"Good afternoon, Y/N."
The katana-wielder looked up from his book, meeting the icy blue eyes of Weiss. "Oh, hey."
The heiress looked around curiously. "... Where's Vao? He's usually with you."
Y/N shrugged. "He's at wherever he works."
"You don't know?"
He shook his head. "Vao refuses to tell anyone what his job is. It's... Concerning, actually." He set the book down, leaning back on the bench. "So what's up?"
Weiss grinned. Not a normal grin, but the kind of grin that would make any man shiver. "I wanted to know if you'd like to go shopping!"
Y/N felt his PTSD kicking in. There was one time he went shopping with Yang when he was fourteen, and they spent six hours in one store while Yang talked about nothing but clothes. But Y/N is also a pushover. Unless it came to Vao. With his femboy drunk brother he was just plain rude.
"U-um... Sure... Which store?"
"The Vale Mall! You can go off on your own, but you must rate my clothes when I buy them. It's a requirement."
Well, at least she wasn't going to make him sit outside the changing room like Yang did. "Yeah, I'll go." He stood up, walking alongside her.
"You're just going to leave your book there?"
"It's not mine, it was just there when I sat down. I think it's Blake's."
"Oh."
As they boarded the bullhead, they continued to talk about their assignments in class, among other nerdy things. After an hour, the bullhead touched down, letting it's passengers off. Y/N squinted when the light beamed in his eyes - he had grown used to the lighting of the airship.
"Ah, it is a wonderful day! Let's go!" Weiss exclaimed cheerfully. Y/N followed her down the street, the pair quickly arriving at the mall.
"I'm gonna be at the arcade if you need me," Y/N told the heiress.
"Of course. I'll shoot you a text when I want you to rate my outfit," she replied. They went their separate ways, Y/N entering the dark arcade. And to his surprise, who did he see at the crane game? Absolutely no one, because those things are fucking rigged. With a sigh, he sat down at one of the machines, sliding a coin into the slot. As he played, he didn't notice the footsteps approaching him.
"Hey, ugly fucker."
Y/N snickered. "Have you looked in a mirror lately, Cardin?"
The ginger feigned offense. "Ow, just ow man. You up for co-op?"
"Go ahead."
Cardin sat down, grabbing the second joystick. No, not that kind of joystick you perverts.
As they played, Y/N only grew more and more impressed. Cardin was actually winning. "Damn, Cardin. Found someone else to practise on?"
"Maybe I'm just that good and you just suck," Cardin snickered.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll be back," Y/N said. Cardin gave a little wave as Y/N left the arcade, making his way to the bathroom.
The restroom was at the other side of the mall, and as Y/N walked further away from the arcade, the chatter of people going about their day died to silence. Soon, only his footsteps kept him company. He shuddered - he never liked being alone in these types of places.
He entered the abandoned restroom, walking into one of the stalls and sitting down. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his scroll. He had missed a few texts from Weiss. She seemed pretty upset that he wasn't answering her. He wanted to send a text back, but a quick glance showed that he had no service.
"Damn it... Seventy-five lien a month for this?" He grumbled to himself.
The door to the restroom opened. Y/N perked his head up, listening carefully as two pairs of footsteps trudged slowly across the floor.
"... Looks like no one is here..."
Y/N didn't recognize the voice. It was hoarse and hushed, a touch of madness added to it and belonged to a woman.. Something told him to stay silent, an instinct buried deep within his body.
"See, no one goes down this far," another voice whispered back, this one belonging to a man. "But alas, we have matters to discuss - do we not, Fall?"
"Indeed... The Mistress is growing impatient with the infiltration..."
Y/N felt frozen in place. He suddenly had the feeling he wasn't supposed to hear this. He felt terrified, sitting in that stall on the toilet, his pants around his ankles and completely vulnerable.
"I'm working on it. I'm still forging the paperwork."
"Damnit, Watts! Hurry it up!" Fall hissed harshly. "The last thing I want is a reason for the Mistress to grow angry with me!"
"And what about me!? She'll be furious with myself too, you insolent child!"
"I don't give a flying fuck about you."
They were arguing. Y/N was wishing he was somewhere else. He doubted it would be good if he was caught. He clasped his hands together, praying someone would save him.
And that prayer was answered by the sound of the door being kicked open.
