Okay, new computer... and going to get back to writing

Chapter 50:

"What are the chances you know about this guy that got attacked and is in a medical coma right now?" Ruby asked as she dug the spoon into the bowl as she could see her friend gently rubbing his thigh in what Ruby just knew was probably some sort of gesture from him to ease the tension in his leg.

"I've had to bring a lot of people to the hospital under your mother's orders. Frankly almost all since I could drive. You'll need to be a lot more specific if you want any sort of information from me Ruby. I mean just last night I also dropped off a certain cat Faunus at the hospital to have a finger splinted." Mercury said as he as he shrugged his shoulders and took a bite from the waffle cone he was glad that Ruby had talked him into and far away from the wafer. It tasted so much better.

"That blond guy... I don't remember his name... and I don't think Yang even told me. He is the guy that caused a lot of the screaming and my emotions to go rightfully wild. At least according to grandma Salem and my therapist." Ruby muttered softly as she could see the man's face contort a little as if he was trying to put a face to the vague description that Ruby had given him. "The guy who stood by when I was being raped..." Ruby whispered the last part as Mercury nodded his head as if he was happy with the thought.

"Yeah, I know him. Well... I at least know of him. Marcus handled him to my knowledge. I can get someone to check on him... why? What do you intend to do with the information I'd be able to get? I doubt you have it in you to get even by any means... but I don't think your mother would be happy if I took that chance and you wound up killing the man." Mercury said in a soft tone as he could see that Ruby just started to look into her bowl. "I ask Ruby, because out of all the friends I have, including the fake ones... you are the only one who deserves to have a guilt free conscience. I'm not saying that because of Cinder, I'm saying that because I honestly believe it. I've done many messed up things, as has Emerald and Neo. Hell I doubt even Reese is even clean in that regard. Not to the same degree as me, Em and Neo sure. That is a given. But she probably has done plenty of terrible things."

"Anything she has done chances are I have as well. You forget how much we did together when we dated. Including several cases of hot-wiring vehicles, joyriding and even countless amounts of destruction of private property." Ruby mumbled as Mercury just chuckled at her.

"Those are near enough victimless Ruby. And I can assure you, Reese has done some messed up things and never told you. And probably still does. But that is neither here nor there. None of this is really answering my question." Mercury said in a soft tone as Ruby just frowned gently as she reached for the spoon.

"I don't want to think that Reese could do something bad enough to warrant a guilty conscience in your eyes. But I don't actually mean him harm. I just want to at least reach out to the one sister that was there with him. She seemed really messed up and seemed to be the only one of his family that has actually decided to be there for him. At least for now." Ruby whispered softly as she picked up what remained of the ice cream and slipped it into her mouth as she just started to take some deep breaths.

Smiling gently at Ruby, Mercury spoke up. "That is why you don't deserve any form of a guilty conscience. You genuinely feel bad about things even if you are one of the victims in the chain. Most people wouldn't care and would just be out for blood. But you actually want to help them." Mercury explained his reasoning as he just took a deep breath. "I'll get someone to check up on him and I'll message you. But you need to promise me you'll cheer up, and even if you don't get back on the dating horse, you'll still try to find someone. I mean that cat Faunus sitting in the back corner there that she thinks I haven't noticed has been looking at you."

As Mercury spoke, Ruby quickly began to look around to just try and find the person he was referring to as if it was in some vain hope that it would be the one that Ruby had wanted to talk to. "It isn't Neon… although she does look familiar to me. Might be a Fang member. Neo would be able to tell you which one. She deals with them more often. At least out of all of your friends. I haven't really dealt with them besides Adam." Mercury continued as he simply leaned forward in his seat to slip what Ruby just knew was going to be a gun out of the waistband of his jeans. "And if she actually does mean you some ill will, then I can assure you that she'd quickly regret it and she seems to know that. At least with the way her ears have been flicking." Mercury continued as he simply and quietly as he could cocked the gun knowing that to a Faunus it would be loud in the quiet room, but too soft for Ruby to hear it.

"To you and Mom every Faunus ever looks like they are part of the White Fang. I'll have you know I talked to Ghira Belladonna today and even got advice given to me by Kali. It was a bit awkward but I don't want to explain why right now."

Snapping his fingers, Mercury just took a deep breath. "That is who it is. Blake Belladonna. And I'll have you know she was for the longest time a member of the Fang. And not just under her father. She was one under Sienna, but left cleanly just a few years ago." Mercury said as he spun around a little. "You can stop hiding like a schoolgirl and come over here like you've been wanting to since the moment you saw us sit down. You're not the stealthiest Faunus I've ever met. Don't feel insulted." Mercury said as he replaced the hammer before he slipped it into his waistband once again.

