A/N: This story is based off of Skire's pictures on deviantart:
art/Red-Stained-Snow-416217720
art/Red-Stained-Bumblebee-416217730?q=gallery%3ASkireTehFox&qo=1
~oOoOoOoO~
Some credit goes to Skiretehfox :)
Giving credit where credit is due.
Ruby! Ruby!
I'm not afraid of anything. I've trained till I couldn't stand on my two legs, and even further. I've seen the bloodshed of many through the war between my family and the White Fang. Something like this… is nothing.
Ruby! Where are you?!
I screamed loudly into the howling blizzard. I could barely see what was in front of me. After searching aimlessly in this blinding snowstorm, I finally found her. But not in the way I wanted to see her.
Ruby! No!
~oOoOoOoO~
10 hours prior
"Ruby! No!" I said to my childish, young partner Ruby Rose. 10 hours, Ruby. Maybe if I had done something in these 10 hours, you would still be…
"Come on, Weiss. I can't go alone. Yang and Blake had to do something with Professor Goodwitch. You have to come with me!" Ruby begged and pleaded me. Yang and Blake were still in the room, watching the two of us bicker like we always did. I sighed and flicked her forehead.
"No means no! I'm not going out since we have things to do. There's supposed to be a blizzard tonight, so it's best to stay indoors. You're a big girl. I'm sure you can handle yourself out there." Ruby wasn't at all pleased. We were supposed to be studying for an exam in Grimm Studies and Ruby wanted to get some rose in the mountains.
"You're no fun Weiss. Fine, I'll go on my own then."
"You dolt! I said there's going to be a blizzard! And we have an exam coming up! We should study in the library!" I scolded her. "Can't the flowers wait a day or two? Or after the exam?"
"I have my hood, so I'm good when it comes to cold temperatures." Ruby exhibited her red hood that she wore everywhere. It was tearing apart from the Grimm attacks as of late. Really, none of these signs meant a thing, Ruby? You thick-headed numbskull…
"Hmph. Fine. Get stuck out in that blizzard for all I care. If you need me, I'll be preparing for that test coming up." I walked away from her and imagined that Yang and Blake would talk to her. When I closed the door behind me, I really didn't think that would be the last time I would see that smiling bimbo again. What if I stayed… What if I had kept trying to get her to stay indoors tonight? What happened to Ruby really was all my fault. I should have been with her.
~oOoOoOoO~
I left the room at 1pm. By the time I checked the clock while studying with Pyrrha and Juane (whom she was helping), it was a little past 9pm. Juane started to get the simple things ever since Pyrrha started tutoring him.
"Weiss!" I heard Blake come to me. Just her face should have told me there was something wrong.
"What is it?"
"It's Ruby! She went against us and went to the mountains! Now, she's missing and Yang's trying to find her." Blake told me, worried. I sighed, not at all surprised. I should have been as worried about her. I should have been.
"That dolt. Pyrrha, if Ruby comes back, can you message me?" I ran out of the door and left campus to find Ruby.
"Sure, it's not a problem." Pyrrha responded. I turned to Blake.
"Let's go find that reckless leader of ours." With that, Blake and I left campus to the mountains Ruby kept mentioning.
When traveling to the mountains, please be wary of the pack of Beowulves recently found wondering around. Because of tonight's blizzard as well, I strongly advise everyone to stay indoors. Thank you and be safe. -Beacon Academy P.A. System
~oOoOoOoO~
10pm. One more hour.
The snow was falling much quicker than any of us anticipated. We were in a very light blizzard right now. It wasn't as strong as it would be in an hour, though. Compared to what was coming, this snow was nothing. Eventually, we found Yang. We were looking for her little sister so it's no big surprise she wouldn't give up. She had someone to fight for. To keep herself alive. It's one of the many things I liked about Yang.
"Ruby! Please be out here!" Yang called out.
"Yang!" Blake called to her partner. We joined with her.
"Any luck finding her?" I asked her. Yang shook her head in disagreement. "We should keep looking. Ruby couldn't have gotten too far." We all continued looking for Ruby together.
~oOoOoOoO~
Half an hour later, we were suddenly surrounded by Beowulves. Maybe a dozen or two in total. The blizzard picked up and we were caught in it. Ruby would be too.
"Great. Just what we needed. A pack of wolves." Yang loaded her gauntlets. I analyzed the surroundings and noticed that one of them had a Ruby's shredded up cloak in its mouth. I gasped and ran to it, killing it and all others in my way. Taking the cloak back the Blake and Yang, we faced the angered Beowulves.
"Yang, Blake, Ruby was here. She probably ran from these guys." I told them. Why did she run in the first place? Something like this would have been child's play to her.
"Weiss, we can handle them. You have to go find Ruby." Blake told me.
"Alright, I'll find her as quick as I can. Yang, clear a path for me." I ordered as Blake and I got out of the way.
"Got it!" Yang leaped in to the air and punched the ground as hard as she could, making some Beowulves fly off the cliff.
"Thanks Yang. I promise I'll find her." I left the Beowulves to Blake and Yang as I put on the torn cloak and ran as fast as I could to find Ruby. I found her no more than half an hour later.
~oOoOoOoO~
Present Time. 11pm.
I had found Ruby very injured and hurt. She didn't have Crescent Rose with her. What was she thinking?! When Yang and Blake caught up with me, we hid ourselves in a nearby cavern and placed Ruby next to the fire with what was left of her cloak. I was being scolded by Yang, no shocker there. Me being me, I argued against her. Blake was nursing Ruby wounds with what we had. The main thing was to make sure she warmed up.
