Date: 4/21 Thursday

Location: Shujin Academy, Aoyama-Itchome

After making sure that ground floor female restroom was empty, I took my glasses off and placed them on to the counter behind the sink and leant up against it, bring my face near the wall-length mirror and running my index finger along the scar.

"Does my scar really make me look like I'm broken?" I said to no one as I gripped the edge of the counter. "I mean it doesn't look that bad does it." Moving my finger out the way, I took a closer look at it. It didn't look as bad is it did when I first received it, the redness wasn't as bad and the glasses did help cover it up.

"Why is this getting to me?" Dropping my head, I let out a shaky breath before turning the cold tap on and splashing some water on my face. "Come on Ruby, this has never bothered me as much this before so why am I letting that book get to me so much?"

"Maybe because you are not the strong-willed person you let on to be, just look at how easy it was for me to take control of you." I heard my other self say from behind me.

"That... that was a moment of weakness... I-I shouldn't have lost my cool, I can't show them any weakness... not again."

"But didn't it feel nice to let go and let me take control?"

"Feel nice? You got me stabbed. By a fucking sword."

"Oh swings and roundabouts babe, I did kill that thing FYI."

"Yeah, but I could have died if it weren't for the others." Looking up and into the mirror, I saw a faint shadowy outline of her and her features standing a few paces away from me. 'Why can I see her outline?'

"Because it just goes to show you how much you are willing to let go of that sexy body of ours."

"I forget that you can read my mind..." She winks. "And didn't I tell you that you can have my body when I die?"

"You might have mentioned it, yes, but I plan to take it sooner than you like." I feel her arms wrap around my neck and lips next to my ear. "All you have to do is to let me take over now and those thoughts about your scar would be non-existent."

"You make a valid point," I said with little energy. "But I can't let you wreak havoc for my friends."

"Your friends? They aren't your friends, they only want your help with this problem and then they'll leave you alone!"

"You're wrong!" I push off and walk over towards the empty wall. "If they weren't my friends then why would they hang out with me after school or have lunch with me?" I said with a raised voice.

"They pity you for what you're been through, nothing more nothing less."

"You're wrong!" I said placing a hand on the wall.

"Just you wait and see babe, they'll all leave you after this and you will be mine for the taking."

"I said you're wrong!" I said turning around to face her but coming face to face Blake.

"That sounded like a fun conversation." She said moving toward the sink that I left my glasses at.

"Yeah, loads of fun," I said with as much sarcasm as possible. "so… how much did you hear?"

"I can't hear what she said, but I did hear the last few bits from you… Is everything okay Ruby?"

'I can't let them see their leader weak can I, but who else part from Sun and Zwei knows about this… maybe… maybe she could help.'

"I'm… I'm just getting tired of having her with me all the time." I said feeling what energy I had disappeared as I fall against the wall and slid to the floor. I could feel tears rise to the surface as I look down to the tiled floor.

"I can only imagine what it's like to have another voice in your head who can also take control of you." She said in a solemn tone.

"I just want her gone, Blake." I felt the tears break the surface and roll down my cheeks. "It's only been a week or so but it feels like I'm fighting an uphill battle with her, and I'm starting to worry that she's winning."

I heard her move till her boots appeared into my blurry version and her hand grabbing my chin upwards so that I was looking at her. 'Just like Sun, she's got soft hands, maybe softer.' It was then that I realized that she had crouched down in front of me with a handkerchief in her other hand.

"Now what did you say to me the first time we talked and I started to cry?" I couldn't find my voice. "Pretty girls like you shouldn't cry, so stop crying before I start." She said with more comfort than humour as she started to wipe the tears away.

"Sorry, Blake, I'm scared that when she does, she's going to come after you guys and I don't want that to happen." I close my eyes when she stops wiping.

"It won't happen because if it did, me or Sun will be willing to knock you out." I laugh at the thought of Sun and Blake beating her/me black and blue till I regained control and I felt the deaf of her hand wipe the last of my tears away. 'When did I stop crying?'

"There, that's much better." She said letting go of me and standing. I watch her took the handkerchief away as she walked over to where my glasses are and picking them up -and just like a curious child with a new item- she puts them on.

"Hey! How come my vision isn't all burly?" She tilts her head side to side while checking her reflection in the mirror before turning to face me. She looked good with them on.

"They're fake; it's just normal glass in them, Blake." At the revelation, she looked at me like I had grown a second head.

"What? Why do you wear them?" She said as I notice them slide down her nose a little.

"I've been told that I got a pretty intense gaze, so my mom brought them for before I left to come here with the hope that I didn't scare that many people." A lot of people back in Inaba had trouble looking me in the eye. "It's also how I got this." I run a finger along the scar.

Her features soften as she leans against the counter. "So what, someone didn't like your "intense gaze" and what, tried to stab you for it?"

'She's got the main points of what happened but the reason is wrong.' "That's pretty much what happened, yep."

