"Hold," Ruby shouted out while holding up her left fist.
As quickly as her cohorts jumped into the fight, they stood down into a loose fighting stance.
Around 20 bad guys, one totally out from that hit from Yang, six innocents, eight of us and … lots and lots of Dust. Ruby thought as she glances quickly around the small store. Dust in crystals forms sitting in display cases, Dust in tubes along the walls and cylinders of dust laying on the ground that the scum had already stolen. Dust everywhere … all ready to go 'Boom' if anything went wrong. Ah, bloody hell.
And behind the wall of scum was a tall, red head guy in a dapper, white suit, wearing a grin around his smoking cigar. Ruby's nose twitched, expensive cigar, she thought, somewhat impressed. By his smirk, Ruby knew that he knew what she now knew; any fight in this store was inviting an explosion that could level this block of stores and place countless innocents and possibly themselves in sever danger. Ruby wasn't a hundred percent sure they could survive even with their supercharged auras.
"Smart move Red," the man said swing his cane around on his finger. "It would be a shame if there was an 'accident' in here, now wouldn't it?"
"Jaune, Nora; get the civilians to safety," Ruby said, checking on Weiss out of the corner of her eye.
Her white hair partner had the sword the goon dropped after he got slammed across the room by Yang. She also showed Ruby that she had two small display size canisters; one was a red, the other blue Dust. Glance over her way, Weiss gave her a small nod.
"Now, now," the head crook said as an old man scurry past Ruby for the door. "There is no reason to worry about anyone's safety, Red. We almost done here, anyways. So why don't you and your little friends go run home before your mommies and daddies get too worried about you."
"The building is clear," Pyrrha whispered as she took up space on Ruby's left along with Weiss and Yang.
Blake and Ren were on Ruby's right, no one except Weiss was armed but that wasn't going to matter now. Not once they get outside and had more room to maneuver, with less risk of damage to the surrounding buildings or neighbors.
Ruby held both her arms out, making small motions to get her friends to back up slowly towards the door while the creepy gangster smiled and spoke in a soft, silky, and yet, very sinister voice. "After all, I sure you've listen to the news, from time to time, you've all heard stories on the playground; how bad things happen to good little kids who stick their noses in place they don't belong."
Ruby waved Pyrrha outside first, allowing a perfectly even semicircle around the doorway. Giving Pyrrha ten seconds to move, she waved Ren and Blake out next.
"Scatter!" Ruby yelled out, keeping her eye on the master mind as Weiss and Yang ducked out the door. "Well, I guess it is a good thing then, that I am not a good little kid." With that Ruby spun around and burst out the door, leaving behind small, red rose petals.
Roman Torchwick let out a growl, "Well, don't just stand there, go get them."
As his men ran out the entrance, swords high in the air, he let out a frustrated sigh. He knew that his first heist had gone far too smoothly, so now, of course, he was going to pay for it. In spades.
Sure, there was only eight of those kids and their leader looks more like a tiny tart than a serious complication but he only had to look behind him to see one of the hire help still sprawled out and unconscious. Whoever these kids are, they were not your normal kids out for a night on the town.
Most likely, they were this year's crop of goody two shoes hanging out at Beacon. Their heads being filled with useless crap about being the good guys and nonsense about being honorable, which in reality, who cares what they learn. Roman was a firm believer in collage of hard knocks, things you learn in life was superior to anything you learn in a dusty old book.
Deities knows, he didn't give two pennies worth of fucks what they waste their time learning if it wasn't for the fact that as hunters, they had the muscle to back up their claims of moral superiority. He knows, from personal experience, just how damn hard it was to beat a full fledge Hunter, which is why he had so many goons with him, just in case.
How much of a chance does his hired help have against kids? His years as a street criminal told him the answer. Also, the years of surviving on the streets, he knew it was only going to go down from there.
Walking quickly, while trying not to appear nervous, he stepped outside to see exactly what he paid for when he subcontracted these 'gems' of the underworld.
Apparently, not much as he had hope for. And considering how low his expectations for these guys had been, it is hard for him to be surprised. Somehow, they did.
