RWBY: Tale of Two Roses

Chapter 3: Scorched Earth

Ruby walks into the shop and grabs the new Weiss Schnee CD off the Rack. She pays for it and puts it in her player. She listens to it while reading the newest issue of Wonder Maiden. A bunch of guys in black suits and bowler hats with red straps that match their red ties. They aim their guns at shoppers and force the shopkeep to surrender any and all forms of dust he has. One walks up to threaten Ruby who is completely oblivious. He points his gun at her and yanks of her headphones. "Hey!" She turns to see the gun in her face. "I said get on the ground!"

"Are you...robbing me?"

"Yes!"

"Oh." She kicks him through the window and the other goons turn to face her. Before they can say "huntress"she's ejected each of them out of the store and into the street. She launches herself onto the street in a flurry of rose petals. She stands up, her weapon opening in a mechanical whir. Their leader, a scrawny gentleman with orange hair, white suit, and black hat with an orange strap, looks over them with disappointment. He raises his cane and the bottom flips up to form a reticle. He fires off a shit and Ruby dodges. The flare detonates, creating a large blast. Ruby is blown over by the blast and looks back in horror to see the shop in flames. She tosses her scythe aside and runs in. She manages to get everyone out and gets the fire suppression system online. She runs back over and collapses from exhaustion and smoke inhalation.

She wakes up in the back of an ambulance with a breathing mask on. She goes to sit up but the Paramedic gently asks her to stay down. A man in a black suit with grey hair walks on and sits next to her. "What's your name?"

"Ruby, Ruby Rose."

"Ms. Rose, My name is Professor Ozpin. I'm glad you were here to assist. I'm even more glad you didn't get hurt. But, in the future, please be more careful. Your sister, Ms. Long, is attending Beacon this year, yes?"

"Yeah?"

"Well we'd be proud to have you join her once you complete your studies at Signal. Consider this an open invitation once you've graduated signal." Ozpin hands her a letter and walks out. She goes to lay back and notices something, or a lack of something. She reaches up to her collar and notices her hood is missing. She starts to panic when she sees a wad of red fabric in front of her. "Not even singed. It's like it's magic." She looks up to see a girl with long blonde hair. "Hey Yang." She takes the hood and lays it in her lap. "The paramedics had to take it off to put the mask on. They also had to open your top to open up your airway. Ruby turns redder than her hood and her sister breaks out laughing. "I'm-I'm joking Ruby." She says through her hysterical laughter. "I'm just glad you're okay. But you know dad is going to be furious that you got in a fight with a bunch of crooks."

"I can handle myself. I drink milk." Ruby says crossing her arms over her hood. Yang chuckles and shakes her head. The paramedic looks at her signs and then looks back at the two sisters. "You're free to go." The paramedic helps her out of the mask then Ruby gives her sister a hug before they part ways.

Ruby takes a bus back to patch then runs home. As she walks up the driveway her adorable corgi Zwei runs up. She bends down and pats him on the head. She gets up to the front door when everything goes black accompanied by a loud bang.

She wakes up and her ears are ringing. Zwei lays next to her, conscious but dazed. She goes to get to her feet but a sharp pain racks her body. She falls flat on her stomach. She rolls on her side in time for a patch of her father's jacket to come floating down next to her, still burning at the edges. Tears form at the edges of her eyes as she forces herself to her feet. And she cries out through the pain. "Dad! Dad! DAD!" But nothing, she hears nothing but Zwei's whining and her own agonized grunts. She falls to her knees and starts crying. Everything she'd ever known gone in a flash of light. The pain surging through her body. She reaches over and pulls Zwei close to herself, crying into his soft fur. She hears a rustling in a distance and looks up to see a blur of white encompassed by rose petals. Before she passes out to the pain she sees a familiar face turn back to look at her as red hair falls from under the white hood and silver eyes glisten in the flames.

Ruby wakes up and she's in the arms of the woman in the white hood. Her eyes manage to focus and she can't believe her eyes. "M...M...Mom?" She looks down to see Zwei curled up in her arms. "It's alright Ruby, you're going to be alright."

"Dad, Dad, Dad! Where's..." Before she even finishes she looks up and the look on her mother's face says it all. Ruby rests her head against her mother's chest as she rushes her to the town. From there they load her up in an ambulance and rush her to Vale Medical.

A few hours later she's all bandaged up with zwei laying in the bed next to her. The nurse tending to her smiles. "Good morning, sleepyhead. How are you feeling today?"

"Alright, I guess."

"You have a some visitors, would you mind If I let them in?" Ruby nods and in walks Summer and Qrow. "You look rough, kiddo." Qrow says with a small grin.

"Hey uncle Qrow." Summer gives a short confused look over at Qrow before sitting down next to Ruby. "Hey, pumpkin." She gently strokes Ruby's hair who pulls away from her. "Did you know, Qrow?"

"No, no I didn't. Your mom came to me the night of the attack and told me to get ambulances sent to Patch as soon as possible. I was just as surprised as you were to see her." Ruby goes to get out of bed only to fall down on her knees. "Whoa there squirt. I think you should stay down." Qrow says concerned. She supports herself on her IV stand and limps over to one of the chairs where her Hood is laid neatly. She grabs it and limps back to her bed to lay back down. Summer reaches over to her hair again and Ruby shoves the hood into Summer's chest before rolling over, facing away from Summer. Summer folds up the hood and walks out of the room. Qrow walks over to Ruby and lays a hand on her shoulder. "Get some rest kiddo. We'll come by tomorrow and check on you. We'll also bring Yang to tell her...the news." Qrow walks out and Ruby curls up and tries her hardest to fall asleep.