Third person
"You what!" Yang stopped her furious pacing and directed all her anger at Weiss.
"I yelled at her, called her a coward. It was a mistake. I regret it."
"You better!" Yang took a deep breath, "If we weren't on the same team, I'd pound you so hard, even Ruby would have a hard time patching you up."
Blake shuddered. After all, Yang is capable of doing so, and Ruby is one of the top best, if not the best, medicinal practicers Remnant has to offer.
"I know. I know… I just… I miss her, and I guess I'm angry she left us."
"I do too, but I can't blame her. If she weren't so strong, she'd have probably taken her life that day."
The room grew solemn. It was a tragedy that deserved reverence. The day that Beacon was attacked. And the day Ruby hung up her scythe and left the life of a huntress
.
/Uhhh Fo do do do doo story time/
"There's too many! We have. To fall. Back!"
"There are still civilians, good innocent people who haven't been evaluated yet!"
"You can't always play the hero! What good are we to them of we fall?!"
"... You're right. You three, fall back and take any people you find with you, I'll cover you."
"That's insane! You'll die, I'm staying here!"
"That is an order! It is not negotiable!" They looked at their leader. It was… unnerving. Her face was blank, void of any feeling. Very rarely did she use her authority as a leader to enforce and action.
Blake and Weiss nodded reluctantly, "Come on Yang." The two turned at ran in the direction of the evacu zone. Yang watched as her sister, her baby sister was swarmed by Grimm, expertly cutting them down with deadly precision and uncanny skill. She was untouchable. No matter how many beowulves leapt at her, or Ursa stood toe-to-toe with her. She would cut them all down. Yang couldn't peel her eyes away. For the first time, she was scared of her little sister. But she had to go and so she left that monster to fight the other ones.
"There's more than Grimm, the White Fang are here too. We can't let them get to the ships." The assembled huntsman nodded.
They stood at the ready. They waited for the doors to breach. And waited. And waited. No signs of any threat came. In fact, on the other side, all had grown quiet.
"No please! I'm begging you! Don-" whoever was pleading for his life was silenced by the sound of sniper fire.
The doors creaked open. "Hold your fire!" A girl stained in blood walked the floor. Scythe dripping the crimson liquid behind her.
"Ruby!" No response. She was too far away for her face to be seen. "Ruby?" Her unnerving aura caused everyone to shift uncomfortably.
Her face had blood stained against it. There was no sign of emotion.
She couldn't take it, Yang ran over to her. "Ruby! Come on!" She shook her baby sister violently. The rest stood in apprehension. Yang closed her eyes, "I'm sorry to do this, Rubes." She threw her fist at her leader.
Ruby skid to a halt. Pain and confusion on her features. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. She blinked, but the red wouldn't clear from her vision. She wiped it with her hand. Bile rose in her throat. Whirling around, she saw the dead White Fang member, a bullet through his head. "I did this?" Her voice was a whisper.
"Ruby. Ruby look at me. Don't. I know what you're thinking. Don't go out there. Ruby, Ru-" The younger girl ran at the doors. "No!" it was too late.
The girl stained red stood in complete shock. Bodies, hundreds of them, littered the courtyard, walls that once stood, everywhere. And it was her fault. She looked down at her trembling hands, crimson painted them so heinously. She fell to her knees, eyes wide at her own doing. She was a monster. "No, no, no no no no No!" She clutched her head, knuckles white.
"Ruby!" Yang ran to her sister.
"I'm a monster! A monster! I killed them! I killed all those people!" Tears did little to cleanse the red. "I-I I killed them!"
Yang wrapped Ruby tightly in her arms. "Ruby. Ruby. You're not a monster. You're a hero. You saved us. You saved the civilians. You saved Beacon. You're not a monster."
"I'm the one with the blood on my hands! Look at me! Look at me! I'm soaked in their blood! You can't tell me that I'm a hero! They had family. Friends! People that will miss them because of me!"
"Ruby i-"
"Don't you dare tell me it's ok. It's not ok! It is never going to be ok! For them, for their families and friends! They. Are. Gone! I took them away! It's me who has to wash of the blood! But no amount of scrubbing or rejoicing will ever cleanse the marks of murder on my soul. No amount of repenting can ever bring them back! Don't pretend like you understand! Don't pretend you don't think I'm a monster!" Yang's eyes flashed in fear. "Just… just don't pretend it's ok." Ruby hushed to herself.
/end flashback/
"You know… I really did think of her as a monster that day. For a moment I thought it was her we should be afraid of, not the Grimm." Yang looked down, her fists clenched tight.
"It could be worse. If Ozpin hadn't covered it up, everyone would think she's a monstrosity. Only a few of us know."
