Locked Out
Chapter 11: A Bleeding Heart
A/N: Hello all! Back again with another chapter! I want to thank one of my Beta Readers, bdefili13, for helping with the chapter. Thanks a ton! Hope you all enjoy!
Reviews:
GrnDrgnzrd: Agreed! Uh, oh indeed!
RWBYGuy2015: We will have to wait and see!
kaylakaze: Possibly, probably.
Genesic Savior: Thank you so much! Love the dragon ball z joke there. We will have to wait and see if Cinder will put an arrow between the White Rose!
"Hehe!"
"N-No! Stop spinning!"
"S-Sorry, Weiss! It's just fun!"
"Ouch! Watch your feet!"
"Sorry!"
Blake and Yang watched the exchange between Weiss and Ruby from the side as the two attempted, and failed, to dance correctly. At least to societal standards, that is.
Blake had a hand on her hip. She wore a very royal gown of dark colors turning more and more void purple as the fabric reached towards her torso and chest, which was protected by a soft veil of nearly transparent woven fabric. A lengthy ribbon of black hung from her hair, which was done in a prominent ponytail traveling center down her back. Dark nails refracted light, especially the burning light beside her.
Yang, contrast to Blake, wore a fluffy dress akin to fairytale princesses of old. It was golden colored with white decorations here and there with a dragon shaped pattern of darker yellow traveling around the width of the skirt up to her chest, which was on display. If she had the assets, why not show them off? Her motto concerned Blake for a moment, but honestly, she herself didn't mind the view. A bow equipped with a plastic orange sun pinned through a section of her hair, which began to glow every few seconds on a timer.
"We did well." Yang thought aloud, watching as Ruby most likely shattered Weiss's second toe of the night with a sharp audible crunch. The brawler hummed with enjoyment at this, as the idea of Weiss in a cast and not wearing her obnoxiously loud heeled boots was quite tasteful to the blonde.
"Indeed. They appear to be having... fun?" Blake hesitantly asked as the duo in question bumped into another pair of dancers. "They are having fun, right?"
"I'd assume so." Yang nodded. "Ruby seems very happy, so I'm happy."
"Uh huh." Blake crossed her arms, sticking close to Yang. "You make sure C.R is still where you left it?"
"Yep!" She responded with a pop of the final letter. She could be so, so very energetic. "All set and prepped. The only worry is that it goes off by itself and kills someone."
"That was an issue with the firing mechanism, that's true. I nearly lost an ear. We found Ruby's notes for the blueprints but, honestly, your sister can't write legibly to save her life."
"You... have an excellent point, my snarky kitty." Yang teased, wrapping a hand around Blake's waist. "Wanna dance?"
"Perhaps later." Blake hummed. "I am more interested in watching the movie before us."
Weiss fell into a chair, landing safely as Ruby wobbled around in a frenzy trying to stabilize herself from pure, wholesome laughter. The heiress rubbed her head in slight pain, grumbling about how she was a far better dancer than this. She was a Schnee, after all! Ruby giggled uncontrollably as other watched on from the sides and on the dance floor. Even Headmaster Ozpin looked amused at the sight. Gathering herself up, Weiss stormed over in mock anger and gripped Ruby by the waist.
"We are getting this right or my name isn't Weiss Schnee!" The heiress declared with determination.
Ruby just blew a puff of air in response with a smile, arms at the shoulders of Weiss as they rocked back and forth in a soft rhythm with the music.
"Adorable, aren't they?" Pyrrha asked, dressed in her crimson attire for the occasion. Jaune stood at her side in a suit and tie, much like Ren. The pair of warrior and clumsy dolt stood hand in hand as they held back with Nora and Ren. Ren watched Weiss off and on with hope, praying to his ancestors that he had done the right thing. Yet, he too had fun. Nora would eventually drag him off to dance the night away in a way only they could manage to have fun in, with disco moves and cliches galore.
"Just rock gently." Weiss softly spoke, her hands locked upon the slender figure of Ruby. "Too fast, a little slower."
"Maybe you are going too slow and I am just keeping speed correct." Ruby challenged with a small smile, pressing her forehead against Weiss' for a moment of more gleeful laughter. She was loving this. The time in the room was rough, and even the break in the city was still stressful. But this? Surrounded by friends and someone she had grown to trust again, she was at peace.
"Oh please. I am a Schnee! I am the most attuned dancer in this wallow of washed-up boogie and shattered attempts at talent." Weiss pressed her head against Ruby's. She could feel Ruby's breathing, smelling of mint and chocolate.
"Use real words, Weiss." Ruby chuckled as Weiss turned red for a moment in a huff.
"I am! My words are proper, d-dunce!" Weiss blushed furiously as Ruby hummed in enjoyment.
