Red (2)

"It's okay, you know what to do." Ruby readied herself with a sharp breath.

More slowly crept out of the dark treelines, hunched over wolf like creatures that came up to her shoulders in height, the only differentiating colours were the sharp white teeth that a grey, viscous fluid was leaking past, dribbling down to the floor, the white claws that occasionally flexed in anticipation. Finally, the deep, crimson red eyes that seemed to shimmer in the air, leaving a faint glow in the air as it passed over. Without the teeth, claws and eyes the creatures would be almost invisible in this depth of night.

All in all, around five of them exited the treeline, one with a noticeable difference as its teeth crept up it's face to form a bone- white mask which only accentuated its glowing red eyes even more. Although the sight of this slightly larger one took the girl by surprise, she quickly righted herself back to as calm as she could be.

The five of them started circling her, watching and waiting.

Though Ruby wouldn't give them what they wanted and stood her ground, finger twitching on the gadget until finally one broke off into a sprint towards her. Instantly setting on the target she brought out the gear clamped at her waist, activating some mechanism as gears whirred and clicked. Within seconds the compact box like object had extended, folded out and into itself to become a bright red scythe, glimmering in the moonlight.

As the creature realised the object folding out in front of it, it was already too close to slow down, and with a speed outmatching the creature flashed round to its side. Using its own momentum to slam the scythe down on its brittle fur, twisted down on the impact that sliced clean through its shoulder leaving its arm hanging off as it howled it what seemed like rage as its dark red ichor-like blood spurted from its wound.

Ruby landed with a small slide and pant onto the snow-covered floor as the creature slowly broke apart, its body and blood evaporating into mist, leaving only the teeth and claws. While it was only one, Ruby was happy enough with herself at the moment, she had never fought Grimm before but had practiced that opening to death, seeing it work so well boosted her spirits.

Though before she could mentally celebrate the three other regular Grimm charged suddenly, but Ruby simply turned back and accelerated from her standing point with a host of red petals falling from her cloak and body before vanishing into the air.

While the Grimm were faster than ordinary wolves Ruby was moving even faster, she had to dig a part of her scythe into the ground the halt her momentum, flipping back from behind the three and leaving a deep gash on one and managed to nick another before the third leapt in with a swing. Unable to back out in time she lifted the durable shaft of the scythe to take the blow in her stead, and while she blocked the hit it still sent her flying back slightly with sore arms from strength that clearly didn't match its size.

With another breath to ease her nerves she swung the scythe down onto the ground, aiming the end of the rod onto the injured one and pulling the trigger. With a loud crack a bullet left the end of the weapon and crashed into the creature before it could perceive the loud sound.

Startled the others left a moment before rushing the girl again, though these moments left her to constantly pull back the cylinder, letting out shot after shot that hit the targets dead centre. Although the bullets weren't official or military grade by any standard, they were practice rounds used to make small holes into the wooden targets she practiced on. They were still enough to finish off the wounded one after a couple of shots, further wounding the other while only bruising the last.

With a low growl she snapped her head back round to see a large paw swing into her arm with a thud. Although on contact a strange cascade of red light and energy blocked the paw just before contact, but still sending her back away from her weapon and nursing the sore arm. It wouldn't be broken since her aura took the vast majority of the damage, and she was very thankful for that since one claw seemed to clip her face as she felt a bruise forming along with a bloody nose.

If it wasn't for her aura that might have been the end right there, it would have undoubtedly left her without use of her arm and probably done in her ribs and slashed into her face. She shook away such a gruesome image with a shiver, fortunately that's exactly the kind of thing that aura was there to prevent. Though she was very doubtful she could take another hit like that before her aura broke.

Now separated from her weapon she began running clockwise round the clearing, fortunately the beasts weren't the smartest and she was granted to an ample opening to grab her weapon back. Speeding in she lifted the scythe from the dirt and snow, using her momentum to finish off the wounded one and ducking under an outstretched paw from the other, using the momentum further to swing down at its legs, cutting into its calf.

Though the first thing she noticed was that it did significantly less damage than it would have done on the others. As it swung back in anger Ruby jumped up and fired the weapon point blank into its side which sent them both recoiling back and provided more than enough distance between the two. Although it was getting back up with only small wounds Ruby wasn't worried now, it was just the two of them so she could afford to be a little reckless since she didn't need to worry about any others getting the jump on her.

With a cheeky grin she sped up more and more, flashing side to side around the Grimm cutting small chunks out of it as she flew around wildly, leaving red petals dancing in her wake. The Grimm flailed wildly trying to get a hit in but soon dropped down under the dozens of cuts and wounds weighing its body down and with a final grunt dissipated like the others.

