Prologue 3
Four years ago...
"We are not keeping it, Ruby!" Roman snapped. Ruby pouted.
"Why not?" She demanded.
"Because it eats up time and lien - and it'll shit all over the carpet too!" Roman exclaimed. Neo bowed her head with shoulders shaking in silent laughter, causing Roman to glance balefully at the mute. "I'm telling the truth, Neo!" This just made Neo laugh even more before signing to Ruby, 'He just won't admit he's a cat person' and the silver eyed girl gave a laugh. "Wow Neo, thanks so much for backing me up!" Roman declared sarcastically, green eyes full of irritation. Neo smiled and flipped him off, making Ruby snort. "Real mature, Neo. Real mature." Roman snorted, crossing his arms.
'Like your any better' Neo retorted and Ruby snickered. Now Roman's ire was turned back to Ruby.
"Red, shut the hell up! We're not keeping the puppy!" Roman snapped.
Ruby pouted "Romann..." she drawled, "I'll pick up after it, train it, walk it and everything else!" She pleaded and gave him her biggest puppy dog eyes. Neo joined in, and Roman rubbed the side of his face in irritation.
"Both of you, stop." Roman sighed. Finally after a furthur thirty seconds of Neo and Ruby's silent begging, he threw his arms in the air in defeat. "Fine! Keep the mutt! But I'm not helping you with anything, it belongs to you now, Ruby." He exclaimed.
Neo grinned and Ruby fist pumped as Roman rolled his eyes and lit a cigar.
'What are you thinking of naming it?' Neo asked. Ruby pondered it for a moment, staring at the tiny sleeping doberman puppy laying before them.
A name popped into Ruby's mind in a matter of seconds, as if the pup had whispered its true name onto her mind and heart. "Drei." She decided.
'Sounds like a good name.' Neo agreed. Drei then proceeded to open its eyes.
"Remember, the thing is your responsibility now, Ruby!" Roman called and started walking away.
As if to prove the orange-haired theif's point, Drei promptly started peeing on the carpet.
"Drei no!" Ruby cried out, Drei was tearing eagerly into Beo. The plush looked like it wouldn't take much more. Ruby ran into action and grabbed half the plushie.
"Let... go... now... Drei!" Ruby yelled, and with a horrific noise, Beo severed at the torso. Ruby stumbled backwards and the pup shook his head, sending the guts of the plushie everywhere. "Noooo! Beo!" Ruby wailed, tears springing forth as she held the top half of Beo.
As if Drei just realized he did a bad thing, a whine drew Ruby's attention as he set down his half of Beo and slowly shuffling towards Ruby in clear shame. Ruby sighed and he lowered himself further to the ground before reaching Ruby and hesitantly licking at her hand.
"Its not your fault..." Ruby mumbled at last as Drei kept whimpering. She put a hand on Drei's head and stroked the puppy. It had been a few months since he had come into Ruby's life - and suddenly he took something away from her.
Beo had been a gift from her Uncle Qrow, won from a carnival game where you hit a hammer to test your strength. But now she looked at the two halves and realized something.
She picked up the other half and walked to her desk before withdrawing a needle and black thread and used it to sew the halves together with Drei watching in shame.
"Its fine, Drei." Ruby told him, his ears lowered. Ruby hummed to herself as she sewed. Finished, she examined the stitching and then stood up before offering Beo to Drei, who cocked his head and whined. "Take him. Beo's yours now, boy. I don't need him anymore when I have Roman, Neo, and you." She informed the puppy, whose eyes brightened a bit as he gently took the toy from Ruby's hand before placing Beo between his paws and licking Ruby's hand. She pat his head. "Good boy. I love you." She murmured and Drei's tail started wagging.
Ruby walked, Drei trotting happily by her side on a leash as they walked through downtown Vale city.
"Take it in, Drei! Beautiful Vale city!" Ruby told the dog. Drei turned his head to her and opened his mouth in a doggy grin. They were on their daily walk, although that was their cover story - it was really for Ruby to be a petty pickpocket.
The brother gods were shining on them today as a little girl with curly brown pigtails pointed at Drei "Ooh! Mommy, a doggy! Can I pet it?" She asked. Ruby smiled internally and approached the woman and her daughter.
"Drei, sit." Ruby commanded and told the woman "She can pet him, he's quite friendly and loves it." The girl cooed oved Drei and pet him, he gave a doggy grin to Ruby, and eventually Ruby tapped her heels together. Responding to the covert signal, Drei stood up and padded to the mother before looking at her with excitement. "Oh my, I think he took a shine to you, ma'am." Ruby told the woman "He really wants you to pet him."
