deercountry | (closed) december catchall

Usually Ange may have protested the idea of staying behind Ruby - especially with the feeling she's had lately, a sense that she has to keep Ruby safe after everything else that's happened to the girl, because what if she loses another part of her body, or what if this time she actually dies and Ange can't stop it - but the upside of being a witch is that you're often better at combat in the long range than the short range.

So she figures that she can protect Ruby even from behind. It's what makes her listen to the other girl and stick behind her as Ruby is the one to open the door and look around outside--

Until she hears a sound. A familiar sound. A cackle that could belong to anyone, but Ange of all people knows it so well that she immediately recognizes it, even after all this time.

Even though it's been years since she heard it.

It's like a storm suddenly flies past Ruby, into the house, a speedy cloud of golden butterflies, even moving past Ange to manifest behind both girls, right in the middle of the living room. For a moment it's still just a cackling cloud of butterflies, but then they take on the shape of a very familiar witch. Not the one present in this place, not Beatrice, but the witch Ruby may recognize as well from their battle against her, so very long ago, much closer to when they first met.

It's Eva-Beatrice, of course, cackling like mad, and even making a little mock-curtsey with her skirt.

"Whaaaat?" She speaks up, entirely amused. "Didn't you miss me?"

Ruby remembers the witch. It was something that was hard to forget. The scar on her arm had somewhat faded with time but it was still there. A sign of the first time she had leapt between Ange and harm. Something that was almost more eager to do these than before. She wouldn't let anyone lay a hand on Ange if she could help it.

Except... Now she had more context. She knew just how this witch had harmed Ange in the past. And that made her anger boil up to the surface.

As the butterflies pass, Ruby is quick to use her semblance to quickly get to the other side of Ange and between Eva-Beatrice. Rose petals briefly mixing with gold butterflies in the confusion.

Her scythe is drawn and on full display.

"She didn't miss you for a second. And you're not welcome here." Don't mind her Ange. She's speaking for you right now.

It's a good thing that Ruby moves so quickly, because Ange doesn't.

It sure is something to see this witch again, after all, of all people. There are many things in her past that Ange has more or less made peace with in her own way, that she's been able to file away neatly due to all her experiences here in Trench and back in the dream. A whole lot of things that she's been able to just cut out of her life, so she can have a new life here instead.

But even with all the members of her family she interacted with in these places - this was never part of it. Eva was never part of it, aside from that time Ruby first protected her, so many years ago.

(That's why this witch is here now, right? Because she still haunts Ange, like a final shadow looming over the girl's heart.)

It keeps Ange frozen to the spot, just standing there as Ruby flies between Ange and the witch, leaving Ange to just stare at Ruby's back. There's not even a protest to Ruby speaking for her, she just-- she needs a moment. It's like Ange can't even find her voice for a moment.

The witch, however, has no such problems. Not even in the face of the scythe that's nearly being shoved into her face right now. Eva-Beatrice seems as smug as ever, like she's in total control of the situation.

"I'm nooot?" The witch pouts, almost childishly - but there's no genuine sadness in it at all. No, Eva-Beatrice's eyes are only filled with a mad glee, reflected in the way she cackles right after, the pout vanishing. "Why not? Little girl, are you saying you really want to go for a second round with me that badly?"

Apparently this witch - or the form of this witch - remembers.

And despite it not exactly ending up well for her last time around, Eva-Beatrice doesn't seem troubled by that idea in the slightest.

"Do you need me to leave another fun reminder on you?"

(Apparently she remembers the wound that caused the scar on Ruby, too.)

Ruby remembers how Ange reacted the first time Eva-Beatrice had appeared, and then nearly a year later when she had got the explanation on what this witch had actually done to Ange. While she knew she couldn't take that pain away- She knew she could do everything in her power to protect Ange from it.

"Do you not remember how this turned out the last time around. You ended up with a lot worse than scar." Ruby wasn't worried about another scar- she had a collection of them and she didn't regret any of them. They had come out of that encounter alive, after all.

"But if you want to try and fail again. I'm game." Her eyes don't even drift back to Ange at the moment. Her-Their enemy at the moment was in front of her and she wasn't going to let Eva-Beatrice anywhere near Ange if she could help.

And to prove a point she pulled the trigger on Crescent Rose, letting a bullet rip through the air between them at the Witch.