I avert my gaze when she gasps and raises a hand to her mouth. "I hope those bastards got what was coming to them."

"Oh, don't worry, they did. Tai, my father," I watch her eyebrow rise, before falling back. "Is a Detective back in Inaba, so once he found out, they didn't stand much of a chance." Even though back then, we weren't that much on speaking terms, I was glad that he still looked after me in those situations.

"Good," She walked over to me and offered me her hands. "I only see that gaze when we are in the Palace."

I notice that my glasses have tilted slightly on her after she pulls me up. "Well I have just been crying, so give it some time and you'll see."

She shakes her head a couple of times and my glasses tilt more. "I admit that you did have a scary look in your eyes when we first met, but after talking to you and getting to know you, I don't see it anymore."

I could feel my heartbreak a little. "Are you trying to make cry again, Blake, because that is the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long time."

"Sorry, but it did cheer you up though." Her smile is too bright for what we were talking about and I welcomed it with open arms.

"It did." I smile as best as I can. "Thank you, Blake and I'm sorry." I bow with the little space I had seeing as I had a wall behind me and her in front.

"Sorry for what?" She lets go of my hands and takes a step back.

"You shouldn't have seen your leader like this." I run a hand through my hair to push some of it out the way after standing up.

The same eyebrow rises up again before she spoke. "Leader? I thought Zwei was the leader?"

"I-I just thought that I was, s-seeing as you guys…"She cuts me off with laughter as I feel warmth in my cheeks. 'I fell for that one didn't I?'

"I couldn't help it, Ruby, sorry…" I watch her straighten out and push my glasses up before she takes a few more steps back before striking a pose that she must use when she's at a photo shoot. "So, how do I look?"

I take a couple of steps forward and reach out to pull my glasses down to where they were before stepping back. "Has anyone ever told you that you look very attractive with glasses on?" She straightens quickly with a blush. "I think you should get a pair and show Ilia, I'm sure she'll jump you for how good you look."

She bites her lip in thought before taking my glasses off and nodding. "Maybe I will."

"Anyway, didn't I say I'll out in five minutes?" I said as she passes my glasses back to me.

She nods again. "You did, but it had been ten since, so we came looking for you."

'Shit, we should get a move on then.' "Right, then this time I promise to be out in five, I need to freshen up." I said before she nods again.

"Alright, I'll tell Sun and Zwei that your fine and we'll meet you out front." She smiles that bright smile again before turning and walking towards the door.

'Should I ask her about helping me with some makeup for my scare? I might not get another chance to ask when it's just the two of us.'

"Blake…" She turns to face me. "Can you… maybe show me how to… how to use makeup sometime."

Silences hit the room like Sun hitting a Shadow with his metal pipe till she speaks up. "Sure thing, you tell me when and I'll help you." With that, she turns and leaves me to my thoughts.

'Well, at least she agreed to help with that.'

Date: 4/21 Thursday

Location: Shujin Academy

Stepping out of the restroom, I spot Sun leaning against the wall playing a game on his phone with his, mine and Ruby's bag. 'You haven't changed one bit.' Stopping just short of him, it took him a few minutes till he realized that I was standing next to him and when he looks up, he puts his phone away.

"She okay?" He said handing my bag back to me.

"Yeah," I let a sigh out. "It's her other-self that doing her head in apparently, I don't know what she said but it brought her to tears." I grab one of my pigtails and run my finger through it at the thought of what was said between the two of them.

"I need some fresh air." I said moving away from the area when I saw Weiss Schnee walking this way.

"I still can't get my head around her crying," I heard Sun say after he caught up to me. "you wouldn't think someone like her doing that, especially seeing how she acts in the Palace."

"Everyone has a mask that they don't want others to see, Sun." Zwei said poking his head out of Ruby's bag as we stepped outside.

"So what? She doesn't like it when people see her weak?" Sun said scratching the back of his head as we came to a stop near the gates.

"It must be, seeing as she apologised to me about seeing her like that." I said as I pulled my phone out of my bag and cheeking to see I had any messages from my agent or my parents, I had none by the way.

"Still hard to believe though." I heard Sun say before I heard some noise from his phone and Zwei telling him what to do.

While standing near the main gate whilst waiting for Ruby, I couldn't help but think about what she asked me before I left, about how she wanted my help in applying makeup. 'Why would she need my help? Unless she's never had to use it before, but still, why now all of a sudden? Could she be insecure about her scar?' With my phone in hand, I tap my chin in thought. 'It has to be that or why would she ask me to help. Well, whatever it is Ruby, you're helping me so let me help you then… maybe I should get myself a pair of glasses.'

Date: 4/21 Thursday

Location: Shujin Academy

As soon as Blake left, I placed my glasses on the counter before turning the cold tap and slashing my face serval time. 'Whether or not they plan to leave me after we take him down, they are friends in my book.' Looking up at my reflection, I could just see the bags under my eyes.

"Man, I look like shit." I said grabbing some paper towels and drying my face.

