~𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐼𝓃𝓃~

Ruby's Coma

After Neo and Revy were taken to the inn to be patched up by Takano, Astolfo had joined the inn only to have help from Ruby. Yuri was also back to life as well thanks to Monika, it seemed no body knew of Astolfo's true gender other then Monika.

Mion was working at the front desk, as she noticed Ruby was slowly walking around the library. However she had also noticed something odd. "Ruby...are you feeling okay?"

Ruby looked half way out of the library as she gave a small weak nod,  as if she was trying to hide something from her.

Mion stopped what she was doing as she left the desk and went to the library, she placed her hand on Ruby's forehead as she pulled back after. "No, you're not okay...you're burning up. We need you to see Takano now, before you get worse.

Ruby brushed it away. "No....I'm fine Mion, trust me I-" Before she could finish her sentence, her vision was spinning, as she started sweating. Her face was red as her eyes were feeling droopy, she then fell backwards soon after.

"Shit." Mion said as she caught Ruby in time. "I told you, you weren't feeling okay..."

Rika was in the library as well as she came around the corner and saw this. "I'll get help." She then walked out of the library as she searched all around for Takano. "Takano?"

There was no sign of trace of Takano, however when Rika walked into the medical room to check. She saw Rena was sitting up in bed. Rena looked over at Rika and waved to her, she noticed a look of worry on Rika's face.

"Rena, where's Takano? Ruby fell ill." Rika said.

Rena's eyes widen as she slowly got out of bed. "Takano went out to get stuff for Revy and Neo....Dr. Irie should be around, he came in last night."

Irie poked his head from one of the desk in the room as he head everything. "Bring her here, I'll have things set for Ruby."

Rika nodded as she looked out the door and saw Mion coming with a bit of help from Zero Two as they were carrying Ruby.  "Qucikly, Irie has a bed set up for her."

"Right understood." Zero Two said as her and Mion carried Ruby into the room.

Rena looked at Ruby as she covered her mouth. "Oh no...is is going to be okay?"

"I don't think so, she hasn't said anything...it's a possibility she has a fever or something else." Mion said.

~~~

After Ruby was placed into the bed, Irie began checking on her. He began hooking up different medical equipment to Ruby as Rena looked around and spotted Forgotten soon after.

"What's going on, do you know?" Rena asked.

"Hmm, indeed I do." Forgotten said as he looked at her. "She's experiencing the effects of the constant use of the silver eye power." He then made himself visible to the others in the room. "Ruby is linked to her other timeline self as she is relying on the silver eye power too much."

"So, you're saying that there's a whole different timeline...where this Ruby, and the other Ruby are connected and they don't know about it, and with the other Ruby using her silver eyes is making our Ruby here ill?" Qrow asked as he had over heard everything.

"That is correct." Forgotten said. "However...due to the two being linked to one another, it brings a cost to Ruby here."

"W-What's that?" Rena asked as she was looking down at Ruby, not making much eye contact with anyone else.

"She will be in a coma." Forgotten said. "For as long as the other Ruby is relying on the silver eyes, your Ruby will be experiencing the illness she has gotten, as well as a coma..."

"Is there anyway to prevent that?" Mion asked.

"The only way to prevent it is if this Ruby unlocks her silver eye power...however the cost of that would only bring darkness from the depths of hell." Forgotten spoke. "Neo and Clockwork were only the tip of the icing...if Ruby doesn't unlock her silver eye power. There's a fifty percent chance that she will die."

Qrow gritted his teeth. "Tch, I know what you mean by that too, Salem will be alerted of it won't she? The Grimm will come out of the wood works and start attacking until they have what they want."

"Correct." Forgotten said. ".....That will be the only cost when she unlocks her hidden power, the Grimm will rise up and target the inn as well as Salem..Cinder and the rest of the faction will also be sent out to find Ruby, Neo's original plan was to lure Ruby out of hiding...however as you can tell I've already taken care of that problem." He then turned to look at Qrow. "Clockwork is still alive as she too is immortal like Salem..."

"Dammit." Qrow said.

"There's one person who would be enough to buy us time." Irie said as he looked over at Qrow and the others.

Qrow cocked an eyebrow up as he looked at Irie wondering who he was talking about. "And who might that be?"

Irie looked at him for a moment. "They call him....The Immortal Sugimoto....."

~~~

While Takano was out at the store, she was almost done with getting what she need as she noticed someone was following her. Luckily she had a syringe on hand, she went on acting like she hadn't noticed.

The figure watched her as they slowly approached her, once they had gotten close the figure soon had revealed themselves. "Miyo Takano."

Takano turned around to face them. "Yes, that's me...and you are?"

"The names Torchwick....Roman Torchwick." Torchwick said. "A little bug's going around saying that my associate Neopolitan, was seen being taken back to the Ryuugu inn...tell me, am I correct?"

Takano didn't say anything as she quickly made a run for it, however a group of White Fang stopped her in her tracks.

"No where to run." Torchwick said as he looked at Takano.

Takano looked around every which way as she had slipped more syringe's into her hand, she smirked and had an idea. "Isn't that Weiss Schnee over there?"

The Fang, and Roman looked at where Takano had seen Weiss, but there wasn't any trace of the Schnee. However this bought Takano time to jump and throw the syringe's at them all, she then pulled out a pistol she had in her purse and soon pointed it at the back of Torchwick's head. "Don't get any smart ideas."

"Oh, I see...you're wanting to die then?" Torchwick asked. "Well, then I can make that happen."

"I don't think that would be wise." Takano said with a smug look on her face.

Torchwick cocked an eyebrow up as the sound of foot steps could be heard, Okonogi and the Yamainu had surrounded Torchwick as they had guns aimed at him, and the White Fang who were now standing up.

"Tch, you cocky little." Torchwick said. "How?"

"How?" Takano asked. "Okonogi and the Yamainu obey my every command...didn't your mother tell you not to judge a book by it's cover, besides...you'll be dead soon."

"You're bluffing." Roman said.

"Oh, if only you knew her well." Okonogi said with a snicker.

Takano pulled out another syringe that had the Hinamizawa virus in it and injected it into Roman's neck. "Ta-ta.."

Okonogi looked at Takano. "We got word from Irie...Ruby Rose fell into a coma."

Takano's eyes widen, even though she hadn't had the time to do any medical check ups on Ruby. Takano's evil ways were kind of rubbed off of her making her a small softy, but this didn't stop her from having to kill the Fang and Roman. "Okonogi, I'm going now...be sure that Roman suffers with every last bit of his life."

Hearing that Ruby fell into a coma, Torchwick began to laugh...but soon felt the effects to the virus kicking in. Takano left the store and headed back to the inn to get into nurse mode to help Irie with Ruby, Okonogi watched as Torchwick scratch his neck as the White Fang were shot on sight by the Yamainu members.