Today was the day.
Ruby's heart wouldn't stop pounding from the instant she got out of bed in the morning. Ironically, the only thing that calmed her down was her daily vigilante activities as Spider-Woman. Arguably the most intense part of her day was the part that calmed her down the most.
Maybe it was the repetitive motion that calmed her down or maybe having her mind become occupied by saving lives distracted her enough. Either way, she was grateful for the distraction.
Maybe she could be using her time better by practicing to dance a little more but she had already spent enough time practicing this week. Vale needed a Spider-Woman and practicing dancing was a poor excuse for not doing her job.
She liked to think she had greatly improved her skill since she first started. Thanks to her spider-like agility, she was able to move her body in ways no one else could. That helped a great deal when she practiced her dance moves.
Unfortunately, her Spider-Sense provided approximately zero assistance when dancing was concerned. It wouldn't warn her when she was about to make a wrong move and embarrass herself in front of everyone. That was a bit of a letdown.
While her Spider-Sense didn't help her at all in that regard, not all was completely lost. That spider that bit her also granted her with enhanced perception. Basically, she could take in information and process it much faster than a normal human. It was kinda like a sub-variant of her Spider-Sense.
It really wasn't all that special, it just meant that she could react to things faster even without her Spider-Sense. That would help during the dance, not by much though. She just hoped it would be enough to make up for her lack of skill.
It wasn't the time to be thinking about the dance right now anyway, what with her current predicament and all.
Spider-Woman brought her arms to her sides as she speared through the air and landed in a speeding vehicle by using the sunroof. She landed with a loud thump audible to all the masked men inside.
"Hello there," she greeted with a happy wave. "You mind if I hitch a ride? You take card?"
Instead of waiting for the guns to be pointed at her, she decided to take the initiative for once and strike first. She threw a devastating backhand to her left and nailed one of the men in the face. It failed to knock him out though because his head rebounded on the soft headrest behind him.
She leaned forward to avoid a single bullet that almost struck her aura before firing a glob of webbing coated with earth dust down the barrel of the gun that had fired. The second bullet tried to exit the gun but the webbing in its path prevented such a thing from happening.
Instead, the bullet slammed into the hard stone that had rapidly formed. The result was the barrel of the gun detonating with a loud crack and a bang! Sharp shards of metal flew in all directions with some of them scraping along her aura. The man who fired the gun even got a decent-sized shard lodged into his shoulder.
Spider-Woman took advantage of the distraction and shot her right fist forward and clocked the guy right in the nose. The feeling of the cartilage in his face crunching paired wonderfully with the noise it produced.
"Guh!" He grunted in pain, clutching his now bloody and broken nose. Blood seeped between his fingers and dripped onto his pants, saturating them with a dull red color.
She reacted quickly and shot a ball of sticky webbing onto his face. The result was his hands being adhered to his face, blocking his vision while also removing any way for him to defend himself.
She reacted to her Spider-Sense and threw her head backward into the face of the other man who tried to attack her. Something in his face broke but she wasn't exactly sure what it was. In any case, he was knocked out in an instant.
It was at that moment that the man in the front passenger seat reacted to her presence and pointed a fully automatic assault rifle at her head. Now, Spider-Woman wasn't faster than a bullet but she was faster than the man aiming to fire them, and that was the important part.
In one swift motion, Spider-Woman shot her hand forward, yanked the magazine out of the gun, and emptied the cartridges onto the floor. The man pulled the trigger half a second later and fired the single round that was still in the chamber. The bullet bounced harmlessly off her aura and ricocheted into a window, not shattering it but leaving a large hole in it as well as some cracks.
She grabbed the body of the gun and pushed it into the man's face with incredible force. Having 15 pounds of carbon steel smashing into your face by hands that could lift a bus tended to hurt quite a bit.
However, the man likely didn't feel any pain considering he was knocked out as soon as the gun made contact.
"Worst taxi ever! These seats are way too uncomfortable!" She quipped.
Spider-Woman may not be the smartest person in the world but she knew that attacking the man driving the car while she was in the car wasn't the smartest idea.
Instead, Spider-Woman kicked herself out through the sunroof and flipped herself forward into the path of the speeding vehicle. She briefly caught sight of a few police cars chasing the speeding vehicle before she focused her attention on the task at hand.
Spider-Woman landed on the asphalt with a loud crash, shards of the road exploded from beneath her heels as she braced for impact. The car smashed against her much smaller frame, buckling and warping around her body as she was smashed clean off her feet. She brought her heels down on the asphalt as hard as she dared, using all her might to push the car back.
The asphalt beneath her feet was being shredded from the road as she was pushed along. She could feel her aura draining with each passing second. "I hope you know that I'm rating this taxi zero stars!" She yelled to the driver as she gave one final mighty push to the front bumper. The car came to a screeching halt, tires smoking and rubber peeling. The criminal in the driver's seat was clearly still trying to speed away, if the still spinning tires were to be believed. Her nose scrunched up as the powerful odor of burning rubber worked its way up her nostrils. Luckily, the driver gave up after a few seconds.
Of course, it couldn't just end there. The driver's side door opened and the criminal made to sprint away from her. Obviously, Spider-Woman didn't take too kindly to that and ejected a web line at the man's back. She held on tight as the line went taut and the man lurched forward. Spider-Woman began reeling the man in while he tried desperately to crawl away.
"Hey! I caught one!" She yelled, happily. She really wanted to go fishing again. Maybe she would be able to drag Yang along with her. "This one's a fighter!"
Once the criminal was close enough, Spider-Woman spun a large think net of webbing around the man to render him immobile. She placed an extra glob of webbing on his mouth to keep him silent.
"Done and done. You can thank your friendly neighborhood Spider-Woman!"
She tossed the man on the ground and watched him wiggle in his cocoon like a caterpillar. It was quite funny but also useless.
Deciding that being shot at was not on her list of things to do, Spider-Woman took to the skies again leaving the police to clean up the mess. She briefly caught an annoyed look from one of them when he looked up at the swinging hero.
"You're welcome!" She yelled down below.
She tugged on a thick line of webbing to launch herself high above the buildings. Once she was satisfied, she unfolded her web wings and glided softly through the skies of Vale.
She told Yang that she would drop by today to try the new dress that Weiss had ordered. Unfortunately for the young spider, her duties as Spider-Woman had intervened with those plans slightly. She never told Yang what time she'd be there but the HUD in her mask told her it was getting pretty late. The dance was in a few hours and she had no idea if her new dress would fit her.
Well… Weiss was the one who commissioned it and that girl was a perfectionist so everything would work out in that department. The only thing she was really concerned about was her dancing skills. She had practiced a lot but would it be enough? Being graceful in a fight swinging a heavy death-scythe was very different from being graceful on the dance floor.
Her Spider-Sense buzzed and she twisted her body in impossible ways to glide away from a building she almost smashed into. She saw the looks from all the occupants as she glided along the glass exterior.
"Keep up the good work everyone!" She yelled while dragging her hand along the glass.
