Weiss took a heavy, calming breath as the cool spring air cleared her head from the stuffiness of the black market. It had been far too hot and crowded for the heiress to stay around that long. The tightly packed mass of faunus and occasional humans giving her a suffocating taste of claustrophobia. She preferred to be in a colder environment, true to her experience of growing up in Atlas. Living in a chilled, marble-clad home with the addition of Atlas' eternal winter tended to do that to people. Apparently, it also ran in her blood-line... something akin to having a fairly good tolerance of harsh, sub-zero weather. According to the family practitioner, Weiss had inherited it. It predominantly favoured the female half of the family, but it had skipped Winter.
Altogether, the Black Market had been rather unpleasant. Then there was the peculiar feeling of being watched back at Amber's booth.
In the end, she'd blamed it on the heat making her uncomfortable and jittery. Not to mention, they were in a black market full of hundreds of people in the presence of many prying eyes. She would have been more surprised if she wasn't being watched by at least one person. She'd walked in expecting something, and that's what she had gotten. The strange sensation had disappeared as soon as they'd left anyway, thankfully.
Weiss now busied herself with dusting red fluff off her white coat, picking the many clumps of fuzz between two fingers and letting them blow away in the wind. They were remnants of Ruby's cloak, which she returned once she had started to feel safe again. Ruby had assisted her in the tedious removal of the red leftovers on Weiss' back upon noticing them, the tufts standing out like a sore thumb on the heiress' pristine white fabric. Weiss' annoyance hadn't gone unnoticed, but she'd gotten over it pretty quickly. It was an old, red cloak on a white coat. There was bound to be some sort of residue afterwards.
However, the flowery smell of roses had stubbornly clung to her jacket, though she didn't particularly mind it. It brought back long-lost memories of her playing in the rose garden with Winter at the estate during those long summer days, running around and through bushes of red and white flowers in an ornate game of hide and seek. They had been her Mother's pride and joy, carefully cared for by the gardeners, and Weiss had ended up trampling some of them in her playfulness. She had gotten a stern scolding that day, as well as a few dozen band-aids on her ripped up arms and legs, and thorns pulled from her boots.
Ruby let out a loud sigh beside her, dropping her scroll to her side with a gentle laugh, "I'm the worst at this whole romantic thing, aren't I?"
Weiss was slightly taken aback by the sudden statement, a stunned look on her face. Ruby wasn't the best, no, not by a long shot, but she definitely wasn't the worst romantically. Jaune still held that title, and embarrassingly so. Weiss had to stop keeping count of the amount of times Jaune had appeared out of nowhere playing his guitar. He was good at the instrument, Weiss would admit, but his songwriting skills needed improvement. Then, there was that one time he'd sent her a poorly written love poem, which she'd promptly returned covered in grammar corrections and rewording. Frustratingly, Jaune still didn't take the hint, where it was very clearly visible that she wasn't interested but Pyrrha was. Weiss prayed for that poor girl's choice in men sometimes.
"I wouldn't say that you're the worst , there's still Jaune..." Weiss said, trying to ignore the glare originating from her partner, "But perhaps you do have some more to learn."
"Jaune is hopeless. I feel bad for Pyrrha," Ruby mumbled.
"I don't particularly agree with her choice of… idiotic men either, but I would appreciate it if she acted soon so that Jaune would leave me alone."
Ruby's defeated sigh made Weiss' heart crack, a sad sulk forming on Ruby's face. The brunette rubbed the back of her neck nervously, peeking a glance over to Weiss, "Maybe you should plan the dates from now on."
Weiss scoffed, "That's assuming I'll go on another one with you."
Ruby's eyes widened in shock, before dulling again. She chuckled lowly, her shoulders slouching slightly, "It was that bad, huh?"
No , no she didn't mean it that way. Weiss' heart missed a beat, and she immediately jumped to cover her poor choice of words, "It was a joke, Ruby. Of course I'll go on another date with you." Note to self, Weiss, there's a time and place for sarcasm and that definitely hadn't been it.
Ruby nodded quietly, sending another shot of guilt through Weiss. She frowned slightly to herself, upset for having ruined whatever moment had been forming between them. Weiss swallowed her stubborn pride and took a hesitant step closer to Ruby was practically able to feel her partner's aura rubbing against her own, pulsing gently.
Ruby looked over to her partner in astoundment, but Weiss was trying to ignore the sudden tightness between them. She wasn't a very… affectionate person. She usually didn't like being physically close to people, but this was an exception, or at least that's what she told herself.
