Chapter 30
…
She was alone in her room.
Sitting on a bed with her back resting against the wall behind her. Her legs were crossed, and she was staring at the wall opposite to her. Her lilac merely a reflection of her inner world, although, it was just shy of being a mirror to the person she thought of as well.
Ruby.
She was thinking about her sister. And as she was, her fingers clutched into a fist, but it wasn't a tool to beat or threaten someone with. It was just a sign of frustration, and disappointment towards herself for how badly she treated her sister during those last few months before she left. Or rather, it wasn't even so much that she treated her badly. She simply ignored her, just like she did her dad.
I'm sorry.
She voicelessly apologized, but that only seemed to sour her mood. She didn't want to apologize to thin air. She wanted to hug her sister, and only then tell her how sorry she is.
"Damnit…" She quietly cursed to herself, and then closed her eyes for some moments. Her fingers digging deeper into her palm, but fortunately, when she thought of her dad and Jaune, or rather, what all three of them were striving to do, the tension subsided. Her frustration and disappointment faded, and she let out an even breath. A moment later, her eyes opened, and her lilac was calm, if slightly saddened as well. And within her was a small, cold ember.
"…"
Her lilac grew distant, and she allowed herself to reminisce on the wonderful, fun memories she shared with her sister. And as she did, that cold ember grew colder little by little, and eventually, her lips trembled, and she then pursed them tightly.
We really did have a good time together. Dragging you along on my crazy adventures was always fun. You weren't fond of that sometimes, but I knew for sure you were having a blast most of the time. Otherwise, you wouldn't have laughed or even smiled like you did so many times.
She mused, and then sadly smiled, and allowed herself to be enveloped by the bittersweet feeling. Before she wiped her soundless tears away, and then mustered a minuscule, but also an honest, good smile.
A hopeful smile.
I may have been a shitty person, but I won't let myself to stay one. Otherwise, I'd never be able to properly apologize to you.
She thought to herself, and her smile widened a bit.
Also, I have those two to look after, so I'm short on time when I can let myself to be cold and pathetic. I have to try my hardest for them as well.
She mused, and that small, cold ember was now glowing with a bright, warm light.
…
It was a late evening, and the two sisters were in the yard of their home.
"Are you sure about this?" Little Ruby asked, seemingly doubtful and worried, yet her silver was awash with curiosity and excitement.
"Of course, I'm sure." Little Yang answered, her lilac still focused on the manual for a box of fireworks, which lay close to their feet.
"What if something happens?" She voiced her concern, and was still torn between temptation and refusal to be of any part of this.
"Like what?"
"Well…" Ruby started to think. "What if we injure ourselves? Or what if our dad finds out that you stole a box of fireworks? And then used it without his permission? He's gonna be super- duper mad if he does."
Yang offered her a much too nonchalant look. "We won't injure ourselves. I've even read the instruction so we'd be safe. All we have to do is press this button, and then a timer sets off. We'll have a full minute to walk a safe distance, and then, when a timer will reach zero, the lids will come off by themselves, and then bang! We'll get to see something pretty cool and beautiful!" She spread her arms wide, and then continued. "And I totally didn't steal it. I just borrowed it from our shed."
"The one you broke into?"
"No, I didn't break into it. I was simply testing how safe that lock was, and what do you know?! It wasn't safe at all!"
"Okay, but he's still gonna be mad, right? Because you used it without his permission."
"He won't be."
"But-"
"He won't be." She repeated herself, and then used her most effective weapon in convincing her little sister to be a part of her sketchy schemes. She completely ignored all of her sister's sound warnings and points, and simply told her that everything's going to be fine in the end.
"Okay, then! Let's do this!" Ruby exclaimed happily.
"Let's!" She too, exclaimed happily, and moments later, she pressed the button. Thereafter, the two of them moved a fair distance away.
"Just a few seconds left, I think," Yang said, and literally a couple of seconds later, the fireworks came off.
"So awesome!" Yang cried out at the top of her lungs.
"This is so cool!" Ruby's voice wasn't a note quieter than Yang's.
And both of them continued to watch with glee. Linked their hands with one another, and truly enjoyed every single second of the loud, colorful splendor before their sparkling eyes. Namely, the already beautiful, starry night-sky momentarily resembling a scene from a painting of a yearly festivals summer night. A night not only lit up by the fireworks and lights hanging from an array of lined up wooden booths, but so it was by the people. Their beautiful, bright faces embellished by a smile, and a spark of joy well alive in their eyes.
And even though the two sister's yard wasn't adorned by an array of hanging lights, and only two of them were present in this one, precious moment, the summer night-sky before their eyes felt to be every bit as beautiful and alive. Their faces a true embodiment of joy, and a tangible excitement well alive in their youthful eyes.
This moment was theirs, after all.
"…"
The colorful, loud splendor came to an end, yet their smiles didn't fade away just yet.
"That was so awesome. And beautiful too," Yang said.
"I think so too." Ruby wholeheartedly agreed.
"See? Nothing went wrong, right?"
She laughed. "Yes! You were right this time!" She happily exclaimed, and a mere moment later, they both froze.
"Yang!"
A voice of a particular, angry man echoed like a thunder.
"Oh, gosh!" Little Ruby was in a panic mode instantly. "He loudly called you by your name! That means he's really angry!"
"Curses! He said he'd be away for at least an hour or two."
"What do we do?"
"We…" Yang started, but couldn't really think of a single sound idea. And they didn't have much time!
"We totally shouldn't have done that," Little Ruby said in a tiny, guilty voice.
Little Yang gave her a look. A moment later, her feeling guilty as well, but not because she was in trouble. Instead, she was feeling guilty because of how quickly her little sister was robbed of her joy. However, at the very least, it helped her to decide what was the right thing to do.
"Just run to your room, and pretend that you're asleep, okay?"
Ruby gave her a puzzled, concerned look. "What about you?"
Yang cracked a brave smile. "I'll stay behind and talk to our dad."
"But…but I could help you! I could use my super sad puppy dog eyes, and maybe he'd simply forgive us!"
"Or maybe he wouldn't forgive us, and you'd get into trouble as well!"
"But-"
She spun her one eighty, and then pushed her forward. "We don't have much time here, so just hurry up. Please!" Yang pleaded her, and then offered her sisters concerned look a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, trust me. And if you'll listen to me, you'll be fine too!" She said, and a few moments later, Ruby nodded.
"Okay. And good luck to you!"
"Just go already." Yang urged her, and finally, Ruby obliged. She was quick to enter the house, and then run to her room.
Yang turned the other way, and then crossed her arms under her chest. Widened the gap between her feet, and planted them hard into the ground.
'I'm not afraid of no man, grimm, or a man pretending to be a grimm.'
"Yang Xiao Long."
'But my dad when he calls me by my full name…yea, I'm a little bit afraid of that.