#aitrpft!ruby

"This is a stupid idea," Mal's hands moved through the signs quickly, brows furrowed as they followed Nova. Someone was snoring deeper in the base, and Nova was fighting the urge to yawn, but he ignored it. "Stupid and dangerous." 

Nova tried not to think about just how dangerous it was. Even hiding his wings, and with an illusion hiding his more notable features, there was no guarantee that someone wouldn't recognize him, and get them caught. "I'm not making you come. You can stay if you want." 

"And let you die? Papa would never forgive me." The darkness of night made their hands hard to follow, and even Nova's enhanced vision was struggling to pick out their words.

"Fair enough," Nova grumbled, opening the door slowly; it didn't creak, and he thanked whatever higher power was watching. "But it's gonna be quick. Ten minutes tops." 

"The entire neighborhood was feeding those cats. You don't have to risk your life for it." Glitches raced up and down Mal's arms as Nova carefully opened a portal, still keeping an ear and eye out for anyone noticing they were leaving. Not only would they probably get a lecture, Nova couldn't stand to endure the whispers from the others, the distrusting looks they sent his way. Even when he was confined to bed, he remembered hearing Blue's voice raised in his defense, the guilt making his chest tighten even now. He hadn't ever meant to be here, and staying in the base had only made his anxieties worse. 

It would only take a moment, he reminded himself as they stepped through into OuterTale, instinctively tipping his head back. With the area devoid of lights in the pitch black, Nova could see every sparkling star and swirling galaxy stretching off into infinity. Nova didn't think he'd been back here since Harrier had taken him all those months ago, and he took a moment to just breathe, feeling like it was just him and the infinite universe in the best way possible. 

A tap on his shoulder made Nova jump, looking back at Mal. "Cats." They signed pointedly into his hand, so there was no mistaking what they were saying.

"Yeah. Cats. Right." Nova tried to keep his mind on task as they walked through their old neighborhood. Nova let his senses expand, taking in the calm of sleeping people content in their homes. He bet none of them had had to kill someone else. Or at least he hoped so. Learning that any of his old neighbors was a killer would probably leave a sour taste on the good memories he had here, and he didn't want that. 

The stray cats of the neighborhood had been around since before Nova was born; attempts had been made to capture them all, but more seemed to crop up like a feline hydra. The best the local shelter could do was convince most of the strays to stay in a park with food, water, and shelter all maintained by volunteers. Nova and Mal had popped in every week before their lives had imploded, and as they neared the shed that served as a base of operations Nova saw a few cats he recognized, a few he didn't, and missed a handful from their usual spots. 

A small gray-and-white cat trotted up beside them as they walked, sniffing the air, and then started walking in pace with them. The volunteers called her McFlurry, due to her love of hanging around a McDonald's near the park. Nova remembered her from before, as she'd been one of the first to come to him nearly every time he volunteered. McFlurry seemed to be a vibe-checker for the cats, as she He liked to think they had a bond, but even if Blue would have let him bring her home, he knew her place was here. Nova was here when she'd gotten an infection and had to be wrangled to the vet, and the yowling had nearly shattered his eardrums. 

Now, he knelt down and held out his hand, letting McFlurry come to him. She did with only a moment's hesitation, bumping her head against his hand and purring loudly. Mal hovered nearby, their head on a swivel for any sign of someone who could see them. Nova saw their hand drift to their side out of the corner of his eye, fingers flexing where Flow would normally stand; for now the construct was dormant, both to draw less attention and avoid scaring the cats. 

As they rounded a corner to the shed, Nova tensed. The door was ajar. Anyone he knew who would've volunteered would have made sure the door shut behind them before they left, and no sane person would be out here at this hour.

Mal noticed it too, and they tugged on his sleeve insistently. But the familiarity of the shed drew him, even as his heart raced. Nova was well aware by now that if anyone in that shed wanted to hurt him, he would be able to stop them. His magic fizzed in his chest, as if eager to be used.

