A/N
-Note- If I for anytime refer to this story as either a one-shot or two-shot, I'm wrong. I don't know what to call this now since it now has three chapters. Three-shot? I really don't know. Thanks! -Note-
*UPDATE* Massive rewrite of the story. I kept the general plot and the section from the beginning, but I changed the bulk of the story and the ending which I thought was previously very rushed and lousy. I have beefed it up so much, it has now become a two shot. Second part is half done, probably upload that later tonight. Regardless, I hope this rewrite will be more … pleasing. Enjoy! *UPDATE*
This is a two-shot based off of an artwork/AU created by medukarrrabu on tumblr. I don't want to get into too much detail about the AU since you'll understand anyways when you read the story. Any who, I was having some trouble thinking of a flowing way to transfer into the next chapter of Economy, so I just wrote this for some fun (and angst). I don't know why, but writing sad stuff makes me feel good.
Well, here you have it, Ethereal my first one-shot-to-become-two-shot-then-to-become-something-I-don't-know-what-to-call. Eh. Enjoy!
====Ethereal====
"Help her!" Screamed a white haired girl, bearing an expression so pale and so frightened she could almost be described as a ghoul. Her originally priceless and snow white clothes were painted with a merciless portrait of blood. But she paid no attention to the crimson slime that dripped from the hems of her skirt, for there was nothing more important than the situation at hand. Nothing.
"Miss I've done all I can. The Ursa cut much too deeply into her and she's already lost too much blood."
"There has to be something else you can do!"
"Well … my recommendation is for the team to prepare for the worst case scenario."
"Worst case scenario? Are you mad? You're a doctor! Do something!"
"I've already temporarily stemmed the bloody flow. I've casted her fractured bones. I've lessened her suffering and pain. It's all I CAN do. But I'm worried there is permanent organ damage that we cannot fix."
"At least try!"
"I'm sorry. I've been a doctor for twenty years and I know where this is goin-"
"JUST PLEASE DO SOMETHING."
"Miss, there's nothing more to be-"
"PLEASE!"
The man hesitated, glancing at the operating table behind him. On it lay a young girl, surrounded by a crowd of men and women dressed like ghosts. Their bodies were clad in white cloth, with their hands stained red with blood. They hovered over the unconscious girl, passing glances, and discussing, but not one of them was helping. Not one. No one even tried. It was as if they really were ghosts, prepared to take the young girl with them to god knows where.
"Please…"
The man sighed. "There is something."
He gave a quick nod to one the ghosts.
"What I'm about to do, will cause her extreme pain. It's ... not exactly allowed. But, right now, it is the only way I can think of to even have a remote chance to save her. Do you understand?"
"Ex-extreme pain?"
"Yes. Are you certain you want to go through with this?"
"Will it save her?"
"As of now, it's her only chance, as slim as it may be. But know this. If she doesn't not come back, she will suffer in her last moments. You have to be sure about this miss. I will not and cannot do anything until you tell me you are certain."
"I-I-"
"Ma'am, to do this, we need time, which is something we are on the verge of running out."
"Can you do it without hurting her?"
"Highly unlikely."
"Um."
"I need an answer now or it will be too late for anything."
The girl bit her nails, as her legs fought to keep her frail form from collapsing. Either extreme pain for a chance of life, or a peaceful but certain end. The decision was simple. She would not lose her. She would not lose her partner.
"D-Do it."
The Doctor instantly turned to the operating table, issuing a continual stream of commands to the ghosts who quickly set to work. They grabbed knives, plugged in wires, attached monitors, and prepared syringes. They scurried around like rats, hurriedly preparing for the procedure.
"Everything will be fine…" The girl mumbled to herself, watching nervously as she clutched tightly to the door frame to keep from falling. "We'll go back to Beacon perfectly fine. Nobody is going to die."
She looked down, seeing her own wounds secrete the ugly red ooze, but in the heat of the moment, she felt no pain, except in her beating heart. "She'll be alright. I'll be alright. Everything's alright."
Suddenly like a bolt of thunder, a massive scream tore through the entire hospital. The girl who previously lay unmoving on the operating table began to writhe in agony, frightening even the solemn ghosts around her. As the white figures scrambled to control the situation, the girl continued to move in erratic motions knocking over tools, pulling out wires and bumping into machinery.
"Sedate her!" One of the ghosts shouted.
Several needles plunged into the pale skin of the girl, injecting its juices in an attempt to quell the pain and stem the movements.
Another scream pierced the white haired girl's ear and into her soul, who quickly covered them with her hands. "Oh no… please … I'm doing this to her. I'm the one who's making her scream. I let them do this to her. Oh god. She's suffering so much. But it's her only chance…"
Through her hands, the only noises she could hear were muffled commands of the doctor, the excruciating screams, and the constant … endless … beeping.
Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep.
