Droplets of red oil floated over a rich golden stock. The soup was loaded with the hot, fiery taste of spices. Garlic, chilies, and ginger added to the lovely, rounded flavor. Aromatics were used generously. Thick, curly, springy, and chewy noodles soaked in the wonderful broth. Large, juicy slices of beef were piled on top with soft boiled eggs and chopped scallions.
Ruby ravenously slurped the noodles directly from the bowl, wetting her soft lips with the steaming broth. She chewed quickly, the spice of the noodles and peppers made her tongue feel like it was being pinched. It was savory and delicious.
Taking a big slice of beef, Ruby crammed the whole thing in her mouth and munched on the tender cut of meat. It was even better than the noodles. The eggs were soft and creamy as well.
She opened her mouth hastily to blow out the steam and heat, blowing little, tiny puffs out into the restaurant.
This was her fourth bowl. The spices had already cursed her with a runny nose. She had to take quick breathes so that the spice wouldn't completely overwhelm her. Thankfully, she had a sweet drink to help with it.
Never before had she ever had something like it back home. It was milky and sweet with a hint of mocha, but what set it apart were these little, chewy pearls at the bottom. She had already finished her fourth glass and was getting through her fifth.
The band-aids on her cheek and nose itched, like butterflies had landed on her. She'd just about healed up completely on her own, but Yang tended to everything else, dabbing a floral gel on her bruises and alcohol on her cuts.
Her hair and clothes were nearly dried and tidied up, even if her sweater still looked crumpled and dirty.
Yang was gently tousling her sister's dark hair, nursing a mug of hot spiced cider. A dark, worn jacket dusted with ash was covering her chest. She pulled the tattered rags as far down as she could to conceal her bare legs. Her golden hair wreathed her body like a wildfire.
Ruby quietly looked up while she gulped down the soup that remained in her bowl. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve.
"Thank you for the food," she breathed out.
Sitting across from them was the hellion Yang was fighting to the death a little while ago. Admittedly, he did look a little less scary without the darkness, rain, and lightning flashing. His hair was the color of cherry blossoms, almost like the clouds illuminated by a setting sun above the mountains. His eyes were still unusually dark, but they didn't seem to bear any ill will. A soft looking scarf that looked like it was woven from large white scales was comfortably wrapped around his neck. He didn't have a shirt to wear, but he didn't seem too bothered.
He was on his twenty-second bowl of food. He was given much more mundane dishes than the girl, plain rice piled with boiled meat and boiling water. He devoured each bowl near instantly without wasting a grain, indifferently consuming his meals like a fire takes fuel. It was a strangely peaceful sight.
"Kids should eat when they're hungry." The brutal note in his voice was gone.
"Mn, ok." Her stomach growled. "May I have another bowl, please?"
"Feel free."
Rain poured down the windows. The thunder was muffled, and the lightning was dulled through the dark glass. The inside of the restaurant was lit by soft, ambient light from spherical fixtures, leaving plenty of room for shadows and the like. It was a nice establishment, the kind of luxury office workers would indulge themselves in after long hours. The brasserie was lined with a plentiful assortment of liquors and wines.
The walk to this place was tense and quiet. The streets were empty and dark before it was suddenly lively and bright as if a switch was turned on. They drew in many stares, but nobody seemed willing to make eye contact or say anything.
Yang pressed a finger to her lips while glancing at the young man. "Hm, mn, nmm... "
Ruby got a large bowl of stir-fried noodles with barbecued chicken this time. It was less spicy and more sweet. She liked spicy food, but if she had to pick, then sweet things were her most favored choice. The chicken was marinated overnight in the same glaze it was cooked with. Being cooked over wood chips gave it a smokey flavor that was tantalizing and deep. She was grateful because it still felt like she was starving.
Her eyes darted between her sister sitting next to her and the man sitting in front of them. She could see Yang's body tensed beneath her clothes. It would only take the slightest whisper of aggression for her to delve in battle once more.
Oddly, the man was the opposite. He looked relaxed. His eyes were downcast, paying no attention to his surroundings.
"You fight well."
Startled, Ruby accidentally sucked too much drink through the straw and started coughing. Yang rubbed soothing circles on her back, shooting a sharp glare in the man's direction.
Immediately, a mass of frightened yelps and angry shouts spilled out from the kitchen before a glass of lemon tea was presented to the girl.
"Am I really that scary?" Natsu Dragneel asked curiously.
