"PENNY!"
Ruby's scream finally snapped Oscar out of his trance when they heard the anguish-filled scream of one of his friends. The scene in front of him almost made him join her as he saw the limp form of Penny. One of her prosthetic arms was broken. The small mat that was supposed to help her barely did its job as Penny only landed on half of it.
"Calm down! Everyone calm down!" shouted the gym teacher. His name was not coming to the hazy mind of the farm boy. He and most students were nothing more than black figures in the background of this twisted show of a moment.
"What happened?"
"Is she ok?"
"She looks like a broken toy."
The rest of the class was abuzz with and melded together into white noise as Oscar could only stare, unable to move as Ruby was being held back by the gym teacher while other teachers came rushing in to help get everything under control. Finally, his mind seemed to catch up with what was happening. He sprinted down to the floor, rushing towards Penny's still prone body, almost smacking one of the teachers out of the way before kneeling next to her. He gently lowered his head down to hear, listening carefully… Hearing her ragged breaths sent both joy and fear through him.
"Sh-Sh-She's breathing! Someone get her help!" he begged/demanded.
He heard one of the teachers had called for an ambulance, this filled him with some relief though that was short-lived as he was ripped away from her by one of the teachers who was yelling about staying with the others. It barely registered as he squirmed in the grip of the teacher as he was dragged toward the other students. Before he could yell at them he was interrupted by a pair of arms pulling him into an embrace. It was Ruby who looked like she was about to break down at any moment.
"Oscar…, i-it, it will be alright," she choked out as the gym doors flew open as gym doors were flown open as paramedics came rushing in with a stretcher. Oscar could only stare as they gently picked up the broken girl and rushed her out to a waiting ambulance to take her to the nearest hospital.
"How… How did this happen? She always takes such good care of them. Ironwood always has them checked regularly…" Oscar looked in a daze.
He felt ruby's arms tighten around him as he felt Ruby's body shake against his.
"It's… it's my fault!" Ruby said in barely a whisper.
This made Oscar freeze as the words sunk in. He must have heard wrong right? There was no way Ruby admitted to… THIS! But before he could voice his disbelief he was interrupted by the sounds of Ruby's sobbing.
"I… she asked me to check her joints. Make sure they were clean!" she cried. The only reason she wasn't drawing a crowd was because of the noise of the other students and how they were more focused on getting snapshots and recordings of what was mainly happening while the teachers were trying and failing to get a handle on things. "I checked and even tightened a loose bolt I noticed! But… maybe it was loose on purpose? What if me tightening it caused the arm to strain and break!?"
"You… You don't know that, Ruby." he tried to assure her… but he sounded hesitant. He tried to calm himself. It was either a freak accident or just… a mistake. That's all it could be… He… He couldn't be mad at her for that. She hadn't meant to hurt her.
"I… I… oh god what if she dies!?" Ruby cried. Her vision went dark as her head was becoming light.
"He died because of you!"
Those words rang in her mind. As she felt both guilty and sick. Was… was she going to cause another death?
"Ruby. Ruby!" he raised his voice so he'd catch her attention. "We don't even know exactly what happened. Just… Just calm down. D-Do you need… Need your meds?"
Ruby tried to stutter as the gym was slowly being emptied. Soon the only ones left were her, Oscar, and…
She was soon pulled into a hug as Neo was able to get to her after the tide of students had finally thinned enough for her to get to her friends.
"N-Neo?" Ruby stuttered as she felt Neo try to calm her down. It was somewhat working as the noise in the back of her head was slowly fading and her heart rate was calming down.
Neo gently pulled Ruby towards one of the benches so she could rest, Oscar helping, while motioning with her free hand for Ruby to breathe deeply.
Ruby's breathing evened you as her mind was finally in a stable state. As Neo laid her head on her lap and Oscar spoke soft words to help calm her down.
"I… I think I'm ok," Ruby said as she sat up. "I… we should see Penny as soon as we can."
"That might be hard Ruby… the doctors at whatever hospital they took her to might not let us see her… also I…," Oscar couldn't even finish his sentence. Ashamed at the fact he was going to say he would have to head home right after school. His aunt thought he wasn't safe from bullying right now and wanted him to head home as soon as school ended. While he could risk it, the way his aunt was worried he was afraid she would go through with her plan to transfer him to a different school if he didn't do what she said.
