Chapter 49
"I know you're eager, but don't overdo it." Blake cautioned. "There's only so much leg left to cut off if you do more damage."
"Your bedside manner could use a little work." Ruby chuckled as she ruffled her own hair with a towel.
"Isn't it better to just get to the point?" Blake countered. "Why waste time sugar-coating and dancing around the subject." She stepped behind Ruby and slipped her own arms under the girl's. "Up you go."
Ruby giggled and wiggled her stumps as Blake lifted her off the bench, carrying her from the shower to her bed. "Nothing wrong with some sugar." Ruby joked.
"I'm putting you on a diet." Blake deadpanned, placing her charge on the edge of the bed. She had watched Ruby's latest physical therapy session, then helped her shower and get dressed afterwards. Being around Ruby helped Blake take her mind off other, less pleasant matters. "Need help with your hair?"
"No, I got it." Ruby replied as she ran a brush through the still damp locks.
"Is there anything I can get you?" Blake inquired. "Food? Drink?"
"I'm good." Ruby declined. "And you've done more than enough for me already today."
"I find I can never do enough for you." Blake observed. "You seem to have that effect on people."
"It's like having the lamest super power." Ruby whined.
A quick knock at the door drew the pair's attention. Weiss stood in the doorway, a smile on her face. "May I come in."
"Only if you give me a hug!" Ruby reached out her arms.
Weiss rolled her eyes and complied, meeting Ruby's embrace. "How was PT?"
"Good!" Ruby cheered. "Harriet says I'll be walking in no time. Just as soon as the implants are stable. How's your day been?"
"Quite alright." Weiss answered. "Do you have anything else scheduled today?"
"Nope." Ruby shook her head.
"Then, if you're feeling up to it, Winter has asked to meet you." Weiss explained. "She's very eager to meet the girl who saved her sister's life."
"I didn't really save your life." Ruby shrugged. "I just blew up a little."
"I told her you'd say...not that, but something like it." Weiss noted. "She'd like to meet you all the same."
"Okay." Ruby agreed. "Blakey, piggyback!" Blake glared at her, though there was a certain softness to the look.
"I brought a wheelchair with me." Weiss gestured to the open door. "I'll bring it in."
"I can carry her that far." Blake offered.
"Yay!" Ruby exclaimed. "Blakey-back ride!" Blake huffed but crouched down before Ruby all the same, allowing her to latch onto her back for the short journey to the hallway.
Weiss held the door open as Blake pushed Ruby's chair into the room. Ruby gasped at the sight before her. A nurse stood beside Winter, wrapping fresh bandages around her torso. Long, crimson gashes were visible across her exposed skin.
"Oh, s-sorry we didn't realize…" Weiss stammered. "I should have knocked. We'll come back-"
"It's fine." Winter interrupted. "She'll be done shortly." She fixed her gaze on Ruby. "Sorry you had to see this. I'm sure you'd rather not have."
"I-it's okay, don't apologize." Ruby managed.
Weiss cleared her throat. "Ruby, meet my sister Winter. Winter, Ruby."
"It's a pleasure." Winter greeted.
"Nice to meet you." Ruby responded.
The nurse finished wrapping the bandages and secured the end. "All set. Do you need anything Ms. Schnee?"
"No, thank you." Winter replied. The nurse bowed politely and departed.
"We'll just step out and let you two chat." Weiss suggested. She took a step toward the door, but Blake did not. Her eyes remained fixed on Winter. "Blake."
"Sorry." Blake stepped back, managing to pry her gaze away to turn to Weiss. "I'll be right outside Ruby. Just give a shout when you're ready to leave."
Weiss led Blake into the hall and the pair walked far enough to be out of the guards' earshot before sitting on a bench. Blake took off the knit cap that had been hiding her ears and slipped it into her pocket. She stared at the floor, hands on her hips. Weiss sat beside her, studying her. Something was obviously wrong.
"I didn't think you were squeamish." Weiss finally spoke after almost a minute of silence.
