Chapter 17 Stories

Ruby Rose was not stupid.

She knew what people thought of her. She heard the whispers, saw the exasperated looks when she got too excited, too loud, too eager about weapons and combat. She knew the names people called her—childish, dork, immature, naive.

And maybe some of that was true.

But stupid? No.

Because Ruby Rose understood things. She understood how a sniper rifle could be perfectly balanced with just the right weight distribution, how a blade could transition between forms without losing structural integrity. She understood how to take apart and rebuild a mecha-shift weapon with her eyes closed. And most importantly, she understood her two best friends.

Which was why, as she walked back from her locker, her fingers absently toying with one of Crescent Rose's spare parts, she knew something was wrong with Lewis and Edward.

They thought they were being subtle. They always did. But she could see it—the small glances, the way Edward was just a little tenser than usual, how Lewis's smirk didn't quite reach his eyes.

Something was going on.

Ruby frowned, gripping the cold metal in her hand. She hated this feeling—the feeling of being left out, of knowing her friends were keeping secrets from her. She understood why they might, of course. Lewis and Edward always acted like they had to shoulder the weight of the world. But she wasn't some fragile doll they needed to protect.

Not again.

Not this time.

She spotted them just outside their next class, standing close, talking in hushed tones. Edward looked serious—well, more serious than usual—and Lewis had that guarded look he always got when he was pretending nothing was wrong.

Ruby took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and marched straight up to them.

"Alright, spill," she said, crossing her arms demanding an answer.

Lewis blinked. "Spill what?" trying and failing to act confused as though not secretly hiding something.

"You know what." Ruby demanded clearly seeing through the act.

Edward sighed. "Ruby—"

"Nope," she cut him off, narrowing her silver eyes. "No deflections, no 'it's nothing,' no 'you don't have to worry about it.' I'm sick of being left out, you're my best friends and… I-I'm worried okay."

Lewis and Edward exchanged a glance unsure who to speak first and what to say. "Ruby—"

"I mean it," she said, her voice firm even if her eyes were tearing a bit. "I don't know what's going on, but I know it has to do with me. A-A-And, I can tell it worries you."

Lewis hesitated. For just a moment, something flickered across his face—something like pain, or regret. Then, with a sigh, he ran a hand through his white hair and gave her a small, lopsided grin. "You really don't let things go, do you?"

"Nope."

Edward crossed his arms. "She's not going to drop this." He said to Lewis allowing him to choose what to do.

Lewis let out a slow breath, then finally met her gaze. "It's... complicated."

Ruby arched an eyebrow. "I can handle complicated things." Still not giving up.

Another pause. Then, finally, Lewis nodded. "Alright," he said softly. "Then let's talk but not here."

And just like that, Ruby knew everything was about to change.

The three of them didn't go to class.

Ruby didn't even have to suggest it—Edward and Lewis exchanged a silent look, and then Lewis simply jerked his head toward the airship dock. No words were needed between the two. She followed them without question, her heart pounding harder than it should have.

Something big was going to be revealed. She could feel it.

They walked in silence, the morning breeze cool against Ruby's skin as they slipped away from the main building. The dock was mostly empty this time of day, save for a few maintenance workers who barely spared them a glance. They stopped near the edge, where the vast sky stretched endlessly before them, clouds drifting lazily over the shimmering blue ocean in the distance.

Lewis leaned against the railing, staring out at the horizon. Edward stood beside him, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Ruby stayed back a step, watching them both.

"Well?" she prompted, breaking the silence as she really wanted answers. "I'm waiting."

Lewis inhaled slowly, then exhaled. When he finally turned to face her, the grin was gone.

"Ruby," he said carefully. "What I'm about to tell you is going to sound… impossible. Maybe even crazy."

Ruby snorted. "Lewis, I build weapons that transform into guns. Crazy is kind of my whole thing."

Lewis didn't smile. Neither did Edward. That's when Ruby's stomach started twisting with unease.

Edward was the first to speak, deciding to just rip off the bandage. "We're not from here."

Ruby frowned. "Huh?"

"We're not from this world," Lewis clarified. "Not originally."

Silence.

For a second, Ruby thought they were joking. But they weren't laughing. They weren't smirking or waiting for her reaction. They were dead serious.

Ruby's mind scrambled to process what she had just heard. "You're… not from Remnant?" she asked hesitantly.