Ruby instinctively leaned closer to her sister. "No... Um, I'm sorry for hitting you with Crescent Rose."
"That farming tool?"
"It's a scythe!"
He held his hands up in a placating gesture. It seemed that he didn't quite know how to react to her. He tilted his head at the sisters in curiosity with a strange sort of gentleness one would find in a wandering child. "Ah, that thing had pierce wounds all over it. That was you right? Never met a kid strong enough to do something like that. You should be proud of yourself."
She hung her head with a blush, feeling embarrassed. "I barely did anything. Yang and you were the ones who really fought it."
Yang affectionally rubbed her head with a warm smile. "You did wonderfully."
"If your attacks weren't weak, you wouldn't have needed saving. Take this loss and use it to feed your strength." He spoke to her directly with an indomitable tone, gazing down at her with uncompromising eyes dark enough to swallow suns.
Breaking eye contact, Ruby felt her heart sink as her fingernails dug into her palm. It was like needles were pressing into her skin.
Silence suffocated the air.
The light in Yang's eyes darkened as her smile deepened into a frown.
"Somehow, I'm hating every single word that comes out of your mouth..." she muttered, feeling her muscles coiling beneath her skin like the trigger of a revolver. A nigh intoxicating shiver coursed through her nerves. Her hair started to become fiercer and unrestrained. She let out a soundless breath. "If I didn't show up in the rain, what would have happened to my little sister?"
It was wonderous and unnerving that a spoken sound could be colder than the depths of a blizzard. The room dimmed while several of the arc lamps began to die out. Whispers of thunder seeped through the walls.
Natsu flicked his index finger open. A lone flame bloomed and quelled the shadows daunting over them. "Chocolate milk..."
"...Eh?" Bemusement tore through malice.
"Or maybe some cake? Honey? Never really had sweets when I was a kid, so not so sure... Should've been fine as long as it was sugar. A warm drink would be good too when it's raining. Not sure about the rest." The flame on his finger swirled around like a small chakram before going out.
A lithe, vicious arm fired across the table and violently grabbed the dragon's son by the scarf, pulling him close. She gazed at Natsu Dragneel with the same tempestuous eyes brimming with animosity. A wisp of scalding steam escaped with her breath. They were close enough to kiss, within a couple's distance, but it was less likely than Hell being eaten.
They were standing, uncaringly frightening the rest of the restaurant's staff and patrons.
"Don't you dare screw around with me," Yang hissed, baring her unrestrained animosity. "Do you have any idea of what my baby sister had to go through tonight?"
He looked into her eyes blankly without a hint of fear. Then his eyes darkened like a sunless sky without stars and became a presence that emanated something coldly similar to bloodlust. "I'm grateful to you for fighting me. Bless me or curse me, you have that right. And it looks like I might've wronged you somehow, but you know..."
He seized her wrist with a brutal grip that would crush the skulls of leviathans and giants. "You're pushing your luck too far woman. Let go of my scarf."
The ground began to shiver beneath them. It felt as if the gravity was rising and the air was thinning.
Violence was going to be born again.
The black and red-haired child whose tallest lock of hair wouldn't reach the base of their chests forced herself between them in a panic. She desperately tried to push them apart with no chance of success even as her arms strained with the effort.
"Please don't get angry and fight anymore! It was my fault. I attacked first! I don't want you hurting each other!"
Their sights flickered down towards Ruby. Her eyes were tainted by hints of fear and worry.
Yang let go of the scale-woven scarf and softly caressed her sister's cheeks to comfort her, leaving her grudge against the man for a moment. "Hey... don't be sad. It wasn't your fault. Everything is okay now. I'm here."
Natsu rubbed the back of his neck, looking a little bothered and easing off. "Your heart seems to be in the right place, so don't feel too bad about little mistakes. You're too young for that."
". . . "
The blonde woman looked at him. She tried to forget the bloody night for a moment and tried to grasp what she could from him. His body was covered in scars and made for brutal conflict. His eyes could watch the world burn without dread. His sharp fangs belonged to a monstrous demon's.
But he wasn't threatening her family. That's all that mattered to her.
"You weren't going to do anything that would harm Ruby?"
Natsu looked rather taken aback. His startled face could even be called cute thanks to his unkempt flowery hair.
"No."
"Haaa~" She let out a deep breath. Her lightly clenched fist reached out and thumped Natsu's chest. "My bad, thought you were going to harm my sister, but you're not that kind of guy then." Yang scowled at him, leaning back and crossing her arms beneath her ample chest. "My name's not woman, it's Yang Xiao Long. Call me anything else and I'll curse you, you violent cherry blossom."
