A/N: Greetings! Pinay Gal here! This is a new AU of mine that's been around in my head. Volleyball AU, it doesn't always focuses on the certain game but it revolves around Ruby and Weiss. Ruby as a volleyball player and Weiss as being unattractive or is she? She is indeed beautiful but she doesn't give a f on her appearance. Let's see how this story progresses. Beware, English is not my native language. This is not something that was written on single seating. For those who want to criticize this then go. If you are just going to insult my story then you should keep it to yourself. Until then, let's meet at the ending note. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1: Swing Life Away
Am I loud and clear?
Or do I gotta scream like I did every day when I was a troubled teen, huh?
Do you want to know my past and see every single scar and know what they mean, huh?
17 running up in Mickey D's begging for a double cheese, huh
Singing "I don't want to grow up don't nobody like you when you're 23"
I came from nothing but a fucking unsupportive father I don't ever see
I had to watch a crooked jury put my brother in the penitentiary,
I never fit in
Criticism, made me the man I couldn't be
I'm reminiscing on when life was different spending every day at Chuckee Cheese, uh
We live on front porches and swing life away
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end
And I'll run these streets if you give me a chance
I've been here so long
Maybe I should runaway
Try to find a summer day
What is love
Love is pain
Love is butterflies and stomach aches
Love is looking out a windowpane, tears dripping looking like you're in the rain
For someone you don't even know but for somebody you may never see again
I am only alive once
And I'mma die when God wants
So fill the sky with diamonds
Because that's how it's gonna look when I'm gone
Had a vision as a kid that one day I would change the world with my song
Several years have passed and now that vision came to life that boy's a fucking icon.
Weiss POV
Frantic footsteps echoes the enormous hallway. Her heart beats erratically, there was no uncertainty in her steps; light touches on the ground. Fast? Afraid? Or someone who just have enough? Her legs were sore and aches while she's staggering. She bites her lower lip as she attempts to swallow a lump on her throat. Her salty sweats kissed the temple of her head along with the forming of tears on the corner of her moonstone blue eyes.
'Who am I to complain? My life's been spared so much pain. Born with all that I need- my comforts all guaranteed.'
The girl's face was shrouded by the shadow of her lustrous snow-like tresses tied into an off center ponytail. Even though her tresses were pure white as if a snow fallen on the region of an isolated mountain, but she always keep up at being neat, prim and proper as a proper lady could act. Meticulous, modest and tedious.
'So what's the problem? What's keeping me from moving forward? It's hard to see-'
She wore big black nerdy glasses, because of this accessory of hers, her eyes were always unnoticeable by her fellow schoolmates, men, women alike. They would only think that she was just another unattractive girl perhaps ugly is the term used to describe more often. But behind those glasses, were pools of shimmering luminous, lustrous, as if it was an unmined moonstone blue gem. Eyes with terrifying vast knowledge, windows to her fragile soul.
But, those captivating orbs -were on the verge of tears. They were threatening to fall. Her deep breaths became hitched gasps. As she were struggling to breathe for air.
She doesn't want to see anyone like this, she is a Schnee. Schnees were expected to be brave, strong. They were used to keep up stern expression. An unreadable one; They were not the one who would cause a scene to dirt their family name. Schnees were always treated with outmost reverence, but how would others treat you with respect if you don't respect yourself first?
So, to prevent anyone from seeing her like this. She set her foot to an abandoned building that was scheduled to renovate on the next year. There were no individuals dared to enter the rundown, shabby establishment. Because there was a rumor that whoever enters the building would likely to saw a ghosts or other mythological creatures.
But, she chooses to brush this away, her main priority was to get away from this cruel reality. Sure, she has a small circle of true friends that would be really happy to lend a shoulder to cry on. But, a Schnee is a Schnee, they would never show any sign of weakness in front of the people. They were too proud or haughty of themselves. For them, enabling to show your emotional state to others, is a sign of being impotent. It would be humiliating and uncanny; Her father always drill this to her head.
'Years of scorn will leave you cold. 'Forget your dreams do what you're told, when disapproval's all you're shown- the safest place becomes alone.'
