Here we are. One month later. One month ago today I got the courage to finally post the first chapter to my story. And what a month it's been. 217 followers, 129 favorites, and one hell of a good time. I want to thank all of you for allowing this story to become what it has, and for giving me the motivation to keep writing. Here's to the future, and another month of stories. Enjoy.
Blake didn't even blink as the masked Faunus vanished. Blade at the ready, Blake focused her other senses and scanned the area. While she searched, her mind worked double time, checking off all the possible explanations for her target's disappearance. 'Speed semblance? No, they didn't leave behind any aura residue like Ruby does. Teleportation? No, they would have come out by now. Time stop? No, same problem, and I'd already be dead. Invisibility? Maybe. It would explain why they haven't come out yet, but it doesn't explain why I can't sense them.'
A painful silence settled over the clearing as Blake looked around her. A cliff face on one side, Forever Fall on the other. Blake should have known better than to get herself in this situation. Alone, in the open, and trapped on two sides. Running along the path would only expose her to attack from behind, and for no small distance. Climbing the cliffs would expose her back even worse, and the trees just led to the Grimm infested woods. No matter which way she ran, she would be at the disadvantage for quite some time. All she could do was wait for her attacker to make a move, and build off that.
She didn't have to wait long. A gentle breath whispered behind her, giving away her opponents position. Blake spun around and raised her katana over her head, blocking an overhead strike. 'How did he get so close? I know I can't see him, but is he really that quiet?' Blake kicked out, knocking her attacker back and finally getting a good look at his weapon. It was a double bladed axe, enshrouded in black casing. It gleaming in the light of the sun, reflecting Blake on the flat of its blade.
"Well done. Most people are dead by now. Only one other person has ever blocked my first strike. Perhaps you will live up to your legends," the stranger smirked beneath his mask. "Let's find out, shall we?" With a twirl, his axe shifted shape, the blades folding in and becoming the butt of a shotgun. Still smirking, he pointed his weapon straight into the air and fired once.
The blast was met with a roar that echoed off the cliff behind Blake. An Ursa burst through the tree line, charging straight at the two Faunus. The masked stranger stood between Blake and the angry Grimm, but never once did he stop smirking, let alone turn around to see what had let loose such a battle cry. Blake knew something wasn't right, that there was something she didn't know about this man. Blake's answer came soon enough as the Ursa skidded to a stop next to the man, growling as it stared at Blake. The Ursa's eyes seemed to glow brighter as it saw its prey, and the growl deepened. 'No,' Blake thought, fighting back shock. 'It can't be.'
"Go," was all Blake heard before the Ursa charged again. 'What the hell?! He's controlling the Grimm! How is that even possible?' Blake would have to find that out later, as the charging bear posed a slightly larger threat. Blake flicked Gambol Shroud into its pistol form, firing at the Grimm, hoping to divert its path. But the Ursa was determined, not once taking its eyes from its target. When it was within ten feet, Blake flipped into the air, still firing at the beast, trying to hit the vital spots. Blake came down on its back, shifting her weapon into its katana form. The Ursa jerked as it came to a sudden stop, hoping to throw its prey off its back.
Unfortunately for the beast, Blake was ready for this, and had jabbed her blade next to the beast's spine. The sudden stop only aided Blake in dragging the sword through the flesh, slicing through most of the monster in one swift motions. When it came to a complete stop, Blake pulled the blade free and flipped back, preparing herself for a counter attack. But it never came, as the Ursa collapsed, its shoulder separated from its body. Flicking her blade clean of the filth the beasts called blood, she turned back to where the stranger had been, only to find him standing there, leaning on his weapon like a cane and shaking his head.
"This is getting better and better, Shadow. I guess that were going to need more Ursa." With a chuckle and a flick of his tail, he rose his gun to the sky once more, firing off another shot.
Blake stood still, expecting more beasts to come crashing through the trees. Apparently, so was the stranger, because when nothing happened, he turned to glare into the tree line, as if threatening it to reveal some deep, dark secret. Nothing moved but the leaves in the wind, only adding to the man's anger.