"I'm not." Blake countered. "I've seen far worse…"
"Then what's wrong?" Weiss asked. "Don't say nothing. You're very obviously thinking about something."
"The incisions…there's..." Blake started, searching for the words and not finding them.
"What about them?" Weiss pressed.
"The pattern...I think I've seen it before." Blake replied. "On someone I once knew."
"Another victim?" Weiss asked. "Is there a meaning?"
"In a manner of speaking, but not like Winter." Blake clarified. "What do you know about the White Fang's history?"
"Less than I should." Weiss admitted. "It's difficult to find any solid information. Just that they started as a Faunus rights protest group, then got violent, lost a civil war in Menagerie, then started another one in Mistral."
"Sienna Khan was once their leader." Blake explained. "And my mentor. Back when they got violent. One of her her Faunus traits was tiger stripes. What they did to your sister...they look the same. I'd have to see more to be sure, but…"
"Do you think there's some meaning to it?" Weiss inquired.
"I don't know." Blake sighed. "The Fang labeled her a traitor, murdered her. I even believed she was..." She took a shaky breath. "I don't know if they're trying to send some kind of message or if they just thought it would be a fun torture. If it is a message...it's like it was calculated to get under my skin."
"Do you think they know about you?" Weiss asked.
"No." Blake shook her head. "They would have acted already if they knew where I was and what I was doing. Maybe it's…" Blake paused. She lifted her head to look toward Weiss. "Might be meant for Ilia. To make sure she stays on side, threaten her with what'll happen if she doesn't." Blake slumped. "Or it could mean something else entirely. Or nothing. I just don't know."
"I'm sorry Blake." Weiss placed a hand on Blake's own.
"For what?" Blake turned to face her.
Weiss hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "I don't know. I'm just...I'm sorry."
"Again, I'm sorry you had to see that." Winter repeated.
"I'm sorry you have to feel it." Ruby added.
"Indeed." Winter nodded. "Fortunately the doctors have insisted on pumping me full of all kinds of wonderful chemicals so I don't have to feel it as much."
"You say that like you'd rather suffer." Ruby observed.
"I prefer a clear head." Winter declared. "Even if that means additional discomfort." She paused. "But that's neither here nor there. I didn't want to meet you so we could chat about war wounds and narcotics. I want to get to know the girl who saved my sister."
"I didn't do much." Ruby shrugged. "I just clumsily dropped a box that happened to contain a bomb."
"It may have been by chance, but you saved Weiss all the same." Winter insisted. "And I'm sure you took good care of her beforehand as well."
"I like to think I was a pretty good assistant." Ruby allowed.
"I'm told the incident hasn't had much of an apparent effect on you." Winter continued. "Is there a reason for that?"
"Well, I was dealing with leg problems before that, so having my legs blown off meant being in less pain." Ruby managed an uneasy chuckle. "Plus I came here to work on prosthetics. They're just fascinating, and now I get a set of my own. The practical experience is sure to come in handy."
"An inspiring outlook." Winter smiled. "My sister is fortunate to have you as a friend."
"I'm the fortunate one." Ruby scoffed. "She's done so much for me, even before the incident. Now she's giving me a luxury apartment at no cost, covering all the medical bills, and my prosthetics will be cutting edge. I didn't even have to ask for any of it."
"I'm sure she'd give you a yacht too if you asked nicely." Winter joked. "Though maybe you'd prefer a private jet."
"I always wanted to travel." Ruby giggled. "But right now I'm more focused on my recovery and getting to work. I've been dying to do the job I moved here for, and now that the project's starting I'm stuck in the hospital. Then the doctors want me to stay home for a few weeks to rest. I've done enough resting for a lifetime."
"I know the feeling." Winter commiserated. "The last time I was wounded I just wanted to get back in the field. To be honest, even after everything that's happened, I still do...but that's no longer an option. It seems my military career is-" She cut herself off, not wanting to bring down the mood any more than she already had. "No, now isn't the time to dwell on such things. The last time I was laid up, I checked myself out of the hospital two weeks before they said I'd be ready and forced my way back to the front. I'm not suggesting you do anything so extreme, but a return to work a bit sooner than recommended might not be a bad idea."