Edward nodded his head. Ruby let out a short, nervous laugh. "Oookay. Sure. Let's say I believe you. What does that even mean? You're from, what, another dimension?"

"Something like that," Lewis admitted. "It's complicated. We woke up in this world, in these bodies, with lives that weren't originally ours."

That part hit Ruby like a punch to the gut. "These bodies?" she echoed. "Wait—are you saying you're not actually… you?"

Lewis hesitated. Then, with a slow nod, he confirmed it.

"Yeah," he murmured. "I'm not actually Lewis Ironsmyth. And Edward isn't Edward."

The words sank deep, tangling in Ruby's thoughts like a thorny vine.

She opened her mouth, then closed it. She had a thousand questions, a thousand doubts, but the way they looked at her—so damn serious—made her hesitate.

Ruby crossed her arms. "And I'm just supposed to believe that?"

Edward exhaled, rubbing his forehead. "We knew this would be hard for you to accept."

"Hard to accept?!" Ruby threw her hands in the air. "You're telling me my two best friends aren't even real?! That I don't actually know you?!" Small tears started falling at this point as ruby tried to stop the tears

"No," Lewis said quickly, his voice firm though slightly panicked. "That's not true. We are your friends, Ruby. That hasn't changed."

Ruby shook her head. "But you just said—"

"I know," Lewis cut in, his expression pained. "But listen to me. I meant what I said. You do know us. Everything we've been through together, everything we've done—it's real."

Edward nodded. "We aren't lying about that after all I've been in this body long before we even first met ruby so what you know about me is mostly true and the same is true for Lewis though he's only been here just before you first met him."

Ruby stared at them. She wanted to argue. She wanted to call them liars, to say this was ridiculous, that people didn't just wake up in other people's bodies.

And yet… The way Lewis looked at her. The way Edward never looked uncertain, but right now, he did as though he's unsure what might happen next.

They weren't lying.

She swallowed hard. "Then… who were you? Before all of this?"

Lewis inhaled sharply, then met her gaze. "I was someone who failed someone just like you she..." his eyes started tearing up with Edward patting him on the shoulder, his eyes filled with guilt.

Sniffing Lewis continues "I-I failed to save m-my daughter w-who shares your name."

Ruby's breath caught she wasn't expecting that.

The way he said it. The weight in his voice. The look in his eyes—like he had already lost her before, like he was terrified it would happen again.

"Lewis…" she whispered.

"I know it's a lot," Lewis said softly after calming down. "I know you probably don't believe me. But Ruby, I swear to you, all I've ever wanted was to protect you."

Ruby's heart pounded painfully in her chest. Everything was starting to make sense now.

The way Lewis was always watching her, always hovering just a little too close. The way he hated when people dismissed her, when they called her weak. The way he looked at her sometimes—like she was everything.

Like he had already lost her once before.

Ruby exhaled shakily, looking between them. "I don't… I don't know what to say."

Edward, quiet as ever, finally spoke.

"Then don't say anything," he said simply. "Just… let it sink in and try to process everything."

Ruby pressed a hand to her chest, where her heart was still racing.

This changed everything.

But at the same time…

She wasn't sure if anything had changed at all.

Because Lewis and Edward were still them.

They were still her best friends.

And no matter where they came from, no matter who they used to be…

That wasn't going to change.

Ruby didn't remember how long they stood there, the wind pulling at her cloak, the sky stretching endlessly before them.

Her mind was still spinning, trying to grasp everything Lewis and Edward had just told her.

They weren't from this world.

They weren't even originally them.

And Lewis… he had lost her before.

That thought hit the hardest.

She looked at Lewis from the corner of her eye. He was leaning against the railing again, watching the horizon with that familiar far-off look—the same one he always got when he thought no one was paying attention. A look full of regret.

And suddenly, so many little things about him made sense.

The way he sometimes looked at her like she was already slipping through his fingers. The way his teasing could turn sharp in an instant if someone doubted her. The way he threw himself into fights without hesitation, as if the idea of failing terrified him more than death itself.

Ruby pressed a hand to her chest. How did she even respond to something like this? Isn't this technically a confession? She eventually shook that thought away and concentrated on what's important.

She wanted to be mad. She should be mad. They had kept something this huge from her for so long.

But they had told her now.

And… despite everything, they were still them. Edward, always steady, always watching, always keeping both of them grounded and as though he has a plan for everything. Lewis, always acting like a cocky idiot, but never once letting her face a fight alone as though he's a loyal guard dog.

