Weiss watched as Ruby flew off, leaving nothing but rose petals behind, Weiss couldn’t believe what she was watching. She fell to her knees. Yang and Blake each put a hand on opposite sides of Weiss' shoulders.
Jaune was speechless himself, he turns to the remaining members of team RWBY, he tries to fight back more tears. “I… I’m sorry, I..”
“It’s ok Jaune..” Blake said as she gripped Weiss’ shoulder. “We know how much it hurts, we know. We are gonna be here for you. We will also find Ruby.”
“But who’s for Ruby.. certainly wasn’t me..” Weiss meekly squeezed out as her own tears started to run down her face.
——with Ruby——
Ruby slowly walked through the strange paper forest, she had said nothing since her outburst. She just felt as if on auto pilot, Little was scared to say anything, instead choosing to remain in Ruby cloak.
Ruby came to a small pond, she starred in the water. Looking down at her own Reflection in the shallow end, Ruby saw herself for only a moment, then she felt her blood run cold, for it wasn’t Ruby anymore but Summer staring back at Ruby. She clenched her fist so tightly, they turned red as she stomped the reflection, she started to scream.
She kept going till she had all but soaked her boot, as she fell back onto the ground as she began to cry, Ruby just cried. She couldn’t think of anything or any other possible thing to do but cry.
Ruby felt the tears streaming down her face like waterfalls. All the pain, all the sadness couldn’t be contained any longer. She tried with all her might to stop, but she found it was pointless, the tears wouldn’t stop. “I.. I can’t do this anymore..” Ruby felt like she couldn’t even move now. Nor did she want to. She just wanted to vanish, she wanted to cease.
——with Weiss——
Weiss, having picked herself up, walked over and stood just outside the forest she had watched Ruby escape into. She lifted her arm, outstretched, almost like she was reaching for Ruby before letting it drop and looking away, her eyes filling with tears. She hears soft footsteps coming up from behind her, she spins around to face Blake. Her face showing her concern and a soft smile. “Weiss, you won’t reach her if you don’t try.”
“I know that.. I.. I should have noticed…” Weiss sighed as Blake kept her soft smile.
“You are the only one who can help her Weiss, you know that don’t you? You’re just scared.”
“H-how dare you say I’m s-scared!” Weiss snapped making Blake flatten her ears, as Weiss realized what she did. “Blake, I'm sorry! I just..” Blake just put her hand up to silence Weiss.
“It’s ok, I just wasn’t expecting to be screamed at twice, by people I trust so much in such a short time.”
“Blake, I just don’t know what to do..”
“Do what your heart is telling you?” Weiss looked away, she started to rub her hands together.
“I.. I don’t know if I can trust it…”
“Weiss, it’s your heart. It knows what you want, so tell me what it’s saying.”
“It.. it’s telling me, to go after her..”
Blake takes Weiss’ hands gently. “Then go get her, we will catch up.”
“A-are you sure? What if she doesn’t even want to see me?” Weiss starts to pull her hands away, but Blake holds them firmly.
“Weiss, don’t let her go. You are partners. I.. I made the mistake when I left beacon and Yang. I regretted it everyday till I found you all again, now even though all this, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, you deserve to be happy and so does Ruby, go to her.”
Weiss gave Blake a soft little smile before she pulled away, and using her semblance, raced off though the forest, “go get her Weiss.”
——back with Ruby——
Ruby continued to look at the sky, her mind wondering, thinking back to her beacon days. When everything was so simple. She was so sure of herself. “Like the heroes in the fairy tales..” she lifted her arm and slams it onto the ground. “Some hero I turned out to be.. I’m a failure, even my own partner doesn’t even want me anymore.." She closed her eyes In defeat. It’s all Ruby felt, was defeated.
There was some rustling, she turned her gaze towards the sound to see that umbrella, that hat, that smile… Ruby felt nothing. Using all she had she pulled herself up, to stand before neo. “Well..” Ruby questioned. Puzzling Neo.
“You want me… fine.. come get me..” Ruby’s tone was cold, cold enough even Neo felt it, she growled as she Rushed Ruby.
——with Weiss——
Weiss is racing through the forest. Her eyes darting around to find Ruby, to find any shread of evidence of her. She comes to a screeching halt. “RUBY!” Weiss screams, she looks around more erratically. She was feeling something else was wrong, something bad. “RUBY! WHERE ARE YOU!?”
Weiss started to panic, she heard a commotion not far from her, she turns to where she believes the source of the noise is coming. “Ruby…” Weiss, using her semblance, races off, hoping this would take her to Ruby.
——back to Ruby and Neo—
Ruby swings Crescent Rose violently, as she cuts Neo’s umbrella in half and then with a second swing of her scythe knocks Neo to the ground and puts the rifle into Neo’s face as she stands atop her. “It’s over for you… I’m not letting go..”
Neo looks surprised, the ruthless way Ruby had been fighting her, and now, she had the rifle end pointing at her.
“Ruby! Stop!” Weiss screams as Ruby turns to Weiss, tears flowing down her face. “Ruby, don’t do this.. it isn’t you..”
Ruby stared down at Neo, she was growling but she was stuck under Ruby. “Weiss, I don’t even know who I am any more..”
“I know who you are, Ruby! Please.. don’t do this.”
“Why? Had I done something like this before we wouldn’t be here.” Neo tried to move but Ruby had her pinned, she was trapped,
“Ru-“ Weiss is silenced as a storm starts to move in. Weiss turns to see the clouds moving in.
