Weiss Schnee
Arguably, the two most powerful people in the world right now, are her father, and her little brother.
Not including the woman Ozpin had told her about of course... The last Dragon? The creator of Grimm?
Then again, the average Grimm wasn't strong enough to handle any of the Golems in the Schnee army, so perhaps she needed to rethink that.
Her father was the King. He held the power to command Atlas's army and military, and of course, her little brother, being the crown Prince of Atlas, was also able to issue them commands. So long as they didn't go against there fathers wishes.
The Atlas military was made up of hundreds of thousands of troops. At least half of which were Golems, and most of those would be as strong or stronger then her Arma Gigas.
In the face of that kind of power, not even Pyrrha or Qrow could do much, sure they would each take a decent chunk of the army with them, but it's not a fight they would win.
Weiss had to think about this hard. She had to consider her options...
Surely... if she thought about it for long enough... if she raked her brain staring at this newspaper for long enough...
"I can come up with something..."
"I expect you to be ready in less then two hours. Hurry up." She had nearly forgotten her father was still standing in front of her... the man that had just taken her dream away from her was still here.
And she couldnt do anything to him... he was practically untouchable. She just stood and watched as he walked back into his office.
"Two hours..."
She immedaitly dropped the newspaper and started running, an action that wasn't very easy in heels, but she managed down the hall.
She needed to see Ruby... she needed to make sure she was ok...
Because, even still...
"Nothing else matters... untill I know she's ok."
Why couldn't her carriage go faster?? It had used up a solid half an hour of her time just to get to the workshop!
She had bursted out of the carriage door before it had even stopped, and she was racing to the building as fast as she could. Someone recognised her and proper manners demanded that she stop and behave like a Princess...
"Fuck that."
The stairs up to the workshop had never been steeper, never felt longer. She had never gone out of her way to count them, but now she found herself doing it without meaning to... she swore there was less distance between her and Ruby normally!
But she had never been on a time limit like this before...
Her mind began to wander as she raced to the only person that mattered.
"Did Jaune know...? No... if he knew... surely Pyrrha would have known... and she would have told me..."
"Did Ozpin know? What benefit would he receive from me not knowing??"
No... She knew that none of them were aware... Her father was a secretive man, and he was capable of pulling all of this off without anyone else being aware...
If her mother and sister were here... she doubted they even knew until today.
Finally she reached the familiar hallway... Penny had said she had to go... so was Ruby alone? Maybe Yang or Blake was here...
"Oh god... what must Yang and Blake think of me...?"
She had promised... she had promised to protect Ruby...
What a great job she had done...
"I doubt Qrow supports me anymore either..."
Finally her hand touched the door.
She reached down to twist the knob, but it pushed open from just her weight leaning on it... it was open? Had Penny not closed it? Did someone break in??
She rushed through and for a moment she thought her worst suspicions had been confirmed.
Papers and parchments were scattered everywhere, ink and paints were spilled, tables flipped, a few chairs broken... the place had been ransacked... well, that was what it looked like.
But Ruby was still here... she was slouched against the wall opposite the door. Her hood was over her head and she was holding her knees, her head lowered to rest her forehead on them. She looked so... vulnerable. Like she was trying her best to keep the whole world out but failing miserably.
This had been Weiss's doing... without meaning to she had done this. She couldnt even stay for as long as she needed to fix it... she was on a time limit... and what would her father do if she wasn't back in time...?
Weiss didn't intend to find out... for both her own as well as Ruby's safety...
Ruby wasnt even trembling... she wasn't crying... Perhaps she had stopped a while ago...? Perhaps she had already run out of tears...
"R... Ruby...?" The girl jumped a little at Weiss's voice, but didn't move an inch to look up at her... instead she just kept staring at the ground.
"...Congratulations..." The word was spoken.. dryly... like her voice strained to say it without cracking.
"... I can't say there in order... I didn't want this..."
"...dosent change what's happened..." Weiss winced and took some steps closer, at this rate, she had to take maybe five more steps to reach her.
"I know... I'm sorry but... it's... it's not the end of the world... I... you still have two Phrases up on the competition right...? You can still make it there before anyone-"
"Is that what you think I'm upset about...??" The first emotion in Ruby's voice since Weiss had arrived... and it wasn't a good emotion.
"Ruby I... is... isn't it...?" Weiss took a slow step forward... maybe the hardest part was taking that first step...?
"...Just salt in the wound at this point..." Her voice had returned to emotionless.