Spider-Woman pointed her head down and dove straight down to the streets below. She began twisting like a corkscrew for added flair while focusing on her Spider-Sense. She ejected a web at the corner of a building when her sixth-sense flared up and swung right back up, far away from danger.
"Ahhh… this is the life," the spider sighed in content. "Nothing better than saving the day and swinging through the city." Spider-Woman smiled and expelled some venom from her feet to propel herself further ahead. Her venom used up a lot of energy but she was getting better at using it more efficiently.
Her venom powers also saved her money because now she didn't need to buy electric dust for her web-shooters anymore. Shame she couldn't use it with Crescent Rose unless she wanted to expose her identity.
Her mask started ringing as she swung off a flagpole and displayed Yang's name on the HUD. She answered it without a second thought.
"Hey, Yang," Spider-Woman answered.
"Ruby? Are you on your way? I want you to try on this dress before the dance," Yang asked.
"Uhh." Spider-Woman kicked off a building and snapped her gaze to the left when her Spider-Sense flared. She saw a woman getting mugged by two men in an alleyway. "I'm… a little busy right now but I'll be there as soon as I can."
Spider-Woman fired two web lines toward buildings on either side of her and pulled herself straight into the alley. She landed with a thud right as the muggers were finished taking the lady's stuff.
"Busy? Busy doing what? Tonight is very important Ruby. Don't tell me you're trying to run and hide."
Spider-Woman dashed forward and ducked underneath a knife that was aiming to slash into her neck before swiping the man's feet out from under him. "No! Of course not! Do you seriously think I'd do that?!"
"Yes."
Damn, Yang had a point, as much as she hated to admit. This was the exact type of event that Ruby Rose would try to avoid. Any event that involved interacting with people was an event that she would try her best to get out of. Or at least leave as soon as possible.
Spider-Woman was about to web the man to the ground before the second man wrapped his large arms around her and held her tightly so she couldn't escape.
"Look, I already promised him I'd go with him," Spider-Woman said as the first mugger was getting to his feet. "I wouldn't back out after making a promise."
"Hmm," Yang didn't sound convinced. "Alright, fine," she relented. Not because she believed her, but because she couldn't do anything about it if she was lying. "What time do you think you'll get here?"
"Uhh…" Spider-Woman's Spider-Sense warned her of the knife in the first criminal's hand while the second held her in place. "Hard to say." Spider-Woman lifted her foot from the ground and kicked the knife right out of his hand. She then adhered her feet to the floor and reached behind her, breaking the man's grasp with ease. "I don't know how long this will take." She stuck her fingers to the large man's torso and flipped him over her before tossing him at the criminal who was scrambling for his knife.
The large man impacted the smaller man and sent them both to the ground.
"What are you doing anyway?"
"Fighting crime."
"Ruby, seriously," Yang dismissed the truth in an instant.
"Just taking care of some personal business." Spider-Woman caught the knife that was thrown at her in between two fingers before snapping the blade with ease. "Nothing to worry about." She unleashed a thick web net at the two downed muggers that bound them to the cold hard ground.
"Just… try to get here soon, Ruby," Yang grumbled. Why was Yang so pushy about this?
"I'll try. Love you." Spider-Woman hung up the call before Yang could say anything else. Spider-Woman looked at the woman to see her picking up her purse to see if any belongings were missing.
"Are you okay, Ma'am?" Spider-Woman asked politely. The woman didn't look injured, just a little shaken up. Still, it was always best to ask. She wasn't a doctor and she couldn't identify injuries very well.
"I-I'm fine… Thank you, Spider-Woman." The woman bowed her head. "You saved me."
Spider-Woman flushed under her mask and rubbed the back of her head. "No problem at all miss. Just doing my job." Spider-Woman kicked off the ground with immense strength and pulled herself through the skies with her webs.
"Being Spider-Woman is starting to affect my personal life," she spoke under her breath. "The comic books don't teach you how to deal with this." Spider-Woman unfolded her web wings and glided through the skies. "I think the city is safe for now. I should be able to go to Beacon now."
The gods that seemed to have an unhealthy obsession with fucking with her decided to make their presence known at that moment. Her Spider-Sense buzzed loudly, indicating some danger. Spider-Woman groaned. "Ugh… Dammit."
Not able to ignore someone in need, Spider-Woman swung into action.
"I'm here!" Ruby didn't even bother knocking when she burst through the door of team PWBY's dorm room. Weiss looked to be in the bathroom finishing up her makeup while Blake was adjusting the finer points of her dress. Penny was vibrating with excitement which was nothing new for her.
Two powerful arms grabbed Ruby's shoulders and pulled her close. "Ruby!" Yang yelled. "Where the hell were you?!"
Ruby began to stutter. "I… I-I was…"
"Never mind!" Yang dismissed. "We only have a half hour to get you ready! Get your butt in the shower and wash up. Don't be shy in using Weiss' expensive shampoo. I do it all the time."
"You WHAT!" Weiss shrieked. "So that's why my shampoo is running out faster than usual. Don't use my expensive shampoo!"
Yang grabbed Ruby's bag from her, shoved her into the bathroom, and yanked Weiss out before slamming the door shut behind her. Ruby stumbled and found purchase on the sink.
Damn! I'm cutting it close.
After spending a good two minutes trying to figure out how their shower worked, Ruby hopped in and scrubbed down every inch of her body. She could see why Yang liked using Weiss' shampoo, it was really high-quality stuff.
All the sweat and grime from a hard day as Spider-Woman washed down the drain. It was absurd how dirty she got despite having her entire body covered up.
Ruby exited the bathroom while rubbing a towel on her head to rid her hair of the moisture. She caught Weiss assisting Penny with her dress before Yang grabbed her arm and hauled her back into the bathroom.
"Hey! Yang!" Ruby complained. "What are you-?"
Yang placed her finger over Ruby's lips to silence her. "Shhh… All in good time my dearest sister," Yang whispered.
Ruby furrowed her brow while Yang just smirked. Yang produced a small box from behind her. The box was black with a pure white Schnee Dust Company logo on the center of the lid.
Ruby's eyes widened. "I-Is that…"
Yang lifted the lid of the box and revealed one of the most beautifully crafted pieces of cloth Ruby had ever seen in her life. Ruby shakily reached into the box and pulled out her brand-new dress.
The dress was simpler than she expected it to be, but that didn't mean it was simple, not even close. The dress was red with the only exception being the black flower design scattered across various points of the cloth. The dress had slits on the sides that were either designed to free her movements or just to show off more leg. Either way, Ruby found herself flushing.
There were two gloves that came with the dress. They were all black with a white flower design at the base. The gloves were even longer than the gloves for her spider suit. These gloves rested on her bicep while her spider glove rested on her forearm. The cloth felt so delicate that she was afraid it would tear just by looking at it.
"Well?" Yang asked in eager anticipation. "How does it look?"
Ruby was really at a loss for words. The dress looked so pretty she was unsure if it wouldn't be wasted on her. It looked like a dress that belonged on a noble of high society or something. Not a nerdy girl from Patch. Still, she couldn't say for sure unless she tried it on.
"I… I don't know," she stuttered. "It looks beautiful but… will it really suit me?"