They had never lied to her, not really. The feelings had always been real. The friendship had always been real. That meant something.

Finally, Ruby took a deep breath and turned to face them fully.

"…Okay," she said. Lewis however blinked and was clearly caught off guard. "Okay?"

She nodded. "I don't get it. Not all of it, at least. But…" She paused, searching for the right words. "I know you guys. And if you say this is the truth, then I believe you."

Lewis and Edward exchanged a glance—one of surprise, but also… relief.

Edward exhaled, nodding slightly. "Thank you." Lewis, for once, had no snarky remark. He just smiled—small, but real as though thanking god.

Ruby crossed her arms, tilting her head. "Buuut if you ever keep something this big from me again, I will whack you both with Crescent Rose. Just so we're clear."

Lewis snorted. "Duly noted." A comfortable silence settled between them. Ruby stared at the sky again, her heart still racing.

This wasn't the end of the conversation. She still had a million questions.

But for now…

For now, this was enough.

For now, they were still together.

And that was all that mattered.

The next day, things felt… different.

Not in a bad way. But every time Ruby glanced at Lewis or Edward, she felt aware of them in a way she hadn't before. Aware of the weight they carried, of the past they refused to let it repeat.

And they were aware of her, too.

It was subtle, but she noticed it—the way Edward's eyes lingered on her just a second longer than usual, the way Lewis stood just a little closer when they walked through the halls.

She didn't hate it.

But she also didn't have time to dwell on it.

Because as soon as she stepped outside after class, she found herself face-to-face with someone she really didn't want to deal with.

Eliza.

The older girl stood in the courtyard, arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips. Behind her were two of her usual lackeys, both of whom Ruby had never bothered to learn the names of.

"Rose," Eliza drawled, her eyes glinting. "You've been awfully bold lately."

Ruby barely held back a groan. Not this again. "Eliza," she greeted flatly. "What do you want?"

Eliza's smirk widened. "Oh, just to check in. I wanted to see if you're still feeling brave after that little outburst the other day."

Ruby's fingers twitched. She hadn't forgotten the confrontation. The way she had stood up for herself, the way Lewis and Edward had backed her up.

She was brave.

And she wasn't going to back down now.

Ruby met Eliza's gaze without flinching. "I said what I meant. I'm done letting people like you walk all over me."

Eliza chuckled. "People like me?" She stepped closer, voice dropping to a whisper. "Ruby, you and I both know you're just a kid playing pretend."

Ruby's jaw clenched.

"I mean, come on," Eliza continued, circling her like a predator. "You're small, you're reckless, and no matter how hard you try, people will always see you as a fragile little girl."

Ruby's grip on Crescent Rose tightened.

Eliza leaned in. "Face it. You don't belong here."

The words stung more than they should have.

Because deep down, Ruby had wondered that before.

But then—

A hand landed on her shoulder.

She didn't even have to look to know who it was.

Lewis.

And on her other side—Edward.

They flanked her like a wall, like an unshakable force.

Lewis's smirk was sharp. "That's funny," he drawled. "Because last I checked, Ruby doesn't need your permission to be here."

Edward's voice was calm, but firm. "And if you think otherwise then let me ask when the last time you looked in a mirror since all I see is a disappointment."

Eliza's smirk faltered just slightly. She took a step back, eyes flicking between the two of them even though there was a slight blush probably from anger… Probably.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

Then Eliza scoffed. "Tch. Whatever." She turned on her heel, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Have fun with your little fan club, Rose. Just don't get in my way."

She strode off, her lackeys hurrying after her.

Ruby let out a slow breath. She hadn't even realized she was holding it.

Lewis nudged her. "You okay?"

She glanced at them—her best friends, her protectors, the people who had chosen to stand beside her no matter what.

Ruby smiled.

"Yeah," she said. "I think I am."

Even though there was still that little voice in her head with the words fragile little girl on constant repeat.

The three of them walked through the halls of Signal, the confrontation with Eliza still lingering in the back of their minds. Ruby had already shaken it off—Eliza had been a thorn in her side for a while now, and she had long since learned not to let the older girl get under her skin or so she wished.

Lewis, on the other hand, seemed oddly amused by the whole thing. "You know, I don't get it," he said, hands in his pockets as he walked. "Eliza's been on your case since we got here, but why?" He glanced at Ruby. "What's her deal with you?"

