Chapter 9: Nightmares
Fear. That was the first thing Weiss felt as the darkness enveloped her. It's murky blackness covering her, turning her once pale form into a polished obsidian. Once no traces of her light remained, all she felt was hatred and malice. A desire to hurt so intense it would have left her crying if there wasn't a hole where her heart once was.
Weiss strode from the average hotel room with its queen sized bed and tan walls leaving blood in her wake, the remains of her teammates Yang and Blake in unrecognizable heaps behind her with panic in their eyes.
Weiss felt her body slip out of the obsidian beast she was, only to see Crimson wings spread from its back and silver eyes gaze back at her willing to kill.
Then Ruby lunged at her throat, elongated teeth first, ready to tear it out before a blinding white light threw everything back.
"Ruby!" 'Weiss!' Both girls screamed from the same body loud enough for the entire building to hear.
'Whose nightmare was that?' Weiss pants heavily, pulling her sweaty body from the bed.
'I don't know, and it's scaring me. It makes me wonder just how much of who we are is actually the other person.' Weiss shudders at the question, not wanting to find the answer herself.
'I really can't say, but I can say I need a bath after that.' Weiss' attempt to ease Ruby's mind goes right past the panicked demon's mind. With a sigh, realizing Ruby is too stressed for either of them to sleep, Weiss comes to a quick decision. 'Let's take a flight over Vale. Like I wanted to do after initiation.'
'Weiss, it's only been three days since then. You make it sound like we did that a year ago.'
The fear and concern lingering in Ruby's mental voice settles Weiss' mind in the matter. 'Exactly, so let's go. Besides there's no moon out tonight, perfect to enjoy the autumn air.'
Weiss can only imagine Ruby's sigh of defeat as she quickly appears in human form with a crimson face. "If we are doing this, then you have to wear my clothes to make sure we stay hidden. Sooo…. Please turn around 'til I'm back on your hand… Please."
Weiss tries her hardest not to look as she hears the clothes fall onto the bed, before feeling the usual faint shocking sensation of Ruby returning to her hand. Looking down, she can't help but notice one small detail. 'Ummm Ruby…. Your mark grew…'
'What?!' Weiss sent Ruby the image of what she was now looking at on her hand. The single rose at the back of her hand had grown a mass of vines, crawling down to her wrist before wrapping itself around like a bracelet and curling up and around each finger into a fingerless glove. Each of the vines has multiple roses dotted throughout.
In their panic over the altered brand, Weiss ran to the bathroom to change while Ruby tried getting it back to its old design, with no success. Giving up, the demon merely moved onto Weiss' now covered back. Hoping not to see what it looks like there. 'Weiss, I'm scared. Can we just cuddle instead?'
Weiss doesn't even respond before Ruby reappears in the other room tucked under the blankets, mildly shivering. As the heiress approaches, Ruby tries to curl up even further into herself. "Ruby… It'll be ok, you have me here with you. You've been here all along for me, and I refuse to not be there for you. We will figure out what's wrong and fix-"
"What's wrong is me Weiss! I'm not right. I'm a demon, everybody keeps saying it. I'm just evil and nothing more. I feel it trying to call to me. It offers comfort and an answer to the pain. It says it will go away, but I know I'll lose you if I accept it. The darkness that I sense, it's coming for me, and it's using any foothold it can find to get me." Ruby's cries of despair are muffled by the blankets.
"Ruby… You are strong. I don't know if this has always been happening, or if because we are out in society finally, that whatever it is, is now able to reach us, but know that I am a part of you too. You may fear possessing me, but I know you won't. I may not be able to see into your mind like you do me but I know that within mine, you are always holding it and pushing me to the front. You may not notice, but the more of a single person we become, the more you put me at the front of it all. I'm not going anywhere and you don't have to fight this alone. You have me, along with our other teammates and Professor Ozpin, maybe even Qrow too. You aren't any more evil than the rest of us. You feel just like I do, just like the others do, and that's why you are so unique - not broken - because you are human enough to feel our type of darkness while knowing the real darkness and are able to fight them both off." Weiss sighs and forgets Ruby's current state of dress as she pulls the girl into a tight embrace from behind, pulling the girl into her. "Maybe you should embrace your human side now that it's free to show itself, and sleep here with me. I won't let go of you, my precious little rose." With that Weiss kisses Ruby's forehead before both girls fall back asleep as best they can.
Ruby was floating in the blackness again. The darkness called out to her like a drug, promising power and comfort, and like every other nightmare, Ruby ignored it. This time, however, the darkness didn't accept no for an answer. It enveloped the girl as it had earlier, turning her into an obsidian statue of destruction. The darkness cleared as she was converted into an abomination, revealing the corpses of teams JNPR and CRDL along with Yang and Blake. Ruby left her dorm room - where she had deposited the bodies - in search of other prey. As she stalked the vacant halls of Beacon, she heard a voice echoing around her.
