Hello to all you wonderful people. So the Ladybug has bitten me hard, and this is the result. The only goal was to write it with as little dialog as possible, and I think it worked out reasonably well. For those of you who read my other story, Patching the Scars that Lie on your Heart, no I am not stopping that story in favor of this. This is just a side projects that I work on when inspiration strikes, which isn't often. Scars is still the main fic I am working on, and will continue to work on till I'm done with it.
This is set about a year before the events of the show, so think of it as a sort of prequel that I envisioned.
It was the party of the year, being hosted in honor of Taiyang Xiao-Long. The hunter had managed to locate and rescue the eldest daughter of Franz Schnee from a pair of kidnappers that had eluded the police for months. The generosity of the reward for her safe return would have been enough, but Schnee had insisted that Taiyang and his daughters attend his yearly celebratory Masquerade Ball. Taiyang had refused at first, but their host had insisted, calling it a bonus and refusing to take no for an answer. And so Ruby found herself in a custom made black dress, minus the mask, at a party most of her friends would have killed to attend. And she couldn't wait for it to be over.
Yang, being the outgoing person she was, was having the time of her life dancing and flirting with anyone who could manage to keep her attention. The last time Ruby saw her she had been talking with the sons of two prominent weapons manufacturers and Schnee's younger daughter. Her name was Winter, right? No, that was the kidnapped one. I thought the younger one was White? Something like that? Ruby thought, her boredom having reached such a high level that talking to herself was not only preferable but a relief. The inane chatter going on all around her was way above her head for the most part, the young girl having little knowledge of how businesses operate. And even if she could hold a conversation no one seemed like they wanted to chat with the young girl at all.
Ruby couldn't understand how her older sister could stomach talking with anyone at this party. None of the people she had tried to talk to had actually said as much, but they clearly didn't want her here either. People like her, Yang or Taiyang were considered inferior by most of those currently in attendance, especially those their own age. The only reason they kept their opinions to themselves was due to the importance and power of their host Mr. Schnee. Even Ruby had heard of his ruthless business practices, of how profit was the only thing that mattered. Well that and the family honor. And openly insulting either of the daughters of the man who got his daughter back would be considered a grave affront to said honor. Which in most cases meant a guaranteed death sentence, financially if not literally. But even Franz Schnee could not stop people from whispering, and whisper they did.
At first Ruby had distracted herself by enjoying the huge varieties of food that were provided for the event. Specifically the giant chocolate fountain off in one corner of the multiple food tables. Skewers had been provided, allowing the guests to coat whatever they desired in the sugary gooeyness and enjoy to their hearts content. For most guests that meant chocolate coated strawberries or other such fruit.
For Ruby, that meant chocolate coated everything. She had tried to restrain herself, but quickly abandoned that practice after seeing the reactions of the surrounding guests. Though after she had coated roast beef in chocolate and devoured it whole Taiyang had pulled her aside and asked her to stop before she made another person vomit. "Even if you find it delicious, Ruby, doesn't mean they do," had been his reasoning, and while his eyes were laughing his tone was gravely serious. Which meant Ruby had no choice but to abandon her antics.
So that left her with nothing to do but sit, pray for someone to talk to her and plan out what new modifications she wanted to make to Crescent Rose when she got home. She had tried listening to the band play, but classical music put her to sleep at the best of times, and she quickly tired of it. When that grew too boring, and no one had come within five feet of her, she decided to follow her sister's example and find someone to talk to.
Problem was that meant finding someone interesting, which proved nearly impossible. The party's dress code meant that every man was in a black tie suit and every woman in a black dress, each person wearing a mask that hid part of their face. To Ruby it was just a giant sea of figures covered in darkness, their faces non-descript and lifeless.
The only people that had any noticeable details at all were Yang, her host and his daughters. The former because her sister's mane of yellow hair was impossible to miss, the latter because they were the only people wearing white. But her sister was currently talking to one of the Schnee's, the host himself was too old and cold for her taste, and the elder daughter was surrounded by a host of vultures asking tales of her kidnapping. So all Ruby could do was to continue to scan the crowd and pray for something interesting to happen.
After about five minutes of fruitless searching she had almost given up when she noticed something, or rather someone. At the very edge of the room, leaning against the wall, was another partygoer that looked as bored as her. But what interested Ruby was the black bow that was perched atop her head, neatly tied and black as the night sky. It was a small gesture, but in a room where every person was dressed the exact same it stood out like a lighthouse on a moonless night. Ruby, having nothing better to do and desperate for anything to relieve the boredom, focused her attention on the stranger that had caught her eye.
