Chapter 45
Winter's surgery had dragged on much longer than Weiss had anticipated. Day turned to night, and doctors informed her that they still had hours of work remaining. They advised her to get some sleep. Even if they completed their work sooner than expected, Winter would be in no condition for visitors for quite some time. Weiss resisted, as she always did, but eventually gave in. Her accommodations for the night left much to be desired, just an unused couch pulled from storage and into her temporary office, along with a spare hospital pillow and blanket.
Despite Weiss' efforts, sleep did not come. Through a night of trying, she got maybe an hour of actual sleep, probably less. Soon the dawn arrived and with it obligations. As much as Weiss would have liked to take the day off, it was not in her nature. Personal desires had to take a back seat to her responsibilities. Weiss showered in the hospital locker room and changed into fresh clothes helpfully delivered by Pyrrha, then headed over to the main SDC building.
Weiss would begin her day fueled by coffee and a mix of stimulants the Medical Division had designed for her use. They had powered her through many days in the past, and there were surely more to come. With her office still being repaired, she headed to a conference room she had taken over. It was better appointed than her setup in the hospital, but nowhere near as comfortable as her usual workspace.
This day was set to start with a rather simple if tedious task: interviewing candidates hoping to be her new assistant. Given that the previous occupant of the position had been blown up, and the two before that suffered nervous breakdowns, few were interested. There were only two candidates in fact. With such a small pool of candidates to choose from, Weiss had decided to interview both personally.
The first interview was something of a disaster. The candidate was a youthful blonde woman, straight out of high school, with no work experience and not a single college level course to her name. Since the job posting had listed no specific requirements, she had assumed no experience or education was necessary. Her parents had been encouraging her to apply to as many jobs as possible. She was at least self aware enough to realize how out of her depth she would be. Feeling a bit bad for the girl, Weiss directed her to the SDC's Career Training Department.
The second candidate had much more potential. As the first interview had been unexpectedly brief, Weiss had time to go over her resume before her arrival. It included a college degree and years of secretarial experience. The only drawback was that Human Resources had been unable to verify the resume due to the school and businesses being located in a war-torn part of Mistral. The situation was not uncommon among refugees from the conflict.
What was uncommon among such refugees was the species of the applicant. Well, the species had been left blank, but that generally meant Faunus. It was a safe assumption for Weiss to make. Few Faunus refugees were admitted to Atlas. Most were sent to Menagerie or resettled in another part of Mistral. Weiss made a note to ask about the circumstances. This interview would surely be more interesting than the last one.
Weiss glanced at the clock: 9:58 AM. The interview was scheduled to start at 10, but she assumed that like any good candidate, the applicant would have been early. Sure enough, when she opened the door to her makeshift office, there was someone waiting in the chair just outside. The freckled woman was dressed in a neat black suit and had her dark hair tied back in a tight ponytail. "Ilia Niji?" Weiss asked.
"Yes ma'am." The woman replied, immediately standing, meeting Weiss' gaze with her own big blue eyes. "It is a pleasure to meet you." She offered her hand to shake and Weiss took it.
After the handshake, Weiss gestured into her office. "Come in, have a seat." Ilia nodded and entered the room, sitting across the table from where Weiss had set up with papers and a laptop. Weiss closed the door and took her own seat. "Well, Ms. Niji, your resume looks quite good." She laid out the relevant pages and quickly scanned them again. "Unfortunately we've been unable to verify it."
"I was afraid of that." Ilia frowned. "There's not really any way to." Weiss quirked her brow. "The White Fang took over the university, which led to the army attacking it, which destroyed it."
"That's...unfortunate." Weiss did not really know how to respond.
"Fischer Contractors went out of business because of the war, and Cartwright Publishing…" Ilia paused, swallowing the lump in her throat.. "Mr. Cartwright was killed by the Fang when we published a book critical of them. After that, no one was brave enough to keep the company going."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Weiss shifted in her chair uneasily. The interview was not going at all like she had imagined, though it was no fault of the candidate. She had heard similar stories of hardship in the past, but never been confronted by one so directly. She was not prepared. She had to at least try to get back on track. She took a deep breath and continued. "Why do you want to be my assistant? Surely you heard what happened to the previous occupant of the position."
