“There’s a place for us somewhere.”
late night starters ( a. selectively ) @rosescattered.
“ oh, ruby, don’t — ” how romantic the notion — how sad that she had to go. ilia had been on the verge of crying in the entirety of her time at the train station. to lose both her best friend and her new love, all in one day … it was just too much. and it isn’t until now that the tears finally unleash themselves onto poor ilia’s tired eyelids. the train starts to shift, and it’s just like an old movie. the rose waves at her colorful companion out the window of the train car, and a sudden pang of urgency surges throughout the chameleon’s body. no, no, no, she’s leaving !! you can’t let her go ! “ ruby rose, you better come back! ” she yells, jogging alongside the train as its speed increases.
“ when you do … we can find that place together !! ” its motor kicks in now, chugging forward significantly faster ( her sprint is falling behind its pace now ). her anxiety spikes now that it’s hitting her, the absence of her second family quickly fading into the distance of the train tunnel. you have to let her go. to do what she was meant to do. only then can she return to you. ruby’s figure goes from fully visible, to just a speck of red in the distance, to completely gone.
the train disappears into the blackness of the tunnel, the start of their trip to atlas. ilia watches that tunnel’s entrance with a newfound emptiness, like ruby is still there, waving at her with that goofy smile. she refuses to stop watching until another train pulls in to board passengers. it’s only then that amitola can acknowledge that ruby is gone. defeated, she turns her back to the boarding station, and starts to walk away, slowly, blue eyes staring at the ground. she notices that the scales on her arm have turned the same red as ruby’s cloak, without even thinking about it. she already misses her.
‘ there’s a place for us somewhere. ’ but … what if i lose her before we find it?