The voice sung of loneliness and confusion, but also hope and chances. As Ruby rushed down the corridors to find this soothing melody that only made her blood boil more, she failed to notice the light start pouring in.
Quickly the obsidian skin turned pale once more, and her fangs filed back down to teeth. The pain in her chest eased as she approached, no longer lusting for blood. The screams in her head to kill and to feast became whispers before fading out completely. Before Ruby even noticed, her soul was cleansed of the corruption, and with it she saw her classmates return. No longer were they barely recognizable piles of limbs, but instead in perfect health, glowing from within, beaming at her as she passed. The radiating light condensed itself into a female form with no other details.
The figure looked down at the demon and smiled. "Child, you are still too young to carry my burden, but in time you will have to. Until then, stay true to your instincts. Stay true to what your mother had set in motion with your birth."
"What do you mean by that-"
As Ruby asked the question, her eyes shot open for the second time that day, however with this time, she felt a comfortable warmth surrounding her. Without thinking Ruby snuggled deeper into her comfortable position, noticing the smell of roses and mint that is her and Weiss' combined scent. 'Mmmmmn, this is nice…'
"Better now, Ruby?" Ruby turns her head to see a newly awoken Weiss, giving the heiress a rather revealing view.
"Ummm… yeah?" Weiss' only reaction to Ruby's somehow reassuring yet confused response is to run to the bathroom before throwing Ruby's clothes out the door and changing into hers.
"Dolt, leave it to you to sleep naked and not remember!" She yells as the door slams shut.
"In all fairness - Princess - you didn't either!" Ruby shouts back as she goes to put her clothes back on. "Hey Weiss, where are our spare clothes?"
"Under the bed. I forget why I put the suitcase there, but that's where it is."
"Okay, thanks!" Ruby decides to change into something more casual, a pair of sweatpants that are loose enough for her tail to rest lazily at her leg unnoticed, and a red hoodie to tuck her wings inside.
As the two prepare for the day, they hear a lot of crashing on both sides of the room. Neither attempts to hide their laughter, knowing only they will be enjoying a painless morning. "Man Weiss, you really shouldn't have taken that challenge. Two auras isn't fair in a drinking competition."
Thud. "Owwww... my head…" Yang rubbed her now throbbing head, wondering what made it hurt more, the corner of the hotel nightstand or her hangover. "Oh no-!"
Not noticing the empty bed next to her Yang, runs to the bathroom only to find Blake already covering the toilet bowl. The Faunus hears Yang charge through the door and does her best to make room for the Blonde as both girls empty the contents of the last few days.
Once Yang begins to recompose herself, she turns to her partner. "Ugh… What happened to us? I only remember thinking I could beat Weiss at drinking, then it went blank."
Blake leans back to catch her breath and try to think past the banging in her skull. "She beat you after the tenth shot, after that she made the same challenge to me and the one drink I had made me confident I could win. As far as I can tell, I lost. I don't remember anything but her smug grin and taunting blue eyes."
Yang attempts to respond past the pounding inside her head. "Well we need to get it together, Qrow won't let me hear the end of it if he sees I can't handle a drink or two."
Blake almost chuckles past her migraine at the thought of the man - who probably won't quit drinking - taunting somebody for failing to keep up. "I can't blame him, I mean he seems unable to get hungover."
"That's because his cure for a hangover is more whiskey." This time Blake does chuckle at Yang's remark before doubling over to puke again. "Easy Blake, just let it out." Yang reaches over to rub her friend's back as the last wave of nausea passes.
Blake goes to clear her throat before both head to the sink to rinse out their mouths. "Thanks Yang. Can't say I'm surprised you know how to deal with this situation, but I'm glad you are here to help. I feel horrible right now."
Yang shrugs, attempting to appear humble. "Heh, don't mention it, and so do I. I think I'm only lasting because this physical abuse is pumping up my semblance which then pumps up my adrenaline."
"Why would your semblance get you pumped up? I thought it involved all that fire that appears when you get mad." The Faunus asks after another round of rinsing out her throat.
"Nope, that's a side effect. My actual semblance is more of a counter strike. The harder I get hit, the harder I hit back, although hitting back and draining the built up power doesn't affect my aura at all in the process."
"That's useful, albeit different from mine."
"I noticed. You make a body double or something that you can use as a shield or platform. You are a fun one to watch fight." Blake blushes as she watches Yang give her a very slow once over, not missing a single part of the Faunus' body.
Blake clears her throat, unsure how to deal with the Blonde's obvious affection for her. "We should probably go check on Weiss and Ruby and see how they are holding up."
Yang averts her eyes towards the door before deciding that it may be best to agree, rather than keep hitting on her partner. "Okay Blakey, after you." Yang goes to the hotel room door and opens it in an attempt at being chivalrous.
"You really can't help but flirt can you?" Blake says wondering if she'll ever get a break.
