RWBY A Day in the Life of Crime
Chapter 11: An Obligatory Trip to the Beach
"We're finally here! The beach!" Ruby cheered as soon as she stepped out of the black van that had brought her and several other gang members to the beach. She didn't even wait for the van to fully park before she jumped out, a colorful beach umbrella under her arm and folding chair in the other.
"Ruby, wait!" Cinder cried out after the girl but she was already a red black blur, kicking up clouds of sand as she sped towards the water, causing the more slowly walking people to get covered by the dust she left in her wake. Cinder sighed and let herself more slowly out of the car. She shouldn't be shocked by Ruby's impatience. The girl had wanted to go to the beach since the first time the weather got the least bit sunny. But there was barely any time with all the work she had to do so it was only now that Ruby had a full day to enjoy the nice weather.
"Boss is sure happy to be here," Emerald commented. The green haired woman, who was Cinder's personal assistant just like Mercury was more or less Ruby's, had come on the trip to protect the dark haired woman. In fact, another two to three vans pulled up into the beach's parking lot, members of the Grimm gang hopping out, clad in their usual black. But to fit better into the environment, they were wearing swim trunks along with their Grimm masks which sported sunglasses on them.
"Secure the perimeter of the beach," Cinder instructed the three dozen men. "I want men stationed in the parking lot, inspecting those who arrive and the goods they carry. I want men around the public restrooms, making sure that the people there do not harm Ruby when she goes to use the bathroom. And I want men next to and near the water and our blanket. But I don't want to see any of you, nor do I want to hear you unless it's necessary. Am I clear?"
"Yes!" The men gave quick salutes to Cinder before dividing themselves into groups and delegating the tasks among themselves. Cinder had been their boss once before and they still respected her highly, following her orders without question.
"Emerald, Mercury," Cinder now turned to the two who had driven here with her and Ruby. "Carry this stuff over to the beach. Quickly, before Ruby gets carried away. She tends to do that if you leave her for too long in an excitable state by herself." Emerald nodded her head and piled on several bags holding towels, food, and beach games, onto her shoulders. Mercury popped out of the driver's seat and took the folded chairs, the cooler of drinks, and another umbrella. Cinder led the way to the beach empty handed, her flip flops mostly protecting her feet from the burning sand.
The water wasn't far from the parking lot but it took a while to reach, the sand dunes slowing them down. When they got closer to the water, Cinder noticed that Ruby had already set up her rainbow colored umbrella and folding chair, and discarded her sleeveless red hoodie top and shorts, no doubt so she could go into the water.
"Set up the stuff here," Cinder pointed at the spot with the stuff. "I'm going to go fetch Ruby or else she'll never think to put sunscreen on." Mercury and Emerald nodded their heads and got to work, discussing among themselves on the best way to position the objects.
Cinder took off her flip flops and held them up in one hand, letting her soles hit the cooler and more compact sand that lay next to the water. She could see Ruby already thigh deep in the waves, splashing the water when a tide would hit her. "Ruby!" Cinder waved her free hand as she called out, trying to get the girl's attention.
"Cinder! Come in, the water's just right!" Ruby invited over, her face one of clear and open joy. She was like a little kid upon waking up on Christmas and finding presents under their tree. Cinder hated to cut that joy short but she had to put sunscreen on Ruby's skin. The girl was extremely sensitive. Her fair skin would burn and then Ruby would be in pain and Cinder didn't want that.
"You have to put sunscreen on first!" Cinder told her and she could see Ruby's shoulders slump down a bit. "Aw, but I just got in here."
"Ruby, no. You know what happens when you don't put sunscreen on before going into the water."
"But I waited so long for this!"
"If you've waited three months for this, you can wait five minutes more. The beach is not going anywhere." Cinder hated being stern with the younger girl, it made her feel like a mother (ugh, something that Cinder did not want to think about, especially about how Ruby was ten years her junior) but sometimes Ruby was too stubborn for her own good, or did things that she shouldn't.
"Fine," Ruby huffed and stomped out of the water towards Cinder. The girl was wet and cold as Cinder draped an arm around her shoulder, the two walking back to where a giant blanket had been spread out by Mercury and Emerald, the two who had already shed their outer clothes and were in their respective bathing suits. Emerald was wearing a pale green bikini and shades on her nose. Mercury was wearing a pair of gray speedo's and his metal legs gleamed in the sun. When Ruby saw him she let out a laugh and pointed at his getup. "Where'd you get those lame speedos from?"