Weiss let out a humph of frustration. If only I had done more that day, she wouldn't have left.
Third person
She downed the drink in a single raise. The burn had long since numbed out. Just as she was trying to do tonight. Numb the pain. Numb the memories.
She signalled for another. "Listen girlie, that's your 3rd one tonight. I-"
Her hand slammed onto the table, eyes filled with anger and bloodlust. An imprint beneath her palm.
He gulped. "Alright." Another shot slid down the table. He walked over to the two twins, gesturing with his head to the with black hair and red tips. They stood up and leisurely walked over.
Melanie placed a rough hand on the girl's shoulder.
Ruby froze in the process of downing another solution. She turned her head and glared up at the taller girl.
Melanie retracted her hand and stumbled back. Fear pierced her. Those eyes are not human. Her sister looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Melanie shook her head. Miltiades scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Listen, Red, we don't want any trouble alright. But you've had enough, you're going to start some fight and my sister and I will have to come and kick your sorry self out. Ok?" Melanie held breath as Ruby stood from the stool. "Good girl, now why don-"
"I took an oath to do no harm, but I'm just drunk enough, and pissed off enough to break that oath."
Despite towering over the girl, Miltiades felt small. So small. There was a darkness suffocating her and it came from that girl. "Whatever." She tried to sound complacent, but her voice quivered as she walked away with her twin.
"I thought I told you to take care of her!" Junior hissed at the returning girls.
"I'm not going to mess with that. Just let her drink."
Junior scoffed and returned to serving patrons. He purposefully avoided the girl, walking by her, not sending drinks her way. Thinking, maybe she'll get bored and go away. That was until he was pulled abruptly and found his face next to the imprint left earlier. It might as well have been the cold whisper of Death in his ear. "I'll kill you and make it look like an accident."
Three shots were sent her way very quickly. The rest of the night was a blissful blur.
Third person
The hangover was a small price to pay to be happy. Even though she was pitifully leaning over the toilet like a thirsty dog, her head threatening to set the bomb with no regrets. But she was numb, and that's all that matters. Her mind so fogged up that she couldn't make any coherent thoughts, just the way she needed to be.
Despite knowing many, "hangover cures." Ruby sluggishly carried out her afternoon, having slept through the morning. Breakfast, or lunch rather, was a Bloody Mary and strawberry ice cream. With a blanket drawn up around her, she sat on the floor with ice cream and spoon, her alcoholic beverage within reach.
Despite not being able to think, and hardly able to feel, she leaned her head against the mahogany drawers and cried. Pitifully eating her ice cream and downing her drink.
She had just finished her drink when the tears stopped. Sighing heavily she leaned more into the drawers, her eyes wishing to close and never open.
Staring at nothing and thinking the same, she sat. Curled up with a killer hangover and ice cream. The silence was an old friend. They had grown to enjoy each other's company, especially on days like this. However, the quiet had left as someone else desired to meet with her.
The knocking was loud, painfully loud. With each percussion, her head would pulse in agony. She hoped that whoever it was would just leave. It wasn't the time to be alive. No, today was the time to be numb to the world and let it pass her by. But the knocking didn't stop. Angrily, she stumbled over to the door. Throwing open the door, she saw two vaguely familiar figures.
"You didn't pay for your drinks last night." Melanie said.
"And you drank quite a bit." Miltiades added.
Ruby growled in annoyance. Reaching into her back pocket, she opened her wallet and handed them a stack of bills. "Go away." She slammed the door in their faces. Something she regretted as the sound vibrated through her body like a determined steel bead. She was just about to walk away, when the knocking returned. "Ahhh!" her voice rebounded on her walls, piercing her ears. Harshly opening the door, she saw the same two people. "I paid you. Leave."
"Actually, you gave us too much, so -"
"I don't care. Just. Leave."
"What's your problem!"
Ruby took a deep breath. The twins eyed each other. "You honestly don't want to know. I'm sorry." Her tone was soft and sincere. "You should not have been treated such. But please, just leave" She was almost begging.
They stood in shock. The look on the girl's face, they nearly wanted to hold her and comfort her. Instead, they just nodded and left.
Ruby closed the door and slid down to floor against it. Resting her head against it, the tears returned. Not for the first time that day, did she wish she wouldn't feel.
Third person
"I'm sorry, Dr. Rose is not in today. Have you checked her other clinics?"
"Yes. Listen, just tell her Torchwick called." Torchwick kicked his feet up on the desk and took a puff from his cigar. "Neo!" The tri-colored girl entered the room. "Why do you want to meet this girl so bad?"