"And just what is the meaning of this?" the stranger growled as he turned his glare on Blake. "I know these wood are filled with Grimm, so why is it that when I'm trying to kill you, they all up and vanish?"
"How should I know that? And more importantly, how are you doing this? Just what are you?" Blake shot back, not once lowing her blade.
"You don't need to worry about that. I guess I'll have to deal with you myself." Taking a step forward, the man started to twirl his weapon again, shifting it back into an axe. Blake quickly shifted Gambol Shroud back into a pistol, but it was too late. Before she could even take aim, he had disappeared again, leaving no trace and not making a sound.
Blake stayed rooted to her spot, closing her eyes and focusing on her hearing. It had saved her once, maybe it could do it again. The leaves danced as a breezed moved through it, making the only sound to be heard. No animals moved, not birds chirped, Blake didn't even breathe as she searched. All she needed was a hint, an idea of where her target was. A breath was all she needed. As if answering her prayer, she heard it, but she didn't like what she heard. Directly in front of her, she hear the swish of air as someone raised a weapon over their head. Blake's eyes shot open and she started to raise Gambol Shroud as quick as she could, but it wouldn't be quick enough. Her eyes widened in horror as she watched her tormentor appear before her, their axe quickly descending towards her neck. There was no escape. Blake closed her eyes again, preparing to let darkness take its hold over her.
That's when she heard what sounded like a soft purr. It seemed crazy, but time slowed down around her and two figures emerged from the darkness. One walked on all fours and the other upright, but she could tell no more as they stayed shrouded in shadow. 'No, no, no, no, no, not now. I can't go crazy now.' Blake started to panic. She had heard of this happening, but only to those beasts that let the animal rule.
"Calm yourself, child, we mean you no harm," came a gentle voice, mixing itself with the purr. Blake looked around wildly in her own mind, trying to find the source of the voice. "There is no need to search, Blake, we are right before you. We are you." Despite the sincerity of the voice, it did nothing go calm Blake down. All it did was scare her more. Was she losing herself? Was she going to become like one of those things? Had her beast overcome her humanity? How? How had this happened?
"Find peace, Blake, we will keep this brief. We know you have doubted yourself and what you could be. We know what you can be. Your alpha is prepared. They have achieved Statera. They will need their beta for what is to come. Simply open your eyes and see your future. See what you can become." Both the figures began to dissolve, fading into the black and returning Blake to her own world. Once more, Blake opened her eyes, staring at the mask of her attacker. Yet just as she expected the axe to connect to her neck, the impossible happened.
Two shots rang out of the forest, knocking both the axe and her attacker away, burying the blade in a tree and slamming its owner into another. The scent of burnt dust floated into Blake's noes, telling the story of her rescue. High velocity impact dust rounds. Only one person she knew used those, and it had been the last person she expected.
"Ruby? Is that you?" Blake asked weakly, still recovering from the shock of her near death experience.
"Yep, glad I made it in time too. Yang would kill me if I let her partner get hurt," Ruby walked into Blake's vision, giving the raven haired Faunus a wink. Crescent Rose rested over Ruby's shoulders, fully deployed and hooked around her arms. Blake simply stared, still not sure what to think. Is this what those figures had meant? "Just relax, Blake, this will be quick."
"And who, pray tell, might you be?" Blake's attacker had finally recovered from the shot. Annoyance was etched across his face, but with his eyes covered by the mask, it was impossible to a true read on how he felt.
"I'm the one who should be asking you that, especially since your attacking my teammate."
"You don't need to know who I am, you just need to know that Shadow here upset my employers, and I am simply here for compensation." The Faunus in the mask had recovered some of his composure and stood facing Ruby, a frown creasing his face.
"Well, you see, I was asking to see what to do with you, but seeing as you just referred to her as Shadow, that's all I need to really know. Lion."
If he hadn't been upset before, the intruder definitely was now. His frown deepened and he wore anger lines all across his exposed face. Even his tail had stopped swinging. After a few moments, he took a deep breath, and clearly surpassing his anger, growled out through gritted teeth, "So you know who I am, but I still don't know who you are. Please elaborate, Miss..?"
