Hello and welcome to this new story I'm publishing! First and foremost, I would like to give a special thank you to all the wonderful readers who gave this story a chance and a very special thanks to all who decide to favorite and follow this story. Now I don't have a set schedule for writing this as my life outside of writing is pretty tight with many work hours. But fear not! That's why I am working with a good friend and fellow fanfic consumer KittyKat-Belle who will act as my beta reader and editor.
Now let me make this absolutely clear to all who read this: THIS STORY IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. What I mean by that is this story is rated M for a reason and will be including heavy material that could be considered sensitive, delicate, and dark. So, if you are not comfortable with any of these I give you this warning to let you know what you're getting into.
I want to state that as a writer my job is to bring the best out of a story regardless of topics, preferences, and opinions. This art is subjective and the only thing that matters to me is the impact of a story and how it flows from beginning, middle, and end with the events that take place. That is why I am clearly stating that I am not writing dark material just because I love to see suffering and anguish and have a massive dark boner for it. (That sounds so weird saying it out loud) My point is that as a follower of the CHEKHOV'S GUN style, I take that lesson to heart and if you are unaware of that writing style I highly suggest looking it up, especially if you're a writer yourself.
This may seem like a long Author's note and I know most will not read this, but it is there to inform you all on what this story is like and what you will be getting into. The next author's notes will not be nearly as long as this one and I am sorry for the delay! So, without further ado, sit back, relax because it's time to begin the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY; all rights go to the Legendary Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth. I do not own any of the Music, Anime or Manga that will be referenced in this story as well, all rights go to their respected creators and studios.
Beta Reader: KittyKat-Belle
Opening Theme: We're Not Alone by Coldrain
CHAPTER 1: Clearing the Air (Part 1)
*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*
"Ugh… shut up… please~"
*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*
"Just… five… more… minutes~!"
*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*
"FINE! YOU WIN! I'LL GET UP!" Cried Ruby, slamming her fist down on the alarm clock next to her bed. She couldn't help but smirk under her pillow as she heard something crack within the loud-mouthed contraption.
'Suck it alarm clock! That will teach you to mess with my precious sleep! HAHA!... wait did I just say "ha ha" in my head? Gods… now I'm thinking about it… ugh too early for this."
Like any other early mornings, this was how Ruby Rose would start her day. Or rather, how she would start her school day. With the weekend now over Ruby rose from her bed like Dracula from out of his coffin. That is to say, if Dracula was a groggy 15-year-old girl with short black hair and red highlighted tips then yes, Dracula.
"Stupid Mondays." She muttered, rolling the blanket off and already missing its warmth. She felt a shiver crawl up her feet the second they contacted the cold floor. She ignored it and stood up, stretching her arms out, walking over towards her dresser mirror. "Man... what time did I even sleep last night?"
Aside from the mess of bed hair, Ruby noticed two dark bags underneath her tired, silver eyes. It was then that the memories of last night flashed through her mind. "Oh yeah, 3 A.M.! So~ worth it, that Evangelion marathon was awesome!"
With a smile Ruby turned and glanced around at her room, admiring the sight of her beloved "sanctuary" through the illumination of the sunlight. Aside from the usual bedroom furniture one would find like a TV, dresser, coffee table, etc, the rest was filled by her passion and hobby.
Plastered across every corner of her room were dozens upon dozens of Anime posters leaving no wall space uncovered. From across her room sat two incredibly large display cases, filled to the brim, with anime figures on every shelf. The characters themselves were all different shapes and sizes - each showing to be collected and preserved with extra care. Sandwiched in between those two cases, were five tall, wooden bookcases each filled with various completed sets of manga and light novel series. These were only a few examples of Ruby's collection which did not even include the accessories she had all around. Such as the Gundam Wing DeathScythe body pillow she custom ordered laying on top of her Ghost in the Shell blanket.
"Glorious." Ruby grinned as she changed into her bathrobe, "Time to start the day!" she cheered but suddenly winced as her face turned red from embarrassment. "I gotta stop talking to myself." she muttered as she left the room. "No wonder people think I'm weird."