It's the bullet that seems to momentarily snap Ange out of it.

The sound is just too sudden, piercing the air - and almost similarly piercing Ange's own thoughts as she's standing there, her head moving up as she snaps to attention. Right - no matter how terrifying of an opponent Eva-Beatrice in general is, Ange has to pay attention here. She can't let anything happen to her or Ruby, even though Ruby does seem to have matters under control for the moment.

But Ange knows that never lasts long when it comes to this witch. Especially since Eva-Beatrice doesn't even seem to attempt to dodge the bullet. She just lets it pierce her, cackling the entire time, even as she stands there with a now visible hole in her body.

"Don't forget, I have nothing to lose here!" Perhaps the witch is just a little too self-aware about being little more than a story and a nightmare brought to life, and the wideness of her grin almost splits her face when she announces: "So.. let's just play!"

The witch raises her staff, causing red spiderwebs to appear all over the room. Ange gasps, aware enough again to at least force her body to move - an ability she uses to quickly push Ruby out of the way of one, with a quick: "Watch out!"

Moving to push the other girl away from the web, however, allows the red strings to instead ensnare Ange, grabbing her and refusing to let her go.

Ruby's attention is firmly on the witch. Her first instinct is to move when she sees the webs start to form- but then she hears the voice from behind her and a hand shove her before she actually makes the move. She stumbles forward awkwardly and finds her attention caught between the witch and the situation Ange is in now.

"N-No!" There's a moment of panic and dread- She has to get Ange out of there. But she can't leave herself open to Eva-Beatrice either. She's quick to try and swing her scythe up in an arc to try and slice through some of the webs holding Ange. At the same time she focuses on creating an icy barrier along her back while incase the witch strikes her while it's turned.

"Well I have something to protect here. So I can't lose."

At first it takes a few moments for Ange to even realise what's going on. There's so much happening at once, after all. She's stuck in the webs before she knows it, and trying to tear and kick at them herself just makes her get stuck in them even tighter. It's only after a few moments that she even realises they're getting a little more loose while Ruby is cutting away at the red sticky substance, though Ange doesn't necessarily view it as a good thing.

Even with that barrier at Ruby's back, defensive and protective, her eyes still go wide with worry.

"Ruby, I'm-- I'm fine!"

Sure, she's stuck in sticky webs, which is not ideal in this situation, but she'll find her way out of it. Even if she can't just tear her way out of it, and even if this red web is somehow preventing her from turning into butterflies.. It's not like it's actively hurting her.

"Focus on her instead!" Please. Because Ruby is the one who's vulnerable, back turned towards the witch, and Ange is terrified of yet another thing happening to the other girl. Especially when it's on account of Ruby being too busy trying to help her out to protect herself with something better than just ice. "Please!"

(Ange may be too proud to beg in a whole lot of situations, but-- for her wife? She doesn't even hesitate. She has to get through to Ruby how important it is to keep herself safe right now, a frantic desire in Ange's heart.)

Especially since the ginger witch is lifting her staff again already, summoning three buff goat butlers that start to pound at the ice to try and make their way to Ruby, the wall already starting to break with the sound of ice dropping to the floor.

Ruby keeps cutting at the webs but there is a pause when she hears the urgency in Ange's voice. It grabs her attention more than the goats suddenly pounding at her icy barrier.

"But Ange-!" She says with just as much worry and urgency in her own tone. But she does listen. Turning and shifting around the ice barrier to slice at one of the goat butlers with her scythe, before using her semblance to dart around to the other side and get the other.

"It took you beat her the last time. I don't think I can do this without you!" She didn't know the limits of EVA-Beatrice's strength. But she was sure it was more complicated than something she could manage without Ange's power backing her up.

There's at least some relief in the fact that Ruby does turn to focus on what's attacking her here. Not a full relief, since they're still stuck in a dangerous situation, and even though Ange may have gotten over some of the trauma that bound her to this particular witch, she's still so worried about Ruby's wellbeing, she has been worried about it for a while now, ever since the fire, since the sleeper farm. Even if Ruby is focusing on the right thing here, she could still get hurt.

She could still die.

"I'll-- I'll get free! Just wait, and keep fighting..!"