'I'm the worst…' he thought but a soft hand grabbing his hand in a gentle grip, snapped him out of his dark thoughts as Ruby smiled at him.
"We understand… this…. All this is happening at the worst time for us," Ruby said as she tried to be there for Oscar like he was there for her.
He hung his head. "... Damn it… I'm so… useless…" he muttered, trying to hold back tears.
Looking at the two Neo was about to sign something to them then try to cheer them up. But her attempts were halted when the group heard snickering nearby.
"What's wrong? It's the little baby sad that her toy got broken?" the voice of Cardin assaulted their ears as they turned to see the sneering teen. His three goons behind him as he practically bathed in their glares.
"Cardin…," Ruby hissed out. But as soon as her anger flared up she squashed it down as she shook her head. "No… we don't have time for you Cardin, can't you just be a jerk somewhere else?"
"Seriously. I'm sure you're behind schedule to be an ass to some other person." Oscar glared.
"Oh wow, finally grow a spine farm boy?" Cardin laughed. "Finally work up the nerve?"
'How about you back off?' Neo signed.
"What did the crazy mute say?" Cardin asked. "Not everyone bothers to learn those stupid hand sign gestures."
Neo simply gave him a glare and flipped them off.
This made the bully of Signal Academy scoff.
"Whatever I'm going to leave you to cry over your broken toy"
"Hopefully you're not going to perv on any girls in the locker room, jerk!" Ruby spat.
"... Wait, what?" Oscar asked.
'The dickhead came into the locker room just to pick on us before gym while we were changing.' Neo explained.
Oscar paused. "... Just him?"
'... What do you mean?'
The rest of Cardin's group looked nervous.
"I mean… you only saw him? Not just the rest of his goons? He never goes anywhere… without…" his eyes widened.
'What's wrong?' Neo asked. The way Oscar had gone silent had her already fried nerves on edge. 'what's going through your head?'
Oscar said nothing as he pulled away from Ruby who reached out to him as he stormed his way towards Cardin and his group.
"The hell do you want?" Asked Cardin as he cleared at Oscar who said nothing as he got closer to him and his goons.
"Oscar?"Ruby half asked, half called out as she and Neo got up to try to catch up to him.
"... What did you have them do?" Oscar asked, his tone deathly calm and focused.
"The hell you talking about?" Cardin said trying to deflect the question with his own, he felt a beat of sweat go down his neck. This wasn't how Oscar normally acted around him, the kid would normally fold in on himself from just a glare from Cardin, not be glaring back at him!
"Don't play dumb with me, ya sumbitch." Oscar's accent starting to slip through. "Those three follow ya like hoggs on slop, and they said they didn't see hide nor hair of 'em when ya went into the girls locker. Hell ya even went in there for? Even yer not dumb enough to peep on the girls."
"He said the teacher had sent him to get us because we were taking too long," Ruby said as she looked at Cardin with an accusing look.
Oscar's glare hardened. "Bullshit! Coach didn't even say a word ta him! Didn't even give a dogs wag that ya weren't there!"
'Besides he would have sent a girl to get you, Ruby,' Neo signed with a glare toward Cardin. 'our school is shit, but not even the gym teacher is that stupid as to send a boy to the girl's locker room.'
Ruby thought for a second before glaring at Cardin.
"What did you do?!" she screamed as she glared at him. All she got was a glare back from the older teen.
"I didn't do shit!" Cardin yelled. "And I don't need to stay here and take accusations from a horse fucking hick and I mute psycho!"
"Stop lying!" Oscar shouted as he tried to get closer to Cardin, only for his goons to get in the way. But to everyone's shock, as soon as Dove went to grab Oscar, said farm boy slugged the bigger teen with enough force to send him to the ground. As soon as he did an object fell from his coat pocket and clattered to the ground in front of Oscar's feet.
Bending down and picking it up, Oscar looked at the small tool. It looked like a screwdriver.
"Ruby…," Oscar muttered. "Does this look like a tool you would use for Penny's arm?"
The red-themed teen nodded as a fire in her gut was slowly building up.
"Yeah… that's a 2.4 Mini Precision Screwdriver," Ruby said as she glared at Cardin. Her heart was beating fast and her vision was slowly getting darker as her anger was building.
"So why the hell do you have this on you?" Oscar growled.