During this time, Ruby would not have been so lucky as to grab the first shower of the day. That courtesy was nonexistent so long as her older sister, Yang Xiao Long, had anything to say about it. There was no doubt that Ruby loved her sister dearly, despite being too overprotective at times. She was a great sibling; sincere, caring, and loving, but that never meant she couldn't get on her nerves. It would happen from time to time, especially when Yang would flaunt her "older sister privileges'' by hogging up the bathroom. It wasn't fair just because she had that long, blonde, mane of hair she treasured so much!
Thankfully since it was Monday that meant her dear sister would still be sleeping in from her "weekend adventures". It was no secret that Yang was one of the biggest extroverts in school, easily earning her popularity among the masses. Rarely would anyone find her stuck at home on a weekend, and that was only when she was grounded. Other than that, she would always be out with her friends or boyfriend from sunrise to late night; and the latter was only when their dad was away on business.
It was always the same routine. On Saturdays Yang would either come home really late and sleep in until it was time to go out again; or she would simply not come home at all until Sunday and spend the night at a friend's house.
Of course, Ruby was fully aware of this sneaky business and would, normally, argue with how irresponsible and risky that was, especially behind their dad's back. However, Yang always did send her a text when she wasn't coming home. She even offered 10% of her allowance every time if she'd not say anything. Guiltily, Ruby couldn't resist the bribe. Her collection was expensive and still needed growing. No one could fault her for that! It's a condition! A proud condition!
So long as Yang would be careful and send her updated texts on when she would come home or stay with her friend, Ruby was fine with the agreement. She knew her sister could handle herself well in a fight, being a great boxer and all, but still that didn't mean it couldn't be dangerous if a knife or gun was pulled! Ruby always felt nervous when thinking about those types of scenarios.
Despite those thoughts, she trusted her sister to avoid those situations and, while she had to be Yang's early morning wake up call, things were fine thus far. She got to make some extra money and it gave her a chance to shower first without having to race her sister, for once. It wasn't even fair when Yang raced. She cheats. A lot. And every time Ruby would ask why she got to shower first; Yang would always shout back:
"Because beauty requires lots of time, Rubes! You'll understand when you're older!"
'Hmph stupid Yang! I don't need to understand, I just need a freaking shower! Seriously, I'm not even that much younger than her! I'll be 15 on Friday and two years isn't even that big of a difference!'
As Ruby got lost in her thoughts, it wasn't long before she completed her shower. With a quick hair dry and brush of her teeth, she walked out into the hallway feeling refreshed as the cool air stimulated her skin. On her way back to her room, she sighed heavily as she stopped in front of a door that was not her own. It was time to hold up her final piece of the bargain.
*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*
"Yang! Time to get up! The showers yours and PLEASE don't take too long! If you get another tardy slip Dad's gonna flip!"
She could hear an audible groan reply back. Good, since Yang was a heavy sleeper Ruby always had to be loud with her voice; and if that didn't work she had an air horn and whistle ready as plan B. After all, Yang had stressed to get her up no matter what and, like any good sister, she would obey.
Now that her job was complete, Ruby entered her room and closed the door behind her. With a quick motion, she disrobed and let the wet clothing fall to the floor as she walked into her closet, fully naked.
It was large and spacious much like her sister's. However, unlike Yang's, Ruby's was not filled to the brim with "hot" dresses, tank tops, short shorts, or other typical girl clothes like purses and shoes. Hers was a sea of black, grey, and white t-shirts, long sleeves, and jackets to match her many pairs of black pants, leggings, jeans, and cargo shorts. Aside from a few exceptions like a formal dress, and a few girly clothing that were gifts, there was not a single shirt that didn't have an anime design or band logo on them. There were even a few cosplay outfits she wore to conventions and meet ups near her underwear drawer and design socks.
After quickly putting on her bra and panties, Ruby now came to the toughest part of her morning routine, choosing what to wear. As she skimmed through her choices she couldn't help but mutter "Ooo maybe this" or "ooo no this" with every new shirt that brought a gleam to her eyes.
Finally, after much second guessing and self-confliction, Ruby settled on a personal favorite and pulled on a black Soul Eater shirt. After rolling the sleeves up to her elbows, she pulled on some black pants and laced up her favorite pair of boots before attaching a chained wallet of Liger Zero from Zoids.
With a nod of satisfaction, Ruby left the closet and walked out her room. She saw that Yang's door was open, but the blonde girl wasn't inside. It was then that she could hear the shower head running further down the hall. Good, she was getting ready. So long as her sister wasn't late to school there was no need to worry.
