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She should have been faster.
The words echo in her head, over and over, louder and louder, resonating and growing in self-loathing with every iteration.
Why did this keep happening? Why was she never fast enough?
First Penny, by the Gods, Penny… sweet, innocent Penny with far too much love for her hard, metallic shell. Then came Pyrrha. Determined and loyal Pyrrha, who wanted for nothing but her friends’ happiness. And now….
Now Ruby had lost the one person who truly mattered. The first person outside of family to give her a chance, to support her, to tell her when she was being reckless but go along with her regardless.
Weiss’s smile, brilliant and pure in its rarity, lit up Ruby’s thoughts like wildfire. Gone now. Gone, but not forever lost. Not if Ruby could fucking help it. The Gods had already brought one person back, why the would this be any different? Weiss was perfect. She was kind, and loving, and defiant to the end. Ruby was sure if anyone could defy death itself, it would be her snowflake.
Just a little further… Just a little more…
Ruby forced her feet to move faster, struggling up the rocky path. Her hair matted to her face from sweat and her muscled form trembled with every step. She lugged a large back behind her, too anxious to pay attention to the weight but too diligent to let the bag touch the floor even in this state.
Thoughts raced through Ruby’s mind frantically. Looping arguments swirled and shimmered like fireworks, blinding and bright, before fading in the ever-present darkness of her goal. This was wrong. Death should be permanent. Ruby knew that. She learnt it before she learnt speech. She understood the necessity and permanence of death when her mother left he. But not like this. Weiss didn’t deserve a death like this. She didn’t deserve for it to be so… meaningless.
Maybe…. Maybe she should turn back. Weiss wouldn’t want this…
Ruby shook her head fiercely. Weiss rarely seemed to want what was good for her. Selflessness was only admirable to a point, and Weiss took that point and launched it at terminal velocity. By this point it didn’t matter. Blake had been right all those years ago – real life wasn’t a fairy tale, and sometimes happy endings didn’t happen to the heroes – but if Ruby could give Weiss one thing (just one thing please just one thing she’d never ask for anything ever again she swore) it would be the chance to have the happy ending she was promised.
It was too late to turn back now. She had almost arrived. Just a few more steps and…. Well, she didn’t believe in destiny anymore, but she knew in just a few steps everything would change. If fate existed, it would bend before them. She swore it.
Ruby came to a stop, her breathing laboured and her shoulders tensed. With the utmost care she lowered her bag to the ground, gently unrolling it to show the dazzling white hair of her partner. She sighed softly, regretfully. Her actions now would doom her, and she could say goodbye to her morality after this, but if it was for Weiss… If it was for Weiss, no price would be too high.
Holding her head up high, Ruby grasped at Weiss’s crumpled form and shifted her into some facsimile of a bridal carry. She peered at the tar-black pool from the ledge and stopped.
“I wasn’t fast enough to stop Cinder. I wasn’t fast enough to save you. I may never be fast enough to help anyone.
But not even the gods could keep you from me.”
Ruby stared into the Pools of Grimm and tightened her hold on Weiss.
The pools bubbled.
Ruby jumped.