"Ruby... i-"
"... did you know... because I'm officially a researcher working for you... that I get a special newsletter like all the other Schnee Wizards...?" Weiss... didn't know that... she certainly hadn't set that up...
"Did father do that...?"
"Is... is this newsletter important...?" Weiss took another slow step... it didn't feel any easier then the first.
"... I've gotten a couple... I never bothered reading them... but... this one... I had to... because I got it today..."
"...Today...?" Why would one be sent out today... unless.. "To do with the Phrase..?"
"...yeah... I'm sure all the other Wizards were real excited... they got the first Phrase of the Dragon Formula for free..." Ruby was trembling now... was she crying again...?
Weiss went to take another step forward.
"Ruby-"
"And you know the best part...?!" She was definitly crying... her voice was broken up by her tears. "While they all got a free ticket to finding the whole thing... All i got was a letter that told me I was wrong the whole time...!!"
"...What...?"
"...it's a different Phrase..." Her tears were definitly audible now. Weiss could hear every single one... "... the Phrase they found was the magic word for 'Titan'... my first Phrase was 'Power'..."
"What...? They... different Phrases...? But that's not possible... only one of them can be correct so...-"
"I was wrong from the start!!" Ruby's scream was somehow filled with more emotion then before, even though Weiss couldn't hear the crying anymore.
She took another step closer.
"I've wasted so much time!! I've wasted your money and resources...! I'm a failure and I'm a... I'm... I'm not special.." She shook her head in her knees, trying to rub her eyes without moving her body. "And to top it all off... I get that news at the same time as... as..." Ruby slowly looked up at Weiss. She looked a mess, her eyes and cheeks red, her expression so close to falling apart again... Weiss just wanted to run over and hug her... "... the same time i find out your getting married..."
"She's... really upset about that...? But why would she-"
Even Weiss wasnt that slow. She put it together fast enough.
And like that, the last two steps were taken one after another, in a stride that beat her earlier running in speed.
Finally, she had Ruby in her arms again.
"For maybe the last time..."
She squeezed the girl in a hug that was as fierce as she could make it. Weiss was going to hold on for dear life... because she knew the second she let go... her heart would break.
But for now... Weiss loved Ruby... and... Ruby loved Weiss...?
And that was all that mattered for now.
"Ruby..." Her voice was a whisper, she had rested her head on Ruby's shoulder, and was speaking as softly as she could nearly directly into her ear. "I promise you... you have nothing to worry about... in fact... things are going to be even easier for you from now on..."
"W...w-what...?" Ruby hadn't hugged her back yet... her body was still trembling and her voice matched.
"Think about it... every wizard in the world is going to be trying to complete an impossible Formula... they can't find the end if they have the wrong start."
"But... I... I'm the one whos-" Weiss pulled her closer, if that was even possible.
"You're not wrong Ruby. For as much as I distrust the competency of the White Fang, I trust in your ability even more. If you really need more convincing though... you have Silver eyes Ruby. You are special. You were meant to do this."
"But-"
"No buts. You. Ruby Rose. Will find the whole formula. I know you will." Weiss pulled her head back a bit, moving it to be in front of Rubys face... and allowed herself to be lost in those Silver pearls. Ruby must have thought that Weiss was going to pull away... because she finally wrapped her arms around the girl.
"...Weiss... that... I don't care... I don't care about that anymore...! I...-" Weiss slowly moved a hand up, and cupped Ruby's cheek. "I don't care about the Formula... I want to see it done... but... you're more important...!" The other hand joined, cupping Ruby's other cheek. "Weiss... I want...I... I want to be with you... I... Weiss I love-" Weiss cut her off in the way she could only describe in her dreams up until this point... finally, she didnt have to imagine it anymore... she didn't have to endlessly wonder and question the details of what it would be like... finally... she had kissed her.
Ruby Rose
Ruby couldn't enjoy it. She couldn't savour the feeling that she had been wanting for months on end now... because she was just smart enough to realise what this was for...
It was a distraction... a way to get Ruby to not say those words... a way for Ruby to be able to accept easier what came next...
The part that would break both of there hearts.
The kiss ended and Ruby watched as Weiss's eyes opened slowly... Weiss seemed to have savoured every second of it... something Ruby was endlessly jealous of in the moment... why couldn't she just accept what had to happen...
She knew why Weiss was talking in the way she was... She knew why Weiss had kept Ruby from saying those words...
They simply... couldn't be together.
"Weiss has a wedding to get to..."
"Ruby... I'm sorry..." She had turned her head... and it looked like she was fighting off tears. "Thats... the only kiss we'll be able to share..."
