Authors Note: Hello my Dark Readers and welcome to the sixth chapter of "Derelicts in Black". First I would like to say thank you to all the readers who have given their free time to give this story a read and a special thanks to all who reviewed, followed, and favorite. Please be sure to review and comment what you think. I'd appreciate the feedback. Whether you like or dislike, it's all welcomed. I hope you favorite and follow. And don't be afraid to ask questions. Now then, I hope you enjoy because it's time to continue the story.
Answering Questions: (If you want your question answered just leave it in the reviews)
To Ladygoddess8: Your observations is keen and I look forward to hearing what you have to say in this chapter.
To Tusbasa0129: Thank you and I hope you have a good summer too when you get out! And yes I felt that the random jump scenes in the canon series didn't show enough ordinary school life before the action so I did it here so anyone can relate haha. And yes I wanted to give audience a taste of what they can expect in the next chapter from the mother's day special.
To Littlest1: I can't wait to hear what you think of this chapter too.
To EndlessChains: Thank you for being a loyal reader. I did want to make a sneak peek with that special and I can't wait to hear what you have to say in the next chapter.
To Wolfgirl: Thank you for your kind words and I appreciate that you like this new way of using these characters together!
To Ishkahrhil: Thank you for constructively giving me advice! I look forward to hearing what else you have in store for me haha and yes I know, I did use some research on the word and I felt it was used in a correct form. But hey I am still learning. Let me know what you think of this next chapter.
To Rey: By pairings do you mean romance? As I have said before, my main focus is not romance but that does not mean it isn't a possibility. Just not right now as I want to create a RWBY story that has friendship and doesn't need romance to grow into a good read like many others. As for the team name and partners…. Well that's a surprise XD
End of Questions: (I answered as best I could, thank you for asking!)
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY; all rights go to the Legendary Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth. I do not also own any of the music that will be shown in the story
Opening Theme: The Brilliant Green: Ash Like Snow, English version
Chapter 6: Secrets
It was now 8:35 in the morning and all 500 freshmen were beginning their individual voyages to their designated locations. Those who were placed in the farthest of sections ventured earlier so they would not risk running late. No one wanted to face the wrath of Professor Goodwitch. It would be suicidal to do so.
Many upperclassmen watched, in amusement, as the freshmen all hustled in the direction of the Emerald Forest and broke off into different areas. The majority had run, others sped walked and a few even flew, all scattering, all nervous. Some were lucky enough to be given tips by some of the older students they knew. Others simply went by the rumors they heard, but most were relatively blind for what is to come.
A few veteran students wished their underlings well but knew not all would come back. Memories of their own test returned with nostalgia and under strict orders, by the headmaster himself, no upperclassman was to reveal any detail of the test.
Without a doubt, it was clear that some freshmen would not be returning the following day. The tension was high and the same thought plagued each freshman's mind: Don't let it be me.
Everyone was practically on edge, some even terrified. Now was a time where anxiety came from the level of stress, pressure, and fear that could only be described as an understatement.
Since the beginning, every applicant, whether passed or failed, had to prove themselves over and over from the previous exams. And alas, it was clear that every test until now was merely a diversion to weed out the unqualified ones first. Perhaps to spare them from the hardship that was to come, or to simply eliminate those who had no place in Beacon.
Overall, it was truly nerve wrecking to know that even being welcomed onto the grounds of Beacon wasn't enough to be considered a full student yet. At least, not until this test was over. The fear of failing now, after making it so far would be more devastating than failing the first test. No one wanted to fail after coming so far. But it was inevitable for some.
As for Ruby, her tension was indeed focused on the test but also elsewhere. Somewhere far worse. At least in her mind, she believed it to be. She walked a brisk pace back and forth, back and forth pondering the situation at hand. She lost track of how many times she passed the small boulder next to her. She just kept pacing, her eyes glued to the ground and her hands behind her back.
Ren, who was silent the whole time, was leaning next to the boulder with his arms crossed. He had been watching Ruby pacing since they arrived and every time he tried to address the situation, he was always cut off.
Ruby pinched the space above her nose, almost tightly as she shut her eyes. If heard close enough, Ren could hear her muttering underneath her breath.
"She was not supposed to be here..."
"Ruby," Ren called out. "I do not know who-"
"And she knows I'm here too… she must have read the list by now..."
"Ruby I really think-"
"How is she here? And in in my section no less?"
"Ruby-"
"How am I going to deal with her now?!"
Ruby pinched the bridge of her nose harder, almost breaking the skin under the pressure. It was then that she felt a hand grip her right shoulder tightly, causing her to cease mobility. She looked up mildly surprised for a few seconds before noticing the hand belonging to Ren.
Instead of standing next to the boulder like he was before, Ren was standing in front of her path. She could feel his breath as he gently let go of her shoulder.
