Chapter 2: Growing Up


Darkness…that's what Tanya only can see. The pure blackness that covered her every surrounding; at first, the former wing commander thought she was in Tartarus as a punishment for her defiance against the so-called creator and Being X was just merely bluffing about her reincarnation…until she heard a particular voice calling out to her.

"Push Summer! You can do it, sweetie!"

When she heard that, Tanya heard cries of a newborn baby entering into the world of the living. Tanya knew that the crying wouldn't stop and her eyes remain shut since the infant's mind is controlling her body. But Tanya heard of her suppose parents spoke of absolute joy to her of what they saw.

"Hi, my little Ruby Rose; the names Tai Xiao Long, your good old dad…Yang, do you want to see your little sister?" Hearing Tanya's, or more accurately, Ruby parents' and her older sister's names, Tanya keep that in mind and waiting for the girl name Ruby to get a good grip of her own conscious.

One month went by; the former Wing Commander heard small details of the world she is standing on, as her dad dubbed this place as Remnant. As the country she is currently living in is called Vale. Unfortunately for Tanya, she didn't understand what the term Huntsman is that Tai keeps mentioning about them or the creatures of Grimm. In spite of having no clue of what Tanya's supposed dad keeps raving on about, she felt someone waking up.

Ah, it appears my host is finally waking up. I wonder if she can hear me.

When Tanya said that; her host, name Ruby Rose, opens her silver colored eyes and cooing when she heard a strange voice echoing in her mind.

Wait…you can hear what I'm thinking brat?

To the baby's response, Tanya felt confusion and slight joy coursing her body, giving a hint to Tanya that the baby is fully aware of Tanya's presence within her mind.

Well, c-I mean, dang it! How can she hear my conscious!

Cursing to Being X who wasn't kidding that she is going to share with the body of Ruby Rose, the infant Ruby simply giggled of her new found friend who's lurking in her mind.

Months after months, Tanya keeps hearing the gurgling and awing of her host. To Tanya's perspective, this was a curse from the god that she hated and being reincarnated with another soul that she could not fully control.

In the endless months of trying to figure out of what she supposed to do with this infant who is recently born and whose mind could not comprehend what her demands are. It's been one year and Tanya's patience is running dry for this mindless child. Her drool, her snot, and defecating herself to no end, making Tanya had enough with her mind-numbingly infancy. If she can't understand of what she wants in such a young age, she will force herself into her.

She has to do something for her host in order for her to take control before Tanya's metaphorical veins will pop in anger. In full concentration, Tanya begins to experiment on her own soul to interact with her host's soul. If she understood how her own soul can interact with Ruby Rose, she might possibly link with her mind and possibly consume her soul for Tanya to fully take control of this body while possibly, possibly, her host's soul will die in the parasitic process.

It was just a mere idea that Tanya comes up with. But it's better than yelling to a baby who can't even understand her highly intellectually or what she's feeling.

While both of them can see what they are seeing, Tanya could not feel her host or what she is even thinking. Like she's watching in a movie theater while her body is trapped in a straightjacket…but she can feel her host's soul radiating out to her. So many days of toiling her soul away like a slave digging through the endless tunnels, her soul is tediously reaching out to Ruby's soul for her to grasp. When she got close to Ruby's very own life force, Tanya instinctively felt some kind of link to her. She doesn't know what it is, but she felt some kind of attachment to her host. When Tanya felt that odd sensation attached to her soul like it's a magnet, she continues to push forward and-

Wo-wow! What just happen!

A sudden burst of wisdom overwhelms the baby's mind and gasping in surprise when she suddenly understood everything of what's around her, language, math, and psychology. The very moment when Tanya touched her soul to hers, Tanya's intelligence and knowledge was overflowing the infant's mind in seconds, ravel of her sudden burst of knowledge that Tanya accidentally gifted to the young infant. For Tanya though, she suddenly felt her soul being locked closely to her host and streams of emotions overwhelming her own thoughts. Of what she felt was confusion, fear…and amazement?

Whatever it was, it became quite bothersome for the Devil to process when she is fully attuned to Ruby's constant torrent of emotions engulfing Tanya's thoughts. She cannot untangle her soul from Ruby's and tried to forcefully move her own. But in vain, her soul is in stasis and cannot move a single inch away from Ruby's soul like a doe snagged in a bear trap.

What the heck?! How the hell did this happen?!

Instantaneously, Ruby's eyes flickered from silver to gold and Tanya briefly felt she was in control of Ruby's body. In a few seconds later, Ruby's eyes turn bright silver and she is back in control of her body. Both souls were confused and surprised by what just happened.

Who-who are you? How can I understand everything and know these words? Tanya wanted to tightly grind her teeth but she couldn't. Whatever she had done, Tanya knew she accidentally shared some of her knowledge to Ruby. Causing her host to fully accelerate her infant mentality to a mere child in a couple of seconds and somehow intertwine with Ruby's emotions in the process.

