Looking for the light side in life

((Ruby is owned by the tribe aka cloud 9))

It was always something. Another heartbreak. Another hurt. Another taste of the darkside to only have it end.

Ruby was sick and tired of this game. Her heart just couldn't take it anymore. It started with Slade- their short lived romance that was ruined by Ebony the bitch. She could have been a mother, had a family with Slade, and been happy but Ebony took that away.

Somehow. Then, she met Ram- she hated Ram at first but he was willing anyway- after they all left the city when the city exploded. He had eaten some crow and lost some of his attitude problems. She had given in. She just wanted it so badly.

But Ram was going to be Ram… and that was something that was never going to change. She thought maybe after nearly killing an entire population that Ram's days would be over as evil villain. However, what she didn't know is it was just the beginning. First, he side tracked from hiding their missing people… second, he arranged Lex's disappearance….

And then to top it all off, it turned out Mega had been right about him. Ram was just as bad if not worse than Mega was. The Mallrats or whatever was left of them by the time Ram had gotten through decided to break apart.

Ruby decided it was time to return to a simpler life. In a simpler town. In a place where people were more like the ones she met in Liberty. Not big city, but not small town. Not Super Jay's but not Ram's either. People that just wanted to live there life in peace and freedom without problem trading and sharing everything- that was what Ruby wanted.

She set off one morning never turning her back- always wondering if the Mallrats ever did or would ever find anyone they lost. After about two months of searching for the ideal little town she found it in a place called the city of angels.

The name seemed mismatched however- it was a hell hole- but it was one that was being fixed up by the kids. They said before the virus it had been some gang filled town filled with death, destruction, and chaos but by the time Ruby arrived it almost looked respectable. Like it was on the way to becoming something- it showed exactly the promise and need she was looking for.

No one wanted to be a hero but the people were passionate about fixing it up and making something of what they had. And they had a bar that needed an owner- Ruby was now back in business.

But not only that, not only did the people fix up the city. They had recreated holidays. They had also made a government system too. With some unofficial leader and a council- apparently the leader had been once from a city himself.

Ruby knew that would be a good idea to open her business- plenty of single teenage boys depressed they wouldn't have a date. It would be a great night for her to get things going. After a few months work she got some help from the local citizens and put the place together, then setting up shop, and lastly advertising it for that day.

When opening night arrived- she watched as people flocked in to listen to the band she convinced to play go on, and for others to get drinks. She had also gotten a tip that the guy who was responsible for bringing this town to life was going to stop by but so far she hadn't seen him. Not that Ruby knew what he looked like but she figured he'd be some regal looking guy like Jay walking around acting like he was on a mission to save the day.

However, as time went by she saw no one like that not even paying attention when the bell chimed and a guy came walking- she turned briefly towards him, he had a nice kind look on his face. This clean cut look to him, in a simple brown outfit with his long hair tied back in a pony tail he offered her a small smile as he sat down in front of her.

"Hi there, somethin' to drink?" she offered him.

He smiled, "Yea, that'd be good- so this is it, huh? The brand new bar- you're not exactly the low life thug looking to make a cheap trade I'd imagine running one of these things," he replied as she started to pour him some whiskey.

"Well you look a little out of place yourself. You're not exactly the depressed teenage love sick boy looking for some cheap fun in a bar on Valentine's," Ruby offered in return as she started to pour one for herself.

"Don't let my smile fool you- it's not exactly a great day in my life either," he conceded taking the drink and gulping it down in one drink.

"Oh yea? Wanna talk about it, I love to listen to people's problems," Ruby said taking a barstool and sitting on it giving him the full attention.

"You sure that's wise, not only it just another sob story but you'll be ignoring pay costumers in the process that could tear this place apart," he said motioning to the crowd around the area.

"They'll live besides I have security and an assistant. So tell me- who broke your heart by turning you down? Must have been a crazy woman- I mean you seem like a nice guy to me," Ruby said after looking at him.

She had no idea why but she couldn't understand why this guy was single, he seemed like the kind of guy you just instantly knew. Sure, he was the exciting wild exotic type like Slade was but he had this nice feel to him.

"She didn't break my heart," he answered seriously.

"You break hers and realised you screwed up?"

"No. Nothing like that. No, we were separated. Driven apart. I haven't seen her in years. I don't even know if she's alive or not," he confessed sadly as Ruby got him another drink and he admired it briefly before sucking it in too.

"A lot of people say that- was it a tribe, war, traveling… slave traders…?" she inquired with minor interest.

Realising that it wasn't just the people in the city that lost people they had been with. Not just Slade and his brother. It was people like this guy that had lost their own loved ones as well.

"A tribe looking for war- I assume. I honestly don't know. I never went back to find out. I was taken, held, and then given away like some piece of trash to some slavers. Escaped one day and this was the closest I ever got to where we had been," he answered after a moment as she moved to give him another, "No, don't- I don't want to get drunk and act like some heart broken idiot slurring around".

Ruby laughed lightly before putting it away and sipping her own, "I understand what you mean".

"What about you?" he asked.

Ruby laughed again this time nervously as she took another sip trying to hide her own fears of being found out, "What do you mean?" she asked finally.

"I can see that look- how bad he hurt you?"

"Pretty bad. I thought we could be something. I thought he might have loved me… or at least liked me… until she came along," Ruby said bitterly admiring the little bit left in her cup before finishing it.

"Pushed aside for another woman- I had a friend like that once. She in her opinion lost me to every other woman and it was their fault. What she never got was- she never had me to begin with," he told her.