"Rose, Ruby Rose. And I'm upset that you don't remember me Lion. I knew you before you became a big, bad White Fang operative. But, then again, I guess you're better than that now."
Lion's frown deepened, but his voice smoothed out. "Ahhh, Ruby. I knew I recognized the name, but I couldn't put a face to the name. It's been a long time, Red. Now, you would like to tell me why the White Fang, with their endless network of informants, is unable to tell me who you were beyond your name?"
"Because I'm better than your informants, Lion. I know how to take care of myself and stay out of your radar. You, however, have not escaped mine. Leon Tanister. 23. Known as Agent Lion. Lived on the streets of Vacuo until 7 years ago, when he was picked up by the local White Fang. Scouted by the Red Fang last year and just recently became a full member. And in doing so, has become the scum of Remnant. I didn't need an informant for that part. I could taste your stink a mile away. So before I beat the ever living crap out of you, tell me who sent you."
"You seem to be well informed, so you should know. I am here on behalf of the White Fang. I am their claws. Their…"
"Oh no, not this again. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're their fang, and you're here to grant the Fang's Embrace. Good gods, get a new line already."
Silence seemed to echo around them, with Blake still just as lost as she had been at the start. Just how did Ruby know all of this? And just why Lion, as Ruby called him, slowly getting madder with every word Ruby said. Was it possible that everything she was saying was true? But how could that be? Blake had been a member of the White Fang, and she had never heard of this Red Fang. Could it be there were things that even Blake hadn't known about the Faunus liberation group? And, more importantly, just what had those voices in her head been talking about? Was Ruby the one she was supposed to be watching? Was she supposed to be learning something here?
"Before we start this Lion, tell me something," Ruby snapped Blake out of her trance as the brunette lifted Crescent Rose off her shoulders and spun in briefly about her head. She impaled the tip of her blade into the ground, turning the barrel of her rifle stare at Lion, as if challenging him to make a move. "I want you to tell me, have you completed initiation already?"
"What sort of question is that? Of course I was initiated. I have joined the ranks of great warriors, and ascended far beyond what weaklings like you could ever hope to achieve."
"That's all I needed to know Lion. I'll try to make this quick, for the sake of who you once were." Blake was shocked at the steel in her voice. This was not the Ruby that Blake had seen around school. This was not a care-free, life loving Ruby. The one before her sounded determined, dedicated, yet somehow, sad.
"That's what you think, you foolish girl. I've come a long way from the street rat you knew." Once again, Lion vanished, his killing intent filling the clearing.
Ruby just shook her head and pulled Crescent Rose out of the ground. In a flash of petals, Ruby also disappeared, only to reappear near the tree line. She just stood there for a moment, not moving, as if holding a pose, until a scream cut through the silence. Behind Ruby, Lion reappeared, but something was different. Still screaming, he fell to his knees, clutching at where his arm had been.
Blake was horrified never thinking Ruby would go this far. And there was the question as to how. Where Blake had completely lost where Lion had gone, Ruby had managed to find, attack, and literally disarm her opponent. Could this have been what those voices had been talking about? Speechless, Blake stared at Ruby, still wrapping her head around what just happened. Never had Blake thought Ruby would be someone able to complete such an act against another person. Grimm, easily, but another person? Blake had always assumed that Ruby would stop before maiming someone. She watched as Ruby walked over to her writhing opponent, and laid her hand against his wound. Slowly, he stopped screaming, and stopped moving all together.
Finally, Blake found her voice. "Ruby, what have you done? How could you do this to a person? It doesn't matter who he was, but you just…"
"Just what? I used my aura to keep him alive and stop the bleeding. Besides, it's better than he deserves. After what he's become, I should just let him die."
"For what, being a beast?" Blake felt fury building up inside her. "Need I remind you that we aren't that much different? We both have that part inside us. We both could be like him."
Ruby's eyes hardened even more, if that was possible. "We will never be like him Blake. If you think you just became a beast, you're in for a surprise. Look at his arm."
