Chapter Ten: Meetings (Part 1)
Ruby was sighing to herself while walking around Mistral, clearly bored from not being able to find something to do on her own. "Even on my day off, I can't find anything to do." Her wolf ears drooped, and looking at people in town enjoying their day made her pout from jealousy. "Lucky…" She dragged on that word when she ran right into a person who was on her skateboard.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" The young woman cried, trying to evade running into the red clad wolf Faunus only to fall off her skateboard.
Ruby ended up falling on her butt and she groaned in pain. "Ow! Ugh, well that's one way to make a day a little more exciting…" She looked up at the woman who was yelling at her and rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry about that." Ruby said as she got up from the ground and wiped her clothes of any dirt that may have gotten on her clothes.
"Eh, it's fine. No damage done to my board, but I can't say the same for my pride, though." The turquoise haired woman said, wincing as she checked her palms for any blood from breaking her fall.
Ruby offered her hand to the woman and lifted her up. "I doubt that you'd do that by crashing once into someone. I mean, I've tried skateboarding before...and let's just say it didn't end well for me...or my sister."
"Let me guess, lost control and sprained an ankle or wrist?" The woman asked, taking the proffered hand.
The wolf Faunus blushed heavily at the memory of her skateboarding attempt. "Well...I ended up in a bush...and my sister ended up in a fountain that was on the other side. Soooo...you know."
The turquoise haired woman chuckled at that. "Ha! Not gonna lie, that's pretty funny. It reminds me of when one of my Ex boyfriends tried to skateboard too. He was...okay at it, but he'd get way too distracted and ended up getting into a few accidents here and there." She sighed softly at the thought of her ex.
"Oh, well I did give up on that back then. It wasn't exactly a great introduction to something when your sister gets pissed off from her hair getting completely drenched." Ruby replied.
"Ah, the kind of girl who loves her hair more than life itself. Yeah, I can see why you'd give up on that." The woman looked down at her scroll and sighed. "Shit, well I'm probably gonna be late. I need to head out, so...maybe I'll see you around." She held her skateboard and began to walk off from the wolf Faunus.
Ruby waved her off and turned to head out in the opposite direction. "Hmm, well, at least today wasn't completely unevent…ful..." Ruby froze on the spot when she checked her pocket for her scroll and noticed that her wallet wasn't there. She turned around in an instant and saw the woman turning a corner. "HEY! You took my wallet!" Ruby sprinted off to chase after the woman, clearly pissed that she robbed her.
After hearing the yells of the wolf Faunus, the turquoise haired woman got on her skateboard and sped off. She turned around and saw that Ruby was not exactly slow when it came to running. "Oh shit."
Ruby was pushing past a few people that were in the way and growled in anger. "Somebody stop the woman on the skateboard!" The wolf Faunus groaned when the civilians around her gave her odd looks instead of helping her. "Ugh!"
Looking back and forth, the woman on the skateboard quickly turned and rode into an alley, since the other side was a busy street and she wasn't about to do something that stupid. "Fuck...it had to be a dead end alley…" She turned around and saw a panting and angered wolf Faunus. "Um...so...what's up?"
Ruby took a few steps forward and growled. "Give. Me. Back. My. Wallet. Now!"
"How does a no sound?" The thief taunted.
"How does a 'I will thrash you against that dumpster in a second if you don't' sound? I may not look it, but I learned how to fight a little from my sister. You know, the one who got pissed off." Ruby threatened.
"I'd love to see ya try, pup." The woman said, taking up a fighting stance.
Ruby was surprised by the stance, but she wasn't going to back off, so she remembered what her sister and parents taught her and shifted her weight to her back leg. "Judo has been known to break people, when I'm done you will taste that dumpster."
The woman smirked and held the skateboard behind her back, ready to hit the wolf with it if she got close. "Nice threat you got there, pup. Come on and show me what you've got."
"Gladly." Ruby replied, pushing off of her back foot and charged the woman.
