Chapter 26 - Unfamiliar Familiarity
"I'm so sorry!" Ruby repeated for the umpteenth time, all the while still wishing for the ground to open up and swallow her whole.
"Don't worry about it." Jaune waved her off, even as he rubbed his steel-armored boots with a length of leather he'd torn off from his undershirt, trying to get rid of the vomit. After all, he completely understood the position she was in. "It's... a much more common problem than you'd think."
"Really?" Ruby asked, voice full of hope. "Throwing up on people's boots happens all the time?"
"Well, not all the time..." Jaune rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, even as he tossed the soiled rag, and wished that he had some water to wash his boot. He may as well have been wishing for new clothes, though; his surroundings looked like a desert. Probably best to ditch the remains of his breastplate, too. Seeing the look on the girl's face, though, he couldn't help but reassure her: "Still, don't take it to heart. Accidents happen..."
"... thanks..." Ruby smiled at the stranger, grateful for his words-
"Vomit Girl." Jaune snickered.
"Jaaauuune!" Ruby wailed, significantly less grateful.
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist!" Jaune chuckled, fondly remembering the past, though the memories were tinged with pain, with loss. "Look, if it helps, I threw up on people's boots myself, back in the day. I've got a bad case of motion sickness. Real bad."
Ruby giggled, at the idea of the big blonde barbarian barfing on people's boots. "What if I called you Vomit Boy?"
"You wouldn't be the first." Jaune just rolled his eyes. "Anyway, who were they? And why were they chasing you?"
"I don't know..." Ruby said, mood falling, as she remembered the group who'd chased her, trying to kill her, before they'd all been slaughtered. "They just started shooting at me and chasing me as soon as they saw me."
"Ah, I see..." Jaune murmured, searching the girl's face. Seeing no sign of deception, he mentally filed the group he'd killed as bandits (or whatever this world's equivalent was), and shrugged. "And why are you out... here, in the middle of this ruined town? Where are you from, anyway?"
Ruby's face fell, and she quietly wondered how she was supposed to answer. She didn't want to tell a Wastelander the location of the Vault; even after what had happened, it had still been her home. But she did owe Jaune some answers; he had saved her life. Finally, hoping she wasn't about to screw everything up, she quietly answered: "I was... from a Vault..."
"A Vault?" Jaune could only think of a bank vault. "What's that?"
Ruby was taken aback, surprised by his lack of knowledge. Sure, civilization had been destroyed for the past two hundred years, but she at least expected some Pre-War knowledge to still be common sense. "You know... the Vaults? Vault-Tec's underground shelters that humanity fled to, after the bombs fell?"
"The bombs? Underground shelters?" Jaune echoed, utterly confused. By the sounds of it, something had gone horribly wrong, in this world's past, which had forced humanity underground. It was probably safe to assume it was related to the ruined town and desolate desert he found himself in. It also sounded like it was pretty common knowledge for inhabitants of this world; if he didn't want to stand out, it'd be best not to expose his lack of knowledge. More to the point, though...
"Those sound safe (whatever they are)... so why are you up here?"
"... it's a long story." Ruby admitted, looking away, feeling the tears welling up as she recalled the events of the morning.
Jaune simply sat on the concrete floor, and patted a nearby stairwell. "Want to talk about it?"
Ruby blinked, touched by the gesture, and she smiled at Jaune, though it was a bit wobbly. "... yup, I think I'd like that."
-ONE EXPLANATION LATER-
"Wow... they really tried to kill you, just like that?" Jaune asked in disbelief.
"Yup... they were killing anyone who tried to escape, honestly." Ruby felt better about getting it off her chest, and Jaune seemed reliable, but the memories still prickled, slightly. "But between them and the radroaches - I don't know what you'd know them as, but they're the giant roaches - people were kind of trapped between a rock and a hard place, you know?"
"I've been there." Jaune answered drily, remembering the Fall. "... are you sure you're okay?"
"I... I don't know." Ruby admitted, looking up at her new friend. "How do you do it?"
"Do what?"
"You know... you just killed those guys, so easily, just like that!" Ruby exclaimed, making exaggerated motions with her hands and sound effects, before sighing deeply. "Me, on the other hand... I just can't stop thinking about how I shot Officer Mack..."
