Been a while. Not going to bore you as to why it has been this long. Onto the chapter!
Chapter 4:
Seeing the fear in her daughter's eyes as she tried to cover up the fact of what was happening. She knew that Ruby was going to be a bit shocked at the sound of coughing coming from her, but she also knows there is nothing that she could really do about it. As long as Ruby didn't see the blood, she'd be in a relatively fine situation.
Lowering her arm, Summer just smiled at Ruby who was starting to develop a look of shock as to what was going on. "It's okay Ruby. I just think I'm coming down with a small cold." Summer lied, as she looked towards the bowl still filled with the food that she knew Ruby would have normally eaten as fast as it was placed down in front of her. "But you should still eat some Ruby." Summer said with a small smile trying to throw off the vibe that she was actually alright.
"I'm not hungry." Ruby muttered looking back at the meal. She knew that from her Step-Mom's reaction that she was worried about something. And she just knew then and there that Yang wasn't alright. That Yang was going to be furious at her. Something that was rightfully so.
"May I be excused?" Ruby asked as she wrapped her arms around her legs once again. Already wondering how the next trick they would use to play on her would work. She couldn't even rightfully deal with something like that. Right now, she just wanted to be alone. It was made clear that was how she was meant to live.
Just alone.
"Not until you eat some Ruby. You need nutrients just like everyone else." Summer said softly as Ruby just brought her knees tighter up to her. How was she meant to get out of this now? That one question was actually starting to make Ruby curious.
Taking a deep breath Ruby actually couldn't believe that she was actually considering tossing the bowl. All Ruby really wanted at this point was to be back in her room. An area she'd know everything was just right. It even allowed her to extrapolate that single thought to the world. From then on, she'd be able to do anything and everything.
She knew that it was a bad thing to do, and even knew that her Mom and most likely Raven would be hurt by that gesture, but it still felt like she was being backed into a corner. She didn't have many options.
Hell, Ruby was even hoping in some twisted way that she'd have a seizure just so it would mean they would bring her away from this bowl. She didn't like the fact that this was how her entire day was starting to turn. She had to be able to get away.
"Just, a bite for each year you've been alive Ruby. Try that." Summer said as she knew that would take most of the bowl. It was probably the best way that she had to make sure all sides really won. If Ruby ate sixteen bites, then she'd get more than enough food for her to actually be just fine. "Just sixteen normal bites, then you can go to your room." Summer continued as Ruby moved the fork towards her.
'Just sixteen bites, then I can get away from this all.'
Smiling as she begun to bound down the stairs, a smile on her face and a song in her heart, Yang walked into the kitchen and flung the fridge door open and begun to take out the items for her's and Ruby's breakfast.
She knew that Ruby was going to be down shortly given how much of a creature of habit Ruby was. It was at the point Yang was positive she could set a clock by it. But that didn't matter. She had enjoyed her day with Weiss. And even had plans to make plans for the weekend today. Something that didn't make much sense to Yang, but Weiss assure it would need to be done given how strict her regimen was.
As she turned around, she could see Summer walking down the stairs, with a small smile on her face. "You're up early." Summer said as she began to stretch a little as though she had just woken up herself.
"Yeah. For once I'm looking forward to school. And no, I don't plan to ditch Ruby at the end of the day again." Yang said with a smile as she quickly walked into the dining room. Placing the milk and juice cartons on the table, Yang just smiled as she could hear the hiss from the coffee pot being turned on.
"So, what has you this excited? Is it a boy?" Summer asked as she could see Yang walking into the room. The look of slight anger on Yang's face spoke volumes given what they were talking about. "So it is a girl. Interesting." Summer said as she could see Raven walking down the stairs, rubbing her eyes as hard as she could trying to force sleep out of them.
"What's with all this noise?" Raven asked as Summer just smiled looking at her. "Yang seems to have found someone she is smitten with." Summer answered, a laugh at the sight of how the sleep just seemed to vanish from Raven as she walked closer to Yang to try and figure out what was going on.
"Dish. Who is it? It isn't Blake is it?" Raven asked as Yang just shook her head. Praying that Ruby would be ahead of schedule just so she could get out of this situation. Something she couldn't believe she was actually hoping for. She was hoping that for once Ruby had the spotlight. Because then she'd be able to do this slinking away and go back to the obscurity of everything.
