Ruby walked back into her home, her ears immediately being greeted by the sounds of her husband and daughter arguing in the kitchen. "No, you're not joining that mixed-martial arts fighting league, that's final!" her blue-haired husband shouted.

"What, come on! I can handle this, I'm basically an adult now, let me make my own decisions!"

"Nora, you have no training and no discipline, you'll just go in, throw punches, and hope for the best."

"You're such an asshole, you and mom barely even know me!"

"What was that, young lady? How about I bring in your mother to deal with you, she has more energy than me to deal with you."

"This is my one chance to make something of myself, but I can't have it because you don't have the balls to stand up to mom!"

Ruby snaked her way through the living room and out the back doors, gently setting them back in place before resting in a lawn chair by her pool. She popped in her earphones and closed her eyes, hoping to finally get some relaxation.

"What the fuck?! How the fuck did we get fired?" Sun's voice demanded through Blake's phone.

"Probably because you told Cinder I stole the bike for myself, what's wrong with you?"

"Hey, you got Employee of the Month, go fuck yourself, I don't need to explain myself to you."

"Well, now we're employees of nothing and you won't ever get Employee of the Month either, dumbass! As of yesterday, we're no longer getting paid."

Sun went silent, a sign he clearly didn't' think this far ahead. "Look," Blake said, taking a breath, "There was some girl I met, the one who made me crash into the dealership..."

"Wait, what? You never told me that!"

"She had a gun to my head, it's not like I had many choices. She paid me for doing that, and offered me a job, I guess."

"Are you for real?" Sun paused a moment, answering once again, "Oh shit! You weren't kiddin', you fucked up the dealership and the chick must have fucked up Cinder."

"What, how do you know?"

"It's trending on LifeInvader, it's everywhere! Did you crash the car into her face or what?!"

"Great. But she offered me a drink at her house, I guess it may be a chance to work with someone who knows the street as well as we do...even if she lives in the hills."

"The hills? Ah, shit, you better hope this bitch knows what she's all about."

"I hope I know, too."

Blake hung up abruptly, heading out of her room once more to find her stern aunt at the door. She had to have heard everything, now she was screwed. "Young lady, do you know what day it is?"

Blake sighed with relief instead of frustration, she was off the hook, for now. "It's Thursday..."

"And what happens on Thursday nights?"

"You have your feminist rallies in the house."

"Right, now, why are you still here? Get!"

Blake had no problem with it this time, she made her way for the front door, her aunt calling out to her as she exited, "There better not be any boys where you're going, especially that Sun. If you come home pregnant, I will personally beat that egg implanted in your uterus out of you."

"Wow, thanks for the vivid description Glynda Gynecologist."

"What..."

Blake slammed the door, heading for her car through the thin bit lawn she had, the late evening cooling into night. She had barely backed her car out of the driveway when her phone rang again, Cinder this time. She hesitantly answered, trying to be as calm and nonchalant as possible, "Hey, Cinder, how's it..."

"Don't even play with me! I'm in the fucking hospital right now, my skull is fractured and I have a massive concussion because of you. Why did you do that?!"

"The chick had a gun to my head, it's not like I had a lot of options."

"Then do the noble thing, take a bullet for me. I looked onto you like a daughter, and how did you repay that and the award I gave you? By crashing a fucking hybrid into my store and getting be beaten to death's door!"

"You've got a real funny way of showing how you care for me."

"Shut up! Now the cops are probing the accident. I don't have security cameras! They're going through the records of documents, they won't find the one they need to figure out who did this, the half of that document need is destroyed! They're going to find all of the loopholes and scams I used, Blake. You've ruined my business. From this point on, you're fucked! Anything beyond this point will not come easy to you and your life will be fucked!"

Cinder hung up once again, but for the first time, Blake filled overwhelmed with joy rather than dread of what Cinder would do. No more of her verbal abuse. No more letdowns. No more ripping off her pay for any obscure reasons. This had to lead to something greater. She stayed overnight at Sun's, tomorrow was her chance to make a move up in the world.

Ruby snuck outside once more, this time more prepared as the family still rested, a bikini, sunglasses, and more music ready for a long day of relaxing. Just minutes into her first song, the red glow of sun on her eyelids was blotted out with black shade, the woman instantly grimacing at this. She lifted her glasses and squinted at the thing blocking her view. It was that girl from before, the one she had paid to scram. She sighed and shook her head, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm just taking up your offer on that drink. Maybe, I don't know, get a job in whatever you're offering. You seem like you're doing very well for yourself."

Ruby gave a quick, sharp laugh before responding, "I can help you with the first, but I'm in forced retirement."

"Aren't you a little young for bathing in a sunrise while the rest of us go to work?"

"I've been in this game for a lot of years, but I got out alive. That makes me old enough." Ruby began, sitting up and placing her glasses on a small table next to her. "You seem like a nice kid, so here's my advice. Get out of this shit now. Or else you have to work hard, screw over everyone you love, kill indiscriminately, and maybe, just maybe, you'll make something of your life. Go to college, then you'll get paid to rip people off."

"So, that's it. That's all you wanted to tell me?"

"Sorry, I've got nothing more to offer but that drink."

