#ruby's writing

@ava-ships, @bee-ships, @beetleboyfriend, @canongf, @clawfull, @cloudyvoid, @discountwives, @dissonantyote, @edencantstopfallininlove, @final-catboy, @gible-love-nibles, @halsdaisy, @hoppinkiss, @hotrodharts, @hyperionshipping, @iyamifucker, @lex-n-weegie, @little-miss-selfships, @little-shiny-sharpies, @loogi-selfships, @lovebugexe, @mintpecks, @mrs-kelly, @nameless-self-ships, @nerdstreak, @paper-carnation, @patches-and-her-selfships, @reds-self-ships, @rexscanonwife, @ship-trek, @spacestationstorybook, @squips-ship, @tiny-cloud-of-flowers, @toogayforthistoday, @p-i-t-s, @winterworlds, @scroldie

Speckles of dust danced in the beams of light shining through the window of the bookstore that Counselor Ruby Ramirez had found herself in on that peaceful afternoon. She fondly ran her fingers across the spines of the books atop the store’s shelf, remembering all of the journeys she’d been on with those stories as a child. It was no wonder this section was labeled as “classics;” even though the shelf stretched to the ceiling and was filled to the brim with books, she hadn’t seen a single title that she didn’t recognize. She spotted a favorite novel of hers, and she was quick to pull it off the shelf and flip to the first chapter. She remembered it all so fondly: the prison and the rose bush, the first piece of literary symbolism that had truly taught her to analyze…

“Oh, what have you got there? Something actually worthwhile, I hope.” The sudden voice in her ear made Ruby snap out of focus with a startled jolt, but even as she whipped her head around to look behind her, she already knew exactly whose smug face she was going to see staring down at her.

“Q! I’ve told you a hundred times not to sneak up on me like that,” Ruby exclaimed as she playfully tapped his chest with the book.

“Hmph, you've hardly said that more than fifty times, actually," Q said with an exasperated eye-roll. "Besides, you can't really call it 'sneaking up' if I’ve been standing right beside you this entire time, my dear.”

Ruby let out a sigh and turned her back to her partner, putting her attention on the book she'd picked out as she leaned her weight back against him. “Well, then, that’s a problem, isn't it? The point of coming here was so you could explore some of the culture that humanity has to offer,” she explained, gesturing to the shelves of books surrounding them. “That meant exploring the selection here by yourself, sweetheart, not just staying glued to me the whole time.”

Q knew this already, of course; this was the second of a four-day vacation that the couple had agreed on taking together, albeit one more reluctantly than the other. He still remembered when Ruby excitedly came up with the idea months ago, the way she had been beaming about how much she could show Q about what it's like to be human. Although he had protested to the trip's merit, the reality was that Q would have taken any excuse to be with his beloved in a way that wasn't disturbing her duties, so he hadn't needed too much persuading.

When Ruby had brought the request for shore leave to Captain Picard, she had described it as "less of a vacation, and more of an experiment.” She had explained, “We've seen already that Q has a sliver of humanity, a seed of compassion nestled deep within him. Perhaps all that it needs to blossom is the right kind of earth?"

While the captain didn't quite agree with the scientific basis of the proposal - or appreciate the wordplay - the Enterprise would already be making a rare orbit of Earth for a routine crew exchange. Many aboard the Enterprise would be taking a few days to visit their families, so there was no reason to deny the counselor the same privilege.

Back in the bookstore, Q was still doing his best to convince Ruby that their time would be better spent, well, anywhere. He placed both his hands on her shoulders to hold her steady against him as he dramatically nuzzled his face into her hair. “But darling, you’re the only thing worth any of my attention on this entire dreadful planet,” he whined.

He suddenly dipped her backwards, making Ruby balance on her heels as he leaned down a great deal to place his face right next to her own and speak in a provocative whisper, “What do you say we just forget about all this and head back home now instead? I'll even indulge you with that ‘cuddling’ nonsense that you enjoy so very much.”

Ruby could already feel her cheeks getting warmer as she failed to fight back a flustered grin; even after all the time she’d been with Q, she had to admit that she was far from being immune to his charms. It wasn’t only what he was saying, but also the eloquent cadences of his voice and the way he was able to stare her down with that alluring gaze that made her fall so hard for him in the first place. Luckily, by now she was at least able to save his suggestion for later rather than give in right away, and she leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before replying with a simple, “Very tempting, but no.”

She chose to ignore the way Q rolled his eyes in annoyance for a second time as he pushed her forward again to stand up straight, and instead she showed him the cover of the book in her hands in an attempt to catch his interest. He glanced over the title: The Scarlet Letter. "Look at this, hunny," Ruby said with fondness in her tone, "this was one of the first books I read as a child that sparked my analytical side. I remember the way it made me think about why the author chose to include certain details that might seem pointless, and why the characters would make the choices that they do." She turned her head back up to him and nudged her shoulder against his chest. "It was also the first book that really invested me in romance," she purred with a wink.