Ruby shrugged. "She just doesn't like me."

Edward frowned. "That's not really an answer."

"Well, it's the truth," Ruby sighed. "I don't know why she hates me so much. Ever since I got into Signal, she's been like this."

Edward crossed his arms. "That doesn't explain anything. Did you do something to make her mad? Beat her in a fight? Outsmart her in class?"

"…No?" Ruby tilted her head, genuinely thinking about it. "I mean, I did score higher than her on that engineering exam last semester, but that can't be the reason—"

Lewis burst out laughing. "Oh, that's exactly the reason."

Edward hummed in agreement. "She does seem the type to hold a grudge over something like that."

Ruby blinked. "Wait. You really think she hates me because I did better on a test?"

Lewis shrugged. "People get mad over way smaller things."

Edward nodded. "She might also see you as competition. You're younger, but you're proving yourself just as capable as the older students. That could make her feel… threatened."

Ruby blinked again, then groaned, rubbing her temples. "Seriously? That's why she's been on my case this whole time? Because I'm smart?"

Lewis grinned. "It's a real tragedy."

Ruby huffed but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "Well, that's dumb."

Edward smirked. "Yes. Yes, it is."

As they continued walking, the conversation shifted, but Ruby couldn't shake the feeling that Eliza wasn't done causing trouble.

The weeks at Signal blurred together in a steady rhythm of training, classes, and quiet moments in between.

Combat training grew more intense, and Ruby found herself improving faster than she had expected. Edward was a natural strategist, always analyzing their sparring matches with a critical eye. Lewis, despite his cocky attitude, fought like someone who had years of experience beyond his age.

And then there was Ruby.

She wasn't the strongest, and she wasn't the fastest—but she was clever. She adapted. And she learned.

Before she knew it, weeks had turned into months.

The leaves outside the academy shifted from bright greens to warm oranges and deep reds. The air grew colder, the days shorter.

Winter was approaching.

And as Ruby stared out the window of the airship one morning, watching Patch shrink below them, a question popped into her head.

"…So," she started, turning to Lewis and Edward. "What's your world like?"

Both of them froze.

Lewis had been mid-yawn, stretching his arms behind his head, while Edward had been flipping through his notes. At her words, both of them paused—just for a second.

Then Lewis chuckled, leaning forward. "What, suddenly curious?"

Ruby shrugged. "I mean… yeah." She looked between them. "You guys know about my world. You've seen it, lived in it. But I don't know anything about where you come from."

Edward and Lewis exchanged a glance.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Edward closed his notebook and sighed. "It's… different."

Lewis snorted. "That's an understatement."

Ruby perked up. "Different how?"

Lewis leaned back in his seat, resting his hands behind his head. "Well, for one thing, no Grimm."

Ruby's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

Edward nodded. "No Grimm. No Huntsmen. No Aura."

Ruby's brain short-circuited for a second. "Then—how do people fight?"

Lewis grinned. "They don't, mostly."

Ruby gawked at him. "But—but what about the creatures of darkness? The monsters? The things that try to kill you?"

Edward gave her a small, amused smile. "Those don't exist there."

Ruby's mind reeled. A world with no Grimm. No endless war against creatures of destruction. No need for Huntsmen to protect people.

She had never even considered that was possible.

Lewis nudged her. "I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. We had our own problems."

Edward nodded. "Many of them."

Ruby tilted her head. "Like what?"

Lewis hesitated, his smirk faltering just slightly.

Edward glanced at him before answering. "War. Corruption. People hurting each other for reasons that had nothing to do with survival."

Ruby's excitement dimmed a little.

Right.

Just because their world didn't have Grimm didn't mean it had been peaceful.

She glanced at Lewis, whose gaze had turned distant again.

Edward's voice was quieter when he spoke again. "It wasn't perfect. But… it was home."

Ruby studied them both, the weight of their words settling over her.

She didn't push for more.

Instead, she smiled softly. "Sounds like a strange place."

Lewis let out a breath, then smirked again. "You have no idea."

Ruby grinned. "Well, you guys are here now. So I guess that means you're stuck with me."

Edward huffed a quiet laugh. "We wouldn't have it any other way."

Ruby's mind buzzed with curiosity. A world with no Grimm? No Huntsmen? That alone was hard enough to wrap her head around. But if they didn't have those things, then…

"What about fairy tales?" she blurted out suddenly.

