Date
(Yang)
"And there you go." The blond said, looking at the mirror as it reflected her sister's appearance. "All done."
"I-I don't know…" Ruby twirled her hair, looking unsure. "Is this… really good enough?"
"'Course it is." Yang raised a brow. "Why ask?"
And Yang wasn't lying. Ruby always wore that corset/cloak/skirt combo or something incredibly similar for as long as she could remember, and any 'casual wear' would be her pajamas. Yang didn't judge, it's Ruby's choice after all, but whenever they went on a shopping spree for new clothes, her sister would whine and moan about how bored she was.
She didn't particularly care for fashion, and Yang always needed to stop by a candy shop or weaponry to appease Ruby whenever that happened. At some point, the blond simply gave up and just stopped dragging Ruby with her.
"I mean, wouldn't a dress look better?" Ruby noted. "I-I don't like heels, but I can stomach them for one day I think."
"Ruby, you're going on a date, not your wedding." The older sister deadpanned.
"What?! B-b-but we're still too young to get married!"
"That's not what I- no, just listen." Yang sighed. "Everything is gonna be fine, Ruby. I doubt Reid really cares about what you wear as long as it's not disastrous. This? It looks great on you."
And she's not lying. Black jacket with a red hood, white and red shirt, jean shorts, and red and white sneakers. Nothing extravagant for a few reasons: She's going to a festival, which means a lot of walking, and dresses are not good for long walks nor crowded places. Yang is also 99% sure Reid won't be donning a suit or something formal, so neither would feel out of place.
Even if he does, she doubts he'll really care. He'll just throw a cheesy line about how cute Ruby is before going about their date.
...Her sister is damn lucky to get that sweetheart for a boyfriend.
She just wished he'd start holding back in their training sessions. Her jaw still stings from last time…
"But what if I mess up?" Ruby said quietly. "I don't wanna embarrass myself, y'know."
"It's natural to feel that way, Ruby." Yang nodded. "But if you keep thinking like this, then you won't even enjoy your date. You're supposed to have fun, not worry."
"Yeah, but still…"
"Hmm…" Yang hummed. "Okay, then look at it this way. How many times did you hang out with Reid?"
"I dunno, a lot." She shrugged. "Why?"
"Then just imagine every time you hung out with him, it was a date." The blond said. "Dating and hanging out are very similar."
Ruby paused, blinking as she took a few seconds to process that. "I… I guess that makes sense? B-but I mean, dates are still different."
"How? I mean, especially for you two, it's literally the same." Yang continued. "Is it because kissing and holding hands is involved? C'mon, you already do that all the time anyway."
Ruby blushed deeply, groaning as she covered her face in embarrassment.
"In front of me too." Yang shook her head with a sigh. "My innocent little sister has been corrupted. Oh, what am I supposed to do now? What am I gonna tell dad or Uncle Qrow?"
"Okay, okay, I get it!" Her sister grumbled. "...Don't tell them yet."
"I won't, I won't." Yang grinned. "Now go and have fun. Don't want him to get bored waiting for you, right?"
Her sister remained silent for a moment, then looked at Yang with a slightly concerned expression. "Yang? Is everything okay?"
Yang paused and raised a brow. "Uh, yeah, why?"
"I don't know, you seem a little…" Ruby scratched her head. "Bothered? Is something bothering you?"
Yang froze, wondering if her sister caught her muted feelings. Ruby wasn't always perceptive to social cues. Quite frankly, she was pretty socially dense, but there were moments - like this one - where she'd suddenly say something that made Yang think that she is a mind reader.
Yang wanted to tell the truth if she was being honest, but she didn't know how her sister would react and that scared her. And now was certainly not the time to tell her, Yang didn't want to be responsible for making their date awkward.
She knew her sister would start overthinking and not enjoy herself.
"Yeah, I'm good." Yang lied. "C'mon, don't keep your date waiting."
Ruby glanced at her worriedly, Yang making sure to give her normal casual smile without showing any hint of nervousness. Ruby shook her head and psyched herself up with a deep breath, then nodded, giving her older sister a hug before taking Crescent Rose with her. "Thanks, Yang! Love you!"
"Love you too!" She chirped. "Call me if you need anything, okay?"
Ruby smiled and waved, leaving Yang alone. The blond's scroll vibrated, Yang sighing as she saw Weiss' name. She braced herself and answered the call.
"Ye-"
"Where are you?!" She screeched. "We've been waiting for ten minutes!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Geez." Yang huffed after a flinch. "Couldn't get any louder, could you…"
"You better be here soon, or we'll leave you!"
"We both know you won't do that," Yang responded casually, putting her shoes on as she donned her leather jacket. "Give me a bit, I'll be over soon."
"You better be." Weiss harrumphed before ending the call.
So damn impatient…
As she was about to leave the house, Yang caught something moving at the corner of her eyes, quickly turning her head to look at it. She blinked as she saw Ruby's magical uniform slumped on the ground, raising a brow at it. Did Ruby forget it there?
She sighed and went to grab it, hanging it in Ruby's room. Her sister can be a mess sometimes - usually cleaning the house was Yang's job, surprisingly enough. You'd think being a party girl means the opposite, but she's the one that cleans after Ruby and sometimes her dad.
Even after the crazy things they went through recently, her sister remained the same.
She grabbed the doorknob and smiled slightly.
And Yang wouldn't have it any other way.
(Reid)
You know, I've been thinking about some stuff, mostly about how I should approach the whole Titan thing. I've already had my reality check - I always thought that I was strong enough to manhandle them with my buffs and other cheat powers, but realizing the sheer difference between Tree Guy and Fenrir gave me the slap needed to wake up.