Q was not impressed. "It really does sound like a joy, starlight," he huffed sarcastically, "but you have no idea how difficult it is for an omnipotent being like myself to force his imagination to be confined to words on a page."

Ruby had already turned her attention back to the novel at hand. She knew that Q was fond of the sound of his own voice, so allowing him to rant on about the pettiest of inconveniences was the only way he ever felt better about the situation he was in.

Unaware - or just uncaring - that Ruby had turned her attention away, he continued, "Truly, think about it from my perspective. Why would I bother to 'visualize' the events of a novel in my mind, like you lesser beings have to do, when I could simply rewrite reality to bring these events to life? Or better yet, I could probably imagine my own story with a more gripping narrative and satisfying conclusion. In fact, if I may speak honestly, it seems to me that-"

Q's holier-than-thou speech was cut short as he felt a gentle tug on the leg of his trousers, just below the knee. He looked down to see a small child, a boy likely no older than five, staring back up at him with wide hazel eyes. Q grimaced and immediately recoiled his leg, the sudden shift in weight catching Ruby's attention as well. For a moment, there was an intense staredown between the disgusted immortal and the innocent toddler, until at last Q broke the silence and sneered, "Can I help you?"

The child pointed to the top shelf high above his own head. "Can yew get the Robin Hood book for me, mister?" he said politely, a slight lisp to his words as he spoke.

"If I do, will you leave?" Q asked bitterly. The boy's only reply was a thoughtful stare to the side, followed by a smile and enthusiastic nod of his head.

Q hastily located the book on the shelf of the bookcase in front of him, and he didn't hesitate to yank it from the shelving, pinching the very corner of the book between two fingers as he dangled it over the child's head with an outstretched arm, trying to distance himself from the boy as much as possible. "There you are, now please, begone with you."

The boy reached up and took the book into his small hands with a quiet "thank you" as he marveled at the green hardcover and golden cursive lettering. He then looked back up at Q, who had already turned his attention away, hoping for the interaction to be over.

Despite those hopes, the boy suddenly spoke up again. "I like Robin Hood," he lisped.

Q glanced back down with an eyebrow quirked, not even bothering to turn his head as he dryly replied, "Yes, I'm sure you do. Now don't you have somewhere to be?"

The boy shook his head with the same earnest smile on his face, clearly not taking the hint. Before the conversation could continue, though, Ruby - who had been watching this interaction unfold and barely stifling a laugh - stepped forward in front of Q and kneeled down to meet the child's eye level. "You're a fan of Robin Hood, you said?" She asked him with a gentle smile.

The boy gave her another enthusiastic nod and said, “Yeah, my dad tells me the story a lot for bedtime, but he has to go away on a starship, so my mommy said I should read the or… the orange-inal book while he's gone.”

Ruby smiled at his story and adorable mispronunciation. “That's a very good choice. You know, young man,” she said as she reached up behind her to hold onto Q's hand, “my partner Q here is a big fan of Robin Hood too. One time not too long ago, he even made all his friends dress up to act out the story!"

The boy's eyes seemed to sparkle as he looked back up at Q. "Wow, really? Did yew get to be Robin Hood, mister?"

Ruby smiled widely, both because of the boy's reaction and because behind her, she could hear Q faintly saying, "Starlight, what do you think you're doing?" as he recoiled his hand from hers.

But his Starlight wasn't listening; her mischievous side had quickly taken over, and she placed both hands back on her knees as she said with her bottom lip pushed out in an exaggerated pout, "Actually, Q decided to be the big bad Sheriff of Nottingham that taxes all the poor people and makes everyone sad.

"But… that's the guy who Robin Hood fights with," the boy said, staring up at Q curiously. "Why did you wanna be the bad guy, mister Q?"

Ruby turned her head around to meet her partner's eyes. "Yes, why did you want to be the bad guy, Mr. Q?" she parroted the question to him with a cheeky smile.

If all-powerful beings could blush, Q would have been bright red. "Very amusing, Counselor," he huffed, crossing his arms, "but I'm above engaging with this little mindgame of yours. Especially not with this," he gave the small boy a stern glare, "… creature involved."

The boy let out a giggle, making Q arch his eyebrows in shock. It has the audacity to laugh at me?, the immortal brooded in his expansive mind. What could it possibly find so amusing?

"Yew talk funny, mister Q," the child laughed. "I think yew'd be a really funny bad guy."

Ruby chuckled along with him. "Oh, you have no idea, young man."

From around the corner, a soft voice was heard calling out. "Lance? Did you find the book you wanted?" A woman not much older than Ruby stepped forward from behind another aisle of books, and the boy ran to her with his selection brandished above his head.

