Time For Love: Ruby Rose X Male OC

Vol. 6 Ch. 42 Dead End

Ace's POV

The Next Day

We were standing outside of the gates to the Atlesian Military base on the island off the coast of Argus. Yang put her hands on the bars of the gate to speak to the guards and said, "Come on! You didn't even hear us out!" One guard said, "Our orders are clear: The Mistral-Atlas border is closed!" Then the other guard said, "Please!" Then the first one said, "Have a good day!" Yang replied, "But─" Both of the guards cut her off and said, "A good day!!" Then Qrow said, "Hey, if you don't wanna believe that I'm friends with Ironwood─" The guards corrected him and said, "General Ironwood!"

Qrow continued, "Yeah, General Ironwood, then fine. But look, we have Weiss Schnee with us and we're trying to get her home safely." Weiss looked down with reluctance upon hearing Qrow say that. The two guards look to each other before turning their attention back to the group and said, "Approach!" Weiss shared look with Blake and Yang, who both just shrugged. Weiss then walked up to the gate and the two guards stepped up and bent down to inspect us. After a moment, both guards stood straight back up and said, "Very well!" Then the second one said, "You may speak with our commanding officer!" The first guard added, "We will fetch her at once!" The two guards turned around in sync, and chanted "Hup hup hup" and "Atlas Atlas Atlas" as they ran to get their superior.

A few minutes later, the gates quickly opened up, and the two guards returned as the first one said, "Introducing!" The second one continued and said, "Special operative!" Then they both finished as they said in unison, "Caroline Cordovin!" We could al hear footsteps approaching as a short-statured elderly woman around Maria's age wearing the standard Atlesian officer uniform. She stepped forward and glared at Maria as she said, "Witch." Maria replied, "She-devil." Cordovin responded and said, "Hm. I've seen you've chosen larger contraband to smuggle this time." Maria replied, "Oh, Cordo. You know they say time changes people, but I see you've still got that stick right up your─" Ruby interrupted them and said, "H-hello! Miss, uh, Cordovin. My name is Ruby Rose, and I was wondering if you would hear us out about─"

Cordovin cut her off and said, "I've already heard what your other little friends had to say, Miss Rose." She looked behind Ruby, noticing Jaune, Nora, and Ren standing a little ways away behind the group and said, "What are you doing back here?! I thought I told you to leave!" Nora tried to charge forward, only to be held back by Ren and Jaune as she said, "And I told you we wouldn't rest until you let us through!" Ren nervously smiled and waved as he said, "Nice to see you again as well!" Cordovin replied, "You civilians are clearly incapable of comprehending the importance of our mission here in Argus. So allow me to say this slowly, with smaller words: This base, that relay tower, the very safety of Argus are all gifts from the glorious Kingdom of Atlas! And it is my duty to uphold them, as only I have the wit and tenacity for such a task." Maria spoke up and said, "Or maybe Atlas just wanted to get you as far from the kingdom as possible." Cordovin growled and replied, "You're just like the rest of these Argus ingrates! This city wouldn't even be here if it weren't for our Atlesian ancestors, and what do we get in return? The entire world is ready to put a knife to our throats!"

Ruby spoke again and said, "Please, we know your kingdom had nothing to do with the Fall of Beacon. We were there." Weiss added, "No one's happy about the Atlas borders or embargo, but I know General Ironwood is just worried. It's why we need to talk to─" Cordovin cut Weiss off and said, "The General is no coward! Atlas is strong. If all the kingdoms plan to make us their enemy, then so be it! Atlas will prevail!" Cordovin then let out a sigh and said, "If Miss Schnee has truly come to her senses and wishes to return to her family, then, of course, the Atlas military will escort her home. But the kingdom will not be responsible for her 'friends' of... questionable character." She glanced at Blake specifically upon saying her last statement. Weiss replied in a hostile tone and said, "What's that supposed to mean?" Cordovin answered and said, "It means we're done here." The gates to the base then are closed quickly, leaving us outside once again. Nora spoke up again and said, "Oh yeah? Well, your base looks... like a big dumb boot!" Deadpan, Jaune replied and said, "Way to show her, Nora..." Ruby, Blake and Yang looked at Weiss as she said, "I don't..." Ruby replied, "Weiss. I told you we wouldn't leave your side for a second. We'll find a way to Atlas. Together." Ruby placed a hand on Weiss' shoulder.