"Oh god… oh god."
She watched the doctors around the girl grow more and more frantic in their actions, as they forced the squirming girl beneath her to stay still. She watched with watery eyes as the doctors continued to plunge needles into the young girl's flesh, continued to cut the girl with their vicious scalpels, continued to offer quivering commands to each other.
"Please live. Oh god, please let her live through this."
Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep – beep – beep.
"She's going unconscious!" Screamed a doctor as the girl's eyes begin to flutter and close.
Beep – beep –beep
"Prepare the defibrillator!"
Beep .. beep
"What… what's going on…" The white haired girl entire bloody began to shake, as she realized what was happening. "No…"
"Her heart has stopped sir!"
"Now!"
"Clear!" A ghost shouted, sticking the two metal plates flat onto the chest of the silent girl, who jumped once.
"Clear!"
The girl watched desperately for some change, but the monitor remained a single unwavering green line.
"Clear!"
A flat green line.
The ghosts backed away from the operating table. "That's three times. What now sir?"
One of them froze for a second, but gently placed his scalpel on a metal tray. "4:14 am, Thursday, fourth of April."
"No…" The trembling girl ran up to the operating table, pushing past the white figures, who gave way without complaint. "NOOOOO!"
She cupped the unconscious girl's face, rubbing circles on her cold, hard cheeks. "Wake up! Please! Wake up!"
Nothing.
"NO!" She shook the girl's head madly, "WAKE UP YOU IDIOT! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!"
The ghosts stood around the two girls, hands by their sides, in utter silence. '
It didn't how much she shook her head, how much she screamed, the girl's eyes never opened, not even a small flutter to signify the possibility of life.
"No." The white haired girl dipped her head down, touching her forehead to the other girl's hoping for some sort of reaction. Some sort of comforting warmth to console her, to tell her it was going to be alright. But all she found was cold lifeless skin.
"Wake up. Please. I can't lose you now."
But what good do words do, when the ears could not receive.
Death had come, and his scythe had reaped.
====Ethereal====
Three things lay in front of Weiss.
A Scythe.
A Cloak.
And a single red rose.
The odd items lay neatly discarded at the feet of a slab of stone. On its smooth surface, carved with bright white paint, was a name, a name Weiss would never forget. A name Weiss had called out to in greeting. A name Weiss had called out in irritation. A name Weiss had had the honour to call a partner for the past year. But nonetheless, A name Weiss would no longer be able to even think about without feeling a sharp pain in her small heart.
Ruby Rose.
Huntress, Sister, Teammate, Friend and a true Leader.
July 2nd, 1999 – April 4th, 2014
It was a dim red autumn afternoon, decaying leaves drifted around her in a swirl of chaos. A blood orange sun hung lazily above a field of stones and slabs. Weiss knelt, alone, and in silence. Having been unable to persuade the heiress to leave with them, Yang and Blake had already left hours ago. Yet, she still remained after all these hours. For the entire time, not a single word or sound came from her mouth. Nothing disturbed the deathly tranquillity. No stone dared to drop into the picturesque lake. No birds dared to sing their happy songs. Not even the winds dared to whistle through the trees.
Weiss had her eyes closed, her ponytail trailing behind her back and pooling onto the ground. Abandoning her former white skirt and jacket, she had worn a simple black dress. She never expected to ever have to wear such a foreboding dress in all her teenage life. Never has she even pondered the possibility of death. Her team was doing so well, accomplishing more missions than any other. The closest competitor was a mere ant compared to the recognition and reputation they have attained. But now, it has come to a screeching end. Team RWBY was no more.
Yes, their names will go down in history. Yes, their names will be on the tongues of mothers in ages to come. Yes, their names will be engraved on a plaque to be revered. Why wouldn't they be? But not for being successful. Not for accomplishing so much. But for failing. For being the first team in the history of Beacon Academy to ever lose a teammate.
Weiss hands were placed gingerly on her lap, as she knelt beneath the stern face of her former partner's grave. She could feel the dry murky leaves around her pitter patter lightly onto her shoulders and lap. She slowly cracked her eye open, gazing into the endless skies and floating clouds above. How peaceful, how free… How ironic.
The most confident, loved and brave member of RWBY. Slain by the very thing, they had trained to kill.
Crescent Rose. The weapon which Ruby used to defend herself, to defend her team, to defend Weiss had now been reduced to a piece of scrap. A weapon which no one would ever wield again. On its side, multiple claw marks could be seen, illustrating the story of a long and terrifying fight. Weiss traced her finger along the deep etches and jags that outlined the wound. She could see the intricate working of metal and gears within Ruby's weapon, a result of years and years of work and perfection, only to become a piece of unsalvageable garbage.
You could still be alive.
