Chapter Text
Headmaster Ozpin's POV
A steady tapping of footsteps echo throughout the halls of Beacon, as the bell chimes the last classes of the day coming to an end. Students rushing to and fro, many eager to get ready for what they might have. For the staff of the Huntsman Academy, a brief respite as they prepare for the weekend. Yet walking down these very halls as the students finally leave, was myself of the Headmaster of this school. A sigh escapes me, as I recall not for the first time this day that almost all the students managed to escape The Breach unscathed.
A flash of white moves in the corner of my eyes, Weiss Schnee returning from this afternoons Combat Class. A small crimson and onyx parrying dagger ever at her side, another testament to my many failures. After Glynda had sealed the breach, James and I had moved forward with search and rescue operations. Many had died, leaving severed limbs or blood stained smears. Each a life cut short due to my negligence. Perhaps James was right and I had been to cautious, and that had led to numerous deaths. Time and again, I find myself on the back foot in situations like this, a far cry from when I was Ozma.
Blinking, I find myself staring at the statue depicted past heroes, the Hard Light Dust plate scrolling through the newly added entries. My eyes instinctively move towards one of the names added.
RUBY ROSE:
Daughter, Sister, Teammate, Friend.
Gave her life protecting Vale from a terrorist attack orchestrated by Roman Torchwick
and the White Fang.
May she rest in the embrace of the Heroes of Remnant.
I shouldn't have brought her to Beacon, shouldn't have sent her team on that mission. It was supposed to keep her safe, keep her status as a Silver Eyed Warrior a secret for as long as possible until she was capable of protecting herself. I had already made plans to offer them the same role as their parents, to become Guardians like STRQ used to be. Now it's a possibility that will not come to pass, nor will I inform them. That's the least I can do, the only thing I can do.
Footsteps, steady and strong approach from behind me.
"I thought I'd find you here."
James walks up beside me, paying his respects. The two of us are silent, the only sound being that of the wind. As James opens his mouth, probably to continue the same conversation we had before, when what sounds like a mix of an explosion and glass shattering erupts from behind us. Quickly turning to the source of it, I am surprised by what looks like a crack in front of us starts growing. Fracturing more and more as two clawed hands breach through, as though it's trying force it open.
As the hands press against the cracks, we see them brace until the crack becomes a split. Tightening the grip of my cane, and I can see that James brought out his heavy revolver. A head of Black and White hair peered through the crack in reality, the twin pigtails flowing like water through what must be a Portal Semblance. The most striking thing about her from what I can is her eyes. Her eyes were a bright crimson, with the left a horizontal pupil and her right a cross. Unusual eyes weren't the only notable feature, as her ears were pointed.
She was looking around before she laid her eyes on us, or rather, on me. An expression of joy, a smile full of teeth grew as she forces the tear to open further. What looks like floating cubes drifted through, more and more as the mysterious woman redoubled her efforts until they bore fruit. With a rather alarming yell, she finally forced the breach open, going from a crack to what looks like a doorway. It brings back memories of a time long past, when such pathways were common amongst those gifted with mystical abilities.
Straightening up, I watch as the rest of her body walks into view. She wears what looks to be a mix of a black tank top and corset, loosely tied together, the sides of it exposed. Metal and some type of glass panels shaped like wings rest around her waist, right at the hips. A grey skirt that frills at the bottom and some torn thigh leggings cover her legs, cutting off at what looks to be prosthetic feet shaped like high heeled shoes. The legs are armored, two horn shaped lights glow on her knees.
A tail with what appears to be some form of plug sways behind her, a mix of energetic and caution as it flicks every so often. Intricate looking arrows glow on her forearms.
She looks like she's a Huntress from one of the other academies, as I have never seen her at my school. Still, the fact that she could open a portal right into Beacons courtyard is incredibly concerning. Instead of starting a confrontation, she simply turns around and leans back through the gateway.