Yang had little stars in her eyes. Almost like she had been waiting for this moment for her entire life. "Of course it will! A pretty dress for a pretty girl. Now, let's try it on!"
Ruby obliged and started climbing into the dress. She had to be extra careful to not tear the fabric into pieces with her super strength. Not that the fabric was weak or anything, it was just her being cautious considering this was the only one she had. Didn't hurt to be super careful.
The dress even came with specialty-made underwear! Weiss really went all out with this thing. Everything was taken into consideration and crafted with delicate hands to the finest detail. She couldn't find a single flaw even with her incredible eyesight.
The simplicity of the dress actually helped in making sure it was easy to get into. There weren't any complicated steps to make sure the dress was perfectly secured. It just worked.
The gloves didn't squeeze her arms too badly and rested comfortably halfway up her bicep. Flexing her arm didn't damage the gloves in any way which was a huge plus. The flower design on them was also very cute.
The dress even had a cute little black bow tie right above her breasts.
Of course, there was one thing about the dress that Ruby wished she could just burn. That being the torturous black high heels that she was currently trying to destroy with her furious glare. Well… they were actually called pumps but who cares?
Ruby turned to Yang and opened her mouth to speak.
"Yes," Yang beat her to it, already knowing exactly what she was going to ask. "You have to wear them." Ruby pouted. "Sorry Rubes, but you're not wearing sneakers to your first dance."
Ruby grumbled something about her sister enjoying torturing her before begrudgingly slipping the heels onto her feet and standing up. All things considered, the heels weren't too uncomfortable due to the padding she could feel with her toes. Maybe Yang had asked Weiss to make them more comfortable for her. Still, walking in them for hours was sure to drive her crazy.
Yang pulled out her scroll and checked the time. "Okay, we have 15 minutes. That's plenty of time to get your makeup done."
Ruby immediately went into panic mode. "M-Makeup?!" Ruby started backing to the door, ready to bolt. "Y-You're kidding right?!"
Yang grabbed Ruby's wrist and refused to let go. Ruby actually debated snapping her wrist to escape. "Nope! Not joking my darling baby sister. Don't worry though, we're only gonna use a tiny bit. I'm actually wearing some right now."
Really? Ruby couldn't tell… Well... now that she was looking a bit closer she could definitely see some makeup on Yang's face. It was incredibly subtle, almost invisible. All it did was hide the microscopic imperfections in Yang's face. The only reason that Ruby didn't notice before was because Yang was already so flawlessly beautiful that the makeup practically did nothing to improve her appearance.
"Ngghh! Fine…" Ruby relented. If wearing a tiny bit of makeup would make Yang happy then Ruby would oblige. It wouldn't be the end of the world.
Yang smiled from ear to ear when Ruby said yes. Ruby made Yang promise to only use a little bit though. Ruby gave her an inch and refused to give her any more.
Yang promised and got to work. The process went surprisingly fast, only taking about five minutes from start to finish. Yang only messed with her eyelashes a bit and dabbed her cheeks with a thick brush. She also took the opportunity to style her hair quickly and spritz some perfume onto her neck and wrists for some reason.
"And… done," Yang sighed with a smile. She looked really proud of herself. "Oh! Wait a second! You said you wanted to wear Mom's rose to the dance right?"
Oh, right! Ruby almost forgot. "Yeah, it's in my bag." Yang exited the bathroom and went to grab the rose. Ruby was extremely grateful in that moment that she didn't put her spider suit in the bag. She just hid it on some random rooftop in Vale so no one could find it.
Yang returned 30 seconds later with the small rose in hand. "Hold still." Yang gently ran her fingers through Ruby's hair before clipping the accessory into the perfect place. "That's it. All done." Yang wiped some imaginary sweat from her brow.
Ruby looked at the mirror to examine herself in her dress. What she saw nearly caused her jaw to hit the floor. Ruby had never looked so girly in her life, it was quite the new experience for her and one that she quite enjoyed if she was being honest with herself.
The dress fit snugly along her entire body and hugged her womanly curves in all the right ways. The beautiful red rose in her hair somehow managed to bring everything together perfectly despite its size.
She particularly liked the flower design that adorned the dress and gloves. It fit with the theme she was going for on top of looking adorable.
There was just one problem.
Ruby placed her hand over her chest to cover the keyhole cutout that exposed a small portion of her cleavage. It wasn't a lot by any means but it was enough to make her cheeks burn red.
"W-Was this cutout really necessary?!" Ruby stammered, cheeks burning hotter and hotter. She never wore anything this revealing in her entire life! Yang on the other hand wore this kinda stuff every day!
"Of course it is, Ruby," Yang said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Ruby wasn't convinced, however.
"Really?" Ruby's eyes narrowed. Her cheeks still beet red.
"Of course! It gives Jaune easy access," Yang chirped.
"E-Easy access? What does-?" Ruby's eyes widened as she slowly understood what Yang meant. Her already red cheeks became so red that they perfectly blended in with her dress. "Y-Y-Yaaang!" Ruby pounded her tiny fists on Yang's chest in embarrassment.
Yang pinched Ruby's cheek and lightly tugged. "No funny business tonight, Ruby. I'm not ready to be an aunt just yet."
Ruby felt her soul start to escape her body. Her soul was forced back in once she heard knocking coming from the front door.
Oh god! I'm not ready!
Yang slung her arm around Ruby's shoulder and led her out of the bathroom right as Blake was opening the door. Ruby sent a quick glance toward the window and debated making a break for it. She stopped when she heard Blake call out Sun's name.
"Good evening, Sun." Blake looked him up and down. "Looking sharp. Glad to see you're actually wearing a shirt tonight. It looks good on you." Blake stepped aside so Sun could step into the room.
"You're looking quite beautiful yourself, Blake," Sun complimented the feline faunus. He looked down at his tuxedo. "Yeah, I wanted to wear something a little more comfortable but Neptune forced me into this."
Weiss popped up from behind Blake. "W-Where is Neptune anyway?" Weiss flushed.
"I'm right here," a new voice called from behind the monkey faunus. A boy who Ruby hadn't seen before walked into the room. He had the brightest blue hair Ruby had ever seen in her life. He looked quite handsome in his suit. This must've been Weiss' date. "Wow, Weiss. You're as beautiful as ever."
Weiss covered her mouth with her fingers. "Oh my, you're such a charmer. You're looking quite dashing if I do say so myself," Weiss flirted with the young man.
Neptune smiled and thumbed at his lapels. "Why thank you. I thought about getting the dark blue one but it seems I made the right choice."
Sun slung his arm over his friend. "Dude, you're hair is the brightest blue I've ever seen. You need some variety in your style."
Neptune narrowed his eyes but smirked. "And you need to learn to use the buttons on your shirt. I mean seriously."
"Hey!" Sun looked appalled. "I may have moved to Mistral but I grew up in Vacuo. It's not exactly a shirt and tie kinda place." Sun tugged at his collar. "I feel like I'm suffocating in this thing."
Neptune patted Sun's back. "Don't be such a baby." He turned back to Weiss. "Well then. Shall we be off?" Neptune offered his arm to Weiss.