Mercury's cheeks flushed in embarrassment but he didn't dare reprimand his boss for the comment. "I've never been to the beach before, so my mom helped pick them out for me."
This made Ruby laugh even more and even Cinder and Emerald were letting out a couple of snickers, looking at him with amusement in their eyes. "Who even shops with their mom anymore!" Ruby blubbered out from between laughs.
Mercury's embarrassment only grew but he could not say anything about it or risk angering the boss. "The stuff is all in place." He tried to change the topic as his hands not so sneakily made to cover his speedos.
"Pass me the sunscreen, and a towel," Cinder held out her hand to Emerald who pulled out the required items from one of the bags. "Ruby, turn around." Ruby did so obediently, sitting down cross legged on the blanket as Cinder took to drying her shoulders, chest, arms, and back, so that she could have a dry surface to rub the lotion on. Ruby simply looked adorable in her small black bikini with the red rose petals down the side. Cinder gently covered all the needed area and as soon as she was done, Ruby bolted up, ready to dive into the sea again.
"Ruby, wait. You need to let it dry." Ruby let out a huff but sat back down, wiggling around impatiently. "Here, you can help me do my back. It'll take your mind off of the ocean for a bit." Cinder took off her tank top, revealing to all her bikini top. It was red with gold swirls and it didn't cover much of her cleavage leaving little to the imagination. Normally Ruby would have been all over Cinder at just the sight, but the girl was too distracted by the urge to run into the water and so she merely spread the lotion on Cinder's back obediently, looking back and forth from Cinder's skin to the waters.
A small frown housed itself on Cinder's lips. Hmm, maybe she could fix this somehow? "Do my chest too." She turned around so that Ruby could have a more generous view of her chest but the girl simply rubbed the lotion on, not even attempting to sneak a little touch. Cinder's frown deepened, but she resolved to put the issue to the back of her mind, confident that once Ruby had gotten the beach out of her system, Cinder could get her daily dose of Ruby.
"Can I go now?" Ruby asked Cinder, nearly bouncing on her toes and eyes wide and pleading. Cinder was tempted not to let her go. She really wanted to do something to get Ruby out of that bikini, but she supposed it would have to wait later. "Go ahead."
"Yay!" the words were barely out of Ruby's mouth before the girl rushed to the water, whooping loudly and startling the people around her.
"Mercury, Emerald, go after her and make sure she doesn't get too out of hand, or bored. I'm going to tan in the meanwhile. And no interruptions."
"Sure thing," Emerald nodded her head but Mercury didn't look so taken with the idea. "But, the salt water will get into my legs and rust them. I just got new ones after Ruby drove over them last time."
Cinder arched a brow. "Mercury, do I pay you to complain?"
The gray haired man paused, unsure if this was a trick question or not. "Uh, nooo?" he said at last, confused.
"That's right, I don't. So go out there and play in the water with Ruby."
"Right." Was his downcast reply.
Emerald took Mercury by the elbow and led him towards the water. Cinder then took to relaxing herself on the blanket and curling up her hair into an updo so that she could tan her back more easily.
Ruby was excited to see Mercury and Emerald join her. "Come on into the water guys. It's great!"
The trio then spent the good portion of the day playing around. Ruby took to challenging them to a swimming competition to a small island away from the shore, which she won and which almost made Mercury drown as his legs short circuited. Emerald had to revive him and Ruby had immediately demanded the trio to have a splashing fight (which she assured wouldn't lead to Mercury drowning) in which she splashed such giant waves of water that she knocked both of them underwater several times, the waves easily dwarfing them and pounding onto the shore. It scared some of the people away because they thought a tsunami or something was coming, but it was only Ruby, whirling around the water like a dervish with a light giggle.
Then after that it had been time for a snack break, which Mercury and Emerald couldn't be happier about. Keeping up with the boss was rough on them, the girl having insane strength and energy in her body. Cinder pulled out the wrapped sandwiches for them and the chilled drinks, and the quartet ate as they talked. Well, Ruby talked. She was all words and excitement, going on and on about how much fun she had so far. Cinder was glad to see the girl ecstatic, and she lapped up her joyful expression like a thirsty man in a desert.
While they sat, one of the couples who were playing with a frisbee not so far away from the gang's blanket, had their frisbee sail out of their reach. It sailed towards the back of Ruby's head, and would no doubt hit her before one of the duo could grab it back. Before they could yell out a warning, there was the sound of a bullet firing and the frisbee went straight to the ground, a smoking hole in it. The couple startled, shocked by this and turned to their left to see a man in black shorts and a Grimm mask wearing sunglasses, settle down back into the sand pit he had dug for himself, a gun in one hand and walkie talkie in the other as the sand slowly poured over him and began covering him once more. "Threat eliminated," he reported into it, slowly disappearing under the sand, his eyes doing one last scan over the couple. "Keeping an eye on the possible offenders."
