Chapter Text
Beacon Halls, Tuesday - Ruby 12:17 P.M
The rest of Monday hadn't been easy, and that was an understatement in Ruby's mind. Her team, her friends, her sister had respected her choice to not speak, to not say what was bothering her. But she caught their stares. The sad look in Weiss's eyes whenever she looked her way, Yang's mix of anger and worry, Blake's own inscrutable expression, a slight flick in her bow betraying her worries.
It was torture.
Worse was her aura when she left them to train on her own. It rippled, sometimes painfully, with each strike it took. Almost like it was trying to break free from her skin, painful, blood red spikes that would collapse back inside her as soon as they appeared.
Maybe… Maybe he broke my aura… what if he takes away my dreams…
he already has
Ruby shook her head, it wasn't worth thinking about now, she just had to push a little more. Maybe if she pushed herself just a little more than just maybe she'd get better. Maybe she wouldn't have to tell her teammates. It worried her that those thoughts, of pushing for one more week, and another after it, and another after that hurt more and more, the void in her chest ached more often, sending white hot bursts of pain… pain that suspiciously aligned with her aura’s flares.
Ruby just hoped her aura wasn't completely busted, it was combat class today and they'd be testing out the new equipment Atlas installed in Combat Classroom 207. It wouldn't be easy to push everything aside, to not talk about things if her aura failed… she might even get hurt…
But that might not be so bad…
Ruby shook her head again, that thought scared her and her hand shook a little as she pushed open the door to Combat Classroom 207. Desperately she wished she had the time to slip out for a cigarette, unfortunately class was starting soon. There were running solo duels today. Glancing around the classroom, she caught her team, sitting together, a spot saved for her. She tucked herself into the back corner, hiding among a few of the new students that had arrived from other academies. She wasn't ready to talk to her friends.
Maybe I never will again…
“You look distracted. What's wrong?” a warm, almost seductive voice broke her from her thoughts.
Ruby turned to the voice, and came face to face with her. The girl in front of her radiated strength and danger. She wore the uniform of Haven academy, no added personal effects to it. Her hair was black as midnight, pairing well with the near glowing ember orange eyes. She almost reminded her of the infiltrator from the night of the dance, but it couldn't be her, that woman wasn't a student.
“Uh nothing. Sorry. Was someone sitting here?” Ruby apologized, glancing at her feet.
“Not at all. You're free to sit where you please.”
“Thanks.”
They paused for a moment as Goodwitch called the first two fighters up, Sun and Jaune.
“You didn't answer my question. What's bothering you?”
“Uh… misunderstanding with my teammates, it'll pass.” Ruby responded, desperate to get away from the conversation.
“I'm sure it will.”
Silence fell again as the woman turned her head to the arena, watching as Sun danced around Jaune. As much as he'd improved in the last few weeks it wasn't enough, especially against an agile opponent like Sun. Even with a substantial aura advantage Jaune found himself knocked into the red and out of the fight. The pair took their praises and criticisms from Glynda before leaving for the locker rooms.
“Wonder who will be next.” the woman beside her said with a slight smirk.
“Good question…” Ruby responded, doing her best to sound uninterested.
Really, really don’t want small talk… will she just take the hint. Leave me alone.
Ruby was interrupted.
“Ruby Rose and Cardin Winchester have been selected, will you two please prepare yourselves.” Glynda called into the classroom.
Far down below Cardin rose from his seat, a foul smirk on his face as he looked around the room, before locking eyes with Ruby.
“Fuck.” Ruby swore under her breath.
“Hes nothing but a brute you'll beat him bloody, I'm sure. ” the woman said as Ruby stood.
“Thanks for the encouragement…”
Seriously, why are you so interested in me… maybe she knew me?
“I never did get your name.” Ruby asked, hoping for an answer to her thoughts.
“Oh, me? The name’s Cinder Fall, I'll be cheering for you. Make sure to knock him flat.” she responded.
Nope just a weird encounter. Least we aren't actively hostile with each other I guess.
Ruby stood and descended the stairs from class to ready herself for the duel.
Combat Classroom 207, Tuesday - Glynda 12:32 P.M
That was the first bug with the new Atlas systems.
Glynda thought to herself. Ruby had been excluded from the selection algorithm until she could pull her aside for a chat.
Something that was increasingly hard to do, Ms Rose was far too evasive.
Glynda had noticed something was wrong with Ruby's aura two weeks ago, spotting small fluctuations and spikes during combat class. She'd kept a close eye on them as they grew, as the spikes started to manifest not just inside but along her skin when she was hit. Something had happened to Ruby, something that was forcing her very soul to change.
