A/N: Hello everyone. This is the first chapter in a little side project I've decided to start working on. I'm still not ready to begin plotting/writing the sequel to RWBY Within, but the... ah... events of the Season 3 finale have left me with an itch to write. So I thought a good solution would be to write these little drabbles every now and then, covering little snippets of time from RWBY Within that was either not important enough to include in the main narrative or related to something I'd like to retroactively address. This first chapter is a little of both: I always enjoy writing interactions between Ruby and Shen, but a lot of people have asked me why I thought it was okay to let XCOM just agree to signing up team RWBY as operatives in a brutal war without question. This chapter doesn't cover how Ruby managed to convince Bradford, but rather why she wanted to do so.
Another thing: I have a few ideas for future drabbles lined up, but they will be on temporary hold while I work on a submission for /r/rwby's March MonCon. The character and theme this month are 'Pyrrha' and 'Happy Endings,' and this is something I could seriously use in my life right now. So that'll have its own story submission sometime later this month, and then I'll get back to mini-stories for Tales From The Anthill. Eventually, I'll start to formally plan for a sequel, and I'll be sure to let you know when that happens. Until then... enjoy.
Dr. Raymond Shen adhered to a very particular, very strict lunchtime schedule. At 11:55, he would begin to wind down whatever project had occupied his morning (or he would find someone to pass it off to) so that at exactly noon, the Chief Engineer could retire to his private office. Everyone down in Engineering knew of this ritual, and nobody voiced any concerns about Dr. Shen prioritizing his own lunch over whatever job came down the pipe from Bradford. After all, the elderly engineer definitely produced results, and he had a reputation for staying late on the manufacturing floor if a rush job needed to be completed now. If all it took to keep him healthy and happy was to lock himself away in his office for an hour, then everyone else in the skunkworks division had no problems accommodating their fearless leader.
Indeed, Dr. Shen considered his lunchtime in solitude to be a vital component of his daily routine. With the noises of Engineering muffled by his sound-proofed office, Shen could peacefully enjoy a carefully prepared meal and a cup of jasmine tea. From there, he could marshal his thoughts and rest his mind, allowing his thoughts to turn to his family, places he would like to visit after the war, or even the occasional side project brought to him by Dr. Vahlen. Whether or not his thoughts turned to business or pleasure, the silence allowed him to do so in a stress-free manner while he mentally rejuvenated himself for the rest of the day's work. For a man who got up at 5 am and often didn't catch any shuteye until 9 pm, he considered this one guilty pleasure of the day to be a sacred respite, the proverbial eye of the daily storm that he called a job at XCOM.
So it was with great surprise (and only a small amount of annoyance) when Dr. Shen found himself sitting across from one Ruby Rose as she unpacked the ready-made meal she apparently brought down from the mess hall. Within seconds, she tore into her food with a ferocity that the Chief Engineer hadn't seen since his young daughter discovered she had a taste for sushi. By the time Shen had finished carefully setting out all the components of his own meal and had his first sip of tea, XCOM's youngest guest was already finished with her main course and moving on to the trio of cookies that she brought with her as a dessert.
"How can you enjoy your food if you inhale it like that?" Dr. Shen asked as he took his first bite of grilled chicken.
Ruby looked up, crumbs sticking to her lips as she devoured her third cookie, "What do you mean? It tasted great!"
"And now it's gone. I'm sure the cook up in the mess hall put a lot of effort into making that pasta you brought in here, and you only gave it a minute of attention before the entire thing came to rest in your stomach." He took another, carefully measured bit of chicken and rice, letting the flavors and textures roll across his tongue before he washed it down with a sip of tea. He watched as Ruby tried to understand Shen's comment.
"But... it still tasted good!" Ruby repeated, "I had a big ol' box of goodness, and I enjoyed every second of it! Isn't that what matters?"
Shen's counterargument paused at the tip of his tongue as he considered whether this was a battle worth fighting or not. Deciding to spare himself the effort, the engineer steered the conversation in a different direction, "So... Miss Rose, isn't it? What brings you to my office?"