Lewis blinked. "Huh?"

"You know—stories! Fairy tales, legends, myths—stuff like The Tale of the Two Brothers or The Silver-Eyed Warriors?" She leaned forward, silver eyes sparkling with excitement. "What kind of stories did your world have?"

Edward tilted his head, considering the question. "We had plenty. Some were just old legends, others had deeper meanings—warnings, lessons."

Ruby practically vibrated with excitement. "Tell me one!"

Lewis chuckled. "Geez, you really are a kid at heart."

Ruby pouted. "Hey! Stories are important! They help inspire people, and sometimes they have a hint of truth in them! Besides, you guys got dumped into a world that was just a story for you, so clearly fairy tales are worth something."

Edward nodded thoughtfully. "She has a point."

Lewis sighed, rolling his eyes. "Fine, fine. Lemme think…"

He drummed his fingers on the armrest, then smirked. "Alright. Here's one for you. Ever heard of King Arthur?"

Ruby shook her head, eyes wide with anticipation.

"Well, he's from an old legend—one of the most famous in our world. A young guy, just a normal kid, who pulled a legendary sword from a stone, proving he was the true king of the land."

Ruby gasped. "A sword in a stone?"

Lewis grinned. "Yep. Only the rightful king could pull it out. Everyone else who tried? Nothing."

Ruby bounced slightly in her seat. "That's so cool! What happened next?"

Edward took over, his voice calm and steady. "Arthur became a great ruler. He gathered noble knights, formed a powerful kingdom, and sought to bring peace and justice to the land."

Ruby's eyes sparkled. "So he was like a Huntsman! A hero!"

Lewis hesitated. "…Yeah. At least, at first."

That made Ruby pause. "Wait—what do you mean at first?"

Edward sighed. "The story doesn't have a happy ending."

Ruby deflated slightly. "Oh."

"Arthur was betrayed," Edward continued. "By people he trusted. His closest friend, his wife—depending on the version, different people played a role in his downfall. In the end, his kingdom crumbled, and he was mortally wounded in his final battle."

Ruby's heart sank. "That's… awful."

Lewis leaned forward, smirking slightly. "But here's the interesting part—some stories say Arthur didn't die. They say he was taken to a mystical place, and that one day, when the world truly needs him, he'll return."

Ruby's breath hitched. "Like a sleeping warrior?"

"Something like that," Edward agreed.

Ruby sat back, processing the tale. It was so different from the stories she grew up with. There were no Grimm, no silver-eyed warriors, no Maidens—but it still felt… familiar.

She glanced at Lewis and Edward, realizing that they were kind of like Arthur in a way. Pulled from one world into another, forced into a story they hadn't expected.

Maybe they weren't kings or knights, but they were fighting for something.

And somehow, that made Ruby smile.

"Okay, okay," she said, still brimming with excitement. "What else? You guys have to have more cool stories."

Lewis groaned dramatically. "You're gonna make me talk the whole flight, aren't you?"

Ruby grinned. "Duh."

Edward simply shook his head, but there was a faint smile on his lips. "Alright. Let's see… Have you ever heard of Robin Hood?"

And just like that, the rest of the flight was filled with stories of heroes, villains, and legends from a world Ruby would never see—but one that, somehow, felt just as magical as her own.

The hum of the airship filled the space around them, but Ruby barely noticed. She was completely engrossed, hanging onto every word as Edward and Lewis unraveled stories from a world so different from her own.

Lewis had already told her about King Arthur and his legendary sword, and Edward had followed up with Robin Hood—a rogue hero who stole from the rich and gave to the poor, outsmarting those in power with skill and clever tricks.

Ruby had loved that one.

But now, she wanted more.

Edward rested his chin on his hand, thinking. "Well… if you want something really classic, there's Little Red Riding Hood."

Ruby perked up immediately. "Ooh! That one sounds promising! Is it about a brave warrior who wears red and hunts down monsters?"

Lewis snorted. "Not exactly."

Edward smirked. "It's an old story, meant to warn kids about danger. It goes like this—there was a little girl who always wore a red hooded cloak. One day, she was sent to deliver food to her sick grandmother, but on the way through the forest, she met a wolf."

Ruby gasped dramatically. "Oh no! What happened next?"

"The wolf tricked her into telling him where her grandmother lived. He got there first, ate the grandmother—"

"WHAT?!" Ruby nearly jumped out of her seat. "That's horrible! The poor grandma!"