"No. Blake isn't interested in women. Or at least I don't think she is. And I'm not going to tell either of you who it is." Yang said slipping past the older duo to continue her own helping to make sure Ruby was going to be able to get everything done on time and on schedule. Just to make sure that any possible screw ups that were coming that resulted in Ruby nearly breaking down, it wasn't going to be because of some disruption.
Ignoring the snickering that was coming from behind her, Yang grabbed four bowls and the two different types of cereal that she knew would give the illusion of choice to Ruby, but she always went for the same thing each time. It was a little laughable considering that even though Ruby never took the other one, she'd still freak out if she didn't have it.
But nothing was going to interrupt Yang's mirth. She felt like her weekend was going to be great for a number of reasons. Between being allowed to spend some time with her Mom in repairing the motorcycle, to being able to most likely spend time with Weiss doing nothing but talk about this and that. She was in a great mood and the teasing that was going to come from her Mom and Step Mom, or even Ruby doing something unintentionally wasn't going to be able to stop her.
Walking into the dining room, Yang begun to place the bowls down, being extra sure to give the one Ruby liked to her as she haphazardly tossed the boxes into the centre of the table. She could hear the faint sound of the plastic and pills rattling around as Summer clearly started her own rituals to make sure Ruby was going to be healthily dosed up the entire day.
Walking into the kitchen again, Yang began to pull one of the drawers open and started pulling out spoons. "I'll have a cup of coffee." Yang said as she started to walk towards the dinning room again, hearing some feet behind her causing her to just groan internally knowing what it meant. "I'm not telling you Mom. So just give up." Yang said, placing the spoons down, already seeing how this was going to become their new favourite game when they don't need to worry about Ruby.
"Then I won't pour you a cup of coffee. I don't care if I need to slam the entire pot and risk burning my throat." Raven said as Yang placed the final spoon down as she stared at her Mother. "We both know how serious I am about it. Or did you forget about that time I drank a bottle of the hottest hot sauce known to man just to prevent your uncle from getting any?" Raven said as Yang just raised an eyebrow at the almost empty threat.
It wasn't that if Qrow wanted one she wouldn't. But she had never had the idea to do something like that to Yang. She'd threaten it, and that was it. It was how it always was. "Go ahead, I'll make some more then until you can't drink it." Yang countered as the staring match seemed to start tapering out as Summer walked into the room holding the pills and three mugs.
"You are not doing that Raven. And if I catch you I swear I'm going to force you to sleep on the couch." Summer said as she placed the pills down where Ruby was going to be able to easily reach them and take them. Taking a breath, Summer handed the mugs to Raven as a sign to finish this chore. "I'm going to go make sure Ruby is up." Summer said as she quickly left the room leaving the Mother daughter duo.
"Come on, give me a hint. I need to know." Raven pleaded as Yang just let out a quick, short exhale through her nose. She knew that her Mom was going to continue this. Which alone was starting to grate on her nerves.
"No. Because once I tell you, you'll tell just about everyone and I'll end up tasting foot." Yang said a little exhausted at this but could see a gleam in her Mother's eyes as she tried to figure out what was being said and the meaning behind each of the words Yang had said. "Now, go get the coffee and the glasses. Because we all know how this going to go." Yang said in a defiant tone, trying to make her Mother see reason.
Shaking her head as she walked out, Yang took a seat and slipped her phone out of her pocket. There was a smile as she could see a message coming from Weiss. The false anger in the text was clear as she read it.
As she responded she could hear two sets of footsteps coming down the stairs. Slipping her phone into her pocket, Yang could just see Ruby walking in holding the cuffs of her sleep shirt as she took her seat. Wondering what was really going on with Ruby as she yawned into her hand. "What's the matter with you?" Yang asked as Ruby just pulled her feet up onto the chair and yawned once more.
"Or ignore me. That works too." Yang said sarcastically hoping that whatever lesson Ruby was taught during one of the many meetings she had they started to cover the use of sarcasm.
"I solved the overheating problem. And made the design slimmer. Maybe even made it a little bit cheaper." Ruby said as she noticed Summer and Raven walking back into the room to almost finish the morning rituals.
"When are you going to stop that? I mean at this point it would cost what, like fifty dollars?" Raven asked as Ruby just smiled at her.
"For parts alone it would cost about five hundred. And it still would break down too easily. If I can solve that and maybe halve the price again... then maybe I can stop. Maybe switch to something like structural engineering."
Laughing a little at Ruby's quest for the perfect source of renewable energy, Raven just patiently waited for Ruby to go for the pumpkin marshmallow flakes. Once Ruby grabbed the box and raised it over the bowl, enjoying the sighting of the chunks of sugar and pseudo fibre flakes falling into the bowl.