"Yes, momma! I picked out this Robin Hood book! Mister Q here got it off the shelf for me."

The mother reached down to pick up her child. "Not even gone five minutes and you're already making new friends?"

Q sneered under his breath, "Not quite the word I would use, but-" "That's right!" Ruby addressed the mother, thankful that she hadn't overheard Q's snide remarks. "He's a very sweet boy, he told us all about how he's a big fan of Robin Hood."

"Yep!" The boy beamed proudly. "And, and she said that her partner mister Q played Robin Hood with his friends and, uh, he got to be the Sheriff of Naughty-ham."

"That's Notting-ham," Q enunciated spitefully as he gleaned down at the child. Even if he desperately wanted the interaction to be over, he still would never miss an opportunity to be right about something.

Ruby paid him no mind, in the hopes that the woman would do the same, as she gave both the mother and child a kind grin. "Well, it was lovely to meet you, Lance. I hope you enjoy your book." She took on a tone akin to an ancient English knight as she thumped her a closed hand to her chest theatrically. "Never stop protecting those who can't protect themselves, and fight for justice and truth, just like your Robin Hood."

And unlike Q, she had wanted to say, but she decided that Q had had enough teasing for one day.

Little Lance beamed proudly and copied her motion as he put his own small fist over his chest, clearly taking the words to heart. His mom wore a similar warm grin as she and her son bade the couple farewell and headed toward the checkout counter.

Ruby turned back around to face Q, grinning cheekily up at him as he firmly kept his arms crossed and refused to meet her eye. "That was absolute torture," he groaned, "you know that, right? I'm not sure why I ever agreed to this trip." His partner let out a small laugh at how easy his disposition was to sour, and upon hearing that delightful little giggle of hers that he so dearly adored, he couldn't stop a smile from tugging at the corner of his mouth as he looked back down at her.

She chirped, "I'm sorry, my darling, but you know I can't resist teasing you.” A smirk overtook her face. “Besides, I believe I remember someone very intelligent once saying that one creature's torment is another's delight."

Q's eyebrows shot up in surprise before lowering in satisfaction, a grin snaking its way across his face as he pulled Ruby in close by her hips. If he had to make a list of all of his favorite things about her, the way that she was able to match his wit so effortlessly would easily clear the top three. Q was more than used to looking down on mortals, feeling superior to them, and he was somewhat justified in feeling so; even when encountering creatures cognitive enough to communicate, it was hardly ever that he came across one that didn't immediately bore him. Even with humans, as fascinating as the species itself was, the individuals were hardly worth stopping for. But there were always exceptions, and no exception has seized his attention, gained his respect, and retained his adoration more wholly than his Ruby.

Indifferent to who around may be watching, Q leaned forward and pressed his lips to Ruby's, allowing her to reach up and hold his face as he kissed her slowly and deliberately.

He just barely pulled away to groan against her lips, "I hope you appreciate my generous patience with you in situations like this." Ruby felt a shudder go through her body; as much as she saw and treated Q as an equal, she couldn't deny that, on occasion, she was exhilarated by the power he always had the capability of holding over her. She brushed any growing stimulation aside as she slyly retorted, "Only if you can appreciate me holding back in situations like this."

That comment earned her another kiss, this one much more brief but still holding just as much admiration, before Q stood up fully again. “Well then,” he sighed, “are we done here?”

Ruby chuckled. “Okay, you’ve been very good today. I’ll check out this book, and we can head back home.”

Q watched his partner as she headed toward the counter, an odd - but not unfamiliar - feeling washing over him as he replayed her words in his mind. He’d been very good today. It was still strange to him that such words of affirmation had any effect on him, even if. He’d never needed anyone else’s approval, or encouragement, or affection before meeting Ruby. He still didn’t need it, he supposed; he already knew that he was the most intelligent and powerful being in the universe. But something about hearing those things from her, the confirmation that there was one person who genuinely thought good of him, cared for him, loved him…

Author's Note: This walkthrough is for the 1-player mode of the game. There aren't many major differences in 2-player mode other than extra enemies, extra power-ups, and more resilient bosses.

***** STAGE I: THE LAB *****

Once you've inserted your coins and picked up your light gun, the game begins with a cutscene. You are Chuck Trigger, a security guard at Zealous Labs, and the cutscene begins as an alarm starts blaring in the facility. You run down the hall and round the corner only to see just why that alarm sounded in the first place; the lab has been overrun by zombies! The cutscene ends and gameplay begins here. There are four zombified scientists visible in the hallway ahead of you, all of which are taken down easily with just a few shots. Don't let your guard down if you're on Hard mode, though, because health is scarce even in this first level and any damage from the smaller enemies will stick with you through the whole level.

