Hey everyone! Here I am with a brand new chapter for you guys to read and enjoy. I hope you will like it. Also, during the initiation a certain masked guy will show up with his pet to complete the mission given to him by Salem, or so it would seem because he has other plans for Ruby, the daughter of a Silver Eye that almost ended his life.
Anyway, that's all I wanted to say, have a great read everyone, until next time, bye.
A Shattered Life
Chapter 28: A Hidden Shadow
It was a marvelous day with only a couple of clouds in sight. The blossom arrived like cake frosting on the trees in delicious creams and pinks, the petals burst out from lower down the branches leaving the tips still in tight bud. The lazy wind pushed against the unmown grass like a child sending dandelion seeds on their way: one o'clock, two o'clock, three. Above the white wisps trail and the late spring sun a welcoming warmth is brought, coating Ruby and Geo like sweet caramel over a harvest apple.
The long, wide avenue they were walking was leading them up to what appears to be the main academy buildings and their large, impressive main doorway, which opens up to a large amphitheater surrounded by a double ring of colonnades bisected by the main avenue with the outer ring rising high over the entrance to the academy itself. The same avenue is marked with trees and flag-draped light-poles, as well as a number of impressive aqueduct-like features and archways.
Ruby's silver eyes were scanning the area around her, the beauty of the academy's main avenue reminded her of the little garden of roses that she had back home, which once belonged to her and her dear mother, Summer Rose. "Seeing these small gardens brings back wonderful memories about me and mom when she was still around." A small smile spread across her lips. "We used to have a garden full with roses just outside our house, she usually gave me one every time she left for a mission so I wouldn't cry at night." She stretched her hand to feel the petals soft surface running across her skin.
"I had no idea." He replied. "To be honest, I don't know much about your mother and the type of things you two used to do together, but from what I heard so far she seems a very caring person with an incredible skill at baking cookies." Ruby giggled a little after hearing that, Geo then took hold of the red warrior's free hand and said. "Tell me more about her, she was a Huntress right?"
"Yup! One of the best if I may add." Ruby was proud of her mother's accomplishments as a Huntress. "She would always pick the hardest jobs out there because they meant more money for her, not to mention she enjoyed the battles against strong Grimm." Answered Ruby with her sweet tone. "Her dream was to become the best warrior in the world, at least that's what Yang told me since I can only remember some moments with mom. I mean I was really young when she was around, but the few memories I have of her are precious to me."
"I get that." Said Geo with a gentle tone, he understood how Ruby felt as he too was quite young when his mother passed away, the memories he has of her are all well kept inside his heart. "You and her share a couple of similarities, you too have a thing about fighting strong Grimm and I can say with complete honesty that you also bake the most delicious cookies ever, even better than Sunny."
"Hehe! My skills at cooking are more than terrible you can go ask my sister if you want, but for some reason I could always bake cookies easily without causing a huge mess." Ruby replied, then a certain bush painted with many flowers of different colors caught her attention. Letting go of her boyfriend's hand she approached the bush to take a closer look.
Ruby stretched out her fingers to touch the silky pink petals of a flower, they were cooler than she'd expected, smoother too. She tried to will it to open faster, to see the beauty she knew was inside, but nature has its way, its timing, and she wasn't ready yet so Ruby decided to leave it alone and move to another flower. "Do...Do you think my mom would be proud of the person I have become?" She asked while caressing the petals that belonged to a red flower. "I'm sorry to ask you this so suddenly but I have been thinking about this for awhile now."
"Of course, she would be." Said Geo, placing his hand on her cheek and guiding her to his purple eyes. "You're an amazing woman Ruby, you have helped countless people without expecting anything in return. You are a brave warrior that fears nothing and who never backs down from a challenge no matter how hard it might be." Hearing these words made her smile. "Also, I have no clue if anyone has said this to you before but you have the cutest smile I've ever seen."
The young girl tried to contain her embarrassment but she was losing the battle. "Everything you just said was really sweet Geo, I am glad you think of me like that." Ruby pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes for a second. "...I wish my mom was here, there are many things I wanted to tell her, like how much I love her and that I miss her beyond belief." She reopened her silver eyes. "And introduce you to her, I know she would have liked you if she met you." Ruby delivered a gentle kiss on Geo's nose.
"I would have liked to meet her too, she seems an incredible woman just like you." Geo wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, he then made his way towards her luscious lips with his own.
"Excuse me." Said a girl, interrupting the young couple's moment. "Are you Ruby Rose by any chance?"
Ruby turned to her and answered. "I am. Why?"
