Chapter 4: A Simple Reincarnation

Issei Hyoudou didn't exactly get a restful night.

Despite how exhausted he felt when arriving home (and a little thankful his parents were busy being all lovey-dovey in their room), he ended up staring up at his ceiling for hours, marveling at just how wrong his first date ended up.

Issei didn't even feel like spanking the monkey despite the heroines of his favorite hentai being just as marvelous as ever.

And he knew why he barely had two hours of shut-eye: Ruby.

Every time he closed his eyes, he could see her face. Smiling, angry, struggling to breathe… he couldn't stand it. Even in his dreams, however short they were, he could only replay the events of yesterday. What could he have done differently? How could he stop Yuuma-chan from trying to kill him? What could he do to save Ruby from taking a spear through the chest for him?

It plagued his mind all the way to school. And it was there that things got worse.

All traces of Yuuma Amanohad been erased. Her contact details were missing, her pictures were deleted, even the memories of his week-long bragging was gone from everyone's minds, even from his best friends (who, admittingly, wanted to kill him/take advantage of his now-former relationship status to hook them up).

If he hadn't found his bloody clothes (which he should probably throw away) as soon as he woke up this morning, he would have assumed he was going crazy. Which didn't help when Kiba Yuuto, the number one enemy of all males (source: The Perverted Trio) came into the classroom looking for him.

The looks of jealousy and disbelief was… oddly satisfying.

He had been guided by Kuoh Academy's local pretty boy to the Occult Research Club, which so happened to be Rias' club. A front for their real activities.

From there, he got an actual explanation about what happened. About how Devils, Fallen, and Angels actually exist, about how all myths from Norse and Shinto were true, and about how everyone in the room but him were Devils hiding amongst humans. Rias arrived in the first place because his wish was answered by some flyer he barely remembered getting (he was too busy looking at the giver's sexy cosplay).

Most importantly, they were able to figure out what exactly happened yesterday, having spent their entire night investigating.

Yuuma‐ dammit, Raynare never existed. It was just some alias she came up with. Her crush wasn't real, her identity wasn't real, even her looks weren't real. The only thing real about her was that she wanted him dead… but she killed someone else in his place.

All because he had some sort of thing called a Sacred Gear in him.

Well, he had it now. Rias taught him to bring it out. It was on his left arm right now – a red armored gauntlet… thing. It was cool-looking, but couldn't it have come out earlier…?

Still, now he had something to even the playing field, even if a little. That was reinforced when he asked what happened to his savior.

And so, here he was, looking over Ruby's sleeping form with Rias beside him. She had been taken to an unused classroom and placed on a futon. She was wrapped in blankets and her dog was sleeping atop her stomach, probably waiting for her to awaken from her slumber.

"She's been like this since yesterday." Rias informed with a sigh. "We've done all we could for her, but whatever happened at the park must've taken quite the toll. All we can do now is just wait for her to wake up."

Issei swallowed. "...Will she?"

"..." Rias didn't respond, averting her gaze.

The boy clenched his armored hand. "Right…" He let out, trying not to sound… bitter. He didn't know what he was more angry at - God, himself, or his crappy luck - but it didn't matter. He was standing, and she wasn't, and that was something he couldn't stand.

He soon recalled what else he learned earlier: the ability to reincarnate ensouled beings into Devils, dying or not. He heard all about the pros and cons of becoming one from everyone else, but no matter what, he realized a rather harsh truth: Staying human… most likely wasn't an option for him.

Sure, he wasn't fat or unhealthy, he was even a little lean (because of all the running he did whenever he and his friends were caught peeping on the kendo club), but there was no way he could fight back against the supernatural in a worthwhile manner. He just couldn't imagine fighting Raynare and winning by himself, not now, not in a few months, not even in several years. Admittedly, he had a mean right hook, but that's only because of the frequency he joined his buddies to watch AVs.

Almost every hero in shounen anime taught him that hard work eventually pays off, and that he could overcome any challenge without resorting to underhanded methods like stealing a stronger body or taking super steroids.

But… that was fiction. In real life, the world wouldn't wait until you were strong enough before throwing danger at him. He learned that quite brutally yesterday. He wasn't lucky enough to be the last survivor of an alien civilization, the son of a shinigami, or the container for a demon. He was just an average human who happened to be born with a cool gauntlet he had no idea existed until a couple of minutes ago.

So, when he learned about how people are usually reincarnated as Devils, it had been swirling around his mind, wondering if it was worth trading his humanity for power. But seeing Ruby now, and knowing she sacrificed just for him, a complete stranger…

He decided.

"Senpai… I wanna become a Devil." Issei suddenly declared.

Rias turned to her kouhai, a little stunned. "Excuse me?"

"If I had been stronger, she wouldn't have ended like this." Issei said, turning away from the result of his lack of strength. "It's my fault she's like this. So let me make it up to her somehow."

Rias frowned. Well, she had been a little subtle in wanting to recruit him, but that's because she didn't want to rush him into it. She was planning to ask afterwards and give him some time to think about it, so this declaration made her a little… concerned.

"Issei-san, let me be clear here: What happened isn't your fault. It was Raynare's. You had no idea what was going to happen until it was too late. If anything, I should've been there to save you two." Rias stated.

"But still, she wouldn't be here like this if I hadn't made an ass of myself back there." Issei grumbled.

"Please calm down. As much as I'd like to have you join my peerage, you shouldn't dive into a life-changing decision on a whim." Rias soon warned. "I will do my best to protect you and ensure your happiness, but your life won't be your own. Not for a good while anyways."

"It isn't on a whim. I'm okay with that." Issei answered without hesitation before looking down once again. "I… I can't stand seeing girls like this. Hurt, scared… dead. I really love everything about girls, from the tops of their heads, to the tips of their toes, and the tips of their boobs, so seeing her like this… I… I won't let something like this happen again, but… I can't do it as I am right now."

Rias looked on with a sympathetic look. "Issei-san…"

"Senpai… no, buchou!" Issei suddenly said before bowing down. "I promise I'll be the best Devil in the whole world for your sake! I'll do anything you want me to, just help me get strong enough to stop this from happening again!"

Rias could clearly see his conviction, but she had to make sure that he wouldn't regret this later down the line. "Issei Hyoudou, do you want to be a Devil?"

"As sure as the sun rises and sets each and every day!" Issei declared passionately, clenching his armored fist.

Rias' eyes widened before letting out a smile. "...Okay, I shall reincarnate you." She declared, causing the boy to do a fist pump out of cheer. "I already see a lot of potential in you, Issei-san. I'm sure that with enough hard work, you'll achieve your dreams. You might even be able to get your own peerage soon enough."