"So… I may or may not have based it off one of the books Mom would read to me as a little girl," Ruby admitted with a blush, coaxing a gentle laugh from Weiss.
"Why am I not surprised?" Weiss purred, catching the relieved smile that appeared on Ruby's lips. Weiss let the gap fall between them again at the lightened mood, immediately missing the soft, rhythmic pulse of Ruby's warm aura against her own. Ruby's aura was friendly and welcoming, much like her personality. Weiss couldn't help but wonder what her own felt like. Was it cold? Distant? Closed off? She would never know.
"I just… How do you set up a date? It's so difficult!" Ruby threw her hands in the air in frustration, the sudden movement startling Weiss from her thoughts, "I spent hours planning this last night, like, I didn't even sleep , and it still turned out terrible!"
'Well, I wouldn't say it was terrible ' Weiss thought to herself, 'It had some charming moments.'
"How would you do it?" Ruby asked. "If you were to plan a date?"
Weiss shared a grin at Ruby, raising a brow teasingly, "Now, if I told you that it'd ruin the surprise."
"Aw come on Weiss ," Ruby whined, slouching playfully, bringing out her signature puppy-pout face, "Please? I bet you're like, the master of planning fancy dates."
"Nope-" Nope ? Oh gods, Ruby's mannerisms were rubbing off on her too. She shut her eyes to avoid the pout facing her way, "Absolutely not."
"Did you just say nope?" Ruby asked, shocked at the use of slang from the heiress. Weiss clamped her mouth shut as Ruby caught onto her slip up, "Did Weiss Schnee, Miss Big-fancy-words-i-can't-pronounce, just say 'nope' ?"
"I did not," Weiss growled in frustration, the feeling of fondness leaving her chest in a cold snap. She folded her arms tightly across her chest, a resounding snort punctuating her point. Ruby's grin only grew bigger at the sight of Weiss' irritation.
"Are you sure? Cause I could've sworn you said 'nope'," Ruby insisted, her silver pools glinting in the patchy forest light, "Have I finally gotten through to the Ice Queen?"
"The only thing that'll be through is your nose, if you don't stop." Weiss threatened with a snarl. It was hollow, of course. Weiss would never hurt her teammate. She'd much rather deal with her father's wrath than hurt her own partner. However, it still worked. Doubt flashed across Ruby's eyes.
"You wouldn't."
"Can you bet your nose on that?"
"Okay okay, so the ice queen is still in there," Ruby came off her teasing high with a quiet giggle, her wide grin resting into a smaller, more content one. A brief silence fell between them, not lasting long before Ruby spoke up again, "But.. Did you enjoy the date, at all?"
Weiss hummed, the sounds and smell of fresh water hitting her senses. She could hear a rushing stream nearby, hidden beneath the growth of the bushes and roots of the forest trail they were on. The trees were dense and thick, lush with bright green leaves.
"I suppose you can organise something when you put your mind into it." Weiss said, her ocean blue eyes scanning the forest around her, "But that remains to be seen." Ruby frowned, her brows knitting together.
"Is that an insult or a compliment?" she asked. Weiss turned to smirk at her.
"What do you think it is?" Weiss asked. Ruby opened her mouth to debate, before closing it with a pop. She hummed, itching her head as she thought. Weiss rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a huff. Gods, Ruby could be such a dolt sometimes.
"...A compliment?- Oh, hey we're here already!"
Weiss lifted a brow, twisting around to attempt to make sense of where 'here' was. To the Schnee, they had just stopped in the middle of the trail path. "We are? But there's nothing here."
"You're not looking close enough," Ruby said cheekily, having moved closer to a fallen tree branch that lay along the trail that looked like it could've been a younger tree. She lifted it, the rotten wood crunching at the unwanted motion, some of the bark falling off. Weiss grimaced, looking unsurely up at Ruby again.
"Surely you're not serious?"
"Come on, it won't break or anything," Ruby persuaded, bouncing the log slightly in her hand to prove it's strength. Instead, a strip of bark fell onto the ground, wriggling with wood worms and lice. Weiss's face twisted in disgust, looking from the fallen bark to Ruby again. Ruby looked at the bark on the ground, pushing it away with her toe, "Uhh, except that part."