The couple felt uncomfortable and decided they had spent enough time on the beach. They packed up, eyeing the patch of sand the man was under warily.
"Alright, time to do more beach stuff!" Ruby got up after her meal.
"No swimming after eating," Cinder reminded her and Ruby nodded her head. "Yes, I know. I was going to play volleyball with Mercury and Emerald."
The two henchmen tried to not groan out loud at this. Playing volleyball with Ruby was like asking to end up with broken bones or missing teeth. The girl went full out with her strength and semblance. But they couldn't reject the idea and so with dread in their limbs they went up to the net. Ruby already had the ball in her hands and was squeezing it (making the two henchmen feel uneasy as they imagined it was their heads in her grasp), eager to get started. "I get to serve first, since it's two on one," she said and then jumped up, smacking the ball hard into the ground. Mercury jumped to the right and Emerald to the left to dodge the comet heading straight for them. The ball hit the ground, making a loud sound from the impact, kicking up dust and leaving a crater where it struck.
"Aww, guys, you can't dodge the ball. You're supposed to hit it." Ruby pouted, hands on her hips.
Emerald and Mercury shot looks to one another. They were hoping they could get away with not having to hit the ball but... "It was nice knowing you," Emerald told Mercury.
"Same," the man told her with a look of grim determination. This was their job. It was full of dangers every day. And so what if most of the dangers they faced to their lives were caused by Ruby? Money was money, a job was a job. They didn't have many options. So sucking it up, they got up to their feet.
"I'll serve," Emerald said and both of them took up positions, ready for battle. The ball barely went over the net before Ruby had risen up to intercept it and spiked it down. The ball hit Emerald straight in the face before she had a chance to move and she bodied the ground, flat on her back.
"We have a casualty!" Mercury screamed out and kneeled down next to her. Her eyes were white spinning circles, there was blood coming down her nose, a red mark on her forehead and some sort of ghost was coming out of her mouth that suspiciously looked like a miniature and pale version of her.
"Is she okay?" Ruby came over to their side, bending over, hands on her knees and confused and worried look on her face. "Emerald, you're supposed to hit the ball with your hands not your face."
"That's not the issue here!" Mercury was beginning to feel panic creep in. "Her spirit is trying to leave her body. Shove it back in!" Mercury pressed down on the head of the spirit but it proved to be tougher than he thought to get it back in.
This seemed to make Ruby realize the severity of the situation. "Nooooo! Emerald don't leave us!" She dropped to her knees and pushed on the spirit as well. But the spirit giggled at their attempts and started wiggling back and forth. Still, they weren't going to give up so easily.
By the time they finally managed to get it back in, the sun had begun to set on the horizon. Emerald woke up as soon as the soul went back in. She sat up, coughing harshly. "What, what happened?" she croaked out, her voice hoarse.
"Phew, we almost lost you there," Ruby wiped her forehead with the back of her hand in relief as she sat back on her haunches.
"I almost died?!" Emerald seemed shocked by this.
"Yup," Ruby said cheerily as Mercury plopped down in relief onto his backside. He had been really worried there. "But it's all okay. Now we can finish playing the game." Ruby lifted up the volleyball and Mercury and Emerald immediately began to put their hands up and shake them. "Come on, it won't be that bad this time. I'll go easy on you."
"Nooooooooo!" They both cried out.
At this Cinder picked her head up from where it was resting on the blanket. Strange, it seemed like she had heard her henchmens screams. Shrugging, she went back to resting and turned to tan her front side.
Another hour or two passed, by which the trio who had been playing volleyball came back to the blanket. Emerald was sporting black and blue bruises on her face, had blood dribbling down her nose, and was holding her wrist which was no doubt broken. Mercury's face also looked like he had been in a professional showdown with a boxer and he was slightly limping, his arm slung around Emerald's shoulders to hold him up. Ruby had promised to go easy on them, that was the only reason why they were still alive.
"What happened to you two?" Cinder asked as she pulled up her shades. Had there been a breech on the beach? Ruby was walking in back of them, smiling and without a scratch. The only reason they had stopped the game was because Ruby had popped the last of the balls. They had gone through all twenty balls that Emerald had packed and now had nothing else to use, which the two henchmen couldn't be more happier about. Finally, an end to their torment.