"Pyrrha, catch!" Ruby tossed the long hoe to the Minstrel girl as Pyrrha ran back outside. Ruby had found the improvised weapon in the same hardware store where she found her own weapon. Except, instead of gardening tool, she found a bin full of wooden dowels. Grabbing two of the 3-foot-long sticks, she charged back out to the street, screaming, "Let's go get them!"
"Will you …" Weiss started to say but Ruby battle scream drowned her out.
Ruby spun one of the rods in her left hand as she put on a burst of speed.
Want to defeat the pack, head straight in the middle, Ruby thought to herself as she lashed out the men in the middle of the group. She let out a smirk as the group scattered, just like any group of animals. When she came out the other side, she had to stop as her jaw dropped opened.
The man she had hit was on the ground screaming, his left leg had a part of his femur bone sticking out. Ruby, in one of the stupidities moment of her young life, looked down at the man, then to her weapon then back to the man all the while the battle raged around her.
Ruby was good at hand to hand, she had studied long and hard to be as good as she was, she was also good at using weapons but she had never actually broken anyone's bones. Especially not using anything but her guns.
She felt light headed for a second as she had moment of clarity; shivering as the cool waters of inspiration washed over her.
All warriors are artiest, Ruby reminded herself as Weiss screamed out her name. But they are also scientists!
Spinning around on her left foot, with a grin spreading across her face, all martial arts is leverage! Her instructors drilled it into for years, her small size matter not if she can get a good angle on her opponent. To use their weight and height against them.
Activating her semblance, Ruby launched herself at a knot of bad guys harassing her Snowflake. Ruby was able to get the twin batons in a 'x' to block one guy's swing, twisting his swing to the right and away from Weiss.
Baking a cake and making Explosives is no difference; both are just chemistry. Both require taking different ingredients, which has to be mixed according to a specific recipe, to achieve the desired effects.
Ruby did a quick jog, activating her semblance, while she jabbed the man, who's attack she had blocked, in the gut. She almost grin while hearing him grunt, as well as watching his eyes bulge out of his skull, as he collapsed to the ground.
"Hey, jerk face, don't touch my Snowflake." She whispered out as she deflected another attacker's sword. "Only I get to make her squeal."
"I'm not your … wait," Ruby wiggled her eyebrows as her red face partner used a glyph to toss one of the goons into the side of a building. "Ruby Rose! I must insist that you cease being a degenerate while in battle! And pull down your skirt!"
This time it was Ruby's turn to blush, as she pulled the creeping hem line while ducking another sword, "Didn't like the show?"
"I don't have time to pay attention to you, degenerate."
"Yet," Ruby gave her red face partner a wink before charging up her semblance to help out Blake. "You're the one who noticed my skirt!"
Fighters understand the mechanics of fighting, Ruby reminded herself as she smacked an arm of a baddie sneaking up on Blake, again hearing the unmistakable sound of breaking bones. A true warrior understands the science behind the art. Kinetic energy, Ruby worked hard to contain her giggle, knowing no one would understand why she was so happy. I'm such an idiot! How could I forget the science behind the art of hand to hand fighting? How could I forget Kinetic energy?
The sound of approaching police cars filled her ears as she spun around looking for new targets to take out, especially the big boss. Ruby spotted him driving away in a plain, white box truck, heading away at its best speed. She was ready to chase it down, if Yang hadn't grabbed her arm, stopping her.
"Relax Ruby," Yang said as her eyes return to their normal lilac instead of red. "Let him go, we done what we needed to do, we'll hunt him down later."
Ruby felt her energy drain from her as she looked around the battlefield, all the henchmen were on the ground, either screaming in pain or passed out. Ruby sagged as she put her hands on her knees, feeling more exhausted then she had ever before but pleased beyond words. Sure, Snowflake and her were both soaked in sweat, and Weiss seemed to be sagging in exhausted as well, but she had a wary smile for Ruby when their gaze met briefly. Yang, of course, was chipper and read for more fighting, Ruby gave her a thumb up as Jaune and Nora ran up. The fight had been short and intense but no one important was hurt.
Epiphany has been found and Ruby knew a new day has dawn.
