Rose, Ruby

[MizuJakkaru]

Name: Ruby Rose, Ruby Xiao Long
Nickname: Red
Age: 17 (July 26th)
Gender: Female
Birthplace: Nantucket, Massachusetts, Unova
Family: Taiyang Xiao Long (Father), Summer Rose (Mother; Deceased), Yang Xiao Long (Half-Sister), Qrow Branwen (Stepuncle)

Trainer Orientation: Lawful Good
Trainer Class: Battle Girl, Hunter, Student
Starter Pokémon: Lillpup

Character Theme:
Jeff Williams feat. Casey Lee Williams ~ Red Like Roses Part II (RWBY)

Versus Theme:
Jeremiah George ~ Time to Say Goodbye ~Orchestral Battle Cover~ (RWBY)

Steel Rose [Male Scizor] — Let me try! You can trust me!
Steel Rose, or just Steel, is Ruby's strongest Pokémon, having been the first Pokémon she captured when she began her journey across Unova. Originally a Scyther, the Pokémon evolved into a Scizor with Ruby's constant tinkering with a Metal Coat ended in something of an explosion. The result is that Steel sacrifices some of his defenses from a lighter metal coating and regains some of the speed of its original form. This compliments Ruby quite nicely, who is built up around speedy attacks and who employs such methods in Pokémon battles. Steel is rather stubborn, but not in a coarse way.
—Captured in Boston National Historical Park.

Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant
Move Pool: Brick Break, Bug Bite, Bullet Punch, Iron Head, Pursuit, Quick Attack, Roost, Superpower, Swords Dance, U-Turn

Briar Rose [Female Roserade] — I'm just not much of a fancy pantsy... dancey girl.
Captured a few months after Ruby found Steel, Briar Rose, or just Briar, is the Pokémon that Ruby has trained most heavily. Starting out as a simple Budew, Briar has come a long way for her troubles and is actually the powerhouse distance attacks in Ruby's team. Additionally, Briar has become something of a supporter, using things like Spikes and Toxic Spikes to her advantage and setting the playing field for her allies. The Pokémon is very levelheaded; she often is the one that calms Ruby herself down when the girl's friends and sister are absent.
—Captured in Boston National Historical Park.

Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Calm
Move Pool: Aromatherapy, Extrasensory, Giga Drain, Hidden Power (Fire), Leaf Storm, Sleep Powder, Sludge Bomb, Spikes, Synthesis, Toxic Spikes

Wild Rose [Male Aerodactyl] — We mail ourselves there.
Having found a hunk of amber the size of her fist when she was exploring a cave system in southern Unova, Ruby brought the stone back to Boston and watched in awe as it was revived into an Aerodactyl. Naming the Pokémon Wild Rose for his hasty and haphazard nature, Wild Rose is Ruby's mount and physical powerhouse. The Pokémon is incredibly apt at using its body as a weapon... and also incredibly fond of attempts to one up Ruby's sister Yang when the other human is present. Sparring matches between the two have lead to property damages.
—Revived in Boston, Massachusetts.

Ability: Unnerve
Nature: Hasty
Move Pool: Aqua Tail, Earthquake, Hone Claws, Pursuit, Rock Polish, Roost, Stone Edge, Tailwind, Toxic, Wing Attack

Zwei [Male Herdier] — Don't worry. Things will be better tomorrow.
The family Pokémon pet, Zwei is most often seen as Ruby's Pokémon among the Rose household. Zwei exhibits a very cheerful and playful personality, and nothing, in fact, seems capable of getting him down or depressed. He also tends to playfully imitate Yang's behavior. Zwei is shown to be very intelligent for a dog. Not only does he react appropriately to Ruby's commands, he also seems to be smart enough to use mechanical tools. This is exhibited by the fact that Taiyang often mails the dog overland to Ruby and outfits the Pokémon with canned food and a can opener... and it is often implied by the sisters that Zwei knows how to use.
—Received from Taiyang Xiao Long in Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Ability: Scrappy
Nature: Jolly
Move Pool: Bite, Helping Hand, Odor Sleuth, Take Down, Work Up

Ruby is a young, silver-eyed girl dressed in a black blouse, a black waist cincher with red lacing and a skirt with red trimmings, completed by a red, hooded cloak. Her entire outfit is made up of various shades of red and black with black as the primary color on the main suit and red on the cloak. Even her shoulder-length hair is black with a red tint to it.

Ruby has cross-shaped pins holding her cloak to her shirt. Around her waist is a belt which holds large cartridges in individual loops, as well as a magazine pouch. A silver version of her rose emblem is fashioned as the belt. Ruby's physical appearance resembles the Little Red Riding Hood archetype, and she is sometimes derisively called "Red" by others, but such remarks will get you punched.

