#ugh and I could connect all of HQ's routes | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

play-read-write · 7 years

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Runner

Fandom: RWBY characters: Team RWBY Words: 2850 Description: In a highly monitored and heavily policed city called Vale you have to hire a Runner if you want to get somewhere. Good thing for team RWBY, they’re some of the best.

Ruby was leaning against a wall; relaxing and waiting, watching cars pass by on the street in front of her. Stretching her arms for a moment she checked her watch, and then pulled the zipper on her red hoodie a bit higher. She moved her head with the beat of the music coming through the earphones wirelessly connected to the phone in her pocket. She was jarred suddenly, her hands shooting up to her ears on instinct when the music stopped a voice blasted in her ears.

“This is Queen to Comet, do you read me?” Weiss’ voice came through the small devices.

“Very loud and clear.” Ruby said, rubbing her ears and turning the volume down through her phone before putting it back in her pocket. “What’s up, Weiss? Sis almost here?” she asked curiously.

“Excuse me, Comet, what have we said about that?” Weiss responded, her tone stern.

“Ugh, sorry, fine. This is Crimson Comet to Her Royal Majesty the Grand Queen of All Things Runner to whom we bow, is Ghost Rider approaching my location?” She asked and then grumbled under her breath about it being a secure line anyway.

“You don’t have to be rude about it. Even if it’s a secure line they could still get in, and we don’t want that. Also, yes, she’s almost there. Should just be a few minutes, so get ready. I’ve already got the path sent to your oculars so you should be good to go.”

“Thanks. Oh, I think I hear her coming. Tell me if something comes up.” Ruby finished, stepping to the edge of the curb. Reaching over she pressed a button on her watch, closed her eyes, counted to three, and opened them. As usual she was somewhat disoriented by the sudden influx of information. Her oculars, augmented reality contacts, gave her a heads-up display of things such as wind direction, temperature, vitals, and a compass. Not only that, but it also included a built in GPS feature, shown by a large blue line ahead of her, leading down the preset path she’d be taking, and looking around she found a small dot that indicated the direction of her goal.

A rumbling sound grew louder and she turned, seeing a yellow icon moving on one of the buildings. A motorcycle, black and yellow, turned the corner and the icon stuck with it. Ruby watched the rider, wearing a yellow leather jacket and matching helmet, as they pulled up to a stop in front of her. The visor flipped up and she saw lilac eyes beneath it.

“Yo, sis. Ice Queen chew you out yet?” She asked with mirth in her voice.

“Yeah, I forgot to use the stupid codenames again.” She answered with a sigh, “It wasn’t too bad though. Probably cause you were on the way. Last time it took like half an hour for her to stop talking.”

“Ha, I’ve been on the other end of one of those. Not fun.” With that Yang reached into her pocket and pulled out a flash drive, encased in a small clear plastic box. “Speaking of which, you should probably get going before she gives us both an earful.”

“Right, thanks. See you back at Wei- I mean HQ?”

“Sure. I’ll wait for you there.” With that she turned the bike around and flipped down the visor, taking off back around the corner she arrived from.

Ruby watched her sister go, and then turned to face the blue line that only she could see. She put the flash drive into a pocket on the inside of her hoodie, zipped the pocket, and then the jacket as well. Putting up her hood she stretched for a moment, popping her neck and back, and stretching her arms and legs. She then turned her music back on, this time on a much lower volume, and took off running. After a minute she reached a corner and took a left, following the street. She saw an alleyway, across the street to her right, a little ways ahead. She looked around quickly without breaking stride and ran into it. A wall was at the end of it, a seeming dead end. Ruby didn’t slow down though, she never did.

Running by the side of the alleyway, she waited for just the right moment and jumped, putting her feet on the wall to her side, taking one, two, three steps on it and then jumping off of it. She went over the barrier with ease, flipping over and putting her feet on the other side of it she pushed off that as well, giving her a boost as she hit the ground in a roll and then kept running. Moving straight out of the alley she followed the line again, taking a left. She wondered for a moment about the detour through the alleyway if she kept going the same direction overall, but she trusted her team’s judgement.

Ahead a four-way intersection appeared, and she had to cross to the right once more. A peak over her shoulder showed no vehicles, so she moved across the street. Running with the sidewalk in a new direction she heard a vehicle coming through the four-way now behind her. Looking ahead she saw a long straight stretch, no shortcuts or detours until a left turn some ways ahead. The vehicle passed on her left and she grinned, grabbing the chance. Jumping out she grabbed onto the bumper of the large car. Before her feet hit the ground she hit them together, and wheels came out of her boots.

Clinging to the bumper she got low, keeping her center of gravity and making sure to keep her feet pointed ahead. Pulled along she moved gained a lot of momentum. She heard Weiss’ voice in her ear again.

