R0-EX-2

1:02 PM \ Clear \ Visibility: 22 km

Rhodes Island Pharmaceutical Inc.

It was that man with the Revive skill from earlier!

"Ruby? Why are you pointing at the doctor?" Amiya, who stood beside the man, asked with a befuddled look. Meanwhile, the doctor spent the past minute subtly trying to see if anything otherworldly had found itself stuck on his mask.

Ruby immediately brought her hands down to her sides, inwardly screaming. A whole night's worth of planning how her first impressions should be... gone, just like that.

This wasn't what she rehearsed at all!

"Well... I think it's best to keep introductions simple." Amiya began, trying to somehow salvage this first meeting "Ruby, this is Doctor. He prefers others to use his title instead."

"O-oh, sure! Nice to meet you, D.. Doktah?" Ruby tried to say it the way Amiya did, opting to do what she assumed was more respectful. Neither seemed to mind, though for some reason Ruby felt Amiya was immensely pleased.

"A pleasure, miss Rose. But, are you, well?" said the man, addressing her for the first time. He wasn't as fluent as Amiya, but Ruby understood him well enough.

"Y-yeah. I'm pretty chill, er, cool." Ruby cringed, "Good, I mean. Good."

"... Please, you may sit."

After realising she'd been standing all this time, Ruby didn't so much as sit as crash on the poor chair, which miraculously held up against a hundred and five pounds of prime-grade Stupid. Ruby winced, a keening wail of shame and embarrassment seeping through her teeth.

The doctor- Doktah, she corrected- seemingly unperturbed, simply nodded and turned to the rabbit faunus.

"Change of plans. Amiya? Would you kindly let Ruby and I talk privately? The usual Jessica protocols, please."

Amiya blinked and nodded slowly, then silently walked out the door, shutting it again with an audible click. After making sure the faunus had left, the doctor sighed and spoke to her in her language.

"I apologise."

"Huh? For what- um- Doktah?" Ruby asked, trying to ignore how she might've angered him if she'd been botching his name. It was hard to say he noticed because of the mask. Instead, however, the man simply looked at her inquisitively. She flushed.

"For our... dialogue. Your language, without guidance, can be hard to control. There will be... communication barriers." he carefully explained with a small apologetic bow.

"Ah, it's cool! I mean, fine! No need to say sorry, sir."

"Thank you. But, you do not need, to be so formal." he laughed. "Now, we speak, as friends. Miss Rose."

"... Friends?" Ruby inquired, tilting her head.

"Yes. No need for, formalities." he nodded, "Will it be, too much? I do not want, to cause you, unnecessary trouble."

She blinked, then gave a small smile. "Nope."

"I am glad."

Ruby tried to not fidget during the silence that followed. She was thankful that they were pretty tolerant of her... Ruby-ness so far, so much that even her potential boss did away all that formality she dreaded in her imagination.

Still, wasn't this too much for an internship? Not that she knew what happens in one herself. The best thing her mind could relate with was the time she asked an old couple if she could do some chores for some extra lien.

Old Mister Maple, while helpful, had been kinda terrifying to a nine year old, but at least Missus Maple did make good cookies.

Here, well, it would be too much of her to expect a pharmacy to have cookies- she'd be instantly sold if they did- but so far they'd been nothing but accommodating and friendly. Her boss, Doktah, even said that they could talk like friends.

Friends. Ruby could do friends. Why, she had so many friends to draw the experience from!

Yeah...

As if sensing her sudden distress, the man decided to finally speak up, breaking her sullen mood.

"I am certain, that you are very aware. We are... not a normal pharmacy. This is no coincidence. Today, we did not try, to hide it. For you, I decided to... forego, that plan. Amiya was, most displeased, of my decision. But hiding, I believe, will be more, wasteful."

'Is that why they're openly showing weapons around?' Ruby thought

"To you, this might be, a simple internship. To me, I see it as... a foundation. One that is to be built, on trust. With lies, whatever we both help create, will crumble. In time"

Ruby could understand, to an extent. When her classmates, mostly the guys, learned Yang was her sister, the Ruby who once sat alone during lunch suddenly had more company than she knew how to deal with.

It was nice, at first, but then came the questions about Yang. When Ruby, pressured by her newfound buddies, passed those questions along...

Well, they weren't around her anymore the days after.