Ruby shrugged, "My teammates are busy doing their own things, and I was hungry, and I remembered how cool this place was, and then I saw you head into your office, and then I thought you'd be a nice person to talk to while I eat!"
The elderly engineer suppressed a small sigh. With her mouth (and thoughts) moving a mile a minute, Ruby reminded Dr. Shen of his little Lily. In that moment, Shen realized that trying to stay annoyed at his unexpected guest would be a monumental task in and of itself, and so he decided that accepting her presence during his sacred lunch hour was a preferable option over kicking her out. He took another bite of his food while Ruby watched with interest.
"I didn't see anything like that available in the mess hall. Where did you get it?" She asked.
"I made it." Shen answered, a small amount of pride leaking into his voice, "I have a well-known habit of stopping by the kitchen in my free hours to prep meals for myself. You'd be surprised how accommodating the kitchen staff is when the one asking for favors is the man responsible for keeping their equipment in working order."
"Whoa... I wish I knew how to make food like you. It smells so good..." She whispered, her eyes glazing over as she continued to stare at the food.
At that moment, Raymond Shen made a decision. Reminding himself that his first impression of this young woman was rather positive, he mentally tossed out any annoyance he still harbored regarding her intrusion. Ruby meant no disrespect by her presence, and seemed genuinely interested in Dr. Shen and his engineering team. Even though she volunteered for field duty with Bradford's crew, the Chief Engineer had a sneaking suspicion that he'd be seeing a lot more of her down here in the future. With a smile, he said, "You can. Making a good meal requires two things: practice and discipline. Not so different from field-stripping a rifle, when you think about it. I could teach you a few of my recipes if you'd like. It never hurts to have a helping hand in the kitchen, and then you'd have some nice food to look forward to after a day of training or a field op."
Ruby's eyes went wide at the offer, "You mean it? That sounds amazing! I'll try my best to pay attention and not let you down, but it might take a while for me to get the hang of this whole cooking thing."
"Of course. Any skill worth learning takes time to master." Dr. Shen picked up his cup and realized it was empty. He poured out another serving for himself before glancing over at his new friend, "Do you enjoy tea, Miss Rose?"
"Weeeeeelllllll, tea is more of Blake's thing, to be honest." Ruby admitted, "But it would be rude of me to turn down something I've never tried before!"
Shen nodded and poured out a small serving before passing it to Ruby. He watched with interest as she took a sip, then frowned slightly when she started choking. With a red face and cough-induced tears running down her cheeks, Ruby flashed Dr. Shen an apologetic smile.
"Definitely more of Blake's thing." She said before passing the cup back to the Chief Engineer, "Though I'm glad I tried it."
Shen nodded, and the two of them settled into a comfortable silence as the engineer continued to eat his food while Ruby let her eyes wander around the room. She noted that, even though he had access to a very well-equipped manufacturing floor down below, Dr. Shen kept a personal work bench up in his office. A minor detail, but one that Ruby could respect. As an aficionado of the engineering arts herself, she knew the value in having a private workspace where one could just tinker away in peace.
"So why did you do it?"
The old man's question snapped Ruby out of her musings, and she turned to face her host once more, "I'm sorry?"
"Why did you do it? Volunteer for operative duty, that is."
Ruby blinked, as if confused by the question, "Why not? It's a chance to do the right thing and gain valuable experience in the process."
Shen sighed. He'd seen so many rookies head out to their first mission all cocky and gung-ho, only to return with a broken spirit and that unmistakable Thousand-Yard Stare, "It's also chance to get yourself killed, Miss Rose. I know that you and your friends have trained for most of your lives as warriors. It's plain to see from your weapons alone that you are well-equipped to face danger. But many of the men and women of XCOM have spent more time training to fight than you have been alive, my friend. No amount of training will stop death's swift embrace when a Thin Man catches you unaware and scores a lucky shot between your eyes."