Weiss smiled and nodded back at her friend, while just smiled. Qrow started to walk away and Ruby said, "So... where are we going now?" Nora spoke up and said, "Yeah, what's the plan?" Qrow replied bitterly and said, "The plan? The plan just got shut on our face three times over. I'm going for a drink." Running over to her uncle, Ruby said, "Uncle Qrow, I really think we should try and come up with something..." Qrow walked away before she could finish as she said, "...together." Jaune replied, "What's his problem? It's not your fault we can't go on." Nora responded and said, "If he's gonna be a jerk, then we'll just come up with something without him. I mean, we've got Ozpin with us! He usually knows what to do." Upon hearing this, Oscar looked down sadly, and Weiss, Blake, and Yang exchanged troubled looks. Noticing this, both Ren and I said, "What is it?"

Time Skip
(Brought to you by Chibi Ruby sitting on top of a defeated Chibi Ace while she eats a cookie)

Back at Saphron's home, Jaune punches the wall, leaving a very large crack in it. Ruby responded, "Jaune!" Jaune yelled, "Everything we did was for nothing!" Blake replied, "That's not true." Nora said angrily, "Really? Cuz it sure does sound like it." Blake answered, "I, um..." Ren said, "If Salem can't be killed, then how are we supposed to win this?" Everyone remains silent for a moment before Jaune said sarcastically, "Wow... Great plan everyone!" Oscar then said, "Look, none of this is great, we know. But we're not the bad guys here." Jaune got hostile towards Oscar and said, "Are we sure about that?" He replied, "What?" Jaune answered, "He's in your head, isn't he? Did you already know about this?" Then Jaune angrily walked over to Oscar and Weiss said, "He didn't know any of it!" Jaune grabbed Oscar, shoved him against the wall, and said, "How much longer can we even trust him?!" Yang replied, "Jaune!" Jaune said, "How do we even know it's really him?! What if we have been talking to that liar this whole time?!" Ruby yelled at him and said, "Jaune!" Ruby angrily glared at Jaune, who glared back at her. He looked back over to Oscar, who was cowering in fear. Jaune, realizing what he had done, let go of Oscar with an apologetic look on his face. Jaune then went upstairs. A door could be heard opening and slamming shut. Yang spoke up and said, "Is he... gonna be okay?" Nora replied, "I don't know!" She got up and left, and then Ren said, "I think it would be best if we had some time to ourselves." He left and headed upstairs as well. Team RWBY, Oscar, and I remained in the living room, and I said, "Maybe we could all use some space." Everyone stayed silent and Oscar looked down sadly. Then I went upstairs to the room I'd been using and sat down at the desk in the room. I decided to give my robotic hand a much-needed tune up while my brain processed the new information.

After awhile, I finished doing the tune up and finally had come to terms with everything. I stood up and was about to head back downstairs when someone opened the door before me. I saw that it was Oscar, who was wearing an olive coat with shoulder pads and a belt, both of dark red. Underneath, he had a white collared shirt and bandages wrapped around the neck. His gloves are a slightly open U-shape with black X-pattern wrist straps. He also wore black trousers and red boots colored orange at the toe. I looked at him and said, "Hey, Oscar. I like the new outfit." He smiled and said, "Thanks, Ace. By the way, do you know where everyone else is?" I raised an eyebrow and said, "What do you mean?" He replied and said, "When we all split up to settle down, I left to get myself some better looking combat gear. and when I came back everyone else was gone. Everyone except you." I nodded and said, "I see, they must've gone out while I was doing a tune up on my hand. Well why don't we make them a nice hot meal for when they get back." He smiled and said, "Sounds good to me." Then we both went into the kitchen and started cooking.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.
Master out.