The girl appeared to be a bit older then her, but probably around Yang's age. She was medium height with dark brown skin that faintly glistened from the room's ornate lighting fixtures and black hair that matched the color of her dress. At first glance she was so unremarkable as to be almost invisible, but upon further inspection Ruby realized that that was what the stranger wanted. Everything about her, from where her gaze was directed to her body's unassuming posture, was meant to invite as little attention to herself as possible. Dressed in all black she melded right in with the shadows. She was a silent observer, watching the crowd.
Ruby spent the next few minutes observing the stranger, her interest only growing by the second. The stranger continued to stare at the crowd, her head never moving from its prone position against the wall. If not for the faint rise and fall of her chest Ruby would have assumed she was some hyper realistic statue. She's waiting for something Ruby thought. But what? For somebody to notice her and sweep her off her feet?
Finally her curiosity and boredom got the best of her and she walked towards the stranger. She kept to the outside of the room, avoiding the majority of party goers that had congregated in the center of the room. The few she did pass either ignored her completely or paused their conversations to glare at her with contempt, but otherwise she made it unmolested. As she got closer she noticed one other interesting feature. The stranger's mask had a slight modification to it, covering her eyes with a thin glass that distorted her eye color. It shifted her iris's color based on how the light hit it, making it appear dull as mud one second and the brightest gold the next.
She made it within two feet of the stranger before she even realized she was there, and by the time she turned to look at her she was already within arm's reach. Ruby heard the sound of her breathing, a sharp, startled intake, and then everything about her changed. Her entire body tensed, as if she was a coiled spring that was suddenly wound far too tight. Her head turned towards Ruby, and she could feel her piercing gaze directed straight towards her. A shiver ran through Ruby's body, and she felt the sensation that was akin to prey suddenly being targeted by a predator.
She's treating me like I'm some kind of threat Ruby thought. Most people would have run away then and there, frightened off by the aura of danger pouring out from the stranger's body. But that only made Ruby even more interested in this mysterious person. So she adopted a different approach. From what her uncle Qrow had told her, the best way to approach a startled animal was to be calm, slow, and above all else give off no reason to be perceived as a threat. So she raised her hands up in a submissive gesture, then took several small, slow steps backward. This seemed to work as the stranger seemed to relax slightly with each step, eventually cocking her head to one side as she fully regarded the person opposite her.
She's like a startled deer Ruby thought as she took another step back, the distance between her and the other girl now close to six feet. At this distance the stranger apparently judged it safe enough that she could fully relax, the tension melting out of her body with each passing second. After almost a minute her posture had relaxed completely, and Ruby judged it safe enough to try again. Normally she spoke fast and quick, since she hated having to wait for anything. But this situation required a far different approach.
So, in the calmest voice she could muster despite her nerves, she slowly said "I'm Ruby, Ruby Rose. What's your name?" The stranger did not respond, or give any indication that she even heard her. She merely continued to watch her with the same piercing gaze and shifting eyes, the only sign she was even alive the faint rise and fall of her chest. Determined to not be the first one to blink Ruby merely stared right back at her, as silent and unmoving as the stranger herself. For what felt like an eternity she stood there, though in reality barely a minute had passed, and yet still the stranger did not move.
Eventually Ruby felt her concentration start to wane, and she became desperate to provoke any reaction out of the figure before her. Giving it one last attempt, she extended her hand and asked in a quiet voice "Want to dance?" Again her words were met with silence, and a sense of utter rejection settled over Ruby. She turned and began to walk away, but before she had even made it five steps she felt a hand close on her wrist with a grip like a steel vise.
She turned and saw the hand belonged to her, their faces merely inches apart. The stranger stared for a few seconds then gave an almost imperceptible nod, which Ruby took to mean yes. Then without another word Ruby felt a tug at her arm as the stranger wordlessly led her onto the dance floor. Taking up a spot near the edge the stranger turned, their body now facing Ruby. Which caused Ruby to realize the first error in her plan.