"Rhodes Island's mission, at its core, is to help people. Like you and many others, I am aware. We are not special. However, to your people, our methods might be, unfamiliar. Strange. Even dangerous, for as we are now, we are... unfocused."

"In the past, we remedy problems, as we see fit. If we are right, then we commit. If we are wrong, we shall change. Through our foreign tools, and different techniques. I have, and will, try my best to lead, justly." he paused, glancing to a nearby window from the side. Through it, she could see an empty field, but she could see the beginnings of some scaffolding.

"Naturally, this has become, difficult. Now, we do not know, our rights, from our wrongs. Try as we might, the fact remains: We are not from this... Place."

"In Patch?" Well, Patch wasn't any different from any other place, is it? Just far from... everything else.

"No, further."

"You're not from... Vale?"

"Further, but correct. It was... not by intention."

Ruby sat silently as she let it sink in, at least what she understood. Sad as it is, the reality was that people abandoning their homes aren't uncommon. If the Grimm decide to move in, you either have to cut your losses or stand your ground.

Knowing the Grimm, you wouldn't stand for very long- Not without badass Huntresses like her to come in and help. No one else would have to give up their homes to the Grimm in her watch.

"The circumstances now, are different. Our mission, however, stays the same. A mission, that you alone, could help with. Abundantly."

What?

'What?'

"What? M-Me?" she floundered for a reply, "But... what's right or what's wrong? You mean Vale's laws? But, I, er... don't really know them all that much." fiddlesticks. She only really knew the bare necessity, like everyone else! If that's the case, they should really hire a lawyer instead, and not waste their time to a stupid teenager like her...

"What you know, is enough. You are perfect... for the role."

Her cheeks warmed. "P-perfect...?

The doctor nodded, "The barriers, between mine and yours, will make our, objectives too... broad. Unclear. Should the situation, demand. We could take, risks. But, I fear they may end, in vain. This is... unacceptable. If we must risk, then it must have reason. Must have meaning."

The man heaved a heavy sigh, visibly sagging as if the world's weight finally took its toll on his shoulders.

"I... would rather not take, such risks. Regardless if it was, necessary. I do not want, to see my people, harmed. No longer. I care for them, too much. But... should someone need to fall... it will be myself. No one else."

A muffled gasp from the door behind her, but Ruby was too distracted to take note, her mind reeling at his words.

"But I digress... Miss Rose, with you, you could teach us, to be... specific. Effective. I realized this, after much thought."

Ruby couldn't reply, remaining silent with a small frown. She didn't really get it, about what the man said that she could do. Ruby knew she wasn't smart, or rather, she couldn't see the underneath of the underneath- as one of her favorite shows said- but she knew enough to realise that countless of plans are riding on her choice.

Ruby could feel that Doktah cared for his employees alot, and she could respect that. She also knew that he was the type to be a natural born leader, who made plans upon plans, contingencies upon contingencies. She couldn't even imagine herself doing a tiny fraction of that in her career as a huntress.

She, Ruby Rose, leading a team of Huntsmen? Impossible. She hadn't ever considered being in a team, let alone actually lead one. What a disaster it would be!

If not with Yang, then she'd rather be alone. She'll be like, uh, Uncle Qrow...

Okay, no, ew. Besides, Qrow had a team. Once.

Her mother did too, but then, one day, she went out on her own...

Still, despite what others say, she could, to some level, read between the lines. She had to learn dealing with her sister's "friends", afterall. But, this wasn't some schoolyard drama. This was serious-One of those risks that Doktah was talking about. Risks that the man very much would rather not take, yet he's doing it for her.

... No pressure.

"I don't know. I'm just stupid fourteen year old..." she admitted finally, much to her embarrassment. Still, though. She couldn't really do that much, could she?

Instead of anger or the quiet disappointment she had come to expect, the man simply nodded patiently, as if an older brother saying 'Its okay. Don't beat yourself up.'

"I understand, that this is too much. You are not stupid, Miss Rose. Only young. This responsibility, is not for you to carry, in your youth. What choice, you make here, will not be held, against you. I give you my word, as Doctor of Rhodes Island."

Again, Ruby didn't know what to do or say. What could anyone her age, faced with this?! She's just applying for an internship, for crying out loud! This is too much...