As Ruby passed the bathroom the sound of her sister's voice echoed off the tiled walls inside. She cringed slightly as Yang was singing along, rather offkey, to one of those good-looking pop singer guys she was obsessed with.
Rather than stick around any longer, Ruby left the blonde girl to her privacy as she headed downstairs for some much-needed breakfast. When she reached the bottom floor, Ruby jumped at the last four steps with a rush of adrenaline as she fell. When she landed she could hear the sound of padded paws running towards her before skidding into her leg.
Ruby glanced down with a big smile on her face as she picked up the family corgi, Zwei, who happily barked and licked Ruby's cheek. "Hey Zwei! How'd you sleep little buddy?!"
"Arf! Arf!"
"Good! Did you take care of your business outside?"
"Arf! Arf!"
"Awesome! And keep those annoying racoons out of our trash?!"
"ARF! ARF!"
"Good boy! Come on, let's go get you some foodies!" Setting down the little grey and white dog, Ruby led the way into the kitchen as Zwei happily skipped alongside her with his tail wagging.
It was a beautiful room, large enough to hold a small gathering of people yet wide enough to not feel crowded. The countertops were a shimmering onyx marble that went perfectly with the dark oak cabinets they covered. Despite its size, the kitchen looked relatively average as it lacked any decor or personal touch that expressed the family.
'Certainly no mother's touch.' Ruby thought with a slight frown. She shook the thought out of her head when Zwei barked at her. "I'm coming, I'm coming! Just wait one sec little buddy!"
Walking around the kitchen's center island, Ruby opened one of the lower cabinets and took out Zwei's bowl along with two cans of his favorite meat. If her dad found out she was doing this he would scold her ears off.
"Ruby what did I tell you?! He's only allowed one can per day young lady! You know this! It's not good to spoil him too much because he'll start to expect it more and blah, blah, blah!"
She was sorry but she couldn't help it! He deserved it after keeping those raccoons away from their trash cans! Last week those stupid rodents came by every single night when their dad took Zwei with him on his trip. They were merciless as they spilled the entirety of the garbage bags across the driveway! And who did he think cleaned it up every time? It certainly wasn't Yang - despite most of the trash being hers!
Therefore, Ruby gifts her dog an extra can! She commands it as the current responsible one of the house! Besides, it wasn't like she was doing this all the time. It's just a little reward he gets every now and then for being such a good helper. He was, after all, the best dog a girl could ask for.
"Here you go pal!" Ruby smiled as she lowered the bowl to Zwei. With a jump of excitement, the corgi barked happily and dug into his meal with his tail wagging the whole time. Ruby chuckled as she tossed the cans into a special recycling bin used only for dog food.
She always wondered what that stuff tasted like. It didn't look like any of the other canned dog brands people bought at the grocery's stores. It was even delivered once a month from the dog food company her dad assured her was legit. They even collected the opened cans they threw in the bin for recycling. Apparently this type of dog food was made with the best nutrients possible that would allow Zwei to live his best life.
Ruby took comfort in that as she patted his head and made her way towards the fridge. He was a beloved member of her family and he deserved the best he can get just like anyone else. With Zwei being fed, it was time to feed herself now as Ruby quickly fixed herself some scrambled eggs on top of sliced toast with a side of oatmeal.
"Itadakimasu!" she cheered, happily clapping her hands together, and quickly dug in. No matter how cringy it may sound outside in public, she truly enjoyed saying it on the inside.
As she poured herself a cup of orange juice she could see Zwei finishing the last bits of his meal before licking his bowl clean. He let out an adorable little belch as he walked over to Ruby and laid down next to her feet.
"Glad you enjoyed it! Just don't tell dad ok?" She whispered, putting a finger to her lips. "This will be our little secret!" Zwei glanced up with his tongue out and gave a little nod. Normally that would have been the strangest thing to see a dog do; but ever since their dad brought him home when he was a pup, Ruby had just believed he was a really smart dog which made him extra cool!
With breakfast now done, Ruby made her way to the sink and started washing her plate and Zwei's bowl just as she heard a door upstairs open and close. She glanced behind her towards the digital clock on the stove. It was now 15 minutes past seven.
"Yang!" She shouted up, placing the bowl and plate in the dish rack. "You have 45 minutes to get ready!"