And traumatic semblance evolutions aren't going to happen in my class ever again.
Glynda shook her head, it wasn't worth lingering on the past. For now she could only hope that this spar went well, that Ms Rose kept control of her aura and that Mr Winchester kept his usual comments to himself…
Glynda desperately hoped he would, hopefully against a skilled opponent such as Ms Rose he would. Glynda silenced her thoughts as the pair left the class for their lockers, spending the time while they changed preparing the arena, and hoping desperately that nothing went wrong.
Combat Classroom 207, Tuesday - Ruby 12:38 P.M
It just had to be Cardin didn't it…
Ruby thought to herself as she changed in the locker room, finishing the final laces on her boots before securing Crescent Rose to the magnetic holster on her back.
At least he's an easy opponent, I just can't let his taunting get to me… I don't want to freak out in front of everyone… again.
Ruby took a breath, steadying her racing mind, before heading down the hallway to the combat room. She emerged in the open space of the new combat classroom. It was a technological marvel, Hardlight dust walls preventing anything from spraying out into the classroom. A safety feature the other classrooms and gyms sorely lacked, often requiring auras to be raised among the spectators. Bright lighting coming from above could be changed to represent different lighting conditions. Configurable terrain for different environments for sparring, and, if rumor was true, an extensive brand new combat bot training course that Yang was itching to run through.
On the other side of the room, across from her, mace resting on his shoulders was Cardin. He looked sure of himself, cocky, relaxed. He looked like typical Cardin.
It bothered her.
“You're a good substitute Rosey, not your bitch sister but I'll take beating you flat as consolation.” Cardin sneered.
Great, he's starting already. Just what I needed.
Glynda shot Cardin a glare, before clearing her throat and cracking her weapon.
“Cardin, if you please, silence.”
Professor Goodwitch got a nod in return.
“Very well, if you two are ready?” Glynda questioned them.
Ruby nodded, missing the look that crossed Glynda’s face.
“The match will last until one opponent reaches twenty percent aura. You will start on my mark.
The seconds passed, and tension built, Ruby rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. Cardin brought his mace down from his shoulders.
“Begin!”
Ruby burst forward, Crescent Rose coming to hand like an old friend and deploying with practiced ease. Her finger pulled the trigger, a .50 caliber round whizzing behind her, the recoil adding to her speed propelling her forward towards where Cardin was awaiting in a defensive stance at the end of the ring.
As she drew near, petals trailing behind her Cardin swung high, aiming to crush her lungs and deprive her of air. Ruby ducked low, the blade screeching as it dug into Cardin's greaves, leaving a deep dent as Ruby spiraled around coming to a low ready behind Cardin. She didn't wait long, Crescent Rose flying upwards to deliver two strikes to Cardin's back, and another to his side as he turned, his aura flaring with each hit, despite the armour he wore.
Cardin swung again as he turned, deftly Ruby backpedaled, Petal Bursting back to the edge of the ring, Crescent Rose transforming mid-flight spitting out a flurry of shots towards Cardin. Those that hit took chunks out of his aura, while the missed shots caused the Hardlight shield to flare spectacularly. Cardin paused, moving with his armour to endure the withering hail of fire. Ruby's ten round magazine ran dry, and she went to reload. Ruby prepared to engage in melee, prepared for Cardin to charge in headfirst like he usually would… only to pause. She had completed her reload in seconds, yet Cardin wasn't on her, instead he was standing at the edge of the ring, a wicked grin on his face.
“You're not the only one with a fancy weapon now Rosey.”
Cardin flicked a switch on his mace.
Ruby felt Crescent Rose pull towards Cardin, desperately she strained to keep hold of her weapon. But that wasn't the only thing pulling. Ruby's shirt, her belt, her boots all were being pulled too. Then, something snapped, a belt buckle flew towards Cardin, attaching itself to his mace. Then Ruby felt her zippers pop, buttons tore themselves free of their stitching, her clothing, her ammunition belts, all flew free. Anything metallic broke free of their bindings and whizzed towards Cardin at speed.
It was all too familiar.
Her clothing was ripping as buttons and buckles tore themselves free.
Stitches ripped in the process, the air touched her skin.
Cardin was laughing, but Ruby barely heard it, her aura cracked spiking across her skin.
It's happening again… No no it can't… I’m not there. I'm not there, I'm at Beacon.