Ruby pushed herself up to her feet and guided Blake inside, quipping, "This the first time you've seen the kitchen or did you steel a spoon too?"

Blake rolled her eyes as a blue-haired man came into the kitchen, yawning and rubbing his eyes. He clicked his tongue a few times to get the taste of morning breath out of his mouth as he looked at the two women, saying, "Are we finally going to have that threesome?"

"Shut up, Neptune. This is Blake, I'm just sharing my wisdom with her..."

"Well, hopefully your wisdom isn't a pool she's diving into, cause you'll snap your neck kid."

"Ha ha, very funny. Is Penny around?"

"No, but someone called for her, saying that the car she had had some issues with the body and engine. The money she paid is coming back to her."

"Where is she?"

"I don't know, but I've got yoga today, so if you two could just..."

Ruby's phone rang out on the counter, the hushed voice on the other end beckoning for her. "Penny, is that you?"

"Yes, you know how you wanted to sell your boat?"

"Yeah, I was getting around to it."

"Well, I tried to do it today, but the guys who were interested in it didn't want to pay, they robbed it!"

"What?! Where are you?"

"I'm in the cabin, they've got it hooked up to a semi. Right now, they're parked by that parking garage right above the freeway to the military base."

"The west side of town?"

"Yes, I can't talk, they're getting on..."

The call went dead there, Ruby dashing out the front door with Blake behind. "We'll take my car..." Blake began.

"No, get in my husband's car, it's faster." Ruby yelled, getting into a red, topless Coquette.

"Don't you think you're a little under-dressed for this?"

"Shut up and keep an eye out for a yacht on a semi."

The Coquette squeaked through the gate, barely open enough for them to fit through, and veered to the right and then left onto Vineyard Road above her home. "This road leads right to that garage, God I hope she's okay!"

"Easy, your daughter's just in a semi, we can catch up in no time."

"No, not her, my boat. That thing better not have a scratch on it!"

"What? It's just a boat, what about your daughter?"

"I have to explain a lot to you yet, just give me a while."

The two continued to follow the road that hooked around the fringes of Vale, finally finding the parking garage and the semi, the truck screaming out of the structure. "My boat!" Ruby screamed.

The boat teetered back and forth madly as the driver weaved through traffic,somehow regaining equilibrium as the semi sped on, Ruby and Blake weaving towards it. "Alright, get on the hood!" Ruby demanded as they entered a large turnpike.

"What?!"

"You heard me, get on the hood! I'll pull up to the thing, get my daughter off, then we'll focus on killing that damn driver!"

Blake stood up and crawled over the windshield, muttering, "Second fucking time in two days I've had to do this shit, I better get paid for this."

The sun was no longer blotted from them, the highway was now straight and crowded with morning traffic. Ruby continued to speed towards the trailer, Blake getting to her feet and lunging for the boat. She hooked on to the back, clawing her way up into it. She had barely ascended the stairs when a man her age threw himself at her, attempting to spear her off the edge. Blake fell onto the stairs, dodging the blow as the man drove himself headfirst into the road and then under Ruby's car. "Shit!"

Blake made her way onto the boat and made it to the opening of the cabin, only to be blindsided by another man, pistol in hand, and pressed against the rail of the boat, pleading, "Get this guy off, he's got a gun!"

Ruby fumbled blindly through the glove box of the car, watching Blake and the man struggle over where the gun was aimed. Finally, Ruby's hand found her Beretta and she took aim, time coming nearly to a stop as she pulled the trigger. The man's head gushed blood from the entrance wound, Blake throwing him over the side as Penny came to the deck, waving at her mother with an innocent smile. She was blindsided by the mast, swinging out into her hip and dragging her over the ship's edge, the girl clinging to the metal pole as her legs flailed beneath her. "Shit, hang on, Penny!"

Ruby sped ahead beside the trailer, getting underneath her daughter and shouting, "Penny, let go!"

Reluctant at first, Penny let herself fall, landing perfectly in the back seat, the entire car screeching and sinking down from the addition of her weight. "Mom!"

"Don't you mom me, you little shit! You better hope she's still seaworthy!"

Ruby looked up to see Blake walking across the mast, arms outstretched to maintain balance. Suddenly, a man leapt onto the mast, charging at Blake with a knife ready. She looked over her shoulder just as the man threw himself onto her, sending them both plummeting onto the hood of the car. A struggle for the knife began, Blake using all her strength to keep the man from driving the knife down into her, his full weight pressing onto it. Another shot rang out, blood spraying from the top of the man's head and onto the windshield. She forced to corpse over the edge of the car, crawling back to her spot as Ruby said, "Alright, let's get that fucking driver!"

The engine shrieked and snapped, smoke puffing out from under the hood in an instant. "No, fuck, stay with me!"

"We're not chasing anything, that was the engine."

"Aagh, fuck!"

"Here, hook around that opening in the median, there's a chop shop along the way."

Ruby hooked around the median, immediately met by a orchestra of horns, moaning, "My boat..."

"Mom, I'm sorry..."

"My fucking boat..."

"Please, stop that! I'm sorry, I just wanted to do that for you?"