After you dispose of the zombies here, Trigger continues ahead to the double doors at the end of the hall, but before he can go through the doors, a young woman in a white labcoat and very short skirt bursts through the doors. Despite being bloody and shaken up, she seems relatively fine, and is especially relieved to see Trigger. Another cutscene ensues as the two briefly talk, complete with cheesy, badly acted dialogue:

Trigger: Dr. Ruby Redblood?

Redblood: Oh thank goodness, someone who hasn't died.

Trigger: You're the head scientist here, what the hell is going on?!

Redblood: I... don't know. A neuropathogen that we've been studying somehow breached containment and transmutated into a super-virus, and now-

Trigger: In English, doc.

Redblood: S-sorry. Basically, a virus has spread through the facility and mutated most of the staff into vicious maneaters. We need to get out of here as quickly as we can!

Trigger: Wait... Has it spread into the city? I have family out there! I need to rescue them!

Redblood: It's too dangerous. The probability of you making it through the city and back here are incredulously slim.

Trigger: I don't care. I have to save them.

Redblood: Very well. I'll guide you down to the first floor of the lab, but you're on your own from there.

Trigger and Redblood move forward through the doors, and at last the cutscene ends. In the next room ahead you'll find three more scientist zombies who appear one at a time. Redblood will yell out a few (rather obvious) hints to you as you go, like how headshots do a bit more damage and the ammo zombies drop is important to pick up. Gee, ya don't say... Kill each of the enemies here to continue towards the next set of doors, leading into a chemistry lab with three more Scientists and a new type of zombie, a Guard. The Guards take two more bullets to kill than Scientists due to their armor, so try to take them out first.

After clearing this room, you'll suddenly hear a scream behind you, and will turn around to see Redblood being attacked by a Scientist. Quickly gun it down to save her, but be careful not to shoot her on accident, as it will kill her. Once you save her, she thanks you and encourages you to keep going. This will be the first of four times that the doctor gets herself into trouble, and as annoying as she is to rescue, try to keep her alive for a bonus at the end of the level.

As you exit the lab and enter a stairwell, Scientists will jump down from the flights of stairs above you to catch you off guard; take them out quickly or they'll chip off health that you'll need for the boss. Just before you exit the stairwell, Redblood will trip behind you on the final step and have her leg grabbed by a Scientist (guess she should have taken off those heels!) Take it out with a headshot to save her again.

As you exit the stairwell, you''l enter the first floor of Zealous Labs, a large open space that is absolutely crawling with both Scientists and Guards. Trigger will dash forward with Redblood to the reception desk in the middle of the room, and the building essentially becomes a zombie shooting range! If you're playing on Hard mode, try not to miss any shots, as ammo is scarce, and no matter what mode you're playing on, do not let any enemies get too close to you. Once any zombies get close to the desk, they'll go straight for Redblood, and you'll have less than a few seconds to save her so it's better to keep them away than risk that happening. (Why doesn't she just hide under the desk? You think she'd be a bit smarter as the head researcher in the lab.)

Once all the enemies here are taken out, Trigger will proceed towards the front doors, but will suddenly stop as you hear the elevator on your left ding. The elevator doors will open, and out will walk the boss of the first stage: Sheriff Bruiser.

Ruby Redblood is quick to inform you that Bruiser was the lab's head of security, but he has been infected and transformed into a powerful zombie. As large and intimidating as he may seem, he isn't much harder to take out then the Guards. The major difference is his full-body armor, meaning that he can only be damaged by headshots. Bruiser's main attack is a full-body charge at you that can be stopped by shooting him enough times in the head; a single hit from him takes off a fourth of your health, so don't let him hit you too much or it's game over.

Once you get his healthbar down completely, he'll try one more desperate charge attack, but not towards you; he'll run straight for Redblood, so take him out with three shots to the head as he's running or he'll kill her in one hit (I guess just stepping out of the way is too hard for her). Once he's down, though, you can take a breath, because all that's left is a brief cutscene, and then the level's over.

@ava-ships @bee-ships @beetleboyfriend @bonbonships @canongf @cloudyvoid @canonjunto @discountwife @dissonantyote @edencantstopfallininlove @final-catboy @gible-love-nibles @gothamcore @halsdaisy @hoppinkiss @hop-n-bedes-malewife @hyperionshipping @iyamifucker @lex-n-weegie @little-miss-selfships @little-shiny-sharpies @loogi-selfships @lovebugexe @mikaelrealman @mintpecks @mrs-kelly @nameless-self-inserts @nerdstreak @paper-carnation @patches-and-her-selfships @poghorn @radioromantic @red-velvet-ships @rexscanonwife @ship-trek @squips-ship @sunnysideships @toogayforthistoday @void-kissed @winterworlds

There was a full moon that night. It shone brightly over the countryside, piercing the mist among the stems of tall grass and the petals of wildflowers that blanketed the rolling hills, transforming the expanse of nature into a glittering oasis. Nestled deep within the prairie was a humble home, built from the ground up to have and hold an unorthodox but deeply-bonded family of four.

