No way. There was no way. It had only been like, ten minuets, Weiss couldn't.. She couldn't actually miss Ruby's company, could she? No, not possible. Weiss had entered the village, and was mumbling to herself with her arms crossed. She kept her cloak tight over her head, knowing that her snow white hair would stand out like a beacon in this little town. Weiss could see children playing in the roads, adults trading goods in the market, just, people. People living in the moment. How she wished she could feel that safe.

She went up to a fruit vendor, and asked a question. "Is there a guild in this town?" The vendor looked her over, noticing her sword poking out from the side of her cloak.

"Lassie, in case ye hadn't noticed, the tallest building in this place be the church." He peeled away at some exotic looking fruit. "Ye'd have to go further north of here, up to the next town."

Weiss groaned internally. She'd planned on doing some quest at a guild to gain income, something like slaying wolves. That she could do. The town she'd originally planned to go to had a guild, but since a certain red dragon had flown her 15 miles off course she wasn't in said town. Some kid ran by Weiss, bumping her and knocking her pack askew. Her map slipped out, and when she bent down to grab it, something else fell. She retrieved her map, and her.. Fruit?

It was one of those odd fruits Ruby had given her. It was still damp from dragon spit, uhg. The fruit vendor slammed his hand on his cart. "M-missy! How'd ye get your hands on one a' those?" He stared at it expectantly.

"This?" Weiss looked at her fruit. It was, just a fruit. Nothing special about it. "I just–" Was given it by a dragon "–found It. In the woods." Weiss coughed a little.

"Let me buy it. I'll give ya 5, no 10 silver coins!" The vendor whispered.

10 silver for a fruit? "Oh no, you don't want this, its covered in–" dragon spit "–animal spit." Weiss winced at the fruit. "I wouldn't have eaten them if I'd had literally anything else."

"You ate some? Is there more?" The vendor was leaning over his cart now.

"Well, yes, but I think this one just got into my bag by accident, I uh.. Are you SURE you want it?" Weiss didn't see any reason not to sell it to the guy if he wanted it so badly. And, it would get her some money.

The vendor looked about ready to trade his firstborn child for the fruit. Weiss sold it and went on her way. "Did Ruby accidentally give me some super rare delicacy?" she wondered out loud. It was getting dark now, and since she had money, Weiss went to an inn and got a room for the night. Weiss was in a nice warm bed, under a firm roof. Ruby was sleeping in the woods... No! Don't feel guilty! She left on her own! Yeah, after you left her. Aaaahhhggggggggg

Weiss left the inn at about midnight, telling the inkeeper at the front desk that she would be returning within the hour. She complained in a whisper to herself as she marched towards the Forrest. "'Oh no I'm fine leave me here I'm scared of people' then why don't you act like it you DOLT." Weiss returned to the edge of the Forrest. "Ruby?" She called. "Ruby, come out. Come here!" How was Weiss supposed to call a dragon? Whistling? She tried it, but to no avail.

Weiss heard a branch snap, like someone had stepped on it. "Ruby? Is that you? I wanted to–" Weiss certainly did not expect a giant shadow wolf to jump out of the brush at her. tHiS wAs FiNe! She'd trained for this! Weiss whipped out her sword and jumped aside, darting in and out of the wolfs range until she had weakened it enough for a final strike. She plunged her sword into its chest, ending its life. Weiss wiped the sweat off her brow, lowering her hood. The moonlight almost made her hair glow.

She walked back to the inn, pissed that she hadn't found Ruby. She nearly gave the innkeeper a heart attack, slamming the door open and marching back to her room all tattered and covered in blood, after taking a quick bath. She slept until midday the next day. Weiss left her room, and apologized to the innkeeper for scaring her the night before

"May I ask, what you were doing out so late miss?" The innkeeper cautiously asked.

"Looking for a friend. Ran into a shadow wolf." Weiss grumbled.

"In the village?" The innkeeper sounded horrified.

"No, no! I went to the edge of the Forrest, I was yelling for her, so that must have drawn it out."

"You friend was in the Forrest? All night?" The innkeeper looked sorry for Weiss. Yeah, anyone who spends a night in the Forrest would be presumed dead, that's fair. But Ruby was a Dragon.

"Don't worry she's fine. She's sure going to get an earfull when I find her though, that's for sure..!" Weiss left the inn, thanking them for their services. Especially the bath, she didn't envy whoever had to clean it after she'd washed off all that wolf blood.

Weiss spent the day mulling about the town. It seemed, less life-like today? No children playing around. No vendors open. No one. Except, Weiss saw a group of men drinking. She thought it best to avoid them, and certainly tried to, but–

"Heyyy there missy!" Some drunk guy walked in front her. "Not from around here, are we? There's a rule we like to abide by, and that is no~ hoods~!" He reached to pull her hood off, but Weiss stopped him.

The guys friends stood up, and walked over. "You giving our boy here some trouble?" One asked, his hand sliding down to his pocket. Weiss saw him pull out a knife. "Why don't you drop cloak, and any bags you're holding?"

Ah. Weiss had read about this. She was being mugged! and these people didn't seem like natives.. Bandits? That would explian the sudden ghost town like vibe she was getting. Well now, she certainly couldn't have that, now could she? Weiss jumped back, and drew her sword. "What was that you were saying?"

