Welp this has been skulking on my hard drive for awhile and I figured I'd post the first chapter of it. Hope you all enjoy.
"Weiss, you said we'd go to the dance together, and now I find out you said yes to Neptune!"
Ruby was upset with her girlfriend, and Weiss knew it. However, Weiss knew if her father found out that she was dating a girl, he'd kill Ruby without a second thought. She'd do anything to keep her safe. Even if she had to lie to her face, she'd get over it in time, and hopefully not hate her afterwards.
"Ruby, you know I wish we could go together, truly I do, but if my father finds out he'll pull me out of Beacon in a heartbeat. I can't let that happen, nobody is going to stop me from achieving my dream, not even you!"
Weiss's soft voice was almost shouting at the end of her tirade, and Ruby flinched back, her silver eyes going wide with shock and hurt. Weiss noticed this immediately but was too late to say anything as her girlfriend disappeared in a shower of rose petals, leaving the Heiress alone in their shared dorm, her eyes starting to water.
With her knees drawn up to her chin Ruby silently sobbed, her shoulders shaking. Why was Weiss acting like this? They had been so close, 'till she had called her father last week.
Maybe Ozpin was wrong, maybe she wasn't cut out to be a leader, a friend, partner, girlfriend… sister. Even Yang had taken to listening to Weiss over her the last couple of weeks, and the less said about Blake the better.
She was trying to improve for them, really she was. In fact, she had shot up the combat rankings, and had even asked for help with her studies from one of the seniors. Yet… her attempts never seemed good enough. JNPR had taken to ignoring her whenever Weiss wasn't around, due to Jaune's idiotic crush on her girlfriend notwithstanding, and everyone knew Pyrrha had it bad for him, so no attention was spared. Nora was dead set on the idea Ruby was a cheating phony, and had said as much in their last sparring session. Ren seemed to be the only one acting normally around her, yet even then he followed Nora's whims.
Burying her face into her knees, she pulled herself into a ball and cried harder, the stress of everything slowly falling apart around her finally getting to her. Maybe she should just leave Beacon... Everyone would be happier if she-
"Lil' Red, that you? Whatcha' doing out so late?"
Hearing the familiar voice so close to her caused Ruby's head to snap up, tears flying over the designer scarf of the girl bending down to look at her as the older girl pulled her glasses down.
"C-Coco, what are you doing here? I thought you were still on that Extermination mission?"
Her voice stammered as she looked at Coco Adel, Second Year, First Ranked Combatant in the school, who was also her mentor, and her friend.
"Why Lil' Red, I'm hurt. You know I always bring you back a souvenir on these missions, and I heard from a little birdy that you and Ice Queen had a fight, sooo I brought you this!"
As Coco said this she held up a red bottle with a comical drawing on the front, a Strawberry Ice Cap; Ruby's favorite drink. It made Ruby's eyes light up with excitement as she hopped up, her eyes shining like stars, forcing Coco to stand up straight pushing her sunglasses back up to the bridge of her nose with a small grin.
"You got me a Strawberry Ice Cap? How?! They're only available in the summer time for two weeks, and you even have to reserve them!" Ruby bounced up and down on the balls of her feet during her tirade, her earlier worries momentarily forgotten. Coco laughed happy to see the girl she was mentoring, and even starting to think of as a younger sibling, happy again.
"You can thank Velv, Lil' Red. It was her idea to get you this; I wanted to bring you back a designer scarf to match mine, but she pointed out you aren't nearly as into fashion as much as me."
Coco's smile became a smirk, and she handed the bottle to Ruby, who gleefully popped the top and started sipping the drink from the bottles built in straw.
Taking four big gulps from the Ice Cap, Ruby noticed Coco starring at her, a pensive look on her face. She looked Ruby up and down once making her nervous, before her smirk came back and she pulled the girl into a hug. making Ruby squeak while trying not to have her drink crushed.
Ruby stammered against Coco's chest, her cheeks red and her voice partially muffled.
"Why are you hugging me all of a sudden?!"
