Jaune had no idea how to find cinder or her grey haired cohortz. He stormed away from the funeral filled with determination, courage, and strength-and yet, he had already hit a dead end. Jaune wasn't sure where to go from here. He had hoped running around town all day would catch Cinder or Mercury's attention and they would contact him, instead, he was just getting strange looks from people whom had, "Just saw that blonde fella' pass by for the third time t'day." Jaune stopped in front of a cafe' and took in the deep aroma while catching his breath.
"This is getting me nowhere." Jaune exhaled deeply as he plopped down on one of the outside lounge chairs.
"Maybe you should make a plan before you try to look cool by storming off." Reese said, suddenly floating in front of Jaune (Upside down for some reason).
"Y-yeah..I suppose.." Jaune said as he looked down.
"You did look cool though." Reese tried to cheer him up. His outburst wasn't totally useless.
"Ha ha.. Thanks.. " Reese smiled and gave a thumbs up.(Which was a thumbs down from Jaune's perspective)
"So what're you gonna do?.." Reese asked, curious. Jaune looked up and crossed his arms, deep in concentration.
"There's only one way.." Jaune mumbled. Reese tilted her head.
"What's that?.." Reese puzzled.
Ruby sat with her back against the brick alley-wall. She jolted her head left and right, hoping no one would approach. Jaune, Ren, Pyrrha, and Cardin. Sat atop the building Ruby was leaning against. Pyrrha had binoculars, scanning the area. She seemed worried.
"It'll be okay, pyr. We're right above her. "If anyone shows up, we'll jump right down and attack. It's full-proof." Jaune shared a look with Ren as well, and Jaune nodded. Ren nodded back.
Cardin tapped Jaune's shoulder.
"What?.." Jaune asked."See anyone?.."
Cardin shook his head. "No.. but.. Ruby hasn't moved in like, ten minutes.." Jaune snatched the binoculars from Pyrrha and looked down at Ruby. Ruby sat with her head down in her hands and her knees up.
"Is she asleep?.." Ren questioned.
"Something's not right.." Jaune got goosebumps. He felt uneasy.
Jaune signaled and everyone jumped from the ledge, landing inches from Ruby. Ruby didn't even twitch when they landed, and they landed hard and LOUD. Now Jaune knew something really wasn't right. Jaune bolted to Ruby. He slid in next to her, almost crashing into the brick wall. Jaune grabbed Ruby's shoulder and shook it.
Ruby lifted her head, blinking. She was okay.
"Ruby, d-did you faint?.."
Ruby just blinked again, staring deeply into his eyes.. not answering..
"Ruby?.." Jaune asked again.
No answer.
"You.. wan't a cookie?.." Jaune asked.
Ruby shrugged and shook her head, she didn't answer vocally.
Jaune's eyes went wide. 'RUBY...DOESN'T WANT A COOKIE?!'
Jaune helped Ruby into his arms and bridal carried Ruby back to his house. Everyone extremely disturbed due to Ruby's silence and sudden dislike of cookies…
Jaune bursted through the door, Ruby in arms, and quickly sat her on the couch. Blake had been studying and fell asleep at the kitchen table, but the commotion woke her. Blake jumped up and came into the living room, confused as to why everyone was so concerned about Ruby, whom seemed perfectly fine.
Then Blake realized something.
Jaune's concern suddenly grew when Blake was smelling Ruby all over her body. Jaune pulled Blake away by the shirt.
"Blake, what the heck are you doing to Ruby?.." Blake looked deep into Jaune's eyes and pulled him away from the rest of the group.
"Jaune.. that isn't Ruby.."
"What?.." Jaune was confused.
"Remember how I'm kind of a cat? Well, I can smell the difference.."
"Are you saying that someone who looks exactly like Ruby was just switched out with her?" Jaune asked sternly, while crossing his arms.
"All I'm saying is, that is not Ruby. Also, don't confront her in front of everyone. She will feel threatened." Blake kissed Jaune on the cheek and walked away.
"Good idea." Jaune agreed.
Jaune grabbed 'Ruby' by the hand and headed up the stairs. Behind him, he called out to the group,"Hey, I'm just gonna let her rest. She's probably just sick." An obvious lie, but what else?
As soon as the door closed behind Jaune, He turned and glared at Not-Ruby.
"I'm gonna' be straight up, I know you're not Ruby. Just tell me who you are, and I won't force you, whomever you are!" Jaune crossed his arms and continued to glare.
Not-ruby smiled, and waved her hand in front of her face. As her hand passed over, all of her features, and even her clothes changed in a mere second.
Jaune's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. A girl bearing pink and brown hair and a short pink dotted dress was smiling brightly in front of him. Her eyes changing color every time she blinked.
"Um.. Who.. are you?.. and where's Ruby?.." Jaune asked.
The girl pulled a little notepad and mini-pen from her pocket. She scribbled something down and tore it off, handing it to Jaune.
It read, "1= You can call me 'Neo'. 2= I don't know." Jaune blinked a few times, pondering what he was reading.
"Uh..Okay, Neo.. What do you mean, 'You don't know?' " The girl scribed something down again, tore it away, and handed it to him.
"I was paid to sit there using my 'illusion' to look like that girl." Jaune nodded. Then a shiver crept down his spine..
"That means.. they.. have Ruby..and I don't even know where they are." Jaune sat on the bed next to her. His eyes began to water.
"I.. can't.. do… anything.. again" Jaune started to cry. Neo seemed confused.
"Are they going to hurt her?.." Neo wrote.
"Yes, Neo.. they're probably going to kill her.. and I don't even know where to begin looking.."
Jaune punched a hole in the wall as the tears rolled down his cheeks. Neo jumped off the bed and hugged Jaune from behind, handing him another note.