Once they could see the bowl made, and the small toy falling out into it, Ruby just smiled as she placed the box back and lightly placed the toy just outside of the bowl next to the range of drugs that she knew Summer was going to try and make her take.
"Ruby, take your meds please." Summer said as Ruby started to pour the milk into her bowl. She knew that it was coming, but she still couldn't even think about taking the chalk like pills. It was a nearly unfathomable idea to her at this point.
Taking a deep breath as she she started to ignore the matter at hand. She knew that it wouldn't work for long if at all given how her Mom was going to hound her about them. Not that she cared. There were bigger things that she should worry about.
"Ruby. Your medication." Summer said slightly stricter towards the teen, who had been ignoring her. Summer long since knew that this was Ruby's preferred tactic to not take the medication she'd need to.
Looking at the pills laying neatly in the order that she liked, followed by the juice that Raven was pouring into her glass. She knew that this mixture was going to be the correct one, but she still wasn't sure if she was going to be able to actually swallow them all.
The only reasons she would is a mixture between Summer asking her to, the fear of a seizure, and the fact that she'd be able to talk to Winter just fine with them in her system. Sighing, and at least a little glad that she hadn't poured milk into her cereal just yet. Picking up the glass and a single pill, Ruby started to take a sip from the glass followed by slipping in one of the pastel coloured pills into her mouth. Trying her hardest to prevent a gagging motion that always came from swallowing the drugs.
"Well, this is fun. But back onto the important topic, tell me something about the girl. Is she short? Tall? Really a dude but likes wearing dresses? Is she even real?" Raven asked as Ruby looked towards Yang wondering who they were talking about. She was about to ask who she thought it was when Yang just spoke up, beating her to the proverbial punch.
"Yes it is probably who you think it is Ruby. Just don't tell Mom or Summer. Please? For me?" Yang asked hoping that how she phrased it was going to be enough for Ruby to just acknowledge it and not tell them.
Raven looked towards Ruby, nearly begging for some hint when Summer just lightly glared at her wife. "Raven. Relax. Yang will tell us when she feels ready. We can step in if Yang starts some self destructive behaviour." Summer said as Raven started to deflate at that sentiment. Even if she knew that her daughter would tell her fairly soon given her past record.
Cringing as she swallowed the last pill, Ruby relaxed as she stared at the bowl. Already knowing as to what was to come once she was done. The sheer thought of the exercises that she would need to do was enough to make her question if it was going to be worth it to just injure herself so she wouldn't need to do it.
Knowing the futility in it, Ruby raised her hand a little to grasp onto her earlobe as she began to eat the cereal. Going to be glad that once everything was said and done that she'd be able to be in school with her friends, and going to be able to learn.
Winter sighed standing behind her younger siblings, already a hatred developing from these meetings that were becoming mandatory at the start of every week.
From the time she had spent with Ruby it had been clear that what her father knew as Ruby's end goal was nowhere near what it actually was. And even if they did get it, she would be able to design a different system that would work just as well if not better.
But here her brother and sister sat in front of their father who had a look on his face of pure exasperation. As though he had expected them to be done long ago and this was doing nothing more than work as an exercise just solely to get on his bad side.
"Weiss, the help have been talking. What is this that you are no longer even trying to get close to the smart retard? And not only that, you are becoming a lesbian?" Jacques asked as Winter could see her sister tense up at being placed in the spotlight that fast. As though she didn't even have a chance to think of an appropriate response.
Raising her hand, Weiss begun to clear her throat as she look her father in the eyes, knowing that he wasn't going to accept anything else. Even though she felt a certain string of terror coming from the man. "I've decided that it would be easier and more effective to get close to Ruby's sister. Which is what the help are probably referring to. The guard around Ruby would be up too far for three people to get to her. But her sister would be privy to information that we could use at the very least, if not have what we are looking for." Weiss stated in as straight forward of a point that she knew would at least get the attention off her. Something that she would practically need if she wanted to get out of there as fast as she could.
The way Weiss said it she hoped would be enough for her father to just accept it. She knew that she would be leaving out parts like the small trinkets the blonde woman had made for her out of spare lengths of wire. Weiss already knew that her father wouldn't see the value behind it.
It meant that Yang had accepted Weiss into the walls of her mind. Which alone was going to be more than enough to get closer to the family and by extension Ruby and the diagrams that they sought after.