I realized that the Grimm are a threat ages ago, even without the Titan's existence, their numbers are immense. I personally would thrive, but the same couldn't be said for everyone else. My real job right now isn't killing Grimm, it's protecting people.
So seeing how Tree Guy was more than three times as powerful as Fenrir made me stop and think. How much stronger are the other Titans? Will I really be able to single-handedly defeat them at some point? The answer is an obvious yes, but not until I take a looong time farming.
The next time I plan on going grinding is a day or two after this date, but I don't plan on staying out for too long. I have responsibilities in Vale after all, and they're not things I can easily ignore. Maybe once I reach level 200 at minimum. That would be enough for a long time.
I don't think it'd be enough to defeat the Titans on my own, maybe some of the weaker ones since I can currently wipe the floor with Fenrir, though it's enough to hold the stronger ones back. The Golems I make are all disappointingly weak in all honesty, they can deal a lot of damage for sure but they die instantly. They even lack the mobility to dodge.
I have the Cryolite, the divine ice metal I've been saving, and now I got Mythril, Cobalt, and Palladium. I can probably make OP Golems with those, though I'm not sure. I feel like it'd be a waste. Maybe something else?
I feel like full-body armor would do great, but Golemancy isn't as effective as real smithing, and even then, I doubt I'll find anyone who can work with divine metals. Still, though, my equipment is just clothing with enchantments on 'em.
Maybe real armor is the way to go.
I sigh and shake my head. I need to stop thinking about this stuff for now. I have a date ahead of me.
I sense a familiar presence approaching, and it wasn't Ruby's. I look to the side and blink in surprise as I see Qrow, hands in his pocket. He nods in greeting.
"Hey, kid." He smiles a bit. "How are ya doing?"
"I'm good, thanks," I respond. "What brings you here? Need anything?"
"Eh, not really, no." He shakes his head. "Just wanted to check up on you."
"Heh, I'm flattered." I grin. "You left for Anima, yeah? Thought you were gonna stay here until Tai recovers? And what did you find?"
"I was, but I had to scout Mistral for a bit. It was a short mission, nothing serious." Qrow takes out his flask with a sigh. "How's the potion thing going?"
"Almost finished," I answered. "Just need to expand the storage area."
As soon as I say that, I flinch from the stinging sensation in my neck, grimacing. I need to deal with this pain soon, it's definitely not normal. I'd rather not deal with distractions like this when fighting and/or working.
"What's wrong?" Qrow asks.
"I got hit here not long ago, and it still hurts," I reply. "Even drinking potions didn't help."
"...Same potions that can regrow limbs and even a heart can't deal with a little neck pain?" He raises a brow.
"Not another word." I frown, letting out a tiny bit of Conqueror to intimidate him as I sense an incoming sarcastic quip.
Surprisingly, he seems unfazed, only smirking in response. Weird, and here I expected a flinch at least. Either he has a lot of willpower or he's seen enough shit that a burst of Conqueror isn't good enough anymore.
Wonder if he's qualified for Conqueror as well.
I frown in thought as an idea crosses my head.
Since I can't exactly give him magic, maybe I can teach him Haki instead? Even when he's significantly weaker than me, Qrow has always been reliable. He's skilled and experienced enough, and the only thing that's holding him back is physical power.
And seeing what Haki can do in One Piece, perhaps that's what he needs to start catching up. He's an expert in Aura that it probably won't do much if he practiced it anymore, so Haki is the next step.
Yeah, I think I'm gonna do that. It'll even elevate him to a level beyond what Salem can throw at him, so he should be a lot more capable in his missions. Even throwing Tyrian at him won't do much if he can just knock him out with a glare, or dodge all his attacks, or punch him really hard.
"So when's your next mission?" I change the subject.
"Dunno. Oz told me to stay here for a bit." He shrugs. "Probably to keep an eye on Raven when she-"
A buzz in his pocket stops him, prompting Qrow to pull out his scroll. He sighs slightly as he reads a message. "Nevermind…"
"Ozpin is a slavedriver, fucking hell."
"Don't I know it." He shakes his head with another sigh. "Right, I'll be going now. Mistral again, this time to look for Salem's agents."
"Alright, catch up to you later."
He waves goodbye, walking away until he is out of sight.
...I wonder how he'd feel once I start dating both his nieces? Not very happy I assume. I can tell that Yang is into me even without the affection meter, the subtle looks I notice and envy I feel when Ruby hugs and/or kisses me are telling enough.
But how do I convince Ruby for a harem? I can't exactly start one if she doesn't approve. My only plan is to tell her how the magic transfer works - I know it'll give me a good reason to make one.
Knowing her, and seeing that harems exist to this day, I think she'll be fine with it. Probably.
But this day is all about her. I'm not gonna bring it up today, because only an idiot would do that.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Ruby says, prompting me to turn around.
She is dressed in a very casual outfit, which is what I was hoping for anyway. I noticed that she brought her weapon along with her, and who wouldn't? It's a weapon festival after all.
"Eh, was only here for a minute. You didn't keep anybody waiting." I respond, patting her head affectionately. "C'mon, we don't want to be late and get stuck in the crowds."
She blinks as I take her weapon away from her, sending it to my inventory. She realizes what happens, and what to do once I offer her my arm. Ruby beams and leans against me slightly as we walk towards where the festival was taking place.
If someone asked me for my first impressions about this Firesteel Festival, the first thing that comes to mind is that it's packed.