Desperately, Ruby took a hand off Crescent Rose, trying to keep her dress up and secure, trying desperately to stay in the present. Even as Cardin was warping in her sight, somehow both himself and him. Against the force that Cardin deployed, with only a single hand Ruby lost her grip on Crescent Rose; it flew across the arena, joining the rest of the magnetic pieces of her clothing. Cardin flicked the magnet off, Crescent Rose flying off and sparking against the Hardlight shield, its red paint scorching as it did so.
Disarmed, her clothing falling to pieces, Ruby panicked. Yet she somehow drew on something deep, standing up to try and draw on her hand to hand skills. As Cardin approached slowly, he spun his mace around. Ruby backed up, further and further as he closed in, barely keeping her nerves. Her aura spiked, the deep hole in her chest screamed and ached. Ruby raised her fists, readying herself to fight hand to mace.
“I've got you now little bitch.” Cardin gloated as he cornered her.
Ruby’s heart rate accelerated, sweat dripped down her forehead, her mind spun as her breathing accelerated. Ruby wasn’t in Beacon anymore.
He's here, oh Gods he's here. No no no no.
Ruby snapped.
Combat Classroom 207, Tuesday - Blake 12:45 P.M
Blake's ears twitched and bristled underneath her bow, agitated by the scream. Only made worse by the knowledge that that scream was coming from her friend, her team leader. The blood red arcs of aura crackling and sparking against the Hardlight shield did little to reassure her. Worse was where they were coming from.
Ruby was curled up tight, shredded clothing wrapped around her in a ball, barely visible through the flickering aura. An utterly piercing, hollow scream filling the room, filling every fiber of her being. Blake was frozen, she couldn't move.
I've failed her… I should have asked sooner, pushed sooner.
Combat Classroom 207, Tuesday - Glynda 12:46 P.M
It was happening again.
Desperately, Glynda entered command after command into the Scroll Pad, trying to drop the Hardlight shield, trying to get the system to respond. But it was stuck, locked down, even the audio wasn't working so she couldn't shout at Cardin to back away.
As she desperately tried to restart the system, her mind wandered back to a lesson she learned long ago.
Traumatic semblance evolution is dangerous, both for the person going through the evolution and those around them. Uncontained aura is known to have damaging, infecting effects on those struck by it.
That old lesson ran through her mind, over and over as she desperately fought with the bugged Atlas systems.
Combat Classroom 207, Tuesday - Yang 12:46 P.M
Yang had already shot up when Cardin had activated that undeclared weapon modification, the cheating bastard that he was. When Ruby's clothes had started to rip, she had raced to the shield, activated her aura and desperately, vainly, tried to punch through the Hardlight.
It wasn't any use. Yet she struck again and again anyways.
She had to.
Especially with that scream, it was oh so similar to a scream from years past, and a little red wagon. No one was coming to save them now, it had to be her. It tore down through her skin, her muscles, her nerves and crept into her bones. It chilled her, unnerved her. The screams her sister was making belonged to someone broken, someone without hope.
That couldn't be Ruby. But it was.
Yang cried, her hair blazed as she desperately wailed on the Hardlight shield, desperate to get to her sister, to hold her, to make it go away.
If only I had noticed sooner… what kind of sister am I?
Combat Classroom 207, Tuesday - Weiss 12:46 P.M
This wasn't how the day was supposed to go.
None of this fit into her plan to talk to Ruby today, to finally break through walls her partner had built up.
Ruby had been avoiding them, but Weiss had a plan.
That plan was gone now, lost in a torrent of awful screams, worse, so much worse than the fights at Schnee manor. Her guiding light, the girl she admired, no loved, was being ripped to pieces. Something deep down in Ruby, her Ruby, was broken. Weiss wondered if she could even fix it, she came from a broken family, she knew she was broken too.
How could she begin to help Ruby heal…
Weiss sat frozen, staring at the crumpled form of Ruby, muscles tense and twitching under shredded clothes. Aura flaring in an awful blood red hue. Nothing like her usual scarlet. Her Ruby, her Rose, was ripping itself to pieces before her eyes.
It was unbearable.
Only less unbearable than her own thoughts screaming at her all while she watched on.
Why didn't Ruby confide in me… how badly did I fail her? Why do I keep failing the ones I love most?
Combat Classroom 207, Tuesday - Ruby 12:46 P.M
The alleyway was near pitch black, save for the occasional crack of violent, blood red lighting. Ruby was alone, the void in her chest having consumed everything. She pulled the shreds of clothing she had left closer, desperate to cover up, desperate to hide. The shame, the pain, the fear was all too much. She knew just knew if she opened her eyes he'd be there and she couldn't face him, not again.
