A/N: WARNING! This chapter is raw.
Hope you're ready to feel some emotions~!
Alrighty, then! Here we go, another nice long chapter.
Hopefully this one gets some proper feedback~! Looking forward to chatting with you all!
Still writing these despite the pain. Meanwhile, "Breath of Fresh Air," "What Could Have Been," The Forgotten Son" "Lord of Frenzy," and "Whistle of Death" are nearly ready now. Slifer, meanwhile, is hard at work on "No Strings on Me"
Claws of a Lion and Demon of Ashford are FIGHTING ME. You have no idea. Its maddening.
Don't get me started on A Boy's Journey and Blood Upon the Snow.
Bloody difficult to write long chapters like those.
With my fifteen year anniversary on this site here, I find myself reflecting on the little things in life. What was once a lazy pastime meant for me and a few friends really grew and evolved over time. There are days when I look back on the last fifteen years here and I wonder if anyone will remember me; if I made an impact, despite never making a single cent on any of these stories. Some days were happier than others, and some stories I enjoyed writing WAY too much; to the point where I'd stay up all night working on them.
And of course, there are times when I look to the future and wonder what will become of things when I'm gone.
Of course, I try not to dwell on the latter overmuch; I'm still alive and still writing. In an ideal world, I'd like to keep doing so for as long as I can. But old age is catching up to me and these days, the world is filled with so much madness and death. The recent earthquake in Turkey/Syria serves as a terrible example. Even before that, so many friends and fellow writers I once knew are gone, now. Will I still be here in twenty years? Ten? Five? Its a chilling thought. But for now, I'm still here, still writing.
No Q&A this time, gotta keep everyone guessing.
As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes! They're tributes to legends far better than me.
Now, then. Are you ready? Yes? No? Maybe so? Because! Here. We. Go.
Stumbled upon a rather interesting AMV/Song for Ruby that showed RWBY's mental state rather well. I'll list it below:
RWBY [AMV] Happy face by Aphilayx. Hope they enjoy the free publicity~!
Minor verbatim for Volume 9.
"I grow weary of these games, children. You will find no victory in strength."
So be it. Prepare yourselves.
FOR MY ARRIVAL."
~Salem.
Put on a Happy Face
Time to face down Weiss.
Ruby knew she must even if she didn't want to.
Yang...Yang had been hard, but this would be easier. She hoped...
.
..
...well, not point stalling.
She took a deep breath to center herself, ran a hand through her hair for courage, slapped her cheeks, and reached for her scroll. Her trembling fingers curled around the casing. She stilled them with an effort, pressed her scroll to the lock to open it, and stepped inside the cell. Huh. The lights were off for some reason. Weird. Had Winter left them like this...? No, she'd never be so unprofessional.
Weiss must've done it, then.
"Weiss, c'mon." she sighed. "Did you seriously throw a tantrum...
Ruby waved her scroll and the wall pinged in response, flicking the lights back on with a flicker.
She immediately wished she hadn't done that.
Because you see, Weiss wasn't there.
Someone else was.
There was someone else sitting in her place. They pivoted to look her way...and Ruby froze.
"What...?"
It was her.
She was looking at herself.
Her as she'd been, before everything went wrong, in that ugly old Atlas outfit. She didn't particularly enjoy the reminder of what she'd once been, the hollow look in her face, the dark circles under her eyes, the lackluster clothes so lacking in color that they seemed almost drab. Even her cloak looked dull in the low light.
"Ruby" turned to face Ruby. Smiled, now...and spoke. "Are you a huntress?"
"Excuse me?" she blinked, utterly baffled by all this.
"I asked if you were a huntress, silly." The other girl clarified, speaking slowly as one might to a small child. "Like the ones we read about in books?"
Every fiber of Ruby's being tensed.
This was a trick. It had to be. An ugly prank on Neo's part-no, it couldn't be Neo; however flawless her disguises might be, she couldn't speak through them...could she? Of course not. Her semblance was simple. It hadn't evolved, Naruto had been quite clear on that, and the footage he'd shown her had backed him up. But what else could this be...? A dream? She pinched herself and didn't wake up. Had to be Neo, then.
"Neo, stop that! This isn't funny!"
"I'm not Neo." The other Ruby stood with a limpid smile, dusted off her skirt, and clasped both hands behind her back. "Won't you answer the question?"
Not a chance in cookie hell! "Where's Weiss?"
"Not here." came the immediate response.
"What did you do with her?!"
"Nothing at all." And then, just like that, she asked the question again. "Are you a huntress?"
