Chapter Two is here! Thank you for the wonderful response, I love getting the reviews and favorites. It's like a tiny hit of happy for every email I get!
Special thanks to Shinra-ex-SOLDIER! I asked them to read this chapter ahead of time and their feedback contributed to the final product you see before you. They had notes and suggestions for character voice, motivation, imagery, grammar and even a few missed """! Thanks Shinra-ex-SOLDIER! (Dem CAPS)
Anyhoo, this chapter runs 4664 words total, I desire feedback and reviews like the vulture craves corpses, so send em by the boatload. Enjoy!
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Yang Xiao Long paced the dorm room, fully dressed for combat. She'd tried sitting, but the blanket caught fire. Thus she paced. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Weiss, in her silk pajamas, watched Yang, her eyes tick tocking to Yang's rhythm. Blake, clad in her own sleep wear, sat on her bed, thumbing through a copy of "Indigo Waves : The Blue Flame Memoir".
Yang stopped. "Well, it's midnight, lets go looking." She said, clapping her hands together.
Weiss stood up. "Yang, I told you, I don't think that's a good idea." She said firmly.
Yang scratched her head, mussing up her hair without care. Weiss did tell her it wasn't a good idea. And each time Weiss said it wasn't a good idea, Yang had a dozen great ideas. All of them resulting in temporary harm or injury to Weiss' body.
Though, the longer the night dragged on, the more permanent the injury and harm became.
"Tell me again why we're waiting?" Yang said. Weiss opened her mouth. "Oh, that's right." Yang said, cutting Weiss off. "You took Ruby shopping, and now she's run off! Disappeared! GONE!" Yang yelled. She marched right up to Weiss. "What did you say to her? Exactly?" She asked. "I'm honestly curious. Did you even bother letting her down easy? Something like, 'Ruby, pants just aren't your style.' Or did you cut her down to size?" Yang snarled.
Weiss bristled. "I told you!" She yelled back. "She was trying on pants, which she looked amazing in by the way, and asked me to try some on with her! So I DID!" Weiss jutted her chin out, staring Yang down. Her arms were crossed, her eyes ablaze. "The second I step out of the fitting room, she says some gibberish about leaving the stove on and bolts! She was so quick to leave she stole the outfit she had on! She left her cloak, her scroll, and all the pants! All of the pants Yang!"
A knock sounded at the door. Yang went to the door and ripped it open, thinking it was Ruby. Why was she knocking?
"Everything okay?" Jaune asked sleepily, clad in his bunny pajamas.
Jaune suddenly regretted every action he took that led him to this moment. Face to face with a force of nature. A bloodthirsty supernova, judging Jaune's meager existence and blowing through him like a hurricane through dust. He backed away, his soul withering.
Yang slammed the door, cracking the doorframe. A soft whimper was heard in the hall. Yang turned around. Weiss was right behind her.
Weiss stepped right up to Yang's face, pushing Yang against the door. "And by the way, Yang." Her voice dripped with venom. "I would never, ever, cut Ruby down to size." Weiss stuck a finger in Yang's face. "I promised her to be the best teammate she'd ever have. I learned my lesson." Weiss gestured to Blake. "Or have you forgotten?"
Yang blinked, her temper settling down to lilac. She fully leaned against the door. "Then. . . Why?"
"I don't know." Weiss whispered. "I'm as worried as you are." Weiss eyed the cracks in the doorway. "Well, maybe not as worried, but she's my teammate." Weiss went and sat on her bed, crossing her legs. She rested her hands on her knee, fingers laced. "I want to know what's going on too, and I want to give her space to think." Weiss tapped her thumb against her knee. "I think that's best for now."
Yang pinched her chin. "Maybe she saw you in pants, and thought she'd never look as good as you?" Weiss shot Yang a quizzical brow. Yang raised her palms. "Hey, you're the heiress around here. Compared to you, Ruby and I grew up a coupl'a badland bumpkins. That corset and skirt is one of the only real outfits she's ever owned." Yang shrugged. "Maybe she's intimidated?"
It made sense to Yang. Ruby didn't have the time to develop and grow her own style and confidence. Ruby skipped ahead. Despite her skill, she was young. Her normal knees were walking around young adults, with two years of social successes and failures under their belts. Two years of experimentation, feedback and iteration. Ruby was playing catch-up.
