recommended story: "Blood of the Rose" by dongyrn - RWBY & Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines Crossover
'I don't understand. She's so good suddenly. I can't even come close. And I missed, I never miss!' May berates herself mentally her eyes filled with horror as She recalls the targets of the day. She had missed her first shot. Hands trembling nervously her bullet missed the mark entirely forcing her to retreat before her picture could be taken. But losing the point anyway when she ran out of time before she could make another attempt.
Unfortunately for the shy sniper the rest of the day went no better. She hadn't seen Ruby once since classes let out. Not on her first planted target, not on her second. Not even during Ruby's own turn did May manage to spot her. The red caped girl was like a ghost today and if it weren't for the lack of rose petals anywhere in addition to May's own faith in the little team leader she would be sure the girl was using her semblance.
'I came so close...' She thinks sadly her eyes downcast. She had started the day with an advantage. A single point lead. Giving up the first point to her miss and failing to catch Ruby on both of her targets the best May could get was a tie. Which according to the rules goes to Ruby for playing with a handicap. After all, only one of them knew what to look for searching for the other.
A chime alerts the sniper to a message on her scroll. She opens it and her defeat is emphasized. Looking back is a picture of her taking aim down her scope. May didn't tie she just lost. Still, she has her plan. Ruby knows now, so she just has to come clean with a smile. In a way it's not so bad really. Already the tension in her shoulders grows lighter. Her steps feeling lighter now she's no longer burdened trying to hide her crush from the silver eyed girl. Closing her scroll for the moment she ponders what to do now only to get another message. Opening it her heart shatters.
'RR - Looks like I win "Longshot" You seemed so cool in your notes and messages too but you're just the stammering shy girl. Don't bother with my reward. Just make it not having to deal with you anymore.'
May cries out her eyes snapping open as she pants roughly. Already feeling the wetness in her eyes and on her cheeks to let her know she was crying in her sleep. Her hand shooting to her night stand desperately to check the time and upon seeing the date she relaxes again. Sighing in instant relief. It's Friday morning.
'Great to know that my mind can give such a lucid description of my worries the last day of the competition. Thanks nerves, I really appreciate that.'
Something feels off this morning, her head turned seeing nothing different than normal since coming to beacon. Same bed, same room, same sheets, same beanie hanging on the corner, same rifle against the side of her bed frame, same wardrobe half opened that she hadn't bothered to close the whole way the night before. But something still felt off.
She rises slowly from her bed the fabric of her sheets rustling softly in the silence of the room. Her hand reaching out to grab her beanie moving it to hang from the barrel of her rifle where it will remain until after her shower. All completely normal, something is still off.
She shifts, pushing the sheets away entirely as her feet dangle off the side of the bed, bare soles pressing down silently on the carpet beneath her toes curling as her head turns again making another pass of the room trying to find whatever it is that is making her feel so odd. She finds nothing. The feeling of something being off remains.
With a shrug she stands grabbing a fresh fluffy towel and heading for the bathroom. Unoccupied and silent as the room behind her. Though there's a slight residual dampness on the tiles beneath her feet. Traces of fog on the corners of the mirror from where it had steamed over. Still silent, still strange.
It isn't until half way through her shower that May realizes what has been bothering her since she woke up. It's the quiet.
'Where are the guys? Normally I wake up and they're making noise at the very least Nolan would wake me up before they left. I wonder what's going on.'
She finishes her shower quickly after that and emerges from the bathroom to glance around the room. Roy's bed unkempt, Brawnz and Nolan both made but with small signs of having been slept in the night before. The sheets being untucked the primary indicator.
She gets ready as quickly as she can after that hurrying to grab her things along with her bag. The books inside replaced with her competition gear as it is not yet her turn to take notes again. She'll just share with Nolan if she needs to read something during class. It's never been an issue before.
Thinking she'll just meet them at breakfast she heads next door to NDGO's room and knocks. She waits for a few moments and knocks again. Her ear placed to the door she hears not a sound inside. The soft silence save for what noise she makes beginning to unnerve her as she starts towards the mess hall alone.
Having her nerves wound progressively tighter along the way by the continued lack of people as if she woke into the beginning of a horror movie May can be forgiven for screaming loudly, her hands being thrown up to protect her face while her eyes squeeze shut in fright when she is suddenly pulled into a small room.