Ruby swallowed and quailed a little inside. Whatever this was, whatever fever dream she'd fallen into, she wasn't going to be swayed. No. She refused. She was finally starting find her center again; she wouldn't go back. She couldn't go back. She refused to go back.
"Feeling brave, are we?" her counterpart tilted its head. "You always were brave."
"Ruby grit her teeth. Calm. Stay calm. Who are you?"
"I'm you." came the reply. Should've expected it.
She hissed. "No, you're not. I'm me."
"And yet I am also you."
Her temper began to fray. "YOU'RE NOT!"
For once, her counterpart didn't argue. "Are you a huntress, then?"
That did it! She wanted to play games, did she?! Fine! They'd play games!
...yes." she set her jaw. Whatever this was, she couldn't afford to back down. "I AM a huntress."
"Are you?" her other self tilted her head and laughed a little. "They always save the day, didn't they. Always knew what to do. Always won in the end. But life isn't like a fairy-tale."
"That's right." Ruby shot back at her...doppelganger? She didn't know what else to call her, but she knew enough. Life wasn't a book. She'd learned that, now. "Its up to me to make things better."
"Of course." her twin bobbed their head. "Everything all depends on us, doesn't it?" she held up one hand and began counting on her fingers. "Your sister needs you. Uncle Qrow needs you. Your friends need you. Atlas needs you. Naruto needs you." a bitter peal of laugh escaped her at the last word, tinny and hollow. "The whole world needs you to keep fighting for ever and ever, against an invincible monster that took your mother."
The words were a stab in the gut. "How do you-
"Its obvious, isn't it? Mom didn't come back from her last mission, and Salem's still here." But her other self wasn't finished yet; wasn't done twisting the knife. "Mom was the best, but even she failed. That doesn't seem fair." she looked about the empty cell, considering it as one might a charming glass cage. For a second she could've sworn she saw blood on the floor. She blinked and it was gone, leaving her to wonder if she'd imagined any of it in the first place. "None of this seems fair."
Ruby tore Crescent Rose free from its holster, eyes blazing.
"What do you want from me?!" Indignation bubbled up in her. "What am I supposed to do?! What do I have to say to make you go away?"
"I want you to wake up to reality." those hollow silver eyes narrowed upon her. "You're wasting your talents here, fighting a pointless fight. Why? You can do whatever you want. Be whoever you want. You don't even have to stay here. You could run away before Salem arrives, go anywhere you want-
The door swept open behind them with a rush of hot air, cutting her short.
Someone began to clap softly behind her, the sound muted by a peal of laughter.
"Oh, bravo!" She heard the crisp footsteps, the smile in the newcomers voice long before she saw them. "Well done." every word dripped with derision. "Masterfully played. Invading our dreams now, are we? That's a new low."
The words struck Ruby like a slap in the face. "Dreams?
Instinctively she rounded on the noise. Sure enough, Naruto stepped through the archway to join her.
He looked...different. His body seemed to shimmer beneath her gaze, a faint shade of greenish gold clinging around the edges of his shoulders and head, as though he couldn't quite decide what it wanted to be. Even his eyes kept changing the longer she looked at them; gentle blue one moment, then a terrible shade of rimmed, rippling violet the next.
"Naruto...?"
"In the flesh, more or less." he considered an ethereal arm. "Mostly less, it seems. Sorry I couldn't come sooner.
His words reactivated her. A dream...?
"Of course this is a dream." he granted her a wry grin. "Why else would there be two of you.
Her doppelganger blinked at him, balking, silver eyes wide. "How did you...?
"Chakra, missy." the bemused blond wriggled his hands, spraying blue sparks from his fingertips. "I'm everywhere." His smile soured a moment later. "You don't know what I want at all, do you? Really, trying to tempt me with what could've been? I gave up on that a long time ago. But not you. You're always clinging to the past." He thrust a finger forward. "Show yourself...Salem."
Ruby's blood ran colder than the Atlas tundra.
Slowly, painfully, she looked back to her so-called counterpart.
Her other half regarded them calmly for a long moment. As she looked on, those silver eyes bled back...and red.
...as you wish."
Before their very eyes "Ruby" twitched. Her neck cracked hideously
What followed nearly made Ruby gag. The doppelganger's body elongated, gaining shape and mass where there had been so very little before. Her skin turned pale, her hair long and grey, a series of wicked red veins throbbing across her scarred face.. In an instant she had shed her disguise like so much water off a duck's back, most of her body becoming a towering ethereal being of smoke.