"I've seen worse." I heard from the doorway and upon turning to see who said that, I saw Weiss standing there.

"Hello Senpai, how can I help you?" I said squinting to keep the ruse up.

I watch her walk towards me before stopping a couple of feet away. "Well, a very scared and concerned first year saw you come in here and then heard you shouting at someone, so she came to me in hopes that I could find out what's going on."

'Crap, note to self, keep my voice down when talking to her in public.'

"Sorry about that, conversations between Tai and me can get loud sometimes." I notice an eyebrow rise just like it did with Blake when I spoke of him.

"Family problems?" She goes to take a step forward but stops before she starts to play the hem of her vest.

"Yes, but I don't want to bore you with them." I said grabbing my glasses and putting them on and gesturing to leave the restroom.

"Well, if you've got nothing planned this afternoon, would you like to study with me?" She asked with a small smile as we came to a stop in the foyer of the school.

'Shit, as much as I want to, I can't bail on the others, plus Sun has my backpack.'

"I'm sorry my snowy princess, but Sun has promised to take Blake and me to an amazing ramen bar this afternoon." There was sadness in her eyes as I turned her down but it was replaced with distaste when I mentioned Blake and Sun. 'What happened to you, Snow Pea?'

"But I think I might be free in a couple of days." I tacked on because I couldn't help to see her sad.

"Okay then, I'll be sure to find you then and I will find you, Ruby." She said with a menacing look.

Feeling a shiver run down my spine, I look around to see if I could see why, but upon finding nothing or no one, I chuck it up to us standing near the main entrance.

'Why do I get the feeling something bad is going to happen?'

"Well, it can't be hard to find me, I am taller than most girls." I said to her as I started to walk out of the building.

Date: 4/21 Thursday

Location: Central Tower of Taurus' Palace

As soon as we got to the Central Tower Safe Room, the room was bathed in red light. Sort of like what they would use in a submarine. 'I would not like to be the one who has to change all the bulbs.' After the room settled, Zee jumped up onto the table in frenzy.

"This is not good guys; something must have set Taurus off in the real world for this to happen."

"What's going on Zee?" I said looking towards the light source of the Safe Room and noticing that the bulb looked normal.

"As I said, something must have ticked Taurus off in the real world for the security to hit this high. We are going to have a hard time progressing, so we can either wait it out or try and push on through."

I looked to the other for their input and I watch Panther shake her head slightly. "I don't mind what we do, Joker, but I think that we should wait it out. It shouldn't take too long, right?"

"It should take about an hour or so, I'm… not really sure." Zee said whilst starching the back of his head.

"You not really sure? What kinda answer is that?" Skull said as I moved over towards the door and creaked it open a bit.

It just wasn't the Safe Room that was bathed in the red light, the whole room outside was as well and the floor was slowly rising and lowering to form pillars to navigate around and cover for us. There were a lot more Shadows roaming about as well, which went with what Zee just said.

"Hey, it's not my fault that I can't remember anything."

"WILL you guys shut up?" I turn around in time to see Panther grabbing Skull and Zee by the ear. Both of them letting out pained noise. "You two need to cut it out and take this seriously."

When she lets go, they both sat down at the table and went quiet. With a nod in thanks to Panther, I let the door close and move back into the room. "So what do you guys think, stay and wait it out or try our luck?"

"I say we go for it, we should be more than powerful enough to breeze through this." Skull said slamming his fist onto the table.

"I have agreed with Panther, it's probably best if wait it out." Zee said in a lighter tone.

'Of course, you would Zee, what is your fascination with her?' I moved my mask out of the way to rub at my eyes. 'While I think that waiting is a good idea, but can we really wait a couple of hours at most till it's safe or do we try and make some progress?... Fuck it, let's try.'

"Let's push to the next Safe Room and the Treasure."

The push as you might have expected didn't go as smoothly as I hoped it would go, with the increase of Shadows it was next to impossible to stay stealthy… well up to a point anyway. On the bright side of things, I did manage to get another Persona by the name of Jack-o'-Lantern, even though he was a floating pumpkin with a wizard hat and cloak and carrying a small lantern in a floating, gloved hand, he was still kind of a cute Persona to have. Especially seeing as he could absorb Fire.

As we made are through the rooms, there was one unnerving thing, it was the bases of the pillars, they were headless and legless statues of female students wearing only a pair of short shorts with the Shujin logo on in and their hands were covering their breasts. And the icing on this sick cake was that the statues were in that trusted pose. I just hoped that they weren't modelled after anyone.

There is one thing that I never liked in video games, and that was backtracking, so when we make it up a couple of floors of this tower and to what Zee likes to call, a classic security measure, if you can call giant, swing blades of death a classic security measure, then sure, and after pulling the Taurus shaped lever that was to the right of the hallway of death and finding it doing nothing, I couldn't help but let out an aggravated groan.

