2 years has passed for Ruby Rose since all of the pieces started to fall into place. 2 years from the time she started Beacon, became the leader of team RWBY, and 2 years since the world was been thrown into complete and utter chaos. Today, grimm frequented the streets, 1/3 of the human population was killed or held hostage by their enemy, and Cinder was now the Queen of Remnant. All the while Ruby's team has since scattered after the fall. Sounds peachy, right?
Last she heard, Blake was gathering information from her old acquaintance Adam through undercover work in the White Fang. Blake had convinced Adam she had a change of heart, and Adam believed her since he didn't think Blake could be stupid enough to try anything after Cinder has already won. A month before that, she found out Yang was trying similar tactics, just without the stealth part (it is Yang afterall) as she brutalized Junior and whatever other nameless bozo she could find, and Weiss…. She was forced to come back to her family since they decided to now aid Cinder. But, what about Ruby? What was she doing?
She was doing absolutely nothing except small, pointless errands for Ozpin and the rest of the Hanram. She felt miserable. Useless. Boooooored. The girl constantly questioned what happened with her life. What was her mistake? What did she miss? Not killing Roman when she had the chance (or did she truly ever have the chance)? Or was it not taking her role as team leader seriously and allowing everyone to slack off? Not just allowing it, but encouraging! It's because of her that they weren't all strong enough... And why wasn't she doing more now?! It had been months since she's heard from Ozpin!
"Ah, I see I've been away too long again Miss Rose; I apologize. You're scrunching your nose in irritation as you mutter my name under your breath again," stated the former Professor Ozpin.
"Pro-uh-urm, Ozpin!" Ruby never really did lose her, at times, awkward disposition. Didn't help that she was still in the habit of addressing him by his former work title. She would be able to do it now if Beacon where still around and Ozpin could still be the headmaster, or at the very least, a professor. However, he thought it was pointless to hold on to the past through a pointless title. "Ahem, why are you here? Did Cinder's soldiers gather another area of ours?"
Ozpin gave a small, tired smile before he answered. "Unfortunately, I can't give you an encouraging answer this time. Cinder now has hold of more people to 'own' and use in whichever way she pleases while they're held captive by her. However, that is not my sole reason for coming to you tonight Ruby. No... This time I come to you to discuss things of an entirely different topic. Ruby Rose, can you tell me what my semblance is?"
Huh? What kind of question was that? No one knew what Ozpin's semblance was. The military hoped he would display and utilize it before the fall was completed by the Cinder, but Ozpin said the consequences weren't worth its use. So does that mean, OH... "No one knows Sir. Are you saying the consequences are worth your semblance's use now?"
"Yes, yes... Maybe I am," he said. Ozpin seemed to be troubled by his own news. "The reason why almost no one, minus the few selected individuals, knows about my semblance is because mine comes with a price; Far too many variables that typically create more chaos than it prevents. However, after another sector was taken recently, I'm seeing that there will be no way out of using my semblance if we wish to make things right with Remnant.
"To put it bluntly, I can navigate through space and time or allow someone else to do it in my place. If this fact were to have fallen into the military's hands, then they would try to force me to manipulate my semblance to their own benefit instead of using it to stop Cinder. Typical really. The reason I bring this topic before you now is because I have a request for you. Before I go on, I would like you to contemplate all that I've told you. Get ready and come to the cliff where we've met before. Do this if you're up to this assignment. I've told you more than enough to give you a general idea, but I will tell you the rest when I feel as if our conversation cannot be turned against us by strangling ears.
"So Miss Ross, spend the night deciding on whether or not it would be in your best interest to hear more tomorrow night. Until then, I bid you a restful sleep."
All Ruby could think was, 'I'm not going to get any sleep tonight, huh?''
Unfortunately for Ruby, she wasn't too far from hitting the nail on the head. She was able to sleep approximately 2.3 hours between her tossing and turning. She had finally come to a decision however. She trusted her former Headmaster. He was the sole reason the Hanram wasn't extinguished yet, and if he was bringing this forward to her, then she was sure he had a very good reason to do so.
Enough time had finally passed for Ruby to meet up with Ozpin at the cliff. It was one from a previous forest that Beacon held its initiation in. Most of the Grimm had been exterminated from the area and the rest that had some manifestation of a working brain and stayed far away from the Hunters and Huntresses. Now, Ozpin was here awaiting Ruby Rose's answer.
"I'll do it. Please Sir, continue telling me your plan."
It was extensive to say the least. Ozpin would use the dust contained in his cane to activate his semblance and send Ruby several years into the past. She was to disguise herself as a first year at Beacon and uncover what she could about Cinder. There was bound to be information floating around about the woman back then. Hopefully enough information is gathered before she gets too strong again. If possible, Ruby was to end Cinder and her allies before things could really be set into motion. Maybe this time, there wouldn't be so much pain involved. The only ones who would get hurt this time were Cinder and her awful sidekicks.
On the bright side, Ruby was a perfect match for the job. She recently turned 17, and held much more experience in terms of fighting and weaponry than the average one her age. She had already proved herself a protégée in these terms 2 years ago when she was first accepted into Beacon, allowing her to be an even greater asset with her experience now. At this point, Ruby is the only person with the right skills, and at the right age who wasn't already deployed in another job.
And she was to leave tonight.
A/N: Like and review! This is my first fanfic and would love the feedback.