Seemingly out of nowhere, she pulled out two newspapers. One titled "Beacon's Savior." All it had was a blurred red figure on the cover. The other "Jack of Many Trades: Medical Miracle Maiden" with an image of a smiling Ruby Rose in a crimson lab coat.
Roman raised a brow, "You think she's the same person?"
Neo nodded. Roman remained skeptical. "Are you sure it's just not because she's your type?" Neo's eyes grew wide. She's been caught
"Thought so." He grinned, "But you're going to have to come up with something better than," He threw random signs with his hands.
Neo puffed out her cheek and stomped on the floor. "Hey, I'm just say-" His desk vibrated. Picking up his scroll, not bothering to check the caller I.D. "Hello?... yeah… yeah… uh one sec." He pulled the scroll away from his ear. "Neo, would you say you're cute?" A middle finger was her response. "Right, well. I mean, she's not ugly… ok… and that's where? Alright…. Thank you.. thanks you, too. Bye."
Neo looked with questioning eyes. "Well, seems it's your lucky day. We got her address, let's go."
"Wait. Now? Like. Right now?"
"Yes now, you wanted to see her, now let's go." He stood up from his chair and dramatically opened the door, motioning for Neo to go first with mock chivalry.
With leaded steps, she complied.
/Mild break/
Ruby stared at the dimming city. The sun peaking just over the mountaintops. Painted a calming, mellow lavender. For just a brief second, she felt at ease, for the first time that day. Soon her mood from that sour encounter with Weiss will ebb and she can get back to doing, but first. The door.
Turning away from the picturesque scenery, she took a long drought from her glass and set it on the counter top. Sighing, she opened the door.
"Ruby! It's so good to see you again, love." Roman leaned in and gave and air kiss over each shoulder, next to her cheek. "Can I come in? Oh, and I hope you don't mind, I brought a friend who'd much like to meet you. Neo."
"Of course, it's always nice to see an old friend." Stepping aside, Ruby invited the two in. "Can I get you anything?"
Once the door shut, Roman turned to Ruby with a serious expression. "What's eating you?"
"I ran into Weiss yesterday. She blew up on me. I went to a club and drank until I was numb for hours. It wasn't all bad though, three stunning ladies came to visit me." Ruby winked at the parasol girl.
"Ah, I'm sorry darling. It's not your fau-"
"I know. Doesn't stop the pain, though. Anyways, enough about me. How's your salon doing? Is business good?"
"Honey, you would not believe it! At this rate, I'll pay you back in no time. Don't you worry."
"Roman, we've been over this." Fixing her gaze on the mute, "Are you alright?"
Neo's eyes widened like the moon. If there was any doubt before about her crush on this infamous Dr. Rose, it was squelched out with those beautiful gestures of the silent language.
"Since when did you speak sign?" Roman looked between the two short girls with raised brows.
"Remember that patient I had a while ago who had his was deaf, it was all over the news for a bit? Well, there was a communication barrier and I removed it."
Roman scoffed, "Just like that then?"
"Yup."
"Wow…" Torchwick turned to look at his companion. Silently egging her on to speak up… somewhere Yang laughed.
"Umm. Dr. Rose-"
"Call me Ruby. And let's go out sometime. As you were saying?"
Neo blinked at what she just read. "Pretty straightforward…" She smiled, "If you don't mind me asking, are you the 'Hero of Beacon?'"
Truth be told, Neo came fully prepared to not get an answer. Which, much to her surprise, was not the case. "Yes, that was me. It truly was a tragedy. I lost who I was that day." Ruby's expression fell, only for a second or two. "But, now I'm the Dr. Rose. It has it perks. Money, fame, appreciation. But the benefit I like the most, is all the cute girls that talk to me. And I can take them out without worry."
"Open as always. What was that thing you said about your 'Radical Truth?'"
"It helps me sleep at night knowing that I cannot have done anybody any harm by deceiving them… y'know, some say that secrets are healthy and that everyone should have some. I don't think those people have ever- nevermind." Changing the subject, she directed her attention to Neo again. "Are you free tomorrow? Want to spend the day together?"
Roman scoffed, "Wow, you're quite the charmer. Really, must make all the ladies wet with your magical words."
"It's better than your stupid pick up lines. What was that one, 'Hey, I lost my number, can I have yours?' Had that actually worked on anyone yet?"
Roman opened and closed his mouth three times before he decided he should just keep his mouth shut.
Seeing how Neo had yet to respond to her request, Ruby thought she'd… spice it up. "I know we just met, but when one as beautiful as you graces me with your stunning presence. I feel I cannot help myself. Is it not only natural to desire the most valuable of gems? And you, are by far, the most precious treasure I've seen."
"That's better, but still corny. Has that actually worked on anyone?"