"Ruby," he started, with voice so deep that Ruby believed he was talking slowly. "Who is this Yang Xiao Long?" His tone was low and serious.
At first Ruby said nothing and lowered her head. Ren noticed Ruby fidgeting a bit and gently squeezed her shoulder again.
"If you do not want to talk about it I understand." He sighed. "But your actions are different than they once were."
Again his response was met with silence. Ruby sighed and turned her body completely away from Ren. She gazed out into the emerald forest and was deep in thought.
Right after receiving their list and coordinates, Ruby and Ren immediately left to their designated location so that they can avoid the coming crowds from the dining hall.
Along the walk, Ruby had been muttering to herself the entire time while Ren remained silent, mentally trying to figure out who this Yang Xiao Long was. Although smaller than most students, Ruby was outwalking many in her way. Ren was no slouch either and was able to keep up with the red hooded girl fairly easy.
It took only a few minutes for them to arrive at their location and both were internally captivated by the view. Their coordinates were near one of the tallest cliff sides around the Emerald forest which greeted the two with an ocean view of green as far as the eye could see.
Never in Ruby's life had she wanted to be in the forest as much as she did now. She gazed outwards towards the countless trees with longing eyes. Throughout her life, the forest had always been an escape from her problems. The peace and quiet comforted her, the trees soothed her, and the air refreshed her. Every hardship she had gone through, every trial she had faced and every sadness she experienced; the forest was always there to help clear her mind; and, on occasion, weep in privacy.
Today was no different. The forest would always be where she feels safe and secure.
"Ruby." Ren called again, his tone was now softer.
She still couldn't face him. Instead she sighed again. For the first time in a long while, she didn't know what to say. She angled her head slightly to the right and from the corner of her eye, Ruby could see Ren standing patiently behind her, waiting for her reply.
She could tell he wasn't a man who would drop a topic and secretly, she appreciated his sentiment a little bit.
Knowing it was inevitable, and with a heavy soul, Ruby slowly turned around and faced Ren. She wasn't sure if she should tell him, or if she even could. They have only known each other for, technically, a week so would it be right to tell him something so personal?
Her logic decided against it but her emotions flared out of the bottle she kept them in. Many thoughts surrounded Ruby; would she feel better if she finally told someone? Would he judge her? Would he pity her? Will it just make her feel worse? All the negative kept bringing up good points to the internal conflict.
However, when she looked into his magenta colored eyes, she could still see the hidden pain and sorrow she noticed when first meeting him. Only this time it felt as if it was not for himself… but for her.
Ever since Ruby had her first look at him, there had always been something relatable to Ren. Not because they had similar interests or had similar fashion, but more of an unspoken connection to someone who has seen and been through similar trials. The idea was almost laughable to Ruby as she had only known him for a short time. But the feeling of trust that she had for Ren still egged for her to tell him. It made her feel worse when she saw how patient he was with her problem. Her problem… not even his. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ruby spoke with a voice so low that it was almost mute.
"Before I tell you anything… I just wanted to apologize for how I have been acting." She said. Ren nodded in understanding. He knew all too well how sensitive emotions flare out of control when something very personal happens.
"It is alright Ruby." Ren replied. "Memories are sensitive, especially if they are hard ones." He paused and cleared his throat. "Is it safe to assume… that you and… this "person"," he worded himself carefully. "had crossed paths with one another in the past?"
Ruby didn't reply but silently made her way towards the boulder and took a seat on top of it, crossing her legs.
"More than you know." She sighed. "I spent every waking day seeing her when I was younger." She closed her eyes and replayed the memories of her and Yang when they were children.
Ren nodded and slowly approached the boulder. He did not face Ruby and instead looked out into the Emerald Forest. Like Ruby, Ren also had a deep love for nature's biomes and he would choose them over a city any given time. That is one of the reasons why he lived in the forest for six months rather than a city.
Ruby glanced at Ren from the corner of her eyes and raised her head.
"…Yang Xiao Long…" Ruby muttered, with a hint of agitation in her voice. "is… well… her relationship to me is…" no other words came out. As hard as she might, the words didn't want to come out. She sighed to herself as she looked back down at her legs.
'Why is it so hard? I can tell him… I can trust him.'
Ruby took in a deep breath and relaxed herself for a moment.
"Yang Xiao Long…" she said again, this time a little louder. "Is my sister."
She said it, she finally said it. Maybe a little too quick to understand but she said it and looked away. Ruby felt a little relieved to have finally said it but her nervousness caught up with her and she was wondering if it was a good idea to have said it.
Ren had not uttered a word yet and the silence worried Ruby. He was, in fact, carefully reviewing what she had said.
'A sister…' he thought as the word dragged on. There were still many questions that needed answers. One being why Ruby disliked this Yang Xiao Long despite them being siblings. While it was it common for siblings to fight, Ruby's tone was full of malice when she first uttered her sister's name.