"Don't ya just hate those kind of girls?" Ruby joked sadly.

"No, it wasn't her. It wasn't her fault or anyone's for that matter except for maybe me for giving her the wrong impression of what we were. I didn't do it intentionally though"

"Well then you're a better man then the one I was with. He lead me on with a smile and grin the entire way. Even helped his friend keep a lie about him- them letting me think he was DYING of some kind of disease not telling me that they were planning an attack on the techno's," Ruby said with minor hints of anger and pain in her voice.

"That's harsh," he said looking at her noticing her eyes at her feet as he put his hand on her shoulder to gain back her attention, "He shouldn't have done that- and I bet you cared about him the entire time right? Wanted to help him, love him? You seem like the kind that would be that way".

"I was…," Ruby confessed, "I even went as far as to try and get pregnant… it didn't work thankfully but his vindictive bitch decided to make sure it wouldn't work by throwing me in front of a moving truck," she added with malice.

The man blinked for a second, "Some nerve- reminds me of my ex girlfriend," he muttered before looking down at his hands, "I might need that third drink after all".

Ruby looked at him in surprise- he didn't…, "You're ex was like that? You don't seem the type to date the bad ass kind of girls- and you were in love with her? If that's the case, then don't feel so down- she probably didn't deserve you anyway".

Despite himself the man laughed lightly, "No, not that one- my first ex- I dated her way back when… but she was the kind that never let anything go. And she lost to no one… and I mean no one. Murder, lies, and affairs- nothing could be too outlandish for her. She had one very dark mind she did. The girl I loved- she tried to destroy her and our relationship more than once," he said darkly as he accepted another drink finally as did Ruby for herself.

"They sound alike- maybe they're related- she had sisters after all- they could have been for all we know," Ruby said rolling her eyes, "So what was your girl like?"

"Pretty, smart, a natural leader- destined to do something great. I always thought she'd run the world with her smiles and ideas. She could bring peace and justice to world filled with pain and confusion. She did for me anyway. I always thought she could for everyone else. I always wondered if maybe one day she had succeeded and I just missed it," he said after a moment.

"When did you lose her?"

"About three years ago- she was pregnant with our child- in labour at the time and then I was knocked out- and woke up in some hell somewhere. I never saw her again. I don't know if she delivered it safely… if anyone found her or the baby… if the baby made it. Nothing. When I escaped, I thought I could go back but when I heard about the virus- I realised if she had ever been there back again she wouldn't be anymore," he told her.

"You were from the sectors?" Ruby asked surprised.

"Yea, were you?" he said feeling a slight change in his mood, his hopes looking to getting up some. Maybe she knew something about her…

"No. I was just there when it happened," she replied sadly taking a sip of her drink.

"Oh. Yea, I was," he conceded.

Ruby felt bad when she saw his face drop, she knew she probably accidentally gave him hope that she knew she had no answers for… and she felt worse knowing that she had been there but not when he needed her to be- long before the virus came that was for sure.

"I'm sorry you never got the chance to go back. If you want some irony though, my last boyfriend- he wasn't the one I was telling you about- exactly… he was with the tribe that created that nightmare. In fact, in some way he helped it happen. He was the friend that lied too. He was something else he was," Ruby remarked darkly.

"You have a bad record with falling for the wrong guy don't you?"

"That obvious?"

"Yea. Though, I've done the same thing before- so I know what it's like to beat yourself over the head in the romance department," he told her.

"But then you found the one…"

"Lost her too and probably will never see her again either. I've long accepted that. It's not easy and hurts but fate obviously meant for us to be apart. Besides if she was alive- she'd be crazy to hold out for me. I didn't wait for her the one time we weren't together. She's too high a commodity in this world to be alone. And anyway, I'm much enjoying your company right now," he said as he watched a smile break out on Ruby's sullen face.

"Now, you're just flattering me"

"Is it working?"

"Big time"

"Good, gives me something to strive for tomorrow then- I need to go- I have some work to do in the morning but I do intend to come back tomorrow with a mission to get a bigger smile," he replied moving to stand up as he moved to give her something for the drinks.

"Oh no, on the house- I enjoyed the company besides… then it inclines you to come back. And a reason for me to look forward to tomorrow- I like the idea of having something to maybe smile about- that is if you're as good as you hope you are," she challenged with a laugh.

"Oh I am, I'm not city leader just for my looks- I got charm too," he replied.

"Oh my god- you're the city leader!" Ruby said half in shock, and half embarrassed, "You are not what I pictured".

"Well hey you didn't fit my bill either. I expected another casino guy looking for a cash cow- you Miss…."

"Ruby"

"You Miss Ruby, don't exactly fit that bill- you're far from any of those things- and I think I'm going to enjoy getting to know you," he confessed as he headed towards the door.

"I think I'm going to enjoy knowing you too….."

"Bray," he said simply.

"Bray," she replied as he opened up the door, "Happy Valentine's day," she called with a wave not even thinking about his name or where she might have heard it before.

"Happy Valentine's day Ruby," he answered back with a smile as he walked out into the darkness as he moved to step on his skateboard he turned his head around and looked at her smile as she went over to another costumer.

Bray smiled in despite himself- she was no Amber but all the same, she was the best thing to walk into his life for a long time and who knows maybe she'd be the last romance he'd ever need. Regardless of what fate had in store for them either way he was excited about tomorrow for one reason- that blonde woman behind the counter.

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The end.