Prologue: Ruby Rose
"We don't always get to live the life we want…...the life we are destined to. Things change: people, lands, even fate changes. We can't fight that. We can only go forward and be the best we can be."-Ruby Rose
" And they lived happily ever after…...the end. Now how was that story, little rose?" Asked Summer Rose. She was a brunette woman in her mid-thirties. Her defining features were the white cloak she always wore, crimson-tipped hair that was currently in a bun, and her silver eyes.
A four-year old Ruby Rose answered, " It was kinda scary, but I think I liked it a lot. The ending was a little sad though." Ruby was an exact copy of her mother. The only difference being her white pajamas with red roses and her hair was cut short.
Summer smiled at her innocent daughter. "You're a tad bit too little to understand this Ruby, but sometimes there isn't always a happy ending. Bad things happen and people just have to move on."
Little Ruby looked a little downtrodden.
"Hey, don't look so sad. Believe it or not that's a good thing. It let's people make up their own happy endings. They get to be who they want, go do what they want, it's all part of the journey these story book heroes take Ruby. It's what everyone inspires to be." Summer corrected. She mentally chastised herself at the thought of upsetting her youngest daughter.
"...I like it better when Yang reads me stories. They're more fun." Ruby states.
Summer took a look of mock offense. "Well your sister is off visiting Uncle Qrow. When she's back tomorrow you can have her read stories to you then since I'm no good at it." Summer pouted.
"Mommy!" Ruby giggled. " I was just playing! I like both your stories!"
"No. The damage has been done. No cookies for tomorrow; Yang can have all of them." Summer teased.
Ruby looked absolutely horrified. "NONONONO!! Mommy please I was just kidding! I want cookies too!" Ruby suddenly sat up and began shaking her mother. Summer was laughing the whole time.
"I got you back! We're even now." Summer lowered her daughters hands and tucked her into bed. Ruby simply crossed her arms and pouted.
"I promise to make enough cookies for both of you." Summer promised.
"Good!...but then you gotta go away again?" Ruby asked.
"Ruby we talked about this. I'm a huntress and that's what huntresses do. You don't have to worry. I promise I'll always come back to you and Yang." Summer leaned down to kiss Ruby on her forehead. Ruby looked content at that.
"Now it's past your bedtime. Get some sleep; you don't want to be too tired to play with Yang and bother your Uncle, right?" Summer jested.
"I guess." Little Ruby pouted.
"Then goodnight, my little rose." Summer walked away to turn on Ruby's night light before turning out the bedroom light; she needed it during the occasions her and Yang didn't share a room. She closed the door slowly as Ruby began to close her eyes.
Despite following the standard nightly ritual of a story before bed, little Ruby couldn't sleep. She was tossing, turning, and even throwing the blankets off just to put them back on when it became too cold. She was anxious about her mother's trip tomorrow. What if she got lost? What if she forgot about me?...what if she never came back?
A child's imagination can be a gift and a curse.
After thirty minutes, Ruby heard a loud crash from downstairs. If that wasn't enough to startle her out of bed then the incoherent yelling definitely made her sit up. Her parents never fought so what could be making that noise?
Forgetting her security blanket, which was a red cloak, Ruby got up from her bed and creaked her door open. She could now hear slashing sounds and breaking furniture. Usually a child would run back under their bed and wait until the noises stopped. However, curious little Ruby was not an ordinary child; she was going to be a huntress some day after all.
That is what she thought as she ignored her fear and began to walk out of the bedroom. She continued down the hallway where a loud thump echoed out. "Tai!" She heard. Hearing her father's name, Ruby ran faster down the stairs.
When she descended the steps and entered the living room what she found made her stop. There was tossed furniture parts, a broken table, and decoration pieces everywhere. Including a family portrait that was smashed. In the corner was her father, Tai Yang Xiao Long, who was on the living room floor with a large gash on his forehead. What was in the middle of the room is what stopped Ruby: her mother was currently fighting off a stranger in a black coat.
Summer's scythe laid shattered on the ground with it's shaft snapped in two.
Summer had kicked the intruder away from her and turned to find Ruby with widened eyes. "Ruby! RUN!" Her mother commanded.
