Ruby XVII
I finished drawing up schematics for a hybridized weapon, way into the early hours of the mourning. Although I got very little sleep that night, I managed to wake up early enough to bring my designs over to Pietro to see what he thought about them. He had a few issues with minor aspects of the design, but he liked it for the most part.
It was to be called The Crescent Rose. After my encounter with that deadly sniper woman in Beacon's library, I had become fascinated with long ranged weapons. So I decided that my next weapon would be a mix between a sniper rifle and a scythe. My biggest problem at the time was finding the materials to make it, particularly the blade. I wanted it to be forged like that magnificent sword Pietro made a while ago, but doing that would be expensive. At the time, I was broke and although I was a pretty decent smith, I didn't think there was any real possibility of me being able to make something on par with Pietro's work.
I spent a good deal of time thinking about ways to fund the construction of my new weapon. Then I remembered something that Tyrian said to me when we went to see him. He mentioned how he planned to spend the money he got from selling the bleeding star. Would people actually pay money for such a thing? And if so, why?
Perhaps a temple would be interested in it for its religious significance, but I doubt they would pay someone to hand it over. If his words were true then the star most likely had some kind of hidden purpose, and a very practical one at that. If I managed to get my hands on it then I could sell it and use the money for my own purposes. It was on that day that I decided to steal the bleeding, fallen star. Looking back on it now perhaps I was too hasty.
The next day I found myself in an unusual predicament. On some level I had already grown accustomed to unusual scenarios because of how odd my life had been up until that point. However, this one situation in particular really takes the cake. We had just finished the last exam of the semester and three people were walking together, three people whom one would seldom ever see together: Blake, Weiss, and Me.
I spent a decent amount of time with Blake and even considered her a good friend of mine. However, Weiss being present was a very rare sighting indeed. Normally Blake and I would be chatting about something, possibly making plans for what we might have for lunch, but while Weiss was there the three of us just walked in silence.
What did Weiss want? She already made it clear that she had no interest in anyone on the team besides me, so why was she bothering us?
"May I speak freely?" Weiss asked.
"I don't know, the last time you spoke freely you said things that were awfully prejudiced," said Blake, just as unsure as I of Weiss's purpose for being here.
"That's true and for that I apologize. At the time I was filled with pride and false vigor, I thought it alright to look down on other people because of the circumstances of their birth, but a lot of things have happened to me since then. I've faced my own struggles and things have gone poorly to say the least. No matter how hard I try I can never manage to get people to act the way I want them to. I'm beginning to think that perhaps I've been asking too much and not giving enough in return. So, it is for that reason that I'd like to say that I'm sorry, for everything," Weiss bowed.
"So what do you expect to gain from this?"
"Your forgiveness,"
"No, but seriously though," Blake laughed, "What are you playing at?"
"As a result of some of my extracurricular activities I've missed quite a bit of school. If I flunk this semester my father will send for me and force me to return to the land of ice and stone. My only chance of passing is to participate in the extra credit hunting expedition, and in order to do that I need three other people on my side with which to form a reliable hunting party. I was hoping that you two would help me by becoming the second and third members of my party, respectively," Weiss was in a desperate spot, you could tell because she didn't even bother lying. She was in need of our help, but at the end of the day it all depended on Blake and how she felt about her apology.
"So now that you need us to help you, you're feeling sorry?"
"My apology is sincere. However, I will not lie to you, I came to ask for your forgiveness because I need you two and I cannot afford to delay the matter any longer. You may not believe me, Blake, but I've wanted to apologize to you for months, ever since the day after the night of the bonfire I've wanted to tell you that I was sorry. It was my pride, my ego, and ideas that were not my own that prevented me from telling you what I needed to be said, those two simple words: I'm sorry,"
"Well, come on then, raise your head. That's a fine apology, so I guess I've got no choice but to accept it,"
"You mean it?" Weiss popped up with a wide grin on her face.
"I mean it, trust me. Next time though, don't bow so deeply. For how low your head was one would think you had killed someone. Among the Faunus of Mistal one typically only bows just enough so that their head hangs past their feet. Your torso was parallel to the horizon, much too deep of a bow for this occasion,"
"So you're not mad?"
"I wouldn't say that, but I do forgive you. The path to me not being mad at you can be paved later," Blake tried to shake Weiss's hand, but Weiss grabbed her and pulled her in for a hug. I don't think either of them were comfortable with the hug, but I guess that's what Weiss thought two people making up with each other were supposed to do.
"It's fine if you forgive her, Blake, but I don't. What about all of the problems she caused this semester? All she's done for the past few months is cause problems for other people. Even if we forgive her, that doesn't absolve her of the crimes she's committed against other people!" I wasn't impressed with Weiss's apology. Her apology would have been good three months ago, she was just a bit too late for my tastes.