A rather surprising move, though it does give me a form of peace of mind. It doesn't look like she's here to start trouble. Given the look of pure unadulterated joy she had when she saw me, it gives the impression that she was looking for me.
After a moment, she straightens back up and moves to the side, as other people started walking through. The first one through is a man with blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Eyes that were glancing over everything in front of him, as though he was taking in all available information. He half wore a jacket, with it being clipped together at the right shoulder. The left sleeve rolled up showing a bright blue prosthetic arm, both of his arms being prosthetic. A glass pane stretched over his right bicep, a cross outlined in blue. In his right hand was most definitively a weapon, with how large it was and how easily he carried it with only one hand.
It appears he has more extensive prosthetic augments than the previous woman.
The next person through was wearing a comparatively simpler outfit. With long silver hair, two pink streaked bangs lining her face, and bright pink eyes walked a woman wearing a Military outfit. A pair of dog tags hang around her neck. Her outfit was primarily a pinkish white, with dark pink on the shoulder and reaching down from the elbows.
She wore a white skirt with a digital cube pattern, complete with pleated fabric underneath it. Dark red socks with the same pink cubes on them started just below the knees.
She was less less cautious than her compatriot, looking around with open awe despite being wary. Floating beside her were two rather large guns. A telekinetic Semblance, perhaps? She pulled out a tablet and started working on it, what for I do not know.
Two more figures walked through, the first being a woman that was just barely covered enough to be considered decent. A heavily cropped white jacket with the center a dark red that stopped just under her breasts, an orange crystal seemed to glow as it rotated. The sleeves of her jacket were unbuttoned, as to allow her prosthetic limbs free range of movement.
Her hair a dark, DARK grey that seems to be ablaze was tied into two longer pigtails than the first woman. Her pants were form fitting, lying on her just above the pelvic area that the only reason they haven't fallen off is because of the various belts tying it secure. A military sash wrapped around her torso, acting as a form of scarf, or cape.
The final person was covered head to toe in armor, armor which no doubt fit where ever they came from. An angular chest piece with what looks like a segmented wing sat on the left side, just under a blue ribbon. The pauldrons were small, made so that they wouldn't inhibit movement. Vambraces barely covered her arms, likely for reduced weight. The leg armor looked simple, going from the ankles to halfway up the thighs.
The helmet had a hexagonal pattern on the visor, with a few blue lights dotting it here and there.
The most striking thing about this person, was the cape... No, it was a cloak. A painfully familiar, bright red cloak. The only difference of the cloak was that it had the same wing pattern from the chest plate sown onto it. It couldn't be, and yet I couldn't help but hope it was.
As the figure looked around, slowly moving their head around the courtyard, they finally rested their gaze on us. Placing a hand on James arm, he looks to me but relents and lessens his hold on the trigger of his weapon. The sound of gunfire would draw unwanted attention. How there weren't students already rushing towards the courtyard after the resound crack in reality appearing is beyond me. I am thankful, however, that it's just the six of us here.
"Hello, I am Ozpin, The headmaster of this Academy." A simple greeting, but sufficient as I gesture to my friend "This is General James Ironwood of Atlas"
At that, all of them stood straighter. So they are Military personnel, that is very concerning. When I was the King of Vale I did everything I could to get rid of each Kingdoms Military, and yet Atlas still kept theirs. That these four might belong to some unknown organization is something to keep in mind.
Three of the recent arrivals looked to the armored individual, as though they are the leader. They might very well be, and are they friend or foe. Do they work for her? I hope not, not if my suspicions about who this person is are correct.
Slowly, deliberately, they walk up to James and I, carefully showing her hand as they move their hands to their helmet. With a sharp hiss, air escaped from it as they pulled it upward. I can only gasp as a hair of black hair with red highlights appeared out from under the helmet, slightly messed about from what she was wearing. The bangs framing her face, with the sides brushed to the back and braided.
Painful Silver Eyes stared back, joy and experience showing in them. A small, friendly smile graced her features, only marred by a single scar across her nose.
"Summer?" I whisper, disbelieving at what I'm seeing.