But not her arms...and certainly not her face. She glowered down at them, disappointment made manifest.
"Foolish girl." her voice was surprisingly softly, like a mother speaking to her children. "I offered you an escape from the slaughter, and you spat in my face. Is this truly what you want?"
Those wicked eyes swiveled to Naruto, next.
"Naruto Uzumaki," her lips curled in a sardonic smile of sullen spite. "The brave, brash boy from the past, besting me once again. Congratulations.
"We've stopped Tyrian too." Ruby stepped up beside him, emboldened by his presence. "And Cinder. And we'll stop anyone else you try to send here."
"Dear girl." The Queen of the Grimm tutted, bemused by her "Their goal was never victory. It was merely to set the stage.
She frowned. "For what?"
"For me."
Slowly, languidly, Salem looked back to Naruto.
"Time isn't on your side, children." she held out a pale arm, exposing the ghastly scarlet veins pulsing within. "It has always been on mine. Have you not suffered enough? Simply accept the futility of your situation, surrender the Relics, and this can all be over.
Naruto clicked his tongue. "Not gonna happen."
Ruby felt herself preen a little beside him and stand just a touch taller.
It felt...good to have someone standing beside her, even in a dream; it gave her courage enough to lash out at this eldritch horror before them.
"We've seen what you're capable of." she lifted her chin a little, unable to hide her smile. "The lamp showed us. It showed us everything. We've seen that you can't be killed. But we've also seen you fail." Salem's face closed down at that and she took some small, petty pride in finally wiping the smile off her face. "We don't have to kill you to stop you. And we will stop you."
Salem regarded them for a long moment, saying nothing. She didn't even seem to breathe.
And then:
"Your mother said those words to me."
The words were a thunderbolt, shattering Ruby's very being. "My...mother?"
Salem's face conveyed neither joy nor hate, only the utter finality of death. "She was wrong, too."
"...!" Ruby made a strangled noise as her world warped in a maddening haze of static. Everything became a confused jumble of noise in her head. Naruto was shaking her, saying something, but she couldn't hear him; couldn't see through her blurry vision, couldn't think straight, couldn't even bring herself to breathe. Her eyes began to string and she scrubbed at them with both hands, not understanding why they were wet until she was crying, and by then she couldn't stop. She sank to her knees, clutching her head.
Naruto knelt with her, murmuring to her. She still couldn't hear a word of it. Her mind tunneled inward, eating itself alive.
She'd known.
She'd always known.
She'd not wanted to know, not wanted to believe.
But it was true. Hearing the words from Salem's own lips made it real and because it was real, all the more painful. Mom was gone. Really, truly gone. She was never coming back. Not now. Not ever. There would be no happy reunion for them, no miracle at the last moment, no tenderhearted words to mend the wound her passing had left behind. And it hurt. Knowing that door was closed hurt more than she ever thought it could; tore all her old wounds open in an instant and left her broken and barren all at once.
It was so much...too much...
Naruto looped an arm around her. "She's lying."
She curled into his side with a whimper. "No, she isn't...
"Enjoy your comfort while you can." Salem intoned over them."Your champion will die. And it will be all your fault. Just like everything else."
Salem's back struck the wall with a dull thud.
Ruby jolted and looked up with a start. So too, did Naruto. His right arm was thrust forward, fingers clenched into a claw. Belatedly she realized his eyes weren't flickering between blue and purple anymore. They'd settled somewhere between the moment she broke down and the second. Now they burned a vicious, violent violet, rimmed by countless circles leading toward his pupils. He lowered his arm, looking just as surprised as she felt, no, moreso...right up until the moment smiled.
"Who decided that?"
Salem righted herself with nary a sound. "Pardon?"
"Who decided I'm going to die?" he climbed to his feet, took a step, and planted himself between the two of them. "I decide such things. You're a rotten person, you know that?" he palmed his face and shook his head. "I hate to say it, but I'm really gonna have my work cut out for me, dealing with you...
"And what of you?" Salem, as it turned out, had cutting words for him as well. "I know why you cannot contact your dear "friend". Would you like to know why he's still silent, even after all this time...?"
"No." His mouth set in a firm line. "I don't trust a word you say."
"I have only ever spoken the truth.
Truth twisted for your own purposes." he looked back to Ruby, causing her to jolt again. "This is your dream. You have control here, not her."
Salem bridled. "I am immortal. You cannot slay me, even here-
"I KNOW!" Naruto flung up his arms with an aggravated shout. "You know. I know. We know." his hands flicked between them, making curt, rude gestures. "I got it, yeah? I get the concept. But there are worse things than death. You'll see soon enough. Ruby?"