"Oh, yes! My mistake... um... mademoiselle? Yes, yes! I... I herby dub... dub thee of the... honor of escorting myself throughout this... this minuit?" Ruby attempted to sound formal and pleasant, only having Weiss gently knock their heads together in response.
"Ruby, while that was a very cute attempt at trying to speak old Atlesian... please, never do that again?" Weiss asked of her partner, who laughed a little in response.
"Nope..." Ruby sighed with a smile.
A few tables away from the dancing scene sat a trio of individuals. Mercury and Emerald sat with elbows resting on the table, clearly bored out of their minds by all this. Cinder, on the other hand, was greatly enjoying her time in the company of such weaklings. She was far more powerful than everyone in this room. Well, mostly everyone. Save for Ozpin and perhaps General Ironwood, who sat at a table speaking to Goodwitch, Cinder had little to nothing to worry about. Even the one she was worried of, the likely Guardian Pyrrha Nikos, wasn't even armed. She could very well kill nearly everyone in the ballroom in an instant, yet this isn't what Salem wanted. She wanted cunning. She wanted patience. She wanted Man to turn on itself, and to do that required sabotage, victimizing, and assassinations.
Two of which she was tasked tonight.
She needed to infiltrate the C.C.T's main spire, the chamber just below Headmaster Ozpin's personal office. The data Watts had placed with her personal Scroll, the Black Queen Virus, would tear Vale asunder in the coming weeks of the fortieth Vytal Festival. Without her sabotage, they would be at odds with the Atlesian Fleet. Then, came the task she couldn't wait to uphold.
The assassination of one Weiss Schnee.
It would be a mundane task, one that any idiot with a gun could perform, yet she found some pleasure in the idea of personally ending the girl's life. Cinder was born into servitude, and Weiss born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Cinder hated this world for what it made her to be at such a young, impressionable age. Yet Weiss was allowed to be rich, blessed with greatness? No, no longer. Cinder would enjoy this.
She would burn the Schnee until she was nothing but glass.
But for now, the mere moment, she enjoyed the festivities. Sparkling drinks galore, albeit non-alcoholic, and fancy cakes and desserts made way for the joyous occasion. It was a fine time for celebration! Yes, indeed it was...
For some.
"Are you having fun?" Weiss asked before realizing this was a redundant question.
"Yes, I am." Ruby sighed deeply as she rested her forehead against Weiss' own. "I feel at ease... more than before... with... with you."
Weiss didn't say anything, but smiled softly as they danced around the hall. Ironwood and Goodwitch would join in the festivities, including a dance number by the resident team JNPR, but the night was theirs in their own little world; Ruby and Weiss.
Red and White.
A White Rose.
Tiring eventually, the duo fled the dance floor to make way for others such as Emerald and Mercury, who began to waltz with the others in the chamber as the music began to change tune. Yang and Blake stood by a punch table, casually watching Weiss and Ruby, now at their own table. A woman of black silk passed their line of sight for a moment as Yang broke her gaze, following her with concerned eyes as the woman entered the bathroom rather quickly.
"I suppose we aren't all meant to eat chocolate." Yang shrugged as she looked back to the duo of white and red. Ruby laughed at something Weiss said, the pair holding hands loosely on the tabletop. Blake sipped her drink with a sigh, looking to Yang.
"She will be making the move soon. We should get prepared for anything." Blake spoke softly as to not be heard.
Yang shrugged. "I'm sure it will all be fine. Things have been going well so far."
Blake shook her head. "Just keep an eye on them." She sipped her purple drink again only to curl her head back from it. Smelling it carefully, Blake pulled it away from her face.
"What is this?" Blake gagged. Yang turned back to the table to see the bowl she had procured it from.
"Grape juice." Yang looked to her feline friend. "Probably not a good choice of drink."
"Bleck!" Blake gagged. "I hate grapes."
"Because you're part kitty?" Yang teased before the cup was pushed into her hands.
"One more peep out of you and I'll dump the bowl on your head." Blake threatened.
Yang formed a snarky smile. "You better be kitten-me."
Blake internally screamed.
Meanwhile, Weiss and Ruby got up from their table at Weiss' request, beckoning Ruby outside to gaze at the night sky.
"Come on. Let's see if we can see Vale from here." Weiss suggested, and Ruby was more than happy to comply.
The Rose stood just beside the heiress, basking in the glow of the city beyond the academy. Somewhere beyond the range of Beacon, a group of pyromaniacs were detonating fireworks in preparation of the festival just around the corner. The explosions of green and yellow lit up the sky in brilliant designs and patterns, the lights reflecting in Ruby's silver eyes. Weiss glanced her way, looking down as the necklace suddenly felt like it weighed a metric ton. Yet, she couldn't be dissuaded. She wouldn't be. No, she had to do this.