"I don't need any encouragement." Ruby agreed. "I'll be back as soon as I can convince Weiss and Pyrrha." She hesitated. "I know you said we shouldn't dwell on it, but even if you're done being a soldier, I'm sure you'll find something else you'll love doing. It's never too late to start a second career. I grew up thinking I was going to be an athlete, and even after I busted my leg, I probably could have. I wasn't sure I'd be happy giving it up, but it was totally worth it."
"Maybe so." Winter spoke. "I certainly haven't given up." She shifted, turning her torso as much as she dared to reach for something on the bedside table. She picked up a small object with tissue paper folded around it. "I have a gift for you."
"I couldn't possibly accept anything." Ruby resisted. "Your sister's already given me too much."
"Don't worry, it's not something fabulously expensive." Winter smirked. "Though if you ever need something fabulously expensive, don't hesitate to ask. I didn't want to get you some bauble. You saved my sister, you deserve something with meaning. Please, take it." She held out the object.
Ruby hesitated for a moment but rolled her wheelchair closer to the bed, taking hold of the gift. Whatever was hidden by the paper was small, flat and flexible. She peeled back the tissue paper to reveal a woven patch showing a minimalist depiction of a woman holding a sword aloft. "What is it?"
"A unit patch, Seventh Special Operations." Winter replied. "Maiden's Wrath. A few of the guys started calling it Winter's Wrath as a joke at my expense."
"Your unit patch...I can't take this from you." Ruby protested.
"Don't worry, it's not one-of-a-kind, you're not taking an irreplaceable keepsake from me." Winter explained. "The Wrath protects Atlas, you protected my sister. Consider yourself an honorary member."
"That's...I...it's an honor." Ruby stammered, tears welling in her eyes. "I really don't know what to say."
Winter smiled, tears seeming to gather in her eyes as well. Then she took a deep breath and her easy, calm demeanor returned. "I think that's enough sentimentality for one day."
Yang was still not quite comfortable with the weapon. It just did not feel or look right to her. The feel probably came down to the composite structure, which made the pistol light and gave it an odd texture. The look was due to the integral suppressor, which formed a boxy protrusion under the barrel in front of the trigger. It seemed more like a toy or a movie prop, but it was a very real, very deadly weapon, the one she would be carrying while protecting Weiss.
Elm had given Yang the day off from the usual intensive physical training to give her the opportunity to practice with the pistol. Yang was trained in the use of firearms, though she had never carried one as part of her earlier jobs, or even personally for self defense. She had the basic procedures and safety precautions down, but needed work on the actual shooting. The SDC's basement shooting range was an ideal place to practice. The programmable targets would add some challenge and realism to the task, but that would come later. For now she needed to work on basic marksmanship.
Yang slid a magazine into the pistol, angling the weapon down and away from her as she pulled back the slide to chamber a round. She raised the weapon, aiming at the circular target positioned 25 meters away. After taking a few breaths, she squeezed the trigger, sending a shot downrange. The weapon produced a sound more akin to a slamming door than a gunshot, the suppressor and subsonic ammunition dampening what would otherwise have been a deafening crack. As it was, only minor ear protection was required. One carefully aimed shot at a time, Yang proceeded to empty the magazine. She then checked that the gun was unloaded before placing it on the table before her.
At the press of a button, the target slid toward Yang, bringing it close enough that she could see where her shots had landed. Her performance had been fairly good. Every shot save one fell within the "8" ring and most were within the "9" ring. Of course that was to be expected when she took her time and carefully lined up every shot. It would be much harder to produce such a grouping while firing rapidly or taking on moving targets.
"Not bad." Pyrrha commented. Yang spun around to see the redhead leaning against the wall near the entrance to the range. "I assume this isn't your first time shooting."
"You assume right." Yang confirmed. "So what brings you to the shooting range?"
