RWBY: Broken Skies (RWBY Male Reader Insert)

Volume 10, Chapter 13 - "The Final Stretch"

(Y/N's P.o.V)

It was appropriately raining the day of (BF/N) and Tom's funeral. As soon as I realised they were gone, I took a temporary leave from the race to return to Amnesty Academy and give them a decent, dignified sendoff. We were all there, myself, my team, the remnants of Teams Scarlet and VADT, along with Teams JNPR, CRMSN, SSSN, CFVY. Everyone. Every single soul in Amnesty had come to say their final goodbyes to their late comrades. We were all there up on Oakswell Hill, silently standing beside the two new gravestones, letting the rain trickle down our faces like the thousands of tears we wanted to spill. We watched solemnly as their beautifully-designed coffins, (BF/N)'s decorated with wavy flames and Tom's adorned with a halo on the front where his head was, were positioned above the dark open graves. I decided that I would be the one to do the eulogy. I mentally prepared myself, I had to stay strong. I stepped forward and began to speak before all of my friends and family.

(Y/N): "Ladies and gentlemen... honoured guests... dear friends... we are gathered here today to say goodbye to... two great men..."

I had to pause. I cleared my throat to mask my lurking whimpers before continuing.

(Y/N): "Not only were they model Huntsmen... brilliant friends to their own... loved and respected by their fellow Huntsmen and Huntresses..."

I made eye contact with a few stand-out members of the crowd. I saw Vanessa, whose tears were already flowing down her cheeks, I saw Sonic and Ebon, the last of Team Scarlet, standing as if the life had been coldly stolen from their bodies. And, I saw Cinder standing right at the back. Even from there, I could see that her face was stained with tear marks and her eyes were puffy and red from constant crying. I almost broke out into soft sobbing but I managed to pull myself back together. However, from then on, I was struggling to speak through my growing louder weeping and the rivers of tears that had finally begun to fall from my eyes.

(Y/N): "... and all those... who were fortunate enough... to know them. They were... strong-willed men, brave, compassionate... but they were above all else... gallant men. T-Their kind will never pass this way again... but our loss is surely... Heaven's gain... th... thank you."

Everyone bowed their heads in sadness once I finished my speech. I could hold it back any longer. I put my hand over my eyes to cover up my tears as my emotions finally showed themselves and I began to cry. Ryan, Christine and Brady came up to me and helped me away from the graves, Brady patting my shoulder to try and comfort me a little. I turned around and motioned a signal to Teams JNPR and CFVY, who were standing on either side of the graves with swords on their belts. They nodded and drew their swords, raising them into the sky and crossing them above the coffins as they were slowly lowered. This was an ancient Remnantian burial ritual/tradition. Whenever a Huntsmen or Huntress dies, they pass onto the afterlife guided by Knights, who are other Huntsmen and Huntresses who, as believed by the ancient civilisations of Remnant, would guide their fallen souls to Heaven through their crossed blades. It was a show of respect and honour for the fallen and it was the least my friends could do for them now. Slowly, (BF/N) and Tom's bodies inside the coffins were lowered to be accepted by the Earth. Once the coffins had been lowered, I activated my Semblance and used my telekinesis to fill the graves with the dug-out earth. Finally, Teams JNPR and CFVY sheathed their swords and each knelt on one knee. We all did the same. We were kneeling in respect and in thanks to the fallen. Four short, loud, spaced-out gunshots filled the air before we stood up once more. That was it. The ceremony was over. Now, (BF/N) and Tom could rest peacefully in the knowledge that we did all we could to give them the best sendoff that we could. As the crowd began to disperse, Vanessa came up to me, smiling weakly.

Vanessa: "That was beautiful..."

(Y/N): "Thank you, Vanessa..."

She nodded and left to join her teammates, Sonic, Ebon and Cinder by the gravestones. I watched as Vanessa kept her weak smile and placed her hand on Tom's gravestone.