Finally, after much silence, a respond came. But it was not said by Ren.
"You have a sister?"
Both Ruby and Ren simultaneously turned towards the direction of the voice and saw the familiar faces of Adam and Blake standing side by side, both dressed in their regular combat outfits.
Neither Ren nor Ruby had noticed the two approaching and acknowledged them quickly. Ruby noticed that Adam was once again wearing his black sunglasses.
"Adam, Blake. Good morning." Ren said. Blake gave a little wave while Adam nodded. "When did you two arrive?"
"We were always here." Blake said, leaning on the boulder.
"You were?" Ruby asked, turning to Blake whom nodded in reply.
"We woke up early to do some morning training for today's test." Adam said. "When we received the email, Alpha section was near our spot."
Ruby nodded and looked away. "I did notice your names on the roster. How ironic to all be in the same group."
Adam and Blake looked at each other and then to Ruby. Her actions were unusually stiff and reserved. More so than yesterday. While they haven't known the young girl for very long, she has never shown this much tenseness before.
"There is a bit of hardship going through the mind of Ruby at the moment." Ren cut in. Noticing the two eyeing Ruby. The duo turned to Ren and waited for him to continue.
However, the long haired boy shrugged while shaking his head." I am just as much uninformed as you two. All I know for sure, is that Ruby has a sister, who is currently another freshman at our school and is in the same section as us." Ren turned to Ruby who didn't look up. "As far as I can tell, there seems to be some… complications between the two."
"So you have a sister?" Adam asked again. Ruby glanced at Adam and then back down to her legs, and nodded.
Adam crossed his arms. "So what is your quarrel? If she is a handful then I can tell you from personal experience that mine is no different." He said, pointing to Blake and ignored her glaring. However, he couldn't ignore the slight pain he felt when Blake "accidentally" hit his arm and winced.
Ren could not hide the amused look on his face and Ruby looked over with a small smile planted on her lips. However, the light amusement dropped instantly and the frown once more returned. "I'm afraid mine is… much worse."
Everything became silent. No one responded. The amusement soon vanished and was replaced with confusion and tenseness. It was then that Adam took a step forward.
"I think you should tell us everything little Red." he said. "She will be upon us soon enough."
"Agreed." Ren said.
"As do I." added Blake.
Ruby slowly glanced at each one of them. She wasn't sure what to say so she lowered her head again. Telling one person was hard enough, but telling three seemed almost impossible. She closed her eyes and pondered the thought.
It was then that Ruby felt something landing on her hood. Opening her eyes, slightly surprised, and glanced up to see Adam, with his gloved covered hand, gently rubbing her head softly.
He was not smiling nor acting cold. His motion was surprisingly fluid and impacted Ruby's memory of her Uncle Qrow rubbing her head when she was young. It was the only form of affection her uncle would ever show, and she secretly treasured them whenever she earned one.
Behind the sunglasses, Ruby could tell Adam was looking into her eyes though his face held no type of emotion. He then stopped rubbing and leaned in slightly.
"Little Red," he began. "We all have our demons." He said in a low voice. "We all have hard memories. I know I certainly do. And so do they." He nodded towards Blake and Ren.
"The point is." Adam continued. "If you let those memories haunt you, you will continue to suffer. Instead of suffering, let them strengthen you and your demons will soon quell."
Ruby remained silent and looked away. For as long as she can remember, she had been on her own. No friends, no true family aside from her Uncle, and no real happiness that she could say was hers. Despite that, she always reminded herself that it was better this way. Friends, family, and happiness were a liability for her. If attachments were formed, she would risk herself of dangers as well as others.
Now being exposed to a new school, with new people, and being able to start a new life, she felt many mix emotions. From dealing with annoyingly loud people, to meeting others whom she could get along with, Ruby knew things had changed dramatically in her life.
'Mother… is this right? Is it ok for me… to feel?' The thoughts confused Ruby and it began to irritate how she couldn't figure them out. It was almost as if fate was toying with her. 'Feelings… are still a mystery to me…' thought Ruby. 'But… maybe… it can be a good start to understand them… in my new life.'.
After much time in silence and contemplating, Ruby slowly looked up from her knees and towards Ren, Blake and Adam.
"You know Adam." Ruby said as she gently brushed his hand away. "I think I remember reading that quote from a book once. Tell me, did you ever read from 'The Corrupted Angel' before?"
Adam did not say anything as Ruby stared at him with a smirk. When Blake and Ren glanced at him, he looked away.
"That's irrelevant." He muttered, trying to play it off.
Blake rolled her eyes as Ren shook his head while sighing.
Ruby smirked and felt a cool wind rush through her hair. She turned to the forest again and looked upon it with new determined eyes. 'Mother… watch as I walk… my own path.'