SHATTER!

Inside Issei's mind, something broke, as if a barrier fell and a whole new way of thinking opened up to him. "...Huh?"

"Oh, I didn't mention that before? Devils of sufficient strength get to be Kings of their own peerage."

Issei's eyes widened, feeling his hands shake as it occurred to him this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. "Wait ...does that mean I can get my own harem?"

Rias blinked before letting out an amused smile. Of course that would pique his interest. "Well, some Kings do use the Evil Piece system that way. Polygamy is very much legal amongst Devils, seeing that we have extremely low birth rates after all…" She informed him.

"...You didn't have to sweeten the pot, buchou!" Issei let out, his eyes sparkling (and blood dripping from his nose).

In all honestly, before this entire mess happened, she probably would've hooked him on the whole harem thing but strength, superpowers, and getting the chance to hang out with the Two Great Ladies and Kuoh Academy's mascot was not something he was going to turn down.

Oh, Kiba was there too, but the pros outweigh the cons!

"Can we do it now!? Please, please, please, please…!" Issei begged.

Rias couldn't help but giggle. The energy he was bringing to the table was infectious. "Okay, okay, if you insist. Come with me, we need a bigger space to perform the ritual. Let's head back to the clubroom and do it there. The others would love to have a new member join our ranks, Issei-san."

"Yes, buchou!" Issei responded with a salute. "And uh… c-call me Isse! All my friends call me that, so I don't mind!"

"Hm, okay, Isse-kun." Rias laughed, striking the boy's heart with how she said his nickname. "Welcome to the Occult Research Club. I hope you enjoy our company."

"Thank you! Please take care of me!" Issei responded with yet another fist pump of his armored hand.

"Oh, and you can put away your Sacred Gear now."

"Ah, right." Issei nodded, blushing a little. "...How do I do that?"

Rias giggled. Looks like he still has a long way to go. "Come with me. I'm sure Kiba will be able to teach you."

"Alright!" Her next peerage member responded with a nod. He then took another look down at the sleeping girl. "I promise, I'm going to make it up to you, Ruby-san!" Issei promised before heading out.

His new life as Devil, and his first step to becoming the Harem King, was about to begin!

Ruby found herself in a grassy field, with endless hills and bright skies stretching from horizon to horizon. She felt… weightless, liberated… like she was free from her own body. Despite how lost she felt right now, she also never felt as serene as before. It was like… she was…

"It's not your time."

"WAH!" Ruby screamed, instinctively jumping back, only to realize it was a woman with a white cloak, one she knew, one she loved. "M-Mom…?"

She let out a melodious laugh. "No… just a memory of her…" The ghost giggled before looking out at the endless field. "Your new life is just beginning, don't waste it." She soon let out before walking away.

Ruby's eyes widened, reaching out to her mother, but somehow she was already out of reach. "H-Hold on!"

"Please, return to your friends."

Ruby ran, sprinting towards the memory of her mother. "What do you mean!?"

"Wake up."

"No, wait!"

"Wake arf."

"Huh?"

"Arf arf!"

"Eh? Why do you sound like–"

"Arf arf!"

Ruby opened her eyes, yawning as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Z-Zwei…?"

"Arf arf!" Zwei happily barked before jumping onto her face.

"H-Hey! Quit it!" Ruby giggled as her pet happily licked at her cheeks, before managing to pull him off. "Mmm… what a weird dream…" She then thought while stretching before looking around.

She didn't recognize this place. It was clearly a classroom, but looked like it hadn't hosted a class in years, yet she felt oddly… safe.

"How did I end up here…?" The huntress whispered with a frown before looking down at Zwei. "Zwei, do you know?"

"Arf!" Her dog nodded.

"You do!?" Ruby got out in surprise. "Maybe I should stay and wait for someone to come to me then." She decided as she laid back down on her temporary bed… was it a bed? It kind of looked like a sleeping bag-comfy bed's lovechild.

It was obvious she wasn't captured or trapped here. It was self-evident given the fact that Crescent Rose was in the room with her, leaning against a desk, but she didn't want to risk getting lost or angering/worrying whoever took her to this place.

After all, she did get–

Everything hurts.

Everything fucking hurts.

Her blood boiled, her bones melted, her skin burned, her lungs drowned, her heart stopped. The spear in her chest felt like a million bullets being shot into her body all at the same time.

Weiss would be mad. Blake would cry. Yang would just break.

Dad would…

She didn't want to die. She didn't wanna die. She didn't wanna die. SHEDIDN'TWANNADIE–

Ruby coughed harshly as she sat up, surprising her pet. Her lungs were working, her heart was beating, her eyes were burning…

She gagged. She nearly puked. But… that only proved that she was still alive.

She reached out, almost feeling the spear embedded in her chest before looking down at herself.

Nothing.

No spear through her chest, no hole where her heart should be, no searing pain or strange numbness, not even a scar to even indicate the entire thing had been nothing more than a dream. But she could still… feel it, somehow.

She was…

W-Why was she naked!?

Quickly covering herself with the blanket, she looked around for anything resembling decent dress, only to realize there was some neatly folded unfamiliar clothing and her cloak right next to her, along with a note placed on top of it.

"Please meet me once you are ready. R.G." Ruby read out loud before frowning. It was written in Remnant Basic, or English as its Earth equivalent. How did she know her language?

And now that she thought about it, where were the rest of the clothes she was wearing yesterday?

Well, beggars can't be choosers. Ruby threw the blanket off her body and quickly changed into the provided clothing.

It was a nice uniform, she guessed. Her Beacon uniform had a nice jacket and she was allowed to wear her cloak over it, while this one had a soft corset and a bolero-style cloak, which felt nice given that she favored them on her regular combat clothes.

She had ditched the bolero and went with her own cloak though. Nothing was replacing that.

"It's… a little roomy in the chest." Ruby noticed as she gently pulled on the soft cloth. The bra provided was way too big for her, so she'll have to go free-range for now, but this would do until she made it back to the motel.

The skirt, however, had no anti-upskirt tech. Combat clothes, these were not.

"Okay, meet R.G., figure out what's happened, then head back. Simple, right?" Ruby whispered to herself, grabbing Crescent Rose as she left the room, with Zwei following after her.

It didn't take long for Ruby to find signs of life in this seemingly empty-yet-well-kept and clean building, as she began to hear running water coming from somewhere. It almost sounded like… a shower?

"You'd think this place would have better soundproofing." Ruby thought as she made her way to the source of the noise.

Eventually, she found where she was hearing the showering, even after it stopped. But as she was heading up the stairs and down the hallway, she ran into someone.

