Ruby had been left alone to stew with her thoughts, and quite frankly, that was the worst place for her to be in. Not moments ago, a man not too older than her practically kissed her. It was not consensual, and that's not to mention the fact that he did so with the intentions of throwing a pursuing man off his trail. Of all the reasons to invade someone's space like that, that might have been one of the vilest. Ruby could still feel the waves of heat rolling over her body like a crashing thunderstorm, even after the fact. This man, Roman Torchwick, was a scumbag. The young girl had watched him stroll into a nearby alleyway, and if she weren't so stunned from their interactions prior, the adventurous side of her would have tailed him. A sigh escaped her, one that was exasperated and worn. With any luck, she'd never run into that guy again, unless it was to tell him off. She may have been an innocent thing, but Ruby knew that Roman was way to forward for comfort. Part of her wanted to wring his neck out for using her like that, especially for the means of escaping trouble. A far different part became morbidly curious as to who this man was, but that was the part she was struggling with the most. Ruby had always been the ragtag kind of girl that often got into trouble because of ambition and interests alone. If she met this man again and chose to pursue him like that tall man had attempted to do so before, would she find herself backed into a corner facing trouble as well?
"Here's your hot chocolate!" Yang's familiar voice shouted just beside her sister. Apparently, Ruby had been lost in thought to a degree that led her older sister to sneak up on her without notice. The youngest sibling jolted upright in her seat, clearly unnerved. Yang couldn't help but laugh while handing the lidded cup over to the shaking Ruby. "Jeez, I didn't think I was that intimidating!"
"No, it's not you...it's just..." Ruby stammered, leftover flustering from before returning once again. This instantly caught Yang's curiosity. She shifted her weight to one hip and crossed her arms, her slender eyebrows cocking up to reveal an inquisitive stare.
"Hmmm?"
"It's nothing, really, I just met a weird guy just now and—"
"Ruby! I've been attending Beacon Academy for a full year and have hardly been talked to by any serious guys, and now you're telling me that—while I was fetching you your damn drink—that you were propositioned? By a guy?!" Yang boomed, partly in excitement and overly protective vigor. "How long have you been here for? Not even a full day, hell, not even a full hour!"
"It wasn't like that!" Ruby exclaimed loudly, quickly standing up while throwing her arms out to her sister. It actually was quite like that though. A flustering mess of an interaction. Though, if she said that, then her sister would really go crazy and heavily barrage her with questions she didn't have any answers to. With an uneven whimper, Ruby began to pout as she spoke. "I'm serious. He was...I dunno, something else. I won't have to deal with that ever again though. This is a pretty big place, I doubt it'll mean trouble for me."
"Yeah, and if it does spell trouble, well, you just let your big sister Yang take care of everything."
"I'd rather not have you wind up in jail for brutality and murder, Sis."
"Details, details!"
Silver eyes rolled in amusement as Yang gave the notion of jail time little attention. All that really mattered to the two of them were each other and family. If the roles were reversed, Ruby would have said something similar to her sister, though her sister was well equipped to handle any guy that was advancing on her. Certainly she had to practice a bit of that hulking strength of hers once or twice already. Being an attractive young woman at an academy with young men everywhere, Yang was bound to have a creep or two stalk her. Ruby remember hearing about one incident of a guy following her to and from the showers, but the next time she spoke with Yang, she told her the guy "voluntarily switched schools" after a brief conversation. I was likely as voluntary as Ruby had been when that orange haired punk sank into her private bubble, with a heavy emphasis on voluntary.
Ruby gave her drink a quick gulp. The smooth chocolate liquid warmed her throat and reassured her of her surroundings. It was just her and Yang, and soon to be this new acquaintance of theirs, this Blake girl. No more Roman Torchwick to bother her now. Oh, but that was another thing. Blake would be here soon, and while the station was a short walk away, they really ought to be going. With a brief reminder of this, the two sisters agreed on parting with the cafe scene and began to make their way back to the train station where Ruby had come from a short while ago. The two sisters talked idly as they made their way back to that familiar spot, the oldest sister being more animated while the youngest remained more collective as she sipped away at her drink greedily. It was a rather good beverage, and the biggest shame of all was when there were only a few marshmallow morsels left in the cup with no more liquid to be seen. With a sour look, Ruby tossed the emptied cup into a nearby bin as they entered the open-mouthed terminal of the station. The two sisters stood around for a short time, busying themselves with conversing once more. Yang leaned against a nearby wall while Ruby took to resting on her luggage case. It hadn't taken very long for a loud, softened bell to toll. It was a signal for the next arriving train, which perked the sisters' interests immediately.
