A Rabbit Among Wolves

Chapter 25

Ruby hit the floor behind the pharmaceutical stand and pushed herself up against the cough medicine. Already, she could hear glass crunching under the feet of several large people, the whimpers of the innocents and someone ordering the shopkeeper to turn off the alarm. This was so much less subtle than the attack she'd foiled before.

Did that mean the bad guys were running out of patience? It certainly meant they had to be quick since the police might be on their way. Quick meant dangerous, which meant everyone here was in trouble. Her scroll was out in an instant, thumbs flying across the screen as she messaged Qrow.

"Don't worry!" the intrepid tampon buyer whispered to her. "I've called for reinforcements."

"You've called for reinforcements?" she asked dumbly. "But I've called for reinforcements."

"Wait, you did? What do-" The faunus' eyes widened as he took her face in properly. "Ah man, can't I catch a break?"

"Oi!" Torchwick's voice came first, followed by his head and shoulders peeking around the corner. "I thought I told you all to get down. Now you're in trouble..." He trailed off with eyes locked on her face. Innocently, Ruby waved back. "Ah man, can't I catch a break?"

Crud! This was her cue. "R-Roman Torchwick!" she shouted, stammering slightly on the first word since everyone in the store was now looking to her. "You are under arrest! Surrender and put your hands in the air!"

The master criminal cocked a single eyebrow. "Anyone ever do that?"

"No," she admitted, "But I'm supposed to offer."

"Cool. So, no. Obviously. Boys." He waved his hand toward her. "Keep the huntress busy."

Six men in the same black and red suits from before came pouring around both ends of the aisle, batons, blades and knuckledusters on full array. Ruby ripped Crescent Rose free and brandished it, knowing she could attack one side faster than they could close the trap. That'd mean leaving the helpless faunus in trouble, though.

"Whoah!" Said 'helpless faunus' yelped at the sight of the approaching enemies. "No thanks!"

He lunged to the side, grabbing a stand-up display unit full of the latest diet pills and toppling it into their path. Little plastic jars clattered over the floor in their hundreds, tripping and slipping under foot, making the three men to her left crash to the floor. Without waiting for them to get up or punish him for what he'd done, he ran up, gripped the aisle itself and yanked it back, making it fall on top of the three men, medicine, toilet roll and all.

Huh. That was a thing.

The three from her end had just about reached her and one of them helpfully announced his presence with a loud battle cry. Ducking under his downward swing, she hooked the butt of Crescent Rose under his heel and pulled, sweeping his leg out from under him while also bringing her bladed end to face another – not attacking him, but suddenly pushing it into his face to steer him away and create some distance. Crescent Rose tended to have that effect on people. While a tiny girl wasn't so intimidating, a huge kickass scythe certainly was.

The third was braver and threw a punch for her throat. He was no Yang, however, and you didn't grow up with a sister like that and not learn a few tricks. Stepping aside, she brought the pole of Crescent Rose up and used it to lock his wrist and arm against her shoulder, then twisted it ninety degrees, bending his arm to the side in such a way that it threatened to break. Naturally, he collapsed to one knee, holding his shoulder in pain and letting her release him and jab the butt into his chest to knock him back.

No aura. These guys were really weak, which was nice and all but also meant she couldn't actually use her weapon without hurting them. Coco would have called that bad PR, though Ruby would have pointed out it was just plain wrong. She was a hero after all. Heroes saved the day with as little hurt as possible. Well, as little injury. These guys could handle a few bruises.