It was a girl around the age of the rest of her teammates in the same uniform as hers, though she actually filled hers out quite well (was it possible she was wearing her clothes?). She looked freshly showered too, but the most distinct feature was her bright red hair, just as luscious and long as Yang's sun-colored mane, maybe even more so.

"Ah, you're awake, Miss Reaper." She got out with a pleasant smile.

"Um, it's, uh… I'm a huntress, not a …farmer?" Ruby mumbled her correction. Okay, seriously, how did she know what language she spoke? She didn't look like Englishese, right?

"My mistake, although given your weapon…" The crimson haired girl apologized before eyeing the folded-up scythe that was hooked onto an improvised holder on her hip.

"Y-Yeah…" Ruby coughed. "Um… am I…?"

"Yes. You are very much still on Earth." The crimson haired girl assured.

To anyone else, that might've provided some comfort, but to someone whose world was called Remnant, that only made her freak out even more. Still, she did her best to hide it.

"I can tell you're curious." The older girl soon stated as she crouched down and petted the puppy. "I'll explain everything now, please come with me."

"O-Okay." Ruby nodded. "I'm assuming you're R.G."

"Yes. I'm Rias Gremory. It is a pleasure to meet you." Rias replied as she politely bowed to the huntress.

"Y-You too." Ruby responded before biting back a wince. You'd think her social skills would improve after being team leader for almost an entire year, but here she was screwing up basic interaction. "I'm Ruby Rose."

"Hm, an alias. I don't mind, you have no reason to trust me, but I hope we do by the end of this." Rias remarked, shrugging as she continued walking down the hallway, but Ruby stopped.

"Huh? No, that's my real name." The red cloaked girl corrected with a frown.

"...Oh." Rias blushed. "E-Excuse me for my assumption."

"It's alright. I'm sure it's pretty strange in your country." Ruby guessed with a chuckle. "How long have I been out?"

"36 hours, on the dot." Rias answered.

"I missed out a day and a half!?" Ruby let out with widened eyes. "Wait… oh Brothers, Weiss is going to kill me!" She mentally exclaimed.

Actually, that was probably a bad thing to say considering she stumbled and clutched her chest.

"Are you okay?" Rias exclaimed, helping the younger girl to her feet.

"I-I'm fine." Ruby panted out. "Just… got a little light-headed for a sec there."

"It's fine. Take it slow." Rias advised as she guided Ruby into the clubroom. "Sit down over there. Akeno should come in with tea and snacks soon. You must be famished."

Growl…

Ruby had the decency to blush as her tummy rumbled in approval. It was only a few minutes and she managed to embarrass herself in front of a stranger. Only her first meeting with Weiss beat this terrible speedrun.

It took a while for her dizziness to die down, but now they were just sitting in silence. Eventually, she worked up the nerve to ask what had been on her mind since she woke up.

"So… um… how did I end up here?" Ruby asked, rubbing her hand across Zwei's fur anxiously.

Rias let out a breath. "Well, let's start at the beginning." She began before pulling out a photograph depicting a familiar face. "Recognize her?"

"Th-That's…." Ruby swallowed. "Her. The… the girl who attacked her boyfriend. Issei, right?"

"Raynare, she's a Fallen Angel." Rias informed in a serious manner. The photo had been the last surviving evidence of her existence, obtained from a voyeur who really liked Koneko but wouldn't pass on taking a picture of a pretty girl when one came around. "From what we gathered and our own investigation, she arrived into Kuoh Town with the intention of killing Issei, under the guise of a normal human being."

"That's why she was with him?" The reaper assumed.

"She invited him out on a date." Rias said, frowning a little. She was honestly sure it must have been a very easy thing to do so, given the rampant loneliness/horniness that seems to be the main traits of the Japanese youth. And for someone like Issei, whose only meaningful interaction with girls was jerking off to images of them and getting beat up for peeping on them… yeah, that boy did not have a chance.

"Um… can I ask why she was hunting him?" Ruby soon asked.

"She wanted to get rid of him for what he possessed: A Sacred Gear." Rias answered. "It's a gift granted from God, bestowed onto humans so they are able to grant miracles. You might know some of them as the most influential figures in human history, like Albert Einstein and Beethoven."

"Is that… like a Semblance?" Ruby thought before seeing that the other girl was expecting a response. "Y-Yeah, I do love me some… E-Einstein. He is such a great… person." She stammered out.

Rias narrowed her eyes. "...Really? What do you like about him?"

"He's… erm… a great… storyteller?" Ruby assumed, chuckling all the while.

"..."

Welp, that lie was an unmitigated disaster. Plan B! "So, uh… this Sacred Gear thing?" Ruby soon asked, hoping it would be enough to ignore her blunder.

"Ah, yes. So, Issei possesses one, and the Fallen had seen it fit to eliminate him." Rias continued her explanation, just to save the poor girl from melting in her seat in shame. "To be honest, a rather ill-thought out move. I doubt he would have been any kind of threat to her or her plans if she didn't interfere in the first place…" She soon mumbled with a frown.

She could probably make a better plan in a couple of hours… and that wasn't something she should have been thinking about because, again, the poor boy didn't have a chance against anyone pretty enough… or willing to show enough cleavage.

"So she didn't have to kill him, she just chose to kill him." Ruby spoke, snapping Rias out of her thoughts. "Thanks Brothers, I was there to stop her."

"Truly. Furthermore, Issei will be happy to see you are alive and well." Rias stated with a smile, which soon transformed into a frown. "However, our perpetrator is still out there."

"Oh…" Ruby let out, feeling her muscles tense as Zwei growled. "I guess… I didn't do enough." She soon mumbled.

"You did plenty, it is I that didn't do enough. Please allow me to formally apologize." Rias soon stated before bowing down to the red cloaked girl. "An incident like this will not go unresolved. This happened in my territory, so that means what happened to you is my responsibility. I am sorry."

"What?" Ruby got out in confusion. Her territory? And that sounded like she… let her… "So… So…"

"Yes, you really did die back there." Rias revealed in a grave tone. "That wasn't a dream or anything of the sort, if that's what you're thinking." She then added.

Ruby felt her heart stop for a second. It was… less of a surprise than she would've liked. "...Huh." She could only let out as Zwei nuzzled against her to try and comfort her a little.

"Take your time." Rias advised, looking rather concerned as she saw the rather scared look on the girl's face.

"I… I don't really know how to react, to be honest." Ruby admitted, taking a few deep breaths. "But, I'm here and breathing, at least that's something…" She then mumbled under her breath.

Rias frowned. "...Do you want to talk about it?"

"N-Not really." Ruby averted her eyes, biting on her lower lip and hoping she wouldn't need to talk anymore.

