Chapter Text
Walking through the neighbourhood, Ruby felt the touch of a disembodied presence in her mind. It was much like a child tapping on their parent's shoulder to draw attention to something they noticed.
That something happened to be a ghost, as the girl watched the hovering figure on her approach.
With practiced ease, the girl sidestepped the translucent form, averting her gaze to avoid unwanted attention. The soul drifted on, oblivious to its brief encounter with a living, breathing soul who was aware of his existence.
Meet Ruby Rose. High school student extraordinaire, sharp weapons aficionado, and all-around normal girl with normal knees, as said in her own words.
The familiar rhythms of her daily routine included: walking to and from school, tackling homework with varying degrees of success, indulging in the occasional arcade escapade, roughhousing with her sister, and lending a hand at her father's family business every weekend.
In an ideal world, this would be the most intrigue Ruby's life held.
"More ghosts?" The girl groaned, looking ahead to find a gaggle of spirits hovering some distance before her. They didn't seem to notice her, too caught up in their own ethereal dramas.
Yep, ghosts. Ruby could see literal, floating ghosts. The mechanisms were unclear, but the girl possessed (hah) the ability to see into the other side of the veil. Listlessly drifting spirits wandered around her every day, their translucent forms shimmering blobs in the otherwise dull monotony of morning commuters and hurried city streets.
Ghosts... they were actually rather mundane, a far cry from the collective imagination of eerie spectres who haunted foreboding mansions and striking fear into the hearts of mortals.
The only correct assumption was that they were the souls of the deceased; taken before their time by accidents, illness, or a multitude of other ways to die. They haunted hospitals, roads and intersections, stairs, and quite a bit of places Ruby didn't think someone could die in.
With a resigned sigh, Ruby stepped around the throng, careful not to brush against any of them. Walking through a spirit was a chilling experience—literally, it was like stepping into a freezer for a brief moment—and it always left a really weird feeling through her body afterwards.
The presence in her mind seemed to nod in agreement, as Ruby casually yet carefully slid around the unaware spirits. One of the spirits raised an eyebrow at the living girl's antics, but didn't push further. Good.
Ruby didn't like interacting with ghosts. Whenever they noticed she could see and communicate with them, they would talk her ear off with their problems, and she didn't have the patience for it.
Not that she didn't care about their plight—heck, if she died and found out the afterlife was nothing but a world where you couldn't interact with anyone, she'd be pretty peeved too.
But, well, she was a teenager with teenage concerns. As it was, she barely had time for her own thoughts, let alone a ghost's woes. The melodramas of ghosts stood no chance against the more mundane concerns like school and family.
Ruby crossed the threshold of her front yard. She made her way to the front door, tipping it open.
"I'm home!" Ruby yelled into the familiar confines of her house. The end of another school day for her, as she shrugged off her bookbag and took off her shoes. No one answered, the house remaining silent.
Her inner presence hummed, and Ruby shrugged. It figured her sister and father still hadn't come home yet, and Ruby was in agreement.
Oh, and did she mention she had a separate presence in her mind?
It was always there, a constant companion she couldn't quite explain. Sometimes it 'spoke' up, offering advice or warning her of danger. Other times it just hovered, a comforting weight in the back of her mind.
Needless to say, Ruby was far from being just a regular teenager. Not that she knew how to be one. She never shared the information with anyone, not even her family, whom Ruby comfortably confided in for everything else.
Should she tell them? Maybe. But between school, family and ghostly dramas, there just wasn't the time. And besides, what would they think? They'd probably think she was crazy, or worse, that she was possessed. Her dad was into the supernatural, but that was different. He collected ghost stories and urban legends, not actual ghosts.
And... there was the obvious elephant in the room.
Ruby turned to look at a set of pictures pinned to the wall, a few photos catching her eye—snapshots of her family. Her sister, her father, and some of her uncle as well. Some individual, some group shots. All of them depicting a family smiling, laughing, and living life without a care in the world.
With one notable exception... the one photo of her mother, taken when Ruby was a toddler, a snapshot of a woman with bright eyes and a warm smile, surrounded by her loving family. Her silver eyes, peering into the camera, reflected a feeling of pure bliss and happiness in that moment in time, forever preserved in a photograph.
The same woman who was taken from them when Ruby was only five, leaving behind only memories and an aching void in their hearts.
Summer Rose had been a vibrant presence in Ruby's life, her warm laughter and gentle touch forever etched in the child's mind. Now, all these years later, Ruby could hardly recall the sound of her mother's voice or the smell of her perfume. She had barely known her before she was taken away.
It was a pang of melancholy for anyone who glanced in that corner. For Ruby, doubly so. What if her mother had lived? Would their lives have been different? Would she have grown up with a maternal voice whispering in her ear, guiding her through the challenges of adolescence?
