*Legend 19*
Waltz for Venus
~Movement 1~
-Valse a Trois Temps-
...
Slip Space. Hyper Space. Shock Space. There were many words for the phenomenon, but they all meant the same thing; traveling faster than light through the universe. Ruby stared through the window of the large vessel she was in, accompanied only by her thoughts, and her Warlock partner, Weiss Schnee, as Yang had wandered off in search of the restroom. Though the other Guardians aboard the ship had many a question for Ruby, mostly regarding the authenticity of her outlawed pulse rifle, they were far too afraid to approach her. Crescent Rose's appearance seemed to have an effect similar to that of say, a poison dart frog; venomously alluring, and yet beautifully lethal.
"I think the others are afraid of you," Said Weiss with a chuckle.
"Not of me, of Crescent Rose," Ruby responded with a sardonic sneer. Ruby took this conversational opening as segue into her next thought. "I've never been to Venus before, have you?"
"Quite a few times, yes," Was Weiss's answer. "Father has two vacation homes there."
It was then that Ruby had another thought, not for the first time, but she hadn't known Weiss well enough before to ask this of her. "Weiss, you've got lots of, you know...money, right?" Weiss nodded somewhat offhandedly. "So, why the grind? Why start at the bottom with the rest of us? You could just buy all the level gold gear you want and be totally unstoppable. You'd shoot strait to the top."
Weiss stared out onto the streaming milky white and blue streaks of hyper space for just a moment before forming her answer. "Because I don't want my name and my money to be the things that define me," she said with a soft resolution. "Had I shown up at The Tower day-one loaded down with expensive equipment, everyone would just see me as the rich girl; a princess that makes play at being a Guardian. I want to be judged on the merits of my ability, not the size of my wallet."
Ruby was stunned, in a good way. She did not expect so earnest of an answer. "You're so virtual..." she breathed.
"Virtuous. That's the word you're looking for," Said Weiss's Ghost.
Weiss then asked a question, in a very small voice, her eyes not quite on Ruby. "How do you see me...?"
Ruby blinked. It was a very heart-felt question Weiss had just asked her. How did she see Weiss? Was she even capable of answering that question? She was and she wasn't; she knew what she wanted to say, but didn't know how to put it into words. How could she? After all, what she felt for Weiss was...it was...
"And...I'm back!" Yang had just announced her return.
"Impeccable timing as always, Yang..." Weiss said through clenched teeth.
"I interrupt somethin'?" Yang asked, grinning away.
"Nein...nein..." Weiss sighed.
Just then, did the ship's PA system come to life. 'Attention passengers. We will be arriving at Ishtar region's OWT station in five minutes time. Please prepare to disembark.'
"Aw yea! Venus here we come!" Cried Yang.
Ruby flipped her cloak's hood over her head as she lead the way to the hull's door.
In in the promised five minute span, did the ship enter Venus's atmosphere and swoop into the OWT station. Rosenkreuz and the rest of the rookie Guardian contingent took what was for many of them, their first steps out onto Venus. Ruby pulled her hood down as the first thing that met her was the planets' elevated humidity. While not overpowering, and indeed lacking the normal presence of elevated heat said condition would bring, there was no denying how...thick the air felt here. "It's so humid..." Ruby said. She could literally taste the water in the air.
"Look at the sky," Yang said in wonder, her face pointed up towards the green and white dome of Venus's atmosphere.
"Venus's whole stratosphere is full of water that simply refuses to fall; that is what causes the humidity," Weiss explained.
"Thanks for that tidbit, Schnee," Yang said. She looked about the place, her hands set on her hips. "We gotta find the tram stop; it's supposed to take us to the tournament grounds."
And so, with the guidance of many a billboard and sign post, did the Guardian troop find the tram station in question. As they walked through the terminal, Ruby noticed the atmosphere around them started to come alive. The Guardians were not the only people making this trip. Large flocks of pedestrians were flooding towards the same terminal, abuzz with excited chatter and conversation. Ruby figured these were spectators on their way to watch the tournament. Amid all of this was a quiet observer, with a rather particular interest in Ruby, unbeknownst to the girl herself. And when she did cross her path, did she say, "So it's true."
Ruby and many of the rookie Guardians turned at the sound of the voice. The speaker turned out to be a Guardian, the Ghost hovering about her being confirming that fact. Ruby found herself locking eyes with the girl as she approached, slowly, almost cautiously. "There is a Guardian from Earth with a copy of The Red Death." At this point, the girl's eyes were more interested in grazing the weapon in question, rather that staring down it's owner. "That's no Red Spectre either...that's the real deal..." The entire group seemed rather fascinated by her open curiosity now as they watched the scene unfold.
Ruby whispered to her Ghost, "Zwei, who is she?"
"Her name is Yoko Littner; leader of Fireteam Lilysteel. A Gunslinger renowned for her sniping prowess," he responded. "I wouldn't challenge her Ruby, she's good."
"I just wanted to meet the 'Archon Slayer' face to face." Yoko said this with an obvious sarcasm that caused Ruby's eyes to narrow. "Tell me, is the hype about you real, or is all just the gun?"
Yang had taken an angry step forward at that point, her fist clenched, but Weiss stayed her by holding her arm in front of Yang's chest.
Zwei may have told Ruby not to challenge this girl, but it was clear that Ruby was the one being challenged here.
Ruby and Yoko were locked in a stare down, the very air around them seeming to become still. And then, very slowly, did Ruby's hand drift down to her left thigh, where she kept her throwing knives. Yoko's own hand slowly reached behind her right shoulder, her fingers hovering just over the stock of her Longbow Synthesis. Given the speed at which Hunters could draw, one of them could down the other in less than an instant; the Blade Dancer by the knife, or the Gunslinger by the rifle.
And then, with a singular fluid motion did Ruby draw a knife, and loose it underhand at her target. Yoko didn't react at all, she didn't have to. Even before the knife was drawn, her Gunslinger eyes could calculate the trajectory of the incoming projectile.
It wasn't meant for her.
The knife found it's target somewhere off to Yoko's left. The blade apparently stopped in mid air; halted by some invisible force. Said force soon revealed itself. Right there on the spot did another Blade Dancer drop her camo. The blade of the knife that was previously whizzing toward her face, was caught deftly between the middle and index fingers of her right hand, an impressive catch that drew 'ooohs' from the onlookers. Ruby, having made her statement, turned back to Yoko. "You tell me," she said. And with a swish of her cloak, did she walk off the scene, her peers slapping her on the back and cheering as she went.
Left somewhat alone in the terminal, did the Blade Dancer join her leader's side. "So, what do you think of this year's batch of rookies?" She asked her.
"You know what, Velvet," Yoko said. "This might turn out to be a really fun year..."
...
*End of Movement 1*
...
A.N./
Trying something a little different here. I thought I'd upload this chapter in fairly small pieces at a time; making it a little easier to update quicker, and simultaneously getting the story new exposure by floating it to the top of the list for a while. With that said, expect the next movement to be up in relatively short time (by my standards anyway, lol). Thanks for reading.
- B. D. Skunkworks