Ruby spent a lot of time alone during her training. It was like she was building her walls up again, at least that's what it seemed like to Weiss. She was worried about her partner, the way she disappeared every night when she didn't sleep, the way she refused to talk to Weiss about, all of it concerned the Ice Queen.
Ruby became quiet, almost silent. She was always thinking, always considering something. Weiss often wondered what it was Ruby thought about, but she never asked. She watched Ruby, almost from afar despite how close she really was. Ruby never wore her cloak anymore, everytime Weiss offered it back Ruby smiled and said it looked better on her.
But Weiss saw the way Ruby looked towards the cloak, her face is always stern, but her eyes show uncertainty. It was obvious Ruby was struggling with something, but Weiss couldn't tell what. So Weiss just watched Ruby slowly close herself off, just like she did when they were first reunited.
Ruby knew what she was doing was wrong to Weiss, that she deserved to be apart of the process, but for some reason Ruby couldn't bring herself to include Weiss in her training. Summer had since stopped guiding Ruby in her training, Ruby finding that she preferred to learn about her powers on her own through meditation, something Weiss was shocked to discover.
So Ruby spent days in and days out sitting in her 'training room' meditating, at least that's what it seemed like to everyone else. In her mind however her counterpart told her about her powers, how Ruby could summon ice like Weiss, blizzards, and even slow down time (something that came with years of practice the other Ruby insisted). Ruby had discovered that her counterpart was a physical representation of her own powers and of what she could become over time, and that discovery comforted Ruby for some odd reason.
However each time Ruby left her inner mind she felt more distant than ever before. There really was no one like her, she was a target more so than her family, and she didn't have anyone to rely on to protect her other than herself. Ruby knew that her maiden powers would be the death of her, in one way or another, and at times Ruby thought that might be the reason why she felt so distant. She didn't want her family to suffer her loss when she finally died.
But she also knew that she didn't fear death, and that although her family would be devastated, they would figure out how to move forward. And it was that thought that always brought Ruby back to laying in bed with Weiss snuggled up to her. Weiss was a general, she's watched her friends fall in battle in one way or another, she could survive Ruby's death.
The way Weiss clinged to Ruby, after long days of being apart, always put doubt into Ruby's mind though. Weiss clinged to Ruby like a lifeline, like she was the one reason Weiss was still alive. In a sense that was true, both women knew that. If it wasn't for Ruby Weiss would still be under her father's control, she would be fighting to kill her friends, her family.
"Ruby," her counterpart said clearly as they spoke in the world of her inner mind. "This last ability you have, you cannot practice it. It's an ability passed down directly to the winter maidens." She walked up to the true Ruby and place her thumb on Ruby's forehead. She pressed down hard onto Ruby's forehead, Ruby felt a freezing sensation travel through her body as her counterpart lifted her thumb off of Ruby.
"Why can't I practice it?" Ruby asked.
"Because this ability," there was a pause, and Ruby began to fear what her powers might do to her. "It eats away at your body. To fully perform this technique, you will die." A strong bone chilling wind swept through the clearing they stood in. "But in your death, your enemies will perish as well."
Ruby was silent, looking towards her counterpart with unmoved eyes. "Death is inevitable Ruby, keep that in mind as you move forward in your life," her counterpart said before she began to turn to snow that was flung away by the bone chilling wind.
Ruby's breath was heavy, rigid, she was sweating and sought the cool feeling on the snow as she fell face first into it. She laid there for several moments, trying to cool down. Once calm Ruby slowly raised herself up and looked towards the ground where she laid.
She took a deep breath, and slowly got to her feet. Brushing off the snow Ruby stuck her hands into her pockets and walked deeper into the temple where she hadn't gone. As she walked she thought about the information she was given. A pout on her face.
When she arrived in a small room with a mirror and hair styling tools Ruby stopped and looked at herself in the mirror. She saw her long hair and ran her hand through the long locks. She had been growing out her hair since she first started her job as a killer. Her hair was a reminder of what she had done, who she had killed, and the fear that plagued her every move.
"Fear," Ruby said softly to herself. "Shouldn't hold me back anymore." Ruby lifted up a pair of clippers, and and turned them on. The first lock of hair that fell was a sign of the future, a sign of what Ruby wanted to be.
Ruby looked towards herself in the mirror, her eyes looked at the messily cut hair. It was even enough for her, the sides were cut evenly for the most part, and the only true mess was the hair that laid on top of her head. It stuck up in all directions, and for some reason that fact made Ruby smile a little. It was such a childish thing to smile about, a new haircut, but she couldn't help but feel a little more free due to the edgy cut.
Ruby ran her hand through the shorter locks, pushing the hair back slightly only for it to spring back into place. It reminded her of Neptune's hair before he became accustomed to his beanie that hid his blue hair.
Ruby leaned back and saw the way she no longer looked like a childish Ruby that had a hardened interior. Ruby looked into her silver eyes and took a deep breath. Weiss was going to freak.
Finding her courage Ruby walked out of the room with her hands in her pocket and returned to the main section of the temple.
It was late when Ruby entered the room, Weiss was fast asleep, but awoke to the sound of the door opening. Weiss glanced over to Ruby, and through her sleepy eyes saw her partner changing. She rolled back over onto her side and closed her eyes waiting for Ruby to climb under the covers.
Feeling Ruby carefully slide under the covers was something that always surprised Weiss. She was careful, slow, and as quiet as possible as to not wake the possibly sleeping general. When Ruby's toes lightly grazed Weiss' calf her breath hitched, they were freezing. Weiss knew Ruby must have walked through the snow covered ground barefoot again, a new habit she picked up since her training began.
Wrapping her arm around Weiss, Ruby pulled her partner to her and softly pressed a kiss to Weiss' revealed neck. Weiss squirmed under Ruby's arm slightly and rolled to face her partner. Weiss saw Ruby's tired eyes, and pulled her into a kiss. Weiss lifted her hand to run through Ruby's hair to see there wasn't much to rummage through.
Weiss quickly retracted her lips and looked towards her partner. She was wide awake now and saw the short hair. "Ruby," Weiss said softly looking at her almost unrecognizable partner. "What on Remnant," she muttered. Weiss' eyes were wide, surprised, and intrigued.
"I figured it was time for a change," Ruby answered. Her voice was gentle, purposely not wanting the voice to travel far. "Do you not like it?" she asked.
"It's just so drastic, and I had no idea you were wanting to," Weiss answered as she ran her hand through what was Ruby's hair. Ruby smiled and pulled Weiss to her with a careful laugh. Pulling Weiss into her arms Ruby rested her chin on her shoulder, her arms wrapped around Weiss' torso. They faced the same direction, the wall, but that didn't matter neither of them were paying attention to the wall.
"I have my reasons for being so drastic," Ruby whispered. Weiss didn't push the subject and lightly squeezed Ruby's hand. Weiss felt safe in Ruby's arms, and Ruby felt like they would be able to have a moment like this again, at some point. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
DUN DUN DUNNNN!
I can't wait for the hate that is Ruby having short hair. (I know the norm is Ruby with long hair.)
BUT THE CHARACTER GROWTH!
Ruby is finally trying to... cut away... (bad joke heheheheh) her fears.
On a more serious note this was something I went back and forth on quite a bit. I knew I wanted Ruby to do something drastic that would show she was trying to change, trying to become the hero needed, and the only way I thought would be good (and fun to play with) was her cutting her hair short.
After all it was a fear that got her working for Cinder, what turned her red cloak into the symbol of an assassin.
- Nerdz