Weiss shrugged. "Maybe." Weiss frowned. "Maybe not. We were talking about the assembly right beforehand."
Yang rubbed her forehead. That assembly gave her a major case of the sucks. It came out of nowhere! Ozpin billed it as veteran Hunters sharing stories and experiences and it turned into a huge bummer-fest! "Of course." Yang sighed. "Some Hunter shares their 'my whole team is dead' story, Ruby's bound to take it in."
"She is our team leader." Blake finally piped up, her eyes still locked on the memoir in her hands. "She bears our lives on her shoulders. We're one bad call from injury or death." She turned a page. "I'm glad she takes it seriously."
Yang folded her arms. "Does she have to take it so seriously? I mean, being out so late. . ." It worried Yang.
Blake shut her book. "We don't even know something's wrong." Blake pointed out. "For all we know, she was excited to show off a little." Blake held the book to her face, covering her mouth. "Maybe she's with a boy. . ."
"That's ridiculous." Weiss snapped.
"No way in hell." Yang said at the same time.
Blake opened her book back up. "It's possible." She hummed. "If I got a new outfit, it would make me happy to show off to someone I like." Her gaze settled on Yang. "Especially if someone took the time to notice me."
"Ruby's not with a boy." Weiss said, her voice wooden. "I'd know. Yang would know. She'd be all red and stuttering and. . ." Weiss uncrossed her legs, her foot slamming the floor. "She's not with a boy!" She insisted.
The door opened. "Who's not with a boy?" Ruby asked, stepping into the room, clad in stolen pants and summer shirt.
"RUBY!" Yang shouted, turning on her heel, lifting her sister into a tight hug. "Where were you!?" She demanded, setting Ruby down.
Weiss pulled up next to the sisters. "Yes Ruby, where did you go? I was worried sick!"
Ruby stepped back, rubbing the side of her neck. "I'm sorry. I was in the forest." She said simply. "I was thinking about the assembly." Ruby offered a sad smile. She looked at her team, Weiss anxious, Blake quietly curious, Yang protective and dominating. "Yang? Could I talk to you? In private?"
Yang's spine snapped to attention. "Sure sis, no problem." She turned to Blake and Weiss. "We're going for a walk, we'll be back soon. Don't wait up." She said, leaving no room for discussion.
Weiss looked like she wanted to protest, but nothing came up. Blake closed her book and nodded. "Goodnight then." Said Blake, bidding them farewell with a small wave of her hand.
Yang nodded. She looked Ruby up and down. Ruby had on the stolen summer shirt, stolen pants, and her own pair socks. "Get your shoes first Rubes. It's chilly out." Yang said, jerking her head towards the pile in the corner.
Ruby squeaked, and zipped over to the corner. She pulled on her boots, affixed her cloak, and tucked her scroll into the pocket. With a small wave goodbye to Weiss, Ruby walked back to Yang. Yang, with her hand on Ruby's shoulder, walked them out of the dorm, down the flight of stairs, and out to the moonlit grounds of Beacon.
The sisters walked in silence, Yang waiting until Ruby was ready to speak. They made their way across Beacon's campus, winding round the labs and auditoriums dotting the campus. Their walk took them to Beacon's courtyard. Yang's boots thunked on the pavement. Ruby stepped light.
"So I'm wearing pants." Ruby started.
Yang snorted. "Like I didn't notice." She nudged her sister with her elbow. "Stolen pants too! You wanted em that bad?"
Ruby blushed. "No! I just. . . I ran." She whispered.
Yang frowned. "From what?"
Ruby pulled at a lock of hair. "Yang, I saw Harvest Gold yesterday, and I liked her pants. I mean, I really liked them." She fiddled with the belt loop on her pants. "And then I went shopping with Weiss. And I liked the pants, I did! But I didn't feel the same wearing them. Like, on Harvest, they looked amazing. Alluring. They looked. . . Fine, on me. Good. I appreciate them. I'll wear them more, but there was something missing."
Ruby stopped walking. She met Yang's eyes. "So I asked Weiss to try some pants on. I was wondering if I was feeling awkward, being the only one wearing pants. And then. . ." Ruby flushed a deep crimson. "Yang, I felt all the same stuff looking at Weiss as I did looking at Harvest Gold. I felt warm and buzzy and. . . What's going on with me?" Ruby pleaded. "Do pants have a weird effect on me?"