Weiss did not cry. She had had her fill of tears and sadness during the ceremony. It was a short and sweet memorial, just like Ruby. Team JNPR was there, Sun and Neptune was there, Ozpin was there, and team RWBY- team WBY now- of course attended. Everyone had something to say about Ruby, a loving memory or a heart-warming tale. But Weiss could only listen in solitary sadness for she had almost nothing to say. While everyone had befriended with Ruby, Weiss remained cold and distant. While others had chatted with Ruby, Weiss scolded her. While other students had invited Ruby to them, Weiss pushed her away.
And now? With Ruby in the ground. Now she wishes to spend some time alone… to just talk. Something Weiss should've done for the past year. But she didn't know how to start. There was no way she could. Not naturally. She didn't even know if they were friends. They were simply teammates. Was this even normal for Weiss to just strike up small talk to a slab of rock?
"Um hello Ruby. I-" Weiss voice came very quietly, trembling and uncertain, "We have never really talked before. As Friends! And well, I just wanted to –um."
Weiss sighed, "I sure hope you're enjoying yourself in heaven. I hear it's great there. Everything you could possibly need."
"I bet your eating your fill of cookies, and hunting your fill of grimm." Weiss chuckled lightly. "Have you ridden on a nevermore yet? The ones in heaven probably soar much higher than the one you and I rode."
"I still remember when I agreed to that insane plan. You wouldn't believe how angry I was when you ditched me? I had to be saved by scraggly for god sakes!"
"And then you, being the child you are, had to rush into the fight, giving me no choice but to save you from that Death Stalker. A very close call if I recall correctly."
Weiss exhaled a long breath, placing a hand on the cold surface of the stone, her eyes getting foggy. "The good ol' times. Do you remember Ruby? We defeated it in the end. Together. Now… I-"
Weiss shook her head, lightly rubbing her eyes with one hand.
"You know I saw that Ursa behind you. I truly did."
"I saw it, but I-I didn't do anything. I just stood there like an idiot. "
"You'll be fine, I told myself. You can take care of yourself. I had a mob of Beowulfs to take care of anyways."
"So I remained, waiting for you to spill its guts while I did likewise to my opponents."
She clenched her jaws.
"Who knew it was you who bled first."
"Who knew you, Ms. Don't-worry-about-me, would be unable to defend yourself."
Weiss squeezed her eyes shut.
"I tried to get to you in time."
"I used my glyphs and I fired my dust at that Ursa. I got there and I cut that bastard into pieces. Into pieces so small you could barely see them. That wretch was a cloud of blood by the time I was done with it. I was so angry and so enraged!"
"But when I bent down to help you… you-"
Weiss swallowed, giving herself a couple of seconds to calm down.
"Do you still remember at the beginning of the year?"
Weiss waited for a couple of seconds as if somewhere and somehow she would hear a voice. A sweet, melodic voice that would utter a sincere and whole-hearted reply. The same voice that greeted her with a zeal whenever they saw each other, the same voice that would laugh in glee at the slightest joke, the same voice that comforted Weiss whenever she got too impatient or angry, the same voice that Weiss used to hate hearing. But now… when nothing came. When so sound at all was heard. She searched for it; she scoured for it. It had, in an instant, become something Weiss longed for, but something she would never hear again.
"Remember when I told you that you were an idiot? A child? That you wouldn't last long enough as a huntress?"
Uncontrollably and unexpectedly, Weiss began to sniffle. She swallowed a huge lump in her throat that had formed in the hours of kneeling. She bent down, grabbing the thin red cloak with her hand, feeling the soft silky red linen.
"G-Guess I was right." Weiss tried to force a smile. "You dolt."
"I told you to be careful. Be more attentive." Weiss grasped the cloak with two hands, fists clenched on it until her knuckles went white.
"I told you. Didn't I? I told you to be smarter. To stop being a child."
"But you didn't! You kept being the same klutz you always were!"
"I TOLD YOU TO THINK BEFORE YOU DO" Weiss ripped a shred off the cloak. "BUT YOU-"
"YOU DIDN'T LISTEN!" She tore another piece off.
"YOU DIDIN'T LISTEN TO ME!" Krrrrr!
"I TOLD YOU SO MANY TIMES!"
"BUT!" Krrrrr! "YOU!" Krrrr! "WOULDN'T!" Krrrr! "LISTEN!" Krrrr! Weiss screamed the last word into the skies, as she tossed the pieces of red cloth in her hands into the air, letting it blow up like confetti.
Weiss sniffed. "I tried-"
The red strands floated slowly down around her, blending in with the dead autumn leaves.
"I told you to be smarter. To be more diligent. To be less clumsy." Weiss said choking on her own words.
"And- And well… Look at you now." Weiss looked up expecting a pair of apologetic silver eyes, remorseful as always for disappointing Weiss, her 'best-est' teammate. But all she saw was the unwavering and ominous glare of her grave. The marker of Ruby's death. The undeniable proof that Ruby was gone.