Weiss would even be one of the first to admit that it would seem childish as to why she hadn't been able to make a mousetrap at this point and be the bar that would swing down and snap down on the family's neck.
"You've seem to given this a lot of thought. Shame your brother can't think of something like that." Jacques said calmly, as he shifted his gaze towards his son. Wondering if the quietness that came from his son even to the point that the help didn't know anything about what was going on. He already was glad that from the daily reports from his eldest that major headway was being made and with Weiss' addition they would be able to have the information to secure them at the zenith of the world's energy consumption.
Fixing the waistcoat he had on, Whitely just looked his father dead in the eye as he spoke, "I've been working on something that requires a bit more tact than what either sister here have, that would prevent some pesky drool dripping moron from being able to fight back." Whitely said as he crossed one leg over the other. Clasping his hands together and resting them on top. "I'll admit it would be consider more brutish than what either are trying, but long term, we'd be in a better position." Whitely continued with the confidence that he knew he would deserve just because of how in his eyes he was really doing the best.
"Whitely, you are not a friend. Mind your tone when talking to me." Jacques bit as he shot him a much harsher glare than he had given Weiss. The simple idea that his son would use such bravado when dealing with him was enough to get him to want to start smacking his children once again.
Even if it would require a lot more work on his part to keep his children there. He couldn't afford to lose them while Ruby still had the information he needed. He wasn't going to let the trollop crumble his empire. Not while he had it within his goal and wouldn't let a few marks marring his son stop him.
"Sorry father."
"You should be. But for a lot more than just your manners slipping." Jacques said leaning back in his chair slightly so he could address his children. "You three must remember. There is a reason I sent you three to get her to give the information over on her own accord. Think of the hit our public relations would take if it comes to light that the big bad company forced a poor helpless retard to give over the information that would revolutionise the world. We can't use force." Jacques said as the twins just looked down a bit as Winter looked at the man, a little tired from having to still put up with this. She knew that it wasn't going to be long.
"Whitely, Weiss, leave your sister and I." Jacques said as his youngest children left the room leaving him and his eldest daughter alone. He wondered what was going on in her mind for the simple fact that she wouldn't have remained silent if she had anything to add to the conversation. So there had to be something that was going on in her mind and already knew that she wouldn't betray him. Not while their legacy hung in the balance.
Once the door was closed, Jacques gestured his eldest daughter to one of the empty chairs. "If you don't mind I'll stand father. If I am to be on time I can't get comfortable." Winter said as Jacques just smiled at her.
"I'll be straightforward then. Why haven't you acted yet?"
"I know she is capable of something far greater than the information you've been given." Winter said as she could see a glint develop in his eyes. As though he had just been given a Christmas present that money couldn't buy. Already knowing that he would request her to continue, Winter decided to speak just as straightforward. "From what I have witnessed what the patent office has is nothing more than her doodles. She has been trying time and time again to work out a cheaper to produce model. Works that are years ahead of any engineer that the company employs." Winter said as she could feel her skin crawl at the sight of the smile that grew on her father's face.
It was as though she had just marched a frail animal across the den of a starving predator. But she had to shove that from her mind. Ruby would be bound to see the reason behind their intentions.
"Keep on her then." Jacques said as he gestured towards the door. Smile growing as he could see his future looking so much brighter than he had ever imagined. "Oh and Winter. If it comes to it, do what Weiss is. Just with that retard. I'm sure you would be able to get someone like her to fall for you." Jacques said causing Winter to stop at the door. Her hand held tight onto the handle as she took a deep breath.
"As you wish father." Winter said trying to get out as fast as she can. Just the thought of her hurting Ruby like that was unfathomable. Especially considering how Ruby constantly looked out for her the best she could and even paid her compliments with no intentions of something behind them.
"Then what are you still doing here?" Jacques asked as Winter quickly left the room, sighing as she could see her brother standing on the other side. A sinister smile on his face as though he had heard the entire thing.
"Say anything Whitely, and they won't be able to find your body." Winter said walking quickly out of the hallway.
"As you wish sister dearest."
Ruby smiled as she shifted in her seat slightly to start packing away the items, glad that her day was going by smoothly. Winter had even promised her that she would be with her at lunch. She was going to be able to seemingly decompress fully in a matter of minutes.
She actually couldn't wait either. The idea that she was going to be able to enjoy her meal with a woman who seemingly understood so much about what she enjoyed to at this point doodle. But she'd also be able to not talk as much. It was going to be great. Even if it was going to be just for a moment. She will be able to think, she will be able to do so much once she was able to decompress fully.