McFlurry trotted ahead, completely unbothered by the sounds of rustling coming from the shed. When she reached the door, she turned around to look at them as if asking 'why aren't you coming?'

Nova exchanged a look with Mal; they clearly were running out of patience for him, and he got the sense he was one wrong move away from being dragged through a portal back to Vulture's Fall. 

But even as he realized just how stupid this endeavor was, he knew he needed to finish this. Nova needed to be in the shed, the familiar scent of cat food and the slight mustiness that came when people got busy. Needed to see the dozen or so food and water bowls scattered around, the cat boxes that were stacked in the corner until the weather turned foul. 

Nova kept his senses on high alert as they crept closer to the shed, heart hammering against his chest. He could hear movement inside, feel a buzz of negativity of some kind (Guilt? Grief? Fear? Nothing stuck long enough to tell) that locked up into brain-halting panic as they got closer.

Nova caught a flash of magic a moment before he entered, and instinct took over. Pushing Mal back with one hand, he lifted the other in a shimmering golden shield. His illusion faded to nothing as the magic flooded to his defense. Heart lodged in his throat, forgetting how to breathe, he braced for the blow—

"Nova?" The soft hiss made him freeze, panic seizing him in its jaws once again for an entirely different reason. "Is… that you?" Disbelief shone in eyes the color of summer leaves, reflecting the shimmering ball of light in Ruby's hand.

Light. A light spell. Not an attack. Nova took a shuddering breath and lowered his hand, the shield disintegrating into golden sparks. As much as he wanted to return to his original plan of masking his identity, the look in Ruby's eyes made it impossible to consider.

"… Yeah." Nova flinched as Mal smacked him, stepping back into his line of sight. One of their hands was scraped up when they lifted them to sign; they must have fallen when he pushed them, Nova realized with a pang of guilt. 

"You said no one would know," their hands moved sharply, and Nova could see the annoyance on their face. And beneath that, uncertainty. "We need to go. Now."

"Wait," Ruby grabbed Nova before he even started moving, before he even had time to think if he wanted to. "Go where? Where have you been? Everyone thinks you're…"

"Dead?" Nova saw her flinch, and instinctively his hand pressed lightly against hers. "That's what people have to think. But I'm fine."

"Why?" Her eyes were shining again, and Nova realized she was crying. Grief rolled off her in waves, and he stared uncertainly. "Where did you go? Why didn't you say goodbye?" Tears made damp streaks of the brown fur on her cheeks as her ears pulled flat against her head. Nova realized the usually vibrant purple dye in her fur had faded, almost gone completely. If it had gotten that faint before, she would've already dyed it again.

Nova didn't think; he just pulled her into a hug. The fur on top of her head tickled his chin as he held her close. He could sense Mal off to the side, impatience flickering, but he wasn't going to leave Ruby in tears. "I'm sorry. I… I didn't mean to. I promise I didn't mean it." And before he could think about it, Nova was crying too. McFlurry wove between them, purring like an engine as she tried to comfort the two people crying in her shed.

They stayed like that for a long time, longer than Nova expected Mal to let them. To his surprise, they made no effort to pull him away as he and Ruby murmured reassurances to each other and held each other close. Nova wouldn't call it peaceful, but he would take this over the blank peace encouraged at Justice Reigns any day. 

McFlurry caught the interruption first, stiffening and looking away from them. Nova sat up a little straighter without letting go of Ruby, noticing Mal was also now on alert. Their fingers were curled slightly, glitching worse. And then Nova heard it: footsteps, sharp and methodical. A soldier's stride, one that Nova had to fight slipping into. 

His heart jumped into his throat; a portal back would be too risky; even with the added experience he and Mal had, opening and closing portals took time. Enough time that someone could follow them through, into the heart of Vulture's Fall. And with the looks and whispers he already got, Nova knew he'd never be able to go back if he brought JR back with him. Least of all because everyone would probably be dead. 

Mal dragged him up now, away from Ruby. "Plan?" They signed so quickly Nova almost missed it. 