People only want to be friends with her because she was rich, she came from a family of business tycoons that owns the largest business empire. Those 'people' only want to acquaintances with her, because they would get there own benefits. They thought that 'Weiss' would treat them an extravagant lunch. They thought that they would be pamper them with a free ride of her limousine.
Her thighs weakened but she continued to run. She clenched her jaw out of fury. Her lenses became blurry. But she wiped them.
People had constantly used her. She used her prissiness and uptight attitude to create a barrier between them. Ever since that day, her circle of friends decreased day by day. Until, finally settling on the number of 5 people.
'And isolation's the price you pay and every friendship is pushed away.'
She was expected to live by her name. To uphold their legacy. To take her father's position once he stepped down. By the time she started talking, walking and citing the letters of the alphabet. Her teachers prompted to organize tutors that also work as a professor of well known Academies.
Literature, linguistics, mathematics, statistics, financial management. The in and outs of business- All of that she studied daily, but some of them aren't on this list because they were too many to write.
She also pick fencing as a form of hobby, which she grew passionate about it, only to realized herself that she already competing for the Nationals and won the championship.
Since she had an angelic voice and the piano seemed to pique her interest. Her father arranged the finest singer in the world to mentor her along with the most talented pianist. By this, her father used her as an valuable asset or investment, to flaunt her skills to his guests, comrades to his monopoly of business. She became an entertainment perhaps a jester to be exact.
She passed the first floor while maintaining her vision directly. But it was hard when everything were beginning to look blurry.
She was expected to be the best among the rest. Frustrations and pressure became common for her to feel. But, when we keep our problem to ourselves only it is unhealthy and in the end we feel numb. Sometimes, all we need is to cry.
She blindly accept that she was just a pawn to her father. She is used to that, a pawn that would take a risky move to just check the opponent.
And because she was focused on only one aspiration; To please her father. She has a little time for her social life, let alone love life. She doesn't care about them, because no one would ever date an unattractive girl like her.
Her ivory white teeth were clad with silver braces. She wore eyeglasses because her eyes were lacking in vision due to her constant studying on her subjects, sunrise to sunset. Sometimes, she has zits and pimples or her face for not sleeping early and also due to puberty.
It's either they are attracted to her or just want to date her to benefit out of her. Her heart was full of pressure, frustrations, expectations, malevolent people, insecurities, responsibilities, fury. Those sentiments are vexations and detrimental to her fragile soul and well being. She was stressed out, strung out, tired on the whole 'upholding the legacy' thing. The pressure, problems and worries that was placed unto her shoulders irked her. She was tired of living to his father's expectations, his disapprovals, his rude remarks. The people's manipulations.
'I wished you have never been born!' Oh how she desired that. She wanted to live a placid life. A life free from expectations, liberated and aesthetic. But that line that was shouted to her face hurts her, after failing to meet his expectations on certain things. Sometimes she thought on ending her own life. But she doesn't have the guts to do it.
'Those face of her is very ugly, hahah. Like an ugly duckling!' Sometimes when she passed on her schoolmates, she always hear that. Then again it hurts her but it still doesn't have the same impact as the one with her father.
'Why she's such a bitch, snob, uptight brat.' With her building a barrier with those mean people she gain a reputation of being Ice Queen, because she's cold, unable to empathized with others or not smiling often not even cracking a grin. But in reality, she is suffering. She kept her facial expression as being grumpy, prissy and serious. Heck, she even rolled her eyes or scowl. All for others to not use her.
'Some believe in fairy stories and the ghosts that they can't see.I know that i could do so much if I could just believe in me. Mirror mirror tell me something can I stop my fall?'
She is on her way on the final floor of the squalid and desolate building. As she make her way up to the worn out stairs she almost fell but she manage to maintain her equilibrium.
She couldn't breathe, she needed air. Her lungs were on fire. She was hyperventilating, her heart was pounding. Veins popping, her face was flushed red, her two creamy hands punched to a fist. While her lips were trembling.
She stopped at the side of a rusty and dirty metal door. She reached on the doorknob and turned it without hesitation.