"...Gods, fine ." Weiss grumbled, carefully moving forward beneath the old tree with reluctance. Ruby followed after her eagerly, dropping the rotting wood with a heavy thump before rustling forward and leading Weiss through the overgrowth. There was an old, flattened path beneath their feet, an old route long since taken back by the forest.
Weiss carefully followed Ruby, one hand covering her face from the sharp branches that snapped back as Ruby led, another pushing the smaller ones out of her way. Branches and old leaves crunched beneath her heels. Ruby suddenly burst into a clearing in front of her, turning back to hold up the last few hanging leaves. Weiss closed her eyes as she pushed herself clear, squinting at the sudden light again.
In front of them lay a small lake, circled by the thick woodland. A family of ducks quacked furiously as they swam across the surface of the water, scaring away the hunting wrens nearby. The water was practically untouched, clear to see through in a rich colour of cerulean. She could see schools of fish beneath the water as well, avoiding nearby hunting birds as they swam to deeper water.
It was so… peaceful.
"It's pretty isn't it?" Ruby asked, watching the surface herself, "I found it by accident when Zwei got off his leash."
"It is," Weiss breathed, her eyes following the small family of ducks swimming across to the next bank. One was falling behind, swimming furiously to catch up with its family. The mother duck reached shore, turning to watch as each of her babies followed after her. She didn't leave until the last duckling caught up, shaking its little tail free of water before racing to catch up with it's family.
"The water kinda reminds me of your eyes…" Ruby hummed quietly, a blush growing on Weiss at the compliment, "That's why I brought you here. Plus, I didn't know what else to do, so."
Weiss practically choked on her own saliva as she struggled to find an appropriate response. She was used to being complimented, she had been getting compliments all her life, so why was her brain shutting down when Ruby gave her one? Most of the compliments she had received in the past often felt empty or hollow, devoid of any meaning behind it. Ruby's carried care, and love. Perhaps that was why.
"Ahem," she cleared her throat, recovering from her brief coughing fit, the heat across her cheeks growing more intense. She turned to find Ruby watching her with a warm glow in her eyes, "Well, I think your eyes are quite beautiful too."
Ruby beamed brighter, a soft red forming along her cheekbones too. Weiss took a cool breath, her heart beating like a jackhammer in her chest. She wasn't used to moments like this. These pure moments that fell between them and lingered in the air. It brought a sense of comfort to the heiress, something that she wasn't used to.
She kept telling herself not to get used to this, that, if she found herself really falling in love with Ruby, she wouldn't be able to climb back out again. It wasn't her choice. In the end, it was Father who chose, even if Weiss didn't like his choice and it sickened her. A memory came to her mind, like a piercing ice shard, her heart clenching painfully as it played back behind her eyes.
Long halls stretched far ahead of Weiss, perfectly polished marble and glass reflecting her face at every moment possible. Stained glass shone a rainbow of blues throughout the halls, painting the hall in splotches of royals and cyans. It was a place burned into Weiss' memory from a young child playing hopscotch on the colors.
Weiss' heels echoed across the empty space, her mind set on heading to one room in particular. A pair of double doors sat alone on the left side of the hall, the only room that side of the building. Weiss came to a stop before them, hand hovering over the golden handle. She took a grounding breath, straightening her posture, before knocking.
The doors opened by themselves before her knuckle even met the wood, swinging open fully to reveal the office Weiss had grown to fear. Her father stood at the desk in the center, staring at her disapprovingly. Weiss felt cold sweat run down her back, gulping as she moved forward.
"I was requested?" Weiss asked, her voice carrying an air of fear.
Her father stood to his feet, walking around from behind his desk and stopping in front of his youngest daughter. Weiss met his gaze, finding familiar fury and hate burning behind them. Her eyes widened in surprise, before his hand lifted into the air.
Slap.
Weiss' eyes watered as the tingling crossed her face, a hand coming up to touch the raw area. She winced, looking to her father again for an explanation.
"I will not have a lesbian daughter in my family!" He roared, his voice shaking Weiss. The heiress made a weak noise in fear, bringing her arms up to defend herself.
"I'm sorry!"
"Do not whimper pathetically! You are a Schnee! You do not grovel!" Jacques yelled. Weiss quickly wiped the forming tears from her eyes, trying to calm her rampaging emotions.
"Y-yes sir."
Weiss took a heavy breath, flushing the painful images from her mind. Gods help her if Father ever found out about this. Weiss would never be allowed out of his sight again, never mind near another woman in her life. Knowing his temper, he'd marry her out to the first man that came forth, who had money of course. That was all that mattered to him; money and the family's public image. As long as the future heiress had a wealthy husband who would help the company in the future, he wouldn't care how Weiss felt.
