Arc 1: Lights In The Sky
"Just be yourself. Let people see the real, imperfect, flawed, quirky, weird, beautiful & magical person that you are." - Unknown
Chapter III: Odd Shard Out
Dreams… no, nightmares, Sky was haunted by them from time-to-time, the demonic shadows laughing at him, taunting him to keep trying, only for him to fail. Beaten and broken behind it all, that was what remained of Sky. A hollow shell. Sky, woke from his slumber, his heart pounding in his chest as he felt the sweat drip from his forehead. He quickly looked around him and sighed. He was still at Beacon, with his new team and friends.
Downside was, he was lying on the floor. Turns out the rooms could only accommodate 4 people, but Sky didn't mind, much to his team's persistence. He looked at his gauntlet, the screen displaying the time to be 7:00pm. So he yawned and slowly made his way over to his new clothing, consisting of black jeans, shirt and tie, and a blazer.
Day two of his new life had begun once more
Sky opened the door to his room, after awakening with the golden brew of tea, no matter where, he always needed something to activate his systems. As he opened the door, he noticed that the room changed, a lot. The beds were now at each back corners of the room, one was held up by a stack of books on each leg, the other…. Was suspended above the other by rope.
"Ok…who and why?" Sky asked as they turned to face him
"Where'd you go? You missed our awesome redecorating!" Ruby asked as Sky rubbed the back of his neck, old habit
"Well, one, I was getting ready, two, I'm not much of a decorator anyways, if its red, black, or blue, I'll be happy." Sky answered as Yang hooked her arm around his neck with a smirk on her face, he didn't like that, cause he could see another mirror of someone he knew who did the same
"So, anything red or black? Like, Ruby?" Yang asked smugly, prompting Sky's thoughts about it, not noticing the embarrassed look on said girl's face over the subject
"Yeah, like I said, those colours are awesome," Sky said with a thumbs up, then his gaze drifted to the bed that hung to the side due to the uneven ropes that supported it to the ceiling. "Is that even safe?" Sky pointed out with slight concern, however Yang just waved it off
"It's fine, Weiss sleeps under it." Yang answered with a sly wave of her hand, not noting Weiss' raised brow
"Let me guess, your idea?" Sky pointed to Ruby as she nodded happily. "Why am I not surprised. Anywho, what's next then? Besides the safety of that bed."
"Well, are second order of business iiiiiiiis classes…" Ruby went from excited to flat-out bored upon looking through her small book on her lap. "Now, we have a few classes together today. At 9:00 we've gotta be-"
"Wait! Did you say 9 o'clock!?" Weiss shrieked, Sky looking at his gauntlet with a whistle
"Whoops…" He murmured again, his gaze falling to Ruby. "You didn't check your watch, did you?"
"I don't wear a watch..." Ruby sheepishly chuckled, though Weiss was off
"It's 8:55, you dunce!" She snapped, with Sky running out the door, followed by Blake, Ruby, Weiss, and Yang, even Team JNPR joined the race
"Run-run-run-run-run!" Sky yelled as everyone picked up the pace more, bolting past many people along the way. "Geez, high school all over again…oh god….Highschool…"
Sky was slowly drifting into slumber, due to the fact that it felt like he was in a history lesson again. To which he was right, then the professor laughed at something , Sky banged his head off the desk, his head snapping up within seconds, his eyes wider than a deer in headlights
"Huh-what? Did I miss something?" Sky whispered to Ruby as she leaned over
"I don't know… he's…" Ruby trailed off, not knowing what to say
"Enthusiastic?" Sky suggested
"Now, as I was saying, Vale, as well as the other three kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world," Professor Peter continued as Sky tried to pay attention
"I should keep this in mind, considering I don't 'A', have an aura, not like this EC-1101 program is giving me much insight, and 'B', I know little about this world, other than what I found out," Sky thought as it dawned on him. "Who would have thought I wanted to listen in history?"