"Hmm... here." from under his desk, Doktah pulled a small slim scroll-like device and slid it over to her. "Take this, and go home."

"Huh?" wait, go home? Did she take too long? Was she fired already?! She wasnt even hired yet!

Oh she could see it, when the pharmacy goes big, everyone would know she had been been the first to be fired- and that was before she was even hired. As an intern! Her dad would be so disappointed, Yang would be angry, Zwei wouldn't stop howling...

Uncle Qrow would laugh his liver off.

"Guh..."

Doktah, the abnormally patient man faced with a Ruby Rose that he was, sensed her distress and calmly explained.

"You may decide, using this, at home. Discuss, with your family, if you must. You may, keep it after you, decide. Or dispose of it. Either way, it will let me know, your choice, through the neural network. This way, you do not need, to return here, should you refuse."

"O-oh, okay, sure..." she eloquently replied. The next few minutes was spent with him teaching her how to use the device. It wasn't really all that different from a scroll, she numbly gathered.

"I think I got it, thank you, Mr Doktah."

"Then this meeting, has concluded. Thank you, for listening, friend Ruby." said the man and deeply bowed, his mask almost touching the desk.

Ruby yelped at the gesture, standing up with her arms reaching out in surprise. "H-hey! No need to do that. Friends don't do... That."

Doktah turned his head up, and gave out a small laugh. He stood and caught one of her hands, shaking it once. His grip was strong, but careful. As expected from his profession, really.

"Ha, indeed." the man agreed, then spoke in his language out loud. "Amiya, I know you're listening. Please accompany Miss Rose on her way out."

As if on cue, Amiya strode in from the doorway, and Ruby had to quickly step to the side as the girl nearly bowled her over. The girl then slammed her hands on the doctor's desk, leaning down to meet the man to eye level. Ruby nearly whimpered at the frosty look on the faunus face, which was directed squarely at the masked doctor.

A few tense seconds passed before Amiya closed her eyes, held her breath, then sighed. When she opened them again, all Ruby could see was how... lost, she looked.

"Come with me, Ruby. I'll show you the way out..." the faunus simply said. Without another word, she walked out to wait for her in the corridor.

Sparing a confused look to Doktah, who returned it with a shrug, she bid the man goodbye with an awkward wave and left.

Before she was out of earshot, she heard the man give out a desolate sigh.

'That was a lot to take in...' Ruby thought while her eyes roamed at the sky. It was still pretty early, but she had already sent a message to her dad's scroll, saying that, yes, she's safe and was heading home.

"Do you want me to stay with you until you get home?" Amiya inquired. Instead of leaving Ruby be after taking her outside the pharmacy, Amiya decided she needed a walk and went with her. If anything, Ruby didn't mind the company.

"Uhm, thanks, but I think I'll be fine."

"You sure~? There could be~ monsters around, you know~"

For some reason, the 'dead body' earlier, Kroos, also came with them. Ruby didn't dislike the girl, but something about her seemingly perpetually shut eyes initially creeped Ruby out. She felt bad for thinking such a way about the girl, especially since it was clear that Kroos was harmless and even super friendly.

"Er, yeah, maybe, but I can handle them. I'm a Huntress." in training, but that's just nitpicking. She'll be a big girl, afterall; she just started to drink milk!

"Ah, Ruby. About that, how do you protect, yourself? As a Huntress, I mean." asked Amiya, her previous despondent look replaced by curiosity.

How does she protect herself? This, she can answer well.

"Okay! I'll show you!"

With a flourish that she totally did not rehearse or practice the night before, she jumped head and deftly brandished the hidden weapon she had slung on her waist, under her cloak. Amiya's brows raised with interest, while Kroos Ooh'd in apparent excitement.

"That's not all!" She winked. With a twirl, she deployed her weapon into its war scythe form, but remained mindful by pointing the barrel to the sky. Qrow taught that lesson harshly, and effectively.

"This, is my baby. Crescent Rose!"

Ruby preened under Kroos' enthusiastic whoops of 'Again! Again!' as she clapped in earnest, then at Amiya's expression, which was agape with surprise and wonder.

"It's a scythe." Amiya astutely observed with apparent amazement. This, Ruby could understand. If she hadn't built Crescent Rose herself she'd be in awe as well.

Well, she did. And Ruby could say she's still in awe at it! Even nearly a year later!