And it was within this sleepy home, hidden away from the world, where young Olivia Fawkes-Ramirez was being tucked into bed for the night.

"There we go," her parent Ruby cooed gently as she tucked the pastel yellow blanket under the mattress, knowing that her daughter slept best feeling a bit compressed under her covers. "You ready for lights out, jellybean?"

Olivia paused for a moment and looked up at Ruby with her wide hazel eyes; Ruby could already tell that that meant no, but she also knew that Olivia had a tendency to be too shy to ask directly for what she wanted.

"You know you have to give me the okay, Livvie," Ruby said. "If you don't say anything, then I can't go, and I'll just be here staring at you all night."

Olivia let out a weak giggle, but still didn't speak up.

Ruby continued, "That's gonna be very awkward for both of us, babygirl. And I don't think you're gonna get a lot of sleep like that."

Clutching her favorite stuffed animal- a piglet covered in polka dots- in her arms, Olivia looked to the side as she mumbled, "I miss Daddy and Uncle Mako."

Ruby's heart nearly cracked in two when she heard those quiet words, but she kept a brave face as she reached out to stroke her soft blonde hair. "Oh, I know, chickadee. I miss them too. But hey," she gently placed a finger under her chin to angle her daughter's face towards her, "when you wake up tomorrow, both Daddy and Uncle Mako will be back home, and I'm sure they'll have a present for you like they always do. So if you fall asleep quick, they’ll be here before you know it."

Olivia smiled a bit, but it was clear to see on her face that she was still a bit upset. Ruby thought for a second, brainstorming how to send her child off to sleep with happier thoughts in her young mind.

“How about this, Livvie,” Ruby proposed. “I can read you another story, but then you have to go right to bed. Does that sound like a deal?”

Olivia looked to the side again, pondering the proposal carefully, before looking back to her parent and nodding her head. At that approving nod, Ruby moved toward the bookshelf, when she heard another small noise of protest and looked back to Olivia.

“Umm, mumma… do you think you could tell me a brand new story? I heard all of those ones on my shelf before,” Olivia asked.

A soft smile spread across Ruby’s lips as she immediately took the request in stride. “A brand new story, huh?” she said as she sat back down on the edge of the bed, already thinking of a concept.

Olivia nodded happily, a smile finally returning to her face. “Yeah, and then I’ll go right to bed, I promise!”

Ruby smiled back endearingly. “Now that sounds like a good deal,” she joked, before looking down thoughtfully. “Okay, a new story… Alright, I think I’ve got something. You ready, jellybean?”

Once more, Olivia shook her head in approval and let out a soft “yep” as she sat up, eagerly awaiting her story.

“Alright, here goes,” Ruby began. “Once upon a time… there was a knight. This knight was sent far away from the kingdom that they called home, to protect a small island out in the middle of the ocean. Now, this island didn’t have any treasure or anything on it that made it special. It was just a simple little island, with palm trees and white sandy beaches. There were times when the knight even questioned why they needed to protect it in the first place. But they were a good knight, who wanted to make their king happy, so they devoted themself to protecting the island with their life.

“Many days and nights passed by, and no one, good or bad, came to the tiny island. The knight was starting to get bored, wondering why they were sent there when it seemed like no one would ever show up. But then, one day, someone finally came to the island.”

Olivia was listening to the story unfold with wide eyes, already captivated. “Who was it, mumma?”

Ruby’s smile grew wider, relieved that her improvised story wasn’t a bore. “It was… a pirate! And this pirate was known around the world for being ruthless, dangerous, and altogether just plain mean. When the knight saw the pirate, they got very excited, because they thought that they could bring the pirate back to their king and be called a hero! So, right as the pirate was getting off their little boat they brought to the island, the knight stepped forward.

Ruby put on a theatrical voice, imitating an old-timey English accent. “‘Stop right there!’ the knight said. ‘You’re under arrest, pirate, for stealing treasure from across the seven seas!’

“The pirate was caught off guard. He hadn’t expected anyone else to be on that tiny island. But even more than that, he thought that the knight in front of him was more beautiful than any of the glittering gems he’d ever stolen. ‘Pardon me, good knight,’ the pirate said back politely. ‘I’m just tired from traveling, and would like to rest here on your island. In the morning, I’ll be gone again.’

“Now the knight was shocked too. After all of the stories they had heard about this pirate being so awful, they couldn’t believe how friendly he was acting to them. Still, they didn’t let that distract them. The knight told the pirate, ‘you may rest here for the night. But in the morning, you must come with me back to my kingdom.’ And to the knight’s surprise, the pirate agreed. The two of them would set off across the ocean when the sun rose over the horizon.