"-Huntsmen, huntresses… individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves," The Professor continued to explain as a question occurred to Sky, so he decided to ask, that and sparing himself an aneurysm
"Sir? I have a question?" Sky spoke up as his friends looked at him
"What might that be, Sky?" He insisted, with Sky overlooking his notes of the details of Grimm before his eyes, uncertain if the one that sat before him were true. "I was wondering….is there a Grimm out there that can cause aura loss, like seal a person's aura again? I was just curious?" Sky asked, the Professor going silent for a moment, the others looked at him with odd expressions, then the professor spoke
"Well…if that is what you want to know…then yes…there is such a Grimm," The professor answered grimly (Ha! Get it?) as everyone looked at him for clarification
"It is known as the Harpy Grimm," He began as Sky felt a chill run up his spine. "They are rare, but if encountered, their supersonic screech can not only paralyze Huntsmen, but has even been reported to neutralize their auras for a short period of time, making them extremely dangerous," His explanation brought a wary silence upon everyone, so he raised his hand up. "Right then, back on topic!" He piped up, however, Sky went back to his thoughts on the Harpy
Was it somehow tied into his aura loss? Or was it because he didn't belong in Remnant to begin with? The questions just piled up in his head like a brick wall he couldn't climb or walk around. Endless halls, no doors. His train of thought however was brought to a halt at Ruby balancing a pencil on her finger, with a book on top, her face didn't help either as Sky held back his laughter with all his will power, his head hitting the desk in temptation.
"A true huntsman must be dependable," The professor continued as Ruby then seemed to drift into her own world, and for some reason, Sky could feel a glare in his direction. It was awfully chilly now
"A true huntsman must be strategic," Professor Port continued, Sky's eyes slowly turned to his right, his gaze meeting Weiss, causing him to sink into his chair more as the ice-cold glare shot through him and at Ruby
"Things are getting rather chilly around here," Sky thought humorously. "Warning: Code Blue. Temperature dropping to dangerous levels." Sky's thoughts warned him
"Well educated and wise." The professor ended as it felt like someone just shot someone as Sky gulped in fear, Ruby still not paying attention and Weiss still becoming one livid by the second, to the point, the others noticed
"So, who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of these traits?" He asked as Weiss's hand shot up almost instantly as Sky sighed in relief
"And here I thought I was going to become the first Huntsman Popsicle," Sky joked as he sat up slightly
"I do sir!" Weiss answered as he gave her a…questioning look, something tells me he wasn't blind to all of this
"Well then, let's find out, step forward and face your opponent," His hand soon gestured to the cage that rattled and growled, crimson eyes narrowing from within
How would Sky begin to describe the battle before him? Venomous. Not that Weiss wasn't holding her own, but that Sky focused more on the conflict between Ruby, and Weiss. Ruby was doing what Sky had scene her to be, energetic and supportive, however, Weiss didn't take any of it to heart, giving harsh glares or snappy comments to Ruby, bringing her mood down with each insult. Sky wasn't impressed, this was turning into what he's seen before, both sides seem so simple to grasp, but it was clear to him. Weiss envied Ruby's position as the leader, mostly due to her lack of maturity, but, Weiss had also been acting like a child, think her actions might change the outcome set in motion.
"While I can see your reason, that doesn't mean you're right to act the way you do, love." Sky's thought on the matter came clear once Weiss had lost her weapon for a moment, nearly being taken out by the Grimm
"Weiss, go for its belly! There's no armour underneath-" Ruby started but then Weiss snapped
"Stop telling me what to do!?" she yelled as the rest frowned in surprise to her outburst, whist Sky shook his head
But the Grimm wasn't waiting around, it, much to Sky's surprise, spun into a ball as it rolled like a freight train towards Weiss. But she quickly reacted by making a glyph appear, stunning the Boar. Weiss then leapt to the glyph behind her, using it as leverage to strike the Grimm's underbelly. It worked as she skewered the Grimm, its body going limp in the process. But the battle had exhausted Weiss and her temper to their limits.
The professor cheered as the body of the Grimm slowly dissolved into smoke.
"It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true huntress in training," He spoke clearly as he sighed. "I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today, class dismissed," The professor concluded as Weiss stormed out of the room, Ruby following in toe as Sky decided to tag behind them both
"This, isn't going to end well…" Sky thought to himself as he followed, looking back to Yang and Blake. "I'll be right back."
"No rush." Blake nodded in understanding
"Make sure they're fine, alright?" Yang's concerned frown was enough for him to move on
"Weiss!" Ruby called out as Sky hung back a bit, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire, so he sat behind a pillar
"What?" Weiss responded with a venomous tone
"What's wrong with you? why are you being-" Ruby was interrupted again as Weiss went off
"What's wrong with me!? What wrong with you!?" Weiss began, not missing a beat. "You're supposed to be a leader, but so far, all you've been is a nuisance!"