Coco only sighed, her smirk still on her face as she buried her face into the Reaper's hair.
"Oh Lil' Red; you don't have to try and hide it, I know you're upset, just let it all out, let Coco take care of you tonight."
The red left her cheeks as her earlier feelings came rushing back, immediately dampening her mood. Ruby's hands shook as the clenched her drink and she buried her face deeply into Coco's chest, her previous sobs coming back full force as she bawled her eyes out, most likely ruining the older girl's designer clothes.
Everything that had been happening had finally caused her to reach her breaking point, but at least she had Coco. And, even if she didn't realize it, she had the rest of team CFVY too. Yatsuhashi, Fox, and Velvet stood a little bit away, a sad smile gracing Velvet's face, as they watched the girl they had taken under their wing break down in their Leader's arms.
Coco, however, looked murderous, as she kept a tight hold on the girl she could no longer deny as thinking of as a sister.
'Tch, damn Goodwitch, and damn her sister. They bloody know these rumors about Ruby are false, I told the headmaster this would happen if he let it go on, but no he had 'Faith' in his staff. Well the staff have made it worse, and the next time I get Xiao long in the ring, I'm going to make damn sure she knows how badly she messed up.'
They stood like that for almost an hour as Ruby cried, before she eventually cried herself to sleep. Coco picked bridal style her up, making sure to keep Ruby's drink stable and secure, passing it to Velvet, and walked back to CFVY's dorm room, her team following behind her silently, each unknowingly sharing the thoughts of their Leader.
Two weeks later, night of the Dance
"Hurry up Lil' Red, the dance starts in twenty minutes."
Cocos muffled voice came through the door to team CFVY's bathroom where Ruby was putting on the dress Coco had suggested she get,it was dark red, the bottom came to just above her knees, both her arms were left bare and there was a semi transparent cloth that covered from her chest to around her neck.
All in all she had to say she looked good, Coco really knew her fashion. But that was for another time, if she didn't hurry up Ruby was sure Coco would break the door down and drag her out...she'd done it before.
"I'll just be a minute Co' , just gotta psyche myself up ya know, I have been avoiding my team every chance I got for the past two weeks. Just..if I end up leaving early don't let that stop you and Velv from having a good time."
Ruby took a shuddering breath before she looked at herself in the mirror, not hearing Cocos reply and nodded, she could do this, she was stronger then Weiss gave her credit for.
Her self pep psyche finished she turned around and walked to the door, not noticing her scroll lay forgotten on the sink.
Opening the door she saw Coco standing off to the side and saw her give a once over, and whistle. Ruby felt her face turn atomic red, and she tried to shy away before Coco grabbed her and and tugged her over to here where Velvet stepped out from behind.
"Looking good Red, you'll have the Weiss wishing she hadn't lied to you in no time, and then she'll be beating all the guys and gals off you with a stick."
Hearing the normally shy Velvet say that caused Ruby's blush to go nuclear and she stuttered, trying to deny it.
"Cmon Velv, don't tease her to much sides' who says it has to be the Ice Queen, could be any lucky gal that sweeps lil red off her feet. Ice Queen had her chance and she fucked it to grimm."
Vevlet shook her head in amusement, Coco really, didn't like Weiss. Oh well it wasn't any skin off her back.
"Maybe we should leave before we're late, I dunno about you two but I do have to be there for the opening ceremony, Professor Ozpin assigned my team to set the whole dance up. Plus..I kinda have to sign off on the fog machines Yang wanted so if I don't go there might be some very unhappy fellow students."
Hearing Ruby babble brought a smile to Cocos face and she shook her head, really she needed to loosen up tonight.
"Fine fine, we can leave."
Holding her right arm out for Velvet who took it and her left arm out for Ruby who also took it the trio made their way out of the dorm room, Fox and Yatsuhashi forgotten.
Fox hearing the door shut peaked out from behind the closet door before he breathed a sigh of relief.
"They're gone Yatsu, we can hit the town now."