"We were playing volleyball. It was so much fun, wasn't it guys?" Ruby beamed at her henchmen who only sighed. "Sure thing boss," they said in unison. They couldn't stand to break her smile apart.
"Good, why don't the two of you take a small break and then come back here," Cinder instructed them and both knew what it was she meant by small break.
"I'll tell the other gang members about it too, we'll get the beach cleared out," Emerald offered and Cinder nodded her head. Ruby was oblivious. She was busy guzzling some water down, parched from the long game.
"Alright, Cinder said the boss and her need a break!" Emerald hollered out.
"You know what that means," Mercury added and on their words the men who had hidden themselves popped out from under the sand, or from out of trash cans, or behind people's blankets. They opened fire and began shooting up into the air to get the people to clear the place. Screams filled the air as the gang members yelled at them to get the fuck out.
"What's going on?" Ruby asked, eyeing the scene in front of her.
"Just clearing the beach for the two of us," Cinder hummed, sliding up next to Ruby whose skin was slightly sweaty from her game and glowed in the dusk of the setting sun. Cinder placed her arms around Ruby's thin waist from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder. "We haven't had a chance to have the place to ourselves yet."
"Oh, that's a good idea!" Ruby said. "This way I can splash the waves as hard as I want and not interrupt other people."
Cinder's brows wrinkled up as the girl separated from her and ran into the water. That wasn't what Cinder's intentions were at all. This stupid beach was taking away Ruby's attentions from her! Curling her hand up in frustration, she pulled out her Scroll. She knew just who to call.
Ten minutes later Ruby, who was thigh deep in the water, chasing the waves when they receded and letting them chase her when they swelled again, became aware of the sound of several motor boats approaching. Peering out into the water she saw four jet skis coming at her straight. She narrowed her eyes, shielding them from the glow and a small hard frown came onto her face. She knew who it was. Cardin and his lackies. But what did they want and how did they know she was here?
It didn't matter, she was going to wipe them out of these waters for good.
"Ruby!" Cardin called out, raising his hand in greeting. "How are you today?"
"I was having fun until you ruined it," was her reply as she waded deeper into the water. She didn't have her blade on her but she didn't need it.
"That sucks, what a rough break," Cardin leered at her, his eyes covered up by shades and a wide grin on his face. He and his lackies were wearing life jackets but those wouldn't help them now.
"Yea, and guess who the people who ruined my day are," Ruby was now thigh deep in the water, letting the tips of her fingers trail over the surface of it, little ripples following her.
Cardin's jet ski was slowing down, the roar of it less loud and allowing the two of them to talk more easily. "Who are they?"He asked innocently although he knew. His lackies slowed down their own jet ski's as well.
"I'm looking right at them," Ruby gave a small smile before she tore into the waters, using her semblance to stir up a mini storm and whirlpool. Cinder watched this from a rocky outcrop by the shore. The sound of Cardin and his gang's screams was music to her ears. Because it meant Ruby would be pissed off enough to want her, to not turn away Cinder this time.
And she was right. When Ruby emerged from the water, drenched and spitting out a seaweed that had gotten into her mouth, her angry eyes sought out Cinder's ember gaze.
"Who was that?" Cinder asked although she knew who they were and why they were here. She would make sure to handsomely reward Cardin and his crew for their damages. If they made it back to shore. Right now they were specks in the distance, floating unconscious on the ruined wrecks of their machines.
"Cardin and his group, the Cardinals," Ruby growled out as Cinder picked her way down the rocks to land next to Ruby.
"They always come to bother us," Cinder commented noncommittally. "But their no threat."
"Just an annoyance," Ruby huffed out.
Cinder let her hands rest on the smaller girl's shoulders. "I know a fun beach game that can help you relax. It's called how many times can you make Cinder moan before the high tide rises." Cinder's voice was a seductive whisper.
Ruby instantly perked up. "I've never played that game on the beach before. How do I win? What are the rules?"
Cinder let a smile stretch her lips as she pulled Ruby towards their blanket, spreading the girl down under her. "The rules are simple. Here, let me teach them to you with my body first." And then she kissed her.
They'd only managed to get one round done before Mercury came to interrupt them. "Uh, boss," he coughed into his fist, looking away to the side in embarrassment. "There's been some bad news."
Ruby paused in her position hanging over Cinder, her bikini top nearly off and her bottom half discarded somewhere by Cinder's. She let out a sigh, pulling away from Cinder's delicious lips. "Mercury..." she threateningly began.