He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm a dragon's son. Curses just make me stronger."
"Arrogant, aren't you?"
'Least they aren't fighting anymore,' Ruby crossed her hands behind her back and let the balls of her feet swivel on the floor. "Why do you keep calling yourself a dragon's son?"
Raising his open hand, fire danced along his fingertips. A chilling smile spread across his face. "Cause I am one. A fire dragon raised me."
Ruby felt her heart skip a beat.
The first story her sister hand ever told her was about a festival of dragons. It was because their family name meant little dragon. It was a name her sister had much pride in. All the weapons in their household had the image of a majestic lung engraved on the metal. Crescent Rose had one coiled around the barrel and blade.
Beautiful and motherly Tiamat, the primordial goddess of the sea who became a vengeful dragon in her grief to avenge her husband. She roared in the original chaos of creation. Her body became pillars of the heavens and earth.
Akhekh, a fantastical beast with a long serpentine body and feathered wings with four legs for support. Its horns were that of an antelope's and its head mirrored that of a bird's. It was an aspect of darkness and evil itself, living near fertile valleys and rivers.
Drakon Kholkikos, the fearsome guardian of the Golden Fleece that Jason and his crew sought after that was located in the sacred grove of Ares at Kolkhis. With a crest, three tongues, and a magical set of teeth, it required a beautiful witch of treachery to lull it to sleep so that the fleece could be swiped away.
Fafnir, the false dragon slain by courageous and mighty Siegfried. It started out as a mere dwarf that ended up being cursed due to his greed. Upon being turned into a dragon, its scales couldn't be pierced by the ordinary weapons of mortals. It guarded a vast treasure that would make kings seem like paupers.
Kukulkan, the great feathered serpent that sired the morning and evening star.
The primordial dragon, Kur, residing in the void above the earth's layer and below the primal sea. The monstrous entity is also often related to the concept of the underworld, and such, among its numerous wicked exploits, the dragon once kidnapped the goddess Ereshkigal by taking her into his netherworld realm.
Atlas Flame, the bane of winter. His flames burned the cold pits of Hell itself and set it eternally ablaze. It seemed like a burning skeleton from the nightmares of sinners. When it flew through the skies, the world would see two suns.
Python the earth dragon that came from slime in Delphi, so humongous that her gargantuan coils stretched around the entire site of the Delphi oracle.
Stoor Worm was portrayed as having the fetid capacity to cause pestilence and contamination among both plants and animals. He was also known to be a glutton and would randomly pick seven victims from the nearby settlement for his weekly meal.
Legendary Níðhöggr chews on the roots of the ash tree Yggdrasill, also known as the World Tree, which holds the Nine Realms together. He hopes one day to topple boundless Yggdrasill and destroy all the realms. He will survive and be reborn in the world that comes after.
Selfless Weisslogia and stoic Skiadrum, dragons of majestic light and mysterious shadow snatched the stars from the sky and merged together day and night.
Eight-headed and eight-tailed Yamata no Orochi, its eyes are like akakagachi, it has one body for eight heads and eight tails. Moreover, on its body grows moss, and also chamaecyparis and cryptomerias. Its length extends over eight valleys and eight hills, and if one look at its belly, it is all constantly bloody and inflamed.
The World Serpent Jörmungandr grew so large that it could coil around the world and grasp its own tail. One sign of the coming of Ragnarök is the violent unrest of the sea as Jörmungandr releases its tail from its mouth. The sea will flood, and the serpent will thrash onto the land. It will advance, spraying poison to fill the air and water.
Powerful and dominating Vritra, one of the Asura as well as Danava, the one who personified the droughts that imprisoned numerous rivers and water bodies. It carried great enmity with Indra, king of the all-powerful Devas and Svarga.
If there was nothing more inspiring and admirable than a hero, then there was nothing more majestic and awesome than a dragon.
Ruby Rose Xiao Long smiled at the dragon's son with beautiful sparkling eyes, "That's so amazing! I've only heard stories about dragons. Is that why you can breathe fire?"
Natsu only blinked at her without a sound for but a second. 'Dragon lungs that let me breathe fire, dragon scales to break down fire, dragon claws to attack with fire, and a dragon's spirit to create fire..." He pointed towards his heart with his thumb. "I'm the Fire Dragon Slayer."