She turned back around to see Blake and Adam debating about quoting as Ren merely watched the two's debate. Ruby couldn't help but let a very faint smile crawl up her lips.
'Thank you everyone.'
Ruby felt that it was time to get it over with and cleared her throat which earned everyone's attention. "I… I think I am ready… to talk about my sister."
She inhaled a deep breath as Ren, Blake, and Adam waited in silence. Ruby closed her eyes and exhaled it sharply before beginning.
"Yang Xiao Long is my sister but… for you to understand her, you must know that… she is not my full blood sister."
"What do you mean?" asked Ren. Ruby rubbed the back of her head awkwardly.
"My family tree is rather… complicated. And if it is alright, I would rather not go into detail about it."
No one objected and Ruby proceeded. "For starters, plain and simple… Yang is my half-sister from a different mother. And even though the nonexistent rule of 'love your sibling' is widely believed, it wasn't for me. You see Yang… never acted like a 'sister' to me."
Ruby sighed again. It was about to become difficult and she mentally prepared herself to relive the memories. "When we were young… Yang was… well… you could say she had a temper. After some… 'personal events' happened in her life, it forever changed her. She became an angry… or more troubled… child with an enormous amount of energy."
She narrowed her eyes at the ground. "Yang had a restless spirit. And eventually, she grew to be… dangerous. She would always get into trouble with the authorities, be involved with terrible fights, and even spent some time in juvenile hall." Ruby felt disappointment for her sister's reckless ways. "It was worse for me. I was her favorite toy."
"Her toy?" Adam repeated with a quirked eyebrow.
Ruby nodded, feeling slightly ashamed. "She used to bully me… a lot. She always did it behind my father's back and I can't blame her for having pain over… what happened to us."
"Bullying still does not justify her actions." Ren retorted.
"I know," Ruby replied. "I can never forgive her for taking her aggression out on me."
"How bad was it?" Blake asked.
"It got to the point where I hated her for it." Ruby said looking away. She spat on the ground and mentally cursed. "Every day, she took advantage of my young adolescent self. It started with minor teasing and jokes; but as the years went by, her jokes became harsh pranks and her teasing became… violent."
Blake raised an eyebrow. "Violent?"
"Whenever she was angry, Yang would always want to… 'spar' with me, as she liked to call it. And whenever we did…. I never agreed."
Adam nodded in understanding. "She forced you to fight, knowing you were weaker than her. She took that opportunity to unleash her anger on anything, including you."
Ruby nodded and sighed. "Except not including me Adam… mostly me."
Adam did not reply this time and Ruby further elaborated.
"As the years went by the bullying got worse. She never stopped. She enjoyed embarrassing me in public. Making me feel less of myself, and even tried to abandon me a few times in the forest or city. It was hell… and I grew to hate her so much for it." Ruby clenched her teeth as her hands visibly balled into fists.
"Ruby," Ren called out. "If you do not want to continue then-"
"No, it's alright." Ruby interrupted. She took in a few deep breaths again and calmed down. "I'm alright."
Ren was still unsure, even Blake and Adam were uncertain. But neither three tried to fight her on the topic.
"Skipping to more recent events." Ruby muttered. "A few years ago, in the summer, Yang was angry over losing a fight. Throughout her life, she desired to become a great fighter. She may have been troubled but she wasn't idiotic… per say. She was smart both in academics and physical education. She studied various forms of martial arts and boxing. Even mastering them within a short amount of time."
"She was good?" Adam asked, slightly curious in the challenge.
"Very good." Ruby replied. "Eventually, she became one of the best in amateur boxing. Nearly a hundred matches undefeated until… her hundredth match. Rumors of her victory spree were large and many challengers came to try and end her. None succeeded…. except for this one girl from Atlas. What made things worse was how petite and short this girl was. She toyed with Yang all around the ring. She humiliated her… and knocked her out… she lost."
Adam, Blake, and Ren silently knew where this was heading. "When she came too, Yang was beyond infuriated… anyone near her… badly injured. She became very destructive with everything in her path. My father wasn't home at the time so he couldn't stop her… but when is he ever home?" Ruby scoffed the second part to herself.
"Where were you?" Blake asked. Ruby glanced at her and quickly looked away.
"I was home and Yang knew I was. I could hear her screaming my name in the forest. There was no hint of amusement, only anger and fury. I was terrified and hid under my bed. When she arrived home… she broke my door down and… and…" Ruby was slightly shaking. "dragged me into the woods."
Ren looked away. Blake and Adam silently envisioned the scene playing in their heads. "I can still remember seeing her blood red eyes… feeling her hand grip my hair so tightly that it could have ripped off my scalp. When she dragged me far enough… she let go and immediately 'spared' with me." Ruby closed her eyes attempting to withhold some tears fighting to come out.