Ruby was still in shock at the situation and couldn't move. Summer grabbed a lamp to attack the hooded figure but he casually blocked the object and grabbed Summer by her neck.
"Mommy!"
At her shout, the figure turned it's concealed face to look at the small child. He then tossed Summer aside and began to walk towards Ruby. That's when reality caught up to Ruby and she turned to run.
When suddenly the intruder held out their hand and a bright flash emanated from it. That's when Ruby stopped; everything stopped.
Ruby couldn't move her body no matter how hard she struggled. Summer was stuck in a pose that had her pushing herself back up. The clock on the wall had ceased moving it's hands. The only thing that Ruby could see moving was the hooded person that continued to walk towards Ruby who was completely defenseless.
Ruby was panicking as the figure stopped in front of her and held out his hands. He was reaching towards Ruby who couldn't even shut her eyes or scream in terror. Then, something just has strange happened.
A blur broke through the front door of her house and knocked the figure away. Ruby couldn't see this new intruder as they picked up her up and ran back out the door.
Ruby was holding on tight to whatever was carrying her. Everything was going by so fast that she couldn't tell where she was or who was carrying her away.
In a flash, Ruby's feet suddenly found the ground in the woods. She turned around wildly scanning her new surroundings. Her eyes widened as she realized she could move again. However, her brief relieve was suddenly overwhelmed by great concern.
"Where's my house? Mom! Mommy!!! Daddy!!!" Ruby cried. Her eyes began to tear up.
"Think Ruby." She said out loud. "This is where I usually play……….so home must be that way!" She summarized.
It took maybe two minutes before Ruby arrived at her doorstep. The door was still open but now the house was silent. Ruby gathered up her courage like before and walked back into the house.
"M-m-mommy? Daddy? Is the bad man gone?" Ruby asked. She continued walking until she reached the living room again. The bad man was gone, but he left something behind.
"MOMMY!!!" Rwby shouted and ran to her mother who was bleeding and unmoving on the ground. Summer's eyes were wide open, but she still wasn't moving. There's was a large stab wound in her chest which must have been caused by the bloody kitchen knife that rested at her side.
Ruby shook her mother. "Mom! What happened?!...mom? Mom?!" She shook harder."Say something mommy!...Say something mommy! Why won't you talk to me?! I'm sorry for running away! I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to!! I'm sorry!!!" Ruby cried against her mother's shoulder. Summer's blood was painting Ruby's white clothes dark red; completely covering the roses.
"I'm sorry. Please don't leave mommy…….you promised you wouldn't leave me. I don't want to go away……." the words were drowned out by her wails. Police sirens echoed out as officers had arrived at the house.
The police would arrest Tai Yang for the murder of his wife. No one believed Ruby as she cried out saying a black-cloaked man did it. Qrow and Yang arrived earlier to pick up Ruby at the police station. She had to explain to them the real reason why Summer was gone.
-10 years later
A fourteen-year old Ruby shot up in her bed with a yell. She was panting and sweating. She was startled from her nightmare.
'Calm down Ruby it's just a dream.' Ruby thought. Except this dream was a memory, but Ruby just wanted to calm herself down. She felt a furry mass jump on her bed and nudge up against her. It sniffed her and proceeded to sniff her face.
"Hahaha, Zwei stop it! I'm okay." Ruby giggled. Zwei slept in Ruby's room on account of her being home alone. It was either that or break out the old nightlight, but if she did that Yang and Qrow would never let her hear the end of it.
While petting her family dog Ruby heard a crash downstairs. She quickly stood up and walked toward her door to check outside. When she opened it Ruby suddenly smelled something.
Ruby adopted a gleeful look, "Is that…." she asked, and sped down the hallway in a red streak of rose petals.
"Breakfast!" She exclaimed when she reached the kitchen. What she was smelling was her Uncle Qrow making a omelet with hash browns. Qrow turned to his youngest niece.
"Hey kid, you couldn't just sleep in a few more minutes and not spoil the surprise?" Ruby ran up and hugged her Uncle. With one hand occupied with the stove Qrow simply pat Ruby in the back with his other hand.
She backed away. "I'm just so surprised that you're back already! How was the trip to Animus?"