"Ruby?" Weiss asked as Ruby snapped her attention away from the sky, looking over to Weiss with a happy smile, the happiest she had looked since before the White Fang changed everything.
Weiss gulped, continuing with her full attention.
"I have something for you... something... important." Weiss managed to get out as she looked down to her hip. Ruby eased in with a raised brow, confused before Weiss produced a small jewel.
Ruby gasped audibly as Weiss handed her a thin necklace leading down to a very lustrous gem. The Dust radiated light in a wondrous hue, shining bright in the darkness of the night.
"Weiss...?" Ruby asked, trailing off as she examined the object. Her heart beat just a tad bit faster than normal, unable to form a sentence. It looked beautiful, even by her dislike of wearing jewelry.
"Do you want help with it?" Weiss asked as Ruby handed it back, helping the former scythe wielder with the piece of Dust. Wrapping the ends together in a snug fit, Weiss backed up to admire the look on her friend.
Her best friend.
Ruby felt the gem, and only seen by the heiress, her eyes flashed with a pink hue for a moment before fading back to standard silver. Ruby felt her heart race for a moment before relaxing, possibly due to her affection towards the item. Weiss felt the hue indicated it was working, turning away for a moment.
"There's something else. One second." Weiss stepped away, heading for the pots Yang had hid Crescent Rose behind.
Yet, Ruby halted her actions with a swift grip of the wrist. The heiress turned back with a confused look across her face, unsure as to why Ruby was holding her arm. Tugging slightly, she found Ruby had locked her grip as if her hand were glued to her arm.
"Ruby?" Weiss asked as the Rose looked up to lock eyes.
Eyes full of concern.
"Weiss?" Ruby asked. "Why?"
"Why what?" Weiss returned the question, lightly tugging her arm to be free to no avail. Ruby had a death grip upon her, and any tighter would most likely break her wrist at the bone.
"Why this? Why... Why did you give me this?" Ruby asked with a frown, holding the Dust jewel in her other hand. "Why are you giving me such... such presents? I didn't do anything to deserve them."
Weiss took a deep breath, and stepped forward to Ruby. Meeting together in the moonlight, the pair held one another's hands, carefully gazing into each other's eyes in a fierce dance of emotions.
Weiss spoke first, as requested.
"Ruby... I wanted to give you that because... because I made a mistake." She admitted, only for Ruby to grow even more confused. A hesitant chuckle sounded from the Rose's throat with a tilt of her head.
"What do you mean? What did you do wrong?" Ruby inquired.
Weiss took a deep breath, holding Ruby's hands tight. Ruby frowned as she could feel the quaking of the Schnee. She was shaking. Badly, in fact. The odd display from the heiress concerned Ruby greatly, pressing her interest in the matter.
"Weiss? What's wrong?" Ruby asked as Weiss moved her hand.
With a flick of the wrist, Weiss freed the slander hand of the Rose from the captivity of the Soothe Ring. The Schnee held it safe, looking down at it with held breath. Slowly, ever so slowly, she would rise her line of slight upward to meet Ruby's own, scared of what she would see. Pain? Fear? Hurt? Or rather... something more? Yet, Ruby still had the same frown, looking as rather confused as she had been moments prior. This wasn't making much sense to her mind, unable to guess as to why Weiss just yanked her friendship bond off in such a fervor.
Ruby felt her stomach churn for a moment, but not in the typical sense like a stomach ache. It was as if someone had just sucker punched her in the gut, and her heart sank at the very same time. Yet, it caused no pain! None at all! It was so very strange indeed. So very strange. Her hand felt significantly lighter from the hold of the Ring, opening and closing her hand in response to get the feeling to leave.
"Ruby... I need to tell you something you might not want to hear, okay?" Weiss asked as Ruby just gave her a look. Continuing, Weiss gulped. "I... I was lost when you came back, still so hurt, from the hospital. I... I was at the end of my devices to try and help, and I feared... I feared I would lose you, we would lose you, to your depression forever. But... But I found a way to get you back! Or, at least part of you in a way I would realize too late."
"Weiss?" Ruby asked slowly.
Her nerves were getting to her, evident by the consistent shaking of the Schnee at every other word.
"Ruby... Ruby, that wasn't just a friendship bond I gave you. It... It is complicated, but it was supposed to help you heal, like medicine; your mind and your soul. I... I thought I was doing the right thing and getting you back! But... I was so wrong. So very, very wrong, and for that I am so sorry, Ruby. The Ring... it started to hurt you and your Aura... I didn't want you to hurt yourself from what I did..."
Ruby remained quiet.
"Ruby... I'm so sorry. But...! But things are going to go back to normal now! I can fix it! I won't make a mistake like this again! I know better now, and better by you."
