BANG

One of a small pack of geckos sprinting towards Ruby fell dead as the .308 round pierced its skull. She pulled the bolt of the rifle, loading in the next round and lining up her next shot, ready to take out her next target. The hill she was perched on gave her the advantage in this scenario. While the geckos were running up to the high ground, she could just take them out one by one. She took a breath, having her shot lined up. Easy-peasy.

Before she could squeeze the trigger, Ruby heard a growl coming from her side. A quick glance and in a split second reaction she raised her rifle, where a jumping gecko bit down on it, successfully shielding her face. Crap! It probably snuck around. Ruby leaned back, controlling her fall as she placed her feet on the belly of the gecko and pushing it as she rolled. The gecko quickly got back up and lunged at the teen once again, only to be met with a .308 Winchester round in its scaly face.

With the surprise threat dealt with, Ruby turned her attention back to the other geckos running up the hill. She quickly lined the shot, breathed in and squeezed the trigger.

Clink

Crap! It's out of bullets. Okay okay keep cool. You don't have time to reload, just go melee. Yeah! Ruby slung Woody (because of the wood frame. Funny right?), the all so gracious name she'd bestowed upon the hunting rifle given to her by Six, and reached to her back and grabbed the handle of Crescent Rose. You're so done!

"No scythe." Six spoke from her position on a boulder higher on the hill.

"What?! Why?"

"Because I say so." Six said nonchalantly, taking a drag from her cigarette.

"Then how am I supposed to fight them in melee?" Before Ruby could continue protesting, Six threw a combat knife at the ground. "Y-You're not serious are you?"

Six stared at her.

Ruby heard louder growls and howls from the geckos. They had arrived. She jumped for the knife, grabbing it and just barely dodging the pack of geckos that had converged on her position.

"Oh, and no shuper shpeed." Six said, this time munching on a corn cob with the cig in her free hand.

"Oh come on!" Ruby's protest was cut short as the geckos ceaselessly attacked her, with her sometimes only barely being able to dodge them. Ruby was fast, sure, faster than normal people, but her semblance is what made her shine, what made her be able to pull off all her moves with Crescent Rose without hurting herself. So to not be able to use it was taking a toll on her.

She understood Six's reasoning for not using her semblance, or Crescent Rose for that matter…But come on! She was fighting in the middle of flipping nothing!

"Stop playing so defensive." Six bellowed from up above. "Get your footing right and exploit their openings."

Ruby frowned, but gripped the knife's handle harder. She'd show Six. Alright, exploit openings. A gecko lunged at her from her right side, its mouth wide open as it prepared to bite down on its prey. THERE! The teen backstepped, making the gecko miss its mark, but leaving Ruby just enough time to sink the knife in its neck and with a quick twist of the knife, killing it instantly and spraying its crimson red blood all over Ruby.

Ewwwwwwwwww.

Another two followed suit, lunging at her and successfully knocking her down. Ruby successfully applied enough force with her legs to push one off her and go tumbling down the hill, but the other bit down on her arm, making her aura flare. She stabbed her assailant in the neck, stopping it from doing any more damage.

Getting up, she faced her last remaining enemy. This gecko was different from the others, in place of the indigo gray scales, this one displayed shiny golden scales and many scars across its body, remnants of past battles. The two stared each other down, the gecko growling at the teen as it prepared to attack; Ruby in turn steeled herself, strengthening her resolve as she brought the knife up. She lunged at the critter, slashing at its belly. Though the attack was successful, it didn't prove to be as damaging as it did with the other geckos. The gold-skinned gecko dove for a bite, but Ruby rolled to the side, dodging the attack. Utilizing her inherently faster speed, she slashed at the critter from all sides, slowly but surely withering it down.

The gecko followed her movements, being always just shy of hitting her. Unfortunately for Ruby, golden geckos were smarter than their more common cousins and she was predictable in her attacks. The golden gecko waited, tanking the attacks and slashes from Ruby until the perfect opportunity arose, then he struck. Slashing at Ruby with his claws, hitting her wrist and knocking the knife to the ground. In a near instantaneous movement, it followed its attack with it throwing itself on Ruby, knocking her down and biting down on her arm.