“Ruby are you riding on a truck again?” She asked hesitantly.

“Um, no.” She said, though she knew Weiss would figure her out in a moment.

“You’re trailing one, I’ve told you that’s dangerous!” She yelled, causing Ruby to flinch.

“I know what I’m doing Weiss, I’m not a kid.” She was sure Weiss was about to respond, but saw the right turn signal blinking on the vehicle. “Oops, gotta go Weiss!” She said hurriedly. Preparing herself, she decided to use her favorite feature of her custom made boots. Still behind the vehicle, but before it started slowing, she jumped again, getting her feet off the ground. With one hand she quickly slapped the rose emblem attached to her belt, and she grabbed hold again. Her feet went down again, but never touched the ground.

She smiled excitedly, always glad to use the jet boot feature, hot air rushing out with enough force to keep her afloat. Pushing away from the truck on its left side just as it started to slow down, she moved past it, her feet not touching the ground allowed her to maintain momentum that would have been lost to friction. Using the air powered propulsion she skated ahead at high speeds, reaching down to her belt again and pulling out a small baton. With a flick of her wrist it extended, a hook springing out of the end reminiscent of a scythe. It caught on a lamppost and was redirected; shot to her left as she unhooked it and flicked her wrist again, causing the baton to retract. Slapping her rose emblem again she hit the ground on wheels, only losing a bit of speed. She got up on the sidewalk again, shooting past stalled cars backed up from one thing or another. Unfortunately she found out quickly why that was.

“This is Shadowcat, we have a problem.” Came a voice over her speakers.

“This have something to do with all the cars backed up?” Ruby asked, still skating alongside them.

“Yeah, traffic accident, whole place is looking fuzzy. Gonna call a blackout on it.”

“Shit, I’m gonna have to redirect.” Weiss chimed in, “Anything else I need to know about?”

“Yeah, it hit an intersection pretty hard, full pile up. Looks backed up in all directions. I’m right here at it, can you get a vantage point?”

“Of course I can, just give me a second.” There was a short pause and then, “Yes, got it. What in the- Alright Comet, I’m diverting you now. Shadowcat, you take a direct route, report in if there’s anything else.”

“Got it.” Ruby and Blake said at the same time. The line before Ruby’s eyes shifted, taking her away from the intersection she was headed towards. Following without hesitation she took a series of side roads, detouring wide around it. It took longer, but it was better than being chased.

“Alright guys I did a sweep, looks safe from here.” Blake said over the com.

“Okie dokie.” Ruby replied, “Hey Wei- Ice Queen, can I try that new thing?”

There was a sigh over the com at Ruby’s near use of her name again, and then Weiss’ voice tensed again. “I’m not really sure that’s safe. We haven’t tested it much yet.”

“Oh come on, we gotta do it eventually if we want to use it. This runs a cakewalk anyway, is there a better time to field test it? Pleassssee?” She asked. There was a long time pause as she continued skating, taking corners and skirting around the occasional passerby. Finally a response.

“Alright, fine. Just be careful.”

“Yes, thank you!” She said excitedly. Reaching over she tapped her watch a few times. She felt a shift in the boots but ignored it. After it stopped she reached down and tapped the rose emblem again. Now redirected, the high powered air currents shot out the back, not lifting but pushing. Balancing herself she rushed forward at high speeds, maneuvering between obstacles here and there. A sharp turn approached but she didn’t turn it off.

“Ruby, there’s a wall ahead, you’re moving pretty fast, slow down.” Weiss advised.

“Nope.” Ruby said simply.

“What do you mean? At that speed you’ll be lucky to come away with a couple broken bones, slow down!”

“Nope.”

“Yang, thank God you’re here, can you stop your sister?”

“Show ‘em why they call you Comet, sis!” Yang shouted in the background of Weiss’ com.

“Damn it’s genetic. Slow down!”

“Nope.” Ruby said with finality. She pulled out her scythe again, extending it. She saw the wall ahead, a three-way intersection. When she was just close enough she stabbed the scythe into the ground. Just like before she was turned on the spot, this time she was too close and going too fast though. Her feet lifted off the ground and she went horizontal as she pivoted around the weapon. The wheels came in contact with the wall and she pulled the blade out. Flipping it around as she flew down the wall, she held it by the hooked end, placing the other end to the ground, just as a wheel came out. She used it as a brace to support her as she rushed horizontal into a tunnel.

She knew she shouldn’t, it wasn’t smart. She had to try though, the opportunity was too good to pass. Reaching down once more to the emblem, she rotated it. The power in the jets cranked up to max and she angled herself up the wall. She flew up it, gliding up the dome, and then down the other side, just in time to come out of tunnel. The jets then shut off, out of fuel. “That was AWESOME!” She shouted.