Artwork by Rooster Teeth (front) and Sakimi-chan (back).

Ruby can be seen as "innocent" or a "little sister" type, in that she still sees the good in the world and still sees adults and her older sibling (and friends) as infallible. Although Ruby has no trouble interacting with friends, she does have trouble actually making them, and is quick to admits that seeing new weapons "is like meeting new people, but better." This could have been a result of her having been accepted two years earlier to Solaris Academy, as well as interact with people that were both older and more experienced than her.

In combat or dangerous situations, she is shown to be quite impulsive and battle eager. This trait contrasts with her adaptability, for she is quite capable of forming attack plans with others in order to take down stronger foes. Ruby takes leadership seriously (or she will after a talking to with a certain cane wielding headmaster) and seeks to be an adept leader in this combat against the Darkness, both with her teammates and her Pokémon. Furthermore, though she can be reckless, Ruby would never seek to allow her recklessness impact the fate of her allies, human and Pokémon alike.

Ruby has had a fear of large crowds, both in and off the stage or combat arena.

Name: Taiyang Xiao Long — I'm just glad to have my girls back at home.
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Relationship: Father
Trainer Orientation: Good
Trainer Class: Teacher

Taiyang is said to be a bit overprotective by both of his daughters, yet still open and caring. His attitude towards helping others in need was passed along to his children too. He appears to have an eccentric side, as he is stated to do things like send the family pet Zwei through the mail all the time.

Ruby is the daughter of Summer Rose and Taiyang Xiao Long, as well as the younger half-sister of Yang Xiao Long, with whom she was raised on the island of Nantucket. When she was very young, Yang would read her fairy tales every night before bed, filled with the deeds of great heroes; this would later inspire Ruby to become a martial artist. Ruby knew nothing but bliss through her childhood, raised by doting parents and what she sees as the "bestest" sister.

Ruby is two years younger than her sister, but that almost never stopped her from trying to keep up with her elder sibling. For awhile, things were perfect for the family. Taiyang taught on the island, and Summer spent her days raising her daughters, instilling values of love and compassion in the small children. For Ruby, she was never without the affection and kindness afforded to a youngster, especially from her sister, who became the girl's hero very early on.

When Ruby was three, she was playing outside and wandered out of the watchful eye of her sister and mother. Lost and alone, the girl wandered for hours, crying loudly until her voice was hoarse and until tears would shed no more. In the end, nothing came of the hardship than a few bouts of panic from the household... and all were incredibly thankful to have found Ruby unscathed. Where they found her, curled around the white and black form of an equally lost puppy, remains to be explained. Nevertheless, the family was quick to adopt the Pokémon into the household. Ruby insisted on naming the puppy "Pie," though eventually he was named "Zwei" instead.

The girls grew older. Yang received her own first Pokémon and was quick to enforce the idea that Ruby's was Zwei, often leading to mock combat. Ruby took to the playtime like a fish to water, playing heroes with her pet and her sister... but Yang began to notice that Summer called the girls in earlier and earlier. That their mother could not handle the long hours as well as she used to... and Yang became privy in time to the knowledge that Summer's failing health was being caused by a disease that the girl's infallible mother could not combat. Summer was dying of cancer.

Yang confronted her parents with this knowledge, who confirmed it as truth. Summer, in particular, apologized profusely for the deception, but she hadn't known any other way not to upset the girls. Yang looked out the window to see Ruby happily playing with Qrow, and didn't blame them for their reasoning, but knew that Summer's unexpected death would utterly crush Ruby. Shortly thereafter, Ruby was told of Summer's failing health, but a five-and-a-half year old could barely understand the concept of death.

Summer passed peacefully at home five months later. Taiyang fell into grief at Summer's death, and in his drunken despair, revealed to Yang the truth of her birth mother. Still battling with her own grief, Yang rationalized the knowledge that Raven had abandoned her along with Summer's death just before her birthday to imply that she was unwanted. She shared this discovery and conclusions with Ruby, whose only concern was that she was about to lose her big sister as well. Yang reminded Ruby of the promise she had made at the latter's birth: no force on Earth could ever tear their sisterly bond apart.

