"I do hope you realize that you can't defeat me." Her heels clacked across the tiled floor, and he knew she was right. He was splayed across the floor, coughing up blood as he tried to crawl away from her. His movements were stopped as her heel slammed down on his back, and he could feel it attempting to puncture his skin. "The power of our daughters... Where are they?"
"Gone," he murmured, his voice barely strong enough to reach her ears. He was going to die, but it was okay. As long as the powers their daughters held were out of her hands, then the world still had a chance. "I won't tell you where they are." If she were to have their powers, and to recover the relics, then all of humanity would be doomed. He felt that it was his responsibility to save them, even if they didn't know they needed saving.
"I didn't expect you to." She kicked him over, making him look up at her. "You always were the best of this world's heroes." To his surprise, he could see her crying, black streaks running down her cheeks. "This world cannot be saved, Ozma. We could have ruled it together. You, me, our daughters..." Her breath hitched for a second. then she was as angry as before. "But you could not see that humanity needs to be ruled over. By themselves, they are helpless: cowardly, greedy, empty. They could not live without their precious Gods," she spat out bitterly. "How can they live without us?"
"I believe in humanity. They are stronger than you think." He would not give up on them. Even if he had to give up what felt like the perfect life, he knew that he had to do this. Humanity was worth fighting for.
"Then you shall die for them." Her hand became encased in black, and soon too did his vision. He just hoped that he could stop Salem before it was too late.
There was nothing better than being an adventurer. Actually, her specific circumstances were even better than being a normal adventurer. She got to cross the planes of Remnant with her big sister, whom she loved so much, and get into a lot of crazy situations with the one person she trusted to watch her back. Speaking of 'back', she had her arms wrapped around Yang's back as they rode across the pristine grasslands. She no longer squealed like a kid while feeling the wind rushing across her body, but she maybe thought about doing it every so often. Riding on a motorcycle was cool, okay?
"Are we almost there?" she screamed against the wind, grumbling to herself as she stared at Yang's shoulder. If only Yang was shorter, then she could actually see the map on her scroll that was firmly attached between the handlebars. Alas, her sister was an amazon, and she was short. It was not a helpful combination.
"Yeah! Look up ahead!" She craned her neck and gasped. The mountains were a lot closer than she had realized. Maybe she had zoned out without realizing it. Well now she was wide awake, vibrating with excitement. They had heard tale of a white dragon living near the top of the Atlesian Peaks. Just knowing that there was a chance such a beast could be living within those mountains excited Ruby beyond belief. Yang had agreed to go up there because apparently all dragons hoarded treasure, and such a find would set them up for life. For Ruby, however, it was about the experience. She had never seen a dragon in person before, and likely never would again. If she could see one, maybe even talk to one, that would be so epic!
They made it to the foot of the mountains, where several wooden buildings had been erected. A few people were milling around, all of them turning to stare at the motorcycle that had suddenly come screeching into their midst. Yang pushed down her sunglasses like a badass, shooting a wink to the prettiest girl she saw in the crowd. They didn't react, as if they hadn't even seen how cool she was. "Tch, shame," she muttered to herself, elbowing Ruby to let her know it was time to get off the bike. The two of them hit the grass, with Yang rolling the bike towards what appeared to be the service station.
"Excuse me, do you have any guides left?" Ruby held onto the piece of wood sticking out in front of a pane of glass, bouncing on her toes. She couldn't keep the smile off her face, which seemed to somewhat confuse the woman behind the glass. Maybe she thought Ruby was a crazy person, or that she was too young to be making any kinds of decisions, so she immediately turned to Yang. That deflated Ruby's ego instantly. She wasn't a kid, darnit! This was a transaction she could make on her own!
"We're wanting to climb to the peak, so we need two experienced guides to help us get there." She flashed the woman a big, pearly-white smile, and Ruby rolled her eyes. It was so easy for Yang to butter people up because of how good she looked and how charismatic she was. Meanwhile, Ruby was stuck sitting at the loser's table hiding behind Yang while hoping someone would take her seriously. She really was trying to get better at interacting with other people. She had totally talked to that woman without stumbling or stammering once! And yet, she had been ignored. Ugh... "And..." Yang's voice dropped to a whisper, leaning in conspiratorially. "We're looking to find the dragon, so the assistants gotta be prepared for that."
"Ah." The woman quirked an eyebrow, shaking her head. "Alright, sign these waivers." She took two pieces of paper off of a pile and passed them through a thin slit at the bottom of the glass, sneaking a pen through as well. "This just says we are not responsible for any injuries or death that may occur up there, whether from the mountains or any dragons. You take full responsibility for anything that might happen to you." Looking at each other, Yang and Ruby shrugged before signing the waivers. It wasn't like they had a choice. They passed the papers back, then the money for the guides.
The woman nodded and took the Lien necessary for the hires, then handed them two keys. "Leave anything you don't want to lose over in your lockers. There's a changing room with the gear you'll need. The guides will be ready for you in twenty minutes." Thanking her, the two of them headed for the lockers, where they emptied out their pockets of anything that wouldn't be necessary for the climb. Ruby quickly shot a text off to their dad, telling him they were heading up the mountain, not to worry about them, and that she loved him very very much. Oh, and that Yang loved him too. She had just already put her phone away.