"What did I do!?" Ruby scoffed, Sky face-palmed
"That's just it! You've done nothing to earn your position, back in the forest you acted like a child, and you've only continued to do so," Weiss explained harshly, striking something in Ruby for a moment
"Weiss, where is this coming from?" Ruby asked in a sad tone. "What happened to all the talk about, 'working together'? I thought you believed in acting as a team?"
"Not by a team led by you," Weiss sighed, before turning. "I've studied, and trailed, and quite frankly, I deserve better…Ozpin made a mistake."
With that, she left as Sky approached Ruby who looked to be on the verge of tears.
"That was a bit… much." Sky started, Ruby looked at him with a sad expression, knowing now that he was watching her the whole time
"Do…do you think I'm a terrible leader?" Ruby asked with a pinch of hope and dread over his pondering, however, Sky just smiled a little
"Well… no." Sky answered after a slight pause, earning a confused look from Ruby
"But why-" Ruby began, but Sky put his hand up for her to stop
"Because… we all have strengths and weaknesses, that's why as a team, we can grow and hone are skills." Sky began, thinking how he was going to put this into context. "What I mean is you should give this whole ordeal time to grow, your mistakes and Weiss' are merely stepping-stones towards what you both aim to be, and what you're going to be. These things happen, no one is expecting you to manage the weight of the world in only a day. You can become a great leader Ruby...I believe that, so don't let this one misjudgment define what you are."
Sky concluded shyly, however, Ruby smiled brightly at him, feeling a new sensation of gratitude foster in her chest, meanwhile, Sky blushed as his mind caught up to what he said.
"Wow that sounded cheesy as hell!" He laughed as he rubbed his neck
"No… it was nice, thanks." Ruby responded with an innocent smile, lessening the embarrassment for him
"What are friends for?" Sky said with a shrug, as they heard footsteps approaching
"Hmm? Well that seemed to go… slightly better." Ozpin spoke, as he drank his coffee with an inquisitive look
"So, what's your opinion on this, Sir?" Sky curiously asked the Professor
"That remains to be seen." He answered, both Ruby and Sky looked at each other
"What do you mean?" Ruby asked
"I mean, it's only been one day," Ozpin began, his smile faltering slightly. "Ruby, ive made more mistakes, then any man, woman, or child on this planet. But at this moment, I would not consider your appointment to leader to be one of them," He explained as he leaned in closer to Ruby, "Do you?"
Ozpin then leaned away, continuing to talk, Sky was even paying close attention to him, he seemed to remind Sky of some wise headmaster from one of the movies he watched. So, he would always pay attention to what they say. Usually their wisdom is based off of experiences they once failed to understand, heeding this carefully, Sky's ears listened.
"Being a team leader isn't just a title you carry into battle, but a badge you wear constantly, If you are not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you?" Ozpin elaborated, with Ruby and Sky taking it all in. "You've been burdened with a daunting responsibility, Ruby," Ozpin stated as he turned to walk away. "I advise you take some time to think about how you uphold it."
"Yep, definitely, Dumbledore." Sky quipped, with Ruby giving him an odd expression, to which he sighed. "No one's going to get my jokes anymore..."
With that he walked away, Ruby then turned and looked out the door nearby and saw Weiss standing on her own, to which she looked to be in deep thought. Sky then approached Ruby as he placed a hand her shoulder.
"Good luck, leader," Sky encouraged, leaving her to delve into this problem on her own. Good thing she didn't look back, since Sky was beginning to frown once more. "Do better than me, Red."
Later that night…
Sky sat out on a balcony, looking off at the shattered moon as the silent night continued to stretch. He kept gazing at the stars in the sky as he watched them dance in the night. But for a longest time, he felt his heart ache and his head pounding at the unshakable memories that cut deep into his mind.
"Dammit, not now!" He cursed, holding his head for a moment. "Just stop for one night."
Sky then saw his gauntlet light up with an update, one which he didn't like, almost like it was mocking him.