Weiss picked up the lone rose that lay obscure underneath a piece of red cloth. A thorn bit into her finger, but she didn't care. She hugged the flower close to her chest, wrapping it safely with a piece of ripped red cloth.
"Ruby I-I couldn't even say good bye."
====Ethereal====
It was a long walk back to Beacon, but it felt good to finally move around. Weiss had stayed with Ruby until the Sun plunged into the world beyond the mountains, leaving the skies a murky starless black.
Her feet slid across the sidewalk, her back lacking the high class straightness she used to relentlessly upkeep. Her eyes lacked the vibrancy and livelihood as she did when she was with Ruby. Her eyes lacked the attentiveness she herself once proudly possessed. In one hand, gripped tightly and firmly was a small withering rose, whose petals had already begun to fall. It was wrapped in a scrap of red cloth, damp with tears and blood. Weiss clenched the cloth so tightly, her hand hurt, but to hell with it. She wasn't willing to let the only thing she had to herself, that reminded her of Ruby, to simply float away into the night.
Weiss's eyes were red and puffy, but no tears came. She sniffled, she choked, but her eyes refused to get watery. It was cruel. Her partner was gone and she wasn't even given the pleasure to cry, to let her feelings out, to lessen the pain and agony she felt in her chest. To show Ruby –wherever she was in heaven- that she truly cared about her. Weiss had told herself, it's because she was tough and only the weak cry. She had held in her tears during the ceremony; she had held them in at the cemetery, but now, as she walked alone, she realised tears were all she had left to give.
For her entire life, Weiss felt as if she were above everyone. Unique, rich, intelligent. She placed top in her class for everything. She was singled out as exemplary in any subject. Despite her rather solitary life, being alone at the top, Ruby was still able to slip in through a gap in Weiss's fortified heart. For the time Weiss had spent at Beacon, in spite of her vicious coldness to Ruby, Weiss had never felt so belonging and so important to anyone in her entire life. Not her mother, not her father, no. The person Weiss had finally for once allowed to stay in her heart, was a stupid, careless child. A stupid, carless child Weiss could never take off her mind. To have such a person snatched from her before she was even allowed a chance to express her true feelings was soul crushing. Weiss had never felt so abandoned, so tricked and so empty in her entire life.
What if I never knew you? I wouldn't be suffering. I wouldn't have had to suffer those late nights teaching you things you should already know. I wouldn't have had to suffer when you were upset with a bad grade. I wouldn't have had to suffer to put up with your foolish nonsense. I sure as hell wouldn't be sulking around in the streets at night just because you're gone. I wouldn't have suffered. It was all because of you.
Weiss saw the glimmering lights of Beacon academy begin to appear through the murky fog. She used to think Beacon was such a beautiful place. A prestigious school for teaching huntresses and hunters that she had always dreamed of attending. Now it is nothing but a big box filled with memories of Ruby. Professor port's class room: the place where Ruby cheered Weiss on in her battle against the boarbatusk. The mess hall: the mess hall in which team RWBY defeated team JNPR in an epic food battle. The ball room: the ball room where Weiss first began to feel something she never have felt before. At the time though, she couldn't place her finger on it. But as time passed, the more time she spent with Ruby, the greater the feeling grew. By the time she truly realized what it meant though, it was too late. Too late to tell Ruby. Too late to confess.
It had been at least 2 hours before she faced the familiar double doors that led to the dorms. Weiss rubbed her eyes, attempting to get rid of any signs of sadness or weakness. She sighed, before pushing open the door slowly and walking grimly into the building.
The dorms used to be packed with people telling jokes, running around, having fun, but tonight it was dead silent. Everyone was in their rooms. All the doors were closed. And it was quiet.
Thank god. I don't know if I can stand a bunch of rowdy teenagers right now.
Weiss slumped up the stairs to the dorms, yawning a couple of times.
Weiss opened the door into her team's room, not a thought in her mind. Yang stood with a sheepish grin on her face, obviously hiding a wretched burning rage within herself, prepared to unleash and wipe the grimm off the face of a the planet.
"Hi guys." Weiss muttered.
Blake looked up from her bed, "Hi."
"You're back!" Yang exclaimed, her voice audilby wobbling.
"Are you alright? Do you…" Said the black haired girl.
Weiss nodded slowly.
"Are you sure? I know Ruby meant a lot to you."
"No." Weiss replied a little bit too quickly. "She was just my teammate. I'm fine."
"But you look really…"
"I'm fine."
"I'm just worried about you. "
"Please just worry about yourself… or Yang." Weiss glanced at the blonde, whose arms rattled at her side. "I just want to sleep."
"Haha! I'm fine! Don't need to worry about me!" Yang jabbed a thumb at her chest.
"You're not fine Yang."