He looked back to her and offered his hand. After a moment's hesitation, she took it.
Naruto hauled her to her feet and stepped aside.
Send her packing!
Happily. It wasn't hard to muster up her emotions; she was sorrowed, grief-stricken and full of fury. Her silver eyes didn't flash this time. They absolutely blazed. Salem opened her mouth for one last cutting retort. The words never came. A wall of light struck her specter and she smoldered away in silence. That same silence stretched on into eternity as she waited for the Grimm Queen to return.
A second passed.
Two, now.
Another.
Unable to bear the strain any longer, her legs folded beneath her and she crumpled down to her knees. With Salem gone -for the time being!- shock was swift to set in, leaving her reeling. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she felt her eyes flash again, almost involuntarily. She had to tell Yang about this...didn't see? She wasn't sure she wanted to. Mom was gone. Mom was never coming back. Mom was...
"Mom...
"Shhhh." Naruto drew her into a quick hug before she could start bawling. "You're alright. Salem's gone. She could've been lying."
Ruby didn't think she was, but she'd take what comfort she could, when she could. "Now what...?"
"Well, you're still dreaming." he hazarded.
"I want to stop."
"That's simple. All you have to do...
His forehead touched hers. "...Is wake up."
Their world shimmered away in a sea of silver light.
.0.0.0.
"You made contact with Ozpin?!"
"And Salem." Naruto scrubbed his eyes with one hand and stifled a yawn with another. "She tried to attack Ruby in her dreams."
Ironwood paused before his desk, pacing cut short. "Can she do that?"
It was just the two of them once more; no one to eavesdrop or otherwise listen in. Had anyone done so, they would've found themselves witness to a rather strange conversation. By all accounts, Salem had targeted the lot of them; half the barracks were complaining of wicked nightmares. Penny and Ciel seemed immune, as did Winter for reasons he didn't understand; did the magic of a Maiden offset a mental attack in one's dreams? Or were they simply stronger prey, so secure in themselves that Salem simply didn't wish to expend the energy.
Likewise, James had been spared. But not him. Why?
And really, Salem was pish when came to illusions. Tempting him with a dream was beginner level at best.
He'd already fought his darker half long ago -and won!- and he had no desire to do so again, thank-you-very-much!
"Magic's a dangerous thing, James." he gave up and settled for a shrug instead." Its not unlike chakra when you think of it. There's all sorts of applications."
"But you helped Rose fight her off...?"
"I did. And gained something for it." he touched a hand to his eyes, reveling in the slight throbbing sensation there. They were blue once more, but he'd confirmed Ciel's theory and clearly utilized some semblance of the Rinnegan in that dreamscape. Now if he could just learn to use it at will, things would be so much easier.
Then again, if he had Kurama...no, no, don't think of Salem's words.
He was still here. Had to be. Just a matter of waking him up...
Ah, but he could feel James staring at him. Best answer.
"In the end, my life doesn't matter. I won't be here forever. Atlas will. What's a city to a man?" when James quirked a brow, he tapped a finger against the man's desk. "I have an idea of how to deal with her now thanks to Ozpin. It'll draw her out if nothing else.
"Don't go throwing your life away." James shook his head and heaved a sigh. "That said, we need all the manpower we can get. I...may have to keep most of Team RWBY detained for some time.
Naruto winced despite himself. "Ruby might not like that.
"I know, but her team's little stunt has been making the rounds on the net. Robyn's asking questions, and Mantle's up in arms." he swiped a hand across the desk, conjuring a hologram of the city in question. There were more than a few red dots etched against the peaceful blue imagery. Focal points, he assumed. "If we release them now, we might have a riot on our hands.
He leaned forward, considering them. "Who do we have onsite?"
"Penny and Ciel are down there with the Ace Ops keeping order. Could you spare a few extra shadow clones...?"
"Sure. Lets send Oscar and Qrow with them." he suggested, then elaborated at length. "Branwen's been getting restless with Yang locked up. Jaune and his team are still occupied with Pyrrha, and Oscar needs something to do. Besides," the corner of his mouth quirked in a wry grin, "It'll keep Ozpin from hiding himself away again.
"Fair." James approved with a nod. "That's the last thing we need. What of Neo?"
A blond brow rose. "Do you really see her keeping order?"
"I suppose not. Where do you have her, then?"
...I really can't say."
"Naruto."