"I know Rubes! I know!" Yang called back. "Don't worry I'll make it!"
Ruby frowned as she walked over to the bottom of the staircase. She saw her sister standing at the top in nothing but a purple towel with her hair out dripping wet.
"Uh huh, yeah sure!" She rolled her eyes, "You said the same thing last week and what happened?" She smirked when Yang flinched a little with an embarrassed look. She crossed her arms triumphantly. "Yeah, my point exactly. Just get dressed ok, I'll have breakfast ready for you by the time you come down."
Yang's lilac eyes widened with glee. "Awww, my beloved baby sister is making me food?! I'm so touched~ I could just hug you~!"
The blonde spread her arms wide open and took a step down the staircase. Ruby instinctively stepped back when she saw more of her sister's creamy long leg than she would have liked.
"Yang no! Stay back! You're naked and the last thing I want is to be suffocated by your freaking large chest!"
Yang laughed as she puffed her chest out proudly. "Aw come on sis, don't hate on the girls!" she teased and gave said girls a little bounce. "There's nothing wrong with being envious of your big sister!"
Ruby's left eye twitched at the sight of the blonde grinning while striking one of her stupid "sexy selfie poses''. "I know you're jealous and all but don't worry! You'll grow a large pair yourself in no time! Then you'll have all the boys drooling at your feet just like me!"
Ruby was about to retort but instead sighed as she rubbed her forehead. She couldn't deny the fact that her older sister was indeed "blessed" in all the right places. There was little wonder why she has so many followers on social media and the countless eyes of so many guys at school. She knew exactly what she had and knew how to use flaunt it to get her ways.
"Yang that's not what I meant." She counted to five in her head, a habit she formed to increase her patience. But right now, it was barely working as her sister continued to laugh at her reaction. "Look just… don't be late, ok? As soon as your foods ready I'm heading out so you better-"
"Wait!" Yang cut in, "You're not riding with me?!" she cried, making Ruby wince as she looked away.
"Well… no I was… gonna walk… today." She could see her sister's dismay from the corner of her eyes as she rubbed her shoulder awkwardly. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty.
"GASP!"
And like that the guilt was dead as Ruby turned back and gave her a dry look. "Did you really say the word gasp? Really? "
She went ignored as Yang dramatically gripped the railing with a feigned, sorrowful expression as one hand fell onto her forehead like a terrible theatric.
"Oh, woe is me! How cruel can this day be!"
"Yang..."
"Why must fate be so cruel ~ for an older sister, cast aside, like a tool!"
"Stop…"
"To be rejected by my own sister! To be treated like a stranger!"
"Just stop…please…"
"She shows no remorse, as she kicks me like a broken horse!"
"What does that even mean?"
"You have made Bumblebee cry! Refusing to let her drive!"
"Sis your being dramatic. Is it really such a-"
"Is it my driving? My speed? GASP could it be, that she's afraid? Of Bumblebee?!"
"Yang I just wanna walk! What's so bad about-"
"How horrible! How terrible! How-"
"I WANNA WALK WITH JAUNE AND REN TODAY OK?!"
yang's expression changed from feigned sorrow to awkward hesitation as she lifted herself off the railing and shifted side to side uncomfortably.
Ruby crossed her arms with an unreadable expression. "Is that a problem, Yang?" Through her tone the blonde could hear the subtle warning behind her voice
"N-no!" She said, a little too fast. "No, I- I just… ya know… think it's been a while since... we went to school together and…"
Ruby rolled her eyes. "You do realize you drove me last Friday right?"
Yang chuckled slightly and scratched her cheek. "Man, time flies huh?! You know what forget breakfast! Give me five minutes and we'll-"
"Sorry sis," Ruby interjected, "but I already said I'd walk with them and I still plan too. Unless you don't mind that do you?"
Yang shook her head a little too vigorously. "N-No! No! I-I don't mind, I just... ya know… thought maybe… we could… uh… have more sister time together! Yea, that's it!"
"Yang," Ruby sighed. "Let's cut the bullshit ok." She rubbed the back of her head as Yang fiddled with her hair. "I know how you feel about my friends-"
"I never said I hated them!" Her eyes widened as she slapped a hand over her mouth.
"I didn't say that." Ruby replied calmly, ignoring the annoyance she felt by that too quick of a reply. "But I know you don't like them either."