This was the simple reason she couldn't tell her family. The subject of Summer was touchy, and Ruby couldn't bear whatever reactions her family would respond with. Anger? More sadness? She didn't know, and it was better to keep it that way.
Ruby suddenly felt her presence nudging her, a comforting gesture that brought her back to reality. She had gotten lost in thought, mulling over the what-ifs and the could-haves, should-haves.
She offered a silent thanks to her presence for bringing her out of the spiralling thoughts. It rumbled in response.
With that in mind, Ruby set off to climb upstairs to her room. It had been a somewhat tiring day, and she just wanted to relax for a while, chores and homework be damned. She tromped up the stairs, turning the doorknob on her bedroom and walked in without a care, throwing her bookbag upon her bed.
She was just about to plop down on her desk chair when she noticed a figure standing on her balcony.
A dark shape. Humanoid, no shadow. A ghost?
Ruby turned her head to look, hopefully without it being too obvious that she could see her surprise visitor.
A woman. She wore a set of black robes and held a sword tucked into the sash at her waist.
A shinigami.
Ruby quickly darted her eyes away before cautiously sitting down in her chair. The shinigami outside didn't seem to notice the girl's unusual reaction, looking elsewhere and seemingly deep in thought.
Her inner presence hissed in apprehension, and Ruby could hear the tension in its 'tone'. To act normal, to pretend she couldn't see the shinigami standing on her balcony.
Ruby obliged, putting on a set of headphones and pretending to listen to music.
Shinigami. They were empowered spirits tasked with the unenviable job of guiding the numerous lost souls to the next life, protecting them from other entities that lingered between realms. In the few times Ruby had witnessed a shinigami, they were standing upon a building or other vantage point watching the world below.
Some said they were fierce and unforgiving, while others claimed they were merciful and kind. But one thing was certain—shinigami were powerful beings, not to be trifled with.
How did she know that? Let it be said that her presence was a smart one. It fed her bits and pieces of spiritual knowledge it had gleaned from... somewhere. It knew all about the wayward ghosts on the street, and of the shinigami who patrolled the city helping said ghosts.
Ruby wasn't sure how or why it knew, but it was undeniably useful information for the girl who found herself in the unseen world of ghosts and spirits.
Ruby kept her head down, focused on counting the whorls in her wood desk. Probably only a minute or two had gone by, but the initial caution was beginning to shift into mild curiosity. Her foot tapped. How long could she continue to stay still when there was something unusually interesting going on right outside her room?
Ruby had never been so close to a shinigami before. She had always kept her distance, wary of drawing attention to herself. But with one literally standing outside her bedroom balcony... one peek wouldn't hurt, right?
So she carefully glanced over, making sure it looked like she was only peering outside for a brief moment before she would turn back to her desk.
Her gaze stopped and lingered on the shinigami's face, still turned to the side. But it was enough.
A jolt of recognition shot through her. Before she knew it, Ruby was pulling open the sliding glass door—ignoring her inner presence's jolt of alarm—and stepping out onto the balcony.
"...Mom?" Ruby spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ruby found herself face-to-face with the unfamiliar, yet familiar stranger. The stranger faced Ruby with her own eyes widened in shock—both from the sound of the sliding glass door and Ruby's declaration.
The woman's features were eerily similar to that of her mother's. Similar facial structure, similar eyes... even their hair colour was nearly identical, right down to the lighter-coloured tips that just seemed to happen to Ruby's hair when it got long.
The tension was palpable as Ruby stepped closer, her heart pounding in her chest. To her credit, even her inner presence had gone silent, as it too processed what Ruby was seeing.
The woman stumbled back a step, her grip on the sword tightening. "H-how are you seeing me, child?" The woman finally spoke, seemingly letting go of her initial shock. Ruby could almost see her own expression mirrored on the woman's face. She was probably noting the uncanny resemblance as well.
Ruby's breath hitched, her mind finally catching up with her body. Oh damn it, she had just waltzed right into a shinigami's presence, practically announcing herself as well. Even after the numerous bad feelings of her inner presence.
"Um," Could she salvage this? The woman seemed to be analyzing her, but her expression was one of unadulterated confusion, not malice.
"I can see ghosts," Ruby said simply, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her mind. "And you looked... ghost-y."
It was true, as Ruby's eyes washed over the woman's silhouette. There was an almost unearthly aura surrounding the w, a mirage that wasn't truly there as she tried to focus upon it. A telltale sign of a spirit.
Ruby watched the woman's face for any kind of reaction. But there was nothing but palpable puzzlement, her brows furrowed in a deep V as she processed Ruby's words.
"You... can see spirits? That's not possible." The woman finally said, her tone incredulous. "Humans shouldn't be able to see souls, let alone shinigami. So how...?"