Ruby was totally not panicking right now. The golden gecko was just on top of her and nibbling on her arm, slowly eating up her aura. Crud, this thing was a lot heavier than she'd anticipated. She looked to Six who kept on looking at the fight below, just smoking that stupid cigarette with that stupid face of hers–Focus Ruby! There's a giant lizard trying to eat you. Ruby glanced around her immediate surroundings, anything sharp within an arm's length would seriously help right now. Her eyes fell on a kinda big rock she could just barely touch with her fingers. She tried reaching for it, only touching it with her fingertips. The golden gecko's bites were starting to actually hurt, her aura was still eating up its bites and claws but she needed to get it off of her fast.

Just…needed to…reach…it—She stretched her arm as much as she physically could, finally grabbing the rock and sending it crashing against one of the gecko's eyes, making it pull back from Ruby. This was it! Her chance. She got up and ran towards the steepest part of the cliff wall, picking up the knife from the floor along the way and jumping on the wall.. She put the remaining strength from her legs as she pressed against the rocky and jumped, sending her flying into the air.

Ruby grasped the combat knife with two hands as she came falling down. Just as the gecko recuperated from its daze, its eyes met Ruby's determined ones. In the split second that ensued, Ruby's blade pierced the gecko's skull, as the knife sank right in the middle of its flat head.

Both fell on the floor. But this time, Ruby stood victorious on top of the dead golden gecko.

"HAHA! EAT THAT SUCKA!" She shouted in ecstasy over her victory. "Whadya think of that?" She proudly looked up at Six with a big smile on her face.

Six put out her cig and jumped down to Ruby's position. She didn't immediately respond, preferring to look over the still fresh battlefield. After another moment of silence Six finally spoke up. "Your footing needs work. You play too defensive when you can't rely on your semblance or your scythe. Your aura also makes you cocky, not really caring if you take damage." Ruby frowned. "Still…even experienced trappers have a hard time dealin' with a pack of geckos, especially those like goldie over there." She pointed at the golden gecko.

"Sooooooo…I did good?"

"You did okay."

"I did good."

"You were decent."

"I did good."

"..."

"I did good. Didn't I?"

Six sighed. "Yes Ruby, you did good."

"Yay!" She jumped in the air punching the air (almost cartoonishly so). "Can we go back now? I'm all icky and this blood is all like sticky and smells bad."

"I can't believe those words actually exited your mouth." She deadpanned. "But no. I'm teaching you how to skin these things."

"What?! Whyyyyyy? It's all icky and stuff." Ruby's face contorted in repulsion.

Six knelt down by one of the dead geckos and pulled out a bowie knife. "Gecko skins are valuable, especially golden and fire gecko ones. Even more so if they're good quality. Learning to skin them or to at least harvest them for their meat is a must know for any wastelander."

"Do I have t–"

"Yes." Six commanded, not even looking at Ruby while she prepared the body to be skinned. "Now, pay attention. The process is not hard, but a miss step and the skin is ruined."

"–then I was all like 'WAPOW' and 'HIYAH'!" Ruby karate chopped the air. "And then I alone stood atop all those vile creatures, victorious in my vanquishing of the geckos!" Ruby proclaimed, downing her glass of milk in a single go.

The patrons of the Prospectors Saloon exploded in laughter at the display of Ruby's antics, even the owner herself, Trudy, couldn't stop from joining in. But it was not a mocking collection of laughs and chuckles aimed to belittle the young teen. No, it was indeed just laughs and chuckles for the purpose of laughing and chuckling, joy and happiness achieved only by the antics of a child. Something ever rarer in the frontier town of Goodsprings.

"Stop laughing!" Ruby pouted, producing harder laughs and chuckles. "I'm not lying!"

Trudy had to take a few breaths to stop herself from all the laughing, even drinking some of her own alcohol to help with it. "We–hehehe–We know Ruby. It's just–hahaha–we're not used to this."