I don't know. But seeing you fully comprehend what I'm saying and you perfectly talk back to me, I think I might accidentally granted you my knowledge…and somehow I'm closely connected to your emotions. Of what had Tanya done, she cannot undo of what she did and forcefully had to be closely linked to Ruby which is going to be a migraine for her as she has to deal with Ruby's barrage of emotions and thoughts.

But she might benefit from this to manipulate her host of knowing what Ruby is feeling today.

Tell me who are you? How did you make me this smart all of the sudden?

When the infant question of who she is while being gifted by Tanya's knowledge, she might as well introduce herself to develop some kind of bond with her host.

Tanya, the name's Tanya Rose and how you become smart is probably my soul touching yours. Using her previous reincarnated name and using their current last name, Tanya felt overwhelming joy surging through her mind and that really sickened her to do Ruby's hyperactive mind of a grown toddler jumping around.

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Is that mean we are sisters? To Tanya, she wanted to barf of Ruby's overly positive nature and along being hyperactive when her mind matured that is equivalent to a four-year-old. Nevertheless, she played along.

Yes, we are pretty much like…sisters. Tanya was hesitant to use the word sister, but technically, they are sisters. But she wanted to plug her ears when her host mentally shouted out loud to make her nonexistent ears bleed.

HURRAY! We are going to be best friends! Tanya is really going to regret this.

Before they can discuss anything about themselves, the lights were turned on and almost blinded their sensitive eyes. Approaching them towards their crib was no other than their mother, Summer and their blonde headed older sister, Yang Xiao Long.

Hey Tanya, is that our mom and sister? When Ruby saw her relatives and obtaining the knowledge to distinguish between what family is. Tanya looks back at her mother and her older sister. On Tanya's opinion and attachment to her parents are actually quite indifferent, but the Devil kept her opinion to herself along not wanting to offend the youngling she is stuck in.

Yes…that's your mother and your sister above you Ruby. Even though Tanya didn't want to grant Ruby her knowledge in the first place, but she does appreciate to do the fact that Ruby can fully understand her and aware of what she is saying. Looking directly at their mother, her long black hair with red bangs hanging near to her silver eyes and a soft, motherly smile gaze upon them.

"Hi there my little Rose, would you like to greet your big sister Yang?" As Summer's hands gently grab Ruby's body. She softly lifted her up from her crib and now facing her blonde headed sister Yang to greet her. Staring directly at her purple lilac eyes and her big sister stare back at her with a joyful grin.

Ruby try to say something intelligible, but she spoke out in gurgles and soft whining to do her vocal chords didn't mature yet. Oddly enough, her relatives thought it was cute of what she did. Making Ruby a bit confused about why they like it. Tanya though, she is getting sick of them cuddling her and treating her like a baby even though she is trapped inside of a baby.

Hey Tanya, why do they like that?

Because you are still an infant and they are your family, Ruby.

"Oh, thank you, little sis!" Watching Yang happily grinning at her, Tanya is getting tired of their adornment of her supposed sister and deciding to discuss something with Ruby on this matter…till their stomach rumble.

"Looks like my little girl is getting hungry, time for your meal sweetie." As Tanya and Ruby are close to Summer's chest, they watch their mother unbuttoning her white dress and Tanya knows what she is doing. Disgusted by what they're going to do, but for Ruby though, her infant instincts are yelling at her to drink and her mouth is ready for her meal.

Blah, I wish we grow up faster so we wouldn't-

MILK!


A year later, Ruby is now on the couch of their living room. Yang was watching T.V with Ruby next to her. Yang is watching some obscure cartoon show about two wannabe superheroes while the two souls starting to mentally talk to each other. Continuing to understand how they can operate their single body with two minds controlling it.

The concept is quite simple for them; their souls must give out a strong push enough for the body to recognize which soul is in control.

"Anyway sis, I'm going to visit dad at the shed. Behave while you're alone Rubes!" When Yang left them and giving them a warm smile, the twins quickly grabbed the device called a Scroll which acted as a remote control for the TV. But there's a certain conflict that two souls can't agree on.

Great War documentary? Pfft, that's boring Tanya and just really gloomy. How about Pony Huntress: Friendship is Magic? When Tanya initially changed the channel to the History Network, Ruby took control of her body and her finger pressed for the Children Network, seeing a bunch of colorful ponies doing a bunch of mundane tasks. Tanya snarls at the show as she wants to learn the history of Remnant.

Nope, I don't think so Ruby. Pressing the button again and retaking back Ruby's body, she switches back to the channel to the History Network and retelling the documentary of the Great War in Remnant.