A heart that had beaten rapidly with fear earlier in the night was now beating with excitement. 'He's like a real life Siegfried!'
The boy began to edge away from her.
Yang let a small smile slip whilst watching her sister's happiness.
The sound of a bell rang throughout the restaurant. Two pairs of footsteps entered.
A clear gasp could be heard from the host.
In walked a grey-haired ageless man who wore an old-fashioned, but still stylish, three-piece emerald green suit. He had blacked out glasses that sat low on his nose, carried a thermos in one hand and a long, mechanical cane in the other. A calm smile stilled on his face. His figure was that of wise authority.
Following him was a middle-aged woman, with glasses framing green eyes and blonde hair tied in a bun. Her attire was rather similar to that of a schoolteacher, a proper white blouse and a black high-waisted pencil skirt. Her high-heeled boots, riding crop in hand, and short purple cape gave her the air of an exceptional character.
The tables and dishes started to float and move around on their own, rearranging to make an empty table with two extra chairs.
The grey-haired man stepped up to the table and lightly bowed with his thermos over his heart. He looked straight at Ruby observing her from head to toe, "Hmm?."
Ruby looked away confused. "Um?"
He chuckled and looked up at the young man and woman standing tall before him. The boy glanced his way with piercing black eyes and not a hint of welcome nor ire, just nothing but a barren void. The older sister bristled slightly when she saw him, lightly biting her lip in vexation. Being cornered by a duo of hungry lions would have been more benign.
"My apologies, it's been a hectic night, hasn't it? The surveillance branch overseeing the quarantined section of the city was rather riled up by the sight of you all wandering about. The section chief nearly had a heart attack when he saw the grimm make an appearance." The man glanced over to his assistant. "Glynda, if you would."
She came forward with a flat panel of metal and glass that expanded into a wide screen and hovered over the table. A dark image was filtered and enhanced by AI to make it visible. Footage of a red cloaked girl wielding a scythe with extraordinary speed and surprising strength against a horrific monster played out. The video cut off just moments after it merged with the rest of its bodies and rubble was smashed through the lenses.
Yang balled her fists.
"Quite the feat for any age if I do say so myself. Then we have the young woman over here."
The screen switched to reveal the hunched back of a monstrous wolf ten times the size of what was previously shown. It was a far more bloodcurdling sight, an image that would give even adults nightmares. This was the true form of a horror that stuffed itself with the flesh of men, women, and children.
It hardly stood a chance. Its flesh was smashed apart. Its bones were twisted and broken. Its unshapely jaws were wrenched apart and snapped. Even going as far as to mutilate itself was not enough.
It could not overcome the lady with inhuman strength.
Sipping from his thermos, the grey hair tapped his fingers against the table with a rhythmic beat. "What a wonderful display of talent and tenacity. Truly, this generation is shaping up into something of its own."
Only a single frame was left. A blurry and corrupted image that was barely salvaged. The dark red torrent spilled out against the rain. No longer would the grimm hide and prey on flesh. Beneath the rain, a silhouette of monstrously strong creature still remained with flames dancing.
"Now I haven't seen shenanigans like this in decades, not since that Halloween party incide-"
The bespectacled woman cleared her throat.
"Right then, my apologies." The man took a long and deep sip from his thermos until it was emptied before turning to Ruby. "First thing's first. How did you learn to do all that? A family member perhaps?"
"M-My Uncle?" replied Ruby, beginning to worry if she was in trouble. "Yang spars with me every day and corrects my forms. I'm... still learning."
Nodding patiently, he folded his hands and leaned forward on his cane. "Then what was the reason for you to face a horrendous grimm like that alone at night?"
Shaking her head quickly, Ruby stammered hastily, "No no, I got lost. It was dark and foggy and rainy and quiet, then I found a hole and him and I ran away then the monster snuck up on me... It was a self defense." She nodded her head.
Humming, he seemed satisfied with her answer, so he turned to her sister. "And what was your reason for fighting it?"
Yang tossed her hair with a huff, "Does any woman need a reason to protect their family?"
Smiling and saying nothing else, he looked over to the young man with the dragon scale scarf. "Last but not least, you. What drove you to fight against a creature of grimm?"
"It was in my way." His black eyes looked through the man.
The man smiled kindly. An empty thermos settled down on the table. "I see... Greetings to you all. I don't suppose you all know who I am."
Ruby squinted at him whilst humming, putting a finger to her lip like Yang would do when she was deep in thought before meeting his eyes after a bit of thought, "A detective?"