Ruby did nothing but watched, as the storm moved in. She looks to Neo one more time before Ruby and Weiss are gonein a flash. Neo gets off the ground and looks around, seeing she is on some strange path, she starts waking, unsure of where Ruby or Weiss went.
Weiss, after the flash opens her eyes to see she’s on a strange rope bridge with nine planks. She has no idea how she got there. She looks around then she spots Runy across from her. Standing on her own wooden planks. “Ruby!”
Ruby looks up, her eyes giving away her mental burn out.
“Ruby! Please talk to me!”
“Why.. you got Jaune don’t you, he’ll lead you out of here.”
“Ruby! I don’t want jaune!” Ruby scoffed, she looked down into the cloud abyss. Her eyes never moved, nor did she gaze Back up to Weiss. “Ruby.. please, where is that girl who wanted to be like the heroes in the fairytales? Where is that Ruby? Where’s my Ruby..”
“Gone Weiss, she’s gone..”
“No she’s not! She’s still here..”
“You’re wrong Weiss…” Weiss bites her lip, she wants so bad to reach Ruby. To touch her, to comfort her.
“Ruby… am.. am I not important to you..”
Ruby grips the bridge ropes tight in her hands, she looks up to Weiss. “Weiss, besides Yang.. you’re the most important person in my life..”
“Ruby.. you did nothing wrong! You can’t blame yourself!”
Ruby sighed, “Weiss, I can.. I failed..”
“You didn’t fail me! Your Blake’s hero! Yang’s hero!… you’re.. my hero..” a plank appears as Ruby locks eyes with Weiss, Weiss can see that triggered something in Ruby,
“Do.. Do you mean that?”
“Yes, I do Ruby, you’re my hero.” She smiled at Ruby softly, Ruby’s eyes fill with tears.
“Y-you really mean that?”
“Yes I do… you made me who I am! You made me want to be a better partner..”
Ruby couldn’t keep the tears from flowing as they burst out, “You.. you made me wanna be a better leader, you made me want to be a partner worthy of you!” a plank then appears in front of Ruby.
“Ruby, when I met you, I thought you were just some little kid who got lucky to be our leader. I was wrong, you are so strong! You are the reason I am who I am Ruby. I… look up to you because you never gave up before, even when things looked their bleakest.” One more plank appears.
“When we are fighting together, I feel whole. I was used to fighting alone. Since meeting you Weiss, all I wanna do is be with you, since getting to Atlas, I’ve felt we were drifting apart Weiss.” Ruby grips the ropes of the bridge tightly, “Weiss, I miss you!”
“I miss you too Ruby! I can’t fight the same without you! I’m sorry I didn’t notice you needed me, I’m sorry I’ve been a bad partner! But I’m prepared to make it up to you!”
“Y-you are? H-how..?”
“Ruby.. I.. I.. “ Weiss blushes, her face matched Ruby’s own cape.
“I LOVE YOU, DOLT!” Weiss screamed as Ruby’s eyes almost buldge outta her head.
“W-Weiss…” Ruby gulped. “Weiss.. I..”
“Yes Ruby?” Weiss blushed and looked away, fearful of Ruby’s response. “Tell me.. I can take it..”
“I… I’m no good at this, but I.. I love you too.” Ruby and Weiss were suddenly forced together, face to face. “I.. really wasn’t expecting that, but.. I.” Ruby was trying to find the words as Weiss put her hand to Ruby’s cheek, she gave Ruby her tailor made Ruby smile.
“It’s ok, this is.. new to me too.” Ruby cries as she lets her head fall into Weiss’ hand, she brings her own hand up, as she holds Weiss’ hand to her face.
“I.. I’m sorry for what I said, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s ok Ruby, I can’t apologize enough to you for it. All I can do is promise you, I will never leave your side again.” Ruby felt her tears flowing, she tried so hard to keep them coming.
“Weiss.. I can't promise you anything..” Weiss smiled once more.
“You don’t have to, you’ve given me everything I could have asked for.” She lends forward as she brings her lips to Ruby’s as Ruby is shocked, but soon leans into it.
The storm passes, as Neo finds herself in the forest again, she looks around then spots Weiss and Ruby, as Weiss pulls away.
“I love you Ruby.” Weiss smiles up at Ruby and Ruby gave her a soft smile back. Till they hear movement, they spot neo, she growls. Looking at her umbrella then to them.
“Go.. now..” Neo runs off, Ruby grips Weiss tighter. “I.. hope I won’t regret that.” Weiss puts her hand to Ruby’s cheek again.
“We will deal with it, together. I promise you Ruby. I love you Ruby Rose and won’t leave your side ever again, do you mind?”
Ruby kissed Weiss once more and put her forehead to Weiss’ head. “No I don’t mind, and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner, and I love you too Weiss Schnee.” She kisses Weiss’ forehead. “Let’s get back to the others.. I need to talk to them.. '' The duo then hear clapping and turn to see Blake, Yang and Jaune watching from afar.
“I think they found us, I wonder how.” Weiss questioned.
“Because of me!” Screamed little as Weiss and Ruby looked down to see little at their feet, as he climbed up Ruby’ clothes to jump back into her cloak. “Sorry.. but I was worried about you.”
Ruby patted Littles head. It’s ok Little, thank you.”
Weiss smiles, taking hold of Ruby's hand. “I think it’s time to have a good talk, as a team, right Leader?”
“Right, best partner ever.” Weiss smiles at Ruby and she returns it as they head towards the others, Weiss holds onto Ruby’s hand tightly, planning to never let it go again.