Gusts of freezing cold air sent shivers to her spine as she hugged herself. She instantly went to a corner and without second thought she let out a emotional shout. Along with crying those precious tears.
In this place she felt isolated, she felt the whole world were hers. She has all the time in the world. She want to let it all out. But she felt empty, she needed a company. Part of her want, the other does not. It was either pride or she doesn't want to burden her friends anymore. In this place, she can be herself, she can able to convey her hindrances and feelings, vociferous with leverage in a cathartic way.
Tears streaming to her place staining the concrete floor. She continue to let it all out. She cried and cried. She buried her face unto her two hands. Her tears stained her maroon vest.
She became unaware of her surroundings as she keep crying. Her bit her lower lip so hard that it started to bleed. She doesn't know that they were footsteps approaching her place.
But she catches a glimpse of a hand offering a pink handkerchief with a stylized drawing of a tiny cookie imprinted on the lower right corner.
Ruby POV
It's been a week since she first transferred here on Beacon, everything seemed fine. The school has a better and advanced way of teaching rather than at her own hometown. The people were thus far kind, they treated her with outmost kindness. The school staff were always approachable and were hospitable since the day she got in here.
Beacon was one of the most desired academies to go. The gifted, the talented, the intelligent and ahem the rich attended here. It is mandatory for students to pass a rigorous entrance exam. And after that, teachers are needed to carefully check the answer sheet in order to avoid cheating, and for them to determine who passed the exam.
After that, the scores of their exam determine on what class they should be in. There are only 8 classes. Class 7, Class 6, Class 5, Class 4, Class 3, Class 2, Class 1 and finally the Class SpEd; an acronym that stand for Special Education. Let's just say that, that is a class wherein prodigies in music, mathematics, genius on science and intelligent and skillful on arts were placed on that class.
They received a very special education that train them and in the future would be very beneficial for the country and for the school also. But, if your general average would be lower than 95 expect that you would be attending on class 1.
The pressure that was put on them was terrifying some were choose to study overseas to avoid humiliation.
Ruby doesn't want that, even though her dexterity on inventing stuffs were impressive, it was just one of her hobbies. It is not her passion. Her passion was to play volleyball. Ever since when she a child her mother served as her coach. Her mother taught her child some techniques on the said sport. Ruby trained and trained, even coming home with bruises on her wrists with redness on her palms and scratches on her innocent face.
Regardless of that, she became the star player and as time passes, she became the team captain on her previous academy. She led her team to success after competing on the Nationals and eventually the kingdom (Vale) after winning second place on the Internationals.
Even though there was no permanent career on volleyball, maybe when she's old and unable to jump higher, to spike harder, to block the opponent's fiery spike. She needed a backup plan, that after being a celebrity on the sport. After being famous and receiving cash prize. In the end she needed a source of income. To get a stable job. To finish college.
She promised her mother, to never quit playing volleyball and also to have a job. Her mother was her coach, her first bestfriend, and her cheerleader. She love her mother, and she vow to never break the promise.
So, she stumbled across the application to Beacon, after that she was now scheduled to undergo to an exam. Before that she went on the site and find out that there were classes. She learned that being in that SpEd would make her insane, to prevent her from playing volleyball.
She not just passed the test but she purposely went to class 1. Which means she pretend to be dumb halfway through exam and she's happy with that.
She now attends Beacon as a 3rd year student. During her elementary days she moved two years among her peers, from grade 2 to grade 4.
At the age of 15 her mother died of natural causes. Death caused by brain cancer. It was tough for young Ruby, that her mother was secretly battling from that disease.
At times, when her mother cannot attend Ruby's tournament, the young Rose would always be mad and depressed to the point that she would always be distracted on the fight. Starring into an abyss.
Now, it's time to move on, to never be burden by the past, to worry about the future. And cherish the present. After her mother's death she was taken under the care of her father. She was terrified at first to the thought that they were just her father's illegitimate daughter and her mother was just a mere mistress.
But regardless of that she found solitude under the care of her second family. To the caring arms of her father, her stepmother and her half sister
Yang became her bestfriend, sister, a stand up comedian, a bodyguard, gaming opponent, cheering squad member and a personal teddy bear.