"I want more."
Ruby blinked. That had come from nowhere... a thought she hadnt controlled or tried to speak in her mind. It had been... just, her.
"Weiss... i-" Weiss shook her head.
"I'm sorry Ruby... we both know what has to happen next... but... you'll be ok. I'll make sure your ok. Your life won't change much... I just... can't be a part of it anymore."
"Don't say that."
"But...-"
"Ruby... I'm not strong enough to let go... can... can I be selfish for a moment...? Can you... can you let me go first...?" Ruby wanted to throw up at even the idea of it but... how much had Weiss done for her...? She... she could do this one thing for Weiss... right...?
"I can't let her go!"
She slowly loosened her grip... and pulled her arms away.
The princess... the girl of Ruby's dreams... Weiss...
She leaned back... and slowly stood.
"This isn't right... this isn't right!!"
"Ruby...?" Weiss's voice was still just as quiet as before... but now with the distance between them it was barely audible.
"Yes... Weiss...?"
"I love you too." Not another word... not another look between them. Weiss simply... left.
"And I let her..."
Weiss Schnee
A broken heart is such a strange saying...
When you experience that kind of pain... that kind of hurt... 'Broken' is much too small a word to describe the feeling.
Shattered heart?
Destroyed heart?
None of it worked. She couldn't find the words. Her brain worked in overdrive behind her glazed eyes as she tried to think up something to describe that feeling she had felt... when she had to ask Ruby to let her go.
Not only was it the moment she had to leave... but... she hadnt even been strong enough to let Ruby go. She had to make things worse for the girl.
It had been a few hours since she had gone to see Ruby for... what was most likely the last time. She was already at the end of the aisle, the priest was rattling off his speech... her very soul had practically disassociated from her body through it all.
This church... this cathedral... it was meant to be beautiful right...? It was meant to make you feel a sense of awe or joy. Perhaps pride from being near or inside of it.
Weiss didn't get any of that. She felt less then nothing. Today had already been enough for her... she couldn't handle anything more... but still... the world didn't care. She had to force herself to move. There was no chance or choice about it... it was move or... nothing. The only 'option' was to keep moving forward.
The light from the sun illuminated her face... her husband to be stood across from her... perhaps the only person who felt nearly as bad about any of this was standing behind him... well... out of the people here...
Pyrrha... words couldn't describe how sorry Weiss was for what she had done... for what she had put her through... she had given the Amazon hope... Hope that she wouldn't have to watch this happen... and yet...
Worst of all was the expression she was wearing... Pyrrha was looking at Weiss with... concern... with empathy... she felt bad for the girl and was clearly trying to support her...
"Why... why is everyone around me such a better person then me...? Why couldn't I have been a good person...? Or better yet... a bad enough person that I could have stopped this...?"
"-Should anyone present know of any reason that this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace." Weiss barely heard the words... the whole speech from the priest had been mostly in one ear and out the other... but this part...
She turned her head to look down the aisle... wasn't this when someone was supposed to show up...? Ruby...? Yang or Blake maybe...? Qrow could bust in to save her...
This was the one moment her soul had been hanging on to for hope... stupid... pointless hope...
"Hope is for people that deserve a happy ending..."
She turned back to her husband to be...
Jaunes face... he was staring at her. Like he was seeing her for the first time. His eyes were wide and unblinking, they darted all over her expression... what was he doing...?
"Has he just realised that there's no getting out of this...?"
Jaunes eyes darted to the Aisle... the priest took in a breath to continue speaking and Jaune let out a sigh as he slowly raised his hand while looking down awkwardly.
"I... I object..."
Weiss wished she had seen her farhers face but... well, her own was probably well enough suprised.
The priest didn't speak and the crowd murmered... or perhaps audience was a better word for them. It was clear they were just here to witness this show her father had put on.
"I... I'm sorry..?" The priest was staring straight at Jaune as he put his hand behind his head and scratched it awkwardly.
"S-sorry umm... its just... i dont wanna marry someone that's clearly waiting for someone else...?" He let out a bit of an awkward laugh and Weiss blinked again... a strange feeling coursed through her veins.
She wasn't strong enough to challenge her father but... Jaune may have just forced her into it. She wasnt sure if she was thankful or resentful towards him for it yet.
She slowly turned to where her father was seated... her father had a look of pure rage, and almost yelled at either her or Jaune... she wasn't sure... but-
"Weiss? What is he talking about?" Whitley beat there father to it... and offered her a chance.