Ruby shivered, her clothes were shredded and the air was cold, oh so cold. Was it him or Cardin that got her? She couldn't remember. Everything was numb, yet simultaneously not so, she felt everything. Her heart ached with an empty hollowness. She felt bound in iron, weighed down by dozens of chains. Chains of shame, of despair, of pain. She wished so desperately to cast them off.
Ruby yelped in pain as her abdomen flared.
A distant cold voice, somehow him, Cardin, Tai, Glynda, Ozpin and Torchwick in one screamed at her.
“All done Rose? Guess you aren't worth shit, cept maybe for a quick round, you are cute.”
Ruby recoiled, and closed her eyes tighter. It was going to happen again, he was going to happen again. She could feel his hands creeping up her back, spreading her legs, Ruby retreated further and further inside, away from it all. She screamed and something snapped.
Somewhere - Ruby, Sometime
She waited.
There was the faint sound of crashing waves.
The grass…
Grass! She wasn't there. It was warm, slightly tickly actually.
Ruby, scared, opened her eyes. It was sunset at the Patch cliffs, by mom's grave. It was warm, peaceful even.
For the first time in what felt like forever Ruby took in a breath, closed her eyes and relaxed.
When she opened her eyes again, a familiar red cloak, three of them were clustered around the grave, one short, one her height, and one slightly taller, with longer hair.
Slowly, but oddly without fear, Ruby stepped forward to join them, somehow knowing what she'd find.
Her stealthy approach was naturally ruined when the tiny cloaked figure turned, silver eyes lighting up with joy.
It was her, around eight years old. Dressed in a truly tattered pair of denim overalls, decorated with rose embroidery, and a truly stained cream shirt. Her red cloak dragging in the dirt. She waved before shouting.
“Hi big me! I knew you'd be here soon!” her joy was infectious, and despite the state of her mind, Ruby found herself uplifted a bit.
The middle figure turned, and that joy sank. It was like looking in a mirror, the same torn clothes, the deep bags in her eyes, the pallid skin tone, the faded light in her eyes.
Ruby couldn't find words, and it appeared her counterpart couldn't either. They shared a solemn nod.
The final figure turned. Unsuprised Ruby looked closely at herself, two inches taller, her face finely cut, the last of the baby fat gone. A wicked scar cut across her right eye, across her nose and onto her left cheek, her eyes glowed ethereally. She was wearing a lightly armored leather corset with a simple cream shirt, faint snowflakes embroidered in the cuffs. Her legs were covered by long black thermal leggings with a rose stem and fire running up the sides and a black red and grey plaid combat skirt.
Notably, her hands had a pair of finger-less gloves, her left index and middle finger bearing clear signs of nicotine staining. While a gold ring with an ember colored Dust gem, and a white gold ring with a sapphire blue dust gem sat on her ring finger.
Oh.
“Uh, hi who do we? I? Sorry this is weird. Who do we…”
Ruby cut herself off.
“Nope! That would be telling you'll love them though.”
“Drat.”
Ruby paused for a moment, taking in the three hers before her.
“So… where are we, what is this place?”
Younger Ruby spoke first.
“The place where our super awesome powers come from!”
“I'm not quite sure if I'm honest.” the second spoke. “But it's somewhere between, or outside.”
Finally the elder spoke.
“We don't really know much about aura, sure we can measure it, and we know when semblances are ready to emerge or evolve. But where does it come from? That's an unknown. You'll forget you were here after this, and remember it years later, when you're closer to my age. There aren't any firm answers. Best guess? It's your or perhaps our soul's resting place.” she explained, her voice calm and steady, with just a hint of humour.
“So… why am I here?
“To get super strong!”
“To restart.”
“To survive.”
Ruby felt a pressure, and gazed down at her body, there was a gaping black void in her heart, chains bound her limbs. Her heartbeat raced. She looked up to her selves, and they stared back. As one they spoke.
“It's time Ruby, the pain is killing you, you can let go, we won't judge you, or blame you.”
“I’m… I'm not sure. I can't see a path where I'm you.” Ruby gestured her head to her elder form
“Or a path where I can be you” she struggled, pointing to her younger self.
“I'm… I'm the middle. Broken, he hurt me so so much. And I can't find a way to make it stop… I … I don't know what to do.”
Her selves looked at her, gazes fixed and silent.