She and her sister were inseparable. When she's feeling blue her sister cheer her up by making goofy faces. Her sister would always beat her on games, ranging from Total Annihilation to Griffon Kart. The older girl would make her sister feel at home, to feel love and she taught her to smile through tough times.
Even though Yang lived on Vale City while Ruby lived on the island of Patch, they still maintained a close bond with each other through the power of the technology. For the two sisters, distance was only just a number. Annually Ruby and Summer visits the Xiao-Long household, they stay there for almost 60 days.
When Ruby has a match Taiyang and his legal family would make an effort to go to Patch, becoming the crimsonette's instant cheer squad. She eventually permanently lived on Vale city after her mom died.
Ruby was thankful, she never rue the day she met Yang. Everything happens for a reason. When one thing is gone, there better things yet to come. And her gloomy smile eventually turned to a warm smile. She never let the world to change her smile, she let her smile change the world.
The young Rose was an adventurous one, sometimes she wants to rest, wants to be alone, wants explore. After acing the try-out for volleyball players at the school's gym. She was intrigued on the abandoned building at the further back of the gym.
She explored the establishment during her free time. She had learned that this was previously a Science building. The building was burned down because of short circuit but was shortly renovated the month after. Unfortunately, it was halted for the school was busy on programs and activities that would attract students.
She found the building was funky and interesting. When she has free time or it is now lunch time, she always went to the rooftop to gaze at the nice scenery of tall buildings, vast neatly trimmed green fields, large man made ponds, and all sorts of tree appear far as the eye can see.
And now, she was making her way on the said establishment again.
Normal POV
The crimson haired lass was leaning on the moss covered beige wall. Her arms casually stuffed in her maroon pullover. Lively silver eyes stare endlessly on the blue sky, at the passing clouds. Her black colored headset were tucked on her left ear. The other one reserved for listening tunes of her favorite bands. And the latter was left untucked- for her to be able to hear the clock ring- signaling that lunch time was over.
There were times that she arrived late at her classroom (that looked like lecture hall) because she was blasting her tunes, enabling her to not hear the ring.
Her studies are getting better here at Beacon, sometimes she passes sometimes she aced the test. She was accepted on Beacon Lady Huntresses. Her spike was her trademark move. The moment she able to jump high and perfectly smack the ball full of force unto the opponent's side were a spectacular moment to spectate on.
She was already friends with her team captain, Pyrrha Nikos, the Mistrali lass that was once her opponent on the Internationals. But against all odds, the young crimsonette remained amiable to the Mistrali. Because of this, Nikos had introduced her to her small group of friends. Shy and socially awkward at first, she gradually learned to open up with them.
Albeit, one of them were always not around.
Ruby let out a yawn after staring endlessly on the ethereal, soothing, relaxing scene. She tilted her head to look at her watch located on her right wrist.
'Good there were still 20 minutes before the next class.' She thought to herself while she grabbed her mobile phone on her left pocket. The crimsonette immediately slide the lock screen as she saw a message from her dear sister.
[SMS: SIS 3: 12:31]
-ruebs i got innn! yay! :D. lets parteh tonight at jollibee my treat.-
Ruby let out a sigh of relief, she put back her mobile device to its pocket. Yang was one of the people that was suspected of cheating. One proctor that oversees the examination on Xiao Long's room got suspicious after the blond was fiddling on a paper hidden on her pocket. The proctor tried to examined it but he got distracted by a man who was checking on his phone while taking the exam.
Thus, after a week they hold off the blond's score for rechecking.
Her smile plastered on her façade as she hums the tune of music. She dusted off the warm ground before she sits. She daydreams about being the MVP of her team. Ruby Rose sure have ambitious dreams. Her thoughts on competing Internationals and plans to dominate the 1st spot.
She was lost on her thoughts not until her reverie was cut short.
'A scream?' She swallowed thickly. 'Who could that be?' She immediately got up and cleaned her skirt. She walk to the source of the sound.
'Woah...Is she crying?' She hid herself on the nearby boxes to examine the petite figure. Ruby looked the girl in pity. Her hair was in disarray, her eyes were bloodshot. Her face was in the shade of crimson.