What would happen to Ruby then? Would Weiss ever see her again? She'd be like a princess in a castle in those fairytales; Locked away until a prince came to save her, protected by an icy dragon who'd let no-one pass. Weiss' heart clenched. She didn't want a life without Ruby, not after everything she'd gone through with her. Weiss had experienced what life really was outside four marble walls, and it was all thanks to her.
"W-Weiss?" Ruby stammered, distracting the Schnee from her spiraling thoughts. Weiss hummed in response, watching the lake surface for a moment more before glancing over at Ruby. Ruby's face had turned scarlet as she fumbled nervously. Weiss frowned, placing a hand on her hip.
"What's wrong with you?" Weiss asked. Ruby looked up to her, mouth open, before closing it again. She attempted to form a sentence, however, only broken pieces of words came through. Weiss' frown grew deeper, "What? I can't hear you when you're mumbling like that."
"C-can.. can I, uh.." Ruby closed her eyes, practically glowing red, "K-k...iss… you?"
Weiss was stunned by the question, a pink colour slowly spreading across her face. She bit her tongue, snorting quietly, before starting to laugh softly. Ruby's face changed from flushed to embarrassed, her eyes growing wide.
"H-Hey! Why are you laughing?! I'm serious!"
"I know- I know," Weiss took a breath, calming herself, "I've just never been asked to be kissed."
"O-oh," Ruby looked away, humiliation hanging over her like a shadow. Weiss rolled her eyes, shuffling closer to Ruby again. She tenderly grabbed her chin, turning her so that their eyes met.
"I didn't say no."
Ruby's skin practically warmed beneath her fingers, her slatey eyes locking with Weiss' sapphire ones. Weiss' eyes then flicked down to Ruby's lips for a beat, before returning to her watching gaze. Something inside her was hungry, desperate, excited . Time was slowing to a standstill, Weiss' pulse growing louder in her ears with each tick. Ruby was so close, but she was hesitating. Weiss licked the back of her lips, slowly growing impatient. Her hand reached to grasp Ruby's cloak, her fingers tightening around the soft red fabric securely, before tugging her closer, sealing the distance between them.
Weiss eagerly pressed her lips against Ruby's gasping ones, a sweet taste meeting her mouth. Ruby hummed against Weiss' lips in surprise, her hands hovering unsurely above Weiss' shoulder for a beat, before moving to settle on her shoulders and slowly down to the center of her back. Weiss' grip was still tight around Ruby's cloak, not allowing the girl to pull back until she was ready to let go. If Ruby wouldn't kiss her, then Weiss would show her how it was done.
She could feel Ruby gently bite down on Weiss' lip, taking a well-timed breath between movements before diving back in for more. Weiss had to wonder where Ruby had learned to kiss like this. She was tender and shy, a stark difference to what the heiress was used to. She definitely preferred this.
Ruby squirmed beneath Weiss' grasp, running out of breath quickly mid-kiss. She lifted her hands to Weiss' shoulders, tapping them frantically as a sign for a time-out. Weiss reluctantly let go, leaning back softly while Ruby pulled back with a loud, breathless gasp, a trail of saliva snapping as she pulled away. Weiss wiped the trail of wet down her chin with her sleeve, looking away in embarrassment as Ruby recollected herself. The brunette had stars in her eyes, touching her lips as if to feel they were still hers.
"Whoa."
Weiss grew embarrassed, her sleeve still covering her lips. She was blushing furiously, "W-well? H-how was that?"
"That was… amazing," Ruby mumbled, looking back up at Weiss with a look of excitement, "Can we do it again?"
Weiss scoffed, the blush growing bigger across her face, she averted her eyes. "Would you stop asking-" Ruby took a careful step towards her and Weiss immediately went quiet. The other girl came closer and the familiar sensation of her aura touched her skin; Ruby's expression was soft and her deep silver eyes asked a quiet question, patiently waiting for Weiss' approval.
Where had all this sudden confidence come from? A minute ago she'd been asking for a kiss… and now she was doing.. this.
"Ruby?-" Weiss breathed, the closeness making her heart skip beats. Ruby hummed, leaning close enough for Weiss to feel a hot sigh tickle her cheek. Their noses were millimeters apart, eyes glued to each other. Seconds ticked past at an agonizingly slow pace. The world didn't matter anymore, at least not to the heiress. Father be damned, she loved the girl in front of her.
