Hello~ I'm back! Thanks for the positive reviews you've left and everybody who favorited/followed since the last chapter. Glad to see people are enjoying this story!
Speaking of stories, I uploaded a new RWBY story (Technically yesterday) called Stark Contrast, so please go check that out!
Edit: Oh and one last thing, I lowered the rating of this story for the time being (like I said in the edit at chapter 1) but it will go back up later as things get more intense.
Okay, that's enough. Onto the chapter
Disclaimer: Red like Roses fills my head with dreams of owning RWBY and Slender. However, they're just dreams and will stay that way.
Ruby reached the library in record time without using her semblance (okay there might have been a few stray rose petals behind her, but that's beside the point). Thankfully it was still open so she burst through the doors and made a beeline for the table they were using earlier. She stopped right before she got there though.
"Really?" She said dryly.
Four sets of eyes looked up at her question. Nora, Ren, Pyrrha, and Jaune were all sitting around the table playing Remnant: The Game. Specifically, they were playing after numerous requests for them to join in (except for Jaune who was surprisingly good). Even more specifically, they were playing her game without asking.
"Oh, uhh, heyyyyyy Ruby," Jaune said awkwardly, deer-in-the-headlights look full on. "We, uhh, were just making sure that, uhh, your game wasn't taken or anything. Just protecting our kingdom- I mean, your game! Heh heh…" He rubbed the back of his neck. He immediately deflated and gave up. "Okay fine. We should have asked you first. Sorry." He hung his head down.
Throughout it, Ruby was trying to keep a stern face, but at the last bit she snorted a bit and smiled. "It's fine if you play, just make sure that all the pieces are back and bring it around sometime later." She paused. "Weren't you all studying before?"
"Yea, well we decided to take a break." Jaune said, with Ren giving him a glare as if to say, 'who's this we you speak of?'
"Yea! It's been awesome!" Nora said, "Jaune won the first game, but then Pyrrha took the second and it looks like it's anyone's game now!"
Ruby's smirk grew larger. "Three games in a break?"
"It's been a long break."
Ruby giggled, "Just make sure it gets back to me, preferably within the week, and intact with all the cards and pieces. Otherwise, have fun!"~ Ruby gave a wave and went out of the library, with a 'thanks!' coming from behind her.
With no reason to rush, Ruby took a leisurely stroll back to her dorm room. Well, today has been productive: we played some games, figured out what was wrong with Blake, resolved to take down the White Fang single-handedly, met some new people. I wonder what tomorrow's going to bring. Ruby was almost skipping back to the dorm, humming a tune. This whole weekend has been great as well! Relaxing after the Torchwick thingy at the docks, playing even more games, that massive food fight, hanging out with Team JNPR, playing that one game…
That last thought cut her off short. That game? Slender? That was fun? Ruby questioned her sanity at the moment of enjoying a scary game. How did I find that fun? It was scary, not fun. Granted watching everyone else play was funny, even if Yang and Weiss said some bad words. But I guess that made it even better.
I'm still bummed that I didn't get all the pages though. But really, eight? That's crazy! And the Slenderman is just so… Ruby shivered, creepy… What does he do, teleport around stalking you? For what? Taking those pages? Maybe Yang was right and it was Slendy's diary. Ha ha! You hear that Slendy? You're a little pre-teen girl! Ruby conveniently forgot at that moment that she also had a diary and was barely a few years out of the pre-teens.
You know, I can beat Slender. I will beat Slender! That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to start up the computer, and play Slender and beat it! With a new confidence in her step, Ruby strode in through the door.
"Hey Rubes, where's your game?" Yang asked immediately. She was already in her bed and wearing her sleeping clothes. Blake was in her own bed, curled up with a book, much calmer now than before. Weiss was probably in the bathroom, considering the closed door and the sound of the faucet running.
"JNPR is using it. I'll get it back eventually."
"In how many pieces?" Yang asked pointedly.
"Hopefully not that many," Ruby said, getting her earphones and going over to the computer.
"What'cha doin'?"
"I'm going to beat Slender tonight," Ruby declared as she put in the earphones.
"Really?" Yang's eyebrow shot up at that. "I'm surprised, I thought it traumatized you."
"Yea… it did. But I can't have it unfinished you know? Then it'll just hang over me as something I haven't done yet."
"That's deep Rubes. Have fun with that."~ Yang rolled over in her bed to get a better look at the computer screen.
