Miracle

Ruby fidgeted with the hem of her cloak as the teachers rolled the weapon-filled cart out. She’d been looking forward to this day for the past few years ever since she’d seen her Uncle Qrow in action. She’d seen Yang practice plenty over the past several years, so she’d done the same in secret. Plus, she remembered the moves Qrow had used while fending off the Beowulf. They’d been hard to replicate, but she’d at least gotten a feel for them. She knew it’d be a long time until she mastered them, but hopefully this day would put her one step closer. She absently fiddled with her cloak as she watched, waiting to be called up. After about three matches, she blew at her bangs. The sparring matches amounted to little more than the other kids flailing wooden weapons at each other. She shouldn’t have expected any better since it was their first combat class, but it didn’t make it any less frustrating to watch. “Rose, Ruby.” With an excited squeak, she ran down the stairs into the small arena, almost tripping, but she caught herself. She grabbed the small wooden scythe off the cart and hugged it close. The weight felt odd in her hands, not right, but the weapon itself did. She’d just have to bear with it until she she could design and weight her own. It probably wouldn’t happen until Signal but… Her gaze shifted to her opponent who held his wooden sword, shifting it as he rocked back and forth on his heels. She narrowed her eyes and dropped into a ready stance, the scythe behind her. Everything was open. He favored his right the most which meant his left would be her best option for attack. But he might be expecting that, so a feint to the right might be the best way to start… And all of his weight centered in his chest meant that tripping would probably be the most effective strategy in beating him… With that, she rushed to the right and his eyes grew wide as he held is sword up, trembling visibly. At the last moment, she turned to the left and swept the scythe under his feet, sending him spiralling to the ground. She smiled but it vanished a moment later when she saw tears roll down his face. She backed up a few steps, shaking a little. Murmurs echoed from the stands from the other kids. H-Had she done something wrong? This was a sparring match, so the goal was to win… The teacher called up two more kids, but the third shook her head, clinging to the woman. “I don’t wanna spar with her! She’s nothing but a bully!” Ruby backed up, eyes wide as she shook her head. “N-Not—” “Yes, you are! Look at how bad you beat them!” The two boys had calmed down from their defeats, but but they looked at her warily. She just shook her head more. How was fighting to win in a sparring match wrong? She didn’t understand why the girl was so upset. “Now, now, Miss Rose hasn’t done anything wrong.” The teacher put a hand on the girl’s head but she refused to budge. The teacher smiled at Ruby. “We should probably give someone else a chance.” Ruby pulled the hood to her cloak up and bowed her head, returning the scythe to its place, then curled up in the corner. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she shook, wishing Yang or Qrow was there. She didn’t understand why they were so upset. SHe was just doing what they were supposed to! She wasn’t a bully! But using what came naturally was apparently wrong. It made her nothing but a meanie. She’d hurt people just by trying. She knew she’d just hurt them again if she did. It’d be best to keep her head down and not do that again…