"Then I'll keep my silence." Rias responded, mentally sighing at that. Seriously, why did everyone turn that question down? "Ah, Akeno." She said upon spotting her Queen pushing a snack cart into the room, with a tray full of treats and a gently steaming tea pot (plus tea cups) on its uppermost tray.

"Hello, you two." The beautiful ravenette greeted as she stopped next to the desk they were sitting by, and began pouring the tea for them.. "Have a cup of fresh tea. I also got some chocolate chip cookies, strawberry sandwiches, tarts, and red bean paste mochi." She informed before sitting besides Rias.

"That all sounds lovely." Rias responded with a smile. "How about we take a moment to eat before continuing?"

"A-Alright." Ruby nodded before taking a cookie and popping it into her mouth. "Mmmmm…~!" She couldn't help but giggle in delight.

"Fufufufu~ Glad you like it." Akeno got out with a smile. "I'm Akeno Himejima, Rias' Queen. You're quite the cutie, you know."

Ruby swallowed. "Y-Yeah, a lot of people tell me that." She shyly admitted before blinking. "And uh…Queen?"

"It's best saved for later. Please enjoy as many of these-"

OM NOM NOM!

"...as you… wish?" Rias finished as Akeno and herself watched the girl practically inhale the cookies and a strawberry sandwich, while Zwei helped himself to a few strawberries himself.

Well, at least she didn't seem as scared as she was before.

Once they were out of tea and sweets, Ruby waited until she was sure she had fully digested her food before continuing the conversation.

"So… I… I got pretty messed up."

"Yes." Rias responded with a nod.

"But… I'm here now. Completely fine." Ruby continued.

"That is also a yes." Akeno agreed. "Although, you were still quite hurt and lost a lot of blood. But Rias-buchou was able to fix you with a Devil's special healing technique.

"Is that why I, uh, had no clothes on?" Ruby assumed, pink dusting her cheeks.

"Yes, it works better through skin-on-skin contact, and the more, the better." Rias answered, enjoying the bright red blush that soon appeared on Ruby's face as she realized what that meant. "Also, your clothes were ruined by all the water, burns, holes, cuts and uh, blood. We're having it washed and repaired so you should have them back soon."

"And what about my guitar case and… what's left of my phone?"

"Well, if they were in the park, someone must've stolen them when I went there yesterday." Akeno responded with a frown.

"I assumed, but just needed to ask." Ruby groaned. Oh great, someone now had Earth military-grade ammunition. She was not looking forward to speaking to Miss Sleight about this. But now, for the question she was beginning to dread even thinking of. "So… you said you healed me, but… that's not all what happened, is it?"

"Correct." Rias nodded.

"...What else?" Ruby winced.

Okay, time to get her answers she had been waiting for. "Well, you know about the Biblical depiction of a Devil, right?" Rias began, getting into the groove of things.

"No." Ruby answered automatically.

"So you should– huh?" Rias did a spit take when the red-cloaked girl's words hit her brain. "Um, are you aware of the Bible?"

Ruby looked unsure. "No…?"

"...Do you know what a Bible is?"

Feeling a little guilty at so obviously throwing a wrench into Rias' explanation, Ruby gently shook her head from side to side.

Rias blinked. "...Do you know what God is?" Said the redhead, and both her and her friend twitched a bit, with the brunette giving Rias a 'really?' kind of look that made Ruby think of her swear jar.

"Erm… I know of some gods… like the Two Brothers!" Ruby answered in an excited manner, which soon died down as the two older girls silently stared at her, looking as if they had no idea what she was talking about.

"..." Akeno stared silently, eyebrow raised.

"..." Meanwhile Rias furrowed her eyebrows as she studied the other girl.

"...Did I mess up?" Ruby squeaked in worry.

"...Rose-san, where are you from?" The King questioned in a blunt manner.

Okay, this was something that her fake backstory covered… right? Oh crap, where is she supposed to be from again!? "Uh…th-the… the United States of… Canadia?"

"..." What do you know, people actually can sweat drop. Ruby just proved it.

"..." Both Akeno and Rias gave her such looks, she may as well have just grown an extra head and taught it to sing La Cucaracha.

"...I'm from another world." Ruby whined the truth as she slumped in place. "Please don't dissect me or anything…"

Rias and Akeno's eyes widened for a second before they managed to school their countenances. "You're… an alien?" Akeno soon got out.

"Technically…? I'm st-still human, just… not from Earth." Ruby shyly mumbled. "It's an entire thing. I-I'll tell you later."

"I would love to hear this story." Rias stated before leaning forward. "But… you are wrong about one thing." She soon added.

"Hm?" Ruby let out, confused. "What am I wrong about?"

"You being human."

Ruby and even Zwei froze. "...I beg your pardon?"

"Rose-san, you were dying. There was no way to save you through conventional means." Rias reminded. "The only option was to reincarnate you into something… else."

"Else." Ruby repeated, feeling a lead ball form inside her stomach. Was she saying…?

"Ruby Rose." The crimson haired girl suddenly began in a dramatic manner. "Your human life has ended, but you have been reborn anew. You cannot return to your former self any longer. You are not human anymore… you're a Devil now."

"...What?" Ruby whispered before standing up, clutching onto her pet like a safety line. "I-I-I'm not… human? At all!? I'm a… I'm a… this Devil thing!?" She then exclaimed, looking quite freaked out by the prospect.

"Ruby, please calm down. It's not as bad as it may seem." Rias comforted the red cloaked girl before bringing out her wings. "I'm a Devil too, you see? And so is Akeno and the rest of my peerage. Even Issei, now, by his own choice."

Issei? He became a Devil like her? That means he is alive, right? That… that provided a little comfort, at least enough to sit back down and relax her hold on Zwei (not that he was all that bothered). "O-Okay… So… what is a Devil?" She soon asked.

"Um… I'll save the specifics of that for later, since this requires a bit of what on Earth would be common knowledge to understand, but the most important thing is that being a Devil has its advantages and disadvantages." Rias began. "All Devils have enhanced physical advantages over the typical human, such as superhuman strength, endurance, enhanced sight and hearing, and can see clearly even in the darkest night."

Ruby blinked. She had some faunus traits now? That… actually seemed pretty cool. She always wanted night vision. Plus, the additional speed and strength could make her better than ever!

"And, as you've already noticed, we also have a passive ability known as 'Language'. It allows us to understand speech in a manner we're most used to, and in turn speak in the listener's preferred language as well. For example, you must be listening to me and think I'm talking in English, but to me, you're speaking in perfect Japanese. Unfortunately, it doesn't do anything about reading…"

Ruby hummed at that. Being able to read any language would be nice, but at least she could understand people now.