"She can settle her affairs with other people at her own pace, can't she? Whoever said that the forgiveness of other people was contingent upon you and I? All that matters now is that she's taking the steps to make amends with people. Personally I think it's a bit cute how she chose to start her penal walk with us,"
"Well I don't. What about what she did to Yang? You remember that don't you? If it wasn't for Weiss The Brothers Grimm never would have been there that night and Yang never would have gotten hurt,"
"Of course I remember that, but didn't we all make it out safely? The clinic said that they would release Yang later today, thanks to her aura she made a speedy recovery. Once we see her again Weiss can say her piece and that can be that. If all goes well maybe we can start acting like a team again,"
"I would love that! Remember all the good times we had?" Weiss said.
"No, I don't. I remember all the times you tried to kill me though," I sighed.
"Oh don't be so dramatic," Weiss finally let go of Blake and we went back to our dorm.
It was the first time in months that most of the team was present and accounted for in the same place. Without giving it even a moment's thought I went to the kitchen and started cooking. I wasn't sure what else to do. Besides, people usually loved my cooking and were seldom ever angry to see me with a pot in my hand. We had lots of carrots and potatoes in the ice box, so much so that I began to wonder if Blake had been inviting that Rabbit girl from maths over for snacks. There was also a cut of beef in there. By their powers combined I would make a mighty stew!
Our dorm was fitted with a cookstove which was, admittedly, more of an oven than a stove. The top of it happened to get hot while the fire inside was burning. Because the thing was made of metal all the way through, one could cook things on top of it while the oven was burning, if they were bold enough. I happened to be one such person, so that was what I usually did. It was also a good way to conserve Flame Dust.
While I made stew I decided to ask Weiss a few questions.
"You never did tell me what all this craziness was in service of. Now that we're a team again I'm hoping you'll be a little more loose-lipped," I said, stirring away at the pot on the stovetop.
"Who, me?" Said Weiss.
"Of course you! You've been stalking me for months and just a few days ago you led thirty men to their deaths. Surely, you weren't doing all of that just for the fun of it. Surely, there must be some reason behind it, right?"
"Who's to say? Does anyone know the reasoning behind the things they do, especially in these depraved times of ours? I say, Dollie you really must stop with all this worrying, it's bad for your skin,"
"Is that so?" That bitch was a master at wearing down my patience, but if I yelled at her then I would have looked like the bad guy. So I just held my tongue and came up with a clever ruse.
"Indeed it is! And you humans have to be especially careful of that sort of thing, you people don't live long you know. I have a few herbalists I can recommend to you. They know all sorts of things when it comes to keeping one's skin looking young and vibrant,"
"Weiss, how old are you?"
"18, same as all the other first years,"
"Not all. I was only 16 when I enrolled here, Oz let me in early. Though I'll be turning 17 soon,"
"You're only 16?"
"Aye and you're only two years older than me, so pipe down!"
"Well that explains your rash temper. Oftentimes youth seems more a curse than a blessing. Woe unto young women and the fools who bed them," Weiss was grinning from ear to ear, but I didn't find her bizarre little joke to be funny. No, it wasn't funny in the slightest. Why was every Spriggan prone to dodging questions and lackluster jesting.
"Well, this conversation has been awfully enlightening, Weiss. I feel my brain throbbing with wisdom even as we speak. However, if you're hungry, you'll have to find your dinner somewhere else because this stew is for me and Blake,"
"What!? And why won't you let me have some?"
"Because you're acting like a crazy person and we don't feed crazy people in this house,"
"Blake! Tell her!" Weiss stomped her foot and it made an impudent tiny little sound.
"Tell her what?" Asked Blake.
"Tell her it's wrong to not let me eat as well,"
"Sorry, but when it comes to Ruby you're on your own. Besides, I was planning on swiping your portion this entire time so what does it matter?"
"You what? Even after I apologized and everything?"
"Welcome to equality, My Lady. You'll get used to it sooner or later," Blake was handling the Weiss situation with more grace than I could muster. Weiss walked over to me by the stovetop and, strange enough, she tugged on my sleeve.
Mind you, the two of us were about the same height, though I'd imagine she was somehow even shorter than me in actuality because she wore heeled boots. Anyways, the sight of another adult pulling on my sleeve like a baby was jarring to say the least.
"Ruby, be honest, why can't I have any?"
"Honestly? It's because you insist on keeping secrets even after your apology. If we're really going to get the team back together then there can be no lies between us. Understand?"
"Fine," She huffed, "But I promise you the story isn't as interesting as you thought. It's all rather mundane really. I did it to develop my aura,"
"You couldn't have done that in class?"