"I didn't say that either Ruby!" Yang defended, pointing a finger at her little sister. "Don't put words in my mouth?!"
"Oh, come on Yang!" she groaned as she tossed her hands up in frustration. This caused the blonde girl to recoil her finger back. "You think I don't notice how you act around them, how you try to get me away from them?"
Yang looked god smacked by the lack of hesitation in her sister's voice. Her cheeks reddened a little.
"I don't do that." She muttered and judging by the "are you serious" look Ruby was giving her, she heard it.
"Is that so? Cause I beg to differ." The young girl crossed her arms and glared. "You weren't exactly subtle last year. Like all those times you dragged me to your lunch table when I was gonna to eat with them? Or how about those times you always pushed me to hang out with you and your friends instead? Hell, what about those times you stuck me with random groups of people before leaving me? Did you really think I'd somehow be a part of their circle like that? Not to mention whenever I do have plans with Jaune and Ren, you always try to persuade me into cancelling them! Just to go out with you for "sister time" which only seems to happen when I have plans with the guys!She paused as Yang seemed to shrink smaller and smaller at every new example. "I'm not blind sis. I can see an elephant in the room just fine."
As frustrating as it was, Ruby felt a little more relieved getting these thoughts out. For too long she kept them bottled up and had just gone with what Yang said and did all last year. In hindsight, she should have buckled down when she finally noticed what her sister really was doing. But even she can admit she was terrible with socializing last year.
Entering high school two years earlier than expected was such a nerve-wracking experience that Ruby still felt like it was a bad dream. She had gone from an eighth grader to a sophomore in less than a day; all because of some stupid SAT scores. When she got the call to meet with Headmaster Ozpin, she couldn't stop shaking as her dad drove to the school. She knew now she wasn't in any trouble since she didn't do anything. But being a 13-year-old kid at the time, she couldn't help but worry when teachers called her into their office.
To this day, she never forgot the shock on her dad's face when Ozpin revealed her test scores. It was then her turn to be shocked when he offered her a full ride as a sophomore in the next school year. It was spring at that time with only two months left before summer vacation. That meant she would be a 10th grader in five months should she accept.
Part of her wanted to scream no. The idea made her so nervous she didn't know what to do. To be the youngest in school, surrounded by thousands of faces she didn't even know all because she was smart? That was way too much pressure. But the more she thought of it, the more it sounded like a blessing in disguise. She knew Jaune and Ren were already at Beacon and she would be placed in the same class as them! Maybe even share some classes with them!
She missed seeing them a lot when they entered high school and now had a chance to be with them again! She could even see Nora too! It had been so long since she last saw her and didn't get a chance to talk to her since she moved back to Vale!
She still remembered the excitement she had as she shook the headmaster's hand with a smile. Oh, how fate played with her so.
It was anything but easy when she walked in on her first day. The rumor mill already spread like wildfire as so many people stared at her and whispered behind her back. She lost count of how many people muttered "that's the kid?" or "nerd" when they saw her Witchblade shirt. It wasn't even an hour into the first day and she couldn't take it. She ran off, finding a bathroom and planned to hide in a stall until first period started. She couldn't believe Yang bailed on her just to be with her boyfriend.
Honestly, she could have at least shown her to her home room and not point in a direction before running off. Now she was alone in a new place with Jaune, Ren, and Nora nowhere to be found as she silently cried and wondered if she made a mistake. That was until someone knocked on her stall and asked if she was alright.
It was Velvet, the bunny Faunus who Ren mentioned he and Jaune were friends with. She felt instant relief when the older girl recognized her from her talks with the guys. It was even more relieving when she offered her hand and promised to lead her to her friends. It had been the best day after that when she found them in a corner of the school.
They were all there Jaune, Ren and Nora. They were laughing and talking happily until they spotted her. She remembered being immediately embraced into a group hug as her three friends surrounded her cheering. Even Velvet got dragged in by Nora as Ruby laughed and smiled with new, happier, tears nearly falling from her eyes.
Even as she failed to notice her sister passing by with her friends and frowning at the sight.
She sighed heavily as the memories of last year flooded her mind. She relaxed herself then inhaled a deep breath. "Look Yang, you know I never judge you by your friends. So please... stop judging me by mine." Ruby frowned. "Jaune and Ren are cool. You know how far back we go. And, aside from Nora and Velvet, they're the only friends I have."