"AYO WHO IS TAKING A FAT SHIT!?"
The two voices stopped talking. Y/N recognized that voice. There was only one village idiot who was dumb enough to say such a vile and disgusting thing.
"Wha... Who the hell are you?" Fall asked. It was clear she was frustrated.
"Name is Vao Branwen, mother fucker."
Watts sounded outraged. "Vulgar brat! Haven't you any decency as a woman!?"
"Last I checked, I got a snake in my trousers," Vao laughed. Y/N could only imagine the disgust that was very likely on the faces of the strangers. Vao spoke again, this time asking a question. "Aaaanyways, either of you two lovely folks seen my brother? A buddy of mine said he went down this way and that he had been gone for a while."
"No one is in here but us," Fall replied a bit more calmly. "Sorry, but this is a private matter. Could you make yourself scarce?"
Vao just laughed. "Fuckin' idiot! Privacy doesn't matter now! You didn't even check the stalls, did you?"
"The... Stalls...?"
Footsteps approached the door, and Y/N could see a pair of heels standing outside. "Yeah, all the stalls are open except this one."
BANG BANG BANG!
Y/N nearly screamed when the door shook on its hinges, the lock straining against the force from the other side. And finally after one last slam, the door finally gave away, falling off its hinges. Vao stood in it's frame, smiling at Y/N like an idiot.
"Hiya! You done wipin'?"
"GET OUT!"
"I'll take that as a yes! Pull your pants up and let's go!"
Y/N stood up and buckled his pants back around his waist. He didn't like how Vao made eye contact with him the entire time. The katana-wielder rushed out of the bathroom, not even daring to look the strangers in the face as he made his way into the hall. Vao soon came out after.
"Why's your face all red?" He asked dumbly.
"You stared at me the entire time!" Y/N screamed. He stopped, looking Vao up and down. "... And why are you wearing a dress!?"
Sure enough, Vao was clad in a scarlet dress with black shoulder straps. On his feet were the black heels Y/N saw underneath the door. The femboy did a little twirl.
"Isn't it cute? With my girly looks, I can pull off anything!" It was clear that Vao enjoyed crossdressing.
"... Get some help," Y/N growled. He turned around, stomping away. Vao followed, blind to his own stupidity.
"Y/N, you didn't answer my question! Do you think I'm cute in my dress?"
Y/N scowled. "I'd easily mistake you for a girl - until you open your mouth, that is."
Vao grinned cheekily, matching Y/N's steps. "Aw, you know you love me, Y/N! I'm absolutely hilarious!"
"Maybe that's why you're a clown."
"Yea- wait..."
While Vao tried to figure out whether he was just insulted or not, the two wandered back into the arcade. Weiss was standing next to Cardin, having a pleasant discussion. But when she turned to Y/N, her face went bright red with anger. "You!"
"Uh oh."
Weiss stomped up to him, poking his chest with her finger. "Where were you? I checked the arcade, but you weren't there! Vao had to rate my dress! I'm just lucky he's got decent taste in fashion!"
"Weiss, Weiss! Am I cute?"
"No."
"Aw..."
Y/N looked to the crossdressing femboy, his gaze softening with realization. "... Is that why he's wearing a dress?"
Weiss and Cardin shook their heads, the ginger being the one to speak. "He came in wearing that. He was with these men wearing suits." Y/N looked at Vao suspiciously, the drunk holding his hands up defensively.
"Hey, they're just some guys I work with. For some reason, they give me more attention when I wear women's clothes."
"Gee, I wonder why," Y/N grumbled. "Maybe it's because you look like a girl."
"At least I know I'm hot, you fucking weeaboo. Who the fuck uses a katana? Axes are better, and that is a fact."
This again. Y/N grinned, fully prepared to argue with his brother. "An axe? Your weapon is twice your size, and even dad has trouble picking it up. Honestly, with how you swing it around like a toy, you should have at least a bit of muscle. But you're just a twig."
Vao looked very cross, running his hands down his hips. "I'm not scrawny, see these curves? I got cake. No, scratch that, I got a whole bakery, bruv."
Weiss and Cardin looked very uncomfortable; that was something they never wanted to hear Vao say ever again. But for Y/N, this was completely normal. He snickered darkly, leaning forward.