"I know you said never to interrupt your beach time unless I wanted to sleep with the fishes, but we need you to head back and-"
At this Ruby stood up and had already placed her garments on in one fast swoop of motion. Her hand was on Mercury's ear, tugging him downwards toward her level and to the water.
"Boss, I'm sorry. I didn't want to do it! But someone had to tell you. I'm really sorry for interrupting! I really am!" He cried out as she tugged him deeper into the waters.
"Save your apologizes for the fishes," she said coldly and then dunked his head into the water, keeping it there by force as he blubbered and tried to wiggle out of her grasp.
Cinder sat up, sighing in annoyance. Just when she had gotten to Ruby...this had happened. She hated when her plans got foiled. This made her cranky. And she really had been looking forward to having Ruby ravish her on a beach today. After all it was romantic, with the setting sunset and all.
She pulled up her bikini bottom and headed over to Ruby where the girl had pulled Mercury's face out of the water, letting him take a breath before dunking him back in again.
"Ruby, don't punish him for too long. I want in on it too," Cinder strode over with her arms crossed over her chest. "I want to bury him in the sand. See how he likes that."
"Okay, sure," Ruby relented, very rarely seeing Cinder get her own hands dirty punishing others. She liked to give the job over to subordinates, preferring to spend her time scheming or something else. Sometimes she indulged in the act herself, but only if she had a real bone to pick with the person. Ruby wondered what had the older woman so mad. She pulled Mercury's head out of the water, his sopping hair coming into his eyes. "No, not the sand! It'll get into my legs and mess them up!" he complained as he sputtered out water.
"Mercury, do I pay you to complain while you're getting punished?" Ruby asked as she dragged Mercury over to Cinder who began to tug him to a hole one of the Grimm men had dug before.
"Uh, no," Mercury said hesitantly, feeling like he had already been asked this before.
"That's right. Now get in the hole," Cinder finished and pushed the man in when he was directly in front of it. He fell in with a little thud and the two girl's began to compact sand onto him until only his head was sticking out.
"Hey, Cinder, are you mad about something?" Ruby asked as she patted some sand around Mercury's neck. "Lift it higher," she ordered him and he did, so she could put more in.
"Why do you ask?" Cinder asked as casually as she could. She wasn't too keen on having Ruby know how sexually frustrated she was.
"Because you're hurting Mercury and that's usually something I do." Ruby was silent as she waited for Cinder to answer her. When the woman simply stood up and rubbed the dry sand off of her hands, a flashbulb lit up over Ruby's head. "Oh...I think I get it. All you had to do was ask me," she reached for Cinder's hand, smiling at the other.
"I didn't want to bother your fun with the beach too much. I just thought the location would be perfect for some evening romance by the setting sun. But now the sun has set..." Cinder gazed wistfully at the darkened sky.
"My bad. I was so wrapped up in my own fun I forgot to be considerate of you," Ruby said, playing with Cinder's hand and looking her in the eye.
"Oh, thanks. That makes me feel better," Mercury sarcastically commented and both girl's yelled a 'shut up' at him.
"Geez, can't a man make a joke," he grumbled out, ruffled. He got sand kicked into his mouth, causing him to spit it out. Apparently not, he thought to himself.
"It's fine. We can make time to go another day," Cinder said. "Besides we did have a bit of fun before Mercury interrupted. Perhaps I was too one track minded."
"It's...let's not dwell on this. I want our day to have a good ending. So let's head over to deal with the little situation on our hands and then end the day sweetly. How about I make it up to you by using your favorite whip."
"That sounds delectable," Cinder shivered and hand in the hand the two girls left, heading towards the parking lot to send some henchmen to pick up their beach stuff.
"Hey, wait, don't forget me guys!" Mercury called out after them but stopped when he felt something pinch his butt under the sand. "Ah, it's a crab. A crab!" he wiggled to try to shake it off but the sand was too tightly packed and he couldn't move. "Someone, help!" But the beach was vacant, only the sound of water reaching his ears. Some of the water tickled at his chin. "Hey, guys, the tide is rising...could you dig me out before the water gets in my mouth?" Mercury spat out a mouthful of salt water. The two girls had become specks on the beach already.
"Well, this is just-ouch!-great," he mumbled to himself as the crab pinched him again and he wondered once more why he worked for a gang.
A/N: Man this chapter was longer than the others. The only reason I wrote it was so that I could make the joke about Mercury sleeping with the fishes. Seriously. I'm a super lame person. Also, I think Mercury interrupting the boss is becoming a running gag. Don't know if I should keep it or switch it up. Don't want to become too predictable with the story.