Before she could even get a shot in, the woman side stepped away and attempted to strike Ruby with her skateboard, but she was surprised when the wolf Faunus ducked from the attempt and tried to sweep her legs from under her.
The turquoise haired woman took a quick step back and hit her back against the wall behind her. "That's enough!" A voice called out from the entrance of the alley.
Ruby turned and faced the voice, "Chief Goodwitch? What are you doing here?"
Glynda was surprised to see Ruby. "Oh, Yang's sister. I didn't expect to see you here...and you!" The blonde woman pointed at the woman with the skateboard. "Reese! I am sick and tired of dealing with you all the time! Give Miss Rose whatever you stole and come with me."
"I didn't take any-" Reese started to protest.
"Or do I have to taze you first and return the item in question myself before I drag you to my car?" Police Chief Goodwitch asked.
Reese shivered at the thought and sighed. "Ugh...fine…" She got the wallet out and tossed it to Ruby, who barely caught it. "So what now? Am I gonna get a warning or what?"
"Not this time, get in." Glynda said, opening the back passenger door to her patrol car. "I told you I'd charge you if this happened again."
Reese's eyes widened at that. "W-Wait...are you serious? Please tell me you're fucking with me." Ruby looked between the two and started feeling a little worried for Reese, even though she did steal her wallet.
"She did steal my wallet, but I've got it back and everything is here. I don't see a reason to charge her." The wolf Faunus said, looking through her wallet.
"It doesn't matter whether you forgive her or not. She broke the law. Now I will not repeat myself, Reese." Glynda glared at her while pointing at her car. "Now."
Reese looked defeated at that point, sighing to herself as she walked past both the wolf Faunus and the Police Chief. She said nothing, clearly looking depressed as she got in the car.
Glynda shook her head and entered her car with Ruby walking behind. "I'm sorry, but this one has been getting off with warnings for far too long. She needs to know that crime needs to be punished. Make sure you remind your sister of that too, Miss Rose." She drove off with Reese in the back.
Watching that made Ruby feel guilty, since it was her wallet being stolen that got her in trouble, though it was also probably because she was yelling in a crowd that got Glynda's attention. "I didn't want it to go that far…" Ruby's ears drooped from how she felt about what happened to Reese.
After Glynda drove off with Reese, an emerald haired woman who was watching from the distance shook her head and muttered. "Idiot. I knew you'd get caught eventually. I better not get screwed over breaking you out," She then disappeared from sight
A few moments went by and as Ruby was walking away from the alley, her scroll went off. She sighed and saw it was a call from Velvet, "Good, something to get me away from that…"
"Hey Ruby, how are you doing today?" The rabbit Faunus asked.
"Could be much better, Velvet, but nothing I can't distract myself from. In fact, are you home right now?" The wolf Faunus asked, "Now would be a good idea to talk to her about Blake."
"Yeah, just got back actually, though Blake went for a jog around the block." Velvet replied.
"Is it cool if I head over? I think it might be a good time I bring up that thing I mentioned to you at the bar the other day." Ruby reminded.
"Of course it's fine for you to come over, Ruby. I'll let the landlord know to send you up." The brunette answered, "I'll message you the address so you can find the place."
After she got to Velvet and Blake's apartment, Ruby walked up to their floor after the landlord let her in. "This is actually going to be even more stressful than what happened today…" Ruby mentally slapped herself for saying that. "No, this is Blake and Velvet. I gotta help them." Knocking on the door, she didn't have to wait long before Velvet answered.
"I take it you didn't have any trouble finding us then?" Velvet asked jokingly.
"One close call with a steamroller and a wrong turn which had me back in Patch again, but other than that I made it without any issues." The wolf Faunus jokingly returned.
Velvet walked her in and Ruby chuckled when she saw a few papers lying around the tables here and there. "Uh...sorry for the mess. Blakey has been a bit busy with her work."
"I don't have a problem with it. How's her writing going by the way? I still haven't gotten that preview she promised me." Ruby smiled as she sat on the couch.
"You know exactly what she writes, are you sure you're up for a preview of her second book? Speaking of, did you finish her first novel?" the brunette asked, smirking.
