Chapter 3: A New World part 2

When Ruby woke up, she couldn't remember where she was. Dazed, she sluggishly wiped the sleep from her eyes and began to take in her surroundings.

Instead of the usual eagle view from the precariously hanging bunk of her dorm, she saw a leveled view of an openly spacious bedroom dyed a ridiculous amount of pink. Rose walls and a blush-colored carpet adorn by a magenta-stained rug enclosed her. A delicate, glass chandelier hung overhead like a large cluster of raindrops. The bed she occupied was different, too; its snow-colored frame and satin sheets sharply contrasting the austere ensemble provided by Beacon Academy.

It suddenly dawned on her what was going on, why she hadn't woken to blaring music, idle bickering or the scratching of pencils desperate to finish a forgotten homework assignment. One glance at the luxurious room reminded her that she was not at Beacon. Nor in Remnant at all.

"That's right," Ruby said, groaning at the events of the last 24 hours came rushing back to her. Despite feeling refreshed from a good night's sleep, her head pounded fiercely from the severe whiplash of her new reality. She shook her head, hoping to lose some of the grogginess, and got up in search of some breakfast.

First things first, she thought, I need to find my clothes. Gazing around the room, she spied what must be a wardrobe, the same snowy white as the bed. She crossed the room to it and opened the double doors.

Inside was her combat uniform, but it looked slightly different. Her clothes were spotless and freshly ironed to perfection, like she had bought them yesterday. Even her cape was flawless; a stain left over after a friendly cafeteria war with Nora weeks ago having seemingly vanished. Any indication of the ragged Huntress-in-training that arrived the day before had been washed away.

Pulling out her boots, Ruby was stunned to see even they got a make-over: polished and shined until the leather looked brand-new.

She shook her head, trying to remember the events of the night before as she began changing. She remembered riding over to Tamaki's house – in some luxury car called a limo – and talking to him about Ouran Academy. He told her that since his father was the chairman of the school, she should have no trouble getting in. After arriving at a grand mansion that would make even Weiss jealous, they were ushered through a grand foyer into an as equally grand dining room. She couldn't really recall anything from that time except for how unbelievably good the food was, slightly salivating at the memory of the previous night's meal. Quickly inhaling her food, she was then escorted to a private room after saying goodnight to Tamaki. The rest of the night's activities were a blur: a quick shower, unconsciously changing into a nightgown and then crashing onto the bed and falling into a dreamless sleep.

Dressed, Ruby made her way to the door but paused. She spied her beautiful Crescent Rose sitting on a desk by the window, beckoning her. She grabbed her weapon and expanded it, now having the time to truly assess the damages from the previous day. She was stunned to see that, much like her clothes, her scythe had been taken care of as well: oiled, polished, and sharpened to a deadly point. Her belt, as well, was repaired and prepped for the day, shotgun shells at the ready.

Her outfit Ruby might have understood, but her Crescent Rose as well? Just what kind of people does Tamaki have working in his home? Ruby wondered, attaching her prized possession securely to her hip and exited the room.

The hallways were brightly lit by the morning light streaming through crystal-clear glass windows. Ruby walked down the long corridor, trying to remember the twists and turns she took the night before in her half-asleep state. When she finally reached the stairway, it opened up into a grand view.

She was overlooking the massive entryway, with its checkered marbled floor and a velvet red carpet leading from the mahogany double doors to the enormous stairway. The stairs were also a velvet red that seemed to blend seamlessly to the carpet framed by a handrail, silver like her eyes. At the middle of the landing was a tall, stained-glass window that lit up the foyer in a majestic glow, with stairs branching off left and right to lead to the second floors. Along the gold gilded walls were dozens of golden picture frames displaying beautiful pieces of art.

Ruby made her way down the stairs and stopped on the landing with a surprised gasp. Lining the carpet all the way to the door were dozens of maids and a handful of gentlemen in uniforms. They bowed as Ruby slowly descended the stairs, nervously glancing left and right like one of them might leap out with a sword and challenge her to a duel. Honestly, Ruby would've preferred that over awkwardly being bowed at.