Looking back towards Ruby, Mercury just had to smile as he could see her blushing. "I think she even met your mother a few times while you, Em and Neo were all at highschool. She is still a lot less annoying than Adam. He was always about starting a war he never would have one and on several occasions Sienna even got your mother to agree that if something happened to her that we'd quickly kill Adam in as gruesome a manner as possible. Did it in front of him too. Probably the only thing keeping him from taking power by force." Mercury said as he could see the raven haired woman starting to slide out of the booth.

"How does everyone but me seem to know the inner workings of the White Fang? And Adam as far as I'm concerned isn't the worst person. I still prefer him over the twins and Corsac and Fennec. At least he never treated me like I was a bother. But he was the creepiest. So I guess you've just got to accept the good and the bad." Ruby mumbled as she could see Blake standing at the table just glaring at Mercury. Smiling up at her, Ruby was a little unsure of why she was like she had to defend Ruby. "Blake, meet Mercury. He is an old friend."

"He also has blood on his hands." Blake said as Mercury just chuckled and leaned back as Ruby just chuckled dryly.

"I kind of sort of already know that... but again, he is an old friend. And has never meant me specifically harm." Ruby spoke up as Mercury just started to laugh gently shaking his head.

Standing up, Mercury just took a deep breath as he brushed his pants gently. "I need to go make some calls Ruby. Order up the next round and don't forget you need to buy Neo that pint of... made up word. And props on the waffle cone. That is so much better." Mercury said with a smile as he walked past the worried woman. Just so he could at least be happy that Ruby wasn't going to be harmed. It was clear to her what would happen if she did try anything.

Seeing Mercury walk out of the building, Ruby just smiled as she gestured for Blake to sit down. "You don't seem like you are the type of person to be in a gang or terrorist group." Blake said as she took the seat offered. "Also surprised that bitch isn't here."

"Neon and I broke up... or more precisely, she broke up with me... through text. And I'm not in a gang or a terrorist group. My Mom is... and so is my grandmother... even my uncles... but they all refuse to let me in. They want me to be just an engineer like I kind of always wanted to be. But I do know Sienna on a personal level. Even played a few board games with her. She is super bad at go-fish. Pretty good at blackjack but I admit I kind of cheat because I counted the cards. In my defence though we were gambling cookies." Ruby said as she could see Blake relaxing a little. "I'm honest here... I really am not involved with that part. And frankly I don't even know the gang my family has ran and it has been made clear to me so many times that if I get told those that tell me will end up dead with their entire family. So long shot of me ever finding out... and I honestly don't want to know." Ruby continued as she gestured for the waiter behind the counter. "One more of the exact same order. You want anything Blake?"

"No thanks."

Seeing Blake's bow flexing a little, Ruby just had to smile a little. "Why do you cover your ears if you don't mind me asking? I imagine your ears are pretty cute. But I don't know many Faunus whose trait is more ears. Like Sienna is mostly cute. Just the fact she screws with really nice and rare cars it makes her seem a lot uglier to me." Ruby said in a soft tone as she knew that Blake would have heard as she could see her just sliding down a little in her seat.

"I do mind a little. Just humans largely aren't all that good with my kind of people. It is a personal thing. As is with almost every person. I mean do you want to explain the faint bruises around your neck?" Blake asked as Ruby just smiled a little at her.

"I like being choked in bed. Even though the last two girlfriends I've had can't really do it the way I like it. Like my first one did end up developing enough strength to do it, just it took a long while. And Neon instead used rope which was a nice addition in my opinion. I really liked that. Could have done less complaining about how it might have been too tight." Ruby said with a smile as she could see Blake being taken aback by the comment. "Yeah... I've always had a pretty open relationship with talking about sex... including with my mother and to a lesser extent my grandmother. And I've learned that once you don't get embarrassed by that nothing is going to make you embarrassed about sex."

"But talking about choke sex?"

"I've explained to my mother about the ins and outs of lesbian sex and had her buy me a fair number of sex toys... choke sex is nothing. She just wants me to be safe. And for the record, it is more than just choking. I also don't mind wax, humiliation just normal eating out... frankly anything as long as it doesn't involve a guy in any way and I get to cuddle afterwards. Just choking is my favourite." Ruby said as Blake just started to laugh gently. "Yeah most people have that reaction. It is as my mother always tells me. You can ask any question and you'll get the truth... but you need to ask yourself first, do you really want the truth."

"Pretty sure I'd die if my parents asked me questions like that. I still get embarrassed when they want me to explain some smut they found online to them, and only because they know I happen to read a fair bit of it." Blake laughed softly as Ruby just smiled at her. "But... again, my ears being hidden is purely because humans in the past have been known to pull and twist them. And once or twice attempted to put cattle tags on them. Thankfully I was able to get free." Blake said softly as Ruby just smiled at her.