"That's not true Rubes!" Yang couldn't take it anymore, "You have loads of other friends! What about-"
"Yang!" Ruby raised a hand to cut her off. "I know what you're gonna say so let me stop you right there. Pyrrha and Coco are cool too. They're nice and sometimes talk to me; but I don't really know them that well."
Yang frowned, "I mean you could… you just need to spend a little more time with us-"
"The Malachite twins don't even acknowledge me sis. Aside from the occasional glance, I'm known only as the friend of doll hair to them." She stated. "They ask more about Ren than they do about me!"
Yang shrugged a little unsure. "I mean… they're just shy is all… they'll warm up to you if-"
"I have even less interaction with Cardin!" Yang could hear the venom in her sister's voice. "I don't even know why you insist on having me near him when you know I can't stand the guy."
"Oh, come on Ruby, Cardin's not bad!" Yang retorted with a glare.
"Not when he's around you!" Ruby glared back. "You don't know how he acts when you're not around! How can't you see him as a bully with how he treats my friends!"
"Because he's not like that! Those are just stupid rumors people make because they have nothing better to with their lives! Give him a break he's actually sweet and kind when you actually try to get to know him!"
Ruby wanted to argue back but gritted her teeth and counted to five again. "Fine Yang believe what you want. My point still stands, he's your boyfriend, not mine and I don't talk to him at all; neither him nor Sky, Dove or Russel. They're just his group of cronies and I don't trust them."
"You never even gave them a chance! And if you're going there then you know I still can't trust Nora around you! After what she did to them! She's lucky I don't get involved if she ever lays a finger on you the wrong way!"
Yang quickly shut her mouth when seeing her sister's chest rise and fall heavily as her eyes rose with fire. "You stay away from her Yang!" she growled. "The school's already breathing down her neck without you having to get involved! It wasn't even her fault! She was defending Ren!"
Yang knew she was standing on a landmine but with her own anger rising she couldn't stop herself until it was too late. "Oh yea? Sending three boys to the hospital is defending the guy? Yea real honorable! More like a psychotic!"
Ruby felt her face redden. "THEY STOLE HIS INHALER! YOU KNOW HE HAS ASTHMA!"
Yang winced and took a step back, darting her eyes left and right as she lowered her head. She really had let the landmine blow.
"I-I… yea… I… I get that… i-it's just… it doesn't make what she did right though. I-I mean yea maybe they did get a little carried away… but come one she had a hammer Ruby! You saw what she did to them… that's dangerous… and she was already known as a wild card way before that went down! She got punished for a good reason Rubes!"
Ruby exhaled slowly, as she tightened her hands into fists. She counted to five again, really trying to reel in her anger.
"I can understand that…" she muttered. as much as she hated to admit it, she did see her sister's point. "But none of that would have happened if they had left them alone."
Yang gently stroked her hair as she fidgeted from side to side. "Look… you're making them out worse than they are. I mean yea they might seem… difficult. But they can be pretty fun to be around."
"Oh, like Weiss?" Ruby scoffed. "Out of all your friends, she's as cold as ice. Half the time she either calls me a dunce and wonders why I still hang out with Jaune; and the other half is her criticizing every little thing about him! His looks, his self-esteem, his stuttering problem that she knows he's self-conscious about. She must have a whole binder full of criticism just off him alone!"
"Weiss is…. Weiss Rubes!" Yang confessed with a sigh. "Don't take it personally, dunce is just a… term of endearment she calls people!"
The younger girl rolled her eyes, seeing how she chose to ignore the bit on Jaune. "Wow~ she must really like me then."
Yang played with her hair again. "I mean you never know… if you want, I could put in a good word for you." She chuckled awkwardly but stopped as she felt her sisters piercing glare.
"Not funny Yang. Also, it's been half a year since that incident! Could you maybe tell her to lay off Jaune sometime?"
Yang broke eye contact and looked away awkwardly. "Come on Rubes, you know what happened that day. You can't blame her for that!"
"Well, you can't blame Jaune too!" Anger returned, "He gets really nervous and didn't deserve to get yelled at like that! To be belittled in front of the whole school! All those insults… that anger… for what? A misunderstanding? You know people still make fun of him to this day! And his stuttering got worse! And YOU want me to hang out with her?!"