"Please… When has anything got me down?"
"You're sister is dead. Yang. You should act like it."
"Weiss. Please."
"She's sitting in the ground rotting while you're standing around all happy."
"Alright. Fine, Weiss. You want to act? You want me to ACT?"
"Weiss. You don't have to be so-"Blake interrupted.
"IT WAS YOUR FAULT WEISS! YOU WERE HER PARTNER! YOU LET HER DIE!" Yang screamed at the top of her lungs, a yellow flame consuming her form. "YOU! WEISS! IT WAS ALL YOUR FAULT! NIETHER OF US WERE THERE, BUT YOU! YOU WATCHED HER BE KILLED BY THAT URSA!"
Weiss stood motionless, her face derived of all emotion, "Are you done?"
"We're all team mates here. Let's just all calm down and talk."
"CALM DOWN BLAKE? YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN. I'M GOING TO KILL HER!"
"Try me."
"YEEAARGH!" Yang rushed at Weiss putting all her weight into her right fist.
BOOOM!
A thick veil of smoke filled the room, but Weiss stood nonetheless in the same position. As the smoke cleared, between Yang's fiery fists and Weiss, hovered a clear white glyph. Yang threw her left fist forward into the glyph, successful in merely making it shudder.
"I'm going to sleep." Weiss declared.
As Weiss turned towards her bed, Yang continued her relentless assault on the unbreakable glyph. "YEAARRGH! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU KILLED HER! YOU MURDERED RUBY! YOU MURDERED MY SISTER!"
Weiss achingly lowered herself onto the lower bunk, resting her head on her pillow. "MURDERER! TRAITOR" Yang continued to shout.
Weiss shifted her position so that her back faced the enflamed girl. She curled into a ball, clutching the dying rose in her arms. She hadn't bother taking off her shoes, or even changing her clothes. "WHY DID YOU DO IT WEISS?! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!"
Weiss closed her eyes, as tears began to dribble down the side of her face. The music of Yang's fists striking the glyph became her lullaby and Yang's screams became her bed time story, as Weiss dozed off into the bleak land of sleep.
I failed you Ruby.
====Ethereal====
Some optimistic people would gladly say a new day means new beginnings. But Weiss was not an optimist, she was a realist. Ruby was dead, and there was no way in the world she would ever come back. The morning brought the sun, the morning brought the melodic birds and the morning brought smiles to those who survived the night, but today it brought nothing but regret.
"Hey Weiss." Yang walked towards the sleeping girl, herself having just woken up.
"What the heck are you doing Yang?" Blake quickly jumped from her bed grabbing the blonde girl's shirt collar.
"What?"
"Are you mad? You think punching her when she's vulnerable will make you happy?"
Ugh… what are these two up two now.
Yang shook her head madly. "Oh no! No! That wasn't what I was doing. I was over the line yesterday, and my anger clouded the fact that Ruby meant a lot to Weiss. Possibly even more than she is to me. So … y'know, I just want to give her the classic Yang apology."
"Oh." Blake released her hold, "That's great, but I don't think this is a good time to bother her."
Good thinking Blake.
Yang glanced at the still form behind her and nodded, "Right... But, it's class, shouldn't we at least…"
"No. Let her sleep."
"But-"
"Oh for god sakes just listen to Blake and go away!" Weiss complained, her back still facing her teammates.
"Come on Yang." Blake pulled Yang away and out the door before things could turn sour again.
After hearing the door slam shut, Weiss flipped onto her back. Sleeping on her side for the whole night, trying not to look at Yang had taken a toll on her arm. By the time her body relaxed again, she felt the blood rush into her arms, making it feel like an army of ants have called her arm home.
Eurgh … I feel sick.
Maybe I really should just skip a day.
She felt her forehead for any rise of temperature.
I'm not sick though.
For her entire life and at Beacon, Weiss had always strove for perfection, but with Ruby by her side it has dragged her down immensely. Using precious time helping the idiot study instead of learning more herself had observably halted her mission to be the best.
Weiss groaned as she hauled herself up from the bed.
Ruby wouldn't want me to waste time sleeping because she isn't here anymore… ack, what am I saying, I don't want myself to waste time sleeping because of her either. This is what I signed up for as a huntress. A real huntress can cope with these things.
Weiss glanced at the clock sitting on her dresser.
8:10, I still have 10 minutes to get to class.
She walked towards dresser, but as she began to take off her dress she noticed her hand was dotted with red splotches of blood.
When did this-
Weiss studied her surroundings, and her eyes noticed a crumpled red rose mushed between the folds of her blanket.
Oh…
====Ethereal====
WHEEEEEEEE!
A whistle screamed inside the dorm echoing throughout the room as Weiss jumped in her bed.
"GOOOOD MORNING WEISSY WOO!" Ruby shouted jumping down from her top bunk.
