Snow crunched, petals flew, and the past was flashing. The stone tablet below her was somehow clean of the falling flakes. It didn't matter that the grey slab was without the white blanket, because her vision was still blurred from her own internal actions. She was still able to make out the carvings that were imbedded in her brain, and she was able to recite without the slip of her tongue.
"And thus I kindly scatter." She finished before turning away. She had done this for years without her sister's knowledge, and now it was getting dangerous. She had teammates, friends, who became worried the same her sister had. People she could count on, people who she could laugh with, and soon be the ones who would die for her as well. The tears arose at that last one; she didn't want more people to die for her! She has had enough of the fellow beings she once called friends die right in-front of her eyes! Her sight was becoming foggy, and she needed to wipe away the liquid before it froze to her retinas and left her unable to see. She turned around and started walking.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Growl...
Ruby Rose stopped in her tracks a that last audible noise. She scanned the area carefully and contemplated taking another step forward. She tested it.
Crunch. Growl.
Crunch. Groan.
Crunch. Rustle.
Ruby slid her hand under her cloak, on her back, gripping the familiar cold steel of her trigger. She remembered all the Grimm that had fallen either by her bullet or her blade, and felt a sudden hesitation. Why should she kill something that was as lonely as her... The creature was close, and soon Ruby could tell it was a Beowolf. They were the nightmares her mother told about to get her to sleep. These were the same nightmares that killed her mother.
Crunch.
Why was she hesitating against the creatures that murdered her mother!?
Leap.
Why was she stopping!?
Slash!
Ruby let her arm drop as she heard the grotesque sound of the meat becoming coddled and the bone churning into dust. A loud smack was heard behind her and the red droplets broke out and landed on her cloak.
A comforting but pestering voice broke her silent strike, "Ruby, what are you doing? Yang's been wondering where you disappeared to." Her voice brought joy to Ruby's sorrow, but not this time. This time, it fueled the fire. Why are you here?
The voice reappeared, this time with more worry, "Ruby, are you ok?" She asked, realizing the young girl before her hadn't moved since her arrival. Ruby felt a pressure on her shoulder and had half a mind to swat it away, but went against it when she remembered who was trying to wring her back into reality. The hand twisted Ruby around, and made little effort to counter her move.
Just get out of here!
"Ruby?" The voice asked again, refusing to release her grip. Ruby didn't answer again, wanting to block out the voice that kept reaching her. She didn't want friends to die for her anymore! She didn't want anyone to do that anymore! Her eyes clenched shut as the tears flooded out like a bursting dam, and lightly bit the inside of her cheek to dissolve any chance of her voice escaping her lips.
Stay away from me!
Her hood was lifted off her head and the blanketed sun was exposed to her eyes. She clenched them tighter as a riot against the unwanting glare, but her unwanted companion who had saved her life refused to let her soul stay clouded beneath her enclosed pupils, and moved her free hand to caress the freezing tears that were leaking out.
"Ruby?" Ruby? Was that all the damn woman could say!? Say something else or leave!
I don't want anyone!
Her thoughts were rampaging at past memories. Why was this releasing now!? Ruby shoved the person trying to shed the frozen liquid that was slowly attaching itself to her face.
The person stumbled back a few deft feet, "R-Ruby! What is wrong with you!?" The person asked, surprised and appalled. Ruby was happy to hear she was appalled at her attitude, now she may not want to be her friend so she wouldn't need to die needlessly. The memories came flooding back and now felt like they were a physical force. Ruby collapsed onto her knees, bowing her head. The person ran up to her again, her feet crunching the once beautiful white blanket under her. The once warm, now frigidly cold hands gripped her shoulders.
Why won't you leave!?
"Let's get you back Ruby." Her voice was sweet and enchanting. Ruby tilted her head up and slowly opened her eyes, exposing her sparkling silver eyes to the sun and figure before her. Her eyes locked with her teammate's amber ones, the same amber eyes that belonged to Blake Belladonna. Blake, her sister's partner, and fellow book reader. Normally Ruby would've laughed at that last one, but instead just kept a hopefully stoic look on her face.
Stay away...
Ruby made no recoiling movement when Blake had slowly entwined her fingers within Blake's own freezing hand. The cat faunus started walking, Ruby, with her head tilted down, watched the snow compress to shape Blake's high heel boot as she followed her. The young leader had always wondered how Blake was able to fight so elegantly with no doubt awkward footwear like that. She would have to ask her sometime.
