Ruby's Date

Warning: I wrote this while listening to "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton on loop.

The afternoon in Vale was glowing with a golden warmth, and the streets were full of life. Among the crowd, two figures stood out—a hooded teenager and a bombshell blonde. It was Ruby, with her inseparable sister Yang by her side. Ruby felt a slight knot in her stomach, a feeling that always appeared whenever Yang had that expression on her face, the one that always signaled trouble... at least for Ruby.

"Come on, Ruby! Today's the day. It's time for you to get over your shyness!" Yang exclaimed with a big smile, giving her a light shove on the shoulder.

Ruby knew exactly what that meant. Her heart started beating faster, and it wasn't because of the walk. "Yang, I don't think this is a good idea..." she murmured, nervously looking around.

Yang, with her carefree attitude, let out a laugh. "Of course it is! It's the perfect time for you to learn to take the initiative. Come on, you just need a little practice."

"You totally can!" Yang paused for a moment, looking around with eyes full of excitement, like a huntress searching for her prey. "Come on, you just have to relax. Today, we're going to find the perfect guy for you."

Ruby felt a chill run down her spine. It's not that she didn't want to be more outgoing like Yang, but the idea of approaching guys made her feel small and vulnerable. She walked beside her sister, trying to appear calm, but inside, her mind was in a whirlwind.

As they walked through the streets of Vale, Yang scrutinized the passing guys as if she were assessing each one. Ruby, on the other hand, avoided eye contact, wishing that the moment of truth would never come.

"How about him?" Yang discreetly pointed at a guy who was buying something at a nearby stall. But before Yang could say more, Ruby had already dismissed the option. "No, too busy... Next."

Ruby let out a silent sigh, relieved that Yang didn't push the matter, but she knew it wouldn't last long. Yang was incredibly determined. Ruby could only hope Yang wouldn't find anyone she deemed suitable enough.

Ruby walked with her eyes fixed on the ground, nibbling lightly on her lower lip. Nervousness burned in her chest as words struggled to escape her mouth. "Yang... what do I do when I get rejected?" she asked without daring to look at her sister.

Yang, not losing an ounce of her enthusiasm, gave her a slap on the back that nearly made her stumble. "You mean IF they reject you. You have to think positively, Ruby! And if that happens, just move on. It's not the end of the world."

With a trembling whisper, Ruby added, "And what if they laugh at me?" The thought of being ridiculed terrified her.

"No one's going to laugh at you, Ruby."

Ruby frowned, still unsure. "And what am I supposed to say? What if I don't know what to say?!"

Yang shrugged. "Anything, as long as you say it with confidence. People usually respond well when they sense confidence."

Suddenly, Yang stopped dead in her tracks, raising her hand in a signal to wait. Ruby, confused, also stopped. Yang's expression changed drastically to one of pure excitement, and her eyes sparkled as her lips curled into a sly smile. "Ho, ho, ho! He's perfect!" she murmured, pointing at a young man walking on the opposite sidewalk.

Ruby looked up and followed the direction Yang's finger was pointing. The guy was quite attractive, with white hair that contrasted with his tan skin and a well-defined body. Ruby looked at Yang in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding, Yang... Someone like that must already have a girlfriend," she whispered, squinting at her sister.

"He doesn't!" Yang replied with absolute certainty. "It's my sixth sense. I know these things."

Ruby stared at Yang in disbelief, almost wondering if her sister really believed what she was saying. Ruby's nervousness increased with every passing second. "I can't... I can't do this, Yang. Let's go home," she said, taking a step back, ready to turn around.

But Yang was quicker, grabbing her arm and pulling her back to stop her. "Oh, no, you're not getting away that easily. I didn't want it to come to this, but oh well."

"Ruby" she said in a serious tone, "before we left the house, I hid some pieces of Crescent Rose."

Panic immediately filled Ruby's eyes. "You can't do that! You know how long it took me to get it perfectly adjusted!"