"Go away…" Weiss turned away, covering her head with her pillow. Every day, Ruby does this, but Weiss still couldn't get over it, Ruby's antics seeming to only increase in irritability. It was literally the same every day. Whistle blast, random greeting and then … the insufferable pestering.
"Awww… but another day means another beginning! What shall we do today?"
"Class."
"But that's boring! WE should do something fun together!"
"Like studying?"
"I don't think you understand fun…"
"I don't think you understand failing grades."
Ruby pouted, "But Weiss…"
"What?"
"You'll help me right?"
"Not if I don't have to."
"That's mean."
"No. It's a fact."
"Weissy Weissy, tsk tsk, always so professional." Ruby shook her head.
Ugh, this girl is such a fool. Doesn't she realize we still have a whole hour before class even stars? Why does she always wake me up like this?
"Hmm…"
"Are you trying to think Ruby? Because I'm surprised you are even able to do that."
Ruby giggled, "Oooh, that was good! I need to remember that one. But never mind that because I have just the thing to wake you up."
"Ugh… whatever you do, don't do it. Because I know it's going to be stupid."
Weiss waited for a while, but strangely there was no answer.
That's weird, did she leave? I have never had a moment of silence in the morning before.
Weiss stirred in her bed, trying to fall back into her sleep, but the thought bugged her like crazy. If there was one thing more annoying that Ruby, it was inconsistency.
I don't get it. Why is she so quiet? I didn't hear the door close yet.
Weiss turned to face where Ruby was standing before, hoping to get to the bottom of the situation.
"Chu!" Ruby kissed Weiss on the cheek.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT YOU DOLT!" Weiss scrambled off the other side of the bed, pushing Ruby away. She was still wrapped in her thick blanket which she clutched around herself.
"Hehe, guess who finally got up?" Ruby grinned.
"DON'T YOU DARE DO THAT AGAIN!" Weiss screamed, not a hint of humour in her voice.
"But I was just-"
"NO! YOU CAN'T JUST DO THAT TO ME! THAT'S WRONG!"
"I-"
"DON'T YOU EVEN TRY TO FINISH THAT SENTENCE! YOU'RE NEVER SORRY! YOU JUST KEEP MESSING UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN!"
Ruby's former joyous gaze was quickly turned downcast, becoming focused on her fidgeting fingers.
"YOU- YOU'RE SUCH A CHILD!" Weiss finished, huffing and puffing, cheeks red from what she claimed to be anger.
There was a small moment of silence between the nervous Ruby and the seething Weiss, but after a while Ruby lifted her head to face Weiss, giving her a small quivering smile, "S-See you in class then. Have a good morning."
Weiss didn't say anything at all, she just stood glaring at the girl's back as she watched the door slam shut behind her.
Weiss didn't even flinch.
====Ethereal====
The door to Port's class opened with a small creak as Weiss stepped into the spacious lecture hall. When she was outside, she could hear professor Port bellowing his tremendous stories and adventures as the class listened, half cheering, half sleeping. But now…
"Professor. Good morning."
Everything got quiet.
Students shut up, professor port lowered his volume and even the sleeping students stopped snoring.
"Weiss. Good to see you are … back on your feet."
"That would be assuming I was even knocked over in the first place." Weiss deadpanned.
"Of course. The great Weiss Schnee wouldn't allow that now would she?" Port gave a nervous chuckle.
Weiss began walking to her normal seat, next to an abnormally uneasy Jaune, if that was even possible. "What are we learning today?" She asked the Professor while sitting down.
"Uh." He glanced at the board behind him with multiple drawings, illustrating the different attacks of the Ursa. "I … did not expect you to be joining us today… but no matter! We'll continue this lesson another time. Instead we'll be talking about the Goliath."
"No. It's ok. You can continue as you were before." Weiss waved him off.
"Are you sure?"
"Like I said. You are assuming I have been affected by my team leader's most tragic death."
"Right…" Port kneaded his eyebrows together, "As I was saying… while Oobleck and I travelled through the forest-"
Weiss sighed, as she listened to the professor resume his crazy and exaggerated story. The room remained an unsettling and nervous silence. Not a hint of the noise Weiss heard before she entered came back.
"Hey Weiss." Jaune mumbled next to her.
Weiss rolled her eyes, attempting block out the blonde's voice.
"I don't think you feel as … normal as you claim to be."
"How many times do I have to tell people? I'm fine."
"Yang told me you stayed behind at Ruby's grave for almost 8 hours after they left."
"What? Yang did- I only stayed there out of respect."
"You sure you're all right?"
"YES!"
"Um, but you still seem kind of down." Jaune rummaged around his papers. "Here! I drew something for you!"
Jaune place his small doodle of professor port in front of Weiss, "Isn't it funny?"