Smiling, she pulled back and grabbed the pencil case she and began to pack everything away into its place. A smile that just grew as the time went on. She could feel Winter just standing up a little to look at her as the woman started to pack things away. The way that Ruby was going about it was mesmerising to Winter.
As the ritual began to come to a close, Winter just smiled as she could see Ruby starting to panic as though she was forgetting something causing the white haired helper to just laugh a little at the way she was starting to nearly tear her hair out when Winter just had to solve the issue for her in a way that Ruby was going to be able to figure out the solution for herself.
"Your circuit diagram." Winter said as she could see Ruby's face light up as she snatched the paper up and plopped back down in her seat to start tearing long shards of the paper. As though with each and every shred that she created she could feel her worries start to ebb away. It was something that still confused Winter no matter how often she had witnessed it.
The effort and vision that she put out into the world just to destroy it at the toll of a bell. Like she had no choice but to destroy it.
"So, I see it has changed drastically again. Did you figure out the problem?" Winter asked as Ruby began to scrape the scraps of paper into her hand. Just enjoying how she was going to be able to relax. Even if it was that she had been able to think unhindered. It was amazing to her for that reason and that reason alone.
"It wasn't a wind turbine. It was going to be a solar panel." Ruby said softly as she looked over and could see the white haired boy standing in the frame. A look that she couldn't really figure out but the glare in his eyes was clear, even to Ruby but she had no idea at who it was. Given how the man treated his sisters with contempt it really could have been Winter as well as any other person in the room.
Grabbing Winter's hand, Ruby gently pulled on it as she raised her other to her ear. Gently cupping it, hoping that her helper wasn't going to take it away from her.
Looking around trying to find what had set Ruby off, Winter could see her brother causing her to groan internally. She knew that it could possibly be from anything about the teen standing in the door with an almost snake like appearance to Winter.
"Deep breaths Ruby. Whitely is probably waiting to ask me something." Winter said softly as she knelt down a little just to stare into Ruby's eyes. She really didn't want the woman to assume that this was an attack on her or worse that there was something nefarious going on.
Nodding as she could see Winter hold out her other hand, not wanting to fight Ruby for control over her ears at this point because it didn't look like she was actually bringing harm to herself. She knew that Summer was adamant that she would need to stop her from doing it, but Winter had only ever seen Ruby start to do it when she sought some comfort. Something that hopefully she'd be able to give Ruby.
Feeling slightly defeated, but didn't want to make Winter mad and invoke the anger that Schnee seemed to find so easy to summon up, she just lowered her hand into the white haired woman's. Confident that Ruby wasn't going to harm herself at this point, Winter begun to lead them towards the man that was causing such emotions that Winter just knew was probably going to be complex for Ruby.
"Winter, can you be a dear and loan me some money so I can get something that mongrels won't eat? It seems that Klein only packed me one of his delicious cucumber sandwiches. And Father has taken my credit card for the day after my outburst." Whitely asked. Or at least that is what Ruby could perceive as the boy asking.
"Those sandwiches are disgusting. So just take mine." Winter said as the boy just smiled a faint smile at Winter letting her know that he saw what was destroyed. "Ruby, do you mind going on ahead while I get my brother some lunch? I promise I won't be long." Winter asked as Ruby quickly freed both of her hands. Wrapping one around her ear, she extended the alternative little finger causing a small smile to blossom on her face.
Wrapping her own little finger around Ruby's, Winter just smiled at the way Ruby just found some comfort in that simple childish antic. Letting go slowly, Winter began to walk off with her younger brother next to her causing Ruby to just breath a sigh of relief. She thankfully didn't need to deal with a man that made her feel a little uncomfortable.
As she shuffled down the hallway, she just smiled at the sight of Cinder just sitting down with Emerald, Neo and Mercury causing her to just smile. The way they were sitting looked as though they were just trying to hide something from someone but the smile that developed on Cinder's face at the sight of Ruby. Following the gesture closer towards the group, Ruby just covered her nose a little at the smell that had started to waft up into her nose.
"Hey Ruby, I have a question for you. It will make you super cool." Cinder began as she tried her normal routine to get Ruby to help her out. "Don't worry, I won't get you to smoke. It is a nasty habit. But Mercury here was a bit dumb and forgot to bring a lunch and none of us have any money to give him. Do you mind?" Cinder asked as Ruby just smiled as she reached into her bag.