I don't know why either; it's a festival about weapons and smithing in general, so why are there a lot of civilians going around stalls and shops? A lot more civilians than hunters too - I can still see students and teachers alike with their gear and weapons in hand looking around for new stuff.
Maybe they're here for sightseeing? I dunno, most weapons here are too complicated for untrained civvies anyway. There are some stalls here and there that sell "classic" weapons, which is anything without any mecha-shift technology.
They're not getting a lot of business though, and that's fair. Realistically, mecha-shift weapons are a lot more versatile and useful than classic. I think they're cool too, but I still prefer magical and enchanted weapons if I had to choose.
And I lucked out with Goldbrand. I don't think I really need a new weapon any time soon. A mastercrafted katana with divine enchantments imbued in it isn't something that can be replaced easily.
Though, if I remember right, Ruby is making me a weapon. Wonder what she's planning? She knows how sharp and powerful Goldbrand is, so I doubt it's another sword, and I don't necessarily enjoy dual wielding. One free hand for magic suits me more.
Speaking of Ruby; I should've realized that she'd be geeking out over everything there. She dragged me around to every stall, even the ones with classic weapons. Obviously, people noticed who I was, bowing or shaking my hand profusely. I knew this was coming eventually, so to not let people ruin our date, I, unfortunately, had to… 'intimidate them'
As I feel someone approaching us, I would send a tiny burst of Conqueror at them, scaring them off without anyone noticing anything.
I'll be honest, I don't like doing this, but how is this gonna be a date if we keep getting hounded from every direction? I needed to keep them all away somehow, so I cranked up my Observation to eleven while making sure to pay attention to what Ruby is saying.
She gasps, looking in awe as she points at… something. I don't know, this whole weapon parts stuff is confusing. "Is that… the Legendary Mithril Tracker Scope 5k?!"
That's a mouthful.
"The what?"
"Heh, you got good eyes, girl." The stall owner smirks. "One of the rarest and most expensive sniper parts Remnant has ever seen."
"How did you get your hands on it?!" Ruby asks him quickly as I look at the scope in confusion, eyes widening when I use Observe on it. "There's only a limited amount produced, and dozens of them lost after a Grimm attack mid-transfer!"
Yeah, they're useful. Cutting-edge Grimm and heat tracking technology, up to 32x zoom, optional laser pointer, and light as hell. This isn't your run-of-the-mill scope for sure.
However, I play dumb, but that's because I think Ruby's adorable when she excitedly explains stuff for me.
"So what's this exactly?"
"It's one of Atlas' greatest creations," Ruby says. "A few years ago, before Mythara retired, she along with Atlas' best scientist and researcher worked together to create this masterpiece. It took them one whole year to perfect it, but because of the time, effort, and resources it took, they only managed to create a little over a hundred of it."
"And when they were transferring the shipment to the main city, they were attacked by Grimm." The stall owner continued. "Thankfully, they kept a few in the facility for further research, but most were lost in that attack. Only less than ten remain on the planet as far as we know."
"That's unfortunate," I respond.
I find it kinda amusing how powerful weapon parts are seen as, like, exclusive collector edition items or limited figurines. Trophies rather than tools, though weapons are heavily integrated into Remnant's society. Even civilians usually have a sword or something on them.
Always found it interesting, to be honest.
"Mythara was heartbroken over it." Ruby frowned sadly, then smiled brightly. "I never thought I'd ever see one in my life!"
"It can be yours for the right price." He says. "What do you say? The original price was 25,000,000 Lien, but seeing as you have the Titan Slayer here with you, I'll turn it down to 22,000,000 instead."
Ruby flinches at the overblown price, looking quite crestfallen, and I don't blame her. That's a little over 200k dollars if my math is correct. Way above what she can afford, probably will never be able to any time soon if I want to be blunt.
It was obvious that she looked sad about it. Not as sad as I expected; just a tiny bit bothered from what I can pick up. She knew she couldn't buy it either way, but it hurt her to hear it directly.
And that's where I come in. Can't have my date be sad, now can I? Overpriced or not, I have enough money to literally last me several lifetimes, and I'm about to make a lot more soon enough.
She sighs and smiles sadly, tugging me to go somewhere else.
"Let's go, Reid. There are still so many things I wanna see."
I shrug and follow her, giving the stall one last glance. Once it's out of sight, I turn around and hold Ruby's hand, an idea forming in my head. Oh well, it's not like I'm losing anything here.
Might as well do it later.
(Kiryu)
Kazuma never claimed to be a Weapons Master, but he's seen and used his fair share of weapons in the old days. From knives to guns, to even swords. Hell, even his old master forced him to learn weapons. He preferred to go unarmed or wear brass knuckles, but he's open-minded and saw the potential of swords or guns.
Regardless, he knows a good weapon when sees one. It's a keen sense he picked up after trading with many weapon dealers throughout his career and seeing how long said career was, he's also seen… pretty weird weapons.
A shotgun that shoots slime, a lighter powerful force that rivals a flamethrower, a Magical Glock that never runs out of bullets, and even lightsabers. Those are just the weapons Kazuma has used at some point.
So seeing these… mecha-shift weapons wasn't all that surprising. He did find them intriguing, though. A weapon that can change modes in an instant is definitely useful. Seeing that he's probably gonna be dealing with monsters, he might have to get one.
Unfortunately, none really felt right.
The festival was crowded, hundreds of people walking around from one stall to another. Some were merely sightseeing, others were buying. Kazuma looked around, not for anything specific, but for something that just felt right.
Unfortunately, even after two hours of looking, he didn't find what he was looking for. The sun is already setting, an orange hue in the sky darkening slowly. Kazuma felt slightly frustrated but didn't pay it any mind. If he doesn't find anything here, then he can just look around regular stores the next day.
