Mysteria's Failsafe
Brace yourselves, this story ends both happily and a little sad, and it starts like this: One day, I was out on my first real date with Velvet after we became a couple, and we started out by going for a swing through town. With me clad in my Schnee suit and Velvet dressed in her brown jacket over a black T-shirt, her tan short shorts over black stockings and her brown leather boots. She was getting a bit terrified so I stopped and put her down in town square. As I was reassuring her, one of the large billboards was playing a news story that caught my attention so I perch up on a nearby lamppost to get a better view... And what caught my attention was when they mentioned 'her' name.
Reporter: "We come to you now with revelations on last week's attack in Mistral. An anonymous source provided this video. It shows Neo Politan, AKA Mysteria, moments before her death. Fair warning: you may find this video disturbing." The screen switches to a video of Neo up close to the camera.
Neo: "I managed to send the Elementals back through the rift but I don't think I'm gonna make it off this bridge alive! Scarlet Spider attacked me for some reason! She has an army of weaponized drones, Schnee technology! She says that she's the only one who's gonna be the next White Knight, no one else!" The video feed switches to show Neo collapsed on the ground with me in the background by the ledge, you can really only see my legs, and it catches me speaking with the WILLOW AI, named after Ms. Schnee's deceased mother.
WILLOW: "Are you sure you want to commence the drone attack? There will be significant casualties."
Ruby: "Do it! Execute them all!" Numberous gunshots and small explosions can be heard in the background. The feed cuts back to the news report.
Reporter: "This shocking video was released earlier today on the controversial news website, the Lance of Liberty dot net." The feed now switches to the head of Vale's branch of the Lance of Liberty news corporation, Lisa Lavender.
Lisa: "There you have it ladies and gentlemen. Conclusive proof that the Scarlet Spider was responsible for the brutal murder of Mysteria! An inner dimensional warrior who gave her life to protect our planet, and who will no doubt go down in history as the greatest superhero of all time! But that's not all folks. Here's the real shocker of the day. Braces yourselves, you might want to sit down." The feed switches back to Neo's video.
Neo: "Scarlet Spiders real... The Spiders real name is..." The feed glitches out for a sec before coming back into a clear picture. "Scarlet Spiders name is Ruby Rose!" And it immediately cuts to a picture of me straight from my school portfolio.
Ruby: "What the f-!" And boy am I glad a nearby car honk loud enough to keep people from hearing that cause, myself included, cause I honestly don't drop heavy swears like that very often, but I have every right to be scared out of my wits about this, even to the point of breaking the good girl image I try to keep under my stressful life.
Lisa: "That's right people. Ruby Rose. A 17 year old high school delinquent harbouring a homicidal hunger." At this point I just look down at Velvet with concern... Not like she can tell but she can probably guess. Then the surrounding people get curious and start bombarding her.
Man 1: "She knows her."
Man 2: "Are you Scarlet Spiders friend?" I grow concerned and jump down to help her. "Are you Scarlet Spiders friend?" I gently push my way through the crowd until I reach her.
Ruby: "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Please don't touch her."
Man 3: "You're just a kid?"
Woman: "You murdered Mysteria? Did she help you murder Mysteria?"
Ruby: "What? No! That's ridiculous!"
Woman: "C'mon, kid!" She tries to go for my mask so I push her hand aside, grab Velvet and push through the crowd. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! She hit me! Ruby Rose hit me! She hit me!" Once we're out I gain some elevation and swing us out of here. Didn't stop us from hearing the news reports all over the place though.
Lisa: "For years, people have looked up to this girl and called her a hero. Well I'll tell you what I call her: public enemy number one!" Once again, Velvet is freaking out as we're swinging through the city to escape the media.
Velvet: "Ruby, I swear to God we are never doing this ever again!" She keeps moving her free had around frantically, including in my face.
Ruby: "I know, and I'm sorry, but I can't see anything with your hand in my face!"
Velvet: "Oh, I'm sorry!" Numberous build board monitors are showing my face labeled with 'public enemy #1'. "So where are we going now!?"
Ruby: "I don't know! Your house?"
Velvet: "NO! We can't go to my house now or my parents will kill you!"
Ruby: "What!? I thought you said they really liked me!"
Velvet: "Yeah? Well, not anymore!" We land atop a bridge tower over elevated train tracks, and call Oscar.
Ruby: "Dude."
Oscar: "Dude."
Ruby: "Dude!"
Oscar: "Dude!"
Ruby: "DUDE!"
Oscar: "DUDE!" What else can I really say in this situation? I'm way to stressed out to even hold a real conversation!
Velvet: "Ruby!" Whoops! Completely lost myself in that sequence, so I just hang up and check on her.
Ruby: "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"
Velvet: "No, not really..."
Man: "Yo, Ruby!" I turn to see countless people in a sky tram looking my way. Then a group of news copters come in.
Velvet: "I think we need to get out of here."
Ruby: "Except swingings the only out."
Velvet: "Better that than the alternative." As she glaces towards the ground.
Ruby: "Then let's take the subway." I grab her and jump, which results in her screams. On the ground passing by at the same time is Cardin Winchester in his blue jeans, dark red shoes, grey long-sleeved shirt under a black v-neck t-shirt baring his bird emblem on the right of his chest, check his phone wearing headphones when he sees the news revealing my identity.