Adam and Blake looked away to give Ruby some time to recollect herself. Ren shook his head in disappointment as he stared into the forest.
"She beat me until I was nothing more than a bloody pulp. I begged her to stop… I cried it, I screamed it… but nothing. When she was done, I was nearly unrecognizable. And… the thing is…" Ruby took in a deep breath knowing that this was the moment where they would never look at her the same.
"I actually died…."
Ren, Blake and, Adam simultaneously turned back to Ruby. All mouths dropped. Blake's eyes widened a little, Adam had a raised eyebrow, and Ren's face simply looked emotionless.
"I do not remember the details exactly. But I was told by the doctors that I was not breathing after Yang punched me one last time." Ruby momentarily touched her cheek remember how swollen her face was. "From what I was told, Yang was freaking out and was giving me CPR. Whether by a stroke of luck, or not, she managed to get a faint pulse back into my heart. She then rushed me towards the hospital."
Ruby rubbed the back of her head again. "When I came too, I was on a life support system and I could hear Yang screaming and crying outside my hospital room, begging to see me. I did not want to see her at the time and heard intense fighting and screams for security to stop her." Ruby walked over and leaned against the boulder.
"When I learned that my heart stopped beating for almost two minutes I couldn't believe it. I was in shock and traumatized that I couldn't speak to anyone for two months. When my father found out, he was beyond livid and almost beat Yang to death as well. She would most likely be dead now if my Uncle had not intervened."
Ruby decided to look up and noticed no one looking at her. She couldn't blame them. "After that ordeal, the doctor said I would make a full recovery with time and my father soon left on some missions. He would not be back until I recovered. But… had I arrived two minutes late, I would have been officially dead due to the heavy beating, lack of air, the swelling, and weak pulse. It was a miracle that I survived. But if I can be so bold as to say… it takes a lot more than that to kill me." Ruby chuckled weakly at her own joke. "I suppose I should be grateful to her for letting me live."
Adam had been calm the entire time but couldn't help feeling ashamed. This Yang Xiao Long reminded himself so much of how he used to be before Blake brought him back into the light. Cold, angry, and blood thirsty. 'Had I really been like that?' He thought.
Blake was currently speechless but kept herself well in line in terms of reacting. She had seen the worst of the worst in her dark past so it was nothing new. But the fact that a sibling would kill their own kin out of anger. Her thoughts immediately went to Adam and how he used to behave similarly to Ruby's sister. She shivered slightly, thinking if that was their future if she had failed to bring him back into the light with her.
Ren still maintained his zen demeanor but couldn't help feeling sympathy for Ruby. He had been treated like scum and dirt throughout his life; but even he had people who stood by him like family. They were the ones who kept him strong. Ruby's family wasn't even there and one almost got rid of her. He was truly disappointed with how cruel people can truly be, even among their own flesh and blood.
"After that day," Ruby continued. "Yang was sentenced to juvenile hall for and to be transferred into the adult penitentiary when she reached 18 for life in prison. But I was able to persuade and convince the judge o let her go after two years with an expensive bail."
This shocked Ren, Adam, and Blake. Blake crossed her arms and looked Ruby dead in the eyes.
"Why did you bail her out." Blake asked. "She hurt you."
"She bullied you." Said Ren.
"She killed you." Adam added.
Ruby merely shrugged while averting her eyes towards the grass. "Because it was the right thing to do."
She turned back and revealed a little smile. Not one of happiness, but of sadness. "She may have committed many sins… to others, to myself… but like I said… she was troubled like me. She committed most of the sins to herself."
Ruby sighed and the smile faded. "I can never forgive her… but I don't want to see her rot and become worse. Not if there was a chance for me to stop it. Since then, Yang had come to a few agreements that I and the federal prison decided. In time, she was able to learn control over her anger from the managements we set up. She was under intensive counseling and therapy which helped talk about her problems. She also focused more on her training and instead used her abilities to do odd jobs for clients. In my opinion… I believe she was reaching a good level to become a better person."
Ruby gently rubbed her arm as she looked away again. "After she was released, she wouldn't stop with the apologies and tears. She actually broke one of my ribs after giving me a hug right after being released. She completely changed and the once untamable fire that she had was quelled into… a calming flame I suppose."
Ruby smiled to herself as she turned and gazed at the Emerald Forest. "While I am glad for her change… the pain is still there." She reached for her heart and gently held it with both her hands. "And it will never go away. But it is a reminder of what should never happen again."
Ruby lowered her hands and closed her eyes. "However, even now with her new change, Yang still can't stop torturing me."
"She still bullies you?" Ren asked.
Ruby raised an eyebrow and turned to the long haired boy. "No… not bully…I'm afraid something worse."
"I'm sorry?" Ren asked confusedly. Blake and Adam were also having trouble understanding.