The girl continued on crying, weeping, as her breaths got interrupted by a series of hiccups.
'Lemme grab my hanky.' Ruby was not one of the strangers that does not care about whoever cries on the street she was not a heartless individual, she was a hero, she was full of mercy yet still socially awkward.
She slowly walk to the girl and finally offer her handkerchief.
"Ah.. here, you could use it... Uh to y'know to wipe your tears after you finished crying." The girl looked at her eyes. Ruby gazed at the lass' mystifying eyes in return.
"No thank you. I don't need help from a stranger like you." Ruby looked hurt when the girl refused her offer. "Plus I have my own." She tried to reached to her blazers pocket to search for her handkerchief. Her eyes widened in realization that there was nothing in there.
"Come on, I haven't use this one yet. I swear it doesn't have any boogers or nasty stuffs. Heheh" The crimsonette awkwardly scratched the back of her head as she extended her left arm to the girl.
The girl seemed to refuse the latter's offer as she grabbed her blazer in attempt to wipe her tears but she was stopped.
"Up up up! You are going to take this and use it. I dunn want your uniform to be stained with tears." Ruby insisted but she didn't noticed that the girl just glare at her. "Come on, just take it." Ruby let out a warm smile at her. She swear that she could see the girl blushing but she look down the moment she felt the blood creeping to her cheeks.
'Ugh, this idiot. Why couldn't she just leave me alone?! Maybe she'll leave me if I took her stupid offer.' Weiss looked up to the crimsonette and took her handkerchief in attempt that the volleyball player would realize that her offer was accepted and would leave the Schnee alone.
Weiss Schnee vehemently wipe her still warm tears on her cheeks. She literally want to scream loudly at the latter to just leave her alone. But she's doing her best to maintain her composure to be calm and collected.
'Uh...okay what do I do now? Maybe I should give her a hug? Maybe not? Maybe she would think me as a pervert? But, should hug someone when they are feeling down right? Mama always do that to me. Yes that's it! I should give her a hug.' Ruby Rose spaced out in a moment. As she was finally done with that little monologue on her head. She pulled the alabaster haired girl into her bear crushing hugs.
"Urgh! You idiot! Get off of me! I can't breathe! Stop it this instant." Weiss yelled and repeatedly smack Ruby's shoulders until she finally let go off her. After that, she struggled to breathe and she coughs several times.
"You-coughs- dolt- coughs- why'd you do -coughs- that?!" She attempt to maintain her enclosure to the idiot she just met. The volleyball player turned her head down in embarrassment.
'Omigawdomigawd, why am I so stupid arghh! This is so stupid! Maybe if I apologize she'll forgive me! Yeah! Great thinking Rose!' Ruby mentally slapped herself, she, herself were not pro at handling these situations.
"ImreallysorryifIhugyouImsuchanidiot-." Her façade was in the shade of red as her knees were shaking, her silver eyes were holding back her tears and she felt like her stomach were flipping. Then, later Weiss realized that the so called idiot was blabbering.
"Alright! Stop! I've heard enough." Weiss glared at her, and crossed her arms. She looked like her vein were going to pop. She clenched her jaw as she furrowed her white brows.
"I'm really sorry-"
"Okay! Apology accepted. Now would you please leave me alone?" Weiss' expression softened when she requested that the latter should give her a alone time.
"Okie oks, sheesh." Ruby poke her right index finger to her ear as she felt her eardrums exploded. Slowly making her way to the rusty metal door.
"Thank you." The alabaster haired girl muttered to herself while she looked into the horizon. She can't cry in front of a person. She can't. She can't. She can't. She chant it to herself as if it was a mantra. No weaknesses. Being powerless is unacceptable.
"Y'know. It's okay to cry." Her head tilted to see the source of the sound. She feel irritation on her body.
"You again?! How many times do I have to tell you, to leave me alone?! Do I have to spell it out for you?!" She finally snapped at the crimsonette, loudly this time. She doesn't care if her eardrums would tore down. The idiot was getting into her nerves. Her patience was running out.
"Hey! I'm just tryin to help!" She attempted to convince the girl, that she was just trying to help nothing more nothing else.