“That night, the knight and the pirate laid on the beach together. The knight didn’t want the pirate to leave their sight, just in case he tried to escape. But for the entire night, the two of them just talked. The knight got to hear about all of the pirate’s exciting adventures all around the world, and the pirate heard about the knight’s life alone on the island, and for the first time in a long time, the knight was talking, and laughing, and smiling. They felt like they finally had a friend. But that was silly, because pirates are bad guys. And knights are good guys. They couldn’t be friends… could they?”

Ruby paused for a moment, seeing if Olivia would answer. To her delight, the young girl did speak up. “I think that, they should still be friends if they want to. Because the knight’s happy now.”

“Well, you’ll have to wait to hear how it ends,” Ruby chuckled, glad that Olivia was still on board with the story. “Now where was I… Oh, yes. So, the next morning, the two left the tiny island and sailed off for the kingdom far away. It was a long journey, and there were times when the seas would get rough. But no matter what happened, the two would look out for each other. During the mornings, the pirate would teach the knight about sailing his ship, and during the evenings, the knight would make the pirate a delicious meal. And every night, the two would sit under the stars and talk for hours. They would talk and talk and talk, and some nights they talked for so long that they would be too tired to go to their beds! So they would just fall asleep right there on the deck of the ship, lying next to each other.

“The two got to know each other very well during their long voyage, and once again the knight began to wonder why they had heard that the pirate was so mean and vicious. Sure, the pirate didn’t have the best manners, and he refused to bathe unless the knight begged him to, but he was always so kind and so cheerful, that he made the knight very happy when they were together. The knight wondered if anyone else had ever actually stopped to talk to the pirate, to hear his stories of adventure, to get to know him as a person like they had come to know him.

“But at last, after many days and nights of their long, long voyage together had passed, the two had reached the knight’s kingdom. But now, there was a problem. The knight knew that if they arrested the pirate and brought him to the king, they would never see the pirate again. This pirate, who was now their closest friend, would be lost to them forever. As the two pulled the ship into the dock on the shores of the kingdom, the knight came to the pirate, and they asked him a question.

“They said, ‘Pirate. We have been journeying for a long time now. We have braved the seas together during the days, and talked for long hours during the nights. Over this time, I have come to know you as a friend, a friend that I would be very sad to lose. I need to know, pirate. Do you feel the same way?’”

There was a brief moment of silence, leaving young Olivia in suspense. “What did the pirate say, mumma?”

Ruby smiled, “The pirate said, ‘Yes. I felt the same about you since the moment I saw you, dear knight. I sailed across the ocean to this kingdom with you, knowing what would happen when we made it here, because all of those days and nights spent together were all worth giving up my life of stealing. I want to stay with you no matter what, because I love you.’

“The knight was stunned. They had never heard anyone say that they loved them before, but here was this pirate, confessing his love for them just as they were about to hand him over to the king! The knight was nearly moved to tears as they replied, ‘Pirate, I want you to know that it means everything to me to hear you say those words. And over the days we’ve spent together, I have come to realize something of my own. I love you, too. And I don’t want this to be goodbye, but I don’t know what other choice I have.’

“There was a moment of silence between the two, before the pirate came up with an idea. He said to the knight, ‘Come with me, knight. Leave your kingdom behind, leave the island you were trapped on behind. Stay with me, on my ship, and we will sail the world together. Every day will be a new adventure, and every night, we can lie together under the stars. We can stay together, and most of all, you’ll be free.’ The pirate grabbed the knight’s hand tightly as he finished his proposal. ‘Please, dearest knight. Stay with me.’

“Well, the pirate didn’t need to wait long for an answer. The knight wrapped his arms around the pirate, and they said, ‘yes. Yes, of course I’ll stay with you! I’ll sail away with you no matter where you go. I’ll stay by your side, pirate.’ So, the two of them pushed the boat out from the dock, before anyone else knew who they were or why they were there.

“The knight knew that staying with the pirate would make them an outlaw too. It meant that they probably wouldn’t see anyone from their old kingdom ever again. But they didn’t care. It was worth giving up everything they had known to stay with the man they loved. So, the knight and the pirate sailed away, far away from the kingdom, far away from the island, to have countless adventures, and spend every night under the stars, together.”

Olivia rubbed her eyes, hardly able to keep them open, as she sleepily asked, “And did they live happily ever after?”

As Ruby reached forward to pull the covers back over Olivia, she caught sight of the golden band wrapped around her left hand’s ring finger, and for a moment she fought back the water welling in her eyes as she smiled and answered, “You know what, Livvie? I think that they did.” She kissed her daughter’s forehead gently. “I love you, chickadee. Sweet dreams.”

The young girl’s eyes were already closed, all of her worries now long forgotten as she contently mumbled, “I love you too, mumma.”