BORING! Pony Time! Ruby eyes turn silver and press the screen to change the channel that switches to history to a children cartoon that Ruby is really fond of. Pony huntress is where all the characters are battling the cartoonish Grimm and Ruby adores the show so much with the power of friendship. But to Tanya, that show made her eyes bleed in disgust and wanting to learn something educational rather than some pointless, mundane show that Tanya cares less about.

She and Tanya about to turn three as their parents are prepping for their birthday surprise. But when-

"Happy birthday little sis, we got you a cake!" Before they could battle over their body of who can have the remote. Summer, Tai, and Yang came in with a white birthday cake with cheerful smiles plaster over their faces.

Hey Tanya. looks like it's our birthday today. Let's blow out the candle like a normal kid would! Tanya wants to physically roll her eyes of her host cheerfulness, nevertheless, she agreed to let Ruby have some kind of control since it's her birthday today. In the while, she needs to make up plans for the future and thinking what Being X is up to. Probably they might travel to Vale to get gifts for them. So thinking of what they should buy on their next birthday. She might get some highly educational books while making Ruby play dumb that she just looking at the pictures and giving an excuse that she's going to read them when she gets older.

Ruby's silver eyes look directly at the candles with wonder, so taking a deep breath. She blows out the fire with effort and her parents cheered of her small accomplishment.


Five years have passed since Tanya's and Ruby's birth. A little blonde haired girl walks into the kitchen and proceeds to grab onto her father's brown shorts.

"Um Dad, can we talk about Ruby for a second?" The small blonde hair girl with lilac eyes nudges on her father's loose pants. The notion interrupted Tai's concentration on baking cookies for her youngest daughter's treats.

"Sure thing sweetie, what do you want to talk about your little sister?" Turning his head away from the seven-year-old Yang to Yang's little sister Ruby, Tai notices something is off about her little girl as well. Noticeably for one, Ruby isn't being her energetic-self or cheerful of what's around her. Second, she always remains asocial in five hours when she woke up from her bed and reading a historical book that's way too advance for her current age. Finally, the most eye-catching; no pun intended, is her golden yellow eyes that are filled with malice than the usual silvered colored eyes that Tai always fond of.

"You notice little sis is a bit…well. A little bit off about her?" Strangely enough, when this Ruby they knew is making a cheerful expression. They quickly notice her expression felt extremely forced and usually gives out a devious smile when Ruby was reading an 'interesting' passage on her history book that mostly deals with warfare. As Tanya forget that she was deeply hypnotized by the passage of the book.

After a couple of hours or randomly; she returns back to her silver eyed, cheerful self than the golden-eyed, cold version of Ruby Rose. Making Tai, Summer, and Yang worried about Ruby's mental health.

"Yeah, I notice that to Yang. I wonder how she has gotten so smart and her eyes are…quite different." Summer concernedly stared at her daughter of how she got so smart in the first place. For Summer's first reaction when she saw Ruby reading bunch of wordy books, Summer thought her daughter is an intelligent prodigy. But sooner after that, she is acting extremely aloof towards everyone and showing Ruby's maturity way too early. Making Summer Rose a bit suspicious of her youngest daughter's actions, in which her condition becomes a lot noticeable when Ruby was two years old. As if she is a completely different girl and speaking in a heavy lisp.

In that case, Summer Rose decided to intervene on what's going on with Ruby and cautiously walks up to her daughter with an air of uneasiness surrounding them.

"Sweetie, is there something in your mind that you're acting quite….well, prickly? We're getting worried about you dear." When Ruby heard her mother, she surprisingly returns back to her bubbly-self and turning her golden eyes into silver in a mere second. She joyfully slammed the heavy book down on the table and spoke with such enthusiasm.

"I'm feeling great mom! What's the problem that makes me prickly?" As Ruby gave out a wide grin to her mother, Summer warmly just smile at her and continue on discussing her…condition.

"Honey, do you felt a little bit different than before? Your eyes always change to pure gold than your usual silver eyes and you're acting quite a…loner, so to say. Do you want to talk about it?" When Summer Rose made a little pep-talk to Ruby; the energetic child gave out an inquisitive look to her mom, till she told her mother's question bluntly to do Ruby's naïve view of the world. So the two struggle on who's in control and Tanya tried her best to maintain Ruby's silver eyes than her golden eyes.

Ruby, don't-

I'm going to do it!

DON'T!

Keeping lies isn't a good Tanya, momma said so!

"Oh, you mean Tanya that's living inside my head? Yeah, she really is nice and smart! As I know a lot of words from her! She's really awesome you know?" When she said that, all of Ruby's relatives made concerning stares at her as if she's insane and making Tanya want to mentally facepalm herself of Ruby's extreme bluntness along her naivety. Knowing too damn well she will not hold secrets from her.

"What?" That's what Ruby can only think of in her odd situation.