The woman shook her head, muttering under her breath as she seemingly fell into her own world, probably pondering Ruby's existence.
"I... just can?" Ruby said, her tone equivalent to a vocal shrug. "Since I was little."
Well, if her ability was going to be exposed, she might as well be honest. At least then she wouldn't have to keep coming up with half-truths.
The woman's eyes darted back to Ruby, again surprised by the confirmation that yes, Ruby could indeed see ghosts, including her.
"...That's unheard of, for a living human to see spirits," the woman said, her tone a mix of curiosity and wariness. She took a step closer to Ruby, her eyes never leaving the girl's face. "What's your name, child?"
Ruby's heart raced as the woman inched closer, suddenly aware of how vulnerable she was. If she took a different kind of interest in her, and Ruby misjudged her character...
Ruby let go of that train of thought. She couldn't see signs of any ill intent in the woman's expression, only curiosity. And being so close, Ruby noticed the colour of her eyes. Silver, just like her own.
Darn it, she was getting distracted. The woman had asked for her name. That was harmless enough, right?
Ruby swallowed hard, her mouth dry. "Ruby," her voice was just above a whisper. "Just Ruby." That should be enough, right?
Ruby could see the woman's evaluating gaze, still not moving away. Okay, maybe she could flip the script?
"What are you doing on the balcony, anyway?"
The woman blinked at the question, her train of thought seemingly derailed.
"I-" The woman coughed before composing herself. "...It is out of the purview of humans, child. I am simply mapping out the area with my senses, which is a task that requires concentration."
Concentration that you broke, was the unspoken addition. The woman's gaze flicked back to Ruby, her expression unreadable.
"But why on my balcony, specifically?" Ruby pressed.
The woman paused for a moment, her mouth open as she gathered her words before responding.
"I... am not sure myself. But nevermind that!" The woman shook her head, as if shaking off the confusion. "You still haven't answered how you can see me, when no mortal should be able to." Her gaze searched Ruby's face intently, as if trying to unravel the mystery.
Ruby looked away, feeling a little self-conscious under the woman's scrutiny. "I just... can?" she repeated. "Like I said, I've always been able to see ghosts. Including shinigami, I guess."
The woman stared at Ruby intensely, her silver eyes narrowing as she pondered the answer. Then she sighed. "Fine, it doesn't look like you know how it works either."
With that, the tension seemed to dissolve. The woman's shoulders drooped minutely, and Ruby let out a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding.
The two stood there awkwardly. A human, and a shinigami. Ruby was suddenly aware of how weird she must look, standing on her balcony in the afternoon sunset, talking to a stranger who was—quite literally—a ghost. If anyone on her street was passing by, they would think her crazy.
"Listen," the woman finally said, breaking the prolonged silence. Her voice was firm, but not unkind. "I don't know how you can see me. But that must mean you must have some level of spiritual pressure to be able to do that, and..."
Ruby could see the woman debating with herself over how much she should reveal. The shinigami's eyes darted around the balcony, as if searching for any other potential witnesses before focusing back on Ruby.
"...I suppose it can't hurt to share some information, since you're somehow aware of spirits," the woman said, her tone measured. "Let's... sit down too."
The woman stayed on Ruby's balcony for the next several minutes.
Evidently, the shinigami thought it prudent to teach Ruby the basics of the spirit world, ghosts, and shinigami.
Spirits, or souls, were the remnants of human lives that lingered on after death. Some souls moved on peacefully, while others got stuck due to unfinished business or strong emotions.
Then there were the shinigami, tasked with guiding those very souls to the afterlife. A living (or should it be undead?) bridge between the mortal and spiritual worlds. A crucial job, ensuring the natural order of things.
All of this, Ruby knew thanks to her inner presence's teachings. But she obviously couldn't reveal how she knew, lest she be subject to more scrutiny than she was already attracting.
Plus it helped to hear the shinigami's perspective, even if it was just the tip of the iceberg.
"It'd be remiss of me to let you go without some knowledge," the woman spoke as she sat in seiza, closer to a seated Ruby's level as she talked. "Especially if you aren't aware of the more... dangerous spirits out there."
Ah, Ruby thought. This was what the woman was leading up to.
Hollows. The last of the types of spirits, they were also the most dangerous.
"Hollows," The woman began, her expression grim. "Come into being when a soul has gone too long without a soul burial. They become twisted by misery and despair, turning them into monsters with a hunger that drives them to feast on other souls, absorbing their spiritual pressure in the process."
The woman then focused upon Ruby, her silver eyes flashing with a hint of concern. "Hollows don't just prey on those lost spirits, but living beings as well."
And that tidbit was the reason why her inner presence also functioned as an alarm as much as a guide.