When pain and death don't come down on her in a cheesy spray of blood and gore she slowly opens her visible eye to see Roy standing in front of her. Pinkie in ear and a grimace on his face as he twists his hand. "Sweet Oum May why the screaming?"
May can also be forgiven for hugging him in relief before pushing him back and punching his arm. "J-jerk! Where is e-every one a-and why did you grab m-me like that?" She shouts. Which for our shy sniper is a voice just an octave or two above polite conversation at a fancy dinner party.
"You mean us?" Nolan asks standing in the room looking very amused and surrounded by all of May's friends save one. Even JNPR. For some it might not be a lot and she might have only made them in the last week but they counted. The only person missing was one MAy enjoyed seeing the most.
'I'll have to remember to thank Ruby. I would only have my team if I had never noticed her that evening.' She thinks to herself before shaking her head and asking the most important question for the moment.
"What are you all doing here?"
"What? They didn't tell you?" Nebula asks pointing to her team. And like a comedy act they each point to another in confusion getting an aggrieved sigh in return. "Well, I guess that explains that." She comments shaking her head.
"We thought we left a note,... Anyway that's not as important. May we want to help you. Just tell us what you need and we'll try to make it happen." Nolan speaks up and May's eyes go wide as everyone else nods displaying a range of smiles. Except Gwen, she doesn't smile much at all she nods though so it counts.
"W-well, I w-won't take any h-help for the competition. I already h-have an advantage. B-but I could use s-some help tomorrow? I h-have a lot of baking to do n-not just for me and Ruby b-but to thank you all too. S-so one person from each t-team would be nice, and Nolan." May replies. Most are quiet, some try to wave off her thank you as unnecessary, and a few look excited. The last being her team and Nora of course. Nolan just sighs and drops his head shaking it slowly.
"B-Brawnz, would you m-mind getting e-everyones favorites? I need to m-make sure I have enough ingredients." May asks rolling right over the objections with a determined look making him chuckle.
"Alright everyone hush, you heard our girl. If you don't give me what you want her to make she'll try to get it out of your team mates. And if that doesn't work she'll just make whatever and then apologize after for not getting you what you really want." He comments bringing conversation in the room to a halt.
Everyone brings their attention back to May and she is rather surprised with herself that she doesn't feel overly nervous in front of them. The attention of so many people on her would usually bring her to a panic and result in her trying to clam up. In place of the familiar anxiety she feels at ease and offers them a small smile. "Th-thank you all. We haven't been f-friends all that long, b-but you're all so amazing. I-I'm happy to have all of you." She says struggling not to tear up and failing miserably.
As she is embraced by the small crowd in the room she can't help the happy thought running through her mind next.
'This is so nice. Why was I ever afraid of people?'
~After Classes~
'LS - Ready for the last round Ruby?'
'RR - Yes! I'm so excited, Today's the day I win after all.'
'LS - Don't get too cocky now Ruby. I do have the lead after all.'
'RR - One point Longshot, and the tie goes to me remember?'
'LS - I remember, I'll just have to try and widen the gap.'
The shy sniper sends out the first target. Her eye moving rapidly. Her head on a swivel scanning rapidly scanning windows and rooftops from her own cover. Her scope removed from her rifle and within reach.
She hears the crack of the rifle before her head swivels back to late to catch the red cloak retreating on her camera. She starts packing up and getting ready for her turn when her scroll chimes. Opening it her eye shoots wide. Ruby having already sent her the next target. She recalls her nightmare and her hands start to shake fearing the scenario.
She grits her teeth forcing herself to focus and steady her hands. She is only mostly successful but it's enough as she reattaches her scope and starts off at a sprint rushing towards the target. Her feet pound as she sprints towards the tower in the picture. She uses her rifles scope to scan everywhere she can as she tries to catch her breath.
It's a risk she knows but the window is closing fast. She pops up from her cover, takes aim, and fires before ducking down and trying to get away hoping she made the shot before Ruby could get set up herself. When no message hits her scroll she sighs in relief and closes herself in an empty class room sliding her back down the wall. A grin on her lips realizing she managed to prove her nightmare wrong and her hands have stopped shaking.
~Later with Ruby~
Ruby sighs hearing her second target ping as a dust round blows through it she doesn't bother looking for her opponent as she stands She knows by now Longshot is long gone. Instead she pulls out her scroll and smiles softly as she starts typing on it.