"She does torture me." Ruby explained. "However… she does something far worse than bullying could ever do." She looked away and sighed. Her facial expression showed nothing but depression.
"What does she do?" Adam asked.
Ruby shifted awkwardly. "She… she…"
She sighed as Adam, Blake, and Ren all leaned a little closer with curiosity.
"She annoys me."
"…"
"…"
'…"
"What?!" asked Blake with a confused look. She was unsure if she heard that correctly.
"She… she annoys me." Ruby repeated. "In the very recent years, Yang became a bubbly social butterfly. She never leaves me alone whenever she comes home. She even tries to follow me to my favorite spots in the woods. And those spots were meant to avoid her."
Ruby looked annoyed. "It got worse, she tried countless times to give me make overs, teach me how to flirt, and she is such a pervert! And I am not exaggerating, she is a huge pervert! She tried taking me to a male strip club once to teach me anatomy!"
Ruby's face was growing red with anger. "And her puns… those stupid, idiotic, ridiculous puns! It is nothing but hell and it is beyond torture!"
Ren, Blake and Adam were dumbfounded by how Ruby was acting.
"She bullied you…" Adam started slowly. "She beat you, and even killed you… and you dislike her because she annoys you?"
He did not know whether to be amazed or confused. Ruby awkwardly shrugged and nodded.
"That's right."
Adam stayed silent and Ren cleared his throat.
"How are you so accepting of her killing you and yet only hate how she annoys you?"
Ruby pondered this question for a few seconds and simply shrugged. "I said I would never forgive her. But in all honesty… I thought it was an interesting experience to be dead." Ruby said some hesitation.
She could feel the blank stares. "What? I was always fascinated by death and now that I can say I died, I feel as if I have achieved a new level of understanding it."
There was no response, no retort to be made, or a word to be uttered. The only sound heard was the winds gentle swaying.
'Is it really that weird?' Ruby wondered, and then she noticed something. Ren was smiling a little.
"Ruby," he said with an amused tone in his voice. "You really are an interesting person."
He wasn't the only one. Ruby saw that Blake and Adam were also smiling a little.
"Not a lot of people can say they died and came back." said Blake. She crossed her arms and sighed. "I as well have a curiosity towards death so I do not think it is weird."
Adam merely nodded as he fixed his shades. "There is one thing I want to ask Ruby."
Ruby glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "What is it?" she asked.
"Should we see her as a threat." He asked and gripped his sword tightly.
"Adam!" Blake said with a sharp tone and turned to him.
"No its alright." Ruby raised her hand up reassuringly.
She glanced at Adam's sword and then looked at everyone else. They each had serious expressions. It was understandable for them to be cautious after what they have been told.
She quietly prepared her answer. She did not want to be the reason for Yang to make enemies. It would not be fair and it would make things complicated. Even if she didn't like her sister all that much, she wanted her to start over with a clean slate.
"The only thing I can tell you… "She started. "Is to judge her for yourself. I will not say whether she is good or bad. I, myself, am no excuse to that topic. But the way I judged her was from her actions of the past and how she treats me now. Only because I lived through it. None of you did. And none of you have met her yet so I will leave it to each of you to make up your own minds. Also do not use what I have told you about her past to judge her. None of you know her so that is why I merely ask of you all to judge her in the here and now rather than what happened years ago."
Ruby turned to Adam and stared into his sunglasses. "Is that a sufficing answer for you?"
Adam eased his grip on his swords case and nodded. "Noted and acceptable Little Red."
Ruby nodded. "If it is the same to you all, I'd rather keep what I told you a secret from my sister. You are all the first group of people I ever told and I would rather leave it like that." Everyone nodded in unison. "And do not worry. The past is the past and I am not letting it affect me anymore."
Ruby gave a small smile. "So let's move on. I feel a lot like myself again."
Blake, Ren, and Adam smiled back and left the topic of Yang Xiao Long.
"What is that over there?" Ren asked pointing to a silver, rectangular flat item imprinted on the ground. He immediately noticed it after their conversation. It laid only a few yards away to the right of them and was hidden by a few bushes.
"Let's find out." Said Ruby and led the way.
The group walked past the few bushes and discovered there wasn't just one, but many. Each one held the insignia of Beacon Academy engraved in the center of their surface.
Ren noticed how evenly spaced out they were and Adam counted them.
"There are twenty-five." He muttered.
Blake kneeled down and felt the surface. The concrete was cold to the touch but smooth. She then put two and two together. "There are supposed to be twenty-five of us meeting here."
"And this is the coordinates for our exam." Added Ren.
Ruby crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the concrete surface. "My Uncle Qrow did mention something about platforms being used in initiation. I believe these could be the ones he was referring to."
"Then we are to take one platform each for ourselves?" Ren commented.