Yang grinned mischievously. "Then go talk to him and get your pieces back. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for Crescent Rose."

Ruby frowned, internally struggling with the idea. She knew Yang wouldn't back down, and after a brief exchange of looks, Ruby sighed in resignation. "Fine... I'll do it. But you'd better give me back all the pieces," she warned, with a hint of determination in her voice.

As Ruby walked away from Yang, her heart was pounding, and panic began to take hold of her. Her mind raced in a thousand directions, each thought more chaotic than the last. "Damn Yang! She thinks she's so great just because she talks to guys and has a motorcycle. Well, I could be cool too if I wanted," Ruby thought in frustration, trying to channel her nervousness into some kind of self-affirmation.

Soon, Ruby realized she had no idea what she was going to say. "What would Yang say in a situation like this?" she wondered desperately, trying to find something that would give her courage. Before she could think of an answer, she was already standing in front of the guy.

"A-a-are you a piece of equipment? B-because without you, I feel incomplete," Ruby stammered, pointing at him with her fingers as her cheeks instantly flushed. Nervousness made her trip over her own words, making her feel even more awkward.

The guy looked at her, surprised, as if he wasn't sure what he had just heard. There was a moment of silence that felt like an eternity to Ruby, but then he began to laugh softly. It was a charming laugh, warm and friendly, which somehow made Ruby feel a little less embarrassed.

"You're sweet," the guy said, smiling in a way that made Ruby's heart skip a beat. Ruby felt immediate relief, but she still felt unsure. She continued to stammer, trying to find the right words.

Finally, Ruby, trying to keep her composure while her cheeks were still burning, said, "I-I... was just passing by and... I was wondering if... maybe you'd be interested in... going out on a date with me." Her voice trembled a little, but the sincerity and bravery in her words were clear.

"I'd love to," the guy replied with a smile.

"Well, thanks anyway, and I'm sorry... Sorry for bothering you..." Ruby lowered her head and turned around, ready to leave, the sadness beginning to take over her again.

At that moment, the unmistakable sound of a palm hitting a forehead could be heard from somewhere nearby. It was almost certain that it was Yang, watching her sister from the shadows.

But before Ruby could take another step, she felt a hand take hers. She stopped dead in her tracks, looking down to see how he gently held her hand. She looked at his face; he had a slight blush on his cheeks and was avoiding eye contact.

(Narrator's thoughts: He disgusts me).

"If you really want to… I wouldn't mind," he said softly.

Ruby was in shock, her eyes wide open. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. A wave of happiness surged through her, and she barely managed to whisper to herself, "I did it"

From a nearby bush, Yang watched the scene with a big smile on her face. "She did it!" she murmured to herself, clearly satisfied with the outcome.

Around the bush, other girls who had been waiting to witness the "massacre" exchanged astonished looks. "She did it?" they asked in unison, unable to believe what had just happened.

Feeling incredibly happy, Ruby couldn't stop thinking, 'He said yes!' A huge smile spread across her face, but soon her joy was replaced by worry when she realized she had no idea what to do next. 'Oh no! I didn't think I'd get this far!' she thought to herself, feeling a sudden panic.

"By the way, I'm Daniel, and you are…?" Daniel interrupted Ruby's thoughts.

"A-Ah, sorry, I'm Ruby, Ruby Rose," Ruby replied, regaining her composure as she tried not to let her nervousness show too much.

"Nice to meet you, Ruby," Daniel said, making Ruby feel a bit more at ease.

Just then, Yang, tired of seeing the situation not progressing, decided to intervene from her hiding spot. "Oh wow! If I had a date with a guy like that, I'd take him to a super fun place."

Yang's not-so-subtle attempt had a positive effect on Ruby, who nodded internally. Yang was right. Then, a brilliant idea popped into Ruby's mind.

"Would you like to go to a weapons shop? It's one of my favorite places!" Ruby suggested, not realizing how unusual that might sound. To her, there was no better place for a date.

