"Yang? Why can't you just get a car like everyone else? This is the third time you made me walk or take the bus! Don't you care if something were to happen to me?"
Yang stopped midway locking the door and bolting it closed to throw Ruby a raised brow.
"You frequently go off to fight the creatures of Grimm. You once ran across the whole city to help outer wall farmers from a giant Nevermore. Plus you walk around with a sliver lined scythe sniper and usually enough ammo for a small militia."
"Well…" Ruby's voice from the living room went silent. "That's not the point!"
Yang rolled her eyes and finished locking the door. She then walked down the small hallway into the main room of the apartment. As soon as she opened the door, she tripped over one of Ruby's projects.
"Ow! Damn it Ruby! I thought you said you'd stop leaving things around."
Over on the couch, Ruby gave an embarrassed laugh and started quickly cleaning the place. Ruby was always working on something. Whether it be a new upgrade for Crescent Rose or just some new gadget.
So because of her dork of a sister: the living room, the kitchen, Ruby's room, or sometimes even the bathroom (They had to have a long talk after the incident with the toilet) were always a mess. Ruby's always been like that as long as Yang could remember.
After some spring cleaning, Yang could finally take a load off and relax. It had been a long day. Between doing paperwork and bills, trying to find a second job that wouldn't interfere too much with bounties, and looking for this Blake chick all evening, she was exhausted. So after a long day's work, what is there to do?
"Hey Ruby, why don't you get me something to drink."
Ruby groaned in protest, but was getting up anyway. "Why can't you get it yourself?"
"Why can't you get a real job?" Yang retorted crankily.
"Hmph. Someone's grouchy." Ruby stomped off to the kitchen.
Yang had to admit, that was a bit harsh. Ruby's only fourteen. She's been a local hero for the people of Vale and she's been trying to get into a fighting academy for years. If anything, Yang thought Ruby was much braver then her for going out there and fighting those monsters. She couldn't imagine fighting the creatures of Grimm. They scare the crap out of her. Ever since those terrible dreams she had as a kid and…
"No. Don't even go there Yang. Just don't even think about it." Yang mumbled to herself. She played with her hair for comfort and tried to focus on whatever was on TV.
"Back to you Jill."
"Thanks Jack. One of the Hill's top stories of the evening: A government cargo train carrying advanced Dust weaponry and new batch of combat droids was hijacked by terrorists of the White Fang. The train was on its way to the Schnee grounds for military evaluations when it was hijacked. Thankfully none of the train's crew was harmed during the incident. Just shocked to find half of the train missing."
Ruby came back from the kitchen, plopping onto the couch with both a beer and a juice box in tow. She handed the bottle to Yang. "Here Yang. Your usual." Yang flicked off the cap with only a single flick of her thumb and started to take sips.
"According to statements from the crew, the alarms went off in the rear cargo holds. So following standard procedure, the train reported mayday and crew members went into emergency stations. Even with the new military combat droids, it seems that the White Fang members were still able to take all the train's main cargo. This story is still developing, so stay tuned for more details."
Ruby stopped sucking away at her juice box and looked over at Yang. "I thought the White Fang hijacked trains and destroyed them? Could be for the cargo, but why not just take the whole train in case there was more?"
Yang shrugged. "Beats me. Guess they just thought the rest of the train wasn't worth it. Either way they got something they wanted."
"Did the news say what the cargo was?"
"They mentioned the train was holding new weapons that were, dusty? Something like that." Yang shrugged in indifference
Ruby let out a gasp and jumped off the couch. "You mean Dust? Dust!? Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!"
"Uh, what the heck is Dust?"
Again, Ruby let out a gasp. "Yang! How could you not know about Dust? I mean seriously!"
Yang shrugged again. She set her drink on the front table and took on a playful smile. "Well, you know. Job, boyfriends, and just having a social life in general just got in the way."
"Ha ha, very funny. Seriously though, Dust is a really powerful old energy source. For thousands of years mankind used it as our one defense against the creatures of Grimm. It's raw energy that has the wrath of nature in it."
"Whatever." Yang really didn't care about weapons that much. She just liked the fighting parts. She didn't even make Ember Celica, Ruby did. Before she'd just went around punching and using her Aura. Took months before Ruby helped Yang get the hang of her gauntlets.