I don't know how to dance Ruby thought. Which wasn't entirely accurate. She had practiced with her sister for a few hours earlier that day. Well calling it practice was a stretch. It was mostly Yang yelling and her apologizing while their father looked on and laughed till his sides hurt at Yang's constant expressions of pain from Ruby stepping on her feet. But Ruby was determined to not screw this up. So when the stranger raised her arms she started praying she knew how to dance. Thankfully she appeared to as she took charge, intertwining their right hand with Ruby's left and guiding Ruby's right hand to their shoulder before placing their left on the smaller girl's hip.
After a few seconds the stranger found the beat and began moving their feet, trying to guide Ruby's in time as they shuffled to the slow music, moving in a standard waltz step. For her part Ruby kept her gaze centered on her feet, taking great care to not step on her partner's. Unfortunately this meant her form, while barely functional, was rigid and riddled with errors.
As the song progressed her form did not improve, and it began to fray Ruby's nerves down to threads, which only made her dance worse. Thankfully she had avoided stepping on the taller girl's toes, a small miracle in itself, but several times she had almost stumbled on her own. Twice she almost fell and was only saved by the sure arms of her partner keeping her standing. The worst part, however, was the mocking laughter that echoed all around her. She knew that she was bad compared to the rest of the guests in attendance, but did they have to laugh so loud?
Thankfully the song ended and the band took a quick break to rehydrate and restring their instruments. By that point Ruby's face was red with embarrassment and her eyes were wet with unshed tears. Desperate to escape the mocking and jeering she unlinked her hand from the other girl's, intending on retreating to the bathroom to hopefully cry in private. But the strange girl was having none of that. She grabbed Ruby's hand and yanked her forward, pulling the smaller girl towards her until their bodies came into full contact. Once again she intertwined her right hand with Ruby's left and put her other hand on the shorter girl's back, ensuring that she could not flee.
The stranger paused for a second, her brows furrowing together as if she was thinking over a particularly complicated problem. Apparently having come to a decision she leaned down till her lips were almost into contact with Ruby's ear.
Her voice, as light and quiet as a gentle summer breeze, whispered to Ruby "Breathe little Rose. Look only at me." Her words carried a kindness and softness that made Ruby blush again for a whole different reason, but she forced herself to focus. The stranger backed up half a step, once again assuming their dance pose, and waited for the band to begin playing again. Thankfully, the band was taking their time, giving Ruby the opportunity to think.
Look only at her. But how am I supposed to do that. It's not like this is a fight Ruby thought, but then it hit her. Fighting was in fact akin to dancing. Both activities required a level of skill and grace, as well as constant practice of forms. Just because she didn't have Crescent Rose didn't mean this wasn't a battle. Just because their armor was dresses and their enemies were not Grimm didn't mean they weren't in hostile territory, surrounded and outnumbered. There were still two people involved, her and her mysterious partner. All she had to do was focus.
So when the next song began that is exactly what Ruby did. The sounds and movements of the other guests, their mocking laughter and cruel eyes, all of it faded away until all that was left was the person across from her. She began to move, and Ruby moved in response. Her form wasn't perfect, but it was a serious improvement from her previous attempts.
As the song went on her partner grew bolder, attempting some more complicated flourishes and wider turns, even trying to spin Ruby a few times. At first Ruby was unprepared for her partner's movements, since she once again refused to speak, but she quickly picked up on the silent and subtle communications that were being sent her way. Two fingers gently pressing into the small of her back followed by a slight turn of her wrist meant she should get ready to be spun, while pressure to her hand guided her in the proper direction. A slight tug to one way or another was all she needed to know where to place her feet, the gentlest nudge moving her across the floor with the smoothness of flowing water.
Soon she no longer needed to feel the pressure on her body: she could tell what her partner wanted to do by simply looking into her eyes. Even with the mask on Ruby could easily read her intentions, her confidence growing as they moved towards the center of the dance floor.
The song ended and another began but Ruby did not notice. Her world had been reduced to the person in front of her. Everything else ceased to exist in her eyes. She felt something shift between them, and their dance changed. Their movements diverted from the established steps, becoming wilder, sharper.
Ruby began to dance as if she was wielding Crescent Rose, her body shifting constantly to match her partner's. They were locked in silent combat, a back and forth with no end in sight. Action by her partner met reaction by Ruby, their exchange going far beyond the confines of formal dance. Their movements abandoned all semblance of proper form and became one endless stream of movement. They became two endlessly shifting puzzle pieces, each changing their shape to perfectly fit with the other as they moved faster and faster, their tempo far outpacing the slower beat of the music.