Somehow. Ange doesn't know how. She's trying, at least, struggling against the web, trying to focus on the parts that Ruby already cut loose to see if she can weaken the red web there further, enough to pull herself free, but it's not working just yet.

She has to keep trying though. She can't let Ruby worry about her, she just needs Ruby to make sure she herself is alright--

Her struggle only gets more desperate when she watches Ruby trying to fend off those huge goats.

And the witch, meanwhile, just laughs.

"You seem so worried, Ange.. Do you like that girl that much? It'd be a shame if something happened to her, riiiight?"

The goats are strong and tough, Ruby can acknowledge that. But they're also slower than her and she's able to take advantage of that at first. Ducking and weaving through around them before landing in some strong hits with her scythe.

She doesn't quite have the chance to see what's going with Ange at the moment but she notices that EVA-Beatrice has moved from where she was. Before she can look another goat approaches her and she notices something strange. There was a sense of determination in this one's eyes. Like it had people counting on it to win, like it couldn't afford to lose. And there's a brief moment where she hesitates and it manages to get a land on a hit on her side and sends her skittering back a few feet.

Surely everything would be fine.

"Ruby..!" Ange yells. Sure, that hit didn't seem like anything too bad, nothing a girl like Ruby couldn't recover from when she's so used to fighting, but maybe Ange is just a little too worried here. A little too hypersensitive, between everything that's already been building up inside of her and the presence of Eva-Beatrice of all people.

Beatrice is already good enough at getting Ange worked up, despite them.. technically working on their relationship here in this place, but this witch is on a different level entirely.

She struggles against the remaining webbing, but it's stuck in place so much that it feels like concrete. It's even cancelling out her magic, not allowing her to summon the stakes or do anything else to help Ruby while she's stuck there.

.. or to help herself. Because the witch has moved over to Ange while Ruby is busy struggling with the goats.

"Or should I start with you, Ange-chan?"

If Ruby hears that and bothers to glance over towards the witch and Ange, she may notice Eva-Beatrice's staff changing into a knife in her hands, moving it as if he's about to plunge it straight into Ange.

Better get around Goat-kun if you want to try and stop this in time, Ruby.

Goat-Kun is powerful- And strong. Ruby is surprised how skilled he is in comparison to the other goat's she's faced here so far. On a normal day Ruby might be more willing to test herself against an opponent like this. Except she hears EVA-Beatrice's voice and she feels her blood run colder than usual. The goat raises a fist to bring down on her and she disappears in a burst of icy petals, only to reappear a moment later with her scythe inches from it's chest. She drives the blade in and takes the goat out in one shot before disappearing again.

The petals burst over toward Ange and Eva-Beatrice. She doesn't have time to pull off another move like that on the witch, and she probably couldn't if she tried. But she can put herself between Ange and the witch.

Ange loses sight of Ruby for the moment. Not that she isn't still worried about the girl, but for a moment she's much more occupied with trying to escape before she gets stabbed here. Even if dying in this place means that you return just fine a little while later, and even though Ange sure doesn't fear pain or death, she doesn't want to have to put Ruby into the sort of position where she has to witness that happening.

So Ange struggles to try and get away, until she suddenly sees those familiar icy rose petals appear right in front of her, manifesting into Ruby's form. Ange gasps as she realises Ruby got there just as the witch was lowering the weapon.

"Ruby!"

Ange yells in despair and shock, only now finally managing to tear herself away from the webbing, wrapping her arms around Ruby to try and use the momentum to drag the other girl to the ground with her, out of the way of of the witch and the weapon.

Even though, with the limited time they're working with, it means the blade still grazes Ruby's arm as they're going down.

Ruby was fully prepared to take the hit for Ange. It's what Huntress did, it's what a what a friend do, it's what a wife would do for her love. Except she feels Ange's arms wrap around her and she loses her balance, falling as she's pulled down by Ange. She feels the blade connect with her arm- but it's nowhere near as bad as if Ruby had taken the attack head on.

She lays there's a little stunned a moment. Memory flashing back to the way she had done this for Ange before- And how this time Ange had protected her instead. She felt a little grin play up on her lips as she turned back and raised a hand to gently touch Ange's cheek.

"Should have known you'd have my back." She says in a playfully teasing voice. "Want to take her down together this time?"