“Why me. Why the fuck did he take me, I didn't want it, I didn't want to be hurt. I tried to fight back and he was just… too damn strong. Even if I found him how the hell could I fight with this!” Ruby gestured to the gaping void in her chest, chains rattling as she moved.
“I don't know how to be me… it'd be easier to just… fade. Better maybe…”
Ruby saw something out of the corner of her eye, through her tears.
A single white rose petal, settling on the grass below.
“Little one, it's ok to just be you, as you are right now. Hurt, pain and all. They'll accept you. You're allowed to feel, to rage if you need to.”
A ghostly pale hand brushed her hair, and Ruby's tears dried.
“And if you have to feel pain, you will. If you have to fight, you'll fight. If you have to kill, you'll kill. I'm not ready to meet you again, so promise me baby, you'll pull through.”
Ruby let out a choked sob as the gentle hand settled on her shoulder. And she felt a spark somewhere inside catch.
A beat.
Ruby felt a surge of energy, a surge of pain, a surge of sadness, a surge of rage. Pure white hot rage. A whirlwind picked up, the white petal spun and split, and split again until hundreds flew in front of her, the white warping to a deep blood red.
They hardened, they sharpened and Ruby pulled them towards her. Like daggers they struck her chains down, with a tremendous clatter they hit the ground below and Ruby stood. She turned around, catching only a fading scent of vanilla and roses, and a stray white petal. She turned again to her selves, each of them fading in the maelstrom.
It's time to wake up and face the world Ruby.
Ruby screamed, and Ruby awoke.
Combat Classroom 207, Tuesday - Ruby 12:47 P.M
Ruby snapped her eyes open, Cardin was winding up for another kick, his eyes alight with glee.
Never again.
Ruby's fingers twitched and the fading petals from her earlier burst picked up, an ethereal wind capturing them and raising them around her. Others shed themselves from her body, blood red in colour, and sharp as steel. Without thought they moved, picking up speed, faster and faster till they reached a hurricane gale. With a simple twist of her hand as Ruby struggled to her feet, they flew like daggers toward Cardin.
Cardin braced, for what little it did for him, the first three or four Petals found their way to his aura, cutting like razors, draining him. Then ten to twenty, then hundreds. Each flew forward cutting and slicing. Ruby screamed as her nose bled and hundreds of petals flowed outward a neverending stream. Cardin angled himself, his armour taking several of the blows for him but that could only do so much against the torrent of petals. Each cut sapped his aura, each cut brought him closer and closer to breaking.
Ruby screamed again, desperate to get him away, uncontrolled, lost in a maelstrom of an evolution gone wrong, the petals swirled and swirled, circling the pair but only ever cutting Cardin. Cardin’s aura shattered, and his scream joined the cacophony of noise filling the classroom, from the horrified screams of her classmates, Ruby's own screams, and the desperate shouts from the medics and Glynda attempting to get past the malfunctioning shield.
Yet even with Cardin aura broken, the petals flew on and on, Cardin’s clothes tore, he desperately shielded his face with his hands as petals swirled and slashed open his skin. Each cut spilled blood onto the floor, a steadily growing collection of splatters decorated the floor and stray droplets vaporized on the Hardlight shield, sending puffs of smoke into the arena.
Ruby felt drained, the petals decreased in volume, their speed slowed, her stance faltered for a moment. She tried to regain stability, taking two hesitant steps forwards before her aura shattered, and she dropped to the floor in a heap.
At that moment, the Hardlight shield finally dropped, the glitch ending as abruptly as it had started.
Glynda rushed in, hopping into the arena pit, rushing alongside medics to Ruby's side. They worked quickly, affixing an oxygen mask, patching her wounds, and moving her onto a stretcher before rushing her to the infirmary. A similar group worked over Cardin, screaming in pain from hundreds of tiny cuts covering his whole body, a steadily growing pool of blood under him spurring the medics to work faster and faster.
Professor Port and several other Beacon staffers swarmed into the room, guiding shellshocked students out, while the members of team RWBY and JNPR watched the proceedings with looks of horror.
Missed in the chaos of something gone horribly wrong, was the fear filled face of a transfer student, well out of her depth.
Combat Classroom 207. Tuesday - Cinder 1:01 P.M
That… that was unexpected. Was that the power what Salem was warning me about?
Is that what a silver eyed warrior can do?
No this has to be something different…
Why did I do that… why did I send her in there?
Her screams, why…
Why were her screams so similar to my own?
Is this what the Madame heard? Is this how she felt? When she sent me to those…
Cinder shivered at the thought and shook her head, desperate to clear the memories.