"This what?" Ruby tilted her head.

"Well, you. Or someone as lively as you. It's honestly a breath of fresh air. Life out here isn't a pretty one, or an easy one. So sometimes it's hard to stay positive and happy all the time like you. That–how would I put it?...That childlike energy to all this is…refreshing."

Ruby looked around the saloon. Sure enough, it was lively, exuding a radiant energy only a happy lot of patrons could. All talking to each other, drinking and laughing while the radio played those old sounding songs Ruby was finally starting to appreciate. At first Ruby had found it somewhat surprising when Six brought her a broken radio and explained to her the process of fixing it. It'd been a whole thing taking the entire afternoon as Six trailed off many times about the importance of equipment maintenance and the must-have skills of the wasteland, like repair, survival, medicine and whatnot. If Ruby had to be honest, she wasn't interested in half of it. She liked fighting and weapons and that's pretty much it. Okay, she kinda liked repairing things because it reminded her of building Crescent Rose. But the rest? Not that interested. Still, Six forced her to learn.

She took another glance around the saloon, taking in the energy from the patrons. She was glad Six had decided to stay in Goodsprings for a couple days unlike the singular night like she'd expected. Though if she had to guess, they'd be moving out soon. That was a pity, Ruby was liking this place.

Speaking of Six, Ruby noticed her at the edge of the Saloon, sitting alone (of course) drinking and smoking while fidgeting with her pip-boy-computer-thing. She really wished Six stopped the whole drinking and smoking thing. She reminded her of Uncle Qrow, not that he was a bad person, far from it, but he drank a lot and Ruby has probably seen him more times drunk than sober…okay maybe not drunk-drunk. More like tipsy…yeah. Point was, Qrow being drunk all the time was bad. Ruby was neither stupid nor blind, she could see and hear how Dad and Qrow got into long and loud arguments when he came over.

Ruby didn't want that for Six. Sure she'd only known her for like…Wait. How long have I been here? There was the first night, then the Outpost and the station…She shook the thoughts of the fight. Not the time. Then the night at Primm. Then the days I've been here. That's like…ALMOST TWO WEEKS?! Okay more like a week and a half. But still! Gods…No. Don't think about home Ruby! There's no point thinking about it right now. Ruby drank from her refilled glass of cow–er brahmin milk with a determined look. Right now she might not be able to get back to Remnant right now, but she can at least enjoy her stay here and help as many people as she can, like the Huntsmen and those Desert Ranger people Six spoke of.

The face of a familiar person entering the bar drew Ruby's attention. "Oh hey Delilah!" She waved over at Doc Mitchell's assistant from her seat at the bar counter who gave Ruby a small wave with a smile.

Delilah sat on the stool next to Ruby's and ordered a drink from Trudy, who fetched her drink. "So, how did your training go, Ruby?" She asked, sipping from her drink.

"Oh I just finished telling everyone the story! But to spare you the heroic details of my harduos training, I killed a whole bunch of geckos. Oh! And one of them was a golden gecko! Did you know those are like super rare?" Ruby oozed with excitement.

"So I have been told. And you certainly smell like you've been hunting geckos."

"Don't remind me of that." She frowned. "I can't wait to finally take a bath."

"When was the last time you had one?"

"Hmmm…Like the night before meeting Six?" Have I gone that long without taking a bath?!

"Isn't that like…like a week and a half? Give or take?" Ruby nodded. "I mean, I get it you smell

bad but, a shower? You can't go wasting water like that."

"I'msorrywhat?"

Delilah sighed, putting her drink down. "I forget how sheltered you are. Ruby, water is scarce. We can't take showers every day. Most people only bathe when absolutely needed, or every other week at most."

Ruby's head slumped on the bar counter. "B-But the smell and blood."

"Just clean it with a rag. Usually does the trick."

Ruby whimpered, appalled at this hellish revelation. "Truudyyyyyy. Please give me a sarsaparilla. I need to drink away my sorrows."