"Shove it!" Cardin shouted. "My bike hasn't been in the best shape so Dove was going to fix it."
"Y-yeah!" Dove yelled in agreement. But shut up once Neo glared at him.
"I've seen your junker of a motorcycle Cardin!" Ruby shouted. "You don't use that type of tool for it!"
"What would you know, squirt!?" Cardin snapped back.
"I know that that kind of screwdriver is used for small electronics like R/C cars, or drones, or large electronics with several moving parts that could be projects onto themselves! They're used for things with incredibly small moving parts with low tolerances, not gas-guzzling vintage machines like your old chopper!" she spat back.
"You forget Ruby is top class in metalworks!" Oscar said with a smirk. "So confess ya asshole!"
Cardin growled as he balled his fist.
"Like I would admit to anything to you freaks!" Cardin shouted.
"That might as well be admitting what you did!" Ruby yelled but before she could say anything else Neo walked past her… and her mute friend was sporting a dreadful look as she stormed towards Cardin.
"Neo, what are you going to-whoa!" Oscar tried to question her but was shoved out of the way.
"The fuck you-?" Cardin began only to be caught off guard as the smaller girl leapt up at him. In his surprise he tripped and fell backwards, landing on his back and knocking the wind out of him. This did not help the fact that Neo had wrapped her hands around his neck, positioning both her thumbs against his adam's apple and squeezing… hard. Everyone was too shocked to react, and Cardin was struggling only on instinct, not fully comprehending what was happening.
That changed when he saw her eyes, saw the cold, intense, hatred in those eyes. Her lips pressed together in a thin line. There was only pure focus from her expression, deaf to anything around her. For the first time in his life, he felt true terror from that look.
Deep in the pit of his soul, he knew she was trying to kill him.
"NEO!?" Ruby cried out as she ran towards the scene only to be pushed away by a teacher, who had entered the gym once Ruby and the other's absences were noticed. Seeing what was happening the teacher who was an older balding man ran and yanked Neo off Cardin.
"Miss Neopolitan!?" screamed the older man as he struggled to keep Neo in his grip. "What are you doing!?"
"She attacked me!" shouted Cardin. Getting up as he held his sore throat, glaring bloody murder at Neo. "She and those other two accused me of that Penny chick's accident! They're freaking crazy attacking us and waving that weapon at us!"
"What the hell are you talking about!?" Oscar shouted in rage before realizing what he was talking about when his fist tightened around the screwdriver in his hands. "Son of a bitch! This is your screwdriver!"
"Oh yeah try to pin that on us after attacking us!" Cardin shouted with his friends also shouting in agreement.
"Enough!" shouted the teacher. "We can figure this out once we go to the principal's office!"
"Wait what!?" Oscar asked with his tan complexion going pale. "We don't need to do that right? Just some detention would be-!"
"No!" the teacher snapped as he called out for another teacher. Soon a much taller teacher showed up and helped him with Neo. "All who were involved in this fight will come with me! Miss Rose did you act up in this as well?"
Ruby was shocked by not only the question but also the whole situation as well. She was about to stutter out an answer, Neo beat her to it.
'No,' she signed out but the teachers just stared at her in confusion. Sighing she pulled out her phone with her free hand and texted something before showing it to them.
'No, she didn't do anything,' the text said.
"I see," muttered the second teacher as he loosened his grip once Neo showed she wasn't going to attack anymore.
"Wait," Ruby called out but yet again was uninterrupted but this time by Oscar.
"Yeah, I'm the one who threw the first punch and started the fight," the farm boy admitted. "Ruby did throw a single fist."
The teacher looked at them and then at Cardin who didn't say anything, too busy glaring at the two who stood up to and attacked him and his squad. Shrugging, the two teachers started guiding the others out of the gym.
"Very well…, Miss Rose make sure to get to class," the teacher said and as they were leaving Ruby overheard Cardin mutter.
"Just wait, my dad's going to hear about this, you two are finished," the older teen said before turning a glare at her. "And just you wait little brat, you're next once I get them either expelled or arrested."
"W-wait!" Ruby cried out as she was about to run after them but a look from Neo stopped her. Neo shook her head as she was being escorted out of the gym with Oscar while Cardin and his group followed them.
Now alone Ruby's heart was starting to quicken as she tried to calm down. Her vision was getting hazy and her breathing was becoming erratic.
