Hey peps! Here I am with a new chapter, I hope you guys will enjoy it. Also, in case you haven't noticed I have made a new drawing for my story. If you wish to see more of my work in the future go to DevianArt, my name there is Paladin340. Oh! And before I forget, one of the characters will die next chapter.
A Shattered Life
Chapter 15: Dance of the Red Petals
Ruby was in the bathroom with her boyfriend Geo, he was treating the wounds she had suffered during her fight with Sunny Locklear a couple of hours ago. "I have to admit that woman is quite strong for a regular medic, but she did mention she was sent far away to go through an extensive training when she was just a kid, so I think it's normal she has a great amount of skills when it comes to combat." Said Ruby with her sweet tone, as she looked at the young Lord who was wrapping a bandage around her left leg. "You know, I still can't believe I was actually able to use my Aura to perform an attack like that. I bet Avala will be impressed with my progress." A smile spread across her lips with that thought. "Ow!" She felt a little sting on her wound because of the alcohol that Geo poured down her leg. "These training sessions I have with Sunny and Avala will have to stop for a while, I need to rest before getting into more battles with those two."
"I agree, you have been pushing yourself too much these past two weeks, you could use some rest." Replied Geo, as he finished treating Ruby's injured leg. "But that technique you used against Sunny was really impressive, you managed to focus your Aura into a single point and fire it towards her with perfect aim. Not everyone can do that." He smiled, causing Ruby to get embarrassed after hearing those kind words coming from her lover's lips.
"Maybe, but I couldn't have done it without Avala's training, she's a real expert about Aura base attacks." Ruby replied. "It surprises me how little she uses them against me during our training sessions, I guess she doesn't see's me as a real fighter yet. But with this new technique she will have to take me serious." Her beautiful silver eyes were burning with excitement as she couldn't wait to show General Avala the new technique she had developed.
"She does take you serious Ruby, Avala said so herself when we were having dinner last night, but she also feels the big scythe you use in combat is too much for you to handle." The boy got up and placed the wet cloth he used to clean his girlfriend's wounds in the sink.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, she said that you rely on your Semblance too much for moving around in the battlefield and to perform certain attacks, causing your moves to become predictable after a small amount of time." Geo answered. "In fact, she thinks if you have another weapon that's suited for your size, you could fight better. But I already know you love that weapon too much to just get rid of it like it was trash. I know that feeling I wouldn't change my sword for any other either." He grabbed Ruby's hand and pulled her up, guiding her to his arms. "You created that scythe when you were younger, am I correct?"
"Yep! I was twelve when I finally finished building it." The red haired girl then giggled has she remembered the first time she held Crescent Rose in her hands. "Hehe! You should have seen the mess I created at school when I test-fired it. The scythe flew away from my hands and slammed against one of the teacher's face, breaking his nose and a few teeth. Needless to say that after that everyone started to say I should dismantle my weapon as it was too dangerous for me to use it, even some of the teachers were on their side but I stood my ground and kept going." She ran her hand gently along her weapon. "I built Crescent Rose following my mom's old design, so they are almost identical in appearance but I have made a few upgrades that surpass her scythe in many ways." Ruby felt proud of the improvements she made.
"That's impressive to say the least, I mean you alone put together that scythe." He pointed at it. "Not to mention you made it better than your mother's own creation, I don't know many people that could have done what you did during that age. Which is another reason why I find you so attractive." Geo winked.
Ruby cracked a smile and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Come on, we should head downstairs and help Sunny with dinner." She said while making her way towards the door, she placed her hand on the door's handle and pulled it down, opening the door. At that exact moment she felt her Scroll shaking inside her pocket, she reached to it and saw that she had received a message from her older sister.
Sis! You need to get your butt to the tavern called 'Jack's Rest' at the eastern edge of town as soon as possible. I have been searching for Sunny's house for almost two hours now, but I just can't find it anywhere, and I think I'm lost, please come get me.
"Really Yang?" Ruby sighed as she returned the Scroll back to her pocket. "This is why I said you should have come with us when me and Geo left the castle in the morning." She whispered to herself.
Lord Geo noticed her somewhat annoyed expression and knew whatever she received wasn't good. "You look quite annoyed by something. Who was that?" He was intrigued.
"It was my sister, she got lost while looking for this place." Ruby replied. "I have to go get her, and since I have no idea how long I will take to reach her, I guess that dinner with Sunny and her family will have to be scheduled for another time." She and Geo walked down the stairs, the young man then opened the exit door. "Tell Katelyn that I'm really sorry for not playing with her tonight."
"No worries, I know she will understand." Said Geo. "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you? Walking alone in the streets at this hour can be dangerous."
"We both know I can take care of myself."
"Yeah, but that doesn't stop me from worrying about you." He said. "Anyway, I'll meet you back at the castle after dinner, safe trip my love."
"See you soon."
Ruby quickly left Sunny's residence, she rushed towards her sister's location. "She will hear a piece of my mind when I find her." It was clear that Ruby was a little upset with Yang. After a couple of moments, she noticed a sign pointing left with the name of the tavern she was looking for written on it, so she decided to follow the sign's direction and turned left. "Wow! This place has seen better days."