"I'm not giving you soda."

"Whyyyyyyyy?" Ruby whimpered

"Last time I gave you soda, Six had to make you run laps around the town to calm down. While amusing to see, I don't want to repeat it."

Ruby frowned but said nothing. The worst part of the Wasteland? No sugary things. And the ones that did, were like super filled with it. More than Remnant. Her sugar cravings could not be satisfied. This is hell.

"Ruby." She felt a hand shake her.

"What?" She didn't raise her head.

"Let's get you a bath."

Ruby immediately shot up, stars in her eyes. "REALLY?! Oh. It's you Six."

"...were you really about to accept a bath offer from a stranger?"

"..."

"..."

"Soooooooooo, where's that bath?" She smiled at Six, who only sighed.

"Are you sure about that?" Delilah asked Six without looking at her.

"I'll pay Doc Mitchell for the water she'll use. " Delilah hummed in response. "Delilah I-...Nevermind." Six looked away. "Ruby, let's go."

Six walked off to the door with Ruby behind her. Though the teen couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong between Six and Delilah.

Not many could say they've been pulled back from the dead. Many less could say they've survived getting shot in the head. Yet, Six doubted there was anyone that's ever smoked a cigarette at their own open empty grave. Six threw the cigarette bug to the floor, observing the place where it all began. Shit, she didn't even know how long it's exactly been since she rose from the dead. From what she thought? A couple months? Glancing at her pip-boy, it said the 30th of August and if she'd recalled she was shot back in February. So yeah, a couple months made sense. Her gaze left the sight of her still open shallow grave and off to the distance. She forgot how good the view was from here at night. You could see the Lucky 38 and the lights of the Strip from here. Truly, a scenic place to be executed in. She chuckled, thinking back that this all began because of spite and a drive to put a cap in Benny's forehead. And now she was babysitting a teenager from another world. She glanced at her wrist watch, a gentle smile formed in her face, thinking back to the person who gave her the watch.

"You're probably laughing your ass off from up there aren't ya?" She mused. "You'd probably love this place. Actually no, scratch that. You'd think it'd be boring as shit." She chuckled.

Six sat down on the cliffside, her legs dangled off the edge as she took in this rare moment of serenity. Moments like these were rare, even more so after her 'trip' to the Madre, that accursed place. Six hasn't had a good night's sleep in days. She reeeeeeaally wanted to sleep. In a bed. Her bed. Her king size bed back in her suite.

Ruby's training was going decently well. She picked up stuff fast, especially if it was something that landed in her field of interest. Others…not so much. But she'd get there with more training. Six thought back to the moment where she asked her to train her. It was certainly something not on her bucket list, and it had them waaaaay out of schedule, but it felt…right? Something like that? For pete's sake, Ruby knew nothing of the world so someone had to teach her right? And that someone just so happened to be Six.

Yeah.

Just a pure coincidence.

"Hey Six!" The high-pitched voice of Ruby shouted from the entrance to the cemetery. Six frowned at her moment being broken so early. "Doc Mitchell said you might be here so I came to che–Wooooaaah…" Ruby stared in awe at the view.

"Why you actin' like that? You've seen this view before."

"I mean, I know. But it gets me every time. It's just so…"

"Breathtaking?"

"Yeah. That." Ruby sat down besides Six, also dangling her legs on the edge.

"We're leaving in an hour or so."

"Oh…okay." Ruby nodded, her disappointment was tangible.

"You can stay if you want. You seemed to like the place. It's peaceful and boring."

Ruby didn't answer, staying looking at the view in front of them. After a minute of silence she spoke up. "No. I'll go with you to Vegas. Looking at it from here, it looks like a cool place to explore."

"And a very dangerous one."

"Yet you decided to take me there."

"I wonder why I did that." Six rolled her eyes.

"Ehhhh don't be like that." Ruby nudged her with her elbow. "Just admit it, you love my company."

"I don't think love is the correct term."

"Whatever you say mailgirl."