"No.. nononono," she whispered as she rushed to the girl's locker room. Getting to her locker she pulled out her bag.
Tearing into it she dug through looking for her medication she found the bottle, and only now remembered that she was out as soon as she opened it.
"No!" she cried out as she tried to steady her breathing only to fail. Her heart felt like it was about to explode as her vision was fading in and out. As she backs up she ends up slipping on nothing and falling into a heap on the floor.
"O-ow…," Ruby moaned as she tried to get up while in a daze and noticed that the floor was… wet?
"What?" she said as she looked down and was shocked as she noticed a black liquid on the floor. "What is this?"
She noticed the black water was coming from outside the locker room, getting up she had to brace against the lockers with how weak her panic attack had left her as she slowly made her way out to the gym and followed the black water. As she did she noticed it was getting deeper somehow as she got into the gym and it became almost knee-deep.
"This… this is crazy," Ruby said as she looked at the flooded gym. Soon her eyes caught onto something, a blue… butterfly?
"Ok… I think I might have hit my head," Ruby said under her breath as she saw the glowing blue butterfly slowly flying around, it danced in the air as it made its way to the supply closet of the gym. Ruby grimaced, the supply closet was where Cardin and his group liked to hang out. The teacher would let them with Cardin being the best player for the school's football team.
A part of her wanted just to ignore it but she noticed how the butterfly was practically dancing to get her attention. Trudging through the water she made it to the door and grabbed the handle. After a second to work up the courage, she opened it and nearly fell again as a tide of black water rushed past her and got her wet up to her waist.
"Oh come on!" Ruby cried out as she held onto the door handle to keep herself from falling.
As she pushed through the current she made her way to the supply locker and noticed how things like sports equipment were starting to turn black. As she got further in she felt the current get stronger before she saw what looked like a spout in the water.
"Should… should I tell someone?" Ruby said as she didn't know what she was looking at, she noticed the butterfly float around the spout of black water.
"... I've gotta be crazy for doing this…" she muttered… before reaching for the spout. She slowly got closer, her hand inching closer and closer to the spout… then suddenly she felt a pull. No, more like a yank. She barely had time to yelp in surprise before she was sucked in, screaming in terror. 'I'M AN IDIOT! I'M GONNA DROWN! I'M GONNA DIE!'
As she was pulled in she felt as if she was being pulled down, and even more down even though she should have hit the floor. The current of the water was so strong it felt like her skin was being peeled off as she tried to hold her breath, her lungs already feeling like they were on fire.
As if she was being given mercy, she no longer felt like she was being pulled, but as she opened her eyes she almost screamed when she saw the vast darkness in front of her. Despite her no longer gasping for breath her heart was still pounding, and her mind panicked. She kicked and turned, not even knowing up from down, she didn't notice the creeping figures in the black water slowly swimming towards her.
As she struggled, her tears mixed in with the ocean as her panic attack came back with a vengeance. Her strength was starting to leave her as she tried to find out where the surface was but her vision was getting weaker.
But before she could give in she saw a light, the light of the same butterfly that was somehow able to move in the pitch-dark water as it got closer she heard a voice.
"Do not lose hope little Rose,"
Soon a bright light flashed from the butterfly as it then burst into blue flames. The flames expanded and grew and took a vaguely human shape. The light coming off it was enough to drown out the darkness and chase away the creeping figures, unknowingly saving Ruby as her vision faded, as she finally let go of the breath she tried so hard to hold.
"Who… are you?" Ruby whispered as she reached for the fire before her vision went completely black.
~~~~~~~~(some time later)~~~~~~~
The sounds of crashing waves filled her ears as Ruby tried to block out the noise, but after a bit Ruby stirred awake, cracking her eyes open. The first thing she saw was white sand, truly bone white sand.
Groaning, she pushed herself up and slowly got to her feet. Looking around she saw… a forest? No wait, it was a jungle in front of her.
"What?" Ruby wondered aloud as she turned around and gasped at the vast black ocean now in front of her. The inky dark waves crashed against each other, and a blood-red sky stretched over the horizon, a black sun somehow shining in the sky.
"This… this is insane!" Ruby cried out as she backed up, only to trip and fall on her behind. "Ow!"
"Hey, watch it!" cried a voice. It sounded young and angry.
