When Ruby woke up, she noticed that she was in an entirely white room, laying in a white bed. She could hear the repetitive beeping that echoed through the room every second or two.
Ruby tried to sit up, but immediately noticed that her arms and legs were restrained, securely strapped to the bed to ensure she didn't move. This only caused Ruby to struggle more, despite the throbbing pain in her stomach and lower back.
The door suddenly opened, and a few people stepped through, none of their eyes leaving her as she ceased struggling. Among the people were her sister, father, and Professor Ozpin.
"Yang?" She asked. "Dad? What—" She suddenly paused, the memories of the past few hours flooding back into her mind.
"Oh my God," she quietly said. "I-I'm so sorry!"
"How do we know if we're talking to Ruby or Perseus?" Taiyang skeptically asked. Ruby paused for a second, before turning to Yang.
"You used to put your hair in pigtails so that Dad didn't know how long it actually was." She quickly said.
Taiyang and Ozpin turned to Yang to see if the statement was indeed true. She nodded.
"I've never told anyone other than Ruby that information." Yang said.
Ozpin suddenly looked at someone whom Ruby had not seen enter the room; two nurses, then he pointed to Ruby.
"Release her." He told them. They quickly ran to Ruby only unstrapping one of her arms before quickly retreating back to their spots in the corner.
Ruby didn't really mind, using her free arm to unstrap the other, and using her two free arms to unstrap her legs. All the while, the others cautiously watched her, ready to draw their weapons at a moment's notice.
"You're all a bit on edge." Ruby said, confused. "Why?"
"The last three times I've seen you, you've tried to kill me." Yang told her.
Taiyang glared at Yang, and Ozpin spoke next.
"I think what your sister was trying to say," he said. "Is that we are just trying to make sure that your mind is entirely your own."
Ruby nodded.
"I can assure you that it is." She said, pausing for a moment before quietly adding, "I think."
"How would we be sure?" Taiyang asked.
"We can't be." Ozpin said.
Yang turned to the headmaster.
"Ironwood used some sort of code to make her like that." She said. "Maybe we could somehow get that out of her mind!"
Ozpin shook his head.
"Unfortunately, it's not that simple, Miss Xiao Long. The changes James has made to her mind are permanent." He said.
"How do we stop her if James manages to get her back under his control?" Taiyang asked.
"Maybe you could stop talking about me like I'm not here." Ruby angrily said.
"What do you suggest, Miss Rose?" Ozpin politely asked.
"Create something just as permanent as a countermeasure." She told them.
Taiyang looked as Ozpin, who was seemingly deep in thought.
"Miss Rose?" Ozpin suddenly asked. "What is James' code?"
Ruby paused before shaking her head.
"Not here." She told him. "Not ever again."
"Would seeing the words trigger anything?" The headmaster asked.
"I don't— I don't think so." She told him.
"Would you mind writing them down?" He asked.
Ruby looked rather scared at this point, looking as if she was about to cry.
"How do I know I can trust you?" She asked, her voice not cracking despite the look on her face.
Ozpin paused.
"You can't be sure." He said. "You're just going to have to trust me."
Ruby sighed. "I need something to write with."
Ozpin quickly pulled a pen and a small, folded piece of notebook paper from his jacket pocket. He unfolded the paper, looking at both sides to see what was on it, then handed it to Ruby. It was seemingly blank on both sides. Ruby began to quickly write down the trigger words onto the piece of paper before handing it back to Ozpin.
"I haven't written anything in four years, so I'm sorry if it's not legible."
"I can read it just fine, Thank you, Miss Rose." Ozpin politely said, scanning the paper.
"I will make an arrangement to perform a similar procedure as to what James may have done to install such words into her mind. This time, however," he said. "I will make it so that there is a phrase that will deactivate her."
"Why did you need the code in that case?" Taiyang asked.
"I would like to make sure that the override works before we let her go anywhere." Ozpin told him.
Ozpin and Taiyang both left the room, leaving just the two sister alone.
After several minutes of silence, Yang asked, "What's it like?"
"Huh?" Ruby asked, her eyes shooting Yang's direction.
"What does it feel like when Ironwood uses that code on you?" Yang clarified.
Ruby shuddered, "It hurts. A lot. I usually get a massive headache and suddenly… I'm moving, I'm walking, I'm talking. But it's not… me. I'm just watching myself do all this, without any control over my actions. Not until it's all over, anyway."
Yang sat on the edge of Ruby's bed, concern now plastered onto her face.
"I thought yesterday was the first time he used it on you." She said.
Ruby shook her head, "No." she said. "He didn't use it very often. But when he did, I wanted it to stop. I wanted out." she looked down at the bed sheets, tears rolling down her face.
"Promise me," Ruby said. "Promise me that you won't let them use it on me again."
Yang rested her hand atop Ruby's.
"I won't let them. But I don't know if I can stop them every time." She said.
Ruby nodded.
"I'm offended you thought you had to ask." Yang jokingly said, causing Ruby to giggle.
Yang suddenly slide down the bed, pulling her younger sister into a hug.
"God," she said. "I've missed you so much."
Ruby hugged her back, and began sobbing. This caused Yang to hug her tighter.
"I'm so sorry, Yang." The younger girl sobbed.
"It's okay." Yang whispered into her ear, rocking her back and forth. "You weren't you."
"I'm not apologizing for today." Ruby sobbed. "I'm apologizing for Beacon."
"You weren't you." Yang repeated.
"No." Ruby said. "I was in control then. I was just so… angry."
"I know what that's like." Yang said, her voice not changing its soft tone. "I forgive you. For everything."