"Ruby told me you'd be down here." Pyrrha answered. "She's always spoken very highly of you."
"She probably oversells me." Yang chuckled.
"She certainly has a way of zeroing in on the best in people." Pyrrha observed. After a brief pause she gestured toward Yang's gun. "Do you mind if I fire a few rounds?"
"Do you know what you're doing?" Yang asked.
"I do." Pyrrha confirmed.
"Knock yourself out." Yang stepped aside.
Pyrrha picked up one of the loaded magazines on the table. "Subsonic, copper jacketed bismuth rounds. Not what I'm used to but it'll have to do." She put the magazine down and tapped a few buttons on the range control tablet. "I haven't done this in a while." She loaded the gun and chambered a round. After pressing the start button, she took up her stance and waited. After a few seconds a loud BEEP pierced the silence as five circular targets popped up at 25 meters. In a flash Pyrrha fired five shots before another tone sounded and the targets began sliding forward for inspection. She removed the magazine and drew back the slide, ejecting the round in the chamber and rendering the gun safe before returning it to the table.
"That was…wow…" Yang managed.
"I could have done better." Pyrrha lamented as she examined the targets. Three of her shots had pierced the "10" rings, the other two "9" rings.
"Where did you learn to shoot like that?!" Yang exclaimed. "Were you in the army or something?"
"The Marines." Pyrrha corrected. "But that's not where I learned to shoot. I trained for shooting competitions."
"I bet you won a lot of 'em." Yang surmised.
"I certainly did." Pyrrha smiled. "Though my gold in the Modern Pentathlon at the Armed Forces Games is my proudest achievement."
"Huh-what now?" Yang blinked. "I know what the Modern Pentathlon is, but Armed Forces Games?"
"It's a Mistrali tradition." Pyrrha explained. "Every two years the best athletes from each branch compete in the Armed Forces Games. I'm proud to say my medals helped the Marines to victory that year, though it was a bit of a blowout."
"That's incredible!" Yang cheered.
"My achievements are a bit hollow I'm afraid." Pyrrha sighed.
"How so?" Yang inquired.
"Because of my status as an elite athlete, I was not permitted any front-line service." Pyrrha lamented. "I won my medals on the field of athletics. While others were earning them on the field of battle, I was assigned to a posting as a prosthetics mechanic far behind the lines. While people like Ren were out there risking their lives, I was being coddled. It's my deepest regret."
"Oh...that's a bummer…" Yang trailed off, not really sure how to respond. To her, a posting away from the front sounded like a good gig, even if it was a boring one. She decided to shift the focus. "Ren served too?"
"With distinction." Pyrrha declared, a smile returning to her face. "He was a medical officer with the Army Corps of Engineers. The convoy he was traveling in was ambushed, and he risked his life to save another soldier, leaving cover to drag a wounded soldier to safety while under sniper fire. He was awarded the Winter Star for valor and the Civic Crown for saving the life of a fellow soldier."
"Sounds like you're quite the power couple." Yang noted.
"You could say that." Pyrrha laughed.
"How did you meet?" Yang queried.
"We actually met at a party while we were still in the military." Pyrrha replied. "Both of us had been invited along with a handful of other soldiers to honor...our respective medals." She almost whispered the last bit. "It was a long night, with lots of handshakes and excessive praise. It was exhausting, and we both happened to duck away to the same place at the same time in our bids to escape the spotlight, and ended up talking about what had brought us there and what we wanted to do with our lives. We had a lot in common, and Ren certainly impressed me, so we agreed to meet up again when the chance arose, and managed a few dates, if you can even call them that, then our enlistments ended at about the same time and we decided to go on a pilgrimage together. We've been together ever since."
"Damn, I wish I could have a relationship like that." Yang sighed wistfully.
"You will." Pyrrha encouraged. "The perfect partner for you is out there somewhere, and you'll find them eventually."
"You seem pretty sure of that." Yang challenged.
"Have faith Yang." Pyrrha insisted. "The Maidens will guide you."