"It looks that way." Replied Blake who continued to feel the platform's surface.
Adam checked his scroll and nodded. "It is almost time to start. Other students will soon be upon us."
"At least we have first choice. Blake said with a shrug.
"Indeed." Ruby said and wasted no time in choosing the very last platform on the right. Next to her, Adam walked over and stood to her left followed by Ren and then Blake.
As the minutes passed, students started arriving just as Adam said. Some came in pairs, others in small groups, and few came individually in between.
Ruby eyed every student who passed her carefully; studying their weapons, looks, and outfits. Anything that could be a clear sign of their combat levels and abilities.
Among the arrivals, Ruby spotted several familiar faces including the blonde haired boy who vomited when they first arrived. She remembered hearing his name from the red head next to him who continuously addressed him as Jaune.
The red head herself was in fact a celebrity known as Pyrrha Nikos who Ruby vaguely remembered from her competitions in Mistral. She cared very little for her fame and was only interested in Pyrrha's skill as a warrior. She hoped to spar with her one day now that they were in Beacon together.
Ruby noticed the two walking with a third person behind them and dread crawled through her system when she saw who it was. Someone second only to Yang in terms of annoyance. And when that person spotted Ruby, she immediately walked up to her.
"Hello… Schnee." Ruby hesitantly greeted.
"Rose…" said the white haired girl and glared.
"Fancy meeting you… again."
Weiss crossed her arms. "When I saw your name on the list I thought I was reading it wrong."
Ruby crossed hers as well and narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean by that Schnee?"
Weiss smirked. "Oh just wondering how the school didn't correct the mistake they made on the list."
"If you have something to say, you better say it to my face now." Ruby glared.
Weiss accepted the challenge. "If you insist." She took another step closer to Ruby. "I think you being here is still a mistake Ruby Rose."
Ruby stepped closer as well. They were so close that their noses were almost touching. "Well I think I do belong here."
Weiss stopped smirking and glared. "You're still a child and you lack coordination. You are nothing but a complete dunce. And I have not forgotten about what you said about my family yesterday! So you can be sure that I will be keeping a close eye on you."
Ruby smirked. "I didn't know you liked me that much Snow Angel."
Weiss stammered a bit and blushed faintly. "Do not call me Snow Angel! I already get that enough from tall, blonde, and scraggly over there." She pointed to Jaune who turned to the two in surprise and a bit embarrassed.
Ruby glanced at him and Jaune waved awkwardly. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "That must have been… too close."
"You have no idea." Weiss muttered. She let out a small gasp and then snapped back to glaring at Ruby.
"Hey don't act like we are friends! I do not like you nor do I trust you!" Weiss poked Ruby's breast with her finger.
Ruby looked down and smirked. "Well at least this child seems to have more meat on her body than your washboard chest."
Weiss was appalled and her face started to redden with anger. "Like I care about breast sizes!" she growled in frustration. "I do not trust you and I never will!"
Ruby swiped Weiss' hand away with annoyance. "Well that makes two of us. Trust is a two-way street."
Weiss fumed. "Ugh! You are such an annoyance! I-"
Before Weiss could finish responding, Ren walked in between the two.
"Is there something wrong Ruby?" He asked and turned to the red hooded girl. "I sensed a disturbance. Are you and this woman fighting?"
Ruby glanced at him and shook her head. "No we are not Yoda, I was just having a friendly little chat with Schnee here."
Ruby turned back to Weiss only to discover that she was no longer focusing on her. Instead she was intensely staring at Ren.
'Why is she staring at him.' Ruby thought. It was then that she noticed small tints of red on Weiss' cheeks not of anger but from fluster. 'A blush?... no I don't believe it…' Ruby thought in amusement.
"Hello there." Ren turned to Weiss and smiled. "What is your name?"
Weiss snapped out of her staring trance and regained her composure. "S-schnee. I-I am Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee dust company!" Weiss announced with pride and slight hesitation. 'Who is this gentleman.'
Ruby smirked maliciously. "The same company that-"
"Do. Not. Finish. That. Sentence." Weiss growled and then turned to Ren in an almost giddy state. "And who might you be?"
Ren smiled and bowed. "My name is Lie Ren but please just call me Ren. The pleasure is mine Miss Schnee." Instantly Ren raised Weiss' hand and gently kissed her forehand.
Weiss blushed blood red and stuttered for a second. "Y-you are such a charmer Mr. Ren."
'Oh this is too rich.' Thought Ruby.
Ren was internally confused by what she meant but smiled warmly as he did not want to appear disrespectful
"Thank you. Miss Schnee" Ren said.
"Please call me Weiss." She insisted.
"Alright… Weiss, while it was pleasant conversing with you, I do believe we should take our positions on the platforms. The test will soon be upon us and I apologize if Ruby has caused you any trouble.