Ruby's breath was growing labored, her arms were trembling and her feet were killing her, but she dared not stop, or even slow down for a second. She was too caught up in the spell that was her partner. Her face was still the same impassive mask, but her eyes were bright with the light of a thousand fires dancing in the night.
She's enjoying herself Ruby realized, the thought bringing a massive smile to her face as she moved even faster. She wanted to see those eyes glow like that till the end of time itself. She pushed herself beyond her limits, using a bit of her semblance to boost her speed, and her partner followed her movements gracefully despite the sudden increase in tempo.
For what felt like an eternity they danced, with no end in sight. They were on the banks of the rivers of existence, watching as the waters of time flowed by. Separate from it, isolated, they were lost in their own dimension where all that existed was each other. But all too soon time caught up with them in the form of the stranger's scroll going off.
And just like that the spell was broken. The stranger halted and Ruby mirrored her, standing stock still for a second. Then suddenly everything hit her at once and she felt herself falling forward, every muscle in her body overwhelmed by exhaustion. Her legs could no longer be counted on for support, and dimly she saw the floor rush up to meet her.
Once again her partner saved her, catching her and holding her upright. Sensing that Ruby could not stand on her own she pulled the exhausted girl into a tight hug. Ruby could feel her partner shaking, and through the mental fog that overwhelmed her head she dimly realized that the other girl was probably as drained as her.
She might be even worse off than me. Leading has to be way harder than following Ruby thought. But she was supremely grateful for the support, especially since her head had started pounding terribly.
After a minute or so spent catching her breath the pounding hadn't ceased but had instead increased in intensity, and with a jolt she realized that the pounding was applause. She stood up in shock and looked around to see a sea of faces, all of whom were cheering. She could see her father and uncle, huge grins plastered on their faces, wildly clapping from one corner of the room. Her sister was shouting her name and making her way through the crowd, but it was slow going due to the throngs of people that had stopped to watch the amazing couple dance. Even their host offered his approval in the form of a quick nod, the barest hint of a smile gracing his normally expressionless features.
Ruby looked towards her partner, hoping to see a joyful smile on her face, but she was no longer there. Ruby once again scanned the crowds, this time in a panic, searching for any sign of her among the crowds of people. She finally spotted her, bow still perched atop her head, as she exited the party through one of the adjacent rooms.
Without a moment's hesitation Ruby chased after her, using her semblance to propel her through the crowd. Her exhausted body screamed at her to stop, but she ignored it and continued to give chase. She ran through a labyrinth of hallways, each time catching a glimpse of her partner's bow entering through some doorway or disappearing up a flight of stairs. After what felt like forever she managed to catch up with her at a large set of ornate doors. Her partner was currently kneeling in front of one of them, fiddling with the lock. Ruby stopped and hid behind a nearby column, the shock of what she was seeing almost causing her to panic.
My partner is a thief Ruby realized, and as soon as she did the pieces fell together in her head. She had been watching the crowd for an opportunity to slip away unnoticed. She had danced with Ruby to create a distraction, and had left her there to draw the crowd's attention while she slipped away.
A loud click echoed throughout the corridor, and Ruby heard the sound of the door opening and swiftly closing again. I need to stop her Ruby thought, or at least delay her long enough for security to arrive. She ran towards the door, but slowed down so she didn't actually crash into them in her exhausted state. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she turned the door handle as slowly as possible to avoid making any noise.
Once the door was opened she slipped inside and shut the door again as quietly as possibly before turning around and surveying where she currently way. It appeared to be a study of some kind, based on the large wooden desk and accompanying leather chair. The walls were bare except for several large paintings of various scenes and locations, and based on her limited knowledge Ruby guessed the paintings were very expensive.
But what caught her eye was a large drawer shoved into one corner of the room. It looked to be filled with files that her dance partner was currently combing through, clearly looking for something. Before Ruby could stop her she took one out, snapped a quick photo of it with her scroll, and replaced it exactly as she found it. She shut the cabinet and turned around, only to take a step back in shock at realizing she was not alone in the room.
Sensing her chance Ruby rushed her, trying to activate her semblance. But her body was so exhausted that she could not accelerate properly and the other girl was able to successfully dodge out of the way. She bolted for the door and once she recovered Ruby ran after her. This time the chase was relatively short. Ruby chased her partner down a hallway, she took a turn and hit a dead end. In the form of a large window.