"Come on Ruby-"
"No Yang! You come on!"
Yang flinched with disbelief in her eyes. It was such a rare scenario where Ruby would genuinely snap at anyone out of pure anger! It was even rarer for that anger to be targeted towards her. Normally she would have knocked seven shades of shit out of anyone who would have upset her little sister. But with it directed towards her, she had no idea what to do or say.
When Yang hesitated to reply, Ruby sighed and proceeded further. "Yang, you know I love you." She gave a small smile as she watched her sister frown. "I know you're only trying to look out for me. I appreciate that, I really do sis. But… there's also a time when I need you to just back off… at least a little."
Yang felt as if she had been punched in the gut, frustration building. "I… I only want the best for you Rubes..."
"I know and I appreciate that." She truly meant that. "But I don't need you to choose my friends for me. I'm not a little kid anymore. I can make my own decisions now. After all, you told me that on my first day of school. Remember?"
"It's not that simple Rubes!" Yang finally yelled out. "I'm trying to protect you! Don't you know how others see you? Don't you even hear what they say about you?! I try to shut them up, but it never ends! Ruby… you, Ren, Nora and Jaune are seen as some of the biggest weirdos in school! There's not a single person who doesn't call you a nerd, who cringes when they see your… "hobby" and judges how you guys act! I accept your… "choices" ... because you're my little sister and I won't accept anyone talking shit about you just because they don't know you!"
Ruby smiled and Yang couldn't tell if it was out of sadness or understanding which only made the knot in her stomach feel tighter.
"Don't you think that would apply to Ren… or Jaune… or Nora?"
Yang was silent for a moment and looked away. Reluctantly she muttered, "They're not my blood..."
Ruby closed her eyes and then nodded. "No… you're right... they're not." She stared back at her sister once more. "But… they're my friends."
Yang looked away as Ruby sighed. "I'll go get your food ready… you have 35 minutes sis… please… don't be late."
With nothing more to say, Ruby turned and walked away, leaving her older sister alone. Yang felt stiff for a few seconds as she glanced down at the spot where her sister once stood before shuffling her feet away towards her room in silence.
When Ruby returned to the kitchen she could see Zwei sitting down and looking at her with his ears down. He gave a little whine as he walked up to her and placed a paw on her boot. She smiled softly and picked him to give him a loving embrace.
"Don't worry Zwei. I'm not mad at her. I'm just…. I dunno… but I'll definitely get over it! So no more frowning, ok?!"
The corgi's ears perked and barked as he licked her nose. Ruby giggled as she patted his head and set him down.
True to her word, Ruby immediately started on Yang's breakfast, making her favorite. A stack of blueberry and chocolate pancakes with a side of scrambled eggs and bacon. After setting the plate down on the table, she quickly poured a mug of coffee with milk and two teaspoons of sugar and settled it next to the plate.
She nodded in satisfaction and made her way to the base of the staircase. "Yang! Your food is ready! I'm heading out now! I'll see you at school and don't be late!"
She didn't receive a reply back, not that she expected one. In truth, Ruby did not want to start the day like this. She just wanted to avoid the situation entirely, but of course her sister had to egg her on.
She supposed she couldn't really blame her; it was Yang after all. Still, maybe she could have said it better. Maybe explained it gently, and slowly make her see reason as to why…
'No… that wouldn't have worked. It would have gone over her head. As much as this sucks… it's better this way. Maybe… just maybe… she'll see what I mean.'
Only time will tell as Ruby grabbed her backpack and headed towards the door. She turned to give Zwei a last pet as he followed her. "Try to cheer her up Zwei. I don't know how she's feeling right now but I think she could definitely use your cuddle powers right now. Ok?"
"Arf, Arf?"
"Good boy. See ya later!" With a final pat on his head Zwei scurried off as Ruby opened the door and exited her house.
And thus, the first chapter comes to an end! What did you guys think? It feels wonderful being able to write with a clear head after such a long time. So much has happened and I'm excited to show you where this story goes from here.
Please be sure to share your thoughts and constructive criticisms in the reviews – whether it's good or bad it's all welcomed! And make sure to favorite and follow! Well, that's all I have to say! Please stay tuned for the next chapter and until then I will see you later!