"I spent years living in a warzone." Ilia answered. "The risks do not concern me. I'm more interested in what I can accomplish. I've read a lot about the changes you've made in the SDC, what you're trying to do to make the world a better place. I want to be a part of that. I want to help make it happen, even if there are dangers. What happened to my home...the things you're doing, you can stop it from happening anywhere else."
Weiss was sold. Still, she had other questions prepared and went through the motions of asking them, and Ilia's answers continued to impress. She was perfect for the job. Something still tugged at the edges of Weiss' mind, a worry, a small voice nagging at her. "If you don't mind my asking, how did you secure entry to Atlas?" Weiss asked as the interview was wrapping up. "The country doesn't admit many Faunus refugees."
"Oh...that." Ilia sighed. "I assisted the Atlesian Army. A friend of mine's brother was an important member of the White Fang. My friend mentioned where his brother was hiding out. After everything the Fang did to us...all the destruction...all the death...I had to do something. I told the Atlesian Army what I knew in return for being admitted to Atlas. I figured I'd be safer here than anywhere else. I didn't have any family left, and I'd just betrayed my last friend, so I had nothing to lose by starting a new life here."
That voice in the back of Weiss' mind was silenced. "That must have been difficult." She stood and Ilia did the same. "Ms. Niji, you're hired...pending the paperwork and final approvals." She offered her hand to shake and Ilia took it.
"You have no idea how happy this makes me." Ilia smiled.
It was the first time Weiss had seen her smile, and it melted her heart. "Once everything is finalized we'll contact you with more details."
"I look forward to working with you." Ilia beamed. "This is a dream come true."
"This will feel very weird for a while." Harriet warned, lining the prosthetic up with its contact. "It's alien, but only because it's trying to simulate something that technically doesn't exist."
"I read a lot of descriptions, but they're all different." Ruby recalled.
"Everyone's got a word for it." Harried explained. "Personally, it was numbness." She pushed the prosthetic into place and twisted it into its locked position. With a dull click, Ruby shuddered as the sensation of pins and needles thrummed through her leg, insistent but not particularly painful. It had barely faded by the time Harried clicked the other into place, setting the sensation off again.
"Ooooh, that's not gonna' get old…" Ruby groaned, gripping the arms of her chair as the sensations faded, leaving behind a faint sense of pressure she could not quite place. "Is that it?"
"Yep, you're cured, we're all done." Harriet smirked.
"Oh great, I can go back to my gymnast career." Ruby joked.
With that, Ruby braced herself against the chair's arms and pushed herself upward. The pain was excruciating. She screeched as thousands of neglected nerves screamed to life in unison to kindly inform her that she had attempted to run before walking, let alone standing. So she happily sat back down, gritting her teeth all the while.
"Is that normal?" Yang asked with alarm.
"Yeah, pretty standard issue." Harriet nodded. "Don't worry Ruby, you didn't hurt anything."
"Good to know…" Ruby bit.
"What happened?" Yang inquired.
"The body takes a little while to get used to the pressure sensors, so it feels like needles stabbing into your bones." Harriet explained. "Fun times."
"Can I try again?" Ruby requested.
"Yes, but take it slowly this time, let us guide you." Harriet glanced at Yang, jerking her head toward Ruby as she gently gripped her beneath the armpit. Yang mirrored Harriet. "Now, on three, we'll lift, and you take hold of the walking rails." She tapped the padded rail for emphasis. The two adjustable guides ran for several meters and would allow Ruby to keep as much weight as she was comfortable with off of her sensitive, recovering nerves. "Ready?"
"Yeah…" Ruby confirmed.
"Yang?" Harriet asked.
"Yep." Yang replied.
"Okay, one, two, three." Harriet counted. In unison they lifted Ruby, who latched onto the rails for dear life, wincing as the pain returned with a jolt, her legs twitching beneath her as she struggled to relieve the pressure.
"You okay Rubes?" Yang questioned.
"Yep!" Ruby tensed. "Peachy!"
"How's your arm strength?" Harriet inquired.
"Been better!" Ruby managed.
"Ruby, I need you to focus on me." Harriet instructed. "Try to lift your legs into the air."
Ruby nodded sharply. "Yang, you're crushing my arm."