Ruby's bright demeanor immediately dampened at Shen's words, yet he knew the young woman needed to hear them, "This is a war that you have no stake in, a war on a planet completely removed from your own. Why risk your lives and fight when you have conflicts at home waiting for you? You could even help in other ways. I'd never turn away capable help, and you are obviously capable. Why risk your life on the battlefield?"
Shen watched as Ruby chewed on the question. He knew that Bradford harbored similar concerns about fielding XCOM's newest guests on Strike operations, but the girls were adamant that the Central Officer give them the chance to prove their worth. Perhaps hearing it from a friendly old man would be enough to help the huntresses realize the folly in their decision.
"Because I must."
... Or not.
"Oh?" Shen asked, trying to hide the disappointment in his eyes, "And why is that?"
"Because helping people who are in danger is the core of who I am." Ruby answered, "Huntresses are often called upon by their nation to assist remote towns and villages in far-off lands, regions that they have no personal attachment to, and they never say no. Because the moment they do, where is the line drawn? At what point do they finally say 'this is close enough to home to be worth fighting for.' And if the world beyond that boundary falls to ruin due to their inaction, who do they have to blame but themselves? The people of those villages have lives that matter, friends and family that care about them. Just because I don't know who they are doesn't mean it's right for me to judge whether or not they are worth fighting for."
"But someone else can fight for them instead." Shen argued, "Someone who has a vested interest in the survival of their comrades, who will fight tooth-and-nail to protect them. Their personal stake in the battle would allow these people to fight with the zeal of ten men who are otherwise only there because of their orders."
Ruby nodded, "It's a fair point, sir, and one I've considered myself in the past. However, I have a story that might help you understand my reasons a little better. I once saw a small flyer designed to convince young men and women to join combat schools and become hunters and huntresses to fight off the Grimm. All my friends thought it was stupid, but it stuck with me, and I remember the four phrases to this very day: 'First the Grimm came for Mistral, and I did not fight - for I was not Mistrali. Then they came for Vacuo, and I did not fight - for I was not Vacuan. Then they came for Atlas, and I did not fight - for I was not Atlesian. Then they came for Vale - and there was no one left to fight for me.' "
Dr. Shen stared at Ruby. For someone so young, the quote was surprisingly deep. Ruby took his silence as permission to continue, "I'd be a fool to pretend the danger in this war is nonexistent. But I'd be a greater fool to pretend that the only fight worth fighting is the one that's close to home. Not only is it right, but it's my life's calling."
"It sounds like you haven't experienced war yet. Not truly." Shen said, still not completely convinced.
"You're right," Ruby admitted, "I haven't. But given the life path I've chosen, I will have to some day. Despite what my sister may think, I have a pretty good idea what the life of a huntress holds in store for me. And if the horrors of battle do break me? Well, then maybe it's better to get it over with now and learn to build myself back up with the help of people like you, Mr. Bradford. and... and Dr. Vahlen." She finished with a mumble. Shen couldn't help but chuckle, given that the guests had only met the Chief Scientist twice and were already hesitant to bring up her name in conversation.
After a moment to recover from the brief comic relief, Dr. Shen sighed. He'd apparently have to accept the fact that Ruby was dead set on fighting in this war, "Then I suppose it will be my duty to provide you with the equipment necessary to keep you and your friends safe while you're here." He finished his second cup of tea and went about pouring himself another, "It's an honorable thing you're doing, Miss Rose. Foolish, in my opinion... but honorable nonetheless."
She offered a smile at the Chief Engineer, "And who knows? Maybe after we win this war together, you and Mr. Bradford will help us with our problems."
Before Dr. Shen could answer, the intercom speakers carried the Central Officer's voice into the room: Strike Eight, please report to the training facilities.
Shen glanced up at the speaker before turning back to Ruby with a smile, "Well, I suppose it was a good idea for you to wolf your food down after all. You better run along if you don't want to keep Bradford waiting. Oh, and Ruby?"
The young huntress stopped at the door and looked back when the Chief Engineer called her name. He hesitated for a moment before finally adding, "I always have my lunch hour from noon until one. Feel free to stop by if you find yourself with some free time on your hands."
Ruby grinned, "Count on it."