Twenty minutes later, and they were as prepared as they could be. They were dressed up in thick jackets and snow boots, with large packs strapped to their backs. Yang's was bigger, but that was just because she was more muscular. At least her arms were covered by sleeves so she couldn't flex on Ruby again. Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts out of her mind as they met their guides at the foot of the mountain. Neither of them said much, and when they did it was in a thick Atlesian dialect. At least, she thought it was Atlesian. It didn't sound exactly right, but she wasn't familiar enough with those richy richies to say anything. She couldn't understand them anyway, and their Valian accents probably sounded weird to them too. Maybe just Yang's. Ruby was proud to sound pretty much normal to most people all over the planet.
They set off, ice picks in hand and their spiky snow boots stabbing into the mountainside. It was initially not too bad, but it was always easiest at the beginning. By the time they reached base camp, the cold had gotten right through their thick winter clothes. Both of them were shivering, but neither was planning on turning tail and heading back. In fact, despite the adverse conditions, they both were smiling at each other when they reached the camp. Or, rather, they were probably smiling. Their scarves were covering their mouths, so it was inferred.
"That was refreshing!" Yang crowed as she sat down on her pack, crowding around a fire that had been set up by the other group of guides that had made it there before them. Four climbers were already around the fire, along with the guides, but they scooted closer together to let Yang and Ruby in. "I've climbed a mountain before, but never a snowy one. Check that one off the bucket list." She stretched out her arms, placing her gloved hands as close to the fire as possible without risking them catching fire.
"It makes you feel alive," Ruby agreed, copying her sister's motions. She sighed happily at the feeling of warmth spreading from her fingertips down her arms. Sticking her legs out too, she watched as the snow melted off her boots. It felt like the other climbers were staring at her strangely, but she tried her best to ignore them. She tried to take in every moment from each adventure she went on, from the most exciting parts down to the most minute details. Watching the snow of her first mountain climb melting off the soles of her boots felt relieving in a way. It let her know she was actually doing this. She was a long way away from her simple home in Patch.
They spent a few more hours there, stuffed in their sleeping bags around the fire. It was somewhat uncomfortable due to the lack of room, with a total of ten people trying to keep close enough to not freeze to death. However, the other group left at some point during their sleep, and the two sisters sleepily wriggled themselves into more comfortable positions. Alas, eventually they were awoken by their guides, and they were on the move again.
Naturally, the climb got more treacherous as they went on. The two of them were prepared for that, though. It wasn't as if all their adventures were scenic sightseeing tours. There was some crazy shit going on, and they had to be prepared to fight their way out of tough situations. This particular situation couldn't be gotten through with fists and Ruby's self-made scythe, though. They had to summon every ounce of strength in their bodies to keep going, through the freezing cold and stiffening muscles. It was hard to make any specific facial expressions, but the excitement inside Ruby hadn't been dampened yet. As long as the dragon stayed in her thoughts, she could keep going all the way to the top.
"There's the cave!" One of their guides pointed towards a rockier outcropping, though the wind was blowing fiercely that high up the mountain. The peak was supposed to be in sight, but all the snow being whipped around made it impossible to see. The cave that was being pointed out was basically invisible too. There were rocks, and then nothing. Not even a path. Ruby would've gulped if her throat wasn't so dry. She looked over at Yang, who looked back. Neither of them could see each other's eyes from behind their snow goggles, but they didn't need to. Their sisterly bond gave them a sort of telepathy, or at least that's what Yang had called it when they were little. In that moment, they knew they were going for it.
Their steps were even more cautious than before. With each step, they broke through the haze of hail, seeing a little bit more of the path in front of them. Yang was in the lead, sticking her leg out to see if she could touch solid ground. If she could, then she would move forward, with Ruby right behind her. They figured out through experimentation that the path they were on was existent but small, with only the mountain face for balance. Each of them put a hand on the mountain face, slowly moving along the path until it opened up. When they reached the end, that was when they realized it was the end. There was a larger space for them to stand, with the mouth of a medium-sized cave greeting them.
"It's here,"' Ruby whispered, her voice immediately being whipped away by the wind. Her heart was hammering in her chest, thinking about what she would do if the dragon was actually there. What would she say? It didn't occur to her to dwell on the negatives, like if the dragon wasn't there, or if it was hostile and tried to attack them. Neither of them were armed, so they'd be defenseless. She was an optimist at heart, though, and she wanted to focus on the best case scenario. Yang was more of a realist, but she wasn't giving Ruby pause. Not that either of them could hear each other well without screaming at the top of their lungs.
She was the first one in the cave, and immediately it felt like she was stepping into another world. The snow gave way to brown, rocky walls, reaching up higher than she expected. There was a giant rock on its own near the end of the cave, but besides that there wasn't anything revealing that anything - or anyone - lived there. She frowned, feeling a stab of disappointment at seeing how empty it was. However, she had to admit that for how cold it was, it was better to be in the cave than outside with all the wind and snow.
