EYE FOR AN EYE

-Resentment-

…

They walked in silence from the hospital to the place where Neopolitan was being held.

The day was already here.

Her body felt good despite everything, she no longer needed to be in that place, in that hospital room. Weiss was right, staying there did no good to her health, because, in that place, her head was full of those thoughts, bad thoughts, if she hardly slept before, now it was even worst, her mind thinking about what could have happened to her mother, about the broken memories of her, about what Salem did to her.

But no more waiting.

The others were now looking for a way to make a deal with Vacuo, they were moving in that exactly moment, it was their job and they were willing to carry it out because they craved freedom, because they knew what Atlas had done to them in the past, and feared the story will repeat itself again.

At the slightest mistake they were going to be persecuted, once again.

What her friends didn't know is that the reason they would be persecuted would be because of her, just like the first time.

Their demise was always her fault.

But of course, she wouldn't tell them. She wasn't going to make a mistake like that. The only thing they know is that Neo would be useful in defeating Salem, having information about her whereabouts, and they understand it, they accept it.

They all need allies to save the world…

The chess pieces were already moving, and she herself had only one job to do.

And she was going to have fun doing it.

"Are you sure about this? Neopolitan is a difficult opponent."

Ruby looked at Weiss, both walking through the facility, and her partner was looking straight ahead, demoralized, worried, just like when she told her what she would do, the deal she made. Fighting to win an ally or die. Of course, it was incomprehensible for Weiss, after all, she couldn't trust Neopolitan, not after being at opposite poles of the same war for so long.

Even having that woman on her side meant danger.

She stopped walking, thinking about a proper excuse, her body unable to make something up and walk at the same time. Her body was Ruby's, a kid who never lied, that's why it takes her some time to made something up.

Weiss stopped as well, looking at her. Her light blue eyes seemed to be trying to read her mind, again, like always.

"I don't have much to lose."

She finally speaks and It wasn't what she wanted to say, but it was hard to pretend with her partner there, reading her. Against the odds, Weiss sighed, giving her a smile.

"I'm glad you're being honest with me."

Weiss knew that she wasn't being honest with the others, it was obvious to her. She couldn't be honest with them, or they will reject her. The plan needs to work, they need to leave, go to Vacuo, be allies, and in that place, she will be able to gather information without Atlas pestering her. Her friends, old friends, were useful, she needed them, so she must have two faces.

But she didn't need two faces with a person who could read her mind.

"I trust you, Weiss. When we reach the end of this tragedy, I'll need you by my side, that's why I haven't pretended with you again. But, with the others, it's better to continue pretending, they won't understand. I can't trust them yet, and they don't trust me either."

Weiss looked at her thoughtfully, and she knew immediately what her partner was thinking, and maybe she could read her mind a bit as well.

"I know they don't trust you, but maybe you need to help them understand you, tell them what's wrong, what are you thinking, the reasons behind your doings, don't you want me to talk to them? Maybe I can help them understand."

Oh.

Right.

Weiss doesn't want that long friendship to fall apart, her friendship with the others and with herself. But that friendship won't break apart if she plays her cards correctly.

"No, you shouldn't talk to them about me, they aren't supposed to know how involved you are in my affairs. That will redirect that distrust in you, and you don't want that. Besides, I need you to be mediating between me and them, it's the only way to be able to move forward without problems."

Weiss denied, but she expected a grimace on her face, like disgust or any other negative feeling, but again, she was surprised to see a smile instead. She was beginning to adore Weiss when she smiled despite everything, but she felt herself burn in sin for the same reason, because she was enjoying something she didn't deserve.

Like those beautiful smiles.

Little she cares anyway, she was selfish after all.

"Ruby, they already know that I am involved with you. I'm here instead of being there with them, in their mission. We are partners, they know it."

Ruby nodded, she understood, but it was different.

She moved a little closer to Weiss, her eye looking at her outfit, at the red on her attire. There was always red in Weiss, she was her partner, not like the others. Red was what she needed.

And she was going to get her dirtier.

Stain her with more red.

"You are my partner, and you will always be, however, the fact that we have this union doesn't mean that you approve of what I do, and even if you are on my side, it's better that they don't know it for sure. The least they know, the better."

Weiss nodded slowly, her face unsure, but catching up her point of view.

"Also, if they see me involved, they'll probably get involved too, and you don't want that."

Weiss, always reading her mind, how lovely.

