RWBYDUB2

Ruby didn't believe her eyes when she saw the email sitting in her inbox. She didn't believe it when she read it again, or again, or again. In fact, even as she burst from her room and tore down the corridor, throwing herself into Yang's bedroom door with all the force her tiny stature could manage, she still wasn't entirely sure she wasn't in a dream.

"Yaaaaaaang! Yang!"

Meanwhile, Yang had been trying to tidy up her bookshelves, attempting to place her many tomes of guides, manuals and the odd splash of fiction in some sort of alphabetical order. With music blaring loud and morning sunlight warm through her window, she wasn't paying much attention to anything until her room shook wildly and there was a quiet screaming just managing to seep through the cacophony of drums in her ears. Glancing over her shoulder she could see Ruby, leaning against her wall and gasping for breath, face glowing red, and she nearly dropped her stack of books in her arms out of panic.

"Ruby!" Throwing the books on her bed, Yang pulled the headphones off and let them hang around her neck, still booming. "What happened? Did you- what did you-" Mind whirring, Yang tried to think what happened the last time Ruby burst into her room screaming. "Did you set the oven on fire again? I swear that oven is a goddamn fire hazard-"

"Yang, wh- no!" Ruby stared at her older sister incredulously before she shook her head fast enough for her hair to blur around her head, and Yang's broad shoulders slumped in confusion.

"Then… why did you try to take my door off the hinges?"

Ruby's head stopped long enough for silver eyes to shine brightly, and Ruby made a rapid series of motions over to her own bedroom door, making a bunch of words that didn't make any sense to Yang at all.

"The thing- I- an email- thingie- a singer- for our music-" There was then a long string of sounds and single syllables, and then Ruby stopped long enough to breathe. "Can you come and see this thing? Please?"

Yang looked over to look at the pile of books that were thrown across her bed, bright yellow blanket on the top reflecting the sunlight and glowing enough to make Yang have to squint at it. A few minutes to see what the excitement was about wouldn't be enough to completely distract her, hopefully. So, the older sister nodded and Ruby grinned, disappearing back out of her room as quickly as she'd appeared.

Not seconds later Yang rounded the corner into Ruby's bedroom and automatically winced as her shoe crunched something underfoot. Ruby's room was a disaster at all times - so much so that Yang had become adept at distracting the landlord enough to avoid him looking into the bombsite that was Ruby's room, floor so covered in random stuff that Yang couldn't actually recall what the carpet really looked like other than a mash of colours and textures. The walls were the same, more posters than one could think could fit, layered over the years in Ruby's music tastes. It ended up it was hard to focus on anything in there, eyes constantly looking over every detail, but it certainly suited Ruby. Besides, she could clean up real quick in a pinch anyway, so Yang figured it didn't matter.

The only clear space in the room was where Ruby's desk sat, just enough room for her chair to roll about when she was playing games or listening to music. Her music equipment took up most of her desk space, heavy and expensive and meticulously clean. Along with the pair of giant monitors and quite literal stack of speakers at either end, you didn't need to look too hard to see where all of her money went to.

However, as Yang moved closer with careful steps, it was at one of these monitors Ruby was pointing at wildly, her browser brought up with an email on screen.

"Look at this! It's insane, I can't believe-"

Leaning over Ruby, Yang quickly scanned over the pair of paragraphs and frowned once she was done, leaning back only to have Ruby's grinning face appear in front of her again.

"Isn't it awesome?!"

Yang opened her mouth to speak, closed it again after a second though, and then winced in preparation for the explosion.

"Okay. Gonna be up front about this. Whooooooooo… is Weiss Schnee?"

When Ruby's face dropped Yang considered taking cover back in her room, but before her feet would move there was an explosion of words as Ruby suddenly appeared by her bedside table behind Yang, rooting through stacks of papers and cables as she spoke rapidly.

"You don't- who is- Weiss Schnee?! Weiss does like, did like, covers for a ton of songs but they're super limited in downloads and I can't believe I've never showed you… here, here, I have a ton on my- here it is!"

In another second Ruby was back her desk, jamming a usb stick into an available slot and opening up a bunch of music files. Some had names of the songs they were covering, but others just had 'song1' or 'song2', which Yang felt like might have been Ruby's own rapid naming on her behalf. Still, when Ruby went to play one there was nothing but silence, and the teenager cursed before going under her desk.

"Son of a- I unplugged my speakers 'cause I was playing about with my- where the Hell did the thingie go?" There was some rooting about before something was plugged in, and then music began to play loud and clear, a high, feminine voice singing strong over the music.

"So I listen to my heart, this time around, and I won't let my own fears, bring me down… you're bringing me closer, closer to myself…"

Yang recognised the song vaguely as something Ruby tended to play over the speakers sometimes, but the cover was good, Weiss' voice certainly giving the original a run for its money, voice holding out well against the rapid drums and deep bass tones that rumbled behind. It was excellent, and if the email really was the real thing, and Weiss really did…

"Huh. Pretty good." Before Ruby could burst from excitement again from the affirmation, Yang ruffled her thick head of hair and made for a swift exit over the junk, but not before leaning back and winking. "Sound like you're still getting the attention of all the big kids now, huh?"