Ruby pressed a gentle kiss to Weiss' parted lips, a calloused hand reaching up to stroke her cheek. The kiss was loving and tender, but cautious, as if she was afraid to push her limits. Weiss let a weak moan loose from the back of her throat, parting her lips. Ruby shyly pressed her tongue to meet Weiss'. Weiss let out a squeak in surprise, but didn't shy away. Her tongue met Ruby's halfway, her heart hammering at the sensation.
Weiss' world had become nothing but colours and sensations. Ruby's lips were soft and sweet against her own, her tongue careful but demanding. Roses, the same flowery smell that had clung to her jacket swallowed her whole, almost suffocating her. Her fingers sat against Ruby's cotton shirt, carefully working their way down her toned body.
Her body was warm, her entire frame tingling as Ruby slowly took control of her. Ruby pulled back for a moment, taking a cool breath. Weiss' vision was blurred, hot breaths escaping in pants as she tried to catch her lost air. Ruby didn't hesitate in her advance, moving to Weiss' soft neck to kiss just beneath her ear, nibbling gently. Weiss bit her lip, her eyes hazy. She was losing her mind.
Weiss' head drifted up as Ruby moved, nibbling tenderly at Weiss' throat. The heiress swallowed, her body heaving as it grew warmer. Her stomach felt like it was made of lava, practically melting her core. Ruby's hands drifted, one landing against her hip while the other reached further down. Weiss' legs trembled, whining as Ruby landed a sharper bite to her neck.
"R-Ru.." Weiss' words were lost in a whine as Ruby sucked on skin, drooped silver eyes watching her carefully. Her fingers kneaded at Ruby's cotton shirt, desperate. Her breaths were hot, warmed from the fire in her stomach. Gods, what was happening to her? She was practically melting...
A shrill whistle made both girls freeze.
Ruby jerked away from Weiss in an instant, immediately stiff with horror. Weiss pulled her hands back to her own chest, following Ruby's startled gaze with her own pissed one. Things had been starting to get good and now some annoying whelp had ruined her chance. Her eyes landed on a tall figure emerging from the bushes, an ice cold wind rapidly quenching the fire in her core.
"What a show!" He clapped mockingly, dusting the leaves from his shoulders as he came closer, "Nothing gets me more fired up than two girls making out in the woods."
"Torchwick." Ruby growled, voice low and dangerous. Ruby quickly got into a protective stance in front of Weiss, her arm drawn out to defend her at any cost. Weiss shook her head clear of her wavy vision, her hand reaching for Myrtenaster, only to grasp empty air. Her heart fell into her stomach. She hadn't expected to need Myrtenaster, so she had left it in their dorms this morning. A quick glance to Ruby's back showed that she hadn't brought Crescent Rose either.
"Nice to see you again, Red," Roman feigned happily, swinging his cane through the air before planting it into the ground. He leaned to the side so that Weiss could see him past Ruby, tipping his hat to Weiss as he did, "Snow Pea."
Weiss narrowed her eyes, activating her aura across her body, "What do you want?"
Ruby glanced at Weiss as she emerged from behind the caped girl and stood beside her, flashing a look that Weiss didn't catch before turning back to Roman. Weiss could protect herself, she was still a huntress even without Myrtenaster. Roman hummed, plucking the cigar from his mouth and throwing it into the water. Ruby and Weiss both glared at him.
"What I want is simple, m'dear," Torchwick said, watching the cigar sink into the water before looking back to the two girls. Both Huntresses grew tense, ready for a fist fight if it came down to it. Roman stopped a few feet in front of both girls, eyes looking up and down Weiss, and stopping at her chest, before back to her face, "I've been sent to retrieve you."
Weiss followed the criminal's eyes to her chest before covering herself with a disgusted scoff, anger flooding through her body. Ruby growled, having noticed Torchwick's line of sight, "You're insane if you think she'll just go with you."
Roman laughed, "Oh Little Red, always the hero."
He clicked his fingers, the trees and bushes coming to life as White Fang burst from their hiding places. They were surrounded in seconds, faunus of every type circling them as they waited for further orders. "But she's still coming with me."
Weiss flicked around to defend Ruby's back, her eyes wide in unease. There was no way they could take them all on without their weapons. It was suicide.