"Wha..?" Blake started, then stopped, as she saw the limb that lay at Ruby's feet. Dissolving into petals. Ruby's signature mark for purification. As if to cinch the deal, the gentle smell of wood smoke drifted through the air, tickling the cat Faunus's nose. "No, that can't be. He's a person…"
"I'll explain later, but now isn't the time. Tell me, where are Weiss and Yang?"
"What? No, you will explain this now. What the hell is goin…"
"BLAKE!" Ruby shouted, shocking Blake into silence. Ruby never raised her voice before, but now... "Now is not the time to argue! This man never works alone, and I don't smell a partner. Now tell me. Where. Are. Weiss. And. Yang?"
"Alba Schnee was picked up from her cabin in northern Atlas yesterday, after becoming the target of the latest White Fang assassination attempt. Little is known about the attack, other than what has been shared with us by Mrs. Schnee. White Fang attackers ambushed the Schnee party as they made their way to Mrs. Schnee's personal cabin, killing all of the body guards. At this point, Mrs. Schnee claims to have lost consciousness, only to reawaken in her cabin. However, reportedly, Mrs. Schnee wasn't the only one present in the cabin. Apparently, the Reaper themselves stepped in and stopped the attempt on Mrs. Schnee's life, then carried the unconscious woman to her personal cabin. It has been confirmed that unknown footprints were observed approaching and leaving the cabin, proving that there was another party present. While this raises many questions, there are few answers. How did the Reaper know about the attempt on Mrs. Schnee's life? How did they stop such an attack by themselves without using lethal methods? How did they know about Mrs. Schnee's cabin, when our researchers couldn't find it in any official books? All of these may remain mysteries, but one thing is known for sure. The hooded vigilante is still out there, meeting the White Fang at every turn. Will they continue to fight for us? Only time will tell."
"Turn that down Yang. This room may be sound proofed, but it's getting ridiculous."
"What wrong with wanting to hear every juicy detail? I just wanted to know just how much your family owes the Reaper now." Yang chuckled. The two girls sat in the common area at the end of their dorm. Yang was sprawled across the couch, watching the news tick by while Weiss sat reading a book, legs tucked up to her chest. After completing their workout, the figured their needed to wind down. Figuring they might get in another one of their infamous arguments, which they both secretly enjoyed, they chose the soundproof room to avoid disturbing the other residents. Not that it mattered, most people had gone out on the town for the weekend.
"It's an old story. I knew about this almost as soon as it happened. I was warned about it should the media start banging down our door trying to find out more about it."
"Well, I'm sorry Mrs. 'The Spotlight is No Big Deal'. I just thought it was surprising that, yet again, the Reaper saves your company."
"Ok, Yang, you know that's not what they do. Sure, more often than not, that's what makes the news, but they fight against the White Fang, not for Schnee Dust. It's just that, more often than not, those two coincide."
"I know, I know. I'm just teasing you, Ice Queen."
"I told you to stop calling me that." The two girls relaxed deeper into their respective seats, using their 'discussion' as a way to past the time. That was, until something shifted in the air, catching both their attention. However, neither commented, allowing their banter to carry on.
"You know that's not gonna happen."
"Well, how you like it if I just called you a brute?"
"You do that anyways."
"Well, I would do it more."
"I don't think that's possible."
"We'll just have to see about that."
"I don't think you can do it."
"Oh, I know I can do it."
"Just a thought. How long do you think were gonna go on like this before our guest realizes we know they're there, and are just spouting nonsense?"
"I don't know, but since you just gave it away, we're never find out, you barbarian."
"Ohhhh, looks like frosty is changing up her game. I wonder, what does our guest think about all this?"
Both girls turned their heads to the corner, not blinking as they watched the shadows begin to move. What came out of the darkness was a lone woman, shaking her head. She was dressed in all black, helping her blend into the darkness of the corner. Even her hair was black, streaming over her shoulders. Atop her head, sat two short, round ears, flicking with annoyance.