Yatsuhashi, who had been pretending to get ready stopped, he really hoped Coco wouldn't pay them back for skipping out on the dance.
"Alright, but if Coco catches us ditching the dance, I'm blaming you."
Fox only scoffed in amusement.
As they neared the Auditorium, Ruby couldn't help but ask something that had been on her mind since they had left the dorm room.
"So why aren't Fox, and Yatsuhashi coming to the dance tonight?"
Ruby's question caused Coco to chuckle and Velvet to smile. A smirk graced
"It's poetry night for Yatsuhashi, and Fox just plain hates anything to do with dressing up, I think he also had a date."
Ruby's face made an 'o' before she looked at Coco with a Irridiculous expression.
"Yatsuhashi does poetry? Really? I never would have thought."
Nodding Velvet snickers, her bunny ears twitching in amusement.
"He wasn't very good at all when he started, I had to listen to him constantly, since hes my partner. But hes gotten really good and is actually in the running for 'Best Poet In Vale'. I'm proud of him."
"Hes a real heart-stealer our Yatsuhashi, we have to beat the girls off him with a stick most the time. Poetry chicks dig the strong silent type, who knew."
This was accentuated by a shrug of Cocos shoulders.
"As for Fox...Well...he gets around...a lot...male or female hes usually 'tapping dat' in his words. Hes a bit of a play boy."
A light blush dusted Ruby's cheeks at the thought, causing both Coco and Velvet to laugh, trust their Lil' Red to be Innoccent.
Any further conversation was cut off as they walked through the auditoriums open doors and up to the sign in podium where Ruby's sister Yang Xiao Long was standing, said girl smiled a blinding smile at Ruby before rushing over.
"Rubes, you finally showed up, and you look beautiful!"
Yangs smile was beaming as she swept her sister from the fashionistas arm and spun her around in a hug. Her smile however dimmed when she saw the small smile Ruby had didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Yang put me down! I don't want my dress to get all crumpled, especially after all the trouble Coco went to, helping me pick out one that matched my theme."
Ruby's exclamation drew a bit of attention from Blake, who frowned, but otherwise went unheard over the music. It did however cause the light in Yangs eyes to dim. Setting Ruby down she hugged her again.
"Alright, alright, I'll let you go for tonight Rubes but we're spending some quality sibling time tomorrow, we'll make it a day to remember."
Yang's face was cheerful as she had Ruby sign the fog machine forms, and then she watched as the trio signed the log, but her thoughts were a storm and as soon as her sister and her friends, were out of site her smile dropped and her eyes flickered from Violet to Red briefly.
'Sister stealing bitch, I , should have been the one to help her with that dress. If she thinks I'll give Ruby up without a fight she has another thing coming. Shes my sister no one else's, I've already lost two moms and dads a wreck, I Won't , let Ruby disappear from my life to.'
Putting a cheerful facade back up she walked back over to the podium and waited for the next students to walk in, not noticing Blake look at her worriedly.
Jaune Arc glared at the bottle in his hand, Weiss's father had made an offer he couldn't refuse. A Betrothal contract with the girl of his dreams in return for one favor...but could he do it...could he poison the first friend he'd made at Beacon. The girl who'd helped him time and time again with his insecurities?
He knew they were dating, hell the whole school knew, despite them trying to hide it and he was jealous of Ruby, but...was it really worth hurting her? Looking up he saw Ruby enter the dance, arm in arm with Coco and Velvet, all three laughing without a care in the world.
'No...no it isn't...I won't stoop to such a low level, Ruby's my friend...my best friend...Jaques Schnee can go to hell contract or no contract.'
Shoving the bottle back into his dress pocket he walked away, putting a smile on his face as he walked towards Ruby. Unaware three separate pairs of eyes had seen the bottle, one of which glared at Jaune and the other two narrowed in suspicion.
Emerald lightly elbowed Mercury in the gut as he snapped another photo with his scroll, and whispered lowly to him.
"Cut it out you're gonna raise suspicions if you keep snapping photos of the dimwitt."