Once Yang was gone, Ruby pouted for a second before giggling to herself, spinning her chair back around as to re-read the email as the song continued over the speakers, still in awe of its contents.

Dear ROSEBUD,

My name is Weiss Schnee (yes, that Schnee), and I'm a big fan of yours. I've been listening in regularly since you released 'Forever Fall' about two, three years ago now, and may I say that since then your production quality has only gotten better, and your recent collaborations with Tapetum Lucidum have been nothing short of amazing!

Pausing her typing then, Weiss re-read what she'd written so far. She'd been feeling pretty, well, ballsy when she'd started, but now her nervousness was making a reappearance somewhere deep in her stomach. What she was going to ask to do would be a disaster if her father ever found out ('that modern music is all garbage' etc. etc.) but she was willing to try anyway. Miss Weber was right - she needed to get out there, to do things that wasn't singing at a corporate dinner if only to make her father look good.

So, with several deep breaths, Weiss looked at the worn keys of her keyboard and debated her next words.

However, I was curious if you wouldn't be interested in, perhaps, starting a few collaborations with me. I've noticed that what vocals you do feature are usually small parts, and, if this is due to you not having a dedicated vocalist, then perhaps I could fill this space. I've enclosed some links to some of my covers that feature DnB more heavily, and if this is to your tastes then perhaps we could begin to talk possibilities?

I'm eager to hear back from you, and to hear more of your music in future.

Weiss Schnee.

By the time she'd finished reading the email again, Ruby had to go and get her pillow off her bed if only to be able to scream into it, feeling her throat ache from the single note that vibrated through the pillow. Weiss had always been this strange musical figure to Ruby, who sang so well but never seemed to do anything with it. And now, she was asking Ruby to collaborate with her! To do the thing with the music!

Although, by the time Yang returned minutes later, they'd both had the same, rather worrying, realisation.

"Yang?" Ruby timidly asked from behind her pillow as she read over the email again, Yang leaning against the door with a frown. "How should I tell Blake?"

It was a good question, and it was one Yang didn't have an answer to. Blake Belladonna - the real name of Tapetum Lucidum - was quite the mystery even behind the alias, but both girls could be sure of a few facts: firstly that Blake was a Faunus, and that they really didn't like the Schnee family. And now here was Weiss, sending an email full of good intentions and accidentally maybe throwing a wrench into everything.

After a few minutes of quiet deliberation, Yang pitched the only idea she could think of.

"Might just wanna go for it, y'know? Maybe over coffee." Blake was usually in a considerably better mood with a hot drink in front of them. "But it's probably best to do it quickly."

Ruby thought about it for a moment, looking over her - admittedly narrow - choices, and then nodded once, grey eyes alight with new determination.

"Alright. Know any good coffee houses?"

Two hours later, both Blake and Ruby were sitting at The Porcelain Cup, an artsy sort of coffee house that both sisters had agreed would be more to Blake's tastes than Yang's initial suggestions. It sat not far from the docks, tucked away in a quiet corner that was far enough from the market that, even if the noise didn't carry, you still got to see all the colourful people rushing by to shop. The drinks were good too, Ruby's hot chocolate having been given quite a generous amount of marshmallow and Blake's strong black coffee having gone down smooth, according to the faunus. It was over these drinks Ruby had explained about the email and Weiss' request, and it was after these drinks that Blake came to a decision after a long time thinking.

"... Okay then. We'll try her out."

Ruby, who'd been sat with a wince permanently plastered to her face as she expected the oncoming rejection, felt her cheeks ache as her expression fell into one of surprise, eyebrows high enough to nearly reach her hairline.

"Okay? W- really?"

There was a second, and then Blake nodded, looking at the dregs in the bottom of their cup.

"I was gonna say no. You know. Because of everything." Then they sighed. "But why not? Let's take some risks, let's try new things - it's worked before. Just… if she turns out to be the racist asshole I'm expecting, she's off. I'll drag her to the kerb myself."

"Well, I was going to say no. You know. Because of everything." Then they sighed. "Like, I wasn't even going to think about it. I can see already how it could be quite the recipe for disaster."

Ruby could see it too. Here was Blake, a Faunus who'd known the terrible racism and subjugation of their kind firsthand and knew of the darker face of the Schnee Power Company, had know for years and years from what Ruby had gathered. Then there was Weiss, child of the CEO who had perpetrated so many of those same crimes without a hint of remorse. Nobody knew what Weiss would do around Blake with that kind of upbringing - although Ruby was more concerned with what she wouldn't do.

But Blake said nothing of this, insteading opting to push the white china cup further away from them before leaning back on the chair.

"And then I did think about it and... why not? Fuck it all, it's not like we can't throw her to the kerb if she is the racist asshole I'm expecting. Which I will, by the way."