"Then leave!" She snapped at her, her emotions of abash and annoyance was written on her face. Until she realized what she had been done. "I apologize for my emotional outburst, but please, I beg you. Please leave." She plead to her
Ruby was feeling guilty right now. She let her stupidity get to her. She just intervene the girl's private time. All she could do is leave. But before she could do that, she would do what her mother had taught her if she cannot stop crying. And no that was not through laughing at corny jokes or eating a handful of foods.
Ruby ran in front of the girl. Schnee questioned her, but the crimsonette didn't answer. She lowered herself, placed her two hands on the ground.
Weiss let out a skeptical look. Pondering what was happening in front of her. Ruby begin to bend straight forward, letting her non dominant foot raise with her body. Weiss had processed that moment, she was shocked.
Ruby proceed to her trick and she finally did it. The alabaster haired girl was flustered. She immediately ran to her and hissed.
"You dunce! Why are you doing that!? Your underwear might show off." She finally arrived and placed her hands on the skirt in attempt to cover the idiot's undergarments. Fortunately for her, the crimsonette was wearing stockings. She let out a sigh of relief. She didn't noticed that.
"Puh-lease, as if." She responded in a sarcastic way. "Also, this is a handstand missy." She replied still maintaining her balance, as she struggle not to fall.
"I know that thank very much. I asked you, why are you doing that?" Weiss rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
"Mama taught me this trick." Ruby answered recalling those memories that were not allowed for her to be forgotten. She smiled warmly at those events. "If you can't hold back the tears, you can do a handstand." Ruby grinned at her letting her radiant smile affect and touch her colorless world.
"This way the tears that would come out... will...stop..." She added making the cold Weiss Schnee stunned at the moment.
She realized that happiness is a choice. You have the right if you want to be sad, happy, angry, disgusted, depressed. It is alright to let us feel those emotions, because that would make us human. To be alive. It help us mold ourselves. To help us control ourselves.
But too much, would kill you. To feel sadness comes from pursuing happiness. To be a perfectionist would make us depressed. And too much love... would kill you..
She finished the trick by smoothly bending her leg backwards and she finished it off with her flexibility of her back.
Weiss finally plastered a faint smile in her lips. This time genuinely, not that forced smile she needs to put on when meeting her father's business associates.
"Thank you."
'But bit by bit now, a step each day, I'm slowly starting to find my way'
"Welcomes!" Ruby grinned at her, she wanted to spend time with her. To befriend her. To know about her. Heck she doesn't even know her name yet.
-Ring-Ring-Ring-
Silver orbs widened in realization alongside with her gaped mouth.
"Crap! I need to run! Glynda would tear my skin apart!" She was beginning to panic. She frantically sprinting until she was halted by an angelic voice.
"Thank you again...Honestly you are great at that." Schnees rarely compliment a person. They were usually brutally honest on certain opinions. They doesn't possess sympathy or empathy to their surroundings.
"Oh wow, thanks. I do that all the time. It really helps. Oh! And see ya later!" She waves down as she started to sprint. In a matter of seconds she saw the volleyball player sprinting on the pavement that leads to the main building.
The one who smiles the brightest were always the loneliest.
She glowers at the handkerchief and put it near to her heart that was beating erratically as she smiles.
"I would call her a colossal idiot for now." She mumbled as she enjoyed her 10 minutes before classes. Being a student in SpEd sure has a lot of benefits.
"Some believe in fairy stories and the ghosts that they can't see~~ I know that i could do so much if I could just believe in me~~Mirror mirror, I'll tell you something " She paused as she looked at the heavens, arms reaching, as if trying to grab something. She put her hands close to her chest. She let out a genuinely smile "I think I might change it all."
AN: Hello there Pinay gal again, the title of the song above was Swing Life Away by MGK and Kellin I used it as an inspiration for this song. Actually I also liked the original version (The Rise Against one). And yes, that's Mirror Mirror Pt 2, the song was published on Youtube go check it. Let me know if you liked this story. Please R and R. Reviews would make me motivated to write. And this AU would not be predictable as it seems ;).