"It was cold. I don't like taking trains and I especially don't like traveling that close to Atlas where ice queen hides in her ivory tower…….ahhhh but Oz asked me and you know how that goes. Well, when you're finally old enough to get into beacon you will." Qrow complained.
Back when Ruby was little, Qrow was usually gone on hunter missions which were mostly assigned to him by Ozpin, Beacon's Headmaster. Whenever Ruby did see him he either smelled of alcohol or was too tired to play with her. However, in the following years when he had to take in Ruby and Yang, Qrow cleaned himself up by drinking a lot less, shaving, and just trying to be there for them. He was still the cool uncle, but now he was just more responsible.
Ruby sat at the wooden kitchen table. "That's a little too earlier for me, I only just finished my first year at Signal." Ruby propped up her feet. " I'm just gonna enjoy my days off."
"Feet off the table." Qrow said without turning to look at her. Ruby pouted but did as he asked. "Ssssoooo how long are you gonna be home?"
"Relax kiddo. I talked to Oz and he's given me summer vacation too. So now we can both enjoy the days off." Qrow grinned. "Don't think it's gonna be easy sailing though, we gotta work on your sytche skills."
"Ha!" Ruby pointed at him. "Me and crescent rose are gonna send you flying!"
"You mean the new one or the one you broke?"
"I didn't break it!!! It was a malfunction! That's common with new weapons! Just you wait because I'm almost done with my sweetheart." Ruby declared.
"Uh huh." Qrow dismissed. He set two plates of food on the table. "Now eat up cuse balanced breakfast and all that."
"...there's no alcohol in these eggs right?"
"I don't even have my flask on me. Just eat." Qrow grumbled.
"Wait……..there's only two plates." Ruby asked.
"Yeah, that's usually how much two people…...oh…...you thought…….sorry kid. Yang isn't back yet.
"...I thought that……...well since you came back for the anniversary that…..Yang would too." Ruby looked downcasted.
"Ruby, listen. You know I've tried to do right by Summer and Tai and raise you two right. That being said, I'm not exactly 'parent' material and have probably dropped the ball a few times. I wanted to respect that you guys have your right to freedom, especially since you both wanna be huntresses. I guess with Yang I let her have too much. I don't know what she's up too, but don't you worry for a second that she's not thinking of you."
"...right." Yang has been gone for a month now; ever since summer started. Ruby has always been close with her sister, but Yang has been distant the past year. Ruby thought that going to Signal academy with Yang would mend that, but Yang pulled further away.
Yang not being back in time for the tenth anniversary of their mother's death, to put it mildly, greatly disappointed Ruby.
"I think I'm done. I'll go work on Crescent Rose." Ruby sat up and walked away.
Qrow could see that Ruby didn't finish her meal. He signed and reached over to drink his orange juice just for it to get knocked over and spill everywhere. Qrow just signed louder; his semblance really had bad timing.
Zwei whined at Qrow who reached out and pet the dog. "I know boy. I know."
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The apartment wasn't very big, but thankfully it had a spare room that could fit a workbench inside it. There was Ruby tinkering with her HCSS-High Caliber Sniper Scythe; a weapon that was mastered by both her mother and uncle….because subtlety doesn't run in the family.
Kids at Signal Academy build their weapons during their first year. However, Ruby's weapon was broken during training with Qrow. She was upset that her "sweetheart" died but Qrow assured her that it always happens the first time……..even though it never happened to him so he claimed.
Regardless, Ruby took advantage of this by improving the base design: adding a semi-automatic function to the bolt action rifle, putting a spear tip at the end of the shaft for balance and more striking power, and of course spray painting it red and black.
Ruby was currently recalibrating the scope. She had to get a smaller one because a large scope added to much extra weight; a giant metal scythe was heavy enough. She couldn't fix the recoil so she might just have to improvise when shooting.
"And…...there…..we…..go! Phew! Done!...I feel better." Ruby stood there looking pleased with herself.
She began to shuffle her feet though and grow anxious again. She couldn't take it anymore and took out her scroll to try and call Yang.
"The signal you've called is unavailable. Please try your call again later."
"Oh, bite me." Ruby growled to the automated voice. She knew it wasn't a person but she was frustrated. "And now I feel bad again." Ruby sat down at her stool.