She already knew if Yang knew about this she would freak out and get into a fight. She still remembered that time that Yang was getting arrested for breaking Mercury's metal prosthetic leg. She was just glad all charges were dropped and the school even still let Yang back in provided that she didn't injure Mercury again.
Frowning as she grabbed the small wad of notes that she kept in her bag in case of emergencies she pulled out the two notes and held one out towards Mercury. "I'm sorry Mercury... I only can give you ten... I need the other one." Ruby said as she could see the man just smile a little as he rubbed his stomach.
"I suppose that can do Ruby. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble." Mercury said as he put on a slightly pained look. Ruby knew that she could convince Yang maybe that she lost it. But not with both gone.
"Thank you Ruby." Emerald said standing up and giving Ruby a hug causing the girl to squirm a little.
Once she was free, Ruby begun to reach up to her ear and scrape her hand along the back as Emerald just frowned. She couldn't believe that she forgot how much Ruby disliked being hugged like that.
Taking some deep breaths, Ruby could feel the tears wanting to break free when she heard a voice that was a god send to her in this current situation. "Ruby? What are you doing here?" Ruby turned around and could see Winter standing there. A worried look stretched across her face as she took a step before Ruby just began to look back to her friends sitting down again.
"Don't worry Ruby. I'll tell Emerald again. Just go enjoy your Lunch. I'll see you in art." Cinder said as Ruby nodded and started to walk towards Winter. A little shaken up about the entire situation. Taking the hand that Winter held out, she just started to rake her fingernails across the back of her ear causing Winter to take notice.
Stopping their walk, Winter quickly turned Ruby a little to grab her hand and pull it free from the ear that was being mauled by its owner. "What happened there Ruby? This is the first time in awhile you started to scrape your ear."
"Emerald hugged me... and I didn't want her to hug me... and this is me being stupid." Ruby said wanting to smack her head as Winter just frowned at the way Ruby's eyes closed, looking like she was about to brace herself for a hit that Winter just had no idea where it was going to come from.
"You aren't stupid Ruby. Honestly there are times when I look at your doodles and I feel stupid." Winter said as the teen just cracked an eye open and could see a caring look on the white haired woman's face. "If I let go of your hand can you promise me you won't hurt yourself? Because I'm sure your Mom and Step Mom and even sister would be hurt if you hurt yourself." Winter continued to speak calmly.
Taking a small amount of joy from the sight of Ruby nodding her head. Letting go of the unmarred hand, she walked around and made sure to grab onto the other hand just so she could see if there was blood starting to spill. Breathing a sigh of relief at how there seemed to be none, they just started to walk.
"Do you really mean the comment you said about my doodles?" Ruby asked, not sure why she would want confirmation, but the idea of the heiress to an energy empire made it seem that much sweeter.
"Yes. I may be the Heiress to an energy empire Ruby, but I inherited my father's mind. Not my maternal grandfather's. That would be belongs to Weiss. Whitely seemed to get the people skills of the family though." Winter continued as Ruby just smiled. Accepting the comments at the value as she could see the group forming.
Winter tried to let go of Ruby's hand, but the girl just seemed to hold on tight to it as they came to a near stop next to everyone. "Whitely seems nice though." Ruby said letting go long enough to take a seat.
She could hear a small laugh coming from Winter and a suppressed snicker coming from Weiss causing her to raise an eyebrow. Even if the feeling that she had was something of a curiosity, she at least felt a little relaxed that Winter was happy, but she had to admit that once she got past the harsh words that he would use, he wasn't nearly as bad as Yang was.
Pulling her lunch box out, Ruby started to place the piles where they belonged when she heard her sister speak up. "Take your pills Ruby."
Ruby tried to push through the comment when she could feel her sister's eyes on her again. This time as though she had Yang's sole attention. Something that was making her feel angry about."I know you heard me Ruby. Take your meds."
The way her sister's anger was starting to come through was a minor annoyance to Ruby but she knew that she would have the upper hand of sorts. Even if it was something as simple as the fact that she wouldn't do anything brash.
"Ruby last time I ask nicely before I get the school nurse up here, and you know how that song and dance goes." Yang said in as cold of a tone as she could. She knew her sister was ignoring her for the same reason she tries to ignore everyone when the topic comes up.
Taking a breath Ruby looked into the small plastic box that once contained her lunch and just frowned at the pills that stared at her in return. The idea of them was starting to make her angry, but she also didn't want the nurse brought in from not only the fact that the nurse was one of the most terrifying person that she had ever had meet before in her life, but because she'd also have her Mother called and then it just devolves into her most likely being forced the pills like how she was forced them at breakfast.