Ruby blushed heavily and looked down at the floor. "I-I don't know...I mean...maybe...did you?!" She overreacted at that point, obviously feeling embarrassed about the subject.
"Twenty-one and still uncomfortable about the birds and the bees. You know I did, Ruby, even re-enacted a few scenes with Blake." Velvet teased.
The blush level on Ruby's face was reaching critical levels, and she even thought about a certain someone because of it, but shook her head immediately. "Stop it! We need...to talk about some things." Ruby said as she was getting in a more serious mode.
"Sorry, Ruby, couldn't resist. What's on your mind?" The rabbit Faunus asked, chuckling a little.
"It might be best for you to sit down for this. If you're alright with it." Ruby said, and Velvet nodded, understanding the seriousness as she took a seat next to her friend. "Has Blake been...upset about anything recently?"
"Not that I've noticed. But now that you mention it, ever since we got back from your party she has been somewhat clingy. Almost like she thought I'd up and disappear." Velvet answered, thinking about how her girlfriend had been acting.
That instantly made Ruby cringe. "Oh god…" She sighed, unable to get Blake's worried voice out of her head. "That was...the worst thing you could've said just now."
"W-what are you talking about, 'the worst thing I could've said'?" The woman asked concerned.
Ruby felt really bad about how long she's been keeping that from Velvet. She needed to just tell her already. Not for herself, but for her friends. "Back during the party, Blake got a bit more drunk than she should've, you obviously know that, but the problem with that...well, was that she told me something she was really worried about."
"Ruby, you're scaring me. Please don't beat around the bush, just tell me." Velvet begged.
"Okay, I'm sorry. I was just worried what would happen if I told you." Ruby said. "Um, so with her being drunk, she told me about how she thinks you might get bored of her."
"Bored of her….how could she think that? She means the world to me. Hell, a day without her is torture for me." The brunette said.
"I wish I knew exactly why she was saying that, but we can't just leave it alone like it didn't happen." Ruby reasoned. "When I heard that, it freaked me out a little."
"Blake should be getting back in a few minutes, would you mind helping me set her straight?" Velvet asked, "I just need your help to get her to come clean, but after that I can help her myself."
"Of course, though how long will it be till she gets-?" Ruby stopped in the middle of her sentence and looked over at the door when she and Velvet heard it opening.
At that point, Blake walked into the apartment, just getting back from her jog and was taking her earbuds out. "I needed that jog…" The cat Faunus looked over and saw Ruby sitting on the couch. "Ruby? I didn't know you were coming over today." She smiled and put her scroll on the table.
"It was kind of last minute, had a few things I needed to talk to the both of you about." The wolf Faunus replied, returning the smile.
"Okay? And what would that be about exactly?" Blake asked while walking to the kitchen to get herself a drink.
"Just what you told me at Uncle Qrow's. You got me pretty worried about you." Ruby answered, concern filling her voice.
Blake froze on the spot while mid grab of a glass for water. "Wait, what do you...what do you mean?" She was trying to dodge the conversation.
"Blake...you and I both know what I'm talking about. You were drunk, but you weren't that drunk." The wolf Faunus said, shifting in her seat.
"Ruby, I am not talking about this. I just got back from a jog, and-." Blake was cut off when she saw her girlfriend standing from the couch.
"Please, Blake! Just...please come sit down." Velvet half begged and half ordered, clearly not letting the conversation go.
"Velv, please, I had a few drinks and made one comment. I'm fine, there is nothing wrong with me." The feline Faunus said, unconvincingly.
"That's not what I heard…" Velvet gave her girlfriend a saddened look. "Do you not want to talk with me about it?" She whimpered.
"Velvet...I...alright." Blake said, her ears drooping as she let Velvet lead her to the couch.
Ruby watched as Blake was led to the couch, though she did feel a bit bad about having Blake talk to Velvet about it. She still wanted to help them both, so she needed to have it done. "I know this is more between you two, but...would it be okay if I stay to help out?"