Mercury scoffed before reluctantly putting his scroll away, turning his attention to Emerald he spoke just loud enough that only Emerald could hear it over the music.
"Yea I know that but didn't Cinder tell us to get as much dirt as we can on the students? Cause that vial, Dorkster has? It's the same kinda poison my 'father' would use to take care of pesky nuisances. My guess is someone is gonna get axed tonight, and the more photos we have the better."
Emerald seemed taken back by the dark look in his eyes, she knew his father was a taboo subject, but this is the first time she had seen the look in his eyes up close. She nodded silently and went back to watching the party guests, the cheerful Reaper drawing her attention as she was spun around the dance floor by two older girls. Coco Adel, and Velvet Scarlentia if she remembered correctly.
The girls seemed to be having a grand time, though from the way the Schnee Heiress was glaring at the two of them before making soft doe like eyes at the Reaper, something told her that a fight, or confrontation would be happening as her date looked put out.
?'S Pov
Narrowed eyes watched as Jaune didn't do what he was hired for, his employer was right not to trust him, luckily he had offered him a nice bonus for getting rid of the red haired pest.
Jaune would most likely take the fall to which was all the more sweeter to him, after all Nikos would need some extra 'Comforting' after this debacle, the boy she likes poisoning a friend of hers.
He slipped the vial of Deathstalker Venom into his wrist mounted dropper, one drop is all it would take. Slipping around the dance floor he passed by the table Rose and her dyke friends were using for themselves, thankfully Ruby's glass of Strawberry Milkshake was near the edge.
Making a show of tightening his gloves as he walked he passed his hand over the glass dropping three drops into the cup, by this time tomorrow the pest would be gone and he'd be much happier.
He slipped into the washroom to get an alibi and proceeded to text his Employer on his scroll, the Head Schnee would be happy his daughter would no longer be tainted, and with any luck he'd be banging her all night long once Papa Schnee finalized the marriage contract.
Ruby was red faced as she stepped outside for some air, inside on the dance floor was stiffing hot, she'd even chugged back her entire milkshake. The heat seemed to be getting worse however as she stood outside in the cool air, it doing nothing to help.
However as she tried to catch her bearings she noticed a figure running across the dormitory roof tops, they were from what she could see lithe, wearing a leather catsuit, she couldn't get a good look at their face however.
She watched them hop down to the CTT entrance moving out of sight. Perplexed she decided to go find out what was happening, her state of mind hampering her rational thought as she ran towards the CTT.
Reaching for her scroll she found it missing, causing her to scowl, she wouldn't have her baby with her it seemed, still she pressed on as she saw the unconscious guards. Atlesian Peace Keepers, supposed to be the cream of the crop.
Reaching for one of the unconscious guards pulse rifles she grabbed it and slung it on her back, before grabbing the other guards rifle. She mentally recalled the specs of this rifle, having just studied it earlier this week while looking for upgrades to Crescent Rose.
"AC-90 Pulse Rifle, 300 shot charge clip, has an effective range of 800 meters, pulse shots lose effectiveness and dissipate after that. Under-slung stun grenade launcher in place of the normal shotgun, and the rifles locked to stun mode. Must be configured for riots."
With the second rifle in her hands and the first one slung on her back she made her way into the building, noting more unconscious guards, including one green armored one.
'Ranger, Atlas special forces, damn whoever did this is good, because Rangers only accept veteran hunters into their forces.'
She stepped into the elevator and almost collapsed as another wave of heat hit her, her legs almost buckling and the pulse rifle on her back clanking as she hit the elevators back. She slid to the floor in a boneless heap and panted, her head pounding, and her body feeling like it was both on fire and being frozen at the same exact time.
She stayed like this for the entire elevator ride, the only thing keeping her conscious was her sheer stubbornness.
I owe alot of this to Jin0ugas help, they helped me out with the plot and ideas much more than I could have ever asked for.
Also a Cyber cookie to whoever figures out who poisoned her ^.^