"What, sell my boat to a bunch of gang-bangers who will do God knows what on it?"

"I just wanted to make up for the car. I got the car to show I could handle being a grown up, that you didn't have to watch over me." Penny began to sob, "But this morning, the car was g-gone a-and I d-didn't know w-w-what to do. I re-remem-bered the boat and thought that was the only way to make up th-the m-mon-ey!"

"Look, Penny. The dealer called for you, they took the car because there was something wrong with it. Here's the money. Isn't that right, Blake?" Ruby comforted, reaching over the seat with the money in hand.

Blake nodded in response, Penny tentatively reached for it, taking the money back, "Aren't you the faunus from the dealership?"

"Penny! That's not polite."

"How did you know..."

"The cat ears." Penny replied.

"Alright, enough. Look, Penny, I really respect what you tried to do, I really do. But, please, leave the big decisions up to me. Don't go buying a car or selling my shit because you think it will make you look more mature. Just keep going at the rate you're going and you'll do fine."

"Thanks mom..."

The group descended down an off ramp, taking a left and stopping at a Vale Customs by the airport. "Here, Blake, this is a couple thousand dollars. It should cover the costs of the engine. I'm taking a cab home, I just need to think. Bring it and Penny home. We'll talk later."

"You got it, Miss Rose."

Ruby exited the car, waving down a passing taxi as Blake got into the driver's seat and Penny into the passenger seat.

The duo exited the garage, the mechanic making quick work of the shredded engine. "So, it's Blake, right?"

"Yeah, or the credit fraud girl, or the home invader, just call me what you like."

"I'm...uh...sure, I mean..."

"Penny, right?"

"Yes. What happened with my car?"

"Look, the place I was working at was trying to rip you off. I'm not going to tell you anything your mom won't, but your mom paid us a visit, I lost my job because of it and I was hoping your mom could get me work."

"I don't know how to tell you this, but my mom's retired. Fully. Don't tell her I said this, but her only marketable skills are watching TV and daytime drinking." Penny giggled.

"I don't know, your mom handled my boss really well. She has skills, and I was hoping those skills would lead to me finding a job."

"I'm sorry...Hey, do you play Remnant Crusade?"

"What? That game about killing the "evil" faunus?"

"Yes!"

Blake slapped her forehead, "No, I haven't."

"Oh, well, it's great! You should play it with me, we can hang out online now that we're both unemployed."

"Why don't you have a job?"

Penny looked at her lap, rubbing her arm, "I'm not really trusted outside the house, my parents are afraid I'll do something dumb."

"Your parents seem really young, how old is your family?"

"Oh, my sister and I are adopted. My mom and dad are both 24."

"Shit, isn't that a little young to start a big family?"

"Well, the FIB said my parents need cover, and my dad wasn't very...virile?...so they adopted us for them!"

"Oh, I'm sorry..."

They pulled up to house once again, Penny exiting the car and saying, "So, are we friends?"

"I guess...why not?"

Penny erupted in cheerful laughter. "Sensational! We can try on dresses and talk about cute boys..."

"Whoa, I'm not that kind of girl. Here, take my number and I'll keep in touch."

"Thank you, Blake!" Penny chimed, almost crushing the faunus in her embrace.

"Okay...Penny...stop...you're crushing me." Blake mustered, gasping for air as Penny released her, "I'll see you around, and go easy on your mom."

"Bye, come back soon. Do you want to have a sleep over, I've got a lot of scary movies. Do you like popcorn?"

"Another time, Penny. See ya."

As soon as she was out of Penny's sight, she dashed for her car, only to groan as she got in the seat and slammed the door. She had to talk to Ruby still, which meant she would have to get by Penny, if she was lucky. But, she would have to do no such thing, her phone rang out once more. The number came up unnamed, but her eyes widened as she recognized it. She put the phone to her ear, whispering, "Mom?"

"Hey, Blake, glad to see you remember your old lady's number. How you holdin' up?"

Tears filled Blake's eyes, it had been months, maybe over a year, since she had spoken to her mother. "I miss you."

"I know, baby. Listen, I need you to come visit me."

"Mom, I don't know if I can, you know how Glynda gets..."

"Oh, screw her, I'm you're mother. If she wants to bitch at you then she has to go through me."

"Why do you need me?"

"Look, the guards are monitoring me now. Get here and I've wracked up enough "good girl points" to have an unchaperoned visit with you."

"What do you need me to bring?"

"Just yourself, an open mind, and a willing heart."

"What are you up to?"

"Listen, I can't talk right now, just get out here as soon as possible, let me deal with your aunt, and I'll explain everything."

"Mom..."

"What is it, hun?"

"I love you."

The phone rang dead on the other end, Blake slamming her phone onto the steering wheel and sobbing against it.

Just a few quick announcements: Thanks to everyone who has written a review, subscribed, or favorited this story, I'm shocked at how quickly this is growing in popularity. I usually send individuals their own thank you emails, but I'm just busy as hell so I thought I'd do it in bulk. To answer some questions, I've begun to set up a character list on my profile near the bottom. Hopefully that answers any questions and clears up any confusion. See you guys again, remember to cite your DAM sources!