Weiss linked her arm with Neptune's as he led her out the door.
What the hell did I just see?
Ruby pinched her arm just to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Nope, totally awake. Weiss never acted like that before. Not that she hung around Weiss all that often anyway but still. She must really like that guy.
Sun took a cue from Neptune and offered his arm to Blake. The action was stiff and very forced. Blake noticed this and giggled under her breath. Sun noticed and grimaced. He was about to pull his arm away before Blake linked hers around his.
"Let's be off then." Blake smiled and led him out of the room.
And Blake actually looks happy instead of gloomy for once? The world is ending.
Penny was still vibrating with excitement. Ruby wondered if the odd girl had a date. She was quite the character but she was really cute. It would be odd if no one asked her.
Penny zipped over to Yang. "I shall go on ahead to the dance. I shall see you there after your duties are complete." Penny saluted Yang. "Farewell!"
And with that, Penny was gone.
Ruby tilted her head to Yang. "Duties?" She asked quizzically.
Yang scratched her cheek. "I was assigned to stand at the entrance of the dance hall and check in students who pass through. Weiss will hold the fort until I get there. If I take too long then Weiss won't shut up about it."
That sounded like hell to Ruby.
Yang patted her baby sister on her head. "I'll see you at the dance. Don't have too much fun with Jaune before you get there."
Ruby flushed as Yang skipped out of the room with a satisfied smile.
Leaving Ruby all alone.
…
…
…
What now?
There was really nothing to do except wait for Jaune. He should be almost ready. Ruby decided to pass the time by plopping her butt on Yang's bed and playing with the handheld console sitting on her pillow. Yang wouldn't mind. She hoped.
Her mind started to wander as her fingers danced across the device. Thoughts of everything that has happened over the last few months. Getting bitten by a spider that gave her superpowers. Having to hide her abilities to protect herself and her family. Becoming a vigilante to protect the kingdom. Battling Roman Torchwick and almost getting killed. It was a lot to process.
Come to think of it, she hadn't actually located Torchwick yet. She placed that tracker on him and could find him at any time. Things have just been really hectic lately that she couldn't find the time to do it yet.
Guess I might as well figure out where the asshole is. Gonna have to do it at some point.
Ruby felt her Spider-Sense hum in her skull. She pulsed her Spider-Sense but refused to release it. She felt the pressure of her incredible sixth sense build up in her head. It started to hurt after a few seconds but she chose to keep going.
She only stopped once she was certain that it was enough. With one final grunt of exertion, she released the pressure in her skull and allowed her Spider-Sense to blast in every direction. The relief was immediate as all the pressure in her skull vanished in an instant. It was like it was never there in the first place.
It only took half a second before her Spider-Sense gently tugged her attention to the southeast. She felt it latch onto her spider tracer and refuse to let go. At least that meant that her tracers were working just fine.
"The tracer is to the southeast of Beacon. What's down there again?" Ruby powered off the game console and pulled out her scroll to look up a map of Vale. "Let's see here. To the south of Beacon is a big heap of nothing for miles and miles. Not until... until... oh crap."
There was only one thing of significance south of Beacon. The place had been abandoned for many years now. It was Vale's first real attempt at expansion and it ended in a complete and total failure.
"He's at Mountain Glenn."
Why on Remnant would Torchwick be hiding at Mt. Glenn? Sure, it was decently far away from Vale so no one could find him, but it was also overrun with incredibly powerful Grimm. More powerful than anything she had fought before and more powerful than anything in the Emerald Forest or the outskirts of Vale. Was Mt. Glenn really the best place to hide out?
Or maybe he was there for a reason.
She didn't really know a lot about Mt. Glenn. Only that it was a failed expansion effort and that the place was overrun with Grimm. She would have to do some research later.
"How am I going to get there anyway? It's not too far but it's not close either. I guess I could just run there. I can run at 200mph consistently and make it there pretty quickly. Using my Semblance the whole way would get me there much faster but that would be way too draining on my aura. It's better to pace myself."
Ruby dulled the connection to the spider tracer so her Spider-Sense would stop buzzing. She looked out the window and up at the shattered moon. Its captivating brilliance shone brightly into her silver eyes.
"I don't wanna go to Mt. Glenn…" Ruby pouted under her breath. "I just wanna stay home and play video games," she complained to the sky despite knowing it wouldn't answer her prayers. She fiddled with her fingers while pondering her situation.
I might have to pack a small bag with some supplies. I might be there a while, maybe even overnight. Don't know how I'm gonna explain that to Dad.
Ruby had seen pictures of Mt. Glenn on the internet a few times. They were depressing to look at. So many amazing things that were completely destroyed because of the Grimm. She had a feeling it would look worse in person. Not like she had much of a choice in going.
The soft sound of someone rapping their knuckles on the door pulled her from her pondering. She'd have to worry about Torchwick another time. Ruby twisted the handle and gently pulled open the door.
"Hello," she greeted. "Can I… oh… J-Jaune?"
Oh right, the dance. How silly of me to forget, ahaha… I think I'm going to pass out.
"H-Hey R-Ruby," Jaune greeted with a smile. He opened his mouth to continue only for his words to clog in his throat as he laid his eyes upon her.
Ruby could only stare at Jaune, her cheeks darkening. His outfit was quite similar to the standard Beacon uniform but she could tell that it was much higher quality. The tuxedo was much more snug on his frame and the standard tie was replaced with a much smaller bowtie. The colors were also darker, not by a lot but it was noticeable.
His hair was still shaggy and all over the place, though she could tell that he tried to do something to fix it. His hair looked quite thick so it must've been harder to style. She didn't mind in the slightest.
He looked very handsome.
What do I say!? I guess I'm supposed to compliment him or something? I don't know how this works!
"H-Hey Jaune. You look g-great!" She yelled that last part a little too loudly. Great, now he's gonna think I'm crazy.
"Oh… w-wow," Jaune whispered. His cheeks started glowing red. "Y-You're… really beautiful."
Ruby felt like her heart was going to explode. The way he said that with such earnestness and awe in his voice made her already red cheeks illuminate even brighter.
"U-Um… T-Thank you," Ruby squeaked bashfully, forcing out her reply in spite of her obvious embarrassment. She tried to calm down her racing heart with no success.
"W-Well then," Jaune continued. "Are you ready?"
Nope, Ruby thought.
"Yep," Ruby said.
Ruby shut the door behind her and walked side by side with Jaune to the ballroom. They occasionally passed a few students dressed up for the event rushing to pick up their dates as well as a few students who weren't dressed up at all, presumably because they either couldn't get dates or just didn't want to go.
Ruby immediately hated her damn heels. They were so awkward to walk in and put too much pressure on her toes. She actually had to push her aura into her feet to reduce the pressure. Why would anyone willingly wear these things?
Jaune seemed to notice her discomfort and looked a little panicked. "Are you okay? If you want to call it off I'll underst-"
"No!" Ruby squeaked loudly in her panic, causing Jaune to flinch. "S-Sorry," she rushed to apologize. "No, I don't want to call it off. I'm just not used to walking in heels and they're a little uncomfortable."