"A whole bakery is right. But your chest is as flat as a board."
Normally, that would only work on girls. But Vao is an idiot. He's as dumb as a box of hammers. His nickname on Patch was 'The Town Idiot' after all. He gasped in horror, looking genuinely offended.
"D-don't talk about my chest, you asshole! They'll grow!"
"Vao, if your chest starts growing I'm taking you to a hospital. That isn't normal."
Vao was sniffling, tears welling up in his eyes. "W-why are you b-being so mean to me!?"
"Because it's funny, Vao. Your reactions are priceless." Behind Y/N, Weiss and Cardin were snickering. But something was off to the younger brother. Vao didn't normally cry when he was insulted, he'd just get mad and start throwing insults back. So why was he crying now?
"I-I'm sorry! I'll cook dinner for you tonight, just please don't hit me again!"
Y/N took a step back, confusion settling in. "Wha...? You can't even cook. Everything you make tastes awful."
Cardin looked around the arcade. Every man in the arcade had stopped what they were doing, all their glares lining up on Y/N. The ginger's jaw dropped, finally realizing what Vao was doing.
The femboy dropped to his knees dramatically, covering his face with his hands. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll do better! I still love you!"
Y/N frowned. "What the hell are you saying? Did you hit your head?" He asked. Cardin raised his hand to speak, but quickly lowered it, unsure if he should intervene.
"W-why...?" Vao whimpered, wiping at his face pathetically. "Why d-do you not love me back...? Please... D-don't hit me again..."
Y/N scowled. "If you don't stop being annoying, I'm really gonna hit you. What makes you think I love you back, you weirdo?"
Vao's wail of dismay was the horn that called for battle. In an instant, several men were shoving Y/N, screaming at him. The katana-wielder was confused, scared, and shaking. There had to be like, nine full grown men yelling at him.
"You like punching women, punk!?"
"Think you're cool, bullying a girl?"
"I oughta punch you, show you how it feels!"
But when Y/N looked to Vao for help, realization hit him like a truck.
Vao was grinning like the evil little gremlin he was. He set this up, and was literally skipping away with his co-workers.
...
Ruby trudged aimlessly down the halls of Beacon, her hazy dark grey eyes focusing at her feet. She was biting at her fingers.
She had never felt so hungry in her life. But no matter how much she ate, even after consuming three and a half helpings of lunch, did she feel any better. She felt like she was starving.
In another time, people would know what this was. The crippling hunger, the inability to subside that hunger by normal means. A dark hunger that could drive one mad. A process that started with Salem's Blood. A process that had been sped up inside Ruby's body, because Salem itself resided inside her flesh.
Blood trickled down Ruby's wrist as her teeth pushed a little too hard, breaking skin. Her tongue slid across her bleeding fingers, the bitter and coppery taste of the crimson liquid dancing on her tongue.
Ruby had tasted blood before. Sometimes she would bite her tongue while talking. Every time she did it, the taste of blood made her feel sick. But not this time.
It tasted so sweet, so delicious. Ruby bit down gently, sucking on her index finger like a young child. She could hardly feel the pain in her fingers anymore, entranced by the taste.
{"... And so it begins..."}
Ruby didn't even hear Salem's words. She nibbled down on her thumbnail, pulling at it gently - before throwing her head back.
She didn't even feel the sharp pain as her thumbnail was torn from the bed. She spat it onto the ground, sucking on her thumb. Slowly she staggered towards the wall, leaning against it heavily. She felt drunk, as if she was in a trance.
"H-ha... So... So good..." She stammered quietly. She quickly found herself growing addicted to the taste, her eyelids drooping down in pleasure.
{"... Do you want more?"}
Ruby let her thumb fall from her mouth, blood staining her skirt. "M... More...?"
{"Yes, child. More. I can tell you how to fulfill the ache in your belly..."}
Ruby wanted nothing more than to know. Her stomach screamed at her, demanding sustenance. And yet she could never give it what it wanted. Salem hummed quietly, a hallucination forming in front of Ruby. The small girl had grown used to seeing it's twisted face, it's countless eyes that stared all at once.
{"... Find someone. That Jaune boy... Wouldn't he be alone today, with his team out for the weekend?"}
"... Jaune..." Ruby looked down at her lap, her eyebrows twitching ever so slightly. "He's... Y/N and Vao's friend..."
