=RR=
Ruby smelled that scent again when she came to the Bureau with Yang today. She turned around and saw the white-haired lady. The lady stood in the queue beside Ruby and Yang. She already had the mission ticket.
"We'd like to accept this mission." Yang gave the mission ticket to the Bureau staff sat behind the receptionist booth.
How could Yang wink at random people? Ruby wondered, noticed what her sister did. Why she even feel need to do it to everyone? The receptionist is a girl! Not that I agree if the receptionist was a man, though …
"I'm sorry, Miss, but this mission is for a team with at least three people." The receptionist handed back the mission ticket and their identification.
Oddly enough, Ruby was sure she heard the exact same thing from the next booth, where the white-haired lady was now. She also just handed her mission ticket to the receptionist.
"Is it?" Yang took the mission ticket. "I thought the only requirement is 'heavy-hitter', gunner, or explosion specialist."
"I'm really sorry, Miss."
"Oh well."
"Maybe we should take lower class mission." Ruby suggested while they left the receptionist.
"Urgh, I'm gonna die of boredom if we took lower class mission," Yang said.
"You won't." Ruby insisted. "Besides, this is our first mission. Dad won't agree us taking high class mission."
"If he knows, right? Well, he doesn't know." Yang grinned. "Oh. Wait. Hey, Miss!"
Yang casually approached the white-haired lady and asked about her mission. Ruby never understood where in the world Yang got her confidence to talk to any kind of people (and, sometimes, made rude comments about them after first meeting). Ruby herself tended to watch first rather than striking conversation with new people.
"Hey, Ruby!" Yang called, enthusiastic. "I've found the third people! We can take this mission!"
"Wha-?! Who?"
Not answering Ruby, Yang went back to the receptionist booth, leaving Ruby with the white-haired lady. The lady said nothing to Ruby and it really felt awkward.
"Hi." Ruby tried to say something. Her voice squeaked like a caught mouse. "Hi." She repeated, this time with clearer voice. "It looks like we are … on the same team now?"
"Apparently, yes."
She's a bit cold, isn't she? Ruby thought. This is totally awkward. What should I say next? Err, introduce myself?
"I'm Ruby." Ruby said. She extended her hand, only to be ignored by the "ice lady". "Nice … to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too."
Why am I doing this? Ruby pouted. More like, why Yang choose her as additional member for our team?
Ruby observed the "ice lady" further. The "ice lady" definitely came from a fine family. She stood with straight back, hands crossed behind, reminding Ruby of the soldier she once saw. She wore a light armor that looked well-polished. The moment Ruby thought about shiny armor is an armor that never used in a real fight, she noticed scratches all over the armor. There was even a vertical scar across the lady's left eye, proving that this fine lady had experience in battlefield.
"Is there something on my face?"
"N-no." Ruby startled. "I'm sorry, Miss …"
"It's Weiss Snow."
"Sorry?"
"My name is Weiss Snow." The "ice lady" repeated. "You can call me Weiss."
"Oh! Nice to meet you, Weiss!"
Weiss nodded in response. Her face looked as stern as before, but Ruby already felt less awkward now and asked more question.
"Did you come here about three days ago?" Ruby asked.
"Yes. How did you know?"
"I …" Ruby nearly answered "know your scent". She restrained before saying so. Normal people didn't recognize other people by scent like Ruby usually did. Despite the tag necklace Ruby wore as identification and despite the people of the Empire didn't look down on werewolves, Ruby wasn't comfortable to admit her werewolf status to everyone.
"I think I saw you back then." Ruby finally said.
"Oh." Weiss tilted her head a bit. "I didn't see you."
She bumped into me and she didn't remember … Ruby sighed. Never mind.
"Yo!" Yang came back, waving a piece of paper with the Bureau stamp on it. "Thanks to you, we get that mission," she said to Weiss.
"It's a pleasure to assist you in this matter," Weiss replied. "Do we have to leave as soon as possible?"
"Well, they said we should do that." Yang shrugged. She read the paper on her hand. "The city guard spotted the golem about a week ago. At that time, the golem just walked around the City's perimeter. The city guard sent warnings. They were ignored, of course. What would a pile of rocks do about warnings? The guards sent several men to capture the golem, but they came back empty-handed. According to the rule, the golem is free to be hunted and destroyed because the guards already warned it and being ignored."
"I understand." Weiss nodded. "In fact, I am a newcomer in this City and yesterday I just happened to find a place to stay."