Jaune looked relieved. "Oh, that's good to hear," he said before stiffening. "I-I mean it's not good that you're uncomfortable but it's good that I didn't screw up already."
Ruby laughed quietly into her glove. "Come on Jaune, you're not that bad. It hasn't even been ten minutes," she punched his arm lightly.
Jaune sighed in relief. "Why are you wearing those anyway if you hate them so much?" Jaune looked down at her feet encased in hellish heels.
"Yang forced me into them," Ruby admitted with a pout. "If it were up to me I would be wearing sneakers. Being barefoot is preferable to this."
"I feel ya," Jaune said, kicking his own shoes together. "These dress shoes aren't the most comfortable thing either." They didn't look that bad, at least not compared to her heels.
Ruby sighed. "I'll manage. It's only for one night anyway." Ruby clicked her heels together. "Then I can burn these damn things."
The sadistic look on her face made Jaune laugh.
The cool night breeze buffeted her tiny frame as they exited the school. Ruby placed a hand on her hair to keep it from becoming too frazzled in the breeze. She used her other hand to keep the bottom of her dress in one place.
"It's pretty cold tonight," Jaune said. "Reminds me of home," he smiled.
"Hmm?" Ruby quirked a curious eyebrow. "Lots of cold nights back at home?" Jaune nodded and Ruby smiled. "I love nights like this," Ruby continued. "I can't stand the heat but I love colder weather. There's nothing quite like a soothing cool breeze while laying down under the stars."
It reminded her of simpler days. Back when her biggest worries were homework and her overbearing sister. Back when she could spread out a blanket under the stars and just stare at them for hours with her mother.
Ruby shook her head, not wanting to get too lost in thought. She could remember the good old days another time. Right now she had more important matters to attend to.
Despite wanting to kick the nearest wall to break her heels, Ruby trudged along next to Jaune to the ballroom. Thankfully, her spider powers came with an enhanced sense of balance. Very useful when she was running on walls or walking along a web line. So staying balanced wasn't an issue, it was just uncomfortable.
She could feel the vibrations from the loud music in her feet as they approached the ballroom. Various multicolored lights shone from the windows and illuminated the stone pathway. Ruby could already feel her social anxiety flare up in a desperate attempt to get her to go home. She ignored it and continued forward.
Jaune – being a gentleman – opened the door for her and allowed her to step inside. He followed right behind her before the door closed with a soft click. Yang was stationed right at the entrance greeting guests just like she said.
"Welcome!" Yang said with a cheerful smile before she realized who had entered. "Ruby!" Yang vaulted over the podium and pulled her sister's head into her bosom. "My sweet darling baby sister! I almost thought you were gonna try to make a break for it."
Ruby just grumbled into her sister's chest while keeping her hands to her side. Ruby would never tell Yang that she did almost make a break for it. She would never let her live it down.
Yang gently pushed away from Ruby to look behind her at her date who was still standing there awkwardly. Jaune stiffened as Yang seemed to judge him with her eyes.
"Hmm, not bad, Lover Boy. You clean up nicely," Yang's compliment seemed genuine. "My sister found a real noodle in shining armor."
Jaune's eye twitched "Gee thanks. Could've done without that second comment."
Yang slapped Jaune's back. "Come on now, it's my job to provide commentary. No one else is as funny and charming as me."
"And humble too," Ruby added with a roll of her eyes.
"Damn right!" Yang cheered. Ruby had to wonder if Yang recognized her sarcasm or not. "But enough about my incredibly charming self." Yang slapped her palms together. "Come on, I need to take some pictures!" Yang reached into her pocket and pulled out her scroll.
Ruby knew there was no getting out of taking pictures. Yang would sooner chop off her own arm than let this moment not be captured forever.
I also want those pictures too.
Ruby adjusted her bow tie and made sure the rose in her hair was straight. It wouldn't do for her to look messy in her very first dance photo.
"Alright you two," Yang said, positioning her scroll. "Now, kiss."
Ruby's and Jaune's eyes widened and their cheeks burned a bright red. Yang took the moment when she was at the peak of her embarrassment to take the picture.
Ruby dashed over to Yang with Semblance-enhanced speed and reached for Yang's scroll. Unfortunately for the silver-eyed spider, Yang already knew that she would attempt that and held her scroll high above her head. Far out of reach.
"Y-Yang! Delete that picture!" Ruby pleaded.
"Nope," Yang said with a smirk. "I'm burning this picture into my eyelids forever."
Ruby let out a high-pitched whine of defeat, knowing that she wasn't going to win that battle. Yang probably already saved the photo and emailed it to herself just to ensure that no one could ever separate it from her.
Yang spent the next few minutes taking pictures of them. She eventually relented and stopped if only because she knew she would get an opportunity to take pictures of them on the dance floor soon.
"Alright, alright, I'm done… for now," Yang pocketed her scroll. "Go have fun you two. Be careful though, I'm gonna tear up the dance floor as soon as I'm done here." Yang spun on her heel with the grace of a trained dancer.
Oh yeah, I spent all that time learning how to dance. I really hope my training pays off, at least a little bit.
Without Yang to distract her, she had the opportunity to examine the entire ballroom. Team PWBY did a really good job setting the whole thing up. Yang even managed to get away with adding a disco ball above the center of the dance floor.
Her only complaint was the lack of color. She had a sneaking suspicion that was Weiss' doing. The colors present were mainly faded red and blue with a bit of white here and there.
It looked like Yang kept Weiss and Blake as far away from snack duty as possible considering that the snack table looked like it actually had good tasting food. Ruby would've shoved Blake's head in the punch bowl if she saw any sushi. There were traditional snacks like pretzels and chips in large plastic bowls along with fruit punch that was standard at any gathering like this.
The dance floor was occupied by many dates dancing with upbeat music in the background. Few of the dancers were particularly good, Neptune being a prime example of a bad dancer. Weiss looked like she couldn't care less and was having the time of her life. Ruby had never seen her look so happy. She briefly spotted Blake and Sun dancing in the crowd before losing them in the swarm of people.
"Let's get something to drink," Jaune offered. "Then we can dance."
Ruby smiled ear to ear. "Sounds like a plan!"
They had to swerve around a couple of people before they made it to the snack table. The bowls were still loaded with a wide assortment of wildly unhealthy snacks. The perfect snacks in her opinion.
Ruby quickly got two red solo cups and pulled the ladle out of the punch bowl. The deep red liquid looked delicious as it overflowed into the ladle and spilled back into the bowl.
Ruby was about to pour herself a healthy serving before her Spider-Sense buzzed at the last second. She pulled the ladle away and narrowed her eyes.
What the hell? Why did my Spider-Sense just go off?
Ruby placed her cup down and brought the ladle to her nose. The drink smelled fruity and sugary as it should, but there was also a hint of spice as well as a woody notes to the smell. The smell was only enhanced with her incredible sense of smell.
Dammit, someone spiked this.
Ruby tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at her big sister who was watching them. Yang stiffened and whistled innocently while pretending to examine her nails for any damage.