"Oh, it looks like this is the train!" Yang chirped joyously. Without hesitance, Yang pushed off the wall and took a step forward, eyeing the passengers as they filtered out. Ruby joined her sister near the platform, speculating just who this mysterious girl could be that Yang was picking up. As long as she wasn't a crude thing like that Weiss girl she had as a pen pal, things would be okay. That was when Ruby forgot her grip over her luggage bag. The wheeled bag wobbled to the side and timbered down to the ground in front of one of the passengers who just departed the train. Ruby froze rigid in place, paling from embarrassment.
"I am so sorry! I lost my grip and—"
"You better apologize! I nearly fell over!" A young voice cried out indignantly. As Ruby scurried to pull her luggage back upright, her silver eyes flitted up to meet those of the icy blue hues which belonged to a young white haired woman before her. The girl had her hair up into a ponytail that gravitated slightly to the side, the color of which mirrored her pristine white trench coat dress she wore with tall, slender white boots. She was the image of purity and grave, though she wore the largest frown Ruby has ever seen. This left her with a pout.
"Hey, I said I was sorry. It was an accident."
"Accident or not, you nearly cost me a leg! If I had fallen over, then I could have seriously damaged my belongings tucked in my bag, not to mention myself. Do you even realize how detrimental it would have been for me? It would have been your fault, too! You should think next time before you decided to be so careless."
"Well, good thing it didn't happen then! Look, I apologized, but I don't think you have to be so overboard because of this. No harm, no foul." Ruby barked back, now visibly getting upset. This was so ridiculous. Yes, she was a little spacey, so she'd take claim for that. What she would not accept was this blatant excuse this girl was using to instigate a fight for no other real reason aside from the fact that she could. Ruby then deadpanned suddenly, her eyes sizing up the girl before her once more. The angry lady was certainly an icy thing, and she certainly was a grave reminder of a different pen pal Ruby had that she really wished she hadn't been given.
"Uh, hey, by chance, are you Weiss Schnee?"
"Of course I am. It's a good thing you recognize me now. If you really apologize sincerely now, I'll accept it and be on my way."
"No, that's not happening. I'm not apologizing, it's just that I know you. You were my pen pal for a short while. I'm Ruby, Ruby Rose." Weiss took a moment to process the information Ruby just supplied. It was now the icy girl's turn to deadpan and stare upon the spunky girl before her. Her complacent expression quickly darkened to a grim one, her frown pressing into a deeper line. Ruby flinched at this, noticing the change in her face. Clearly this girl remembered her.
"Ugh, I nearly forgot. I really thought I'd never hear from you again."
"So you do remember me?"
"I only had one pen pal, so yeah, it'd be hard to forget."
"Oh..."
"I hope you realize this doesn't make us friends or anything. Though, you'll owe me for nearly tripping me and my luggage over."
"Well, this sounds oddly familiar..." Ruby remarked, suddenly remembering a certain ginger. "And I didn't do anything wrong to you."
"No, you didn't, but Weiss is a bit edgy from the ride, I think." A new voiced called out. From behind Weiss, a young woman came out. She was clad in all black, head to toe. Almost an exact opposite to Weiss in every where. Where her hair as white, this new girl had long black tresses that laid over her body, sparkling yellow eyes surveying the scene before her. She was cool and collective, unlike the fuming Weiss. "I know we've only just met on the train, but something tells me this wasn't your fault, Weiss," the girl remarked, leaving Weiss with a smug grin. "and it's not her fault, either." At this, Weiss stomped and growled behind clenched teeth. With a reluctant sigh, the white haired girl trounced off to the side, given the black haired girl space to the leave the train.
"You know, Blake, I thought you were a dignified individual too."
"I just know how to tell right from wrong, I guess." Blake responded with, barely giving the now outraged Weiss any attention. At the mention of her name, Yang—nearly forgotten—quickly jumped over and wrapped her arms around the new arrival while shouting out her name. This caught Blake quite off guard, but she adjusted to the bodily contact in short time.