"Whoo… Piece of cake.~" She chuckled as she slumped down onto the floor, catching her breath. Raising her arms in the air with a large smile she blurted out. "Who else wants some!" In a cocky manner no doubt taken from her sister. Though her breath stammered as she noticed other shapes emerging from the treeline. "Uh oh…"

Now it was time to panic, three more of the masked ones and close to a dozen of the others.

"That… That's not good." She winced out before getting back up. "We can do this right Rose?" Patting the side of her scythe, though luckily it would seem she wouldn't have to as another figure broke through the tree line aggressively.

"Dad!"

Her father, Taiyang, burst through to the front of them and slammed down his gauntlet on the side of one of the masked ones face. The gears whirred away pushing part of the gauntlet further away as his punch took the head of the creature clean off.

Ruby had calmed down with the new arrival and leant back to her smiley self and cheered on her father like she was watching a game as he tore through a small horde of man easting beasts. "Yeah! Gettem Dad!"

Her father practically danced through the pile of beasts with speed comparable to her own as he dispatched each creature in one hit, finishing the last one with dramatic flair. She wasn't sure whether that was just his style normally or if he wanted to show off a little unconsciously…

"Ruby!" He yelled as he ran over to the girl, throwing off a gauntlet and pulling her into a hug.

"D-dad, I'm fine." She could barely speak out as she was crushed into his shoulder.

He pulled away looking up and down her, noticing the scuff marks, bleeding nose and bruised cheek. "What the hell are you doing here!? Are you okay!?" He continued to blurt out.

"Hehe, curse jar.~"

"Ill curse as many times as I damn need to seeing you like this!" With a serious chuckle he helped the girl back up.

"Come one, we're going home and having a talk about… This." He stammered out as he led ruby by the shoulders, almost like he was afraid something else would come flying by if he was too far from her.

"I'm fine Dad!" She squirmed out of his grip to look at his face.

She had gotten into her fair share of scrapes in the past and her father had always been protective. But this was different. Her smile dropped as she looked up into his eyes and he just looked terrified, it was almost like he'd aged a decade in a moment.

"No, you're not!" He blurted out still looking at her wounds and wide silver eyes. "Do you even know what you just did! I can't believe you'd be so stupid!"

Her heart dropped hearing that, unable to keep eye contact. "D-dad… Its..."

"Do you even know what- "Part way through his scolding he noticed her eyes had started to tear up and his words got caught in his throat, pulling her into a hug.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered out as he hugged her. "Come on, let's go home." Though at these words Ruby quickly pulled away.

"N-no, I want to see Mom!"

"Ruby…"

"Please! We're so close!" She blurted out hopping in place.

Tai could only look at her with a half-smile and relent. "Okay, but straight back to the house after."

Ruby's smile practically shot back up at this and dove into her dad for a hug as he stroked the top of her head.

"Come on slowpoke, if we take any longer Zwei will get grouchy." She chuckled as she skipped forward, leaving her father to smile and walk back after her.

----------

It didn't take long until they reached their destination, the edge of a small cliff overlooking another stretch of the forest with a polished gravestone nestling near the edge which read, Summer Rose, thus kindly I scatter. Ruby and Tai were stood close, Tai with his ever-present concern plastered on his face and a hand over Ruby's shoulder.

"Hey Mom…" Ruby began, smiling sadly down at the plaque.

"I know we were supposed to visit tomorrow, but… Well, I couldn't sleep." Which earned a concerned look from Tai. Ruby sniffled in a bit of blood leaking from her injured nose.

"Don't worry about this, I fought some Grimm for the first time. Kicked their butts.~" Tai chuckled behind her.

"Yang's going to beacon this year! I'm sure she told you, but she graduated top of her combat class. Though I bet she told you that. Bet she missed out how she only just got through the written test." She added with a light laugh.

"I don't think any of her friends got it, but you know Yang, she can make friends with anyone. As long as she doesn't punch them first that is." She stood there twisting her foot on the snow.

"Uncle Qrow is still on his mission, or as he called it 'a really cool top-secret mission for only the coolest'." She finished off with a laugh before looking back down somberly.

"I miss you… and I love you." As tears fell past her gentle smile, she pulled her hood back over her head and started walking back towards the treeline

Tai stood there for a few seconds, just looking over the grave with a sad smile before turning back to take Ruby Home.

"Ruby…" He muttered out.

"Yeah Dad?"

"Do you still really want to be a huntress even after fighting those… Things?..." It was clearly a question that has been on his mind for a while, but it didn't look like he wanted the answer.

"Yup." She answered simply, skipping along.

"Bu-" As Tai leant in to argue Ruby turned back round with her eyes still wet from the tears but the largest smile plastering her face.

"I'm gonna be a hero, like Mom!"

All thoughts and words blanked in Tai as he heard the words he was hoping not to hear. But he couldn't argue back, not at the beautiful and cheery smile that was the spitting image of Summer Rose.