Cardin: "What!?" He's so starstruck he doesn't even notice me yanking up a grate cover as we're coming down, fall through and close it back right behind him. Down underground, we swing through the subway tunnels where there shouldn't be any media but we cut it kinda close when we're almost hit by an incoming train. Luckily we were able to avoid it since we were at a forked path. Afterwards, we got out of there through through the first manhole we found.
Velvet: "That was much worse..."
Ruby: "Okay, so not my best idea, but at least we're finally alone." After closing the manhole cover, I grab ahold of her again and swing through the city. Luckily we found our way to Patch, the city district where I live, and made our way to my bedroom window in mine and Yang's shared apartment. Velvet gets it open while I keep ahold of her on the wall. As we enter my room, my sister Yang and Ms. Schnee's old friend and employee, Klein Sieben, stand in the front door talking. Klein in his usual outfit and Yang in her orange tank top and dark grey pants.
Klein: "It still feels weird being the one treated but I still appreciate your kindness today."
Yang: "Just think of it as thanks for everything you've done to help us. No one deserves to be alone after what you went through."
Klein: "I quite agree. And as always, don't hesitate to ask for my help should you ever need it." Then they hear a thud from my room. "Was that Ms. Rose?"
Yang: "Sounded like it came from her room. Probably nothing."
Klein: "Maybe I should check on her." As he walks past her further into the apartment.
Yang: "That's really not necessary. Seriously, she's always coming and going." As they get closer they can hear me and Velvet panicking.
Ruby: "Oh my gosh! I don't know what to do! I don't know what to do!"
Velvet: "Ruby! Ruby! Hey! Calm down, okay? Just look at me and breath, o...kay..." Things just awkward as Klein opens the door to see me and Velvet standing face to face with me holding up the upper half of my suit by my waist from me taking it off, exposing my upper body wearing nothing but my dark red bra and from the awkwardness my suit slips from my hand and it falls to me ankles revealing the rest of my body and my matching panties.
Klein: "My apologies! I should have knocked first!" He quickly turns around shielding his eyes, and I'm pretty sure he's got the wrong idea about what's happening.
Ruby: "Uh, this isn't what it looks like, Mr. Sieben!"
Yang: "Sorry, Sis. I tried to stop him. We'll get out of your-" She's about to leave us be before turning back around when she realizes who it is with me. "Oh, hey! You must be Velvet, right?" That's right, I've only ever talked about Velvet with Yang, but haven't actually introduced her after we came back from Anima.
Velvet: "Uh, yes ma'am."
Yang: "What am I, 40? Just call me Yang."
Velvet: "Of course." It is kinda nice seeing them meet for the first time despite what's happening but then I notice something about Klein.
Ruby: "Wait have you been crying?" Seems like seeing me and Velvet together brought up a bad memory.
Klein: "My wife passed away yesterday." ...Well now it's awkward again.
Ruby: "Oh. Um." I hear a commotion outside despite the closed window so I close the blinds with my web. "I am so sorry to hear about that, sir. Had I'd known, I would've dropped my plans today. No offense, Velvet." As put on a large T-shirt that covers pretty much my whole body down to my knees with Vale's emblem on it. This was the shirt Ms. Schnee got me to cover up with after she took my suit during my battles against Torchwick.
Velvet: "Non taken." We start moving on from my room through the hallways.
Yang: "No, Ruby, it's okay. I didn't wanna ruin your date."
Klein: "Yes. I didn't mind. Your sister was kind enough to treat me to a meal today."
Ruby: "Still I can't help but feel bad now." We can someone knocking at the door as we walk.
Klein: "Was that the door?"
Velvet: "I'll get it!" I guide them to the living room while Velvet deals with that. It's just a curious neighbor trying to catch some gossip about what's happening. He's just standing in the doorway since Klein and Yang never did close it.
Neighbor: "Hey, is it true?" Velvet just shuts the door in his face.
Velvet: "Not now!" She joins us in the living room.
Yang: "You know, you don't have to be so insecure about your relationship, Sis."
Ruby: "What the-!? This has nothing to do with me and Velvet!"
Klein: "What's that noise?" Velvet and I continue to shut the blinds as the ruckus outside continues, but I'm struggling to come up with an excuse for it. Then I catch them on their phones upon seeing an urgent news alert. Most likely about my identity being exposed.
Ruby: "Can you get off your phones for like five minutes and just talk to me, please!?" As I snatch their phones from them. I know I'm being kinda snappy, but can you blame me!? Things aren't looking too good for me!
Velvet: "Ruby!" She's standing on the other side of the room from me and points to the TV behind me. It's a live broadcast of our apartment building from a news copter.
Yang: "Wait... isn't that our building?" I just hang my head in defeat, put their phones on the table and open up one of the blinds to show them the damage. News copters in the air and crowds of angry ex-fans on the ground surround the building.
Ruby: "I know this might look bad... but then again, maybe it's not as bad as it looks?" I say with a nervous look on my face. Not at all knowing just how bad my life is about to turn.