"Do. Not. Call me that." Six glared at Ruby

"Okay okay okay." Ruby raised her arms up. "By the way. Why are we going south? There's a road right there." Ruby pointed to the cliffs.

"That place's overrun with cazadores and I don't feel like dealing with giant venomous murder wasps."

Ruby gulped. "Good point."

"We'll take the I-15, through Sloan and Quarry Junction. Then, we're right in Vegas."

"Sounds like a plan." Ruby gave her double thumbs up.

The two continued taking in the view in silence for a while longer, the howling wind being the only source of noise as both stared at the rocky desert with the City of Sin in the horizon.

"Alright." Six sat up. "Time to pack up."

"Okay. I…I'm gonna stay here a little bit longer." Ruby smiled at her.

"Sure. Don't forget to say goodbye to everyone."

"I won't."

Six nodded and walked back to town to gather just a few supplies before leaving Goodsprings once more, and once more with Vegas as her destination.

They were almost there, Six could almost feel her bed. Vegas was on the horizon, Sloan and Quarry Junction (that damned fucking place) were only a couple miles away. Only one more night and they'd be in Vegas. Six could finally rid herself of Ruby and go back to back to just doing her jobs and get paid. Ruby was happily humming a song Six had no idea what it was (it sounded way too fast for her taste) as they went down the destroyed road. Skipping and trotting to the rhythm of the music as her cape flapped to the light breeze.

"Hey Six?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you turn on your radio?"

"What?" Six eyed the teen. How in the hell does she know about the pip-boy's radio…Did I tell her?

"The radio on your pip-boy thingy." She pointed at it. "Doc Mitchell told me it has a radio built into it. Can we please listen to some music? Pleeeeaaase?"

"No." Six redirected her gaze back to the road and her surroundings.

"Pretty pleeeeeease." Ruby pleaded, with her clasping her hands together and shooting those horrid puppy eyes.

How does she do that?! That is NOT natural. "No."

The eyes somehow got bigger.

Must…resist…"No."

"..."

"...FINE!"

"Yay!" Ruby jumped with excitement.

"What's with you and jumping all the time?" Six muttered, annoyed that was so easily defeated by a pair of puppy eyes of all things. Her hand stuttered as it moved to the radio knob on her pip-boy. Breathe. You're not gonna explode. There's no collar there. She took a breath, and turned the knob on the pip-boy. The radio came on with a crackle that sent chills down Six's spine. She quickly selected a station, tuning in to Radio New Vegas where the soothing voice of a certain radio operator.

"Hello ladies and gentlemen. Mr. New Vegas here. You're all so great, we're gonna keep you listening all day. I hope you are having a wonderful afternoon. Because I sure know I am. I got some songs coming up just for you, but first, some news. Tensions are brewing in Freeside between the ruling gang known as the Kings and the large number of NCR squatters seeking refuge there."

Six noticed Ruby's grimace as the sour news went on. Escalation of skirmishes between the Legion and NCR, Fiend activity in Outer Vegas claiming more lives, etc. Nothing new to Six really, the people of the Mojave never liked the NCR, the Kings included, so tensions between the two were an inevitability much like the escalation of skirmishes and death. But to Ruby…She probably isn't used to that. All the death and misery.

Six shook her head. No. She had–no, has to toughen up if she's going to survive out here. Death and misery are constant. If you don't get used to them or adapt you get screwed over, lied to and earn an early shallow grave. That's how it always has been, that's how it will always be.

"But worry not ladies and gentlemen, it's not all doom and gloom out here. You all know how a couple of months back, Goodsprings fended off a mob of escaped convicts after a lone figure took on the convicts alone and that not a couple days later, a hostage crisis between the NCR and Great Khans was resolved peacefully when a third-party negotiator successfully secured the hostages' release. Well, it seems our mysterious benefactor was at it again. My sources say a person clad in old ranger armor aided in the defense of Camp Forlorn Hope against a Legion attack from the town of Nelson. While the NCR remains at a stalemate territory wise, this victory has given Forlorn Hope some much needed breathing room."