There were certain stalls that looked empty, though. From what he saw, they didn't have these Mecha-shift thingies, just regular-looking weapons. For a second, he simply felt like walking away, but it won't hurt to look around, right?
He doesn't mind getting a normal weapon if he's being honest. As long as it gets the job done, who cares?
So he approached the stalls, scanning the weapons on each before his eyes landed on beautifully crafted silver gauntlets with red highlights. It felt like it was beckoning for him to step forward, and he did, inspecting it up close.
The tips of the gauntlet's fingers alongside stripes that reached up to the far end of it were crimson red, the rest being silver in color. Kazuma was impressed, you don't see weapons like this every day.
...at least, not back on Earth.
"Can I test this out?" He asked the stall owner, who shrugged and nodded.
"Go ahead."
And Kazuma did just that, strapping it onto his right hand. He clenched his fist and threw a punch, feeling just how little this gauntlet weighed. It wasn't uncomfortable either, in fact, it felt perfect. Weird coincidence how the first weapon he tried out was possibly the perfect weapon.
But he always had good intuition.
"How much is this?"
"Wait, you're buyin-" The stall owner stumbled on her words before clearing her throat. "I-I mean, it's pretty expensive, even for a classic. 110,000 Lien"
"Why's that?"
"Well, it's been rumored to have belonged to an ancient hunter thousands of years ago, found in an ancient dungeon in Atlas." She explained.
Kazuma frowned. "You're going off on rumors? Really?"
She shrugged. "I believe 'em. You don't see a weapon like that in a locked tomb and think it's some adventurer's belonging."
He looked at the weapon again, and after a minute of contemplation, he sighed. "Fine, I'll take it."
"I'm sure you won't regret it." She grinned, handing over the second gauntlet as she took the money.
Without saying another word, Kazuma walked away, glancing at the gauntlets. At least he's happy with what he bought, even if it isn't a transforming weapon. He'll just buy a normal pistol or something to go with this. No skin off his back.
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to testing them out.
(Blake)
Why did they drag me with them… She groaned inwardly, following after her partner and team leader.
Blake wasn't a people person. She never liked going to parties, festivals, or anything of that sort. She enjoyed peace and quiet, reading a book or two. She was no social animal like Yang. Blake just wanted to be left alone.
She was fairly certain there won't be anything worthwhile here either - Gambol Shroud served her well enough. But Weiss being who she is, forced her out of the room and into this pointless endeavor. She could be back home, researching more about this mysterious Nahkriin and finding his identity, but noooo.
Blake never got along with their team leader, and that's to be expected considering what the SDC did to her dad, but she tried to be polite to the heiress, and Weiss did the same. She doesn't hate Weiss per se, but can't bring herself to like her either.
She just feels neutral, and Weiss being less and less annoying these days is admittedly helping things. Blake was 90% sure it was Yang's doing, subtly teaching her social cues and being genuinely impressive on how she handles Weiss' temper.
Speaking of her partner; another person she didn't see herself getting along with, but she did anyway. She wasn't sure if it's Charisma or if she's simply too attractive, but Yang isn't as annoying as Blake thought she'd be.
Yang did say she kinda reminds her of her sister, at least as social as she was, which intrigued Blake. She wondered what Yang's sister was like, or what kind of books she liked. She was two years younger than them if she remembered correctly.
There was also something strange that all of them noticed about Yang: she seemed a lot busier than before. She still attends the important things like training classes or tests obviously, but most of the time, whenever Weiss asks for group study or something, she always declines, saying that she had to do something.
Which is fair. She could have a part-time job or something along those lines. Velvet does after all.
What's suspicious is how tight-lipped she is about it. When Blake asked her about it, she mentioned 'checking up on her sis' but it sounded fake. She was doing something behind their backs, and it admittedly annoyed her.
Was all that talk about being a team fake?
Blake flinched when she realized how hypocritical she sounded in her head, frowning at the small amount of guilt she felt.
Maybe it's none of her business after all. If Yang wants to keep it a secret, then there must be a reason for it, right? Like how she's keeping a secret from them - everyone has a secret.
"What's up, Blake?" Yang asked her, slowing down her pace. "You look bothered."
"It's nothing." Blake dismissed her concerns. "I'm just not good with hot weather."
"I thought you lived in Menagerie?" The blond raised a brow. "And last time I checked, it's pretty hot there."
Shit. Blake grimaced. "Look, I just don't feel well, alright?" She sighed.
"Oh." Yang frowned. "Wanna go back?"
She almost said 'yes'
Blake wanted to say that so badly, but she felt pretty terrible. Sure, it's not her thing to go out like this, however, she and her team don't get those days a lot, and this festival only happens once a year.
It doesn't feel fair, especially with how happy the rest of her team looked. She doesn't want to be known as the girl who ruins the fun for everybody.
"No, I'm sure it'll pass." Blake smiled. "Thanks, though."
"If you say so." Yang shrugged. "Hey, Weiss! Are you feeling alright?"
"I-I'm doing well, thank you very much!" Weiss, who was sweating bullets from the heat, replied. "This heat is nothing, I can handle it!"
She definitely can't.
Yang sighed and approached the team leader, who looked like she was about to pass out. "Alright, Snow Princess, let's go find a place for you to rest."
"I'm okay- let go of me, you brute!" Weiss scowled, trying to push Yang away. "I demand you stop this right now!"
"Is Weiss gonna be okay?" The fourth member of the team asked softly. "Maybe she should've brought an umbrella."
"She definitely should've," Blake muttered.