[Warning: Mental State Abnormal]
"Machines…" Sky scoffed, feeling slightly worse for wear, then he heard the sound of heels stopping beside him. "So? How'd it go?"
"Fine. I believe I realized that I made some…errors when judging Ruby's encouragement." Weiss commented to Sky's smug look
"I know why you felt angered by Ruby's childish antics," Sky began, Weiss now facing him directly. "You've only ever seen a life of structure and rules, you were stuck in a prison, constantly telling you how to live your life."
"H-How, did you know?" Weiss asked, her face stuck between sadness and surprise, then Sky just smiled
"I won't keep you, but I know what it's like to be guided through your life, never making a choice on your own. Its suffocating." Sky answered with a slightly deflated tone. "But, that's why Ruby will be the best leader for this team, her positive outlook, and kind nature balances out her smart and unpredictable fighting when we need it most," Sky finished, seeing Weiss smile faintly at the thought
"Well…thank you for telling me that, and…you're right, Ruby may be a kid, but she's different," Weiss agreed, turning back towards the arch. "Goodnight, Sky."
"Night." Sky answered, and once more, he was left alone to ponder at the moon. "Who the bloody hell broke the moon?"
[One Week Later]
*Ruby's POV*
It was another bright day, I kept my eyes locked to Beacon ahead of me, the spires stretching into the sky above me as I smiled with glee. Even if its been a week, I loved every minute of it, even the classes to an extent, it was everything I've dreamed of, and the fact i'm the leader of my own team is even better!
I then felt the wind breeze past me, as I instinctively turned to see my team walking up towards me, all in their uniforms.
"Good morning, Weiss." I greeted, as she kept her stern look on, but I knew she appreciated it
"You'll be late for class if you don't hurry." Weiss responded, as she walked past me, but I just rolled my eyes
"We're walking at the same pace..." I deadpanned the obvious, Weiss giving me an irritated look for that remark
"Morning, Blake." I continued, as the girl waved to me with a calm expression
"Morning." She answered, as Yang jumped beside me, hooking an arm around my neck
"Morning, Yang!" I smiled as she winked at me, pulling me along with her before letting go
"C'mon, Ruby. Today we're gunna remind everyone at Beacon Academy how awesome Team RWBYS is!" She cheered, as I turned to my left, seeing Sky walk up to us with a relaxed expression. Its only been a week, but Sky was still strange to me, like cool-ish strange, but he was really nice
"You better not try to put me in the spotlight, Yang." Sky grumbled, holding onto his book as Yang threw him beside herself, as I continued to walk beside them all. "I swear, another incident like the cafeteria, and I might just throw myself to a Nethermore..."
"Aww, don't be so dramatic!" Yang cooed, as Sky whimpered slightly, causing me to giggle a little. I love my team!
*Sky's POV*
"-Then BOOM! No more science lab." I finished my story with a dramatic clash of effects, as Yang nearly toppled over, and Weiss seemed to blink at the stupidity of it all. Lets just say, some chemicals 'do not' mix well, especially with clothing. "And trust me, the girls weren't too happy about their clothes nearly being torn to ribbons."
"Are you four that stupid!?" Weiss argued, but I could see her resisting a smirk. "Even if it was rather amusing."
"Ha! Knew it!" Both me, and Yang called Weiss out, but before she could retort, Ruby blurted something out to us, gulping whatever was in her mouth, down
"So...what exactly...is Dust?" Hmm? Even I was curious, since I knew only what Ozpin briefed me on when I was investigated, from what I knew, Dust was a manifestation of the elements, and is used either for practical, offensive purposes. Dust was the ammunition for our weapons, since my 'tool' uses compressed dust canisters
"Huh? Its a crystallized energy that helps to power our world." Weiss explained, before she went on a tangent., a proud smile on her face as I blinked, Yang just tuning out her explanation. "Fire, water, electricity. Its the amalgamation of nature's power! It is the foundation that supports our lives. Its range of applications spans everything from day-to-day tasks to military use."