Yang was internally screaming, the biggest smile breaking across her face. Her sister! Her little sister was blossoming! Spreading her petals wide in the dawn of her womanhood!
Yang took a breath, ensuring her excitement was contained. She lifted a hand to Ruby's shoulder. "Ruby," Yang began. "You liked the pants when Weiss wore em?"
Ruby nodded. "Yeah." She said. "I did."
"You liked the pants on Weiss?" Yang pressed.
"Yeah. . ." Ruby answered, hesitant.
"Do you think that maybe. . . You like Weiss?" Yang said, testing the waters.
"Well, sure I like Weiss!" Ruby said, her voice strained. "She's my partner, what's not to like?"
Yang inwardly pinched her nose. "Yes, but what about like like?" Yang said, emphasizing her syllables. "In a 'have a nice dinner, walk to the door, kiss on the lips' sorta way?"
Oh. Too much, Yang. Too much, too fast. Ruby went so red Yang wondered if any blood was getting to where it needed to go. "N-no Yang! Not like that, not like that at all! That would be wrong! So wrong!" Ruby exclaimed.
"Okay, okay." Yang held up her hands. "The way you talked about it, it's the first thought that came to mind." Retreat for now, hit her with the truth when her guard's down. That Xiao Long brutality was going to come in handy. Yang smirked. "But, let's say you like her."
"Which I don't." Ruby said quickly.
"Which you don't." Yang agreed. "But let's say you do. What makes it so wrong?" She asked.
"What makes it so wrong?" Ruby spluttered. "Let's start with the obvious! I'm the team leader! Weiss is my partner! Hunting is a dangerous job! If I were to date Weiss while we're in such a dangerous field of work, it could lead to serious complications!"
Yang shrugged. "It worked out for Dad." She said, unthinking.
"NO IT DIDN'T!" Ruby screamed, startling Yang. "Raven left you as a kid, might be dead for all we know! Mom died and we've got the grave to prove it! Our Uncle is an alcoholic and our Dad was so depressed you had to raise me! Something no kid should have to do!"
Ruby threw her hands to the sky. "So let's say I love Weiss, okay!? Let's say that! If I did, it would be great! We'd visit cool bakeries, we'd travel the world, we'd hold hands! We'd get a wedding cake made out of cookies!"
Ruby began pacing back and forth across the same patch of pavement. "But then we'd go on a hunt. We'd take it together, of course, and maybe I make a mistake. Something like with Onyx and TORN! Something small, something stupid! I make a mistake and Weiss ends up dead or injured! She leaves me and I have nothing but pain!" Ruby stopped and swivelled on her foot. "No, there's no way I like Weiss. No way!"
Yang screwed her eyes shut, a few tears staining her lashes. This was way bigger than she thought. Ruby said 'love'. She was head over heels, and deep denial about it too. Yang sighed. "Ruby, you aren't Dad. Weiss isn't mom."
"That's not the point!" Ruby snapped. "The point is that relationships between team members are bad, bad ideas!"
Yang was getting angry. "Like hell they are. That isn't the point, Ruby. No one knows what the future brings, so don't go bringing in the past as some kind of absolute answer!"
Yang folded her arms. "I think you like Weiss, and I think you know you like her, and I know you're scared. You're scared that if you let yourself love her the way you want to, it'll hurt that much more when - not if- but when she's hurt. When you're hurt."
Yang brought her fists to her side. "But that's what makes love so good Ruby! Just look at what happened when Dad loved Raven! He got the pain, sure!" Yang pulled her hand to her heart. "And, he got me." Yang said softly. Her temper cooled, and she brought her hand to Ruby's shimmering cheek. "And when he loved Mom, I got you." Yang smiled. "I could get all the pain in the world and you'd be worth every second, sis." Yang drew Ruby into a hug. "Dad would say the same. Mom would say the same." Yang whispered.
Ruby went limp in Yang's embrace. "I know." Ruby murmured. "I was worth it to Mom. To Dad. But. . . Yang, I don't want to lose Weiss." Ruby gripped Yang's shirt, tight. "I won't lose Weiss."
Yang's shirt grew hot, and wet. "Ruby. . ." Yang whispered.
Ruby slid out of Yang's arms. She stepped away. Yang reached out to her, pleading. Ruby's brow bent with resolve. "I'm going to bed. I'm done talking." Ruby zipped off.