Zee was the one who suggested that we should check the floors below to see if one of the Shadows had the key or eye in our scenario. So we did, much to my disdain.

Even with the increase of bad guys, the search didn't take long to find the right one thanks to my ability to see people/objects of interests. So when I saw the glowing Knight in question, we did our best to stay silent as we took the few that were around him.

"This majestic tower penetrating the sky represents the admirable King Taurus' most sacred place. It is nowhere for the likes of you scum. Now come out and prepare for your punishment." I heard the lone Knight say as the four of us clung to separate shadows nearby.

"That is a very dickish thing to say, literally, that "King" of yours is a rapist." I shout hoping that it didn't reveal my location.

"How dare you sully the Kings names!" The thing shouted as he turned his back to me.

'Now's the time to strike if ever I've seen one.' Stepping out of the shadows, I make a quick dash towards it before leaping up and ripping its helmet off. Jumping back and landing, I throw the helmet to the side as the Knight falls back and quickly turned into the black-red bile.

"Great, I wonder what this one will turn out to be." Panther said as she and the others stepped out and walked towards me.

"Well, going off of what we've seen already, it could be anything." I said I closed my eyes and look at my Persona list. 'Maybe I could use Incubus and his life drain spell?'

"Whatever it is, we'll crush it in no time." I heard Skull say before the clunk of his pipe hit the floor.

Feeling the blue flames wash over my eyes, I look at the bile as it rises above us by a foot or two before forming into a slimy, looking dick and when I say a dick, it looked like more of a chode then a normal one and the worst thing about it was its wide mouth just under the head. I wanted to laugh so hard for the fact that we were about to fight a dick of things, but it was very ironic seeing who we were up against.

"Why is it looking at me?" Panther said with concern.

"Err… run?" I said as I slowly started backing up.

I watch them turn and start to move away as the dick lunged at Panther head fist, sending her flying past me and into Skull, sending them before to the ground.

"Zee, blast him!" I shout as I dive behind some cover to dodge his head-butt.

I watch as Zorro appears and does his trademark 'Z' with his rapier before I felt the wind behind me and a pained groan from the dick monster. Drawing my gun, I fire off a couple of blind shots before telling Zee to check on the others as I grab the edge of my mask and call forth Incubus to use Life drain on it.

As blue flames form around Incubus, he gives me a nod before he flies off towards the dick monster and this is the part that just felt wrong, seeing as I wanted to see what his Life Drain spell was like, what I didn't expect to see was the Incubus to impale the monster right through its head with its inhuman penis before I could feel it's life force flow into me.

That was the first and last time I used that spell.

Taking a knee behind the convenient waist-high cover, I took a quick stock of ammo I had left -which was half a clip- and fired a couple more shots before Skull leapt over me with pipe in hand, hitting the creature square on the side of the head, before he was sent flying by a counter-attack. I ducked down when I notice his pipe coming towards me and when it landed near me, an idea comes to mind.

Dropping my gun and picking his weapon up, I look back and see that Zee was finally getting Panther up. "Panther whip the pipe and hold on!" I shout at her as a look of confusion crosses her before she reaches for her whip and lunches it towards me. When I feel the tug of her whip, my grip tightens before lunching her towards the dick.

"Let's finish this!" She screamed as we flew by me before a hail of bullets hit the target and then her heels. I had to let go of the pipe due to Panther and her whip going farther than my reach could manage, I was glad that Suns' pipe hit the dick creature and oddly enough killing the thing.

"Why did that thing have to go for me first?" Panther said after standing up and uncurling her whip from Skull's pipe.

"Well, it was a dick and seeing as we are dealing with someone who wants you. I can understand why." I said as I picked my gun up and holstered it.

"I'll get the bone head up, again." I heard Zee say passing by me and towards where Skull lay.

"Ugh, don't remind me of him, Joker, I'm trying to forget about him till I have to." She said walking over to Skull and Zee and tapping his leg with her boot after the glow of one of the Revival Bead. "Come on you lazy git, get up."

With a gasp, Skull sits up. "I'm up; I'm up… that… was a stupid move on my part."

"Yeah, it was." Zee said with annoyance.

"Can it." He said taking his weapon back and standing then looking at me. "What was that thing you Persona did?"

A shiver runs me at the thought. "It's a skill that Incubus has that's called Life drain and besides getting some health back, it was not pleasant." I walk over to where the dick creature died to discover a pair of ball-like objects sitting on the floor.

'Are those what we need?' Picking them up and having a look, they looked like a pair of yellow-stained, glass eyes now that I held them up. I placed them both in my pocket before turning back to the others.

"I can only imagine." Panther said whilst doing a quick check on her own gear.

"Can we just head back and find the treasure please." I said jumping in before anyone else could ask about it. 'I really don't want to talk about it.'

"Let's kick some ass!" Skull said with as much enthusiasm as one could after being brought back to life. 'I wonder if I can't get us some headsets for us?'