"No, I mean I really can't." a rare laugh slipped from him. "Last I saw her, she was cooing over Winter's stomach. Guess she's curious about the baby. She'll come when I call for her. Don't worry."
"That's everyone accounted for, then." James looked back to the map before them. Another red dot sprang up among the blue as they looked on. He growled at it, looking like he wanted to reach through the display and smash the one responsible. "What are they thinking?! We don't have time for this! Salem could be here any day now! Amity needs to be ready, it has to be-
Naruto nudged him with an elbow. "And it will be. Breathe."
James heaved a sigh and turned a weary look upon him. "Are you still with me? Even now?
Naruto thumped a fist against his chest in a lazy salute. "To the end. I'm not about to fold like a house of cards over a little pressure."
"Are you certain?" the good general scrutinized him anew. "Even you might not be able to reach her through the sheer amount Grimm she'll be fielding. You could die!"
For some reason, he found that funny oddly enough. Gallows humor perhaps. Pre-battle nerves, possibly. "...never tell me the odds. Like I said, I have a plan. A pretty good one, actually."
"And what, pray tell, is this plan?"
He told James his first plan. Then plan B. Followed by plan C.
It took the better part of an hour to explain them, full of gestures and exclamations. By the end of it all the blood had drained from Ironwood's face. Given he was quite haggard to begin with, this made him look downright pale. He almost pitied the man. He'd have even more gray hairs after this.
"That's going to require more than a little luck.
"Not luck. Skill. Strength. Simplicity." his scroll beeped and he checked it with a rueful smile. "Speaking of which...
A single, tentative message awaited him within.
"Can we talk?"
~Ruby.
...that's my cue.
He turned to leave.
"Where are you going?"
Should he tell him? Probably for the best.
"Ruby's the key to this, I'm going to sort her out before she talks with Weiss...
(.0.0.0.)
"YOU LET ME DIE!"
Weiss thrashed her way free from her nightmare with an exasperated snarl and tumbled out of bed.
The pain, she was grateful for, it centered her and banished the worst of her dreams.
It did not save her from seeing Father's bloody, brutalized body.
Oh no, that was carved into her thoughts.
Her head kissed the cold unfeeling floor.
"Stupid nightmare...leave me be."
(.0.0.0.)
Blake jolted awake with a yelp, eyes wide and rolling in her head.
Just a bad dream," she gasped out.
Sleep did not return easily.
(.0.0.0.)
Yang rolled over with a groan and punched her pillow.
Stupid nightmares. She'd thought herself done with all of them; if only because she hadn't suffered from them in awhile. This one had been downright vicious. A younger iteration of herself had railed at her for her failures, for Beacon, for Blake and Ruby both. Berated her for her every flop, her every flaw.
And not just her. Oh, no. That would've been a blessing.
Mom, Dad, Ruby, Raven, Mercury , even freaking Adam Taurus himself, all of them had appeared; each of them mocking her, forcing her to relive each mistake, powerless to do anything but watch. Hindsight was an awful thing. She hated it; almost as much as she hated this cell.
She glared at the ceiling, silently seething.
Why couldn't Ruby understand? Why couldn't she see?
"My, my." a soft voice echoed her from the loudspeakers." Seems you're in quite the predicament...
What, another guard checking in on her...?
She glared at the ceiling with red eyes. "Piss off. I'm not in the mood."
"I can see that. Such a shame."
Her temper sparked and she sat upright. "Hey!"
"Honesty is the best policy, my dear. You'll never get out of here without it."
A frown dimpled her face, confusion warring with anger. Eventually the former won out. "Who are you..?"
"Someone just as disgusted with Atlas and that irritating blond, just as you are." the smug voice replied. "Consider me...an interested party."
(.0.0.0.)
(EDIT: Soundtrack: Capabilities Unseen by Void Chords. You'll thank me later~!)
"How are we feeling?"
Ruby nearly tripped over her own two feet! "Don't do that!"
"Do what?" Naruto tilted his head; he'd simply appeared by her side in the corridor without warning. "Did I spook you?"
"N-No!"
He had a tendency to move soundlessly without realizing it; she tended to forget that. She'd been so lost in her thoughts-in what she'd learned-that she hadn't been paying attention. More fool she. But she couldn't help it! Salem's words were a shroud hanging over her every word, her every thought, an ocean pressing down on her shoulders.
Mom...
He gave her a concerned look. "Still a little rattled?"
Ruby wilted. "Yeah." She looked his way. "You're not...?
A shrug. "I've been hit with genjutsu more times than care to remember. Salem's magic was no different. C'mon, I know just the thing to sort you out."