From her hiding spot, a frustrated groan could be heard. "Damn it, Ruby!" It was undoubtedly her sister Yang.

"Sure, only if you want to," Ruby added, a bit less enthusiastic than before but still hoping for Daniel's reaction.

Daniel didn't hesitate for a second. "I'd love to! I love weapons!"

Ruby Rose was a shy and reserved girl, always nervous in social situations. However, there was something that made her completely lose her inhibitions: talking about weapons, hunters, or even cookies. In those moments, her enthusiasm overshadowed her shyness.

"Oh, you're going to love the shop! Let me tell you!" Ruby took Daniel's hand and dragged him at high speed through the streets. She was so absorbed in her talk that she didn't even notice her sister's protests, who shouted from behind for her not to drag him. Ruby was too fast, leaving her sister far behind. Ruby was happy, but Daniel not so much; he was being dragged across the ground.

Daniel never stopped smiling.

When they arrived at the shop, Ruby let go of Daniel's hand, leaving him on the ground. She never looked at him; her attention was completely fixed on the new luxury sniper scope she saw through the window. Daniel quickly got up, dusted himself off, and made sure the new bruises weren't visible.

Daniel never stopped smiling.

"Uh, look at this..." Ruby showed something to Daniel. She noticed that there seemed to be something different about him, but she couldn't quite figure out what it was. "Did something happen to you...?" she asked, looking at him with concern.

"Oh, Ruby, how about you tell me more about yourself?" Daniel interrupted before she could delve into the issue.

"Oh, well, besides weapons, I like comics," Ruby said, blushing a little as she mentioned her hobby.

"No way, Ruby! I love comics too!" Daniel exclaimed, showing enthusiasm.

"Really?!" Ruby was excited to find someone who shared her passion for stories.

"You know what else I like, Ruby?" Daniel asked, with an intriguing smile.

"Capes! I LOVE capes," Daniel said, his enthusiasm evident.

Ruby turned slightly to check that, luckily, she hadn't forgotten her own cape that day. Relieved to see that she was indeed wearing it, her face lit up.

"I have a cape!" Ruby exclaimed, proudly pointing to her cape, even though Daniel had seen it the entire time they'd been together.

"Oh my gosh, Ruby, it's beautiful! I've never seen a cape so well made," Daniel exclaimed, genuinely admiring Ruby's cape.

"I know, it's great. Yang always said I should take it off," Ruby responded, recalling how her sister had insisted she stop wearing it everywhere. There was a time when Yang was much more concerned about her sister, times when Ruby never took off her cape, not even to sleep, train, or even bathe. It took time and effort for Yang to convince Ruby to stop wearing it everywhere.

Daniel, with a touch of embarrassment, confessed, "I have one, but it got dirty, and I couldn't bring it today..."

"Wow, you're very inconsiderate with your clothes," Ruby commented, not noticing the expression on Daniel's face. If she had seen it, she might have apologized.

Daniel never stopped smiling.

"Ruby, do you know what I really hate?" Daniel asked, leaving a pause for Ruby's response.

"Vegetables?" Ruby answered quickly, without much thought. To her, vegetables were an unrelenting enemy, green and with a horrible taste.

"Yes! How did you know? Ruby, we have so much in common!" Daniel exclaimed, clearly excited.

If Ruby hadn't left her sister behind, Yang might have warned her about the unsettling coincidences that were happening.

Daniel never stopped smiling.

Ruby shouted with joy, realizing that she had found what could very well be her soulmate. Boldly grabbing Daniel's hand, she enthusiastically dragged him towards the weapons shop.

Once inside, Ruby immersed herself in her world, talking non-stop about all the types of weapons she could see. Her excitement knew no bounds as she described every detail, how they worked, and why they were so cool.

An hour passed before Ruby realized how much she had been talking, but she didn't stop to apologize. Daniel, however, never stopped smiling, clearly enjoying Ruby's passion and enthusiasm.