Ruby opened her mouth, looking at the floor before returning to meet Weiss' eyes.
"You... You drugged me?" Ruby asked as she requested confirmation. Was this really what Weiss was saying?
"Y-Yes, and it got out of hand. That's why we crafted that jewel there. It should regulate the effects of the ring." Weiss explained. "I know it sounds bad, but I had my reasons, Ruby. You were... You were so broken before I gave it to you, and you wouldn't talk to anyone, you were barely interested in doing anything. I know it messed up, I know I did, but I'm just so glad you'll be okay..."
Weiss offered a smile.
Ruby returned a frown.
"You... You used me? You... You tricked me? Lied to me?" Ruby questioned, cold in her response.
"N-Not to hurt you! I did it to... to help you, Ruby. Please... Please understand that I didn't mean to-"
"Get away from me." Ruby took a hasty step backwards, then another and another after that. Weiss blinked in confusion, taking a step forwards.
"Ruby, I-"
"Leave me alone!" Ruby practically screamed at the heiress. She quickly stormed off, stumbling in her heels before disappearing into the crowd of dancers. Yang went to follow after her before Blake gripped her wrist, holding her back. Ruby needed space, not words. Yang hated to agree with the Faunus, but settled beside her, grumbling as Weiss remained on the balcony in a state of utter shock.
Weiss' heart pounded as if it were about to implode inside of her. She wished it would, just to end her now and forever. She deserved it. She couldn't move, she couldn't think anything besides this. She had broken Ruby fully. Completely shattered the Rose in a way in which she had never seen so much raw hurt in someone before. Weiss' knees quivered before she fell over, falling with her back sliding down the barrier of the balcony. Her head was in a torrent of fear and panic, unaware of the tears streaming down her face and staining her dress.
"Weiss?" Blake asked as the heiress curled up into a ball, sobbing uncontrollably into her arms. The Faunus looked to Yang, who shooed people away who were attempting to investigate the crying heiress. The brawler's hair nearly burst into flames, clearly angered to no end.
"Weiss? Just breathe. Breathe, slowly... There we go." Blake coached the whimpering Schnee, huddled beside her wounded form. Weiss seemed broken at her core, and Blake didn't want to lose her to the deep end of her shattering psyche.
Weiss slowly did as instructed, hyperventilating in between breaths. Blake carefully got her to her feet and lead her to the woman's washroom, the door guarded by Yang, who had checked to make sure it was empty. The chamber was cold as the small window was busted open above the mirrors, causing the duo to shiver with every moment they resided within.
"Just kill me..." Weiss whimpered as tears streamed down her face. "I hate myself. I just want this all to stop."
"Shush." Blake ordered as she set Weiss down on the counter of the sinks, her feet barely reaching halfway to the floor.
"I mean it. I just want it all to be over." Weiss sniffled, clenching her fists as she threatened to draw blood from her palms.
Crack!
Blake lowered her hand with a stern expression marking her features. Weiss had a very red mark across the right side of her face, evidence of what Blake had done with the back of her palm.
"B-Blake...?" Weiss asked before another slap of Blake's hand silenced the girl. She would listen to the Faunus, one way or another.
"Get a grip." Blake demanded. "Stop talking like this and act!"
"I don't know... I don't know how..." Weiss threatened to cry once more, but didn't out of fear of the Faunus before her.
"You get your sorry ass up and do something. Breaking down at every step of the way isn't the way to act! That makes the issue worse! Ruby needs you now more than ever, even if she just ran off. She's scared, confused, and hurt. Now isn't the time for you to be too!" Blake screamed bloody murder into the face of the heiress, whose eyes were wide with surprise and fright. Eventually, those orbs of icy blue would morph into understanding with a firm nod, wiping away the tears from her eyes.
"Okay... Okay..." Weiss managed, nodding her head rapidly. "What do I do?"
"Yang and I will look around, and if we find her, keep your Scroll in hand. She needs to know you meant to help her. So prove it. Give her Crescent Rose." Blake ordered.
Weiss realized. The weapon! She had been so caught up with Ruby that it had slipped her mind.
"Crescent Rose... I understand." Weiss got up, now standing firm in her resolve.
The pair left the washroom and parted ways. Weiss moved to the balcony whilst Blake and Yang moved around the dance floor to locate their friend and teammate. Separated by the crowd, Blake passed by a very confused Headmaster.
"I see your team is having issues again?" Ozpin inquired with a raised brow, eyeing Weiss holding a collapsed Crescent Rose of a much different color and design.
"I would call it a team building exercise, professor." Blake offered as the elder man hummed with agreement.
This was going to be a long night.
Coming Soon: Chapter 12: Death do us Part