Yang stood there. She held a hand to her chest, Ruby's tears cooling on her blouse. "Oh Ruby." She whispered. "Don't you see this is how you lose her?"
The night held no answer.
~0~
Weiss opened her eyes, the fog of sleep slowly slipping from her mind. Her eyes glanced over the clock on her nightstand. 6:27, three minutes before her alarm was supposed to ring. She breathed deep, her fingers lazily twirling a strand of her hair. She blinked, and looked across at Blake's bed.
A fully dressed Yang sat next to Blake, her eyes puffy and red. Blake had one hand on Yang's shoulder, rubbing it gently. They spoke in hushed whispers. Weiss caught Ruby's name, something about summer, and her own name. Yang looked Weiss' way and stopped whispering.
"Weiss!" Yang said, rubbing her eyes. "How long have you been up?"
Weiss pushed herself up on her hands. She rubbed the sand from her eyes. "A minute or so." Weiss looked Yang up and down. "You're already dressed?" Weiss asked.
Yang shrugged, a smirk on her lips. It looked strained. "I forgot to change out of my clothes last night. Silly me!" She said, playing it off as a joke.
Weiss narrowed her eyes. "You slept in your clothes?" Yang? Sleep in her own clothes? When did she get to bed last night?
Yang laughed. It came out choked. "Yup! Blake and I went pretty hard at the gym yesterday. I think that and staying up so late just conked me right out." She rubbed the back of her neck, that smirk still stiff on her jaw.
Weiss slid out of her blankets, bare toes spreading on the wood of the dorm. "I see." Weiss stood up. She stretched, her mouth letting loose a long yawn. She shook the last of the sleep from her mind. Her eyes glanced to Ruby's bed. The bed was empty.
Weiss' alarm went off.
It beeped for a few moments, then routine took over and Weiss' hand slammed down on the clock. All was quiet for just a moment. "Where's Ruby?" Weiss asked quietly, turning to face her team.
A frown ghosted across Yang's face. "She, uh, went to the cafeteria. Early. Wanted some cookies before they all ran out." Yang said quickly.
Weiss' hands balled into fists. "The cafeteria doesn't open for another hour." Weiss stomped closer to Blake's bed, staring down Yang. "Furthermore, Ruby has slept in every day we haven't had morning classes. So, I'll ask again. Where. Is. Ruby?" Weiss repeated, her voice hard.
Blake spoke up. "She snuck out this morning." Blake crossed her arms. "I saw her leave."
"Why would she leave so early?" Weiss asked.
Yang and Blake looked at each other, exchanging an unreadable look. "I don't know." Yang answered.
"You don't know or you won't tell me?" Weiss demanded.
Yang laced her fingers together, tapping her thumbs. "It's not my place to say." Yang responded.
Tears pricked at Weiss' eyes. She huffed, turning her nose up, and went straight to the dresser. She grabbed a set of clothes and strode to the washroom, slamming the door behind her.
She leaned against the door, a slow breath leaving her lips. Her eyes were hot. Why did Ruby leave all of a sudden yesterday? Why didn't Ruby talk to her after coming back? Why was Yang confiding in Blake, but not saying anything to her? To Ruby's own partner?
Weiss gulped. It was her fault, whatever was going on with Ruby. It was her fault and no one was telling her what needed to be done.
Weiss wiped her eyes with her forearm. She bent her brow, a quiet anger boiling in her belly. If they won't tell her what's going on, she will find out, and she will find out immediately. She gave Ruby room, but that was before it became apparent that Ruby was avoiding her. Weiss was going to get to the bottom of this.
Now the only question was how. . .
~0~
Weiss was fuming. The HLLOW Q&A had ten minutes left, and Ruby was nowhere to be seen. It would be easy to spot Ruby, the Q&A was in Beacon's courtyard, with HLLOW on a raised stage and an open air kitchen.
Weiss' foot snapped against the ground again and again like a rubber band. She scanned the crowd again, looking for the tell-tale red, the petals, something of Ruby. She checked her scroll for the tenth time. For the nine texts Weiss sent, she had received nothing back.
Nothing. And she'd missed every question HLLOW had answered. She wouldn't eat the complementary lunch they bought, even though it seemed quite good in theory. An outside line kitchen had been commissioned to serve hearty bowls of ramen with one's choice of protein and a fizzy drink. Weiss would normally be happy for an easy meal, but her heart wasn't in it today.