"Ruby was even more reassured to see Daniel's positive reaction. With renewed enthusiasm, she continued her detailed explanation of the weapons, speaking without pause. Daniel tried to intervene a couple of times, but was quickly silenced by Ruby."

"Don't interrupt!" Ruby exclaimed with a mix of annoyance and excitement. Her passion for weapons was evident, and at that moment, nothing seemed more important to her than sharing all the details.

And so, Ruby Rose had one of the best dates of her life. She left the weapon store with a new and expensive scope for Crescent Rose, visibly excited. Next, they headed to a bakery to buy a jar of the best cookies in town. Then, they visited a video game store, where Ruby got the game she had been wanting. Finally, they went to a comic store, where Ruby bought the entire Captain Vale saga.

Ruby was having the best day of her life, enjoying every moment with Daniel. However, as is often the case, all good things must come to an end. Before they knew it, the afternoon turned into evening, and they returned to the plaza where they had met.

From her hiding spot, Yang watched her sister return with the guy and felt a great sense of relief seeing that everything had gone well. Ruby seemed happy, and that was all Yang had wanted.

Ruby and Daniel exchanged phone numbers, and with a chaste kiss on the cheek, Daniel walked away, leaving Ruby standing there.

Seeing the farewell, Yang ran up to her sister and hugged her from behind. "Yes, Ruby! I knew you could do it! I won't lie, I had doubts the whole time, but it looks like you did great. Tell me everything!" Yang was excited and full of pride for her sister.

Ruby, still stunned by what had just happened, couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear. "Today was the best date of my life!" she exclaimed, feeling an immense happiness completely enveloping her.

*2 hours later*

Yang looked at Ruby with surprise and asked, "I didn't know you had so much money saved up. How did you pay for all this?"

Ruby, visibly confused, replied, "What are you talking about, Yang?"

Yang pointed to the boxes, the new scope for Crescent Rose, the branded cookies, and the comics scattered around her room. Realizing the confusion, Ruby laughed and responded, "Silly Yang! I don't have any money. I spent it last week on parts for Crescent Rose. Don't you remember?"

Yang had a bad feeling, a pang in her stomach telling her that something had gone wrong. With anxiety in her voice, she asked Ruby, "Ruby, please tell me you did steal all this from the stores."

"Yang!" Ruby exclaimed, offended. "Of course not! I would never steal anything. Everything was paid for with money."

Frowning, Yang insisted, "And who paid for all this?"

Ruby, feeling increasingly uncomfortable with her sister's questions, tried to remember. "Well, it was... it was..." At that moment, Ruby recalled how she had taken everything she wanted and brought it to the counter. Daniel had paid for everything with his card, but there was a moment when the card was rejected, so Daniel had used the pocket money he had.

At that moment, Ruby remembered everything she had overlooked while she was excited. She relived how she had dragged him through the streets, dirtying his clothes, how she had practically forced him to pay for everything, and how she had told him to shut up in the weapon store.

As she remembered, Ruby began to sweat. Her gaze became lost, and her face turned pale. She didn't know how to explain the situation.

"Oh no, sister," Yang murmured, collapsing onto the floor and leaning against the wall as she guessed what had happened.

It was a long night for Ruby, who couldn't sleep.

« Daniel Hawk's point of view »

Daniel stopped smiling.

"I'm going to cheat on her, and I'm not going to feel guilty....," he thought with a clarity he had never experienced before. He raised his hand to the dark sky, as if the gesture could seal his vow. With no money for a taxi, he had no choice but to walk home.

"I swear before God, as my witness, that my revenge will be legendary!"

Author's Note: I was considering giving the character the power of an amoeba so that they can split into several clones. I would like each clone to go to different locations: one to Mistral to be kidnapped by bandits, another to Atlas to enlist in the military, and another to get lost in the desert. Of course, each time the character splits, all of their attributes also divide.

Author's Note 2: Should I try to write about how their relationship with Ruby develops, or would it be better to create a montage with the song "Eye of the Tiger" and skip that part?