After returning to the "classic security measure" and inserting the eye like keys into the Taurus like statue nearby, they stopped the swinging blades of death. "Well, that's one problem we don't have to deal with." I said before walking across the bridge, gingerly.

Passing a large, suspicious-looking door a couple of floors up, we found the Safe Room just a few feet away of it, which everyone was glad to find it. "Can we call it there today, Joker, I'm beat." Skull said falling into one of the larger chairs, while Panther took a two-seater couch all to herself with a sleepy look on her face, while Zee and myself stood near the table.

"We can do, when we find the Treasure." I said after taking some meds to relieve the slight headache that was forming.

"I can practically smell the Treasure nearby." Zee said hopping off the table and walking towards Panther.

"But I'm too sleepy to get up." She said with her eyes closed so she didn't see Zee walk towards her and jumping up onto the couch. "Hey!" She retorted before grabbing him and pulling him to her chest like a child would do to their favourite teddy bear. "We are taking a break and that's that."

I look at Skull and then back to Zee to see a look of pure bliss on his face. 'I can't blame him for looking like that; she does have an impressive set of boobs on her for her age… they must be like pillows.' Looking back at Skull, I noticed that he himself had closed his eyes as well.

Pulling one of the chairs out, I take a seat and I feel my bones not ache some much. 'Maybe a half-hour break isn't so bad after all.'

Climbing up and into the Throne Room, through an opening near the door, we spotted Shadow Taurus sitting in his Throne with a bunch on Knights standing in front of him from a balcony that surrounded the room. The room itself was way over the top for a Throne Room, there were more of those statues at the base of pillars that heled the balcony's up.

"I wonder what they are talking 'bout?" Skull said talking a spot beside me.

"Be quiet you numb skull. They might hear you." Zee said climbing onto my shoulder to get a better look at what was going on.

"I don't care what that sleaze-bag is saying. Let's move on." I heard the Cat Faunus say before I felt her move past me.

"She right guys, let's go." I said following her and feeling Zee's paws grab some of my hair.

Finding the Treasure room didn't take long seeing as there was only one other door in the Throne Room, so after Skull and I pushed open a sturdy-looking door we came across what looked to be like a poor attempt at a Scrooge McDuck vault. There were gold looking coins about ankle-high all over the room with several barrels, boxes and chests sticking out with a weird floating orb hanging above it all.

"Whoa, this is a room and a half! Holy shit!" Skull said as we took a few steps into the pile of gold. "That Treasure thing gotta be in here!"

"Hey, what is that?" I heard Panther say pointing to the floating ord. "It's… floating in the air."

Hearing a chuckle from Zee, I turn to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "That's the Treasure, we've finally found it!" He spoke with too much glee considering all that we had been through.

"How can that cloudy thing be the Treasure?" I ask taking a seat on a chest.

"I was planning on telling you more once we made it this far. Simply finding the Treasure isn't enough. We'll need to make it materialize before we can steal it." Zee said jumping up and onto an overturned barrel.

"Whaddya mean?" Skull said leaning against the same barrel.

"Desires have no physical form by nature here. Hence, we'll first need to make the real person aware that their desires are in fact a Treasure. Once they're conscious that their desires might be stolen, the Treasure will finally show itself."

"So how do we do that?" Panther said with clear exhaustion in her voice.

"We warn them. Tell them that, "We're going to steal your heart." with a calling card." Zee spoke again with too much glee.

"A calling card!? That's totally what a Phantom Thief would do!" Skull said while pumping his fist in the air.

"Once we do that, the Treasure will appear for certain! ...I think!" I look at Zee with slightly wide eyes at the revelation that the Calling Card may or may not work.

"That again?" I sigh. "It's worth giving it a shot either way."

"Then our infiltration route is secure." I watch Zee jump up in excitement. "All that's left now is to pump out a calling card in reality, then come back to take the Treasure!"

"I didn't think it would take so long to get here." Panther said as she moved to sit next to me on the chest and bends down to massage her foot. "I don't think I've worn heels this many times and for this long before."

"I've probably only worn heels for about a couple of hours, so I know how you feel Panther." I place a hand on her shoulder. "But there's not much left to do now."

"Once we send out the calling card, there will be no turning back." The Corgi said before hoping down and looking at some of the gold.

"So does that mean we're leaving now then?" Skull said with a yawn. "That fight with that dick monster has left me feeling like shit."

"Yeah, we're done now; let's get out of here before Shadow Taurus finds us." I said standing up and stretching.

Date: 4/21 Thursday

Location: Untouchable

Stepping into the store I was greeted by the soft chime of the bell before noticing that the store was once again empty. 'Does anybody actually come here?' Walking up to the counter I hit the small desk bell and waited, I could smell and see the cigar still smouldering away in the ashtray as I turn and lean against the counter.

"So you came back huh, Red?" The owner said stepping back into the shop.

