A rose red blur zipped through the trees a breakneck. Ruby couldn't believe she was late! How was the fastest thing on land late to anything? Weiss was gonna kill her.

She made it through the end of the forest in record time, the scenery becoming a mixture craggy rocks and sandy land. Ruby had always hated running on sand. Her feet never seemed to gain enough traction for her liking. But when your best friend was royalty of a coastal kingdom that is your home, you learned to adjust.

She passed the guards blocking the kingdom's entrance, a dust cloud following behind in her wake.

"Sorry! Gotta jet!" She called back, cupping her gloved hands over her mouth. Half a minute later, Ruby stopped on a dime just outside the main halls. Taking a breath, the wolf patted down her blood red hooded, black dress before pushing red fur out of her eyes. Ruby heaved at the heavy wooden doors to open them.

"There you are! Finally!" Came a krill voice and Ruby flinched. White heels clicked against marble floor before coming to an abrupt halt. "How is it that the fast creature on land is always so late?"

Weiss Schnee the Shark, was dressed in her snow white dress. Draped over her shoulders was a white jacket that carried her family's crest on the back, a snowflake made of out of fangs.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Weiss tapped her foot with crossed arms at the girl before her. Ruby scanned the room behind her friend, scratching the back of her head as she tried to think of an answer. Apologetic silver eyes peered into annoyed, yet brilliant sky blue ones.

Then Ruby remembered why she had been late in the first place. Snapping her fingers, she went for her dress's pockets.

"I was getting some of those apples you like." Ruby replied, handing one of her haul. With Ruby's sight, she caught a small smile that graced Weiss's face, revealing the princess's sharp teeth. As she took the gift, it then vanished as quickly as it came. Rubbing it on her chest, Weiss took a bite before strutting past Ruby outside of the hall with a huff.

"Thank you very much, but please come on. We're as late as it is."

As it was almost time for lunch, the castle halls were busy. Servants greeted Weiss as they passed, who gave a toothless smile and a nod. Ruby was acknowledged too but also received the servants thanks. Ruby grinned back in return but after they left her attention would be back on Weiss.

A week ago, Ruby had asked one of them why so many people were thanking her. She had assume it had been because of her heroics, too which Ruby would have corrected them. The thanks belonged to both team FRDM and Team FGHT not just her alone. As it turned out it was something else entirely. They were thanking her for being Weiss's friend, for whenever Ruby was around, their princess was more relaxed and tended to smile more often. Which was saying a lot since Weiss hardly smiled.

'Though that's not because she doesn't like too.' Ruby thought to herself, as she stretched. She and Weiss had been friends since they were kids, so she knew something about Weiss that most people didn't. As children, Weiss had gotten a lot of comments about how creepy her smile was. It's not like there was anything she could do to fix it (not that Ruby thought it needed fixing) but still it got to the young princess. And so Weiss stuck with smirks and humorless smiles. That is, unless she was with Ruby, where she could laugh and grin all she wanted without being judged. Ruby suddenly felt something warm in her gut at the thought of Weiss's laugh. Was she hungry?

"Weiss-"

"We're here." Weiss cut her off as they stopped before another set of large doors, these ones made of metal. Weiss rapped a hand against the metal three times and then waited. The doors opened inward with a hiss. Computers seemed to align the room, multiple tables covered with the parts of some half made devices. Ruby and Weiss entered the space, carefully not to trip over any devices that were strewn across the floor. Eventually they could hear the clinking and clanking of the castle's two best mechanic and engineer.

Huddling over the work before them, a green sloth and orange squirrel were absorbed in their current project. The sloth work was carefully and slowly tweaking something while the squirrel was chattering away new calculations.

"I'm telling you, Ren, you should have triple checked the calibrations!"

"Nora." He replied slowly, his voice deep and rich but patient. His tongue was sticking out as he fiddled with his wrench.

"How do you know we have the proper energy output in order to succeed?" Nora the Squirrel stepped away and began pacing, oil stained gloves behind her back.

"Nora, please-"

"What if it blows up or something! Then we've let down the princess AND the kingdom! What if we've doomed the kingdom?" Nora began pulling at her hair.
Ren sighed, opening his mouth to speak-

"Ahem. I came for the report on the project." Weiss announced, hand against her mouth as she pretended to cough. Ruby was sure she saw Ren roll his eyes as he spun around in his chair. Nora stopped her pacing and faced the duo, large bushy tail wrapping around her body.
"Is it done, Ren?" Weiss asked, somewhat excitedly.

"Yes, Princess."

Weiss narrowed her eyes. "Ren..."

Weiss had one of the hardest times getting Ren to call her by her name, despite being friends for so long.

"We did it, Weiss! We actually did it!"

Nora on the other hand, had dropped the formalities the first they met.

"We were able to recreate the phenomenon your magical rings do! Though it would have been easier if we had a Dust Stone, what with their untold energy output and all." Nora spoke all at once as she twirled in place. Years of practice on Weiss's part made easier to understand the hyperactive squirrel.

Weiss slide down her jacket sleeves revealing two golden bracelet sized rings around her wrist. The Rings of Atlas were a mystery in their origin but carried special properties like the Dust Stones. Weiss's particular set were ones that were given to head of the house in times of crisis. So for the past 10 years she had been wearing them and had gotten pretty good at using them. She didn't even need the incantation anymore, as the rings flashed and silver rapier with snow blue stone in the hilt appeared. Myrtenaster, she had named it, felt so heavy all those years ago and now it was like an extension of her self. In the same flash, the weapon was gone. Weiss gently took the black ones that Ren and Nora had created, presenting them to Ruby.

However, the wolf cub shook her head and backed away.

"Weiss, you know how I feel about weapons. There's a reason I don't use them when we fight old Wax Face."

Weiss sighed. Since the war with Roman Torchwick had started after his betrayal, Ruby had fought with her speed and her body alone. Weiss had watched her friend run herself ragged one too many times. This was just a small gift Weiss hoped would balance out all the good Ruby had done over the years.

"As your princess, I demand you take the rings." Use them for me, please, I want you safe. went unspoken but understood. Still.

Ruby was gone in a whoosh leaving Weiss holding the black rings.

"Do you want me to go after her, Weiss?" Nora offered but the princess shook her head as well.

"I shouldn't have forced them on her, since I know how she is. She'll come around, maybe."