Ruby stared back at her borg look-a-like. it was exactly like her, save for its ash grey skin, and facial armor on the right side of her face.
"Tell me," Locutus began "what do you cherish most." Ruby frowned at her borg counterpart's question "I cherish life." She said. "inadequate." Her clone said.
"how is cherishing life inadequate?" the reaper said. "The collective cares for life and will defend it." Locutus said
"the question implies 'is what you cherish most worth losing your humanity over?'. So, I ask again Ruby Rose. What do you cherish most?" Ruby's look-a-like asked.
"Who or what do I cherish?" the red reaper asked herself. "I cherish my father, sister, uncle, my team, and my friends." Locutus narrowed its eyes. "you're forgetting someone Ruby Rose." Ruby raised an eyebrow.
"who'd that be?" she asked. Suddenly a figure digitally constructed itself in front of her. "Blake." Ruby muttered stepping towards the construct of her crush. To the reaper's shock she spoke.
"you promised!" the Blake construct yelled causing Ruby to widen her eyes. "Wha-what do you mean?" Ruby stammered out. 'Blake' scowled.
"you promised you'd fight it." She pointed at Locutus "you lied." Ruby fell to her knees at what the construct had said. Locutus smiled as black veins appeared on Ruby's neck. The first test was going in its favor.
MEANWHILE IN THE REAL WORLD
A flashing light on the panel next to 7 of 13's integration alcove. "What's that flashing light supposed to signify?" Yang asked. 9 of 12 was taken aback. "we're losing her." Blake swore her heart stopped for a second. She got in front of the unconscious drone.
"Please Ruby. Don't give up. I've made my choice on what it is that I feel. It's love. Please, don't leave us. Don't leave me." the distraught cat faunas pleaded before resting her forehead against the assimilated Ruby's forehead. "I love you Ruby Rose." Yang smiled having heard her partner's declaration, approached the faunas.
"You better confess when she wakes up cause I having a feeling she may still be fighting." The blonde said. "Why?" the ravenette asked. "just a feeling." Yang said suspiciously. 9 of 12, despite his emotionless face, frowned slightly.
"What's wrong 9 of 12?" Weiss asked making 6 of 8, Blake, Taiyang, Raven and Yang to look at him. 9 glanced a 6 of 8. "This Unit has discovered something that shouldn't be possible." 6 of 8 glanced at him curiously. "Explain." The command drone asked.
"it appears to be a program within the freedom program. We will run a diagnostic after the procedure is done as if we were to do it now, we'd risk killing Ruby Rose AND 7 of 13
BACK IN THE MINDSCAPE
Ruby clutched her head as the veins continued to creep up to her eyes. Locutus' smiled suddenly turned into a frown and shortly after shock. "You! How are YOU here. your cube was destroyed shortly after wolf 359 while my previous host was cut off from the collective.
[bring me to life plays]
Ruby faintly heard footsteps as she continued to feel despair. "Do not feel afraid or guilt young Rose." Came a wise and middle-aged voice. "The figure before you is merely an illusion of your friend created by Locutus."
Ruby slowly looked at the owner and saw a brown-haired man in a black and red uniform with four pins on the right side of his collar the scars of where borg facial armor would have been. "I'm sure your friend would never say those things."
The man kneeled down and offered a hand. "I'm Captain Daniel Fornell of the USS Liberty; an Excelsior class refit at the battle of Wolf 359. Prior to its destruction, I along with my fiancé, K'Sari Rodriguez were assimilated by said cube.
"Captain, if you were given this choice what would you do?" Ruby asked. "For my loved ones, I wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice my humanity." The captain said smiling before fading.
Ruby sniffled her nose before gaining a determined look and glanced at the Blake construct. "I would never betray your trust nor break my promise." The red reaper said before passing the construct. It burst into particles shortly afterwards.
"About your question Locutus, would about being willing to sacrifice my humanity." Ruby said. "Would I be willing to sacrifice it for Blake, my friends, and family? Yes, I would be." Locutus smiled. Not a malicious one, but a genuine smile.
"then we're done here." she said. "It was a trick question?" Ruby asked. "Maybe, however, I didn't foresee the ghost of a Starfleet officer to aid in your decision." The red reaper frowned what the heck was a Starfleet?
"Regardless, Welcome to the collective. When speaking for us you'll be known as Ruby of Borg." Locutus said before dispersing into particles.
BACK IN THE REAL WORLD
"it's done." 6 of 8 said. "did she..?" Weiss began to ask. Before either the medical drone or the command drone could speak, the assimilated ruby jolted awake and stumbled out of the integration alcove and caught herself on the assimilation table. Blake and yang cautiously approached the possibly new drone.
"Ruby, you're still you, right?" Yang asked the assimilated Ruby looked at them. "I am Ruby of Borg." She said. "I speak for the borg." Blake's heart broke. Despite it all she'd lost the girl she loved. However, her ears perked. "However, I'm also Ruby Rose, leader of Team RWBY." The three girls looked to see their aged-up leader smiling. "RUBY!" they yelled hugging her. The half borg chuckled and returned it.
Glancing up, Ruby saw the man who helped her keep her humanity. She mouthed a thank you. Fornell saluted. "I'll always be by your side Ruby Rose." the ghost of Captain Fornell said before glancing at 6 of 8 and then back at the newly made hybrid. Even if I don't remember surviving the self-destruction of the cube."
With that, the ghost vanished. With Ruby shocked at the revelation of her savoir being 6 of 8's former identity. "Girls, I have to ask, and be honest with me." Ruby said.
"What is it rubes?" Yang asked. "Erhm, Does my new armor make my rear look big?" Ruby asked blushing slightly as she angled her body just right to make Blake blush extremely red.
"Nah, you're good." Yang said with a cheshire cat grin whilst eying her catatonic partner. "Though, I think someone does like what she's seeing eh Blake?" the blonde said before noticing a bit of blood trickling out of Blake's nose.
"She definitely does Yang." Weiss said with a toothy grin. "Bow Chicka bow wow(1)." The blonde said. Ruby panicked as Blake collapsed. "Blake!" She exclaimed. The speaker for the borg glared at her sister and partner. "A little help would be nice you two."
A/N: there you have it folks. The namesake of the story has officially arrived. Now, I will say this now. THERE WILL BE NO LEMONS. So please do not ask for one. The last bit was meant to be some slight Ladybug humor/ moment.
As always please read and review. That being said, peace.
Reviews;
Blastfromthepast- Ruby won't be joining the crew sorry.
References:
Tucker's catchphrase from Red vs Blue which had its series finale not too long ago