"My name is Blake Belladonna." She introduced herself. This girl is fair skinned with amber eyes and long black hair. A ribbon is tied with a large bow on the top of her head, she wears a black buttoned vest with coattails and a single silver button on the front. Underneath this is a white, sleeveless, high necked, crop undershirt and white shorts with a zipper on the front of each leg. "I was asked by the Headmaster to find you, the initiation is about to start and everyone's presence is requested at the cliff."
"Alright, I'll go right with you just give me a second please." She then turned her attention back to Geo. "I guess this is it, wish me luck."
"You have no need for luck my love, you got this." Replied Geo.
"Right!" Ruby felt more confident, she gave her boyfriend a quick kiss in the lips before making her way with Blake towards the initiation starting point. The walk through the academy lasted for a few minutes since they were kind of near the place, but during that short amount of time there was only silence between the two girls, which made them feel a bit uncomfortable.
Fortunately, Ruby managed to break the ice with a joke, the bad part is that it failed completely but at least the awkward air that was floating around was no more. Blake seemed to be a very quiet person with almost nothing to say, a thing that Ruby found odd. We have arrived. Finally! She thought while taking her position on top of a platform next to her older sister. "Hey, sis!" She greeted. "I hope you are ready for this, we are probably going o face a lot of Grimm in that forest."
"Are you joking? I've been waiting for this moment forever, I can't wait to start breaking some skulls." She said enthusiastically while bringing her gauntlets together. "When you get down there make sure to keep your eyes open, you never know when a Grimm can show up."
"I say the same to you, and if you find yourself overwhelmed come look for me, I'll keep you safe." She playfully said.
"Oh? Feeling cocky are we?"
"We both know that I am better than you."
"Haha! You wished little sister." Said Yang.
The Headmaster then stood in front of his new students and began to explain what they had to do in order to pass the initiation. While everyone was listening to Ozpin talking, Ruby had her mind elsewhere so she wasn't really paying attention to his words. All she could think of was the battle she was about jump in, she was quite excited to release her scythe and fight.
"The first person you make eye contact will be you're partner for the next four years." This caught Ruby's attention, she wasn't expecting such a thing. "Good luck to you all and try to stay alive." Ozpin said, taking a sip of his coffee. That was when the first student was launched into the forest below, then another followed screaming his lungs out. The Headmaster walked to Ruby to have a word with her. "I'm curious to see how you will perform miss. Rose, I hope you won't disappoint."
"I won't." Replied Ruby. "Um...Headmaster, what's the mission exactly?"
Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you hear my briefing? I believe I spoke fairly loud for everyone to hear "
"I was, uhh...kinda distracted." Ruby looked the other way shamefully.
"I see. Well, good luck miss. Rose."
Ruby was suddenly weightless, her platform and the cliff were far behind her. As she fell to the forest, she unleashed Crescent Rose and prepared her landing strategy. First, she would slash her way through any tree branches that blocked her path, the resistance should slow her down enough to safely land on a branch and gain a vantage point to survey the entire forest. "Alright! Let's do this!" Just as she was about to break through into the trees, something collided with her, throwing her off course and sending her flying into another direction. "Nooo..."
She and the other person slammed violently against a few branches until they finally crashed on the dirt. "Ow! W-What happened?" Ruby raised herself and rubbed her neck, which was hurting a little.
"You idiot!" A familiar voice called out indignantly. Brushing twigs and leaves out of her beautiful white hair, the girl stood up and glared at Ruby. "Are you going to say something or what?" Asked Weiss.
"Oh no, not you again." She whispered. "Would please be quiet for a moment so I can think?"
"Excuse me? You think? Ha! Don't make laugh." Said Weiss as she approached the red warrior. "Because of you we have no idea where we are now."
"No! You were the one who collided with me, if this is anyone's fault its yours." Replied Ruby.
"Oh god. This can't be happening. Why me? Out of every student here, why did I had to be the one to find you?" She couldn't believe this. "It...it doesn't matter now, there's absolutely nothing we can do to change this, lets just go and complete the initiation."
"Fine." Ruby agreed. "Um...where are we going exactly? I-I wasn't paying much attention to Ozpin's speech."
Weiss sighed. "We must go towards the ruins of some temple located in a village that was destroyed many years ago. There we must find some sort of relic and return it." She replied. "Follow me, the village is that way and don't you dare fall behind because I will leave you here alone."
"Whatever you say." Ruby followed her.
As they made their way towards their objective, a man wearing a mask stood on top of a branch watching the girls. "Hahaha! This is going to be much easier than I expected." His purple eye was glowing. "Too bad that whore she calls of a mother isn't here to pay for what she did to me. I guess making her daughter suffer will have to suffice."