"Miss Rose."

Ruby squeaked, jumping at the voice calling for her. She spun around to see a smaller woman walking towards her. The lady wore a plain purple kimono, like the ones in Blake's ninja books, and her graying hair was pulled into a low bun. Despite her older age, the lady's gray eyes bore into her with a sharp intensity.

"Good morning, Miss Rose. I am glad to see that you are awake. I trust that you are well rested?" the lady asked.

"Um…" Ruby started, but not really sure how to finish. "Yes…?"

"Hmmm." The lady replied, stopping in front of Ruby and glaring up at her. "Your voice is slightly hoarse and there are bags under your eyes. I'll make sure to inform the kitchen to prepare you some green tea to go with your breakfast to help fix that."

"Um… Thank you, Miss…?"

"Shima Maezono, Chief of Staff in the Souh household." The lady answered, giving a slight bow. "Tamaki filled me in on your plight. Myself, as well as the rest of the staff, are at your service until you return home."

Ruby curtsied to Miss Shima, though she did almost end up tripping onto her face and had to pinwheel her arms to stay upright. "Thank you. By the way, where is Tamaki?"

"Ah," Miss Shima replied, turning to gaze up the stairway. "He is probably still asleep. My goodness, that boy. Sleeping in despite having guests over. I am going to have to remind him of his housewarming manners again."

Ruby chuckled. "Do you know when he'll wake up? We're supposed to be meeting some friends today."

Before she could answer, a shout from the second floor echoed down through the main entrance, catching the attention of Ruby and the employees. She wasn't sure, but Ruby could've sworn that it was a cry about Tamaki's 'little girl' accidently serving the wrong type of tea. If that was the case, she felt a little more sympathy for Haruhi's "father-daughter relationship" trouble.

"And that would be him," Miss Shima replied, turning to one of the maids. "Please inform Master Tamaki that breakfast is ready and that he needs to eat before leaving." She turned back to Ruby, said "It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rose. Please let me know if you need anything," and walked off for some other duty.

Not even a minute later, Tamaki came flying down the stairs, looking as though he rolled out of bed and thrown some clothes on. Although, his fresh-out-of-bed looked still could've made many of the girls at Beacon Academy swoon at his feet, so well-trimmed that she was frustrated. Why does he get to look perfect first thing in the morning while I'm always teased for looking like a nightmare? The world is so cruel sometimes.

"Good morning, my flower. I hope you slept well," Tamaki greeted. He quickly spoke with the staff and turned back to her. "Let's quickly eat and head out. The day won't be young forever, after all!"

X

Ruby didn't know what surprised her more: how big the limo was, or that it was so big that it could comfortably hold the entire Host Club with space to spare. The noise level in the back of the limo had risen considerably since picking up each member from their homes, each as luxurious as Tamaki's. The level of wealth these boys had scared her to the point that she was relieved when they got to Haruhi's apartment to pick her up.

"Good morning, Haruhi!" the boys echoed as she entered the car, much to the brunette's dismay. Ruby noticed that today she was dressed slightly different, wearing a pink dress with a white t-shirt underneath accompanied by a pair of jeans. Guess she sometimes dresses like a girl, after all, Ruby thought.

As the conversation flowed to upcoming host events, including a debate on what the theme would be for the coming Friday, Ruby allowed her gaze to shift to the world outside her window. She watched in slight amazement as signs of city life sped by, with towering buildings and throngs of people crowding the streets. Stores advertising everything from clothing and electronics to independent businesses and eateries framed the complex roadways that stretched on for what seemed like eternity. Once again, Ruby couldn't help but marvel that this world lacked the deadly creatures that required armor and weapon shops that were so commonplace in Remnant. That students here were more concerned about the tailoring of their uniforms than the maintenance of their weaponry.

"We're here, men!" Tamaki announced, quickly exiting the vehicle with enthusiasm. The others quickly followed suit, Ruby bringing up the rear.