"Professor Ozpin, headmaster and founder of Beacon Academy," Yang corrected for her.
"Hmn!" Ruby rocked side to side, pulling up the collar of her cloak a little further.
Glynda Goodwitch, Ozpin's assistant and fellow teacher and Beacon, sighed and picked up her tablet, letting it automatically fold back to the size of a notebook.
"Nice to meet you, Mister Ozpin... I'm Ruby." She bowed her head in greeting but ended up accidentally smashing his glasses.
Ozpin properly replaced his frames with a spare while the little girl sputtered a string of apologies. "I know who you are. There have only been two known scythe users in the past century. One is unfortunately... retired, while the other I know quite well. Your training was truly exceptional."
She beamed with pride, her drowsy eyes glittering.
"After seeing your performance tonight, I wish to offer the two of you the same opportunity as the young woman over here. Miss Ruby and Mister Dragneel, I would like to offer you a place in my academy for hunters." He straightened to full height and reached out his hand.
When the room quieted, the headmaster was greeted by a face of delight, a face of mockery, and a face of livid anger.
Ruby's eyes widened as her breath stopped. "Really? You really mean it?"
It was as if Christmas had come early. No, it was as if Christmas had come early, and Santa had personally arrived to hand her a present. This is what she had always dreamed of. This was the path to becoming a huntress. She couldn't even control her smile, eagerly looking back up to her sister to see her reaction to the good news.
All she saw was fury. Ruby felt her heart plummet down. "Yang?"
"She's too young," her sister all but seethed. "We taught her to fight so that she could defend herself, not so that she could skip her childhood." Her fiery mane of hair and figure radiating strength let her overshadow anyone before her, like a lioness staring down at its hunt. While her expression darkened, her eyes became brighter and more intense. Even her stance was guarded.
Observing through tinted glass shades, Ozpin smiled without breaking composure. "If she wishes to become a huntress and displays exceptional talent for it early on, then there is little reason to not provide her with the resources early on as well."
"I do!" Ruby started, ducking her head out from behind Yang. "Ever since I was little-"
Yang gently but firmly pushed her back. "When she's grown up and ready, then she can properly get into the huntress business." She closed her eyes and let out a sigh, "It's late enough as it is, we should head home now." With nothing more to say, she clasped her sister's hand walked towards the door.
Planting her feet against the ground was futile, she couldn't stop herself from being pulled. Ruby tried to turn around, but it was too late. They were already outside.
"Wait!"
The door was slammed shut by the wind.
Ruby tried to slip away from her sister long after the building and streets disappeared. It got to the point where her sister finally gave up and decided to pick her up and carry her under one arm.
After twelve minutes, and failing to make Yang release her by squirming, pinching, and biting, Ruby gave up and pouted angrily. She felt sleepy enough to collapse now.
"You're being mean."
". . ." Her sister faltered before immediately spinning around like a whirlwind and firing a kick behind her.
Had he been a breath closer, Natsu would've received the hit directly to his head, not that he seemed at all bothered by it.
"We weren't being followed," Yang muttered with an atmosphere of irritation. "So, how'd you find us?"
Tapping his nose, he responded, "Your sound and your scent, that's all I needed."
"What do you want?"
Lightning flickered within the clouds. Drained clouds began to lightly pour what little rain they had left.
He handed over a small wooden box to Ruby, not minding that she was still picked off the ground. It held a small assortment of cakes with cream. "The reason for your injuries was that I didn't take care of the creatures sooner, and I wasn't being kind when I said you fought well, so these are for you. You enjoyed the sweets more than everything else, right?"
Ruby hesitantly reached out and took the gift. Refusing sweets felt like an unnatural thing to do. 'Oh, he's sorta kind. Scary, but kind. Oh, and his hair is pretty.'
"You should sleep while it's still dark. Otherwise, you'll grow to hate the sun and stay runty forever."
Her cheeks puffed up upon being called runty, but she held her tongue since she was given cakes. "Yes."
Natsu carefully fixed his scarf while the rain began to drench his hair. It was the only thing he wore that was in good condition, pristine and looked after. "Then it's time to say goodnight. Hope your path ends well wherever it leads you." He smiled with that familiar smile she saw when they had met.
It was an abnormal smile. It suited him, yet it also did not.
She smiled back innocently and waved, "Goodnight."
He waved back with his calloused hand. "Night."
Her sister walked away from him without looking back. It had been a long night.