"How was any of this my fault?! She decided to come up here on her own." I argued with Yang.
"She asked you to come with her. Like always, you swept her under a mat. You could have at least convinced her better." The thing is… I knew all this. When I saw Ruby lying in the cold like she was, I blamed myself. I would never admit to anyone though. The innocent never run. All I wanted to do was run from here. Run away from the frozen Ruby. Run away from reality.
"It's not my fault she's so stubborn. At least I know where she gets it from" I told off Yang.
"Why you little-"
"That's enough!" Blake called out. We looked back at Blake. "Your arguing won't solve anything. All that matters is that Ruby needs our help right now. Weiss, watch the fire. Yang, let's see if we can find more firewood for the fire." Blake ordered as she left with Yang. I waited till they left to go sit with Ruby. I made sure Ruby was getting enough heat from the fire. As I looked at Ruby's bruised face, I could hear the many times she's call my name. She really wanted to be my friend, ever since we met. To be honest, she's the first friend I've ever had. I really loved everything about her.
"Ruby..." I parted her hair so I can see her face. I looked at the fire.
"You know, that cloak of yours is really warm, just like the fire here. Yang made the fire before she started scolding me. What a hard-headed, protective sister you have." I spoke to myself, hoping Ruby was listening.
I looked at her and held her cold hand "Hey, Ruby. Are you warm enough yet? Knowing me I'm probably taking all the heat. I am cold after all…" I was. I let her come out here. It really is my fault.
"Ruby…" I held her hand tighter, seeing that she was barely breathing. I was already starting to cry.
"Ruby, please. If you can hear me, please wake up. This was my fault. If anyone should be in your position, it should be me. I let you come out here. You shouldn't have to suffer like this. Wake up so I can tell you I'm sorry, you dimwit!" I tightened my grip on her as hard as possible. What was scary was the silence. I only heard the crackling flame and the howling blizzard. Suddenly, I felt two sets of arms wrap around me. It had to be Yang and Blake.
"She'll wake up soon. I know it. Ruby's too stubborn to let Beowulves get her." Yang told me. I'm glad she convinced herself so. But I don't think she fully believed herself. I didn't say anything about it though. We stayed with Ruby and waited for her to wake up.
~oOoOoOoO~
The next morning, I was first to wake. I saw Ruby standing outside the cave. She was just looking at the clear sky.
"Ruby?"
Ruby looked back at me and smiled "Good morning Weiss." She looked a lot better. I'm glad that what miniscule things we had worked.
"You should rest."
"Weiss, come with me. I want to show you the reason why I was out here."
"Okay…" I was skeptical, but ignored it. I got up and walked with Ruby outside. It was maybe half an hour away from the cavern and we were looking at a beautiful patch of snowdrops. The must have just blossomed.
"Beautiful!" I smiled. Ruby walked to the center of the patch and I followed her. "I've never seen anything like it."
"I stumbled upon it a few weeks ago. It reminded me of you and that's why I wanted you to come with me, so I can show them to you." Ruby told me. I felt embarrassed and turned away from her.
"You dolt." I said. Right now, I'm feeling something strangely familiar about the situation. Ruby was right here… but at the same time…
"Weiss?" I looked at her. "I want you to know that I heard every word you told me last night. I don't want you blaming yourself for what happened to me. I should have known better than going into Beowulf territory like I did." Ruby told me. I grabbed her hands. They were pretty warm.
"No, it really is my fault. If I wasn't so reluctant to come out here, you wouldn't have-" I was interrupted but a kiss from Ruby. She did joke about this before, but this seemed to be serious. Ruby parted from my lips and looked at me.
"Weiss, I told you. It's alright. I don't blame you for any of this. Last thing I want from you is something you'll regret." Ruby parted my hair.
Weiss! Weiss!
Yang? How am I-
"I guess this is all I could have with you. Weiss, I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you." She tore her red cloak and tied it in my hair, how I usually tied it. She kissed me again. "I really love you Weiss. Protect Yang for me, okay." She smiled as a tear fell down her cheek.
"Ruby, you aren't…" I started to cry. I knew that feeling from before. I've felt it many times before while members of my family were being slaughtered by those in the White Fang... Ruby was… She was…
Weiss! Wake up! Yang... Give me a minute…
"Ruby, I love you too." I told her as she waved goodbye to me. Everything started to fade into white, as I started to wake up.
~oOoOoOoO~
When I awoke for real, Yang and Blake were holding me. Yang wore a part of Ruby's cloak as a scarf. Blake had a part of Ruby's cloak around her arm. Me? I had it in my hair, just like in my dream. I looked at the laying Ruby by the pile of burnt wood as I held Blake and Yang.
That dunce… never woke up…
~oOoOoOoO~
I'm not afraid of anything. I've trained till I couldn't stand on my two legs, and even further. I've seen the bloodshed of many through the war between my family and the White Fang. Something like this-...
Ruby was everything to me. She was my best friend and my partner. As I watched her coffin going into the six feet hole in the Vale Graveyard, I saw Blake embracing Yang. Both of them were crying. I held myself. As I saw them fill the hole with dirt, I felt someone embrace me. But the only arms I saw around me were my own. I heard someone say:
Even when you can't see me, I'll be right next to you.
You dunce…