{"And what is more important? Your worthless excuses of family, or your hunger?"} Salem leaned closer, it's voice directly in her ear. It's soft, gentle, and seductive voice that made Ruby feel so happy. {"Do you wish to never experience such a taste again...?"}
Ruby shook her head slowly, her mind starting to crack. "More... I... I want more..."
{"Then go, Ruby... Aren't we friends...?"}
Ruby was under Salem's spell. She couldn't fight, she couldn't resist. She wanted to be Salem's friend. No, she was already her friend, wasn't she? Slowly she climbed to her feet, her footsteps landing heavily as she trotted down the halls, breathing hard as she leaned against the wall to support herself.
She felt so weak from the hunger. She could barely hold her own weight. She could see the dorm rooms from where she stood, and her mouth began to water.
Ruby was unaware of her desires. Driven to the point she couldn't bring herself to care anymore, the only thing she could think of was eating. Her humanity was slipping, devolving her into a mindless shell of her former self. She stopped at Team JNPR's room, not even bothering to knock as she pushed her way inside.
She could hear the shower running, a thunderous sound in the empty room. She stumbled inside, falling down to all fours.
{"He's just through that door,"} Salem whispered softly. {"Just beyond that door, is a meal so delicious that you'll no longer feel hungry..."}
Ruby crawled across the floor like an animal, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks. She swallowed a mouthful of drool, only for the inside of her cheeks to grow wet again. She was at the door now, the only obstacle left that stood in her way. She tried the doorknob, and to her sheer luck it wasn't locked. She pushed it open, standing back up and stepping inside. Steam made everything foggy, the shower running so hot that Ruby could barely see her own reflection in the mirror.
"Nora, close the door!" Jaune whined from behind the curtain. "You know I don't like a cold draft while I'm nice and warm!"
Ruby staggered to the shower curtain, her hand reaching forward. On the other side, Jaune seemed upset. "Nora please! You always tease me! I'm supposed to be your leader!"
Ruby pushed the curtain to the side, the tall blonde jumping back in utter terror. He quickly covered anything indecent and with his free hand, tried to pull the curtain back. But Ruby easily overpowered him.
"Wha... G-get out!" Jaune wailed.
Ruby couldn't hold herself back anymore. She leapt forward with an animalistic growl, gripping Jaune's hair in her fist. Before he could say anything, she slammed his head against the tile wall and tossed him out of the shower.
Jaune bounced off the floor, the room spinning around him. He could hear a loud ringing in his ears, and he could barely stand. Ruby gave him a concussion.
In a matter of seconds, Ruby was on top of him, her teeth sinking into his shoulder. It was difficult at first - human flesh was very chewy. But by grinding her teeth, she was no doubt beginning to break skin.
Jaune never felt any pain like this before in his life. With a bloodcurdling scream, he tried to elbow Ruby off of him. But she batted it away, pinning his wrist against the floor. Despite being smaller and skinnier than him, she was terrifyingly powerful. Her strength was almost... Inhuman. As if something else was influencing her.
Jaune rolled over, kicking out at her. He managed to throw her off his back, but not without taking a chunk out of his shoulder. Jaune quickly scrambled for the door, his fingers scratching at the doorframe in panic.
He had to escape. He had to get away, even if it meant running down the halls naked. He knew his life was in danger. He didn't want to die.
But Ruby was faster. She grabbed him by the ankles, pulling him back inside the bathroom. Jaune's fingertips split open as he desperately tried to pull himself free, leaving eight thin trails of blood behind. Ruby kicked the door shut, trapping him inside. She leaned down, taking another bite into his shoulder. Jaune screamed until he felt lightheaded, trying to fight until the very end. But it only angered Ruby. She gripped the sides of his head, slamming his face into the floor.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Jaune's cries quickly fell silent, and yet Ruby didn't stop. Underneath her, his body twitched and shuddered, until finally he stopped moving. Only then did Ruby release him, letting his face fall into the growing pool of blood. She lifted his arm, checking for a pulse. At first, she couldn't feel anything, but quickly she felt the rhythmic beat of blood through his veins. She leaned close to his face, tuning her ears until she could her the soft, weak breaths that escaped his parted lips. Somehow, even after all of that, he survived.