It could sense the dark entities lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting souls. Before Ruby could so much as step within a city block of them. Not that she needed the presence—Hollows had a very distinct feel in the air; a cold, heavy sensation would crawl across her skin and make her heart race.
It was more than enough to keep her away from Hollows altogether, to the point she never saw one.
The woman's expression turned solemn. "Your spiritual pressure is likely higher than the average human, and that might make you a target for Hollows."
And hearing it from a shinigami made the danger feel more real.
"What can I do if I encounter one?" Ruby asked, pondering over the hypothetical.
The woman's expression turned thoughtful. "Pray that you never do. If an area feels off, trust your instincts and get out of there as quickly as possible," She advised, her tone firm but gentle. "If you sense something's amiss, don't linger around."
The woman had no idea how deep she struck, given the existence of her inner presence.
"I won't, I promise," Ruby nodded, her voice steady. She hadn't encountered a Hollow before, and she wouldn't start now.
The woman nodded, seemingly satisfied with Ruby's promise.
"Very well, then. I suppose that's all the warning you need for now," she said, her tone shifting back to its earlier curiosity. "Though I must admit, your ability to perceive shinigami and spirits is a curiosity in and of itself." The woman leaned in slightly, her intense silver gaze fixed intently on Ruby's face.
"None of our records show a human able to perceive spirits," the woman had an inquisitive look on her face. "Or at least, none in the last hundred years."
Ruby bit her lip at the trivia. "Um. Please don't tell anyone about this?" She would rather not be the target of nosy shinigami who might have ill intentions towards her existence. Damn it, was this why her presence was against her interacting with them?
The shinigami's expression softened at Ruby's plea, her gaze flicking away momentarily before returning to the girl. "I won't say a word, Ruby," she said, her voice gentle.
"I mean..." The woman suddenly looked sheepish, looking away from Ruby. "It's not exactly... legal for us to interact with humans either—not that we usually do, since you can't see us."
Huh, Ruby didn't know that. "So... a mutual secret, then?"
The shinigami, still looking a bit embarrassed, nodded. "Yes, for now, at least. But we should probably part ways soon, before anyone notices our... prolonged interaction."
Ruby nodded in agreement. She still looked like she was talking to thin air on her balcony, and the faster this interaction finished, the less likely someone was to walk past her house and deem her crazy.
The shinigami turned, her black robes billowing behind her as she stepped back towards the edge of the balcony. Ruby watched her, mentally going over everything that just happened.
A conversation with a shinigami? Neat, and kind of cool.
The shinigami looked just like her dead mother? She was going to be thinking hard about that tonight.
Some words of advice on how to avoid Hollows? Well, it was nice to receive confirmation that her inner presence was doing the right thing.
It was too much to process in just a few minutes, and Ruby suspected she was going to crash out soon.
She still had one question though.
"Will I see you again?" Ruby asked, trying to sound casual despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her.
The woman paused, glancing back over her shoulder.
"...Maybe. Hopefully not as a spirit anytime soon, though." She said with a wink.
A spirit? Oh. Ruby paused at the somewhat morbid implication before she nodded. Right, she didn't want to imagine the shinigami in that capacity anytime soon.
Ruby received a simple nod from the shinigami, her silver eyes meeting the girl's gaze once more.
Then the shinigami leapt across the gap between the balcony and the rooftop of the adjacent building in a casual burst of supernatural power. She continued across the rooftops with practiced ease, and before long, the shinigami disappeared into the distance of another neighborhood.
Ruby closed the door to the balcony as she stepped inside, her mind still reeling.
Okay! A lot had just happened. She hadn't meant to reveal herself to the shinigami, but there was something about the woman that drew her in. The uncanny resemblance to her mother, definitely, but also an inexplicable pull towards the mysterious figure.
Her inner presence rumbled in displeasure, making itself known after being mysteriously quiet throughout the whole encounter.
"What's wrong with getting a little curious?" Ruby pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "You were just as quiet as me the whole time."
The presence remained uncharacteristically silent, seemingly not having an answer. Ruby let out a huff as she threw herself upon her bed. She craned her head up to look through the sliding glass door, passing over the rooftops where the shinigami had vanished.
A small part of her wanted to follow, to learn more about this woman who looked so much like her mother. But Ruby shook her head, pushing the thought away.
Getting tangled up with a shinigami sounded terrible, no matter how intriguing she might be. Besides, Ruby had a life to live, a family to support, and school to focus on. She couldn't let her curiosity about this mysterious woman derail everything.
Still, the encounter lingered in her mind, refusing to be easily dismissed.
Ruby leaned back as she felt the soft blankets against her head. She couldn't shake the feeling that the woman would stick around, and when she did... Ruby vowed to be ready.
Ruby blinked, a sudden thought striking her. She smacked her forehead in exasperation at the very simple question she forgot to ask.
"Darn it! I forgot to ask her name!"