"We can also fly with our wings, live much, much longer lives, and never get sunburned. There are downsides, just as being weak to holy items of the abrahamic faiths, and low birth rates, but I think the pros outweigh the cons."

Ruby, at that point, was pretty on board with the whole thing. Flying sounded so cool. Although she had no idea how to summon her wings like- "Hold on, how much has my lifespan been extended by?" She suddenly asked.

The crimson haired girl looked taken aback before frowning to think. "Well… about 10,000 years, give or take." Rias answered. "To be perfectly honest, no Devil has ever died from old age, so it's mostly a guess… I mean, you know how accident-prone bathrooms are? Take a human's daily odds of death from violence, accident or disease, and stretch the amount of time you're exposed to those odds over ten thousand years and well…"

"Anti-slippery rugs are just common sense on a Devil's shower. Also, fear the banana peels. Dreadful, dreadful things." Akeno smiles.

"Ten thou- Ten… THOUSAND!?" Ruby sputtered in disbelief. That… That wasn't true, was it? Well, if it was a cruel joke, Akeno and Rias had the most amazing poker faces she'd ever seen. "I… I… I…I'm going to outlive everyone I know…" She whispered, a feeling of dread beginning to fill her mind.

Rias and Akeno winced. "That… That is an unfortunate thing a Devil must come to terms with when it comes to humans, but not everyone you know will perish long before you, if you have access to the right equipment." Akeno got out in a comforting manner.

"Huh?"

"Okay, this is a good opportunity to explain to you the Evil Piece system and the circumstances of how you came to be here." Rias stated as she summoned a few of her Evil Pieces, one of each type besides any Pawns, and placed them on the table. "At the most basic of understanding, these chess pieces you see here are what allows us Devils to reincarnate anyone we wish into brand new Devils, but they must serve under their King until they are strong enough to achieve the ranking of High-class. It's how we circumvent our low fertility."

"Wait, so… you revived me?" Ruby assumed with widened eyes.

"...No." Rias replied as she shook her head. "Because that's the thing about you, you weren't reincarnated by anyone but yourself."

"W-What?"

"Not only that, you were revived with a King Piece." Rias continued as she rubbed her forehead. "I knew there were rumors of its existence but… to see it for myself… how did you get something like that?"

"I-I don't know!" Ruby exclaimed as she waved her arms around. "But why is that so weird? I'm guessing this Evil Piece system has all the pieces from a standard chess set, right? Rook, Knight, Bishop…" She then figured.

"Yes. Each piece grants a Reincarnated Devil special attributes, based on the piece you use. For example, Bishops specialize in magic, if that's a concept in your world." Rias replied with a nod. "However, Kings are not included when given pieces. It's more a title than anything else. You can start as a King if you belong to one of the noble families that run Devil society, or become one after your power has stabilized and grown strong enough for you to reach High Class status as a Devil."

"Okay… but if I was revived using a King Piece, so…" Ruby soon realized.

"Well, by technicality, I can't call you anything other than a King, despite being a Low-class Devil in all other senses." Rias stated. "I guess you could be called a Crownless King though. That sounds rather intimidating, does it not?"

"Crownless King…" Ruby repeated, looking rather unsure. "I…I'm not really sure about all this… I mean… I never asked for–" She then began before stopping herself, her eyes widening.

"Is something wrong?" Rias questioned in concern.

"Well… when I was being revived, you said you saw no one but me, right?" Ruby soon got out.

"That is correct." Rias nodded.

"Well… I think… I think it was my mom who reincarnated me, actually." Ruby soon revealed.

"Hm? Your mother?" Akeno spoke with widened eyes.

"I-I saw her spirit or something and… she asked me if I wanted a second chance at life. I said yes, so… here I am." Ruby explained before grimacing. Despite seeing it (or hallucinating) for herself, even she knew she sounded crazy.

"...From my perspective, you were doing your own reincarnation." Rias stated.

"Well, I have no idea what happened! I was hoping you'd know more." Ruby whined in frustration before letting out a groan.

"I don't. And that's what worries me." Rias confessed as she shook her head. "Is she…?"

"No, she… disappeared when I was three."

"Oh. My condolences." Rias quickly let out in an apologetic manner. "But… to reincarnate someone like that… your mother must've had that very same King Piece you have right now."

Ruby swallowed. "My… My mom was a Devil…?"

"Well, from what I heard, King Pieces aren't meant for reincarnation, but to empower its user." Rias explained. "More specifically the demonic energy they possess. You would already have to be a Devil to use it. However, I couldn't detect any demonic energy from you before your reincarnation. Even Half-Devils should possess at least some."

"...I don't really understand this." Ruby soon mumbled.

"I don't either, but it's not like we have all the answers. They may have been lost along with your mother." Rias soon stated, which only seemed to upset the huntress even more. "What is clear is that she somehow managed to obtain a King Evil Piece and did something special so that you would be able to revive without outside interference."

"That's… That's a lot to unfold…" Ruby groaned as she covered her face. "She did all this to me?"

"It's possible she did all this for you." Rias stated. "Maybe she foresaw her end and gave you one last gift, or maybe she was scared she'd lose you. I don't know. A mother's love can be quite scary."

Ruby grimaced. "Mom… why did you turn me into a Devil…?" She thought in worry.

Did dad know about this? Did Uncle Qrow? Gods, did Yang know something?

Urgh, that last one was giving her a headache…

"Ruby, you're-"

"Huh?" Ruby got out in confusion upon hearing Akeno speak, before noticing how hard she was clenching her fist. "S-Sorry. Just… I'm overthinking some things…"

"Um, no, it's not that." The Queen shook her head as she gave the younger girl a serious look. "I'm also detecting a few problems here." She informed.

"What?" Ruby felt like she was saying that too much to be comfortable.

"Well, first off, you don't seem to have gained much power… or, it's been capped. You are much stronger than a normal human, but there is something stopping further growth." Akeno explained. "Which might be a good thing in this situation."

"Why?"

Rias' eyes widened as she came to the same conclusion as her best friend. "Remember, King Pieces are supposed to increase the power of Devils, ten or even a hundred fold. I don't think your current self could handle that strain. Maybe the King Piece was modified somehow to allow reincarnation and to limit its power, to make it safe for humans to take." Rias guessed.

"My thoughts exactly." Akeno agreed. "That being said… it's still not perfect."

"How come?" Ruby pressed, now feeling really worried.

"Your demonic energy is… really unstable at the moment." Akeno reported. "Without a King to keep your power in check, it will grow beyond your control. Essentially… you're a Stray."

