Chapter 15

The next day in cafeteria, Weiss asks a question to Ruby which sounded a bit weird for the white girl to answer, "What do I think about Alex? Why do you ask, Weiss?" Ruby drop her fork on the plate. Yang and Blake glance on the heiress, "I'm just curious. Since you got closer to him lately, so I wanted to know what do you think about him..."

Ruby tap her finger on her chin and hums. Weiss patiently waited for her girlfriend's answer. She reply, "Well, I'm not really sure but I felt some sort of familiar warmth when I'm with him. I felt like...I'm with mom. I don't know what else should I say about him except he's actually kind and caring. I wonder...if that's how he was before 'that' happened..."

Weiss, Blake and Yang exchange looks with each other. Ruby continue to eat her steak. This time, it's Blake to ask, "Let's just say if he's a person that very close to you, what're you gonna do, Ruby?" The white girl stopped again.

"First of all, why would he hide his true identity? Secondly, why did he left me when I need him most? Then again, I'm sure he got his own reason for doing so. But I doubt Alex is someone that close to me before," she chuckle. She continue to eat her steak.

Weiss and Blake has dropped the topic and continue with their food. But in Yang's mind, something else comes into her mind, 'What if Alex is...?'

Crimson walk into the office right after Kane welcome her. As usual, the man would be facing away from her. But she didn't mind anyway. "Sir, our intel informed us that Alex is currently working on the vaccine. Should I eliminate him?" She said. Kane chuckle.

"No, that won't be necessary. I would like to conduct a final test on that girl..."

"But, sir. That would result in death. You said you wanted her alive. What happened?"

"She's getting stronger day by day. Her current strength is enough to create destruction. Shall we proceed with the test, Crimson?"

"As you wish, sir..." Crimson connected her Scroll to the super computer in the office. Ruby's name and code name revealed on the screen. She tapped on the top right corner and shows her status. She swipe to the left, revealing the bloodstream of the white girl. She tap on the red button on her Scroll. The usual red blood slowly mixed up with the black virus. Ruby's status turned red and the word 'Danger!' decorated the screen.

Crimson later show the image of Ruby and her friends on the giant screen. The virus has yet to strike her. However, Kane smirks.

Ruby suddenly stopped dead on her tracks. Her team mates stop as well. Before they could ask, Ruby turn away and sprint to the exit. The three girls exchange looks and follow their leader as well.

The white girl sprints to the Emerald Forest. Without knowing why would she be doing. She suddenly stopped. A Deathstalker is standing before her. She didn't react for a moment. Unaware her hand has become claw, she simply swipe. The giant scorpion was cut into pieces and disintegrated into roses. She stand in front of the disintegrated corpse, staring blankly to the ground. That's when the adrenaline begin to kick in.

When Yang, Weiss and Blake arrived, Ruby is clutching her chest tightly, groaning in pain. She can feel her heart beat fast. Her head begin to aches as well. She hold her head and screams, still unaware of her team mates watching her. "RUBY!" Yang yelled. The white girl turned her head to the blonde. Looking at her with a pair of sad blood shot eyes. Begging for help but none of them could do anything.

Suddenly, black spikes emerged from her back. Bone plates appeared on her chest down to her belly. She raises her head. The mask as an ordinary Beowolf covered her face but black in color. Her size increases, becoming as big as Leviathan. White fur covered her whole body. Once the transformation has completed, she roars.

Her team mates slightly backs away, shocked by what they witnessed. Ruby punched to the ground, creating tremors. The miniature tremors made them unstable. The Beowolf took the chance by breathing out black fire balls to them. Yang noticed and immediately counter the attack by shooting her gauntlets. However, some of the fire touched the trees around them and burns them down.

Blake quickly use her Semblance and attack the Grimm from every direction. But there's no effect on her. Ruby punched the Faunus, causing her to fly few feet back. Weiss used her glyphs to get to her head. She was about to plunge her rapier into her eye but her vision was blinded with an image of Ruby. Her grip on her weapon loosens. The heiress is distracted. Ruby open her mouth wide, welcoming her to her death.

Luckily, Yang kicked her face despite hesitated for a moment and saved Weiss. Ruby roars once again, frightening her team mates. Yang look at her in sorrow. She murmured, "Ruby, remember who you are. This isn't you..." All she hoped is her sister would return to her senses.

"Get lost, you little freak!"

"You damn mutt! You made me lose my reputation!"

A young girl with wolf ears and tail cried while she was tortured by anyone that saw her. Mistook as a Faunus and treated as one, insulted and beaten. Just like how Faunus were treated by the society. Cruelty, the word that used to describe humans.