"Better than I expected, but then again, you are Weiss Schnee. You were trained to be a hunter since an early age, so any less would just be sad. And you, Yang Xiao Long. Working as a private detective did nothing to dull your senses." The stranger's voice was smooth, but Weiss couldn't place where it was from. It was almost as if it was completely devoid of an accent.
Weiss frowned, but didn't let her voice change. "So you know who we are, but who are you?"
"Who I am isn't important. What matters is who I represent. I'm …"
"You're here on behalf of the White Fang, and you're here to kill me, and now Yang since were on the same team," Weiss interrupted, rolling her eyes.
"Wha… okay, that was rude. Yes, I am. So before we start, how could you tell?"
"You snuck in, your have animal ears which you aren't even trying to hide, and I have never seen you at this school before," Weiss said in her best matter-of-fact tone.
"That, and you have the mask sticking out of your pocket," Yang added, finally sitting up on the couch.
Glancing down briefly, the girl winced and shoved the white mask deeper in her pocket. "So it is. It doesn't matter if you know who I am, I'm still going to kill you."
"Yeah, no," Weiss chuckled before grabbing Myrtenaster and plunging it into the ground. Around her and Yang, a wall of ice erupted, separating them from there would be assailant.
"Just like we practiced?" Yang sighed against Weiss, deploying Ember Celica.
"Just like we practiced," Weiss confirmed, deploying a series of glyphs before Yang. Yang chuckled, then leapt into the air, kicking of glyphs to propel herself over the wall. While Weiss couldn't see, she heard Yang's gauntlets fire as she launched into her assault. With a flick of her wrist, Weiss dispelled her wall of ice, preparing to charge forward and join the fray. But as the wall of ice fell, Weiss herself froze, seeing what she thought she never would. Yang was slumped against the wall, not moving, and blood dripping down from her face. Weiss hadn't heard a thing since Yang's battle cry, but she never expected Yang to be beaten so quickly. Her opponent now faced her, a trident in her hands.
"That was adorable, but you're gonna have to do better than that."
"What did you do to her?" Weiss growled, trying to hold back both her anger and her fear. Standing before her was someone that had managed to beat Yang, one of the best fighters Weiss had ever met. This was going to be harder than she had thought.
"Don't worry, she's fine. For now. Once I'm done with you, I'll deal with her," the Faunus girl's voice was as smooth ever, but it was laced with a cold harshness that sent a chill down Weiss's spine.
Taking a deep breath, Weiss gathered herself, and charged forward with the aid of a glyph, blade at the ready. Her speed should have been near impossible to follow, but somehow, her target simply stepped to the side, tripping Weiss like it was nothing. Weiss tumbled into a wall, barely managing to lessen her impact with another glyph. If she hadn't, Weiss might have just knocked herself out, ending this fight before it really began.
"Good catch. I was sure I was gonna have you there. Let's see if you can at least make this interesting," Weiss's attacker taunted. As soon as she finished, she dashed at Weiss, trident raised. Weiss rolled to the side, narrowly escaping the stabbing blade. Weiss could barely follow the attack, and realized just how over her head she was. This was not someone to be messed with. While the weapon was still embedded in the wall, Weiss rose her blade a dashed forward again, hoping to catch her assailant off-guard.
Her hopes were dashed as the trident pulled out of the wall easily, turning on her once again. Before Weiss could stop herself or deflect the trident, the weapon spun once, knocking Weiss's blade aside, before stabbing directly into her leg.
Weiss screamed in pain, barely able to fight her gut instinct to drop her blade and cradle her leg on the floor. Ever so slowly, her senses started to return, awaking the burning question of how this had happened. Her aura was weakened slightly from training, but not to the point that it should have been bypassed so easily. Yet there was this weapon sticking out of her thigh. Before she could figure out how it had got there, the trident was yanked out, and Weiss was kicked back, flipping head over heels into the couch that Yang had been laying in moments ago. Pain blurred Weiss's thoughts as she lean against the couch, closing her eyes as she fought back another scream. When she reopened them, her attacker was standing over her again.
"You like? This is my baby, Aurant. It's completely laced in black dust, giving it the ability to ignore auras. Let your guard down like you did, and you're gonna regret it. Now, good-bye Mrs. Schnee. No one will miss you."
