PREFACE: At the time of publishing, /u/Soap916 has been hospitalised. Best of luck to him, and we hope he gets better soon.

CHAPTER 2- PART 2

"Where are you dragging me, Ruby?"

"We're going shopping, Blake. Come on!"

"Ruby, if you're trying to take me to a weapon shop…"

Ruby stopped, and pouted.

"How did you know? Did Yang tell you?"

Blake smiled, and ruffled Ruby's hair.

"I know you. Perhaps a little too well for your own good."

Ruby sensed that Blake was giving her an opportunity for some fun.

"Really? What do you know that's not good for me?"

Blake pretended to think about it for a moment.

"Well, I know that if I do this, you'll do whatever I say."

Blake leant down, placed her hands on either side of Ruby's ribs, and pushed in. Ruby immediately started squirming.

"Blake! Noooooo! Ok, you win! I'll do what you want! Please!"

Blake stepped back, allowing Ruby to catch her breath, and put on the most innocent voice she could muster.

"Are you recovered yet?"

"You win. Where are we going?"

Blake grinned.

"We're going to get coffee- I know a place."

Ruby latched onto Blake's arm, and smiled.

"I love coffee!"

"Ruby, you're practically made of caffeine. I will not let you have anything that's not a decaf."

"But Blaaaake-"

"No."

"Fine."

Five minutes later, Ruby and Blake sat at a table, nursing their coffee in one hand, their other hands intertwined.

"Blake?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think about that man yesterday?"

Blake frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, what do you think?"

"I think… I think he's dangerous. He must be very good with dust, because he managed to displace all of our bullets. I also don't think he's a Grimm. It's more likely that he's just psychotic."

Ruby nodded.

"Psychotic? No, no, no. I can assure you that I am perfectly sane, my dear."

Ruby jumped, and, whirling around, found herself face to face with a certain white Grimm mask. Then there was what felt like a hammerblow to her chest, and Ruby felt herself being thrown backwards across the terrace.

"Ruby!"

"I'm fine, Blake. Where'd he go?"

Blake looked around, locking her eyes on the shadowy figure on the roof nearby.

"There!"

Blake looped an arm around Ruby, who fired Crescent Rose, launching the pair up onto the roof. Kuro turned to them.

"Ah, I'm glad to see that you decided to follow me. Shall we dance?"

He spread his arms, and the black mist came hurtling towards the pair, who dove out of the way.

"Well done. I see your skills in fleeing are unparalleled. Perhaps you think-"

He was cut off as Blake hurtled towards him, slashing at him with her weapons. Again and again, the cat ninja launched flurries of blows that would have chopped the average hunter or huntress into slivers, but Kuro withstood them all. Of the few blows she managed to land, they all slid through the mist surrounding him. Then something changed. Blake was landing more blows, the mist thinning. Then, the sound of sharpened steel passing through flesh tore through the air, and Kuro staggered back, holding his shoulder, breathing heavily.

"Ruby! Now!"

Ruby charged in, Crescent Rose held above and behind her. The darkness rushed forwards, and pierced her lower leg. Ruby let out a cry, and stumbled, falling to the ground. The darkness gathered over her, forming a sharp cone.

"Ruby!"

Blake tried to rush towards her, but a tendril of mist snaked out, stabbing into her lower abdomen. Blake let out a confused mew of terror, and collapsed. The mist hovering above Ruby split, and wrapped itself around the huntress like a cocoon.

"Now then, Miss Rose, shall we depart?"

Blake looked up, to see Kuro drop off the edge of the building, the mist containing Ruby following him.

"… Ruby…"

Blake coughed, droplets of blood spattering across the concrete, before the darkness that had gathered on the edges of her vision rushed in to claim her.

Blake stood, watching Ruby fending off a Grimm, twirling her scythe.

"Help me, Blake!"

Blake tried to step forwards, but her feet refused to move. Black shackles locked her feet in place. The Grimm slashed into Ruby's chest, and ran off. The red-clad huntress collapsed to the ground, taking in short, gurgling breaths.

"Blake… Why didn't you help me?"

Blake reached out, trying to get to her.

"Ruby!"

"It's-It's your fault, Blake."

"No!"

Blake collapsed to her knees, tears blurring her vision.

"Please, Ruby… Please come back."

Her vision twisted, and Ruby disappeared. Now she stood in a forest, again watching Ruby struggling with a Grimm. Blake looked down. The shackles were gone. She rushed forwards as the Grimm knocked Ruby to the ground, and towered over her. Blake stabbed it through the back, driving her sword down as the Grimm collapsed on top of Ruby.

"… Blake… That hurt…"

"Ruby! I thought- I thought-"

Blake pushed the Grimm off Ruby, and saw a large patch of red spreading from her chest.

"… Ruby…"

"Why, Blake?"

Blake was shocked into silence.

"I thought you would save me, Blake. Why didn't you…"

"Ruby, I tried. I really did. I-"

"You should have- Should have tried harder…"

"Ruby!"

Ruby's head drooped to the side, and her chest stood still.

"No!"

Blake jerked upright, breathing heavily. Her eyes took in the unfamiliar environment.

"Where am I?"

"Blake? You're awake!"

Blake turned to look at the voice. It was emitting from a girl with long, yellow hair, and lilac eyes.

"Yang…"

"Don't ever do that again, Blake. We thought you'd died."

"I nearly did."

"I can see that," said Yang, motioning at Blake.

Blake looked at herself. Bandages were thickly swathed around her abdomen where Kuro had impaled her. Various IV's were coming out of her arms.

"And Ruby? Is she ok?"

Yang looked down.

"Yang? Where's Ruby?"

"She's gone..."

Blake felt like someone had just smacked her with a hammer. Her lung refused to work, and her limbs wouldn't obey her commands.

"Blake? Blake?!"

Blake collapsed backwards onto her bed, the darkness once again closing over her vision.

"… Ruby…"

The darkness consumed her again, dragging her back down into the worlds created by her failures.