"Exactly. I don't want them to get into my business, if they know too much, they'll end up against me or messing with my plans, and I need to find out the truth, I need to know about my mother, but if they get in my way, the results can be devastating."

If her rotten soul ends up hurting the heroes of the story, there will be no redemption for her.

The fires of hell will burn her whole.

"You're right."

Weiss spoke, her voice weak. They both knew that this fate, this situation, defeating Salem, finding allies to face her, would only end in death, in despair, in sorrow, and she was going to sacrifice herself, because she wanted to be the one who would take the gold medal at the end, who would manage to subdue that woman. She was going to make her pay for her sins, to give her punishment, and she wasn't going to let anyone else take her prey from her.

And she was capable of anything, she knew, even killing her friends in order to satisfy her thirst.

Ruby's friends.

They arrived at the designated place, a large area, where they used to have military training. There was an electromagnetic barrier that closed off much of the place in a perfect rectangle, preventing whoever was inside from getting out, just like the cells worked.

Her cage, her fighting dome, her tombstone.

Now they just had to wait for Neopolitan.

"Thank you for getting them to accept my request, Weiss."

The light blue eyes reached her silver eye, she could see how her expression softened, especially when she looked at the patch over her robotic eye, her punishment. When they met after her conversation with Neopolitan, she seemed overwhelmed and surprised to see her with the patch, and honestly, she was happy to wear it, she felt more normal, or at least she didn't feel so focused on her cross anymore, in what humanity gave her to pay for her sins. The love Weiss's put in making it and her mother's symbol kept the itch at bay, and it was a break she appreciated having.

"It wasn't that complicated, you gave me good ideas to convince them, anyway, they haven't been able to get anything from her, we offered a last resort to get some information."

At least she could still think of a plan, she was grateful for that.

Ruby was a leader after all, her mind was talented, the mind she corrupted.

She didn't think they would agree to release a prisoner to try to get information, nor let her do it, another big mistake for Atlas. Of course, she had to tolerate the rules of the place, that's why they were going to fight there, under that roof, under the protection of the authorities, although she didn't see anyone there.

Left or right, no one there.

They didn't seem to care much.

It was a fight between a mute delinquent who is involved into a greater evil, and a traitor that made a heroic act on pure revenge, they probably didn't care if either of them lived, or if both died.

Expendable criminals, that's what they were after all.

It was yet soon to their meeting, and the silence between both made her itchy. The last time she was there, she thought about something, and now, she couldn't keep her mouth shut. She looked around, looking for Weiss, and she noticed her immediately, pale blue connecting with her silver, questioning her gaze.

Synchronized, as partners should always be.

"I said that I would be honest with you, but there are things that I prefer not to say, because I don't want to lose you because of my recklessness, of my tainted thoughts, but I have already asked myself something a couple of times and I have answered myself too, even so, I want to know your real answer, the truth."

Weiss blinked, once, twice, and then looked ahead, towards one of the corridors that led to the cells. To the prisoners.

To Jacques.

Weiss read her again, without problem.

"About my father?"

Yes.

Ruby moved closer to Weiss, knowing her partner's body turned tense. She was going to tell her that it didn't matter, that it wasn't important, whatever came to her mind to avoid a confrontation, but Weiss gestured for her to ask. Was it necessary to ask?

Anyway, her partner must have known exactly what was going through her head by now.

"If you had the chance to get your father out of his cell, would you kill him? Would you bring him here to fight him? To finally get rid of him?"

Do you want to make him bleed?

She forced herself to stop talking, closing her mouth, biting her tongue, it wasn't necessary to say absolutely everything that was in her head. She might have become a bad person, but she didn't want Weiss to think she was crazy, even though she was.

She could make everyone uncomfortable, but not Weiss.

Weiss pulled Myrtenaster from her waist, and pointed the edge of her weapon at that direction, to the cells. She noticed how the metal shimmered thanks to the fluorescent lights, sparking, beautiful, graceful and lethal, just like the owner. The chamber began to rotate, the Dust bottles ready to be used, and there was something soothing about that sound, maybe it was the calm of knowing that she wasn't fighting alone, that she had Weiss there to help her, to be her support.

She wanted to keep listening to that sound on the battlefield.

Over and over and over again.

"I hate my father, I always hated him. I was just his puppet, his pawn, and what I hated most about him ended up being a part of me, and I hated myself for it. I guess I would get some satisfaction from fighting him, from finally showing him that he doesn't own me anymore. But I wouldn't do it."