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There was nothing but darkness. There was nothing but silence. After so much light and spectacle, the emptiness that Dr. Robotnik found himself in was suffocating. He had achieved ultimate power, he had everything he’d ever desired. But just as quickly as he achieved it, he had lost everything. His power, his plans, his destiny, all snatched away by that accursed blue rodent. And now, here within the void, he didn’t even have his senses. He could only suppose that this was a punishment for his plethora of transgressions against the natural order of the universe. It seemed a bit much to him, though.

However, sometime within his eternity of nothing, when he thought that he was doomed to this reality for the rest of his days, suddenly, he sensed something. Even with his superior intellect, it was impossible for him to name exactly what he had sensed; only that it was… safe. It started at his forehead, hazy and unclear, and then, like a chemical reaction, more and more sensations cascaded throughout his body. He could hear, feel, smell and taste; the sound of a familiar melodic voice, the feeling of a warm and delicate touch, the scent of fragrant yet modest perfume, the taste of something metallic in his mouth. And as all of these senses were restored to him, he stirred and fought to banish the darkness, relieved to feel the light pouring in with the restoration of sight.

As he opened his eyes, although his vision was blurred for the moment, he quickly realized that he was staring up at a ceiling fan. He was laying atop something soft, and had a blanket draped atop him up to his shoulders, and from the smell of sweat and ash, he quickly gathered that he must still be wearing the coat he had on when he blacked out after being defeated by Sonic, extremely tattered and charred from the battle. Robotnik found it difficult to remain conscious, his feeble human body threatening to quit on him and return to the darkness which he had become so very unfond of, when he heard the lightest of noises, like a bell calling him back to reality.

“Ivo?”

He turned his head toward the source of the noise, and there sitting beside him was his right-hand-woman, his confidant, his savior, his beloved Ruby. Her silhouette was outlined by the light pouring in from the window behind her, giving her an ethereal glow as she gave him that smile that had eased his turmoiled heart so many times before.

“Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes,” he purred weakly, letting out a cough as his fully-alert brain realized how much pain his body was in. “And sore everything else, for that matter.”

He heard Ruby let out a light chuckle, followed by a choked sob, and she brought her hand up to cover her mouth as her eyes quickly became wet and glassy.

“Oh, thank God,” she muttered as she wiped a finger across her eye. “I was worried for a while that I might lose you again.”

“You always have been excessively emotional.” As cognitive function returned to him, Robotnik’s first instinct was to try to sit up straight, but Ruby quickly pushed him back down.

“Woah, woah, now wait a minute there, doctor. You just went through a lot. You nearly…” The word “died” caught on Ruby’s lips as all the fear and stress she had been feeling over the past few days came back to her, and she cleared her throat to try to regain her composure before continuing. “You have a lot of healing to do, so I need you to just take it easy for a while."

The doctor managed to cough out a strained “very well” as he slowly laid back down. As much as he wanted to stop wasting time and recompose a plan to destroy the hedgehog and return to his former glory, he couldn’t ignore the sensation that was now coursing through his fully-conscious body: pain. It felt as if every single one of the seven trillion nerves in his body were screaming in agony all at once, and he could feel every single bit of it. His devoted partner was right; this was absolutely no condition to be in whilst taking his revenge on that hedgehog. He wouldn’t even be able to enjoy the victory.

Ruby turned to the nightstand by the bed and grabbed a glass of water, waiting for Robotnik to steady himself up on his elbows before handing it to him. She watched him desperately guzzling down the cold water, finishing the glass in only a matter of seconds before letting out a satisfied sigh and wiping his arm across his mouth. “How long have I been incapacitated?” he asked in his usual commanding tone as he shoved the glass back to her.

“About four days now.” Ruby solemnly looked down into the empty glass with her brow furrowed. “You stirred every now and then, but in all honesty… I was terrified that you may not make it.”

“What a pity,” Robotnik groaned as he kept himself upright. “And here I’d always believed you had undying faith in me.” Before Ruby had a chance to rebut, he continued with a smirk, “I’m sure that your faith is restored, now that you’ve seen how I’m capable of defying death not once, but twice.”

Ruby let out a quiet huff, not able to chase away the slight grin forming on her lips. “That is true, I don't think any other human is capable of surviving what you have, doctor. But to be fair, you never would have survived this time if it weren’t for me bringing you back here and taking care of you.”

A wide smile, grateful yet tinged with malice and madness, spread across Robotnik’s face. “Yet another one of the many reasons I’ve kept you around over the years, my dear. Now,” he spoke with urgency, “although I am physically incapable of, well, anything, my mind is as sharp as ever! With you here to assist me, I have no doubt that I will be able to concoct and implement a new plan to destroy that hedgehog within the next month! So, I’ll need you to begin to rebuild-”

“No.” Ruby’s tone cut through the air and through Robotnik’s near-rambling like a laser; she needed to be heard.