Ruby looked to Neo. A happy nod.
"Oh come on Neo, you can't really tell me that you found that charming."
"She called me a precious treasure. You should know all about riches and gems."
"Alright, alright. I guess. What's the score now? Ruby: 18, Roman: 5?"
"No, you're at 4, remember, that girl gave you the number the Vale Rejection Line?"
Neo broke into a fit of silent giggles. Roman rolled his eyes.
Their cheery time was interrupted by Ruby's scroll vibrating. She didn't so much as glance at it before she hucked it across the room. Feeling the concern and question in the air, she supplied them with an answer. "That club I went to last night, they keep trying to get a hold of me."
"So… you toss your scroll like a grenade?"
"A bit overkill, but I'm spending time with you guys. You, and Neo, are infinitely more important than that stupid call."
"Hear that Neo, you've very quickly been promoted from stranger, right up to 'Les be in touch' or 'Near and Dear to my heart.' Which is what I'm at. The, near and dear one. Not the crude lesbian pun."
Neo sat in shock. Her mind short circuiting at the idea that Dr. Rose likes her.
"Cute, pretty, hot, beautiful, kind, sexy, ladies are my weakness, ok?"
"I know, but still. I took me a long time to earn that title and Neo here got it in less than an hour. Whatever. Oh hey, Cinder seems to have this new fascination with cherry chapstick. Do you have any idea why?" His tone giving away that he already knew the answer.
"Yup."
"Do you wanna tell me?"
"Nope."
"We both know that I already know. I just want to hear you say it."
"Fine. I told her what her problem was with her arms hurting and she made a bet with me that I'd reimburse her three times the amount of money she spent to see if I was wrong. If I was right, she'd have to give me a kiss."
Neo felt shattered. She couldn't compete with Cinder! She's already kissed Ruby!
"Do you want a kiss? I'd be more than happy to oblige." Ruby winked.
"Again with being blunt. You have no class. There's no way she's going to say yes to that. I mean come o-" Roman turned to gesture at Neo to emphasize his point, buuuuut… well Neo was already leaning forward with her eyes closed. "Dang it Neo, you useless lesbian!" He chuckled to himself.
Breaking apart from their intimate moment, Ruby grinned, "First impressions are important right? I just want to make sure that I leave a good one."
The three laughed and joked for hours. Night had fallen when Roman and Neo stood to leave. "Ah well Ruby. It's always good to see you. Let's do it again soon, yeah?" He gave her a hug and a departing air kiss.
Ruby turned her gaze to Neo. "I'll uh… see you later?"
It was finally her turn to attack, "Shy all of a sudden? What happened? Get cold feet? I never would've imagined that the famous Dr. Rose would be so shy. Especially with you being so forward all night. What? Have you lost interest in me?" She feigned hurt.
"No that's not it. It's just. I talk a big game, and what not, but when it really comes down to someone I truly like. As in, not just some girl with a pretty face, but someone I want to see again and again and hope to grow close to… well, I just don't want to mess it up."
It had backfired. The tease had crumbled apart at the sincerity and meaning behind her words. Neo didn't know how to reply, so she just stood there.
Feeling like she had done something wrong, Ruby tried her best. She held out her hand, "Neo, it's been a pleasure meeting you." suddenly all formal and serious.
Steeling herself, Neo would not settle with a handshake. "I don't want to shake your hand! I want to shake your lips. With my lips. Softly. Because I like you."
Her grin returned, "That would make me very happy." She pulled the ice cream girl close. Their lips just centimeters apart.
Neo closed her eyes to fully relish in the sweet sensation… instead she just felt the girl's sweet-sour breath against her lips. Opening her eyes, she could see the smile in those silver eyes. She had been played! In mock anger, she half-heartedly tried to push the red girl away. Her efforts died like a flame without fuel. Her struggle had only lasted a few moments before Ruby went through for real. She placed her lips tenderly against the other's. Neo was too shocked to reciprocate and before she could fully enjoy the moment with her idol, it was over. Regaining focus, she saw that same accursed, charming smile in those stupid, alluring silver eyes!
"Now for real." Ruby's voice was a warm whisper against Neo's lips. This time, Neo had time to prepare. Time to fully get into the kiss.
Their mouths came together in a heated, tender dance. It was a gentle and careful waltz between lips, only broken apart when Ruby pulled away, much to Neo's disapproval. "You gotta get going." Her breath was intoxicating. "I'll see you." This warm, fuzzy, gooey feeling in her stomach and heart. Neo thought she could get addicted to it. All of it. And she wouldn't mind it in the slightest.
Yes… oh yes you'll be seeing me later. Neo left with a content, fulfilled smile. A skip in her step.