Ruby looked at Six, grinning but not saying anything. I hate when she does that.

"Remember my lovely listeners, life may sting you like a radscorpion, but if you look around good enough, you'll find a story worth surviving that sting."

Ruby chuckled. "What does that even mean?

"Ladies and gentlemen, that's all for the news. You know, sometimes the journey beats the destination. Especially if your spurs go Jingle Jangle Jingle, and you meet some nice gals on the way." Ruby's grin turned into a big fat smile as Jingle Jangle Jingle, by Kay Kyser started playing on the air.

"I love this song!" Ruby grabbed onto Six's arm and jumped up and down. "Turn up the volume! Yippie-yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. There will be no weddin' bells for today.~ C'mon Six sing!" Ruby beckoned, not waiting for Six's response as she continued on with the lyrics.

Six rolled her eyes at the sheer display of stupidity that Ruby was just exuding. Singing? Out here? This loud? She's crazy, no, an idiot. Like the radio from the music wasn't already a giant neon sign saying 'PEOPLE HERE COME ROB US!', she just HAD to start singing. She isn't even on the right key! She could end it right now. All it would be needed was for her to turn off the radio and deny Ruby her fun.

She could end it.

It was so easy.

"And they sing, 'Oh, ain't you glad you're single?' And that song ain't so very far from wrooooong!" Ruby scatted along with the trumpets and trombones, the double bass and the drums. She seemed…happy…

It was so easy to end it.

She wasn't going to.

The song came to a close and Ruby laxed her pace. She sighed happily as the radio played another song, but this one not earning a 'dazzling' performance like the former. The both continued to walk in silence, inching ever closer to Sloan and by extension, Vegas.

"Six?" Six hummed. "Thank you."

"For?"

"For all this. I know you'll drop me off with the Followers once we get to Vegas but…" She grew quiet, looking at the road.

"But?"

"But I'm still glad I got to meet you. I know that I annoy you and I'm just a 'dumb sheltered kid', but I wouldn't have made it without you. Despite how weird and infuriating you can also be." Six frowned under the helmet. "Still, I liked traveling with you. Just…Just promise you'll visit." Ruby looked at Six with a smile. She knew that expression, knew it all too well. Masking sadness with a smile.

She sighed, scratching the side of her covered neck. "Y-Yeah…I'll see what I can do. But the trip isn't over yet anyway soo…yeah. I guess we could enjoy it a bit." Six looked away. Why did she feel hot all the sudden? A sudden impact snapped out of the heat question as Ruby was now…hugging her? Uhhh what is she supposed to do? Six froze for a couple seconds before bringing a hand up and awkwardly pat Ruby's head twice. That's an appropriate reaction to this right? Ruby pulled off from the hug (much to Six's relief) and continued on trekking through the road.

For the next hour or so they continued walking, not talking to each other and just listening to the radio. Looking to her right she could see the mountain range of Sloan Canyon. If she remembered right, there was a canyon entrance to Hidden Valley around here somewhere. Maybe? She hasn't been here in a while. Eh, it's not like she'll nee–

"Hum, Six?"

"What's up?"

"Why is there a wolf-person watching us up in the cliffs?"

Six rolled her eyes. "Ruby there aren't any wolf people in the Moj–" Then it dawned on her. "WATCH OUT" Six pushed Ruby to the side as also dove down, dodging the bullet that hit the place she once stood. Quickly scrambling to her feet, she moved to find cover but something else found her first.

A power fist connected with her chest plate, sending her flying backwards.

Six managed to stick the landing by crashing with her side and using the momentum to roll herself up. Her eyes narrowed as she finally took a look at her opponents, Legion assassins. "The Caeser has marked you for death, and the Legion obeys. Now you will serve as an example for those who dare challenge us. Ready yourself for battle!" The praetorian wearing the power fist declared. Besides him were 3 other assassins. By their markings they were all seasoned veterans, probably from both Hoover Dam and the conquests in the East. One, probably a centurion, wielded a thermic lance; the decani wielded a 12.7mm submachine gun and a small lever-action shotgun; and the guy on the cliffs had some sort of sniper rifle.

