Chapter 50: The Phantom Menace

Scarlet crashed through some buildings as the civilians gasped in shock and horror. Scarlet's arm had been dislocated from its socket, her arm went limp as she cursed under her breath. "Mother fucker."

Ruby weaved and dodged around the area, leaving rose petals in her trail as she used her semblance. She held Crescent Rose tight, skidding on her feet as she came to a halt. "Where is it? I can't see it."

Scarlet groaned as she popped her arm back into place, the loud popping of her bone being put back into place echoed in the air. "I can't see it either" She scanned around carefully as she sniffed the air. "It's hiding its scent as well, this one seems different and smarter." Her crimson red eyes scanned the area more and more. 

Ruby nodded as she scanned around as well. "And it's being very quiet."

The demon in question that attacked them, well...it was a strange one. And how did it happen? Simple.

~~~

-Earlier that same day- 

"So uh..." Ruby spoke softly, holding the cold can of beer in her hands. "What's my niece like?"

Scarlet raised an eyebrow up, her gaze looking away from the window and over at Ruby. "You want to know what Marigold is like huh?" A sly grin played along her lips. "Well, I suppose I could tell you, but don't get any funny ideas, I don't plan on telling you how I was able to get Kurumi pregnant. That's for your own mind to figure out."

Ruby nodded lightly, the cold can nestled in-between her hands. Her finger playing with the pull tab, she was nervous. She felt butterflies in her belly, her finger continued to play with the pull tab, until the crisp sound of the can being opened filled the room.

Scarlet chuckled as she saw a faint blush on Ruby's face. "Well, she's a kind sweet girl, she isn't anything like me. Well, minus her being part Grimm and part spirit."

Ruby took a small sip from the beer can. She listened to what Scarlet was saying, it puzzled her. How could a child, no...the daughter of her clone..her own niece, be two no three different things? A Grimm, a spirit, and human.

"Wait, hold on...how can she be three things at once?" Ruby asked.

Scarlet laughed softly. "Spirits were humans once, so no she really isn't three things." With the towel still wrapped around her body, Scarlet leaned back in the chair. "But, she's still a sweet girl."

Ruby seemed to digest this information slowly. "What about her appearance?"

"Curious are we? Very well." Scarlet spoke as she crossed her arms again over her ample bosom. "She has crimson red eyes, like yours truly. But, they're not like mine. Blonde twin tails, which makes you wonder sometimes where the blonde came from."

Ruby chuckled a little. "So, she's like a mini version of Yang?"

"Don't compare her to Yang." Scarlet spoke with a cold tone, her eyes glaring at Ruby. 

Ruby gave out a nervous laugh. "What else can you tell me about her? Anything else you want to share?"

Scarlet closed her eyes for a moment as she pondered, the sound of knocking at the door was heard. Ruby got up from the bed and placed the beer can down, she went to the door and looked out the peephole. "Huh...some redheaded woman."

Scarlet opened her eyes and sighed. "Let her in."

Ruby confused shrugged her shoulders as she unlocked the door and stepped aside, Makima walked into the room, her arms behind her back as she scanned around the room. "So, you picked a room with a view I see." Her gaze turned to look at Ruby and then back to Scarlet. 

"What do you want?" Scarlet asked, looking at Makima.

Makima stood there silently as she noticed Ruby's can of beer on the night stand, she walked over and grabbed it. "What I want? There's been a new devil that made itself known. On the far side of the city."

"Another one?" Ruby asked. "We took care of two already..."

Makima swirled the beer in the can, acting like she didn't hear Ruby speaking. "I want you to go take care of it."

"Sure, sure. Let me just go walking around in the nude." Scarlet spoke with a sarcastic tone. 

Makima chuckled, her eyes turned to look at Scarlet, eyeing her up and down for a moment. "You'll find it very soothing. But, I can tell you didn't check the closet."

Both Ruby and Scarlet raised an eyebrow, Ruby walked over to the closet as she opened it up. Inside was suits. "Suits? But where's the fun in wearing these?"

"Ruby, shut it." Scarlet spoke. "So you want me to take care of this newer devil? Why not have your people do it? Denji might be able to do it."

Makima's smile faltered. "Denji is busy with another assignment."

Scarlet sighed as she got up from the chair. "Fine, Ruby. Toss me a suit, you put one on as well." She looked at Makima as she watched her turn and leave the room. "No other details on what we're supposed to be looking for?"

Makima stopped as she smirked. "Nope, I just know I'm right...you'll be my dog, kneeling before me. After today is over that is."

~~~

Ruby glanced around as she kept her guard up. "I don't see it anywhere. It's like Makima knew this thing would be tough from the start."

"Tough for us, and other hunters. But not tough for her, she has her own ways of dealing with problems like this." Scarlet spoke as she got kicked through the roof. She gasped and spat up blood as she hurled through the air and landed with a thud on a car, the alarm blared as the roof caved inwards. "Ow, fuck...again with the cars?" She steadied herself up and popped her back. "You want to play dirty huh? I'll show you dirty."

Ruby kept her guard up, her silver eyes scanning around still. She noticed something that Scarlet hadn't, the way the floor creaks under weight and pressure. She glanced over to the kitchen behind her, the head-chef who was standing there, terrified. Holding a butcher knife and frying pan. Ruby's eyes scanned the kitchen as she grins. "Excuse me sir, can I borrow that hose you have attached to the deep fryer?"

The chef, shaken in fear. Didn't seem to acknowledge what Ruby had said, Ruby however let out a frustrated groan and speeds into the kitchen and grabbed the hose. She then grabbed a cooking pot, that was empty. Putting the hose into the pot, and began filling it with the oil from the fryer. Once it was full, Ruby carefully picked it up and carried it over to where the floor was creaking. "Please let this work." 