"I-It might make it easier. After all, you were the one who locked Velvs and I in that closet during that sleep over when we were young." Blake chuckled bitterly.
Velvet blushed a little at the memory. "I-It did work after all."
Ruby smiled and her tail swayed in joy. "Good, but if you try to run, I will have to keep you both locked in here. And don't try to leave through the window, Blake."
The feline Faunus sighed, "Well...it started a few months back. At first it was small things, a thought here, nightmare there. I just felt like we were growing apart, as if you were losing interest in me. Course being alone most of my early years in that orphanage didn't help much either."
Velvet draped her arm over Blake's shoulders and pulled her closer to her. "Did you ever think about how we would both feel if we ever split up? Don't answer that, cause we'd be lost without each other. We'd be depressed...and I wouldn't know what to do with my life, Blake. Do you know how much it feels to think about that...about you being away from me? It hurts more than any physical pain I could ever experience...And...I can tell this would hurt you too...I don't want to see you in so much pain." Blake's ears drooped at hearing that, but only because it made her feel bad about how she didn't think about how they would both be affected by it. "Ever since you entered my life, you were the reason I could even keep going. Keep...being a person."
Ruby piped in, "I know I'd be running around like a sailor on a sinking ship trying to keep the two of you together."
Blake shook her head a few times. "And I know that, but...what if I do something that makes you change how you feel about me? What then?"
"Blake, I read something in a book recently," Velvet said, placing her hand over Blake's. "'A person is the sum of their actions.', I think that is a lesson you should take to heart. You could never do anything to change how I feel about you, you're you and I love everything about you, everything you've done and will do."
Seeing and feeling her girlfriend's hand on her own brought out Blake. "She fights for me this much? I don't doubt her, but...I doubt myself...Velvet…you keep me more balance than anyone on this planet." The thought rang through her head, and Blake's next question was one that she needed a true answer to. "So...even if I ever make you upset in any way, you really wouldn't leave me?"
"Kitten, nothing you do or say would ever get me to leave you. Even if the world was to end right now I would not leave you. Not even if you begged me to." Velvet answered, looking the cat Faunus in the eyes.
Ruby spoke up at that point. "Blake, you've never doubted yourself on things before. You shouldn't start that now by saying that you'd bore her, or annoy her. That isn't the Blake I know."
"I know, I know. It's just that I was alone until Adam took me in. For all I know I might've always had this worry in the back of my mind. You can't imagine what being abandoned when you're only three years old is like. Hell, even Adam spent more time traveling than he did with me!" Blake said, almost shouting as she tucked her knees to her chest.
Ruby was taken aback by that, feeling bad since she thought it was what she said that brought it on. "Blake...I didn't…"
Velvet raised her hand up to stop Ruby. "Stop, you didn't do anything wrong, Ruby." She then turned to Blake. "Sweetie, please...look at me for a second." Velvet waited a few moments and smiled when Blake lifted her head up to be at eye level. "Tell me something. With everything we've done together, what has been your favorite moment being with me?"
"Well….two moments come to mind. The camping trip you and I took to Tylus Lake when we first moved here, the sunset as it hit the water was beautiful." Blake answered, sniffling a little with tears forming in her eyes.
"I remember that." Velvet's ears perked up a bit. "That day showed me that we made the right choice in moving out here. And not only that, but it's one that we need to visit again soon. Would...would that be something you'd be okay with doing?"
"You don't even have to ask that Velvet, of course I would." Blake replied smiling slightly.
"A smile...I knew I could get you to do that." Velvet returned the smile and leaned in to kiss Blake's cheek. "Now do you see what I've been trying to tell you? Or should I have Ruby jump on your back all day as punishment for not understanding yet?"
"Before I do any jumping, what's the second moment, Blake?" Ruby asked, resisting the urge to squeal in delight at the sweet moment.
"March 2, 2012 at 2 a.m." Blake replied, smirking a little as she snuggled into the crook of Velvet's neck, "I saw a whole new side of my Bun Bun for the first time that night."
