42 Usagi Days / Ruby-Colored Days, Pt 3

- 42.1 -

Ruby and Ivy walked side by side, to Ivy and Violet's apartment, on the other side of the compound. They lived on a different floor.

"I lied," said Ruby.

"Hmm?"

"I lied. About the reading thing. I haven't read anything in like, two weeks."

Ivy smiled. "That's okay."

They didn't say much else.

… Which was funny, because there was a million things Ruby wanted to say. She didn't know how to say it. Ruby wanted to tell her how guilty she felt. How such a terrible person didn't deserve friends like Ivy and Violet. She wanted to tell Ivy how she couldn't get out of bed on the best of days, and how sometimes her stomach hurt for no reason and how she was so tired all the time and how sometimes the very thought of simply stepping outside her room was so intense and frightening that it felt like the entire world would come crashing down over her head and how—

"We're here," said Ivy.

- 42.2 -

"Hey. How was the pool—" Violet froze, as she stepped out of the kitchen to greet Ivy, and saw the extra guest. "… Ruby."

Ruby, smiling weakly: "… Hey."

Violet dried her hands on her apron, and rushed across the room to give Ruby a hug.

Ruby: "Oof. Okay, okay, a bit tight there."

Violet: "We haven't seen you in so long!"

"… Yeah. Sorry."

"No, don't be sorry! … Have you eaten yet?"

Ruby shook her head.

"Well, you're in luck, because we made way too much."

Ruby could smell the curry wafting over from the kitchen. Her mouth was already watering.

Ivy and Violet's apartment was a lot bigger than Ruby's. The spaces intended for family living had separate kitchens and living rooms, and separate bedrooms as well.

Lucy, hearing the commotion, stepped out of her bedroom. She smiled at the sight of Ruby, and waved.

"Hey, Lucy. Long time no see," greeted Ruby. She suppressed the second half of her greeting, which was, Look at you! You've gotten so big!

For anyone else, such words would have been a lighthearted compliment. But for Lucy, the remark would only remind everyone of her ultimate fate, as a luck module. (Sometimes, when Ruby closed her eyes, she still saw the monster of Firgrove Village chasing her and Annie.)

Ivy clapped her hands together. "Well … Let's sit down to eat, then!"

- 42.3 -

Ruby ate so fast she nearly choked on her food. She scarfed down her plate, and then asked for seconds, which Violet happily dished out for her.

Ruby: "This is the single best curry rice I've ever had in my life."

Violet: "That's the R.A.B.B.I.T.-brand roux. All I did was add water and meat and vegetables."

Ruby: "Nonsense! If I tried to make this, I'd find a way to mess it all up. As expected of the great chef Violet-sama."

Violet: "Oh, you flatterer, you."

The four of them sat together and discussed what they'd been up to lately. Ivy had been volunteering at the library, sorting and cataloging books. Violet had taken up baking as a hobby, having for the first time in her life easy and constant access to an oven. (Violet: "Baking's a lot harder than just cooking on a stove … I'm still learning, but when I get it right, I'll have you try my cupcakes, Rubes …")

"So what are you up to, Ruby?" Violet asked, innocently.

"Oh, … you know. This and that."

- 42.4 -

After dinner they sat in the living room, and played a few rounds of Kart Racer on the TV.

(Ivy: "Ruby's just unbeatable, as always. Argh! But I would've gotten second place, but I had bad powerups! … The controller has a delay! … The sun was in my eyes!"

Violet, smugly: "Don't you play this game the most out of all of us? Why are you still so bad?")

Afterwards, Ivy brought out a board game—one Ruby hadn't played before, involving trading resources like wood and stone to control and hold territory. (… Ruby won that, as well.)

Soon Lucy was feeling sleepy, and said good night to Ruby as she retired to her room.

Then the three of them sat on the couch, and watched a few episodes of a magical girl anime, continuing from where they'd left off last time.

(Ivy, who had read the manga years ago: "Oh, oh! I think we're heading into the Cyborg arc! You guys are gonna love this. Maki realizes she can't do this on her own, and she—"

Violet: "Ivy, spoilers!"

Ruby: "Seriously, Ivy. You're always spoiling every show we try to watch …")

When they were done, Violet went to wash the dishes, and Ivy moved in close to Ruby for a private talk.

Ivy: "What you talked about last time …"

Ruby: "I still want to."

"You wouldn't be able to come back again."

"I know."

"You know that … if you do, we're coming with you."

"No! You and Violet have a life here. And Lucy …"

At the mention of Lucy, the air fell silent.

Ruby: "Lucy's looking more …"

Ivy: "… Yeah."

"How much longer, do you think?"

"No idea. It's not like the Professor gave us a timeline."

"How's she feeling these days?"

"Changes from day to day. Some days she's so weak she can barely climb out of bed. Today's one of the better days."

Another long silence.

Ivy, changing the topic: "How's your health?"

"Fine."

"What does Dr Black say?"

"She says it's all in my head. Psycho-pedantic or whatever."

Ivy frowned. "How about your nightmares?"

"What are you, my therapist all of a sudden?"

"No. Just worried about you."

"Well, don't. I'm fine. And I've always had nightmares. I've gotten used to them."

- 42.5 -

It was getting late. (At least for Ivy and Violet—Ruby didn't really have a proper sleeping schedule anymore.)

She said her goodbyes, and Ivy and Violet saw her off at their front door.

"Seriously, visit us anytime. We're always here for you, Ruby. Just stop by when you feel like it."

"Sure," Ruby smiled. Knowing she probably wouldn't.

Ruby started to head back toward her apartment. Then she remembered that she still had to make a konbini run. She turned the other way, and headed to the R.A.B.B.I.T.-Mart instead.

The automatic door opened, and the digital chime greeted Ruby as she stepped into the konbini. It was brightly lit inside, and empty inside, except for the clerk behind the counter.

Ruby grabbed a shopping basket and loaded it up with Dr Fizzy-Pop, instant noodles, and potato chips. All products made in-house, by R.A.B.B.I.T.'s manufacturing wing somewhere in the compound. (Ruby wasn't exactly sure, where … Then again, she didn't really care to know.)

The clerk behind the counter bowed, and started to ring up her items. If it weren't for Ivy and Violet just now, this would have been the only human interaction she'd had all week.

Then, for the second time tonight, a voice behind her: "… Ruby."

No mistaking that voice.

Ruby hesitated a very long time, before turning around to face her.

When she finally did, she smiled weakly. "… Hey."