"A Stray?" Ruby repeated as she and Zwei tilted their heads. "Is that bad?"

"Well… eventually, you will… there's no easy way to say this… reincarnated Devils need a King to stabilize their demonic energy. Without one, you will eventually lose your mind and mutate into a monster. That is what we call a Stray Devil. We'll… have to kill you on sight." Rias awkwardly answered.

"WHAT!?" Ruby cried in shock. "I-I don't want to die again!"

"And we won't let that happen. I want to get to the bottom of this as much as you do." Rias assured with a determined look on her face. "But we need to figure something out before your King Piece overwhelms you."

"H-How long do I have?" Ruby stammered out.

"It varies, but it accelerates when using your demonic energy." Akeno answered. "It would be best if you avoid using it at all cost until we have found a solution."

"Right. Just… don't use my new powers… that I have no idea how to use…" Ruby mumbled.

"We will get you to a point where you can use them safely." Rias promised. "But right now, we need to make sure you don't lose your mind."

"O-Okay. So, if my mom reincarnated me with evil chess… pieces…" Ruby muttered before her eyes widened. "My chess set!" She suddenly exclaimed as she shot up from her seat.

"Eh?" Rias and Akeno got out in surprise.

"I-I need to go! There's something I have to get from my motel room!" Ruby quickly got out as she made her way out of the room.

"I can take you there. It'll only take a second." Rias soon informed.

"I'm pretty fast. I can be back before you know." Ruby promised as she picked up Zwei.

"Hold on, wai-"

WOOSH!

"I… I could've teleported you there." Rias finished before letting out a groan.

Oh, the next few days are going to be really stressful, aren't they?

Suddenly, Koneko and Kiba teleported back in. And they did not look happy.

"Buchou, there was an incident." Kiba reported in a serious manner.

Yep. Stressful.

Ruby groaned as she rubbed her head. Ever since leaving the building, she had been using her Semblance to get back to her motel as soon as possible. However, after a while, she began to feel… tired. 'Lethargic' is the word Weiss taught her.

She felt better back inside, but for some reason, the sun seemed so… annoyingly bright, as if she had just gotten interrupted from a good nap. However, instead of slowly regaining her energy, she felt like it was draining her, and using Petal Burst was just making things worse. She had no choice but to pull up her hood and go from shady spot to shady spot so she wouldn't need to stop and rest.

What could make this worse? Well, if she had no idea how to get from Kuoh Academy to the motel…

"I'm so lost!" Ruby cried out in despair. She had somehow ended up in some suburban area with no idea how she got here. "Zwei! Help me!"

"Arf…?"

"Well, maybe you can use your nose to sniff out the way back?"

"Arf arf."

"That's not how that works!?" Ruby exclaimed. "Okay, maybe if I retrace my steps and– hold on! I can just ask someone now!" She suddenly realized before palming her face. Ugh, maybe the sun was draining her brain too–

"Hm, a wandering lost soul."

Ruby tensed as she turned around. In front of her was a woman with long navy blue hair in what looked like a maroon business suit… and no bra apparently given the amount of cleavage she was showing.

"Do you wish for me to guide you home?" The woman questioned.

Ruby and Zwei looked at each other. They were both getting a bad feeling from this woman.

"I sense you don't trust me." She soon remarked. "May I introduce myself?"

"Uh, sure?" Ruby shrugged. It wouldn't hurt to know.

"I am Kalawarna. And I am your end."

"Huh?"

FLASH!

Ruby's body moved before she could even think, barely jumping out of the way of a stab, courtesy of Kalawarna's newly formed light spear.

"You must be the girl who made Raynare run with her tail between her legs." Kalawarna remarked with a frown. "You shouldn't be wearing such a garish cape if you wanted to hide."

Ruby shuddered as she stepped back, feeling an unpleasant shiver run through nervous system. "You're not exactly discreet either." She pointed out. It was a fair point. Kalawarna looked like someone poured a gallon of 'look at me!' all over her before stuffing her in a business suit two-to-three sizes too small for her. "You're like her… a Fallen Angel…"

"Grrrr…!" Zwei growled, already taking a low stance, preparing to pounce.

"Oh, shut that mutt up." Kalawarna spat out. "So you've gone and become a Devil. Some brave hero, turning to Devils for power! How the mighty have fallen."

"I didn't–" Ruby instinctively wanted to deny this woman's words, but then remembered, she had said 'yes'. She was a Devil because she allowed it to happen. "...So what? I beat her before, I can do it again!"

"Hmph, I guess I shouldn't try and talk to the hopeless." Kalawarna scoffed. "I don't think you know this, but it's not just Devils who put down Strays. It's everyone's duty. Now, I'll make this quick." Kalawarna pulled her arm back…

Ruby swallowed as she took a step back. She was sweating, her heart was beating so hard she felt like it was trying to climb up her throat and escape out her mouth, she could feel the spear piercing her chest again…

W-Why wasn't she moving!?

"BARK!"

STAB!

The red cloaked girl felt the wind get knocked out of her as she was taken off her feet and sent a few meters back. "A-Ah… what the…?"

"Hmph, your dog had to save you? How pathetic." Kalawarna grumbled.

"Huh?" Ruby looked down and saw her pet lying on her stomach. "Zwei!?"

"Arf arf…!" Her puppy barked. However, she could see the pained expression he had, as much as he tried to hide it.

Ruby's eyes widened as she realized the gravity of her mistake. She froze, and her pet had to save her. The Fallen Angel was right, she was being pathetic!

She was hesitating, she was throwing away years of training if she stayed like this! She was going to die again if she didn't MOVE NOW!

Ruby shot up to her feet and ran towards the Fallen Angel while unfolding her weapon.

As Ruby neared her opponent, she had already finished imagining the fight, and was ready to make it so! With lightning speed, she dodged to the side, narrowly evading the blue-haired Fallen Angel's attack. In one fluid motion, she raised her weapon… and fired!

BANG BANG BANG!

The deafening sound of gunfire filled the air as the anti-material bullets erupted from the barrel, hurtling towards their intended target at supersonic speeds.

You don't survive as a field agent for thousands of years without developing a high-level battle instinct, and Kalawarna began to dodge the moment she saw the barrel of the massive gun aiming her way. That's how she seemingly 'dodged' Ruby's bullets, the shots making nice orange-sized holes in the wall behind her.

"That should've alerted the whole block!" Ruby thought. "Devils and stuff are supposed to be a secret, right? Do you want to stay and show everyone your wings!?" She called out.

"I'm not so sure about that." Kalawarna however stated as she spread her arms out. "Look around you."