"Shit, sorry!" Yang let go of Ruby's upper arm, taking a step back as she watched her sister painfully pull her knees upward, the prosthetics twitching below her.
Harriet knelt down. "Now, I'm going to guide your feet to the ground. When you're ready, let your legs drop, slowly." Ruby nodded, holding still until Harriet's hands audibly clicked against her prosthetic ankles, and carefully released the tension in her legs until they met the ground.
"You're doing great Rubes." Yang encouraged.
"Thanks Yang...I'd give you a thumbs up but…" Ruby smiled.
"Baby steps Ruby." Harriet cautioned. "At your pace, try to put a little pressure on. The tingles will settle as your brain gets used to the signals.
Ruby nodded, taking a shaky breath. She felt keenly aware of the eyes on her as she relaxed her arms a little, flaring the pain in her legs. It was frustrating. She understood the theory, nerve stimulation to simulate the existence of real nerves on her knees and feet. Her body was still trying to associate them, and despite various trials, nothing had beaten the effectiveness of physical rehab. But understanding just made it all the more irritating, as if knowing the science meant it should not be so confusing for her brain. Every bit of pressure felt like pain and revulsion, her body rejecting its future. But her future was her choice. She let her arms go slack and grit her teeth as the pain flared.
"Ruby, slowly." Harriet warned.
"I'm fine." Ruby insisted.
"You got this Rubes!" Yang cheered.
Yeah, yeah I do and you'll never let me forget it. Ruby felt her legs shudder as she straightened her back, pushing more weight onto her legs. The sensation pulsed with each beat of her heart, but they did not feel so bad now. She took several deep breaths, in through the nose, out through the mouth, over and over until the pain became a dull throb, deep within her bones. "I think I'm ready."
"Don't put too much pressure on them for long." Harriet instructed. "The dust treatments will accelerate healing, but we don't want to place too much stress on the implants yet." Ruby nodded, placing her hands back on the guide rails and easing off a little. The tingles came back briefly, but they lacked bite, thrumming numbly beneath the surface of her skin. She shot Yang a smile, and her sister grinned back, visibly relaxing. "Now, I want you to lift one leg, and try to manipulate the joints of your knee and ankle."
Ruby obeyed, lifting her right let, noting a slight ache had developed in her upper leg, though it faded after a moment. She focused on the dangling prosthetic, twitching slightly in the air. Again, the logic was sound but the execution was never going to be so simple. Think, kicking…
"Good, response is there." Harried encouraged. "Don't worry if it seems sluggish. Remember, they're tuned to be gentle."
"It feels weird." Ruby described. "It feels like something is tugging on me, but I also kinda' feel...like my foot is touching something...sort of…"
"In trying to figure out the best way to simulate awareness, they ended up settling on forms of pressure." Harriet explained. "It helps to always be aware of a limb than to sometimes feel nothing at all." Ruby slowly swayed her leg back and forth a dozen times, flexing her ankle a little less consistently. "How does it feel? The same or different?"
"Lesser, the feedback feels lesser, like it's coming from a distance, on a lag." Ruby indicated.
"Hmm, could be a calibration error." Harriet surmised. "It's common, especially with training limbs. The docs don't usually bother with synching until you've got your permanent prosthetics."
"So no tap dancing?" Ruby asked.
"Maybe later." Harriet replied.
"Yay." Ruby deadpanned.
"For now...let's practice those movements with a bit of pressure." Harriet added.
"Bet you can't make it to the end of the rails." Yang challenged.
"Yang-" Harriet started.
"Bet I can kick your ass with no legs." Ruby shot back.
"Let's try and take things slow, okay?" Harriet insisted.
"I've never been really good with slow." Ruby noted.
"Then at least be gentle." Harriet sighed. "You're going to make it eventually. You don't want to risk stress fractures."
"I know." Ruby relented.
"Good." Harriet praised. "When you're ready, try and take your first step."
Ruby took a deep breath, and moved.
Ruby groaned as the second prosthetic came free. The seams of the connections ached and anchors in her bones stung. Harried had given her a painkiller to swallow, but she knew the pain would only get worse over time. But it was worth it. She had managed three laps of the rails.