'RR - Good game Longshot, do you still want that date?'
As she waits for a response she heads for the lockers no rose this time. She shrugs by now expecting it will show up at some point between here and her dorm room. When she opens her locker she starts to laugh as it's waiting inside this time a little note hanging from the stem reading 'Yang helped'.
That was another thing to think about. Whoever Longshot is already has the approval of the rest of her team, her sister included. With recommendations like that whoever the sniper is she can't be bad. Otherwise Her sister would have run them off long before now.
She munches slowly on the sweet fruit on the way back to her dorm. Pausing once she's finished to rinse off the stick in a bathroom before finishing the trek. Her scroll waving in front of the lock letting her open the door. When she does Her team is staring at her expectantly. They all know what was to happen today. Ruby gently sets the green stick amongst the others as her sister loses patience.
However it's the heiress who asks first. "Well? What happened? Don't just stay quiet Ruby." Weiss half asks half demands.
"I lost. I actually don't know how to feel about it either. I mean. I wanted to win but... Nevermind, it's not really important. I'm going to grab a shower first." She announces grabbing her pajamas and towel before heading into the bathroom. Inside she fishes out her scroll and sighs softly.
'LS - Of course Ruby. How does tomorrow night sound? I need the day to prepare and pick a spot.'
'RR - Sounds fine, I'll see you then Longshot.'
'LS - Sleep tight Ruby.'
AN:
Okay my wonderful readers I have a few fun announcements! I have a Beta reader now! Going by the name Crescent Sunrise. CS has been helping me with MK:MZ as well as going through the chapters here and doing some editing in post. Pretty much helping me make everything just look much nicer to read. I have always said Beta's are amazing and I hope you all give mine thhe same love you've been giving me.
That said CS has not yet seen this chapter as of it's original posting. but so far it seems we'll keep editing them until we are all caught up. be it before or after this story is finished. likely before if everything keeps going.
Also as you might have noticed I've decided to start sharing stories i've read and really enjoyed. they might be in progress or finished. They won't all be RWBY stories.
Now I have to apologize. I know I teased MK:MZ coming out yesterday. I also know I didn't upload it. It was ready but I had a change of heart about something that would have bitten the story in the ass further down the line and rather than just roll with it I decided to hold back and rework it a little before putting it up. That reworking was then shunted to the side so I could get this chapter done. I promise that I'm not just jerking my readers around. I only want to give you the best I can, it's the least I can do after all the love and support I've been shown. I want to live up to all of that.
About this chapter. We're in the home stretch! This chapter covered an entire day on it's own. and that's because there were only two or three things I really wanted to accomplish on this day in the story. and the last thing I wanted to do was drag them out. That would have been just unnessesary. Also, I learned how to do the line break! I'm not sure how that looks. it's the first time I've actually shown a dream sequence. It looked unnatural to just have her wake up in the next paragraph with nothing between but I didn't want to seperate them like I do a perspective or time change. eh. I'm sure CS will tell me when they get here if none of you do first.
okay! Reviewer replys!
Lord Lock: Told you I would do it, also, I suppose. It would be funny to see them trying to explain how mommy and other mommy fell in love after May saw Ruby through her rifle scope and came up with a needlessly elaborate plan to get Ruby's attention.
RatedRSuperstar: I will not comment one way or the other on Ruby's feelings. They will come clear very soon.
Archer1eye: I will not comment on what Ruby may or may not have figured out. As for chapters. before this one I would have guessed about 4. now it's looking like 2 more and then bonus chapters after that. and knowing there are only about two chapters left does that answer your second question?
dalastjedi: oh... well... I am... less flattered? I'm glad you're still enjoying it anyway if you are. I'm a bit confused now. and don't worry about to's and too's! I have an awesome beta now!
imoshen: Ruby has a speed semblance but using it even slightly would disqualify her and Ruby isn't the type to cheat in something like this. I know i answered that in PM's but it's important that I emphasize it here. The rules were important. they were designed to keep Ruby from just litterally speeding through the competition for an easy win. otherwise May wouldn't have stood a chance. she just never would have been able to get away in time.
Crescent Sunrise: I hope you enjoy the story as you work to get caught up.
Well that's all for now! I will have that first chapter of MK:MZ up before 1 o'clock EST today. just keep an eye out and be patient with me please. Thank you all for reading, I love you, and I'll see you next time.