Anything was better than dwelling on these thoughts. She followed him almost eagerly.
In short order he led her to a different room. But it wasn't a normal room at all. It was more of an enclosure than anything else, a wide open space that rather reminded her of...Amity, but smaller. She glimpsed a pedestal of some sort in the center, one that receded into the floor as Naruto keyed a quick command into it and walked past. He took nine steps away now, then, pivoted to face her with a merry grin. She heard the barrier shields snap into place around them -around the ring!- and knew what he intended. Sure enough, up came his fists.
"Put 'em up."
Ruby balked. "You wanna fight?!"
"Spar." He held up a finger. "There's a difference. You're wound tighter than a spring right now. Best way to get that out of your system is with a good old fashioned tussle."
She dithered. "I'm not sure-
"You're tense. C'mon, lets spar." Naruto began to bounce on his heels. "A good fight always works out stress for me."
Ruby drew Crescent Rose, still in its collapsed form, and eyed him warily, half expecting an attack outright. He still hadn't said a word about their kiss. Well, her kiss. She'd done the kissing. Her face still got all warm just thinking about it. Was he ignoring it? Pretending it hadn't happened?
Or maybe...?
"Ruby, you'll be fine." his voice was a balm on her ragged nerves. "You're stronger than you know. You just have to realize it. We can even make a game of this if you want."
Games were good. She liked games. "What do I get if I win?"
"Dunno. Whatcha want?"
Her eyes flitted down to his lips before she could stop herself. Another kiss sounded nice. Something to distract herself from that gods-awful nightmare-no! Focus! When she looked back his way she found His face oddly red. Was he just as embarrassed about the other day as she was. The thought brought her some meager measure of comfort. It made him seem more human, somehow.
...if," she swallowed, throat suddenly gone dry, "If I win, you have to do whatever I say for a day."
"Deal~!" he accepted handily, failing to see her mouth water a little. "And if I win...ah! I've got it" he snapped his fingers. "You have to wear orange for a day."
Ruby squeaked. "Why that color?!"
"Because its my favorite." he sing-songed back. "Now try to hit me. I won't use any fancy trick this time. Promise.
"You want me to attack you?!"
His lip curled in a smirk. "I want you to try."
She knew what he was doing; it was obvious, even to her. "You're trying to distract me."
"I am." He confessed readily. "Unless you're a chicken!"
"Hey! That's a Yang tactic! No fair!"
Naruto flapped his arms and made clucking noises. A giggle pushed past her lips and with it, she felt the last of her tension evaporate. She couldn't forget what Salem had said, but she could push it aside for now in the heat of the moment.
"Look," Naruto wasn't content to leave it at that, nor was he finished with her yet. "There ain't nothing wrong with feeling emotions, Ruby. We're only human. Its what you do with them that counts. If you wanna scream, scream. If you wanna cry, cry. But don't let them use you." he thrust a finger her way. "Use them. Channel them. Anger can give you strength, if you focus it. Joy gives you something to protect. And if you shed tears for someone, well, that just means you loved them. Think of the good times, not the bad."
Her throat closed. She didn't trust herself to speak in that moment, so she nodded instead.
"Thatta girl! Now lets do this."
He really was human, just like her. Why hadn't she realized that earlier?"
"Alright, you're on. Don't cry when I kick your butt."
He grinned. "Now there's the Ruby I know~!
She reached around and drew Crescent Rose from its holster. Her precious unfurled slowly, taking on its signature shape.
Naruto's grin grew at the sight of it. "You've made some improvements, I see."
"Yup." she cradled it lovingly. "Went back to bolt action for the rifle."
"I'm guessing that's not all."
"Nope~!"
She blitzed him.
Naruto didn't move.
No, wait, he actually did!
His head swayed left as Crescent Rose swept past, raking the air where he'd been a moment before. Ruby scowled and pivoted with the momentum of the swing, slashing right, left, right again now, all for naught. Naruto evaded each swing of her baby by the merest margin. He was actually whistling a little, egging her on. Exasperated by his blase behavior she swung for the center of his body, only to have him to slap her scythe aside at the base with an open palm, whirl around with the other-
"RASENGAN!"
No, no, no! Not getting hit by one of those! She dissolved in a storm of petals, letting the jutsu pass her harmlessly by. Even then he nearly grazed her.
He grinned as she skittered backward. "I can move a little slower if you like."
"Not a chance!"