Ruby frowned, not wanting to take her eyes off her opponent for a second, but she knew something was off, especially as a few seconds passed by with nothing happening, so she turned her eyes away a little bit. Just enough to keep Kalawarna within her line of sight. "...Where is everyone?"

"A simple magical barrier." The Fallen Angel informed. "It ensures no one else will see or hear what is happening within. Hell, it even fixes property damage once we're done. You just wasted a few bullets, and that's all. By the way, some hero you turned out to be…"

"Uh?" Ruby looked at her with a confused expression.

"You didn't know about the magic barrier, right? That means you just fired three times inside a populated area. With a friggin' anti-material rifle, no less! You know, that's why cops use hollow shells. Lots of stopping power, but won't go through walls and hit bystanders." The bluenette pointed at the holes in the wall with her left thumb. "Careless and reckless. I guess being a Devil truly fits you."

"Of course it wouldn't be that easy. But she's saying I don't need to worry about bystanders or property damage, right?" Ruby thought before turning Crescent Rose into its scythe form and firing it to propel herself at Kalwarna.

Kalawarna's pupils shrank as she raised her spear to block Ruby's swipe, but the massive scythe's blade broke through, and the bluenette had to use her wings to propel herself out of the swing, her eyes growing as large as saucers as she felt the blade slipping right between her breasts as she did so. If it wasn't for her wings, Ruby would have impaled her right there and then.

She kept dodging as best she could, not really comfortable in melee. However, Kalawarna began to smirk as Ruby relentless attacks began to slow down. Eventually, the red cloaked girl stumbled and stopped, panting.

"Wh-What the…" Ruby wheezed out, her scythe suddenly feeling much heavier in her arms.

"You're a new Devil, right? So you're not used to the sun yet, and it is making you weaker by the second. It was foolish of you to fight me in the open." The Fallen remarked as she flourished her spear. "Let's hope you do not make that same mistake in your next life."

The little reaper yelped as she barely dodged being skewered by Kalawarna's thrust, and now it was the Fallen's turn to attack. Left right left left, Ruby kept trying to make distance, but found her newly reincarnated body was both weaker and slower than normal.

"So much for Devil's bodies being faster and stronger." She thought. Admittedly, Kalawarna did mention that as a brand new Devil, the sun was crippling her right now, so it was a bit unfair a thing to complain about.

"Ah!" Ruby yelped as Kalawarna got a lucky break, and pierced Ruby's arm. She reached for her wound, and could feel blood flowing from the cut. Wait, blood? "Wh-What the…?" She whispered in disbelief before grimacing at the burning sensation in her wound. Why didn't her Aura protect her!?

"Did you feel that?" Kalawarna got out with a vicious smile. "Don't look so surprised. Holy weapons are like poison to you Devils."

"...That means she can bypass my Aura?" Ruby concluded in her head as she looked down at her blood-covered hand. The sun is poison, she's turning into a monster (Stray), and her enemy's weapons bypass her Aura! Was this world trying to kill her again or something!? "Okay, new plan. New plan…" She thought frantically. She was running out of stamina much faster than she anticipated. She wanted to end this fight fast, but she had no idea what she could do other than…

"Arf arf!"

There's a new plan. "Zwei! Red Rocket! Haaaaaahhhh!" Ruby suddenly declared as she and Zwei charged directly at the Fallen Angel.

"Oh, she's getting her dog to help? What could she possibly to with a mangy-" But Kalwarna's train of thought got derailed when-

"WOOF!" Zwei barked as he jumped, curled up into a ball, and slammed into Kalawarna's face.

"Gah!" Kalawarna grunted in pain when Ruby spun at high speed and slammed the stock of her scythe against her solar plexus, taking the wind out of her, remembering that Kalawarna had no Aura, so using the blade would be a killing blow and she would rather not cross that line if she could help it.

"Way to go! Follow up!" Ruby shouted out as she twirled Crescent Rose around her body, smacking up the Fallen Angel before her while Zwei sneaked his own shots in.

Ruby and Zwei were attacking in tandem, flowing around each other as they hit and scratched the Fallen Angel like a well-oiled machine, with Ruby using her scythe like a golf club to smash Zwei into Kalawarna's face a couple of times.

"YAAHH!" Ruby soon roared as she used the back of her blade to smash the Fallen Angel face right as Zwei came in to slam into the small of the bulenette's back, sending her to the ground. "Stay down and leave me alone!" The reaper called out as her silver eyes started to glow (and begin to flicker red).

"No, our mission mustn't fail!" Kalawarna shouted out as she shot to her feet, spear at the ready in less than a second.

Ruby ducked at the last second, using a short-range Petal Burst to get out of the way. Despite Kalawarna's head already turning towards her, her eyes widened in surprise as she realized she was too slow to halt Ruby's swift counterattack.

Unbeknownst to the young huntress, Crescent Rose began to emanate with demonic energy, crackling with power that would've made her spine shiver from its unfamiliar essence. With every fiber of her being, she summoned all her strength, channeling it into one powerful swing.

SLASH!

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Kalawarna screamed as her arm was sliced off at the elbow, falling to her knees and clutching at her stump.

"Ah!" Ruby yelped, her eyes widened in horror. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to–"

Suddenly, Kalawarna looked up at the girl with such ferocious rage that Ruby stumbled back. "Bitch! DIE!" She roared as she summoned yet another spear into her remaining hand.

"Whoa!" Ruby cried out as she rolled out of the way even as Kalwarna's wings flapped furiously to push the bluenette against her.

The Fallen Angel's thrusts and slashes felt faster and more savage than before, but her rage made her movements sloppier and more predictable than before, and her legs were unstead, forcing her to rely on her wings for movement, and that meant a lot more stumbling than advancing, really.

This was neither a comeback nor a second wind. This was desperation.

The huntress-in-training was still shaken after taking Kalawarna's arm, but easily dodged out of the way of each and every attack. Soon, it was like sparring with Jaune on a slow day. Eventually, she just stood by as she watched Kalawarna collapse face-first into the ground, spent of all of her drive.

The way she looked - bloody, tired, and with only one arm to support her as her wings twitched with every attempt of the bluenette to leap at her… it was pitiful and despite the Fallen being the one that came out of nowhere to take her life, she couldn't help but to hate seeing her like this.

"It's over. Give it up." Said Ruby.

"Do not… show me mercy… Devil." Kalawarna spat out.

"It's Ruby." The red cloaked girl corrected. "And… I just want you and your people to leave us alone. Go back to whatever you came from."

"Tch, I'm afraid that is not an… option for… us." Kalawarna was running out of breath, and beginning to pant between words.