Looking around revealed no plan. Nova refocused his magic, shoving it all down deep inside, trying to stifle his aura. No doubt someone had picked it up after he dropped his protections for the unnecessary shield. It wouldn't save them completely, but hiding it made escape just a bit more possible. 

Ruby looked between them, brow furrowed. With a flick of her tail, she pushed them both towards the shed. "Get inside!" She pulled the door shut behind them, leaving them in darkness aside from the window. Nova ducked behind a stack of cat food bags, and he heard floorboards creak softly as Mal ducked into the shadows as well. 

The shed was not sound-proofed, and before Nova had a chance to hope, he heard voices cut through the darkness, sharp and authoritative. "Hey, you! What are you doing here?"

When Ruby spoke, it was with perfect surprise, mixed with confusion. Nova's heart pounded in his ears as he felt her fear thrumming through him. "Oh, you scared me! Sorry, I was just checking on the cats. Particle Accelerator just had a surgery done, so I wanted to make sure he was okay—" 

"Ma'am," the voice interrupted. "We're tracking the signature of a very dangerous individual. Are you alone?" 

Nova heard Mal's breath catch; he could barely draw his own. 

"Yeah." Ruby laughed, and Nova wasn't sure if it was fake awkwardness or very real stress. "No one else is dumb enough to be out here before lights just to feed some cats. I was just…" she was quiet for a moment. Nova held his breath. "Worried about them." He could imagine her face then, the push of her ears pricking and the slight lift of her lip, a smirk that could be happy and wish you dead in one. "But they seem to be all good. So I'll be on my way?"

There was silence for a long moment. Nova felt his magic fizzing, and smushed it down; if anything happened to Ruby because of his stupidity, he'd never forgive himself. 

"Very well, ma'am. Yell if you see anything." The voice said. Nova could feel annoyance, and realized why when he heard a loud meow; McFlurry seemed to be making her displeasure with these intruders known. 

Ruby's footsteps started. "Oh, I will. Have a good night!" 

Nova was so focused on listening to what was happening outside that he almost screamed when Mal's hand clamped down on his wrist. His body flooded with pins-and-needles feelings as Mal squeezed their eyes shut, and they were out. Not out of OuterTale yet, but far enough that whoever was checking around the cats' shed wouldn't find anything. Nova recognized their surroundings, and looked at Mal in surprise. "I thought you would—" 

They held up a finger to shut him up, their signs quick. "Just say bye and let's go." There was urgency in their hands, a determined set to their expression that Nova hadn't seen before. Another thing Vellum had given them, he was sure. 

Hurrying down the street towards Ruby's house, Nova spotted her on the sidewalk. He whistled, one high note and one low. Her ears twitched, and she looked up. One hand lifted slowly, her tail waving behind her. It took every ounce of his own will not to run after her, hold her, and never let go. 

Nova lifted a hand in response, nodded once, and took Mal's hand. 

When the portal Mal opened dropped them just inside the door, Nova could hear their breaths coming in short bursts. The faint static sound of glitches racing up and down their body was the only sound for several seconds. 

"We're never doing that again." Mal's hands were trembling slightly, and Nova felt his heart clench. 

"Yeah, right. Not happening again." Even as he speaks, Nova can see Ruby in his mind's eye: eyes bright with hope, hands on his, her soft fur brushing against him—

"I should hope you're not doing that again." Nova couldn't stifle a curse as he whipped around, hands lifting again for a shield. Even as he moved, he knew there was no need. Vellum wouldn't hurt him. 

Carmine

Since her previous iteration was pretty outspoken against JR, I imagine this version was probably also very vocal about how she thought the laws about tenebris were stupid. Which probably didn't help her when she was busted for using illegal magic.

Ruby

she's doing a very good job not breaking character despite (one of) her familiar(s) being a mischievous little shit. but she's rehearsing anyways so if she does break it'll be fine

I couldn't decide what element she'd use so i gave her two options. maybe she has both! i dunno. but she definitely doesn't use the tenebris familiar much, if she has it.