"Agh! Stop quoting Schnee Dust Company pamphlets!" Ruby cried out, waving her hands frantically, even I nodded with a bored look
"I won't lie, it all sounds interesting, but I really...really can't stand lectures." I added, Yang 'high-fiving' me as Weiss sighed
"There's still much we don't know about Dust's exact origins." Weiss shrugged, as Yang spoke up, chewing on something in the process
"One thing's for sure, it comes in handy for stopping Grimm." She mumbled, as I jabbed her in the side
"Finish eating next time..." I groaned, as my hand pressed random buttons on Cognitum
"So the company's business relies on something that they don't understand." Blake added blankly, her mundane gaze on her book, as me and Ruby laughed silently at Weiss' irritated response, her eye twitching
"Our research is making progress every year." Weiss countered, before Ruby messed with a high-caliber round in her fingers with a puzzled expression
"Hmm...I see." She wondered, before Blake spoke up again
"What Ruby is trying to say, is that there's a need for a deeper understanding of, and appreciation for the tools and technology used in the trade of hunting that our lives depend on." Blake answered, and I could see that, so i quickly spoke my mind
"Knowing the intention and better respecting the gifts given to us can help us usually reach a level of power and knowledge that we never could have uncovered without first understanding 'why'." I nodded, as Ruby's eyes seemed to sparkle with glee
"Yes, that's it! That's it exactly!" She cheered as me and Yang looked at each other oddly, before I shrugged nonchalantly
"I think its important to always have that kind of respect for our partners, and for the weapons and special items we use!" Ruby puffed out her chest proudly at that, as I stared at Cognitum for a moment in curiosity, before I saw the alert appear on the screen
*INCOMING PROJECTILE*
"You always exaggerate, Ruby..." I heard Weiss groan, my eyes trying to locate the warning
"But you like talking about S.D.C dust technology all the time, Weiss." Ruby retorted
"What are you implying?" Weiss dared, as Ruby muttered something under her breath, as Weiss huffed. "Look, just because i'm not a weapons maniac like you-" Oh boy...
"Heads up!" I yelled, but by the time they noticed, our table was trashed
*CRASH-CLATTER*
Before us all was Jaune, who looked like his lungs were kicked to the back of his spine by the pained look on his face, that, and he went through a solid, laminated-oak table, so that's definitely painful.
"Jaune!?" We all blinked in shock whist Jaune groaned in pain from the force of the impact, as I heard the laughing to my right, my eyes seemed to stare at the man with an icy glare, certain memories of mine surfacing like bad taste in my mouth
"Oh sorry, my bad." Then he shared us a sickening grin, nothing like a huntsman, only a twat with more brawn than brains. "Didn't mean to kick the ball your way..."
"Cardin...Winchester..." Me and Ruby groaned, both of us kneeling beside Jaune as he tried to sit upright
"Jaune, are you ok!?" Ruby asked him in worry, as I helped to sit upright, before he shook off his pained face, holding his hands up
"I-I'm alright! I'm fine hehehehe...feel free to show a little more concern for me Weiss." Jaune laughed off, but he was clearly out of it, then Weiss deadpanned
"I'm not concerned one bit." She gave him a bored expression, as I just shook my head
"Really, i'm fine. It wasn't as bad as it looked." He tried to reassure, as Ruby looked at him worryingly
"But..." She tried to speak, as I gave him a little bit of help
"Mate, your body flew through the air, and smashed through a very high-quality, laminated-oak table. How your spine isn't broken is a Gods-send in its own right." I sighed, then I offered him a hand. "But, not many from where i'm from can boast such a claim, so you earned that."
"Heh, thanks man." Jaune looked a little better, emotionally that is, before a certain gnat spoke again
"Oh, team RWBY, right?" Cardin mused, as my eye twitched slightly. You forgot the 'S' dipshit. "Sorry I interrupted your girl talk."
"You deaf too. Its 'RWBYS'." Yang supported from behind me with crossed arms, whist drawing out the 'S', but Cardin just shrugged with as little care as ever, then his gaze shifted to the nervous Ruby, my anger slowly readying for some reason, but any chance to floor this gnat was fine by me
"So, I hear you skipped a couple of years. You guys Professor Ozpin's favorites or something?" At that, we all twitched with a tinge of irritation, but Ruby was still looking like she staring at the face of the devil. I think she was going the 'better person' route, and decided not to speak out
"You guys did pretty good in team selections, but none of you look like all that." Cardin mused, as I felt a cold voice threaten to lash out at him, and the strange thing is. I wanted to. But, he then loomed over Ruby, said girl staring up with a strange look in her eyes. "What? You wanna go, grade skipper?"