The bandits laughed. "Aw look! She's got a skinny sword! There's more metal on my POCKET KNIFE then that thing missy!" The one with the the knife charged her. Weiss danced around him like a fluttering breeze, and cut his belt wit a quick swipe. His pants fell. That was certainly not Weiss's intention, but was funny nonetheless. She covered her mouth to hide a smile. The knife wielder pulled up his pants, and yelled "Ay! Whoever puts this girl in her place gets to sell her shiny sword! And gets to maybe, take her to the back room for a while."

"Whats THAT supposed to mean?" Weiss held in the barrage of insults she wanted to spew at this guy. A few people in black robes came out of the woodwork. Weiss, certainly had her wok cut out for her...

Now, a wolf she could take. A wild beast was easy. Even a person, maybe two people at once Weiss believed she could best. But 7? 7 people at once, all with the intent of disarming her? Thiiiiis was a problem.

Weiss was able to keep her ground the first few minuets, but quickly grew weary from having to turn and twist every 5 seconds just to stay in one piece. She couldn't keep this up for long. Weiss felt someone grab the back of her hood and pull it down, staring directly into her eyes from behind and above. The woman licked her lips, sending a shudder down Weiss's spine. They were starting to get hits in now. A kick to the ribs. A jab at the leg. Weiss was loosing, badly. She didn't even have time to raise her hood again, let alone think of an escape route. Two people managed to grab Weiss's arms at the same time, stopping her movement. She tried to break free, but her strength lied more in agility, not brute force. Her sword was cast aside a few feet away.

The knife wielder from before leaned down and looked her in the face. "Well looks like its just you and me, hm?"

Weiss spit in his face.

He pulled out his knife, fully ready to stab Weiss. She closed her eyes tightly, and–

CRAASHHHHHH

Her eyes shot open, and were greeted with a sea of red. Blood? No, it was.. "Ruby?!" Weiss yelped.

It seemed that Ruby, fully dragon again, had dropped out of the sky and pinned the guy trying to stab Weiss directly under her foot. She snorted angrily.

[[Weiss! Are you ok?]] Oh woa WHAT was that. Telepathy? This dragon had telepathy?

"What on earth are you doing! You dolt!" She yelled at the dragon.

[[Me? You're the one getting killed by a group of humans! I– ow!]] The guy under Ruby's foot stabbed her toe. she grabbed him by the arm in her mouth, and flung him away. Far, FAR away Weiss noted, as he sailed across the sky and out of sight. Yeah he's dead.

"Listen here you, I tried to find you for hours! Where were you?! Didn't I say to wait?!" Weiss yelled.

Ruby tilted her head, [[you were looking for me?]] Her telepathy sounded bashful.

Weiss grinded her teeth. "No duh! I was worried sick! I mean, I wasn't, worried exactly but, tell me next time you're going to fly off!"

[[You care about me! You do like me!]] Ruby chirped joyfully. Her tail swished back and forth happily, breaking the window of a nearby building.

Weiss heard a cough. She turned, to see the 7 black robed people from before all on the ground, cowering in fear and confusion at this strange scene. A snow white headed girl, having a seemingly one sided argument with a blood red dragon. And somehow, it appeared the dragon was winning.

Weiss picked up her fallen sword. "...We need to leave. Now." She said flatly.

[[why? Its my first time in a human village, maybe we can–]]

"NOW."

Ruby sensed the urgency in Weiss's voice, and picked her up gently in her claws. In a split second, Weiss and Ruby were high in the sky, above the Forrest. The town fading in the distance, a distant memory. But Weiss's mind was occupied by the fact that they were so high! They were flying! She yelped in delight at the new sensation.

Ruby landed softly, and let Weiss down. Weiss had to slap herself a few times to get the smile on her face to go away. Ruby morphed into a human in a puff of smoke. She was still wearing that brown dress from before. "You, really looked for me?" Ruby asked in a soft voice, not looking Weiss in the eyes.

Weiss felt her cheeks redden. "Yes, so?"

Ruby shuffled her feet as she spoke. "The day we met, you ran. I thought we were playing chase, and, you stayed with me in the same place after you woke up from falling. But you only stayed there because you were stuck. And, I guess you were running in fear, not playing, the night before." Ruby whined softly. "I thought you wanted to be friends since you stayed, and you stuck with me after. But was that just because, You were scared? If you want, I'll leave... I'm, sorry.."

Oh... Heart... Shattering... Weiss clenched her chest, it paining her to see Ruby so sad. Why are you so cute dagnabbit– "I was scared." Weiss said bluntly. Ruby winced. "But, after spending a few days with you, you know what? You're not so scary." Weiss reached over and ruffled Ruby's hair. "Do you think I'd have cleaned you up in the river if I just planned to abandon you?"

Ruby was tearing up with relief. "Oh Weissss!" She pounced on Weiss with a hug. "I'm so glad! I was so lonely I didn't wanna go!" she nuzzled Weiss's chest and made happy sounding growls. Weiss tried to push down her blush. "So, we're friends? Really friends? Its not just me?" Ruby's eyes glowed.

Weiss squinted because of how brightly Ruby shone in her joy. "Y, yeah, we're.. friends." Weiss managed to choke our the word.

"Yay! I'm your girlfriend!" Ruby cheered. Weiss almost had a heart attack.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yeah! I'm a girl! And your friend! Girlfriend!" Ruby let go of Weiss, and skipped around merrily.

Ah... Maybe, Weiss would wait on explaining on what that word meant till they reached the next town.. It, had been a long day after all. And hearing Ruby call Weiss her 'girlfriend' made Weiss feel, happy, for some reason. Weiss shook her head. She'd explain it later, definitely. For now, she was completely content with being Ruby's 'girlfriend'. Heh.