{"Finish the job. We do not not need another survivor."}
Ruby obeyed, standing up on two feet and raising her left foot. She brought it down heavily, fracturing his skull under the heel of her boot. She raised her foot again, bringing it down until she heard the morbid, horrific crack as his skull split underneath her weight.
He twitched a couple more times before falling very still. There was no rise and fall of his chest, anymore. Every muscle in his body relaxed, fecal matter and urine escaping his body.
Ruby had just committed her first murder. And yet, she couldn't feel guilty about it. Not with the sharp, gnawing sensation deep inside her gut. She squatted down, resuming her feast until there was nothing left of his upper body. As she swallowed bite after bite, the pain began to fade. And when that pain was completely gone, only then did Ruby realize what she had done.
She lifted her head, blood dripping from her lips. She looked down, her dark grey eyes resting on her blood soaked hands, and finally, on the half-eaten corpse before her. Her fingers trembled, her lip quivering in terror. She stumbled back, falling on her rear as she backpedaled into the corner. In her head, Salem was speaking in it's seductive tone.
{"... There is no point in feeling guilt, for this is something you will live with for the rest of your life, even if I left your body."}
Ruby shakily looked at the full body mirror. The mist had died down, allowing Ruby to see her reflection - and the thing that hovered at her shoulders.
A black shadow with two glowing white eyes stared back at her, poking it's head out from behind her back. It had no facial features other than the white, blank eyes that had no pupils. It's fingers were long and thin, ending in sharp points resembling claws, or talons. The thing never spoke, but Ruby knew what it was. She knew exactly what it was.
It was herself. It was difficult to tell because there was no color. The creature was devoid of all light, a true black. But the shape of it's head, and the black strands of hair that fell from it's scalp were unmistakable when Ruby compared her own face to the creature. The demon staring back at her with the white, empty eyes was herself. The embodiment of her sickness, her insanity. Something created from her own corrupted heart. Salem seemed to notice.
{"... Admiring ourself, are we? I suppose it is not unusual to be frozen in terror. After all, you're a human. You live in blissful ignorance to the harsh reality you live in..."}
"Ah... A-ah..."
Ruby couldn't even form a sentence. A deep, guttural cry was escaping her lungs, her lip quivering as her face ran hot with tears.
"A-aah... Ah ha ha... Ha ha ha..."
Salem seemed to fall silent. The corners of Ruby's mouth were beginning to twitch, curling upwards into a grin. But it was unnatural, a grin that would bring unease to anyone who bore witness. A psychotic grin, her voice soon ascending to full blown kaughter. As she gripped the sides of her face, her fingers digging into her cheeks.
She couldn't stop laughing. It was as if someone had told her the funniest joke she had ever heard in her life. With each breath, her body trembled before bursting into laughter again and again. She clamped her jaw shut, trying to hold it in. But spit flew from her gritted teeth, running down her chin. She leaned to one side, falling on the bloody floor and holding herself in a fetal position.
Ruby knew she was going crazy. It all had to be some sort of bad dream, right? A nightmare in which she would wake up from soon. There was no way this could be real. There was no way she had just eaten another person. She would wake up, and she would see her siblings waiting for her. She would wake up, and everything would be back to normal. That was how all the fairy tales that Ruby idolized ended - with happy endings.
But this was reality. Life isn't a fairy tale at all; life is cruel, unjust. Life was a dark, scary thing. There are no happy endings. There is no power of friendship. Ruby knew that, deep down inside. Deep, deep inside her soul, she knew she was going to suffer. For as long as Salem wished, Ruby's life would become a living hell.
She couldn't take it anymore. She jumped to her feet, scrambling out of the bathroom. She was making a beeline for the window. She was going to dive head first, and split her skull open on the concrete three stories below. She threw the window open, bending her knees - only to be stopped by Salem. The parasite had taken control of her body, but allowing her mind to run free.
{"Ahahahaha! Did you think I would allow you to commit suicide? Oh dear, Ruby. You are such a comedian!"} And just as quickly as Salem had taken control, she stopped laughing. {"You are my property, whore. I will break you. I will shatter your heart, over and over. This isn't for my plan to slaughter your brothers... This is purely for my own enjoyment."}
Ruby shivered in place, a heartbroken wail escaping her lips again.