Weiss's lips began to tremble. "It's-"
"Is something wrong?"
Weiss eyes became misty as she sniffled, shaking hands grabbing the piece of paper Jaune gave her.
"Is it that bad?"
"Ruby she-" Weiss chucked the paper at Jaune. She quickly lay down on the desk in front of her, covering her face and head with her arms in shame. She sniffled, "Sh-she would always do this…"
====Ethereal====
"Psst! Hey Weiss!" Ruby whispered to Weiss who was intently trying to note down what Port was saying.
"Hey! Psst!" Ruby nudged Weiss's arms, making the word she was writing go haywire.
"Oh sorry about that!"
Weiss fist clenched on her pen as she was forced to taint her paper by crossing it out.
"Weiss. That is why I use pencil. But anyways, I just wanted to say something about this morning."
Weiss exhaled in exasperation. There is no escaping her annoyance is there.
"I'm really sorry about what I did and I really wanted to make it up to you, sooo…"
Ruby yanked a sheet of paper from her notebook and showed it happily to Weiss waving it in the air. "Ta daaa~" She sang.
Weiss snatched it from her. "What the heck is this?" She said, jabbing her pen at a girl in a frilly skirt that sat in the middle of the picture."
"That's me…"
"Eh. And this lump?"
Rub giggled, "Hehehe, that's professor Port."
"So you drew a picture of Port teaching a class, and you listening to him? That's pretty ironic given you never listen anyways."
"But do you like it?"
"Do I like it? What's the point? You're making it up to me by drawing a picture of yourself! That's stupid. Shouldn't I be in there somewhere?"
"Nope."
"Why not?"
Ruby leaned towards Weiss.
"Because no Weiss I draw will compare to the girl in front of me." Ruby whispered into Weiss's ear with a wide grin.
Weiss crumpled the piece of paper and threw it at Ruby's face.
"Idiot. You never learn." Weiss hissed.
"I know you like it." Ruby picked up the ball of paper, tucking it into Weiss's hand. "You do right?"
Weiss face grew red from … anger … once again.
====Ethereal====
"Oh would you look at the time! Class is over! Go home children! Sleep! Play! Do what you will! But come ready again tomorrow!" Oobleck recited as the stream of students exited his class.
The day was over. Weiss had finished her last class and was heading back to the dorms for some real sleeping time. Port's story had been boring even though Weiss had her head tucked in her arm. Ooblecks lesson were even worse. The caffeine high professor barely made sense, spewing tons of information in the time it takes someone to blink. Weiss had tried arduously to keep up and note what he was saying, but it ended catastrophically. Ugh, I'm exhausted. I can't stand all these people pestering me about whether I'm fine…
The walk back was absolutely tedious. No one wanted to talk to her, and no one even greeted her. Yang and Blake were probably already back at the dorms waiting to ask Weiss whether she was fine just like every single other person.
But at least she could walk without annoyance back to the dorm.
At least she was left alone in peace for once.
That's… a good thing … right?
====Ethereal====
"WEISS! WAIT UP!" Ruby called after the heiress, who picked up her pace.
Ruby grabbed Weiss's shoulder, laughing, "Why are you walking so fast? We're not in a rush are we?"
"I am… to get away from you."
Ruby grinned, "But I had something planned for us!"
"I know for certain it's going to be dumb, so I'm not even going to ask what it is… just … why?"
"WHY? For nothing but our first mission together of course! And to … I guess make up even more for this morning. Anyways - before, there were team missions with Yang and Blake. There was the one with Oobleck… but this one! Just you and me!"
"I don't understand how that is worth celebrating. "
"Aww come on! It's our last day before! Aren't you excited?"
"No."
"You, me… the wild…" Ruby scanned her hand across the horizon.
Weiss sighed.
"Don't you at least want to know what I've planned?"
"No."
"Hmmph," Ruby tugged at Weiss's hand, "Come with me!"
"Wait!" Weiss attempted to jerk her hand away, but Ruby was holding on tight "LET GO RUBY!"
====Ethereal====
Weiss slumped up the stairs, dragging her bag on the ground behind her, letting it hit each step loudly.
Again, everyone was in their rooms, not wanting to be caught alone with Weiss in the hall. It seemed almost like a ghost town, where the villagers are hiding from the evil cowboy who had come to invade their homes.
Weiss turned the corner to get to her room, but the she noticed where everyone was. Literally everyone was outside their dorm. People were either trying to get a good look at something in the dorm or was squeezing through the tight bodies to enter the dorm. Even Jaune, Ren, Nora and Pyrrha were crowded at the back trying to push through the crowd.
"HEY!" Weiss shouted, "What are all you half-wits doing?"
The crowd didn't notice her and continued to drive their wedge through the thin door.
"HEY!" Weiss screamed again, picking up her pace.
