Were we born to fight and die?
Sacrificed for one huge lie?
Are we heroes keeping peace?
Or are we weapons?
Pointed at the enemy
So someone else can claim a victory?
She stared silently at the prone body of her partner. Hair flowing in the wind. Battered. Bruised. Bl-bloodied. Cast in a heap, lying at the feet of their enemies.
"...Ruby?" She coughed, blood splattering out with each syllable.
"Weiss!" She exclaimed, both relieved that she could still talk and worried that she should take it easy and conserve her aura. "Relax, let your aura-"
"No. Listen!" She barked out. "I...I know you are young. A child, really. Immature, goofy...cute. Funny. Adorable. But..." She grimaced. "None of that matters anymore. You're going to have to put that behind you."
Now it's time to say goodbye
To the things we loved
And the innocence of youth
"If you don't...they will win. You're going to have to harden yourself or else...you'll die."
"But Weiss-"
"No buts, you dolt. I know how hard it is." She was in physical hell, pain racking her body. But now, only now, did the heiress let tears emerge. "I did the same. I was forced to forsake my childhood. My father, he-" She cut herself off. "I know more than anyone how much it hurts. But you deserve to live. You really do." She grinned despite the pain. "You changed my life Ruby. In more ways than you can know."
"...Weiss-" Ruby started.
"Pardon me, am I interrupting?" The mocking male voice of Mercury Black cut in, looking down at the heiress. "You two are amusing. First pair in Vale that hasn't been dopey and boring. But we have things to do." He turned his head slightly. "Cinder?"
A slight nod from the golden eyed villain.
"Sweet." He raised his leg, boot lifted up before coming back down sharply onto Weiss's face, a sharp bang as a gunshot rang out.
"No!" Ruby averted her eyes. "NO! You...fiends."
There's a point where it tips
There's a point where it breaks
There's a point where it bends
And a point we just can't take
Anymore
"Oh, don't be so down." Mercury teased. "Like I said, things to do. No time for you."
"No. You're not getting away. There's no honor in any of you! I'm a huntress. I was born to take down monsters. And there's none more monstrous than you." She all but snarled, rising up and charging forward with her semblance, Crescent coming in for a swing.
"Neo." Cinder calmly said. A nod and Crescent hit an illusion, shattering it while they made their escape yet again.
"...Dustdammit." She fell to her knees, distraught and crying for what felt like an eternity. She looked over at the white clad corpse. "Weiss." She stood, lifting the body in a bridal carry to a nearby hole. "You weren't as cold hearted as you believed yourself to be. A heart of ice...can't shed tears like you did. You must have been holding them back your whole life."
She lowered Weiss into the hole, head resting against Weiss's one last time. "You were right. I see that now. I'm...sorry I didn't see it before. If I had...this wouldn't be a one sided conversation right now. I was a dunce, a dolt, all of it. I'm..." She choked, tears coming out again as she buried Weiss, with dirt and tears. "Sorry."
She stood, bowing her head for a long time, not saying anything. A sign of respect, of partnership. Of friendship. "You were the best friend I've ever had."
Ruby turned on her heel, pulling her hood up over her face. "And I will honor your last wish. They will pay."
There's a line that we'll cross
And there's no return
There's a time and a place
No bridges left to burn
Anymore
Her hand curled up into a fist, clenching so tight she drew blood, as red as roses. "I promise."