Why didn't I lift the shield lock down? Why didn't I lift it when her clothes started… started to tear
Cinder shook her head, banishing the memories. She stared at the black queen on her scroll.
At least Watt’s virus works. If anything this experiment proved that.
Cinder caught her reflection in the glass of her scroll. Silent tears were trailing her way down her face. She wiped them away in an instant.
No! I am not that scared girl anymore. I have power now, power that rivals Ruby's power.
It won't happen again. Never again.
Cinder schooled her face, desperate to show that this display hadn't phased her. Yet the smallest voice in the back of her mind whispered.
You're turning into her, Ruby's just like you and you hurt her just like the Madame hurt you.
Beacon Infirmary, Tuesday - Ruby 5:01 P.M
It was an incessant, steady beeping that woke Ruby. She tried to reach out her left arm to silence the alarm clock, or scroll or whatever it was only for it to pull taught, and it hurt! Painstakingly Ruby opened her eyes, only to be blinded by the buzzing fluorescent lights, and sterile white environment of one of Beacon's infirmary rooms.
She glanced to her arm, noticing the IV placed there, connected itself to a stand with a pair of bags hanging on it. Desperately she tried to remember what led to her getting here… it was all so fuzzy.
Combat class, I think I was called. It was me and Cardin… his mace… oh.
Parts of it flooded back to her, the ripping fabric, the cool air touching her skin. His voice crawling over her mind. Hands, an alley way torn fabric. No stop, she wasn't there, she was in the infirmary. Yet the panic remained. She had to get out and she had to leave, she couldn't stay here he'd find her she had to-
The door opened, a plain dressed nurse walked in. He looked at her.
“Oh, you're awake, good.”
Ruby froze.
Somewhere, deep inside she drew on strength.
“No. No men… please.” she croaked out.
The nurse's face fell.
“I understand, let me grab someone else. In the meantime I believe your professor would like to speak to you.”
Ruby nodded shakily, desperately fighting back tears. The nurse exited leaving her alone for a moment. Ruby finally let her guard down, and the tears flowed freely. Despite a raw feeling in her throat she sobbed, wailed, and filled that small room with all the pain she had kept inside.
Minutes later, the doors opened again, and a new nurse, a woman this time, and Professor Goodwitch walked in, both looking solemn. Glynda took a seat in one of the visitors chairs, while the nurse stepped over to her IV, inspecting and turning a handful of dials, Ruby was struck by a warm sensation and her aura pulsed.
The nurse then turned to her.
“You experienced an uncontrolled Semblance evolution, the specifics of it your Professor will mention.” she gestured to Glynda.
“However due to the fact you were unprepared, your aura burnt out and you lost consciousness. We've had you on a mix of aura boosters, IV fluids and a light sedative. We'll likely wean you off those as the night goes on provided your aura is stable. Please don't try and remove the monitors or the IV or we will have to sedate you again. Do you understand Ms Rose?”
“I understand… Could you get me some water?”
“Of course. I'll be right back, then I'll leave you two to it.”
A soft, uncomfortable silence fell over the pair. It lasted long enough that the nurse came back in, setting a cup of water by Ruby's bedside. Before silently slipping out the door. Ruby took a sip and the silence remained.
Glynda broke it a minute later.
“Ms Rose, why didn't you tell anyone? There are councilors on campus, I'm one of them, we would have listened. Helped you.”
“I… I don't know what you mean professor.”
“Ms Rose… Ruby. You don't have to hide it. While you were under you spoke several times. The doctors reported what you said to me. While I don't know the extent of what happened, it is clear you have likely experienced sexual abuse.”
Oh… oh people know…
Tears leaked from Ruby's eyes.
“While I don't need details Ruby, I do need to know if it was anyone in this institution, is it someone on your team~”
“NO! No it wasn't… it wasn't anyone here, and it wasn't my team! I… it was someone weeks ago. In Vale. He…”
Gylndas face changed.
“Deep brown eyes? A semblance that drained your aura?”
Ruby nodded, her chest heaving and tears beginning to fall in recognition. The memories were close behind.
Glynda's face fell, and she moved to provide a half hug to her student. Ruby dove into it, crying and sobbing. Finally, someone saw her, someone she trusted and she fell apart at the seams.
“Know, that this isn't your fault Ruby, I'll be putting you in touch with Dr Mirage, she's a specialist in helping Hunters recover from this kind of injury, and it is an injury. Please know that this is not your fault.”