"Blake! You're finally here! How was your ride?" Yang asked happily, slowly letting go of the girl. Blake nodded, a gentle smile on her face. Ruby couldn't help but stare on at her. She was incredibly mysterious looking and held a certain charm. Her eyes were a stark, dazzling contrast to her dark attire, a feature that could distract anyone. She certainly seemed mature, and likely was treated like the poised lady she appeared to be. It was slightly intimidating, but also inspiring.
"Oh, everything's quite fine. I appreciate you coming here. I crossed paths with Weiss on the train, who helped pass the time with me once I had finished my novel." Blake explained to Yang in a prompt manner, her bright eyes rolling over to notice Ruby's slender form. "Who's this?" After a brief introduction to Weiss, Yang turned her attention back to Blake.
"This is my sister, Ruby Rose. She's just been accepted this year, too, and got to skip a year because of it!" Yang explained proudly, her chest puffed our like a jolly mother hen. Blake nodded at the words, a quiet congratulatory comment leaving her lips at the same time. The remark grabbed the attention of Weiss for the most part, who was now staring at Ruby with a slack jawed expression.
"There is no way you were accepted this early. Head Admin Professor Ozpin would never allow anyone bellow admittance age within the academy!" Weiss snapped, eyeing Ruby up and down with reluctance. Ruby groaned quietly, hating the attention on her, and specifically the flaming hate which ensued from Weiss.
"That's enough, Weiss." Blake quietly told the lighter colored girl before turning back towards Yang. "Could you bring us to the academy together, Yang? I know I said I'd be available to browse the town, but I'd like to drop my belongings off at my room, if you wouldn't mind."
"Of course! We'll all four go there together!"
"Four? Are you including me as well?" Weiss inquired, her pointed brows sharply turned.
"Yes, you too! We can all go out together, since I doubt any of you have other plans?" Everyone remained quiet for a moment, which told Yang that no one had any reason to object. "Great! We'll go to karaoke tonight and bond! Hey, you know it's not too late to apply for a quad room at the campus, maybe we should do that!" Yang shouted boldly to the girls that followed behind her. Everyone had their own reactions to that, but Ruby couldn't help imagining what sort of life that would be. She wasn't sure she'd be able to handle that kind of an atmosphere, but time would tell. The four girls walked on for a half hour, passing the scenery of the city. The populace was starting to turn over from the daytime cheeriness to the night owls that thrived in the chilled nightlife. Signs and door lights to stores were starting to flick on in preparation for the coming events of the evening, which captured Ruby's attention completely. It was a sight she was unused to, so seeing the life swell in the city square left her with wide eyed adoration. Being so enraptured with the sights and sounds, she hardly noticed her immediate surroundings and the several passerby were all faceless to her due to that grand excitement she held for the large city.
By this point, they had made it to the large academy gates. After Yang describing her small band of girls to the guard at the door—who seemed more than happy to talk to her sister—the man agreed to take their bags and luggage up to their dorm room for them, insisting the girls go out for their first night. After a few reassurances to Weiss that all the luggage would be handled with care, the four girls were quick to depart the academy gates, but not without a girly wave of thanks from Yang.
"You know how to woo a guy." Ruby remarked with a giggle, now strolling beside her sister. Blake was on the other side of Yang at this point, with Weiss on the other side of Blake. They all walked in time with each other, despite their varied heights, which surprised Ruby. Despite some trivial tension, Ruby noticed the strangely welcoming atmosphere their group had. They all must have noticed at this point. While she couldn't hear the whole conversation Yang had with the man, she was almost positive that the older sister requested a large enough dorm room for the four of them, too. Ruby had thought it a joke, but it seemed her sister wasn't kidding about it. In fact, it seemed like she was the most eager to have a group bonding experience.
The girls eventually found themselves back at the city square. The populace was completely overturned by the nightlife, couples and parties of people dotting the streets and filling the glowing fluorescent shops. Out of the four, Ruby was the most big eyed to the scenes that played out around them. There were all sorts of different people that surrounded them, a varying amount. Ruby nearly forgot Yang was leading them somewhere until they arrived at the brightly lit bar. It stood out due to the welcoming warm hues of light that spilled out of the windows. It was a karaoke bar, one that Yang seemed to frequent because she was immediately welcomed in and given a private room. All the girls followed in tow, with Ruby lagging behind the three. She couldn't help it, really. This was a whole new world, one she's never had a glimpse at before. Weiss—from what Ruby could gather from their idle banter on the way here—was used to living a lavished lifestyle. Blake had lived in a city prior to coming to Beacon. Yang had been here for a solid year before Ruby. They were all used to the big city lights and displays of the night life, all but Ruby. That was fine, more gawking for her.