Ruby tilted her head, confused, and noticed how Weiss laughed in response, her face calm, not cold like a few seconds ago, the memories of her past taking her back to the time where the pain was bigger than ever.

"I trained very hard since I was a child, since I decided to follow this path, and I turn out to be someone that he couldn't reach, ever. So, no, I wouldn't fight him, because he isn't worth of my efforts, my training, my strength, my ability. He would just waste my time, so it's not worth it."

Ruby nods in response. She had thought about that.

Jacques was just a little man hidden in a mask of superiority, but he was nothing more than a weak, cowardly and useless human, and his daughter was the complete opposite. It wasn't even worth wasting energy on a guy like that. Just a movement, just pulling the trigger, and he was dead.

An easy fight wasn't worth the effort.

"Did you think the same thing?"

Weiss's question caught her off guard, and it was indeed, so she nodded.

"He doesn't deserve you, he doesn't even deserve your hate, I get it, you are stronger than that. Besides, one thrust and you would finish him, what fun there is in that."

Weiss smiled at her, her face calm, soft, the face of a woman who defeated fear and pain. Weiss's father was no longer a problem, he no longer caused her any discomfort, now she was far better than him, superior.

"You know me well too, Ruby."

She laughs and nodded.

That felt so good.

She felt normal for a second.

"I'm your partner, of course I know you."

They both turned away from each other when they hear footsteps coming from the hallway. Three guards were walking towards them, one of the guards pointing his gun at the little woman who was walking at the front.

Neopolitan could take advantage of her agility to run away, but she wasn't going to do that, her two-colored eyes were fixed on her, determined. She was Neo's prey, her mind wanting just one thing, and was kill her once and for all.

Ruby found herself trembling in anticipation.

That was the thirst for revenge she wanted to see.

The thirst for blood.

The electromagnetic barrier opened for them, so that they could enter to their personal coliseum, to their deaths.

To win or lose.

To live or die.

She found herself face to face with the woman whose eyes were still unwavering, ready, waiting for the chains on her wrists to disappear for her to attack, and she accepted that. The more hate, the closer they would be to her target.

The determination.

The resentment.

She needs that.

Neo entered the hole that was created in the barrier, and found herself following her, however, she stopped. She looked back, noticing how Weiss had a hold on her wrist. There was concern in her expression, real concern, and she understood her fear.

She could die in there, her body still frail, her Aura weak.

"Ruby, be careful, don't do anything stupid."

She looked at Weiss's hand on her wrist and held it, taking her hand in hers, squeezing enough for her to feel it even under her gloves.

"You really are the only one keeping me from going crazy."

Weiss smiled at her, and she really couldn't get bored of those smiles, being honest wasn't that bad if the world would compensate her like this.

What a sinner she was for desiring so much when she deserve just death.

"I'm your partner, it's my job to keep you in line, to keep you safe."

Yes, she was indeed.

If she was there, trying to think, to create a plan and not traveling blindly through the world, running recklessly to get revenge, it was thanks to Weiss. She removed her eyepatch, glancing at the pattern she well recognized, feeling warmth coming from an object, and she didn't think she could go on without it anymore, she needed it to keep her humanity contained, to keep her sanity, just as she needed Weiss to do the same for her.

So, she had to take care of it, to not lose it.

She offered it to the woman in front of her, without hesitation.

"Take care of it for me."

To keep it clean.

To keep it far away from sin.

The light blue eyes seemed surprised, but she nodded, bringing the object to her chest, protecting it with all her might.

She didn't want to contaminate something so precious.

So precious to her.

And she probably won't be able to let Weiss get dirty either, as she said she would…

It felt wrong, scary even.

Weiss maintained her humanity at bay, corrupt her in return felt so wrong.

They finally let go of their hold, and she entered the barrier. On the other corner was a table with Neopolitan's parasol. A fair fight. The barrier closed again, keeping them cut off from the rest of the world. She noticed how the guards began to walk away, not caring about what would happen there.

Whether they died or lived, just as she imagined.

Or maybe they were afraid of getting hurt? Who knows. But if that was the reality, they were just a bunch of cowards.

But, that was for the better.

The plan would be carried out easier if no one was there. How careless they were, they hadn't learned anything, two big mistakes in a row. Poor Atlas, helping her to betray them. Now Weiss had control over the barrier, and she had control over Neo's handcuffs. Could that be easier?

