Title: Let Her Do The Work
A/N: Maxaro's methods, while effective just seem so crude, like a cudgel if you will, way to deal with Neo's opposition. I prefer a...lighter touch, like a scalpel. A/N: A repost of my story from Maxaro's Mine collaboration as I'm rather proud of it and want to share it with those who may not have seen it.
The red one... Ruby Rose... childish, impulsive, banking on her charm far too much... fragile... a simple obstacle to surmount in pursuit of her beloved Jaune.
Killing her is too heavy handed, they would notice, an investigation would occur, Jaune would be busy with revenge, nono, can't have that.
Hurting her, still too much, Jauney has such compassion for those around him, even if they are undeserving whores, he would not stand for one he thought his friend being harmed, he would lead the charge to find who did it. Even though he'd obviously forgive her in the end, she didn't want them to start like that.
But she can still be removed, Jaune would need comfort, fall right into her welcoming arms, yes, she must be removed, but not by Neo's hand...
Soooo fragile...
Ruby wandered from the cafeteria line, searching around for a spot to have her second breakfast, pancakes piled high with strawberries, whipped cream, and syrup. The others weren't here, never were for second breakfast, except Nora sometimes.
Instead, the scythe wielder opted for a seat out in the courtyard. It's a nice day after all, and a second breakfast as great as this should be enjoyed in the sunshine, right?
The morning sun had warmed the round stone table to a relatively comfortable degree and a light breeze wafting throughout the grounds really put the cherry on top of what was shaping to be rather pleasant morning...
"Seems like a bit... much doesn't it?"
A whisper of her voice tickles at her ear for just the briefest of moments, making her wheel towards it. Nothing but the gentle breeze and the chatter of a nearby group of students in that direction. One of them waves at her and she waves back, shaking her head with a little giggle.
"A lot of sugar, going to put on more than a few pounds at this rate..."
The whisper tickles at her other ear. She spins and stares at nothing but a stone wall. She sighs and turns back to face the front, only to come face to face with herself, bloated and flabby, but Ruby nonetheless.
"Nothing wrong with a little weight is there? Right Ruby?"
"Ahhhh!" She screams and throws the tray at the horrid mockery, watching it puff out as the tray passes through it, flakes floating down, flakes of... powdered sugar!
Her shaky breathing slowly steadies as she glances around, several groups pointing and whispering amongst themselves, several likely shrugging it off as just a quirky Ruby thing, but for others, the rumor mill's wheels begin to spin.
With an embarrassed blush, the cloaked girl pulls her hood up and trots off back to the dorm.
From atop a nearby tree, hidden from observers, Neo's smile only grows as her thoughts turn to the next interaction between the two...
Later, as the day wanes and the sunlight fades behind the horizon, Ruby relaxes on the roof of the dorm, doing routine maintenance for Crescent Rose. Maintenance is always so soothing, the smooth feel of the metal parts, the smell of fresh oil and wax, the satisfying click of the lever sliding into pla-
The lever isn't locking, not a problem, just have to disassemble again and find the obstruction.
The parts quickly lay strewn before her, cleaned, cleared and checked, but no obstruction, no reason it shouldn't have locked into place.
With a shrug, chalking it up to a small hitch, she reassembles the scythe rifle, once again locking the slide for a dry fi-
Hitched again...
With a huff, she tears it all apart, staring hard at the parts in question and still finding nothing wrong!
"Can't get your weapon to work?"
Her own voice once again echoes in her ear, head swiveling back and forth.
"A wannabe Huntress that can't even work her weapon. No place for that."
Almost in a blink, another Ruby stands before her, only this one garbed in business woman attire and holding a sheet of paper, a smile on her face as she stares down at the younger version.
"There's always an office job, perfect for girls like you who can't cut it in the big world."
"Who are you!?"
"You of course."
"Leave me alone!" With a swing, she cuts through the older version of herself with the incomplete scythe, the figure slashed and dissipating into papers that flutter in the wisps of wind, each one emblazoned in bold across them with the words, "Secretary Rose."
Neo sits on the opposite ledge, wrapped in her illusions, smiling all the harder at the visibly shaken girl.
'So fragile...'
On and on, from days into weeks, weeks into months, constantly harrowed by the degrading visions, each poking at some new aspect in stronger and more effective ways: Her schoolwork, her appearance, her weapons, her leadership, her immaturity.
It went on and on, Ruby, herself beginning to believe it more and more, but never able to tell the others what was happening, what she saw, what she felt, that would only prove the voices right about her weakness!
She ate less and less, wore longer clothes to hide her body, never went out other than to class, and even then she was late more often than not.
Her teammates tried to help, their faces twisted into mocking sneers and pitying looks for the poor, incapable girl, but she always waved them off saying she just wasn't feeling well.
Months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, seconds, no respite from the whisperings, the voices, the visions, the failure!
Tears stream down, falling onto the paper as she penned out the shaky words, the spots of wetness growing as it went on and on, til finally she put the pen down, wanting to throw the paper aside as even her words weren't strong enough!
She turned to the single piece of knotted rope hanging from the post in the ceiling, stepping onto the stepstool as her head went through the loop, the voices rising in volume and chorus.
"Do it."
"Do it."
"Do it."
"DO IT!"
Fresh tears flow down her cheeks as she kicks the step stool from beneath her feet, feeling the drop, the crack and the sudden cutoff of air, her vision blurring fast but the tears never stopping.
Just before she fades completely into the void, an icy giggle echoes through the room and a small, female figure coalesces in front of her, a wide grin on her face as she watches the life leave Ruby's eyes, waving one hand slowly.
And in that one final moment, Ruby realized that she truly had made a mistake...
Everyone was devastated by the news, none more than Yang, who still hadn't been back to the school after 3 days, though some said they saw her drunkenly stumbling through Vale, while Blake and Weiss tried to both find her and figure out how it happened.
Jaune blamed himself for not noticing the signs, for failing a fellow team leader and close friend. Team WBY and JNPR had been given a mourning leave off class for the week, Ozpin knowing how close the two teams had been.
The leader of JNPR leaned against the wall on his bed, still rattling it around in his head when the door clicks, opening slowly to reveal his partner and friend Pyrrha, the somber expression on his face mirrored on hers.
"Jaune..."
"I know..."
She closes the door, sitting down on the bed next to him, a hand on his shoulder and a look of concern on her face.
His body sags and he lurches towards her, burying his face in her shoulders as the hot tears sting at his eyes.
Her surprise lasts only a second before she wraps both arms around him, squeezing him tightly against her as her own tears form and fall into his flaxen hair.
From outside their dorm's window, Neo's face falls to a scowl as she watches the tender display. Clearly, another obstacle needs to be removed...
A/N: Bam. May the night see you safe and the dawn greet you kindly my dear readers.
Editor's notes: This is all Machina's work, me and Loneliest are innocent. Any pitchforks and/or torches should be aimed at him, not us. We clear on that?