[IC Inbox for Cerealia]

[heiroglyphs]

Thank you for calling.

You have reached the voice mail box of Weiss Schnee. My humblest apologies, but I am presently unavailable.

Please leave a brief message and I will get back to you as soon as-- wait Ruby no!

[ Beep! ]

Comments

[heiroglyphs]

I don't think I'm coming out of my room for a while.

[undaunts]

ok im on my way

[Did she read Weiss' text.

It's debatable really.

Either way here she comes across the hall to knock!]

[heiroglyphs]

[She'd tell her not to come, but she knows Ruby would just do it anyway. There's no surprise when there is a knock at her door just minutes later. She answers, still in her pajamas with a fluffy blanket draped over her shoulders.]

Hey, Ruby.

[undaunts]

[There's a pause as she considers Weiss' appearance and general demeanor and then she just sort of

throws her arms around her.

And mumbles:]

Please don't yell, I need this hug too, kind of sort of.

[heiroglyphs]

[Weiss has long gotten used to Ruby's sudden hugs, and at a time like this she could really use one. Her arms meekly trail up her partner's sides before clinging tightly to her back.]

I think we all do, after that.

[undaunts]

[Sudden hugs it is, and there's no letting go now. She just squeezes Weiss a little tighter, sighing softly.]

But you the most of all.

What happened, Weiss?

[heiroglyphs]

I... put on the mask.

[She sighs into her best friend's shoulder.]

[undaunts]

[... She never put on the mask.

She doesn't know what it does. What it did. She never encountered anyone with the mask on--that she knows of. So she'll ask again, quietly:]

...What happened?

[heiroglyphs]

It... made me act on some very... private thoughts.

[Weiss, you're being way too vague right now.]

I, um... tried to kill Hiro.

[...]

And tried to fight Yang.

[undaunts]

[There's... a lot to unpack there, that's for sure. Ruby's not super alarmed by the fact that Weiss tried to fight Yang, because...well, it's Yang. And she's already seen Yang, so she knows she's fine. But... Hiro, on the other hand.

Weiss tried to kill Hiro.

Why.]

You did...what?

[Ruby sounds more utterly baffled than anything; she can't even bring herself to sound angry. It's just...pure and honest confusion.]

But...why?

[heiroglyphs]

[Oh Ruby. That's the look she was trying to avoid. She hated to see her partner upset, and it only makes her own mood worsen.]

Ruby... I'm so sorry.

[undaunts]

[It's a lot to swallow, that's for sure. She doesn't pull back, continuing to hug Weiss, but there's definitely a bit of a lost look on her face as she tries to process this.]

I don't... is he okay? He hasn't answered my text yet. [Because he is passed out probably.]

[heiroglyphs]

He'll... be okay.

[She turns her head away, eyes cast towards the floor. She can't bring herself to look at her right now.]

It's a good thing he had his Aura.

[But she still stabbed his ankle with her Semblance and stabbed him in the ribs with her sword.]</small.

[undaunts]

[.... That doesn't sound super good to her, but okay. Okay. He's... or, well, he will be okay.

That's something.

Breathe, Ruby. Think, Ruby.]

Are... you okay?

[heiroglyphs]

[She wishes she could be okay right now. She would like nothing more than to shrug this off and move on, but she can't. She hurt someone over some stupid petty feeling.

Her hands move up Ruby's back and onto her shoulders, slowly pushing the two of them apart.]

I think you know the answer to that.

[undaunts]

[She does, but she's still not happy about it. Ruby's lips turn down into a frown when they're separated like that, but she can't exactly argue it. Weiss allowed the hug for longer than usual--which is how she knows she isn't okay.]

...

[She wants to say "it's okay", but it's not, not really, and they both know it. Instead--]

...What can I do?

[To help. To fix things. To be Weiss' partner, and leader, and a person she can lean on.]

[heiroglyphs]

[She isn't sure what to say. Let her wallow in her sadness, maybe, but she already knows Ruby wouldn't take that as an answer.]

Maybe we should go sit down.

[undaunts]

... Okay.

[It's not like Ruby would ever deny Weiss anything that she needs, honestly--she'll sit, looking at Weiss expectantly.]

[heiroglyphs]

[She leads her partner to the couch before taking her place on it, sitting up straight, hands folded in her lap.]

Yang has the mask now, so we shouldn't have to worry about any more... outbursts.

[Who knows if the masks even work anymore, but she's not about to find out.]

[undaunts]

But Weiss... What happened?

[Outbursts?? The mask??]

Did the mask make you do something?

[heiroglyphs]

[Deep breath. Okay, so from the beginning.]

There was this weird alien guy on a computer terminal that wouldn't talk to anyone unless they were wearing their mask. I thought maybe he'd have some answers about this place and how we can get out of here, so I played along and put mine on. I didn't really learn much, but after that I started feeling... weird, I guess-- sad, angry.

[Still not making eye contact. Her floor looks so clean today, it's lovely.]

I felt so small around everyone else. This person is so much smarter, this person is so much stronger, this person is so much kinder. It made me want to prove that I was just as good as them. I started wearing the mask more and more, and... eventually I started acting on those feelings.

[undaunts]

[It's a lot, really. The mask made Weiss do a lot of bad things, and now she feels sad about it. The mask made Weiss feel.....

Carefully, Ruby reaches out to take Weiss' hand.]

Weiss... you are as good as them! Usually you're better! You're one of the best people I know--at like. Everything! It's a Weiss thing!

[heiroglyphs]

[She hesitates for a moment before allowing Ruby to take her hand.]

Thanks, Ruby. I know I should be proud of where I am now, but... I just can't help but see how far we still have to go.

[undaunts]

We do... have a long way to go. I think we all do.

[Her voice drops to a stage whisper as she says:]

I even think Uncle Qrow has a long ways to go sometimes.

But... that's why we practice! And we get better every day, and I think that...that's good enough for me. What about you?

[heiroglyphs]

[A long way to sobriety, maybe.]

Maybe it is, but I can't stop worrying about it until I know that for sure.

[There will always be that voice in the back of her head telling her that one day they'll face something that she won't be strong enough to handle.]