"Did you forget that one of us has the ability to belt-sand your face to silence your dumbass, or is that something that passes your head like always?" I asked him, my voice sounding far colder than normal, but I was too pissed off now, this...rage, no-one can really blame me for what I might do now
"What you say, outcast?" Cardin dared me with a grunt, as I stood between him and Ruby, my ears slightly picking up Ruby whispering my name, but my eyes stayed on target
"You heard me, or does anything break through that skull of yours? Actually, if it did, I'd be worried for the survivability of the team under 'your' command...those poor fools." I drawled out in a bore, as Cardin's fist seemed to ball up at my remark, as some in the cafeteria seemed to watch with anticipation. "Someone like you only sees power over others, but that only shows how weak you really are, you don't know what 'power' means, or how to properly control anything close."
"Actually, the best power you have control over is the light switch." My retort made his blood boil in his face, and with the crowd laughing at his expense my point was made clear as day to the gnat
"So lively, how splendid." In a flash, my mind seemed to clear, like a mist that clouded me for a moment, then my eyes moved towards Goodwitch, who looked crossed between angry and calm. One scary combo
"Professor Goodwitch!" Ruby blinked in surprise, as we all backed off, my eyes shaking their gaze from Cardin
"Asking yourself if you have what it takes to succeed. Honing your skills and trusting in the resulting power. All important for a huntsman or huntress." Goodwitch spoke clearly, almost like a calm breath of air. "But with power comes responsibility, power should only be exercised when it is needed, and where it's needed."
"I see..." No you don't, Cardin. "So we can do whatever we want, as long as we're honing our skills?" Even Goodwitch had a look in her eye, she knew he was twisting the meaning into more violence
"Yes...in fact..." Her eyes then moved towards Ruby, who was looking over my shoulder, her face looking like she was about to die from shock, that, and her smile was wavering like waves, even her pupils were pinpricks. "Why don't I give you two the opportunity to do so?"
"Huh?" Ruby breathed, as my hand rested on my face, my head shaking
The whole school was basically here in the arena. Everyone had caught wind of the match between Ruby and Cardin like wildfire, the whole ten minutes of prep-time, Ruby was losing her cool, actually, she looked at us with a face that was...haunting to say the least, she looked like she was being fed to a pack of honey badgers whist covered in honey. Actually, that would be a mercy.
"HUUHHHH!?" I managed to hear Ruby's audible gasp from here, obviously she just came back to reality, before realizing she was in the middle of a ring, facing Cardin, in front of hundreds of students. Wait...hundreds...
"Ruby! One punch! Take him down in one punch!" Yang cheered to my right, whist Blake pointed out the obvious
"She's not like you, Yang."
"Wait, something doesn't seem right with her." Weiss spoke curiously, then Yang slammed her hands against the stone barrier, her eyes wide
"Crap! I forgot, she gets nervous in front of crowds!" Both me and Weiss shared a look, before we yelled
"How could you forget!? She's your sister!?" We were now fearing for Ruby's life now, since she looked like she was about to pass out, hell, even Cardin was trying to grab her attention
"Stop freakin' out! You hear me!?" Cardin yelled, as Ruby shakily replied
"Huh? Sorry, Mr Titanium Mace." That got me to laugh a little, as Cardin's jaw dropped a little
"IT'S CARDIN!" He yelled angrily, before he chuckled, and pointed his mace towards Ruby like a joke. "Check it out, the leader of Team RWBY is all show!"
"Ruby! Relax! You're wearing a red cape! You can't embarrass yourself anymore than you already have!" At Yang's attempt to reassure her sister, I smacked Yang on the back of the head. "Ow!"
I then sighed, as my face heated up from the embarrassment I was about to endure. "You owe me one for this..."
"Hey, Ruby! You wanted to become a huntress, right!? Then why the hell are you just standing there!?" I yelled down to her, as the others looked at me curiously, since I never really show this much confidence unless I was angry. "If you didn't give up before, than why the hell are you starting now. Stop shaking, and fight!? Do it for your team, for yourself!?"
At that, she seemed to pause, her grip on Crescent Rose tightening, then, Goodwitch sounded off the start of the match.
"Begin!"