Ruby sighed and plopped the ladle back into the punch bowl with a defeated groan. My enhanced metabolism would be able to handle this with no problem but I'm still underage. Not to mention I hate the taste of alcohol.
Jaune looked at her quizzically. "Something wrong?" He asked with a smile.
"Yang spiked the punch bowl," she gestured to the offending beverage. "Don't know what's in it though."
Jaune leaned down to sniff the punch bowl and scrunched his nose when the pungent smell of alcohol slithered its way up his nose. "Ngh," he recoiled in disgust. "Yep, that's spiked alright." He turned away and coughed into his sleeve. "How do you know it was Yang?"
"Because I'm not dumb," Ruby said flatly. "It's always Yang who makes a mess."
"Fair point," Jaune relented, taking a chip from the bowl and crunching it between his teeth. "This happened before?"
"Oh yeah, many times. She even did it at the wedding of one of our neighbors. One of the children there had some and thought it tasted funny. His parents took one sip and everyone immediately blamed Yang."
Jaune laughed. "Ha! She was blamed without a second thought? That's funny." Jaune reached for the pretzels. "My sisters were never like that. We had our troublemakers, sure, but the worst they did was place cling wrap over the toilet seat."
"Ptff," Ruby giggled into her glove. "How'd you take that?"
"My dad, actually. I was spared." Jaune laughed just thinking about it. "I've never seen my mom laugh that hard."
They both shared a laugh together. It was amazing to Ruby how quickly they could fall into their usual rhythm and all her anxiety would wash away in an instant. It didn't feel like a date, it just felt like two best friends laughing with each other.
They simply talked like that for the next few minutes. Talked about nothing in particular while snacking on various confectioneries. They were both having the time of their lives.
Jaune eventually wiped his hands clean with a napkin and offered it to the young Huntress. "Would the fair lady do me the honor of accompanying me to the dance floor?"
A smile graced Ruby's lips while her cheeks flushed a bright pink. She gently placed her gloved fingers into Jaune's much larger hand. "Why, it would be my honor."
Jaune gently escorted her to the dance floor with their fingers intertwined. Her heels clicked on the vinyl with each step that would've echoed if it weren't for the music.
Here's hoping all that dancing practice will pay off.
"Have you ever danced before?" Jaune asked as he took his position.
"Well…" Ruby flushed. "N-No… not technically." Ruby scratched her cheek. "Not unless you consider dancing around Grimm with Crescent Rose before slicing them into ribbons dancing?"
Jaune laughed. "I don't, believe it or not."
"B-But I've been practicing all week! So… maybe I've gotten better… maybe." Ruby looked dejected as her eyes dropped to the floor. The only things I really have going for me are my enhanced reaction time and incredible reflexes. When it comes to pure skill, I'm severely lacking.
Jaune reached down and softly took her other hand. "Well then, that just means I'll have to teach you. I may not look it, but I can tear up a dance floor."
Ruby tittered. "Oh yeah? Prove it," she dared the blonde Huntsman.
Jaune smirked. Without warning, Jaune tugged on Ruby's arms, pulling the small huntress into his chest causing her to blush fiercely. He placed his right hand on her lower back while keeping his left hand intertwined with her right.
Ruby's brain started to fizzle and die at the feeling of her face against Jaune's chest.
Oh… wow. He's quite muscular, isn't he? Guess all that training I put him through wasn't for nothing. And now I'm reaping the benefits. N-No! Bad Ruby!
"J-Jaune?" Ruby managed to squeak out despite her evident embarrassment.
"Just follow my lead," Jaune whispered. "Move your feet along with mine and let me guide you through the motions."
Ruby finally looked up into Jaune's eyes and noticed the sheer amount of confidence that he seemed to possess. The look in his eyes was enough for her to trust him.
"Al-Alright…" Ruby tightened her grip on Jaune's hand. She drowned out all other stimuli and focused on the soft rhythmic beat of the music and Jaune.
Jaune made the first move and Ruby did her best to emulate his fancy footwork and move along with him without stepping on his feet. Her movements were incredibly stiff to the surprise of no one. But she succeeded in staying upright despite her heels.
Jaune took a step back and Ruby stayed in line by stepping forward. Dancing wasn't as hard as she was expecting it to be. She knew that their dancing was incredibly simple but she was doing a pretty good job. She knew that it was only so easy because Jaune was being so patient with her.
Jaune continued going through the basic motions with Ruby getting more and more comfortable with her steps. Jaune mixed it up a little by adding slightly different movements into his moves. Movements that Ruby picked up on immediately and adapted to. Being able to adapt in a fight was essential for a Huntress, it seems that skill extended to the dance floor as well.
"Faster," Ruby requested once she was sure she wouldn't step on Jaune's feet.
Jaune quirked an eyebrow. "You sure?" Ruby nodded. Jaune took that as his confirmation to pick up the pace. Both of their movements sped up and stayed in perfect sync. Ruby's dress and hair twirled when she spun on her heel with the increased speed.
Their movements were fluid, a seamless connection of two souls lost in the rhythm of the music. His hand rested lightly on the small of her back, guiding her with practiced ease, while her other hand found its place on his shoulder, their bodies instinctively moving in perfect harmony.
Jaune's breathing became slightly labored as a thin sheen of sweat formed on his forehead. His sweat mixed with his cologne, producing a scent that Ruby found oddly pleasant.
Ruby gently rested her head on Jaune's chest as he swayed back and forth with her in his arms. The rhythmic beating of his heart was so soothing that she was sure she could fall asleep right where she stood if she wanted to.
"Thanks for this," Ruby whispered, pushing her head off his chest.
"Hmm?" Jaune hummed quizzically. "What did I do?" He laughed.
"Teach me how to dance. Hang out with me. Be my friend. A lot of things." Her feet briefly left the ground when Jaune spun her in his arms. "This is gonna sound pathetic but I never thought having a friend could be this much fun."
She felt Jaune's chest rumble with suppressed laughter. He did a remarkable job of hiding it if not for the fact that she could feel the vibrations. "That doesn't sound pathetic at all," he lied.
Ruby decided to let that little lie go since he lied for her benefit.
"I'm sure you know this already but I didn't have many friends growing up. Like… not a single one," Ruby blushed in embarrassment and hid the redness in Jaune's chest. "I was much more interested in upgrading Crescent Rose or sparring with Yang."
Jaune laughed. "Yeah, I know, Yang was all too eager to share some stories with me," he admitted, causing Ruby to stiffen.
"S-Stories?!" Ruby yelped, panicked. "W-W-What kind of stories?" She demanded he answer. She might have to move away and change her name if Yang shared anything too embarrassing.
"Like that time you unlocked your Semblance and ended up in the hospital."
Ruby let out a mortified whine as her cheeks burned hotly. That was never supposed to get out!
I'm gonna kill her.
"Hey," Jaune laughed. "Nothing to be ashamed about," he tried to comfort her to little avail.
Ruby – cheeks still crimson – looked up at Jaune. "Oh yeah? Well, Yang burnt off all her clothes the first time she unlocked her Semblance!"
Jaune's eyes widened in surprise. "No way!"