"Out of all possible moments you've chosen to flirt with me, I think this is definitely the worst one."

But even as Ange is saying that - definitely a little pouty and a little bit embarrassed, despite the situation they're stuck in, despite the way that Ange's heart is still racing with absolute worry for the other - it doesn't sound like she truly dislikes it. She instead just moves to get her weight off Ruby so they can get up together.

And while Ange is definitely keeping an eye on the witch, since she doesn't trust Eva-Beatrice as far as she could chuck that witch, Ange ends up looking back at Ruby in the end once they're standing again.

".. what did you have in mind?"

Ruby is better at determining this kind of stuff than she is. After all, Ruby was the leader of a team back home - while Ange never really had to deal with teamwork on that level where she comes from.

"I mean- I think it's the worst one this year. But maybe not the worst one overall." Look- Ruby knew her timing could be pretty atrocious. But she also knew the effect Eva-Beatrice could have on Ange. She thought it was important to keep things light here, let her know that she was always supporting her.

That and she loved her wife, and teasing her was one of Ruby's favorite pastimes. She pulls herself up to her feet and glances around as Ange asks her what to do. A plan formulating in her mind.

"The webs made it so you can't use your magic, right? Would something like that work on her?"

Ange knows they won't have long here before they might get attacked again, so she's doing some really quick mental calculation over here. As well as she can, anyway, considering the circumstances.

"Probably. The source of our magic is the same."

Eva was the one Ange had gotten her magic from in the first place, when the woman had passed it down to her on her deathbed, thinking it to be Ange's last punishment.

"But I don't know how to make those." Something in her tone is a little bit more frantic, like something about this witch's presence makes Ange a little more worried, a little more unsure. Especially in a situation where her wife's life and wellbeing is at stake.

Ange can't risk that.

So she's basically pleading with Ruby with her eyes as she stares at the other, clearly so worried.

"I've never done anything like it."

Ruby's pretty aware they don't have that much time either. They've been in this mess before- But they had pulled through it before together too, and that made her sure that they could make it happen again.

She feels like she knows her role in this for the moment and she raises a hand up and places it on Ange's shoulder and squeezes it. Just trying to put all the supportive energy she can into it.

"Look. I know it's hard- Doing something that you're not sure of. Especially with her around. But if there's anyone who can do it, Ange, it's you. I believe in you." She manages a light smile then turns to try and find where Eva-Beatrice had gotten off to.

"And if it ends up being too tough. We're figure something else out. Because that's how we always do it, right?"

"..."

She has to release a breath she didn't quite realise she was holding in tension.

".. right."

It doesn't sound empty when she says it. Deep down Ange knows that Ruby is right. They've made it through so much at this point. They've spent years upon years first in Deerington and now here in Trench, and it's not even the first time they're facing this witch. They've always managed to find a way through everything that was thrown at them together, somehow. As long as she has Ruby at her side - she can do it, right? They can do it.

Ange holds out a hand towards Ruby, as if she's prompting the other girl to grab it. She feels a little more secure trying to cast some sort of magic she's never used before while physically being able to feel Ruby's presence like that.

"If I trap her like that.. then you can take care of the rest, right?" There's still some nerves within Ange, sure. There always are when dealing with Eva-Beatrice. But more than anything else.. she just wants to believe in Ruby. That they did this before, that they can do it again - as many times as it's needed.

Ruby feels a little weight slide off her shoulders when she hears the tone in Ange's voice. She knew this wasn't an easy thing for her wife to face, but she was all the more confident that if they worked together they could overcome anything that came their way.

She sees the hand and she gently moves to take it, letting her fingers slide between Ange's to squeeze as supportively as she can. She just wishes she could push some of the confidence that she felt for the other girl through the warmth of her touch or the bond that they shared.

But if that doesn't work a confident smile will have to do.

"Are you kidding? If you can do that. The rest will be easy peasy lemon squeezy. And I know you can do it."

Staring into the other girl's mismatched eyes, Ange just.. feels so lucky. Yes, this situation is terrifying in some ways, but it feels so hard for that fear to even get close to being as strong as the fondness that spreads in Ange's heart when she looks at Ruby. The way Ruby is so strong, and so kind, and always there for her when Ange needs her during moments like these. It feels like she's basking in her wife's light.