"Damn, it's cold!" Yang exclaimed, pulling down her scarf and taking a huff from her oxygen tank. "At least there's no snow in here. I wonder where the dragon is." She put her hand above her eyes and scanned the room, looking for anything they may have missed. "Mm, I don't think there's any secret passageways. They'd have to be real big for a dragon anyway." Hearing Yang say it out loud deflated Ruby. The dragon wasn't there. After the days of climbing and desperation for heat and proper oxygen, they were left empty handed. Even with her scarf still over her face, her downcast mood was evident. "Cheer up, Rubes. We could at least climb to the very peak and plant a flag or something."
"Yeah, I guess..." She finally had to pull down her scarf to take a huff of oxygen, and she was noticeably downcast. "I just wanted to talk to a dragon once in my life. I'll never get to be a dragon, you know? I just gotta know what it's like." Yang came over and gently patted her on the shoulder, allowing the two of them to stand there silently for a moment. The only other noise came from the wind outside, and then it came from behind that large rock.
"You wish to speak to a dragon that badly?" Both Ruby and Yang jumped, nearly shocked out of their boots by the voice rumbling through the cave. They both looked at each other, and it was almost like they could see their eyes bugging out of their goggles. Then they turned back to the rock, where something stepped out from behind it. It was... It was a dragon! The first thing Ruby noticed was its eyes: a brilliant shade of icy blue that felt appropriate within the mountainous area they had climbed. Then it was the pure white scales that covered its entire body, fresh as the fallen snow outside. Finally, it was... not as big as she had expected. Sure, it was big, but she would have thought it'd take over that entire part of the cave. Instead, it was able to hide behind the rock, perhaps only seven or eight feet tall.
"Yes! Yes, I really do!" Funny enough, talking to a dragon was easier for Ruby than talking to an actual person. She was probably putting her issues with other people in front of common sense, but that's just how it was for her. Weapons, pets, and creatures all weren't as judgemental or undependable as humans could be, something she knew about all too well. "I have so many questions! How does it feel to fly? What do your scales feel like? How many kinds of elemental dragons are there in the world? Ooh, could I take a picture?! Wait, I couldn't take my phone up here. Shoot..."
"You certainly do have a lot of questions." The dragon made a noise that sounded like a laugh, though she wasn't sure if it was laughing with her or at her. "I will answer your questions, but not here. If I laid here and answered every question the two of you might have, you would certainly freeze to death. Instead, I will answer your questions in Atlas."
"Woah woah woah! You're going to Atlas?! They let dragons into Atlas?!" Yang couldn't keep her mouth shut. Hearing that a dragon was going to answer all of the questions they had ever wanted to ask a dragon in Atlas blew her mind. Wouldn't the press have a field day? The people up there were so uppity from what she had heard. This didn't sound like it could possibly be an everyday occurance.
"Obviously not. I will speak with you in my human form. Honestly, think about what you said." Okay, Ruby was pretty sure they were being critiqued by a dragon. Wild... "In a week, there will be a gala at the Schnee Manor. Be there at six o'clock sharp. I will seek you out. And please be sure to dress proper. It is a fancy gala." She started heading for the entrance of the cave, walking by the two sisters. Despite how they were being talked to, Ruby couldn't help but stare in awe. She was standing only a couple feet away from an actual dragon. This was something she had to tell everyone! She would tell her dang waiter, that's how excited she was.
"Well, that sounds... fun." Yang stood there with her hands on her hips, watching the dragon leave the cave and take flight, disappearing into the snowstorm. "She does realize we're not rich and famous, right? We'll never get into Atlas. Is this really worth all this effort?" She turned to Ruby, who was bouncing on the balls of her feet. Well, that answered that question. "Alright alright. We're going to have to dress up fancy and bluff our way into Atlas. I'm going to have to show some cleavage, alright? It's just something we're going to have to deal with."
"Yeah yeah, I know," Ruby grumbled, looking down at her own chest, hidden beneath layers of warm clothing. She did not luck out on the ladylike department like Yang did. Whatever, though. She didn't need all that stuff getting in the way of her adventuring. "I can't wait to talk to a real dragon! I wonder what they look like as a human." It was hard to keep a good Ruby down for long.
"I'm sure they'll look like a big scary person or something. You know what they say about dragons. Don't worry, though: I'll protect you, Rubes." She did her best to flex in her large jacket, and Ruby rolled her eyes. "Alright, I guess we should get down from here." They were both in agreement on that. As they were leaving the cave, Ruby's boot connected with something. Stopping for a moment, she looked down and her eyes widened in surprise. It was one of the dragon's scales, so brilliantly white that it surely would've been lost in the snow. In the cave, though... Giddy at the discovery, she bent down and scooped it up, only to get shouted at by Yang. "What's the hold up, Rubes?"
"Sorry!" She hurried after Yang, allowing them to leave the cave and head back to their guides. It was hopeless for her to keep her excitement in check, though. She loved collecting souvenirs from their journeys, and this was a doozy of one. It was going straight on the top shelf! This was maybe the most exciting moment of her life. She couldn't wait to go to Atlas!