"Yes, way! She nearly burnt down the house too. Running around in circles naked, screaming that her hair was on fire." Ruby laughed at the memory. "She wears fireproof clothes now. That only happened once but it was really funny."
"Wow," Jaune said in disbelief. "Sounds like something a child would develop PTSD over."
"You'd think that, but she immediately got over it in favor of gushing about her new powerful Semblance. The trauma didn't last an hour." Ruby chuckled as she reminisced about her past. Things were much more simple back then.
"But anyway," Ruby continued, her voice softening with sincerity. "I guess... what I'm trying to say is... thank you for always being there for me," she said, her words carrying the weight of genuine gratitude. Just knowing that she had a friend like Jaune was more than enough for her.
Jaune raised her hand above her head and spun her around a few times before pulling her into his chest. She wasn't sure what type of dance move it was but she let Jaune take the lead.
They stayed silent for a few minutes while she let Jaune spin her around in various ways to the rhythm of the music. It must've looked impressive from the outside but Ruby wasn't really doing much. She was just moving where Jaune guided her and allowed him to take the lead.
It was finally Jaune who broke the silence. "Ruby," he began. "You know that I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you, right?" He asked. He didn't wait for an answer before continuing. "I was a nobody, a fraud, a stupid kid who thought he could be a hero simply because he had a dream." Jaune pulled Ruby to the side and draped her over his arm. "It's obvious that I don't belong here, I'm not cut out to be a Huntsman," Jaune admitted. "I should've never come to Vale in the first place, my parents were right."
Ruby looked like she was about to cry. "J-Jaune! Don't say that! You've gotten so much stronger since we've met. You earned your place at Beacon and worked so hard to get here. Why would you even think that?"
Jaune beamed at the silver-eyed warrior. "And that's the reason you're my best friend."
Ruby's cheeks burned. "H-Huh?" Her eyes widened.
"You've never once looked at me like I was inferior, never treated me like a child, never went easy on me," Jaune shivered. "Even though I'm sure you enjoyed not going easy on me."
Ruby snickered.
Jaune rolled his eyes but continued regardless. "You're the reason that I can chase my dream. You're the reason that I don't have to go back to my parents and tell them I failed. You're the reason I'm still alive. It's all thanks to you."
Jaune abruptly stopped dancing and kept his eyes locked on the Huntress. "You're amazing, Ruby," Jaune offered all his praise. "But it's more than that. You're not just amazing. You're… You're…" Jaune struggled to find the right words.
Then it hit him.
"You're Spectacular!"
At that moment, Ruby knew without a doubt that she was in love with Jaune. Her heart throbbed so hard that it actually sent twinges of pain through her chest. Words filled with so much admiration made her cheeks burn hotter than ever. Their faces were so close. Close enough for her to feel his hot breath tickle her nose. Close enough for her to make out every small detail of his features. He looked so handsome with the light from the disco ball shimmering in his deep-blue eyes.
Ruby wanted to kiss him so badly. All it would take is her pushing herself up on her toes just a tiny bit for her to lock lips with him. It would be so easy.
I want this… Ruby thought as she wet her lips. I really want this.
Her legs trembled and her heart hammered so hard she was sure Jaune could feel it. She began to push herself up, she was so close.
Just a little more…
With one final push, she-
"Don't be selfish."
Ruby froze.
"You know what you are," a treacherous voice spoke in her head. "You know how much danger you would put him in."
Ruby began to shiver.
"You're Spider-Woman… You will always have enemies. There will always be people who will want to hurt those closest to you. He'd be in so much danger… Is it really worth it?"
Was it? Ruby wanted it so badly it hurt. She loved him… she really did.
"If you truly love him then you'll let him go. You'll keep him safe. You'll still be his friend."
Ruby tried to ignore the persistent voice in her head, but it stood strong.
"With great power, there must also come great responsibility."
Ruby pulled her face away from Jaune's and buried her face into his chest.
His chest hid her tears.
"T-Thank you Jaune," Ruby tried her best to steady her voice. "I'm glad to have a friend like you."
It hurt…
It hurt so badly.
All she wanted was to tell him how much she loved him.
But… she knew without a doubt… that her life as Spider-Woman would always put him in danger.
Spider-Woman would always have enemies. They could never be together. That thought hurt worse than any injury she had ever received.
Ruby felt Jaune deflate. Whether it was from relief or something else, she didn't know. Jaune wrapped his larger arms around the young girl and pulled her closer.
"And I'm glad to have a friend like you."
Friend…
She never hated that word more…
Yang watched her younger sister with rapt attention as she pulled away from Jaune at the last second and buried her face into his chest. Yang knew without a doubt that Ruby had almost kissed him, yet for some reason she stopped at the last second.
What's worse, Ruby looked like she was about to cry.
In any other circumstances, Yang would've walked straight over there and punched Jaune's chest through his back for making her sister cry. But Jaune looked like he didn't notice Ruby's sorry state. He clearly wasn't the cause.
"Something wrong?" Her feline teammate asked, heels clicking as she approached with a cup of fruit punch. "You look tense." Her ears wiggled under her bow. Yang was still baffled that Ruby had noticed Blake was a faunus before she did.
Yang gestured to the couple hugging on the dance floor, Ruby's face still buried in Jaune's chest. The silver-eyed girl was trembling in his arms.
Blake's eyes narrowed at the couple as her ears stiffened. "What happened there?"
Yang shook her head, her own cup of punch rippling in her hand. "I'm not sure," Yang admitted. "Ruby went in to kiss him but pulled away at the last second."
Blake sipped at her punch, the pleasant heat of the alcohol burned down her throat. "Nerves perhaps? She's still a young girl after all." It was a logical conclusion to make but if she had been that nervous then why had she gotten so close to kissing him in the first place? No, something else was going on.
Yang knew that it wasn't any of her business but Ruby was still her precious baby sister. She was a growing girl that could make her own decisions but she still wanted answers. "I don't think so… I know my sister better than anyone. Something else is going on," Yang mumbled.
Blake hummed in agreement, taking another sip of her punch. "What did you spike this with anyway? Tastes… woody?"
It didn't surprise Yang at all that Blake knew she was the one to spike the punch. "Whiskey. Good stuff too. Weiss thought I would dump some cheap crap into the punch but I have a refined taste, thank you very much."
"Hmm…" Blake hummed. "She was right about you dumping whiskey in there though. Seems you're very predictable."
"Hush you," Yang gently punched her arm. "Shouldn't you be back in the dorm getting railed by Sun or something?"
Blake blushed furiously and turned away from Yang to hide her embarrassment. "I-I'm not that easy!" She stammered. "And if you must know, he's dancing with Neptune right now." Blake pointed to the monkey faunus dancing with his partner on the dance floor. Their dancing was wild and not at all coordinated, but they looked like they were having a lot of fun.
"Where's Weissicle?" Yang asked, scanning her eyes across the ballroom, unable to locate the prickly teen.
"I saw her with Penny a few minutes ago. She looked tired so I bet she's just taking a break. She knows you spiked the punch by the way."