Reaching the door, Weiss shoved the people aside with as much force as she could regardless of who the person was.
"Ow!" A flash of blonde hair uttered as Jaune fell hard on his butt, "Wait… Weiss! "
Weiss ignored him as she continued drilling through the wall of bodies, making her way towards her room. But she quickly hit a big rock in her way.
"MOVE IT FOOL!"
Cardin snapped to look at who it was behind him. Even though he had bullied so many people without mercy, the look on Weiss's face struck cold heartless fear into him. Stepping aside, Cardin shoved an entire section of the crowd away from Weiss.
Weiss practically leapt through the door, grabbing the small gap Cardin had given her. She landed finally hobbling into her room dazed and confused.
"YANG? BLAKE? What is the meaning of this?" Weiss scanned the room looking for her team.
"Weiss?" Yang murmured.
She was standing in the middle of the room, with tears in her eyes.
"What are you -"
"Ruby… she…" Yang looked at something beside her.
"What?" Weiss rushed, "Spit it out! I need an explanation for this!"
Yang's eyebrows scrunched together, "Don't you…"
"Don't I what? WHY ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE?" Weiss turned to the people behind her, "SCRAM! ALL OF YOU!"
The crowd quickly dispersed and the dorm was once again as silent as a graveyard. Weiss shut the door in anger and frustration. She turned back to her team, her hair messed up and her fists clenched into balls. "EXPLAIN. NOW!"
"Weiss… do you not … see?" Blake, who Weiss hadn't noticed sitting in a dark corner of the room, asked, "Ruby is…"
"RUBY IS WHAT?"
"A ghost…" Yang muttered
Weiss was stunned for a second. At first, her longing for Ruby's face was ignited once again, searching for the happy grin she had grown so accustomed to. But no sooner later, she realised how stupid it was to consider what Yang said, even as a possibility. "A GHOST?"
"Ye-"
"OH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"
"I-"
"YOU HAVE TIME TO JOKE ABOUT HER DEATH? WHAT A SISTER YOU ARE!"
"No! Weiss, look!" Yang waved her arms at empty space next to her, "Don't you see?"
"Oh my GOD! You're crazy!"
"She's serious." Blake added.
"Not you as well?"
"Ruby is a ghost, Weiss. She's right there."
"If you think I'm some five year old child you can just trick like that, you are all insane!"
"You can't even hear her?"
"HOW CAN I HEAR WHAT DOESN'T EXIST!" Weiss screamed.
"Oh god…" Yang placed a hand on her forehead. "That's horrible…"
"NO! YOU'RE HORRIBLE! YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?"
"No… don't you believe me?"
"Oh of course I believe you. I mean why wouldn't I? There's just that little fact, I don't quite grasp, something about RUBY BEING A BLOODY GHOST?!"
"I'm serious! Then why do you think all those people were gathered outside?"
"Because you tried to play a trick on me?"
"WHY WOULD I WASTE MY TIME ON THAT?"
"I DON'T KNOW? MAYBE BECAUSE YOU'RE YANG, AND YOU CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT?"
"HEY WATCH YOURSELF ICE PRINCESS!"
"YOU WATCH YOURSELF!"
"I AM-" Yang took a step forward, but suddenly calmed down, looking at empty space next to her. "Ruby's right. We shouldn't be fighting."
"OH. HA. HA. Ruby's right? Are you really trying to keep this going?"
Blake responded first, "You don't have to believe us Weiss. But if you were really a friend of Ruby's you'd realize we miss her a lot too. Never. Never would we joke about her… her passing."
"The only true thing you said is that I am not going to believe you. But that is it. There is no such thing as ghosts and I am certainly not Ruby's friend!"
Yang clenched her jaw, "I'm sorry Ruby."
"Oh shut it Yang." Weiss reprimanded, "You'll only look stupid if you keep this up."
Yang glared at Weiss, "I'm sorry that Weiss refuses to acknowledge. I'm sorry that Weiss is being an asshole. I'm sorry that Weiss said she's not your friend. Because I know even though that is what she says, she really misses you and holds you closely."
"UGH! You're a mad woman. I don't care anymore." Weiss threw her bag onto her desk, her work spilling out onto the oak wood. "If Ruby is really here like you said. Tell her to … fuck off."
====Ethereal====
A/N
*UPDATE*Alright, so by rewriting it, I added a HUGE amount of stuff as you've probably seen. So much that it has been split into two chapters. And if you like this chapter, don't worry, I'm going to update in a couple of hours, since the next part is pretty much done. Just editing. Hope you don't mind the short wait!*UPDATE*
So what did you guys think? Eh, this was more for fun then for a real story. Again, this is based off of an artwork done by medukarrrabu on tumblr. I thought it was really sad, which was why I wanted to write this. Tell me what you thought of it.
Remember to review, favourite and follow!
Good day!
ExGuard123