Ruby blinked a few times at that, and slowly the dots were connecting. "Wait...hold the scroll…" Her eyes widened and she jumped from the couch. "Blake! I didn't need to know the time and date! Ugh!"
"You did ask, Ruby." Velvet said, chuckling slightly.
"I didn't ask for specifics! A simple, 'we got closer one night' would've worked just as well!" The wolf whined.
"Oh stop, Ruby. You're an adult, so these kinds of talks shouldn't gross you out." Velvet remarked and noticed the groan from her friend. "Would it help to know that neither of us are screamers?" She teased, knowing full well that Ruby would want to pounce at her in anger.
Ruby threw her hands up and shook her head. "Do I even need to be here anymore!?"
Velvet and Blake couldn't hold back their chuckles, even though Ruby was blushing right in front of them. "Ruby, we really don't want you to leave...but…" Velvet trailed off for a moment.
"...If you want to join us we'd be open to it, Velvet can take a long time to satisfy." Blake finished, keeping the smile from trying to form on her face.
"Well, if you're offering, I can't really say no. Blake, how do you feel about being in the middle?" Ruby asked, realizing the teasing for what it was.
"I-I-I what? I..ah...um..." Blake stammered, not expecting Ruby's answer.
"Wow...I think you broke her, Ruby. Seriously though if you feel like staying, we can wait." Velvet said, blinking in surprise.
"No, it's okay. I got my fun from breaking Blakey here." Ruby said with a smirk as she looked over at the heavily blushing cat Faunus. "I bet she's blushing cause this was a dream she had once." She continued the teasing.
"Well if it was she's never mentioned it." Velvet replied before whispering into Blake's ear, "When she's gone, you will forget your name by the end of the night and one of us will certainly be a screamer."
Just seeing how Blake reacted to the whispers that she was receiving, Ruby knew it was about time to head out. "Okay...well since you two are...obviously too into each other right now. I'm just gonna head out...try not to forget the rest of the day, you two." Ruby said as she left the two to whatever they had planned for the day.
Sun looked back and forth at the speeding cat Faunus that was vacuuming the floor. "Weiss...how long are you going to be doing this for? I hate how clean this is…" While he wasn't a slob, Sun wasn't exactly the most comfortable with a super clean place.
"What do you mean you hate how clean this place is? All I've done so far is organize the remotes, vacuum, and pick up trash!" Weiss asked, put off somewhat. "I still haven't washed the curtains or run a carpet steamer through the living room yet!"
Sun just stood there and groaned. "So you're basically taking over my apartment for the day for Winter's visit? Seriously...how did this happen?"
The cat Faunus paused mid vacuum. "What do you mean taking over? I'm just trying to make this place more presentable for my sister."
"Weiss, she knows what I'm like. Pretty sure the Ice Empress expects a dish or two in the sink or some trash in the can." Sun said, motioning to a spotless sink and trashcan.
"And Neon is here!" Neon suddenly shouted as she burst through the door and grabbed a surprised Sun by the arm. "You are coming with me, monkey boy. I need some help getting my skates out of a tree, and Weissy is busy!" She lied, taking him out of the apartment kicking and screaming.
"What just happened and how did Neon get her skates stuck in a tree?" Weiss asked aloud when the door slammed shut.
The cat Faunus was only fazed for a moment before she went back to cleaning up the apartment, thinking about just how clean she needed to get it for her sister's arrival. "It needs to be spotless...wait...would...would that be what mother would say?" She stopped for a moment and shook her head. "No, this has nothing to do with her. Sun just needs to clean this pigsty."
Getting back to it, Weiss happily dusted off the counters and shook her head at how much dust could pile up. And with how she kept her clothes, Sun shouldn't have been so surprised about how much time she was spending on just cleaning up.
Still, in the back of her head, Weiss thought about what her own place would be like, which led to thinking about the wolf Faunus again. "I wonder what set Ruby off when I told her I was looking for my own place as well. I certainly wouldn't mind either way if I had a roommate once I find my own place, it does lighten the burden a bit for rent, groceries, and other amenities."