Her partner was standing in front of the window, Ruby several steps behind, both girls panting heavily. Ruby stood up straight and triumphantly said "Got you now." The other girl turned, a small smile on her face for the first time that night. And without warning the window shattered into a million pieces, the shards falling outward and onto the ground below. Ruby fell backwards in recoil from the shattering glass, tumbling to the floor in shock. She could do nothing but watch as a VCBS (variant ballistic chain scythe) and length of ribbon appeared in the other girl's hands. She tied one end of the ribbon to her arm, the other to the weapon. She stabbed the weapon into the floor and made to jump from the newly made hole.
Desperate to stop her Ruby tried to stand, but her legs would not obey her mind's wishes. Grunting with exertion she managed to stand up, but couldn't make herself take a step. Unable to let it end like this Ruby shouted out "WAIT!." At her yell the stranger turned, and started to make her way back towards Ruby. She stopped just out of arms reach and cocked her head to one side, the gesture reminiscent of their initial meeting earlier that night.
Ruby's mind went blank. She no longer cared about stopping her. She only cared about one thing. Her voice thick with desperation she pleaded "Please, just answer me one question?"
The stranger nodded after a moment, her brows furrowed as she wondered what the question was going to be. Ruby took a breath to calm her nerves, then asked "What is your name?"
The question seemed to surprise the raven haired girl, who seemed to consider whether or not to answer. After a moment she seemed to come to a decision, and without further hesitation removed her mask. Ruby had already been able to see part of her face but her eyes, their color now unfiltered by the mask, robbed the breath from her body. Her eyes were the brightest amber, shining in the night and providing a stark contrast to the dark colors the girl wore. Ruby looked into them and found herself drowning in their depths, unable to tear her gaze away.
The girl began to walk toward her and Ruby could do nothing but stare, her mind and body entirely captivated by the other girl. She stopped just short of walking right into Ruby, and after a second bent down, her face heading straight for Ruby's. The younger girl shut her eyes, hoping to avoid seeing what the other girl was planning on doing to her.
A second later she felt a pleasant sensation on her lips, and her eyes shot open in shock at the realization that the other girl was kissing her. The feeling of the other girl's lips on her own was feather light, as gentle and sweet as she could possibly imagine. The girl's right hand came up to gently caress her face, sending a series of wondrous sensations shooting through every nerve of Ruby's body. It set her entire body ablaze. She never wanted this moment to end.
But once again time was not on her side, and all too soon the girl's lips left her own, only to move to her ear. She heard the girl whisper to her once again, but this time it was not encouragement. She instead whispered three words: "Blake, Blake Belladonna." Then without pause Blake turned and ran towards the window, grabbing her weapon and jumping. Ruby, finally able to ignore her body's exhaustion enough to move, ran towards the window. She was afraid that she would see the girl, no Blake, splattered on the pavement. Instead she saw a shadowy blur running across the estate's grounds before disappearing into the night.
Hours later Ruby was finally let go after having told her story a dozen times, each time repeating the exact same thing. She had chased the mysterious female but had failed to catch her, only able to watch as she escaped. When questioned if she could provide any details to help identify her, like her eye color or what she was after, she simply stayed silent. Even her father and sister had been unable to get anything out of her, which was a first for them.
Part of her felt guilty about staying silent, but a bigger part of her didn't want to sell Blake out. She didn't know why, but it just didn't feel right to her. It's not like she stole anything or hurt anybody. Which wasn't entirely accurate, though she couldn't tell anybody that Blake had in fact stolen three things. She had stolen Ruby's first dance, her first kiss, and the breath from her lungs. And by the looks of things Ruby was never going to get them back.
As she finally left the estate, her gaze was drawn to Remnant's shattered moon. She wondered what Blake was doing, if she was looking at the same sight Ruby was, if she was happy with her life. But more than anything Ruby wondered if she would ever see her again. And as she did so, she felt her heart clench ever so slightly with the knowledge that the answer might be no.
So….that just happened. As I said above this is just a side fic that I will be working on whenever inspiration strikes.
Feedback is definitely appreciated, and I will try to respond as fast as possible. Bring me your grammatical errors, your plot holes, your crazed guesses and general thoughts. Any and all questions are welcome, no matter what they are. Hope you enjoyed!