Pushing off the counter and turning around, I notice that orange-haired man was wearing the same outfit as last time. 'Does this guy have just one outfit?' I bow slightly at him as he comes to a stop near the register. "My name is Ruby, by the way. Red was a nickname I had back in Elementary school."

I watch him pick the cigar up, flick some ash into the ashtray and stick it in his mouth. "So what can I do you for, Red?"

A sigh passes through my lips and I let my shoulders sag before looking at the guy. "I was wondering if you would know where I could get some headsets or earpiece from, something that is hard to notice and can connect to phones."

He slam's both of his hands on the counter and looks at me menacingly. "And why would I know something like that?"

"Because of that," With two fingers, I tap my neck where his White Fang tattoo would be. "I notice it the first time we meet and I couldn't remember where I saw it before and it came to the other day that that is the tattoo that member of the White Fang gets when they join."

"And where would a Kid like you find out about that sort of information?"

"My father is a detective back home and the reason why I'm stuck here for a year." I mumbled the last part, not caring if the guy heard me.

I watch him stand up before pulling his collar on his white coat up higher to cover the tattoo. "Well, that explains why you hate the cops as much as I do." He takes his cigar out of his mouth and places it back into the ashtray. "So, why does a kid like you need those sorts of headsets?"

"Everybody has a reason for wanting something." I said gripping one of the handles of my bag. 'Please don't push for why.'

"You are right about that, so how many do you want and when?" He said taking a seat and reaching for his cigar.

"Err… I think about a dozen should do and is it possible to get them by tomorrow afternoon?"

"I might be able to get you them by that time but it's going to cost you, Red."

"How much?"

"Well, I wouldn't know until I make some calls." He lets out a long smoke cloud as he puts his feet up.

"Ok then, thank you then and I'll come around tomorrow afternoon." I said before he nods his head and picks up a comic from behind the counter and starts reading it.

Date: 4/22 Thursday

Location: Shujin Academy

The twenty-second of April is one of the days that I would love to forget, but sadly I can't.

After finding the Treasure, Zwei suggested that we should take the day off and rest as best as we could as we were going to steal the Treasure the next day. The rest of us agreed with him and it gave Sun enough time to come up with the Calling Card after he begged us to let him do it.

So, of course, we took the day off from being Phantom Thieves and tried to act like normal students, well… as normal as we could under the circumstances. The three of us met for lunch in the courtyard, had some laughs, it was nice, but it was when the school day ended that it took the turn of the worst.

After saying goodbye to Blake as she was going to the hospital where they took Illia, Sun as he wanted to go buy some newspapers for the Calling Card and Zwei said he wanted to stay home that day, so I thought it was a good idea to head to the Library to do some research on the brand my other-self gave me.

As I made it to the third floor and made my way over the library, the Albain brothers stepped out of the Student Council Room and made a beeline towards me. "Rose-san, can you follow us please." The one with the tail said.

"What's this all about?" I asked as they grabbed me by the arms and lead me past the Library and towards the practice building. 'Why are we heading this way, they best not be taking me to him.'

"Just follow us." The one the ears said after we walked into the Practice Building.

"Look, if you're not going to tell me where you're taking me, then I'm not going anywhere." I said trying to plant my feet into the ground to little effect, seeing as they were both taller than me.

"Shut the hell up will you!" The eared one said as they lifted me slightly off the ground.

Their grip was stronger than it looked as I thrashed around as much as I could whilst looking around to see if I couldn't spot anyone, which I couldn't. By that point, we had made it to the second floor of the Practice Building and were heading the P.E. faculty office and the one person that I didn't want to see.

Before I knew it, we were standing outside the office and the fox tailed one was knocking on the door. "Taurus-sama, we have brought her like you asked."

'Some "God" you're calling to, the guy sexually assaulted Illia and god knows what the twat is going to do to me.' There was a lull before the door opened to Adam standing there in his blue tracksuit bottoms, blue trainers and white vest.

"You've done a good job, boys." He said with a righteous tone as he moves to the side and I got thrown to the room. "I'll let you know if I need anything else… oh, keep me updated on where she is."

I turned around in time to see him close the door and lock it. "Now, you might be wondering why I had them bring you here, Ruby." He turns to look at me with a predatory look.

"You dam right I am!" I said slipping my backpack off and hold it by the straps just in case.

"Now, Ruby, there's no reason for this to turn violent," He moves to stand in front of me so that my back was against the wall and he crossed his arms over his broad chest. "besides, I haven't told you why I ask you here."

My grip on my backpack straps tightens as I spoke with enough venom as I could. "I'm more than likely going to say no, so save your breath."

"It's simple," He started, ignoring what I said. "all you need to do is stop whatever you and that idiotic monkey and cat are doing and I won't expel you. "

I watch him walk towards me as I start to move back till I hit the wall. "Plus," He stands uncomfortably close to me, close enough that I could feel his penis through his track-suit bottoms, up against my leg. "I can give you what every other girl your age wants.

I close my eyes as I feel his breath near my ear, hoping that I could find some strength to push him away.