"Nope, I can't, and besides you're too hot to simply not hit on." Blake sighs giving in to the urge to taunt Yang back, assuming that it'll never end and decides to just leave already, passing the Blonde on the way out the door with a very noticeable swish of her hips.
"Took you two long enough." Ruby says from Weiss' lap on a bench by the elevator. "I was wondering how long it'd take you to get going."
"Well unlike you, we get hangovers, and they suck." Yang snarls, more from the pain than annoyance, not noticing the bags under Ruby and Weiss' eyes.
"Easy Yang, no need to snap. Besides, Qrow is coming." Blake flashes her team a quick smile as she hears Qrow exit his room and start banging on the two doors that lead to their own rooms.
"Hey time to go. You got class today, I am a teacher after all." All of team RWBY tries not to laugh as he walks past a second time back to his room.
"Is he drinking already? Isn't that a bad idea this early?"
Yang ends up smiling at Weiss' confusion. "To him Weiss, it's only a bad idea to drink when you have none left to drink. Then you get sad and realize you are sobering up, which is why it's bad. Gotta keep smiling." The Blonde then stretched her face into a very exaggerated grin.
"Anyhow, we should probably get him so we can go. Besides Weiss and I have yet to have a single class, besides Ozpin's demonology thing, since we got here." Ruby laughs lightly while trying to hide her regret at it all being her fault.
Weiss feels Ruby stiffen and rubs her girlfriend between the wings as she whispers in her ear. "Relax Ruby, nobody blames you for anything."
The slurred voice of Qrow appears behind the girls causing Weiss and Ruby to jump a bit before settling down. "No need to get me girls, I'm already here. Glad to see you're all ready. Also glad to see somebody can hold her liquor." Qrow stares at Weiss with a blank expression, not yet feeling his morning drink hit him yet. "Now then, off to a gym so you can learn actual teamwork instead of your team mind sharing… Thing… Still not quite sure about that, other than it ain't natural."
Notes: I said updated AN didn't I. Whoops, didn't think my update would be the next chapter. You all are welcome for that. I'd say consider it thanks for all the support but that's not enough, although what lights I shined on Ruby were something. This is also a bit of the apology on the gap between chapters 7 and 8. I don't forgive myself easy, it shows.
(Jump in from SSE) "Damn it, I keep telling you, it's not your fault. I was the one who got sick."
Anyhow for Ezrakett, I'm evil and don't intend to explain the bond more than you already stated. Mainly because to this point you are looking at it how I want you to, confused but seeing it has a serious effect on them. Also this chapter was supposed to shine some vague light on the subject but I want people to theory craft for the bond. It is that big a piece to the story I want to see what everybody thinks of it. Also I'm glad I can put a name to this comment but if you'd kindly have your review not be listed as guest that'd be nice, I'm beginning to ignore guest reviews because things are getting rather messy in that collab. I'm sorry, I hate that it has to affect others but one person's beliefs ruined it for the majority.
So, on a bright note, you can fav, follow, and/or review, which is the whole reason I keep going. If I were to describe how much each review means I'll put it like this.
WRNING INCOMING RANT UNNECESSARY TO READ BUT FEEL FREE TO
A review with criticism from somebody I can reply to via pm feels like if it were a bad day and that person had just stretched out a hand to pull me up from a puddle I had just fallen into. Those reviews that say something like "awesome fic keep it up" or make jokes feel like I'm with a group of friends around a bonfire, the feeling of kindness and just high on life pouring through me. Also coming from those reviews are concerns that can be addressed in the span of one day, and not staccato-like through review and AN.
Guest reviews are iffy because I can't have that kinship feeling with those people. If they are kind it's like a compliment from a stranger, not sure how to take it really but still feels nice. If it's a criticism, or even supportive criticism, it feels like a punch in the gut because we can't discuss how to fix it or work out a compromise. More often than not, these type of review also don't help with my own improvement.
The one guest that ruined it for those that may just say good job or can't wait, wants to discuss story logic through ANs and reviews so the public can see when honestly I'd share it anyways but the problem is that it's inconvenient and rants like this nobody wants in a fic so after this one rant I'm done allowing guest reviews to even go through for my stories I'm sorry but if we can't actually talk to each other regularly then it's not worth it to everybody that sees a story with 100 extra words just to clarify your most likely misplaced grievance. I also know that most fears people have had with my fic have been misplaced so far, I've been able to let those good people that shared their fears with me know that they can relax knowing it will be fixed.
Anyhow that's all sorry for the rant that added 600 words to this.
With that, I leave one thing. Theory crafters: Have your field day. Send the theories in! I want to read them! I don't want people to think I'm leaving out information in my story, because pretty much everything is there, just hidden in plain sight... I make every word count.
Edit: This was a rant. I don't intend to outright ignore guests good or bad, I just needed to scream at the worl for a bit because it had gotten under my skin that bad. I'm sorry I flipped shit but that happens when things are messy and you are as pathetically new to this as I am. Also my days are chaos and he'll, it's hard to keep a cool some days. I'm sorry.