Abso-fucking-lutely AMAZING. WHY? JUST WHY?!

That guy hit me good so I probably can't get any distance. Kowabunga it is then. Six dropped her satchell which fell with a thump and pulled out That Gun and her hatchet, holding it in a reverse grip. "Ruby, what I tell you, run."

"What?!" Ruby, who was now back up again, exclaimed. "I'm not leav–"

"Do what I fucking tell you." Six said in her stoic voice. "You" she pointed at the praetorian "this time I'll make sure to send your head in a package to Caesar. Maybe this time, he'll finally take the hint and stop sending people to die."

The assassins laughed. "Oh is that what you think? We have you surrounded. You'll die like the vermin you are and I'll carry your head on a pike to the Mighty Imperator. And who knows? Maybe I'll be merciful and just put a collar around the girl's neck."

That was it all it took, faster than anyone could register, Six fired That Gun from the hip, hitting the decanus holding the smg in twice in his left arm. All hell broke loose as the Legion assassins lunged at both Six and Ruby. The praetorian and the decani directed their attacks at Six, while the sole centurion charged at Ruby with his lance.

The praetorian wasted no time getting within striking distance of Six, allowing the Courier to place a 5.56x45 NATO round in his shoulder. The praetorian came in with a high swing, aimed at her head which she narrowly dodged by crouching down. However, this must've been his plan as almost immediately, she felt his knee connect with her chin (thank goodness for the helmet). She rolled to the side, dodging the punch that followed and exploiting the opening to hack at the praetorian's leg, feeling the hatchet sink in his caff. Six hated the Legion, she hated its soldiers, its leader and anyone who'd say anything remotely positive about it. But hot damn she had to admit, these guys are resilient as hell as the guy was still standing! She had to backstep without being able to retrieve the hatchet as she wasn't feeling getting pumped full of lead by the other 2 decani.

Wait…

Praetorian, decani...Where's the centurion?

SHIT

She looked towards Ruby who was trying to fend off the thermic lance wielding centurion. Ruby hadn't drawn Crescent Rose fending off the centurion with only her hunting rifle, grabbing it by the barrel, spinning it like she would with her scythe. She was…surviving…barely, even managing to hit the centurion once or twice. But the veteran warrior was certainly dominating the fight.

The sharp pain of a 12.7mm round piercing her shoulder brought Six's attention back to her own fight. She drew Maria, wielding the 9mm pistol in one hand and That Gun in the other. Impractical? Yeah. Did she need to shoot as much as quickly as possible? Yeah. It also evoked a sense of familiarity. She used the lunging praetorian as a shield, shooting her pistols at the decani behind him. Admittedly, her aim was not the best right now thanks to all the pain but she managed to repeatedly hit the decanus holding the shotgun, causing him to fall to the ground. Problem was, That Gun's cylinder was now empty and that praetorian was back to striking her, and her barely dodging his punches. The various hits she'd suffer up until now were certainly slowing her down but she'd been in worse situations, she'd make it. Six just had to keep it cool and–

BANG

Six fell on her left knee. The throbbing pain from her right thigh kept her from getting up. Goddamn fucking snip– She couldn't even finish cursing in her own mind as the praetorian's power fist connected with her helmet, denting it and breaking on of it's red lenses. Six crashed to the floor, landing on her side. Her vision flickered between being blurred and focused as she saw Ruby be thrown to the ground like a ragdoll. She brought her rifle up, grabbing it by both hands, desperately trying to keep it up as his thermic lance ripped through the rifle's frame. Ruby was going to get hurt, she was going to die or worse if Six didn't do anything.

Six tried, forced herself to keep conscious. The praetorian was probably preparing a final strike.

"LIIICH!" A male voice yelled out.

"Get him a medic god damnit!" Another yelled the command.

What…What was Six seeing right now?