Rustle.
Growl.
Ruby stopped abruptly, stiffening her arm that was being held by Blake. The latter was brought to a sudden halt and turned to Ruby, confused.
"What is it?" What do you mean 'what is it'?
Do your damn ears work Blake? Ruby cursed, before turning to where Blake had pulled her from, no hesitation on her mind.
I won't let someone die because of me again. Ruby thought.
Leap!
BANG!
Ruby snapped out Crescent Rose and blasted a hole, crescent shaped, into the Beowolf that had tried and failed to make at least one of them his latest snack.
Get out Blake, I know there's more of them. Ruby had wanted to scream that but it got caught in her throat. Blake seemed to have noticed as well, and slid into a combat stance behind Ruby, gripping the sheathed Gambol Shroud that was on her back.
Leap!
Get away Ruby!
Slash! Bang!
I don't want to leave you mommy!
Slice, leap, slash!
Just get out of here! Yang, get your sister and get out through the back!
Bang! Bang!
Let me go!
Ruby froze finally mid swing of her scythe, barely scratching the wolf. Seeing that it was alive, the Beowolf charged at the frozen girl, aiming to stab her chest. Blake turned around because of a swipe at a Beowolf and saw the one Ruby didn't kill lunge at her.
AAA-AHHHH!" Ruby's blurred surroundings cleared and realized she was pushed into the snow. She looked up where the voice came from and her silver orbs froze. It seemed as if time stopped as she stared at Blake fall, multiple blood droplets flying out of her chest and scattering across the sky,
Mommy!
"Blake!" Ruby scrambled off the ground and dived towards her, catching the falling woman before she dropped into the snow.
This is exactly what I meant! Why didn't you leave!? Ruby was hitting herself hard for not telling Blake to leave in the first place, and now was cradling a bleeding and most likely dying Blake.
No! She thought, seeing Blake's eyes slowly shut. Ruby started shaking the fading girl, hanging onto the little string that she could save Blake.
Growl.
Ruby didn't care that the Beowolves were circling her, both admiring their work and salivating at the new meal they were about to get. Ruby, with a hardened mind, let the tears fall silently, one thing she now desired.
Mommy! Mommy!
Ruby set Blake down gently before gripping her hands that were hanging, and shakily set them over Blake's chest, over her heart. While there was still a light, shallow heartbeat, Ruby knew Blake wouldn't make it... Not now...
Growl.
Her mind... Her soul... Revenge...
The Beowolves leapt towards her, and as Ruby pulled Crescent Rose into its scythe mechanic, she remembered what Blake had told her last night.
"We're all fragile in this World of Glass Ruby. All it takes is a small rock to shatter someone." Blake said to Ruby who was working on her latest homework assignment. Ruby just smiled lightly and chuckled, looking down from her bed to Blake who was reading her "secret" book.
"Well if we're all fragile than all we have to do is make sure we don't break. I've said it before Blake, we're here to make this world better, and if that means picking up the pieces and putting everything back together, then I'm okay with it." Ruby spoke excitedly, enticing a sweet laugh out of her friend.
"Always the optimist Ruby, aren't you?" Blake asked, a giggle still in her voice. Ruby's laughter and innocence were contagious, even to Blake.
Ruby pumped her fist, "I'm your guys' leader! I have to make sure I am!"
Ruby gave a shaky smile as she remembered their last conversation. She was an optimist... A person who saw everything in the world in a good way... Not now though... But she still had to hope that even if she couldn't be saved, that Blake could... Those people would fix the pieces that Ruby couldn't. They could withstand the cuts that Ruby couldn't endure... They could patch the blood that Ruby left flowing.
"We're all fragile in this World of Glass Ruby. All it takes is a small rock to shatter someone."
These Beowolves threw that same rock that Blake had been talking about. Now Ruby was about to throw a boulder at them for breaking her.
MOMMY!
BA-NG!
Kira: Sorry for the mediocre ending there, but I wanted to get that line Blake said in there. And yeah, there you go. If you want to know the status of my stories well... Still afflicted with writer's block! Yeah... So I'm hoping these one-shots that I'm making will help me out of it. Good news though, I have a start on the next chapters for my stories though... Again... Really sorry for how the story ended... But hope you still enjoyed... I hope... *sighs* I'm saying sorry way too much...