“But he… I wasn't…”
“Ms Rose, this man has been at work for the last six years. He is suspected to be at play in the deaths of two provincial sheriffs, three deputy police chiefs, the last chief of police, a Valean Defence Force Ranger, and three veteran criminal investigation focused Hunters. It is not your fault.”
Oh… so many dead… how many people has he hurt… why hasn't anyone caught him. Maybe I could…
“Ms Rose, I know that look. This man is not Torchwick, as much as I disapprove of Ozpin allowing your hunt for him to go through, The Vale Soulstealer is far more dangerous. Do not, under any circumstances, pursue him. Do you understand.”
Ruby paused.
Ruby nodded.
“Good. Now, feel free to say no but your team would like to see you, they have been waiting. Would you like to see them?”
“I would…”
“I'll send them in after I leave. Ruby, if I may.”
Gylnda’s face softened.
“Please come to me, despite the displince I strive to teach you, I deeply care for all my students. My door is open if you need to talk to someone that isn't your team or Dr Mirage.”
Ruby nodded once again as Professor Goodwitch left the room. A quiet descended on the room, interrupted only by the faint beeps of the aura and heart rate monitors. Ruby sunk into the bedding, and pulled the blanket up. The conversation she was dreading most was coming up.
Why did I tell Goodwitch I wanted to see them…
Because it's time… and I can't hide forever. They know something is wrong, I can't keep it from them anymore.
I hope Weiss… I hope Weiss will still see me the same.
Ruby let the tears that had been threatening to fall, fall at the thought of Weiss learning about the real her, at the way she failed. It felt so good to let go, to let the pain out instead of keeping it in. The tears fell as she thought about Yang, about the rage she'd feel, about how tight her hug would be, even if she felt like she didn't deserve it. How Blake would comfort her, how Blake understood better than any of them what it was to go through something soul destroying.
There was a knock at the door. Ruby wiped her tears away, only now noticing the paper thin hospital gown. She shivered, sliding further under the thin cotton sheets, away from the chill of the room and the lack of coverage. Mustering her voice she called out.
“Come on in.” her voice was hoarse from the crying and sobbing.
The door swung open, her team, all in varying states of distress entered slowly, as if they were approaching a trapped animal. Blake's bow was bent downward, Weiss's usually pristine makeup was marred by tear trails, Yang's hair was a tangled mess, and her eyes looked hollow, one of her hands was wrapped in gauze. Gently Blake took a seat in the corner of the room, Yang sat at the end of her bed while Weiss pulled a chair up closer to the top of the bed.
There was a tense silence. Palpable in the air, each breath Ruby took felt like shattered glass sliding into her lungs. Her hands crumpled the sheets.
They're your team Ruby… It's OK… They won't see you as wrong.
Ruby took a deep breath, wished for a cigarette and steadied her nerves.
“Hey guys… sorry if I scared you.”
The tension broke.
“Don't… don't scare me like that again, dolt.” Weiss chimed out, tears springing to her eyes. Which she quickly wiped away.
“I won't… I don't think…” Ruby paused as Weiss wiped her tears away.
“You don't have to tell us anything Ruby. Just know that we're here for you.”
Ruby looked to Yang. Her leg was bouncing, she looked restless, ready to punch something.
“Thanks sis… but, I can't carry it alone anymore… I don't think I'll be able to say everything…”
“That's OK sis, we're here for you.”
“All of us. No matter what, no matter what's bothering you.” Blake's voice was soft, tender, with a distinct note of pain underneath it.
“And I won't see you differently, no matter what you say. You understand that Ruby? I want my partner back, my friend back.” Weiss spoke, tears springing back, her hand coming to rest on Ruby's own as she set it down, trying to stop the shaking.
They care… they really do. Maybe… no… I have to share. I can't, won't give them nothing. Maybe… maybe it'll be easier.
Ruby took a breath, steadied the part of her mind that screamed at her to run, to lock the door and never come back. Coaxed out the section that was desperately to freeze, to space out, to drift into the nothingness she had felt in the weeks after, the nothing at the bottom of a bottle. Calmed the part that was desperate to lash out, to fight back, to scream and wail, to share the deepest horrors she carried. To tell her team that they didn't deserve to know of any of her failures.
Balanced, Ruby spoke.
“I uh… I don't know exactly where to start. The beginning would be best I guess." Despite the tense air in the room, the thoughts roiling in her brain she laughed.
“Remember a couple weeks ago when I went into Vale proper to shop? How I got caught up in the weapons store, staring at mechashift chipsets that are well out of my price range?”