"What are you, brain dead? Dust! Fire, water, lightning, energy! It's basically an Aura enhancer and the most important resource we have. We only stopped using it for fighting to save it as an energy source, since of course we've advanced enough to fight Grimm without always needing it. I mean, why waste Dust on something like a Beowolf when you can just shoot a silver bullet into him at the speed of sound."
"Wait! So is Dust the stuff I fill my bike with?"
Ruby shook her head. "No. Dust is used for big power plants, or for the emergency energy wall that protects the city. Stuff like that. Only I can't imagine why the military would need those kinds of weapons. Unless…"
Yang could see Ruby's eyes go wide. She began pacing back in forth in front of the TV. She then muted the TV and looked over at Yang again.
"Yang, you're free tomorrow right? I could use your help."
Yang raised a brow. "What would you need me for?"
"Well, you track down people and sometimes figuring things out for the police all the time right? Well I want to go over to Summer's peak and see-"
Summer's peak…
Why are you so worried? Ruby will be fine. You'll be back soon right?
Yes…Just, please promise me Solitaire. Roses stick together. Always.
No matter what?
No matter what. Even I have to keep that promise. So, I promise I'll be back.
Fine. I promise to watch that baby.
Thank you dear.
Guess I'll just sit around now and let my hair grow out in the meantime.
Heh, yeah. Just let your hair grow out till I get back. I'd love to see how you look with your hair long. Look I gotta go. I love you baby.
I love you too-
Yang smashed her fists into the front table, smashing the bottle she had into pieces and caused Ruby jump back some. The impact had even made a small spark, leaving a scorched spot.
"No! I've told you I don't ever want to go there! I don't leave the city. I don't fight monsters. And I will never go to that God damn cliff!"
Both siblings stared each other down for the longest time. Seconds past. Eventually Ruby straitened herself out, and then walked off to her room. Slamming the door.
Yang retracted her fists and leaned back into the couch. She closed her eyes, taking in deep breaths. She ran one hand through her hair, and the other to message her temple.
She knew what she had to do, she needed to apologize. She didn't even hear what Ruby had to say.
I just need to let it go for now. Let it rest till morning. I'll order breakfast for her, and then I'll apologize.
Yang was just so tired. Tired from the day, the fighting, her insomnia. So tired she could just…fall…asleep…right…
WWWWWWWW
Ruby would forever love her sister. But MAN did she get on her nerves sometimes. I mean, jeez! She understood Yang has some issues but that's still no way to act. For now through, best to just let her sleep it off till morning.
For now though, it's time for her to play detective!
Ruby started going through one of her bed dressers. No this was blueprint plans. No, another batch of Ember Celica's ammo (always a form of explosive, if only Ruby had some Dust!). No, a batch of live magnet grenades.
"Aha! Here we go." Ruby pulled out a tiny book. It was red, and it had her emblem on it. "There you are mister diary."
Ruby flipped through her Huntress diary. It accounted all of her battles with the Grimm. It also had everything from notes on weakness to just about anything about them Ruby had learn over the years.
The effective ways to kill:
-Beowolfs = silver, Aura, and Dust.
-Ursa = beheading, Aura, and Dust.
-Boarbatusks = impalement through heart, Aura, Dust…
"Come on. I know I wrote some of the weird stuff somewhere." Ruby flipped through page after page until she found what she was looking for. "Here we go!"
I was out getting some new parts for my top secret project when I heard some knights talking about how they thought they saw Ursa Majors tearing down trees in Forever Fall. What was even stranger is when they mentioned the Ursa's were also being followed by White Fang soldiers. I'm not big on politics, but I'm pretty sure the Grimm have never let anything resembling a human live. Let alone let it follow them. So I've decided to check it out myself.
Flip page.
Found a HUGE open path with a lot of fallen trees. Claw marks definitely seem like Ursa's. Didn't even have to go far to see it. It led up almost halfway up to the edge of the forest leading to Vale. There actually seems to be a lot of paths like this. Weird. No real signs of human tracks.
A few pages later.
HOLY COW, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! I FOUGHT A NEVERMORE! You could hear it screeching throughout the city! I ran across the whole city to see it. I even left my cookies and milk, it was THAT important.
