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Morning light filters through the curtains to land on Ruby's face as she slowly wakes. The room is quiet, the rest of her team is still soundly asleep with only the shuffling of the young huntress' covers to disturb the peace.
[She is sitting on the chair by the window, reading a small book.]
Rubbing sleep out of her eyes, Ruby opens the closet to take fresh and light clothes, Vacuan weather is rarely chilly. As she pushes the bathroom door open, she grabs her toothbrush from the shelf in the corner.
[She is standing in front of the sink's mirror, gently brushing her hair.]
Ruby follows her usual morning routine, blankly staring at her lone figure in the mirror. She slowly dresses herself, finishing with her usual belt as to not leave the comfort of Crescent Rose behind, and walks out.
[She is neatly folding clothes by the closet, a look of deep concentration on her face.]
Ruby leaves a short note on the dorm's door to let her team know she went out early. She navigates the winding hallways of Shade Academy towards the cafeteria, hoping a sweet cup of coffee and a pastry to wake her up fully.
[She is walking next to her, hands behind her back, right at the edge of her vision.]
The morning crew smiles at her and she smiles back as she retrieves her breakfast, walking to the smaller tables near the windows. From where she sits, Ruby can see all the way to the city's outer wall, the airships idling above it.
[She is sitting with her chin in her hands and elbows resting on the table, absently gazing into the desert beyond.]
Ruby isn't sure how long she sits at the table, but the rest of her team catches up with her with their own breakfast. Once everyone has finished eating, they head out into the city for a day of tourism.
[She is staring at various posters on a corkboard, mindlessly fidgeting with the edge of her skirt.]
The tight streets provide much needed shade from the harsh sunlight as they meander from street to street. They often stop for Weiss to study various dresses she spied through storefronts.
[She is posing in front of a mirror, trying out a small selection of straw hats with a smile on her face.]
They come across a large plaza, a beautiful water feature in it's center. They all sit at its edge, taking in the cooler air as the crowds pass around them.
[She is dancing among the water jets, her steps circling under the arcs they form above her head.
A passerby mutters something about Schnees and her sister bolts upright. Ruby already knows what she'll see, but she cannot stop her eyes from meeting Yang's.
[She is standing behind her sister, her red, unblinking gaze ignoring the world around to stare at her.]
Ruby finally manages to slam her eyes shut, hands fidgeting with the emblem on her belt to ground herself. She feels a hand on hers and knows Blake is here if she needs her.
[She is standing away from the group, eyes looking off into the distance but shaded by her hair.]
Ruby excuses herself from her team after a few more tourist traps and heads to the outskirts. She offers a half-hearted smile to the guard that opens the outer gate for her.
[She is drawing shapes in the sand with her shoe, their meaning unclear to outside eyes.]
As she finally reaches her destination, Ruby sets down the small succulent she purchased on the way. She sits in front of Penny's statue and wipes the tears out of her eyes.
[Arms snake around her shoulders, soundless whispers promising her that things will get easier with time.]