She simple shakes her head, amused at what I said.
"Close." She simply said "The first thing you said to me when we met was that I had-"
"Silver Eyes."
I take a deep breath, count to ten, release and smile.
"I'm glad that you're alive and well, Ruby." I watch as James puts his weapon away "It looks like you've got quite the story."
She laughs as she shakes her head.
"You don't know the half of it."
There are many explanations as to how she's alive, but what I'm more concerned with how she looks so four years older. Where had she been? What had she been doing, and more importantly: Whose side is she now on.
Ruby Rose's POV
General Ironwood is being cautious of me, that's fine. I don't have much room to talk, not after everything I had to deal with regarding Kurono. Even after all this time we still haven't been able to gut them completely from Babylonia.
I turn to see Lucia, Lee and Jetavie having gathered around Liv, who no doubt managed to hack into Remnants CCT network. She's probably informing them of what's going in the world, always proactive in that regard. The only one more informed is usually Lee, and he makes a habit of gathering any and all intel and sharing it when needed. He really needs to lighten up more, but he's far better than when we first met. Of my Squad, Lucia is the one who grew the most even if.... She's really come so far from way back then.
Shaking my head I walk over to Liv.
”Liv, can you bring up a map of Beacon?” I ask her “As well as the locations of Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and my sister Yang Xiao-Long?”
“Of course, Commandant!” She relied, immediately bringing up a 3D render of Beacon in its entirety.
Three colored dots appear in different areas, two gathered in one part of the building, a small room-most likely Team RWBY’s dorm, while a lone dot appeared in a spacious part of the map. The training arena, no doubt that’s Yang.
Nodding, I thank Liv and make my way back to the Headmaster and the General. This is going to be a long story, but I want to tell it. I need to.
”Headmaster, before I tell you and the General what happened to me, I have a few things I both want to do, and need to do.”
They both look at each other, a silent conversation playing out in their eyes before Ozpin nods to me.
”While I am quite curious as to how you’ve grown, I will not keep you from reuniting with your team. Meet me in my office, with both your teams and we’ll discuss what happened”
Nodding, I give a quick salute that both the General and Opzin return. Walking back to the Matrix Gate, I reach my hand through and fulfill a promise I had made years ago.
Two hands grasp mine and I gently pull them through. The first one through was Alpha, her long silver hair and white jacket flowing as she marched through. The second was Luna, her twin tailed hair gently floating with her off the ground.
“Welcome to Remnant, Alpha and Luna” I tell them, happy that they agreed to this.
”More guests, ‘Commandant’ Rose?” General Ironwood commented, a suspicious tone tinged his voice.
“You won’t have to worry about them, they long since agreed to keep out of trouble. Among other… Not so relevant things”
His eyes narrowed, not appreciating my evasive answer.
“Before you ask, Sir, that information is classified for now.” I can tell that he doesn’t like being left out of the loop. To be fair to him, neither do I.
I hear Lucia, my Lucia, stifle a laugh. I look back to see Luna hovering a small bit higher than she was before. She isn’t going to get along with the General.
“Lee, can you and Liv set up that communications relay using the blueprints that Nanami left us?”
Both of them look at each other as Liv brought up the aforementioned design. Liv bites her lip before nodding, her eyes resolute.
“Leave it to us, Commandant! Go reunite with your team, Lee and I can handle this. We even have Jetavie if we need help.”
Nodding, I’m thankful that they understand that I’m not abandoning them. Motioning to Lucia, I start making may way to Team RWBYs dorm.
Knowing Yang, she’s going to be at the Combat Arena for quite a while. If it brought me so much anxiety back when I first arrived, I can’t imagine how much it must’ve hurt for them since I was no doubt listed among the dead.
….Weiss is going to yell at me, a lot. I’M 19 YEARS OLD! WHY AM I MORE SCARED OF WEISS THAN ANY CORRUPTED OR HETERO-CREATURE?!