The doctor turned his head to look her dead in the eyes as he lifted his chin slightly and sneered down at her- an intimidation tactic that had served him well many times in the past. “I’m sorry, I must have misheard you. Did you just tell me… ‘no’?”

Ruby sank back in her seat and looked down at the floor, anxious about continuing, but she just couldn’t allow this to go further; she couldn’t allow the man she loved to continue to destroy himself. She took a heavy breath and slammed the water glass she’d still been holding back down on the nightstand as she met Robotnik’s glare with a steely gaze of her own. They had been together for three years; it was time for them to have a conversation like equals.

“Doctor, I just can’t allow you to keep up this fruitless mission, for both your sake and my own. Twice now you’ve… you’ve almost d-died. I almost lost you twice. Please, you’ve already achieved so much, and there’s so much still that you can pursue elsewhere. I would be willing to follow you down any other path, but this revenge quest is just… I can’t allow it. I won’t allow it.”

There was a long pause as Robotnik continued to stare down Ruby, making her even more anxious about how he would respond. “My, my, Agent Ramirez, you have changed,” he growled in a quieter tone. “The agent I knew two-hundred and forty-nine days ago would have been willing to live and die-”

“Ivo, I am not an agent anymore!” Ruby suddenly shouted as she stood from her chair so quickly that it was pushed backwards, falling to the floor with a poignant thud. “The government took my job away, they took my home, they took everything from me! And do you know why that is? It’s because I wouldn’t stay quiet about you. They erased you from every possible record and we were ordered to act as if you’d never existed, but I stayed loyal to you. And when I was thrown out onto the streets, the first thing I did was exhaust my resources coming here, to Green Hills. And guess what?! Again, it was all for you.

“I had hoped that perhaps, if I could come here, the last place you’d been on Earth, I could find a way to bring you back. At first, I was even plotting my own revenge against Sonic, because I knew it’s what you would have wanted! And when you returned, and you extended your hand and once again asked me to join you, I could have said no! I could have kept this new, quiet life I’d developed. But I didn’t. I came with you, even though everything you’ve said and done since you’ve been back has been absolutely insane, because I wanted to be with you.” Tears welled up in Ruby’s eyes as she continued. “I needed to be with you to assure that I’d never lose you again. Every single choice I’ve made over the past two-hundred and forty-nine days have all been for you.

“But this is the one choice I need to make for myself. If you want to throw everything away to try and crush one measly blue space creature, then that’s your decision. But I won’t be there to save you next time.”

The room was deafeningly silent as Robotnik stared up at his partner, his bushy mustache drooping and eyebrows arched in utter shock. Ruby let out a heavy sigh, feeling her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to compose herself again. After everything she had done, to hear him try to call her disloyal nearly broke her heart. A few stray tears made their way down her cheeks, and she quickly turned away from him, distancing herself with a few steps to unsuccessfully hide her crying. She hated showing weakness in front of him, but she couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

Robotnik was still absorbing everything he'd just heard; he had never seen her so angry about anything before, and especially not with it directed at him. If anyone else had spoken to him like that, he would have most likely sicced one of his drones on them without a second thought. But Ruby was different. In all the years they’d spent together, starting as a worker and superior, but eventually becoming a couple, she was the only person that Robotnik had ever considered to be close to his equal. She was the only one who had a chance of matching his intellect, who he would ever let correct him, who had ever made him feel as if he didn’t regret being human. As he sat there in her own bed, with bandages on his beaten body that had been placed there by her, inside the home she had bought in a town she lived in only because there was a possibility being there would bring her back to him, it became immensely clear to the doctor that, perhaps, what he’d said to her was wrong. And as hard as he tried to suppress those pesky human emotions of his, watching her cry made his heart ache more than any other pain he was feeling.

He cleared his throat to get her attention and waited for her sobs to quiet down before speaking in a soft tone, “I will concede that perhaps I’ve been a bit hasty. After all, it will be much more gratifying to watch my own flawlessly designed plans be executed in person at peak robustness, and I’m sure it will be quite some time until the ‘heat dies down’, as they say.”

Ruby turned back around, her eyes wide and glassy as she sniffled ever so slightly. As the two locked eyes, Robotnik offered her a gentle smile; not evil, or unhinged, but a grin of genuine fondness as he outstretched a hand to her. “I’m sure there’s plenty of other things I can knock off the bucket list before trying world domination again. And I want you there to see it all, Ruby,” he said as he gave her the briefest of winks.

She let out an enamoured sigh, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes before gladly taking his hand, letting him pull her into the bed with him as they laid down together. Mindful of his sore injuries, she sidled up beside him and rested her head on his shoulder, sinking into his touch as he began to stroke his fingers over her scalp. “I missed you,” she whispered.