Yang had dragged the Schnee Heiress to a nearby fountain, forcing her to sit on the edge as she brought her bottled water. Weiss looked annoyed and a bit embarrassed to be taken care of like this, a pink hue painting her cheeks.
"You know, it's fine to say you need a break," Yang noted. "No one's gonna hold it against you."
"Be quiet."
"Alright." Yang shrugged with an amused smile.
Yang sat next to her as Weiss drank from her bottle, looking away only for her eyes to widen. The three were confused at the look of shock on their leader's face, but when uttered her next words, they understood why.
"I-is that… Mr. Astera?!" She pointed at the crowd, and true enough, a white-haired man was seen walking alongside… an unfamiliar girl.
"Who's that with him?" Blake asked in confusion.
Weiss stood up and wiped the sweat off her forehead with a handkerchief, approaching the hero with a smile.
Only for Yang to wrap her arm around the heiress's shoulder, turning around and walking the other way. Blake noticed Yang's face is as white as a sheet but tried to smile awkwardly.
"Anyway, Weiss, have I ever told you how much I look up to you?"
"W-wha-"
Blake blinked, looking as confused as Weiss. Both Blake and Levianna looked at each other before turning their gazes back at the two, unsure what garnered this reaction.
"I mean, seriously, I've never seen someone so smart before." Yang continued her praise as Weiss looked back, trying to get a glimpse of the Titan Slayer.
"Yang, let go of me," Weiss said. "I must greet the Titan Slayer before I lose sight of him."
"Titan Slayer?" Yang raised a brow, looking around left and right. "There's no Titan Slayer here. What are you on about?"
This made Blake pause, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. Okay, Yang is acting really weird right now - she definitely saw him as well, all of them did. Why is she acting like this? Is she trying to prevent Weiss from meeting him?
But why? Knowing Yang, she'd jump at the opportunity of meeting Reid Astera, so why is she stopping herself and Weiss from doing that? Is there something they don't know about?
Now that she thinks about it, Yang never talks about the Hero as much as she used to. It was weird how her celebrity crush disappeared so abruptly. There was something off about all of this, but Blake kept her mouth shut.
"B-but I saw him-"
"Must be the heat, Weiss. There was no one there." Yang insisted. "Let's go cool off somewhere else. How about some ice cream? My treat."
Weiss wasn't sure how to respond but believed Yang over herself, which surprised Blake a little. Maybe the heat is messing with her head. It's not every day the heiress acts so docile.
Blake glanced at where they first saw the Titan Slayer, frowning a bit.
She'll ignore it for now, but Blake will definitely remember this.
(Ruby)
Ruby didn't know what to expect from her first date, but as of now, she felt silly that she was so worried. Yang was right; it's exactly like hanging out, but it's for couples instead of regular friends.
The moment she and Reid checked the stalls, her worries washed away almost immediately, replaced with excitement as she checked all of them. Yes, quite literally every single stall in the festival, even the classics.
Of course, she took all the money she saved up with her, along with a little help from Yang who lent her some more and spent almost her entire savings on weapon parts, even new weapons she can dismantle and learn from.
She even looked for anything that can go well with the weapon she's making at the moment, wanting the best for her date. Some ideas here and there, but unfortunately nothing amazing.
Speaking of, Reid had been taking this entire thing with a stride. Sometimes, Ruby felt like she was overwhelming him with too much information, or because she dragged him all over the place, but it made her happy to see him intrigued by all of this, never breaking his smile.
He did disappear for a bit, though. She panicked, thinking she lost him, but it didn't even take a minute before he came back, prompting her to chastise him for leaving her alone.
Even then, she had to apologize at some point, but he merely laughed it off and patted her head, pointing out how adorable she looked the whole time. Ruby was starting to think that he loved complimenting her at every chance he got just to fluster her. She won't say no to praises, but she wishes he'd stop doing it so often.
After her shopping spree, Ruby didn't realize that she blew off all her money over weapons, and Reid being Reid called her a dumbass for it. She knew he was right, but it didn't stop her from being annoyed about it.
Because even then, Reid also bought her more than a few parts. Almost half the stuff she got was from his wallet instead, making her feel a little bad. She tried to stop him, but he either insisted or outright ignored her protests.
However, if she was being honest, she started to appreciate his blunt nature a little more. Yang and her dad would treat her as if she was glass sometimes, so having someone close calling her out for her dumb mistakes was refreshing.
"Another great haul this year," Ruby remarked with a satisfied smile, looking at the direction of the festival from a distance away. "Even better than the last."
"I think you went a little overboard," Reid noted, standing next to her. "What you got was worth around five million."
Once they were practically done, the two left the crowded festival for a quieter place, away from all the noise. They weren't that far - they can still see the lights in the distance after all. It did feel stuffy after a while of walking.
"It's for science."
"I'm sure it is."
"I'm serious." She frowned at him. "I don't just buy stuff willy-nilly-"
"Coulda fooled me."
"-I make sure what I pick is the best quality." She ignored his quip.
"Okay, but why buy the stuff you don't even use?" He asked. "I can understand a muzzle or something, but why a whole new weapon?"
"Hehe, silly Reid. Don't you understand?" Ruby smirked. "A weapon is a bundle of parts! I can break them down for more!"
"...Fair enough." He shrugged. "I don't really understand this stuff like you do, nor am I that interested really, but I had a lot of fun. Maybe your happiness is infectious."
"I had fun too." Ruby smiled warmly with a light blush, hugging his arm. "Maybe we should do this again next year?"
"We'll do this every year." He said. "Just say the word."