Over the last week, ive seen just how strange Ruby can be, she doesn't pay attention too well in class, she can be distracted easily when working, and for her age, she was a complete child, even though she somehow manages to do what was set for her. On the battlefield though, her mind is like lighting, her eyes never miss a beat when she fights, her steps are like winds, and she strikes with the ferocity of a monster.
Cardin's strike smashed before Ruby, her footing sending her back, as an eruption of fire burst from the floor when he pulled his mace back up. But, from the fires, Ruby's scythe flew through the flames, her feet pressing down on the spine of Crescent Rose, her silver eyes near unshakable.
Then she flipped her hand on the trigger, firing herself to the right of Cardin, knocking him back, before she hands moved to hold onto the spine of Crescent Rose, her legs flying behind her as she spun in the air like a rose petal. Even so, her eyes were still trained on Cardin.
"AHH!" Cardin yelled in fear, he was clearly outmatched
Then, Ruby flew past him, leaving behind the sound of metal shattering, as pieces of Cardin's armour fell from their place, along with Cardin himself. When Ruby finally stopped moving, her smile was back, as everyone cheered, my hands already clapping at the performance, Yang was fist-pumping the sky, and Weiss seemed to sigh in relief. Aww, she does care.
But for a moment, Ruby and I stared at each other for a moment, as I nodded to her with an honest smile, as she seemed to brighten up a little more.
Later...
"Well, that went well." I mused, as I watched the book fly from Ruby's hands, as I quickly caught it mid-air, blinking at her startled reaction. Then she turned on her chair, slumping down with a tired grin
"'Well'? I nearly died of embarrassment, I hate crowds..." She groaned, before nearly falling off her chair at my tug at her red cape that was still attached to her shirt
"Yeah, well it seems you found a way to bypass that." I added, before I let go and moved towards the door to my left, but then I felt Ruby poke my side, causing my eyes to glance over my shoulder. Her face was curious, which wasn't new really
"What did you mean by that? What you said back in the arena?" I knew she was going to ask this, so I nodded, as I sat down on the table, as she looked up at me
"Well...even if I'm still getting used to not only being in a team, but living with four girls in the same room, I can be very observant, and Ruby...your amazing." I stated in the best way I could, as her cheeks turned a little red. "Ive seen you fight, and from what Yang has told me, you can be...empty-headed at times, yet when you fight your mind is like fire, you're like an entirely different person."
"So, when I saw you nearly fall apart back in the ring, I realized something, you can't let your weaknesses stop you from doing what your great at. When you finally snapped out of it, you were unstoppable, and, I guess I want to be like that too." I answered her, although my explanation is a little dry
"You hate crowds too, but you still helped me?" Ruby answered near seconds after, as I blinked at her sudden correction
"Yeah, I did." Then my face turned completely red. "I mean, Yang wasn't really helping, and I couldn't just sit there, so I thought 'might as well try something!' but I think I just made it worse for myself, and I honestly-" !
Ruby...was hugging me...umm. It was only for a few seconds, but, she seemed to radiate with a strange feeling, it was comforting, when she did let go, her smile was warm, her eyes seemed to glow with a strange emotion, but I couldn't tell what it was.
"Thank you, Sky." Ruby whispered, before she shook her head randomly, her eyes moving back to her book, and from the looks of things, it was...oh Gods, help us now...math. From Ruby's defeated cry, she was stuck. "I'm screwed...!"
"273.25." I answered without even writing anything or missing a beat, as Ruby looked between the book and me, her eyes growing more and more confused with each turn, then she mumbled
"How did-What the-When...HUH!?" Ruby was completely flabbergasted at my straight answer, albeit, my math was rusty, but when you have decimals drilled into your head like a Giga Drill, it tends to leave scars. Then Ruby started to pull at my arm, and...she's giving me the cutest pout in the world. "Please...help me...!"
"Ok, this is gunna be a looong night..." I chuckled, as I moved over to help Ruby with our most challenging foe yet. "Im'ma need alot of tea for this."
To Be Continued...
AU: This used to be two chapters, but I thought to just bulk them both up, hope you enjoyed this little Slice of Life chapter, and seeya next time!
Next Chapter: Think No Evil
Among the usual antics of school life, Ruby begins to notice Sky's strange behavior, whist Sky begins to feel memories creep back from the void, mainly of snow-white eyes.