"As far as sessions go, this is a great start, but you need to take it easy until next time." Harriet cautioned. "Keep as much pressure off your implants as possible and let the doctors know if you feel any irregular pains."
"I'll try and hold back on the jumping jacks." Ruby laughed.
"If you're that desperate for activity, the wheelchair is harmless." Harriet advised.
"If we can find a second we could race." Yang suggested. "The hallway outside your room makes a full circuit, and there's a wicked chicane by the nurse's station."
"I don't think Ms. Schnee would appreciate that." Harriet warned.
"As long as we don't break anything, she might even enjoy watching." Ruby grinned.
Their attention was drawn by the gym door thumping open, and a short redhead barging inside, her coat once again closed over whatever getup she had chosen to wear today. "For a gal with no legs you sure get around!" Nora cheered.
"Hey Nora." Ruby chuckled.
"Oh, this is Nora?" Yang quirked her brow.
"Hey big sis." Nora greeted. "You've been too busy to meet little old me?"
The hot showers sprung to life, filling the ivory tiled area with thick steam. Ruby sat in her chair, top hanging loosely in her hands as she stared at the sight before her. It was surreal in a way, watching Nora stripped to her bright pink lingerie. She seemed so comfortable, so at ease. All Ruby could feel were butterflies in her stomach as she took in every curve of her body. It was so similar to her own, once upon a time, powerful, thick thighs supporting a bubbly rear, just the right amount of softness to her stomach as she turned to smile back at her.
"You okay Ruby?" Nora asked, feet splashing in the water as she stepped out.
Ruby could not help but watch the bounce of her chest and swallowed. "Yeah, just spacing out a little." She felt her heart throb as Nora lowered herself to kneel before her.
"Hey, it's okay if you're uncomfortable." Nora soothed. "I know it's a little weird."
"No, it's not that." Ruby chuckled, shaking her head. "Just...haven't showered with someone in a while...you're really pretty."
"Aw, thanks Ruby, I think you're pretty too." Nora playfully stroked her cheek as Ruby blushed, nerves not settling at all. "Would you prefer I keep my underwear on?"
"I don't mind." Ruby shook her head. "It's up to you."
"Ruby…" Nora started.
"Could you help me with my shorts?" Ruby requested.
"Of course, here." Nora moved her hands to the hem of Ruby's shorts, gently tugging the fabric down and over the curve of her rear. Ruby felt a pang of self-consciousness when Nora passed over the implants. "You okay?"
"I uh...haven't shaved in...in a while, it grows quick." Ruby blushed deeper, hands ringing the fabric in her grasp. "I'm kinda' a mess right now."
"Well, it's a good thing Nurse Nora is here to take care of you." Nora smiled. "Anything you need, okay?"
"You've got Jaune to take care of, Nora." Ruby hesitated.
"Jauney gets me every morning, and every night I'm not here, and sometimes a few other times a day." Nora giggled. Ruby could not help but join, but froze as Nora once again cupped her cheek, both of them this time. "You're not being selfish Ruby. I won't pretend to know everything going on in your pretty little head, but you're my friend, and I wanna' be here for you. If that means just giving you a little help, or a lot of help, it's up to you, but don't be afraid of being selfish.
Ruby felt her eyes sting as her heart ached, and a familiar heat flared within her body. "You really think I'm pretty?" She whispered, though with the lump in her throat it came out as more of a whimper.
Nora merely grinned wider. "I think you're beautiful." Ruby choked, averting her gaze as the rush of emotions overpowered her. She felt Nora's hands slide down to her shoulders, rubbing soothingly. "From the tips of your hair to the ends of your stumps, you're beautiful Ruby, and anyone who'd say otherwise is a big dummy."
"Guess I've been a dummy then." Ruby wiped her eyes.
"We're all dummies sometimes." Nora soothed. "We just need someone to remind us how things really are. Now, underwear on or off?"
"Off please." Ruby answered.
"Yay." Nora reached behind both herself and Ruby, unclipping both of their bras in a single practiced motion. Ruby laughed and felt the heat rise in her chest as she shrugged the garment from her arms. Her panties came next, with another sudden flush of embarrassment as the situation became clear. The usual patch of hair had grown into a thicket since her last shave. "Gorgeous. You sure you want to get rid of it? I know mine drives Jauney wild."