The woman rose the trident over her head, ready to deliver the killing blow, when suddenly the room burst into light. The stranger looked around in surprise, but suddenly flew off to the side, slamming into the wall and slumping to the ground.
"I'm sorry, but I don't take kindly to people trying to kill my friends, even if they do tend to be a bit bitchy." Now standing in her attackers place was Yang, her golden hair ablaze as her aura crackled around her.
"Wow Yang, that was almost a perfect entrance, but then you had to speak," Weiss groaned, despite in her heart of hearts knowing she would be eternally in debt to the blond brawler.
"Shut up and be rescued like a good damsel in distress." Yang shook her head, the flames slowly dying down. "Wow, that workout hit me harder than I thought. I can hardly maintain my aura."
"Is that why you punch like such a little bitch?!" Weiss and Yang froze in their spots, not expecting to hear that voice again so soon. Its smoothness was gone, turned jagged with fury. Suddenly, the roles were reversed, with Yang flying back against the wall once again. Only this time, she hit the wall with enough force to smash in part of the wall, making her look like a fly caught in a spider web. In Weiss's dazed state, she could barely see what was happening, but watched as the black clad assailant stalked past her. While Yang's hair had been in flames, the Faunus walking past Weiss had eyes of ice, actually turning black with her ire. The eyes of a monster. Slowly, their opponent strode towards Yang, the anger rolling off them in waves. "Little girls like you should know your place. So you can take a hit. Big deal. I'll put you in so much pain that you will wish you had stayed down."
But suddenly, she stopped, looking down at her feet. A soft glowing circle emanated around her. Slowly, she turned about and looked a Weiss, who had her arm extended. "A trap glyph. Thinking that ff you can hold me in place, you might be able to beat me. Clever. But not clever enough girly. You see, I can still shoot you." As she spoke, her trident shifted forms for the first time, folding into an assault rifle. Without saying another word, she took aim and unloaded a barrage at the already weakened Weiss, pounding away at her depleted aura shield. Each impact caused a small explosion of pain, and Weiss felt several of her ribs crack under the force. A few bounced off her head, sending her mind spinning. Luckily for Weiss, it seemed that these bullets weren't laced with dust like the trident was, but it did nothing to lessen the pain. The rain of bullets was relentless, not stopping until her aura finally failed and a bullet ripped through her right shoulder. Weiss's screams filled the room, fading into the soundproofed walls.
"About time. You impress me Schnee. Holding out for as long as you have. But now it is time to end this. You won't be alone though. Your friends will follow you shortly."
The attacker lined up for the final shot, smirking as she prepared to end Weiss's life. Satisfied with her aim, she began to pull the trigger, only to be interrupted by the door slamming open. A shot echoed through the room, nicking Weiss's right ear, causing her to slam her eyes shut as ringing echoed through her head. When the ringing finally faded, she reopened her eyes, seeing a lone figure standing before her, with a red cloak billowing around them. Petals seemed to float off and fade into nothingness, fascinating Weiss as she finally tumbled into the darkness.
Ruby had never been so angry in her life. At herself, at the world, at the White Fang. First, she had run all around the school searching for her teammates, only to get lucky and barely hear Weiss's scream as she runs past the dorms. Her enhanced hearing was paying off, but that wasn't her concern right now. Why she didn't check the dorms first when she hadn't found them in the gym, she didn't know, but now Ruby was seeing red. Not only had she almost been too late, but Weiss was on the ground still bleeding out, with Yang slumped against a wall, blood dripping down over her eyes. If it hadn't been for her years of meditating, Ruby would have lost it on the spot and torn this person to shreds. As it was, they were still useful, but that wouldn't stop Ruby from making them pay. Slowly, Ruby stalked forward, confusion clearly showing on her targets face.
"And who are you? One of their little friends? You think that you can stop me?"
Ruby said nothing, just stalked forward, her anger building with each step.
"Wait a second, aren't you one of the ones Lion was supposed to deal with?"