Ruby saw the hint of disappointment in Weiss' eyes so she thought to worsen it. She calmly lifted Ren's arm up so that it was resting on her shoulder. The sudden body contact did not sit well with Weiss and Ruby noticed it with pleasure. She nuzzled herself more into Ren's body and almost laughed by how red Weiss was turning. She will be having much more fun with this later.
Ren was observing Ruby the entire time and was confused as to why she lifted his arm up. She wasn't even looking at him and instead her focus was on Weiss. He then glanced at the white haired girl and noticed how red she was turning.
'I hope she isn't getting sick; it could greatly affect her actions during the test.
Although angry, Weiss glanced away from Ruby and towards Ren. Instantly, her anger was quelled and she smiled while trying her best to look presentable to him. She had never seen such a perfect specimen of manliness before and it made her heart race. Such flawless pale skin, beautiful pink eyes that glimmered under the sunlight, and that long flowing black hair. She shivered in delight. He was absolutely stunning and looked tough wearing all black, like a vampire. Her heart hadn't raced this much since the time when she read her sister's book 'Twilight.' Which she made sure no one finds out about. And also… she had a huge case of yellow fever… which again no one must ever know.
Clearing her thoughts, Weiss shook her head and then stared into Ren's eyes. "Oh Mr. Ren do not apologize for that… person. You have done no wrong but you do bring up a valid point. I guess I will see you later on in the forest. Please take care." She bowed to Ren and took a second to glare at Ruby who smirked triumphantly as the white haired girl left with a sway in her hips. Perhaps to try and get Ren's attention.
After Weiss walked away Ruby immediately got out from under Ren's arm and gently patted his shoulder. "Nice work there Ren."
She immediately walked back to her spot and said nothing more.
Ren raised an eyebrow "No… problem?" he replied unsure. "Why do I feel like I am involved in something… complicated?"
'Women are very confusing.' He thought and returned to his spot.
Blake and Adam, who were silently watching the whole conundrum, looked at each other and then turned away.
'Good luck Ren.' They thought in unison.
Several minutes passed and something was bothering Ruby. Her senses felt a strange feeling around her. It was not one of danger but something abnormal no less. Almost as if she were being watched.
Calmly, Ruby glanced around at all the students on her left. None of them seemed to be noticing her but she was still unsure as to why she felt watched.
Then out of nowhere, a flash caused her to squint her eyes shut for a second. Ruby blinked a few times trying to get rid of the dizziness she received before spotting where the flash came from. It was from a girl standing on her own a little away from Ruby. She noticed that the girl had been holding out her scroll in the direction of Ruby with no intention of hiding it.
She was a slightly tall girl standing at around 5'10' with light pink hair that was styled with long hair in the back and short bangs in the front. She had a fair skin tone with an athletic build that looked perfect for mobility rather than strength. She wore a set of dark grey jeans tucked into black steel toed boots with a black shirt covered in brown leather armor. She wore a scarlet red long coat that reached her shins that was buckled down to her stomach.
Ruby had not seen this girl before but knew her name was on the list though she cared very little. The unknown girl raised her scroll up again and a flashed irrupted from the camera frame. She had taken another photo of Ruby.
Ruby raised an eyebrow as the girl gave a two finger salute to her and walked away. She had no idea why that girl had done that but she didn't care at the moment.
As everyone around her made small talk, Ruby decided to listen in on other conversations in hopes of gathering useful information. However much proved to be worthless until one topic poked some interest.
"Is it true? Will there really be teams?"
"That's what I heard from one of the upperclassmen. But when I asked him he said he said couldn't say anything."
"But there've been rumors about teams before."
"I thought the teams were simply pairings."
"Actually, I think I heard the teams are comprised of four students each."
'Teams huh' Ruby thought. 'I remember Uncle Qrow mention something about teams. But there was something more…'
"Students line up on each one of the individual platforms now!" boomed a loud female voice.
Ruby turned to see none other than Glynda Goodwitch marching up the incline with her crop in one hand and a data pad in the other.
As the students all got into positions, each taking up a single platform, Ruby noticed something very peculiar.
While Goodwitch was busy scolding a brute of a man in beige armor swinging his mace around, Ruby quickly looked at all the platforms. It was then she noticed the last one all the way of the left, empty. And then it hit her.
'Where's Yang?'
And thus the sixth chapter comes to an end. My Dark Readers, the main story continues. Please leave a review, good or bad. If there are any constructive criticisms you have, please do not hesitate to tell me, it helps me to grow as a writer. Also if you have any questions or suggestions fill free to leave them in the reviews. Prepares yourselves, for the main story continues.
P.S. Thank you all for your growing support and thank you for your patience. I do hope to see some FAN ART FROM THIS ON DEVIANT ART!
Until next time my Dark Readers. Forevermore - FT