Damn, Weiss wasn't going to shut up about that for at least another two weeks. Maybe she shouldn't have done that. Weiss better not rat her out to the teachers or Yang wouldn't be able to hold back.
Yang looked back over to her sister still swaying in the tall boy's arms. She was putting on a brave face for him but Yang could tell that she was not alright.
Her eyes briefly caught Nora dancing with Cardin Winchester of all people. Though 'dancing' might not be the right word for it. It was more like she was spinning him around with the intention of getting him as sick as possible. Given the ugly shade of green his face was slowly becoming, Yang had to assume Nora was doing a good job.
Blake noticed where Yang was looking and decided to give some details. "Nora wanted to break his legs but Ren convinced her to just get him sick instead," Blake said, taking a sip of her punch. "He also drank a few cups of punch so I imagine that's not helping him a ton."
Yang almost felt sorry for the guy.
Actually… no she didn't. Not after the stunt he tried to pull with her sister. Though the humiliation of getting beaten up by a little girl two years younger than you was punishment enough. On top of the multiple detentions they got for that.
Once she located her sister again, she noticed her and Jaune walking off the dance floor. Yang pushed off the wall to approach her but Blake's hand gently grabbed her shoulder to stop her. "Are you sure you want to do this now of all times? Right in the middle of the dance?"
Yang's refusal to move was answer enough.
"Just give her some time. At least wait until after the dance. Don't let your emotions get the better of you right now."
Blake was right. Yang was angry that her sister looked so upset and wanted to know why. She couldn't let her anger cloud her judgment or else she would end up doing something she'd later regret.
She'd just have to trust in her sister for now.
Despite Ruby basically confining herself to the friend zone for the rest of her life, she was still having a great time with Jaune. They talked, danced, ate, and just had a grand time in each other's company. The dance had only been going on for about two hours at this point. The night was still young.
"Hey Jaune?" Ruby began. "When was the last time you talked to your family?" She asked. She immediately knew that was the wrong question by the way Jaune stiffened.
Ruby opened her mouth to apologize for asking such an insensitive question.
"Not… not since I left home," Jaune admitted with a frown. "I know, I know… they're probably worried about me… but… I just can't bring myself to face them yet."
"Why?"
"Because I ran away from home. Because I didn't say goodbye. Because I stole from them, lied, cheated, and left in the middle of the night without even leaving a note!" Jaune clenched his fists, seemingly angry with himself. "Dammit! How could I face them after betraying their trust like that?" Aura was beginning to spark in his palms, preventing blood from being drawn.
Ruby couldn't imagine how worried his family was. Their son left in the middle of the night without an explanation and they had no idea where he was or even if he was alive.
"Jaune," Ruby started. Her voice was firm but not overly hostile. "You need to call your family as soon as possible." It wasn't a request, not really. It was an order.
Jaune reeled back, clearly not expecting that tone from the smaller girl. "B-But… Ruby, I ran away from home. Gone. Just like that. Do I really deserve to talk to them after everything I did?"
"Jaune… My mother is dead."
Jaune's words clogged his throat.
"She left on a mission one day and never came back. She promised we'd have a lot of fun together once she got home. A promise she'll never be able to fulfill."
Ruby clenched her jaw shut while trying not to cry.
"I… I would give anything in the world for just one more second with her. One more hug, one more of her freshly baked cookies, one more smile, one more 'I love you,' just one more."
Ruby's watery eyes zeroed in on the blonde Huntsman. "The last thing I want is for you to end up like me Jaune. Yearning for one more second. You need to call them. Because if you don't and something happens, you'll never be able to forgive yourself."
She didn't mean to get all sappy with him but it was necessary. He would thank her after he talked to them.
Ruby gently held Jaune's hand in hers, interlocking their fingers and lightly squeezing. "Please, Jaune."
That's what did it. Jaune deflated and exhaled loudly, knowing what he needed to do. "Alright… alright, fine. You're right, I'll call them." Jaune ran his fingers through his hair. "Thanks, Ruby, I needed to hear that."
Ruby lightly squeezed Jaune's hand. "Hey, what are friends for?"
Jaune might've replied but Ruby couldn't hear him very well on account of her Spider-Sense flaring with increasing intensity. Tuning out Jaune's voice, Ruby focused on her Spider-Sense and determined the danger was outside.
Really? Why tonight of all nights? Can't I just have a good time with a friend for once in my life without something like this happening?
She really wanted to ignore the danger and just have fun with Jaune on the dance floor but she knew that she would never be able to forgive herself if someone got hurt and she decided to ignore it.
She needed a distraction. Something to get away from Jaune for a little bit without him following her. Ruby's eyes rapidly danced across the ballroom, looking for anything that could be used as a distraction. Luckily for her, the perfect distraction came in the form of a beautiful red-haired Amazonian all alone in the corner.
"Hey, Jaune?" Ruby gestured toward Pyrrha. "Why don't you go dance with Pyrrha?"
Jaune raised an eyebrow and followed Ruby's gaze. "Pyrrha? She really didn't get a date? I don't believe that. She's so beautiful."
Ruby would have to agree. Her beautiful green eyes coupled with her long bright red hair and amazing figure made her an exotic beauty that was hard to come across these days.
"She said she was waiting for someone to ask her but I guess they never did," Jaune rubbed the back of his head. "I feel bad for her."
That had to be tough, waiting and waiting only for nothing to come of it. "Why not dance with her?" Ruby asked, trying not to sound too eager to get him away from her.
"Would you be okay with that?"
Ruby raised her hands above her head and let out a low groan to appear like she was stretching. "Yeah, I need some fresh air anyway. Besides, she's your teammate and you're the team leader. It's your job to make sure your team is happy and well taken care of." Ruby playfully smiled at her date. "Besides, I bet anything that Pyrrha is a much better dancer than me. You can really show your stuff with her."
Jaune laughed and patted her head, causing her to pout. "You weren't that bad." Jaune didn't realize he just insulted her. "But I guess you're right. Will you be okay?"
Ruby nodded. "Yeah, I'm just gonna step outside for a bit, maybe get a drink that isn't spiked with crappy alcohol. I'll be back." Ruby wrapped her muscular arms around Jaune. "Have fun."
Jaune returned the hug before walking over to the red-haired Amazonian.
Perfect.
Ruby made her way to the exit, trying not to look too eager to leave. She dashed away with her Semblance as soon as the doors shut behind her.
"Where are you?" She whispered.
She closed her eyes and sent a quick pulse of her Spider-Sense in all directions to locate the threat. It didn't take long for her sixth sense to latch onto a target.
Ruby looked up to see a shadowed figure dressed in black hopping across the rooftops. The figure was clearly a female if her hair and figure were to be believed. Judging by her acrobatic traversal of the environment, she was a Huntress as well.
Ruby cracked her knuckles.
"Found you."
AN: Happy New Year everyone! Time to celebrate the new year with a new chapter! I'm not entirely happy with it but who cares?!
I based Ruby's dress on an image I found on the internet of her in a dress. I thought it looked really cute so that's the design I went with. If you really want to see it then you can just send me a PM for the link to the image since this site doesn't do links well.
Review if you want.
Or don't.
I don't really care.