As if sensing my trepidation, Lucia clasps my hand with hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. Yeah, she’s right. It will be okay.
Yang Xiao-Long’s POV
I had just left the class room when I received a text from Weiss.
'Get back to the dorm. NOW! It's URGENT!!'
Well, that's not ominous. Either way, I started sprinting towards the first year dorms. What could have happened to cause Weiss to go back to her old Ice Queen texting style? I don't know why, but the closer I get to the dorms, the more my heart starts hammering. Like there's something I'm anticipating yet don't know why? Before I could think any further on it, I rush pass a few people I haven't seen before. Probably just visitors from one of the other academies, It's not like I met all of them. Though the way they're dressed makes me think they're from Vacuo.
Rushing past them, I grab on to a lamp post to swing myself in the direction of the Beacon students dorms. Another notification chimes from my Scroll, so I slow down to check it.
'It's nothing bad, Weiss had-once you get here-understandably overreacted. I'm still in shock myself, so just be careful when you get here.'
Blake, calm and composed even in text. Though the fact that she's saying it's an overreaction is concerning, even more so that Blake admitted that she's in shock. Picking back up the pace, I turn the corner that my teams dorm is on. Skidding to a halt, I catch my breath before pressing my Scroll to the lock. A click and I turn the knob, walking into the room and notice a few things off.
Weiss is staring in the direction of the dorms shower, her face redder than I've ever seen. Her eyes wide, frozen there by something she saw or heard. Blake is doing better, though her face still has a noticeable blush. Oddly enough, she's reading her 'Adult Literature' while having one ear pointed toward the same room Weiss is staring at. Seeing that they're okay, I look around the room until I see something impossible. Folded neatly on Weiss' bed is Ruby's cloak. It shouldn't be there, there was nothing left of her after The Breach, but there it was, folded neatly in a way only... only my sister could. The only difference is the prominent wing pattern being displayed proudly.
Before I can say or do anything, a rather loud moan comes from... The shower?! I can immediately feel my eyes turn red. SOMEONE MANAGED TO SNEAK INTO MY TEAMS ROOM AND NOT JUST TAUNT ME WITH RUBY'S CLOAK, BUT FUCK IN OUR SHOWER!!
Ignoring Weiss and Blake yelling at me to stop, I throw open the door to the showers and immediately freeze at what I'm seeing. A perfect copy of Summer, of Mom was on one knee, arm wrapped around the waist of an unknown woman and gently rubbing just above her clit. Her other hand holding the showerhead and changing the pressure on it, never staying on one setting. She kept mouthing what appears to be affirmations to the unknown woman, gently kissing her thighs, moving closer and closer to start eating her out. Just as she was about to start, I couldn't stop myself from speaking.
"Summer?" I hate how small my voice is, fragile. This can't be Summer, she wouldn't abandon Ruby and me, wouldn't abandon our Dad for some random woman.
Both their eyes snap to me, surprise and shock at me.
"YANG!!" Said an all to familiar voice, as she rushed to cover both herself and her companion with the shower curtain "WHY IS IT THAT YOU NEVER HAVE TO KNOCK! GET OUT!!"
Ruby screamed at me as she threw a bottle of shampoo at me. I hastily close the door before it hits, looking back to Weiss and Blake. Weiss is even more red now, having seen something she was trying to not picture. Blake is the one with the worrying reaction. She looked disappointed, huffing before going back to her smut book, her ears going back to a neutral position.
"Weiss.... That can't be..." I can't even finish the sentence. Thankfully, Weiss seems to understand what I'm trying to say.
"It is, she IS our Teams leader, Ruby Rose." Weiss can't help the smile the grows on her face, despite the increasing blush "And she's ALIVE. She's alive and well."
It's too much for any of us, and I pull both Blake and her into a group hug. It's both for them, and me. If they felt my tears hit their shoulders, they didn't say anything.
Ruby's home. She's ALIVE and HOME. What ever her story is, or why it took her so long to come back doesn't matter.
"she's home." I sobbed out.