The woman hesitated, but eventually let up. Drei distracted the duo long enough for Ruby to steal the woman's wallet from her purse. "Addie, we need to get home to make dinner. Daddy will be home later." The woman told her daughter, who lit up and gave Drei a few parting pets before they continued on.
"Good boy." Ruby fed Drei a treat, smiling.
Ruby unlocked the door and let Drei off his leash.
"Five watches and seven wallets!" Roman said by way of greeting. Ruby shook her head
"Nope!" She popped the 'p'. "Two watches and three wallets!" She informed the criminal.
"Damn!" He cursed. Neo summoned Drei with a clap and Ruby handed over her stolen wares to Roman for him to count. "Catch!" He threw the watches at Neo for her to inspect. With the mute distracted, Drei padded to Roman and the theif pet the doberman's head. Eventually, Drei licked the man's hand and he withdrew his hand. "Yuck! Red, control your dog please!" He yelled.
Ruby snickered "Drei!" She called. The doberman trotted to her and laid down, prompting Ruby for belly rubs which she happily gave. "Who's the best distraction ever? You are! Oh yes you are! You help mama steal their wallets and watches with how cute you are! I'm so proud of you! Yes I am!" Ruby cooed and Drei barked, tail thumping wildly.
Neo, finished examining the watches, called Drei again who ran to the woman.
"I'll be in my room!" Ruby told Roman and Neo before walking to where her room was and collapsing into her favorite red bean bag chair with a sigh.
She lived a good life under Roman and Neo. Acting as a petty pickpocket by day, she would train with Roman and Neo at night to improve her skills so she could eventually accompany them on heists and robberies.
But some days, like today, she found her thoughts drifting to her old family. Yang would probably go to Signal for the next few years to become a Huntress like Summer had been. Then she'd be off to Beacon. While Ruby would still be with Roman and Neo...
Her thoughts were interrupted by the tapping of claws as Drei nudged his way into Ruby's room and laid down next to her before resting his head in her lap. Ruby started stroking him, staring absentmindedly at the ceiling. "Drei," she mused softly, drawing the doberman's attention with perked ears "Do you ever wonder what life would be like if we had not done a thing we did in the past?" She asked him quietly, momentarily pausing in petting him. Drei raised his head a bit and gave Ruby an inquisitive look before licking her fingers, prompting Ruby to stroke him more. "I guess if I hadn't done it, I would have never met you." Ruby let herself sink deeper into the bean bag chair with a slow exhale. Drei gave a soft huff and rested his head back in Ruby's lap.
They stayed like that for a while, and Ruby let her eyes drift close as Drei shifted closer to her.
"Ruby, dinner!" Roman's shout rudely awoke Ruby, who flailed and accidentally smacked Drei in the face.
"Gaah!" Ruby cried out in blind panic, but realized immedatly what happened and started apologizing to Drei, who gave a grin and licked her face. "Coming!"
She yelled at Roman and got up from her chair to walk slowly to the kitchenette.
'Sleeping beauty awakens at last!' Neo signed before digging into her chicken.
Ruby sat down and the three of them began eating. Both noticed Neo call Drei silently and slip him some of her chicken, but neither commented on or ackowledged it.
"So, Red." Roman began once they had started eating "How would you like to go on your first heist?" He asked.
Ruby's knife and fork clattered to the plate as her mouth dropped open.
'Careful, better shut that or a fly will buzz in.' Neo teased.
"Really?" Ruby asked. Roman nodded, a smile spreading on his face. Ruby felt her heart beat a bit faster.
A heist! They asked if she wanted to do a heist!
"Yep. We think you're ready for it. We'll be with you every step." Roman told her and tore a chunk of chicken from the drumstick he was eating.
"Yes!" Ruby cried out in excitement. "Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!" Neo raised and eyebrow, but ultimatly the mute smiled.
"Alright. After dinner we'll start planning it out." Roman informed Ruby.
To this day, Ruby believed that she never finished eating her dinner as fast as she did on that night.
A/N: TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY??! Lucky you!! Possibly not the longest chapter I've ever done, but this introduces a new character: Drei! ("Three" in German. Like Zwei is "two" in German). Not much to say. Follow, favorite and review if you enjoyed the story and I'll see you all in the next chapter!!