Ruby giggled and hugged his arm tighter, the two falling into a companionable silence as they gazed at the lights in the distance. She noticed Reid rubbing his neck with a pained look, and was about to ask what's up, but then a loud whistle interrupted her. Ruby looked up to see light explode, lighting up the night sky with beautiful colors.
"There are fireworks?" Her date asked.
"At the end of every festival, yeah." Ruby nodded.
Reid hummed, then glanced at her. "You know, I never asked you this, but why do you dismantle weapons anyway? Most of the parts you can't even add to Crescent Rose, right?"
"Oh." She blinked. "I guess… I just wanna learn more."
"Learn?"
"Yeah. Making and studying weapons is my hobby, but it's also another way to be stronger." She explained. "I guess improving my body or technique is important, but having a strong weapon is too."
Reid waited for her to finish.
"I wanna do more, I wanna save more lives." Ruby said. "I wanna be a hero, like you or mom."
"Ruby, I told you before that you're already a hero." He responded.
"And I believe you." She smiled at him gratefully. "But I think that a hero's job is never done. There are always people to save and villains to beat, and I can't do either if I stay weak.
"And to do that, I should never stop improving." She continued. "Whether it's training with you and Yang, or simply learning more about weaponsmithing."
Reid looked at her for a bit, as if he was contemplating something, then turned his gaze to the fireworks. Ruby didn't know what could be going through his head right now, and was getting a little nervous. She realized it was fine when he smiled a bit, looking at her with pride in his eyes.
"When I asked about your hobby, I didn't expect a life lesson." He joked, making her blush in embarrassment. "Heh, look at my girl being all mature. They grow up so fast."
"Hey, stop teasing me!" Ruby playfully pushed him away. "I was being serious!"
"And you were so cute while you're at it too." He chuckled.
Ruby pouted at him, crossing her arms. "I'm never telling you anything about my hobby ever again."
"Hey now, I was just joking." He ruffled her hair, but she remained stern. "Alright, how about I make it up to you?"
"Kissing won't work this time."
"It's not kissing." He said. "Actually, I have a gift for you."
Now that got her attention. "A gift?"
"Yup." He nodded, then took out a large box in gift wrapping. "Here you go."
"When did you-"
"Don't ask."
Ruby blinked at the box, finding a bench to sit on as she shredded the gift wrapping with her hands. When she saw what it was, her heart skipped a beat and her eyes widened, unable to even form a single word.
It was that really expensive, limited scope. The same one that cost more than a mansion in Vale.
Ruby looked at the smiling Reid with wide eyes, still not believing her eyes. "W-what- H-how did you get it?!"
"I bought it."
"B-but that's…" Ruby tried to collect her thoughts. "But why?"
"Because if anyone in the world deserves it, it's you." He said. "And the little speech proved that."
"I don't understand…" She whispered. "I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything." Reid shook his head with a chuckle. "I just know you're gonna use it way better than anyone out there- mfhm!?"
Ruby quickly cut him off as she smashed her lips against his, locking him in a deep kiss that he returned just as passionately. As their tongues wrestled, Ruby shivered and moaned as he began touching her, from caressing her thighs to squeezing her breasts.
She only broke off the kiss to take a breath, but he almost immediately took her once more, getting wilder as his hand slipped under her panties, touching her there and prompting her to flinch in pleasure.
As if realizing where they were, Reid quickly backed off, blinking for a few seconds before giving Ruby a look that made her feel even hotter.
"Let's take this somewhere private." He said, making her nod.
He didn't even let her walk, carrying her to what Ruby assumes is his place. She understood what this all meant and what's about to happen, she's not that prudish. However, even with how nervous she was feeling…
Her blush deepened as she buried her crimson-colored face in her lover's chest.
She felt equally excited.
Ruby wasn't sure what she'd think of herself after this.
[This entire scene is Lemon]
As soon as they arrived, Reid wasted no time quickly kissing her right as her head was on the bed, his hands groping her butt and breast. Ruby kissed back as she rubbed his crotch, feeling his thing throb with every stroke.
He began taking off her clothes, starting with the jacket, shirt, and then her shorts, leaving Ruby in only her underwear. Silently, she helped him take off his own shirt, taking a second to admire his muscles with a red face.
Of course, Reid noticed, chuckling quietly as he unclipped her bra, throwing it away. Ruby instinctively hid her breasts with her arms, but let go a second later, giving Reid full view of her still-developing body.
Ruby felt self-conscious. She's nowhere near as developed as her sister, feeling inferior compared to how great Yang's body is. She looked away in shame, which Reid somehow noticed. He got close and whispered in her ears, feeling up her thighs and butt.
"I like you the way you are." He assured her. "So forget about all of this and let's just enjoy ourselves, alright?"
Ruby admittedly felt better, nodding slowly.
She yelped as he suddenly pinched the pink tip, shivering in pleasure as he silenced her moans by locking her in another kiss. His free hand squeezed and kneaded her breast, prompting her to whine in his mouth. The hand that was teasing her nipple stopped and slithered down, going under her panties.
He chuckled as he felt her wet entrance, whispering. "Someone's feeling excited."
Ruby had never felt more embarrassed in her life before. All of this was new to her - she never thought she'd be doing this so soon, when in fact, she knew that this was pretty common for girls her age. The Hunter's life isn't simple. She could die during any mission, which is why the age of consent is lowered for them.
Even then, Ruby never had any interest in sex or dating until recently. She started to understand why Yang sometimes tried to help her get a boyfriend. Even simply being touched felt amazing.