Location: Shujin Academy, Aoyama-Itchome

Standing by the entrance to the school with my school bag over my left shoulder, I was hoping to be able to catch her before she disappeared like she did the past week. 'I hope that I didn't miss her again.' I grip the handle of my bag tighter as I pull my phone out to check the time. 'I'm here early than normal, so why haven't I seen her jet?'

"Ah, Mako-chan, there you are." I heard from my right.

'There's only one person who calls me that.' Turning to face the soft, but energetic spoken girl, Nora stops a few paces away from me wearing the Shujin Academy P.E. uniform instead of the normal uniform. 'She must be heading up to the roof to attend to her plants… her hair always reminds me of clouds.'

"Good afternoon Watts-san, I take it you are going to see your plants soon?"

"Oh yes, they are coming along so nicely after I planted them up there. You should come up there with me one-day, Mako-chan, it can very relaxing." She said placing her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth ever so slightly.

"Thank you for the offer but I have my Aikido that helps me unwind." I said feeling very proud of how my body was turning out thanks to my practice. 'I wonder if she has seen Ruby anywhere.'

"Say, Watts-san, you haven't happened to have seen Rose-san anywhere?" I asked hoping that she has seen her.

Her eyes light up before a smile appears on her face. "I have, that is why I came to you in the first place, I saw Fennec and Corsac carry her off towards the P.E. faculty office." She places a finger on her chin. "It was odd though, it was like she didn't want to go with them."

I could feel my heartbeat faster as Nora spoke and as soon as she finished speaking, I left her there as I ran towards the Practice Building. 'He best not lay a finger on my Ruby, or so help me I'll bring the wrath of the police force on him… No, I can't bring my Sis in this, she already has enough to contend with so I'll need to get try and get her out of there whilst making it sound believable.'

Before I knew it, I was standing outside the P.E. faculty office. 'Shit I'm going to have make something up.' I knocked on the door a couple of times and waited. 'Come on you bastard, I know that you are in there with her.' Knocking again, I heard Taurus groan before I heard the door unlocking.

"Didn't I tell you… Oh, what can I do for you Student President?" The glare in his eyes was not hard to miss.

"Sorry to interrupt you Taurus-sensei, but can I speak to Rose-san please?" I asked whilst trying to not let my hate show through.

"And how did you know she was here?"

"A student told me that they saw her heading this way." I said folding my hands together behind me to try and keep my anger at bay.

"What is this about? As I'm having a private talk with her." He said showing no budge.

"I have a message from her father and he said it was very important to get it to her."

I watch him deflate ever so slightly before he moves away from the door to let me in. Stepping just inside the office and looking to my left, I noticed Ruby standing there, with her back against the wall with a pleading look in her eyes. 'What has he done to her?'

"I'm glad I've found you Rose-san, your father called the school not too long ago asking you to call as soon as possible as you're mother has had to go to the hospital." I wink at her with my left eye. 'I hope you can act Ruby.'

"My mom's in hospital!? Did he tell you what's wrong with her?" She asked in panicked tone when she pushed off the wall and I hoped that Taurus would believe her.

"I'm not sure what has happened to your mother but it did sound very serious and I'm sure the staff at reception will let you use the schools' phone under this circumstance if you head there now."

I watch Ruby learn against the wall again and bring a hand up to her face. "Oh god, not again, not why'll I'm here." She pushes off the wall again, turned to face Taurus and spoke with a tremble. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"By all means Ruby… and Schnee?" I take my eyes off Ruby to look at him. "Make sure she gets there in one piece will you." He said with a clenched jaw.

"Yes sir." I bow slightly before placing my hand on her back. "Come on Ruby, let's go."

"Sure." I watch her shoulder her backpack before taking her glasses off on wiping her eyes and follows me out of the room. 'Mission successful!'

Location: Shujin Academy, Aoyama-Itchome

There was silence form the both of us up until we entered the main building, where Weiss removed her hand and I missed the contact. We didn't talk to each other until we made it to the ground floor. I was grateful that someone had seen me get carted off by those two and I was even more grateful that Weiss had shown up and had somehow got us both out of there.

"There was no phone call from Tai was there?" I ask even though I knew the answer.

"Of course not." She gives a sly smile as we got to the entrance of the school. "After being told what happened and where you were, I had to get you out of there."

"My hero, how may this maiden ever repay you?" I said in a joking way as we left school.

She looks at me with something in her eyes before a heavy blush spreads across her face and she stutters. "I-I'm s-s-sorry fair maiden," She looks away. "but this hero will get back to you on that; let's get away from here first."

Location: Shibuya

It was only until we got on to the train to Shibuya, that Weiss told me that she was going to escort me home, which was going to cause me some trouble seeing as I needed to stop by Untouchable to collect the headphones or ear peace's that hopefully should be there. 'Should I lie to her about why I need to go to a shady looking shop or should I tell her the truth.'