It was then that she stopped in place and the feel of a vibration in her sweater's side pocket. She reached over and pulled out her electronic scroll, noticing the vibrant blue light blinking at her with grave intent. A message? She popped the device opened, which allowed the holographic screen to appear. She slid through her inbox and stared upon the new message with wide eyes. It was from the unnamed pen pal. Her chest instantly tightened, a bit nervous for what it was that they could be messaging her about. With an eager tap of the finger, the message revealed one line of text. It was simple, short, but was enough to freeze her heart solid.
"Hello again, Red."
With bright silver eyes, Ruby read over that tiny message again and again, almost in disbelief of the words. The wheels began to turn, and those cryptic words Roman Torchwick spoke earlier were starting to make sense. The messages, his knowing of her acceptance letter, all of it. This was her pen pal, the unnamed cynical gentleman was Roman. Her breath hitched in her chest as she immediately started up a reply of her own, sending it in quick rhythm.
"Wait, you're that orange haired guy from earlier? Why didn't you tell me who you were?"
"'fraid I was too busy 'hiding', remember?"
"I can't believe any of this..."
Out of fear of what would be said next, she nearly locked up her scroll and stuffed it back away in her sweater pocket. After all, her friends and sister were waiting for her in their private room, and she really ought to get back to them before they got curious. Enough wasting time on this enigmatic Roman Torchwick and more of her getting on with her life. Yet, as she was prepared to snap the scroll shut, another blink signaled yet another quick response, which her prying eyes couldn't help but read.
"Hey, I can't believe you're as innocent and naive in person as you are in your messages. It's quite surprising to see someone so pure, I'll give you that, kid."
Her face grew a shade brighter at the accusation, frowning before sending off what she vowed would be her final message for the night.
"Shaddup, you don't know me! You're also the one that waltzed in on me, remember that? You should stop messaging me. Now. I didn't realize just how much of a creep you were."
His final message flicked on by, causing her to yelp audibly.
"Then what are you glancing around so hopeful for?"
Ruby shuddered as she stuffed her scroll back in her sweater and spun in place, looking all over for anyone in sight. Just beyond her was the hallway of private rooms, but over her shoulder she could spy the open bar area. It was littered with several bar stools and booths, with nearly as many people occupying said areas. She wasn't one for drinking—regardless of not being of legal drinking age—so she had no reason to venture out into that area. Yet, as the crowd of moving bodies shifted, Ruby's silver eyes caught glimpse of something bright in that darkened atmosphere. Just beyond a schmoozing couple was a single man, reclining into the booth.
His finely pressed black slacks and button up were rather fancy among the dancers and other drinkers, but it wasn't the white vest he wore which stood out the most to her. It was that infamous flop of orange hair that swept over one eyes, and the glisten of the other emerald eye which locked onto hers from far across the room. There was no need for them to shout over the party goers and drinkers. It was strange, but there was an unspoken thing happening here, she thought. The way he watched her, the way her body screamed out in adventure, but most of all it was the smirk that he soon wore when he realized her hesitance and obvious anxiety upon seeing him. That alone was enough to make her brave enough to take a step forward into the overpopulated bar scene and go straight to Roman Torchwick.
oooOOOoooOOOoooOOOooo
Hello once again, Lenore here! I'm so sorry for the delay on this chapter, but this Rosewick trash is here to stay, so expect more updates and more frequently! Chapter 3 may be coming sooner than you think. As a note, I am not expecting to put up many chapters for this tale of Roman and Ruby. It mainly serves to warm me up for a future Rosewick story (completely unrelated to this one) I will be making in the future. If you guys like it a lot though, I'll flesh it out more and give it several more chapters, if that's the case. Either way, please rate and review, because you're what makes my world go round! C: Thank you so much for reading, and I will see you in the next chapter. Cheers!
PS I also changed the title to something I found more suiting. Enjoy!