'I get that Yang has stuff she wants to do like find her real mom, but I'm still here. What does she think she's gonna do, replace mom?...no bad Ruby. You can't be selfish and tie Yang down. She won't abandon you……...but I just wish I knew where she was so I could help her! What if she's hurt right now?!! No wait! Yang can take care of herself. I mean I haven't even beaten her in a spar yet so what could I do that she couldn't. Run fast…...have long-range attacks……..not wreck an entire club. I mean Qrow lost so much pay just from-wait a minute!!!' Ruby sprang up from her stool knocking it over.
She said out loud. "Before Yang ran off she went to a club that was ran by……..Jeffrey……..Jordan……...Jonathan…….
Junior! No, that can't be right…….no wait it is Junior! He must have told her something that had her run off. I'll just go and ask him nicely where she went!" Ruby grabbed her sniper scythe and ran to her room.
She was struggling to put on her combat outfit. "But what about Uncle Qrow, he took a break so I wouldn't be alone. Then I go and leave? I'm horrible." She slumped.
She stood straight up. "No, Qrow will understand. He misses Yang too. Also, if there's one thing he taught me is that it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission." Clearly Qrow is a bad influence on her.
"Bark!" Zwei had strolled in her room
"I know buddy, but I'll be back."
"Wurf!"
"No I'm not in over my head. A huntress is ready for anything."
"Yip!"
"Oh what do you know anyway! You're a dog!" Exclaimed Ruby.
Rwby finished dressing in her "huntress outfit". Corset and combat skirt included. She was about to walk out the door but hesitated. She turned to see her old red cloak hanging up in her closet. She use to wear it all the time as a kid, but stopped wearing it when she went to signal because she was too shy.
'If I'm going out in public I can't have people recognizing me or freaking out about crescent rose even though she's in her compact form.' Ruby thought.
With that logic, which was probably just an excuse to wear her cloak like an ideal huntress, she put it on before heading out.
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"Kid we gotta go. If we don't leave now we won't be back until dark, grim love to eat little girls lost in the dark." Qrow called.
"...kiddo come on. Ruby what's the hold up-" Qrow opened Ruby's door to find her gone.
"Ruby! Ruby! You better be hiding!" Qrow called out.
"Bark!"
"Not now Zwei."
"BARK!"
"What?!" Qrow questioned.
Zwei was pawing at a piece of paper stuck to Ruby's door.
"Sorry for leaving, but I have to find the rest of our family. Please don't be mad. It's like you said, i'm going to be a huntress one day so I have to do things like this. Love you, Uncle Qrow. P.S. Don't come after me because someone has to stay and feed Zwei." The letter read.
"Dammit, kid."
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After the incident a decade ago, Ruby and Yang moved away from their home in Patch to live with Uncle Qrow. His apartment was in the inner city of Vale so they were far enough away from the bad memories. City life was ok if you could stomach the crowded sidewalks. Then again there have been some dust shop robberies that have been occurring every other week; the police still haven't caught who it is but some say it could be the white fang. Ruby walked down the street towards Junior's Bar and Dance Club.
'Ok. I'm just gonna find this guy, ask him where Yang is, and get out before dark. I still need to make a stop.' Ruby thought
You would think there would be the stereotypical line behind a red rope with a buff doorman guarding it but there was no such thing in Ruby's way. I guess that doesn't happen until nighttime?
So Ruby walked right through the door down a short hallway that lead to the dance floor. Immediately Ruby's senses were assaulted with loud dubstep music, flashing neon lights, and tons of people. Her eyes had to adjust when walking into the club to see all the sweating bodies on the dance floor.
'I'm so scared.' Ruby pulled her good up higher. This was a girl could cut down an entire pack of beowolves with glee on her face. This same girl was scared to death of social interaction with strangers.
'Ok, girl up. You can do this. The club owner is gonna look like the most important guy in the room…...so who could that be?' Ruby scanned the room and saw by the bar that there was a tall man in a black vest and pants with a red tie and white dress shirt. He was flanked by either his entourage or his bodyguards and they seemed to be twins; one was in a red dress and the other in a white dress. He was speaking with an man who was wearing a red-lined white suit, a bowler hat, and carrying a cane although it seemed to be only for flair since he wasn't using it to hold himself up.