Now she just had to win.

Neopolitan was fidgeting, her foot moving up and down impatiently, urging her to let her go, and she did exactly that, she let go of the handcuffs and they fell to the ground loudly.

Now Neo was free.

The woman didn't hesitate to run to her weapon, holding it, turning it around, getting used to Hush's weight, adapting after all that time she was separated from that object. It was important to her, as much as the hat on her head. It was something that reminded her of the one she loved the most.

And she understands that feeling.

The two-colored eyes glared at her, burning with anger, with rage.

Ruby held her weapon behind her back, and stopped, thinking about what Weiss had told her.

To not do something stupid.

But she couldn't.

She couldn't keep her own sanity at bay.

The woman's eyes burned, scorching, and she saw herself in that situation, just like with her sister, feeling the anticipation of redemption. It wasn't her time, not yet, but maybe it was, yes, maybe it was the sign of her end. That woman was going to make her burn, Neo was going to burn her, and that made her blood boil with desire.

Finally, someone would give her what she deserved.

Someone had the courage to stand against her. Not like her sister, who failed her, who failed to give her what she needed, who failed to finally give her the long-awaited release.

Neo would make her feel pain, real pain.

The resentment will give her punishment.

Neo was the first one to move, quickly, just like herself. Both were similar, both had an impressive agility, but on her part, she didn't move, not even a little.

Ruby could see the glint of the blade coming from the tip of Hush, the edge pointing at her.

That was the spear that would make her pay for her sins.

So, she stayed put.

Looking forward to it.

Waiting for it.

She noticed anger in Neo, but as she got closer, as she noticed that she didn't move from her place, her face changed to confusion. Neo didn't understand why she didn't move, why she didn't run, why she didn't attack, why she didn't raise her weapon, why she didn't defend herself. Neo's confusion grew even more when she managed to bury the blade in her body, without any problem, without anything preventing it, without Aura, without will.

She heard Weiss scream from the other side of the barrier, and she knew that if she survived, Weiss was going to scold her again, she had just told her not to do something stupid, and she had just stood still as a blade stab her abdomen.

But she only felt disappointment.

Nor pain, nor redemption.

She looked at Neo, feeling disappointed, yes, because there was no pain, there was no burning, nothing, there was nothing to make her squirm, to make her feel sore, to make her expiate her sins, nothing.

Any blood was coming out of the wound either.

Wasn't she ready to pay for her sins yet?

But Neo seemed to be the only one who could give her that joy.

She sighs.

"What a shame."

She saw the confusion in her attacker turn to anger, disgust even, as she walked away, pulling the blade out of her flesh, where it had just buried itself. She didn't get any more blood from her, she didn't feel it coming out of her, nor did she feel her wound burning, nothing. Her body seemed indolent.

But her scar itched.

The thirst making her burn, making her sin.

She saw herself bringing a hand to the area, her nails ready to scratch it, but she didn't, she managed to control herself. She'd already done one stupid thing, she didn't need two.

Neopolitan seemed to be trying to tell her something, she seemed enraged, her foot hitting the ground in a constant thud.

It wasn't a prey.

Too easy, no fun.

What satisfaction was there in killing someone if she was going to let herself be killed?

None.

"You can't win, so I'll have to win."

She held Crescent Rose, spinning her over her head, not even the movement causing pain on her new wound, her body didn't care, then neither did she. She hit the blade of her weapon into the ground, while the barrel of her rifle pointed right where Neo was, still stunned.

Ruby had realized that she wouldn't have any satisfaction yet. She wasn't the girl from before, the one who would suffer for a blow, for an act, no more. She was sorry that she wasn't, since perhaps the satisfaction of others would give her some kind of sensation, but it wasn't possible.

She didn't feel anything.

She just wanted to know the truth, to stain her hands with that woman's blood.

She was going to live for it, nothing would stop her, not even a blade to her abdomen.

She hadn't used her robotic eye, but she opened it, just to give it a use. Neo could easily kill her, but she wouldn't let her, moreover, such a death would only bring devastation, even Neo would be disappointed to kill her in that state.

The images became clearer, the colors more vivid, like the green of the barrier that contained them or the little blood on Hush's blade.

Her eye caught Neo as her target, and she found herself closing her silver eye just to see what that machine had to offer.

And she wasn't disappointed.

She will win.

She looked at her prey, and fired.