"Wha?" Ruby mumbled as she looked at where she tripped. She saw something buried neck-deep in the sand… and she nearly squealed when she saw it.
"So cute!" she cried. In front of her sticking out of the dirt was a cartoonish-looking dog, like a chibi from one of the manga she read with Neo and Penny. The top of its head was pure black the fur around its mouth was white. One of its ears was a little torn up, and its eyes were chocolate brown and large… and glaring at her.
"Hey I'm not cute!" cried the little canine-like creature, it struggled as it tried to get out of the sand. "Also don't just stand there! Get me out of here!"
"... Talking… puppy?" she thought aloud before throwing caution to the wind and scooping it up into her arms. "Oh, you adorable little thing!"
Thankfully this helped pull him out of the sand, but now he was struggling to get out of her grasp.
"Hey! I'm no puppy! I'm just short because I'm a Corgi!" shouted the creature. His full body was in view now the rest of him was black minus his white belly and paws. He also had a red scarf and metal shoulder pads and a sword on his back.
"Oh… My gods! You are like an adorable little warrior! You're so cute!" she said as she nuzzled her cheek into his soft fur.
"STOP CALLING ME CUTE! I HAVE A NAME!" cried the warrior canine as she pushed her away.
"Oh? You do?" the silver-eyed girl asked as she loosened her grip on him.
Seeing his chance, he jumped out of her arms and unsheathed his sword, and did a pose.
"I am the mighty canine warrior! The great adventurer of the black seas! And master of the soft paw sword style!" he cheered as he swung his sword. Ruby clapped her hands with stars in her eyes at the show.
"Oooooh!" she said in awe. "That's so cool…. But those are titles and not names…"
This took the air out of his sails and he nearly dropped his sword.
"Well great warriors don't need a name!" he cried out in a weak defense.
"Maybe… But I think you still deserve a name. Hm…" She put her finger to her chin and thought for-
An image of an adorable, innocent, happy panting face flashed in her mind… Along with memories of a… better time…
"... Zwei…" she said out loud, almost not noticing she did.
"Zwei?" he muttered. He then smiled. "Yeah! Sounds like a mighty name. I am Zwei the knight hound!"
He cheered as made a mighty pose. This made Ruby smile but soon she shook her head as she looked around. 'What is this crazy place?' She turned back to him. 'Maybe he's from here.' "Well, Mighty Knight Hound, can you tell a weary traveler where she is?"
He stops and gives her a strange look as if she had asked a strange question that should have been obvious.
"Well young… uh," he said as he realized he didn't know her name.
"Ruby," Ruby said with a smile. "Ruby Rose."
He nods and gets back to his lecture.
"We are on one of the rare pieces of land in the sea of hatred," Zwei said with a raised brow. "It's rare to find one of this size though so maybe that's why you are confused."
"... Sea of… Hatred?" she asked, confused.
"Yeah, you know… the sea you washed up on," he said as he walked up to one of the trees and tried to climb it to get to the fruit on it. "It's what makes up most of the place here. Besides the small bits of land scattered around. Rare places like this are really big!"
He gets to the top and grabs a black-looking banana and pulls at it, after a bit, he is able to pull one loose with one last tug only to lose his balance and fall. Thankfully Ruby grabbed him before he hit the ground.
"Hold on, what do you mean? Landmasses are rare here? Why?" she asked, still trying to find something familiar to latch onto.
"Thanks," he said as he jumped out of her arms and started to peel his snack. "Well it's hard to find such a huge amount of hatred, though I will say the way this place is built, it took time, maybe generations of hate before it got this big."
He takes a bite as he walks forward, Ruby then notices that mixed into the jungle was… school desk and chairs? She even saw a tree fused with a basketball hoop. But what truly caught her attention was a rusted sign wrapped in vines.
Signal Acadamy.
Founded in 1947.
A place of learning (Hatred).
On the sign where the word learning was crossed out with black paint and written over it with red pain was the hard hatred.
"This place has been around for a while!" Zwei said as he looked around and took a bite from his banana. "Which means there should be adventure and treasure!"
"Wait, hold on… I'm… very confused here. You're saying this place has been here for almost a century?" She looked around. "And more than that, where is… 'here' anyway? I mean… the sun is black for god's sake!"
"What are you confused about? It's always like this," Zwei answered in confusion. "The sea of hatred has always been like this, you sound like you've never been here before."