Ruby starting cutting across the dance floor to come into contact with them.
"Look does the job even matter? I just need more men…...the competent ones preferable. The last batch was more wild than the animals."
"Roman my guys are of the best quality. I wouldn't be able to run a successful busy here if my men weren't loyal and qualified." The man said to Roman Torchwick.
"Um excuse me."
They both turned to Ruby. She stood up straight and asked, "Which one of you is Junior?"
Roman sneered. "Get lost red, the adults are talking."
Ruby seemed put off by the dismissal and the men started to talk among themselves again.
Ruby braced herself. "I SAID…...where is Junior."
"Look kid, do you need something from me?" Junior asked.
"I'm looking for someone-"
"That's obvious little red, now off you're being rude." Roman scolded.
"I'm not talking to you jerk." Ruby replied
Roman looked a little miffed at being talked back to by a little girl.
She turned to Junior. " Can you help me find a girl. She's about sixteen, long blonde hair, and a big…...attitude."
Junior looked wide-eyed at that. The twins next to him turned to each other and smirked.
Junior signaled one of his men over with a hand gesture. "Clear the club out. Now." The minion nodded.
"Junior who cares about the kid. I'm here for business and-"
"Roman shut up and sit down. I'll get to you in a minute." Junior said.
Roman scoffed dramatically. "Unbelievable. Fine, I'll sit here because I WANT to not because you asked me. I like a show anyway."
The music stopped and the club began to clear out. Ruby was finding it harder to keep her nerve. Regardless she pulled down her hood.
"So you know blondie eh?" Junior started off.
"We're sisters."
"Really?!"
"Y-yes! She's been missing for two months now and I wanna find out where she went."
"Boring! Get to the bloodshed already!" Roman demanded.
"Is he gonna talk the whole time?" Ruby was starting to get annoyed, which was funny considering she's the intruder.
"Forget him. Look about that sister of yours she and I do NOT get along. She comes in here one day breaking stuff and slugging my men asking about a man in a black coat like that isn't generic enough. I thought it was bad when she wouldn't shut up about that woman-"
"Hold on. Time out. Pause. Did you say a man in a black coat?" Ruby asked wide-eyed.
"Oh my...uhh what's so important about a random guy with some odd fashion sense?!" Junior exasperated.
No one noticed that Roman stopped pretending to fake snore and became invested in the conversation.
"It's uhhhh…….doesn't matter. What did you tell her?" Ruby asked.
"What did I tell her? I told her she could shove it." He snapped his fingers. Two of his henchman grabbed Ruby by her arms. "The only thing I'm gonna tell you is that I hope that blonde bitch is rotting wherever she is. Get her out of here before I get my bat." Junior commanded.
The henchman began dragging Ruby out who was struggling within their grasp. This guy knew something and she wasn't going to let him off the hook. Something inside Ruby clicked into place and all of a sudden that scared girl was replaced by a fighter.
Using leverage from being lifted off the ground Ruby kicked both her legs into the face off the henchman on her left to knock him out. The one on her right was so surprised that he dropped Ruby by accident.
She unfolded her weapon, Crescent Rose, and used it to bat him away. He went sailing until he landed behind the bar.
"I'm. Not. Leaving." Declared Ruby.
"...it must be genetics. Boys! Show our buyer here your stuff by dealing with the intruder. I don't care if she's small and cute that sytche says otherwise."
"You think I'm cute?" Ruby inquired with a raised brow.
"Kinda missing the point aren't you?" Junior replied.
At least two dozen henchman fanned out of the backroom and surrounded Ruby. Feeling confident, she decided to pull a move more suited for her sister.
"DJ!" She pointed dramatically. "Give me fighting music!"
The DJ just shrugged and turned something on.
"Come at me! At you'll see! I'm more than-"
"No! No! Something else!" Ruby pleaded.
The DJ looked a little annoyed but changed the song anyway.
"Red like roses-"
"Perfect! Thank you!"
-(OST) Red like Roses
His men ran at Ruby carrying all kinds of weapons such as swords, daggers, bats, one even had a chainsaw. The chainsaw man was the first to go has Ruby shot him down with her sniper rifle.