"Hah, but that's not the best part!" she declared. "It's also a customisable high impac-"

"Gun~!" Kroos happily interjected. "A gun, it's a gun~!"

Ruby blinked, her excitement slightly dampened, "Uh, yeah. How'd you know?"

"I just do~ But, I don't have gun. Only this, see~?" Kroos pulled out her weapon in a far simpler fashion from the bag she slung on her shoulders. "Tadaaa! Crossed Bow~"

'Crossbow' she internally corrected. Ruby examined the weapon with genuine interest when Kroos casually handed it to her. It really was simple, and definitely not as groundbreakingly epic as Crescent Rose, but Ruby was careful not to comment about it.

She learned very early on that pointing out the obvious inferiority of someone else's weapon compared to Crescent Rose, makes for a very poor conversation. And definitely not a friend thing to say.

"That gun... scythe. Where did you get it?" came another of Amiya's questions. Ruby didn't mind. In fact, she welcomed them! Anything to enlighten her with the wonders of her weapon.

"I didn't just get her. I made her myself!" she shared pride.

"You... made it? Just like that?"

"Yup."

"With an... expert?"

"Nope. Just me." ehh, Qrow didn't count as an 'expert', really. His handwork with Harbinger was amazing, she deigned to admit, but the keyword is 'was'. Crescent Rose simply just surpassed the old man's walking stick.

Not that she'll say that to his face, of course. Not unless she didn't want her... exclusive rights to the school forge revoked.

"Is it expensive to make?"

Ruby's nose scrunched up in thought.

"Yeah. I think. I spent all my money on it." Well, Signal covered most of the costs, but anything she wanted as extra, and she sure did want alot of it, were paid through her own pocket money.

Years of being essentially an asocial hermit did wonders for her savings account, but all of it was sacrificed without hesitation to the Weapon Gods, just to bring her dream weapon into reality. Months without so much as a single grain of sugar gracing her tongue had taken its hefty toll upon her sanity, but it was all worth the moment of when she first held her baby in her own to hands.

That day, it felt like a great prophecy, eons in the making, had been fulfilled at last.

That was how Crescent Rose was born.

A story that only she knew...

She tried hard not to tear up.

"What about you, Amiya? What's your weapon?" Ruby asked, eager to capitalize on the subject. Even when she returned Crescent Rose into its compact form, she could still see the wonder in Amiya's eyes.

"Uhh... I have, these?" the brown haired faunus offered weakly, raising her hands and wiggled her fingers like some third-rate 'magician' from the carnival.

Ruby blinked, perplexed. Uh, what... exactly what she supposed to look at? Maybe steel strings, or webs like a spider? Is it invisible?

That'll be so cool!

"The rings~ Amiya's weapon. The rings~"

"Thank you, Kroos... These are my weapons, the... rings." Amiya said, gesturing at the rings she wore on each of her fingers.

"Er... Okay?" said Ruby, still unsure. Maybe they're a unique type of weapon? But, how... Oh!

"Are they made with Dust?"

"Dust?" echoed the two faunus, testing the word. Oh, right. Maybe they have a different word for it?

"Yup, Dust! One sec..." Ruby randomly pulled one of Crescent Rose's magazines and retrieved a bullet. Ah, she had picked the Gravity ones. Not as flashy as Fire or Lightning usually were, but it was rarer, and so much more expensive. She shrugged, it'll do.

"Here, see? Tada! I made them myself, too!" she smiled, holding out the black, dust-tipped glowing bullet for them see.

Ruby expected another of Kroos' eager praises and Amiya's insightful questions, but was instead met with a deafening silence.

"Originite. Here...?!" Amiya muttered under her breath, her eyes wide with shock. Kroos, on the other hand, had taken a few steps back, her faunus ears standing rigidly. One of her hands, which Ruby finally noted had medical gloves, was clenched over her chest.

And for once, the normally happy girl wasn't smiling. That unnerved her. Tremendously.

"Uh, guys?" Ruby began warily, and wisely chose to tuck the offending bullet away "It's just a bullet. You know, uh, with Gravity Dust?"

Maybe they saw something in it? Her craftsmanship?

Ruby tried not to be offended at the thought. You can call Ruby anything, but sloppy with her weapons and ammunition weren't one of them. Uncle Qrow taught her alot, but giving extra care and attention to her equipment was something she taught herself and held a great amount of pride on.