She couldn't do it. She wasn't allowed to do it. Ruby wanted nothing more than to kill herself. She wanted to die, to commit suicide in hopes she would take Salem with her. She didn't want to live a life of torment and torture. She didn't want to see her madness take a physical form again. She didn't want to hurt anyone else. Salem guided her legs towards the door, Ruby being unable to fight back.
{"Let us go clean ourselves... Everyone is out today, right? Even your team... You should consider yourself lucky - no one else will die just yet..."}
That cruel, sickeningly soft voice. Ruby knew she would never forget it again, for it was scarred deep in her memory. The halls were just as empty as before, Ruby's footsteps echoing down the hall as she wandered back into her room.
She stripped off her uniform, throwing it in the garbage before stepping into the shower and turning it on, the warm water rinsing the blood from her body. But it also burned at her wounded fingers. She winced in pain, and felt the feeling return to her legs once again. Salem had released it's grip.
{"... Should you try such a foolish attempt at your life again, there will be hell to pay... That is your only warning, Ruby Rose... I do not accept tomfoolery in my host..."}
Ruby's knees buckled, and she dropped to the shower floor. It wasn't visible because she was in the shower, but tears streaked from her face.
Homicide. She had committed homicide, and engaged in cannibalism, two unforgivable crimes. She remembered the first time she met Salem, in that attic when she had the hallucinations. Vao... He dealt with this before, in a time erased by the Gods. He had been hated, and Y/N spent the entirety of his adult life hunting him down, developing a smoking habit to even function in a social situation. Ruby couldn't even imagine how Y/N and Vao had felt in the past. To suffer so much, for every day to be a constant struggle with suicidal and homicidal thoughts.
She wished she never met Salem. She wished she had stayed on her little island of ignorance, away from the shores of madness. As Ruby cried, she didn't even hear the door opening, just outside the bathroom.
As soon as they entered Team RWBY's room, Y/N struck Vao on top of his head, leaving a large bump. "You lowlife! You got me beat up at the arcade!" He screamed. Now that they weren't in public, Vao was ready to fight back.
"It was a perfect strategy! I'm glad I look like a girl! You get what you deserve for telling me I'm flat!"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU'RE A DUDE!"
Vao completely ignored him, stepping up to Blake's bed and reaching underneath. What he retrieved was her purse, and was taking money from it. "... Nice," he snickered, pocketing the lien.
"You kleptomaniac!" Weiss hissed. Vao shrugged.
"I'm broke. How am I supposed to pay for the female uniform?"
Weiss just groaned, pointing at the trash can. "Just... Take out the trash, will you? At least then you won't be commiting crimes in my sight."
"Okay. Bye bye!"
Vao pulled the bag out of the can, then skipped out the door, not even bothering to close it behind him. Weiss turned to Y/N, a disappointed look on her face. "Is he... You know... Special?"
Y/N shook his head. "Nope."
"Yeah, Vao's just an asshole," Cardin agreed. He was sitting at the desk, leaning back in the chair. He seemed to be listening to something. "... Is someone in the shower?"
Weiss nodded. "Yeah, it might just be Yang, though. She said she wouldn't be out for very long."
As they sat and waited, they talked. But even after half an hour, Vao still hadn't come back. Weiss was glaring at her watch.
"... Y/N, go look for our alcoholic friend."
"... Why me? He's a big boy, he can take care of himself."
"It's Vao, he couldn't take care of a rock. Go find him."
Y/N held his arms up in surrender. "Fine, I'll do it, mom."
The next thing he did was sprinted out of the room when Weiss stood up, throwing Blake's books at him.
When Y/N stepped outside, he looked over at the dumpster. Shockingly, Vao wasn't there. He approached the metal container, looking around. There was no sign of the crossdresser. At least, that's what he thought. Vao approached him from behind, tapping his shoulder. Y/N nearly swatted him in the face out of shock. His shock quickly turned to frustration. "What!? What's taking you so long!?"
Vao wasn't smiling. His eyes were wide terror, holding something in front of him. When Y/N looked down, his jaw nearly dropped.
"Y-Y/N... The hell is this?"
Vao was holding a blood-soaked uniform.
And from inside the building, they could hear a scream of utter horror.