The two people crouched around another laying on the floor, drenched in a pool of its own blood. These people were blurry, Six couldn't make out their faces

Why was she seeing this?

"There's another one!" The first voice shouted, running towards Six. He sounded familiar…warm…something she couldn't describe. The blurred person crouched down, looking at Six. He spoke, but his words were muffled, static and gibberish.

Why? WHY WAS SHE SEEING THIS?

She couldn't explain it, but that person laying on the floor made her feel so sad, so devastated, so guilty.

The person in front of her began to disappear, being taken like sand by the wind. The others did so too. Leaving only the person on the ground.

Leaving only Six and the corpse.

Leaving only her and Lich.

Then he was gone.

She was alone…She is alone.

Ruby! Ruby is still here. She needs help. She needs to make it. She will make it.

Gathered with the last of her resolve and determination, Six rolled to the side, dodging the punch from the praetorian and, using the momentum, she yanked the hatchet from his caff and got up and with all the strength she could muster, threw it at the centurion.

Ruby was fully panicked. She could fight Beowolves, Ursas and pretty much any of the common Grimm in Vale. She could fight against coyotes and Geckos. She could not fight against this person, this weird person in weird armor. Woody was broken, snapped in half, and this-this 'person' was ripping her aura apart with his weird lance. He raised the weapon up, stopping his attack. A look of pure rage and disgust adorned his face. "What kind of witch are you?! You filthy profligate!" He brought his weapon back down with a roar.

Ruby closed her eyes and braced for the impact…which never came. She opened her eyes to see Six's hatchet sinked in her assailant's chest. He dropped his lance, grasping the hatchet before he himself falling down. Ruby looked at the direction from where the hatchet had come and her eyes widened. Six was beaten to a pulp, surrounded by their two remaining attackers.

Ruby met Six's gaze, who only said one word.

"Run."

Ruby didn't want to but her legs didn't obey her. She was running, running away from the fight, away from Six. Then she was using her semblance to move as far and fast as possible. She wasn't even registering where she was going as tears ran down her face.

By the time she stopped she was in a wide area with small hills. She panted and gasped for air, putting her hands on her knees to keep herself from falling down.

And thank the Gods she did that, as the sound of a bullet hitting the ground next to her snapped her attention. That sniper! I need to find cover!

Ruby ran, by either her sheer luck or the sniper's bad aim she wasn't hit. But she was still in the open. Looking at one of those small hill she sprinted towards it, maybe she could use it as a wall of sorts. Upon reaching the hill, Ruby realized, this wasn't a hill, it was a door. An entrance to a bunker if she had to guess. Being between a knife and a hard place she didn't have much time for deliberation. Ruby cracked the wheel on the door and entered the bunker. She was met with a large room filled with containers and another door at the end.

Aaaaaaaand it's locked.

Great! Just fantastic! Okay ruby breathe, breathe. Just like she taught you.

Ruby pulled out a bobby pin and a screwdriver and started picking the lock. Sweat ran down her forehead and her hands wouldn't stop shaking, but she eventually was able to open the door, leading to another large empty room…

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

She shook her head and moved to the door. This one looked different, and the barricades besides it didn't invoke much confidence. Screw it. Ruby opened the door and was finally met with something that wasn't a large empty room with a door. A staircase! Yes! She descended the staircase, she could probably hide inside this bunker somewhere and wait for Six!...She had to be coming right? No way those people got her right?...Right? No, thinking about bad stuff won't help. All she had to do was find a good place to either hide or amb–

"FREEZE"

Ruby's eyes widened in shock as a 7 feet tall man, clad in a bulk suit of armor and wielding a weird clunky rifle, aimed said rifle at her.

"...YOU HAVE TO BE FLIPPING KIDDING ME!"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND THAT'S IT FOR TODAY! Ngl friends, this every 2 weeks update schedule seems like a more feasible thing. Anyway, not much to say other than I need to get better at writing combat. Feel free to leave your feedback in the comments so the story can improve over time and I'll see you all next time. If I don't see you in 2 weeks, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!