"I HAVEN'T!" she shouted in exasperation.
"Whoa!" he yelled in surprise at her sudden outburst. Jumping back he looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean you haven't? Isn't this your island? I mean strong shadows always show up on large land masses!?"
"... My island? Why would it be mine?"
"Well I mean aren't you a shadow?" he asked while looking at her. "Only the top shadows look like you."
He sniffs her a bit and looks surprised.
"Wait… you smell strange," he muttered as he looked at her with suspicion. "You're not a shadow are you?"
"Uh… I don't think so. I mean, I'm pretty sure that's my shadow." pointing to the literal shadow coming from her feet.
"What are you?" Zwei asked while tilting his head to the side. His ears flop to the side as he does. "I never seen something like you before?"
"I'm human!" Ruby cried. "And I come from a place called Earth that doesn't have a black sea or a black sun or a blood-red sky!"
"... What color is your sky?"
"BLUE!" she answered in exasperation.
"... That sounds nice," Zwei says as he hands her another black banana he grabbed while she ranted.
She sighed and took the offered treat and took a bite after peeling it… only to spit it out with how bad it tasted.
"UGH! Are these rotten!?" she cried as she was half tempted to wash her mouth out in the black sea.
He raised an eyebrow as he took another bite of his food. "What are you talking about? This is the best food you can find here."
"OH GODS! As if I didn't already have enough reason to get back home!" spits out bits of the banana. "Please tell me you at least have normal water?"
He shakes her head which made the silver-eyed girl nearly cry, but she was interrupted from her sadness by the sounds of something moving through the jungle.
"Oh crap…," Zwei muttered as he pulled his sword out and got into a battle stance. "They're back."
Crashing and snarling could be heard as the trees shook violently.
"Wh-What's ba-" she began, trembling in fear, only to be cut off by something bursting out of the jungle.
A black bear with a bone-white mask shot out of the jungle bone spikes jutting it's back. Ruby tried to scream, but her voice was caught in her throat. 'Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Why… Why does it look like that? What is that thing? That's not a bear. Monster. Monster! Monster! MONSTER!' She finally let out a scream of terror.
As if drawn to her fear the creature roared and charged her. Ruby could only stand in fear as she was rooted to the spot. This would have been the end if it wasn't for Zwei jumping in front of her and pointing his sword at the beast.
"Agi!" he cried as his sword glowed and an orb of fire formed at the tip of the blade before shooting out and slamming into the monster bear, knocking it on its back.
"Are you ok?" Zwei asked as he got into a battle stance.
"Wh-What? F-Fire? H-How did-?" Ruby stuttered as her mind tried to figure out what was going on.
"Don't relax just yet!" Zwei said. "That wasn't enough to take out a shadow of that strength!"
As if to prove his point the black bear gets up and roars. Two more beasts come out into the scene. Two wolf-like monsters make their way through the jungle and join the black bear monster. They reminded Ruby of werewolves but with some bone-like armor on them. Their red eyes glared at her.
"Oh no," Ruby whimpered as she backed away. One of the wolf-like monsters charged her only for Zwei to fend it off with his sword.
"Ruby Run!" Zwei cried out as he forced the wolf monster to back off. "I'll hold them off!"
"B-B-But… Wh-What about you!?" she asked, caught between wanting to run by herself and wanting to grab the dog knight and yank him away.
"I'm the great hound knight Zwei!" he cheered as he jabbed his sword into the eye of the bear. It roared in pain and knocked the little dog away.
"Zwei!" Ruby cried out.
"I… I am the hound knight Zwei," he groaned out. "And… I will protect the person who gave me… my first-ever true name!" The little creature stood bravely and defiantly as it charged its enemies.
In that instant images flashed in Ruby's mind… Of those, she lost… of those she loved.
'No… NO! PLEASE, NOT AGAIN! WHY!? WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN!? WHY AM I SO WEAK!?'
She tried to run to him only to get tackled by one of the wolves who pinned her to the ground. She tried to keep it at bay by trying to push it off but only got it to bite into one of her hands as a result. She cried out in pain as blood ran down her arm and a panic attack soon reared its head as her vision was going dark and her heart was going crazy.
As the creature slowly overpower her, the world seemed to slow down as a voice was heard in her head.