(And hasn't it always been like this? Even before they got married, even before they got together - Ruby was there to help her through so much. There has been so little she ever had to face by herself ever since she left her own world, and it's all because of Ruby.)

Ange smiles, despite everything going on right now.

"I can, because of you."

With Ruby already holding her hand, it's very easy for Ange to lean in and press her lips against her wife's - and just that is enough to make the magic blossom in her heart, spilling out. After all, without love, it can't be seen, right? Ruby is her strength, and this moment proves it once more.

Because by the time Ange pulls back from the kiss, it worked, like the sheer force of her love was enough to activate the magic without any other command. Eva-Beatrice is right there, pressed against the wall and held in place by the exact same red webbing that was holding Ange back only a few moments ago.

The way Ange lights up like that. Well heck. Ruby knew Ange had a hard time expressing it most of the time, but ever since they first met she's been able to see that warmth inside of her. It made Ruby feel oh so sappy any time it actually got shown off quite so brightly.

"I'm only bringing out what's already there." Because she didn't want to take too much credit for it. She was just helping out like any good partner would do.

Except she hadn't quite expected the kiss- And that makes her tingle all over. She returns it. Giving all the love and compassion she can in one little gesture. It's a fleeting moment but she treasures it all the same. She gives a light little smile when she pulls away and see's Eva-Beatrice trapped.

Gosh her wife was the greatest.

"Well. I guess I better wrap things up then. Want to catch a movie after this?" Ruby stays casual because she knows the next part of this isn't going to be pretty. And this wasn't something she could just blast away with her silver eye. This was going to be messy.

And this person had ripped away so much of what Ange held dear. She wasn't about to let that stand. So she prepares Crescent Rose in rifle mode at first and starts to walk toward the witch. Every other step is marked with a shot from the rifle. Some might say it was cruel- But Ruby wasn't taking any chance with the witch. She knew how much they could survive. And she wouldn't give her the chance to fight back. Once she was within' reach. Her weapon folded out into it's scythe form and she quickly drove it into the Witch's chest. Aiming directly for her heart, assuming there was one in there.

Maybe Ange should be shocked by this display. It's a little more violent than she's used to from Ruby - who can fight and be violent if necessary, sure, but this is.. a little much by the normal standards.

And yet it's like Ange doesn't fully notice. After all, this is just Ruby protecting her. This witch stands for everything that has tormented Ange throughout all her life - isn't this then the right thing to do? Isn't it only normal for Ruby to not show someone like that no mercy?

So she doesn't say anything. Instead she just stands there, watching as Ruby approaches the witch while firing, and then driving her weapon fully into her - making the witch scream out in pain before she seems to vanish into nothingness.

It's only then that Ange finally moves, letting her feet carry her over towards the other girl with a few quick steps, throwing her arms around Ruby now the threat is gone.

"Are you alright?"

That's clearly the most important question to ask right now.

It was hard to tell if what Ruby had done was more or less violent than warranted. That witch had caused her wife nothing but problems, would continue to cause her problems if she was allowed to stay. If there was one thing overriding anything that Ruby thought and felt at the moment, it was that Ange needed to be protected. And she would do anything to do that.

Ruby hears the footsteps approach her from behind and with a twirl she folds up Crescent Rose and turns to face Ange. Gratefully letting the other girl wrap her arms around her, Ruby is quick to match the embrace with one of her own.

She feels a little laugh bubble up at the question.

"Me? Of course I am. I wasn't the one caught up in a web or dealing being taunted by that freak again.

Are you okay?"

Apparently that answer is enough to make any worry fade away completely from Ange's mind. Ruby is fine, so why should she think too hard about it then? Instead she just makes sure to quickly answer the other's question before Ruby even has the time to worry about it, her head dipping into a small nod.

The next moment said head is already moving, Ange burying her face momentarily against Ruby's shoulder. It makes her look a little vulnerable, but now it's just her and Ruby inside of their own home again after all of this, why should Ange care about being vulnerable? She just needs some comfort from her wife after all of this, knowing that they pulled through together.

That they're safe again.

So while it's not a lie that Ange is alright, she does dare to admit to Ruby after a moment, the words half-muffled from where she's pressed up against the other girl: "Just a little shaky."

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onekindsoul - 2023-04-30 19:41 (UTC) - Expand