The tense silence reigned on for a while, until, to her surprise, Kroos was the first to approach her. The visibly pallid girl, knowing that the bullet wasn't about to explode or turn into a snake in Ruby's hand, hesitantly took some steps closer and spoke up.

"I... fuck... Sorry. I am, surprised. Not mean, and offend." said the girl without her usual jovial tone. The faunus did try to offer a smile, but it was clearly a weak gesture.

Ruby wasn't really sure what she'd done, but she had somehow upset the two. Maybe it was something about Dust that set them off- she wasn't sure. It could likely be about their culture finding it offensive, and that Ruby might have come across insensitive by carelessly presenting it, unintentional it may be.

Regardless of the reason, all Ruby knew was that she might've just lost two potential friends. Because she'd been so dumb.

Again.

'Typical. Go me...'

Ruby felt a hand on her shoulder, looking up, she saw Amiya looking at her worriedly.

"Ruby? It's okay. We are just... surprised. Sorry." the girl bit her lip, "May I... Is it okay, if you let me see it again? The... Dust?"

'You're asking me that? You looked at me like I almost killed you!'

Ruby frowned and shook her head, shaking those thoughts away. She didn't mean what she did, but neither did the two. This was all just a misunderstanding, Ruby hoped.

She looked at Amiya in eye, silently asking if the girl was absolutely sure. The faunus returned it with a determined look. Ruby sighed, and hesitantly retrieved the Gravity Dust bullet again, and presented it to her. Slowly, this time.

Cautiously, Amiya plucked the bullet from her hand, raised it up in front of her cyan eyes. Ruby watched as the brunette scrutinized it warily at first, until it gradually grew into morbid fascination.

While Amiya was transfixed at the bullet, Ruby caught the sight of Kroos standing awkwardly to the side, anxiously rubbing her arm.

"It's okay Kroos." she reached out to the girl, who turned to 'look' at her. "It's just a misunderstanding. I'll be careful next time, sorry." she smiled.

The faunus tilted her head, seemingly mulling over at Ruby's attempt.

"Not..." Kroos began, trying to find the right words. "Not friend Ruby's... fault, but okay."

"So, we're cool?" Ruby ventured.

She looked at Ruby quizzically for a moment, then grinned. "Yes, cool! But~ I am, still sorry. I will make out, with you. Promise~"

Huh?!

"W-what? You meant make up, right?!" she tried to clarify, cheeks bursting bright red.

"Heeeh~ Make up?" The faunus tapped her chin, and spent several agonizing seconds leaving the issue up in the air. She's doing this on purpose! Ruby swore. "Hmm, yes! That is what, Kroos promises~" the girl finally said, rapping a knuckle on her head and sticking out the tip of her tongue.

"Ruby," Amiya said at last, interrupting the readhead's pout, "This... Dust. It's not," the girl hesitated, "Originium?"

"Ori... Originium?" Ruby parroted, or at least she tried to. "I don't know... but everyone knows it's just regular old Dust. Well, not regular regular, since it's Gravity, but it's still Dust." she rambled. "Why? Is that what you call Dust? Originium?"

Amiya shook her head, but her expression remained uncertain.

"Originium is... different. I think. What is this, Dust?" she asked, holding out the bullet.

"Well..." Ruby scratched her head, unsure how to explain. As a huntress(in training), it's expected that she would be very familiar with how to work with Dust. And she is, considering she is and will be handling the stuff throughout her career.

However, learning it and trying to explain it to someone are two different things, and it's more difficult since she assumed Amiya's culture would have an entirely different context.

Though, what culture would make someone look at Dust like its a Grimmspawn?

"Dust is... what a lot of people use to do different things." she inwardly cringed at the rather lame description, "We use it as... fuel! Yeah, so we can cook stuff, move around cars and Yang's Bumblebee, and get the airships up in the sky! But, huntresses(like me) use them mainly to fight Grimm."

"Grimm?"

Ruby nodded, already assuming they have a different term. "Yeah, y'know, those monsters."

Amiya hummed, taking note of the term and looked at the Dust bullet under a new light. Grimm are everywhere, it seems, even where Amiya was from, since she didn't ask more about it.

"Is Dust really all that new to you all?" Ruby asked.