Ruby narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"It is important to our cause." Kalawarna answered, her wings' twitching slowing down as blood loss began cooling down her body. "You Devils don't know how important this is to us!"

Despite the pitiful sight, something snapped inside Ruby as soon as she heard that. It was as if a switch had been flipped, instantly igniting a fire within her. It took all her willpower not to grab the Fallen Angel but the collar and shove into the nearest wall.

"So tell me!" Ruby called out, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and fear. "What's so damn important you were willing to kill innocents for it? Willing to kill Issei, willing to kill me!? What are you after!?" She demanded, her voice echoing around the empty neighborhood.

However, Kalawarna simply laughed. "...Why should I even answer? You're going to kill me regardless."

Ruby blinked. "Huh?"

"What are you waiting for? End my life." The Fallen Angel uttered, her voice heavy with defeat. "Losing to you, a freshly-minted Devil… deserves no less."

Ruby froze.

She…never killed anyone before. Not in cold blood, she realized; All those White Fang in the tunnels were dead, and she had definitely sent some of them flying off. If the ground didn't get them (and probably not given how hardy Aura is), the Grimm definitely did.

That was in defense of others and herself, though! It was to stop them before they killed even more people. It wasn't like she actively fought to kill but… the circumstances forced everyone's hands.

Ultimately, it wasn't in her. She wasn't a killer.

But… her blood had changed. And so did her perspective.

She died. Raynare killed her, by stabbing her in the back. If it wasn't for luck and her mom… she wouldn't be here making this choice right now.

This Fallen Angel would come back. She would take her revenge one day and put her loved ones in danger, maybe stronger than before.

It would be easier to simply… end her here.

"Stop standing there like an idiot and hurry up!" Kalawarna demanded, soon beginning to feel consciousness leave her. "You may do what you wish, but you will never know until it is too late." She then mumbled.

Zwei looked up at his owner in worry, wondering why she was talking so long to even think about this.

Eventually, Ruby raised her scythe, its crimson metal and shining edge glinting in the sunlight before…

WHAM!

…using a Semblance-enhanced kick to the head to knock her out. Petals flying off the back of her thin leg as she unknowingly made Einstein proud. Truly, as the speed of an object increases, so does its mass and kinetic force.

Against a mostly unconscious Kalawarna, that was enough.

Ruby Rose may not be as innocent as she was when she started Beacon, but that didn't mean she was going to abandon her ideals. Despite what Kalawarna did or will do… Ruby won't be her judge, jury, and executioner.

That was probably the job of someone else. Death wasn't the only punishment.

"I better get that stump treated." Ruby muttered before looking around the neighborhood and spotting a clothesline with some drying shirts.

Well, that will do.

Mentally apologizing to the owners of the house, she took the clothes off and quickly sliced the clothesline off its poles, then used the freshly-washed clothes to clean and wrap Kalawarna's wound, before using the clothesline to make as tight a tourniquet as she could, all the while thanking career choice for all of her emergency and first aid training.

She wasn't sure if these would disappear when the magical barrier went down, but she really, really hoped they wouldn't. Hopefully, it'd be enough to keep Kalawarna alive. "Arf?" Zwei let out, confused as Ruby put her defeated opponent into a comfortable position against some bushes.

"She'll wake up and retreat home, Zwei. Or maybe someone will find and take care of her. Or Rias and her team will do something about her." Ruby answered, looking down at the sorry state of her enemy. "Either way, she won't be hurting anyone anytime soon." She muttered.

In all honesty, she could only hope. She might regret her actions later, but her decision was made. No turning back now.

"Okay, now we better– AH!" Ruby suddenly screamed as she went to her knees, sparks of demonic energy coming off her body.

"Arf arf!"

"N-Ngh…!" Ruby bit the bottom of her lip, muffling whatever sort of noise she may have made. "I'm, guh! Alright…"

Ruby did not feel alright. She could feel something in her chest trying to burst out, like it was fighting from the inside! However, a few quick breaths managed to calm that down a little.

"M-My King Piece…" Ruby thought, wincing at the pain that flowed through her. "D-Did I use some of it back there? Wh-What's happening to me!?"

Zwei could only look on in concern, his owner trying to hide the pain she was enduring. "Aroo…"

"I-I'll be okay." Ruby assured, even as her muscles spasmed a little from another uncontrolled spark. "I just, ngh, need to get to the motel… there has to be answers in the chess set. Mom, please tell me you left something in there to help me!" She thought as she forced herself into a run, with Zwei following after her.

Ruby soon let out the biggest sigh of relief as she finally made it to home base. It had taken way longer than it should have, but she had managed to make her way back to the motel with the help of Zwei, who had taken the lead a while ago.

And not a moment too soon, she could feel the unstable demonic energy growing more and more wild as time passed.

"I… I can't… Come on, Ruby, just get to the room. Then, you can collapse and hope Weiss and Blake figure it out before you explode." Ruby encouraged herself as she dragged herself upstairs. Why did they have to get a room on the second floor!?

"Arf arf!"

"Zwei, if I don't make it… take care of Crescent Rose…" Ruby wheezed while forcing her suddenly heavy legs to keep working.

Finally, after a torturous struggle up the stairs, Ruby had made it to their motel room. With no time to spare, she banged her fist on the door as hard as she could.

"Yang! Blake! Weiss! Open up!" Ruby all but ordered, desperation in her voice. "I-It's me… I… I don't know how long I'm gonna last!"

The door swung open. It was Blake. She looked like she hadn't slept today.

"R-Ruby!?"

"Help…" The leader managed to get out before falling into the black clad girl's arms.

"Arf arf!" Zwei barked as he ran inside.

"You're both… Where were–" Blake tried to speak, but too many questions and thoughts mingled together. No, now was not the time. "Let me get you inside."

"Th-Thank– AAHH!" Ruby let out before screaming as more sparks of demonic energy came out of her body. Urgh, it was like her blood was on fire!

Blake nearly let go of her leader in surprise, but still kept her on her own two feet. "Ruby, what's happening to you?"

"I'll explain after, just–" Ruby began before going silent.

She was not ready for the scene in front of her.

Yang, just as sleepless as Blake, her face and clothes splattered with blood, looking as if she wasn't believing what she was seeing.

A blonde girl she didn't recognize who was wearing a tattered gothic-lolitia outfit, beaten up but still very much awake, with one black wing on her back and her hands and legs tied together using Gambol Shroud's ribbon and gagged with panties.

And, in the middle of the room, the slowly cooling body of Weiss Schnee.

Hey, UknownHero here. So… you probably have some questions, but don't worry, the next chapter will have a flashback clearing it all up. This mission is already deteriorating at the seams! Is this going too fast?