Her team nodded, Ruby took a breath, ignoring the faint sensation of cool wind that blew from a phantom source deep in her mind.
“I managed my shopping… never did give the things I bought for you guys to you… they're still in my locker…” Ruby paused, her breathing picking up at the thought of that innocent shopping bag, still sitting in her locker.
Weiss's hand interlaced with where hers was silently tapping the bedsheets.
“It's ok Ruby, we can grab it together later.”
Weiss's words were a balm to Ruby's racing mind, and she took a breath steadying herself again.
“I was out, in the industrial zone late. Stopped by that car surplus store for you Yang. They had cheap lightweight parts for Bumblebee. Sorry to spoil the surprise."
Her sister nodded, face tense.
“I was almost at the Airship terminal, I think that's the worst part… I was so close to being back at Beacon. Someone…someone pulled me into an alley. He was tall, had these dark brown eyes and a really basic metal bat. It's odd how normal he looked. At first I thought he might have been one of Torchwicks goons… he swung at me and I was able to get away but he got to my Scroll so I couldn't get Crescent Rose, or call you guys.”
Ruby spoke, her heart rate spiked, the monitor in the room beeping incessantly. But she couldn't hear it; she could hear the faint hum of the phosphorus lights in the alley. The distant traffic. She could barely see the worried looks on her team's faces as she continued.
“I tried to get by him again, but his semblance… It pulled me out of Petal Burst, it sapped me, my aura just… broke he pulled it all out of me somehow. I think I begged with him, not to kill me, or to just take my things… he… he didn't say anything, I guess I'm lucky for that. He dragged me through the asphalt deeper into the alley… I thought, I thought I wouldn't get to see you guys again.”
Ruby felt the first tears fall from her face, heavy, splattering onto the paper thin sheets. A shaky hand and tissue came up to her face, she turned to see Weiss's face, just as filled with tears as her own.
“You don't have to say anymore if you don't want Ruby…” Weiss's voice was barely a whisper.
Ruby shook her head.
“I can't… I need to say it.”
Weiss's hand gave a steadying squeeze, and Ruby returned it. Looking around the room. Yang's eyes were flickering between violet and red, her unbandaged hand cracking the steel of the bed frame. Blake was looking at her, tears in her eyes with a slightly glassy look coming over her. Both of them gave her a nod as their eyes met.
“He threw me… I think into that back alley. I thought I was dead… I wish he had just killed me sometimes. He had a knife and he… he sliced open my shirt. And he…”
It had been creeping ever since she started speaking, the sounds of the alley, the orange glow of the lights, the faint impression of graffiti tags and gleering faces. A shadowed figure in the corner of the rooms with deep haunting eyes. The hands creeping along her body, unwanted, caressing places she never wanted them to be. It was too late to stop now, Ruby was gone, drifting, the words coming to her mouth without thought.
“I remember his hands, they were rough. Calloused. The sort of callouses that build from using a pistol… he… he grabbed my chest, I don't remember how long… it… it wasn't enough for him. I think I fought him and I tried to get away. I didn't… I didn't want him to…”
Ruby's vision tunneled, she could feel him now pressed atop her she could feel the asphalt scraping her back.
“He told me to stop fighting. To stop being a little bitch… I fucking froze. Why did I freeze? I didn't want it. Why did I freeze? Why did I let him… He he… Fuck fuck. Why was it me? Why was it me. I didn't…”
Ruby could barely see the room, barely hear her own sobs, or the tears of her team and their words. But she could feel, she could feel the warmth as Yang stood and raced to her side pulling her into a hug, Blake joining in. She could feel Weiss pulling her head into the crook of her neck, her soft hands rubbing smooth circles along her back.
“I can't! I can't! He… he… why! I can't say it. I can't!”
Ruby sobbed, wailed and broke down, barely noticing the nurse who came to turn off the alarms on the monitors. Eventually her hearing returned, she listened to the gentle assurances from her team.
“I'm so sorry I wasn't there.”
“I’m sorry you couldn't tell me. I'm here now.”
“It's ok Ruby, you're allowed to break.”
“We'll get through this.”
“You're still my partner. No matter what, I'm here for you.”
“We're all here for you.”
Finally, Ruby strained her eyes open, her senses returned to normal. She could smell the delicate vanilla and flora shampoo Weiss used, and could see how her tears had stained Weiss's dress. She could feel how soaked her face was, and she could feel the warmth coming from her team as they surrounded her, protected her and finally, for a moment, Ruby thought to herself.
I'll be ok. I'm not alone.