Lewis chuckled. "Yeah, old stories were brutal."

Edward continued, undeterred. "The wolf disguised himself as the grandmother, waiting for Red to arrive. When she got there, she noticed something was off. 'Grandmother,' she said, 'what big eyes you have!' And the wolf answered, 'The better to see you with, my dear.'"

Ruby's eyes widened, fully immersed in the tale.

"Then she said, 'Grandmother, what big ears you have!' And the wolf replied, 'The better to hear you with, my dear.'"

Ruby nodded along, already seeing where this was going.

"Finally, she said, 'Grandmother, what big teeth you have!' And the wolf grinned and said—"

"The better to EAT YOU WITH!" Lewis cut in, baring his teeth dramatically.

Ruby let out a squeak, half laughing, half startled. "Aah! That's so creepy!"

Edward smirked. "And then the wolf ate her."

Ruby gawked at him. "WHAT?! How is this a kids' story? That's so dark!"

Lewis laughed. "Told you. Old fairy tales didn't mess around."

Ruby huffed, crossing her arms. "That's such a terrible ending! She just dies? No last-minute rescue? No cool fight?"

Edward gave her an amused look. "Some versions say a hunter showed up, cut the wolf open, and saved Red and her grandmother."

Ruby relaxed. "Oh, thank goodness."

Lewis smirked. "Other versions? Red just gets eaten."

Ruby groaned. "Ugh, that's awful! You guys had some seriously messed-up fairy tales."

Edward chuckled. "There's more where that came from. Ever heard of Hansel and Gretel?"

Ruby tilted her head. "No, but it sounds kinda nice!"

Lewis smirked. "Oh, it's not."

Edward nodded. "Two kids get abandoned in the woods and find a house made of candy. But inside is an old witch who wants to eat them."

Ruby's jaw dropped. "WHY ARE ALL YOUR STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING EATEN?!"

Lewis burst out laughing.

Edward, ever the storyteller, continued, "The witch locks Hansel in a cage to fatten him up. But Gretel outsmarts her and pushes her into the oven instead."

Ruby leaned forward, gripping her seat. "Ooooh! So Gretel's the hero? That's cool!"

Edward nodded. "In a way, yeah. She and Hansel escape, and depending on the version, they either find their way home, or they outwit more dangers along the way."

Ruby beamed. "Okay, that one's way better than Red Riding Hood. I like Gretel—she sounds smart!"

Lewis shook his head. "I still can't believe you're getting this excited over old fairy tales."

Ruby pouted. "Hey! Stories are important! They teach lessons, inspire people! I mean, I grew up hearing about heroes like the Huntsman from The Tale of the Two Brothers, or the Silver-Eyed Warriors!"

Edward tilted his head. "That is interesting. You actually grew up believing those stories were real."

Ruby nodded. "Yeah! And I mean, a lot of them are real, in a way. Like the Maidens! Most people think that's just a legend, but it's true!"

Lewis leaned back, smirking. "Makes you wonder, huh?"

Ruby blinked. "Wonder about what?"

Lewis shrugged. "If your fairy tales turned out to be real… who's to say some of ours aren't?"

That thought made Ruby pause.

It was true—her whole world had been shaped by myths and legends that turned out to have real history behind them. Could the same be said for Lewis and Edward's world? Did their King Arthur, their Robin Hood, their Little Red Riding Hood have some basis in reality?

She shivered slightly. I really hope the whole "people getting eaten" thing isn't real.

Edward checked the time. "We're landing soon."

Ruby sighed, stretching her arms. "Aww, man. I wanted to hear more stories."

Lewis chuckled. "Don't worry, Red. We've got plenty more where that came from."

Ruby grinned. "Good! 'Cause I want to hear all of them."

Edward smirked. "Then you'd better be ready for Cinderella."

Ruby tilted her head. "Oh! That one actually does sound nice! It's not about someone getting eaten, right?"

Lewis and Edward exchanged a glance.

Ruby groaned. "Oh come on."

The airship descended, their laughter filling the space as they prepared to step back into their world—a world shaped by different stories, different legends, and a future still waiting to be written.

In the air ship there was an old man that listened to all this and thought how even the younger generation are starting to go crazy. For example, the two boys are impatiently from another world and those nightmare stories are important for kids 'yeah right god I really do need to retire soon… Maybe a dust shop?'