The shopping center was like a nest of Rapier Wasps, completely swarming with activity. It stretched high above the young reaper's head, with layer upon layer of stores and restaurants. The group followed the surge of the crowd, making their way through the large glass doors. They briefly stopped to marvel at the crazy scene around them and take in the sights and scents floating out of nearby cafes.

"It's really loud," Ruby said, almost having to shout to be heard over the cacophony.

"Well, of course it is!" Hikaru said, looking down at her.

"With so many people, it would be stranger with it wasn't noisy," Karou added.

Haruhi gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. You get used to it."

"Haruhi, look!" a voice cut in, somehow right at home with the noise level of the mall. The girls turned to look over at Tamaki, who was staring excitedly at a poster on the wall. "They're hosting a special event on the roof, with a petting zoo and everything! Awesome!"

"They even have free ice cream!" Honey noted, bouncing up and down in excitement.

Tamaki turned to the group. "We absolutely must attend! We can intermingle with the commoners so that we can have fun while also learning about their style of social interaction. Look alive, men! It's time for the Host Club to commence Operation: Active Observation!"

Ruby watched with wide eyes as the group quickly disappeared into the crowd towards the festivities, rambling on about the activities awaiting on the roof. She barely caught Hikaru's teasing about Tamaki's "original operation name" before they vanished. At first, she thought she was alone, but was surprised to see two figures still standing next to her, having chosen not to run off with the rest of the Club.

"Haruhi? Kyoya? Why are you guys here?" Ruby asked, curious. "I thought that you went with [Uncle] Tamaki and the others?"

Haruhi sighed. "Trust me, I would voluntarily choose to stay behind if it meant avoiding those damn rich people. Besides, it would just be wrong to leave you behind."

"As for me," Kyoya said, adjusting his glasses. "I have been on enough of these expeditions to understand Tamaki's typical behavior. However, I am slightly disappointed to see that he had gone off without any concerns to you, Miss Rose. It's not unusual, but not excusable as a Host. Either way, we can all take our time if need be. They will most certainly still be on the roof by the time we are ready to go."

"Alright, then…" Ruby said, uncertain about the slight chilling tone in his voice. With that, the unlikely trio started their slow journey through the mall.

As they walked, Ruby began scanning the stores. She knew that to live here for an extended period of time, she would need to get some more clothes.

"Of course, you need more clothes to wear. You can't just go about in the same outfit all of the time. This isn't some kind of anime!" Tamaki had exclaimed on the ride over. Thus, prompting the girl's search for new items to add to her wardrobe.

Along with searching for more clothes, the two Hosts did their best to give the Huntress-in-training a quick crash course in the history of their world. Unlike Remnant, with its four kingdoms, Ruby learned that this world had several continents split into hundreds of countries. The one that they currently reside in was called Japan, with an extremely rich history that the two described to her.

Haruhi was explaining the timeline of something called the Shogunate when Ruby spied a shop that almost beckoned her.

"Hey, Haruhi? Kyoya? Can we go in there?" Ruby asked, pointing to the shop just a little ahead. They didn't seem to object once they spotted it, recognizing that the gothic Lolita outfits on display fit the reaper's style perfectly.

The three stepped into the shop, which was appropriately called Crimson Fall. A young employee immediately moved over to assist, and promptly helped Ruby select some new outfits.

When Ruby asked about how to pay for the clothes, Kyoya held a hand up. "Don't worry. I'm sure to have Tamaki reimburse us for these." The cold, confidence in his voice slightly chilled the two girls.

New clothes in tow, the three continued their journey towards the mall's roof. The conversation had picked back up, only to be cut short once more one floor later.

"Oh my Oum, look at this! It's a Wakizashi," Ruby exclaimed, her face pressed against the window of a cosplay shop to closer examine the weapon. "They're usually confused with a regular katana, but they're actually slightly smaller to allow for more speed while still delivering the same force."