Smiling as she accepted the bowl, Ruby just looked at Blake as she grabbed the cone carefully as the man started to walk off. "That sucks. Like a lot. Makes me hope my uncle didn't suffer much before my grandmother adopted him. But he does also have a habit of causing a lot of issues just because he wants to constantly just cause issues... just so he could have a laugh at people's expense. Well people besides me. My family is weirdly overprotective of me." Ruby said with a small tone as she could see Blake's bow just bending backwards as Ruby looked over to see Mercury walking into the establishment.

"He is awake right now Ruby. And your mother wants me to get going on some collections I need to make. Do you mind walking back to your dorm?" Mercury asked as he took a bite of the mounded on ball of ice cream.

"No. I'll bring Neo back the pint and tell her it is from you." Ruby said as the silver haired man just nodded his head as he walked over towards the counter to quickly pay before he quickly left the building. As he walked out, Ruby just smiled faintly as she looked towards Blake who had a relieved expression on her face.

"You have weird friends." Blake said as Ruby just started to laugh as she dropped the spoon into her bowl.

"Your dad said the exact same thing to me today. Except I wasn't with Mercury at the time." Ruby began as Blake started to shake her head.

"Weiss Schnee... my parents told me and then told me to avoid the cafe for a few hours because they know I'm very emotional and tend to fly off the handle with minor things... like with your ex. And that a Schnee is like the one thing most Faunus are very much so against that I would have been considered a hero by many if I had my way."

Sighing gently as she scooped up more of the ice cream before resting it on the mound. "Weiss isn't like her father... or even brother. But her and her sister are very nice and very against their father. Hell if they had their way they would have him flogged and then turfed over to the Fang." Ruby began as she slipped the food into her mouth and just smiled at the taste that she always enjoyed from this place.

"It is a long complicated issue Ruby. One that I still would gladly fight to rectify, but Sienna isn't the leader the Fang needs and neither is Adam. Faunus just think that Sienna is the way to go. In reality they really do need someone like my Father again. Violence got us nowhere but fear and fear isn't the same as respect. No matter how they try and convince you." Blake said as Ruby just nodded her head.

Swallowing the mouthful, Ruby just stared into the amber eyes. "It is an admirable cause. One that I fully support. It is just, you also have to realise it is more than the Schnees. A lot of companies and even governments will gladly forgo decency. Even the nuns when I was in highschool explained that and added that it was a stupid idea becasue we are all created in the God of Light's image and we shouldn't give in to the God of Darkness' desire to see his brother's work being destroyed." Ruby said as she dropped the spoon and groaned. "Brain freeze!" Ruby screamed as she started to rub her head.

Laughing as she covered her mouth, Blake spoke up "Press your tongue to the roof of your mouth. That is the best way to fix that besides just waiting in agony."

Tossing caution into the wind, Ruby followed Blake's advice as she felt the figurative screws being tightened more and more. In a matter of seconds she could feel the tension starting to relax as she felt her eyes bulge outwards. "What witchcraft was that? Because it just opened so many possibilities that I've been up until now blind to."

"A brain freeze is caused by the blood vessels in your mouth contracting due to the cold. A penguin Faunus taught me that years and years ago and explained that the best way to counter it is to warm up that part of your mouth." Blake spoke as Ruby took a big bite as if to test the theory. One that came quickly from what Blake could tell from her face contorting in pain once again before drifting back to a more neutral expression.

"Neo's mind is going to flip once I tell her this." Ruby said as Blake just chuckled gently and took a deep breath as if she was wondering if she should say something.

"I know this is going to seem random and sudden but do you want to go on a date with me Ruby?" Blake asked as Ruby just took a deep breath and stared into her eyes. "I don't necessarily lose the chance to ask you out again by playing coy and the long game of us flirting for years but I don't want to take that chance."

"Not that I want to turn you down Blake... just I just broke up with Neon not even two hours ago. Ask again next week. I promise I'm not going to go out with anyone. Just I need time to mourn that relationship." Ruby said gently while on the inside she was beaming with joy. It was at the point that she wasn't even sure how stupid her mind can be that she was saying this. But she knew in her heart of hearts that she owed it to Neon that much.

Pulling her phone out, Blake just smiled as she looked at Ruby. "Be at the cafe next week at this time. Because I doubt we are going to run into each other outside it."

"Sounds like a plan to me Blake."

Author's Note:

And here we are, chapter done on the new computer... and it was fun if long because of me needing to get used to the new keyboard.