The last words were spoke darkly, bitterness lacing their tone, but Ruby was too elated to care.

"Yeah! I mean, I would've done that anyway so don't even worry. But I think it'll be good! She sounded super sincere and I'm sure… it'll be okay…" Ruby's voice trailed off a little as Blake stared at her impassively, but then Blake smiled a little in response, scooting their chair out and standing before watching Ruby do the same.

"I'm sure it will be."

Dear Weiss Schnee,

I'm so glad you've been enjoying my music and recent collaborations with TL! I was going to say 'I hope you enjoy our future music too', but Tapetum Lucidum and I spoke about it and we've decided that having you be part of our future music is a great idea!

We'd love to meet with you and talk about future projects, so we were thinking if you'd like to meet up at The Porcelain Cup cafe on Dock Street? It's quiet and TL recommends the coffee greatly, so I figure it'd be a good place for us to go.

Hope to hear from you soon,

ROSEBUD

When Weiss read the email on her phone halfway through another singing session, the excited waver in her voice that persisted throughout even brought attention from Miss Weber, who ended up rounding the pristine piano to look Weiss over.

"You're not normally like this, Weiss. Did something happen?"

Nothing was said for a few moments as Weiss pocketed her phone, but then the teenager turned with a wide smile on her face.

"I might tell you, but don't tell father."

The implication came across clear, and Miss Weber smiled.

EXTRA

When they all met at the Porcelain Cup a week later, when Weiss cast her eyes on the pair, her first instinct was to stare.

When she'd left the Schnee estate, she'd tried to envision what the pair would look like. She knew little of ROSEBUD's true identity, even less for Tapetum Lucidum, and so when she tried to picture them in advance she was left blind. She'd hoped they'd be obvious enough that she wouldn't be left struggling to find them, even if the cafe itself was supposedly small, but when she walked along Dock street and looked over the chairs at the front, it turned out it would be easier - and more surprising - than ever anticipated.

ROSEBUD was the easier one to identify - the mix of red and black clothing and the sleeveless hoodie that proudly bore the word 'ROSEBUD' could perhaps make her seem just an avid fan, but the coincidence would have to be too great for that. A giant set of red headphones around the teenager's neck were blaring out loud enough to Weiss to hear it several paces away, and the drum beat that was rapped on the table's surface by flitting hands was too familiar. Meanwhile, the person next to them wore nearly all black, a shadow next to the energy next to them, sipping coffee slowly as they watched the beat play out on the table. Weiss didn't need to guess that it would be Tapetum Lucidum themselves, all stoic and quiet, but what took the Schnee by surprise even more was the ears that poked out from the top of a black beanie, two specially cut holes keeping their head warm whilst still proudly displaying their Faunus heritage. She's always assumed it a possibility - many a Faunus artist stayed anonymous, at least initially, to stop unwanted attention until the ball was really rolling - but to know it was true left her feeling a little dazed.

Well. This meeting would be quite the minefield.

Still, Weiss wasn't a quitter, and so she steeled herself and moved forwards, gently placing a hand on the empty chair in front of the pair before looking them over with a winning smile.

"Are you the two I've come to meet?"

ROSEBUD's face cracked into an eager grin, Tapetum Lucidum less so, but in the next moment ROSEBUD stood next to her, shaking her hand hard enough to pull it off.

"Hi! Wow, I can't believe you really came! I mean, I figured you would, but I've been convinced I've been dreaming since you sent me that email... anyway! I'm Ruby Rose, but you probably know me as ROSEBUD, right? And this is Tapetum Lucidum, but their name is-"

"Blake. Blake Belladonna."

The rush of words from ROSE- no, Ruby's mouth suddenly came to a dead stop when the other person spoke, standing from their chair to tower over Weiss. Weiss had never thought herself particularly short, but in the face of this 'Blake' she felt exceptionally tiny. Faunus ears flicked around, and Weiss tried to tear her eyes from them long enough to look into glowing amber eyes steadily.

"Blake. And Ruby. It's... good to meet you both." Trying to speak with Blake staring down was suddenly very difficult. "You know who I am."

Blake grinned sharply then, extending a hand out towards the newcomer with a laugh.

"Yeah, we do. But isn't it rude to not introduce yourself anyway?"

Feeling tension in her shoulders, Weiss tried to roll it out before the offered hand in her grip, the larger, darker hand easily covering hers.

"Well, then. I'm Weiss Schnee." Then, she smiled back, looking over to Ruby too in a quick glance.

"I'm interested in making music with you."

-

[Author's Note] For a fic I burped out in, like, two hours, I had a lot of good responses! Apparently people need their daily dose of wub in the RWBYverse? Who knows. But still, for those who asked for an update I have finally done the thing! It takes place roughly four months after chapter one.



The lyrics that are briefly added is Komatic & Technicolour ft. Jayma's 'Stay', which just happened to be the song I was listening to whilst writing that one bit. It's a good song and I recommend it!