After wiping off the counter and finishing her thought on the matter, Weiss glanced over at the freezer and her eyes widened. "D-Did he...Did he bring more?" Weiss had to find out and she quickly walked over to the freezer and yanked it open. "HE DID!" She eyed her favorite ice cream and picked it out of the freezer.
Once she placed it on the counter, the white haired cat Faunus grabbed a spoon and a bowl. She took a few steps towards the tub of ice cream, but before she could open it, Weiss heard a knock on the door. Weiss gasped and dropped the spoon on the counter, and then bolted to the door to answer it.
Yanking the door open, Weiss was greeted by the sight of her sister. "Winter!" The younger cat Faunus cried before throwing herself into the arms of the older cat Faunus.
Holding onto her sister after some time made Winter feel happier than she'd been in a long time. "You still have that excited nature in you, sister." She then did a thing that Weiss liked in comforting moments. She used her tail to hug her sister as well, wrapping it around her to hopefully keep Weiss in a bit more of a calm state.
"I'm glad you were able to make it." Weiss said, purring a little in her sister's arms.
Winter unraveled her tail from her little sister and pulled away from the embrace. "And I see you decided to go a little overboard with cleaning again...since I know Sun would never have his apartment this clean."
"Hehehe….possibly." Weiss said, scratching her ears in embarrassment.
"You always did like cleaning up a lot." Winter scanned the area and locked onto the one thing she couldn't keep her eyes off of. "So...you do have some?"
"Of course. Though I have Sun to thank for it." Weiss said, a glint in her eye. "Shall we?"
Winter smiled, "lead the way, dear sister!"
AN:
Shadow: This was supposed to be just one chapter, but the second part of it will be posted as a second chapter instead, since it just felt right to do that.
Cmdr: We….we got real this chapter….this is what happens when we come up with stuff on the fly which is what happened last chapter. This will not be the last we see of depressed Blake, stuff like this does not just go away.
Shadow: I think it's good to have a nice change of pace. Oh, and something we wanted to mention here. We (Legion 205) had a 25 hour livestream for extra life, and damn, it was fun and very tiring. We managed to raise 590 dollars for the event and it was just an all around awesome time.
Cmdr: And we'll be doing it again next year. When it gets closer to the date we'll let you know when we do it. This chapter was actually pretty difficult to write cause I can do drama but full blown depression was a first. Also I may have pushed the T-rating with the teasing.
Shadow: We're not sorry for that by the way, and in all honesty, that stuff is off screen, so don't expect any full detail on that. Yeah I'm looking at you...you know who you are.
Cmdr: We will get the hose. That said, we hope you enjoyed the change of pace. Lastly I have been talking with the other members of the Legion and I am going to be posting early viewings for my stories on the Legion205 Pátreon for supporters. You can find us as Legion205. This is entirely optional! I am however leaving Pedigree for Shadow to decide if he wants to put it up on his Pátreon since he is my partner in crime with this monstrosity.
Shadow: I guess I'll keep it on mine for now, since it will be part of the posted previews for chapters I (we) have available. I don't like to advertise myself on other places, but for this one time, I'll do it just to let you guys know that you can find Pedigree chapters 3 days earlier than when we post it on here, so if you're interested in that, head over to my Pátreon, which you can find by searching my name on there: ShadowNightblade. Again, this is optional.
Cmdr: We hope you enjoyed the journey! Keep moving forward and don't feed the guard dogs! Phoenix and Shadow signing off!
A cat was sitting on one of the many destroyed cars in the post apocalyptic world. He looked around and his eyes widened, meowing loudly in pure anger (who took my milk!?)
A wolf smirked and barked, woof, as he tossed an empty milk bottle at the cat.
(This son of a bitch!) The cat meowed again, getting its radiated claws out, ready to strike.
Growling the wolf bared irradiated fangs. (Come get some you pus-)
The next sound that was heard was the sound of a cat and wolf tumbling together in pure stupidity...next to a tumbleweed as it was tumbling in a radiation storm.