"I know where to find them."
"What, seriously?!" Jaune turned and hugged Neo. Whom handed him another note.
"Only if I can stay here." Jaune was confused but didn't care.
"Fine, stay as long as you want. Just help, please!" Neo nodded and smiled. She stood on the tips of her toes and planted a small kiss on Jaune's lips before pulling him into another, long, warm, hug.
Jaune blinked. 'Seriously?!'
Jaune snuck out the window with Neo. They headed just out of town, deep into the woods. They stopped in front of a large two-story cabin.
"Are you sure they're here? This doesn't seem… evil fortress-ey.." Neo nodded.
Jaune kicked the door open, his courage and strength building once more. The door slammed, closing behind him. Jaune quickly spun around, and gritted his teeth, furious. Neo was being held by mercury, whom had a long knife to Neo's throat.
"Where the fuck is Ruby?!" Jaune yelled. Mercury smiled.
"Right over there, Jaune-y boy." He pointed with his knife. Ruby was at the other end of the hall, both her eyes and mouth covered with duct-tape.
Hanging from her neck by a rope, motionless. She was dead.
Mercury was laughing madly. Mercury pulled the knife up close to Neo's throat and was about to slide it across. Mercury stopped, freezing completely.
Air-piercing black aura rushed from Jaune in all directions. His hair slowly faded to black. His fists clenched so hard he was drawing blood. His head turned, his pure black eyes gazing at Mercury.
Mercury felt a warm liquid rush down his leg. He dropped the knife and bolted out the door. Mercury had never been so terrified in his entire life. Mercury used the extreme strength in his legs to destroy the earth below him, he was running for his life. Mercury stopped dead in his tracks. He bolted in a different direction, and was stopped. Then in a different direction, this time faster, but was stopped again. No matter how fast, no matter how far, Jaune would always appear in front of him, blank faced.
Jaune was moving so fast, it was as though he was stepping in and out of reality. It was immeasurable.
Jaune caught Mercury by the throat. Mercury winced as Jaune lifted him up. Jaune slammed Mercury into the ground, Causing a huge crater to form around them. Jaune thrusted his fist into Mercury's stomach, causing the crater to grow, and making Mercury cough up blood. Mercury, in a desperate last ditch effort, kneed Jaune in the side as hard as he could. Jaune's face hadn't changed. He didn't flinch.
Jaune grabbed Mercury's leg, crushed, twisted, and tore it off. Mercury screamed in pain. His loud cries for help were cut short. Jaune pierced Mercury's chest, Went through his heart, grabbed his spine, and shredded Mercury's body in half, throwing the two halves at near trees. Jaune stood still and silent in the middle of a meteor sized crater. Mangled guts and flesh surrounding him. Neo came to as Jaune slowly strided over to Ruby's limp body, hands dripping in blood. Jaune cut the thick rope with his hand.
Jaune held Ruby against him and cried. his hair and aura faded back. Neo stayed by Jaune's side. If there could ever be a more dreary and depressing day than that of Weiss Schnee's funeral, It would have to be the funeral of Ruby Rose.
Jaune was locked in his room for a week. It was hard to believe he even existed. He spent all day either sleeping or crying in Neo's lap. Neo held him tight day in and day out.
No one liked seeing him like this, but he wouldn't talk to anyone. The only reason Neo was allowed to be in his presence was because she wouldn't talk in general.
One day, however, Jaune's new schedule was interrupted by Pyrrha, whom came in bearing a red letter. She handed it to Jaune. Jaune tore the top off of it and wiped the tears from his eyes to read. The words shocked him.
"My dear love, Jaune.
I told you, I warned you of this happening.
However, I've come to realize I can't vigorously fuck you if you're mentally incapable of intercourse.
So, How about a compensation?
If you meet me at the enclosed location.. ALONE.. and leave behind all of your whores forever, I will forgive you, and no more blood will be shed. We can finally live our lives the way we were meant to..
together, forever.
Love, Cinder. " Jaune tore up the letter and jumped to his feet.
"We're gonna go kill her. All of us. No chances, just an all out blitz." Jaune gathered his friends.
Jaune showed at the location, where Cinder had been sitting patiently on a throne-like chair, smiling happily. Jaune flashed a smile, which surprised her.
"So, are you finally ready to love me? only me?" Cinder asked, bouncing with joy.
Jaune strutted up to her and enveloped her in a hug. He slipped the majority dagger out of his sleeve. He held it up, but just as he thought, this wasn't going to be that easy..
"Drop the dagger, Neo." Cinder called cheerily. Cinder grabbed Neo's wrist and Neo flashed back to herself, dropping the dagger.
"What? you thought you could just take matters into your own hands?.. You'll pay for trying to take me on alone?..."
"She's not alone.." Jaune came out of the shadows into the doorless arch of the old abandoned factory. Cinder smiled.
"We're here to take you down." Jaune smirked as he drew a custom-made majority blade and shield. "I call er' Crocea Mors. This is the blade that will sever your pretty little neck."
Cinder laughed. "Really, now?! You're first plan failed, what makes you think you can win?!.."
Jaune scoffed."We have Four-hundred and ninety-nine other plans on the ready."
Jaune signaled and all of his friends came in, all carrying their custom-made majority weapons as well. Jaune cracked his knucles.
Jaune, Pyrrha, Blake, Yang, Ren, Nora, and Cardin..V.S. ..Cinder.
Hey, all. Things are getting too hot for the pepper, know what I'm sayin'? Ha Ha. Anyway, If you wanna kill me cuz' of the Ruby thing, Don't worry. I won't spoil anything, but just stay tuned. Well, Thank you all again for your support and such! Leave a review!
ARCchaosLord, Outie 5,000