Weiss sighed. If Ruby did show up, what would she do? Confront her in the crowd? Pull her to a secluded spot and force a confession out of her? No, that wouldn't do, Ruby could run off unless Weiss had her well and truly cornered.
"You okay?" Blake asked, nudging Weiss' elbow.
Weiss huffed, stepping away from Blake's reach. "I'm fine." Weiss said, her voice sharp.
Blake's eyes flick to the side. Yang was a few steps away. She seemed ignorant of Blake and Weiss' conversation. "I know you're mad." Blake whispered.
"Why would I be mad?" Weiss grumbled. "Not like my teammate is off brooding somewhere and the rest of my team is leaving me in the dark."
"Weiss, it's not like I don't want to tell you." Blake laced her fingers together, arms lax. "It's just that. . ." Blake unlaced her fingers, putting her hand on Weiss' shoulder. "It's like why I wear my bow. You guys had to pry it out of me, that's how badly I didn't want you to know." Blake sagged. "It's the same thing with Ruby, only it's not with all of us. It's something she can't tell you. Not yet."
Weiss' shoulders fell. "What did I do Blake?" Weiss asked. "What is so bad that she can't talk to me about it?"
Blake shook her head. "She'll tell you when she's ready. And if I tell you, it might make things worse." Blake squeezed Weiss' shoulder. "If she doesn't come clean soon, I'll have your back, 'kay?" Blake smiled.
Weiss smiled back, weakly. "Thanks Blake." Weiss turned away from her teammate back to the stage. Her ears twitched.
"Alright! We got time for one last question." Harvest Gold said into the mic. "Any takers?"
A final hand went up, and the mic was passed to the student. The crowd parted slightly to give the student a line of sight to HLLOW. He cleared his throat. "This one is for you Harvest." He began. Harvest nodded, arms folded. "And it's a personal question, so I understand if you don't answer it."
Harvest smirked. "It's a tough business kid. I can handle whatever you've got."
The student gulped. "Knowing what you know now, would you still pursue a relationship with other Huntresses?" He asked. "Do you regret falling in love with Tabby?"
The crowd went silent.
Harvest Gold seemed stunned. Then she laughed. "I thought I said one question, buster." She joked, though her smile strained her neck.
The student spluttered. "I-I'm sorry, I wasn't-"
Harvest held her hand out, and the student quieted. "What's your name kid?" She asked.
The student looked down at the grass. "Griffin Gear." He mumbled.
Harvest smiled. "Griffin, I do not regret a single moment I had with Tabby." She brushed a hand through her hair, eyes twinkling. "I'll tell you now, I would've regretted everything if I didn't tell her and she died knowing nothing of my love for her."
Harvest rubbed the back of her neck. "Love's a funny thing, Griffin. It hurts no matter how you go about it. You tell the person you love and they reject you and that hurts. Or you tell them and they accept you, and you're doomed to leave them one day, or watch them leave you." Harvest's lips set in a thin line. "But for the love of Oum, tell them. Because if you don't tell someone of your love for them, that's what will hurt the most."
Harvest swept her hand across the whole student body. "If anyone takes one thing from our visit, it's to be true and authentic with your teammates. In matters of love, absolutely, but also matters in hate, in pain, and in sorrow. Carrying that weight to the battlefield drags you down, drags your team down, and you will not recover." Harvest looked Griffin dead in the eye. "Promise me, all of you."
Griffin's grip tightened around the mic. "I promise, Harvest Gold." All around him, students echoed the sentiment with varying levels of conviction and volume.
Harvest Gold nodded. "Good. Then that ends the Q&A. Thank you everyone, we appreciate you being here."
Weiss' mind was racing. Be true, be authentic to your teammates. Or it will drag you down. It will drag down the whole team. Weiss bit her lip. Ruby was not being true to her. And Weiss needed an opportunity to get Ruby alone. . .
An idea popped in her head. As students began filing out of the courtyard around her, Weiss pulled her scroll and dialed a number. A ringing sounded for several seconds, then- "Professor Port? It's Weiss Schnee. Yes, I know it's the weekend, I wouldn't be calling if it wasn't important. No, no one needs your exemplary battlefield skills at this moment. I wanted to ask a huge favor. . ."