"Ah, I see." Yang scratched her head. "You need time to move your belongings to the new place."
"Exactly."
"That's funny." Ruby said. "Didn't Dad say that the tenant will come, like, tomorrow?"
"Ah, that's right." Judging from Yang's expression, Ruby bet her sister forgot everything about the tenant. "I think we could agree to leave the day after-"
"Hold on." Weiss interrupted. "Is your father happened to be a man named Tai Yang Xiao Long?"
"Yes! How do you kn-wait. What?"
Ruby didn't need much effort to comprehend this unexpected turn of event. Weiss Snow was the one who would live in their house from tomorrow.
I … How could I get along with someone like her?
-x-
=BB=
Weiss came up with a rather bad news about their new living place. The windows were barred, which meant Blake couldn't easily enter the new place by climbing to the roof and sneaked through the window. The good news was their living place was an attic with stairs located near the house's back door. As long as the back door and the attic door unlocked, Blake could got into the room. She just need to be careful not to be seen when doing so.
I think they're downstairs. Blake observed the situation. She jumped to the roof, laid low and listened. It's vague, but she could hear a conversation in a room-maybe it's the kitchen-downstairs. It's Weiss and the person who own the place, Blake guessed.
Blake hopped down. She pushed the back door. It opened, silently. Blake peeked inside. Nobody was there. There were piles of firewood and on the right there was a wall that separate this part with the next room. The next room was bright with light and someone definitely there, but the wall gave enough cover for Blake.
Blake entered. She closed the back door behind her and climbed the stairs. So far so good. The stairs didn't make noises and no one suddenly appeared from the next room. Weiss also already left the room door unlocked. Blake got into the room safely.
The attic was one spacious place. There's dim lamps embedded in the wall and rafter. Blake immediately thought about how to hide on the rafter above. She will need to put a black sheet or something over there, but it could be done later. For now, she could rest a bit in the corner, away from the window-
Someone's coming.
Blake was careless. She should have heard the approaching footsteps. Now, it's too late for her to get out through the same door. Blake jumped and reached the lowest rafter. She moved herself as near as possible to the ceiling above the door, hoping whoever entered wouldn't notice her or it's Weiss who came.
But it's not Weiss, unfortunately.
"She didn't lock the door."
Blake breathed slowly, observing and waiting.
The girl who got into the room had a short black hair. Her hair was a bit odd, Blake thought. Instead of entirely black, the girl's hair turned into dark red color on the end. The girl looked small, didn't look dangerous.
When Blake began to question the girl's purpose for entering the attic, the girl walked towards one of the lamp. The light from the lamp had faded and it was flickering. The girl loosened the screws around the lamp and took out the lamp. She refilled the elementals mixture in the lamp and put it back to its place.
She refills the lamp. Blake relieved. As long as she doesn't look up ...
The girl stopped just before she left the room. She looked around and-Blake wasn't sure about this-started sniffing, just like a hunting dog.
Oh my God. Blake's muscle got all tense, ready to make a quick escape. Her eyes darted from corner to corner, looking for a way out. I'm not hoping for this.
"Cat …? Fish …?" The girl mumbled, confused. She scratched her head.
The girl was currently in the middle of the room. Blake took the chance. She jumped, landed with a thud on the wooden floor, and leaped towards the door.
"Wait!"
The door wouldn't open.
Blake hissed. She didn't remember nor see the girl locked it, so how come it's locked now?!
Blake glanced back at the girl. The girl already aimed a small gun at Blake. Threatened and had nowhere to escape, Blake attacked the girl. She grabbed the girl's hand which hold the gun while she pushed her down. Blake muffled the girl's mouth with the other hand, pinning her on the floor with Blake's weight.
"Ugh!"
The girl's right hand still freed. She hit Blake right on the nose. Blake loosened her grip and the girl slipped away. Another aim, followed by a single shot. Blake dodged it on time. The bullet hit the floor and created an ice chunks, big enough to trapped a leg or two.
Blake gritted her teeth. Both Blake and the girl stared at each other. Nobody attacked. They were waiting the other's movement.
"What are you? The girl asked in low voice. Her silver eyes looked dead serious. "You smell like a cat. And you have … tail."
"And you smell like a dog," Blake replied, noticed the girl's scent.
"Oh. It must be Zwei's."
There's a dog here?! Blake's concern detoured.
The door clicked and slammed open.
"Ruby!"