Jaune looked at the shorter girl sadly, and recalled his first day in Skyrim. Placing his hand on her head gently, he tried recalling the words Yang had told him: "Then focus on something else. Focus on the facts that you know. That this Officer Mack ignored your warning. That he chose to reach for his gun. That he would have killed you if you hadn't shot him. That they already killed people, and would've tortured your friend. In the heat of the moment, it's kill or be killed, Vomit Girl. If you want to worry about living with yourself later, first you have to worry about staying alive."
Ruby sniffled, but managed a sad smile for Jaune. "Thanks, Jaune... that helps a bit. Honestly, though, you sound like my dad. He was a doctor, and he gave me similar advice about professional detachment."
"Sounds like a smart man." Jaune shrugged, finding the advice good, especially for a doctor. "Speaking of him... you're chasing your dad, right? Why?"
"I... don't know a thing about life outside the Vault." Ruby admitted. "It's all I've ever known, my entire life. But my dad's not an idiot; if he left the Vault, he must have had a reason, and a plan."
"And thus he's your best bet for survival." Jaune nodded in understanding. "So, what's his name?"
"Oh, it's James. James Ironwood." Ruby stated proudly.
Jaune blinked. Huh, this world's version of Ironwood had a kid. Did Remnant's Ironwood have a wife and kid, too? His curiosity peaked, and it wasn't like spending another two minutes asking questions would significantly impact his odds of survival. "And what's your name, Vomit Girl?"
"Oh, I'm Ruby. Ruby "Rose" Ironwood!"
Jaune stared blankly, at this world's version of his first friend in Beacon, as his horrified mind raced. Now that he looked, the similarities were obvious, and yet there were just some slight differences. Finally, fighting to keep his face straight, he spoke: "That's... a nice name. Why Rose, though?"
"Oh, my mother's name was Summer Rose." Ruby explained, utterly oblivious to his shock. "She died giving birth to me, so I figured I should keep part of her name, in memory of her."
"I'm sorry." Jaune automatically replied.
"It's been nineteen years since then, and I barely knew her, anyway." Ruby waved it away, as nonchalantly as she could.
Jaune's mental horror only grew, as he considered just how wrong this world was. Ruby was Ironwood's daughter. Ruby was Vomit Girl. Ruby was older than him. Sure, intellectually, he knew that they weren't the same people, like how Yang from Skyrim had been completely different from Remnant's Yang Xiao-Long. Actually, speaking of her...
"Got any siblings, Ruby? Like an older sister or something?"
"Not that I know of." Ruby shook her head, thinking that Jaune was just being conversational. God, she wished she could be as social as he was being! She'd have been too nervous to ask a stranger such questions!
Jaune, meanwhile was desperately racking his head, scrambling for any conversation topic. Unlike Yang, who'd been naturally boisterous and willing to take charge in a conversation, all he had were his mother's "words of wisdom"... which hadn't worked out that well, with the original Ruby, when he'd first met her. Sure, it'd broken the ice, but there was no way he was using those again!
Then, he spotted the giant device on her arm, and remembered the original Yang's shotgun bracelets. Pointing to it, he asked: "What's that? A weapon or something?"
"Oh, this?" Ruby looked at the portable computer on her arm. "It's just a Pip-Boy 3000, nothing too special. Why?"
"What's a Pip-Boy?"
Ruby was surprised at his question; she'd thought that Pip-Boys had been pretty commonplace, throughout Pre-War America. Then again, he hadn't known what a Vault was, either, so...
"It's a personal computer. You know what a computer is, right?"
"That thing is a computer?" Jaune asked skeptically.
"Yup! It automatically maps out areas, keeps track of my health, and comes with a radio and radiation counter! I can also play games and read comics on it!"
"Sounds like a Scroll..." Jaune murmured under his breath, looking over the clunky device. Sure, for a world that didn't seem to have Dust, he supposed it was impressive... but he was used to being able to do all that with a device that fit in the palm of his hand. Then he blinked, registering her last sentence, and internally grinned. Looked like there were some similarities between his Ruby and this Ruby, something he could use to help break the ice. "So, you like games and comics too?"