"Yet again… you are going to lose someone…"
'Wh… What?... Who's there?' Ruby thought as the pain in her arm was becoming too much as she could still feel the fangs of the beast digging into her hand.
"This little soul is putting its life on the line and all you can do is get killed by this Big Bad Wolf."
Anger sparked in her. 'Well, excuse me. I'm trying, okay? I'm just a kid, not even a particularly strong one. I haven't even gotten into a lot of fights!'
"Because you refuse to fight. Always hiding behind those who will fight. And when you don't you run and hide. You refuse to face your fear and go down this long trail of life."
'Well sorry for being afraid of dying!' she shouted in her head. 'And it's not like I don't want to stand up to them! It's my damn panic attacks! AND WHO THE HELL ARE YOU ANYWAY!?'
"I am you, The you who wants to lash out at the world and to those that hurt us, now tell me. Are you going to lay here and be attacked by the big bad wolf or get up and save that little soul!?"
As the voice keeps talking. Getting louder and more aggressive. From a soft female voice to what sounded like a deep male voice overlapping the first one. Both spoke in unison and drowned out everything else in her head as her heart was beating to the point it hurt.
'... I… I can help. I can save him?' she asked, almost unbelieving of the offer.
Soon it felt as if her heart had stopped…. Only to let out one mighty beat that was heard by everyone. Catching both the monsters and Zwei's attention. Blue energy blasted around her and knocked the wolf monster from her as her eyes turned yellow.
(play Persona 5 Awakening)
"Finally going to fight now?"
She grits her teeth. "Yes… Give it to me. Give me the power to save him. Give me… the power to destroy anyone that wants to hurt the people I care about!" With that, a spark went off in her head, and she felt like something deep in her soul was tearing. She screamed… but despite the pain… it was less like she was breaking apart… and more like something was breaking out.
"Then go down this crooked trail through this forest of Big Bad wolves and reach the other side of this journey!"
She looked down at her bloody and injured hand, clenching her fist forcing more blood to flow, and going through with an idea that popped into her head Ruby then swiped her hand across her face, smearing the blood on her and making a crimson mask.
"I am thou and thou art I, even bereft of a woodsman we will go through the forest of fear with our righteous anger lighting the way!"
"RED RIDING HOOD!" Screamed Ruby as blue flames burned away the blood from her face and exploded around her.
"Ruby?" whispered Zwei as he watched the flames rage on and saw the monsters back off.
As the flames died down Ruby was no longer wearing her gym uniform and was now sporting a gothic Lolita outfit with a large red cloak, in her hands was a scythe that was a bit large for her. But that was not the most surprising thing about her.
Floating behind her was a tall woman in old 18th-century travel gear. She also sported a red cloak and hood combo like Ruby. She had dirty blond hair and a shapely figure… that was ruined by half her face being a wolf with a single red eye! The human half of her face was beautiful with a silver eye And her left arm was a large beast-like arm covered in fur and wielded a large silver axe in its clawed hands. In her human hand was a picnic basket. The final thing was the fact that both the human arm and the beast arm had broken chains wrapped around them and a collar was on the being's neck.
(song end)
"Wh… What in the world?" Zwei stammered out.
"Forgive me, Zwei. I know it's usually the brave knight's job to defend the damsel… but I hope you don't mind if this maiden fights as well!" A predatory smile spread across her face. "Now… Persona! LET'S TEAR THEM TO SHREDS!"
The creatures roared as five more wolves showed up.
(Persona (PSP) ost - A Lone Prayer)
The beast roars as one of the wolves rushes toward her and tries to lunge at her. Ruby hefted her scythe, swinging in a wide arc to slash at all of them, bellowing a fierce war cry as she did. Her persona copied her by swinging its axe.
"Spin Slash!" Ruby yelled as the words popped into her head. A wave shot from her scythe and her persona's axe, and not only did it hit the wolf beast in front of her but the other ones behind it sending them all flying.
"Woah!" cried out Zwei in awe, he then noticed that the creatures were distracted, giving him the chance to get away from the bear beast and run to Ruby. "RUBY!"
Ruby turned and saw Zwei running towards her, and also noticed the injuries on his body. In a move that felt like instinct, she focused on him. "Dia."
Her persona held out its human hand and gently shook its picnic basket and a soft green glow waved off it and covered him in the same glow, healing him.
"Woah! Did you just use magic?" Zwei asked. "Never mind that! Did you just use a persona!?"