As she began to push the box containing them and the remnants of her lunch that she had no idea why Summer even packed for her given how she'd never eat it, she could see Yang standing up and getting ready to walk off causing Ruby to quickly drag the box closer again.
She didn't want her Mother's day ruined because she had to drop whatever it was she was doing to come down and get Ruby to take the demon pills. Even if it was going to be an annoyance that she had to get through such as taking the pills that was becoming harder and harder for her to do.
She knew from the way that Yang was still standing that she was waiting for Ruby to take the first pill. But that always seemed to be the hardest one to her. Taking the juice box, Ruby pierced it carefully as to not spill the contents on her hand.
Taking up a small mouthful of the contents, she smiled at the taste that started to fill her mouth only dreading the fact that in a matter of seconds she was going to need to take the chalk like capsules that were going to make her nearly gag. Taking up the pill Ruby was feeling like she was being placed on the spot by Yang but she also couldn't exactly tell the woman to not. It was starting to confuse her but she knew that she had no choice.
Shoving the pill into her mouth she gulped down the suddenly bitter concoction, before opening her mouth to show her older sister that she had in fact swallowed the mixture. Once Yang took her seat again Ruby started the laborious process of picking each pill up before swallowing the next one.
"Winter, I assumed that you were going to be going off campus." Weiss said trying to take her gaze off the way Yang had seemed to want to mongolise such a gifted mind. Even if it was partially she was actually wondering what it would be like if Ruby wasn't taking countless pills to curb her.
"Ruby asked me to spend my lunch with your group here." Winter said softly as Ruby swallowed what she hoped was the last pill that she had to. Even though it felt like this was starting to become an insurmountable challenge. Even if it seemed simple to her sister. Just because she wasn't sure if there was going to be a way for her to find an easy way for her to swallow the pills.
"You just seemed so lonely when you come back by yourself." Ruby said in a calm tone as she tried to come to grips with the fact her day seemingly was ruined in the matter of seconds by her sister. The idea that there was going to be something even worth it at the end of taking all the pills. All there ever was was from the lack of blacking out from having a seizure.
Turning back to her meal, Ruby picked up one of the sandwich halves and handed it over to Winter. "Because you gave your brother your lunch." Ruby said as Winter just smiled a little at the idea that Ruby was giving her something like food, like she needed it, or from her view point there was something that Ruby was planning. Even if every fiber of her being was telling her that there really wasn't anything that Ruby could do that Winter was accustomed to.
Taking it carefully, Winter broke it in half carefully and placed the other half down on the plastic sheet that Winter could assume was what the food was wrapped in. The look of shock on Yang's face as Ruby picked up the full half and took a bite from it.
She knew that normally Ruby would take the smallest half and eat that, which made everyone make sure they had made equal cuts because she would be able to see the difference. Winter just shook her head at whatever was the issue with the older sister. Just because she knew that Ruby wasn't going to do anything bad, or even accept a refute from Winter about the matter.
There was a joy to come from the simple sandwich she was given. It made her feel a lot better about the situation given how much she was meaning to Ruby at this point. Even if it was the girl trying to do something genuinely nice. Despite the fact, that alone was starting to feel strange to her.
It was a nice breath of fresh air to her. Just because she could never seem to get used to it. The genuine gestures of kindness towards her. It was easily the most pleasant thing that she had ever witnessed. As she looked around she could see the blonde woman that her sister had become smitten with had seemed to relax at the sight of Ruby lowering her sandwich and picking up one of the small pieces of fruit.
"So... Older Schnee... besides still alluding me in thinking of some obvious characteristic like your obvious cross dressing brother, and princess of a sister, why are you really here? Because I swear if I find out the crazy eyes that pervert has is for Ruby I can't be held responsible." Yang said as Ruby looked towards her sister, slightly angry at the notion that she couldn't protect herself but that she needed Yang's help.
"It is like I said. Ruby requested I be here. And Whitely is more so angry at me right now for metaphorically smacking him in front of our father." Winter spoke trying to summon up all the decorum that she had been taught to use when dealing with the likes of her father's business associates that she knew got a little on the nearly everyone who was present nerves.
None of that really would matter though, provided that she got closer to the ultimate goal as to the reason they were there. Pick the brain of what had to be the real life version of a philosopher's stone given how she could cement someone's name in history and just make gold.