Amiya thought for a bit, "No, no. We have seen Dust before. But they were... different. We thought they were strange Originium, because they do not... respond like one. So, we avoided them to be safe. Just in case."

"Oh, okay." Ruby lamely replied, then decided to ask what's been bugging her since earlier, "So what's the deal with Originium? I-if you don't mind..."

Curiously, Kroos was the one who answered it. "Originium, Dust: Same thing. Fuel~" she chirped, "But, Originium... Hmm, more dangerous, maybe~"

"Dangerous? Dust is the same too, though. If someone isn't careful, they'll probably blow themselves up." Ruby knew that fact first hand. It's why she took such great lengths to take good care of her equipment and caution when making her ammunition.

Though, when asked, she would not admit sneezing on them the first time around and turning her dad's old tool shed to a crater.

"Blow up?" Kroos scrunched up her nose at the thought, "Hehe~ They got it easy~" she laughed, "Originium~ makes you sick~ Very sick~"

"Sick? Like, Dust poisoning?" Ruby asked, "Uhm, I think that rarely happens, and they get better eventually. I've even heard some expensive restaurants in Vale use powdered Dust on their food, just to make them taste better. Somehow." Not that she'd ever believe that. Ruby may be an occasional glutton for sugar, but trying to eat with Dust was a whole new level.

Dust cookies. Gods...

"Powdered. On food...?" Kroos scratched her head, likely trying to imagine someone breaking Originium into fine powder then sprinkling it on some food. She turned green like her shirt at the image.

"They eat this stuff?" Amiya said as she pointed at the Dust bullet, utterly flabbergasted at the thought, "What?"

"Exactly!" Ruby agreed, just as equally confused about it. She'll never understand fine dining. "You can have the bullet if you want to study it. I have plenty at school."

"Really?" she asked, to which Ruby nodded, "If you're sure... Thank you, Ruby." Reaching to her side, Amiya pulled out a sealed plastic bag from her coat, tucking the bullet in and placing it back in her pocket for safekeeping.

Suddenly, Ruby felt her scroll start to ring angrily. She pulled it out and peered at the screen, then laughed nervously.

"Something wrong?" Amiya asked.

"Uh, that was my four-forty alarm. I... kinda promised I'll be home before dad does." she explained, "He gets home around five."

"Oh, that is rather late. I guess we got carried away." Amiya said, checking on her scroll-like device, the same one that she'd been given earlier. "You better hurry, then."

"Bai-baii Ruby~ See you~" Kroos waved lazily. Ruby waved back with a laugh.

"So, uhm... guess I'll talk to you both next time? Maybe?" she asked hesitantly. She didn't know if she could go back if she hadn't yet decided to accept their offer.

Amiya giggled, "Take as much time as you need to think about your internship Ruby. Even if you decline, you can come and visit us any day. Except Sundays, of course." Amiya reassured with a hint of humor.

"Okay, that's a promise!" she declared, "Well, uh, I gotta go now, so..."

The faunus looked at her worriedly, "Are you sure you're fine on your own?"

"Yup." she nodded "I'll just use my Semblance to get home. I'll be fine!"

"Semblance?"

Ruby grinned. One more show wouldn't hurt.

"Yup. See ya when I see ya!"

With a burst of petals, she was gone.

Amiya looked at the rose petal in her palm, and watched it as it joined the others that fluttered in the field in the wake of Ruby's 'Semblance'. One by one they dissolved into sparkling particles, and disappeared up to the dimming sky.

"Arts..." she mumbled, then turned to the sniper Operator. "What do you think, Ms Kroos?

"Hmm, I dunno~ I'm tired. Doctor said I can sleep in his office tonight~"

Amiya lips pursed, remembering what she heard earlier, when Ruby and the doctor were talking about risks. 'He's doing it again...'

"You can hide in my room for now. I need to... talk with him first."

"Okay~" with that, Kroos walked back to the pharmacy, whistling a merry tune.

With a sigh, the caster pinched the bridge of her nose. "What a mess..."

Welp, this chapter got chonky during editing. Whoops!

By the by, just in case people missed it, the guard is Jessica from the last chapter, just in her Iron Block armor. Why she isn't using her Beretta, and her stupid expensive bullets(at least back in Terra) , will be explained in a future chapter.

Eventually.