His face... he was genuinely worried? Did he actually care about her feelings...? Weiss and Winter's combined disdain meant nothing to there father... but... Whitley...? His heir??
That was a different story.
"I believe Weiss was simply hoping her friend would be attending." Her father attempted to smoothly deflect.
"Oh... why arent they?" Weiss had never wanted to hug her brother more.
Jacques stammered for a moment.
"W-well.. she isn't off our class Whitley. It wouldn't be acceptable for-"
"Why not? We're the Royal family. We can invite whoever we want." She had never seen this side of her brother... when did he get so-
Her head snapped to Winter. Her maid of honor had a small smile on and gave Weiss a small wink... she had been in Atlas for months now... had she talked to Whitley...?
"Weiss. Is there someone you want here that isn't?" He had turned to her now and... it was strange. Whitley somehow commanded the room better then her father did. It was like the boy wielded more power then he did... or at least, more naturally. There father was a snake, but apparently his heir was something else entirely.
This was her chance... if she could get Ruby here... if she could bring the one she loved here... perhaps she could convince Whitley... perhaps all of them could!
"Yes, Whitley you're right. Weiss dear, tell me whoever you wish to invite. I'll send a carriage for them immediatly." Her fathers expression... it had all the happiness and pride of a caring parent... which meant it was a complete lie.
"He wouldn't... he... he wouldn't-!"
He would.
At what point would her father just cut his loses and have Ruby killed...? Was this it...? Is that what he was threatening...?
One look into his eyes... and she knew that for once she had seen through him perfectly...
"Though maybe only because he let me..."
She shook her head.
"No... I'm sorry Father, im sorry brother. The truth is, she didnt wish to attend. I simply wanted the day to be perfect... but..." She turned back to Jaune. "What more do I need to make it so?"
The audience let out an 'aww' that just confirmed Weiss's suspicions of them being mindless sheep...
She was sure Winter and Pyrrha were both extremely confused from what she had said... perhaps Pyrrha would be willing to kill her now...
The act had made her want to vomit... and she could still see Jaunes hesitancy... but... he wasn't smart enough to see through her when she was trying... and... she was now.
She'd have to see this wedding through...
Because...
"Nothing else matters... until I know she's ok."
Ruby Rose
Ruby screamed in a mixture of pain, rage, and despair as she punched the wall. The brick and wood not moving a single inch with her pathetic 'attack'.
This wasn't how her story was supposed to go!! This wasn't how her life was supposed to go!!
Maybe Weiss was right! Maybe she did have the correct four Phrases! But what did they matter anymore?? If she became a Dragon in a month it would be a month too late!!
And what then?? Spend an eternal life without Weiss?? Ruby had gone her whole life chasing the Dragon Formula... but what good was it now that she couldn't be happy if she got it??
She pulled her hand back. Her knuckles were bloody and in pain... but... not enough to make her react significantly. She had hurt more then this before... hell, she was hurting inside way more then this right now.
"I can't accept letting it end here."
The voice in her mind... her voice... the one that spoke how she honestly felt... it wouldn't stop speaking.
She turned away from the wall and looked out at the workshop. She had two options.
She turned to the door... if she ran... if she chased Weiss's carriage to the wedding... it hadn't started yet so she might make it... if she burst in and object!!
That wouldn't work... there was no way the guards would just let her walk in... and it wasn't like she could fight them...
But Yang could! And Blake! She could call Qrow too!! He could definitely get them into that place!!
"I have to be realistic..."
She didnt even know where Qrow was though... and... the King was at the wedding... the guards wouldn't exaclty be weak... did she want to endanger Yang and Blake for that...?
Did she want Celica and Sun to grow up without a mother...?
She rapidly shook her head.
"No... I have another option..."
She turned to the magic circle.
It was still fine, she hadn't damaged anything around it... and she still had plenty of dust stocked up. She could probably run through every single test Phrase she needed with how much she had here but...
"That takes time I don't have..."
This was so frustrating!! She didnt have any good options!! She put both of her hands on her head and let out a large groan that was practically a yell... then did let out a yell.
"I'm sure a Dragon could figure this out!!"
Blur the lines while you still can from this side.
She froze.
Dragons are symbols of Power and Pride.
Maria had told her a lot that day... she needed to remember all of it...
"A Dragon could do this... so I need to do this."
She stepped over to the circle and sat cross legged in front of it.
"I dont have much time... i have to make every try count." But where to begin?
Did she just start running through her list from the beginning? Maybe start somewhere in the middle??