Winter wasn't even sure if that was impossible for the small brunette girl who had nearly finished her lunch and even gifted her some of the meal.
"Tell him I already fooled the school board into thinking I was sorry for breaking a kid's prosthetic leg and beating him with it because he tried something with Ruby. Schnee or not, I typically wouldn't stop there." Yang continued in a deadpan tone trying to at least get the message to the man that she didn't care about the consequences that came to something she did at this point if it was protecting Ruby from herself.
"You leave Mercury alone Yang. He did nothing wrong. Just asked me to tutor him." Ruby snapped swallowing the mouthful of food she had as she could see Yang just match Ruby's gaze knowing that she didn't see what the rest of the world saw. The way he and that group just liked to play with Ruby and not get hauled into the principal's office was just a joke to her once she has compared some of the things that she had done on a much minor scale and receiving the same treatment.
"We can have this conversation later Ruby." Yang stated calmly as she tried to think of the best way to divert her sister's attention from that memory once more. She knew how annoying that conversation was by comparison to every other one she had to have with Ruby about how people are really not as nice as they might project off into the world.
Pouting, Ruby picked up the quarter of the sandwich and took a bite from it as she reached into the line of grapes and picked one up. 'At least grapes and a corned beef and butter sandwich still tastes like a great lunch... I wonder what is Winter's favourite lunch?' Ruby thought ignoring the look that Yang and Blake had developed. It was obvious from the discussion about her taking her medication that she didn't want her mother called in.
Not if she could help it.
Summer smiled at the sight of Ruby climbing into her bed, and pulling the blanket over her frame. She knew that at least Ruby had started to pull back from what had transpired and hurt her. Once she heard the 'good night' from the teen girl, Summer reached up and flicked the plastic switch before she walked down the stairs again.
She knew that it was going to be wrong to do this, but if she wanted Ruby back the way she was before everything took a turn for the worse, then she would need Yang's help as well. That seemed to be the crux of what was going on in Ruby's mind.
Already knowing that Raven was going to be in the garage, Summer slipped on the simple sandals she had kept by the door and walked out. Already regretting the lack of cardigan that she grabbed from the chill alone.
Each step seemed to take far longer than the last, but she was glad that her wife was waiting for her on the other side of it with the child that might just hold the key to bringing Ruby back from the brink.
She knew that with each day she only made small progress, but if she had Yang and Raven then she'd be able to make massive leaps and bounds towards helping Ruby. As she came to a stop she could hear Yang grumbling slightly and Raven just listening.
Opening the door just wide enough for her to walk through, she knew from the way the scraping of the concrete she knew that the mother daughter duo heard her and knew that it didn't really matter. She had bigger things on her mind.
"Yang, come on. You have both of our undivided attention right now. What is the matter?" Raven asked as Yang tossed the wrench in her hands at the wall.
"The matter is the fact I'm fine. I'm just peeved that everyone thinks I'm not. It was nothing more than a break up. Not my first. Now can I get back to what I was doing?" Yang asked, hoping that it was made clear to them that she was actually just fine. She didn't want to have to sit down and have a heart to heart about a relationship just because she broke up with a girl because said girl's family was just using her to get close to Ruby.
"Clearly you aren't fine Yang. Even Ruby is picking up on that." Raven continued as Summer could just see the girl in question tense up at that comment. She knew that was what was ultimately the reason even if she didn't let on to it.
"Yang, your Mom needs you more than ever now. Don't shut her out." Summer began softly causing the blonde teen to turn around and stare at the duo with an eyebrow raised at the statement.
"Summer, you don't ne-"
"I do Raven." Summer said as she walked closer to Yang. "I've tried to hide this for a long time, but I'm not well Yang. To put it bluntly, I'm dying."
Author's Note:
Welp... that was a chapter. I can bore you with excuses of why this took so long but look at that right behind you!... did... did it work? Either way onto the guest reviews...
Guest 4: it is more than the material needed to build it. It is the fact the energy that would be produced from a dyson ring is something that as a people we could not consume thereby causing it's own destruction. You can't store energy very long even with the best of capacitors. But the Schnees may be dead to you... but would they really be? And if liking the thought of Summer's death is cliche then I'm cliche. Nothing wrong with that. It is all on how it is spun.
Guest from chapter 1: I hope you are still reading this. But I'm glad you are enjoying this just as much as I enjoy writing it. And I know it makes Lady British happy to hear things like that, and really she should be getting most of the praise for me writing this. It was her idea, I just put the words to it.