Behind the crowd, a white woman stood and glared. But not at the crowd. She glare at the girl in hatred. Her heart is full of hate. To herself.

Even I think of you as a disgrace...

She thought. She keep on watching. She didn't want to help her. However, she watch her beaten up and insulted. She realized that she was an idiot. For not fighting back. For not stood up for herself. Even after what they did, she didn't do anything to fight back.

I was too kind back then. I thought being kind to someone else would grant me their kindness. But I forgot...

The scene before her changes. A black Beowolf with red streaked fur and red mane covered in blood and surrounded with dead bodies. The bodies of the people that insulted her. The Grimm changed into a little girl. She continue to cry, ignoring everything around her.

No one has been kind to me...

She stood before the girl, glaring in hatred. But then, she cried. The white girl cried, regretting for the life she received. She should've died instead. While she was innocent and young. She could've been with her mother in Paradise. No worries, no suffering. Away from the cruelty of the world. Her life would've been better.

I'm glad I met them, mom... She suddenly remembered the words she said when she went to visit her mother's grave. The words she said to her deceased mother that she never regretted the day she was born. Where have the words gone?

She look down to the girl before her. She felt sympathy of her younger self. Nothing to do but cry and weep. She kneel before her and caress her red and black hair gently. "So innocent. Yet so stupid... Well, there's nothing to do about it anyway," she muttered either to herself or the little girl.

"I...shouldn't say something like that. I need to stay positive for my friends..." She slowly stop caressing the girl's hair. She dropped her hand to the ground. She realized something. Her friends are in danger.

How can I get out...?!

The little girl hold her hand with her smaller ones. Ruby watch closely on her. She heard the girl mumbled, "Please stop... Remember them... Remember who you are..." Her eyes widen in shock.

Yang...

Weiss...

Blake...

I-I need to stop! I need to get out!

The voice of a woman echoes in her head, "Fly now, Ruby. They're waiting for you..." It was her mother.

Yang stood up and face her sister despite her body shiver in terror. She still believe her sister would come to her sense. The white Beowolf raise her claw and prepare to strike. Yang shut her eyes, waiting for her death. Suddenly, the Grimm roars in pain. She aimlessly clawed everything around her, ignoring the other three girls.

It took the blonde a while to register what's happening before her until the Grimm collapse to the ground. The back of the Grimm opens. A familiar white girl emerges, covered in black blood. Yang felt relief.

Ruby limped herself to her sister. Yang welcome her with open arms and caught her before she falls. Then, she noticed something changed.

Her eyes has returned to silver.

"Ruby, your eyes...!"

"You like it...?"

"I missed it..." Yang answered. Ruby grins.

From a distance, they heard a couple of voices shouting out their names. Team JNPR along with Ozpin and Glynda and Alex. Pyrrha and Nora immediately help Weiss and Blake to stand. Alex went to inspect the body which have yet to disintegrated and extract some black blood from it.

"What happened here...?" Alex asked after he regroup with the others.

"Long story... Do you think the blood would make the vaccine complete?" Yang ask.

"One way to find out. But first, we'll tend your wounds before you worry over something else," he answered.

Ruby felt her muscles tensed up after Alex injected the vaccine into her. A slight pain on her chest but she manage to handle it well. Somehow, she felt relaxed. She take a deep breath and let it go. "How do you feel...?" Weiss ask.

"Fine, I guess. Although...felt a bit...weird. Does this vaccine would affect my shifting abilities...?"

"The vaccine will kill the virus and won't affect your shifting abilities. And your old features might return to you..."

"Just like my eyes...?" He nod. Ruby look into the mirror on her hand. Her silver eyes. Her mother's eyes. She close her eyes for a moment and open it. A pair of red eyes has replaced her silver ones. "Wow, so I can change my eye color just like Yang?"

"Gauntlet sisters!" Yang and Ruby suddenly exclaims and bump their fists together. Weiss face palmed and groaned. Blake giggled. The sisters gave their girlfriends a goofy grin. Alex sighed and smiles.

"Experiment failed. Subject managed to regain her senses. Should I do something about her? Sir?" Crimson look at her boss in confusion. Then, the man said, "Do as you wish, Crimson."

"Thank you, sir..." The woman leaves the room. Kane observed the video closely. On his precious subject. On Ruby. "Ruby Rose, BEO A27. You've handle quite well so far. How will you fare if the false became true? Can you still accept him after what he did to you...?"

Author's Note

She possessed that kind of form from now on. It's simple. The fur is white while the bone plates are black and red. Her size will be as big as Leviathan. I hoped you guys enjoyed the story as it progress. Sorry for not updating it for too long.