"Yup! I love Grognak!" Ruby chirped, before pausing. "Wait, you like games and comics as well?"
"Yup, though I've never heard of that game or comic..." Jaune admitted.
"Oh..." Ruby said, her voice trailing off, unsure of how to continue. She wanted to tell Jaune about Grognak the barbarian, and how he reminded her of Grognak, but she wondered if he might find it offensive.
After a long silence, Jaune finally took out his sword, and awkwardly said: "So, uh... I got this thing."
As he'd hoped, Ruby took the bait, and she happily began oohing and aahing over it, poking it, looking at it from different angles, much to his amusement. She even tried to hold it, but had promptly dropped it as soon as he'd let go, not expecting it's weight.
"Wow, what material is this?" Ruby asked, eyes shining. "It feels like... a ceramic composite? Certainly sharp enough, but it's way too heavy for that..."
"Oh, it's made of bone." Jaune replied easily, before thinking through his answer. Blanching, he hastily added: "Animal bone, not human."
"What kind of animal has bones that can stand up to a lead pipe?" Ruby asked curiously.
"Uh..." Jaune didn't know how to answer. He had no idea how to explain he was from another world, let alone that he'd gone from that world to a completely different one, killed a dragon, and had it's bones turned into a sword. Besides how absurd and unbelievable it sounded... he wasn't ready to talk about it. Not yet, at least. And it wasn't like it mattered, anyway. "Some... giant lizard?"
"Uh huh." Ruby was skeptical.
"Yup. A giant lizard." Jaune nodded, trying to inject confidence into his voice. "It almost bit me in half, but I got it."
Ruby stared at the gaping holes and jagged puncture wounds in his medieval metal armor, and the leather underneath it. Those... certainly did look like bite wounds, but if they were... the thing that had bitten him must have been massive. Quietly, she asked: "That's... steel armor, right?"
"Yup." Jaune confirmed, unstrapping the near-useless steel breastplate. It had served him well, his steel breastplate, and he'd be keeping the greaves and gauntlets for as long as possible, but the breastplate was too torn up to really protect him any longer, especially not against bullets. At least the leather armor he'd worn under it could still be used for some protection, or if he needed a length of cloth.
Ruby admired the medieval breastplate, before almost squeaking and dropping it, as she turned back to Jaune, and realized that she could see his bare chest through the many holes in his leather tunic.
"What's wrong?" Jaune asked, utterly confused.
"Nothing, nothing." Ruby hastily answered, looking away. She was not blushing, damn it! She was a grown up, mature woman! She was the daughter of a doctor! She could handle seeing an almost-half-naked man! Even if he had far more muscles and abs than anyone she'd ever seen in the Vault...
Ruby looked back at Jaune, looking over the leather clothing, and the bare skin through the holes in it. Something caught her attention, and she asked: "Uh, Jaune... when did you fight the big lizard?"
"Mmmm... two months ago, I guess." Jaune answered easily. He'd only fought Alduin a few hours ago, subjectively speaking, but it was a bit suspicious to have Alduin's bones turned into a sword in just a few hours. "Why?"
"No reason... I was just looking over your wounds." Ruby explained, before correcting herself: "Or rather, your lack thereof. There's not even any scarring, which is amazing! The skin should still show some discoloration, even after two months, based on the size of the holes in your armor!"
"I heal quickly." Jaune explained, feeling guilty for keeping secrets. It was technically the truth; his Aura did heal him quickly. Deciding to change the subject, he pulled out his sheath, transformed it back into it's shield form, and said: "I've got a shield, too!"
Once again, Ruby took the bait.
"I saw you use this, just now!" Ruby spoke excitedly. "It stopped the bullets without even denting! What's it made of? And how does it transform?"
"You really like weapons, don't you?" Jaune asked fondly, rubbing Ruby's head.
"Yup. They're so cool, you know? They're like extensions of ourselves, a part of us..." Ruby spoke excitedly, though her voice trailed away as she realized how excited she was getting. Face turning red, she quickly apologized: "Sorry, I'm kind of a dork when it comes to weapons..."
"It's fine." Jaune chuckled. "Got a weapon of your own?"