And Ruby never experienced this kind of love in her life. Loving Reid felt different, it's not like loving her dad or Yang. This one felt stronger in a way, wilder, freer. It's like she wanted to spend every moment of her life with him. She wanted to impress him, be close to him at all times. Figuratively and literally.
Ruby forgot when she started to feel that way.
After a little bit of teasing, Reid slid off her panties, revealing her most private place. Ruby felt torn; a part of her wanted to cover up, but another, stronger feeling wanted to show him more.
"You're so beautiful…" He praised, and any feeling of embarrassment vanished in an instant.
Ruby flinched, looking in confusion as he lowered himself, his head between her thighs and right in front of her-
She gasped as he started to tease her with his tongue. Her chest heaved as she whined and moaned, holding him by his surprisingly soft hair as his tongue lapped. Pleasure like she never felt before ran through her body as she struggled to keep her voice down.
"R-Reid…!" She breathed her lover's name.
Ruby flinched as his tongue went inside, her head going blank for a moment. She moaned loudly, her body trembling in pleasure as Reid didn't give her a minute to rest. This felt way better than the time he fingered her - she never thought that a feeling like this ever existed.
She instinctively pushed him closer, spreading her legs to give him better access. She wanted him to go deeper, she wanted to feel more of this, and she told him so. He certainly didn't disappoint.
Ruby felt something was coming, her climax approaching fast, and as he pinched the swollen nub, she lost it. Ruby moaned loudly as she arched her back, uncontrollably spraying her juices on his face, to which he licked and drank with enthusiasm.
Ruby slumped on the bed, breathing heavily as she struggled to collect her thoughts again. Reid wiped his face, prompting her to blush heavily as she realized what happened. She stuttered an apology, but couldn't form the word as she met his eyes.
There was an animalistic gaze in those eyes - heck, they even looked different. His pupils were turned into slits, a dazed, hungry look that left Ruby shivering in anticipation. Was he a Faunus all along?
She was about to ask that but was cut off by another kiss, forcing her to taste her own juices. Ruby heard something, assuming he was finally taking off his pants, and when she opened her eyes, they widened as his… thing rested on her stomach.
Ruby has seen her fair share of adult videos but wasn't sure if they could get this big. Leave it to Reid, shattering her expectations in everything he does.
Though, this made her more nervous. Will it even fit?
Her heart pounded in her chest as it poked her, prompting her to quiver.
"Tell me if it hurts," Reid said. "Okay?"
Ruby felt a little better that he gave her this little warning, nodding slowly. "Okay…"
As soon as she responded, he slowly starting pushing inside, making Ruby bite her lips as it stretched her insides more and more. She gasped, pleasure far better than what she felt earlier rocking her body, and only half of it was inside.
She could barely think anymore as the last few inches were sheathed inside of her, silver eyes glazed over in pleasure as Reid let out a grunt, pulling back only to slam it in again. Ruby cried out, wrapping her arms around his neck as he kissed hers.
If whatever he did before was amazing, real sex was out of this world. It didn't take her long for her to reach her second climax of the night, after barely a few seconds of pounding. There wasn't a moment where she was quiet, moaning and groaning every moment as he thrust his hips, reaching deeper than she thought was possible.
The room was filled with the squelching sounds of her insides being pounded, her screams of pure euphoria, and her lover's grunts and groans. Ruby's eyes rolled back as her tongue lolled out, incapable of even saying simple words.
Reid was a lot rougher than she expected; she thought her first time was gonna be slow, not anywhere near as wild as this, yet even then, she enjoyed it. No, she loved every single moment of it.
Once again, Reid silenced her screams by pressing his lips against hers, prompting her to groan in his mouth as she orgasmed once more. She's either very sensitive, or Reid simply has a lot of endurance if he was able to last this long.
But it was obvious that he wouldn't last forever as he quickened his pace, his own climax approaching. In her mind, Ruby knew that she had to stop him from finishing inside because… she doesn't know. She couldn't care less either, hugging his head closer as he slammed his thing deep inside with a groan.
Ruby felt it; his seed filling up her womb, painting her insides white. She twitched and trembled as it throbbed inside of her, letting out the final spurts as soon as Reid sighed. She almost lost consciousness right there, but managed to get a hold of herself as she panted in exhaustion.
It took her a minute, but she finally processed what happened, and said the first thing that came to mind.
"Wow~" She hugged him closer. "That felt amazing~"
"I know, right?" He grinned mischievously. "Wanna do it again?"
"Huh-?!"
She never had a chance to realize what he just said as he cut her off by pulling his member and slamming it again. Ruby screamed in pleasure once more, still very sensitive from the previous session. Reid held her up, taking her hand and intertwining his fingers with hers, kissing her affectionately as they did it once more, though this time a lot slower.
This time, it was no mind-numbing pleasure. This time she was fully conscious, her heart beating fast as he looked at her lovingly with those intimidating eyes of his. It was a look that she returned as their foreheads touched, Ruby yelping and moaning every few seconds.
He nipped and playfully bit her neck. This… was a far cry from her first time, a lot slower, but it left her heart pounding even harder. Instead of the pleasure that left her completely unresponsive for a minute, she was fully aware of what was happening.
They took a bit longer this time, but eventually, Reid reached his limit. Even when aware, Ruby didn't want to stop him. That feeling of being filled up was incredible, and she desperately wanted to feel it again.
And feel it again she did. Ruby moaned as her fingers dug into Reid's Aura, reaching her climax as soon as he did. She breathed heavily, tired but still willing to go for more. Reid looked at her and grinned, but didn't show any signs of fatigue.
"So what did you enjoy more?" He asked. "Rough and wild? Or slow and loving?"