The moment Blake turned around and desperately tried once again to escape from this undesired situation, a gunshot echoed. The next second, solid ice formed and wrapped Blake's legs, disabling her. Blake reached the cleaver sheathed on her back, ready to give more fight.
"Blake. Stop."
The familiar voice stopped Blake from unsheathing her cleaver. Weiss stepped into the room, stood beside the girl with long golden hair.
"You know her?" The golden-haired girl asked.
"I didn't expect this happened right after we moved in." Weiss sighed. "I owe you an explanation."
"Yes." The blonde girl said. Blake noticed how the golden-haired girl's eyes flicked from purple shade into glaring red. It didn't look good. Something from the color changing eyes told Blake that this girl was angry. "Yes. And you have little time to explain everything."
"We are ... drifters from the Kingdom." Weiss quickly said.
The golden-haired girl didn't look satisfied. She crossed her arm on her chest, said nothing.
"I met Blake during my venture." Weiss continued, wary. "She, as you can see, has cat ears and tail. It's something considered really bad in the Kingdom."
"I may look like an idiot, but I know at least that," said the blonde. "So, what are you two? Be honest. Be really honest if you don't want to get in trouble."
Weiss inspected the blonde. After a tense seconds of silence, she finally said, "I'm a … magician. And Blake was cursed by a witch. She became a half-beast as you can obviously see."
"You're hunted." The blonde accused. She directed her burning red gaze at Blake. "Keeping fugitives under our roof is one thing, but trying to hurt my sister ..."
If Blake wasn't wearing her mask right now, everyone could see how frightened she was at the moment. She need a lot effort to keep her voice firm.
"I didn't." Blake insisted. It's partly a lie. Blake was used to do anything to escape, including hurting or killing people. But she hadn't any intention to do so when trying to run away from this place. At least, not yet.
"Yang." The girl with black-red hair-Ruby-spoke after stayed silent for a while. "I'm okay. Really. Just …," she took a deep breath, "cool yourself down for now, okay? We can talk about it again later."
Yang-the golden-haired girl-growled. Her eyes darted from Weiss to Blake, before she stepped back, tried to open the door and failed.
"Dad forgot to fix this damn door," Yang said.
"I guess."
CRACK!
"Done." Yang opened the door and left.
Blake shivered. She couldn't imagine how hard that hit was. That single punch created a large gap in where the door knob and the lock mechanism were. Yang could easily kill people bare-handedly. Blake wouldn't want to mess up with such person.
"Please don't angered her further," Ruby said. "Yang is a berserker. The story about them in the Kingdom is mostly true." She paused. "I'm actually from the Kingdom too."
Ruby pulled out a necklace from behind her shirt, showed the metal tag piece hanging on it to Blake and Weiss.
"I'm a werewolf."
That explains the dog-like scent and her smelling sense, Blake thought.
"Uhm, well, I think I'll try to speak some senses to Yang right now," Ruby continued. She put back her necklace behind her shirt. "So, at least, you could stay for a night in here."
"I'll go with you." Weiss said. "It's my responsibility after all."
"How about me?"
"No. Stay here."
"Break the ice in my feet then."
"No."
"What?"
"Consider it as the first thing I do to make up for the mistakes." Weiss nodded. Her expression didn't change even the slightest bit. "That would do."
"Tsk." Blake reached for her cleaver, planned to break the ice by herself. Low crackle heard and Blake ended up with both hands trapped in ice. She couldn't get her weapon or anything.
"Perfect." Weiss sheathed her rapier. She walked to the door. "Let's go, Ruby."
"Cool," Blake hissed a snarky remark. She shivered again and with defeated tone added, "I mean it. The ice is really cold."
Author's Note:
Alright, this chapter marks the beginning of the main story. The main story is broke down into total 10 episodes, with each episode tell different "case" (a mission the team took from the Bureau, the incident they were involved, etc). Also, each episode will be splitted into 2-3 parts, about 2000 - 3000 words, because I think that's the most convenient length for reading in PC monitor/mobile device screen.
Since each part will be a bit longer now, I have to apologize for changing the update schedule from once a week to twice a month. I do the writing in my mobile phone and PC consecutively, but it takes more time to check on story consistency and beta/proofreading. (I asked one of my friend who's more proficient in English to do the beta/proofreading.)
I add the character's initial to mark the changes in point of view. I'm not really confident with the POV changes, that's why.
As always, thank you very much for reading. :D