The network of roads that led to the eastern end of town was barely more than a dirt path and covered in shrubs and small bushes. Gardens once looked after and trimmed to perfection were now rough and overgrown, returning back to their chaotic natural state. Some doors were shut tightly, others were simply broken down. Some forcefully, others had simply collapsed under their own weight as the elements continued to eat them away. Many roofs had collapsed as well and in some cases had taken the entire building with it. "Why would Yang go search for us in a place like this? It doesn't make sense."
Has she wad about to turn right, two figures appeared from the shadows. "Hello my Lady." The moon light revealed that one of them was none other than Captain Solomon himself, while the other was a short man dressed with a type of black kimono and wearing a mask that resembled the face of a Grimm creature, that same mask had only one hole and through it you could see his red eye. "You shouldn't be here, don't you know this section of town is filled with criminals?"
"Oh...I had no idea but I'm in a hurry, thanks for the warning thought." Ruby moved to the side, but Solomon stood in front of her again. "...Is there a reason you are blocking my way?" Her eyes narrowed has she started to get suspicious about the Captain's behavior.
Solomon removed his blade from it's holster. "Things could have gone as planned if you and that bitch of a sister of yours hadn't shown up." He said with a serious tone, making Ruby take a small jump back and release Crescent Rose. "Hahaha! It's two against one child, you have no hope of winning, just do all of us a favor and stay still so I can kill you."
"You filthy traitor!" Shouted Ruby.
The masked man crossed his arms and nodded sideways has he refused to fight. "What? How dare you defy me! We have orders to take her out, you will do as I say!" Spit hit the mask and that made the man uncross his arms, he then punched Solomon in the left cheek, making him take a few steps back. "Y-You miserable bastard! Fine! I will deal with her myself."
When he turned his attention back to Ruby, two boots slammed right into his face, throwing him against the wall. "Why are you doing this? I did nothing to you and neither did Aiden or Geo. So why are you doing this Solomon?"
Captain Solomon licked the blood from his lips and smiled. "Where would be the fun if I told you." He answered with devious look upon his face. "Perhaps, I won't kill you, I like breaking defiant girls that are cute. Tell me, has Geo fucked you yet?"
"Screw you!"
"Hahaha! I'll take that has a no." He laughed. "After I beat you, I will rip off those clothes and then...well, lets say you won't be a virgin anymore little girl. Hahaha!"
Ruby's grip around her weapon increased has her hands began to tremble. "No...no...j-just focus on the battle at hand, I-I can't think about what disgusting things dad did to me." She tried her best to remain calm. "I-I won't let that happen again, not again...not again!" Ruby dashed towards him with blinding speed, and her scythe launches straight at him, but Solomon manages to dodge it.
"Eh! You're wide opened." He said launching his sword forward.
Only for rose petals to dance in front of him as Ruby disappeared in a burst of speed, causing surprise to appear upon the Captain's features. He turned toward where Ruby was and suffered a kick into his stomach, followed by a second kick to his right cheek. Solomon was pushed backward as he crouched down against the floor, gazing up at the young girl who was spinning her weapon in hand.
"Take this! Crescent Wave!" The wave of concentrated Aura was aimed at her opponent. For some reason Solomon decided to not move and take the hit, he yelled as the blast exploded the area around him. "Ah...I doubt he can stand after that."
"Is that all you got? How disappointing." He rose up without much effort.
Ruby huffed lightly as she held her stance, staring at the enemy as he was spinning his blade in his hand and then he launched an attack at her, she pared it and caused her to grit her teeth at the pain she felt from the injuries she suffered this morning. But there was something about this attack as the power surged through the sword he was holding. "What's this?"
A smirk appeared on Solomon's lips. "Explosive Wave!" He shouted. Ruby's silver eyes widened in surprise as she was completely engulfed within the attack that came at point-blank range. She let out a yell of pain as she was completely covered into the ground as the area shook with the blast of Aura that was released from Solomon's blade. "Stupid girl, your body is covered with wounds. How can you possibly defeat me in that state?"
Ruby rolled down upon the dirt as she grabbed her scythe. "Ahh...ahh." A soft groan of pain was let out as she pulled herself back up to her feet. "Dammit!" Suddenly, she felt a blade slashing her back, followed by another slash but this time it was aimed at her left leg. "Ahhhh!"
Solomon chuckled as he grabbed her by the throat, he applied so much pressure that forced Ruby to let go of her scythe. "You are nothing but a whore." He said. "How about I take a peek under that skirt of yours?" Has he was about to reach Ruby's skirt, she managed to kick him in the chest and break free. "Ah! You fucking bitch!" He grabbed a dagger from his other holster and threw at the girl.
The dagger pierced Ruby's shoulder, making her scream in pain as she lost her balance and fell into the river. Captain Solomon went to see where she had fallen, but he couldn't find her anywhere, maybe the current pushed her to another area. "If she doesn't die from the wounds I created, then she will drown in the river. What a waste, I bet she would have tasted like candy." He placed his sword back to its holster. "Let's go, we need to report to Cinder."