Ruby blinked, her face red from exhaustion and embarrassment. If she was being honest, she didn't know. Rough felt better, but slow made her feel good emotionally. She was unsure of what she preferred.
"I-I don't know…"
"Hmm…" His grin widened. "Then maybe we need to do it a few more times? Maybe you'll make your choice if you experience it more."
Ruby blinked, then a lustful smirk crept on her face. She wasn't sure where this confidence came from, but she definitely wanted more of this, either way didn't matter. Ruby was a fool to have dismissed this amazing feeling before.
She had a feeling that she won't be getting sleep any time soon.
[Lemon End]
(Cinder)
"I'm disappointed in you, Cinder." Her mistress said simply, prompting her to shiver in fear. "You've yet again failed me so pathetically. I believe you must know what this means?"
"W-wait, I can fix this!" Cinder stammered, sweating bullets. "I-I swear, I'll do better next time-"
"There is no next time." Salem cut her off coldly. "You've done nothing but fail me, even in a mission as simple as capturing the Fall Maiden."
"I-I…" She tried to think up of anything to appease the Dark Mistress, but nothing. Her throat was drier than Vacuo.
"When I took you in, I saw quite a lot of potential in you." Salem continued. "I saw the hate, the anger, and the desire within, yet even after nurturing you, all I got was… this."
Cinder flinched violently, her words cutting deep as she began to shake more than ever. She didn't know what to say; these words… were less scary and more painful. She clamped her mouth shut, her heart almost pounding out of her chest.
"You've lost my support, Cinder." Salem narrowed her eyes, a cruel look plastered on her face. "From now on, you shall be hunted down. Grimm will no longer ignore your presence, and if I catch you, I'll make your last moments a living hell."
"W-wait, hold on-"
"Silence!" She scowled. "You're no longer worth keeping alive. Someone who wasted so many resources does not deserve to live."
Cinder looked in horror as the Seer extended its tentacles, wrapping them around her arms as it pulled her closer. She struggled, eyes wide in terror as she began hyperventilating. Cinder released whatever magic she had from the Spring Maiden and burned the tentacles, destroying the Seer with a fireball.
The Seer, along with Salem's visage, vanished, prompting her to fall on her butt. She tried to control her breathing, her vision going blurry from fear. Cinder quivered, her mind racing as she tried to come up with a solution to this.
She's no longer Salem's agent, and Ozpin is looking for her. Both sides of this shadow war want her dead, so what the fuck is she supposed to do now? Hide? You can't hide from Salem and Ozpin at the same time - you might as well throw yourself in a Grimm-infested lake.
Salem has eyes everywhere and Ozpin has support from all the kingdoms. She can't hide from Grimm and people at the same time, especially not with this intense horror she's currently feeling.
She's… fucked. Completely and utterly fucked. There's no way she can survive this.
The door opened, Emerald and Titania walking in as the former looked at her in concern. Cinder held herself, muttering about how dead she is. She couldn't think clearly anymore, fear filling every corner of her mind.
Cinder didn't even respond when called out, not until she heard Aurelius' voice at least. She looked up to him, who gazed down at her with pity. Normally, this would hurt her pride, but Cinder couldn't care about this anymore.
She stood up, eyes still wide in terror. "Y-you must help me, please!"
He raised a brow.
"I-I can't leave- I'd die." She explained. "Sh-she's gonna kill me- all of them will! You must help me, keep me safe here, I beg of you!"
"Why should I?" He asked simply.
"I-I'll do anything, anything!" She said," Cook, clean, warm your bed- anything you want! J-just please, don't throw me out!"
At this point, Cinder threw away her pride completely, eyes tearing up as the reality of the situation sunk in. Both Titania and Emerald looked at her in shock, not expecting Cinder of all people to sink so low as to beg.
"And your companions?"
"I couldn't care less about them!" She screamed. "Do what you want, just don't let her get me!"
"Wow…" Titania scowled deeply as she stepped back. "Just wow. Never thought you'd be this much of a fucking coward."
Emerald looked quite hurt, but scowled at Titania instead, her loyalty shining through even after hearing what her mistress said.
"I see." Aurelius closed his eyes, contemplating before giving his answer. "I want the three of you out by daylight tomorrow."
"W-what…" Cinder's heart dropped. "N-no, you can't be doing this!"
"I can, and I will." He replied.
"B-but why!?" She scowled. "Why?! I said I'll do anything, so why won't you help me?!"
"When backed in a corner, people will show their true colors." He said, turning around. "And you… people who'd throw their companions to the wolves so easily are the ones I despise most."
With that, he left the room, Cinder frozen completely as she destroyed her own only chance of a safe haven. She fell to her knees as Titania clicked her tongue, looking at her in disgust. She walked to the door Aurelius left from but stopped once Emerald called out to her.
"W-where do you think you're going?!"
"Leaving," Titania replied simply. "Got sick of this shit."
"W-wait, the contract said-"
"Fuck the contract!" She growled. "I had every right to terminate it when this bitch here wanted to get rid of me!"
"You watch your tongue-!"
"Or what?!" Titania turned around with a furious look on her face. "The fuck are you gonna do about it?! I'm leaving, and there's jack shit you can do to stop me."
Emerald tried to argue, but only stutters left her throat.
"You better leave her too," Titania said, walking out of the door. "Or you're gonna regret it."
With that, she left the two on their own. Cinder was unresponsive, the fear gripping her heart making her unable to think anymore. Emerald stayed by her side, scared as well, but nowhere near as terrified as Cinder was, because she has no idea what Salem truly is.
Cinder was consumed by despair.
There was nothing she could do to change her fate.