Haruhi and Kyoya stared as the young reaper continued to gush over the weapons on display, identifying several with extreme accuracy. "That one is a Naginata, which allows for increased reach in place of speed. I've seen some Hunters yielding a modified version of this, using large sweeping motions in order to take out hordes of Grimm."

"Wow, Ruby. You sure know a lot about weapons," Haruhi commented, noting the girl's excitement.

"Yeah. In Remnant, a person's weapon is an extension of oneself. Each one is custom made to fit one's personality and particular fighting style. So, it's important to understand a weapon before choosing it. Also, I'm a bit of a nut myself when it comes to weapons." Ruby pulled out Crescent Rose and cradled it lovingly in her arms.

"Like your teammates and their weapons?" Kyoya asked, recalling her brief description of Team RWBY during her conversation from the previous day.

Ruby slowly nodded, slipping her weapon back onto her hip. "Yeah. Like my teammates." The echoing of his words held a tone tinted with sad longing, reminding the two that she was just a kid who was thrown away from her own reality.

Kyoya cleared his throat, pulling Ruby out of her reverie. "Well, in our world, weapons such as these hold a more historic and symbolic recognition. Especially in Japan, with the legends of samurai and myths of demons called yokai."

This caught the reaper's attention, and the two began talking about different legends and famous battles. As they continued to walk through the mall, Ruby was so busy talking to Kyoya that she missed Haruhi's contemplative look at the cooler senior, noting how, once again, he abandoned his cool nature and helped another person without any personal gain.

Finally, they had arrived on the roof and, like Kyoya promised, the distinguishable Host Club was still there. She could see Honey riding around on one of the animals in the petting zoo, with Mori following closely behind in case he fell. The twins were spotted arguing with a man running some sort of dart throwing game, pointing repeatedly at one of the giant stuffed animals hanging above them. Why they insisted on one more while they had five others lying about them was beyond her.

"Haruhi! Kyoya! Ruby!"

The three turned to see Tamaki running up towards them, but froze that the sight. Tamaki was still dressed normally, but his face had been painted in the style of a tiger and the tips of his hair dyed a matching orange.

"Apparently, commoners enjoy decorating their faces in the style of exotic creatures that they're too poor to enjoy in their own luxury. Check this out! I'm a tiger! Rawr!" He even held in hands up in make pretend claws, pawing at the air.

Ruby couldn't help it. She burst into laughter, hitting the ground while clinging to her stomach. Haruhi was snickering as well, obviously thrown off by her senior's appearance. Typical Kyoya stayed passive, though one could see a slight shaking of the head in exasperation.

Soon, one by one, the other members joined the little group, each overlapping the others with their experience on their little operation. They promptly exited the mall, with much prodding by Kyoya, and returned to the limo. Tamaki only pouted for half an hour when Kyoya strictly told him to remove the face makeup. They spent the next few hours driving around town, giving Ruby the grand tour before stopping at another mall with an outdoor amusement park. They rode the Ferris Wheel as the sun slowly began to set along the horizon, bathing the world in a fiery glow.

Before they returned to the limo, Ruby grabbed their attention. "Thank you, guys. I had a lot of fun today."

"No problem at all," Tamaki said, brushing her thanks aside. "You're a member of the Host Club now. That means that we all get to have fun together. As a family."

This didn't fail to grab a few groans from one person in particular.

One by one, the Hosts were dropped back off, until all that remained were the blond and the reaper. Having returned to the house, they split their separate ways, bidding each other good night.

Arriving in the large guest room, Ruby hung her new clothes and got ready for bed. However, it was hours before she could finally fall asleep, spending the time staring at the screen of her scroll. She slowly scrolled through her contacts and saved photos, thinking of her friends, of Beacon, of home.

As she drifted away, she thought to herself: I wonder if everything's okay back at home?

X

And that's a wrap! Thank you to all who have favorited and followed the story so far, and I would like to give a shout out to foxchick1, UltimateAvengers, and butterfly moon1.0 for their comments on the last chapter. See you next time! :)