She took a look at her list... it started with physical features of a Dragon... claw... scale... hide... wing...
Follow your instinct. Your soul knows what it's doing.
None of these felt right... would something so simple be the last Phrase of the Dragon Formula??
She flipped to the end of her list... It wasnt just the start... none of it felt right...!! She combed through the whole thing... back to front, at least five times... nothing.
"This is stupid..!"
Why did she think that she could just guess what the last Phrase was??
But still... she kept looking. Stopping on the start to the words that related to the elements after a few minutes.
"Fire..." She scoffed. "Why does everyone think of Fire when we think of Dragons? I mean really! They have more to do with Ice then anything! The first Dragons where Schnee's after all-!"
She froze.
You know what bugs me most about normal Wizards?? The way they name things! Seriously! Everyone leaves there names all over everything they make!!
But... no... that's stupid...
You can't alter a Formula... you can't leave your name on it...
"The first Schnees were the first Dragons though... it was the start of there family..."
The start of there name...
Maybe they didn't leave there name on it...
Ruby quickly began altering the magic circle, she hadn't practiced making this kind of check before but... she had to! And quickly!
This one had to be it... her soul was screaming it! She just had to listen!!
"They didn't leave there name on the Formula they discovered...-"
A floating word appeared above the magic circle and she slowly dripped some dust into the centre of it.
"They got there name from the Formula they discovered."
She felt a pulse of magic pass through her and the room. The papers scattered around were blown back as her hood was knocked from her head. She had a brilliant smile on as she felt the familiar burst of mana... one she had now felt for the fifth... and last time.
She wanted to throw up from the sudden mana pulse, but... she needed to stand.
She was on a time limit... and she had a ritual to cast!!
Ruby nodded as she looked around.
The one magic circle hadn't been complex enough to cast the ritual... but, her workshop had four! She had attached them using some pretty simple runes, the only ones she knew really... she didn't know the whole language so she had to make it way more complicated then necessary to make sure It would work.
"Ok... this should work... it's put together with the equivalent of sticking some glue on a broken table and calling it fixed but... it'll do." It only needed to last the one ritual anyway... and these were meant to be pretty fast rituals.
"It only has to work once."
She stepped over to the main circle she was using... Ruby couldn't waste time. She had to do this.
Now.
Ruby the Human and Ruby the Dragon will have differences.
She froze.
Was... was she ready for this?
Who would she be once it was done... would she even be the same person...?
It shouldn't be too bad... just... a feeling of power she had never felt before... there weren't any records of Humans having a different personality after becoming something else but...
This was a Dragon... if Maria said it... Ruby should believe her.
"What if im so different... that Weiss dosent love me anymore...?"
She took a step away... she had to do this but... she needed someone... anyone... anyone at all to tell her that this would be ok!!
The bed was so comfy... it was like she could sink into it forever... the only light in the room was the lamp next to the bed, though, the moonlight trickling in was doing a decent job supporting.
Currently, she was snuggled up to her favourite pillow in the world... one that had just finished reading her favourite story.
"Mummy? I'm gonna be the biggest and strongest Dragon of them all!" Ruby kicked her legs happily as her mother finished reading... and Summer smiled as she stared into her Silver eyes.
"Is that a promise Ruby?" She tilted her head.
"Yeah!"
"Then I know you'll be the best Dragon of them all one day."
Her mother... she had sent her down this path... even accidentally...
But... her mother had Silver eyes too... Maria had said that her mother was meant to have taught her about it...
Would Summer send Ruby down a path that would permanently change who she was...? Against her will...?
Ruby took a step closer.
"It doesn't matter."
No more hesitating... no more waiting. Even if Summer had been wrong... even if this would change her dramatically... it didn't matter.
Ruby the Human couldnt be with Weiss.
Ruby the Dragon could.
"That's all that matters."
Ruby took the step over the threshold of the circle and it immedaitly lit up. There were small amounts of dust in 7 receptacles on every circle, besides this one which only had six... the middle spot was for her.
She stood in the centre and took in a deep breath. If she was casting this ritual on someone else, the target would need to be standing where she was, and she could activate it from anywhere else near the circle by simply saying the Formula out loud.
By casting it on herself?
She simply had to stand in the centre... and say five words.
"Potentia." The circles light grew brighter.
"Elementum." It started letting out a low hum like noise.
"Spiritus." The circle grew both brighter and louder.
"Superbia..." The dust mounds had all started growing smaller, the crystallised mana burning away into energy for the ritual.
"And finally..."
"Schnee."