"I'm fine with you escorting me home Weiss, but I need to stop by a shop before heading home, so I hope you don't mind." I said before the train jostled, hard.

Even though we were holding on to handles and there was a respectable distance between us, Weiss still fell into me. As soon as she did, on instincts, I put my free arm around her to steady her. It was then that I realized that she had let go of the handle she was holding on to and had both of her hands resting on my chest, above my breasts and her face buried into her hands.

'She is going to kill me with how cute she can be.' When she pulls back, her face was nearly akin to my namesake, one that I couldn't help but chuckle at slightly. "You okay?"

"Y-yes, I am, think you." She pulls back farther away from me and grabs the handle again. "For once I didn't expect that to be so forceful." She said whilst not making eye contact.

"It's one of the reasons I like Inaba some much, everything was right there on your doorstep, apart from if you wanted to head to Okina city, then you either drove or took the train, so you would sitting down for all of it." I said with fondness as I remembered all the times I went there before the incident.

"It sounds like Inaba is a nice place, oh; I don't mind taking a detour if you need to pick something up." She said finally looking at me.

"It is, I'll have to show you around some time and thank you, I promise not to take too long."

After leaving Weiss outside of Untouchable, under the guise that I might get a part-time job out of this, which, once I lied to her about the reason why I was here, she was actually excited about me finding a part-time job. I wasn't happy about lying to her about why I was here, but she wouldn't have understood why and what they were for, so I had little choice but to.

Stepping into the store, I was hit by thick cigar smoke before I saw the orange-hair man get up and walk into the back. I set my backpack down on the ground by the counter whistled I waited. I was glad that I didn't have to wait long for the clerk to come back carrying a small cardboard box

"Here you go, Red, just what you ordered." He said opening the box up and pulling out a foam lid to reveal thirteen small earpieces, sort of like the one you seen in spy films and TV shows.

"How come there are thirteen of them? I asked for twelve." I asked after picking one up and examining it, honestly, I didn't think that things like these existed outside of films.

"A life lesson for you Red, always order more than what you need." He said lighting a cigar.

"Why do you think I wanted twelve of them?"

"I thought as much, but I order more just in case and I can only get them in groups of thirteen." He said in-between poofs of smoke.

"Fair enough, so how do they work?"

"It's simple, they work within a thirty metres radius and works on a secure radio frequency, so you and your friends can talk all you want… as long as you don't shout at one another." He said and my mind went to Sun and how loud he could at times.

"Yeah, I'll have to tell him to keep it down… so, how much do you want?" I ask knowing that it was going to be a lot.

"Fifty-three thousand, two hundred and thirty-five yen." He said without breaking a sweat and I nearly choke on air.

"How much?" I almost shouted after getting my breath back, but I remembered that Weiss was waiting outside. 'Buying these would nearly bankrupt me… Maybe I could set up some sort of weekly payment?' "Could I pay for them in…"

"Nope." He lets a poof of cigar smoke out.

"What? How come?"

"Sorry, Kid, but it's a policy of mine." He said taking the cigar out of his mouth and placing it into an ashtray.

I let out a groan as I crouch down to get my wallet out of my backpack. 'At least I saved my money before the Incident and what we get from the Shadows helps as well.' Standing back up, I pull my bank card out. "Can I pay by card?"

Stepping outside and back into the alleyway with my new items in tow, I could feel my bank card screaming at me for my purchase. 'God, I hope that these are worth the money.' Grabbing the straps of my backpack with my left hand, I started to head back into civilization.

"So, how did it go?" I heard from behind me as I realized that I forgot that I left Weiss outside the store.

"He said that he needs to go over the books to make sure that he could hire me and he'll give me a call if he can or not." I said as she matched my speed.

"At least he is checking to see if he can hire you, so that is good." She said as we made it back on to Central Street.

As we made our back to the station, we didn't talk as much till her train arrived, she said that she wanted to wait till mine came but I promised her that I wasn't planning on going anywhere till my train came. She was reluctant to leave but I was lucky enough to convince her to go before she had to wait for her next train, after all, if Taurus came after me at school and Weiss was the one who blocked him, then that meant that there was the possibility that he would come after her.

Before she did leave, she wanted us to trade contact information as she wanted me to message her as soon as I made it home, I, of course, was happy to exchange numbers with the girl I liked. So after we did, I promised to message her when I step foot in home and I somehow manage to get her to do the same after telling her that I was worried about him coming after her.

We said our goodbyes as she got on to her train home, leaving me alone to wait for mine.

Authors Notes

So… here is the next chapter and I'm for it taking so long to publish it, the fight scene to get the eye's had me stumped for far longer than I like to admit. Then having a cold for the past three weeks didn't help with the motivation as well. Expect the next chapter at some point as it's time for the boss fight.

If you have any questions about this chapter or any of the others, then feel free to comment and I'll be sure to respond as soon as possible, but in the meantime, Walk Tall and Be Fierce, my friends.