When I made it to the wall I could see knights, Hunters and Huntress, and all kinds of cool droids running around. Cannons were firing at it, it was all so cool!
Some big jerky Hunters from Signal tried to tell me to leave, but I wasn't going to miss out on this! That Nevermore needed to be stopped before it hurt someone. We're all just lucky it decided to just scare the outer wall farmers back into the city.
I hear that they'll all have to stay in the city until it's deemed safe, and that could take weeks. I think they should be glad they're alive.
Hmm. I wonder who that cute blond boy running around with the knights was?
Ruby shut the book, laying it back on top of her bedside desk. She sat down on her bed, crossing her arms. This had all been in the last few weeks. The Grimm were getting brave and acting weird. Not to mention that huge pack of Beowolfs. What was that about?
"Maybe they weren't waiting for me…" Ruby mumbled. "Maybe I just happened to run into them. Maybe…" Ruby shook the thought from her head.
Nah. Couldn't be. No way. That would require alot of planning and inside work. There's just no way.
Ruby looked out her window into the city of Vale. It was a pretty night out. A good stroll wouldn't hurt. She wasn't tired anyway. And she really needed to clear her head.
WWWWWWWW
Yang awoke to the sound of "I Burn" ringing from her pocket. It was her scroll ringtone. She stretched and gave a yawn before answering it. It was probably the infamous once and awhile 3:30 in the morning call back to work.
But when she opened her scroll up, it was from someone anonymous.
Dear blonde and brainless,
It has come to my attention that you decided an associate of mine, Junior, needed to lose some teeth. That was a mistake I'm sure you'll come to regret in the next few hours of your life.
I heard you were looking for me. My name is Blake. Why don't we meet face to face so I can repay you for what you did to Junior? If you're not interested, then I just wanted you to know I have your sister as insurance.
Interested now slut? Good. You'll find me at the Wonderland Warehouses. Come alone. And I'd hurry. I don't want to get bored and have to 'pluck' this rose apart wondering if you love me or not. She's just so adorable, it'd be quite a shame to ruin that.
"What the hell?" Yang read through the message again, just to make sure she read it right. She then glanced over to Ruby's room. The door was still shut, and no sound came from it.
Yang slowly got up, and went to Ruby's room. She knocked on the door a couple of times.
"Ruby! Open this door! This is not funny ya'know." No sound came from the room. "Ruby? Ruby open up!"
Just then, Yang felt a breeze come from under the door. She also found the door wasn't locked. She opened Ruby's door to find her gone; Her window open wide, letting late winter air in. Her room looked ransacked and trashed (More then usual).
Yang's heart felt like a ball of ice in her chest. Putting her hands to her mouth, Yang stiffened a scream. She could feel tears begin to glide down her cheeks. She slumped to the ground.
"No…"
That conversation from an eternity ago buzzed through her head again.
I want you to promise me something dear.
Is something wrong?
Dear please, just listen to me. Promise me while I'm gone you'll take care of Ruby.
Nah. Ruby's annoying. Let her take care of herself.
Solitaire Rose, please. I'm serious.
Oh alright. But I thought you promised me and Ruby you wouldn't go?
I have to dear. My friends are going to go fight, and I can't abandon them.
…I understand.
Thank you baby. I'm sure Ruby will understand too. I just hope she's not too upset.
Why are you so worried? Ruby will be fine. You'll be back soon right?
Yes…Just please promise me Solitaire. Roses stick together. Always.
No matter what?
No matter what. Even I have to keep that promise. So, I promise I'll be back.
Fine. I promise to watch that baby.
Thank you dear.
Guess I'll just sit around now and let my hair grow out in the meantime.
Heh, yeah. Just let your hair grow out till I get back. I'd love to see how you look with your hair long. Look I gotta go. I love you baby.
I love you too Mommy.
Yang got up to her feet. Her tears evaporating into steam. Her heart no longer feeling frozen, but like a ball of fire. Her eyes like two burning suns. She could feel every hair on her head stand and glow. The sound and smell of a fire filled the room. Light snow that had trespassed through the open window melted on the other side of the room.
"Don't worry Ruby." Yang said aloud. "I'll save you. And when I find that bitch, I'm going to show her what hellfire really feels like!"