Ordinarily she let the weight of her weapon carry her and swung around on it to build up momentum. It allowed her to slice through just about everything, and when that wasn't enough she built up even more speed by racking the chamber and firing off a few rounds. For someone so small and slight, it was the perfect counterbalance.
Now, more than ever.
She gave the weapon a quick twirl over her head, planted the blade in the ground to say in place and swung rightside round. One hand racked the chamber, now inches from Naruto's head. The other found the trigger in an instant. An impish grin touched her lips. "Gotcha!"
His eyes widened. "Clever girl-
Ruby unloaded on him.
BANG!
The first round clipped his shoulder and dented his aura, sending him spinning with a laugh.
Rather than try to tank the rest of her high velocity rounds as she'd expected, he sped away, forcing her to turn and fire after him. Hitting him soon became impossible. He led her on a merry chase across the arena, never in one place for more than a moment, caroming off every solid surface he could possibly find. Abruptly, he raced up wall, shot to the ceiling and alighted there for a moment, hanging upside down. She saw his grin in her scope; saw the moment his legs tensed andcrapcrapcraaaaap!
Nope, nope! Not blacking that! He'd squash her!
He leaped at her struck the floor she'd occupied like a falling comet. The sheer force of his landing cratered the floor; the second he touched down. She swept for his chest. Naruto blocked her with a grin, and it was the grin that alerted her. She levered herself off the haft and drove her feet into his face. He ducked, only for her to flare her semblance and blitz through him. She swept in at his legs. No dice. He blocked her with a shin and another grin.
"There she is!" he laughed as sparks flew between them. "That's the Ruby I wanna see! Use very bit of your body to attack me!"
They went mad. It dissolved into a wild waltz of steel and roses. Crescent Rose became a storm of destruction, destroying anything it touched and yet he was always one step ahead of her, just out of reach.
Ruby loved it.
This was the person she wanted to fight. Not the aggressive jerk who'd given her such a hard time when she first came to Atlas; because she realized that wasn't who he was at all. He'd become slow to trust, wounded by something she couldn't understand but that was alright. Because this was the real him
...he will die." Salem's words reared their ugly head in her thoughts, a bitter memory she didn't want to dwell on. "And it will be all you fault."
Ruby hissed between clenched teeth, cut a semicircle around herself to drive Naruto back, and launched herself at him again.
Die? Phooey on that! Naruto wasn't allowed to die. She loved him.
Oh gods, she actually loved him.
"...!"
The realization caused her to mistime her next swing; Naruto took full advantage and grabbed Crescent Rose just below the blade, parried with the back of his wrist, and hauled her forward, weapon and all to drive a fist in at her face. She saw it coming and swayed under it in a cloud of petals.
Now that she knew who he was, what he was, now that she'd begun to spend time for him, she'd fallen for him. All of him.
Just thinking about it made her warm. What the heck was this?! Love at second sight?!
It certainly hadn't been the first!
But wasn't that what love was? Love took time. So did a friendship. They had a bit of both here. Now that they'd gotten past their hurdles she found she liked being with Naruto. She liked how he stood up for her, took all her cares and worries and blew them away like so much dust in the wind. He wasn't afraid to face impossible odds. She liked that. Liked him. Liked that he pushed her to limits, liked that he'd helped her remember how to fight without fear, liked...well...others things she didn't feel comfortable saying out loud.
She wanted to kiss him again.
Once, the realization might've shocked her.
Now, the only thing she could think dwell on was Penny would never let her live this down.
Her weapon met his fist. Both recoiled, the sheer shock of the blow blasting both steel and knuckles apart.
She saw an opening and pounced, firing right in Naruto's face. He caught the bullet between his teeth this time -how?!- and spat it back at her thrice as fast; but even as he did Crescent Rose swept up just under his neck to cut it in twine-
Naruto grunted in surprise.
-and then her baby found his neck.
The baffled blond froze. Looked down. Smiled. "Well done. You got me."
Her brain fizzled, not quite comprehending her victory. "I won?"
"You did. That would be a fatal blow on anyone else.
Her thoughts rebooted at that. "I won?!"
"Is that all you're going to say-
Ruby pounced!
"I WON~!"
She struck Naruto's chest at speed and bowled him over, head over heels. Her lips found his before his back met the floor. He made a noise of surprise, just as he had last time, but unlike last time he didn't let go of her so easily. His hands lingered on her hips, fingers trailing across the fabric there. Her face flamed a thousand shades of red as she realized the compromising position they'd fallen into.
"Since I won, you have to do what I say!" she babbled out, tripping over the words in her haste to speak them. "So there! And I d-demand another kiss!"