'Their aura will protect them so I don't have to hold back." Ruby thought.
The rest tried to surround her only for Ruby to put her sytche head on the ground and use it to swing around and kick anyone near. All in a perfect one-eighty degree circle. She used her semblance to rush forward and strike anyone with her scythe. Anybody in her direction was knocked down in a bed of rose petals.
She gripped her blade around a pole and used it to spin around and kick the foes back. Ruby spun faster and faster until she withdrew Crescent Rose and went flying through the crowd. She hit a wall but continued using her semblance to bounce off and into another wall. Completely springing around the room and plowing away any henchmen in her direction.
When she was back on the ground she tripped a man only to knock him into another one. Someone came behind her but she spun her sytche behind her and slashed him away. Ruby quickly pulled out a cartridge of fire dust and replaced in into her weapon. She shot her gun using the recoil and her semblance to cross the room even faster. This time while shooting away anyone who got to close with a blast of fire.
She threw her sytche in a horizontal toss and cleared a path in the crowd; she ran up to catch it and bring it down hard on a group of three men who were got under her blade and she used the momentum she fling them away.
"Oh man Junior this is pathetic. Little red is cleaning out your stock fast….very fast actually." Roman mocked.
"Not again. Dammit girls get in there." Junior ordered.
The red twin shrug her shoulders and started walking, but the white twin glared before moving along.
"Melanie, who is this girl?" The red one asked.
"I don't know Miltia, but we need to teach her a lesson." Melanie answered.
"Why does that sound rehearsed?" Ruby questioned?
They have no answer as Miltia rushed at her with with arm claws and Melanie followed with blades heels. Ruby blocked Miltia's first strikes but was kicked away by Melanie's heels.
Ruby rolled back up and was okay since her aura protected her. She shot at both to separate them, which worked and she sped towards Melanie where they traded blows. She began to twirl and tripped Ruby who rolled out of the way of a stab.
She was slashed in the back by Miltia with distracted her enough that she was roundhouse kicked in the face by Melanie and flew across the ground.
"This one isn't as good as the girl." Melanie said.
"Let's get this over with then, Melanie." Miltia finished.
Ruby has more range than them but that doesn't matter when they got so close that she can't properly hit them. So she changed tactics.
Ruby got up and replaced the ammo in her gun with a gravity dust cartridge. This time when she used the recoil of the gun to propel herself she went faster even without using her semblance.
The two couldn't keep up as she weaves across the dance floor until she ran up and super-speed kicked Melanie right in the face. She went flying into the back wall.
Miltia barely blocked a slash from Ruby who was spinning her scythe constantly to attack. She used the recoil so her blade could swing faster and faster until she caught Miltia with an upswing.
Miltia was in the air but caught herself in a roll back down. Instead of glaring in anger she just kept the same neutral expression when she said," I like your combat skirt. Where did you get it?"
"Oh……..um it was just something I made." Ruby responded awkwardly.
"That's cool." Miltia then swung another claw attack at Ruby who was almost got off guard by the brief banter. Melanie joined in to flank Ruby's left. Ruby was spinning her weapon right to left to block all the strikes from the twins who were starting to gain ground again.
"Move it!" Junior shouted as he suddenly shot off a rocket launcher.
Ruby eyes widened as she wasn't prepared like the other girls and barely dodged with her speed. Junior began walking towards her while shifting the rocket launcher into a bat. He swung it at Ruby who blocked it with her scythe but was knocked off balance. The next hit put Ruby on the ground and the scythe out of her hands.
"You should've left when you had the chance!" Junior shouted as he brought the bat down.
Ruby started rolling on the ground out of the way of Junior's repeated blows. She was able to kick his knee which stalled him another so she could stand back up only to be flanked again by the twins. They were circling in on Ruby. She was out of options, and with no other choice she starting to run.
Using her semblance she began running in a very tight circle. Rose petals building up as she ran faster at increasing speeds. Junior and the rest looked confused until their eyes widened when they realized what she was doing. Ruby was making a tornado.
Faster and faster she ran as the winds became so fierce that they picked up limb bodies, weapons, tables, chairs, and other appliances. Everyone else was holding on to some object or each other to stay on the ground. Crescent rose was swept into the vortex and was caught by Ruby who began shooting its gun to use the recoil and go even faster.
