(Pre-Chapter A/N): So this is the second chapter to 'Repetition.' I'm starting to get used to typing up stories and I'm very quickly learning things about my writing style. This said, I'm improving on sentence structure and variety AND I'm getting a lot of new ideas on as to where this story's plot should go. I left myself at a great cutoff last time. Well, here's your next chapter, 'A Variable.'

At the sight of the young man's face I felt joyful at the sight of an old friend, yet I simultaneously felt a wave of guilt wash over me. I hadn't so much as spoken to Jaune, or anyone for that matter, for 3 years. I scrambled to my feet and held out my hand to help him up. He accepted with a smile and got to his feet.

"Thanks, and hello...again," said Jaune.

"Not a problem. And hello. I-It's been quite a while, hasn't it?" I said a little shakily.

"Yeah...it has. 3 years if I recall."

"Around that."

"...So, how has life been treating you?"

"It's been well. My leg is getting better." I lied.

"That's great! Good to hear that."

"..."

"Soooo..uh, how's your...sister doing?"

At this point I visibly froze. "I...I-I actually don't know, Jaune."

"Wait, what do you mean 'I don't actually know?"

'Know what? This conversation needs to be had if I want change.'

"What I mean is that I haven't really...contacted Yang. Or anyone for that matter." I mumbled the last part.

"...Why?"

"I don't know, Jau-"

"No," he interrupted, voice rising in volume "You know Damn well why, and I want to know. I'm pretty sure everyone else does, too."

I sighed and looked toward the ground "I suppose if I had to guess, it would be that...well my shitty, boring life got to me a long time ago a-and I guess my mind thought you all wouldn't want anything to do with me." I noticed my voice quivering and cracking more and more with every word I say.

"Boring li-" he stopped mid thought and I saw his face light up slightly like he had a idea.

"Hey Ruby."

"Yes, Jaune?"

"What would you say if I could, I don't know, say get you a job at the largest forgery in Vale making and repairing weapons?" He said with a large smirk plastered on his face.

I simply looked at him, eyes wide and mouth gaping as I tried to comprehend what he had just offered.

"I-I Wh-dh..." 'Come on you blubbering idiot, say something already!'

Jaune continued to look at me with that same smirk on his face, eyebrows raised in question.

Finding myself unable to think or speak, I did the only thing that I thought would serve as an answer. I wrapped my arms around him an buried my face in his chest. After a few seconds, he lightly followed my lead and wrapped me in his arms. We sat like this for about 15 seconds until I looked up at his face and said the only word that came to mind.

"Yes."

"Okay then, Ruby. I'll put in my highest regards and I'll get you that job, since yours is apparently so 'mind-numbingly boring.' He said with a cheeky grin on his face.

Still unable to find my words, I simply glared at him and broke the hug we had been in.

"Oh, by the way, happy early birthday. Tomorrow..is your birthday, right?"

Finding the ability to speak again I said "Yeah, it's my 21st tomorrow."

"That's cool. Hey, maybe I could arrange a reunion between everyone! Have a nice little party. It would be nice."

"...That's actually not a bad idea. can you contact everyone and arrange this? I'd love a chance to reconnect with everyone!"

"Yeah, I've got the information. It's confirmed then. 21st birthday party tomorrow. Be ready, Ruby." He said whilst slowly walking backwards and away.

"Got it, Jaune. I'll be ready."

I walked home as fast as my injured leg would allow me to and went straight to my closet. I began rummaging through everything to find a nice dress for the occasion. Nothing too extravagant or flashy, just nice looking. With a vocal exclamation of 'Aha!' I pulled out a simple red dress. If I remember, this was the same dress I wore to the dance as a first year in Beacon Academy. It brought back great memories, at least until I went even farther ahead to post graduation. At this point I began to vividly recall my life changing incident.

*3 Years Prior*

I looked around the forest bordering Vale followed by my team of now full-time huntresses. For our first mission, seeing as we all graduated with top marks in their classes, we were assigned an extermination. There was a Grimm nest that sat far to close to Vale and it needed to be cleared out and destroyed. We were on our way to the den to do just that. The closer we drew, the more we began to hear. The shrill screeching of Nevermores and the howls of Beowolves became far more clear as we neared our intended destination. We reached a fairly small ovular clearing with a gigantic mass of sticks, dirt, animal parts and more in the center of it.

"Welp, I guess this is it, huh?" said Yang.

"Yep, now this is where it gets interesting." I replied.

At that, we engaged the expendable Grimm outside of the den and destroyed them easily. Whilst attacking, we seemed to draw the attention of some Grimm inside of the den, and by some I mean all of them. They came pouring out of the den in higher numbers than I had ever seen before. Upon seeing them we prepared our weapons and charged headfirst into battle.

After several hours of fighting what seemed to be an endless amount of Grimm, we found that we were all low on ammunition and energy. I found myself inside of a large circle of Beowolves and began cutting through them with everything I had, but when one died, two more took it's place. It was a seemingly hopeless effort. Seeing a small gap I had made, I bolted through and ran with everything I had, calling my team for a retreat. The others heard and followed me into the forest and toward Vale. In my haste I had not been paying attention to my surroundings and was blindsided by an Ursa. The strike landed on my left leg and I felt as though it had literally exploded from the pain. As I lied somewhat helpless on the ground, the Ursa took steps toward me and got ready to finish me. At this point I was nearly unconscious from the blood loss and pain I felt. The last thing I saw was a flash of yellow before falling into darkness.

*Back to the Present*

Ruby recalled these events down to the last detail. After a fast evacuation, the Grimm were taken care of at the border by Atlesian knights that had been placed there years before. As I awoke I remember what the doctor said. "The tissue in your entire left leg was nearly shredded and can no longer be strenuously used as it has been. I doubt that you can continue your current profession, ma'am." I was and still am devastated at those words. As he predicted, I was no longer able to be a huntress, so I ended up getting a job adding any existing variations of a weapon, and believe me, there are a lot, to the records. Soon that perpetual lifestyle settled itself and I lost all contact with my friends, and now I'm about to have a reunion with them after 3 years of silence.

Now I was thinking about my old friends and how they would respond to me. Would it be joy, sadness, anger...hate? It doesn't matter. I'm going to this party and I'm going to confront everyone I have been ignoring. I'm going to make up for 3 years of silence tomorrow. I'm really liking this change in my life. I'll have to thank Jaune for everything later. For now, with my dress chosen, I change into a pair of red shorts and a black tank top. All of the excitement from today has drained me, so I flop face first onto my bed and fall asleep, excited for the day ahead of me.

A/N: Okay, this is much better in terms of length. I feel like I screwed up a bit with the flashback, but I'm not sure how. Remember, PLEASE leave a review of the story. I need all of the help and advice I can get. I'm brand new to this still. Another thing, I will try my best to update every other day from now on, but I can't make promises. I have to read The Jungle and I have other school work to do. Being a sophomore sucks in terms of free time. All of this said, until next time...I'LL SEE YA!