"I wish! The only weapon I was allowed to have was a BB gun, for shooting radroaches!" Ruby spoke longingly, before she blinked, realizing something. "Hey, you never answered my questions about your shield-sheath!"
"It's a family heirloom, so no, I don't know how it works." Jaune admitted with a shrug, silently cursing the fact that this Ruby seemed slightly sharper than what he was used to.
"Your family, eh? What were they like?" Ruby asked obliviously.
Jaune took a deep breath, and looked away sadly. Even Ruby noticed the sudden change mood, but before she could apologize, he spoke quietly: "They were good people. Over-protective, though; eventually, we had a disagreement. So I left."
"I'm sorry for bringing it up..."
"It's not your fault, Ruby." Jaune answered, not unkindly. "It's just... I just miss them, that's all. But I can't go back; my home's gone."
Ruby felt herself tearing up now, seeing the pain evident on Jaune's face.
He smiled sadly, still remembering the past. "All I can do now, is honor their memory. They raised me to be a hero, to help others, and so that's what I'll do."
"Don't worry, Jaune; you're doing a good job with that." Ruby spoke up, trying reassure the person who'd saved her. "After all, you helped me."
Ruby couldn't know it, but thanks to her similarities to Remnant's Ruby Rose, her words resonated a lot more strongly in Jaune's heart, cheered him up more than she'd expected. Wiping his eyes, he grinned at her, and replied: "Well, my mom always said, "strangers are just friends you haven't met yet"."
"Really?" Ruby asked, raising an eyebrow, remembering the raiders he'd so easily dispatched. "That seems... kind of optimistic, don't you think?"
Jaune paused, remembering the past two months of his life, and added: "Well, unless they attack you or try to rob you first, I guess."
"Yup, that makes a lot more sense..." Ruby nodded, before looking around. "So... what now? Where are we going next?"
"I don't know... I was going to follow you." Jaune admitted.
"Me? All the maps I have are from two hundred years ago!" Ruby vehemently protested, blanching at the thought of being responsible for navigating them. Looking around desperately, she wildly suggested: "Y-You think there might be a directory? Maybe a signpost? Some sort of recognizable landmark?"
Jaune couldn't help it; he chuckled deeply and warmly. As unfamiliar as the situation was, as wild and crazy the past two months had been, as depressing as realizing he'd died twice had been... the odd familiarity of the situation still somehow buoyed his spirits.
"Is, uh... is that a "no"?"
"That's a "no", Vomit Girl."
Author's Note: I got nothing. We all know the drill now, but please, don't expect the next chapter so soon...
... somehow, the last chapter doubled this story's (or any of my previous ones') highest daily views. I have no idea how to comment on that.
For those wondering what Jaune was wearing... he was wearing a Steel Plate Armor (just the breastplate, not the leggings), Steel Plate Greaves, and Steel Plate Gauntlets from Skyrim, over a set of Leather Armor. Of course, getting bitten by Alduin means that the breastplate and leather armor are completely torn up and full of holes.
Just wanted to share one of the challenges I faced when writing the past chapter. Firstly, since this is a massive dimension-hopping fic... at the start of the new arc (a problem that may arise if I do another dimension jump), I had to toss a pre-existing character and pre-existing setting, which I'm pretty sure a significant portion of my viewers were only here for, which of course risked alienating all those readers. Sure, I could have probably figured out some way of bringing Dovah-Yang into the Capital Wasteland... but then she would have overshadowed Ruby, and if not done properly simply felt shoe-horned in. No, much better for me to give Skyrim and Yang a respectful send off, until I start writing more Remnant sections to show where and when she appears.
Of course, that leaves me with "just" the challenge of setting up a completely brand new character and setting. A smarter person might have either opted to do it as a slow burn, or to simply gloss it over (like I did in the original). But with the way I'm doing things for this story, I had one chapter to do everything; to recap Ruby's life up til that point, as well as breathe life into the Capital Wasteland. To make her her own person, if not likeable than at least relatable, understandable. To give an explanation of both the new world Jaune finds himself in, and the events that have led up to the new protagonist meeting Jaune. Did I do it properly? I don't know. Could someone have done it better? Of course.
Also, in regards to the original Two Worlds; One Arc... I feel like it should be pretty obvious that the sequence of events has changed. A lot.