A tornado of rose petals and random objects were now in the middle of the dance floor. Junior and the twins were caught in the twister and screaming for their lives. Roman was fine because he was holding on to the bar, while trying to keep his hat on. Junior and the twins were now holding to each other because the fierce winds forced their bodies together. Ruby saw her chance and leaped from the ground. With a loud yell, she swung at the trio and plowed them out of the tornado which sent them through the large window out in front of the club.
Ruby had dropped down dramatically in her signature pose while the maelstrom behind her disappeared…….until she dropped to her knees in exhaustion.
'Oh man…...I used up a little too much aura there…...OH NO! I didn't beat the information out of him! I sent him flying?' Ruby thought in panic. She had forgotten about someone else until he starting slow clapping.
"Well that was quite something. You're much more of a fighter than first impressions gave off little red. Thanks for demonstrating how bad a stock Junior's thugs are; guess I'll go find help somewhere else." He turned to walk away. " Good luck with that black cloaked stiff."
"Stiff? Wait! Do you know him? Do you know where Junior sent my sister?" Ruby asked.
"Does it matter?" Roman walked away until he heard the click of Ruby's sniper. He rolled his eyes at her. "Really?"
"You're telling me everything right now." Ruby demanded.
"Interesting proposal, but why don't you hear my counteroffer." Roman pointed his cane at her when suddenly a dust rocket shot out of the end of it.
Ruby barely dodged out of the way. Luckily for her the smoke didn't completely obscure Roman and she saw him run out of a backroom. Ruby got up and ran after him.
Quickly cutting through the club's backroom, she was led into an alleyway where Roman was getting into a limousine which, at his order, drove off with a fleet of four other cars behind him.
Not missing her chance Ruby used her semblance to catch up with them in a burst of speed and jumped on the roof of one of the cars. She put her Scythe's bottom blade into the roof to hold on. The occupants clearly didn't like that as they starting shooting at her through the car.
To get out of the way of the gunfire, Ruby jumped to the next car in front of her. She turned back to the last vehicle and held herself in a steady grouch while taking aim with her sniper rifle. She shoot out one of its front tires and the car was sent into the side wall.
A man lifted himself through the passenger window to take a swing at Ruby who just dodged the sword. She kicked him and he fell out of the car. The driver took out a pistol and started shooting at her but she was blocking with her weapon. That was a bad move because the driver was so distracted he didn't see the upcoming turn so when he turned back he swerved too hard and crashed into a street lamp.
The momentum tossed Ruby into the air as she was clutching Crescent Rose like it was a parachute. A moment later, she steeled her eyes and used her semblance to run along the side of a building instead of crashing into it. She sprung away, sliced a street lamp, and landed on another car. The large pole crashed in front of another vehicle behind her and completely stopped it.
"Hey, Red!" At the call Ruby turned to look and found that Roman was leaning out of the window of his limo and was pointing his cane at her. He shot at the hood of the car she was standing on.
Ruby couldn't stop it as she was blasted off the car which had flipped upside down from the impact. Ruby was a tough girl though and stood back up. Just a little slower and stumbling more this time; she might have a concussion.
Roman was getting away and she was about to chase him until she heard shouting pleas of help from the burning upturned car. If she went after Roman those people would die. Even with that thought, Ruby didn't hesitate as she cut the doors of the car and dragged the screaming men out to safety.
"Oh my god! I thought I was gonna die." Said one of them.
"Well now maybe you'll learn that crime doesn't pay…….or try not to work for that guy at least…….you know what? Just get a real job like those policemen-Aw oh." Ruby said. She noticed that the Vale police showed up.
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"Reckless endangerment, destruction of private property, and who knows how many other offenses. I'll simply ask Junior when he wakes up." The Detective said. He was a tall lanky gentleman with a dark brown trench coat and a gray handlebar mustache.
"I had a good reason okay! First, they attack a sweet innocent girl, who is me. Then, they start talking about the man in the black coat. Who I told you was real and you never believed me! Now I have proof!" Ruby was frantically gesturing while talking.