Scarlet who had just jumped up onto a nearby building. Saw what Ruby was doing, she didn't know exactly what she had planned, either way it was something new. Then she saw it, the way the rubble from the gaping hole cracked under weight and pressure. This demon, it was invisible. But she couldn't pick its scent up, which was weird.

Ruby noticed as well, but she flung the hot fryer oil at the spot, the oil splashed onto the devil as it shirked in pain. Scarlet smirked, she glanced down as she grabbed a brick. Tossing it towards the spot, the brick hit the devil, Ruby who tossed the pot aside. Swung Crescent Rose, the blade of the scythe slicing into the devil, until everyone within the area saw blood spray. 

"You gotta be fucking kidding me, that devil was weak." Scarlet groaned and face palmed. "How is that classified as an S rank threat?" She jumped over towards the building Ruby was in as she landed nearby and kicked the dead body. It fell out of the hole and landed on the street below with a thud. "Fucking hell, that was it?"

"Come on, even Grimm are stronger than that." Ruby said with a sigh. "So....now what?"

"Beats me." Scarlet spoke, as she adjusted her tie around her neck. "I'll be glad when our normal clothes are cleaned." She sat down in one of the chairs and leaned back, kicking her feet up onto the table.

~~~

Later that night at the hotel room, Scarlet was munching away and gulping down a tray of raw meats. Ruby laughed nervously as she just ate her own food, the TV was on as it was displaying the news and recent event.

"So, what's your deal with Makima?" Ruby asked with a curious tone.

Scarlet swallowed the last bit of food and had a quick drink from her beer can. "The deal? Pfft, she's a dominant mother fucker, using others like dogs. But she's also got info on where Queen is at."

"What if she's lying? You may end up in another world, kinda like how the team and I had." Ruby spoke remembering her own. "Of course, it was all just a build up to a huge war.."

Scarlet stood up and took her tie off from her neck and tossed it down. "If she's lying...I'll just have to consume her."

Ruby gave another nervous laugh. "Your hunger...doesn't know no bounds..." 

Scarlet shrugged. "What do you expect from a Grimm?" She walked over to the bathroom and headed inside, looking at herself in the mirror. She reached for a pair of contacts, putting them into her eyes. "Hey, I'm going to step out for a bit..." 

Ruby stopped eating, she glanced over at the bathroom for a moment before swallowing what was in her mouth. "For what?"

The Grimm girl glanced over to Ruby and then stepped out of the bathroom. "Does it matter? I don't need you up my ass." It was becoming clear, Scarlet was starting to get a snappy attitude. 

"Alright, alright. No need to bite my head off." Ruby said putting her hands up innocently. "Something crawled up your ass and never came out.."

Scarlet scoffed as she walked out of the hotel room, closing the door behind her. Her nose twitched as she picked up the scent of Makima. She followed the smell and headed to the elevator.

Once inside the elevator, Scarlet noticed Makima standing there. Her arms behind her back, a sly smile playing at her lips. "So...are you really going to ditch her and leave her behind? So much for sisterly love."

"Tch, don't talk like that." Scarlet spoke with a glare in her eyes. "Take me to where Denji is, we have a score to settle. And then, I'll deal with you myself."

Makima smirked as she stepped aside, allowing Scarlet to enter the elevator with her. The elevator doors closed, Ruby on the other hand. Scanned the hotel room, the quiet atmosphere filled with the sound of the TV, she noticed that Scarlet had taken Black Rose with her. Her eyes scanned around more, her eyes fell upon her belt and the pouch attached to it, it was opened and the dust that was inside it was gone. Ruby's eyes widened, she dashed over to her belt and looked inside it, every single bit of dust she had was gone.

"No, No....No! Don't tell me!" Ruby cried as she went to the door and opened it, dashing down the hall with her semblance. She skidded to a halt as she saw the elevator in use. "No!" She went over to the shut doors and pounded her fists against it. "Scarlet! Don't you dare leave me here!"

The air fell silent, the muffled rumbling and ding of the elevator in the lobby was barely heard, but it was faint. Ruby's silver eyes jerked towards the window as she dashed over to it. She saw Scarlet and Makima getting into a black car, she pounded on the window. "NO! You can't leave! SCARLET!" 

The car drove off leaving Ruby behind, the huntress fell to her knees. "Why....Why does everyone leave me?" The sound of the second elevator coming up filled Ruby's ears. She looked up as the doors opened, the manager of the hotel looked down at Ruby not saying a word. They handed her an envelope, they then walked off.

Ruby cautious, slowly held the envelope and slowly stood up. She opened it up and slowly walked down the hall back to the hotel room, she shut the door behind her. Her fingers slipped into the envelope and pulled out a picture. "What is...." She was silent for a moment as a note fell from the picture, she knelt down and picked up the note, she eyed the picture for a moment and then opened the note.

Ruby's eyes scanned the note and reads it. "Ruby, this picture. It's a picture of your niece Marigold, You asked me what else I can tell you about her? I don't know how to put it into words or how to explain it, but if you wish to keep the picture so be it. I'm leaving you behind for reasons, I can't have you tagging along with me 24/7, you have to find your own way back to Remnant. Remnant isn't my home anymore, I have my own home in Tengu City. But I have a lot to take care of by myself.. Yes I know, you would try to come up with the most insane plan to help, but you just can't. This is my choice..but...maybe....I'll let you come visit Marigold in Tengu City, just don't tell Yang." 

Ruby paused, her eyes watered as tears went down her face. "You jackass...." She folded the paper and put it back into the envelope. She then eyed the picture of Marigold. "She really is a cute kid...good job Scarlet...."