“What was awesome? What did you do? How are you even alive right now? Answer me!” Weiss shouted into her ears.

“I’ll tell you when I get back, it was amazing! I’m almost done here.”

“Ugh, fine. I’ll wait, then I can yell at you in person!”

Ruby chuckled as Weiss disconnected again. She jumped and clicked her feet together, retracting the skates once more. She saw a bus stop ahead with a few people gathered around it. Staring at a map near it was a woman. Ruby jogged up next to her and stopped. “You lost?”

“Yeah, I could use some information if you have any.” The woman answered without looking away from it. “And you?”

“I’m just out for a run. Kind of hungry though. Care to buy me lunch?” Ruby said, also looking right at the map.

“I’ll pay for your lunch if you know something that can help me.” She said.

Ruby reached into her hoodie pocket and pulled out the flash drive. She laid her forefinger against it. Then using that same hand she pointed, “Well we’re here, so the next bus is headed over here.” She gestured.

The woman stuck her hand in her pocket for a moment, and then pulled it out. She then offered that hand. “Thanks for the help.”

“My pleasure.” Ruby said with a smile, shaking the woman’s hand. She turned and walked back the way she came and saw the bus coming. Looking behind her once it stopped the woman got on it. Ruby turned the Lien card over in her hand and then put it into the pocket that had held the flash drive. She hadn’t been lying, it really was fun.

…

“WHAT were you thinking?” Weiss shouted as Ruby sat on a chair, legs together, hands on her knees, looking down as she was chastised. “You are insane, insufferable, endangering, careless, and… and… insane!”

“You already said that one, Princess.” Yang called from a couch on the other side of the room.

“You shut it! You’re as bad as she is, maybe worse.” Weiss said pointing at her.

“You’re not wrong.” She said, not even denying it. “You saw the video though, that was pretty sweet. I mean, she was upside down!”

With Weiss’ attention redirected Ruby chimed in. “I know right! It was so much fun, and I was going SO fast! I wonder if I can make it go even faster? OH, I know! I’ll add another booster, but inside Crescent Rose!”

“Another booster? Dear God, do you want to die? Blake, help me out here.” She called for aid.

Blake looked up from the book she was reading for a moment on the other side of the couch. “Unless you want to go out there and run with her, you’re going to have to let her do it how she wants. You guide, Ruby runs. You can’t micromanage, you’ll just slow her down.”

Weiss blinked as Blake returned to reading her book. Throwing her hands in the air she exclaimed “Fine, get yourself killed, see if I care.” She stalked over to a chair at her desk, surrounded by at least four computers and half a dozen screens. Weiss was the only one who knew how many there were though, as they’d become so interconnected it was hard to tell them apart.

“Alright, now that she’s done yelling, who’s hungry?” Yang asked, looking around.

“I could eat.” Blake said, placing a bookmark and setting her book on the table beside her.

“Crap, I forgot!” Ruby said jumping up, earning all their attention. Reaching into her jacket as she walked over to Weiss she pulled out the lien card and held it out. “Here.”

Weiss took the card, looked at it for a moment, and then stuck it into a nearby terminal on her desk which held half a dozen slots for similar cards. “Alright everyone, here we go.” She said. A few moments of her at the keys and there was a simultaneous alert on all their phones. Everyone checked for confirmation.

“Nice. Who’s buyin?” Yang asked, looking around. Weiss glared, Ruby put her hand on the back of her head and looked away. Finally Blake spoke up.

“I’ll buy if we can get sushi.” She said.

“Deal.” The rest of the team agreed.

“Who wants a lift? I can only take one.” Yang offered, holding out a spare helmet.

“No thanks, I’m running again.” Ruby answered.

“Figured as much.”

“Fine, better than calling a cab. Just don’t kill me.” Weiss said, taking the helmet.

“How you getting there?” Yang asked nodding at Blake.

“I have my ways.” She said with a small smirk.

“Heh, yeah, I bet you do.” Yang said with a wink.

“Here we go. Sending.” Blake said while looking at her phone as they walked out the door. Everyone tapped their watches, connected to their oculars and GPS.

“Last one there does the wasabi challenge!” Ruby yelled out.

“You’re on.” Yang said excitedly, shoving the helmet on her head and mounting Bumblebee.

Blake took off without a word, in just a few seconds she was running on rooftops. Ruby took off a moment later, skating ahead far faster than she should be able.

“That’s not fair!” Weiss yelled after them both.

“Hurry up, Snowflake, or I’ll leave you behind.” Yang said, revving the bike for emphasis.

Weiss jumped on behind Yang, putting on the helmet and holding onto her. “Drive, you buffoon!” She yelled. As it turns out, Weiss can’t handle Wasabi.

#RWBY #Runner AU #Ruby Rose #Weiss Schnee #Blake Belladonna #Yang Xiao Long

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