"Oh yeah? What proof? All I see is a couple of unconscious thugs and wrecked street vehicles. You are lucky I don't arrest you for attempted manslaughter, and that's only because some of these goons took up for you…..apparently you saved some from burning to death. However, that doesn't excuse the club owner you assaulted. I could book you on the other charges, but I know that you're just a scared kid who got into a bad situation…..that and I owe your uncle. Who is worried sick by the way." The detective lectured.
"You're not listening to me! The man in the black coat-"
"Is a fiction created by a scared four-year old girl who had suffered a traumatic experience." The detective switched his look from stern to sympathetic. "The truth is hard I get that, but your going to have to accept it one day. Your father's prints were on the murder weapon and he was the only one there besides you. I'm sorry Ruby, but you have to live with that."
Ruby's eyes began to water. "...when I find him…..and you see that my dad has been innocent all along…..you're going to have to accept that." Then Ruby ran off in a burst of rose petals.
"...damn." The detective mumbled.
A police officer walked up to him. "Um, Detective Wallace sir? If you don't mind me asking, what was that about?"
"...back when I was still a patrolman I got a call about a domestic disturbance. I was the first responder at the scene. I found a little girl covered in her mother's blood and a father saying he didn't do it. The girl, either from trauma or the fact that she didn't want to lose another parent, made up some fairy tail about a magical phantom in a black coat who could stop things from moving. She's been angry that I didn't buy it ever since." Detective Wallace explained.
"Are you sure there wasn't any evidence that backed up her story, sir?" The Officer asked.
"Other than the fact no one else including her relatives could fact check her story; No one was sighted around the area within two miles and there are no records of a man with that kind of semblance. Besides, if he was there then why did he only kill Summer Rose and not the two witnesses with her? Her story has way too many holes to be true." Wallace said.
"No offense sir, but it didn't seem like she thought it was a lie." The patrolman said.
"Yeah, and that's the sad part. The poor girl believes it." Detective Wallace lite a cigarette and walked away. He had paperwork to fill out.
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To save time, Ruby took the airlift to Patch. She walked the long pathway through the woods so she wouldn't have to go near her old home; the wound is still too fresh. She eventually made it up the cliffside where even though it was summer it was so cold that there was still some snow. She walked to the each of the cliff where she found a tombstone.
"...Hey mom. It's me, Ruby. I'm sorry I'm late. I got caught up with something. I can't seem to stay out of trouble. I'm also sorry for Yang that she's not here. I know she wants to be here but she's trying to find that man. I can't blame her…….he ruined our lives. He took you away and Dad got the blame for it." Ruby was openly crying now.
"I-I-I just miss you so much…….it's like I lost a part of me that I'll never get back. I know you wouldn't want me to seek revenge or any kind of harm to another human being…….but if I ever see him…….I don't know what I'll do." Ruby wiped her tears.
"I'm sorry, this isn't about me. This is your day after all. I'm just a mess I guess………...I was hoping to get Yang back but I don't know where she went. I could go looking for her but I don't even know where to start…….what should I do." Ruby asked.
"You could start by not leaving just a stupid note."
"AAAAWWW!!" Ruby jumped back startled. She turned around and saw Qrow. "Are you crazy?! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
"That's my line." He replied.
"How did you even get up here so fast?" She asked.
"Trade secret. I expected this kind of behavior from your sister; she's always been a firecracker but not you. Sure you're curious but you've known when to stop. So tell me: are you after Yang because you want to find her or because you want what she's after?" Qrow asked.
"...I don't want to lose anyone else." Ruby answered.
"Yeah, that's what I thought. I just needed to hear you say it. When I last spoke with Yang she was in Atlas." Qrow said.
"What! You knew where Yang was?!"
" I said that's when I last saw her. That was about a week ago when I was passing by on my way from Animus. However, that would be the best place to pick up a trail." Qrow began to walk away.
"Wait! What about you?" Ruby asked.
"I'm on vacation kid. Someone has to watch Zwei, remember? I'll tell Tai that you're alright when visits are open again." Qrow promised.
Ruby watched Qrow walk away as she mulled over the information. She turned to look back at the grave. "Well, I've always wanted see to Atlas I guess. I wonder if you've been mom."
As Qrow was walking away he felt uneasy about the whole situation. 'I sure hope you know what you're doing, Oz.'