"Of course not! My people have a special technique for this sort of thing that makes the whole process go by much faster. My original plan was to force you into being our Captain again, but I soon learned that you weren't the kind of girl who would be scared by a show of force," once again I seem to be the only thing on her mind, that crazy woman.
"Can't say I've ever heard of a shortcut to developing one's aura. Are you sure they weren't just lying to you?" I asked. Weiss laughed at thought.
"Trust me, among the Spriggans I'm too important a woman to lie to,"
"Well what is it then?"
"Pardon?"
"The technique you've been talking about,"
"Well, I don't know if I can go telling people about it willy-nilly, especially not a human,"
"Fine, no food for you then,"
"Okay! Stop! I'll tell you. There's a song that my people sing after long battles which binds the souls of our fallen foes to our will,"
"Well that's awfully fucking gruesome, isn't it?"
"Just listen! After the souls have been bound most people will just absorb them, thereby strengthening their connection with the greater spirit, but with the help of someone here at Beacon I managed to find a way to expedite the process and make it more efficient. You remember that boy you had that falling out with? The one who yelled at me?"
"How could I ever forget about Cardin,"
"Right, well, after your duel he came to me to apologize. Though he was still as nasty as ever. However, once he learned who my father was he quickly changed his tone. After he recognized that I was from a higher rung of society than him, he was quick to help with whatever I needed,"
"So the two of you knife-eared bastards have been going on a killing spree just so you could become strong without having to work for it?"
"Trust me, bounty hunting is hard work. It's not like criminals just come quietly. And for your information I was the one doing the hunting, Cardin only helped me when it came to weaving the war song. Are you at all curious about the shortcut I discovered?" Against my better judgment, I decided to play along.
"Just a tad,"
"Well, listen to this, my family has a rare semblance that's passed down from generation to generation that lets us use magic without any songs or incantations. All we need to do is draw glyphs in the air and the spells perform themselves. There are even a few magical techniques that are unique to our bloodline, such as the white summoning circle which revives our slain foes as thralls. That's where the dragon and the Gygas you saw came from. As for the bounty hunting, after absorbing their souls with the help of Cardin, I used my white summoning circle to reanimate their bodies. Before now I had only used that technique to reanimate Grimm and Grimm don't have souls. However, I learned something really interesting when I first used it on a human. When the circle is used to bring back a human, a new soul is created!" Weiss only smiled as she explained it, as though it were a good thing. I struggled to absorb what she was saying and I prayed that she was lying.
"And what did you do, with those new souls spawned from the circle?"
"Isn't it obvious? I consumed them, just like the others. After a while the circle stops producing new souls, so fresh bandits must be slaughtered, but all in all I'd say it's a pretty efficient system,"
"I feel sick,"
"Can I get you some water?"
"Weiss! How are you so blase about this? You've been defiling men's graves on a metaphysical level for months and that doesn't bother? You don't see anything wrong with that?"
"You've killed people before too so I don't see why you're judging me,"
"I haven't taken nearly as many lives as you. And I only kill people once, I don't resurrect them dozens of times just to die again like you do!"
"It wasn't dozens of times! It only works once or twice!"
"As if that's any better,"
"Well what did you expect? I did it so that I could gain the strength necessary to hold us all together. It was either them or me, and when the going got tough I chose me, I chose us. If that makes me a villain to you then so be it, but I won't be apologizing,"
"Shut up,"
"Oh now what? What did I do this time?"
"Just shut up and eat," I served us all beef stew that night, it turned out great. However, I couldn't actually enjoy any of it because I was caught up in what Weiss said before dinner. She sounded just like me when I was talking to Cinder. Word for word, her justification for taking lives was the same as mine. It felt like there was some kind of transformation taking place within my heart. As the days rolled over each other, blurring in the fashion they were prone to do, I gradually became less like myself and more like them. Each day my heart beat with strange rhythms: those of Cardin, Tyrian, and Weiss.
I knew that I was becoming more like the people I hated, but figured the process would be more gradual. Oh, how wrong I was. It was beginning to feel like Weiss and I were doing the exact same things, but in different contexts.
While we ate, the door suddenly slammed open. Yang entered the room, sopping wet from what I could only assume was rain. She wasn't even going to acknowledge us, but I decided to say something. Afterall, what kind of sister would I be if I didn't? "Didn't expect to see you home so early. Are you hungry?" She looked at me with runny mascara around her eyes and said plainly:
"No, I'm alright,"
"You don't seem alright. Even if you're not hungry, perhaps you could sit and chat with us for a bit. We've finally got Weiss acting right again, so with any luck things should be back to normal soon," I pulled up a chair for her and Yang sat down without much resistance.
"Jaune said he doesn't want to see me again," Drops of rain fell from her hair and onto the table. Their gentle pitter-patter was the only sound that could be heard.