"How did you even find us?" Weiss asked over her shoulder, her fists held in front of her in a form of defense.
"Your friend from the market isn't very loyal," Roman hummed, "Sold you out the second she saw the Lien."
Weiss turned to look at Ruby, who's face had shifted into a look of betrayal, "Amber…?" She hesitated, looking back at Weiss with an unspoken apology in her eyes. Weiss looked away. It wasn't Ruby's fault, but this had definitely explained the way she had been feeling in the markets. They would figure that out later.
"Now," Roman clapped his hands together, "As much as I'd love to hang around, we've got a schedule to keep. Let's wrap this up, boys."
The faunus around them creeped closer, their feet crunching over dead leaves and twigs, brandishing weapons in their hands from behind their cloaks. Weiss narrowed her eyes nervously, her eyes flickering to each of the closest faunus. She wasn't going down without a fight.
Suddenly, there was a sharp prick in her leg. She hissed in surprise, looking down to look at what had just hit her. Sticking out of her calf was what looked like a dart, the glass vial attached to it already emptied into her system. Her head quickly grew woozy, exhaustion climbing across her body. Her eyes darted around for the source, finding a deer faunus still hidden in the bushes nearby with what looked like a blowgun in its hands.
"Oh no ," she croaked, staggering against Ruby's back. The reaper turned around in concern, her eyes landing on a now swaying Weiss. The heiress could hardly see, her vision swimming in waves as she struggled to stay awake against the darts dosage.
"Ru-.." She attempted to wheeze a warning to one of the Ruby that had doubled in her vision in front of her, but her tongue felt like it was made of lead. Black clouds began to form in the corners of her eyes, her knees suddenly giving out beneath her.
"Weiss?!" Ruby cried out, catching the nearly unconscious girl as she fell forward into her arms. Ruby collapsed to the floor, panic seizing her chest as she cradled the slumped body of her partner in her arms. Weiss was fighting to keep her eyes open, her blue eyes dulled as she began to doze off. Ruby felt a flare of fear clench her heart, looking back to Roman in rage.
"What did you do to her?!" she roared, clutching Weiss' head tightly to her chest as the Schnee finally fell asleep. She shook Weiss lightly, begging her to wake up beneath her breath. Roman came closer, unthreatened by the sight of the furious huntress.
"Don't worry your little head, Red. She's just having a nap," he hummed, nodding to some of the grunts, who moved forward without hesitance, "Now, say goodbye to your girlfriend."
Ruby looked up as some of the masked men came forth, reaching to pull Weiss from Ruby's tight embrace. " No !" She growled loudly, her silver eyes glowing in anger as she spat, " Stay AWAY from her !"
Ruby hadn't noticed Roman pressing his cane against her back before it was too late, a round of paralysing dust rushing through her body with a scream. She let out a grunt of pain as it stopped, slouching over Weiss' form protectively. She glared at the grunts, an almost animalistic glow in her eyes.
"Don't- Don't touch...her," Ruby warned between breaths. Her body was sore, and suffering the aftereffects of the paralysis blast. She could hardly even breathe. Roman lifted her body up by the hood, pulling her away from Weiss with a violent jerk. Ruby's stomach twisted as Weiss' head thumped on the ground, struggling to get free from Roman's grasp, "Weiss..! Weiss! Let go! Weiss, wake up!"
"Weiss has the highest dosage of Midazolam humanly survivable flowing through her veins right now. She won't wake up for another 20 hours, if at all," Roman said sickly, sticking another dart into the side of Ruby's neck. Ruby froze as she felt the dart's fluids flowing beneath her skin, landing roughly on the ground as Torchwick let go of her hood. Her vision was swimming, waving in and out and making her sick.
Ruby crawled weakly against the ground, grinding her teeth as she pulled herself along the dirt ground. She reached forward to try and grab Weiss, her hand hovering in the air before hitting the ground weakly with a dusty thud. She could see the masked faunus tying the heiress up roughly with ropes, throwing her around like she was trash before picking her up and flinging her over their shoulder.
"Wei...Weiss…" She sobbed, her vision growing dark as one of the White Fang got closer. A hard, painful kick landed against her ribs, a loud crack coming from her chest. Ruby coughed painfully, laying limp in the dirt. A wheeze escaped her lungs, her aura frail. She watched as the black cloaked people disappeared into the forest again, tears falling from her face.
"No….no.." Ruby croaked the word over and over, sobs racking her body as she slowly passed out.