Ruby's voice was low, not even trying to cover the anger she was feeling. "Lion will be joining us later, Bear. But now, we're gonna take care of some business." Without hesitating Ruby dashed the rest of the way forward, striking Bear under the chin and rocketing her towards the ceiling. Bear didn't even had time to be shocked about this girl knowing who she was before stars danced before her eyes. She struck the ceiling much like Yang struck the wall, with cracks fleeing from the impact site. Dazed, she fell back down, freefalling towards Ruby. Without a second thought, Ruby's foot shot staight up in the air, meeting with Bear's shoulder at its apex. A sickening crunch echoed through the room as the joint was completely shattered, along with what remained of Bear's aura. Bear's eyes went wide, then dark as the pain forced her into unconsciousness. She fell to the ground, and Ruby stared down at her, wanting to do so much worse than she had. Hell, every part of her being, of her instincts, screamed for her to punish this beast who dared hurt what was hers. Her teammates. Her family. The people she loved. The only thing that kept Ruby from finishing the job was the smell in the air. This one wasn't like Lion. This one still could be saved, not that they deserved it.
Ruby turned away, ignoring the dark thoughts running through her head. Silently, she strode over to where her partner lay. Careful not to brush Weiss's injuries, she slid her arms beneath her fallen ally, and gently lifted her in a bridal carry. Blood dripped down Weiss's fingers as she left the ground, splashing into a small puddle. Gently, Ruby pulled her unconscious partner's head into her shoulder, tears streaming down her face as she pressed her forehead against the platinum hair. Ruby could see where the bullet had torn through Weiss's ear, leaving a divot along the otherwise perfect arch.
Blake finally walked in, having delivered the body of her attacker to Ozpin's office. "Oh dust, Ruby, what happened here? Were we too late?"
"I was. I couldn't protect them. I failed…" Ruby's voice trailed off as she started to choke on her tears.
Seeing the state Ruby was in, Blake knew she had to snap Ruby out of it, or they might be too late. "Ruby, tears can come later, but first, we need to get these two to the infirmary. There still alive, but if we don't hustle, they might not be. You grab Weiss, I'll grab Yang."
"No, I'll get them both, I'm faster. You take that scum behind me to Ozpin. Tell him what happened, and that we need to talk." The harshness in Ruby's voice echoed her pain, but when she turned about with Weiss in her arms, her face only showed determination. Tears still glistened on her face, but she would save the crying for later. Now, her team needed her. Without saying another word, Ruby disappeared in a storm of petals as she rushed to the infirmary.
Moments later, the door to the infirmary burst open, and a red cloaked girl stood their holding her white companion. She screamed for a nurse and a gurney, but neither came quick enough. Before the nurses could even reach for the handle, the door between the waiting room and the treatment center was kicked off its hinges. The nurses watched as a girl with fire in her eyes marched over to them, before muttering, "I need two gurneys, now." While most stood frozen, one rushed off, disappearing through a door, only to reappear moments later with a second nurse. Each pushed a gurney before them, stopping in front of the now blood covered girls. With great care, the one in red placed her white counterpart on the stretcher, and gently brushed the hair out of her injured companion's face before disappearing in a flash of rose petals.
Confusion rippled through the nurses, as they had thought that the second stretcher was for the girl in red. Confusion shifted to shock as, just as suddenly as she had disappeared, she reappeared, carrying yet another injured young woman, this one a blond. With just as much care, the girl in red set her charge down, before turning to the nurses and pointing for them to get to work. Quickly, the girls were wheeled off, nurses already completing their preliminary analysis.
A few nurses stayed behind, hoping to ask the girl in red just what had happened. But before any of them could speak, the girl in red collapsed to the floor, her eyes still locked on the two gurneys as they made their way down the hall.
There is it. Chapter 10. I didn't really expect to get past chapter 5 at first, but its amazing how things change. I can look back and say I'm happy with the past month of work. I know I can do parts better, but I'm happy none the less. Once again, thank you all for sticking with it to this point, and I'll be back in a few days hopefully with the next chapter. Until then, Peace out.
Alcohol is not a problem. It's a solution. If you say its a problem on a test, you will fail.