She blinked. "… A… A what?" She asked, not comprehending his question at the moment. Just then the wolves rushed her again. She took a battle stance and once again her instincts took over.
As they got close her persona slashed one with its axe and she sliced one in half with her weapon. One managed to get through and claw her, making her stumble back as she shouted in pain. Anger shot through her as she planted her feet and gritted her teeth, facing the creatures as they attempted to follow up. "SWIFT STRIKE!" she shouted, her instincts taking over again.
Slashing energy struck them all, killing all but the mighty bear monster.
"All right you killed all the Beowolves!" Zwei cheered by jumping up and down. "Now you just have to take the Ursa Major!"
The now-named Ursa Major roared in anger as it slammed its paws into the ground before swiping the air and using its own Swift Strike at the two, knocking them back. It roared in triumph at the action as it got ready to charge.
"Ugh," Ruby grunted as she and Zwei got up. Her legs were shaky as she glared at the beast with anger.
"Let me help!" Zwei said as he casted Dia onto her. "Watch out using physical skills! They use up your vitality when you use them!"
"Thanks," Ruby said as she got ready. She tried to focus on this feeling in her mind. It felt like a small vibration like the hum of a PC tower. This feeling is where she was getting the idea to use those attacks as if they were second nature. She tried to feel out any other attacks that wouldn't weaken her, sadly the two attacks and Dia ability were all she had for now. Even if she could feel even more than she could feel. Letting out a frustrated sigh she settled with what she got.
"Can you shoot more fire while I get close?" Ruby asked as she got into a battle stance. Zwei nodded as he got his sword ready.
Taking a deep breath Ruby then shot forward, the Ursa Major tried to swipe at her but a few Agi blasts from Zwei stunned it, giving Ruby the chance to close the distance and swing upwards as her Persona swung downward with its axe.
"Swift Slash!" Ruby cried out as she and her persona's weapons found their mark on the Ursa Major's neck, the bladed weapons then removed the head from the monster. Its body then fell into a broken heap as it started to produce smoke and its body was breaking apart.
(song ends)
Ruby was left panting as her persona faded away. She used her new weapon to keep her balanced as she wiped away some sweat from her face.
"Ok," Ruby muttered as she looked at the equally tired Zwei. "I think you and I should have a long talk."
Zwei looked at her and was about to say something. But was interrupted when the two heard more rustling and roars from the jungle.
"Crap," Zwei said under his breath. "We need to get out of here because I don't think those guys will just settle with burying us neck-deep in the sand!"
Ruby gritted her teeth at the timing but Zwei was right so putting away her weapon she grabbed Zwei and began to run.
"Hey!" cried out the dog creature. Cheeks blushing in embarrassment at the action. "I am a knight! Not a princess!"
"No time!" Ruby said as she ran across the beach as she tried to find a place to run or hide.
"Put me down! I will not be carried like- look out!" Zwei shouted, breaking himself from his rant.
"What?" Ruby asked while looking at Zwei. This distracted her from stepping into a large black puddle. "What is a puddle doing on a beach?"
As soon as she expressed her wonder out loud, the large puddle began to bubble before exploding upward like a mighty geyser. Pulling both Ruby and Zwei into the air with its currents.
"Not again!" Ruby screamed as she forced herself to keep hold of her new friend. Her vision goes dark but in almost a second the feeling is gone and she feels… wet?
"What?" Ruby muttered as she opens her eyes and noticed she was not in the other world, but back in her world!... but instead of being inside but instead outside on the school grounds… as it was starting to rain, and she was in her gym clothes!?
"Oh crap!" she cried as she got up only to notice something in her arms. Looking down she sees a ball of fur. "Zwei?"
The ball shakes and unfurls to show a normal Irish Corgi with black fur and a white underbelly. The canine looked at her and tilted her head.
"Ruby? Are you… bigger?" Tries to stand up but then notices it's four paws. "What the? WHAT HAPPENED TO ME!? WHERE'S MY KNIGHTLY GARB AND SWORD!?"
Ruby was silent as she looked at the puppy in her arms. Memories of a similar dog playing in her head. A crack of thunder breaks her out of it as she runs towards the school. her mind was now focused on what she needed to do to get back into the school with Zwei and not get caught.
'Good thing I've got a doctor because I just really hope I'm not going crazy.'