~0~
Weiss sat on her bed, pajama clad, one leg crossed over the other, the slippered foot tapping in the air. She checked the clock. 11:37 PM. Ruby was very late for bed. Each second ticking past was another second Weiss gathered tension within her. Her arms were tightly crossed. Her back was so straight it could be used to . Her face was dark in a permanent frown.
Yang and Blake had fallen asleep not long ago. Blake almost immediately at bed time, her book on the side table and her bow neatly folded next to it. Yang had stayed up, hoping Ruby would be back before long, but exhaustion took her. Yang was now sleeping with her arm slung over the side of the bed, hanging down in the empty air, her body riding the bed's edge. Her hair was a mess.
Weiss blew a strand of hair from her face. Weiss would not succumb to sleep. Weiss would not retire. Weiss was on a mission, and she would not be denied.
The door opened, quietly. A black-toed boot snuck through the gap. Ruby squeezed in, slithering her body around the door. She gently shut it, twisting the handle so it didn't click. She turned around.
Weiss stood right in front of her, almost nose to nose.
Ruby squeaked, then clasped her hands around her mouth. "H-hey Weiss." Ruby whispered. "What're you doing up?"
Weiss closed her eyes tight with frustration. She took a deep breath. "I could ask you the same." She hissed. Her eyes opened. "Where have you been?" Weiss demanded, her voice low.
Ruby shrugged. "Just thinking. All day, the time really flew by."
Weiss hmm'd. "And you just forgot to charge your scroll last night?" She asked, her face pressing closer to Ruby's.
Ruby flinched. "I-it slipped my mind." She said.
Maybe it was the dark, but Ruby seemed to be. . . blushing?
Weiss stepped back. She pinched her nose. "Ruby, what is going on with you?"
Ruby held her palms up. "Nothing." She said.
Weiss sighed. Of course. "Ruby, something is going on." Weiss whispered. She held a hand to her chest. "Is it me? Did I do something to-"
"No!" Ruby snapped. "No." She said, quieter. "It's not you, I swear. I just have a lot going on, that's all."
Weiss crossed her arms. She knew that was a lie, so nothing was going to happen tonight. Time to put the plan 'Wilted Rose' into action. "Ruby, you're my teammate. Something is wrong. If you don't talk to me about it, I won't be the best teammate I can be." Weiss brushed her hair back. "You don't want me breaking my promise to you, right?"
Ruby shrunk. "Of course not." She admitted, toeing the ground with her boot.
Weiss smiled. "Good. Then you'll go on the extra credit assignment I signed us up for." She said.
Ruby paused. "What?"
Weiss grinned. "Well, I talked to Professor Port, and I told him I needed more field experience with my partner. So I asked him if we could skip his class and instead go on an Ursa hunt. You'll wish you heard me, I fed him a great line about battlefield glory and he jumped at the chance to send us off."
Weiss smirked as Ruby grew more and more flustered. She continued. "We'll need to document the Ursa we encounter, of course, and detail our strategies for taking them down. I think this is an excellent opportunity to strengthen our bond as teammates."
Weiss leaned in. "And if we don't, he won't give us the grade." Her breath was hot on Ruby's ear. "And I want my grade, Rose." She whispered.
Ruby gulped.
Weiss, feeling quite pleased with herself, skipped back away from Ruby. She didn't wait for Ruby to respond. "Glad we got that sorted. I'll see you at the edge of Forever Fall after Oobleck's class." Weiss said, slipping under her blankets. "Show up, or you'll explain my GPA to my sister." Weiss settled into bed. "Did I mention she has an army at her disposal? A literal army, Ruby." Weiss smiled, sinking into her pillow. "And you'd better be wearing a pair of pants! Goodnight!" Weiss declared, and closed her eyes.
Weiss steadied her breath and waited, listening. She heard Ruby sigh. The dresser drawer opened. Cloth rustled. The bathroom door swung shut. A few moments later, Weiss fell asleep. She dreamed of thorns and rose petals.
~0~
Now that this chapter is out, here are some prompts for feedback, if you are so inspired to offer it.
1. Level of detail. Did I offer enough of the setting and character movement to immerse you?
2. Does Ruby's motivation make sense?
3. Did you enjoy it?
Thank you! One chapter left. It's gonna be a fun one!
-Skull025