After discovering what she thought was a clue to her mother's whereabouts, Yang waited one evening for Taiyang to pass out, then loaded her sister into a wagon and set off into the state forest in pursuit of the clue. She walked for hours, pulling her sleeping sister behind her, until her feet were bruised and her body exhausted from the trip. She found the abandoned cabin she sought, but not her birth mother. Instead, a pack of Midnight Lycanroc inhabited the structure, wild and hungry, and in tears, Yang came to the dreadful realization that she had just served them up fresh dinner in the form of herself and, worst of all, her sister. Too exhausted to even cry for help, Yang fell into the wagon and shielded Ruby with her body, startling the younger girl awake. Telling the groggy child to go back to sleep, she did not want Ruby to be awake to see her die; she prayed that her body would be enough to sate the hungry Pokémon.

Without warning, the dark forest lit up in artificial day as a Xuilyn descended from the trees, encircling the wagon with her body and protecting the sisters with a literal ring of fire. For nearly half an hour, the fire dragon held the wolves at bay as Yang helplessly clung to Ruby, buying them time until Qrow caught up, his reaper's blade exacting a dire price on the wolves that had dared threaten his nieces. As soon as their safety was assured, the Xuilyn disappeared into the forest once more, but it was not to be the last time that their paths would cross.

Returning home with Qrow, Yang was ashamed of her selfish actions that had nearly killed Ruby. She resolved that, while she would still try to find Raven, she would step into the void left by Summer's death and help to raise her sister. The near loss of his daughters scared Taiyang straight, and he once more became a respectable father, if a bit eccentric. When the time came for Yang's Pokémon journey to begin, Yang was reluctant to head off, unwilling to leave Ruby behind but equally aware that she might unintentionally put Ruby in danger again if she brought her along. Finally, she was coerced into going under promise that her father and uncle would watch over Ruby. Ruby assured her that she would be fine, and expected her big sister to bring back lots of stories and cute Pokémon.

Yang leaving for her journey set the young Ruby into a mood. Not morose or depressed, but focused. She began to throw herself into her hobbies and withdraw from any friendship she might have had at school. The result is that she has become incredibly technically minded, a brilliant savant at building machinery and weapons. She is so adept at it that her designs and prototypes have won her some interest from companies, though Taiyang has yet to let her sell any of them, for fear of her being scammed.

Additionally, Ruby began to fervently train under the tutelage of her Uncle Qrow. As the years went on, Ruby began to develop a style of combat with a scythe and then with a scythe of her own design, improved upon from the one Qrow used. She even got to the point where she would fine tune Qrow's for him. Such that it was when Ruby began her own Pokémon journey, leaving shortly after Yang returned. Though she did not collect nearly as many badges as her sister, the two years she spent around the Unova region left her with a comfortable experience in Pokémon battles and holding her own, as well as a well rounded half-team of companions.

After attempting the League Cup, Ruby returned home and went back to school and designed the final version of her weapon: Crescent Rose. She also took everything she'd learned of her sister's newfound combat abilities and created the Ember Celica for her best friend. It was these designs and the girls' resolve to combat the new threat of their world, the Darkspawn, that drew the attention of a certain headmistress and found the girls admitted to Solaris Academy, and Beacon therein.

Regular Abilities______________________________________
└-Skills, professions, knowledge and talents.

Weaponsmith: A bright mind in the how and what of weapons, Ruby is keenly equipped in designing and fabricating unique and off the wall weaponry. She is often known to spend hours trying a new concept, something that has lead her to having rather underdeveloped social skills.

│
├─Classification: Talent
├─Category: Creative
└─Power Level: Journeyman

Martial Abilities______________________________________
└-Weapon specializations and fighting styles.

High Caliber Sniper-Scythe: This weapon can transform between a scythe and a sniper rifle, and can fire rounds in either form with massive force. Rather than compensate for it, Ruby harnesses the recoil to enhance her mobility in combat, firing shots to propel herself short distances, simultaneously attacking and evading her opponents. Noted as being incredibly hard to handle, the weapon and the subsequent style of combat Ruby has developed from it was one of the many reasons she was admitted to Solaris Academy so soon.

│
├─Classification: Physical, Talent
├─Category: Fighting Style, Skill, Weapon Proficiency
└─Power Level: Expert

Unique Abilities_______________________________________
└-Powers unique to the character.

A Semblance of Speed: While not utterly unique, Ruby shows great control over an ability she's simply possessed and nurtured for as long as she can remember. The keen understanding of movement, speed, musculature and what her Uncle Qrow thinks might be inborn psychic powers, allows her to dash with unnatural speed in whatever direction she chooses at the cost of overall stamina. This happens so fast she sometimes gives off the illusion of teleporting. She has displayed the ability to use this in midair, as well as to create a powerful whirlwinds that can suck in and knock away objects and foes caught by it.

│
├─Classification: Aura
├─Category: Aura Semblance
└─Power Level: Inherent

Coming soon.