Ruby turned on the computer and started the monitor, and entered the password (T3amRWBY4Ever, if anyone wanted to know. Yang set it up!). The screen lit up and Ruby clicked on the Slender game icon that was on the desktop.
She looked down at the desk and saw the game case was still there, on its front, letting the crossed out circle be shown. I'll beat you, Ruby vowed to it as she stared at the symbol. She shook her head as the configuration page popped up, but clicked 'Play' because nothing had been altered since last time.
As soon as the music started, Ruby lost almost all of the confidence she gave herself and groaned in her seat. Oh no. Why? Why did I tell myself to play this game again? She hesitantly clicked 'Start game' and the familiar crunching sound of the character walking started.
Ruby didn't need to see the intro again so she clicked the mouse once and the game started. 'Collect all 8 pages'. Okay. If I remember correctly, I went left last time. Lets see if going right makes any difference. Ruby turned right and started walking down the quasi-dirt path the game had, scanning left and right for anything odd.
She found the first thing a little bit later, which was that red pillar thing. Ruby circled clockwise around the thing and made a half rotation before finding the first page, which was the page that said 'Always watches, no eyes'.
Ruby took a deep breath and let it out in a semi-whine. I can stop this now, she thought, spare me the terror that's coming. No shame in walking away… oh who am I kidding? She clicked the page.
Pages 1/8.
And…
Thum… thum… thum… thum…
…There it was.
Ruby groaned and sank into her chair. Unheard by her, Yang, Blake and Weiss, who had come out of the bathroom by then, all chuckled at Ruby's misfortune. Secretly however, they were all glad they weren't playing and hearing exactly what Ruby was hearing. Not that they would admit it to one another.
Oh god why?
That was the one thought going through Ruby's mind at the moment.
Well, not the only one.
Okay, keep going to the right and loop around the map. Keep to the roads otherwise you'll get lost. Ruby did a 180 and went back to the road. It wasn't a minute later that she found a rock pile on the right side of the road. Even better was the page was on the road's side. "Yes!" Ruby went over to the page, which said 'Help Me' and clicked it.
Pages 2/8.
Ha ha! Take that! One-fourth done! I can do this! I can do this! Ruby continued her journey along the road and ignored the left path that she saw at one point and stayed the course.
Thum… thum… thum… thum…
The path curved a bit, but Ruby saw a stone structure to the right and went over to it. It was a four walled… thingy. Okay, since Slender follows me, I should go counter-clockwise so I could swing around to my next target. Ruby started following her own advice and moved around. After getting past the first two corners, she found the page. 'Can't run' huh? Watch me, Ruby dared the game. Oh wait, I move so slowly anyway… no depressing thoughts Ruby!
Pages 3/8.
At that point, that droning noise started up again and Ruby needed to pause a moment and wipe her clammy hands off. She shivered, and not because of the temperature. I hate this game. I really do. Ruby continued her trek, now angling left of where she was going originally and now 'jogging' if going slightly faster than a melting stick of butter downhill could be called that.
Thum… thum… thum… thum…
She relatively quickly came to the totem pole looking things and found the fourth page at the far end of the row. Oh thank you thank you thank you, page four! This one said 'Don't look… or it takes you'. Ruby clicked it.
Pages 4/8.
Thum… thum… thum… thum…
Well at least I've tied my score from last time, Ruby thought. Okay, so I could either go right or forward from here because if I recall there's that open field in the center. Which way do I-
Her decision was made for her as she looked a little too far right and the screen started getting fuzzy. And at the edge of her flashlight vision, she could see him. Tall, faceless, with skin(?) as white as a Grimm's bone-plates, and long armed.
"AAAAHH!" Ruby faced the Slenderman fully and backed up, after some initial mouse shaking. She shimmied over and put one of those poles in-between her and it, just to put it out of sight. She was surprised when the static started going down. "Huh," well that's interesting. Put a tree in front of you and face the thing. Now just go backwards and… Ruby hit 's' on the keyboard and went backwards, still facing the pole.
When she got a good distance away she turned around and found herself in the open clearing with those tanks in front of her. Okay, there has to be a page here. She looked down the rows and actually utilized the zoom function for the first time to see further and strafed right. The first row was a bust, but the second row had a telltale outline glow of a page. "Yes!" Ruby 'jogged' again towards the page, which said 'Follows'. That it does. That it does.
