hand slowly reached down and gripped the handle of Omen and pulled the sword out, the sound of it scraping along the sheath like fingernails on a chalkboard.
Omen had been Raven’s weapon since before she ever got to Beacon. It was perfectly balanced just for her, and in Raven Branwen’s hands, it had been a lethal weapon swung with ease time and time again.
Right now it felt heavy in her hands as she hovered it over Summer Rose, both hands squeezing the pommel tightly.
Summer collected herself, resting her hands on her stomach as she tried to lay motionless on her back.
They locked teary eyes one more time, and Summer squeaked out, “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Raven croaked.
She positioned the blade just right, and held it…
…And held it, her body unwilling to comply.
Summer winced again through gritted teeth as more of her skin was eaten away by the black ooze.
Raven slammed her eyes shut. Her arms plunged down as she let out a guttural scream, the exhale of her entire soul in one single moment.
Even if the former atlesians aren’t still wealthy they’re still jerks, Jacques was hardly the only one and, frankly, was enabled every step of the way, the council isn’t blameless in everything he did, plus any number of hired goons, higher ups, investors, etc, at the very least it’ll be fun to see trophy wife forced to rough it in vacuo
Above all else I just kinda hope that atlas’ racism and class struggle aren’t just glossed over now, atlas falling doesn’t mean the people responsible for the deaths of Ilia’s parents have answered for it yet, and I kinda hope the show doesn’t do a generic “we need to,put the past behind us and work together now”
But frankly it kinda feels like rwby doesn’t want to meaningfully address the very real societal,issues it sets up and instead just has Salem destroy the whole kingdo
Admittedly I’m rambling about my thoughts on atlas’ portrayal of classism and their intended message being kinda fumbled in my opinion now, maybe I’ll get into that some other time
Former wealthy Atlesian refugees are absolutely still jerks unless they learned something from the harsh lesson of Atlas falling. And probably still jerks anyway. The sort of attitude they had takes a lot of undoing.
I wouldn't get your hopes up considering Ruby's message to Remnant in Volume 8 was essentially that they needed to work together against Salem, and at least enough people listened for there to be airships from every kingdom over Vacuo at the end of Volume 9.
The societal issues definitely should be addressed, but it might well be beyond the scope of RWBY to do anything but eventually show faunus and humans living peacefully together as equals in some sort of epilogue.
Survival against Salem will mean ignoring issues that shouldn't be, but I'm not sure what choice they have if Salem's breathing down their collective necks like she was in Volume 8. But hopefully those issues can be dealt with after they're not fighting for their lives. They shouldn't put the past behind them forever. Faunus like Ilia deserve better than that.
What I hope for is the hope that they stand a chance against Salem somehow, that coming together to fight her will work against her goal of summoning the gods (well... not really gods it turns out) and humans and faunus being found wanting, resulting in death at last for her. So much for everyone else.
I don't think Salem will win. RWBY's message is that of hope despite the odds. Hopepunk, I believe I've seen it called. It seems a fitting term.