Ruby shuddered at the hungry gleam in Nora's eyes, and the thought of Jaune staring down at her all the same. "M-maybe just a trim then?" Her thighs rubbed together in a poor attempt to quell the ache between.
"Don't worry." Nora grinned. "When I'm done with you, you'll never wanna' go back."
Gods Ruby hoped so. "I can see why." She giggled, leaning forward so the hot water could cascade over her head, sighing as the heat eased the ache in her shoulders. Her arms were weaker than she thought, and supporting her weight had taken its toll. She stretched, pushing the long locks of wet hair back as her back arched...and suddenly found herself falling back. Her heart leapt into her throat and she began to flail for balance, only for strong arms to wrap around her and a warm chest to press against her back.
"You okay?" Nora's cheerful voice asked.
Ruby let out the breath she was holding, slumping in the embrace. "I forgot about weight distribution."
"Well, you did lose a few pounds." Nora joked.
"Among other things. "Ruby wiggled her stumps, giggling as Nora's laughter mingled with the shower steam.
"Well as your personal nurse, it's my duty to assist you during your rehabilitation." Nora declared matter-of-factly. Her arm lifted to show a bar of soap. "That being said, if I'm going too far…"
"No, I mean you're not…" Ruby felt hyper aware of the warmth surrounding her, the strong arm around her stomach, the thighs beneath her rear. "I don't mind at all."
"Great!" Nora spread her legs and Ruby fell to the floor with a splash. She laughed as Nora lightly tickled her ribs, rubbing the bar of soap across her skin to form a lather. Nora's legs framed her stumps like an odd mockery, but she could not help but lapse into reverie as she body was caressed in ways she had not experienced since her brief tryst with Neon. Innocent though it may be, the feelings her touch starved body reveled in and Nora's little comments were not helping. "Lovely skin...oh hey, a freckle! That's a cute one. Hey, there's no shame in growing out all your hair. I know Jaune likes the wild look whenever it comes, and these boobs are the perfect size-"
Ruby moaned as Nora's fingers brushed past her nipples, their fellows freezing, squeezing the swell of her breast with only the hint of firmness. She tried to respond, to say anything to excuse her reaction. "Nnngh." She keened, gasping for breath she had not realized was needed, and craning her neck to bury her eyes in Nora's own. "Nora."
"Y'sure?" Nora whispered, barely audible.
"Yeah." Ruby croaked.
Nor planted a peck on her forehead and continued, her hands slowly kneading sensitive flesh, lightly stroking hardened nubs, drawing twitches from the helpless girl and inciting a flame below that ached and pleaded for attention. "Those Spring worshippers got something right, the human body is a temple." She spoke into Ruby's skin, planting kisses along her shoulder. "And I love to worship." Ruby bit her lip, failing to stifle a moan as Nora's fingers softly pinched at her nipples, rolling them lightly before finally letting them go free. "You should ask Pyrrha about it sometime." Her hands moved on, splaying over Ruby's stomach, creeping their way down. "She gets really passionate. It's...inspiring."
Ruby spread her thighs as Nora's hands gripped them, fingers carving trails through the sore flesh, the throbbing between them far more agonizing than any stressed muscles. She whined in frustration.
"She taught me the value in patience, waiting for the perfect moment." Nora continued. Ruby froze as her right hand brushed past the damp hair below. "To savor every second…" She swore she saw stars as her lower lips were teased by a single finger. "Before the climax."
Ruby let out a choked moan as Nora's fingers came together, three of them caressing her swollen, sensitive nethers, brushing past a sensitive nub tastefully, just enough to draw desperate twitches as Ruby's hands found purchase in Nora's thick thighs. She no longer held back the sounds that escaped from her throat, three fingers somehow more stimulating and overpowering than the entirety of Neon's rough tongue. She could hardly think, hardly move, and hardly registered her orgasm until awareness returned to her. The streaming of water filled her ears, and the warm lips upon her cheek grounded her once more.
"You okay?" Nora asked softly.
Ruby let out a breathless laugh, lazily turning her head to meet the bright blue gaze. "I wanna' thank you."
"Y'sure?" Nora asked.
Ruby craned her neck and met Nora's lips once more.