Pages 5/8.
Yes! I beat my score from last time!
But came the next part; a low, moaning wind sound came over the drone and the 'thumping', causing Ruby to wipe her hands again. She could actually feel sweat under her armpits, which just made her even more uncomfortable playing. Her breathing was becoming erratic, as like all the others who've played. I really, really, hate this game.
She turned right, screamed, and jumped in real life as her screen 'blipped'. "AH! Go GO GO! I really hate this stupid game! Why did I buy this?!"
Behind her, Yang was rolling around in laughter, and _WB_ were chuckling to themselves.
Thum… thum… thum… thum…
Ruby started sprinting but regretted it soon after. "Oh God, it's the bathroom. Oum just kill me now." Gritting her teeth, she entered the god-forsaken labyrinth. Right's been good to me so far, so let's go that way. She turned right, then right again when she came to the next corner and followed it. After a left this time, she came to a room. Directly across from her was another page. "YEAS! Thank you thank you thank you! This page said 'No No No No No No No No No No No No', which was basically what Ruby was thinking.
Pages 6/8.
Ruby started backtracking out of the bathroom, but when she turned a corner…
It was there. Right there.
The music slammed and the screen tilted upwards, rapidly filling with static as the screen looked at Slenderman's non-face.
You could imagine what Ruby's response was.
The earphones were ripped out of the computer and made their way across the room, narrowly missing Weiss, who ducked when she saw them coming, and Ruby fell out of the chair and curled into a fetal position, sobbing and rocking to herself.
Pages 6/8.
Click to Continue.
"Wow Ruby," Yang said after she got her laughing under control and managed to get her sister upright and cease sobbing, "you beat Blake's score. That's cool."
Ruby sniffed. "Punch me if I ever get the desire to play that game again," Ruby muttered.
"I'll do it you know," Yang said with a smirk. Ruby uncurled herself and gave Yang a hug, reminiscent of when they were younger.
"Thanks," Ruby said after a moment, then stood up and shook herself off. "Whelp, I'm going to get changed and all that jazz," she said to nobody in particular, obviously distracted.
"Goodnight Rubes," Yang said as Ruby went into the bathroom.
After she completed her nighttime rituals, Ruby ended up in her bed (still defying whatever laws of gravity there were) with her diary in front of her.
Today was another awesome day. I met a couple new people today; the headmaster of Atlas' hunter school, Ironwood, and another was Sun's teammate, Neptune, who has blue hair! He seemed overly friendly to Weiss though, so I think he might have a thing for her. Grrr! It's almost like the stuff Jaune tries with her, except that it was working. Anyway, we had a few epic games of Remnant: The Game and Jaune is surprisingly good at it. I didn't win a single game today, but next time vengeance will be mine! Muah-ha-ha!
Anyway, we found out what has been bothering Blake as well. She's like, super stressed out about the White Fang, so we as a team made a pact to singlehandedly take down the White Fang. And as Weiss put it, 'it should be fun.' But then I forgot my game in the library and ran into a couple transfer students from Haven. They were a little awkward to talk to, but who am I to judge? Am I right? They seemed okay enough, but there was something about them…
Nah, probably my imagination.
I found JNPR playing my game when I got to the library, so I let them keep it for a little bit and finish playing.
Somehow I convinced myself to play Slender again. Ugh, I don't know why I keep playing it, but I want to beat it. It's like, mocking me. So I have to beat it eventually. I think I know what to do though. I should start at the red thing then go to the bathroom from hell next, because you do not want to get stuck in there, then loop back to the right and finish up with a counter-clockwise sweep. That way I keep moving and get the high risk places first (i.e. the bathroom).
I'll keep that in mind, but I highly doubt I'll be playing that game again for a while.
I just hope I don't have another nightmare again. Stupid game.
Well, goodnight.
Ruby finished writing and put the diary away. She rolled over with the sheets and was soon asleep.
Take two ended a little bit better for Ruby. Third times' the charm? You'll find out in time.
So it's after one for me, and I'll be going to sleep soon. Still don't know why I update so late...
Anyway, please Read, Review, Favorite, and Follow (R.R.F.F) No flame reviews though please. Constructive criticism, yes. And also don't forget to vote!
Until next time, (which will be A Minor Hicup (not the whole thing though))!
-OrangeGalen