He fell silent for a long moment at that. Ruby despaired. Had she pushed too far, too hard, too fast? Would he say no...?
Finally, the rueful ghost of a smile plucked at whiskered cheeks. "Alright. You don't have to make excuses-
She silenced him as she dove down and kissed him again, lips lingering over his, tasting him. It felt...she didn't have words for how good this felt. It was only her third kiss, but soon her fourth and fifth. Followed by a sixth after she came up for air with red lips. A seventh now as her arms looped around Naruto's neck and he returned her affections. Eight and nine as she angled her head to the right, deepening the kiss. No interruptions, no Penny to spook her. Numbers...started to blur after that...
Ruby never wanted to let go of this feeling. Of him. So she didn't.
With him, she felt ready for anything.
Anything at all.
(.0.0.0.)
Hours later, she walked into another cell.
Weiss didn't move from her corner. Didn't budge.
Didn't even look at her now, not even as she sat down.
Ruby took a deep breath. "Weiss, please, I'm begging you, listen to me...
Her best friend took a long, deep breath, regarding her keenly. Intently. And then:
"Alright." Ice blue eyes met hers, wary perhaps, but definitely not angry. "Start talking."
A/N: Aaaaand scene~! We'll pick up here next chapter, if you like...or move on. Which would you prefer?
Ruby earned a chapter for herself, don't you think?
Weiss and Blake will be dealt with next chapter, and we'll see more of the girl who may-or-may-not be Pyrrha.
Salem's nearly here, we're in the endgame, baby! Its going to be glorious.
As ever, the Embers rule remains. If folks don't like this story, welll...it won't be continued! That's no joke, folks. I'm so busy these days with virtually no days off. That makes my free time terribly limited and as such, I can't afford to focus on something folks don't like.
Reviews are my fuel. I can't write without them~! Not a wit or a word!
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...Review, Would You Kindly?
And enjoy the previews! They're mostly the same.
Wouldn't do to spoil things, now!
And as ever:
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
SPOILERS AHEAD!
BEWARE~!
(Previews!)
"I am me."
Wasn't she?
Pyrrha gripped her skull and doubled over, pressing her head to the table. "Hurts...
Jaune stood up and circled the furniture quickly, reaching her in an instant.
Her nose was bleeding. So were her ears.
"Y'see, I find this business rather fun." Naruto gripped the brute by the shirt and hoisted them upright. "I don't want your assistance or your adulation...
A punch blasted his prey through the wall.
...what I want is your disintegration!"
Huh. That rhymed. Well go figure.
"Come on, then!" he spread his arms wide. "Call your friends! Two against one, or three, or four?! No! MORE!"
"Is one life not worth peace?"
"You'll never stop at one!" he crushed a Grimm's throat and flung it into a Berringel, bowling dozens down. "I'll take you all on!"
Are you ready, Emerald?"
"Y...e...s...
"Listen to yourselves! None of this matters right now!"
"LOYALTY ALWAYS MATTERS!"
Penny squeezed his hand. "I do not like this plan. Please be safe. I love you."
She rushed the last bit out, freckled face red.
Naruto laughed a little. "Love you too."
"Excellent! Can we have a child now?"
"Penny, why?!"
"We already have Tyrian in captivity, but not his accomplice.
"You believe it to be Arthur Watts?"
"I do. Who else could mess with the code in Mantle so easily? Then there's Hazel, and this girl...
Watts smiled. "Ready?"
"Always."
...go. Now!"
Neo smiled at Emerald.
Emerald scowled back. "Get out of my way!"
Neo shook her head slowly. And behind her, the world...shifted.
"Take...the...girls!"
"You won't take them." he stalked down the stairs to meet the abomination, nanites already swarming around him. "You won't hurt them. You won't touch a single hair on their heads."
The Hound snarled at him, baring its fangs. "TAKE!"
Naruto snarled back. "COME ON THEN!"
A massive paw swiped at his face. He caught it. Then the other. They grappled with one another, arms straining...
EDIT: Hey, you made it!
As ever the Embers rule persists, reviews are my fuel, my fire, my life. Without them, I lose all inspiration, all hope, all ability to write. That's no joke. I have so little time to write these days with two jobs, and silence hurts. So by all means, speak up! Make yourselves heard! Every bit of feedback, no matter how small or large, matters! Really, it helps a lot. Its a joy to talk with you all and bandy ideas back and forth; it really is. Sorry if this seems shorter than usual, working on a tight schedule here.
Looking forward to talking with you all after work!
R&R~!